Archive
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Victory - but not for them
VICTORY for people with HIV. Victory for campaigning. Victory for public health. Victory for developing countries. Victory for anti-capitalists. Victory for common sense. Victory for just about everyone, other than the greedy multi-national pharmaceutical
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THE BEN SAYS: It's joy after all the tears
GEOFF and Lesley Yates have officially been named the most romantic couple in Bolton. They met after both lost respective spouses to cancer and were introduced by mutual friends. The couple say they "clicked" immediately and able to share their sad experiences
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Colossal damage done by the Tories
IT is sheer unadulterated hypocrisy for Tory candidate, James Stevens, to bang on about how he will 'stand up' for pensioners, disabled people, and the poor, after the colossal damage done to these groups by the Conservatives (BEN: April 17). Let me give
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Debate racial issues in a mature manner
THE recent 'race row' ignited by the CRE's anti-racist pledge signatories has surely highlighted the fact that this is bound to be a key election issue. Yet there is more to demonstrating anti-racist credentials than merely signing a piece of paper. One
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THE BEN SAYS: There's no excuse for this action
OPINIONS on hunting may well be split. But as human beings we all unite in our condemnation of thuggery, intimidation and threats of violence. That is why, regardless of belief on whether hunting with dogs should be banned, we must all agree that the
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Here's why we went shopping out of town
I USED to be fiercely opposed to out-of-town shopping centres until October last year, when my daughter said that she would like some shoes for her birthday. We decided to go to town for the late-night shopping as, due to other commitments, this was the
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Jean votes Lofty 'Mane' of the Year!
HE may not be grrrreat enough to be Bolton's first Man of the Year -- but Lofty the Lion is certainly the town's MANE of the Year! And it was all made official yesterday when Bolton Wanderers' famous mascot received his own award in the Mayor's Parlour
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I'll score a goal for you!
DEAN Holdsworth has teamed up with the Bolton Evening News to raise much-needed funds for a local charity -- after dedicating his match-winning goal against Norwich to one of his young fans. The Reebok favourite won the sponsors' Man of the Match award
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So what's new, chuck?
ACTRESS Liz Dawn -- Vera Duckworth in Coronation Street -- opened a new store at Manchester Airport. The £1.7 million Travel Value and Duty Free Shop in the Terminal One departure lounge is the first major new tax and duty free outlet to be built in the
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Well done, partner . . .
ONE of Bolton Institute's industry partners has received the Queen's Award for Enterprise (Innovation category). Huddersfield-based Andel Ltd is a market leader in water leak detection technology and has installations in prominent buildings such as Canary
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Man dragged from his smoke-filled flat
FIREFIGHTERS rescued an unconscious man from his smoke-filled Bolton flat. Neighbours fled the flats in Columbia Road, Heaton, last night when smoke alarms alerted them to a blaze just before midnight. But they told firefighters that Jim Cotgrave, 43,
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Don't miss out on funds
THE National Lottery Charities Board has a new name -- The Community Fund -- and voluntary groups in the Bolton area will now find it simpler to apply for grants. Under the previous system, community groups could apply for grants from two programmes -
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Sam on move thanks to club
A YOUNGSTER in Radcliffe can look forward to getting around in a new wheelchair thanks to regulars at a Bolton social club. Sam Allington, aged nine, suffers from cerebral palsy and his family desperately wanted to raise £3,000 to buy him an electric
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Women of the Year ceremony switched
THE postponed Women of Bolton Awards and Luncheon will now be held on May 11. The prestigious annual charity event, run by the Mayoress of Bolton, was due to be held at the fire-hit Bolton Moat House Hotel on Friday. Organisers have now re-arranged the
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Oakwell crunch match for Wanderers
SAM Allardyce remained upbeat today, despite seeing Wanderers' automatic promotion hopes dented yet again by arch-rivals Blackburn. A 4-1 win at Grimsby last night put Graeme Souness in pole position in the race for the Premiership - four points clear
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TUESDAY: Popstar 'porn video shot in hotel room' claims paper
THE Moat House Hotel recently featured in a Sunday tabloid story about Hear'Say star Suzanne Shaw who was allegedly filmed in a porn video there. The 19-year-old Bury singer allegedly posed naked for the video which was filmed in one of the rooms of the
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WEDNESDAY: Fire guests return to hotel
THE evacuated guests were ferried from the New Packhorse to the Moat House just before 12 noon yesterday. The 80 men and women returned to the scene of the blaze to recover their belongings before travelling back home after a dramatic 12 hours. Many of
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TUESDAY: Finland teachers among guests
HEADTEACHERS from Finland were among the hundreds of guests forced to flee for their lives last night. Nine headteachers and teachers from Espoo and Helsinki, Finland, were visiting the town as guests of Smithills School who were due to stage a major
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WEDNESDAY: Guests quizzed by police investigators
EVERY guest at the fire-ravaged Moat House Hotel was quizzed by detectives yesterday. More than 120 people fled the hotel just after 12.30am yesterday after smoke billowed through parts of the building and a section of corridor went up in flames. Tragically
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WEDNESDAY: Only later did we realise how lucky we had been
A BUSINESSMAN staying at the Moat House Hotel revealed the guests only realised how lucky they had been once they had escaped. Steve Bell from Birmingham said guests making their way along the corridor towards the fire escape behaved calmly and only went
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WEDNESDAY: Medic's frantic bid to save victim
A PARAMEDIC spent a frantic 10 minutes attempting to save the life of one of the victims of Bolton's Moat House Hotel blaze. Dave Cook was at the hotel within minutes of the fire breaking and recalled seeing smoke billowing from the third floor. Seconds
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WEDNESDAY: Hunt for hotel arsonist stepped up
THE hunt for an arsonist who sparked a blaze at a Bolton hotel, killing two people, continued today. Detectives throughout the day were interviewing former and present employees of the hotel and a detailed fingertip search of a fire-ravaged corridor at
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TUESDAY: Phone threats to blaze hotel
PHONE threats were made to Bolton's Moat House Hotel before the early morning fire in which an elderly couple died, the BEN can reveal today. Fire investigators and senior detectives believe a mattress which was set alight in a third floor corridor, could
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Huntsman hounded by poison pen letter writer
A SERIES of death threats has been sent to the chairman of Lancashire's Countryside Alliance. Two handwritten poison pen letters, each containing insults and death taunts, were sent through the post to keen huntsman Andrew Pilkington. Mr Pilkington's
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Victorian homes decision on hold
PLANS to demolish a pair of Victorian houses to make way for a string of "town houses" have been put on hold so council planners can seek more information about the scheme. Bolton Council's planning committee has been asked twice to consider a proposal
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Police caution ecstasy pupils
FOUR schoolgirls have been given police reprimands after a teenager collapsed after swallowing two ecstasy tablets in a playground. Two weeks ago the BEN exclusively revealed that the Thornleigh Salesian Roman Catholic College pupil fell ill just minutes
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Dome row blows up!
BOLTON Wanderers' academy for talented young footballers could have a controversial new home -- in a £155,000 dome at a Horwich school. A row is blowing up over the inflatable air dome, planned to cover an all-weather pitch at St Joseph's RC School, which
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Horror crash Roy: 'Help catch coward driver'
A HIT and run victim who nearly lost a leg when a luxury sports car smashed into him has urged Bolton's Asian community to help police catch the "coward" driver who fled the scene. Roy Fraser, aged 33, still receives counselling for post-traumatic stress
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Ex-bank boss accused of starting home blaze
A FORMER bank manager who was £30,000 in debt allegedly tried to burn down his house -- while his wife and two children were asleep inside, a court was told. The family was saved by the prompt action of Glenn Hunt's wife who had just attended a fire training
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Town's most romantic couple found love again
A COUPLE who both lost their partners to cancer have found love for a second time and are now officially the most romantic couple in Bolton. Geoff and Lesley Yates met in the summer of 1998 after they had both lost their respective spouses to cancer only
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Youth dilemma faces Preece
BURY boss Andy Preece has a dilemma on his hands for the final two matches of the season. The Bury boss must decide whether to give the kids a game or stick with a strong team in an attempt to get six points and push the Shakers into a top ten position
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TUESDAY: Mayor's shock at tragedy
BOLTON'S Mayor Cllr Alan Wilkinson today expressed his shock at the "terrible tragedy" at the Moat House Hotel. He stated: "On behalf of the Mayoress, myself, and all on Bolton Council, our hearts go out to the families and friends of those who died or
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WEDNESDAY: Owners counting the cost of blaze
THE owners of the Moat House Hotel were today counting the cost of the devastating blaze which tore through the building. A spokesman for Essex-based owners Queens Moat Houses, the UK's third largest hotel group, said it could be some time before the
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Paying price for having such a poor memory
I RECENTLY had a parking penalty imposed on me. Simply -- I parked on a single yellow line outside the CHC offices in Institute Street, Bolton, where I was doing voluntary work. After a few minutes in the office I realised that I had forgotten to set
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Road ideas that just don't seem to make sense at all
I HAVE read with interest the increasing amount of letters complaining about motoring in Bolton, and it is most gratifying to see I am not alone in my views. Bolton, though, is not on its own in having poor road layouts. My daily trip into Manchester
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Direct your fire towards Labour
I READ with incredulity the latest instalment on fox-hunting from the pen of Mr P Osbourne of Loxham Street, Bolton (Bolton Evening News: April 17). His frequent letters on this subject might suggest to some that he is a part-time member of the editorial
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Protecting these serene places...
IT would seem congratulations are in order to the occupants of Slack Hall Farm, Horwich. (BEN: April 21). Their ingenuity at overcoming the present Foot and Mouth dilemma, by use of video footage of their property, in lieu of a site inspection, has adequately
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Cruelty claims on fox hunting
REGARDING David Stoker's "Foxy Claims" missive in the BEN on April 18, in which Mr Stoker, by quoting statements made by Members of the House of Lords about the Burns Report into hunting with dogs, attempts to mislead. If he quoted accurately, and I presume
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Songs of praise for the church changes
I READ with interest the April 16 report in the BEN of the restoration of St Stephen and All Martyrs Church, Lever Bridge. There were two people mostly involved with the work. They were Mr Jack Wood, of Radcliffe Road, and Mr Partridge, the Diocesan Architect
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Hunt for hotel arsonist stepped up
THE hunt for an arsonist who sparked a blaze at a Bolton hotel, killing two people, continued today. Detectives were interviewing former and present employees of the hotel and a detailed fingertip search of a fire-ravaged corridor at the Bolton Moat House
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Pedestrian crushed as driver collapses
A ELDERLY pedestrian and the driver of a car died in an horrific crash when the vehicle careered out of control as the driver suffered a suspected heart attack. Shocked onlookers in Manchester Road, Kearsley, saw the Vauxhall Cavalier driven by John Westhead
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Have we any more bids ..?
WALSHAW Cricket Club got the Dean Holdsworth charity auction off the mark with a bid of £50. The Reebok star is auctioning an autographed bottle of bubbly he picked up for his man of the match performance in Saturday's 1-0 victory, a signed shirt and
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Club gets down to business
BURY Business Club starts its new programme of monthly meetings tomorrow. The latest networking event starts at 6pm at the Bury Businesslodge, Europa House, and includes a presentation by tax consultant David Teale of DTE Chartered Accountants. Other
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Mosque plans praised
PLANS to build a new mosque in Bolton have been described as a "striking" reflection of the expanding multi-cultural nature of the town. Proposals for the two-storey rectangular brick and stone mosque were approved at the latest meeting of the council's
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Police attack allegation trio will face trial
TWO men and a youth alleged to have been involved in an incident during which a dog was said to have been told to attack a police officer have appeared in court. Mitchell Harvey, 18, of Crostons Road, Bury, Christopher Foster, 18, of the same address,
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Pile-ups after diesel spills
A DIESEL spillage caused five cars to crash in two separate pile-ups which occured within seconds of each other today. Vehicles careered out of control as they were driven along Tonge Moor Road just after 7am with one car smashing into a wall in one of
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FORMER Bolton cricketers played influential roles as Leigh opened their Liverpool Competition Premie
Andy Batterley, formerly of Golborne led the spree with a 94 ball, 90 minute century while Dove added a quickfire 84. Batterley was finally out for 126 and there were more quick runs from Steve Bailey, ex- Atherton, who hit three sixes in his unbeaten
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'I'll be smiles better this time' vows Murali
IT is asking a lot for Muttiah Muralitharan to repeat his amazing performances during his previous stint with Lancashire, when he took 66 wickets in only six Championship matches. But the ever smiling little Sri Lankan believes he can do even better!
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WEDNESDAY: 'I'm just so happy I got out alive'
A VISITOR from Dubai fled from the blazing Moat House Hotel dressed in nothing more than his underpants. Businessman Hammed Alkaff was woken by the hotel's fire alarm and dashed into the smokelogged corridor outside his room. Mr Alkaff then made his way
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Airport forecast to play a major part in region
25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, June 24, 1976 MANCHESTER International Airport will play major part in the future development of regional airports. In 1990 Ringway could be handling 6.5 million passengers against today's annual estimate of 2.5 million
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Textile family's tapestry now hangs in museum
25 YEARS AGO A TAPESTRY valued at between £5,000 and £6,000 - one which any art gallery would want to show - has come into the ownership of Bolton Museum. It has just gone on display to the public. The tapestry, featuring vividly coloured tropical leaves
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King Coal will rule!
25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, April 24, 1976 KING Coal has his eye on the 21st century - and sees the threat of a massive energy gap that must be filled by coal. Revealing this in London today, the National Coal Board Chief, Sir Derek Ezra, predicted
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THURSDAY
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: aerobics, 8pm-9pm; swim lessons,
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Number of drink drivers in court on the increase
THE number of drink drivers prosecuted by the courts in the Bolton area has increased - with the majority of offenders aged between 30 and 59 years. In 1999 the total number taken to court was 483 but numbers increased last year to a total of 527, with
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Water torture as late double sinks Boro
RADCLIFFE Boro conceded two late goals in a 2-2 home Unibond League division one draw with Lincoln United. With both sides keen to play the game, the referee gave the go-ahead despite the heavy rain, and the entertainment served up was of the highest
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COMEDY NIGHTS
ALBERT HALLS, Bolton. Ring 334400. QUAYS THEATRE, The Lowry, Salford Quays. Ring 0161 876 2000. THE MET, Market Street, Bury. Ring 0161 761 2216. BLUE CAT CAFE, Shaw Rd, Heaton Moor, Stockport, 0161 432 2117. FROG AND BUCKET, Oldham St, Manchester. 0161
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WEDNESDAY: M&S bosses step in
BOSSES at the town's Marks and Spencer store stepped in to help clothe guests left stranded by the hotel fire. Commercial manager Chris Rawsthorne, based at Bolton's Deansgate branch, agreed to hand underwear, t-shirts and jeans to 25 of the guests. The
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WEDNESDAY: Women of the Year ceremony switched
THE postponed Women of Bolton Awards and Luncheon will now be held on May 11. The prestigious annual charity event, run by the Mayoress of Bolton, was due to be held at the fire-hit Bolton Moat House Hotel on Friday. Organisers have now re-arranged the
