A PIONEERING project costing £125,000 is to be launched to encourage young people to get active. The Get Active Westhoughton project could be up and running in the town as soon as April, according to Bolton Council officers. The joint venture, between
A TEENAGER is appealing for help in finding a venue for his fundraising wrestling tournament. Chris McWilliam, aged 15, is holding the tournament to raise cash for the Epilepsy Association after his mum, Beverley, was diagnosed with the condition three
A NEW drive to improve standards in English and maths at Withins School is under way. Headteacher Phil Mather made the announcement following the publication of today's secondary school performance league tables which ranked the Breightmet school in
THE state of secondary education in Bolton is laid bare in new government tables published today, which show the town's state high schools are failing to making the grade. Only 41 per cent of pupils across the borough are leaving with GCSE pass grades
A DOG owner waiting to hear whether her pet has been identified as a dangerous pit bull terrier faces a delay because of a shortage of experts. Bolton Council officials impounded Donna Whittle's dog Gnasher after it escaped through an open gate at her
STUART Pearce says Wanderers have provided the blueprint for what he wants from his Manchester City side. The Blues boss hailed the Whites as a yardstick of consistency ahead of Saturday's Premiership derby at the Reebok. Pearce has seen his side win
TWO soldiers who stopped for a chat on their way home after a night out in Leigh were both set upon in an unprovoked attack, a court heard. One of them, Martin Wilkinson, who, like his companion, was knocked unconscious in the attack, needed hospital
WORK has started on a multi-million pound health centre in one of Bolton's most deprived communities. The first sod has been cut at the £9 million pound Crompton Health Centre, on Crompton Way, Hall i'th' Wood. Experts hope the new centre being built
An alcoholic who assaulted her 83-year-old grandmother has been given a community order. Rebecca Hynes, aged 24, of Marsden Road, Bolton, was staying with her grandmother, Annie Hulme, after a row with her parents in October. Hynes had been drinking
A MULTI-MILLION pound makeover of Bolton's council houses will be spread evenly across the town, says Bolton's housing chief. Bolton at Home, the management company which controls the town's 18,769 council homes, was this week given a £25 million cash
SAM Allardyce has warned that Wanderers run the risk of losing key players at knockdown prices, if they do not learn lessons from the Tal Ben Haim affair. The Israel international is expected to be transferred this month for a fee considerably less than
A LAWYER from Bolton believes a landmark decision made by an employment appeal tribunal will stop companies "culling" agency workers before they reach 12 months service. The case of James v Greenwich Council was heard in London, on December 18, last
RESIDENTS in Kearsley who won a campaign against a waste transfer station near their homes are gearing up for another fight. European company Wai Sang have made an application to use a unit on Lyon Road Industrial Estate to recycle plastics. The company
A FORMER Bolton teacher who has been the driving force behind the rise of the Reebok brand across much of the world over the last 25 years is to step down later this month. Dave Singleton will leave his position as Senior Vice President and head of Reebok
AN Italian company has taken on 60 workers and reopened a manufacturing site that closed last year. PMT Italia, based in Pinerolo, near Turin, has bought the former Sandusky Walmsley paper machinery manufacturing complex in Crompton Way, Bolton. Production
WIVES and girlfriends of Wanderers stars will be putting their best foot forward for charity - but they will be leaving their stilettos behind. The glamorous WAGs will be pulling on their hiking boots for an eight-mile night-time walk through the town
AFTER playing in church services for more than 200 years, the Bolton Parish Church organ needs major repairs. The huge overhaul of the organ and its historic pipes will cost £220,000. The parish church has obtained a £110,000 grant towards the work
FORMER colleagues have paid tribute to a leading figure in the Guide movement, who left a legacy to the charity in her £1 million will. Bettina Dorothy Watson, of Acresdale, Lostock, died aged 85, last May. She became president of the Lancashire Border
BOLTON Wanderers are being quoted among the favourites to sign David Beckham, if the former England captain quits Real Madrid. Bookmakers reacted to news that Beckham could be leaving the Bernabeu in the summer by quoting Wanderers at 10-1 to win the
FOR many it is hard to imagine Bolton being a major tourist attraction. After all our image is one of sooty cobbled streets with poor people wearing mufflers huddled under a gas lamp. But we know of course that image, mainly held by those who don't know
Three are named in truancy hall of shame THREE Bolton schools have been named among the worst 200 in the country for truancy. Ladybridge School in Bolton, Westhoughton High School, and Withins School in Breightmet are singled out in tables published
A TEENAGER with a £200-a-day cocaine habit, downed 20 bottles of lager, before breaking into a house, stealing a car and crashing into a bus. Christopher Legg, aged 18, of Buile Hill Avenue, Little Hulton, pleaded guilty to burglary; driving while disqualified
AN uninsured motorist who drove without a licence has been banned from driving. Anthony Carr, aged 32, of Wolfenden Street, Halliwell, was driving a friend's car when he was stopped by police on July 24, 2006. He then failed to produce driving documents
A VICAR is to count the Queen as a member of his congregation after being appointed her chaplain. The Rev Hugh Bearn, vicar of St Anne's Church, in Tottington, says he has no idea who put his name forward to join the exclusive College of Chaplains.
A SECOND series of Bolton presenter Vernon Kay's show Just the Two of Us is being planned following impressive ratings. The BBC1 show ended on Saturday, and was won by EastEnders actress Hannah Waterman and ex-Wet Wet Wet singer Marti Pellow. It had
Something is happening in the entertainment industry. It all started last week with the one-off return of the This Life gang. The law-practising housemates in this cutting edge BBC drama were late 20s, dysfunctional, drunk and promiscuous - you did rather
BOLTON North East MP David Crausby has welcomed the announcement by Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling that employers who refuse to pay the minimum wage could face a £200 fine for every worker they had underpaid. Employers already have to
THE owner of a Bolton steelworks has said it will deliver "significant increases in both profits and margins" for the full year to December 31. In a trading update, Thirsk-based Severfield-Rowen, which owns Watson Steel in Lostock, said: "In its half
EMPLOYEES at a Bolton bank are celebrating after being named the best NatWest branch in the country. Staff at the Deansgate branch of the hight street bank have won a national NatWest competition, which recognised their outstanding customer service.
A YOUNG cancer sufferer has been given the devastating news that more tumours have been found on her spine and in her brain. Gemma Feeney, aged 28, of Deane, learned last week that scans had revealed more tumours on her spine, and a shadow on her brain
CHRISTIANS from all denominations will gather at Bolton Parish Church this month to pray for people around the world still living in slavery. The service, at 10.30am, on Sunday, January 21, coincides with the 200th anniversary of the Act to abolish slavery
PEOPLE living with a long-term health condition are being invited to take part in a free course to help them manage it their more effectively. The Expert Patient's Programme is for people suffering with conditions such as arthritis, asthma, back pain
RAIL passengers have launched a bid to rejuvenate run-down stations in a campaign for better facilities. Public meetings are being held this month to set up station adoption groups in Hindley and Walkden, on the Manchester to Southport line. Cllr James
ANY fears Ruth Kelly may have about losing her Bolton West seat at the next general election are unfounded, according to a website which predicts the results of the poll. Speculation has linked the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
A FOUR car pile-up on Blackburn Road caused traffic chaos for commuters in Bolton this morning. The accident happened near the junction with Eagley Way at about 8am. The vehicles involved were a green Ford Puma, a black Fiat Punto and blue Ford Sierra
FASHION giants Zara and H&M are among the first high street names to sign up for the £40 million re-development of Bolton's Market Hall. They will become the flagship stores, and be joined by Starbucks, Principles, Warehouse, Lush, Office and Joy, while
PEOPLE caring for someone who is terminally ill and being treated at Bolton Hospice can benefit from a listening ear. Staff at the hospice have organised a carers group, which will provide advice on how to care for yourself, relaxation tips and the chance
I am trying to find out which regiment my grandfather, Richard Lofthouse, served in during the First World War. There were two people from Bolton with the same name who served, and after a search at the National Archives, Kew, and with help of the Museum
I am trying to find an old friend by the name of Marjorie Wise, who worked at Fairfield hospital until approximately 1979. I keep receiving a Christmas card but never with an address. She has a daughter Bev and is living in the Bury/Bolton/Farnworth
A TRANQUIL and beautiful garden at Bolton Hospice would be a haven for patients and their loved ones, according to a cancer sufferer. Joan Lindley, aged 80, of Bradford Road, Farnworth, was diagnosed with lung cancer last June and has been a day patient
Does anyone remembers me? I am late of Canning Street, Walmersley, also Bury High School 1936 onwards. mhu09220@bigpond.net.au
Is trying to find a girl he met on holiday in Malgrat De Mar around 1991. Her name is Carole Caldwell (roughly 30 years old now) and last he knew she was living in Ruskin Avenue in Kearsley. They used to write to each other a lot and have the odd phone
BOLTON desperately needs some big High Street names to boost its ailing shopping centre. The news that fashion giants Zara and H&M have signed up to open outlets in the redeveloped Market Hall, alongside the likes of Starbucks, Principles, Lush, Warehouse
WITH regard to the Ruth Kelly rumpus, I personally couldn't care less what school she sends her children to. What riles me, though, is that her local authority is Tower Hamlets! Isn't it about time MPs actually resided in (and, better still, actually
LEAGUE tables were always controversial. Critics say they do not show a true picture of what goes on in a school while supporters say the tables help keep schools on their toes. The new tables show that only 41 per cent of pupils in the borough are leaving
WITH reference to the report, "Anger at plan for campsite" (The Bolton News, January 4). I was astounded to read that Bolton Council's tourism officer, Barbara Howarth, is backing the plan. Bearing in mind that a tourist is one who travels for pleasure
MR Elster has obviously swallowed the globalists spin doctors' propaganda regarding the benefits of immigration and the state of the British economy (The Bolton News, January 6). Mass immigration and the global economy are responsible for the de-industrialisation
ONCE again we are faced with the total stupidity of the National Health Service. Constantly we see headlines about MRSA on our wards and how a soldier survives being attacked by the Taliban only to very nearly lose his life with a hospital contracted
AFTER one tragic incident, the country has gone daft, dragging innocent dogs from their owners because of what they look like (Pit Bull-type). After the tragic incident at Dunblane firing pistols were taken off the streets (unless you are a criminal)
I AM concerned about plans to hold nationwide amnesties for the destruction of dogs deemed to be of "Pit Bull-type". My main concerns are: 1. An amnesty will not remove the problem of illegal fighting/dangerous dogs, as the people who keep them have
A ROUSING night of brass band music is being organised to raise money for charities supported by Bolton's Mayor. Award winning Wingates Band will play at a concert at the Albert Halls on Thursday, January 25, at 7.30pm. All money raised will go to The
A FORMER professional footballer has appeared in court charged with two counts of burglary and dishonestly receiving stolen goods. Christopher Byrne, aged 31, of Barrack Street, Hulme, is accused of breaking into a room in the Holiday Inn, Beaumont Road
WANDERERS' Fourth Round FA Cup tie with Arsenal will be played at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, January 28 (kick off 4pm), after being selected for live screening by Sky Sports.
WANDERERS Under 18s went out of the FA Youth Cup at Sunderland last night after suffering a triple blow in a tie-breaking end to the first half. The young Whites, who were playing for a place in the fifth round, were all square at the Stadium of Light
We asked: Are league tables the best way of judging a school's performance? And you voted: Yes: 52pc. No: 48pc.
BOLTON'S secondary schools were dealt a body blow today as new league tables show GCSE results are among the worst in the UK. Only 41 per cent of pupils are achieving the expected grade in English and maths. And 62 per cent of Bolton's 16-year-olds
One of my last memories of Burnden Park is of fans looting everything they could lay their hands on to keep as lasting reminders of the old ground. I even remember one guy desperately trying to prise a urinal from the wall in the gents. Stealing a toilet
