Archive

  • What a monster of a coffee morning

    LIFE-SIZED oddities Sully and Mike caused a monster of a commotion at Bolton's giant coffee morning. The popular characters from the hit film Monsters Inc went down a treat at the Mayor's charity Christmas fair in aid of Bolton Coronary Care Appeal 2002

  • On this day - February 6

    1665: Queen Anne, last Stuart ruler, second daughter of James II, was born in London. 1685: The "merry monarch" Charles II died. His last words to his brother James were: "Don't let poor Nellie starve," - a reference to his favourite mistress Nell Gwynne

  • Pride has gone

    I AM dismayed and shocked walking through Farnworth, at the rubbish strewn all about and in the park, along with dog muck galore! Dog owners pay little notice of boards at gates telling them to keep dogs on leads and not to mess! If these people are asked

  • So much for a Labour priority

    LABOUR have been accused of reneging on its promises after the Government unveiled controversial plans to impose top-up fees of £3000 a year on university students. Maintenance grants, which were scrapped in 1998, will be brought back at a rate of £1,000

  • Events (from February 6)

    Manchester Championship Dog Show, G-Mex Centre, Manchester: The Manchester Dog Show Society has organised this major event with events including working and pastoral groups, hounds, utility and toy groups, gun dogs and terriers. Friday to Sunday Castle

  • February 6

    From the Evening News,1993: EXPLORERS Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Dr Michael Stroud were celebrating today after breaking the record for the longest unsupported Polar march. Exhausted and emaciated, lame from frostbite and with the equipment almost totally

  • Pasan through!

    PASAN Wanansinghe has moved the short distance from Unsworth to Radcliffe to play his cricket next season. The Sri Lankan all-rounder has signed up for Radcliffe as they go all out to lift the Central Lancashire League title in 2003. The Unsworth Street

  • Stab victim's family hits out at inquiry findings

    KILLER Nicola Faughey who stabbed a woman to death in a frenzied attack was a "time bomb" waiting to go off, the victim's family claimed today. They spoke out after an independent inquiry ruled that the killing of Joanne Whitelegg, aged 35, had been impossible

  • What Sam Allardyce has to say

    OUR Pride of Bolton Campaign is gathering pace with support from all sections of the town. One of Bolton's famous faces, Wanderers' manager and Brummie Sam Allardyce has been connected to the town as man and boy. Here he gives his views of what makes

  • Public have their say

    WITH the Bolton Evening News Pride of Bolton campaign well under way, people have had plenty to say about the town. We went on to the streets to ask people what fills them with pride about Bolton, and what they are not so proud of. PETER RAINFORD, window

  • Shoppers to have a say on towns' new look

    SHOPKEEPERS look set to cash in on a new bid to clean up town centres in Bolton, Westhoughton, Little Lever, Horwich and Farnworth. Councillors have set up a £200,000 fund to make high streets and precincts more appealing for shoppers -- and more profitable

  • Reasons to be proud

    TRANSPORT a proud Victorian Boltonian 100 or so years forward, place him in the town centre -- and watch the sense of wonder grow writes Features Editor, Angela Kelly True, he would still recognise some of the buildings around him. The Market Hall would

  • Paper's award for publicans

    THE licensees of a Bury pub have won a top industry award. David and Gillian Heyes, of the Garsdale Country Inn and Restaurant, Brandlesholme, took the Business Development Pub of the Year title at this year's Morning Advertiser Awards. The Morning Advertiser

  • Checking out Bolton's newest bars

    OUT with the old and in with the new: What better time than January to move on from your local pub and spice up your social life? Nicola Mostyn checks out a selection of Bolton's newest bars. Maloneys Where The latest addition to Nelson Square, next to

  • Q: Why pub quizzes? A: Because it's fun!

    PETER Cropper is a member of the Sweet Green Trinity quiz team and a stalwart of the Bolton Premier Quiz League. Here he explains why the pub quiz has become part of the local way of life. ON which river does Berlin stand? Who was Britain's last Stuart

  • Rickets'deal: How the cash is split

    MICHAEL Rickets' transfer to Middlesbrough has resulted in some reports disputing the financial details involved and the amount Walsall are due owing to a sell-on clause when the striker originally moved to the Reebok. Wallsall have issued a statement

  • Killer had no remorse or conscience, says Judge

    BEFORE Porter was led from the dock, Mr Justice Holland said: "That night it was you who used Carly Bateman for sexual relief. "It was you who continued that encounter by killing her and by taking her in your car to that back alley, dumping her and pocketing

  • Timetable of Carly's murder

    ON the track of a killer SATURDAY, NOV 10 9pm /10pm - Porter is seen in his car driving around the red light area. 11.32pm - Carly is filmed by CCTV leaving the hostel where she lived. 11.55pm - Carly is spotted walking along Bradshawgate towards the

  • Vice, a deadly game

    CARLY'S murder highlighted the sordid side of prostitution involving young girls in Bolton. She was one of more than a dozen girls aged between 13 and 17 who regularly sold their bodies for sex. Detectives discovered that some were under the care of social

  • Police fears for red light girls

    THE man who led the murder hunt which brought killer Geoffrey Porter to justice fears for the safety of Bolton's vice girls. Detectives investigated the murky world of vice and drugs to track down the murderer. Det Chief Insp Tony Cook said: "Prostitutes

  • Carly's mother warns of the evil of drugs

    THE mother of murdered prostitute Carly Bateman today issued a chilling warning to all parents "There is a bigger killer out there." As Geoffrey Porter began a life sentence for strangling the 17-year-old drug addict, her mum Vanessa Stirling warned:

  • Get set for an autumn sizzler

    BOLTON can look forward to an Indian summer -- according to a local leading weather expert. Meteorologist Graham Fullarton, who has a weather station in the back garden of his Turton home, is predicting that September will be a sizzler. He has been taking

  • First-class forecaster!

    MANY people thought Graham Fullarton's head was in the clouds when he said more than a month ago that Bolton would enjoy an Indian summer. But yesterday, as office and shop workers in Bolton town centre basked in balmy temperatures of up to 20 degrees

  • Folk music venues

    FOLK CLUB, Westhoughton. Mrs Patricia Batty, The Golf Club, Long Island, Westhoughton. 01257 230508. www.folkclub.org.uk. LEIGH FOLK CLUB, meets at the Conservative Club, Railway Road, Leigh. Phone 01942 604603. LYRIC THEATRE, The Lowry, Salford. Phone

  • News from Walshaw Folk Club

    Walshaw Folk Club meets every second and fourth Sunday, 8pm-11.30pm, at Walshaw Sports Club, Sycamore Road, Tottington, Bury. Floor singers are welcome. The residents are Capstycam, consisting of Frank and Doreen Brough, and Peter Sharples. Frank sings

  • School gets final chance

    BOLTON School have reached the final of a prestigious football competition for independent schools. They beat top public school Charterhouse away in the semi-final of the Boodle and Dunthorpe Cup and now play Bradfield College in the final at a venue

  • Memorial garden for Ryan

    A MEMORIAL garden will be built in tribute to tragic seven-year-old Ryan Mason. The garden will be created at Queen Street primary school where the youngster was a pupil before his death two weeks ago. Ryan's father, Greg Pickup, wanted a lasting reminder

  • School head slams minister's speech

    A LEADING Bolton headteacher has criticised a speech made by schools minister David Miliband in which he claimed there were too many poor teachers and too many incompetent heads. The minister hit national headlines following a controversial speech at

  • Man faces trial as friends pray for Ryan

    THE man accused of murdering Bolton schoolboy Ryan Mason has made a first appearance in court. And today trained counsellors were on hand at Ryan's school, Queen Street Primary, Farnworth, as pupils and staff remembered the seven-year-old at a special

  • Fashion conscious pupils on love parade

    PUPILS at Bolton School will swap their classrooms for the catwalk on Wednesday (February 12) for a charity fashion show. The Love Parade Show, with a Valentine's Day theme, is part of the Girls' Division's 125th anniversary celebrations and will raise

  • Shower up in smoke

    A MAN who went to have a shower was left shocked -- when it burst into flames. The man, of Settle Street, Great Lever, quickly gathered his clothes and fled the house before calling the fire service. It is believed the fire was caused by an electrical

  • Charity's thanks for £6,000

    CHILDREN'S charity Barnados has thanked the people of Bolton who helped them to raise more than £6,000 at a flag day last year. The money raised will be put towards the charity's work to help children, young people and families who face disadvantage or

  • Airport roadworks

    MOTORISTS travelling on the M60 to Manchester Airport from the east are being advised to allow more time for their journeys. Major roadworks starting on February 10 will affect Junction 4 for 10 weeks, said airport chiefs. There will be lower speed limits

  • Chimney blast men set to answer bail

    TWO factory supervisors arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the deaths of two steeplejacks in a Westhoughton chimney explosion were due to answer their bail today. The men -- aged 56 and 38 and both from Bolton -- were expected to be questioned

  • Work to disrupt train service

    VIRGIN trains will not be running between Stockport and Stoke-on-Trent on the weekend of Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 February. This is due to signal work, part of the engineering project to upgrade the route for the company's new Pendolino tilting trains

  • Visitors' £6,000 boost

    VISITORS to Bolton Hospice have come up smelling of roses after raising more than £6,000. Around 270 rose bushes have been dedicated to loved ones in exchange for a donation. Cllr Kevan Helsby, the Mayor of Bolton planted the final rose bush at the Bolton

  • Where is the money coming from?

    WHERE are Manchester City getting their money from? Kevin Keegan has spent £46 million on players in 18 months. He has built a team which has City fans believing great years are on the way in the beautiful new Eastlands Stadium which they are getting

  • Transfer window a damp squib

    TRANSFER window; hmmm, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing. Say it again. The new signing and selling system was introduced to bring English football into line with the rest of Europe. Which can only lead us to believe that what Europe has had to

  • Town all snowed up

    THESE photos from the fifties depict various winter snow scenes. Top - Walker Fold Road, Bolton, January, 1954. In 1958 I was doing National Service in the RAF in Cyprus, and recall seeing on the front page pictures of a blocked Blackrod by-pass on the

  • When to go

    Almost anytime - apart from the occasional blip it's relatively warm in the winter, absolutely boiling in the summer For more information about Malta weather click HERE To book a holiday click HERE and follow the links to all the major operators

  • Sights to see

    Valletta: The ramparts, churches, museums and tiny streets and shops of Valetta are a must. In the 70s the nightlife was centred here, but now the capital largely closes down once the shops close shortly after 8pm. Then the action moves on to St Julian's

  • Why the Maltese love the English

    THE driver of the Number 62 bus knew instantly there was a problem as he saw me waiting alone in the twilight by the stop close to Sliema Harbour. He halted his vehicle, leaned out of the window, and shouted: "They've changed the timetable, the last bus

  • It's up, up and away for hospice celebrations

    BOLTON Hospice staff and officials celebrated their tenth anniversary with two special events over the weekend. Hundreds of balloons were launched at the town hall square on Saturday with the winner of the furthest travelling balloon set to receive a

  • Day Unit is new venture

    THE Day Unit is one of the Hospice's latest ventures -- and staff and patients are equally pleased with the facilities. The light and airy building cost £1.5 million and opened its doors to patients in January last year. Up to 10 adults over the age of

  • Masked fund-raisers have a ball

    THEY may have arrived in masks, but the guests who attended a charity event could not disguise their generosity. A total of 570 people raised thousands of pounds at a masked ball held at the Reebok Stadium to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Bolton Hospice

  • . . . and the families who get to feel the benefit

    MIKE Cotter is the husband of Barbara, an in-patient at the Bolton Hospice. Here Mike tells the emotive story of his wife's time in the Hospice and talks of the fears they had before she was admitted, fears which were soon to be proved unfounded. His

  • Meet the people who really care . . .

    THERE is a dedicated and devoted team of staff members at the Bolton Hospice. Each has his or her own valuable role to play in the running of this vital service. Some of the staff and fund-raising committee members have spoken about the work they do.

  • Tenth Anniversary plan of action

    BOLTON Hospice has a Tenth Anniversary Year Plan of special fund-raising events. Here is a taste of activities planned: Pound for Pound Sponsored Slim -- While losing pounds you can be gaining pounds to support the Bolton Hospice. Information packs which

  • Hospice Diary: From the BEN Files

    Here is how the last 16 years have seen the hospice develop from a dream to a reality as reported in the Bolton Evening News at the time. January 1986 Local campaigners have not given up hope of establishing a hospice for the terminally ill in Bolton

  • Friday match at St Joseph's

    WANDERERS mixed disability team play their second match on Friday when they take on Blackburn at St Joseph's School, Horwich, on Friday, kick-off 6pm.

  • Gifts flooding in to our appeal

    GENEROUS readers are sparing a thought for others as they prepare themselves for Christmas. With only three weeks to go until the big day, gifts are flooding in to the annual Caring Christmas Appeal run by the Bolton Lions' Club and the Bolton Evening

  • It started with a dream

    IT all started over 20 years ago with a small number of toys and a group of kindly Bolton people determined to give poor children a better Christmas. Now, the Bolton Evening News/Bolton Lions' Caring Christmas campaign collects thousands of toys to distribute

  • Rotary aid for young talent

    HORWICH Rotary Club has donated more cash gifts to help talented youngsters in the town make the most of their abilities in sports or the arts. In the past the club's cash awards have supported the development of individual talent in sport, music, the

  • The campaign aims

    To clean up our town. We will highlight eyesores and try to get them cleaned up To put out a positive message about Bolton To encourage youngsters to take pride in our town with environmental projects To reward communities and individuals for all their

  • Pride sweeps the town

    CHILDREN have shown the way in getting the pride into Bolton -- by helping their mums and dads sweep the streets. They tidied up their neighbourhood in Horwich as part of the Brazley Residents' Association annual spring clean. Parents and members of the

  • Putting the pride back into Bolton

    TODAY the Bolton Evening News launches a campaign to build the town a brighter future. With the arrival of the Commonwealth Games in the North West now only months away, the eyes of the world will soon be upon us. Bolton plays host to four events and

  • PM Blair takes pride in backing campaign

    PRIME Minister Tony Blair is backing our Pride of Bolton campaign. We launched it yesterday in a bid to rebuild community spirit and clean up the town in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games -- and with the hope that people will continue once the Games

  • Litter buster Joe picks up praise

    UNSUNG hero Joe Clare is a shining example of Boltonians at their best. While recovering from a stroke he has waged a one-man battle against litter louts for elderly neighbours in his block of sheltered flats. We found out about the kindhearted 59-year-old

  • It's up to YOU to stop grot

    WORKMEN remove litter from a public footpath and a sofa lies abandoned at a busy bus stop -- the battle to rid the town of rubbish goes on. The Evening News turned the spotlight on a number of notorious grot-spots when we launched our Pride of Bolton

  • Surgery's animal magic

    PETS are very important in people's lives. And when they are sick and need help we are particularly grateful. Lynn Kay was so glad of the extra care and attention her little puppy Elsie received that she nominated the vets, nurses and receptionists at

  • Tributes to Patterson - the man to save RMI

    FORMER Burnley man Gerry Harrison says ex-Blackburn Rovers midfielder Mark Patterson is the man to get Leigh out of the danger zone in the Nationwide Conference. Darwen-based Patterson, who also played for Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield United, took over

  • The memory of Munich lives on

    ON February 6, 1958, a plane carrying England's best football team crashed while attempting to take off in West Germany, killing eight of the country's most talented young players. The Munich air crash became a watershed in the history of Manchester United

  • Exhibitions: Galleries & Museums (from February 5)

    On a Scottish Tartan, Bury Museum and Art Gallery, Moss Street, Bury: An exhibition exploring proportion in new and old tartans featuring woven Tartan in cashmere and merino wool. Runs until Saturday, February 22, open Tuesday to Saturday 10am-5pm, admission

  • Leanne's new arrival has a royal connection

    A TEENAGER who won a scholarship to breed horses has delivered her first foal -- and the owner is none other than Her Majesty the Queen! Leanne Baines, aged 18, was on hand to deliver the Very Important Horse and the Queen popped down to the stables at

  • Police to look into murdered man's past

    DETECTIVES investigating the murder of a north Wales postman are looking into the victim's past. Paul Savage, aged 30, died on a street in the market town of Mold after being beaten with a blunt instrument. Officers said they were keeping an open mind

  • Youngsters to cast off uniform for children's charity

    PUPILS from Bedford St Thomas's School in Leigh are hoping to raise £200 for their namesake children's charity. On Valentine's Day they will cast off their uniforms and wear casual clothes for the day's lessons in support of the Leigh branch of Tommy's

  • The softer side of hard man Jeremy

    TV newsman Jeremy Paxman has instilled fear in many a politician on his BBC programme Newsnight. But as far as Bolton student Jenny Ryan is concerned, his stern manner is just a front. Having come face-to-face with the king of political interviews on

  • Churches are happy with licences ruling

    CHURCH leaders in Bolton have praised a new ruling which means they will not have to apply for entertainment licences when staging non-religious concerts in their churches. A storm of complaints greeted the original Government plan for churches to pay

  • Speeders turn ring road into a crash zone

    ROAD improvements have helped turn a Bolton highway into a speeding zone for some drivers, council bosses have admitted. Over the last two years the ring road at Victoria Road and Stapleton Avenue, Markland Hill has been improved and resurfaced. But at

  • It's a Haydock showdown for top hunter chasers

    THE best two hunter chasers in the land are set for a Haydock Park showdown on Saturday. The veteran chasers Last Option and Torduff Express cleaned up between them at the Aintree and Cheltenham Festivals last season. Now the "decider" is the Walrus Hunters

  • Lancashire Amateur League

    Premier: Bury GSOB 1 Gregorians 0; Chaddertonians 0 Rossendale Amateurs 2; Hesketh Casuals 1 Prairie Utd 4; Lymm 1 Radcliffe Amateurs 6; O Blackburnians 3 Rochdale St Clements 3. Division One: Accrington Amateurs 1 Walkden 3; Broughton Amateurs 1 Bolton

  • Bolton & District Sunday League

    Results: Premier Division: GRAPES HOTEL ...6 NEW EDITION ...2 SEVEN STARS ...4 CLIFTON RANGERS ...1 HORWICH VICTORIA ...3 BLACK HORSE ...3 First Division SMITHILLS ...1 BEAUMONT ...1 GREENFIELD ...1 FARMERS ARMS ...3

  • Airport jobs fair takes off

    ORGANISERS are planning another jobs fair at Manchester Airport after around 2,000 people turned up for the last one. Jobhunters flocked to the fair, in the airport's Atlantic Suite at Terminal Two, to look for work as airline service assistants, baggage

  • American firm buys up Anker

    WORKERS at Westhoughton-based information technology firm Anker are to have American bosses. An affiliated company of Los Angeles-based Gores Technology Group (GTG) is to acquire Anker BV. Anker, which is based in the Netherlands, has its UK and Western

  • The memory of Munich lives on

    ON February 6, 1958, a plane carrying England's best football team crashed while attempting to take off in West Germany, killing eight of the country's most talented young players. The Munich air crash became a watershed in the history of Manchester United

  • February 6

    From the Evening News,1993: EXPLORERS Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Dr Michael Stroud were celebrating today after breaking the record for the longest unsupported Polar march. Exhausted and emaciated, lame from frostbite and with the equipment almost totally

  • Justice is a joke

    IN the early hours of Wednesday, January 29, some low-life stole a 14-year-old Suzuki car. This car belonged to a pensioner who has difficulty walking and, because of this despicable act, is now housebound. Of course they don't care. Nobody does any more

  • Justice system is now a joke

    IN the early hours of Wednesday, January 29, some low-life stole a 14-year-old Suzuki car. This car belonged to a pensioner who has difficulty walking and, because of this despicable act, is now housebound. Of course they don't care. Nobody does any more

  • Presidents have acted in our best interests

    AS the tragic inevitability of war with Iraq looms larger as the days pass, there are, naturally, strong views being expressed in the Bolton Evening News from both sides of the argument. To hold and express opposite opinions is a right that we have and

  • Let's tackle the big problem of reckless speed

    TO suggest that objectors to speed humps are a minority with bees in their bonnets is both purblind and arrogant. The many objections to humps raised by readers have been dismissed on the premise that humps will reduce speed which, in turn, will reduce

  • Time to speak out on tyrants and terrorists

    I WOULD like to express an alternative view to that of the Rev Michael Williams, Vicar of Bolton Parish Church, in his column of January 27, whose opinions, in my view, are formed more by a wish to be nice to everyone, plus a bit of wishful thinking,

  • What to do in Bolton on Thursday

    BOLTON MUSEUM, ART GALLERY & AQUARIUM, Le Mans Crescent, Bolton. Tel: 332211. www.boltonmuseums.org.uk Open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm. Admission free. Wildlife Attractions Bolton Aquarium For unique views into the aquatic world visit Bolton

  • Town all snowed up

    THESE photos from the fifties depict various winter snow scenes. Top - Walker Fold Road, Bolton, January, 1954. In 1958 I was doing National Service in the RAF in Cyprus, and recall seeing on the front page pictures of a blocked Blackrod by-pass on the

  • Icy scenes and snowmen

    SOMEONE looking at this snowman picture might recognise himself from his carefree boyhood days. The photograph was taken near Smithills Dean Road in February, 1954. I bet the boys wished they'd had long pants on! The other photograph shows a picturesque

  • The memory of Munich lives on

    ON February 6, 1958, a plane carrying England's best football team crashed while attempting to take off in West Germany, killing eight of the country's most talented young players. The Munich air crash became a watershed in the history of Manchester United

  • 'Troops could be poisoned by own forces'

    BRITISH troops could be exposed to the "chemical equivalent of friendly fire" if they are engaged in hostilities against Iraq, a Bolton MP has warned. Bolton South East MP Brian Iddon and other MPs claimed in a debate in Westminster Hall that those deployed

  • Posters to stop the drop

    FOUR youngsters will be helping to clean up the town with their eye-catching anti-litter posters. The work of the four winners will now be made into large posters which will be displayed throughout the borough from next week until January. The competition

  • Let's show the world we really care

    LITTER, rubbish, filth and grime -- eyesores like these are a common sight in Bolton. Our streets are used as dumping grounds, our buildings are covered with graffiti and our pavements are flecked with sticky-gum. But it doesn't have to be that way. Today

  • Town loses out in city status battle

    BOLTON has failed to win city status this year -- but pride of Bolton is still running high and spirits have not been dampened. The town was beaten to the coveted honour, to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations, by Lancashire rival Preston. Town

  • Water Place will shut in 10 days

    BOLTON'S once-prestigious Water Place will close in 10 days time, even though council chiefs may be forced to pay back more than £1 million to the Government. The £5 million swimming centre will shut on October 27. Councillors approved the decision despite

  • Business booms - and invests in a great town

    BUSINESS in Bolton is booming and the town has one of the best shopping centres in the country, business leaders said today. Both old and new companies are backing our Pride of Bolton campaign -- which already has the support of the Prime Minister, church

  • Let's make the town sparkle

    THE Pride of Bolton campaign to make the town a better place to live is now entering its third week. Here, council leader Bob Howarth gives his rallying call, asking everyone to pull together to improve everyone's quality of life. PRIDE of Bolton seems

  • What our leading citizens say about the campaign

    RUTH KELLY MP Bolton West: This is an innovative idea by the Bolton Evening News and I have no hesitation in supporting the Pride of Bolton campaign. Sadly, the sense of local community has eroded from parts of our society and this is of great concern

  • Bookies name trio for Premiership drop

    WANDERERS are now third favourites for relegation from the Premiership with leading bookmaker William Hill. They are joined by West Brom and Sunderland while West Ham, currently second from bottom, will just avoid the drop according to Hillls. Latest

  • Why Gudni's still going strong at 37

    WANDERERS star Gudni Bergsson is still one of the club's fittest and consistent players despite reaching the grand old age of 37. But it seems the defender owes his agility, endurance and stamina to his love of gymnastics. Bergsson may be able to stay

  • Life for the killer of Carly

    KILLER Geoffrey Porter has been jailed for life for the murder of teenage vice girl Carly Bateman. Porter, aged 40, of Columbia Road, Bolton, strangled the 17-year-old to death before hiding her body beneath undergrowth in a back alleyway on the outskirts

  • Anger as pimps and dealers swamped streets

    ANXIOUS residents in The Haulgh called for a vice crackdown after Carly's murder. Police chiefs came under pressure from residents to clean up the area once and for all. The once affluent and peaceful area where well-to-families lived in large Victorian

  • Why police started to quiz Porter

    PORTER was not a suspect in the early stages of the inquiry. It was only in the fourth week that detectives turned their attention to him. When they began checking the log of people who had been stopped by officers in the area on the night. Porter's name

  • Pervert killer's obsession with young vice girls

    THE sex pervert jailed for life for killing Bolton vice girl Carly Bateman, aged 17, was obsessed with prostitutes. And the younger the better. Geoffrey Porter, aged 40, had visited vice girls for many years and was a well known figure in the town's red

  • A smile - then Carly went off to her death

    CARLY Bateman smiled as a member of staff at the secure unit where she was living warned her to be careful. It was a Saturday night, just after 11.30pm and she was off, as usual, to ply her trade on the streets of Bolton. As she walked into the cold night

  • Fire in kitchen

    A 21-YEAR-OLD man escaped unhurt when a grill pan caught fire in his kitchen last night. He managed get out of his home in Garstang Avenue, Breightmet, before calling the fire brigade at 9.50pm. Four firefighters dealt with the fire.

  • Luxury charity trip

    FUNDRAISERS for Didsbury-based Francis House Children's Hospice are organising a luxury Orient Express evening on May 16 from Manchester Victoria. Tickets are £150 a head. For more details contact Judy on 08707 559650.

  • Sally seeks new home

    MANCHESTER Dogs' Home is looking for a family to adopt Sally, a three-year-old Alsatian bitch who is described as young, playful and very lively. Anyone interested should visit the kennels at Moss Brook Road, Harpurhey.

  • Police open up Aladdin's Cave of booty

    VICTIMS of burglary and robbery are invited to view an "Aladdin's cave" of stolen property at Bolton Central Police Station as part of a fresh bid to drive down crime. Included in the haul are electrical items, jewellery, bikes, gardening equipment, leisure

  • Paper's award for publicans

    THE licensees of a Bury pub have won a top industry award. David and Gillian Heyes, of the Garsdale Country Inn and Restaurant, Brandlesholme, took the Business Development Pub of the Year title at this year's Morning Advertiser Awards. The Morning Advertiser

  • Pupils enjoy storybags of fun

    CHILDREN at a Leigh school are having bags of fun with a new reading project. A number of pupils at Twelve Apostles RC School are being given StoryBags containing a fiction and non-fiction book, a story tape with personal stereo player, a toy, prop or

  • Frandsen ban shock

    WANDERERS' influential midfielder Per Frandsen will miss the high-profile Reebok clash with Manchester United after picking up his fifth yellow card. Frandsen was booked in the 4-2 win over Birmingham City at the weekend and now receives an automatic

  • On stage (from February 6)

    Singin' in the Rain, Albert Halls, Bolton: One of Hollywood's best-known musicals including the hit songs Good Morning, Make 'em Laugh and Singin' in the Rain.0 Runs until Saturday, 2.15pm and 7.15pm, £9 to £12 Chester Gateway Chester The Adventures of

  • Speaking the lingo

    PAUL Gascoigne can't see any communication problems with coaching a Chinese Second Division side. "The manager speaks good English and so do the players," he assured. So, once he picks it up they should be able to understand each other.

  • Government's sport-blindness beggars belief

    THE government is so short-sighted over the chance to stage the 2012 Olympics in London it defies belief. London wants it, the British Olympic Association wants it so the only other backing needed to complete the necessary trio is that of the government

  • Places to worship

    THEY say there are 365 churches on Malta - one to pray in for every day of the year. Devoutly Catholic, many do just that, with a morning Mass kicking off the day before sunbreak. The Mosta Dome close to the centre of the island is a mightily impressive

  • Getting there - and special deals

    Flight facts: National flag carrier, Air Malta offers a daily scheduled services from Manchester (journey time just over three hours). Fares from Manchester begin at £189.10 inc taxes, between now and March 30. Air Malta Reservations: 0845 607 3710 Click

  • Getting about

    Take a bus journey, and don't worry about the bumpy ride, as road surfacing does not seem to be a priority. It's less than 30p to anywhere on the island so your wallet will get used to it, even if you don't! Buses radiate out from Valletta bus station

  • Where to stay

    Numerous four and five star hotels, plus plenty of package deals from your local travel agent. Top hotels to be recommended are: The 4* Victoria Hotel in Sliema, Rooftop pool with stunning views, handily placed for all the sights while in a quiet area

  • Live music (from February 6)

    Club of Jack's, Stables Bar, Boholt Country Club, Walshaw Road, Bury: Evening of live, easy listening and swinging music with vocalist Julie Edwards, Kevin Dearden playing the sax and flute and the Gerry Tomlinson Trio. Thursday (February 6), 8.30pm,

  • Diving, quad-biking, horseriding

    Diving: The clear blue waters make Malta an excellent base - for the novice to the experienced. Expect to pay about £150 for a four-day course. I had my first dive - 20 feet down, it was an experience to remember! Have you ever tried putting a wet suit

  • We couldn't manage without volunteers - Sister Lynn

    SISTER Lynn Bell has been with the Hospice "from day one" -- and over 10 years she has seen many changes. She now works at the new Day Unit which is "flourishing", she said. The Day Unit offers anything from a hair dresser to complimentary therapies,

  • Hospice's big draw

    THE Bolton Hospice Lottery is celebrating a successful first six months -- having given away more than £18,000. More than 3,000 people are currently taking part each week in the local lottery since it began last October. And, as lottery manager Louise

  • How the hospice came to Bolton

    IT was thanks to a group of people drawn together by the Bolton Royal Infirmary Centenary Appeal that a need for hospice care in Bolton was first recognised. That was in May 1984 -- and it marked the start of a long campaign. A steering group was created

  • The day the music changed BY NICOLA MOSTYN

    IN a week when legendary producer Phil Spector is facing a murder charge, Michael Jackson has been revealed to be at best horribly naive and at worst a complete loon, and fans of Pete Townshend are still scratching their heads in perplexity over that

  • Where to leave your presents

    You can leave your contribution to our appeal at the following collection points: Asda store, Middlebrook Asda store, Farnworth Alliance & Leicester, Deansgate, Bolton Astley Bridge Post Office, Blackburn Road Blackrod Health Centre Edwards &

  • Join us in a caring Christmas

    CAN you buy a small gift for a local child to make their Christmas special? Readers are being asked to support the Bolton Evening News and the Bolton Lions' annual Caring Christmas Campaign -- the town's main appeal for local needy families. The aim is

  • Get in the Christmas spirit

    OUR readers are getting into the Christmas spirit by donating gifts for some of the area's neediest children. The annual Caring Christmas Appeal, run by the Bolton Evening News and the Bolton Lions' Club, was launched last week. The aim of the appeal

  • Clean sweep for pupils

    CARING pupils at Roscow Fold Primary School already have pride in their home town. They have been sprucing up Bolton Arena -- and could soon be helping sweep the streets of Breightmet as well. The youngsters, who are all aged 10 or 11, were asked what

  • Reena, 17, has a heart of gold

    SIXTH-FORMER Reena Morjaria is just like any ordinary 17-year-old. She works hard at her A-levels, has lots of friends and loves nothing more than her weekly dancing lessons, but when Saturday comes she closes her books, puts her ballet shoes back in

  • Trader's fury over town centre litter

    A SHOP owner has hit out at the poor level of council litter patrols outside his shop. Fred Bridge, chairman of Baker and Tubbs Furniture and Lighting, said he has to sweep up at the front of his shop in Great Moor Street, every day before closing, because

  • Plenty to be proud of

    By Andrew Ratcliff, chief executive of Bolton and Bury Chamber LIKE almost every town and city in the country, Bolton sells itself as being at the heart of the country with good links to the national motorway network. The only difference is that Bolton's

  • Team spirit is grounds for town praise

    PARENTS showed true community spirit when it came to building a sports centre for their children's soccer team. They spent more than a year clearing the site of rubbish and even emptied two drug dens of beer cans and used syringes. Their work is exactly

  • Loaves recalled in safety alert at Warburtons

    A BAKERY firm is having to recall thousands of loaves after small strands of nylon were found in its bread. Bolton-based Warburtons is appealing for people to return 12 brands which have hit the shelves in the past few days. The loaves went on sale in

  • Exotic dancing decision still in limbo

    AN APPLICATION to bring lap dancers to Bolton has been deferred until the end of the month. Councillors were due to debate a proposal for dancing sessions at Bar Juice, on Mawdsley Street, this week. The bar's owner, Paul Roberts, has applied to vary

  • Man held after child porn raid in Bulgaria

    A PROFESSIONAL photographer from Bolton has been detained in Bulgaria after police found a stash of 800 computer disks containing more than 20,000 pictures of half-naked children in a raid on his home. Alex Antsward, aged 42, has been questioned by officers

  • Parents vow to save school

    PARENTS are set to launch a campaign to save a special school threatened by closure. Green Hall Primary School in Atherton, which only last week received a glowing Ofsted report from Government inspectors, could be closed if Wigan Council approves plans

  • Car park to re-open - at a cost

    MOTORISTS will soon be able to use Westhoughton's Mill Street car park again, because the lease has been taken over by a local club. Bolton Council stopped cars from parking there a few months ago, saying that taxpayers would have to pay hundreds of pounds

  • Marti turns to live of crime

    IN a return to form, singer and former Wet, Wet, Wet frontman Marti Pellow stars in the touring stage version of hit musical Chicago which lands in Manchester this month. Pellow shot to fame with a string of chart topping hits in the 1980s, but fell from

  • TV show needs hopeless hopefuls

    TV producers are looking for Britain's worst amateur performers -- and they are hoping to find their star in Greater Manchester. Would-be hopefuls are asked to turn up at the Triangle Shopping Centre, in Exchange Square, Manchester, on Sunday February

  • Big response to Lesley plea

    DETECTIVES investigating the murder of schoolgirl Lesley Molseed 27 years ago said today they had received a "huge and encouraging" response from the public following a television appeal. The 11-year-old, from Rochdale, was stabbed 12 times and sexually

  • Army searching for new leaders

    THE Army is having a recruitment drive to attract new adult youth leaders for the cadet force. An open day is being held at Cadet HQ in Manchester on Sunday, February 23. To find out more information, call the Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force on 0161

  • ASDA Logic West Lancashire Football League

    Division Premier: BLACKROD TOWN...2 BURNLEY UNITED...1 CHARNOCK RICHARD...3 DALTON UNITED...1 FRECKLETON...1 TURTON...2 FULWOOD AMATEURS...0 BAE BARROW SPORTS CLUB...1 KIRKHAM & WESHAM...1 WYRE VILLA...3 Division One COPPULL UNITED 4 POULTON TOWN.

  • Community meeting

    THE next meeting of the South East Bolton Community Forum will be held at Cherry Tree School, Highfield Road, Farnworth at 6.30pm on Monday March 3. Community issues in Farnworth, Kearsley and Stoneclough will be on the agenda. For details contact area

  • Leigh & District Amateur Football

    Division One: KERSAL VALE AFC...5 HIGHER FOLD LC...3 COLLIERS REST...3 HOWE BRIDGE MILLS...1 Division Two ATHERTON ROYALS...1 FIR TREE RANGERS...3 THREE CROWNS B...5 LEIGH LEGION...3 DIVISION ONE P W L D F A Pt Kersal Vale AFC... 15 12 2 1 63 25 37 Higher