Archive

  • Our thin blue line

    SIR: May I protest strongly about the shortage of police presence in the Dixon Green, New Bury, areas. We had the best community policeman possible till he went on sick close on approx two and a half months ago. Since then we have not seen one. It's not

  • War vets in cash plea to Japanese

    OLD soldiers are turning to JAPAN in a modern-day battle to raise cash for a regimental museum. Just days after PoWs turned their backs on Japanese Emperor Akihito during his controversial state visit to Britain, Lancashire Fusiliers want backing from

  • Nev eyes Gigg return

    NEVILLE Southall today threw his hat into the ring for the vacant Bury manager's job. The Shakers' most famous ex-player began his illustrious goalkeeping career at Gigg Lane and now wants to kick off his managerial career at his old club. Southall, 40

  • What a great relief!

    LATEST news from the loos is that work on Bolton's Nelson Square toilets is about to start after they were "temporarily" shut 12 months ago. Even more welcome would be an announcement that Bolton is to get more new toilets. But they're probably so flushed

  • St Josephs are the champions

    CHORLEY Nissan Sunday League Premier Division champions are St Josephs Athletic and the runners up will be either Brooklyn FC or Duke of York. The full honours list reads: Division One Champions:- Clayton Orient Runners up:- Springfield Division Two Champions

  • Chinese puzzle cracked

    A CHORLEY Liberal Democrat leader has had his Chinese puzzle solved after questioning a council trip to the Far East. Council leader John Wilson and deputy chief executive Colin Campbell jetted out to China at the weekend to explore possible trade links

  • Armed robbery at Aldi superstore

    POLICE hunting armed robbers who stole £15,000 from a Chorley store are offering a substantial reward for information. The incident happened at the Aldi superstore on Harpers Lane last Saturday at 4pm when a masked man brandishing a shotgun ordered Securicor

  • Shedding light on crime

    POLICE have again teamed up with the private sector to try to beat shed and garage thieves who last year stole hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of equipment from Chorley households. Chorley Police and local firm ASC Timber Supplies have jointly launched

  • The voice of the people

    PUBLIC speaking is the way forward. That's the belief of council chiefs who say the voice of the people is well heard and will continue to be in Chorley - in Local Democracy Week which began on Monday. A variety of schemes and initiatives have been taking

  • Chemists on duty this weekend

    CHORLEY'S duty chemist between noon and 1pm on Sunday, June 7, will be Scholes Chemists Ltd, T/A Bamford & Parker Pharmacy, Library Street. Medicines and appliances may also be obtained from: M D Rimmer, 22 Runshaw Lane, Euxton, between Monday and

  • MP calls for college in borough

    A SIXTH form college should be built in Chorley to cope with the borough's growing number of A-level students, according to Lindsay Hoyle MP. The call follows a recent decision by county bosses to extend further education travel subsidies after an outcry

  • DJ in a spin after pub closes

    MYSTERY surrounds the sudden closure of a popular village pub. Baffled regulars are still asking why the Cardwell Arms, Chorley Road, Adlington, shut. It is understood two new licensees took over the pub in mid May but disappeared over the Spring Bank

  • Top boxer's mum found murdered

    DETECTIVES investigating the murder of the mother of former Chorley boxing champion Carl Crook are still questioning a 60-year-old man. The body of Charlotte Crook, aged 55, was discovered at a house on Coniston Road, Chorley, shortly after 2.45pm on

  • Crazy cost of stones

    SIR: Anyone would think that Lancashire folk are simple and weak in the head. Nearly half a million pounds for the erection of ten stone 'dominoes' to form a dogs' toilet and graffiti artists' paradise at the former Outwood Colliery site. Could we not

  • Food hygiene problems are on the menu

    BUG-beating health chiefs in Chorley are aiming to dish the dirt on food poisoning which costs the country more than £1,000m a year. Householders will receive free information and advice when local environmental health officers provide a display of food

  • Brinscall ready for Darwen challenge

    Marwill Chorley and District Amateur Cricket League LEADERS Feniscowles beat mid-table Darwen in division one of the Marwill league on Saturday. Results: Saturday May 30: Division One: Brinscall 147-2 (Frost 58, Proctor 36no, Winstanley 33) Whittle-Le-Woods

  • Mormons want apology from school over leaflets

    A CHORLEY primary school is being asked to apologise for giving pupils leaflets questioning Mormonism. And legal action by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints against grant maintained St Peter' CE, Eaves Lane, has not been ruled out. Bryan

  • What's on at the cinema

    THE WEDDING SINGER. (cert 12) Running Time 99 mins. Starring Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Christine Taylor, Alexis Arquette and Angela Featherstone. THIS good, old-fashioned romantic comedy directed by Frank Coraci and written by Tim Herlihy is set in

  • Leigh get it half right

    Widnes Vikings 36, Leigh Centurions 16 THE Centurions only got it half right in last night's Division One basement battle. A second half transformation followed a first half mauling, and gave new coach Norman Turley some reason for optimism. Leigh showed

  • PoWs and Emperor

    SIR: What kind of people are they? These people who turn their back to the Emperor of Japan. What is it that they want? Do they want the Japanese to grovel and to bet for their forgiveness, or do they want £14,000 to make them feel better? Yes, I think

  • Win tickets to Gulliver's World

    FOR great family entertainment and incredible value for money, Gulliver's World in Warrington, is one of the best days out you will find. The theme park offers a safe and fun environment for the younger family, with rides and attractions aiming specifically

  • Man dies from crash injuries

    A MAN seriously injured in a quad bike accident on a Lancashire beach has lost his fight for life. Terry Manley, from Ramsbottom, suffered appalling head injuries in the accident on Pilling Sands last month. He was airlifted to safety from the beach by

  • Jab soon to wipe out killer disease

    A VACCINATION is almost ready to wipe out some of the most deadly forms of meningitis. It would eliminate almost half the cases of meningococcal septicaemia - which can kill in hours. Dr Robert Aston, Bolton's consultant in communicable diseases, has

  • The Daily Poem

    Oh, for a Ka I keep entering competitions, As I could do with a new car. Those that are featured in the comps, Are mainly the new Ford Ka. I'm getting quite impatient, As I really want one na. Ford's new mini Beetle, Which they call a Ka. If I ever bought

  • Students bank on Janet

    JANET Spencer is doing her utmost to make sure students, renowned for their 'everlasting loans', become more budget conscious with their money. Janet is customer services officer at the Nat West bank on Deansgate and she's on hand to help with opening

  • Golf master tees off for a life of leisure

    GOLF expert Andy Salmon is driving home a positive message by heading a bid for Manchester to become a leading golf and leisure resort in the North-west. The Westhoughton man has just been recruited as golf operations manager at the Marriott Manchester

  • Pregnant women warned of deadly danger

    BOLTON chemists are spearheading a national campaign to warn pregnant women about the danger an infection which poses a potentially fatal risk to unborn babies. Toxoplasmosis is caused by a tiny parasite and is caught by eating anything infected with

  • Here we go! Pupils' Paris match

    SOCCER-mad pupils from Bolton have scored a school trip with a difference . . . a visit to the World Cup. Later this month a coachload of young football fans will be the envy of pupils all over Bolton when they leave their lessons behind and head off

  • Sisters' top class records

    TWO Bolton sisters have proved they are prize pupils after both attained full attendance records at high school. Verity and Sonia Ogden have never missed a day in the classroom since they started their high school. Sonia, 21, was the first to achieve

  • Trust them to take such a view

    WHAT should a modern football stadium look like? Nothing like Bolton's Reebok Stadium, according to the Civic Trust. The futuristic construction has been given the thumbs down for an award by the Civic Trust. And a local Trust official describes it as

  • Are they accurate?

    SIR: Do readers ever wonder if animal rights activists are accurate when rubbishing animal research, as in recent letters to your newspaper? Or could the letters just be airing their authors' extreme opinions? Separating science fact from science fiction

  • Restaurant with tropical flavour hunts 150 staff

    THE world famous Rainforest Cafe is looking for Safari Guides, Trailblazers and Navigators to work in the 340 seat restaurant when it opens in the Trafford Centre in September. The restaurant is holding a recruitment day at the Lancashire Cricket Club

  • A diamond get-together for volunteers

    SIXTY years of volunteering will be celebrated in Bolton this month at a special get together for the WRVS hospital team. Organisers want to contact volunteers who have worked in Bolton hospitals over the past 60 years to join in their celebrations. Nationally

  • Chorley have a comfortable win

    Chorley Mid-Week Cricket League CHORLEY CC had a comfortable win over Haslams this week in the mid-week league. The results are: Chorley CC 72-1 (Robinson 34, Rawlinson 18) *Haslams 69-9 (Duke 18, Garstang 17, Mawdsley 3-10, Critchley 3-18). *BTR 127-

  • True fans will pay

    SIR: Although I sympathise with the people with families complaining of the price rises at the Reebok Stadium, I hope all true Wanderers' fans will stump up for their season tickets next season. First, let's think of the people we will be losing - Glory

  • Reebok: A great white crab!

    BOLTON Wanderers' futuristic Reebok Stadium has been turned down for an award by the Civic Trust. About 80 nationally-renowned architects considered the application, but they did not put it forward for a commendation. And a local official has said in

  • Gino jumps for joy

    FOOTBALL fan Gino Pani hopes to be flying the flag for Italy when he heads for the World Cup in France, thanks to a top competition win. The dad-of-two was thrilled to scoop two tickets for the final after entering the national competition at his local

  • Check your Special Hours certificates warn police

    CHORLEY licensees are being urged to check they are not breaking the law following the introduction of new measures this week. Premises holding a Special Hours Certificate may now be operating unlawfully without realising it, following a recent court

  • Scoop award for excellent exports

    BUSINESSES in Bolton are being invited to enter a prestigious awards ceremony, Export Times Exporter of the Year. The competition, now in its fourth year, is open to businesses who export to anywhere in the world. The awards examine and reward excellence

  • Verse victory

    SIR: Some time past you published a poem that I wrote for the Daily Poem spot, entitled "Spring and Summer". With your interest, which gave me encouragement, I submitted it for publication to Triumph House Publishing Co., Peterborough, and it has been

  • Utter madness

    SIR: I have been informed that a new road is being built near to my house. On May 19 you put an article in the BEN about a car running into my house. Well, if this road does get built, it is going to make it worse. I can't sleep as it is thinking about

  • L-out of order say magistrates

    A NUMBER of magistrates have carried out late-night investigations of Chorley town centre - which they described as one of the most intimidating and lawless places in the county! Under-age drinking, vandalism and drunken young people urinating and vomiting

  • Crackdown nets 14,000 speeders

    AN amazing 14,000 drivers were caught speeding on the roads of Greater Manchester during a recent police crackdown. A total of 11,000 of the drivers are being prosecuted and 3,000 were warned by the police. The BEN revealed last night that 1,442 drivers

  • Radio station bidders call for public's backing

    BIDDERS to be Bolton and Bury's newest radio station want public backing to make sure they hit airwaves. The group, 107.1 BFM is one of seven bidding for a licence to broadcast in Bolton and Bury, but their owners, Independent Radio Group Ltd, already

  • Body may be missing boat man

    A BODY, thought to be that of an elderly man who went missing last week in the Irish Sea on a home-made canal boat, has been recovered by coast guards. Wilfred Critchley, believed to have been born in Bolton, left Knott End, near Fleetwood, eight days

  • Malta blues

    PAUL Sixsmith, the latest product of the Bolton junior football scene to make the international grade, missed out on his fifth cap last night ... because of work commitments! The one-time Manchester United starlet was due to play for Malta in their friendly

  • 'Foreign cover' for jobs law

    BOLTON MP Ruth Kelly is pressing ministers to extend the protection of British workers working for British firms to when they go abroad. She is concerned that employees lose their right when they go overseas. This happens even if their contracts were

  • Rock legends cancel concert

    POP legend Billy Joel today cancelled a concert with Elton John because of ill-health. The two were set to perform together tonight at Lancashire County Cricket Club in Old Trafford, Manchester. But police said the concert had been called off because

  • Firefighters blaze a trail

    BOLTON firemen were among a team of Greater Manchester firefighters honoured with Fire Brigade Long Service and Good Conduct medals. The medal is awarded by the Queen to members of the Brigade who have completed 20 years "exemplary fire service". A total

  • Staff share in a Co-op coup!

    WORKERS at United Norwest in Bolton, Bury and Leigh will get a pay boost following a record breaking financial year for the Co-op. Workers from Bolton, Bury, Horwich, Farnworth, Atherton and Tyldesley will get an extra week's pay with the final pay-out

  • Going completely quackers for charity

    A 'QUACKING' good race seems certain to get the go-ahead on Sunday, in aid of local charities, when 6,000 ducks take to the water. The Rotary Club of Turton holds its annual duck race at Bradshaw Brook, adjacent to the Cricket Club, starting 11am. Proceeds

  • More complaints over rogue gas salesman

    NORWEB gas bosses were today investigating more complaints from householders who claim they fell victim to a rogue salesman. As reported in last night's BEN, Norweb Gas Ltd have sacked the conman who forged signatures on contracts as he touted for trade

  • Marathon triumph

    SIR: Some of your readers will have been among the 500 NSPCC runners who took part in the London Marathon on April 26, 1998, to raise money for the Society. As the NSPCC's Marathon Patron, I am writing to send out my heartfelt thanks to all those who

  • Ex-MP Sackville urges U-turn to save the NHS

    FORMER Bolton West MP Tom Sackville has called for the Government to perform a U-turn on tax relief for private health insurance. The former Junior Health Minister has said encouraging more people to take out cover is the only way to save the NHS. Mr

  • Heartless thieves net cancer patient's fishing tackle

    A CANCER patient and keen angler has appealed for thieves to return his stolen fishing equipment. Ian Caldwell has been devastated by the theft of his gear from the boot of his car in Robin Close, Highfield, Farnworth. Mr Caldwell, aged 33, said: "I love

  • Girl stays mum over topless pictures

    A BOLTON girl who appeared in a newspaper topless just weeks after her 16th birthday says she still hasn't told her mum. Zoe Parker says she is now summoning up the courage to make a phone call to her mother In Atherton. Zoe was born in Bolton but lived

  • Air cadets reach for the sky

    TALENTED air cadets in Horwich have really taken off after winning a batch of trophies and prizes. Members of the Air Training Corps 1471 Squadron came top among 22 other squadrons in the East Lancashire Wing to win the Wing Championship. The tough competition

  • Community Health chairman lands top regional post

    THE chairman of Bolton Community Health Council has secured a top regional post. John Seddon, a tireless campaigner on behalf of people with learning difficulties, has been appointed vice chairman of the Greater Manchester Association of CHCs. John, who

  • From the BEN files

    25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, June 4, 1973 A TOUCH of a button this afternoon brought a piece of Bolton's industrial history to life and officially opened the town's £98,000 central pedestrian precinct. The finger on the button was that of the last

  • Rucksack saved dentist from death in the ice

    A TOP dentist told today how his rucksack saved him from possible death during a climbing and skiing expedition to the Arctic. Colwyn Jones, Consultant Dentist with Wigan and Bolton Health Authority, fell through a crevasse while exploring an unknown

  • Kevin's glamour puss is new Street star

    WHEN Coronation Street bosses decided to introduce a new character they knew the purrfect Bolton businessman to help them out. The show's producers were looking for a female with attitude, an independent streak and someone who had to be a bit of a tiger