Archive
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Reform is just the right tonic
HAVING frequently pledged radical reform of the welfare system, but still not having demonstrably achieved much, the government is today accused of wasting millions of pounds of taxpayers' money in its bid to tighten up on benefits payments to sick and
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Warne's wonderful wicket wedge
WHEN I read the reports that Hampshire's new superstar Shane Warne could earn up to £750,000 in salary, sponsorship and marketing deals -- with speculation that the figure might even reach £1 million -- for just five months work this summer, the mind
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Titters on the tippler
REGARDING readers memories of old-time coalmen, during the war we lived in a terraced house with a yard, coalshed and tippler lavatory (with pieces of newspaper hanging from a nail). One blackout night, when I was about 12 years old, I was in the toilet
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Begging for our own cash
ALL this fuss about losing the European funding for Burnley and other areas of East Lancashire just shows how stupid we are to rely on the supposed largesse handed out by the Brussels' bureaucrats. Plus all the fuss over areas drawn on maps, applying
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Risky cure for 'tar babies'
REGARDING the recent recollections of washing lines strung across back streets, during the war, I was a very young worker at Church gasworks. Coke was a by-product which we used to deliver to houses and small works. Our lorry had a large balloon on the
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Take a lead from the Army
I AM sure many older readers remember when each town had its own chief constable and the county police had a retired army colonel in charge of operations. In those days, the best qualification for a constable was to have served seven years in the Army
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Rishton edge poor final.
HYNDBURN AND DISTRICT BOYS LEAGUE UNDER 16S SECTION FINAL Rishton 1 Waterfoot 0 THIS was hardly a classic and both coaches knew it. In fact Rishton's Harry Nixon and Waterfoot's Gerry McEvoy provided most of the first half entertainment as they competed
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Butterfly stings Trinity
Harry Walsh Cup semi final replay Royal Butterfly 2 Trinity BL 1 MUHAMMED Ali once famously said that he floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee. While there was no floating from Royal Butterfly they just about had enough sting to deal a knockout
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Tragic tots: Parents still quizzed
THE parents of a toddler who died after a drugs overdose were still being quizzed by police today -- as the girl's younger brother continued to fight for his life. Natalia Mujahid, three, of Notre Dame Gardens, Blackburn, died just before midnight on
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Forged proxy votes probe
DETECTIVES in Nelson are investigating suspected forged proxy and postal vote applications after being called in by election officers. Police officers on patrol at polling stations during the local elections on May 4 will be on the lookout for suspicious
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Missing girl plea
BURNLEY mum Carol Blackett has pleaded for her missing 14-year-old daughter Sarah (pictured) to return home. Sarah has not been seen by her family since her mum returned to their home in Grassington Drive at 12.30pm on Thursday last week and found she
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'Smile please you're nicked' crime plan
OWNERS of second-hand shops may be issued with cameras to take photographs of customers in a revolutionary bid to stamp out sale of stolen goods. Police and council officers in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale are looking into the legality of the scheme
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Forged proxy votes probe
DETECTIVES in Nelson are investigating suspected forged proxy and postal vote applications after being called in by election officers. Police officers on patrol at polling stations during the local elections on May 4 will be on the lookout for suspicious
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Boardroom rookies do the business
WOULD-BE business magnates from a Pendle high school celebrated winning seven awards in an inter-schools contest to find the area's best entrepreneurs. Members of the Year 11 Young Enterprise company at Fisher-More High School, Colne, shared the honours
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Tiny hero helps to save brother's life
TINY tot Kyle Storey (pictured) is being hailed a hero by his family after helping to save his brother's life. Kyle, who has just turned four years old, raised the alarm when his four-month-old brother Kieron stopped breathing and then calmly went to
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TEN YEARS AGO: Poll tax protest call
CHANTING poll-tax protesters invaded Blackburn Council and brought proceedings to a halt for an hour. One hundred people led by the Blackburn Anti-Poll Tax Union refused to leave the town hall meeting, demanding legal immunity for people who refuse to
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Parlez vous Google?
MY favourite search engine, Google, has added a foreign language search facility to its site. You can now search for pages in languages ranging from French, German and Spanish to Finnish, Danish and Dutch. http://www.google.com
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Get out there!
MUSIC and film fans looking for something new should visit the BT Get Out There website. The site provides an outlet for unsigned bands and amateur film-makers to put their work on display. Net users can vote for their favourites, and push them up the
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Judge halts priest's abuse case
A SENIOR judge has halted criminal proceedings against a Jesuit priest accused of molesting three boys in the 1970s. Eighty-year-old Fr Joseph Dooley had been charged with indecently assaulting three pupils while on the teaching staff of Stonyhurst College
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Chance to net £1m
FANCY yourself as the next Martha Lane Fox? Channel Four could help. The television company is looking for applications from people who have a great idea for a net-based business, but no cash to put it into action. The best will be featured on a new television
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Bringing families closer together
A FATHER and son team of internet entrepreneurs is hoping to bring other families closer together with the launch of a new online service. Adrian and James West-Sadler from Dyfed, Wales, have set up LivingPhotoAlbums.com. The idea is that, for a fee,
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Wright escapes fine
IAN Wright escaped a fine from the Scottish FA following his comments in The Sun regarding his sending off for Celtic against Kilmarnock in January. The SFA's general purposes committee met on Tuesday to decide whether or not Wright had breached their
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Villa keeping tabs on Little
FA CUP finalists Aston Villa are keeping tabs on Clarets winger Glen Little. Little has been a key figure in Burnley's push for promotion this season. And Villa were set to watch him in action against Gillingham on Tuesday night before learning that he
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Souness forced to rest his stars
GRAHAM Souness is ready to meet the most arduous week of the season by shuffling his squad to cope with the ridiculous demands forced on them by the fixture planners. After so many weeks without midweek matches, as many as seven Blackburn Rovers regulars
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Maxi-mum love!
MUM knows best -- and that's a phrase one Darwen woman had best get used to being told. For new mum Kimberley Turnball, of Dove lane, can expect plenty of maternal advice in weeks to come -- not just from her mother, but her grandmother and great grandmother
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Easter's a new beginning
IT was the end of an era for Britannia Playgroup when it was announced that Beulah Methodist Church in the village was to close next month. The playgroup has been based there for 27 years. But now it has found a new home. From May 2 it will meet daily
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This week's recipe
Baked Bean and Vegetable Flan (Serves four to six) THIS recipe is exceptionally simple and costs less than one pound to make, so go and open a can of beans right now. Pastry Ingredients 100g plain flour pinch salt 25g lard 25g margarine Water Flan Ingredients
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Canned treat
Baked Bean And Vegetable Flan I USED to know how many baked beans where in a can of baked beans. I did, honestly -- but I've forgotten. Not that I counted them. I read it somewhere years ago. Every day of the week one and a half million cans of Heinz
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Tragic tots: Parents still quizzed
THE parents of a toddler who died after a drugs overdose were still being quizzed by police today -- as the girl's younger brother continued to fight for his life. Natalia Mujahid, three, of Notre Dame Gardens, Blackburn, died just before midnight on
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All hands to the pumps for beer-fest!
GEORGE and the Dragon, Humpty Dumpty and a Gremlin will all be making an appearance at King George's Hall this week. It's not some sort of Easter pantomime -- they are all beers at Blackburn's Millennium Beer Festival, sponsored by the Lancashire Evening
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Shop-and-vote in town centres
POLLING history will be made next week when people in Blackburn and Darwen will be able to cast their vote on a Saturday for the first time ever. The aim is to lure the missing thousands back to the polling booths following a severe slump in turn-outs
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Street shut-off plan up in air
CAMPAIGNERS say a survey proves there is little support for the proposed pedestrianisation of a town centre street. And they have urged town hall chiefs to audit their count if they don't believe the findings. Just four people said they welcomed the plan
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NON-LEAGUE SOCCER: Trophy lights up Dark Lane
Rossendale United are aiming to keep the FNWTL Floodlit Trophy in East Lancashire for another season when they take on Vauxhall in this year's final at Dark Lane tonight. Last season, it was Dale's arch-rivals Clitheroe who put their name on the trophy
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CRICKET: County Championship preview
IT'S Australia versus India in the County Championship's first-ever First Division this summer. And in new coach Bob Simpson, Lancashire have the perfect judge. Of the nine counties who qualified for the top tier of the Championship, five have gone for
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COUNTY CRICKET: Crawley blasts early start
JOHN Crawley today blasted the structure of the Benson and Hedges Cup as Lancashire faced another crucial game at Derby. The competition has started earlier than ever this year and most matches have been affected by the weather. "It's ridiculous to start
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Crawley blasts early start
JOHN Crawley today blasted the structure of the Benson and Hedges Cup as Lancashire faced another crucial game at Derby. The competition has started earlier than ever this year and most matches have been affected by the weather. "It's ridiculous to start
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Tendulkar was targeted
NELSON skipper Duncan Spencer today revealed the club tried to sign Indian Test star Sachin Tendulkar as a replacement for Roger Harper. After months of uncertainty, West Indian batsman Keith Arthurton finally agreed to take over as Harper's successor
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SUPERBIKES: Foggy hopes for smooth ride
Round two: Australia CARL Fogarty is expecting a smoother ride in Sunday's second round of the World Superbike championship -- literally. The bumpiness of the Kyalami circuit for the first round in South Africa took Fogarty by surprise and added to the
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COUNTY CRICKET: How the counties shape up
Andy Wilson's county round-up. Derbyshire Coach: Colin Wells Captain: Dominic Cork Overseas: Michael Di Venuto (Aus) Play Lancashire: May 31-June 3 (Old Trafford), July 7-10 (Derby) Big changes at the Racecourse Ground with Michael Slater, Phil DeFreitas
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Quote, unquote
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "We call Dickov 'Crocus' because he comes good in the spring. "He did exactly the same last year and helped us reach Wembley and win promotion through the play-offs" -- Manchester City manager Joe Royle on striker Paul Dickov's scoring
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Hit for six
YOU could tell how bad it was to watch Saturday's Ewood scrap from the reactions of one Sunday tabloid hack, clearly brassed off by the entire afternoon. Phoning through his marks for the two teams, some time before the end of the game, there was a majority
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Dicks' new game suits to a tee
JULIAN Dicks, is well known as a former West Ham United 'hard case' -- to put it mildly. But he was due to make his bow as a professional golfer this week, after recurrent knee problems finally forced him out of big-time football. So how will one of football's
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High anxiety?
RISHTON'S wicketkeeper could well be suffering from a touch of vertigo, if you believe what you read. If you look in the professional pen pictures included in the newly-published Lancashire League handbook for the 2000 season. One or two rather unfortunate
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Serve us some passion, please
NOW that John McEnroe is long gone, Wimbledon presents an annual picture to the watching world of a genteel sporting occasion highlighted by peace and harmony. It's a scene graced by lords and ladies, decorated by afternoon tea and strawberries and cream
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Stan's right about Wright
YOU'D expect Jimmy McIlroy to know a thing or two when it comes to breaking down defences. And he did warn, right from the outset, that Ian Wright might have a few problems adapting to Division Two. Bearing in mind my own assessment is based on the evidence
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Who foots the asylum bill?
WHILE I agree that some are genuine asylum seekers, there are many who are bogus and although the genuine ones ought to be allowed to stay, all the bogus ones should be sent back. The ruling Labour group in Blackburn has said that these people will be
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No relief in Boulevard
I WOULD have thought that any bus station, irrespective of size and importance, should provide adequate public toilets as a basic amenity. But Blackburn Council in their misguided and illogical wisdom have closed their facilities on the Boulevard permanently
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Affront to our intelligence
COUN David Smith's description of the workings of Blackburn with Darwen Council (LET, April 11) is an affront to people's intelligence. Yet, one must give him credit for openly admitting that the council has been run by a junta for years -- although with
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Grave concerns raised
AFTER substantial discussion, the Blackburn and District Chamber of Trade executive has agreed that the time is right for them to restate their declared oppositon to the proposed closure of Church Street to through traffic. At no stage since the consultation
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Jump to Victory!
NORTH WEST MILLENNIUM CUP TRAMPOLINE COMPETITION BLACKBURN Trampoline Club hosted one of the most prestigious events in the North West -- and did themselves proud. Held at Darwen Leisure Centre, members of Jump UK -- the competitive section of the club
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West End Wonders
Red Rose Assurance Blackburn youth league under 15s final West End 3, St Joseph's 1 THE curtain came down on another successful season for this award-winning West End production. For the league champions for the past two seasons completed the league and
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Mashiter hat-trick glory
Blackburn Combination Entwistle Cup Semi Final Anchor Hotel 5 Witton Albion 1 PAUL Mashiter showed just why he is one of the hottest properties around after scoring a stunning hat-trick that completely turned this tie. The Anchor Hotel hit-man scored
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Youngsters miss out on Euro finals
Ben Burgess and Jonathan Douglas both played for the Republic of Ireland under-18s against France in Dublin last night. But a 2-0 defeat, after a 0-0 draw in France, spelled the end of Irish hopes of reaching the European Championship finals.
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Ewood youth on international stage
Young Ewood striker Marc Richards, has been called up for the England under-17 squad. The youngster, who made a good impression for the reserve side on Tuesday, will join the team to visit Luxembourg on April 27. Republic of Ireland defender Anthony Martin
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Champ Clare's a pasta masta
A PRIDE in local ingredients and a touch of culinary imagination has earned a Burnley woman the title of North West Pasta Cook of the Year, plus the chance to become the national champion and win a fabulous Italian holiday. Clare Edwards, of Kingsdale
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Two burglars put back behind bars
TWO burglars barely out of jail who were responsible for the handling of a stolen TV are now back in prison. Burnley Crown Court heard how the television and remote control had been taken just hours before from the home of an 80-year-old woman as she
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Lady loves bridleway's new name
A SECTION of the Pennine Bridleway which was visited by The Princess Royal last week will be renamed the Mary Towneley Loop. Originally referred to as the South Pennine Loop, it is a circular route of 44 miles passing through Calderdale, Rochdale and
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Bid to get young people into work
A TRAVELLING exhibition highlighting projects aimed at getting young people in Pendle into work will tour the borough over the summer. Pendle Partnership, the regeneration consortium of private, public and voluntary groups, wants to spread the message
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FIVE YEARS AGO: Bowlers' hut arson shock
WOMEN bowlers were devastated by an arson attack on their hut just two days before the start of the season. The hut at Roe Lee Park, Blackburn, was gutted by fire, destroying fixtures and fittings and all the ladies' jacks. Hasty arrangements were made
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Stranded in a sea of neglect
RESIDENTS battling to improve their once-proud neighbourhood told a Government minister they were trapped in worthless homes and their streets were blighted by nuisance neighbours and rundown houses. People from the west Accrington area, in and around
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Curse of silver surfers
SILVER surfers are more likely than most to curse their computers, according to a new study. Research carried out by The Net magazine reveals half of net users aged 65 and over have sworn at their PCs!
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Avoiding those fix-it mishaps
THE Easter break might mean a few days away from the office for most people -- but that doesn't mean no work! A lot of people, like me, will be spending the bank holidays up a ladder, painting walls, or working through their never-ending list of do-it-yourself
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Reserves end on a low note
Burnley Res 0 Stoke City Res 3 BURNLEY reserves ended their home league programme on a low note last night as Stoke's Paul Connor triggered their downfall with two first half strikes. A youthful Clarets side never got to grips with their more experienced
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Mountain trek aims to raise a grand sum
A PROBATION officer is preparing to brave the 14 Welsh mountain peaks in Snowdonia, and hopes to raise £1,000 for Nightsafe. Graham Fletcher, 63, of Compston Avenue, Crawshawbooth, will take on the walking challenge over 3,000 feet in Snowdonia, with
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Forged fivers printer jailed
A PRINTER who used his business to make hundreds of thousands of pounds of fake £5 notes has been sentenced to six years in prison. Anthony Flynn, 54, of Rosebank, Ramsbottom, was found guilty in February at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court of
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Teddies a picnic for hospital tots
CHILDREN at a Blackburn hospital have been showered with teddy bears after a company made a special donation. The children's medical unit at Queen's Park Hospital took delivery of 30 teddy bears for use on the ward. Portakabin, who have opened a new office
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Firm axes 25 jobs
ONE of Blackburn's biggest manufacturers today announced around 25 job losses. Presspart Manufacturing said it needed to cut jobs to secure the future of the rest of the 240-strong workforce at its Whitebirk factory. The firm's group chief executive today
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Net payments plan launched
HOUSEHOLDERS in East Lancashire will be able to pay and view their bills over the internet under a new service launched by United Utilities. The group behind Norweb and North West Water is rolling out an Internet billing system for the five million customers
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Bright sparks live the high life
THESE livewire workers made light work of improving the reliability of East Lancashire's electricity supply, as part of a £3million project. A 25km stretch of cable running from Blackburn to Catterall, near Garstang, is being brought up to date by Norweb
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Stars kick out against cancer
BLACKBURN Rovers stars are helping to give cancer the boot. Lee Carsley, Billy McKinlay, Christian Dailly (pictured) helped to launch the Cancer Research Campaign's Starflower Appeal. This is the second year that Rovers have been involved with the appeal
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RUGBY LEAGUE: Lynx face long weekend
Lancashire Lynx face a busy Easter weekend with games tomorrow and Easter Monday. First they travel to the Don Valley Stadium to take on fellow strugglers Sheffield Eagles, kick off 7.30pm, and on Monday Widnes are the visitors to Victory Park with a
