Archive
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Brass band festival
MANCHESTER plays host to one of the largest brass band festivals in the world on Saturday, September 8 at The Bridgewater Hall. The second Great Northern Brass Arts Festival will showcase the world's finest brass bands, ensembles and soloists. The event
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TV claim burglar jailed
A BURGLAR, who claimed on a BBC TV programme Panorama that a flawed fingerprint had resulted in his conviction, was jailed for two and a half years today. Alan McNamara, aged 39, contacted the TV programme after being arrested following a house raid which
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Wanderers play numbers game
ONLY 47 days after Bolton's heady triumph in the play-off final at Cardiff, business was resumed with the first pre-season friendly at non-league neighbours Radcliffe Borough. As expected Sam Allardyce and his coaching staff took the opportunity to give
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Sam swoops for Japanese striker
WANDERERS pushed back their soccer boundaries when they signed Japanese striker Akinori Nishizawa. The player comes on a 12 month loan from Cerezo Osaka with an option to buy. Nishizawa is the first Japanese footballer to play in the English domestic
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A gem of an idea
GEM experts are set to protect homeowners valuable jewellery as part of a unique crime-fighting service. People are invited to take their treasured items to be valued and registered by a team who will be on hand at Bolton's H Samuel shop in Unit 9a, Market
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Computer boost to fingerprinting
BOLTON criminals could soon be caught by computer, thanks to on-screen fingerprint "dabs". The current ink, roller and block system -- which saw 4,400 criminals identified last year -- will soon be a thing of the past in Bolton as fingerprinting goes
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Road safety campaingn hits the road
POLICE chiefs have unveiled the latest weapon in the battle to improve safety on Bolton's roads. A new road safety exhibition trailer will take to the streets after GMP and the Greater Manchester Group of Local Authorities jointly funded the project.
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Workshop places still available
DISABLED people interested in taking to the stage get the chance to play a starring role in a series of new workshops. Emma Matthews from Farnworth decided to set up a series of drama sessions for would-be actors with physical disabilities. However, a
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Prize winning run for dramatic society
MEMBERS of St Philips Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society are on a winning streak. They scooped two prizes in a prize winning run at the Greater Manchester Drama Federation's One Act Play Festival, and three separate awards at the organisation's annual
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Woman 'poorly'
A WOMAN is continuing to recover in hospital four weeks after she was involved in a road crash in Belmont. Jean Mercer, of Tongefields, Bromley Cross, is poorly but stable at the Royal Preston Hospital. She was travelling towards Abbey Village on Tuesday
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Assault case
A RADCLIFFE man had charges of witness intimidation and assaulting his ex-partner causing actual bodily harm withdrawn at Rochdale Magistrates Court. Wayne Anthony Englebert, aged 23, of Cross Lane, admitted two charges of common assault. He also admitted
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Roof plunge boys alert
SCHOOL chiefs have warned youngsters never to climb on roofs after two boys cheated death in a 20ft plunge. Staff at Radcliffe High School revealed their concerns after the BEN revealed David Mclaughlin, aged eight from Westhoughton and 12-year-old Brendan
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Boy dragged along road
A DRIVER dragged a 13-year-old boy alongside his car after the youth tried to touch his girlfriend. The incident happened on Tarn Drive in Bury on January 20 when the boy approached Christopher Bly's car. The boy tried to grab Bly's girlfriend, who was
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Sam's a cut above
WANDERERS have had their first close shave of the season - and it had nothing to do with football. Boss Big Sam Allardyce turned up at yesterday's press conference to announce the signing of Japanese striker Akinori Nishizawa minus his familiar moustache
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Teeing off in aid of St Ann's
ST Ann's Hospice is hosting a Charity Golf Day on Friday August 3 at Prestwich Golf Club. As well as supporting the hospice, which cares for people in Greater Manchester there is a chance to play 18 holes of golf, and dinner at the club. The competition
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Club for Scots fans
BOLTON'S Burns Club meets every Tuesday at the Social Centre for the Blind on Castle Street, Bolton, at 7.45pm. Scottish country dance classes, literary evenings, talks and walks feature regularly. Robert Burns is one of Britain's best loved poets and
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Postmaster raid drama
A POSTMASTER needed hospital treatment after he was attacked by two robbers. The man, aged 55, suffered a deep cut to his left ankle after being struck by one of the masked raiders during a raid on Dumers Lane Post Office in Radcliffe yesterday. Police
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Closure plan 'a denial of justice'
A LEADING family judge has branded the possible closure of courts in Leigh and Wigan as a "denial of justice" for people in the towns. Speaking on his retirement from the circuit bench, Judge Peter Urquhart reacted to moves for civil cases to be dealt
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Residents can see blueprint for better future
RESIDENTS in Edgworth, Turton and Belmont are set to receive a boost to the quality of their lives. Blackburn with Darwen Council has produced its Local Government Plan -- a framework for improvements across the borough. It hopes to boost the borough
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Firefighter strike support threat
BOLTON firefighters could go on strike in support of their Merseyside colleagues. That is the warning from union bosses in Greater Manchester, who said they would walk out if any employee is sacked for taking industrial action. They have confirmed crews
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Sam's promise on transfer deals
SAM Allardyce has pledged there will be no let-up in his bid to create a squad capable of surviving in the Premiership. After unveiling four new faces in the last week, the Wanderers boss pledged there is more to come. The loss of defender Robbie Elliott
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EGERTON v KEARSLEY
Egerton M Ward b Davies...33 P Burton lbw Whittle...1 Semple c Thornley b Akber...5 J Mills b Akber...13 F Neki c Partington b Akber...0 N Partington c Davies b Whittle...29 J Sharples b Foy...2 J Cunliffe lbw Foy...0 J Conlon c Foy b Akber...8 A Ainsworth
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WESTHOUGHTON v HORWICH RMI
Westhoughton S Parker c Yates b Taylor ...1 WHite c Harper b Taylor ...2 I Pilkington c S Woods b N Woods ...24 R Parker b N Woods ...29 A Gaskell b harper ...82 M Atherton lbw Yates ...27 M Crookson c Ainscough b Yates ...9 M Patel lbw Woods ...0 A Newby
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Egerton's finishing power seals cup win
EGERTON'S Hamer Cup campaign looked to have come to an end when they were restricted to a meagre 128-9 by Kearsley writes Peter Mensforth And it looked a great deal worse when the leaders romped to 81-4 in reply, Suddenly that was reduced to 88-9 as Andrew
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Washed out Atherton lose ground to rivals
2ND XI Review: THE LOCALISED rain which hit Bolton washed out the fixtures at Atherton and Spring View against A & T and Walshaw respectively. This was a blow to Atherton as winners Little Hulton, Clifton and Darcy Lever leap-frogged over them to
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Bury pull game back
BURY beat Bolton 159-149 in the over 45s inter-league series. Bolton made a good start when they dismissed seven batters for only eight runs but Joyce Roscoe lead the revival scoring scoring 38 runs, in a first innings total of 94 runs. It was a similar
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Champions in winning form
BSF ROUNDERS LEAGUE THE CHAMPION of champions was finally completed at Westhoughton CC. Fourteen teams, who won their sections last year plus The Volunteer, competed for the trophy. Group A consisted of three teams and Darcy Lever CC A won the group with
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Handicap events produce close matches
FEW singles matches were played in the BSF Tennis Championships on Saturday, but South College based Andrew Riley, the number four seed, took time to settle down against Walmer's Adam Worsley, before running out a 6-3, 6-1 winner. Former girls' title
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Hole 17 467yds par 4
ANOTHER very heavily bunkered hole coming off the tee. You are really are up against it if you are looking to birdie this hole.
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THOMAS BJORN
THE talented Dane finished tied second last year and is playing well and looks ready to move up into the major league. He is one of the next guys to win a major.
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Hole 18 414 yds par 4
THIS is nearly 30 yards longer than when Tony Jacklin won in 1969. It appears almost impossible to avoid a bunker. There are seven fairway bunkers off the tee and you have to hit the ball left to right. There is a cavernous bunker on the right-hand side
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Can Lytham tame Tiger?
PGARETH BENSON, one of the country's leading instructors and BEN's teaching professional, gives his personal views of the Open course at Royal Lytham & St Annes to DAVID MAGILTON and picks out who he belives will be the leading contenders.
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Schools in deprived areas to get more help
SCHOOLS in some of the most deprived areas of Bolton are to benefit from further Government assistance after driving up standards in less than two years. School Standards Minister Stephen Timms announced today that the Education Action Zone project will
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Historic fair brings feast of fun to community
A COMMUNITY celebrated over the weekend with a feast of fun, games and live music. The historic Rughill Fair in Breightmet is now into its third year after being revitalised by the community. Its origins stem back to Victorian times when farmers in the
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MPs in revolt
REBEL local Labour MPs joined a revolt against moves to sack two outspoken critics of the Government from the chairmanships of influential Commons committees. Bolton South-east MP Dr Brian Iddon, Bury North's David Chaytor and Worsley representative Terry
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DARREN CLARKE
HE was in contention at Troon, in the last game going out and was the leading Briton last year. He knows what it is all about, has the experience and is coming into form having won the European Open last week. He must have a better chance than Lee Westwood
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Hole 12 198yds par 3THIS must be one of the hardest par threes in tournament golf.
It is a long iron and the prevailing wind blows the ball left to right towards the out of bounds which is only a few paces off the edge of the green. The tee is completely surrounded by shrubs and tees and it is very difficult to feel the wind and its
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COLIN MONTGOMERIE
He has more of a chance now that we are not looking on him as a major contender. The less pressure he has and the less pressure he heaps on himself and I think the more chance he has. He can stroll round, end up in contention and it would not surprise
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VIJAY SINGH
ANOTHER player who has had a very big year in the States and went down the last few holes with Tom Lehman last time. The Fijian knows the course, he has been here two or three times before, is playing well and one of the world's leading players. The more
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The Course...
LYTHAM is a little bit different in so much that accuracy off the tee will be at a premium. The fairways are regulation 22 yards wide with knee high rough. The average championship course is around 7,200 yards, so at 6,900 yards, Lytham is not the longest
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GB team for OIympics?
THE Football Association and the British Olympic Association are set for more discussions about entering a British football team in the Olympic Games. BOA chief executive Simon Clegg has revealed he and FA counterpart Adam Crozier have discussed the matter
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BOLTON ASSOCIATION SECOND XI
P W L D AB BP Pt Elton... 14 7 1 4 2 41 193 Little Hulton... 14 9 3 1 1 20 186 Clifton... 14 5 3 5 1 78 184 Darcy Lever... 14 8 4 1 1 16 182 Atherton... 14 6 3 3 2 48 180 Adlington... 14 6 3 4 1 36 162 Walshaw... 14 6 5 1 2 26 158 Daisy Hill... 14 6 5
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TONGE v ASTLEY BRIDGE
Astley Bridge P Stafford c Hallows b Taylor...28 D Guest c Kirkpatrick b Taljard...15 Jadhav c & b Taljard...55 T Barry lbw Taljard...0 A Clegg lbw Taylor...4 S Entwistle lbw Taljard...6 P Tebay not out...23 S Mahmood not out...23 Extras...15 Total
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EGERTON v KEARSLEY
Kearsley S Davies st Dudley b Burton...33 J Ratledge c Dudley b Farrukh...21 D Foy c Sharples b Burton...24 T Whittle c Ward b Farrukh...22 S Thomson lbw b Farrukh...9 C Monks c Ward b Farrukh...21 Akber not out...24 J Partington run out...6 Extras...6
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Points of order, Ruth
I READ with interest the letter from B. Myers concerning the Westhoughton by-pass and Ruth Kelly. Two facts should be remembered. 1. The election is over and Ms Kelly thinks she can forget about her constituents for another five years and concentrate
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Memory Lane is a mess . . .
I RECENTLY visited Kearsley and during my time there was driven to Radcliffe and Farnworth. These were trips down Memory Lane as I am Farnworth born and bred. What a disappointment! I was dismayed by the widespread litter. Every location appeared derelict
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My kind of town
WHY cannot anyone ever have anything positive to say about the town we live in? Over the past few weeks, many of the readers' views in the BEN have been largely negative and overtly pessimistic. I for one am glad and feel lucky to live in Bolton. There
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£3m debts shock for hospital
THE Royal Bolton Hospital is in severe financial crisis facing debts of up to £3 million. (For the rest of this shock report and other background stories click on our HOSPITAL £3m DEBTS SHOCK file on the Local News, left link)
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Bus services hit by bridge work
BUS services are expected to be severely disrupted from Wednesday as work starts to strengthen a major Bolton bridge. (For the rest of this report and all the latest on Bolton's roads misery click on our CRISIS ON THE ROADS file on the Local News, left
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Police tribute to 'man of the people'
SOMBRE Bolton police officers stood to attention and paid tribute to one of their own. That was the scene as scores of police men and women -- who had counted Sgt Mick Bradford as their colleague and friend -- said their final goodbye. The 44-year-old
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Better facilities for bathers
The first of several improvements were being introduced at Farnworth public baths to provide better facilities for bathers in February, 1955, when these pictures were taken. They included the installation of an electric penny-in-the-slot automatic hair-drying
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All set for a flyer . . .
This photograph of workers from De Havilland at Lostock (probably later better remembered as British Aerospace) at Moor Lane bus station where they had gathered to go on a trip to Llandudno has been sent to me by Mr Tom Hall. He tells me that it was taken
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Teeing off in aid of St Ann's
ST Ann's Hospice is hosting a Charity Golf Day on Friday August 3 at Prestwich Golf Club. As well as supporting the hospice, which cares for people in Greater Manchester there is a chance to play 18 holes of golf, and dinner at the club. The competition
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Local cookie company takes biscuit as fastest growing firm
MILLIE'S Cookies -- the chain run by local businessman Richard O'Sullivan -- is the fastest growing privately-owned company in the North-west. It tops a list which accountants Arthur Andersen have compiled for a regional business magazine. Millie's Cookies
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Bridge work delays expected
BUS services are expected to be severely disrupted from Wednesday as work starts to strengthen a major Bolton bridge. Engineers at Bolton Council's highways department are to begin a further 12 week period of repair work on the A666 Manchester Road, between
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Cyclist hurt
A SCHOOLBOY needed hospital treatment following an accident in Farnworth. Jordan Melville, aged eight, was in collision with the side of a Vauxhall Astra car as he rode his bike along Westland Avenue at 6.30pm yesterday. Jordan, of Westland Avenue, was
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Clarke deal still on?
BRADFORD goalkeeper Matt Clarke could still be on his way to the Reebok as his agent insists he is looking for a permanent move away from Valley Parade. Clarke spent two months on loan at Bolton towards the end of last season and last week turned down
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Plea for charity adventure rafters
THE Muscular Dystrophy Campaign is on the lookout for adventurous Bolton volunteers who would like to try their hand at whitewater rafting. If you can raise a team of six to eight people and a minimum amount of £600 in sponsorship, then the rafting will
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Service boost
COUNCIL chiefs are to work with residents across Edgworth, Belmont and North Turton to improve the quality of their service. Blackburn with Darwen Council has developed the Diversity Policy to promote equality and fairness in the way the council deals
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Betting shop manager in raid terror
A BETTING office manager was hit over the head by two raiders wielding a golf club -- in one of three robberies within an hour. They attacked the manager of Stanley Racing bookmakers in Walkden Road, Walkden, at 11.45am yesterday, just seven minutes after
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Hit hard by the holidays
THERE was a time when the BSF Ladies' Rounders League had a two week break for Bolton Holidays, but then the schools changed their terms, people were saying "Bolton Holidays don't exist any more" and the League opted to play straight through the season
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Double success gives Atherton leading role
THE Bolton Association is into the second half of the season and it is still anyone's guess where the title will end up. Atherton are in pole position at the midway point but only time will tell if they will be able to hold off the challenge of Clifton
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Smoking shelters unused
THE Hospital recently caused public outrage after announcing that they were to spend £25,000 on smoking shelters at the Minerva Road site. The shelters remain unused with smokers still opting to stand outside. Hospital bosses defended their actions by
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£110m for second biggest employer
The Royal Bolton Hospital overspent on nurses in June by £356,000, compared to a May overspend of £56,000; The overall budget for the Royal Bolton Hospital this year is £110 million, mainly given by the Wigan and Bolton Health Authority who are allocated
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THE BEN SAYS: Hospital's poor health warning
THE financial state of the Royal Bolton Hospital revealed here will shock local people. Debts of up to £3 million loom, warns Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust director of finance Beverly Peacock. The threat of insolvency could put the borough in a very rare
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Nurses struggle to cope with beds shortage
UNRELENTING pressures on "exhausted and frustrated" nurses are forcing the closure of beds at the Royal Bolton Hospital. The strain of Bolton's bed shortage is taking its toll on the town's accident and emergency unit -- with an 84 per cent rise in the
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Top men's seeds ease their way through
THE seeds in the men's singles competition of the BSF Tennis Championships justified their ranking last night. Champion and number one seed Nick Hinnighan conceded only one game against Dominic Roscoe of Bradshaw, while Simon Roberts had an identical
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Turley set to be prize guy
RECORD-breaking full-back Neil Turley is in line for two prizes at the end-of-season Northern Ford Premiership awards. The 21-year-old Leigh star, who smashed the club record of 49 tries set by Steve Halliwell in 1996, is nominated for young player of
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PHIL MICKELSON
ONE of the in-form golfers in America at the moment. He is also a left-hander which I think will favour him along the railways holes as he can shape the ball away from the trouble.
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Mike on the ball
BOLTON Golf Association secretary Mike Yates will be working for the BBC relaying information back to the studio. Mike, who worked for NBC at the last Royal Lytham Open in 1996, will be close-up to the action to make sure Peter Alliss and Co know which
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Sex attack man jailed for three years
A MAN who sexually assaulted a woman in her own home was branded a danger to women. A judge jailed Geoffrey Makin for three years after hearing he was at grave risk of committing further offences in the future. Makin, of Long Lane, Hindley Green, appeared
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Churches lead countdown to sporting Games
BOLTON became the first town in the country to kick-start the countdown to Manchester's Commonwealth Games. Children from schools across the borough gathered on the town hall steps in Victoria Square on Sunday to launch a host of golden balloons into
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No courts, no city bid says lawyer
THE closure of Bolton's magistrates courts would spell disaster for a bid for city status, a top solicitor claims. And it would be a "sad day" in marking an end to local justice, solicitor Andrew Cresswell fears. Last month the BEN revealed that cost-cutting
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Cultures united in Mela fun
CROWDS flocked to Bolton's third Asian cultural festival - despite an early downpour. And organisers hailed this year's Mela festival as one of the best and most well attended to date, claiming cultures across Bolton were brought closer together. Bad
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Controversial exam passes head's test
THE headteacher of a Bolton school has condemned critics of a controversial new exam system -- claiming that they have devalued the hard work of his students. Alan Wright, head of Bolton School Boys' Division, used the school's annual summer prizegiving
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Hole 15 463yds par 4
AGAIN this is into the prevailing wind and can be very demanding to get up to the green in two shots. It is very heavily bunkered off the fairway and if you hit the ball into one of those traps you have no chance of reaching the green. Four will be a
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SERGIO GARCIA
HE must be one of the younger guys in contention. He was up there last year and is playing well at the moment. The Spaniard has the temperament for the big time and showed in the US Open that, although it did not suit his game, stayed in contention until
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Lytham fills in the Sandwich
ROYAL Lytham is hosting the event after only a five year break because Royal St George's in Sandwich, turned it down. The members down in Kent did not want the disruption that hosting The Open brings after staging the event in 1985 and 1993. The grandstands
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Bolton in charge from the start!
A TEAM of 30 volunteers from Bolton Old Links will be helping to steward the first hole. Organiser John White said: "We marshall at the Open when it is at Royal Lytham and Royal Birkdale and when the British Women's Open is in the area. "Traditionally
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Gareth's ones to watch...
TIGER WOODS THE champion is the hot favourite in every event he plays. Sometimes the standard of Woods' putting has been overshadowed by his power off the tee, but between 8-15 feet, his putting has been absolutely amazing. It is that which has stretched
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Big chance for Malta's best
BURY supporters get their first glimpse of Maltese international trialist Luke Dimech in tomorrow's friendly at Radcliffe Boro. The 24-year-old defender is in the middle of a three-week spell with the Shakers and is hoping to earn a contract. Dimech,
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ASTLEY BRIDGE v EAGLEY
Astley Bridge P Stafford c D Shuttleworth b Mahboob...12 S Entwistle c D Shuttleworth b Mahboob...4 Jadhav c J Shuttleworth b Seddon...34 T Barry c Mahboob b Mitchell...9 A Clegg c Mcdermott b Mahboob...12 S Mahmood c Wallwork b Mahboob...15 P Tebay c
