Archive

  • Margaret Elliott

    THE funeral took place recently of Margaret Elliott, of Winsford, who died on April 12, aged 50. Margaret was born in Winsford and spent her early years in Winnington. After her marriage at St Luke's Church, she settled in Barnton and brought up their

  • Terence Leslie Pogson

    THE funeral service was held at Altrincham Crematorium for Terence Leslie Pogson, who died on April 11, aged 52. Terry was born in Blackpool in 1951, the son of Edna and Clement Pogson and he had an elder sister. They moved to Farm Road in Weaverham where

  • 'Movie style' chase

    WITNESSES say five police cars were involved in a dramatic high-speed pursuit of a vehicle on the East Lancs Road on Saturday night. They spotted the chase near the Carr Mill stretch of the Liverpool bound dual carriageway at about 9.50pm. "It was like

  • New chief targets teen arsonists

    A BURNING desire to combat teenage arsonists is a top priority for new Widnes fire chief Carl Hanson. He says he is determined to rid the town centre of yobs setting fire to refuse bins. "One of the biggest problems we're facing is rubbish fires in Albert

  • Thinking of choosing a cat

    DECIDING to own a cat (or any pet for that matter) is a decision not to be taken lightly. You must take the responsibility very seriously. There are thousands of unwanted cats and kittens today and becoming a cat owner is very easy indeed. It is this

  • Love-match gets a guard of honour

    AXE-WIELDING firefighters greeted newlyweds Ian and Andrea Dunbar as they walked hand in hand down the aisle. It is the first time in more than 12 years that crews have staged a ceremonial guard of honour at a wedding. Firefighter groom Ian Dunbar, 28

  • Don't get stung!

    I HAVE never owned - or wanted - a pair of jeans or trainers. Today, though, for either of them to be truly fashionable, the right label would also need to be attached, probably on the outside. When I was younger we wore clothes with the labels inside

  • Stage set for show

    TWO girls will share a leading role in the musical High Society next week. Hannah Atkinson and Amy Marshall, both 15, will play Dinah Lord in the latest Knutsford Amateur Operatic production at the Little Theatre. Hannah is no stranger to the stage, having

  • Tigers roar into second place

    CHESHIRE Tigers raced into the new season with a hugely successful first meeting at Manchester last weekend. And it was the girls who seemed to fly the flag highest with some fantastic performances in a wide variety of events. Beth Carter won the 1,500m

  • Rivals bury the hatchet to remember their lost colleagues

    RUGBY fans from all over Vale Royal and Cheshire turned out to pay their respects to three of the local game's leading figures. Bob Dean, Vince Murphy and John Nancollis all died due to cancer in the past two years and on Saturday veterans from Winnington

  • Green Dragon wing it

    GREEN Dragon have seriously dented Rudheath's hopes of a second consecutive league and cup double. Playing in the Team Knock Out Cup semi final Green Dragon beat Rudheath 4-3 to give the league leaders a touch test of character in the second leg. In the

  • JONES TURNS ON THE STYLE

    VALE ROYAL racer Craig Jones took Oulton Park by storm at the weekend and put in a performance as elecrtic as the lightning which threatened to tear up the sky overhead. Jones, a 18-year-old, in his first season in the 600cc British Supersport Championship

  • RUGBY LEAGUE - North West Counties Amateur League

    Results for May 3. Premier division: Ince Rose Bridge 16 Simms Cross 6. Fixtures for May 9. Bowl Cup, final, at Leigh Miners: Higginshaw v Widnes Ball. May 10. Premier division: Roose Pioneers v Simms Cross. May 15. Premiership Cup, final, at Widnes St

  • CRICKET - Halton Bayer League

    Fixtures for May 12. Division two: Parklands Renegades v Queens Park, umpire D Spencer. Hyde Cup, preliminary round: St Marie's v Ditton CC. May 13. Division two: RAOW v Echo Taxis, umpire D Flanagan; Parklands v Sixth Form Old Boys, umpire J Alderton

  • DOMINOES - Halton Stadium Widnes and District League

    Fixtures for May 8. Dave Gilhooley Village Cup, third round: St Bedes A v Sundowner; Wid Rec B v HGSC B; Albert v Vikings; Wid Rec A v Village SC B. May 12. Dave Gilhooley Village Cup, semi-finals: At Village SC: St Bedes A or Sundowner v Wid Rec B or

  • Finnforest Youth Cup, final: Widnes St Maries 52

    Halton Hornets 0 THE final had to be hastily moved away from the Halton Stadium after ground staff feared two games on the same day would harm the pitch so the match was relocated to Leigh Rec playing field. With the game under way, Hornets showed tremendous

  • Farnworth take top trophy

    Finnforest Cup, final: Farnworth 14 Halton Simms Cross 11 THE town's amateur rugby league supporters again turned out in force and were treated to a thrilling game. Simmies success in the RFL Cup left them with a backlog of big games, with this being

  • Rain again as Moorfield take down Lines

    CRICKET: MOORFIELD first XI were again badly affected by the rain at home to Cheshire Lines CC. Skipper Neil Maher won the toss and elected to bat. Opener Ian Maher got off to a flyer as he and Gaz Jones pushed the score on. Gaz was first to go though

  • Kevin's in the hunt for glory

    WIDNES kickboxer, Kevin Hunt, went from strength to strength last weekend when he beat all-comers to win yet another regional contest. The 10-year-old romped to victory in the North West Laugaur Kickboxing Tournament, held in Ellesmere Port on Sunday,

  • You have a right to know what's happening

    YOU have a right to know what goes on at council meetings, how your school has performed, whether your local hospital has met its targets in making more beds available or how the police are tackling crime. And the good news is that a new law will make

  • My mum was left stranded

    THROUGH your pages I would just like to thank the mindless, sick morons who decided to help themselves to my disabled mother's purse on Monday, April 28 whilst she was shopping in Widnes. She makes this trip weekly on the bus from Warrington. Not only

  • Prime Minister's message to our readers

    PRIME Minister Tony Blair's message on Local Newspaper Week. He said: "We live in an age of international travel, business and communications which, even a generation ago, would have been virtually impossible to imagine. And yet despite our much broader

  • Seven days of hard work to bring you the Guardian

    A WEEK in the life of the Guardian is a busy time indeed - and it all starts on a Wednesday. While our readers are picking up the latest copy of their number one local newspaper, all the staff at the Market Street office are already busy getting started

  • A site for eyesores!

    I HAVE to respond to your article in regards to the new shops opened in Gerrard Street. Don't get me wrong, I like the shops and it's nice to see something finally getting built in this area as we seem to be doing a very good job at demolition but very

  • Delighted

    Paul Edwards, of Middlewich First, took the Cledford seat in a runaway victory, securing 608 votes to Liberal Democrat Peter Hirst's 226 votes. Independent Democrat Margaret Boyd, who did not stand in this year's election, previously held the seat. The

  • GYPSIES ASK FOR HELP

    The group of gypsies included more than 20 children, with the youngest being just five-weeks-old. Crimea said: "We pulled onto the farmers field which we know is illegal because everywhere we go these days is illegal. "The farmer was furious and I can

  • I say well done our Ashley

    TALENTED Middlewich youngster Ashley Walton has moved up a gear whilst representing Winsford Swimming Club at the North Midlands and Cheshire Championships. Ashley gained a record breaking six national qualifying times in 100m, 200m, 400m freestyle, 100m

  • Focus firmly on local newspapers

    LOCAL Newspaper Week, which runs from May 5 to 11, puts the focus firmly on the most trusted and read printed medium in the country. It is a Newspaper Society initiative that gives us, the Guardian, the chance to give our readers an insight into who we

  • Driver left terrified by abduction ordeal

    AN ABDUCTION in Winsford last week left a man terrified after his captors took him on a frightening motorway run-around. The incident happened between 11.30pm and 11.45pm last Thursday, May 1, after the victim - a 37-year-old man from Stoke on Trent -

  • Youth forum invitation

    WINSFORD Youth Forum is looking for people to join its board. Anyone in the town who is interested in youth work, childcare and even outdoors pursuits for youngsters is invited to get in touch with the organisation for an interview. The youth forum has

  • Team's good form continues

    Meller Braggins Div A - May 3 Oakmere 128-6 44overs Hutchinson 61no Davies 2-29 Middlewich 129-4 35overs Tomlinson 44no MIDDLEWICH made it two wins out of two from their opening matches with this impressive performance on a rain sodden Oakmere pitch.

  • SCHOOLGIRL'S LUCKY ESCAPE

    A WINSFORD schoolgirl is lucky to have escaped serious injury after being hit by a car outside her school last Thursday. The accident occurred only metres from where another Woodford Lodge High School pupil was left with life-threatening injuries, in

  • Good form continues for Winsford's A-Team

    WINSFORD Tennis Club's A team's good form continued this week as they destroyed Hightown from Crewe 6.5-1.5. David Jones and David Littler took three and a half sets and Damian Cookson and Andy Senior took three sets. Cookson was delighted with the performance

  • We're on the right road! Police hail drop in crashes

    CRASH-RELATED injuries in Halton are at their lowest level for 10 years. The last two years have seen a 57 per cent reduction in fatal and serious road traffic accidents. Police and Halton Council say it's a direct result of their 'strong and determined

  • Widnes Moorfield u7s 24 Rylands u7s 32

    IN the other match played at the same time, Rylands just pipped Moorfield in the final few minutes. The try scorers were Jack Salter (2), Karl Glover (2), Liam Munane and Ryan Dyas.

  • Prosecution warning for Goped riders

    CHILDREN zooming around on Gopeds are breaking the law and could face prosecution, police warned this week. The stern warning follows numerous complaints from residents about the noise and nuisance of motorised and petrol-driven scooters. PC Gary Butterworth

  • Young artists prove big HITS in London

    A TALENTED group of Halton artists are having their work exhibited at the world famous Victoria and Albert Museum. It's part of an initiative to give young people who care for relatives a break from their responsibilities. Their cubist collage will be

  • Moorfield u9s Thatto Heath u9s

    WITH both sides fielding large squads, two matches were played, the first ending in a 20-16 win for the visitors, with tries coming from Knight (2), Brown, Lynskey and Will Hughes. Good performances by newcomers Ferris, Smith, Fenlon and Josh Hughes,

  • You have a right to know what's happening

    YOU have a right to know what goes on at council meetings, how your school has performed, whether your local hospital has met its targets in making more beds available or how the police are tackling crime. And the good news is that a new law will make

  • Wids u10s 10 Mosely u10s 0

    Wids u10s 20 Bredon u10s 0 Wids u10s 20 St Mary's u10s 0 Wids u10s 10 Mosely u10s 10 PERFECT weather was matched by near perfect rugby as Wids travelled to the Midlands for the Mosely festival. And, as did other age groups, the u10s came away with the

  • Focus firmly on local newspapers

    LOCAL Newspaper Week, which runs from May 5 to 11, puts the focus firmly on the most trusted and read printed medium in the country. It is a Newspaper Society initiative that gives us, the Guardian, the chance to give our readers an insight into who we

  • Amnesty hailed success

    THE firearm amnesty has drawn to close after almost 700 hundred guns were handed in across Cheshire. The nationwide amnesty ran throughout April and meant people could hand in illegally held guns without fear of prosecution. PC Jeff Grimes, of Halton

  • Festival will rev up economy

    VALE Royal Borough Council believes that the Thundersprint Festival will boost the local economy and put Northwich on the worldwide map. The focus point for the Thundersprint Festival is the classic motorcycle races, although there will also be a full

  • Brian loses his seat

    He said: "This is the democratic process for you. Life goes on and I have to get on. "I was obviously disappointed because I think I have done a good job in Weaverham over the years. "I lost because of all the misinformation put out about Lakehouse Field

  • Electronic election voted a huge success

    Some 6,475 members of the electorate took advantage of electronic voting in the borough and parish elections, casting a total of 8,098 electronic ballots - 6,471 in the borough elections and 1,627 in the parish elections. Members of the public were able

  • Poll shock as Labour group loses control

    The overall picture sees the Conservatives with 22 seats, Labour 21 seats, Liberal Democrats 12 seats and Independents two seats. There was drama at the count which was due to take place at Winsford Civic Hall when a power failure plunged the hall into

  • Something fishy for Ken and Fay

    And in order to get locals hooked they are introducing a mouth-watering new fresh fish menu at the pub in London Road. Ken and Fay, who have two children, won a national Pub of the Year award at their pub in Coventry and are big food lovers. Fay said

  • How I survived horror crash

    SMILING and making jokes, plucky Andrew Forbes still makes everyone laugh. He ribs the nurses who care for him and often has his friends and family in stitches. Yet his humour belies the trauma he has faced since a freak accident left him paralysed. He

  • Please do something before a child is killed

    A CUDDINGTON resident is calling for speed restrictions on a dangerous road after a school bus was in collision with a car. Harry Hurd, who lives in Norley Road, leading to Delamere Park says there have been too many accidents and somebody is going to

  • Patricia's simply a top teacher

    A TEACHER from Wallerscote Community School has been entered into the Cheshire Teacher of the Year Awards. The awards are aimed at commending the hard work and dedication of teachers across the county and have attracted a wide variety of nominations from

  • BEATEN UP ON THE WAY HOME

    TWO friends were seriously injured after being viciously attacked by a group of youths on School Lane in Hartford. Both suffered broken jawS, as they were knocked unconscious. One of them will have to undergo surgical facial reconstruction. The 26-year-olds

  • Teacher to be reunited with Kosovo refugees

    A RUNCORN teacher has flown to Kosovo to be reunited with the refugee children she came to love. Margaret White taught the children at Halton Lodge primary school after their family fled the Kosovan War. Three years after they returned home, Margaret

  • NORTHWICH LADIES GUILD

    THE chairman of Northwich Ladies Guild thanked members for their generosity at last month's meeting, which had started this year's charity effort at £58. The welfare officer was asked to write to Erica Cooke who is in hospital for an operation. Names

  • Landscapes go on show

    CAPTURING landscapes shows the responses of four artists to the landscape around them. Jim Symon, Sue Marsden, Andrew Croughton and Dave Dillon are all members of the Karabiner Mountaineering club with a common and passionate interest in the rural landscape

  • Blazin' Squad

    APPEARING soon at the Carling Apollo, Manchester are Blazin' Squad on May 9 and 10, tickets £18.50 (fully seated); Darius on May 16 and 17, tickets £18.50 (fully seated); Erasure on May 18, tickets £20 (standing downstairs); Neil Young on May 21, tickets

  • Tango Pasion

    INTERNATIONALLY critically acclaimed Tango Pasion, an exhilarating dance musical that has been touring the world for the last five years, is coming to the Empire on Friday, May 30 and runs until Sunday, June 1. For tickets call Ticketmaster on 0870 606

  • A stroll round the Priory

    THE Ring O'Bells folk club in Pit Lane, Widnes is hosting an afternoon event at Norton Priory, Runcorn, billed as 'Wandering Minstrels'. Regulars and guests of the club are looking forward to wandering through the rooms and grounds solo, or in groups,

  • DELAMERE WI

    PRESIDENT Kay George welcomed members and visitors to the April meeting of Delamere WI. Business was dealt with quickly and efficiently then the speaker, Kate Ollier from Okell's Nursery, gave a very interesting and informative demonstration on planting

  • Charity night

    A TRULY superb line-up of stars will be taking to the famous Empire Theatre stage on Wednesday, May 28 to help raise funds for charity. The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign has put together a show called Music and Laughtertime 2003 to increase its profile

  • DARNHALL AND WETTENHALL WI

    THE guest speaker, Maureen Crawford, treated members of Darnhall and Wettenhall WI to a Flavour of the East at their April meeting, with a very interesting talk on kimonos. Maureen brought along her very large collection of kimonos, and told the members

  • THE WEDNESDAY CLUB

    AS usual chairman Mavis opened the recent meeting of the Wednesday Club with a warm welcome to members and guests. Members received details of sick members and names were taken for the next outing, which is to the Dorothy Clive Gardens on June 4. The

  • Rock at the Dock with Elvis

    C'MON everybody, put on your Blue Suede Shoes and rock on down to the Dock to meet the undisputed King of Rock 'n' Roll Elvis Presley! A fascinating, new exhibition Fingerprints of Elvis - is due to open June 2003. One of the main features is the actual

  • WINSFORD WI

    AT the recent meeting of Winsford WI, Mrs Mary Pye, chairman of the Mid Cheshire branch of Diabetes UK, gave the group an insight into the life of a diabetic and the diagnosis and treatment. These have improved a lot over the past years. Sandy Stagg thanked

  • PICKMERE & DISTRICT WI

    VICE President Gillian Winterbottom welcomed everyone present to the April meeting of Pickmere & District WI. Mrs Brown was ill in hospital and it was the meeting's wish that flowers be sent. Mrs Winterbottom introduced the speaker Mr Redmond, whose

  • ACTON BRIDGE WI

    HILDA Connor presided at the April meeting of Action Bridge WI and thanked various members for the spring flowers and the homemade cakes. The village litter pick had not been very well supported but those who helped had done a wonderful job. The darts

  • DAVENHAM METHODIST CHURCH LADIES GROUP

    DAVENHAM Methodist Church Ladies Group April meeting was opened by Barbara Forster with a poem by Helen Steiner-Rice and prayers. Betty Thomas was welcomed back after her illness. The speaker was Peter Ashburner of Marshall's Estate Agents' Knutsford

  • Hunt for station attackers

    POLICE are searching for a gang who attacked two other men on their way home from a night out last weekend in what appears to be an unprovoked attack. Violence erupted around 2.30am on Sunday, near Bank Quay Station, when the two men, both aged 31, were

  • Pupils go back to school

    STUDENTS who were told to stay at home for fear of spreading the deadly SARS virus returned to school in Knutsford this week. Yesterday (Tuesday) headteacher Kevin Hollins said he had also worked from home for 10 days after the school trip to Beijing,

  • Government plans to strip town of its power

    KNUTSFORD councillors could soon be stripped of their powers to decide matters that affect the town. Government inspectors have told Macclesfield Borough Council to axe its district planning committees after a review last year. But the plans have been

  • House prices 'set to fall'

    HOUSE prices in Knutsford could fall this year. Rodney Jennings, a partner at town estate agent Meller Braggins, said a trend was now being set in the south, where prices are plummeting. "Historically we do tend to follow the south, but usually it is

  • M6 bosses clear signal to expand Knutsford services

    A COMPANY was last week given permission to extend Knutsford's M6 services. Moto Hospitality was told it could provide extra rooms and a car park at the motorway site off Northwich Road. But on Friday a company spokesman said they had no plans to do anything

  • Mystery is name of the game

    A HOMEOWNER would not expect to consider a potential buyer's political leanings when selling a house. But one Knutsford family might have to when they decide to move - they own Blair House. Last week Gemma Swift, who lives at the house in Legh Road, said

  • Vodafone still calls shots

    A MOBILE phone company still has to apply for permission for a mast it erected in Knutsford more two years ago as an 'emergency'. Vodafone built the tower under powers granted by the Government when Martin Bell was still Tatton's MP and the second runway

  • Sudden bolt strikes house

    A bolt of lightning hit a house in Knutsford on Friday night wrecking electrical equipment at nearby homes. Residents in Bracken Way ran into the street to see what had happened after the flash destroyed TVs, video recorders, computers and phone lines

  • Return

    Hobson's Choice centres around Henry Horatio Hobson, a man with three daughters, good intentions and a fondness for the Moonraker's Inn. Maggie Hobson, his eldest daughter has a head for business and takes no nonsense - especially from her father. When

  • Paddington heads for the Palace Theatre

    The world's most famous bear has packed his case and is coming to The Palace Theatre in Manchester in an exciting stage musical adventure for children, which has been written by Paddington Bear creator Michael Bond. Since he first set foot on Paddington

  • Side-splitting fun continues at the Victoria Hall

    Following on from the likes of Peter Kay, Jack Dee, Lee Evans, Lenny Henry, Joe Pasquale and Harry Hill, the summer season has something for everyone, with established favourites and new upcoming talent. Comedy legends Roy Chubby Brown and Ken Dodd are

  • Triple the talent

    THE final concert of the Middlewich and District Concerts Society 2002-2003 season features talented female trio Intriplicate. Claire Fillhart (flute), Sally Richardson (oboe) and Claire Dunham (piano) are all graduates of the Royal Northern College of

  • Spotlight on unsigned talent

    Friday, May 9, will see another Banned! Network showcase put the spotlight fairly and squarely on the best unsigned talent and setting new blood on the first steps towards fame and fortune. Lined up are two bands aiming to make a triumphant return and

  • Val sums up point

    ON behalf of the Heritage Centre and the Friends of the Knutsford Tapestry may we thank Val Boston-Davies for her summary of the town council meeting's reaction to our opening ceremony in last week's Guardian. For over a year volunteers and supporters

  • Highways Agency defy all logic

    LAST week's letter from Pauline Owen pointed out that the logical solution to traffic problems on the A556 is to keep vehicles on the M6 and M56. However, the Highways Agency defied all logic 30 years ago when the M56 was built. They provided direct connections

  • I vote for a change in tactics

    I AM writing concerning the article in the Knutsford Guardian April 23, on the local elections and the fact that Macclesfield Borough Council was the only local authority in the area not to use easier voting methods to encourage the voters. I am a second

  • Widnes woeful at Warrington

    Warrington Wolves 34 Widnes Vikings 6: WIDNES Vikings chose the wrong moment to produce their worst performance since returning to Super League at Wilderspool on Saturday night. Warrington Wolves scored seven tries to one as they completely outplayed

  • Double troube Tricorn

    Tricorn 5 Bebington Athletic 1 TRICORN were soon in control of this South Wirral League match when a Karl Thomas corner was headed in at the near post by Carl Meharry. Gary Lunt, who lifted the ball over the keeper from 30 yards, latched onto a Peter

  • Knutsford Flying Club

    THE Race on May 30 was flown from Wincanton, approximately 155 miles, when 135 birds were entered by members. Result (velocity in brackets): 1 Cheetham (1779.4), 2 Beverley (1779.08), 3 Beverley (1778.7), 4 Taylor (1775.1), 5 Cheetham (1773.08), 6 Howarth

  • Ford is the prefect for Witton

    TWO goals for Christy Ford helped Witton Albion Reserves claim the Crewe FA Junior Shield on Saturday. Playing Rolls Royce Bentley at Crewe, Witton cruised to a 2-0 win to lift the trophy. Less likely though is the team's claim on the Crewe and District

  • Night watchman gives his evidence at inquest

    THIS week Market Place continues covering the inquest of William Jewkes, a well-known employee of the Co-operative Society, whose body was found floating in a brine cistern on April 10, 1913. Northwich was gripped by his strange death and there were rumours

  • Eva Rimmer

    THE funeral was held at Lostock Parish Church for Eva Rimmer of Lostock Gralam who died on April 17, aged 86. Mrs Rimmer was born in Rudheath, one of the large family of the late Elizabeth and Robert Gardner, of which two sisters and one brother survive

  • Maud Caffery

    THE funeral took place recently of Maud Caffery of Anderton, Northwich who died on April 16, at Halton Hospital, aged 74. She was born in Anderton and lived there all her life. Maud was educated at Barnton Brunner School. She served in the Home Guard

  • Half term showtime!

    THE Queens Hall showcased a host of activities for kids during half-term. Halton Council's Arts Development Team laid on range of experts to teach teenagers new skills - and to keep them busy! Among the events were break-dancing lessons from Ron Case,

  • Recipe of the month

    PERHAPS with the soaring temperatures we have enjoyed of late, a taste of the east might be appropriate. New potato salad with cardamom dressing Ingredients 6 cardamom pods 8oz/225g yoghurt 1 /700g new potatoes cooked and sliced Salt and pepper Remove

  • Jobs for May

    Jobs to do in the flower garden, vegetable garden and greenhouse... Flower Garden Do not plant out tender plants early in the month. Last frost forecast for us will be approximately June 4. Plant hanging baskets and keep them in the greenhouse until they

  • Wharton and Pochins stay unbeaten

    WHARTON Cons A and Pochins A kept their 100 per cent records in the Mid Cheshire Bolwing Association Section One with wins against Wharton Cons B and Comberbach A respectively. A feat matched by Castle Private D in Section Four as they completed the double

  • Wood polishes off opponents

    HARTFORD Tennis Club is celebrating the success of the juniors after Jarrod Wood won the U14 boys competition held at Queensgate in Bramhall. Jarrod won the final 6-0, 6-0 and claimed his first title of the year. The U17 team, featuring Jarrod, Mark Gleave

  • End of season honours at Park

    WINNINGTON Park's senior and colts teams have been applauded for a good season at the end of year Captain's Dinner. The Colts just missed out on a fourth consecutive Cheshire Championship losing out to Caldy in the final. Absent to receive the plaudits

  • Becky beats the clock

    BECKY Ellis has once again shown she is a quality athlete by smashing the English schools' qualifying time of 10 minutes 26 seconds in the 3,000m at a meeting in Sheffield. Becky blasted off at the start and finished in 10 minutes 16 seconds, a time which

  • Jim piles on the agony

    WIININGTON Park U15 continued their sound start to the season with a victory over Appleton. WPCC posted a challenging target 141-6, Steve Oliver impressed with 43no, with fine support from George Warburton (23) and Vishnu Bhardwa (21). Appleton were well

  • Rain stops play

    BARNTON CC 1st travelled to Woodford with little hope of playing a full game as the skies darkened. And their fears were proved correct when after just two overs the match was abandoned. The 2nds however did manage a game but in constant downpours fell

  • Witton Albion opt for Leather as president

    FORMER Witton Albion club secretary David Leather has been appointed president of the club following the death last year of Tom Stelfox. David is a Wittoner through and through having spent 31 years as secretary and more than 40 years working with the

  • Use your vote - next year

    WHAT a cracker! This was the only council in the country not voting on May 1. I wonder why? Is it the 17 per cent council tax? It's as if they know they'll be voted out, but do not forget next year and cast your vote for the person you think will be good

  • Holy smoke

    THE demise of the 'Fallen Angel' is the answer to our prayers. After two sleepless nights, four fire engines, crashing rubble, constant noise, disturbance and diversions, we are looking forward to some peace. A relieved West Bank resident

  • Park rules need to be enforced

    OUR beautiful Victoria Park is vandalised on a regular basis (the latest incident being an arson attack on the new youth shelter destroying, amongst other things, the store of new deck chairs which allowed many to sit and enjoy various events and concerts

  • Is it a fair cop?

    I AM surprised that Cheshire Police Authority value the lost property office and dog kennels at Widnes Police Station so much that it's holding up the building of a new Asda. It seems these buildings are of paramount importance to the efficiency of Halton

  • Council are on wrong track with cyclists

    I HAVE noticed with interest over the last few years the various schemes by Halton Borough Council to make roads safer for cyclists (and more congested for motorists). They have carved up major roads like Kingsway and Hough Green Road so that approximately

  • Still as dedicated as 30 years ago

    A KITCHEN assistant who is celebrating 30 years at school is still as enthusiastic about her job as she was when she started Janice Robinson, of Pickmere Lane, started work as a playground assistant at Wincham Community Primary School and was later promoted

  • History of RAF Cranage on display as gas plant fight goes on

    AN exhibition will be held at Byley Village Hall later this month that will explore the history of RAF Cranage. The free event will be running between Friday, May 16, from 7pm to 10pm and Sunday, May 18, from 2pm to 6pm. Organisers say it has been created

  • Final farewell to leading light

    GENEROUS and caring were just some of the words used to describe councillor Ben Hart during his funeral service last week. Family and friends of Clr Hart paid their final respects at his funeral last Wednesday, held at St Michael and All Angels Church

  • Birthday blues for Iraq soldier

    Paul Upton, of the First Paratroopers, has been in the war zone since February this year but has been lucky enough to escape any real action, according to his family. Dad John, of Shropshire Close in Middlewich, told the Guardian: "The last letter I got

  • You have a right to know what's happening

    YOU have a right to know what goes on at council meetings, how your school has performed, whether your local hospital has met its targets in making more beds available or how the police are tackling crime. And the good news is that a new law will make

  • Prime Minister's message to our readers

    PRIME Minister Tony Blair's message on Local Newspaper Week. He said: "We live in an age of international travel, business and communications which, even a generation ago, would have been virtually impossible to imagine. And yet despite our much broader

  • Seven days of hard work to bring you the Guardian

    A WEEK in the life of the Guardian is a busy time indeed - and it all starts on a Wednesday. While our readers are picking up the latest copy of their number one local newspaper, all the staff at the Market Street office are already busy getting started

  • Renewed call for businesses to join run

    CAMPAIGNER Gary Steele is making a renewed call for businesses to take part in a fun summer run for charity. Running superstar Paula Radcliffe is supporting the Winsford run to raise money to battle prostate cancer, but organisers are struggling to get

  • Door-to-door transport on offer

    DIAL-A-RIDE is a door to door transport service for people who find ordinary buses too difficult to use. Anyone living in Winsford who cannot use buses due to disability can use the Dial-a-Ride service for any purpose within a designated area. To use

  • CAROLINE'S ATHENIAN DREAM

    MIDDLEWICH rider Caroline Pratt has moved a step closer to fulfilling a life-long ambition after a good showing at the world famous Badminton Horse Trials. Caroline, who first took part in the trials just three years ago, is now on the shortlist to be

  • May day festivities brought tourists in

    THE Over May Festival of 1905 was by far the most photographed of them all, since it first started in the mid 1880s, held in the grounds of Over Hall, the residence of Captain Turner. Almost 3,000 school children from Winsford and district started in

  • Pensioners meeting

    VALE Royal Pensioners' Association will hold its next meeting at Wharton Conservative Club on Monday, May 12, starting at 7.15pm. Anybody attending will have the opportunity to pay for the popular day trip to Llandudno on May 15, with 55 people having

  • Halton Hornets u7s 20 Clock Face u7s 12

    THE Hornets came out victorious in a hard fought match. Clock Face opened up the scoring, catching the Hornets defence asleep with a good try out wide. Mom Teddy Chapelhow replied for the home side after some strong running and help from joint mom James

  • Halton Hornets u7s 36 West Bank u7s 16

    THE Hornets looked good against an improving side that showed enthusiasm in attack and defence. The Hornets laid the foundations with some strong running and excellent tackling to keep the Hornets run of victories going. Mom Matthew Crampton led the way

  • Oakes helps out next generation

    WOLVES goalkeeper Michael Oakes gave up his spare time this week to show youngsters how they could become football stars of the future. Oakes, who lives near Winsford, visited Witton Albion Football Club where he shared his footballing skills with the

  • Widnes Moorfield u7s 48 Rylands u7s 18

    MOORFIELD showed improvement once again and ran out comfortable winners against a good Rylands team. The try scorers were Daniel Richardson (4), Lewis Scott (3), David Richardson (2), Keiron Maher (2) and Conner Hill.

  • JONES TURNS ON THE STYLE

    VALE ROYAL racer Craig Jones took Oulton Park by storm at the weekend and put in a performance as elecrtic as the lightning which threatened to tear up the sky overhead. Jones, a 18-year-old, in his first season in the 600cc British Supersport Championship

  • Booze busters!

    COPS have cracked down on off-licences selling booze to teenagers. They employed underage volunteers to test how strict shops were when it came to checking ages. One in 10 shops sold alcohol to the volunteers. The initiative was a joint operation between

  • Joining forces to tackle crime

    POLICE have cracked down on a notorious hot-spot for youth crime. They launched Operation Binocular after complaints about youths drinking and damaging cars around Clifton Road, Runcorn. Officers began their mission last week and patrols are on going

  • Widnes Moorfield u8s 12 Oldham St Anne's u8s 20

    THE recently formed Moorfield side showed spirit and determination and were unlucky not to get any rewards. In the first half, Moorfield trailed 8-0 and were it not for two dubiously disallowed tries they could have been level. After the break, Moorfield

  • Widnes Moorfield u9s 24 Chorley Panthers u9s 16

    THE large Moorfield squad had to be split into two teams to accommodate the visitors, with the first half a close affair. Despite some strange decisions by the visitors' ref, the home side led through tries from Knight, Moran and Will Hughes. Moorfield

  • Wigan St Jude's u9s 28 Halton Hornets u9s 28

    HORNETS travelled with a reshuffled side and came back with a deserved draw. In a very exciting game, Hornets dominated with a stubborn defence and skilled attacking to lead 16-8 at half time. The Judes came out determined in the second period and pounded

  • Mamma Mia!

    IMAGINE you're in Sorrento soaking up the sun, sea and sensuous atmosphere! That's the invitation from budding chefs at Halton College as they prepare to serve a sumptuous Italian feast. We are giving two lucky World readers the chance to win a pair of

  • Moorfield u9s lose to West Bank Bears u9s

    MOORFIELD started strongly but found the strong running Bears too much to handle in this encounter. The Bears opened a 12 point first half lead, which they never looked like losing. The interval saw a rejuvenated Moorfield side reply with two tries by

  • FOOTBALL - South Wirral Association League

    Results for April 28. Robin Hodgson division: Tricorn 4 Vanser FC 1. April 29. General Chemicals 2 Avon Athletic 2. April 30. Vanser FC 3 Bebington Athletic 1. May 1. South Wirral Challenge Cup: Avon Athletic 2 Tricorn 0. May 3. Robin Hodgson division

  • Prime Minister's message to our readers

    PRIME Minister Tony Blair's message on Local Newspaper Week. He said: "We live in an age of international travel, business and communications which, even a generation ago, would have been virtually impossible to imagine. And yet despite our much broader

  • Halton Hornets u7s 20 West Bank Bears u7s 20

    HORNETS and West Bank'S developing stars produced an excellent game for the crowds. Both sides' tackling and running with the ball was superb and resulted in some great tries being scored. For the Hornets, Adam Kirby got two tries and mom Harry McDonnell

  • Danny impresses UK's top chefs

    A TALENTED teenage chef tasted success with some of Britain's top names. Danny Watson, of Runcorn, helped famous cordon bleu experts from the region's haute cuisine restaurants demonstrate at a prestigious event. The 17-year-old was working with Widnes-born

  • Wids u11s 5 Nottingham Paviours u11s 0

    THE Wids won the prestigious Mosely Festival for the third successive year but were made to fight all the way. The opening game was drawn against Nottingham Paviours 10-10 before victories against Chadesley, 30-0; Newcastle, 15-0, and Wolverhampton, 10

  • Cavalcade start

    A CAVALCADE of bikes - celebrating 100 years of motorcycling - will parade through Northwich town centre to launch the Thundersprint Festival. The parade will leave Baron's Quay at noon and will pass the Bull Ring, the police station and Barber's Island

  • Safety assured

    MEASURES have been put in place to ensure that spectators can enjoy all the action of the Thundersprint Festival in complete safety. The issue of safety and spectator management has been high on the priority list since race preparations began. Vale Royal

  • SARS warning for Halton

    HALTON could be at greater risk of SARS due to our high rates of lung disease. Lynne Clarke, of support group Halton Breathe Easy, said: "It would be like the flu; they tell people who are chronically ill with lung disease to get flu jabs because they

  • Clock this!

    A WIDNES man was shaken not stirred when he found out he had won a special prize with a James Bond theme. Peter Wilson, aged 27, is the proud owner of an Omega Speedmaster watch that was worn by movie star Pierce Brosnan in the smash hit film Die Another

  • Council defends government education claim

    HALTON'S council chiefs have defended their education spending after Government criticism of local authorities. The Government claimed many local councils are using money earmarked for education on other projects. They said that in Halton, £1m of increased

  • Develop new skills in adult learning sessions

    RESIDENTS in Crewe are being given the chance to pick up some new skills as part of the borough council's Adult Learners Week. The borough and county councils have formed a partnership with the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education and other

  • No slip ups for fair trade bananas

    The store is running a unique sales push in more 2,400 stores nationwide as it slashes the price of Fairtrade bananas in its quest to bring the brand into the mainstream. Its push will run until Sunday, May 18, until which time bananas will be halved

  • Family's relief over 'expensive' buy

    FORMER World Superbike champion and motorcycle legend, Carl Fogarty, has sent a special message to a Northwich rider who is recovering from serious injuries. Matthew Iddon of Barlow Road, Moulton, sustained a fractured skull and spine when he lost control

  • Andrew not entitled to a penny after freak accident

    A SPECIAL plea to help paralysed Andrew Forbes travel to watch wrestling star Andy Rage Baker's charity match has been made to local taxi firms. His mum, Pauline, said: "We have great difficulty with transport. We need a people carrier with disabled access

  • Quick-thinking hero saves his friend's life

    A QUICK thinking man from Pickmere has saved his friend's life during a trip to Manchester. And he is very thankful to all the people who helped him. Graham Rowe, of Frog Lane, had taken his 76-year-old neighbour Heinz Eckert, to the German Embassy in

  • We're here to stay

    RUNCORN FC Halton will play their homes games at the Halton Stadium next season, World Sport can reveal. The club, along with Halton Council, this week dispelled rumours the team is to move away from the Widnes venue during the close season. It follows

  • Is there an Old Wittonian Society?

    A HARTFORD man wants to know whether there is an Old Wittonian Society in Northwich, which might be marking the 150th anniversary of a prominent Northwich man, Charles James Hughes. He was born August 16, 1853 at 7 Applemarket Street, the son of James

  • A stroll round the Priory

    Little Zoe Gillespie, six, explores the medieval undercroft in one of the many fun-filled activities at Norton Priory over the Bank Holiday. PHOTO by DAVE GILLESPIE

  • WHITEGATE WI

    The good news was that following her husband's retirement they would soon be making preparations to settle in France and of course the bad news was that she would be unable to continue as president. The Cheshire Show sub-committee were pleased to report

  • Police probe teenager's death

    A LIVERPOOL teenager has died after being assaulted at a house in Runcorn. Alan David Henaghan died after a party at a house on Stenhills Crescent, on Saturday night. Police say he was struck with what they believe to be a bottle, following a dispute

  • WARMINGHAM AND DISTRICT WI

    THE fine weather of March continued at the April meeting of Warmingham and District WI and members had their thoughts on the great outdoors. John Warren gave an inspiring illustrated talk on Walking in the Peak District. A native of Macclesfield, John

  • WHIPS

    AT the last meeting of WHIPS on April 9, Philip Delves talked on a Brit's view of America, accompanied by slides that encompassed not only places but even the way that the Americans spent their holidays and constructed their houses. He ought to be an

  • CUDDINGTON AND SANDIWAY WI

    THE president of Cuddington and Sandiway WI, Maureen Ashton, welcomed members and three visitors to the April meeting. The members heard that Margaret Dooley had won a Denman bursary and will do a course on making an armchair organiser. The WI was asked

  • Greg tops Queens Hall showcase

    THE Loose Music Collective responsible for the highly successful regular acoustic night 'Ballistic Acoustic' is holding a special event at the Queens Hall, Widnes on Saturday, May 10. The regular event has built up a strong following through its policy

  • Breaking the rules

    COLLEGE years always seem to be hailed as the 'best years of our lives'. Frankly, if they're the best, it doesn't say much for the next 50 or so! With that in mind, watching Roger Avery's The Rules of Attraction had me literally on my knee's thanking

  • MID-CHESHIRE CAMERA CLUB

    MID-Cheshire Camera Club recently held its annual print competition. Norman Piper is well known throughout the photographic world as an exponent of digital imaging. The value of an image, however created, depends upon the technical excellence - sharpness

  • ENGLISH SPEAKING UNION

    A LUNCH meeting of the Vale Royal (Cheshire) Branch of the ESU was held recently at the Fourways Restaurant, Delamere. The speaker was Sandra Parr, director of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. She gave a most fascinating and amusing talk about her work

  • Save our bluebells plea

    BLUEBELLS in forests around Cheshire are currently under threat, says wildlife campaigners, due to deforestation. County forests are being destroyed for development and agriculture which is affecting the existence of the bluebell, according to Cheshire

  • Deaf centre's role in awareness week

    THIS week is national Deaf Awareness Week and it has been set up in order to try an educate people about some of the implications of hearing problems. The Warrington Deaf Centre - the Guardian's chosen charity for its 150th birthday year - and the various

  • Blue day for Labour and Lib-Dems

    IT was a blue, blue day for Labour in Knutsford on Thursday. The Liberal-Democrats also had their noses pushed out by the Tories, who romped home in the town and borough elections. George Walton snatched back the Bexton ward seat on Macclesfield Borough

  • Chaos after car ends up in field

    TRAFFIC was brought to a standstill in Knutsford last week after two cars collided. One of the cars ended up upside down in a field - after flattening a sign that urged people to drive carefully. Other drivers were stuck in tailbacks after police closed

  • Childminder backs Blair over smacking

    A KNUTSFORD childminder has backed a Government decision that bans her from smacking children. Sandra Hobday, who looks after five youngsters, said Labour was right to stop childminders from punishing children. "In our contracts there is permission for

  • Fire hits wood store

    THE wood store room at C. A. Critchley Ltd on Cambridge Road, St Helens, was severely damaged after a fire. Contents including scaffolding equipment and wallpaper was also ruined in the blaze which is being treated as suspected arson and fire crews from

  • Anger greets respite care plans

    PROTESTORS gathered outside the town hall last Thursday to draw attention to the council's proposal to close three respite care homes in the town. It is planned to stop respite care at Mulcrow Close, Grant Close and Duncan Street and offer patients vouchers

  • Cheesy pop with Euro sing-a-long

    Following on from the hugely popular Sing-along-a-Sound of Music night, Sing-along-a Eurosong will be coming to town on Sunday, May 11 at 7.30pm. The show is a fun, tongue-in-cheek journey through the best and worst songs from the Eurovision Song Contest

  • Les Dennis goes back to his theatre roots

    Les Dennis will stop off at Crewe Lyceum Theatre on Saturday, May 17, to look back on a career celebrating 30 years as a game show host, comedian, actor and television personality. Born in Liverpool, Les started his show business career immediately after

  • Memories of water

    Written by Shelagh Stevenson, the play will be performed at the Garrick from Monday, May 12, to Saturday, May 17. It is a bittersweet and highly entertaining comedy about the lives of three sisters reunited for their mother's funeral. The audience will

  • Rehearsals

    Sandiway Pantomime Group has joined forces with the village's Junior Theatre group for this summer's open-air production of the classic film. Although the majority of the cast has been selected, the call is going out for youngsters to take up the role

  • Nowhere to hide

    NEIL Kelly is hoping to repay the Widnes faithful with a return to form against Wigan this week - and wipe out the memory of the horrific defeat at Wilderspool. The Vikings coach this week praised the loyal fans that travelled to Warrington on Saturday

  • Draw is all

    KNUTSFORD FC ended their Mid Cheshire League season with a draw to ensure a top six finish. But, as a twist of fate, it was Chris Leigh - a former player for opponents Linotype - who helped secure Saturday's result. It rained before the game at Timperley

  • May 7, 2003

    "SHE'S one of God's beautiful creatures," said Toyah in typically over-dramatic fashion about her dear departed campmate. Yes, yesterday Danni cried those immortal words: "I'm a celebrity get me out of here." Unhappy and homesick, she begged the public