Archive
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EVENTS taking place in East Lancashire on Sunday, August 18 and Monday, August 19
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. SUNDAY Family Fun Day with What A Palaver, playing fields, Salterforth, noon-5pm. Clitheroe Ramblers meet Chester Avenue car park, Clitheroe, 9.30am for a walk to Cragstones
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'Sickness' must be cured - soon
ALREADY shamed as the worst local authority in the country, Rossendale Council is now branded as being among the sickest. For it is revealed that each employee of the Valley authority could be absent through illness for more than three weeks this year
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MArk's out of 10 TV column
MY HERO (BBC1) is a comedy where the title character is somewhat surplus to requirements. Health food shopkeeper George Sunday, played by Ardal O'Hanlon, is really an intergalactic hero from the planet Ultron who marries an Earthling and dashes off every
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Test for local rulers
BLACKBURN with Darwen Borough Council is being inspected from September 9. The Audit Commission is visiting to judge the quality of the council's local services, its corporate and managerial effectiveness and its capacity to improve. A judgement will
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Plea for governors
A GOVERNOR-recruiting body is pumping out a "Your school needs you" message in a bid to boost volunteer levels in Blackburn and Burnley. The School Governors' One-Stop Shop, a national organisation charged with ensuring there are sufficient volunteers
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Strikes hit trains twice next week
EAST Lancashire train users will be hit by two days of strikes next Wednesday August 21 and Saturday August 24. The two 24-hour strikes are part of a long-running dispute over pay between the 700 conductors belonging to the Rail, Maritime and Transport
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Club 21st birthday night ended in arrest
JULIE Lightbown's 21st birthday got off to the worst possible start. Blackburn magistrates heard that as she left Jumping Jacks club in the early hours, Lightbown got involved in an argument with some other women. And when she refused to leave quietly
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Man stole £26,000 from his brother's post office
A MAN convicted of stealing more than £26,000 at his brother's post office has been ordered to do 100 hours community work. Riyaz Patel was also told by a Preston Crown Court judge that he must pay £11,500 compensation. The 26-year-old, of Inkerman Street
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Mandy: Girl remanded on murder charge
AN 18-year-old girl has appeared in court charged with murdering her 30-year-old gay lover. Mandy Burton was found with severe head injuries at the home she shared with Louise Berry in Moorgate Street, Blackburn, on Sunday. She died in the Royal Preston
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The taxpayer is footing the bill
THE remarks of Mr D Parker in 'Let's all quit and live on the state' (Letters, August 2) were replied to by Councillor Maureen Bateson (Letters, August 10), who went to great lengths to tell us that Blackburn with Darwen Council taxpayers were not footing
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Margo memories differ from mine
REGARDING Margo Grimshaw's column, (LET, August 13), I was brought up in Blackburn and remember many of the places she mentioned. However, my memories of the people and events are somewhat different. I don't have rose-tinted glasses -- surprising, because
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Strikes hit trains twice next week
EAST Lancashire train users will be hit by two days of strikes next Wednesday and Saturday. The 24-hour strikes are part of a long-running dispute over pay between the 700 conductors belonging to the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union and Arriva Trains
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Missing girls: Two arrested
TWO people were today arrested on suspicion of murdering missing ten-year-old schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Cambridgeshire Police admitted for the first time they fear the girls are now dead. Detective Chief Inspector Andy Hebb told a press
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Wait goes on for strip teased Rovers fans
EWOOD chief executive John Williams today apologised to fans over the delay in the launch of Rovers' new replica shirts. The club were hoping to have the new shirts on sale in time for today's Premiership opener against Sunderland at Ewood. But, after
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Souey must sell to buy
EWOOD chief Graeme Souness today admitted he may have to sell players before he can move for long-time transfer target David Thompson. As we exclusively revealed at the start of the summer, Souness would like to add the versatile Coventry midfielder to
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Talks on playing fields
A MEETING has been arranged to discuss the future development of the Lucas playing fields in Reedley, after a previous discussion was postponed. The public meeting with local councillors and planning officers was due to take place on Monday, when a crowd
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Finger bitten off in parking row
A PLUMBER who bit off a man's finger and spat it out into the street in a parking row has walked free from court. Burnley Crown Court heard John Bracken, 52, who was on his way to the butcher's, lost his temper because a van the victim Terence Smith was
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Libraries jobs 'are safe'
LIBRARIANS have been told their jobs are safe -- days after council bosses refused to rule out redundancies. Concerns arose about the future of Blackburn Central Library's 60 staff when plans were unveiled to install serve-yourself machines which do the
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BT holding me back, claim
AN EAST Lancashire businessman has criticised British Telecom for holding back his business by failing to provide a broadband internet service in the Padiham area. Geoff Hodbod, of Simonstone based multi-media services 3-D Imaging, said the broadband
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Life sentence for girlfriend attack
A DANGEROUS ex-convict who "smashed up" his girlfriend's spleen in a terror attack has been jailed for life. Andrew Hale, 33, already had convictions for wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, grievous bodily harm and robbery when he set about
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Historians hit back over 'ruined' hall
A £1.5million extension of Burnley's 12th-century Towneley Hall art gallery and museum has prompted an historical debate after claims that the grand old building has been "ruined". Former Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire Sir Simon Towneley will officially
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Council to stay with closures
LAWYERS acting on behalf of care home campaigners have begun preparing legal action against Lancashire County Council after the authority refused to halt plans to shut 32 care homes. The Lancashire Care Homes Action Group served notice on council leaders
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Power cut throws towns into chaos
TWENTY thousand homes, businesses and schools in East Lancashire were thrown in to chaos yesterday when they were left without power for part of the morning. Two thirds of Pendle had their electricity back on by lunch time but some parts of Colne and
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Council to stay with closures
LAWYERS acting on behalf of care home campaigners have begun preparing legal action against Lancashire County Council after the authority refused to halt plans to shut 32 care homes. The Lancashire Care Homes Action Group served notice on council leaders
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Power cut throws towns into chaos
TWENTY thousand homes, businesses and schools in East Lancashire were thrown in to chaos yesterday when they were left without power for part of the morning. Two thirds of Pendle had their electricity back on by lunch time but some parts of Colne and
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Lady takes away the pain for Alan
A HEARTBROKEN pet owner today described his sadness after his beloved Jack Russell collapsed and died just weeks after being heralded as one of the world's oldest dogs. Alan Ridehalgh, of Union Street, Oswaldtwistle, was devastated when Cindy suffered
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Chemists on Duty
Sunday, August 18 BLACKBURN: 10am-1pm: Aston Pharmacy, 95 Accrington Road; noon-1pm: Geloo Bros, 1 New Wellington Street, Mill Hill. DARWEN: noon-1pm: Boots Chemists, 8 Market Street. ACCRINGTON: 10am-2pm: Lloyds Pharmacy, 13 Peel Street; noon-1pm: Nash
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Chemists on Duty
Thursday, August 22 BLACKBURN: To 9pm: Lloyds Pharmacy, 4-6 Railway Road; Cohens Chemist, 63 Whalley Range; To 8pm: Johnston Pharmacy, 50-52 Johnston Street. To 7.30pm: Aston Pharmacy, 95 Accrington Road. To 6.30pm: Donald Wood Ltd, 53 Fishmoor Drive;
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Chemists on Duty
Friday, August 23 BLACKBURN: To 9pm: Lloyds Pharmacy, 4-6 Railway Road; Cohen, 63 Whalley Range. To 8pm: Johnston Pharmacy, 50-52 Johnston Street. To 7.30pm: Aston Pharmacy, 95 Accrington Road. To 7pm: Moss Pharmacy, 314 Bolton Road; The Pharmacy, Oakenhurst
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Chemists on Duty
Monday, August 19 BLACKBURN: To 9pm: Lloyds Pharmacy, 4-6 Railway Road; Cohen, 63 Whalley Range. To 8pm: Johnston Pharmacy, 50-52 Johnston Street. To 7.30pm: Aston Pharmacy, 95 Accrington Road. To 7pm: Moss Pharmacy, 314 Bolton Road; The Pharmacy, Oakenhurst
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Police on standby for BNP carnival
POLICE were on standby in the Ribble Valley today as British National Party supporters converged on the area for their annual carnival. All local police leave was cancelled and officers were drafted in from other areas, amid fears that the Anti-Nazi League
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Show us the money
THE Football League is hopeful that a deal for a highlights package will be in place by the end of the month, giving the Clarets and other clubs a much needed injection of cash. But Burnley, along with all other first division clubs, has demanded that
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'David' goes for glory against Goliath
DAVID is out to topple Goliath in tomorrow's Ramsbottom Cup final. Minnows Settle - this season's dark horses of the Jennings Ribblesdale League - meet giants Cherry Tree at Read, looking to win the competition for the first time since 1970. Andrew Davidson
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Scuderi holds the key to higher finish
NELSON professional Joe Scuderi is eyeing fourth spot as the Transco Lancashire League enters its final phase. With six games to go, the Seedhill side are presently in seventh spot, trailing fourth-placed Rawtenstall by 12 points - but a win at home to
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Show us the money
THE Football League is hopeful that a deal for a highlights package will be in place by the end of the month, giving the Clarets and other clubs a much needed injection of cash. But Burnley, along with all other first division clubs, has demanded that
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Souey must sell to buy
EWOOD chief Graeme Souness today admitted he may have to sell players before he can move for long-time transfer target David Thompson. As we exclusively revealed at the start of the summer, Souness would like to add the versatile Coventry midfielder to
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'Friends' praised or their help with parks
THE woman in charge of a borough's leisure services said the best way to look after parks was by giving more responsibility to residents. Coun Kate Hollern was responding to criticism from a Liberal Democrat councillor that parks in Labour-run Blackburn
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Ramblers on Valley Views guided walk
THE next in the Valley Views series of outings in Rossendale's summer guided walks programme takes ramblers around the Twite Triangle which links Cowpe Lowe, Knowle Hill and Top of Leach on Sunday, August 25. Valley Views are billed as "longer, harder
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Libraries jobs 'are safe'
LIBRARIANS have been told their jobs are safe -- days after council bosses refused to rule out redundancies. Concerns arose about the future of Blackburn Central Library's 60 staff when plans were unveiled to install serve-yourself machines which do the
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Building society appeals to help starving
A BLACKBURN building society branch has made a desperate appeal to raise money for the starving people of Southern Africa. The Skipton Building Society, on King Willam Street, wants people to donate money to the Y Care International to help it feed nearly
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Parents warned over mobiles safety
PARENTS are being warned by police to make sure their children stick to new safety guidelines over mobile phones for the new school term. The warning comes as the latest crime statistics reveal mobile phone robbery is one of the biggest factors in rising
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Hot rockin' Presley fans set the day centre jumping
ELVIS is alive and well -- and has been entertaining elderly people at a day centre in Blackburn. That was the message from the King's fans who were celebrating the 25th anniversary of his death yesterday. More than 30 elderly people joined staff at the
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Jordan and his gran have an Eye on pennies
CHRISTMAS has come early for one Blackburn boy and his grandmother in their bid to raise funds for the Magic Eye appeal. Jordan Conroy and his grandmother Sheila Brennan have taken recycling to new lengths by making 1,250 gift tags from discarded Christmas
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Road could be complete in twelve months
One-year target for Orbital Route BLACKBURN's long-awaited Orbital Route will be finished in one year, the man in charge of the town's highways has declared. Coun Andy Kay, executive member for regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, made
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New signing Dean vows to mend his ways
DEAN Calcutt has promised to shed his bad boy image after signing for Accrington Stanley yesterday. The winger was sent off three times last season - although the last one was overturned - and the £5,000 buy from Bradford Park Avenue knows he has to improve
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Hawks facing a tough test in season opener
PUCKS away! Blackburn Hawks face their first test of the new campaign tomorrow with a tough challenge at Telford Wildfoxes. But for coach Bobby Haig, disappointed with last term's fifth place finish in the English League, the match action can't come quickly
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=ut in your bid for Potter
POTTER the pussycat would make a wizard pet for a family with no young children and no other animals. Potter is a black and white neutered tom who is about five years old. Jeanette Ainscough, manager of the RSPCA animal home at Altham, where Potter is
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Cathedral fright woman in court
STAFF at Blackburn Cathedral had to barricade themselves in to avoid the attentions of a drunken woman, a court was told. Blackburn magistrates heard that Michelle Walker was banging on the windows and doors, shouting and swearing, on Thursday afternoon
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Snap happy
SNAP happy young photographers need to keep their eye out for stunning wildlife poses for an RSPCA competition. The RSPCA Young Photographer Awards hopes to find young photographic talents from across the country. The closing date for entries is September
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Business parks to be given a facelift
THREE East Lancashire business parks are to be given an 'environmental face lift,' thanks to £300,000 of investment. Enworks, the Northwest Business Support Programme and the European Regional Development Fund is to launch a green business park initiative
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Council agenda a smokescreen
IF the county council spent half as much money on the care homes as it spent on housing illegal immigrants, all the care homes could remain open. Since 1998, the closure of these homes has been on the council's agenda and all this talk about not being
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Library's main purpose to provide reading material
I SEE the people of Blackburn are now to lose their library (above) because it would appear that after consultation they would prefer to have another learning centre (LET, August 13). Of course although as a regular user of the library, I have failed
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Inflation danger of joining euro
I HAVE read recent letters from both Chris Davies MEP and Greg Pope MP extolling the benefits of joining the single European currency and the virtues of being closer to Europe. It is true that this would benefit businesses, particularly those which trade
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Disgusted by remarks of driver
I WAS positively disgusted by the remarks made by Ms Janet West in response to her being prosecuted for speeding (Letters, August 7). I am a serving police officer and a member of a local road safety group. How can anybody say they were driving 'carefully
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Chris captures images of Worthy win
BLACKBURN Rovers have teamed up with Pie Innovations to launch a limited edition picture depicting the club's Worthington triumph at Cardiff in February. Images from that magical day at the Millennium have been captured in subtle sketches by the UK's
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Strip teaser for Rovers fans
BLACKBURN Rovers have signed a deal with Accrington-based travel group Fraser Eagle to supply coaches for the Official Away Travel Club this season. Rovers had used Shearings over the last couple of seasons to ferry fans to and from away games. But travelling
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Strikes hit trains twice next week
EAST Lancashire train users will be hit by two days of strikes next Wednesday August 21 and Saturday August 24. The two 24-hour strikes are part of a long-running dispute over pay between the 700 conductors belonging to the Rail, Maritime and Transport
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Parents warned over mobiles safety
PARENTS are being warned by police to make sure their children stick to new safety guidelines over mobile phones for the new school term. The warning comes as the latest crime statistics reveal mobile phone robbery is one of the biggest factors in rising
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Ex-addict gets jail term over danger driving
A DANGEROUS driver who hit a telegraph post and narrowly avoided another crash in a Burnley street one afternoon has been jailed. Burnley Crown Court heard former drug addict Steven Lumb, who was banned from driving, had mounted the kerb and almost hit
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Council to stay with closures
LAWYERS acting on behalf of care home campaigners have begun preparing legal action against Lancashire County Council after the authority refused to halt plans to shut 32 care homes. The Lancashire Care Homes Action Group served notice on council leaders
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£5,000 drugs siezed
DRUGS with a street value of £5,000 were seized by police during a raid on an address in Nelson town centre. More than 200 pieces of what police believe to be crack cocaine and a significant amount of what is thought to be cannabis, as well as cash and
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School closed but the lessons continue
YOUNGSTERS who were expecting to move to a new school building this week will havE lessons in the church hall next door, until extra work has been carried out. Children arriving for the start of term at St Thomas's, Barrowford, were sent home again on
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A-boards removal decision slammed by shops
TRADERS have slammed a decision by Pendle Council to remove A-boards from outside their shops and claim it will damage their businesses. A high profile blitz to stop shopkeepers and businesses blocking pavements and putting up illegal advertisements will
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Heroin addict jailed for part in burglary
A BURGLARY "lookout" had gone back to taking heroin after his relationship broke down, a court was told. Burnley Crown Court heard how John Hodges, 30, went on to try to con cash from the Benefits Agency using a guarantee taken in the raid on the flat
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Strikes hit trains twice next week
EAST Lancashire train users will be hit by two days of strikes next Wednesday August 21 and Saturday August 24. The two 24-hour strikes are part of a long-running dispute over pay between the 700 conductors belonging to the Rail, Maritime and Transport
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Festival's 40 choices
UP TO 1,000 real ale fans supped their way through 40 varieties of beer at a festival in a Clayton-le-Moors pub. The annual four-day festival at the Albion, Whalley Road, now in its fourth year, attracted visitors from over the Pennines and as far afield
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Teenage tearaway his has sentence trimmed
A SCHOOLBOY at the wheel of a car when it crashed into an open youth club has had his term of custody cut. Burnley Crown Court heard how the 15-year-old, who also took part in a burglary, had earlier been given an 18 months detention and training order
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Council to stay with closures
LAWYERS acting on behalf of care home campaigners have begun preparing legal action against Lancashire County Council after the authority refused to halt plans to shut 32 care homes. The Lancashire Care Homes Action Group served notice on council leaders
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lChemists on Duty
Wednesday, August 21 BLACKBURN: To 9pm: Lloyds Pharmacy, 4-6 Railway Road; The Surgery (Chiropody), 132 Lammack Road; Cohen, 63 Whalley Range. To 8pm: Johnston Pharmacy, 50-52 Johnston Street. To 7.30pm: Aston Pharmacy, 95 Accrington Road. To 7pm: The
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Chemists on Duty
Tuesday, August 20 BLACKBURN: To 9pm: Lloyds Pharmacy, 4-6 Railway Road; Cohen, 63 Whalley Range. To 8pm: Johnston Pharmacy, 50-52 Johnston Street. To 7.30pm: Aston Pharmacy, 95 Accrington Road. To 7pm: The Pharmacy, Oakenhurst Road; Geloo Bros, Cleaver
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Plea for governors
A GOVERNOR-recruiting body is pumping out a "Your school needs you" message in a bid to boost volunteer levels in Blackburn and Burnley. The School Governors' One-Stop Shop, a national organisation charged with ensuring there are sufficient volunteers
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Charity bungee jumping
PEOPLE in Fence will volunteer to throw themselves off the top of a 20-ft crane tomorrow, for charity. Hospice Care for Burnley and Pendle will host its annual summer fair with a bungee jump challenge, between 10am and 3pm, at the Forest Inn, in Cuckstool
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Kevin Ball - the referee's favourite!
TOP referee Eddie Wolstenholme has named former Clarets midfielder Kevin Ball as one of his favourite players in the game. Ball, who never shirked a challenge in his two years at Turf Moor, was named alongside Wolves legend Steve Bull as the men that
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Andy still handy to have around
IN seven years at Turf Moor Andy Farrell was the classic example of a versatile footballer. In the days before squad numbers, he wore every available shirt and he holds the record of bring the only Claret to have played at Wembley twice. Today he is back
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Test for local rulers
BLACKBURN with Darwen Borough Council is being inspected from September 9. The Audit Commission is visiting to judge the quality of the council's local services, its corporate and managerial effectiveness and its capacity to improve. A judgement will
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Boom in business transfers puts firm on a high
BUSINESS is booming in Ramsbottom for Bury-based Kings Business Transfer. The company has been involved in nine sales in the town in just over 12 months. Everything from a chip shop to a pub has changed hands as the town becomes a hot spot for new investment
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Parents warned over mobiles safety
PARENTS are being warned by police to make sure their children stick to new safety guidelines over mobile phones for the new school term. The warning comes as the latest crime statistics reveal mobile phone robbery is one of the biggest factors in rising
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Anxious residents in road safety plea
RESIDENTS concerned about increasing traffic on an already busy road today called for the council to attend a public meeting to offer help and safety advice. Members of Burnley Road Action Group (BRAG) have invited neighbours in the area of Rawtenstall
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'Worst council' has high illness levels
A LOCAL authority branded the worst council in the country is carrying out an urgent inquiry into sickness levels. The move follows a revelation that each employee at Rossendale Council could take more than three weeks off this year. A report to be presented
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'Friends' praised or their help with parks
THE woman in charge of a borough's leisure services said the best way to look after parks was by giving more responsibility to residents. Coun Kate Hollern was responding to criticism from a Liberal Democrat councillor that parks in Labour-run Blackburn
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Libraries jobs 'are safe'
LIBRARIANS have been told their jobs are safe -- days after council bosses refused to rule out redundancies. Concerns arose about the future of Blackburn Central Library's 60 staff when plans were unveiled to install serve-yourself machines which do the
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One El of a time at party
ELVIS is alive and well -- and has been entertaining elderly people at a day centre in Blackburn. That was the message from the King's fans who were celebrating the 25th anniversary of his death yesterday. More than 30 elderly people joined staff at the
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Missing girls: Two arrested
TWO people were today arrested on suspicion of murdering missing ten-year-old schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Cambridgeshire Police admitted for the first time they fear the girls are now dead. Detective Chief Inspector Andy Hebb told a press
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Boulevard 'gang' member speaks out
POLICE today defended the way they handled the problem of street drinkers in Blackburn town centre after an afternoon of mayhem. The move came as one of the group which congregates in the Boulevard claimed they were not doing any harm. Two arrests were
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Bogus marriages fraud admitted
A MAN on trial over a bogus marriages fraud which allowed illegal immigrants to set up home in the UK has admitted some of the charges against him. Ibrahim Patel entered guilty pleas to four of the 12 allegations he faced on the fifth day of a Preston
