A WORKMAN had a miraculous escape when he cut through a main electricity cable. Mr John Goulding, aged 46, of Clifton Street, Leigh, had been digging up Newton Street in Halliwell when he accidentally hit the cable. A massive shock sent him flying across
PERSONNEL chiefs are to look at ways of combating stress in a bid to slash the town hall's £5 million annual sickness bill. Despite a crackdown yielding results absenteeism cost the council an estimated £5,078,000 last year. As reported in the BEN last
ONE of the most popular figures in Bolton's Youth Service has died. Mr Syd Gardner, who joined Bolton Council in 1972 as Senior Youth Officer, worked in all areas of the borough until his early retirement last year. Born in Consett, County Durham, Mr
GOVERNMENT transport chiefs have today confirmed the route of the long-awaited M61 and M6 link road - but they still do not know when work will start. The Department of Transport has approved the original preferred route of the planned A5225 trunk road
A SECURITY firm has stepped in to put a Breightmet pensioner in the "picture" - and give her peace of mind. Liverpool-based firm Seelex has donated a closed circuit television system to make Mrs Beatrice Hester feel more secure at home. The company, which
SHARP-EYED Evening News acwcounts clerks foiled three heroin dealers after spotting them supplying drugs to young people in the grounds of Bolton Parish Church, a jury was told yesterday. The women at the BEN's Churchgate headquarters spotted the drug
SIR: I have been in K2 at Townley and John, Brian and all the staff nurses and cleaners are marvellous. I have been in and out for the past 18 years and this time I have been in for two weeks. I thank them very much for every day. Irene Bates, Colinton
SIR: In reply to Mr B Derbyshire's letter(BEN, July 22), I would just like to point out that whether or not rabbits are vermin the same as pigeons, is not the issue. When has the Town Hall or anywhere in Bolton ever been covered in rabbit droppings? When
SIR: This is a message to Mr Welburn-Sutton of Blackrod. (Smile, please! BEN July 24). Keep on knocking our post men and women and you play into the hands of those who want them out of a job. What matter if your postman does not say 'good morning, how
SIR: I have recently moved to the Bolton area from Preston and I would like to voice my frustration at moving out of Lancashire. Or have I? I look at an old map of Lancashire. I see that Bolton and other towns i.e. Wigan, Rochdale, Oldham etc are all
Get up each morning What do you find? An unwanted present Has been left behind. Dogs with their masters Out for a walk. Fouling on pavements Which others must walk. Anyone's garden But not on their own. It's really annoying When a dog you don't own. A
BOLTON has asked the Government for £6.42 million to spend on the town's transport system next year. It was forced to downgrade its plans after the Government demanded more realistic bids for cash. Last year Bolton put in a bid for transport cash amounting
BOLTON was forced to spend more than a third more than expected keeping the town's roads snow free during the severe winter. Highways chiefs spent an extra £104,000 after councillors ordered them to keep Bolton's roads gritted whatever the cost. The council
WHEN a convicted rapist goes on a terror rampage, assaulting and robbing defenceless women, a life sentence seems suitable. But "life" is definitely not what it used to be. Stuart Partington "terrorised and tormented" four women in Bolton last November
MAINTENANCE work on one of Bolton Town Centre's main routes could lead to additional congestion for drivers. Traffic heading out of town along Bradford Street will be redirected along Bradshawgate, Folds Road and Bury New Road. Traffic heading into town
A WASHED-UP washing machine has left a disabled Great Lever householder livid. She says the man who sold it to her has failed to answer more than 200 calls of complaint. Mrs Patricia Taylor says she has been suffering from "washday blues" since she bought
DESIGNERS have come up with a multi-million pound formula to transform Smithills Estate into a top tourist attraction. Winners of a national competition to find the best design for the 2,000 acre estate have been announced. The successful plans - which
A BOLTON businesswoman has told of the day a wild-eyed gunman threatened her life as he robbed her town centre shop. "He put the gun right inside my mouth. I accepted that I was going to die, and wondered if the bullet would go right through the back
SIR: I respond to a letter (BEN, July 24 ) from a 'gentleman' on Ainse Road, who had the audacity to infer that his regular postman would be better employed as a surly traffic warden. The outraged, but gratifying response from this particular postman's
TEENAGE wrestler Paul MacGuffie is preparing to get to grips with the cream of the world's talent. The 17-year-old, who has been tipped for stardom since he won the British Under-13s title at the age of eight, competes in the World Junior Freestyle Championships
SIR: I would like to thank the BEN for publishing my letters over many years. I look forward to reading the BEN every day - and I have been doing this for over 40 years! I think the BEN is a great family paper, which not only covers local news, but also
SIR:I refer to the article about the 'spooky' government poster. I am not surprised in the least that the Tories have brought out of wraps such a hideous promotion poster. Their last one was bad enough - the one which depicted the tax bombshells. This
A 31-YEAR-old man charged with murdering former Farnworth divorcee Kathryn Sharples has been remanded in custody until Tuesday. Billy Tolcher, who appeared before magistrates in Newquay, Cornwall, yesterday, is charged with murdering Kathryn, last Monday
A TASTER course on community journalism takes place at Westhoughton Community Centre throughout August and September. The six week course is open to anyone interested in setting up a community newsletter in the area. Don't worry if you have no knowledge
A BRAVE Bolton swimmer has struck 'Olympic' gold - three thousand miles away from Atlanta. Kelly Walmsley, aged 17, of Bellwood, Westhoughton, who was given a new heart in a lifesaving transplant operation five years ago, won three medals at the British
THE four women who caused £1.7million damage to a Hawk jet did not deny they had smashed up the plane's instruments and attacked the cockpit, fuselage, wing and nose. But their defence - more usually put forward in cases such as committing an assault
25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, July 30, 1971 BOLTON'S Commercial Hotel has been saved from imminent demolition. The Department of the Environment has officially added it to the Bolton list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest
BURY are running the rule over a handful of trialist hopefuls. Gigg Lane boss Stan Ternent is putting the potential additions through their paces in training and gave a defensive duo Matthew Hurst and Ian Brunskill a runout in last night's 3-0 friendly
NATHAN Blake heads for the land of his fathers tonight looking for goals to boost his hopes of leading the Wanderers strikeforce into the new season. The Welsh international, who managed just one goal in 16 Premiership starts, knows a good performance
