Archive
-
Date
East Lancs events for Saturday, August 12
Festival 2000 -- The Sealed Knot's Millennium Battle of Blackburn, Witton Park, Blackburn. Coffee Morning, Grange Bowling Club, Arthur Wilson Centre, Pickup Street, Clayton-le-Moors, 10am-noon. Hyndburn Ramblers meet Plantation Street 9am for drive to
-
Date
Big money turned into coppers
HAVING previously come under fire for the allegedly hollow increases in police number he announced at Labour's annual conference, Home Secretary Jack Straw today delivers the extra bobbies that the fight against crime truly needs. For against a background
-
Date
Angling: Close finish in the drizzle
LAST Wednesday evening, Bury Society Junior section fished the Hart Trophy on the Square Lodge at Tottington with a good turnout marred by heavy persistent rains. Small fish, mainly roach featured in the leading weights from the banking wall in a close
-
Date
Awesome Anwar helps Greenmount to cup win
PROFESSIONAL Saeed Anwar was the toast of Greenmount when he led them to their first Hamer Cup final triumph. The village club's previous three unsuccessful appearances were put firmly into the history books with a superb six wicket triumph over Bolton
-
Date
CRICKET: Tommy guns rivals into submission
RAMSBOTTOM'S Tommy Read picked up his first ever senior wickets and kept his side firmly at the forefront of the Lancashire League title chase. Three wickets in one over put the skids under valley rivals Rawtenstall at Acre Bottom to keep the Rams at
-
Date
This day in 1975 25 years ago
STING: The sting was in the bill for residents this week when Bury Council announced a charge of £2.70 would be made for its staff to clear wasp nests from homes, offices or gardens. The service was previously free. JUMPER: A prize-winning show jumper
-
Date
MP mean on Queen Mum
I THOUGHT Burnley MP Peter Pike had the right attitude when he wished the Queen Mother a happy birthday -- something which, correct me if I'm wrong, Pendle MP Gordon Prentice did not do. I thought that was rather mean of him. No wonder our town, Nelson
-
Date
Thanks a thousand
A THOUSAND thanks to Blackburn Lions and everyone who supported our Breakthrough stand at the Gala in Witton Park. As well as raising awareness and funds for the charity, we had a super view of the excellent entertainment -- the intrepid acrobats on the
-
Date
Comments uncalled-for
ON January 31, 1997, life as our family knew it came to an end due to our beloved son being brutally murdered in South Africa. He was 26. On July 1, 2000, a beautiful, innocent child was taken from a family and found murdered two weeks later. Their family
-
Date
Make a note of the date
WE would just like to make it clear -- hopefully, once and for all -- that Darwen Gala will be on Saturday, August 19, on Borough Road Field, Bold Venture, Darwen. Due to an incorrect article in the Blackburn with Darwen Events Diary for 2000, many people
-
Date
Appalling to view
MR B Greenhalgh writes (Letters, August 8) that Blackburn has been his home town for 68 years and he finds the whole of it dirty, including the town centre. I wonder if super Councillor Ashley Whalley agrees. If not, could I ask him to stand on Preston
-
Date
Park a sorry state
ALL my childhood was spent in Blackburn and, come rain or shine, I used to go to Corporation Park every day with my grandad and brother prior to starting school. I loved this park and look on it fondly. Consequently, I decided recently to take my own
-
Date
Blaze wipes out Boulevard
ONE of the worst fires ever seen in Leigh has caused an estimated £1m worth of damage to a town centre shopping arcade. The Boulevard was destroyed by the blaze which took 60 firefighters from across the county four hours to get under control. The Bradshawgate
-
Date
Armed gang flee store
ARMED robbers fled empty handed after a raid on a Prestwich off-licence. Several men, all wearing balaclava face masks, burst into the Victoria Wine store in Butterstile Lane at 6.30pm on Wednesday night (Aug 9). They threatened a 34-year-old female shop
-
Date
Spotlight on town hall plan
CONTROVERSIAL plans to turn the former Prestwich Town Hall into a community centre will come under the spotlight at a public meeting at the end of this month. Arrangements for the meeting, which has been called by campaigners the Prestwich Community Charitable
-
Date
Battling with BT giants
RESIDENTS in Brandlesholme, Bury, are gearing themselves up for a new battle with a leading telecommunications company. Only two months after homeowners blocked plans for the installation of a mobile phone mast in the Kirklees Valley, a second application
-
Date
Closures on ay
MOTORISTS face diversions for three evenings early next week at Junction 18 of the M60 at Simister. The clockwise exit slip road will be closed overnight from 9pm on Sunday, August 13, to 5.30am the following day for the installation of detector loops
-
Date
Cordon around bank
A HUGE police cordon was thrown around a Burnley town centre bank today in an alarm scare. Officer workers and early morning shoppers were kept well away from the area around the HSBC bank at the corner of Manchester Road and Red Lion Street. A large
-
Date
Rotary help for baby unit
KEEPING tabs on the progress of new-born babies at Fairfield Hospital in Bury has been made easier thanks to the Rotary Club of Bury Irwell Vale. The club has donated a special monitor to check babies' breathing patterns. The sophisticated £500 device
-
Date
Vandals cleaned out
COMMUNITY-spirited folk have swung into action to deter vandals from targeting a Tottington church. Members of Bury Round Table, with the help of Hewden Hire of Walmersley Road, have set to work clearing the grounds and graveyard of St John's Church after
-
Date
Your town centre needs you
HAVE you got what it takes to become one of the borough's ten new Community Safety Wardens? A recruitment drive has begun for Bury's expanded safety force. At the moment there are 16 wardens in service, patrolling town centres offering a helping hand
-
Date
Raise a plastic glass to orderly conduct
BURY North MP David Chaytor has given three cheers to a crackdown on public drunkenness and under-age drinking in a bid to reduce alcohol-related violence. He has given his full support to a Home Office action plan to impose fixed penalty fines on drunks
-
Date
More hospital beds to help seriously ill
MEASURES to ease the pressure on local hospitals during the winter months have been announced by the local health board. Bury and Rochdale Health Authority are to open three high dependency beds and one intensive care bed to allow more seriously ill patients
-
Date
Grayson loan move
SIMON Grayson is set to start the new season this weekend following an 11th hour bid from Sheffield Wednesday to sign the Rovers full-back on loan. Grayson is surplus to requirements at Ewood Park and has been made available over the summer by Graeme
-
Date
Jansen: This time I'll celebrate
MATT Jansen has revealed he will definitely be celebrating if he kicks-off the season with a goal against Crystal Palace tomorrow. The England Under 21 international refused to celebrate last season when his stunning goal at Selhurst looked certain to
-
Date
Souness: Ruddock is my kind of player
ONE of Graeme Souness's most controversial signings stands between Rovers and three points at Ewood tomorrow. Blackburn boss Souness caused consternation in some sections of Merseyside when he brought Neil 'Razor' Ruddock from Tottenham to Liverpool during
-
Date
Souness needs everyone on side
Sports editor NEIL BRAMWELL looks ahead to the new season GRAEME Souness has one obstacle to overcome in order to obtain the absolute minimum requirement for Blackburn Rovers -- promotion. And that is maintaining togetherness at a difficult juncture in
-
Date
Well done Tony
I RECENTLY had need to call on the services of the Environmental Health Department at St Helens Council. I rang on a Wednesday afternoon and to my delight was informed that my request to clear a wasps nest from my loft would be dealt with the following
-
Date
Rovers v Palace: Big match preview
NEW Crystal Palace boss Alan Smith is facing up to the biggest challenge of his career as his dishevelled Eagles prepare to descend on Ewood tomorrow. The likeable West Londoner has not only taken over a club in turmoil, but he must also appease angry
-
Date
Hiya gang
I wanted to tell you how much I enjoy reading the news on the Internet. I was born in St Helens and lived in Rainford from the age of four to eighteen. Having moved to the USA in 1956, I get back to visit every few years and keep in touch with friends
-
Date
Lanky stamp
THE Friends of Real Lancashire are encouraging people in the old -- i.e. 'real' county areas -- to start using the name Lancashire in their postal addresses, rather than the administrative names such as Greater Manchester, Cumbria and Merseyside. The
-
Date
Come clean
HAVING the proposals for a McDonald's development at Windle Island -- and in line with comments being made public by the majority of the residents in the vicinity of the proposed development -- I would like to register the objections of my wife and myself
-
Date
Battle of the burgers
THE letter headed 'Burger Snobbery?' (Dear Star, July 27) cannot go unchallenged because it contains all of the double standards and snobbery it accuses others of. I live near to the proposed site which has contained a shop and off-licence for many years
-
Date
Heritage under attack by yobs
ONE of Leyland's most historic treasures is to be covered by unsightly metal guards after a spate of attacks by drunken yobs. The old Leyland Motors clock on Hough Lane roundabout (pictured) has been bombarded by gangs of drunks throwing empty beer bottles
-
Date
Knife attack terror
A WOMAN with learning difficulties was threatened by a man wielding a penknife as she walked from Birley Street Post Office, Preston. The 41-year-old had just cashed her benefit cheque between 11.00am and 11.30am on Friday when the man tried to steal
-
Date
Cordon around bank
A HUGE police cordon was thrown around a Burnley town centre bank today in an alarm scare. Officer workers and early morning shoppers were kept well away from the area around the HSBC bank at the corner of Manchester Road and Red Lion Street. A large
-
Date
Chris Davies: some views
I WAS amazed to read the diatribe in Citizen letters from Chris Davies MEP. I was always under the impression that MEPs were much too busy dashing to and fro and working out their travel and lodging expenses to find time to write to a local paper. However
-
Date
Off to tour the world
FLEDGLING pop star Paula Leeming is preparing for a world tour after being plucked from the obscurity of a Welsh holiday camp to become lead singer of a new band. The 19-year-old Barrowford vocalist and former Blackburn College student was working at
-
Date
Bereaved mum admits theft
A BEREAVED mother went out thieving when she was put up to it by somebody who bribed her with mementoes of her dead little girl, a court heard. Burnley magistrates were told how a former landlady of Jane Westby, 26, had kept the property and indicated
-
Date
Cable TV chip bootlegger jailed
A CABLE TV bootlegger who gave viewers the chance to view programmes for free has been jailed after being caught advertising home-made computer chips over the Internet. The case has been hailed as a major triumph by broadcasting watchdogs, after it was
-
Date
Belle Vue aces?
CHAMPIONS and league leaders Saints will seek an eighth successive victory when they make their second appearance of the season at Belle Vue, Wakefield, on Sunday (3.30). They will face a team deep in financial crisis, who have also lost 16 games in 22
-
Date
Belting youngsters!
YOUNG judo players have snapped up some belting prizes in the Lancashire Closed Championships, in Darwen, near Blackburn. Clayton Green Judo Club members, aged between five and 16, entered different weight categories. Leyland club members, Ross Cottam
-
Date
I'm no vandal, I want to play
I AM seven-years-old and I go to school in Ramsbottom. I am writing about the new fence which has gone up along part of the school field. I feel very sad that I cannot play on the field where I am safe. I am not a vandal, I just want somewhere safe to
-
Date
Last days of the Empire?
COULD this have been the last Empire Day pageant to be staged in St Helens? That's the question posed by this charming box-camera snap (above) from the album of Moss Bank reader, Nancy Dowdle. In those proud days of pomp and ceremony the local schools
-
Date
A merry-go-round of memories
MEMORIES of the 'upper-class' rag and bone man, who handed out goldfish and rubber balls, as well as giving treats on his mini merry-go-round to kids who brought him bundles of discarded clothing, have been revived by reader Janet Fenney. Janet, from
-
Date
Halcyon days of Pilks galas
THINGS have changed down Ruskin Drive way. While soccer, rugby union, cricket and bowling still thrive (alongside the new state-of-the-art fitness facilities) the traditional athletics meetings and gala events have now vanished into oblivion. Memories
-
Date
Twirl back to dancing years
WHEN a village dance group took its first faltering steps inside a church-owned hut, they could little have imagined that they would eventually be putting on shows featuring more than 100 children. Reader Alan Winstanley (these days better known for his
-
Date
Fearless Fred still in the saddle
MOST fellows of his age are happy to grab for their pipes and slippers and settle down in a comfy armchair. But not fearless Fred Pugh, who, at the age of 74, is more likely to be found pony trekking, globe-trotting, white-water rafting or riding, bare-back
-
Date
Beacon shines out
ONE of the region's top visitor attractions enjoyed summer sunshine when the organisers held their annual Woodland Open Day. This year's spectacular event at Beacon Fell Country Park was bigger and better than ever before, with hundreds of day-trippers
-
Date
Council houses hand-over planned
PLANS to hand control of Preston's council houses to a private landlord are being considered by the town's councillors. And, if tenants agree, the borough council could hand over its entire stock of 7,800 houses and flats to a non-profit making association
-
Date
Ten years ago: 250 jobs loss shock
WORKERS in Burnley and Pendle were stunned by the news that two factories were to close with 250 jobs lost. The Burnley and Brierfield factories of clothing maker Elgin Manufacturing Company were closed by their parent firm Courtaulds Textiles. The shock
-
Date
Five years ago: Mains pipe mishap
AS most of East Lancashire was coping with a water ban imposed by the scorching summer construction workers wasted gallons when they slices through a mains pipe. Thousands of gallons were lost when a contractor's vehicle working on the M65 ploughed into
-
Date
Mum's make-up dream misery
THE dream of running her own business was the only thing that kept Sue Watkinson going through the years of working in dead-end jobs. As she moved from one firm to another the 32-year-old, of Buchanan Street, Leigh, was happy in the knowledge that one
-
Date
Boulevard: £1m blaze blow for bride Kim
WEDDING Belles chimed-in just when bride Kim Seddon's happiest day looked likely to turn to tears. Kim was stunned when caterers called to say they couldn't provide the buffet she wanted to follow her wedding this afternoon to Anthony Jones. But Kim,
-
Date
Couple suffer appeal upset
A MAN whose Nigerian wife was refused a visa to live with him in Britain has vowed to fight on after she lost her appeal to have the decision overturned. Robin Howarth now has one more chance to convince the immigration authorities that his marriage to
-
Date
Dog owner's 'get tough' call on off-road bikers
AN ATHERTON man wants illegal off-road bikers caught and punished after they injured his pet dog. James Grant was walking his nine-year-old westie, called Snowy, on land close to Oxford Road, Hag Fold, when it was hit by a teenage rider. The 50-year-old
-
Date
We've lost that sinking feeling!
By Brian Gomm A GOOD-LIFE couple are still haunted by the luxury home which disappeared beneath their feet. Journal readers will recall the Whitfields' tale of woe when their dream home on a two-acre patch of paradise sank in to the peaty bogland of Astley
-
Date
Villagers call time on young street boozers
A VILLAGE group is calling time called on street drinking -- and wants prosecutions for shops serving underage juveniles. Members of the Golborne Community Forum believe this is one reason why crime and vandalism is on the increase. And they have asked
-
Date
Anger at coverage
REGARDING the letter "Tragic Death is Too High a Price to Pay" published last week. I am disgusted, both by the letter writer, Peter Atkinson, and yourself for publishing it. The writer appears to be using this tragic death for his own twisted, political
-
Date
How would you know Hilton?
LAST night after the fireworks in Morecambe I and about 150 other people trudged the half mile back to Euston Road to wait for the last bus. Obviously there wasn't room for us all on it. A lot of people walked back to Lancaster. The cars were bumper to
-
Date
Signs were not above board
THE organiser of a summer music festival has hit out at council chiefs who ordered the removal of signs promoting the three-day event. Phil Knight, who runs Key Street Music and Dance Bar in Clitheroe and is a director of Street Leisure, said he is furious
-
Date
Wasps are buzzing
BLACKPOOL based West Coast Wasps came out top in a prestigious U12s roller hockey tournament held at the Newcastle Telewest Arena. Winning their games 9-0, 5-0, 3-0 and beating Cullercoates 2-1 in a thrilling final. Bobby Caunce and Harry Hall scoring
-
Date
Title hopes fading for Blackpool
Blackpool 121 all out Netherfield 123-7 BLACKPOOL'S match against league leaders Netherfield at Stanley Park on Saturday turned out to be a low scoring thriller writes Gerry Wolstenholme. In weather that could not make up its mind whether it was summer
-
Date
Only way is up for City!
PROMOTION is the aim as Lancaster City bid to better their best season ever. The Dolly Blues face their first competitive game this Friday when, as a reward for a fine victory in the Unibond League Cup, they take on league champions Leigh RMI at Hilton
-
Date
Unique hat-trick for proud Allen
BURY site manager Allen Bradshaw has scooped a prestigious NHBC "Pride in the Job" quality award for the third time. Allen, who lives in Walshaw, is a site manager for Harwood Homes and the award is one of the highest accolades the NHBC can give to someone
-
Date
Bolton hit by bans and injuries
BOLTON are missing a clutch of first-team contenders for tomorrow's derby clash with Burnley. Injuries and suspension robs manager Sam Allardyce of the likes of Dean Holdsworth, Ricardo Gardner, Jimmy Phillips, Robbie Elliott and new signing Michael Ricketts
-
Date
Ball: I'll never lose the first day buzz
KEVIN Ball has experienced the thrill of the first day of a new season well over a dozen times already in his prolific career. But even at the age of 35 and now with his fourth club, Burnley's new arrival is no less excited about the prospect of running
-
Date
Stan will have last laugh
Sports editor NEIL BRAMWELL looks ahead to the new season YES, we've all heard the jokes. Burnley will now only sign someone who has made a One2One advert. And Stan Ternent confused Kevin Ball with Zoe. But I remember similar snipes last year when the
-
Date
Summer signings ready for big kick-off
BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent sends his side into First Division battle tomorrow insisting: "We're good enough." The Clarets will hand full debuts to summer signings Kevin Ball, Phil Gray and Lee Briscoe following their addition to the squad that clinched
-
Date
Sam ready for tasty start
CLARETS big match preview FASTEN your seat belts, it's time for lift-off. And Bolton boss Sam Allardyce believes it will be an explosive start to the new season at the Reebok Stadium tomorrow. Burnley launch their First Division return after a six-year
-
Date
Life with the big spenders
New season preview THE waiting is nearly over as Burnley count down the hours to their first Division One campaign since 1994. Since Glen Little nearly ripped the net off at Scunthorpe on May 6, the Clarets have had their sights set on this coming Saturday
-
Date
It's joust the job
THE clatter of armour against chain mail, the sun gleaming on polished shields and sparks flying from clashing swords. No, this is not a scene from the film Gladiators, but just one of the many attractions to be enjoyed at a fun day organised by the 4th
-
Date
Cheque this out!
A SPONSORED fancy dress walk along Morecambe promenade netted £2,660 for two prominent local charities. Home-Start Morecambe and the Royal Lancaster Infirmary central delivery suite received the cash from organiser Joanna Fryers this week. The cheques
-
Date
Switching on to appliance graveyard
MY house has been transformed from a cosy, snug, two bedroomed terrace into an appliance graveyard almost overnight. It's a nightmare. I daren't look at anything with a plug for fear it will blow up. I feel cheated too because my grandma once said that
-
Date
Hindsford look for new blood
HINDSFORD Hurricanes U12 are on the lookout for new players having recently joined the Leigh & District Saturday League. The season begins on September 2 and they are still looking for players to bolster the squad. Any player interested can turn up
-
Date
Mighty Oakes wins trophy
SOUTH Lancashire Crown Green Bowling Association hosted the British Parks Veterans Individual Merit competition at Pennington Park. The prestigious national event was won by Rochdale's Brian Oakes who beat Sale veteran Ron Stanford in the final. None
-
Date
RMI hope to get some Lee-way for new season
WITH just one pre-season friendly left before the big kick-off, Leigh RMI are still in the hunt for players. And once again it's a former Bolton Wanderers favourite who heads the list. Winger David Lee has been released by Wigan Athletic and although
-
Date
Seven was lucky for him!
THOUSANDS of people celebrated the Queen Mother's 100th birthday but one former local lad had an extra special reason to raise a glass of his own. Mr George Rostron had the honour of meeting her when she visited the borough for the second time in 1945
-
Date
Team move in cancer battle is welcomed
A DOCTOR from Bury has welcomed the teaming up of two Manchester hospitals to lead the country's fight against cancer. Dr Robert Elles, head of the regional molecular genetics lab at St Mary's Hospital said the partnership between his hospital and the
-
Date
Club scene is music to Marc's ears!
A FORMER Bury man is taking the country's club scene by storm with his unique blend of disco, soul, garage and funk. Marc Rowlands (26) has already appeared in trendy style magazine The Face in an article on the Manchester club collective of DJs known
-
Date
Chess: Peoples take a tumble
BURY'S first team produced a massive upset by beating a very powerful Peoples/White Swan side in a Manchester Summer League Cup fixture. Peoples, one of the strongest clubs in the North West, heavily outgraded the Bury team on every board. However, Bury
-
Date
Ward deal hits snag
ASHLEY Ward's move to Bradford City is far from cut and dried today after a snag in negotiations has put his transfer in jeopardy. City claim they have had an offer of £1.5m accepted for the 29-year-old striker. But Blackburn boss Graeme Souness today
-
Date
Summer signings ready for big kick-off
BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent sends his side into First Division battle tomorrow insisting: "We're good enough." The Clarets will hand full debuts to summer signings Kevin Ball, Phil Gray and Lee Briscoe following their addition to the squad that clinched
-
Date
Broadwater stalemate
Fleetwood 193-8 St Annes 244-7 ST ANNES with a winning draw took eight points to Fleetwood's four points in a high scoring match at Broadwater. Batting first, St Annes lost an early wicket when Gareth Evans was bowled by Pat King for three but then Adrian
-
Date
Ghouls grab grave statues
THREE marble statues stolen from St Helens Cemetery have been returned and staff are now trying to trace the graves they were taken from. It is thought that the statues, which had been bolted to the graves, were stolen some time during the last couple
-
Date
Football: Shakers ready for new kick off
ANDY Preece is determined his Shakers players are going to prove the doubters wrong. The Bury boss has been stung by media pundits who have tipped his side for relegation on the eve of the new campaign. He's well aware that people in the game don't fancy
-
Date
Green oases in Cement City
CEMENT City is positively blooming these days. And it's all because of the Groundwork St Helens gardening competition. The competition, funded by Parr Partnership SRB, Pathways Objective One and Liverpool Housing Trust, called for competitors in three
-
Date
Lilian jets back down the years
A GLOBETROTTING headmistress has returned to her blackboard and easel roots -- more than 50 years after closing her desk at a well-loved seat of learning. For it was during World War Two that little Lilian Cook first earned her mark in the register of
-
Date
Want to have a say?
TEENAGERS with disabilities are being given the chance to air their views on local education and leisure opportunities. An appeal has gone out to disabled 14 to 18-year-olds across St Helens to join a group which will meet regularly to produce a report
-
Date
Warning over bogus repairmen
TRADING Standards officers are warning householders to beware of callers offering to do repair work on their property. It follows a case in which a couple in their 70s ended up paying out nearly £1,000 in cash for work which may not have been necessary
-
Date
Kettle caused fire
Firefighters blamed an electric kettle for a blaze at a house in Scholes Street, Darwen, yesterday. Neighbours alerted the emergency services after they saw smoke billowing from the house shortly after 4pm. Two engines attended the blaze and found the
-
Date
Michelle takes a tumble
TEENAGE charity champ Michelle Lewis had a lucky escape when she was in collision with a pair of cyclists while taking part in a wheelchair race in Liverpool. Michelle (18) from St James' Road, Rainhill, was competing in the 15km Road Race on Wheels event
-
Date
Hijack victims' night of terror
A TEENAGE car-jacking victim today told how his girlfriend's 17th birthday celebrations turned to horror when they were forced out of their car at gunpoint. And the young man's mum also revealed how her son is struggling to cope with the horrific experience
-
Date
Brave farmer Harry back at work
BRAVE Leigh man Harry Tomlinson was this week busy at work on his farm -- while his attacker was beginning a life sentence behind bars. Despite suffering brain damage after being left for dead by robber Gary Monks, the elderly farmer has vowed to continue
-
Date
Derrick's tops again
BLOOMING champion -- that's garden master Derrick Cocker. The Leigh allotment keeper has just netted his sixth consecutive award for the borough's best-kept allotment, pipping fellow Leighite, Tommy Raikes by a single point. Derrick's champion crops are
-
Date
Tears at Boulevard
MANY people arrived at the Boulevard on Tuesday morning to find the place they had worked for years destroyed. Eddie Fogarty could not hide his distress as he looked at the wrecked, blackened building, still smoking eight hours after the blaze was reported
-
Date
Make a stand
I AM writing this letter after reading an article in last week's Citizen (August 3) about the country's Dump the Pump campaign. I really do think it's about time the British public stood up for themselves and took a stand against our government. It's
-
Date
Are you following your dream?
I AM making a documentary film for Channel 4, following people over the next year as they try to make their dream become reality. Are you transforming your life in the pursuit of a dream? Are you selling up, leaving the rat race and planning never to
-
Date
Alderman honour for Jimmy and John
A LEIGH duo who served the community for nearly half a century have joined the ranks of Wigan's top dogs. Retired politicians Jimmy Jones and John Hession received one of the borough's highest honours on Wednesday night when they were installed as Honorary
-
Date
What's more important?
I WAS appalled to read last week's front page (August 3) regarding a proposed mobile phone mast in Ashton. When will the public be privy to ALL the information regarding alleged radiation risks? It seems to me we are all having the wool pulled over our
-
Date
Red Cross honour for brave Ben?
A BRAVE boy who rescued his family from a house fire could pick up a bravery award at a national awards ceremony. The British Red Cross heard how eight-year-old Ben Dowling alerted his family on his birthday as smoke filled their home in Higher Fold,
-
Date
Stop moaning
HERE we go again, motorists moaning and whingeing about running costs. Motorists forget that it was their decision to have a car through their own freedom of choice in the first place. As a non-driver, I couldn't give two hoots about motorists, considering
-
Date
The top dog!
A BLACKPOOL man has proved he has the "write" stuff to make it in the book world after his first full-length novel topped the bestsellers list. And not only that, Stephen Booth's debut novel Black Dog has also attracted interest from TV companies and
-
Date
Daniel gets back on his bike
A BUDDING racing star's hopes of becoming the next Carl Fogarty are back on track thanks to his dogged determination and some much welcomed help. Daniel Crosby, of Blackburn, (pictured, right) had the brakes put on his fledgling career when race officials
-
Date
Local cricket: Revenge bid
Looking to put the disappointment of last Sunday's Nuffield Hospital Cup final defeat behind them, Chorley travel up the M6 to Morecambe tomorrow. They have a score to settle with the home side who won with embarrassing ease in the earlier fixture at
-
Date
Local cricket: Harvey Tree threat
CHERRY Tree's faltering Jennings Ribblesdale League title bid can ill afford another set-back tomorrow. So they will be hoping to put the brakes on Earby's free-scoring professional Jonathan Harvey, who last weekend became the first batsman to pass 1,000
-
Date
British title my priority: Hodgson
WORLD Superbike winner Neil Hodgson switches his attention to the domestic championship this weekend, vowing: "The British Superbike title is my number one priority." The 26-year-old Burnley rider is currently enjoying a rich vein of form, as demonstrated
-
Date
Gregan set for Grimsby trip
PRESTON look like they will have skipper Sean Gregan in their side for their Division One opener at pre-season relegation favourites Grimsby. It was feared the influential midfielder would miss the first three games of the season after he was sent off
-
Date
End of the road for league
A SPORTING organisation founded in 1928 has given up its fight for survival after battling against shortage of players and general lack of interest. Former president Ron Parkin and veterans Jim McCooey and Denis Whittle, plus former committee members,
-
Date
Boycott the buses
ARE there people out there who are just as fed up as I am over this continued bus strike by both Blackpool Transport and Stagecoach Ribble. If we can struggle to and from work when there are no buses, why can't we carry on struggling when they do decide
-
Date
A matter for the police
IN the letters column in The Citizen (27/07/00) Beverley Moy sought to remind me of what she saw as my "duty" to bring charges against Councillor Ivan Taylor for allegations relating to declaration of interests. I am fully aware of my responsibilities
-
Date
Blackpool has a roten core
IT is apparent that you have taken on an insuperable task -- the best of British luck. Apart from fresh air which Blackpool has in abundance, it also excels in extracting money. This closure of homes is just a blind to further the extraction process.
-
Date
New boys foil St Helens
ST HELENS fell 16 runs short of victory against Liverpool Competition new boys Caldy at Windleshaw Road on Saturday. Batting first on a good wicket Caldy paced their innings quiet well and reached 208 all out in a touch over three hours. Their opening
-
Date
Strife in the slow lane for Sutton
FOR the second week running Ruberoid Sutton Cricket Club were frustrated by opposition intent on avoiding defeat. They travelled Prestatyn in a top-of-the-table clash. Skipper Ian Greener lost the toss and Sutton were asked to bat first. It was always
-
Date
Manley mayhem!
ECCLESTON romped to a comfortable victory against Liverpool outfit Goodlass at Bobbies Lane on Saturday. Losing the toss Eccleston were put into bat. Openers Johnson (20) and Massey made a steady start, but with the loss of two wickets Michael Manley
-
Date
Rainhill held up
LEAGUE leaders Rainhill CChad to settle for a draw in their top-of-the-table clash at Buckley on Saturday. Rainhill batted first and Peter Mercer was the anchor man in his unbeaten half century which tooktwo-and-three-quarter hours to compile. But wickets
-
Date
Start looking now for a new home!
PENSIONERS facing eviction from Blackpool's council-run homes are threatening to sabotage the illuminations switch-on ceremony in a last-ditch attempt to force the council into a U-turn. Around 250 angry residents of the eight homes earmarked for closure
-
Date
Haydock weighs in with a winner
THE wraps have been taken off exciting £2 million plans for a new weighing room and winners' enclosure at Haydock Park Racecourse. As staff prepared for the big three-day meeting from today (Thursday) until Saturday, the latest developments at the UK's
-
Date
Op blow for brave Peter
A MAN from Leyland who was diagnosed with cancer, has had his hopes of a life-saving operation dashed after surgeons said the tumour was too advanced to operate. Peter Gibson, 41, from Elmwood Avenue, was hoping to travel to New York for the vital surgery
-
Date
Mark hits Bilbao with rare gem
PRESTON North End brought down the curtain on their preparations for the new season with this very entertaining game against Athletico Bilbao which ended in a 3-1 win for the Spanish footballing giants. Even allowing for the millions of pounds worth of
-
Date
Tackle a real health risk
I READ with considerable disquiet the article (Radcliffe Times, July 27) about drug users' needles being discarded in Radcliffe, and the alleged lack of council action. Having saved us all from the serious threat posed by dog droppings, perhaps those
-
Date
Treat in store at Gigg Lane
IF you are a resident of Bury Metropolitan Borough and you haven't visited Gigg Lane before, you are in for a treat. It is a great ground to watch 90 minutes of entertaining football in. I hope you are listening Bury's first teamers! Bring the children
-
Date
I was so thrilled to hear Debbie
I HAD the pleasure of attending the recent "Musicals of the Millennium" concert at Bolton. It was a wonderful evening with the Halle Orchestra, The English Concert Chorus and four superb soloists, among them Whitefield's Deborah Myers. My mind went back
-
Date
Locals don't want store
I CANNOT allow the comments by the principal planning officer (Radcliffe Times, Aug 3) regarding the planning application for 145 Bury Road, to pass without comment. As far as the evidence is concerned, let me acquaint Mr Hodkinson with the following
-
Date
Time to end this waste
E. TEBBS' criticism of the wanton and unnecessary £500 million which was spent on a meeting to discuss cancelling Third World debts, which appears to have achieved little, is valid. Unfortunately this is but one of many such extravagances with our money
-
Date
Down in dumps at pump protest
I'M disappointed that car users have not backed the Dump the Pumps campaign. The planned day of action last Tuesday saw little support from local motorists. And though the campaign is planned to go on every Monday, there were queues at the pumps again
-
Date
On patrol in parks
POLICE in St Helens are helping to step up security in the town's parks following an increasing number of reported incidents of assaults and other criminal incidents. Officers have joined forces with St Helens Council's Ranger Service to set up the 'Parkwatch
-
Date
Three rescued from home blaze
THREE people had to be rescued from a house in Chancery Lane, Parr, after being trapped upstairs by a fire in the living room. The fire was reported at 12.40am on Wednesday, August 2 after neighbours heard shouts for help. When firefighters arrived, they
-
Date
Janette's walking tall
MUf-two Janette Toole was walking tall after completing the 140-mile Tour de Mont Blanc walk in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care. Janette, who lives in Taylor Road, Haydock, works at the St Helens branch of the Pocket Phone Shop and collected sponsorship
-
Date
Girls kicked and punched
TWO teenage girls were attacked and robbed by a gang of youths as they made their way home from a night out. The victims, aged 17 and 19, were walking along Lugsmore Lane, Thatto Heath between 12.30 and 1am on Saturday, July 29 when they were approached
-
Date
Murray joins Barrow
CENTURIONS hooker Anthony Murray has joined Northern Ford Premiership rivals Barrow Border Raiders on a free transfer. Murray, who lost his place in Leigh's starting line-up to Mick Higham early in the season, was the top try scorer at Hilton Park in
-
Date
Fold handed a tricky start
ELTON Fold have been given a tough start to their latest Manchester League Premier Division campaign which kicks off with a trip to last season's runners-up, Dukinfield Town on Saturday August 19 (2.30pm). Tuesday 22 (6.30pm) is their first home game
-
Date
Soccer: Rammy fall to late Bury strike
Ramsbottom Utd 0 Bury....1 A YOUNG Bury team won a final pre-season warm up at Ramsbottom United this week but there wasn't much in it. What's becoming a traditional annual friendly took place on Tuesday night in front of 426 people at the Riverside.
-
Date
Croquet: You win some, you lose some
ON Sunday Bury Croquet club had two squads in play at home, the Caesar team played a very strong quartet from Southport. In the doubles Captain Len Forkin partnered Jean Hargreaves who was playing in her first Association Rules match. Perhaps not surprisingly
-
Date
Defiant message
SHAKERS skipper Nick Daws has sent out a defiant message to anyone doubting Bury's chances of reaching the play-offs and going up to the First Division writes STEVE CANAVAN. Keep 13 fit players, reckons Dawsy, and we'll be up there with the best of them
-
Date
FOOTBALL: Fans hero Lee to return
FANS hero David Lee could be making a dramatic return to Gigg Lane. The skilful right-winger, who was Player of the Year in the 1990-91 season, has been in discussions with boss Andy Preece and chairman Terry Robinson about the possibility of returning
-
Date
Cycle speedway: Miserable trip to the capital
IT was a very depressing weekend for Bury Border Flooring on their travels to East London on Saturday and Stoke-on-Trent on Sunday. Three senior riders missing from the line up proved too much ;of a handicap in the quarter final of the British team championship
-
Date
Prestwich clinch victory
PRESTWICH rewrote the history books when they clinched the Walkden Cup defeating Glossop by 11 runs on Sunday at the Heys. Five of the previous six finals under the Lancashire County League banner had been won by sides batting first and to reach this
-
Date
Sentimental value in tubs
ON Saturday, August 5, a common thief stole my terracotta flower tubs. One contained a hosta the other petunias. This has caused a great deal of upset and distress for my father and I as they were of sentimental value. We would like the tubs back, but
-
Date
Woman pensioner struggles with raider
A 74-year-old pensioner struggled with a thief who entered her flat in Rectory Green, Prestwich, on Wednesday morning (Aug 9). The man had forced a communal door at the complex. He walked into the flat and stole the woman's handbag but only after a struggle
-
Date
Friends make a grand day out for hospital
BEALEY Community Hospital's annual garden party was a blazing success. Sunny weather ensured a record turn-out of more than 200 visitors for Saturday's (Aug 5) fund-raiser, which was organised by the hospital's League of Friends. Besides all the usual
-
Date
Gun thug blasts cat in sick attack.
A FAMILY pet faces a fight for life after a cruel animal hater shot him in the head. Mrs Linda Bradley (36) was devastated when her three-year-old cat, Scamp, staggered to her Radcliffe home and collapsed. "At first I thought he must have been hit by
-
Date
Guided by friendship
A LOCAL Guide pack has stretched a hand of friendship thousands of miles to Russia. It was two years ago when the 20th Rossendale Edenfield Parish Church Guides first travelled to Siberia to team up with foreign counterparts. And this week it was the
-
Date
Picture of success
A RADCLIFFE photographer has "snapped" up yet more top awards. Mr Daniel Parker (33) who set up Parker Photography in his Joseph Street home three years ago has received two merits at the annual regional print competition of the Master Photographers Association
-
Date
Mural launches Oxfam campaign.
THE fight to give Third World children a chance to climb out of poverty has been given high-ranking local approval. Bury South MP Ivan Lewis attended the launch of Oxfam's Education Now campaign at the Met arts centre in Bury. The MP, pictured right,
-
Date
Unlucky Cruckshank is the one to go
BRISTOW in, Cruckshank out. That's the tough choice Centurions' coach Paul Terzis finally made. Second rower Heath Cruckshank was given the bad news that he was the unlucky one to be cut from the import quota because of a change in rules by the Rugby
-
Date
Ward deal hits snag
ASHLEY Ward's move to Bradford City is far from cut and dried today after a snag in negotiations has put his transfer in jeopardy. City claim they have had an offer of £1.5m accepted for the 29-year-old striker. But Blackburn boss Graeme Souness today
-
Date
Go and get promoted!
GRAEME Souness plans to send out his team with a clear message ringing in their ears: 'Go out and prove you are good enough to get promoted.' After the disappointments of last season, Rovers came in for fierce criticism from all quarters. But Souness
-
Date
Traders' plight
AFTER reading the article, 'Black Days for Market Traders' (Star, July 27) I had to write. I could not believe that a council could, with one hand, give new businesses like mine help and grants with Business Link etc., and then take it from up-and-running
-
Date
Stop whinging
AFTER reading the Interactive squad's article in the Star (July 27) I am beginning to wonder just what people want. Don't they realise that all these extra activities will eventually come out of taxpayers money - and probably lead to an increase in Council
-
Date
Hectic summer at college
STUDENTS will have new, state-of-the-art facilities and disabled improved access following a multi-million pound redevelopment at Cardinal Newman College in Avenham, Preston. The college started a £1.525 million extension to its Larkhill campus in July
-
Date
Judge tells burglar 'enough is enough'
A YOUNG Lancaster man responsible for two burglaries was sent to prison for 18 months this week after the judge told him "enough is enough." John Clegg, 20, made off with credit cards from a business premises and his second offence occurred at a student
-
Date
Teenager burgled OAP's home
A LANCASTER teenager who burgled the home of a 95-year-old woman has been given six months detention. The elderly victim was confronted by Daniel Casson in her own bungalow. He also stole from a registered disabled man. A judge at Preston Crown Court
-
Date
Battling show by depleted side
A DEPLETED Leyland team with four players missing, including Mark Pallett, Paul Haydock and Mathew Madigan and the suspended Brian Tennant lost by only 17 runs at Fox Lane. Leyland acting captain, Ian McDonnell put Morecambe in to bat. It appeared a prudent
-
Date
ARL stars go on trial
BLACKBROOK could be the launching pad for a group of Rugby League hopefuls bid for world glory. It's the setting for a series of trial matches to establish a BARLA squad for the Emerging Nations World Championships, which take place in this country in
-
Date
Appeal for bat attack details
POLICE are appealing to witnesses who saw a late-night baseball bat attack on a middle-aged man in Colne to come forward. The 39-year-old victim, who has not been named by police, suffered a deep cut to his head and a broken wrist. He was attacked as
-
Date
Asda introduces 24-hour opening
NEW jobs will be created as 24-hour shopping is introduced at Asda stores in Colne and Accrington on September 4. Other stores in Burnley and Blackburn may follow suit. Alan Short, manager at Colne, said: "It's amazing the convenience it gives to people
-
Date
Lions plan ahead for big festival
A FESTIVAL of fun for all ages is promised as Accrington Lions enter the new millennium with a new format and venue for their famous carnival, which is expected to raise thousands of pounds for local charities. The carnival, on June 16 next year, which
-
Date
Flood firms' race against time
A LEADING engineering company may be on the move after floods again interrupted production. On Wednesday morning employees at PF&F Limited in Bag Lane, Atherton -- the country's biggest manufacturer of laboratory fume cupboards -- had the unpleasant
-
Date
Boulevard: Christmas crisis meeting
BUSINESS leaders in Leigh say the fire which destroyed a shopping arcade is a massive set-back for the town centre. Around 12 stores were wiped out when the blaze ripped through the Boulevard, in Bradshawgate, right in the heart of the main shopping area
-
Date
Mum's delight at dyslexia cash boost
A CAMPAIGNING Leigh mum is delighted that her dream to help dyslexic children has come true. Last year businesswoman Shirley Longley launched a lone campaign to make Leigh a centre of excellence for children with the specific learning difficulty. Following
-
Date
Brisk business is no surprise!
POOR Morecambe! Another festival hits the dirt and Ron Sands continues to do a head count at the tourist information office. Well Ron, the numbers will always be high, because it's about the only place left open! Instead of kidding ourselves that all
-
Date
Was festival man promised financial assistance?
AS yet another festival bites the dust, the latest MBI newsletter assures us that we can expect more festivals for Morecambe and that everything under the MBI is rosy... what an insult. What can we expect them to say about this latest cancellation? Probably
-
Date
Have shopkeepers gone advertising board potty?
HAVE the owners of local shops gone crazy? A-boards have appeared all over the place and are breeding at an alarming rate. They must be stopped before they take over all the footways and force people to walk in the roads, jousting with the fast moving
-
Date
Hare today and tomorrow
A STEEL firm is consolidating its presence in Bury. William Hare Ltd is severing its ties with Bolton just two years after it closed its manufacturing plant in the town. The company is relocating its administrative head office to Brandlesholme in Bury
-
Date
Building for the future
BURY youngsters could soon be building themselves a new career. For up to £25,000 worth of specialised training is now on offer to Greater Manchester school leaves aged 16-21 who wish to follow a career in the construction industry. The Government-backed
-
Date
Senior invests in its home town
BURY-based Senior Hargreaves has invested £395,000 in consolidating its long-established presence in the town. The UK's largest and most innovative ductwork manufacturer and installation specialists have just completed a 32,000 sq ft factory extension
-
Date
High jinks!
PIGS didn't fly over St Annes last weekend (August 5-6) -- but almost everything else did! People on the beach who saw a parachuting Pikachu, giant divers swimming about in the sky, a floating octopus and a leaping frog, would be forgiven for thinking
-
Date
Happy Leigh reach second cup final
LEIGH CC are celebrating reaching two Liverpool Competition cup finals. Earlier in the season they battled their way through to the Premier Cup final against Ormskirk and have now reached the Chelmere Homes Cup final where they will play reigning league
-
Date
Bury man's Bugatti goes under the hammer.
A VINTAGE 1920s Bugatti car, sold in 1964 by a Bury man for just £30, could fetch a staggering £60,000 in the USA later this month. The gleaming vehicle, previously owned for 18 years by classic car buff Mr Andrew Heib, will come under the hammer at an
-
Date
Former race chiefs in lifetime ban shock
RACIAL equality bosses in Bury have slapped shock lifetime bans on a former chairman and vice chairman. Liaqat Ali and Mohammed Muneer have each been told they face a permanent membership exclusion from Bury Racial Equality Council (BREC). The ban was
-
Date
Cat hit by pellet
AN animal-lover has slammed mindless thugs who shot her pet cat with an airgun and left it fighting for its sight. Ann Weeks, from Appledore Grove, Sutton Leach, let her grey, tabby and white cat, Bambi, out of the house as usual on Friday evening, July
-
Date
Keith's new mission to Romania
CARING Councillor Keith Deakin is flying off to Romania again, but this time he's taking 14-year-old Nikki Johnson with him to introduce to her to a family he has virtually adopted over the years. For Keith is taking Nikki to meet her penpal, Miruna Suru
-
Date
New backing for foster campaign
WIGAN Council is joining an exciting nationwide campaign to recruit more foster carers to look after children who cannot live with their own families. Recently launched "fostering network" is a new government sponsored campaign created specially for members
-
Date
Mother dumps new-born twins
THE owner of a hedgehog rescue centre is warning people to avoid disturbing potential nest sites after the latest orphaned babies arrived this week (August 10) -- aged just two days old. Janis Dean, pictured, who runs the Carleton Hedgehog Hospital, is
-
Date
Protesters march on stockbrokers
A GROUP of animal rights protesters descended on Blackpool this week to try to convince a stockbroker company to stop dealing with shares in one of Europe's largest animal testing laboratories. The Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty Society have been targeting
-
Date
Start looking now for a new home!
PENSIONERS facing eviction from Blackpool's council-run homes are threatening to sabotage the illuminations switch-on ceremony in a last-ditch attempt to force the council into a U-turn. Around 250 angry residents of the eight homes earmarked for closure
-
Date
'Religious literture' found in baby search
POLICE today revealed that they had unearthed a plastic bag containing 'religious literature' during the search for a baby's body in the canal. And officers are not ruling out that the package could be what witnesses saw being thrown into the canal on
-
Date
Missing patient to bring review
HOSPITAL chiefs said today they would review procedures after a mental health patient went missing and threw herself into a nearby canal. The woman, in her late 50s, was later found safe and well by the side of the Leeds and Liverpool canal by emergency
-
Date
Bobbies boost for the county
AN EXTRA 226 new recruits will boost the ranks of the Lancashire Constabulary over the next three years, it was announced today. Police forces across the country today heard how 4,000 new police officers, announced recently as part of the Government's
-
Date
County cricket: Martin return boosts Lancs
PETER Martin returned to the squad to boost Lancashire in their NatWest Trophy semi final dress rehearsal against Gloucestershire at Old Trafford today. But Lancashire were furious that Mike Atherton was not available under instructions from England coach
-
Date
Rounders fight to a finish
WITH only a few weeks of the St Helens Rounders League season left, Windle and Pilkington Spartans are fighting it out for the Division One title. The two also meet in the Emily Collins Cup final, and with both securing good wins this week, it looks promising
-
Date
Clean up your act
MY husband and I have only resided in the area for 18 months but we must agree wholeheartedly with the views expressed in The Citizen (August 3) and would certainly not bring younger children to Blackpool especially at weekends. Blackpool has to decide
-
Date
Town centre is disgusting
I AM a local resident of Blackpool and I am disgusted with the state of Blackpool. I was in the armed forces for many years and was fortunate to travel over the world. After leaving the services we decided to move back to Blackpool where my wife and I
-
Date
More bobbies will improve town's image
WITH regard to the controversy surrounding Anthony Daniels' feature in the Daily Mail, I would like to say what I would do to improve Blackpool's image. As the introduction of death squads on the streets is likely to meet with opposition, maybe less controversial
-
Date
End this blame culture
FIRST we import McDonald's Fast Foods from the U.S.A. and now we are attempting to import their litigation culture. Having seen on television the terrible scalds inflicted by the hot drink that McDonald's had sold, I greatly sympathise with any victims
-
Date
Picture postcard view of past
I LEFT Higher Folds in the mid-Sixties when the estate was surrounded by towering black rucks on one side and burning, stinking slagheaps on the other. I have ventured back very little since but how the approach has changed. It's like a picture postcard
-
Date
They're in the money
LATEST £2, 000 jackpot winner in the Willowbrook Hospice weekly lottery draw was Mrs C. Piling of Haydock. Other major prize winners were Mr A. Byrne of Huyton who won £200; Mrs N. Kerfoot, Rainford (£125); Mrs H. Morris, Garswood (£75); and Mrs G. Chisnall
-
Date
TV star Ricky to open gala
THE 23rd annual Briars Hey Gala will take place at Briars Hey School on Mill Lane, Rainhill, on Sunday, August 27. Special guest will be actor Ricky Tomlinson of Royle Family, Cracker and Brookside fame, who will perform the official opening at 1.15pm
-
Date
Did you see attack on boy?
POLICE are appeaing for witnesses to an incident in which a teenage boy was attacked and robbed as he made his way home from the St Helens Show. The 16-year-old victim was walking past the golf driving range in Marshalls Cross Road between 10.15 and 10.30pm
-
Date
Ando takes top award
PAUL Anderson rounded off a top class season when he was named as the Centurions' first team Player of the Year at the club's awards ceremony. Anderson, converted from back rower to centre at the start of the campaign, ended the season with 16 tries and
-
Date
Are you sitting comfortably children?
FOLK tales and fairy stories will be the order of the day for children at Central and Chester Lane libraries on Thursday, August 10. Visiting storyteller Fran O'Boyle will be in residence in the children's section regaling youngsters with Celtic legends
-
Date
New sorrow for parents
A PRESTWICH couple are considering legal action against a Manchester hospital after they learned that it has kept their dead son's brain for almost two years without their knowledge. Andrew and Julie Sullivan must now re-live the agonising ordeal of laying
-
Date
Today's the day
1999: Millions watched, behind sunglasses, as Britain was overshadowed during the eclipse of the sun. 1877: "No-one would believe..." that on this day in history the first satellite of the planet Mars was discovered. 1919: Mega-rich Andrew Carnegie, who
-
Date
Back streets a sad sight
WHEN the plans for Mill Hill are started, could Blackburn Council look at some of the back streets -- Lindly Street, Jessel Street, Mill Hill Street, Penzance Street? These are either old cobbles, uneven places, or just stones and rubbish. Young Street
-
Date
Figures show Labour failure
FIGURES released by the Department of Health show that the number of people waiting to see a consultant for the first time rose by 43,000 in June. There are now almost 2,000 more patients waiting to see a consultant than when this government came to office
-
Date
Gala days a big success
BLACKBURN Lions Millennium Gala last weekend was a huge success. The weather was very kind to the thousands of people who came to Witton Park, staying fine and warm for the whole two days. Blackburn Lions would like to say an enormous 'thank you' to the
-
Date
Little red book is missed
A PENSIONER is appealing for the return of a treasured diary which details the births, deaths and marriages of many Walshaw people over an 80-year period. The precious red diary, described as smaller than an envelope, was inside a handbag stolen from
-
Date
Cars will be the stars
FINE tuning is being completed ready for the start of the Bury Times Motor Show on Sunday (Aug 13). Top-of-the-range cars will be some of the star attractions at Gigg Lane, the home of Bury Football Club, which is jointly staging the event. There will
-
Date
Cable TV chip bootlegger jailed
A CABLE TV bootlegger who gave viewers the chance to view programmes for free has been jailed after being caught advertising home-made computer chips over the Internet. The case has been hailed as a major triumph by broadcasting watchdogs, after it was
-
Date
Cash for those serious about study
HARD-up local students are being offered a helping financial hand. Study support grants are being offered by four charitable trusts to Ramsbottom students under the age of 25. The British Cotton Growers Association of Ramsbottom is offering cash to those
-
Date
Meeting about asylum issues
CAMPAIGNERS concerned about the plight of local asylum seekers are calling on support at a public meeting. The "People of Prestwich Co-operating Against Racism and For Asylum Seekers" have organised a meeting at Prestwich Methodist Church on Monday, September
-
Date
Murray named Rovers chief scout
BLACKBURN Rovers have appointed Alan Murray as their new chief scout. Murray will replace John Seasman who quit the club recently to start a new job in Leeds United's Youth Academy. Murray will link up again with Rovers boss Graeme Souness. The pair have
-
Date
Hignett holds key to get out of jail
New season preview BLACKBURN Rovers fans have been through the mill over the last couple of seasons. But those two years of torture became a thing of the past at approximately mid-day on Monday, July 10, 2000. That was the moment when Craig Hignett signed
-
Date
Memories of glass town
AS we drove into St Helens how my memory was stirred. Home of the Glassmakers! It took me back over 40 years to when I worked in the city of York for a large plumbing and glazing company. All those invoices with the feet and inches and s, 1/4s and 1/8ths
-
Date
Wednesday star on way to PNE
PRESTON North End look are hoping to start life in Division One with a player they have been trying to sign for weeks. It is hoped that Sheffield Wednesday striker Richard Cresswell will sign for North End after Preston boss David Moyes issued a warning
-
Date
Back from the dead . . .
TWO years ago builder Mark Beesley found himself facing life in a wheelchair after a motorbike accident left him paralysed from the chest down, but little did he know at the time his disability would open up new horizons and a successful line of business
-
Date
Police launch cinema initiative
A HOLLYWOOD blockbuster is being used by the police to help local people combat the menace of car crime. The new movie Gone in 60 Seconds stars Nicholas Cage as a legendary car thief lured back into crime to save his brother's life. In the film Cage's
-
Date
Dark side to light tampering
YOUNGSTERS in Morecambe and Heysham are dicing with death by vandalising street lamps, police have warned. Over the past few weeks children have been taking the front covers off lampposts and tampering with the electrical cables inside causing the lamp
-
Date
Business urged to go green
FIRMS in Pendle were encouraged to be environmentally friendly during a seminar in Nelson. The event at the Civic Theatre, Stanley Street, on Wednesday was aimed at helping businesses "go green" by giving them help and advice on a range of topics from
-
Date
Hounds in the hunt
PARR Hare & Hounds Amateur Rugby League Club are now back in full pre-season training at Parr Stocks Road on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7pm. At present the club -- which this season will be based at The Globe Hotel in Hardshaw Street -- currently
-
Date
Saints tighten their grip at top
Saints 46 London Broncos 12 SUPER League top guns Saints maintained their grip on the leadership with this seventh consecutive victory but it was good only in parts. For after laying the platform for success with a workmanlike first half display which
-
Date
Plan to protect wildlife from harm
PENDLE Council has pledged to protect sensitive environmental habitats in the borough as part of a Lancashire-wide agreement. The "green" paper, known as the Lancashire Biodiversity Action Declaration, aims to save wildlife sites for future generations
-
Date
Guilty nurse removed from register
A PRESTON nurse has been found guilty of misconduct and removed from the national register at a hearing in London. The Professional Conduct Committee of the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC) found Margaret
-
Date
Retail and leisure plan for Leyland
SHOPPERS in Leyland could be in for a real treat if council officials give the go-ahead for another retail and leisure complex. The scheme, planned for Southern Towngate opposite the future Tesco site, is dependant on the council finding a developer to
-
Date
Ex-boss guilty of insider dealing
A FORMER chief executive and joint managing director of an East Lancashire company has been convicted of insider share dealing, along with his brother. Gerard Cahill, who worked for more than 37 years at Gaskell plc pleaded guilty to one offence of insider
-
Date
Ex-bodyguard Carl now cares for customers
By Lesley Richards. TONY Blair's former bodyguard has put his weight behind caring for customers -- at a Leigh store. Multi martial arts black belt Carl Hayes took over as deputy store manager at the Leigh branch of Netto in October last year. But his
-
Date
Youth band blow trumpet on Continent
ASTLEY Youth Band's fame is spreading on the continent. Members have returned this week from a successful open air Millennium tour of Holland. The 49-strong band, who took along 26 supporters, gave four park concerts at three venues, and got a brilliant
-
Date
We don't want you here!
IF you're not going to behave, don't come here! That is the stark warning from Blackpool's tourism boss this week. The message came on Wednesday (August 9) as plans to clamp down on loutish behaviour on the resort's streets are stepped up. Following The
-
Date
Expert's traffic ideals
MAY I first congratulate you on being the only local newspaper that gave adequate coverage to the visit of the eminent Prof Helmut Holzapfel of Kassel University, Germany. Yours should be the paper in the library files for future generations. Having said
-
Date
Decision to peg interest rates welcomed
THE decision by the Bank of England to hold interest rates at six per cent has been welcomed by two business support organisations. Bolton and Bury Chamber and the Engineering Employers' Federation (EEF) have given their backing to the move to leave the
-
Date
Dealing on your doorstep
WELL and truly in the driving seat! That's Bury-based information technology and software solutions firm Flexsys (UK). When the Silver Street-located firm wanted the best deal on cars for their directors they used the Bolton and Bury Chamber network.
-
Date
Heritage under attack by yobs
ONE of Leyland's most historic treasures is to be covered by unsightly metal guards after a spate of attacks by drunken yobs. The old Leyland Motors clock on Hough Lane roundabout has been bombarded by gangs of drunks throwing empty beer bottles and bricks
-
Date
Sharks start season where they left off
HINDSFORD Sharks began the new football season exactly the same way they ended the old, by winning a competition. Two months ago it was the Horwich tournament and now the new under 10s have added the De La Salle Trophy to their impressive collection.
-
Date
Readers to the rescue
LITTLE Matthew Fiddler has been given a fighting chance of walking independently for the first time, thanks to the help of big-hearted Bury Times readers. Earlier this year the paper reported how a lack of cash meant the six-year-old, who was born with
-
Date
Shopping for success
AN innovative "shop" in Bury which offers studies with a long shelf-life is celebrating its first successful year. The Learning Shop, located in the town's Crompton Street, has allowed many people to pick and choose a range of courses. And thanks to the
-
Date
Vandals wreck club for elderly
A GROUP of pensioners face a hefty repair bill after vandals flooded their social club and damaged musical equipment. Members of Prestwich Pensioners' Club in Church Lane turned up for one of their regular dancing sessions to be faced with mopping up
-
Date
Baffled by son's death
A FATHER told a coroner how he was left mystified by the discovery of his 19-year-old son's body, slumped in his bedroom last Friday (Aug 4). Daniel David Lewis Hindle, who worked as a store assistant in Sainsbury's, Prestwich, was discovered in his uniform
-
Date
Who wants to be a millionaire? Marvin does.
A YOUNG entrepreneur who went from rags to riches and back again believes he is set to rejoin life in the fast lane. Twenty-five-year-old Marvin Baker a self-taught computer whizz and web designer, is hoping he can become the next dot.com millionaire
-
Date
Fighter project right on course
AEROSPACE workers have passed another Eurofighter Typhoon milestone. BAE Systems at Samlesbury has completed the first production standard canopy for the aircraft. The canopy will be now used to test a mechanism which will enable the crew to manually
-
Date
Teenager's Hotties ordeal
A TEENAGE boy fishing in St Helens, almost drowned after a gang of youths pushed him into the water and stole his and a companion's fishing equipment. The two 13 year olds were fishing in St Helens Canal at the Hotties site near the World of Glass at
-
Date
Police in new murder plea
POLICE investigating the murder of a woman whose body was found in a field off the Rainford by-pass six years ago have re-newed a plea for information. The body of 23-year-old Julie Finney from Liverpool was discovered in a carrot field on August 6, 1994
-
Date
Mother's proof animal research save lives
JAN Creamer of the National Anti-Vivisection Society (Leyland Citizen 29/6) is loud in attacking medical research, but is remarkably quiet telling us what to use instead of animals to give hope to people with illnesses. We would be interested to hear
-
Date
Stabbed...in broad daylight
POLICE in Blackpool are appealing for witnesses after a man was stabbed in the shoulder in broad daylight. The incident happened at around 4pm on July 31 when a man was walking along Condor Grove in Blackpool and was stopped by two men. The men asked
-
Date
Deathtrap site fears
CHILDREN are dicing with death by playing on the roof of a derelict building, a Blackpool councillor warns. Councillor Joan Greenhalgh is calling for an office block on Cherry Tree Road North to be made secure after a neighbour saw a boy being dangled
-
Date
Stable's search for new youth shelter
A HUSBAND and wife team whose centre for the homeless has helped more than 800 youngsters are planning to open a new shelter. In 1994, Rev Alan Fishwick, then the vicar of St Andrew's Church in Accrington, and his wife Barbara, opened the Hyndburn Christian
-
Date
Soccer: Bury face Cambridge trip
Bury start the new season with a long trip to Cambridge, but look forward to the campaign with a great deal of confidence following a very encouraging pre season series of matches, and which has seen Manager Andy Preece's football revolution continue.
-
Date
Trophy ahoy . . .
A DYNAMIC duo of youngsters from Pilkington Sailing Club, Eccleston Mere, have caused their shipmates to splice the mainbrace. For the tender-age crew of Richard Critchley and Jason Lee finished a highly creditable third in the 12-hour national championships
-
Date
Park gear up for new season
WEST Park RUFC, with high hopes of continuing their success of last season, open their fixtures with their traditional friendly with Leigh who visit Red Rocks on Saturday August 26. Then Park visit Orrell the following Tuesday for a practice game before
-
Date
An open letter to Councillor Bancroft
AT the last election Sir, we, the Blackpool public, voted for a Labour council to represent us and our needs in the town -- hence your position today. In return for our votes you took on this job of representing us and also being accountable to us for
-
Date
P&O go so close . . .
PRESCOT & Odyssey Cricket Club came agonisingly close to victory at Wavertree on Saturday. But both teams played their part in this nail-biter. Batting first, P&O got a flyer with 13 runs off the first over, Wavertree immediatley adjusted the
-
Date
Alastair would be my first hit
MR Chaytor (Your Letters, August 1) asks what would be at the top of the Tory "hit list" if they regain power. May I suggest that Alastair Campbell and his team of Special Advisers should be first to go? Having studied politics, I was always of the belief
-
Date
Questionnaire is out of date
I HAVE just received a copy of a questionnaire from the Tory Party. It asks me what I think about their new policy, the "tax guarantee". Nobody seems to have told them that Michael Portillo ditched that policy weeks ago. It then goes on to ask me about
-
Date
Money is wasted in many ways
PC Steve Williams (Yours Truly, Aug 3) seems to think that I am the only critic of the police. He may not understand why the police force is so unpopular with the public, or he may prefer to hide behind the old clich of there not being enough cash. The
-
Date
Why should we trust Mr Gubay over Elms?
HAVING attended the public meeting in Whitefield to discuss the progress regarding the Elms Precinct saga, I was not surprised to see the extremely large turnout of local residents. Nor was I surprised to note the absence of Mr Gubay of North Western
-
Date
£500 for platforms - not me
THE number of avid collectors has multiplied by hundreds in recent years as TV and the media have jumped on the bandwagon with an increasing number of programmes. The biggest problem is that these shows have created a shortage of goodies coming onto the
