Archive
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Jason's Match of the Day
RUGBY League scrum-half Jason Donohue met his match at Hilton Park on Wednesday - just four days after his last visit ended with him being sent off! Ex-Leigh star Jason, 27, married Leigh Centurions physio Karen Williams (pictured) in the first-ever wedding
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Golden neighbours are such good friends
FOUR Blackburn pals have stayed together through thick and thin to achieve the double gold. Friends and neighbours George and Mabel Taylor and Joe and Joan Baldwin have lived next door to each other in Livesey Branch Road for more than 40 years. And the
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Victories with a difference
WALSHAW and Adlington continued their neck-and-neck battle at the top of the Association with two contrasting wins on Saturday. A superb bowling performance from pro Jonathan Fielding put Walshaw on their way to a relatively easy win over Golborne, but
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Today's the day!
A look back at events in history on May 28 with Mike Badham. 1660: George the First was born. He was the Elector of Hanover when, at 55, he was brought to England to be king and thus keep the Catholic Stuarts out. He was fond of fat women. He never learned
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Sir Cyril drums up support
POLITICAL heavyweight Sir Cyril Smith joined shoppers in Colne yesterday to encourage them to turn out and vote in the forthcoming European elections. The former Liberal MP for Rochdale joined the Liberal Democrat's lead candidate for the North West,
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New mercy crew director
LANCASHIRE'S emergency ambulance service has a new man at the wheel. Anthony Marsh has been appointed director of accident and emergency services by the Lancashire Ambulance Service NHS Trust. He replaces Bernard Glenholme, who has taken early retirement
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Death crash drink driver jailed
A BLACKBURN man who admitted causing the death of his partner when he drove after having a large amount of alcohol has been jailed for three years. Mother-of-four Elizabeth Allen, 27, was killed when the E-reg Austin Montego in which she was a passenger
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Werherall is a target
LEEDS United central defender David Wetherall could well figure on Brian Kidd's summer hit-list, once the Blackburn Rovers boss has sorted out his signing priorities. Wetherall, an experienced top-flight player with more than 200 senior appearances to
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New headteacher appointed at high school
RADCLIFFE High has appointed a new head to take the school into the new millennium. Mr Graham Rollinson will take over from Mrs Glenda Parker when she steps down at the end of the school year after seven years in charge. And he says his main priority
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It's hip to be safe on roads
S'COOLto be safe! That's the life-saving message given to children in a fast-moving, interactive road safety play which toured Lancashire schools this week. The Catalyst Theatre Company presented the play S'Cool to be Safe on the Roads to children at
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Dropped catch proves costly for Preston
PRESTON'S recent run of good form in the league suffered a setback when Lancaster won comfortably by five wickets at South Meadow Lane. (Preston 142-9 Lancaster 144-5). Lancaster captain David Heywood won the toss and put Preston in to bat, a decision
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Play your cards right
BURY police have invested £1,000 in a campaign to ensure teenagers play their cards right. The money, drawn from Greater Manchester Police's Shrievalty Trust, will help to stamp out under-age drinking and smoking in the new Millennium. By the year 2000
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Thanks for the bath
MAY we, through your letters page, thank all the people who responded to our recent appeal for a tin bath? We have now acquired an ideal bath from a very kind gentleman in Carnforth. We must apologise to those people whom we were unable to respond to,
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Have a healthy holiday
BANK Holiday visits to the countryside can lead to illness, according to Bury health bosses. Now Bury's environmental services department has joined with Bury and Rochdale Health Authority to issue some simple guidelines to ensure that a happy holiday
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Walk to school kids - it's fun!
AROUND 150,000 children across Lancashire ditched bikes, buses and cars, and strode to school on foot as part of National Walk to School Week. Organised locally by the county council's TravelWise, the scheme has become an important date in the school
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Subtle and complex issues seem to escape some
IN response to Joanne Donnelly and others in last week's Citizen. Essentially what I'm saying is that we should weigh our words carefully, particularly when tempted to single out individuals for blame. Of course politicians have to be accountable and
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Winning a fight
PRESTON disability group PUKAR has finally been housed in new premises after a fight for survival. Appeals in the Citizen led to the ethnic minority disability group raising enough funds for a three-month stay in a town centre council-owned property which
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Back on the boneshaker trail
SO our local motor-bus network did have its roots in the Sutton Manor district, as had been suspected all along by pensioner Daniel Cunningham (79) from Sherdley Park. Daniel revealed - this page, April 22 - that he still has hazy boyhood memories of
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Lodge a complaint
YOUR correspondent Fred Webster (Citizen May 20) writes a lot of nebulous stuff about asking the wrong questions and dreaming up so many unworkable answers but the one dogmatic assertion he makes is that councillors' main motivation is "not to run the
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Builder: we'll put horror house right
A HOUSING developer has responded to the complaints of a Radcliffe couple who claimed their dream home had turned into a house of horror. As reported in last week's Bury Times, 38-year-old Mr Mark Grace was so upset with the condition of his Elite Homes
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Rescued refugees tell of Kosovo killings
DEVASTATED Kosovar refugees have re-lived the full horror of the crisis in their homeland - as the people of East Lancashire put a comforting arm of friendship around them. Men, women and children gathered in the peaceful gardens of Calderstones - their
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We'll carry on working for the area's elderly
COUNCILLOR Bob Clark's phobian letter (Citizen: May 20) citing my response to enquiries from your editorial team lacks definition although I respect it was well intended. My ' in-depth' discussions with Social Services, residents of the homes and their
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It's divine inspiration for Jean
IT was poetic justice for a budding writer after scooping the title as the town's poetry champion. Jean Turner, of Severn Drive, Walton-le-Dale, could not believe her luck when two of her poems were picked as the best in the bunch in a top competition
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Newcomer has learned so much, so quickly!
AS a newcomer to the area I have been struck by the obvious efforts recently made to make Lancaster and Morecambe more attractive places to live, such as the work on the front at Morecambe, and the pedestrianisation of town centres. If the former Labour
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Kind words are appreciated
IT would indeed be remiss of me were I not respond to the letter written by my successor in Redvales Ward, Councillor John Smith (Bury Times, May 21). My powers of communication are much diminished compared to my pre-accident days of August 1998, but
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David's king of the mountain
CONQUERING the rocky heights of Ben Nevis might sound like a tough task but, for a local roofer, the job is right up his street. David Dilworth, 47, scales heights every day as a roofing contractor for his firm, Dilworth Brothers, in Chapel Street, Longton
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Champion for Millennium
A publishing company is looking for the Leigh poetry champ of the Millennium. One writer will represent each of the nation's towns in The National Poetry Anthology. Entry is free. Editor, Peter Quinn, said: "We're looking for poems on any subject, but
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A bit of respect costs nothing
I AM writing to let parents in the Limefield Brow area of Bury know of the abuse I have been subjected to in recent weeks, by children who were certainly no more than nine or ten-years-old. Some elderly residents have told me that this is quite commonplace
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Signs of the times
DRIVERS on the M6 motorway have a new deterrent to speeding - 1,270 motorists have already been caught driving too fast through roadworks. And the Highways Agency will erect a sign between junctions 27 and 28, informing motorists how many people have
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Death crash witness plea
A LEIGH driver has been killed in a North Wales coastroad crash. And the funeral of Ernie Clarke, 71, took place on Thursday at Overdale. Mr Clarke, who was accompanied by his pet dog when the crash happened last Thursday evening on the A548 at Oakenholt
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Now it's safety first
ROAD safety could soon form part of the National Curriculum in Lancashire's schools after a pilot scheme aimed at teenagers in Leyland was hailed a resounding success. Runshaw College, on Langdale Road, has incorporated road safety into its curriculum
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Play area deadline draws near...
RAILTRACK management trainees have just one day left to create an imaginative play area at Moor Park High School. The trainees were challenged to transform the Preston school's playground into a new year seven play area - and give a 'changing rooms' touch
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Win a monster chance to be a photo star
HOW would you like the chance of having your little monster immortalised in print and being a celebrity for a day? Publishing company Psychic Frog has teamed up with the Citizen, Little Monsters and Olan Mills - the world's biggest photographic company
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Awards prove that our pupils care
I AM writing to express my congratulations to the recipients of the country's first gold awards, given by the British Epilepsy Association to eight of our "Family of Schools". These awards are particularly timely coming in National Epilepsy Week. There
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Fire strike threat cools
A STRIKE threat by Lancashire firefighters has been averted for the time being after firefighters opted for conciliation talks with ACAS. Firefighters are angry at plans to introduce new working conditions which could be adopted by Lancashire Fire and
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Euro cash bid 'vital for town'
MILLIONS could be pumped into some of Preston's most deprived areas if Lancashire County Council is successful in its bid for much-needed Euro cash. County council chiefs want 11 wards in Preston to be given Objective Two status, entitling them to millions
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Have they learned anything at all?
WHAT lessons have been learned following the recent local election results? Not many I fear! How to be gracious in defeat perhaps... er maybe not. One fundamental lesson that should be learned though is that when you are representing the public it is
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Trainers accused of red tape madness
A PRESTON businessman claims a local training organisation - designed to help people run their own businesses - is leaving would-be workers on the street because of red tape madness. Ilyas Sakaria, who runs Direct Business Services, a company which provides
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Firebomb is hurled into club
A YOUTH group leader has spoken of her horrifying experience when a make-shift firebomb - made by 11-year-olds - was thrown into a Preston church hall being used for a boys brigade meeting. The incendiary device was hurled into the hall at Brookfield
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Company bosses banned
A LEYLAND man has been disqualified as a company director for six years and another man for ten years. Andrew Martin, of Burlington Gardens, and Bruce Tyson Blackburn, formerly of Orchard Street, were disqualified in respect of their conduct as directors
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Darts and dominoes
LYTHAM Leisure Centre secured the best win of the season with a convincing 20-4 victory over newcomers Our Lady to advance from third position to head the table of the Lytham St Annes Darts and Dominoes Summer League. Results: Ansdell Institute 9, Lytham
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'We got soaked but had a good time'
TAKE a trip down memory lane to the 1952 Preston Guild, with former weaver Marjorie Amriding, as part of this week's readers recollections. Born and bred in Preston, Marjorie was just 16 years old when she started work as a weaver in Emerson Road Mill
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PRO-WRESTLER Shak Khan from Blackpool, current mid-heavyweight Asian wrestling champion Azad Kashmir
Khan's opponent is Robbie Michaels from Liverpool who has a reputation for being a real street fighter. It's not for the faint hearted. Spirit of Champions takes place at Audley Sports Centre in Blackburn tomorrow night at 7.15pm. Tickets available by
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Guinea pig doc killed himself
A 'GUINEA pig' doctor who was paid to take part in medical drug trials committed suicide after suffering from years of severe depression. Bright Kevin Antony Valiant, 35, developed depression and ME - known as 'yuppy flu' - after taking interferon, drugs
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Parent power and junior grit
ST ANNES IV - hugely depleted by shortages throughout the club - turned to a mixture of parent power and junior grit to earn a superb win in Fylde League division 2 against Wyre. Ian McCabe, father of hat-tricks hero Paul and former first team strike
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Game Zone
SEGA'S new Dreamcast console is making many, many friends in the gaming world. Around 50 third-party publishers have already signed on the dotted line and have games in development for the super-console. A large number of them are driving games, with
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Twin towers date for Collegiate girls
THIS Saturday (May 29) at Wembley Stadium Adidas is holding the first ever girls Predator Community Cup Final for under 13s. This offers a unique opportunity to view the very best, up-and-coming UK female soccer players set to become the future generation
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Gutsy performance
A FURTHER five changes were forced on St Annes IV for this Wareing Cup first round match against Comrades, following their spirited win of the previous day and this gutsy young side seriously looked like snatching it. John Dougall, with a resolute 23,
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Junior soccer awards
OUR Lady JFC annual awards: Player of the Year - Josh Hanlon (U8s), Brett Zimmerman (U9s), Steve Creelman (U10s), Rob McLean (U11s), Daniel Fishwick (U12s), Alistair Rutherford (U13s), Adrian Cox (U15s). Team Man - Richard Horrocks (U8s), Steve Ettrick
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It's only natural
IN making his exaggerated claims about sparrowhawks, Brian Tattersall of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association says that a few decades ago they "never had any problems with sparrowhawks" (Letters, May 17). He fails to point out that the reason for this
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RIBBLESDALE LEAGUE CRICKET: India can make final: Shantanu
GREAT HARWOOD professional Shantanu Sugwekar is backing India to make it to the final of the cricket World Cup. The 31-year-old opening batsman watched in awe as fellow countrymen Saurav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid took Sri Lanka apart at Taunton on Wednesday
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Rogan may be back
ANTON Rogan, released at the end of the season by Blackpool, could well be on his way back to the club. The injury-prone defender struggled to make it into Pool's first team but impressed towards the end of the season with some fine defensive displays
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Small-sided soccer round-up
IN Division A of the Rossall Sixes league The Untouchables stay in the lead after they beat Kings Arms FC 2-1. Holbro FC picked up the points from their game when they beat Carter Engineering 3-0 and stay in second on goal difference. Supreme Plastics
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Sporting honours for pupils
TWO of the county's most promising sportsmen, both from King Edward VII School, Lytham, have been recognised by Lancashire Schools' selectors. Badminton king Mark Womersley, aged 15, was presented with the Old Lidunians' trophy, presented annually to
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Parents - don't give up
REGARDING your article (LET, May 17) about allocation of secondary school places, two years ago we went through the same experience. Our son went to St Stephen's Primary School at Little Harwood and, like many parents, assumed that he would go to Pleckgate
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Sweet memories
I TOOK a trip back to childhood this week. I picked-n-mixed some of my favourite sweets of the Fifties, just to see if the fond memory of those wonderful tastes was real - a swizzles lolly, fruit salad, black jacks, a sherbet fountain, refreshers, palma
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Cornall at a canter
CHRIS Cornall was instrumental in Blackpool cantering to victory in the third round of the National Knockout Cup at Fulwood on Sunday (May 23). Replying to Fulwood and Broughton's modest 117-9 from their 45 overs, Cornall faced only 74 balls, struck two
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Park set for earliest start
ALMOST before the ink is dry on last season's league table with West Park once again just missing the single promotion spot from Thwaites North West Division One (level seven) the earliest ever start to pre-season training has been set at Tuesday June
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Cashing-in on pay-offs
A PRISON warder is the latest to jump on the suing bandwaggon. The woman, who guarded the evil Rose West during her trial, has claimed that having to listen to the horrific details of the crimes committed caused her to have a nervous breakdown - so she
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Barr blasts Sutton to victory
RUBEROID Sutton Cricket Club moved up to third place in the league with an excellent win against Cheshire Lines. Batting first, Sutton started well with 39 for the loss of the first wicket. The score progressed and Kieron Barr and Sean Anders were looking
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Developers pull out of superstore appeal
SUPERMARKET developers have pulled out of a planning inquiry over a proposed Poulton store, less than three weeks before it was due to take place. But Trinity Investments are still submitting a second, smaller application for the same site at the corner
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Candidate warns: I'll be thorn in Labour side
AFTER the Andrews liver salts have been applied to the election hangovers, I have no doubt the Labour Party representing Leigh East ward will be sitting down and asking itself questions. One such question could be how come an unknown, rank outsider with
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Intruder alert
A CLAMPDOWN on repeat burglaries on the Fylde Coast has been launched, targeting the victims themselves. People whose homes have been broken into are being sent burglary alert packs by Lancashire Police in a bid to stop them being targeted again, as is
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St Helens win at a canter
ST HELENS CC strolled to victory against Maghull on Saturday. Any hope of Maghull extracting revenge for their previous defeat in the Penketh Trophy disappeared in a good early spell of fast bowling from Steve Jordan (2-17) and Gary Sheppard (2-17) which
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US should foot the bill
AS if the bombing in Kosovo wasn't already costing us taxpayers a fortune, we now have thousands of refugees flooding in to this country, stretching our already struggling welfare services to breaking point with handouts and free accommodation. Yet pensioners
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Way to the Shay . . .
TAKE exit 24 from M62 travelling east. Follow Eureka signs. The Shay is on the left about half a mile before reaching Eureka. Parking at Glyn Webb store is £2. Seating is £10 and £7, standing £9 and £5 (£2 with voucher). Converted for the new archive
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Verity joins the 'royal' family
WHEN Verity Brown is crowned rose queen of St Christopher's Church she will be carrying on a family tradition which has spanned more than 30 years. It was back then that her aunts Carol Thornber and Iris Lightbown (then Eales) took the honour at the very
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Haydock steamroll on
UNBEATEN now in three games the Haydock juggernaut keeps rolling as both first and second elevens enjoyed another successful weekend. On Saturday the first team entertained Winstanley Park and came away with a four-wicket win. Dave Cross, the Haydock
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Pulling a pitiful sight
BLACKPOOL landaus may have had their check-up for roadworthiness and been given the OK (Citizen, May 20), but what about the health of the poor horses who have to pull them up and down the Promenade all season? In the 1880s when this mode of transport
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Feast of rugby action
THERE'S a big weekend of amateur Rugby League in store at Bobbies Lane. For St Helens Crusaders are hosting a 10-a-side festival. Competitions cover all the age groups, ranging from under eights through to open age. Play starts at 10am on Saturday and
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Future is fuzzy for ice ducks
CASH strapped ice skaters are appealing for sponsorship in a bid to rescue what could be a unique display sport. Each week The Fuzzy Ducks take to the ice for an hour's rehearsal before whizzing about Britain and the rest of Europe to show off their skills
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Pool developments
MORECAMBE MP Geraldine Smith will meet parents concerned about the future of Hornby, Carnforth and Heysham swimming pools. The MP will meet with the parents on Wednesday, June 2. In the meantime the campaigners are sending letters to a number of councillors
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Signs of a bad driver
WHY do many motorists find it so difficult to use their indicators correctly? The other day I was walking near the junction of Victoria Road West and Princess Road in Cleveleys. As I looked back, there were three cars following each other. The first indicated
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Saints back on track
Castleford Tigers 14 Saints 33 SLICK-HANDLING Saints redeemed themselves in style for the 'blip' against Wakefield with this superb six-try victory at Wheldon Road. They were in control throughout, and the game was a personal triumph for winger Chris
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Search for relatives
WE are trying to find living relations from the Lancashire area and hope Citizen readers will be able to help. In 1908, George Frederick Williams (born 1907) left Liverpool with his parents, Sophia and John George Williams (born 1881) on the Rippingham
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A LANCASTER woman neglected her alsatian dog to the point where half of its body was covered in sore
Suzanne Clifton's husband refused to give her money to feed herself, her children or the dog and became violent if she spent any time with it, the defending solicitor told magistrates. And he described how, when Mrs Clifton left him, her ex husband -
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Best foot forward
LANCASTER and Morecambe College is appealing for people to join their sponsored Cross Bay walk on June 12. The walk, which starts from Bolton-le-Sands at 3pm, is to raise funds for the completion of a training flat for people with disabilities. The £40,000
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Batsmen to rescue for Recs
ST HELENS Recs held on for a draw at Worsley on Saturday. After winning the toss captain Morrison invited the home side to bat on a dry flat wicket. The Worsley batsmen then proceeded to enjoy themselves as the Recs bowlers struggled. Australian opener
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The plot thickens over allotment dispute
UPROOTED gardeners are angry they can't move on to new allotments. Former Leys Road allotment-holder Doreen Taylor had to give up her plot in February when Blackpool Council closed the North Shore site to make way for housing. But all the Leys Road allotment-holders
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Tarty truckers' show
SINGING truck drivers The Heathrow Flyers are swapping their denims and boots for gymslips and stilettos to transform themselves into schoolgirls for an outrageous charity show. Band members Les Brown and Chris Lima, who are both from Accrington, will
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Killing: Death gang pay price
THREE men were today beginning prison sentences totalling 22 years for their part in the beating and killing of teenager Sajjad Mahmood. A leading detective said that criminals in Accrington had been so disgusted by the killing that they supplied police
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Rugby League: Lions bid to stay on track
THE Lions face the long trip to Cumbria on Sunday as they bid to keep their mini-revival on track. Mike Gregory's men head for Workington on the back of a morale-boosting 31-24 derby victory over Oldham Roughyeds at Gigg Lane. It was only their fifth
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Time to play the game, says Bishop
THE Bishop of Manchester has likened the church to football. Officiating at a confirmation service at Tyldesley Parish Church, the Rt Rev Christopher Mayfield, said that with Christian values we need to be on the pitch, as in soccer, and take part in
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Hans on deck for easy win!
Preston 142-9 Lancaster 144-5 LANCASTER had a comfortable five wickets victory over Preston at South Meadow Lane. Put in to bat by David Heywood, Lancaster had Preston reeling at 16 for 3. The Preston captain and professional Manoh Parekh and Ben Harrison
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New stand opens at Haydock
HAYDOCK Park is marking the opening of its new £3 million Centenary Grandstand with the introduction of one of the richest races in its calendar. The meetings tomorrow and Saturday see the first use of the new grandstand that replaces the former County
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New life for Street site
BLACKPOOL'S axed Magic of Coronation Street attraction could be the venue for a new Pleasure Beach thrill ride. Resort planning chairman George Bancroft said he understood Pleasure Beach boss Geoffrey Thompson may be interested in developing a new "dark
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Chip fest scheduled
MORECAMBE'S newest summer festival will be celebrating that Great British institution - fish and chips. In an attempt to attract grease-loving gastronomes to the seaside resort, tourism bosses have dreamt up the Great British Fish and Chips Feast. People
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Killing: Family proud of hard-working son
SAJJAD Mahmood was a hard-working teenager with everything to live for, his distraught mother said today. One of the family's proudest moments was when Sajjad, 18, a former student at Accrington and Rossendale College, received an award from Hyndburn
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Tennis: Beaten Brook are a shining example
THERE will be no local interest in today's Premier Division final of the National Clubs League at the Hampshire Tennis Club, Southampton. Holcombe Brook's ladies' and men's teams finished fourth and fifth in their respective divisions following their
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Boost for Billinge
BILLINGE boosted their West Lancashire League title hopes with a fine win over Singlehurst. Batting first on a lively track, the Middlhurst brothers, Steve and Shaun set Billinge up in fine style. Steve hammered 70 and Shaun blaste 50 as Billinge reached
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Andy revs up for German mission
ST HELENS race driver Andy Middlehurst is bound for Germany this weekend to compete at the legendary Nurburgring. It will be a test race for Andy's new Nissan Skyline GTR prior to taking part in the big 24-hour race there on June 5/6. St Helens Nissan
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Sign of the times
MORECAMBE'S multi agency resource centre, Signposts, has celebrated its fifth birthday. Based at the heart of the West End community, Signposts gives support, information and advice to local people in matters such as employment, welfare rights and leisure
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Concentration
FUMING Lancashire Lynx boss Steve Hampson wants his players to sit through a video of their weekend defeat by Batley Bulldogs. A ninth successive defeat for Lynx has left the coach fretting and wondering just where the problem is. He is hoping his players
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Emergency? Now we're open all hours
OPEN all hours shopping traits have killed-off a chemists' tradition. Consultations between Wigan and Bolton Health Authority and the Local Pharmaceutical Committee have resulted in them dropping the Sunday chemist rota in Atherton and Tyldesley. After
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Succour and supper
THE local branch of International Aid have organised a hot pot supper and audio visual presentation of their work. The group, which has recently collected 30 tons of humanitarian aid for refugees in Albania, is hoping to attract more supporters and helpers
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Battle stations at the junction
CAMPAIGNERS are to oppose the planned Xanadu station. Leigh Green Party and other local groups met residents recently to formulate a battle plan over the proposed Kenyon Junction Station. It was decided in principle to the proposal "No Xanadu-No Station
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Alexander's four tries not enough
FOUR tries scored by stand off Neil Alexander were not enough to save Lynx from their ninth consecutive defeat in front of their lowest crowd of the season. Conceding more than 40 points again wouldn't exactly leave you oozing confidence that Lynx were
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101 and 'brilliant' - that's Ada
BUSY bee Ada Hilton celebrated her 101st birthday with a party on Tuesday. Residents and staff of Alderwood Residential Home, Boothstown, toasted their "brilliant" old lady. Ada, who initially went into the home for two weeks when it opened four years
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Why I want to wine on about age
Shelley Wright takes a wry look at life STOP - before you read any further, I need you to take part in a little test. Have a good look at my picture at the top of this page and ask yourself how old you think I am. Go on, cover up the next couple of paragraphs
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Venture growth
VENTURE capital group 3i, which has stakes in several East Lancashire firms, has enjoyed a profits rise. The group, which owns shares in firms including Ultraframe of Clitheroe and Inter Link Foods of Blackburn made annual pre-tax profits of £136.6 million
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Treble delight
Lancaster 12 Rotherham 8 FORGET Manchester United. Lancaster water polo team achieved a domestic treble of their own last weekend with a victory in the final of the ASA knockout Trophy held at Slat Ayre Leisure Centre. About two hundred enthusiastic spectators
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Green is for go!
A £200,000 boost will help East Lancashire firms go green. The East Lancashire Business Environment Network has secured the cash from Europe. ELBEN aims to help small and medium sized companies comply with environmental laws, access grants to improve
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Big night out for the STARS
THE St Helens Royal Naval Association is holding a charity night in aid of the STAR Childrens Centre in College Street. It will be staged at the Royal Naval Club, Volunteer Street, on Saturday, June 12 and will include a 60s/70s disco, bingo and a prize
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Lancaster goes wild
LANCASTER will be the scene of some wild African rhythms on June 12. Kids Ceilidhs in Lancaster, which was formed to bring folk dance to children in Lancaster, has won a grant to bring Raymond Otto to Lancaster. Raymond comes from the black township of
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Christley to sue council
FORMER tourism chief David Christley is to sue the city council for a six figure sum following his controversial sacking for alleged gross misconduct the Citizen can exclusively reveal. Christley, who recently ran as an independent candidate in the local
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Blanket response for Kosovo refugees
MEMBERS of St Helens Soroptimists International let their knitting needles do the talking when they answered a plea by Children's Aid Direct for blankets to send out to Kosovan refugees. The Soroptimists enlisted friends, family and business associates
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Angry dad's knife threats - court
AN AGITATED father-of-two who uttered threats to stab people was found by a police officer to have a five-inch bladed knife up his sleeve. Stanley Gallagher, 24, had been followed by the officer and shouted to him: "I'm going to get a knife," Burnley
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Bad hand played in drug deal
A MORECAMBE traveller who stole from a man he was conducting business with in Gloucester, has been hit in the pocket by a judge. At Gloucester Crown Court, Thomas Allison, 22, of Hillcart Lane Caravan Site, admitted theft of keys, car stereo equipment
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Fun club gets under way
THE District Primary School in Patterson Street, Newton-le-Willows, has set up an After School Fun Club to run from Tuesday, June 1 to Friday, June 11. Activities will include painting, water games, learning about animals and nature walks. Charges are
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Farmland walk guide
BURY has one entry in a new guide to farmland walks published this week. The walks are part of more than 1,500 throughout the country giving access to normally enclosed farmland for which farmers are paid by the Ministry of Agriculture. The Bury walk
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That's neat!
BURY'S top Young Enterprise squad has done the borough proud. "Tiger Feet", made of up of eight Bury College students with learning disabilities, emerged runner-up in the area finals of the scheme. At the end of last month, the team beat other colleges
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Thinking caps on please
THE St Helens and District branch of the British Diabetic Association stages its annual general meeting on Wednesday, June 2, starting at 8pm in St Helens Town Hall. This will be the last meeting before the summer break and will be followed by a quiz
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Success for Andrea
HAIRDRESSER Andrea Rothwell is proving that a disability and the discouragement of school teachers are no barrier to success. After her teachers suggested Andrea's hearing problems would make a career in hairdressing unsuitable, she refused to let go
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Waiting at the church
ALL the wedding day planning in the world couldn't have predicted being jilted at the altar by the vicar - but that's exactly what happened to one unlucky couple. Around 80 guests, watched in amazement at Carl Hailstone and bride-to-be Jane Pye's big
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Amy takes the helm
ST HELENS Floral Art Society have appointed Mrs Amy Bate as their new president. A founder member and long-serving committee member, Mrs Bate was presented with her badge of office by chairman, Mrs Beryl Barton. Her first meeting as president is at the
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Saints out to add to Bluesox woes
SUPER League leaders Saints are determined that round 13 will not prove an unlucky omen when they travel to Halifax Bluesox on Sunday, kick-off 3pm. And Saint have good reason to be confident, having won 11 of their 12 games as opposed to Fax, who have
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Best 40 minutes of Leigh's season!
Leigh Centurions 27 Hull KR 20 IAN Millward needed to do something out of the ordinary (writes MIKE HULME). As Leigh went in for the half time break trailing 20-10, coach Millward gave his side a verbal rocket. "That's the first time this season I've
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Female first for Margaret
A BURY woman has brought to an end more than 200 years of female-free partnerships at a local firm of solicitors. Mother-of-four Mrs Margaret Mahon has become the first woman ever to be appointed a partner with Manchester Road-based Woodcock and Sons.
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Haydock Park gets a new look
HAYDOCK Park Racecourse's sparkling new £3 million Centenary Grandstand opens to the public today (Friday, May 28). The new structure, which replaces the 100-year-old County Stand, has taken 10 months to build and racegoers will be able to use it for
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Soccer: Tigers chasing Lutel James
BURY boss Neil Warnock has rubbished claims that striker Lutel James is about to join Hull City. Press reports on the east coast have linked the Third Division club with the former Hyde United ace but the Shakers chief categorically denied receiving any
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Borough nearer to democracy
DEMOCRACY day is drawing nearer for residents and groups who want to have more say on local affairs. Six new area boards for the borough will officially come into existence next month after years of anticipation. Town hall bosses are still thrashing out
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School is on the upgrade
OFSTED inspectors have described Sutton Community High School as "a good school" and added that "its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses." The school, which caters, for more than 1,300 pupils, was found to have made good progress since its last appraisal
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Cricketing suicide
BLACKPOOL committed their own version of cricketing suicide in their Vaux Northern League Division One game at Chorley on Saturday (May 22). Wickets were gratuitously thrown away like confetti as the team subsided from a most promising 104-3 to a miserable
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Lol loves his new 'limo'
GLIDING around town in a civic Rolls-Royce was once par for the course for a former mayor, but he now proudly possesses his own version - a 'souped-up' electronic wheelchair model! For the courage of ex-soldier Lawrence Tucker, who was paralysed by a
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Health watchdog demands action
SOME local NHS patients are having to wait up to 169 weeks for a general outpatient assessment with a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, according to a report produced by the College of Health. This is despite the fact that, according to the Patients Charter
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Ladies Bowls
LATEST results from Leigh Ladies Bowling League: Tyldesley 159 Atherton Park 101 (R Sutton 21 D Fairhurst 9, A Berry 21 S Prescott 19, D Smith 21 S Greenough 7, E Schofield 21 M Sale 17, L Littlewood 18 E Burton 21, B Lardner 15 S Naughton 21, J Houghton
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Sub-postmaster is committed for trial
A SUB-postmaster is facing trial on allegations of the theft of £101,627 and 90 benefit books. Richard Lofthouse, 36, of Riddings Avenue, Worsthorne, appeared before magistrates at Burnley today and was committed to the crown court. He has been sub-postmaster
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League top spot
ASTLEY and Tyldesley are three points clear at the top of Leigh & District Midweek Bowling League. Wins against Hindley Green Social and Atherton Conservatives secured top spot, with nearest rivals Bedford Village losing at Leigh Bowling B. Results
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Silage pollution plea to farmers
FARMERS are being urged to help prevent pollution by taking special care when making silage in the coming weeks. The Environment Agency says silage effluent can be 200 times more polluting than untreated sewage. Very small amounts can devastate stream
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Flood victory - but fight goes on
FLOOD victims whose homes were swamped with raw sewage have won a £200,000 compensation battle. Five households in Merton Grove, Astley sued North West Water Authority for the drop in value of their £50,000 homes caused by flooding six years ago. Now
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Surgery staff shining bright
STAFF at a GP surgery were given the perfect tonic today after they were singled out as a shining example of good practice in the NHS. Shadsworth Road Surgery in Blackburn has been awarded Beacon status for the excellence of its information management
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Firebugs target yard for ninth time
A "SERIAL" arsonist is threatening to force a thriving Bury business to close. Fire-raisers have targeted motor salvage dealers RM Stansfield Enterprises nine times in the past year. In the latest attack (pictured), on Tuesday evening, 150 cars worth
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Attack on wife with a baby in arms
A FATHER-of-eight attacked his estranged wife with a shoe as she cradled a baby in her arms, a court heard. Burnley magistrates were told how schizophrenic Mahmud Ali, 44, heard voices and believed Ayetera Begum and her family were using magic to hurt
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Diamond couple's seaside love match double
LIKE mother like daughter could be the rule when it comes to romance on the female side of 83-year-old Stella Whitehouse's family. She found true love that has lasted 60 years in the ballroom at Blackpool Tower and some years later when her daughter Joyce
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Fitness guru is Business Person of the Year
FITNESS queen Louise Brooks crowned a personal success story by being named Bolton and Bury's Business Person of the Year. The 36-year-old triumphed over stiff competition to take the coveted award at the annual Bolton and Bury Business Awards 1999, held
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Another 150 refugees arrive
VOLUNTEERS and council staff have been working round the clock to prepare temporary homes for more Kosovar refugees who arrived in East Lancashire today. More than 150 men, women and children touched down at Manchester Airport this morning carrying what
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Revamped market shapes up
BURY'S £5 million revamped market is rapidly shaping up for the new millennium. After months of disruption, traders are moving into new stalls around the perimeter of its centrepiece, a new fish and meat hall. Mr John Ayres, markets manager, said: "Everyone
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Dad's ashes go missing at parlour
A GRIEVING Preston man is facing a distressing battle as he tries to retrieve his father's remains following the disappearance of a local funeral director. Mick Sumner had asked Steven Poole, of Steven Poole Funerals, based in Plungington Road, Preston
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Fun ahoy at carnival
BUSINESSES will say a big "thank you" to the people of Radcliffe when they get in on the act at the town's annual shindig. With just a week to go, members of Radcliffe Traders' Association are planning a fun-packed programme of events on June 5 to complement
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Sales better than last season
BURNLEY are on course to better last year's total of season-ticket sales, with the fans rallying round Stan Ternent's side after their fighting finish to the Second Division campaign. Last year's sales totalled 6,300 and with tomorrow being the final
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Man's death is still a mystery
THE sudden death of a 28-year-old Blackburn man will remain a mystery after an inquest was told that a leading Home Office pathologist had been unable to determine the cause of death. Doctor William Lawler told the inquest into the death of Peter Byrom
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Theme to dwell on
BYGONE old dwellings - and cottages in particular - seem to hold particular fascination for customers of this column. Perhaps this is because so many were swept from the St Helens scene by modern redevelopment schemes, especially during the frantic 'fifties
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Tickled by old Feathers gang
THE old Feathers pub collected colourful characters like a stray cat gathers fleas. They abounded amid the foaming pint pots and glugging optics of that now-demolished St Helens watering hole of a million memories. A Kitchener Street correspondent, who
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Near miss for young players
YOUNG footballers had a lucky escape when the suspension broke on a bus bringing them back from a European tournament. Fifty-three members of Bury Rangers Junior FC were about to travel home from Dover in a double-decker that could have overturned at
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Privacy plea at school
PARENTS have blasted a local primary school for failing to provide sufficient facilties for older pupils. Concerned mums and dads have joined forces with a local councillor to persuade Lea County Primary School headteacher Graham Rowson to install sanitary
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Flocking in for a week of folkert
MUSIC enthusiasts from across the country will converge on Clitheroe next weekend for the annual folk festival. The Clitheroe Folk Festival, supported by the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, takes place from June 4 to 6 and promises street entertainment,
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Choice should be based on facts tempered by experience
I WISH to reply to the letter headed "Fox holes" in the Citizen (May 20). The writer seems to insinuate that the campaign launched by other parents and myself with regard to secondary school allocations is motivated by snobbishness. Unfortunately she
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Wardens wanted on estate
RESIDENTS on a Radcliffe council estate want community wardens to replace the bobby on the beat they claim they no longer have. The call was made at the annual meeting of the Bolton Road Tenants and Residents Association on Friday. Local people say they
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Win a gas-powered barbecue and have a party
PICTURE a hot summer's day, relaxing with friends and family, with the smell of barbecuing food drifting across the garden. Sound mouth watering? The Citizen and Preston Calor Centre may not be able to guarantee the weather - but we can certainly provide
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Bins: someone else's turn
ONCE again, because of Bank Holiday Monday, residents of Unsworth - whose dustbins are normally emptied on Mondays - will have to wait two weeks. As we have at least four fewer refuse collections a year than folk whose bins are normally emptied on Tuesday
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NHS waiting lists are 'manipulated'
I WAS surprised to read (Bury Times, May 14) that Mr Evan Boucher and his fellow hospital bosses are delighted at the progress that they have made in reducing hospital waiting lists in the Bury area. I need a minor operation, and was referred to Bury
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When the inspector (doesn't) call
A LEYLAND college has missed out on joining an elite band of beacon colleges because the inspector failed to call! Bosses at Runshaw College, in Leyland, had been expected to be named among the first list of colleges to be given beacon status, chosen
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Straw jury plan born at prison
HOME secretary Jack Straw says a chance encounter with a Preston prisoner helped him to decide a controversial shake-up of the right to trial by jury. Under plans devised by the Blackburn MP, people accused of burglary, theft and assault, would be denied
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Search for stars
A LEIGH charity is to praise its star performers during National Volunteer Thank You Week which runs to June 6. Staff at the Help the Aged shops will feature a 'star performers' window promotion to show the value the organisation places on its teams of
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Thanks for caring about our town
NOW that the election dust has settled, I would like to thank publicly my former councillor colleague, Anne Beckett, for her work in Ramsbottom over the last four years. I know the amount of time she spent trying to improve the town for its residents
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Their gain is Woodhey's loss
WHAT a wonderful "own goal" the governors of Woodhey High School have scored with the news that their deputy head, Mrs Lynn Dunning, is to leave (Bury Times, May 21). They ought to be truly ashamed. As a former member of the non-teaching staff at Woodhey
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Millennium pay offer rejected by nurses
NURSES working at Preston's hospitals have rejected a Millennium pay offer from health bosses for staff working at the turn of the century. Under the plans unveiled by Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, grade E nurses would receive £207 for a nine-and-a-half
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40 bloody footprints at kidnap scene
FORTY bloodstained footprints mark the beginning of a four-day journey to hell and back for a Lowton kidnap victim. But it came to an end on Tuesday morning when, after a news black-out, police revealed that the man - thought to be 37 years old James
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Failure to vote is a cop-out
IF I wanted to abstain in an election I think I would go to the polling station, collect my ballot paper and write "abstain", or perhaps something more pointed, across it. Far from being a principled action, not turning out to vote is a cop-out. A glance
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Warning over 12-year-old hoax chain letter
A HOAX chain letter appealing for business cards to be sent to a sick child so that he can get in the Guinness Book of Records, has been slammed by Trading Standards officers. The letter has re-emerged in Lancashire asking for cards to be sent to terminally
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Threat to a walk on the wild side...
A WILDFLOWER meadow just yards away from Preston town centre is being destroyed by cyclists who are turning it into a BMX track. According to local councillor Ken Cole the meadow, situated behind the London Road running track, pictured, is being wrecked
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Walk to school kids - it's fun!
AROUND 150,000 children across Lancashire ditched bikes, buses and cars, and strode to school on foot as part of National Walk to School Week. Organised locally by the county council's TravelWise, the scheme has become an important date in the school
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WIN a super Max Factor make-over
EVER wanted to look like Julia Roberts or the world's most famous movie star? Well now's your chance in our fantastic Notting Hill competition. Warner Village Cinemas and the Citizen have teamed up to offer two readers a movie-star make-over by a Max
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Woodhey: 'resign' call is misguided
AS a Year 11 student at Woodhey High School, I must say how disgusted I am with the attitude of those individuals calling for the school governors to resign (Bury Times, May 21). The governors and teachers at this school - of which I am extremely proud
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Award for the secret plane
THE team behind British Aerospace's secret new defence programme - which includes futuristic unmanned aircraft - has won a prestigious award from the Ministry of Defence. The Future Offensive Aircraft System (FOAS), which was featured in the Citizen several
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Crude sex book 'deeply immoral'
MORAL campaigners in Preston say that a book designed to get teenagers to read should be banned after they discovered that one story contained references to wife beating, lesbians and crude sex. The book, called the Grown Ups Book of Books, was published
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Council leader's a kerb crawler!
PARENTS struggling to push prams over steep kerbs have had their prayers answered - thanks to a 12-week-old baby! When South Ribble council leader Gina Lewis decided to go for a pleasant stroll around Leyland with her baby granddaughter Rebecca, she soon
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Play area deadline draws near...
RAILTRACK management trainees have just one day left to create an imaginative play area at Moor Park High School. The trainees were challenged to transform the Preston school's playground into a new Year 7 play area - and give a 'changing rooms' touch
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10-YEARS-AGO: Town centre terror
CHANTING, bottle-throwing youths terrorised a town centre as a notorious gang raided pubs and clubs. It was Accrington's worst night of violence that year, and licensees said the trouble started when the "Burnley Suicide Squad" hit town. More than 60
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Curtain up on troubled firm
ELEVEN serious bids to buy struggling Leyland curtain manufacturers Curtina Group Ltd have been received. Administrators Andrew Redmond and Derek Oakley, from accountants Lathams, were brought in to salvage the firm nearly three weeks ago after a massive
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FIVE YEARS AGO: Donna's dream win
POP mad teenager Donna Hurles, 18, won a dream meeting with chart-toppers Bad Boys Inc. And the boys' number one fan took her mum, Nikki, 38, a grandmother-of-two with her. The pair, from Fern Gore, Accrington, won a Lancashire Evening Telegraph competition
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Shoppers facing store clamp threat
A PARKING row has broken out between supermarket giant £-Stretcher and their new landlords, just days after the store opened its doors in Leyland. Store bosses say they will fight landlords Eric Wright & Son after the building firm put up notices
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'Log carry' made £800
I WOULD like to thank all the firms and individuals in East Lancashire who gave sponsorship money to my team and myself for our recent marathon 'log carry' over the Brecon Beacons - and the team members and back-up crew who braved horrific weather conditions
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We should steer clear of euro land
IF EVER a political leader needed a lifeline it is Tory William Hague, embarking on the European election campaign with his party still deep in the doldrums and his own personal ratings falling to new lows in the latest opinion poll today. Then, lo, along
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Join fight for special school
REGARDING the closure of the primary department of Crosshill Special School in Blackburn, I think it is stupid and ridiculous and I just feel sorry for the children because they are having to be moved to mainstream schools, which I don't think should
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Czech mates
A LYTHAM school is set to strengthen its links with the Czech Republic. King Edward VII School has forged close bonds with the Nemcove School since Principal Julian Wilde first visited the town of Hradec Kralove in 1995. Now the school is to host a science
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This is not democracy
THE forthcoming European elections are a travesty of democracy. The European Parliament only exists to create the spurious impression that there is some democratic control over the European Commission. In fact, the European Parliament is not accountable
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Watchdog swoops on designer fakes
TRADING Standards Officers from St Helens have seized a huge haul of more than 12,000 fake designer T-shirts - with an approximate High Street value of £250,000 - at a warehouse in Haydock. Officers confiscated the counterfeit T-shirts - the majority
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Back trouble flares up for Fogarty
BACK problems could scupper Carl Fogarty's bid to extend his lead in the World Superbike Championship at Monza on Sunday. The Blackburn bullet has been undergoing intensive treatment on the injury in a frantic bid to be fit for the fifth round in Italy
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Weaving a willow wonder
A NORTH West willow expert wove her charms at Holy Family School, Blackpool. Cherry Chung, a volunteer with the British Trust for Conservation, helped staff and pupils create their own willow world. Teacher Julie McLeod explained: "We came up with the
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Key deal with school
PUPILS at Christ the King Primary School are busy improving their IT skills thanks to a local business. The school's purpose-built Information Technology suite has officially opened - but the cost of the building used the majority of its £10,000 budget
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Attitude unchristian
I FEEL compelled to reply to R J M Lobell (Letters, May 21) regarding the Kosovo refugees. First, who does he consider he is to state categorically that we do not welcome unwanted refugees and outcasts from other nations? To make such a rash statement
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Hiiting the right notes
SINGING sensations from three Blackpool schools have pipped hundreds of entries to the post to reach the regional final of a Millennium song writing competition. Around 500 North West schools have been involved in the Voices of Promise project, but Norbreck
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Nothing's for free
AS a car owner and user, I was very interested to read John Blunt's comments (LET, May 19). My wife and I have three young children so find our car invaluable in many ways. The gleaming Rover in the drive (in our case, slightly dirty Cavalier) is now
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Cleaner se on the way
FYLDE Coast beaches are still among the worst-polluted in the country - but campaigners say cleaner seas could be on the way this summer. This year's Good Beach Guide, drawn up by the Marine Conservation Society, found the whole Fylde shoreline among
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On the crest of a wave
THE re-launch of the historic Heysham to Belfast ferry service has been a great success with more than 24,500 passengers crossing the Irish Sea in just two months. The £20 million catamaran SeaCat Danmark has also carried 6,900 vehicles since coming into
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15 dialysis units for RPH
FIFTEEN more dialysis stations will be bought for the Royal Preston Hospital, thanks to government cash. The new equipment, which will enable a further 60 patients to be treated each week, will be bought with a £2.3million investment in Lancashire and
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Parr's rounders aces hit the high spots
PARR High School produced a great effort to win the St Helens Schools Rounders Tournament. They defeated St Cuthberts 2-2 in the semi-final before beating St Aelreds 2-0 in the final. Earlier St Aelreds had beaten Edmund Arrowsmith 2-1 in the semi-final
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Citizen deliverer hangs up his bag
WHATEVER the weather you could always rely on one Citizen delivery man for a smile and a wave. But John Ellis, who has been delivering more than 1,000 copies of your priceless weekly every Thursday in Bispham for nearly 16 years has decided to take retirement
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Red road!
RAILWAY Road is fast becoming Leigh's red light district from what I can gather. I was informed that a brazen young couple were openly "at it" on full view for all to see on the College steps around midnight the other Saturday. Most passers-by were trying
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Police search for HGV driver
POLICE are trying to trace a HGV driver who attened the scene of a horrific fatal accident on the A65 at the weekend. Three young men died in a car crash in the early hours of Saturday morning after their car hit a wall and catapulted into a tree on the
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Health chiefs' peace pledge
THE new chairman of the Guild Community Healthcare Trust has welcomed her new board members, appointed by Secretary of State for Health, Frank Dobson. Mr Dobson accepted the resignation of two non-executive directors and sacked three others last week
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Health chiefs pledge to reduce complaints
THE number of formal complaints against Royal Lancaster Infirmary has rocketed, according to latest figures. There has been 177 separate complaints made against the hospital between April last year and March 1999. And health chiefs have vowed to make
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It's a double for Ex-Services
THE St Helens Combination brought the curtain down on the season with the Sunday Division's Hatton Travel Cup Final at Ruskin Leisure The clubs contesting it were Premier Division champions Ex Services (Rainhill) and runners-up Oddfellows. The two sides
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Ex-miners get compensation advice
FORMER Burnley coal miners suffering from lung disease are one step nearer to a compensation settlement after receiving help at a special advice clinic. More than 30 people visited Burnley Town Hall to speak to members of Salford TUC and solicitors to
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Risky business
I THINK the Americans mistakenly bombed the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade because they are too windy to risk their necks at low level bombing. They always bomb from a great hight for fear of being shot down. Moveover, they are notorious for bombing the
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Major trouble for pet lover
THIS Morecambe animal lover reckons he was sold a pup when he accepted a rabbit from the RSPCA. Severely disabled Peter Callaghan, 68, of Shakespeare Road is on income support but has already had to pay £135 in vet bills for an eye infection the rabbit
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Morecambe hit for six
Morecambe 154-9 Darwen 157-4MORECAMBE were beaten by six wickets at Woodhill Lane by league leaders Darwen. Put in to bat, Morecambe lost opener Nick Milner, bowled by Darwen professional Richard Petrie with only two runs on the board. The home side were
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Counter blast!
GREEN councillors have spoken out against plans to sell animals at a Morecambe DIY superstore. Do It All was given permission to sell animals such as birds, rabbits, lizards and snakes at a planning meeting last week despite strong protests from local
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Robbed by the rain
LAKELAND rain robbed St Annes of victory against Kendal at Shap Road on Saturday (May 22). Put in to bat, Adrian Darlington and Andrew Kellett gave St Annes a superb start with an opening partnership of 69 before the latter was caught by Kendal captain
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Shutting the gate on crooks
PART of £60,000 of extra government cash given to Morecambe police will be spent on gateing off every back alley in the West End. The scheme will be used because police chiefs reckon burglars are "too lazy" to climb them. Morecambe police received the
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Kath takes up national role
A ST HELENS Rounders League official has been appointed to a top national role. Kath Bridge, of Pilkington Vikings, has been named National League Administration Officer. The former England international will be responsible for co-ordinating games in
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Cycling circus comes to town
WAS it a bird? Was it a plane? No, it was the Ordnance Survey balloon hovering over Blackpool last week to highlight the road changes which will be in effect when the UK's premier cycle race, Prutour, visits the resort. Chris Boardman, Britain's Olympic
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Police give the SP on the TT
LOCAL police have teamed up with colleagues on the Isle of Man to drive home a major road safety message to thousands of motorcyclists passing through the district on their way to the TT Races. Lancashire Constabulary has joined forces with the Isle of
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Liberals fire big gun!
LIBERAL Democrat big gun Cyril Smith was in Lancaster this week to boost the fortunes of the party's candidate for the Euro elections, Chris Davies. Said Sir Cyril: "It doesn't matter if you are keen on Europe or not. The fact is we are part of it and
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Victory eludes Rainford
RAINFORD Cricket Club First XI dominated their fixture at Litherland on Saturday but couldn't take the one wicket that would have given them their first maximum points of the season. After Cook's early dismissal Dalrymple and Howard completely bossed
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£12,000 fine over 'poison' gas drama
OWNERS of a Fleetwood holiday park were fined £12,000 this week after a swimming pool gas cloud put swimmers in hospital. Bourne Leisure, which owns the Cala Gran Holiday Park, was fined £10,000 for putting members of the public at risk and £2,000 for
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Pounding the Euro
SIR, - AT the European Parliament election on June 10, a key issue for voters will be whether to abolish the Pound for the Euro. It does not help voters when the politicians themselves don't understand the basic issues. It is amazing that a group called
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Palace points mean prizes
DANCE the night away this Bank Holiday weekend at the World Famous Palace nightclub. This Friday (May 28) and Saturday (May 29) you can take advantage of the Blackpool club's special extensions until 3am. Tickets start at £5 on Friday and £7 on Saturday
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Care system under fire
SONS and daughters of old age pensioners surviving under the stretched social services care system spoke of their worries this week. One man, Ken Clarkson of Heysham, himself 70, said he wanted to go on the record to voice his concerns about the care
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Chalk up a winner at the Platform
LOCAL heats of the Young Pavement Artist of the Year Competition will take place outside the Platform in Morecambe on Sunday. The competition is for all ages with five separate sections from four to five year olds to 16 to 18 with a special section for
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Saints put Wolves to the sword
Saints 57 Warrington Wolves 20 SUPER League leaders Saints passed the 50-point mark for the fourth time this seasonm - and scored ten tries without hitting top gear! Third-placed Warrington failed to live up to pre-match forecasts of tough opposition
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Limited taxi service for Millennium
A STAY-at-home Millennium - that's the prospect on the Fylde Coast as most taxi drivers are opting not to work on the world's biggest New Year celebration. Blackpool Licensed Taxi-Drivers Association spokesman Mike Japp said: "The vast majority of drivers
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There's lots happening in port
FLEETWOOD'S face-lift continues with the development of an art feature, known as the Wave. The feature, funded by Lofthouse of Fleetwood and the Association of Business Sponsorship of the Arts, aims to act as a setting for the highly acclaimed Welcome
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There is an alternative
LOCAL people concerned about Government proposals to control the sale of herbal remedies have rallied together to fight the plans. In just three weeks, a petition with more than 900 signatures was collected in local health food shops, and dozens of letters
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Rooftop rescue drama
MORECAMBE shoppers gathered to watch firefighters rescue a man from the flames at his home on Euston Road on Tuesday. The man, in his 30s, was finally carried down in a cage because he was terrified. Firefighters had to be calm him down by firefighters
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You'll be next
DRIVERS on the M6 motorway have a new deterrent to speeding - 1,270 motorists have already been caught driving too fast through roadworks. And the Highways Agency will erect a sign between junctions 27 and 28, informing motorists how many people have
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Designs on your washing line!
TWO Ralph Lauren shirts, two Ellesse tops and a pair of jeans were stolen from a washing line in the back garden of a house in Nelson Street, Newton-le-Willows, some time between 9.30 and 10am on Thursday, May 20. Converted for the new archive on 14 July
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Car stolen from dealers
A SILVER, s-registration Vauxhall Astra, valued at £9,000, has been stolen from the Lookers Vauxhall garage in Knowsley Road, St Helens. The car went missing some time between 5pm on Friday, May 7, and noon on Wednesday, May 19. Converted for the new
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Art of defence
WOMEN don't need to be martial arts experts in order to protect themselves. With annual figures for reported attacks on women reaching 180,000 in Britain, course organisers felt it time to try to combat the danger. On Sunday a free, self defence course
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Mobile library is a barrow
LAZING on the beach with a good book could have a whole new meaning in Blackpool this summer. For a common sight will be a mobile library searching the sands for prospective readers. During six weeks, from July 17 to August 28, the beach barrow will operate
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Bottom-of-table school pulls itself up
A SCHOOL which was placed under 'special measures' after a highly critical inspectors' report were today celebrating after the conditions were lifted. Spring Hill County Primary School, Accrington, was ordered to raise standards by a team from Ofsted
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Rugby League: Lions clinch derby victory
Swinton Lions 31, Oldham Roughyeds 24 THE family fun day which the Lions staged at Gigg Lane on Sunday saw them earn a hard-fought victory over a tough Oldham side. Oldham made problems for themselves by overstepping the mark on too many occasions, highlighted
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Town gears up for carnival
CARNIVAL fever is back in the mind of many a St Annes' resident as preparations for the town's annual celebration get under way. This year's event is on July 10 and the committee, chaired by the newly-appointed Richard Crawshay, is hoping to make it bigger
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Officers make drug arrests
POLICE have arrested a 29-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman in St Helens after finding a small amount of heroin and another substance, believed to be crack cocaine, at an address in Broad Oak Road, Parr. The unknown substance has been sent off for
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The ABC of North End
THIS week we launch the ABC of PNE, a lookback at Preston North End's history with a slightly different twist... A is for Attendance. Preston's highest ever attendance at their Deepdale ground came in 1938 when a record 42,684 people packed into the ground
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Killing: Grieving mum hits out
THE angry mother of teenager Sajjad Mahmood, who died after he was beaten by drug dealers, today said the failure by police to fully investigate her son's disappearance cost vital evidence in the case. Mrs Mahmood spoke after seeing drug dealer James
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Soccer: Deano talks of his dream move
SHAKERS hero Dean Kiely has described his £1M transfer to Charlton Athletic as a 'dream move'. The 28-year-old crowd favourite admits it was a wrench to say goodbye to Gigg Lane after three memorable years, but is determined to realise his ambition of
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Stories woven in time
Drive and Stroll with Ron Freethy THE other day I read a short passage in a national newspaper which described Colne as "just another cotton town." Just another cotton town indeed! All our East Lancashire towns are different and each has a history dating
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Debut single for mini fab four
GIRL power is going strong for four lucky Blackpool songbirds as they shoot for the stars with a top pop video for their debut single. And the girls have enjoyed a little helping hand from some rather heavyweight friends. Starting out as last year's mini
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Best foot forward please
A THREE to four-mile walk around Eccleston kicks off events for June organised by St Helens Council's Ranger Service. The evening ramble on Wednesday, June 2, starts at 7pm from Eccleston Library for a circular walk ending at Lester Drive Hall where light
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Scenic route to learning
CHILDREN at Hornby School are to take the scenic route to lessons - and a continental breakfast will be awaiting them when they get there. They will walk through woodland to reach school, where fruit juice and croissants will be waiting. Hornby children
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Support unit will help poor children
THOUSANDS of children living in poverty or violence are to be helped with a new Blackpool family support strategy. Some 40 per cent of Blackpool's 31,000 children are said to be living in poverty, 5,000 in lone parent families, 2,700 afflicted by domestic
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Rangers honour mum Ellen
A LEIGH mum, who always put others before herself, is to have a trophy named in her honour. Ellen Myers, of Westminster Drive, Higher Folds, died suddenly on May 11. She was 59, and had recently retired from her post as a cleaner at Leigh police station
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Dawn raids trap benefit tricksters
HOUSING benefit fraudsters woke up to dawn raids in Blackpool this week. After weeks of intensive surveillance, a 30-strong team of Blackpool police, council and Benefit Agency officers swooped on four blocks of DSS flats in North Shore at dawn on Tuesday
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£6,000 pay-day for new look councillors
LOCAL councillors are to receive a flat rate £6,000 a year allowance. The change, from expenses based on meetings attended, has been recommended in the Government's draft Local Government Bill published recently, and had all-party endorsement at last
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Parkinson could be back soon
INJURY-prone defender Gary Parkinson has given PNE a massive boost with the news he won't be out until next February. The Citizen can reveal that the former Burnley player, who suffered continued problems with his knee last season, hopes to be back in
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Well walked for charity tonic!
MEMBERS of the St Helens branch of the Parkinson's Disease Society put their best foot forward for a sponsored walk along the Leeds Liverpool Canal bank to raise cash during Parkinson Awareness Week. To date, a total of £1,300 has been collected and Austin
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Tough get going
WHEN the going gets tough - the tough get going and at Halton Training Camp at the weekend more than £3,500 was raised by foolhardy volunteers for the local blind charity. A total of 30 teams took part in an assault course challenge and there were around
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Stolen car had dad's ashes
A MAN faced an agonising two-day wait after thieves took his car containing his father's ashes. Peter Anthony Matthews (25) of Eastfields, Radcliffe, appealed on local radio for the return of the ashes, which were in the red Honda Accord saloon, taken
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School plan angers residents
PLANNERS are going back to a school where locals fear extensions will bring problems. They'll take a close look at Boothstown's Highfield Special School before deciding whether to approve extension plans. Members of Salford planning committee are to visit
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Man found guilty of indecent assaults
A MAN is awaiting sentence after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a schoolboy. Gordon Davies, 55, was convicted of two counts of indecent assault by a Burnley Crown Court jury after a three-day trial. Judge David Pirie bailed him until June 28
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Andy's Euro dream
LITTLE do the customers of the Spar shop on Slyne Road in Beaumont know that 5,000 miles away bets are being placed on the abilities of the man serving them. For Andrew Stafford is a leading contender in the brand new motor sport of Eurocar circuit racing
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MEP shops for support
LABOUR is out in force today (May 28) on Bury Market urging people to vote in the Euro elections. Local MEP Gary Titley, who represents Greater Manchester West, is hoping to persuade shoppers to return him to Brussels for a further five years. Mr Titley
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From Tyldesley with love
THE first consignment of food collected at local supermarkets - and vital to Kosovan refugees' survival - has left Tyldesley en route to the Balkans. Charity workers Maria Rookyard and her mum and dad Wyn and Pat Davies are pictured loading supplies at
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Causeway causes concern
A CONTROVERSIAL scheme to tip 250,000 tonnes of soil and stones into a deep ravine to form a causeway to take farm animals from one field to another is set to raise objections from Pendle councillors. The project at Moor Isles Farm, Woodend Road, Reedley
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Viennese whirls for your delight
THE St Helens Sinfonietta are holding a Viennese Evening this Saturday, May 29 at Ormskirk United Reformed Church. The orchestra will be playing a number of old favourites, with an appearance by guest soprano, Jane Rotheram. The concert will start at
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Shooting from the lip
'OH for the glory, glory days of Morecambe when all the top acts were here, the streets were packed and all was well with the world,' - so goes the seemingly neverending lament. Well all that is a load of nonsense. At least it is according to one of Britain's
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Schools should teach first-aid
THOUSANDS of lives could be saved if school pupils were taught first-aid, says Bury North MP David Chaytor, backing a St John Ambulance campaign to have first-aid on the National Curriculum. Forty per cent of crash victims who die before reaching hospital
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Millennium road mud party
POTHOLED roads, flickering street lights and inadequate drainage have stung isolated villagers in to action. Pools fill in where taxi drivers fear to tread, say members of the newly formed Second and Third Avenue Residents Association down Astley Green
