I NOMINATE as Rats of the Week, the thieves who stole my son's stereo and CD player from his car, that was locked inside his friend's garage. The Kenwood stereo and CD player worth around £800 and six CDs, were only fitted the week before, and were supposed
WITH a name like the one Mark Daniel inherited, he was almost pre-destined to take up magic. But it's much more than a hobby for the 16-year-old from Little Lever. It's a money-spinning business enterprise. The Canon Slade entrepreneur set up his business
A MASSIVE overhaul of Bolton town centre is planned to fight back against the competition posed by the Trafford Centre. Areas particularly hit by the new shopping centre in Trafford will be "redesigned" as part of a major five-year plan which intends
BOLTON woman Sara was among a special line-up who held an unusual Mother's Day Celebration and Protest on Sunday. While millions of families celebrated Mother's Day in a host of traditional ways, the mother-of-two was among a group of women who gathered
THE Bolton Libearty group which aims to save and protect bears from cruelty in captivity and extinction in the wild has had to cancel the musical evening at the Victoria Hall on Saturday, March 27. A spokeswoman for the group said the decision had been
WE look forward to welcoming the new Vicar of Bolton, Canon Michael Williams, later this year. Bolton is a friendly town and we believe Canon Williams will be happy here. Canon Williams says he is relishing the prospect of working here. We don't think
VIOLINIST Sophie Mather, a pupil at Bolton School will be playing with the National Children's Orchestra at the Albert Halls, Bolton, on April 11. Sophie is a former member and leader of Bolton Training Orchestra and had lessons from Marion Fletcher of
Director Ian Hunter has cast Kath Eaton and Julia Houghton as the sisters Carol and Joan Conway. Time and the Conways runs from March 23 to 27. Tickets are available from 01204 655619 and 01942 886908. Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some
HALLIWELL Theatre Company's production of Steel Magnolias opens in the Harvey Street Church Hall this Thursday and runs until Saturday. Steve Maslivec directs the production which is set in a beauty shop in Louisiana. Tickets are available from 597055
MEMBERS of Bolton Choral Union are pictured at rehearsal for Haydn's The Creation which will be sung at the Victoria Hall, Knowsley Street, Bolton, on March 20. A special three tickets for the price of two offer is available for the concert. Tickets may
IAN Millward is tipping Stuart Donlan to go right to the top. The 21-year-old Leigh full-back has been in devastating form all season as the Centurions have marched into the top five in the Northern Ford Premiership. "He might look a slight lad but he's
SMITHILLS School and Bolton Sixth Form College Music Departments present their 1999 Spring Term Concert on Wednesday March 24, in the Smithills School Hall at 7.30 pm. The concert features all the school and college's bands, choirs, soloists ensembles
A PIONEERING safety system designed to reduce the risk of nursing home residents receiving the wrong medicines could be adopted all over the country following successful trials in Bolton. The Personalised Security Stamp (PSS) system has been on trial
By ANGELA WARHURST TO immunise or not to immunise? It's a question which dogs every parent to one degree or another from the day their baby is born. Critics say that to listen to the "so called experts" there's no dilemma, it's a question of parental
AMBULANCE bosses are planning to close Greater Manchester's two main stations and centralise services on one site. The stations earmarked for closure are Whitefield and Belle Vue. But GM Ambulance Service bosses have denied rumours that the Ladybridge
PLANS to cut Greater Manchester Fire Service's five divisions to three have been postponed after an outcry from senior officers and the Fire Brigades Union. Today the union welcomed the postponement. The reorganisation was due to take place on April 1
WITH recent rates increased, road taxes up again for riding on dirt tracks, fuel costs up again, cigs up again, it's no wonder there are so many companies going bust. Then there's the number of people redundant. They can't afford to travel to work. Public
AS I approached Horwich Leisure Centre last night I wondered where all the traffic pouring onto the car park had come from. It was only when I entered the auditorium and saw the size of the first night audience that I realised we all had the same idea
LEIGH RMI's most realistic quest for silverware this season is put to the test at Hilton Park tonight when Runcorn are the visitors in the first leg of the President's Cup semi final. All three of manager Steve Waywell's signings, Tony Black, Steve Tobin
I am writing to you regarding the euro. It seems to us and everybody we speak to that Britain and the economy are doing very well. People seem more confident, except for the worry of the euro currency being introduced. It seems France's and Germany's
PENSIONER Alec Boswell has laid down the gauntlet in response to a BEN article searching for Pikes Lane Junior School's oldest surviving pupil. Aged 91, the former pharmacist and engineer from Farnworth, feels he has a strong claim. The search is currently
BURY is to pioneer a new initiative to prevent young children and adolescents becoming social outcasts. Bury Metro's Social Services - with several other organisations - have put together the Home and School Support Project. One of just eight pilot projects
THE man who masterminded the creation of the Octagon has warned that the cash-strapped theatre will be gone within five years if the proposed business plan for its future is adopted. Robin Pemberton Billing, the Octagon's founder director, describes the
COLIN Todd is running out of targets in his bid to strengthen Wanderers for the promotion push. The Reebok boss wants to borrow midfield re-inforcements for the run-in but he fears he may be frustrated in his efforts to recruit extra cover ahead of the
THE thigh was the limit when saucy pub regulars suggested a barmaid raise money by serving them without clothes . . . And they almost choked on their beer when the 36-year-old appeared to agree! But what they didn't realise was, that when Sue Walsh said
A BOLTON dad fighting to see his snatched son has won the first battle in a long struggle. Ian Lomax, of Alder Street, has now persuaded the Greek courts to hear an appeal against a decision to keep his son in Greece. As reported in the BEN, Mr Lomax's
BOLTON'S new Anglican bishop is backing the town's bid to become a Millennium City and thinks it is only a matter of time before it happens. It was announced this morning by the Prime Minister's Office that the Rev Canon David Gillett will succeed the
SELLARS For England! That was the cry from certain sections of the national media today as the Wanderers captain was being tipped to win a place in Kevin Keegan's squad for the European Championship qualifier against Poland at Wembley on Saturday week
A GROUP of Bolton pensioners struck down by a mystery holiday illness which killed one of them are still facing an anxious wait to discover what caused it. One of the six elderly women died and two were taken into intensive care after the mystery bug
STAFF at the Bradford & Bingley in Bolton are taking part in a country-wide campaign aimed at retaining mutual building society status. Manager Angus Williamson and members of his team donned T-shirts bearing the words "Better off as a building society
I REFER to the article on the fluoridation of our water supply. Both Ruth Kelly MP and Brian Iddon MP are backing this force feeding of fluoride to the population of Bolton, in spite of the decision of the vast majorityto reject it at the 1968 referendum
BOLTON Junior Youth Orchestra under conductor Carolyn Baxendale presents Young Musicians in Concert at the Bolton Central Baptist Church, Snowdon Street, Bolton, on March 21. Tickets for the concert, which starts at 7 pm, are available from 302793. Converted
MUSICIANS from Bolton Music Centre were successful at the West Pennine Music Festival recently. The Centre's Brass Ensemble, who are taught by brass tutor Chris Cull, were the overall winners (senior ensemble) and winners of the Oldham Association for
BOLTON Little Theatre stage Harold Pinter's The Homecoming from March 20 to 27. John Cunningham directs Helen Price Aindow, Steve Cain, Barry Hall, Frank Lyn, Stuart Shaw and Harold Smith in the Forge Theatre. After six years in the States, academic Teddy
ALL she wanted was a pretty view, A garden of heathers and bluebells too. When she looked out at that stone grey wall, Her pretty smile about said it all. She never wore satin, she never wore white, In shades of grey she sat by candle light. Now that
KEEPING the customer satisfied is what good shops try to do. But over the years the way people shop has changed and town centre stores have not always kept pace with what is most convenient for shoppers. So we welcome the fact that consideration is being
FARNWORTH AODS promise a high octane production of the musical Hit the Deck which will be at the Albert Halls, Bolton, from April 19 to 24. When it was first written in 1927, the show ran for more than a 1,000 performances. It went on to play to packed
HAVE you seen my new film Don't Go Breaking My Heart at your local cinema? Why not join me in another fun-filled event for a good cause which is close to my heart? Each week 200 babies are born with a learning disability. And with more funds Mencap can
STORE owners in Bolton town centre have been warned that they could face a rebellion from staff if they decide to change opening hours. As revealed exclusively in last night's BEN, a major change to shop opening hours is being considered within the town
25 YEARS AGO NO dates with men, and no make-up to be worn for five years. These are the strict conditions under which a Lancashire woman has been left the bulk of her boss's £181,000 estate. The boss, Mr Eswyth Grundy, of Leyland, said in his will that
