Archive

  • New priority for an old problem

    ALCOHOL abuse has been with us as a problem for many generations. As long ago as the 19th century people were dying in their thousands because they were drinking too much - a situation chronicled by Victorian writers like Charles Dickens. And that's one

  • Memories are worth fighting for

    REGARDING the QLR, my late husband Corporal Walter Wilkinson joined in 1939 at Fulwood Barracks. He was at Dunkirk and lost four toes from frostbite. He then went into the Pioneer Corps where he served until 1945. He died in 1977. We have lots of memories

  • QLR's identity must be retained

    IWOULD like to wish you every success in your bid to retain the identity of the Queens Lancashire Regiment. My late father was an old soldier in the First World War and was one of the four Old Contemptibles who went to the front in 1914. He survived to

  • No choice in a dictatorship

    IN answer to K Scott's letter (LET, September 3) about Hitler. Basically the Second World War was about territorial claims and world domination by Germany and Japan. If Hitler had won the Second World War, those who followed his creed would have been

  • Mum's pride in her soldier son

    MYSELF and my family are backing your campaign to save Lancashire's regiment the QLR. My son joined up just a year ago and is a private with the QLR. His first stage of basic training was at Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, where there were recruits from

  • All hail king Khan!

    He took the Olympics by storm and as he returned it was party after party for Bolton's Amir Khan. Amir toured his home town in an open-top bus and was greeted by hundreds of fans as he arrived at Bolton Town Hall, in Victoria Square. The former Smithills

  • Ballzone puts park's future on a roll

    YOUNGSTERS in Radcliffe are set to benefit from a new play area in the town. The ballzone at Bolton Road park will be officially opened on Thursday September 16, by the Mayor of Bury, Coun Barry Briggs, as part of the first phase of £400,000 worth of

  • Rovers duo ready to answer Parkes' call

    TONY Parkes is planning to ring the changes for Saturday's trip to Newcastle United -- and that means possible recalls for Garry Flitcroft and Matt Jansen. Parkes has a history of shaking things up whenever he has stepped into the breach as a caretaker

  • We want Sparky

    BLACKBURN Rovers defender Craig Short today said Mark Hughes is the man the players want as the club's new manager. And those thoughts have also been echoed by the fans after more than 60 per cent of those who called our special vote line yesterday also

  • We want Sparky

    BLACKBURN Rovers defender Craig Short today said Mark Hughes is the man the players want as the club's new manager. And those sentiments have also been echoed by the fans after more than 60 per cent of those who've called our special vote line so far

  • Goldilocks is next for company

    FOLLOWING the success of 10 Years and the Show Goes On, last month in the Formby Hall at Atherton the New Garrett Theatre Company is throwing its doors open to new members. The next production will be the pantomime Goldilocks and the Three Bears, written

  • Trevor's labour of love takes 28 years

    WHEN Trevor Clough decided to make a model of Haggate Baptist Church, Burnley, as a present for its minister he had no idea he would still be working on it 28 years later. Tiny slivers of plywood are used to create chairs, lollypop sticks have been cut

  • Warning after soldier murder charge

    A LEADING military expert today warned of the implications for peacekeeping missions after a soldier from Nelson was charged with the murder of an Iraqi civilian. Charles Heyman, senior defence analyst for the Janes Consultancy group, said it was difficult

  • Worries over role of soldiers

    A LEADING military expert today warned of the implications for peacekeeping missions after a soldier from Nelson was charged with the murder of an Iraqi civilian. Charles Heyman, senior defence analyst for the Janes Consultancy group, said it was difficult

  • 'Kids could down' fears

    CHILDREN'S lives could be put at risk if a new play area is put where two rivers meet in Barrowford, it was claimed today. People living near the youth centre, in Wilton Street, are worried youngsters could drown if they slip down the steep banks after

  • John's church history at the double!

    THIS year marks a double celebration for St Leonard's Church in Balderstone which has been at the heart of the spiritual and social life of a community for 500 years. To mark the double 500th anniversary of the first mention of the church in surviving

  • Lanky curios in focus

    CURIOSITIES of Lancashire will be revealed when P Robinson addresses next Tuesday's meeting of Atherton Heritage Society which begins at 7.30pm in St Richard's Hall, Mayfield Street, Atherton. Admission is £1 and £1.50 (non members).

  • 25 years ago:

    EAST Lancashire's engineering industry ground to a halt as a two-day strike over hours and pay began. Bosses warned workers they would be laid off if the strike continued, but they remained resolute. A spokesman for Blackburn Amalgamated Union of Engineering

  • 'Thank You' night

    VOLUNTEERS and community groups in Tyldesley and Astley will get a pat on the back at a special Thank You event next Thursday at Fred Longworth High School between 6 and 8pm. Organisers from Wigan Council's Township Programme say that the event is a chance

  • Citizenship Update

    The Government has recently announced that those seeking British Citizenship will have to show that they are able to show that they have a sufficient knowledge of the English Language before Citizenship is granted to them. Other countries around the World

  • Search is on for anti-vandal shelter

    TRANSPORT chiefs have backed a study aimed at toughening-up bus shelters. Up to 2,000 new shelters are being installed in Greater Manchester over the next five years. Now Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority's Policy Committee has put £25,000

  • Chemical

    workers' strike off as deal is reached STAFF at the William Blythe's chemical plant, Church, have called off a strike after reaching a settlement over working hours. Employees who are members of the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU), staged a

  • Teen terror must behave or go to jail

    A TEENAGER'S two-year reign of terror over a community has come to an end. Seventeen-year-old Daniel Millington has been told he must behave or face up to five years in jail. Millington's campaign of intimidation and harassment on the Hag Fold estate

  • Brave postmaster foils masked raiders

    A POSTMASTER bravely stood his ground when masked raiders tried to rob his shop. The 63-year-old was alone in the Bolton Road post office in Atherton when two men in balaclavas burst in. One ran up to the counter and demanded cash while the other hovered

  • Zacc gets his kit off for TV cameras...

    A BODYBUILDER, who turned to the sport after his dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer, is set to appear in a BBC documentary about what happens in country pubs. Thirty-three-years-old muscleman, fire-eater and stripper Zacc Harvey will feature in the

  • Shah Rukh and Co in tempting mood

    Thousands turned out at the NEC in Birmingham to see Shah Rukh Khan strut his stuff. Crowds were larger than expected due to the fact the tour did not include Manchester MEN this year. Shah Rukh headlined the all-star cast which included former Miss World

  • Second time around

    Shashi Rajan makes his directorial debut about a man who through curiosity gets tangled in a web of deceit and lies. Jackie Shroff plays writer Ranbir who is married to Anjali (Mahima Chaudhary). Enter Ziya (Raveena Tandon) a former lover of Ranbir's

  • Past, present and the future

    After his fall from grace last year Salman Khan has come back strongly with a series of successful films. Maybe he wasn't that bad after all. Or maybe he's just picked some good projects. Either way this could make it a year to remember for the nineties

  • SOUND BITE: The latest music news brought to you by DJ FRITZ

    Last issue I wrote about how we, British Asians are making our way into the mainstream music industry. Today, I'm going to tell you why it's important to support the Asian music industry. As you're aware, counterfeiting or bootlegging is rife here in

  • Simply living the dream

    What's the fascination with rising star RAGHAV? SAIMINA VIRMANI caught up with the singer on the Mela Circuit Need to buy some washing up liquid". They say that it is at the most difficult moments that people remember the unexpected. In my case it was

  • Noise protester backs Metrolink battle

    PRESTWICH Metrolink noise victim Maria Fuller has been asked by transport bosses to back their "Get Our Metrolink On Track" campaign. After years of suffering the effects of trams passing by her house in Cedar Grove, Prestwich, ironically, Mrs Fuller

  • Major tonic for patients

    PATIENTS groups have welcomed the news that Clitheroe's new multi-million pound health centre could be open by spring 2006. Three health centres -- two in Accrington and one in Clitheroe -- are planned under the Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT).

  • Will the last one out please turn off the lights

    When I was a very small boy, I asked my mother what will I be? Will I be a doctor, will I become a bus driver, or will I be one of those dole dossers? My mother replied to me... Que sera sera whatever will be, will be ... we're gonna get kicked out of

  • Clarets match categories

    BURNLEY Football Club have announced details of all category 'B' games up until the midway point of the season. The following games are discounted against the normal category 'A' price, with adult tickets costing £1 less and concessions 50p. Season ticket

  • Reserves struggle to convert chances into goals

    MARK Yates is still seeking his first win as reserve team manager after Burnley went down to a 1-0 defeat at Chester City. But Yates is happy his young guns are on the right track after the Clarets came away unfortunate not to follow up last week's draw

  • My lies have cost me a good friend

    DEAR MASSI, I have got myself into a very embarrassing situation with a friend and I don't know how to get out of it. We both go to the same college and one day I was talking to a male friend and accidently told him I was going out with her. I am not.

  • Admission has left me confused

    DEAR MASSI, I was hoping to get married next year to this guy but I have found out a terrible secret about him. I am 17 years old and he is 32. I have only told my best friend about the relationship and she thinks I am stupid for getting involved with

  • Unfinished building delays start of school

    PUPILS in Radcliffe were turned away from school this week as building work had not been completed. Construction work at the Coney Green site of the new Radcliffe Riverside School had not been finished in time for the new school year on Monday (Sept 6

  • Minder's new role

    MIDFIELD minder Tony Grant is ready to step out of the shadows against Crewe this weekend. Grant admits he is 'loving' the anchor role in a fluid 4-1-4-1 formation, protecting the central defensive duo and constantly looking to get the Clarets moving

  • Reunion meeting

    FORTY years after they left Tyldesley Girls' Secondary School former pupils will meet again on Friday, October 1 at the Masonic Hall meeting room above Tyldesley Veterinary Centre on the corner of Elliott Street and Chapel Street.

  • Homework clubs start

    HOMEWORK clubs are being held in Leigh, Atherton, Golborne and Hindley for 10-16 year olds. The 3pm-6pm meetings will provide pupils with homework help, free internet access, computer use, and drinks. They will take place at Atherton Library on Mondays

  • RL stalwart's top Rotary honour

    THE grand old man of rugby league, Tommy Sale, has been awarded the highest Rotary Club honour. Leigh Rotary Club president Chris Stephenson presented Tommy with the Paul Harris Fellowship. Paul Harris was the founder of the International Rotary Movement

  • CAP throw hat into election ring

    FOLLOWING promising results in June's local elections, the Community Action Party have decided to field three candidates in Wigan in the next General Election. Community Action Party press officer Sean Ashdown said: "People are feeling more and more disaffected

  • Farmers' market comes to town

    HOME grown produce including ostrich meat, fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, lamb and yoghurt will be on sale at a farmers' market at the heart of Leigh. Shoppers will be able to buy local produce direct from local farmers, growers and producers using

  • Goldilocks is next for company

    FOLLOWING the success of 10 Years and the Show Goes On, last month in the Formby Hall at Atherton the New Garrett Theatre Company is throwing its doors open to new members. The next production will be the pantomime Goldilocks and the Three Bears, written

  • Derelict mill blaze

    A BLAZE at a derelict Leigh factory which has become a haunt for the homeless is believed to have been started deliberately. The fire at the former Brentwood Brothers' Leigh Road sewing factory began at around 10.45am on Friday and spread through the

  • Off-licence crackdown will go on

    LICENSEES are being praised, following the success of a summer crackdown on under-age drinkers. Wigan Council's Trading Standards officers found that only four of the 43 off-licences they visited in the borough sold alcohol to the team's 14-year-old volunteer

  • Cadets out in the field

    YOUNG Army Cadets learned how to live in the field and picked up many new skills on an adventure holiday with a military flavour. The Tyldesley teenagers joined 450 others at the Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force's annual two week summer camp near Catterick

  • 'Thank You' night

    VOLUNTEERS and community groups in Tyldesley and Astley will get a pat on the back at a special Thank You event next Thursday at Fred Longworth High School between 6 and 8pm. Organisers from Wigan Council's Township Programme say that the event is a chance

  • Pike walk raised £4,000

    A CHARITY walk in memory of Atherton man Phil Baker raised over £4,000 for Christie's Hospital. Saturday's event was enthusiastically supported and 100 people rangers from five years to late 50s registered to walk with an assortment of family pets to

  • Company wins top award

    LEIGH-based Kingmoor Park Properties has won a prestigious national award after being identified as one of the best examples of a public/private sector partnership in the UK. The fast-growing company, which has made a huge success of the Bridgewater Business

  • Branson is top business role model

    Richard Branson has topped the list of UK Asians' most inspirational business role models in a survey by the British Library. Six non-Asians also feature in the top ten including Bill Gates and Anita Roddick. A total of 186 people completed the survey

  • Peter Pan life of Ruby

    SMILING and watching television, Ruby Westmoreland looks like any other seven-year-old. She likes music, swimming, ten-pin bowling and playing with her sister, nine year-old Amber. But unlike other girls of her age, Ruby cannot speak, feed or dress herself

  • Stanley travel

    ACCRINGTON Stanley have announced travel details for their trip to Dagenham and Redbridge on Saturday. Lowey's Lucky Bus will leave the Crown pub on Whalley Road, Accrington, at 8am and each seat costs £20. Contact Steve Lowe on 07775 704072.

  • Sorry for Steve, but now I'll sleep

    I CAN'T believe I've lost my room-mate for a few weeks. I was gutted to hear that Steve Halford had suffered a broken leg. In fact, I couldn't believe it when he told me the results of his scan because I didn't see that coming at all. It's so frustrating

  • Kamini lands Oxford spot

    Kamini Manick's 3A's and a B in Italian, Biology, Chemistry and Geology helped to secure her a place at Oxford University. The Preston College student will study Earth Sciences at the University. She said, "I studied Geology for the first time when I

  • Time to rise to the challenge

    Students on one degree course have been proving that with a little determination - further education could be just for you. Mother of three Afroz Mohammed returned to education after fifteen years. The 38-year-old is in the second year of the Social Science

  • Spirit of the game triumphs

    The spirit of cricket was the real winner in the Khaizar Memorial Cup held at Swindon Playing Fields, Nelson. The final saw local lads Whitefield take on Oldham's Untouchables. Whitefield scored a competitive 79 in their six overs and with the light fading

  • Broadgate settle it in classic penalty shoot-out

    Broadgate came through a mammoth penalty shoot-out to clinch the Under 15s trophy at a tournament in Preston. Teams from around the North West took part in the Abdul Valli juniors tournament held at the Vida complex. Broadgate had reached the under 15s

  • The Eagles have landed

    Blackburn Eagles were crowned champions of the Blackburn and Amateur Cricket League - and boy did they deserve it. In recent years they always seemed to start brightly and then fade away. And shouts of you'll never win the league could be heard from the

  • It was a long time coming

    As tournament season comes to an end ABDUL KHERATKER of Blackburn CC describes how his side broke their duck in a national cricket tournament in Luton. We have been travelling and entering tournaments on and off for the past nine years. This year we took

  • Just paranoid

    I agree with the comments of Ibrahim Master concerning the setting up of an MI5 HQ in the North West. I think the Government has become increasingly paranoid with regards to the Muslim community. It gives the the impression that all Muslims are terrorists

  • All hail king Khan!

    He took the Olympics by storm and as he returned it was party after party for Bolton's Amir Khan. Amir toured his home town in an open-top bus and was greeted by hundreds of fans as he arrived at Bolton Town Hall, in Victoria Square. The former Smithills

  • Such high achievers

    I just wanted to say keep up the great work that your newspaper is doing. I have only started reading your newspaper earlier this year and I love reading it! It keeps me up to date with all the news that concerns the Asian community. Having once been

  • Why have HQ here?

    Sir, I have to disagree with Ibrahim Master's argument (Front page August 2004) that plans to base a new intelligence HQ in the North West were simply a misplaced reaction to "Muslim opposition to the war". If that were the case then surely it would make

  • Rotherham date gets green light

    THE RFU have accepted the rescue package for troubled Rotherham which means Sedgley Park's clash on Saturday will now go ahead. Tigers' player-coach Tim Fourie was delighted and said: "It will be a tough game but we are looking forward to it. "If everybody

  • Unfinished building delays start of school

    PUPILS in Radcliffe were turned away from school this week as building work had not been completed. Construction work at the Coney Green site of the new Radcliffe Riverside School had not been finished in time for the new school year on Monday (Sept 6

  • Pensioners can be fitter than young 'uns

    A PENSIONER who does three half-hour blocks of moderate exercise each week will have the same muscle strength as a lazy 20 years old. So say Manchester University researchers. So come on you golden oldies, dig out your leotards and trainers and get exercising

  • Why my faith in the doctor has been dented

    MY trust in family doctors has been dented. My partner, who is no surgery lizard, was taken ill and normally refuses to go to the GP, so he must have felt rough when he paid a visit for the first time in probably eight years. On being diagnosed with a

  • What's a garage for? Anything except cars

    ONLY a half of houseowners with a garage use it for its real purpose -- housing a car. For the rest it is a space for stacking tools and DIY equipment, gardening tackle, the washing machine and freezer or garden furniture. According to a survey by Halifax

  • Schools got the whole £200,000 closure cash

    "PINOCCHIO" (Letters, August 26) argues that Bury Council broke its own rules regarding extra budget expense resulting from the primary school closure programme. The Strategic Review process was the subject of the most intense scrutiny, with the proposals

  • Fashion event helps to raise funds for victims

    A team of Preston women staged a fashion event to raise funds for famine and flood victims in Sudan and Bangladesh and to promote community relations in Lancashire. Manchester University lecturer Laura Lavalette and student Yameena Patel came up with

  • Pupils left with little choice

    As the ban on Religious signs or symbols in schools takes affect in France how is it like for the ordinary school children at the centre of the controversy. It was easier for 16-year-old Nadia Arabi, a practising Muslim, to remove her head scarf than

  • 'Splash driver' is in the clear

    Police have been slammed for prosecuting an innocent motorist who "completely drenched" an officer by driving through a puddle of rainwater. Driving instructor Tahir Mahmood was charged after creating a "tidal wave" which completely covered PC Anthony

  • Lasting respect for the regiment

    MY father and brother were both regulars in the East Lancashire Regiment. My father won the Military Cross in the 1914-1918 war and was recruiting sergeant at Canterbury Street Barracks, Blackburn until his death at 53 in 1939. He was an RSM and his name

  • Ada was offside over Cloughie

    IDON'T mean to sound 'picky' but I feel I must draw your attention to an error in your letters section. Ada Gibson incorrectly stated in her £10 winning letter that Brian Clough said that 'football is a funny old game'. It was in fact Harry Enfield who

  • Pained by our dental services

    THE dentistry arm of the NHS has got to the stage where it is beyond a joke. With no dentists taking on any new NHS patients, we are faced with one of two options. These are to go private and pay through the nose (or should that be through the teeth)

  • Walk in memory of Phil raises £4,000

    A CHARITY walk in memory of Atherton man Phil Baker who died from cancer raised more than £4,000 for Christie's Hospital. The event last weekend was supported by 100 family members and friends, ranging from aged five to 50, who walked up Rivington Pike

  • Close Park golf course plan laid to waste

    RESIDENTS living near a tipping site in Radcliffe are calling on Bury Council to tee off with their initial plans for the area. People looking out onto the tip at the rear of Close Park say the council agreed to construction waste being left at the site

  • Off-licence man's court case put off

    A BID to revoke the drinks licence of a Radcliffe shopkeeper was put on ice after complaints that no details of case had been made to his legal team. Mark Donlan (42), licensee of MD Off Licence, Abden Street, appeared before the licensing bench on Tuesday

  • Do You see the light?

    And so to those who don't have a chance in hell to get anywhere like me. By which I mean the people who suddenly see the light and transform from complete nobody's to respectibility. It's as if they planned it the son of a guns. For years you used to

  • RL stalwart's top Rotary honour

    THE grand old man of rugby league, Tommy Sale, has been awarded the highest Rotary Club honour. Leigh Rotary Club president Chris Stephenson presented Tommy with the Paul Harris Fellowship. Paul Harris was the founder of the International Rotary Movement

  • City deny Reid move

    COVENTRY City today played down reports linking Peter Reid with the vacant manager's job at Blackburn Rovers. Certain sections of the national media are tipping Reid as the man to take over at Ewood Park but Sky Blues chief executive Graham Hover says

  • TLT's charming new tale of country folk

    FOLLOWING another busy close season that has involved extensive work on brickwork, stage lighting and interior decoration, Tyldesley Little Theatre members are eager to get back to business. Tickets are now on sale for the season opener Day of Reckoning

  • Power battle rages on

    PARTY group leaders in Burnley will meet again tomorrow to try and thrash out a solution to the council crisis. Leaders of all the political parties in the town, minus the British National Party, have been meeting to negotiate a cross-party executive

  • Padiham and Hapton bulletin

    WHEN the vicar of Padiham, the Rev Mark Jones, arrived in town one of his first ambitions was to get the lifeless bells in the church tower ringing again. Inspired by his enthusiasm, the parish rallied round and raised enough money to reurbish the bells

  • Traders facing a bleak Christmas

    SHOPPERS and traders in Nelson face Christmas misery after developers revealed work to complete a £4million town centre development will not be finished until next year. Work to extend Pendle Rise Shopping Centre was expected to be completed by the end

  • Celebration brothers argued with policeman

    TWO brothers out on a "wetting the baby's head" celebration ended up arguing and fighting with a policeman, Bury magistrates were told. Lee Evans, aged 24, and Scott Evans, aged 29, both of Water Lane Street, Radcliffe, admitted behaviour likely to cause

  • When Rovers stars earned a little less...

    THE footballers of Blackburn Rovers stare out proudly before a big game in the early 1950s. Although not in their famous blue and white halves, supporters will instantly recognise such Ewood legends as Ronnie Clayton, Eddie Quigley and Bill Eckersley.

  • Classic town hall that has a niche in history

    TODAY'S article deals with another building marked by a Burnley Heritage Site plaque. The Town Hall on Manchester Road was opened in 1888. Burnley had become a borough in 1861 and at first the council met in a room above the fire station, which was situated

  • Park sex attacker hunted

    DETECTIVES are hunting a sex pest who attacked a woman as she walked through a Colne park. The attack is the third in under a fortnight, although police are not linking the incidents. In the latest assault a 36-year-old woman was walking through Millennium

  • MP's surgery date

    LEIGH MP Andy Burnham will hold a surgery on Saturday (noon-1.30pm) at Leigh Advice Centre, 10 Market Street, Leigh.

  • Queen crowned

    HARVEST Queen Victoria Natalie Parker will be crowned at a 2.30pm ceremony on Saturday, September 18 in Bag Lane Methodist Church at Atherton. Entrance to the event, led by the Rev Kathy Selby, costs 50p and there will be a raffle, tombola and stalls.

  • 50 years ago:

    WHEN a Little Harwood man failed to turn up for work at the British Northrop Loom Co. in Blackburn, a rumour started that he had won the pools. The whole Little Harwood community was talking about his win, rumoured to be £32,000. But the following day

  • Home watch date

    SAFETY-conscious Siddow Commoners have a date for their diary.The Leigh area home watch group meet next Tuesday at 7.30pm at Brookdale Court in Pennington Road. Community PC Wayne Burton and Wigan Council's township manager Andrew Sharrock will attend

  • Hola to new Spanish class

    STRUGGLING to grasp the local lingo when holidaying in Spain? Then why not pop down to Spanish classes at the Wigan and Leigh Carer's Centre and Pensioner's Link, to learn how to get by in Spanish. The classes start at the centre, off Church Street in

  • 10 years ago:

    SADIST vandals cut off a pet horse's tail in an Oswaldtwistle allotment. April, a 10-year-old black and white mare, was also pelted with bricks and sharp objects in the assault. Owner Yvonne Eddleston said the horse had lived at the White Ash allotments

  • Farmers' market comes to town

    HOME grown produce including ostrich meat, fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, lamb and yoghurt will be on sale at a farmers' market at the heart of Leigh. Shoppers will be able to buy local produce direct from local farmers, growers and producers using

  • MyTravel booster

    TROUBLED Lancashire holiday giant MyTravel today announced it was heading for clear skies with an upbeat statement about its operations. After a turbulent two years which have seen a series of profits warnings and senior management departures, the company

  • Christopher in blaze of games glory

    A FIREFIGHTER has had his own taste of world sporting glory - scooping eight medals. Swimmer Christopher Goddard picked up four gold, three silver and one bronze medal at the World Firefighting Games in Sheffield. The 42-year-old of Sherborne Road, Baxenden

  • Phone calls scam warning

    POLICE and BT have warned of the dangers of taking mystery phone calls at face value. They said a foreign company is offering a prize holiday that could end up costing the person receiving the call hundreds of pounds. Those who answer the call are told

  • Fears over green space sales

    DERELICT land used by children to play could become classed as surplus as part of a land review, councillors fear. Hyndburn Council is preparing a 'Green Spaces Strategy', reviewing the borough's open spaces. One part of the report will look at which

  • Cash windfalls for community schemes

    COMMUNITY champions with ideas to improve life for their neighbours could be due a cash windfall. Over the last three and a half years, the Community Foundation has awarded £270,000 to 222 projects run by individuals across Greater Manchester. Grants

  • Council chief to stand down

    WIGAN Council's chief executive is to step down after 15 years in the hot seat. A decision to accept Mr Steve Jones' request to retire when his contract expires at the end of next May has been agreed by the council's ruling cabinet. Council leader Peter

  • Sholay centre stage

    The social glitterati the UK gathered in Leicester Square for the international launch of the Sahara Indian Film Festival and the screening of Bollywood's biggest blockbuster of all time, Sholay. Dhalmendra, superstar actress Rani Mukherji, former Miss

  • Too little too late

    Not the brightest of efforts by Tanveer Khan but the teaming up of Bipasha Basu and John Abraham makes this thriller watchable. Student Anu (Bipasha) loses a family member after the events of September 11 2001. She is mentally scarred for life so her

  • Legend to grace festival

    Actor and film-maker Dilip Kumar will make a rare appearance in the UK in October as a guest of the National Film Theatre (NFT). The actor who played everything from obsessed lovers, poor writers, timid peasants and criminals will take centre stage as

  • FIVE Goodness Gracious Me DVD Box Sets to be won!

    The Ultimate Goodness Gracious Me Exclusive Collectors Edition DVD Box set, is released by Fremantle Home Entertainment this month and we've got FIVE copies to give away. The Ultimate Goodness Gracious Me features every single episode of the hit BBC television

  • Failed business had £30,000 debt

    THE directors of an East Lancashire leisure furniture business that failed with debts of around £30,000 have been barred from holding a directorship for three years. Alan Dean, 52, of Church Close, Waddington, was made subject to the order for his part

  • Blaze family 'lucky to be alive'

    A FATHER-of-two has warned of the dangers of late night cooking after his family were lucky to escape a fire at their home. Paul Dewhurst, 46, is counting the cost of the blaze that ripped through the kitchen at the house in Siddows Avenue, Clitheroe,

  • Minder's new role

    MIDFIELD minder Tony Grant is ready to step out of the shadows against Crewe this weekend. Grant admits he is 'loving' the anchor role in a fluid 4-1-4-1 formation, protecting the central defensive duo and constantly looking to get the Clarets moving

  • Pressure is on

    CRICKET: The next four days will go a long way to deciding if Lancashire are relegated to Division Two of the County Championship. They must take more points against Worcestershire than Gloucestershire manage against Sussex to make the last game of the

  • Don't make mistake again

    I want to say to the woman who is thinking of getting married to the guy who two-timed her to think again. I know and I speak from experience. They never change. You say things are not the same now once he has come back to you. Once they know they can

  • Some shouldn't mean everyone

    Regarding the letter by Mrs Hamid in Asian Image August about the mela I would like to say I enjoyed the day. Okay there were some trouble-makers but what can we do about it. They do spoil things for everyone but that's because boys don't know how to

  • I think he is taking drugs

    Q - My son is 22 years old; I did not think he was a drug user, until recently when I was cleaning his room, where I found some injecting needles. I've been panicking all this time not knowing what to do and who to turn to for help. A - Panic is an understandable

  • Dr Rock mourned after life of music

    FAMILY and friends of "Doctor Rock" have paid tribute to a man whose life's passion was music. Keith Hand (56), of Bury and Bolton Road, Radcliffe, died at Fairfield Hospital, Bury, in the early hours of Saturday morning. He had complained of a sore throat

  • MP's surgery date

    LEIGH MP Andy Burnham will hold a surgery on Saturday (noon-1.30pm) at Leigh Advice Centre, 10 Market Street, Leigh.

  • WI thanks

    ATHERTON WI members Mavis Harris, Margaret Packer and Barbara Hurst collected over £56 when generous shoppers dug deep at Atherton in support of North West Air Ambulance funds.

  • CVS annual meeting

    THE annual general meeting of the Wigan and Leigh Council for Voluntary Service will be held on October 6 at the Pier Centre, on Pottery Lane in Wigan. More information from Chris Bailey on 01942 514234 or email cbailey@cvswl.org

  • Lanky curios in focus

    CURIOSITIES of Lancashire will be revealed when P Robinson addresses next Tuesday's meeting of Atherton Heritage Society which begins at 7.30pm in St Richard's Hall, Mayfield Street, Atherton. Admission is £1 and £1.50 (non members).

  • Queen crowned

    HARVEST Queen Victoria Natalie Parker will be crowned at a 2.30pm ceremony on Saturday, September 18 in Bag Lane Methodist Church at Atherton. Entrance to the event, led by the Rev Kathy Selby, costs 50p and there will be a raffle, tombola and stalls.

  • New rail station hope hits buffers

    HOPES of a new railway station opening for Darwen's growing population have been dashed. Councillors were told that resurrecting the old Spring Vale stop on the line between Blackburn and Bolton was at present a non-starter. They had hoped, in the light

  • Hola to new Spanish class

    STRUGGLING to grasp the local lingo when holidaying in Spain? Then why not pop down to Spanish classes at the Wigan and Leigh Carer's Centre and Pensioner's Link, to learn how to get by in Spanish. The classes start at the centre, off Church Street in

  • Money to give away

    LEIGH Round Table has cash to give away - and nobody to give it to! The charitable organisation is looking for worthy local causes to come forward and make their case for a cash hand-out. Local individuals or organisations are eligible to apply for the

  • Woman hurt as fire is lit

    A WOMAN suffered burns to her face and hair after a petrol-soaked bonfire erupted in her face. Fire crews were called to Masefield Avenue, Leigh, on Sunday night after the woman burnt her face as she was lighting the fire. Firefighters believe wood had

  • Horse rider's tragic death

    A ROSSENDALE man who was joint master of Holcombe Hunt has died after an accident while riding his horse. George Dickinson, 76, of Helmshore Road, Helmshore, fell while on a ride with friends on a Kirkham trail on Saturday. He later died at Royal Preston

  • 'Watchman' blamed for £300 crime at house

    A NOTORIOUS crook, dubbed 'The Watchman' by police, may have struck in Bacup, officers have revealed. The most recent offences happened on Tuesday in the Todmorden Road area when the offender made off with £300 cash from one address. The man has targeted

  • School sets new attendance high

    WESTLEIGH High School pupils' good attendance record earned them two DVD players donated by Asda. Attendance champions Amy Hawkins and Caroline Barker received their rewards from Asda's Sheila Unsworth and Ann Ash. Impressed head teacher John Banks said

  • Tyldesley gardeners are top of the crops

    GARDENERS gathered in Tyldesley Independent Methodist Church to see who was top of the crops. Premier award went to Eddie Dootson who took the Tyldesley Allotments Challenge Cup for most points with a total of 19 at the TAA annual open vegetable and flower

  • Physics professor is youngest in his field

    A FORMER Atherton schoolboy has become the youngest person to be awarded the position of professor in his field. Thirty-six year-old Professor Jeffrey Robert Forshaw, who attended Hesketh Fletcher High School, is now a professor in theoretical particle

  • Sunshine homecoming that every family fears

    A FAMILY'S homecoming turned from bad to worse, after they waited for almost two hours for a taxi and then found out they'd had a visit from burglars. The 11-strong Hughes party from Tyldesley, had been on a family holiday to Mallorca, and had already

  • U21s final date

    LEIGH'S U21's will take on Featherstone in the Grand Final at Hilton Park on Monday, kick off 7.30pm. The club is offering a buffet and match ticket deal in the Hilton Suite for an all-in price of £15. These must be pre-booked. Admission prices are £5

  • Watch out! there's a scam about

    The Department for Trade and Industry issued an alert after looking at the most common scams detected in the past year. They include "get rich quick" property schemes and bogus claims about the rental value of buy-to-let properties in poor condition.

  • Firms warned of new wage rules

    Employers in Lancashire are being warned to prepare carefully for tighter rules governing payment of the increased national minimum wage which come into force in October. Chartered accountants say the changes mainly affect payments to pieceworkers and

  • What about this for a curtain call?

    THEATRE fans will soon be able to make their own curtain calls thanks to a generous Blackburn firm. Neil Howard Telecoms is providing a new telephone system for Blackburn's newest theatre, the Thwaites Empire, Ewood. The company has also pledged £1,000

  • Come fly with me to dream wedding

    LAURA Clarke flew thousands of miles to tie the knot near her home town, Blackburn. The 24-year-old, jetted in from Dubai, where she lives with her new Lebanese husband, Fady Berkan, 29. The couple met in Dubai, where Fady runs a construction firm, when

  • Log on free and enjoy the sun

    STUDENTS and anyone else with a laptop computer have been given free access to the internet in Blackburn town centre. And Noreen Anjad, 17, who is studying for A-levels, today spoke for scores of web users when she said: "When it's nice weather it's hard

  • Boddies moves to East Lancs

    BY 'eck! -- Boddingtons bitter is to be brewed in East Lancashire. Bosses are switching production to Samlesbury after announcing its famous Strangeways brewery in Manchester will close in February, 2005. Interbrew, which owns Boddingtons, took over the

  • Top officer drumming up support

    ONE of the QLR's top officers has appealed to Hyndburn Council to help save the threatened regiment. Lieutenant Colonel John Downham, the QLR's regimental secretary, spoke out at a meeting of the authority's cabinet. He appealed to the borough's top politicians

  • Sweet dreams

    EMPLOYEES of an award-winning cake company which is celebrating its 10th birthday have told how they stuck with the business even during its darkest days. The staff were speaking as 100 VIPs joined Inter Link Foods boss Alwin Thompson for a party at Ewood

  • Smith out to prove himself

    JONATHAN Smith is desperate to prove himself after being recalled from his loan spell at Conference North side Barrow. The Accrington Stanley centre half had only just agreed to extend his deal with the Bluebirds when he was asked to return to Hyndburn

  • AND WE TOLD YOU SO...

    Amir Khan first appeared in Asian Image Sport as a stubby 11-year-old back in our February 1999 issue. A year later we crowned him 'Emperor of the North' after an impressive victory in the final of the North West Schoolboys championships. In an interview

  • The only way is up

    A teenager is hoping he can make the grade after impressing a host of North West clubs. And his manager believes others in the community could follow in his footsteps if more played in local Sunday leagues. Thirteen-year-old Jamil Adam has completed trials

  • It is difficult

    I am writing concerning the 'Is there anyone out there?' article in your August issue. It is very difficult for single Asian women to meet a prospective husband without looking completely 'desperate'. It is not that we are looking for perfection. I think

  • Cowardly?

    Regarding the Saimina Virmani Column I say that the US government has done nothing except conduct a few cowardly attacks from the air which largely affected innocent civillians. We are led to believe that they have been successful in ousting the Taliban

  • Catch 22 with a vengeance

    Terrorists holding journalists hostage unless the French lift the headscarf ban in France. Terrorists holding Nepalese civil servants captive willing only to release them if the US troops abandon Iraq. And now, every parent's worst fear, terrorists holding

  • Reunion meeting

    FORTY years after they left Tyldesley Girls' Secondary School former pupils will meet again on Friday, October 1 at the Masonic Hall meeting room above Tyldesley Veterinary Centre on the corner of Elliott Street and Chapel Street.

  • School sets new attendance high

    WESTLEIGH High School pupils' good attendance record earned them two DVD players donated by Asda. Attendance champions Amy Hawkins and Caroline Barker received their rewards from Asda's Sheila Unsworth and Ann Ash. Impressed head teacher John Banks said

  • Physics professor is youngest in his field

    A FORMER Atherton schoolboy has become the youngest person to be awarded the position of professor in his field. Thirty-six year-old Professor Jeffrey Robert Forshaw, who attended Hesketh Fletcher High School, is now a professor in theoretical particle

  • Sport that did nothing for me

    rBEFORE I write this I apologise to Tyldesley's 2008 Olympic hopeful taekwando player Armapal Singh... I watched the sport in the Olympic Games and it did nothing for me. My only thought was that the padded and safety-hatted contestants were like two

  • Complaint that Astley is like the 'wild west'

    A RESIDENT of Manchester Road at Astley says locals there feel they are being ignored. He claims that between Blackmoor, the Straits and Cross Hillock, every day is like a wild west show with excessive speeding, scramblers doing wheelies, a death trap

  • Gun killing tape is played to jury

    A CHILLING tape recording of the moment a man was shot by a killer wearing a Scream mask was played to the jury in a murder trial on Wednesday. Robert Wilkie died minutes after being shot in the stomach at point-blank range on Hallowe'en Night last year

  • City hosts historic Muslim - Jewish meeting

    An historic meeting between the city's Muslim and Jewish communities took place at Manchester Town Hall. Rabbi Hershel Gluck and Ismael Amaan, the founders of the Muslim Jewish Forum in London, spoke to an audience of more than 100 people about the progress

  • Car thief flags down man he stole from!

    A garage owner told how a frantic man who got into his car after flagging him down turned out to be part of a gang which had just "ram-raided" his dealership, taking two high performance cars. Sajid Khan had left his business in Wakefield, West Yorkshire

  • Multi-faith traditions celebrated

    A former church which has found new life as a place of worship for West Yorkshire's Hindu community is one of 2,700 venues across the nation taking part in Heritage Open Days (10 - 13 September). Bradford's unique multi-faith contribution to the event

  • Wife was strangled after breakfast row

    A husband who complained about his wife's cooking has been jailed for life after he strangled her during a row over breakfast. Ali Akhtar had claimed that his Mauritius-born second wife Mariam could not cook properly and her curry had given him diarrhoea

  • No longer the good old days?

    An Asian family sticks together through thick and thin. But is that now the case? SARVAT JABEEN KHAN looks at the apparant breakdown of the Asian family unit and it's consequences. Tradition and religion run side by side so closely that a lot of the times