Archive
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Firms join forces in new deal
TWO hi-tech Prestwich companies have joined forces with a major computer industry in a deal aimed at boosting growth and competitiveness. Bdata Ltd and J Barnes Engineering are specialised suppliers of computerised database and other computer solutions
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Village rejoices for Jubliee
HOUSEHOLDERS in Sabden are decking their windows in red, white and blue as part of the village's Golden Jubilee celebrations. The village is holding a competition for the best dressed window with a Golden Jubilee theme. Organiser Jacqui Ashton, of the
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School wins salute after disability row
EDUCATION inspectors have praised an East Lancashire grammar school just weeks after it was criticised by a judge for discriminating against a disabled pupil. An OFSTED report has described Clitheroe Royal Grammar School as "self-evaluating, developing
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Here's to you ma'am
TWO very special bottles of beer have been on the shelf for 25 years -- since the Queen's Silver Jubilee. And owner John Holt is finally cracking open the bottles of Whitbread Silver Jubilee Ale for the Golden jubilee this summer. John, landlord at The
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Jumpin' for joy!
THE new manager of a live entertainment night-spot destined for Blackburn can be revealed today. Darren Rowley, 36, has been appointed as manager of the 21st Jumpin' Jaks set to open in St Peter Street at the end of the month. His five-years experience
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Dog racing
DOG racing enthusiasts hold regular evening practice sessions on Wednesdays from 6.30pm at Astley and Tyldesley Miners' Welfare Club, off Meanley Road, Gin Pit village, Tyldesley.
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Kane story search
A BOXING coach is appealing to fans to recollect the life and times of Golborne's 1930s world flyweight champion, Peter Kane. Brian Hughes, chief coach of the Collyhurst and Moston Lads' Club, has linked up with Golborne's Jimmy Rogers, a keen fan and
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Oh, for peace and solitude
WHAT is it with men and sheds? Henpecked husbands are flocking to the garden shed as a haven from their demanding other halves, according to a survey. That's nothing new. For decades, blokes have seen sheds as a sanctuary, a place to go and do the sort
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Gig for Gigg to help out Shakers
BANDS from across the borough will be singing from the same songsheet to help troubled Bury FC. The event, a Gig for Gigg, will help showcase up-and-coming local talent, as well as raise vital cash for the Save our Shakers campaign. Organiser Ian Gray
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Bare-faced cheek of soccer fan
A BARE-BOTTOMED statue 'baring' Blackburn Rovers' motto became a Burnley fan overnight. A cheeky supporter placed a Clarets scarf around the neck of the giant figure, which lies across a slab of stone at the roundabout at the junction of the Lower Eccleshill
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Families aim to cut risk of heart deaths
TWO families whose sons died from undetected heart defects are helping prevent others facing the same unexpected fate. Through Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), the charity they set up in memory of Neil Wickers and David Staff, they have raised about £31,000
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Protect us from people like this
THE parents of a schoolgirl who died from an overdose after running away from home have called for a change in the law to protect vulnerable youngsters. The move came after a woman was cleared of causing the death of Darwen schoolgirl Melissa Strickson
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Experiment cost 'headstrong' Melissa her life
THERE is nothing new about teenagers running away from home. But when a group of schoolgirls from Darwen decided to run away last October it was to set in motion a tragic chain of events that would end with the death of one and leave another fighting
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Facelift for police depot
THE police station in Rawtenstall is getting a £150,000 face-lift to guarantee its future for the next 30 years. Longridge builder Walter Carefoot is carrying out the work, which includes converting the flat roof into a pitched, installing new windows
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Cash will make a splash
A TODMORDEN junior school has received a grant of £6,645 towards work being done to create disabled access for the school's newly refurbished swimming pool. The money has come from the funding charity committee Todmorden Together, and it is expected that
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Teenager robbed by knife wielding mugger
A TEENAGER was held up at knifepoint by a mugger who demanded his wallet. The victim didn't have a wallet, but the thief, who had a henchman, searched him, found cigarettes and a lighter and took them. The victim was not injured in the robbery, at 11.55pm
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Axe killer gave lover £60,000 'to save the affair'
A FORMER escort girl who hacked her East Lancashire boyfriend to death with an axe handed him £60,000 in a last-ditch attempt to save the relationship, a court heard . Jan Charlton, 36, used the money from the sale of her own house as a "last fling" when
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Raising cash
KINGSLEIGH Methodist Church youth centre will benefit from a fund-raising weekend on May 24 and 25. Plants are on sale from 9.30am-12 noon on Friday and plants, cake, bric-a-brac and book stalls from 9.30am-1pm the following day.
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Delay in paint store death case
A COMPANY director from Blackburn charged with unlawfully killing an employee by gross negligence has had his case put back. Peter Preston, of Rowen Park, Blackburn, was due to appear at Winchester Crown Court yesterday accused of causing the death of
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Bus driver cut in failed robbery
A BUS driver was knocked unconscious and cut with a blade after two youths boarded the vehicle and demanded money. The 16-year-olds flagged down the bus at Intack traffic lights, Blackburn, and asked to be taken to Rothesay Road in Shadsworth about 10.50pm
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Homes closure: Legal challenge
PROCEEDINGS have been launched for a Judicial Review of plans to close care homes in Lancashire. Lancashire Care Association, together with seven homeowners and eleven residents, issued proceedings in the High Court yesterday.. The LCA is seeking the
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Mums urged Breast is Best
MIDWIVES and supporters of breastfeeding will be aiming to bring home the message 'Breast is Best' as part of National Breastfeeding Awareness Week this week. Midwives at Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn and health visitors from Blackburn with Darwen
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Gran's in the driving seat
PENSIONER Marie O'Flynn received a gift to remember when she celebrated her 61st birthday -- her freedom. Suffering from emphysema and arthritis, as well as battling cancer took its toll on Marie's health, leaving the once-active grandmother confined
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Coroner speaks in new Alder Hey row
FORMER Blackburn coroner Andre Rebello today defended his actions after a new row broke out over the alleged retention of body organs at Alder Hey Children's Hospital. The Liverpool hospital, which treats children from East Lancashire, was at the centre
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Fifties exhibition for Jubilee
HORWICH Resource Centre will be celebrating the Queen's Golden Jubilee on June 1. The Horwich Heritage Exhibition on the 1950s will take visitors down memory lane when it opens between 10am and 1pm. In the afternoon there will be an indoor street party
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What's "fair" about that?
BNP councillors have been threatened with a ban from council meetings if they fail to observe the councillors' code of conduct. Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford said the three BNP councillor in Burnley must stick to the code of conduct which requires
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St. John's mums have prams too!
AS the father of two very happy children who attend St John's School, Bury, I must reply to Marisa Dale's letter (May 3). Ms Dale says that it would be dangerous for mums from St Mark's to travel to St John's with their children, and to push prams at
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Farewell to adult education founder
ONE of Bury's founding fathers of adult education and artistic excellence has died. Mr Alan Childs was at the forefront of what might now be called lifelong learning during what his students call a "golden era" between 1948 and 1974. He died of lung cancer
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EVENTS taking place in East Lancashire on Wednesday, May 15
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. Ribblesdale Farmers Market, Clitheroe Auction Mart, Lincoln Way, Clitheroe, 10am-2.30pm. Line Dancing, Stansfeld Centre, Stansfeld Street, Blackburn, 1.15pm-3.15pm. Ladies
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Speed is not sole reason for accidents
IHAVE watched with growing concern the increasing efforts to use emotion to justify the current obsession with road speeds. Any accident is a tragedy no matter the cause and to focus on one element to the virtual exclusion of all others is at best counterproductive
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MayDayze brings art to the masses
FUN loving carnival-goers can expect a brush with success when the annual MayDayze festival comes to town. Wigan Council's Art Development Team have organised a series of events in Leigh and Wigan town centres, helping bring art to the masses by inviting
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Family escape chip pan fire
A MUM and her ten-year-old son needed hospital treatment for smoke inhalation after a chip pan fire at their home. Firefighters from Bury were called to the house in Cross Lane, Radcliffe, at 10pm on Thursday (May 9). It is believed a chip pan had burst
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Big "thank you"
YEARS of dedicated caring for their communities have earned volunteers a big "thank-you". The Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) paid tribute to more than 130 years of combined service from six volunteers in a presentation at Bury Town Hall. Meals
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It's a close shave as Atherton triumph
BEING drawn to use the home dressing room at Liverpool FC's Anfield proved to be a lucky omen for Atherton (Town) Cricket Club as they went on to a penalty shoot out Carlsberg Pub Cup semi-final triumph over Redcar Working Mens Club. This was the tenth
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Surprise call-up
ROVERS defender Martin Taylor has been handed a surprise call-up to the England Under 21 squad for the European Under 21 championships in Switzerland later this month. Taylor, who has been capped by England before, got the nod yesterday after Spurs defender
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Fair takes a step back in time
PEOPLE in Burnley got a chance to step back in time at last weekend's Local History Fair at St Peter's Church, which included old mining equipment and other relics from the town's past. It was organised to coincide with last week's Local History Week.
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Ban for drink drive waiter
A WAITER has been given a three-year driving ban after his second drink drive conviction. Burnley Magistrates heard how young dad Giovanni Ciraolo, 28, would face both practical and financial problems because of the disqualification. Ciraolo, of Valley
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'Jury' vote for healthy new start
THE health needs in the Accrington Road area of Burnley are set to be met with a new Community Health Care Centre. The former Howard Street Nursery is being altered to form a centre providing dental care, walk-in consultations with a nurse, health group
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Cliviger Bulletin
A BOWLS pairs competition was held at Park Road on Bank Holiday Monday. The Cliviger Cup, sponsored by Mount Zion Church, drew an entry of 11 teams. A fiercely-fought final, in which Jed and Pete Bolton played Brian Nicholls and Jimmy Dand, ended in a
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Fans' life ban from Turf Moor
NINETEEN Burnley fans have been banned for life from Turf Moor. The latest bans take the total of lifetime bans to just over 150 as the club continues its efforts to create a welcoming, family atmosphere at Burnley Football Club. The Clarets safety officer
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Pendle says 'wilkommen' to visitors
A GROUP of people from Kassel in Germany spent time finding out about the Mayor of Pendle and his civic duties during their exchange visit to the borough. The Pendle-Kassel Community Exchange takes place every year when members take it in turn to visit
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History given new look on internet
ACCRINGTON library will launch the first installment of a new online catalogue charting local history at a special internet event tomorrow. It is part of the national Access to Archives online catalogue project which aims to create a virtual national
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Tribute to man found dead in bath
FRIENDS of an Accrington man who was found dead in the bath at his home at the weekend have paid tribute to a "pleasant, outgoing guy". The lifestyle of Stephen Marsh, 40, had posed a mystery to police officers investigating the cause of his death at
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Next season could be tough
THE Clarets should be prepared for a tough battle next season as life in the first division could be hard, according to a man who has just seen his side reach the Premier League. Birmingham City chairman David Gold believes his side could not have picked
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Taylor set for German clash
GARETH Taylor will be hoping to win his tenth cap for Wales tonight as they take on World Cup finalists Germany at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. And, following Nik Michopoulos's appearance for Greece on Sunday, it would be the first time for nearly two
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Please let me stay
SPANISH striker Yordi Gonzalez today begged Graeme Souness to sign him permanently after his loan spell with Rovers came to an end at the weekend. The 28-year-old frontman flew home on Sunday after making a farewell appearance in Rovers' 3-0 win over
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Storm looms over caravan site plan
A PLANNED caravan site in the middle of residential houses in Bacup looks certain to cause a storm of protest. Irwell Ward councillor Lorraine Hammond, who lives near the application site of Peel Drive and Douglas Road, said she had already been approached
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Many nappy returns in baby boom close
THERE'S a baby boom in a Blackburn close with six babies arriving in six months within 16 doors of one another. Home builders Fairclough say there must be something in the water to attract so many families with young babies to their Fernhurst Farm development
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Falcons will be dropping in on carnival
A TOP RAF parachute team will be dropping in on the two-day Bury Carnival Gala Weekend next month. Organisers, the Bury Times Group, have booked the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team for the event, to be staged at the Goshen playing fields on Saturday
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Are children larger now?
I READ with interest Michelle Radford's reply (May 3) regarding the on-going issue of parent-and-child parking spaces. A colleague and I were discussing this, as we have done every week since the first letter was published, and we still don't "get it"
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400 pupils caught in truancy sweep
AN anti-truancy sweep in Bury during the last two weeks has found more than 400 children were off school without permission. Chief education welfare officer Alan Cogswell said he was surprised that more than half of the children were found on the streets
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Police hunt for flasher
POLICE are hunting a flasher who has struck twice in just over a month in the same street and witnessed by the same girl. The shocked eight-year-old saw both incidents while playing with friends in Fairfield Drive, Bury. The latest indecent exposure happened
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Cameras can take eyes off the road
I READ with interest the remarks of Supt David Mallaby on speed cameras (Letters, May 7). I must reply, with: "I hope I don't knock a child over, who is crossing the road while I am looking out for speed cameras"! K TURNER, Ramsgreave Drive, Blackburn
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Refuse cash and kick up a fuss
IN reply to Councillor Dave Smith (Letters, May 6), if government money is sent to the council to squander on the likes of tin trees and so on, then if they have nothing better to spend it on they should refuse it and protest strongly that it should be
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All you need at caring church
REGARDING your article on St Bartholomew's Church, Ewood, next to Blackburn Rovers' ground (LET, April 13). I have recently started attending there and I am so delighted. One can be very sure of a high quality, warm, clear service in very mixed company
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Don't spend all cash in one street
THE dilapidated Pavilion Buildings are grotesque and an eyesore on the newly-developed Church Street, in Blackburn. They are a blot on the landscape at the top of Church Street, and look no better than army barracks. The area would be more pleasing to
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Bury League
LATEST tables DIVISION ONE Eagle & Child A... 3 3 0 0 11.5 25.0 Prestwich CC A... 3 2 1 0 15.5 20.5 Walmersley A... 3 2 1 0 13.5 18.5 Stanley B... 2 2 0 0 7.5 15.0 E.L.P.M. B... 2 1 1 0 11.0 14.5 Black Lane... 2 1 1 0 8.5 13.5 Walmersley B... 2 0
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Point missed over metal tree
COUNCILLOR Dave Smith (Letters, May 6) misses the point -- people in Blackburn and Darwen are more interested in improving their quality of life than looking at metal trees. Maybe the Government would be advised to reappraise their system of grants. I
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Bogus thieves attack pensioner
AN 89-year-old pensioner suffered facial injuries and bruising after being attacked by robbers in her home. The woman suffered grazes to her face and bruised arms after her struggle callous thieves who pretended to be water board workers. Luckily she
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Fans' life ban from Turf Moor
NINETEEN Burnley fans have been banned for life from Turf Moor. The latest bans take the total of lifetime bans to just over 150 as the club continues its efforts to create a welcoming, family atmosphere at Burnley Football Club. The Clarets safety officer
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Protect us from people like this
THE parents of a schoolgirl who died from an overdose after running away from home have called for a change in the law to protect vulnerable youngsters. The move came after a woman was cleared of causing the death of Darwen schoolgirl Melissa Strickson
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Souey set for new deal
BLACKBURN Rovers will open talks with Graeme Souness in the next few weeks about a lucrative new contract. The former Liverpool chief, who has led Rovers to promotion and Worthington Cup success in the last 12 months, has only one year left to run on
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Star show from Friedel
BRAD Friedel put in a superb goalkeeping display in the USA's 2-1 World Cup warm-up win over Uruguay last night. The Rovers keeper made 13 saves against the USA's fellow World Cup qualifiers, as the Americans continued their impressive build-up to the
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Please let me stay
SPANISH striker Yordi Gonzalez today begged Graeme Souness to sign him permanently after his loan spell with Rovers came to an end at the weekend. The 28-year-old frontman flew home on Sunday after making a farewell appearance in Rovers' 3-0 win over
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'Asp' in sock man fined £100
A LABOURER was found with an extendable baton known as an 'Asp' tucked down one of his socks. Paul Hartley, 18, of Redspar Road, Burnley, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon. He was fined £100 with £70 costs by Blackpool magistrates, who
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School to be brought into 21st century
TWO major building projects are set to transform a Burnley school into a modern facility with a secure walkway connecting the infant and junior buildings. The first scheme under way at Ightenhill Primary School in Alder Street, is a new kitchen and dining
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Device 'would have stalled gas blast'
A SAFETY device costing just £30 could have prevented the gas explosion which demolished a house in East Lancashire injuring three people, it was claimed today. Marketing director Martin Hughes-Jones claimed the Magne-Flo safety valve distributed by his
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Vandals making our lives a misery
AFTER three years of vandalism and being kept awake at night worrying, the owners of the Power Games shop in Colne have threatened to close their premises unless they are allowed to install electric shutters on their shop front. Wayne and Kathryn Richardson
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Ten years ago
A DEVASTATING blow hit East Lancashire with the loss of 350 jobs announced at Royal Ordnance. High unemployment was ironically one of the reasons for the factory being built after the war but defence spending cuts meant the factory could no longer be
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Five years ago
TEENAGER Kelly Crook, a pupil at Our Lady and St John High School in Blackburn, was given a thirteenth birthday card with a difference. Her uncle, Jeffrey Crook, gave her the specially laminated card as part of a diving course in Ashleigh Centre swimming
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Special moments that prompt tears
THERE are times when it is a sheer privilege being a Blackburn Rovers supporter. Anfield '95 and Cardiff 2002 are the obvious examples, but Saturday was another of those occasions. I shed a tear or two at one point just before the players left the pitch
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Five jobs, but he still wants more
JUGGLING jobs is second nature to Salah Uddin Khan - he's got five of them. And the 33-year-old says he hasn't got enough work and is looking to take on more. His five part-time jobs - as a translator, project worker, support worker, interviewer and waiter
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Union warns of child care peril
A UNION leader today claimed the closure of children's homes in Lancashire would throw childcare in the county into crisis. Union leaders have claimed that hundreds of children identified as being at risk are being left in that situation because of inadequate
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First citizens hung....
THE Mayors and Mayoresses of 29 years have been hung in the corridors of power. A new gallery of first citizens, elected since 1974 when the Metro was created, has been unveiled in Wigan Town Hall. The idea to fill the blank walls originated from the
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Street star's school for budding actors
THE COBBLES of Manchester's most famous street or the glamorous set of a new television drama could be within reach for budding young actors and actresses in Prestwich. Former Coronation Street actress Jeni Williams is to share her acting expertise with
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Camilla's young brother is hotel speaker
TRAVEL writer Mark Shand, younger brother of Camilla Parker Bowles, will be chief guest at the June literary event at Stirk Hotel, Gisburn. He will recount tales from his latest book River Dog, which details his epic journey along the Brahmaputra River
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Space cash is to go to Trust
INVESTMENT in training and employment schemes for young people in deprived areas of Bury and elsewhere in Greater Manchester has been given a boost. Space, a leading North West-based housing organisation, has joined forces with the Prince's Trust. To
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Funding for companies
BURY companies seeking vital funding can now venture forth thanks to this week's launch of the North West Equity Fund (NWEF). It means that expanding small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) throughout the region can tap into this new source of risk
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Beware cyber attack!
BUSINESSES in Bury and elsewhere in the North West are leaving themselves open to cyber attack. And small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) need to consider their approach to implementing Internet security. That's the message according to research published
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Sharing secrets
SHARING the secrets of his company's success at a recent key forum was Prestwich businessman Mr Bernie Bowers. He is managing director of Bury Old Road-based fast growing design, marketing and communications specialists Appleby Bowers. He dispensed a
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What do you think?
A LOCAL promotions company is keen to hear people's views on the possibility of creating a multi-purpose entertainment venue in Leigh. This would provide a facility that is currently lacking in the area and would serve the community, offering a place
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Teenagers get lead roles
TEENAGERS Hollie Warbis and Hannah Rees have starring roles in The Three Towns Operatic Society's production of Iolanthe. The 17-year-olds have been involved with the group for a number of years and are looking forward to playing their first leads, as
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Charity really begins at home
AMANDA Daly swears that charity begins at home. And to prove it she raised £200 for a good cause from her family-run pub in Huncoat. Amanda, whose parents Joseph and Mavis run the Black Bull pub in Lower Gate Road, took part in a sponsored cycle and set
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Must-see Artie is a hot shot
A ONE-OFF gig by an American "must-see" has been secured for a Blackburn comedy club, it can be revealed. Artie Fletcher -- known for live broadcasts with MTV, Warner Bros and Fox, as well as film appearances and live comedy performances world wide --
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Pub celebrates a hat-trick of awards
A LANGHO pub has been awarded a tasty award for the best food in the franchise. The Lord Nelson Hotel in Whalley Old Road, co-owned by Tim Pye and Paul Fortesque, has scooped a third award in a year from the Scottish and Newcastle franchise. The pub won
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Bolton Hospital Cup
The Final of the Bolton Hospital Cup takes place tonight with NWCL Division One rivals Atherton LR and Ramsbottom United clashing at the Reebok Stadium. The game kicks-off at 6.30. Breightmet United take on Leigh Athletic in the final of the Atherton
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Council gets a new deputy
THE corridors of power at Bury Town Hall will have a new second-in-command for the first time in nearly a decade. Radcliffe councillor Wayne Campbell is the new deputy leader of the council, replacing Coun Derek Boden. Coun Boden has stepped down from
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Taylor set for German clash
GARETH Taylor will be hoping to win his tenth cap for Wales tonight as they take on World Cup finalists Germany at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. And, following Nik Michopoulos's appearance for Greece on Sunday, it would be the first time for nearly two
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Recipe for fun cooking in the kitchen
KITCHEN catastrophes turned cuisine champions received certificates to mark their progress. Local parents have completed a seven-week basic cookery course run by Blackburn with Darwen Council's lifelong learning in partnership with Sure Start at Darwen
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Departing head simply the best
A HEADTEACHER who led her school to achieve the best results in national tests of all Rossendale primaries has announced she is leaving. Tracey Jackson is currently working three month's notice at Northern Primary School in Bacup. She will be taking up
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Departing head simply the best
A HEADTEACHER who led her school to achieve the best results in national tests of all Rossendale primaries has announced she is leaving. Tracey Jackson is currently working three months' notice at Northern Primary School in Bacup. She will be taking up
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Hope on a rope is birthday present
CHRISTINE Sanderson wanted to do something extraordinary to celebrate her 60th birthday. So plucky Christine, of Alexandra Road, Blackburn, decided to abseil down Blackburn College's Feilden Street building, where she works in the science department,
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Lucy the dancer heads for stardom
THIRTEEN years of pirouette practice have paid off for Lucy Barratt who has been accepted into one of London's best-known performing arts schools. Following in the dance steps of EastEnders star Tamzin Outhwaite, 16-year-old Lucy is enrolling at London
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Both schools are healthy
WHY on earth are the powers-that-be thinking of closing St Mark's School in Bury? It should be left as it is, a good building which can, and will, benefit lots of children. St Mark's was the first school I went to when I was five, and every child was
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This town owes him so much
I WRITE regarding the conviction of David Smith, chairman of Sedgley Park RUFC, for an offence with regard to noise pollution and brought by the environmental health department (Bury Times, May 3). I would like to bring the matter into some sort of perspective
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After this, any school could be a closure target
A WARNING to all head teachers in Bury: your school could be next for closure. And don't really on logical argument when you want to save it because it does not hold water with Councillor Steve Perkins, executive member for lifelong learning. As he said
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Racing ahead in national fitness scheme
BURY is at the forefront of a new national programme to give everyone equal access to health and fitness opportunities. The Castle Leisure Centre will be one of only 30 council run leisure centres across the country taking part in a new £1.3 million Lottery-funded
