HEADTEACHER Helen Quick has resigned, after admitting "correcting" her pupils' wrong answers in national performance tests - Standard Assessment Tests (SATs). The exams were declared void, but the children will not suffer because they will be assessed
SCHOOL governors can do an excellent job in local schools. They represent parents and their children on the ruling bodies, and can offer important perspectives unavailable to staff and others. Bolton is now trying to recruit more governors, and particularly
I HAVE just been in Astley Bridge cemetery and was disgusted at what I saw, the beautiful old church in the centre, vandalised with graffiti and broken windows. Have these yobs no respect? I also noticed the bench near the gates with a memorial plate
SINCE structural problems have arisen on several rail bridges in the Bolton area, there have been regular incidents of motorists ignoring traffic restrictions. As our report in this edition demonstrates, in just one 20-minute morning period, 37 drivers
A WOMAN has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a wealthy Bolton businessman. Daniel O'Brien, pictured, formerly of Harwood, was found naked in his plush detached home near Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The 41-year-old man had suffered severe injuries
FORMER hostage Terry Waite is encouraging businesses in Bolton to help the homeless. The 6ft 7in former special envoy to the Archbishop of Canterbury met businessmen, MPs and experts at the Reebok Stadium yesterday. He was there to launch Emmaus Bolton
ENTRIES for the Bolton Charity Mixed Golf Cot at Turton on Sunday, July15, are down on last year's large field and couples from local clubs wishing to play are welcome. The proceeds, along with those from the other Golf Cot competitions held this year
POLICE chiefs still harbour fears about the teenager who inflicted such terrible injuries on her friend. Senior officers who investigated the stabbing were faced with an horrific crime scene following the vicious knife attack. And the senior investigating
JOANNE Whitelegg sat back on her couch, watching television and chatting to her young friend. It was a close relationship built on trust which had developed over the last three or so years, with Joanne providing an ear for the teenager to voice her concerns
PEOPLE who knew the teenager have mixed memories of the young killer. While some talk of a quiet girl who was pleasant and polite, others claim she was a neighbourhood nuisance who threw eggs at windows and damaged electricity boxes. One elderly woman
Classical Spectacular: Bolton Junior Youth Orchestra, Albert Halls, Bolton BOLTON is fortunate to have a vibrant and high quality music scene at grass roots level. This can be attributed to a number of factors. The talent and enthusiasm of the youngsters
NORTH West manufacturers continue to be in a downbeat mood. Confidence and expectations are suffering -- according to the latest regional survey of engineering and manufacturing by the Engineering Employers' Federation. Firms say they are being hit on
THE BEN has combined with local motoring organisations to create an updated roadworks report every Friday.
THE British Lung Foundation is holding a sponsored abseil down Manchester Town Hall on July 28 and 29. People from Bolton are invited to take part so if you have ever fancied abseiling 100ft for free this is your chance. Training will be given. If you
BOLTON Parish Church is holding a choral concert on Saturday, August 18. The choir of St Martin's School, Northwood, Middlesex, will perform choral, sacred and secular music. Admission is free but there will be a collection in aid of church funds.
BOLTON Museum presents "All Sewn Up -- Textiles from Bolton Museum's Collections" from Saturday until September 15. It is a celebration of Bolton as a textile town over the past four centuries and you can see some of the finest examples of embroidered
FORMER Wanderers striker Scott Taylor has quit Tranmere to sign a three year deal at First Division Stockport. Taylor, aged 25, was out of contract at Prenton Park. He said: "After speaking to the Stockport manager Andy Kilner and listening to his ambitions
A BIKER who had his spleen removed after being in collision with a taxi has been discharged after spending almost two weeks at the Royal Bolton Hospital. Brian Flitcroft, aged 38, of Colchester Drive, Farnworth, was thrown from his motorbike at the junction
BOLTON Wanderers Ladies returned to training after their summer break yesterday at St Joseph's High School & Sports College, Horwich. All age groups are involved in tournaments over the next few weeks and begin preparations for the new season in September
A POSTMAN who lost his arm aged five has made a fresh appeal to BEN readers to help him buy a new limb. Darren Peel, whose arm was severed when he ran into the propeller of a plane in Southport, has managed to raise around £300. But, with the cost of
FOUR people needed hospital treatment following a three-car smash. The accident at 2pm yesterday came after a car veered out of control in Beaumont Road near its junction with Armadale Road, Ladybridge, said police. A Vauxhall Astra, driven by Ian Helsby
WANDERERS are keeping their transfer spending kitty a secret. Reebok chiefs have told boss Sam Allardyce how much he has to spend on new players - but they are not telling anyone else. Chairman Phil Gartside dismissed tabloid speculation that Allardyce
Angela Kelly reports on the special luncheon to celebrate the Woman of the Year awards. THE woman who spearheads Bolton and District Victim Support Service was made Bolton Woman of the Year 2001 at a successful awards luncheon. Lesley Daniels was both
DETECTIVES are still hunting the killer of Bolton criminal Billy Webb two weeks after he was shot in a suspected gangland execution. Webb, aged 42, described in the Dillon Hull murder trial as a "well known local criminal" was shot twice as he was sleeping
A WOMAN who was shot when Bolton criminal Billy Webb was murdered in his bed is now under police protection, it has been revealed. The 22-year-old woman ran screaming from the first floor flat in Whiteledge Road, Bryn, Wigan, dressed only in a G-string
MURDER squad detectives are trying to piece together the final hours in the life of a Bolton criminal blasted to death in his home. Officers have interviewed friends of 42-year-old Billy Webb who were with him the night before he was shot through the
A CRICKET club has been bowled by Bolton Council's decision to stump up cash to help with much-needed bridge repairs. The council has given £5,000 to Bradshaw Cricket, Tennis and Bowling Club towards the £40,000 cost of replacing the broken bridge over
THE terrified girlfriend of a notorious Bolton criminal ran naked into the street after he was blasted to death in front of her eyes. The girl, who was shot in the elbow as she fled, collapsed into the arms of an elderly neighbour crying: "I am going
MUTTIAH Muralitharan today started his bid to sign off from his second season with Lancashire with the win they need to maintain their Championship challenge. The Sri Lankan spin wizard was making his sixth and last appearance for the season against Kent
FASTEST man in Bolton Michael Smith is closing in on the top 100m runners in the country. The 22-year-old smashed his personal best at the AAA's Under-23 Championships when he recorded 10.5 seconds. The Farnworth sprinter, who is bidding to make it to
A WOMAN who lost her way in a busy town centre admitted charges of driving carelessly and having no insurance when she appeared before Rochdale magistrates. Cheryl Ann Travis, aged 22, of Grassington Drive, Bury, was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling
PARISHIONERS at a Bolton church are counting the cost after burglars stripped it almost clean. Everything from the mixing desk for the public address system to a brass bible lectern and individual communion cups were taken during the break-in at the United
FOOTBALLERS in Blackrod can look forward to playing on a new pitch and getting ready in decent changing facilities if Bolton Council gives a planning application the green light. Blackrod Town Football Club hopes to build a new pitch and pavilion at Rigby
POSTCARD-designing children from two Bolton estates could be getting their postcards back from Tony Blair during the summer holidays as part of a project to regenerate the areas. Pupils at Castle Hill Primary School, Hall i'th' Wood, and Top o'th' Brow
FORMER hostage Terry Waite is encouraging businesses in Bolton to help the homeless. The 6ft 7in former special envoy to the Archbishop of Canterbury met businessmen, MPs and experts at the Reebok Stadium yesterday. He was there to launch Emmaus Bolton
Leigh had agreed a £150,000 fee with Crewe and Tranmere but the Merseysiders wanted to have a look at Jones in training before finalising the deal. Crewe were prepared to agree terms straight away with the goal-scoring winger and he had no hesitation
COULD I please thank the two kind people who helped my son as he was mugged on Friday evening near the bus station/fun fair. Firstly, the bus driver who stopped to check he was OK, and then the lady who took him to the police station and gave a statement
THE tribute you paid (June 25) to Miss Annie Miller, the 94-year-old former teacher and principal of the Women's College in Clarence Street who died recently, was a well-deserved one. I remember her well as a sympathetic and inspiring teacher of boys
Time to clome clean over town development plans THOSE attending the forum at Westhoughton High School on Thursday, June 28, should not be misled by Cllr Guy Harkin. It's time he and such ilk voted against the planning application for the Edges Farm site
THE man falsely accused by Nicola Faughey of the killing of Joanne Whitelegg believes the 16-year-old killer should never be released from prison. Sammy Burke believes the young killer, who was sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to manslaughter
MOTORISTS flouting a ban on using a weak town centre bridge are causing congestion and jeopardising its safety. Concerns about the strength of Newport Street bridge forced council highways experts to close it at the end of May except to buses and black
THE mother of Joanne Whitelegg has launched a stinging attack on Bolton Social Services bosses following the brutal stabbing of her daughter. Noreen Malone, mum of Joanne Whitelegg, hit out at the town hall bosses in an emotional statement about her daughter's
A TEENAGE killer's bedroom became her library of death. When police officers searched the 16-year-old girl's room at a social services home they discovered the only books she had were macabre texts detailing murder and forensic evidence. The books --
THIS is the innocent man evil Nicola Faughey framed for a killing he did NOT commit. Sammy Burke, a close friend of victim Joanne Whitelegg, says he has been left a shattered man after the 16-year-old implicated him in the crime. After Faughey made the
TRAGIC Joanne Whitelegg had complained to Social Services bosses that she was being hounded by the young girl who went on to kill her, the BEN can reveal today. The 35-year-old woman had previously lodged a complaint against Nicola Faughey, who lived
THE Health and Safety Executive has published comprehensive guidance on preventing work-related stress. It is aimed at managers in organisations employing more than 50 people and provides a step-by-step approach to tackling the causes of stress in the
A NEW nurse specialist has been appointed to the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust gynaecology department. Annette Halliwell will specialise in cancer and gynaecology.
A MAN claimed in court that he had been ordered to steal to clear a debt. Philip Herdson, aged 24, told Bury magistrates he was stopped by two men, one of whom he owed £20. He was told to take a mobile phone from a car parked in Ramsbottom and the debt
A WOMAN escaped unhurt when her car overturned after it collided with a road island. Andrea Crompton, aged 35, of Fryent Close, Blackrod, scrambled free from the wreckage of her Ford Escort after it collided with the island in Chorley Road, Blackrod,
FIVE more parents -- all of whom failed to make an appearance before magistrates -- have been fined in their absence over the non-attendance of their children in school. Fines and costs totalling more than £1,000 were handed out by the Bury bench after
A BOLTON off-licence owner was forced to close his shop for a night because of the numbers of children trying to buy vodka. Andrew Clarke, of Bridge Wines, Blackburn Road, wants a compulsory "proof of age" scheme introduced to help cut Bolton's under-age
POLICE hunting for the killer of Billy Webb have combed a railway embankment in the search for clues. Nearly a dozen officers painstakingly hacked away at long grass by the side of Bryn train station, just yards from where Billy Webb was gunned down.
BURY'S hopes of landing their dream striker partnership have evaporated with the news that Colin Cramb has signed for Dutch club Fortuna Sittard. Cramb, on loan from Crewe Alexandra last season, formed a devastating partnership with Jon Newby and hopes
RESIDENTS in one of Bolton's most sought-after suburbs are counting the cost of a bridge closure which has split it in two. The Railtrack-owned Rumworth Road bridge in Lostock has been closed because experts believe it is not strong enough. With the rail
WHATEVER have we come to in this country regarding law and order? I have always believed that we should live by the laws, but, to do this, you must have laws that do justice to anyone who commits crime. There is no justice now in this country and I can
THE latest figures published by the RSPCA show that animal cruelty is on the increase and the worst offenders are the young. Well, what a surprise! A lot of young people have no self respect, so how can they respect anyone or anything? They have no respect
THE young killer spun a web of lies and deceit as she tried to hide her guilt. Seconds after she had knifed her friend to death, paramedics came across Faughey tending to the bloodied body of Joanne Whitelegg. She had dialled 999 for the ambulance after
KATH Richardson is a woman with a mercy mission. Her aim is to bring smiles to the faces of the Romanian youngsters who are living rough on the streets, begging for a crust of bread. It is a tall order but it is a problem Kath is determined to tackle.
THE body of a 45-year-old man who had been missing from home has been found in a canal near Adlington. An underwater police search team found the body of John Fairhurst yesterday afternoon in the Leeds and Liverpool canal, near to Aberdeen Bridge, south
WANDERERS have officially cancelled the pre-season friendly against Spanish club Athletic Bilbao, which was scheduled to take place at the Reebok on Saturday, August 4. Sam Allardyce and his team will be in Saudi Arabia competing in the King Fahd Cup,
INTERNATIONAL singing star Kathryn Harries visited Bolton during a sponsored walk from John O'Groats to Land's End. Kathryn, who has featured at the English National Opera, was taking part in the walk to raise money for the charity Speakability. The aim
POLICE were called after Alan Carney, aged 28, begin wrecking the home he shared with his girlfriend in Newchurch Walk, Radcliffe. Bury magistrates were told his girlfriend managed to flee and police were called and Carney was arrested as he tried to
ONE car was destroyed and a van damaged in separate arson attacks in Radcliffe in the early hours of today. At 1am a Ford Fiesta van which had been left unattended in the car park of the local Metrolink station was attacked. A small fire had been started
ONE car was destroyed and a van damaged in separate arson attacks in Radcliffe in the early hours of today. At 1am a Ford Fiesta van which had been left unattended in the car park of the local Metrolink station was attacked. A small fire had been started
FIREFIGHTERS believe a blaze at a disused Little Hulton pub was started deliberately. The Lancastrian, in Kenyon Way, is understood to have closed last month and has been boarded up. When firefighters were called at about 11pm last night there was evidence
THE Odyssey Project is a futuristic fundraising initiative creating a record of military life in the 20th and 21st centuries and it needs your help. The project also raises money to secure the future of The Royal Star & Garter Home, Richmond in Surrey
THE five companies which have been identified to provide specialist services for members held a "mini-exhibition" at the latest Bolton and Bury Chamber Talk-In lunch. Representatives explained how they can help local businesses reduce their overheads.
TEN policemen stood guard when Billy Webb made a court appearance in Bolton last year. Webb, whose real name was William Craig, appeared before magistrates in January, faced with the charge of conspiring to supply drugs. The court appearance came after
MURDER squad detectives are trying to trace the movements of a Bolton criminal in the hours leading up to his killing in a gangland-style execution. Bill Webb, aged 42, was shot through the chest as he was in bed at his flat in Whitelegg Road, Bryn, three
JURORS at the Dillon Hull murder trial were told Billy Webb had met the dead child's stepfather to discuss drug deals. Five-year-old Dillon was shot dead on August 6, 1997, as he walked home, hand-in-hand with his step-father John Bates. A single bullet
MURDERED criminal Billy Webb's father was himself brutally killed six years ago, the BEN can reveal today. Pensioner Frank Webb was battered to death with a six kilogramme weight by his drinking pal Colin Dixon in August 1995. Dixon, a friend of Mr Webb
BOLTON criminal Billy Webb was shot through the chest as he slept in his bed, the BEN reveals today (May 31). Webb, aged 42, died of gunshot wounds in the first floor flat where he was living in Bryn, near Wigan, as he awaited trial on a charge of conspiring
THE distraught girlfriend of a notorious Bolton criminal, blasted to death in a gangland execution, has spoken of her love for him. Billy Webb, also known as William Craig, was gunned down five days ago in a raid on his first floor flat. As exclusively
MIKE Atherton's record against Glenn McGrath does not augur well for the Ashes series which gets under way at Edgbaston tomorrow. New statistics, claiming to be the most authoritative ever produced, show the England batsman averages just 12 against the
A WOMAN has been arrested on suspicion of murdering wealthy Bolton businessman Daniel O'Brien, formerly of Harwood, who was found naked in his plush detached home near Wakefield, West Yorkshire. A West Yorkshire police spokesman today confirmed that a
A MAN who lost a pint of blood after suffering a nose bleed claims he had to wait for five minutes to speak to a 999 operator. Blood poured from George Hinkinson's nose and mouth and collected in pools on the bathroom floor. Despite the desperate attempts
THE family of leukaemia sufferer Elizabeth Morris have been "overwhelmed" by the huge response to their blood donor appeal. Mum and dad, Janet and Jeremy, joined 120 volunteers at St Saviour Primary School, Ringley, to give pints of blood to help save
BOLTON beat Adlington 10-4 in the ladies Inter Town Bowling League. The ladies of the match were Mortfield's Carol Courtney 21-7 and Westhoughton's Barbara Mealer 21-7. They then beat Rochdale 9-5 and the ladies of the match were Westhoughton's Jean Haydock
LEIGH RMI manager Steve Waywell today likened his financial plight with that of Wanderers' boss Sam Allardyce. Bolton are set for a £30million cash bonanza from their promotion to the Premiership but Allardyce will only have a small part of that to spend
MOTORISTS flouting a ban on using a weak town centre bridge are causing congestion and jeopardising its safety. Concerns about the strength of Newport Street bridge forced council highways experts to close it at the end of May except to buses and black
A A6 Clay Target Centre. J Blackburn, Reeves House Farm, Westhoughton BL5 3LY. 07836 586851. Abbeyfield Society Ltd -- Bolton. Mrs C Schofield, Woodsley, 2 Sefton Road, Bolton BL1 6HT. 845930. Academies of the Tae Kwon Do. Michael Parchment, Bolton School
