A FAMILY was left "devastated" by a freak fire which destroyed a section of the roof on their bungalow. The blaze yesterday afternoon, was started by a blow torch being used by workmen repairing the roof. A workman suffered slight burns to his hand but
Under Milk Wood, Octagon Theatre, Bolton. Runs until June 22 THIS is a disappointing production of Dylan Thomas's much loved play. Its Welsh essence is all but submerged as the actors, most of them fighting a losing battle, struggle with the poetry. Under
BUDDING designers will be putting a load of old rubbish on the catwalk for a special fashion show later this month. Competitors in the Enviroganza competition will only be allowed to use materials that would have been thrown out for their creations. Budding
OF the 14 police officers who won £1.2 million damages for mental scars left by the Hillsborough disaster, only five have left the force. Presumably that means that the rest feel able to carry on working and receiving their salary despite their post-traumatic
IT'S surprising what you find when you start looking through old suitcases in the attic. Over the years many things have been stored and hidden away, and suddenly they are back to life again. Geoff and Sheila Seed, of West Bank Road, Lostock, had such
HELEN Braddock produced a scintillating second round to qualify for the quarter-final of the Bolton Ladies Golf Championship yesterday. The Old Links golfer, playing on her home course, had a disastrous opening round of 91 when her decision not to use
BLACKROD-based Allen Plc has acquired the entire issued capital of Tidy Group Ltd for £1.819m. Tidy, which was established in 1973, operates from nine depots throughout the Midlands in Ashbourne, Belper, Burton-on-Trent, Lichfield, Newhall, Nottingham
STEAMED up rail travellers to Bolton were held up by a blast from the past when a replica steam engine burst through museum barriers and headed for the main line. Trains between Manchester and Bolton came to a standstill at lunchtime on Sunday after the
BOLTON'S hidden economy has been put under the microscope in a bid to find the best way of mobilising a mass army of unpaid workers. Management consultants have completed a report on Bolton and Bury's voluntary sector. They concluded that 500 Bolton groups
FEARS are growing that new measures aimed at slowing down traffic could bring a village to a standstill. Residents and shopkeepers in Egerton are angry about a new "crossing island" which has been put in the centre of Blackburn Road. It has co-incided
A BIZARRE accident put a spoke in the wheel of young Scott Birtles' karate plans. The mischievous seven-year-old got his finger stuck in a bicycle chain and now it looks as though his yellow belt exam might get the chop. Scott, of St Helen's Road, Bolton
AN armed raider who demanded cash and threatened a 63-year-old shopkeeper with a knife fled empty handed when she told him she had an even bigger one behind her counter! The brave woman told the stunned robber "my knife is bigger than yours and I will
BOLTON Institute has been put on stand-by for a possible invasion of football fans for the Euro '96 championships. Thousands of fans from Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic are expected to flood into Greater Manchester for matches which will be held
SIR:The Cancer Relief Macmillan Fund is still a registered charity, working very hard with different fund raising events in the Bolton area. The Macmillan Nurses had a special appeal running for two years. This appeal is now finished, as their target
SIR: I have recently received a reply in response to my appeal for information of my family history through your pages from someone who simply signed his name as 'Colin'. This very kind person has provided me with some very crucial information and even
SIR: I would like to thank everyone who made the annual presentation of Astley Bridge Football Club, held on Thursday May 16 at the Executive Suite, Burnden Park, such a great success. The support we received from parents and children was fantastic, and
SIR: When it comes to a monthly prize for inefficiency, G M Buses North win it by a mile. For consistency, no-one can touch them - they consistently don't turn up; consistently break down (if they turn up!); consistently leave the general public out on
SIR: It is a very delicate subject to compare the National Lottery Award granted to the Octagon Theatre with the lack of provision at Bolton Hospital. Health, Education and Social Service provision has consistently been under-funded in this country. I
ST PETER'S Methodist Church AODS are staging another of their popular revues from September 12 to 14 at 7.30 pm. With A Smile And a SongZwill feature the Acclamation singing group. From December 12 to 14 the society will perform Charles Dickens'ZA Christmas
KEN Chaisty who brought Eric Delaney and the Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra to Horwich in two hugely successful separate sell-out concerts has arranged for them to play together at St Joseph's School, Horwich, on November 8. The concert, in aid of St Joseph's
CLOTHING manufacturer Henri-Lloyd is set to embark on a recruitment drive. The aim is to increase the number of skilled machinists in the company's Wigan and Worsley manufacturing units. The head office site in Worsley requires an additional six sewing
THE Greater Manchester Tourism Forum has launched its latest guide to industrial heritage themed attractions and events. "Experience Greater Manchester" - supported by North West Regional Railways - features more than 200 attractions and events from canals
A YOUNGSTER from Horwich, battling against asthma, has beaten all the odds to dance her way to the top. Sophia Edge, aged 13, who has been dancing from an early age, thought she would have to give up her treasured hobby when she was diagnosed with asthma
RESIDENTS in Mather Street, Farnworth, have no excuse for missing out on the local news and gossip - thanks to the efforts of five local youngsters. The children, aged eight to 15, have been producing regular copies of the Mather Street Magazine since
A MULTI-million pound scheme to provide power to Bolton homes by burning rubbish is set to start next year after receiving financial backing. The Greater Manchester Waste Ltd project at Raikes Lane incinerator is expected to be operating by mid-1997.
ENGLAND'S soccer yobs should be banned from playing for the national side ever again, Worsley MP Terry Lewis said today. And he accused England manager Terry Venables and the FA of mounting a cover up to protect the culprits who caused £5,000 worth of
ONCE again the peace process in Ulster seems to be on the point of stalling, mainly over the IRA's refusal to abandon its campaign of violence and also to agree to the decommissioning of weapons. The IRA say that there are no prospects of a renewed ceasefire
ERIC Hughes today starts his search for a replacement for Jimmy Veikoso. The Tongan international centre, who signed off with a two-try blast against leaders Hull KR on Sunday, is on his way back to Australia to get married and will be away for a month
Jaymee was a brave young girl, As precious as an oyster's pearl. A beautiful child, so much to gain, Whose daddy's love helped her through her pain. A sister that gave her the will to live, That special bond only a sister can give. Big brown eyes on a
HAVE you seen the filmZPaint Your Wagon?ZWell the show is nothing like it! That's the message from Bolton Premier Amateur Operatic Society who are staging the Lerner and Loewe musical at the Albert Halls, Bolton, from June 10 to 15. Although the production
DIRECTORS Anne and Geoff Collins will be seeing double during rehearsals for the musical play,ZAlice. The couple were so impressed by the standard of applicants auditioning for the lead role, they decided to have two main players. Anne, who has written
ASTUTE postmen tracked down a Bolton pensioner to deliver a postcard - even though half her address was missing. Joan Lowe, 74, of Chorley New Road, Lostock, was stunned when a postcard from her Danish penfriend Gudrun Nielson, 76, landed on the doormat
A TRIO who hope to prove they are masterly musical experts have been chosen to take part in a new BBC radio quizZMad About Musicals. The three - Nora Howcroft, Judith Stamford and Robert Margolis - are all founder-members of Nohow Productions who regularly
TRADERS will soon be clamped ... if they park outside Bolton's Ashburner Street market. Council chiefs are fed up with stallholders taking up places which are meant to be used by customers. They have issued warnings but some traders are still parking
T WAS all smiles when birthday girl Cait Kearney was reunited with her toy bunny ... thanks to the BEN. The youngster lost the cuddly rabbit, named Browny, in Bolton, on Friday. But an appeal in the BEN on Saturday, Cait's sixth birthday, brought Browny
DO you know anything about an old plaque on a wall at Tonge Fold, Bolton? The question was posed by Mrs Ada Marshall, of Linslade Gardens, off Derby Street, who was brought up in Tonge Fold and remembers the plaque on a wall off Cemetery Road, in memory
MR Bevin, Foreign Secretary, opening the debate on foreign affairs in the Commons this afternoon, said it was not merely one area of the world that was in difficulties, where problems had to be settled; it was the whole world. "The road of peacemaking
