Archive
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Clitheroe teenager who battled cancer has a ball!
A DETERMINED teenager who battled cancer is looking forward to a bright future after her charity ball was an astounding success. Clitheroe Grammar School student Francesca Wheatley, who missed a third of high school after being diagnosed with Hodgkin
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Last independent live music venue in Blackburn set to close
BLACKBURN town centre’s last independent live music venue has announced that it is to close down. The manager has confirmed that the Live Lounge nightclub will call last orders for the final time in 12 weeks. It has seen performances from the
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Three thieves squeezed into tiny car stolen from Blackburn takeaway
POLICE were faced with a chicken and egg problem after a Chesters Chicken liveried fast food delivery car from Blackburn was seen being driven dangerously around a town 30 miles away. Blackburn magistrates heard the keys to the car had been taken
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Heart charity donates defibrillator to Oswaldtwistle boy
COURAGEOUS Reece Scott was born with an underdeveloped heart but can now look forward to a safe start in education after a defibrillator was donated by a local heart charity. Reece, who turns three next month, has already undergone three life-saving
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Legends kick off for Clarets star Gary Parkinson
CLARETS legends will take on their counterparts from Preston North End this weekend to raise money for the Gary Parkinson Foundation. Former Turf Moor stars David Eyres, Roger Eli and Andy Cooke will line up as part of the ‘Vintage Clarets’ side
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Review: The New Hong Kong, Colne Road, Burnley
I AM still reeling from the shock of seeing salad mentioned in this column the other week. I have tried and tried over the past few years to bring you, my loyal reader, some of the best and worst kebabs – only to see all that hard work ruined by
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Kansas blues band Moreland and Arbuckle to play Ramsbottom festival
AS regular festival goers will tell you, one of the joys is discovering new bands who you were totally unaware of beforehand. This year’s Ramsbottom Festival looks likely to establish Moreland and Arbuckle in that category with the American roots
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Home town gig for Burnley punk act Notsensibles
N otsensibles roared out of the uncontrolled chaos of punk; booting footballs at The Clash when they supported Joe Strummer’s men at a legendary King George’s Hall gig, before their catchy, fun-packed, album Instant Classic took the indie charts by
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Review: Hark to Bounty, Slaidburn
THIS traditional, historic, old English country Inn, is situated in the Lancashire village of Slaidburn, although, up until the Local Government Act of 1974, the pub was very much part of rural Yorkshire. It is surrounded by the stunning Ribble
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Paul Lamb and the King Snakes to close out Colne's Great British R&B festival
WHEN the great bank holiday blues party in Colne comes to an end, there could be no more fitting band to send the crowds happy for another year than Paul Lamb and the King Snakes. The band will be flying in from a show in Poland the night before
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Children's tales in the open air in Leyland park
SOME of the most popular children’s fairytales and stories will be brought to life in a series of open air productions starting next week. Every Monday through the summer holidays, The Storytellers will be bringing classic tales to life on the
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Homes plan for site of torched Burnley school
PLANS to replace an arson-hit former special school in Burnley with housing have now been unveiled. A total of 24 new homes could be built on the site of the old Ridgewood Community High if outline proposals by architects are given the go-ahead
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Blog: A fresh start for East Lancashire hospitals
COULD I have done more to spot the problems in the East Lancashire Health Trust? That’s the question I’ve been asking myself since the Trust, which runs the Blackburn and Burnley hospitals, was last week put into ‘special measures’ after critical findings
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Singer Les McKeown brings Bay City Rollers show to Blackburn
FOR a period in the mid Seventies, Les McKeown was a member of one of the biggest bands in the world. The Bay City Rollers sold millions of albums worldwide and had number ones across Europe, America and in Australia and Japan. Rollermania
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Comment: Some good from family tragedy
ANDREW and Janet Alston’s world fell apart when their beloved son Matthew died in a car crash at the age of 18. The teenager was killed when he lost control of his Vauhall Corsa the morning after enjoying a night out with friends. He had no idea
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Letter: Rescue team needs funds
IN regard to the story ‘Rescue at Darwen Tower after late-night drinks fall’ – it was Gordon Brown, the Labour Chancellor, who refused to give mountain rescue teams tax breaks on the equipment they need to buy. It would be nice to think that the
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Letter: Prepare for gridlock in 'city of Clitheroe'
REGARDING the proposed residential development in Clitheroe, when all these new houses have been built and a new city is born, the place will be gridlocked. Due to the fact that it is an old market town, there is no scope for the reconstruction
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Letter: Reasons for shortages
Has the fact that NHS hospitals are so short of staff (LT, July 23) anything to do with kaizen lean manufacturing, zero-hours contracts and a hire and fire culture that is so favoured by this government? Not electing the same government at the
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Letter: Probe will be a waste of cash
RE: ‘Task force in Lancashire will investigate Halal meat practises’ – this is another smoke and mirrors exercise that will waste thousands of taxpayers’ pounds and do nothing. There is absolutely no reason why Halal slaughter should be allowed or
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Letter: Who owns our bodies?
WITH reference to the NHS considering preventing families from overriding the consent of people who have signed the organ donor register, the government does not own our bodies to harvest at will when we die. It’s not up to them to make that kind of
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Letter: Watch this (big) space
IN your story on the old Stanley Arms pub in Blackburn being converted into a five-bedroom house (LT, July 21), a quote says: “Any suggestion it might become a house in multiple occupation is fanciful and baseless rumour.” So that's it then: expect
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Letter: Lament for loss of land
Back in 1959, children in Burnley were robbed. The council took a well-loved and much used “reckery” off them and included it in the playing fields of the new Burnley Grammar School. Instead of being used daily and in the light evenings, it
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Letter: Shocking incident at hospital
YOUR tragic story on the Accrington woman who died after hip replacement operation reminded me of an alarming incident in hospital involving my mother. She suffered a near-fatal setback caused by being dragged out of her bed while she was having
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Bacup school celebrates hat-trick of 'outstanding' Ofsted reports
PUPILS and teachers celebrated their school being awarded an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted rating for the third time. Bacup Holy Trinity Stacksteads CofE Primary School has once again been given the top score in every category by the government regulatory
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Ribble Valley councillors' bid to halt home developments
TWO leading councillors say creating special ‘Neighbourhood Plans’ under new government legislation is the only way to stop Clitheroe, Whalley and Longridge being swamped by homes. The mayor of Clitheroe Kevin Horkin and former Tory MP Ken Hind
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Pendle youth MP returns from Westminster tour
WHILE his friends would have enjoyed work placements in shops and offices, Jack Cooke was finding out about life in the Houses of Parliament. The 15-year-old young politician shadowed Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson for a fortnight and saw what it
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Another weekend of fun and entertainment planned in East Lancashire
WHETHER it’s punk rock, family fun or Elizabethan drama, there is something for everyone in East Lancashire this weekend. Tomorrow sees the return of the popular three-day music festival Cloudspotting. Pitch up and camp out near Stephen’s Park
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East Lancashire charity calls on government to end age discrimination
A LANCASHIRE charity has called on the government to act ‘urgently’ to stamp out age discrimination and promote the skills of older people as a woman struggling to get back into work speaks out. Age UK Lancashire said that political heads should
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East Lancashire young drink-drive project wins praise
A PROJECT showing young people the consequences of drinking and driving using the wreckage of a Vauxhall Corsa in which a Simonstone teenager died has been commended in a major transport awards. North West Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation
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Former police officer from Rawtenstall took his own life
A RETIRED police officer who had been suffering from depression was found hanged at home, an inquest heard. The family of John Martin Edmondson, 61, known as Martin, paid tribute to a ‘nice family man’ after the hearing at Burnley Magistrates’
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Bacup social housing plan rejected
CONTROVERSIAL proposals to build social housing behind Bacup Hub have been rejected by Rossendale’s planning committee. Green Vale Homes wanted planning permission to build 10 two-bedroom and 10 three-bedroom homes on a council-owned field, just
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'Unfit building' fears over Burnley free school plan
OPPONENTS of Burnley’s proposed new free school fear students may be taught in classrooms deemed unfit for 21st century education. Former school buildings which housed the old Habergham High School were vacated as part of the £250million Building
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Jailed man sentenced over Rawtenstall robbery
A MAN who was already in prison for holding up a bookmakers has been sentenced to a further eight months in custody for another robbery. Ellington Hall, 32, held up Ladbrokes in Bank Street, Rawtenstall on March 30 last year, before robbing another
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Life of Ramsbottom church to carry on after lightning strike
A LIGHTNING strike caused thousands of pounds of damage to a church. One of the four turrets on the tower roof was struck, sending large stone fragments plumm-eting towards the building and ground below at around 7.15am on Tuesday. Some of
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Comedy star John Thomson appears in Fence
FORMER Cold Feet star John Thomson was the star of a comedy show at the Sparrowhawk pub in Fence. The 44-year-old headlined the Ha Ha Club at the pub on Tuesday as part of his return to the stand-up circuit following a successful career in film
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Muslim volunteers pledge to break their Ramadhan fast with the homeless in Blackburn
A GROUP of Muslims observing Ramadhan have pledged to break their fast with the homeless for the first time in Blackburn. The six volunteers from the area have come together to provide hot meals outside the Town Hall at dusk on Saturday evening
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Photo released of man wanted for Colne taxi driver attack
POLICE have released a CCTV image of a man they want to speak to after a taxi driver was attacked by a passenger in Colne. The attack happened when the passenger decided he did not want to continue with his journey and became aggressive towards
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Firm axes plan for 35 homes on Darwen mill site
PLANS to build 35 homes on land at a former mill in Darwen have been withdrawn. Blackpool construction firm R P Tyson submitted the proposal to build on the former Waterfield Mill site in Balmoral Road in May. Built under the Government’s ‘
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Police appeal to missing Darwen woman
CONCERN is growing for a woman who has been missing for six weeks. Renata Israel, 51, went to an appointment on Hope Street, Darwen, on Sunday, June 16 at 12.30pm but never returned home. She was spotted at Accrington bus station on July 14
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Darwen woman died after tripping on electrical cable
A 67-YEAR-old woman, who died after tripping over an electrical cable at home and passed away following hip surgery, was found to have died from several combining factors, a coroner ruled. Maureen Iddon, who lived on Oaksfield in Darwen, died on
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Grieving mum demands apology from Blackburn Hospital over the death of her son
A WOMAN whose son died in hospital says she is still waiting for the personal apology she asked for more than 18 months ago. Paul Nixon died at Royal Blackburn Hospital in November, 2011, just three months after being diagnosed with a sarcoma cancer
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Darwen Jazz and Blues tickets now on sale
TICKETS for the fourth Darwen Jazz and Blues Weekend are now on sale from Number 39 Hopstar Brewery Tap in Bridge Street. The event takes place at Darwen Library Theatre on Friday and Saturday, August 9 and 10, while pubs and clubs across the town
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Chance to meet Blackburn Rovers heroes
BLACKBURN Rovers fans have one last chance to get a glimpse of their favourite players in action at a summer fun day at Ewood Park. The event, on Tuesday, will allow supporters to watch manager Gary Bowyer put the players through their paces ahead
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£25,000 lottery funding for Blackburn fire brigade museum
A PROJECT to record the history of Blackburn fire station has been awarded £25,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The Phoenix Project, thought to be the only venture of its kind in the country, will use the money to digitise all of the records currently
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Consultation sought on South Ribble ward boundaries
SOUTH Ribble residents have until August 5 to tell the independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England where they think new ward boundaries should be across the borough. The commission is carrying out an electoral review of the council
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Hyndburn Council cuts costs with solar panels
SOLAR panels have been installed at council offices in Hyndburn as part of a drive to cut costs and energy usage. The panels were installed at Scaitcliffe House Council Offices and are expected to save 16 tonnes of CO2 every year and raise approximately
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North West fire control plans 'on track'
PLANS for a North West regional fire control centre covering four brigades are on track, it was claimed after MPs criticised the legacy of collapsed Labour proposals to create nine such hubs nationwide. The Commons Public Accounts Committee said
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Inquest points at lack of training in deaths of two Rossendale workers
A LACK of training contributed to the deaths to two East Lancashire engineers who were dragged into machinery at a Merseyside chipboard factory, an inquest jury has ruled. Jurors at a Bootle inquest found that Thomas Elmer, 27, and James Bibby,
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Website offers help to East Lancashire parents and grandparents
A NEW website will be launched today for parents and grandparents who have used maternity services in East Lancashire. The site – www.birthineastlancs.com – will be launched by medics and Blackburn Rovers veteran David Dunn, whose three young children
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Campaign launched in Lancashire to keep babies safe on holidays
A LANCASHIRE-WIDE initiative to ensure infants sleep safely on family holidays has been launched. ‘The Safer Sleep for Baby’ campaign aims to make sure the summer break does not turn into a nightmare. Lancashire, Blackpool, and Blackburn with
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Carer spat on vulnerable Calderstones patient
A VULNERABLE patient at Calderstones was spat on and had her hair pulled by a member of staff. Blackburn magistrates heard the 22-year-old victim was severely mentally retarded and suffered from Aspergers Syndrome and was bipolar. And at the
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Boss under fire as Darwen firm loses £2m
SHAREHOLDERS in a smart-meter manufacturer have called for the removal of the company’s chairman as the firm announced operating losses of more than £2million. Darwen-based Bglobal unveiled its preliminary results for the year ending on March 31
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Scam marriage man from Blackburn set to be deported
A 33-YEAR-OLD man is to be removed from the country after being arrested for his part in sham marriages. The man, who was living in Blackburn, was in the UK illegally and was part of a group of eight men from Pakistan and India caught moments before
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School sports coach from Burnley faces jail for sex with 13-year-old girl
A SPORTS coach used the primary school where he worked to have sex with a teenage girl. Glyn Thompson, 31, faces jail after pleading guilty to nine counts of sexual activity with a child at Burnley Crown Court yesterday. The offences, which
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East Lancashire cricket star's drugs shame
A TOP amateur cricketer has been jailed after police raided his home and found class A drugs worth nearly £50,000. Sagawat Hussain, who has played for a number of East Lancashire cricket teams, played a ‘key role’ in the supply of heroin and crack
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Midfield still a priority for Blackburn Rovers boss
GARY Bowyer remains eager to strengthen in central midfield before Blackburn Rovers’ season opener at Derby. Rovers have made a central midfielder a priority this summer but missed out to Leeds in the chase for Luke Murphy and have so far been unable
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Flames leap 100ft in Padiham plastics recycling plant inferno
A MASSIVE fire broke out at a plastics recycling plant sending plumes of thick black smoke into the air – visible from more than 20 miles away. Eight fire crews and two aerial ladder platforms were drafted in to battle the blaze in Park Road, Padiham
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Keeping squad injury-free is biggest challenge for Burnley boss Sean Dyche
BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche has described keeping a small squad injury-free as one of the ‘biggest challenges’ he has faced this summer. The Clarets look set to start the season without defender Ben Mee, left, who suffered a twisted knee against Cork
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East Lancashire Euro MP defends 'Taliban' label for Eurosceptics
NORTH-WEST Euro-MP Sajjad Karim has defended dubbing some anti-European Union campaigners the ‘anti-EU Taliban’ for their refusal to accept other viewpoints on Britain’s membership. The term, coined by the Tory MEP, is used to highlight anti-EU
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Blackburn MP Jack Straw hails insurance claims demise
CAMPAIGNING Blackburn MP Jack Straw has welcomed new government figures showing that hundreds of claims management firms have shut following the introduction of tougher laws. The statistics show the number of registered companies handling personal
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Rossendale rape trial told of screaming
A WITNESS in a double rape trial told a jury he heard ‘shouting and screaming’ coming from the area of the alleged attacks. John Carne told Burnley Crown Court he heard a female voice shout: ‘Leave me alone, get off me’, after he woke up at around
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Colourful welcome to Brockholes nature reserve
DRAGONS and damsels are offering a colourful welcome to visitors at Brockholes Nature Reserve, near Samlesbury. Reserve manager Sophie Leadsome said numbers of dragonflies and damselflies appeared to be on the up due to the warm weather. Nineteen
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Enjoy summer activities in Simonstone
EXCITING outdoor activities have been arranged for the summer holidays. Outdoor Elements at Pump House Dean Wood, Trapp Lane, Simonstone, will be running a Jacobs Ladder and Leap of Faith on Saturday, August 3, from 10am until 1pm, plus a bushcraft
