Archive
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CLARETS: Your Shout special
Turf Moor's disgruntled fans sound off after cup defeat against Rotherham FIRST, let me say how much I agree with Stephen Cummings in his assessment of the situation at Burnley and in particular his belief that the Burnley crowd are being patient with
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Crime prevention panel appoints new chief
KEITH Mitchell, manager of the Fishergate Shopping centre, in Preston, is the new chairman of the Preston Crime Prevention Panel. He heads the 18-strong group which supports the police in reducing local crime levels. Following a successful Car Crime Exhibition
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Fight to rescue guitarist's severed fingers
SURGEONS are battling to save the fingers of a promising young musician after a horrific guillotine accident. Richard Baines, 24, sliced off three of the fingers on his left hand while he was operating a cutting machine at work. The keen guitarist and
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Laura's hope for the future
LITTLE Laura Balmer will stand back in years to come and proudly remember how she helped brighten her surroundings. The three-year-old was one of a willing army of helpers who planted 6,000 tulip, crocus and daffodils at Leigh's Firs Park. Volunteers
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A young man who just wants to write books
WRITER William Park is no stranger to having his work published and moving in the most prestigious circles of scribes. And the 35-year-old from Preston has come up trumps again with his latest short story storming into a new anthology. Mr Park has written
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Grandma remembers life during the war
A GRANDMOTHER has talked of memories of when a wartime plane crashed close to her school terrifying her and her classmates. Pat Hatch, from Fulwood, was just eight in 1944 when the pilot nosedived in his stricken jet near to St Anthony's Drive. The 61
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Eating nuts could kill me
JULIE Sager loves milk - and it's just as well, because for her, it's a life-saver. Julie is allergic to nuts. One bite and her mouth swells up, her throat feels like it's closing up, and without a glass of milk, she could have stopped breathing on several
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Killer hunt is relaunched
SEVEN years after the murder of horse dealer Leslie Jackson, police have re-launched the appeal to catch his killer. Mr Jackson, whose blood-soaked body was found in his sheltered bungalow in Sussex Drive, Blackburn, was believed to keep large sums of
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New scheme for Asian drug advice
LANCASHIRE police have found religion in a bid to give drugs advice to Asian communities. In a new initiative, the Constabulary has launched a factsheet, Islamic Law and Drugs which quotes religious law forbidding the taking of drugs. The booklet is the
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Help save our sinking church
VILLAGERS have got that sinking feeling about their local church - and need you to help put it right. Residents are helping to raise enough money to stop the 300-year-old Tockholes United Reformed Church subsiding before their eyes. Rev Eric Kirkham discovered
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Council may repay tax disc fines
BURY Council could have to re-pay tens of thousands of pounds after "illegally" fining motorists with out-of-date tax discs. But they are refusing to reveal exactly how many drivers will be joining the queue for compensation after a landmark High Court
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Ewood drummer is on the move!
THE man who bangs the drum at Ewood Park is being forced to move around the ground ... because he's too noisy! Bill Toland has been beating out the rhythms Blackburn Rovers fans sing too in the Blackburn End since March but is now to be moved around to
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Schools and colleges celebrate success
TEACHERS at schools and colleges in the area were jumping for joy this week after a string of fine league table results. Archbishop Temple High in Fulwood, was dubbed the second most improved school in the country. And students and staff at Runshaw College
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Estate votes council out
RAMSBOTTOM tenants have voted overwhelmingly to hand their estate over to a housing association. Out of 58 votes cast, 52 tenants of St Andrew's Close said "yes" to be taken over by Portico, rather than stay with Manchester City Council. Now the North
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It's a lottery at hunger breakfast
LIFE is a lottery - as those who had bread and water for breakfast at the Harris Library on Friday discovered. They were the unlucky 60 per cent of guests to the Oxfam Hunger Breakfast, who drew short straws and ended up representing the 800 million people
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£660,000 health cash for East Lancashire
HEALTH chiefs in East Lancashire are hoping a £660,000 handout will help cut delays and improve services during the busy winter months. Bosses say £328,000 will be spent on avoiding delays in discharges and joint health and social service initiatives,
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Sophie gets Christmas cracker
A COURAGEOUS four-year-old battling leukaemia is to get the Yuletide present of a lifetime - a meeting with Father Christmas in Lapland. Little Sophie Worthington and her family have been through an agonizing ordeal since she was diagnosed with the disease
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Bury woman hailed a heroine
A MOTHER has been hailed a heroine after twice saving the life of a four-week-old baby. Despite having no practical knowledge of first-aid, mother-of-two Mrs Barbara Lloyd of Chadderton Drive, Unsworth, Bury, pushed through a crowd of onlookers to reach
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Average guy Sean tells it like it is
IRISH funnyman Sean Hughes may have become a television celebrity but you get the impression he's not bothered by the fuss. . . he's just an ordinary guy, like you or me. The tell-it-like-it-is comedian has built up a cult following but on the surface
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Hot-shot Adrian's Hawks still blowing cold
LANCASHIRE Hawks boss Mike Cockayne has paid special tribute to scoring sensation Adrian Lomonaco saying he would not be out of place in any other side in the land. The Hawks may be struggling at the wrong end of the Northern and National leagues but
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Dangerous roundabout
ON November 19, from just a few feet away, I witnessed an articulated lorry's attempt to negotiate Sudell Cross roundabout, which is oval, in Blackburn. It uprooted the first bollard on Richmond Terrace and crunched the railing because it couldn't get
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MPs will vote to ban bloodsports
LOCAL bloodsport enthusiasts were lobbying Parliament this week in a bid to save their sport. The British Field Sports Society had activists from both Bury North and South in the lobby prior to next Friday's vote by MPs on banning hunting with dogs. But
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There's no place quite like Deepdale for loyal fan Dave!
NORTH END stadium boss Dave Bailey lives in Blackburn and was even offered a job by the town's premiership team. But it was definitely out of the question for the 32-year-old avid Preston fan who said: "I just couldn't do it." Having been born and bred
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Wind farm protesters in town centre
CAMPAIGNERS are hoping people power will blow out PowerGen's controversial plans to build a wind farm on Darwen Moor. Members of a recently formed campaign group will take to the streets tomorrow (Saturday) armed with clipboards and pens to try to persuade
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Whitefield could be in the swim!
RUN-DOWN Elms Precinct could become home to a swimming pool and leisure complex. That was the exciting news brought back to Whitefield by MP Ivan Lewis and Councillor Warren Flood when they returned from a meeting with precinct owners in the Isle of Man
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Step-father pleads for end to violence
THE step-father of a man who died after allegedly being attacked in Ribbleton has made a heartfelt plea for an end to the violence that has plagued the area in recent weeks. Garry Watkins and his wife Sharon lost their 22-year-old son Stephen McLaughlin
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Roy hands Billy a big deal
ROY HODGSON has praised the latest star player to sign a long-term contract at Ewood Park by insisting that Billy McKinlay is more than just a tough-tackler. The blond bomber has been in the form of his life this season to help guide Rovers into the top
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Backs to the Walls!
BURY ice cream traders have given a cold reception to plans to force them to pay £300 a year for a street trading licence. And businessman Mr Jack Gibson has branded the licence "nothing more than a means of getting extra cash for the council". His outburst
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Activity centre proving a huge success
THE doors of a unique project have been opened to show visitors just what makes it tick - and to report on its continuing success. Coldwell Inn Activity Centre is a holiday home for the disadvantaged and disabled, where much of the "donkey work" is done
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Ref attacked by spectator
A TEENAGE referee was assaulted by a player's dad in a bad tempered under-12s match in which two players were sent off. The incident happened on Sunday at playing fields near Orpington Drive in Bury where ref Gareth Jamieson (16) was overseeing the game
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Gem of a cost-cutter
A TEAM of workers nicknamed 'The Skinflints' have won a top award for cost-cutting. Employees from Philips Components, Blackburn, slashed a third of the site's business unit maintenance budget. In mid-1996, spending on maintenance at the site was running
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We don't want chain gangs here
IT SOUNDS like something from a chain-gang movie set in the Deep South in the Thirties - but the shackling of prisoners is still going on here in East Lancashire. It should not happen. The Home Office is quite clear on that. But, it seems Group Four,
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A little bit of compassion would help
IMAGINE how little Naomi Tyrie must feel - suddenly banned from school because of her epilepsy. Nobody loves her because she has a poorly head, she cries. Yet, if it is difficult to explain to a five-year-old child why she may no longer go to school with
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Town divided over new superstore plan
TRADERS in Clitheroe have reacted strongly to news that supermarket giant Sainsbury's wants to build a multi-million pound food store in the town centre. The £6 million scheme, if it gets the go-ahead, will create up to 180 full and part-time jobs and
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Credit union organisers
ANYONE who wants to get involved with Colne's new credit union is invited to a meeting next week. Volunteers to run the scheme will be trained under a county council project officer, and the first session is at 7.30pm on Tuesday November 25 at Colne Cricket
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Millennium 'doorstep woods' plan takes root
VILLAGERS are digging deep to raise cash to help pay for a community woodland on their doorsteps. An appeal was launched in the Pendleside village of Fence, near Nelson, last month in a bid to create the first Woods on your Doorstep community woodland
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RMI find goal touch
LEIGH RMI more than doubled their tally of home league goals this season when they demolished a disappointing Bamber Bridge. They won 4-0. But, such was their dominance, they could have had a sack full. Manager Steve Waywell was happy the way his side
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Leigh step up search for goalkicker
LEIGH will move into the transfer market to find a replacement for goalkicking ace Dean Purtill. Probationary bobby Purtill has decided to take a year off from professional rugby to protect his career chances. Leigh's leading points scorer for the last
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CLARETS: Players must show some pride
Neil Bramwell Speaks Out THE end of November is too early to be talking in earnest about crisis and relegation. But Tuesday's humiliating 3-0 FA Cup exit at the hands of Third Division Rotherham was a grave warning that panic stations should be manned
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Goals galore from juniors
HINDSFORD JUNIOR FC . . . Villa U14s won 2-1 at Beechfield (Fletcher, Wolstenholme; MoM Chris Porterhouse) but lost 2-1 to Bispham Juniors (MoM Fletcher); Dynamo U14s won 11-0 at Failsworth (Neil Hupton 4, Paul Lingings 3, Lee Sharrock 2, Jamie Dodd,
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Offally nice taste of yesteryear
ALAN WHALLEY'S WORLD YOU'LL need to have a strong stomach to digest the following "back to the past" piece submitted by a lively-minded pensioner. Choosing to remain anonymous, the sprightly 80-plus lady takes us back to the 1920s when, as a 10-year-old
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United in battle against crime
TO make this Christmas a safer and crime free shopping experience for shoppers and shopkeepers alike, St Helens Police have teamed up with St Helens Chamber of Commerce for a massive crackdown aimed at wiping the smile off crooks' faces. Retail crime
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"Fiona" lawyer settles out of court
A JUDGE has halted a court battle between a well-known Whitefield lawyer and his former fiancee. Richard Cornthwaite (46) and 38-year-old ex-model Jeanette Slaven took legal proceedings against each other following the "acrimonious" break-down of their
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Bury to get back more BCCI cash
ANOTHER chunk of Bury's lost BCCI millions is coming home. Liquidators have thrashed out a further rebate of at least 11.5 per cent, which could rise to 15 per cent. The payment, due next June at the latest, comprises money from various settlements and
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MP joins rebellion
BURY North MP David Chaytor has joined a Labour Party rebellion over plans to cut single parent benefits. Mr Chaytor is one of 46 Labour MPs to sign a motion calling on the Government not to carry out Tory cuts. "I was not elected so that I could kick
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Education chief at standards conference
BURY education chief Mr Harold Williams has joined more than 100 of his counterparts from around the country to discuss raising standards in schools. The two-day conference, being held at Warwick University, ends today (Friday). Also attending the event
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Strangling case staff won't be disciplined
HOSPITAL chiefs have revealed that no disciplinary action will be taken against staff for the catalogue of errors which led to a 54-year-old woman being strangled by her mentally ill husband. Michael Horner, 52, throttled his wife Hazel with a coat belt
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Gloom for Ruskin
St Edwards OB 30 Ruskin Park 18 THE subdued silence on the normally lively coach trip home summed up the Ruskin players' feelings about this defeat. For this was a match which they could have sewn up in the first quarter. Total domination up front enabled
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£12,000 stash of drugs in 'safe house' garden
DRUGS with a street value of £12,000 were found in the garden of a "safe house'' in Barnoldswick. They were being looked after by 21-year-old Stephen Greenwood, who Burnley magistrates were told was unknown to the police until last Saturday. Greenwood
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Joanne's better by degree
GROWING up on a Tyldesley dairy farm inspired Joanne Blears to gain a top degree in agriculture. Joanne, 22, of Shakerley Hall Farm, graduated from Harper Adams College, Shropshire, with a first class BSc in Agriculture with Animal Science. Daughter of
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Raiders hit Spar Shop
RAIDERS brandishing metal bars stole cash, spirits and cigarettes totalling £260 in a robbery from the Spar store, Derby Street, Atherton, at 7.20pm on Monday. They drove off in a stolen Rover car registration K464 RBV, which was later found abandoned
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Haydock claim derby scalp
Pilkington Recs 10 Haydock 24 A COMBINATION of a solid forward display and resolute defending was the recipe for Haydock's derby victory. And the Yickers also enjoyed a purple patch midway through the first half as they crossed for three tries in seven
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Heath turn on the power
Folly Lane 16 Thatto Heath 31 HEATH shattered Folly Lane's unbeaten record with a performance full of strong running and determined defence. The first 10 minutes saw Heath's defence tested to the full before skipper Darren Harris slipped over a drop goal
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A first for zoo
BLACKPOOL Zoo could become a pioneer in animal care training. Zoo bosses are currently in talks with Myerscough College to develop an exotic-animal care course unique in Britain. Zoo manager Iain Valentine explained: "The zoo is already an important work
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Residents' fears over new supermarket
LOCAL traders fear that Ramsbottom town centre will become a ghost town if multi-million plans to build a supermarket in the town get the go-ahead. United North-West Co-op plans to open a new superstore. The firm is presently seeking permission to demolish
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Rocket does the trick
A SAFETY campaign launched by police in St Helens in the weeks leading up to Bonfire Night was "an unmitigated success" with disorder incidents reduced by 54 per cent over the fortnight before. Operation Rocket was introduced to tackle the annual problems
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Price of success
FLEETWOOD'S Freeport shopping village is a huge success with Sunday shoppers - but the rest of the town is deserted. Now Wyre councillors are wrestling with the problem of how to draw visitors from the Freeport into other parts of the town on a Sunday
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Leigh MP's plan for jam-busters
JAM-beating buses are an important part of future public transport plans. Leigh MP Lawrence Cunliffe said new government guidelines would reduce delays and improve bus service reliability by giving them priority on urban roads. The Keep Buses Moving strategy
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Stolen bike was last link with dad
POLICE are appealing to anyone who may be able to help them return a stolen bike to a devastated young boy. Joseph Whitelegg (12) of Kiln Lane, Eccleston, had his maroon 15 speed Raleigh Avalanche bike stolen between 1pm and 4pm on Monday, October 20.
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High praise for school
SCHOOL inspectors have identified Leigh CE Junior School as attaining "outstanding achievements" on a recent five-day visit. And, they say, pupils are achieving higher standards than normal in English, Mathematics and Science because "the headteacher,
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Great news for Carmel students
A MARKED increase in A-level achievements over the last four years has resulted in Carmel College being named top Catholic Sixth Form College in the country, according to National League Tables published this week. The college, on Prescot Road, St Helens
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Match fit!
AN all-women football team is making a desperate appeal for other female sides to take them on after being beaten hands down playing against men. Mereside Mums, which was formed this spring with the aim of giving mothers a chance to get fit and have fun
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Race campaigner ready to bow out
RAFIQUE MALIK has been battling racial discrimination and prejudice in East Lancashire for more than 30 years. He has been director of the Blackburn Racial Equality Council for seven years and, for more than 20 years before that, was in charge of the
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Fast tune up for rally pair
DANIEL Harper and Les Reger are preparing to line up against the world's fastest rally teams in the Network Q RAC Rally, the final round of the World Rally Championship. The Burnley pair are doing route reconnaissance before the race begins on Saturday
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Man recovers after axe terror
A MAN is recovering from serious head, leg and arm injuries in Whiston Hospital following a terrifying ordeal at the hands of an axeman. The 34-year-old victim's nightmare began when he answered the door of his flat in Findlay Close, Newton-le-Willows
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Waddle searching for young turks
BURNLEY'S search for new blood became urgent on Tuesday night, when their lack of class in attack was exposed against a powerful Millwall side. But after the game, player-boss Chris Waddle revealed how difficult it was for him to bring players in. "The
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Minister calls off housing visit
HOUSING Minister Hiliary Armstrong pulled out of a visit to Pendle where she was due to see some of the area's most pressing problems. Mrs Armstrong cancelled her visit, arranged for Wednesday, after being told she was needed for a Cabinet meeting in
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Hairy scare for abseiler Val
CINEMA worker Val Smith had a hair-raising time leaping from the top of Burnley's highest building. Val was abseiling down the Keirby Hotel when her flowing locks got caught in the rope - 50ft in the air. She and her colleagues from Hollywood Park multiplex
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Art of a garden!
A New York artist is set to transform a neglected garden in the centre of Lancaster into a major public art venue. The large walled garden next to the Storey Institute Art Gallery has won funding to become an innovative public art centre featuring sculptures
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'Voice' will not apply for lottery cash
MEMBERS of a 'talking newspaper' for the blind gathered at a social centre to hear about its work over the past 12 months. The AGM of the Pendle Voice 'newspaper' was held at the social centre for the blind, Derby Street, Colne. Members record newspapers
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Shopping for a trading smile
THE man brought in to keep Burnley town centre busy has begun his battle with an appeal for all local people to do their Christmas shopping here. Carl Speight, the new town-centre manager, says there is much to be done to ensure the future of high-street
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Make the place go with a swing
By Nima Yazdani & Harkan Octem THIS week's cub reporters are Nima Yazdani, 10, and Harkan Octem, 10, who have written a comment piece that would give Citizen Smith a run for his money. TO make Lancaster and Morecambe better we think there should be
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Much finding in the Marsh!
AN area one time deemed fit for only industrial use is now a haven for wildlife and home to around 130 species of plants and flowers. A campaign rescued Lomeshaye Marsh at Nelson from the bulldozers in 1994. And since then a team of volunteers has been
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Morecambe 1 Emley 1
MORECAMBE'S £8,000 record buy Andy Milner could only watch from the sidelines as his new team mates missed chance after chance to go into the next round of the FA Cup on Saturday. And what's more frustrating is that the former Chester City hot-shot will
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MP to meet minister in drug battle
PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice is stepping up his campaign to legalise cannabis to help the sick. His wants health ministers to look again at allowing doctors to prescribe the drug - currently among the most strictly controlled in the country and listed alongside
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CLARETS: Harrison and Ford stand by
CHRIS Waddle is threatening a shake-up for Burnley's home game against Northampton Town on Saturday as he tries to drag the Turf Moor club out of the depths of despair following Tuesday's FA Cup shocker. And that could mean a recall to the starting line-up
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Bobby saves suicide bid man
A HEROIC bobby has spoken of his hour-long ordeal urging a suicidal Lancaster man not to jump from a multi-storey car park. Sergeant Nigel Ralphson discovered the 22-year-old man sitting 80-feet high with his legs dangling dangerously over the edge of
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A friend indeed!
A BLACKPOOL mother-of-three has been voted the North West's best neighbour in a competition to find the nation's most friendly folk. Tracy Price, of Addison Crescent in Layton, was nominated for her kind and caring acts by grandmother Marian Corry, who
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Same again Shakers
BURY'S team to face Sunderland tomorrow (November 22) will virtually pick itself. Injuries and suspensions mean that boss Stan Ternent has few alternatives other than to send out the side that battled so gallantly for a point at Oxford last saturday.
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New pubs leave bitter taste...
IT could be last orders for Lancaster's small pubs after planners gave the go-ahead for two more city centre boozers this week. Licensees claim Lancaster already has too many pubs and say they are concerned that the local authority continues to give big
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Match that!
LANCASTER has landed more than £2 million of lottery cash to develop a 'millennium park' on the banks of the River Lune. This week civic bosses were overjoyed at the news that the ambitious project had been given the go-ahead. The scheme will include
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Hospital security alert
PSYCHIATRIC patients using illegal drugs and threatening staff with violence has sparked a security alert at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. Staff discovered patients in the psychiatric unit using a whole range of drugs and illicit substances, many of which
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Ternent goes 'home' for new signing
ENGLAND'S North Eastern corner has always been a gold mine for soccer managers prospecting for talent and Bury boss Stan Ternent reckons he has unearthed another nugget in central defender Chris Swailes. And Ternent didn't have to stray far to research
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Police hunt for curly flasher
POLICE are looking for a curly-haired flasher wearing a wax jacket who exposed himself to a woman and her young daughter at around 9am on Wednesday, November 12. The incident happened in the 'Kyber Pass' close to the Ryelands Estate. The white man is
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Oyston leaves for London appeal date
JAILED tycoon and Lancastrian Owen Oyston will be driven out of the gates of Wymott Prison tomorrow morning (Friday) . . . hoping never to return. He will be taken to Brixton Prison in south London where he will spend the weekend before his appearance
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A tiny step to stardom
TWO of Hall Park County Primary School's most talented pupils have been recruited by the Northern Ballet Theatre to star in its magical recreation of A Christmas Carol. James Edgar, aged eight, and nine-year-old Keaton Dickinson, will play the role of
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Dreaming spires inspire Swailes to dream start!
OXFORD'S dreaming spires have witnessed the fulfilment of many a fantasy and another was added to the list on Saturday when Bury's Chris Swailes scored on his debut. The new boy graduated with honours after being thrown in at the deep end less than 24
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Grim find in cemetery
The body of a young woman was found slumped in Lancaster Cemetery on Friday. Karri Nicola Mason of Albert Road, Morecambe, was discovered in Lancaster Cemetery in Quernmore Road by a lorry driver who had parked in a lay-by. The driver spotted the body
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Blyth spirit!
VETERAN goalkeeper John Burridge returned to the club where he made his name 27 years ago and nearly pulled off the shock of the day on Saturday (November15). The 45-year-old eccentric player/manager of Blyth Spartans was just six seconds away from forcing
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First-glass travel
AIRTOURS has presented a clutch of awards to its 'holiday-makers'. The Helmshore based firm has rewarded hotels and suppliers which had made its summer holiday season a success. About 250 companies were shortlisted for their success in customer surveys
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MP celebrates victory in housing conditions
LANCASTER MP Hilton Dawson is celebrating what he calls a "real victory" in the struggle to improve conditions for thousands of older people living in residential park homes. Speaking after a meeting with Housing Minister Hilary Armstrong, Mr Dawson,
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Council calls time on outside drinking
BLACKPOOL Council is calling last orders on street drinking before next summer's holiday season. New bye-laws banning alcohol consumption outdoors will come before the full council on December 17, paving the way for Home Office approval by next March
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New directory has got your safety in mind
A NEW directory to help people experiencing domestic violence has been launched. It is estimated that one in five women suffer from domestic violence and the directory will help organisations give the correct information to people needing help. Produced
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Crusaders tame Bulldogs
St Helens Crusaders 38 Swinton Bulldogs 20 VICTORY against a team from a division above them enabled Crusaders to progress into the next round of the North West Counties League Cup. Despite fielding a dpleted side they opened the scoring when Hull backed
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Just the tonic
A NEW £700,000 health centre is just what the doctor ordered for Blackpool's largest council estate. For the 6,000 residents of Grange Park - with more than their fair share of health and social problems - have been waiting ten years for this purpose-built
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Royal puzzle
WHAT are these "damaging and blundering public relations errors in the wake of the death of Princess Diana" committed by 'the Royals', referred to in your leader (LET, November 24)? I am not aware of any, nor would I describe royalty's relationship with
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Bold blast back
Bold Miners 38 Leigh East 4 BOLD took some time to shake off the cobwebs after a lay-off of more than a month. But once Darren Anders had opened the scoring after 20 minutes there was no looking back. Young loose-forward Phil Hewitt was next on the scoresheet
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Hounds sink Sharks
Parr Hare & Hounds 34 Shevington Sharks 8 HOUNDS continued their winning run with this comfortable North West Counties Cup success against a workmanlike Shevington side. The visitors opened the scoring with an unconverted try after an indifferent
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Green Party's plea for independence
THE Green Party want Home Rule for Leigh. They has called for the Secretary of State to declare Leigh 'independent' of Wigan - and establish its own Parish Council. A packed public meeting cast a unanimous vote calling on the Government to give Leigh
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Kids lose kilos as they raise the pounds
CHILDREN at St Augustine's Primary in Avenham worked up a sweat during a sponsored aerobathon to raise hundreds of pounds for local charity Heartbeat. It was all part of a health and safety week organised by Headmistress Bernadette Higgins during which
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Last-gasp justice
IT may have come deep into injury time with virtually the last kick of the game, but Tony Ellis' goal against Gillingham on Tuesday night (November 18) was no more than the Seasiders deserved. Despite losing both David Linigham and Phil King in the first
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BSE talk by medic
A LEADING microbiologist will speak at a public meeting organised by the 'Fight the Furnace' campaign on Friday. Steve Dealler a leading scientist in the BSE field will speak on 'The Assessment of BSE Risk' with a special emphasis on tallow. Dr Dealler
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LinkLine warning on doorstep crooks
DON'T be fooled by doorstep crooks! That's the warning from Leigh Pensioners Link in their latest newsletter. LinkLine says: "This type of crook has many guises, ranging from the bowler-briefcase-umbrella rig to the honest-looking workmen's overalls.
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Putting Leigh on the map
MAPPING out the future got a boost on Saturday when Mayor and Mayoress Cllr Ken and Mrs Joan Pye launched a parish map project in Leigh. They are backing Soroptomist International's drive for a national network of local maps pinpointing all that is good
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From Monte Carlo to Tyldesley!
A MONTE Carlo gambling dream is no nearer reality nearly 120 years on. But housing society efforts are revitalising one of the area's best-known landmarks. Queen Victoria was only part-way through her reign and the dust had scarcely settled over Rorke's
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It's D-day for Oyston
JAILED tycoon and ex-Blackpool FC chairman Owen Oyston will be driven out of the gates of Wymott Prison tomorrow morning (Friday, November 21) ... hoping never to return. He will be taken from Leyland to Brixton Prison in south London where he will spend
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MP backs supermart bidders
AN MP has publicly backed supermarket giants Sainsbury's in their battle to build a prestige supermarket in Darwen. Janet Anderson said the firm has the pulling power to revitalise the town and attract businesses and shoppers. The MP backed Sainsbury's
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Tragedy was 'cry for help'
A MAN with a history of mental problems was found hanging by a washing line cord in the kitchen of his parents' house. Paul Jones, 30, sold his possessions and lived rough on the streets of Warrington, heard Bolton Coroner Martin Coppel. Paul, who was
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Meningitis girl is conscious again
COURAGEOUS Sammy Forrest has regained conciousness and is trying to say her first words since being struck down by the killer bug meningitis. Her parents, Sharon and Phil, of Central Avenue, Oswaldtwistle, have been holding their little girl on their
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Hostel celebrates its town centre centenary
A DARWEN hostel earned a place in the history books when it celebrated its 100th anniversary. The Police Street hostel, run by Blackburn with Darwen Council, pioneered social housing at the end of the 19th Century. Built as a lodging house for mill and
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Rampant Rob sends them rocking.
A WONDER goal from Citizen Allstars goalkeeper Robert Underdown was the highlight of a great win for the newspaper boys against media rivals Rock FM. The Preston photographer struck with a chip from 60 yards as your favourite free newspaper trounced the
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Victory for the old Vic!
LOCALS in a Great Harwood pub will be toasting their success after they successfully gained a listed tag for their historic drinking house. As revealed in the Citizen last month, regulars at the Victoria Hotel, on St John Street, feared their pub could
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Menace of the laser pens
LASER pens have been banned by Culcheth High School. And headteacher Geoff Caton has called for them to be declared illegal throughout Europe. He is demanding an end to the "menace" of the guns after 12-year-old Natalie Richards was the target of an attack
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School outcast: Parents' fury as epileptic girl is 'excluded'
AN ANGRY mum and dad today accused education bosses of casting their five-year-old daughter out of school because of her epilepsy. Naomi Tyrie started at Moor End Primary School, Oswaldtwistle, at the beginning of September after a year in the school's
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Partnership to give Leigh festive look
SCROOGE has been banished from Leigh this Christmas. For the first time in eight years the town centre is to get Christmas lights. Thanks to a joint effort by Leigh & Wigan Business Partnerships, the dark corners of Queen Street, Bradshawgate, Railway
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Cheese is toast of the town
CRACKING cheese Gromit! That's what bosses at Marks and Spencer think! Local cheese makers, known as Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses, have been supplying stores across the country for the past five years. The family run business opened in 1969 producing just
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ROVERS: Gallacher boost for clash with champions
KEVIN Gallacher expects to be fit for Sunday's top-of-the-table clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford which will come as a major relief to Blackburn Rovers supporters. The striker, whose partnership with Chris Sutton has been one of the main reasons
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Mystery of a missing box
THE Green Party claims a ballot box went missing for 45 minutes in the recent Hope Carr by-election. But, the Council insists, no ballot box ever went missing! Chris Maile, unsuccessful Green Party candidate, has written to Wigan's Chief Executive Stephen
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Youngsters step up for Challenge
YOUNGBLOODS Christian Hughes and Nathan Gaskell were born at the start of the Coalfield Challenge regeneration scheme designed to boost the Leigh area. So the two-year-olds were this week asked to carry out the official launch of Coalfield Challenge's
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Bubble cars built in Bamber Bridge
A SMALL factory in Bamber Bridge, near Preston, is the only firm in the world producing something with a decidedly 50s feel - bubble cars. The almost-comic-looking three wheelers are being made by fanatics Rick Edwards and Dave Chapman who set up their
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New campaign tries to save lives
LIVES could be saved with increased commitment to road safety, experts said at the launch of a new campaign. Councillors and police have vowed to reduce the number of road deaths at a meeting of the Lancashire Road Safety Forum on Friday (Nov 14). And
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Oyston hearing set to begin
JAILED tycoon and ex-Blackpool FC chairman Owen Oyston will be driven out of the gates of Wymott Prison tomorrow morning (Friday Nov 21) - hoping never to return. He will be taken to Brixton Prison in south London where he will spend the weekend before
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Takeaway takeover! But is North's favourite doing us harm?
Food News, with Christine Rutter LANCASTRIANS are the biggest takeaway junkies in the country. A survey has revealed that nearly half of Northerners have takeaways or fast food delivered at least once a week - four times more often than our southern counterparts
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A Romance set on our doorstep
PRESTON author Marjorie Hull's first novel Mistress Jennet is a Lancashire alternative to Gone With Wind. Set in the village of Broughton in the 17th century, it tells of a young woman's struggle to maintain her farm as her husband goes off to fight in
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Super pooch nets drugs worth £20 million
A HEROIC hound has delighted police officers after foiling a gang trying to smuggle £20 million-worth of drugs into Europe. Cocker spaniel Sophie pleased proud instructors at Lancashire Constabulary when they heard she had discovered the huge haul - 20
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Preston Grasshoppers 16 Stourbridge 22
Hoppers failed to come anywhere near last week's performance with a display which had their spectators exasperated long before the end. An uninspiring first half had seen the lead change hands no less than five times with Hoppers' Rob Smith putting his
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A lookback at Preston's 1937/38 season
THIS eagerly awaited derby match against near-neighbours Blackpool arrived at the wrong time for the Seasiders wries Ian Rigby. They had not recorded a victory for nearly three months and consequently had just spent £10,000 in the transfer market the
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Gilly and Carter
WE have some more mysteries for you this week. Keep them coming in. Why is a boxing ring square? Why are things called the bees knees when bees don't have any? If too many cooks spoil the broth, why do many hands make light work? THE police say they're
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Witness appeal after £10,000 raid
POLICE hunting violent robbers who escaped with more than £10,000 from a Penwortham supermarket, have urged witnesses to come forward. Detectives trying to solve the crime have pieced together the escape route used by the two raiders in a bid to jog people's
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Exam scores made public
LEAGUE tables have revealed how many local schools are still falling short of Lancashire exam pass rates. The county average of 44 per cent of pupils achieving five or more GCSE passes at grades A to C stumbled in Darwen, where Darwen Vale and Moorland
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Local Euro MP to stand down in 1999
EURO MP Mike Hindley is stepping down from his Lancashire South seat at the next election in 1999. The controversial MEP, recently at the centre of a gagging row in the European Parliament, launched a broadside on the party when he announced his decision
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Classy Gregan scorcher sets up FA Cup victory
PNE 3, DONCASTER ROVERS 2 IN the end it was a nerve-jangling finish to an FA Cup tie which North End should have had gift wrapped at half-time, writes Tom Parker. In the opening five minutes Preston started at a whirlwind pace and Doncaster were drawn
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Radio link to fight Xmas thieves
MORE Bury traders are being encouraged to "tune in" to a successful radio link which could help drastically cut crime this Christmas. Since the radio link security system was introduced in Bury town centre shops and stores, it has been instrumental in
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£12m facelift for town centre
BURNLEY is poised to win multi-million pound cash backing to boost the town centre and create 200 new jobs. A £2.1 million Euro grant will trigger an extra £10 million private investment to take the centre into the new millennium. Cash will be used to
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FIVE YEARS AGO: Christmas lights row
A ROW over Christmas lights was threatening to kill off the festive spirit between Blackburn and Darwen. Council bosses in Blackburn were labelled Scrooges after giving Darwen a "pathetic" set of decorations. Residents were furious that the town was facing
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Bury slips down the league tables
BURY'S schools have slipped down the performance league tables with worse GCSE results than last year - but they remain above the national average. Using the figure for five or more GCSE passes at A*-C grades as a benchmark, Bury scored an average of
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TEN YEARS AGO: Teen gambling fears
TEENAGERS in East Lancs were being sucked into a life of crime to feed their gambling addiction. That was the claim of Blackburn Councillor Michael Harding who called for tougher new legislation to prevent the alarming increase in teenage gamblers. His
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Trophy honour for Craig
GOALIE Craig Mawson's service to sport and the community earned him the Denis Bamber West Craven Youth Award. Craig, who is 18, combines his skill on the soccer field with a BTEC in business and finance, and a coaching certificate from the Football Association
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Modelling the future
THE artistic handywork of children at Stoneyholme primary school will help forge the future of their own neighbourhood. Pupils at the school were asked to create an enormous model of Stoneyholme and Daneshouse to help town planners who are trying to improve
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Eagles in rugby switch
CULCHETH EAGLES are back flying high in the Rugby League ranks after an absence of six years. Based at the Daten club in the village, they have made an unbeaten start to the season and are making a huge impact in their comeback year. The RL side folded
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£50 refugee family now self-made millionaires
A REFUGEE family success story founded in heartache and fear will be one of thousands celebrated by a Westminster Abbey service today. Ugandan Asian immigrant Yusuf Virmani faced kidnap, chaos and poverty as a result of former President General Idi Amin's
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School in the big league
STAFF and pupils from St Cuthberts RC Community High School are celebrating after being named as one of the nation's top 100 improving schools between 1994 and 1997. Since 1994 the community high school has improved its number of A- C pass grades at GCSE
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Dillon & Co on a romp
ATHERTON RU were somewhat flattered by their 29-7 win against Ormskirk 4ths. Tries from Joe Dillon, Gary Bleekley, Ian O'Donnell and Martin Cleary. Ian Lysons converted three times and landed a penalty. Minis & Midis: U8s drew at Bolton (Scott Fazackerley
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New role for vicar
PENDLE'S new rural dean is to be the Rev Ed Saville, vicar of Brierfield. Mr Saville, 50, takes on the extra role for three years starting in January. He succeeds the Rev Gary Ingram, vicar of Holy Trinity, Colne, who is moving to Morecambe. Mr Saville
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Piping up with ancient riddle
ALAN WHALLEY'S WORLD HERE'S a puzzler that might stump even the most eminent of Antiques Roadshow experts . . . Reader Mrs J.Eden, of Clock Face Road, is seeking information about a remarkable clay pipe with a little tableau running along its six-inch
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Festive fare on the trains
RAIL users are in line for a super Christmas bonus . . . The traditional Merseyrail festive fare is on offer every Thursday evening - a 60p flat return fare anywhere on Merseyside. Merseytravel has wrapped up the seasonal fare package to give rail customers
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Test of patience for rugby fans
GREAT Britain's Test defeat against Australia at Leeds on Sunday proved a double disaster for many Saints' fans - because they arrived at Elland Road just before half-time! (writes Denis Whittle). And I should know, because I was among three coachloads
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Colls pay for missed chances
ATHERTON COLLS fell to a 2-1 home defeat against Vauxhall GM, missed early chances costing them Colls dear. A superb finish on 20 minutes from former Stoneclough striker Paul Davies was the only first half return from a fine performance. Vauxhall levelled
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Dance mum angered by allegations
A DISTRAUGHT mother claims someone is waging a hate campaign to blacken her reputation. Mother of four Halima Richards, from Newton, has run the Newtonian Royals all-girl morris dancing troupe for the last four years and prides herself on her honesty
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Jobs joy as Germany confirms Eurofighter order
AEROSPACE workers in East Lancashire were today on cloud nine after the Eurofighter was cleared for take-off. The German cabinet had approved plans earlier this year to buy 180 of the four-nation aircraft, on which thousands of local jobs depend. And
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Our stars in switch-on
YOUR St Helens Star's very own 'stars' will be lighting up the sky tonight (Thursday, November 20). For our Miss St Helens Starbud Show Princess, four-year-old Zoe Marie Westhead from Haydock, and our Starlad winner, six-year-old Jonathan Griffiths from
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Setting up an aquarium
WALLY ASHCROFT'S Wonder of Pets THERE can be nothing more relaxing than watching a tank full of fish swimming leisurely around. It is a hobby which is gaining more and more in popularity, but setting up that tank is a hit-and-miss affair. Your new tank
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Teletubbies find way home
THE Teletubbies are back home! Heartless thieves stole 4ft high cut-out shapes of the lovable BBC television characters from Holyrood Nursery and Pre-School in Bury Old Road, Prestwich. Youngsters at the nursery, picyured welcoming back their old friends
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Mystery of plane crash solved
ALAN WHALLEY'S WORLD AT last, the great American plane-crash mystery has been officially cleared up for us! That wartime tragedy, in which all aboard were killed, is still a frequent topic of conversation in and around the Sutton area - more than 50 years
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Young artists are Lottery winners
LOCAL schoolchildren are lottery winners after a cash grant to boost art in schools. Youngsters throughout the borough will benefit from the £182,000 grant from the National Lottery through the North West Arts Board's Arts for Everyone Express scheme.
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Blair's cheap bid to steal glory
SURELY, the time has come when, after his disgraceful attempt to steal the glory of the Queen's recent anniversary, Tony Blair is put in his place. The walk-about in London was the Queen's and not a reason for the Prime Minister and his wife to take on
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Sweet sixteen plus!
A LOCAL woman has won herself a top modelling contract after entering a competition "for a laugh"! Susan Carlick (26, pictured) stunned judges in London with her full-bodied 34E-30-42 figure in the Woman Magazine 16+ Model of the Year competition The
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Power to the people!
MEMBERS of a threatened day care centre are to use people power to keep it open. Ramsbottom's Whittle Pike centre is earmarked for closure as part of a social shake-up of day care services. Centre members and staff are asking concerned locals from the
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Brook extinguish Dragons' fire
Eastmoor Dragons 20 Blackbrook 28 BLACKBROOK collected their third away victory of the season in Yorkshire on Saturday. They bounced back from a disappointing defeat at Barrow Island the previous week with five sparkling tries. The game was won in the
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Health cash strategy decided
HEALTH bosses have decided how to share out the extra cash granted to beat bed-blocking this winter. Bury and Rochdale Health Authority have got £1.1 million of the £300 million extra NHS funding announced last month by health secretary Frank Dobson.
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Council branch out with website
BURY Council have gone hi-tech in their latest bid to find out what the public wants from them. They have prepared a document on the Internet, the worldwide computer information web, for people to have their say on council issues. The council are currently
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Finch in seaside special
Blackpool Stanley 6 Haresfinch 18 FINCH bounced back from a woeful performance the previous week to turn in probably their best display of the season in knocking a confident Blackpool side out of the North West Counties Cup. Despite being hampered by
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Police make a sparkling discovery
POLICE in St Helens have recovered a large amount of stolen jewellery and are now appealing for people who have had a break-in this year to come forward as their property may be among recovered items. The haul was discovered following enquiries which
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Into Africa
A HI-TECH Bury company is bringing 21st century light to the Dark Continent. Roy Tynan and Paul Rimmer have landed the job of wiring up deepest Africa to the Internet. It's another triumph for the pair who run the Pixel Factory, which they set up in Bury
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Advice on new gas supply deals
ST HELENS Council's Trading Standards Section are beginning to receive enquiries from St Helens residents about door-to-door salesmen who are attempting to sign-up customers in preparation for Gas De-regulation in February, 1998. Ken Wardale, Chief Trading
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Firemen rescue two-year-old
A TWO-year-old girl was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation after setting fire to bed clothes at her home in Firs Lane, Leigh. Alisha Croft's father was alerted by her screams for help during the Monday lunchtime incident in her bedroom.
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Authority moved by patient power
OPPOSITION has been dispensed with and patient power has ensured a local pharmacy can move shop. More than 350 patients and community figures, including Bury's MPs and councillors, wrote to Bury and Rochdale Health Authority supporting the Bury Pharmacy
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Medal mystery for Sylvia
A LOCAL woman is trying to trace the owner of a medal which she found in the garden of their home almost 40 years ago. Sylvia Morgan, from Legh Road, Haydock, found the medal in the garden of her old home in nearby Mercer Road. She told the Star: "It
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Traders get into Yuletide spirit
ATHERTON Traders Association, celebrating its first anniversary this month, will discuss Christmas lights at Monday's meeting at the Wheatsheaf (5.30pm). Seasonal trees and lights in the town centre will come thanks to council funding. The traders will
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Moss Laners bounce back
Liverpool St Helens 21 Morley 16 LSH returned to winning ways on Saturday at Moss Lane, narrowly beating bottom club Morley in a tight but poor quality game. The margin of victory due to an indisciplined display by the homesters who infringed so frequently
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Park's youngsters shine
Oldershaw 31 West Park 31 FIELDING no fewer than five players under 19, three making their debut, West Park failed by the narrowest of margins to snatch a victory in this Thwaites Northern League game at Belvedere Park on Saturday. A later penalty by
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Bullet proof!
BULLET trains, cutting the journey between Preston and London to just two hours, are claimed to be on the way in the next eight years. Passengers who have railed against the shortcomings of current Fylde Coast train services to London can look forward
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Ron's treat for Saints' fans
SAINTS' supporters searching for that ideal Christmas present for their nearest and dearest need look no further _ thanks to a man who first stood on the Knowsley Road terraces just three seasons ago! For local king-of-the-video-camera Ron Lee has burned
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Parents thank Good Samaritan
GRATEFUL parents are seeking the Good Samaritan who stepped-in to help their stranded daughter. Stuart and Jacqueline Harding's 11-year-old daughter was stuck in Leigh after boarding the wrong bus on her way home from school. Having spent her bus fare
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Connolly on way back to Knowsley Road?
GREAT Britain centre Gary Connolly could be on his way back to Knowsley Road - four years after leaving Saints for arch- rivals Wigan! In a statement to the Star yesterday (Wednesday) a Saints' spokesman said: "I can confirm that we have made a tentative
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Smart cash for three companies
THREE companies from the borough have been awarded a total of more than £230,000 for projects designed to develop new products and processes under the new-look DTI Smart scheme. Hillborn Engineering of Newton-le-Willows were awarded £45,000 for a feasability
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Appeal from the heart
FORMER deputy mayor of Blackpool, Ken Wharmby, has appealed to residents to support the hospital charity which helped to save his life eight years ago. Now 68-years-old, Ken has been living life to the full since his life-saving transplant operation at
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Town hustled out
Glossop North End 3 St Helens Town 1 AFTER an opening sequence of 11 unbeaten league games, Town suffered two defeats in a week. They went down for the first time in midweek at Atherton LR before doing the same in a controversial match at Glossop on Saturday
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Good book to have with you
THE Good Companions Writers Group are launching their first collection of work called 'Your St Helens Travelling Companion Anthology.' This is a joint venture with the St Helens branch of the Multiple Sclerosis Society with all profits from sales going
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Shame of town's lost heritage
IN June, I wrote about the state and future of Blackburn's oldest public house, The King's Head on King Street. This historically important building, almost 250 years old is still in a pathetic and crumbling condition. If it is allowed to become more
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Girls top of league
ONLY one school in Burnley and Pendle scraped into the top 20 of Lancashire schools in the league tables for GCSE exam results. The girls-only school of St Hilda's, Burnley, outshone all its local rivals. With 72 per cent of pupils getting A - C grades
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Outrage after teenager chained to court bars
A 15-YEAR-old boy was chained to the bars of a court window just days after security staff were ordered by the Home Office to change their policy on shackling prisoners, it was claimed today. The boy was allegedly chained to an older prisoner as he waited
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Best of British
BURNLEY has the best swimming pool lifeguards in Britain. A team from the Thompson recreation centre have proved they can cope with emergencies better than anyone else in the country. Keith Hewson, Gail Smith, Scott Bryce and Paul Foster beat 28 teams
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Shrimps bank on Milner
CHRISTIE Park bosses this week dug deep into club funds to secure the record signing of top-rated striker Andy Milner. Morecambe shelled out a whopping £8,000 to get their man in a bid to bolster their challenge for Football League status. Watching Milner
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Partners against crime
OLD folk in Pendle will get personal attack alarms as part of a feel-safe plan against crime. The move came out of talks with local groups and aims to ease pensioners' worries. The driving force behind the project to crack crime in Pendle is the Community
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Judge slates pub violence
A JUDGE has expressed his concern about the amount of late-night violence outside Lancaster and Morecambe's pubs and clubs. When sentencing three men at Preston Crown Court for public order offences, Judge John Appleton said the courts were regularly
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The truancy tracker
TRUANCY could become a thing of the past at high schools in Burnley and Pendle - thanks to computers. Teachers will soon be keeping track of pupils with electronic consoles rather than registers. The shape of things to come can be seen at Mansfield High
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They shall not pass
THE authorities are bracing themselves for a possible repeat of the traveller invasion which brought mayhem to the district last Christmas. Lancaster City Council has joined forces with the police to crack down on the illegal occupation of land. The co-ordinated
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That sinking feeling
IT was more like a dunk than a splash when Blackpool's newest radio station prepared to take to the airwaves again. Splash FM, which went down a storm when it broadcast for four weeks during the summer, has been granted another temporary licence and to
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Chernobyl aid plan
AN international appeal has been launched by a Lancashire economic development firm to help provide a future for the people of Chernobyl. Enterprise plc is raising finance for an investment firm to support the launch of new businesses and the creation
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Save our shelter
A MUCH-LOVED old shelter could be demolished because of hordes of rowdy youths who congregate there and intimidate residents. The shelter on the corner of Highbury Road East and Kilnhouse Road in St Annes, which has been there for as long as many of the
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World stage beckons Lewis
BURY'S flyweight boxing sensation Ady Lewis goes into his biggest fight to date with a chilling warning for his French opponent - "I'm raring to go and have never felt better!" The British and Commonwealth Flyweight champion takes on European title holder
