THE first rounds had been fired in the fight to give Accrington a new shopping centre which Hyndburn Council and developers wanted.

Top officials who were interested in developing the Broadway car park site, backed Hyndburn's case for a development with between 40,000 and 50,000 square feet of retail floor space.

Tory leader Margaret Thatcher promised to come to Clitheroe to help her party's candidate, Mr David Waddington, in his campaign during the forthcoming by-election.