Archive

  • Don't dishonour heroes' memory

    HOW sad it will be -- both as a loss to East Lancashire's heritage and to the memory of men who gave their lives for their country -- if a cenotaph marking the First World War sacrifice of 15 Darwen men is transported to the Midlands. It may be that the

  • Cricket: Walshaw take it to the wire

    THE race for the Bolton Association championship looks all set to go to the final match of the season. Walshaw went back to the top last weekend after winning both their games against Lostock and Blackrod while Little Hulton lost out at Atherton. The

  • Family quest still not over

    LAST year, readers helped me find information on my uncle, Sidney Harvey, who died in the First World War. I now find he married Nellie Wolstenholme, aged 21, on February 23, 1916, at St Philip's, Griffin, Blackburn. She was the daughter of John Wolstenholme

  • Ballad night

    ENJOY an evening of 'ballads, song and snatches' at Wignall Methodist Church, Victoria Rd East, Thornton this Saturday (September 13) at 7.30pm. The evening will be presented by David Chard and friends from Marton Operatic & Poulton Drama societies

  • Brown bins at the double

    A MAJOR green project to recycle garden waste is to double following the success of the first phase. Another 14,000 households in the borough will be given special "brown bins" later this month, which will be emptied fortnightly from their doorsteps.

  • This is my strongest squad

    GRAEME Souness today warned his players every one of them now lives in fear of the axe because the competition for places at Rovers has become so fierce. After a summer of fervent transfer activity, Souness believes his current squad is now stronger than

  • Change of service at former church

    ONE of Preston's landmark churches could soon be ringing to the sound of ping-pong balls instead of bells. St Augustine's, which has been closed for the last 20 years, is slowly being taken apart, with all its fixtures and fittings, some dating back to

  • Mother jailed for stealing clothes

    A SINGLE mother who stole clothes worth more than £100 has been jailed for two months. Burnley magistrates heard that Geraldine Francis Breithaupt, 36, who has a 10-year-old daughter, was trying to raise £200 deposit for a home. Breithaupt, of Grange

  • Man fined for police insults

    POLICE arrested a father-of-four after he pretended to urinate against a patrol car in the early hours. Burnley magistrates heard how Mark Conroy, 27, also came out with stupid comments and made a nuisance of himself as officers tried to breath-test three

  • Rosegrove Bulletin

    ROSEGROVE Action Group is holding a coffee and tea morning in the Action Group Shop on Monday, September 15 from 9.30am. Please call in for a free cuppa and a friendly chat. Donations at the event are optional. ST Mark's Church held a youth mission day

  • Medical help could have saved Jade

    ECSTASY victim Jade Slack could still be alive if medical help had been sought sooner, a court has heard. The schoolgirl died hours after overdosing on five tablets found at the home of Rebecca Hodgson on Salford Road in Galgate. Hodgson, 21, had hidden

  • Ecstasy kept on wardrobe

    A COUNCIL gardener found with five-and-a-half ecstasy tablets had them for his own use, a court was told. Burnley Magistrates heard how Jason Anthony Metcalfe, 21, kept the drugs on top of a wardrobe at his home. Metcalfe, of Victoria Road, Earby, admitted

  • Forces duo's street brawl shame

    TWO servicemen involved in a violent street brawl are awaiting sentence. Darren Storey, who admitted hitting victim Andrew Williams, and Ashley Firth, said to have kicked him, were each convicted of one allegation of assault by a Burnley Crown Court jury

  • Mum refused to give breath test

    A MOTHER-of-three who refused to give a breath test has been banned from getting behind the wheel for three years. Burnley magistrates heard how Diane Crummet, 39, had a previous conviction for excess alcohol in September 2000. Peter Wild, prosecuting

  • 'Box it' bid to get greener

    TEN thousand homes across Pendle are set to be given new recycling collection boxes as part of a £180,000 green scheme. Pendle Council are to spend £150,000-worth of funding from the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs on the project

  • Chicks rock as they redefine country

    The final chords of Elvis Costello's Peace, Love and Understanding died down and The Dixie Chicks appeared on stage. The irony wasn't lost on the sell-out audience who whooped and hollered as though they were in Texas. The Dixie Chicks, who manage to

  • Five years ago

    FACTORY worker Matthew Asbury dashed to Burnley General Hospital for the birth of his first child, just minutes after winning £64,000 on ITV's quiz show Who Wants to be a Millionaire.

  • Ten years ago

    AIRTOURS chairman and co-founder David Crossland sold 2.6 million shares worth £10m but he still owned 30 million shares. Mr Crossland was joined in his selling spree by six other directors.

  • Diverted cash goes on trees

    COUNCILLORS have hit out after £30,000 earmarked for tree pruning was used to fell diseased conker trees instead. Labour councillors in Hyndburn have accused the ruling Conservative party of wasting cash set aside for pruning in parts of the borough after

  • Father-of-four to defy bulldozers

    A FATHER-of-four has pledged to barricade himself in when bulldozers arrive to begin a 'rejuvenation' project -- unless council bosses increase their offer for his home. Kevin Savage's house is subject to a compulsory purchase order (CPO) but says Hyndburn

  • The heat is on for City fan Don.

    CITY fan Don Price will be swapping the Blues for the desert climate of Morocco to raise money for charity. Don, who is chairman of the Prestwich and Whitefield branch of the Manchester City Supporters Club, will certainly feel the heat as he bids to

  • Girls' gap year help

    TWO Ribble Valley teenagers are to travel thousands of miles to work with underprivileged children in the Third World. Former Stonyhurst College pupils, Sarah Andrews and Amy Crouch, both of Hurst Green, will spend a year living and working in Africa

  • Falling foul over refuse collecting

    AN angry resident has threatened to dump his rubbish on the pavement in a row over refuse collection. Bill Hudson, 49, of Sawley Avenue, Simonstone, has fallen foul of a new £600,000 refuse collection system implemented by Ribble Valley Council. The council

  • Players need to be saints

    BLACKPOOL FC hope to have a new face within the next few weeks after a cryptic announcement from boss, Steve McMahon. But two popular old boys will not be returning to Bloomfield Road in the near future -- despite the manager's best efforts! McMahon told

  • Tragedy waiting to happen

    ON THE night when three boys were lucky to escape death in a dramatic sea rescue mindless vandals were wrecking life-saving equipment in Lytham. The Fylde's beach patrol officer, Paul McWilliams, says he fears that there could be tragic consequences if

  • My never changing moods

    STAN Ternent refuses to get hot beneath the collar, whether his players are "having a laugh" or playing with a "chuckle in their boots". Both are sayings the Clarets boss has employed in the past to describe performances of his up-and-down side. But after

  • Blanket test can save lives

    RESIDENTS are urged to take advantage of a free and potentially life-saving electric blanket test. Trading standards officers are offering the annual inspection next Friday (Sep 19) at Radcliffe Civic Suite. Around half of the 400 blankets tested in recent

  • Hogs are high and dry

    WHILE humans have been enjoying a sunny, dry summer, the weather has been causing a prickly problem for some Fylde residents. The area's hedgehogs -- usually seen only by night -- have started to appear in gardens during the day, says Janis Dean of Carleton

  • We mean business

    SUCCESS is almost secured for a Blackpool based company now just one step away from being named Britain's best new business. TISS Ltd, which provides trailer security for haulage firms, is one of ten short-listed businesses vying for the first prize at

  • Duo in doubt

    GREAT Harwood will be bidding to maintain their unbeaten league run, despite missing James Coonan and Paul Mashiter through injury. The duo are both recovering from ankle problems and are unlikely to be fit in time for the Showground showdown. Centre

  • Keep it up

    DAVID Hall knows his side will have to keep up their consistent form at high-flying Ashton Town tomorrow. Neslon, who have still only lost once in NWCL Division Two this season, travel there on the back of a 3-1 win at Chadderton on Tuesday. Hall said

  • It's grim up north for Rams

    RAMSBOTTOM United hope to continue to prove their manager right at Ashington tomorrow. The Rams make the trip up to Northumberland on a high following their 3-2 win at Clitheroe on Tuesday, which tore up their neighbours' 100 per cent record. And boss

  • Local votes for local people

    I CAN assure Mr Thomas (Citizen, September 4) that the Lib Dems are very keen on our plans to scrap 6500, London based government bureaucrats. We are equally keen that a fair voting system be used to elect a Regional Assembly. Those elected should take

  • Pressure is on strikers

    RICARDO Fuller and Richard Cresswell look set to resume their striking partnership up front this weekend but Craig Brown has warned them they had better start scoring! So far the pair have only netted once, a Ricardo Fuller close-range header against

  • Former pupil and head re-open village school

    A FORMER pupil returned to re-open his old school this week. Work over the summer has transformed St Mary's CE Primary, in Hawkshaw, to twice its size, and Councillor Bill Johnson and his wife, Joyce (a former headteacher of the Bolton Road school) formally

  • Rugby Union: Park get off to a flyer

    SEDGLEY PARK...21 HARROGATE...17 A NEW season with high hopes of success and to start with a home win over Harrogate who finished third in the league in the last campaign. The weather was fine but only for the first half so that Sedgley faced the rain

  • Bury FC: Classy Thornley can help turn tide

    HE may not remember his early days in Bury but Ben Thornley is keen to secure some happy memories on his return to his town of birth. The former Manchester United youth starlet signed for the Shakers on non-contract basis last week and made an immediate

  • No savings on water rates

    REGARDING Anne Stockdale's remarks (Letters, September 5) about water rates in East Lancashire, readers might be interested to know that we have just moved from a Band E property in The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Berkshire, to a Band B property

  • 'Emotional' headlines don't help situation

    REGARDING your headline article (LET, September 10) about the quality of supervision of children by the social services department, why, oh why, does the Lancashire Evening Telegraph jump on the tabloid bandwagon of appearing to criticise the efforts

  • Battle to save War memorial for town

    A BATTLE has begun to preserve the memory of 15 World War One soldiers after the monument bearing their names was given to a museum 100 miles away. The Royal British Legion and a councillor today called for the 15ft-high memorial in the garden of the

  • Fergie eyes up Champs League

    EWOOD new-boy Barry Ferguson today set his sights on a place in the Champions League as he prepares to launch his Blackburn career. Ferguson was unveiled to the media at a special Press conference this morning following his £6.5 million move from Rangers

  • 40 years hanging baskets

    PRESTON'S answer to Alan Titchmarsh is celebrating four decades of rustling up flowers for the city. Green fingered Alan Rampling, 55, has worked at the council's parks department since leaving Fishwick County Secondary School, Downing Street -- now St

  • 'Cheque's in the post'

    AN AMATEUR antiques dealer claims a local charity owes him money for relics they sold on his behalf. Michael Murrin, 52, of Goodwood Avenue, Fulwood, claims he has been waiting for a cheque from Samlesbury Hall Trust since June this year. It comes after

  • Golly Miss Hollie!

    THIS little beauty is the real Number One in her parents' house - even though dad has just become a world champion! For ten-day-old cutie Hollie Jean is the daughter of World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson. The tiny tot was born on Tuesday, September

  • Plan to tackle teen drinkers

    SHOPKEEPERS are to be taught the moral and legal responsibilities of selling alcohol in a bid to crack down on under-age drinking in Burnley. The specialist training scheme for anyone involved in the sale of booze will be the first of its kind outside

  • Clever Trevor saves jobs

    A SELF-MADE multi millionaire has bought the crisis-hit Imperial Home Decor in a move expected to safeguard hundreds of jobs in Morecambe. Trevor Hemmings, one of the UK's wealthiest businessmen, is behind the wall coverings CWV Group which has acquired

  • The future's green for council staff

    RECYCLING and waste reduction have both become part of daily life for the staff of Pendle Council in Lancashire. Staff have been working with Global Action Plan, a charity that tackles environmental problems in practical and innovative ways. A system

  • Invitation to come and learn for fun

    FOUR courses for people who want to learn for fun are being run by The Worker's Educational Association in Colne. Held at Nelson and Colne College in Reedyford, the course include 'Milestone in Art History' which asks how some works of art become highly

  • Vane effort helps students explore the world of work

    BUDDING engineers from Edge End High School got a taste of work experience with a difference at Pendle Training in Nelson. Five students were the first to take part in a new scheme aimed at helping young people find out what engineering careers are really

  • Trams on line into history

    FROM collector of old public transport pictures Colin Barker, of Wetheringsett, Suffolk, comes this picture of one of Blackburn's old trams. Taken on Blackburn Boulevard by trams enthusiast, John Meredith, now of York, on April 18, 1949, when the town's

  • Defence giant records profits dip

    BAE Systems today announced a small drop in its pre-tax profits to £333million for the first half of the year -- down from £359million last year. The company, which employs more than 10,000 people at its Lancashire sites at Samlesbury and Warton, said

  • City make it to seventh heaven

    LANCASTER CITY finally broke their Unibond Premier League duck at Burscough on Tuesday night - at the seventh time of asking. After five defeats and a draw, a goal from Jamie Hughes on the stroke of half time was enough to earn City a 1-0 win at Victoria

  • This is my strongest squad

    GRAEME Souness today warned his players every one of them now lives in fear of the axe because the competition for places at Rovers has become so fierce. After a summer of fervent transfer activity, Souness believes his current squad is now stronger than

  • Two good

    THE FYLDE'S own 'two tenors', Stephen Burrows and Kevin Matthews, will sing the the music of Richard Tauber at Lytham Methodist Church, Park Street, Lytham this Saturday (September 13) at 7.30pm. Tickets are available at the church on the night, priced

  • Courting history

    A RARE surviving Edwardian courtroom has opened its doors to the public. Visitors to Lytham Magistrates Court, at the police station, now closed, is being opened on Saturday and Sunday by Lytham St Annes Civic Society. Visitors will be presented with

  • Motor show steps up a gear.

    VINTAGE vehicles cranked into gear to make a beeline for Radcliffe as the town hosted a classic car show and craft fair on Saturday (Sept 6). More than 800 people passed the doors of the town's civic hall where the event, organised by Radcliffe Traders

  • Man set cell fire to get 'vital medication'

    A 48-YEAR-OLD man set fire to the mattress in his police cell to get attention because he was frightened that if he fell asleep he might die, a court heard. Alfred Rebello, defending, told Blackburn magistrates that Leslie John Drew needed medication

  • Church singers to raise the roof

    MEMBERS of Opera North are set to raise the roof at the Parish Church of St Nicholas with St John, in Church Lane, Rossendale, on October 5. All four singers on the bill are currently involved in operas and galas performing around the region. The programme

  • Working at home? Know your rights

    PEOPLE who work from home are being urged to swot up on their rights thanks to a partnership between Rossendale Borough Council and the National Home Working Group. The council has launched an advice leaflet and a website link for anyone considering setting-up

  • Restaurant boss cooks up appeal

    A WELL-known Rawtenstall restaurant owner has hit out at councillors for refusing his plans to expand and warned an appeal is on the cards. Ignazio Pillitteri, who owns Nino's in Bacup Road, Rawtenstall, applied to Rossendale Borough Council to covert

  • Sue takes the plunge

    A THORNTON woman has signed up for a charity abseil in memory of her husband who lost his battle with cancer. Sue Etchells, whose husband Dave died last October, will abseil 110ft at the Blackpool and the Fylde College, Ashfield Road, Bispham on October

  • Mum died from blood poisoning

    A FLEETWOOD mum who died after being sent home from hospital twice in two days was suffering from blood poisoning, a Blackpool coroner's court heard. Mother-of-one Jo-Ann Mason of Styan Street, Fleetwood, was admitted to Blackpool Victoria Hospital on

  • Massive drugs swoop

    POLICE swooped on a host of suspected drugs dealers in a series of dramatic dawn raids forming the biggest drugs bust South Fylde has ever seen. More than 150 officers were involved in the operation on Wednesday targeting 14 suspects at 12 addresses in

  • Fine after man's brush with the law

    A 20-YEAR-OLD man's brush with some anti-vandal paint ended with a brush with the law. Blackburn magistrates heard that Jonathon Jackson was furious when he staggered against a painted wall as he returned home in a drunken state. And he vented his anger

  • Troubled short life of Shane

    SHANE Cook was 13 years old when the car in which he was travelling in with four others crashed on Preston New Road, Samlesbury, in the early hours of March 16 this year. When Shane failed to return to Blackburn with Darwen Council's Anchor House care

  • Charity Relate wants more helpers

    A RELATIONSHIP support charity urgently needs volunteer evening receptionists to work in an East Lancashire office. Because of increased demand, Relate Lancashire needs to extend its opening times at its Burnley office to include Thursday evenings and

  • Make some noise for Reds

    PAUL Mullin has urged fans to pump up the volume and roar Accrington Stanley up the Nationwide Conference table. The striker admits he has been impressed with the Reds' following, particularly on the long away trips to far flung corners of the country

  • Moor talk

    THE MOORISH architecture of Aragn will be the subject of a talk by Jim Millard at The Blackpool Spanish Club tonight (Friday, September 12) at the RAFA Wings Club, 135 Victoria Road West, Cleveleys. The event starts at 8pm -- entrance £2 including tapas

  • Time to think

    REGULAR weekly courses of 'Meditation for Inner Peace', led by Buddhist nun Kelsang Thaye, start at St Annes YMCA on Tuesday (September 16), Poulton St John's Church Hall on Wednesday and Blackpool Queen's Chambers on Thursday. A donation of £3 per class

  • I want to rubbish all the litter nuisances

    A WAR of a different kind is making waves at the moment. Unfortunately there won't be any demonstrations against it or a phoney report to cover everyone's back after it's happened. It's been long time coming, but maybe it was only a matter of time before

  • Cricket: Chaddy chalks up a quality ton

    GREENMOUNT got the better of BOLTON LEAGUE champions Walkden on Sunday thanks to a glorious century from Gary Chadwick. The village side batted first and were soon into their stride as openers Andy Bowker (40) and Chadwick put on 73 for the first wicket

  • Thai boxing: It's great Scott!

    BURY Thai boxer Scott Quigg is being tipped to become a superstar in his chosen sport by the man who brought the combat over to the UK. Master Sken Kaewpading made the bold statement after watching Scott destroy his proteg in just 30 seconds of their

  • Cricket: Sad end to Rams campaign

    RAMSBOTTOM'S season ended on a disappointing note with two defeats over the weekend against opposition, they should have been favourites to beat. Saturday's defeat against Church was down to losing the toss, but on Sunday they probably chose the wrong

  • Soccer: Rams put leaders in their place

    CLITHEROE...2 RAMSBOTTOM UTD...3 UNITED got back to league duty after back-to-back wins in the FA Cup and Vase and picked up a superb win at NWCL First Division leaders Clitheroe. There were two changes to the Rams' lineup with Mark Fitton in for Gareth

  • Cycle speedway: Hectic weekend pays off

    BURY-Pedal Sport members have been involved in several marathons of racing this season but none more intense than the situation at Goshen last weekend. Over Saturday and Sunday no less than 125 heats were run and the Bury organisation triumphed as both

  • Rugby Union: Bury slump to classy Salle side

    DE LA SALLE (Salford) ... 78pts BURY ... 14pts WITH the above scoreline there for all to see it is hard to pick out those isolated incidents when the visitors displayed the skills required to survive and thrive in the cut and thrust of this competitive

  • Lorry speeds the real danger

    AS incomers to Darwen, my family and I have felt at home here. The only disgruntling point is the speed in which some idiots drive through the town's streets. The only people who should be driving fast are the Flashing Blue lights brigade. Police speed

  • A dictatorship, not democracy

    REGARDING your report about Councillor Paul Browne's conduct at the full council meeting held on August 14, I wholeheartedly agree with the leader of the Liberal Democrat party. If members of the public have seen the farcical antics that are now televised

  • Plan to tackle teen drinkers

    SHOPKEEPERS are to be taught the moral and legal responsibilities of selling alcohol in a bid to crack down on under-age drinking in Burnley. The specialist training scheme for anyone involved in the sale of booze will be the first of its kind outside

  • MP Ivan chases third win

    LABOUR MP Ivan Lewis will be going for a a hat-trick of victories at the next General Election. He has been unanimously re-adopted by constituency members to defend the Bury South seat he won in 1997 and retained four years later. Mr Lewis (36) says he

  • Unlucky 13 for criminals

    BURY'S bench is getting stronger: the magistrates court has just sworn in 13 new Justices of the Peace. The ceremony took place on Wednesday before Judge Knopf. The new magistrates come from a variety of backgrounds and represent all parts of the borough

  • Samaritans celebrate 50th birthday

    THE Samaritans are celebrating their 50th birthday in November and have a range of events planned in Bury to mark the occasion. The first is a cabaret evening at Elton Liberal Club on November 21. More fun nights out will continue into 2004. Roger Gregson

  • 1.46pm 9/11: Fire crews pay tribute

    A SILENT tribute has been paid by firefighters in the borough in honour of the September 11 victims. At 1.46pm yesterday (Thursday) crews formed up outside their stations to commemorate the loss of 343 New York firemen, and thousands of others who were

  • Babbel back from the brink

    MARKUS Babbel insists he's got no axe to grind with Gerard Houllier as he attempts to plot the downfall of Liverpool tomorrow. Babbel faces an early reunion with his Anfield boss just three weeks after he quit the Merseysiders to join Blackburn on loan

  • Warm welcome for Muslim holy man

    ONE of the Muslim world's clerics was given a hero's welcome in Preston on Wednesday. Shaikh Sudays, imam of the mosque at Mecca, where Muslims from across the world make a pilgrimage, appeared in front of around 2,500 followers at the Clarendon Street

  • Old mill chosen as new venue

    A PRESTON music venue which once played host to some of the country's best known pop bands including Oasis and Pulp is re-opening. After scouring the North West, bosses at one of the country's leading live music venues have chosen the area's newest city

  • Secret war effort of Gold Thread Works

    AS the bulldozers loom over a former Preston factory the one-time boss has revealed the secrets of its wartime past. Tony Pickston, 78, was managing director of the former Gold Thread Works, Avenham Road, for 20 years, taking over the job from his father

  • Tax rise and job losses

    THE leader of Lancashire County Council has hit out at what she says could be the true cost of a regional assembly -- tax payers' money and job losses. Each council in Lancashire, including the red rose authority itself, has now passed on their ideas

  • Soldier vows to find grave

    A SOLDIER who made a promise to find his great-grandfather's grave in Iraq is hoping to call home soon with the news his family has been waiting for. Private Nicholas Wilson, 19, of Fulwood, Preston, is one of dozens of soldiers helping to clean up the

  • Comics on trail of faith

    COMEDY double act Cannon and Ball are visiting East Lancashire as part of their Gospel Tour of churches throughout the UK. The pair will be giving audiences an insight into life and faith in the world of showbusiness. Their show will also feature special

  • Drugs 'minder' was arrested

    A MAN has paid the price for minding white tablets handed to him during a night out in town. Police saw Brian Dean handling drugs in an alleyway and arrested him. Preston Crown Court heard that the pills seized turned out to be ecstasy. Dean was given

  • Work starts on fixing danger gravestones

    COUNCIL workmen are to repair broken gravestones that posed a danger for the public. Rev Mark Jones, the vicar of St Leonard's Parish Church, Church Street, Padiham, said attempts have been made to trace the families of the 300 fenced off gravestones

  • Bronze medallion men to the rescue

    THE Mayor of Burnley is to thank two Burnley community wardens for saving a pensioner who fell into the Leeds and Liverpool Canal just hours after they completed life-saving training. Billy Bruce and Dave Bullen had finished their bronze medallion life-saving

  • Resort puts on a show

    THE Morecambe Heritage Gala takes place this weekend - promising a vibrant celebration of the heritage of one of the region's most popular resorts. There will be a whole host of live music, events and outdoor entertainment from Saturday night, kicking

  • Open house!

    PAINSTAKING work spanning 6,000 hours has been carried out on the Baroque plasterwork in Lancasters 18th century Music Room - ready for when it opens its doors to the public this weekend. As part of 'Heritage Open Days', which are being organised nationwide

  • Protestors plan Priory picnic

    LANCASTER folk are being invited to a picnic at the weekend to oppose plans for a new car park. Organised by Grassroots Lancaster, it will be held in the grounds of historic Lancaster Priory on Saturday from 1pm. The Priory wants to create an extension

  • Block these escape routes

    VANDALS who make their escape down back alleys could have their getaway blocked if a determined councillor wins support. Scotforths Cllr Sheila Denwood is pushing for alley gating to clamp down on troublemakers congregating in certain areas and then fleeing

  • Fine after man got bat for 'fight' call

    A BEEF packer who armed himself with a baseball bat before a fight was fined £75. Burnley Magistrates were told how Kieron Wright, 20, had received a phone call from a man telling him he was coming round for a fight. Wright, of Park Drive, Nelson, admitted

  • Pop Idol Pete steams in

    WITH hit man Pete Waterman on board, this one is sure to steam to the top of the popularity charts! The record producer and Pop Idol judge, also a keen steam enthusiast, was special guest at the latest expansion of the East Lancashire Railway. After years

  • Impressive start for Hoppers

    PACE, flair, commitment and discipline were the main ingredients of Hoppers' fine start to the season with a six try demolition of Longton who were denied a single point in reply. Hoppers led 15-0 at half time through two tries by Oliver Viney and a conversion

  • Mashers out for the day

    AS well as being being one of our columnists and the owner of Blackburn pubs and clubs, Margo Grimshaw is also an an eager collector of pictures and ephemera from yesteryear and she wonders whether readers can tell her more about this old photograph which

  • Soccer pair help create team spirit

    TENSIONS between Asian and white communities in Burnley were highlighted in the aftermath of the Burnley riots two years ago. But in Blackburn two men were determined to prevent a similar situation using the best weapon they could -- football. Iqbal Bhai

  • Business as usual for sex caution man

    AN ACCRINGTON charity has refused to accept the resignation of its chairman after he was alleged to have committed two indecent assaults. Richard Day, chairman of the town's Shopmobility scheme, in Whalley Road, was alleged to have committed the offences

  • Debbie connects with black pudding market

    A BLACK pudding entrepreneur has reached the final of a national competition for Britain's brightest new businesses. Debbie Pierce, of Waterside Close, Radcliffe, who started working on Bury Market stalls when she was 12, is helping to boost the popularity

  • Heat is on for Paul's big test

    A YOUNG chef has come up with a lip-smacking menu to tempt the tastebuds of judges in a top competition to find the North West kitchen king. Paul Walker, 23, chef at the award-winning Northcote Manor, Langho, is to battle it out with other culinary hopefuls

  • Crisis, what crisis?

    MORECAMBE'S dressing room had all the makings of an injury crisis after Saturday's bruising encounter with Aldershot. Wingmen Garry Thoompson and Dean Howel both missed the match with injuries while Danny Carlton and Iain Swann were pulled out of the

  • Players need to be saints

    BLACKPOOL FC hope to have a new face within the next few weeks after a cryptic announcement from boss, Steve McMahon. But two popular old boys will not be returning to Bloomfield Road in the near future -- despite the manager's best efforts! McMahon told

  • Group is in good spirits

    A GROUP which focuses on spirituality in the workplace is celebrating its first anniversary. And the Bury-based Greater Manchester Association for Spirit and Work will mark the occasion by featuring an American speaker at its latest meeting. Craig Elkins

  • Economist forecasts bright future

    A TOP economist briefed businesses about the latest global and national trends. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) senior economist Sharon McDowall, visited the town to speak at a seminar held at the Bolholt Country Park Hotel. The event was attended by around

  • Link helps keep business Swede!

    THE prospect of blazing an export trail to Sweden came under the spotlight at a special event in Bury. As part of its support to local firms, Business Link North Manchester held its latest buyer-finding presentation at the Village Hotel in Bury. The free

  • Coffee to go

    LYTHAM St Annes folk are being invited to join the Ladies Group for a cuppa at St Cuthbert's Church, Lytham to raise funds for cancer sufferers. The group is holding a World's Biggest Coffee Morning event on Saturday, September 20 at St Cuthbert's parish

  • Plan to go to town

    CAMPAIGNERS for a St Annes town council are closer to their goal after Fylde borough councillors backed their parish application. More than 50 people packed into the council chamber at St Annes Town hall on Thursday night, to hear councillors discuss

  • Fylde homes boon

    FYLDE home-owners are raking in the cash on the back of the latest UK trend to buck the city lifestyle for a place beside the seaside. A new survey by leading estate and mortgage agents, Halifax, shows that house prices in the area have soared by 40 per

  • Chaplow signs as pro

    BUDDING Burnley starlet Richard Chaplow today capped a memorable year by signing professional terms. The 18-year-old midfielder was not due to complete his scholarship until next summer - but has now been rewarded for a stunning series of displays for

  • Beastly start behind Jensen

    BRIAN JENSEN feels he has finally put his beastly start to life at Burnley behind him. The Danish keeper has recovered from the shock of an early nine goal blitz to concede just one in three games and help ignite the Clarets campaign. Jensen goes in search

  • History maker Becky shows boys who's boss

    ASTLEY and Tyldesley cycle speedway racer Becky Heslop has earned a place in the record books. Racing at Poole, in Dorset, Becky took second place in the British U13 Individual Championship Final, breaking 53 years of male domination in the process. The

  • We're not giving up

    DRANSFIELD Properties have vowed they will not give up on Whitefield. The Barnsley-based company want to build a modern Morrison's supermarket on the site of the Brand Centre and are hoping to submit a formal planning application to Bury Council within

  • Traders protest at area board

    MARKET traders made their feelings about the proposals for the town centre known at the first in a series of presentations at area board meetings. Paul Allen, the council's planning policy manager, will be exhibiting "Bury but Better" town centre vision

  • Cadets commemorate historic journey

    A 60-year voyage has been celebrated by a Bury youth organisation. On Friday, past and present members of Bury Sea Cadets gathered at their headquarters in Marsden Street to celebrate their diamond anniversary. The party began with a display by serving

  • Twins' golden memories.

    THE twin Kenyon sisters had more than their looks in common when they set off down the aisle 50 years ago. For the pair, who were born within 20 minutes of each other, were married on the same day in the same church in 1953. And today (Fri Sept 12), Dorothy

  • Social services books plunge back into red

    BURY'S social services budget is facing another rocky ride and could end up more than a million pounds in the red. Early projections show the department is on course to overspend by £1.3 million unless action is taken. A project board and no fewer than

  • Crash, bang, wallop for the sixth time

    A WOMAN whose home has been struck by six cars in six years is demanding action before someone is killed. In the latest incident on Saturday morning, a car smashed into a telegraph pole outside Catherine Dewhurst's home in Bury New Road, Whitefield, and

  • Wind farm said to be "best way forward"

    A LEADING member of Bury Environment Forum has given his backing to controversial proposals to site a wind farm in Edenfield. Speaking at Tuesday's meeting of the Ramsbottom and Tottington Area Board, Mr David Archer said: "We have to do something to

  • Shoppers reject plan to "evict" markets

    PUBLIC opposition is mounting to the "proposed eviction" of the town's popular markets. Market traders have also rejected an amended plan for the fish and meat hall from Westfield bosses, who want to relocate the markets as part of a massive £150 million

  • Crash victim's anger over driving lesson punishment

    DANGEROUS drivers are being slapped on the wrist while speeding motorists face the full force of the law. That is the claim of road accident victim Susan Murdoch who suffered multiple injuries when her car was flipped onto its roof after being struck

  • I'll fight to stay, vows shop owner

    A WHITEFIELD shop owner has vowed to fight against plans to demolish his premises which he claims will put him out of business. And he has condemned proposals to turn the town into a "housing estate". Mr Rocco Fulchini, who owns Roma Delicatessen and

  • Beastly start behind Jensen

    BRIAN JENSEN feels he has finally put his beastly start to life at Burnley behind him. The Danish keeper has recovered from the shock of an early nine goal blitz to concede just one in three games and help ignite the Clarets campaign. Jensen goes in search

  • Enterprising youngsters awarded certificates

    MORE than 120 students at Avondale Primary School in Darwen were awarded certificates for their part in the Young Enterprise Primary Programme. Doughnut making and rapping were on the agenda during the community project undertaken by students from years

  • Activity centre protest petition handed in

    A PETITION objecting to a proposed activity centre on Cranberry Moor, Darwen, has been sent to Blackburn with Darwen Council. More than 70 neighbours on either side of Moss Side Farm are calling for the council to refuse permission for a centre. Homeowners

  • Kung Fu dad wants you to join him on charity trek

    A DARWEN charity fund-raiser will stage a 12-mile walk from Ewood Park, Blackburn, to Derian House children's hospice in October. Ray Heeks, owner of Darwen Kung Fu School, wants people across the county to come together in order to raise funds for the

  • Drive ban flouted by asylum-seeker

    A KURDISH asylum-seeker who got behind the wheel while banned escaped a jail sentence -- but was told custody awaited if he did it again. Burnley Magistrates heard that Rabeen Rashid, 24, had promised the court he would not drive again if he was given

  • Health careers on offer at annual job shop

    A JOB shop is to be held in Darwen to encourage more people to apply for positions within the NHS. Jobcentre Plus in East Lancashire is to team up with the Department of Health on Thursday, to hold nine jobs shops across the region -- including one at

  • Battle to save War memorial for town

    A BATTLE has begun to preserve the memory of 15 World War One soldiers after the monument bearing their names was given to a museum 100 miles away. The Royal British Legion and a councillor today called for the 15ft-high memorial in the garden of the

  • Health centre plan re-think

    A DECISION on plans for a new health centre in Stacksteads has been deferred. The application was recommended for refusal on the grounds of access problems but councillors deferred the issue to seek more information. Brian Boys, a Rossendale developer

  • Apply for Suez medal

    AFTER a long-fought battle the Government has now agreed that all personnel who served in The Suez Canal Zone conflict for at least 30 days between October 16, 1951 and October 19, 1954 are eligible for a medal or clasp, but they or their dependants are

  • Why Preston must go it alone

    THE profligate Lancashire County Council (threatened with abolition) has thrown away its creditability by its alternative plan to abolish the twelve remaining district councils in Lancashire, including Preston City Council, in favour of its own survival

  • Local soldiers head for Iraq

    AS THE Fylde marks the second anniversary of the September 11 tragedy today, local soldiers were heading to Iraq for the second stage of George Bush and Tony Blair's 'war on terrorism'. The 1st Battalion of the Royal Green Jackets set off in the early

  • Blackpool sky getting busier all the time

    THE sky above Blackpool were busier than ever this weekend, as the Southport Airshow once again brought some of Britain's most historic aircraft to the area. Vintage aircraft -- including the only remaining working Spitfire -- took off from Blackpool

  • Twin bin bonanza

    ALMOST half a million bottles, 188,000 cans and enough paper to save 10,000 trees. Those are just some of the impressive early results of a new initiative by Fylde Borough Council to encourage recycling. Since the introduction of a new system, which encouraged

  • No space invaders

    COUNCILLORS are joining forces in the battle to save one of the last remaining areas of open green space in Blackpool. As reported in The Citizen (September 4), Asda Stores Ltd were refused permission to build 13 two-storey offices on land at Warren Drive

  • Taxing situation

    FYLDE Council's leader says he believes a massive tax increase can be avoided without cutting services. As The Citizen revealed last week, the council would need an estimated 26 per cent tax increase for 2003/2004 to keep spending at current levels. But

  • Why did she leave home?

    CARRIE-ANN Brown, 14, died following a car crash on the M6 after being driven away from her foster home in the Whitebirk area of Blackburn on August 14. Her father Sean Brown has since been charged with the attempted murder and rape of his daughter. The

  • Jubilation as 'frontline' crews get special rewards

    AMBULANCE crews in East Lancashire were presented with a medal to commemorate the Queen's Golden Jubilee. The medals were originally intended for those in military service but the cabinet office extended the criteria to include members of the emergency

  • Father's horror at son's fatal plunge

    A FATHER has relived the horrifying moment he watched helplessly as his son crashed through a garage roof and plunged to his death. Raymond Pablo told an inquest that one second he was talking to his son, Wayne, 35 and the next he disappeared through

  • Storks on the up

    GRAHAM Haworth has warned the rest of North West Counties Division Two that his Padiham side is finally on the way up. The manager was delighted with the work of his players as they secured a thrilling derby victory over pace-setting neighbours Colne

  • Dale bid to get on right track

    ROSSENDALE United go into tomorrow's game against Harrogate Railway hoping some of their opponents' FA Cup magic can rub off on them. Railway earned a place in the second round proper last season, missing out on further progress after losing 3-1 to Bristol

  • Brandon is in town

    LEE Sculpher is looking to use the incentives of a money-spinning cup tie to get his title-chasers back on track. Clitheroe's pace-setting start to the season was halted on Tuesday with a 3-2 defeat at home to Ramsbottom United that ended their 100 per

  • Colne get back to basics

    PAUL Lynch is urging his Colne side to get back to basics after a double derby nightmare. The North West Counties Division Two leaders, and one of the favourites for promotion this season after their squad with a number of good signings over the summer

  • No change for the Cup

    BACUP Borough manager Brent Peters hopes the results of his Monday night blast spill over into tomorrow's tough cup tie with UniBond First Division side Bamber Bridge. Peters held a team meeting at the start of the week to voice his concerns over recent

  • Local lad set to start

    DAVID LUCAS goes between the sticks for Preston North End tomorrow when the Lilywhites travel to Bradford City. Thanks to the behaviour of referee Alan Kaye, regular first-choice stopper Jonathan Gould is out with a one match ban following the farce at

  • Carve up

    GRAB your tools and wood carvings and get along to a carve-in with Peter McCult at Wesham Community Centre on Saturday, September 20, 1pm-5pm. The event been organised by the Lancs branch of the British Woodcarving Association. For more details contact

  • Down Your Street...

    GRADE two listed building, North Shore Methodist Church, Dickson Road, will open its doors to show off its architectural treasures -- including Art Nouveau stained glass windows -- free of charge this Saturday, 10am-4pm, and Sunday, 2pm-4pm (September

  • £150 million bid for high school

    BURY'S 14 high schools could be transformed if a "once in a lifetime" bid for £150 million is successful. It would dwarf an earlier £37 million proposal, which failed, to rebuild three schools under the controversial Private Finance Initiative (PFI).