Archive

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Church auction date

GLAZEBURY Methodist Church is the venue for an auction at 1pm on Saturday to boost church funds. Viewing and refreshments start at 11.30am. Contact Robert Graham on 01925 767599 or 0776 460 3255.

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Photo award

MOSLEY Common Brownies have snapped up a trophy double for their photographic work. The St John's group project "Our Favourite Things" won the Tyldesley District Trophy for 2004 and went on to win the Atherton and Tyldesley Division Trophy for 2004.

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Club closes after 53 years

FOR 53 years the Soroptimist International movement in Haslingden has given its backing to charities and projects all over the world. But the group has held its final meeting after taking the decision to fold. The branch was forced into the decision because

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Choir in fine voice

THE Flint Male Voice Choir will perform with the St Helens Concert Band at St Richards Catholic Church, Mayfield Street, Atherton, on Friday. The evening is in aid of the Children's Pilgrimage Trust and begins at 7.30pm and tickets are priced at £4. To

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Andy cheques in with £4000 from abseil

LEIGH MP Andy Burnham showed he had a head for heights last summer when he abseiled down Leigh Parish Church. Mr Burnham was just one of 50 adventurers who scaled down the Walmesley Road side of the tower and helped raise £120,000 to repair the 500 year

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John's bright idea is a blooming success

A MAJOR road in Astley is in full bloom after 10,000 daffodils flowered to welcome in the start of spring. The daffodils were planted in November last year by Councillor John Lea on Manchester Road as part of the council's Brighter Boro improvement scheme

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Jodie follows in footsteps of the May Queen

JODIE Lee Mulcrow will become the third generation of her family too be crowned Golborne May Queen next month. Ten years old Jodie Lee, a pupil of Nicole Mere School in Ashton, will follow in the footsteps of her auntie Joanne, who was May Queen in 1993

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Town centre loos open again

LEIGH'S town centre Bengal Street toilets have reopened -- with an appeal to treat them with respect. The loos which became the target for a sustained campaign of vandalism were back in action briefly last year but the dangerous condition of the roof

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Lights, camera and action for media students

MEDIA students from Bedford High School in Leigh and St Edmund Arrowsmith in Ashton-in-Makerfield have been taking part in the borough's second annual Young People's Film Festival. When a dozen students showcased a variety of short films, from pop videos

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All-woman cast for Players

A LEIGH drama group rewrite the history books with their first all-woman production. And the audience at St Joseph's Players' latest production are reminded to take along the tissues. One of the oldest societies in the world, the Players are performing

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Business Academy begins work

LEIGH'S Business Networking Academy is celebrating its move to new premises with an open day for all employers. The group, set up two years ago to bring high value, low cost business development programmes to companies, has a new base at Dam House, Astley

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Mitten sets his sights on return

Spennymoor v Radcliffe by Peter Collins RADCLIFFE Borough hope to have Josh Mitten back in their attack on Saturday as they make a final push for the Unibond League play-offs. Mitten has returned to training following a knee injury as Borough go looking

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Staff muscle in to help

A CHARITY will receive a £500 boost thanks to fundraisers at a Radcliffe firm. Staff at Remploy, on Eton Hill Road, were spurred on to raise the money for North Manchester's Muscular Dystrophy campaign, by colleague John Szeputi, who has the muscle-wasting

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Birthday 'goodbye' for Lydia

A TENTH anniversary party for a Radcliffe pre-school was also a chance for youngsters to say goodbye to school pal Lydia Pettie. The three-year-old is emigrating to Australia with her family. Footsteps pre-school, based at St Andrew's Church, off Ainsworth

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Death of Radcliffe man in Africa

A FORMER Radcliffe man has died while working in Africa. Mr Gordon Slingsby, known as Torchy, previously of Unsworth Street, died suddenly while working on an engineering contract in Mali on Saturday, April 10. Mr Slingsby (56), studied at Radcliffe Technical

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It's the business

Shahid Malik, 31 set up his Fashion boutique after being inspired by the colours and cultures of India. His boutique Red Hot Fashions opened on Whalley Range in Blackburn last year and features the latest fashions from Mumbai and Kashmir. He told us,

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Small firms must cater for disabled

More than a million small businesses are to receive information about how to prepare for big changes to disability laws, the Department for Work and Pensions has announced. Firms providing a service to the public, ranging from shops and pubs through to

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Couple's designs on victory

TWO young Blackburn business brains are gearing up to find out if they are the winners of the North West 2004 Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur Award. Samantha, 25, and Andy Bradshaw, 24, who set up the design agency Oneighty Creative Ltd in September

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Badges and Tokens of Bolton

ATHERTON Heritage Society members will hear about the history of Bolton in medallic form when speaker Cliff Stockton gives an illustrated talk on "Badges and Tokens of Bolton" on Tuesday, April 20, at 7.30pm in St Richard's Jubilee Hall.

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Sunday chemists

Asda in-store pharmacy, Asda Radcliffe: 11am-5pm. Moss Chemists, Asda Pilsworth: 10.30am-4.30pm. Tesco in-store pharmacy, Tesco, Woodfield Retail Park, Peel Way, Bury: 11am-5pm. Tesco in-store pharmacy, Tesco, Bury New Road, Prestwich: 10am-4pm.

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Stanley score new shirt deal

ACCRINGTON Stanley have signed a shirt sponsorship deal with Oswaldtwistle Mills, following the premature ending of a three-year £45,000 deal between the club and Hyndburn Council. Starting next season for two years, the Reds' shirts will feature the

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A masterful display by king Kirk

So many times the premier division has gone down to the final game and so many times one player has saved the day. So this month we pay homage to a goalkeeper who was...well..out of this world. H & T Pawnbrokers went into their game against Galligreaves

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A truthful account

The article by Sufia and Bilal Makkan was very true. The whole community can't forget the Palestinian people. And by this I don't just mean the Asian community but the WHOLE community. At the end of the day people are being killed and oppressed in their

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11-year-old Haris is boxing clever

Haris Qureshi overcame big night nerves to win his first ever boxing bout on his ring debut. The 11-year-old Audley Police Amateur Boxing Club fighter fought back his nerves as well as his Scottish opponent to win in the annual Blackburn Lions chairity

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Going for Gold

Teenager Amir Khan has set his sights on an Olympic medal after booking his place at summer's Games. The 17-year-old from Heaton goes to Athens after winning the Strandja Cup qualification tournament in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. And he said: "A lot of people

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Club hits back after ejection

A row has broken out following the removal of an under 12s team from a cup competition. Abraham Moss Warriors, who play in the Bury and Radcliffe League, were also fined £70 by the ' Lancashire Football Association (FA) after the traditional fast meant

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We should take an active part

Concerning the article about the female muslim taxi driver. I think it's about time that women started taking an active part instead of just staying at home and cooking and cleaning, which is what a lot of families want their girls to do. There is no

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'Forget the excuses and get on with it'

Every so often we come across a local sportsman who has played at the highest amateur level. This month we feature Great Harwood's MASHOOQ AHMED. FACTFILE Age: 42 Place of Birth: Jhelum, (Pakistan) Clubs (Football): Great Harwood FC (Lancashire Combination

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Some views are best forgotten

It's the ones who marry young and get the 'university of life' experience that are intelligent. Bless, what an insightful comment. Of course, the men fare well in this - don't Asian men always think they do? As for all us women who go to university (whether

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A balancing act?

I feel that Masood from Blackburn has made a really good point about our community not doing enough to improve the situation here in the UK. Yes, there is a large tendency to get involved in discussions about the Middle East, but there is nothing wrong

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A four letter word out to make a profit

It is difficult to see how a small four letter word can ignite so much hatred, remain burned in the minds and memories of our parents and fuel further controversy. 'Paki' - a word so frivolous, yet so painfully present. I remember being at primary school

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Decision day for schools

IMPORTANT decisions will be made on Monday regarding the futures of six special schools. The Wigan School Organisation Committee (SOC) will meet at Wigan Town Hall to discuss the future provisions for special education with Two Porches, and Greenhall

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'We have a duty to wider community'

'The Muslim community has a duty to build better relations with other local communities'. That was the powerful message being promoted at a national gathering held in Blackburn. The event organised by the Association of Muslim Schools UK and the Lancashire

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Money Money Money

Twenty-eight North West millionaires feature in the latest Asian Rich list launched recently and it includes Bolton's famous curry magnates who are locked in a court room battle over money. Kirit and Meena Pathak are now worth £30 million - a fortune

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Hit offenders where it hurts

IT'S probably true to say the majority of dog owners are now far more responsible than they were a few years ago. They go out armed with plastic bags and scoops to ensure their pets don't leave their mark and pose serious dangers to the health of children

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County bids for transport awards

JUDGES from the National Transport Awards are to visit Lancashire next month after Lancashire County Council was shortlisted in five separate categories. The national awards are the most highly regarded in the transport world and, as well as four nominations

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TV chef Brian pleased with our roast beef

TV CHEF Brian Turner has judged a roast beef "cook-off" for the North West region. Brian visited Northcote Manor, Langho, as part of a countrywide tour to find England's best roast beef dish in time for St George's Day. In the run-up to April 23 he is

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Vice problem is not going to go away

THEY don't call it the oldest profession in the world for nothing (LET, April 10). It is a problem not only here in Blackburn but all over the world and it is never going to go away. So why not follow the suit of other EU countries and legalise it. At

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Legalise prostitution

RE your story (LET, April 10) about prostitutes in Blackburn. Surely it's time for girls to be moved off the streets of every town and city in the British Isles. Goodness knows the situation has been here long enough. One understands the feelings of shopkeepers

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Bus service? I don't think so!

I HAVE just read the letter (LET, April 7) regarding the abysmal bus service on the No 4 route and agree with every word. I too use this so-called service along with many other people. I often see three buses go up to the top of Highercroft one after

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Decision time for sports village

THE key elements in Leigh's proposed flagship Sports Village development have all been recommended for approval by planning chiefs. A report to be discussed at a special meeting of Wigan Planning Committee on Friday indicates that conditional outline

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SO much for Easter sorting out the wheat from the chaff.

Two more games down the line, we find ourselves right back at square one again. We've always known the big games for us are Wimbledon and Derby at home next week, and after losing to Watford we now go back to to that synopsis. But first we will go to

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Christians together in witness

PARISHIONERS and members of the public marked Good Friday in Radcliffe with the annual Procession of Witness. The event began at St Mary and St Philip Neri RC church in Spring Lane, where a short service was held before the group met on the park across

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The biggest street nuisance in town

A DRUG addict named as Burnley's biggest street nuisance could be banned by law from the town centre for at least two years, a court heard yesterday. Ex-convict Adrian Wilkinson, 22, is said to wander around Burnley in a drug induced state, begging and

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Fed-up residents set up scheme

RADCLIFFE residents who initially threatened to take the law into their own hands have been given a helping hand by Bury Police. The neighbours living close to a back street, off Ainsworth Road, near the junction of Herbert Street, have now set up a Home

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Reid's late strike takes the spoils

ROVERS and United shared the points with two goals apiece at Morecambe's Christie Park last night, though it was the hosts, with Graeme Souness and his full coaching staff watching, who ought to have won. You might 'win nothing with kids' as the saying

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Woman used fake vouchers

A WOMAN who tried to obtain a toaster from a catalogue company using forged gift vouchers claimed she had found them in a bin, Bury Magistrates Court heard. Keeley Fleming, aged 32, of Bury New Road, Prestwich, admitted attempting to dishonestly obtain

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Malc's back on the blues circuit

SIXTIES heartthrob Malc Hurst is back on the road with a new band. The former lead singer with Leigh groups, The Pressmen and The Vulcans, has formed Road Crew who are now busy establishing themselves on the North West blues circuit. Malc, who was brought

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New life for club where The Beatles played

AN HISTORIC Leigh night club which played a part in The Beatles success could be transformed into an upmarket all day cafe and bar. Changes are on the cards for the town's biggest ex-theatre, cinema, dance hall and club which closed down as Ruebens nitespot

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'Walking buses' plan set to hit the streets

BURNLEY council is hoping its latest member of staff will be ringing the changes as far as the school run is concerned. A new post of travel to school officer has been approved by council bosses and one of their first jobs will be to set up "walking buses

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Youth was attacked JP with brick in street

A BURNLEY magistrate and community worker was hit on the head with a house brick as he walked home from a friend's house. Blackburn magistrates heard that as he was attacked, Mohammed Mia heard one of the two teenagers who attacked him shout: "You are

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Mayor-elect aims to improve town

THE next mayor of Padiham has set out his vision for the town. Optician Mark Jinkinson has been elected by fellow town councillors to serve as Mayor of Padiham for 2004/05. And the current deputy mayor hopes he can develop the town for both residents

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Padiham and Hapton Bulletin

THE Mayor of Padiham, Councillor Bob Clark and the Mayoress, Mrs Hazel Rushton, were the judges of an Easter Bonnet competition at the Hilton Rest Home on Good Friday. Their task was made extremely difficult by the high standard of entries, but eventually

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Union's 'fear and hatred' rap

THE largest teaching union in East Lancashire has accused the British National Party of stirring up fear and hatred in schools following a series of incidents across the area. An anti-BNP motion was signed by the National Union of Teachers at its Harrogate

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The biggest street nuisance in town

A DRUG addict named as Burnley's biggest street nuisance could be banned by law from the town centre for at least two years, a court heard yesterday. Ex-convict Adrian Wilkinson, 22, is said to wander around Burnley in a drug induced state, begging and

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Hospice is gardeners' good cause

BARROWFORD gardeners John Whitford and Brenda Ellis have been busy growing hundreds of plants to sell in aid of Hospice Care for Burnley and Pendle. John began growing plants and selling them in aid of the hospice many years ago in memory of his wife,

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Mill blaze arson fear

MORE than 50 firefighters battled to save a Radcliffe factory following a suspected arson attack. The occupants of one house next to Windsor Mill, in Bolton Road, were evacuated as fire crews tackled the inferno on Monday night. Twelve firemen wearing

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Stab victim fell into his pal's arms

A PARTY-GOER has told a court how his girlfriend's brother fell bleeding into his arms during in a street fight. Michael Stewart, whose partner Catherine was Sean Whyte's sister, told Preston Crown Court he had not seen the face of the man who stabbed

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Charity sale

A JUMBLE sale is being held to raise cash to buy equipment for the stroke unit at the Royal Bolton Hospital. The Friends of Bolton Stroke Unit need £3,500 to buy a hoist, which is used to lift patients who have suffered a stroke, into bed. The jumble

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Musicians get chance to play live and unplugged

TWO keen musicians are seeking songwriters and unplugged players to kickstart a change in local entertainment. Lowton guitarist John Ridyard and Gordon Shaw, who together make up the duo "The Big Ask" are planning to provide a platform for players at

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Bank holiday dustbin mix-up

CONFUSION over household waste collections left some Hyndburn streets full of bins over Easter. Collections are running a day late because of the Bank Holiday but some residents did not received updated timetables telling them when fortnightly collections

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Long walk for charity cash

THERE were be a few aches and pains when a father and daughter arrived at a relative's house in Hindsford. For David Swanton and 13-year-old Shellie made the 200 mile long journey from their home in Norwich to Mr Swanton's mother's house...on foot. Once

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Civic praise for skate park

GREAT Harwood's new £120,000 skateboard park and football area was officially opened yesterday by Hyndburn's mayor - with help from expert skaters and Accrington Stanley players. Coun Win Frankland unveiled the the park to visitors. It has been designed

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Decision day for schools

IMPORTANT decisions will be made on Monday regarding the futures of six special schools. The Wigan School Organisation Committee (SOC) will meet at Wigan Town Hall to discuss the future provisions for special education with Two Porches, and Greenhall

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Malc's back on the blues circuit

SIXTIES heartthrob Malc Hurst is back on the road with a new band. The former lead singer with Leigh groups, The Pressmen and The Vulcans, has formed Road Crew who are now busy establishing themselves on the North West blues circuit. Malc, who was brought

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Fire hit school is back in business

PUPILS at a fire-ravaged junior school have been playing their part in helping to rebuild the school by organising sponsored fund raising events. The 200-plus children from St John's CE, Hindley Green, have been split up between three nearby schools since

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Community paradise set to open on estate

A NEW park opens on Saturday in Atherton. It will signal the culmination of a year-long project that has transformed a drab patch of land into a creative community paradise. The Devonshire Road park at Hag Fold has got a new name, 'Peoples' Place', because

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Love in the dead zone

Now normally we don't take a closer look at most nationalistic mumbo jumbo flics. That's not because we don't want to but because most of such films tend to be extremely bad. However, in Sheen at least the film maker is trying his best to tell a story

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Getting back into the habit

It may not be the season to be merry but at least Shah Rukh still manages to raise a smile. His latest potential blockbuster sees him go back to school to foil a plot to assassinate an Army General's daughter. Producers are expecting big things of this

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Heather's school mission

A TEACHER who died in a diving accident was due to lead a school trip in a bid to share her favourite hobby with pupils, it has been revealed. Geography teacher Heather Schofield, who turned 26 last Saturday, was diving off County Kerry, Ireland, when

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Selfish owners blasted over 96 foul deeds by pets

A 100-METRE long footpath has been branded a health hazard after 96 incidents of dog fouling were reported in just a week. Environmental health bosses at Ribble Valley Council have now launched a new offensive against local dog owners -- branding the

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MP's pledge on aircraft orders

JACK Straw has promised bosses and workers at BAE Systems in Lancashire that he will step up efforts to secure more military and civil aircraft orders for the company. The Blackburn MP is continuing to lobby the Ministry of Defence for an early go-ahead

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Heera Now: Are we Right, Right Again, and Right Throughout?

A while ago now I can remember a prominent politician of a conservative persuasion arguing the point that many members of the South Asian community in Britain were in fact more akin to the ideals of the right of the political movement, than of liberalism

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Hunters back the Clarets

BURNLEY'S new shirt sponsors got their first taste of Turf Moor yesterday at the formal announcement of their bank-busting deal. Yorkshire-based Hunters Estate Agents will be the name emblazoned on home and away shirts from next season in a lucrative

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We'll play through pain barrier

DELE Adebola is urging Burnley's walking wounded to push themselves through the pain barrier at Cardiff this weekend. Adebola heads a quintet of injury concerns ahead of the Clarets crucial trip to Ninian Park, with Richard Chaplow (dead leg), Tony Grant

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DEAR MASSI

I recently got introduced to a very nice man. A friend of mine got us together. We hit it off straight away but things have taken a turn for the worse. I have just found he is already married to someone from abroad. He admitted it after I confronted him

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Old Pals corner

DAVID Rowbottom who lived in Leigh until 1965 would like to hear from anyone who remembers him -- especially neighbour Ian Snape --from the days when he lived on St Helens Road and attended secondary school in Windmere Road. He's at ironical@blueyonder.co.uk

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Edith's charity fund date

CHARITY champion Edith Willcock has spread her wings to organise a second event to boost funds for Leukaemia Research . Edith, known for her donation raising dances for numerous charities at the Monaco Ballroom, Hindley, has arranged a floral demonstration

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Missed chances cost Rossendale

GATESHEAD maintained their 100 per cent record against Rossendale with a clinical performance at Dark Lane. In a game of few chances and little entertainment, the Tynesiders took full advantage of what little they created, while Dale were guilty of wasting

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One win will do it for Colne

COLNE moved to within one point of top spot and go to Leek on Saturday knowing that a win will secure the championship. The Reds made all the early running and on 20 minutes a James Webster corner was headed home by Gavin Cooper at the near post. Pressure

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Fireman Simon hits the long and winding road...

A FIREMAN will swap fighting fires for a pair of trainers and a running vest when he pounds the streets for charity in this year's London Marathon. Dad-of-two Simon Chadwick will compete in the world-famous marathon on April 18 along with thousands of

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Priceless collection on show for first time

ILLUSTRATED books with tales of Jack the Giant Killer, Mother Goose and the Pied Piper of Hamelin are going on public show for the first time. Over 50 exhibits from the Dootson Collection will be on display at the History Shop alongside books of fables

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Rash decision to bring home bacon

A 23-YEAR-old woman on bail for shoplifting was back in court again after stealing bacon from a Bury store. Louise Margaret Carty, of Stand Lane, Radcliffe, had admitted stealing two PlayStations worth £57 belonging to Tesco, and was placed on bail awaiting

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Hope floats for carnival parade

RADCLIFFE carnival organisers are still planning to go ahead with their annual parade, despite similar events being cancelled across the region. New regulations in the Road Traffic Act introduced this year prevent people from riding on the back of floats

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Fed-up residents set up scheme

RADCLIFFE residents who initially threatened to take the law into their own hands have been given a helping hand by Bury Police. The neighbours living close to a back street, off Ainsworth Road, near the junction of Herbert Street, have now set up a Home

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Neighbours' plea to halt fly-tipping

RESIDENTS who face a fly-tipping nightmare on their doorsteps today pleaded for an end to the problem. People living in the Pot House area of Darwen are sick of rubbish being dumped nearby but do not know where to turn for help. Council chiefs claimed

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Jobs hope with £m investment

A STEEL company is investing £500,000 in its Darwen works - a move which could mean more jobs in the future. Ritherdon & Co has placed an order for a high-tech machine to boost its factory. The Lorne Street company, which employs 32 people, is the

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HFAMILIES from 6-24 Tyldesley Old Road, Hindsford have applied to Wigan planners to erect two alley

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Banned driver jailed after car theft

A DRUG addict who repeatedly got behind the wheel while banned has been jailed for four months. Burnley Magistrates heard how Stephen Robinson, 32, stole a car from Waterfoot but left blood on the dashboard breaking in. He later told police he and an

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Patient attacked nurse

A PATIENT at mental health unit attacked a nurse after being told that his visiting rights were being revoked. Blackburn magistrates heard that John Chester lunged at Sarah Holden at Queens Park Hospital, Blackburn, bruising her neck. Chester, 29, pleaded

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County signs road safety charter

LANCASHIRE County Council has agreed to improve road safety in the county - by signing up to the European Road Safety Charter. County councillor Jean Yates, cabinet member for highways and transportation in Lancashire, pledged the county's support at

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County school schedule

LANCASHIRE County Council has set out its plans for school organisation until 2008. The strategy for allocating places and long-term development has been detailed in the School Organisation Action Plan. The review takes into account a predicted decline

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We need more bin collections

I READ the statement about wheelie bin collections being changed to fortnightly from Councillor Kay which included that there will be no going back. Maybe the time has come for the people of both Blackburn and Darwen to ask themselves if the present Labour

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Writer is out of touch

IN reply to Mrs Robinson's letter dated April 7, I would like to put it to her that the reason churches are empty today is that they need to dramatically change their outlook on the human situation, as does Mrs Robinson herself. Is it not a fantastic

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Smokers are inhibiting my freedom

CAN we who don't smoke have a night out please? I think smokers have had it their way long enough. I have not had a night out for years due to suffering from asthma and not being able to go in a smoky atmosphere (so I suspect have many others). I don't

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Nursing home staff back to work

AN investigation launched after an elderly resident was injured at a Radcliffe nursing home has concluded. The three suspended care staff members from Rose Court on Water Street have been reinstated at the home, following the investigation by the National

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Cat gets stuck under bonnet

AN ESCAPED cat used up all her nine lives when she became trapped in the engine of a funeral car for five hours. Tiger, the tabby cat, was being taken to the vets by her owners when she broke free from a cardboard carry box in Spring Lane, Radcliffe.

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Paedophile carers identified in FBI probe

FIVE Lancashire children have been rescued from the care of perverts fuelling their sick lust by viewing internet child porn. They were judged to be at risk after parents or relatives were identified during an FBI investigation into a multi-million dollar

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Buggy protest held up bus for 30 minutes

A PREGNANT mum who claimed she was told to get off a bus with her two-year-old daughter, even though there was standing room, has praised First Bus for the way the firm handled her complaint. Louisa Nowrie, who lives on the Riverside Bank estate in Radcliffe

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RMI face an anxious wait for future

LEIGH RMI could have to wait until June to find out which division they will playing in next season. The Railwaymen will finish in the bottom three of the Nationwide Conference, but could get a reprieve as Margate are facing relegation unless they guarantee

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Final push

BLACKBURN striker Jonathan Stead has called for one last push as Rovers attempt to take another giant step towards safety against Leicester City on Saturday. The England Under 21 international breathed new life into Rovers' survival bid by scoring a priceless

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Police present lottery cash to charities

CHARITIES and a sports club are to receive £1,200 thanks to kindhearted police in Burnley. The Anthony Nolan Trust, Burnley Rugby Club junior section and Diabetes UK's Pendle and Rossendale Parents Support Group will benefit from equal shares of the cash

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Elderly warned of fire safety rip-off

A FIRE chief today warned people against forking out hundreds of pounds for fire safety equipment for their homes. The warning came after it was revealed that pensioner Mary Dixon, 87 paid £400 to a Merseyside company for two smoke alarms to be fitted

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Help build a better Nelson

A DETAILED action-plan to shape the development of Nelson over the next 15 years is set to be hammered out at a series of neighbourhood workshops. Residents can have their say on how they want to improve their neighbourhood by discussing topics including

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Care home staff back at work

AN investigation launched after an elderly resident was injured at a Radcliffe nursing home has concluded. The three suspended care staff members from Rose Court on Water Street have been reinstated at the home, following the investigation by the National

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Boy wonder who made a splash

DAVID Sydney Billington, born in Bacup on July 5, 1885 and baptised at St John the Evangelist Church could arguably be the world's greatest swimmer. His father was superintendent at the local swimming baths so David had early opportunities to develop

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Jobs hope with £m investment

A STEEL company is investing £500,000 in its Darwen works - a move which could mean more jobs in the future. Ritherdon & Co has placed an order for a high-tech machine to boost its factory. The Lorne Street company, which employs 32 people, is the

Date

MP's pledge on aircraft orders

JACK Straw has promised bosses and workers at BAE Systems in Lancashire that he will step up efforts to secure more military and civil aircraft orders for the company. The Blackburn MP is continuing to lobby the Ministry of Defence for an early go-ahead

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Church auction date

GLAZEBURY Methodist Church is the venue for an auction at 1pm on Saturday to boost church funds. Viewing and refreshments start at 11.30am. Contact Robert Graham on 01925 767599 or 0776 460 3255.

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10 years ago

MINIBUS safety fears following fatal accidents prompted Blackburn Council to take action. The council ran a safe driving course for all its employees who had to drive mini buses as part of their work. Burnley and District Civic trust celebrated their

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Choir in fine voice

THE Flint Male Voice Choir will perform with the St Helens Concert Band at St Richards Catholic Church, Mayfield Street, Atherton, on Friday. The evening is in aid of the Children's Pilgrimage Trust and begins at 7.30pm and tickets are priced at £4. To

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50 years ago

MANY school buildings in Blackburn were out of date and unsuitable for modern needs, Councillor G Gillibrand, vice-chairman of Blackburn's Education Committee, told Lammack Primary School Parent-Teacher Association. An announced increase in coal prices

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25 years ago

ROSSENDALE councillors were fighting against the wearing of seatbelts being made compulsory - despite overwhelming statistical evidence about the effectiveness of seatbelts in cars. At the Technical Services Committee members agreed with a proposal by

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Charity auction will benefit kids

HYNDBURN Rotarians are hosting a charity fundraising event tonight in aid of the NSPCC children's charity. Members of the Rotary Club of Church and Oswaldtwistle are holding an auction of goods and promises at Accrington's Poplar Social Club, at Wellington

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Rats on the agenda as concerns mount

RATS in Accrington were being discussed at a Hyndburn Borough Council meeting today. The meeting was called after growing concerns about the borough's rodent and litter problems. Environmental health officers have been carrying out a study in recent weeks

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New school is just what head wants

PUPILS are counting down the days until they move into a brand new super school. Staff from Spring Hill Community Primary School in Accrington are busy preparing for the big move across the road into a state-of-the-art £2.6million building which has taken

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Stanley score new shirt deal

ACCRINGTON Stanley have signed a shirt sponsorship deal with Oswaldtwistle Mills, following the premature ending of a three-year £45,000 deal between the club and Hyndburn Council. Starting next season for two years, the Reds' shirts will feature the

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Pupils take to stage to help charity runner

DRAMA staff and students dug deep into their pockets -- and their knowledge -- to help a teacher's charity wish. Lowton Community Sports College staged a drama weekend to help Sarah Cakebread run the London Marathon on behalf of her sick sister. Sarah

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New life for club where The Beatles played

AN HISTORIC Leigh night club which played a part in The Beatles success could be transformed into an upmarket all day cafe and bar. Changes are on the cards for the town's biggest ex-theatre, cinema, dance hall and club which closed down as Ruebens nitespot

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Its all a bit of fun or is it?

Friends mean everything. Well almost everything it all depends how you look at it. This comedy follows the lives of three friends as they try to spice up their dull lives. Being young isn't enough so they decide to have as much flirty fun as possible

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The wrong place, the wrong time

Man walks into a town, is offered some money to carry out a hit, meets a beautiful woman and is hounded by a corrupt cop. Sound familiar. This latest offering from the father-son team (Romu and Raj Sippy) is based on 'Red Rock West' which starred Nicholas

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In your face and over here!

The world famous Funjabis are to appear at a charity event in Blackburn. The only live Asian comedy group in the UK, their "fun-nomenal" success has propelled them across the country with sketches and visual gags. Since the launch of their live shows

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Why Bally can still take it to the max

If anyone knows what makes a good tune then the 'Godfather of Bhangra mixes' is sure to rank up there with the best. So when Channel Four needed someone to jugde their upcoming 'Bollywood Star' series who better to sit as one of the panel members. A wise

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Awards for fire rescue officers

TWO police officers who saved a woman from a blazing home have been honoured for their bravery and courage at a ceremony in Prestwich. PC Matthew Litchfield and PC Peter Walsh were presented with the Chief Constable's citation of merit during a special

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Heera Now: A simple smile can make all the difference

Arrogance, self-importance, superiority, pride, and conceit are all traits that we as human beings should avoid if we are to prosper in life. The respect of others, humility, modesty, caring, sensitivity and thoughtfulness are characteristics we should

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Heera Now: You're so vain, you probably think this article is about you

Nearly 15 years ago, when I was deep into my studies, there were not many young 'ethnics' around, believe it or not. It's not that surprising considering 80 per cent of the current ethnic minority community is under the age of 25. So in a college, or

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You must tell sister about it

In the March issue of Asian Image there was a letter concerning a 14 year-old girl whose brother-in-law was frequenting her school. I suggest you tell someone as soon as possible because it always better to be safe than sorry later. If you tell your sister

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Young Consumer's land final places

FOUR pupils from Golborne High will represent Wigan schools in next month's regional finals for the 'Young Consumer of the Year' award. Jenny Moore, Ruth Harrop, Andrea Widdows and Lianne Abrahams won the knock-out style quiz at Trafford Centre's prestigious

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Fire hit school is back in business

PUPILS at a fire-ravaged junior school have been playing their part in helping to rebuild the school by organising sponsored fund raising events. The 200-plus children from St John's CE, Hindley Green, have been split up between three nearby schools since

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Councillors surgeries

COUNCILLORS from three wards are available to meet residents at the following venues: Hope Carr: Cllrs John O'Brien and Lynne Liptrot: St Mary's Church Hall, 6pm to 6.30pm on the first Friday of the month. Cllrs Kevin Anderson and Lynne Liptrot: Albert

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Final push

BLACKBURN striker Jonathan Stead has called for one last push as Rovers attempt to take another giant step towards safety against Leicester City on Saturday. The England Under 21 international breathed new life into Rovers' survival bid by scoring a priceless

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We'll play through pain barrier

DELE Adebola is urging Burnley's walking wounded to push themselves through the pain barrier at Cardiff this weekend. Adebola heads a quintet of injury concerns ahead of the Clarets crucial trip to Ninian Park, with Richard Chaplow (dead leg), Tony Grant

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Cat gets stuck under bonnet

AN ESCAPED cat used up all her nine lives when she became trapped in the engine of a funeral car for five hours. Tiger, the tabby cat, was being taken to the vets by her owners when she broke free from a cardboard carry box in Spring Lane, Radcliffe.

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New unit is given green light

THE way is clear for a new industrial unit in Ainsworth Vale, despite concerns over heavy traffic. Improvements will now be made to Vale Street after efforts to find a new route onto the site -- currently occupied by a concrete yard -- proved a dead end

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Buggy protest held up bus for 30 minutes

A PREGNANT mum who claimed she was told to get off a bus with her two-year-old daughter -- even though there was standing room -- has praised First Bus for the way the firm handled her complaint. Louisa Nowrie, who lives on the Riverside Bank estate in

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It is goodbye from her...and her...and her!

THREE receptionists at a Radcliffe clinic have bid their colleagues a fond farewell -- at the same time. Kathleen Lawrenson (61), Sandra Barlow (60), and Julia Berry (59), have all retired from the Red Bank group practice, on Unsworth Street, after a

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Speed humps 'by summer'

RESIDENTS will be given a month to comment on plans for traffic-calming in the Greenway Street area of Darwen. Councillors have been campaigning for such a scheme for several years and at a public meeting last November, residents said they believed road

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Toy sale appeal for brave Eva

PEOPLE in Darwen are being encouraged to dig out their unwanted toys for a charity sale in aid of local youngster Eva Heeks. The appeal was made by staff at Sudellside Community Centre in a bid to get as many new or good-as-new toys to sell at the centre

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MP vows dentists' review

DARWEN MP Janet Anderson has promised to look into the lack of NHS dentists in her home town after a resident was told the nearest available NHS surgery was in Clitheroe. The MP, who raised concerns in 2002 when a similar problem arose in Rossendale,

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Eight-mile stroll for exploration

RESIDENTS will get chance to explore northern parts of Ramsbottom on Sunday with an eight-mile stroll from Burrs Country Park to one of Rossendale's best-known landmarks. The walk to Ramsbottom's Peel Tower will be along easy terrain and led by one of

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Free swim lessons reward for parents who help

FREE swimming lessons will be on offer at a Rossendale pool later this month as parents and toddlers are asked to help with a specialist training course for swimming coaches. Marl Pits pool, which will be hosting an adult and child instructors' course

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Charity match in fan's memory

AN ALL-STAR charity soccer match postponed because of bad weather is set to kick off later this month. Rossendale United FC are gearing up for the clash with a Manchester United Xl in at Dark Lane, Newchurch, on Tuesday, April 27, in memory of popular

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'Amateur' burglar spared prison

A BURGLAR who struck at two Rossendale clubs has won his freedom to try and kick his drug habit. Father-of-one Wayne Joseph Banham, 34, stole cash from Spring Terrace Working Men's Club, in Rawtenstall, and the town's conservative club a month apart.

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Badges and Tokens of Bolton

ATHERTON Heritage Society members will hear about the history of Bolton in medallic form when speaker Cliff Stockton gives an illustrated talk on "Badges and Tokens of Bolton" on Tuesday, April 20, at 7.30pm in St Richard's Jubilee Hall.

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Clubs raider drugs order

A NIGHT-TIME raider who struck at two East Lancashire clubs has won his freedom to try and kick his drug habit. Father-of-one Wayne Joseph Banham, 34, stole cash from Spring Terrace Workingmen's Club, Rawtenstall, and the town's Conservative Club a month

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Recognition for Trust volunteers

A GROUP of young volunteers who gave Rossendale Hospice a facelift are to receive personal commendations for their dedication. Fire and Prince's Trust chiefs are to praise the efforts of the volunteers from the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service's Prince's

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Charity sale

A JUMBLE sale is being held to raise cash to buy equipment for the stroke unit at the Royal Bolton Hospital. The Friends of Bolton Stroke Unit need £3,500 to buy a hoist, which is used to lift patients who have suffered a stroke, into bed. The jumble

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Edith's charity fund date

CHARITY champion Edith Willcock has spread her wings to organise a second event to boost funds for Leukaemia Research . Edith, known for her donation raising dances for numerous charities at the Monaco Ballroom, Hindley, has arranged a floral demonstration

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Ex-pro's tales

EX-PRO Ian Seddon recalled tales of his sporting life to members of Tyldesley Probus Club. After showing exceptional ability at both football and cricket in his schooldays Ian signed professional forms for Bolton in 1967 and made numerous first team appearances

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Garden expert shares its secrets

A SUCCESSFUL garden centre has been asked to share its secrets with its German counterparts. Bents Garden Centre at Glazebury was recently ranked amongst the top three garden centres in the country in an annual audit, which can be likened to the hotel

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Arts fans have gone to pieces

ARTS fans in Atherton have gone to pieces and created a stylish mosaic to celebrate the opening of a new community park. The colourful, all-weather mosaic with a community theme has become the centrepiece at the People's Place on the Hag Fold estate due

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Young Consumer's land final places

FOUR pupils from Golborne High will represent Wigan schools in next month's regional finals for the 'Young Consumer of the Year' award. Jenny Moore, Ruth Harrop, Andrea Widdows and Lianne Abrahams won the knock-out style quiz at Trafford Centre's prestigious

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Scouts on the airwaves

ATHERTON Scout headquarters took on the role of a radio station when 2nd Atherton Scouts went on the air with the help of West Manchester Radio Club. Using the club call signs GX6FSA and GX4MWC from their Leigh Road HQ, the scouts tuned in to short wave

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Musicians get chance to play live and unplugged

TWO keen musicians are seeking songwriters and unplugged players to kickstart a change in local entertainment. Lowton guitarist John Ridyard and Gordon Shaw, who together make up the duo "The Big Ask" are planning to provide a platform for players at

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Hats off to milliner Ellen, 101

ELLEN Creed, a nursing home resident in Radcliffe, has celebrated her 101st birthday with family and friends. The former milliner, from Blackburn, has been at Rose Court, in Water Street, since 2002, and is visited every week by her granddaughter Linda

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Flu jab a hit

A RECORD number of people took up the flu jab over the winter. Figures out this week show that 70.2 per cent of those aged 65 and over in Greater Manchester were vaccinated against the virus compared to 67.4 per cent last year. Professor Martyn Regan,

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Caring children

A TEAM of caring youngsters from a Radcliffe primary school has raised £100 for guide dogs. A group of ten pupils from Cams Lane's Muddy Paws club raised the money through a 'guess the toy dog' competition after taking part in workshops about guide dogs

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Stolen bike used in armed raid

A MOTORBIKE stolen from Radcliffe was used in an armed raid in Oldham. The Yamaha machine was later destroyed by fire after the robbery at Greenfield Post Office on Tuesday morning. Detectives in Saddleworth are keen to hear from anyone who may have witnessed

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Council initiative offers grant assistance

Pendle Council's Business Support Unit is offering businesses within the Borough the opportunity to apply for grant assistance to help create new employment opportunities and safeguard existing jobs. This is part of continuing work of the Business Support

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Dean prays for people to be poets

A CLERGYMAN has begun a new mission -- to ensure East Lancashire writers don't ignore National Poetry Day. The Very Rev Christopher Armstrong, Dean of Blackburn, is urging schoolchildren to join the biggest ever East Lancashire poetry competition. There

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Blaze reveals 'drug works'

A CANNABIS factory was uncovered by fire fighters yesterday after they attended a Blackburn town centre blaze. Blackburn firefighters were called to an electrical fire in Byrom Street at the former two-storey AD Upholstery building at 10.55am. The fire

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Support group will get over 50s out and about

A NEW service to support isolated, elderly people on a Blackburn estate is being launched this weekend. The group, known as NAG101, which stands for Neighbourhood Action Group 101, will help over-50s get out and about. NAG101 will be based in a flat on

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Shock scenes lead to fresh inquiry call

SHOCKING television images last night showed former paratrooper Christopher Alder's last moments as he fought for life on a police station floor. But Home Secretary David Blunkett has refused to bow to pressure for a public inquiry, saying he would not

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Shop staff face masked raiders

TERRIFIED staff were threatened as three masked raiders rampaged through a jewellers with baseball bats and hammers. As we reported in our final edition yesterday, raiders had struck earlier in the day at Humberstones Watch and Diamond Gallery, King William

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Modern matron's quality aim

A BLACKBURN mother of two is getting ready to become a local hospital's first modern matron. Elaine Leeson takes charge at Longridge Community Hospital later this month as the first of the new-style matrons for Preston Primary Care Trust. Elaine, who

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Our son had so much to live for

THE parents of a man believed to have committed suicide after his girlfriend's death today spoke of his final call home and said: "He had everything to live for." Christine and Allan Tait, from Blackburn, said their son Andrew, 27, loved life and had

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Paedophile carers identified in FBI probe

FIVE Lancashire children have been rescued from the care of perverts fuelling their sick lust by viewing internet child porn. They were judged to be at risk after parents or relatives were identified during an FBI investigation into a multi-million dollar

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Easier living in world of gismos

FILLING up a cup or kettle with water is easy for most people but what if your sight is impaired? How would you know if you had left a light on or know what temperature to set the cooker to? These are questions many people do not know the answer to unless

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Calcutt fears for future

MARAUDING midfielder Dean Calcutt admits that his Accrington Stanley future could be out of his hands. After a season frustratingly punctuated by injuries and suspensions, the former Bradford Park Avenue player believes manager John Coleman has already

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College Courses

Accrington and Rossendale College has organised a number of part-time courses for groups as part of a training and learning for communities programme. People of all ages and all abilities are invited to take advantage of the courses and learn new skills

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Debt fear

Young teachers leave university saddled with debts of up to £15,000, a survey shows. Tuition fees and student loans hit students on "traditional" four-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree courses the hardest, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers

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Prizes offer

Young people in Bolton are being given the chance to win £250 of shopping vouchers - simply by dropping into their local Connexions centre. As part of a new campaign to contact all 16 to 18-year-olds in the borough, the service for young people is offering

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Prince of fashion drops in at Uni

His clientele includes the Royal families of Malaysia and Brunei and his clothes have graced catwalks all over the world. Malaysia's Prince of fashion and designer of the year visited University of Central Lancashire students this month to give a talk

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Healthcare costs are a big turn-off

More than three-quarters of students do not know what help they are entitled to with healthcare costs, a survey has revealed. The National Union of Students (NUS) urged students to apply for financial help with prescriptions and other costs, especially

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LETTER: I have a few comments I would like to make...

It was a near flawless performance by myself and the team , when we beat Mill Hill FC (undefeated all season) 2-1. The fact that we have tried to achieve this task for 5 years....and under our new manager we have managed to do it in half a season is something

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'Convenience' is the reason

Regarding the article Pick'n'mix is the Fresh way Forward I personally think this practice of calling people over from abroad stinks. It has a lot to do with the family's convenience because they have a free babysitter, a maid, or should I say a servant

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Youngsters are invited to mosques

I read the article entitled, 'A simple smile can make all the difference' with amazement. It is true that Islam teaches us to be pious and compassionate but I thought there was a huge generalisation on mosques. Most mosques are very open to the younger

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Losing our morals

I enjoy reading your paper and particularly all the issues that affect us in so many different ways. I wanted to raise awareness of the treatment of elderly people. I worked for a while in a voluntary organisation which looks after old people. I was made

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Smarter, wiser and no we haven't lost the plot

With regards to the article 'You're so vain you probably think this article is about you'. It's what you would expect from a narrow minded individual. Did I go to university? Yes. Did I complete my degree in combined? - yes. Am I currently in a profession

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Intelligent? I'd say there are quite a few of us

"Fact: A caveman's brain size is the third of the size of the modern man" The author of the all so, 'non-sexiest, non-racist' article (You're so vain you probably think this article is about you - Asian Image March issue) portrays his outlook of the modern

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Lights, camera and action for media students

MEDIA students from Bedford High School in Leigh and St Edmund Arrowsmith in Ashton-in-Makerfield have been taking part in the borough's second annual Young People's Film Festival. When a dozen students showcased a variety of short films, from pop videos

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Factory damaged in blaze

FIRE swept through a factory roof on a trading estate on Wednesday night after hundreds of wooden pallets were set alight in a suspected arson attack. Seventy firefighters were confronted by flames more than 20ft high as they battled to prevent the fire

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Free May day unity festival

AMA-award winners Metz & Trix will play alongside other big urban names this May Day in Manchester - on a free outdoor stage. Love Music Hate Racism and Unite have teamed up with electronic music festival Futuresonic to present a free live music event

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Harmony event calls for understanding

World peace and community harmony was on the Agenda at an event in Blackburn. The dinner event held on the first anniversary of the start of the Iraq war was entitled 'One Community - One Britain' and was organised by Blackburn with Darwen Racial Equality

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Saucy undies poster is torn

A billboard poster for G-string undies featuring four women's bottoms was damaged close to a Bradford mosque. Protesters ripped the Sloggi poster in outrage at the location on Manningham Lane. It is the latest in a series of incidents where posters have

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GP is cleared of all sex charges

An elderly GP accused of groping a teenage childminder 25 years ago has been cleared of all charges. Dr Barkat Chowdhury, 62, of Telford was said to have molested the 14-year-old girl while his twin sons were playing in the bath. But she only contacted

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CRE chief praises pupils attitudes

Children from one North West high school could help rid Britain of racism. That was the dramatic claim made by the chief of the Commission for Racial Equality during a visit to Moor Park High School, in Preston the most ethnically diverse school in Lancashire

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Store owner vows to carry on

A Manchester store owner has vowed to carry on after raiders stole thousands of pounds worth of games and consoles barely a month after he opened. Faisal Ali says theives forced their way into an interior yard, through a metal door grill, back door and

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UK wide Hindu forum launch

Over 100 Hindu organisations have got together to form a pan-UK body. The Hindu Forum of Britain (HFB) was launched on 20th March 2004 by member organisations from the regional Hindu Councils of Brent, Harrow, Birmingham, Leicester and the North. The

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Tributes paid to crash dad

A woman told of the moment she discovered her brother had been killed and her husband seriously injured in a head-on smash. Naila Hussain, 21, and her family paid tribute to Mohammed Raheel Hussain who died on Friday April 2 after his sports car collided