A PROPOSAL to demolish an 18th century pub will be "heart-breaking but essential" because the building is "falling down". Plans have been submitted to transform The Red Lion pub in Wigan Road, Westhoughton, into a block of sheltered flats for patients
AN elderly resident was taken to hospital after a kitchen fire in Breightmet. Firefighters were called to a house in Breightmet Drive at 3.30pm after the cooker area of the kitchen caught fire. The elderly resident was alerted to the blaze
BREIGHTMET United manager Simon Wilcox was delighted with Saturday’s 2-1 victory away to Boothstown – the team he regards as the “best footballing side in Division One”. The victory saw the Moss Park side leapfrog their opponents into sixth place
A GROUP is hoping to bring some Christmas cheer to the needy. Claire Simm and Anne Crumpton run the Spirit of Trust — a group set up to help anyone in need, including the homeless, people suffering from poverty and those fleeing domestic violence
NHS staff staged a strike as part of their fight for better pay. Nurses, midwives and ambulance workers walked out today for four hours following a row over whether they should receive a one per cent pay rise. Two picket lines were set up outside
A ROBBERY attempt saw a woman's head repeatedly slammed into a wall by a man who fled empty-handed after trying to snatch her handbag. The 56-year-old woman was attacked while walking along Clifton Street in Leigh at about 10.30am on November
A CAST of talented singers will take audiences on a journey of Christmas old and new this December. Voices & Lyrics — created by Harwood singer and actor James Edgington — will return to the Octagon Theatre, Bolton, on December 10 and 11 following a sell-out
BOLTON Association clubs will not commit themselves to the proposed new Greater Manchester Cricket League until they receive assurances on several key points. Club representatives discussed the revolutionary new plans in an at times heated monthly
MANAGER Rob Rostron hopes Castle Hill have turned a corner in their troubled season following a resounding 3-0 victory over North Walkden on Saturday.Their best performance of the season saw them close to within two points of second-bottom Little Lever
Into the Woods CATS Youth TheatreSt Catherine’s Academy, HarwoodINTO the Woods by Stephen Sondheim is a fractured fairy tale which includes all the famous Grimm's characters, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack (of the beanstalk) and a
BANK customers were locked in town centre premises as police dealt with a "suspicious package" this morning. Police were called after a black bin bag was spotted at about 9.30am on a green telephone exchange box between the Co-operative bank and
IT Crowd fan Danny Davies became an internet hit after wearing a T-shirt with a quote from the comedy emblazoned on the front when he appeared on TV's Countdown. Lifting a quote from the episode of the Channel 4 comedy where character Moss appears
TWO musical legends will join forces for their 12th concert to get the Christmas festivities going.Popular folk group The Houghton Weavers, and the internationally-renowned Wingates Band, will be putting on Christmas Folk and Brass at Victoria Hall, Knowsley
Farnworth Fire Station is holding a free open day on Saturday.Children and their parents are welcome to visit the station between 10am till 4.30pm to look at a working fire engine and pick up safety advice.
WESTHOUGHTON Library is holding a Victorian Christmas craft fair which will showcase the work of some of the town's art , history and music groups.The Rainbow Craft Group will be selling and displaying various craft items made by them. Westhoughton Local
WOULD-BE thieves sparked a fire after trying to jump-start a new car. Firefighters were called to a locked Suzuki compound in Brookfield Street,Tonge Fold, at 1.10am on Saturday after residents spotted the new Ford Fiesta was ablaze. The offenders had
A QUANTITY of jewellery was stolen from a house in Rumworth after burglars smashed through a window to gain entry into the property. The theft from the home in Willows Lane was reported by police on the GMP Bolton Central Twitter feed on Friday (November
ASK THE ACCOUNTANT – a weekly guide to the world of business finance with Warings Accountants Q. Is it better if I buy my car personally or through my company? A. There’s a big difference in the tax consequences of owning a car personally or
CMB continued their impressive high-scoring form in cup competitions by defeat Furness Rovers 5-0 in the West Lancashire Challenge Cup.Matt Carr led the way with a brace of goals and there were further efforts by Callum Yearsley and Charlie Scholes.But
NEEDLEWORK novices and seasoned sewers alike turned junk into treasure at a free ‘upcycling’ class in Bolton. Upcycling is the art of repairing, restoring and altering pre-owned clothing and fabric to make something completely new. At the three-hour
YULETIDE spirit was running high at a Christmas fair which smashed its previous year’s fundraising to raise more than £2,000.Kearsley Mount Methodist Church threw open its doors and invited the community in to peruse the many stalls on show.About 300
SIR Ian McKellen is to star alongside Sir Anthony Hopkins on screen for the first time in a new TV adaptation of a famous play about life backstage. The 75-year-old, a former Bolton School pupil, will take the lead role in BBC Two’s version of The Dresser
THE RSPB is urging wildlife lovers in Bolton to check for slow worms and grass snakes as part of next year's Big Garden Birdwatch.People are being asked to report any sightings to help experts have a better understanding of the threats to wildlife.The
Film fans from Bolton can attend Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium - but not to view the latest football drama.It will be transformed into a drive- through cinema from December 19 to Christmas Eve.Films to be screened include Frozen, Elf and Home
THE headteacher of Bolton Muslim Girls School encouraged pupils to share Mala Yousafzai’s "passionate belief in her right to and the preciousness of education" at at the school's annual presentation evening. The school celebrated success at the
PUPILS in Bolton are being invited to enter a competition to design the 'school laboratory of the future' to stand a chance of winning £20,000 of lab equipment for their school.Talented youngsters from the age of 11 to 16 can submit an entry to the competition
People from Bolton are being invited to a carol service at St Ann's Church in Manchester in memory of people who are missing.The 7pm event, organised by charity Missing People, will be held on Wednesday, December 3 and is designed to support families
VOLUNTEERS from Bolton are being sought to help collect donations for Marie Curie Cancer Care this Christmas.Funds raised will be used to provide one-to-one nursing care for terminally ill people in their own homes.For more information: visit mariecurie.org.uk
The Environment Agency is warning people using lakes, rivers, ponds and canals across the Bolton area to check, clean and dry their clothes and equipment, after a Demon Shrimp was found in a Lancashire river for the first time.Demon Shrimp are an invasive
IT will be more Christ-messy than Christmas at Breightmet Library for youngsters aged five to 11.They are are invited to a festive craft activity and should be prepare to get messy.The activity takes place on December 2, from 4pm to 5pm.
THE Bolton School Saxophone Ensemble provided a little festive cheer at John Lewis at the launch of the store’s Christmas range.Six pupils played a selection of familiar Christmas tunes to help to create a fantastic atmosphere at the Trafford Centre store
SCHOOLS across Bolton can now sign up for a package of support worth over £2,000 to increase their meal take-up and improve their pupils’ lunchtime experience. The programme is funded by the Department for Education for junior, middle, secondary, pupil
CHILDREN with autistic spectrum disorders and their families are invited to a special event at Toys R Us store in Trinity Retail Park.The store will join other Toys R Us branches throughout the country in holding an autism friendly shopping event this
People with diabetes or their family members are invited to meet dieticians at Tesco in Farnworth.The dieticians, from Diabetes UK, will offer expert advice on eating well and be available for one-to-one discussions.They will also hold store tours to
A CHURCH was transformed into a traditional Christmas market for the day. Members of St Peter's Church on the outskirts of Belmont transformed the inside of the church into a market for the event which was held on Saturday. The market event
A TALK in Bolton will recount the experiences of a group of conscientious objectors in World War One.Dr Malcolm Pittock will be speaking tomorrow evening in the Friends Meeting House in Silverwell Street, from 7.30pm.The talk will focus on Dr Pittock’
A MAJOR change to road markings will be introduced at an “accident blackspot” in Blackrod at the start of the new year.Work will begin in January at the junction of the A6 and Station Road in the village — the scene of several serious and fatal accidents
HUNDREDS of NHS staff in Bolton were going out on strike today in a continuing row over pay.The four-hour walkout, organised by various trade unions, was taking place between 7am and 11am and will be followed by many staff ‘working to rule’ for the remainder
MEMBERS of Bolton Mountain Rescue Team were involved in the search for a missing man in Wales.On Saturday, dog handler Steve Nelson and his navigator Elaine Gilliland were requested to join the search for the 38-year-old man in the Llandudno area.They
A HOUSE in Horwich could be extended if plans are approved.A residents living in Wenlock Close has applied to build a single story extension at the rear of their property.The application was debated at a meeting of Horwich Town Council on Thursday and
RAIL users in Bolton will be given an early Christmas present as 40,000 more seats are being made available on weekend trains.Local operator Northern Rail will offer 30,000 additional seats each Saturday and 10,000 extra seats every Sunday for customers
NOMINATIONS are still being accepted for people thought to deserve a civic medal from Horwich Town Council.In 2015, the council will hand out two civic medals to people who are considered to have served the community of Horwich and are asking members
CHRISTMAS is set to come early for a Bolton charity with gifts from a local care group.The Your Choice Home Care group, which offers domiciliary care to vulnerable adults in the Bolton Community, will present hampers, food and goodies to the Bolton Dementia
BOLTON residents will be able to test their truthfulness when filming for a reality television show takes place in the borough.TruenorthTV are planning to come to Bolton to organise a “social experiment” involving Lie Detectors, although details are yet
BOLTON West MP Julie Hilling raised the issue of internet crime during a discussion in the House of Commons.Ms Hilling was speaking to the Leader of the House of Commons, William Hague, and called for a debate to be organised on the subject of internet
HORWICH residents will be able to attend a final town council meeting before Christmas.The town council will convene on December 18 in the Council Chamber of the Public Hall in Lee Lane for a meeting at 7.15pm.Any residents who wish to speak on town matters
MORE women should have access to preventative breast cancer drugs, a Bolton MP has argued.Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East, wrote to the Government to ask for more details about what proportion of women are eligible for tamoxifen and raloxifene.She
A GANG of seven men accused of dealing class A and class B drugs have appeared in court. The men, four of whom are from Bolton, are charged with the conspiracy to supply large quantities of cannabis or cocaine, attended a hearing at Bolton Crown
MAYOR of Bolton, Cllr Martin Donaghy, will attend the Looked After Children awards evening at the Macron Stadium tonight (Monday, November 24) at 6pm.
A POLICE boss has urged victims of crimes against transgender people to come forward and report incidents. Tony Lloyd, Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner, issued the plea after last week's International Transgender Day of Remembrance
Monday November 24THE 1930s was the decade which saw British motoring change the face of the country. And with this came arguments and debates on road safety.At the turn of the decade, the Road Traffic Act, which had previously abolished the 20mph speed
YOUNGSTERS of all faiths came together in enjoyment of one of the world’s most popular sports – cricket. Children and teenagers from across Bolton’s broad spectrum of religions took part in an interfaith cricket tournament at Kearsley Academy.
WITH an election less than 12 months away, the business community has every reason to feel positive about the Chancellor's Autumn statement scheduled for December 3.So what might we reasonably expect?I have spoken in this column previously about the need
A NEW science fiction movie will be shot in Bolton — as backers are being sought for the film being produced and directed by the next generation of filmmakers.Bolton is fast becoming a popular location of choice for moviemakers — including those behind
YOUNG singers from Bolton stepped out onto the legendary cobbles of the nation's favourite street for a special performance to celebrate the festive season.Bolton School girls' division choir brought some seasonal magic to Coronation Street to launch
A DECORATOR from Bolton has had a brush with success after making it to the finals of a national competition.Mark Rigby has been announced as a finalist in the Dulux Trade Ultimate Professional Decorator Awards. Mr Rigby, aged 49, of Horwich, has been
A BUDDING construction worker from Bolton has landed the title of Apprentice of the Year at the firm he works for. Daniel Holt was named as national construction firm Seddon’s top apprentice for the past year, beating off competition from apprentices
PLANS to build up to 300 houses on open land in Westhoughton have been criticised by councillors. Developers Persimmon Homes want to create the large housing estate on a 45 acres site at Lee Hall, between Platt Lane and Manchester Road and plan
SCORES of skilful skaters “rolled out” their talents for Bolton’s second annual artistic roller skating championships. The event was hosted by Bolton Artistic Roller Skating Club and was held at Smithills School — with 177 skaters taking part in
A LIVELY debate has flared up on whether it is right for people in the public eye to take the train rather than the plane.It was sparked when Green Party leader Natalie Bennett went to a conference in Croatia.Rather than spending £90 on flights, the politician
ALICE IN WONDERLANDOctagon Theatre, BoltonUntil Saturday, January 10AT one stage in this dizzying performance, star of the show Alice proclaimed the wonderland she has been drawn into is “absolutely bonkers” – and who can disagree?Director Elizabeth Newman
WANDERERS left Blackpool feeling a little ‘reffed up’ after Blackpool keeper Joe Lewis avoided a first-half red card at Bloomfield Road. There was unanimous agreement within the Whites dressing room the Seasiders keeper should have been heading
A SERIAL shoplifter has become the first offender in Bolton to be given a so-called CRIMBO banning him from every Co-op in Bolton and a long list of other stores. Charlie Brown was given the criminal behaviour order — also known as a CRIMBO — after
PROMOTER Eddie Hearn is predicting big things in 2015 for Bury boxer Scott Quigg after a fifth successful defence of his WBA super bantamweight title in Liverpool on Saturday night. Quigg was made to work hard by stubborn Japanese opponent Hidenori
CHUNG-YONG Lee has found a new lease of life after ditching his “shrinking violet” image. That’s the view of Neil Lennon, who is quite content to see the Korean international show his nasty side, so long as he does it in the nicest possible way
QUICK thinking neighbours rushed to the rescue when plastic garden furniture was pushed against a Halliwell home and set alight. Firefighters were called to Kirkhope Walk at 3am today after it is believed a plastic table and chairs were deliberately
A SERIAL shoplifter has become the first person in Bolton to be given a so-called CRIMBO - banning him from every Co-op in Bolton and a long list of other stores. Charlie Brown was given the criminal behaviour order — also known as a CRIMBO — after
THE owner of Olympus Fish and Chip restaurant has vowed his restaurant will bounce back after it received a one-star food hygiene rating. Tasos Pattichis, who is manager of the restaurant in Great Moor Street, felt the report was an unfair reflection
DORIAN Dervite insists age has not dulled the talents of Eidur Gudjohnsen and hopes Wanderers will gamble on offering him a contract. Neil Lennon will take a close look at the 36-year-old former Barcelona and Chelsea striker this week in a behind-closed-doors
BURY boxer Scott Quigg ends 2014 as he began - still the WBA super bantamweight world champion after a unanimous points victory over Japan’s Hidenori Ohtake on Saturday. Quigg made a successful fifth defence of his crown at Liverpool’s Echo Arena
AS THE multicoloured lights warmed up on Blackpool Tower, peering ominously over Bloomfield Road, you longed for something to add some similar pizzazz to Wanderers on the pitch. With Mark Davies ruled out it fell to Chung-Yong Lee to dazzle and
