Mr Harold Whitaker died on February 25, aged 66. Mr Whitaker, of Woolston Hall, Hall Road, Woolston, was born in Warrington and lived in Longford for 50 years. He was employed as a cellarman at Tetley Walker for 35 years. Mr Whitaker saw action in Korea
Mr Nicholas Samuel Crewe, husband of Mrs Muriel Crewe, died of coronary thrombosis on March 16. He was 73. Mr Crewe, of Whitbarrow Road, Lymm, was born in Liverpool and lived in Lymm for 34 years. He was employed at, and the proprietor of, NS & ME
A GROUND-BREAKING learning partnership between Warrington Borough Council and the Trades Union Congress has been signed this week - one year ahead of schedule. The TUC in the north west has recognised the work of the borough council's human resources
Graham Henderson who starred opposite Catherine Zeta Jones in David Merick's legendary West End production of 42nd Street at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, will be production advisor on the show. Graham's versatility as an actor and dancer has taken him
A TEAM of youngsters is working together to evoke memories of happier days gone by and bring a smile to the faces of Alzheimer's sufferers in Warrington. Members of Youth Action at Culcheth High School are collecting a wide variety of memorabilia from
TWO members of a gang who attacked a man in Risley leaving him with a fractured cheekbone have escaped jail at Warrington Crown Court. Christopher Cordingley from Gorse Covert Road, Gorse Covert, and Simon Wilson from Whitworth Close, Birchwood, were
ALL are welcome at a reunion and charity night in aid of Mencap. The event will relive the fun and games of fundraising nights at the former Greenalls Club, where a team of charity champions collected lots of cash for the worthy cause. Tickets are on
A WOOLSTON moggie narrowly escaped death when she was shot at point-blank range in an incident last Thursday. Black cat Billie, aged two, whose owner Lisa Leonard lives in Runnymede, was the victim of an air rifle attack which has left a pellet lodged
DOBRO Pojalovat! With a true Russian welcome, this artisan journalist stepped onto the circus floor to experience what challenges the Moscow State Circus could throw at him. First up, high wire walker Gassan Khamdoulaev guided me through a tightrope masterclass
TO reply to Steve Broughton, in what I hope is a final letter, I would like to know how many times he has driven up and down Moss Bank Road. Large cars, vans and lorries speed over the so called traffic calming measures. How many times has he driven up
EMMANUEL Reformed Church will be renovated into offices later this year, according to the surveyors handling the site. A client, who owns the church and whose identity surveyors Morgan Williams would not disclose, intends to get started on the renovation
THE competition for Young Musicians 2002 comes to a climax next week with the finals at the Barrow Hall Theatre, Great Sankey on Friday and Saturday nights. The Lower Division Final will be held on the Friday and the evening will include a performance
AMBITIOUS plans to create the potential for a major new store in Warrington have been unveiled by developers. Cathco Properties Ltd has submitted a planning application taking in Crazy George, Sayers, Martin Dawes and the former Army and Navy store on
RECENTLY one of your readers' letters commented about wheelie bins being left out all day after being emptied due to residents being at work. May I remind these residents in particular that a left-out wheelie bin is a well-known indication to a burglar
A DEDICATED warden charged with keeping the town centre artworks under their watchful eye will soon be patrolling the streets. Town centre bosses have launched the hunt for a town centre warden to patrol the heart of the town, deterring anti-social behaviour
STAYIN' ALIVE, the fantastic Bee-Gee tribute band, are visiting the Liverpool Empire Theatre for one night only this Sunday. Formed in 1997, Jimmy (Robin), Alan (Maurice) and Mark (Barry) got together initially to pay tribute to the Bee-Gee's whose music
A CHILDREN'S charity is appealing for volunteers to help it give support to youngsters who are giving evidence in court. NSPCC Cheshire launched the Young Witness Support Service in 1999 with a small team of volunteers - and is now appealing for more
A CYCLIST collided with a van on Tuesday morning in an accident which caused mayhem for the town's commuters. The collision happened at 6.45am on Hawleys Lane in Dallam and resulted in police closing the road at both ends to all traffic as they investigated
POLICE have opposed Government plans to increase the amount of paperwork done by bobbies who are meant to be on the beat. One of the recurring arguments put forward by Warrington's most senior police officer, Superintendent Phil Thompson, is that police
WITH a survey highlighting an increase in the number of pupils in schools using physical violence against schoolteachers, and against each other, CHRISTIAN EWEN asked the Warrington public for their thoughts on the idea of police patrolling schools. Gary
A LYMM student hoping to head off to Bolivia to build a school came up with a novel way of raising cash when she spent the afternoon ironing. Iona Taylor, aged 19, will be heading off to South America for two months in July to help build a school, but
WARRINGTON Collegiate Institute has picked up a prestigious award at a national ceremony in London. The institute was one of almost 700 winners from schools and colleges across the country to be presented with Charter Mark awards at the ceremony held
A TARTAN army will be holding Warrington in its arms next week when Scottish rockers Idlewild invade the Parr Hall to deliver a typically energetic set. Idlewild, erstwhile darlings of the music press, bring a unique brand of dischordant punk to Warrington
The extension of the Community Champions Award scheme means you can still reward your local heroes with a trip to the Commonwealth Games. United Utilities, which co-launched the award, has announced the deadline for nominations has been put back to tomorrow
RAILTRACK investigators were called to the scene of an accident yesterday, Wednesday, when a lorry carrying palettes shed its load after colliding with a railway bridge on Marsh House Lane. The accident occurred at 7.50am when the driver misjudged the
A WOMAN suffered a fractured spine when a car careered off a road in Walton to escape a head on collision. Initial reports of the incident, which happened on Chester Road on Friday, April 5, suggested only one person suffered a serious shoulder injury
FEARS that a near-abandoned housing estate in Warrington may be a hot spot for arsonists have been allayed. The Guardian has been contacted by a former resident of Anson Close - who wishes to remain anonymous - claiming a number of homes on the estate
A PREGNANT mother who knocked another woman to the ground as she stole her handbag on New Year's Day has been jailed for two years. Terry Rathbone, from Toll Bar Road in Orford, pleaded guilty to robbery at Warrington Crown Court on Friday and now faces
BIRCHWOOD firefighters are urging people to stay alert following a break-out of blazes at Risley Moss Nature Reserve this week. Crews were called out three times during Monday night and for more than four hours on Tuesday tackling a series of peat fires
AN OLD Hall man proposed to his girlfriend at Niagara Falls just 24 hours after being embroiled in a dramatic airline incident at Manchester Airport during which he says he prevented a defective plane from taking to the skies. Pete Turner, aged 40, alerted
MEMBERS of the Jungle Pack 25th Warrington East Cubs group have celebrated raising £95 for St Rocco's Hospice. The group, which meets in Grappenhall, paid a visit to the hospice earlier this year as part of its community badge work and was invited to
A UNIQUE recruitment scheme is in progress at Ryfields Retirement Village - a search for special people to fill 50 positions to be created when the complex opens in September. And village partners are searching for just the right kind of staff in a bid
FORMER Northern Ireland secretary Peter Mandelson will visit Warrington next month to team up with the country's First Minister David Trimble at a dinner in aid of the Omagh appeal. The Guardian can reveal Mr Mandelson will attend the Daresbury Park Hotel
HE may be at the opposite end of the country to his beloved Chelsea but one Grappenhall youngster had the time of his life when he spent the day with his heroes. Myles Stacey, has been a life long Blues fan, but has always been out-numbered living in
A SPECTACULAR musical show is coming to Winsford Civic Hall next month. Beyond Broadway has a West End story line packed full of musical numbers from shows such as The Lion King, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Cats and Miss Saigon. The show takes
MMR jab comments ANGRY parents have this week accused Government scientists of wanting children to die of measles to prove a point, following controversial comments by a leading Government adviser. Golborne-based vaccination awareness group JABS is furious
CONGLETON, Alsager and Knypersley 1st X1s are in action tomorrow. Congleton play Toft at home, while Alsager travel to Stockport Georgians. Knypersley are at home to Audley tomorrow, and Hanford on Sunday in the cup.
KNYPERSLEY Vics boss Terry Greer is looking for watertight defending from his side to ensure they avoid the drop. Knypersley are third from bottom, but Greer believes a win from their last two games will be enough to keep them up. The Vics face a hard
PROMOTION chasers Alsager Town travel to leaders Stand tomorrow looking to bounce back after defeat on Saturday. Second-placed Alsager lost 2-0 at Nelson, while third-placed Squires Gate won 3-1 to leave both clubs level on points as the title race comes
CONGLETON Town secured their place in the First Division on Saturday with a superb victory over highflying St Helens Town. The Bears beat their fourth-placed opponents 3-2 away, being 3-0 up after only 40 minutes of a memorable performance. They had to
POKEMON mania may have left UK shores, but in its wake there are still many fans, writes Dave Hopwood. Though the trading cards may now be safely stored away, the crazy animated pocket monsters still thrive in the digital Nintendo domain. Pokemon Crystal
THIS game is most definitely the greatest of its genre. Not only is it the most accurate snooker game, it also combines pool and darts - all impressively smooth and realistic, writes Edward Oldaker. The controls and layout are not particularly obvious
SPACE Channel 5 is a space based dancing game where you use your controller to make the characters dance in time! (writes Alastair Thynne). The main character, Ulala, is a singing reporter for the intergalactic TV channel. She has to battle a race of
BUSINESSMAN Patrick Hurst is on the move to create more space for his successful cycle shop. Patrick owns the Cycle Centre in West Street, Congleton, which started life in nearby Silk Street. The business has been based in West Street for five years,
CONGLETON'S new Tesco and the town's Round Table are supporting a charity roller disco. The disco is being held at Biddulph Leisure Centre next Friday, and is being organised by Congleton mum Andrea French. Andrea's 10-year-old son Adam has cystic fibrosis
TESCO bosses are due to open their long-awaited £10 million Congleton superstore on Monday June 17. The proposed opening date was revealed to the Congleton Guardian this week as the retail giant interviewed people to work at the store. A total of 1,300
TESCO has won planning approval for 10 lighting columns at its new Congleton store. Seven of the columns will be 30 feet high, while a further three will be 24 feet. A resident of Berkshire Drive asked that every effort be made to minimise the impact,
ANIMAL feed manufacturers are to take their fight to keep their operating licence to an appeal court in London. At a hearing in February directors of H J Lea Oakes were told by traffic commissioner Beverley Bell the company was not fit to hold a goods
LAND at Alcumlow Hall in Astbury is earmarked for a major green waste initiative. Mr J Cliff plans to compost about 1,500 tonnes of green waste a year brought from the household waste site at Congleton. The area to be used for composting is the concrete
WORK on the long-awaited £1 million restoration of Congleton's Victorian park is due to begin in July. The Jubilee Pavilion is in a sorry state, having been targeted by vandals and arsonists. The restoration of the building is one of the main features
MORE than 120 workers are due to lose their jobs with the planned closure of a long-established Congleton factory. The Field First Cartons plant in Bromley Road produces paperboard packaging for food and household goods. It is due to close by October
RESIDENTS are vowing to fight on to keep a barrier across their road despite suffering a major defeat at the hands of a planning inspector. People living in New Street, Congleton, put up a six-foot high metal gate seven years ago to keep out vandals and
SUPPORT has flooded in for the parents of road crash victim Dylan Brocklehurst as they fight for traffic calming measures in Crow Lane East. Dylan, aged four, died when he was hit by a lorry as he crossed the road with his mother Jayne, after leaving
TRADING Standards Officers in St Helens are keeping a close eye on the standard of meals served in local pubs, cafes and restaurants and are urging members of the public to make sure they are served what is described on the menu. The advice follows the
PEOPLE are being given the opportunity to quiz experts about services and support available for older people and carers at a 'Question Time' session to be held at the World of Glass in St Helens on Tuesday, April 23.
MOTORISTS speeding into Newton will be given more warning to slow down if a new campaign is successful. A group of residents from Wayfarers Drive are pushing for the extension of a 30mph zone in Mill Lane in a bid to improve road safety in the area. At
DUTY chemists this Sunday, April 21, are Lloyds Pharmacy, in Legh Street, Newton, from noon to 1pm; and Taylor's Chemist, in West End Road, Haydock, from 10am to 8pm.
A SUPPORT and advice service for young people with a base in Newton has received top marks from Government inspectors. Connexions, which has a centre at Newton College, was established in September 2001 and is a free and confidential service offering
A NEWTON school has been commended for its improving exam results with a prestigious national award. Newton Community High School, in Ashton Road, has received a School Achievement Award from the Department for Education and Standards. The accolade can
ANGRY parents have this week accused Government scientists of wanting children to die of measles to prove their point over MMR after controversial comments made by a leading adviser. Golborne-based vaccination awareness group JABS is furious about the
IAM illegitimate, my mother is barking mad, I have been thrown out of school and I have no qualifications. These were the thoughts of best-selling international crime writer Julia Wallis Martin at the age of 16, growing up in Warrington. Today, she is
WHEN most people think of the Internet, they think of the world wide web - an enormous collection of pages stored on computers all over the world. It's a bit like a library, only you can read it from a computer anywhere. Looking at websites is sometimes
THERE'S something on the Internet for everyone. That's a promise. Whether you like knitting or Dragonball Z, there will be websites out there for you. But unless you know the address (the bit that starts with 'www') of a suitable site, you'll need to
INTERNET shopping offers many benefits to consumers, including saving time and money, greater choice, convenience, having goods delivered and finding and comparing information, products and prices all over the world. But how safe is it to put credit card
Saints 42 Leeds 16 FREE-SCORING Saints secured their Challenge Cup final berth with an emphatic win which left the bulk of the Leeds followers so stunned that they imitated their Wigan hosts and headed for the exit long before the end. Unlike the flightless
TICKETS for April 27's Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Challenge Cup final between Saints and Wigan go on sale to the general public today, Thursday. They will cost between £30 and £50 and can be bought from Saints' ticket office which will be open all week between
Saints coach Ian Millward is so short of bodies for this weekend's clash that he has been trawling Super League in search of out of favour players to sign on loan. But he has strenuously denied that he is resting players in advance of the following weekend's
Waiting For Godot Chester Gateway (until April 20) NICE to see a theatre company with a sense of irony - after two hours and 10 minutes of Waiting For Godot the production ends with a rendition of The Clash's Should I Stay Or Should I Go? And the finale
a lorra laughs for our Clare AN OLD Hall girl proved that love is blind last weekend when she hit the nation's TV screens enjoying a 'lorra lorra laughs' with the UK's favourite matchmaker. Clare Conway, aged 20, and now living in Andalusia, appeared
WINSFORD-based charity TOC H has been given more than £7,000 of funding to set up a summer scheme for children suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The project received £7,290 from the Cheshire Police Authority community safety fund
Why give shelter to these mindless yobs! LAST week the Guardian was full of letters from irate Wolves fans asking for Steve Anderson's head. He made it plain at the start that this was always going to be a learning season for the team, allowing 20 odd
NORTHWICH was put firmly on the international map after Paula Radcliffe powered to victory in the London Marathon on Sunday. The 28-year-old star runner became the most famous and prolific sportsman ever to come from Vale Royal after recording the second
WHAT a sad, sad, cruel end for a poor defenceless lady, Dorothy Anderton, who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The attacker should be ashamed of himself, how can he rest after what he did? Why do scum like him always pick on old
I HAVE nothing but admiration for the brave policemen and women who put their lives on the line to keep our streets safe. However it puzzles me that the police in Warrington are finding it difficult to respond to emergency calls from old and vulnerable
WHEN I first visited America some years ago I was astonished at the number of grossly overweight people to be seen. They seem even more numerous these days and now the same thing can be seen here. Everywhere we can read advice to eat sensibly and 'cut
WINSFORD-based charity TOC H has been given more than £7,000 of funding to set up a summer scheme for children suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The project received £7,290 from the Cheshire Police Authority community safety fund
I DID observe the two minutes silence on April 9. I hadn't intended to, but as I rounded a corner in The Mall, I noticed a mother with her young son who had paused in a shop doorway and felt the need to support whatever values of respect and thoughtfulness
A WEEKLY club for women in Hartford is in grave danger of folding next year if more volunteers don't come forward. The Wednesday Club, which meets once a month, has around 60 members but when the current chairman, Agnes Megraw, steps down. Members of
GOALS from Norton and Galley kept League of Gentlemen in the running for the St. Helens Sixes Soccer League Division A leadership. The 2-1 success against Millstone maintained their second place position. Backfield United remained in front after winning
Golborne's rivals in driving seat GOLBORNE Sports returned to winning ways with a sparkling Mid-Cheshire Soccer League 4-1 win against a determined Linotype side. A brilliant brace by the hard working Westworth, a goal by Torpey and a 25-yard thunderbolt
ONE man stood between Newton Cricket Club Seconds opening the season with a win. New Brighton's Williams was looking dangerous on 44 runs until C. Birchall despatched him to the pavilion. The game was effectively over from then with Brighton, chasing
A PLANNING proposal has been submitted to the borough council's development control committee to build a single storey extension to the side and rear of 30 Cumberland Street, Latchford. Extension
Since the community initiative came to the area it has made groundbreaking progress with families and child carers, providing innovative resources and facilities for the children of Westy and their mums and dads. The aim of the community programme is
IT'S a life on the ocean wave for eight students at Sir Thomas Boteler High School in Latchford who will sail on to a marine voyage with the Ocean Youth Trust on Saturday. Grants from the Boteler Educational Trust and the Gordon Thompson Trust have once
BUYING a computer can be a minefield of baffling jargon for the uninitiated. When deciding how much to spend, set a budget and then buy the best computer you can find for the money. Remember to budget for extras, like a printer. Most new PCs cost around
Bowls Warrington and North Cheshire Bowls Association Challenge Cup games to be played on Monday, 7pm start: St. Josephs v Saracens at Richmonds, Richmonds B v Rylands B at Bulls Hd, Post Office v Woolston C at Orford WM, Irish B v St. Albans at Tetley
WARRINGTON Wolves players drinking in the town's pubs in front of fans after a poor performance in a match has been a contentious issue for several seasons. The Wolves' new head coach David Plange has informed the players of his policy. He said: "What
GRAPPENHALL Darts League's reigning champions Golden Lion were humbled by an inspired performance by ESMA. The A team took control from the start and they were rewarded with a convincing 5-3 victory. ESMA's best winners were R. Hassall, 13 darts, S. Mooney
WARRINGTON Inn Partnership Darts League's End of Season Merit competition produced a sparkling night's entertainment with the 'rapid fire' throwing of John Singleton taking the trophy and £120 cash prize. The final was breathtaking to say the least. Singleton
CONKEYS sealed Warrington Inn Partnership Dominoes League's Division One title with an impressive performance against Wilkies. The success of the Stearn brothers in the opening legs against the drop proved to be the decisive factor. Conkeys now have 34
LYMMVALE has received the attentions of Lymm Angling Club officers, who were looking at the possibility of opening additional pegs in view of the restrictions currently endured due to increasing water levels. The results of the survey will be discussed
LARGE numbers of pike are still feeding on the large lake at Sandiway where Warrington Anglers' Association member Neil Brocklehurst landed fish of 18lbs and 8lbs on mackerel tails this week. Amazingly, he also lost another six fish. Ian Dudley reports
CONGLETON Players stages Stepping Out at the Daneside Theatre from April 23 to 27. The comedy revolves around a group of people who attend a tap dance class run by Mavis, played by Kate Bonney. The other cast members are June Goodwin as Mrs Fraser, Neil
DANCE teacher Louise Carter has praised her talented young students. Louise runs classes at Mossley Old School and Mossley Village Hall in Congleton every Saturday morning. The pupils range in age from three to 17, who take classes in ballet, modern and
ABBA will be rubbing shoulders with Kylie Minogue and Barbara Streisand in a celebration of music over the last half a century. Some 35 youngsters aged between nine and 18 are taking part in next month's show, which is being staged by Congleton Amateur
AN extra £1b for the NHS this year, with a 43 per cent rise in spending over the next five years, an increase in old age pensions along with help for business and families were among the plus points in yesterday's 'people's' budget.The downsides were
DEBBIE Clayton will remember last year's Warrington Business Awards gala dinner for the rest of her life. Debbie carried off the overall winner's prize and also won the innovation category. Her company, Nu-Light Systems, invented a new product that perfumes
IT'S small wonder that the airship which passed over St Helens during the 1930s leaves an enduring memory still for those old-timers who witnessed it. For according to one correspondent, joining in on an airborne theme that has drifted through this column
NICE to know that this folksy old page is getting its fair share of international hits, via the Internet. The most recent e-mail responses were forwarded to me this week - one from Canada and the other via Australia. Michael Collins, formerly of Newtown
THE pull of the past caused John Hughes to pop into St Helens, from his home in Kent, to try to unearth some of his family roots. He was especially interested in his granddad, John Lennon, who was stationmaster at Moss Bank at a time when that area was
Warrington RUFC 5 Birkenhead Park RUFC 24 THE final score line does not do justice to the efforts of the home side, who were level pegging with Rugby Football Union North Two West Division's leaders until the final quarter of the game. Relegation-threatened
Pilkington Recs u8 36 Rylands Sharks u8 12 PILKINGTON defeated Rylands after capitalising on a temporary lack of concentration in the visitors' defence. Rylands' player of the match Andrew Roe capped off an outstanding display with a fine solo try. Rylands
AWARD-winning Warrington Borough Bowls Club is providing fun, free and fantastic action for youngsters in the town. That is the view of junior and youth bowlers who started the new season of the Saturday morning MD International Bowls League at Orford
PREPARATIONS for Daniel and Clive Dunbabin's rally season in their new car are on track. The Stockton Heath twin brothers conducted their final test on the Astra Stages Clubmans Rally at the weekend ahead of the first round of the Peugeot 206 Super Cup
LOCKING Stumps' naturally gifted canoeist Jonathon Akinyemi is hoping to enhance his growing reputation at an England Class C international event in Germany on Saturday. The 13-year-old Warrington Canoe Club star only picked up a paddle for the fist time
ALFORD Sports' Peter Flint successfully defended the men's singles title in the Warrington Table Tennis Association Closed Championships. Flint's defeat of Culcheth's No.1 Nigel Boydell, 21-17 and 21-18, handed him his sixth championship win in a career
Warrington Town......1 Kidsgrove......6 WARRINGTON Town were torn apart by a formidable Kidsgrove side on Tuesday but at least their fans had a wonder goal by Mike Heverin to savour. Heverin's 19th minute strike will long live in the memories of the Warrington
Warriors win in Mini League THREE young teams from Warriors of Warrington competed against north west clubs over the weekend. On Friday a Warriors team of 9 to 12-year-olds swam in the Bolton Mini League against Bolton Metro and Pioneer '79. At the end
FOURTEEN Warrington Gymnastics Club girls will make up the Great Britain under 18s team competing in the Nordic Championships in Sweden this weekend. Selectors were so impressed with the Warrington girls in preliminary competitions and the Scottish Open
MEET visiting birds of prey at the Pets at Home store at Riverside Retail Park this weekend, April 20 and 21.
THE Cheshire Wildlife Trust is calling for volunteers to save thousands of toads from being killed. From March to May toads will be moving from hibernation sites to breeding ponds, many of which are now crossed with busy highways. The trust is setting
THERE'S a selection of events for all the family at the town's parks this month: l Take an evening stroll from Culcheth Linear Park on Wednesday, May 15, through to Croft. Meet at the ranger cabin, off Wigshaw Lane, at 7pm. l Get crafty with the rangers
SANKEY-BASED United Utilities has been fined £45,000 after breaching conditions which allowed it to discharge sewage from its wastewater treatment plant in Southport. The Environment Agency, which has its head office in Southport, brought the prosecution
STEPS are being taken to boost recycling in Warrington - moves which would both help reduce the town's landfill mountain and also help the borough council achieve tough Government targets. Paper, plastic bottles and green waste are just three of the types
WARRINGTON Sports Personality young award double winner Michelle Hey marked her progress ahead of her May 3 senior European Championships shot in Estonia. The Fearnhead 19-year-old became Paul Graham's first Cheshire Martial Arts student to be crowned
WARRINGTON Athletics Club's under 11 girls' sports hall squad are north west champions. Warrington, whose squad is pictured left, competed against teams from all over the north west and Staffordshire in the final at Kingsway Leisure Centre in Widnes at
NICK Jones' dream of competing in the Commonwealth Games was shattered on Sunday by a 'bitterly disappointing' performance in the London Marathon. The 27-year-old Grappenhall postman threw in the towel after 20 miles of the 27-mile race after failing
PUBLIC transport aficionados in Warrington can take a trip down memory lane this weekend when the town's bus service re-enacts its first tram journey. Warrington Borough Transport celebrates its 100th birthday this year and is marking the occasion with
Mr Allan Smithers, husband of Mrs Mary Smithers, died of a heart attack on March 10. He was 64. Mr Smithers, of Padgate, was born in Latchford and lived in Padgate for 37 years. He was employed as a handyman at Asda Cockhedge Centre for two years. Mr
A LONGFORD couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in fine style. Harold and Violet Braide, both aged 71, of Northway, first met at a fair 54 years ago and their rollercoaster romance has stayed on track ever since. The couple, who married
Top bananas set to monkey around town DO you have that special something that makes you stand out from the crowd - and Irish blood in your veins? Then you can enter the Rose of Warrington event on May 11 at the Irish Club in Orford Lane. The contest is
BOSSES at Burtonwood Brewery has welcomed changes in the Government's budget plan to knock 14p off each pint produced by independent brewers - but says the devil may be in the detail. Chancellor Gordon Brown announced yesterday, Wednesday, in his spring
waste centre PLANS have been resubmitted for a £6 million hospital waste recycling centre in Warrington. Dublin-based Sterile Technologies Ireland Ltd has applied to the borough council for permission to develop the centre on the Warrington Metal Services
THE key to unlocking the doors to a former school - which was controversially consigned to the scrap heap amid the fury of parents - now lies in the hands of council leaders. Ambitious plans have been unveiled by Latchford Forum to make the former St
THE father of little Shannon Bradshaw, who desperately needs a bone marrow transplant to give her the chance of life, says he is counting on Warrington to find a match. Alan Bradshaw and wife Patti, of Reaper Close, Great Sankey, are keeping a bedside
FIVE a side football teams are being invited to sign up for a new soccer league starting next month. The new league will be based at Congleton Leisure Centre, and organised and run by Leisure Leagues. It will run on Sundays, and teams will play a 30-minute
CONGLETON 1st XV put up a battling show in their last game of the season as they went down to Sefton. Congleton lost 28-10 at home to see them end bottom of the table without a win all season. Despite finishing bottom they will have to wait to see if
RAISING National Insurance rates could cripple small businesses, it has been claimed. Halton Cheshire Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise has joined forces with neighbouring Chambers to condemn the chancellor's budget statement. They fear the proposed
IF you have ever dreamt of speeding through the deserted streets of London, Monaco or Los Angeles in one of the world's fastest cars then Supercar Street Car Challenge may just be the closest you will get to realising that dream, writes Dave Hopwood.
SOME games need the hard sell. They need careful PR, flashy advertising campaigns and, in some cases, expensive TV air time if they are to do well. And then there are games like Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. The sequel to the most highly acclaimed
ON your marks, get set, GO! MotoGP is zooming on your Gameboy Advance, writes Connor Simpson-Key. So, you're all used to car racing games, but here comes something different as motorbikes dominate your GBA. For this game forget four wheels, two are faster
THE rapid developments in gaming production generally result in significant enhancements to a game's graphics and sound especially when compared to previous releases, writes Dave Hopwood. Capcom vs. SNK2 seems to buck this trend for the 44 featured characters
USE the force, as you be one of three characters battling through ten different levels, writes Connor Simpson-Key. The evil Trade Federation has captured the peaceful planet of Naboo so it's your job to save it from destruction. You swish your lightsabre
SHOPS in Moor Street, Congleton, were without water for five hours on Friday after a main burst United Utilities were called out at 7am, and businesses lost their supplies until lunchtime.
CONGLETON Museum's proposed opening date of May 11 has been put back to the end of June. Chris Bradley from Congleton Museum Trust said the task of fitting out the museum and installing the exhibits had proved more complex than originally expected. "So
SICK-MINDED youths have been condemned for the senseless killing of one of a breeding pair of much-loved swans. The male and female swans have become a popular sight at Astbury Mere on the edge of Congleton. They had five babies last year, and were building
HEADTEACHER Marc Morris will be embarking on a new challenge this autumn as head of a college. Mr Morris is head of Eaton Bank School, Congleton, a post to which he was appointed following the reorganisation of the town's high schools. Before joining
CONGLETON'S high schools are being invited to take part in a 3D project. The North West Learning Grid is spearheading the creation of The Fourth Dimension, a 3D museum aimed at housing hundreds of virtual history projects developed by schools. Secondary
CONGLETON Borough Council's new mobile CCTV camera was due to go on show this week for the first time. The camera is to be used to focus on crime hot spots around the district, and was on show yesterday in Scholar Green.
AFTER more years reviewing video games than I care to remember, I thought I had seen it all. Golf simulators, racing simulators, boxing simulators, even, for goodness sake, fishing simulators. It seemed there was nothing else video games programmers could
CHESHIRE Vehicle Rental is seeking planning permission to create a storage and distribution centre. The site earmarked is the premises of Dale Cutting Forms on the Eaton Bank Trading Estate, Varey Road, Congleton. Cheshire Vehicle Rental is looking to
HEADTEACHER David Black this week praised the actions of a quick-thinking security officer in reporting a late night fire. The blaze broke out at Alsager School on Monday night when a boiler caught fire in a converted store cupboard. The room is situated
DESPITE being a triple A title for the Nintendo system and spawning PSOne and Dreamcast iterations, Shadow Man didn't get all the credit it deserved. The Nintendo version may have suffered some inexplicable censorship in its cut scenes (perhaps the Japanese
CONGLETON mums are being encouraged to switch to washable nappies to help the environment. The county council is staging a series of Real Nappy road shows, which call at Congleton town centre next Wednesday between 11am and 3pm. Some 36 million disposable
THE spring edition of Lowton and Golborne's heritage magazine 'Past Forward' is hot off the presses and in the shops now. History buffs can snap up a copy of the quarterly magazine, produced by Wigan council's heritage service, which is now in its 10th
A SURVEY by Wigan council's Citizens' Panel has quizzed the Lowton and Golborne public about how they stay healthy. The panel ranked the council's role of providing sport and physical exercise facilities as 'highly important.' The survey found that people
The Star's phone lines were besieged on Monday by frustrated season ticket holders who had queued at Saints hoping to pick up tickets at the lower price range - only to be told the club had sold out of £15 and £20 tickets. Saints say they were only allocated
THE borough council in Wigan claims it is leading the way on plans to continue the regeneration of former mining areas like Golborne. The council, acting on behalf of the Coalfields Community Campaign (CCC), is inviting proposals for a study of how to
ST AELRED'S Technology College is hosting a talent show on Tuesday, April 30, at 7pm in the arts theatre. The night has been devised and organised by students in the sixth form to raise money for school funds, in order to upgrade their common room and
ST Aelred's Catholic Technology College has unveiled its new uniform. At the beginning of the school year in September, youngsters will be sporting modern maroon, grey and lilac outfits. Creating the new uniform has been a joint effort between pupils,
DRUGS mastermind Mark Lilley is still on the run - exactly two years after he sensationally disappeared halfway through a major drugs court case. Today police are still continuing to hunt for the former Bank Street resident, who fled days before being
MIDDLEWICH town councillors have turned the spotlight on recycling in a bid to prevent any need for a landfill site near the town. Speaking at the town council meeting a number of councillors called for improvements in the provision and advertisement
MANY family historians who use the internet know the remarkable work of the Mormons in indexing parish registers (www.familysearch.org). An equally ambitious project is under way in the UK to index births, marriages and deaths from 1837 to 1901. FreeBMDs
WARRINGTON Musical Society's motto is 'Choral Music since 1833' and is the oldest society of its kind in the area. The Parr Hall was built with the society in mind and the choir sang at the opening of the hall in 1895 - a concert repeated in 1995 for
Blood Brothers, the Willy Russell classic, is currently showing at the Liverpool Empire, telling the tale of two brothers, separated at birth, only to be reunited with fatal consequences. Stunning Lyn Paul, who found fame with the New Seekers, plays battle
The group perform twice a year at the Padgate venue and would love to hear from anyone who can help out at their regular Saturday morning rehearsals. If you think you can help out call Irene McGee on 638215.
WARRINGTON'S Co-operative Amateur Theatrical Society brings Calamity Jane to Sir Thomas Boteler High School in Latchford this weekend. The curtain falls on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, at 7.30pm, with a matinee performance on Saturday, at 2pm
timing Film: Bend It Like Beckham Cert: 12 By: PETE MAGILL IT'S all in the timing really. If this had been released a few weeks ago, or even a couple of months hence, this little gem would probably have slipped by unnoticed. But with the nation obsessed
A NEWLY formed Warrington theatre company will rise from the deep this summer when they travel to bonny Scotland to take part in the 2002 Edinburgh Festival. Rezerection, a drama troupe, borne from Warrington Collegiate's Performing Arts course, has clinched
THREE plucky pensioners thwarted a conman's attempts to dupe them out of their cash. The trickster, described as a round-faced man in his 20s - called at three homes in Halton Village asking if the occupant had change of a £20 note. But they all refused
FURTHER to reading an article written by Joel Sawyer in the Midweek Guardian, dated April 9, about B&Q, I write to inform you that on Friday, January 25, at approximately 11.30am my van was broken into outside the trade entrance at B&Q and cordless
IT must be nearly 20 years since the statue of Oliver Cromwell was moved to its present position and painted that ghastly colour. It is not just that this colour seems to have been chosen so that he blends into the pale brickwork of the Academy so well
DO we have buzzards in Warrington? I ask because I have seen one! I thought at first it must have escaped from somewhere, but when it took off there were no jessies (leather straps that hang from the legs of captive birds of prey) and I rang the RSPCA
I write in reply to Bernhard Cryswicki's letter (Points of View - March 28) Firstly, I should point out I am probably one of the best placed people to give our side of things and put a few facts before your readers in order so they can make their own
MIDDLEWICH town councillors have turned the spotlight on recycling in a bid to prevent any need for a landfill site near the town. Speaking at a town council meeting on Monday several councillors called for improvements in the provision and advertisement
A COMBERBACH woman is being presented with a grant from Vale Royal Borough Council to raise money for her to teach in Africa. Fiona Kay is returning to Lesotho again for another year of voluntary teaching in a rural primary school called Makheteng Primary
THE Earlestown and District Dominoes League Division B title could be decided in the penultimate game of the season. That is when St. Davids will play Sunbeam. St. Davids had a good 5-0 victory over the highly rated BRSA A side this week to go five points
PERFORMANCE of the week in Earlestown and District Darts League Division B was recorded by Railway. They trounced Rams Head 8-1 which will give a much needed confidence booster to the Railwaymen. S. Brennan, R. Carr, P. Flynn, D. Nash, M. Wheatley, D.
BEER Engine overcame Newton Social A 4-2 to go one point clear at the top of the Earlestown Town Furnishings Snooker League. Wayne Brown was the star of the show. He defeated John Moorhouse thanks to a brilliant 76 break. Newton's only winners were Paul
NEWTON Cricket Club made a flying start to the season with all of their teams victorious in their opening fixtures. The first team showed few signs of being ring rusty. They overcame a talented Formby side by 24 runs on Sunday despite staring down the
POLICING issues in the borough are once again the topic of discussion. The regular Crewe Police Forum is to take place on Thursday, April 25 when people can attend and raise issues of concern. Crewe Division Supt. Mary Roberts, will be in attendance at
VISIT Whitecross parents and toddlers group - it's held every Tuesday morning from 9.30 until 11.30 or the tweeny tots session which is held every Thursday afternoon from 1pm until 3pm at Whitecross Community Centre.
CASH bingo is held every Friday afternoon from 2pm until 4pm at the Whitecross community centre, organised by the residents' association. Everyone is welcome to go along and enjoy a game.
VANDALS in Latchford are going to have to turn over a new leaf after village leaders vowed not to give in to them. Latchford Forum has paid for a new tree to be planted in front of a row of shops on Gainsborough Road after vandals tore out the last one
RESIDENTS in Latchford are mounting a campaign to get more bobbies on the beat following a spate of burglaries in the area. A petition has been started by people living in Manx Road in reaction to the recent increase in break-ins. Resident Elaine Welborn
A FORMER special school in Warrington could be brought back to life if health chiefs' plans take off. Loushers Lane School closed in October last year and was effectively moved to the new Foxwood School in Birchwood - but Warrington Community Healthcare
CREWE'S teenage striker Dean Ashton is prepared to stay and shoot the club out of the Second Division should the inevitable happen on Sunday. Everyone's speculating that relegation will provoke a mass exodus by the Alex's top stars and having been linked
Warrington Wolves 38 Featherstone Rovers 10 WARRINGTON Wolves Academy under 19s side's promising second half performance against Wakefield last week was continued on Saturday when they outclassed newly-promoted Featherstone Rovers. Wolves dominated the
WIGAN Warriors will be giving younger players a shot against Warrington Wolves at the JJB Stadium on Friday. Coach Stuart Raper has announced there will be no Adrian Lam, Gary Connolly, Paul Johnson, Brett Dallas, Terry O'Connor or David Furner in their
WARRINGTON Wolves' search for a David Kidwell centre replacement continues as new head coach David Plange tries a fresh approach for the Tetley's Super League clash with arch-rivals Wigan Warriors tomorrow, Friday. Plange admits the back line needed strengthening
WARRINGTON Snookers Centre Snooker League's season came to an end this week. Irlam Cons ended up as Division One champions again after beating Winwick Social A 6-1 while Richmonds produced an excellent late run to finish as runners-up. They secured second
NEW Alliance are the Warrington Inn Partnership Winter Darts League champion of champions for 2001/02. The Monday night overall winners defeated Friday night overall winners Hawthorne in a thrilling encounter which went down to the wire. New Alliance
IN The Way Christian Theatre Company is presenting a new Easter play at Congleton churches. The play is called The Servant's Witness, and has been written by Mark Jeffries. It is being performed next Tuesday at St Mary's Catholic Church, next Wednesday
CLONTER Opera is boasting new and improved facilities. The company has installed a new mezzanine dining area, additional toilets, a kitchen and improved conference facilities. The refurbishment of dining facilities is also near completion. Wyn Davies
RL Knockout Cup semi-finals WOOLSTON Rovers A recorded a 21-16 victory over Crosfields A to progress to the semi-finals of the Warrington Knockout Cup. They will face the winners of Bank Quay Bulls versus Burtonwood Bridge at Bennett's Rec on Saturday
Lymm RFC 21 Stockport RUFC 17 LYMM rediscovered their early season form to register a magnificent win against high flyers Stockport. They outscored Stockport by three tries to two to end a run of four consecutive defeats and guarantee their Rugby Football
ACTION continued in the new season of the Warrington Public Parks' Bowls League on Tuesday. St. Elphins Two defeated Richmonds 223-209 in Division One. Good cards came from A. Heald, 21-11, B. Cook and I. Bostock, both 21-13. Richmonds' best winners were
WARRINGTON'S Andrew Lennie reproduced the dazzling form he showed last season to retain the Freephone Local Directory Escort XR3i Challenge Trophy in the first motor race at Oulton Park this year. Lennie led the race from the green light to the chequered
AFTER a host of second place finishes in early season races, Nick Giles went one better in the Macclesfield Wheelers 25-mile cycling time trial on Saturday. The Warrington Road Club star's time of 55 minutes 36 seconds gave him a winning margin of 14
GREENALLS' special brew proved too much for Premier Division rivals St. Albans Bank Quay in Warrington Soccer League's delayed Jubilee Cup quarter-finals tie. Greenalls' seven goals sets up a mouth-watering semi-final on Saturday at Grappenhall against
SANKEY Springers Trampolining Club members exceeded all expectations in their first competitive outing on Saturday. Their seven competitors picked up six gold medals and one silver between them at a 250-strong north west grades event in Birkenhead. The
TWO students are to brave the wildlife of rainforests and coral reefs on an expedition to the remote region of Sulawesi in Indonesia. Russell Delahunty, aged 20, and 19-year-old Amy Roberts, who are both from Woolston, are taking part in Operation Wallacea
Mr Robert (Scotch Bob) Gibb McLennan, husband of the late Mrs Lilian McLennan, died of cancer on February 19. He was 77. Mr McLennan, of Poplars Avenue, Orford, was born in Glasgow and lived in Warrington for 55 years. He was employed as a boilerman at
GREAT Sankey swimmer Aden Walker produced the performance of his life at the European Special Olympics in Monaco at the weekend. Flying the flag for England in the event which boasted competitors from 31 other countries, Aden exceeded his own high expectations
Mrs Mary Agnes Lee, wife of Mr George Stanley Lee, died of bronchopneumonia on March 8. She was 73. Mrs Lee, of Caldbeck Avenue, Orford, was born in Warrington and lived in Orford for 20 years. She was a housewife. Mrs Lee enjoyed socialising, dancing
Mr Reg Roberts, husband of Mrs Jeanette Roberts, died on February 28, aged 64. Mr Roberts, of Babbacombe Road, Penketh, was born in Widnes and had lived in Penketh for the past 40 years. He was employed as an electrician for a total of 40 years, working
Mr Raymond Dutton, husband of Mrs Susan Dutton, died on March 5 after a long illness. He was 63. Mr Dutton, of Red Lane, Appleton, was a lifelong resident of Warrington and had lived in the Appleton area for the past 30 years. He was employed as a relief
Mr Arthur Robert Collins, husband of the late Mrs Cicely Collins, died at home on February 25, aged 91. Mr Collins was born in Grays, Essex, moving to Warrington on the opening of Thames Board Mills in the 1930s, where he spent all his working life employed
SOLDIERS from Warrington have been hitting the recruitment campaign trail in Halton recently. They held regional careers days for schools in the borough, giving students the chance to find out more about careers in the Army. Help was on hand from the
A LEADING Government transport chief will be in town tomorrow, Friday, to discuss plans for Warrington's new cabinet-style council. As chairman of the transport select committee, the Government's equivalent of Warrington's scrutiny committee, Gwyneth
A TROUPE of performing arts students is offering audiences an eye-opening Escape route when they present a self-composed musical production at Warrington Collegiate next week. Gareth Peter, aged 21, is the mastermind behind Escape, writing the lyrics,
THE British Heart Foundation shop on Buttermarket Street is looking for volunteers to help serve customers, arrange window displays and sort stock. The store is inviting people to drop by and see how they might be able to help by having a chat with the
DISABLED people in Warrington have the chance to nominate the individuals and groups which they feel have done the most for the disabled community in the Enabled Awards, organised by the Leonard Cheshire charity. Warrington Community Health Care Trust
is jailed for two years A LONGFORD man has been jailed after he broke into a single woman's home while he was on bail for stealing a shopping trolley full of goods. Michael Murray, aged 26, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment at Warrington Crown
I WOULD like to thank, through your letters page, the New Cross Singers for the performance of John Stainer's 'Crucifixion' given at the United Reformed Church on the evening of Palm Sunday. The singing was a pleasure to hear and in particular soloists
BALLOONS will be flying over the skies of Sankey at Evelyn Street Primary School's spring fair. One of the highlights of the event, taking place on Sunday, April 28, will be the annual balloon race, this year sponsored by the Coach and Horses pub. It
I WOULD like to say what a pleasure it is to drive on to the Moss Bank estate along Scafell Road. The daffodils are absolutely beautiful. Then, as you go further into the estate, there are even more. Well done to the Friends of Clinkham Wood for helping
I AM angry over the condition of Sutton Mill Dam. This once beautiful haven is now more like a rubbish tip. You cannot walk for more than 10 feet without being confronted by another pile of rubbish. There is even a plastic skip which has been dumped into
THE Parr Hall will see murder on the dance floor next week when the new queen of pop Sophie Ellis Bextor slides gracefully into Warrington. The former Audience front girl has climbed to the top of the pop tree after an incredible three years spawning
A TEACHING union's support for increasing the police presence in schools has been branded as sensationalist by the chairman of the borough council's education committee. At the annual conference of the teachers' union NASUWT earlier this month, general
TWO Warrington schools have proved they are top of the class after being presented with national Quality Mark awards. St Wilfrid's CE Primary School in Grappenhall and Padgate Nursery were presented with the nationally recognised awards at special ceremonies
BLIND and partially sighted students took part in an employment skills workshop to help them take a step up the career ladder. The group, which included visually-impaired people from Warrington and across the north west, was given advice on compiling
TAXI drivers in Warrington are set to lead the country in education about disabled passengers. A special information pack will be given to drivers of black cabs and private hire drivers. It includes all the information needed to pass a 'knowledge test
A GOOD Samaritan received a deserved pat on the back this week after his prompt actions helped save the life of a diabetic Winwick man. Michael Wilcox was reunited with seven-year-old hero Rebecca Overton - together they alerted emergency services when
A 15-YEAR-OLD boy from Locking Stumps attempted to rape a sleeping seven-year-old girl during a summer sleepover, a court was told this week. A jury at Warrington Crown Court heard the boy was staying with a friend in July last year when he allegedly
