WITH the future in mind, Alex boss Dario Gradi has his sights set beyond this season's finale at Sheffield Wednesday, on Sunday. Optimism is currently at it's highest since promotion after a fine finish to this programme. "We'll see the season out and
Water levels have continued to fluctuate over the past week and yesterday (Tuesday) the river ran dry again. "It's stopped. It's unbelievable," said Val Boston-Davies, who owns Wares in King Street. "Something catastrophic has happened." Last week, the
Inspired by the Italians, the flamboyant architect created the Gaskell Memorial Tower - the town's most memorable landmark and the one that gives Knutsford its Mediterranean feel. This summer Mary McGregor and Liz Roberts will be hoping to do something
A spokesman at Chester Crown Court confirmed on Wednesday that Mr Spada's ill-health was the reason - for a second time. "The defendant is still awaiting hospital tests," he said. "A new date will not be fixed until we know that he is fit to stand trial
The 400 sheep and lambs were shot in the field where they had spent the past six weeks dying in the mud without food or shelter. Villagers in High Legh had appealed to officials to slaughter the sheep which could not be moved due to Government restrictions
At an official ceremony Clr Bert Grange and two local schoolchildren struggled to cut the first sod of grass as the project finally got off the ground. In his address to those gathered next to the council offices in Toft Road, Clr Grange said the new
The town - plagued by a string of attacks on pensioners - failed to make the Home Office's shortlist. The decision - made just days before police were called to two alleged assaults in the town centre - will come as a major blow to traders, fed up with
Don Harkness - whose mum was viscously attacked in the town centre a year ago - described it as appalling. "With the police we have we need something looking over us and we do need some kind of protection," he said. "At the moment we have no answers to
THINGS are looking perfick for Nantwich Players' latest production. The group is staging The Darling Buds Of May for a six night run next week at the Players Theatre in Pillory Street. The show opens on Monday, May 7, and runs until Saturday, May 12.
OPPORTUNITIES for young people in Willaston have got off to a head start after months of effort by parish councillors such as Glenys Fryer. Glenys says that following up on contacts made with some of Willaston's young people after the Parish Open Meeting
PLANS to build a multi-million hotel and office complex in Sandbach have been drawn up. An outline application for a 100-bed hotel and 10,000 square metres of offices has been submitted by Halfmoon Investments to Congleton Borough Planners. The site earmarked
THE Rural Advice Service for Crewe and Nantwich is back on the road. After the Foot and Mouth outbreak, MAFF advised the Citizens' Advice Bureau to suspend the service but following a relaxation of the restrictions, it is now fully operational again.
AN ELDERLY recluse may have died because he tripped and fell over furniture and string he had used to barricade himself into his living room, an inquest heard. Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg recorded a verdict of accidental death on 85-year-old Sydney Timmis
DO you remember how the original Glenn Miller orchestra looked and performed during their stay in the UK in 1944? If not, a visit to Winsford Civic Hall next weekend may refresh your memory. The Glenn Miller Tribute Orchestra will be performing a one-night
CREWE CID officers are investigating a possible arson attack which has left a public house in ruins. The Holly Bush in Crewe Road, Winterley, caught fire in the early hours of Saturday April 29, last weekend. Four fire engines attended the scene at 1.35am
THIS year's Nantwich Show has become the latest victim of the foot and mouth crisis. The show, which attracts around 30,000 people to the town every year, has been cancelled for the first time in its 104-year history. Thousands of members of the farming
GRANGE residents have set up a new association with the aim of improving the quality of life on the estate. At its inaugural meeting at Grange Court, 40 people attended and came up with a list of priority actions to address. Association spokesman, James
THE borough council has been blasted for a cloak and dagger attitude during the investigation into the Eaton Street development. The eight-strong Eaton Street Panel has been holding regular private meetings to try and find out what went wrong with the
LUCKY Bill Gunn has been rubbing shoulders with the stars and taking part in an historical event. Bill, 20, from Sandy Lane, Whitegate, was one of only two musicians from the North West to perform at last week's concert for Nelson Mandela. A feat made
POLICE are warning of 'hook and cane' type thefts where criminals are stealing car keys without entering houses. The Congleton and Vale Royal division is aware of thieves poking hooks, canes or similar implements through letterboxes or cat flaps and hooking
A FUND-RAISING event held in aid of the charity Across Mid Cheshire has been hailed as a great success. The charity that helps local sick and disabled people enjoy a better quality of life, used the event at Somerfields to raise money for a scheme that
MIDDLEWICH has been revealed as one of the safest areas in the country. A survey into violent crime has shown that the combined police division of Congleton and Vale Royal is the 10th safest in the UK, with only places such as rural Scotland and East
SANDBACH is gearing up for a record May Day Fayre. The family fun day on Monday, May 7, will feature a lively mix of entertainment, culture and culinary delights. There will be more than 200 market stalls, plus the retail market and indoor market and
BANK Holiday fun will help 'man's best friend'. Manchester Dogs Home is holding its annual Spring Fair this coming Sunday, May 6. In addition to the many fund-raising attractions the kennels will be open for viewing in the hope that some of the animals
FRIDAY MAY 4 * Haslington Ray of Hope Knitters Stall. Outpatients Hall, Leighton Hospital. Knitted Baby garments and small craft items. Funds to Maternity & Neo-Natal Wards 8.30am-3.30pm * Screaming Beavers. The Limelight Club, Crewe. SATURDAY MAY
THE MEXICAN (15) A STORY about love, guns and a dog. The Mexican lines up the Oscar-winning talent of Julia Roberts with the masterful acting skills of Brad Pitt. Two huge names on one relatively small screen, and if you listen to most critics, this combination
FOOT and Mouth restrictions mean that Shavington's May Day Festival will be smaller than usual. But although the annual event will have to be confined to the village instead of the High School fields organisers are hoping it will prove as popular as ever
A CREWE adventurer is recovering this week after returning from an arduous trek through the mountains of Chile, in the name of charity. Teresa Maz has spent eight days trekking through the Andes mountain range in Chile's Torres Del Paine National Park
A CONTROVERSIAL application to build houses on a disused car park at Mid Cheshire College has been given the green light by Vale Royal Borough Council. Council planning officials had originally recommended that the scheme, put forward by the college,
TALLEST London Marathon runner Matthew Everitt would like to say a big thank you to everyone who supported his efforts at this year's event. Matthew, who completed the race in six hours and 28 minutes, has already raised more than £1,400 for the National
LUCKY Bill Gunn has been rubbing shoulders with the stars and taking part in an historical event. Bill, 20, from Sandy Lane, Whitegate, was one of only two musicians from the North West to perform at last week's concert for Nelson Mandela. A feat made
A DECADE of biotechnology education was celebrated at Sir John Deane's College this week with a series of genetic workshops. Around 100 A-Level biology students from the college, as well as other visitors including The Grange School, took part in the
WHEN a 15-year-old gardener met a 16-year-old housemaid at Davenham Rectory in 1936 - love bloomed. And now Owen and Joyce Gough have just celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary. And it will be a double celebration for the couple, of Prospect Drive
DEFINING the term active citizenship is not the easiest thing to do - and especially if you're only 14 years old. But pupils at Rudheath High School and Verdin High School in Winsford are hoping to change all that. From next September, citizenship will
THE heartbroken fiance and father of a Northwich mother and child who died after being in a collision with a car has made a moving tribute to them. Tina Lewis, aged 23 and daughter Zara Lewis, aged three, were walking down Middlewich Road on March 31
DEPLETED Crewe FC crashed to their fourth successive defeat at home to Knutsford. WIth injuries and absences taking their toll, boss Ian O'Reilly was forced into another reshuffle of the side that lost 4-1 at Trafford, four days earlier. It looked so
NANTWICH Town manager Dave Cooke wasn't too concerned about his side's 4-0 defeat at high-flying Salford, last Saturday. With safety assured, Cooke used the game to blood some new players and try out different tactics. Two goals in each half wrapped up
Crewe Alex...1 Preston...3 PRESTON spoilt Crewe's party at the Alexandra Stadium with two early goals to dampen the hopes of a record crowd. In all honesty, It was the Alex who shot themselves in the foot rather than superior ability with awful defending
But the fan of English novelist Elizabeth Gaskell longs to be forgotten when she dies. "I would rather be cremated and forgotten," said Mrs Leach. For MP Martin Bell, though, an epitaph is an important reminder of someone's life. "We all seek a little
She always seemed to be the one left on the sidelines. The boys, it seemed, only had eyes for her friend. But that all changed on Whit Monday in 1948 when Lea Thomason asked her to dance. "I was so surprised because Lea was such a handsome man," she said
For during his unexpected eight-month stay at the Maidment family home in Goughs Lane, he's also been nipping back to his real home round the corner for a midnight snack. "I was putting a bowl of food out every other night for him while he was gone and
The town's Jehovah's Witnesses are among five bids currently being considered by developer Matt McCloskey. "There has been interest in using it as office space and individuals who wanted to turn it into a pub or restaurant," he said. "Someone wanted to
Candice Hadfield, who has fought a seven-year battle with the council, said it was sad that they were still trying to stop her building her dream home. "This is just one last-ditch effort to throw a spoke in the wheel," she said. "They had to have one
GLOWING tributes have been paid to the local volunteers who have helped to run the county council's 'Meals on Wheels' service. Members of the Women's Royal Voluntary Service from Crewe and Nantwich attended a special 'thank you' reception, this month,
AROUND 200 jobs are to be created over the next two years as a new business opens in the borough. A new branch office of London-based business 'chauffeurRide' has opened in Moreton Road, Wistaston and it is expected most new positions at the company will
FROM BELLY dancing to circus skills, adults in Sandbach are being given the opportunity to experience a wide variety of learning activities. There are to be numerous events taking place between Saturday, May 12, and Friday, May 18, as part of Adult Learners
BUS users are being asked to help decide the best way forward for the development of Crewe Bus Station. Eight options for the Delamere Street station have been put to the Borough's Planning Committee and a decision now needs to be made. The bus station
CHILDREN in the Greenfields estate are running riot by using a Finsbury Walk demolition site as a play area. The resident, who prefers not to be named, told the Guardian tenants received a leaflet telling them the site would be secure when building work
SOME people have always said Nantwich is a model town. Well it is now, literally, thanks to primary school children and a wonderful art exhibition in the town's museum. The work of pupils from the Wyche and Weaver primary schools has been on display in
A MIDDLEWICH resident is calling for a further education centre to be developed in the town. Mike Parsons, of Waterside Way, is concerned that the town's students are travelling unnecessary distances to further their education. At present youngsters who
CAMPAIGNERS against a proposed chemical dump are furious they now have to write hundreds of protest letters all over again. The residents are aiming to halt plans by consortium company Minosus to use the disused Winsford Salt Mine Shaft Four, Bostock,
THE future of a community swimming pool for the town is hanging in the balance after a dramatic u-turn by the borough council. Congleton Borough Council is planning to alter the designated use of land off Centurion Way and remove the housing allocation
DEFINING the term active citizenship is not the easiest thing to do - and especially if you're only 14 years old. But pupils at Rudheath High School and Verdin High School in Winsford are hoping to change all that. From next September, citizenship will
WORKERS at Harris of Winsford, which is set to close at the end of the month, have been given a much needed boost in the form of a major training grant. Some £126,000 from the Department of Employment and Education will be used to retrain workers in new
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a Middlewich woman was subjected to a serious sexual assault. The victim, a white woman in her 40s, was attacked on the grassed area on the corner of Wardle Mews and Booth Lane on Saturday, April 10 between 9.40pm
AN AREA of Winsford has been revealed as one of Cheshire's worst black spots for family stress Winsford's old Over Two ward, which covers Greenfields and Glebe Green, is outlined in a borough council application for funding as 'one of the highest ranking
Chester...134 all out AFTER last week's rain Toft travelled to Chester on Saturday more in hope than anticipation. They soon found themselves in trouble after losing the fifth wicket for a modest 40. This was the signal for Muirhead (55) and Ashley (36
THURSDAY WRVS Thursday Club, Val Young, committee meeting 8pm: Contact Theatre, Manchester, presents Somewhere The Shadow:The Contact Mix. Until Saturday May 26. Contact 0161 274 0600 FRIDAY Display of historic May Day costumes at Knutsford Heritage Centre
THE film everyone's been talking about comes to Knutsford this week. Bridget Jones' Diary (15) - the story of a thirty-something singleton - opens at the Studio Cinema on Friday showing each day at 7pm and 9.30pm with a matinee on Sunday to Thursday at
IT SEEMS that a lot can go wrong in the world of amateur dramatics. Usually when it does, it is heartbreaking for those involved. But last week the mishaps at Knutsford Little Theatre made it a night to remember for the cast - and the audience who clearly
CAMPAIGNERS against a proposed chemical dump are furious they now have to write hundreds of protest letters all over again. The residents are aiming to halt plans by consortium company Minosus to use the disused Winsford Salt Mine Shaft Four, Bostock,
A PLAY AREA has been given a £40,000 facelift - after children decided which new equipment they wanted. Special meetings were arranged once Vale Royal Borough Council decided to improved the Danefields play area, in Danefield Road, Northwich. At these
FIVE women will be getting back in the habit for their second helping of an award-winning production later this month. Members of Mid Cheshire Operation Society have decided to revive Don Coggin's musical comedy Nunsense for the second time after scooping
PLANS to permanently close the central reservation at an accident blackspot moved a step closer last week. More than 100 Lostock Green residents turned out to a public meeting in the village chapel to put forward their views on the A556 Birches Lane gap
POTENTIAL grandmasters from the County High School, Leftwich, have made it to the regional finals of the world's largest chess tournament. Around 50 year seven pupils contested in the initial heats of the British Lane Chess Challenge which has attracted
THE restoration of Northwich's most famous landmark entered its final stage last week as Anderton Boat Lift was bolted back together - piece by piece. Sections of the giant Victorian steel frame were finally returned to the site on Thursday by a 1,000
