OFFICIALS at a town centre hall are adamant that they are not to blame for a mix up which left a band locked out. As reported in Monday's BEN, the Dodworth Band from Barnsley, Yorkshire ended up having an impromptu rehearsal in the Ridgway Gates Fish
A FOUNDER of Bolton Samaritans, Mrs Elsie Hargreaves, has died in Bolton Royal Infirmary. Mrs Hargreaves was the wife of Mr Alan Hargreaves, who was killed in the Harrow and Wealdstone train disaster in 1962. She lived for many years on Devonshire Road
PLATINUM wedding couple Jim and Alice Ryder are celebrating clocking up an astonishing SEVENTY years of happy marriage today. But they might never have got together if it had not been for Jim's unusual line in fashionable headgear. A then 16-year-old
A £6 million shopping complex could finally be built on a prime Bolton town centre site. Fears had been growing that plans to develop the old Co-op site on the corner of Bridge Street and Bow Street had fallen through. But it has now been revealed that
A COMMUNITY complex for Westhoughton is the dream of the town's new Mayor, Cllr Brian Clare. Cllr Clare took up the office on Monday for the second time, saying his wish in 1987 remained the same today. He said: "I asked then for the council to make it
A HALLIWELL man has shed new light on the death of a soldier during the last war. As reported in the BEN last week, Ex-Navy man Fred Morgan has spent years searching for the grave of Stanley Sedgwick, who he had worked with in Farnworth. Stanley served
BOLTON'S plans for helping planet Earth will be unveiled next week at the start of Environment Week. An exhibition on Victoria Square on Friday May 24 and Saturday May 25 will form the centre piece of the week. On display will be exhibitions from Bolton
SIR: Mr K Jones (What's going next, Viewpoint May 6), is quite right. Coal industry gone, steel industry gone, the textiles, beef and fishing industries all gone. He asks what's next to go? Well Mr Jones, with a bit of luck I would hope Mr Major and this
f+bs=10os=9o Blackrod Labour Cllr Eric Johnson was speaking when he was installed as Mayor at the annual mayor making council meeting in the town hall. Originally from St Helens, Cllr Johnson has lived in Blackrod for 19 years and is very proud to be
SIR: The North West has provided the entertainments industry with all sorts of brainy, gifted and beautiful types yet if one doesn't come from southern England one is thought "different". How nice that Chorlton-cum-Hardy resident Rebekah Telford has earned
Halifax Blue Sox 4 Wigan 50 THE distraction of putting rugby union firmly in its place was quickly forgotten as Wigan returned to Super League action in clinical fashion. They showed Halifax no mercy in storming home with another devastating display of
SIR: Maybe Cllr Mrs Prentice Howarth believes she is right in stating that Fred Dibnah's garden is an eyesore (BEN Friday May 10). As a visitor to Fred's domain on many occasions I have always found it to be a much more interesting place to visit than
SIR: M Dooley of Hampshire claims the BEN spread lies and misinformation about the recent attempt by Apprentice Boys to march through the streets of Bolton. I think few people in Bolton would agree with him. He claims the Apprentice Boys have no truck
The Gipsy Baron, Lowton Civic Hall. Runs until Saturday. THE Three Towns Operatic Society have changed their style this year, deviating from their usual offerings of Gilbert and Sullivan, to give a splendid performance of this colourful opera by the master
A Lady Mislaid, St Joseph's Players, Mather Street, Leigh. Runs until Friday. ALL is not exactly what it seems in this gentle and sometimes witty production of Kenneth Horne's play. Set entirely in the living room of an old isolated country house, two
THIS was royalty at its best. Jacques Chirac was clearly captivated by the Queen and other members of her family at the start of his state visit. After she subjected M Chirac to the blinding battery of royal charm, the Queen served him best British beef
A GLOWING torrent of lava is threatening a village at the foot of the erupting Mount Etna in Sicily. The lava was today pouring on a 50-yards-wide front down Etna's slopes destroying everything in its path. It is only a mile from the village of Fornazzo
RICHARD Branson will be at Manchester Airport on Friday morning for the inauguration of the new Virgin Atlantic Airways service from Manchester to Orlando. Mr Branson and more than 100 guests will be departing for a weekend in Walt Disney World in Orlando
TWELVE new jobs have been created by a major refurbishment of the United Norwest Co-op store in Bromley Cross, Bolton. The former Pricefighter store is being re-developed as a Co-op Food Market. A spokesman said Co-op Food Market was a successful new
A BOLTON company with a growing world-wide reputation has changed its name. Red Bridge (Bolton) Ltd at Ainsworth has become Red Bridge International Ltd. The company manufactures specialist coated papers and textiles for the bookbinding, stationery and
A GROUP of intrepid teenagers are preparing for a trek into one of the great wildlife conservation areas of the world. For five pupils at Bury Church of England High School have been presented with a trip to the Tsavo East National Park in Kenya. Over
TWO directors of a property firm which was behind one of Bolton's most prestigious office developments have been banned from running companies by a High Court judge. Roger Reeves and his wife Catherine of Malpas, Cheshire, were directors of the Wilmslow-based
SIR: I am writing in praise of the nursing and caring staff on J2. My father died last November, having suffered from Alzheimer's for the last 10 years - for the final two and a half years of his life he was lucky enough to be cared for on J2. The level
SIR: Recently, I planted a lilac bush and some trailing lobelia in a lovely tub outside my flat. The tub was sentimental and some thief took it. I was housebound most of last summer, apart from visiting hospital every day, with a very badly broken ankle
SIR: May I appeal to your readers for help in tracing my family tree? My maternal grandfather was Ben Byers who was principal trombone player for Wingates Temperance Band when they won the National Championship at Crystal Palace in the 1930s. His father
ROLY-poly pop star Buster Bloodvessel and his wacky band Bad Manners are coming to town at the weekend. The band which shot to fame in the 80s with hits likeZCan Can, Special Brew,Zand Lip Up FattyZare at the Hawthorns, Spa Road, Bolton on Sunday night
A WATCH repairer has offered a £500 reward for the return of six watches stolen from his car. The wrist watches were taken from Chris Wright's car last Friday morning as it was parked in Partington Street, Morris Green. Mr Wright said: "They are all of
A WOMAN found dead at her Westhoughton home last night is believed to have lain undiscovered on her kitchen floor for up to five days it emerged today. The woman - who had not been officially identified - was discovered dead after police officers broke
THE disclosure of the forensic blunders in Kent could have serious ramifications in a variety of terrorist cases. It must have been tempting to ignore the contaminated centrifuge which now calls into question evidence of explosives in several high-profile
WE have considerable sympathy with Friends of the Earth, who have pulled out of Bolton's Environment Forum on the eve of the town's Environment Week. FOE co-ordinator Dennis Watson made some valid points, particularly those relating to the council's approval
By GORDON SHARROCK DOUBTS continue to cast a cloud over Alan Stubbs' record-breaking transfer to Celtic. FIFA are expected to investigate the role of Stubbs' agent, Neil Rioch, in the £5.5 million deal despite his categoric assurance that he is entitled
