MANCHESTER was voted Britain's "Top Airport" at a prestigious travel industry awards evening. The annual poll of travel agents, tour operators and airlines, sponsored by Travel Trade Gazette and American Express, voted Manchester the UK's No 1 airport
FIREFIGHTERS who tackled a house blaze at the weekend have slammed motorists who turned a drama into a crisis - by double parking down a narrow Horwich street. One fire engine had to go down a back street to get at the blaze on Mary Street East. The other
BOLTON'S proud heritage of amateur football is set to be recorded forever in a major new project. Soccer-mad sociologist Peter Swain of Salford University and BEN local football correspondent John Bullen have teamed up to form The Friends of Football.
THE blind man who became the first person to receive a guide dog from Bolton's famous training centre was back there at the weekend to round off National Guide Dog Week. Bolton man Bill Flanagan, aged 88, is a real champion of the Guide Dogs for the Blind
SIR: Reading a letter in Thursday's BEN sent by Mrs Anne Entwistle, I, too, am wondering where my letter and cheque, sent to my grandson, has ended up. I myself put it in the postman's bag as he was collecting the mail on Monday, September 22, at Turton
RAMSBOTTOM B had a 6-3 Premier Division table tennis win over British Aerospace A after Norman Thewlis stormed to a treble. Norman was helped by two wins from Paul Collins and one from Terry Taylor. Ronnie Pennington (two) and Steve Crook (one) scored
SIR: The largest surrender of legally held property in Britain has now been completed; the deadline expired at midnight on September 30 for the handover of large calibre handguns outlawed after the Dunblane massacre. With regard to the question of firearms
SIR: I refer to the letter from one of your readers, published on Monday, September 29, and trust the following information clarifies the matter. As your reader points out, there was indeed a vacancy. This vacancy arose through sickness. In accordance
Leigh RMI 1, Frickley Ath 1 IN a topsy-turvy game Leigh could have had all three points but in the end were thankful for one. They controlled if not dominated the first half and looked well set for victory when Lee Cryer put them ahead in the 37th minute
URGING children to compare their achievements with others seldom makes them improve. Jealousy and irritation are usually the result rather than better grades. But introducing an element of racial comparison seems ill-judged for an experienced head-teacher
THOMAS the Tank Engine and his friends were steaming along Bury's East Lancashire Railway at the weekend. Hundreds of children and adults travelled by steam train from Bury, Ramsbottom or Rawtenstall pulled by Thomas or one of his friends. The Fat Controller
TEMPERS were lost in the Bury dressing-room at Stoke on Saturday but midfielder Lennie Johnrose reckons it is a good sign for the future. "Losing like we did hurt us badly and a couple of the lads had their say," confirmed Johnrose. "It all got a bit
COLIN Todd has praised his Reebok bosses for bankrolling his bid to turn Wanderers into a Premiership force. The Bolton board have backed the manager with £11 million for new signings, smashing the club's transfer record three times in the space of five
Stoke City 3, Bury 2 STAN Ternent's sniffley Shakers spent most of the week successfully avoiding a flu virus - then caught a cold in nine second half minutes. That's how long it took Stoke to rack up three goals and destroy the Bury manager's proud record
THE pro-am pairing of Andrew Baguley and Geoff Anderson from Leigh Golf Club set the pace in yesterday's opening round of the Lombard Top Club Trophy over the San Lorenzo course in Portugal's Algarve. The tournament, the biggest in Europe, with an original
A LOCAL company has been awarded a grant of £115,800 from the Department of Trade and Industry. CIM Strategic Research Ltd received the cash under the DTI's SPUR scheme. It will be used towards the development of an integrated suite of software tools
A BOLTON primary school is hoping to hit the high note this Christmas by forming a brass band - but they need musical instruments. St Bede's Primary School on Morris Green Lane is urging retired musicians to dust down their old instruments and give them
FAMILY bakers Warburtons made a donation when they heard of the plight of a school for disabled children. The Bolton-based bakers pledged £4,500 to RNIB Sunshine House School in Southport for vital physiotherapy equipment. The donation has gone towards
PUPILS were praised for their drive and determination at a prize giving at Smithills School. More than 150 pupils and parents celebrated academic achievements at the awards ceremony. And the students also received high praise for their excellent attendance
DETECTIVES are hunting a pervert who tried to entice two young girls into his car by offering them sweets. The man drove up alongside the children as they were walking along a street in Great Lever last night. But the girls, aged two and nine fled. Police
FORMER parish priest Father Peter Crowther is the new chaplain of St Joseph's RC High School, Horwich. Father Crowther, who already spends hours looking after the sick and their families as a hospital chaplain, says that at St Joseph's he aims to get
SIR: With regard to 'High speed buses plan' (September 26). Did the County Transport Chiefs ask for permission to give a monopoly to buses serving Bromley Cross and Egerton? B Chadwick, Rose Hill Close, Bromley Cross, Bolton. Previous news story Converted
YOUNG Bolton men looking for a challenge are being sought to take part in the toughest team sport in the world. Due to age restrictions, the Bolton Youth Field Gun Crew lost many of its senior members last month, so new recruits are being looked for to
SIR: Why, oh why, did Bolton Wanderers not take advantage of a low demand for tickets for the Leyton Orient match at the Reebock Stadium and give any Under 14's a £5 ticket for any seat not wanted? It would have given some youngsters in the town an opportunity
Manchester Storm 3, Cardiff Devils 3 MANCHESTER Storm's first Superleague fixture saw them host last season's champions Cardiff Devils in front of nearly 10,000 in the Nynex Arena. Storm came from behind three times with goals from Domenic Maltais, Kris
THE Government was urged today to resurrect the shelved M6-M61 link road from Wigan to Bolton. Transport minister Dr Gavin Strang is in Wigan today to address a conference on the Government's long term transport policies. And councillors took the opportunity
AS Leigh A settle in at the League's No.1 position, in B Section a strong Chowbent B side look leading contenders for top Section promotion this season. Leigh have already beaten one of their nearest challengers with an 11-7 win over Christ Church away
SIR: Fairly recently, a friend of mine visited a Bolton pub and surprised me by stating that he saw a camera over the door for all and sundry to see. As I see it, this was not a 'candid camera'. It was aimed at the customers coming in and not at the car
SUPER skipper Tim Street landed three major awards at the Leigh Centurions presentation night. Street celebrated his wedding a week early by taking the First Team Player of the Year trophy along with others for Lifeline First Team Player of the Year and
SIR: I am astonished that your newspaper has the cheek to start criticising the Government's ban on hand guns ('Criminals given the last laugh' - October 2) You now choose to start pointing out that such a policy is going to cost money, yet I didn't see
SIR: I visited the Lakes recently and the occasion was a reminder of 'things to come', for we were greeted by a model Father Christmas, along with all the decorations and singing of carols! To me it also means being frequently asked 'will you buy a ticket
ATHERTON LR secretary Steve Hartle blasted his side after their 4-1 defeat at Glossop North End. "It was undoubtedly the worst performance we've seen from an Atherton LR team for many seasons. "I can't remember when we last played so badly. There is nothing
Gainsborough Trinity 3, Radcliffe Boro 0 RADCLIFFE Boro went down in a 3-0 defeat at Gainsborough Trinity but the scoreline hardly gave a fair account of the Boro performance. Bad luck appears to be the order of the day at the moment, although something
The age of decadence, Dins my ears, Fills my eyes, Stifles my breath. There is no escape, Radio, TV, Video, All pervade the senses. Corrupt the taste, Makes haste to beauty, Charm, sensitivity. How can character grow, Beauty flourish, tastes improve,
OPTIMISM is one thing, but Cllr Guy Harkin's assessment of the threat to Bolton's shopping centre from Dumplington conjures images of ostriches and sand. He could be forgiven if his speech at the launch of the Bolton Town Centre Strategy (reported in
AN old chapel is being given a new lease of life as part of a £550,000 housing scheme. The Old Baptist Chapel, in the heart of the Ramsbottom Conservation Area, is being developed by the Manchester Methodist Housing Association. The scheme will provide
25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, October 6, 1972 A LAST-minute intervention has saved thousands of fish in a drought-hit Bolton reservoir. Because of the drought and water demands, the Rumworth reservoir, off Beaumont Road, Bolton, now holds only half
By Gordon Sharrock: Bolton Wanderers 0, Aston Villa 1 WANDERERS are refusing to play ball with the 'mind games' theory as they search for their first win at the Reebok. After five frustrating attempts in league and cup, the multi-million pound team has
