Archive
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EVENTS taking place in East Lancashire on Saturday, October 26
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. Hallowe'en Fun, Bowland Visitor Centre, Beacon Fell, 11am-3pm. Indoor car boot sale, Brierfield Methodist Church, 9am-1pm. 'Wind In The Willows' -- storytelling, Hornby
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Pupils sail to success
PUPILS from Arnold School sailed away with awards galore at the recent Combined Cadet Force North West Area Regatta at the Joint Services Centre, Plas Llanfair, Anglesey. Sixth formers Kate Wooding and Helen Edwards, and brothers Ben and James Thornton
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In the steps of Billy Elliot...
PUPILS at Palatine High School certainly got the pointe of dance after a visit from The Northern Ballet Theatre (NBT). Workshop leaders from the Leeds-based company led a two-hour session at the St Annes Road school for GCSE dance students. The dancers
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Lauren posts a warning
A CLEVELEYS youngster has won a competition for putting kids in the picture over road safety. Lauren Murphy, 10, a pupil at Anchorsholme Primary school, won a contest to design a poster highlighting the problems faced by children travelling to and from
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Sedgley Park: Fourie double haul in vain
ESHER 16pts - SEDGLEY PARK 14pts AN early-morning start, a long train and coach journey, a reshuffled team and a determined home side combined to cause a stutter in Sedgley's league march on Saturday. Rhythm was the missing factor, although their were
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Cycle Speedway: Two good reasons to celebrate
ALTHOUGH the Champions Cup, sponsored by The Duke William pub of Ainsworth, had very much an end of season atmosphere about it, there was good news all round for Bury-Border Flooring members last weekend. As the individual meeting took place at Goshen
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Bury FC: Bury left raging as Rejer loses plot
BRENTFORD 5 - BURY 1 IF ever the Ripley's Believe It Or Not exhibition on Blackpool's Golden Mile open a display of sporting curiosities the video of this harrowing encounter would be high on their list of acquisitions. As an illustration of what can
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Snooker: Black ball night
FOLLOWING the break for team knockout competitions, the resumption of the Bury District Snooker League programme was a mixed affair. Firstly there were some very good snooker which produced some interesting results along with the first half-century break
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Today's the day
1863: The Football Association was formed. 1881: The legendary "Gunfight at the OK Corral" took place at Tombstone, Arizona. 1917: Felix the Cat made his first cartoon appearance. 1929: TW Evans of Miami, Florida, became the first woman to give birth
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Special room has a sense of purpose
BLIND youngsters have been filing into to a new room specially designed to their needs. Blackburn and District Blind Society has teamed up with the local Prince's Trust team to install a special new 'sensory room' for blind babies and toddlers. The room
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Council legal team's two-star showing
THE first of the Government's new Best Value inspections to visit Blackburn with Darwen has given a glowing report to the team that provides the council's legal and administrative back-up. The independent team of assessors -- who check council departments
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Local pair hold nerve to win thrilling final
AFTER nearly two weeks of intensive competition the Althams Travel Open Doubles Bowling competition held at Lower Darwen Memorial Bowling Club reached its conclusion. In the first quarter final I McNeil and D Sowerby overcame Joan and Frank Jolly 21-4
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Whistle Blower by Neil Yates
NOT CONTENT with persecuting us during our annual fitness test, the sadists at Lilleshall have developed a website devoted to the training and fitness of match officials. This new innovation, www.fit2ref.com is designed to give updated advice on training
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Fast track to success
THERE'S a quiet revolution taking place down at the Anchor Ground. For the newly-formed Darwen Ladies Football team have quickly established themselves as one of the best sides in the North West -- just over a year since they first kicked a ball in anger
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Goals galore!
BLACKBURN Eagles came out on top in this astonishing 14-goal thriller after surviving a gutsy Whalley second fight back. Eagles must have thought they were already in the next round after cruising to a 6-0 lead just after the break -- but Whalley changed
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The Stevenson pocket!
THERE aren't many towns in the country where snooker is played as keenly as in Nelson. But where are the rising young stars? Where have they been for close on 20 years? Glenn Stevenson has certainly made a mark in the game, but fans would be hard-pressed
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Cast change at the Grand
THERE'S a change of caretaker at Blackpool's Grand Theatre -- but we're not talking about the cleaning staff. Harold Pinter's comic masterpiece, The Caretaker, which comes to the Grand in December, is to have a cast change. Malcolm Storry, a familiar
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Poppython takes centre stage
THIRTEEN hours of entertainment from more stars than in any other club in Blackpool. These aren't flowery promises from president of Blackpool's Royal British Legion, Ian Coleman, who will kick off the 12th annual Poppython at the King Street venue this
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Liza says you'll die laughing
LIZA Goddard implicated in murder plot! The TV star is well and truly embroiled in dastardly misdeeds in a production of Murder By Misadventure which comes to Blackpool's Grand Theatre from November 5 to 10. Liza, well-known for her TV appearances in
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Squatters evicted under new rules
SQUATTERS have been evicted from a council house under new "fast track" legal moves. For the first time, the local authority has used an interim possession order which means that squatters must leave within 24 hours. If they refuse, they can be arrested
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Money to spread the green message
A GRASSROOTS scheme to look after the environment in East Bury is about to bear fruit elsewhere. A £2,500 cheque from the Bury East area board's kickstart funding scheme will expand the Environments for the Community Project into a wider area. Councillor
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Hall to be flats to save a church
A CHURCH hall dating back to the late nineteenth century is to be converted into flats. Tottington Methodist Church officials have received permission to transform the Grade II listed Sunday School building into 15 apartments. The church hall has for
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Bid to boost community spirit at estate
RESIDENTS of a new housing estate are aiming to beat vandals with community spirit. They say building a sense of togetherness has lagged behind the expansion of Longsands Lane, Preston, where new house building has been going on for 12 years. But repeated
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Stephen 'had no chance against pop acts'
SLICK soul singer Stephen Bayliss has turned his back on pop competitions after being voted sixth place out of twelve competitors in a major TV talent show. The professional artist from Sycamore Road, Ribbleton, said he knew he would not win the final
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New trend in health care
ENTHUSIASTIC doctors, nurses and health workers were eager to show off their new plans for services at the launch of the Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust. As members of the trust, local health professionals can make more decisions to target
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Truth about plan to burn rubbish
COUNTY Council chiefs have admitted they believe a potentially cancer-causing waste incinerator will be built in Lancashire - after including its cost in a £300million plan. Just weeks after Lancashire County Council told people in the county to recycle
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Drinks driver could face the sack
A NUCLEAR fuels worker caught "drink driving" the morning after the night before may pay the price with the loss of his job. Burnley Magistrates heard how maintenance worker Derek Coonan, 53, was almost twice the limit when police claimed he drove through
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Family anguish over body in river
THE devastated daughter of a man who disappeared a week ago today spoke about the discovery of a body in the River Brun and said: "Dad is dead." Derek Horne, 54, a former worker at TRW Engineering, Burnley, left his family home in Irene Street, Burnley
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Nick plays it level par
SHAW Hill's Nick Dougherty lies joint 71st after a level par 71 in the first round of the Madrid Open yesterday. He lies eight strokes behind leader Padraig Harrington.
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Flying in to impress
THIS is a show, which sets the theatre buzzing in every sense of the word. Based on a French play with a set evocative of the 50's B movies, its very staginess gives it charm. In a performance signed for the deaf, where the signer, Isolte Avila, was a
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CRIMESTOPPERS: Can you help?
THIEVES took DVDs, worth £1,000, from a video store in Station Road, Bamber Bridge. Two men entered the shop on October 15 around 5pm and took 55 films, including Star Wars, Bride of Chucky, The World Is Not Enough, Blade, Scream, Exorcist, Vertical Limit
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Cash from community chest
COMMUNITY groups in the most deprived wards in Preston can bid for the share of a cash pot unlocked by the government this week. The money is part of a £50 million national community chest made accessible by the government and announced by the Regeneration
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Five years ago
A WOMAN locked in a race against time gave birth in the back of an ambulance on the way to Blackburn Queen's Park Hospital. Sajeda Chand, 27, was rushed to hospital but her 6lb 5oz bouncing baby girl could not wait.
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I've forgiven his graveyard romp
A PUB landlord cleared of a graveyard sex attack on a young mother today hugged his wife and said: "I'm absolutely ecstatic." And Alan Jolley's wife Ann, who had listened as her husband of 21 years told Burnley Crown Court of his late-night romp in the
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Ride death inquest is opened
AN inquest has been opened into the death of a maintenance engineer who died following an incident at Camelot Theme Park at Charnock Richard. Harry Mathews, 59, who worked at the amusement park, had been at The Gauntlet rollercoaster ride for about an
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Voice of the fans
WHAT a fantastic performance against Wrexham on Tuesday night. Despite being down to almost the last eleven available first team players this committed performance was a credit to all on the playing side at the club. Off-the-pitch, however, there is little
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Meeting place
BURYBusiness.network meets on Tuesday between 5pm and 8pm at the Bolholt Hotel to hear about creating web sites. And on Thursday, November 29 the organisation will combine with the Bury Business Club for a joint dinner dance at the Red Hall Hotel, Bury
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Inmates build doll's house for charity
A DOLL'S house from the big house will raise vital funds for terminally ill children. Two talented inmates of Garth prison, near Leyland, have spent hours hand-crafting a highly intricate and detailed doll's house -- which is to be auctioned for charity
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Old pals do battle
WHEN Stan Ternent led Bury to the second division championship in 1997 he won a season long duel with Stockport County's Dave Jones. On Sunday the two men will be going head to head again, this time at the top of the first division, as Wolves take on
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Keeping calm on streets
OPERATION Calm, Leyland police's bid to prevent gangs of youths from causing trouble during the summer holidays, has been heralded a success. The scheme, set up to foster a greater awareness between groups of youths and those who feel threatened by them
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Worker killed in Camelot ride horror
AN investigation has been launched after a senior maintenance worker was killed at Camelot Theme Park, Chorley, on Monday -- just days before the end of this year's season. Harold Mathews, aged 59, of Merton Road, Highfield, Wigan, was pronounced dead
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Pop goes the bubbly
A COLD-HEARTED thief has stolen the top raffle prize from Blackpool's Imperial Cancer Research shop. A vintage bottle of champagne was to be given away at the Talbot Road charity shop as part of the Breast Cancer Awareness Month promotions. Area retail
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Hospital service 'a rip-off'
A CLEVELEYS pensioner has described a new service at Blackpool Victoria Hospital as "a rip-off". Jack Robinson, of Redcar Avenue, has been visiting his sick wife in hospital for the last three weeks and is extremely concerned about Patientline which provides
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Search for more social workers
A NEW national campaign to attract 5,000 extra recruits to work in social care was backed by Lancashire Social Services last week. The Department of Health launched the recruitment campaign and Pauline Oliver, director of Social Services for Lancashire
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Comic raises eyebrows with war gags
RUDE jokes may not be a part of amateur comic Geoff Taylor's repertoire, but his humour can still be too close to the bone for some. Geoff (32), of Barrett Court, Bury, won his way through to the second heat of the City Life Comedian of The Year competition
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Security guard tells court of couple 'kissing and cuddling'
A SCHOOLGIRL who claims she was raped by a married teacher was "kissing and cuddling" a man fitting his description minutes before the alleged attack, a court was told. A security guard who saw the teenager after she had left a nightspot at the holiday
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All Saints celebrates 175 years
THE magnificent All Saints Church at Stand begins celebrations for its 175th anniversary this weekend with a week-long programme of events for the whole community to enjoy. One of the many "Waterloo" churches built following the famous victory in 1815
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Sedgley Park: Orrell visit will be match of day
SEDGLEY Park take on Orrell this weekend in a local derby which should be an interesting encounter. Orrell, who have shot up the league table with some superb results, are now sitting second with Sedgley right behind in third place. This will no doubt
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Sedbergh are out-Foxed
NEWLY-capped Lancashire Under-16 scrum half Chris Fox led King Edward and Queen Mary School, Lytham, to a hard-earned victory over visitors Sedbergh. Fox, together with outside half Jack Kelliher, launched the dangerous Lytham back line repeatedly to
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Preston aim to make it four
CONFIDENCE restored, Preston are now ready to see if they can make it four wins on the bounce and continue their surge up the Division One table when they make the tough trip to Portsmouth tomorrow. With victories over Sheffield Wednesday, Manchester
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Player of the year out for a month
SHAKERS boss Andy Preece has received another hammer blow before tomorrow's home clash with Peterborough - Chris Billy is likely to be out for at least a month, writes STEVE CANAVAN of the Bolton Evening News Last year's player of the season was stretchered
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Bryn's day of faith and song
DARWEN-born musician Bryn Howarth is staging a concert at St Barnabas Church tomorrow. A former member of 60s soul band Fleur de Lys, Bryn has appeared with such artists as Led Zeppelin and the Moody Blues and has recorded with top musicians including
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Baby for singer Helen
SINGING mum Helen Booth has given birth to Jayden Lee who was born at 6.05am on Wednesday, a brother to Jack, four. Helen, from Stacksteads, wowed the TV audience of Mel C's This Is My Moment in August when at seven-months' pregnant she sang Tina Arena's
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Three jailed for 'dreadful' street attack
THREE men are behind bars for an attack which left their engineer victim seriously injuried - and changed him into a completely different person. Burnley Crown Court heard how Gordon Gilchrist, 23, Philip Woodall, 24, and Philip Wheeldon, 22, kicked the
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Capture claims
THE Taliban has captured a key opposition leader in Afghanistan, it was claimed today. Former Mujahideen commander Abdul Haq, who fought against the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, is understood to have been sounding out "moderate" Taliban soldiers.
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Milk subsidies will not be cut
FOR the second year running I have prevented a big cut in the subsidy for school milk. The European Commission wanted to reduce the subsidy from £56m to £49m. As the United Kingdom Conservative spokesman on budgets I tabled an amendment, voted through
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Inca-redible!
TWO adventurous members of staff from British Home Stores, Blackpool, have returned to work with magical memories of the mountains and ancient Inca ruins of Macchupitchu. Colleagues Diana Lilley and Sarah Hall, who both live in Blackpool, successfully
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Life-line for the elderly
A SOCIAL services scheme in Blackpool that enables elderly and vulnerable people to carry on living independently in their homes is proving to be a great success with users and their relatives. A pager-type system, where users wear a pendant around their
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In memory of brave Curtis
A GRIEF-stricken Blackpool family were comforted this week to see money that had been raised in vain to save their son's life was helping improve the lives of other sick children in Blackpool Victoria Hospital's Berry Ward. Three new state-of-the-art
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Report shame for Social Services
BLACKPOOL is among the 14 worst-performing social services departments in the country -- and has been placed in the "investigate urgently" band for some of its elderly and child care provisions. New information from the Department of Health rated the
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Internet scheme sets good example
MORE than 1,000 homes in a rundown area of Blackburn have applied to go on-line as part of a project to get the area switched on to the internet. Around £2million of government cash is being spent in the Whitebirk area to turn it into a 'wired-up community
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Heartache from the wreckers
THE parents of a severely ill toddler have hit out at vandals who destroyed the car the were selling to raise cash to help look after her. Four-year-old Alexandria Cumberland is one of just 12 known sufferers of the rare Coffin-Siris Syndrome in the country
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Man to put rail service back on track
A FORMER East Lancashire schoolboy who has become one of the most powerful men in transport history today spoke of his determination to put Britain's beleaguered rail industry back on track. But former Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School pupil Richard Bowker
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Road works put lives in jeopardy
FIRE chiefs today claimed lives could be at risk because crews are being delayed by the roadworks engulfing Blackburn town centre. Lancashire Fire and Rescue staff spoke of their concerns as councillors approved plans for a new one way system along three
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Nelson get down to league business
THE Nelson players are looking forward to their FA Vase clash with NWCL Division One side Clitheroe but have league matters to cope with first. The two local sides will clash in the second round of the competition at Shawbridge on November 10 with underdogs
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Hamilton hat-trick helps sink Barnsley
A SUPERB hat trick from Jordan Hamilton helped Backburn Under 13s to a comfortable 3-0 victory against Barnsley in their challenge match at Dorothy Hyman Sports Centre, last week. Hamilton gave his side the lead in the 22nd minute and quickly added his
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Storks would like more than satisfaction
PADIHAM would like more than just satisfaction from the Football Association over Kendal's illegal approach for Storks striker Lee Chambers. Hot shot Chambers has been banging in the goals for the UniBond First Division side - four in six games - since
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Lee hopes it was a good break
IT'S hoped the Clitheroe players enjoyed their break as there will be no rest for the title chasing Blues in the next three weeks. They have just enjoyed a 12-day break caused by a free Saturday and Tuesday's postponed game against Salford City. But now
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Hot shot Mullin aims for crown
PAUL Mullin is still hoping to score the goals to fire Accrington Stanley into the Nationwide Conference. Pre season the Reds had hoped that they could make it into the non-League's top flight but it appeared to have gone pear-shaped after six losses
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He's the Hapton hitman!
GARETH SEDDON can't be the Padiham Predator as his Burnley supporting-mates say there is only one - Clarets striker Andy Payton. So instead his friends have nicknamed the Bury frontman the "Hapton Hitman" and he is determined he will live up to his name
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Streets 'like a tip'
HAVING just come back from our holiday in a "third world" country (or maybe it's a second world country) I read Councillor Fowler's remarks about the state of our roads and pavements. "Foolish exaggeration" claims Mr Jack Croysdill. I fear not. Mr Croysdill
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Tracing a relative
FOLLOWING on from my telephone conversation I am trying to trace a William Brett. My mother was called Hilda Brett and is William Brett's aunt. My mum is 80 years of age and has some family mementos relating to William Brett's father also called William
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MP 'is a rare visitor'
BLACKPOOL South residents justifiably question whether MP Gordon Marsden is able to fully represent all constituents while also absorbed in his other more demanding job as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Lord Chancellor enabling only very rare
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Vandal damage: £1,000
I AM responding to a letter in The Citizen (October 18) from a concerned parent of a pupil at Beacon Hill School. Fortunately, my child goes to another school but the concerned parents' comments do not surprise me following my dealings with Beacon Hill
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Preston aim to make it four
CONFIDENCE restored, Preston are now ready to see if they can make it four wins on the bounce and continue their surge up the Division One table when they make the tough trip to Portsmouth tomorrow. With victories over Sheffield Wednesday, Manchester
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Eyes are clue in hunt for flasher
A MAN indecently exposed himself to an 18-year-old woman and performed a sex act on himself in Leyland town centre. The woman fled during the incident around midnight on October 17 on Towngate, Leyland. The man was white and about 30, with close-cropped
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Murder inquiry was exemplary
I WANT to pay tribute to the work of Greater Manchester Police in conducting the murder inquiry following the death of Tariq Javed. The police acted swiftly in pursuing the leads they had been given and secured a number of arrests very shortly after the
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Cameras have little to do with safety
I WRITE with reference to the (almost) unnoticed erection of not one, but two, new speed enforcement cameras on Peel Way, Bury, near the Tesco traffic lights, and I ask: why are they there? There can be only two reasons to erect speed cameras: firstly
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Farewell to hero of Flanders
A FALLEN Fusilier will finally be buried with full military honours next week, almost 87 years after he was gunned down during an attack on German trenches. The ceremony for Private Harry Wilkinson will take place in a Belgian military cemetery on Wednesday
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Car chaos must not cost lives
THEY say there is no gain without pain - but it is difficult to believe that anyone knew exactly how much pain there would be in developing the new road system around Blackburn. The daily traffic jams have been reported for weeks by this newspaper as
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Soccer: Early torment and then late despair as hopes falter
RADCLIFFE BORO 1 - CHORLEY 2 EARLY and late defensive errors handed this group match tie to Chorley on Tuesday night. The Borough were a goal down inside two minutes on a night when conditions were fine for flowing football, and then in the last minute
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Rugby Union: Unlucky Bury battle to the end
Bury...9pts Eccles...21pts THE result could have been decided in the first 15 minutes as Bury camped in the Eccles 22 and both scrum half Livesey and centre Fawcett were stopped only 5 metres from the line. In the scrum Bury were once more totally dominant
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Robbery bid on lorry
POLICE swooped on a lorry after robbers held up the driver and attempted to steal the vehicle's load early today. The vehicle was stopped as it travelled through the town centre and officers closed off a number of roads while they carried out inquiries
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Ex-county town should be city
WE read about all these roadworks in Blackburn, unfortunately, they all seem to have come at once and would probably have been better staggered. However, I feel that Blackburn should obtain city status this coming year, due to its position in Lancashire
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Labour failed to follow Tories' good example
REGARDING Blackburn's bid to be awarded city status in the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations, it would be the best moment of my life if it was achieved. With a very beautiful cathedral, Blackburn has a better chance than Preston, Bolton and others.
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Spelling out a treat
IZZY, WIZZY get busy this Christmas -- with the Ultimate Book of Spells! This video collection of 30 minute animated stories designed to keep the children enchanted for hours is due to be released on November 12th by Universal Pictures. A spokesman said
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THE Bard on the boards
A NEW take on The Bard's life will tread the boards on November 1 at Fleetwood Marine Hall as the theatre company Quondam presents Shakespeare in Trouble. A quirky take on Shakespeare and his plays, the production invents a moment in time when Queen Elizabeth
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Workers laid off at plant
WORKERS at a Radcliffe factory have been laid off after the company went into administrative receivership. The shock announcement was made to the 70-strong workforce at Bee Mouldings on Friday. The 30-year-old company produces plastic boxes and lids,
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Partnership to safeguard disabled services
PEOPLE with learning disabilities are to be given more of a say in the way services are provided to them. A new Learning Disability Partnership Board is to oversee the way services are provided in Bury, and will include members of major agencies and interest
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Jewish work for town rewarded
A CENTURY'S contribution by Jewish people to the life of Prestwich has been recognised nationally. And the community's achievements and influences are also to be taken into other parts of the borough. Bury's library service is one of only five winners
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New injury blow for Duff
DAMIEN DUFF has suffered an injury setback just days before his planned return and the Rovers winger admitted: "I am gutted." He is also upset that his place in the Republic of Ireland's World Cup play-off squad might now be in question having battled
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On cue for top DJ job
IT began with popstars, then soapstars, models, pop idols and now the highly publicised talent competition craze has led a former University of Central Lancashire student to reach for his chance at broadcast glory. Mick Davies, 48, is on his way to landing
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Jonathan is back on his bike!
A TEENAGER with learning difficulties was inconsolable when thieves nearly cost him his first job after a three-year search for work. Jonathan Cowell was deprived of transport to Remploy's Deepdale factory after his mountain bike was stolen from the garage
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Amanda's way of saying thank you
A 50-YEAR-OLD who slipped on some ice and broke her shoulder is raising money for the orthopaedic ward at Royal Preston Hospital, as her way of saying thank you for the care she received. Amanda Woods, from Lansdown Hill, Fulwood, has rallied round her
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Path cleared for 'independence' for Padiham
PADIHAM will get its own town council next spring after a well attended "independence" meeting yesterday selected an 18-strong steering group. Chairman and long time campaigner for a Padiham Council, Granville Lord, said: "It was a brilliant meeting.
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Woman killed in family horror crash
A WOMAN from Burnley was killed and two children left fighting for their lives after an horrific head on car crash in Bradford. A green Rover car containing six members of the same family from Burnley collided with a silver Ford Focus, containing three
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Murder jury told how man was 'bludgeoned to death'
OVERWHELMING evidence has been submitted to prove a 25-year-old man "bludgeoned to death" an elderly Burnley caretaker in the mill where he worked, a Crown Court jury was told. Gavin Cox denies killing 74-year-old Bryan "Joe" Platt of Sycamore Close,
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JUST JAMIE: Here's to booze-drenched days
THIS is the way it should be. Having negotiated a space on the hard bedroom floor I am lying here with only a thin-sleeping bag to stave off the crisp Autumn cold. An army of beer bottles -- both empty and half empty -- stand guard while half-eaten pizzas
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Table Tennis: Triple tonic for Town's teams
THE three Ramsbottom teams all won convincingly in Division One of the Bury District Table Tennis League this week and, surprisingly, it was the A team who were the only team to drop a set when Graham Jeffries of Location beat Dave Newton. The A team
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Angling news: Fisherman's weigh in at second place
DESPITE the heavy rains of the past few days reports have been good from the local venues. Parkers is fishing well for skimmer bream and Island Lodge remains in top form even though there has been a heavy fall of autumn leaves, meanwhile the fieldside
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This week in 1976 25 years ago
GUNNED DOWN: Gunner Anthony Abbot (20) of Windsor Avenue, Whitefield, died in Belfast after being gunned down by a Republican sniper. Anthony was two months into his second tour of Ulster with the 32 Light Regiment, Royal Artillery, when he and four others
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Ride death inquest is opened
AN inquest has been opened into the death of a maintenance engineer who died following an incident at Camelot Theme Park at Charnock Richard. Harry Mathews, 59, who worked at the amusement park, had been at The Gauntlet rollercoaster ride for about an
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Plans unveiled for new village
THE first detailed plans have been submitted for a £400million village on the former Royal Ordnance factory site on the outskirts on Chorley. At the heart of proposals for the site, which borders Whittle-le-Woods and Leyland and which have gone to South
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Burglar took police on tour of properties
A HEROIN addict who admitted 27 house burglaries involving more than £4,000 worth of property was jailed for 18 months. Daniel Hayes took police on a tour of properties he had burgled, pointing out the houses, garages and sheds he had broken into. In
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Tales from the Tochline with Trevor Hanson
FOLLOWING on from my last column about strikers, this column is dedicated to managers. In my experience of playing at different levels, managers come in three categories. Category one you have got the rant and rave Cup throwing fiercely competitive manager
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What a Con job!
ROB the Plumber is a Con man! No, not another story about a Cowboy handyman but of the Londoner who has bizarrely found his way in to the Blackburn Combination's handbook as Whitehall Top Con's secretary. The Watford water worker is now a long distance
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Family anguish over body in river
THE devastated daughter of a man who disappeared a week ago today spoke about the discovery of a body in the River Brun and said: "Dad is dead." Derek Horne, 54, a former worker at TRW Engineering, Burnley, left his family home in Irene Street, Burnley
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Road works put lives in jeopardy
FIRE chiefs today claimed lives could be at risk because crews are being delayed by the roadworks engulfing Blackburn town centre. Lancashire Fire and Rescue staff spoke of their concerns as councillors approved plans for a new one way system along three
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£2 million dream complex up for approval
AN ambitious businessman will learn next month whether he has netted his dream £2 million complex. A Government inspector will rule whether a hotel and leisure development will go ahead at the Fisherman's Retreat in Shuttleworth. The man behind the plan
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Huge game for Waywell's side
LEIGH RMI will find themselves £20,000 better off and in with a chance of drawing a Football League club if they can see off Worksop Town in the final qualifying round of the FA Cup tomorrow. The winners of the Hilton Park tie will receive a £20,000 windfall
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DAVID DUNN: Bolton steal the show
I DON'T know about you but it already seems like the Arsenal match was a long time ago, and it will seem even longer when we finally play again on Monday night. Having had two great results on the bounce I know that everyone will be making us firm favourites
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Imraan death to be reviewed
DETECTIVES are set to re-investigate a murder case involving a nine-year-old boy who was strangled then dumped in a park 16 years ago. Lancashire Constabulary is to review the death of Imraan Ismail Vohra who lived at James Street, Preston, who was found
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'Revenge' for sex infection
A MAN smashed a hammer into a prostitute's face in revenge for 'catching' gonorrhoea from her, a court heard. Michael Curry, 50, of Ashworth Street, Preston, was this week beginning a two-and-a-half-year jail term after a jury at Liverpool Crown Court
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The future looks a lot healthier
PATIENTS are being promised a health service embedded in their community after the Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust was launched, with another one planned for Preston. The Mayor of South Ribble, Councillor Norman Crossley, was at the opening
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Dad-to-be is jailed after order breach
A 30-YEAR-OLD man who handled property stolen in a Christmas raid on a profoundly deaf couple's home, has been sent to jail for seven months. Father-to-be Brendan Ormonde, who was found at 7.30am in a car with the burglar, had originally been given community
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Council leader at weekly surgeries
ISSUES ranging from house clearance to nuisance youngsters were raised at the launch of a weekly advice surgery in Burnley. Local authority leader Stuart Caddy invited the public to call and see him at Burnley Town Hall to discuss matters of concern to
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Kicking racism out of sport
PUPILS at Greenlands Community Primary School want everyone - including future generations - to know they will not stand for racism and they want to spread their message across time. They were invited to design a poster for National Anti-Racism in Football
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Children go cross country
ARCHBISHOP Temple pupils dominated the annual Preston High School Cross Country Championships, winning three team events. The St. Vincent's Road school from Fulwood enjoyed the success as over 200 pupils competed at Moor Park this week. It was the second
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Football course is no fantasy
PRESTON North End is working with the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) and Preston College to provide an interesting and fun away to brush up on your maths, English and computer skills -- fantasy football. This course is free to anyone over 16 and gives
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Keely's ready to be a star all lacrosse the world!
SIXTEEN-year-old Keely Watt, from New Longton, is ready and eager to start the new lacrosse season with high hopes. Having been introduced to lacrosse at Penwortham Girls High, Keely joined Timperley Lacrosse Club (Altrincham) two years ago. Now the Preston
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Penalties cost Hoppers dear
HOPPERS can take little comfort from a disappointing display against a side who will surely be involved in the relegation battle. The tone of the afternoon was set in the opening minutes. Hoppers gave away a penalty on half way allowing Waterloo to kick
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Hockey - double delight for Preston
Knutsford 1 Preston 6 A Phil Bowman inspired Preston consigned lowly Knutsford to a 6-1 defeat on Saturday. The budding scholar from Central Lancashire University opened his league scoring account with four clinical strikes. This was Preston's third win
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More of the same, please
DARWEN manager Steve Wilkes praised his side after Wednesday night's memorable 3-2 win over Alsager - and urged them to give him more of the same tomorrow at Chadderton. "They really rolled their sleeves up and I couldn't praise them enough," said the
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Looking to rebound
COLNE look to bounce back from their 3-2 loss to Chadderton at home to Norton in NWCL Division Two tomorrow. John Lister's side won four games on the trot before Wednesday but were without midfielder James Webster and goalkeeper Ross Baxter. "Both will
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New £400m village plans submitted
THE first detailed plans for the new £400m Buckshaw Village have been submitted to South Ribble and Chorley councils. At the heart of them is a specially designed village centre of 95 new homes at the former Royal Ordnance Factory. The ambitious project
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Ten years ago
A SQUAD of eight from Blackburn Life Saving Club fought through to national competition finals in Coventry. Team members, who trained at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, all won medals at the North West championships under the tutorage of coach Dave
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Teens accused of insult to war dead
A ROYAL British Legion volunteer has accused a gang of teenagers of "desecrating" the nation's war dead. Paul Dunn, 41, who works at Junction Seven business park, Clayton-le-Moors, opened his front door in Green Hill, Great Harwood, to three youngsters
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Fire vandals'could cause deaths'
A SPATE of maliciously-started fires in St Annes has prompted Fylde firefighters to warn that they can lead to deaths by taking crews away from more serious jobs. A blaze at St Annes Conservative Club last week was the latest in a string of purposely-started
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Pool cue held 'like baseball bat' in pub row
DAVID Anthony Hutchinson brandished a pool cue like a baseball bat during a pub dispute with another man. Blackburn magistrates heard that the other man, Paul Wray was eventually struck in the kidney region although Hutchinson claimed the assault had
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They're record-breakers!
SCORPIONS recorded their biggest-ever victory as they went on a 15-try romp against the bottom club. It eclipsed their previous highest score of 82-4 against Wymott Prison in 1992. The plucky Bolton side was outgunned in all departments and Gareth Chadwick
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Enjoy some "Cyn" with Payne
BURY businesswomen will enjoy an evening of innocent "Cyn" next month. For guest speaker at a special dinner to be staged in the town on Friday, November 2 will be notorious "madam" Cynthia Payne. The event, at the Village Hotel, Heap Bridge, is being
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Fire safety workshop
FIRE precautions and regulations and how these affect businesses will be featured at a special workshop in Bury on Wednesday. Bury Business Environment Association (BEA) is holding the fire risk assessment workshop at its Link House headquarters. Speakers
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Stefan spreads his wings
THINK of Bury, then a hotel and the odds are you'll come up with the name Bolholt. And that's hardly surprising considering the Walshaw retreat, set in 50 acres, has been a popular venue for more than 30 years. Now, the Bolholt has just completed a significant
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Indian tour OK
ELEVEN of England's 16-man cricket squad today declared they would tour India this winter. But Robert Croft, Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Caddick, Ashley Giles and Craig White have requested more time to reach a decision. The selectors will be having further
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Robert is remembered
A COMMEMORATIVE plaque has been unveiled at Thornton Sports Centre in memory of Robert Wright -- the founder of the centre's "Freespirit" School of Taekwondo. Robert was introduced to Taekwondo in 1980 and, at the age of 15, opened his own club in a small
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Funny Girls on move
BLACKPOOL'S Funny Girls are packing up their fishnets and moving to a new venue. In The Pink Leisure boss Basil Newby has finally sealed a deal to buy the former Odeon Cinema on Dickson Road. And he plans to turn it into a £5 million nightspot which will
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Action on bathing water may be dropped
BATHING water quality was on the agenda at a recent conference in Lancashire. Delegates from across the North West gathered at County Hall, Preston for "Reach For Your Beach" -- this year's North West Bathing Water Forum conference. Conference delegates
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Teenager dies in car crash
A TEENAGE Blackpool driver was killed in a crash which left his friend seriously injured. Kevin Berry, 15, of Healey Street, Layton, suffered fatal head and chest injuries after the Ford Fiesta car he was driving collided with a wall on George Street,
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Mum's the word
ELEVEN-year-old Philippa Mugan loves her mum so much she named a train after her. And her proud mum Lesley was chuff-chuffed to death to be at Blackpool North Station this week for the official naming ceremony of the First North Western 175 class, now
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Teacher aims to be top of the class
PRIMARY school teacher Sharron Hardman will be on stage at the famous Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, London, on Sunday. And when she leaves, she might be walking away with £22,000 for Gorsefield Primary School in Radcliffe. Miss Hardman (47) will attend
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Planned estate has no access
A HOUSING estate could be built in Tottington. But first developers need an access road to the land! Outline planning permission has been given to local developers Walshaw Estates to build around 30 houses on land off Sycamore Road. But Tottington councillor
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Church fears over Elms work
CONCERNS about the redevelopment of the Elms Precinct have been raised by church representatives. Members of Whitefield Methodist Church, which backs on to the site on Elms Street, claimed plans by land owner Mr Albert Gubay failed to take into account
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Tennis: Rosebowl success
HOLCOMBE Brook Tennis Club ladies have won the premier Lancashire knockout competition for the Liebert Rosebowl. In the final they defeated defending holders Blackburn Northern by a comprehensive 5-1. Holcombe Brook's first pair, Alison Smith and Lisa
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Swimming: Great start to the new campaign
CALLUM Hall was the starlet who shone brightest for Ramsbottom Rascals, who made a highly promising start to their North West Speedo Premier League season. The eleven-year-old was first in the 50m breaststroke and second in the butterfly event. Also picking
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New injury blow for Duff
DAMIEN DUFF has suffered an injury setback just days before his planned return and the Rovers winger admitted: "I am gutted." He is also upset that his place in the Republic of Ireland's World Cup play-off squad might now be in question having battled
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Old pals do battle
WHEN Stan Ternent led Bury to the second division championship in 1997 he won a season long duel with Stockport County's Dave Jones. On Sunday the two men will be going head to head again, this time at the top of the first division, as Wolves take on
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Mother's anguish over gas-sniff son
TRADING Standards are to investigate reports that a Darwen newsagent's sold butane gas to a 15-year-old schoolboy. The mother of the boy, who lives in the Whitehall area of the town, said she had found 14 empty cans of butane gas hidden in her son's bedroom
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Trainers evidence the key 'Joe' jury is told
OVERWHELMING evidence has been submitted to prove a 25-year-old man "bludgeoned to death" an elderly Burnley caretaker in the mill where he worked, a Crown Court jury was told. Gavin Cox denies killing 74-year-old Bryan "Joe" Platt of Sycamore Close,
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Jet terror
BRITISH tourists feared their holiday jet would be blown out of the sky when a French warplane sped towards them. The Boeing 737-300 was flying over France at 30,000ft from Malaga in Spain to Stansted in Essex when the Mirage fighter jet approached. It
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Thank you for the dictionary
I TOO was a recipient of one of an excellent Concise Collins Dictionary -- New Edition. The Minister for Education would do well to ensure there were at least five in every school. Parents too could choose wisely, by making a Christmas present of one,
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Fire pair jump to safety
TWO people jumped to safety and six families were led from their homes as fire raged through a building in Boothley Road, Blackpool. The fire occured on Tuesday night (Oct 23), and is thought to have been caused by a faulty tumble dryer. It began in a
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Racing to TV fame
A CLEVELEYS man's driving ambition could lead to small screen fame. Off-road racer Pat Masters, 32, of Anchorsholme Lane, hopes to appear in a motors series on satellite television's Discovery Channel next year after being interviewed at a race meeting
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Beware high tide dangers
BLACKPOOL beach patrol officers are warning youngsters to pay attention to seaside safety after two rescues in one week involved local youngsters. Chief beach patrol officer Terry Rogers said that on Oct 19 at about 11.15am, two boys and a girl aged 11
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Swoop on snakemen
SIXTEEN arrests were made and 11 snakes seized in a police swoop on illegal traders on Blackpool Promenade. "Operation Pavement" involved 20 police officers from the Intelligence Unit together with about 20 Benefit Agency, Fraud Investigation and Trading
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Tory snub for cabinet posts
BLACKPOOL council leader Roy Fisher has announced his new cabinet. And there are no Tory members involved, following their decision not to accept any portfolios. Coun Fisher revealed the seven-strong executive committee -- the key council committee --
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Tributes to a showbiz legend
"THERE'S not enough laughter these days" according to notoriously blue comic Bernard Manning. The mouth from Manchester managed to bring the house down last Friday (Oct 19) at the Variety Club of Great Britain's tribute lunch to TV entertainment legend
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Villagers celebrate as plans ditched
RESIDENTS and councillors are celebrating this week after a developer ditched plans for a shopping complex they believe would have brought chaos to their village. Oakamoor Estates Ltd wanted to build an 18,000 square metre facility of DIY based stores
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BAE in bid for US plane order
THOUSANDS of East Lancashire aerospace workers were today awaiting news of a £220billion US contract. BAE Systems will learn whether it has secured the contract - one of the biggest defence orders ever - to build 3,000 Joint Strike Fighter jets which
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Lager ad has 'em hot and bothered
A LAGER called SH*G has been getting Scottish magazine readers all hot and bothered over its "saucy" advertising campaign. The row erupted after the Alcohol Focus Scotland group objected to an advertisement in the Scottish Licensed Trade News magazine
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Police plan SAFE haven for victims
POLICE and health bosses are to set up a pioneering new centre for sexual assault victims -- as long as they can find an extra £100,000 to fund the scheme. The Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Centre (SAFE) will be the first scheme of its kind in the
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Swimmer ignored warnings
A MOONLIGHT skinny dip ended in tragedy when a 33-year-old man drowned in the icy waters of a reservoir, an inquest was told. An inquest heard that Mitchell Lee Bury disappeared without a sound as he and two friends swam the 250 yards across the water
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New 999 system on right lines
A NEW system to deal with the crippling problem of silent 999 calls to police has been welcomed by police bosses after it was revealed it had led to a drop of 4,000 calls a week. Chief Constable Pauline Clare said the solution to the problem -- which
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Expert raps false hope of obesity drug
THE sale of dangerous anti-obesity drugs to gullible and desperate patients was slammed by an expert giving evidence in the case against a doctor who ran a slimming clinic in East Lancashire. Dr Sudesh Madan, 52, used glossy adverts in local newspapers
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Brother and sister take the honours
THE BROTHER and sister pairing of Peter Harrison and Linda Hartley were the winners of the Althams Travel Mixed Doubles bowling competition held at Ighten Mount Bowling Club, Burnley. The Burnley pair beat Ron and Doreen Norris from Southport 21-9 in
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Double deal boosts Bacup firepower
BACUP BOROUGH have signed strike duo Julian Dowe and Shaun Cryer. Former Rochdale and Colne striker Dowe, 26, has been playing for Oldham Town since returning to the country from a spell in Latvia. And Cryer, 20, signs from Castleton Gabriels. "These
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Rams knock back Rossendale bid
DENIS Underwood's spell in goal has given him an insight as to what has gone wrong for his side in the last two games. The Harwood boss has put on his boots again for the last two matches with regular goalie Daryll Sloane out injured - although he should
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Moran hits back
DAMIAN MORAN is set to appeal against his controversial sacking by Bacup Borough. The 26-year-old defender has been booted out of West View by Borough manager Brent Peters. His contract was terminated for persistent misconduct. But Moran has denied any
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Proud of record on bullying
I FEEL it is important that I should reply to the letter you printed in the current edition of The Citizen relating to Beacon Hill High School. The school did receive a complaint about an assault on a pupil and we have discussed the problems of homework
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Council does not listen
BLACKPOOL Borough Council seems to be suffering from a split personality. The leader of the council talks of open government and the mayor is urging people to attend Local Area Forums to give their views. But what is their record with residents' views
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They're not up to the job
AT last it's official. The government's own statistics have finally confirmed what many who have worked for Blackpool Borough Council have known for a long time -- the present Labour administration simply is not up to the job. Immediately after the local
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It's all over for Bjarki
ICELANDIC warrior Bjarki Gunnlaugsson has been forced to quit football after specialists confirmed the worst -- he won't recover from his hip injury. The 28-year-old is now coming to terms with the fact the move to England he described as a dream just
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AGAINST: This is a step in the wrong direction
ALTHOUGH cannabis is widely used by thousands of people who do not go on to inject drugs or pop pills, many feel the new proposals set a very dangerous precedent. Leading that charge is Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans. He said: "I think this will lead to
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FOR: It is right that cannabis should be seen in new light
THE prospect of cannabis being dropped down to a class C drug has immediatley led to suggestions that it will be effectively legalised. That is not the cases says home secretary David Blunkett. Dealing and supplying will still remain an arrestable offence
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Bullied boy threatened suicide
A BLACKPOOL couple say their son was bullied so badly at a Bispham school that he repeatedly ran away from home and threatened suicide. Keith and Michelle Bartlam of Bispham Road wrote to The Citizen after reading a letter in last week's edition (Oct
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Time to retire
ONCE again we read about Bury Football Club being in more debt. It is time that chairman Terry Robinson owned up to his mistakes and stopped accusing the fans. We will do anything to save our club, but we need Mr Robinson to retire now. V. MASON, Walmersley
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Time her career was buried!
THE sight of Jo Moore, the assistant to Mr Stephen Byers, attempting to be all sweetness and light on TV after her appalling email asking everyone to "bury" bad news in the aftermaths of the attack in New York was too much to take. Why can't she be made
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We raised issue of hospital access
THE fears expressed in the letter from J. Brooker-Cullen (Oct 19) regarding access to Fairfield Hospital have been reported to Bury Council at every opportunity by a number of individuals and organisations. Bury's Community Health Council has relentlessly
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Are police the new tax collectors?
SOME people will be aware (and others will not) that the speed limit on Peel Way, Bury has recently changed from 40 to 30mph. So I'm sure we'll sleep safe and sound under out duvets once the newly (and I'm sure coincidentally) installed speed cameras
