Archive
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Taking the plunge over Jubilee Pool
I WOULD like to thank the ex-steering committee member of the Jubilee Pool, who wrote to comment on the story featured on October 30 in the BEN. It was good to see that someone else had come forward to confirm all that I had complained of recently. I
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Heath and Tories opened the immigration floodgates
I RESPOND to the letter by reader Raja Iqbal (BEN: November 24). In his letter, he gives a glowing report on MP Brian Iddon, who, he states, gives them a lot of assistance regarding grants etc. He attacks the Tory Party because, when in power, were strict
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Tony is the tops
I MUST say I am proud of Mr Blair for standing up for what he believes in. So, the press don't like it. What a shame! I have thought for some time that the press seem to try to run this country. Isn't it a fact we elect our governments to do this, not
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End of an era at family firm
THE OWNER of one of Chorley's last family firms is hanging up his overalls. Geoffrey Wilcocks -- of Wilcocks & Sons hardware store, Chapel Street, Chorley -- will be swapping hardware for spare time when he retires tomorrow (Friday). But the business
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Tory big gun hits town
OPPOSITION leader William Hague, pictured, will be in town tomorrow (Friday, December 1) in a strong show of support for Chorley's prospective parliamentary Conservative candidate Peter Booth. And the Tory leader will meet locals and shop owners and market
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Running for their lives
A CHORLEY couple went the extra mile -- well, 26 actually -- for charity. Lynda and Mike Brazier, of Oxford Street, Chorley, have just returned from New York after running the gruelling marathon there. A delighted Lynda shaved 45 minutes off her personal
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Breath test checkpoint
POLICE are taking no chances this Christmas and are setting up drink-drive checkpoints to catch offending drivers. Officers will breathalyse motorists who have had a drink, or are suspected of having had a drink. Chief inspector Ian Bell said: "Christmas
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Peace reigns at memorial
THE PEACE of a special memorial on the moors near Chorley is being shattered by horse riders and cyclists, who are using the area as a race track. The Pinetum -- a tree plantation dedicated to the memory of departed loved ones -- was launched at Lever
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Christmas mail threatened as posties walk out
BOLTON'S postal service was thrown into chaos today when an estimated 600 Royal Mail workers walked out in a row over working hours. The spectre of the Christmas post being disrupted was raised as postmen, sorting staff and delivery drivers at three main
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Pupils inspired by disabled athletes
THREE world class athletes visited a Chorley school to present awards to the pupils. Students of Southlands High, Clover Road, met disabled table tennis players Ian Littlewood, Lynne Ryding and Barry Crook when they presented year nine interim awards
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School celebrates media arts decision
STAFF and pupils at a Bolton secondary school are celebrating today after receiving specialist status to become a media arts centre. Turton High School will become a revolutionary education centre with plans to build a media suite with TV studio, editing
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Schoolboy in finger horror
A SCHOOLBOY ripped off the top of his finger as he tried to climb over a fence to get a bag of chips for his lunch. Jack Morris, 12, of Glebe Street, Westhoughton, tried to haul himself over the school fence but his finger was speared. The index finger
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Colliery site yields rich pickings
SPORTS and social club members have struck gold where men once dug for coal. The first sod has been cut in preparation for new extensions at Astley and Tyldesley Miners Welfare Club. A Coalfield Regeneration Trust grant of £160,000 is putting money back
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Cry foul - it's got to be United
YOU can liken 'The David Beckham Story' on TV last night to one of those 'This Is Your Life' programmes in which they tell the life story of a twentysomething star. Surely you should wait for people to live their lives before you tell the story of it.
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Aussie tunes in to Hilton Park
IT'S been love at first byte for the Leigh Centurions' new Aussie recruit Jamie Gass! The 28-year-old prop, who has just completed a computer science degree, arrived in town on Saturday night, met his new teammates on Monday, and, but for a waterlogged
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Late goal spoils debut
ATHERTON LR did much to impress new 1st team boss Alan Lord in his debut game in charge. The 2-1 defeat at Unibond Premier Division Burscough was almost an injustice to the young Rovers side as the team from two divisions higher was given a real scare
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SHAKERS: Preece rues Shakers' missed chances
SHAKERS boss Andy Preece believes his Bury side suffered a similar fate to other FA Cup victims Stoke City. Stoke got beaten by Nuneaton in the famous cup competition and Preece feels every sympathy for them. He is still desperately disappointed by his
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Water, water . . . it's still everywhere!
WHO would be a groundsman this winter? What a thankless task it must be at the best of times as the battle with the elements is constantly fought. This autumn with the unprecedented amount of rainfall it has brought has seen those weekly battles lost
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Barnfield Mill and 'safer' tobacco
MY mention in 25 Years Ago on November 17 of a 'safer' synthetic tobacco being launched brought a letter from H. Hutchinson, of Springside Road, Bury, who said that the story reminded him that Robert Fletcher's Barnfield Mill at Stoneclough (a tobacco
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Acdo soap babes rival Hollywood's best
A BOLTON company is inviting customers to say "halo" to their own homegrown rivals to Hollywood's Charlie's Angels! Forget Cameron Diaz, Lucy Lui and Drew Barrymore, this Bolton version of the trio is designed to leave the public in a froth! That is because
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Shops close to honour bakery boss
SHOPS in Atherton and Tyldesley will close next week as a mark of respect following the death of a bakery boss. Many businesses will shut on Monday when the funeral is held of 60-year-old Fred Rushby who ran the Tyldesley bakery firm Dawsons. Grimsby-born
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We can't wait for TV date!
A BOLTON trio will perform live in front of millions of TV viewers tomorrow when they appear on Blue Peter. The all-singing and all-dancing girl group La Caj cannot wait to perform on the ever popular children's programme after an action-packed year of
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Neil's Amazon adventure
A BOLTON man survived living in a Brazilian jungle full of piranhas, crocodiles and tarantulas during an expedition to discover unknown fish. Neil Woodward, who owns an aquatic centre, spent two weeks in the sweltering heat of the tropical rainforests
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First Noel for Adele
IT'S guide dog trainee Adele's first Christmas and she'll be enjoying the festive season with her "foster mum" Barbara Williams. Everything is new to three-month-old Adele who, like every other puppy, enjoys getting into mischief. But Adele is a guide
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Let's put a time limit on all this fireworks misery
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with the letter printed in BEN on November 23. We have not only had fireworks non stop for a period of approximately six or seven weeks, but we are even having to put up with some imbecile lighting the continuous exploding fireworks
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Thanks to the BEN for 'coming clean' on the NHS
THURSDAY's edition of the Daily Mail (on November 23), carried a front page spread stating that "filthy hospitals kill 5000 patients each year". This is tantamount to accusing hospital staff of mass corporate murder. I have never read a more vicious slander
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Chance to help asthma victims
ASTHMA is a serious and growing problem in the UK. There are over 3.4 million people in the UK with asthma, and regrettably it is the only treatable long-term medical condition in the western world which is still on the increase. That's why I encourage
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What a missed musical chance!
AS a founder member of The Buskers Ball of Bolton, and the woman who was party to organising the North West Songwriting Competition for a number of years, I know first hand the high standard of talent among the musicians of this town. It saddened me a
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OPINION: This medical move needs monitoring
A REVOLUTIONARY plan for volunteers to give "rapid response" first aid in outlying areas of Bolton, before an ambulance arrives, sounds interesting. But it needs to be treated very much as a pioneering experiment, with thorough monitoring. The idea is
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Recognise improvements at our school
I AM writing with regard to the write-up of our recent Ofsted inspection. This was printed in the Thursday, November 16 issue of the BEN. I am very disappointed both with the coverage and the general tone of the article. In 1998 you ran a high-profile
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Rail roulette
A HORRIFIED motorist has told how he was given the go-ahead to drive through a railway crossing when the barriers were down -- even though he thought a train might be coming. Tom Griffiths, 59, of Larkfield, Eccleston, was on his way to Aughton when he
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THEATRES
OCTAGON THEATRE, Bolton. The Owl and the Pussycat Went To See Runs to January 13. Ring Bolton 520661. OPERA HOUSE, Manchester. The Blues Brothers. Runs to Saturday, December 2. Performances Monday to Friday, 7.30pm, and Saturday 5.30pm and 8.30pm. Tickets
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Don't wait another minute
'I'LL wait until I'm fitter' is often the response when non-club runners are asked to come along to Chorley Harriers. The fact is if they join Chorley Harriers, it will help them to become fitter and faster. Chorley Harriers, founded in 1985, share their
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United Utilities on the up
UNITED Utilities -- one of the North-west's biggest companies -- made a profit before tax of £359.7 million in the six months up to September 30. The company made £226.2 million in the same period last year. It was announced today that the board had declared
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College offers free computer course
BURY College is offering a free IT course under the UK Online scheme sponsored by the Department for Education and Employment. Participants learn how to do word-processing, use spreadsheets or databases and search the Internet. On completion the course
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Mr Blair tells the BEN about the success of New Deal for youth
PRIME Minister Tony Blair today tells the BEN that New Deal has helped more than 1,000 youngsters from the Bolton area find jobs. He says in a special article that the number of Bolton young people out of work for more than six months has halved in less
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Ice skating in town centre!
TOWN centre shoppers can get their skates on . . . as of today! Bolton's very own ice rink was launched at 10am this morning in the centre of Victoria Square. The giant indoor Icecapades arena is one of a series of town centre events organised to celebrate
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Staff shine at the hospital
STAFF at the Royal Bolton Hospital are a beacon of NHS excellence according to the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Conservative Party. The Bolton West Tory hopeful, James Stevens, praised the staff after a visit to the hospital and meeting
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Share a book with your baby
PARENTS wanting to give their children a head start at school should reach for a book. That was the message from Lancashire County Council as it launched the nationwide Bookstart initiative in Adlington. County Councillor Dorothy Westell joined the Mayor
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We want Premier football
CHAIRMAN Phil Gartside has outlined Bolton Wanderers' burning ambition to return to the Premiership. But he insists the club will not jeapardise its future by throwing money at the dream. Mr Gartside told Burnden Leisure shareholders Wanderers "don't
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The final Straw!
JACK Straw has joined Tony Banks in the the bandwagon of two calling for a united Great Britain national football team which begs the question: What do politicians know about football? Their reasoning is that we would have more chance winning the World
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Boxer's England success
LOCAL boxer Amir Khan continues to make a name for himself with victory for England in the Schools Inter-Nations tournament against Scotland in Ipswich. Amir, a third year pupil at Smithills High School, who trains at Bury Amateur Boxing Club was one
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From the BEN files
25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, November 29, 1975 A BAPTIST church in Florida has begun a campaign to burn records by Elton John, the Rolling Stones, and other stars, because of their 'appeal to the flesh'. Records worth more than £1,000 were tossed
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From the BEN files
25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, November 28,1975 A PROPOSAL for an internal radio service in Bolton hospitals has been turned down by the Area Health Authority, because there are already TV and radio facilities for the patients, and a hospital broadcasting
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CONCERTS
ST STEPHEN AND ALL MARTYRS, Lever Bridge, Bolton. Ring 840741. KING GEORGES HALL, Blackburn. Ga Ga a tribute to Queen. Thursday November 30. Starts 8pm. Ring 01254 582582. VICTORIA HALL, Knowsley Street, Bolton. Christmas Concert featuring the Greater
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LIVE MUSIC VENUES AND EVENTS
HILLTOPS SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB, Hill Lane, Blackrod. Budding musicians come and play your own arrangements and compositions, Wednesday evenings from 7.30pm. For more details ring Bolton 692702. THE MET, Market Street, Bury. Ring 0161 761 2216. THE WATERMILLOCK
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FRIDAY
LEISURE, SPORT AND KEEP FIT BOLTON Excel, Lower Bridgeman Street, tel: 334456: 7.30am-10.30pm. DEANE Leisure Centre, Junction Road, Deane, tel: 334432: swimming lessons, 5.30pm-7.30pm; basketball drop-in coaching, 5.30pm-6.30pm. FARNWORTH Leisure Centre
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What about our jobs?
THE future of Walkden's best-known function hall still hangs in the balance. Negotiations are ongoing over what will happen to the Pembroke Halls when it is earmarked to close as a council-run venue at the end of March 2001. As revealed in the BEN, Salford
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'Pilot error' report rap
THE fathers of two pilots accused over the Mull of Kintyre helicopter crash, in which a Bolton soldier died, are renewing attempts to clear their sons' names. An influential committee of MPs today said the verdict of pilot error in the 1994 crash was
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Institute accused in admin blunder claim
A WOMAN hoping to start her own haulage business has accused Bolton Institute of running her plans off the road with administration blunders. Lynette Bowers and partner Michael Hatton, who is a lorry driver, were due to set up their own company this month
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Storms hamper race to summit
A FORMER Bolton schoolboy and his team of climbers are facing a race against time to reach the summit of an unconquered mountain. Bad weather conditions have conspired to keep Chris Smith, a former Canon Slade pupil, and the other three members of the
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Police club bid to catch gunman
DETECTIVES will mingle with clubbers tonight as the hunt for a shaven headed gunman who shot two Bolton revellers continues. Police officers will join hundreds of customers outside the Atlantis nightclub a week after two men were gunned down in front
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BOOK EARLY
MEN ARENA, Manchester. December 1, AC/DC. Friday, December 15 and Saturday, December 16, Five, tickets £18.50; Monday December 18, Chris De Burgh, tickets £25 and £22.50. Tuesday, December 19, and Wednesday, December 20, Steps, tickets £20. Saturday,
