AS the year ends with East Lancashire's economy robust overall -- despite continuing decline in the manufacturing sector and several high-profile closures that cost hundreds of jobs -- closer still comes the crunch issue crucial to everyone's prosperity
WELL, it's almost here, 'two oh oh three,' and all those things I was going to do in 'two oh oh two' will now not be done before the year ends. Where does the time go? Where are the holidays I was going to take, but didn't? The rooms I was to decorate
A BABY and her parents had a narrow escape when a car ploughed into their front room just minutes after they had gone to bed. Shocked mother of two Sarah Law, her baby Tegan and husband, John, had been in the living room of their end terraced home minutes
A GARDEN shed on Whitefield's Hillock Estate was destroyed in a suspected arson attack at the weekend. Firefighters spent an hour at a house in Lune Close on Saturday (Dec 28). Fire extensively damaged the timber-framed shed and its contents.
THREE women and a five-year-old boy needed hospital treatment after a Christmas Day blaze. Firefighters from Broughton and Whitefield were called out at 10am to a first-floor flat in Bury Old Road in Prestwich. An electrical fault in a bedroom is being
A HEARTBROKEN mother today told how her husband snatched their six children away for a new life in Pakistan and said: "I just want them back." Detectives are using Interpol as part of a major hunt to trace Mushtaq Ahmed, who has been missing with his
THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has taken to steps to close down companies associated with an internet holiday club which has Bury as one if its four bases. Petitions to wind up 14 companies connected with the promotion and operation of The
MORE than 30,000 motorists have come under the scrutiny of police in Greater Manchester during a pioneering five-day crime crackdown. And a total of 28 people in the county were arrested as a result of Operation Atlanta aimed at denying criminals the
DEFIANT Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren has promised to find a cure for his side's away-day headaches as he prepares for tomorrow's trip to Ewood. McClaren is adamant that the team will eventually turn the corner despite seeing them crash to a sixth
INJURED defender Craig Short believes the painful memories of Rovers' last-gasp defeat at Middlesbrough earlier in the season will inspire them to victory when the two sides meet again for the re-match at Ewood tomorrow. Short admits he and his team-mates
REVELLERS in a Todmorden pub could be forgiven if they think they're facing a scene from the BBC's dark comedy The League of Gentlemen when they walk in on New Year's Eve. Landlord Alan Troy and staff at the Hollins Inn, Walsden, will dress up as characters
A GOOD Samaritan who cradled a seriously injured teenager's head in his Burnley football scarf was hailed a hero today. The tribute came as the family of the student, who was hurt in a horrific road accident, tried to find the man who helped look after
PROBATION workers have been hailed as "remarkable" for successfully working with society's "most dangerous and unpredictable people." John Crawforth, chief officer of Lancashire's new probation board, thanked staff following the release of an annual report
SHOPPERS in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale are being warned not to flash their cash and to hide valuables from view. Police in Pennine division have launched a poster campaign aimed at slashing street crime over the New Year period. They are hoping the
YOU can test your betting skills and help the Shakers into the bargain when Bury FC hold a fundraising Family Race Night on Friday, February 7 at the Social Club, Gigg Lane. This event, which is always very popular, is being billed as a Family Fun Night
SHAKERS boss Andy Preece admits he is under increasing pressure to release the shackles on wonderkid David Nugent and let him loose in the starting 11 writes Chris Hall The 17-year-old striker has been patiently biding his time with a string of inspirational
COMMUNITY and voluntary groups in Pendle have a new support worker. Pendle Partnership is funding Jamil Mohammed who is being employed by Pendle Council. His job is to support community & voluntary groups, campaigning for their needs and helping them
TWO men conned an elderly pensioner into handing over money after falsely telling her that her cat had died. They called at the home of the 71-year-old in Dumers Lane, Radcliffe, and told her they needed £10 for burial costs. The devastated pensioner
BURY Hospice has launched a major initiative that will turn unwanted junk into an important source of funding. Every year millions of used ink jet and laser printer cartridges, together with old mobile phones, are thrown away. But the hospice in Dumers
THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has taken to steps to close down companies associated with an internet holiday club which has Bury as one if its four bases. Petitions to wind up 14 companies connected with the promotion and operation of The
POLICE are investigating the theft of stone flags from the back yard of a law firm in Clitheroe town centre. The flags, which have not yet been valued, were pulled up outside Steele and Son Solicitors in Castle Street. A blue Bedford van was spotted in
POLICE in the Ribble Valley are giving away key fobs in an attempt to beat "hook and cane" burglars. The burglars use implements such as fishing rods to hook keys from hallway tables through letterboxes, then use them to enter the house or make off with
BURNLEY have been handed a New Year boost with the news that skipper Steve Davis may be back within six weeks. It had been feared that the skipper, who limped out of the 6-2 home defeat by Rotherham United, would be missing for three months but physio
THE first division manager of the month award will not be announced until after tomorrow's game but it is a safe bet that Blades manager Neil Warnock's name is in the frame. And the Clarets will be hoping that the notorious curse that seems to go with
CLARETS boss Stan Ternent knows his side must produce promotion form if they are to make the play-offs - starting at Bramall Lane tomorrow. "If we can take 40 points from our last 20 games that will take us up to 76, the same as we got last season," he
BURNLEY pace bowler James Anderson's meteoric rise in world cricket continues. The Lancashire quicky has been called into England's 15-man squad for the World Cup in South Africa in two months' time. And he could well get his chance as England's selectors
SALESBURY cricket club stalwart Michael Foley has been awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours list. Foley has been a dedicated junior organiser at the Jennings Ribblesdale League club for the past 40 years. He receives the award for services to the
A 13-YEAR-OLD had his mobile phone and baseball cap stolen by a gang on a bus in Bury. The teenager was travelling along Bury Old Road, Prestwich, on Sunday at about 4pm when he was approached by three men. They threatened him and ordered him to hand
BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness will broaden his search for extra defensive resources after failing in an attempt to land Aston Villa's World Cup star Alpay. Souness recently made contact with the Midlands club about a possible swap deal for the Turkish
THE euro has now been in circulation for 12 months -- and even though Britain is still stalling on joining the 'euro zone' the debate in East Lancashire on the single currency has never gone away. Business Editor ANDREW CALVERT looks at how the new currency
THE Radcliffe Area Board will hold its next meeting on January 8, in the Radcliffe Civic Suite in Thomas Street, at 7pm. Items on the agenda include local elderly services, the regeneration of Radcliffe and an update on the development and siting of a
A FORMER cancer sufferer marked her 90th birthday by raising £815 for Cancer Research at her special celebratory lunch. Phyllis Prest, of Darwen, raised the money by asking her birthday guests to donate to the charity instead of buying gifts. The birthday
THE next meeting of the Ramsbottom and Tottington Area Board will be held on Tuesday, January 7, at Tottington Primary School, Moorside Road. Bury Metro's Traffic Engineer will give a report on road issues in the two districts and Inspector Steve Clark
ROSSENDALE people will get the chance to have a direct input into the council tax issue if they attend one of four open budget meetings to be held in January. The new tax in April will be set by councillors after the talks. The authority has already revealed
THE new year will bring a new look and a new start for Rossendale Council when it begins a recruitment campaign for senior personnel. The authority, which was named the worst in the country earlier this year, is to advertise for three senior employees
UniBond League Division One: Radcliffe Borough...2 Rossendale United...1 FORMER fringe player Barrie Keeling may be set to take a leading role after another impressive display in the Boxing Day derby against Rossendale, writes STEVE BOTT. Keeling held
FORMER headteacher Michael Humphreys was awarded a CBE for his contribution to education. He retired after 15 years at Our Lady and St John RC High School, Blackburn, in August, leaving a formidable reputation for strong pastoral support for his pupils
A CAR trader has been left facing a bill of nearly £2,000 after a car he sold turned out to be unsafe. Gordon Horne, 45, of Patterdale Avenue, Blackburn pleaded guilty to supplying a car in a dangerously unroadworthy condition at Fleetwood Magistrates
A HEARTBROKEN mother today told how her husband snatched their six children away for a new life in Pakistan and said: "I just want them back." Detectives are using Interpol as part of a major hunt to trace Mushtaq Ahmed, who has been missing with his
REFEREE assessors think they have the devine right to use the clubs they are visiting. No ties, dirty shoes. Most of these people were poor referees when they were in the middle and so the poor standard of whistle blowers today doesn't surprise me. I
THE chief executive of Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Trust has been awarded a CBE in the New Years Honours. Roy Male, 54, was given the award in recognition of his services to the NHS. Mr Male has worked in the NHS for more than 30 years, starting
RADCLIFFE Baths could be closed and replaced with a modern pool on the site of the town's proposed new "super school". And the borough's only secondary special school could also be relocated to the former East Lancashire Paper Mill site, which has been
POLICE are continuing to hunt for witnesses after a 16-year-old girl said she was raped in a Blackburn park. The incident happened as the girl made her way through Queen's Park, Blackburn, with a 15-year-old female friend at 3.10am on Saturday. Detectives
TRAIN travellers in East Lancashire are facing misery over the next 24 hours as the latest series of strikes get underway. Strikes take place today and until midnight tomorrow , and from 12.01am on Sunday, February 2, 2003, until midnight on Monday, February
UNEMPLOYMENT throughout the borough has shown another fall. Figures for November put the borough's total claimant count at 1,863, down 14 on the previous month. The latest statistics comprise 1,375 men and 488 women. November's overall unemployment rate
AN attic bedroom was destroyed in a house blaze on Boxing Day. An electrical fault sparked the fire which forced the family at the semi-detached house in Copse Drive, Bury, to flee to safety shortly before 7pm. The majority of the bedroom, a loft conversion
FEATHERS may be ruffled as the 160th Ye Olde Annual Gamecock Show takes place tomorrow (Wed) on New Year's Day. Bird fanciers from across the country will be making their way to the Old Dun Horse Hotel in Ramsbottom for the eagerly contested event. Entries
A GOOD Samaritan who cradled a seriously injured teenager's head in his Burnley football scarf was hailed a hero today. The tribute came as the family of the student, who was hurt in a horrific road accident, tried to find the man who helped look after
BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness will broaden his search for extra defensive resources after failing in an attempt to land Aston Villa's World Cup star Alpay. Souness recently made contact with the Midlands club about a possible swap deal for the Turkish
THE owners of a children's Wendy house in Coates Lane, Barnoldswick, may be forced to remove it. Pendle Council planning officers say it is an unsafe location and should be re-sited further away from the highway. In October 2002, the planning enforcement
JUST hours after the Clarets had somehow contrived to snatch a draw from the jaws of victory, half of Brighton's famous pier fell away into the sea. Debate is still raging amongst the locals as to which was the greater collapse. No, I know it's not particularly
HOW depressingly predictable. I remarked last week that it was no good beating Manchester United and putting in a good performance at Anfield if we were not going to keep it up against less glamorous opposition. So what do we go and do? We go and let
A PUB in Oswaldtwistle has two new faces behind the bar. John, 55, and Margaret Bromage, 40, moved into the White Bull, in New Lane, after they took over from Alan Jolley in November. Mr Jolley left for France to help a friend restore an old farmhouse
MAYBE they have a reason for going up against Kaante. That reason maybe that whilst Kaante is a boys flic this one will have them weeping in the aisles. It is a sad tale but how many times have we seen the love triangle gone horribly wrong. Far too many
BURNLEY defender Arthur Gnohere could be forgiven for having a sleepless night before tomorrow's match with Sheffield United. That is because Blades striker Steve Kabba has already given him one nightmare this season. Kabba was the star of the show for
STUART McCall may be 38 and nearing the end of his career but he has been a major influence in Sheffield United's success this season - and Robbie Blake is not in the least bit surprised. The Clarets striker was a team-mate of the former Scotland international
HOMEOWNERS have been warned not to glaze over legal requirements when they plan to install replacement windows and doors. The message has been issued to residents in the borough following reports that some installers are ignoring new energy regulations
BURNLEY have been handed a New Year boost with the news that skipper Steve Davis may be back within six weeks. It had been feared that the skipper, who limped out of the 6-2 home defeat by Rotherham United, would be missing for three months but physio
A LONG-established East Lancashire company is heading into the New Year with a fresh name and look. Insurance and financial services firm James James, which has offices on Bank Parade, Burnley, is changing its name to Swinburne James. The change will
NEW Year revellers were today warned against causing trouble in Rossendale pubs after three people were arrested when fighting broke out on Boxing Day. Bacup's newly appointed Inspector Dave Shepherd said new CCTV cameras in Bacup, Stacksteads and other
Bury 1 Kidderminster 1 by Chris Hall SHAKERS' succession of unwanted Christmas presents continued to be unwrapped at Gigg Lane yesterday. After a dour draw with Rochdale and their Boxing Day blues at Shrewsbury, Bury's festive cheer was dealt a double
FYLDE folk worried about possible flooding after heavy rain in the North West can contact the Environment Agency Floodline on 0845 988 1188. A free warning service known as Automatic Voice Messaging -- which works by sending telephone messages to warn
A FURNITURE company has donated thousands of chairs, desks and tables to schoolchildren in Kosovo, who not only lack books but something to sit on. Remploy, of Bank Top, Blackburn, gave the furniture to International Aid Trust, a Lancashire-based Christian
NINE Indonesian volunteers will be living and working in Blackburn for the next three months, learning about the East Lancashire way of life. They are part of an international youth exchange programme run by the Voluntary Service Organisation (VSO). While
WHEN Alan Reid joined Kaleidoscope Youth Club as a 16-year-old in 1982, he never thought he would still be there 20 years later as a volunteer. Now his dedication has been rewarded with an MBE in the New Year's Honours -- where he is joined by local people
PARISHIONERS at a Blackburn church destroyed by arsonists have spoken of their delight that a replacement will be built. Fire ripped through St Anne's Church, in France Street, in 2000. The blaze was started in three separate areas and tore through the
ESTATE agents have failed in their bid to block a tattoo parlour opening in the professional district of Blackburn town centre. But town hall planners will have the final say on what goes in the window display of the tattoo parlour in a bid to preserve
A 36-hour booze marathon to see in the New Year looks set to be put on ice with the majority of landlords refusing to open all hours. The move offered pubs and clubs the option to open from 11am today through to 11pm on tomorrow. But many publicans will
HE may not have brought home the World Cup, but David Beckham's dramatic penalty against Argentina gave the nation a massive smile in 2002. The England captain's winning strike in Japan's Sapporo Dome on June 7 came top in a poll by internet bank smile
IT SAYS a lot about the financial side of football when the chairman of a team who are top of the First Division announces that he may quit the club if they are promoted. Yet, this is precisely what Portsmouth boss, Milan Mandaric, did. It is a salutary
ANGRY newsagent Noel Booth told a gun-toting robber to "get lost" before chasing him out of the shop. Despite having the handgun pointed at his chest, blazing mad Mr Booth said he was not going to let someone "muck up" his livelihood. The 63-year-old
