A MAN who worked in a warehouse while claiming incapacity benefit was put on probation for 12 months by Blackburn magistrates. Joseph Anthony Coulter, 31, of Silloth Close, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to four offences of making false representation to obtain
BOSSES at a soft drinks firm are so impressed with the success of police Operation Tango that they've given bottles of pop to the officers involved. Police in Blackburn are carrying out a clampdown on known criminals and have arrested more than 70 people
PAUL Lake has left Turf Moor as Burnley's physiotherapist jinx strikes again. Lake's unfortunate departure due to "personal reasons" means that the Clarets have lost a physio in each of the last three summers. Last year Nick Worth quit to join West Bromwich
THE CHASE is hotting up for Blackburn Rovers' transfer-listed goalkeeper Tim Flowers, with Celtic reportedly heading the queue. Flowers has again been linked with a £1.5 million move north of the border now that Kenny Dalglish, his former manager at Ewood
HAVING stood on a ticket to fight traffic-calming excess, Councillor Adrian Shurmer, the independent holding the balance of power at Hyndburn, has an undeniable mandate to put the brake on new schemes as he is now starting to do. Nor is it a case of him
REGARDING Roy Davies' comments (Letters, June 7) about our most successful Petticoat Lane market in several years, I am sure that we would be grateful for his advice on organising next year's event and how he would go about raising £10,000 for charity
FORMER champions Andy Samuels and Nick Hopwood will slug it out in the final of the Lancashire Evening Telegraph sponsored Harold Ryden Trophy at Burnley tonight. Samuels, who only just qualified for the matchplay stages of the competition, swept past
THE latest situation that beggars belief is the suggested hiring of teachers by pupil power. Who thought of that idea? Children are at a starting point in life and are in school for one purpose - to be instructed and educated. The choosing of teachers
BLACKBURN Trampoline Club members took part in a National Grade competition held in Preston. Kieran Bradbury and Chris Cook, who both recently returned from an international competition in Germany, finished first and second in their respective groups.
MAY I say a simple and heartfelt thanks to the people of East Lancashire? It has been an honour and a joy to have represented my home region in Europe for 15 years, and the experience has been the best education I have had in my life. I have always represented
BLACKBURN Rovers Supporters Association have won the first-ever Supporters Association Shield at the National Power League Centre, Nottingham. A good turn-out of five-a-side teams included Arsenal, Everton, Leicester, plus local rivals Preston North End
FORMER Ramsbottom pro Chris Harris had a score to settle when New Zealand met Pakistan today in the semi-finals of the World Cup at Old Trafford. For the Kiwi all-rounder is one of two New Zealanders in the current party who had their dreams of a place
IT was amusing to read the remarks (Letters, June 9) regarding the problems of public relations with the police and, of course, why your correspondent preferred to be anonymous possibly being liable to harassment. The grievance concerned a car parked
A HARNESS knife was stolen from a fire engine as crews were tackling a blaze in Burnley. The fire at the side of First Choice Pet Supplies, Cavour Street, is thought to have been started deliberately. Burnley firefighters were already busy so the incident
THE CHASE is hotting up for Blackburn Rovers' transfer-listed goalkeeper Tim Flowers, with Celtic reportedly heading the queue. Flowers has again been linked with a £1.5 million move north of the border now that Kenny Dalglish, his former manager at Ewood
PAUL Lake has left Turf Moor as Burnley's physiotherapist jinx strikes again. Lake's unfortunate departure due to "personal reasons" means that the Clarets have lost a physio in each of the last three summers. Last year Nick Worth quit to join West Bromwich
Nature Watch, with Ron Freethy IT is not often that I get the chance to see a patch of ancient woodland, an old garden, a waterfall and a restoration programme all in the same location. This happened to me last week right on my own doorstep - or almost
FORMER teenage tearaway Michael Buckley is planning a reunion with a difference - for his old approved school mates. Michael, now aged 49, from Nelson, was sent to Starthwaite School, near Kendal, and now wants to get in touch with the friends he made
A PENDLE engineering firm was shooting for the stars today after signing a lucrative deal with space giants NASA. PDS Engineering, which was involved in the Thrust SSC project which broke the world land speed record in 1997, has now set its sights on
I NEVER thought I'd bow to that long-term unemployed public assistance claimant, Prince Philip, but how right he is to put a stop to the liberalisation, led by striving-to-be-trendy Prince Charles, of royal receptions that saw gay guests being invited
The opinions expressed by John Blunt are not necessarily those of this newspaper TONY Blair has promised to "listen and reflect" upon the lessons of the European elections, which were boycotted by three quarters of voters and used by most of the rest
VOLUNTEERS have been digging out silt to help make a pond in a park a place for families to enjoy in the future. The pond in Stubbylee Park, Bacup, has been improved as part of a project arranged by Groundwork Rossendale. The work has involved creating
VILLAGERS in Guide have been asked if they want to attend an inquiry into plans to build a large commercial development. The campaign group, set up to oppose the building of a hotel, sport/health centre, petrol filling station and other development, on
PARENTS at Blackburn's Beardwood School are celebrating a victory for people power after persuading a governor to remain in his post. The group made a heartfelt plea to parent governor Mohammad Anayat and presented him with a petition of more than 200
Mothers Union Blackburn with Darwen Deanery Annual Festival, St Peter's Church, Darwen, 7.30pm. Guest speaker Canon Ann Wood. Another heat in the Ultimate Battle of the Bands, Rose 'n' Bowl, Newchurch Road, Stacksteads. British Diabetic Association meet
SNUBBED Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans has quit the Tory front bench after leader William Hague refused to put him in the shadow cabinet. East Lancashire's lone Tory MP had expected to be given the job of Welsh spokesman in the opposition top team. He had
WHAT'S in a name? It turned out to be free bottles of pop of the same name for the Blackburn bobbies working on a crime crackdown operation that they called 'Tango' - so impressed were the makers with the opportunity for free publicity . . . er, sorry
REGARDING the mismanagement of Tracey Cullen's benefit entitlement (LET, June 10), this situation could only occur with a Benefits Agency that is not a part of a modern, morally-based society. The social security system of Britain has always been riddled
JONATHAN Harvey admitted he "blew it" after missing out on a place in Jennings Ribblesdale League history by just six runs. Harvey was poised to become the first ever player to make three successive league centuries when he holed out in the deep against
TWO stories for you . . . The first concerns a teacher of religion and language who over, a four year period, systematically robs Blackburn Council of £16,000 in housing benefit. That's our money actually, we just entrust the council to look after it
A SOLDIER who thrust a broken glass into a Christmas nightclubber's face has been jailed for four years. Andrew Hempton, 20, held his head in his hands as a Burnley Crown Court jury convicted him of wounding Nigel Copley with intent to do him grievous
ALL new traffic-calming schemes should be frozen until a review of the policy is carried out, according to the independent councillor who holds the balance of power in Hyndburn. And a bid to introduce traffic-calming measures on a street in Church could
A COMMUNITY centre is set to rise from the ashes in Nelson - but at a cut price. Councillors have agreed to use £33,397 insurance money to replace the former Walverden Community Centre, Brunswick Street, which was destroyed by fire last summer. They had
NOW, the government nannies want to cut down on the amount of smoking shown on TV to stop youngsters from copying the stars who light up. Show me the kids who want to be like Dot Cotton of EastEnders and I'll show you some seriously-disturbed ones! But
IS there no end to the pious preaching and downright driver-hostile policies aimed at forcing Britain's 30 million motorists out of their cars? Now, I see, the tree-huggers and health fascists are trying to make car-owners guilty for being a burden on
POLICE were called to a council chamber when a meeting erupted into chaos over plans for a home extension. And officers checked over the home of Ribble Valley planning committee chairman Chris Holtom to ensure he was not in any danger after he was subjected
POLICE have given their seal of approval to a series of proposed parking bans on streets in Blackburn and Darwen. Other consultations have also been completed and Blackburn with Darwen Council looks set to enforce the bans on sections of Whitebirk Road
AN investment guru has bought a £300,000 slice of a Blackburn cake firm. Jim Slater, well known for choosing companies that have special growth potential, has bought 253,300 shares in Inter Link Foods. Mr Slater now owns just over five per cent of the
POLICE were called to a council chamber when a meeting erupted into chaos over plans for a home extension. And officers checked over the home of Ribble Valley planning committee chairman Chris Holtom to ensure he was not in any danger after he was subjected
AMBULANCE crews were called out to a local landmark after children made a hoax 999 call. Paramedics dashed to Darwen Tower on foot with heavy life-saving equipment after a call claimed a young girl had suffered a potentially fatal bee sting. But it was
A WEEK of celebrations was due to reach its high point when Accrington enjoyed its first annual carnival for four years. The event was wound up in 1985 when a shortage of members forced Accrington Round Table to call it a day. But public demand for the
MIKE Atherton left the Oval last night grinning and quoting Talking Heads. "Same as it ever was," he said when asked how his back had held up to his Championship comeback, quoting the Once in a Lifetime lyric - which sounded like good news. But Lancashire
CHERRY Tree put themselves firmly back in the Jennings Ribblesdale League title race thanks to Gary Bolton, who ended his wicket-drought in devastating style with the best return of the season to date. Bolton, only bowling because of an ankle injury to
WELL done for highlighting the ordeal that leukaemia victim Tracey Cullen and her partner, Kevin Taylor, had with the Benefits Agency (LET, June 10). I think the couple have been treated in a disgusting manner. Although I don't know them personally, I
A TEENAGER considered a failure by his family attacked his father after he refused him a bed for the night. Burnley magistrates heard how Christian Daniel Howarth, 18, now accepted his family did not want to know him and that he was going to have to stay
