Archive
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Council correct over Manning ban
COMEDIAN Bernard Manning, a fairly regular performer in East Lancashire, has been banned from bringing his controversial brand of humour to Burnley. The local council decided to cancel his show at the Mechanics Theatre on October 11. The authority, which
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Musical date
THE first rehearsal for Burnley Light Opera Society's production of Oklahoma is on May 14 at Bethesda Church Hall Burnley at 8pm. Future rehearsals will commence at the usual time of 7.30pm. Anthony Williams is director and Nick Sanders is musical director
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Rubbish dumping criteria needs clearing up
MAYBE I have misunderstood the debate about the banning of vans from household rubbish disposal sites, but my understanding was that householders could use them, regardless of what type of vehicle they turned up in. The criterion, I understood, was that
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Dictator has gone, so rejoice
REGARDING Councillor Dave Harling's attack on the handling by Margaret Thatcher of the Falkland Islands dispute with Argentina (Letters, April 24), the diplomatic solution he alluded to would have given the Falklands and its people over to the sovereignty
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Emptying of bins has gone backword
BEFORE the 1970s, when the vast majority of households were converted to North Sea gas, over 90 per cent used some form of solid fuel for heating their homes and water, while also using their fires to dispose of rubbish which could be burned. This, in
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Girl from Leigh who became Japan's Mother of the Sea
A YOUNG girl born in Leigh at the turn of the last century went on to become so revered by the people of Japan -- they named a day after their "Mother of the Sea". And it was all in the name of seaweed. Dr Kathleen Mary Drew-Baker was born in Leigh in
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Manning banned from town
CONTROVERSIAL comic Bernard Manning has been banned from Burnley, the town which became the BNP capital of Britain in local elections. Manning has recently appeared in Blackburn and Haslingden and was due to appear at the town's Mechanics Theatre on Saturday
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Moyes promises fight to end
EVERTON boss David Moyes today insisted his players won't give up their European dreams without a fight. The Merseysiders are currently locked in a two-way battle with Blackburn Rovers for a place in next season's UEFA Cup. And, although they saw their
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Final chance for Berg
GRAEME Souness is set to hold showdown talks with Henning Berg later this week to determine whether or not the defender still has a future at the club. As things stand, Berg is due to retire from the English game at the end of the season when his current
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Charity lunch boosts mayoral appeal
THE Mayor and Mayoress of Pendle Coun Pauline McCormick and Gillian Carradice were among guests at a charity lunch held at the Ridge Restaurant, Burnley. The event was organised by the Mayoress of Burnley, Kathleen Birtwistle to help boost the final total
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Move rumour is dispelled by MP
BURNLEY MP Peter Pike today dispelled rumours he was moving out of his constituency town to the Ribble Valley. He insisted: "I love Burnley and this is where I'll stay." Mr Pike said a deal was currently in the pipeline to sell his home, but didn't want
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Bread firm kicks in with football dough
BREADMAKERS Warburtons have joined forces with Burnley Police to help kick start their 2003 community football competition. The company, based on Billington Road Industrial Estate, has agreed to sponsor the Burnley Police Community Cup Competition for
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Missing boy: Friends tell of shock
FORMER neighbours of a seven-year-old schoolboy who has been missing from home in Great Yarmouth for three days today spoke of their anguish. The search for little Daniel Entwistle, who was born in Burnley and brought up in Padiham, is continuing. Police
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Bernard given boot by council bosses
CONTROVERSIAL comic Bernard Manning has been banned from Burnley, the town which became the BNP capital of Britain in local elections. Manning has recently appeared in Blackburn and Haslingden and was due to appear at the town's Mechanics Theatre on Saturday
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Help us give Elle-May a chance
PARENTS of a two-year-old cerebral palsy sufferer are hoping their daughter can prove doctors wrong by learning to walk and talk. Kathryn Whittle and Ian Laithwaite, of Greenbank, Barnoldswick, aim to raise £5,000 so Elle-May, who was born 16 weeks premature
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'Legend' Davis will be sadly missed
ON principle, I did not travel to Selhurst Park on Sunday. I don't know anyone who did. Charles Koppell's ludicrous decision to relocate to Milton Keynes even more outrageously backed by the Football League almost destroyed Wimbledon and left a bad taste
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TG macrame meeting
LEIGH Townswomen's Guild will see Susan Morris give a macrame demonstration on May 13. Both meetings are in the Derby Room at Leigh Library at 7.30pm and new members will be welcome.
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Ten years ago
THE last East Lancs member of a brave battalion which fought in Gallipoli died at the age of 97. William Barnabas Kennedy, of Lisfer Street, Accrington, was the last survivor of the Blackburn-based 4th Battalion.
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Five years ago
THE mother of a boy who was struck by leukaemia raised £3,000 to help sufferers of the disease. Tracy Khan, of Ripon Road, Oswaldtwistle, started her fund-raising mission after son Zak, 4, contracted the illness.
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Stardom chance at the farm
A RISHTON nature reserve and education centre is looking for the stars of tomorrow to join their fledgling drama and music scheme. Lords House Farm, in Wilpshire Road, has secured £6,000 of European funding for the Star is Born scheme and need schools
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Motorists warned of delays
MOTORISTS are being warned to expect traffic delays in and around Longridge over the next few weeks as a gas-pipe replacement scheme gets under way. Transco, which maintains the UK's gas network, is spending £150,000 digging up iron gas pipes and replacing
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Making a bee-line
IF you are a bit squeamish about bees you might not want to drop over to this bee keeping website. But if you want to see some crazy people wearing bees for beards go to www.ecroyd.com/beards.htm. I'm not really sure why men, it's always a man, do this
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Boost to net use
AROUND 11.4 million households in the UK can access the Internet from home, according to the latest statistics. Over the final quarter of 2002, an estimated 45 per cent of all UK households could access the Internet from home, an increase from the 39
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A new twist on the Underworld
A VILLAGE'S own Billy Elliott will star in the Three Towns Operatic Society's latest production. Creative Culcheth schoolboy Ben Warbis, 14, will design and perform his own movement routine as Bacchus, the god of wine and revelry, in Orpheus in the Underworld
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Smoke ban 'not on'
ANY smoking ban in East Lancs pubs would be 'impossible' and 'unworkable,' according to the head of a licensee association. Derek Haworth, chairman of The Blackburn and DVLA, has raised concerns after a ban was given the thumbs-up in all pubs and clubs
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Soup kitchen scheme moves closer
A DARWEN charity worker is one step closer to setting up a soup kitchen for the borough's homeless population. Pat Monks, from the Broken Arcs Christian Charity shop, in Duckworth Street, is looking to raise £150,000 to buy Blackburn's former Islington
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Vandalised path and garden to be restored
A UNIQUE history path and garden which suffered a setback after it was targeted by thieves is to be officially opened. The Path of History in Stacksteads is to be unveiled by Janet Anderson MP on Saturday, May 10 at 11.30am. The history path and garden
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Decision soon on park's grant
RESIDENTS and council bosses will find out next month whether they have secured £2.25million of lottery cash for Blackburn's Corporation Park. Initially, the decision was expected in February after Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council submitted its proposals
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Every dog has her diet
HEAVYWEIGHT Georgina the dog is now a slimline version of her former curry-eating self two months after embarking on a strict diet. Georgina, a nine-year-old bull mastiff, squeezed through the doors of Abbeydale Vets, Preston New Road, Blackburn, in February
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Action promised on danger spot
RAIL bosses have pledged to take action to stop youngsters climbing through a broken fence and dicing with death on the track. The move comes after a Lower Darwen couple highlighted the problem and said they feared someone would be killed if action was
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Hockey team in sponsors appeal
A CHAMPIONSHIP winning roller hockey team setting up in Accrington is on the lookout for players and sponsorship. West Coast Skater Hockey Club, thought to be the first of its kind in East Lancashire, was set up in Blackpool in 1999, and has already won
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Rat rage
TOWNS are fighting a rat invasion after it was revealed that complaints about vermin have risen by nearly 20 per cent in a year. Complaints about rats infesting shops, homes and businesses in Blackburn with Darwen increased from 2,220 to 2,626 in the
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Play-offs do keep the pulses racing
IN terms of sheer drama, the last few days will take some beating. On Saturday afternoon, Chorley lost a nailbiting UniBond play-off final at Radcliffe following a dramatic penalty shoot-out. Then barely 48 hours later, my old club Morecambe suffered
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Care homes protest fury
ANGRY old folk gathered outside Bury Town Hall in a protest over care home funding. The demonstration was organised by Bury Care Providers Action Group -- made up of independent care home owners -- who mobilised their residents in what is becoming an
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EVENTS taking place in East Lancashire on Wednesday, April 30
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. Line Dancing, Old Brass Band Club, Nelson. Tea Dance, Leisure Centre, Darwen, 1.30pm-4pm. Karaoke, Manor Barn, Padiham Road, Burnley, 8pm. Djembe Practice Class, Raphael's
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Animals and plants thrive at ancient site
SUNNYHURST Woods has thrived as a natural habitat. It has done so well that 96 species of plants and flowers were unveiled by TV botanist, Professor David Bellamy in the late 1990s. The wood contains 7,000 trees and features seven miles of walks. It also
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Sunnyhurst Friends celebrate birthday
IN its centenary year, Sunnyhurst Woods and its Friends have a lot to celebrate and even more to look forward to thanks to a dedicated bunch of supporters. The wood was acquired by public conscription to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII in
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Home truths
WHAT happens when three old ladies escape from an old people's home will be the intriguing subject matter in Too Soon For Daisies -- a production from Clitheroe's Trinity Drama Group. The play, by William Dinner and William Morum, will be staged on June
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The train arriving is likely to be more reliable
The number of complaints from Arriva Trains Northern customers has fallen by 60 per cent this year. The company runs the TransPennine Express through Burnley, Accrington and Blackburn and has been criticised in the past after strikes by conductors and
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Cockney capers
EASTENDERS meet high society in Blackburn Amateurs' production of Me and My Girl at the Civic Theatre Oswaldtwistle from May 12 to 17 at 7.30pm. The story revolves around a young Cockney man Bill Snibson, played by Mark Robinson, who suddenly finds himself
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All is not rosy in the garden
RIBCHESTER Amateur Theatrical Society's production of The Chalk Garden by Enid Bagnold will be staged on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The play concerns an upper middle class dysfunctional family where the lonely, ageing grandmother is looking after
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Old friends sought
I LEFT the Blackburn area in 1963 and moved to Cheshire. I am now nearly 70 years old and would love to hear from anyone whom I knew from previous years, old school friends or anyone who knew me. My name at that time was Pam Hargreaves. PAMELA FOULKES
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Big development, wrongly named
I NOTICE in the story (LET, April 24) about house prices being driven down in roads close to the M65 services that the chairman of the developers say the development is a big one for Darwen. So, how come, despite protests and petitions, the site is still
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Rat rage
TOWNS are fighting a rat invasion after it was revealed that complaints about vermin have risen by nearly 20 per cent in a year. Complaints about rats infesting shops, homes and businesses in Blackburn with Darwen increased from 2,220 to 2,626 in the
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Disabled Keith on song to raise cash
A DISABLED music lover has launched a CD in a bid to share his memories of his time in hospital as a child. Keith Whalley, 58, of Ulster Street, Burnley, has produced and recorded a CD entitled 'Biddulph Grange Memories' and named after the hospital where
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Leader pledges to 'root out' problems
THE leader of Burnley Council has admitted that there are "deep rooted problems" in Burnley that need weeding out. Speaking after last week's elections in which the BNP gained six new seats and retained one seat, Coun Stuart Caddy admits his time as leader
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Mill shop request awaiting decision
A MILL in Nelson could soon be opened as a mill shop on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays if plans get the green light next week. Furnico Ltd has applied to open Throstle Nest Mill, in Bankhouse Road, for the sale of suites made at the factory to the
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Play area set to get the go-ahead
PLANS to create an enclosed play area at the St Philips Centre in Nelson look likely to be given the go-ahead on Monday. Councillors have been recommended to approve the application by planning officers. It would include installing play equipment on the
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Gallery's appeal for memories
VISITORS to Leigh's Turnpike Gallery are asked to take in mementoes, photographs and their memories for a drawing workshop during May. The Gallery at the Civic Square is celebrating "Cultures then and Now" as part of national Museums and Galleries month
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Parkes comments leave me baffled
COMING to the end of a decent season I found the events of the Bank Holiday weekend strangely depressing. It started on Saturday when the team picked an odd time to put in such a terrible display. Definitely not the done thing on the last home game of
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Residents moved
RESIDENTS of a private nursing home which closed down suddenly on Saturday have been transferred to county council homes earmarked for closure. Harwood House Nursing Home, Belmont Street, Great Harwood, was closed with just a few hours' notice. Owner
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Sasha wins the queen's crown
ORGANISERS of this year's Accrington Festival have declared the contest to find a queen "the best ever." Some 17 contestants entered, hoping to become the town's carnival queen for the next two years. But it was 16-year-old student Sasha Fort, of Alleytroyds
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Move to end heartache at the polls
HYNDBURN'S system of selecting a mayor is set to be overhauled to avoid election night heartache. At last week's local polls, Labour mayor-elect Coun Wendy Dwyer lost the chance to be the borough's first citizen when she lost her seat in Accrington's
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Farmers' new deal on dead livestock disposal
EAST Lancashire's farmers are being urged to sign up to a new scheme of disposing of dead livestock. EU Legislation has banned the on-farm burial of carcasses, which has prompted the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to launch a new
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Bill bikes it again for charity cash
A CHARTERED surveyor from Clitheroe is taking to his bike to raise cash for the treatment of breast cancer. Bill Honeywell will cycle 950 miles from Land's End to John o'Groats over two weeks in aid of Christie Hospital, Manchester. He sets off on May
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Sandy and Rubble unveiled at quarry
TWO tipper trucks christened Sandy and Rubble by schoolchildren have been unveiled at a Ribble Valley quarry. Pupils at Waddington and West Bradford Primary School were invited to come up with names for the two new tippers at Waddington Fell Quarry. And
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Make your pal pay
INTERNET shopping may be a thorn in the side of the big high street stores, but for small traders it opens up a whole world of possibilities. As a small trader setting up facilities to process credit cards can be expensive, but the American PayPal (www.paypal.com
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I'll always be a Claret
STEVE Davis has echoed Burnley supporters' sentiments by claiming: "I'll always be a Claret!" The Clarets' team and club captain received a standing ovation when he was substituted in the second half against Wimbledon at Selhurst Park after picking up
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Hooper may stand-in
CARL HOOPER has revealed that he has had talks with Lancashire about coming to Old Trafford as a short-term overseas replacement for the injured Harbhajan Singh. Hooper is currently out of action in the West Indies after quitting as captain following
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Eileen's memory lives on thanks to pupils
THE curtain rises on the fourth concert in memory of Leigh's first lady of song, Eileen Darwell. The name of the top opera recording star and singing teacher who died on the second day of the new Millennium at the age of 76 is being kept alive by her
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Rockin' Ronnie keeps it in the family
ROCKIN' Ronnie Carr is back on stage on Sunday more than two years after his retirement from the world of entertainment. But this time one of Leigh's best known boppers is keeping it in the family -- to help raise enough cash to send his disabled grand-daughter
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Prize is too good to miss
THE prizes in a karaoke competition in the Whitakers Arms, Accrington, are so good the man whose organising it is entering! John Walsh, head chef and head of entertainment at the Burnley Road pub is to flex his vocal chords with a view to winning the
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All hands to the pumps for festival
THE third Great Harwood beer festival has proved a huge success, with drinkers enjoying a raft of real ales, quality live music and Indian food. Landlord Peter Booth, of the Royal Hotel, Great Harwood, who ran the festival with his wife, Janice, said
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I'll always be a Claret
STEVE Davis has echoed Burnley supporters' sentiments by claiming: "I'll always be a Claret!" The Clarets' team and club captain received a standing ovation when he was substituted in the second half against Wimbledon at Selhurst Park after picking up
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Final chance for Berg
GRAEME Souness is set to hold showdown talks with Henning Berg later this week to determine whether or not the defender still has a future at the club. As things stand, Berg is due to retire from the English game at the end of the season when his current
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Gloomy report predicts massive jobs axe
TENS of thousands of manufacturing jobs will be lost across the country by the end of June because of a renewed downturn in the sector, with the most rapid decline in the North West, a gloomy report predicted today. Up to 86,000 posts could be axed in
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Scouts' big night
DARWEN Scout and Guide groups hold their annual prize-giving evening and band display tomorrow. Guest of honour will be Chris Creelman, county commissioner for Scouts in North East Lancashire. Band assessor for the event, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, will be
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Society tour took a look at family history
A WHISTLE-STOP tour to show people how to delve into their family history was held at Whitaker Park Museum, Rawtenstall. The museum hosted the Rossendale Branch of Lancashire Family History Society and Haslingden Roots on Saturday afternoon. Haslingden
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Chris mourns a life that's gone forever
IN celebration of Helmshore Local History Society's 50th birthday, a book recalling village life during World War Two has gone on sale. The book, 'Just a Few Words: A Helmshore Boyhood,' was produced after 70-year-old Chris Aspin put together 50 years
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Police talk over top tips from 'Chips'
LANCASHIRE police officers were meeting up with their 'twins' from the States today to exchange crime-fighting techniques. The constabulary staged the sixth annual problem-oriented partnership conference with San Diego Police Department as special guests
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Globetrotter bishop back to his roots
A GLOBETROTTING Bishop is set to return to his Lancashire roots, with a new post at a church in Whittle-le-Woods. The Rt Rev Alan Winstanley, who was born in Leigh but spent 11 years working in South America, will become vicar of St John the Evangelist
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Store says sorry for moving mayor
STORE officials have visited a mayor to apologise after one of their managers ordered him to move on when he was collecting money. The Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen, Coun Tony Humphrys was left fuming after the incident involving him, his wife, Mayoress
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Experts sort 'super hospital' wrangle
HEALTH chiefs have met finance experts in a bid to resolve a wrangle which is holding up plans for a £96million 'super hospital'. They now hope to get the problem, concerning an investment agency in the City, sorted out within two weeks, which would allow
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Middle Eastern taste
A NEW, smoky flavour of the Middle East has been proving a hit in a Blackburn -- thanks to an Arabic version of the British pub. Jordanian-born Mohammed Jaber, 48, owner of the Sahara Cafe in Darwen Street, has flavoured tobacco called shisha and smoking
