Archive

If you 're a fan of the Fab 4 (The Beatles to you young 'uns!) then take a look at www.miramax-aharddaysnight.com A nice site but quite complicated to navigate.

Freeserve has recently announced an exclusive pay-to-view trial enabling its 4 million unique users to view webcasts and It now appears that U Genie will not do away with customer's email accounts after its closure next month.

For all you GCSE lovers out there (who 's the Joker?) here are one or two sites to help with the revision. www.bbc.co.uk/education/gcsebitesize , http://www.gcse.com/ , www.homeworkhigh.com and www.learn.co.uk . TTFA, more next week.

ANOTHER mass-mailing worm virus, written in Visual Basic, spreads in messages with the subject "Matcher " and the body, "Want to find your love mates!!! Try this, its cool... Looks and Attitude Matching to opposite sex. " This virus is not a hoax but

TEACHERS and youth workers have joined forces with the police in a bid to 'Keep Kids Sober.' Officers will launch Operation Flock phase two tonight -- aiming to crackdown on under-age drinking in Colne. And the scheme is to be extended to Barnoldswick

DOZENS of fun-seekers made tracks to Leyland at the weekend for the annual Leyland Model Railway Club exhibition. More than 600 train enthusiasts with a passion for trainspotting joined youngsters devoted to television's Thomas the Tank Engine for a display

A 93-year-old died nearly a month after undergoing surgery following a fall. At an inquest in Leigh, coroner Mr Aidan Cotter heard how Hilda Wilkinson contracted pneumonia and a chest infection days after being released from hospital where surgeons had

A POLICE chief today rebutted a teenage tearaway's claims that his life had been ruined and said a town was well rid of him. Inspector Bob Ford, the policeman who arranged the request for an Anti Social Behaviour Order against Lee Birkett, was joined

PLANNING chiefs and councillors are to visit a site in Leigh earmarked for a children's home to cater for sexually abused youngsters. They will tour the controversial site in Hilda Street before granting or refusing plans to build a 12-bedroomed residential

ARMED police launched an early morning raid on a town centre home after reports that a man had been seen with a gun. Officers surrounded the semi-detached house in Chester Street, Leigh five hours after receiving a report from a witness who took down

FAMILY and friends of an eight-year-old cerebral palsy sufferer -- whose parents were told three times he would die as a baby -- have launched a £1,500 mission to improve his life. Philip Riley weighed just over 2lb when he was born 14 weeks early to

METROLINK is still 20 years away from Leigh but plans are well on track for the guided busway to link the town with Manchester -- a development branded an "essential forerunner" to the Metrolink. That is the view of Greater Manchester Passenger Transport

NIGEL Evans has accused ministers of failing to help bail out troubled East Lancashire farming and other rural businesses hit by foot and mouth. This week he twice pleaded in the Commons for the government to introduce interest free loans to help small

Andrew Oxley Parliamentary Spokesman Leigh Conservative Association

In their anti-foreigner tirades, our farmers fail to mention UK annual exports of 100,000 live pigs, many of whom are used to breed animals whose flesh is then re-imported into Britain. Farmers have also blamed ramblers for strolling 'irresponsibly' about

SINCE there appears to be a great deal of interest in the RSPCA's involvement with the foot and mouth crisis, I thought it would be useful to outline some of the main hands-on work our inspectors have been doing. The RSPCA was the first agency to begin

MYSTERIES of the Internet will be unravelled at a major seminar in Bury on May 17. Bury-based H & S Computer Services is giving local businesses the opportunity to find out how they can take full advantage of what the web has to offer. This event,

A BURY engineering company which has concluded an important deal in Poland is looking closer to home for new contracts. And bosses of Elantic Engineering threw open their doors to existing and potential customers to highlight the work they are involved

SMALL and medium-sized companies in Bury are to get the chance to explore export markets in Europe and Scandinavia. It's all part of a Trade Partners UK initiative which has the potential to capture markets worth more than £90 billion to the UK. Opportunities

MANUFACTURING companies in Bury can get a cash boost to fight crime. The Business Security Initiative (BSI), pioneered in Radcliffe last year, has been extended borough-wide. And the scheme has been launched amid worrying statistics which graphically

BIRMINGHAM City striker Dele Adebola can be firmly crossed off Stan Ternent's summer shopping list after being ruled out for the bulk of next season with a serious knee injury. The Clarets boss lodged a bid, believed to be around £1 million, for Adebola

MARK CHILTON was called into the Lancashire squad for today's latest Benson and Hedges Cup tie against Derbyshire at Liverpool. The 24-year-old, who scored a half century in the opening Championship game against Somerset two years ago, was covering for

FOUR local anglers will be off to sunny Spain later this month to compete in the grand final of the £21,000 Embassy Challange - the world's biggest angling pairs competition. The team of 12 from the North West will enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to the

TYLDESLEY swimmer Khalid Jhugroo has been chosen to represent Great Britain in the 5k Open Water event in the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan in July. Khalid, 15, achieved his qualifying time at Manchester's new Aquatic Centre earlier this month

YOUTHS who make life a misery for residents were one of the topical crime issues discussed when MP Ivan Lewis came face to face with Radcliffe police officers in the front line. The Bury South MP had an informal chat with the PCs on Monday (April 30)

A RUNAWAY horse caused mayhem when it galloped down busy Angouleme Way in Bury. Traffic was forced to slow down to avoid hitting the distressed animal, which had earlier escaped from a farm near the town's Pimhole Road. On Wednesday (May 2), police received

ADULT learners can sign up to a new "passport to learning" scheme to make their studies easier. Local libraries have joined up with Bury College and Holy Cross College to allow older students greater access to resources. The move is part of the Government-led

TEENAGE sailor Andy Brooks could be going for gold at the next Olympics! After winning the Volvo RYA Youth National Championships in the Laser Radial class, the St Gabriel's RC pupil is on course to reach the 2004 Olympics in Athens. "I'm really excited

POLICE have praised the public for their part in helping to combat crime, with offences dropping by more than five per cent. Figures for the last 12 months show Bury has enjoyed an overall 5.8 per cent reduction in reported offences, with the number of

ROVERS boss Graeme Souness will run the rule over a top foreign target this weekend as he starts planning for life in the Premiership next season. The jubilant Ewood chief will miss Rovers' end of season promotion party at Gillingham on Sunday in order

LOWTON St Mary's Mothers' Union stage a jumble sale in the church hall tomorrow (Saturday, 2pm).

AN abandoned Sang Yong four wheel drive truck was badly damaged in blaze early yesterday at Edge Green Lane, Golborne. Firefighters put out the flames an hour after dealing with a rubbish fire in Close Lane, Hindley.

THE Post Vintage Humber Car Club stages its first annual spring rally on June 2-3. All Humber owners are welcome to attend the rally in Wyrevale Garden Centre, Preston New Road, Westby, near Blackpool. For more details contact Steve Pomfret on 01253 403910

THIS weekend's May Day Gala at Haigh Hall has been cancelled due to the foot and mouth crisis. But organisers have asked The Journal to point out that the two day craft fair is still on. The craft fair starts at 10.30am and finishes at 4pm on Sunday and

WRIGHTINGTON, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust held an awareness evening this week to highlight the development of its Psychosis Service. The service seeks to study and treat patients who suffer from psychotic disorders. The evening was held at Leigh Church

TELEVISION producers are looking for a family who are thinking of adopting a dog! Planet Wild Productions has teamed up with Manchester Dogs' Home to make the programme for Channel 4. Anyone interested should contact Kate Kingston at Planet Wild Productions

LEIGH Aglow meets in Leigh Cricket Club on Thursday, May 10 (7.30pm). Guest speaker is Anne Anderson, from United Christian Broadcasters (UCB). UCB produce the devotional 'The Word for Today', 'Cross Rhythms' contemporary Christian music channel and UCB

AUTOGRAPHED sports goods, beauty treatment, gardening equipment and family theme park tickets are among the many items that will go under the auctioneer's hammer on Friday, May 18. The auction and disco is being staged by the Friends of XII Apostles School

WALKERS are invited to celebrate the start of Greenweek 2001 with a series of countryside walks. Organised by the Friends of Sunnyhurst Woods in conjunction with Blackburn with Darwen Council, the first walk takes place on Sunday May 20. Mavis Smith,

UNITED Utilities have thanked residents for their tolerance while work has been going ahead on a major sewer scheme. The work to replace 2km of pipes, which has affected homes in Lowton, Golborne and Wigan, is set to be completed by the end of the month

LABOUR'S man for Leigh, Andy Burnham, is 'setting up shop' in town. Mr Burnham, who is Labour's candidate at the next general election, which is likely to be held next month, has opened a campaign office at number 10 Market Street in the Leigh town hall

FRIDAY, May 4: St Mary's Church Hall, Newton Road, Lowton (6-6.30) K Anderson, Mrs L Liptrot; Higher Fold Labour Club (7.30-8.15) F Walker. TUESDAY, May 8: Community Centre, Dorset Road, Hag Fold (10-11) R Holmes; Sacred Heart School, Lodge Lane, Hindsford

A LEIGH fuel station which closed on Monday is set to be redeveloped. Pennington Service Station, near Leigh fire station in St Helens Road, has closed following BP's trend to concentrate on fewer but bigger outlets. But part of the site is to be redeveloped

A LICENSEE who died of cancer is being given a final farewell -- from his own pub. Friends and family of Kenny Ball will gather next Tuesday at the Rose 'n' Bowl, Newchurch Road, Stacksteads, the pub he ran for seven years. His wife Marilyn said: "Having

LEIGH residents will soon be able to discuss crime issues with police under a new system of public meetings. Police and Community Consultative Groups (PCCG) will be replaced by Public Voice on Policing meetings (PVPM) in a change designed to attract more

A NEW nursery and child care club could be set up at a Mosley Common school after a new head teacher took up her post. Jill Brennan, aged 48, plans to introduce the two projects at St John's Primary School after spotting a gap in the market. Mrs Brennan

A PARK'S future has been put in local hands. The borough's parks and countryside team has been delighted by the response to the questionnaire that went out to 900 homes a fortnight ago asking residents for their views on how to update the Victorian Leyland

SURPRISES just kept coming for birthday girl Esther Dobson. The amazing 90-year-old topped her ride in a Rolls Royce with the VIP treatment from Wingates Band and concertgoers at a local club followed by a party at her Westleigh home. Mrs Dobson travelled

A £800,000 building programme will give high school pupils the best possible help in developing art and language skills. This week Leigh MP Lawrence Cunliffe cut the first sod for the new development at Mornington High in Hindley which is being funded

A LEIGH resident, who regularly uses Lilford Park which closed by foot and mouth restrictions since the outbreak, has called for it to be reopened. She claims that despite the park gates being locked to the public, gardeners with allotments are still

'I DON'T think I know who it is to blame for the children's terrible behaviour', it's the parents -- who else, (Citizen, April 26th). If they were made to pay money for the terrible results of what their children do there would be no trouble from the

SLEEPY-eyed residents in Ronaldsway, Preston, say they are at the end of their tether over a mobile phone antennae that goes 'buzz in the night'! Families living under the shadow of the mast in Cromwell Road, Preston, are so sick and tired of being woken

CRAFTY schoolchildren are hoping their blitz on litter will earn them a tuck shop. Pupils at Sacred Heart RC Primary School on St Silas Road, Blackburn, cleaned nearby Newbank Road and Lynwood Road. But they hit headmaster Paul Heaton with a hopeful request

FEARS are growing for the safety of a teenager missing from home since Tuesday. Kummer Sani, 16, of Oxford Close, Blackburn, was last seen near the cash machine at Tesco, Hill Street at about 10pm. He left his home after a family disagreement and his

A DISQUALIFIED driver tried to give police the slip by driving at speed on the wrong side of a busy main road at 4pm on Wednesday afternoon. Blackburn magistrates heard that at least two cars travelling up Preston New Road had to take evasive action to

THE final countdown has begun for Blackburn's Royal Ordnance factory to close in about a year. A total of 120 jobs will be affected by the closure of the Roman Road factory, for many years known as "The Fuze," which was once the town's largest employer

EAST Lancashire hospitals are facing a spiralling number of claims for clinical negligence, health trust chiefs have revealed. The bill runs to well over £1million in the last two years -- and nationally the NHS faces forking out £4billion, enough to

DAISY HILL 3 - COLNE 2 COLNE will have to apply for re-election to the NWCL Division Two after they lost 3-2 at Daisy Hill. Anthony Woodyer had levelled for Colne after Dominic Shinks had given Daisy Hill the lead on 16 minutes. But after the break the

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 0 - KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC 3 RAMSBOTTOM'S bid for the NWCL Division One title faltered against fellow high flyers Kidsgrove. The Rams needed to win their final five games -- starting last night -- to have the number one spot in their own

PADIHAM 4 - DARWEN 1 PADIHAM completed the double over their East Lancashire rivals Darwen last night courtesy of a 4-1 home win at the Arbories. But for the opening 20 minutes it looked as though it was going to be another one of those nights as their

CLITHEROE boss Dave Burgess will watch this Sunday's FA Vase final with a tinge of regret -- but he could have a more important trophy in the bag by next weekend. Victories in their last three matches will clinch the NWCL Division One title for the Blues

CREWE ALEXANDRA 1 PNE 3 IN a tidal wave of emotion, the supporters of Preston North End roared their players to a place in the First Division play-offs with this mind-blowing performance writes Tom Parker. The first half was a classic exhibition of wonderfully

IN response to the letter headlined "Why do trams stop so early?" (Yours Truly, April 12), we would like to advise readers of the following. Metrolink provides extra trams for special events, whenever possible. We largely have to depend on venues keeping

I WOULD not agree with any plan for Sainsburys to be used to accommodate asylum-seekers when the building is vacated in June. If Bury Council would spend some of the council tax paid by the people of Prestwich and Whitefield it might enable us to use

THERE appears to be a great deal of interest in the RSPCA's involvement with the foot and mouth crisis, so it might be useful to outline some of the work our inspectors have been doing around the country. The RSPCA was the first agency to begin making

I READ with amazement the letter (April 24) from Mr Brian Lefley ("Metro expansion is moving at a snail's pace"), which criticised one of Manchester's greatest success stories in such a misleading fashion. Since opening in 1992 as the first modern British

Sheffield Eagles...28 Leigh Centurions...34 THE Eagles took to the air and came within a whisker of 'bombing' the Centurions into submission. Sheffield's aerial attack transformed a game that Leigh had in their pockets into a desperate struggle for both

BURY is to get £650,000 to break up drugs gangs and tackle drug-related crime over the next three years. The crimefighting cash boost from the Government comes in the wake of new figures showing that Manchester is the hard drugs capital of the North West

AN amazing sequence of results - the best for the club since the 1992/93 Division One Championship winning season - has seen Atherton LR race through the pack to have the Division Two title in their sights. That success has already received official recognition

ACCRINGTON-based Shakers fan Steve Kenworthy is in training for the Leeds Marathon to be held on Sunday, May 20 and is using the event to raise money for the Save Our Shakers fund. Anyone who wishes to sponsor Steve can pick up a sponsorship form from

Atherton Colls...0, Ramsbottom Utd...2 GOALS from Chris Willcock and Steve Orrell put Ramsbottom on course for an improved finish in the league this season. The hard, uneven surface presented both teams with problems and after a frantic opening 15 minutes

Radcliffe Borough 0 Witton Albion 0 REPRESENTATIVES from Tottenham Hotspur, Crewe Alexandra and Macclesfield, along with more familiar faces such as Bury chairman Terry Robinson and Eric Whalley of Accrington Stanley, were amongst the spectators watching

LEIGH Town Under 11s comfortably defeated Hull by 34-14. Leigh struck first when Carl Fahy darted over after good work by Daniel Weaving, Ben Davies and Jonathan Fletcher. Fahy added the conversion. Hull hit back immediately but by half time Leigh were

Waterhead 6 Leigh East 10 LEIGH East second team are undisputed champions of the the NW Counties Division Five - bringing the first Open Age championship to the club for the first time since the heady days of the early 1990s. East travelled to Waterhead

Waterhead 14 Leigh East 29 DESPITE the poor weather conditions and a muddy pitch, Leigh East overcame the odds to collect two more valuable points in the race for the National Conference Division One title. In such adverse conditions this midweek game

Oldham St Annes 27 Leigh Miners Rangers 20 MINERS Rangers crashed to a second successive away defeat as Oldham St Annes gave every indication that the battle for the top five will go right to the wire. In the mud and gloom of Higginshaw Road, both sides

AMATEUR rugby league player Ben Topping's career has been ended by an horrific injury in which his leg and ankle were smashed in 14 places - but Twickenham red tape caused him even more pain! The Culcheth ARLC star had set his heart on watching his childhood

1715: The folding umbrella was patented. 1904: Mr Rolls and Mr Royce agreed to collaborate on the manufacture of cars. 1926: The General Strike began in Britain, almost half of the country's six million trade union members participated. 1929: American

IN response to Roy Davies' remarks (Letters, April 25), about Blackburn Cathedral being involved in plans to renovate the listed buildings in nearby Church Street, I think they would be suitable as a restaurant and exclusive cafe for Cathedral users,

THROUGHOUT the foot and mouth crisis, media commentators say nothing of the long-distance transport of live farm animals or of sheep shipped to France to have their throats cut while still fully conscious. They remain uncritical when farmers remove day-old

A PUBLIC meeting will be held to discuss the controversial plans for Hoyle Park in Bury. Local company Miller's Bakery wants to expand its operation and create new jobs by building on an overgrown strip of the park. But, as reported by the Bury Times,

TORY election hope John Walsh has not signed the Commission for Racial Equality's charter urging candidates not to "play the race card" in the General Election campaign. But he dismisses the row about who has or hasn't signed as an attempt to hide the

GIRLS at Bury Grammar School were raising their hopes and school funds when more than 1,000 multi-coloured balloons were released! The pupils were taking part in a balloon race. They paid £1 each to enter and the cash raised will inflate the school's

BUDDING artists at a Radcliffe primary school found that being creative was as easy as a walk in the park! Pupils at Wesley Methodist Primary School took part in a new environmental project being run by the Wildlife Trust within local schools. Environmental

OLD folk and young mums are being forced off the pavement by unruly trees and hedges! Highways bosses say they are receiving more complaints than ever that overhanging bushes are causing an obstruction. They accept that the prolonged wet weather has led

A MIDDLE-AGED Unsworth couple have become the focus of nationwide attention as models. They have been snapped up to advertise a new range of products from designer outlet Gretna Gateway in Scotland. Mags and Roger Gannon, of Cunningham Drive, will star

GRAVE 'robbers' used a crow bar to force open stone tombs in an historic churchyard in Whitworth. The graveyard, which surrounds rural St Bartholomew's Church off Whitworth Square, has been a burial site since 1529. It was closed in 1957 and is now maintained

CHAMPAGNE was flowing for estate agent Lynne Wigglesworth when she won a national prize for professionalism. Lynne (39) works as manageress at Anthony Alex and Company, in Bury New Road, Whitefield, and has been with the firm for the last 12 years. She

FINE young citizens are wanted by police in a search for outstanding examples to the community. Greater Manchester Police are looking for fresh nominations in the annual Young Citizen of the Year Awards, with tempting rewards being offered. The winner

TENANTS should soon start to notice big changes in the way their council landlord meets their needs. Housing bosses say a radical departmental shake-up will mean residents will receive a faster and better service. The plans include more telephone advice

Leigh RMI 2 Kingstonian 1 IT was the end of a hectic fortnight but Leigh still had a spring in their step as they grabbed a second win in three days. Eleven games in a month must have taken a heavy toll on the minds and bodies of such a small squad but

RUMOURS that Leigh Centurions are in talks with Wales Rugby Union star centre Scott Gibbs are untrue. Head coach Paul Terzis has dismissed the stories as 'speculation and fantasy.' "No way are we interested in Gibbs or have had any discussion with him

EWOOD chief Graeme Souness looks set to make his first signing since promotion in the next seven days as Rovers gear up for a return to the Premiership. Republic of Ireland international Alan Mahon is ready to commit his long-term future to Rovers --

IT was a long season, but a look at the games that led to promtion. AUG 12: ROVERS kick off the season as favourites for promotion and make a storming start with a 2-0 opening day victory over Crystal Palace AUG 17: The club is rocked to the core after

STAFF at a Preston bus depot have been left untouched by the £13 million sale of four other depots in Lancashire. Bus operators Stagecoach have announced the sale of the firm's Blackburn, Bolton, Burnley and Clitheroe depots -- in a package including

WHEELCHAIR users are invited to join members of a Preston club -- for a spot of bowling. Members of Deepdale bowling club in St Thomas's Road, Preston, are calling on disabled people to enjoy crown green bowling at their upgraded facilities. Bill Kirk

TESCO is on its way -- that is the message from the supermarket chiefs following fears that they might scrap plans for Leyland after announcing their intention to expand the Chorley store. But rumours that the firm is on the verge of backing out in favour

DRUG services in Preston are failing people from the African Caribbean communities, according to a new report. After a lengthy project into drug services available to black people in the town the report found local agencies still had "a long way to go

A CLARET mad pub has pinned its colours to mast -- by commissioning a new pub sign in honour of their town's team. Richard Swann and Diane Woods took up the tenancy of the Rose and Crown in Manchester Road in Burnley five months ago. Now to show the pub's

SEDGLEY PARK are being forced to play a waiting game over their promotion fate. The Whitefield Rugby Union side stormed to the top of the National League Division Three table after a great winning run in the second half of the season, only to be pipped

BURY Amateur Boxing Club prospect Amir Khan realised his dream at the second attempt when he became England National Schoolboys' U14s 49 kilo champion with a stylish win in the final at Barnsley Metrodome. The 14-year-old lost in the final last year at

PRESTWICH boxer Chris P Bacon could be in line for a world title shot, writes STEVE BOTT. The Tasmanian terror is well on the way to a shot at South African Sebastian Rothmann's WBU cruiserweight title. Bacon's connections have held talks with Rothmann's

CREWE are the latest Football League club to cast their eyes over the talent at Radcliffe Borough. Representatives from the Football League Division One club were at Tuesday night's UniBond Division One game against Witton Albion, having another look

TOM BOOTH gave karate the chop -- and it's paid off brilliantly in the pool. The 10-year-old from Ramsbottom has been consistently logging national swimming times and according to his coach could eventually be in the swim for Great Britain. Proud dad

Swinton Lions 10 Oldham 33 SWINTON surrendered to defeat against a workmanlike, but hardly spectacular Oldham side at Gigg Lane on Wednesday evening. Despite a bright opening, the Lions seemed devoid of ideas on attack, their only option being ineffective

LEIGH East Rhinos Under 10s gave a much-improved performance in a narrow 38-30 loss to Leyland Warriors. Man of the match Martin Howard was in top form, scoring four tries, with Jake Bond getting the other touchdown. Top tackler was James Pike.

LEIGH East Under 14s clinched the NW Counties Division One title with a 48-4 victory over Ince St Williams. East ran in eight tries through Darryl Kay (3), Steven Mullaney (2), Gavin Hunter, Thomas Brindle and Mark Hobson with Mullaney landing all eight

TYLDESLEY RU took a week off from league action and enjoyed the rare day of a friendly at Manchester side Broughton Park. Fielding 5 changes from last weekend's top of the table clash, Tyldesley still had to much power for the home side and came away

LEIGH East Tigers Under 11s ended Woolston Rovers unbeaten league record with a 28-24 success. A slow start by the Tigers saw Rovers score first before Lyndon Robertson brought it back to 6-4. Rovers scored twice more as East were punished. Man of the

RESCUED: Bambi, a week old lamb born in a slaughter house, was making friends with Nicholas the Great Dane after it was rescued by the landlady of the Waggon and Horses at Birtle, Mrs Christine Nyland. MOTHER-IN-LAW: Comedian Les Dawson presented medals

CONGRATULATIONS to Blackburn Art Gallery and Museum on the varied and interesting exhibitions, including items from the permanent collection, presently on show. Well worth seeing. P GRIFFITHS, Preston New Road, Blackburn.

IN the last Budget, the Chancellor knocked two pence off a litre of petrol. After that, at certain petrol stations, one could purchase petrol at 71.5p per litre. Now the same stations are selling at 76.9p per litre. When one questions this massive hike

JOHN Farrar's latest outburst is the accusation that Oswaldtwistle's county councillor Dorothy Westerll, knows nothing of Oswaldtwistle's traffic problems because she lives in Accrington (Letters, April 20). Dorothy (Oswaldtwistle born and bred) is more

IAND, I'm sure, many other people were transported back in time reading Lillian Hargreaves' reminiscences of Corporation Park in Blackburn (Letters, April 23). I have many childhood memories of the 1930s and 1940s -- Sunday afternoon walks with my parents

A SECOND patient has died after being found hanging at Leigh Infirmary. John David Gowan, 48, of Kane Court, Lowton died in Wigan Infirmary to where he been taken following an incident in the psychiatric unit at Leigh. An inquiry is already under way

ON behalf of people whose lives have been affected by the illness myalgic encephalopathy (ME), and as it is National ME Awareness Week from May 12 to 19, I thought it appropriate to supply details of a survey conducted by Action for ME to dispel some

GOLBORNE residents turned out in force to honour their most famous son -- former world champion boxer Peter Kane The town's new £120,000 square was officially named after the "Battling Blacksmith", world flyweight champion from 1938-43, at a special ceremony

A MOTORBIKE rider was thrown from his vehicle and suffered a broken leg following a collision with a car. Mr Michael Dalby (53) from Ruskin Street, Radcliffe, was taken to Bury General Hospital for treatment as a result of the Wednesday's (May 2) accident

NEW jobless figures are good news for people in Bury North, says Labour MP David Chaytor. Last month's statistics show that the unemployment rate in his constituency was 2.3 per cent. Mr Chaytor said that the borough of Bury had the lowest rate of long-term

MORE than 200 people attended a "Baby Day" at Fairfield Hospital to find out about childbirth and early parenthood. The exhibition was organised by the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) who plan to make the roadshow, first held last year, an annual event

A FAMILY doctor and former mayoress of Prestwich has died aged 85. Mrs Eva Clynes (nee Abrahamson) was a doctor in Prestwich for 50 years and was still seeing patients up until her sudden death on April 20. After graduating from Manchester University

A FORMER Bury funeral services manager has died at the age of 74 after a prolonged illness. Mr John Butler had worked at F. Hamer Funeral Services in Walmersley Road, Bury, for the past ten years, but was forced to give up at Christmas due to ill-health

EAST Lancashire hospitals are facing a spiralling number of claims for clinical negligence, health trust chiefs have revealed. The bill runs to well over £1million in the last two years -- and nationally the NHS faces forking out £4billion, enough to

RADCLIFFE'S new illuminated sculpture will be officially switched on this evening (Fri May 4). The four-metre high "In The Bulrushes" by artist William Pym is formally unveiled at Wolsey Street at 7pm. The £15,000 work in galvanised steel was inspired

DEAF people and the hard of hearing should now find it easier to communicate with Bury Council. A number of Minicom systems, a text type telephone, have been installed at key local authority buildings. Councillor Gordon Sharkey, disability spokesman,

CRUNCH time came for self-assured Vivien Hutchinson when she reached the finals of a very different kind of diet contest. Vivien, of How Lea Drive in Bury, clinched a holiday in sunny Cyprus as winner of the competition "Does My Bum Look Big in This?"

A WHITEFIELD pensioner had a gun pulled on her by a thief in a bizarre daylight robbery. The 62-year-old woman was forced to stand clear as the gunman jumped into her top-of-the-range BMW and sped off with the vehicle. The drama happened at 12.10pm in

A JEWELLERY dealer has offered a £5,000 reward for the recovery of several thousands of pounds worth of gems stolen in a robbery at a house in Whitefield. The businessman, who wants to remain anonymous, has told police he will also pay the reward for

A KIND-hearted daughter has passed up the chance of a trip of a lifetime to Australia to allow her parents to go instead! Mrs Anne Dormer and husband, Frank, won the fantastic holiday in a prize draw run by the Mill Gate shopping centre in Bury. But instead

ROVERS chief executive John Williams today revealed the club are planning a promotion party before next week's FA Youth Cup semi-final second leg with Liverpool at Ewood. If all goes to plan, a 20,000-plus crowd could see Graeme Souness and his promotion

ROVERS boss Graeme Souness will run the rule over a top foreign target this weekend as he starts planning for life in the Premiership next season. The jubilant Ewood chief will miss Rovers' end of season promotion party at Gillingham on Sunday in order

EWOOD chief executive John Williams today promised the necessary funds will be made available to help Rovers become a competitive force in the Premiership next season. Williams will sit down with Rovers boss Graeme Souness over the next two weeks to discuss

THE fabulous five games that mattered most to Rovers. WIMBLEDON at Selhurst Park, Wednesday, October 18, 2000: This became a must win game from the moment Rovers lost 2-1 to Fulham on the previous Sunday to slip down to 15th in the table -- their lowest

THE European Commission is to take tough action against junk mailers who have been targeting thousands of grieving families, a local Euro MP has been told. Preston Liberal Democrat leader Bill Chadwick first raised the issue after hearing families in

IT'S official -- householders in Preston are among the greenest in the country thanks to a new recycling scheme. Council bosses say that in just two weeks Preston residents have recycled more than 70 tonnes of paper, 170 tonnes of garden and kitchen waste

A SCHEME to encourage victims of racism to come forward has been set up in Preston. The self-referral scheme is part of Preston Community Safety Partnership's plan to improve safety and tackle crime in the town. People will be encouraged to report incidents

RESIDENTS in Preston and South Ribble are being encouraged to have their say on a plan to clean up contaminated land across the borough. Under the new Environmental Protection Act, all councils have a duty to register any contaminated land in their area

TWO cheeky traders from Preston felt the long arm of the law recently -- for displaying a Lawson Street street sign in their second-hand shop! The two owners of New To You bric-a-brac shop in New Hall Lane, Preston, came across the infamous street sign

AS the weather hots up, festival organisers in Preston and South Ribble are preparing for colourful fun days ahead. In its 26th year, this year's annual Preston Caribbean Carnival, is expected to be one of the finest the town has ever seen. Hundreds are

A "PERSISTENT" offender sent to jail for a total of eight months by magistrates must stay behind bars. Michael 0'Brien, 27, had committed two offences while on bail struck while subject to a probation order but claimed the eight months term was too high

FEARS that Burnley's new bus station could sink into underground mineworkings, have little foundation say councillors. They have decided against a £170,000 scheme to pump tonnes of grouting into the old mine workings which burrow below Croft Street, to

RESIDENTS in Pendle are being urged to look carefully at this picture to see if any of the items belong to them. The collection of a variety of ladies jewellery was recovered from a house in Colne during a crackdown on dwelling burglaries. DC Andy Eddleston

On Friday 16th. March Comic Relief raised over £1.75 million in online donations within six hours.

BT will lease the exchanges back that they have sold off, in a move which the former monopoly says will enable BT to focus its business and reduce its responsibilities as a property owner. The deal, also aimed at helping it reduce its £30 billion of debt

Visit <http://www.freedom.net/>www.freedom.net for free security software. A very good site offering a suite of protection for your system and <http://www.hoojit.net/>www.hoojit.net for help with shopping. If you have a WAP phone then www.wirelessgames.com

Don 't forget to download your Beta copy of Internet Explorer 6 which is now available from <http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/>http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ . If you 've never used windows update site then give it a try. When you click for

Now before you place your cross in the election booth, perhaps Mr Blair should be asked just what has happened to the 22.48 billion quid (yes folks, that 's 22.48 billion!) raised in the sale for UK 3G licenses. In simple terms, this money is paid to

How would you like to set up you own voice chat, chat room or even video conferencing and Instant Messenger? Point your browser to http://www.paltalk.com .Unlike other instant messengers, it also allows live video conferencing with friends across the

LEYLAND is serving up one of the country's biggest ever free tennis events this weekend aimed at promoting the sport at a grass roots level. The event, Play Tennis 2001, gets under way at Leyland's Fox Lane sports club, on Saturday and Sunday. Tens of

AT last there was a feeling of turning the corner weather-wise as Preston's Clarion club enjoyed the run to Scorton on a typical English summer day. The day's ride was livened to some degree by a series of glitches. These included a broken chain, a broken

CHILDREN packed a public meeting to ensure their voices were heard in the debate over a £1million facelift for their local park. Major consultation on plans to develop leisure facilities at Victory Park, Barnoldswick, centred on options to provide a rugby

AMERICAN-style yellow buses could soon be used to take local children to and from their schools under a pioneering new scheme. Trials of the yellow buses -- said to offer increased safety for schoolchildren -- look set to be launched across Bolton and

ANDREW Bateman, the new head teacher at Moorhead High School, Accrington, believes the school has an exciting future. Since he took over the running of the school in January Mr Bateman has been at the forefront of a series of improvements to both the

BUSES have been forced off the road by stone throwing yobs. The vandals have struck on estates in Tyldesley and Platt Bridge forcing bus operators to withdraw services affecting routes through Leigh, Tyldesley, Westleigh, Astley and Platt Bridge. The

LATEST local planning applications submitted to Wigan Council include: Land adjacent Hall House Farm, Hall House Lane, Leigh -- build one detached house; 6-8 Wigan Road, Hindley -- first floor store room extension; 2 Springfield Road, Hindley -- conservatory

BUSINESSWOMAN Angela Sandland suffered chronic back pain for years after surgery went wrong. As a youngster, the 23-year-old graduate from Leigh underwent 10 operations on her badly curved spine. Then Angela discovered that the Japanese art of reiki helped

MINISTRY of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food chiefs have said it is "unlikely" that foot and mouth epidemic carcasses would ever be dumped at Astley. But the giant Whitehead landfill site which lies between Boothstown and Astley will remain on a contingency

PARISHIONERS who prayed for some divine intervention to save their knees from their church floor had their call answered by their own community. Thanks to the nimble fingers of tapestry lovers in Chipping, including one man, the congregation at St Bartholomew's

NEW mum Dawn Scahill ballooned to a whopping size 28 after giving birth and eating junk food -- then went on a diet so she could see her feet again! Now super slimmer Dawn is in line for a national dieting award after shedding six stones in a year. Dawn

AS usual Andrew Oxley's letter (Journal, April 20) gets just about everything wrong, this time about the North West. With a staggering 97 per cent of the public identifying it as their region (MORI survey), it has in fact the highest recognition factor

BURY is to host an important regional event next month involving major figures from the public and private sectors. Greening the Supply Chain is the title of the conference to be held at Bury Town Hall on Wednesday, June 20 between 9am-4.30pm. The event

JON Kent will try to belie his 21 years in his bid to help Lowerhouse launch a chase for the Transco Lancashire League title for the first time in their history. The South African all-rounder hasn't yet had much chance to practice with his team-mates

THE Northern Premier League is to advertise for clubs to form a new second division in time for the 2003 season. The League needs to establish a feeder system to comply with the England and Wales Cricket Board's criteria for Premier Leagues. And having

ATHERTON moved up a league on Sunday, when they visited St Annes of the Northern League in the first round of the National Knockout Competition. The scheduled 1pm start was put back until 3pm, and the statutory 45 overs reduced to 35. This allowed the

LEIGH CC eased into the next round of the National Knockout with a resounding eight wicket win over Skelmersdale at Beech Walk on Sunday. Having won the toss, skipper Steve Bailey opted to give his bowlers first use of the ball in the wet conditions.

A BURY firefighter who drowned as he attempted to save a teenage boy from Holcombe Brook is to receive a posthumous award for courage. Fire Sub Officer Paul Metcalf has been awarded an "In Memoriam" honour by the Royal Humane Society following the tragic

LARGE areas of Bury countryside, closed in the wake of the foot and mouth crisis, could soon be open to the public again. Bury Council is currently studying new Government guidance before deciding whether to relax the access restrictions imposed in February

ONE of the the Lancashire Fusiliers' proudest and costliest days was celebrated on Sunday (April 29) when Bury staged its annual Gallipoli service and parade. On April 25, 1915, hundreds of hackled soldiers stormed the the beaches of Gallipoli to face

A HEART patient from Bury faces a 200-mile round trip for regular check-ups, as the threat of closure looms for a top transplant unit. Granfather Bernard Dunleavy (64), of Northfield Road, Limefield, underwent a heart transplant at the North West Transplant

POUND the pavements or pump the pedals to help save a poorly Radcliffe girl and hundreds like her. Elizabeth Morris (5) of Hollow Meadow, is hoping as many people as possible will take part in a sponsored run or cycle ride next month and raise funds for

BIRMINGHAM City striker Dele Adebola can be firmly crossed off Stan Ternent's summer shopping list after being ruled out for the bulk of next season with a serious knee injury. The Clarets boss lodged a bid, believed to be around £1 million, for Adebola

PRESTON North End have announced ticket details for both the home and away legs of the play-off semi-final. The dates for the semi-finals are Sunday May 13 and Thursday May 17. Tickets, however, will go on sale from today (Thursday) for the home game

AN application to extend a bungalow at 81 Lovers Lane, Atherton has been approved by Wigan planners.

FORTHCOMING Leigh Townswomen's Guild events include: May 8 -- Collett will give a demonstration using cosmetics. May 9 -- concert by the Deep Harmony Male Voice Choir. Both meetings start at 7.30pm in Leigh library's Derby room.

A PLANNED two storey extension on a house in Hanwell Close, Leigh has been refused by Wigan development control committee. Planners decided the addition to number 6 would be just 10 metres away from the rear of another home and judged that too close.

FOSTERING is a life changing experience and more people are being encouraged to consider becoming carers. Foster Care fortnight will run from June 4 and is aiming to raise awareness about the rewards of fostering both to the young people being fostered

CAR park extension plans at the Greyhound Hotel and Lodge in Warrington Road, Leigh have been turned down by Wigan development control committee who fear it could create safety and traffic flow problems. Jarvis Hotels wanted to extend the existing car

WORKING days in and around Salford will be described in words and photographs at Atherton Heritage Society's meeting which starts at 7.30pm on Tuesday at St Richard's Jubilee Hall, Atherton. Anne Monagahan will reveal a new project about working life

A CAKE break at Kingsleigh Methodist Church raised £180 for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Eileen Postlewaite, who organised the MS Cake Break, said: "I would like to thank everyone who came along to the event. "The cakes were delicious and the guests

PLEASE sir... Lowton Operatic & Dramatic Society presents Oliver next month. A cast of 70 will put on a 7.30pm nightly performance from Tuesday, June 12 until Saturday, June 16 in Lowton Civic Hall. Tickets priced £6, £5 concessionary on the tier,

ANDY Preece has revealed his blueprint for next season - 25 goals from Jon Newby and a young team challenging for promotion. And the Bury boss admitted he would be desperately disappointed if he wasn't the man in charge to reap the rewards of this season's

UNWANTED clothing, jewellery, books and toys are needed by the Leigh branch of the People's Dispensary of Sick Animals (PDSA). The charity, which last year carried out 1.3million free treatments on sick and injured pets, survives on donations. PDSA shop

WIGAN Council has teamed up with the National Canine Defence League (NCDL) in a bid to save dogs' lives. Last year 476 stray dogs were rounded up in the borough and many had to be destroyed. The NCDL is staging a roadshow on Asda car park in Leigh on

LEIGH people with a taste for danger are required for a six-day charity trek to Nepal. Cerebral Palsy charity Scope need volunteers to raise £2,500 each to hike across the Nepal Himalaya through the foothills of the Annapurna region next February. Hikers

A FLORIST has been hailed a blooming success for the second time in two years. Karen Jones, 32, who owns Pick of the Bunch, in Blackburn Road, Darwen, was judged to have the Prince's Trust East Lancashire Business of the Year 2000 just three years after

A GROUP set up to protect a local beauty spot fear the site will be neglected after council officials decided to move gardeners to another part of the town. The Friends of Sunnyhurst Woods, Darwen, are worried that work will not be carried out in the

ATHERTON Photographic Society members have snapped up the awards in their annual competition. Long serving member Len Hudson, won the open record prints and best print in competition trophies. Section winners were: Michael Riley (novice slides pictorial

A LEIGH vet has started a pioneering new club for young animal lovers. Vetcare, St Helens Road, Leigh, has launched a Club 8 Plus, run by veterinary nurses Gina Jones and Jane Northcott. The club is aimed at helping children look after the welfare of

GRAVE 'robbers' used a crow bar to force open stone tombs in an historic churchyard in Whitworth. The graveyard, which surrounds rural St Bartholomew's Church off Whitworth Square, has been a burial site since 1529. It was closed in 1957 and is now maintained

GUNMEN are being hunted following an armed raid on a Lowton off-licence . Two men, one of them armed with a handgun, burst into Winegro Grocers and Off-licence in Golborne Road, Lowton and threatened staff with the gun before demanding money and running

NEIGHBOURS' concerns about a scheme to increase numbers at a children's nursery have been underlined by councillors. Seven objections were sent in to the council regarding plans to convert the first floor of 5 Romford Avenue, Leigh for nursery use. People

WIGAN and Leigh College is to offer a range of workplace degree courses -- lasting just two years. The courses -- including Human Resource Management and Network and Multi-Media Technology -- will be launched in September this year. They are designed

PIT canteen workers could be in for a fair share of the cake after a pay battle lasting nearly 25 years. Some dinner ladies and cleaners who worked at Parsonage, Golborne, Plank Lane and Parkside collieries stand to gain at least £3,000 each after the

ATHERTON town centre is facing a whole new era, but it has a fascinating past. Knowledge of the town's history could win you a prize during the town's spectacular festival period (May 12-22) if you take the opportunity to travel back in time and celebrate

BUSWAY promoters won't get an easy ride, say opponents who aim to block their buses-only road plans from Leigh to Manchester. "Now is the time to make a stand against the bully boys and strike a blow for freedom to enjoy the rural track and preserve it

WHEN vandals hit a public service it is time the community bands together to stop the rot. News that bus operators have withdrawn some of their services is a sad indication that something, somewhere has gone wrong with our society. Bus services are a

A NEW martial arts academy has opened its doors in Leigh. The MAXT Academy (Martial Arts Cross Training) is situated at Unit 5 on the Victoria Industrial Estate, off Kirkhall Lane next to ASDA. The academy has only been open a couple of weeks and has

He had no formal education and lived in an obscure village. Aged 30 he left home, chose 12 very ordinary men and set off on a teaching mission. Three years later he was betrayed by one of the 12 and sentenced to death by an illegal court, although entirely

LAST orders might have been called on street drinking but alcohol ban supporters are still waiting for the law to come into force. A by-law outlawing street boozing should have been in place by now but a frustrating delay has come about because of the

ON April 9, a magistrate in Sunderland ruled that it is still illegal to sell fish in pounds and ounces. This is despite the existence of the 1985 Weights and Measures Act, which expressly permits lb/oz and which has not been repealed. It is also despite

LAST Friday we reported that Paul Wright, 43, of Livesey Branch Road, Blackburn, had been found not guilty at Burnley Crown Court of dangerous driving. The same edition also carried an earlier report of the trial written before the jury had considered

STUDENTS affected by the foot and mouth crisis are set to receive special dispensation from examination boards. Lancashire County Council has now urged schools to make sure exam boards are aware of pupils whose lives have been affected by foot and mouth

A SINGER has paid tribute to the teacher who inspired her to follow a career in music after she died following one of her concerts. Singer Jane Maudsley had been performing at a school in front of proud teacher Joy Gatty before tragedy struck. Joy, 60

IT takes an ardent fan to travel to away games -- especially when they are more than 3,000 miles away. But Stephen Buckley was determined not to miss out on the Rovers promotion party and is back in his home town of Blackburn this week on holiday from

ACCRINGTON Stanley look to continue their unbeaten end to the UniBond Premier Division season with a trip to Worksop Town. John Coleman's are unbeaten in four games but face a Town attack who have scored 102 goals this season. The Stanley boss will then

GREAT Harwood side take on Nantwich Town tonight at Accrington's Crown Ground as they continue their bid for a great escape. A run of three unbeaten games has boosted their bid for survival. And Denis was quick to point out he is 42 years old not 49 after

BACUP 0 - ATHERTON LR 2 BACUP Borough boss Brent Peters may give his youngsters a chance in next Thursday's Second Division Cup Final after his more experienced players failed to convince him last night. Peters went for an older line-up against promotion-chasing

NELSON boss John Bailey is confident his side can still win promotion despite drawing their last two games. Bailey's boys dropped crucial points against Squires Gate and Daisy Hill to put the heat on the Victoria Park side. But victories in the last two

ROSSENDALE are hoping a player nicknamed 'George Best' will help them to win the NWCL Division One title. Dale play their final game of the season at Flixton tomorrow knowing a win will put them in the driving seat for the title -- although both Clitheroe

PRESTON North End have announced ticket details for both the home and away legs of the play-off semi-final. The dates for the semi-finals are Sunday May 13 and Thursday May 17. Tickets, however, will go on sale from today (Thursday) for the home game

I READ with interest the letter from Jeff Groves (April 24), regarding digital hearing aids. I have used hearing aids in both ears since 1979. The new digital hearing aids have been issued to only 12 health authorities in the UK, on a trial basis. The

ON the subject of regional assemblies, once again we see the Tories opposing necessary change and modernisation. Tories are the great centralisers, directing everything to London and the South at the expense of 90 per cent of the rest of us. We saw that

THE rocks placed on Bass Lane, Summerseat, may be annoying some people, but I am wholeheartedly in support of the action ("Rocks put the squeeze on motorists", April 27). For years, we have endured the stupidity, impatience and discourteousness of rat-run

IN the Bury Times (April 24), an article on Bury FC Supporters Association's AGM stated that "Bury Me In White" is the fanzine of Mr Lee Devenport. The magazine is actually made up of the contributions of many Bury fans (including myself), some of whose

ST. George's Day gave us an opportunity to reflect on England and its future. The real St George was not a dragon-slayer, but was martyred by the Romans for refusing to worship their Emperor. Today's version is an Englishman who finds himself in court

PAUL Terzis admits he doesn't know what to expect from Hull KR on Sunday. "They're a very inconsistent side," he says. "Playing well one game and poorly the next. I'm not sure which side will turn up at Hilton Park!" But Terzis is no mood to allow his

THE Centurions will be paying special attention on how to handle any future aerial bombardments. Dewsbury began the attack at Hilton Park two weeks ago and Sheffield continued to exploit what some opposition coaches perhaps perceive as a Leigh weakness

EX-PLAYERS from some of the best known amateur soccer clubs in the area are putting together a reunion night to thank their backroom staff. Jim Jeffries, one of the organisers, has got together old players from BICC, J&J Hayes, Plank Lane Catholics

THE rain again decimated the Finnair Manchester League programme last weekend leaving clubs with yet another fixture to slot into the schedule. Some games were played however and sadly Pennington's disastrous run continued in a 2-0 home defeat by Prestwich

HIGHER Folds are still bang on target for a Leigh League 'quartet'. Saturday's 3-0 Davenport Cup semi-final win over Atherton C&N put the current Division One leaders through to the last two. They already have the Redwaters Cup in the bag and are