BLACKBURN Rovers' chairman John Williams recently celebrated 10 years at Ewood Park. In the second of an exclusive two-part interview with the Lancashire Telegraph, he tells Andy Neild his vision of the future for Rovers, and what direction he sees football
A TEACHING union has accused Ofsted of "rubbing salt into the wounds" of troubled Hameldon Community College by visiting just six months after it opened. Ofsted inspectors found that Hameldon - an amalgamation of Ivy Bank and Habergham High School -
A HOUSEWIFE who has waited nine years for a new kitchen has been told she will not get it for another 12 months. Beverly Coward, of Waidshouse Road, Nelson, said the council told her she would get a new kitchen in 1998. But nine years on the 43-year-old
A NELSON man has been jailed for three-and-a-half years for grooming a 12-year-old girl over the internet. Michael Lockwood, 23, swapped sex stories in chat rooms and text-messages with the under-age girl before booking hotels in Banbury, Oxfordshire
RESIDENTS have described the dramatic moment when they were evacuated from their homes due to a fire at a nearby factory. Firefighters tackling the blaze at Wardle Storeys, Earby decided to move people from 30 homes amid fears the factory chimney could
A COUNCIL'S policy of posting bin bags out to residents has been slammed for increasing rubbish and wasting money. Environmental campaigners say that it would make more sense for Pendle Council to ask its bin men to leave additional bin bags rather than
A MAN who carried out a "revenge" fire attack at Clayton-le-Moors has been jailed for at least three years. James Woods admitted he caused a bedroom blaze which resulted in significant damage and burned through to the kitchen ceiling below. Woods, 25
AN INTERNET band has produced its first album - even though its members have never met! The 16 members of cyber band Virtual Strangers have managed to create musical harmony on two CDs, despite living in 13 different places and across four different
THREE staff members were rushed to hospital following a chemical scare at Asda in Rawtenstall. Two ambulances, a decontamination unit, a rapid response vehicle, and a fire crew were called to the St Mary's Way store shortly after 10.30am on Friday, after
A DOCTOR who peppered his CV with lies to get hospital jobs in Blackburn and across the country has been struck off. The General Medical Council said it was in the public interest for Dr Kelvin Chatoor to be banned from practicing medicine. The hearing
A MOTHER whose daughter gave birth 35 minutes after arriving at hospital is outraged by the decision to close its delivery unit. Kirsti Williams, 19, of Hurstwood Avenue, Black-burn, was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital after going into labour with
WALKING up Charter Street, Accrington I noticed the words Bin Laden spray painted on one of the walls. I was angered by this and asked a local resident how long it had been there. I was told that it had been there for a long time. I was wondering why
LAST Monday I set off to work via Heys Lane, Blackburn and Brokenstone Road. These roads had clearly not been gritted and someone had slid into a wall. It was pretty obvious to me that certain roads would either be icy or covered with snow and this usually
AFTER reading the article (LT, March 7) regarding the shop selling a Hitler Youth uniform, I feel I must respond. I am what I consider to be a broad left socialist, but at the same time am also very interested in the Nazi war machine 1939-1945. I think
I REFER to the article (LT March 9) Noise Worry for Park residents." I wish to make it clear that I am not, as the article suggests, opposed to holding events in Alkincoats Park. Rather, I am concerned about ensuring that any such events are controlled
THE article on the launch of the For Darwen Party quotes its representative as saying that they want a town council, in order to take decisions on matters such as social services, regeneration and planning. Unfortunately, town councils legally do not
RESIDENTS across Darwen, Belmont and Edgworth can discuss policing concerns at a range of Police and Communities Together meetings next month. The first Police Community Support Officer meeting will be for the central area with PCSO Danielle Derbyshire
A developer has admitted defeat in her bid to buy a town centre pub to help make way for a £10million flats scheme. Talks between local pubs supremo Margo Grimshaw and Thwaites brewery over the sale of the Sun pub, Higher Church Street, Blackburn, have
RESIDENTS are demanding a public meeting to discuss proposals for a supermarket in their town - even though no plans have been submitted. Grocery giant Tesco has been approached by developers Hunter's Walk, who own the land behind the Metflex factory
A COMPANY has been fined £10,000 for failing to responsibly dispose of its waste for six years. The East Lancashire Box Company Ltd had been operating without registering with an approved waste disposal organisation following a change in governmental
A DRUGS ring set out to flood last summer's football World Cup with super-strong cannabis grown at a warehouse in Blackburn. Preston Crown Court heard that during an eight-month undercover investigation, police discovered a massive drug-selling operation
A TEENAGER ran up over £1,300 on his terminally ill grand-mother's credit card whilst using her computer to gamble on an internet casino. Lee Anthony Woods was only caught when his relative received a late payment reminder for website betting services
A MAN has been remanded in custody charged with murder after the body of his former partner was found under paving slabs in a cellar. Frederick Lawlor, 53, is accused of killing Dorothy Carre, who went missing from her home in Bacup nearly eight years
CELEBRITY chef Gordon Ramsay took to the streets of Accrington to film a new series of The F-Word. Police were treated to some of his culinary delights after spending the day with him as he filmed a programme on regional delicacies for the Channel 4
A CHAIRMAN of governors has accused council chiefs of hijacking his school's sports hall plans and putting staff at odds with local protesters. Don Heatlie-Jackson spoke out as the controversial rebuilding of Darwen leisure centre was approved by Blackburn
A PROGRAMME of events is planned for a borough this Easter. Rossendale Leisure Trust's lifestyle team has drawn up a two-week programme of arts and sports activities and childcare, with the aim of inspiring residents and leaving them "bitten by the bug
A PENSIONER has appealed to the council to safeguard the long-term future of an over 50s club. Kathleen Redfern, chairperson of the Middlesex Over 50's, in Burnley, said the long- term future of the club was in doubt after council bosses only agreed
SARSAPARILLA made by a Bacup family company has been voted the best soft drink in this year's North West Fine Food Awards. Mawson's Traditional Drinks Ltd, based at New Line Industrial Estate, fought off competition from some of the region's finest producers
SPEEDING motorists and lorries being directed to drive through Whitewell by SatNav systems are putting people's lives at risk, according to local residents. Two residents' associations have handed over a petition to the leader of Lancashire County Council
AFTER 30 years together Stiff Little Fingers show no signs of growing old gracefully - a major relief to the seething mass of fans who sang, chanted, danced and jumped around during this special anniversary show. SLF have still got pulling power, the
