A DRUGS gang who planned to flood East Lancashire with £6.5million of cocaine has been sentenced to 112 years in jail. Police said that the total sentences given to the smugglers - including two from Accrington, one from Hapton and one from Clayton-le-Moors
A FORMER bomb disposal expert who became the first member of the RAF to change sex has told how her unusual life inspired her to help others. Michelle Ellis, who was born Michael, has used her experiences, knowledge and compassion to help a range of
AN archaeological dig to discover the secrets of Sunnyhurst Wood is being proposed. Darwen Local History Society aims to dig up the former bowling green in the wood. The site once housed cottages which formed part of a paper mill's operation. Not much
"Jo Jingles" is a music and movement experience for babies and toddlers and provides classes in Haslingden at St Peters Community Centre, Hall St on Tuesday mornings... Jo Jingles aids the personal development of babies and toddlers (6mths to 3 years
TINA Hughes, who works at NatWest's Darwen branch, has won a national award for customer service. Tina beat off competition from NatWest staff across the country to be awarded the Platinum certificate, which recognises excellence in customer service
A Blackburn company has improved its business performance with help from a local college. Preston College assisted the workforce at Sappi Blackburn paper mill to gain a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 2 in business improvement techniques
CLITHEROE have been controversially kicked out of the FA Trophy for allegedly playing an ineligible player. But chairman Carl Garner has vowed to fight the decision all the way and manager Neil Reynolds stressed "we've done nothing wrong". The replay
A FATHER-to-be chased a neighbour with a knife after a row with his partner, Burnley magistrates heard. Dale Swarbrick, 23, had armed himself with the weapon after Patrick Johnson took exception to the defendant banging on the wall. Swarbrick, of Cravendale
COUNTY councillors in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale are being given a say in how a new £300,000 grants pot is shared out. Lancashire County Council has established a new Local Gateways Grant initiative, designed to fund schemes in the voluntary, community
PATIENTS across Lancashire will be banned from smoking inside mental health units from April 1 next year. Health bosses will tighten a little-known loophole in six months time which allows adults, using at a designated room in a residential mental
A CRICKET club is unlikely to be punished after one of its players helped win the league and cup double while awaiting trial on a child rape charge. Under England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) rules, Ajmal Mohammed should have been suspended at the start
STUBBINS Residents' Association won second place in this year's North West in Bloom competition. People of all ages turned out with trowels to help plant over 2,000 daffodil bulbs which will form a daffodil walk' in Stubbins, Chatterton and Strongstry
A MAN who spat at another man in a family feud - even though it didn't involve him - is awaiting sentence. Asim Hussain, 25, hit Asif Iqbal in the face under his right eye when he spat at him from a car on Every Street, Nelson. No words were spoken
THE first Barnoldswick real ale festival is set to take place with organisers hoping it will boost the town's chances of getting into a national good beer guide. Members of the East Lancashire Campaign for real ale are hoping the festival will kick
A FARMER-owned dairy has struck a major deal that means its milk will be available in another 14 outlets. Bowland Fresh, the Gisburn-based company that is supplied by farms throughout the Ribble and Hodder Valleys, will now be available in 14 Asda supermarkets
A 16-year-old girl was viciously attacked by three girls who repeatedly punched her in the face. And police are appealing for two Good Samaritans who came to the girl's aid to come forward as they may have vital clues. The teenager, from the Barnoldswick
Ramsbottom United recorded their sixth win of the season with a 1-0 away result against Atherton Collieries. Dave Hanlon was the scorer for the Rams after 31 minutes.
Another mis-match unfolded in this low-key contest, big-spending Bradford proving physically too strong and too streetwise for the fledgling Magpies. Avenue took the lead after 18 minutes when Steve Connors capitalised on some hesitant defending to ram
THIS was a game featuring two sides with contrasting fortunes this season. While Bacup are struggling at the wrong end of the table, Trafford are flying high at the summit. However, on the day, there was nothing separating the two sides other than a
NELSON came out on top in a heart-stopping bottom-of-the-table clash against their Merseyside rivals. This vital win lifts the Blues above St Helens. The all-important goal came just before the half-hour mark when Paul Posteraro's cross enabled Chris
Colne matched league leaders Salford City in every department and deserved a share of the spoils, but they were denied by a shock goal in the dying minutes. Colne thought they had taken the lead when Kevin Urwin raced onto Cunningham's flick and smashed
Darwen got back to winning ways with this victory over the side from Rochdale, despite having to field a good number of the youth team, due to senior squad injuries and absences. Jordan Hulme got the scoring underway after 25 minutes when he raced on
AFTER nine league and cup games without a win, the relief around the Arbories on Saturday night when the referee blew the final whistle was there for everyone to see as Padiham returned to winning ways with a 4-2 home victory over Ashton Town. A goal
NO two people will see the same game of football. It's all about opinion, and those of Burnley manager Steve Cotterill and his Sheffield United counterpart merely demonstrated how vastly different they can be. Bryan Robson is a man under pressure from
Preston substitute Neil Mellor missed a last-minute penalty as Istvan Ferenczi's first-half winner handed Barnsley a Championship victory at Oakwell. Hungarian striker Ferenczi met a free-kick from Brian Howard after 42 minutes with a firm header which
IF imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then Rafa Benitez gave Blackburn's European credentials a ringing endorsement. In charge of a Liverpool squad that is expected to push hard for the title this season, Benitez has assembled a side, which,
Clitheroe and district motor club are holding their AGM tonight at Waddington Social Club, Waddington, near Clitheroe. The meeting starts at 8.30pm and all members are invited to attend.
Former Blackburn Rovers manager Graeme Souness is being tipped to take over at Wigan Athletic after Chris Hutchings was sacked today. Hutchings, who made a solid start to his managerial career at the JJB Stadium, has watched his side slump into the
CHORLEY golfer Nick Dougherty has agonisingly missed out on a top ten place in the European Order of Merit. Dougherty finished well down the field in the final competition of the season - the Volvo Masters at Valderrama. He carded 300 with rounds of
Stephen Jordan limped out of Saturday's 0-0 draw after just less than an hour, but Burnley will hope that it is nothing worse than a twisted ankle. With Michael Duff already ruled out for the season and captain Steven Caldwell sidelined for around six
A FORMER hairdresser caught over the limit after two-and-a-half pints of cider has been banned for 12 months. Burnley magistrates heard how Peter Hamer, 39, was pulled up for a spot check by police on Leeds Road, Nelson, on October 27. He admitted he
Stick on your HRT patches, pour yourself a large G&T and get ready to laugh your popsocks off. For the grumpy old women are coming to town. We spoke to Britt Ekland, Denise Black and Dillie Keane ahead of the shows in Blackburn and Preston. I'M
A TEENAGER who took part in a £6,500 Colne minimarket store raid has been warned he might go to jail. Luke Driver, 18, was involved in the night-time escapade in which a hole was knocked into the premises and cigarettes, alcohol and cash taken. Driver
The sound of the Jam is once again filling venues all over the country. With Rick Buckler and Bruce Foxton back on tour as From the Jam, We caught up with bassist Bruce. DID THE PUBLIC'S RESPONSE TO YOU AND RICK GETTING BACK TOGETHER (WITH EVERY DATE
IMPRESSIONIST Jon Culshaw is to come to Blackburn next year with his brand new stage show. Tickets to see the star of BBC2's Dead Ringers at King George's Hall on Saturday, April 12, are on sale now priced £21.50 each. For details contact the box
EAST Lancashire has doubled its number of GP registrars in just two years, thanks to a health service campaign. And now both East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen PCTs have been nominated for a prestigious Health Service Journal award for their partnership
STEPHEN Warnock believes Blackburn Rovers have the capability to challenge Liverpool for a top-four spot after the two clubs fought out a goalless draw at Ewood Park on Saturday. In an entertaining contest, Rovers proved once again that they could compete
Burnley manager Steve Cotterill felt his side should have been worthy winners at Sheffield United. Both the Clarets and the Blades had second-half goals ruled out. And while Cotterill agreed with referee Richard Beeby that United's last-minute effort
WORK on the £3.2million restoration project at Clitheroe Castle has moved a step closer following the appointment of a contractor. Historic buildings specialist William Anelay Ltd has won the contract for the heritage scheme, which will see the Norman
A CONFECTIONERY company has expanded after buying two food firms for £1.5million. Glisten has acquired Snacks Unlimited and The Lindum Snack Company Limited, two subsidiaries belonging to FDS Informal Foods Ltd. National firm Glisten runs its confectionery
A baby died 19 hours after being born at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, an inquest was told. Fatimah Ismail died at 9:05pm on Sunday, October 28. She was born at 2:20am on Sunday, October 28, and was discharged with her mother at 5:15pm that day.
THIEVES were caught on camera breaking into a shop after the boss accidentally left the keys in the door after locking up. Police have released CCTV images of the intruders, who attempted to steal DVDs and sweets after discovering the insecure rear door
RESIDENTS living along a village "rat-run" have called on council chiefs to reduce its speed limit after a pedestrian was knocked down by a car. People living in Knowsley Road, Wilpshire, said they wanted the 30mph speed limit dropped to 20mph after
A TAKEAWAY driver who arrived two hours late was threatened with a weapon and refused payment, police said. The driver from the Flames Grillhouse, Hammerton Street, Burnley, was delivering a curry and pizzas to a house in Randall Street when he was threatened
A 28-year-old Darwen man failed to go back to Kirkham prison after being allowed home on day release. Blackburn magistrates heard that David Thompson was at large for six weeks before he was arrested. Thompson, of Olive Lane, pleaded guilty to failing
TEENAGERS in Rossendale can improve their chances of getting a job, thanks to a new scheme. Rossendale Council, Connexi-ons and Burnley College, have devised Passport to Work, to help 16 to 18-year-olds gain skills in health and safety, food hygiene
PAKISTANIS living in East Lancashire have spoken of their fears for their native country after riot police clashed with demonstrators. President Pervez Mushar-raf has declared a state of emergency, with opposition leaders and activists placed in custody
RAWTENSTALL police are warning Rossendale motorists after a spate of thefts of old Land Rover Discoveries in the area. PC Phil Buck, of the Crime Prevention Unit, said the stolen vehicles were of a similar age. He said: "These vehicles are being targeted
A FATHER has said he feels sickened he has not been able to bury his son who died more than four months ago. Salim Khan has pleaded with the authorities to release his son Nadeem's body so he can be laid to rest. Nadeem, 28, a property developer died
COUNCIL chiefs have unveiled the locations for a £4,000 crime-busting street-lighting scheme across the borough. Back streets and alleys in Nelson will benefit from better illumination under the scheme. The lights will be placed at either end of th
A CHAPLAIN has been appointed to look after the spiritual wellbeing of sportsmen and women. The Rev Gareth Higgs, the minister at Wheatley Lane Methodist Church, Fence, has taken up the post at Pendle Forest Sports Club. A Pendle Forest spokesman said
A "DIRTY" Blackburn takeaway has been hit by the borough's largest ever fine for hygiene offences. Council chiefs said they hoped the £7,000 punishment would act as a "wake-up call" to owners of food premises Zafar Iqbal, owner of Goodfella's takeaway
A NEW cash boost has been given to the organisers of the successful Burnley Blues Festival as part of its 20th anniversary celebrations. Home Office officials have granted the festival 'permit-free' status, offering significant savings on the costs of
PRIMARY school children as young as six are being taught how to save lives. The British Heart Foundation's Heartstart initiative trains volunteers in emergency life support (ELS). But now trainers in East Lancashire are aiming to teach children what
A MOBILE dental clinic in Pendle is to be axed. Residents have complained about the move which bosses have taken after the introduction of a new practice led to a fall in users of the mobile clinic. Earby residents have complained that the removal of
MORE than 10,000 people enjoyed the massive annual bonfire celebrations in Barnoldswick last night. It was one of several events to celebrate bonfire night across the East Lancashire. The event took place in Victory Park, Barnold-swick. Other East
BLACKBURN Rovers star Ryan Nelsen presented a cheque of £4,500 from the Premier League to The Anthony Nolan Trust. Every year, the Premier League donates £1 Million to charities in the UK through their Creating Chances initiative. The Anthony Nolan
A jealous husband assaulted his wife when they got home after he went looking for her when she was out with friends. Magistrates heard that Andrew Brian Mason grabbed his wife by her legs from behind causing her to fall against a radiator She managed
A CARPET manufacturer is moving a section of its production department to Poland and axing 30 jobs. The redundancies at Cavalier Carpets, Selous Road, Blackburn, come after company bosses took the decision to move the Axminster department in a bid to
SO once again the bus shelters at Mill Hill station have been smashed. This seems to be a regular weekend occurrence. Where are the community police who are supposed to be patrolling this area, do they not work nights? If not, how about cctv? BARBARA
I AM replying to the letter by M Edwards who was complaining about people smoking in the grounds of the Royal Blackburn Hospital. I do not see the problem with people smoking near the hospital, there are bins provided for this, and everyone seems to
WHEN J K Rowling announced there were to be no more Harry Potter books, my first thought was that the future for myth and fantasy stories looked very bleak indeed. However, that was until I read Jack Straw's column. It told the story of a poor pensioner
HOSPITAL services in the Burnley area are now being plunged back to the dark ages following the implementation of the rather amusingly named Meeting Patient Needs' policy of the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust. These changes have nothing to do with
LIVERPOOL are leading the race to sign Burnley teenager John Cofie. The 14-year-old has attracted interest from a number of leading Premier League clubs, with Manchester United and Chelsea said to have been ready to start a bidding war for the striker
A man who caused damage after being thrown out of a house attacked a police officer who came to arrest him, a court heard. Burnley magistrates were told Christopher Booth, 20, had been drinking and had been asked to leave the property after falling out
A DRIVER will need surgery for fractures to her back and ankles after a head on collision with another vehicle. Police said the female driver was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital after the Peugeot 306 she was travelling in crossed the central reservation
A GANG has been jailed for more than 100 years after attempting to flood Lancashire with £6.5million of cocaine. Four East Lancashire men along with a Brazilian woman and three Dutch men played their part in the plot. More than 90 kilos of cocaine was
A DRUNKARD who flouted an anti-social behaviour order by scaring his sister is waiting the verdict of an appeal hearing at Burnley Crown Court. The court was told how one minute William Lowe, 27, was blowing up balloons for his niece's birthday party
Pendle MP Gordon Prentice has welcomed new figures which show that the North West has the highest number of workers who will gain from the rise in the National Minimum Wage. The new rate came into force last month, along with an increase in the holiday
A COMBINATION of football and fireworks meant a delayed start for the first event of the month-long You Must Be Joking Comedy Festival - but it didn't stop the laughs coming thick and fast. Lock 'n' Load has become something of an institution in a short
A union chief has slammed Royal Mail bosses for their behaviour after last month's pay negotiations, which saw postal strikes across the country. The Communication Workers Union's (CWU) North West regional secretary accused the Royal Mail of causing
MORE than 15,000 people enjoyed the annual bonfire celebrations and fireworks display in Blackburn at the weekend. It was one of several events to celebrate bonfire night across the area. At Witton Park in Blackburn the local Rotaract group organised
FIREFIGHTERS came under attack from firework-throwing yobs as they attempted to put out a blaze. The crew had powerful rockets hurled at them after attending reports of a rubbish fire in a back alley. Watch manager Peter Frazer said the gang of 15 thugs
CURRENTLY flavour of the month with many in the music press, this debut album demonstrates that Crash My Model Car have what it takes to stick around. At times the Travis/Snow Patrol similarities are a little worrying but singer Iain Morrison has real
THIS Manchester four-piece, more in the American alt-rock mould than the British indie mode, have made a very promising début. The Nightjars sound like an English Pavement, Can or Velvet Underground, and at times they hint at greatness to come.
It'S no surprise to hear this is their ninth album. Even less of a surprise are the contents, including a handful of epic ballads, a few cover versions and the customary upbeat number. Just in time for Christmas, this will appear in many a stocking
They only formed in 2004, so do McFly really warrant a greatest hits? Probably not. Nevertheless, it's difficult to argue with their track record - 13 Top 10 singles, seven of which reached No 1. As a result, they've amassed a solid back catalogue
MORE gripping and creative sounds from Brooklyn, which seems to be the most musically exciting place in the world right now. Like all such inventive bands, Yeasayer are very difficult to categorize. Influences could encompass everything from Fleetwood
COMMUTERS suffered traffic chaos this morning after a van overturned on the Edenfield Bypass near Helmshore. The accident happened just after 7.30am and saw the vehicle crash on the A56 near the Tesco supermarket. Police closed one lane of the north-bound
I'VE known Paul Browne since we were kids. He was daft then and he's even dafter now. Just a few months back he was telling a meeting of Blackburn with Darwen Council: "I will not be joining the For Darwen Party. I am staying as a Liberal Democrat.
