POLICE are launching a special operation to tackle alcohol-fuelled disorder in Ramsbottom over the Easter holidays. Traditionally, large numbers of people gather in the town to visit the pubs and bars on Good Friday, while many take part in the annual
FUNDRAISERS are under starter’s orders for the third annual Joe Geeling Five Mile Run. Those wishing to take part in the event at 1pm on Sunday, June 6, can now enter by completing the accompanying form. Lavender Hotels are organising the five-mile
A FORMER Hollyoaks star will wave her magic wand over Radcliffe Civic Suite for this year’s Christmas pantomime. Laura Handley, known to millions as Candy Browne in the Channel 4 soap, will appear as the Good Fairy. Tickets are already on sale for the
RESIDENTS have been urged to play their part in making Radcliffe a better place to live. For there is still time to sign Bury’s street care pledge, which aims to make the town clean, tidy and litter-free. Talat Afzal, from Bury Council’s waste management
THOUSANDS of pounds have been handed out to community groups across Radcliffe. The Radcliffe local area partnership (LAP) approved grant applications from six organisations at their meeting last Thursday. Members of Dumers Lane Tenants’ and Residents
CUSTOMS officials targeted homes in Radcliffe as part of a wider operation which seized £25,000 worth of counterfeit alcohol and cigarettes. With the help of Greater Manchester Police, staff from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) executed 36 warrants at homes
THREE refuse workers escaped injury after their bin wagon was ravaged by fire. Firefighters tackled the blaze which happened in Stand Lane, Radcliffe, when the wagon was en route to Bury Council’s Bradley Fold depot. Officials of the Unite union claimed
RADCLIFFE man Scott Bannister is one of many young people benefiting from a jobs boost in the borough. Thanks to the Future Jobs Fund, the 24-year-old has taken up employment in Bury Council’s chief executive’s division. The Government-led Future Jobs
A “GARDENER” caught at the scene of one of the borough’s biggest cannabis farms has been jailed for 30 months. And when Jain Wang, aged 26, is freed from custody, he will be deported to his native China. Police officers found Wang alone in a derelict
ALAN Knill has called on his senior strikers to step up to the plate. The Shakers have not scored from open play in more than nine matches but, with talisman Andy Bishop now fully fit, the Gigg Lane boss has called on the misfiring strikeforce
GERRY Luczka has admitted Radcliffe Borough’s late-season surge towards the promotion play-offs is all but over after two straight losses. Boro’s ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory came back to haunt them at Chorley on Saturday, where
A POPULAR football club is set to “up goalposts” and leave Bury. Nearby traders say they will be hit hard following an announcement that semi-professional side, FC United of Manchester, plan to build a stadium of their own in Newton Heath in the next
A MAN of “steel” has shown his metal by overcoming redundancy and harnessing his skills to launch his own business franchise. After losing his job with a steel import/export firm, Unsworth man Dave Cooper has set up his own Accounts Assist (Bury) operation
AN Edenfield man has been inspired by his brave stepson to join Sir Ian Botham on a charity walk to raise money to beat childhood leukaemia. Mark Pilling, aged 32, will accompany ‘Beefy’ at Heaton Park on Saturday, April 10, to raise cash for Leukaemia
BURY and Radcliffe youngsters flew the flags for their towns as they emerged among the prizewinners at Alliance Learning’s annual awards evening. They were among a number of apprentice and commercial course learners who received accolades from the Horwich-based
I WAS sad to see the announcement of the death of Mr Barrett in the paper last week. Mr Barrett was an inspirational school music teacher. He taught at Bury High School from about 1950. I went there in 1952 and at that time he started the school brass
With the general election fast approaching, now is the time to ask those who aspire to be our MPs in the future what they will do if they are elected. All too often, the environment and the countryside do not get the attention and priority they deserve
ON the advice of Derek Brooks’ letter (March 7), I’ve taken a long hard look at his claims that the Tories will ‘make the NHS work’. I have worked in the NHS for 20 years under Labour and Tory governments and the Tories just don’t understand the NHS
I WAS bemused by the words of Derek Brooks, who proclaimed a Tory future where ‘police forces and courts put victims first and who will back you if you do the right thing’. As a local magistrate I can tell Derek and other readers that this is already
I AM pleased to hear that common sense has prevailed and Prestwich Longfield Suite and Radcliffe Civic are safe for now. This is good news for all Bury residents. We can never know which users will not get depression and heart disease, which pensioners
BOTH myself and the English Democrats’ aim is that current arrangements made for Scotland’s devolution are applied equally to Wales, N. Ireland and England. Currently Scotland gets all the benefits of devolution while Wales and N.I. get a halfway house
AS the new development in Bury is nearing completion, I write to express concerns which urgently need addressing. The new development will be good for Bury and is essential to ensure the town moves forward offering its residents and visitors an excellent
THIS may help to assure Bury residents of the assistance available to them from the NHS. Some months ago my wife Marjorie was considered by Fairfield doctors to have Motor Neurone Disease. She was referred to Salford Royal Acute Neurone Ward. Later
I HAVE held off from writing this letter for many months now, as I wanted to see just how ludicrous things would get before I put pen to paper. I think we may possibly have reached the pinnacle now, so I feel confident that things can’t possibly get
YOUR columnist Derek Brooks should have no difficulty getting a job with the Sun, Daily Mail or Express as his latest effort displays no logic and he passes off his own opinions as facts. Whilst his outline of the ideals and virtues of the perfect leader
FC United slipped to a sixth defeat in seven games as their season continues to fizzle out. The Rebels looked to be play-off certainties after taking 16 points from a possible 18, but a terrible March has seen their charge falter badly. After their
THE Duke of Gloucester fittingly recalled the golden age of steam when he reopened the £3 million newly-refurbished Bury Transport Museum. Given the purpose of his engagement, it was appropriate he arrived at the East Lancashire Railway (ELR) operated
ALAN Knill believes Saturday’s opponents Notts County have flouted the rules in a season which looks increasingly likely to end in them gaining automatic promotion to League One. The Magpies might be flying high on the pitch, but their future
A POLICE worker was four and-a-half times the drink-drive limit when she crashed her car into a lamppost, a court heard. Another driver followed Alyson Wilcockson for more than four miles and watched in horror as she nearly collided with several oncoming
BURY will be part of an historic new Greater Manchester authority after all 10 councils across the region gave the plans their approval. Members of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) have agreed to take the first step to devolution
BURY fundraisers went the extra mile when they took part in the town’s Sport Relief event. Scores of council workers descended on the athletics track in Wellington Road for last Friday’s event which was also open to the public. They ran or walked the
PEOPLE visiting their library in Bury and Tottington can expect more than a good read on their next visit. They can also have a chat with NHS Bury’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service, known as PALS. PALS can offer advice and support to patients, their
A HEAVILY pregnant nurse has told how she feared for her unborn child after she was knocked to the ground during a vicious mugging. Katie Jackson developed abdominal pains seconds after falling on to her stomach when she was robbed and pushed
POLICE have released a CCTV image of a man wanted in connection with the theft of a briefcase belonging to a 74-year-old roller disco skating instructor. The case was taken from the reception area of Castle Leisure Centre, Bury, on Sunday at 2.50pm.
MODELS with big hair and shoulder pads took to the catwalk to raise £16,000 for Bury Grammar School. An evening of hair and fashion from the 1980s was held in aid of the school’s building appeal. Guests enjoyed champagne and canapes as they watched
BASS Lane in Summerseat will be closed between Manchester Road and Crag Lane for two days from Tuesday, so Bury Council staff can clean the road. Diversions will be in operation. And Harwood Road in Tottington will be closed for cleaning between Turton
A MAN is to receive a five figure pay-out after allegedly suffering severe respiratory problems following an incident at work. Phil Arnold, aged 44, won the compensation following a settlement between his former employers, Whitefield-based flooring manufacturer
THE UK Independence Party (UKIP) has selected Steve Evans to fight the Bury North seat at the general election. Mr Evans aged 58, right, of Blackford Avenue, has lived in the town for 45 years and is married with one son and three grandchildren. He
NEW Shakers starlet James Poole is hoping to bring a little bit of Manchester City magic down to Gigg Lane. The 20-year-old winger, who has moved from Eastlands on loan until the end of the season, has spent a lot of time working with the likes of Carlos
