IT IS maddening that a scheme to combat East Lancashire's shocking dental health -- among the worst in the country -- has been turned down by the Government. But worse is the absurd reason for their refusal -- that the plan put forward was too detailed
LAST week I had to visit Preston Docks and I made the decision to go early and do some birdwatching. I parked close to the nearly-frozen dock and the first thing I noticed was a small flock of blackheaded gulls which landed on my car. They may have been
A 25-YEAR-OLD man had apparently made desperate efforts to escape from his smoke-filled flat before being overcome by fumes. An inquest heard that Stephen Livesey was another victim of the lethal combination of drink and a late night chip pan fire. His
IF any sculpture was needed in Church Street, Blackburn, it should have been the statue of a bobby on point duty in front of the Old Bank in tribute to the generations of Blackburn police constables who directed traffic there for much of the last century
REGARDING Noel Eke's reference (Letters, December 30) to the British Red Cross not allowing their stores to put up Christmas decorations in fear of offending non-Christians living in Britain, contrary to common belief, Islam teaches tolerance and respect
AN ESTATE where children are more at risk of being knocked down than anywhere else in Lancashire is to spearhead a £1.5million life-saving road safety drive. The number of pedestrian accidents recorded on the sidestreets of Blackburn's Bank Top estate
ACADEMY starlet Paul Gallagher stole the show last night with a stunning hat-trick as Rovers marched into the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup. The Blackburn-born striker has been in red-hot form for the Academy Under 19s so far this season. And he enhanced
THIS time last year, Graeme Souness's phone would have been red-hot with calls from rival Premiership managers enquirying about the availability of David Dunn. Young midfielders of Dunn's calibre don't come on the market very often so when they do, you
LANCASTER film lovers will be able to enjoy the latest releases again in just over a week's time. The former ABC cinema, which closed in September, is to open its doors again on Friday, January 17, after being bought by Northern Morris Associated Cinemas
TOURISTS from across the country are being tempted to visit Lancaster and Morecambe by an all new 2003 holiday guide. The glossy brochure is now available from Tourist Information Centres nationwide offering a comprehensive free guide for holidaymakers
PLANS are underway for the forthcoming Brierfield Spring Festival on Saturday, March 22. Details of the festival were discussed at the event committee meeting and will include a combination of activities and displays. Free samples of food supplied by
A BANNED driver who got behind the wheel four times has been jailed -- and has had his cars taken off him as well. Gaz Devey, 38, had also led police on a chase through Burnley, driving on the pavement, on the wrong side of the road and across a central
WORLD class snooker is coming to town tomorrow (Thursday) when the legendary Jimmy White comes to Bury Town Hall's Elizabethan Suite. The man they call "The Whirlwind" will take on the best the town can offer in a night of exhibition bouts. Tickets, priced
LEIGH Lions Club's first osteoporosis test day is on Saturday, Febuary 1 at Leigh Conservative Club from 10am until 10pm. The scan to detect thinning of the bone is quick, painless and accurate and results are available within minutes of the consultation
A BANNED driver failed to fool police by giving a false name when he was caught behind the wheel of a car, a court heard. Alan McCabe, aged 22, of Heybrook Close, Whitefield admitted driving while disqualified and without insurance, obstructing a police
HISTORIC Samlesbury Hall is the latest East Lancashire venue to be granted a licence to host wedding ceremonies. Weddings can now take place in the Whittaker Room at the Tudor mansion in Preston New Road. Samlesbury Hall events manager Sharon Jones said
THE key stats and moments from the game against Grimsby Town. CLARETS: NIK MICHOPOULOS: Didn't have much to do, especially in the first half, but claimed the ball cleanly from crosses...7 MARK McGREGOR: Kept a lid on any plans David Soames had of making
A&T CC are staging winter nets for seniors at each Monday evening at Hesketh Fletcher High School, Atherton at 8pm and for juniors on Thursday evenings, same time, same venue. Coaching available at all nets by fully qualified coaches. All are welcome
I AM all for the police breathing down the necks of villains and giving them no peace -- as they are doing in East Lancashire's Pennine Division by writing to the 100 people in the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale who are suspected of being the area's most
A MAN with no TV licence was summoned to court - because the licensing company could not get his name right. David Conway, 34, had every intention of paying the £112 for a colour TV licence and even handed his direct debit details to TV Licensing on two
A TEN-year-old boy has started a campaign to give his village the latest technology -- so he can finally play his computer games. Joshua Fisher has been told by British Telecom he needs at least 400 people to sign up for a broadband connection in his
RESIDENTS on a car-clogged street are fuming because they don't have enough room to park their vehicles. Spring View, Blackburn, only has ten houses and many of the home-owners have more than one car. Today the AA motoring organisation said the problem
BURY FC are holding another of their popular Shakers' Party Nights at the town's Chicago Rock Cafe on Wednesday, January 29. Star of the show will once again be the fabulous Steve Ferringo Band and all Bury fans are urged to get along for what is sure
A BLACKBURN man will run his first marathon to raise £2,000 for cancer research in memory of his dad who died of lung cancer. John Ivers, 48, of Orchard Close, will take part in the Flora London Marathon on April 13. His dad, John, died 16 years ago.
A LEIGH woman has been jailed for nearly four years after stealing £8,700 from a multiple sclerosis sufferer she befriended. Lisa Grainey, aged 27, knew the PIN numbers to the woman's bank accounts and used her cards to withdraw every penny, spending
VIV Mitchell is desperately seeking what used to be referred to in many local households as a "brown pie dish". Although her mum comes from Leigh, Viv has settled in the North East and gives the deep, tapered dish its Sunday best title -- Lancashire Hot
POLICE are questioning a soldier from the Queen's Lancashire Regiment on suspicion of attempted murder after one of his colleagues was assaulted. The 17-year-old soldier was arrested after an incident yesterday afternoon on Salisbury Plain in which "a
Leigh RMI 1 Vauxhall Motors 2 by David Magilton: STRIKER Neil Tolson became the first casualty of manger Mark Patterson's tough new code of conduct when he was effectively sacked after being sent off for dissent. Patterson, who said he will not tolerate
ROVERS are offering a fantastic family package for next month's Premier League match with Southampton. The Saints, currently among the top flight's most in-form teams, visit Ewood on Saturday February 8 (kick off 3 pm). And under the 'Kid for a Quid'
ROVERS' young guns cruised into the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup last night thanks to a thumping 6-0 win over Exeter City at Ewood - but their night was marred by a horror tackle on Alex Bruce. The young defender, who's the son of Birmingham boss Steve
A SHOPLIFTER said to have used his child to distract staff was given a chance by magistrates -- who said it was possibly his last one. Father-of-two Christopher John Woodrup, 33, a one-time promising sportsman, had dabbled in drugs before falling victim
PLANNING applications received by Burnley Borough Council include: Change of use of farmyard and building to B1 use at Old Hall Farmstead, Hall Street, Worsthorne. Application to remove/reduce branches on T80 and crown thinning of three trees with G52
A FAST-FOOD delivery driver was robbed at knifepoint after making a delivery in Lancaster. The man had returned to his van in Haylot Square at around 9.15pm on Saturday when he was approached by two thieves who demanded money. He attempted to drive off
Swansea City 2 Bury 3 by Phil Thorp: BURY reclaimed the third automatic promotion place in Division Three but they made hard work of things against the section's bottom club. A three-goal cushion at the interval became a single goal advantage with 13
TWO men have been questioned by police after the body of a 25-year-old woman was discovered in a Colne hotel. Detectives said today they are investigating the possibility the woman died as a result of a heroin overdose. Police and ambulance crews went
POSTMAN Gordon Maudsley turned firefighter during his regular morning round. Gordon, 28, from Audley, raced into a home on Croasdale Square, Blackburn, to extinguish the flames in the living room.
HYNDBURN Council leader Ian Ormerod today said he hoped to be back at work next month after suffering a stroke. The 60-year-old suffered a small stroke in December and has been recuperating at his home in Queensborough Road, Accrington. Coun Ormerod said
AN ANIMAL hotel with webcams for owners to keep an eye on their pets is due to be fully operational in two months. Plans for the Animal Lodge in Great Harwood were approved last April and work to finish the project is nearly complete. Owners Tracey Sutcliffe
AN e-mail crime-busting scheme has been re-launched after police failed to get enough people interested in the project. Police throughout Eastern Division, which covers Hyndburn, Blackburn with Darwen and Ribble Valley, began a community e-mail system
ONE of Burnley's oldest companies is at the forefront of technology with the opening of a new state-of-the-art call centre. It is the creation of Cooke Card Marketing, a division of the Cooke Group of companies, that has more than 150 years of history
RESIDENTS living near the site of this year's Royal Lancashire Show are to air their fears about possible traffic chaos during the event at a public meeting. The Salesbury Memorial Hall meeting will be attended by show organisers, the police and Ribble
TWO of East Lancashire's leading aerospace companies look likely to be under new ownership after their parent company asked the Stock Exchange for its shares to be suspended. Cleveland Guest, in Colne, and Pendle Aeroform, Burnley, are part of the Midlands-based
A TREE planted to commemorate the Queen's Jubilee will not be replaced after vandals snapped it in two. Darwen Townswomen's Guild planted the hawthorn in November after saving for six months. It was in the car park of the Central United Reformed Church
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after five youths were seen fleeing from a childrenswear shop in Bacup. Tracy Janes, in Yorkshire Street, was burgled between 2.50pm and 3pm on Sunday, and £20 in cash and a ceramic duck money box were taken. One of
TRADING standards chiefs are warning people living in Ramsbottom to be wary of charity street and door-to-door collections. Complaints have been received regarding collections, which give the impression that donated items are going to good causes, when
A LOCK keeper was dubbed the "patron saint of swans" after he risked his life to rescue a young bird from a watery grave. Lock-keeper Paul Jeffries climbed down 12ft into freezing water without a life-jacket and safety harness to check if Tchaikovsky
A HEALTH boss today voiced his disappointment after a bid to improve dental health in East Lancashire was turned down by the government. And MPs have launched a protest, saying the area needs help because it has some of the worst tooth decay in Britain
ROSSENDALE recorded their third victory of the season over Unibond Premier opposition as they edged out Marine in a highly entertaining game at Dark Lane. The sides were locked together at 1-1 after 90 minutes and after weathering an early extra time
THOUSANDS of schoolchildren are experiencing the thrill of live music this week as top musicians complete a whistlestop tour of 75 schools Wigan Council's "Music Alive" week sees five ensembles, jazz, brass, string, woodwind and vocal, present an interactive
COMMUNITY Support Officers, a new weapon in fighting crime and disorder, will hit the streets of Bury next week. The first intake of 32 police community support officers (CSOs) have now completed their training and are due to start work in the county
A MUSICAL minister raised more than £1,000 for NCH Action for Children charity with his own Christmas song. The Rev Phil Gough, of St Paul's Methodist Church, Higher Audley Street, Blackburn, wrote "Give a Little Love this Christmas" for a radio competition
TWO men appeared in court today on charges relating to the death of an 18-year-old clubber. Christopher Britcliffe, 21, of John Street, Clayton-le-Moors, admitted a charge of manslaughter of Gavin Tattersall. Britcliffe's father, Ian Britcliffe, 42, of
HASLINGDEN company PCB Machinery is bucking the trend with its performance on international trade. With around 80 per cent of the company's sales going overseas, exports have become the lifeblood of this hi-tech business. The UK leader in printed circuit
MIKE Gardner and Terry Butterfield have been putting the shine on the country's cars and transport fleets for almost 20 years. Now their expertise is in demand on the continent where the European motor industry is awakening to the name of Image Chemical
BLACKBURN-BASED Training 2000 has landed a £500,000 windfall after achieving Centre of Vocational Excellence status for engineering manufacture and maintenance. The funding boost has come from the Lancashire Learning and Skills Council which introduced
A NEW service has been launched to help people in Blackburn and Darwen wanting to start their own business. The team of experienced advisers at Blackburn and District Enterprise Trust are sitting down with visitors on a one-to-one basis to help them develop
LAST year proved disastrous for East Lancashire's quoted companies -- and none more so than MyTravel which saw the international tour company lose more than £1 billion off its value. At the end of a year which saw three profits warnings, alleged accounting
THE Lancashire Evening Telegraph Business of the Year Awards lived up to its reputation as the highlight of the calendar for industry and commerce. Blackburn-based company Promethean -- at the forefront of an international high-tech classroom revolution
HAVE you heard the one about the Celtic ice-hockey guru who's doing missionary work in Blackburn? And apart from playing with, and coaching, the Blackburn Hawks, he can be found teaching youngsters the basics on ice. And that's only the half of it --
ROY Keane famously dismissed them as the "prawn sandwich brigade" -- the men in suits who are more interested in feeding their faces than football. But for Blackburn Rovers, the support of the business community has proved invaluable as the club competes
ULTRAFRAME is facing up to 2003 without its founder John Lancaster and the man charged with taking the company forward is relishing the challenge. Chief executive David Moore readily acknowledges the debt he owes to the entrepreneur and philanthropist
A FORMER rural bobby will be pounding the streets of Clitheroe to keep unruly youngsters and problem families in check. The Ribble Valley Crime and Disorder Partnership received £20,000 from the Government for the appointment of a quality of life officer
A TRIP to South Wales for the Red Kite Rally gave a first forest outing to the new Chris Allen Garages rally team Escort Cosworth - and answered several questions about both the car and team. Carnforth's Ian Joel and Graeme Wood used the event as a shake-down
THE new owners of Morecambe's Midland Hotel hope it will be welcoming guests again soon after exchanging contracts on the historic landmark. Manchester based regeneration specialists Urban Splash, confirmed this week that they have taken over the hotel
BURNLEY manager Stan Ternent may have a selection headache at the weekend after Ian Moore's double whammy helped the Clarets into the FA Cup fourth round. Ternent was the first to congratulate striker Moore after he opened the scoring in last night's
IT took 11 goals to achieve, but Burnley finally managed to put one over on Grimsby for the first time this season. And they had Ian Moore, the striker with a point to prove, to thank for his part in their emphatic FA Cup third-round win. In the build-up
A SECOND half goal by Lee Elam gave Morecambe the edge in a hard-fought FA Trophy derby at Giant Axe. A crowd of more than 2,000 people saw the former Southport winger turn a Gary Thompson cross past Lancaster City,s otherwise unbeatable keeper Mark Thornley
TYLDESLEY East community beat officer, PC Andy Wright will hold surgeries on: Tuesday January 28 (2-3pm) at St John's School, Mosley Common and Wednesdays -- January 22 & 29 (3-5pm) at Garrett Hall School, Tyldesley.
IT IS all very well for council bosses to promise to get tough with drivers who hog parking places all day long on new-look Church Street in town-centre Blackburn, once pay-and-display machines are in place next month for the hour-long stays that are
ROUND-the-world walker Polly Letofsky has the heart of a lion! The 37-year-old American embarked on a gruelling, five-year, 18,000-mile globetrotting journey in 1999 to raise money for the USA charity, Breast Cancer Fund. And during a stopover in Bury
BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent wants to sign Blackburn midfielder Alan Mahon. As I understand it, the Clarets boss has been in touch with Rovers about the out-of-favour midfielder. And a deal which would see the 24-year-old move to Turf Moor on loan could
BURNLEY manager Stan Ternent may have a selection headache at the weekend after Ian Moore's double whammy helped the Clarets into the FA Cup fourth round. Ternent was the first to congratulate striker Moore after he opened the scoring in last night's
A FAMILY business is bidding a sad farewell to 80 years of trading in Blackburn town centre -- with a parting shot at its council landlords. And today Blackburn's Chamber of Trade president has renewed calls for a large business to be established near
IT was no wonder Ken Mansfield's last day of work was such an emotional occasion. For he had worked at Trumeter for an astonishing 42 years! Mr Mansfield (63) arrived at the Milltown Street firm in Radcliffe as a 21-year-old. He started off as a toolmaker
DADS are wanted for the next stage in a project to plant fruit and vegetables. A £3,700 grant from the community chest has enabled Sure Start and other local agencies to train a Darwen fathers' group for the gardening project. Debbie Charlsworth, project
A TEENAGER got drawn into supplying drugs because of debts to his own dealers. Blackburn magistrates heard that Martin Murphy was seen by police talking to a group of youths and when they searched him they found 105gm of cannabis. Murphy, 18, of Avondale
DARWEN residents are being sought to take part in a £35,000 project to improve health services for victims of falls. Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust is pioneering the new initiative to research the effect falls can have on people's sense of wellbeing
FURIOUS residents gathered to blast council bosses after it was revealed Rossendale people could face a council tax hike of 15 per cent. Valley residents faced members of Rossendale Council's senior management team at Haslingden County Primary School,
AN off-duty police officer was attacked by a man who he had given evidence against in court two weeks earlier. Blackburn magistrates heard that Martin Alan Hunt said "Remember me?" to PC Andrew Duxbury as he walked into F J Nicols pub, in Northgate. Seconds
THE decomposed body of "loner" Steven Davidson was discovered after neighbours complained of the stench coming from his flat. An inquest heard that Mr Davidson was identified through dental records but a post-mortem examination had been unable to establish
DAVID Dunn's old school today defended the Rovers star against accusations he has become a playboy and said: "His feet are firmly on the ground". Deputy head Phil Mooney said he was speaking out on behalf of all pupils and staff at St Augustine's RC High
FIREFIGHTERS have appealed to the Government to make sprinkler systems compulsory in public buildings, schools and large businesses, following a series of major blazes. Lancashire Fire Authority believes firefighters, the public, the environment and the
A SINGER has appealed for help in her quest to record an album to raise money for cancer treatment. Melanie Sellars-McDonagh decided to produce the fundraising CD after her 55-year-old father Gerard was treated for bowel cancer. The 30-year-old, who used
AN ESTATE where children are more at risk of being knocked down than anywhere else in Lancashire is to spearhead a £1.5million life-saving road safety drive. The number of pedestrian accidents recorded on the sidestreets of Blackburn's Bank Top estate
YOU can test your skill as a punter and help the Shakers when Bury FC hold a fundraising Family Race Night on Friday, February 7 at the Social Club, Gigg Lane. The event, which is always very popular, is being billed as a Family Fun Night with something
NELSON's hopes of a run in the Marsden Trophy were blown away at a windswept Jepson Way in a game dominated by the conditions. In the first half the Blues had some good chances. Andy Haworth saw his shot turned over the bar by the Mechanics' keeper in
BLACKBURN Hawks boosted their play-off hopes with a superb double winning weekend. They overwhelmed their hosts Sunderland Chiefs 12-3 with a Saturday lunchtime roasting. And next day the Hawks soared above play-off rivals Flintshire Freeze with a convincing
STRIKEN striker Ricardo Fuller goes under the knife today in an operation which will make or break his fledgling career. The 23-year-old, who has become an instant hit at Deepdale after signing in the summer, is having his knee rebuilt at the Steadman
CRAIG Brown sets about trying to turn around North End's woeful season on Saturday - with no fewer than 13 senior players out! Five players are out on suspensions after clocking up too many yellow cards. They are captain Chris Lucketti, Graham Alexander
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. "Sleeping Beauty," Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre, 7.30pm. Parents in Pain, East Lancashire Voluntary Sector Resource Centre, 62-64 Yorkshire Street, Burnley, 7.30pm AGM
IN the LET offices we were talking about the occasional flocks of a small 5in long (12.5cms) bird called the twite. This occurs more often in East Lancashire than in most other regions. It is a member of the finch family and related to the linnet which
FIFTEEN firefighters battled to save a church in Blackburn after a fire broke out in the roof just after 2am today. The Church of the Redeemer, Shadsworth Road, lost half its roof before the crews from Blackburn and Accrington managed to bring the blaze
THE use of outside Christmas lights and window decorations seemed to have really taken off this year. For me, they were a source of great pleasure and amusement. The number of lovely Christmas trees lit up in people's front windows also seemed to have
I WISH to apologise to Councillor Robin Evans (Letters, January 8) that we at St Paul's Church at Audley, Blackburn, raised money on January 11 to support the Blue Peter 'Waterworks' Appeal. The young people of the church raised £120 for this cause. Blue
YOUR article (LET, December 30) about safer streets being created with new 'Home Zones,' which will mean certain parts of the Audley district of Blackburn becoming almost car-free, was very informative. For my own ward of Bank Top was also identified
WHAT goes around, comes around - a phrase which doesn't often seem to ring true, especially in football. Decisions, they say, are levelled out over a season, whether it be yellow cards, red cards, offsides, free kicks or penalties. Burnley were made to
PIPPA the puppy landed on all fours after she was dumped outside a pub where a man had been offering her for sale. The 16-week-old dog arrived at Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary after she was found wandering outside the pub at closing time. Now sanctuary receptionist
BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent wants to sign Blackburn midfielder Alan Mahon. As I understand it, the Clarets boss has been in touch with Rovers about the out-of-favour midfielder. And a deal which would see the 24-year-old move to Turf Moor on loan could
A MAN found dead in Thompson Park, Burnley, died of hypothermia, an inquest heard. A post mortem examination carried out by a Home Office pathologist on 40-year-old Michael Platt, formerly of Caldervale Guest House, Burnley, found that he had not eaten
BURNS Night is being celebrated in style on Saturday when Leigh Lions lay on a five course supper at Lowton Civic Hall. Bagpipers, dancing and "the great chieftain o the puddin'-race" are on the menu. It starts at 7pm at Hesketh Meadow Lane. Tickets cost
RESIDENTS were put on bomb alert yesterday when a grenade from the Second World War was discovered in a skip. People living and working in Parliament Street, Burnley, were told to prepare to evacuate the area as police cordoned off the street. But officers
A PERSISTENT car thief and banned driver had a shock when he was said to have ended up "staring down the barrel of a gun" twice in one day, a court was told. Mark David Fleming, 21, took petrol from a garage and drove off, but was allegedly chased by
A COUNTY councillor today slammed plans for a wind farm in his constituency and vowed to join campaigners in their fight against the scheme. United Utilities have submitted plans for a new wind farm on land near Burnley's Clowbridge Reservoir . But County
THE leader of Lancashire County Council could face a fight with MP Peter Pike's daughter for the right to contest the Burnley seat at the next General Election. Hazel Harding and Jane Pike are two of the names linked with the job after it was revealed
LANCASTER and Morecambe are becoming ever more popular with tourists with a massive rise in the number of visitors choosing to stay in the district, new figures reveal. According to Lancaster City Council's tourist service. accommodation bookings were
A MORECAMBE petrol station owner was robbed at gunpoint as he locked up his business on Friday night. Robin Dixon, 61, was closing the gates at Regent Park filling station, Regent Road when he was confronted by three young men - one holding what appeared
A 39-YEAR-OLD man has been taken off the critical list after he ran into the path of a taxi two weeks ago. Richard Elliot, of Cloverhill Road, Nelson, was struck by the vehicle in Railway Street at 2.55am on Saturday, December 28. Police said he ran into
A PENSIONER crippled with chronic pain and grieving the death of his wife killed himself when he could take no more, an inquest heard. Bernard Cosgrove took a cocktail of anti-depressants, sleeping pills and pain killers after leaving a note for his daughter
