SCHOOLCHILDREN were today to be questioned by detectives hunting a brutal sex attacker who raped a 15-year-old Accrington girl. The girl was attacked on wasteground close to Accrington Cricket Club as she walked home from school last Wednesday at about
A PACKAGING firm has wrapped up a top award for the third year ruinning. The RPC Group, which includes RPC Containers of Guide, has been named Plastics Supplier of the Year in the industry's awards. The Haslingden Road site manufactures a range of containers
SALESMAN David Starkie (above) has been appointed national sales manager for special products at Accrington-based Gaskell Textiles. Father-of-two David joined the firm in 1993 and in his new role will be responsible for selling Gaskell Products for a
A NEW centre aimed at helping engineering workers learn new skills to safeguard the future of East Lancashire industry has been launched. Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw, launched the Engineering Learning Link Centre at Training 2000 in Blackburn
TWO schools in particular are delighted that they ordered our NIE local history pack, on receiving the news that they were both picked out as winners in our prize draw for educational software. Pleckgate High School in Blackburn and Haslingden County
PLANS to provide a further 25 recycling sites across Pendle by the beginning of December have been unveiled. Pendle Council is providing the extra sites as part of its commitment to cutting the amount of waste normally destined for landfill as part of
NON-LEAGUE: Accrington Stanley have the incentive of a home tie against Spalding United if they can beat Leek Town tonight in their FA Umbro Trophy first round replay at the Crown Ground. Stanley will be confident of claiming their third UniBond Premier
I WOULD like to know if anyone has the Blackburn Rovers match statistics - games won, drawn, lost, points gained, etc - for the period during which 'Roar' has been the mascot at Ewood Park, and the statistics for the same amount of games prior to his
REMARKS and comment made by Mrs Sue Gregson (LET Sport Letters, September 21) about boo boy tactics by Rovers fans, aimed at their own team, mooted a valid point. Surely a true supporter would, as the word suggests, give encouragement and support to the
A MAN from Colne, who was one of the last two anti-runway protesters at Manchester Airport, has been charged with obstruction after being arrested yesterday. Peter Scott, 52, known as Colne Pete, surrendered to the under sheriff of Cheshire's bailiffs
HIGHWAYS chiefs have unveiled more detail of a section of a planned ring road to be created around Blackburn town centre. This will incorporate Barbara Castle Way, Preston New Road, Montague Street, the Darwen Street bridge area, Higher Audley and Copy
ROVERS RES 0 ROVERS' youngsters finished a well-beaten side at Newcastle in the FA Premier Reserve League (North) last night, despite a bright start. In the opening 20 minutes, they looked as though they could be on for a good result with the Newcastle
A PAEDOPHILE who sparked a nationwide manhunt when he abducted a 12-year-old Blackburn schoolboy was today awaiting a long prison sentence after being convicted of eight charges of indecency against the boy and two of his friends. James Warke, 36, who
WHEN Brian Kidd was first appointed as manager of Blackburn Rovers, I jokingly suggested to friends that it was a sinister plot by Alex Ferguson to get us relegated. Kidd would then sell all our best players, cut attendances by half playing negative football
LEEDS United boss David O'Leary is threatening to unleash the full force of his new Premiership leaders against Blackburn Rovers at Elland Road tomorrow night. For, while a number of top clubs tend to field weakened sides in the Worthington Cup, O'Leary
I AM not quite as old as Edward Flatt, but for me and some of my contemporaries, the Rovers team of the century will always be the one which won promotion to the old First Division and reached the sixth round of the FA Cup in 1939. The 1938-39 football
UNDER Eights Blue continued their 100 per cent start to the season with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Foulridge in the League Cup. Man of the match was Thomas Halliwell who scored five goals. The other scorer was Tony Haworth. The Yellow team had an excellent
THOUSANDS of pounds of cash aid could have put Clitheroe town centre securely in the picture for Christmas. A £21,000 hand-out had been offered by the Rural Development Commission towards installing a closed circuit television security system in the town
BLACKBURN striker Andrew Bell - son of former Rovers favourite Norman - has been named in a 20-strong England Under 15 squad for their opening Adidas Victory Shield international against Northern Ireland at York City on Friday (kick-off 8pm). The local
"I'M SCUNTHORPE till I die," may not evoke the sunniest picture in the mind's eye, but those visiting supporters housed in the Cricket Field Stand belted out the chant with all the pride and gusto their team had displayed in plundering three points at
THE Moor Murderers should never be allowed to lie in any sort of comfort. All these years they have been fed and sheltered and they have not one ounce of remorse. Bring back capital punishment. CATHERINE BARTON (Mrs), Aberdeen Drive, Blackburn. Converted
RESULTS - Under 10: Brierfield Celtic 1, Foulridge Minors 3; Brunlea 1, Readstone Utd 6; Brunshaw Park 0, Junior Clarets 1; Colne Clarets 2, Salterforth 0; Fulledge Colts 0, Borrowdale Utd 1. Under 11: Colne Clarets 10, Fulledge Coltss 2; Langho Juniors
IN THE four-match first round of the KO Cup there were wins for Alma Inn, 5-2 over Wilpshire Bull's Head, Crown Scaffold, a first win of the season 3-1 over Brownhill Arms, Stanhill Lions 3-0 victors over De Lacy Arms and Lord Nelson the narrowest of
THE recent decision of the Bank of England to raise interest rates illustrates the potential problems for Britain of a European single currency. Britain now has a twin-track economy, boom conditions in London and the South East with recession in the manufacturing
PHOTOGRAPHS of convicted house burglars in Burnley are to be circulated in a "name and shame'' campaign, after the launch of a new anti-crime scheme. Burnley suffers more house burglaries than any other town in Lancashire with the worst affected areas
A YOUNG mother told an inquest how her family forgot to contact the emergency services when her husband set himself on fire in their home because they were too shocked by what had happened. Nahid Bibi Shah said Parvez Hussain Shah, 23, poured turpentine
ON Thursday the notorious Grane Road between Haslingden and Blackburn claimed the lives of two teenage students in a horrific car crash. Blackburn College students Gareth Edwards, 19, and 17-year-old Joseph Slupski, both from Harwood, Bolton, died in
BRITISH Aerospace has said its planned takeover of GEC's defence arm was on track to produce more than £275million in cost savings. The defence giant said it had earmarked November 29 as the completion date for the merger with Marconi Electronic Systems
FROM the Romans to the Industrial Revolution, our ancestors have all left their mark on East Lancashire and influenced the life we live today. And youngsters in 32 schools throughout our area have been using our NIE local history pack to delve into some
RESULTS - Division Two: Craven FC 1, Borrowdale Utd 2. Harry Walsh Cup: Burnley Boys OB 8, Decopart 0; Bacup SM 4, White Hart 3; Flying Dutchman 2, Hapton FC 1; George & Dragon 3, Burnley Boys Club 2 (aet); Michelin Ath 8, Goodshaw Utd Res 0; Padiham
A DISTRAUGHT shopper was left in floods of tears after she was asked to leave a packed Blackburn superstore. Elizabeth Tomlinson, 47, of Ivinson Road, Darwen, was shopping with two friends in the What Everyone Wants store at the new Townsmoor Retail Park
A PAEDOPHILE who sparked a nationwide manhunt when he abducted a 12-year-old Blackburn schoolboy was today awaiting a long prison sentence after being convicted of eight charges of indecency against the boy and two of his friends. James Warke, 36, who
Rovers fans want to know Why Brian Kidd has let Gally go? A true blue player without a doubt And he certainly did some running about A servant at Ewood long he has been And he's always been so very keen He was a firm favourite from the start Rovers fans
THE headstone at the grave of Titanic bandmaster Wallace Hartley is to be renovated. Plans are in the pipeline to replace lost leaded lettering on the engraved stone in Colne Cemetery, with the help of donations from the public. The work will be carried
ANGRY neighbours are demanding answers from electricity giant Norweb after all their bills were sent to one house. Robert Mariner and Edward Hughes couldn't believe their eyes when they opened their electricity bill on Saturday morning to find not one
I USED follow Blackburn Rovers home and away with my late uncle and his son. My cousin still goes and he gets a season ticket each year. I can't attend now as I am an old age pensioner and partly house-bound, but this is my favourite all-time team and
AS A season ticket holder and a somewhat disillusioned Rovers fan, the time has finally come to look at life or should I say lack of life under Brian Kidd. At the moment we neither look nor are good enough to even threaten a play-off position, never mind
OF COURSE, there's no reason why Rovers can't take on the Premiership leaders on their own turf tomorrow and score a notable victory. After all, the Worthington Cup is hardly a top priority for David O'Leary's boys this season. He'll probably put out
STAN Ternent insists his players have made "fantastic" progress from relegation candidates to a top-six side in the space of a few months. The Burnley boss was disappointed with the reaction of the home supporters to the Clarets first home defeat of the
A PAEDOPHILE who abused a 12-year-old boy he abducted from Blackburn has been told to expect "a very long prison sentence." A jury at Carlisle Crown Court yesterday found odd-job man James Warke, 36, guilty of eight charges of indecency against the boy
THERE were mixed fortunes for the Colne Clarets sides in the Warburtons Youth League. The Under-Nines continued their unbeaten run by beating Barrowford Celtic 2-0. Martin Campy scoring both goals in the second half. Adam McGhee was named man-of-the-match
UNITED won this battle of the roses after overcoming East Moor of the West Riding County Amateur League first division in the Yorkshire County Cup, but worringly they have still to register a clean sheet this season. Barlick deservedly ran out winners
A DOCTOR made renewed efforts to set up a permanent medical centre. Dr Gullam Bhat applied to Hyndburn council for outline planning permission for a centre on land at Back Heys, Higher Heys and Fulmar Terrace, Oswaldtwistle. Dr Bhat, who had temporary
TWELVE months can seem like a lifetime in sport - just ask Shokat Ali. This time last year the world number 69 caused a major upset when he beat whirlwind Jimmy White on his way to a place in the last 16 of the Snooker Grand Prix at Preston's Guild Hall
IT IS unclear how much political harm Labour may suffer for setting only short sentences for offences of sleaze, as Tony Blair restores Peter Mandelson to the Cabinet just 10 months after he was toppled by his fishy home-loan scandal. But in bringing
SERIAL sex offender James Warke may be going to prison for a long time following his conviction for abducting a 12-year-old boy from Blackburn. But even with this conclusion, this is a case that remains deeply disturbing. For it graphically underlines
AFTER walking by the branch of the Lancaster Canal from Galgate towards Glasson Dock, my husband and I called in at a local pub for refreshment. After a lovely lunch, I asked the way to the ladies' room and was told it was quite a trail, but well worth
WITH all the food scares these days - from eggs, beef and GM crops - my mind goes back to my schooldays in the 1940s when we were still growing and always seemed hungry. After school lunches we often bought teacakes or chips if we had a spare sixpence
RISHTON were more than a little disappointed when their home game against St Mary's College Old Boys was called off because of a waterlogged pitch. It meant that they slipped one place in the Colborne Trophies Premier Division, with Griffin Celtic going
I AM looking to have published a history of limited company paper mills operating in Lancashire about 1870 to 1890. As a number of them were located in the Darwen and Blackburn area, I wonder if any of your readers had memorabilia (share certificate,
THE nomadic wanderings of goalkeeper Jan van Boeckel earned a vital point for Division Two side Lammack against second-placed Witton Inn. The South African veteran found himself at the opposite end of the field deep into injury time and proceeded to bullet
MY mother had breast cancer and survived, so it is especially important for us both to be informed about our breast health. More than 33,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK. 80per cent are post-menopausal, but despite this,
DURING their stay in Clitheroe in 1995, scientists from London suffered eye irritation, burning throats and asthma attacks, or smelled strong odour, on 11 days out of 15. Many of these took place in local school playgrounds - Moorlands, Waddington, West
SEVEN new taxi rank sites in Burnley centre are expected to be given the go-ahead by councillors this week. The Hackney Carriage stands will operate between midnight and 4.30am and are aimed at collecting passengers from local nightspots. Council officers
