Archive
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Spare tenants such distress
MULTI-STOREY blocks of flats seemed a quick and easy way to house lots of people using comparatively small amounts of land when they shot up all over the country in the 1960s. Today, except in major cities where prices are sky high, such high rise homes
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Death crash pair 'improving'
TWO men are improving in hospital following a crash which claimed the lives of three people including a 15-year-old Bury schoolboy. A Toyota Carina taxi and a Ford Sierra collided in Bury Old Road, Prestwich, in the early hours of Sunday. Passenger in
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It's just like Christmas
BLEARY eyed Burnley fans could be forgiven for looking out of their windows for snow, checking for decorations in the hallway, listening for carol singers at the door. Quite simply, as soon as Paul Gascoigne arrived at Turf Moor they felt like all their
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Meningitis tragedy of little Luke
THE devastated parents of a boy who died of meningitis today spoke about their grief over the loss of a cheeky and loveable son. Luke Darrell Holden, two, of Bankfield Street, Colne, died of meningococcal septicaemia in the early hours of Sunday at Burnley
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Cost of jubilee parties £50 a street
GOLDEN Jubilee party organisers in Burnley may have to pay £50 to close their roads. Burnley councillors last night did not reach a decision on whether to charge people who have applied for temporary road closures for celebrations in June. The fee is
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Customer 'groped' shop worker, jury told
A SHOP assistant was allegedly "groped" four times by a customer who asked for her help. Burnley Crown Court heard how the normally bubbly young woman was shaking, pale and very upset after she claimed she was molested by Mohammed Uddin, 36. Uddin, of
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Prentice fights on for total ban
EAST Lancashire MP Gordon Prentice was today telling the government to bring back last year's bill to ban hunting with dogs and force it through Westminster by the autumn. The Pendle back bencher made his appeal at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour
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Parents in shock over killer virus
PARENTS with children at the Little People nursery, hit by a meningitis nightmare, today spoke of their shock and sadness as they dropped youngsters off at the Derby Street, Colne, centre. Children and staff have been advised to take antibiotics as a
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Ten years ago
MANY trendy shell suits are potential killers which ignite in seconds, studies revealed. County Coun Eileen Kershaw warned that tests conducted in the North West had shown how quickly the suits could melt and badly burn the wearer. New standards of control
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Purge is urged on fire-trap windows
COUNCIL workmen moved in within 48 hours to upgrade a high-security window which turned a bedroom into a fire-trap. A terrified Hyndburn family could not get out of the upstairs room in Browning Avenue, Oswaldtwistle, after a chip pan fire filled their
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School's farewell to head
A HEAD teacher reaches the end of 12 'wonderful' years in her post on Friday. Lila Towers, who retires from Walshaw High School, Burnley, said: "Walshaw is a successful flourishing school and I'm proud to have been here. "I've got a great staff team and
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No doubts says Thomas
NO ONE needs to tell Mitchell Thomas what Paul Gascoigne is like - he has seen it all before. And the experienced Clarets' defender smiled: "He has not done anything outrageous since he got here - but everyone is watching their backs. "He is still as
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Let's forget these fiascos
THEY'RE the tops -- official. But as Blackburn with Darwen Council basks in the glory of being voted the best in Britain, some may be perplexed by the 'achievements ' that so impressed the judges. For, oddly, among the main ones cited, two involved the
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Charity shop appeal
CANCER Research UK are appealing for the people of Darwen to donate unwanted clothes or bric-a-brac, in a bid to gain extra funds. The charity hires a shop every year for one week staring on April 14 to sell second-hand clothes and other items. Press
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Net spans globe to unite local pair
TWO cousins who used to live in Haslingden have been reunited thanks to two local websites -- even though they both now live in the Antipodes! And although John McGuire is now living in Melbourne, Australia, he used the Haslingden sites to trace his cousin
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Pathway needs helpers
LOCAL people are to be asked to help recreate an ancient path and dry stone wall, after £20,000 lottery cash was secured to fund a major new project. The pathway, which runs from Carwood Farm to Hilltop Lane, Whittle-le-Woods, has over the years run into
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Schools' arts and sports bonanza
FOUR primary schools and a nursery are to share in a £1.1million sports and arts cash bonanza. The recipients, Audley Infant and Junior schools and Audley Nursery, St Michael with St John's Primary and Wensley Fold Primary, all in Blackburn, have been
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Chopped, pride of place hedge
A GREEN-FINGERED woman was left feeling hacked off when she came home from work to find her cherished hedge had been chopped almost to the ground. Pat McFall, of Hereford Road, Blackburn, owns her home but lives on an estate where some properties are
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Drivers may face the 'knowledge'
LONDON-STYLE 'knowledge' tests could be introduced to Blackburn taxi drivers after it was claimed many are unfamiliar with the most simple routes. But drivers in Blackburn with Darwen today hit back, claiming it was the council's fault for continually
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Just not enough at Turf Moor
KELHAM O'HANLON described it as North End's worst first half of the season. Whether it was that bad is debatable - the start of the season was pretty poor remember - but in terms of timing, a dip in performance arrived at the worst possible moment. Whereas
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Elderly should not be pawns
AMID an escalating crisis of care-home closures - they are now shutting at the rate of 750 a year - East Lancashire saw the brutal reality of nine elderly people being given less than 24 hours to get out as the one they lived in became yet another casualty
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Call for action on holey roads
THE way the roads are falling into disrepair, we will be lucky if there are any left to grit next winter. The ones around Darwen and Lower Darwen are terrible. You have to grit your teeth when driving and hope you miss the holes. The speed humps are also
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Having a cracking time for charity
SCOOTER riders got on their bikes and hit the road last weekend to drive from Lowton to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury, in the annual great Easter Egg Run. The enthusiasts, riding Lambretta and Vespa scooters, had a full police escort
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Broken lift agony of disabled pensioner
A DISABLED pensioner has been forced to drag himself down two flights of stairs because the lift in his block of flats has been broken for more than two weeks. George Brown, 72, who has no legs, has to scramble down the 12 steps with his heavy wheelchair
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Beki's pie is prize hope
BEKI McGill's cheesy beany pastry has won the recognition of a pie company. The 15-year-old pupil of Walshaw High School, Burnley is one of the ten finalists in the Holland's Pie 2002 pastry challenge. Beki's winning dish consists of potato, beans and
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MPs urge action on empty homes
THE government has been told to act to stop the scandal of empty homes in the East Lancashire by an all party group of MPs who were "shocked'' when they saw the scale of housing dereliction in the area. The House of Commons Transport, Local Government
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Move to improve service delivery
BURNLEY Council has won a bid to take part in a key government project to modernise the services it provides to the people of the borough. A special government task force will visit the town next month to begin work on the scheme. The project is part
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Tourism guide launched
NEW guides aimed at boosting tourism in the Pendle area were launched yesterday. The new packs include Ordnance Survey mapping and information on the history of Pendle. They were designed by the Council's promotions team and are available for £3 from
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Free advice on starting a business
PENDLE people wanting to start their own business are invited to a free information day next week, at the Civic Theatre in Nelson. The event, which will take place on Tuesday between 3pm and 7pm, has been organised by Pendle Council's regeneration team
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Fall led to decline of OAP
THE side effects of medication given in hospital contributed to the death of a 78-year-old Hyndburn woman. But an inquest into the death of Florence Mary Holden heard that there was extensive natural disease which had to be combated and which would probably
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Benefit fraud 'in the sun' charge
A MOTHER has appeared in court charged with claiming £46,000 in benefit while living with her family in Gibraltar. Julie Thompson, 34, is alleged to have been claiming benefit for herself and her two children despite leaving the UK in 1997. Michael Singleton
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A taster for things to come
JAZZ comes to Clitheroe this weekend as a preview to the town's Great Days festival in June. Esteemed North West jazz pianist Eric Ainsworth performs alongside sax man John Hallam, trumpeter Ian Royle, bass player Norman Fisk and drummer Rob Jones. Venue
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'Sweets could cause choking'
RIBBLE Valley Borough Council has today echoed a warning from the Food Standards Agency for children to avoid certain jelly-based sweets because of the risk of choking. The mini cup fruit jelly products, which contain a product called Konjac, have been
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Daub dummies
IN some ways, one can understand East Lancashire firms being reluctant to pay for the removal of graffiti from their premises. After all, if anyone should pay it's the yobs who daub their buildings in the first place. But one cannot agree with the attitude
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Gazza poses problems for Stan
PAUL Gascoigne will make his eagerly awaited debut at a packed Turf Moor tonight as manager Stan Ternent admitted: "This is without doubt my most difficult selection of the season." Gazza will come into a side that has won two games on the bounce to go
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'Help us make cafe the cream'
ORGANISERS of a youth cafe to be set up in memory of a community fund-raiser are calling for the help of local businesses to help them secure premises and get vital equipment. Peter Scott, vice-chairman of the steering committee for the cafe, is urging
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Les back home with new images
PROFESSIONAL photographer Les Meehan has taken everyday subjects and given them a original twist using digital technology. Les is originally from Manchester and after a spell in London and France has returned to his northern roots and now lives in Beehive
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One day to find a new home
NINE residents were given less than 24 hours notice to move after an old folk's home closed down. Scout Rest Home in Burnley Road East, Waterfoot, was placed in voluntary liquidation by owners Sheila Birt and her brothers Michael and Tom on Monday. Residents
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Requiem for the masses at cathedral
BLACKBURN Cathedral has a programme of nightly events during Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter Sunday. Popular orchestral pieces by Gabrieli and Vivaldi, Handel's Organ Concerto in G minor and Mozart's Requiem, will be performed on Wednesday, March
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Closures can cost lives - support group
A NATIONAL support group which has offered to fight to save Lancashire's OAP homes today claimed closures cost lives. RAGE National (Relatives Action Group for the Elderly) joined the fight to save 35 care homes from the chop during a public meeting held
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Health trust staff set for cash boost
EAST Lancashire hospitals are to help pilot a new scheme to put ancillary staff on a new performance-related pay scheme. Housekeepers, security staff, porters, switchboard operators, caterers, backroom supplies staff and maintenance workers at a number
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Brierley hits four for the Rams
TOP scorer Russell Brierley took his tally for the season to 31 with a four- goal brace. On 20 mins the tireless Steve Brennan picked up a flick down the right flank, raced clear of his marker to deliver a cross which was met by Brierley, whose first
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Boost for race fight
BURY'S fight to eradicate racism has been given a significant boost. Residents scared by racial harassment will now have many more professional Bury Council staff to turn to. More than 100 staff, with support from the police, have been trained to make
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EVENTS taking place in East Lancashire on Thursday, March 21
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. "Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat," St Cuthbert's School, Darwen, 7.30pm. "Guys and Dolls," Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre, 7.30pm. Pennine Herb Society, Pendle
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Wonder of woodland explored
BRAVED the elements to visit Eaves Wood, near Silverdale, and I was sheltered from the icy wind by high limestone cliffs. There is a good car park near the entrance to the wood, which is one of the few remaining bits of ancient woodland in Britain. It
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Party ended in son's arrest
ANDREW Stafford Morrison had his friends round for a drinking session while his parents were out. Blackburn magistrates heard that when the couple returned home Morrison became abusive and aggressive and refused to leave. Morrison, 19, of Mosley Street
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Is this the place we fought for?
IHEARD on TV about the plan to build a home for asylum seekers and afterwards a report on the closure of care homes in Lancashire. Can this be the same country our fathers and their sons gave their lives for? J UTTLEY (Mrs), St Cuthbert Street, Burnley
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Savings going to wrong people
ITHINK the money the county council is saving by closing homes for the elderly is going to the wrong people. How would the councillors like to be uprooted from their homes? Old people need companionship and comfort, not turfing out into society. The idea
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Put tax increase to better use
WE have been warned to brace ourselves for further increased taxes to fund the NHS. What percentage of the new money will be creamed off by the layers of managers, administrators and bureaucrats for their first-class travel, plush office upgrades and
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What cost for new 'car park'?
IN regard to the redevelopment of Church Street in Blackburn, we were told at the start that the cost would be £2million, then in a short space of time the figure jumped 25 per cent to £2.5million. This is only a very short street and nothing has changed
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There's not a lot of Accringtons knocking about
AT a time when our postal services are being eroded beyond recognition, a further reminder of what we have lost arrived through my door recently. On December 6, my wife's cousin posted our Christmas card from Perth, Western Australia. It was a beautiful
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It's no way to treat elderly
MY mum is a resident at Worsley House, Fleetwood, and has been for six years. We have an action group and will fight these closures. It is inhuman to put this kind of stress on our elderly. They have lived through wars, bringing up families, and worked
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Leigh fans will shop the yobs
LEIGH Centurions want their genuine fans to 'name and shame' the yobs who showered Wigan players with plastic beer bottles during last Sunday's Challenge Cup quater-final tie at Hilton Park. Centurions chairman Mike Nolan says any culprits will face prosecution
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Karpin ready to leave Spain
ROVERS target Valeri Karpin has indicated he is ready to walk out on Celta Vigo at the end of the season after claiming he's been singled out for abuse from certain sections of the Spanish club's crowd. He was blamed as Celta let a two-goal lead slip
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Hignett debating Ewood future
BLACKBURN midfielder Craig Hignett has admitted he may have to consider his Ewood future if he fails to pin-down a regular starting place during the relegation run-in. Hignett is frustrated at having to settle for a bit-part role in Rovers' survival battle
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There is not bust up: Flitty
EWOOD enforcer Garry Flitcroft has reacted angrily to reports of unrest in the Rovers camp by insisting the current team spirit at the club is the best he has ever known. Several stories in yesterday's nationals claimed Andy Cole was ready to walk out
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Cole rumours only damage
SEVEN days is a long time in football -- just ask Blackburn boss Graeme Souness! This time last week, Rovers dragged themselves out of the bottom three for the first time since February 9 after a hard-fought 2-1 win over Ipswich. However, by yesterday
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Police probe bottle attack at pub
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to an incident in which a customer at the Chicago Rock pub in Burnley town centre was hit on the forehead in a bottle attack. The 22-year-old victim needed stitches in the wound and received treatment at Burnley General
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Police urge scooter owners to be on guard
BIKERS beware is the message from police in Burnley who are urging motorcycle and scooter owners to be on the guard against thieves. The warning follows an increase in the number of bike thefts with smaller motorbikes and scooters being the most vulnerable
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Market trader's fears come true
A MARKET trader has told how Burnley's current traffic problems were first predicted four years ago. Paddy Brady, of Brady's Flowers, in Burnley Market, said the current problems on Curzon Street and Active Way were predicted in 1998 during a public inquiry
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Turf hero Gazza's our golden boy!
A GOLDEN wedding couple have postponed their celebration so the family can watch Gazza's Burnley debut. Lifelong Clarets fans and season ticket holders Alan and Lilian Cox, of Waterbarn Street, Burnley, were planning a family party until the club's new
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Worsthorne Bulletin
A NEW Group will begin on Monday. Burnley Borough Council's Community and Recreation Service have worked with Pauline Frost to establish a new Monday Group in the Reading Rooms. More details will follow shortly. FRIENDS of Worsthorne with Hurstwood is
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Council 'giants' will be made Freemen
LONG-SERVING Pendle councillor Roy Clarkson will be awarded the Freedom of the Borough this week after he revealed he will step down from the council in May. And former councillor Kenneth Spence will also receive the same honour after all parties approved
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Meningitis tragedy of little Luke
THE devastated parents of a boy who died of meningitis today spoke about their grief over the loss of a cheeky and loveable son. Luke Darrell Holden, two, of Bankfield Street, Colne, died of meningococcal septicaemia in the early hours of Sunday at Burnley
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Five years ago
TOP North West DJ Paul Taylor resigned from Burnley's Club XPO following "differences of opinion". Baroness Margo Grimshaw, who owned the Never Never Land club complex in Blackburn, was brought in as a consultant to organise a replacement.
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'Monster' upset for injured Rebekah
AN eight-year-old girl, victim of a car crash, was left devastated when refused entry to a cinema because of her wheelchair. But cinema bosses have explained their error and promised to make it up to the youngster. Rebekah Newton, of Monk Street, Accrington
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Second look at plans to renew castle
A GROUP of Ribble Valley councillors is calling for new procedural powers to come into force in a bid to get more in-depth discussions on two major issues affecting the area. Coun Allan Knox, chairman of Ribble Valley Council's overview and scrutiny committee
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Put your shirt on Gazza
WHO would have bet on Paul Gascoigne being a Burnley player before the end of the season? Well you may have missed the boat on that one but William Hill have come up with a special set of Gazza odds ahead of his Clarets debut tonight. So if you fancy
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Head to Head
OF all the players for Paul Gascoigne to go head to head with on his Burnley debut, it had to be Stuart McCall. The pair have won just three shy of 100 international caps between them and were team-mates during Walter Smith's reign at Rangers. In fact
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McCall out to make new boy miserable
STUART McCall will be doing everything in his power to make it a miserable Burnley debut for Paul Gascoigne but he admitted: "On and off the pitch he is different class." The two midfielders were in the same Glasgow Rangers side just a few years ago and
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All set for Bantams - take three
TONIGHT is Burnley versus Bradford City take three - and the script just keeps getting bigger. Take one was on New Year's Day when Nicky Law's first game in charge of the Bantams was called off because of a frozen pitch. Take two on February 19 was going
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Boro find winning touch again
Radcliffe boro 4, Guiseley 1 AFTER three disappointing results against bottom of the table sides Boro rediscovered the quality touch against in-form Guiseley. The opening goal came on the quarter hour mark when full back Rick Battersby controlled a deep
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There is not bust up: Flitty
EWOOD enforcer Garry Flitcroft has reacted angrily to reports of unrest in the Rovers camp by insisting the current team spirit at the club is the best he has ever known. Several stories in yesterday's nationals claimed Andy Cole was ready to walk out
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Jarrett lined up for move
JASON Jarrett could be the player sacrificied to save crisis club Bury as Wigan Athletic prepare to table an offer. Shakers co-chairman Fred Mason has admitted the club will almost certainly need to sell a player to meet their deadline on April 26, when
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Marathon man Bill's first time
A FUND-RAISER who has never run a marathon in his life is taking on the London spectacular. Bill Fogg, of Snape Street, Darwen, is tackling the 26-mile course around the capital on April 14 to raise money for Cancer Research UK. Charity spokesman Linda
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Care home boss jailed
A CARE home boss convicted of stealing thousands of pounds from a resident has been jailed for 18 months. Shirley Gaskell wept as she was led from the dock of Preston Crown Court. A jury convicted her of eight theft charges several months ago. Judge Peter
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County reviews homes
COUNTY council plans to close care homes in Rossendale will be studied by the council's scrutiny and overview committee before a formal response is made. Coun George Lee recommended to the corporate policy committee that the full report go to the committee
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Appliance of science sparks school lift-off
SCIENCE students in the lower school at Haslingden High School learned all about the subject in a week of experiments and activities. The event was organised to coincide with national science week. Assistant headteacher Stephanie Holden said: "We arranged
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Baths building goes to child group
THE former Bacup baths site is to be sold to Sure Start at a cost of £50,000 plus the council's legal and valuers costs. The sale, which prompted controversy when it was agreed because local developer Brain Boys was also hoping to take over the premises
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Celebrities speak at caring conference
CELEBRITY speakers will attend a keynote conference at County Hall, Preston, on Friday, April 12. TV star and actor Anthony Booth, journalist and agony aunt Claire Rayner and Rodney Bickerstaff, the new president of the National Pensioners' Convention
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Please can we have our money back?
THE leader of Chorley Borough Council has been on a mission to London to ask for £105,000 taken from the authority by central government to be returned. The cash was taken out of the council's biggest grant from the government and is to be used to fund
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Farewell my beauties
A WELL-KNOWN businessman in Blackburn is saying farewell to this country and selling more than 40 of his vintage oldies. Ted Lethbridge, 65, who owns Lethbridge Scrap Yard, in Gorse Street, Blackburn, formerly of Pleasington, is heading for a new life
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Dale suffer top-of-the-table mauling
ROSSENDALE United felt the full force of big-spending Harrogate Town's attacking options as they were well and truly outclassed by the table toppers. Dale were 4-0 down at half time as the home team took full advantage of some nervous defending. Both
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Former boss takes Blues hotseat
FORMER Clitheroe manager Dave Burgess has taken over as the acting chairman of the club. Burgess quit his job as first team boss just six games into this season due to work commitments. Little more than six months later, he is back. He takes over from
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Chris has made the right decision
In rugby, the laws are like tools, you just have to decide which one to pick up and use. Those are the words of wisdom former Welsh international referee Clayton Thomas passed on to fast-rising official Chris Smith. The problem is that there are a lot
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Stanley keen to beat the Dollies
ACCRINGTON Stanley will aim to keep the pressure on second placed Lancaster by defeating them at the Crown Ground tonight. John Coleman's side currently lie in sixth place - seven points behind the Dollies - but will aim to make it three successive UniBond
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PNE fans to offer helping hand
NORTH End fans are being asked to do their bit for the good of football ahead of tonight's clash with Crewe. Bucket-waving fundraisers will walk around the Deepdale stadium asking fans to dig deep to support extinction-threatened Bury FC. Chief Executive
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Police plea over missing teenager
POLICE searching for a missing 14-year-old boy from Leyland believe he is still likely to be in the area. Joseph Byott, a pupil at Fylde community school, who lives in Mendip Road, Leyland, was last seen on Sunday, March 10. He is white, 5ft 7ins, normally
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New appeal over hit-run death
POLICE in Bury today made a fresh appeal for information following a hit-run crash in which an elderly pedestrian died. The crash happened at Rochdale Road near to its junction with Castle Hill Road, at 8.40am on last Thursday. William Armstead, aged
