LEIGH Genesis and Atherton Colls were again frustrated as Wednesday night’s Lancashire County FA Trophy first round clash was called off as the Radcliffe Borough pitch was waterlogged. FC United’s home clash in the Unibond Premier Division
WANDERERS fans are being encouraged to take advantage of potential free tickets. Barclays has announced it will be giving away a pair of Barclays Premier League tickets every 90 minutes throughout the season through its Barclays Ticket Office promotion
EBI Smolarek fired a timely reminder to Gary Megson of his goalscoring capabilities with two clinical finishes to help Wanderers second string see off 10-man Liverpool at the Reebok. The Polish striker struck twice in six second-half minutes
A VICAR has assured the people of Bolton that churches will not attempt to use an archaic law to send bills to parishioners for church upkeep. Chancel repair liability is a law dating back to mediaeval times which affects some properties, usually rectories
WESTHOUGHTON with Chew Moor area forum meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 14, at Westhoughton High School in Bolton Road. Doors open at 6.30pm so residents can speak on a one-to-one basis to councillors, Bolton Council officers and the police
COMPUTER equipment and a digital camera worth a total of £1,180 were stolen from a Bolton charity shop. Thieves got into the Action For Children building in Ashness Place, Breightmet, through an unlocked window between 2.30am and 3am on Monday. They
TWO memorial benches have been unveiled as a lasting tribute to a father who was knocked down and killed as he cycled to work. A ceremony was held in the grounds of Waggon Road Play Centre in Breightmet, where the victim, Gorden Kay, ran a youth club
A POPULAR quiz has been reintroduced at a Bolton pub. The Brierfield, in Blackburn Road, has brought back its Tuesday night quiz, which ran until early this year. Teams or individuals are free to enter and the questions begin at 9pm.
I KNOW it’s for charity, but I wish the DJs on the radio would stop playing that Terry Wogan-Aled Jones song. Every year, Wogan has the cheek to talk about how terrible the acts on the Eurovision Song Contest are and then comes out with this horrendous
FOUR wheel trims, worth £20, were stolen from a Volkswagen Polo, between 2.15pm and 5.05pm on Monday while it was parked in car park in Pool Street, Bolton.
FRANZ Ferdinand have announced a series of tour dates for March next year. The Glasgow band will release their third album Tonight: Franz Ferdinand on January 26. This will be followed by six dates across the UK, including one at Manchester Academy
CHRISTMAS has come just in time to stop us from lurching into becoming a nation of moaners. Far from adversity — and I suppose the credit crunch comes under that heading — bringing us together, it seems to be pushing us into being the stereotypical whingeing
IF you ever needed proof that we Brits like our icons with a touch of humility witness the booting out of the brilliant Austin Healey from “Strictly Come Dancing.” The former England rugby player was one of the favourites to win and, right from the first
Abbey Jones has won rugby league’s prestigious North-west Under-12s player of the year award. The talented prop, who started playing when she was just six, has enjoyed great success with Westhoughton Lionesses, while also more than holding her own in
TEACHING under-11s about using podcasts and the internet might be more in keeping with today’s jobs market, but at what expense to their general education? Government plans are targeting more ICT skills in primary schools in a move likely to take them
A CHARITY worker fresh from a mercy mission to the war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo has told how the experience has changed her life. Liz Bowes spent three weeks working in Kinshasa, where she helped to set up a feeding programme for
A plan to tighten up the benefits system has been greeted with scepticism in the benefit claim capital of England and Wales, an area of Greater Manchester, after a survey by the Press Association. Falinge, in Rochdale, gained notoriety when it was revealed
Delays for drivers travelling north on the M61 between Bolton and Chorley have now ended. What was described on our Traffic Updates page as an "abnormal load" made slow traffic conditions on M61 Northbound between Bolton West Services and J8
BOLTON’S most talented young musicians were recognised at an awards ceremony. Hundreds of youngsters watched and performed at the Bolton Concert Bands annual awards evening in the Pennine Suite at the Last Drop Village hotel in Bromley Cross. The event
TWO feelgood must-see shows to get you in the mood for Christmas are on offer in Bolton. Comedian Stu Francis stars in “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” at the Albert Halls and Bolton Little Theatre is staging “Fawlty Towers.” Judging by the reviews,
Detectives have released a photograph of a bike they believe was used by a gunman in a Levenshulme shooting last night. Police were called to Chapel Street at about 5.50pm, following a report that a 28-year-old man had been shot in the leg.
This classic fairy tale offered traditional pantomime fun with a 21st century twist. This version of Snow White, directed by Ian Taylor, had the audience in stitches throughout the show. Youngsters got in on the action, shouting typical
FATHER Christmas will be appearing in Westhoughton in the run-up to Christmas. He will be joined by Rudolf and elves on Santa’s sleigh on the following evenings: Thursday, December 11: Cherwell Road, Washburn Close, Whitsundale estate, Wharfedale estate
A SALE of goods has raised more than £400 for charity. The event at the Bolton Centenary Canopy on November 27 made £417.90. The proceeds will be donated to Hands Around The World, which uses volunteers to help vulnerable young people across the globe
THE Christmas spirit of giving was celebrated in Wingates this week. The Westhoughton Residents’ Association gave festive hampers to those aged 85 and over and to housebound pensioners. Association chairman Alan Rhodes said: “The tradition started six
A JUNIOR doctor managed to drive off from a man trying to break into her car at the Royal Bolton Hospital. The incident happened at 8.30pm on Monday in the Cooper car park. The woman physician had got in to her car and started the engine when the man
Chris Hoy may be an internationally recognised sports star since his triple Olympic success in Beijing. But gold medal winning team-mate Jason Kenny remains just a face in the crowd. However, that is just how the 21-year-old Farnworth cyclist wants
EUROVISION just won’t be the same without Tel. Terry Wogan is quitting the programme that’s become a cult through its awfulness, to be replaced by fellow-Irishman Graham Norton. Sorry, Graham, you’re a star but this is one role that’s just too big to
FIFTEEN points from the boot of fly-half Guy Lovegreen, including a dramatic penalty with the last kick of the match, earned Bolton RUFC a memorable draw away in Widnes in North Lancashire Division One. The game was tight throughout, with neither try
I WOULD like to thank my family, friends and neighbours, for the kindness and care they showed me on the occasion of my 100th birthday party on Saturday, November 22. I would also like to thank my friends at St Margaret’s Church for the party held on
Lostock's Ola Abidogun is convinced the 2010 World Junior Championships will be the perfect stepping stone in his bid to compete at the London 2012 Paralympics. The talented athlete spent the weekend rubbing shoulders with Norwich Union performance advisors
BOLTON’S most talented young musicians were recognised at an award ceremony. Hundreds of youngsters watched and performed at the Bolton Concert Bands annual awards evening in the Pennine Suite at the Last Drop Village hotel in Bromley Cross. The event
PLANS for an £100m new Manchester racecourse at Boothstown will be decided at a public inquiry. Landowners and developers Peel Holdings have appealed against Wigan and Salford councils’ failure to make a decision on the proposed Salford Forest
CONSUMERS are being urged to buy British to help out hard-hit local companies. The North-west’s high streets and businesses desperately need the support of consumers and local authorities this Christmas, according to a leading regional business
Arsonists caused thousands of pounds worth of danage when they torched a car in south Manchester. The incident happened on the driveway of a house on Kensington Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, at about 5.30am on Tuesday. The car's owner, a 53-year-old
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.
Since Bolton Council has decided to proceed with the academy schools farce, it is in the public interest that they should be fully aware of what all this means to the future of education in Bolton and the country in general. The Department
Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of sports gear has been stolen from Trafford Park. The thieves struck just after 7pm on December 3 driving a tractor unit onto the car park at the World Freight Centre on Europa Way and attached the trailer
EBI Smolarek and Ali Al-Habsi will be signing copies of a new Wanderers book at the Club Superstore on Thursday night. The Bolton Wanderers Miscellany, compiled by Dean Hayes, is a 160-page hardback priced at £9.99 which features unusual trivia about
AN exhibition exploring Bolton’s past and progress to the present day starts on Friday. The Building Bolton Exhibition looks at how the town got to where it is now. It runs at Bolton Museum until February 28 and is free to visit. To find out more,
CHORLEY rugby union’s second string paid Lostock RUFC firsts a compliment by sending a strong team to Woodshaw Park, and the Bolton side had to settle for a hard-fought draw thanks to Warren Clough’s late try. The visitors took the game to Lostock and
THE Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton will be getting into the festive spirit tomorrow. Cllr Anthony and Mrs Maureen Connell will enjoy a Christmas concert and nativity play. They will visit Clarendon CP School in Clarendon Street, Daubhill, and also have
The most appalling aspect of the proposed congestion charge is the Government’s statement that the infrastructure improvement funding will only be made available if we vote for the charge. Is this not bribery? Would our MPs also support new hospital
THE youngsters and teachers at a Breightmet school were in fine tune as they stepped up to the microphone to record a CD. SS Osmund and Andrew’s RC Primary School was transformed into a Fame Academy with the hall becoming a recording studio for the morning
WINGATES Brass Band will be joining folk group The Houghton Weavers in a Christmas show on Saturday, December 20, at 7.30pm. The Westhoughton-based groups will be performing at the Preston Guildhall. For tickets, call 01772 258858.
I am writing in support the TIF bid. I cannot understand why drivers are willing to continue to sit in congested traffic and polluted air, It is a situation that is bound to get worse unless we have a vastly improved public transport system The congestion
During the past few weeks there have been some very interesting letters published with regard to congestion charging, both for and against, and from councillors on all sides who are attempting to score points from each other. However Cllr Williamson’
A TALE from the non-league scene highlights the gulf between life at opposite ends of the football spectrum. They play the same game at the bottom of the pyramid as as they do at the top, but the consequences of serious injuries are starkly contrasting
RAY Wilkins suggested Luiz Felipe Scolari was “extremely tired” when he ducked the press conference after Chelsea’s win at the Reebok on Saturday. But those who know the tempestuous Brazilian suggest it was more a case of the Blues’ boss showing his
WE might be approaching the festive season but good will is sadly lacking on the managerial front. Roy Keane has gone and Paul Ince is teetering on the brink. But we should not be at all surprised by the goings on up on Wearside and over Ewood Park way
A NEW play area in Daisy Hill will be officially opened by the Mayor of Westhoughton, Cllr David Chadwick. He will open the park, in James Street, at a ceremony on Sunday, December 14, from 1pm to 3pm. Youngsters and their families are invited to join
ONE reason offered for Sunderland being reluctant to appoint Sam Allardyce is his Newcastle connection. Fierce local rivalry, so the argument goes, would put him offside with some Black Cats fans before he even got started. Surely Niall Quinn won’t let
A WOMAN jumped from an upstairs window of her home to escape a fire which was raging below. Her housemate managed to get down the stairs of the house and escape out of a back door with his dog, after smelling smoke. The identities of
SUPERMARKET giant Tesco is on track to become the world’s second largest retailer within four years, according to new research. The UK’s biggest supermarket is expected to deliver annual sales of £106.7 billion by 2012, overtaking French retailer Carrefour
FC United are in UniBond Premier League action on Wednesday night. The mid-table Rebels, who suffered a 4-2 defeat against FA Cup giantkillers Eastwood Town on Saturday, take on sixth-placed Ashton United at Gigg Lane. Leigh Genesis hope to play their
THE body of man from Adlington has been found in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Paul Montgomery, aged 37, was reported missing by his family at 4.35pm on Saturday. Police in Chorley called the force helicopter, dog handlers and underwater search team
At first glance, this appears to be a photograph of a reasonably calm Deansgate on a wet morning in 1968. However, the road and pavement has been closed off. The report with the picture said that part of the ceiling of the Aspin Club, housed above the
A man who pretended he wanted a job at a bookmakers tried to rob the place at knifepoint. The offender went into Betfred on Coalshaw Green Road in Chadderton at about 6pm on Monday, looked around the shop and then asked for a job application form.
In reply to the many letters that have appeared in The Bolton News with regards to the gritting operation over the last few days, I would make the following comments. Firstly, the roads in Bolton were gritted prior to the heavy snowfall on Tuesday morning
I WISH to congratulate all who took part in the recent Brass Band Concert in Bolton Parish Church. From the young beginners to the Bolton Youth Band it was spectacular. Well done to these young people who must spend hours in practice
110 YEARS AGO From the Evening News December 10, 1998 A Bolton consultant is to pound the sands in Honolulu, Hawaii, to raise cash for the victims of strokes and their families. Dr Keatley Adams, Consultant Physician in the Medical and Elderly
POSTAL workers are to stage a 24-hour strike on one of the busiest mail days of the year. Up to 400 workers at the Bolton Mail Centre in Farnworth will walk out on December 19 in protest over plans to close it. The Stonehill Road depot
THE time is upon us to vote in the transport referendum. I will vote Yes. These proposals offer cheaper fares for our lowest paid workers, as well as capped fares for everyone. Bolton will have a new transport interchange. Hall i'th’ Wood, Bromley Cross
Thieves armed with sticks raided a dental surgery in south Manchester. The robbery happened at the Maple Road Dentists on Maple Road, Brooklands, at about 6.15pm on Monday. A gang of three masked men brandishing sticks and a brick went into the
BUSINESS leaders say Bolton is on target to create 16,000 jobs in the next 10 years. More than 250 people attending the Bolton Vision conference heard chairman Chris Hopkinson deliver an upbeat assessment of the town’s economy and employment prospects
BAKERY chain Greggs has announced plans for further expansion and said it would look to serve customers “at work and as they travel”. The Newcastle-based business, which has 1,400 outlets in the UK, said it could see “considerable potential” for growth
THE current financial turmoil looks set to hasten the demise of final salary pension schemes, research shows. Four out of 10 of the defined benefit pension schemes, including final salary ones, that are still open to new members expect to close their
A pensioner is in a serious condition in hospital after being hit by a car in a Bolton street. Police are appealing for witnesses after the woman, aged 76, was hit by a Vauxhall Astra near the Post Office on Rishton Lane at its junction with Green Lane
AUTHOR Anthony Peake will be giving a talk on his latest book, The Daemon — Our Inbuilt Guardian Angel, at Bolton Library, in Le Mans Crescent, Bolton, next week. He will be speaking in the lecture theatre on Tuesday, September 16, from 6pm to 7pm. Entry
THE family of a man with terminal cancer have pulled out all the stops to make this Christmas his best ever. Former miner Peter Lythgoe has successfully fought the disease twice, but when doctors found a tumour at the base of his spine last month, they
Police in Wigan have released a CCTV picture of a man after a jeweller was distracted and an expensive ring stolen. The thief went into Beaverbrooks in Tyldesley Arcade, Wigan, and asked to look at a ring from the window display at about 11am
AN exhibition exploring Bolton’s past and progress to the present day starts on Friday. The Building Bolton Exhibition looks at how the town got to where it is now. It runs at Bolton Museum until February 28 and is free to visit. To find out more,
SONY has announced plans to axe 8,000 posts around the world. The Japanese electronics giant, which employs around 1,750 in the UK, did not give a country breakdown on the planned reductions, which will be achieved by April, 2010.
A TAKEAWAY looks set to be refused permission to stay open later because police are linking it to late night noise and litter. The owners of the Steak House in Halliwell Road, Bolton, have applied for a licence to trade until 2am at weekends instead
A CHURCH is urging people to visit its shop, which is raising money for a £500,000 project. St Mary’s Church has opened Deane Charity Shop at 292 Wigan Road, Deane. It will raise funds for a new community hall for the area, which will replace the current
A COMPANY will welcome two special guests today. The Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton, Cllr Anthony Connell, and his wife, Maureen, will visit Riverstreet Holdings Ltd in Bridgeman Street in the town centre. They will tour the factory and meet the staff
A YOUNG mum was stabbed 10 times by her knife-obsessed, schizophrenic brother, a court heard. Mark Kitchen launched a “brutal and savage attack” on Sarah Melia at her home in Horwich. Ms Melia, aged 34, suffered horrific injuries, including
AN 84-year-old man was rescued by firefighters after he collapsed in his kitchen after leaving a pan of burning food on the stove. The fire broke out in Hanover House sheltered accommodation in Maldwyn Avenue, Bolton, at 7.45pm last night. Crews carried
AN empty Co-op in Halliwell could be turned into a fish and chip shop if plans are approved. A businessman wants to operate the takeaway from the former shop in Musgrave Road, which has been vacant for several years and has been badly vandalised. Councillors
THE Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton will be getting into the festive spirit tomorrow. Cllr Anthony and Mrs Maureen Connell will enjoy a Christmas concert and nativity play. They will visit Clarendon CP School in Clarendon Street, Daubhill, and also have
DETECTIVES investigating the sexual assault and attempted abduction of a 13-year-old girl, are trying to trace a number of “suspicious” cars seen in the area of the attack. A masked pervert struck as the schoolgirl was walking along Ferns Grove
EBI Smolarek and Riga are expected to figure in a strong line-up when Wanderers Reserves return to the Reebok Stadium on Wednesday night. The second team take on Liverpool in the Barclays Premier Reserve League North in the first outing for Alan Cork
Golborne are looking for a professional for next season. Candidates should be resident in the UK and familiar with local league cricket. Previous professional experience would be preferable, but is not essential. Chairman Graham Marston, who can be
GARY Megson has rubbished suggestions of a Reebok jinx. The Wanderers have struggled at home this season, winning just twice in nine league and cup games and saving their best form for on their travels. But the Bolton boss has put that down to the quality
ATHERTON LR have a fourth Goldline Trophy final spot in their sights going into Wednesday night's match with Chanock Richard. Rovers have appeared in the final three times, winning the trophy on each occasion. The Vodkat NWCL Premier Division outfit
A MORNING of festive fun is being held for pre-school children at Moses Gate Country Park, in Farnworth, next Tuesday, December 16. The youngsters can join the park ranger for a Christmas story, then explore the park, before returning to the Rock Hall
PEOPLE with “winter vomiting” are being urged not to visit their GP or hospital accident and emergency departments. The Health Protection Agency North-west is issuing advice on the highly infectious illness, which is caused by a virus known as norovirus
FINANCIAL recruitment company AFR Consulting has announced a reshuffle of its board of directors. Tammy Smith, who joined the Horwich-based company as its clerical finance division in April, has been made a director. She joins Simon Speak and Phil
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
THE generation gap was bridged when schoolchildren and elderly members of the community got together to celebrate the festive season. The Farnworth branch of Age Concern held its Christmas party and invited the pupils of George Tomlinson School in Kearsley
THE youngsters and teachers at a Breightmet school were in fine tune as they stepped up to the microphone to record a CD. SS Osmund and Andrew’s RC Primary School was transformed into a Fame Academy with the hall becoming a recording studio for the morning
DETECTIVES investigating the sexual assault and attempted abduction of a 13-year-old girl, are trying to trace a number of “suspicious” cars seen in the area of the attack. A masked pervert struck as the schoolgirl was walking along Ferns Grove, Heaton
MANUFACTURING’S biggest slump in almost 30 years deepened after a worse-than-expected 1.4 per cent fall in output during October. October’s dire performance represents the eighth successive month of decline in the worst run since 1980, according to the
A FESTIVE wonderland will be open to the public this weekend. Carol and Dennis Dyson are inviting people into their home at 1 Roscow Road, Kearsley, to raise money for a community centre. The proceeds from guests, who can view decorated rooms, see Santa
Wanderers defender Nicky Hunt has extended his stay at Birmingham City until January 10. The full-back has been on loan at the Championship club for the last month.
AN ISLAMIC teaching centre in Great Lever wants to renew plans to expand. Two semi-detached homes attached to the Madrasah in Nugent Road would be converted into rooms to provide religious education for around 50 children. The centre already has temporary
