Archive

  • Bridge crash delays trains

    TRAINS to and from Blackburn Railway Station were delayed today when a 15ft 9ins wagon was driven under a 14ft 9ins bridge. The heavy goods vehicle, which included a cab belonging to TC Logistics of Barnsley, and a tautliner trailer, was damaged when

  • Why did crush death wagon topple over?

    INVESTIGATIONS are continuing into the freak lorry accident which claimed the life of pedestrian Khalil Khan. Mr Khan, of Moorgate Street, Blackburn, was walking to work on Tuesday morning when a wagon carrying paper bales overturned on top of him as

  • Extra hours for eye in the sky

    A POLICE helicopter is to go on patrol 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Lancashire police's helicopter will be on permanent stand-by from April for the first time since it was officially launched in 1995. The extra £100,000 a year costs will be

  • Maternity services to merge

    MATERNITY services in Bury and Rochdale are set to merge. Health bosses at Bury Health Care NHS Trust, responsible for running local hospitals, have just been given the go-ahead to appoint two new consultants and support teams for the obstetrics and gynaecology

  • Hospital ward folds after 80 years

    IT will be the end of an era for an elderly patients' ward at Bury General Hospital which is to close after more than 80 years. Foulds Ward, one of the oldest wards in the hospital, is going to move to new premises as part of the £24 million scheme to

  • Cedric's a real City Ghent

    COVENTRY City's find of the season, Belgian Under 21 International Cedric Roussel, is hoping to mark his first season in English football with the kind of FA Cup run that took the Sky Blues all the way to Wembley glory in 1987. The big striker has announced

  • Drop-in centre scheme aims to stop the rot

    HEALTH experts today revealed that two proposed drop-in surgeries could solve the crippling shortage of dentists in decay-ridden East Lancashire. The plan has been given the green light by the Department of Health which was impressed by East Lancashire

  • 'Super' blow for town hall

    TOWN hall bosses are "mystified and extremely disappointed" that Bury has failed to become one of the country's first "super councils". The town's pioneering community safety warden scheme has been knocked back in its bid to awarded beacon council status

  • Strachan believes Clarets are a bit Andy up front

    COVENTRY City boss Gordon Strachan has earmarked Glen Little and the Burnley strikeforce of Andy Payton and Andy Cooke as the men to watch if his side is to avoid an FA Cup shock. Strachan has personally checked out the Clarets ahead of tomorrow's fourth-round

  • Dad demands truth over body riddle

    THE father of missing Blackburn hostage Paul Wells has said he does not understand why the Indian Police have renewed claims that a body found three years ago is that of his son - after forensic tests proved it was not. Bob Wells, of Feniscowles, Blackburn

  • Injury-plagued Flitcroft hits the comeback trail

    MIDFIELD king-pin Garry Flitcroft has boosted Blackburn Rovers promotion push by taking a major step on the comeback trail. The former Manchester City star, who has been out of action for virtually a year, took part in his first training session yesterday

  • Macken wraps up Boxing Day points

    JON Macken served up a festive feast to keep Preston in the race for top spot - but this 2-1 victory over Bristol Rovers wasn't without its scares. In front of a bumper 16,680 crowd, all roaring on Preston, it was Bristol who took the lead just a minute

  • Undeterred by poison pen

    W. Hill (Citizen letters: December 24) refers to the anonymous letter which I, and presumably many others, received about David Christley through the council's internal mail. There were a number of allegations in the letter. However, because they were

  • Thanks for the prompt help and good wishes

    MAY I thank the many who sent letters and cards of appreciation over the festive season. This makes the work of a councillor worthwhile. I do realise at times we do not always say and do the correct things but I believe that the good of the community

  • Tut-tut thrills and spills

    THE vivid account of daredevil tut-tut days, previously provided by reader Harry Bradbury, struck a note with the St Helens Writers' Circle. Secretary H.W. Gandy of Rob Lane, Newton-le-Willows, informs me that this ties in nicely with a poem written earlier

  • Climate of fear

    PLEASE withhold my name but I work at Reebok and would like to add a few more details to your pre-Christmas story about the 100 job losses at the warehouse. The place has a very draconian atmosphere with supervisors often showing contempt for the staff

  • NHS charter protects tell-tales

    A NEW charter to help protect NHS whistleblowers has been published by hospital managers. Following the scandal involving shamed surgeon David Baumber, Bury Health Care NHS Trust, will be distributing each member of staff with a copy of the new charter

  • The incredible talking mirror!

    MEMORY-jerking mention recently, about the old Tardis-style police boxes which used to be dotted around the borough, has inspired a couple of amusing tales from that golden era of the local beat bobby. They revolve around a 'talking mirror' and the Ravenhead

  • Let's have a proper gander at this letter

    LET me strip aside the mere abuse in Mike Ford's latest letter and analyse the minimal substantive content. First he admits he has not the slightest shred of evidence for his fantasy about the former town clerk and Crinkley Bottom. Nevertheless he felt

  • We're watching you warning to vandals

    RESIDENTS have installed spy cameras following a spate of vandalism attacks in the Dumers Lane area of Radcliffe. In recent weeks cars have been vandalised on an almost nightly basis forcing the council tenants to take the drastic course of action. The

  • Hunt saboteurs are just as bad

    BY attacking fox-hunters with hammers, pickaxes and spades, hunt saboteurs have shown they have no more regard for life than the hunters they oppose. How do they reconcile the idea that it is acceptable to inflict suffering on a fellow living creature

  • A roaring success

    A ROARING success - a cliche perhaps but surely a fitting description of New Year's Eve events in Holcombe, Ramsbottom. The Millennium bonfire inspired literally thousands to attend a really wonderful and magical evening. The torchlight procession wending

  • Book success

    THANK you for your article on my book 'A History of Lostock Hall, Tardy Gate and Farington', written by Jane Willis (Citizen, Nov 25). Due to your article sales of the book took off. In three weeks 100 books were sold, we are now taking orders for more

  • Bets on for city status

    BOOKMAKERS William Hill have made Brighton and Hove the favourite in the race for city status. Placed at 10/1, the south coast resort is ahead of Preston, which falls in at 20/1. But Preston still remains ahead of local rivals Blackpool, Blackburn and

  • Decision delayed on Eurofighter arms

    MORE than 1,200 BAE Systems jobs are hanging in the balance due to the delay of the government's decision on how to arm the Eurofighter Typhoon. The Ministry of Defence has again delayed its decision - which should have been made in July 1999 - over whether

  • Dose of reality for tourism chiefs

    New year, new century, new millennium - same old codswallop! The great and the good have lined up to tell us that we've never had it so good yet a close look at the bigger picture reveals something completely different. We all try to look on the bright

  • Meet the mums in a Millennium

    THE streets of Preston town centre may have been quiet during Millennium Eve, but the maternity ward of Sharoe Green Hospital couldn't have been busier. Ten bundles of joy entered the world on New Year's Day, keeping midwives on their toes throughout

  • Pint and prayer on the menu

    MIXING pints and prayers may not be the most conventional way of celebrating Christmas, but that's exactly what one local vicar did when he wanted to attract larger congregations. And regulars at the Anderton Arms, Fulwood, couldn't have responded better

  • MP's fight to retain truck's historic name

    AN MP has voiced his concern over a boardroom proposal to abandon the Leyland name from Leyland Trucks. The decision, by current American owners Paccar, was taken to replace all logos with either DAF or Foden badges. The company is looking to expand its

  • Huskies hunt for real snow

    PRESTON may be chilly, but it hasn't been cold enough for local man Geoff Holroyd. Geoff has been praying for snow for the past few months because he and his team of sled-racing dogs prepare to take part in the showpiece event in the sled dog calendar

  • TEN YEARS AGO: Class sizes shock

    HALF the classes in Lancashire primary schools had more than 30 children, according to a survey. Almost one in five had more than 35 youngsters, and two per cent of classes had more than 40. The findings were appalling, said the National Union of Teachers

  • BOWLS: Having a Ball

    WINTER bowling at the Golden Ball, Pilling, re-starts this Sunday at 10am with an open pairs competition. Early rounds are played on a round robin basis. For more details ring Mike Duckworth on 01253 790212. Mike is also now taking entries for the floodlit

  • Allowance is fair

    I AM tired of the selfish attitude of some pensioner couples over the winter heating allowance, stating they should have had £100 each. Why? Do they not share the same heated house? They should share this allowance and just be grateful they have still

  • Mott-enstall

    RAWTENSTALL have signed Victoria batsman Matt Mott as their new professional. Mott has spent two seasons in the Lancashire League with Church in 1996 and Lowerhouse in 1998. For Church he finished sixth in the league's batting averages with 1,097 runs

  • Partying social services staff need disciplining

    IF, as their circumspect explanation suggests, Lancashire Social Services found wheelchair-bound Neil Dunne difficult to deal with, it in no way excuses what befell him as one of their cases - having to spend the Christmas period without gas and electricity

  • Tower litter a disgrace

    I ASSUME that the people who held a drinks and fireworks party at Darwen Tower on Millennium Eve had a good time. Fair enough. It would have been nice, though, if they'd cleared up after themselves instead of leaving such a mess to greet all the walkers

  • Protests are necessary

    I WAS pleased to read the report about the demonstration by anti-blood sports protesters (LET, December 28). Without protests, the vicious sport of fox-hunting will not cease. It is a disgrace that there is so much downright cruelty to foxes and other

  • New heartbreak hits tragic family

    THE parents of a baby girl whose organs were removed by Alder Hey Hospital without their knowledge after her death were left to grieve for a second time after burying the now-recovered organs just before Christmas. And the shock of it was so much for

  • NON-LEAGUE SOCCER: Weekend team news

    IN-FORM CHORLEY face one of the UniBond League's other form sides tonight when they travel to Radcliffe Borough's Stainton Park for a top eight clash (kick off 7.30pm). The Magpies were just pipped by Borough for the UniBond First Division club of the

  • M-ways, safest way

    WITH the debate on speed limits and road safety hotting up, I would like to point out some common misconceptions - if not corrected, these stand to cost local taxpayers thousands of pounds and even lives. Misleading advertising from groups like the Council

  • Booze stolen to swap for cannabis

    A MAN stole a bottle of Jack Daniels to swap with a man in a pub for cannabis to ease his depression. Blackburn magistrates heard that since the offence, shortly before Christmas, Bradley Barclay had met his real mother for the first time and his life

  • Net spread world-wide in missing teacher search

    POLICE forces throughout the world are searching for fugitive teacher Philip Howarth. The news came as West Midlands police renewed their appeal for information about the whereabouts of the man they want to question about pornographic material found in

  • Home is in the Dome

    HUNDREDS of Blackpool pupils will take a ticket to ride on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Millennium Dome. A special train has been chartered by Blackpool Council to take around 600 pupils to the Dome in London next Friday (January 14). And they will

  • Aussie lesson for Lytham schoolgirls

    KING Edward VII and Queen Mary School, Lytham, are in the sporting news this week in a term which has already kicked off with some notable performances. Sharpness in front of goal was the key factor as the Lytham school met Australian opposition in the

  • Schoolgirl victim of bloody assault

    A TEENAGER who subjected a schoolgirl to a prolonged and serious Christmas Day attack is facing a jail sentence. Eric Buck's 14-year-old victim was left sobbing and with blood pouring from her mouth and nose after the apprentice engineer repeatedly struck

  • Shrimps meet

    Morecambe Football Club's annual meeting will be held in the JB bar at the ground on Wednesday, January 19 at 8pm. All shareholders are invited to attend. Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in

  • Arson murder trial told of threats

    A NEIGHBOUR has told a murder trial how he saw the accused leaving the dead man's home in Burnley shortly before it went up in flames. Darren Wrighton, of Clay Street, said he saw Christopher Holgate go into the house carrying a disposable lighter and

  • Bye for Lune

    VALE of Lune were given a bye to the second round of the Lancashire Trophy after Newton-le-Willows cried off on New Year's Eve. They will now take on Tyldesley or lefton in the second round on Sunday, February 6. They take on Chester for a North Two league

  • There is nothing like two dames

    IT was a case of double dame vision at Blackpool Grand Theatre this week as two leading "ladies" came face to face. Michael Holdsworth, 14, who is set to play Sarah the Cook in the Blackpool Children's Pantomime production of Dick Whittington paid a visit

  • MP rallies support for OAPs

    LOCAL pensioners are reminded to attend the "Rally Against Pensioner Poverty" at Ashton Hall on Friday at 2pm. Organised by Lancaster MP Hilton Dawson, the guest speaker will be Bruce Kent from the National Pensioners Convention who will spearhead a campaign

  • Councillor demands review of sea defences

    A LEADING Fylde councillor has called for an urgent review after freak storms destroyed a large section of a seafront wall in Lytham. Coun Alfred Jealous, of Fairhaven, was shocked to find that part of the wall between the Promenade and Fairhaven collapsed

  • Girl, 19, found police speed chase a giggle

    A GIGGLING babysitter left her charges, helped herself to a relative's car and went on a drive with three police vehicles in pursuit. Burnley magistrates heard how teenager Rachel Jones led a 15-minute chase and was found by officers laughing and giggling

  • Bug free celebration

    THE Millennium Bug has failed to bite city council systems - thanks to months of hard work and planning say council bosses. A detailed action plan has been following to ensure a bug free new millennium for council services and so far no problems have

  • I thought Hitler was dead...

    DISTURBING to the extreme is the report that mental patients are to be given compulsory medication. I thought Hitler was dead. Ms R Page, Kingsmede, Blackpool Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost

  • RL double-header

    BOARDMANS Lane, Blackbrook, is the venue for two junior Rugby League county championship games this Sunday. Lancashire under 16s take on Cumbria at 1pm, while the counties' under 18s meet at 2.15. Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images

  • Festive spirit? Humbug!

    MAY I just take this opportunity to thank those generous souls at Fylde Borough Council for bringing so much Christmas cheer to the local area. While those tightwads at neighbouring Preston Borough Council agreed to fund the town's lights for free to

  • Hanley's young heroes

    Wigan Warriors 30 Saints 16 LEADING 12-10 at half-time, a Saints' squad fielding eight youngsters battled bravely before being outpointed in front of a record 16,854 crowd at the JJB Stadium on Boxing Day. Saints tries were scored by Steve Hall, Tommy

  • Cancer cure is the No 1 wish

    IN a recent NOP poll, a cure for cancer was named as Britain's number one wish for the new Millennium. To help ensure that cancer remains at the top of the Government's agenda we are urging our supporters to send their Millennium wishes on a card to Prime

  • EXCLUSIVE: Cartwright, McKenna return to training

    PRESTON have been boosted by the return of Paul McKenna and Lee Cartwright to training. The midfield duo have been out of action for several weeks, leaving manager David Moyes with little cover should any of his middle men be injured or suspended. Flying

  • Life's a beach for dogs!

    MOVES to make Morecambe's beaches dog-free zones have upset and angered local dog owners. The council claim the dog ban is essential if the resort is to win a prestigious Seaside Award for clean beaches. But dog lovers across the district claim the beach

  • Battling Town make their point

    Vauxhall GM 1 St Helens Town 1 TOWN earned their first point of the 21st century with a battling draw at league leaders Vauxhall on Monday. But they had to withstand some heavy pressure. Gary Bickerstaffe headed Town ahead in the 41st minute after a short

  • You're in for a battering!

    MORECAMBE is about to fillet Blackpool pretensions to claim the title of fish and chip capital for Britain. Morecambe and Heysham will hold the the First Great British Fish & Chip feast during the weekend of June 24 and 25. And a Blackpool newspaper

  • Basham injury blow for North End - latest

    PNE boss David Moyes is keeping his fingers crossed that injured-jinxed striker Steve Basham hasn't suffered a further setback after breaking down in training. Basham, who signed for £200,000 in the summer, limped out of training on Thursday after aggrevating

  • EXCLUSIVE: Thanks for sticking by us

    PNE Chief Executive Tony Scholes has paid homage to Preston's loyal fans on the eve of another trek across the country. Preston travel to Plymouth in the fourth round of the FA Cup and if there is one thing fans have become used to, it's travelling. The

  • Injury setback for Gnasher

    Southport 1 Morecambe 1 MIDFIELDER Michael Knowles looks likely to miss Saturday's home match against Stevenage Borough after walking off injured in this derby match. The well regarded 25-year-old had only just returned from injury since taking a back

  • Doreen does it her way

    WRITE On is the message down at St Joseph's Players. The curtain goes up on the company's 2000 pantomime "Sleeping Beauty" later this month. And it's a first for Doreen Johnson as director AND writer. "It's given me a lot of sleepless nights," she admitted

  • Record year as money talks...

    THE £37 million buyout of a Haslingden employer was one of the highlights of a record-breaking year for corporate deals. The deal involving Scapa Filtration was one of 17 done in 1999 with a value totalling £2,176million. The figure compares with £768million

  • Slow down order for drivers

    COUNCILLORS in St Helens have given their backing to more 20 mph speed limits being introduced as part of a road safety drive. Members of the Highways and Transportation Sub Committee have agreed in principle to introduce more such limits now the Government

  • Horse dealer's fitting send-off

    A WELL-known horse breeder and dealer was buried after his final wish of having his coffin drawn through the streets of Hyndburn on a horse and cart was granted. Robert Cannon, 85, known as 'The Horse Man' and 'The Dealing Man,' who lived in Willow Brook

  • Flu no problem for North End

    PRESTON manager David Moyes says his squad will be fully fit for the weekend, despite being gripped by a flu-bug Several members of the squad which travelled down to Cardiff last weekend were placed in isolation by club physio Mick Rathbone ahead of North

  • Builders' merchant fined for home-made weedkiller

    A BUILDERS' merchant has been fined for concocting his own fungicide and selling it under his trading name. Craig Driver, trading as Haver Building Products, Bristol Works, Mount Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to supplying a pesticide - used to treat

  • Bury FC: Shakers grab draw against odds

    Bury 2 - Millwall 2 BURY are back in no-mans land after the draw against in-form Millwall. Hopes were high after encouraging performances against Scunthorpe and Burnley. But the Christmas cheer quickly turned to Millennium misery as Bury's parlous position

  • Cruel thieves snatch flowers of grief

    THE family of little Emma-Louise Bowes, who died in a house fire in August 1998, have hit out at heartless thieves who removed flowers placed on a lamp-post outside the house where she died. Flowers were removed from Peckers Hill Road, Sutton, twice in

  • Singing in the rain!

    CARDIFF CITY 0 PNE 4 NORTH End hit a four goal second half salvo to destroy Welsh warriors Cardiff dead and buried on their own battlefield, writes Tom Parker. After watching a goalless affair during the first 45 minutes, I took time in the interval to

  • Gong for forgotten hero Roger

    FORGOTTEN hero Roger Hunt has been remembered in the New Year's Honours lists The Culcheth haulage contractor and former Liverpool FC inside forward, a member of England's most famous soccer side - Alf Ramsey's 1966 World Cup winners - has finally received

  • I didn't bargain for shop rage

    SHELLEY WRIGHT'S WRY LOOK AT LIFE A WEEK into the new millennium and I don't know about you but my life has been dominated by shop rage and if it continues like this I may kill someone in the very near future, let me tell you. It's either that or commit

  • New Year warning on taxes

    BUSINESSES are being warning to get their tax affairs in order this month or face big fines. If 1998-99 tax returns are not filed before the end of this month firms face fines of £100. Accountant Mark Schofield of Haworths Chartered Accountants of Accrington

  • A diamond day

    DIAMONDS are forever - or in the case of Cliff and Alice Pimblett 60 years. The couple had a very special New Year's Day this year when they celebrated their diamond wedding along with the dawning of a new millennium. Alice, 83, is a permanent patient

  • Closure fears for stately home

    LEIGHTON Hall, one of the district's leading tourist attractions, faces closure at the end of this year. No bookings are being taken for 2001, staff have been told that jobs cannot be guaranteed and the Gillow family, whose ancestors have owned the stately

  • Journal welcomes first baby of 21st Century

    BABY Joshua Adam Smith is extra special. As Leigh's first new citizen of the Millennium he is No 1 of 2000. Joshua weighed in at 6lb 4oz at 9.10am on New Year's Day at the Royal Bolton Hospital. And he was a big surprise for parents Andrea and Mark Smith

  • Family has that sinking feeling

    A 'GOOD LIFE' family's dream home sank before their very eyes. Terry and Janet Whitfield's newly-built £120,000 house is being swallowed-up by the bogland of Astley Moss - so this week workmen began building them an identical home just a few feet away

  • New playground plan is approved

    CREATION of a new children's playground with a lockable container for equipment on open space at Newton has been approved by St Helens Council Planning Committee. The new site will be on Sturgess Street in Newton near a residential area and plans include

  • Donlan sticks by Leigh for new contract

    YOUNG full-back Stuart Donlan has pledged his future to Leigh. Donlan, who last season was voted the Northern Ford Premiership Young Player of the Year, would have been out of contract at Hilton Park in a year's time. But Leigh were keen to tear up the

  • Austin Powers' groovy careers talk

    AN Austin Powers lookalike has been visiting Bury schools to spread the word about "groovy" career choices for young people. Actor Chris Batten toured 35 schools in Bury and Bolton to point the way forward for school leavers. In the maverick performance

  • Dawn patrol ready for take off

    ELDERLY people living alone in Newton are to be offered a better sense of security, thanks to a scheme which should be ready in time for next winter. Dawn Patrol is a voluntary scheme that encourages children to adopt a street in their neighbourhood.

  • When men were women

    HUMOUR wasn't confined to turn-of-the-century music hall. Pit Brow lasses are photographed here at Gibfield Colliery, Atherton, in 1905 and they aren't all they appear. Half of the line-up are really men! Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000.

  • Pearler Dean's a real dazzler!

    IT'S not taken Leigh long to establish their title credentials. Just two games into the new season and Leigh look like the team they have to beat. Once Leigh had built a bridgehead they went on to show a huge gulf in class between themselves and Rochdale

  • Barnes-storming year for builders

    AS Bury-based builders Barnes welcomes in the new millennium, they can reflect on a record breaking 1999. The company, which has other offices in Merseyside, the Midlands and the South East, has seen its order book swell by more than £18 million. The

  • Mike's the man for the job

    GROUNDWORK St Helens have appointed Mike O'Brien as their new executive director with the task of taking the organisation into the next millennium. The 42-year-old who is married with two children, was brought up in Eccleston and still lives in St Helens

  • Drivers spurn drinks plea

    DRINK-driving is on the increase in Bury. Provisional figures for the borough show that a total of 25 motorists - eight more than last year - provided positive breath-tests during a two-week period covering Christmas and the New Year. During the same

  • CBE for head who saved UK's "worst school"

    A RAMSBOTTOM woman who took over as head of the "worst school in Britain" has been awarded a CBE in the New Year Honours List for her services to education. Mrs Anna White (45) of Chatterton, Stubbins, took charge at the beleaguered Ridings School in

  • Bury FC: Preece and Redders get the nod!

    CARRY on caretaking. That's the message to Bury's joint management team of Andy Preece and Steve Redmond from Shakers' chairman Terry Robinson. The pair have been told they will hold the reins indefinitely while the Bury board await the outcome of the

  • Warning on frozen ponds and canals

    AS winter begins to bite, St Helens Council safety officers are issuing warnings to the young and elderly in a bid to 'freeze out' accidents. Parents and teachers are being asked to warn children about the dangers of going near to frozen canals or ponds

  • Boy's bike stolen at knifepoint

    A TERRIFIED 10-year-old boy was being comforted by his family today after being threatened with a knife by a robber who rode off on the bike he got for Christmas. And police have issued a warning to parents about the safety of their children after the

  • Millennium salute for soccer's Sidney

    A BILLINGE man has been awarded the MBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours List for his services to schools football in St Helens. Father of two Sidney Green, 66, of Stuart Crescent, is a former maths teacher and head of year at Parr High School where

  • Armed police swoop after threat to kill vandals

    A 65-year-old man said he would shoot the teenager he blamed for repeated vandalism at his Hoddlesden garage compound when police failed to react to his claims, a court heard. But Blackburn magistrates were told that police response was immediate when

  • Ops cancelled because of flu outbreak

    ALL non-emergency operations at Burnley General Hospital have been postponed following a flood of emergency flu admissions. Both patients and staff have been struck down by the virus and Health Trust mangers are struggling to cope with demand for beds

  • Fresh face for greens

    A COMMUNITY initiative run by an environmental charity is to take off in the North West following the appointment of a regional co-ordinator. Anne Jackson is the new North West co-ordinator for Going for Green's sustainable communities programme. She

  • Hungry for sponsors

    SPONSORSHIP is needed to set up a pioneering newsletter to help teach a community about healthy diets. Community dietician Vanessa Hollings has been running the Healthy Shelf scheme in the Brookhouse area of Blackburn since June. She has been teaching

  • Colls rule in Atherton

    THE Atherton derby honours sit well and truly in the Colls' camp this season. On Monday Alan Lord's team inflicted a second heavy defeat in just seven days on their big rivals from across town. The 4-1 win followed hot on the heels of the 4-2 Christmas

  • Jones strikes for the top

    STEVE JONES has kept Leigh RMI in pole position at the top of the Unibond Premiership. His goal on 14 minutes gave them a 1-0 home win against Emley and keeps them ahead of the chasing pack But in truth they should have won more convincingly. In the end

  • Former golf star Jim to wed his birdie, 86

    SPRIGHTLY spinster Emma Smith is to be a bride for the first time - at the age of 86. The former Woolworth's manageress will be married on Tuesday to retired American professional golfer Jim Russell, 84. The pair will tie the knot at Accrington Register

  • Drink drive purge hailed a huge success

    THE number of people injured in drink related road accidents in Lancashire over the Christmas period fell by more than half. Lancashire police ran high profile campaign aimed at clamping down on drink driving for four weeks over the festive season. Random

  • Who's feeling dippy?

    HANGOVER cures come in all shapes and sizes but the Radcliffe Swimming Club New Year's Day morning dip remains one of the most unusual - and well attended. A total of 13 hardy swimmers took the plunge in near-freezing conditions at Starmount Lodge in

  • COVENTRY v BURNLEY: In focus

    NOT since Alan Shearer burst onto the Premiership stage has a striker's emergence caused so much excitement in the top flight as Robbie Keane's. In one respect, Keane's £6million move from Wolves earlier this season mirrors Shearer's dramatic impact following

  • New police station for 2001

    WORK on Blackburn's brand new £7.9million police station is expected to get under way some time this year. The multi-million pound project was given the official seal of approval more than 12 months ago and money has been set aside in police budgets.

  • You are the cat's whiskers!

    A CARING Citizen reader has given Tara the cat the perfect start to the new year - £200 towards her nose job! Six-year-old stray Tara had the tip of her nose removed after vets discovered she had cancer. Volunteers from the Lancashire Cat Rescue had taken

  • Fresh start for Brig

    BAMBER BRIDGE manager Tony Greenwood believes the three-week break before his side's 6-1 thrashing of derby rivals Lancaster City was the fresh start his players needed. Brig cruised to victory in the teams' fifth meeting this season with a healthy squad

  • A missed opportunity

    CAN anyone tell me why the council didn't organise anything at all for the millennium celebrations? They have proved themselves more than capable of organising events which bring the community together during the summer but for the millennium there was

  • Unhappy New Year start for vandal-hit club

    A NEW Year's Eve wrecking spree has given Prestwich pensioners a nightmare start to the new millennium. Vandals smashed their way through a window into a hall used by Heaton Park Over 60s Club just hours before New Year. Once inside, they trashed cutlery

  • New millenium honours for foursome

    A WAR veteran, a businessman, health worker and court usher are celebrating New Year honours. They were among thousands of people nationwide, from all walks of life, who were rewarded in the New Year's Honours List. Mr Les Ratcliffe, chairman of Tottington-based

  • What's On Tomorrow, January 8

    Accrington and Blackburn CHA Club New Year party, Woodlands United Reformed Church hall, Preston Old Road, Blackburn, 7.30pm. (Jacob's join) Spring Vale Ramblers meet Bold Venture Park gates, Darwen, 11am, leader Michael Counter. Burnley Pantomime Society

  • Echoes of the Cavern

    PAUL McCARTNEY'S recent return gig at the Cavern brought memories rushing back for reader Ken Melling, pre-dating the Beatles era. Ken, from Chancery Lane, Parr, was a fresh-faced lad serving with the Merchant Navy and enjoying a few scoops around Liverpool

  • Charity for shoppers makes its move

    BURY Shopmobility has greeted the new millennium - in its new headquarters. And at the opening of the £138,600 premises, tributes were paid to the Shopmobility's hard-working volunteers and staff for their "dedication and effort". The new base is located

  • Were news and lights blacked out?

    ON Thursday January 16 I was being served by the manager at W H Smith when the lights went out and all shoppers were instructed to: "leave immediately by the front door." As we all trooped out into the street I observed that all other stores had done

  • Family condemn Metrolink after ticket chaos

    A BURY family has criticised Metrolink, claiming that ticketing problems ruined their theatre outing. Mr David York (44) and his three children set off from their home on Braemar Drive, Bridge Hall, for a matinee performance of Peter Pan at the Palace

  • Tutor's time's running out for free places

    EAST Lancashire teachers have only a few weeks left to apply for a free place on an international scientific field project with the environmental charity Earthwatch. Successful applicants will work on one of six projects - Icelandic Glaciers, Blue Ridge

  • You bring out the (political) animal in me

    I AM not a political animal but I do recognise the importance of knowing the truth and that is the key to the positive evolution of the human spirit and ultimately the improvement of the quality and standard of living of all living species on the planet

  • There are three emergency services!

    AFTER having read your front page article of December 30, 'We're Ready For Anything,' I was quite concerned. I was under the impression that there are three emergency services, police, fire and ambulance, but your report only mentions police and fire.

  • Nothing left for our elderly

    I WAS deeply upset to read about the closure of an old people's home in a nearby town just before Christmas. These people were friends - at least one was 100 years old - and they were separated and sent to different homes. It was very, very cruel. Now

  • Why not build on industry sites?

    I WRITE with regard to the application to build on Spen Moor, off Bury and Bolton Road. It amazes me how these greedy house builders just wait for the dust to settle over a period of years, hope that people forget, or that their resolve to fight has dwindled

  • Rotary Santa raised £3,600

    ON behalf of the president and members of the Rotary Club of Bury Irwell Vale, I would like to thank all those residents who again so generously supported our Christmas Float Appeal. This year we raised more than £3,600 to be used to support the charitable

  • Tax payers bear brunt - again

    SO at increased expense, the residents of South Ribble are to get a new style cabinet with high-flying councillors (Citizen, December 16). It is to be hoped that they will keep their feet on the ground rather than their heads in the clouds. No doubt that

  • Millennium will be long remembered

    I WOULD like to thank the Bury Times for their support in promoting what turned out to be the local community event of the year! In drizzling rain and mist an estimated 10,000 people made their way up to Peel Tower to mark the end of the Millennium. It

  • Thanks for mystery murder tickets

    I AM writing to say thank you for the two tickets to the murder mystery evening at the Novotel on November 28. My wife and I had a most enjoyable and entertaining evening. The food was excellent and the murder mystery was good fun. We had a great time

  • You have to pay for good education

    ADVICE to provide schools in poorer wards with extra staff, homework clubs and other resources is teaching grandma to suck eggs. Is Nicole Ivanoff (Your Letters, Christmas Issue) willing to pay the extra £4 per house council tax to meet the cost of 14

  • Family has that sinking feeling

    A 'GOOD LIFE' family's dream home sank before their very eyes. Terry and Janet Whitfield's newly-built £120,000 house is being swallowed-up by the bogland of Astley Moss - so this week workmen began building them an identical home just a few feet away

  • Schoolgirl opposed to factory farming

    RECENTLY I found out where the duck meat that we see in supermarkets comes from and I was completely shocked. I had always assumed that ducks lived in the wild, but the truth is that they are factory farmed. Genetically manipulated to grow very big very

  • An 'old' story? Not for Gays . . .

    YOUR report, "Gay doctor harassed at work" (Bury Times Christmas Issue) will have made disturbing reading for many people, not least for Gay people and their families. Dr Nicholas Priestley's is a high profile case of harassment. If a well-respected and

  • Take a step back in time

    HERE'S your chance to look back on 2,000 years of local history in the new Millennium. Preston's Museum of Lancashire hosts AD 2000, a multimedia exhibition allowing visitors to experience Lancashire in Medieval times, enter a reconstructed Quaker meeting

  • Special memory of a special night

    WE would like to express our thanks and appreciation to everyone who came to the Millennium bonfire on Holcombe Hill on New Year's Eve for helping to make it the unique experience it turned out to be. Who will ever forget the sight of the snake of burning

  • Boost for cancer care

    AN EXTRA £100 million has been ploughed into cancer treatment centres. The cash boost, announced by Health Secretary Alan Milburn, includes a large amount of money for the North West, which will be distributed during the next three years. The money will

  • Metrolink chaos spoiled panto trip

    AFTER the much-heralded exhortations of our MPs, the press and TV to use public transport, I thought I would take Metrolink into Manchester. Accompanied by three children, aged five, seven and nine, I set off in eager anticipation of a Yuletide treat,

  • Bus driver leads dog astray

    ANGRY commuters have blasted a bus driver who picked up a stray dog in Blackburn - then and kicked it off in Preston! Bus passengers watched in horror as the driver of the Stagecoach service took the dog off the bus in New Hall Lane, Preston, nearly 10

  • Tory bad mouths Labour

    RIBBLE Valley MP Nigel Evans has welcomed the new Millennium - by rubbishing the work of the government in the past year. The Tory MP blasted the Labour government for wasting the year with "lies and broken promises." He said: "It is a shame we have a

  • That's the spirit!

    THE Christian meaning of the Millennium is set to come to the fore this June when the county's church-goers congregate on the home of a different 'religion' - Preston's football ground! The Deepdale stadium is usually the shrine for thousands of Preston

  • Beckham and Posh need a home

    AN Englishman's home may be his castle, but Stephen Clegg's has become a headache - because he has nowhere to store it in his house! Every year retired engineer Stephen, of Walton-le-Dale, makes a massive moving display which tells a story. His huge structure

  • FIVE YEARS AGO: MP joins picket line

    LABOUR MP Greg Pope supported bus drivers as they began a series of one-day pay strikes. Drivers at Hyndburn Transport picketed the company's bus depot off Ellison Street, Accrington, and were joined for a time by the Hyndburn MP, who described morale

  • It's an honour!

    ONE of South Ribble's most-loved councillors celebrated being awarded an MBE in a hospital bed! George Woods, who was a South Ribble councillor until 1995, saw in the New Year in Chorley and South Ribble District Hospital, suffering from a hernia. He

  • It's a question of honour

    CONTROVERSIAL Councillor Joe Fitzgerald has threatened to sue Preston's Labour Party for damaging his name and reputation, the Citizen can reveal. This week a complaint about Coun Fitzgerald, made to the Local Government Ombudsman by Labour councillor

  • Appeal for aid

    CHARITY bosses in Leyland are preparing to send emergency supplies to flood-hit Venezuela, where 500,000 people spent Christmas and New Year homeless. Workers at International Aid spent the festive period preparing blankets, clothes and other supplies

  • Preston preview

    NORTH END: Ex-Burnley defender Gary Parkinson could get a squad place when Preston North End take on Plymouth in tomorrow's FA Cup fourth round clash at Home Park. Parkinson had missed over a year with knee ligament damage, but is expected to return to

  • Traditions of carols

    FOR the last few years, I have been undertaking research into carolling traditions. I am particularly interested in carol singing groups that go out on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year's Eve. I am also interested in carol singers who have a long

  • Clubbers calmed by Chinese art

    SATURDAY night's no good for fighting any more after a Preston nightclub decided to spend £5,000 keeping thugs in line. But bosses at the old Arabellas nightclub, in Church Street, didn't spend the money investing in CCTV cameras or bringing in more burly

  • Bolton preview

    BOLTON: Sam Allardyce is one man down ahead of Saturday's FA Cup round four trip to Grimsby Town - but he has three more waiting to fill the gap. On loan right back Darren Holloway is ineligible, but Allardyce has young gun Dean Holden as well as John

  • Star treatment ridiculous

    I THINK it's disgusting that so many people should be inconvenienced because a footballer was getting married (LET, December 30). Even an invalid person couldn't park in front of his own home. What on earth is this country coming to when footballers are

  • There's no place like dome

    HARDENED cynics have been knocking the Millennium Dome since it was a sketch on a piece of paper. The £758 million project would never be complete on time, they scoffed, and even if it was, no one would visit it. Well, the dome opened to the public on

  • NON-LEAGUE SOCCER: Denzil hit by injury crisis

    COLNE boss Denzil Hart has been hit by a triple injury blow ahead of his side's long haul to Holker OB tomorrow, writes ANDY NEILD. Assistant boss Gary Hines has a badly swollen foot and Richard Walton tweaked a hamstring in last weekend's 6-2 defeat

  • Low pay protest

    BURNLEY MP Peter Pike is taking on the fight for a better deal for Britain's low paid after the Government's decision not to increase the national minimum wage this year. He has written to Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers. He said: "The rate

  • NON-LEAGUE SOCCER: New strike pair aim to Newc 'em!

    CLITHEROE had plenty to celebrate after their Christmas double over neighbours Great Harwood gave them a feast of points. But manager Steve Parry is determined there is going to be no hangover when his side line up for their most important game of the

  • Resolve to take a trek

    HAVE you made your new Millennium resolution yet? If not, we have one that may interest you. We've decided to mark the Millennium by getting fit for a challenge of a lifetime. Later this year we'll be joining 60 others to trek along the Inca Trail in

  • Cats killed in house blaze

    TWO family pets died yesterday when fire ripped through a terrace house in Dean Street, Darwen. The cats were overcome by smoke from the blaze which started in a living room settee. Firefighters were called at 6.30pm but their attempt to revive the animals

  • Branching into the new century

    STUDENTS at King Edward and Queen Mary School, Lytham, have welcomed branching out into the new century by planting a tree of celebration. Pupils from four new classes at the school have been hard at work planting the trees to celebrate their arrival.

  • School sees deeper meaning of festivities

    ST GEORGE'S High School pupils spent the last school days of the old millennium reflecting on worth and values. The school was anxious the fun and festivities should not take over the deeper meaning of Christmas and the New Year. So, as well as the usual

  • Few were fooled

    FORGIVE me if I shed no tears for the many club and pub owners who didn't make much, if any, money over the Millennium Eve's celebrations. The whole shebang had been over-hyped long before the event, so much so that staff working in these premises demanded

  • Postcode prescribing

    I AM a breast cancer patient. The treatment I needed has been provided by charity money. The money was raised by another patient with cancer. I live in an area where my health authority would not pay for it. Ironically, I had just moved from an area where

  • Crowd troubles Oyston

    A WONDERFUL goal crafted by a man named Matthews earned Blackpool a point against fellow strugglers Colchester United, writes Chris Dixon. On-loan striker Rob Matthews carved down the left wing on 21 minutes, storming into the U's penalty area to tee-up

  • Free trees on offer

    FOREST of Burnley bosses are offering the deal of the decade to landowners willing to help them meet their target to plant a million trees. They will provide trees for anyone willing to provide at least a quarter of an acre of land for the £3.6million

  • Fixture move

    Morecambe's Lancashire ATS Trophy tie with Barrow has been moved from Monday to Tuesday, January 25. The match will be played at Christie Park. The reason for the switch is that Justin Jackson and Stewart Drummond (pictured) have been selected for the

  • Festive rotter plays a mean trick

    BOO to the festive rotters who snatched a much loved telly tubby garden ornament from Atherton. Muriel Andrews, of Bolton Road, has reported the loss of Po from her patch. I do hope blame cannot be laid at the feet of carol singers who called at the house

  • Brushing up

    EASY access dental centres are planned for Morecambe as part of a new initiative to provide fast and more convenient services. Morecambe Bay Health Authority has been chosen as one of five north west pilot areas and a spokesman for the authority said:

  • Blues news

    Midfielder Mark Bailey left Lancaster City this week to join Conference club Northwich Victoria. After impressing at City Vics manager Mark Gardiner made an offer for him some time ago - but Bailey opted to stay at the Giant Axe. Gardiner came back with

  • Time again for Tom's panto magic

    BY day a hard-working civil servant, by night an entertainments entrepreneur. That is one way to describe Cleveleys' Tom Gradwell. For the last 25 years Tom has been staging amateur pantomimes to raise money for charity and when he brings "Aladdin" to

  • MBE for Arthur(pic:briggs)

    THE city council's oldest member, Arthur Briggs, has been awarded the MBE for services to the council and the community. Cllr Briggs is one of the oldest serving councillors in the country and was first elected 27 years ago. He has also served on the

  • Ops cancelled because of flu outbreak

    ALL non-emergency operations at Burnley General Hospital have been postponed following a flood of emergency flu admissions. Both patients and staff have been struck down by the virus and Health Trust mangers are struggling to cope with demand for beds

  • Youth league to expand

    THE area's highly successful seven-a-side football league for youngsters is set to expand once again. Organisers of the Lancaster and District Junior League - which already has about 300 youngsters on the books - are planning to accommodate under 12 teams

  • Con-frontation

    YOUNG people who commit crime in Blackpool may have to meet their victims as part of a radical new approach to tackling youth offenders in the town. Figures show approximately 15 per cent of all youth offenders locally are aged ten to 17 with the highest

  • Standing ovation for City battlers

    Lancaster 1 Barrow 0 WINGERS Paul Crompton and Shane Jessop proved their worth as the City shake-up provided a crucial victory over local rivals Barrow. And all in front of a bumper 826 crowd - many of whom watched from the new South Road terrace for

  • Bears' dance of joy

    BLACKPOOL Bears are roaring into the new millennium thanks to a £3,000 cash boost. The pioneering sports club for the disabled, based at Stanley Park Sports Centre, was one of 93 community groups which shared a £280,000 New Year pay-out from Millennium

  • Plan to save engine

    THE threatened retained firefighters and Hilton Dawson have come up with a last ditch three point plan to save the engine. First they want the people of Lancaster to rally round by signing a petition in Market Square at 1pm on Saturday. The petition will

  • Notes wanted on carol singers...

    FOR the last few years I have been undertaking research into carolling traditions. I am particularly interested in carol singing groups that go out on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year's Eve. I am also interested in carol singers that have a long

  • New boss by weekend

    THE big question for Blackpool's six-pointer at Reading on Saturday (January 8) is just who will be managing the Tangerines? Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston wants a new man in charge for the clash and the list of names rumoured to be applying for the job

  • Just coining it in

    THE NEW Year has already brought new delight for the Macmillan Windmill Appeal thanks to pupils from Lytham Hall Park primary school. Pupils have raised £1,000 for the appeal by arranging various events at the school including a non-uniform day and musical

  • Forged tickets tarnish lustre of Liquid gold(pic:liquid)

    AN investigation is under way after a ticket mix up at a Lancaster nightclub left around 100 revellers "out in the cold" for the millennium celebrations. Angry party goers claim their big night was ruined after they were refused entry to Liquid Nightclub

  • Don't be late for school

    PARENTS in Blackpool may find they cannot get their children in a primary school of their choice because they are late applying for a place. As the closing date for admission nears, hundreds of Fylde children are still without a primary school place.

  • Butchers play weighting game(pic:beefy)

    TWO butchers in Bare are taking on the might of the European Union government for the right to use pounds and ounces. The EEC commission have made it an illegal offence to display goods with imperial measurements - instead they have to use metric. But

  • Stewart king

    A GREAT goal gave the St Helens McDonald's JOL under 16s side victory over Bolton Boys Federation. The all-important strike came from Darryl Stewart. FIXTURES Liverpool County Cup: St Helens under 16s v Skelmersdale at Penlake (11am), St Helens under

  • Mayor will dig into the future

    WYRE'S Mayor will cut the first turf to launch Fleetwood's new look for the new millennium on Monday (January 10). Mayor Coun Harry Taylor will perform the honours to start building work on a multi-million pound redevelopment of the town centre with new

  • Christmas pets waiting to die(pic:dog)

    THIS abandoned dog - like 22 others all from the Lancaster and Morecambe area - will have to be killed in a matter of days because there's no room for her or any of the others. The dog kennels at Heysham and at Animal Care in Lancaster are full to bursting

  • PNE 2 Bristol Rovers 1

    JON Macken served up a festive feast to keep Preston in the race for top spot - but this Bank Holiday thriller wasn't without its scares. In front of a bumper 16,680 crowd, all roaring on Preston, it was Bristol who took the lead just a minute before

  • Comb ready to kick off millennium

    THE St Helens Combination swings back into action this weekend. But the New Year marks the resignation of Widnes outfit West Bank, of Division One. However, their hard-working secretary, Bernard Teebay, will remain on the league's management committee

  • Brought up in a children's home?

    I AM currently carrying out research into the treatment of pauper children in the Fylde, Garstang, Chorley and Preston areas with particular emphasis on those who lived in the local workhouses. My supervisor, Dr Steven King, reader in history at Oxford

  • MP fights for better pensions

    A FYLDE Coast MP launches a huge campaign on behalf of poverty-line pensioners on Friday (January 7). Wyre MP Hilton Dawson has hired the biggest venue in his constituency - the Town Hall in Lancaster - for a public meeting at 2pm to be addressed by Bruce

  • Wrexham 0 PNE 0

    WREXHAM brought a new meaning to the term Boxing Day as fans endured a bitter clash of two teams playing in difficult conditions. A second-half punch-up involving all of outfield players was the talking point of the game, and typified a game being played

  • School's out for Wayne

    A BLACKPOOL pub landlord has slammed education chiefs because his son is still being refused a place at the same school as his younger sister. Dave Richardson's 13-year-old son Wayne has not been to school since October last year after the family were

  • Legal team gets boost

    TWO new associates have been appointed at solicitors Farleys. Jonathan Bridge, based at the firm's Blackburn office, and Bernard Horne, who works from Accrington, have been promoted to the posts. Jonathan is a member of the civil litigation department

  • Deepdale Diary

    ZRYAN Kidd is battling through the pain barrier to remain in the squad, despite having picked up a break in his hand on Boxing Day. Provided he isn't struck down by the flu, he should be back in the first eleven by Saturday. ZPRESTON have admitted they

  • Three in court after street attack

    THREE Oswaldtwistle men appeared before Hyndburn magistrates after a street attack which left two men with slashed heads. Lorry driver William Alexander Fullerton, 37, of Hornby Street, is charged with two counts of wounding with intent and one of violent

  • Rugby League: Tough derby test for Lions

    SWINTON Lions face another stiff test at Leigh on Sunday in their latest Northern Ford Premiership outing of the new 1999-2000 season. The Hilton Park club have only lost two games at home over the last year and have started the new campaign with back-to-back

  • Beware the banana skin, Moyes warns

    Plymouth Argyle may be knocking around in Division Three, but that doesn't mean they are going to be a roll over. So says PNE manager David Moyes, who takes his team back on the road this weekend, this time in the FA Cup. North End have yet to meet a

  • Non-league soccer: Boro roll on

    A NEW year it may be but the same old story is still being played out by Radcliffe Boro - namely a tale of goals, wins and one superb performance after another! And judging by the queues outside Stainton Park before the bloodless victory over Ashton United

  • Murder's the key to success

    MURDER most foul proved a successful formula for success in 1999 for the DeadEnders. Leigh's popular murder/mystery company performed a series of shows throughout the area and as far afield as Blackpool. And, to crown a great season, they presented a

  • Strategy for the North West

    LEADING figures from East Lancashire are expected to attend a major conference on the future of the North West later this month. Broadcaster John Humphrys will chair a debate being staged by the North West Development Agency on January 17. The meeting

  • Raider grabbed man by throat

    A SIXTY-one-year-old man who had fallen asleep on his settee was rudely awoken by an intruder at about 1.40pm on Christmas Day. The intruder claimed to be from the gas board and said that the victim owed him money. When the occupant of the house noticed

  • Angry residents prepare for footpath war

    RESIDENTS in Boothstown have mounted a campaign to stop a series of footpath closures on fields close to the junction of Chaddock Lane and the East Lancs Road. Local residents are being leafleted to write to protest against a public path order which intends

  • Big rise in rates likely

    BUSINESSES in Lancashire face a big leap in rates from this April, according to surveyors. And the sharp increases in rateable values will place a major financial burden on companies across the region. "Retailers and the office sector will be particularly

  • Community spirit is rewarded

    TWO Lancashire ladies are celebrating more than a new millennium after being recognised in the New Year's Honours List. Community worker Phyllis Hardman and lollipop lady Margaret Brown are both proud recipients of an MBE after years of unstinting service

  • Chernobyl children have Christmas cracker

    CHRISTMAS had an extra special fairy tale flavour for young disaster victims. Russian children have enjoyed the festive spirit of a British Christmas thanks to warm-hearted locals of the Medicine in Chernobyl (Culcheth) charity group. Six children and

  • Backers needed to help firms' growth

    A CALL has gone out to private investors to help local firms grow fast. The Techinvest business angel introduction service, which has already helped several East Lancashire firms, is now looking for more potential backers to help firms with cash and expertise

  • Warm welcome for fire squad

    MERSEYSIDE'S Chief Fire Officer, Malcolm Saunders, and Station Commander, Graham Hatch, welcomed 22 volunteers at the inaugural meeting of the St Helens group of the Friends of the Fire Service. The main purpose of the group is to help with the formation

  • Gaynor & David tie knot in historic wedding

    A LEIGH couple celebrated the last local wedding of the century on Millennium Eve. Gaynor Roberts and David Greenalgh tied the knot at Kingsleigh Methodist Church. They then saw in the new century as husband and wife at a party at home after a reception

  • Flu hits Preston

    PRESTON manager David Moyes will find out today just how many of his players have been struck down by a flu bug which is sweeping through his high-flying squad. Several members of the squad which travelled to Cardiff last weekend were placed in isolation

  • New Year honour for Margaret

    MORE than 30 years dedicated service to youth by a retired teacher has been recognised in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Mrs Margaret King (63) of Inglewood Road, Rainford, has received an MBE for her on-going work as co-ordinator of the Duke of Edinburgh

  • Double tragedy of a devoted couple

    THE funeral takes place today of a devoted couple who were killed while travelling to spend Christmas with their son. Peter and Marjorie Waring of Hope Street, Leigh, died when their car was in a horrific collision with a heavy goods vehicle on the A14

  • Pit cash battle for Leon

    A COUNCILLOR who travelled to London just before Christmas to join the fight to win back millions of pounds from the Government to benefit ex-miners believes it will be a long, hard fight. Councillor Leon McGuire has appealed to ex miners, or others sympathetic

  • Did you see travel raid?

    POLICE are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed an attempted robbery to help them with their inquiries. Two men entered David Ogdens Travel, Higher Parr Street, Fingerpost, at about 2.15pm on Wednesday, December 29. One stayed near the door, while

  • Man found dead in bus shelter

    A 28-year-old man was found dead in a bus shelter on Morecambe promenade last week. Richard Dennis Tatum of Clarence Street was found dead at the shelter on the junction of Marine Road and Lord Street. There are no suspicious circumstances. Converted

  • E-commerce explained

    "WHAT no-one ever tells you about e-commerce" is the title of Bolton and Bury Chamber's next business breakfast. The event will take place on Tuesday, January 18 at the Jarvis International Hotel, Blackrod. Richard Zoltie of accountants Levy Gee will

  • Waste project REAPs rewards

    A WASTE mountain of 40 tonnes of paper and 12 tonnes of cans was collected in three months by a pilot recycling project in Pendle. Two thousand homes in Earby and Reedley are taking part in the REAP (Recycling and Environmental Action in Pendle) scheme

  • Reward goes to loyal nurse

    A LOCAL nurse has been rewarded for her achievements in the New Year's Honours list. Elizabeth Powell, who lives in Billinge, received an OBE for her services to primary care. For the last 10 years the mum-of-two has worked as a practice nurse, and nine

  • Bury solider's remains found in Belgium

    THE remains of a Bury soldier have been discovered in Belgium - 85 years after he fell in battle. He has been identified as Mr Harry Wilkinson, a Lancs Fusilier, who died in Flanders in November, 1914 at the age of 20. Now plans are being made to give

  • Drop-in centre scheme aims to stop the rot

    HEALTH experts today revealed that two proposed drop-in surgeries could solve the crippling shortage of dentists in decay-ridden East Lancashire. The plan has been given the green light by the Department of Health which was impressed by East Lancashire

  • No New Year cheer for abandoned pets

    THE festive cheer has well and truly been wiped out at Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary which has been taking abandoned animals on an almost daily basis since Christmas. Around 20 cats and 15 puppies, including these six cute bundles of fur pictured, have been

  • Hadcroft's back from Oz

    CLASSY centre Alan Hadcroft has made a surprise return from Australia and wants to win back a spot with Leigh. A virtual ever-present last season, he has spent three months Down Under where he was looking to continue his career for a short time. But now

  • Bury College to help pioneer new network

    A CONSORTIUM of educational establishments, including Bury College, has been invited to pioneer the University for Industry's (UFI) ambitious "Learndirect Network." A total of 68 Learndirect development centres are planned for England, Wales and Northern

  • Revealed - shock video of elephant prodding

    A SHOCKING undercover video has been revealed showing the treatment of elephants at Blackpool Zoo. Shot by a man working in conjunction with the Captive Animal Protection Society, the controversial video has been widely circulated to officials throughout

  • Geoffrey takes on new role

    GEOFFREY Appleton has been appointed new non-executive director of the St Helens and Knowsley Community Health (NHS) Trust. Mr Appleton, human resources director of the Merseyside Magistrates Court Service, has lived in St Helens all his life. After studying

  • Salute the bug busters

    TOWN Hall bug-busters were so successful that council buildings opened to the public a day early. Municipal services were unaffected by the much-hyped Millennium threat to services, which bosses say was thanks to months of planning. Local authority staff

  • Quality 'n character in classic encounter

    BY the law of diminishing returns Leigh had to beat Widnes sooner or later. And the first game of the new season was pay-back time. Hilton Park's best crowd for several years saw two teams produce a classic with Leigh, stinging from a trio of defeats

  • Hands on design for deaf students

    BURY'S MFI Homeworks store has helped deaf teenagers from across the North West get their hands on computer design technology. The Bury store, together with other MFI outlets in the region, teamed up to invite students from the Royal School for the Deaf

  • Freddie's back . . .

    SAINTS hope to welcome back overseas stars Fereti Tuilagi, Julian O'Neill and Kevin Iro when they meet Halifax at The Shay in a pre-season friendly on Sunday, kick-off 3pm. The trio were expected to return this week after holidaying Down Under. But Anthony

  • More power to chamber's elbow

    ST HELENS Chamber has formed a Members Council to further empower it as the voice of local business on a local, regional and national level. The chamber, which currently represents the interests of more than 900 members, will use the council to strengthen

  • £1.3m water mains investment

    AROUND 8,500 customers in Tottington are set to benefit from a £1.3 million scheme to refurbish water mains. North West Water has started work on a scheme which will improve water quality for customers in the area. More than 22 kilometres of old mains

  • Thousands join new millennium pilgrimage

    H0LCOMBE Hill was at the centre of the borough's millennium celebrations with a huge beacon bonfire which lit up the night sky. Ten thousand people made their way up Holcombe Hill late on New Year's Eve to celebrate the new Millennium. And organisers

  • Lucky escape for pensioner in car river drama

    PENSIONER Bessie Driver had to be rescued by firemen after her car plunged into the River Irwell on Tuesday (Jan 4). Mrs Driver's Rover 216 shot through a fence, over the embankment and nose-dived into the fast flowing river forcing the 85-year-old to

  • Helen's a real shooting star!

    A TALENTED young filmmaker looks set for stardom after her first short film scooped two top awards. Former Rainford High pupil Helen Edwards, from Rainford Road, Windle, graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in June this year with a first

  • Aching to go ahead with new dental centre

    BURY toothache sufferers needn't be down in the mouth. For a dental access centre with a "high street" location in Bury has been given the go-ahead in principle by Health Minister Lord Hunt. The proposed centre will be one of two locally with the other

  • New bus up and running

    A NEW bus service that will make town centre shopping easier in St Helens is now up and running. The Hopper Bus will provide a regular link around the town centre and serve several of the main car parks and St Mary's market. It is a joint venture between

  • Busy start to New Year for emergency services

    EMERGENCY services had one of their busiest New Years on record. Ambulance, fire brigade and police were inundated with calls throughout New Year's Eve and the morning of the new Millennium. But it seems the level of 999 calls was not as high as had previously

  • Special salute for dedicated John

    A FORMER Lowe House pupil who failed his 11-plus, and was a motor mechanic for ten years, has been awarded an OBE for unstinting social work - in the eastern Caribbean! Barbados-based John Harrison, aged 62, earned his 'gong' after spending 20 years commuting

  • Building at schools hit by cash shortfall

    REPAIR and building work at some local schools may have to be postponed after the borough received less government cash than it hoped for. Education bosses are refusing to be "downbeat" and have said that they are "grateful" for Whitehall's £1.4 million

  • Solution in sight for neighbours

    NEIGHBOURS who claim inconsiderate motorists are causing chaos in two residential streets are "cautiously optimistic" of the matter being resolved following a meeting with the local council and Merseyside Police. The meeting, called by residents of Maryville

  • Songbird Becky's date at Dome

    A TEENAGE soprano has hit yet another high note on the road to choral fame, by singing before the Queen in the Millennium Dome on New Year's Eve! For 16-year-old Rebecca Hughes of Eccleston, was Merseyside's only representative in the 20-strong Millennium

  • A helping hand for parents

    COPING with young people is the theme of two courses being offered by Partnership with Parents in Newton. 'What can a parent do?' is aimed at parents of children between five and 15 and is designed to give them an opportunity to discuss with other parents

  • Romantic Michael 'rings' in new millennium

    BELLS heralding the new millennium had barely faded away when romantic Michael McAlister got down on one knee to propose to his sweetheart - 20 minutes into the year 2000. The 24-year-old from Liverpool was handed a microphone when he was spotted by the

  • Smile that says it all

    THE smile on young Daniel Kioko's face says it all as he stands on his own two feet for the first time in his life. The nine-year-old Kenyan boy was born with a crippling condition and could only walk on his knees. But now he is undergoing major leg surgery

  • School was a classy act

    VICTORIA was to reign for another eight years, Gladstone occupied 10 Downing Street, and the Hansom cab was to be seen on London's streets when a local school first opened its doors. The date was August 14,1893, but now,106 years later, around 260 pupils