Archive
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Courage to be applauded
I READ this week of a man reporting his ex-wife to the police for drinking and driving. How I applauded him for doing so. I thought that could be another life, or more, saved from yet another drunk driver. The report went on to say that the ex-wife claimed
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Tories are desperate
ONE must feel sorry for Nigel Evans, the Ribble Valley Tory MP, for being attacked in his Swansea tobacco and liquor store, though he spoils it with his "law 'n order" rant in blaming Home Secretary Jack Straw for his unfortunate experience (LET, December
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It's all 'proper' English
IN response to Mr A Walmsley (Letters, January 3), the English language is not spoken "in hundreds of corrupt dialects." Each dialect of English has evolved in parallel over centuries. Unfortunately, many English regional dialects have died out in the
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We need mini roundabout
I AGREE with all Frank Harrop says (Letters, January 2). We moved to Hoddlesden some 12 months ago and I have often struggled to negotiate the crossroads he complained about -- particularly at peak times, when returning home via Marsh House Lane. Traffic
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Early start to elections
I KNOW that we will be having a general election in 2001, but weren't you beginning the political season a little early with your article about Hyndburn Tories accused of costing taxpayers more than £200,000 by helping former Councillor Adrian Shurmer
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An image of giving
A VERY early Christmas party brought a late festive present for local charities. Staff at the council's Images gyms in Radcliffe and Bury held a Yuletide bash in November for the mayoral charities. The party, at the Chicago Rock Cafe in Bury, brought
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Chill brings thrill!
DESPITE the cold and the problems it brings, it's hard not to experience a childlike thrill when you open your curtains to find a blanket of snow outside. Last week's snowfall was regarded as a late Christmas present by many who enjoyed sledging and sliding
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Toning up to help children
sSTAFF from Bury Council are giving a cash injection to children's hospitals by donating toner cartridges. Seven departments within the local authority have signed up to the scheme, which raises around £3 for the Children's Hospitals Appeal Trust for
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£ million for war on truancy
THE New Year has seen local education chiefs getting a new boost in the battle to reduce truancy and bad behaviour in schools. The local education authority (LEA) has been given more than half a million pounds from the Government's Social Inclusion Pupil
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Centurions' star's injury blow
LEIGH Centurions' new stand-off sensation Simon Svabic is out of Sunday's trip to Chorley Lynx - and he's be no means certain to be fit for the showdown with unbeaten Oldham the following week. Svabic, who has started the season in great style with two
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Woods ready to play through the pain
CHESTER City centre back Matt Woods will have to wear a special gum shield at Ewood tomorrow after an accident in the bath nearly forced him to miss his big day. Woods fractured an eye socket recently when he slipped and fell in the bath. But the defender
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End 'fiasco' of Wembley
EAST Lancashire MPs Peter Pike and Greg Pope have backed a call for the Government to intervene in the 'farce' of the Wembley Stadium redevelopment project. Chorley Labour backbencher Lindsay Hoyle has called on Sports Minister Kate Hoey to replace the
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Welder's death: firm fined £10,000
A NELSON engineering firm has been ordered to pay almost £10,000 in fines and court costs following the death of one of its employees in a welding accident. Graham Engineering Ltd, in Edward Street, Nelson, pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching health
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FIVE YEARS AGO
A NINE-year-old girl had a tearful reunion with her mother after sparking a police search when she played truant because she was late for school. The police helicopter was drafted in to hunt for Terri Gardner, who went missing after being dropped off
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Seeds of hope for new garden
A £38,000 community garden is set to transform an Accrington wasteland just months after fly-tippers threatened to destroy the project. West Accrington Residents' Association teamed up with environmental regeneration charity Groundwork East Lancashire
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Mayor in thug fury
A MAYOR and mayoress are planning to install CCTV at their block of flats after two young tearaways broke in and wrecked a communal hallway before escaping -- on sledges. Councillors Doug and Sandra Hayes (pictured) want to club together with their neighbours
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Pit stop for tourists?
INDUSTRIAL glory and the sport of kings could make Astley a millennium mecca. A £1.3 million lottery bid goes in next month for enterprising plans to develop the region's unique mining centre at Astley. But that massive sum is just a drop in the ocean
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Courses on loom rioters
THREE-DAY courses on the Lancashire Loom Breaking Riots of 1826 -- A Reaction To Change -- will be held at Alston Hall College, in Longridge, on Mondays January 22, February 12 and March 12 from 11am to 4pm. On January 22 the course will discuss the four
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Quest for details on village's war dead
A NEW book could soon be launched to remember war heroes. An appeal from members of Chipping Local History Society for information on the village's men who served in the First and Second World Wars was so successful it may lead to a local history book
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What prezzies did you get
WHAT daft prezzies did you get for Christmas? The best I heard of was a shower cap in the shape of a duck.
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Read all about it for a laugh
THE best guffaw from TV I had was the Tommy Cooper show -- with subtitles. I realise they are very welcome and necessary for the hard of hearing but to see Laughter, Applause and ha ha ha ha and Cooper's catchphrase zzz-zzz-zzz on the screen just creased
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They're sinking under rising tide of red tape
THE major frustration facing entrepreneurs in the North West is the rising tide of red tape. And firms are also exasperated at the amount of time they have to spend to cope with new legislation, according to the regional results of a survey by the Federation
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Laws in bid for more Turf joy
BRIAN Laws returns to Turf Moor tomorrow looking to kill off hopes of a Claret revival. Laws launched his successful playing career at Burnley in the early eighties and while the former Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest full-back retains a soft spot
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FINAL WORD on Scunthorpe
BIG MONEY MAN Steve Torpey: Scunthorpe skipper Torpey cost a club record £175,000 from Bristol City last February. The former Bradford and Swansea striker has formed a potent partnership with Guy Ipoua and has scored nine goals so far. LAST SIX RESULTS
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Help them to help others
BURY Samaritans, which dealt with an increased level of calls during the festive period, is looking for more volunteers. Two open sessions, designed for prospective volunteers, will be held in the town next month. The recruitment drive is being staged
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Kathryn is very special!
CRIMEBUSTER Kathryn Hogan is special in more ways than one. The 24-year-old not only works for Greater Manchester Police in the Clayton Brook Communications Suite but she spends the majority of her free time as a Special Constable fighting crime and disorder
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OAP's fair offensive
FAIRGROUND workers will have a battle on their hands if they are planning on visiting Red Bank Field this year. Determined pensioner Mrs Muriel Waddington has launched a New Year's offensive and has vowed to do all she can to stop the fair from "churning
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Winter is the new summer
YOU only have to step out of your door to realise why more people are travelling to warmer climates at this time of year. And the borough's travel agents have enjoyed a bumper Christmas with many holidays being completely sold out. Gary McKenna, sales
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Shots fired in PO raid
SHOPPERS were forced to cower in terror as armed robbers fired shots over their heads during a raid on an Unsworth post office. And a crew of refuse collectors attempted to block the masked raiders' escape route as they fled from Sunnybank Post Office
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Souness issues warning
BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness today told his troops not to become FA Cup fall guys ahead of tomorrow's third round clash with Chester City at Ewood. Souness knows all about the dangers of cup giantkillings after Hamilton Academicals pulled off a shock
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Sanderson becomes Bramall
AN image change has led to a change of name for a Blackburn car dealership. Sanderson Ford Blackburn, Whitebirk Drive, has been renamed CD Bramall Ford Blackburn following a name change by its parent company. The Harrogate-based group, formerly known
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Rolls-Royce in Vickers sell-off
ROLLS-ROYCE has sold the bulk of its Vickers Turbine Components (VTC) business for £74million. Under the deal Royal Bank Private Equity (RBPE) will take over a number of UK and US firms employing around 1,220 people which make up the majority of VTC.
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Chair deal with food agency
AN office chair firm is sitting pretty after clinching a deal to supply 1,500 seats to the Food Standards Agency. Dauphin plc, based in Peter Street, Blackburn, and headed by managing director Alan Verrinder, clinched the deal for an undisclosed amount
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The rise of a new Warburton
A TEENAGER with a famous baking name is rapidly rising through the ranks at an East Lancashire bakery thanks to a modern apprenticeship programme. Nicholas Warburton, 18, is no relation to the famous Warburton bakery family of TV advert fame, but he has
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Beyond a joke as Stressed Eric sues
THE television cartoon of Stressed Eric, the harrassed office worker always under pressure from his boss and the office bully, may be getting too close to true life. With increasing numbers of staff suing bosses for stress at work it is now vital to call
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Shakers boss targets play-off challenge
BURY boss Andy Preece has issued the rallying cry all Shakers fans want to hear: "We're gunning for the play-offs". Victory over Swindon Town before Christmas ended a terrible two-month run and, after further good performances against Stoke and Rotherham
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Ghostly ramble through haunted woods
FANS of ghostly goings on can have their ghoulish appetites satisfied with a haunting walk through a Darwen wood. Expert in the "other side" Simon Entwistle is hoping to return to the borough this month for a Guided Ghost Walk through Sunnyhurst Wood
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Owner must pay for wall collapse
THE owner of a house which collapsed will have to pay for all repair work after it was revealed the house had been condemned eight months ago. Teams from Blackburn with Darwen Council went to the terrace property on Franklin Street, Darwen, to clear up
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Rescue team's record year
A MERCY team was called out 23 times in three days as wintry conditions gripped East Lancashire. Rossendale Search and Rescue's record year of calls ended on New Year's Eve when, in arctic conditions, the team was called to Grane Road, Haslingden, to
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Scarred for life by bomb burns
A SCHOOLBOY who kicked a burning home-made bomb towards a childhood friend -- setting his clothes alight and scarring him for life -- was today behind bars. The 15-year-old, said to be interested in explosions and chemicals, was sitting with his mother
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Charles and Mary have a sparkling celebration
A HINDLEY Green couple are celebrating 60 years of wedded bliss. Charles and Mary Parker, of Lulworth Drive, were married at Knightswood Congregational Church, Glasgow ,on December 27 1940. They have four children, Charles, Donald and twins Bill and Brian
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Petrol station closure
AN Atherton fuel filling station has closed. The Briarcroft Service Station in Leigh Road shut for the last time at Christmas because of "economic reasons". The site of the boarded-up "Elf" brand station will be cleared and offered for sale, but will
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LINC up and help back leisure card
WIGAN Council are looking for a business to sponsor its LINC -- Leisure Discount Card. The "leisure in the community" initiative started in 1993 and now has around 45,000 members. LINC members benefit from reduced costs for swimming, use of gym facilities
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Andy aims to be MP
MORE jobs, more money for the community and getting Leigh RL in the Super League are among MP hopeful Andy Burnham's aims. Mr Burnham, who grew-up in Culcheth, celebrates his 31st birthday on Sunday at his parents' Common Lane home. He is a strong contender
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Star Craig makes their day
NEW Year slimmers are being offered an extra large helping of motivation to shed the pounds and gain pounds for charity this year. Slimming World consultants Julie Williams and Vicki Hunt have organised a six week sponsored slim at their Leigh and Hindley
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Police to get tough with mobile phone motorists
TRAFFIC police will crack down this New Year on drivers who insist on using mobile phones while behind the wheel. Throughout this month traffic police will drive home the message it is not always good to talk by speaking to motorists they spot in Leigh
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Drivers face January jams
DRIVERS could face delays in the New Year due to road works across Journal-land. Butts Street in Leigh will be closed to through traffic on Sunday, January 14 to enable a crane to be sited near Volex. Work continues on Breaston Bridge, Warrington Road
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Why Prince Charles and Basil Fawlty popped in to Atherton
LAST minute Christmas shoppers in Atherton town centre included some famous faces who said they had stopped off on the way to Madonna's wedding! Locals blinked in disbelief as Prince Charles and comedy screen character Basil Fawlty strolled around town
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Children risk lives skating on frozen lake
CHILDREN skating and riding on the frozen Firs Park lake ignored residents' safety warnings this week. They twice ripped down newly-placed "keep off the ice" signs and threw them into the water. They disturbed wildlife on the island haven and strewed
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How's about hat?
IF you want to get ahead, get a hat. Vera Stringer, North West fund-raiser for the Stroke Association, is hoping people will dig out their fanciest head gear on March 9 for the charity's national Grand Hat Day. "We want everyone of any age to wear a hat
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Businessmen's charity triumph
TWO East Lancashire businessman tackled two very different endurance tests -- all in the name of charity. Paul Burrows, managing director of Blackburn-based Weltonhurst, took part in China Challenge -- a walk along 100 kilometres of the Great Wall of
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A whiff of hypocrisy
DOES anyone else smell more than a whiff of hypocrisy in Bills to outlaw fox hunting and fur farming being debated by a House of Lords whose members dress in robes trimmed in ermine? Perhaps Parliament should get its own house in order before claiming
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No progress without testing
JAN Creamer of the National Anti-Vivisection Society (Yours Truly, Nov 16), who campaigns to abolish the use of animals in medical research, is presumably a healthy person and can therefore afford to hold this opinion. But what about the millions of people
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Support for green agenda
I WANT to express our gratitude and thanks to the many people who helped make our annual dinner and awards event such a success on Thursday, Dec 7. The fantastic support of more than 360 people from all sectors of society in Bury, including businesses
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Residents fear losing their children more
OUT of all the residents on Moss Shaw estate, I wonder why Mr H. Jolly only has the support of eight when he condemns the proposed traffic calming measures (Dec 21). Could it be that the other residents fear losing their children more than they fear Mr
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Fun break, with Prince Charles
WELL done to Atherton for arranging a pre-Christmas fun break with a difference. The town had a royal visitor in the form of Prince Charles along with Basil Fawlty, Manuel and the Minister of Silly Walks in an hilarious first for the town. Two professional
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Rubbish cook Louise
POOR Louise Preston -- a rubbish cook -- was given six copies of "Saint" Delia Smith's "How to Cook Book Two" for Christmas. The 32-year-old, whose husband and son live on takeaways and readymade meals, told family and friends of her New Year resolution
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Holiday TV was garbage
HOLIDAY TV overall was garbage, but I got a few laughs. The best film for me was still "The Wizard of Oz" -- and I actually saw it all the way through in one sitting. It is unbelievable to think it was made in 1939. It must have been magical for the children
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Know the words to Round John Virgin?
HIM indoors has a hatred of choirs. He says you can't tell a word they sing. Perhaps that's why children make up their own words to songs and carols. I read this week that a three-years-old had been singing "Away in a manger no crisps in his head". A
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Fox hunting a sport? Rubbish -- let's have a total ban
DON"T mention fox hunting to me. I detest it -- and it's certainly not sport! I hate cruety to all animals as readers must have gathered by now. I have two foxes who visit my garden, and I regularly see them in the fields around my home. They're just
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I hope Helen finds some answers
WHAT a brave mum Helen Jeffries is. The 39-year-old mother of CJD's youngest victim delivered a moving alternative Christmas message on Channel 4 -- in opposition to the Queen. Helen, from Wigan, paid tribute to her 14-year-old daughter Zoe, who lost
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I'm going to shed some weight like super Mel
I WISH I had the resolve of Culcheth's Melanie Killilea. Imagine the 34-year-old, weighing in at 23 stone, and desperate to lose weight so that her three years old son, Conor, would not be mocked when he started school. Where do you start? It has to be
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Let's hope these girls are the next pop stars from Leigh
A LEIGH girl band is on the verge of hitting the big time. TKO -- made up of Emma Lally, newcomer Katy Malloy (Dizzy) who took over from founder Joanne Leeton when she left to go solo, and Katie White are promising to be the biggest female hits to come
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Village in the ideal time warp
Drive and Stroll, with Ron Freethy SO, we did get a white Christmas after all, even only a few flakes actually fell on Christmas morning. Boxing Day, however, dawned bright and clear -- a perfect winter's morning and so what better incentive could I have
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RAMS PAIR SET TO MISS OUT
DARREN BOWMAN and David Yorke-Robinson are the two main injury doubts for Ramsbottom United ahead of tomorrow's NWCL Worthington Challenge Cup first round tie against Clitheroe at the Riverside (kick-off 3pm). The game should have been played last Saturday
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LIONS LOOK TO BOUNCE BACK
SWINTON LIONS will be eager to bounce back from their New Year's Day mauling at Leigh when they take on Rochdale Hornets at Gigg Lane on Sunday (kick-off 3pm). And while Lions chief executive Tony Barrow gave Leigh high praise, he reckons Sunday's match
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IT'S ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR SEDGLEY!
SEDGLEY PARK go into 2001 with hopes high. Despite the recent defeat at Doncaster, the team is in good shape to challenge for promotion at the end of the season. The three top teams all have to travel to Park Lane and, of the 13 games remaining for Sedgley
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BARRICK MOVE ON HOLD
DEAN BARRICK'S move to Nationwide Conference outfit Doncaster Rovers is on the back boiler. The Yorkshire side were keen to sign the Shakers left back on loan, with a view to him signing a permanent, two-year contract. However, it now appears that they
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Courtesy alive and well
I FELT that I had to share a positive experience my 12-year-old son had in a town centre jewellers' shop. If was his first time in Blackburn shopping centre choosing his own Christmas gifts for myself and his Dad. He went into Peter Jackson Jewellers
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Taken for a ride?
PENSIONERS and taxpayers will pay the cost of Labour's new regional transport policy, claims John Walsh. The Tory councillor and candidate for Bury North in the next General Election says the new Transport Act, which guarantees OAPs half-fare travel,
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Boy's fire prank turned into tragedy
A SCHOOLBOY who kicked a burning home-made bomb towards a childhood friend -- setting his clothes alight and scarring him for life -- was sent to custody. The 15-year-old, said to be interested in explosions and chemicals, was sitting with his mother
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Hospital heaven for young patients
YOUNGSTERS who spent the holiday period in hospital were in "chocolate heaven" thanks to members of a local gym. Members of The Stables Leisure Club, which is based at the Bolholt Hotel, in Walshaw Road, remembered the patients on the Children's Ward
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Royal approval for keen snapper
A LOVE of motor racing has resulted in a Radcliffe photographer receiving a prestigious award. A decade ago Stephen White (40) of Haworth Walk began taking along his camera when he went to watch races. He "developed" an interest in photography which led
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Forceful turn out for a former officer
POLICE officers from across Greater Manchester joined the family and friends of a "traditional" Bury cop to pay their final respects. Retired detective constable Mick Anderson died on Christmas Eve in Bury General Hospital from complications arising from
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FINAL WORD on Chester
BIG MONEY MAN: Graham Barrow hasn't had cash to spend in his quest to get Chester back into the league. Of the present squad, no-one cost money. But Barrow has shown a shrewd eye in the free transfer market. drafting in the likes of former Sheffield United
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Soldier, 17, buried with full military honours
SOLDIERS formed in a guard of honour as a colleague who died in a car crash has been buried with full military honours. Roger Fothergill, 17, of South Valley Drive, Colne, died on December 28 after the crash in his mother's Peugeot 106 car in Cotton Tree
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Coping with the car in the Big Freeze
THE New Year cold snap has made for difficult driving conditions on the roads around Journal-land, motoring organisations warn. The Journal, with Wigan Advanced Motorists, has taken a look at how to make winter driving safe and what extra precautions
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Switch to Labour is the right decision says Lib Dem councillor
A TYLDESLEY Liberal Democrat councillor this week apologised to voters after he announced his defection to the Labour Party. Cllr Graham Lingings, who has represented Hindsford Ward for 13 months, told The Journal that he wanted to go back to his Labour
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Ex-Platts giant leaves £270m to charities
AN intensely private businessman who chose to live in modest circumstances has left about £270million to charity. John D Hollingsworth Junior, who ran a textile company with subsidiaries in Great Harwood, and other parts of Europe and South America, left
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Wildlife fears after housing plan go-ahead
WIGAN Council and angry campaigners are "concerned" a new housing estate proposed for Pennington may have a disastrous effect on wildlife. A government inspector has given the green light to a 10-acre outline housing scheme at Taylor's Hole, a haven for
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Melanie's half the mum she used to be!
TWO years ago Melanie Killilea weighed in at a massive 23 stones -- and made a New Year's Resolution to lose weight. She had done it many times before, but all her attempts ended in failure. This time she decided she must stick to it for the sake of her
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Bus driver's terror ride
A HORRIFIED Leigh bus driver has spoken of his terror after a narrow escape when stone throwing yobs smashed the windscreen as he drove through a Tyldesley estate. Michael Timson, of Ludlow Drive, Higher Fold, was taking passengers through Shakerley when
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School trip case may go before judge
DISABILITY rights campaigners want a school that banned a diabetic teenager from a trip to be prosecuted in the County Court. The case against Clitheroe Royal Grammar school, the first school to be prosecuted under new legislation, was due to be heard
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It's s-now joke!
AN irate Leyther asks if shoppers enjoyed slipping and sliding around on compacted ice in the town centre on Friday -- over 40 hours after snow fell. He has slammed shopkeepers who whinged about the lack of customers, but failed to bother clearing the
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Amtrak depot up with best
THE Bolton depot of overnight parcels operator Amtrak Express, which covers Ramsbottom, has notched up an important accolade. It has come in the top 10 in the company's new monthly competition to find the best performers in its nationwide network of more
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Chamber warns: "Mind how EU go!"
IGNORE the Competition Act and various other European-led directives at your peril. That's the warning to local exporters which has been issued by Bolton and Bury Chamber. Speaking at the latest Chamber's Export Club meeting was Tony Brown, export development
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Guy has eyes on main prize
GUY Ipoua has every reason to be fond of Turf Moor. And the Scunthorpe United striker is hoping to continue that love affair by helping the Iron to an FA Cup shock tomorrow. The Cameroon-born striker made his Nationwide League bow at Burnley as a substitute
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Mum's unlucky break
MUM Joanne Selby will have to wait at least three months before she can enjoy her Christmas present after being involved in a sledging accident. She said: "My partner bought me a bike for Christmas, so it looks like it will be a long time before I try
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Artist who has stars in his eyes!
ARTIST Jack Wright had stars in his eyes when he looked up for inspiration to create a focal point for a new outdoor events forum. He was commissioned by the Mill Gate Centre to create a stunning visitor attraction for the Bury Lions Garden on Crompton
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Cup game massive: Cook
EXPERIENCED campaigner Paul Cook admits Burnley's FA Cup clash at home to Scunthorpe United is a "massive" game for the club. The Clarets go into the third-round clash on the back of five straight defeats. So tomorrow's Turf Moor showdown has taken on
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Tower plan may yet see the light
PLANS to permanently light up a landmark are still being considered after New Year blizzards put the freeze on a scheme to illuminate it at the close of the Millennium Year. Blackburn with Darwen Council said the New Year's Eve "white out" made it too
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Joshua's birthday joy
MILLENNIUM baby Joshua Smith celebrated his first birthday on New Year's Day. The one-year-old made local history as the first baby to be born in the Year 2000. Proud parents Andrea and Mark Smith, of Wigan Road, Leigh, say they have enjoyed a relatively
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Labour's party!
A LEADING light in the local Labour Party has celebrated his 50th anniversary in style with a VIP bash. Three MPs, MEP Terry Wynn and several Wigan borough councillors wished former Hindley Green Labour Party chief John Bourke a happy half century at
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Amazing tunnel is a record breaker
A RECORD breaking concrete tunnel has been laid beneath the main road from Leigh to Atherton. The tunnel underneath Leigh Road at Howe Bridge is a vital part of a new high pressure pipeline constructed for Transco. And Transco has confirmed at 227 metres
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Cruelty case
A CHARGE of cruelty to a child against Shummeen Khan, 27, of Hozier Street, Blackburn, was discharged by the town's magistrates. Oliver Goldman, defending, said his client had vehemently denied the allegations all along.
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Footballer beats the odds
A TEENAGER footballer has come back fighting from a serious knee injury which threatened to put his career in jeopardy. Ian Zarac, 19, is on the BTEC Sports Studies course at Blackburn College and was studying for his A-Levels when he was told he may
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Lock up your bins plea from council
COUNCIL bosses have launched a crackdown on wheelie bin crooks after revealing thefts and vandalism are costing taxpayers £55,000 a year. The move comes after Councillor Dave Smith told councillors of reports that bins taken from elsewhere in the country
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Not fare
I NOTICE that some of Bury's private hire mini-cabs have formed a cartel or, as they put it, "association" of firms. This association has increased fares for passengers so does this mean that they can basically put up fares when they see fit? Where's
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Rubbing salt into wounds
FOLLOWING the recent cold spell over the Christmas period, a spokesman for the Council gritters was quick to boast that 150 tonnes of salt had been applied to our district's roads during that time, principally to ensure that all our cars could be kept
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Would you trust them on schools?
EVERYONE in Bury is proud of the achievement of our schools, most recently in the newly published national SATS results. I read with great interest last week's letter from three Tory councillors on this subject. Let's not forget that, in Government, the
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"Racist" Hague owes an apology
HAVING considered the recent comments made by Conservative leader William Hague MP, I would like to make quite clear my position and that of Greater Manchester Black and Asian Police Association. The inquiry into the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)
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It's panto time again -- but Tony was best!
PANTO fun strikes in Leigh later this month -- and we had a glimpse of what is in store when St Joseph's Players appeared on the ITV programme "Panto Mania" last month -- introduced by my least favourite presenter Paul Crone. The season is now in full
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Ice is nice, but beware the hidden dangers
WHAT a wonderful surprise to waken up to a festive feeling at last -- four inches of snow instead of incessant rain. The holidaying throngs were out in force on the nearest slopes tobagganing on anything that would move, from sleds to trays and washing
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Events on Sat, January 6
* Accrington and Blackburn CHA meet Witton Park Gates, Blackburn, 1pm for a grade "C" ramble or Whins Lane, Higher Wheelton, 1.15pm. * "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" pantomime, Colne Municipal Hall. Until January 21. * The Annual Accrington New Year
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ROUNDERS STALWART DIES
ROUNDERS players and officials in the locality have been saddened to learn of the death over the Christmas holiday of one of the sport's stalwarts, Mrs Beryl Smith. Mrs Smith was a long standing committee member for the Bury & District Rounders League
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BUCKETS BACK ON THE SHELF
THE pre-match Save Our Shakers bucket collections that have been so successful are being shelved for the time being, writes PHIL THORP. Chairman Terry Robinson is mindful of the fact that it's the same people who are shelling out every week and with two
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Toilet trashing is not unusual!
AS if Bury didn't have enough money problems, they are now having to spend extra resources on the toilets, writes STEVE CANAVAN. Vandalism in the away supporters loos is commonplace, but even the home toilets in the South and Main Stand were damaged during
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LEADERS LEIGH MAUL LIONS
Leigh Centurions 46 Swinton Lions 4 SWINTON LIONS' first appearance of the New Year coincided with their first defeat of the season as Leigh trampled all over them at Hilton Park on New Year's Day. The first 19 minutes of the game saw the two teams slugging
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SAM PICKS UP HIS MUSKET
Bury 0 Rotherham United 0 IT'S not for us to guess what Sam Collins got up to on New Year's Eve . . . but one thing for certain is that he should do it more often! For the Shakers' central defender had one of his best games in a Bury shirt, and somehow
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TV a festive turn-off
I THINK I speak for many others when I say that Christmas TV was an absolute shambles. The programmers must be short of ideas when all they can put on is rubbish and generally programmes that just fill the time. The days of all the nation waiting for
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RL star's tragic row with wife
A FORMER Leigh rugby star died following a tragic accident while having a violent row his wife. John Westhead, of Thorneycroft, Leigh, bled to death after smashing his arm through a glass door panel after punching his wife Jane, an inquest heard. Mrs
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Twin effect
A TWIN town challenge could raise £1 million to buy a new hospital scanner. Bury has agreed to support the fun event which, if enough cash is generated for the medical equipment at Salford Royal, will have a regional impact. A maximum of 50 teams will
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Cash to care for war graves
COUNCIL bosses are set for a cash bonus to tidy up a rundown East Lancashire cemetery after war veterans complained it was a disgrace to their fallen comrades. The War Graves Commission is to send an inspector to the Blackburn Cemetery, off Whalley New
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Eunice is done and dusted!
PUB cleaner Eunice Robinson swept away the competition in a contest to find a brewery's employee of the month. Eunice (58), who works at The Brandlesholme pub, brushed aside 250 contenders from John Barras pubs across the North West, and will now be a
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Death of amazing Maggie
ONE of Bury's oldest residents has died at the age of 106. Magaret Booth passed away on December 22 at Primrose Cottage Nursing Home on Hudcar Lane where she was a resident. Miss Booth had lived in Bury all her life, having been born at raised at Richard
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ROVERS: KELLY CAN GO
BLACKBURN Rovers have accepted a transfer request from Republic of Ireland international Alan Kelly. The former Sheffield United keeper finally handed in an official request yesterday after spending the last two months in limbo at Ewood. And Rovers will
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Barrow fights for status
GRAHAM Barrow is a man on a mission as Chester City prepare to enter the lion's den at Ewood Park tomorrow. Blues boss Barrow would dearly love to mastermind one of the biggest cup shocks in City's history against promotion-chasing Blackburn Rovers. But
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TEN YEARS AGO
PLANS for a multi-million-pound hi-tech office and leisure complex, including a seven-screen cinema and a hotel were revealed. The £10million scheme, on two plots of land at Whitebirk, aimed to put Hyndburn and Blackburn on the 'leisure map' and provide
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Bonsai tree club branch meetings
FANS of miniature trees gathered at the Thorn Inn, Church for their annual meeting and Alan Isherwood (left) and Michael Duffy found this 19-year-old specimen particularly interesting. Bonsai Club members meet once a month at the pub, in St James' Lane
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Friend cleared of attack on pal
A 38-YEAR -old man accused of slashing two friends amid early hours violence in Accrington, has been cleared of one offence. On the direction of Judge Raymond Bennett, a Burnley Crown Court jury found William Fullerton not guilty of wounding Kevin Graves
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Pupil's joy at chance to go to school of his choice
A MOTHER today thanked supporters of a campaign to get her son into the high school of his choice rather than one selected by education bosses. Aaron Grimshaw has now completed one term at Norden High School -- an achievement which seemed almost impossible
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Top cop blasts drivers caught over the limit
ONE of the top traffic policemen has said he is disappointed by the number of drink drive motorists caught over the festive period. Inspector Tom Graham said 26 drivers had been arrested in the Wigan and Leigh areas between December 18 and January 2 -
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Shelter for teens gets go-ahead
COUNCILLORS are hoping the sight of youngsters loitering around on street corners in Tyldesley will become a thing of the past. A new project to give teenagers their own meeting place, dubbed a Teenmeet, is planned for Astley Street Park in the town.
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Sizzling June!
A LEIGH gran-of-six has made it to the grand final of the Most Glamorous Grandmother of Great Britain Competition. June Carr, 64, of Hurst Street, Leigh dazzled judges with her blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes when she was selected to be one of the
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Bin delay is a load of old rubbish!
THOUSANDS of Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley people are facing another week of being snowed under . . . by Christmas rubbish. People who normally have their bins emptied on Mondays or Tuesdays have not been visited by binmen since the week before Christmas
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Award for school's wildlife haven
BRABINS Endowed Primary School teachers, staff and pupils are working on a five-year project to transform their playing fields into an environmental wildlife haven. The Chipping school has just received an environmental award from the Soroptimists International
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Memory test
PENSIONERS in their late 70s recently resat a test they first took in 1932. They fared better than at school, but the study revealed that their ability to remember people's names and phone numbers dims with age. Tell me about it. Volunteers showed memory
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Hard work pays off for Jackie
TWO years of study have certainly added up to success for payroll clerk Jackie Preston. Jackie, who works for Bury Council, has become a graduate of the Institute of Payroll and Pensions Management's (IPPM) Diploma in Payroll Management. She successfully
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Bus man plays from new deck
A LIFE in the fast lane beckons Bury man Dave Borland. For Dave, who has worked as an articulated bus driver for First Manchester for more than two years, has now qualified as a PCV training instructor. The intensive training course has received industry
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New year but still no school for Matthew
TEENAGER Matthew Thompson will start the new year without a school to go to. And it is nothing new for the 13-year-old as he has not set foot in a school since the summer term! His mother, Deborah, is furious and blames local education chiefs for denying
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An OBE for schools inspector
A BURY woman who has harnessed her educational expertise to help improve failing schools has been awarded an OBE in the Queen's New Year Honours list. Mrs Marilyn Cook works at the Preston office of HM Inspector of Schools, Office for Standards in Education
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'Sister Sledge' hit it off in hospital
SLEDGING accident victims Lisa Tattersall and Joanne Selby are trying to look on the bright side from their hospital beds after nurses christened them "Sister Sledge." Lisa from Haslingden, and Joanne, from Ramsbottom, became pals and earned their nickname
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Snow joke for £26,000 bingo winner
LET it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Those will forever be the favourite festive song lines for a 36-year-old Golborne woman who won a £26,000 bingo jackpot. The lucky winner, who wishes to remain anonymous, brought the house down when snow forced her
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Veteran councillor aims for Parliament
LEIGH veteran Labour councillor Brian Jarvis has accepted pleas by party members to enter the race to become the next member of parliament for the town. The Leigh East councillor this week threw his hat in the ring for the Labour parliamentary stronghold
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Rubbish collection rounds 'back to normal'
NORMAL bin collections have now resumed after the winter snow and blizzards which disrupted them after Christmas. The bad weather had put the skids under rubbish collections in Blackburn and Darwen over the holidays and angry residents in parts of the
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Alert over credit card con
POLICE and trading standards officers have warned shoppers to be on their guard after a spate of frauds. People in the Blackburn area are urged to look after their credit and debit cards and receipts after a number of cardholders found purchases that
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Share your NHS horrors
WE have all read and heard stories about how our local hospitals and clinics have struggled to deal with "winter pressures". Often it seems that it is older people who bear the brunt of long trolley waits, cancelled operations and overstays in hospitals
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Lovestruck OAP's court 'distress'
A LOVESTRUCK pensioner who stalked a plumber for 10 years and was ordered by magistrates never to approach him again today admitted: "This whole thing has been very distressing." Twice married Joan Heywood, aged 67, appeared before Bury magistrates accused
