Archive

  • Fixture changes

    TWO Wanderers games in the New Year have been rescheduled for television coverage. The Whites’ home game against Newcastle United, originally set for February 28, has been put forward to March 1. This has resulted in the following midweek game against

  • Snow-show Santa back in town

    FATHER Christmas should be used to snow by now — but unfortunately he was unable to make it to Horwich last week because of the weather. Now children who have been good all year are celebrating because Santa will be making a second attempt to drop in

  • Residents evacuated

    TENANTS had to be evacuated from a block of flats after a kitchen fire broke out in an apartment. Firefighters were called to Camrose Gardens off Brownlow Way, Bolton, at 7.15pm on Tuesday night after food was left on a cooker. They managed to contain

  • M61 closed to be re-gritted after crash

    ICE caused traffic chaos at rush hour in Bolton after the M61 was closed amid fears that it needed extra gritting. A car careered off the southbound carriageway at about 7.30am on Tuesday after skidding on a patch of ice between junctions two

  • Cooker blaze

    PAN of food left on a cooker started a kitchen fire in Ullswater Drive, Highfield. Crews were called at 8.45pm on Tuesday night and were on the scene for 40 minutes.The cooker was damaged in the blaze.

  • Tumble dryer fire

    A BUILD-up of fluff in a tumble dryer caused a fire at a house in Greenfold Avenue, Farnworth, on Tuesday afternoon. The blaze broke out at 4.30pm and crews were at the scene for an hour. The fire damaged the tumble dryer and the fridge. The house was

  • Man falls into water at treatment works

    EMERGENCY services were called when a man fell into a water tank at Leigh Water Treatment Works. The incident in Mather Lane, Leigh, happened at 1.30pm on Tuesday. Fire crews were called but the man was out of the water by the time they arrived. Watch

  • Date for donors

    BLOOD donor sessions are being held at Christ Church in Mytham Road, Little Lever, on December 23, between 1.30pm and 3.30pm, and 5.30pm and 7.30pm.

  • Young performer aims for film career after talent award

    THE bright lights of Hollywood are beckoning for young performer Josh Taylor after he wowed top agents at an international talent-spotting event. Josh, aged 10, of Smithills, was hand-picked to perform in front of major players in the entertainment industry

  • Moped burnt out

    A MOPED was destroyed when it was set on fire in Breightmet. The bike was targeted by arsonists at about 1.30am on Tuesday in New Lane.

  • School cash boost

    VISITORS who went to a coffee morning at Birtenshaw Special School, Bromley Cross, on November 25, raised £300 for school funds.

  • Health chiefs in flu jabs appeal

    PEOPLE in Bolton are being urged to have the flu jab. Bolton Primary Care Trust has launched a mini campaign to get more people immunised against the illness. Jan Hutchinson, director of public health for NHS Bolton, said: “The jabs are free for at-risk

  • Post offices, gritting and recession on council agenda

    THE last full meeting of Bolton Council in 2008 takes place in Bolton on Wednesday night — with several topics on the agenda. Post office closures, the council’s recent road gritting efforts, the use of Tasers by police and the amount of help for businesses

  • Out of Africa

    A GLOBETROTTING Bolton photographer is sharing the excitement of an eventful trip to Africa by staging a free photographic exhibition. Brian White realised his childhood dream earlier this year when he spent two months travelling hundreds of miles across

  • Area at risk of flooding

    AROUND 800 homes in Kearsley are at risk of future flooding, experts are warning. Properties in Crompton Road, Alexandra Road, Church Road, Bridge Street, Riverside Drive, Market Street, Kearsley Hall Road, Red Rock Lane and Clifton House Road could

  • Festive touch to historic hall

    SMITHILLS Hall, in Smithills Dean Road has been decked out with traditional Mediaeval, Tudor and Victorian decorations. The decorations have been researched and installed by the Friends of Smithills Hall and can be seen on Fridays and Sundays, from noon

  • Cancer charity on shopping list

    A RETAIL park has selected a cancer charity as the cause it will support next year. Middlebrook Retail and Leisure Park shortlisted four charities to support in 2009, with Cancer Research UK eventually selected. The site’s owner, Emerson, and more than

  • Chainsaw threat girl jailed

    A TEENAGE girl who held a buzzing chainsaw just inches away from the head of a man has been jailed for 18 months. Mustapher Khan sat terrified in the passenger seat of a car as Victoria Ashworth, then aged 17, revved the deadly chainsaw in

  • Early date for council meeting

    WESTHOUGHTON Town Council’s final meeting of the year will be held next Monday. Councillors will meet in the council chamber of the town hall in Market Street, Westhoughton, from 7pm. The meeting is being held two weeks early, due to the Christmas

  • Bolton chef refuses to cook Christmas lunch

    A BOLTON chef who will serve up 5,000 turkey dinners in the run-up to Christmas has revealed that his wife is the one who will be slaving away in the kitchen on Christmas day. Phil Roberts, chef at the Ramada Manchester Picadilly hotel, said

  • Gift guide: best gifts for film lovers

    DECEMBER is here and the sound of sleigh bells is getting ever closer. Luckily, we’ve picked out the perfect unusual presents for the film lover in your life. From micro fighters to Polish film memorabilia, there should be no excuse for simply settling

  • Darts match for injured Bolton firefighter

    A DARTS match is being held in aid of a firefighter who was seriously injured when he tried to rescue a family from their arson-hit home. The Halliwell Central Reform Club, in Brownlow Way, is hosting the match on Wednesday, December 17, at

  • Golfers look good naked for charity

    FORE! These brave golfers grabbed their nine irons and marched on to the fairway for a naked photoshoot. The members of Dunscar Golf Club dropped their plus fours to make a calendar for charity. Each month features men from the club in various compromising

  • Gift guide: Best gifts for music lovers

    WE all know how snobby music lovers can be. From alphabetised record collections to month-long quests to find a rare Nirvana bootleg, they’re the most particular of people. So when it comes to buying Christmas presents, get it wrong and you’re likely

  • Big numbers take part in health check

    MORE than 62,000 people have taken part in The BIG Bolton Health Check, according to latest figures released by Bolton Primary Care Trust. Health bosses want to check everyone in the borough aged over 45 to identify those at risk of heart disease. A

  • Steinway event at piano firm

    A SELECT audience was treated to a seminar charting the history of famous piano company Steinway and Sons. The presentation was held at the recently refurbished showroom of Harker & Howarth in Goodwin Street, Bolton. The event marked a new partnership

  • Youngsters put on brass band show

    BOLTON Youth Brass Band is putting on a festive family concert on Wednesday night. The event will take place at Walmsley Parish Hall in Blackburn Road, Egerton, from 7.30pm. Entry is £6, or £4 for concessions. Accompanied children can attend for free

  • Boom for Cash Generator

    THE credit crunch may be heaping gloom on many companies — but business is booming for Bolton-based Cash Generator. Bosses report the company is living up to its name by bucking high street trends of plummeting sales, by reporting excellent

  • Retirement time at tannery

    TODAY’S photograph was brought into the office by Mrs Freda Hill. That’s Freda, third from the left on what we might call the front row. The picture was taken by the Bolton Evening News she told me, in 1978 or 1979 when the gentleman at the front, whose

  • From our archives, December 9

    10 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, December 9, 1998 Patients in Bolton are having to wait longer to see consultants because of pressure of emergency cases. Today's NHS performance tables reveal that fewer outpatients are being seen within 13 weeks

  • Santa party for youngsters

    CHILDREN gathered to celebrate Christmas with Santa. Youngsters who are members of the Kids2gether club were joined by the man in red for a festive party. They were each given disposable cameras to record the day and left with party

  • Boxing classes are big hit with pupils

    A NEW lesson is proving to be a hit inside and outside the classroom. Youth Challenge Pupil Referral has put boxing on its timetable and teachers say the impact it has had on the boys physical well-being and academic achievements has been outstanding

  • Trophy tie off again

    The repeatedly-postponed Lancashire FA Trophy first round tie between Daisy Hill and Ramsbottom United, scheduled for New Sirs on Tuesday night (December 9), has been postponed again due to the pitch being unfit. A new date has still to be arranged.

  • Brother stabbed sister 10 times in Bolton home - court

    A brother stabbed his sister 10 times in "a brutal and savage attack" at her home in Horwich a court heard today. Mark Kitchen, aged 37, denies murdering mother of two Sarah Melia at Catherine Street West, on January 14. Manchester Crown

  • Schools urged to make use of science centre

    YOUNG Einsteins are being invited to explore the wonders of science using the latest hi-tech equipment. The pioneering Technical Innovation Centre in Farnworth, has been re-launched as the Bolton Science and Technology Centre and is run by the local

  • Online shop for filing solutions

    A BOLTON-based market leader in bespoke filing solutions has launched a new online shop to meet spiralling demand for its products.. The company, PREFS Ltd, makes customised filing and presentation products and launched the website to meet customer demand

  • Unsporting Chelsea disgusted me

    IT WAS disappointing enough to see Chelsea take the points on Saturday but what upset me more than anything was seeing some of their unsporting antics. They are a good side and they don’t need to resort to any nonsense but I was ashamed to call myself

  • Lecturers' book ready to set literary world on fire

    IT is not the next Dan Brown or J K Rowling page turner — but Advances in Fire Retardant Material, a book by two Bolton lecturers is expected to take the literary world by storm. The hotly awaited sequel to their first offering, Fire Retardant Materials

  • Bolton School launches new golf facilities

    Bolton School launched its new golfing facilities to a large audience of young golfers, parents and guests last week. The Woodford Group have provided the funds to purchase the equipment, which, it is hoped, will be used by other schools in

  • Road charge vote deadline for Bolton voters

    CAMPAIGNERS in favour of the proposed congestion charge are launching a last push to get people to vote “yes”before polls close on Thursday at 10pm. Hundreds of “Yes Campaign” volunteers will be handing out leaflets at bus stops and train stations

  • Experts joins business unit

    A BANKING expert has joined the senior team at Cowgill Holloway accountancy firm’s small business unit. Phil Keeling joined the company from Barclays Commercial Bank, where he was a senior manager in a career spanning 34 years. His brief will be to

  • Couple escape from Bolton house blaze

    A WOMAN had to jump from an upstairs window after the first floor of a house was gutted in a fire. Neighbours were awoken by the sound of screams and saw flames and thick smoke pouring from upstairs windows when the blaze started at about 1.20am in

  • Gartside Premier League plan rejected by Scudamore

    RICHARD Scudamore insists there will never be a two-tier top flight while he is chief executive of the Premier League. Scudamore, speaking at the All Party Parliamentary Football Group Inquiry into the Governance of English Football, was responding to

  • RAF death crash pilots 'won't be cleared'

    Two RAF pilots will not be cleared of blame for a Chinook helicopter crash 14 years ago in which an Army officer from Bolton was one of the 29 people who died. The BBC said findings of "gross negligence" against the men by an RAF Board of Inquiry

  • Second look at pub plan

    A PUB’S plans for a giant umbrella and smoking shelter to protect customers from the weather will go before Bolton Council’s planning committee again this week. The application by Southfields pub in Green Lane, Great Lever, was deferred at a planning

  • £125m plan to lay giant water pipe in Bolton

    A HUGE trench could be dug through fields and woods in Bolton to make way for a 54 kilometre water pipe. The channel, which would be 43 metres wide, would house a pipeline linking two reservoirs to the west and east of the borough. United

  • City star mugged as he got out of taxi

    Police are investigating the mugging of Premier League footballer Darius Vassell as he stepped out of a taxi in Greater Manchester. The Manchester City striker was robbed of his designer watch and jewellery on his return home from the club’s Christmas

  • Store’s collection for the hospice

    A COLLECTION in aid of Bolton Hospice organised by the Rotary Club of Bolton will take place at Sainsbury’s in Trinity Street, Bolton town centre, from December 15 until December 22.

  • Bolton Council tax could rise by 4.5pc

    COUNCIL tax in Bolton could rise by 4.5 per cent next year, leading councillors indicated last night. And all departments at the town hall are being asked to find five per cent worth of cuts to prevent the hike being higher. The forecast

  • Wanderers v Newcastle game switched for TV

    Wanderers' home match against Newcastle United on Saturday, February 28, has been switched to the following day, with a 1pm kick off, after being selected for coverage by Setanta.

  • Have you seen missing dog Gemma?

    THE owner of a dog which went missing while on a walk has made a plea for help in finding it. Jeanette Townsend is worried for the safety of Gemma, a border collie cross, because the dog has kidney failure and needs regular medication. She was

  • Street star in hospice gift appeal

    A HOSPICE is asking people to dig deep over the festive period and donate £5 towards the care of terminally ill patients. St Ann’s Hospice in Peel Lane, Little Hulton, has launched a new campaign “Every day makes a difference,” in a bid to boost donations

  • Cumbes stays in charge at Old Trafford

    Lancashire have announced that Jim Cumbes will remain as the club’s chief executive for the foreseeable future, despite reaching retirement age in May, 2009. Cumbes has played an integral role in the planning of Old Trafford’s redevelopment, and was

  • Celebrations to switch on festive lights

    A CHRISTMAS lights switch-on ceremony and carol service will get a community into the festive spirit on Thursday. The Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton, Cllr Anthony and Mrs Maureen Connell, will turn on Little Lever’s lights at 7pm. Last year’s ceremony

  • Big Sam’s call for free gym admission

    FORMER Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce has called on private gyms to offer their facilities for free to people who cannot afford their “huge” membership fees. Big Sam said fitness and exercise played a crucial part in children’s upbringing

  • Bakery van driver on theft charge

    A BAKERY van driver has been charged with theft after claiming he was the victim of a robbery. David Scanlon, aged 25, told police he was bundled into the back of his van by two robbers while parked in Lower Street, Radcliffe, at about 11.50am on Friday

  • Icy conditions close part of M61

    Part of the M61 northbound was closed during the rush hour this morning after ice made conditions treacherous. The entry road was closed due to an accident on the M61 Northbound between J1 M60 (Swinton Interchange) and J3 M61 (Kearsley Spur

  • Big Sam calls on Whites to invest

    SAM Allardyce has urged Wanderers to back Gary Megson in the transfer market. The former Bolton manager has been impressed by his old club’s resurgence this season. But Big Sam says the Wanderers boss must be given funds to further strengthen

  • Motorists are already paying plenty of taxes

    APPARENTLY, some of your readers think that the motorist should pay for improvements to public transport. Where has this come from? Motorists, like everyone else, pay towards transport through the council tax in the same way we contribute to emergency

  • Why don't our politicians tell us all the facts?

    IN response to Phillip Griffiths’ letter, “It’s a no-brainer to use EU cash for economy” (December 6), he once again questions the fruitfulness of the European Union and claims that we give it £55 billion — but, yet again, he does not acknowledge how

  • Poor public transport to blame for congestion

    PETER Johnston, in his letter “Why motorists should pay” (December 3), is being mischievously misleading by blaming the people who commute to work by car for the current problems with traffic congestion and the inadequacies with public transport. The

  • Do we not have gritters for pavements?

    THE main roads are now clear of snow. Great! How about the pavements? Watch pram and wheelchair pushers struggle and persons slip-sliding or taking risks by walking on the roads. When will pedestrians be able to walk without slipping? Name and address

  • Lights won't help stop accidents

    IF lights are installed on the dangerous stretch of the A6, they will have to be exceedingly powerful to melt the ice! Lights have to be paid for and won’t stop vehicles skidding on ice. Money would be better spent on drainage. There was a call for

  • Time to reveal sponsor shame

    I WAS one of the walkers who took part in the Bolton Hospice walk earlier this year and I handed my money over within three weeks of the walk. All the names of the walkers were printed in The Bolton News prior to the event so I thought it would be a

  • Congestion charge ballot is not secret

    I DON’T know if anyone else has noticed this, but I was just about to sign my congestion charge ballot paper when I noticed that the barcode on the paper was the exact same barcode as on the reverse of the voting slip. How can this ballot be considered

  • Thank you to our good Samaritan

    WE ARE writing to thank the very kind lady who helped us on Sunday, November 30, when our dog was knocked down on Darwen Road, Bromley Cross. She took us in her car to an emergency vets in Bury. The journey was understandably fraught with emotion,

  • We can't afford to cut back on gritters

    I TRAVEL to Deane from Horwich for work and a journey that normally takes me 20 minutes took one hour and 15 minutes. The traffic was just crawling the whole way. It was definitely one of the worst journeys I have ever made in snow. Many of my colleagues

  • Teachers, join the real world!

    I AM the parent of two children who attend Sharples High School and High Lawn School who were forced to have two days and one day off from school respectively last week due to the weather conditions. On Tuesday, they were informed the schools were closed

  • Is this how much fans mean to the club?

    I WOULD like to highlight an experience I had at the Bolton Wanderers club shop. I visited the shop to have a name and number put on a Bolton goalkeeper’s top that I had purchased elsewhere. However, when I enquired about this I was told by the shop

  • Drive-by shooting gunman jailed for 15 years

    A man who opened fire on his rivals during a drive-by shooting following a bitter feud has been jailed for 15 years. Mohammed Nasir Alam, aged 27, of Heywood Street, Cheetham Hill, left one man with a bullet wound to his head and another victim

  • Fashion night boost for community

    LADIES will get the chance to shop until they drop at an evening of fashion and entertainment. Fusion 2008 promises to be a fun-packed night of music, make-up and catwalk shows to celebrate the Asian holiday of Eid and bring together the community.

  • Singers unite for charity fundraiser

    BOLTON pop stars, Laura White and Danny Jones met up in Manchester to perform at a star-studded charity event. X Factor finalist Laura and McFly’s Danny both performed at the City of Manchester Stadium in front of 800 guests. The glittering “Jingle

  • Masked man tries to snatch Bolton girl, 13

    A MASKED man sexually assaulted a 13-year-old schoolgirl before trying to abduct her. The girl was walking along Ferns Grove, Heaton, yesterday morning when she was targeted by the man, who was wearing a balaclava. As he tried to bundle

  • Snakes and ladders with my money

    IN this present state of tightening belts and costly energy prices, can I be the only person who wonders why the Government has not taken steps to remove that unnecessary level of bureaucratic inefficiency introduced by the Conservative last government

  • Power cut left Valley in dark

    A POWER cut left hundreds of homes and businesses in the dark. The cut affected 800 properties the Valley area of Bolton on Saturday afternoon. It was caused by a fault on an underground cable. The Total Fitness gym’s three swimming pools were closed

  • Agency’s helping hand for hospice

    DESIGN agency Absolute Media is helping Bolton Hospice in its latest fundraising effort by donating its services for free. The Horwich firm has designed the invitations to the hospice’s Welcome to Hollywood themed ball, which will be held at the De Vere

  • Police on song at carol service

    HUNDREDS of people packed into Bolton Parish Church for the Bolton Police Divisional Carol Service last night. Senior officers, including Chief Supt Dave Lea, attended the service to enjoy and join in carols sung by local choirs. Smithills

  • Whites pay the penalty

    SKIPPER Kevin Nolan wasn’t crying over spilt milk after summing up Wanderers 2-0 defeat to Chelsea. Howard Webb – the referee who sent off Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo last week for a deliberate handball – appeared to miss another blatant case

  • Walney Island 0 Bolton County 3

    COUNTY came back from a 200-mile round trip with three points after an impressive display. County survived a torrid opening 10 minutes to take control of the game and, with Kieran Sisson causing endless problems, it was no surprise when he scored with

  • Johnson Fold are on the up

    FORMED to keep local youngsters out of trouble, Johnson Fold are gunning for their second successive title in the Bolton Sunday League this season. The team, which has an average age of just 20, was formed by Jordan Hacking and his friend Westley Tomkinson

  • Healthy lessons for school staff

    by Cherry Thomas THE BIG Bolton Health Check can come to you — that’s the message from Bolton Primary Care Trust. Staff at schools across Bolton are being tested, with health trainers visiting them to complete the 10-minute assessment to determine

  • Red stars' cheer for cancer battler

    A 19-YEAR-OLD girl who is fighting cancer got a boost from the biggest stars in football when Manchester United players paid her a bedside visit. Leanne Parker rubbed shoulders with Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs, when they called in at the Christie

  • Ironman Clamp feels the pain

    BOLTON “superman” Dave Clamp was left ruing his luck after finishing 13th in the gruelling Decatriathlon Ironman in Mexico. Only a crippling shin injury part-way into the event, which comprised a 38k swim, a 1,120 mile bike ride followed by a 262 mile

  • Davies defiant after defeat

    KEVIN Davies remained defiant that Wanderers would not slip into reverse after Saturday’s defeat against Chelsea. Gary Megson’s men remain in the Premier League’s top 10 despite the 2-0 reverse at the Reebok Stadium. The Whites have lost on each occasion

  • Daisy hope to play Ramsbottom

    DAISY Hill will attempt to play their much-postponed Lancashire Trophy first round tie against Ramsbottom United on Tuesday night. The match has been switched back to New Sirs because the Ramsbottom pitch is covered in snow. The winners are at home to

  • Pound in pocket comes first for drivers

    Most motorists are keener on saving the pound in their pocket than saving the planet, according to an RAC survey out today. As many as 77% of drivers have changed their motoring habits due to the increased cost of fuel. But only 6% have altered driving