JUDO ace Danny Carr is all set to make further progress in his chosen sport -- thanks to a local organisation. Ramsbottom Rotary Club president Peter Law gave Daniel a cheque for £250. The money will be put towards travelling and training expenses. Danny
GREENMOUNT all-rounder Bobby Horrocks has left the Bolton League side to join the Rams. Horrocks begins his Acre Bottom career with a second team match at Haslingden on Saturday. RAMSBOTTOM'S young professional Michael Clarke re-wrote the Lancashire League
BURY Sports Advisory Council's Jubilee Sports Week looks like being a bumper eight days of action. The Council have been busy with various sporting organisations in the town and have come up with a wide and varied calendar for next week. The big aim is
On the eve of the 2002 World Cup Bury-based Manchester City and England supporter David Sykes get's a fans' eye view of Seoul and England's recent friendly clash against South Korea SOUTH Korea versus England. This World Cup warm-up fixture was too good
TWO cute kittens, Sherlock and Holmes, have an elementary wish -- to find loving homes. The four-week-olds, whose mother is feral, are now at the Bleakholt animal sanctuary in Edenfield, Rossendale, where they have been nursed to health. They were weak
REGARDING your recent campaign on the future of residential services for older people and recent presentation of readers' coupons at East Cliff county offices opposing any change, I am writing to emphasise the reasons for the proposals outlined in the
TAKE a whirlwind trip from the 50s to the 90s with Forever In Blue Jeans this Bank Holiday Monday at Blackpool's Pavilion Theatre. The ten-strong cast will be singing their way through 80 classic songs from Patsy Cline to Shania Twain and Elvis Presley
A SCHOOLBOY was robbed of his bus pass by a teenage thug. The 14-year-old was threatened and forced to hand over the pass in Cross Lane, Radcliffe, shortly before 6pm on Friday (May 24). The offender was white, aged 16, 5ft 10ins tall, with short hair
BLACKPOOL Tower is dancing itself dizzy this month. The Dancefever competition high kicks off on June 15 in the Ballroom and has been arranged in association with the Norwest Amateur Dancers' Association. The competition will take place throughout the
THE region's top cop dropped in to Bury on Thursday (May 23) to pay tribute to the borough's crime fighting partnership. Chief Constable David Wilmot was welcomed by Bury's divisional commander, Chief Superintendent Phil Hollowood, and met with police
THERE was a party atmosphere at Bury's Re:d Centre on Thursday (May 30) as it celebrated a successful first year supporting disabled children and their families. The birthday fun kicked off at 6pm at the project centre in Morley Street, Bury, and featured
NEW council tenants have given a decidedly mixed response to their accommodation. Some 34 per cent said the condition of the property was excellent or good, 47 per cent felt that it was average, while 19 per cent were dissatisfied. These were the results
A GRANDMOTHER has been left heartbroken after vandals destroyed the garden she has worked on for the last 12 months. Yobs rampaged through Mrs Denise Gould's garden in Symrna Street, Radcliffe, on Monday afternoon (May 27) destroying the pond, which formed
FOREIGN Secretary Jack Straw has advised Britons to consider leaving India because of the threat of war with its nuclear rival Pakistan. The families of UK Government staff and less-essential staff will be offered the chance to return home, Jack Straw
PARISHIONERS were left picking up the pieces after vandals embarked on their latest window smashing spree at a Prestwich church. Around 20 panes of glass were shattered at the Heaton Park Congregational Church, in the most serious of a spate of incidents
A 13-YEAR-OLD boy - described as a mini crimewave - is on the run after escaping from custody hours after being remanded by a court. The boy, from the Accrington area, is thought to have fled from the Blake Street office of the Youth Offending Team in
EDUCATION bosses are optimistic that a national shake-up of funding will help local schools. They hope that councils will get a better deal following a Government review of the much-criticised funding formula. Bury is among the f40 Group, which comprises
LOCAL community champions are on their way to the Commonwealth Games thanks to their hard work. Nine residents' and tenants' groups in Whitefield, Prestwich and Radcliffe have been rewarded with tickets for the Manchester sporting spectacular. They were
LOCAL tax collectors should help people with benefit claim forms to avoid delays in payments. That's the verdict of independent inspectors, who have given Bury Council's revenues and benefits department a "one star" rating. The mark, on a scale of zero
BURY'S flourishing education-business partnership will be further strengthened with the launch of the "Adopt a School make a difference" project. And the schools in the borough which will take part in the scheme were announced. They are: Derby High School
STEVE Waywell has been busier than Angus Deayton's PR manager this week - but the future at Leigh RMI looks a lot rosier as a result. The manager was facing a long summer of shopping around for a completely new squad this time last week after the departure
AN incredible opening ceremony in Seoul has kicked-off the 2002 World Cup. In the 64,000 seater capacity stadium fans watched a blend of traditional Korean costume and dance mix with hi-tech computers and laser shows. In one fo the most eagerly anticipated
STAN Ternent's fingers will be crossed that England will shine in the World Cup but he admitted: "I think it will be very difficult for them." The greatest tournament in the world started today and he claimed we will never win it again unless there is
BLACKBURN winger Damien Duff has told Republic of Ireland fans 'not to expect too much' as he prepares to make his World Cup bow against Cameroon tomorrow. With disgraced skipper Roy Keane conspicuous by his absence from Mick McCarthy's squad for the
IT ALL starts today, one month of football that will have people across the whole world glued to their televisions. For the next few weeks you can guarantee that whether you are queuing for a bus, standing at the check-out or sitting in the pub, the main
BLACKBURN winger Damien Duff has told Republic of Ireland fans 'not to expect too much' as he prepares to make his World Cup bow against Cameroon tomorrow. With disgraced skipper Roy Keane conspicuous by his absence from Mick McCarthy's squad for the
A BAGPIPE playing soldier who stood out as the famous lone piper at the annual Edinburgh Tattoo is to entertain the crowds at Preston's Jubilee Pageant. Sergeant Jason Sumner, from Fulwood, Preston, is part of the world-renowned Scots Guards -- the regiment
THE pouring rain failed to dampen the spirits of women taking part in this year's Race for Life at Preston Sports Arena on Sunday. Lancashire lasses showed they were made of stronger stuff as they united to complete the charity five km race in aid of
POLICE say an armed raid on a Preston post office may be linked to similar attacks in Lancaster and Heysham. In the attack, a postmaster was held at gun-point for nearly an hour before robbers escaped with a haul of cash, stamps and postal orders. Two
DOCTORS and nurses should urge assault victims they treat to tell the police, according to a study of Chorley patients by health chiefs. The sensitive matter of whether health service staff should advise victims to tell the police was tackled by a confidential
HALF mast or flying high -- how you hoist your flag whether it's to support England or to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee -- can reveal a lot. The Union Flag is its correct name, according to Lieutenant Mike Glover at Fulwood Barracks Army Museum
A LEYLAND dog trainer will be hedging his bets on Saturday as he enters his fast four-legged friend in the final of the Wimbledon Derby in London. Jim Gibson, of Lancaster Lane, has been breeding and racing dogs for more than 40 years and has had some
STAFF from Barclays Bank in Burnley raised cash for children's charity the NSPCC by taking part in the London Marathon. Area retail manager Lyndsay Kerr and personal banker Tracey Barker ran the gruelling 26-mile race and raised more than £3,000. The
POLICE in Burnley and Pendle have launched a major new crackdown against robbery and street crime. The year-long clampdown will see police targeting street crime and robbery by trying to eliminate local drug markets with daily raids on dealers. The police's
POLICE in Nelson are appealing for information after burglars smashed a hole in a wall to get into William Hill bookies, in Barkerhouse Road. DC Ruth Chew, of Nelson CID, said: "They got in through the hole in the extension but no property was stolen.
POLICE today warned people who commit racist acts there was no place to hide after unveiling a new Hate Crime Unit in the wake of the Burnley riots. The unit will tackle all crimes deemed to be racist or homophobic and will have a team of dedicated officers
MORE than 1,000 children in Radcliffe have been making an impact when it comes to improving their environment. Bury Council joined forces with fast-food giant McDonald's to promote environmental education among four Radcliffe schools. The scheme was intended
PRESTON has the World Cup - well a replica anyway. The Football Museum in Sir Tom Finney Way, Preston, launched their World Cup exhibition with a replica of the prized trophy. A duplicate of the historic World Cup was on display for the launch of the
WIMBLEDON is calling as South Ribble Tennis Centre launches its search for a major tennis talent across the region. More than one thousand children will be tried out by top coaches this summer to find a star for the future. The tennis coaches will visit
BRITAIN's biggest cycle race sped through East Lancashire in the 1,150-mile Milk Race. Keen cyclists from all over the area turned out for the 180-strong race which passed through Belmont and Darwen.
A YOUNGSTER was freed by firefighters after getting his leg stuck in railings. David Todd, seven, was shopping with his mother in Blackburn town centre when he became stuck. The bars had to be bent back to set him free.
TRUANTS will be taught a sharp lesson by education chiefs whose message is a simple one -- school is not an option, it's a necessity. A major crackdown on pupils who skip lessons is has been launched in a link up between Wigan's education welfare team
THE campaign to bring a new diagnostic and treatment centre to "under-used" Leigh Infirmary received a boost this week. A powerful committee of MPs, which includes Leigh's Andy Burnham, has urged the government to prioritise areas with least private health
A REVIEW of local government electoral arrangements has begun. It will be carried out by the Boundary Committee for England and aims to ensure, where possible, that within each local authority area every councillor represents an equal number of electors
A NEW strategy has been unveiled for better living in Hyndburn. The Community Strategy for Hyndburn will target crime, housing and environment, health, economy, education and employment. Put together by Hyndburn First, the borough's strategic partnership
INVESTIGATIONS are continuing into a town centre factory explosion that left one worker seriously burned and a second with hearing problems. The injured men were working on a machine at Barlo Radiator manufacturers in Leigh, when the blast caused severe
GOLBORNE AREA Community beat officers Paula James and Keith Halliday are still working hard in the Golborne area to rebuild some of the bridges with our partner agencies. Paula regularly attends the councillors' surgery at the library on a Thursday morning
A DRUG addict purchased morphine tablets on the black market after losing his own prescription when knocked off his bike. Blackburn magistrates heard that Edward Robert Howard had only used the tablets to tide him over until his next prescription was
A SPACE-AGE bridge in the Ribble Valley is a step closer to being built. Lancashire County Council has begun buying up land around the confluence of the River Ribble and River Calder so it can start work on the £500,000 bridge, described as looking like
BOSSES at the controversial Calderstones Hospital today said a new security fence would surround the site within a month. A major review of security in the wake of a series of embarrassing incidents at the hospital was unveiled today, a year after it
THREE members from Wesham Road Runners made the journey to Nether Kellet, a few miles from Carnforth, for the very undulating 10k last Sunday. The race was won by Poulton joiner Steve Littler followed in ninth place by team mate Peter Cruise from Cleveleys
LOCAL golfers Simeon Davis and Stuart Ormson could be in line for a trip to St Andrews, the home of golf, after coming out on top of the Famous Grouse Shotgun Foursomes competition with a title-winning score of 68 at Knott End, their home club. Their
A YOUNG Lancashire golfer is soaring high after securing one of the top positions in the Professional Golfers' Association Titleist Trainee of the Year award. Richard Booth, from Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club, received a cash award of £2,500 at
A SUMMER tour of New Zealand will be the final challenge after seven seasons of hockey for girls from King Edward VII and Queen Mary School, Lytham. Nearly 300 hockey and netball players and their parents attended a special end-of-season presentation
TOO many people are missing out on their dream job because their CVs simply aren't up to scratch. That's the warning from Manchester-based employment agency Connections. Jonathan Dobkin said: "CVs are relatively straightforward things to write, but unfortunately
A RADCLIFFE company with a proud health and safety record has lifted a fifth successive award. Electronic and mechanical calculating equipment manufacturer Trumeter has been presented with a National Safety Award by the British Safety Council. This is
STAN Ternent's fingers will be crossed that England will shine in the World Cup but he admitted: "I think it will be very difficult for them." The greatest tournament in the world started today and he claimed we will never win it again unless there is
BLACKPOOL coroner Sammy Lee (pictured) enjoyed a dummy run on Wednesday for a right royal Jubilee appointment on Sunday. Mr Lee visited Louis Tussaud's waxworks to see the Queen, or rather her waxwork likeness, ahead of a Golden Jubilee concert at Blackpool's
TOWN crier Barry McQueen steamed into Blackpool North Station last week to help to resinstate a little bit of history. Along with First North Western Trains' representative Simon Ashworth, Barry heralded the arrival of two railway plaques which have been
rTV astronomer Patrick Moore is due to continue his tales of space exploration at Bolton's Albert Halls. The famous stargazer returns to Bolton at 7.30pm on Saturday, June 8 to give the second lecture in his three-part series, The Great Universe. He will
A CUP of tea for the judges helped enterprising students take a top award at Fylde's Young Enterprise finals. Young enterprise company Enfuse, comprising 31 sixth form students at King Edward VII and Queen Mary School, Lytham, took the best exhibition
GENERAL tickets are now on sale for this year's Wigan International Jazz Festival. Tickets for individual concerts can now be purchased, following the massive demand for the Rover Ticket that provides access to all 10 celebrity concerts plus late night
rA VISUAL Arts Festival aimed at families, schools and local community groups begins on June 16. The event, which runs until August 3, offers exhibitions, workshops, contemporary visual arts and events to promote local artists. Venues taking part in the
A NEW Fleetwood charity is hoping to help people with disabilities to F.A.C.E their work future. Fleetwood Arts and Crafts (F.A.C.E) at 1 Meadow Avenue, Fleetwood, offers arts and crafts products as well as being a recycled scrap store where waste materials
Syed films LEIGH'S Turnpike Gallery presents Jigar: films by Alia Syed from June 22 to August 3. Alia Syed is well known on the film festival circuit, having exhibited at Tate Modern and the National Film Theatre. This is her first major solo gallery
Celebration, Tyldesley Little Theatre YOU can choose your friends but you can't choose your family, as the saying goes, and this was certainly the case at Tyldesley Little Theatre. Directed by Margaret Speakes, the first half of this Golden Jubilee production
LEIGH MP Andy Burnham's surgeries scheduled for Saturday have been postponed a week. He will be available until the at the following times and places: FRIDAY, June 7: (6-6.45pm) Atherton Town Hall; (7.15-8pm) Golborne Library. SATURDAY, June 8: (10-11am
FOR the second weekend in succession the weather was a major player in the Bolton Cricket Association. Whereas the previous weekend saw a Saturday washout this time it was the Sunday games that fell victim. Atherton and opponents Elton had to settle for
RADCLIFFE will be transformed into a blaze of colour this weekend as the town stages its 37th annual carnival. And all the tried and tested ingredients which have made the traditional gala Radcliffe's premier community event since 1965, figure prominently
MULTI-millionaire rugby union boss Brian Kennedy insists he will not be a "moneybags" chairman if his proposed takeover of Bury Football Club goes ahead. The Sale Sharks owner is in talks to buy Bury from the Save Our Shakers Appeal Trust who are due
DO you know the way to San Jose? Whitefield pensioner Mrs Trudy Rosenfield (70) was hoping somebody did after she was flown to San Jose but in the wrong country. Mrs Rosenfield flew out from Manchester Airport on Monday morning (May 27) expecting to arrive
A CELEBRATION of local Youth Brass Band music, when over 150 young musicians take to the stage, will be the first time Bolton, Wigan and Astley Youth Bands have performed together in a concert of this type. At the Gala Concert at Formby Hall, each band
HEAVY metal legends Saxon are appearing at Bolton's Albert Halls as part of their 2002 World Tour. The band, whose new album Killing Ground has just been released, is set to play a show in aid of the Rainbow Family Trust on Friday, June 14. With a reputation
The Burn - Band On The Wall, Manchester IT seems that every time The Burn play a gig, the stakes have been raised. This, their first headlining tour and promoting their first single, Smiling Face has to be the biggest challenge yet. This pressure, however
WITH a host of internationally acclaimed artists, extra venues and a strong mix of local talent, Darwen's third Music Live festival, boasts something for everyone. Getting underway tomorrow, the music will run alongside the beer festival also going on
A BUSINESSMAN who caught his girlfriend having sex with another man bit her nose, causing permanent scarring, a court heard. Preston Crown Court was told Lisa Dearden had to have five internal stitches and eleven external ones after she was attacked by
A BANK Holiday car boot sale is being held between 10am and 2pm on Tuesday at the Royal British Legion in Wigshaw Lane, Culcheth. Admission is 20p for buyers, £6 for vendors. Details from 01925 763562.
CHEMISTS open on Golden Jubilee Bank Holiday Monday are: (10-11am) Lambs, 146 Warrington Road, Lower Ince (11-noon) Cohens, 90-92 Manchester Road, Leigh (4-5pm) Trayners, 108 Market Street, Hindley (5-6pm) Abram Pharmacy, 358 Warrington Road, Abram.
A DIRECTOR of a home improvements business which crashed with debts of almost £77,000 has been disqualified from holding directorships or managing a company for six years. Sydney Pearson, of Warner Street, Haslingden, was a director of T & C Home
LATE night buses will be operated by First during the Manchester Commonwealth Games linking Leigh with Manchester via the 39 route. Buses will operate every night from Thursday, July 25 to Sunday, August 4 and a standard £2.50 fare will be charged.
WASTELAND in Bacup's notorious Pennine Road estate could be transformed into a teenage play area or a quiet place for people to sit, following a neighbourhood consultation exercise. Residents are hoping that the run-down piece of land in Hawthorn Road
TWO tons of compressed waste paper went up in flames on Saturday at the Kennedy Asphalt plant in Chaddock Lane, Astley. Hot metal sparked the blaze when it fell while workers were using cutting equipment. Employees tried to extinguish the fire but had
THE legendary bowmen of England practised their art to perfection. On Tuesday, June 11 Len Heathcote will reveal the secrets of how the archers became the scourge of the French when he addresses a meeting of Atherton Heritage Society. The talk begins
LEIGH MP Andy Burnham has been appointed to a new group set up to fast track miners' compensation claims. The Midlands and Lancashire monitoring watchdog, appointed by energy minister Brian Wilson, will be required to check progress on the pay-out of
JUBILEE celebrations in Leigh will include a party on the Town Hall square on Monday night between 8pm and 10pm. Music from a brass band and church bells will mix with disco tunes and a magician and stilt walker will entertain the crowds and distribute
ANYONE organising a summer event for young people is invited to have their event listed in The Linc. The Linc is a free magazine produced by Wigan Council's Services for Young People and compiled with the help of two editorial teams of Leigh and Wigan
HAVING just read this week's Citizen paper (May 23 edition), I feel I must point out some errors on page 28. You have a photograph of a steam engine, claiming it is the 'Hogwart's Express.' I'm sorry, but the number clearly shows 6201. This is a former
EMPLOYEES at Britain's best known brassware distributor based in Leigh went on a family outing to the seaside. Peter Geoghegan, managing director of Deva the UK's best know brassware distributor, and fellow board members joined the entire Deva staff for
I AM currently in training for a sponsored horse ride across Iceland, along with 29 other impulsive individuals from all over the country, for the British Horse Society's Icelandic Challenge 2002. This comprises a week long trek across the wilds of Iceland
I'M keeping a close eye on things in the Far East. The injury crisis in the England camp has seen our players drop faster than Manchester United down the Premiership and replacements could still be called up. Sven-Goran Eriksson was today due to name
TINY truckers hit the road this week as Blackpool Pleasure Beach unveiled another new family ride for summer 2002. And ride sponsor Edward Stobart made a truck stop at the fun park himself on Wednesday to officially open Convoy -- five miniature heavy
DONKEYS on Blackpool beach are to be micro-chipped enabling RSPCA officers to keep a closer eye on their activities. For the first time in ten years the way beach donkeys are identified is to change. The dated method of branding an identification letter
WYRE'S council leader has voiced concerns about the way Blackpool is blocking developments on its own doorstep. Coun Alan Vincent said Wyre Borough Council is threatening to pull out of a joint economic development scheme with Blackpool and Fylde councils
TODAY thousands of men and women will walk through the doors of BAE Systems to make military hardware for the global market. These are the people involved in the construction and sale of the Hawk jet to India, a nuclear power on the brink of war with
A NEW grants programme is seeking applications from charitable groups in East Lancashire who are working with young people aged 11 to 25. The Camelot Foundation's Transforming Lives programme is looking for innovative projects which aim to bring young
POLICE are hunting a man after two eight-year-old girls were indecently assaulted in a Blackburn park. The girls were in the play area of Corporation Park on Wednesday when the man approached and indecently assaulted them. They managed to run away. Det
PEOPLE who want to support the appeal can give it an extra boost through the gift aid scheme. Donors who are taxpayers simply have to fill in a small form and it could swell the appeal coffers even more. On a donation of £10, the appeal could actually
A £2.5million new cafe bar which would have created 50 jobs in Blackburn has been refused permission by planning councillors. Members of the planning and highways committee at Blackburn with Darwen Council turned down the application for the all-day venue
MODERN literature lovers are being invited along to a special Orange Tea Party to be staged at Ramsbottom Library next week. The event, linked to this year's Orange Prize for Fiction, will take place on Thursday, from 2.30pm-4.30pm. Debbie Smith at Ramsbottom
HOW is it that when anybody protests about something there's always an armchair critic ready to point at other injustices? I refer to North Shore businessman (Letters, May 2) who states that the zoo must be OK because television programmes have shown
FOLLOWING the article which dealt with my complaints re the state of some of the inner areas of Blackpool (Citizen, May 16), I would like to thank the paper for bringing the situation to the public's notice. I would also like to make a comment on the
IS Blackpool becoming the speed camera capital of the country? I cannot believe how many have cropped up recently and some of them in very odd places, like the one on Church Street where traffic rarely moves at more than half the legal limit. They are
THE FORMER Motherwell manager Billy Davies has been appointed the new first team coach at Deepdale. Davies takes over the role from fellow Scot Jimmy Lumsden, whom boss Craig Brown allowed to join former North End manager David Moyes at Everton a fortnight
POLICE concerns are shared by local traders, who fear a glut of new night-time pubs will destroy Blackburn's daytime economy. Blackburn Cathedral's clergy spoke out after plans were submitted to turn two shops into a new super-pub in the town centre,
I WRITE in reply to Sue Archer's letter (May 14), regarding parent-and-child parking places. As a first-time parent, I appreciate these parking spaces which are wider than the others. They give more space to get in and out of the car and, yes, I do need
PALESTINIAN gunmen shot their way into the Church of the Nativity as a planned place of refuge should they be overrun by the Israelis. Several monks and nuns were held as hostages with the terrorists guns being kept on them at all times, whilst others
CERTAIN councillors recently suggested that any concerns electors had could be voiced at their "surgeries", intimating that this was better than refusing to vote at local elections. I accept that everyone should vote to ensure that public opinion is fairly
I WAS disappointed but sadly not surprised at Ivan Lewis's recent appearance on TV's Newsnight. He had been rolled out to speak up for Tony Blair's madcap scheme to cut child benefit from parents whose children play truant. I was particularly saddened
THE Golden Footsteps concept to pay tribute to Leigh greats really fuelled the imagination of readers. We have been inundated with suggestions for people they think deserve to be on the Walk of Fame - if and when it is adopted. One problem, and it's a
MARKS is putting the sparks back into our nearest store. It has announced a £1.2m package to transform the Standishgate, Wigan, site with a brand new look, products and services. Oh, if only we could have one! On the subject of shopping nothing has yet
THE Golden Jubilee has come and gone and how 25 years have flown since the silver celebrations of 1977. Remember when James Callaghan was PM, Jimmy Carter was US president and the top films were Star Wars and Saturday Night Fever? Flares, kipper ties
I'M keeping a close eye on things in the Far East. The injury crisis in the England camp has seen our players drop faster than Manchester United down the Premiership and replacements could still be called up. Sven-Goran Eriksson was today due to name
A LOOK at what's on at Blackpool's local watering holes THE ROYAL OAK, Lytham Road, South Shore, Blackpool. Live music: Thurs -- 8 piece tribute band. Fri -- Rupert Fabulous. Sat -- Shady. THE ROYAL HOTEL, North Promenade, Cleveleys. Live music: Fri -
LEIGH Centurions Academy U19s continued their impressive start to the season with 14 tries against Barrow. The 78-10 victory was the biggest score since the Centurions reformed their Academy side two years ago. Scrum-half Lee Sanderson did his growing
A 20-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murder of a Bury father-of-three who was gunned down at a drugs den last week. Police yesterday (Thurs May 30) confirmed that a man from Rochdale had been detained and was being interviewed over
Mike Hulme reports from Hilton Park IT rained, rained some more, and then bucketed down. With Hilton Park a paddy field, the Centurions re-launched the second half of their NFP programme with a routine 'home away win over Swinton Lions. Leigh's temporary
SHOPKEEPERS who sell alcohol to youngsters have been served notice to clean up their act after Bury was revealed as a hot spot for under-age drink sales. In a undercover shopping operation involving youths and trading standards officers, nearly half of
Blackpool 55 all out Morecambe 58-2 A COMBINATION of abysmal batting and superb Morecambe bowling turned a potentially closely fought Northern Premier League contest into a very one-sided rout. With the two teams in the top three of the table, the fixture
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. Antiques Valuation Evening, St James Parish Church, Haslingden, 6.30pm. Blackburn String Players, Good Shepherd Church Hall, Blackburn. Beginners 2 Grade 2 (children)
THOUGH strict defenders of the public-ownership ethic on which the NHS was founded may frown at yet more of its erosion, the latest move to inject private sector investment -- in a scheme to improve doctors' surgeries across East Lancashire -- is likely
I WAS once described as a Monarch sardine. This wasn't as insulting as it might sound. I was, at the time, among a group of about 200 people all in the same boat. Well, in the same jet aeroplane, actually. We had all just endured a flight lasting over
THEIRS was the music which shaped the attitude of a generation. Together with their bands they did as much as anyone in the record industry to break down political and racial divides in Britain in the early 1980s. Now the ska divas have got together and
ELTON Vale Football Club (formerly Elton Fold FC) are looking to appoint a manager and assistant for their reserve team. The club run two teams in the Air Miles Manchester League on Saturday afternoons in the Premier and Second Division's respectively
THE nation's finest super-fit athletes are set to descend on Bury to test themselves against the region's most demanding duathlon. More than 100 competitors will pack the course on foot and mountain bikes in the off-road duathlon in the north west. The
1678: Lady Godiva rode naked through Coventry in protest at the taxes. 1911: The Titanic was launched. 1927: The last Model T Ford rolled off the production line. 1955: A State of Emergency was declared in Britain in the wake of a dock strike. 1961: Jimi
ECKYTHUMP: Fifteen-year-old David Crook from Radcliffe aimed to raise charity cash by walloping his headmaster with a black pudding. But the prank backfired on David who was expelled from Stand Grammar School for Boys because of the incident. Headmaster
THE cost of spectacles is sky high yet, opticians can afford to give a second and sometimes a third pair free. So what is the true cost of a pair of spectacles? Is this a rip off? H HAMER, Lowther Place, Blackburn.
FOLLOWING Jeremy Paxman's recent three-part interview with Prime Minister Tony Blair, on BBC TV, I think that videos of it should be sent to colleges and universities as part of a new study examining why the electorate feel disillusioned and alienated
IT is disgusting and disturbing that fascists have been 'elected' on to Burnley Council committees. I would ask the council why and by whom were they elected. The suggestion by council leader Stuart Caddy that we have to listen to 10,000 deprived sympathisers
SO, an all-party Parliamentary Select Committee has decided to recommend a change in classification for some drugs. Great! I have used drugs for more than 20 years but only the ones prescribed by my doctor to keep me alive. So I can't, for the life of
LEIGH'S best known home, Cropper's Hall, is to be demolished to make way for a bakery car park. The Manchester Road bungalow, the pride and joy of Leigh's demon barber Jess "The Cropper" Graham, will be flattened within the next six weeks. It was bought
LEIGH'S struggling outdoor market traders, hit by the bombshell news that stall rents will double today, are planning a customer petition. Two-for-one concessions at the struggling Albion Street site have been ended, but loyal stall holders, whose windblown
THE drivers of two Fiat cars needed hospital treatment for minor whiplash injuries following a road accident on Sunday (May 26). The cars, driven by men aged 18 and 28, were in collision at Bolton Road's junction with Watling Street at 10.40am.
A THIEF escaped empty-handed when he attacked a mobile phone owner in Bury over the weekend. The offender approached a 25-year-old man from behind as he walked along Market Street in the town centre at 6pm on Saturday (May 25). The victim was struck in
WELL slap my thigh! Blackpool Grand Theatre has announced its line-up for this year's Christmas panto. And starring in Tom Bright's Aladdin will be Coronation Street star Reg Holdsworth (aka Ken Morley). Reg popped into the theatre recently to announce
DARING volunteers are being asked to rise to the challenge and abseil down Peel Tower next month to raise money for children's hospital equipment. Volunteers will be shown the ropes and given a full safety briefing for the event on Saturday June 29, organised
THE site of a massive pub explosion is to come under the hammer at an auction. The 658 sq yard parcel of land at Manchester Road, Blackford Bridge, Bury, had been occupied by the Bridge Inn before it was wrecked in a gas blast in March, 1998. Miraculously
COMPUTER users can plug into the mysteries of local history thanks to a drive to make archives more accessible. Bury Archive Service has put a selection of material stored at its Edwin Street office into computer form, allowing users to access it from
RADCLIFFE High School pupil Kerry Evans thinks her head of maths is a class act. So much so that she nominated Miss Carol Smalley for the national Teacher of the Year Awards. And it's all added up to success for the maths teacher who has received a certificate
A FAMILY say they are moving house after vandals attacked their much-loved garden fountain. The £250 water feature in the family's front garden in Water Street, Radcliffe, depicting a rustic boy and girl, was smashed in a rampage by vandals more than
A FOUR-storey office block in Radcliffe, once the base of one of the town's biggest employers, is to be sold at auction. Wilton House in Bury Road is to go under the hammer at a property auction on June 12 and could fetch £300,000. The 2,166 sq metre
PAST civic heads from across the borough came together for a special reunion at Bury Town Hall. The event, arranged by outgoing Mayor of Bury Councillor Paul Nesbit, featured town council mayors from Radcliffe and Prestwich, as well as chairmen of the
IT'S Parkside partytime as patriotic residents in one Radcliffe street celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee. And the menu planned for the 130 guests taking part in the party at Parkside Close on Monday (June 3) certainly has a royal flavour to reflect
IN their first ever game in the World Cup Senegal beat France 1-0 to ensure the championship opens with a spectacular bang. The African side were expected to be on the end of a thumping from a French team strongly fancied to retain their title. But Senegal
SENEGAL'S shock 1-0 win over France sees the 2002 World Cup open up with the Champions falling to a 30th minute goal by Bouba Diop. 14:22: The final whistle and Senegal have won 1-0. 14:22: Last minute 14:21: Another corner for France is playe din by
THE force is certainly with two Preston children as their Star Wars buff mum names them in honour of the cult film's director -- George Lucas! Jane Henderson, of Douglas Street, Ashton, has been a fan since the science fiction stories hit the big screen
THE HARRIS Museum and Art Gallery in Preston will be opening its doors for the first time on a bank holiday as part of the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations and a drive to promote regional galleries. The opening on Tuesday comes as acclaimed artists
HEALTH bosses in Preston, South Ribble and Chorley have been given the go-ahead to combine the area's hospitals. The move to merge the current Preston Acute Hospitals and the Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust, in Chorley, will create the only teaching
PRESTON'S Hindu and Muslim community are pulling together and working toward a united front despite nuclear powers India and Pakistan being locked in conflict. Representatives from Preston's religious institutions held a meeting on Tuesday aimed at setting
ONE of Burnley Crown Court's resident judges yesterday retired after a legal career spanning more than 40 years. Judge David Pirie hung up his wig and robes after 15 years on the circuit bench. He is leaving behind involvement with law enforcement in
A DRUNKEN woman who set her curtains alight told police she was going to burn down her home with herself in it. Burnley Crown Court heard Pauline Nield, 54, refused to leave the property. A police officer who had to break down her door had to drag her
ORGANISERS of the new "Adopt a School" initiative have revealed which businesses and schools have been chosen for the first phase. Bolton and Bury Education Business Partnership -- a subsidiary of the Chamber of Commerce -- is seeking to develop links
A PIONEERING soccer school designed to encourage deaf and hearing impaired children to become more involved in football has scored a winner with young children in Preston. A total of 26 pupils at Royal Cross Primary School for the Deaf in Preston will
A LOOK at the latest single and album releases. SINGLES: THE SHINING: I Wonder How (Zuma) RICHARD Ashcroft and Nick McCabe may have been given all the praise for the creative work of the Verve, but here their former colleague Simon Tong emerges in his
A VOLUNTEER project in Accrington has been awarded more than £216,000 of lottery money. The Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Council for Voluntary Service was given the cash from the Community Fund to continue its Volunteering Development Project (VDP) which
THE last remaining member of the original Police Community Liaison Group has retired after a second heart attack. Stuart Hide has represented Golborne and District Sports Group on the police panel, now renamed Public Voice on Policing (PVP), since it
WALKERS who trek through mudbaths are cheering the start of a £157,000 scheme to restore footpaths in the Higher Folds area. Paths in the Leigh, Tyldesley and Gin Pit area will be made more accessible for legitimate users now the Forestry Commission has
DETECTIVES are investigating an alleged firebomb attack which destroyed a top folk singer's pub. Licensee and Fivepenny Piece star John Eatock was this week surveying the thousands of pounds worth of damage which has closed the down-to-earth Ale House
A LMOST 20 years after his death Charlie Abbott's formulas live on. And that would have pleased the world famous herbalist. Despite significant changes which have brought the practice into the 21st century, the remedies prescribed by the Victorian-born
MARC Baier and Daniel Kuhner, from Rossall School, won the doubles title at the Under Nineteens' British Schools Lawn Tennis Association Championship (Northern Division) held at Bolton School. Rossall had never before won this event and to do so they
BUSINESS leaders fear plans for regional assemblies in England could cost billions and create even more bureaucracy. Bolton and Bury Chamber said its members were "unconvinced of their value". Mr Andrew Ratcliff, chief executive of Bolton and Bury Chamber
A BURY telecommunications firm will be celebrating whatever the final score when England play Argentina next Friday (June 7). This is because Salford Street-based Pennine Telecom is heading the Get Stripped for England campaign to raise thousands of pounds
HELP us to help them! That was the clarion call delivered to major Bury employers this week at a conference aimed at propelling various disadvantaged people into work. Tuesday's (May 28) employer forum was staged by Bury Employment Support & Training
FIVE thousand balloons were being released in Blackpool on Thursday (May 30) in a burst of publicity for childcare. Blackpool Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership is trying to float home the message "I wouldn't be where I am today without
BLACKPOOL Borough Council is determined to stamp out dog fouling in the resort. From April 1 2001 to 2002 the council's Dog Welfare Service issued 62 fixed penalty notices and eight of those people were prosecuted for failure to pay. Kevin Garritty, head
HOW do you open yet another new ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach? Popular presenter Fred Dinenage opened the £ m interactive attraction Impossible this week with a quick trick and by breaking the record for the most people to say "How" at the same time
CAN you help to put the brakes on car parking problems in Blackpool's gridlocked town centre? Blackpool Borough Council's Scrutiny Committee is launching a review of both on-street and off-street car parking and want to know what you think. "Parking is
IT TOOK a real high flyer to get Blackpool Airport's new service to the Isle of Man off the ground. Famous British motorcycle racer and four-times World Superbike champion, Carl Fogarty from Lancashire, swapped wheels for wings to get a dedicated service
ASDA will be rolling back its prices for Fleetwood folk in the near future as top level discussions on the planned development for the Cop Lane area got under way with Wyre Borough Council last week. Citypark Realty are the developers behind the controversial
LEIGH-BASED company Incredible Artists Ltd ended the month of May in pole position representing legendary Soul star James Brown as part of the recent festivities surrounding the Monaco Grand Prix. The show in Monte Carlo was the culmination of an amazing
A POULTON grandmother is to re-live the glorious day she was crowned gala queen during the Queen's Coronation year -- as her granddaughter prepares to be crowned the town's festival queen nearly 50 years on. Eleven-year-old Georgia Hindle, who is a pupil
A CALLOUS thief snatched an old lady's bag in Talbot Road, Blackpool, on May 20 at just before noon. The plastic bag contained a pension book, payment cards and other personal items. The 6ft-tall thief ran off towards the town centre and was seen getting
A SUMMER celebration "night at the proms" band concert will be staged on Thursday, June 13, at Tyldesley RUFC St George's Park headquarters in Astley Street, Tyldesley. The event features Tyldesley Brass Band and the Fred Longworth Community Band. Tickets
COUNCILLORS serving on Wigan MBC will hold advice surgeries at the following venues: FRIDAY, May 31: Alma St Pensioners Club, Alma St, Westleigh (2-3) S Simmons, P Turner; Howe Bridge Sports Centre (6-7) B Splaine; Tyldesley Town Hall (6.30-8) S Hellier
West Hull 24, Leigh Miners Rangers 20 WEST Hull may have been crowned the best amateur RL team of all time but they were given the fright of their lives by Leigh Miners Rangers in the first-ever National Conference Grand Final. The result was in doubt
AFTER three drawn games, Memorex Leigh CC finally managed their first league win of the season against a dreadfully defensive New Brighton side at Beech Walk. Once again skipper Dave Dove lost the toss and Leigh were asked to bat first. After the dismissal
THE hard work and patience of staff at a nursery school is to be rewarded with a special Royal visit. Employees at the King David Nursery School, in Bury Old Road, can look forward to meeting Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, when she officially opens their
STAN Ternent's fingers will be crossed that England will shine in the World Cup but he admitted: "I think it will be very difficult for them." The greatest tournament in the world started today and he claimed we will never win it again unless there is
BLACKBURN winger Damien Duff has told Republic of Ireland fans 'not to expect too much' as he prepares to make his World Cup bow against Cameroon tomorrow. With disgraced skipper Roy Keane conspicuous by his absence from Mick McCarthy's squad for the
CRAIG Brown is to bring a French touch to Deepdale. He is to introduce French style coaching methods to the club as a way of nurturing young players into the squad without spending scarce resources . Speaking to the club's website he said: "We'll try
VISITORS to the Darwen Music Live Festival over the Bank Holiday are in for a rare treat with dozens of local and regional bands and singers being given the chance to air their talents across the entire musical spectrum. One particular combo, which will
BURY have today been saved from extinction after creditors agreed to write off an £800,000 debt. A deal to hand control of the club to the Save Our Shakers Association was due to be signed this morning after their largest creditor, the Russell Cooke Trust
HEALTH bosses have been given the go-ahead to set up a scheme which will help give run-down doctors' surgeries a new lease of life. The three primary care trusts in East Lancashire - Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale and Hyndburn and
DRINKERS had to be evacuated from The Goose at the Spinning Jenny pub in Leigh town centre after a water pipe burst. Firefighters were called to shut down the supply at the pub after a pipe burst sending water flooding through the ceiling light fittings
A SCHEME offering mums and single parents the chance to attend an aerobics class while their children are cared for in a free creche is being run at Howe Bridge Leisure Centre. The Take A Break scheme run by the Active Living Team is held Wednesdays from11am
FRIENDS of Edith Finney are invited to join in her to 100th birthday celebrations on Sunday, June 16. The former cotton mill worker's daughter, Joyce and her husband Malcolm, along with their daughter Sonia and husband James, are travelling from Australia
BY day Danny Smith pounds the roads of Britain in his heavy goods lorry. But at weekends he takes to the skies as one of the country's leading free-fall paracutists. Danny, of Tyldesley Road, Hindsford, has recently reached a major landmark in the sky
THREE fire engines were called to Butts Street in Leigh after fears that children might be trapped inside burning changing rooms. Locals had seen the flames and were worried children could have been playing inside but thorough search allayed fears. The
LOCAL history officer Tony Ashcroft will point out the final resting places of VIPs when he leads a Leigh Cemetery walk on June 12. Interested parties should meet at 10am at the Manchester Road gates. He will also conduct a tour of Tyldesley Cemetery
A YOUNG Leigh dancer has wowed judges with her fancy footwork. Little Kirsten Houghton came third in the grand final of the British Isles dance competition held at Pontins in Prestayn. The talented Bedford St Thomas's Primary School pupil also came second
SPORTS fan Sandra Woods will fly the flag for Leigh at the Commonwealth Games medal ceremonies. She will swop the world of accountancy to be a bearer at the Manchester Games which start on July 25. Leigh-born Sandra who works for Wigan Council's education
A PACKED calendar of events has been designed to help family heroes during Carers' Awareness Week. Doors to council day centres have been thrown open to host activities, organised by the Wigan and Leigh Carers' Group, for the 46,000 residents who care
THE Citizen of May 16 carried a letter from a Mrs R Latham from British Columbia, in Canada, under the heading of 'Fond memories, famous names'. She recalled that one famous local person was Eddie Calvert who lived in Fairsnape Road, Ribbleton, and played
ACCRINGTON'S annual Sound festival celebrates its tenth anniversary on Sunday. And having been brought forward from its usual date in August -- to fit into the Jubilee celebrations --this weekend's event is being billed as the People's Festival. Taking
WITH a host of internationally acclaimed artists, extra venues and a strong mix of local talent, Darwen's third Music Live festival, boasts something for everyone. Getting underway tomorrow, the music will run alongside the beer festival also going on
THEIRS was the music which shaped the attitude of a generation. Together with their bands they did as much as anyone in the record industry to break down political and racial divides in Britain in the early 1980s. Now the ska divas have got together and
HOMER, the orang-utan who passed away at Blackpool Zoo last Saturday, two days after his partner Hayley, may have died of a broken heart. Staff were devastated at the news of his demise, which is the third ape death in just one week at the zoo. Homer
FORGET "Out Of Africa"! One Fylde fund-raiser is planning to go into Africa for a 300km trek -- on a bike! Kerry Jones, a cardiac rehabilitation manager at Poulton swimming and fitness centre, Breck Road, is hoping to saddle up for a marathon ride across
THE CARNIVAL could be over for some Fylde galas. And it's no fun for organisers who fear the financial implications of police public safety rules which require barriers to be installed on each road alongside parade routes. They're also concerned that
FOLLOWING The Citizen's front page stories and many readers' letters on the subject of Lancashire Constabulary's current speed campaign, reporter MARION AINGE road-tested a new device aimed at helping drivers slow down to beat the speed camera. Here is
POULTON THE Chaddeans theatre group will be giving audiences the old Razzle Dazzle on June 6, 7 and 8 at St Chads Church hall, Vicarage Lane. The fast-moving family show features both adult and child performers and begins at 7.30pm each evening. Tickets
TEN children a week are being left at risk in Lancashire because children's homes across the county are full to bursting, according to the council workers' union, UNISON. This follows Lancashire County Council's decision to close seven children's homes
THE owners of Bury's Prontaprint centre in Bolton Street are celebrating a "super" success. For they have disclosed that Prontaprint has been granted Superbrand status by the independent board of marketing and branding experts, the Superbrands Council
LUKE Carter had a "smashing" time when he made a return visit to his old school. Blackburn magistrates heard that in a drunken escapade the would-be Marine Commando broke into the school and caused £500 worth of damage to windows and doors. But defence
BOSSES at the controversial Calderstones Hospital today said a new security fence would surround the site within a month. A major review of security in the wake of a series of embarrassing incidents at the hospital was unveiled today, a year after it
SUPPORTERS of the Lancashire Evening Telegraph Magic Eye Cancer Scanner Appeal will be able to get into the swing of fundraising with a golf competition this summer. The competition, the final of which will be held at Pleasington Golf Club in September
I HAVE recently returned to Blackpool after working away from the area to learn of the sad plight of Longview Animal Centre. Many years ago I re-homed one of their dogs and he was my constant companion for nine years. I know the good work that Longview
WITH regard to Longview Animal Centre, Division Lane, Blackpool, I am so sorry to learn of the financial difficulties it is now faced with and the threat of closure within three months. Years ago when I lived in the Fylde area I rescued a dog from the
A RECENT article in the The Citizen (May 2) referred to police operated speed detection equipment and the increased sale of radar/laser detectors. In relation to speed detection equipment, the article quoted statements attributed to a police spokesperson
MY rates have shown a considerable increase again this year so why the talk of selling our magnificent St Annes Town Hall? If any more selling and knocking down goes on in this town we will be left with nothing of beauty or major significance in the way
BUSES or the lack of them once again rears its ugly head. Highfield Road may be only a short distance to go to get your pension and shopping from local businesses you like to trade with, but if you are getting to the age where a bus is a necessity to
I REFER to the letter printed in the Citizen on May 2 from R Schofield. It started off perfectly sensibly but after the first few lines it made me shudder. It became fairly obvious that this man was advocating the use of physical punishment against children
UNTIL recently I had complete trust and every faith in our judicial system. However, as someone who has recently experienced this system -- not as an accused I might add -- my opinion has altered completely. I confess that my knowledge of the judiciary
REGENERATION could be affected if a blanket restriction on new venues was slapped on towns like Blackburn, it was warned today. Instead, councils want to use licensing restrictions and new initiatives to make sure more pubs can prosper without wrecking
A BUILDING company has been fined a total of £1,250 after admitting the illegal dumping of waste by burning on land at Euxton, near Leyland. Site manager Mark Oddy, a representative of the developer Blackthorn Homes Limited pleaded guilty to a charge
POLICE in Blackpool and the Fylde will be putting strict safety measures in place to ensure Jubilee revellers in the resort don't get too carried away with celebrations this weekend. Operation Arrival aims to ensure people have a good time during the
ALMOST one million citizens of this country were killed or maimed in the Second World War in the fight for freedom and free speech. Gerald Kaufman MP recently exercised his right to criticise the actions of Israeli thugs against the Palestinians on the
I WOULD like to thank the voters of Moorside Ward for re-electing me to Bury Council with an increased majority. I was surprised, though, to see that my defeated Tory opponent is going to keep an eye on "our ward". I may be misinformed, but I believe
IT was nice of Councillor Roy-E. Walker (Your Letters, May 17) to deem the Tories' decisive defeat in the recent local council elections a "great result". Also, it was nice of him to be an agent for an Asian candidate but it would have been nicer if,
I ALWAYS enjoy the letters submitted by Derek Sandford (Traders are wrong to condemn new market, May 16). His attempts to promote the actions of this Labour council are always amusing. His latest enthusiasm is for the "marketmuseum" (a word not in any
THE front page of the Radcliffe Times (May 23) reported that "Radcliffe's only two council-run old folks homes are to be closed or be drastically changed". Below this an article headlined "Pensioner hurt in gas explosion" told of an 83-year-old lady who
THE rhyming names of neighbours in my childhood street, Ivy Spivey and Minnie Finney, made a Tyldesley reader smile. She says years ago she worked at Courtaulds there and her boss told her about four families who lived next door to each other - Halls,
While fans throughout the globe await the start of the World Cup tomorrow I can't wait for it to be over. I wish I could just nod off for a month then wake up totally refreshed and oblivious to all the hype. I'm not alone there either. Amazingly three
MORE than 1,000 children in Radcliffe have been making an impact when it comes to improving their environment. Bury Council joined forces with fast-food giant McDonald's to promote environmental education among four Radcliffe schools. The scheme was intended
FOR years Jessie "The Cropper" Graham put his heart into building his distinctive bungalow on Manchester Road. He constructed Cropper's Hall slowly and surely, charging customers at his unconventional Silk Street barber's shop a brick for a crop. He was
A CHAUFFEUR has been discovered to be the world's loudest snorer after his fed-up wife forced him to get help. His grunts registered 102 decibels -- louder than a revving motorbike (but not as loud as Gommy's racer!). And that beats the Guinness Book
I'M a big fan of fifties, sixties and seventies music, I have a penchant for brass, like opera and some classical. I can even stand some of today's din, but I don't like it forced upon me. It's all well and good that free entertainment is provided in
A LOOK at what's on at Blackpool's Grand Theatre and Opera House. Blackpool Grand Theatre (01253 290190) Music Of The Night -- Grand favourite Mark Rattray brings an intimate evening of music and story. June 2 at 7.30pm. Tickets £12.50. Syd Lawrence Orchestra
A ROUND-UP of what is on around town at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool Tower, Grand Theatre and Grand Theatre Studio. Winter Gardens (01253 292029) The Good Olde Days -- traditional entertainment with Duggie Clark, Mike Terry and Tony Del Ray. Venue: Pavilion
