Archive
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Top award for guiders
THE highest award for Guiding has been presented to two youngsters to mark their hard work and commitment. Fifteen-year-olds Jillian Taylor and Jennifer Campbell, from the 12th Radcliffe Guides, Ainsworth, have received the Baden-Powell Award. The troupe
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Top orchestra boosts college
MUSIC lessons were jazzed up at Holy Cross College on Friday with a visit by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Musicians from the acclaimed ensemble staged special workshops for students on the AS music studies course. With the expert advice of the professional
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Baffled by pupil spending figures
Chancellor Gordon Brown said the government was spending £5,000 on every child in Britain. If the figure was correct it is all the more astonishing that nearly 1.3million children are leaving school illiterate. Coun D PEARSON, St Michaels Court, Blackburn
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Easter Time
It's Easter time, again, rabbits and chocolate eggs, "Can I go to the fair?" the little child begs? White envelopes with Easter cards arrive by post, People can't decide which bit they like the most! Everybody's very busy, we' re having a good time, We
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Who will pay for one-off rebate?
HURRAH! If Labour wins the next election pensioners can expect a one-off payment of £200 towards council tax (helpful but not enough). Also free bus passes for pensioners -- very nice and about time. But who at the end of the day is going to have to pay
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Simple system for our senior citizens
HOWARD Burkhardt is so right when he complains of the utter insensitivity of the new pensions payment system. My mother is 91 and, like so many others, can neither see properly nor remember what day it is, let alone a pin number. But there is a way, Mr
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OAPs aren't all treated equally
I AM 60, a pensioner since last August 2004 and I pay nearly £70 per month tax on pension, plus council tax less 25 per cent. I am a single person living in my own home. I have a carer plus meals on wheels as I am disabled, but that makes no difference
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Reid wants centre stage
STEVEN Reid has set his sights on nailing down a regular place in the centre of Mark Hughes' midfield. The Republic of Ireland international, who joined Blackburn Rovers in a £2.5 million deal from Millwall at the beginning of last season, has been a
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Pre-teen booze raid
A GANG of six children, some aged as young as 10, stole 12 crates of booze worth £444 from a pub cellar. The youngsters -- believed to be aged between 10 and 13 -- removed a cover to get into the cellar of the Shakespeare Hotel, Wytham Street, Padiham
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Crackdown on violence
CRIMINALS are to be given treatment to stop them beating their partners -- even if they have never been convicted of domestic violence. New Lancashire Probation Service boss Bob Mathers (right) revealed the crackdown after being unveiled as the chief
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City backs witch trail
TOURISTS are being pointed towards a new attraction - the Pendle Witches Trail. Lancaster city council has joined with Ribble Valley, Pendle and Lancashire County Councils to promote the historic characters. New road signs are helping visitors to trace
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Eight in court after cash laundering probe
EIGHT people - including two solicitors and an accountant - have appeared in court in connection with a police investigation into alleged money laundering. Burnley lawyers Richard Farnworth and Dermot Woodhead and accountant Stephen Heap were among a
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Never again
THE grieving grandmother of a toddler who died in his drunken childminder's bath was meeting a Government minister today to demand tighter care restrictions. Cathy Massey hit out after it was revealed Wendy Barlow was allowed to look after children despite
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Suicide rate shock
SUICIDE rates in parts of East Lancashire are twice as high as the national average, a shock new report has revealed. The number of people taking their own lives is especially high in Pendle where the latest figures show more than 18 out of every 100,000
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Church pioneers prison project
CHURCH chiefs in Lancashire are to pioneer a £1.4 million project aimed at reducing crime. Home Office funding will finance a three year pilot scheme to offer support to prisoners and their families in four prisons. It will see 14 new Church of England
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Country village goes ahead
A VILLAGE housing more than 600 people is still on the cards for a rural site near Hey-sham. Planning consent for developers CJ homes to build the 650-unit development on the the former Pontins site (pictured) at Middleton was granted by the Secretary
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Clocks go back in Lancaster
LIME juice will be at a premium in Lancaster this weekend as thousands upon thousands of shanty-singing sailors hit the city the Maritime Festival and Trafalgar Victory Fair. Lime juice, you ask? Well, it will be needed to go with their preferred tipple
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Town's future looks healthy
BUILDING work on Nelson's new state-of-the-art health centre is nearing completion. Health bosses hope to be given the keys to the £6.5million Yarnspinners Health Centre on April 4 and will move staff into the building during April and May. The Grade
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River bank litter louts 'could kill wildlife'
LITTER louts who have turned Radcliffe's river banks into a rubbish dump have been condemned. Environmentalits fear for the area's wildlife if action is not taken to clear up the mess by the River Irwell. Cartons, wrappers and packets have been dumped
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Veggie garden helpers wanted
VOLUNTEERS are needed to help give two overgrown allotments in Colne a new lease of life. The area at the bottom of Basil Street in Waterside has become increasingly overgrown and covered in litter but now the site is being cleared to make way for a community
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Artwork now a Pals tribute
AN architect behind plans for public art on the hills above Accrington today said his updated design was a "homage" to the Accrington Pals. More detailed proposals, drawn up during ongoing public consultation, have gone on display this week at venues
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Don't be fooled by Hest Bank sage
YET again I have to warn Citizen readers to not to believe anything Mr Michael Jackson says about the Labour Party in general or me in particular. The sage of Hest Bank has never been one to let facts get in the way of his opinions and vendettas - and
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Forget the party politics
I REFER to Cllr Whittaker's letter in last week's Citizen where he proudly announced a council tax increase of 4.8 per cent I find it hard to believe that there is any cause for celebration in beating the outrageous council tax budgets of the last six
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Trees gave us a green dilemma
I WRITE following your report on the trees that have been felled by the side of the girls' grammar school playing fields - this is a long and complicated saga. Originally, the new path was to go either side of the line of trees and we stipulated this
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International comes to Christie Park
INTERNATIONAL football comes to Morecambe's Christie Park next week. The Denmark Under-19 squad will square up to rivals Moldova in the UEFA Under 19 Elite Round qualifying competition at Morecambe. The match will be played on Easter Monday evening, March
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Champion women look to next season
VALE of Lune ladies are officially champion - and will now be playing top-flight national rugby union next season. The Powder House Lane women have swept all before them this season and been crowned Premiership Two champions. They have now accepted promotion
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Marsh close gap at top
MARSH United have moved to within six points of North Lancashire Football League leaders Kirkby Lonsdale with a 4-1 victory over Ingleton. Chris Bibby gave Ingleton an early lead but man-of-the-match Neil Marshall equalised from the penalty spot before
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Celtic steal points as strikers fire blanks
LANCASTER City crashed to a third straight Conference North defeat as strugglers Stalybridge Celtic snatched three points that should have stayed in the Red Rose capital, writes Matt Donlan. City didn't play badly but were guilty of missing their chances
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Thanks a million - community plan hits block
A £1 million black hole has appeared in a project to develop a new community centre for Heysham. Sport England has pulled the plug on funding it promised towards the multi-million pound project for the Heysham Mossgate site. New medical and dental surgeries
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Steve's sunny delight
STEVE Cotterill today gave Burnley's Mediterranean mini-break a big thumbs-up. The Clarets are taking advantage of a long-overdue gap between games to enjoy five days in the spring sunshine. And the manager believes the mix of relaxed training and rest
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Pubs back in business
TWO historic pubs have re-opened their doors with a new look following major upgrades. The Old Hall in Heysham - a building which originates from Tudor times - and The Three Mariners on St George's Quay, Lancaster, have been refurbished by Mitchell's
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Steve's sunny delight
STEVE Cotterill today gave Burnley's Mediterranean mini-break a big thumbs-up. The Clarets are taking advantage of a long-overdue gap between games to enjoy five days in the spring sunshine. And the manager believes the mix of relaxed training and rest
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£2m by-pass on collision course
A LEADING Waterfoot councillor is calling for a £2million by-pass proposal to solve rush hour traffic to be scrapped. Labour councillor David Hancock said a by-pass avoiding the town centre would destroy businesses. But Lancashire County Council chiefs
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Never again
THE grieving grandmother of a toddler who died in his drunken childminder's bath was meeting a Government minister today to demand tighter care restrictions. Cathy Massey hit out after it was revealed Wendy Barlow was allowed to look after children despite
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Nursery pledge
BLACKBURN MP Jack Staw has thrown his weight behind a campaign to save Queen's Park Hospital nursery. Staff threatened to walk out last week after health chiefs announced the on-site nursery faced closure to help stem £5.5million debts. East Lancashire
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Blame fly-tipping on Euro legislation
THE reason that fly-tipping in our communities is increasing is not simply because people are too lazy to go to their local tip. It is indirectly because of the crazy EU legislation which has put pressure on individuals and companies to dispose of waste
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Carney injury blow for Wigan
WIGAN Warriors' Great Britain winger Brian Carney will be sidelined for up to six weeks with a knee ligament injury he suffered in the last minute of the thumping victory over Leigh Centurions last Friday. It is yet another injury blow to Carney and Wigan
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Ferris quits Centurions
AUSTRALIAN Jason Ferris and Leigh Centurions have parted company with immediate effect. Ferris joined the Centurions for their inaugural season in engage Super League but found adapting to life in the UK difficult, especially with his family staying in
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Directors quit Centurions
TWO of the three Leigh Centurions executive directors - Derek Beaumont and Stephen Blakeley - have resigned. The pair quit on Tuesday with immediate effect, leaving Phil Coffey as the sole surviving executive director of engage Super League's bottom club
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TOMORROW
BLACKBURN "Ragdolls" -- A Girls' Night Out, Thwaites Empire Theatre, Ewood, 7.30pm. Meditation, Central Library, Town Hall Street, 7pm-9pm. "Self or Others?" "Fused" Textile Exhibition by Action Factory Artists, The Lewis Textile Museum, Museum Street
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Keeping our children safe
WE can only begin to imagine the agony felt by the family of toddler Joshua Massey-Hodgkinson. Most parents have left a youngster in the care of a childminder at some time or another and that's why what happened to Joshua is so important. Childminding
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Animal cruelty makes blood boil
I WAS horrified to read of the animals a pet shop owner left to die, after he boarded up his shop (LET, March 19). The court was told he was an animal lover at heart -- words fail me. He was said to have been overtaken by a bout of illness and that he
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It's just a drive to catch the motorists' vote
I HAVE been following with interest the story of the M65 widening. I find it highly amusing that MP Greg Pope is to support this proposal, after all he is the man who decided it was a good idea to allow unfair trials by championing the new offence of
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Raiders attacked shopkeeper
TWO men who had taken a cocktail of drink and drugs, grabbed a shopkeeper round the neck before escaping with a handful of cigarettes and a few cans of beer. Tate, aged 29, Tamar Grove, Leigh, and Grugel, aged 20, of Chadwell Grove, Leigh, pleaded guilty
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Never again
THE grieving grandmother of a toddler who died in his drunken childminder's bath was meeting a Government minister today to demand tighter care restrictions. Cathy Massey hit out after it was revealed Wendy Barlow was allowed to look after children despite
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Reid wants centre stage
STEVEN Reid has set his sights on nailing down a regular place in the centre of Mark Hughes' midfield. The Republic of Ireland international, who joined Blackburn Rovers in a £2.5 million deal from Millwall at the beginning of last season, has been a
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Anger as lives put at risk
FIRE chiefs have blasted firebugs for putting lives at risk by setting a derelict shop ablaze. The fire, in Calderbrook Avenue, Burnley at 11pm last night destroyed the property - in a row of boarded up shops that are waiting for demolition. But fire
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Man in street 'attack' dies
A MAN has died five months after suffering serious head injuries following an alleged street attack in Burnley. Today police were due to re-interview a man charged with wounding after the incident and were considering new charges. Damien Smyth died in
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Health chiefs launch new jobs pack
A UNIQUE recruitment pack to persuade people to consider the joys and challenges of working with people with learning disabilities has been launched. It includes a CD-rom, website and video featuring local people with learning disabilities living very
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Uni wants more bright kids
TALENTED youngsters with a penchant for learning will study subjects from Elvis to Einstein at Lancaster University, this summer. For the National Academy of Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY) is once again running summers schools at the university campus
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Campaigners lose nursery battle
THE last glimmer of hope has faded for campaigners fighting to keep a well-loved Lancaster nursery open. Lancashire County Council voted to shut Greaves Park Nursery School last year - though the ultimate decision laid with the Lancashire schools organisation
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Police Academy III - the new recruits
TEN new police officers began their training in Morecambe this week. They are the third set of recruits to be based in the resort after the success of the original Morecambe police training project. It revolutionised the way new officers are trained up
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Whoops - bank admits charge error
A HIGH street bank and electric company are at the centre of a cash controversy that has left Lancaster people out of pocket. Customers trying to pay their Powergen electricity bill at the Natwest Bank have faced a surcharge if they do not have an account
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Gran on the run
A GRANDMOTHER inspired by the strength and determination of kids suffering from leukaemia says she is confident she can run 26 miles to help them. Christine Kitchen's grandson Lewis, now aged four, was only five months old when he was rushed to Pendlebury
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Security gate will foil the fly-tippers
A SECURITY gate is to be installed to block the King's Highway in Huncoat in an attempt foil fly-tippers. The road, which comes off the A679 Burnley Road, has been used for some time by people illegally dumping waste. Farms at the top of the road have
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Man escapes in carjack attempt
A GANG of masked men smashed into a motorist's car as they tried to steal his vehicle. The 33-year-old man was followed down Duckworth Street in Prestwich by a red Escort or Cavalier carrying three men wearing balalavas. One of the gang, who was wearing
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People have long memories
PEOPLE vote Labour in the West End of Morecambe because they remember the mess made by the various Tory administrations of the Eighties. The rot set in 20 years ago when Morecambe had a Tory-controlled local council and a Tory Government in Whitehall
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What's the point when nobody listens
SOME months ago it was announced that the public conveniences on the library car park in Morecambe and on the promenade at Bare were to be closed because of vandalism and 'inappropriate use'. This announcement was met by a storm of protest on behalf of
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Stick to the bypass facts
I WRITE following M R Jackson's letter in regard to the Northern bypass route (Citizen, last week). Often in the past I've found this correspondent's style of writing abrasive and over-reliant on assertions that I suspect are not always supported by the
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Why is pool costing so much?
THE swimming pool at Salt Ayre was opened to the public in September 1997 - six months late and £1.5 million over budget but completed 'to the very highest standards', according to the Town Hall. Last week we were told the pool is to close for three months
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Support this new railway workers' campaign
I WISH to condemn outright the recent irresponsible statement of Alistair Darling, Minister for Railways, to the effect that 'underused' rail lines will or may be closed, downgraded or replaced with buses or light rail. And I am sure I am not alone in
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Blues need a big finish
PHIL Wilson wants his players to finish the season on a high after a third straight defeat on Saturday. City played quite well against Stalybridge- but paid the full penalty for their profligacy in front of goal. Those misses have been costly for the
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Late Show sinks City
LANCASTER City could be at the centre of another traffic delay probe after Saturday's Giant Axe clash with Stalybridge Celtic didn't start until 3.30pm. The 30-minute delay to kick-off followed on from City's non-appearance for their game with Runcorn
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Stanley hoodoo dents play-off dream
BOGIE side Accrington Stanley stole the bragging rights again as Morecambe suffered in a game they should have won at the Interlink Express Stadium. A 2-1 defeat to your play-off rivals is bad enough - but when they are managed by one of your former players
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Resort echoes return
GUIDED tours of Morecambe's Art Deco heritage will take place over the Easter holiday - taking in landmark buildings from the resort's 1930's heyday. Guide Peter Wade will examine past attractions such as the super swimming stadium and Midland Hotel,
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Cockling in the spotlight
COCKLING in Morecambe Bay is to come under the microscope at a special seminar. Anyone can join in the session planned to look into all the issues surrounding cockling and its management. Recent developments to improve the situation - including the permit
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Castle in focus
A SERIES of fascinating talks about the history of Lancaster and its castle are set for this year. The 'Hidden History' talks which start in June cover a variety of subjects from 'transportation' to the colonies to ghosts. The programme is: Thursday,
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College's training boost
BURY-based Training Solutions has been ranked as one of the best training providers in the north west. For the apprenticeship training division of Bury College has received a grade 2 in its latest re-inspection report. Training Solutions has developed
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Traders are reassured
DARWEN market traders have been reassured that they will be consulted over the latest regeneration proposals for the town centre before any work is carried out. The promise came during a public meeting which was arranged after traders claimed that the
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Postie Jimmy in clear after gaffe
THE Royal Mail has confirmed that no action is to be taken against postman Jimmy Eaton after he appeared on the front of a Conservative Party newsletter wearing his uniform. Jimmy - a Conservative councillor in Rossendale - faced disciplinary action after
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Rhinos clash switched back
CENTURIONS have confirmed that the fixture against Leeds Rhinos will not now be moving to Sunday, May 15, but will remain as scheduled on Friday, May 13, with an 8pm kick-off.
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Crackdown on violence
CRIMINALS are to be given treatment to stop them beating their partners -- even if they have never been convicted of domestic violence. New Lancashire Probation Service boss Bob Mathers (right) revealed the crackdown after being unveiled as the chief
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'Smells' firm could close
A PET food company which has been at the centre of a smells row is facing possible closure. Dugdale Davies Ltd, on Shadsworth industrial estate, Blackburn, has gone into administration, and is now for sale. The firm, dating back to 1924, has been caught
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Clare's big chill
A WOMAN set to push herself to the limit in the North Pole is preparing for the sub-zero temperatures by sleeping in a giant freezer. Clare Winnick, 40, of Helmshore, will take part in the Polar Race 2005 from April 1 across some of the world's most hostile
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Suicide rate shock
SUICIDE rates in parts of East Lancashire are twice as high as the national average, a shock new report has revealed. The number of people taking their own lives is especially high in Pendle where the latest figures show more than 18 out of every 100,000
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Marvellous Mullin's double rocks Island
DELIGHTED Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman was quick to praise a "superb" performance by two-goal hero Paul Mullin as his side boosted their Nationwide Conference play-off hopes with an important win on the Essex coast. "I doubt whether you'll
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Good Friday squads announced
SQUADS for Leigh Centurions' clash with Widnes Vikings at The Halton Stadium, on Good Friday have been announced. Widnes 20-man squad is Connolly, Moule, Hughes, Emelio, Craigie, O'Connor, O'Neill, Stankevitch, Finnigan, Hulse, Whitaker, Frame, Mills,
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Gates cash blow for Centurions
POOR attendances for their three home Engage Super League fixtures have forced Leigh Centurions to put a block on any more immediate new signings. Leigh officials were particularly dismayed at a gate of just 4,239 for the Hilton Park clash with last season's
