PLANS to allow schools to select more pupils on the basis of ability have been blasted by local head teachers. The proposals, announced by Education Secretary Gillian Shephard, will allow schools to take up to 15 per cent of pupils by selection, compared
A RETIRED African barrister was left grappling on the floor with burglars, after trying to prevent the third raid on his home in two years. Sheikh Menzour Ahmed, 74, who ran an antiques business after moving to England 32 years ago, fought with three
SCOTTISH star Eoin Jess is the latest name linked with a big money move to Ewood Park. Kenny Dalglish sparked another round of speculation with a trip across the border to watch last night's game between Hibernian and Aberdeen. Jess, who has nine caps
A WELL-KNOWN doctor, who worked as Blackburn Rovers medical officer for 14 years, has died at the age of 92. Dr Tom Burke - who also wrote for the Lancashire Evening Telegraph during his 43 years of medical service - died on Saturday in Blackpool Victoria
A FUNERAL service will take place tomorrow for tragic David Kearney who lost his battle for life after being attacked by two rottweiler dogs. David, 11, of Broad Gate, Darwen, died last Wednesday after fighting against his appalling injuries for 11 days
VANDALS daubed memorial headstones with paint in an attack on a cemetery. The attack caused so much distress to one woman, whose husband's grave was one of the ten, that she could not face visiting the spot until the graffiti was removed. The US and Iraq
A NEW brochure detailing the work of the North West Partnership has been launched. The Partnership was established in 1994 to promote the economic and social well-being of the region and brings together representatives from training and enterprise councils
THERE is more proof, if it was needed, that spy-in-the-street TV cameras cut crime. This time it comes from Accrington where, just a month after their installation in the town centre, overall crime has been slashed by half. Indeed, the success rate is
THE LABOUR Party is reported to be acutely embarrassed today by the industrial tribunal ruling that its policy of selecting parliamentary candidates in certain seats from women-only short-lists is sexist and unlawful. But is it really so discomfited?
CONFUSION over a "No Waiting" order made in the 1960s - has finally come to an end - after 33 years. The original order to put a yellow line on the road outside what is now Christopher Croft's home in Water Street, Earby, was made in 1962. But for some
THE plight of an East Lancashire woman who was restrained while undergoing routine surgery was being raised at Westminster today as Labour launched a new attack on the scandal of women kept in chains at hospital. Divorcee Elaine Connelly from Stacksteads
BLACKBURN Rugby Union team travelled to Wilmslow for their first league match after Christmas and produced a performance of great character and resilience to come away with a point. Blackburn, still missing several key forwards, played against the wind
RIBBLE Valley MP Nigel Evans today joined calls for the North West Regional Health Authority to hold a full inquiry into the death of 21-month-old Lewis Jackson, who had been turned away from several hospitals in the region before being taken to one in
MORE than 300 jobs are to be axed by cable firm Nynex CableComms under a restructuring programme. The firm, which operates the cable television and telephone network for East Lancashire and has a base in Blackburn, said 310 jobs were to go and could not
RAPE squad officers hunting the brutal Billinge Woods sex attacker have drafted in extra detectives. The police started their hunt on October 8 after a 22-year-old woman was dragged from a footpath as she walked her dog and subjected to a terrifying 90
A GROUP of gipsies have set up camp on a piece of council-owned land in Oswaldtwistle. The group moved onto the land just a day after gipsies were forced to leave an illegal campsite in the Huncoat area. And Hyndburn council are planning to start legal
A HUGE area of Blackburn was plunged into chaos today after an 18 inch water main burst. Roads and pavements were transformed into a moonscape by the force of the floods which threatened to engulf houses, caused traffic chaos and overflowed into Blackburn
TOWN centre crime was halved in the first month closed-circuit television cameras "policed" the streets of Accrington. Auto-crime, shoplifting and criminal damage were all slashed. The "snapshot" figures for the first full month of CCTV operation in Accrington
ENGLAND newcomer Paul Grayson could not face a more daunting Five Nations debut when he lines up at outside-half against France at Parc des Princes next Saturday week. The 24-year-old Chorley insurance man, who works and plays his rugby in Northampton
KEITH McDonald has joined fabrics company J B Broadley as quality director. He was previously with Tetrad plc and was also a trading standards officer for 20 years. J B Broadley based at Reedsholme Works, Rawtenstall, supplies coated fabrics for the leisure
A TELEPHONE call from a friend of mine who lives on the River Lune sent me hurrying off to my tool shed to find a hammer and a chisel. Having found them, I set off to do a spot of bird watching! No, I had not gone mad. I was off to help the birds along
THE dictionary definition of pet is: "a tame animal kept for companionship, amusement etc." The family of dead David Kearney, who was savaged by two rottweilers, are very unlikely to view this description as accurate. Perhaps it should be changed to read
LANCASHIRE'S hospitals were facing chaos after a 35 per cent cut in ambulance trips earlier this week. Some ambulancemen were even using their own cars to help patients make appointments, claimed Jeff Haydock, secretary of Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale
AMBITIOUS Accrington have ruled out another bid to lure Brian Lara to Thorneyholme Road. The Marsden BS Lancashire League club is still searching for a replacement for record breaking Australian right armer Colin Miller who will not be returning to England
RIBBLE Valley Tory MP Nigel Evans may feel sorry for the Liberal Democrats over the decision of Emma Nicholson to leave the Conservatives and join them but I welcome the move. It would have been easy for her to stay in the Tory party until the next election
IAM sure Len Rushton - "It's time to call it a day" (Letters, January 2) - didn't mean to cause amusement, but, really, he must be joking. Hands off both our monarchy and, particularly, Coronation Street? How can he possibly link the two? Our monarchy
AS the European Court of Justice deliberates over the legality of the French government's nuclear tests, the Chirac-led administration arrogantly explodes another nuclear bomb the other side of the world in Polynesia. The only ally that Chirac can depend
A NEW theatre which could be used by community groups is the jewel in the crown of a planned development at a top private school. The theatre would be housed in a new, multi-purpose assembly hall at Westholme School, Blackburn. The theatre, with its own
JIMMY Mullen today admitted that he had reached an all-time Turf Moor low in the wake of his side 5-0 defeat at Carlisle. "The last 48 hours were probably the worst I've experienced in my time at Burnley," said Mullen. But the defiant Burnley boss has
SMALL firms in Lancashire would prefer to have customers who pay up on time rather than a fortnight's holiday with Pamela Anderson! According to a survey, nearly half of those questioned by accountants Kidsons Impey put their business needs first - with
SIX sporting groups and individuals requested grant aid of more than £1,000 from Burnley Council, but only £425 looks likely to be agreed. The applications from two, Burnley Mountaineering Group and 14-year-old swimmer and cross country champion Emma
ROAD RAGE is becoming one of the greatest problems of the '90s. There can't be many drivers who haven't had some experience of this strain of madness which is becoming an increasingly worrying problem, creating unnecessary stress in millions of people
REGARDING your report (LET, December 30), "New year spruce up to tempt tenants," here is a Labour council in turmoil, with over 70 years' experience of letting houses, admitting failure in its policy. What a climb down for a socialist council to concede
EDUCATION lobby group Ache - Action for Children's Entitlement - plans to attend county council budget meetings in a bid to discover exactly how decisions are made about education. The group, which started in Leyland and hopes to spread to other parts
LANCASHIRE Enterprises has refused to comment on claims that it is preparing a bid to take over British Coal Enterprise. BCE, the job creation organisation set up by British Coal 12 years ago, has assets worth £35 million and an investment fund of £26
