Archive

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Homes planned for 'Fallen Angel' site

FAMILIES could soon be living on the site of a century old legendary West Bank pub. Land which used to house The Angel Hotel is going under the hammer at Manchester Airport on September 7. Planning consent has been granted for two three-bedroom houses

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Bring on the show!

BREATHTAKING blooms, delicious cakes, stunning pictures and imaginative floral art are set to enthral visitors at Widnes Horticultural Show. This year's event is being staged on Sunday, September 4, from 2pm to 5pm, at Ditton Community Centre, Dundalk

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Hunt for conman

POLICE are hunting a man claiming to be from the water board after a pensioner fell victim to a distraction burglary. The incident happened on Friday, August 12, at 1.20pm when the 86-year-old woman let the stranger into her Ditton home. The elderly victim

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Killer is still at large 14 years on

A BRUTAL, sadistic murder left a Widnes mum slumped over the wheel of her car in a secluded country lane. Yet, exactly 14 years after the bloodstained body of mother-of-two Vera Anderson, 42, was discovered, her killer is still free. Her devastated daughter

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DRUNKEN YOBS GO ON THE RAMPAGE

AN elderly Middlewich woman was punched in the face as a group of youths went on a rampage in which two other people were assaulted. The 81-year-old victim, of Allcock Terrace, was the subject of a 'deplorable act of violence' following an attack last

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Building for the future

in Africa A WINSFORD fire cadet has returned home after a trip to help build a school in a poverty stricken area of Africa. Daniel Flecther, 16, travelled to Akrofu in the Volta region of Ghana with 12 other fire cadets from across Cheshire and spent

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Lily-Mai

is helping us get over Mark's death A WINSFORD mother is still coming to terms with the tragic death of the father of her young child almost a year ago. Mark Lucas, 21, of Bentley Grove, died on September 11 last year when he was hit by a stolen car as

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League success now on cards for Oulton

OULTON Park extended their lead at the top of the ECB Premiership when they won a thrilling run chase against Widnes with two balls to spare. Widnes, fresh from their victory in the League's JW Lees 20/Twenty knock out, attacked from the first ball. Danny

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Ladies claim the Olympus title

OAKMERE Ladies completed a double over nearest challengers Poynton to win the Club Olympus Ladies Cheshire League. Last Monday evening they restricted Poynton to 72-3 from their allotted overs with all six bowlers performing well. The wickets were taken

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Century is just for openers for high flying Davenham

A FANTASTIC opening partnership of 111 put Davenham on course for victory against Mere at Butchers Stile on Saturday. Opening batsmen Dave Ashley (67) and Alan Wright (50) were in good form as Davenham looked set for a big total as 100 was reached in

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Kingsley are Styal-ish

KINGSLEY travelled to Styal on Saturday hoping to continue their recent excellent run of form, and continue their late promotion challenge in the Cheshire Cricket Alliance first division. On winning the toss Kingsley elected to bat on what seemed a hard

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Weaverham beaten

WEAVERHAM were unable to build on a superb start at Wallerscote Road on Saturday when at one stage it looked like 250 was a realistic target. In the end, however, the 201 posted was not enough to prevent league leaders Prestbury from taking the points

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Job fears at print firm

JOB cuts could be on the cards at a Runcorn printing firm after the owners confirmed workers' fears of a takeover from outside the area, writes Nick Lakeman. Over 100 hundred employees at Z-Card in Manor Park, Runcorn, could be stung if management of

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Grab a grant with the Guardian

THE Guardian is once again offering community groups and worthy causes in Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich the chance to receive grants from the Gannett Foundation. The foundation is the charitable arm of the Gannett Company Inc, which is the parent

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The road to success

A WINCHAM bus driver has proved he's streets ahead of the competition by becoming the 2005 Bus Driver Idol for Arriva North West and Wales. Dave Barrass, 62, who has worked from the Winsford garage for nearly six years, scooped the award after customers

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Have your say

TENANTS of Weaver Vale Housing Trust are being given the opportunity to choose who will represent them on the organisation's board. Ballot papers have been sent to all tenants in the hope it will enable them to have greater influence on how the trust

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Anger as town centre loses its beat bobby

FRUSTRATED shop staff and security officers have branded the decision to take away a Northwich town centre police officer as ludicrous. Shop managers decided to write to Ch Supt Tim Jackson to register their protest after a direct radio link they had

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The scheme that works...

A LONG summer of waiting may be over for the thousands of mid Cheshire teenagers who have been anxiously pacing the floor in anticipation of their exam results but now the hard work is really about to start. It is time for young people to seriously think

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Cigarette thieves

BRAZEN burglars made off with hundreds of expensive foreign cigarettes after calmly walking through an unlocked front door while the owners were in the garden. Police are urging anyone offered packets of distinctive blue-coloured 'Gauloises Blonde' to

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Trio of burglars raid 92-year-old's house

A CROOK posing as a housing official distracted a pensioner while accomplices raided the 92-year-old's home. Police are hunting the trio who struck at 10am on August 18, at the house in Windmill Hill, Runcorn. The first man said he was from the Liverpool

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Carter is miles ahead

VALE Royal athlete Tom Carter ran a spectacular race on Sunday to come home ninth in the Emsley Carr Mile at Sheffield's Don Valley Stadium. The Emsley Carr Mile is an invitation only event, so just to be taking part was an achievement for Carter as he

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Grey Lambs continue stunning start to the new season

LOSTOCK completed their second home win of the week with an excellent 3-1 win over bogey side Warrington Borough. Once gain the Grey Lambs utilised wide men Paul Littler and Lee Woodward at every opportunity and were able to carve out several half chances

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Milne is the swim queen

LEFTWICH High School pupil Harriet Milne is celebrating after picking up the best swimmer in her age group award at the Welsh Age Group Championships in Swansea. Milne secured new personal bests in three events, knocking five seconds off her best in the

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Mission to tell all to guests

AN ASTRONOMER will next month explain how spacecrafts are helping to solve the mysteries of creation. Dr Ian Morison hopes to discuss the Cassini mission and the Deep Impact probe at Knutsford's next sciBAr meeting. "Nasa is on a bit of a roll at the

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Gun seized from teenage boy in town

A GUN was seized from a teenager in Knutsford on Monday after he pointed it at shoppers. Inspector Craige Arterton said the BB gun was taken from the boy on The Moor after a member of the public alerted them. "The gun is not terribly dangerous although

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Police want to quiz gang

POLICE want a gang, who have been accused of terrifying a couple at Knutsford Railway Station, to give their side of the story. Yesterday Knutsford officers and British Transport Police promised to protect anyone who provided evidence about the incident

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Man could have been lying dead for weeks

A MAN may have lay dead in his house for a number of weeks before police discovered his body, an inquest has heard. Michael Owens, known as Kevin by his family and friends, was found by a police officer on the living room floor of his home in Oxenham

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Kirby sets it all up

BARNTON 2ND XI 177 OVER PEOVER 2ND XI 178-6 A solid, responsible innings by Kirby Whittaker set up victory for Over Peover 2nd XI over visitors Barnton 2nd XI on Saturday in a tight finish which went to the last over. Batting first, the visitors were

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Defeat for the top men

OVER PEOVER 1ST XI 101 Ashley 1st XI 103-2 Over Peover suffered a heavy defeat at Ashley on Saturday, losing by eight wickets to their hosts on a lovely day for cricket. The victory kept Ashley on track for promotion to Division 2. Batting first, Peover

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Thriller at Booths Park

Chester Boughton Hall CC 2nd XI - 216 for 6 TOFT CC 2nd XI - 215 for 9 Match Drawn Those who watched the latest instalment in Toft 2nd XI's rollercoaster season were treated to a thrilling finish on Saturday. It was also the beginning of a new era, as

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Helsby Golf Club

Results for August 22: Monthly Medal: Division One: Tony Archer 78-11=67. Division Two: Jack McFarland 80-14=66. Division Three: Harry Knight 88-18=70. Division Four: Frank Threadgold 100-28=72. Club Championship: 1st Chris Johnson 76/79=155; 2nd David

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Pool night

Widnes Pool League Sponsored by Derwent SC THE presentation night is to be held on Friday, October 7 at Our Lady's. All teams who have won trophies will be expected to attend and support the night. If any teams require additional trophies, they need to

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Widnes RUFC get ready for season

WIDNES RUFC are gearing up for the 2005/06 season and new coach Dave Moran is pleased with the number of players turning up and the response he is getting from them in pre-season training. The season opens at Aspull on August 27 in the Lancashire Trophy

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Exciting performances in this week's Leisure games

Leisure League THIS week in the Widnes six-a-side Leisure League, there were lots of goals and some exciting performances. Three teams are tied on eight points as Zante thumped Hammered FC, who lived up to their name losing 10-1. John McEvoy ran the show

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Champions crowned

Runcorn Apec Taxis Darts League LAST Thursday night saw the competition of league fixtures for the 2005 summer league. Clarry B were section one champions after running out 6/3 winners against Navvy. This defeat for Navvy saw them finish in third place

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A-level news

St Chad's JUBLIANT pupils at St Chad's RC High School, Runcorn, celebrated the best A/S and A2 results for many years. All students achieved their targets and most subjects had 100 per cent pass rates. Proud headteacher Arthur Graley said: "I am delighted

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We want to build on hotel's success

THE FLORIDIAN style Everglades Park Hotel, Widnes, has made two senior appointments. Dublin born Ciaran Kelly, 25, has been promoted to manager and Gail Gardner-Harding, 28, is manager of the refurbished Keys restaurant. Ciaran, who joined the Derby Road

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Priory future secured

A £50,000 Heritage Lottery Fund is set to preserve Halton's precious ancient tourist attraction, Norton Priory. The grant will allow vital planning and consultation work to be carried out to secure the future of this award winning historic venue. Museum

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BLUES GEAR UP FOR UNITED

WINSFORD United are gearing up for the biggest game of the season, despite the campaign being only three week's old. Next Wednesday, August 31, sees breakaway Manchester United club FC United visit mid Cheshire for the North West Counties Division Two

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Park and ride!

Bike-mad Leam Fox is set to cycle a dizzying 200 times around Victoria Park in Widnes for charity. The 25-year-old hopes to raise money for The Widnes Fellowship Centre where he works as a volunteer. He will be joined by pals David Owen, Carl Malone,

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Shop staff threatened in theft attempt

A MAN tried to grab cigarettes from over the counter after being refused credit and threatened terrified staff, magistrates heard last week. Moneyless Peter O'Brien, 27, asked a lone female shop assistant in Mandepp News, Queens Avenue, for cigarettes

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'A real sad day'

WIDNES Vikings' four year spell in the top flight ended in a demoralising derby day defeat to bitter rivals Warrington - a crushing 60-16 scoreline making escape mathematically impossible. The only hope now for the club's fans and employees is that the

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Middlewich is braced for Norman invasion

IN just three weeks time Middlewich residents will need to brace themselves for an invasion, as a great Norman army descends on the town. Next month the town council presents the first Norman Middlewich Festival, a two-day event that draws on the town's

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Future's bright after youngsters speak out

A BRIGHT future lies ahead for young people in Middlewich after they had the chance to give voice to their views. Results have been compiled from a youth consultation carried out by Middlewich Vision with more than 400 Middlewich High School pupils, and

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Police warning as bogus conmen strike

BOGUS tradesmen got away with £100,000 worth of building society bonds and £300 cash when they conned two elderly residents. Police and councillors are now urging pensioners to take care after incidents last week. The first took place last Tuesday afternoon

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Show was a real family affair

LOVE it or hate it the RHS Flower Show at Tatton is over for another year. Shows for me are all about meeting people, catching up with old friends and making new ones. Some of the older ones include Bill Blackledge with whom I worked some years ago for

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New camera could help save your eyesight

A NEW piece of equipment at a Northwich opticians has been hailed as a major breakthrough in the early detection of many medical conditions. Boots Opticians, on Witton Street, has installed a retinal camera which takes a picture of the inside of a patient's

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Leisure centre aims to provide just what

the town really needs LEISURE facilities in Winsford are set to be given a huge boost with the opening of a sports centre at Woodford Lodge High School. Winsford Sports Centre will open its doors on September 5 and provide much needed leisure opportunities

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Widow died in house blaze while trying to save her pets

A WIDOW died in a house blaze while trying to rescue her two beloved dogs, an inquest has heard. Jennifer Jane Moores, 66, of Frida Crescent, Northwich was unable to escape from her burning home on January 31 after a fire broke out in the living room.

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Years of stress led

to mum's suicide A DEPRESSED mother ended her life after becoming totally beset with worries, an inquest has heard. Kevin Ledwards found Julie, his wife of 12 years, suspended by washing line rope from the upstairs banister at their Lodge Drive home on

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Thieves stole my bike - twice

A MUM has appealed to the heartless thieves who have stolen two bikes from her five-year-old son in the space of a month. Diane Bond, of The Fairways, issued the plea after the bikes belonging to her son, Bradley, were stolen from the family garden. She

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I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS

A WINSFORD man is 'standing up for his principles' by offering a £1,000 reward to catch the thieves who raided his home. Arthur Warner, 49, of Middlewich Road, was left fuming when he returned from holiday last week to find his home had been burgled and

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A boating wonder land!

TENS of thousands of people are set to descend upon Runcorn this weekend to attend the National Festival and Boat Show. The three-day event, which runs from August 27 to 29, is to be held on the banks of the Bridgewater Canal at Preston Brook and organisers

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Bridge is a crash hotspot

RUNCORN Euro-MP Chris Davies has called for changes to the law after recent figures showed a local railway bridge has been hit more than 25 times since 1994. The bridge, on Picow Farm Road, Runcorn, has been crashed into 28 times by vehicles, making it

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Happy couple say 'I do' despite setbacks

A WEAVERHAM bride had more reasons than most to shed a tear at her wedding day - because she feared the occasion might never come. Brunner Mond worker Steven, 34, and Laura McCormick (ne Capper), 27, of The Crescent, were due to marry on August 7, 2004

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Maze vandals leave a trail of destruction

FURIOUS summer fun organisers have slammed the actions of drunken vandals who have twice rampaged through a carefully crafted maize maze in the Northwich countryside. The crop labyrinth was created at Great Budworth ice cream farm for children and adults

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High rise Riviera?

THE SHEER scale and size of proposed six storey riverside apartment blocks is totally unacceptable, angry residents told planners at a public meeting last week. They fear the £40m waterside development of a former shipyard in Mersey Road could dwarf their

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Eco homes get green light at third attempt

CELEBRATIONS can finally begin after Vale Royal Borough Council gave plans for an eco-friendly housing scheme the go ahead. Cuddington-based Anaconda Investments applied to develop land at the corner of Wallerscote Road and Northwich Road more than a

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Too scared to go to sleep

A GRANDMOTHER has been left 'too frightened to sleep' after being harassed by a gang of youths. Disabled pensioner Jean Williams, who lives with her husband and daughter in Runcorn, is tired of the abuse her family receives from the teenage yobs that

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KNIFE THUG

IN BAG ATTACK A KNIFE wielding thief slashed a woman's handbag in a Northwich shop and escaped with a purse full of cash, prompting a dramatic chase through the town centre. Security staff, police and a sniffer dog pursued the thief to the Weaver Navigation

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Burglars target elderly person's home

AN ELDERLY person's home in Lockgate West, Windmill Hill, Runcorn, has also been targeted by distraction burglars posing as water board officials. One man, described as 'well spoken' got the 87-year-old woman to show him her bathroom taps upstairs while

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My mum's killer still at large 14 years on

A BRUTAL, sadistic murder left a Widnes mum slumped over the wheel of her car in a secluded country lane. Yet, exactly 14 years after the bloodstained body of mother-of-two Vera Anderson, 42, was discovered, her killer is still free. Her devastated daughter

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Busway fears as boy, 14, hurt

A TEENAGE cyclist is recovering at home after being involved in a collision with a bus. Liam Jackson, 14, from Runcorn, suffered head injuries and a punctured lung in the accident on Thursday evening and was released from Warrington Hospital on Monday

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Restaurant bosses get a taste of guests' reactioins

ONE of Knutsford's best-known restaurants will serve free meals for three nights next month. EstEstEst will invite friends, family and business associates to sample its food so that bosses can get a taste of the guests' reaction. "At the end of the day

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The future is bright for Kate and Amy

The 21-year-olds who read geography at the top university previously went to St Gregory's RC High School and Carmel College in St Helens - now they are looking forward to exciting futures. Kate, of Tragan Drive, Penketh, has secured a place at LSE to

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We can all do our bit for the environment

A NEW campaign has been launched in Warrington to encourage every household to recycle litter. The campaign, Trees for the UK/Trees for Africa, was launched at Bank Park and will give the borough one native tree for every tonne of aluminium cans and foil

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Stopping bikers in our parks

AN operation to rid nuisance bikers from Warrington's open spaces has proved a success for the second year running, according to police. Throughout August, officers from Cheshire Police have been on specially mounted patrols to try to catch motorcyclists

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Dangers of motorway come under spotlight

THE danger faced by motorway maintenance workers is being highlighted in a major campaign on motorway safety. It was launched on the M6 last week, near to the junction where Raymond Schofield of Orford was killed, as he worked on the motorway at night

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Just the tonic for taverners

The Taverners were in high spirits as captain Steve Bowyer gave his last orders and called time on the season's evening fixture list with a closely fought victory over the Crown at Peover. Forecast to be bitter, the weather stayed mild, the visitors didn't

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Darts results and fixtures

Runcorn APEC Taxi Darts Results for August 18: Section One: Lion Doo Waps 5 Albion 4; Likely Lads 4 Tranny Lads 5; Halfway A 7 Tricorn 2; Navvy 3 Clarry B 6. Section Two: Dreadnaughts 6 Outcasts 3; Red Admiral 5 RAOB Buffs 4; Navvy Lads 4 Halton Marauders

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Pool results and fixtures

Widnes Pool League Fixtures for August 28: At 6pm: Village v Doctors; Main Top v Our Lady's. At 8pm: Prince of Wales v Sporting Ford; Grapes v Moorfield Arms A. At 6pm: Simms Cross v Appleton Arms; Cricketers Arms v Mill Brow. At 8pm: Majors v Griffin

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Six-a-side vacancies

THERE are vacancies in the Broomfields indoor six-a-side league. It runs on Wednesday nights and is open to adult teams from Warrington and surrounding areas. Call Steve or Joan on 0161-764 6768, 0161-705 2072 or 07939-213575 anytime for details.

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Sign up for soccer

NORTH West Mini Soccer League is recruiting teams for its eighth successful year. Based at the Robin Park Arena in Wigan, the league caters for five age groups, U8s to U11s. For more information about this unique league set up call Steve on 0161-764 6768

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Leisure League offers free kits

THE organisers of the Sunday six-a-side soccer tournament in Widnes have announced that throughout August any new teams wishing to enter the Leisure League will be given a free kit for joining free of charge. Any teams that would like more information

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Cup holders are narrowly defeated by Oulton Park

Widnes Cricket Club WIDNES, the cup holders, lost a most exciting game to the champions elect, Oulton Park, by two wickets. Winning the toss Widnes elected to bat and James McCoy and Steven Titchard took the score to 29 before McCoy fell for 15. There

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Seaside trip proves disappointing for Mond Rangers

New Brighton 4 Mond Rangers 0 A POOR display with all the goals conceded from set pieces made it a disappointing day out at the seaside. Murphy made a superb save to deny New Brighton and Mond looked dangerous when Cocks and Ward combined but defensively

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Andy's wrestling school could be all the rage

RUNCORN ring king Andy 'The Rage' Baker has put his WWE dream on hold in a bid to launch his own local wrestling school. Fresh out of an elite training camp for future stars of the WWE, Andy, 24 is hoping to pass on all the tricks of the trade to youngsters

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Viking joins hospital's clean hands campaign

WIDNES Vikings star John Stankevitch might not worry about keeping his hands clean when he's out on the pitch but it's a different matter the rest of the time. The Vikings second row joined eight-year-old Vikings fan Callum Parkinson from Runcorn and

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You are gold!

BIG-HEARTED people who have given up years of their life to help others have been rewarded for their dedication. Deputy Mayor, Cllr John Swain presented certificates to more than 50 volunteers at an awards ceremony organised by Halton Volunteering Centre

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Lights, camera, action!

EXCITED children made their screen debut at an action-packed summer school. They wrote their own scripts and then produced, directed and recorded their work on quality broadcast equipment. "Children were able to have the experience of many of the backstage

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MP surgeries

MIKE Hall MP will be available to meet constituents on Saturday, September 3 at Brookvale Recreation Centre, 9.30am-10am; Runcorn Library, Halton Lea, 10.15am-11am; Castlefields Community Centre, 11.15am-11.45am; Beechwood Community Centre, noon-12.30pm

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'He spoke for ordinary people'

HE only ever wore one suit, scribbled his court notes on the back of a tatty envelope and never worried about his appearance. His biggest passion was caravans. Halton's longest serving MP, former minister, solicitor and honorary freeman, Gordon Oakes,

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by the Rev Richard Byass,

Mobberley Methodist Church SEVERAL years ago at a prestigious university, a philosophy professor gave his students a one-question final exam. He picked up a chair, placed it on top of his desk, and wrote on the board: "Using what you have learned in class

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Train diversions

ENGINEERING work will affect train services in the area this weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, work at Runcorn means that trains between Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street will be diverted via Warrington Bank Quay, with coaches linking Crewe, Runcorn and

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Rap for pubs ..

A POLICE officer wants pubs to play chill-out tunes before closing time. David Griffin, assistant chief constable of Cheshire Police, believes the music could help to calm down rowdy youths. "I'm certainly not suggesting that there's a police-recognised