THE Derby Arms are the winners of the inaugural Citizen-sponsored Anniversary Pool Tournament. They beat Hop Pocket 'A' in the two-leg final which ended on April 26 at the Derby Arms, Eaves Lane. Derby Arms took a narrow 4-3 first leg lead into the second
I AM 94 years old and I have never been in hospital before. Recently I was in the Royal Bolton Hospital for five weeks, and would like to thank all the staff on L1 ward for what they did for me. And I have no complaints about the food! Thank you all again
I WOULD like to thank you for my most recent prizes. Tickets to see The Searchers; tickets to see Voulez Vouz, Abba tribute band; a Pop Fever ticket, a selection of Easter eggs from Crompton Place, and finally for my caption of the week -- a bottle of
I AM sure that P Osbourne feels very strongly about fox hunting. But I for one would be glad of a change of record and, if possible, for us to suffer less of the haranguing Loony Lefty gobbledegook that finds its way from P Osbourne's pen into our beloved
WELL, at last a reply to my letter, April 10, from S Wardle, regarding the problem of 'asylum seekers' as she chooses to call them. Even the Government at last admit it's getting to be a problem. You did not address what concerned me most, so I'll ask
AT last Cllr Peter Johnston has come clean -- public transport is for the rest of us while he drives his car, despite his address being adjacent to a bus route and his nearest railhead less than 1 miles from home. And just where does one park up near
HOW can William Hague be Prime Minister when he can't even get a Conservative-supporting club to change its sexist rules? Reports that members of the Carlton Club refuse to allow women to become full members, despite William Hague's protests, reveal how
I APPRECIATE that this subject has probably been'done to death', but feel I must add my 'four pennyworth'. I use the Bath Street Car Park quite frequently and over the past few months have witnessed car parking attendants 'patrolling' (for want of a better
COMPETITION winner Margaret McCauley moved into her new Chorley home and was treated to a meal cooked by TV chef Anthony Worrell-Thompson. Margaret, 34, moved into the house on the Whittle Hall Farm development, Chorley, after winning the 'Change Your
THE burial of carcasses has created an air of suspicion in the area. Incidents which are not related to foot and mouth are being misjudged. One such incident occurred at 4.10pm on April 26, on the A675 Bolton Road at Riley Green. Inspector Dave Tong,
THE backlash against the burial of animal carcasses at the Biffa landfill site in Withnell continued this week as local farmers claimed the number of deliveries was on the increase. Dorothy Smith, of Higher Stanworth Farm, Bolton Road, which is next to
NEW legislation should prevent a repeat of the Bolton nightclub disaster 40 years ago this week which cost 19 lives. The BEN's investigation into the Top Storey club tragedy reveals how far stricter fire regulations were introduced. See our CLUB TRAGEDY
"I have worked abroad, but the great thing about British football is Preston gave 110 per cent against us. It was a close run affair there was no favours given tonight. "And we got the breakthrough. I felt we had three or four players who allowed the
CHILDHOOD memories came flooding back to Winnie Oldfield when she returned to Bolton for the first time in 73 years. Endless picnics in the country and the smell of baking Eccles cakes are all images still vivid in the mind of the grandmother, who made
25 YEARS AGO A 'POTATOES for pensioners" appeal launched by a Bolton cinema got off to a flying start today with a 56lb donation by an Ashburner Street market trader. And film and television star Sally Thomsett was at the Odeon children's matinee to receive
25 YEARS AGO BOLTON is to get up to 250 new office jobs, it was announced today. The Prescription Pricing Authority of the Health Service is moving into town. It will take over the former Norweb building in St George's Road. UNEMPLOYMENT has fallen for
25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, June 24, 1976 MANCHESTER International Airport will play major part in the future development of regional airports. In 1990 Ringway could be handling 6.5 million passengers against today's annual estimate of 2.5 million
25 YEARS AGO A TAPESTRY valued at between £5,000 and £6,000 - one which any art gallery would want to show - has come into the ownership of Bolton Museum. It has just gone on display to the public. The tapestry, featuring vividly coloured tropical leaves
IF you have any ailments, read on. I'm going to tell you how Petulengro, the BBC Gypsy, would have cured you. How do I know? Simple. I have been sent a booklet called 'Romany Remedies and Recipes', printed in 1934. It comes from Mrs Mildred Gaskell, of
BOLTON Museum is holding an evening lecture entitled Family Fortunes from 7.30pm to 8.30 on Thursday, May 24. Alexander Sturgis, curator, will be discussing some of the themes of paintings on tour from the National Gallery.
SINGERS are urgently needed for an afternoon's singing at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester on Saturday, May 19. The event's organisers hope to fill the auditorium with singers of all abilities and the only qualification needed is enthusiasm. The day
A BOLTON police officer and a woman special constable have appeared in court accused of theft. Mark Slater, 39, of King Street, Bradshaw, and Christine Perry, 34, of Arnesby Grove, Tonge Moor, were remanded on unconditional bail after both denied stealing
IF you are ready for your close up, then budding movie moguls at Bolton Institute want to see you today. A 14-strong group of students currently on the second year of their video degree course are looking for aspiring actors to star in their own features
A BOLTON man has returned from the earthquake-devastated region of India with a message of hope. Valji Sonara, an information technology worker at Hayward School in Morris Green has been on two separate mercy missions to Gujerat. He says the contrast
HOTSHOT Colour Sergeant Nigel Hodgson has made history by becoming the first soldier ever to hold all three military shooting championship titles at the same time. Originally from Bolton, Nigel attended Smithills School until 1981 along with his wife-to-be
THIEVES fled empty handed after a bungled ram-raid at a Farnworth cash and carry store. The six masked men, who were driving two Land Rovers stolen earlier from the Carrington area, smashed through the gates of the Best Way store's car park in Stone Hill
THE Italian Job has paid off for an artistic group of Bolton pupils after they were given the chance to go with the Flo' in one of the most scenic cities in the world. For Year 10 and 11 Art and Design pupils from Farnworth's Harper Green School, where
A PLUSH new housing complex will officially open in Lostock next month -- with prices starting at £450,000. Eleven five-bedroomed detached houses will be put on the market in Tempest Road from Bank Holiday May 7. Two of the posh properties will have tennis
YOUNGSTERS had the chance to learn about all sorts of danger in a fun environment thanks to a visit to 'Crucial Crew Road'. Year Six pupils from St Richard's RC School in Atherton enjoyed a morning at the mock-up 'road' which is based above the Student
A COUPLE who moved from Liverpool to take over a Horwich shop claim the foot-and-mouth crisis HAS affected business. Lesley and Stephen Fearon took over the general store in Chorley New Road in August. Now they having second thoughts as their profits
BOB SIMPSON blasted Lancashire's all-star batting line-up after they flopped again at Leicester yesterday. Lancashire's bowlers did a solid job to restrict Leicestershire to 193 for seven in their 50 overs - exactly the same total as Durham scored in
YOU may recognise the young man on the right of this photograph, taken in 1976. It is, in fact, the present Mayor, Cllr. Alan Wilkinson (he doesn't seem to have changed all that much in the intervening 25 years, apart from an odd grey hair!), who has
I HAVE printed a number of articles about Venture Street recently, and another letter on the same subject has come from Mr Harry Ball, of Turton Road, Bradshaw, who was born at No. 8 in March, 1923. "My grandparents came to Bolton from Ironbridge in Shropshire
25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, April 2, 1976 IN Bolton's blackest Friday since 1972, nearly 500 local textile workers were being told this afternoon that they would be losing their jobs. Tootals, the major textile group, announced it was closing
25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, April 19, 1976 WHILE the country takes an Easter break, the holidays are one of the busiest periods of the year for Bolton's mobile Park Rangers. Holidaying Boltonians fill the parks and the varied duties of the Rangers
25 YEARS AGO NOT only has the Painters' Arms no beer, but landlord Joe Henderson has no licence either. Mr Henderson and his wife Elsie now have to serve soft drinks, tea and coffee at their pub in Crook Street, Bolton. The bitter truth struck home for
25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, April 15, 1976 THE MP for Bury and Radcliffe, Mr Frank White, has been appointed an assistant Government Whip in Mr Callaghan's re-shuffled Cabinet. THE economic future - and the weather - may be uncertain, but Bolton
IT is sad to see that the Wingates Independent Methodist Chapel is to close (as it is sad to see any church close, of course). But this particular chapel was the birthplace of the world-renowned Wingates Band. The importance which the band places on its
REGARDING the recent 'holocaust' of thousands of healthy animals, I would like to ask how many of these poor creatures were buried alive? My deepest sympathy goes out to the small farmers whose anguish was obvious to see. Empty fields and barns. This
WHAT a classic St George's Day that was! In a survey of 90,000 children from 28 countries, English schoolchildren came bottom for patriotism, a Southport teacher refuses to fly the national flag because "Britain is a multi-cultured society and to have
TOWN centre extravaganzas such as this weekend's Streets Ahead festival are Bolton's trump card in the battle against out-of-town shopping. That is the view of John Shepley, the council's deputy director of education and culture, as final preparations
EMMERDALE star Amy Nuttall has found love with her on-screen partner. The Lostock actress, who plays waitress Chloe Atkinson, has revealed that she is dating Ben Freeman, better known to soap fans as love rat Scott Windsor. Millions of viewers saw Amy
A WOMAN who saw her two-year-old granddaughter nearly blinded by a metal display hook, attacked the £3,000 fine slapped on a store as "ridiculous". Dorothy Corr said Matalan Retail Ltd should have been facing a penalty of at least £20,000 after little
A SECURITY van driver enjoyed a jet-set lifestyle after agreeing to be "the inside man" in an armed robbery which netted £6.6 million, a court was told. Ex-policeman Graham Huckerby, 41, accepted a £1,000 bribe to allow masked gunmen to hijack his bullet
AS well as Bury manager Andy Preece another man who doesn't know where his future lies is his assistant Steve Redmond. And the number two is in a worse position than Preece. While the manager has another 12 months on his current contract, Redders - as
THANKS to the Evening News, and Givenchy at Whitakers, for my mini makeover etc. Lucky once again. Mrs Sheila Orrell Tonge Moor Road Bolton
I NEVER had Dorothy Waters as a great writer of satire, but evidence of her most recent letter reveals hidden talent. To say that she wants a return to a Conservative Government in order to be tough on crime, and that William Hague sticks by his principles
WE are writing this letter in the hope that someone will take note that Farnworth town centre still exists. We seem to have been forgotten. It makes us very angry when we see other estates continually having money spent on them. It's not fair (we all
I AM writing to set the record straight in reply to Mr Kevin Meagher's letter. I am somewhat bewildered by his one-sided take on the issues. It was the Conservative Government that had to pull this country up by its collars after the debacle of the last
HOW is it that a plan to put 141 dwellings, the size of a new village, largely in Listed Buildings, bang in the middle of a Conservation Area in the West Pennine Moors, in A large area of Urban Open Space and in a Green Belt has attracted so little public
IF you can't beat 'em, join 'em! And that's exactly what lovable pooch Toby did on (April 28) when a troupe of morris dancers helped celebrate the unveiling of a special sculpture to mark the millennium in Croston. Toby, pictured here with his morris-dancing
A CHORLEY village has come into the stone age in a big way. A 12ft high 13cwt sculpture, produced by have-a-go villagers, was unveiled in Croston at the weekend. The scheme was the brainchild of local artist Charlie Holt, of Westhead Road, after it was
WITH the General Election imminent the idea of 'Baby Bonds' will be one of many new Government initiatives announced in the coming weeks. The Government plans to give each new baby between £250 and £500 at birth depending on a family's income and top
CHORLEY is pioneering a scheme to get Lancashire's farming industry back on track following the devastating effects of the foot and mouth crisis. Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food began the task of 'surveillance bleeding'
A CHORLEY car dealer was left staring at thousands of pounds worth of damage after vandals attacked his business. Shocked Howard Lowick, proprietor of Motorhouse, Bengal Lane, Chorley, turned up for work to discover that 19 of his cars on display outside
STAFF at a Chorley bus depot have been left untouched by the £13m sale of four of the company's other depots in Lancashire. Bus operators Stagecoach announced the sale of the Blackburn, Bolton, Burnley and Clitheroe depots -- along with 500 staff and
BOLTON'S Moat House Hotel blaze, in which two pensioners died, could be featured on television's top crime-busting programme. Detectives who are probing the fire which claimed the lives of retired shipbuilder William Robertson, 75, and his 81-year-old
A DOG owner goaded his pit bull terrier to attack a policewoman during a raid on a house in Bolton, a court heard. Police trying to arrest a driver and the passenger of a car they had stopped, ended up being threatened by a snarling American pit bull.
WANDERERS stars will check out the superb facilities at the Bolton Arena on Saturday. The Super Whites will take advantage of a rare Saturday off by visiting the superb state-of-the-art sporting facility which is just a stone's throw away from their own
A party of 130 children spent an enjoyable day at Fleetwood in June, 1953, as guests of the Astley Bridge branch of the British Legion, who provided the Coronation trip for them.
SOMEONE has sent to me the obituary from the Daily Telegraph of April 26 of Clara Paulo, a member of one of Britain's great circus families, whose ballerina act on horseback harked back to the early days of the big top. What has that to do with Bolton
25 YEARS AGO: From the Evening News, May 3, 1976 BOLTON'S most unusual traffic jam of the year built up yesterday afternoon, caused by a herd of elephants. The elephants, appearing this week at Sir Robert Fossett''s circus in Queen's Park, walked in procession
25 YEARS AGO HUNDREDS of thousands of people could be forced to fetch their water in a bucket from communal street taps this summer. That is the fear of many of Britain's water supply chiefs as they survey near-empty reservoirs and wells run low. Weather
25 YEARS AGO A HUGE traffic scheme to restrict street parking in Farnworth town centre is to be reconsidered, following claims that it would hit local traders badly. The scheme, covering the main Market Street, Albert Road and Egerton Street, plus more
25 YEARS AGO BETWEEN 15 and 20 officials in the Bolton Education Department received large salary rises above the £6 pay limit this year. They were educational psychologists and advisers, and in some cases the annual rises amounted to £1,000 and more.
25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, April 1, 1976 PRINCESS Anne and Capt. Mark Phillips today came to the defence of fox hunting. "I sometimes wonder if those people who complain about cruelty to the fox ever think about the chickens or the egg they are
25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, April 3, 1976 THE go-ahead has been given for plans to convert a Salvation Army hall at Farnworth into a storage warehouse despite claims that the move would create a "stigma for posterity". Planning permission was
THE story of how a cow in Westhoughton got its head caught in a barred gate, and to release it the farmer cut off its head is well-known, of course, and that is why Westhoughton is known to some as Keaw Yed City. Here, MRS JOAN JONES (nee Barlow), of
A FIRE at a dental surgery this morning is believed to have been started deliberately. Firefighters were called to Integrated Dental House in Manchester Road, Bolton, at 5.55am after a pile of bubble-wrap was set alight. Police are now investigating.
YOUNGSTERS are believed to have been responsible for a fire at a paper recycling unit in Farnworth. The blaze in a metal bin at Longcauseway yesterday was extinguished within minutes when firefighters filled the unit with water. A security guard spotted
Chorley 1- Harrogate Town 0 A LAST minute winner from the prolific Danny Mills earned Chorley all three points in a tight encounter at Victory Park. A fairly desultory first half saw Harrogate make a bright start without seriously troubling Simon Marsh
A TV star has been showing-off her parenting skills at a Tottington pet rescue centre. Ross the ewe recently appeared on Animal Hospital when her home at Pets In Need featured in the popular BBC1 show. Presenter Edwina Silver worked as a volunteer for
A COMMUNITY group is appealing for a local celebrity to help it out on its big day later this month. New Bury Residents Association is opening its new community centre on the Farnworth estate on May 23. But attempts to rope in a famous face have so far
CALLING all silver surfers . . . we want to hear from YOU! The BEN is keen to talk to local senior citizens (and those further afield) who enjoy this website and regularly surf the Net. It's all to do with an Age Concern report that older people are getting
A GRANDMOTHER celebrated a birthday she will never forget this week -- by delivering her daughter's new baby. Debbie Trick, from Atherton, received the "best birthday present ever" in the eight pound shape of her new grandson, Jamie. The family were celebrating
THE first leg of the play-off semi-finals will be played on Sunday week, May 13, with the second leg the following Wednesday, May 16. The final will be at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Monday, May 28.
THE Reebok will stage its first international on Sunday, May 27, when England meet Scotland in a warm up to the European Women's Championhsip Finals. The match kicks off at 12 noon; admission will be £3 for adults, free for under 16s and pensioners.
A MATT Jansen header from three yards out ensured a Rovers return to the Premier League. His goal 18 minutes from time secured a 1-0 win over Preston North End, atDeepdale. But Rovers had to survive a Preston shot against the post in the last minute,and
A COUNCILLOR for an 'overlooked' area of Bolton has welcomed plans which she believes could help rescue it from decline. The council is bidding for up to £2.6 million to make the troubled Paulhan Street estate one of 15 national pilots for the Government's
A FITNESS enthusiast has returned to Bolton after a fundraising bike ride to London. Barry Calvert from Kearsley cycled all the way from the Royal Bolton Hospital to the world famous Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital in London to raise money for
IT was bad luck for organisers at Westhoughton Carnival when thieves stole 13 curtains which would have decorated the stage used to crown their Queen. Burglars broke into a hut on Central Park and ran off with a suitcase which contained the 14ft long
TWO markets could merge to prevent them both being closed. The option is believed to be the most likely of six options being considered by the council to save the loss-making markets of Horwich and Westhoughton. A report to councillors warned that "radical
WANDERERS' fans have resigned themselves to another stint of 'overtime' today after being sentenced to the play-offs for the third successive season. Blackburn's victory at Preston last night secured the second automatic promotion place for Rovers, leaving
BOLTON badminton star Chris Hunt was "surprised and disappointed " after being left out of England's team for the world badminton championships in Seville in May. And the snub could hasten Hunt's retirement from the international scene. The world championships
MY stories in the 50 Years Ago column about Bolton's "Syncopating" Sandy Strickland attempting to break the world record for piano playing brought a letter from Mr T. Hall, of Codnor in Derbyshire, who used to live in this area. "We had a contender in
I WAS delighted to hear that after I printed a "mystery" picture of Mrs Gail E. Dixon's father's class photograph (SEE MARCH: Can you solve photo riddle?), taken in the 1930s (a mystery because she did not know the school involved) she received many phone
MOST people will remember this building in Great Moor Street as the former County Grammar School, or later part of Bolton Institute, which is now being converted into apartments for town-centre living. However, the back of this 1907 picture called it
IT's always nice to know that this column has resulted in renewing old friendships. I received an e-mail from Patricia Hamilton, of Turton Road, Bradshaw, who wrote to say that on April 11, 44 years to the day, she met up with her old school friend, "
"TWO recent items in Looking Back caught my attention," writes Mr Bill Kay, of Gidlow Avenue, Adlington, "and whilst each of moderate interest in themselves, the two items combined to take me right back to my boyhood days." "At that time I lived in the
25 YEARS AGO A SNOOKER playing pools syndicate from Bolton, has "potted" a £113,000 win. The 10 members of the syndicate at the British Rail Staffs Association Club in Green Lane, were expecting their golden break to land them between £25,000 and £80,000
25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, April 24, 1976 KING Coal has his eye on the 21st century - and sees the threat of a massive energy gap that must be filled by coal. Revealing this in London today, the National Coal Board Chief, Sir Derek Ezra, predicted
25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, April 5, 1976 JIM Callaghan is to be the next Prime Minister. He received 176 votes to Michael Foot's 137 in the election. Mr Harold Wilson stepped down today with a firm resolve never to return to head another Government
25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, April 29, 1976 BRITAIN is winning its battle to control inflation. All the major indices of prices are showing improvements with price rises of 15.9 per cent in the year to February being the lowest since August, 1974
From the BEN files: 25 YEARS AGO POWERS for the police to conduct breath tests on a much wider scale, and tougher sentenced for "high risk" and second drink-drive offenders are proposed in a Government report out today. A HORSE-drawn milk float which
TIME is running out for Chorley's 11-14-year-old school pupils to take part in an exciting competition that highlights the important role of man's best friend in both World Wars. Launched last November, the National Canine Defence League's 'Dogs in War
JAN Creamer of the National Anti-Vivisection Society (Chorley Citizen letters, April 5) would like to have all animal research abolished at the expense of seriously ill patients and we'd like to give those of you with muddled priorities the opportunity
THE following is a list of out-of-hours duty chemists where medicines and appliances may be obtained from. M D Rimmer, 22 Runshaw Lane, Euxton, Monday to Friday between 5.30pm and 6.30pm; S P & D B Fishlock, 6-10 Carrington Centre, Eccleston, on Monday
A CONTROVERSIAL Chorley Tory this week denied he had applied to join the Labour Party. Roger Livesey, who resigned from the local Conservative Association earlier this year, claims he was approached to defect, but declined. However a leading Labour councillor
FIRE precautions should prevent another Top Storey disaster today -- as long as clubs and other entertainment venues are well-managed and obey the rules. With a string of preventative measures in place, a repeat of the 1961 fatal club blaze seems impossible
IF the Top Storey Club existed today, it would have to comply with the latest national building regulations. Senior Building Surveyor Bernard Carter explained that this applies to newly-built premises and those whose use is changing. Regulations cover
UP to 50 men and women could benefit from a Farnworth man's wish to help others after his death. Paul Atkinson, 30, decided just days before he died in a road accident to donate his organs if he lost his life. And it was revealed today that 50 men and
A CHARITY is battling a major setback after its planned new premises were declared unsafe. The team at Vision Aid is appealing to families to be patient after they discovered the new headquarters in Deane needs an entire new roof. The charity was due
A SCHOOLBOY who gave life-saving first aid to an unconscious woman has been hailed as one of the nation's young heroes. Anthony Derbyshire gave her the kiss of life after she had been clubbed by a baseball bat in a street fight. In recognition of his
BOLTON'S top teenage five-a-side team fear they may miss out on a chance to test themselves against the best teams in the country. The six friends, who play under the name of Breightmet United, earned the chance to pit their wits against the cream of
