THE parents of a teenager who needs a transplant have vowed to lose 17 stones so they can donate him a kidney. Maria and Michael Hargreaves said doctors told them the operation would put their own lives under unnecessary threat as they weigh 17 stones
BLACKBURN Rovers' leading scorer Benni McCarthy could miss Wednesday night's home game with Aston Villa after he picked up an injury in the 2-2 draw at Fulham yesterday. The South African international lasted barely eight minutes at Craven Cottage before
OWEN Coyle admitted he was humbled by the reception he received for his first game in charge of Burnley Football Club. The Clarets new manager emerged from the Turf Moor tunnel to a standing ovation, and it was not long before chants of Owen Coyle's
A FATHER-OF-FIVE who assaulted his "former" partner in front of the children on the school run was distraught after she announced she had another man and was pregnant, a court heard. Howard Crabtree, 40, thought he and victim Rachel Conlan were still
The draw for the FIFA World Cup European Qualifying has been made. Group 1: Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Albania, Malta. Group 2: Greece, Israel, Switzerland, Moldova, Latvia, Luxembourg. Group 3: Czech Republic, Poland, Northern Ireland
There will be a concert to raise money for motocross casualty Neil Catlow of Kirkhill Farm, Haslingden on Sunday 2nd December from 3pm till late. It is being held at the Sanctuary Rock Bar, Hamerton St. Burnley. Neil, 30, a past pupil at All Saints
AN East Lancashire solicitor is leading a private investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance - and believes she is still alive. Edward Smethurst is the in-house lawyer based in Clitheroe for double-glazing tycoon Brian Kennedy, who has pledged
There will be an evening of light music and popular song performed by the Rossendale Amateur Operatic Society at Haslingden County Primary School on Friday, 30th November and Saturday, 1st December. Tickets are £6 - Contact; 01706 210518
TWO young motorists drove "like maniacs" as they raced each other on a 'dangerous' country road, a court heard. And Blackburn magistrates were told that the drivers did not know each other and had started racing after Timothy Horrocks "saw red" when
A "REMORSELESS" Polish man with 50 convictions in his homeland has been jailed for three years after mugging two fellow countrymen in East Lancashire. Burnley Crown Court was told that Piotr Racinowski spent the money he stole on prostitutes. Racinowski
A SCOUT band from Rossendale is set to play before one of its biggest-ever audiences at the former Millennium Dome in London this weekend. Members of the Bacup-based 2nd Rossendale Collective will join the National Scout and Guide Symphony Orchestra
VEHICLES in Burnley and Padiham were targeted in a spate of suspected arson attacks. One blaze, believed to have been started in a Mercedes van just after 3am on Friday in Stockbridge Road, Padiham, spread to a car, with heat from the flames damaging
MORE than 200 firefighters have written to Lancashire's chief fire officers warning against the prospect of reduced cover across the county. Bosses at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service insist that their latest integrated risk management programme (IRMP
Stephen Warnock rescued a deserved point for Blackburn with a late equaliser. But Rovers suffered a blow when they lost Benni McCarthy, who limped out with a gashed knee. Danny Murphy put Fulham ahead from the spot - after Ryan Nelsen had brought down
CAMPAIGNERS have formally appealed to the High Court in a bid to overturn the green light for the Darwen Academy. Residents in the Redearth Triangle, Darwen, are still fighting Blackburn with Darwen Council's plans to build a new academy on the site
AN inquest has been opened into the death of a 74-year-old Burnley man who may have been exposed to asbestos as part of his work as a boiler lagger 50 years ago. The inquest was told that Harry Whipp, of Blacker Street, Burnley, was admitted to Royal
A MAN confronted his ex-girlfriend on two occasions over property he had left behind when their relationship ended. Hyndburn magistrates heard both meetings in a town centre pub ended with Daniel Lee Faina grabbing her by the arm. And both resulted
BLACKBURN lost striker Benni McCarthy with a gashed knee in what was an uneventful first half at Craven Cottage. Fulham stopper Antti Niemi saw little action with Rovers suffering the setback of losing McCarthy after just five minutes. He limped off
A YOUTH board will be set up by university chiefs and Burnley FC as part of a £273,000 volunteer grant. Student volunteers at Lancaster University are teaming up with the Turf Moor club to kick-start the board, which will include youngsters from across
A WOMAN was attacked and robbed as she used a cashpoint at a supermarket. The 51-year-old victim withdrew £150 from Asda, Colne when a man approached her from behind at 8.45pm on Wednesday. Police said the man pushed the woman away from the machine
A PLUMBER turned up at his "ex-partner's" home and kicked in the door shattering her with glass and injuring her, Burnley magistrates heard. The court was told Keiron Brown''s victim Nicola Hatch had earlier taken out an injunction against him, but she
A ROW over letting the children watch television ended with a 32-year-old man throwing the remote control at his wife. Hyndburn magistrates heard the children wanted to watch cartoons but Shadooth Ali was intent on watching The Bill. And he became aggressive
PRE-SCHOOL children are sending shoe boxes full of goodies to troops serving in Iraq this Christmas. The children, aged between two and four, from Kitten's Pre-school Nursery, Veronica Street, Darwen, have decorated the boxes and filled them with gifts
On Friday night, it was lovely to see Padiham embracing the Christmas spirit once again with the turning on of the lights. With the Christmas period approaching, I would just like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy
MEMBERS of the Bangladeshi comm-unity in East Lancashire are appealing for help to aid devastating cyclone. Five million people are in need of basic supplies and about one million homes have been damaged or destroyed after the disaster last week. Now
A MAYOR comple-ted a whistlestop tour of Pendle to spread a little Christmas cheer to town and village centres. In a twist on the usual Christmas lights switch-on ceremonies, Pendle mayor Coun Allan Buck thought he would go one better. So with the aid
A PRISON officer has been convicted of sexually assaulting a female colleague at a north west jail. Trevor Wright had been found guilty on a jury's majority verdict of sexual assault. However, he was found not guilty on a second charge relating to the
SOME £270,000 worth of cuts are expected to be made this week when the county council axes its meals on wheels service. Talks between unions, staff and Lancashire County Council have confirmed proposals to cancel the authority's in-house meals on
A KNIFEMAN found collapsed by police spat at an officer and tried to sink his teeth into another, a court was told. Burnley magistrates heard how the police had been trying to help drunken Richard Andrew Keefe, 24, when they found him slumped in Bank
CHILDREN who are making their own safety posters to tackle 'illegal and dangerous' parking outside primary schools have less than a week to get their designs in. Officers are running a poster competition as part of the Steer Clear campaign for children
A LIVE bands night is taking place in memory of Sophie Lancaster on Friday, November 30. Sophie died after she was attacked in Stubbylee Park, in Bacup, in August. Her boyfriend, Robert Maltby, 21, also suffered serious head and facial injuries. The
THE cold and rain failed to deter hundreds of people - and a few celebrities - turning out for the switch-on of Darwen's Christmas lights. The market square was filled with families holding flashing lights and lanterns, following a day of activities
AN all day fundraiser will be held in Colne for a young boy who had his legs amputated after contracting meningitis. Joshua Ford, nine, of Lisbon Drive, Burnley, fell ill with the brain bug at the end of August. His legs were removed after septicaemia
AN INQUEST has opened into the death of a 13-day-old baby. Aysha Patel was born at the Royal Blackburn Hospital on November 5, but had poor respiratory effort. She was transferred to St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, and then, by air, to Glasgow Neonatal
LANCASHIRE is set to benefit from a share of £250m for more GPs and health centres. The government has announced that the money will be used to create 40 more GP practices and 24 extra health centres across the North Westn. Mike Farrar, chief executive
Maire Ni Chathasaigh and Chris Newman Saturday, 8th December, 2007 8:00pm (Doors Open 7:30pm) Blazing Guitar and Dancing Harp The celebrated virtuoso partnership of Maire Ni Chathasaigh and Chris Newman made its debut at the 1987 Cambridge
AS a Labour Party voter I am often told that the Prime Minister Gordon Brown was the most prudent and successful Chancellor of modern times. It is an economic reality that under his stewardship our economy was so successful that some Premier League footballers
RE Arts in the Park and the Mela, the idea of putting the two concerts together is absolutely outrageous. First of all - it is called Arts in the Park' so needs to be in the park - which for the last few years has been absolutely fantastic (apart from
THE Muslim community welcomes Prime Minister Gordon Brown's announcement of a raft of new anti-terror security measures including £400million campaign to combat radicalisation while ensuring that Britain remains cohesive and proud of its multi-faith and
RECENTLY I was asked if I would baptise a child so as to get him into a Roman Catholic school (bad reason number one for asking for baptism). Then I was asked if I knew of any Roman Catholic schools with no Asian pupils (unspeakably bad reason number
POSTMASTERS in East Lancashire will find out in January if their branches have been earmarked for closure. Government chiefs plan to announce which post offices in the area are under threat on January 22. A period of public consultation will follow
BOFFINS of tomorrow from Burnley and Pendle have been given an insight into everything from X-rays to ultrasound during a field trip to a Lancashire university. Students from Unity College, Sir John Thursby, Blessed Trinity, Marsden Heights, Burnley
The annual Christmas whist drive will take place in the Centre on Wednesday 19th December at 7.45pm. Prizes as usual include Turkeys. A room raffle will be held on the night (no they are not raffling the room!!) its just one that is help only on the
The Christmas Prize Bingo will take place in the Centre on Tuesday 4th December 2007 at 7.15pm; Admission is just 20p and includes refreshments. This is a Family Bingo Night out which is popular with young and old alike. It makes a real change
IT takes a brave comedian to stand up in front of 1,500 people and encourage them to heckle him. But then Jimmy Carr is the master of interacting with an audience and on Saturday night he appeared to thrive on the challenge as East Lancashire's finest
A MOBILE technology firm is targeting global expansion after posting better than expected final results. Rawtenstall-based 2ergo has announced pre-tax profits of £2.6million for the year ending August 31, up £300,000 on the previous period. The company
