THE word professionalism is supposed to denote a high standard of behaviour and conduct - or at least it should. But in the sporting arena we have all seen instances of behaviour by so-called professionals which falls a long way short of acceptable standards
I CANNOT let this opportunity pass without paying tribute to Dr Ian Gavin who has so tragically died (LET, March 3) leaving so many people who knew him wondering why this should have happened to such a caring person and dedicate doctor. He came to Accrington
I WELL remember the saga surrounding that undervalued Blackburn business wizard and philanthropist Tommy Ball. It was in relation to my voluntary work in the early eighties and my contact with the Blackburn footwear enterprise was making on the town.
THE BURY 210 branch of the Royal Air Force Association will be holding its annual general meeting on Wednesday at the Old White Horse pub, in Bolton Street, Bury, at 7pm.
YOUNG arsonists are being blamed for setting fire to the roof of a passenger shelter at Summerseat railway station. Firemen extinguished the blaze which broke out on the platform at the station in Crag Lane late on Thursday afternoon. Officers spent 20
A MAN has died after plunging from the Metrolink bridge at Besses in Whitefield onto the carriageway of the M60. The 35-year-old local man, who has not yet been formally identified, was pronounced dead at the scene after the fall at 5.10pm on Saturday
DETECTIVES are appealing for witnesses after three masked thugs failed to smash their way into a Ramsbottom bank. They used sledgehammers to break the front window of the Lloyds TSB bank on Bolton Street but when they failed to gain entry escaped in a
A SECOND man has appeared in court charged with the murder of Stacey Lloyd. Clive Heaton (45), of Belcroft Grove, Little Hulton, appeared before Bury magistrates on Saturday after being arrested three days earlier. He was remanded in custody pending an
A BURY Air Cadet has been crowned top of the class at an annual presentation evening. Sgt Caderyn Thomas was named Best Cadet 2004 after four years with the Bury Squadron at Elton Liberal Club in Leigh Lane. During his time with the air cadets, the 17
MEET Bury Football Club's youngest signings! The 'Little Shakers' will be playing every day of the week at Gigg Lane, the home of their new playgroup. Bury FC has teamed up with registered child minders Linda Dawson and Nikki Whittaker to provide the
A TEENAGER who risked her own safety to rugby tackle a street robber said today: "I'm no heroine." Devon Burnell, 14, bravely chased the drug addict after he snatched a woman's handbag in Plumbe Street, Burnley. The Burnley youngster, who was just 13
AMATEUR footballers were today warned they would be banned from council football pitches if they didn't stop swearing. Council bosses are working with referees to stamp out foul language following complaints from people using Blackburn with Darwen's parks
CHANCELLOR Gordon Brown paid a flying visit to Bury yesterday to visit the town's first "super nursery". Mr Brown toured the award-winning Hoyles Early Years Centre in Chesham Fold Road, with Bury North MP David Chaytor and acting headteacher, Angela
INJURY-HIT Leigh RMI will look to add more pain to Carlisle United at Brunton Park on Tuesday night. The Cumbrians, once play-off certainties, are in free-fall with three successive defeats and only one win in five encounters. RMI boss Steve Bleasdale
BLACKBURN Rovers fans have the chance to meet three stars of Mark Hughes' first team at an 'Evening with the Internationals' tonight. Morten Gamst Pedersen, Ryan Nelsen and Aaron Mokoena will all be special guests at the event, which has been organised
REJUVENATED striker Jonathan Stead has sets his sights on FA Cup glory following his goalscoring exploits against Everton at the weekend. Stead scored his first goal in 10 months at Goodison Park to earn Rovers a richly deserved 1-0 win, and his return
DAVID Thompson believes Blackburn Rovers are capable of challenging for Europe next season under forward-thinking manager Mark Hughes. Thompson has been so impressed by the job Hughes has overseen at Ewood Park that he believes a push for the top six
THE man behind the speech and drama section of Burnley Festival has urged more schools to get involved. The festival, which has been running since 1933, was held on Saturday at Central Methodist Church, Burnley. Geoffrey Burrows, secretary of the speech
THIEVES made off with a van stashed full of computer equipment after a raid on a catering supplier. The robbery at a storage warehouse at the Network 65 Business Park, Hapton, comes just days after a raid at the nearby Altham Industrial Estate , when
A BURNLEY music store's £180,000 stock has been salvaged despite arsonists striking at the shop on Saturday night. Police today said they were investigating the blaze which broke out at Megasound UK in Standish Street at around 9.15pm. It is believed
RESIDENTS have lost their battle to stop new shops being built at Briercliffe Shopping Centre. They say the four new shops will have a severe impact on their quality of life because they are right on their doorstep. And they are furious new shops are
A ROAD group today said it was "shocked and disappointed" that an uninsured driver who caused a serious accident had been fined just £233. And Brigitte Chaudhury, of national campaign group Roadpeace, called for a change in the law so that uninsured drivers
GRAHAM Barrow wore the relieved smile of a manager who had just seen his team pick up their first win in eight games. He'd have been forgiven it had been a 'told you so' smirk. For weeks the Shakers' chief has been at pains to point out that the recent
PEOPLE campaigning against plans for a phone mast at a Reedley sports club have been dealt a double blow. Mobile phone company O2 has not only lodged an appeal against Brierfield and Reedley councillors' refusal to give the company permission for a telecommunications
A HIGH school is being transformed into Rydell High for three nights only this week as it turns back the clock to perform Grease. Pupils at Bury Grammar School will be performing the classic 1950s musical this Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the boys
FOR every call made to BT's 118 500 directory enquiry service until this Sunday, BT will donate 5p to Comic Relief. And when you call, you will be greeted by me or my comedy pal Alistair McGowan. Red Nose Day 2005 takes place this Friday and we need everyone's
PEOPLE campaigning against plans for a phone mast at a Reedley sports club have been dealt a double blow. Mobile phone company O2 has not only lodged an appeal against Brierfield and Reedley councillors' refusal to give the company permission for a telecommunications
AN ACCRINGTON store manager conquered his fear of heights by taking part in a reverse bungee jump for charity. Ian Grenfell, who runs GlynWebb, raised almost £200 for the Dr Joe Raffe Renal Unit Appeal at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury
THE Wireless Group, owner of local radio station Tower FM, has announced plans to delist from the stock exchange and return to private ownership. The group confirmed it had received a possible cash offer from Kelvin MacKenzie, the radio company's chairman
COUNCIL housing chiefs have received the "thumbs up" from the Government for their future plans. Both the housing strategy and the housing business plan have been declared "fit for purpose" months ahead of schedule. The reports look at housing needs in
SMALL businesses in the north west owe at least £83.2 million in overdrafts according to new independent research commissioned by MAC Commercial Finance (GMAC CF), one of the UK's leading corporate funding specialists. The survey found that 26 per cent
CLITHEROE traders could scrap late night opening in the run up to next Christmas in favour of a special 'themed Saturday'. Clitheroe Chamber of Trade, which said takings last December were down on recent years, is to ask every business in town what it
FIVE East Lancashire rural bus services are to be cut. The cuts have been approved despite the fact the subsidies paid for four of the five services are deemed acceptable by Lancashire County Council's own standards. But the county council insists they
BURY FC: Two goals from Stan Pearson and one from Doug Fletcher earned the Shakers a 3-2 victory over Derby County at the Racecourse Ground. Bury lined up: Conway, Wilson, Redman, Daniel, Nielson, Bardsley, Robinson, Clarke, Fletcher, Pearson, Law. The
BURY FC: A superb rearguard action by backs-to-the-wall Bury brought home a point from Bramall Lane where they withstood tremendous pressure from promotion hopefuls Sheffield United. For thirty minutes or so it was almost one-way traffic as John Forrest's
PUPILS at Castlebrook High School swapped their exercise books for holiday brochures to prove their potential as the entrepreneurs of the future. The group of Year 10 students at the school in Parr Lane, Unsworth, were crowned Best Business in the Franchiser
Sedgley Park-based Swinton Lions virtually assured themselves of a place in the playoffs with a second hard-fought victory over the Roughyeds to claim a pre-season double over their National One neighbours. The home side took an early lead inside six
BURNLEY boss Steve Cotterill is refusing to push the panic button ahead of tonight's rearranged Championship clash with Leicester. The Clarets are looking to bounce back to winning ways after suffering three successive defeats for the first time this
DAVID Thompson believes Blackburn Rovers are capable of challenging for Europe next season under forward-thinking manager Mark Hughes. Thompson has been so impressed by the job Hughes has overseen at Ewood Park that he believes a push for the top six
BLACKBURN-based confectionery group Glisten has reported a rise in first-half pre-tax profit as it looks forward to "an excellent third year". Glisten -- which makes chocolate and sugar-based confectionery -- had pre-tax profit of £1.16 million in the
COUNCIL bosses in East Lancashire are to meet with the Government in a bid to drive up the region's wages. The news comes as a new survey by the Halifax revealed workers in one East Lancashire borough are among the lowest paid in the country. Average
THE perverted sexual antics of 'doggers' and 'cottagers' have reached "epidemic" levels in East Lancashire, a countryside policeman today revealed. And PC Alan Hurst, who is based at Darwen police station, warned: "It is only a matter of time before someone
A COUNCILLOR today slammed United Utilities for refusing to put up barriers in a bid to prevent its secluded car parks being used for night-time sex. The move was rejected at a multi-agency meeting, where councillors, countryside rangers and countryside
A SQUAD of the oldest swimmers in town are taking the plunge to raise cash for a support group helping to fight Britain's biggest killer. The sprightly over 50s club are doing lengths of Haslingden Swimming Pool this week to generate cash for Rawtenstall-based
BORO made the long trip to Lincoln in the hope that the 'Club of the Month' would be lifted - and it was!. The Radcliffe club won the accolade for their performances in January, which then saw them turn in a winless February. Hosts United were February's
AMBASSADORS are needed to make Blackburn streets ahead of the rest. The new East Blackburn Partnership is looking for 'Street Ambassadors' for every street in Whitebirk, Queens Park and Audley to provide a vital communication link and ensure residents
BLACKBURN'S only lap dancing club has closed -- just five months after winning a legal battle allowing dancers to go fully nude. And now the company behind Velvet Lounge, Hopecraft Design, faces being struck off by Companies House for failing to file
SCHOOL staff have been left 'sickened' by vandals who ripped up a sports pitch and forced a vital minibus off the road. St Bede's RC High School, on Livesey Branch Road in Blackburn, was targeted in the attack. The specialist sports college, which received
THE perverted sexual antics of 'doggers' and 'cottagers' have reached "epidemic" levels in East Lancashire, a countryside policeman today revealed. And PC Alan Hurst, who is based at Darwen police station, warned: "It is only a matter of time before someone
BLACK cab drivers vowed to stay on strike indefinitely in a row over the way new weekend 'taxi only' streets are run. Despite meetings with police and council bosses about their concerns, around 60 drivers continued their dispute into a third day. The
A COUNCILLOR today slammed United Utilities for refusing to put up barriers in a bid to prevent its secluded car parks being used for night-time sex. The move was rejected at a multi-agency meeting, where councillors, countryside rangers and countryside
FRUSTRATED Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman says it's time to put poorer sides to the sword. The Reds go into tonight's GLS Conference Cup (North) semi-final against Northwich Victoria on the back of Saturday's disappointing draw at home to second
SPURRED by a hat-trick of tries from South African second row Louiz Holtzhausen, holders Sedgley Park strolled into the semi-finals of this year's Thwaites John Burgess Lancashire Senior Cup on the back of a 64-3 quarter-final win at Widnes on Sunday.
I AM dismayed at the lack of thought and vision that has gone into the proposed plans for Radcliffe's new town centre. I have to ask would the same apparent contempt be shown if this was Bury? The design team will probably never get another opportunity
A TRIP for a Mother's Day present nearly cost businessman Cliff Toulmin his life. The 26-year-old business manager for Richard Cort in Manchester Road, Bury, was driving home on the motorway to Liverpool after visiting the Trafford Centre when a 4ft long
BLACKBURN Lunchtime Recital with Dr Elizabeth Holland (soprano) and Mark Batten (organ), Blackburn Cathedral, 1pm. Blackburn Drama Club presents "Two Planks and a Passion," Thwaites Empire Theatre, Ewood. Digital Photography Workshop, 10am-noon; Luncheon
A late Bill Robertson goal rescued a vital point for the Rams against a Trafford side that looked set for victory after scoring midway through the second half. In a tight encounter the Rams can consider themselves fortunate to emerge with a point, after
I WONDER if G Ellison (LET, March 2) would still feel the same about petrol scooters and the law if one was ridden past his/her house 9am-9pm at weekends and 5pm-9pm midweek. These 'vehicles' are extremely noisy and can be heard more than 100 yards away
I've got a retirement pension After years of paying in First I had a pension book Now I've been issued with a PIN When I went to draw my pension They said "There's something funny The numbers here all correspond But it won't release your money. Now here's
THE Home Secretary tells us that we face a "real and substantial threat" of terrorism in this country. So whose fault is that then? Our Prime Minister has taken Britain into five wars in six years, created mass migrations of people from the terror he
A MAN has been arrested in connection with the rape of a 19-year-old woman who was attacked after leaving a nightclub last month. The teenager had left Barbarella's in Leigh in the early hours of Sunday, February 20 when she was punched in the face before
GIRLS at Bury Grammar came up with plenty of ideas to raise money for the South Asian tsunami relief appeal. Groups at the junior school were asked to think of activities that might raise funds for victims of the disaster. Among the projects put into
GAMESTATION in Bury will be burning the midnight oil due to an anticipated demand for one of the most eagerly awaited games consoles this year. The shop will be opening its doors in Princess Parade at midnight on Thursday following the arrival of the
A Ramsbottom man caught speeding in Rochdale asked to see the police laser-scope which had recorded his excess speed, a court heard. Ian Nigel Cole (43), of Fir Street, did not attend court to answer a summons for speeding and the magistrates at Rochdale
A OPTICIAN is warning smokers to watch out for serious damage to their eyes if they continue their nicotine habit. Specsavers Opticians, in Bury's Mill Gate Centre, is marking national No Smoking Day on Wednesday by highlighting the sight-related risks
STOMA patients living in Bury will soon have access to a specialist nurse. The local health authority is now in the process of recruiting a nurse to deliver the specialised care required by patients who have had a stoma, which is an artificial opening
THREE Whitefield-based property companies, which offered investors the chance to purchase, refurbish and let properties, have been wound up for misleading clients following a DTI investigation. Europa Property Company Ltd, trading as Lloyd Ryan Properties
FUNDING for the revolution in East Lancashire's housing market has been secured for another three years --with as much as £100million coming to the area. Government officials have confirmed they intend to continue supporting Elevate, East Lancashire's
CONTROVERSIAL plans to build houses on a Burnley industrial site have been given the green light -- as long as they meet environmental approval. The site of 24-hour haulage firm Nightfreight, earmarked for the homes, has been a cause of concern for Greenbrook
BURNLEY football fans will be able to raise a pint to the Clarets -- and also raise money for their beloved club. For a brand new beer is being brewed in the Clarets' name to raise money for Burnley Football Club Supporters' Trust. Every time a pint is
AMATEUR footballers in East Lancashire were today warned they would be banned from council football pitches if they didn't stop swearing. Council bosses are working with referees to stamp out foul language following complaints from people using Blackburn
A TEENAGER who risked her own safety to rugby tackle a street robber said today: "I'm no heroine." Devon Burnell, 14, bravely chased the drug addict after he snatched a woman's handbag in Plumbe Street, Burnley. The Burnley youngster, who was just 13
A DRUNKEN builder involved in a rumpus in front of a distressed and shaking child wanted to "sort out" his partner, Burnley magistrates were told. Wayne Hill had thought he could carry on causing trouble as long as the child was taken away, the court
INSTEAD of rewriting history a Radcliffe man has come up with his own way of spicing up his home town's story - he has invented a whole new version! When Chris Nagle moved to the mill town 10 years ago he eagerly set about discovering more about the area's
THE Conservative Party has issued an invitation to voters to petition for an increase in the number of police. They have also recently advertised extensively on the subject of council tax. To add to the council tax by increasing the cost of policing,
I READ that the wedding of the Prince of Wales had to be transferred from Windsor Castle to the town hall because, if the castle had been licensed for weddings, "common people" might have wanted to be married there in future! And why not? It is the "common
CHILDREN at a Pendle school dressed up as their literary heroes. Christ Church School, Colne, staged a book character day to coincide with World Book Day. Youngsters and teachers at the Bent Lane school dressed as their favourite characters and a number
LICENSEE John Welsh is the toast of Bury after winning a top prize at a prestigious brewery awards dinner. John, of the Swan and Cemetery in Manchester Road, won the customer excellence and standards prize at Daniel Thwaites' 2005 Managed House Awards
RETAILERS have responded to the call from Skillsmart Retail to get involved in the skills agenda and to make their voice heard. Some 400 small and medium sized retailers across the UK and close on 50 in the north west have already put their names forward
BUSINESSES throughout Bury now have the chance to join the biggest chamber of commerce in the country. Greater Manchester Chamber has 7,000 members across the conurbation and is twice the size of any other British chamber. It was formed through the recent
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a Good Samaritan had part of his ear bitten off when he tried to break up a brawl outside a pub. The 37-year-old victim left the Bay Horse pub, in Parr Lane, Unsworth, around midnight on Friday when he saw an altercation
WORK to improve Whalley Abbey has thrown light on life in the years after Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries. The Blackburn Diocese is carrying out £1million worth of work to upgrade its historic retreat house and conference centre. It will include
BURNLEY boss Steve Cotterill is refusing to push the panic button ahead of tonight's rearranged Championship clash with Leicester. The Clarets are looking to bounce back to winning ways after suffering three successive defeats for the first time this
SAFETY and comfort will be at the core of a £180,000 improvement package to benefit passengers using Bury Interchange. The work, to be completed by the late summer, is aimed at making the bus station more user-friendly. They include the installation of
DINNERLADIES star Maxine Peake served up a huge portion of chit-chat to help out the church she attended as a youngster. The actress, most recently on the small screen as mouthy blonde Veronica in Shameless, took a trip down Memory Lane when she visited
TOTTINGTON St John's Cricket Club are holding their Annual General Meeting at Greenmount CC on Tuesday, March 15, commencing 8pm. Full attendance is requested from all current members to vote in captains for the forthcoming season. Indoor training sessions
NICH Ajose's goal in the 1-0 Coca Cola Greater Manchester Under 13s County Cup win over St Bede's College not only made Gabs county champions, it also put the school's Year 8 side into the Coca Cola National Schools Cup. There, St Gabriels beat Ellesmere
THE organisation spearheading housing market renewal in East Lancashire said courses aimed at bridging the region's contruction skills gap have been a success. East Lancashire Business reported earlier this month that half of the region's 10,000 construction
A RIBBLE Valley company has won a £250,000 deal to sponsor the Great Britain Cycling Team. Sports nutrition specialists Science In Sport (SIS), based in Brockhall Village, will be the team's official supplier of sports drinks and nutrition products after
IN the mid-1990s, at the age of 24, Michael Robinson was travelling the world with a friend after they both made a pact to quit their jobs working in Clitheroe. After a 14-hour flight to Thailand and a 20-hour coach journey across Australia he was fed
A BUS company has vowed to investigate claims that Darwen commuters are consistently late for work and left stranded in bad weather. People using the number 1 Darwen to Accrington bus along Bolton Road say they often have to wait up to 20 minutes for
POLICE are warning businesses with a cash machine to be on their guard after a spate of failed ram-raids. Three premises have been targeted since January in weekend raids, each carried out in busy locations. Cars are used to force the door of a business
FIVE East Lancashire rural bus services are to be cut. The cuts have been approved despite the fact the subsidies paid for four of the five services are deemed acceptable by Lancashire County Council's own standards. But the county council insists they
A NURSE today revealed how her life had been transformed -- thanks to £50,000 of surgery on a controversial TV makeover show. Jacqueline Kennedy, an endoscopy nurse at Blackburn Royal Infirmary, underwent extensive plastic surgery in the first UK-filmed
AMATEUR footballers were today warned they would be banned from council football pitches if they didn't stop swearing. Council bosses are working with referees to stamp out foul language following complaints from people using Blackburn with Darwen's parks
"OPEN Government" is one of the basic sound-bites of the New Labour Government. Recent events, however, have shown that this does not apply to them. I would once again draw the electorate's attention to the lack of our knowledge regarding the activities
PUPILS at Woodbank Primary School are making good use of their newly-built fitness and activity trail . The wood and chains apparatus, designed by Playdale and installed by EDS Technical Services, was constructed last term at the Brandlesholme Road school
ANTHONY Mann, in his letter "The problem with speed cameras is that they simply don't work" (February 25) appears to have a complete understanding of speed cameras. However well-meaning, he is far from accurate. For a start, their proper name is safety
