Archive
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Murder charge
A MAN accused of murdering his girlfriend in a hotel bedroom at Ramsbottom has been committed for trial at Crown Court. John Hirst, 26, of no fixed abode, is alleged to have murdered Jill Wolfenden, 31, at the Old Mill Hotel some time during the early
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Step-tacular!
FAMILIES got together to strut their funky stuff with instructor Lynne Buckle (pictured, front). Mums, dads and children all took to the dance floor to learn from about the benefits of exercise as part of the Funky Stepz roadshow at Longshaw Community
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High praise
PRIME minister Tony Blair congratulated Pendle Labour leader Azhar Ali as he picked up two prestigious Labour Party awards at the party's national local government conference in Blackpool. The local Labour group won the award for the most campaigning
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Enter the dragon!
YOUNGSTERS celebrated Chinese New Year in style with their very own theme party. Members of St Gabriel's Church, Blackburn, junior church and parent and toddler group dressed up to bring in the Year of the Dragon. Youngsters went to town with their fancy
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Pupils find it's good to talk
CHILDREN at a Pendle primary school found out 'It's good to talk' when they took part in a nationwide scheme to improve youngsters' communications skills. Visitors to Sacred Heart RC Primary School, in Red Lane, Colne, led a drama presentation for the
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Students relish a university challenge
THREE more sixth-form students at Blackburn's Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School have been offered places to study at Cambridge and Oxford. Caroline Sourbuts, 18, Simon Lee, 17, and Richard Roberts, 18, are now working hard to ensure their A-level results
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Pals have babies in mind
ENTERPRISING young pals got together to raise money for premature babies. Sisters Natalie and Emma Hutchison and their friends Sophie Bigland and Katie Brown, gave up their Sunday afternoon to hold a Blue Peter Bring and Buy Sale for New Life at Holy
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Hot night at pub thanks to TV's Fred
A WARM front spread among customers at a Pendle pub as TV weatherman Fred Talbot curried favour by hosting a special Indian meal. Fred brought his home-made chutneys and home-grown chillies along to spice up the evening at the Punch Bowl, Earby, on Saturday
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Help wanted in search for family history
FAMILY tree researchers are asking for help after being swamped with requests to find details of ancestors. Rita Hirst, secretary of the Rossendale branch of the Lancashire Family History Society said she had recently been inundated with requests for
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Bra boobs blamed for back pains
A SHOCK survey today revealed that every single woman suffering from back pain who was questioned by researchers was wearing the wrong size bra. The research by physiotherapists at Blackburn Royal Infirmary showed that females they quizzed were wearing
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Sprinkler system floods library
A LIBRARY was evacuated after a sprinkler system flooded the first floor. Three fire crews rushed to Blackburn Central Library in Town Hall Street yesterday afternoon after a decorator activated the sprinkler. Station officer Tom Davies said: "It could
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Niece charged with uncle's murder
THE NIECE of Leslie Jackson and a man have been charged with the murder of the frail pensioner who was battered to death ten years ago. Bernadette Meadowcroft and Robert Peter Atkinson were due to appear before Blackburn magistrates today charged with
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Cummings and Goings
A fan's-eye view from Turf Moor, with Stephen Cummings WHERE to begin? Andy Payton's sending off? Toppling the league leaders with only 10 men? The electrifying atmosphere? A convincing debut from Ian Cox? Or that marvellous picture on the front of last
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Down by the Riverside
A fan's-eye view from Ewood Park, with Phil Lloyd AND when they were up they were up. And when they were down they were down. And when they were only half way up (the League) ... the Rovers fans were down! Decidedly down. And, might I add, not a little
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Cox can give us impetus says skipper
STAND-IN skipper Steve Davis believes new defensive team-mate Ian Cox will give the Clarets' promotion push fresh impetus as the season approaches boiling point. And should Burnley make it into the First Division, Davis expects the former Bournemouth
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£3.2million for extra teaching assistants
SCHOOLS in East Lancashire look set to get as much as £6,000 extra each this year as part of a £3.2million Government windfall announced today. Lancashire County Council's local education authority, which controls schools in Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale
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Miller's Ewood transfer target
WEST Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Alan Miller is a target for Blackburn Rovers as they bid to find a replacement for injured John Filan. And they could land the experienced 29-year-old former Arsenal and Middlesbrough man for as little as £50-100,000. But
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Minister praises reduced crime rate
A GOVERNMENT minister has praised the efforts of the police in reducing crime in Lancashire. Recent statistics revealed that the county has one of the best records in the country for cutting crime rates. Lord Bassam, a Home Office Minister, was in the
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Events in East/Central Lancashire on Wednesday, February 9th
Rossendale Organ and Keyboard Club, Rossendale United Social Club, Staghills Road, Newchurch, 8pm. Quiz Night, Punch Bowl, Hurst Green, 9pm. Women's Aglow Christian Fellowship, Accrington Town Hall, 7.20pm. Testimonies and sketches. Dave Edmonds (flute
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Volunteer call
VOLUNTEERS are needed in the Ribble Valley to help out with with a range of activities and projects. The Volunteer Development Project needs people who can give a little of their time to take on such roles as social activity volunteer at a nursing and
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Water-way to buy a 'house'
POTENTIAL buyers of a water tank in Wilpshire have been flooding in to a Clitheroe estate agents. Russell Anderton, director of the Ribble Valley offices of Bradford and Bingley Entwistle Green, said he had been inundated with inquiries about the property
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Tory joins Kilfoyle rumpus
TORY MP Nigel Evans has challenged East Lancashire's Labour ministers to say whether they back the view of former Defence Minister Peter Kilfoyle that the Government is letting down the North. The Liverpool-Walton MP dramatically quit as a Junior Defence
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Gaps filled
THANK you for the excellent publicity given to the bird count on the River Ribble (LET, January 12). As a result, I was able to fill all gaps from Preston to Clitheroe and also some stretches further east. The response was much better than I could have
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People are not anti-gay but pro-family
HAVING twice thwarted the government's bid to lower the age of homosexual consent to 16, the House of Lords now blocks its bid to lift the Section 28 ban on the promotion in schools of gay sex. Are they out-of-touch reactionaries? Hardly. They are in
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Treatment excellent
IN view of all the criticism of the NHS, I would like to tell of my experience. On January 2, I was admitted to Blackburn Infirmary and was very poorly. A young female doctor and team worked hard to get me stable and the following day, I was transferred
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HORSE RACING: Harry's Stable Whispers
I FEEL like an expectant father at the moment, Pride of Whalley is due her second foal by Paris House today, and I will not be far away from the phone. Her first foal was by Noble Patriarch and is called LastoftheWhalleys and is in full training with
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50 years to save nest egg
IN response to the recent complaints from pensioners regarding pensions and heating gift tokens, I would like to say they should stop their carping and enjoy their retirement, living off the backs of the likes of me. They have had 50 or so years in which
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LOCAL CRICKET: Ainsworth is a wanderer
PROMISING pace bowler Andrew Ainsworth has quit Ribblesdale Wanderers to become the new professional at Lancashire County League club Thornham. Atkinson came up through the ranks at Church Meadow and played regularly for Nottinghamshire Second XI last
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Drugs 'dabbler'
A HOMELESS drug "dabbler" went stealing because he was short of cash. Burnley magistrates heard how Kieron Myers, 27, helped himself to three shirts because he wanted to buy drugs. Myers, whose address was given as c/o Healeywood Road, was fined £50,
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Blaze at guesthouse
A SECOND-floor bedroom at a Burnley guesthouse was severely damaged as fire swept through the room. The building in Colne Road was evacuated as fire-fighters from Burnley and Accrington tackled the blaze. The operation caused major traffic tailbacks along
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Comments vindicate view
THE comments in response to Mr L Lawe's remarks on religion (Letters, January 4), surely only vindicate his view. Many writers blamed other religions for the ills of the world - except their own. As for Mr K Mills' comments (Letters, January 20), about
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Can you justify your pay Jack?
JUST what is Home Secretary Jack Straw doing? When Labour came to power two years ago, we had some 29,000 individuals seeking asylum in this country. How many have we now? - 71,000, the majority of whom will eventually be sent home as their claims are
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£282,000 request
COUNCIL finance chiefs are being asked to give the go-ahead to a £282,000 public cash injection into the Proctor's Mill/Hammerton Street improvement project. Proctor's, a disused foundry and major town centre eyesore, is being transformed into a hotel
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Jewels thief 'a man with taste'
A THIEF turned to crime when his baby daughter died and he started taking heroin, Burnley Crown Court heard. James Mack, 30, was a criminal with a taste for the high life - he had helped himself to a tray of diamond rings, champagne and gift packs of
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Man planned to take his children abroad
A FATHER of four who wanted to take his children out of the country slapped his estranged wife and pulled the phone from the wall. Burnley Crown Court heard how Iftikar Ashgar, 27, had gone to the woman's home demanding his passport to take the youngsters
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Experts research recycled schools
EXPERTS from a Burnley paper plant are involved in a ground-breaking research project to construct a school building from recycled materials which will last 20 years - before being recycled again. Smurfit's technical manager Roger Townsend is a member
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Gang attack
A 21-YEAR-OLD man was allegedly assaulted by a gang of 12 youths as he walked through Memorial Park, Church Lane, Great Harwood, on Saturday night. The attack, said to have occurred between 10pm and 10.30pm, left the man, who was with some friends, with
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Cox can give us impetus says Clarets skipper
STAND-IN skipper Steve Davis believes new defensive team-mate Ian Cox will give the Clarets' promotion push fresh impetus as the season approaches boiling point. And should Burnley make it into the First Division, Davis expects the former Bournemouth
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£16m food firm deal
NORTHERN Foods, parent firm of Baxenden-based Hollands pies, has bought a major stake in a sandwich firm in a £16million deal. The group has acquired a 40 per cent shareholding in Solway Foods Holdings, together with an option to acquire the remaining
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A very special delivery
DESPITE transport problems and customs setbacks, aid worker Roy Ewart battled on to deliver gifts to a group of Albanian orphans. Chairman of the Christian Rehoboth Albanian Charity, Roy has visited Albania 10 times and continues to collect gifts and
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Health thoughts keep me going these dark days
Reporter Mike Ribbeck continues his attempt to stop smoking I RECEIVED a letter from a reader this morning who says every time you have a cigarette you take 11 minutes of your life. I am sure like most statistics that figure can not be correct because
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Pick your own mix!
OUR NIE resources written by local teachers and designed to boost literacy and numeracy skills are on offer to schools and colleges throughout our circulation area. From Barnoldswick to Chorley and Longridge to Todmorden, if your school is within the
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Council workers low pay shock
ALMOST one in four local authority workers in Lancashire earns less than £5 an hour, according to a union survey. The percentage of low paid council workers in the North West is the highest in the country. Figures released by the T&G union show that
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Duo in peak condition for Kilimanjaro climb
DARING duo Dave Osborn and Steve Holden are preparing for their biggest ever challenge - tackling Mount Kilimanjaro in aid of charity. The workmates at Nelson firm Graham Engineering are planning to conquer the 19,563ft peak, the highest in Africa, as
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DiY clear-up of school mudbath
THIRTY parents and teachers from Crawshawbooth Primary School pulled on their gardening boots and gloves, during the weekend, in an attempt to stop their children returning from school covered in mud. The group planted 2,000 trees and began drainage work
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Son accused of knifing his dad
STEPHEN Holt, 22, of Yew Tree Drive, was remanded in custody to Preston Crown Court when he appeared before Blackburn magistrates charged with wounding his father, Alan Holt, a former police sergeant, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Mr Holt
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Bosses' action station to hear train gripes
TOP bosses from an under-siege train company will visit Blackburn tomorrow to hear commuters' complaints at first hand. Managers from First North Western are touring the region over the coming months and one of their first stops will be Blackburn, where
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Ski run cancelled
A SKI Everest challenge to raise money for The Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust was cancelled because of a lack of interest. The event, which was to be held at Ski Rossendale last Saturday, challenged skiers of all ages and abilities to ski a length equivalent
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Family flees fire caused by candles
A MOTHER rescued her four children when candles set alight clothes and caused a blaze in the bedroom of their home today. The family fled from the fire in Preston New Road, Blackburn, and escaped unhurt. Ann-Marie Astley, 33, woke up to see the chair
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Suds galore
SIX pupils from Alder Grange High School, Rawtenstall, rolled up their sleeves and washed more than 40 cars and vans in three hours. The aim of the activity, which took place at Rawtenstall Fire Station, was to raise money for their Iceland 2000 school
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I quit my job for Kosovo
A TERRITORIAL Army officer from Blackburn is joining the peacekeeping force in Kosovo. Lieutenant Julie Lodge (pictured), 28, will travel to Multi-National Brigade Central in Pristina on February 14. Julie gave up her job as a recruitment consultant to
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Assault charges for trial
JAMES Hardman, 66, of Audley Range, was ordered to stand trial at Preston Crown Court when he appeared before Blackburn magistrates, charged with indecently assaulting a 14-year-old girl and assaulting the same girl. He was also charged with indecently
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Tired trucker's violence to partner
A LORRY driver pushed his partner around the house and told police they would have to lock him up if they wanted him to leave. Burnley magistrates heard how Carl Peter O'Brien, 24, said it was all his girlfriend's fault and called her a bitch. O'Brien
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'Floral Dance' brass band date
THE world famous Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band will be belting out top tunes at Colne Municipal Hall in May in aid of a local charity. The Yorkshire band are current UK and European brass band champions, and their biggest hit was the 1970s chart-topping
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Brother who built thriving company dies at 73
THE head of a well-known Rossendale Valley building company which flourished for more than 30 years has died only weeks after the death of one of his brothers. Mr John Connolly, who lived most of his life in the valley, was the founder and chairman of
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Gold stars from Ofsted for best and most improved schools
SEVERAL East Lancashire schools have been named among the best and most improved in the country, in a Government report. Local primaries and secondaries are included in a list produced by the Office for Standards in Education after inspections in 1998
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Starter's orders
A CHURCH social centre was transformed into a racecourse with a difference to raise money to send children to Lourdes. Parishioners of St Alban's RC Church, Blackburn took the parts of the horses to tackle an obstacle course. And Canon Jude Harrison joined
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Shift worker trashed partner's bedroom
A TEMPESTUOUS relationship turned sour when a man flipped and caused almost £1,500 of damage in his partner's bedroom. Burnley magistrates heard how James Richard Crossley, 44, pulled a fitted wardrobe from the wall, threw a shoe at frightened Elaine
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Churches want your hopes and dreams
YOUNG people are invited to express their hopes and dreams for the future in a competition sponsored by the Christian organisation, Churches Together in Lancashire. "Messages for the Millennium" are invited from two age groups, five to 10 and 11 to 16
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I'll not quit says social services boss
A DAMNING report on social services in Lancashire has been defended by the county council's ruling Labour group and officers who claim it is contradictory and lacks evidence to back up its claims. Social services director Pauline Oliver says she will
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Baby brother is Hope's spur
HOPE Kerry joined forces with her pals to raise money for premature babies like her little brother. Seven-year-old Hope, along with her friends, Laura Myers, 11, and Charlotte Glover, seven, held a Blue Peter Bring and Buy Sale for New Life. Hope's five-month-old
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Shame on boo boys
Fans speak out about Blackburn Rovers - and, in particular, Alan Shearer's recent return to Ewood with Newcastle HOW petty it was to hear the boos for Alan Shearer upon his return to Ewood Park. How short are people's memories? This was a footballer who
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Royal charity boost from a Foggy day
WORLD Superbike king Carl Fogarty handed £2,000 to the Princess Royal following the success of Foggy Day at the recent International Motor Cycle Show. Carl, of Blackburn, was asked to nominate a charity of his choice by event organisers and picked Princess
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Cheers to the new millennium!
MORE than 400 pupils at St James C E Primary School, Clitheroe, received millennium mugs bearing the town's crest under a scheme to give a mug to every child in the borough. Town Mayor Coun Alan Yearing made the presentations. Converted for the new archive
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Theme of talks is united churches
A MAJOR conference is to be held at Whalley Abbey to discuss the possibility of uniting the Church of England with the Evangelical Church in Germany. The Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, will lead the Church of England delegation at the conference,
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10 YEARS AGO: Area escapes gales damage
PEOPLE awoke to find that the gales that buffeted East Lancashire seemed to have passed by without incident. The emergency services had been put on red alert after weathermen warned that 70mph winds would lash Lancashire. But firemen had a quiet night
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FIVE YEARS AGO: Green Belt protest
VILLAGERS from Hoddlesden protesting against development on Green Belt land formed a protest committee. Vernon Carus, a surgical dressing manufacturer based in the village, applied for permission to develop five sites it owned in the village in order
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Head in sands Social Services need probing
WAS there not a typical reaction from county councillors and officials to the Audit Commission's blistering criticism of Lancashire Social Services, which was accused of failing to allocate social workers to at-risk children, letting cases reach crisis
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Meet the NY challenge
SCOPE, the leading charity for people with cerebral palsy and related disabilities, is looking for more than 80 volunteers to take part in the New York City Marathon on November 5. Don't worry if you haven't got the first idea about running or fundraising
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COUNTY CRICKET: Hegg picks up £178,000
WARREN Hegg today thanked Lancashire cricket followers for granting him a bumper £178,000 benefit. "I'm absolutely over the moon, and I'd like to thank everybody who has helped me," said the popular 32-year-old wicket keeper. "I really enjoyed last year
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Secret of 'an atheist'
MR K Mills (Letters, January 20) has revealed my dark deep shameful secret -I am an atheist. But, Mr Mills, unlike Christians, I do not go about trying to impose my beliefs on others, neither do I condemn anyone who lives a different kind of lifestyle
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LOCAL CRICKET: Jordaan branded a 'liar and fraud'
CORRIE Jordaan was accused of being a "liar and a fraud" by Rishton CC chairman Rod Simpson at the club's annual meeting last night. And the club official claimed that English cricket had undoubtedly seen the last of a player who has courted off-field
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Funeral fees rise
THE cost of dying in Burnley could rise by 25 per cent from April. Council finance chiefs are proposing the hike in cemetery fees to boost income by £25,000. An officer's report says councillors expressed concern that the rise may bring a boycott from
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Charter a betrayal
THE latest Patients Charter and your booklet available on request at our local NHS district hospital was printed in November 1996. Ringing NHS information on a free phone service, I asked if a more up-to-date edition was available. A copy dated March
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MP pleads case for more farming cash
FARMERS in East Lancashire may have to diversify to survive, a Labour MP has warned. But Burnley MP Peter Pike says they will need more Government help to do so. He said farming was already the most heavily subsidised industry in the UK but added: "I
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6.5% rise in council tax for Burnley?
BURNLEY could opt for a council tax increase of 6.5 per cent this year - more than three times the rate of inflation - even though there is cash in the kitty to keep rates down. Finance chiefs have been working on a budget allowing for a 4.5 per cent
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Extra opportunities
A LEAFLET packed with information for people with disabilities is being compiled by Hyndburn Borough Council. The leaflet, to be launched at the Ability Hyndburn Conference on June 16, will have information on sports facilities, recreation opportunities
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Actor Lee lands West End role
A FORMER performing arts student at Accrington and Rossendale College has landed a leading role in a play in London's West End. Twenty-four-year-old Lee Ingleby will be acting in Cressida at the Albany Theatre alongside Michael Gambon, who has starred
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Police probe alleged assault
POLICE are investigating an alleged assault on a 17-year-old girl in Clayton-le-Moors. Patrols were called into the Grange Street area early yesterday after receiving a report of an attack and a small area of Mercer Park near to Grange Street was cordoned
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Gas leak firm may face charges
ENVIRONMENT watchdogs are considering whether to prosecute a Hyndburn chemical company for a second poisonous gas leak at its factory. Residents living close to Nipa Laboratories, in Nook Lane, Oswaldtwistle, called police after a leak of hydrogen chloride
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Keepers is transfer target for Rovers
WEST Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Alan Miller is a target for Blackburn Rovers as they bid to find a replacement for injured John Filan. And they could land the experienced 29-year-old former Arsenal and Middlesbrough man for as little as £50-100,000. But
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Popular pensioner dies after road accident
A POPULAR pensioner who died after suffering serious injuries in a car accident was described by her family as a fun-loving character who liked "a little flutter" on the dogs. Doreen Yates, 75, of Mallard Place, Oswaldtwistle, died following a collision
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Shock for couple as car hits home
A COUPLE had a lucky escape after a car smashed through the front garden wall of their home, sending bricks flying into their living room. Peter Gregson, 48, and his wife Jean, 47, were sitting at their home in Exchange Street, Spring Hill, Accrington
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Contracts bring cash injection
A PLASTICS firm has taken delivery of two state-of-the-art machines to deal with work created by winning major new contracts. The £75,000 investment is part of a on-going expansion programme at injection moulders M&G Plastics Ltd of Progress Mill,
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Pack is voted a hit
SUPER Story Search is our most popular literacy support pack, giving each participating pupil a personal workbook and delivery of our newspaper for any three weeks. Targets are set by the class teacher and students earn gifts as rewards by completing
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Stress - it's the 'hidden problem'
FIRMS in Lancashire were today urged to monitor absence rates after a new report showed stress and low morale were "hidden problems" in the workplace. Managers believed that emotional and personal problems as well as stress were the main reasons for absence
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Skills boost is ultimate goal
A PRESTIGIOUS day-long conference launching Maths Year 2000 in Blackburn with Darwen is due to take place this week at Ewood Park, with the aim of boosting numeracy skills and will include information on our NIE maths resources. Teachers and representatives
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Drivers injured
A 4x4 ISUZU Trooper was knocked on its side in a collision at a road junction at 6.05pm yesterday. Police said a Citroen AX driven by Aisha Shaukat, 21, of Bird Street, Brierfield, was in collision with the Isuzu at the junction of Netherfield Road and
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Back to work
TEMPORARY workers "let go" by one of Pendle's biggest firms could be back on the production line within weeks. Strategy, which employs around 350 permanent staff at its two plants on Lomeshaye Industrial Estate, Nelson, ended the contracts of 30 day and
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Fears of minimum wage dispelled
A NEW report has boosted East Lancashire MP Gordon Prentice's campaign to persuade the Government to change its mind and uprate the minimum wage in April. The Labour back-bencher has already written to the Prime Minister on the issue and tackled Trade
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Heroin found in dawn raids
SUSPECTED drug dealers were arrested in dawn raids by the police today. Six addresses in Nelson were raided at 7am and three people were arrested in an operation code-named New York. A further person was brought from prison and arrested at Colne police
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Tower tour
HISTORY came alive at Turton Tower, when visitors learned about the history of the tower and took guided tours around its rooms led by guide 'Mistress Agnes' (Marion Geeson), dressed in period costume. She is seen seated in the master bedroom showing
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Fund will benefit town Jack loved
THE memory of a popular Darwen character will live on through a trust fund worth more than a quarter of a million pounds. John (Jack) Leach, who died in December 1997 after developing leukaemia, left the legacy for good causes to benefit his beloved town
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Bishop drops gay sex law amendment
THE Bishop of Blackburn today revealed how he withdrew a controversial amendment during last night's House of Lords debate on Section 28 - because he got the right assurances from the Government. Peers voted by 210 to 165 in favour of keeping the law
