I HAVE just received my British Gas bill. Prominent is 'Your standing charge axed'. So I thought I didn't have to pay it any more. But it states ... "For example, now you'll no longer be paying a standing charge for your gas WHEN YOU'RE AWAY FROM HOME
REGARDING your article in the Evening News, may I correct a few points. Evidently you are not including Settle Street, Great Lever, allotment holders, whose ages range from 50 to 80. These holders are either retired or unemployed, and are busy most days
THE TORY pension proposals are a con -- taking away Labour's extra help for pensioners to give it back to them and pretend it is extra money. Under the Tories, most pensioners will get no extra, the poorest will be worse off and the better off will pay
AND I have always believed that the Labour Party was the bastion of free speech! But now, it would seem, free speech is interpreted as propaganda, by John S L Evans. I have written, perhaps more letters than most, on the pensions issue. It was me who
TOMMY'S Campaign is challenging the UK to Go Dotty this June and help raise £1 million to save tiny lives. It is a big challenge. One in five pregnancies ends in miscarriage, one in 188 babies are stillborn and more than 100 babies are born too small
characterisation I MIGHT even agree with your correspondent Robert Anderson about the Dome (May 26), but that's about where I stop. He really cannot be allowed to get away with his comic-strip characterisation of post-war politics. Of course governments
ON return from a few days away from home I caught up with last week's BEN. What pleasure the photograph of Libby Smethurst, the Down's Syndrome 19-month-old child on her grandmother's shoulders, gave me. It reminded me of the time when I was mayor of
CHORLEY MP Lindsay Hoyle has called for warnings to be issued following the tragic deaths of young children involving garden ponds and water features. The Labour MP tabled an Early Day Motion which calls on the Government to initiate a campaign in conjunction
A CHORLEY granddad is gearing himself up for a daunting 4,500-mile trip around Britain on his eg scooter! Daring David Coan plans to ride the entire length of the British coastline -- whatever the weather! The former computer specialist, who sets off
Over Hulton, Bolton Family life in full flow REMEMBER the film Spring and Port Wine from thirty years ago? Then it starred James Mason - and Bill Naughton's comedy is back on the stage. And it has to be said, the actors and their producer Alice Bowmer
THERE was some real monkey business going on at a Chorley tennis coaching session. Tennis players from the Chorley 3-Star junior club got a real shock when they turned up to the courts at St Michael's High School to discover that their coach of ten years
A SURGERY held by David Crausby, Bolton North East MP, has been rescheduled for Friday, June 2. There is no need to make an appointment for the surgery which will be held at the Loyals Lounge, Bolton Town Hall between 4.30pm and 6.30pm.
A FOUR-week course in meditation starts at the Brahma Kumari Centre, Rishton Lane, Great Lever, on Tuesday, June 13, and Wednesday, June 14, from 7.30 pm. There will be one session a week and they are free of charge. For more information contact 0161
A REPORT on employment trends concludes that companies must raise skill levels to boost productivity. A survey by the Confederation of British Industry and human resources consultant William M Mercer found that companies were aware of the need to improve
A THREE-day Centenary Millennium Flower Festival will be staged by the Bolton Methodist Mission at the Victoria Hall, Bolton town centre, at the weekend. The event will bem opened at noon on Friday and will continue over the three days until 4pm on Sunday
INCREASING numbers of employees are cutting down on working hours to enjoy a more balanced lifestyle, it is claimed. Recruitment company Kelly Services says employers are now witnessing an entirely new breed of people in the workforce who want more time
AN Information Day on Income Tax is being hosted by Age Concern at the Ashburner Street Centre on Wednesday, June 14, from 1pm. Eileen O'Rourke, Age Concern's advice and information officer, said: "Often, older people are unsure whether they are paying
THE Cancer Research Campaign is seeking volunteers for a trek through the Himalayas to raise vital funds for the fight against breast cancer. The seven day walk through the wilderness of Uzbekistan in Central Asia along the Old Silk Route takes place
GARDENERS are being urged to plant a starflower for every cancer survivor in Britain. Cancer Research Campaign scientists believe answers to new treatments for the disease could be on hand after evidence showed the plant could prevent and even reverse
A GROUP of Bolton Ukrainians intend to make their presence felt at tonight's historic first soccer match between England and the Ukraine. And the significance of the game has not been lost on Bolton's Ukrainian Club based at Castle Street. Twenty members
PUPILS at a school in Little Lever targeted by vandals have sent open letters asking them to stop. Teacher Matthew Harding, of Year 5 at St Matthew's Primary School in Norris Street, organised the letter-writing as a class exercise. But he is hoping the
A TEENAGE boy escaped from his blazing home early today after being woken by a smoke alarm. Robert Burns, aged 17, ran through thick smoke to get out of the house at Tyldesley. His pet dog, Kes, was rescued by firefighters who gave the animal oxygen to
HOUSING officers who put up a two metre fence without planning permission have sparked off a storm of protests from neighbours living close by. And tomorrow councillors will decide whether to allow the fence at the rear of three blocks of flats on Davis
THE post mortem examination results following the tragic death of a Leigh rugby star were due to be known today. John Westhead bled to death following a freak accident just after midnight on Sunday when his arm smashed through a glass panel in a door
HEADTEACHERS have backed Bury's fight for fairer school funding at their annual conference in Jersey. Mick Brookes, president of the National Association of Headteachers, said the current national system of funding as unstable, unfair and unsafe. He called
PLANS for a major leisure complex in Boothstown, comprising football pitches and changing rooms is set to be given the go ahead by councillors tomorrow. The proposals at Bridgewater Park Playing Fields, on land off Godmondhall Drive and Amberhill Way,
IDEAS have been coming in thick and fast on how the Bolton public thinks the National Health Service should be improved. The Government has recently launched the National Health Service consultation exercise giving everyone the chance to have their say
BOLTON Wanderers today hailed their fans' "impeccable" behaviour. Reebok chiefs heaped praise on their supporters after another trouble free season. Chief executive Des McBain said the fans were a credit to the club and urged those about to follow England
CHORLEY folk wanting to take advantage of the good weather should take themselves along to Withnell Fold Nature Reserve. On Wednesday June 7, people are invited to take a guided tour around the beauty spot and see the work that has been done there. Visitors
TEN firefighters and medics from Qatar trained at the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service's International Training Centre in Euxton have their passing-out parade next Thursday. The ten, who work for the Ras Laffan Liquified Natural gas Company, have just
VISITORS to Astley Hall will soon be in for a real treat when it reveals a hanging of a different kind. The Millennium Wall Hanging, created by Astley Hall Society, is set to be unveiled in the historic building by the Mayor of Chorley on June 7. Funded
ADVENTUROUS volunteers in Chorley are being asked to take part in a unique fundraising event. Corporate teams who are up for a challenge are invited to take part in a Dragon Boat Race in aid of The National Deaf Children's Society. The NDCS is a registered
THE Bolton Association won their annual challenge match against a 10-man Ribblesdale League side at Walshaw. Ribblesdale turned up a man short and although offered a Walshaw player to make up a full side, elected to go ahead with their original squad.
BOLTON cricketer Tim Rees is on the verge of being picked for England's under 15 World Cup team. The talented Eagley batsman has been named in the squad of 24 from which the final squad of 14 will be chosen next month. "I'm cautiously confident," he said
LEIGH RMI fans face a matchday price rise to £7 a game for their first season in the Nationwide Conference. The increase is out of RMI's hands as the price is the minimum admission charge for the Conference. Season ticket prices have been increased accordingly
LANCASHIRE today handed Paddy McKeown the perfect early birthday present -- a first team call-up. McKeown, who is 24 tomorrow, was given his first chance of the season in the Championship game against Derbyshire at Old Trafford as international calls
TIM Calderbank survived being dropped on 0 to make the individual top score of the day of 125 as Heaton scored 282-7 against Greenmount. He was well supported by all the top six batsman with Mark Greenhalgh 36 being the next top score. Chris Crawford
BRADSHAW U15's won their first game of the season against Westhoughton. Westhoughton batted first scoring 94 for 6 (C Mullet 39). Bradshaw then reached 95 for 2 with 2 overs to go (P Waring 34 and R Tierney 31). Walkden continued their fine start to the
THOSE were the days, the Swinging Sixties . . . or is that the time when everything started to go wrong in this country because of the 'freedom' we all suddenly got? I don't really want you to answer the question, because I don't care! As far as I am
BOLTON Bulls Wheelchair Basketball team were promoted to the second division as third division runners-up after their hard fought 52-47 victory over Oldham Owls 3, writes Stephen Lightbown. Top spot had finally been put out of Bolton's reach after leaders
THE last Sunday in May on the Town Hall Square and after a topsy-turvy week weather-wise, it looked likely to continue. To say it was cool would be an understatement -- a nice winter's day was more like it. Overshoes and thermal clothing were very much
LEISURE, SPORT AND KEEP FIT BOLTON Excel, Lower Bridgeman Street, tel: 334456: 50+ badminton, table tennis, squash and gym, 1pm-3pm; body conditioning, 2pm-3pm. DEANE Leisure Centre, Junction Road, Deane, tel: 334432: junior swimming lessons, 5.30pm-7.30pm
THE past week has been a busy one for LRC riders with races in North and West Yorkshire and closer to home on the usual 10 & 25 mile courses at Garstang. The miserable weather of Wednesday turned in to a near perfect evening for the small contingent
IMAGO from Section 'D' started last week with a Finestyle Windows handicap match against Bradbury Ladies from Section 'H'. The section difference meant Imago had to give their opponents an 80 run start and were limited to 20 minutes batting in each innings
ADLINGTON is mourning the death of one of its best-loved and most respected characters. Edna Shone, 79, (pictured in blue dress) former mayor of Adlington and Chorley, died in her sleep at home on Bank Holiday Monday after returning from a short stay
THE Mayor, Cllr Alan Wilkinson, is right to highlight the fact that this town has many talented children. We have said so frequently in these columns when reporting such events as the Schools' Music Association Festival, with which the BEN is proud to
PUB regulars and businesses are battling to stop a local landmark being redeveloped by burger giants McDonald's. Drinkers at the Jolly Miller, Chorley Old Road, were horrified when they learned the pub is to be sold next month and demolished to make way
A TERRIFIED motorist told today how he was forced out of his high-powered sports car by a masked man on the driveway of his home. Darren Morris was threatened by a man wielding an iron bar as he arrived home late last night. Mr Morris, an electrician,
A GROUP of MPs is to back the Bolton Evening News' campaign to restrict the sale of fireworks. Local MP David Crausby has launched the Westminster drive to limit the sale of the Guy Fawkes' Day explosives to organisers of proper public displays. Last
THE teams in the recently formed Sunday Morning Stella Artois League are nicely settled in. There are two divisions based upon a 15-week invitation structure and an independent Restaurant League. Paul Greenhalgh's Jolly Carter, and Keith Lonsdale's Howcroft
Bolton Boys Fed Under-16s Jubilee Cup Final - Deans Sports 1 Farnworth Villa 0 Deans Sports left it late to clinch Jubilee Cup glory. They denied Farnworth Villa a Bolton Boys Federation Under-16s league and cup double when Adam Fagin pounced to score
LITTLE Lever School Under-14s were in record breaking mood when they stepped up their bid to win the Lancashire Cup. They destroyed Bury Grammar School to send warning signals ringing round the rest of the teams involved. In 25 overs, they scored 211
ATHERTON 254, Standish 215 Match abandoned one point each. Atherton: Gary Fox 15 and Daniel Young 11. Elton 241, Daisy Hill 243. Elton: Sam Price 13, D Dawson 11.Daisy Hill: A Chadwick 12. N Gallahan 12, J Grenville 11. Bolton Indians 222, Spring View
CHORLEY travelled to Netherfield on Sunday and made further progress towards Lords in the National Knockout. But either side were a couple of disasters -- defeats against Morecambe and derby rivals Darwen. Chorley and Darwen have agreed that their group
NORTHERN Ireland's troubles seem no nearer to being solved. All we hear from the party leaders is rhetoric countered by the same from the opposition. The Irish people deserve better, but, while the parties remain entrenched, each one suspicious of the
IN reply to Stephen Dickinson Do you think that the council in their wisdom would go to the trouble of putting a chair lift in out of kindness? People like you seem to forget that disabled people have rights of access -- the meeting room being just one
I WRITE regarding recent developments at Bolton College. It's all very well for the Governors to admit that errors have been made, when again it is the taxpayers who have to foot the bill. Why don't the Lecturers Unions and others call for the Governors
IT IS time the seven million people in the North-west of England secured direct control over the matters which most affect our region and our region alone. If I wasn't convinced of this before, I certainly am now, having just paid a visit to the new Scottish
ANIMAL loving volunteers in Chorley are being thanked for all their time and support offered by Britain's largest veterinary charity. The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals said that praise must be given to the people throughout the country who had
CHORLEY consumers who received first aid kits from a foreign company are being warned by Trading Standards not to pay for them. The alert comes after more than 70 people received unwanted first aid kits from Dutch firm, 'Royal Consulting' and were ordered
A NEW state-of-the-art Royal Mail delivery office is set to open in Chorley today (Thursday). Costing around £1.5 million, the single-storey building will occupy 18,000 square feet of a former derelict site at Chorley East Business Centre -- replacing
CLAUS Jensen's hopes of playing in Euro 2000 have been dashed after he was left out of the 22-strong Denmark squad. The Wanderers' ace was hotly tipped to take one of the midfield berths after breaking into the senior ranks in March and he had his hopes
CHORLEY has a new British champion! Chorley Athletic Club's John Payn became the British Road Race Walking Champion in the veterans' 65 category on Sunday. John recorded a time of six hours nine minutes and 21 seconds over the 50km course which started
LOCAL businessman Rod Sellers will take over as chairman of Ultraframe at the end of June. Mr Sellers, who lives in Chorley New Road, Lostock, will succeed another local man, Don Greenhalgh. Mr Greenhalgh, also chairman of the Blackrod-based Allen construction
THE Engineering Employers' Federation has attacked the government over its proposed Climate Change Levy. A recent letter to Chancellor Gordon Brown included the example of an EEF member company which faced a levy bill of £900,000 -- 15 per cent of its
BOLTON West Labour MP Ruth Kelly has hit out at Tory plans to scrap the Government's New Deal for Lone Parents. "In the North-west alone over 16,000 lone parents have been helped by the New Deal for 18 to 24 year olds, and youth unemployment is down to
A WOMAN was injured during a street robbery in Prestwich yesterday. She was walking along Ogden Street at 5.15pm when a thug approached her from behind and grabbed a cash bag containing more than £1,000. The 30-year-old victim suffered bruising and swelling
Modern-day pioneer Melvin Magnall and his three crew members flew home early today after making the difficult decision not to continue sailing to Woodbury, New Jersey. The crew had left Tenerife on Thursday ready to sail across the Atlantic. But they
THE GREATER Manchester Low Pay Unit is calling on the government to extend wage protection to 16 and 17 year-olds after a survey revealed some were receiving just £1 an hour. A report published today by the unit shows that the worst payers are in care
SONGWRITER Kirsty McGhee took the honours in the grand final of the North West Songwriting Competition held in Bolton. Kirsty, from Manchester, beat off strong competition at the Gypsies Tent, Deansgate, with her song 'Rock n' Roll'. The competition has
And the significance of the game has not been lost on members of Bolton's Ukrainian Club based at Castle Street. About 20 members will be travelling down to Wembley by coach in a rare opportunity to cheer on their team. The trip has been organised by
TROUBLESHOOTER Dr David Collins may stay on until Christmas to steer Bolton College through the current troubles. Former college Cllr Cliff Morris has revealed that his final act as chairman of the board was to try and keep the acting principal at the
CHARLIE Fazackerly hopes his 11th spot in the Supermono race at Cadwell Park will be the stepping stone to success in the future. The Bolton rider's preparations were upset by poor weather and he qualified in a disappointing 17th. In the first race he
DESPITE the Tuesday of week 3 being a virtual washout, with only matches scheduled for artificial grass surfaces going ahead on the night and the Cecil Cup preliminary round being played, one fixture from week 3 and 4 fixtures from week 4 have yet to
TO say that I haven't seen the best of Little Lever in the last 12 months or so is to put it fairly mildly. Early on last season I watched them at Piggott Park when they were unceremoniously dumped out of the National K.O. for 48. In July I chose their
25 YEARS AGO ARTIST Ruskin Spear today rebuked Mrs Margaret Thatcher over her 'It's awful' verdict on his portrait of her. 'I am not at all worried by what Mrs Thatcher thinks,' said the artist. 'She's no expert, is she?' The Tory leader saw the picture
Under 13s Under 15s CRICKET: Association 2ns teams ON a Saturday badly affected by rain there were no definite results and only one game extended into a second innings. This was at Golborne, where the home side must have felt particularly irritated by
THE last Sunday in May on the Town Hall Square and after a topsy-turvy week weather-wise, it looked likely to continue. To say it was cool would be an understatement -- a nice winter's day was more like it. Overshoes and thermal clothing were very much
BOLTON Boys Federation Under-15s inter-league side are looking good for their Lancashire FA Cup challenge next season. The youngsters, who have already beaten Bootle 4-1 and Leigh Junior League 4-0, made it a hat-trick of friendly victories when they
ATHERTON are setting the early pace and boast a 100per cent record with Clifton and Daisy Hill in hot pursuit. Unfortunately, difficulties within the Little Hulton camp prevented them from competing in their match at Atherton and, in accordance with Association
ADLINGTON v BLACKROD LOCAL derby matches are always likely to have that extra bite and, none moreso than Saturday's rivals. Both teams contained players who, over the years, have graced their opponents by being part of their team and now as a consequence
THE past week has been a busy one for LRC riders with races in North and West Yorkshire and closer to home on the usual 10 & 25 mile courses at Garstang. The miserable weather of Wednesday turned in to a near perfect evening for the small contingent
ROAD and rail links to the North West are set to receive a major boost after Chancellor Gordon Brown agreed to almost double Britain's transport budget. The long awaited upgrading of the West Coast main line, which connects the region to London, the Midlands
MUSICAL maestro Ben Smith is set to rewrite the record books -- by becoming the youngest person to play the organ at a wedding. The pint-sized eight-year-old -- who can barely see over the top of the organ -- will play Here Comes the Bride and all the
ABUSED and frightened Bolton children made more than 20,000 calls for help to ChildLine last year -- in vain! The confidential charity helpline's over-burdened regional headquarters in Manchester only had the resources to answer a quarter of the calls
THE story of how Alfred Heyes will be making his last visit to Dunkirk soon will bring a lump to the throat to all but the very hard-hearted. Mr Heyes is Bolton's last known surviving Dunkirk veteran and this week, as the country remembers the heroics
ADLINGTON'S Mayoress, Edna Shone has died while on holiday - just a month after taking office. Mrs Shone died in her sleep aged 79 on Monday in Jersey. Friends described her as a true lady and said she would be sorely missed. She had been a stalwart of
A BOLTON town centre landlord has accused the council of pettiness after workers refused to take away a bin load of bottles -- because it contained a sandwich wrapper. Damien Sarrell, who runs the Dog and Partridge on Manor Street, usually has hundreds
APOLLO is enjoying a purr-fect retirement -- thanks to a pension from the RSPCA. Worries about vets' bills are furthest from his mind, now that the animal charity is financially looking after him in his old age. The all-black Bolton cat is one of the
LAST night the BEN reported on the latest bid to beat the school bully. Today we highlight the devastating effects bullying can have on a young person's life. Sara (not her real name) moved to Bolton from Birmingham when she was eight years of age and
A MAN who survived after plunging into the Mediterranean Sea is still tormented by memories of the terror crash in which he nearly drowned - injured and trapped in the wreckage. Brian Buckland, aged 59, still has distressing flash-backs after seeing 22
BOLTON'S last known surviving Dunkirk veteran returns to the shores he was forced to flee 60 years ago for a final time this week. Mr Alfred Heyes, 81, of Halliwell, was one of the 338,226 British and Allied troops to be plucked from Dunkirk's harbours
BOLTON'S town teams continue to churn out potential stars of the future. The town runs teams at Under-11s, Under 14s and Under 15s level which has been a production line for top talent down the years. Bolton has a long and illustrious history at schools
BURY Ceasers suffered a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Ellesmere in their first home game of the season in the North West Federation Clubs League. A local derby is always an interesting game. Ellesmere are part of a sports complex based at Worsley and have
LITTLE Lever School Under-14s were in record breaking mood when they stepped up their bid to win the Lancashire Cup. They destroyed Bury Grammar School to send warning signals ringing round the rest of the teams involved. In 25 overs, they scored 211
LAST week's league matches were affected by the heavy rain but Clifton kept their100 per cent record scoring 93 for 6 (A Griffiths 29, J Walsh 20, T Pattinson 21). The A&T bowling was led by Walker with 3 for 20 and young Andrew Groves 2 for 16. A
THE final three races (races 16-18) of Delph Sailing Club's Early Points series were held on Sunday in gusty westerly winds, which prevailed throughout the afternoon, causing pronounced windshifts and, therefore, testing conditions for the crews. O.O.D
