I HAVE been impressed by your recent promotions of the local police service. It was good to see that someone had been convicted of giving a PC a black eye and another villain of bursting a WPC's nose, if I remember rightly. There does, however, appear
ARMED robbers who held up a Chorley sub post office brandishing baseball bats escaped with around £27,000 in cash, police have revealed. Officers are hunting two men after the attack on Astley Park sub post office at around 10.10am on Friday, March 26
TOP BBC Radio 1 DJ Dave Pearce is taking the vibe of his massively popular Sunday night, Dance Anthems, show on a nationwide tour. And it hits the Ikon nightclub in Bolton on Friday night. The tour is a forerunner to the release of the Dave Pearce presents
Runcorn FC 2 Chorley 1 BACK-to-back defeats have all but mathematically condemned Chorley to relegation and left Dalton Steele still seeking his first win since taking charge five games ago. Despite the injection of new blood - a virtual entire new team
Folkies Lindisfarne are back, live at the Witchwood THE Witchwood in Ashton-u-Lyne is offering you the chance to see Lindisfarne live, in a small intimate venue. The legendary band have agreed to play the Witchwood on Sunday, April 11. From their origins
WHAT a wonderful evening I had at the Octagon Theatre. Jean Ferguson gave the most wonderful performance as Hilda Baker. She excelled herself in my eyes. She also proved that we need the Octagon so very much so more great performers can come to Bolton
BURY North MP David Chaytor has made a new bid to increase the amount of recycled paper that newspapers use. Last year his "Recycled Content On Newsprint Bill" ran out of Parliamentary time. Now he has presented an updated version of the proposal to the
A BOLTON secondary school has received a prestigious national award for its commitment to staff training for the fourth year running. Canon Slade School won the Investors in People award for its high standard of development and training for all of its
PILKINGTON RECS. U7s 36 CHORLEY PANTHERS 16 A BRAVE Chorley side eventually succumbed to a bigger and stronger Pilks outfit. Callum Alderton, Elliot Hindle, Taylor Bristow and David Henderson all ran well but were denied tries by a strong Pilks defence
FAMED Northern comedienne Victoria Wood has thrown her support behind a campaign to keep the Octagon Theatre a producing house. The former Bury Grammar School pupil has sent a letter congratulating theatre enthusiasts on their efforts to ensure the Octagon
PNE Ladies FC 4 Chorley Ladies 0 CHORLEY suffered a rare defeat at the hands of Preston North End and will no doubt blame a muddy pitch and swirling wind. Preston are obviously used to these conditions and learned to cope more quickly and adapt their
I WAS delighted to read that town councillor D Wilkinson will now "deal in the facts" (BEN Mar 25). This surprising change of policy should severely restrict his contribution to the columns of this newspaper and therefore result in increased sales of
A dozen police motorcyclists, together with other officers, will descend on the car park of Rivington Barn from 10am where they will offer advice to motor cycle enthusiasts at what is traditionally seen as the start of the 'biking season'. The police
WANDERERS' travelling support will be swelled by at least 15 at Oxford tomorrow as a result of Steve Banks' deadline day transfer from Blackpool. That's the average contingent of family and friends who watch the Hillingdon-born keeper when he's playing
AN MP is stepping up his campaign to persuade pensioners to quit British Telecom and switch to mobile phones. This would help them avoid having to pay expensive standing charges and switch to pay-as-you-go use instead. Earlier this week Bury North MP
RESIDENTS of Clayton Brook have helped community leaders shape the future of their district. The findings of a special survey of the area have now been made public. The project was carried out by Clayton Brook Community Group which asked residents exactly
A TOUCH of Latin America is coming to Chorley this Easter. Youngsters aged between 10 and 18 are being urged to get on down to the Young People's Drumming and Dance Workshop at the Tatton Centre, Windermere Street, off Eaves Lane, and learn about the
FORMER Chorley MP Den Dover will fight for a North West seat in the ground-breaking European elections this summer. Mr Dover will line up for the Tories against Labour, Liberal Democrat Green and UK Independence candidates. Voters will go to the polls
I WAS very pleased at the attendance of over 250 people of all ages who braved the bad weather to attend the meeting at the Carnegie Hall about the Lee Hall site. This proves that there is a major groundswell against the development; no doubt spurred
CHORLEY station has been earmarked for development as part of a scheme to regenerate the North West's railways - but local commuters may still find themselves caught short. Improvements have been proposed as part of Railtrack's £1.5 billion commitment
REAL ale enthusiasts are preparing to tackle the best beers that Bolton town centre's pubs have to offer. The Bolton branch of the Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA) is holding a town centre pub crawl on Saturday April 24 from 8pm. Before that anyone interested
BY next week you'll probably be sick of the sight of chocolate but seeing as this weekend's Easter, this may still be of interest. Thorntons, sellers of delicious chocolate, has chosen The Children's Society as its charity of the year. And the shop on
A HELIPAD is to be built outside Chorley Hospital's casualty department for a new air ambulance service in Lancashire. It has been spearheaded by Lancashire Ambulance Service and the North West will get its first paramedic-crew ambulance by the beginning
BOLTON gardening fans who want to raise money for charity and have a bit of fun at the same time might enjoy an event at one garden centre. Bents Garden Centre at Glazebury is supporting the Greenfingers Appeal by running a Most Unusual Planted Container
IT looks like full steam ahead for an important new station in Chorley. Councillors were set to pass plans for the proposed development at Euxton's Royal Ordnance site this week. The station will be roughly in the same place as the existing, disused one
THE baby dilemma facing young married Leanne and Nick Tilsley has caught the nation's attention. But, in the latest edition of the popular Coronation Street magazine, Radcliffe's Jane Danson, who plays Leanne, sheds a new light on the problem. She says
I AM responding to your report in last week's paper under the heading Enough is Enough. How can Chorley Borough Council possibly justify its objections to the proposed scheme for better facilities to be provided by a neighbouring authority? You only need
TALENTED young children are being offered the chance to display their talents and raise cash to help a young cancer sufferer. A children's talent contest is being held at Rumworth Labour Club a week today to raise funds for the Declan Stulock Appeal.
A TROUBLE hit pub has served its last pint - until it re-opens after a £320,000 refurbishment. As reported in the BEN, police were called after violence erupted in January at the Crofters Arms in Bradshaw. Now brewery bosses are aiming to put all that
IT's exactly 100 years ago when the field gun was first used - it was during the Boer War, when the British Army was under siege at Ladysmith, South Africa. The Royal Navy landed, and manhandled field guns across rough terrain in order to relieve Ladysmith
AN Outreach worker is now available in Deane, Derby and Daubhill to help people gain voluntary work. Jeff Yacoobali, who is based at Bridge House, on Pool Street South is responsible for recruiting and interviewing volunteers and then referring them to
A GYMNASTICS club chairman, found guilty of causing criminal damage last year, has had the verdict overturned. But the quashing of the conviction came a month too late for the career hopes of 33-year-old Paul Schofield. Paul, of Pedder Street, Bolton,
BOLTON-born John Nixon has recorded his own CD....at the age of 72. One thing's for sure, he has had plenty of practice playing the concertina which is featured on the CD. For John was taught to play the instrument at the age of four by his father, Jack
LABOUR Euro MP for Greater Manchester West, Gary Titley, stormed out of Kosovo crisis talks because a Yugoslav diplomat was present. The emergency meeting of the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee in Brussels was called to discuss the ongoing
25 YEARS AGO 'THE STING', a film about a pair of confidence men in 1930s Chicago, last night walked away with all the honours in Hollywood's 46th annual Academy Awards. The picture, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, won seven Oscars in all, including
Music BOLTON Strings Together Ensemble, junior strings together approximate grades 1-3, 9.30am-10.45am and advanced ensemble, approximate grades 4-7, 11am-12.15pm, Somerset Road United Reformed Church, off Chorley New Road. BOLTON Music Service's activities
Dave Spikey, Charley Chuck and Rodri Crooks, Laughingas Comedy Club, The Place, Bolton. FOR the second week running a leading figure in the UK comedy circuit who is actually from Bolton has pitched in to get this comedy club up and running. The signs
WITH only the versatile Nick Pynn giving him acoustic backing, Steve Harley returns to the Albert Halls in Bolton by popular demand on Saturday, May 1. The hugely successful, Stripped To The Bones, show is back on the road. Stripped of their original
SOME of my fellow Boltonians and I have been campaigning for some little time for the lifting of sanctions against Iraq, where 6000-7000 children are dying per month as a result of them. A humanitarian crisis? One would have thought so. But the Government
HOCKEY players at Southlands High School are celebrating after notching a double. The year eight team (pictured) have just been crowned Chorley District hockey champions, having lost only one match all season. And the under-16 team, made up of girls from
RED Herring 'B' had a 4-0 win over Bretherton Wanderers in the Chorley and District Alliance Football League. The goals came from R Thompson, J Sullivan, M Whittle and E Saunt. Brindle St Joseph's won 1-0 at Euxton WMI thanks to a Smith goal and George
North of England 12 Stage Road Relay FORTY-eight teams from all over the North of England met at Haigh Hall near Wigan to contest this annual event. It is based upon a relay race of 12 runners with the winning team being the one with the fastest overall
SOCCER stadium bosses are working hard to stop their car parks being turned into race circuits every month. On Wednesday night 1,000 high-powered sports cars headed for the Reebok Stadium as part of a mass unofficial rally. It was the fourth time in recent
CHORLEY Nissan Sunday League premier division leaders Leos opened up a four point lead at the top after winning 3-1 at Duke of York. First half goals from Lilley (2) and Walker always had the visitors in control despite Duke scoring a late goal through
COLIN Todd reminded his Bolton players of the agony of relegation as he called for a full-blooded promotion push today. "We had a big let-down last season," the manager recalled, "don't let's have another let down this time." Wanderers go to Oxford tomorrow
BOLTON could forge links with a war-torn Kosovan town as a search begins for a third twin town. Council chiefs are currently looking to extend the town's international links, by building relations with a third overseas town. They say twin towns can provide
Shevington Sharks 0 Adlington Rangers 40 RANGERS made it one more win on the road to promotion in Wigan on Saturday. Despite a slow start they tightened up on their defence from the previous week and all the Shark attacks were snuffed out. Mark Lowe was
Bolton RUFC 20 Chorley 12 WITH three league games remaining in the North Lancs division one season, Chorley found themselves up against title contenders Bolton. An understrength Chorley side were missing four key players forcing coach Martin Peacock to
DEVELOPERS have hit back at Bolton business leaders' criticism of a proposed new out-of-town shopping and leisure complex. Yesterday the BEN revealed that members of the Bolton Town Centre Partnership were set to object against the planned development
CORONATION Street favourites Roy and Haley - actors David Neilson and Julie Hesmondhalgh - took time out on Saturday to try out Camelot's latest hi-tech attraction. The famous duo pulled on a pair of rollerblades, ready to launch the Chorley theme park's
I WANT to know if anyone can tell me how to stop letters to my house. My name isn't on the letters or the envelope, but my address is. I have tried the CAB, advice at the council, even the police this morning, and I can't get help of any of them. Mr S
COMPUTING has given Ian Kay a new start in life. Considering three years ago he was told by doctors he wouldn't survive 18 months because of a heart complaint, his achievements are amazing. Following a series of life-saving operations on his heart and
STATISTICS can't always be relied on to tell the full story but a dozen yellow cards in 30 games last season is a prominent feature of Jamie Fullarton's soccer CV. "Yes, you can say I put my foot in," the new Wanderer admits, "sometimes a bit too much
A YOUNG boy has died and two others - including his brother - had narrow escapes after a drowning tragedy in a Little Lever canal. The nine year old boy who died was dragged unconscious out of the canal after being under the water for up to 30 minutes
HE'S been tackling fires across Lancashire for 20 years - but Chorley firefighter Dennis Kirkham still gets a thrill out of helping people. Dennis, of Water Street, was among a group of Lancashire firefighters to be presented with Long Service and Good
AN Adlington cancer victim, who was given just two years to live, is on the road to full recovery after receiving pioneering cancer treatment at Manchester's Christie Hospital. Richard Duxbury, who was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma - a type of bone
THEY came from Hollywood in search of a ghostly presence - and the team of American ghostbusters who visited Chorley this week say they were not disappointed. Parapsychologist Dr Larry Montz and his team of mediums and scientists descended on the Euxton
DANGEROUS mountain bikers are riding into trouble at a Chorley beauty spot. Countryside rangers at Rivington say bikers and walkers are clashing over the use of the area. Now organisations such as North West Water, Lancashire County Council, Bolton Council
HOSPITAL waiting lists in Chorley have remained stable as the number of people awaiting NHS treatment in the North West fell for the eighth consecutive month. The number of patients needing NHS operations in Chorley has shown a slight monthly fall, but
ARE there any Bolton kids out there who resemble any one of those cute cartoon characters, the Rugrats? Does your offspring resemble the pigtailed Angelica, flame-haired Chuckie or perhaps even toothless Tommy? Well if they do, get their photo off to
A MAWDESLEY man died after the dumper truck he was driving fell into a ditch and trapped him. Phillip Butt, 39, of Anderton's Mill, Mawdesley, was working at the home of Craig Winstanley, of Douglas Villa, Meadow Lane, on Saturday, March 27, when the
IT'S a real sign of the times when the great selling point of a new beer on sale in local pubs is the fact that it is healthy. Billed as the "serious premium beer with a low calorie content" it is claimed to be the perfect drink for people who want to
CHORLEY Council are spoilsports. If we had a decent shopping centre in Chorley and they had encouraged large stores, for example BHS or Marks and Spencers, they wouldn't need to worry about people shopping elsewhere. Instead we have a draughty cold shopping
BRAINBOXES at two Bolton pubs have put the town on the map by gaining pub customer service awards. Bar staff at the Finishers Arms are convinced that between them they can remember all their regulars' favourite tipples after EIGHT of them gained membership
Dear Editor, I thought you might like this ode to the Citizen I have written . . . Thursday is my special day, The Citizen paper comes my way. I get my feet up and have a brew Then read the paper all way through. The Citizen staff do their best, Working
THERE appears to be something of a resurgence in live entertainment in Bolton, writes Alan Calvert. I had two splendid nights out at the end of last week and did not miss the old telly one bit. The Laughingas Comedy Club got underway at The Place in Ash
VISITORS to Turton Tower this weekend will be able to look back at the drama of sixteenth century Lancashire life with a series of role plays. Held in the Dininge Chamber on Easter Sunday at 2.30 and 3.30 pm, visitors can watch as Tudor banqueting preparations
THIS month sees the deadline to enter the 3Ds category of the Bolton and Bury Business Awards competition. £31,000 in prize money is available in 12 different award categories - including the £1,000 up for grabs specially for a business from Deane, Derby
BOLTON Workers Educational Association is holding a series of music appreciation sessions. A short course of six meetings will be held on Tuesday afternoons from 1.45pm to 3.45 pm in the lecture theatre of the Central Library, Bolton, starting on Tuesday
I WAS very sorry to read in the BEN that Mr Salem is leaving Bolton for a post in Edinburgh. I wonder if they know what a great surgeon they are getting. Not only is he a great surgeon, he's a very thoughtful, caring and skilled man. I have been a patient
THE hunt for the killer of a Leigh pensioner will continue, police said today. As reported in yesterday's BEN, Kelly Jane Sixsmith, 22, had been charged with the unlawful killing of Mary Povah. But the charge was dramatically dropped at Leigh magistrates
MORE than 100 workers were evacuated from a Radcliffe factory after highly toxic chemicals escaped and threatened to contaminate the local water supply. A special firefighting team using highly specialised equipment and wearing protective clothing was
SCHOOL holidays can spell danger for youngsters with too much time on their hands and little to do. It's a headache for parents to keep their kids constantly entertained, and the pressure of knowing where they are every minute of the day is immense. In
I, LIKE many other regular readers of the BEN, like to watch, listen to and read about meaningful political debate. What many of us do not like are the frequent dull and unnewsworthy letters from the plagiarist, Paul Brierley. Why don't you stand up Paul
