Lancashire | Archive | 2006 | March
DEVELOPERS have launched a campaign to win round protesters who fear a rejuvenated out-of-town shopping centre will kill trade in Accrington. more...
HUNDREDS of footballers who faced having their season ruined by arsonists are to get new changing rooms. more...
OSWALDTWISTLE Area Council will discuss the town's parking problems at its next meeting in June. more...
TWO new town centre bus stations are at the heart of a £14million plan aimed at keeping a borough moving for the next decade. more...
A PSYCHIC medium was arrested at one of his events after he punched a member of the audience who accused him of being a fake. more...
BLACKBURN and Burnley have the highest levels of segregation between whites and Asians in the country, according to a new report. more...
A TEENAGER told her mum she loved her as she left for a Christmas night at a friend's house and returned the next day to find her dead. more...
BLACKBURN-born film director Michael Winterbottom has invited Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to attend a screening of his controversial factual drama The Road to Guantanamo in the town. more...
MAJORETTES are heartbroken after the theft of £1,800 which they had paid to enter national championships. more...
Top TV chef Gordon Ramsay has come under fire after labelling an award-winning Blackpool restaurant a 'kitchen nightmare'. more...
A bid to preserve the best of Blackpool is being launched with the creation of the resort's first heritage strategy. more...
Detectives have stepped-up the hunt for the husband of a young Blackpool mum stabbed to death at home as her toddler daughter slept. more...
Some of the most ill people on the Fylde coast could soon be offered charity funded complementary therapy to help them cope. more...
There were fears for the future of Blackpool's North Pier this week as news emerged that the 103-year old theatre would not run a summer variety season this year. more...
Former service people whose club stands in the way of a major regeneration scheme have been assured they will be given new premises as part of the development. more...
A Bispham mum who lost her `miracle' son in a tragic accident hopes to raise almost £20,000 in his memory by climbing Africa's highest mountain. more...
Blackpool Council failed to act on a `catalogue of complaints' about a private care company which was 13 hours late visiting a 79-year-old double amputee. more...
Blackpool ice maestro, Dan Whiston, is set for a quick reunion with Dancing on Ice-winning partner, Gaynor Faye. more...
Pupils at a Fylde school have helped pioneer a new way of ensuring GCSE exam success. more...
Builders will move in later this month to begin the long-awaited £30 million extension of the Hounds Hill Shopping Centre after developers and Blackpool Council reached an eleventh hour deal. more...
From Starr Gate to the Sahara! That's the goal for 42-year-old Blackpool woman, Sue Quinton, this week as she carries out a gruelling 65 mile charity trek across the North African desert in aid of The British Lung Foundation. more...
Visitors to Blackpool Tower are set to get a new view on the resort's most famous landmark this year. more...
Two men appeared before Blackpool Magistrates on Thursday in connection with the murder of missing teenager, Charlene Downes. more...
Fylde 17 Macclesfield 32: Great efforts were made by Fylde officials and volunteers to enable this game to go ahead on a snowy Saturday. They must have wondered if it was worth it after watching another very disappointing home performance by their team. more...
Squires Gate's FA Vase dream came crashing to a halt in Hillingdon on Saturday. more...
A MULTI-million pound complex called the Fred Dibnah Experience could be built beside a stretch of Bolton's disused canal. more...
FORMER lead singer with Spandau Ballet, Tony Hadley is in Bolton next month -- with a unique piece of audience participation. more...
AN EXHIBITION to celebrate national Fairtrade Fortnight opens on Saturday at Bolton Museum, Art Gallery and Aquarium. more...
RUSSELL Watson -- known as The People's Tenor -- will soon be meeting fans in Horwich. more...
ALMOST 100 people were killed on the roads of Greater Manchester last year, according to latest statistics. more...
THE number of women who reported that they were raped in Greater Manchester fell last year. more...
TWO wards at the Royal Bolton Hospital have closed following an outbreak of the winter vomiting virus. more...
I WAS appalled to see the new opening hours at Bath Street car park as this is one of the very few large long-stay car parks in Bolton, and until this week provided a valuable resource for those of us who attend meetings, classes, services, or concerts in the area around Bath Street in the evenings. more...
BOLTON born actress Victoria Hoy is taking to the international stage in a production performed entirely in Swedish. more...
A LOVE cheat broke into his girlfriend's house and strangled her - then left her body beside her one-year-old daughter, a court heard. more...
I AM a mature student at Bolton College. I understand that the college is going to stop funding for the Adult Learners and Pensioners for the year 2006/2007 from a directive from the Government. more...
WHEN I read the letter from Cllr Barbara Ronson (March 3) saying that the new bin collections were working, my initial assumption was that it was a trailer for your April 1 edition. more...
AS a follow-on to the recent editorial on Bolton Community College, we really cannot let the college bleed away into obscurity and irrelevance. more...
RE the question posed in last Thursday's edition concerning Gary Haslam's alleged parking infringement in a privately owned car park, "Should the DVLA be allowed to sell motorists' details to third party private firms?" more...
IN response to J Williams' letter of March 4, "Paving Puzzle", about taxpayers' money being spent in Tonge Moor. more...
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren will not even allow himself to dream about UEFA Cup glory unless his side reaches the semi-finals. more...
STUART Stokes faces one of the most daunting tasks of any long distance athlete at the Commonwealth Games -- beating the Kenyans. more...
COMMONWEALTH heavyweight champion Danny Williams heads to Glasgow to replace Scott Harrison on the March 25 show that also features Amir Khan's next fight. more...
IDAN Tal is aiming to make the most of his second chance of Premiership glory. more...
SAM Allardyce has ruled out a move for Olympique Marseille midfielder, Franck Ribery. more...
A PENSIONER suffering from dementia has been forced to spend more than £45,000 paying for care which her family claim should be free. more...
THE family of tragic toddler Levi Bleasdale today welcomed a government pledge to crackdown on drivers who kill. more...
CONTROVERSIAL plans to build one of Burnley's new super-schools' on land at the town's jewel in the crown' will be decided on next month. more...
BLACKBURN and Burnley have the highest levels of segregation between whites and Asians in the country, according to a new report. more...
A PROLIFIC thief who targeted pensioners has been given an Anti-Social Behaviour Order banning her from Burnley town centre shops. more...
A MOTHER-OF-THREE who had a history of self-harming was found dead at her home, an inquest heard. more...
ABOUT 15 workers at Baxi's plant, in Padiham, are facing redundancy after the company announced an efficiency drive. more...
IT'S a clear case of "home and away" for Jo Robinson.She has now established herself as a personal travel counsellor, working from home, and using the personal touch to help clients book a range of foreign destinations whenever its suits them. more...
BUSINESSES in Bury will benefit from improved local authority services through the use of electronic technologies. more...
SALESMAN John Rushton has topped a national ësuper league' compiled by Mercedes-Benz Retail. more...
DUE to popular demand, solicitors GLP are to stage another free legal clinic. more...
A MOTHER has been jailed for 20 days for persistently failing to send her daughter to school, despite claiming the 14-year-old barricaded herself in her room. more...
A TRIBUTE to murdered Joe Geeling from his mum and dad, Gwen and Tom, sisters Kelly and Danielle, and brothers Sean and James was printed on the front page of the Bury Times on March 9. more...
READING the letters from councillors Byrne and Connolly, attacking my colleague councillor Khalid Hussain, I was reminded that, over the years, modesty has not been a word in their lexicon. more...
YET again, for a man who would profess to have a financial background, your correspondent Mr Calrow displays a remarkable ignorance of council finance (`At least Sir John's art legacy was to the people', Letters, March 2). more...
I WAS sorry and appalled to read in the Bury Times that Broad Oak High School is to close. more...
ON many occasions, I and the Conservative Group have been approached for our views regarding issues which are of great concern and the drastic measures being proposed which will have a direct effect on the residents of the borough. more...
THE schools closure row rumbles on and presumably will continue to attract attention until after the local elections. more...
I AM writing about the development of Hornby Buildings, Rochdale Road, and associated neighbourhood. more...
I ECHO the sentiments expressed in the many letters from dentists and can only add the patientís view. more...
POST offices in the area are being closed; local schools are up for the chop. more...
IT was good to see a lively debate on the Letters pages on March 2 regarding the new NHS dental contract. more...
PETER Doherty's comments in Fifth Column (Bury Times, March 2) demonstrate just how mind-mumbingly boring the recent council meeting must have been for those members of the press and public who attended. more...
WHAT a disgrace this Labour Council is since coming to power. more...
I READ the letters from Councillors Byrne and Connolly, in respect of Councillor Hussain's article, with disbelief. more...
I despair at the council's blinkered obsession with offering our children ëbrand spanking new super-schools' as an excuse for closing down Prestwich Arts College and Broad Oak. more...
TWENTY-FOUR hours after the body of schoolboy Joe Geeling was discovered in Whitehead Park, the people of Bury felt drawn to the scene to pay their respects. more...
A MOTHER has been jailed for 20 days for persistently failing to send her daughter to school, despite claiming the 14-year-old barricaded herself in her room. more...
A MAN accidentally overdosed after taking a lethal cocktail of drugs to forget about the death of his father, an inquest heard. more...
ENVIRONMENTALLY-friendly pupils at Summerseat Methodist School have taken top prize and the Gold Oak title in the Bury Yellow Woods Challenge. more...
BURY town centre will finally receive delivery of a new post office - after waiting since June last year. more...
THE headteachers at Joe Geeling's past and present schools have spoken of his "infectious smile" and exemplary manners. more...
FAMILIES at Bury's Re:d Centre are delighted that the centre's future is secure for at least another year. more...
A MULTI-MILLION pound plan to transform the town centre has formally been given outline planning permission by Bury Council. more...
SMOKERS and non-smokers at Whitefield Conservative Club have united to condemn new laws which will see cigarettes stubbed out at the popular Elms Road establishment from next summer. more...
ANOTHER year, another council tax rise. 4.8 per cent. You donít get value for money. more...
HOW can Bury MBC claim to be short of money when they are still festooning our streets with a kaleidoscope of coloured asphalt, charging more than any other town in the North West for short term parking and surrounding the car park of Sixtown Housing offices with dozens of palm trees? more...
IT will soon be May, local election time. I have always voted for a Labour council but never again. more...
DOCTORS and staff at Peel Health Centre would like to inform their patients that we will be re-locating to the new primary health centre to be known as the Townside Fields Development. more...
BOLTON resident, Mr Calrow, mentions my name in dispatches (`At least Sir John's art legacy was to the people', Letters, March 2). more...
I would like to say a big thank you and give my congratulations to the Ramsbottom Heritage Society. more...
IT was with shock and horror I heard of the proposed sale of your precious Lowry painting. more...
QUICK-thinking neighbours helped to save the life of a ten-year-old boy when he fell through ice as he tried to reach a football on a frozen pond. more...
A 14-year-old boy appeared before Bury magistrates on Monday accused of murdering St Gabriel's schoolboy Joe Geeling. more...
A CAR slammed into the back of a police Range Rover as officers cleared the M60 motorway of wreckage from an earlier accident. more...
MORE than 80 people died in Bury last year because they could not afford to heat their homes. more...
"HE was my best mate". These were the words of Joe's devastated father Tom, as he bravely paid tribute to his son shortly after he had been formally identified. more...
AN independent service dedicated to supporting young people in the care network is looking for more volunteer helpers. more...
A KIND-HEARTED foster mother won £100,000 at bingo -- then promptly gave away two thirds of her winnings. more...
PETER Kay has talked of his delight after landing a part as a monstrous baddy in the new series of Doctor Who. more...
A RAM sold by a Bury couple has netted its new owners more than £500,000 after producing 1,000 lambs. more...
CHILDREN visiting a Bury dental practice will certainly be sporting happy smiles, thanks to a colourful mural featuring a host of Disney characters brushing their teeth. more...
A NEW post office is set to open in Bury town centre following the closure of the old branch last June. more...
A FORMER Ramsbottom footballer who travelled thousands of miles across the Atlantic to take up the game Stateside returned back to his hometown to relive some sporting memories. more...
POLICE are continuing to appeal for witnesses after an elderly Bury woman was in collision with a bus. more...
A MAN appeared before Manchester magistrates last Friday accused of raping and robbing a pregnant woman in Bury 14 years ago. more...
RADCLIFFE Boro are giving one lucky football fan the chance to manage the club for a week during pre-season. more...
SEVEN short seasons ago this was a Championship fixture, that's the Second Division to the traditionalists among us who still can't accept that the fourth level of the English game is known as League Two. more...
BURY'S five game unbeaten run may have come to an abrupt end on Tuesday evening but manager Chris Casper is backing his side to bounce back immediately. more...
IMAGINE you are a footballer whose father was widely regarded as the world's best in your position. more...
A FIFTIETH goal in professional football is certainly something to celebrate, but for Shakers' striker Tom Youngs it also underlined how much his career has been in abeyance for the past two or three years. more...
A FORMER Ramsbottom footballer who travelled thousands of miles across the Atlantic to take up the game Stateside returned back to his hometown to relive some sporting memories. more...
SNOW and freezing conditions put paid to any local football at the weekend. more...
I write in response to the letter by Chorley Borough Council chief executive Donna Hall in last week's Citizen, (Council is Aware of Cleaning Issues). more...
Mr Richmond's letter in the Citizen regarding religion (Forget the Bible and Stick to Facts), repeats a number of well-worn accusations against religion in general and the Bible in particular. more...
As letters in the Citizen over recent weeks have shown there is a continuing interest in discussing the role in society of religion in general and Christianity in particular. more...
In response to last week's letter by Donna Hall, chief executive of Chorley Borough Council, has she or anyone else in the council only just noticed that the streets and pavements of Chorley are a filthy disgrace? more...
Some of the Town Hall's top brass are set to lose their jobs in a cost-cutting exercise. more...
Chorley's Kwik Save supermarket is to close later this month with the loss of 15 jobs. more...
Thieves who have been targeting rural landmarks, have snatched two pieces of irreplaceable stonework, featured in local history books. more...
A town centre demonstration is set to take place in protest at plans to transfer all Chorley's council houses from local authority control. more...
Chorley sub-postmasters are backing a campaign to oppose the phasing out of the post office card account. more...
A village minister has appealed to parents to keep tabs on their children after stained glass windows were smashed at his church. more...
Crumbs . . . a popular Chorley sandwich shop has used its loaf by introducing an unusual new line that is set to bowl customers over. more...
A father claimed he was living alone to gain more than £4,000 in extra benefits despite the fact his son was living with him and working full-time. more...
Chorley player-manager Shaun Teale hopes to have recovered from a hamstring problem in time to play against Gresley Rovers at Victory Park on Saturday. more...
FORGET Madonna and Franz Ferdinand Clarets stars Jon Harley and Danny Karbassiyoon are set for their own spot on a music TV channel. more...
Steve Cotterill must try to pick his troops up for Saturday's trip to Derby, where Burnley go hunting for their first away win in 11 games dating back to Luton Town in early November. more...
STEVE Cotterill's contract talks are expected to move closer to a resolution before this weekend's Championship clash at Derby County. more...
THE FAMILY of a 16-year-old boy who died at the wheel of a powerful 4x4 vehicle today paid tribute to their son. more...
GREEN campaigners fear people are stealing logs from a Pendle nature reserve which prov-ides a refuge for wildlife to use on their fires and stoves. more...
TWO new town centre bus stations are at the heart of a £14million plan aimed at keeping a borough moving for the next decade. more...
A SYKDYIVER has helped set a new world record by jumping out of a plane at 20,000 feet with 399 other people. more...
TWO pupils have been arrested on suspicion of starting a fire at Darwen Vale High School. more...
A FORMER scrapyard worker who twice attacked his ex-fiancee's on-off boyfriend has been jailed for 90 days. more...
VOLUNTEERS are being sought to continue the good work of the Hoddlesden Millennium Green Committee, which was set up to maintain and improve the public area. more...
ABOUT 15 workers at Baxi's plant, in Padiham, are facing redundancy after the company announced an efficiency drive. more...
BUSINESSES in Blackburn with Darwen have been honoured for their work employing staff with disabilities. more...
EVER done a proper job Mr Straw?' was one of the questions I sometimes got when I was a younger Member of Parliament for Blackburn. more...
A PENSIONER suffering from dementia has been forced to spend more than £45,000 paying for care which her family claim should be free. more...
TWO new town centre bus stations are at the heart of a £14million plan aimed at keeping a borough moving for the next decade. more...
BLACKBURN and Burnley have the highest levels of segregation between whites and Asians in the country, according to a new report. more...
THE bizarre claim by opposition councillors that they cannot raise issues they wish to raise within Blackburn with Darwen Council leaves some of us bewildered. more...
I AM responding to the article relating to the two men from Blackburn, jailed for possessing drugs (LET, February 27). more...
HAVE you central heating, a conservatory, double glazing, a patio, flower beds, a vegetable patch and wait for it a pleasant view? more...
Much has been done in recent years to try to ensure people from Asian and white backgrounds in this country mix together. more...
ROBBIE Savage last night insisted he will play for Wales again - but only once John Toshack has stepped down as manager. more...
STEVE Cotterill's contract talks are expected to move closer to a resolution before this weekend's Championship clash at Derby County. more...
Chorley's Nick Dougherty will be hoping to continue his recent good form when he bids to retain his title at this week's Singapore Masters. more...
DANIEL Barritt and his Japanese driver Fumio Nutahara waved goodbye to their lead in the Production World Rally Championship after a disastrous outing in Mexico. more...
DOUGIE Lampkin's torrid world indoor trials campaign dropped to its lowest level when he finished in seventh place at the latest round held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. more...
CHURCH have snapped up all-rounder Andrew Metcalf from Ribblesdale League neighbours Oswaldtwistle Immanuel. more...
The curtain came down on the local cross country season on Saturday with the sixth Mid Lancs fixture at a sunny but chilly Wilson Playing Fields. more...
Eleanor Markendale set the tone for her fellow East Lancashire athletes at the AAAs Indoor Junior Championships, with her medal being the first of five for our athletes. more...
MORECAMBE'S famous Winter Gardens has been sold and should be up and running as a multi-purpose venue in five years. more...
FORMER Miss Morecambe Sherry Bell is delighted to hear that the competition is making a comeback. more...
A bus driver reckons a traffic attendant was having a laugh when he slapped a ticket on his windscreen while the bus was parked in a bus stop. more...
A QUALIFIED diver died after being in the water with his wife and a number of friends at the Capernwray Diving Centre in Carnforth, an inquest heard. more...
A KILLER who strangled his bigamous wife with a bootlace after hearing voices in his head can apply for release on parole next year after a top judge's ruling. more...
A CITY pub boss says he will go to court rather than hand over more than £1,000 in a gas bill - especially as he has had his meters removed. more...
COUNCIL rubbish busters will visit a quiet riverside area which has been turned into a dumping ground by fly-tippers. more...
LANCASTER City hit the magical 40 point mark as they battled hard in the rain to beat Leigh RMI at Giant Axe. more...
ATHERTON Heritage Society will hear the story of the sweet made just down the road at the March 14 meeting. more...
A NEWLY-formed Lowton community group calling themselves Braithwaite Residents' Association will hold its inaugural meeting at 8pm on Tuesday (March 14) at Lowton Community Centre, Church Lane. more...
LOCAL supporters of Amnesty International are looking for individuals to help form a group that can work together - to campaign for the objectives of Amnesty International; to encourage other local people to work actively against human rights abuses; and to raise funds to help keep the organisation running. more...
ATHERTON runner Cheryl Lucas will compete in the Great Manchester 10k Run in May to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Relief. more...
HAYLEY Taylor is a cut above the rest when it comes to hairdressing. more...
THE body of a woman was found at a house in Lowton in the early hours of Sunday. more...
A DRUGS dealer who led a sophisticated cocaine supply plot has been told he deserves every day of his nine-year sentence. more...
ATHERTON Heritage Society will hear the story of the sweet made just down the road at the March 14 meeting. more...
A NEWLY-formed Lowton community group calling themselves Braithwaite Residents' Association will hold its inaugural meeting at 8pm on Tuesday (March 14) at Lowton Community Centre, Church Lane. more...
TOWN centre toilets are closing because they aren't fit for decent people to use. more...
A MOSAIC created by school pupils in Atherton has been unveiled to present a brighter image at a gateway into town. more...
A MONUMENT signifying a village's contribution to Lancashire's coal mining industry will shortly be unveiled and dedicated. more...
A TEENAGER accused of harassing a government minister as he canvassed for last year's General Election has received a conditional discharge. more...
A FEAR of heights won't stop Mayoress Barbara Jarvis devoting the scariest five minutes of her life to support those who make life more bearable for others. more...
NEW Atherton LR boss Brad Wright has described his quick introduction to football management as more a "learning cliff" than a learning curve. more...
WIDNES VIKINGS 10 LEIGH CENTURIONS 25 by Mike Hulme: Centurions struck another huge psychological blow in their battle of the National League One heavyweights with Widnes. more...
THE gentle game of crowning green bowling is to go crazy this weekend to get more youngsters involved. more...
COUNCILLORS in Nelson have already started talking about providing Christmas lights nine months before the festive season. more...
A SPECIAL day is being held in Nelson to discover how families have changed over the years. more...
CHRIS Lucketti could find himself playing against North End after Preston failed to include a clause banning him from turning out for his new club. more...
North End striker David Nugent has won The Young Player of the Year Award at the Football League Awards. more...
The Seasiders will hope the sun is shining on them this week after last weekend's Arctic conditions saw their game at Bradford called off. more...
A retired policeman who devoted almost 40 years of his life to Lancashire Constabulary said he feels he has been "stabbed in the back" by his former employers. more...
Two men have been jailed for a total of 17 years for importing nearly seven kilos of heroin with a street value of £500,000. more...
A budding artist, who works at the Royal Preston Hospital, is holding an exhibition of his work to raise funds for the Rosemere Cancer Foundation. more...
From Preston to the Sahara! That's the goal for businesswoman, Sue Quinton, when she endures a gruelling 65-mile charity trek across North Africa. more...
A former Tory leader who has been a Preston councillor for nearly 40 years, will stand down in May for health reasons. more...
Police in Preston are appealing for witnesses after three people were assaulted in two separate incidents. more...
A teenager suffering from a rare and incurable condition is appealing for help to live a `normal' life. more...
A council worker will leave her smart suit behind and pick up her microphone for the Citizen-backed, Search for a Star competition. more...
Teaching staff at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) are working to rule and refusing to mark books or set paperwork as part of industrial action over pay. more...
Residents opposed to plans for an abattoir in Hutton will make their feelings known at a meeting next week. more...
A chance to sing in front of thousands of football fans awaits the winner of Preston College's Pop Wannabe competition. more...
A charity that records the Citizen every week for 6,000 blind and visually impaired people is looking for help to expand the service. more...
Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park could be right up your street if Preston's mayor gets his way. more...
Nearly 100 jobs could be on the line at Baxi Heating if bosses push ahead with plans to move its UK head office out of Preston. more...
As many of your readers already know, I am totally opposed to the proposed Lancashire/Cumbria police merger. more...
Residents in the neighbourhood of Samlesbury and Walton-le-Dale recently objected to a plan to subdivide a semi-rural residential home into four dwellings. more...
It is sad that South Ribble, the Labour/LibDem-controlled council has stopped the weekly back door collection of general refuse. more...
AN elderly motorist broke her neck and needed an emergency blood transfusion when she was involved in a road smash. more...
A BACUP company has won a top contract to help stage the world's oldest and most famous yacht race. more...
ROBBIE Savage last night insisted he will play for Wales again - but only once John Toshack has stepped down as manager. more...
BLACKBURN boss Mark Hughes is confident Morten Gamst Pedersen and Tugay will be both be fit to face Aston Villa at Ewood Park this weekend. more...
Blackburn Rovers have been linked with a summer swoop for Birmingham City's former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot. more...
THE temptation is strong. Sitting 16 points clear at the top of the Conference, it would be easy for us to think our work is done. more...
© Newsquest Media Group 2008