Archive
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Lean spell continues for Shrimps
Welling United 1 Morecambe 0 MORECAMBE'S run of bad results continued on Saturday when they were on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline again, this time against Conference strugglers Welling United. The Shrimps were beaten with a stunning 25-yard strike
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Dedicated followers of fashion
SEVENTIES' scene wear is back in fashion with bargain seekers rifling the wardrobes at Leigh's Help the Aged shop. Highlighting the age of flares, platform shoes, flower power and cheesecloth go on special offer on Monday at 79 Bradshawgate. Help the
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Festival fever
A THREE-DAY festival of arts and crafts - which is set to bring Blackpool to a standstill - is on the road to success. The Blackpool Town Centre Forum which is organising the open air event has been swamped with bookings from craftsmen and entertainers
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Wesley Guild Field bid lost
A LAST ditch attempt failed to save Leigh's Wesley Guild field. A two year battle by locals to prevent building on the open space at the heart of Pennington has been lost. Village green campaigners hoped to block building plans, even though outline planning
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Fund-raisers celebrate hitting target
FUND-RAISERS will hold a concert to celebrate the end of their successful campaign. The Ellen Small Appeal was launched last year to raise £10,000 to buy a Carchair for the dedicated charity worker and fund-raiser who suffers from severe multiple sclerosis
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Heavy fine warning to taxi bosses
WIGAN council's licensing officers are warning local operators of private hire firms: "Make sure they're licensed". A Golborne man was recently prosecuted for driving a private hire vehicle without a licence. He was fined £300 and ordered to pay £50 costs
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Who's a top dog then!
SPECTATORS at the biggest event in the canine calendar could have been forgiven for thinking Darwen had gone to the dogs. For representatives from the town made sure their presence was felt at the popular Crufts show held in London's Earl Court. Mike
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Benson on the 'box'
LEIGH pastor David Benson is stepping into the TV spotlight over the next few weeks. For Pastor Benson, of Kings Park Christian Centre, has been invited to air his views on a new satellite and cable TV network, the Christian Channel, which was launched
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Rescue package is planned for Darwen Market Arcade
THE DAYS of empty stalls on a Darwen market could soon be over if a specially designed rescue package is successful. Blackburn Borough Council is putting together an action plan aimed at boosting the number of traders on Darwen Market Arcade. Councillors
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Drug dealers' HQ cleaned-up
DRUGS dealers have been driven out of Leigh Library which they used as a headquarters for their activities. Following a joint campaign and the introduction of CCTV, police and library staff are confident they have cleaned-up the drugs problem and reduced
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Canal homes for town centre?
CANAL side homes are planned for a disused builders' yard alongside Leigh bridge. The Manchester Ship Canal Company hopes to flatten the Albion Builders Supplies premises which has lain empty since the merchants went bust. In its place the site would
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Last chance to object over housing plan
TONIGHT (Thursday, March 21) is the last chance Clayton-le-Moors residents will have to make objections about a 400-house development at Sefton Farm. And although Hyndburn's head of planning Phil Barwood says the development will definitely go ahead,
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'Bad Boy' Bill's new game plan
RUGBY League bad boy Big Bill Ashurst used to think anybody who went to church was soft. But now the ex-Wigan and Great Britain star is a committed churchgoer who has written a hymn and Christian play. And he was humble enough to admit he was wrong 26
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Sickness shuts hospital ward
A SICKNESS 'epidemic' this week forced the closure of Ward 6 at Leigh Infirmary. Just a week after plans for redeveloping the hospital were revealed came the closure announcement because of staff shortage. The 19-bed ward closed unexpectedly on Tuesday
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Pennington pool 'best for games'
THE proposed £40 million aquatic centre remains the best option for the 2002 Commonwealth Games, despite claims that Manchester is backing a rival bid. Commenting on reports that Manchester had reached a deal with the city's two universities, Cllr Peter
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Bridge in finals
A DAY off for Bamber Bridge at the top of the Unibond League, so time to reflect on their Lancashire ATS Cup semi-final victory over neighbours Chorley. It was really all over at half-time, with Bridge two goals ahead. The first by Maddock mid-way into
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Food, glorious food
ONE of the region's most respected restaurants has triumphed in our Citizen Restaurant of the Year competition. Samuel's of Samlesbury received the most votes in our contest, which proved a big hit with readers. Success has come quickly for general manager
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Citizen picture gives Trust a boost
OUR cheeky front page photograph of Glenn Challenger, dressed for his first day at school, has been chosen to promote the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust on television in the Channel Islands. The picture, taken last August by Citizen photographer Kevin
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A Mayor for the people
A LISTENING Mayor - that's how South Ribble's new incumbent to the traditional post describes herself. Councillor Betty Greenland will take over the chains of office from Dorothy Stewart in May. The mum-of-three is looking forward to a new political and
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High-flier
A BRITISH Aerospace flight engineer from Preston made local aviation history when she became the first woman to fly in a fast jet from Warton airfield. Dawn Rayson, 29, took to the skies in a Hawk 100, reaching speeds of up to 600mph with BAe test pilot
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Watchdogs unconvinced by casualty assurances
HEALTH watchdogs say they remain 'unconvinced' by assurances that three of the region's casualty departments will not close following an Audit Commission survey. Nigel Robinson, of the Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Community Health Council, said
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All in a day's work
HE'S probably got the most grandparents in Preston! Chatting away to old folks, serving their dinner, studying and doing a paper round is all in a day's work for one Preston schoolboy. Now 15-year-old Stuart Cheetham's caring touch has earned him a top
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Who will be to blame?
HAVING made several fruitless telephone calls to the borough engineers department, perhaps an airing of my complaint in The Journal might bear more fruit. Many weeks ago, chicanes and traffic lights were erected to control access to pedestrian areas in
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MP joins terminal fight
RESIDENTS campaigning to put the brakes on plans for a rail freight terminal in Lowland claim local councillors are ignoring them and have gone to their MP for support. The Wheelton Lane action group have asked South Ribble MP Robert Atkins to join their
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Woodbank need every game for title
IT was mixed fortunes for Woodbank when they came back to league duty this week. Their results mean they have to win all their eight remaining matches to take the title. On an ice-bound Glossop pitch the lads did well to survive a gale force blizzard
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Can you help the police?
A TEENAGER was indecently assaulted next to a busy road in Penwortham. The 17-year-old woman was at the junction of Lawrence Road and Liverpool Road at 2.20pm on March 7 when the attacker struck. Despite her ordeal, she managed to get a good description
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Fire brigade's burning desire for sponsors
JOINT the jet set when it comes to advertising - with your local fire service! Greater Manchester County Fire Service is blazing a trail as the first fire brigade in the country to offer sponsorship opportunities to commercial companies. This offers a
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Families touched by tragedy
AS the bodies of the 16 'little angels' tragically killed in the Dunblane massacre were being laid to rest - there wasn't a person in the country whose thoughts were not with those families. But for one Preston couple the tragedy lies closer to home.
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MP slams blighted homes delay
FURTHER delays in dealing with the empty houses blighted by the now cancelled M62 Relief Road at Whitefield is totally unacceptable says Bury MP David Sumberg. Though the road has been axed, misery continues he maintains. Now Mr. Sumberg is to lead an
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Journal reporter meets Heath-Cliff
WITH plenty of razzamataz Sir Cliff Richard and Sir Tim Rice arrived in Manchester last Thursday - and the Palace Theatre was besieged by adoring fans. It was Cliff they had come to see, of course, and he didn't disappoint them. He went outside the theatre
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'Must try harder' report on infant school
SCHOOL watchdogs have criticised a small Burnley school as having 'unsatisfactory standards' but praised its new headteacher who says it is making rapid progress. Inspectors assessed Wood Top CE Infant School last November when head Mrs Diane Roberts
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Bury move to fifth in table
BURY moved into fifth place in the table on Tuesday night with a 2-0 victory over in-form Hereford. A mistake by United's 'keeper, and Michael Jackson's powerful finishing gave the Shakers a deserved win in an otherwise disappointing match. But manager
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10 YEARS AGO: Clarets up for sale
BURNLEY football club, hit by grave financial problems and debts of more than £800,000, was up for sale. The directors today put a price of £15 each on the new 42,000 shares which were being issued, in a desperate bid to save the Turf Moor club from folding
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Labour look at Kirklees Valley
FOLLOWING the Journal's highlighting of the Kirklees Valley on its front page last week the area was visited last Saturday by local Labour activists along with David Chaytor, the prospective parliamentary candidate for Bury North. After witnessing the
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Tragedy
DUNBLANE - these are tragedies which go so deep that one's senses do not respond; they become numb. Words are impossible to find, to explain. At such a time, a little something inside all of us dies - because there is no reason. This is the tragedy of
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BSE: Public will make up its own mind
TIME and again, ever since the "Mad Cow" disease epidemic in British cattle broke out, ministers have assured us that we could not catch it from eating beef. Each time a fresh doubt was aired, they poured scorn on it. Media scaremongering, they said.
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Probing into bridleways
COUNTRYSIDE officer for the Ribble Valley, Mr David Hewitt, is helping to set up a special bridleway strategy throughout Lancashire. An increase of traffic on the county's country roads has prompted the setting up of a Bridleway Strategy Team to address
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Reserve school site plea
LANCASHIRE County Council cannot afford to build a new primary school in Huncoat before there are children to start filling it. But it has asked the borough council to reserve a site for a school within a planned development of up to 600 new houses. No
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Bid to publish potted history
AN ARTIST and writer have combined talents and years of research - to produce a potted history of Blackburn and the surrounding area. And Christopher Burns, of Livesey Branch Road, Feniscowles, with his father, Francis, have now started the hunt for a
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Kings is king of the pool
DANIEL KINGS reigned supreme in the first weekend of competition in the Lancashire Age Group Gala at Broughton Pool. The Atherton SC youngster swam a superb PB in the 12-Year 100 backstroke with a national qualifying time. He also grabbed a silver in
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Work complete on new £10m critical care unit
BUILDING work is now completed on the new £10 million critical care unit at Whiston Hospital. The unit, due to open next month, will have additional specialised nursing and medical staff and extra coronary care and intensive care facilities. "All the
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'Cat licence' con duo strikes
TWO cruel conmen duped an elderly woman and stole £5. The frail 78-year old allowed the men into her home in Weedon Avenue, Newton-le-Willows, after they said they were from the council and told her she needed to have a licence for her pet cats. They
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Village launch a Royal rocket
THE big guns met in the second semi-final of the Leigh & District Amateur Football League's Davenport Cup. Something had to give - and it did! Division One table toppers Westleigh Village A hammered joint leaders Royal Oak 6-0. Steve Bevan sparked
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High Court quashes tip lorry ruling
THE HOLIDAY Moss landfill site in Rainford is back on course for its target closure date of October 1997 following a High Court ruling. Mr Justice Carnwath quashed a council order made by West Lancashire District Council which restricted the use of vehicles
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Captain Sivill's the saver
CAPTAIN Marvel Dave Sivill saved his best to last for Tyldesley RU. His super solo try late in the game clinched a 22-16 thriller against Eccles - victory clinched despite playing most of the game with 14 men. Their policy of not playing with any replacements
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David in sail of the century
HAYDOCK-born yachtsman, David Watkins is really getting into the swing of things in his preparation for the forthcoming BT Global Challenge Round the World Yacht Race. Morecambe-based David, whose parent's Charles and Lily, still live in Haydock, was
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Missing photo of heroine unearthed
A LONG-lost sepia snap of a legendary centenarian proudly showing off her bravery 'gong' has been unearthed - 90 years after she went to the aid of a policeman being attacked by drunken thugs! It is now part of St Helens' folklore that 15-year-old Frances
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New Chamber's big hopes for the future
IF the evident enthusiasm demonstrated by the capacity turn-out at the inaugural dinner of our new Euro-style Chamber is anything to go by... Peter Hulmes and his team could be on to a winner. 'New structure, new leadership and a new philosophy - a philosophy
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We can't legislate against terrible acts of violence
DUNBLANE affects us all. There are no exceptions. And in the early aftermath of the appalling tragedy in that hitherto most civilised of Scottish cities, everyone will surely look at their children and grandchildren in a new light. To say goodbye to one's
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GPs get Labour's plans - to the letter
PROSPECTIVE Parliamentary Candidate for Bury North David Chaytor has written to local GPs to consult them on Labour's plans for the future of the family doctor service. David Chaytor said: "GPs here in Bury North are providing vital health care, are in
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Convoy of Easter egg happiness
A CONVOY of motor scooters will leave Lowton Civic Hall on Friday as part of an annual pilgrimage by members of the Lambretta Club of Great Britain to deliver Easter eggs to Pendlebury Children's Hospital. It will be the ninth year in succession for the
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Denis Whittle talks RL with Shaun McRae
A WHOLE new ball game! That's how Saints' boss Shaun McRae views the exciting future for the code as his Cup Final squad return on Monday to prepare for the launch of the Super League. WHITTLE: Without doubt, it's a time of change for everyone involved
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Inchy anger at Clarets' 'diabolical' defence
SOME Burnley players will be worried for their futures after discovering in no uncertain terms that they are not meeting Adrian Heath's high standards. Against Crewe on Tuesday night the Clarets again conceded three goals in an away match - and the new
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Citizen celebrates Net result
YOUR favourite local newspaper is now officially one of the best things to read on the Internet. The Pendle and Burnley Citizens, together with their sister paper the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, have been rated among the top five per cent of "sites"
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Storming victory for duo
DYNAMIC rally duo Ashley Hodge and Andrew Murphy stormed to victory in the Haverigg Stages of the Furness Motor Club race in Millom in Cumbria. The Morecambe Car Clubbers raced their C and M Motors/Lancaster Bomber Sierra Cosworth home 40 seconds ahead
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Calling the class of 81
A REUNION for former pupils of Brierfield's Mansfield High School has already attracted 80 people. Classes who left the school in 1981 are invited to attend the Rose and Thistle Working Men's Club at 8pm on June 1. Organisers are keen to contact more
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Ashley keeps his cool to save brother
LITTLE life-saver Ashley Hudson, seven, kept his cool amid scenes of family panic when his three-year-old brother, Shane, started to choke on a lollipop. The St John Ambulance badger calmly put his first-aid training to good use as his other brothers
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Higgins departs
GREAT Harwood Town boss Mick Higgins has parted company with the UniBond club, writes TOBY CHAPMAN. Higgins, along with assistant boss David Hamilton met with chairman Bill Holden last night and agreed to sever their ties with the Showground. Great Harwood
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Hey, big spenders revealed
LANCASHIRE County Council spent £661 on each resident in 1994/95 - more than the shire council average of £629 - while Blackburn Council topped the northern list of district councils, spending £154 per head, according to Audit Commission figures. Ribble
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Quakers urge weapons ban
QUAKERS in Burnley and Pendle called for a total ban on the sale of all guns as Prime Minister John Major promised a review of gun laws in the wake of the Dunblane tragedy. The Quakers, the Religious Society of Friends, drew up a petition to the government
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Heath issues warning over Nogan
Adrian Heath has issued a hands-off warning over Turf Moor's lethal weapon Kurt Nogan (pictured). The Burnley chief admits 24-goal Nogan is generating interest with transfer deadline day just a week away. But Heath-who stepped up his hunt own for a fresh
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Community unites for crime fight
A BOLD plan to beat crime by uniting the community is being drawn up. Burnley council is taking a radical new step in the fight against the rising tide of crime on our streets. The plan is to strengthen the community by encouraging co-operation between
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Overreaction!
BOSSES at Heysham's nuclear power stations are playing down national newspaper reports concerning an emergency shutdown at the site earlier this year. The incident happened at Heysham Two on Monday January 29. A seven-tonne fuel rod became stuck in its
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Water worries for old folk
WATER from village taps has left people feeling itchy and needing medical help. And now people living in Trawden are demanding to know what has happened to their crystal-clear spring water which has been used in the village for generations. Pensioners
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Let's dance
AS you may have read in last week's Citizen, thousands of dance fans are preparing themselves for one of the country's biggest events - in the sleepy village of Middleton. Organ music and ballroom dancing will make way for light shows and dance sounds
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For the love of Norman...
A GRIEVING widow returned from Cyprus to be greeted with joyous news to blow away the usual post-holiday blues. Audrey Helme, of Corringham Road, Morecambe, touched down last night at Manchester Airport (Wednesday) from a two week holiday to learn her
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Record breakers!
THE biggest crowd of the season is expected at Lancaster City's Giant Axe on Saturday for the Unibond First Division game of the campaign. Table topping City are currently on an 18 game unbeaten run while second-placed Lincoln United have come out on
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26 miles to the gallon!
A LYTHAM doctor has come up with a winning energy drink to help the Citizen's marathon man Brian Gillibrand tackle the 26-mile slog. Dr Brian Whitton has produced with a unique formula to boost Brian's performance in the London Marathon's football challenge
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Home rule excitement
DELIGHT has swept Blackpool Town Hall since the official announcement of home rule for Blackpool. After three months of government deliberation and a four-year campaign by the council, Secretary of State for the Environment John Gummer has granted unitary
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Lancaster's in the chair
LANCASTER may be in line to hold yet another prestigious international event. The city's tourist chiefs are urging the Mayor of Lancaster to throw down the gauntlet to the French town of Sedan. And the nature of this historic tournament would be, wait
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Lesson in kindness
CHILDREN at a Blackpool primary school have been raising money for less fortunate pupils in Romania. Thirty-eight kids in Ruth Day's class at Revoe County Primary School have raised more than £1,500 for the Romania Now appeal and will be able to see the
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Gun clubs
THE lesson of Hungerford was quite plain. All gun clubs should now voluntarily disband and all weapons be handed in. Those clubs that won't should be closed by law. Circumstance can turn the person next to you from a sane to an insane person. Leave the
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Fun boss halts child's play
IT'S cheque-out time for fun park boss Paul Taylor as he says goodbye to the mothers and children from his play-school. Angry parents gathered in protest outside St Annes Pleasure Island yesterday (March 20) after the sudden closure of the kindergarten
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Mad cow: Scare gets a grip
CHILDREN should stop eating beef now in a bid to cut the risk of a major "mad cow" epidemic in humans during the next 20 years, an East Lancashire medical expert warned today. The development came as Health Secretary Stephen Dorrell admitted that the
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Son's death prompts health screen call
THE father of a talented young runner who died during a race has called for health checks to detect the killer-heart condition which tragically cut short his son's life. Granville Staff, whose 17-year-old son David died in 1994, said the condition Hypertrophic
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Governors quit in school self-rule row
TWO governors of Belthorn Primary School have resigned following the announcement it is to become grant-maintained. Councillors Sheelagh Delaney and Bill Goldsmith say they are "saddened and disappointed" by the results of a ballot - in which 61 per cent
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Indie band is set for TV big time
A GLOBE-TROTTING East Lancashire band are waiting with bated breath for what could be their first television appearance. Four-piece Indie outfit The Syndicate were captured on film while playing a support slot for hit group Marion at the Club Erotica
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Rovers swoop for Flitcroft
AMBITION will drive Manchester City midfield star Garry Flitcroft to complete a £3 million move to Blackburn Rovers in the next couple of days, writes PETER WHITE. Ray Harford swooped last night for a player he had under his wing with the England under
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Rocking all over Lancs
RED Rose Rock FM rakes in more listeners than any other radio station in Lancashire according to figures released this week by RAJAR. The Preston based radio station has 356,000 listeners a week rocking to its music - leaving rivals Radio One and Radio
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Village 'No' to radiation tip
RADIATION fears have led villagers to decide firmly against a supertip in their back garden. Astley Green people are adamant they don't want a doorstep mega-dump on a part-reclaimed colliery wasteland - in any shape or form. After a couple of weeks spent
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College's good neighbours bid
LEYLAND'S Runshaw College has called a meeting to stave of mounting criticism from neighbours. Teachers and governors at the Leyland college have vowed to consult local residents in the college's future plans. Mounting complaints over the years about
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Too little too late for Hawks
BLACKBURN Hawks have rekindled their slim hopes of reaching the Premiership after avoiding defeat at the weekend. An 8-5 victory over Milton Keynes and a 6-6 draw at Guildford Flames provided their first points in their quest to reach the top flight.
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Charity in crisis
A PRESTON charity which helps families who have been homeless back on their feet could be forced to close because their funds have run dry. Gift - Guild Initiative for Furniture Trust - only has enough money to stay open another two months. And trustee
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Roy's back on the street
RIBBLETON Avenue Methodist school invited their most famous former pupil Roy Barraclough - Coronation Street's lovable rogue Alec Gilroy (pictured) - to open their new library on Monday. And he let the children into a little secret - they'll soon be seeing
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Cash boost saves grants scheme
A £90,000 cash injection has salvaged a scheme to help pensioners and the disabled in South Ribble. The urgently-needed cash from the Department of Environment has saved the Staying Put project, which gives grants for house repairs and advice on benefits
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Be a pal!
I WONDER if you could help us soldiers out in Bosnia by requesting pen-pals (girls of course!). We are in very short supply of girls to write to and are hoping your popular paper will help. Write to: Any Soldier, 1pl A. Coy 1QLR, Op Resolute, BFPO 538
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Humbug
A COUNTY councillor has asked Lancashire's Chief Constable not to send Christmas cards during the festive season and spend the cash on extra policing. Tom Sharratt, vice chairman of the police and community forum, says sending cards is 'unnecessary, expensive
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Brave Ray beats the travel bug to finish world cycle tour
DETERMINED cyclist Ray Chadwick refused hospital treatment in a desperate bid to finish his world tour by pedal power. He contracted food poisoning in Death Valley, California after accidentally eating a bug and was warned he needed urgent treatment.
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Lennon portrait in limited edition coup
FOLLOWING the revival of The Beatles last year their fans rushed out to snap-up CDs, tapes and records, and they were looking also to buy extremely rare and sought after memorabilia. Today they need only look to Henry Donn Galleries in Whitefield, Bury
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Justice call answered
I WISH to thank The Journal for their article last week ('Call for Justice'). It was most helpful and I have received names and addresses of the worst offenders which have been handed over to the police. The filthy language and action will cause problems
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New wheels carry meals
MEALS on Wheels users in Ramsbottom, Bury, are now guaranteed a more reliable service than ever because their suppliers, the WRVS, have taken receipt of a new delivery van from Bury Metro's Social Services. The Women's Royal Voluntary Service distribute
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We shall go to the ball
YOU shall go to the Ball - Preston Mayor's Ball is all set to go ahead this year thanks in part to your favourite free weekly. The Citizen has stepped in with a generous sponsorship deal after it looked like red tape would stop the traditional dinner
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Report reveals homes are unfit to live in
THE majority of privately owned homes in Blackburn's Bank Top Ward were branded unfit for human habitation in a new report. The area falls well below the average standard of housing in the borough, with 55 per cent of the private Bank Top houses labelled
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Blackburn in the dark on unitary status date
BLACKBURN Borough Council is still in the dark as to when it will be granted unitary status. Environment Secretary John Gummer has confirmed that Blackburn and Darwen will run their own affairs and break away from county control but is yet to set a date
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Things they don't say
SO a speech by Tony Blair has finally mentioned the environment, a mere 18 months after his election as Labour leader. By contrast, it is difficult to find any major speech by Paddy Ashdown which has not mentioned the environment. The Government aims
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Fight to the finish
NORTH End travel to Cardiff on Saturday desperately looking for the win that will get the promotion charge back on track. The coming weeks will decide the destiny of the championship and it is vital that PNE start moving up a gear. And quick! Preston's
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Band aid for the children
LEYLAND will see one its biggest ever music festivals when 17 local artists and groups line up to play Baby Band Aid 3. The annual charity event which runs from noon to midnight on March 30 will take place at the Seven Stars pub in Leyland Lane. The music
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Is Shearer the best Rovers player ever?
ALAN Shearer has been the one saving grace for Blackburn Rovers this season and now fans are wondering: Is he the best player ever to wear the blue and white halves? In a season that started off with so much promise, Shearer's goals have underlined the
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Bury's treble chance bid in award scheme
STEAM, water and wildlife are expected to highlight Bury as Britain heads towards the 21st century. Three separate submissions from the Borough are among the eleven so far accepted for the Tidy Britain Group's Millennium Marque award scheme. Eventually
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Stranded ion "no-go" area
RESIDENTS living in Longsands say they are prisoners in their own homes because it's a no-go area for buses at nights and weekends. They've bombarded councillors with complaints about Preston Bus saying they won't provide a service after 8.30pm or on
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Museum is one of our best resources
GOVERNMENT cuts have left Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery facing a new budget slashed by £70,000, reduced opening hours and the loss of seven out of its 18 staff by April 1. Our reporter ALEX TATE popped in to see for herself what you could be missing
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Frustration for North End
North End 1 Darlington 1 TWO points dropped, Andy Saville sent off and more ground conceded in the promotion battle - what a disastrous afternoon for North End! Preston went into this game straight from an emphatic 3-0 away win at Rochdale, but never
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Dunblane grief for local charity boss
THE sentiments and sympathies of the people of Blackburn are with the families of Dunblane this week - but for one man the tragedy lies closer to home. For one of the 16 innocent children whose lives were cruelly cut short was the young relative of Martin
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Welcome to Disney world
HABITAT, the Disney Store and Country Casuals are some of the big High Street names queuing up to come to Preston as plans for a massive £23 million face-lift for St Georges centre are unveiled. It'll take more than two years to revamp the 30-year-old
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You're getting nowt!
GIVE and Take has been given a whole new meaning in Greater Manchester since the Government confiscated the £37 million rail cash it owes to local tax payers The cash represents previous investment in the local rail network which was funded by Greater
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Marathon effort to boost appeal
ROAD runner Lisa Richardson is having her first stab at the London Marathon and aims to boost the SuperScan Appeal. Lisa, 27, of Belper Street, Blackburn, has been a keen fell runner since she gave up smoking two-and-a-half years ago. She also trains
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5 YEARS AGO: Boulevard office block
PLANS to build a multi-storey office block on the old Palace Theatre site on Blackburn Boulevard were lodged with the council. But the impressive scheme was in danger of being scrapped before it began because of the Budget, the developers announced. The
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BOXING: Injury threat to Stowe
BURNLEY Bulldog Warren Stowe's bout against Greg Scott on Sunday is set to be KO'd. The 30-year-old super middleweight has damaged his left shoulder in training and will make a final decision tomorrow morning on whether to fight through the pain barrier
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House grants seem unfair
EAST Lancashire council house tenants are being paid thousands of pounds to quit and buy their own homes - in a scheme using government cash to encourage them to take on mortgages in the open housing market. There is no denying the benefit of more council
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Top draw for Miners
LEIGH MINERS are working their way back to mid-table safety. But Saturday's 8-8 draw against Mayfield was hard-earned. Flying French centre Jean Chauvin edged Mayfield ahead. A 'try' from winger Mike Evans was ruled forward and Miners had to settle for
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Euro bid to boost pupils' prospects
ST HELENS Council is asking Europe to support total spending of £1.7 million on 30 training and education schemes. They are being launched mainly by the council's Community Education and Leisure Services Department, with two schemes promoted by the Personal
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GP denies drugs test claims
A ST HELENS family doctor has denied claims made before the General Medical Council (GMC) professional conduct committee that he used OAPs as guinea pigs to test new drugs without their knowledge or consent. It is alleged that Dr Geoffrey Fairhust, who
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A horror that will haunt forever
IWOULD like to express my deep sorrow about the massacre in Dunblane, in which the spirit of a closely knit community was cruelly snuffed out by a crazed gunman. I am sure all people must have thought it couldn't happen here and although it is now some
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'Train magistrates' plea
A COUNCIL wants to offer training sessions for magistrates after a series of disappointments over its prosecutions. Members of Blackburn public services committee expressed frustration after magistrates imposed conditional discharges and ordered defendants
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Double trouble for rail users
TRAIN passengers in and around East Lancashire faced long delays today after double trouble hit commuters. A freight train came off the line in Hebden Bridge and the derailment affected the cross country fast trains from Leeds to Preston. Passengers were
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Gymnast dives for gold
ONE month after giving up gymnastics in which he was very successful, a Bury 12-year-old has scooped a gold medal in springboard diving. Anthony Morris of Hunt Fold Drive, Bury, is a member of Oldham Diving Club because there isn't a club in Bury. He
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Dave blasts hat-trick
ST HELENS Hockey Club defeated Congleton seconds 7-2 in a friendly encounter at the weekend. They took the lead after 20 seconds with a Dave Aspinall strike. Phil Travis made it 2-0 a minute later and Alan Travis and Mark Alcock made it 4-0 at the break
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Bowls event for St Helens
ST HELENS is to play host to one of the biggest events in the bowling calendar. It's the World Short Mat Bowling Championships, staged at Sutton Leisure Centre on the weekend of March 30 and 31. And about 130 bowlers from 11 nations will be competing.
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Diane race in
ST HELENS Sutton AC star Diane Appleton has clinched the Merseyside Schools Cross Country League title. She entered the final race, with three first places and a third behind her from previous rounds. And again she showed the opposition a clean pair of
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Ken's labour of love down years
AFTER several years painstaking work on the old records, the old parish registers for Hindley between 1698 and 1814 have just been republished by a former headmaster. Ken Taylor, who now lives in St Helens, has been transcribing the registers of All Saints
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Saints fans head for Wembley exodus
CHALLENGE Cup finalists Saints have reported a massive demand for tickets for their Wembley date on April 27. And early indications are that they will have around 20,000 supporters at the big game. Almost 2,000 package deals by coach and train had been
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Signs of unrest in Foulridge
THE War of the Roses is alive and well - and living in Foulridge! It may be more than 21 years since bureaucrats unceremoniously booted Yorkshire tykes into Lancashire, but some locals still have not come to terms with the news. The latest skirmish in
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Lame ducks on move
THE lame ducks intent on crippling Blackburn are at it again - about to introduce even more goodies for their much-loved council tenants. Blackburn Council is about to move into the insurance business, on the pretext that tenants will benefit. Or is the
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Wide angle lenses for Burnley
BURNLEY is making a £322,000 bid to tackle crime by extending the town's very successful CCTV system. Security cameras have brought about a big reduction in town centre crime, and if the bid is successful they could soon be installed in many other areas
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'Go it alone' says MP
MP Peter Pike says Burnley should follow Blackburn and and press for its own independent local authority. The government has decided to give Blackburn and Blackpool unitary status, which means they will control all the services currently run for them
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Cub reporters join press pack
JUNIOR newshounds at Dallas Road School in Lancaster learned what it was like to be on deadline when they put together their own newspapers last week. Citizen reporter Alex Tate was at the school to help children select and write stories for their tricky
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ROSSENDALE UTD 1 PENRITH 0
ON a night where all three points were vital, Rossendale left with the slight hope of remaining in the Carling North West Counties League next season. Playing Penrith, just a place above Dale, the game was sure to be close. From the first 45 minutes,
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Green light for a green future
ENVIRONMENTALLY friendly Ribble Valley Borough councillors have given the green light to a special charter which will help safeguard the countryside for the future. Members of the environmental and social services committee heard that a draft policy statement
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Axe falls at brickworks
A TINY country village is reeling from a major blow to local employment after a dozen jobs were axed at its oldest and biggest company. The death knell could now be ringing for Hanson Brick works in Claughton, just North of Lancaster, where the workforce
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Caught up in the net
YOUR favourite local newspaper is now officially one of the best things to read on the Internet. The Lancaster and Morecambe Citizen, together with our sister paper the Lancashire Evening Telgraph, has been rated among the top five per cent of "sites"
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Planners face residents' revolt
LANCASTER'S planning chiefs will face a barrage of opposition when they consider proposals to build a new store on the old K Shoes site in the city next month. Residents and local councillors are fighting the plans which have been submitted by developers
