SIR: May I please refer to your leader column (BEN, January 1), which refers to Mr Nat Lofthouse OBE having 'missed' being given a knighthood in this year's Honours. I am an 84-year-old lady, who has read your BEN since 1938, and I wish to make a few
SPARKS are flying in an electricity and gas price war which is set to benefit Bolton and Bury customers. This week, the BEN reported that townsfolk are set to be among the first in the country to see their electricty bills slashed as part of a British
COLIN Todd has turned to experience and an old adversary to answer Wanderers' Premiership SOS. The Bolton boss, still without the services of record-signing Dean Holdsworth, has snapped up West Brom striker Bob Taylor on a month's loan. The tried and
A YOUNG Wanderers' fan has roared his approval after being presented with a new poster of his favourite mascot, Lofty the Lion. Richard Howarth, aged 13, had to take down a special "Hands Off Our Lofty" poster from his bedroom window because it was too
SIR: I'm replying to the letter from Dr Brian Iddon MP (BEN, January 5). Would he care to state his opinion on the minimum wage considering John Prescott the deputy leader of the Labour party has previously stated that "any fool knows a minimum wage will
SIR: Mr Gregson seems to want to organise my life. He has no end of ideas. I should stand for Parliament, write poems for charity, but I shouldn't write to the BEN. It seems he has a problem concerning my letters. But for someone who says he's 'fed up
SIR: The BEN carried a story (December 26) stating that Town Hall chiefs say services will NOT be cut as they prepare to pay builders Barratt £1m. If that is true, why are the council proposing to remove the 24 hour care officer service from the three
FIREFIGHTERS fought a blaze in an industrial unit in Mosley Common, near Leigh, last night. The fire was at Dynaflex Sales, which used to be North West Plastics, off Mosley Common Road. It started after the thermostat on a plastic drying machine failed
THAI boxing champion Jussy Lowe is urging Bolton females to shake a leg, shed the pounds - and pick up vital self defence skills. Females from five to 50 are invited to join the Thai boxing sessions being staged by the current Commonwealth Thai boxing
TAX rises on the price of a pint have made it a less than Happy New Year for beer drinkers. But some pub chains are trying to sweeten the bitter pill with price freezes and special 'sale' prices behind the bar. One of the chains leading the fight against
AN Australian visitor had to be rescued by paramedics after slipping off a muddy path and breaking her leg while walking in a local country park. Audrey Knowles, aged 65, from Queensland, Australia was walking along the path in the countryside near Bramley
PEOPLE in a Westhoughton housing area say they are being left marooned by traffic lights. Traffic queuing at the lights on the busy crossroads of Church Street and the A6 are stopping cars from getting out of Dixon Street, in Wingates. Terry Riley, of
THE planned merger of two Bolton colleges into one of the biggest of its kind in the country has been given a boost by education chiefs. The Further Education Funding Council - North West has approved the merger of Bolton North and South Sixth Form Colleges
BOLTON is set to get its own childcare supremo charged with making life easier for families. The Early Years Co-ordinator will be responsible for bringing together all those who offer education and childcare facilities for the under fives. Eventually
SIR: I refer to T Walter's long letter in answer to mine of some time ago. After much waffling and side-tracking T Walters and other right-wing correspondents should be happy that this new Labour government is also right-wing. Many correspondents are
A BRAVE pensioner was punched in the face as she struggled with a burglar in her bedroom early today. The woman, aged 64, was struck as she grabbed the arm of the man after she woke up to find him rifling through her belongings. The burglar had climbed
MANX Airlines are introducing improved timings on its Liverpool to Isle of Man route from January 19. The first departure will be at 8.20am every weekday for the 35 minute trip and the last return will be at 7.55pm. Return fares from £60. Previous news
SIR: I would like to say thank you to the 'Iron Church' for putting lighting on the steeple. The old Church looks beautiful at night. Resident Waverley Road Astley Bridge Previous news story Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and
WIGAN have released 32-year-old prop Ian Sherratt after only one season at Central Park. The former Oldham Bears forward was a surprise £20,000 signing but after a couple of senior games spent the rest of the season with the Alliance. New coach John Monie
SIR: I refer to Marjorie Brett's campaign to bring the Metrolink to Bolton. As we know, Bury already have it, haven't they, so why not Bolton? More power to her elbow, as they say. I wrote to you to support her when it was mentioned before. Bolton Council
ANGRY mum-of-two Amanda Warham wants supermarket "parent with child" spaces to become official "no go" areas for single people and couples without children. Mrs Warham said she was "fed up" with being beaten to the spaces by people who "can easily park
PUB staff arrived at work to find a STREAM flowing through the bar. Heavy rain swelled a brook beneath the Cross Guns Inn at Egerton and flooded the hostelry. Beer barrels floated in three feet of water in the back yard - and nearby manhole covers were
WANDERERS will be hoping Kevin Davies doesn't return to haunt them tomorrow. The Southampton top scorer captured the headlines last season when he helped himself to a Burnden Park hat-trick as Second Division Chesterfield sprang the surprise of the FA
LOCAL engineering bosses have raised the spectre of job losses as they struggle with the effects of high exchange rates. The latest Business Trends survey across the membership of the Bolton-based EEF Lancashire - for the last quarter of 1997 - shows
SIR:This is my nomination for Rat Of The Week. I read with interest your article regarding an incident in the car park at Asda, Astley Bridge, where damage to cars by an inconsiderate person was narrowly avoided by Asda staff. I myself was not so fortunate
25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, January 9, 1973 PRESIDENT Amin has told Ugandans that he has now put an end to the British Empire in the country, Radio Uganda reported today. He said that any African who could 'kick the British out of this country
Cool hands to ease a fevered brow, Such tender loving care, A smile to chase our worries, Help when pain is hard to bear. Their patience and their gentleness, Their willingness and skill, Who else, in all society, Could a Nurse's job fulfil? Who else
SIR: Ideal World Productions is looking for more DIY enthusiasts to take part in a second series of the popular Channel 4 programme Tool Stories and we're hoping that your readers may be able to help. We're after enthusiastic and imaginative home improvers
COUNCIL chiefs in Bury have brought their first prosecutions against illegal car parkers. Although car parking charges have applied in the town since 1993, the local authority has not taken legal action against those who failed to pay up. Now three prosecutions
BURY go to Reading tomorrow with their survival ambitions boosted by the return of three players who were unavailable for last week's FA Cup tie at Sheffield United. Defender Paul Butler is back after suspension, newly signed striker Tony Ellis is available
BOLTON-based Steve Brand will have a key role when gas competition is introduced locally on February 27. Mr Brand, who works from Transco's Spa Road offices, has been appointed Competition Implementation Manager. His job is to make sure that the move
