THE historic name of North Turton may not now be wiped off the map.

The Local Government Commission for England today published its recommendations for boundary changes of wards in the Blackburn borough.

It suggests that extra ward should be created in the borough called Hoddlesden.

But the Commission also recommends that there should be a North Turton with Tockholes ward.

There was uproar a few weeks ago when Blackburn Borough Council proposed that North Turton should disappear and be replaced by the South Rural ward.

North Turton includes the villages of Belmont, Edgworth and Chapeltown.

There will now be an eight-week consultation period until October 29 on the proposals when the public will have the opportunity to make their views known.

The Commission's final recommendations to the Secretary of State will be published in December.

A spokesman for Blackburn Council said today: "We will be considering these proposals and will come up with our view in October."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.