EWAN McGregor and the rest of the Brit pack of actors should watch their backs. They're not getting any younger, and there are eight incredibly youthful boys (men?) in Bolton, who convinced me last night, that the town is the breeding ground for the next
MORE than 3,000 hospital staff are waiting to find out if they will be greeting the Millennium in style . . . or staffing the wards of the Royal Bolton Hospital. By the end of this month hospital bosses expect to have an idea of their staffing requirements
A TOWN centre worker has said he would rather "pack in" than cope with proposed major changes to shop opening hours. The man, a security officer for 10 years with one of the town centre's major stores, claims plans to make opening and closing times later
MORE than 700 Bolton people could die needlessly from winter cold over the next three years, it was claimed today. The environmental pressure group Friends of the Earth today published a list of predicted "Excess Winter Deaths" or EWD's. And they claim
CABLE workers in Leigh were still in shock today after finding 100 jobs were being axed - only 18 months after a new factory was built. Workers at electrical cable assembly group Volex had been promised the massive £3million investment would secure jobs
AN armed robber who was foiled by an heroic customer in an attempted raid at an insurance office was starting a nine year jail term today. Philip Lord pleaded guilty at Bolton Crown Court yesterday. He fled empty handed last June from a Tonge Moor office
WANDERERS Reserves went down to Tranmere Rovers at the Reebok Stadium last night with the winning goal coming from substitute Alex Hay 10 minutes from time. The winning margin could have been greater but for a number of good saves from Wanderers' keeper
BOLTON'S highways chief has told thousands of irate motorists to catch the train if they don't like sitting in traffic jams watching workman busy doing nothing. Roads boss Cllr Jack Foster says he would not dream of braving the jams on St Peter's Way
CWS Funeral Services has become the largest funeral director in the UK to win the coveted Investors in People award. The national group, which has a funeral services factory at Radcliffe and a branch in Heywood, was helped to achieve the standard by Bolton
THE GOVERNMENT wants to know why our prices are higher than in any other country. Every time we have a budget up goes petrol and diesel, this means bus fares and train fares go up. Also everything which is delivered by road or rail goes up. When new potatoes
SIX part time firemen arrested by detectives probing allegations involving hoax calls and arson were released last night. The firemen - all based at Horwich Fire Station - were released pending further inquiries after a day of questioning at Astley Bridge
LEIGH Centurions are ready to unveil their new shirt sponsor and kit design. Coach Ian Millward and the senior squad will meet sponsors and supporters at a special presentation night next Wednesday. The new shirt sponsor is Blakeley Waste Management of
AN endangered amphibian could scupper plans for a controversial 1,100 housing estate plan in Westhoughton. Campaigners believe the site of the development at Lee Hall is a habitat for the great crested newt, which is a protected species. They also claim
THE champagne was on ice at the Reebok this morning in anticipation of Scott Sellars' name featuring in Kevin Keegan's first England squad. Discounted as wild speculation on Tuesday, acknowledged as a feasible solution to a particular problem yesterday
STILL on the subject of education, many congratulations to staff and pupils at St Bernard's RC Primary School. The school has been struck off the blacklist of schools which were deemed by chief inspector of schools, Chris Woodhead, to need regular scrutiny
A CENTURY of memories came to life as past pupils were reunited in one last visit to Pikes Lane Junior School. An astonishing total of 500 people created a living history of the school in an emotional open day which also raised money for charity. The
Through hazy rain and faded light End of day nearing night. Mine eyes were clear and open bright, When'st they beheld the rarest sight. I spun my head to look once more, My husband faint upon the floor. Was I dreaming I wasn't sure, As my pulse raced
MEMBERS of Greater Manchester Fire Service went out in a blaze of glory at a presentation held at the Brigade's Training Centre in Manchester. They were honoured with the Fire Brigade Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, which is awarded by the Queen
THE red carpet will be down - literally - at the Horwich RMI Club on May 14. A "world premiere" jazz concert will be launching the Swing Suite at the club where drumming legend Eric Delaney will be playing with drummer Crissy Lee and her all female orchestra
THE Government is considering a new range of taxes on motorists. Please send a SAE for our free fact sheet summarising the proposals and how to complain. Brian Mooney New Alliance P0 Box 13199 London SW6 6ZU. Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000
BURY midfielder Mark Patterson is a target for Third Division Southend United. Roots Hall boss Alvin Martin travelled to Bury to watch the 33-year-old, who he had on loan two years ago, play in yesterday's 1-0 reserve team victory over Hull City. Bury
A V Taylor's letter, March 11, about the housing of needy children in two unused council properties adjacent to Manor Court, spoke volumes. A V Taylor asks, indignantly, why these children cannot be housed in the empty council houses along New Lane. He
IT was Disraeli who first said: "There are lies, damned lies and statistics". As Prime Minister, he would have known. These days, statistics must be costing taxpayers a fortune to collect, and they are printed as gospel in much of the media without us
A LITTER-busting Bolton Council boss will be stalking the corridors of a town hall in the Far East after winning a tidiness award. Trevor Leese, who won People and Places Manager of the Year award from The Tidy Britain Group, is on his way to either Hong
GARETH Williams' life is definitely going according to "script"! The 20-year-old from Atherton has been invited to Hollywood to spend three months with one of the world's most famous film and record producers. A chance telephone call saw Gareth being
THE family of a Bolton pensioner killed by a mystery bug have been told they face a two-week wait for results before deadly Legionnaires disease can be ruled out. Elsie Ord, aged 77, of Old Hall Lane, Daisy Hill, was taken ill on holiday in the Spanish
THE champagne was on ice at the Reebok this morning in anticipation of Scott Sellars' name featuring in Kevin Keegan's first England squad. Discounted as wild speculation on Tuesday, acknowledged as a feasible solution to a particular problem yesterday
FARNWORTH folk who stop at the town's new bus station to spend a penny are furious that it now costs them TEN times that much. The newly revamped bus station in King Street - including new "Tardis" toilets - were officially unveiled on Monday. A total
EDUCATION chiefs are in a race against time to bring Bolton business on board their latest flagship venture to raise standards in schools. They need pledges of support from local companies interested in supporting a pioneering Education Action Zone in
WORRIED residents are campaigning for speed humps in their street to protect their children from serious injuries. Members of a residents' group in Beechcroft Avenue, Darcy Lever, fear a child will be seriously injured or even killed if no action is taken
PUPILS from Little Lever took part in their most ambitious live video link ever when they swapped stories with students from a college in Bolton's twin town of Le Mans in France. The video link came about because Year 10 pupils at Little Lever High School
A MAN who campaigned to improve life for Bolton's elderly is stepping down. Dr Arup Banerjee is taking early retirement after working in Bolton for 26 years. Dr Banerjee trained in Calcutta and came to England at the age of 24, then spent three years
THE BEN is proud to be at the forefront of the summer literacy programme at one of eight local schools. As our story yesterday revealed, a struggling local child will be able to take extra English classes during the summer holidays thanks to this newspaper
SIXTY youngsters from a Bolton school are all winners after dancing their way to the finals of a national competition. Pupils from George Tomlinson School may win a trip to Australia after reaching the finals of the Global Rock Challenge. The children
NEW lampposts to "beautify" a main road into Bolton have cost £50,000. They have been put up along Deane Road and have been funded by the 3Ds initiative to re-vitalise the Deane, Derby and Daubhill areas. But a Tory councillor believes that the money
I am a member of staff at the Octagon Theatre. I would like to clarify a point made in your article from March 8 which ran the headline: £400 a day to save the Octagon. Firstly, the article stated that "theatre bosses" employed Alun Bond as Project Manager
ECO-warrior Spider is to take time out from his housing battle on Coronation Street to highlight the cause of homelessness in Bolton. On screen Spider, alias actor Martin Hancock, has been busy helping best friend Curly evict squatter Jackie Dodds from
JUST £1 per week wages over the summer holidays could be all it takes to address a shortage of lollipop ladies in Bolton Councillors have agreed to look at a loophole in the benefit rules which could help them recruit more crossing patrols. Recent rule
25 YEARS AGO BOLTON'S road safety week got off to a black start at the weekend with an accident record which police described as 'shocking'. Ten people were injured in a series of 14 road accidents in the Bolton area, almost double the number usually
