ENERGY leaders and green campaigners today urged the region to address the issue of climate change before it is too late. Julian Carter, chief executive of Renewables North West, says last year's heatwave and recent floods are a 'wake up call' and radical
DETECTIVES are appealing for witnesses after a bus driver was robbed at knifepoint. The two thieves were the only passengers on the bus at 11.35pm on Friday (Feb 13) when they confronted the 34-year-old driver with a knife and ordered him to hand over
THE Ewbank - the East Lancashire invention that literally swept the nation - is poised to make the biggest technological breakthrough in more than a century. A prototype new carpet sweeper, appropriately called the Ewbank Revolution, is being developed
BLACKBURN Rovers' academy teams produced some magic by the Mersey to keep up their excellent form this season. The Under 19s won 2-1 at Liverpool, where Gavin Peers hit a late winner after the home side had levelled Jemal Johnson's opening goal. The win
PAUL Gallagher has revealed that he is willing to wait for his chance to become a Blackburn Rovers regular. The teenage sensation is set for his first full international appearance tonight for Scotland as they take on Wales at the Millennium Stadium in
IT'S lovely to see Richard Chaplow become Burnley's first ever England Under 21 international -- but he will have to leave them if he is to progress to the senior squad. No disrespect to the level he plays at the moment, but if he stays in Division One
RISING stars Jonathan Stead and Richard Chaplow are the toast of East Lancashire after opening up new chapters in their fledgling careers with England debuts. Blackburn striker Stead stole the honours on his Under 21 bow, making an impression as a second
AN application has been received to fell two pine trees within Hurstwood Conservation Area at Hurstwood House. One tree is leaning towards a boundary dry stone wall. Roots on both trees are endangering the foundations of the house. PLANNING permission
POLICE powers which allow officers to issue louts and minor criminals with on-the-spot fines are to be rolled out across the county. Drunks, fireworks louts, emergency hoaxers and those buying alcohol for under-age drinkers are among those who can be
A VILLAGE has found the answer to its litter problem in form of its own volunteer womble. Teenager Philip Greenwood lives overgound, not underground, but has begun wandering free around Read picking up rubbish once a week. The 16-year-old's good deed,
Police Constable George Watson prevented a disaster at Bank Top Mill Co. Ltd, Dixon Street, Blackburn. After hearing a sprinkler bell valve ringing he forced open the boiler room door to find the boiler on fire. He alerted the fire brigade who put out
A NEW leaflet has been launched to tell Hyndburn residents how £2.9million of Government regeneration cash has been spent in the borough over the last three years. The money targeted the four priority wards of Springhill, Central, Barnfield and Church
ACCRINGTON residents were without electricity at breakfast time this morning, after an electrical fire broke out at a pensioner's flat. Around 200 houses in the Wellington Court area were affected, because the local supply had to be isolated by emergency
MORE than 90 Accrington residents are object to a plan for a late-night takeaway in a mainly residential part of the town. People living around Plantation Road have signed petitions in a local newsagents' shop and existing chip shop, objecting to a proposed
IAN Howorth's company and his hobby are both flying high - proving that with the right approach and attitude you can mix business with pleasure. The East Lancashire entrepreneur has grown his scaffolding business from an income of £80 in 1998 to an annual
JIMMY Greaves was my boyhood hero. He loved scoring goals and was the master poacher inside the 18 yard box. His anticipation of where the ball would be delivered plus his positional play were uncanny. Instinct I suppose. He was born with it, and didn't
MARK Westhead thanked Darwen boss Steve Wilkes for bringing him into the side with the winner 10 minutes from the end of this NWCL Division Two clash. Paul Baker and Neil Almond combined to set up the chance for Westhead, who brought the ball down and
COLNE are taking a detour on their route to FA Vase glory. The Holt House club are just two games away from the final but the venue for the big day has been switched by the FA. It will now be played at Birmingham City's St Andrews on Sunday, May 16, after
PADIHAM and Great Harwood Town return to action tonight hoping to re-vitalise their North West Counties Division Two title challenges. Harwood have been distracted by the Division Two Trophy in the past two weeks but are on a high following their 2-0
DESPITE playing against 10 men for most of the game, Ramsbottom failed to get three much-needed NWCL Division One points at the Riverside last night. They were up against stiff opposition in Warrington Town who, like the Rams, have had success in the
AN evenly contested Marsden Trophy semi-final ended with two late goals that gave Morecambe a place in the final. The scoreline was harsh on Chorley, who more than matched their Conference opponents in an absorbing clash. A goalless first half saw Andy
THEY'RE all jolly good yellows! That's environment-conscious pupils at Guardian Angels RC primary school who have scooped a cash award in the Bury Yellow Woods Challenge. The project was the simple, educational and fun environmental initiative run by
STAN Ternent has thrown down the gauntlet to his players in the wake of Burnley's painful FA Cup exit. The Clarets chief is taking the positives out of the defeat at Millwall as he gears up for Saturday's return to league action with the visit of Ipswich
COMMUNITY Action in Rossendale (CAR) is looking for more community, voluntary or faith groups to join its organisation. CAR is a charitable membership organisation, which was set up to bring together community, voluntary and faith groups in Rossendale
FARMERS from across Lancashire have raised their concerns about new EU common agriculture policy proposals at the National Farmers Union annual general meeting in Birmingham. At yesterday's gathering, NFU members from the county asked Secretary of State
SCAFFOLDING masking Blackburn's Pavilions development has been taken down to reveal the buildings in all their glory. Blackburn with Darwen Council has spent more than £1million developing Church Street including the Pavilion development. Last September
RESIDENTS and patients in East Lancashire are being invited to have a say on the health services they receive. Newly-formed Patient and Public Involvement Forums (PPI), which have been established for each NHS Trust, are asking residents to contact them
A TEENAGE driver who knocked down and seriously injured a woman told a jury he believed the collision was due to a brick being thrown through his windscreen. Preston Crown Court heard how Richard Bradley did not stop his car after the incident because
HUNDREDS of roadside cameras, smaller versions inside traffic lights and grannies with speed guns - now Lancashire is to get its own squad of mobile speed wardens. The 12 Mobile Enforcement Technicians will hit the streets next month and will be responsible
BLACKBURN Hawks suffered back-to-back cup defeats in what proved to be a hard-going weekend in more ways than one. During the 12-5 English Cup reverse at Whitley Bay, Hawks number nine Peter Tapp broke his collar bone and will most certainly miss the
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. Half term storytime and craft activities, Helmshore Textile Museums, Holcombe Road. 'Thinking of the Birds,' -- making a nest box as part of the National Nest Box Week
I ALWAYS suggest to those becoming interested in the identification of plants to start in February or at the latest early March. My reason is that if you start in May or June there will be so many flowers that you will be confused by the sheer numbers
WITH reference to the Burnley schools issue. I can't believe that, once again, Burnley Council actually intended to bulldoze many of it's secondary schools. These are perfectly good buildings which, with some updating, would provide good schools for the
CHIEF Constable of Lancashire Paul Stephenson, states that 500 extra officers are needed to run the force effectively. Looking at violent crime figures and anti-social behaviour, I think he needs a few more than this. But as soon as a person like Mr Stephenson
IN response to Derek Jackson's letter (LET, February 7), while the traffic situation around the Fernhurst Farm junction is a nuisance, it is nothing in terms of the sheer frustration caused by the pelican crossing on Montague Street near the junction
HOW predictable and how tiresome to see the police propaganda machine whirring into full scale action again in its quest to secure ever increasing council tax funding to subsidise its failings. Lancashire Police Authority is turning into a bottomless
A MAN was punched and kicked to the ground by robbers at that weekend. The 23-year-old victim had cash taken from his pockets as he lay dazed. The attack happened shortly after 1am on Sunday (Feb 15) in Elms Street, Whitefield. The man was approached
RADCLIFFE babies were on parade on Saturday (Feb 7) for the town's annual baby show. In their best bib and tucker, the nine tots were judged by members of the carnival committee in three categories. These were from birth to eight months, nine months to
POLICE are investigating the theft of a HGV, including a trailer containing a print roll machine, worth more than £150,000. The lorry, belonging to Smith's Haulage of Bury, was stolen on Wednesday night (Feb 11) from the company depot off Roach Bank Road
SCORES of civil servants in Bury walked out yesterday (Mon Feb 16) at the start of a 48-hour strike over low pay. They joined their colleagues nationwide by taking part in the industrial action involving members of the Public and Commercial Services (
HUNDREDS of roadside cameras, smaller versions inside traffic lights and grannies with speed guns - now Lancashire is to get its own squad of mobile speed wardens. The 12 Mobile Enforcement Technicians will hit the streets next month and will be responsible
POLICE are hunting a serial flasher in the borough. The man has struck seven times since last week in Bury, Prestwich and Radcliffe. Now police are to step up patrols and surveillance in the streets where he has exposed himself. In all incidents, the
CHILDREN from two Burnley primary schools have been using their artistic talents to take part in a police poster competition. Community beat manager PC Richard Collopy and police community support officer Sian George launched the competition for pupils
A FATHER-to-be who got behind the wheel while banned has been warned he could be facing jail. Burnley Magistrates heard that forklift truck driver James Andrew Brown, 21, borrowed a car to get his girlfriend to the clinic and to take the least amount
THE Ewbank - the East Lancashire invention that literally swept the nation - is poised to make the biggest technological breakthrough in more than a century. A prototype new carpet sweeper, appropriately called the Ewbank Revolution, is being developed
A DRUG addict who made a personal plea to magistrates for a last chance got it - and it may have saved his life. Burnley magistrates were told ex-convict David Shapcott, 25, was a persistent offender, had struck while on bail and had an "appalling criminal
TORY leader Michael Howard will be given an insight into a project aimed at improving life in one of Burnley's most deprived areas when he drops in at the town's One Stop Shop as part of his visit tomorrow. The former Home Secretary, who is the son of
A DRUG addict who helped himself to a shopper's cash after she left her handbag on a bus claimed he had planned to hand it into police. Burnley magistrates heard how Alexander Christopher Leaver, 31, found temptation too much, looked in the bag and helped
A ROAD safety group has criticised a four-year sentence imposed on a learner driver who killed a university student on a pelican crossing after speeding through a red light. Sadakat Hussein, from Nelson, has been sent to a young offender's institution
A SECOND set of triplets born within two weeks at Burnley's maternity unit were doing well. Mum Mrs Paula Martin, of Padiham, gave birth by ceasarean section to three sons Scott, Daniel and Craig. Meanwhile award winning Accrington butchers Arthur and
LANCASHIRE Hospitals were plunged into chaos when the county's ambulancemen launched into emergencies-only action. Patients had to be ferried home by taxi at the expense of the ambulance service. And Blackburn-based brewers Matthew Brown announced a 3p
THE National Blood Service has appealed to people across East Lancashire to donate more blood. In this region alone hospitals need 1,500 units a day in accident and emergency, general surgery, orthopaedic surgery and maternity units. To meet this demand
A COUNCILLOR who fears up to two-thirds of the area's post offices could shut is rallying postmasters in Hyndburn to fight the closures. Labour councillor Tim O'Kane says that a campaign by Post Offices Ltd to close a third of its 9,000 urban offices
ONE of Lancashire's most cutting-edge companies has landed a top IT award. Cardium Solutions is the first company in the North West to be granted Microsoft Gold Partner for Enterprise Systems accreditation. "The award underlines the high level of expertise
A GARDENING firm is branching out into overseas markets after launching an innovative new website. Within hours of First Tunnels' new site going live, the Barrowford company began receiving enquiries from green fingered foreign customers. Now, the company
WINTER. Cold, wet and miserable. With Christmas already a distant memory, this is the time for dreaming and yearning for days in the sun. Not just holidays either. More and more people are looking to spend longer and longer spells abroad with the numbers
AS a teenage fashion model of the Twiggy era, Gene Sutcliffe was a starlet of the catwalk who simply relished the opportunity to wear beautiful clothes. More than three decades on, Gene remains at the cutting edge of haute couture and travels Europe to
RESIDENTS in a Ribble Valley parish have issued a strong warning to a neighbouring council - Back Off Blackburn. More than 100 people attended a public meeting at Mellor village hall last night to launch the BOB campaign in response to proposals for a
EAST Lancashire residents have less than a week to tell the government what they think about the proposed shake-up of local and regional government. The Boundary Committee has given the public until February 23 to make its feelings clear about how authorities
STAN Ternent has thrown down the gauntlet to his players in the wake of Burnley's painful FA Cup exit. The Clarets chief is taking the positives out of the defeat at Millwall as he gears up for Saturday's return to league action with the visit of Ipswich
RISING stars Jonathan Stead and Richard Chaplow are the toast of East Lancashire after opening up new chapters in their fledgling careers with England debuts. Blackburn striker Stead stole the honours on his Under 21 bow, making an impression as a second
PAUL Gallagher has revealed that he is willing to wait for his chance to become a Blackburn Rovers regular. The teenage sensation is set for his first full international appearance tonight for Scotland as they take on Wales at the Millennium Stadium in
A SERIES of events is being held in Darwen to celebrate International Women's Week. Activities are being laid on by the council to coincide with celebrations across the globe. In Darwen, women will be able to take part in everything from sports, including
FOUR volunteer police officers who tackled Darwen's juvenile nuisances have been honoured with one of the Lancashire force's highest accolades. The 'specials', with more than 35 years service between them, have been presented with a Divisional Commander's
A COMMUNITY conference is being held at Alder Grange Community High School, Rawtenstall, next month. It is a chance for people in Rossendale to influence the community strategy for the borough, which is being developed by Rossendale Partnership. A similar
ROSSENDALE has seven new volunteers in its team of Community First Responders who are now qualified to attend medical emergencies in the borough. The new members, who received certificates at a presentation evening at Rossendale ambulance station, bring
MOBILE cataract surgeries run by a team of South Africans will begin treating hundreds of East Lancashire patients in the next two months. Around 1,400 patients across Lancashire and Cumbria will be treated every year for the next five years to slash
BERNIE, Hattie and Buddy are taking the lead in North West Fire and Rescue Services' fight against arson - and they have received praise from Fire Safety Minister Phil Hope. The dogs - Springer spaniel Bernie and Labradors Hattie and Buddy - are owned
A HEALTH boss today called for a new strategy to tackle the growing problem of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Professor Qutub Syed, the Health Protection Agency's North West Regional Director, believes health experts need to do more work
THE main entrance at Queens Park Hospital, Blackburn, has been closed as part of a £100million revamp. The entrance is to be refurbished to create part of a new rehabilitation unit for 2006 and a new main entrance with retail facilities is to be created
A MAN who persistently breached a restraining order designed to protect his ex-wife from harassment has been jailed for nine months. Blackburn magistrates heard that David Kealey committed the tenth breach of the order in as many months, two weeks after
DESPITE being in its 50th year the Samaritans - the national organisation formed by a Blackburn priest - still suffers because of a number of public misconceptions. DONNA McKENZIE visited a branch to find out the truth. IN THE early 1950s a former Blackburn
ACCRINGTON Stanley manager John Coleman has acknowledged that his side must clean up their act if they are to avoid punishment. Coleman and Reds chairman Eric Whalley were called to a meeting with the Football Association in Manchester yesterday to discuss
A LUTEL James hat-trick helped Accrington Stanley secure their place in the Lancashire FA Marsden Trophy. In the wake of conceding late goals to lose at home to Dagenham and Redbridge and drawing at Woking after establishing a 2-0 lead, the semi-final
ROWDY revellers are to be rounded up by the police as tough new town centre drinking laws come into force. The crackdown on alcohol-fuelled violence and crime will see police officers flood the centre of Bury on Friday and Saturday nights through until
MANY politicians have made the point that just throwing cash at the National Health Service will not cure its problems. Lateral thinking and new approaches are what's needed to speed up treatment processes, ease staffing problems and shorten the long
PRISONERS moaning about the food they get in the cells!! I nearly choked on my brunch when I read that. Just in case you're not familiar with the story, people in custody at Blackburn's Greenbank police station are pulling their faces over the quality
