Archive

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Photos bring back memories of popular Kit

MEMORIES of popular pensioner Kit Knight flooded back when charity shop manager Trish Coates received a poignant letter out of the blue. Trish runs the Oxfam shop in Congleton High Street, where widow Kit Knight was a volunteer for 15 years. Mrs Knight

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Schools are all white

LEARNING in Halton is set to become more fun thanks to plans to put more interactive whiteboards into classrooms. The large, touch-sensitive boards can be attached to a computer and allow video, animation and graphics to be digitally projected to the

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Centre will soon

be back in action THE fire damaged Sandy Lane community centre in Stockton Heath could be back in action at the start of April. Village groups, including the parish council, were forced out of their home after the blaze erupted in the early hours after

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Big decisions hurt Dabbers

NANTWICH Town player-manager Nigel Gleghorn wants ten more victories to end the season on a high. Left concentrating on the league after last Saturday's FA Vase exit, he wants his side to take 30 points out of 16 games to improve on their previous campaign

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Humpty Dumpty, St Jospeh's Pantomime Group

HEIDI TRAVIS A PENKETH pantomime group is in the middle of its 11th production and the budding actors are trying to help one of the clumsiest nursery rhyme characters. There are three more shows of Humpty Dumpty being staged by St Joseph's Pantomime Group

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Across the Ocean

PAUL KEAVENY THERE have been some serious stirrings in the world of rock of late, stirrings of a 'prog' nature. The term 'prog' has rightly garnered bad press over the years mainly because its chief exponents were totally awful. The songs were long-winded

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F-Zero GX, Nintendo Gamecube

Pete Oversby THE F-Zero Grand Prix dates back to the 26th century. This spectacular race series features the most technologically advanced machines running through several circuits of fast paced hovering action. F-Zero is recognised as the fastest and

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I'm on Standby, Grandaddy

Mick Middles DESTINED to remain 'eternally interesting', the quaintly unhinged Grandaddy appear content to remain on a lone planet, which is not necessarily a bad place to be. Encountering this single by accident, when it blurted out unannounced on Jonathan

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I'mYour Man, Shane Richie

Christian Ewen OK...I appreciate that the song was recorded for Children In Need which is as worthy a cause as any. However, I'm here to review the musical aspect of this release which, in stark contrast to its well-meaning sentiment, is very much a lost

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Primal Scream, Manchester Apollo

Luke Traynor IF you wanted decibels, then the Manchester Apollo was the place to be on Sunday night as Primal Scream launched into a symbolic homecoming ... of sorts. The Dirty Hits were cranked up to the max as Bobby Gillespie & Co showed a delirious

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The Secretary, (18)

Paul Keaveny COMEDIES do not get much darker and screwed up than The Secretary, a film that espouses the benefits of masochistic love. The story follows Lee Holloway, played brilliantly by Maggie Gyllenhaal, as she tries to regain a grip on her life after

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new films

THE second film of upcoming directing talent, Sophia Coppola, is out this week and stars two of Hollywood's most offbeat acting talents. Lost in Translation sees Bill Murray playing frustrated movie star, Bob Harris, as he struggles to cope with the culture

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Former Kitten Kerry sets her sights on TV's Celebrity title

Alison Klabacher TV PRESENTER and former pop princess Kerry McFadden is hoping to win the title of queen of the jungle as this year's I'm A Celebrity - Get Me Out Of Here kicks off on Monday. The Warringtonian, who found fame in girl band Atomic Kitten

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Captains in driving seat

FRODSHAM Golf Club welcomed its new captains in style earlier this month with its annual drive-in. New captains Mike Durkin and Lesley Thornhill had a great start to their first day in their new roles at the club when they were presented with special

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THE penultimate round of Barnton and Frodsham AC's Scott Shield Series took place on Sunday.

Following a hard overnight frost, the 14 intrepid anglers who took part had to break up the ice on the canal before the start. With such low temperatures bites were bound to be few-and-far-between and a net of just 0-5-3 was enough for Tommy Partington

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Park held by Runcorn

WINNINGTON Park men's 1st team were given a week off due to a frozen pitch at Nelson and Rossendale but the 2nds were able to play drawing 2-2 at home to Runcorn. And Park were left wondering how they didn't claim all the points as Runcorn came back from

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Ross makes a big impact at Macclesfield Town

RUDHEATH youngster Ross Farran was treated to a special day at Macclesfield Town recently when he was treated to a 1st team sponsorship package. The deal meant that Ross, who plays for Macclesfield Town U13s and attends Rudheath High School, was named

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Break away victories

DANNY Lloyd of Owley Wood B and Coachman's Gareth Stokes both made eight-ball breaks, as their respective teams both recorded away victories in the Northwich and District Pool League. There was also a consolation eight-baller for Greenbank's Andy Perrin

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Jekyll and Hyde win for Weaverham

WEAVERHAM Rangers secured victory against Newton Storm with a curious Jekyll and Hyde performance. At times Rangers defence and attack were superb and at others they were woeful. Against a side featuring several new faces from the fixture earlier in the

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Vale Royal sprinters' triple gold medal haul

VALE Royal Athletics Club have continued their recent good form by claiming a hat-trick of gold medals at the North of England Indoor Championships. The event, held in Sheffield on January 17 and 18, saw Vale Royal's top athletes compete against the best

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First half flourish not enough

NORTHWICH RUFC fell to a 21-19 at Warrington Sports Club in a rearranged game after the original was abandoned on December 6 following the horrific injury to John Blower. At that time Warrington were flying high in the league and were too strong for Northwich

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Evening family swim is impossible

CAN someone explain to me why I have to travel to Northgate Arena in Chester for an evening family swim? I get home from work at 5.30pm and my partner and I would like to start taking our six-month-old son for a swim in the evening. Fordton Leisure Cemtre

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Is laboratory in the public interest?

By Jamie Lancaster ANIMAL rights groups are fuming after plans to build a new laboratory at Cambridge University were approved by deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. Proposed tests will be conducted on monkeys for medical purposes, specifically focusing

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What a difference a year makes

By Alex Doorey AS my term as one of Warrington's members of Youth Parliament comes to an end, I have been looking back at all the work we've done throughout 2003 and how different my life would have been if I hadn't been involved with the National Youth

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Vagrants win

CREWE Vagrants held their nerve to clinch a morale-boosting 3-2 victory at Bolton. Facing their first test of 2004, the first team was forced to fight back from conceding an early goal, en route to a crucial three points. Bolton started lively with incisive

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Westwood hat-trick not enough

CREWE FC boss Ian O'Reilly admits he's a worried man after seeing his side crash 5-3 at Bollington. Lee Westwood's hat-trick was the only real bright spot of a difficult afternoon, last Saturday. The former Alex trainee cancelled out an early opener and

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Town stars in sage of rail development

TRAIN lovers in the borough have been given a huge treat with the launch of a new book that discloses some hidden railway lines in Cheshire. Titled 'Lost Railways of Cheshire', the book highlights the history of the county's most famous and less well-known

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'Salt ship' is raised

A PAINSTAKING project to save a medieval 'salt ship' unearthed in Nantwich got underway this week. The eight-metre timber structure was discovered last summer during an archaeological dig at Welsh Row, the site of a medieval salt works. The ship, which

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An open verdict on GP who overdosed

A NANTWICH doctor took prescribed drugs from his medical bag and overdosed after failing to come to terms with his daughter's terminal illness. An inquest into the death of Paul Simon Atkinson, aged 48, of Rookery Drive, returned an open verdict after

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Sunshine memories revived

SUNNY memories came pouring back for May and George Gange when they spotted a flashback photo on this ancient page last month, featuring a group of local holidaymakers enjoying a St Helens Star trip to Spain back in the early 1980s. The picture showed

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Coronation breakfast

MOST small boys sported 'basin crop' hairstyles, complete with donkey fringe, while the little girls had their tresses held in place by ribbons tied in a bow, when this charming flashback photo was taken. Enjoying a beanfeast, to celebrate the 1953 Coronation

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Pub yes

PLANNING chiefs have given approval to a proposal to alter the Seven Woods pub in Westbrook to add a beer garden.

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Spring fair date

AN early date for your 2004 diaries is the annual spring fair, at St Michael and All Angels Church in Burtonwood, which will take place on Saturday, March 6.

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Park stroll

GRAB your walking boots and a packed lunch and join the park rangers on a stroll to Burtonwood. The five-mile Burtonwood bounder starts at 1.30pm on Wednesday, January 28 and anyone interested should meet at Gemini pond, Europa Boulevard, off Cromwell

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Rosalie welcome

MEMBERS of the Old Hall branch of the National Association of Women's Clubs will be welcoming Rosalie Gorton to their next meeting for a talk on the history of Tatton Hall. The meeting starts at 8pm on Monday, January 26 at Old Hall Community Centre,

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Parking woes in Callands

PARKING problems are still causing headaches for pedestrians at Callands Shopping Centre as motorists continue to leave their cars on the pavements. Damaged bollards were removed from the area last summer, prompting parish councillors to submit a bid

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Hall in nostalgia bid

RANGERS at Bewsey Old Hall are asking Warrington people to take a step back in time and donate some of their old photos for a new local history display. The hall dates back to the 17th century and was the home of the Boteler family, Lords of the Manor

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Garry's cross about phone mast 'cell' off

WESTBROOK is in danger of being overrun by a "forest of mobile phone masts" - that's according to one concerned councillor. Over the past few years a number of telecommunication masts have sprung up in Westbrook along Cromwell Avenue and on Gemini Retail

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On top of the world!

SAINTS duo Paul Sculthorpe and Sean Long were brought in to model the new all:sports sponsored Puma home kit at last Wednesday's launch ceremony. Saints, as four times Super League winners, are used to scaling the dizzy heights - but this time it was

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Schools celebrate league table success

WINSFORD'S two high schools are celebrating significant improvements in the GCSE tables released last week. The Verdin High School and Woodford Lodge High School have both recorded percentage rises in the number of pupils achieving five or more GCSE results

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Millward's raring to go

SAINTS coach Ian Millward faces another challenging year at the helm. But with five new players and a new skipper on board Millward is excited by the challenge ahead. Here he answers the questions put to him by St Helens Star sports editor Mike Critchley

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Have your say on mobile library service

A NEW mobile library service could be coming to Latchford and pupils at Sir Thomas Boteler CE High School could be among the first to benefit. The school is using its regular newsletter to gather responses from pupils and parents about the plans. Residents

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Lords of the dance

TWINKLE-toed youngsters have been learning some authentic Indian dance moves at Latchford CE Primary School. Dance teacher Bisakha Sarker gave the pupils a taste of Indian dancing last Wednesday when she gave class-by-class tutorials. LESSONS IN DANCE

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Gymnasts stage super show

THE Merseyside Rythmic Gymnastics Club staged a spectacular show at the Deaf Center in St Helens with the proceeds going to The Nugent Care Society. An audience of more than 180 were treated to singers, musicians and dancers from St Helens and Widnes,

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Clean-up bid from council

COUNCIL officers joined residents of Orford and Longford last week to herald the start of a new clean-up scheme across their wards. Councillors also got in on the act and lent a hand to wipe the streets clean and tidy up public areas to mark the launch

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'Jewel in the crown' up for top arts award

THE 'jewel' in Halton's crown is in the running for Britain's biggest arts prize. Norton Priory Museum has been shortlisted for the Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year, the largest £100,000 award given annually to one museum. "We are delighted to

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Crime scene investigates... Halton style

ROBOTS, lasers, fibre-optic probes, infrared microscopes and thermal analysis might sound like something out of a film. But, in fact, these are just some of the high-tech tools and techniques scientists at the brand new forensic DNA laboratories the Heath

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Dog fostering a success

MANCHESTER Dogs' Home reports that their festive fostering initiative has been an outstanding success. Ninety-six dogs were fostered over the Christmas and New Year period, 48 dogs (50 per cent) were kept by their foster carers and given permanent homes

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Tougher stance on mast is welcomed

A SANDBACH councillor has welcomed stricter planning guidance for the erection of mobile phone masts. Draft guidelines for the new masts have been published by Congleton Borough Council, and members are also keen to hear peoples' views on the issue. The

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Motorists set for May misery over M6 project

WORK to improve junction 17 of the M6 will begin in May - causing chaos for motorists as they are redirected around the commuting hotspot. The Highways Agency confirmed work to improve safety at the busy junction will take three-and-a-half months to complete

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Angling sweepstakes go down to the wire!

GRAHAM Stoke and Harry Newton both scraped Newton Anglers' Association victories this week. Stoke triumphed in the latest Sunday Open Sweepstake held on the upper pound stretch of the Sankey St Helens Canal. He beat second-placed John Inman by the skin

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Cash is pumped into West End bu service

CREWE'S rundown West End has been given nearly £400,000 by the government in a bid to get residents back to work. Crewe received £399,000 to provide a flexible bus service to take out of work residents to key employment, training and educational sites

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Drink-driver died in smash

A CREWE drink-driver died in a horrific head-on smash on the Wheelock bypass, an inquest heard. John Anthony Bloor, aged 42, of Hollyfields, Winterley, was two-and-a-half times over the legal limit when he was thrown from his vehicle and then hit by a

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Runcorn soldier hailed a hero

GALLANT gunner Peter Twigg has been hailed a hero after preventing an armed ambush in Iraq. He came face to face with three bandits carrying illegal weapons at a vehicle check-point in Basrah. Runcorn soldier Peter, 22, said: "A man got out and dropped

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School is Hale-d in Ofsted report

HALE school is 'very effective' with an 'excellent ethos for learning', say Ofsted inspectors. The education watchdog visited the primary and junior school in November and has just released its report. The inspectors rated 98 per cent of lessons as good

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Emissions to be cut

FRIENDS of the Earth have welcomed a government announcement limiting the amount of carbon dioxide that can be emitted by industry. They say it equates to an eight per cent cut in emissions by 2010 compared to 2001 levels. The campaign group last year

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Real gems in our archives

DURING the last few months I have been doing a lot of research in the Archives in the Gamble Institute. What a marvellous place it is. It must have taken a lot of hard work by people both past and present to compile such magnificent records in all their

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Help for Romania

MAY I through your paper thank the following people for their support and kindness to our Charity. Mr Pat Booth and the Pueri Cantores of St Teresa's, St Helens who organised a wonderful Christmas concert at St Thomas of Canterbury Church. Mr Rory Orlandi

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Celebrations over planning application

THERE were celebrations for a group of residents protesting about a proposed development of four town houses at Nursery Road - after planners refused the application. Around 220 people had signed a petition opposing the plans, which was sent to planners

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Glance guide to sport

Bowls Burtonwood Indoor Bowls Association results: Section A: Burtonwood Cath A 5 Blackbrook A 2, Rainhill XS B 2 Sutton Cricket 5, St Patricks A 6 Penlake 1. Section B: Clock Face Rec 7 Burtonwood Cath B 0, Haydock C&B 4 Rainhill XS A 3, Viaduct

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Mixed bag of hockey results

DATEN women's hockey team drew with Newton 1-1 in their first game of 2004. Newton are one division higher than Daten and so a hard game was expected. It took Daten until the second half of Saturday's game to get back into the swing of things after the

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International success for classy Karrie

WARRINGTON Athletics Club member Karrie Hawitt has excelled in two recent races abroad. The junior world mountain running champion blew away the opposition in the Cross International Juan Muguerza in Bilbao, Spain. She was representing England in the

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Anglers regularly recording centuries at Yew Tree Pool

LYMM Angling Club's Yew Tree Pool has fished its socks off yet again this week. Bags of more than 100 fish have been regularly recorded on catch returns according to water keeper Paul Rylance. Member Alan Shawcross landed the best catch of the week. He

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Patient Slater rewarded with a big bag of quality roach

WARRINGTON Anglers' Association's Ackers Pit has been producing top class roach sport despite the water being as clear as gin. On Thursday Bob Slater fished a four-metre whip to hand, regularly loose feeding half a dozen casters, but had nothing to show

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Teenage star at St Wilfrid's

A FORMER winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition performs at St Wilfrid's Church in Grappenhall on Saturday. Violinist Jennifer Pike, aged 14, will be accompanied by Max Ritchie on piano. Tickets, priced £8, which includes a complimentary

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Powerful Bulldogs

Burtonwood Bulldogs u12s 14 Eccles u12s 6 ANTHONY Bailey scored to cap another powerful display up front where Dave Garner and Andy Darwin also made good yards for Burtonwood. Neat back line handling and support play from Joss Blackburn, Adam Bellas and

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Half-time team talk works a treat

Burtonwood Bridge 8 Latchford Albion 29 LATCHFORD Albion's run of impressive form continued as they achieved a great 'derby' win despite Matty Patterson's 20th minute dismissal. Burtonwood opened the scoring with a converted try before Latchford replied

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Clarke bags hat-trick in stunning Rovers win

Adlington Rangers 18 Woolston Rovers 44 WOOLSTON Rovers gave high-flying Adlington a lesson in how to play effective Rugby League with a commanding away-day win on Saturday. The visitors made a bright start in the North West Counties Division One encounter

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Extension bid

WARRINGTON Borough council planners are considering an application to extend the Travel Lodge at Lymm Truck Stop.

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Strong display

Lymm u15s 15 Orrell u15s 7 A STRONG performance was put in by Lymm against a good Orrell side. Three tries were scored before Orrell replied with a converted try in the last minute of the match. The pack played as a solid unit and were supported well

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Are you ready for a ramble?

A GUIDED walk through the countryside south east of Lymm takes place on Sunday. The eight-mile walk leaves Oughtrington Community Centre at 11am and visits Agden, Little Bollington and Millington. Don't forget to take a packed lunch.

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Minister drops in

GOVERNMENT minister Paul Boateng dropped into Warrington to get a closer look at the scientific work going on in the region. Mr Boateng, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, met business leaders and members of the north west science council to discuss Government

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Sheila urges more support for valued village charity

A LYMM charity, which helps the elderly and housebound to enjoy a weekly break, needs support to continue its valuable community work. The Lymm Housebound Club meets every Wednesday in the United Reformed Church. It relies on volunteers to bring people

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Colt players strut their stuff and press selection claims

Stoke 24 Lymm 29 LYMM return to league action on Saturday buoyed by victory in Saturday's friendly at Stoke. Aspull will be the visitors to Beechwood on Saturday for a Rugby Football Union Powergen North West Two clash that will kick off at 2.15pm. A

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Colin can teach you all about sculpture

LYMM Festival is set for another new addition this year, with a village artist hoping to set up workshops to create unusual and eye-catching sculpture. Colin Grimes, a former art teacher at Lymm High, has already created a piece of sculpture from a tree

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Roosters' lead cut at top of snooker league table

DIVISION Two table toppers Roosters A suffered a shock Warrington Snooker League defeat this week. They lost 5-2 at home to Penketh Legion A and their lead at the top of the table has been cut to five points following second-placed Alliance A's 4-3 win

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Sherlock helps to block a surprise

Head loss HONOURS ended even in a ding-dong Grappenhall Darts League clash between Bulls Head and Fleece. Bulls Head opened up a 2-0 advantage but a shock result looked in store as Fleece hit back to win the next three games. Bulls Head responded in a

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Another fine mess you've got us into...

A BOROUGH council mix-up led to litter from last month's Lymm Dickensian Day not being cleared up until two days after the event. Back in September, the organisers of the annual event requested for extra bins to be sent out to help cope with the increased

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Sports digests

Warriors giving trials to juniors THREE Warriors of Warrington Swimming Club members have been selected to represent Cheshire in the Staffordshire Junior Inter County Invitation Gala at Wolverhampton in February. Jonathan Gatley, Katy Ormston and Anthony

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Firms check out town

SOME of the UK's biggest companies are descending on Warrington at the end of the month to identify potential conference sites in the town. Companies such as HSBC and BAE Systems are taking advantage of a free two-day visit to a variety of venues including

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Champions pleased with league expansion

CHAMPIONS Warrington Woolston Rovers are delighted that the 2004 National League Three season is to be an expanded one. Four additional teams for the second season of the new league hands Rovers six extra fixtures this summer and extends the campaign

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Eagle swoop to give Crossbar club frostbite

THE majority of the weekend's Warrington Sunday Soccer League fixtures fell foul to the weather. All but three scheduled games were postponed because of frost. Two games survived the cold conditions in Division Two. Crossbar suffered a 6-1 mauling at

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Hat-trick hero leaves spectators spellbound

THE weekend's Warrington Soccer League Jubilee Cup second round matches produced a number of intriguing battles with four matches resolved on Saturday. Moore United were beaten finalists last term but they never looked like losing their all-Frontrunner

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Love at first sight led to 60 years of happy marriage

A DIAMOND couple raised their glasses to 60 years of marriage this week. William Farrell, aged 85, and his wife Ivy, aged 78, welcomed friends and family from as far afield as Canada and Ireland to celebrate their diamond anniversary. The couple, of Avon

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Town one step away from semis

WARRINGTON Town manager Glenn Walker is confident his side can pull off a cup upset after doing his homework on Saturday's North West Counties Challenge Trophy quarter-final opponents. He has gone to great lengths to find chinks in Woodley Sports' armour

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Spar licensee fined £350 for selling booze to 14-year-old

THE licensee of a Spar shop in Longford has been given a £350 fine by magistrates for selling alcohol to a 14-year-old. David Cotton, of Rutland Avenue, Walton, appeared at Warrington Magistrates' Court on Tuesday charged with the offence, following purchases

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Man is jailed after attack on young mum

A FORMER Warrington man who ran "like an Exocet missile" at a young mum on her way home before sexually assaulting and suffocating her has been jailed for five-and-a-half years. John Stromsky, aged 31, was also ordered to sign the sex offenders' register

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Anglers feel their way on to TV

TWO of Warrington's lesser known world champions enjoyed a Friday night TV appearance on BBC show They Think It's All Over. Wendy Lythgoe, aged 24, and Helen Dagnall, aged 26, are part of the six-member Team England side that won the coarse fishing world

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Priestley pair offered places at Cambridge

TWO Warrington teenagers are celebrating after being offered places at one of the country's top universities. Eighteen-year-old Rachel Crane, from Cinnamon Brow, and Latchford's Eddie Hung, aged 17, are doing A-levels at Priestley College and provided

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Gruelling exercise, the Chinese way

A FITNESS instructor who led a group of martial arts enthusiasts on a five-week training course in China has described the trip as a "once in a lifetime experience". David Gaffney, who teaches T'ai Chi at LA Fitness in Northwich and lives in Culcheth,

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Lifeline offer for axed Abbey staff

AXED staff from Warrington's Abbey National call centre are being told that they can still find work elsewhere in the region. Around 140 workers at the Centre Park call centre base face losing their jobs after company bosses announced plans to transfer

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Teenagers given curfew order

TEENAGERS who attacked another youngster after nightclubbing in Warrington have been effectively "grounded" for more than two months. Warrington Crown Court heard that Terry Bainczyk and Stuart Keen were seen aiming kicks at their victim, Michael Brennan

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All's well for school governor in Africa

A GOVERNOR at a Warrington primary school has jetted off to Africa to experience first-hand the harsh conditions that families have to cope with every day. Sue Quin-Boaler, 44, is chairman of governors at Grappenhall Heys Primary School and has made the

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Band member found dead in studios

TRIBUTES have been paid to the guitarist in an up-and-coming young band who is believed to have committed suicide in the studio where the group was recording its debut album. The six band members in Hope of the States were on the crest of a wave in October

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Pensioner given cold shoulder by council

WARRINGTON Borough Council has apologised to a disabled pensioner for giving her the cold shoulder when her central heating failed. Winifred Brownlee, aged 86, of Reynolds Street, was left without central heating and hot water for two days after a council

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Meeting aims to ensure survival of post office

A MEETING that could safeguard the future of a Grappenhall post office takes place tomorrow, Friday. Ward councillor Ted Lafferty will meet with Warrington South MP Helen Southworth to discuss the future of the Lindi Avenue post office. The business is

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Man beaten up for his bottles of beer

A MAN suffered bruising to his face and head during a vicious attack. The assault happened at 1.15am on Wednesday, January 7, when a 22-year-old Warrington man was walking down Thelwall Lane. He was approached by three unknown men who asked him for the

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The plane truth? Yes, there are more

AEROPLANE bosses have confirmed that more flights are travelling over Warrington, but they have denied that any routes have been changed due to terrorism fears. People living and working in Warrington say that they have noticed more planes passing over

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Mum wants justice and not cash

A GREAT Sankey mum, whose baby's organs were retained by Alder Hey Hospital has criticised the families of other dead children after they launched a legal bid for more compensation this week. Val, of Barrowhall Lane, lost her four-month-old son Anthony

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It's the end of The World as we know it

ONE of Warrington's most famous nightspots looks set to be demolished and replaced with an apartment complex. Councillors will vote next Wednesday on blueprints to build 36 two-bedroom, three-storey apartments on the site of The World on Orchard Street

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Sweet smell of success for Sandra's students

FROM learning how to use essential oils to making face masks and skin creams, Sankey Bridges residents have been getting to grips with aromatherapy. Priestley College tutor Sandra Pierpoint took her students through a 15-week course at Sankey Bridges

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Thanks for being so generous

ROTARIANS have paid tribute to villagers in Hollins Green, Glazebrook and Rixton for their festive generosity. Each year the Rotary Club of Irlam, which regularly meets at the Rhinewood Hotel in Glazebrook, travels the district with a Christmas float.

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Tree planting plans

RANGERS from the Forestry Commission are hoping to plant a host of trees over the coming months at Windy Bank Wood, as part of their community woodland proposals for land near Jennets Lane, Glazebury.

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Anger over switch off

RESIDENTS were left high and dry over the weekend when their water was switched off without any notice. Houses in the Bridge Lane and Dale Lane area were affected by work taking place to improve water mains - but not all residents were informed of the

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Chilled out hall cashes in thanks to fridge

IT has been a bumper year of takings at Lymm Village Hall - and it could all be down to a very special new addition. It's cold, stands about 3ft tall and proves popular with dairy items. And parish clerk Yvonne Cook says that since the new fridge was

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Boost for Glazebrook train passengers

FOR another five weeks, the ticket office at Glazebrook railway station will be open for longer than usual. Rail company First North Western has introduced the move as part of a campaign to encourage travellers to use smaller stations. At Glazebrook,

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Good Evans Chris - what ARE you going to spend all those millions on?

AFTER making £4 million profit on his £10 million house in Surrey, former Orford lad and media mogul Chris Evans could be on the lookout for a second home. The 37-year-old has sold the palatial Hascombe Court to Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky and now

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Pensioners happy with bus fare move

ELDERLY people have welcomed proposals to change the concessionary travel scheme in Warrington. The borough council is investigating the possibility of introducing one pass for both bus and rail journeys, instead of pensioners having to choose between

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Our new news editor

GARETH Dunning has taken over as the Warrington Guardian's news editor. Gareth replaces Peter Magill, who has joined our sister paper the Crewe Guardian as deputy editor. Gareth will still be covering the Lymm, Grappenhall and Thelwall district and council

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Council tax payers face higher bills to plug police funding shortfall

CHESHIRE Police are considering giving their portion of the council tax a 14 per cent hike, in response to an 'insufficient' Government funding settlement. At next month's police budget meeting, the force is set to substantially increase its annual levy

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Gradi savages defence and especially Ince

FURIOUS Dario Gradi slammed his defence and goalkeeper after Ipswich edged out 6-4 winners in an unbelievable contest at Portman Road. Shefki Kuqi struck on 88 minutes to settle the 10-goal thriller and condemn Crewe to their eighth away defeat of the

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Quick-fire wins wanted

CREWE boss Dario Gradi has targeted a quick-fire four victories to all but secure another season of Division One football. With the pressure off, the Alex can push for that record finish among the Football League's elite. Looking to bounce back from that

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Aerobics sessions

AEROBICS sessions take place at Great Sankey library on Fridays from 10am to 11am. The classes are suitable for beginners, and men and women aged over 16. Remember to take your exercise mat or a towel. The Eagle has landed PLANS to refurbish Eagle Sports

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Chapter and verse on raising cash for charity

PUPILS at Great Sankey High School put their noses in books to raise cash for charity. The year seven and eight youngsters collected more than £1,000 through a Readathon for Sargent Cancer Care for Children and children's leukaemia charities. Pictured

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Spaces - the final frontier

The meeting will be held tonight, Thursday, and the focus will be to develop feasible solutions to the lack of car parking facilities around Honiton Way. The area often boasts a large volume of people visiting Penketh library and the nearby health centre

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MR THOMAS NEWNS

Mr Thomas Newns, husband of Mrs Hilda Mary Newns, died of a stroke on December 30. He was 91. Mr Newns, of Charles Forbes Court, Mersey Street, formerly of Stafford Road, Wilderspool Causeway, was born in Orford and lived in Warrington all his life. He

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MRS JEAN KNAPKIN

Mrs Jean Knapkin died on November 20, aged 69. Mrs Knapkin of Perth Close, Cinnamon Brow, was born in Liverpool and had lived in Warrington for about 50 years, living at Stockton Heath, then Culcheth before moving to Cinnamon Brow in 1985. She was last

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MR WILLIAM ROGERS

Mr William Rogers, husband of the late Mrs Inez Rogers, died on December 22 aged 86. Mr Rogers, of Wednesbury Drive, Great Sankey, was born in Birmingham and had lived in Penketh for 55 years. He served with the Royal Engineers in Aden during the Second

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MRS ELIZABETH MILLINGTON

Mrs Elizabeth Millington, wife of the late Mr George Millington, died on November 26, aged 87. Mrs Millington of Haryngton Avenue, Bewsey, lived in Warrington all her life. She was employed as a wire weaver at Lockers Air Maze for 45 years. When she was

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MRS GLADYS LYTHGOE

Mrs Gladys Lythgoe, wife of the late Mr Thomas Lythgoe, died on December 27, aged 84. Mrs Lythgoe of Thelwall Grange Nursing Home, Weaste Lane, formerly of Bewsey, where she had lived for 60 years, had lived in Warrington all her life. She was a machinist

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MR CHARLES JARMAN

Mr Charles (Charlie) Jarman, husband of Mrs Ivy Jarman, died of heart failure on November 28. He was 86. Mr Jarman, of Meadway, Poynton, Cheshire and formerly of Marsh House Lane, where he lived for more than 40 years, was born in Warrington. He was formerly

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what's on

Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, Chinese Myths, Saturday January 24: Box Office: 0161 907 9000. Carling Apollo, Manchester, Good Luck Music Masti, Sunday January 25: Box Office: 0870 401 8000. Dukes, Lancaster, The Importance of Being Earnest, until Saturday

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Salute for Sarah

PUPILS and staff at Birchley St Mary's Catholic Primary School have long known teacher Sarah Neild is a whiz when it comes to computers. Now she's got the national award to prove it. Sarah, 40, has been named runner-up in the primary teaching category

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Bus driver injured

A BUS driver suffered head injuries when a beer bottle smashed through the window of his vehicle. The 41-year-old from Parr was driving the bus in Burrows Lane, Eccleston, when it was pelted with eggs and a bottle which smashed through the side window

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theatre

Heidi Travis FROM the Victorian fog of smoggy Hackney marshes to the blistering heat of an Egyptian noon, the next production at Pyramid is Peasouper. Rejects Revenge Theatre Company will be returning to Warrington's arts centre on Saturday evening with

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Well, slap my thigh, it's good old Puss in Boots!

PANTO lovers in Lowton will be rolling in the aisles next week when the curtain rises on a fun production of Puss in Boots, writes Paul Keaveny. Lowton Operatic and Dramatic Society is getting ready for its opening night on Tuesday January 27. Last minute

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It takes two, baby!

ROMANTIC couples in Golborne could win a weekend break or even get to appear on TV with Des and Mel if they enter a competition organised by ASDA. If you think you are Golborne's most romantic couple then call into the store and pick up a leaflet to enter

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Make your mark

COMMUNITY police officers will be at Golborne ASDA on Saturday, January 24, with their mobile security marking unit. They will be marking mobile phones and bikes at the supermarket between 10am and 4pm. The event is being held in conjunction with Wigan

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A step further on the road to success

CAMPAIGNING residents in Lowton are making steady progress in their fight to keep lorries off their country lane. As reported in the Guardian, the Lane Head Residents' Group has lobbied Wigan Council for six years to prevent heavy goods vehicles using

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Thanks to Mr Earlestown

AN outing to the resting place of Sir Hardman Earle, the founder of Earlestown, will take place on Sunday in the final part of the town's 150th birthday celebrations. A coach will take residents to St Peter's Church in Woolton where the deputy mayor of

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Sweet talking visitor

A GUEST speaker has been chosen to speak at the Sankey Canal Restoration Society's next meeting on Thursday, January 29. Dr Mona Duggan, the chairman of the Lancashire Local History Federation, will be giving a talk on the birth of the sugar industry

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Supermarket clean sweep!

ELBOW grease was the order of the day at a Golborne supermarket on Saturday when punters were asked to come to the store with their best cleaning tips. ASDA was collecting the polishing pointers as part of a national competition. The winner of the contest

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Apartments

BLUEPRINTS to build more than 20 apartments in Newton-le-Willows have been submitted to St Helens Council. The development is on land to the north of Cheshire Close, in Newton East ward. The plans, put forward by FAS Developments, will also involve building

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MP applauds exams success

GOLBORNE and Lowton MP Andy Burnham has applauded teachers and pupils in the area on achieving record results in the latest league tables. Both Lowton and Golborne High Schools achieved above the national average of 53 per cent of pupils gaining five

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Scully relishing challenge

NEW captain Paul Sculthorpe is aware that Saints fans want to see silverware in the trophy cabinet again in 2004 following the 2003 drought. And heavy responsibility is on the Great Britain international's shoulders following taking over the skipper's

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DEATH OF A 'GENTLE GIANT'

A GOLBORNE family is shattered by the loss of its 'gentle giant' of a son and now must wait to find out what caused his untimely death. Paul Joseph Oakley, aged 30, of Helen Street, was found dead in a front garden on Naylor Street at around 9.30am on

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Natural yawn killers at large

Television programmers obviously think we all need to be sent to sleep in front of the 'box' on Sunday evenings, if the schedules are anything to go by. 'Heartbeat' and 'The Royal' are well known for their yawn-inducing qualities, but even they seem like

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Results and fixtures

Results: North West Counties ARL Premier Division: Pilkingtons 11 Widnes Albion 1. Division One: Wigan St Pat's 46 Haresfinch 10. Division Four: Blackbrook A 28 Crosfields 22, Thatto Heath A 26 Higginshaw 12. Division Six: Weaverham 26 Newton Storm 24

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Newton's hopes drift wide

Weaverham 26 Newton Storm 24 A LAST-gasp conversion attempted sailed narrowly wide to deny Storm a much-deserved point. Despite outscoring Weaverham by five tries to four, Newton lost the battle of the boot with home hooker Lowe landing five out of six

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LSH stunned by last gasp winner

LSH 29 Halifax 33 LEAGUE leaders Halifax snatched victory in the 79th minute of this titanic clash. When full back Danny McGee scored, close to the posts, it eclipsed a magnificent fight back from LSH, coming from 14 points behind to lead 29-26 for most

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St Helens Combination

THE Combination programme at the weekend was severely decimated by the complete closure of the Council pitches throughout the borough. Only three fixtures were completed, these being a 2-2 deadlock in the Star Premiership between York and Child at Ecclesfield

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Jones comes to Newton's rescue

NEWTON women's hockey side had to settle for a share of the spoils with Daten at the weekend. They drew 1-1 at home despite having more goal scoring opportunities than their opponents. Daten took the lead against the run of play in the first half. Newton

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Still neck and neck at snooker summit

IT is still tight at the top of the Earlestown Snooker League as joint leaders Newton Social A and Bryn Labour both recorded 4-2 wins this week. Newton had the last two winners against Golborne Catholic. Tony Kelly beat Paul Evans and Lee Canning defeated

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Within a whisker

Weaverham Rangers 26 Newton Storm 24 NEWTON went within a whisker of recording their third draw of the season but the conversion attempt to a heroic last minute try drifted agonisingly wide. Storm out scored Weaverham Rangers by five tries to four in

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Full list of products withdrawn from sale in July and which - under EU rules - will be illegal to po

Asda Lawn Feed and Mosskiller, Lawn Spot Weeder, Lawn Feed and Weed AgrEvo Lawn Weedkiller Concentrate Armillatox (plant protection uses only withdrawn) B & Q Granular Weed and Feed for Lawns, Spring Lawn Care Granular Feed Weed Mosskiller, Spring

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THIS IS THE full list of products withdrawn from sale in July and which - under EU rules - will be i

Asda Lawn Feed and Mosskiller, Lawn Spot Weeder, Lawn Feed and Weed AgrEvo Lawn Weedkiller Concentrate Armillatox (plant protection uses only withdrawn) B & Q Granular Weed and Feed for Lawns, Spring Lawn Care Granular Feed Weed Mosskiller, Spring

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Lacklustre Witton match ends in dreary score bore

A DISTINCTLY lack lustre Witton Albion missed out on the chance to extend their winning run and failed to find the net in a dreary goalless draw against Kidsgrove Athletic. Neither keeper was troubled to any great extent as both sides struggled to find

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Vicki's chuffed to Brits to be Pink

POP STAR lookalike Vicki Forrest will be appearing on TV screens in the run-up to the annual Brit Awards show on February 17. Vicki, aged 22, pictured above, will be appearing as pop star Pink in an ad campaign for the show, which begins next Saturday

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Volunteers to whip up voting fever

VOLUNTEERS will be pounding the pavements of Biddulph this weekend to urge people to vote at next Thursday's referendum. More than fifty volunteers are planning to deliver leaflets to every house in Biddulph, which should drop through local letter boxes

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Mere is now off limits

WALKERS will no longer be able to take an evening stroll around a popular countryside attraction from today. Astbury Mere, a flooded quarry on the edge of Congleton, is very popular with local people, especially in the summer months. Residents like to

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No waiting

TRAFFIC bosses have imposed no waiting restrictions on sections of Fir Tree Close in Stretton.

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Ranger recovers

THE Appleton Parish Ranger is taking time off work until February after going into hospital for surgery to his ankle. David Greig, who shares his duties between Stockton Heath and Appleton, was praised by villagers for his work last year.

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Pupils view results of their fundraising

CHILDREN at Moore Primary School found out this week that their fundraising efforts to help an African school had paid off. Last year children raised £3,000 to build two new classrooms in the small village of Watamu, Eastern Kenya. Money was raised through

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Duo on a high note

A pair of talented brass musicians have won places at two of the UK's top music colleges. Trombone player Adam Penketh, 17, has been accepted to study a Bmus (Hons) degree at the Royal College of Music in London. James Hatton, 17, who plays the cornet

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£50,000 pledge for Ackers Pit

A POPULAR Stockton Heath nature spot is set for a major facelift following the announcement of a £15,000 environmental grant. Redevelopment work at Ackers Pit woodland appears to have been given the go ahead after a cash injection from the Environment

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Blood donor sessions

BLOOD donor sessions to be held in the Runcorn and Widnes areas during February are on Tuesday, February 17 at Astmoor Primary School, Kingshead Close, Castlefields, 10am-12noon and 1.30pm-4.15pm and on Friday, February 27 at St John's Parochial Centre

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Blues are back

WARRINGTON'S premiere rhythm and blues venue gently swings back into action this week with one of the newest groups on the blues circuit. The Warrington Blues Club re-opens after the Christmas break tomorrow, Friday, with a set by up and coming band Huckelback

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The Nutcracker, Palace Theatre, Manchester

JAN LEVER Manchester's Palace Theatre was packed on Monday night to see Yuri Grigorovich's version of The Nutcracker, performed by the Moldavian, Chisinau National Ballet. This production is a more simplified version of the ballet Grigorovich created

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Nell McAndrew, Maximum Impact

Hayley Tutt AH, another New Year and another round of endless offerings from C-list celebrities in a bid to drag us away from the post-festive couch potato syndrome. Nell McAndrew - former I'm a Celebrity blah blah blah 'star' and the girl they modelled

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The jury's out on this one

By SARAH HARKER WHEN a disgruntled former employee bursts into his old workplace on an otherwise mundane Monday morning and blasts his ex colleagues to death before turning the gun on himself, the widow of one of the dead takes the gun company to court

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Hot date for the chillis

Paul Keaveny THE Red Hot Chili Peppers are coming back to Manchester and playing the largest ever stadium concert the region has ever seen. The Californian rockers are touring in the UK in June and will be playing at the City of Manchester Stadium on

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Park hang on to draw

AN END to end game ended in an unlikely 0-0 draw as Winnington Park Ladies' 1st team travelled to Southport. Park defended resiliently for much of the game with Rae Eyres oustanding at the back. During the second period Park managed to lauch a few attacks

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Youngsters claim points

INJURIES and unavailability left Barnton fielding what is believed to be the youngest starting 11 in their history. Three 16 year olds started alongside one 17 year old and two veterans of 19. But what they lacked in experience, they more than made up

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Newcastle strikers have trouble keeping up with Jones

VICS' youth team progressed to the semi finals of the Longton Premier League Cup thanks to the heroics of keeper Calum Jones. Jones was called upon to keep Northwich in the competition as the game went into a penalty shoot-out following a 3-3 draw after

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Kits in the community

WESTON Point Ranger's U8s football team received an award for contribution to the local community from the United Co-operatives Society. LateShop store manager Dean Hudson presented coach David Butler and two of his stars with a certificate and cheque

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A tail of high hopes in annual dog rally

A COUPLE from Northwich will be taking their team of huskies up north for the Aviemore Sled Dog Rally this weekend. Andrea and Steve Taylor, from Highbank Road in Northwich, are entering their seven Siberian Huskies Kyla, Marty, Maxx, Luke, Nicky, Krysta

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Here's to you Mr Robinson

DESPITE a distinct improvement in terms of attitude, Northwich Victoria slumped to their tenth defeat in the past 11 games. And to make matters worse the victors, Tamworth, hadn't recorded a home league victory since October. With three new signings in

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Justify your reasons

Thank goodness common sense has prevailed and the controversial plans for the Lymm Hotel were thrown out by our councillors. I would appreciate having the names of the officers who recommended this outrageous application and I would ask that they justify

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New pool too costly

WELL done the council on not bowing to pressure over a new pool. A lot of people think money grows on trees. Most people are now settled at a pool of their choice. I would say to Joe Lydon action committee, join us in private gyms or the Fordton Centre

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Vandals should pay

I HAVE, this evening, returned from the 'Police Forum', held at our new Pyramid Centre. At the forum a representative from the financial side of (I presume) the council, said that due to a short-fall in the Government allowances for the Cheshire area,

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Pick up issues already being dealt with

The issue of the Warrington Guardian January 8, carried an article and a letter emanating from the so-called Westy Action Group. This group claims to be a number of concerned residents charging about Westy, taking up high profile issues, purely for the

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Have Liberty X crossed the line this time?

By Nicola Dutton LIBERTY X are in trouble for shooting their video for Everybody Cries on a railway line. They have been sent a letter by the Rail Safety and Standards Board but refused to comment on allegations that they are "irresponsible" and do not

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Committed to finding the culprits

CHESHIRE Constabulary would like to respond to a letter published in the Warrington Guardian on Thursday January 15, entitled: 'Sickened by such mindless acts of vandalism'. The Stockton Heath Community Action Team (CAT) has launched an investigation

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We don't want to wait for an accident

WE have read with interest the letter by Mr David Letts on January 15. Can we first of all put Mr Letts straight and tell him that Grasmere Avenue and Greenwood Crescent were used as racetracks long before Poplars Avenue and Capesthorne Road got their

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MPs should say no in top-up fees vote

By Samantha Pashley TONY Blair has outraged prospective and current students by proposing new top-up fees for universities. As a prospective student, I hope to go to university next year but the thought of masses of debt and no promise of a job is deterring

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What a complete waste of money

I COULD not agree more with Mr David Letts re - speed humps all over Warrington. The next pile of disorganised road surface will be in the Smith Drive/Hallfields Road area. This will most likely divert cars along Orford Road and Long Lane, then guess

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Clogging up a grossly congested area

May I add my support to your recent correspondents, Clive Stannard and David Letts in their condemnation of the blanket coverage of our town with speed bumps. The £18,500 mentioned for traffic calming in Grasmere Avenue is small fry when you look at the

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Borough could be split

NANTWICH could be separated from Crewe if radical changes proposed for local government are voted in. The Boundary Committee has offered residents three options ahead of October's referendum on elected regional assemblies, with the option to divide the

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Tourist centre will be open all hours

NANTWICH'S Tourist Information Centre is to change its opening hours to fit in better with the growing number of visitors to the historic town. The Church Walk centre is already well used, providing a wide range of brochures and information on the area's

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Hero Pam is guest of honour at ceremony

SHOPPERS in Middlewich were a little bemused by events at a new store on Monday morning. People put down their baskets and brought their trolleys to a halt to see Pam Johnson, winner of Tesco's and Middlewich Guardian's 'Search for a Hero' competition

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John's quirky hobby proves a grave affair

ONE of the quirky delights of an elderly friend of mine is to browse through local newspaper death announcements, to see if there are any long lost friends and acquaintances - encountered during his own three score years and ten - who he has managed to

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Heyday of battling Pitlad

THEY were later to dub him Battling Harvey the Pitlad Champion of England. But years before that, as a pint-sized bread-boy he had built up his stamina by hauling a handcart piled high with loaves on his town-centre delivery round. Memories of Peter Harvey

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Advice surgery

CLR Terry O'Neill holds an advice surgery at Winwick Leisure Centre, Myddleton Lane, from 7.30pm and 8pm on the last Friday of the month.

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Supporters planning march to new stadium

WOLVES fans are attempting to organise an unofficial march between two stadiums at the start of the Tetley's Super League IX season. The idea is to say goodbye to Wilderspool and welcome The Halliwell Jones Stadium with a walk from the old ground to the

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Wolves signings are knockout

WARRINGTON Wolves have recruited for the 2004 season far better than any other Super League side says their half back Nathan Wood. Wolves' vice captain considers Mike Forshaw, Chris Leikvoll, Danny Lima and John Wilshere to be top quality signings and

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New sponsorship pushes Saints forward - McGuire

SAINTS CEO Sean McGuire believes that partnerships like Saints new arrangement with sports brands, all:sports and Puma, are essential if rugby league is to radically realign its finances and adapt to the realities of 21st century sport. And it may also

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Youngsters in fine tune at music lessons

HARMONIOUS youngsters at Dallam Primary School have been tuning up their trumpets and tinkering with their tubas in preparation for a new music lesson. Jo Sherry, an independent music teacher, has started visiting the school on Wednesdays to teach an

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Testimonial match set up for Joynt

SAINTS will host local rivals Widnes Vikings on Thursday, February 12 (7.30pm) in a testimonial game for veteran packman Chris Joynt, who recently announced his decision to retire as club skipper. A bumper crowd is expected for the clash as fans will

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Skipper Scully!

SAINTS' new skipper Paul Sculthorpe has vowed to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor Chris Joynt and keep the trophies rolling in. And he has the total backing of coach Ian Millward, who believes the leadership role will bring the best out of the

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After school club formed to help elderly

CARING pupils at Sir Thomas Boteler CE High School have formed an after school club to help elderly residents staying at a retirement home. Year eight pupils started the club after they visited the Glen Residential Rest Home, in Grappenhall, as part of

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Put your questions to MP at surgery

HELEN Jones, MP for Warrington north, will hold a surgery in Bewsey at the Community House, Lodge Lane, on Saturday, January 24, from 12.30pm until 1pm.

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One-way bid to help ease parking issues

A ONE-WAY system is to be introduced on sections of Cumberland Street and Oldham Street in Latchford after consultation with residents. Warrington Borough Council hopes the measures will lead to improved on-street parking and ease traffic problems. The

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Full steam ahead for improvements

AN ambitious £1million improvement scheme in Latchford, which promises to make the neighbourhood a more pleasant place to live and work, has entered its next phase. The third stage of improvements in the Latchford Renewal Area scheme has started in St

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Cup triumph

MOORFIELD juniors U10s, current holders of the Executive and District cups, pictured in their new strip which has very kindly been sponsored by Piccolo's Pizza of Albert Road, Widnes. Many thanks to Halton Borough Council for the £230 grant, which has

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Sixth form student is the wizard of Oz

A 17-YEAR OLD student from Widnes & Runcorn Sixth Form College starred for England U17s rugby league series win over their Australian counterparts. Ian Hardman, currently on a two-year professional contract at super league giants St Helen's, featured

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Day change

THE date of Bruche Primary School's summer fair has been changed from Saturday, July 3 to Saturday, July 10.

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Pub will deliver

THE Highwayman Pub on Manchester Road will hold a charity car boot sale on Saturday, January 31. Cash raised will go to the Warrington and District cancer self help group. Sellers will set up at 8am and open to the public at 9am. For details contact Chris

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Traffic calming planned

PROPOSALS have been made to introduce traffic calming measures on Grasmere Avenue and Darley Avenue in a bid to reduce traffic flow and speeds. The measures will take the form of 10 round top road humps, which will increase the safety of the residential

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The Lakes is making a splash

A PURPOSE-built new facility, providing day care for children up to fours-years-old, opened in Orford last week. The Lakes Day Nursery has been jointly designed and developed by the Lakes management and Warrington Borough Council and is in the Sandy Lane

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Jackie and Christine the psychic detectives

PSYCHIC detectives Jackie Dennison and Christine Hamlett have come to the rescue of a Hartford man whose personality changed in a haunted house. The clairvoyants from Barnton discovered the ghost of the builder of the cottage in Hartford was trying to

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Brave neighbours half one man crime wave

A ONE-MAN crime wave who stole from 13 houses in his own Crewe street was jailed for 15 months at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday. John Billington, aged 56, of South Street, stole from nearly every one of his neighbours before they caught him in the act

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Clanger time in ten goal thriller

Ipswich...6 Crewe...4 CREWE lost out in an unbelievable 10-goal thriller at play-off contenders Ipswich. Portman Road has been kind to the Alex over recent years and Joe Royle's side did their best to offer every opportunity of a result, last Saturday

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What was wrong with the town hall for this award?

I REFER to the article in the edition of the St Helens Star (January 8) 'Salute for fire safety drive', and I commend any initiative that educates members of the community on fire safety. But I am absolutely appalled at the report that the partnership

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MAY I through your letters page let you know how angry and annoyed I and many other resident of Newt

It seems that there has been no thought put into which branches close... let me explain what I mean. Take the main post office in Haydock Street. It is situated at the side of a supermarket who have the run of the car park. By this I mean you have to

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Company yet to decide over phone mast

TELECOMMUNICATIONS company mmO2 Airwave is still 'considering all options' about whether or not to remove its controversial mast in Gorstage. The mast caused an uproar among local residents and councillors when, despite planning permission being refused

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Town players facing disciplinary charges

A BUST-UP after the final whistle of a Warrington Town soccer match has resulted in the referee reporting five players to the Football Association. Two Town players are facing a charge of misconduct following the mass brawl that erupted after their team's

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Five-year plan put in place

WARRINGTON Hockey Club have put a five-year plan in place to become North West League champions following 2003's disastrous forced disbanding of the first team. Following the withdrawal of the men's first team from the Northern League due to a lack of

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Not so fast

SPEED cameras will be out and about around Lymm again when community speedwatch returns from its Christmas break. Volunteers will be hitting the streets in a bid to catch speeding motorists in the village.

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£10m cash boost for agency

THE North West Development Agency (NWDA) has been rewarded with a £10 million performance bonus by the Government in recognition of its achievements during 2002-03. The award, which was announced by Industry and Regions Minister Jacqui Smith, was handed

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Culcheth starting to turn the corner

Culcheth Eagles 16 Milnrow 24 A YOUNG Culcheth outfit are starting to turn their season around after some heavy defeats. Bottom-of-the-table Culcheth Eagles took North West Counties Amateur Rugby League Division Three's second-placed side Milnrow to the

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Trident spears new company

A LEADING developer is moving into Warrington's Trident Industrial Estate to expand its operations in northern England. Bluestone construction company has been awarded a £2.2 million contract to design and build three two-storey office buildings for St

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Yasuko gives students food for thought

A TASTE of the Orient has been on the menu for students taking cookery classes at Lymm High School. Yasuko Ishikawa, a 61-year-old teacher from Japan, has been demonstrating how to cook traditional Japanese dishes and showing students how to prepare their

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Warrington's Rugby League fans to have their say

FOLLOWERS of Rugby League in Warrington are invited to contribute to the future of the sport. A major independent review of the roles of the various organisations involved in the development of Rugby League is about to begin. The entire exercise will

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£630 grant to help sick trees

LYMM Parish Council has agreed to give £630 to Lymm Guides to help diseased trees. The large trees in the grounds of the Guide hut have become sick and the group needs £1,040 to carry out the necessary work.

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Return in style

Carrington 7 Burtonwood 31 THE revived Burtonwood side's first game was a thriller on Saturday. Burtonwood's players were a mixture of youth and experience and they played fantastically well to overcome a well-drilled and disciplined Carrington side in

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Pack in charge

Liverpool St Helens 13 Eagle 25 EAGLE had a bigger pack and used it to control this friendly game. Sandwell was excellent at controlling the line-out and the front three controlled the scrums to set up good ball for the backs to capitalise on. Tries were

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Honours even

POOR weather may have put paid to a round-robin tournament organised by Warrington Rugby Union Club at the weekend but two clubs carried on regardless. Tarleton Rugby Union Football Club decided against playing in the cold conditions on Sunday and so

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Concert is a hit

THE popularity of Lymm's annual Christmas carol concert could force changes next year. More than 2,000 people joined carols round the cross last Christmas Eve and organisers will evaluate the event later this year.

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Warrington bouncing back to winning ways

Warrington 21 Northwich 19 WARRINGTON returned to winning ways in a rearranged league fixture against Northwich. Although they are not yet motoring at full speed at least the wheels seem to have been re-fixed to the wagon following some heavy defeats.

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Sports digests

Taylor beats his teammate in final WARRINGTON Public Parks' Bowls League will be holding a winter sweep at Bank Park on Sunday. The entrance fee is £3 and bowlers should report at 9.15am for a 9.30am start. Anyone interested in taking part should contact

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Good news for Goodier

NEW Alliance ace Archie Goodier wrapped up his third competition win of the season on Friday. He lifted Warrington Independent Darts League's Stephen Walker Memorial Trophy thanks to a string of fine performances at the Railway Club. Goodier showed nerves

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Who will be crowned king of the castle?

WARRINGTON Primary Schools Chess Championships' play-offs to decide the champion of champions will have to be run again tomorrow, Friday. A conclusion was not reached at the main event at Whitecross Community Centre on Saturday after champions in each

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Job centre partnership

WARRINGTON'S Jobcentre was the venue for a significant partnership agreement with Whitbread PLC this week, when the pair signed a National Service Level agreement. The joint venture aims to support both partners in meeting their business objectives, while

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Sports digests

Tickets to a Jim Brennan dinner RYLANDS Amateur Rugby League Club will be holding a Jim Brennan Memorial Dinner on February 13 at Monk Sports Club. The top table will include Paul Sculthorpe, Andy Gregory, Mark Forster and referee Steve Ganson. They will

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Workers reeling from Punch as job losses loom

STAFF working at Warrington's Pubmaster offices could be threatened with job losses following a decision to close the Stockton Heath branch. Pubmaster was taken over by Burton-based Punch Taverns in December and staff at the London Road offices, as well

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Silver service from Adrian

A BIRCHWOOD pharmacist is celebrating after being awarded runner up in a special competition recognising community achievement. Adrian Price, who works at the Co-op Pharmacy, in Benson Road, was one of three finalists at the 'Fit for the Future' awards

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Mitchell ends drought and secures victory

Abbey Hey 0 Warrington Town 2 WARRINGTON Town made it four wins in a row in North West Counties Soccer League Division One after a hard fought tussle with lowly Abbey Hey. Town were in the bottom two at the beginning of November but Saturday's victory

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Industry day was a success

POTENTIAL suppliers and construction partners who could help renovate Warrington's housing stock joined forces at an industry day. The event was designed to attract potential workers to the town as more than £18million is set to be given to the newly-established

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Testing times for town's instructors

DRIVING instructors are to be given more time to pass new theory tests being implemented by the Government, but there are still concerns that they could lose their livelihood if they fail. Warrington instructors joined in a national campaign after it

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Power cut forces Co-op to close

THE village store in Burtonwood was closed on Monday afternoon, leaving angry residents unable to buy essentials. A power cut at United Co-op on Chapel Lane meant that staff had to close the doors to customers at 4pm, and when they reopened on Tuesday

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Town Hall hopes to cash in on council tax changes

PROPOSED changes to how council tax is raised, which would give local authorities greater power over purse strings, have been praised by the town's three main political parties. As the figure for the increase in next year's council tax bill is set to

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Spurred on in memory of a special friend

SUPER fit Jenny Griffiths will have just one thing on her mind when she pushes herself to the limit and takes part in this year's London Marathon - the memory of a very special family friend. Jenny, aged 28, of Woodford Close, Thelwall, will tackle the

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It's no longer business as usual on new Pendolino trains

RAIL chiefs are investigating ways to improve mobile phone reception on the West Coast Main Line's new multi-million-pound tilting trains. Businessmen travelling on Virgin's new £11 million Pendolino units have been having trouble getting a signal when

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Mixed reaction from MPs over ambulance cash

NEWS of a £2.5 million cash injection to pay for more staff at Mersey Regional Ambulance Service has provoked a mixed reaction from the town's MPs. While both Helen Southworth and Helen Jones welcomed the announcement, Mrs Jones took the opportunity to

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Inquest into death of man found in coal hopper at power station

THE mystery surrounding the death of a man whose body was discovered at Fiddler's Ferry power station could be unravelled at an inquest next month. Forty-two-year-old Leslie Roberts (pictured, right) was found dead in a coal hopper on March 26 last year

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Priest slams police over slow response

PARISHIONERS and the priest at an Orford church, where heartless vandals desecrated a Christmas nativity scene, say they are disappointed at the lack of response from the police. The 50-year-old tableau of irreplaceable plaster statues of the holy family

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Teacher resigns after text accusation

A TEACHER accused of sending text messages to one of his pupils has resigned. James Hodgknison, who has been a languages teacher at Lymm High School for a year, was suspended at the beginning of November over claims that he was sending texts and leaving

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New residents' group launched in village

VILLAGERS and housing officers have been instrumental in the launch of a new residents' association. The Culcheth and Newchurch group has emerged following regular community meetings staged by the borough council's tenant participation service. For more

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Burglar stole from pensioner

A BURGLAR broke into the home of an elderly woman in Orford while she was in hospital, a court heard last week. The pensioner's neighbours, in Poplars Avenue, alerted police after they noticed intruders inside the property. When police arrived on the

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Clubber died after fall at Mr Smith's

THE family of a man who died following a fall in Mr Smith's nightclub have described him as their 'ray of sunshine' after an inquest ruled his death an accident. Phillip Heywood, aged 23, of Cronton, Widnes, suffered a serious head injury, in the early

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MP to support top-up fees proposals

HELEN Southworth, MP for Warrington South, will be supporting the Government's plans to treble university tuition fees in the House of Commons vote next Thursday. Warrington North MP Helen Jones is still undecided about the proposals because she believes

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Highways queries

PARISH councillors in Culcheth are lobbying borough highways engineers to find out when traffic calming measures will arrive in Wilton Lane, and when an anti-skid surface will be installed along nearby Common Lane, outside Leigh Golf Club.

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Young mum died 24 hours after tumours found in her lung

A YOUNG mother from Great Sankey, who was devoted to her family, died just 24 hours after discovering she had secondary cancer tumours in her lung. Lynne Hicken, of Stratton Road, had a cyst removed from one of her ovaries in August last year. She then

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Man appears over 'murder attempt'

A MAN has denied the attempted murder of a five-week-old child and assaulting and making threats against a woman from Warrington. Robert Vernon, aged 20, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Monday in connection with an incident in Orford on October 26.

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Rail boss to attend talks about station

BUSINESS leaders have set up talks with a transport supremo about future plans for Birchwood's well-used railway station. Next month Robin Etherington, chief executive of First Group-Keolis, has agreed to meet with members of Birchwood Forum to discuss

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Manager killed in car smash

A WARRINGTON warehouse manager was killed in a fatal car crash in Newton-le-Willows on Friday when his silver Ford Sierra was involved in a head-on collision with a red Ford Escort. Alan Turton, aged 45, of Vickers Drive, Haydock, died of his injuries

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Arty kids make an exhibition of themselves

ARTY youngsters at seven Warrington primary schools have joined forces to form an arts network and create a touring exhibition. Pupils at Burtonwood, St Philip's in Westbrook, Thelwall Infants and Ravenbank in Lymm, together with Grappenhall Heys, The

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Sorting out our roads

A PROJECT costing £20,000 has been agreed to tackle the state of the town's roads, writes Alison Klabacher. A data collection firm has been hired to do a series of road and footpath surveys. Data Collection Limited will identify repairs and how best to

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Coming soon, your Labour candidates

THE long-awaited list of Labour candidates to fight June's council elections has finally been announced - and ostracized council leader Mike Hughes could find himself ousted from power in the next week. As expected, Clr Hughes has not been given a seat

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Billy the kid gets Dario's vote to cement his first team place

CREWE boss Dario Gradi believes Billy Jones is in the first team squad to stay. It was only a question of time before the England Under 16 skipper made his league debut and revelation sums up his senior career so far. The Alex's horrendous injury-list