Great Harwood Civic Society, Churchfield House, Great Harwood, 7.30pm. Speakers: Joan and Joseph Baron. Sing-a-Long, Blackburn Ragged School, Bent Street, Blackburn, 7.30pm. "The Twits," Charter Theatre, Preston, 10.30am and 7pm. Jack Straw MP Advice
IT would do credit to a Monty Python episode...council workmen going about mowing down daffodils in droves -- sometimes even before they have flowered. And the reason for this? Well, the blooming things are growing, aren't they? Saner sorts might, of
RADCLIFFE Boro embark on the first part of two long Unibond Division One away trips tonight, with a game at relegation-haunted Guiseley. This is followed on Saturday by another long journey away to Workington. Tonight's Leeds-based opponents will provide
CHILDREN are being blamed for starting a fire at a disused pub in Blackburn Town Centre. Fire broke out at about 3.30pm at the former Th'Owd Stables on Cicely Lane in a first floor room. Fire officers at the scene said the building is a repeated target
WITH reference to the recent visit of the Princess Royal to Accrington (LET, March 10) -- her husband was incorrectly described as Captain Timothy Laurence. He is a commodore not a captain, which is a lower rank. ANNIE O'BRIEN, Rosewood Avenue, Blackburn
CHILDREN say the funniest things. My granddaughter, Abigail, four, does not like eating very much, so she has to be encouraged by her mother to eat proper meals. Last week, mum thought she would try to be a little stricter at meal times. She told her
I READ with interest the comments of Michael Carr, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Ribble Valley (Letters, March 7) when he stated that a vote for Labour there is a vote wasted. Well, to my mind, a vote for the Lib-Dems is a wasted vote anywhere in
REGARDING the article (LET, March 15), on the ban on the free movement of the public and dogs in certain parks in Darwen, I feel I must give a better explanation than that given in it by the council. Quite clearly dog owner Ms Maureen Roberts and others
THE partner of a Leigh pub landlady denied that he gone out armed with hammer and hit a customer on the head after he had been drenched with beer. But Graham Moss said that he had been told that victim John James Bennett had been found covered in blood
YOUR extensive reports on the privatisation of parts of Blackburn with Darwen Council's work failed to note that the chorus of acclaim is far from universal. Perhaps the antagonism of trade unions to privatisation is so notorious that it can be taken
A MAN who stood at his front window and committed an act of gross indecency when children were going to school has been placed on probation for three years. One 11-year-old girl saw Eric Scotson, 59, twice in one day and a mother and her five-year-old
PARENTS and children have been put on alert after a sex pervert on a bicycle indecently assaulted a six-year-old boy. The man has struck several times in incidents where he has exposed himself while riding his bike. Burnley police say they are concerned
A BURY pub landlord accused of assaulting his common law wife has appeared before magistrates in the town. Ian Alexander, 42, of the Globe public house, Tottington Road, Bury, is charged with assault causing actual bodily harm. Alexander, who pleads not
Forest Green 3 Leigh RMI 1 AFTER racking up an unbeaten run of eight matches, RMI were finally undone by a passionate Forest Green side last night. The Railwaymen's first visit to Gloucestershire produced a thrilling battle between two committed sides
BRADFORD RES 1 BLACKBURN ROVERS RES 2 ROVERS Reserves claimed a well-earned victory against Bradford City -- but the scoreline should have been more convincing. Terry Darracott's young side, which included goalkeeper John Filan making his comeback from
ISRAELI international Eyal Berkovic today admitted he's happy to play whatever role Graeme Souness asks of him as Rovers prepare for Sunday's derby date with Burnley. The pint-sized midfielder has rediscovered his appetite for the game since his move
A CHARITY which provides employment training and advice to people with disabilities and learning difficulties has been recognised for its work. Fresh Fields Enterprises, based at Morecambe's Lodge, Cemetery Lane, Burnley, employs eight people and can
THE region's newest business park at Shuttleworth Mead, Padiham, was being officially opened today by the Minister for Trade Richard Caborn. Contracts are being signed with 20 companies promising 1,000 new jobs on the site which has cost £14million to
PARENTS and children have been put on alert after a sex pervert on a bicycle indecently assaulted a six-year-old boy. The man has struck several times in incidents where he has exposed himself while riding his bike. Burnley police say they are concerned
PENDLE county councillors have welcomed then recently-completed first phase of major improvements at Nelson's Marsden primary school. Councillors Colin Waite and Ken Spence made a special visit to see for themselves work carried out on what will be a
A RUGBY player tackled a naked love rival to the floor after finding him at the home of his ex-girlfriend. Burnley Crown Court heard how semi-professional player Ian James, 28, tackled Wayne Stobbs, lunged at him with a knife, chased him to he bathroom
THREE million books can be found at the push of a button, thanks to a new computerised network at Lancashire's libraries. The final connection at Accrington Library means users can now access the system from over 1,000 terminals at any of the region's
A REWARD is being offered after thugs choked and drowned a popular rabbit called Thumper and left scores of youngsters devastated. Park wardens discovered the body of Thumper -- a name given to him by adoring children -- after being told the pet pen inside
THE recently-appointed managing director of Ultraframe has spent almost £10,000 on buying shares in the company. Nick Gales's purchase of a stake in the Clitheroe company this week came after heavy falls in Ultraframe's share price. Mr Gale bought 2,800
TRADITIONAL half-time snacks at darts matches could soon be put aside for a taste of the exotic. Instead of crisps and sandwiches, the opposition who go head-to-head with the Clitheroe Conservative Club ladies' darts team could find themselves tucking
SPORT fans can take heed from thisislancashire's web site. It crams in sporting information from in and around your local area. You can follow all the latest local sporting events -- from local soccer stories in the valley to running competitions in the
A PARLIAMENTARY candidate today said foot and mouth disease should not affect the General Election, saying: "I have never canvassed a farm in my life." Labour's Ribble Valley candidate Marcus Johnstone said opposition calls to postpone plans for a poll
HELP is at hand, by a click of a button for students needing a little extra help. The beauty of s-cool is that it is a homework guru online for your convenience so that you do not need to set foot in the dreaded library. The content exceeds all expectations
IF you don't already know what that special person in your life is worth, then find out from the 'experts' at www.camelquotes.co.uk. All you have to do is send in a picture of the person in question to get an official rating from one-to-ten in camels,
TURF Moor fans favourite Nik Michopoulos is no stranger to derby glory and is after more of the same at Blackburn on Sunday. The big Clarets keeper has played in a clutch of top-flight derbies in Greek domestic football for PAOK against Salonika city
A DISPUTE between neighbours erupted into violence, a court was told. William Bradley, 54, was upset when he was woken in the early hours by a knocking on his door. Adam Foster, 21, began to pour snow through the letter box and then forced open the door
BURY'S traditional Good Friday Holcombe Hill gathering has been called off due to the Foot and Mouth outbreak. Church leaders have confirmed that their normal annual Act of Witness will abandon its long held procession and service on the local landmark
A TOP former fire chief has admitted showing no pity after raping a defenceless teenager in a park. George Heyes had followed the 18-year-old girl after spotting her coming out of a public house as he drove from his fiancee's home, and brutally attacked
BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness is planning a summer swoop for Tranmere Rovers star Jason Koumas if Rovers get promoted. Ewood chief executive John Williams today admitted Souness is a big fan of the midfield ace. And, if Souness can steer the club back
nCUSTOMS and Excise and the Inland Revenue have set up a special joint hotline for businesses in financial difficulty because of the foot and mouth outbreak and have promised a "sympathetic approach". Farmers and other businesses hit by the epidemic should
NO football club is a one man team but according to Bury defender Chris Swailes the Shakers almost are. Swailes has played with a number of top strikers throughout his career, especially at Ipswich, but 22-year-old Jon Newby is the best he's seen. When
A MEMBER of Rawtenstall, Edgeside and District Gardeners for more than 40 years, Michael Jackson has died, aged 82. Michael, of Almond Crescent, Rawtenstall, used to be a window cleaner in Rawtenstall and Waterfoot and used to go round the local businesses
ENGLAND call-ups for three netballers at Moorland High School were the icing on the cake of a fantastic season. The year-ten netballers have just been crowned U15 Lancashire schools champions after remaining unbeaten since September. The team, who all
POLICE will mix with pub and club-goers on Saturday night to try to identify a masked man who subjected a teenager to an "horrendous" sex attack in Rawtenstall. The 16-year-old had been in the town centre and was walking home on Longholme Road near to
COUNCILLORS will view a planned housing site at land at Lodge Mill, Turn Village, before deciding on whether it should go-ahead. Outline permission for 19 apartments on the site was approved in June last year and now an application has been received to
JANET ANDERSON, the MP for Rossendale and Darwen, will be attending a Groundwork presentation on the success of local Environment Task Force (EFT) teams. The presentations will be part of an open day for Employment Service personal advisers from East
EAST Lancashire's largest animal sanctuary is facing financial hard times due to the foot and mouth crisis and is appealing for the public to help. Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary has been in self-imposed quarantine for six weeks since the crisis began. Ministry
YOUNGSTERS are stepping back in time to see for real how people lived in the first century. Kay Street Baptist Church in Rawtenstall has converted its hall into a spectacular Palestinian street complete with homes, townsfolk at their daily work, a well
DIRECTORS at British Vita, which owns Caligen Foam in Accrington and Rossendale Combining in Rawtenstall, saw their pay packages fall last year, according to the company's recently published annual report. The decrease was due to a fall in performance
MORE and more people are searching for alternatives to meat -- maybe for health reasons, ethics or because they are temporarily turned off by the foot and mouth epidemic. New research shows that 25g of soya protein a day, as part of a low fat diet, may
Soft Bird's Custard Cookies with White Chocolate 100g (4oz) caster sugar 100g softened butter90g (31/2 oz) finely chopped white chocolate 200g (8oz) self-raising flour 100g cold Bird's custard, either left-over or made using 100ml (4fl oz) milk, 1tsp
Food News, with Pauline Hawkins THE delicious aroma of custard bubbling in a pan seconds before being poured over an apple tart or rhubarb crumble is enough to send most people's taste buds into overdrive. A survey by leading custard makers Bird's reveals
SINGER Robert Birnie did it his way when when he took to the stage in front of a pub full of onlookers. A lifelong Frank Sinatra fan, Robert, 37, of Sough Lane, Blackburn, donned the complete make-up and '60s costume for a tribute night at the Wharf Inn
A BLACKBURN church has cancelled its morning services because of this weekend's East Lancashire derby. The 9am and 10.30am services at St Bartholomew's Church have been called off because of the 23,000 fans expected at Ewood Park for the Blackburn v Burnley
DETECTIVES have urged families to warn their elderly relatives against bogus officials after an 80-year-old woman had her pension book stolen by conmen who called at her home. Since Christmas, there has been a series of incidents in Blackburn, where bogus
RESIDENTS and a town's mayoress-elect have accused council bosses of vandalism after workmen mowed down hundreds of spring daffodils. Blackburn with Darwen Council has permitted its gardeners to clip the flowers -- in some cases before they have even
COLNE 1 BOOTLE 2 IT was a game Colne simply had to win but, for the 14th time in a row, they lost. To have any realistic chance of avoiding the relegation places, John Lister's side simply had to take maximum points from a Bootle side just two places
SUPPORT us or lose us -- that's the message from Clitheroe Chairman Steve Rush. Rush was disappointed as, after a superb FA Vase run which ended at the semi-final stage at Shawbridge on Saturday, only 120 people turned out on Tuesday night for their league
PENDLE Athletic Club opened their Seedhill facilities to their neighbouring clubs on Sunday in their annual show of hospitality which marks the start of the summer season. Until now there have been lean pickings for the track and field athletes, mostly
THE jury dealing with the case of a former fire chief who has admitted showing no pity after raping a defenceless teenager in a park have been sent home for the night. George Heyes had followed the 18-year-old girl after spotting her coming out of a public
I WAS very pleased with the performance of our players in Friday's home match with Leeds Rhinos. One particularly pleasing aspect was our defence. We have kept Super League opposition down to single figures for the third game in a row and that is particularly
BLACKBURN Lions Club has launched a new advertising campaign on the town's buses in a bid to raise its profile. The charity has distributed more than £18,000 to local good causes in the last year, including £5,000 to the children's hospice Derian House
TO the woman I shouted at when I saw her walking her dogs on a field off Pole Lane, Darwen - what makes you so special that you can ignore and walk past a notice asking the public not to use the footpath crossing that field? Why do the precautions to
REGARDING your article (LET, March 23) about a "bridge bash" on Whalley New Road, Langho, where a lorry had tried to get under the rail-over-road bridge, the lorry was too big and hit the bridge, resulting in three cancelled trains and four others being
RESIDENTS and a town's mayoress-elect have accused council bosses of vandalism after workmen mowed down hundreds of spring daffodils. Blackburn with Darwen Council has permitted its gardeners to clip the flowers -- in some cases before they have even
TWO brothers accused of attacking a police officer have appeared before magistrates in Bury. Michael Ashton, 21, from Carr Avenue, Prestwich and his older brother, Jonathan, 23, of Noreen Avenue, Prestwich, are alleged to have assaulted PC Kevin Graham
HAWKSHAW has cancelled its annual Gala in June to protect local farms from possible contamination by the foot and mouth virus. The decision was taken by members of the committee after consulting with the Ministry of Agriculture over the risks to agriculture
ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners will today be honoured as the winners of the Lancashire Evening Telegraph's annual Grimewatch awards are announced. And it is a poignant ceremony that will take place at Ivy Bank High School, last year's winners of the High School
BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness is planning a summer swoop for Tranmere Rovers star Jason Koumas if Rovers get promoted. Ewood chief executive John Williams today admitted Souness is a big fan of the midfield ace. And, if Souness can steer the club back
ISRAELI international Eyal Berkovic today admitted he's happy to play whatever role Graeme Souness asks of him as Rovers prepare for Sunday's derby date with Burnley. The pint-sized midfielder has rediscovered his appetite for the game since his move
A STUDENT was robbed at knife-point by a crook on a mountain bike. Stolen was a Packard Bell 1550 E1 lap-top computer valued at £999. The 17-year-old victim was not hurt but was said by Det Sgt Steve Mounsey to have been extremely shocked and frightened
GUIDE dogs are set to get free rides in local cabs. Pendle MP Gordon Prentice has welcomed the new Disability Discrimination Act which contains a clause requiring hire vehicles to carry guide dogs in their cabs free of charge. Council managers are busily
PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice will get the chance to discuss the position in crisis-torn Kashmir when he meets the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir Sultan Mehmood at Westminster today. Mr Prentice has met Sultan Mehmood on frequent occasions and had the opportunity
THE family of fire victim Philip John Lewis can now go ahead with his funeral three months after his death. Mr Lewis, who died in a house fire in Every Street, Nelson, on New Year's Eve, was only identified through DNA tests last week. At inquest into
VIOLENT tenants who drive their partners or family from their homes, will themselves face being shown the door by their council landlords. An anti-domestic violence clause has been included in a new Tenants' Charter for more than 4,000 council homes in
VIOLENT tenants who drive their partners or family from their homes, will themselves face being shown the door by their council landlords. An anti-domestic violence clause has been included in a new Tenants' Charter for more than 4,000 council homes in
A CHARITABLE duo who work at the Colne office of Southerns solicitors are offering to make wills throughout this week. And the fixed fees of £40 per person or £50 per couple will be donated to Hospice Care for Burnley and Pendle. Kirsten Morgan and Steve
GALA queen contest organisers acted quickly to make a young girl's day after crowning the wrong girl at the end of their selection night. Teenager Stacey Ingham was left disappointed moments after she received the Colne Gala Queen crown and regal sash
BLACKBURN'S Matthew Brown brewery closed after a century and a half of beer-making in the town. The last pint of ale was taken away from the Lion Brewery by a road tanker and the 140 workers held a 'last supper' for the famous Lion.
POLLUTION inspectors were called to Clitheroe's Castle Cement plant after a spillage of the highly inflammable Cemfuel in the early hours. The spill happened when the fuel was being pumped from one tank to another. It was caught within a containment wall
THREE mobile phone masts are set to be put up in Hyndburn despite campaigns to stop them. Despite a 500-signature application opposing the siting of one of the new masts, members of Hyndburn Council's development services committee said they had no choice
A MAN left scarred for life after being slashed with a knife today pleaded with clubbers to make sure it never happens to anyone else. Michael Clitheroe was cut from behind his ear to under his chin by William Fullerton during an unprovoked attack on
AS a milkman Vic Allonby knows all about bottle - in fact he's got lots of it. He once needed all of it when he spent a night in Chingle Hall, Goosnargh, said to be England's most haunted house - to raise money for charity. Now he has used it to take
TRADE minister Richard Caborn was due to visit Bolton curry kings Patak Spices today as part of his whistlestop tour of the North-west. The firm's owners Kirit and Meena Pathak live in Bolton and showed the minister around their new factory in Leigh.
RACEGOERS planning to attend Haydock Park's meeting on Saturday are being advised to arrive earlier than usual because of precautions to combat the potential spread of foot and mouth disease. A drive-through disinfectant 'bath' has been constructed in
FOLLOWING the highly acclaimed success of Pokeman is Racing Frogs. The idea of the game is to design your own frog and to train your personalised frog to be its best. My frog was called Freda and I designed her to look like me. Well at least I thought
CLARETS captain Steve Davis is hoping the law of averages and Burnley's desire to balance the books will carry his side to derby-day glory at Ewood Park. Promotion-chasing Blackburn have lost just twice at home this season -- their last defeat coming
A MAN who failed to attend probation and community sentence orders was given one last chance by a judge yesterday. Kevin Swain had been given a combination order of 12 months probation and 80 hours community service for causing grievous bodily harm to
TURF Moor fans favourite Nik Michopoulos is no stranger to derby glory and is after more of the same at Blackburn on Sunday. The big Clarets keeper has played in a clutch of top-flight derbies in Greek domestic football for PAOK against Salonika city
BURNLEY-based company P3 Computers is bucking the trend in the Information Technology industry with increased sales and profits. While many IT businesses are struggling to compete and are shedding jobs, P3 Computers has recorded a modest increase in profits
CLITHEROE-based conservatory giant Ultraframe Plc has issued a profits warning, blaming bad weather for a drop in business. The company has advised the City that pre-tax profits for the first six months of the financial year up to March 30 would be "not
ENTERPRISE plc, the company that began life as Lancashire's economic development agency, has sold the last of its industrial and commercial property in a £15.3 million deal. The company, which was one of the North West's leading developers with more than
A SOUVENIR edition of Haslingden News is being delivered to more than 7,000 homes and businesses in the town. The paper includes 16 pages of news, events and colour photographs recording five years of regeneration work through the Action for Haslingden
PLANS to upgrade the floodlights at Darwen Football Club have been put on hold due to a backlog of fixtures. Work on the lights was hoped to be finished by the end of March but club bosses said they have had to postpone it until the end of the season.
DRINKERS are facing a pub ban if they are caught damaging cars after a night on the town. Police in Darwen today announced the launch of a zero tolerance campaign targeting pubs in the area after an increase in the number of cars being damaged close to
ALTHOUGH they had divorced, a woman nursed her ex-husband after he became ill. But following a disagreement she was found collapsed in the house with empty pill bottles beside her, an inquest was told. Melita Barlow, of Rockbridge Fold, Whitewell Bottom
DANCERS from Bacup could be seen performing their traditional Easter parade by seven million TV viewers. A French TV company is considering filming the Britannia Coconutters traditional Easter boundary-to-boundary dance. If the filming goes ahead seven
CRIMEFIGHTERS in East Lancashire are to get a share of a new £60million cash fund to tackle crime and disorder. The money, which will be spread over the next three years, will go to support a variety of initiatives including improving information sharing
VETERAN politican Barbara Castle was recovering in hospital today after collpasing in the House of Lords She was found in the ladies' toilets by a member of staff who put out a message for a doctor yesterday. Baroness Castle was attended by Lord Winston
AN investigation has begun after an ambulance answering a 999 call collided with a car. The Mitsubishi Colt was turning right from Furthergate to Newton Street, Blackburn, when the ambulance collided with its back and side at about 6pm yesterday. Car
ORGANISERS of the Chorley-based Royal Lancashire Show are hoping this year's event will go ahead, despite the foot and mouth crisis. Serious doubt was thrown upon the Lancashire show earlier this week when organisers of the Cheshire Agricultural Show
HOME Secretary Jack Straw today said spiralling mobile phone crime in East Lancashire had helped prompt his new crime crackdown. The Blackburn MP spoke out after a meeting with police and industry representatives agreed a new set of security measures.
FOUR East Lancashire primary schools are celebrating after getting a massive government cash boost. Three Blackburn schools will receive almost £1.2million between them to build new facilities to be used by pupils and the local communities. Audley Junior
Races around the region that ARE being run: Sun April 8th: Wakefield Hospice City 10K Tues April 10th: Coppice 5M Fell Race (Accrington) Wed April 11th: Gordhen Entwistle 5.5M road race (Rochdale -- a new course and distance) Thurs April 12th: Bunny Run
THE co-organiser of Tuesday night's 10-year anniversary ice hockey game at Blackburn Arena, Mike Cockayne, is delighted with the plans now in place. "Everything has come together very well, not just the players giving up time to come back to Lancashire
AMANDA Parkinson and Helen Pattinson were both counters for Great Britain and NI's most successful team at the World Cross Country Championships. While the attention was focused on Paula Radcliffe's gold medal winning performance over the long course
DARWEN Dashers lady captain Linda Clarkson led by example when she broke the ladies club record at the Ackworth Half Marathon at Pontfract with a time of 1:35:14. That beat the existing mark by four minutes and her PB by a staggering 17 minutes. Blackburn
PENDLE Athletic Club opened their Seedhill facilities to their neighbouring clubs on Sunday in their annual show of hospitality which marks the start of the summer season. Until now there have been lean pickings for the track and field athletes, mostly
