BEFORE the final decision on the closure of local primary schools, I would like to further argue the case for retaining Oldhams County Primary School. The recent report on the value for money arguments of the Audit Commission made no reference to any
I READ with dismay that the Audit Commissions findings sound the death knell of Oldhams CP School! Not once in all that has been written and said have I heard "closure would best serve the needs of the children of Oldhams Estate". Of course we expect
PLANNING chiefs will decide tomorrow whether a second Bolton multi-million pound out-of-town shopping scheme can go ahead. Developers Orbit want to set up a £20 million factory outlet at Middlebrook creating 200 jobs. Town hall officers are recommending
POLICE are investigating claims that a car involved in a six-vehicle smash had been involved in two minor collisions earlier the same day. As reported in last night's BEN, the Rover, driven by a 31-year-old man from the Wigan area, went out of control
RECENTLY merged Bolton Sixth Form College has received a mixed report by financial backers. Falling grades pushed the North Campus in Smithills near to the bottom of the national table for exam results. But the South campus managed to stay in the top
AS an avid fan of Indian food, I was delighted at being one of the competition winners for a meal for two at the Royal Balti House, Farnworth. As a regular customer of the restaurant, to be selected as a winner was a bonus. It is an excellent place, the
I have just read the October edition of Crux which is the monthly magazine claiming to keep people in touch with Church life in the Diocese of Manchester. I found only one reference to God and one to Jesus in all of the 16 pages. There was an interesting
I REFER to the item on Edward Greenhalgh (BEN, September 29) headed: Woman's 40-year hunt for her old playmate. In a computer disk, named UK - INFO DISK, which could be known to you, there are 20 Edward Greenhalgh listings throughout the UK. Eleven of
PARAMEDICS revived a Bolton teenager who had stopped breathing after being pulled unconscious from his burning home. Hero neighbours rescued his parents from the house, which was described as an "inferno". Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus found
IN an article specially written for Monday's BEN, Greater Manchester's fire chief, County Fire Officer George Almond of Bolton, urged his troops to think again as an all-out strike looms nearer. And he claimed the Fire Brigades Union was deliberately
LONG-SERVING Leigh Centurions' star David Hill has collected a testimonial cheque for more than £13,300. Hill's 10-year Hilton Park career reached it's climax when the full-back received his cheque at a celebration dinner at the club's Mick Martyn Suite
BUSINESS Voice 99 officially opens on October 13 at the Reebok Stadium. It begins with the annual public meeting of the Bolton and Bury Chamber at 11am followed by the opening ceremony at 12.15pm. On October 14 the stadium will host an e-commerce conference
A BOLTON market firm has been given an award - because of staff excellence. Workers at Jean's Health Foods were each given certificates applauding their high training standards. Making the awards, the training manager of the National Health Food Training
I WAS interested in your recent report headed: Fishmongers told: Pay up or get out. It's an example of how public opinion changes through the years - not always for the better. Cllr Kilcoyne said that he did not expect Bolton Council to "subsidise these
IMPROVED test results have pushed Bolton schools into 66th place in the latest league tables released today. Schools in the town achieved a respectable place in the top half of the league table made up of 150 authorities nationwide. Traditionally high
CLAUS Jensen is ready to play two games in less than 24 hours to help Phil Brown clinch a winning hat-trick. Wanderers' ace midfielder had been expected to miss Saturday's game at Wolves because he is due to play for Denmark in an Under 21 friendly against
A BOLTON student has decided to put off university for a year to spend eight months in a remote African village. Ex-Canon Slade sixth former Ian Barker will live in a rural community with no running water or electricity - in contrast to his detached home
A BOLTON councillor has vowed to help residents beat the fly tipping that is blighting an unadopted back street at the rear of their homes. Cllr Dennis Barlow was reacting to a report in the BEN which highlighted the problems faced by residents living
SCORES of former Bolton miners suffering from diseases caused by coal dust have reached a key stage in their compensation battles. Yesterday, government chiefs announced that a specialist firm is to medically assess thousands of miners throughout the
I write in response to Mr Robinson's letter (Your Views October 1): So where is our MP?. I cannot believe that Mr Robinson has not seen David Crausby MP in the columns of the BEN frequently and regularly. This MP (like Dr Iddon) is a new MP and has worked
ASK a town centre shop owner what he thinks about the plan to build a £20 million shopping complex on his doorstep and the response would be unprintable. So it will be a brave councillor who votes in favour of the proposal to add a factory outlet to the
I REFER to: HIGH VIEW CRICKET CLUB - PLANNING APPLICATION No: 55640/99 I have just heard about the above planning application. High View Cricket Club wish to erect a 1.8m fence all the way around the field, thus stopping the local community from using
THEATRE, MUSIC & DANCE BOLTON Music Service's activities include Bolton Junior Youth Choir, 6pm-7.30pm, Bolton Girls' Choir, 6.45pm-8.45pm, Bolton Youth Choir, 6.30pm-9pm and the Gamalon Orchestra at Bolton Music Centre, The Deane School, New York
THIS stunning production of West Side Story is bristling with talent. Director and choreographer Marje Brayshaw has brought a freshness and vitality to this much loved musical and the energetic dance sequences are a sizzling success. Steven Sharples'
THREE goals in the first half eased Ramsbottom United to a comfortable 4-1 home win over Cheadle Town. But Ken Bridge's side never hit the top note that has been on display in recent performances. Steve Orrell got the first goal on 13 minutes, but two
I AM writing on behalf of The Sutton Trust Kids' Club, which is a kids' club organised and run by a group of parents from our estate of over 300 homes. At this moment in time, we have a membership of about 60 kids aged between five and 13, but could cater
A BUS company is investigating claims that a Bolton teenager was hit in the head by a mirror as she stood on a Bradshawgate pavement. And company officials are also investigating whether the Bradshawgate-Deansgate junction is safe enough for large buses
A STARSTRUCK pensioner is STILL hunting for the Hollywood home of her movie pin-up. Grandmother-of-10, Lillian Birchall, will jet out to Los Angeles in two months time in a bid to meet her favourite actor Richard Gere. So far, the desperate 77-year-old
THE region's leading children's hospital says its funds are drying up because generous people are suffering from "compassion fatigue". And it blames the National Lottery. Last year the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital's NHS Trust received a total
A COACH driver ferrying a coach load of Bolton school children home from a day trip to France was arrested in Calais after trying to bring £17,000 worth of tobacco into the country. Year 10 and 11 pupils from Little Lever High School were on their way
THE family of a teenage girl cleared of allegations that she left her new-born baby to drown have slammed the original decision to press charges. They say it led to them enduring l6 months of "living hell". Her father said : "What was such a tragedy has
CLAUS Jensen is ready to play two games in less than 24 hours to help Phil Brown clinch a winning hat-trick. Wanderers' ace midfielder had been expected to miss Saturday's game at Wolves because he is due to play for Denmark in an Under 21 friendly against
HUNDREDS of North-west bosses eager to recruit the best staff are turning to a 'cafeteria approach' to employee benefits, according to a Manchester accountant. David Cowen, a partner at Hacker Young, is convinced that simply offering a lucrative salary
BOLTON North East Conservative Association has won two awards at the Party Conference in Blackpool. It was specially commended in the Campaign 99 section for its activities selling the Tory message and for boosting membership by more than 30pc to around
STEVE Waywell's intentions of strengthening Leigh RMI's squad continues with the signing of Mark Ward. The former Manchester City, Everton and West Ham United midfield player figured for Altrincham last season and has just returned from a spell in Jersey
A MALAWI man is in Bolton in a bid to create a lifeline for his nation's poor people. Harry Khamalatha has appealed for folk to donate items such as wheelchairs, paint brushes and musical instruments to send to the African country. The appeal is in aid
She loved her autumn palette, With russets, browns and golds. Till lengthening shadows o'er the lawn, The darkling night enfolds. Her garden edged with shrubs and trees, A happy home for birds and bees. She loved the bite of winter, The garden frosted
WESTHOUGHTON looks likely to get a controversial new primary school. Education chiefs have been advised to merge Fourgates CP and St John (Wingates) on a new site in the Wingates area. The working party set up to review surplus places in primary schools
BOLTON folk are brushing up their Shakespeare and preparing to go poetry potty tomorrow. As part of National Poetry Day, Bolton shoppers, officer workers and shop assistants are being pounced on in the town centre and encouraged to produce their own prose
A BOLTON pony due to be sold as horse meat is now winning top national competitions. In a Cinderella tale, 25-year-old Springfield Serenade was saved from the knacker's yard by a horse charity. He has been nursed back to tip-top condition by 14-year-old
25 YEARS AGO OFFERS of bedsitters, and furniture to help students at Bolton colleges out of an accommodation plight have been pouring in. Last week's emergency meetings at Bolton Institute of Technology to see what could be done for the 60 students who
