Archive
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Grant grabbing queue is wrong
IT is surely a crude and flawed way of handling things when applicants for home repair grants have to queue up from quarter to four on a freezing January morning to have a hope of getting one. Yet this was the extraordinary situation that arose when the
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Top-flight sites for feathered friends
THERE are excellent places to watch birds in Lancashire but two places stand out above the rest. Both are also well worth their admission price and both have been in the news during the very cold days between Christmas and the end of January. These are
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Switch success to drag hunting
IF ever proof was needed that once hunting with dogs is banned hunts can successfully switch to drag hunting, it was provided by the Holcombe Harriers at Rivington Barn on Boxing Day. Without a licence to torment hares, they opted for a leisurely ride
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Emulate Swedes with free heating
AFTER reading your article on the proposed waste recycling by burning by a private firm, it left me wondering how much further this Labour government will go in its endeavour to emulate Conservative policies. A similar system is, I think, employed in
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Time overdue to save our tower
HOW much longer is Blackburn with Darwen Council going to take getting Darwen Tower back to its former glory? All we have had is excuse after excuse and the longer it takes, the more the Tower will fall further into disrepair. Are they hoping it will
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Festive TV fare was a turn-off
ITHOUGHT that the idea of Christmas TV was to show things that are special and different from the normal fare during the year. Apart from the 'Only Fools and Horses' Christmas special, it was probably the worse-ever helping of programmes I've known. I
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Labour claim is purely fantasy
IN reply to Councillor Ian Ormerod (Letters, December 19), I agree that the Globe Centre in Accrington was built during Labour's term in office and that it has been a success, but to claim that Labour foresaw it being used as collateral for the cinema
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Indifference, the downfall of an area
ALL I can say after reading the article 'How Phoenix will help area rise up,' about the regeneration scheme for the Lower Antley area of Accrington (LET, January 12) is: What a lot of flannel! The local authority's indifference and neglect of this area
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Call for 'super head' at crisis school
HYNDBURN MP Greg Pope today called for a "super head" to solve the crisis at Moorhead High School after police were called in to protect staff and pupils. Officers were today patrolling outside the school in Queens Road West, Accrington, after fighting
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Fans urged to act quickly
ROVERS today urged fans not to delay in buying tickets for next Tuesday night's Worthington Cup semi-final second leg with Sheffield Wednesday. Cup fever is hotting up with news that opponents Wednesday have already completely sold out their 5000 allocation
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Best of buddies battle
FORMER team-mates Craig Hignett and Darren Barnard used to be the best of buddies when they were at Barnsley together. But the in-form Rovers midfielder stole his old pal's thunder 10 days ago with a late, late equaliser to cancel out Barnard's stunning
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Rovers won't be fall guys: Souness
EWOOD chief Graeme Souness today warned his players about the dangers of becoming FA Cup fall-guys as they prepare to face Barnsley in tonight's third round replay at Ewood. Souness knows what it's like to be on the wrong end of a shock after he was dumped
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Parkin has plenty of food for thought
THE last time Steve Parkin made the trip to Ewood Park he was on the end of a 6-1 thumping with his old club Rochdale in the Worthington Cup. The scenario is set up again as Dale had then forced a 1-1 draw in the first leg - and his new club Barnsley
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Rams chaos could be good for Rovers
BARMY, ridiculous, incredible! Whatever word you use to describe the events at Derby County over the last few days, none come anywhere near to summing up the ludicrous situation which currently exists at Pride Park. For when it comes to shooting themselves
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Schoolboy babysitter 'raped girl'
A SCHOOLBOY babysitter had sex with and "strangled" the seven-year-old girl he was meant to be looking after, a jury was told. Burnley Crown Court heard the 15-year-old also performed indecent acts on the child. The alleged victim, now eight, gave evidence
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Five years ago
A FIRE hose was used to bring down a £600 African talking parrot from a tree top after it flew off. The grey bird called Jackie escaped from his pet shop home in Church Street, Accrington, and played with pigeons before the emergency services were called
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Chips are down for safe dogs
THE National Canine Defence League's (NCDL) bright yellow microchip unit rolls into Accrington on Monday from 10am till 4pm. The roadshow on the Asda car park, Hyndburn Road, is to help the NCDL's campaign Give a Dog a Life, aimed at reducing the number
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Bottle bank users raise cash for MS
USERS of the bottle bank at the Spar car park in Longridge have helped to raise on average of £1,000 a year for the past 15 years. The cash go to the Preston branch of the Multiple Sclerosis Society. The Longridge bottle bank appeal was started by Longridge
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Misery not yet over for farmers, says MP
RIBBLE Valley MP Nigel Evans has welcomed the news that foot and mouth has been declared officially over - but warned the misery still goes on. At midnight on Monday the Government announced the 11-month crisis was over after the last affected county
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Bollards make it mad dray day
HIGHWAYS bosses have been accused of gridlocking Clitheroe town centre by installing new anti-parking measures. Eight new bollards have helped bring commuters to a standstill every time the dray lorry visits one particular pub, according to traders. The
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Handy Andy earns more county honours
FORMER Atherton CC professional Andy Hall has been appointed captain of Cheshire for the 2002 season. After leaving Atherton at the end of 2000, Andy joined Bramhall of the Cheshire League and last season became a regular member of the Cheshire side,
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Why the council's still feeling a chill
NEARLY a fortnight's thaw has brought no respite for Blackburn with Darwen Council from anger and disgust over its gritting performance when snow and ice covered roads and footpaths for nearly a week before and after the New Year. Nor should it -- when
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Preece: This isn't fair play
BURY'S position at the bottom of the Second Division's Fair Play League is a false one according to Shakers manager Andy Preece. Prior to Saturday's game the club were propping up the section with an average of 19.9 points a game with 54 bookings and
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Tragic familiy's funeral wait
THE family of a girl found dead are still waiting to be told when they can start preparing for her funeral. Charlotte Flanagan, 22, a former pupil at St Wilfrid's High School, Blackburn, was found in her flat - on the fourth floor above the Barley Mow
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Lorry shock for dad and daughter
A FATHER claims he and his three-year-old daughter had a lucky escape when an articulated lorry smashed into their property - for the third time in six months. Now Brian Samson, 45, is campaigning for bollards to be put in the middle of Sudell Road outside
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Move to ease rush-hour traffic jams
PROPOSALS to solve the rush-hour blockade of Waterfoot are to go to public consultation. Four options to ease the congestion have been suggested by Leeds-based consultants Halcrow. They include building a by-pass and making the town a car-free zone, retaining
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New play house stolen before kids used it
THIEVES who stole a brother and sister's wooden chalet have been branded "absolutely sick" by their mother. The £250 wooden play house, measuring 8ft by 6ft, was bought by Suzanne and Lee Fox for their two children just before Christmas. But it had been
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Queue starts at 3.45am for council grants
HOUSEHOLDERS queued from 3.45am for home repair money but more than half were turned away because only 60 applications could be accepted. Officers and staff arrived at Rawtenstall town hall to find a queue which stretched across the car park and beyond
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Police chief misses out on top post
LANCASHIRE'S police chief has missed becoming the country's first female Inspector of Constabulary. Pauline Clare, who in 1995 became the first woman chief constable in the country, was widely tipped to get the top job and would have been the first woman
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Woman jailed for benefits fraud
A WOMAN who ran up an £18,000 DSS fraud has been jailed for four months. Preston Crown Court heard that Sandra Meakin made a lawful claim for benefits when she and her husband separated. But they reunited after six weeks and she failed to tell the authorities
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'We don't know what killed Jake'
THE inquest into the death of an 18-month-old baby from Blackburn who died at Alder Hey Hospital last summer, has been adjourned until next month, the third time it has been put on hold. Jake McGeough died in July after his parents took him to the Liverpool
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Gulf soldier resorted to illicit drugs
EX-soldier Stuart Ainsworth established his own supply of drugs to help him combat Gulf War Syndrome brought on by the horrors of war. Blackburn magistrates heard the father-of-four was prescribed diazepam to help him cope but had bought stronger tranquillisers
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Birthday treat for coach Kevin
BLACKBURN Under 13s gave team manager Kevin Ainsworth an emphatic 27-10 win over Ormskirk to celebrate his birthday. Blackburn were up by two points following a converted try 12-10. In the first half, Blackburn centres Scott Holt and Shaun Buck finished
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Cup goalscorer glad to be playing
ERIC Skora is the hero of the hour after helping North End through to the fourth round of the FA Cup -- but then admitted he had no idea how important the tournament was. The Frenchman was making only his second appearance for North End -- but his performance
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EVENTS taking place in East Lancashire on Thursday, January 17
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. Diabetes UK meet Pendleside Hospice, Colne Road, Reedley, Burnley, 7.30pm. AGM. St Mary's Pantomime Group presents The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Civic Theatre, Oswaldtwistle
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Share golden years with the Queen
IF you are 50 in February you could find yourself celebrating your special milestone in the presence of the Queen. To mark her Golden Jubilee, the Queen is inviting anyone born on February 6, 1952, to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace. Around
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Funeral farewell for crash teenager Shaun
THE funeral of a teenage driver killed in a head-on crash is to take place at Pleasington Crematorium next week. Shaun Gornall, of Longsight Road, Clayton-le-Dale, was at the wheel of a Renault Clio which burst into flames after it was in collision with
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MEP praises centre for blind
MEP Terry Wynn, on a fact-finding regional mission to organisations supported by Euro funding, has visited Action For Blind People's employment centre. The 150-year-old charity aims to help visually impaired people find appropriate jobs. Staff train clients
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£300 prize for better neighbourhood ideas
BURY Council's housing department has combined with five housing associations to offer a £300 reward for a project or plan which could bring about a neighbourhood improvement. Tenants and residents groups, neighbourhood watch schemes, schools, youth clubs
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No panic at Turf Moor
UNLIKE in Dad's Army, you'll won't find a manic Corporal Jones running round Turf Moor shouting: "Don't panic, don't panic!" Manchester City, Wolves and Millwall may have crept up and overtaken the Clarets at the top of Nationwide Division One, but there
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Terror for brave gran
BATTLING grannie Isabel Hamer has told how she was dragged to the floor as she fought off a handbag snatcher and said: "I was determined she was not going to get away with it." Eighty-two-year-old Mrs Hamer was returning home from bingo when she was attacked
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Colls go to Town
ATHERTON Colls clinched a first ever appearance in the semi finals of the NWCL League Cup last night with a superb 2-1 away win at Newcastle Town. Tom Foster and Dennis Haslam's lads player their hearts out to fully deserved victory in the Worthington
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Roy is ready for big tee-off
FORMER Rovers striker Roy Wegerle has swapped his football boots for golf spikes and will tee off alongside the likes of Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Shaw Hill's Nick Dougherty in the Dunhill Championship in Johannesburg tomorrow. Wegerle, who appeared
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'Last few weeks were scary'
NORWEGIAN defender Stig Bjornebye believes Rovers can go into tonight's FA Cup replay against Barnsley brimming with confidence after turning the corner following a dodgy December. The former Liverpool fullback admitted a wretched run of six defeats in
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Street crash mill to be made safe
THE top floor of a Burnley mill will be removed after its gable end collapsed into the street. A report from structural engineers has found that a defective steel beam in the roof of the building in Cow Lane buckled, pushing brick work into the street
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Father and son assault: Another witness
A NEW witness to an assault on a father and son has come forward following an appeal in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph. Peter Waddington and his son Simon were attacked in Hammerton Street, Burnley, on Thursday night in what police said was a "serious
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Police step up fight against drugs
POLICE in Burnley today issued a rallying call to the public to help in their fight against drugs. The force revealed that a number of criminals had already been arrested this year thanks to information supplied by local residents. That includes four
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Biker mart robbed twice in four days
DETECTIVES in Burnley are appealing for information after a business was twice robbed of thousands of pounds worth of stock in less than a week. In the space of four days the 2Wheel Supermarket in Accrington Road has been targeted by a gang of thieves
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Story of a man's life in suitcase
A BATTERED old Second World War "demob" suitcase given to Towneley Hall museum, Burnley, turned out to be a treasure chest. When curators opened it they found that the contents told the story of the life of Burnley man Donald Sturgeon and his family from
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Homes owner hits out
A NELSON man whose family owns several houses earmarked for demolition has criticised Pendle Council's claims that they are unfit to live in. Liaquat Ali spoke at the public inquiry into plans to compulsory purchase homes in the Whitefield area of Nelson
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New plans spark toxic waste fear
PLANS to develop a 20-acre site off Vivary Way in Colne have raised concerns among green campaigners before councillors have even had a chance to discuss them. Barnfield Construction has submitted outline plans to Pendle Council to create a retail and
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Ten years ago
GULF war hero Gary Lomas, of Old Langho, was awarded a cash pay-out after being blinded in one eye. The bomb disposal expert with the Royal Engineers was injured when clearing booby traps from a mine in Kuwait City which blew up in his face.
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Rocky ride for cyclist Susan
SECRETARY Susan Downes is looking for support as she embarks on an extremely rocky ride. Brave Susan, 31, of Woodfield Avenue, Accrington, has pledged to cycle 300 miles through the Canadian Rockies, in September, to raise funds for children's hospitals
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Call for 'super head' at crisis school
HYNDBURN MP Greg Pope today called for a "super head" to solve the crisis at Moorhead High School after police were called in to protect staff and pupils. Officers were today patrolling outside the school in Queens Road West, Accrington, after fighting
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Norman castle to get new image
A PROJECT costing £250,000 has been unveiled to breathe new life into Clitheroe Castle and turn it into a focal point for the Ribble Valley. And today leading councillors urged the public: "Tell us what you want us to do." At least £246,000 has been set
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Action - thanks to newspaper story
A SEX offender is finally on the road to getting the treatment he desperately needs -- and a judge said it was partly due to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph. Mentally ill Mohammed Latif, 21, is to be admitted to Calderstones Hospital for assessment more
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Blake bid may be put on hold
CLARETS boss Stan Ternent is believed to be ready to make a £1million bid for Bradford City's Robbie Blake -- but the move may be put on hold. The 25-year-old, who can operate up front or on the wing, could become the Turf Moor club's joint top signing
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This is too high a price to pay
AS a parent, how would you feel about your child sharing a classroom with a disruptive hooligan? And, as a taxpayer, how do you feel about forking out to pay someone a handsome wage from public funds to admit such sorts into East Lancashire schools? No
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Blake bid may be put on hold
CLARETS boss Stan Ternent is believed to be ready to make a £1million bid for Bradford City's Robbie Blake -- but the move may be put on hold. The 25-year-old, who can operate up front or on the wing, could become the Turf Moor club's joint top signing
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Rovers won't be fall guys: Souness
EWOOD chief Graeme Souness today warned his players about the dangers of becoming FA Cup fall-guys as they prepare to face Barnsley in tonight's third round replay at Ewood. Souness knows what it's like to be on the wrong end of a shock after he was dumped
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Skora makes his name to seal cup win
A GOALKEEPING howler and a saved penalty helped North End overcome a potential banana skin at Brighton on Tuesday night at the Withdean Stadium. French midfielder Eric Skora, in only his second game for the club and his FA Cup debut put North End in front
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Brave Bury miss out on vital victory
Bury 0 Huddersfield 0: BURY stopped the rot, gained a point and kept a clean sheet -- but lost a whole lot more on the way. Jamie Stuart's 77th minute dismissal and injuries to Chris Billy and David Borley piled on the agony for Shakers' boss Andy Preece
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'Ring again' plea after phone fault
A HOLISTIC centre is urging people who have attempted to contact them to try again, after they discovered their phone had been faulty for at least three months. Staff at the Raphael Holistic Centre, in Darwen town centre, first became aware of the problem
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Garage burglar hunted
POLICE are appealing for residents in the Milking Lane area of Lower Darwen to be on the look-out for a man who has burgled six garages since Christmas. The latest raid happened last Wednesday, but the owner only reported it this week. A Dyson vacuum
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Public probe into youth crime
A PUBLIC meeting is to be held tomorrow to decide how to tackle juvenile nuisance in the Sudellside area of Darwen. The meeting, organised by the local neighbourhood watch group, will bring together police, Twin Valley Homes and the watch co-ordinators
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Drugs awareness date for village
COMPLAINTS about drug-taking in a village near Darwen have resulted in a special open day being held by Blackburn with Darwen Council. The drugs-awareness event is to be staged at the Barlow Institute, in Bolton Road, Edgworth, on January 23. Various
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Heidi says hello
HEIDI Reid is fresh out of Lancaster University -- but the German and history honours degree graduate is already teaching at Rossendale's new language college, All Saints RC High School, Rawtenstall. Heidi, 25, is one of the few graduates to be offered
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Less time to wait for treatment
HEALTH trusts covering Blackburn and Burnley now have no inpatients waiting for more than 15 months, according to figures released by the NHS Executive North West. Both the Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust, which runs Queen's Park Hospital
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'Girl was almost run down'
TWO men allegedly took part in a raid on a depot making off with sportswear worth almost £2,000 a jury was told. Burnley Crown Court heard how Christopher Brooks, 42, one of the men said to be involved, then sped off in a people carrier pursued by police
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Cash lifeline for hard-up tenants
A HOUSING association has handed over £20,000 to a money lending scheme -- because many of its tenants may be in financial difficulty. Twin Valley Homes, the private company which manages the 10,000 'council' homes in Blackburn and Darwen, gave the cash
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Drivers have come round to the idea!
ROAD chiefs expressed delight today after police revealed that there have been no accidents on Blackburn's new orbital route this year. The lack of incidents comes in spite of treacherous driving conditions and the fact that many commuters returning to
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Squawk of art is something to crow about!
A GIANT bird has taken up residence in a park, but there's no fear of the feathered friend taking flight -- it is made of steel! Snowy the crow has made her home on top of a tall beech tree stump next to the cycle-way in Blackburn's Witton Park. Snowy
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MP gets to root of problem
AN MP today welcomed a government promise to boost the number of salaried and trainee dentists in the area. The Rossendale and Darwen Labour backbencher raised the question of the declining availability of NHS dentistry in her constituency and neighbouring
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Some might say Paul was Stupid
TO take on giant former England and British Lion forward Wade Dooley at his own game you would have to be stupid. Well Rossendale second team skipper Paul Lee did just that -- and he is! "I put him on his backside," recalls Lee, known to everyone simply
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Men jailed after car raid terror
TWO men have been jailed following a six-mile high speed pursuit through Bolton and Bury when five people, including two young children, were injured. Five cars were also damaged, with one written off during the chase, Bolton Crown Court was told. The
