Back in 1910, On that fateful day, 7:50am, so they say Just four days before Christmas, There was one gigantic blast, It rocked houses slow and fast. The women asked in horror: Could it really be? We'll have to go and see. The pit shaft all aglow, The
Tina Dunn Garwick Road Moss Bank Park Smithills td1@mail.bolton.ac.uk
THANK you for the Bolton Wanderers tickets that I recently won for the Crewe Alexandra game. I wish to express my thanks also for the many other competitions that I have won over the years. Keep up the good work, and I hope success is yours, and the Bolton
CONCERNING Jayne Neville's letter on traffic through the roadworks (December 6). Signs are marked with the distance to the roadworks so that drivers can filter in well before the roadworks, thereby keeping traffic moving, NOT so that idiots can wait until
THE A58 alterations: This crossing is a death spot. Lock Lane has got worse over the years -- the M61 is part of the cause, as well as speeding cars -- so changes are underway. They are putting five crossings on the main road including islands. I been
I WAS very surprised to read such a long letter in the Bolton Evening News dated December 4. In fact it wasn't really a letter, but an article biased in the favour of hunting with hounds. My letter will be brief. To allow 30 horses, 30 riders and 30 hounds
I AM a disabled person with an orange badge and I am absolutely fed up with reading all those carping letters about parking in Bolton. I for one would like to thank and congratulate the parking attendants (traffic wardens) who do a good job under very
I HAVE got to reply to the letter from Jayne Neville. 'Selfish drivers add to chaos' -- she is dead right! But it is drivers like her that cause the chaos. I do not have to use that road, but we have all experienced the queue jumpers. They are the ones
MR Osborne (Your Views, Monday) follows the same old sheep-like path, believing that Labour MPs are really against fox hunting, or anything else that will catch them votes. Like all the Socialists, past and present, they simply follow the party line and
REF: War to save woodland (BEN, Saturday, November 25). This article may have given some readers the impression that only the 500 local members of the Lostock and Chew Moor Conservation Group care about Rumworth Lodge and the surrounding land. NOT TRUE
IF Luis Figo is worth £35 million and Leeds are prepared to pay £18 million to secure the services of Rio Ferdinand, what price Nat Lofthouse in his heyday? That, as the Americans would say, is the 64,000 dollar question. How do you compare today's superstars
PROTECT your new Christmas cycle with a special marking scheme to be launched by Halfords in the New Year. For just £3, cycle frames can be acid marked with a special national cycle registration number to help trace the bike if it is stolen. Ultra-violet
POLICE divers discovered an antique flintlock as they searched the murky waters of a Bolton river. Members of the Greater Manchester Police underwater search team found the old firearm in the River Croal. The unusual discovery came as officers searched
HOUSEHOLDERS are being warned about unwelcome seasonal visitors this Christmas. Crime figures show a huge jump in house break-ins during the festive period, with burglars stealing presents to order. Home Office statistics have revealed that nationally
MAGISTRATES want pre-sentence reports on a Bury man who drove without due care and attention and three times the drink-drive limit. Bernard Shires, aged 67, of Laurel Street, admitted the offences and will reappear before Rochdale magistrates for sentencing
A CHILD'S war game turned into a full scale manhunt last night with armed police storming into Shuttleworth. Control staff at Greater Manchester Police and in neighbouring Lancashire were inundated with calls from people in the village who had seen a
A BUS route to Bury will follow a slightly different route from this week after a road has been closed in Salford. The No 92 bus will now miss out Ordsall Lane - which is closed northbound - and divert via Regent Road and Albion Way, regaining its normal
PARENTS in Bolton will benefit from 175 new free nursery places for their children next year. The Government has announced increased investment by £228,844 in the town to allow more three-year-olds to receive a quality early education. Bury has also benefited
KIND-HEARTED local children are leading the way in giving gifts to ensure that needy youngsters enjoy Christmas this year. Along with their parents and other caring adults, they have been taking their presents to toy services at Blackrod Methodist Church
By Jon Coates, PA News TWO teenage girls are believed to have killed themselves in a bizarre suicide pact after attending a house party, police said today. The bodies of the close friends were found slumped inside a car at a house in Crawley, West Sussex
A CHILD'S war game turned into a full scale manhunt last night with armed police storming into Shuttleworth. Control staff at Greater Manchester Police and in neighbouring Lancashire were inundated with calls from people in the village who had seen a
FOLLOWING your report of Mr Gartside's plans for Bolton Wanderers outlined to Burnden Leisure shareholders, it is now evident that there is more 'spin' coming from the Reebok than Millbank! Perhaps Mr Gartside could elaborate his statement that the club
IAN Marshall is hoping to get the nod to carry on where he left off against Watford when Wanderers run out to face Crewe this afternoon. The 34-year-old Mr Versatility came up trumps as a half time substitute seven days ago when he caused mayhem in the
ALL tonight's non league games have been placed in doubt by the heavy rain and will be subject to pitch inspections. Radcliffe Boro travel to rivals Chorley for a Unibond League Cup Group Stage game. Manager Kevin Glendon admitted he would rather forsake
ON Tuesday there will be a delegates meeting at the Churchills, Manchester Road, with a start time of 8pm. All teams must have a delegate at the meeting. Failing to do so will result in two points being taken off their league table. Also all teams must
By Dave Field ENGLAND'S triumphant cricketers received a heroes' welcome on their return home this morning, with captain Nasser Hussain claiming: "Finally we have some reward to bring back to the country". Victory over Pakistan in the final Test in Karachi
JIM Worsley Memorial Trophy (sponsored by Federation Breweries) fourth round on Monday -- Horwich RMI E v Farnworth Snooker A; Bolton Snooker A v Cuemasters D; Farnworth Cricket C v Horwich RMI A; Hawker Siddeley A v St Marys SC B; Hollywood Rd B v First
THE 21st century home will be all-electric, according to ... an electricity board chief. Mr Tom Potts, Norweb's assistant chief commercial officer, says that supplies of oil and natural gas would last only 25 years. 'Electricity will inevitably become
ALL tonight's non league games have been placed in doubt by the heavy rain and will be subject to pitch inspections. Radcliffe Boro travel to rivals Chorley for a Unibond League Cup Group Stage game. Manager Kevin Glendon admitted he would rather forsake
HORWICH juniors produced magnificent performances in the first fixture of the GM Girl's Sportshall League at Manchester's Dome Leisure Centre. The Under 11's Team finished third after Melissa Howarth and Lucy Hindley got the team off to a flying start
By Gordon Sharrock BOLTON could have a double top to celebrate when two of the town's finest go for glory in rival versions of darts' world championships. Steve Coote has revenge in mind as he prepares to compete in the Embassy World Championships, which
By William Hayler, PA Sport MAJESTIC will always be the apple of trainer Ian Williams' eye for providing him with his first-ever success at Cheltenham and he can cement his place in the affections with success in the Helister Novices' Chase at Catterick
HORWICH RMI Ladies have virtually led the field in three different events over the last few weeks. They won the overall and over 35s in the South East Lancs cross country at Leigh before repeating the feat in the Red Rose at Rochdale,. Last week they
MONTERAZE secured the George Yates Memorial Premier League Premier title with a 2-0 win over Tag Heuer, Jason Smiley notching a brace of goals. As expected CCS Jolly Carter took the runners up spot after beating the Griffin All Stars 1-0. Griffin played
A steady performance by John Howarth, Brian Heyes and Mick Kitchen was more than enough to secure them a quarter final tie with stablemates Doe Hey. The Juniors' B team were already through to the quarter final, and had a much easier time in their tie
SAMANTHA Louise Marshall, aged 12, is the first young poet to submit her "Nonsense Poem" for a competition organised by the Octagon Theatre. The competition open to all youngsters, where the prize is a chance to read out their winning poem on stage, is
by Joanne Rowe THE family of a girl who faced the same life and death trauma as heart transplant patient Emma Standish is sending a message of hope to her parents. Sally Slater, aged seven, underwent a heart transplant operation in April at the Freeman
By Roger Williams GOVERNMENT inspectors have praised the strides taken by a Bolton primary school which dramatically escaped closure. Oldhams County Primary in Astley Bridge has been under a "special measures" regime -- meaning it is regularly visited
FOUR yobs who hurled abuse at a man as he lay dying near the home he was trying to protect, walked free from court . Ken Arrowsmith, 56, collapsed in a back street off Travers Street, Horwich, in March, as he chased youths who had thrown stones, sweets
CONDITIONS were dry for a change in Shore Tops Fur and Feather match but a strong wind made bites difficult to see in the unsheltered pegs. Simon Stott was hoping to add to his impressive tally of six wins and two second places out of eight club matches
PAUL Swift consolidated his lead of the aggregates for Royal Ashton AC's Winter League with an impressive win in the latest round. The Bolton Angling Centre angler returned 8lbs-4ozs of roach from peg 37 of Rumworth Reservoir when he fished maggot on
THE annual Fur and Feather on Doe Hey's bottom water attracted 25 Bolton Rivers Angling Club members. But anyone attempting to release Bob Fearnhead's grasp on the first prize on matches on the water were disappointed as once more the maestro did the
An inquiry has been launched by the Racecourse Association into elements of the media rights bidding process that led to the current period of exclusive negotiations with Go Racing. The inquiry has been triggered by allegations made by the solicitors
Lord Oaksey is to become an honorary member of the Jockey Club. A regular face on Channel 4 Racing, he also writes for the Daily Telegraph and the Racing Post but is best known to many for his work for the Injured Jockeys' Fund, of which he has been chairman
PRIME Minister Tony Blair has branded the European Commission's proposals on the future of the football transfer system "misguided and wrong" and added they must be changed to prevent smaller clubs from going bust. Former Sports Minister Tony Banks raised
Last year's winner Anzum will not be bidding for a repeat success in the Cantor Index Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday, but is set to make his reappearance before too long, according to trainer Richard Phillips. "He's had a long summer's rest and
I THINK it is disgusting that Jayne Neville is expected to queue at the A666 roadworks with the ordinary folk. Perhaps the council could take time off from designing lovely cycle lanes and build the urgently needed Jayne Neville lanes. M Eva Delph Brook
I WOULD like to take this opportunity to thank the two young women in a red car who stopped and phoned for an ambulance when I fell while crossing the road in Lever Street, Little Lever, on Friday, December 1. Also, the man who let me sit in his car to
ACCORDING to a Bolton Council highways spokesman, a single yellow line alongside the kerb means the same thing as a broken one. Not according to my copy of the Highway Code, in which a single line means no waiting "for at least eight hours between 7am
I WRITE to ask for help with a project I am putting together. I am developing a website devoted to photographs of school buildings and would like to appeal to any readers who may have any old photos (pre-1960s) hidden away to donate copies. They can e-mail
IN reply to Jayne Neville (Your Views, December 6), I would suggest it is motorists with her type of attitude that are responsible for many of the hold-ups and delays encountered on our roads today. It does not take a lot of thought to realise that every
THERE was a reminder in the BEN recently of the damage done in Deane Churchyard this year. I am 77. My mother, next year, will have been buried in Deane Churchyard for 50 years, and my father, next year, will have been buried there 45 years. About nine
WITH reference to Jayne Neville's letter of December 6 stating that "vigilante drivers" who drive slowly down the outside lane of the roadworks on the A666, preventing other drivers from cutting in at the last possible moment, are "pathetic and childish
PLEASE excuse me for any inconvenience caused by this message. My name is Valentin. I am 18 years old. I live with my mother in the city of Kaluga, Russia. It is located 200 kilometres south of Moscow. I grew up without a father. He left when I was two
THE inadequate sentences imposed on four youths who brayed over a dying man will quite rightly anger all law-abiding members of our community. These four teenagers were part of a much larger gang which terrorised an innocent neighbourhood in Horwich.
SUNDAY WANDERERS come from behind to score a landmark victory over Watford at the Reebok - Sam Allardyce's first success on SKY TV. Tommy Smith gives the Hornets an early lead and it doesn't look good at half time. But a tactical change and the introduction
SAM Allardyce is "hopeful" (at this stage he puts it no stronger than that) of signing the two players he believes will put Wanderers in with a good promotion shout. With the Colin Hendry deal virtually tied up, the Reebok boss believes he has gone a
SIXTEEN people were arrested on suspected drug-related offences in the Bolton South police division last month. And officers seized nearly £16,000 worth of drugs after search warrants were executed on six properties around the town. The haul included
CRIMEFIGHTERS are battling back against bogus officials who are preying on the elderly. Recent figures show there have been between 15 and 20 sneak burglaries in Farnworth in six weeks. An 88-year-old woman in Daubhill lost hundreds of pounds after two
POLICE are hunting a hit-and-run driver who was involved in a collision at a pelican crossing. The Rover 216 car was driven away after it crashed with a Honda Concerto, shunting it into the back of a Toyota Hiace van. The Honda and van were stopped at
CHILDREN got down to some serious Christmas decoration making in front of one of the most famous Christmas scenes in history. The youngsters took part in a festive workshop at Bolton Museum and they got their inspiration from a masterpiece -- The Nativity
STUDENTS will become stars of the small screen when a TV crew films them on a boozy night out. The same TV crew which produced the racy 'Ibiza Uncovered' series will be heading North to capture the Bolton students enjoying a night out at The Temple for
TAKE lots of fancy dress costumes, a sprinkle of stardust, a capful of happiness, a jar full of laughter -- with a wheelie bin full of kindness. Throw in a colourful rainbow and a foam-throwing cannon and, along with some fairy lights, hey presto, its
REGARDING the criticism of my recent letters, i was merely answering Sam's question of the missing fans. Yes I am a so-called moaner, more often than not about the board and very rarely about the team. I believe I speak for the over 60's when I say that
HOW do Wanderers encourage more fans to attend the Reebok? First let's examine some of the reasons why they may not be attending. The move from Burnden to the Reebok - possible, but I do not wish to enter this debate again as the Reebok is here to stay
THE annual Karen Hoathers GEM Appeal Road and Trail Race took place at Littleborough on a clear, sunny morning, but with a strong cold wind facing the runners. The course involved a tough, hilly but scenic route, attracting nearly 100 runners and raising
SHAKERS midfielder Jason Jarrett has been singled out by Bury boss Andy Preece to become a star - as long as he remembers to play both halves. Jarrett had an indifferent first 45 minutes in Saturday's morale-boosting win against Mansfield Town but in
THE Colliers Arms, Chorley Old Road are leading the way at the top of the men's Section C in the Bolton Darts League in Aid of the Bolton Senior Gateway Club for Mentally Handicapped Adults. They lead by three points from The Moonlight Club, St George's
SMITHILLS A just missed out on promotion from D Section last season -- but they're determined not to do that a second time! They're currently in second position on 19 points, the latest two courtesy of a comprehensive home win against GMT B. Lyn Butcher
THE new men's individuals champion is Mark Savidge (Lever Arms). The losing finalist was Wayne Merrick (Lamb) who just missed a 164 check-out on the bull to take the title. Semi finalists were Graham Savidge (Lever Arms) and Ken Smith (Undertakers). Results
By Colin Sharples IF it's not Pyatt, its Pike. Two weeks ago, Carolyn Pyatt scorched the courts with her pugnacious play and last week's matches were similarly characterised by the heavy sound of racket on ball, ball on person, racket on floor, person
IT was Christmas Eve, 19--. The slump which followed the early post-war boom had thrown thousands of people on the 'dole'. Some of them stood on the kerb near the Black Horse in silence. Their dejected stance, their threadbare clothes, their pinched and
MANCHESTER City boss Joe Royle has warned his players not to get carried away with Saturday's 5-0 win over Everton ahead of tonight's Worthington Cup clash against Ipswich at Maine Road. Royle said: "After Saturday dressing room confidence is sky-high
SAM Allardyce finally got his man today when the deal to bring Scotland international Colin Hendry to the Reebok was done and dusted. The veteran centre-back will join Wanderers on a three month loan and will be available, if fit, for Saturday's trip
BOLTON Deaf Society, Bark Street: open for advice and information and equipment available to deaf and hard of hearing of people living in the Bolton area, 9am-1pm, tel: 521219. COFFEE Morning, Little Lever United Reformed Church, Market Street, 9am-12
FARNWORTH and District Ex-Services Association, meeting, Brackley Street, 1pm. Tel: Ken Burgess on 793772. MEFVA, meeting, Royal British Legion, 98 Chorley New Road, 7.30pm. DIABETES UK, Bolton Group, Christmas Dinner, Smithills Coaching House. BOLTON
Wednesday BOLTON Excel, Lower Bridgeman Street, tel: 334456: ladies only, 1.30pm-3pm; aerobics, 6pm-7pm; yoga, 7.30pm-9pm. DEANE Leisure Centre, Junction Road, Deane, tel: 334432: aerobics, 8pm-9pm; swim lessons, 5.30pm-6.30pm; line dancing for beginners
ATHERTON Town posted up their Manchester League Premier Division title credentials with a 1-0 away win on Saturday at table-topping Wythenshawe Amateurs. Over a three week spell Shaun Lynch's side face the top three championship chasers and to have picked
IN DIVISION A, Harveys Taxis have a good start to the new League, they beat Hughsies Budget 12-3 with their winning goals coming from Paul Fitzpatrick (3), Jim Eardley, M Dale (5) and Chris Barrick (3), while Chris Hughes (2) and P Myerscough scored the
By Phil Green A MAN suffered a suspected fractured skull after he was hit with a bottle as a works' Christmas party ended in a late-night brawl. One witness said chairs were thrown during the fight at the Moat House Hotel on Higher Bridge Street in the
By Mark Donaghy COMPETITION winner Hazel Waddington has had her £16,000 BMW delivered, but will have to wait a while longer until she can get behind the wheel. The 19-year-old from Farnworth, who won the X-reg in a Big Brother style radio contest, has
By Jane Bullock RESIDENTS of Platt Hill claim they have been abandoned after their landlord announced a £1.25 million redevelopment plan for a Breightmet estate -- despite ongoing problems in their own area. Members of the Sutton Residents Association
THE family of a girl who faced the same life and death trauma as heart transplant patient Emma Standish is sending a message of hope to her parents. Sally Slater, aged seven, underwent a heart transplant operation in April at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle
By Phil Green ANGRY grandparents are to write to the Prime Minister about the lack of facilities for sick youngsters in Bolton. Robert and Anne Cummings were appalled that their seriously ill granddaughter Gemma Wilson had to be taken to Sheffield for
By Jane Bullock BOLTON women will have access to the "morning-after pill"direct from pharmacists before the national scheme is launched thanks to a pilot project over Christmas. The rate of teenage pregnancies is so high in the town that Bolton and Wigan
All-rounder Danny Law has joined Durham on a two-year contract from Essex. After four years with Essex, the 25-year-old former Sussex medium-pacer and hard-hitting batsman rejected a new one-year deal at Chelmsford and was released by mutual consent.
LADIES Section One Four Side Letter H Breightmet Cons 'G.H.' phone number 523477. All players to be there for 8.30pm. If you are not there, you don't play. The Summer League Presentation is on hold at the moment. The room at R/H/Cons may be closed on
BOLTON veteran badminton ace Graham Holt was a double national title winner at the weekend. Graham won the over 50s men's and mixed titles at the English National Veterans Championships in Bath. He partnered mid-Lancs' stalwart John Cocker in the men's
Sir Paul Condon, the head of the International Cricket Conference's anti-corruption unit, hopes to submit a report into match-fixing by next April. The former Metropolitan Police commissioner was speaking after meeting with Indian cricket board chief
Wet weather continues to cause havoc with racing's fixture list. Hereford's card today and Bangor tomorrow were both called off on Monday. And prospects for racing taking place at Towcester on Thursday have been described as "gloomy". Paul Robinson, assistant
The Football Association are to investigate an incident surrounding the sending-off of Southampton's Hassan Kachloul during the 1-0 win over Leeds at The Dell on Saturday. The Moroccan international appeared to aim a head-butt at Leeds midfielder Lee
Rangers midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst insists that the criticism levelled at the club in recent weeks will not affect morale at Ibrox. The Dutch international was forced to sit out the UEFA Cup defeat by Kaiserslautern last week with a groin injury
