Archive
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Mason is the Magpies hat-trick hero
IN-FORM striker Andy Mason was Chorley's hat-trick hero as the Magpies maintained their recent revival with a thoroughly deserved UniBond First Division victory over high-flying Ossett Town. But it was not a one-man show, with strike-partner Ian Barker
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Super care for a stroke victim
REGARDING the Stroke Survey. I was amazed by Mr K Gillard's letter in the BEN on Novem ber 28. My dear wife also died in Royal Bolton Hospital in September after suffering a stroke. I have nothing but praise for the care she received. At the end, there
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Points on the state of repair...
ON November 26, you published an article based on a report on Bolton's historic environment, presented to the Environment and Direct Services Scrutiny Committee that day. I am writing to express regret that the article and photographs juxtaposed two derelict
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Mary Whitehouse was right over TV
MANY people will surely mourn the passing of Mary Whitehouse, who for many years worked for better broadcasting that would benefit society as a whole. Much has been written about her in recent days giving testimony to the years of campaigning, and to
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Family's anguish over locket theft
A MOTHER whose baby died of meningitis has been left heartbroken after a thief stole a locket containing a curl of her daughter's hair. Mary Freeman today appealed to the thief to return the treasured memento which also contained a picture of 22-month-old
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Dream trip girl's Santa heartache
A HEARTBROKEN schoolgirl who spent months fund raising for a dream children's trip to meet Santa was barred from boarding a plane to Lapland -- due to a passport mix up. Instead of flying off for the Christmas trip of a lifetime, 11-year-old Jennifer
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Gordon Sharrock's Reebok Diary
SATURDAY: NO goals but plenty to smile about as Wanderers keep a clean sheet at home to Jean Tigana's Fulham. A year after being outclassed and outpassed by the Cottagers, the Reebok heroes show how far they have come in exctablishing a foothold in the
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Still a long way to go
STRIKING the balance between confidence and complacency will be the key to Wanderers staying the pace in the Premiership. Sam Allardyce and his players have been buoyed by their incredible start to the season but they go to Spurs tonight, knowing they
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Still a long way to go
STRIKING the balance between confidence and complacency will be the key to Wanderers staying the pace in the Premiership. Sam Allardyce and his players have been buoyed by their incredible start to the season but they go to Spurs tonight, knowing they
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Astra wrecked
A VAUXHALL Astra was set alight on Worsley Grove, Little Hulton, last night. Firefighters used a hose reel on the fire but the car was destroyed.
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Rod's spot-on for Whites
ROD Wallace is ready to change the habit of a lifetime for the Wanderers' cause. The 32-year-old striker stunned his team-mates when he revealed that his tie-breaking spot-kick in last week's Worthington Cup shoot-out with Southampton was the first he
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Christmas market
A CHRISTMAS market will be held by Christ Church Walmsley's Mothers' Union at the Parish Hall in Blackburn Road, Egerton, from 10am to noon on December 8.
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Orchestra event
OPERA '74 joins forces with Bolton Symphony Orchestra for the annual New Year concert. The event takes place in the Albert Halls on January 12 at 7.30pm. Tickets are £8 to £10 with concessions.
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Burglars flee in owner's car
BURGLARS used a homeowner's car to make off with their £2,300 haul. The intruders forced a patio door at the rear of the house in Winchester Road, Radcliffe, early today. They stole computer equipment and cash before taking the keys to the owner's VW
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£10,000 stolen from petrol station
POLICE are hunting a masked robber who grabbed more than £10,000 from a Ramsbottom petrol station early today. The man, armed with a knife, threatened staff at the Esso service station in Stubbins before putting the cash in a black rucksack. He was wearing
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Pensioner injured in dog attack
A 69-YEAR-OLD man has undergone surgery after he was attacked by a dog. The pensioner, who celebrates his 70th birthday tomorrow, was walking with his dog in Platt Lane, Hindley, just before 3pm yesterday. His dog was attacked by a Staffordshire Pit Bull
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Apartment block traffic fears
PLANS to create extra apartments at a complex in Astley Bridge have been deferred following concerns about traffic. Developers want to add an extra storey to the previously approved four apartments on land off Gresham Street, at the back of Seymour Road
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Bolton trams - 50 years on
KEITH Markland taught in several Bolton secondary schools before being seconded in 1955 to the Ethiopian Ministry of Education. In 1958, he joined a major British oil company in Iraq as a training specialist, eventually returning to the UK in 1965. He
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Electric tramway services in Bolton, 1899-1947
"A" Darcy Lever -- commenced May 6, 1910, using three single-decker cars bought specially for this route. These cars were later rebuilt as double-deckers. (Service ceased May 11, 1928). "B" Services to Toothill Bridge -- commenced December 9, 1899, extended
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Trams: All that's left is a memory
THE most notorious of all the local tram routes was the "F" to Walkden route. It had double track all the way to the Borough boundary at Moses Gate where it joined the former Farnworth UDC/SLT tracks to the Black Horse and Walkden respectively. Unfortunately
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I looked across and saw the town hall ablaze
BOB Mason, 70, was working on his boat at the Atlas Mills in Chorley Old Road, Bolton, when he heard the news. He was alerted to the blaze by someone shouting "Hey chaps, come outside, there's a heck of a fire burning in the town hall". Mr Mason, who
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How terrible it would have been if the fire had started earlier
ELIZABETH Moore was attending the Chrysanthemum Show on the day of the fire. Her husband, Clarence, and his uncle were members of the society. Mrs Moore, 88, who lives in Heaton, said: "At 12.00 everyone had flowers there. Quite a lot of people used to
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Don't go to prize-giving
PAT McMahon won two prizes in the Bolton Floral Art show on the day the Albert Hall was destroyed by fire. She was at home in Smithills when she received a message from a friend telling her not to collect her trophies. "I remember being told not to go
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Vivid memories of the niught the Town Hall burned
MANY Bolton folk have vivid memories of the day exactly 20 years ago that the Albert Hall in Bolton Town Hall was destroyed by fire reports Gayle McBain Some people were taking part in a flower show inside the building and had to be evacuated. Others
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I was convinced that this lady, who had quite a sense of humour, was just pulling my leg
ROLAND Arthur has "quite vivid memories" of the Saturday night when the Albert Hall was destroyed. Mr Arthur, of Heaton, said: "It had been the annual flag day for Bolton Samaritans. I had been out shaking a tin for them in the town centre most of the
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Family joke that wore a bit thin
FORMER Bolton councillor Bill Hardman ironically endured years of jokes by his children about a fictitious town hall fire before the actual event. Cllr Hardman's widow, Mrs Sharron Hardman, said: "Our children would sometimes tease him by rushing in and
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Some people were in there having tea and didn't know about the fire
FORMER treasurer of the Bolton and District Horticultural and Chrysanthemum Society, Mr Fred Saunders, raised the alarm on the evening of the fire. Mr Saunders, now aged 79, went to investigate after being told by a group of women from Bolton Floral Art
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It was an amazing sight, and very emotional
ELIZABETH Dalley was a teacher at Chalfont CP School at the time of the Albert Hall fire. Mrs Dalley, who lives in Tonge Moor, had to take artwork to the hall for a competition some of the children were taking part in. "The children were very excited
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Roof firm is clearly the tops
IMAGES of the Commonwealth Games stadium will be beamed across the world during next year's spectacular 10-day event. It is said to be the most advanced stadium in the country, with each one of the 38,000 spectators able to gain unrestricted views of
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We need the hand of justice
THE FA should throw the book at Manchester City's new signing Christian Negoui for punching in a goal more blatantly than Diego Maradona's famous 'Hand of God'. To do that and then run off and celebrate it is bringing the game into disrepute in anybody's
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Law of the jungle for football's great entertainers
THEY met in a hole in the ground - 92 football mascots with something on their mind. "We've seen what the PFA have got for the players and now it's our turn," said Guy The Gorilla, beating his chest. Clearly things were going to get ugly. "It's time for
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Nick Stone back on the chase
LAST Light is the fourth Nick Stone thriller from former SAS-Sergeant Andy McNab. Now established as one of the UK's top selling thriller writers, McNab draws heavily on his experiences in the world's most highly trained and skilled Special Forces unit
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Haunting novel of BSE landfill
IN the summer of 1999 in a village in Scotland, there were 22,300 tons of BSE cull material being stored. The government did not have the resources to cope with the disposal of so many animals, and investigated the possibility of using local landfill
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Vet faces more than pets in South America
IT'S 1973 and the three-day week turns everyday life at the RSPCA Animal Hospital at Harmsworth upside down, as the team of vets face everything from power failing mid-operation to setting bones by candlelight. A Colombian friend suggests that a spell
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Hawking: An intellectual icon of our times
THE UNIVERSE in a Nutshell by Stephen Hawking, is the sequel to the phenomenal bestseller, A Brief History of Time. That book has sold over 10 million copies worldwide, and features in the Guinness Book of Records as the best book which has made more
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Witness plea after camera robbery
POLICE have issued a fresh appeal for information after an amateur photographer was robbed at knifepoint. The 22-year-old, from the Daubhill area of Bolton, was left shocked but unhurt after the incident in a country lane near the Black Dog Inn, Belmont
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BEN reporter Louisa Gregson gives her verdict
SITTING at the very top of the Christmas Snow Slide it was easy to imagine I was bang in the middle of an Alpine scene. The white slope in front of me, the snow capped fir trees and the authentic looking log cabin gave what would have been just another
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Defeat leaves Leigh deeper in trouble
Hayes 2 Leigh RMI 1 by Martyn Hindley LEIGH RMI look set to become tangled up in the relegation dogfight after defeat in a critical basement battle with Hayes at Church Road. Despite the addition of new boy Gerry Harrison in midfield for the Railwaymen
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Treatment cost and immigrants
AFTER being treated twice in the past for cancer, you could imagine my delight at hearing about the new cancer drug with a 90 per cent success rate for Leukaemia sufferers. But then here's the catch -- £18,000 per patient. I think this is where I lose
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Harry Potter and the mirror
LAST weekend we had a friend and her young daughter staying with us. This gave me the excuse to go to see Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. As is so often the case in children's stories, very deep truths lie hidden. In one scene Harry and his
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Police chief denies 'worst force' label
A NEW survey has labelled Greater Manchester Police the worst force in England and Wales. The survey, commissioned by a national Sunday newspaper, looked at performance in several areas, including detection rates, complaints from the public, response
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Deadly duo get White Hart Lane target
SAM Allardyce is preparing his defensive duo of Gudni Bergsson and Mike Whitlow for a "special assignment" to dent Tottenham's fast-growing confidence. The Reebok boss has singled out Teddy Sheringham as the man Wanderers need to shackle if they are to
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Spurs v Wanderers: Live reports here
CHIEF Soccer Writer Gordon Sharrock is at White Hart Lane for tonight's Premiership clash between Spurs and Wanderers. Click HERE for the latest team news shortly before kick off, half-time report and full-time report
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Wheatcroft: United coaches 'left me to drown'
BOLTON-born Paul Wheatcroft goes on TV tonight to relive the traumatic moments when Manchester United showed him the door. Wheatcroft, now signed to Wanderers as a striker, is currently on loan to Third Division Rochdale to gain experience. He thought
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Man, 23, hurt in van crash
A MAN had to be taken to hospital after suffering injuries in a road accident. The 23-year-old's car was involved in a collision with a van on Bolton Old Road, Atherton, at 10.30pm on Saturday. His girlfriend suffered shock. Two people in the van escaped
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Steaming Santa
Santa express Santa steams in SANTA Claus is visiting the famous Bronte Country line at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway this weekend only. He will be travelling on his very own steam train along with his pixies, elves and many other friends. Seats
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Night closures on motorway
MOTORISTS are warned that part of the M62 will be closed overnight on Tuesday and Wednesday while new signs are installed. The eastbound carriageway will be closed between junctions 18, Simister, and 19, Heywood, from 10pm on Tuesday to 5.30am the next
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Anthony steps into Robbie's boots
BURY Football Club has a new Robbie the Bobby after the former mascot was sacked for bad behaviour. Anthony Bersz, a friend of mid-fielder Paul O'Shoughnessy, has stepped into Jonathan Pollard's shoes after it was agreed that he should step down from
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Tram fleet details, and other info
1-40: four-wheelers bought 1899-1900 41-48: four-wheelers bought 1901 49: 8-wheeler bought 1901 50-59: eight-wheelers bought 1901 (Brush cars) 60-81: eight-wheelers bought 1902 82-86: four-wheelers bought 1905 87-96: four-wheelers bought 1907 (Brush cars
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Tram sheds the envy of others
ONCE I entered Bolton School in the mid-30s, I'd become quite an authority regarding the Bolton system; at least, I liked to think so! My only regret was that, unlike so many of my contemporaries who lived in distant outposts such as Atherton, Walkden
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The first tram I saw
IT was early in 1928 when I first saw a Bolton Corporation Tramways' single-decker. There it was, minus an upper deck, standing on Bradshawgate at the corner of Silverwell Street. What a shock; I didn't believe it! Little did I know that it was one of
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Spurs v Wanderers: Live reports here
CHIEF Soccer Writer Gordon Sharrock is at White Hart Lane for tonight's Premiership clash between Spurs and Wanderers. Click HERE for the latest team news shortly before kick off, half-time report and full-time report Click HERE for the latest Wanderers
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There was no water damage because the firemen had done such a good job
FORMER solicitor Mike Cresswell, who lives in Brookside Close, Bradshaw, was employed by the council at the time of the blaze. "I was lying in bed on the Sunday morning, listening to the radio, and I heard there had been a terrific fire at the town hall
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We could see the flames billowing from the town hall
EILEEN McMenamin was returning to Bolton from Oldham, along Bury Road, with her three children, when she spotted the Albert Hall fire. She said: "It was hard to place at first, but it became clear that it must be in the town centre. "Only as we passed
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We were inside while the fire below the hall was building up
ERIC Tatton had been just minutes away from being caught up in the drama on that Saturday night. Mr Tatton, now aged 78, of Farnworth, remembers the day the Albert Hall was destroyed by fire. "My wife and I were in Bolton and had been to the market to
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Timetable of the disaster
THIS fascinating timetable of events shows how quickly the fire service responded to the Albert Hall blaze. The official -- and confidential -- printout of the calls made on the night and the following two days, between fire control and the individual
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Inferno that scarred the face of Bolton
THE night of Saturday, November 14, 1981, was one many local people will never forget. It was 20 years ago today that a massive blaze ravaged Bolton's famous Albert Hall, part of Bolton Town Hall. The fire started just before 5pm, as the Bolton and District
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Bolton's latest Top 10 sellers
1. Plodder Lane for Farnworth by Bert Holland (Triangle £18.95). 2. Have Guitar Will Travel by Neil Smith (Neil Smith £5.95). 3. The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope (Penguin £5.99). 4. Floyd's India by Keith Floyd (HarperCollins £15.99). 5. Billy
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The dark ages of medicine
IN Life Script, Nicholas Wade claims that medicine is still in its dark age. We think of our medicine as sophisticated, but a few decades from now much of it may be regarded with the same horror as we view the barber-surgeons of the 18th century. But
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It's been every witch way for hundreds of years...
WHEN Candace Savage dressed up as a Hallowe'en witch at the age of 10, "I had no idea that I was shouldering centuries of oppression, judicial murder and high-minded mockery. "Instead, I was attracted by the power of angry cursing and ill-tempered laughter
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Centurions open up in style
Leigh Centurions 30 Barrow Border Raiders 12 by Mike Hulme NORTHERN Ford Premiership favourites Leigh eased to an opening day victory with the promise of more to come. Leigh showed in flashes that they will again be a force to be reckoned with after overcoming
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Wembley pays tribute to Tom
A PACKED Wembley Arena on Saturday December 1 paid tribute to Bolton pensioner Tom Parnell for his bravery in saving some of the world's best loved and most prized animals. War hero Tom, aged 84, will receive the gratitude of an entire nation for returning
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Primary schools' £1m booster
A CASH injection of more than £1million for Bolton primary schools was announced today. The town will get £1,089,880 of Government money pumped into improving the literacy and numeracy of all children aged five to 11. All primary schools in the North
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Soap star staying quiet over fiancee
SOAP star Stephen Beckett was keeping tight-lipped about his off-screen romance to Emmerdale actress Anna Brecon when he made a whirlwind visit to Bolton on Saturday. The Coronation Street star, who plays heart-throb Dr Matt Ramsden, refused to reveal
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Pop Idol girl misses final but wins over judges
GOLDEN-VOICED Sarah Whatmore failed to reach the final of TV's Pop Idol -- but was stunned when notorious judge Simon Cowell asked her to marry him. The 20-year-old singer wowed viewers of the ITV1 show after appearing in a revealing, golden lace dress
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Armada of doctors to the rescue
IT was a little like a beauty parade. But instead of models, a group of Spanish GPs walked the floor of The Reebok Stadium, waiting to be snapped up by the highest "bidder". Doctors from across the North-west -- believed to be from 50 practices -- touted
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Wheatcroft: United coaches left me to drown
BOLTON-born Paul Wheatcroft goes on TV tonight to relive the traumatic moments when Manchester United showed him the door. Wheatcroft, now signed to Wanderers as a striker, is currently on loan to Third Division Rochdale to gain experience. He thought
