A LOT has been done in the past few years to try to deal effectively with the problems posed by sex offenders roaming the country. The 1997 Sex Offenders Act set up a register and those whose behaviour is considered serious enough for them to be on it
UNABLE to settle on Halloween, expecting uninterrupted ringing of the door-bell, with many coins close to the door in preparation for the dreaded Trick or Treat onslaught, I was so wrong. All callers were polite, undemanding and well-turned out in their
WITH all the trouble that the MRSA bug is causing, why are the nursing staff allowed go home in their uniforms? Surely it is much more hygienic to keep all uniforms in the hospital, also a change of shoes, soft soled shoes preferably, for use solely in
IS Huncoat to be surrounded by rubbish? Do we need another refuse dump? The proposed recycling plant on the former power station site can only compound the nuisance value this village has had to endure over the past years. One would have thought that,
WHEN you join a political party, you usually join one that shares your principles and ideals. How else can you serve your electors if you don't share their views? And furthermore, if they don't trust you to represent them in council. If you join a party
SCHOOLGIRL Danielle Rend wowed a crowd of thousands on Friday night when she sang live on stage with pop diva Anastacia. The eight-year-old from Atherton performed alongside the superstar at the MEN Arena after winning a radio competition. Danielle was
IF a week is a long time in politics then it must feel like an eternity in football. Last weekend, Jay Bothroyd was the toast of Ewood after his first Premiership goal for Blackburn Rovers sparked a gutsy comeback against Liverpool. Seven days later,
THREE parks in Burnley and Padiham have left others green with envy after picking up a prestigious award. Thompson and Queen's parks in Burnley, and Memorial Park, Padiham, are among 80 North West parks to achieve Green Flags. It means Burnley Council
A DERELICT mill has been branded a potential 'death trap' by community leaders in Rosegrove. Burnley Council leader Stuart Caddy said gangs of youths were risking their lives each time they broke into Empire Mill, Liverpool Road. He added that he would
HUNDREDS of parents could face a child-care nightmare next year after two Burnley high schools fell out over when to have their half-term holidays. The town's two Catholic schools of St Theodore's and St Hilda's have always shared the same mid-term autumn
A ROBBER armed with a gun attacked a terrified postmaster during a post office raid in Nelson. Mohammed Arshad was locking up at the front of the Parkfield Post Office, Railway Street, when he was attacked from behind by a gun-wielding thug who attempted
TWO teenage boys were taken to hospital with suspected spinal injuries after a road accident in Radcliffe. The crash occured at 10.25pm, on Saturday night, when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The 5 Series BMW car mounted the kerb on Radcliffe
MAGICAL giant lantern ships and a swashbuckling soundtrack helped transform Barnoldswick's Victory Park into an enchanted harbour. Thousands of people enjoyed the unusual 'nautical' theme for yesterday's fire show spectacular. The show featured laser
EAST Lancashire became the focus of political attention when the Tory party leader visited the area to address the concerns of small businesses. Michael Howard visited Colne and Rawtenstall as part of a tour of the two towns. It was the area's second
STATE of the art CCTV cameras are being put in Barnoldswick and Earby, but they will not be monitored all the time. West Craven councillors have put together nearly £300,000 for the scheme in response to fears of vandalism and anti-social behaviour. But
THOUSANDS of real-ale fans are expected in Accrington next week for the town's 10th annual beer festival. More than 80 ales, bottled beers and ciders will be available at the event, organised by Hyndburn Borough Council and the East Lancashire branch
A DEVOTED Accrington husband has been named a Hyndburn Hero after a search for the borough's most caring residents. Nigel Heap, 42, was nominated by his wife in a community competition organised by Springhill Care Home. Earlier this year the home appealed
A NEW preparatory school at the independent Oakhill College, Whalley, has been officially opened. The new £750,000 building, which will cater for 100 children, opened 12 months ago after three years of planning and fundraising by governors, teachers and
A defensive lapse deep in injury time prevented Blackpool picking up a point at Chesterfield. The match looked to be heading to a goalless draw when Pool, failed to deal with a corner from the right and Allison's flick on was fired home by second half
SACKING your manager on the day of a cup quarter final is not exactly textbook preparation. But it certainly worked in 1983 as Burnley, struggling in the old Second Division, pulled off the unlikeliest cup shock in their history by humbling Spurs in their
STEVE Cotterill was today playing a waiting game ahead of Burnley's Carling Cup tie with Tottenham Hotspur. The Clarets chief admitted he has no idea who will be fit to face Spurs at Turf Moor tomorrow night after the injury situation worsened during
HAMMERING square pegs into round holes is fine - until you finally run out of pegs. And this was the predictable day the wood finally splintered to leave Burnley Football Club at a crossroads. It has been Steve Cotterill's well-documented gamble to run
THE goals dried up for Nelson when they played a resurgent Norton United, who have now enjoyed an eight-game unbeaten run in the North West Counties League Division Two. The Blues had two great chances to take the lead during the first-half but Robert
RAMSBOTTOM failed to shake off bogey side Alsager Town as they were knocked out of the League Challenge Cup. Out of their three matches against them this season, Ramsbottom have lost by the same result on all three occasions. But the home side got off
IT took nine years, but Rossendale United finally gained revenge for that FA Vase mauling back in 1995 as they completely outplayed a Brigg side that had lost just twice in the league this season. Dale were the better side from start to finish and could
BLACKBURN Rovers striker Jay Bothroyd is set to be reprimanded by Mark Hughes following his sending off against Norwich City at the weekend. Bothroyd was dismissed for violent conduct in the 44th minute of Saturday's 1-1 draw after aiming a retaliatory
NEIGHBOURS are celebrating after a man was told to move caravans he had left parked on a street for more than two years. But owner David Rowlands said the council was "making a big deal about nothing" and that he had never received a complaint about the
A PET pooch from Rossendale is in line to be named top dog in a national competition. Proud owner Johanne Hirst, from Loveclough, has entered Toby into an alternative Crufts competition for mongrels. And the hound has managed to win a place in the finals
A TORY councillor is set to resign as chairman of the planning committee after accepting a job offer abroad. Chris Wadsworth said he was to continue his role as a Hareholme ward councillor for the foreseeable future. But his decision has been slammed
A 21-YEAR-OLD drug addict who "specialised" in stealing mobile phones to fund his habit was caught out by the latest camera phone technology. Blackburn magistrates heard that an assistant had demonstrated state-of-the-art gadgetry by taking Tahir Hussain's
PLANS to place special chewing gum boards around Blackburn to stop people spitting it on the floor have been ditched -- because they would be too unhygienic. But council chiefs say they haven't found a solution to an increasingly sticky problem -- and
A HOMELESS sex offender has been released into the community after telling magistrates they could find him living in a town centre walkway. But within hours of being allowed free, Derek Brakenbury had disappeared from his "home" at the rear of Blackburn's
BONFIRE night is traditionally one of the busiest nights for Ambulance crews across East Lancashire. But as well as responding to emergency calls, crews also have to face aggression, violence and intimidation. And they are frequently used by the general
JOHN Coleman hopes one small step will lead to a giant leap for Accrington Stanley. The Reds manager was in confident mood ahead of the visit of Exeter City on Saturday. With the bad memories of last weekend's FA Cup defeat to Leigh banished and the positive
PUPILS from across East Lancashire are helping to pilot a government project designed to help youngsters for whom English is not their first language. But education chiefs say all children are set to benefit by learning more about other cultures. Lancashire
BURNLEY War Games, 7pm; Senior Citizens Dancing, 8pm (transport provided), Burnley Boys Club. Tai Chi, United Reformed Church, Bethesda Street, Burnley, 11.15am. Xingyi Kung Fu, Sion Baptist Church, Church Street, Burnley, 7pm-9pm. WeightWatchers, Central
IN this important month of the Islamic calendar with the emphasis on peace and prayer, another British person is still being held hostage. Margaret Hassan is a charity worker brave enough to stay in war-ravaged Iraq for 30 years and married to an Iraqi
A HOMELESS sex offender has been released into the community after telling magistrates they could find him living in a town centre walkway. But within hours of being allowed free, Derek Brakenbury had disappeared from his "home" at the rear of Blackburn's
HUNDREDS of parents could face a child-care nightmare next year after two Burnley high schools fell out over when to have their half-term holidays. The town's two Catholic schools of St Theodore's and St Hilda's have always shared the same mid-term autumn
Leigh RMI 2 Tamworth 3 By David Magilton: ANOTHER devastating defeat left Leigh at rock bottom in terms of both position and confidence. A hat-trick inside 10 minutes from former Bolton Wanderers favourite Bob Taylor did the damage. It inspired Tamworth
BLACKBURN Rovers striker Jay Bothroyd is set to be reprimanded by Mark Hughes following his sending off against Norwich City at the weekend. Bothroyd was dismissed for violent conduct in the 44th minute of Saturday's 1-1 draw after aiming a retaliatory
BLACKBURN Rovers goal hero Paul Dickov leapt to the defence of Jay Bothroyd after the young striker was sent off during Saturday's 1-1 draw with Norwich City. Bothroyd saw red in the 44th minute after kicking out in retaliation at Norwich's Mathias Jonson
A TORY stalwart who dedicated her life to creating a better Burnley has died at the age of 78. Enid Tate, a former magistrate and Mayor of Burnley in 1997/98, was respected by the town for being a straight-talking woman. She was the widow of steeplejack
CHELTENHAM TOWN 1 SHAKERS 0: IT was disappointing enough that Bury's six game unbeaten run came to an end at Whaddon Road but to be thwarted by a contentious penalty decision just added insult to injury. Not even the Cheltenham players knew what was happening
A CAMPAIGN by Huncoat residents to stop Lancashire County Council building a new waste treatment centre on the former power station site has been backed by Hyndburn MP Greg Pope Mr Pope met with a group of residents who have started a Hyndburn branch
A 67-YEAR-OLD woman was attacked by two thieves in broad daylight in Whitefield. She was walking from Manor Avenue along Dunkirk Road towards Green Lane on Thursday at 2.30pm when she was approached by two men. They demanded money, but the victim told
BLACKPOOL have swapped Australian goalkeepers, with veteran Sasa Ilic departing to be replaced by Middlesborough youngster, Brad Jones. Jones joins on a season-long loan after keeping five clean sheets in seven appearances while on a short-term loan at
JOE ROYLE felt Ipswich always had enough in the tank to beat Burnley. The Town boss saw his side close the gap on Championship leaders Wigan to three points thanks to Darren Bent's double at Turf Moor. He said: "Burnley are no mugs and they had a terrific
STEVE Cotterill hailed Darren Bent as 'Premiership class' after his two goals helped Ipswich beat injury-ravaged Burnley. The England U21 striker struck in each half as Town, who have now scored in a club record 30 consecutive league games, continued
GREAT Harwood Town won through to the third round of the League Challenge Cup despite what manager Dave Sharples described as a "below par performance". In what was the battle of the bottom teams - Town prop up NWCL Division One while the Rochdale side
The result was more comfortable than the scoreline suggests as a Neil Spencer inspired Clitheroe got their midweek hammering at Mossley out of their system. Clitheroe opened the scoring after 12 minutes, Steve McDonald burst clean through on goal and
THE Magpies should have won after creating enough chances to win two matches. But sluggish defending allowed the hosts two goals and in the end bizarre refereeing twice denied Chorley a winning goal in the closing stages. Warrington scored in their first
IT proved to be a winning return to the Anchor Ground for the former Darwen and now Padiham manager Steve Wilkes on Saturday as the Storks came away with all three points from their North West Counties League Division Two derby fixture. In a hectic start
COLNE extended their unbeaten run to five games with a Challenge Cup victory over Holker Old Boys, earning them a home draw in the next round against North West Counties League First Division rivals Alsager Town. The visitors were the first to produce
BURY boss Graham Barrow has been dealt a massive blow with the news that goalkeeper Glyn Garner needs surgery and will be out for weeks. The Welsh shot-stopper, the current supporters' player of the season, has had a niggling problem with his left knee
STEVE Cotterill was today playing a waiting game ahead of Burnley's Carling Cup tie with Tottenham Hotspur. The Clarets chief admitted he has no idea who will be fit to face Spurs at Turf Moor tomorrow night after the injury situation worsened during
THANK goodness they're over. Hallow'een and Bonfire Night. They're not like they used to be, when children expected no more than a toffee apple and a Catherine wheel. Now its expense all the way, with special outfits, parties and -- if they get their
A DARWEN man with a broken arm and leg was rescued by neighbours after a chip pan blaze devastated his home. The 31-year-old man was helped to safety by neighbours before firefighters arrived after falling asleep before his chips cooked, in Stopes Brow
A GROUP of Darwen residents have formed an action group amid fears their street could be over-run with young delinquents. An 11-strong group, from Blackburn Road, were alarmed to receive a letter saying a planning application for a private children's
A BLACKBURN youth club is celebrating being awarded a £4,998 grant. Youth Works Higher Croft, offers a range of activities to teenagers in the area and plans to use the money to create a quiet study space within the club. Funded as part of Nestle's Make
A 22-YEAR-OLD Blackburn man caught driving while disqualified twice within 48 hours was told he had come "within a whisker" of going to prison. Blackburn magistrates heard that on the second occasion Naeem Patel had driven down numerous back alleys in
POP guru Simon Cowell was given a good toasting on Saturday night - not on his new show, X Factor, but as a Guy Fawkes doll on the bonfire at Witton Park, Blackburn. The effigy of Mr Cowell was sitting on an armchair on top of the huge fire, and the assembled
COUNCIL bosses have begun talks with the Government to see how they can benefit from the new Northern Way scheme. It was introduced by the Government in the summer, when eight 'city regions' were created, each of which should get millions of pounds to
A COUNCILLOR who saw her son die from drugs has called for primary school children to be taught about drugs from the earliest possible age. Coun Moira Barrett said: "If they're old enough to try a cigarette, they're old enough to have found a cannabis
PANTO season came early to Deepdale as North End's defence made like Sleeping Beauty and handed Burnley-battered Leeds a 3-0 half-time lead on a plate. The casting for this game always had David Healy down as the villain of the piece, and two excellent
A TODDLER was burned after louts hurled a firework at him. The three-year-old boy was walking with his mother when a firework thrown from a parked car exploded at his feet and burned his left cheek. The car was then driven away. Police today made an appeal
