Archive

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Boy, 16, charged with rape

A TEENAGE boy has been charged with raping a schoolgirl. Detectives said they are still hunting two others in connection with the incident on Thursday night, in which a 15-year-old girl told police she had been driven around Burnley and Nelson and sexually

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Villagers vow to fight cricket club plan

RESIDENTS have vowed to fight to prevent a historic cricket club from being forced to leave their ground. Supporters of Stacksteads Cricket Club are planning to apply for village green status for Waterbarn Recreation Ground to stop the club from having

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Sharp in talks with Canaries

SCUNTHORPE striker Billy Sharp is in talks with Norwich over a possible £2million transfer. The 21-year-old, who has been linked with Burnley earlier in the summer, was the leading scorer in League One last season with 30 goals as United won the title

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Treasure hunt day

THIS Friday sees a Navigational Treasure Hunt starting at Accrington Cricket Club, Thornyholme Rd, Accrington. All are welcome, if interested you need to contact Steve Johnson on 01254 392663 or Dave Barratt on 01254 384127. For details, you can also

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Academy delay 'hitting pupils'

THE proposed head for the controversial Darwen academy has complained that delays to the scheme are damaging youngsters' education. Brendan Loughran, appointed as the designate principal for the academy, gave evidence in support of the Darwen Academy

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Addict stole trousers

A Blackburn man was jailed for seven days by the town's magistrates after pleading guilty to stealing two pairs of trousers from T J Hughes. The court imposed the sentence after hearing that Marc Hollins, 32, of Surrey Road, had been jailed for 30 days

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150 jobs to go at Darwen factory

MORE than 150 workers at a major company are to lose their jobs after it was bought by a German firm. Wolstenholme International Ltd, a manufacturer of ink products, is based in Lower Eccleshill Road, Darwen, and was established in 1938. German company

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£10,000 for town clock renovation

A TOWN centre's historic focal point is set to be brought back into use following a £10,000 renovation. The hands of the Victorian clock tower in Rawtenstall, which have not ticked for decades, are to be put into motion once again as part of the face-lift

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Husband, 76, abused wife when drunk

A 76-year-old man had to be arrested after his wife called police because he was drunk and being abusive. Blackburn magistrates heard that Thomas Menzies McDonald refused to leave the house despite his wife Ivy, 80, telling police she was worried about

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Jayasuriya relishing Lancs Test

SRI Lanka legend Sanath Jayasuriya admits he is relishing the prospect of his month at Lancashire. The 37-year-old has arrived at Old Trafford on a short-term contract to cover Muttiah Muralitharan, who is currently involved in Sri Lanka's three-match

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Community centre may move

COUNCILLORS in one of the most deprived areas of Burnley fear that disadvantaged people could miss out if a 'valuable' community centre is taken out of the area. There are fears that the Access Point could be moved away from its base in Daneshouse Road

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Japanese prisoner Bill 'had heart of gold'

A SECOND World War veteran who was held in a brutal Japanese prisoner of war camp for three years has died. William Whittaker, known as Bill, was starved and beaten by his captors and even contracted malaria while he was held on the tropical island of

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Peter’s ride for cancer support

A FATHER-OF-TWO has raised thousands of pounds for cancer charities by touring the country on a motorbike. Peter Barraclough, of Padiham Road, Burnley, raised £5,000 when he rode 4,000 miles in 10 days on a 1,000cc Honda motorcycle with friend Ian Newton-Brown

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Charity founder's honour

THE hard work of a charity fundraiser has been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours List. Olwyn Keogh, from Chipping, formed Friends of Chernobyl's Children 12-years-ago and has been given an MBE in recognition of her efforts. Mrs Keogh was inspired

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Dismay over graveyard funding

PARISH councillors in a village have reacted with dismay after a plea for help looking after a graveyard was turned down. Councillors in Worsthorne say they cannot afford to keep looking after the disused cemetery at the Methodist Chapel because it costs

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Chance to build on job chances

YOUNG people have been taking up the chance of building a career in the construction industry while a company carries out major housing improvements. Trainee joiners James Martin, 16, of Baxenden, and Tom Whittaker, 16, of Waterfoot, and trainee plumbers

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Man suspected of shooting is sectioned

A MAN arrested on the suspicion of attempted murder after shots were fired at a family's home has been sectioned. The man, 25, has been detained under the Mental Health Act after being quizzed by police over the shooting which shattered upstairs and

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Special measure school now doing better

A PRIMARY school found to be failing is now making "satisfactory progress", according to inspectors. Intack Primary School, Blackburn, was put in special measures in March 2006 for the second time. Following an inspection in March, an Ofsted report

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Falklands Memorial

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Businessman scoops entrepreneur award

A BUSINESSMAN who left school at 16 to join a YTS scheme has been named Young Entrepreneur of the Year after building up a £23 million firm. Matthew Riley, 33, the chief executive of Daisy Communications Ltd, Lomeshaye Industrial Estate, Nelson, was

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Community order for burglar

A BLACKBURN man who was responsible for two attempted burglaries - and also had a list of burglaries on his record - has been placed on a two-year community order. A judge said the sentence represented the best way of protecting the public from Kevin

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Earlies warm-up for Glastonbury

A BAND set to perform in front of thousands warmed up for a festival by playing in front of 114 people in an East Lancashire pub! Friday lunchtime The Earlies will make their debut on the main stage at Glastonbury but earlier this week they played the

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Medical centre 'may create hundreds of jobs'

THE multi-million pound plans for a new research centre which could create hundreds of jobs look set to finally be kickstarted. Designed to attract cutting-edge science and technology firms to East Lancashire, the Medi-Park project, off Haslingden Road

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Drug addict’s jail term 'only possible sentence’

A DRUG addicted house raider is to stay behind bars because he is homeless and can't be given rehabilitation as part of his sentence. Imran Saddique, 37, who broke into a pensioner's home and stole all her Christmas presents, loo-ked set to win his freedom

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Lights plan to help cure traffic chaos

PLANS to put up traffic lights at a busy junction as a part of a multi-million pound business development have been unveiled. In April BAE Systems at Samlesbury got the go-ahead for a £100million expansion. And as part of the agreement, BAE had to ensure

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Falklands Memorial

William Hodgson (HMS Intrepid 1978-82) who served in the Falklands becomes emotional.

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Falklands Memorial

William Hodgson (HMS Intrepid 1978-82) who served in the Falklands becomes emotional as he lays a wreath.

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Falklands Memorial

Nigel Crosby who served in the Falklands lays a wreath.

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Falklands Memorial

Gordon Prentice MP and Deputy Mayor Cllr Shelagh Derwent hope the weather improves.

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Nelson cenotaph.

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Sex pest strikes again

A WOMAN was flashed at for the second time by what she thinks is the same man, according to police. The woman, who is in her 30s, was walking her dog along a footpath in a wooded area off Scott Street, Padiham, at about 8.30pm, on Monday, when the incident

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Man denies rape in car park

A FATHER-of-three accused of raping a teenage boy in a Blackburn multi-storey car park told a jury that the alleged victim had made advances to him. Suleman Vapiwala , 45, admitted to a jury at Preston Crown court that there was sexual activity between

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Deal on 'super school' site near

PLANS to build one of Burnley's new super-schools on greenfield land off Rossendale Road could be close to defeat. Instead, Burnley Council and Lancashire County Council are close to finalising a deal to put the school - Hameldon College - on land

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Petition calls for school safety action

A PETITION with more than 100 signatures has been presented to Lancashire County Council demanding improved road safety at a school. Coun Darryl Smith and Coun Anne Cheetham handed the petition to county councillor Duncan Ruddick to highlight frustration

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Putting colour back into Millennium Green

A GREEN space opened to mark the millennium has received a clean-up. The Millennium Green in Waterside, Colne, had fallen into disrepair after being opened to mark the celebrations in 2000. But it received a clean-up after winning BBC Radio Lancashire's

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How to Look Good Naked, Channel 4

I WISH I had a friend like Gok Wan. The man behind Channel 4's How to Look Good Naked is a much-needed antidote to celebrity culture and the pressure to be trim, toned and tanned at all times like Posh and co. I imagine being Gok's best friend must

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Tests on steeplejack’s gear after he fell to death

SAFETY equipment used by a steeplejack when he fell 300ft to his death from a chimney has been sent away for forensic tests. Investigators at the Health and Safety Execu-tive (HSE) will examine a harness which was being worn by 40-year-old John Alty,

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An MBE at just 22

A 22-YEAR-OLD former soldier who set up a charity to help a town torn by civil war was awarded an MBE in the Queen's birthday honours. Lance Corporal Aly-Joy Haworth, from Great Harwood, said she was "shocked and amazed" after being nominated by her

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People need help to cope with their grief

SO IT looks like our already crippled NHS is to be the victim of even more cutbacks. This week we learned East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is proposing to axe its only bereavement counsellor as part of a multi-million pound cost-cutting exercise.

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Residents urged to cash in

BURNLEY MP Kitty Ussher is encouraging groups to apply for money from the It's Your Community fund. The fund is open to all residents, who can ask for up to £1,000 for projects that will bring people together, generate a sense of pride, and improve the

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The secret of perfect packing

A RELAXED attitude to packing can all too often result in holiday headaches. Most of us recall a time we packed every item we own - then unpacked them a week or so later, most of them unworn. Lugging your wardrobe halfway across the world restricts

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‘Rape’ boy's head was 'messed up'

AN ALLEGED teenage rape victim said his head was "messed up" by the lack of love shown to him by his mum, a court heard. Preston Crown Court had been told the boy was raped by a man at Blackburn's multi-storey car park when he was just 13 years old on

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Council pulls out of county partnership

A ROW has erupted after Hyndburn Council pulled out of a partnership with the county council. Hyndburn said that the Lancashire Local meetings, a joint venture between the county and district councils, were a "waste of time". Hyndburn Council leader

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Rehab order for drug user

Richard Charles Evans, 32, of Great Bolton Street, Blackburn, was given a community supervision order for 12 months with a condition he completes a drug rehabilitation requirement after pleading guilty to two charges of shoplifting. Rachel Adamson, defending

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‘Perfect’ start for youngsters

A NEW children's centre in Colne will give the town's youngest residents the best start in life, health bosses said. The centre, on the site of the former car park at Walton Street, was officially opened yesterday by East Lancashire Primary Care Trust

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Killer 'showed no signs of mental illness'

A TEENAGER who went onto kill was displaying no outward signs of mental illness when he was discharged from a mental health ward, the General Medical Council has been told. Dr Mark Dziobon felt that Mark Harrington, the 18-year-old who later shot childhood

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Race is on for pedal power

A COUNCILLOR could be getting on her bike to work after today, when she will race a cyclist to Nelson. As part of Bike2Work week, Councillor Ann Kerrigan will travel by car, while cyclist Carl Boyces will use pedal power alone to get from Foulridge to

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Galloway may stand against Straw

RENEGADE anti-war MP George Galloway is considering standing against Jack Straw in his Blackburn constituency at the next general election. After uprooting Labour's Oona King in London's Bethnal Green seat at the last election in 2005 Galloway promised

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Chef stole stepdad's winnings

A 25-year-old man stole £1,800 from his stepfather after enjoying his hospitality. Blackburn magistrates heard that Kirk James Black used the money to take a taxi and book into a hotel for the night. And when he was arrested Black still had £1,765 of

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£11,000 gift joy for mela

ORGANISERS of the Hyndburn Mela and Community Festival are celebrating after securing an £11,000 grant to put on this year's event. The popular festival will take place on two days this year with the usual musical performances and festivities in Oakhill

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Managers playing transfer chess

IT seems players and football clubs are indulging themselves in a game of cat and mouse this summer. Transfer activity has been minimal, even for those who are listed as free transfers because, if they're good enough, they will have the pick of a range

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Vandals smash shop windows

Vandals smashed windows at two shops in Ramsbottom over the weekend. Kaash Indian takeaway and Ramsbottom Stoves, both in Bolton Street, had a front window smashed. The window at Ramsbottom Stoves, which is not allowed to install shutters due its location

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Waste deal to cost £2bn

THE county council tax precept will have to rise by 14.5 per cent by 2012 just to meet the costs of a £2billion waste disposal contract. That means Band D residents paying the Lancashire County Council precept face paying £156 extra over the next five

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Man hurt in Samurai sword attack

A SAMURAI sword-wielding attacker struck in Accrington last night. Police said the victim was lucky to escape with relatively minor cuts to his head after the incident in the town centre. The 21-year-old is currently receiving treatment in hospital

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Rovers: No Chelsea approach for Benni

Blackburn Rovers insist they have not fielded an enquiry from Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho regarding the availability of Benni McCarthy, and they are keen to stress nor would they welcome one. Mourinho has admitted he is interested in McCarthy after

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'Thumb nail blinded woman'

A DARWEN woman was blinded in one eye when she was attacked by her boyfriend in a hotel room, a jury was told. The prosecution at Preston Crown Court alleges that the "catastrophic" injury may have been caused by Derek Bowes's two-inch-long thumb nail

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Pub boss dead shocked to find coffin

A landlord was left stunned when a coffin was discovered at his pub during a clear-out. The teak-panelled coffin with red silk lining and a hinged lid was found in a storeroom at FJ Nichols, Northgate, Blackburn. Now landlord Chris Wooddissee has put

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Giant TVs taken from wagon

A GANG stole TVs worth £128,000 during a raid on a lorry while the driver slept. Police said the 64 public display screens were taken in a raid by six men at the Altham Business Park on Monday. They used a lorry to transport the NEC 40-inch LCD screens

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Couple first to wed at hall

THE first wedding has taken place at Blackburn's new register office. The office switched to King George's Hall on Monday after it moved from Bridge House, Jubilee Street. Muslims Irshad Raut, from London, and Asma Sanga, from Blackburn, had a civil

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Taxi rank has created havoc

MOVING the taxi rank from Penny Street, Blackburn, has created havoc in the James Street area. The council has lost revenue because the taxis block the parking areas. It has also made the area by Gala Bingo very congested, and people are still crossing

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Everyone offered hand of friendship

IN REPLY to the letter from Mr Davies, of Darwen, looking back at the cotton industry, I agree that Asians were used by the mill managers for cheap labour. I must point out that our own English workers were used in the same way. They worked long hours

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So sad the park has lost its colour

I TOOK a walk through Queen's Park the other day and how sad I was to see only trees and bushes and no colour. What happened to the beautiful bowling greens that were so hugely attended in the seventies and early eighties? My teenage years were spent

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Public not to blame for all Labour’s woes

NOW that the Labour group find themselves in opposition on Blackburn with Darwen Council for the first time in 24 years, they are searching desperately for someone to blame. Ron O'Keefe blames Darreners for wasting £15 million over the Academy protest

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Cases of dementia set to soar

THE number of people with dementia in the area is set to soar with experts forecasting a 33 per cent rise over the next 15 years, according to new research. The report, commissioned by the Alzheimer's Society, warns that more than 101,000 people

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Top award for 'Mr Grandstand'

THE MAN who created iconic shows such as Grandstand, Match of the Day and Mastermind has been honoured for his work in television. Bryan Cowgill was born and raised in the Ribble Valley town and for 20-years from the late 1950s he spearheaded the BBC's

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Matty the Lionheart

BLACKBURN striker Matt Derbyshire is aiming to fire England into the final of the European Under 21s Championships in Heerenveen tonight. After Sunday night's tempestuous group B victory over Serbia was marred by racist taunts, the England camp appears

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Man attacked in pub toilets

A MAN who launched an unprovoked attack in a pub toilet claimed the victim had been looking at his girlfriend - despite not having one. Burnley Magistrates heard how Lee Howarth, 28, threatened to kill Gavin Mulgrew before leaving him with two black

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Hunt launched for on-the-run prisoners

AN URGENT hunt is underway after prisoners released from jail early went on the run. It comes as Justice Minister Lord Falconer announced that 2,000 more prisoners would be freed early in a bid to ease overcrowding in jails. Police said the three men

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Police surgeries for the deaf

POLICE surgeries for deaf people have been announced. Lancashire Constabulary's Pennine and Eastern divisions are joining forces with East Lancs Deaf Society to introduce the special Police And Communities Together (PACT) Surgeries. The surgery

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Sieler motors to top of the class

Accrington had sorted free accommodation for Alan Sieler but, back in 1973, transport wasn't part of the deal. And, the 24 year-old Australian wanted to do a bit of sightseeing while he was in England. Sieler said: "The bloke I bought the car from was

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Dougherty storms back into top 100

BLACKBURN'S Nick Dougherty has stormed back into golf's top 100 world ranking following his heroics at the US Open. The Shaw Hill member enjoyed his best ever major finish when sharing seventh place at Oakmont Country Club in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Turf plans to be revealed

PLANS for a Turf Moor facelift are expected to be unveiled within the next month. Director Brendan Flood has reiterated that the Clarets have no intention of moving away from their famous stadium but said plans for major ground developments, centring

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Why I’ve changed from glutton to going gluten free

IN the past, when I hit the cereal aisle in our local supermarket, I adopted a devil-may-care attitude, slinging anything and everything in the trolley - corn flakes, cocoa rings, cocoa squares, cocoa hexagons (we go big on chocolate cereals in our house

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D'Sane will be a big hit

JOHN Coleman believes new Accrington Stanley goal-getter Roscoe D'Sane will prove a big asset in his striking pack. The 26-year-old forward - who was also being courted by a string of Conference clubs - joined the Reds on a 12-month deal after his contract

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Ribchester Field Day

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England wrap up series in style

ENGLAND swept to a convincing 3-0 series victory over West Indies after significant contributions from Monty Panesar and Steve Harmison helped clinch a seven-wicket win in the fourth and final Test at Chester-le-Street. Durham paceman Harmison shrugged

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Pair cruise into final

STEVEN McGlynn and Mark Ashworth booked their place in tonight's final of the Harold Ryden Trophy in emphatic style at Pleasington Golf Club. Both men had early finishes to their semi-final matches against Miles Wade and Craig Fort respectively. Teenager

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Ribchester Field Day

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Wolves at the door

WOLVERHAMPTON Wanderers are believed to have stepped up their pursuit of Burnley teenager Kyle Lafferty. As I understand it, the Clarets' Championship rivals have made an all-encompassing offer of over £1million for the Northern Ireland international

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L-R middle Rose Kenyon (10) and Sophie Laker (10).

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Healthy lifestyle gurus set to tackle obesity

HEALTHY lifestyle gurus could be employed to help tackle the obesity timebomb among children in Burnley. Burnley Council's Healthy Lifestyles team is bidding for £200,000 to tackle the problem of overweight youngsters after the town was identified as

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Managers playing a waiting game

IT seems players and football clubs are indulging themselves in a game of cat and mouse this summer. Transfer activity has been minimal, even for those who are listed as free transfers because, if they're good enough, they will have the pick of a range

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Three car smash causes motorway chaos

EARLY morning commuters experienced traffic chaos this morning on the M65 after a three-car crash. The motorway was down to one lane westbound near junction two after the smash involving three cars at around 7.30am. Police said no-one was seriously

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Scuderi demands 'smarter' cricket

CONSISTENCY will be Joe Scuderi's aim as he looks to take Ribblesdale Wanderers into the top half of the Senior League table this season. The Church Meadow outfit find themselves 10th in the table after something of a stop-start season. Wanderers have