Archive
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EVENTS taking place in East Lancashire on Monday, February 17, 2003
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. Accrington and Blackburn CHA Club, Mind Centre, Regent Street, Blackburn, 7.30pm. "Police Dogs." Edenfield Local History Society, Community Centre, off Exchange Street
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Today's the day
1477: The earliest recorded Valentine's care was sent, in Norfolk. 1852: Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital in London admitted its first patient. 1895: Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest was staged for the first time in London. 1929: The
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Don't treat yobs for misbehaving
We've got nothing to do - that's the excuse all too often put forward for acts of vandalism by unruly teenagers. In the Spring Hill area of Accrington police have had numerous complaints after incidents including criminal damage, snowballing elderly people
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Helping to make it easier to work
THE very business of going to work can often put strains on people's family lives -- particularly those with small children for whom care has to be provided while their parents are busy at their jobs. It is a situation that is frequently made more difficult
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Why not a dual purpose gritter?
GRITTERS are not cost-effective as they can only be used as 'gritters.' Surely, someone must build a dual-purpose vehicle with a de-mountable body. The council should investigate this. RUSSELL DAVIES, by e-mail.
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Redevelopment simply a joke
THE redevelopment of Church Street, Blackburn, is a complete joke. I have friends from Burnley who roar with laughter every time we walk down there and who can blame them? The cobbled street is a nightmare -- full of potholes and loose cobbles, cars are
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Postal voting is open to fraud
MAY will see the introduction of full postal voting in Hyndburn's local elections. Next year, after a government-granted extension, Blackburn with Darwen will be subjected to a similar fiasco. With there being no declaration of authenticity required of
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Taxi driver injured in crash drama
A TAXI driver suffered suspected chest injuries after his vehicle careered into a ditch in Leigh. The 38-year-old man, who was driving a Ford Sierra, told emergency services that a Transit van had travelled around a bend on the wrong side of the road
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Thieves attack car man
TWO thieves escaped with a Vauxhall Corsa worth £3,000 after attacking its owner in the street. The 53-year-old man had a front tooth knocked out and suffered cuts and grazing when he fell to the ground in the car jacking in Parsonage Street, Radcliffe
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Will be next mayor
PRESTWICH councillor Wilf Davison is to be the next Mayor of Bury. He will be only the second Liberal councillor to become "first citizen" in the metropolitan borough's 29-year history. Coun Davison (64), who represents Holyrood ward, said he would be
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Town needs help improving houses
RUN-down housing in Radcliffe needs the same attention that is planned for East Bury, according to Councillor Tony Isherwood. He said: "A few years ago, we carried out group repair schemes for houses in Pine Street, Jones Street, William Street and Butterworth
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Jansen can be the Sky Blues' saviour
GARY McAllister will look to Matt Jansen as the man to rescue Coventry's promotion dreams after the Sky Blues suffered a play-off set-back at Rotherham on Saturday. McAllister was fuming after watching City pass up the chance of closing the gap on the
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Tommo out for six weeks
ENGLAND midfielder David Thompson is facing up to a possible six-week lay-off after undergoing surgery on his knee. The 25-year-old Rovers star went under the knife last Wednesday in a bid to cure a long-standing knee problem. And specialists believe
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Are you the Will Young of Leigh?
AN ATHERTON agent is seeking talented artists to fight for the honour of becoming Leigh's 'Pop Idol.' Former DJ Steve James is seeking the best in local entertainment to take part in a 13-week long contest at Wigan Road Labour Club. Steve's Shout Promotions
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Tributes to tragic friend
PALS of a teenager who died following a collision on a busy road have paid a moving tribute to their friend and said: "You were a good mate, rest in peace." The friends made the emotional gesture in letters and cards left alongside bouquets of flowers
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B & B plan for former nursing home
A FORMER private nursing home for the elderly could be turned into a bed and breakfast hotel. The Treetops Residential Care Home, Burnley Road, Padiham, is standing empty and up for sale at £185,000. Estate agents Bairstow Eves said the property had been
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New nursery plan for hospital site
HEALTH bosses at Burnley General Hospital have submitted plans to build a new nursery, following a staff survey which criticised childcare provision there. A questionnaire last year, which quizzed staff employed by Burnley Health Care NHS Trust over all
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Lottery windfall for a better borough
BURNLEY has been given a lottery windfall of £312,884 to make the town a safer, cleaner and greener place for people to live. The money will be used to build a partnership between the local council and community groups and organisations to make improvements
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Shutdown threat to sports centres
SOME of Burnley's main recreation facilities could close under plans for a major overhaul of sports and leisure centres in the town. The council is carrying out a wide ranging review of the facilities it provides as part of a cost cutting exercise and
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Teenager's killer jailed for 30 months
A 21-year-old man who admitted killing a Padiham teenager after an incident at a nightclub has been jailed for 30 months. Christopher Britcliffe, of John Street, Clayton-le-Moors denied murdering 18-year-old Gavin Tattersall on May 26 last year, but pleaded
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Goal-shy Bury go down and up
SHAKERS manager Andy Preece was left counting his blessings after wasteful Bury fell to a late goal against struggling Orient only to move up a place in the Division Three table. John Martin's 87th minute winner should have proved a crushing blow to the
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More homes for asylum-seekers
I COULDN'T believe it when I read in the Bury Times (Jan 31) that Bury is home to 628 asylum-seekers and the number is set to rise to 914. It is time the council looked after its own. I have been on the council housing list for 18 years now. I am in a
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It's the end of an eyesore at Cross Keys
RESIDENTS and councillors in Barnoldswick have been celebrating the completion of an environmental project which transformed an "eyesore" piece of land. A champagne breakfast was held on Saturday to mark the end of work, near the Cross Keys, in Church
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Watch this space
ARTISTS Emma Rushton and Derek Tyman have produced the specially commissioned piece In This Place for the Turnpike Gallery in Leigh. The Manchester pair examine their exhibition space through images and video. As the name suggests, the work responds to
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Tip access route would be madness says MP
MP Greg Pope has intervened to try and persuade county councillors to veto plans to massively increase operations at a landfill site. The Labour backbencher is deeply concerned about proposals by waste disposal firm Sita, Marshalls Clay Products and Park
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Schemes help to see drop in glass attacks
GLASS and bottle related incidents in Accrington town centre dropped by 40 per cent last year thanks to three schemes, licensing magistrates have been told. And police have pledged to continue a crackdown on off licenses in Hyndburn serving booze to under-age
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Good days for all at Aussie film festival
THE last independent cinema in Clitheroe said g'day to Australian film fans, when it hosted its first film festival. It took place throughout the weekend at the Grand Cinema and was launched in the Ribble Valley Civic Suite by Birmingham digeridoo player
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Air experts probe killer glider crash
MYSTERY still surrounds the cause of a Ribble Valley glider crash which claimed the lives of a Whalley man and his pilot. David Rukin, 44, of Pendle Drive, Whalley, and Martin Moss, 55, of Penwortham, died soon after they took off from Bowland Forest
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College set to grow
BURY College is a step closer to securing funding for three new start-of-the art buildings and refurbishing other departments. The expansion plans are contained in its 2003 to 2006 property strategy. New developments are set to include: A nursery creating
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Good sports school among best in field
GIVING young people a sporting chance! That's Broad Oak High School which is celebrating after achieving specialist sports college status. The Hazel Avenue school will receive around £500,000 over the next four years to benefit not just pupils, but the
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'We can finish them off'
BURNLEY'S love of London continued yesterday with a memorable 1-1 draw at Loftus Road against Premiership Fulham. The Clarets are now unbeaten in their last nine visits to the capital, but manager Stan Ternent is now hoping that his side can finish off
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Tired of waiting? Join the queue!
IWE are all queued-up. According to a study by a leading logistics expert -- who spent the equivalent of 92 days in 2000 queues to reach his conclusion -- we are unwilling to spend more than three to four minutes standing in line before getting stressed
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Wildlife dream for park's major plan
PLANS to make major improvements to Ashton Park including a wildlife and fishing area to boost visitor numbers, are on the cards. At a meeting of the Friends of the Park group, members and park officers from Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council discussed
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Residents' rage as car vandals strike
RESIDENTS on a street in Darwen have demanded a controversial path be closed after they woke up to find every car vandalised. Ten cars were damaged at the weekend with more than £1,000 of damage caused. The residents on Redvers Road, many of them elderly
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Officer to help build bridges
ROSSENDALE has welcomed a new district partnership officer who will help build bridges between local authorities to bring out the Valley's "huge potential" for future success. Jerry Smith, the new link-man between Lancashire County Council and Rossendale
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Boro make point
AN 84th minute penalty rescued a point for Radcliffe Borough in an exciting 2-2 draw at Chorley. Borough opened the scoring in bizarre manner in the sixth minute when the Chorley defence hesitated believing the ball had gone out of play and Barrie Keeling
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John's horror at shuttle disaster
AN engineer from Leyland who helped build the doomed space shuttle Columbia has spoken for the first time about his heartache following the deaths of the seven astronauts. John Burrell, who works for NASA, watched with horror as the shuttle exploded and
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Family's gunman death threats ordeal
A COUPLE were left terrified after a gunman burst into their home demanding cash before threatening to shoot their two young children. The man dragged a father away from his two young children, aged two years and six months, who he was feeding at the
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Long-standing councillor to become mayor
LONG-standing Burnley councillor Lilian Clark is to be rewarded for her service when she takes over the borough's mayoral chain in May. Coun Clark, 66, is the current Deputy Mayor and has served on the council since she was first elected in May 1984.
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Firms conned by 'data threats'
HUNDREDS of East Lancashire businesses have been caught out by a massive bogus data protection con-trick. Lancashire Trading Standards is heading an inquiry into more than a dozen North West agencies after intercepting £400,000 of £95 cheques sent out
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Downbeat Blues below their best
CLITHEROE came out on top in an average North West Counties League Division One fixture against lowly Curzon Ashton. After their impressive midweek League Cup quarter final victory, much was expected from the Blues, but for long periods, especially in
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Gillies sees red in another Dale shocker
ROSSENDALE United are still searching for their first league points of 2003 after they crashed to their sixth league defeat in seven outings following a heavy home defeat to fellow strugglers Guiseley. Dale weren't entirely to blame, as a combination
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A lot good to say about Fairfield
ANY ward closure which involves vulnerable patients, and psychiatric patients are more vulnerable than most, is unacceptable. But the closure of one ward does not mean that Fairfield Hospital is on the verge of collapse! For years, the NHS in Bury was
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It's Catch 22 for Iraq
I NOTICE from Your Letters (Feb 4) that Derek Boden is distancing himself from his government on the issue of Iraq (USA is more of a threat than Iraq). He is entirely right to do this and millions of people in this country and the US will share the view
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It's my school and I will fight for it
I HAVE been reading with interest and some dismay the recent letters about Radcliffe High School. One contributor said that Radcliffe High School "isn't as bad as it was ten to fifteen years ago" but that now "in certain classes, kids just scream and
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Our school...St Luke and St Philip's C of E Primary, Blackburn
SCHOOL REPORT: St Luke and St Philip's school is a voluntary aided primary school and we strongly value links between school, home and church. We are sympathetic towards the needs of today's multi-cultural society and believe within the framework of a
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Education 'being taken from hands of educators'
INVESTMENT of £15.5million will be used to develop 12 new children's centres in Blackburn and Darwen and create 600 childcare places. It is a scheme which falls in line with government targets and will build on existing initiatives such as Sure Start,
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"Disaster fear" over new cash for schools
TOWN hall bosses are flirting with disaster in trying to find more money for the borough's hard-up schools. They are taking £440,000 out of contingency funds to help schools penalised under a new way of allocating grants. They admit that the move is "
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EVENTS taking place in East Lancashire on Tuesday, February 18.
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. Accrington Flower and Garden Club, King Street Function Room, Accrington, 7.30pm. Flower demonstraation by Sheila Mason. Blackburn Afternoon Townswomen's Guild, St John's
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Town changed at stroke of pencil
I AM so outraged by the carving up and, re-naming of areas of the town where I was born and have lived for the last 56 years. The final straw was when I read (LET, February 3) that industrial units may be built on land off Harrison Street, at Wensley
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Go independent, it makes sense
IF you don't like what councillors are doing in your name, why not do something about it? Stand for election as an independent councillor yourself in the local elections in May. Election results since 1997 have clearly demonstrated that all is not well
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No mention of banning the BNP
ERIC Leaver's warning (LET, February 5) to Labour councillors against making the British National Party a martyr by excluding them from council sites would be perfectly true if it was correct. The truth is that a motion to council made no mention of the
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Mugging victims flee
FOUR young thugs on bicycles threatened two lads aged 13 and 14 with a metal bar and a knife. The pair escaped unharmed after being confronted by the gang in Danesway, Prestwich, shortly before 8pm on Tuesday (Feb 11). Police say after the gang, aged
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Firms conned by 'data threats'
HUNDREDS of East Lancashire businesses have been caught out by a massive bogus data protection con-trick. Lancashire Trading Standards is heading an inquiry into more than a dozen North West agencies after intercepting £400,000 of £95 cheques sent out
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Teenager's killer jailed for 30 months
A 21-year-old man who admitted killing a Padiham teenager after an incident at a nightclub has been jailed for 30 months. Christopher Britcliffe, of John Street, Clayton-le-Moors denied murdering 18-year-old Gavin Tattersall on May 26 last year, but pleaded
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Battling RMI win a worthy point
Leigh RMI 1 Southport 1 by David Magilton RMI demonstrated just the kind of battling qualities manager Mark Patterson has been craving for as they salvaged a precious point to help in their fight for survival. They would have preferred three points but
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County accused of 'pay more, get less' increase
LANCASHIRE County Council has been accused of hitting the public with a 'pay more, get less' council tax rise. And the ruling Labour group was accused of cutting services but protecting bureaucracy at County Hall. Under the budget, passed after a three-hour
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Residents are urged to come clean
RESIDENTS in Southfield Ward in Nelson are being encouraged to get involved in a clean-up campaign taking place next weekend. The Council's Neighbourhood Pride Officer Nasreen Khanam will be joined by ward councillors to encourage residents to come out
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Stop this madness now
THERE is no more astute critic of war than the veteran journalist John Pilger, who has seen conflicts all over the world. So when I read what he had written about Iraq I was very disturbed. He vividly described what bombs and missiles can do to people
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We're bursting at the seams
I AGREE with the letters from Millan O'Brien and Euro MP Gary Titley (Jan 31). The Government is very stupid allowing thousands of asylum-seekers and illegal immigrants into this country. We are bursting at the seams already. One Dutch MEP apparently
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It may sound selfish, but . . .
I AM glad to see that, according to the Bury Times (Jan 31), we don't have a homelessness problem in Bury anymore. How else would Bury Council be able to find accommodation for 628 asylum-seekers (soon to rise to 914). Surely the council wouldn't put
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Drink-drive suspect couldn't run off
A SUSPECTED drink-driver stopped by police tried to run off but couldn't because of the state he was in, a court heard. Burnley Magistrates were told how father-of-two Gary Mark Wimbles, 29, who was a banned driver, struggled with officers but was arrested
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Games area gets council backing
PENDLE Council has agreed to commit £18,000 from its capital programme to fund the development of a games area for Colne. The multi-use site would be created at the King George V Playing Fields, in Skipton Road, which is owned by the council. It is estimated
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Council to see for themselves caravans on site
COUNCILLORS told a caravan site owner that they were to defer a decision to grant permission for the static homes to stay until they carry-out a site visit. The site, at Oakfield Lodge, Birchenlee Lane, Colne, has been at the centre of numerous complaints
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Armed Robbery at depot
A GANG of armed robbers stole what is believed to be millions of pounds from a Royal Mail depot in Fulwood, Preston. The men, dressed in balaclavas, used a stolen Vauxhall Cavalier from Manchester to ram their way into the sorting office, Pittman Way,
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10 years ago...
CHECK mates squared up in a Blackburn school's annual chess congress. A record 83 entrants from 12 schools in the area pondered their moves at St Paul's RC Primary, Feniscowles.
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5 years ago...
WORKERS from Blackburn found Norway just like home -- the pub locals were Rovers fans! The team from ROD Bar and Shop Fitting, Kent Street, wown of Steinkjr to build an English theme bar to find the locals supported Blackburn.
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Bus firm asked to maintain circular service
LANCASHIRE United has been asked to reconsider its plans to scrap the Hyndburn circular bus service along Sparth Road and in the Forts Arms area of Clayton-le-Moors. People concerned about the effects it would have on older residents have contacted Hyndburn
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Au pair praised for blaze rescue
AN au pair today spoke about how she helped rescue three boys from a burning house. The fire broke out under the floorboards of the house in Hollins Lane, Accrington, in the early hours of Saturday. Slovakian au pair Romana Kazmerova, 26, was alerted
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Start behaving or else, police warn
A POLICE sergeant today told young thugs terrorising streets to forget plans to bring new facilities to their area -- until they start behaving. Talks about providing organised recreational activities for youths in the Spring Hill area of Accrington have
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Who siad what...
"BURNLEY were a typical English side, hitting the long ball and fighting for it in the air. "They showed very good team spirit and made it hard for us." - Jean Tigana (Fulham manager) Fulham captain - ANDY MELVILLE "THEY got in our faces and made it difficult
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'We can finish them off'
BURNLEY'S love of London continued yesterday with a memorable 1-1 draw at Loftus Road against Premiership Fulham. The Clarets are now unbeaten in their last nine visits to the capital, but manager Stan Ternent is now hoping that his side can finish off
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Form guide...
The key stats and moments from the game against Fulham. BURNLEY MARLON BERESFORD Did not have to make a serious save in the first half until he had no chance with the goal. Commanded box well... 8 DEAN WEST Battled hard against the ever dangerous Steed
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More battles for bargain boys
THIS FA Cup tie had been labelled as the millionaires of Harrods against the bargain basement boys from up North. Indeed Stan Ternent named eight players who had cost nothing in his starting line-up while Steve Marlet was a £12million Fulham sub at the
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Derby makes it a double
DERBY High School has proved itself more than a class act after chalking up a unique educational achievement. For it has become the first in the country to receive specialist schools status in two subjects. The Radcliffe Road school is now ripe to become
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Tommo out for six weeks
ENGLAND midfielder David Thompson is facing up to a possible six-week lay-off after undergoing surgery on his knee. The 25-year-old Rovers star went under the knife last Wednesday in a bid to cure a long-standing knee problem. And specialists believe
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Petition proteste over site
A PETITION to rally against the site for the new health centre is being drawn up by Darwen 'freedom fighter' Roy Davies. Roy, who has campaigned for the town's liberation from Blackburn, is putting petitions in public buildings across town. Roy, of Olive
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Allergy specialist returns
BACK by popular demand, an allergy testing day will be held at Darwen's Holistic Centre at the end of the month. Last month's sessions proved so popular that Vanda Croft, manager of the centre, has invited the Liverpool specialist back for another go.
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Needle alert after narrow escape
A MOTHER today warned parents to be on alert after her child almost picked up discarded needles. Six-year-old Sarah Brown was playing on Railway Road, Darwen, when she put her hand through a fence next to the A&M Bargains store. Mother, Sharon saw
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Half-term fun at the museum
HELMSHORE Textile Museum will open its doors to half-term fun and the waterwheel, fulling stocks and carding and spinning machines will all be up and running. Storyteller Heather Mason will also lead a series of story and craft workshops. Catriona West
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Leigh's Cas test
LEIGH Centurions will be meeting Super League opposition after all this season. Although they missed a possible chance of testing themselves against a top flight team after being knocked out of the Powergen Challenge Cup, the Centurions have fixed up
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100 years for church ladies
THE ladies of Blackburn's Leamington Road Baptist church have notched up a century of meeting together. They are celebrating 100 years of their Ladies' Night group, previously known as the Girls' Guild, during the week of February 26 to March 5 and invite
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Women face shorter lives in E Lancs
WOMEN in East Lancashire have one of the worst life expectancy rates in the country, new statistics have revealed. They can expect on average to live some four years less than counterparts in other areas of the country -- and are likely to have the fourth
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Mental health reviews panel members sought
VOLUNTEERS are being sought to sit on review panels for patients who have been detained under the Mental Health Act. Lancashire Care NHS Trust wants volunteers from all backgrounds and will provide training. Around 350 mental health patients are detained
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Private care homes in legal team split
PRIVATE care homes in Lancashire have broken ranks with the legal team representing an action group and residents of county council homes against the closure of 32 homes. The three groups -- Lancashire Care Homes Association, Hyndburn Action Committee
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There's no hiding place from 'hit squad'
A SPECIAL 'hit squad' is being set up to blitz fine dodgers in East Lancashire. The hard-line clampdown on non-payers of fines, costs and compensation will see more than 30 enforcement officers targeting defaulters throughout Blackburn, Darwen, Ribble
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Orient Brush Shakers aside
LEYTON ORIENT manager Paul Brush rates Bury the best side in the division, but that was no consolation to Shakers boss Andy Preece who saw his side again fail to impress on their home patch. Bury dominated the match and though not at their best, still
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Storks miss chance
PADIHAM missed out on a great opportunity to extend their lead at the top of theNWCL Division Two table when they went down 2-1 away to Maine Road. In what can only be described as a subdued performance, Padiham showed nothing of the qualities associated
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Eastham double condemns Nelson to defeat
A DRAMATIC second half turnaround saw Great Harwood snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Victoria Park in NWCL Division Two. In front of a packed Victoria Park crowd, a thrilling derby encounter looked destined to go the home side's way as they held
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Rams move two points from safety
RAMSBOTTOM moved to within two points of the NWCL first division safety zone - with three games in hand - as they extended their recent run to two wins and a draw from the last three games. The Rams made a nervous start and it was Winsford who created
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Grice: We deserved the win
COLNE got back on track with a 2-1 win at Mechanics to move two places to eighth in the NWCL Division Two table. In bright sunlight the Reds welcomed back Andy Lawson after a long injury lay off and started with new loan signing Denny Khan from Darwen
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Neither legal, nor moral
IT is nice to know that not only has our MP, David Chaytor, got the right idea about the planned atrocities in Iraq, but that he also wants to hear the views of his constituents. What a pity that Tony Blair hasn't got similar Christian values and morals
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RMI loan Robertson and Whitehead to Rossendale United
LEIGH RMI have agreed to loan defender John Robertson and forward Damien Whitehead to Rossendale United until the end of the season. Damien Whitehead (23) formerly played for Macclesfield Town and has recently returned from a loan spell with Irish Club
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Leigh RMI at full strength squad for Chorley semi final clash
LEIGH RMI's manager, Mark Patterson hopes to field a full strength team for Tuesday's Lancashire FA Marsden Trophy semi-final clash with Chorley. Although loan signing and ex-Leeds midfielder Mark Ford will be ineligible to play most of the other players
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Iraq war is "a diversion"
IN a televised speech, Colin Powell said that America does not want anything from a war with Iraq. If people believe that, they will believe anything. The American National Energy Policy outlines the energy crisis which stares the USA in the face. Forty
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Chinese GCSEs on St Monica's menu
CHINESE could soon be on the curriculum at St Monica's RC High School after it earned coveted specialist status for languages. The Bury Old Road school was celebrating this week after being told its bid to become a centre of excellence for modern foreign
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Leigh hand out warning to the title favourites
Leigh Centurions 20 Salford 20: THIS season's battle for Super League will not be a one horse race. All Sunday's evidence point to relegated Salford not getting as easy a ride as Huddersfield did last season in their quest to return to the elite division
