Archive

  • Meningitis at St Wilfrid's

    A SCHOOL has gone on alert today after a pupil was struck with the killer meningitis virus. Parents of pupils of St Wilfrid's CE High School, Blackburn, have been warned to be on the look-out for signs of the potentially deadly meningococcal strain of

  • Tudor block may not get the chop

    CONTROVERSIAL plans for a mock Tudor style block of flats and maisonettes in a prestige residential area look set to get the go-ahead, despite a concentrated campaign by protesters. Blackburn Meins Road Area Residents' Association has hired a team of

  • Our heroes

    BLACKBURN Rovers lionheart Alan Shearer (pictured) blasted back at England's critics today. Shearer struck twice as Terry Venables' heroes marched into the quarter finals of Euro 96 with a sensational 4-1 drubbing of Holland at Wembley last night. And

  • Fresh alert in Nigeria bank scam

    A CHIEF trading standards officer has added his voice to warnings about bogus letters from Nigeria which promise East Lancashire business people millions of pounds. Lancashire's Jim Potts warned people not to touch the offer and revealed that some in

  • 5 YEARS AGO: Homes battle lost

    OPPONENTS of a multi-million pound luxury homes development at Bromley Cross, Bolton, lost their battle to stop the scheme. About 50 campaigners packed the Court of Appeal in London to hear three judges rule that it would be unjust to Barratt Manchester

  • GOLF: Ged in hunt

    A FINE opening round of level par 73 left Ged Furey tied for 20th spot, four shots behind Darren Robinson of Fereneze, in the Club Professionals' Championship at County Louth in Ireland. Strong winds gusted for much of the day on the links course and

  • CRICKET: Gallian comeback

    JASON GALLIAN is set to start his comeback in Lancashire's Bain Hogg Trophy second team game against Yorkshire at Old Trafford tomorrow. Gallian has been out since suffering a broken knuckle trying to take a slip catch on the last day of the Championship

  • From where did Blair get his Euro mandate?

    EXACTLY what mandate did Tony Blair have to "walk tall" into Europe and promise German Chancellor Helmut Kohl virtual complete British capitulation to Europe? Undeniably, it was a superb publicity stunt. The Labour leader captivated Bonn businessmen as

  • Death threat to teacher on school walls

    A HIGH school has launched an investigation after threats against a teacher were sprayed on its walls by vandals. Staff at Walton High School, Nelson, called in the police after the offensive words were sprayed in black paint on three walls. The graffiti

  • Businesses fear losses from post strike

    BUSINESSES in East Lancashire are bracing themselves for severe disruption if the deadlock which has brought about Friday's postal strike is not broken. Royal Mail services will grind to a halt at midnight tomorrow in line with the 24-hour action called

  • Doctor loses health post in slip-up

    A HEALTH chief has been forced to resign her top-level post after a major gaffe by NHS bosses. Dr Ann Huson has been told she must step down from her high-profile job as vice-chairman of East Lancashire Health Authority after only two months. The Clitheroe

  • Heath steps up the hunt

    BURNLEY player-chief Adrian Heath (pictured) hopes to have three new signings on board for the start of pre-season training on July 8. Heath confirmed today that he has spoken to a First Division midfielder and a Premiership defender following another

  • War heroes

    ONE of the aims of the Battle of Britain Appreciation Society is to ensure that proper tribute is paid to the late heroes who flew in combat for Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain. To do this, our members wish to pay regular visits to the graves

  • Children the targets

    THE bomb atrocity in Manchester on Saturday both saddens and enrages me. The outrage must be seen for what it is. The Warrington bomb was planted on the Saturday before Mothers' Day. The bombers knew full well that children would be out in the shopping

  • Racial harmony group in turmoil

    A CALL for unity was made by the new chairman of Burnley and Pendle's troubled race harmony group which has seen three executive members quit in the last week. The plea by Dr Qazi Jehangir comes in the wake of County Councillor Joe French walking out

  • Tarmac's new green image angers MP

    QUARRYING giants Tarmac, who have sparked a storm of protest in Colne, are trying in vain to cultivate a "warm, cuddly image," says Pendle MP Gordon Prentice. Mr Prentice, who is set for a showdown with the firm next month, says the public relations patter

  • 10 YEARS AGO: Workers 'pay for privatisation'

    A FURIOUS attack on the Government's handling of plans to privatise the Royal Ordnance Factories came from Blackburn Labour MP Jack Straw. He protested after Defence Secretary George Younger tried to defend his decision to postpone proposals for selling

  • GOLF: Jackson's final push

    TONY Jackson, who successfully returned to the Lancashire team this season, produced some excellent golf to defeat Darwen's John Grimshaw in last night's semi-final of the Harold Ryden Trophy at Darwen. The Blackburn member recorded an emphatic three

  • CRICKET: Profile

    NAME: Ian Billcliff CLUB: Blackburn Northern AGE: 23 NATIONALITY: New Zealander HEIGHT: 5'11" BATTING: Right hand BEST BATTING: 148 not out against Barrow last season in North Lancs League BOWLING: Right hand BEST BOWLING: Six for 23 against Haverigg

  • Put up or shut up, Blunt

    YET again, John Blunt goes teacher-bashing. If an arguably redundant apostrophe (Year 8's) is the worst solecism he can accuse us of we are not doing too badly Anybody can go nit-picking. His own column had two missing commas (after UCAS and pool). Who

  • Yummy dinners

    WE'VE nearly all had them. And not so long ago there was a clip round the ear if we didn't eat them. But now, it seems, kids have more reasons than ever before to shun school dinners. Lancashire County Council has threatened to axe the contract run by

  • Freddie's 'booble car' is Starr of carnival

    A WACKY bubble car that comedian Freddie Starr once drove will join the fun at Rossendale Carnival. Dale Winfield, owner of footwear and clothing firm Winfields, is having the little car he bought six years ago specially painted up for the procession

  • Over 55s on travel cover alert

    AGE Concern, Burnley, are offering insurance advice to the over 55s who intend to travel abroad. With Burnley's annual holidays only a couple of weeks away, Ian Ainsworth, insurance promotions officer, at Age Concern, Keirby Walk, says that older people

  • Packaging group in profit leap

    PACKAGING group RPC, which employs 240 at its Blackburn site, has seen profits jump despite rising raw materials costs. The firm reported turnover rose by 20 per cent to £95 million in the year to April with pre-tax profits up by eight per cent to £8.64

  • Farmer gets the birds!

    A FAMILY of birds have left a farmer without wheels after building themselves an unusual mobile home - under the seat of his tractor. Now Michael Gillet is hunting for an alternative vehicle in time for grass collecting because he is anxious not to damage

  • Veggie vote

    IWAS pleased to see the recent advertisements with supermarkets encouraging people to eat vegetables to help ward off cancer. As the Oxford University Vegetarian Study has shown, vegetarians suffer from a staggering 40 per cent less cancer than people

  • False alarm over killer bug

    A MENINGITIS alert at an Accrington school has proved to be a false alarm. Hollins High School has been given the all clear after it was found a pupil is not suffering from the potentially killer virus. Head teacher Mr Frank Havard said: "The school has

  • Airtours summer bookings down 19%

    CUTBACKS in holiday places by tour operators has led to summer bookings being down 19 per cent, Airtours reported today. The Helmshore based firm announced a pre-tax loss of £31 million in the six months to March 31 compared with £34 million at the same

  • Gas bills danger warning

    I WOULD like to sound a note of caution to anyone rubbing their hands in glee in anticipation of a reduction in their gas bills in the light of recent announcements by the industry regulator, Ofgas. For as an employee of British Gas TransCo, which runs

  • Aussie music man is a good neighbour

    AUSTRALIAN pop promoter Harry Washburn has taken up a famous Down-Under theme tune since he came to live in East Lancashire. He reckons "Everybody needs good neighbours" and is now planning a charity concert in aid of teenager John Aspinall, who has suffered

  • Town hall lifts ban on battling grannie

    A TOWN hall ban on Burnley battling granny, Audrey Hanna, has been lifted. But she says she felt intimidated when police called at her Cavour Street home to get an assurance about her future conduct. Mrs Hanna was banned from Burnley Town Hall after throwing

  • Pair caged after street attack

    TWO men who demanded cash from a student in a bungled street robbery - one brandishing a handgun - are behind bars. Gary Moore, 18, and David Schofield, 21, were both sent to custody for 12 months after a judge told them a non-custodial sentence would

  • A Major boost for beds firm

    THE Prime Minister has sent a message of congratulation after hearing about the success of Silentnight's Layezee Beds division. The firm has increased sales by 20 per cent and taken on 16 extra workers to cope with demand. Environment Minister James Clappison