CHILDREN at a Rawtenstall school are being offered taster driving lessons as a reward for good achievement. Sixteen Year 11 pupils are to take part in the lessons at All Saints Catholic High School, in Rawtenstall, after behaving well this
STUDENTS at Burnley’s ‘university of football’ will pay just over £3,000 a year in tuition fees when it opens in September. The University and College of Football Business, based at Turf Moor, will teach students about the business management
BLACKBURN police have made their biggest ever seizure of the party drug known as ‘bubble’. The four kilogrammes of mephedrone, worth £80,000, were found after a Ford Fiesta was routinely stopped by officers in Gorse Street. Less than a gram is generally
A CRACKDOWN on filthy takeaways and chaotic kitchens has begun across Pendle. Food hygiene ratings are being displayed across the borough for anywhere serving food to the public, from fast food shops to pubs, hotels and restaurants.
A CHARITY night, in aid of an Alzheimer’s charity and a care home, has been organised by the son of a man who died of the condition last month. Gavin Roper, 34, started to organise the event in January, but his dad Bruce’s condition deteriorated
ONE of the North West’s top butchers is returning to his home town to open a market stall at the new Blackburn Market. Mark Duckworth, who started his career on the town’s market as a 17-year-old, has run a successful business in Kirkby Lonsdale
THE FAMILY of a ‘bubbly’ Darwen pensioner who became a singing sensation in his seventies is to release a new record in his memory. Darwen vocalist Steve Simpson marked his 72nd year in 2007 by recording his debut CD, raising hundreds of pounds
WORSLEY Cup hero Anwar Ali will roar back into the heat of the famous competition on Saturday as he plays for Rawtenstall in their rearranged first round tie at Nelson. The Pakistani pace ace, who bowled Colne to the crown last year with a
STAR all-rounder Jonathan Finch insists it is far too early to start getting carried away with Lowerhouse’s flying start to the season – but he admits that years of hard work behind the scenes at Liverpool Road is making the club stronger.
A HELMSHORE commercial property developer has been convicted of duping investors across the country in a £1.3million scam. Shaun Kiely, 43, of Limewood Close, was the director and shareholder Sky Properties (Northern) Ltd, a development and
A NEW business hub has been unveiled at a former town hall building after a £500,000 renovation. The historic Great Harwood Town Hall had lain empty for years in a near-derelict state. But now, after being taken over by Globe Enterprises, the site
A DAD who ‘never stops talking’ spent a day at work in silence to raise funds for a neonatal intensive care unit that helped keep his son alive. Peter Wilcock, of Grisedale Avenue, Blackburn, did not say a word from 8am to 4pm during his shift
THEIR union was more by circumstance than design, but you get the impression that Eddie Howe has found his ultimate right-hand man in Jason Tindall. For starters, they share the same ethos when it comes to football. They want to play
BLACKBURN Rovers have once again blown away their Premier League rivals in terms of offering their fans value for money – with the Ewood Park faithful given top flight football at less than £12 per game. Rovers announced their season ticket prices
A NURSE working at Royal Blackburn Hospital was attacked by a patient. Blackburn magistrates heard Ian Anthony Litherland approached the nurse from behind and refused to let go despite her screams of protest. And when security staff rushed to her
A WOMAN beaten up by her partner was so scared she took a knife to bed and hid it under the pillow, a court heard. Laura Everitt, who had suffered an asthma attack while she was being attacked by Robert Mark Bushell, her boyfriend of three
A JUDGE has praised three neighbours who helped thwart a gang of hooded burglars after a raid on a house in Padiham. Recorder Alan Conrad, QC, thanked residents for their ‘commendable and very public spirited behaviour’ which led to the three defendants
A NEW Darwen dad who got behind the wheel twice while banned will be locked up the day the baby was supposed to be Christened, a court heard. Marc Bamping, 26, who had also been subject to a suspended jail term when he struck, drove to work. He
A TALENTED 15-year-old singer is preparing to take to the stage twice this month. Miranda Myles, a year 10 student at St Bede’s Sports College, will perform pop songs at the Thwaites Theatre Rotary Variety Performance on May 26, and to thousands attending
AN OCCUPATIONAL health champion from Darwen has been recognised for his 30 years of service. Steve Sumner, from the Jack Keys area, has been influential in developing the management of health and safety within local authorities. And now the Royal
MEDIA students from Blackburn College will be given the exclusive opportunity to direct, record and film London-based group The High Llamas. The High Llamas, who formed in 1990, released their latest album Talahomi Way in April, is the latest band
A COMPANY secretary of a Blackburn firm appeared in court charged with fraud offences. Victoria Forshaw, 38, of Watson Street, Oswaldtwistle, is alleged to have obtained £26,000 from Vanguard Packaging over a two-year period. She is charged with
I fully agree with Ex-Fusilier (Opinion, May 10) on having a referendum for a return to corporal punishment, and hanging for murderers. The government will have a referendum on anything except what people want. The AV vote was time and money wasted
AFTER almost 10 months of high drama, the football season has ended in dramatic style. And 2010/11 will certainly go down as historic in these parts, even if not always for the right reasons. Blackburn Rovers were sold by the Jack Walker family
ONE of the area’s top contemporary artists gave visitors to Towneley Hall, in Burnley, an insight into her creative process at a ‘Messy Day’ demonstration at the weekend. Former St Hilda’s RC High School pupil Olivia Pilling set up in the hall’s art
AN APPRENTICE who has saved a multi-billion business time and money while training has won an award. Alan Maguire, who secured a placement at BAE Systems in Samlesbury, was awarded the Advanced Apprentice of the Year by the National Apprenticeship
THE parents of a murdered nurse are set to ask questions of the Crown Prosecution Service after new evidence came to light about their daughter’s killer. A 23-year-old woman from Preston has revealed that she reported Jonathan Vass for inciting
BURNLEY manager Eddie Howe has urged Jay Rodriguez to reflect on “a magnificent season” and not dwell on the disappointment of missing out on the latest England Under 21s squad. The Clarets’ 15-goal joint top scorer was named in Stuart Pearce
JUNIOR Hoilett admits he is loving life under the Steve Kean regime at Blackburn Rovers as he prepares for talks to extend his Ewood Park stay. Rovers’ Canadian starlet has flourished since Kean replaced Sam Allardyce as manager in December
A NEW generation of freshwater fish experts have raised hundreds of trout and released them into the wild. Around 700 finger-sized brown trout were set free into local ‘spawning’ streams across the Ribble Valley after being raised in fish tanks
THOUSANDS of East Lancashire people are anxiously awaiting news on their London 2012 Olympics ticket applications. Applicants will find out by June 24 whether they have got any of the 6.6million tickets available. Thousands of people
NEW faces, names, complex numbers and words are no match for an 11-year-old boy who proved he can remember almost anything. Leaon Leech, from Blackburn, beat thousands of schoolchildren to be named runner-up at this year’s national Junior Memory
A MAN has admitted killing a Blackburn College caretaker. But Glen Mould, 36, of Delph Close, Blackburn, will still face trial in July for 31-year-old Dominic Bibby’s murder after prosecutors rejected his plea. Mould denies murdering
CHESTERFIELD'S John Sheridan last night beat Accrington Stanley boss John Coleman to the League Two manager of the year award. Coleman had been tipped by some to be in contention for the League Managers Association honour after guiding Stanley to fifth
A 20-YEAR-OLD police volunteer who regularly gives up his social life to pound the beat in Rossendale has been honoured with a prestigious award. Since joining the Special Constabulary 14 months ago, Callum Nuttall has assisted police officers
FARVEEZ MAHAROOF has been called up by Sri Lanka for their forthcoming Test series against England The all rounder joined up with his international team mates after helping Lancashire Lightning beat Notts Outlaws in a CB40 match at Old Trafford on Sunday
I SEE we are to have a shopping guru, Mary Portas, advising the government on how to regain the high street. Here in Blackburn, a good start would be to open Church Street then, along with Darwen Street, we could have a proper shopping centre
SEVERAL youth clubs look set to close and almost 70 jobs will be lost as part of a major shake-up of the county’s provision for children and young adults. County Hall bosses say £8.4m must be found as part of the £179m cuts programme over the
The first thing that needs to be said is well done to all connected with Blackburn Rovers for avoiding what would have been a disastrous relegation. Dropping out of the Premier League would have had much wider ramifications for our town
SEVERAL key schemes are set to be given the go-ahead to make life easier for the travelling public in Burnley. Before the end of June 2012 town hall bosses must spend a £176,000 budget, which stems from the construction of the Tesco Extra store
ACCRINGTON Stanley have allowed seven players to leave following their play-off exit – with winger Chris Turner revealing that he turned down a new deal. Turner and fellow fringe players Andy Parkinson, Rory Boulding, Jon Bateson, Andy Owens, Tom Smyth
FIVE ram-raids took place over seven hours this morning in East Lancashire. The latest was reported to police at 8.30am in Blackburn town centre, while the first took place around 1.30am in Oswaldtwistle. Police said the incidents, which
How will the 2010/11 season be remembered by Stanley fans? Well, unfortunately not one that ended in promotion – a weak referee and a time-wasting Stevenage put paid to that. I am not blind to the fact that the lads in red also played a part in our
PLANS to build a new £35million mental health hospital near Burnley have been scrapped in a bid to save NHS cash. And the future of psychiatric wards 18 to 20 at Burnley General Hospital appears to be in doubt as part of a fresh review.
BLACKPOOL chairman Karl Oyston will attempt to convince Ian Holloway to stay as manager despite their relegation from the Premier League. CARDIFF manager Dave Jones is West Ham's top target to replace sacked Avram Grant. Mario Balotelli is in hot
A BUSINESS has been left counting the cost after a prolific burglar stripped copper piping from several floors, causing thousands of pounds in flood damage. Jason Harrison, 42, who has 62 previous convictions, broke into Bellwoven, in Newmarket
DARWEN’S batting charge towards a much deserved Northern League win at Blackpool was halted by the rain on Saturday as they were left kicking their heels when well on course for success. John Cordingley’s men were well set for just their second
BRILLIANT Baxenden made it six wins from six as they put 11 points between themselves and the chasing Ribblesdale League pack as the rain hit Read’s hopes. Bash battered reigning champions Clitheroe while Read were left frustrated as their
BRILLIANT Jon Fielding bowled reigning champions Ramsbottom clear at the top of the Lancashire League as he claimed another five-wicket haul to add to his impressive collection to sink Accrington. The sides went into the Acre Bottom showdown
EVERY parking ticket issued in an East Lancashire borough over the last three years could be invalid, it has emerged. Hyndburn Council failed to update its bylaws in line with a new Traffic act in 2008. Parking campaigners have described
