TOURISM is an important and growing part of East Lancashire's economy. The region's rolling countryside, meandering canal and industrial heritage are all attractions for visitors along with our mill shops. Parts of areas like the Ribble Valley contain
THE fifteenth winner at the Atherton Park Winter Bowling competition is Frank Naylor who beat Jimmy Noon in the final 21-17. The consolation final was won by Richard Foster who beat John Warminger 21-15.
LEIGH athlete Sharon Walls got her 2005 campaign off to a flying start at Sheffield's English Institute of Sport. Competing in the North of England Indoor Championships, Sharon took the gold medal in a closely fought 60m hurdles race with a PB of 8.6
HIGH level talks are being held over creating a new £18million tourist attraction in East Lancashire. The East Lancashire Partnership is in discussions with project officials to site the Spice! herbs and spices visitor centre in the area. Discussions
FRUSTRATED Blackburn manager Mark Hughes felt his side were robbed of a point at Middlesbrough on Saturday after referee Mike Riley failed to award Rovers a late penalty. Striker Paul Dickov appeared to be bundled over in the box by the former Barcelona
A MAN was recovering in hospital today after undergoing life-saving emergency surgery on a stab wound from a street attack. The 38-year-old-man, who has not been named, was stabbed in the stomach in Canning Street, Burnley, at about 4.15pm on Friday.
SHAKERS 0, DARLINGTON 1: Forgotten man Bobby Petta showed he still has plenty to offer when he scored his first goal for more than two years at Gigg Lane on Saturday. The former Celtic star whose last league game was for Premiership Fulham last April,
NELSON'S civic leaders will have their final chance to influence the design of the town's new bus station at a meeting tonight. Despite being a major project for the town, Pendle councillors have no power to decide on the design, location or timing of
A LEIGH school's pupils returned after the Christmas holidays shocked by the ever growing horrors of the Asian tsunami disaster. Students at Bedford High immediately started making plans to help out and already over £1,000 has been sent to Sri Lanka and
A POSTMASTER was hit over the head with a handgun as an armed robber fled empty-handed. The man, who was wearing a balaclava, burst into Holyrood Post Office, Bury Old Road, Prestwich, at 5.30pm on Thursday night and demanded money. The attacker hit the
HINDSFORD FC lost 2-1 away at Heywood St James. It was evenly matched in the first half with few chances and remained at 0-0 at half time. The second half saw Hindsford get more of the play but they were caught by a quick break and a good finish. Heywood
LEIGH RMI under 10's gained a crucial win against a strong Aspull Juniors side to take the second spot in the league. In the first half Leigh started well playing some good football on a small, tight pitch. Midway through the first half some excellent
UP to 4,000 people in Pendle could get diarrhoea because their water supply system is almost 100 years old and at risk of contamination from a dangerous parasite. United Utilities want to replace the water treatment works at Barley, which supply Ridgaling
A FORK lift truck driver who claimed he turned drug dealer to raise cash for a train fare to see his family in Norfolk, is behind bars for 16 months. Burnley Crown Court heard how Anthony Quinsey, 22, planned to peddle deadly ecstasy tablets to drug-taking
Steve Cotterill was left ruing two controversial penalty decisions, that cost his side at least a point against Leeds on Saturday. In the end a strike by Gyfil Einarsson was enough to condemn the Clarets to their first home defeat of the year. For the
HOW Steve Cotterill must wish his phone would ring as sweetly as Kevin Blackwell's. Last week was another frustrating one for the Burnley boss, who needs the patience of a saint during the long, arduous and constant battle to bring the right calibre of
HULL DOCKERS 40, LEIGH EAST 10: INJURY-RAVAGED Leigh East went to Hull Dockers with only 14 players - but the brave 14 came back heroes. Hull Dockers is not a place any team relishes visiting - their big, bruising, physical side and no frills rugby make
LEIGH Harriers' long distance international star Peter Riley took a step nearer to a place in the world cross country championships by winning his second Reebok challenge. His victory was the highlight of a winning weekend for the club which saw the U15
BLACKBURN striker Paul Dickov claims Middlesbrough defender Michael Reiziger admitted that Rovers should have been awarded a late penalty at the Riverside on Saturday. Rovers were trailing 1-0 to a goal from Franck Queudrue when Reiziger appeared to push
RICHARD Cresswell grabbed his 16th goal from the season as North End came from behind to beat the beleaguered Sky Blues and climb back into the play-off zone. Despite being the form team of the moment, Preston looked sluggish to start and Coventry, teetering
RADCLIFFE BORO 0 FARSLEY CELTIC 2: Boro were outclassed by promotion-chasing Celtic, who could easily have left Stainton Park with a hatful of goals. Danny Hurst was by far the busier of the two goalkeepers - denying James Knowles with a full length save
ASTLEY and Tyldesley Road Runners' Tony Battersby clinched his first top 10 finish in a competitive road race in the recent Chernobyl 10K. He clocked a time of 35.49 to finish seventh. Shaun Moran also ran well, knocking 30 secs of last year's time to
A MAN and a boy were taken to hospital after a motorbike crashed when it was being pursued by police. Officers tried to stop the Honda motorbike as it was being ridden along Leigh Road, Hindley, at 10.40pm on Friday. The bike failed to stop and was involved
A STRESSED out plumbers' merchants manager who pocketed almost £36,000 of his bosses' cash and blew it in a betting shop has been given a 15 month jail term. Burnley Crown Court heard that depressed Steven Blake, 41, frittered away about £500 a week at
FOREST GREEN 1 LEIGH RMI 1 by David Magilton: Steve Bleasdale's first match in charge yielded a rare point for Leigh RMI. Michael Reed, Lee Shillito and Mark Drew were all denied by Forest Green keeper Steve Perrin early on and those misses looked as
Even the Boro star Michael Reizeger admitted it - according to Rovers striker Paul Dickov. That's the line coming out Blackburn today, after they slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Middlesbrough on Saturday. A result and a decision that they hope doesn't prove
BLACKBURN striker Paul Dickov claims Middlesbrough defender Michael Reiziger admitted that Rovers should have been awarded a late penalty at the Riverside on Saturday. Rovers were trailing 1-0 to a goal from Franck Queudrue when Reiziger appeared to push
IF only Mark Hughes and Blackburn Rovers could turn back the clock. On a day when fans celebrated the 50th anniversary of Tommy Briggs' magnificent seven-goal haul against Bristol Rovers, the modern day Blackburn served up an untimely reminder of the
A memorial garden has been unveiled to three sisters who lost their lives when fire ripped through their home. A patch of land near the home of the Waddington family in Lancaster Drive, Hapton, has been transformed in memory of youngsters Hayley, 10,
YOUNGSTERS from deprived areas will be encouraged to get fit thanks to a lottery cash boost. The cash grant will help to set up sports programmes in areas with few facilities to try and boost those communities. And children will be given the chance to
Today we revealed the first pictures of how Burnley's new £6m job centre will look. The three-storey office block development on Burnley Town Hall car park moved a step closer when councillors decide to delegate approval to planning chiefs at a meeting
POLICE in Nelson are hunting a 'callous' thief who snatched a pensioner's handbag. The 70-year-old woman was left shaken and suffered a sore left wrist and grazed knees following the attack in an alleyway which runs between Park Drive and Vaughan Street
A PAEDOPHILE who sparked a nationwide hunt when he fled from an Accrington bail hostel did so because he was scared what other residents might do to him. Blackburn magistrates heard that Paul Whiteley was on the run for two weeks before being detained
ACCRINGTON'S historic former fire station is set to go under the hammer, to be sold to the highest bidder. The grade two listed building, next door to Hyndburn Magistrates' Court and the police station, was closed two years ago as firefighters moved into
A STRESSED out plumbers' merchants manager who pocketed almost £36,000 of his bosses' cash and blew it in a betting shop has been given a 15 month jail term. Burnley Crown Court heard that depressed Steven Blake, 41, frittered away about £500 a week at
MY OLD man's a dustman..and he's got the qualifications to prove it. Perhaps not as catchy as the original tune, but, thanks to a pioneering team of Ribble Valley binmen, it is now more accurate. For five refuse collectors at Clitheroe's Salthill depot
STEVE Cotterill refused to lay the blame for Burnley's defeat to Leeds at the door of Ian Moore. Striker Moore saw his 79th minute penalty saved by United stopper Neil Sullivan, which would have cancelled out Gyfil Einarsson's earlier strike to earn Burnley
SCHOOLS from Leigh and Golborne will take part in a major theatrical production that will bring the rich heritage of Haigh Hall to life. The Wigan Pier Theatre Company will be working with pupils from Golborne and Leigh St Mary's RC Highs and two Wigan
LEIGH'S Brian Ashton has landed one of the top jobs in rugby union. The former Grammar School pupil has been appointed England A coach for the international against France at Bath. Fifty-four-years-old Ashton is currently manager of the RFU National Academy
LEIGH Harriers RL made it two wins out of three with a convincing win against Higginshaw, knocking up 50 points at home. The newlook, young Harriers side had all the answers against a stubborn Higginshaw and although still learning their trade, the pace
ALL the details MONDAY TRIOS: The top four teams all failed to win. Top team Strike Out drew with Chamber Crew, while second placed Banana Splits lost to Holy Rollers. Congratulations go to Bowling Babes who pulled off their first win of the season. Bowler
STEVE Cotterill rued two controversial penalty decisions against Leeds United that saw Burnley slump to their first home defeat of 2005. Clarets chief Cotterill was smarting after seeing referee Colin Webster ignore his side's appeals for two late spot
AMIR Khan cannot wait to get back into action but will face a hectic return on Monday night at Preston Guild Hall. The Olympic silver medallist has stepped up a weight to 64kilo for his first senior domestic competition and, with six boxers in his section
POLICE searching for a missing walker who disappeared more than a month ago have found a body. Officers believe it is that of 59-year-old Francis Perkins, of St Alban's Road, Darwen. The body was spotted in Sunnyhurst reservoir by a passer-by at around
Rossendale Museum's renaissance will take another step forward this week when it re-opens for good. The museum, in Rawtenstall, faced the axe in 2002 because the borough council had to slash its budget. It was saved, but could only open for three afternoons
HAULIERS have failed to stop a lorry ban on East Lancashire's most notorious danger road. Two truckers' associations opposed plans to make Grane Road HGV-free. But Lancashire County Council, responsible for the road, will push ahead with an experimental
A 22-year-old heroin addict preyed on elderly women as she attempted to raise money to fund her habit. Blackburn magistrates heard that Rebecca Jane Duxbury conned her way into the home of a 73- year-old woman by claiming she was being harassed by a number
THREE Blackburn schools are to join together to allow children from different backgrounds to make new friends. Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Primary School, Holmbrook Avenue, where children are entirely of white European heritage, will twin with Cedars
THE chief executive of East Lancashire's debt-ridden hospitals trust has quit - after spending 14 months off work sick. Now East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust's battle to overcome its near £6million debt has hit another snag - the finance director has
THIS is the first glimpse of the peaceful plaza set to replace a busy town centre rat-run in a project worth more than £3.5 million. At the heart of the new-look Sudell Cross will be a statue dedicated to Blackburn's former MP, Baroness Barbara Castle
HIGH level talks are being held over creating a new £18million tourist attraction in East Lancashire. The East Lancashire Partnership is in discussions with project officials to site the Spice! herbs and spices visitor centre in the area. Discussions
PAUL Mullin wouldn't have cared how his goal went in. It is the end result rather than the execution that will matter more to the Accrington Stanley striker. After quickly getting among the Conference top scorers this season, goals have been hard to come
RICHARD Cresswell grabbed his 16th goal from the season as North End came from behind to beat the beleaguered Sky Blues and climb back into the play-off zone. Despite being the form team of the moment, Preston looked sluggish to start and Coventry, teetering
LEIGH RMI Sharks U10's were involved in a fantastic game of football, beating top of the league Hindley Town Reds 1-0. Sharks started their frenzied attack from the start, eventually resulting in a brilliant move, started with a great through ball from
ASDA Golborne went of a goals rush in their Leigh Amateur Soccer League clash with bottom club Rope and Anchor. Five goals from Hill, another four from Spencer and one from Munro gave them a 10-0 victory. Fir Tree Reserves lost on penalties to Aspull
LEIGH RMI Under 12s beat Barrhill 3-2 with goals from Josh Burton, Jack Grundy and Dale Brigeden. Danny Cooke and Ryan Collins replied for Barhill whose Man of the match was Reece Clare. Tom Shawcross and Robert Kendrick were on target for Hindley Under
LEIGH RMI have wasted no time in bringing in a new manager with the appointment of Steve Bleasdale. The former right-hand man to Mark Wright at Chester City and Southport takes over at the Conference strugglers from Geoff Lutley, who was sacked after
