So, the man who would be king has announced his first major policy decision. But Tory leader Colin Rigby's first public proclamation since the coalition which will oust Labour from control of Blackburn with Darwen Council was agreed can hardly fill voters
with the Rev Kevin Logan, Vicar of Christ Church, Accrington. . . HAPPINESS depends on happenings, like Beckham scoring a penalty one of these days, or maybe waking to find it's still only Thursday morning and you've just had a nightmare. Dragging ourselves
Piano maestro Martin Roscoe performs all over the world - and the origins of his brilliant career lie in music lessons as an infant. He spoke to GAIL ATKINSON. . . IT'S 45 years since Martin Roscoe had his first piano lesson as a boy, little thinking
HAVE the Conservative members on Blackburn Council gone mad? Why on earth are they thinking of getting into bed with a bunch of mavericks who cannot be trusted. They have told voters a pack of lies and betrayed them along with anyone who supported them
I HAVE a cunning plan. At the next European elections I wish to become a Labour MEP, but fearing that with the growth in popularity of the UKIP party I may not be elected, I will stand as a UKIP candidate. On the day of the count I will declare that I
I READ with much dismay and concern of the six local councillors who resigned last week and wonder how local politics can ever inspire confidence in the voting public, improve or even survive after such appalling and selfish behaviour of a few councillors
I FEEL I must reply to your comments regarding the wisdom of the Conservatives' desire for power. We have continually lobbied the ruling Labour group over the years to spend money on basic facilities in our wards. While we have watched huge sums of money
BLACKBURN Tory leader Colin Rigby has vowed to scrap plans for a statue of Barbara Castle in the centre of the town. Coun Rigby made the pledge just days before his party is due to join forces with the LibDems and six breakaway councillors to form the
BLACKBURN Rovers legends Simon Garner and Kevin Gallacher are planning a comeback next month in the Build Center Football Masters. Garner and Gallacher are both expected to feature for Rovers in the Northern section of the six-a-side tournament on Saturday
BLACKBURN Rovers today denied reports they are planning to make a swoop for the Italian international defender Daniele Adani. Stories coming out of Italy claimed the 29-year-old Inter Milan stopper is a serious target for Rovers boss Graeme Souness this
A DRIVER who got behind the wheel while banned and persisted in giving police false details has been jailed for four months. John Leslie Wilkinson, 34, only owned up to lying to police when officers produced a photo of him to prove who he was. He had
A DENTAL practice in Nelson is hoping an ambitious expansion project will provide care for an extra 4,000 patients in the next two years. Dentistry for All, based in Scotland Road, is already the town's largest NHS practice with 8,000 patients, four full-time
I FIND it difficult to understand how six supposedly staunch members of the Labour Party should almost immediately desert all the people who supported them. They should be made to stand in by-elections. MRS L BLACKBURN, Portree Crescent, Blackburn.
THE Labour Party are saying that the defecting councillors should resign and fight a re-election as they have let the party down and that the voters have been robbed. It should be noted that no party spoke up about the defection of the Mill Hill BNP councillor
I THINK it is wrong that anyone who has been elected by the voters should resign and form themselves as independents, or join another party. Anyone who has resigned a position has given up their right to that post, whoever they may be or whatever party
BIG Brother! Big mess more like. It's about time that television stopped showing any reality shows. It's a poor do when our entertainment is to watch people being humiliated in any kind of way. Some might say don't watch it and change the channel but
I AM shocked at the totally biased reporting of your newspaper on the recent issues on the councillors' resignations. It is hardly surprising that your Tuesday's edtion reported that all voters disagreed with their decision. You chose to use all the letters
SCHOOLCHILDREN were left in a spin after learning the ropes from an American Yo-yo expert. Around 200 youngsters from Great Harwood Primary are now hoping to become top spinners after Eric Herroon showed them some of the tricks of the trade. The professional
BATTLE lines have been drawn over plans to install flood relief equipment in Rishton. The engineering works would be built on land off Cliff Street, and would protect homes in the Stourton Street area, taking 17 of them off the at risk register. But residents
MONDAY, JUNE 28 BLACKBURN: To 9pm: Lloyds Pharmacy, 4-6 Railway Road; Cohen, 63 Whalley Range. To 8pm: Johnston Pharmacy, 50-52 Johnston Street. To 7.30pm: Aston Pharmacy, 95 Accrington Road. To 7pm: Moss Pharmacy, 314 Bolton Road; The Pharmacy, Oakenhurst
PRESIDENT of the North East Lancashire Area Ramblers' Association, Burnley MP Peter Pike, has thrown his weight behind the group's campaigning walk today to get a long-promised bridge built over the junction of the rivers Calder and Ribble, below Whalley
STEVE Cotterill believes pre-season panic could come to the rescue as he seeks to nail down his playing targets. The new Clarets boss has been frustrated by delays in adding more names to the singular signing of former Ipswich defender John McGreal. Burnley's
PEUGEOT 205 challengers Chris Reid and Phil Peak are getting their title bid back on track - thanks to the generosity of fellow competitors. A massive accident on last month's Panaround Stages wrecked their car, and looked to have done the same to the
STEVE Cotterill believes pre-season panic could come to the rescue as he seeks to nail down his playing targets. The new Clarets boss has been frustrated by delays in adding more names to the singular signing of former Ipswich defender John McGreal. Burnley's
A COLOURFUL new guide for tourists in Rossendale gets an official send-off tomorrow when Rossendale's new Mayor visits the Tourism display at Rossendale Carnival in Bacup. Councillor June Forshaw will help mark the launch of the 24-page guide which contains
HUNDREDS of young children from across Rossendale are being taught to be "streetwise" to cope with dangers inside and out of the home. Organisers hope the ground-breaking initiative, introduced for the first time in Rossendale, will cut the number of
BUS bosses have been rapped after spot checks by inspectors found services to be unreliable. But Blackburn Borough Transport avoided a fine after Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell said she was certain the company had acted responsibly to ensure services
WHEN six-year-old Frank Leigh was given his first Rovers season ticket he vowed to be a life-long supporter - now 84 years later he is believed to be their longest serving fan. In all that time his enthusiasm has never waned, despite the low moments of
A PENSIONER battling terminal cancer today spoke of his red tape ordeal as it was revealed more than half of cancer sufferers in the region are not getting the benefits they are entitled to. Dennis Day, 73, from Woodbury Avenue, Blackburn, had to wait
Drive & Stroll, with RON FREETHY - around Glasson I LOVE walking along our canal towpaths and also along long disused railway lines. At Glasson I was lucky enough to find both walks close to hand. The ideal solution can be found by starting early
A 21-YEAR-OLD man drove off after ploughing into the back of a car waiting at traffic lights on Barbara Castle Way in Blackburn, a court was told. Blackburn magistrates heard that Fiaz Aslam had been allowed to drive his brother's car after assuring him
IN respect of the six councillors who left the Labour Party several days after being elected as a Labour councillor, I feel this is a question of integrity. I am willing to accept that a meeting of ward voters accepted their reason for withdrawing but
LET me make a predication, the new power sharing executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council will make a pledge to keep council tax rises to an all-time low when it comes to next year's budget. But at what cost? Will there still be campaigns to clean up
CLOSELY following your publication of another attempt by Ms Linda Sanderson to justify the existence of the East Lancashire Road Safety Partnership comes a report in the morning press headed "More people killed at many speed camera sites." The report
A RAPE charge against a man from Leigh has been dropped after letters from his alleged victim declaring her affection for him were shown to the court. Daniel O'Brien, formerly of Headles Court, was due to face trial in August, but a judge heard yesterday
A THIEF who stole a £29.99 camera from Boots tried to put it back on the shelf when taken back into the store. Burnley Magistrates heard how Andrew Hayes, 26, needed help and the bench agreed. The defendant, of Creswick Avenue, Burnley, admitted theft
BURNLEY council will not meet Government targets for recycling after kerb-side schemes for collecting glass, cans and garden waste are binned. Targets of 18 per cent of household waste being recycled by 2005/06 had expected to be met before the collapse
A FORMER Burnley BNP councillor who flouted a football banning order has escaped being given another ban. Burnley magistrates heard how gas engineer Luke Smith, 22, did not visit the town's police station as required on the day of the Euro 2004 England
AN angry driver vandalised a disabled police worker's car and threatened him in a road rage row. Burnley magistrates heard Darryl Hunt, 38, lost his temper on his way to his Nelson gym because he claimed the victim had been tailgating him on the motorway
IN ALL my 70 odd years, I have never seen anything so disgraceful or deceitful as the defection of the six Labour councillors just days after their wins in the local elections. They are not fit to be in any position of authority never mind the running
BATTEN down the hatches, stormy times lie ahead for the good ship Blackburn with Darwen. The shameless mutineers and their grubby collaborators have taken over. Even more worrying is the identity of the new man at the helm, Colin Rigby, a man who last
THIS has not been a good week for the law and those paid to uphold and implement it to the satisfaction of those they are supposed to protect. I'm talking primarily about the Soham murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman and the fact that school caretaker
HISTORIC buildings in Earby could become part of a designated conservation area under plans to go before councillors next week. The West Craven Committee resolved to support the idea following an approach from Earby Parish Council in December 2002. And
SUNDAY, JUNE 27 BURNLEY with PADIHAM: 6-10pm: Moss Pharmacy, Saunder Bank, Burnley; 10am-4pm: Sainsbury's Pharmacy, Active Way, Burnley; 11am-5pm: Asda Pharmacy, Princess Way, Burnley. NELSON, BRIERFIELD, BARROWFORD, COLNE, EARBY & BARNOLDSWICK: 11am-noon
THURSDAY, JULY 1 BLACKBURN: To 9pm: Lloyds Pharmacy, 4-6 Railway Road; Cohens Chemist, 63 Whalley Range; To 8pm: Johnston Pharmacy, 50-52 Johnston Street. To 7.30pm: Aston Pharmacy, 95 Accrington Road. To 6.30pm: Donald Wood Ltd, 53 Fishmoor Drive; Healthbook
FRIDAY, JULY 2 BLACKBURN: To 9pm: Lloyds Pharmacy, 4-6 Railway Road; Cohen, 63 Whalley Range. To 8pm: Johnston Pharmacy, 50-52 Johnston Street. To 7.30pm: Aston Pharmacy, 95 Accrington Road. To 7pm: Moss Pharmacy, 314 Bolton Road; The Pharmacy, Oakenhurst
TUESDAY, JUNE 29 BLACKBURN: To 9pm: Lloyds Pharmacy, 4-6 Railway Road; Cohen, 63 Whalley Range. To 8pm: Johnston Pharmacy, 50-52 Johnston Street. To 7.30pm: Aston Pharmacy, 95 Accrington Road. To 7pm: The Pharmacy, Oakenhurst Road; Geloo Bros, Cleaver
COMPUTERS suffer more sick days than humans due to the flood of spam emails and viruses they have to endure. Research by Yahoo Mail (www.yahooantispam04.com) for their anti-spam campaign shows that computers can be out of action for six days a year. This
STEVE Johnson's domination of the inaugural F1000 Rally Challenge came to an end on the Weeton Stages. The Accrington firefighter had to be content with an uncharacteristic third place after being pipped for top spot by Mike Storrar and Ian Lloyd. But
The Saturday Interview - this week, JOHN HUGHES PICTURE the scene. It's a wintry Saturday afternoon in December 1986 and a group of delirious footballers are cavorting about in a sunken bath deep within the bowels of Ewood Park. The players of Chorley
GRIEVING relatives have hit out at Blackburn with Darwen Council over its policy of removing "unsafe" headstones from graves. Council workers are laying down headstones they feel are a potential danger as part of a safety directive. But families in Darwen
MAGISTRATES have sentenced a council tax doger to a month in jail. It is the first time since 1999 that Rawtenstall Magistrates have imposed a custodial sentance for non payment of council tax. The court heard how David Read, 57, of East Parade, Rawtenstall
A MAN who claims he has been bullied since he moved to Bacup tore up a bus seat with a knife, a court heard. Burnley Magistrates heard how John Paul Roche's alcohol-fuelled behaviour was prompted by deep-seated anxieties. He was frightened of the prospect
POTENTIALLY lethal sweets that were banned two years ago are still on sale according to Lancashire County Council's trading standards. Regulations were introduced to ban "Jelly mini-cups" in 2002 after 18 children choked to death worldwide on the sweets
A MAN who stabbed a DJ in the back has escaped a custodial sentence. Preston Crown court was told that after the attack Alan Fielding spent three days in hospital and had to have a drain inserted as he had air in his lungs. Rikki Burke, 22, of Whalley
BLACKBURN with Darwen Council and its partners have less than one week to find the borough's best citizens. The council's first citizenship awards are due to take place next month but nominations have to be sent back to the town hall by June 30. Organisers
HOMES in the Mill Hill area of Blackburn are being targeted in a Whitehall initiative aimed at tackling crime, anti-social behaviour and urban decay. The 'Hollin Bank Triangle', which covers an area bounded by Hollin Bridge Street and Hollin Street, is
with KINGFISHER. . . BREAM have to be the target for any non-commercial still-water anglers at this time of year, with plenty of excellent local waters offering the opportunity for big weights. Foulridge and Elton spring immediately to mind for those
