REPORTS of racially motivated attacks and harassment in Greater Manchester have gone up by 18 per cent in the last year. The rise is revealed in a report by a multi-agency unit monitoring racial incidents in the region. Between April last year and March
THE work of artist Pablo Picasso comes to Chorley this week. Astley Hall is housing the exhibition Picasso: Late Etchings from Saturday until Sunday, August 4. It is one of an extensive range of exhibitions in the National Touring Exhibitions, taking
STUDENTS with learning difficulties could be targeted by education bosses as part of a controversial cost-cutting measure. Bolton's cash-strapped education authority is looking at alternative provision for students who attend Woodside Senior School's
NOW owzat for a takeaway . . . Lancashire Cricket Club's Pakistani fast bowler Wazim Akram received a special delivery himself this week - by air from Chorley. A meal prepared and picked up from the Veena Indian Cuisine restaurant, Brook Street, Chorley
SIR: We, the public, have heard lots of rumours about what is being planned for the Bolton Royal Infirmary. One rumour was it was being bulldozed to make way for flats and houses. I have a suggestion. By all means, close all the old people's homes, but
WHEN 14 stone Nicola Hustings saw her wedding pictures she gasped in horror because she felt she looked awful! But now she is vowing to get married all over again after slimming down to a sprightly 10 stone. Nicola of Grime Street said: "The day was perfect
SIR: Voluntary work in the community isn't everybody's cup of tea, after all why give up free time to work for nothing? Yet many people do and derive great satisfaction supporting causes that seem to slip through the net of public provision. Bolton Conservation
SIR: May I thank Mrs L Pinkey for her kind remarks about Wilfred Geere old peoples' home in Farnworth. We would like to thank the BEN for your support. From all the staff at Wilfred Geere OPH, Farnworth. Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000.
SIR: I refer to recent letters regarding ball games in residential areas. Being a parent of three, it is impossible to have eyes all around you, but knowing where your child is playing, as long as it is outside your own house, should not be a problem.
ALMOST one million residents and tourists along the southeastern cost of the United States are being urged to pack up and leave to escape from Hurricane Bertha. Winds of up to 105 mph were heading towards the Atlantic Seaboard this morning with barely
SIR: I am sorry to see that Bolton council have turned down a grant to people who want to make a film about the Bolton Wanderers team who went to war in 1939. Their excuse that they want to get rid of the cloth cap and clogs image is an insult to all
SIR: May I endorse the letter of C F Tierney on July 2, 1996, regarding vandalism on our sacred bowling greens. For example, we play our home matches at Heywood Park and, unfortunately, it is taken as the norm, nowadays, that a football match of mass
SIR: I refer to your news item headed "Lewis Escapes Blair Row Rap" (BEN, July 4). For the record I have not, as reported, given support of any kind to the views expressed by Paul Flynn MP. Nor have I publicly criticised the decision of Mr Blair to hold
CHORLEY Hospital has invested £42 million in a bid to boost its place in the Government's performance league tables. Statistics show that, out of 46 categories, the hospital gained the top five star grade in 12, and the minimum award of one star in 11
CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after a high street bank did a surprising U-turn and reversed a controversial decision to close two of its local branches. The Royal Bank of Scotland has been praised for keeping the Adlington and Coppull outlets open. Customers
A FURIOUS family has received an apology after being left to use water containing massive amounts of lead. Roy and Emma Dean, who have two young daughters, slammed the treatment they received from under-fire North West Water which admitted it should have
SIR: At last John Gummer has bowed to the pressure to investigate the possibility of restoring Bolton to the county of Lancashire. However, if Mr Gummer does decide to direct the Local Government Commission to l look at re-drawing the boundaries, it is
BOLTON schools and youth groups are to be targeted by Bury leisure bosses to promote an activity centre in their borough. They plan to inform schools and groups throughout Greater Manchester about facilities at Burrs Country Park, Bury. Business study
You're on the Internet and you're interested in Bolton? Then consider registering with the Bolton Worldwide Netlist, a unique directory of Internet users around the world with a common interest in the town of Bolton. BWN is being built and managed by
SEVEN dare-devil members of the same family enjoyed a charity parachute jump so much that they did it twice. The intrepid Howorth family pledged to overcome their fears and plunge from the skies to raise cash for Bolton Hospice. They were so impressed
A CENTRE has opened in Bolton to help an estimated 1,000 young people caring for elderly and housebound relatives. The centre will help the carers so they can lead ordinary lives in addition to looking after loved ones. A project funded by Wigan and Bolton
A BOLTON family are celebrating the birth of their amazing time warp twin, two years after their daughter Victoria Thomas, was born. Nicholas James has given his delighted parents Janice and Christopher Thomas "the perfect family". He developed from an
BY voting themselves a massive 26 per cent increase, the majority of MPs have confirmed the worst impressions many people have of them as greedy and self-seeking. Far from setting an example to other public sector employees, the MPs have voted themselves
25 YEARS AGO THE first of 500 extra troops were being drafted into Northern Ireland today. Tension was already rising with the approach of Monday's Battle of the Boyne celebrations, and the province had another night of violence in which four soldiers
MOVES are forging ahead to provide a pool of cash to give financial support to would-be students of Bolton's leading independent school. Fears that the government's Assisted Places scheme will disappear under Labour control has prompted behind the scenes
A WIDOWED war veteran has been left devastated after his wallet containing £1,900 was stolen from his home. Tearful Alf Guffogg, aged 80, says he was left "completely skint" by the theft. He discovered the cash and bank cards, together with four shirts
THE NEWS that family-run toy shop Boydell's is to close stunned shoppers yesterday. Generations of families have bought toys and games from the store which has been in the town for 60 years. As reported exclusively in last night's BEN, the Oxford Street
SIR: I should like to put on record the decisions made by Cllr K Peters and other members of the Social Services Committee. Home Care weekend staff were offered a new contract declaring, if they wished to continue working week-ends as well as their week
ASPIRING Bolton bands are invited to take part in a "Rock Against Poverty" in a bid to fight cuts in welfare benefits and low pay. The pop festival will be staged at Clarence Park, Bury, on September 29 and is organised by the Unemployed Action Group
AN ARTHRITIS sufferer has set out on a hazardous 120-mile trek across one of the world's driest deserts. Father-of-two Mark Critchley, of Brow Hey, Clayton Brook, aims to cross the Atacama Desert in Chile, South America to raise money for vital research
A BOLTON trade union leader has slammed a bakery in Bury for taking on a night shift worker at just £60 a week. Ron Draper, Greater Manchester District Secretary for the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union, says the wage offered by Allbake in Bury is
A TERRIFIED 14-year-old girl pleaded for her life with a vicious sex beast who raped her holding a kitchen knife at her throat, it emerged today. Detectives say the schoolgirl "prayed to God" during the attack at Clifton continually begging her attacker
ENVIRONMENTAL health officers have been called in after furious residents contacted them to say they are being plagued by flies. People living near Coppull Moor Farm, on Preston Road, Coppull say the problem happens every summer and the parish council
SIR: C F Tierney seems to think if you visit Tonge Park any evening or Saturday afternoon you'll find louts drinking alcohol, smoking, swearing standing on the roof of Bowling club, pulling off the roofing, setting fire to things and having a laugh. Well
A CHORLEY councillor is 'info' a hard time after the town hall was declared a 'know-go' area for him. Liberal Democrat Simon Jones is locked in a row over his requests for information from busy officers to carry out his duties. Mr Jones, accused of wasting
HENRY Paul has vowed there'll be no brotherly love when Wigan's Super League title bid goes on the line at Bradford Bulls tomorrow. The 22 year old half back faces his kid brother Robbie at Odsal and said: "We'll be giving each other some stick." He added
SIR: Some time ago I queried the staffing levels in the local authority, particularly Social Services and Education. I quoted the number of Deputy Directors and was reprimanded by the Chief Executive. It was in fact a slip of the pen by me and I should
SIR: I would be grateful if we could express our appreciation of the efforts of Bolton Round Table in staging the recent 24 hour Le Mans Pedal Car Race held in Moss Bank Park. This is an event unique to Bolton and has a long and successful history. In
MOTORISTS faced traffic delays this lunchtime when a 120 ft metal girder slipped from an articulated lorry at a busy road junction. The accident in Blackburn Road at the Dunscar War Memorial shortly after 11am brought traffic chaos to the area. Police
RADIO Bolton begins its third trial broadcast to coincide with the start of this year's Bolton Festival. The 28 day transmission period kicks off at 11am on Saturday, August 24 with an outside broadcast from Victoria Square covering the busking competition
IT is an all-staff cast for the pantomimeZCinderellaZwhich is being staged at Thornleigh Salesian College tonight, tomorrow and Saturday, starting at 7.30 pm. All the cast and chorus are employed at the college. The script is by Wally Lindsay, an ex-professional
A SICK sneak thief robbed an elderly grandmother on her own doorstep, stealing a treasured memento of a visit to Lourdes. The thief snatched 76-year-old Lily Strickland's handbag containing a sentimental rosary given to her by a local priest after a pilgrimage
THE news that Boydell's toy shop is set to close makes sad tidings for local children and parents alike. The Oxford Street shop has become a mecca over the years for wide-eyed youngsters and doting adults keen to survey the wealth of toys and hobby items
A GROUP of Chorley musicians will kick off the biggest free party in the North West this weekend. Party in the Park will feature a line-up of chart-busting bands from Let Loose to Deuce but striking up the string of bands will be Chorley-based group Tripitaka
COUPLES desperate to have children will be refused NHS funded treatment unless they attempt to give up smoking. Tough new rules for assisted conception treatment have just been approved by Wigan and Bolton health bosses. Women over 40 and men over 45
CHORLEY tipplers are being warned about buying potentially dangerous counterfeit whisky and vodka. Lancashire County Council's trading standards department says the Royal Game Forest-labelled blended scotch whisky has been found to contain enough diluted
A SHOCKED teenager discovered the body of his step father hanging with a cable around his neck after calling at his home. The 13-year-old spotted his step father after he clambered up a drainpipe when 35-year-old William James had failed to answer repeated
BOLTON's long-awaited magistrates court could be under construction next year, a Government minister has said. Gary Streeter told the town's independent MP, that problems which had delayed work on the new Justice complex had been resolved. He refused
BOLTON'S newest magician has appeared on the professional scene with his eyes firmly set on the big time. Glenn Scott, aged 19, of Everbrom Road, Bolton, has been performing tricks since he was a youngster when his father encouraged him to take up the
THE North West Playwrights' Summer Workshops 1996 started last night at Bolton's Octagon Theatre withZHard ShoulderZby John Doona, directed by Lee Beagley of Kaboodle Theatre Company. Tonight there isZThe Man Who Would be BingZby Jim Burke, directed by
MICHAEL Flatley, the American-Irish dance genius who choreographed the phenomenally successful Riverdance, has unleashed another extravagant Celtic dance spectacular. Lord of the DanceZopened in Dublin last month and is at the Manchester Apollo from July
A TOTEM pole is to be unveiled in Bolton tomorrow. And although totem poles are usually associated with the native Americans, this one will have a very Bolton feel to it. The carvings have been designed by children from the Deane, Daubhill and Derby areas
A BOLTON historian has hit out at plans to turn the former Silverwell Street sports and exhibition centre into a pay and display car park. Instead, he wants the Grade 2 listed building Silverwell House, which made up part of the sports centre, turned
THREE young golfers from Bolton took starring roles at the weekend playing for Lancashire "B' at Blackpool North Shore. The partnership of Steve Parry and Andy Runciman (Deane) halved with David Mackinnon (Fleetwood) and David Grundy (Lytham Green Drive
BEN Crompton broke the Turton course record of 74 by shooting a 72 to lift the Captain's Prize. The 14 years-old Turton High School pupil scored 72-7-65 on the recently completed par 70 course. Ben, who plays for the Bolton representative side and is
THE BGA league games have passed the half way stage but no clear leader has yet emerged. The present leaders are Turton but they have played a game more than second placed Dunscar and two more than in-form Chorley. GREAT LEVER 5 BOLTON 2: Andy Neill half
STAFF at the local depot of TNT UK Ltd are celebrating after winning the Motor Transport Safety in Operation Award. The company operates in Lancashire, Greater Manchester and East Cheshire from its depot at Ramsbottom. Eddie O'Donnell, TNT's general manager
A LOCAL company is celebrating its centenary this year. S.R. Walsh, which has since established itself as the largest importer of industrial clothes and gloves in the UK, began in 1896 as a drapery and clothing store in Blackburn Road, Bolton. By the
A GLOBE-trotting knight is to spread the word for Manchester - and Bolton - throughout the world. Sir David Trippier, the chairman of Marketing Manchester, outlined a major campaign to establish Greater Manchester on the world stage by 2005 when he gave
