COMPUTER firm Skillsgroup has seen operating profits soar. The firm, which employs more than 200 people in Haslingden, saw profits increase by 44 per cent to £5.6 million in the six months to May 31. Turnover rose by 21 per cent to £77.2 million. Skillsgroup
A TOP East Lancashire clergyman is to make a personal plea for information about hostage Paul Wells this week. The Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Rev Alan Chesters will join around 800 bishops from across the world at the Church of England's Lambeth Conference
NEIL Smillie is hoping Burnley's loss will be Wycombe's gain by signing full-back Chris Vinnicombe this week. Vinnicombe has been training with the Adams Park club for the past week and will play for them against Crystal Palace on Wednesday night. An
ANDERS Andersson could find himself a wanted man here in Sweden this week, with Malmo - Blackburn Rovers' first pre-season friendly opponents tonight - being tipped to lead the chase for their former midfielder. Andersson had a disappointing Ewood season
A LEADING psychiatrist said he could not rule out attacks on the public by mentally ill patients because of the lack of secure hospital places. Dr Michael Launer, head of psychiatric services for Burnley Health Trust, warned there was a serious shortage
A TOP doctor slammed a town centre pub where a 'Jekyll and Hyde' sex potion could be bought over the counter. Liquid Gold, a form of amyl nitrate stimulant better known as 'poppers' was being sold, legally, at Crackers bar in Regent Street, Blackburn.
REGARDING the numerous TV viewers who still cannot receive Channel 5, I think it is a disgrace they have to pay the full licence fee. There should be a reduction until they can get it. Those with cable and satellite TV are able to watch it, but what about
COULD I thank all the people who helped to make the open day at the Royal Mail delivery office in Blackburn a tremendous success? With the help and generosity of Max Spielman, Blackburn Rovers, Bookland, Imagine, Thwaites Brewery, Caledonia garages, Forbes
I HAVE in my possession a diary for 1917 by a Miss Annie Greenwood, of Holt Mill, Briercliffe, Burnley. It contains information in respect of family, many of them serving overseas during the 'Great War.' I do not want anything for it, but will gladly
REGARDING authoress Benita Moore's funeral (LET. July 6) I just cannot see that being the end of such a wonderful person. One of her poems 'Let Me See Another Spring,' was beautiful and there was much humour as well in many of her books and other poems
GOOD for Walt Meadows (Letters, July 6). I agree with his points both on the 'A-board' issue and on wheelie bins. His examples - especially that of Blackburn Council's attempt to rename Market Way Mandela Way - and remarks about their peevish and childish
GEORGE Robertson's Defence Review is deeply disappointing. A net saving of £685 million a year three years hence, compared with the present annual bill of £22 billion, is nowhere near good enough. Hospitals, schools, universities and pensions will not
MR G Fenton (Letters, June 26) says he observed the black variety of rat - the one that carries bubonic plague - in Brierfield. He added that the rat warden was recovering 10 to 20 large rates a day. The Great Plague was spread by black rats which had
A BISHOP from Kenya was the guest preacher at St John's Church, Worsthorne, yesterday. Bishop William Wesa Skikukule of Mumias on the shores of Lake Victoria is in England to attend the Lambeth Conference, a meeting of Anglican Bishops from all over the
BURNLEY groups can learn how to become jackpot winners in a face-to-face meeting with a representative from the National Lottery Charities Board. Julie Wale, the board's regional development officer will be in town on August 18. One of her main reasons
A PROCESSION of flowers with children led by a piper and drummer was the climax of a week-long environmental arts project in the Daneshouse and Stoneyholme areas of Burnley. During the first week of the school holidays, youngsters from the area, with
ANDERS Andersson could find himself a wanted man here in Sweden this week, with Malmo - Blackburn Rovers' first pre-season friendly opponents tonight - being tipped to lead the chase for their former midfielder. Andersson had a disappointing Ewood season
CHARGING for or restricting long-stay car parking would not harm the well-being of Accrington town centre. This is among ten conclusions reached by an independent commission set up to probe car parking fees. The findings of the four-person commission
EIGHT dogs died when fire ripped through a mid-terraced house - but one collie cross survived the flames after a firefighter spotted it was still breathing. Roxy was the only animal to survive the blaze in Regent Street, Brierfield, after being carried
A NEW tenants group in Todmorden is to receive a £100 donation from the town council. The money for the Ashenhurst Friendly Campaign will go towards funding a day trip for children aged from four to eleven at the end of August. The group already has funds
CLEANING work on the John Fielden statue in Centre Vale Park, Todmorden, has been been condemned as 'brutal civic vandalism.' Now Todmorden councillors are asking Calderdale Council to get the monument restored after receiving a letter from a shocked
CARERS in the Blackburn area now have access to a considerable amount of professional help. Age Concern's new editions of the Carers' Handbook Series give expert advice for people caring for older, sick or disabled family and friends. The series, launched
POLICE are using detailed research of accident hotspots across the county to hammer home their latest anti-speeding message. A road safety campaign has been launched and as part of the effort motorists will be handed details of the county's blackspots
A DRUGS campaigner today warned against the "forgotten menace" of solvent abuse after new figures revealed an increase in the number of deaths. The stark warning came after statistics showed that fatalities in the North West from aerosol, gas and glue
Tea Dance, Accrington Town Hall, 1.30-4pm. Lancashire Family History and Heraldry Society meet Clitheroe Cricket Club, Chatburn Road, 7.30pmm. Dr Alan Crosby. Friends in Bereavement meet in Pendle Hospital, Leeds Road, Nelson, 7.30pm. "Investiture at
A MECHANIC was so afraid of losing his job he did not tell his employer he was disqualified from driving until he was caught at the wheel of a company van. The deception cost him his liberty when he was jailed for three months by Blackburn magistrates
IMAGINE, if you can, great-grandma wearing a bathing suit and grey flannels and warbling lustily in impromptu community singing in a coastal railway station, writes ERIC LEAVER. The mind may boggle, but just this sort of holiday fashions and fun were
THE murder of the three young Quinn brothers in Ballymoney - burned alive in their beds by a sectarian arsonists just because their mother is a Catholic - is an evil that stands out even amid all the atrocities of Ulster's hatreds. But if their deaths
ALEX Twist kept his dreams of Open glory alive going into today's second round of Final Qualifying at Hillside after firing an opening round 75. But Blackburn ace Jason Ashton will need to produce the round of his life if he is to qualify for the championship
CARL Fogarty suffered a disastrous weekend in California as Australia's Troy Corser surged ahead in the World Superbike Championship. Ducati rider Corser won the opening race and finished second in race two behind Yamaha's Noriyuki Haga at Laguna Seca
REGARDING recent letters attacking our decision to ban one fan for life, we never take this particular decision lightly, but we must make it clear to anyone attending matches at Turf Moor that there is a zero-tolerance applied to anyone who is convicted
A COMPUTER technician who attacked a "paralytic" man outside a pub has started a 12-month jail term. Benjamin Coniglio, 18, kicked Ronald Little three times, leaving the paint sprayer with a cut eye and a broken cheekbone. Burnley Crown Court heard how
BUSINESS failures in the North West are on the increase. Latest figures released by Deloitte & Touche found that 16 receivership and adminstration appointments were made in June, up from 13 in May. The region's tally was the second highest in the
DEPARTMENT store group TJ Hughes - which recently opened its first East Lancashire store in Blackburn- has reported a healthy rise in sales. Chairman Eric Hodges told the company's annual meeting in Liverpool that sales were up 12 per cent on the same
A MOVE to bigger premises is set to create new jobs at a fast-expanding textile firm. M & J Textiles has relocated its 17-strong workforce to a 10,000 sq ft building at Cunliffe Road, Whitebirk, Blackburn, in a £30,000 move. And boss Michael Toole
THE region's economy has turned in its worst performance for more than two years, a survey has found. The North West Chambers of Commerce survey, to which dozens of East Lancashire firms contribute, found a slowdown in manufacturing and service companies
A SCHOOL'S green group has won a top award for its efforts - despite vandals who have set out to destroy their work. Muddy Team members from St Anne's RC Primary School in Feilden Street, Blackburn, have worked hard to improve their school grounds. As
EMERGENCY services were out in force at a special open day aimed at increasing safety. The Darwen 999 Day was hailed a success by organisers after more than 500 people arrived at Union Road to take part in the event. The ambulance service took the opportunity
A VENDETTA victim has been branded a pervert and paedophile in dozens of letters sent to his neighbours. Police say the happily married man is totally innocent of the allegations made in letters posted to dozens of addresses in the Red Lees Road area
DETECTIVES today stepped up their hunt for the person at the centre of the Blackburn pool of blood mystery and admitted: "They could be dead." Police are planning to widen the search for the person who suffered potentially lethal injuries and left a pool
