TRAFFIC chiefs have performed a U-turn on a controversial road system in Blackburn town centre after months of pressure from traders. The move comes after two of the town's longest established companies claimed they had lost up to 25 per cent of their
VULNERABLE, cash-strapped people are at risk of falling further into debt because of television quiz shows, according to a leading East Lancashire MP. Nigel Evans, the Conservative MP for Ribble Valley, has been involved in a Culture, Media and Sport
POLICE have released CCTV footage of the moment a Burnley man was viciously attacked in an unprovoked town centre assault. Detectives hope the move will help them trace the attacker who left a 37-year-old man with a broken leg. The victim, of Dugdale
A RUNDOWN house where the previous owner lay dead for several weeks has been bought by a council. Pendle Council had 73 Rainhall Road, Barnoldswick, listed as being vacant and in need of attention, and was trying to trace the owner before police broke
A PLUCKY pensioner has returned home from hospital two weeks after she was violently attacked - and has been overwhelmed with messages of support. Brave 77-year-old Dorothy Hope is now recovering from a broken collarbone and shoulder at her home in Hope
PLANS to let homeless youngsters live in empty terrace houses have been abandoned after neigh-bours' protests. Councillors are now considering allowing several residents' groups to lease the rundown houses in Acc-rington so that they can chose who moves
PUPILS of a Rossendale primary school have been told by a government inspector that he cannot think of how they can improve "because you're brilliant already". The Osted inspector's letter to the pupils of Holy Trinity Stacksteads concludes a glowing
A 58-year-old man hanged himself just four weeks after be-ing diagnosed with lung cancer, an inquest heard. The hearing was told that Raymond Foote had taken a potentially lethal dose of prescribed pain killers prior to suspending himself from a metal
A RAMBLERS' group faced with an up hill struggle plans to step up its game to ensure a walk planned for Sunday will go ahead. Eric Hatton, 73, from Darwen, is leading a ramble on December 3 and claims there is a problem with a footpath on the route,
ACCRINGTON'S Steve Johnson has won the SD34 Motorsport Championship. And when the 48-year-old driver was informed of the result by the Lancashire Telegraph he said he was "delighted". "It's fantastic news, just a fantastic result," he said. For Johnson
HAPTON'S Daniel Barritt will be roaring around the valleys this weekend as he takes part in the Wales Rally GB. Fresh from finishing second in the Production World Rally Championship with Japanese driver Fumio Natahara, Barritt is taking the co-pilot's
Sarah Ridehalgh and Sue Corsini have set personal best times at the Wesham 10K Road Race. Accrington Road Runner Sarah not only broke 40 minutes for the first time to finish second to Kate Chapman of Morpeth in 39:33, but also bettered Leigh Hargreaves
The new Ribble Valley club travelled to Bristol for the British Milers Club Cross Country meet at Clifton Downs. It proved to be a worthwhile journey for the 21 athletes as Joe Oldfield and Lauren Westwell won the under 11 races. Alex Thistlethwaite
Bill Atkinson has had to wait half a century to become an overnight success, winning a gold medal in his England debut at the age of 70. Atkinson, from Longridge, was chosen by his country for the Great Britain and Ireland Masters Cross Country International
COLNE won this local derby match at the third attempt and set up a League Challenge Cup third round clash against the mighty FC United. Robbie Smith gave Nelson the lead with a penalty on 25 minutes, but Gavin Cooper levelled with a curling free kick
BURNLEY are still waiting on X-Ray results for injured striker Andy Gray. The 29-year-old was sent to hospital after suffering a foot injury with just two minutes to go in the Clarets 2-1 win over Leeds on Tuesday night. But the results and the
I WANT to thank the staff on Ward D3, Royal Blackburn Hospital, who looked after me before and during my operation on October 16. Many thanks to everyone, especially the consultant gynaecologist, Mrs Bhatia and her team, the theatre nurse Trish and
After reading the report on the meeting which took place on November 21 about the Leisure Centre, Darwen, I do hope that the council bosses now realise what the feeling is in Darwen about these crazy plans to split the facilities over two sites or more
CONTRARY to the report (LT, November 20), the new pool at Darwen Leisure Centre is not going to be a "50m Olympic size pool". It is going to be a 25m x 8 lane pool, about twice the size of the current 25 yard pool. Whilst the sports hall will not be on
BURNLEY could soon have its own equivalent of the iconic Angel of the North after plans for a giant sculpture were unveiled. The Willow Man' would tower over land at Crow Wood leisure centre, next to the M65 , and will be created by artist Serena de
A MURDER probe suspect has been found dead the day before he was due to answer bail for the alleged attack. Carl Turner, 52, of Lindsay Street, Burnley, was found slumped in Walton Lane, Nelson, on Monday evening and died later in hospital. On Tuesday
A BABY came back to life' minutes after medics stopped resuscitating her and told her dad she had died, an inquest heard. But the hearing was told how brave Utthara Arun's fight for life lasted just 10 hours, with a lack of oxygen to the brain causing
HOSPITAL staff in East Lancashire must learn to face difficult and uncomfortable facts if patients are to get better services, the area's health boss has warned. Jo Cubbon (left), chief executive of East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, said there had to
A month ago, it seemed unlikely that the David Staff Fell Race could go ahead when Darwen Dashers' officials realised that the event had not been publicised in the FRA calendar. But then the club pulled out all the stops and Sunday's race attracted
Blackburn Rovers have announced ticketing details for their Boxing Day home clash against Liverpool at 3pm. This is a Category A+ game and Category A+ League match prices apply. Tickets will be on sale tomorrow. Prices start from £27 for Adults,
BLACKBURN Rovers defender Ryan Nelsen believes he'll return stronger, bigger and faster' from the injury that has sidelined him for the first half of the season. Nelsen, who picked up the Supreme Men's award for the second successive year at New Zealand
AM I the only person to be confused as to why we need a complete new leisure centre in Darwen because there is a crack in the pool? If you have a leak in the roof of your house you don't go and rebuild it, do you? As a family we use the leisure centre
A DEVELOPER is set to sue after a long-running bid to build homes on a plot of land was rejected - nine years after being earmarked for approval. Rossendale-based Hurstwood Group was left "extremely disappointed" after an application to build 31 homes
HOSPITAL staff in East Lancashire must learn to face difficult and uncomfortable facts if patients are to get better services, the area's health boss has warned. Jo Cubbon, chief executive of East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, said there had to be a "
Chorley manager Gerry Luczka, has pleaded for patience in his bid to rebuild the Magpies who are languishing at the bottom of the UniBond First Division. Speaking before Tuesday night's home match against Skelmersdale United, he said: "Because of our
A ROSSENDALE firm has taken the cue to a support a charity appeal. J and J Ormerods in Stacksteads has donated a brand new snooker table after Bacup Coun Jimmy Eaton appealed for items to be auctioned off at his annual fundraising Christmas auction at
STAFF and volunteers from Nelson charity Wheels Within Wheels have teamed up with Brighter Futures, a similar project in Skelmersdale. The collaboration was arranged by Lancashire County Council's economic development company, Lancashire County Developments
A woman found collapsed in the car park of a Foulridge sailing club remained in a coma last night. Police said the condition of Beatrice Bruegelmans, from Colne, was improving, but she was still in a coma. The 49-year was admitted to Burnley General
AN upholsterer threw a brick through his brother's window after he "lost it" over a family dispute, a court was told. Burnley magistrates heard Stephen Fallon, 24, took the brick from his own garden, drove to the victim's house and struck knowing people
POLICE are trying to trace the owners of property believed to have been stolen in burglaries throughout Blackburn. The items include fishing tackle, camping gear, assorted tools, two tennis rackets, a light blue Le Coq Sportif holdall and a black motorised
BURNLEY Council has agreed to spend nearly £120,000 - to stop losing £8million of European cash. The council's executive has agreed to spend £117,000 from its reserves after a blunder in drawing up the budget for the authority's Urban2 programme left
A WOMAN arrested after police raided her home and found heroin and amphetamine was already under a suspended sentence for drugs offences, a court was told. Burnley magistrates heard Sharon Cole, 36, of Humphrey Street, Brierfield, was the subject of
RAWTENSTALL law firm Mulderrigs has been awarded the Law Society's LEXCEL mark of excellence for the fifth year running. Managing director Paul Mulderrig, who is also the president of the Rossendale Chamber of Commerce, said: "This award means that we
MORE than 30 politicians have backed a £60million bid to get a stretch of railway line linking Pendle with Yorkshire re-opened. The Skipton-East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership's (SELRAP) fight to get the 11-mile route between Colne and Skipton
A LEADING Ribble Valley dairy is tapping in to the organic roots of the region with a new line of milk products. Bowland Fresh is using one of the organic family farms in its partnership to supply Booths supermarkets with an organic range of milk. The
FOUR of East Lancashire's under-threat retained fire crews have been saved but two others are to be axed, bosses have said. And after the Combined Fire Authority decided the crews' fate at a meeting today, campaigners from Barnoldswick and Great Harwood
A BID to return to a Padiham park to its former glory has taken a big step forward after councillors agreed to back the project. Burnley Council's executive has approved plans to apply for up to £1million of lottery cash to restore Memorial Park. The
Two thieves walked into a shop in Church Street in Newchurch and tried to steal the till tray. The first offender is described as a white man, clean shaven with blond hair, around 6ft tall. He was wearing a grey hooded long sleeve top with a front
WITTON Park High School pupils are boxed in by presents as they do their bit to help less fortunate children throughout the world. Scott Floyd, Jade Charnley, Jennie Fisher and Kayleigh Hesketh, all 14, were helping at St Mark's Church, Blackburn,
PUPILS at Fisher-More High School, Colne, held a mock election for The X Factor as part of their citizenship lessons. After a talk by the Mayor of Pendle, Coun George Adam, on the workings of local government, the Year Nine class held an election,
DRIVERS in Burnley were left in lengthy queues due to emergency gas works. Temporary traffic lights have been installed at the junction of A679 Active Way and Westgate. Emergency repairs are being carried out by workers from the National Grid on
GREAT Harwood's annual Winter Warmer event and Christmas lights switch on takes place tomorrow. Organiser Janet Doyle said: "It has been exceptionally hard work this year as we have not received any large grants. "We have raised almost £8,500 ourselves
A YOB who repeatedly broke an Anti-Social Behaviour Order has been jailed. Anthony Waddington, 21, who is banned from Brunshaw estate, Burnley, after causing trouble and making residents' lives a misery, has breached his ASBO 10 times. He had earlier
A 24-year-old Blackburn man phoned police and told them he was armed with knives and a machete and intended to kill his girlfriend, a court was told. Blackburn magistrates heard that the woman and her children were moved to a safe house while the threat
A MUSLIM religious leader has welcomed a ruling that Ribble Valley Council was "not justified" in preventing plans for a Clitheroe mosque in 2004. The Local Government Ombudsman report came in the wake of complaints from the Medina Islamic Centre that
A leading Longridge community figure has called for anti-social behaviour dispersal orders to be widened from Berry Lane to other areas. The orders, implemented in October, were aimed at dispersing gangs of problem youths converging on the town centre
Chorley's MP has urged Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to save NHS jobs by not transferring them to the private sector. Lindsay Hoyle called on Mr Prescott to ensure all referrals of patients from GPs would go to hospitals in his constituency and
QUEEN Street Mill Textile Museum in Burnley is to host its Grand Christmas Fair' on Sunday. Staff are hoping for a good response - but organisers are asking visitors not to come by car, if possible. Lancashire Museums, which owns the historic Burnley
A POPULAR factory shop has replaced Christmas tradition with what is thought to be East Lancashire's first animatronic Santa. Winfields, in Blackburn Road, Haslingden, has hired the life-sized mechanical Father Christmas for children who visit the complex
POLICE will be patrolling Blackburn's streets with dogs in a bid to prevent break-ins after seven schools were targeted in just one week. Officers have launched operation School Break as a result of the crimes, with officers working undercover and high-visibility
A LARGE area of scrubland at a quarry has been cleared by volunteers to allow wild plants and flowers to grow on the limestone. The Wildlife Trust teamed up with staff from local firm Johnson Matthey Catalysts to work at Salthill Quarry, outside Clitheroe
A BANK worker stole more than £12,000 from elderly customers' accounts and then blamed them for the mix-up. Barclays employee Ashleigh Bentley took the cash while working at the Darwen branch after getting into a financial mess with her own bills. Bentley
DARWENERS are to be treated to an afternoon of Christmas carol singing in the woods on December 17 - with an added treat for children. The Friends of Sunnyhurst Wood are presenting a carol concert. And for children who haven't managed to see Santa
A TODDLER was brought back from the dead during a serious operation as surgeons wrapped a membrane from a cow around her heart. Now 11-month-old Aleesha Levi Taylor's family is preparing to celebrate her first Christmas at home together. The tot, from
A BLACKBURN man has been charged with robbery after three raids on petrol stations in the town. Stephen Holt, 29, is accused of carrying out the armed raids earlier this week. He was due to appear before Blackburn magistrates this morning.
A 62-year-old Brierfield man has been cleared of two child sex charges. Malcom Duff was found not guilty at Burnley Crown Court of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on two counts
A WINTER walk where ramblers can learn to identify trees will be held at the Foxhill nature reserve, Oswaldtwistle, on Saturday. The walk is one of a number of free environmental activities planned at the reserve. Walkers can enjoy a guided walk throughout
A woman called for bin men to come and help her search her Accrington home for burglars after she woke up and heard voices downstairs. The woman had heard her dog barking in her Emma Street home at around 8.30am on Friday. She then realised she
A MAN who smashed a bottle over the head of someone he thought was about to attack his ex-girlfriend is facing jail. Jack Robinson, 21, left victim Jason McKenzie with a gashed face, bleeding heavily and dizzy after the attack in Burnley town centre
AFTER spending four years in the African sun, Sarah Widd's face had more than a passing resemblance to a dried prune. Even her freckles had freckles. But to the rescue came Nicky Hambleton-Jones, the speccy fashion queen with a "sith ifrican" accent
A DEAL has been signed between Lancashire's county bosses and the Pension Service to reduce bureaucracy and improve services. Bosses at county hall hope that pensioners across Lancashire will benefit from the signing of a formal agreement between the
DARWEN Explorer Scouts and Darwen Cellar Dweller Rangers Guides will play postie for Christmas when they deliver hand-cards all over the town and surrounding villages. The Darwen Scout and Cellar Dweller Ranger Unit will become Santa's helpers until
A ROSSENDALE black pudding maker has brought home the bacon once again, sweeping the board at an international competition by winning seven awards. Andrew Holt's black pudding recipes earned him four gold and two silver medals plus the prize for best
A BLACKBURN hairdresser is hoping to establish a link with a Hungarian town in recognition of its people's contribution to life in East Lancashire. Jeff Stone, who runs his shop in Fleming Square, visited Heviz, in the west of the country, last month
