Archive

  • Pupils petition MP on climate change

    SCHOOL children presented an East Lancashire MP with facts about life in the world's poorest countries in a bid to win support for the Climate Change Bill. Members of Billington's St Augustine's RC High School's Catholic Agency for Overseas Development

  • Colne air rifle thugs shoot rare birds

    AIR rifle thugs have been slammed after shooting rare birds at a nature reserve for 'target practice'. Police said the men put at risk the lives of families enjoying Alkincoates Woodland Nature Reserve, Colne, who could have been hit by a stray pellet

  • Technical problems delay trial

    The trial of three men accused of helping the July 7 bombers to reconnoitre possible targets failed to start after a series of technical hitches. Waheed Ali, 24, Sadeer Saleem, 27, Mohammed Shakil, 31, all deny one charge of conspiring with Mohammed

  • Nisha husband denies killing charge

    The husband of murdered special constable Nisha Patel-Nasri told a court he had nothing to do with his wife's death. Fadi Nasri is alleged to have arranged the killing to pay off spiralling debts with a £350,000 life insurance policy, and because he

  • Abu Qatada wins deportation fight

    Abu Qatada, the firebrand preacher once described as "Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe", has won his fight against deportation from Britain. The Government's anti-terror policy was dealt a second massive blow as the courts forced the Home

  • 'Troubled' nightclub's licence suspended

    A CLUB in Nelson - which police claimed was a magnet for trouble and disorder - has had its licence revoked for four weeks. Bosses at the Goodnight Club, in Stanley Street, have been told to clean up their act after Lancashire police called time on

  • Burnley 'absent' councillor escapes censure

    A COUNCILLOR who had missed almost six months of meetings has escaped censure after he turned up at Burnley Town Hall for a full council meeting last night. Coun Zaheer Ahmed, who represents Daneshouse and Stoneyholme ward on Burnley council, returned

  • Blackburn swimming pool shut after vandal attack

    A SWIMMING complex was closed today after vandals caused thousands of pounds worth of damage and left the pool full of broken glass. Hundreds of swimmers were turned away from Waves Water Fun Centre in Nab Lane, Blackburn, after a fire extinguisher was

  • 'Bottle watch' brings instant results

    AN initiative to crack down on under-age drinking caught youngsters with illegally- bought alcohol hours after it was launched. The bottle watch' scheme, which is being trialled at three off- licences in Darwen, was launched last month. And after officers

  • Police action over Blackburn 'drugs' flats

    POLICE have applied to board up two Blackburn flats and evict the occupants over drug dealing allegations. Officers were at the East Street, Bank Top properties, letting occupants know they may be forced out tomorrow. Lancashire Police said the bid

  • College burglar sold share of haul

    A BURGLAR who took part in a raid on a Pendle college in which computers worth almost £3,000 were taken has kept his freedom. Burnley magistrates heard Daniel Matthews, 32, helped himself to a couple of laptops and sold his share of the haul for £1,200

  • Trade in your chip pan say Lancashire firefighters

    RESIDENTS in Accrington are being urged to trade in their old chip pans for newer versions in a Chip Pan Amnesty this Saturday. Hyndburn Homes, a major landlord in the area, is holding two amnesties to help reduce the number of fatal fires caused by

  • Blackburn cricket club 'facing disaster'

    A CRICKET club is facing a disastrous season after winning the league and cup double with a player who was on bail for raping a young girl. First team captain at Blackburn Northern Cricket Club, Reza Hussain said no-one will play for or sponsor the club

  • Find Halo

    At a recent PACT meeting it was announced that street signs will be fitted at Deardengate crossroads, Winfields Stores and Haslingden Old Road traffic lights with directions to the Halo panopticon. Parking spaces are also planned near to the site.

  • Bobbies sweep crime off Blackburn streets

    VANDALS and litter louts are being targeted in a crackdown on anti-social behaviour as bobbies on the beat sweep up crime on the streets. Blackburn Beatsweep, which started on Monday, is a drive using high-visibility policing' to combat problems such

  • Seating & Notice Boards Planned

    New public benches and notice boards are to be placed at Haslingden Market, Haslingden Library, Victoria Park and Rising Bridge Post Office. Wavery lights are also going to be fitted to the rear of Warner and New St. for security reasons.

  • Blackburn crash family’s ray of light Isa

    THE father of a young man who was killed in a car accident, has told how his grandson reminds him of his son every day. Baby Isa Lorgat was just 10 days old when his dad Junaid was killed after he lost control of his people carrier on the Grane Road.

  • Lancashire pays the price of extreme weather

    EXTREME weather caused by climate change is leaving local councils facing a multi-million pound bill. And a major study has now been launched to gauge how local authority services will be affected by changing weather conditions. Lancashire County Council

  • Stone-throwing yobs target cars in Burnley

    POLICE are asking waterways chiefs to restrict access to part of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in Burnley after a number of vandal attacks. Stone-throwing youths have targeted a number of vehicles by standing on top of the viaduct, over Yorkshire Street

  • Tyres dumped at Darwen beauty spot

    SCORES of waste tyres have been illegally dumped around a beauty spot, ruining the area for walkers. The tyres were discovered over a large area of the West Pennine Moors, near Darwen - just a few months after a similar incident in nearby Roddlesworth

  • Car thief broke nose in crash

    A THIEF who took a car and crashed into a tree in a "wild drunken rampage" ended up smashing his nose as well, Burnley magistrates heard. Christopher Little, 21, lost control of the £200 Vauxhall Astra on a bend before the collision. He then abandoned

  • Burnley dad arrested at baby's birth

    A NEW Burnley dad was arrested after breaking the terms of his bail by turning up at the birth. Burnley magistrates heard how James Ward was arrested just after his partner had given birth and he slept in a chair in the early hours at Burnley General

  • Nelson motorcyclist died after losing control of bike

    AN EXPERIENCED Nelson motorcyclist was flung from his vehicle while trying to avoid a stone in the road, an inquest heard. Rider Christopher Lees, 41, is thought to have taken evasive action to avoid the obstruction in Gisburn Road, Blacko, near the

  • Father of sex pest slams communal changing rooms

    THE father of a sex pest caught spying on a naked girl at Burnley's St Peter's Leisure Centre has blamed the communal changing rooms. Abdul Razaq spoke out as his son was facing possible jail, and claimed the mixed facilities had encouraged "vulnerable

  • Lancashire star Smith hoping for big season

    Lancashire's Tom Smith says he's more determined than ever to win back a regular place in the county's star-studded side. The Chorley all-rounder is hopeful of playing a major role for the Red Rose outfit as they, once again, look to end their County

  • Forty homes in Burnley demolished under Elevate

    FORTY homes have been demolished in Burnley as part of the multi-million-pound Elevate regeneration scheme in East Lancashire. The homes in Branch Road, Parliament Street and Springfield Road in the Burnley Wood area of the town were demolished last

  • Burnley man took mum's car without consent

    A MAN who stole his mother's car and crashed it had been put under pressure to take a friend's partner to hospital, a court heard. Burnley magistrates heard how Gerrard Kevan Beier was seen driving erratically around the car park outside Carpet World

  • Argos cleaner took DVD player

    AN Argos cleaner helped himself to a DVD player and then made a run for it when he was spotted, a court heard. Colin Raw, 39, who knew the store made checks on staff, later sold the player to a friend for £15. He could not explain why he had stolen

  • Crash man faces death charge

    A LONGRIDGE man seriously injured in a car crash that killed his friend told police he could not remember the accident. The pair had been watching a football match on pub TV in May 2005 when the car became airborne in the "horrendous" accident, Preston

  • Police probe into Pendle vote fraud allegations

    A POLICE investigation has been launched in the run-up to next month's local elections after reports of possible postal voting fraud. Officers from Pendle CID confirmed they were investigating complaints from several political parties in the borough

  • Parents criticised over Great Harwood war memorial attack

    PARENTS have been told to take responsibility for their children after a group of teenage vandals destroyed the roof of a war memorial shelter. Officers believe a large group of youngsters were involved in smashing the roof and part of the brick walls

  • New mayor chosen

    At the recent Padiham Town Council meeting, nominations for the position of Mayor and Deputy Mayor, for the municipal year 2008/9, were received. Councillor Mark Jinkinson was nominated as Mayor and Councillor Vince Pridden as Deputy Mayor, both with

  • Cabbies call for CCTV after attack

    CABBIES are calling for CCTV in taxis after a driver was robbed in Bacup. Shahid Mahmood, who works for Royal Taxis in Waterfoot, was punched and kicked in an unprovoked attack at 4.15am on Saturday. He was pulling up in the Rossendale Crescent area

  • Blackburn community centre’s £1m revamp

    A COMMUNITY centre is to undergo a £1million transformation to create a modern facility for local people. Roman Road Community Centre, Newfield Drive, Blackburn, has been awarded the money after being identified as one of the best in the borough. A

  • Lancs delicacy scoops trophies

    THE Real Lancashire Black Pudding Company has earned another title at a national compet-ition. The team were judged Supreme British Champion Black Pudding Makers' in the National Supreme Products contest at the NEC, Birmingham, on Sunday. Proprietor

  • Cash aid plea to tempt traders into Darwen

    BUSINESS people are calling for action to save a town centre shopping street from "disappearing." Tim Melia, the director of Melbro Group Ltd, which has owned property on Bridge Street, Darwen, for almost 30 years, said he was concerned by the number

  • City Trains can be Key Drivers in Regeneration

    There is certainly a strong case for more public spending on regional transport as a priority and, in particular, for improved rail links to City Regions. The "Centre for Cities" Report confirms what we already know about the poor economic situation

  • Vince Overson's Burnley Youth column

    THERE were so many pleasing aspects from Monday's 4-1 win over Puma Youth Alliance League leaders Walsall. The Midlands club were reduced to 10 men midway through the first half, but even playing against a full 11, we were the better side after starting

  • Council issues thanks after archive donation

    A letter of thanks has been sent, by the Padiham Town Council Archive Group, to Mr Tom Targett of Baxi Heating, for his generous donation of photographs and memorabilia on behalf of the company. These items will be displayed in the September Archives

  • Accrington grandad lives in fear after attack

    A GRANDAD who was beaten up on the street feels like a prisoner in his own home after his attaker was spared an immediate jail term. Former army training instructor, Keith Harwood, 65, said he has stayed indoors "twenty-four, seven" since he was assaulted

  • Well done to everyone!

    Around £500 was raised for the Mayor of Burnley's Charity - Action for Autistic Spectrum Disorder, based at King's Mill, Briercliffe - with a walk/horse-ride around Hurstwood on Easter Monday. A big thank you to everyone who participated and especially

  • TV wire stolen from walls

    THIEVES in Burnley have been targeting television aerial wire. Cable was taken from 14 houses in the Manchester Road area of town over the weekend. Trinity community beat manger PC Ian Willis said: "They have been cutting the wire that runs externally

  • Blackburn Rovers Youth column with Bobby Downes

    EVEN though it's coming up to the end of the football season, there's still a lot of action for the boys. For the last couple of days, a team of Under-14/15 players have been competing in the Nike Cup at Warwick University - and done themselves proud

  • East Lancashire police chief's night on the streets

    A POLICE boss began his new role by pound-ing the streets during a Saturday night town centre patrol. Chief Superintendent Andy Rhodes spent several hours with officers in Blackburn to find out what they have to deal with on a typical weekend. Chief

  • Burnley hit by FA fine

    The Clarets have been slapped with a second Football Association fine in as many months. The club were today fined £7,500 after admitting a failure to ensure players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion after Kyle Lafferty's sending off in the

  • Blackburn councillor quits after 11 years

    A WELL-KNOWN councillor says he has "no regrets" as he prepares to call time on an eventful career at the town hall. Shear Brow member Hussain Akhtar has served on Blackburn with Darwen council for the past 11 years. But he will not contest his seat

  • Men of Mellor - Come have a laugh!

    Mellor Men's Group will meet again at the Millstone for their annual Spring Dinner on Friday 25th April. The guest this time is Bill Honeywell, a local Estate Agent and a humorous speaker of some renown.

  • 'Sex with children' charges

    TWO men appeared before magistrates accused of child sex allegations in Pendle. Bertram Hughes, 49, is charged with one count of indecenct assault at Barnoldswick between December 1996 and 1997. He did not enter a plea. Alan Hughes, 44, faces six charges

  • Mugger in fight to cut custodial sentence

    A TEENAGE mugger involved in the mob-handed robbery of a Blackburn man who was badly injured has won the first round of an Appeal Court fight to cut his sentence. The youth was just 14 when he and two others attacked Iain Dewhurst as he came out of an

  • Two charged over Blackburn taxi robbery

    TWO men have been charged with a knife point robbery on a taxi driver. At approximately 12.55am on Tuesday April 8 a 38-year-old taxi man from Blackburn collected two passengers, both men, from an address in the Highercroft area. As he drove a short

  • Courage on tap

    EVERY morning Jeri-Lee Fenton gets her five-year-old son John washed and dressed, packs him off to school, then gets to work preparing to open the busy pub of which she is landlady. On the face of it she's just one of thousands of working mums who juggle

  • Sport is paying off for young across Pendle

    SIX Pendle youngsters are to be awarded a total of £2,000 for their sporting excellence. James Blackburn, 14, Matthew Tindall, 16, Katie Doney, 16, Jonathan Bradley, 17, Ashley Honeyman, 15, and Holly Broughton, 13, are being awarded their bursaries

  • Lancashire fire volunteers sign up to help

    LANCASHIRE Fire and Rescue Service is to launch a new scheme to support their non-emergency services with volunteers. The service is appealing for people to contribute their time, energy and skills to the scheme with the aim of better connecting communities

  • Public art - brilliant, isn’t it?

    I drove along the M65 the other day passing the stunning 12 metre high statue Arte et Labore by Tom Dagnall. I think it's brilliant and a good silent ambassador for the borough. Then there's the ones right in the heart of Blackburn on Church Street.

  • Dozen East Lancashire groups share £72k Lottery cash

    ALMOST £72,000 is to be shared by 12 East Lancashire groups in the latest Big Lottery Fund giveaway. The £71,868 cash, from the lottery's Awards for All scheme will go to community groups as diverse as the Rossendale Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender

  • David Unsworth: Burnley must finish on a high

    Burnley defender David Unsworth is aiming to halt Sheffield United's barnstorming end to the season, and put the Clarets on track for a strong finish of their own. Unsworth, set to face his former club for the third time since leaving to join Wigan in

  • Lancashire's justice board chooses chairman

    A NEW chair has been appointed to Lancashire Criminal Justice Board (LCJB). Bob Mathers, chief officer of Lancashire Probation Service, will now lead the board's work, which involves improving the delivery of justice and increasing public confidence

  • M61 motorway reopens after nine-car pile-up

    THE M61 motorway has reopened following a nine-car pile-up on the northbound carriageway at around 6.37am this morning. The crash happened between junctions eight and nine, between Chorley and Clayton Brook. Two people remained trapped in their vehicles

  • Donation Curry’s favour with brave Joshua Ford

    AN ELECTRICAL store in Burnley has raised nearly £200 to help nine-year-old Joshua Ford, who had his legs amputated after contacting meningitis. Curry's in Burnley handed over the cheque for £177 to Joshua and his family on Saturday. The store held

  • Dad smashed ex’s window

    A Haslingden dad who smashed his ex's window in a row over seeing their daughter was given an 18-month conditional discharge. Burnley magistrates heard how Darryl Eatough, 30, wanted to introduce his daughter to his new girlfriend, but his former partner

  • India move Zimbabwe tour

    India's proposed one-day series in Zimbabwe has been postponed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Officials hope the three-game tour will take place after the IPL season which starts on April 18.

  • Blackburn Rovers reserves Kop defeat

    Blackburn Rovers' reserves were on the wrong end of the scoreline as they were beaten 1-0 by their Liverpool counterparts. The only goal of the game came from Hungarian striker Krisztian Nemeth who scored the only goal of the game after 26 minutes.

  • Rain hampers Lancashire and Yorkshire clash

    The scheduled two-day game between Lancashire and Yorkshire at Old Trafford was called off yesterday after persistent rain made play impossible. Instead, the teams will play a 50-over friendly starting at 10.30am this morning. In preparation for next

  • Tree felling should be probed

    I WAS astounded to read (LT, March 29) that council bosses' salaries are enormous, with our chief executive earning £120,682 per year and his job is not evaluated. Hundreds of low paid council workers have had their jobs evaluated and lost thousands

  • Council bosses' salaries obscene

    I WAS astounded to read (LT, March 29) that council bosses' salaries are enormous, with our chief executive earning £120,682 per year and his job is not evaluated. Hundreds of low paid council workers have had their jobs evaluated and lost thousands

  • French president is talking sense

    AFTER 12 years a French President's full state visit to Britain will have substantial positive impacts not only on these two nations, but on the Europe and USA. Afghan war, nuclear power, immigration, security, economy, defence and so on, are the issues

  • Improve roads or more lives will be lost

    YET again we have recently witnessed another serious accident, resulting in loss of life on the notorious A59 near Mellor Brook. This resulted in the A59 being closed and five hours of bumper to bumper traffic on Branch Road, Mellor Brook. BAE Systems

  • Dougherty gets early start in Augusta

    Chorley golfer Nick Dougherty has been paired with Swede Robert Karlsson and American Steve Lowey for the first two rounds of the US Masters in Augusta. The trio will tee-off at 9.28am (2.28pm our time). Dougherty will also take part in the traditional

  • TV stars at auction for children's charity

    TV lifestyle guru Eva and husband Nik Speakman hosted a quiz night and auction, at Todmorden golf club to raise money for the children's charity NCH. A number of TV celebrities, including Alice Barry, from Shameless, Jack Marsden from Heartbeat, and

  • Tribute to former QEGS head boy

    An honours board made in memory of a former pupil has been unveiled at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn. James Shoesmith was found hanged at his home in Higham Road, Burnley last year, aged just 23. He had been working as a teacher at

  • Street lighting is Lancastrian's biggest complaint

    More than 35,000 complaints about street lighting have been made in Lancashire in the last five years. A list of the inquiries made to Lancashire County Council's highways team since July 2003 reveal unlit street lights to be by far the most common

  • Confusion about Home Information Packs

    THE house selling public are still not fully clued up on Home Information Packs, now required on all homes which are put on the market, as the following story illustrates. A recent caller to an unnamed estate agent asked where on his home they intended

  • It’s all white to be adventurous

    A NEW report by Dulux highlights that neutral interior decor is turning Britain bland! Homeowners are in danger of becoming officially boring' with 55 per cent of people now choosing to live in a blandly decorated home, even though 45 per cent acknowledge

  • Make more grants available

    THE drive to improve the energy efficiency of houses by the Government, has prompted calls for VAT on home improvements. James Rowlands, public policy officer for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, said: "These moves are a positive first step

  • Saving you energy on home hunting

    HOUSE builders and designers have less than eight years to grapple with the technologies which will make the government's Code for Sustainable Housing possible. The aim is that all new houses built from 2016 onwards will be carbon neutral. Among the

  • Burnley Reserves in action

    Burnley Reserves entertain Wrexham Reserves tonight at Accrington Stanley's Fraser Eagle Stadium (kick-off 7pm). Entry is free for season ticket holders, £3 for adults and £1 for concessions.

  • ‘Modest’ Blackburn primary school in top 14pc in UK

    A PRIMARY school is "too modest" about its outstanding achievements, according to Ofsted. Holy Souls RC Primary, Wilworth Crescent, Blackburn, has received a glowing report from the education watchdog, with particular praise for "the excellent leadership

  • Steven Reid desperate for Euro glory with Blackburn Rovers

    BLACKBURN Rovers midfielder Steven Reid is desperate for the club to qualify for the Intertoto Cup - because he wants another taste of European football. The Republic Of Ireland international has only featured twice in the UEFA Cup, playing a part in

  • Win a luxury five-star holiday home weekend

    Have you ever thought of purchasing your own holiday home? For those of us who like to enjoy our leisure time in the peace and quiet of the countryside, Fell End and Hall More Caravan Parks, located within the Silverdale and Arnside Area of Outstanding

  • How To Look Good Naked, Channel 4

    A new series of How To Look Good Naked is equally as exciting as the feeling you get from buying a brand new dress. It's a fact that women love Gok Wan. He has the ability to transform the most shrivelled of shrinking violets into blossoming beauties

  • Team helps kick excessive boozing into touch

    ACCRINGTON Stanley striker Paul Mullin has backed a campaign to cut drinking in East Lancashire. The former player of the year unveiled a new poster advertising the East Lancashire Primary Care Trust's "know when to say when" campaign, part of its pledge

  • Make these files secure

    THERE has been no shortage of publicity in the past year about the loss or leakage of supposedly private data by government departments and major businesses. The climax probably came last October when the government announced it had lost two disks containing

  • Moment of terror at Blackburn jewellery store

    THIS is the dramatic moment three armed robbers stormed in to a jewellers shop and stole items worth tens of thousands of pounds. The still image shows the gang brandishing hammers as they prepare to smash open display cases at Riaz Jewellers, Whalley

  • We are truly blessed with great local food

    ANY stranger looking at TV, radio and national newspapers over past few months could be forgiven for believing we've got a gourmet's paradise, a true foodie's heaven, here in East Lancashire. Two pages in the travel section of one of Saturday's multi-supplement