Archive
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Burglar's story of cat rescue
A THIEF who was found in a 73-year-old woman's house said he had rescued her cats and was returning them. The pensioner, who lived in Redlam, had heard a noise in the back room of her house and discovered the man there. He said that her cats had escaped
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Iraqi rights neglected
THE war on Iraq appears to be almost over but it is still not clear why the war was waged. We were told that it is about finding weapons of mass destruction but nothing has been found so far. The only thing we see so far is change of regime and securing
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Why does God need our praise?
I HAVE been reading with some amusement the correspondence between creationists and evolutionists and find difficulty in understanding the attitude of the creationists. They are quite prepared to accept without proof the existence of an all-powerful,
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Speed camera sited in right place
SAM Spence (Letters, April 15) asks for justification on the location of the speed safety cameras in Preston New Road, Blackburn. He feels one of the speed safety cameras ought to have been sited elsewhere, nearer to schools and a hospital, and complains
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Action will lead to more wars
PRIOR to the war in Iraq, people harboured illusions about the behaviour and intentions of the Iraqi government under Saddam Hussein. Nonetheless, President Bush's rushed initiative tragically undermines the theory of a just war and will lead to a proliferation
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Man dies in motorway crash
A 26-YEAR-OLD Preston man died from his injuries on Monday at Royal Preston Hospital after his car crashed on the M61 on Sunday morning. Stuart Robert Davis, of Elgin Street, Preston, was taken to hospital after sustaining serious head, neck and internal
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Man exposes himself to schoolgirls
A MAN indecently exposed himself to two schoolgirls as they took a short-cut home in Leyland yesterday. The girls were walking through an alley from West Paddock, leading to Fox Lane, at about 3.55pm, when they saw the man, who unbuttoned his jeans and
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Mum's fight for fair play
A MUM is fighting a lone campaign to give children somewhere to play. Dee Gourlay, of Alder Drive, Hoghton, says youngsters have just one swing and a slide to play on at the village's only play area. Now she faces a three year wait for more equipment,
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Bus driver denies sex assault on girl, 17
A BUS driver allegedly sexually assaulted a young passenger as she got on his vehicle with a school friend, a jury heard. Burnley Crown Court was told Mohammed Akbar, 38, had grabbed the 17-year-old's hand on a previous journey, stroked her breast and
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Wife 'shot dead her love rival'
A BURNLEY woman who burst into a beauty salon and shot her love rival dead told a court she was mentally and physically abused by her prostitute mother. Jurors in the trial at the Old Bailey were told Rena Salmon's mind was impaired when she shot 36-year-old
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Re-shuffle in county's Cabinet
COUNTY council leader Hazel Harding has unveiled her new-look cabinet and pledged it would work to improve the services the authority provides. For the last two years, Rossendale-based Coun Harding has tinkered with the membership of her 10-strong cabinet
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New sponsors boost
PROMOTION-seeking Shakers have unveiled their new associate main sponsors for next season. Local computer hardware distributors Eurosimm Limited will see their name on all the team's training and travel kit, and on advertising sites around the Gigg Lane
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Newby set for exit as Shakers lose out
BOURNEMOUTH 3, SHAKERS 1: SHAKERS have been dealt a massive morale blow on top of their play-off semi-final second leg, defeat at Bournemouth with star striker Jon Newby admitting he may quit the club at the end of the campaign. There will be a full report
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Heroine Samina meets inspiration
AN EAST Lancashire community heroine met her own inspiration at an awards ceremony in London for Asian Women of Achievement. Samina Kauser, 27, from Nelson, was nominated for a young achiever's award by the Prince's Trust for volunteer work across East
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Support meeting
BURY Diabetic Support Group has its next meeting on Wednesday May 21 at Bury Town Hall's Committee Room 2 from 7.30pm. Podiatry services manager for Bury Primary Care Trust, Mr N Rose, will speak about the importance of foot care for people with diabetes
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Evening will aid research
A SOCIAL evening later this month will raise money for Bury hospice and research into Freidricks Ataxia. Entertainment at the bash at Elton Liberal Club in New George Street on May 30 will be provided by "Boy 2 One". Tickets priced £5 are available by
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Helping the partially-sighted
THE latest high-tech gadgets to make life easier for the partially-sighted are on display in Bury this week. The Bury Society for Blind and Partially-Sighted People is holding an open day. The items on show include a range of "talking" gadgets such as
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Riverbanks full of life
TENNYSON summed up the delight which I feel when I sit by the side of many of our local streams and rivers. By thirty hills I hurry down Or slip between the ridges, By twenty thorps, a little town And half a hundred bridges This week I strolled alongside
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How hot is hot pot?
LANCASHIRE'S most famous meal has caught the eye of a top chef on the hunt for England's national dish. TV chef Brian Turner, currently touring the country sampling contenders for the accolade, visited the area yesterday to taste some of the region's
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Wadda lot to see in lovely Waddington
ALTHOUGH this is a short walk there is so much to see that it simply cannot be rushed. I began by exploring the Alms Houses overlooked by a row of old cottages. The Alms Houses are set around a green which still has the old pump in the centre. The houses
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Hard to look on bright side
IT is natural, at the end of every season, to cast the mind's eye over the previous nine months. Yet such has been the nature of season 2002/03 that most Burnley supporters may eschew such daydreaming on the grounds that they do not wish to spend their
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England stirs to Henry
SHAKESPEARE'S Henry V holds a very special place amongst English audiences often for its appeal to the more aggressive tendencies of the country. But this production at the Lowry brings a gritty, down to earth feel showing that ultimately men will die
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Ten years ago
PHEONIX the chick had a lucky escape when they survived a fire at a Blackburn primary school. The chick and five others were taken home by St Thomas's Primary School's headteacher Mary Butler the weekend the building caught fire.
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Damien has driven us into Europe
"HODDLE for Burnley" was the chant from the buoyant Rovers contingent at White Hart Lane on Sunday. Improbable maybe, but with the disgruntled home support lobbing their season tickets on the pitch in finest Turf Moor tradition, at least he would feel
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Floodlight site celebrated
RESIDENTS have been celebrating the completion of a new £52,000 floodlit venue for community events, at the side of the Ernest Street Baptist Chapel, in Church, which was completed in just 12 weeks and features a 17-metres by two-metres mural painted
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Help us stop fly tippers - plea
A COUNCILLOR has called on the public to shop fly tippers targeting an Accrington street. Electricity Street, near the Asda superstore, has already been the site of two groups of travellers setting up camp this year. Hyndburn Council cleared the land
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Fast track to innovations
A NEW rapid prototyping service is promising to slash the cost of innovation for East Lancashire manufacturers. The service is being provided by Blackburn College's Centre for Manufacturing, offering the design and production of accurate working models
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Recovery brings relief for bosses
THERE was corporate joy in many of East Lancashire's boardrooms after local shares soared in April after months of doom and gloom. The East Lancashire Index - made up of companies based in the area or with a strong local presence - rose by more than 13
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Drive for better motoring skills
AN East Lancashire business is saving companies thousands of pounds thanks to an enterprising former police officer. For 10 years, Adrian Shurmer was one of Lancashire Police's driving elite. He even taught the VIP Protection squad drivers how to drive
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It gives a whole new meaning to fat food
AS SEXY sports go you don't get much sexier than the glamorous, fast and furious world of superbikes. But out on the touring circuit of this mesmerizing motorsport how do you compliment the 100mph thrills on the track with top quality hospitality off
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Plumber faces a testing time
I have been a self- employed plumber for several years now and will not be able to continue in business if I do not pass the new tests and exams. Sitting exams is something I was never good at and fills me with dread. My livelihood depends on passing.
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Mosque appeal thrown out
MUSLIMS in Clitheroe have lost their four-year bid to build a mosque at the back of a terrace house in the town centre. Their appeal against refusal by Ribble Valley Council to grant permission for the mosque at the back of an Islamic Education Centre
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Gillespie shown the door
KEITH Gillespie today began the task of finding himself a new club after being shown the door by Rovers boss Graeme Souness. The Northern Ireland international has now been officially told that his contract won't be renewed when it expires this summer
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D-day for health centre
A DECISION will be made on the building of the new health centre in the next three weeks. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council accepted outline planning permission for the centre in February. Primary Care Trust bosses agreed the land behind the leisure
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Pledge for Pat's charity shelter
A £10,000 pledge has brought a Darwen charity shop a step closer to opening a shelter for the homeless. Pat Monks, manager of the Broken Arcs Christian Charity Shop, Duckworth Street, set her eyes on the Islington Baptist Church, Blackburn, six years
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On track to be a pioneer
THE national rail network could finally be revolutionised after 160 years of neglect - thanks to a Darwen inventor's technological brainwave. Engineering guru Robin Wolfendale has been awarded £37,000 of Smart government cash to test a pioneering new
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Shape the future of borough
MEMBERS of Rossendale Civic Trust today appealed for people with an interest in the borough to join its ranks and shape the future of the borough. The group is aiming to become a "touchstone" through which the people of Rossendale can communicate with
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Birthday drink led to ban
A BELATED birthday drink proved costly for Peter John Wilkinson, who was stopped by police who saw him drive off a pub car park late at night. Blackburn magistrates heard that a subsequent blood sample showed that Wilkinson was more that twice the legal
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Persistent shoplifter passed century of convictions
PERSISTENT shoplifter Paul McCartney re-offended despite being subject to two deferred sentences, a conditional discharge and a community rehabilitation order all imposed for similar offences. And the chairman of the latest bench to sit on one of his
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School scoops top Sportsmark award
SPORTS-MAD youngsters at Blackburn's Pleckgate High School are celebrating after the school scooped a prestigious national award. The school, in Pleckgate Road, was the only one in the borough to receive the Sportsmark Award this year. The award is part
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Schools make giant leap with IT
EAST Lancashire schools will undergo a giant leap in technology, thanks to a constant connection with their local education authority. Schools under Lancashire County Council control are now electronically linked to the Schools Portal system. It means
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Taming the beast
AS more money is spent on IT and computers, it is easy to forget that it was bought to help not hinder. A new book and website - www.harnessthebeast.com - highlights the importance of making IT work for you. I t uses the so-called Beast as a metaphor
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'Pot shots' were fired at passers-by
A DRUNKEN man who fired "pot shots" at pedestrians from the window of a flat has been jailed for two years. Ian Taylor hit three men and a woman in the back with pellets from a .22 air rifle he fired from the window of the second floor property in Preston
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A father's heartbreak
A HEARTBROKEN father today spoke of the moment he collapsed from an angina attack at the shock of being told his 19-year-old daughter had died. David Leigh, of Rothesay Road, Shadsworth, was at Blackburn Rovers' Ewood Park when a steward pulled him out
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Man stabbed for having a birth mark on neck
A DRUNKEN teenager plunged a knife six centimetres into a father-of-two's chest in front of his family on his doorstep, because he didn't like his birthmark. Barry Smith, 24, of the Highercroft area, underwent major surgery after the blade passed through
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Chance for schools to 'blow their own trumpet'
BURY high schools are being urged to take part in a competition aimed at encouraging young people to do more for charity. "Giving Nation" is offering 12 awards of £1,000 and an overall prize of an all-expenses-paid overseas trip to see a British Red Cross
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Hospice set to share £750,000
BURY Hospice is set to benefit from a major national fundraising drive. Help the Hospices has been named as Lloyds TSB's Charity of the Year for 2003 -- and Bury's hospice in Dumers Lane, Radcliffe, has been chosen. The charity won the partnership after
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EVENTS taking place in East Lancashire on Wednesday, May 14
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. Stephen Triffit Celebrates Sinatra, King George's Hall, Northgate, Blackburn, 7.30pm. Prime Pinter, Library Theatre, Knott Street, Darwen, 7.30pm. Women's Aglow meet
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EVENTS taking place in East Lancashire on Tuesday, May 13
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. Over 50s Club, Queensgate Pentecostal Church, Burnley, noon. Children's Street Dance Class, Sanderson Dance and Fitness Centre, 10 Churchill Way, Lomeshaye Industrial
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Schools system has vast potential
SCHOOLS have been at the forefront of computer learning for more than a decade, but scores of them in East Lancashire are now taking a giant leap forward in information technology as they are electronically linked to a new system giving them constant
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Give me a chance to vote
I WASN'T able to vote on May 1 due to time factors and work commitments. However, if I had been able to vote on-line or by post or telephone, I would have been able to voice my opinion against the BNP who got in my ward by three votes. Please can this
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Marine who didn't recognise colour
I WAS dismayed to hear the news that even more BNP people have been elected when these people shout for a white Britain. Do they realise how many people of different races gave their lives for people like them during the Second World War? My husband served
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Parking at bargain prices
MR Donelly (LET, May 2), complains about paying to park outside his house but being unable to do so on occasion. He should consider the person who, having bought a house, including a garage, then has to pay Council Tax on it, insure and maintain it and
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We're second class citizens
THE reason that all the people that I spoke to voted BNP was that they are fed up with being a second class citizen in their own country. The people of Burnley are fed up with everything being one-sided, even the Asians who were sentenced for the riots
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Good luck, you'll surely need it
THE election of BNP candidates at the recent local elections is chilling. My wife and I spent two fantastic years as a doctor and a teacher in Burnley. The hospitality and friendliness that we experienced from everyone was astounding. We emigrated to
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Ashamed to be living in 'racist' town
THIS morning I went to bed ashamed to live in Burnley. Admittedly Burnley has it's problems, but is it so bad that we can justify the BNP, a fundamentally racist party, becoming the official opposition party in the town. I have lived in Briercliffe, one
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Wife 'shot dead her love rival'
A BURNLEY woman who burst into a beauty salon and shot her love rival dead told a court she was mentally and physically abused by her prostitute mother. Jurors in the trial at the Old Bailey were told Rena Salmon's mind was impaired when she shot 36-year-old
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A father's heartbreak
A HEARTBROKEN father today spoke of the moment he collapsed from an angina attack at the shock of being told his 19-year-old daughter had died. David Leigh, of Rothesay Road, Shadsworth, was at Blackburn Rovers' Ewood Park when a steward pulled him out
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Boards glad of a chance to show off
ALL Bury's local Area Boards are planning to showcase their successes and achievements and review priorities for the next 18 months. In a series of meetings and events to be held starting next week, the six Boards will be looking at the impact their own
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Villa eye-up Dunn
ASTON Villa could be ready to launch a summer bid for midfielder David Dunn. Rovers received a call yesterday from a third party said to be acting on Villa's behalf enquiring about Dunn's availability. Birmingham City are also thought to be keen on the
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Rovers bid to be crowned champions
BLACKBURN Rovers' Under 19s will attempt to be crowned the kings of England tonight when they head to Villa Park for the second leg of their national play-off final. Rovers beat Aston Villa 5-3 in a thrilling first leg at Ewood last week thanks to a stunning
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Gillespie shown the door
KEITH Gillespie today began the task of finding himself a new club after being shown the door by Rovers boss Graeme Souness. The Northern Ireland international has now been officially told that his contract won't be renewed when it expires this summer
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Brad is our number one
SKIPPER Garry Flitcroft is in no doubt about who is the Blackburn Rovers number one. Like almost every other player and pundit in the country, Flitcroft has singled out Brad Friedel as the top performer during Blackburn's run to sixth spot in the Premiership
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Final test takes Ken back to roots
A SINGER in one of the world's most famous folk groups went back to his roots for a special Preston show. Ken Nicol, a member of Steeleye Span, performed for the first time in front of an audience in the Harris Folk Club, Preston, 35 years ago -- now
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Cash boost for safety scheme
RESIDENTS living near to two accident blackspots are celebrating today after Lancashire County Council sanctioned £90,000 worth of improvements as part of a safety scheme. The first project, which will cost £35,000, will include the introduction of traffic
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Daniel's family 'playing waiting game'
THE family of missing youngster Daniel Entwistle are "playing a waiting game" according to the boy's Burnley aunt. Cath Entwistle, 40, of Bevington Close, Burnley, said the whole family were stuck in limbo waiting for news of Daniel and hoping and praying
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Cliviger Bulletin
VILLAGERS who attended the recent meeting of Cliviger Parish Council expressed concern about the removal of a section of dry stone wall in Mount Lane which has been replaced by a fence. The council will approach Lancashire County Council about whether
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MP Pike backs NHS plans
BURNLEY MP Peter Pike today revealed he is backing controversial Government plans to reform the NHS including creating free-standing Foundation Hospitals. Mr Pike said he supported the plans because they contained crucial measures for improving health
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Treasure for star-struck shoppers
A TREASURE trove for star-struck fans opens on Saturday. Local women Janice Percy and Alison Sharples have come back home to Bury after spending years in the glitzy world of showbiz. And they are using all their celebrity contacts to fill their new shop
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Flower of the week: Mayflower
JUST at the moment this delightful flower is looking its best and thrives on the damp fields overlooking streams and rivers. The scientific name is Cardamine pratensis, but over the years there have been lots of common names for this species. Lady's smock
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I'll do his washing!
POPSTAR Kevin Simm is set to return to his Lancashire roots and headline Blackburn's biggest ever free music festival. And his mum will be so pleased to see him that she's even offered to do his dirty washing! Kevin, along with the other four members
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Mike to make his mark on area's tourism
A NEW tourism development officer has been appointed in Pendle, in the hope of putting the borough on the map. Mike Williams, 39, has taken over from Alexandra Holt, who left the authority recently to take up a post with Blackpool Borough Council. He
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Five years ago
CARRY On film fan Graham Groom compiled an in-depth encyclopaedia to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the classic comedies. The 33-year-old library assistant from Meadow Street, Darwen, was praised by stars of the films for his book.
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Asbestos probe as site razed
A LONG-RUNNING row over disused garages is rumbling on today -- after they were finally demolished. Inspectors from the Environment Agency were called in after the "eyesore" garages in Belgarth Road, Accrington, were pulled down. They are investigating
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Net use on the rise
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 per cent reported for the same period in 2001. Sixty-two per cent of adults in the UK have accessed the Internet
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Code of conduct to cover Internet
THE Government has laid out its ideas for a proposed voluntary code to govern how communication firms handle calls, e-mails and web access. Information about subscribers, including names, addresses, dates of birth, should all be retained for a year, it
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Code of conduct to cover Internet
THE Government has laid out its ideas for a proposed voluntary code to govern how communication firms handle calls, e-mails and web access. Information about subscribers, including names, addresses, dates of birth, should all be retained for a year, it
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Setting seal on success
A £2.5 MILLION investment in a state-of-the-art factory is paying dividends for high-performance seals specialist Precision Polymer Engineering. Advanced manufacturing facilities in a new purpose-built factory on the Greenbank Business Park in Blackburn
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Reaping benefits of good organisation
ADVANCED production techniques were once the preserve of the multi-national manufacturers. Now, the benefits of lean manufacturing are filtering down to small and medium-sized firms. Northern Technologies is playing a major role in changing the way East
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Christmas Day off
PLANS to prevent local stores opening on Christmas Day have been welcomed by retail union USDAW. The union's general secretary, Sir Bill Connor saidthis week: "This is exactly what we wanted. It's now clear the Government agrees with us and the majority
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Chamber in call for Iraq trade deals
BOLTON and Bury Chamber is lobbying hard via The British Chambers of Commerce network to ensure that local business interests are served in the reconstruction of Iraq. With the US picking up the major costs of Iraqi reconstruction, American law states
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How Bury used to be
THE latest in a series of maps of Bury at the start of the last century has been published. The 1908 plan of north west Bury includes Elton, Woolfold, Walshaw Lane (as was) and Tottington. It shows cotton mills and associated bleach, dye and printing
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Hands off Taylor
BURNLEY have shunned enquiries for striker Gareth Taylor from First Division rivals Norwich City. The Canaries have contacted the Clarets to express their interest in the Welsh international, who has been club's leading goalscorer for the last two seasons
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Lancashire have problems to solve
LANCASHIRE were hoping to clear up two mysteries surrounding Andy Flintoff and Carl Hooper today after their Championship match against Middlesex ended in a frustrating draw. Flintoff missed the last day at Lord's because of a pain in his bowling arm
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Hands off Taylor
BURNLEY have shunned enquiries for striker Gareth Taylor from First Division rivals Norwich City. The Canaries have contacted the Clarets to express their interest in the Welsh international, who has been club's leading goalscorer for the last two seasons
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Parish gets new councillor - at last
A NEW parish councillor has been appointed to the Belmont ward after a nine-month vacancy. Martin Cowell of Chapel Street in Belmont has been sworn in as the ward's second councillor to work alongside Coun Ian Bevan. Geoff Hughes, North Turton Parish
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Jungle challenge for Callum
A DARWEN man will follow TV celebrities when he takes a charity challenge in the jungle. But unlike the team on ITV's I'm a Celebrity - Get Me Out of Here!, Callum Rigby, 29, of Prospect Avenue, will aim to complete a 100km walk through the Vietnamese
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Tributes to interim chief executive
ROSSENDALE Council's interim chief executive was due to leave the authority for the last time today. James Gravenor was brought in to lift the council after it was placed at the bottom of a national league table of councils. A report by the Audit Commission
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Bogus water caller dupes man, 76
A 76-YEAR-OLD man was duped out of his pension details by a bogus water board official. The crime happened in Stonyhurst Road, Wensley Fold, between 3pm and 3.45pm on Friday. The man knocked on the flat door and told the pensioner he had come to check
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Drive for better road techniques
DRIVERS who want to improve their safety and road technique can take part in an advanced driving course run by the Blackburn Area Road Safety Association (BARSA). The six-week course, based on the police driving manual, will start on May 20 and consists
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Tea at three for charity cuppas
TEA drinkers are invited to break out the best china and brew up to help out their local hospice next month. East Lancashire Hospice in Blackburn and Hospice Care for Burnley and Pendle in Nelson are taking part in Tea @ Three, to help fund their annual
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This week (March 14) in 1978
GERMAN INVASION: All the excitement of England v West Germany soccer was being revived at schoolboy level by a party of 35 players and three staff from Bury's Derby School. The boys, members of the school's under 14s and under 16s squads, were to spend
