PalaceTheatre, Manchester runs until Saturday GASPING, Ben Elton's first play, ran in the West End for nine and a half months in 1990. Now, this brilliant hit comedy has arrived in Manchester, the city where the stand-up comedian once studied drama. Within
Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester Runs until April 15 THE destructive elements of family life loom large in this new play by Simon Robson. Although there are some very perceptive moments about the effects of parental love and domination, the many strands
I SAW the picture and read the caption in the BEN (March 21), showing Liz Dawn presenting an award to Bolton Council 'for its efforts to keep its own streets clean.' To say that I am amazed is an understatement. I can see why the awards were held in Manchester
HOME Office funding is being pumped into drug services in Bolton to give more effective help to offenders. Extra cash is being targeted at Community Healthcare Bolton NHS Trust substance misuse service, which has joined forces with Wigan and Bolton Health
BOLTON Group of the Ramblers' Association are stepping up the programme, if not the pace, to welcome the longer days. As well as a packed programme for April, plans are in hand for a mass of summer events, including a week-long summer walking festival
A GROUP of lucky Bolton youngsters will step out onto the hallowed turf of Wembley in front of tens of thousands of fans as a warm-up to Wanderers' historic FA cup tie. The under-10s from Bolton's mini-soccer league will take on youngsters from Aston
A SERIES of "family friendly" worldwide 3D board games will be at Salford Museum and Art Gallery, Lancashire Mining Museum and Ordsall Hall Museum from April 15. Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost
LOCAL schoolchildren will be among those showcasing their talents with a spectacular selection of music, song, dance and drama at the Pembroke Hall, Walkden, from Monday to Friday, April 3 to 7, 7.15pm. The event will be presented by Salford Music and
IT'S Smithills School Spring Term Concert on Wednesday, April 5, at 7.30pm. Tickets are available now from the school reception on 01204 842382. Featured ensembles include: the world, national and BBC Champion Senior Brass Band; national champion Senior
25 YEARS AGO f-b f-ioof+zs=13f+bf-zf-bo THE change in weekend habits is having its effect on the use made of the library service. The Chief Librarian, Mr Harold Hamer, reported to a meeting of the Bolton Libraries Committee yesterday that the demand for
Leigh Centurions 22 NO-ONE can accuse Stormin' Norman's Rams-raiders of a smash and grab victory. The Centurions' eighth successive Northern Ford Premiership win, and against the team that will probably emerge as their biggest title rivals, was gained
LEISURE, SPORT & KEEP FIT BOLTON Excel, Lower Bridgeman Street, tel: 334456: ladies only, 1.30pm-3pm; aerobics, 6pm-7pm; yoga, 7.30pm-9pm. DEANE Leisure Centre, Junction Road, Deane, tel: 656033: junior swimming lessons, 5.30pm-7.30pm; weights room
BOLTON-based NHS Direct has announced the appointment of Claire Hunter as training and education co-ordinator. Claire, 28, started at the helpline's base at Ladybridge Hall last year as a senior nurse adviser where she developed her interest in training
JUSSI Jaaskelainen has turned down the chance of adding to his international honours to recharge his batteries for Wembley. The Wanderers' keeper was invited to join Aston Villa's Peter Enckelman in the Finland squad for tomorrow's friendly against Wales
A FOOTBALL club will this week make a fresh drive to kick racism out of soccer. Bosses at Bury FC have pencilled in the knife-edge home match against Scunthorpe United to hold an anti-racist day -- the club's first. It follows attempts by the FA to stamp
WOLSTENHOLME Rink plc at Darwen has announced an increase in pre-tax profits from £7.7 million to £8.1 million for the year ending December, 1999. Sales for the company, which supplies products to the international printing and printing ink industries
MADALINA and Ovidiu look just like any other best friends having fun together. But their smiles hide the pain of the years they spent in the same orphanage in Romania. Now their lives are very different after they came to Britain for medical treatment
YELLOW pages is launching a major initiative to support start-up businesses throughout England. New 'Start-Up Briefings' contain expert advice from some of the UK's leading companies, business support organisations and academia. They are available free
IT was hard hats off for success when Bolton chartered architects Good and Tillotson celebrated gaining the national Investors in People standard. The award, which recognises excellence in employee development, comes during the firm's 20th anniversary
SCHOOLS in the Blackrod and Horwich areas have been given a £200,000-plus cash injection to boost learning for youngsters. The money, from the Government's New Opportunities Fund will be used to pay for study support activities. This latest £190,000 is
A GROUP of determined business people from Westhoughton High School won this year's Bolton Young Enterprise competition. The Storm team -- recently returned from a successful trade show in Malta -- was judged to be the best of 18 from schools and colleges
A TEN-year-old Bolton girl will take centre stage at a concert to raise money for Christie cancer hospital. Pint-sized Charlene Godding may lack a few inches in height but she more than makes up for it in the talent stakes. She will stride on stage in
THE current Mayor of Salford has launched a scathing attack against Government plans to scrap the traditional ceremonial civic office. Cllr Bernard Pennington has described the proposed replacement term 'Elected Mayor' as a misleading "misnomer" for an
TEENAGE racers playing a cat and mouse game just yards from two schools and a college are putting lives in danger, claim nearby residents. The youths are driving at speed down Lever Edge Lane, in Great Lever, at more than the legal 30 mph limit, turning
REAL ale enthusiasts will meet at the Dog and Partridge pub in Manor Street, Bolton for the next monthly branch meeting of CAMRA. The date is April 13 from 8.30pm. More details from Dave Fleming on Bolton 389918. Converted for the new archive on 14 July
THE next meeting of the Edgworth and District Horticultural Society is on Wednesday, April 19, 7.30pm at the Barlow Institute, Edgworth. The speaker is Mary Eastwood on The Joys of Organic Gardening. Non-members welcome. Converted for the new archive
CARETAKER coach Norman Turley steps back into the Hilton Park shadows this week, proud of a job well done. Turley, left holding the baby when Ian Millward left for St Helens two weeks ago, has steered Leigh through the troubled waters and leaves the team
