Blackpool CC captain Paul Danson believes four teams can still win the Northern Premier League, even though his leaders have at least one game in hand on all their title rivals.
Neighbours Fleetwood played a first division double-header while the Stanley Park team were inactive weekend but failed to make inroads into Blackpool’s lead, beaten by Leyland and restricted to a losing draw at Penrith.
It means Blackpool return to action at home to Preston tomorrow still at the top of the pile, while closest challengers Leyland have played a game more and Fleetwood two.
But the lead has been cut to three points and Blackpool must squeeze seven matches into the final five weekends of the season, while also battling for silverware in the last four of the Readers Cup.
Indeed, this weekend is followed by a triple-header, with back-to-back league and cup games against Netherfield and then a bank holiday derby at Fleetwood.
And with such a busy schedule, it’s no surprise Danson is taking nothing for granted and wouldn’t rule out the title race going down to a final-day showdown between his side and Leyland on September 17. Danson told The Gazette: “Some people are saying we’ve won it already but we have the hardest run-in and if we drop points to Preston we could be second on Saturday night.
“Preston have improved on last season and will be a threat, so we can’t underestimate them. The weather could intervene too and the forecast for Saturday isn’t the best.
“Fleetwood didn’t take advantage of their two games last weekend but they are still in it, and I know Mat Clark will have them fired up.
“Leyland did us favours by beating Fleetwood and Barrow (in fourth) but the upshot is that they are now breathing down our necks.”
And with a possible nine games to cram into the final month, Danson knows anything can happen – not that he would swap Blackpool’s position for anyone else’s.
He added: “We can’t complain because the club is in a great place. The first and second teams are top of their league. We have a league cup semi-final a week on Sunday and the Under-19s are through to their finals day (see below).
“The pro (New Zealander Daryl Mitchell) is here until the end of the season and he has been fantastic. We would love him to come back next year but that’s one for the future.
“We could be missing Tom Jefferson for the two Netherfield games but other than that everyone should be available for the rest of the season, fitness permitting.”
It’s Fleetwood’s turn for a blank weekend, while St Annes head to Kendal.
Just one point separates those teams in mid-table, both having won one and last one last weekend. Both played Morecambe, St Annes winning by five wickets and Kendal losing by eight, which will encourage Vernon Road skipper Matt Grindley ahead of the trip to Shap Road.
Lytham’s hopes of ending their five-match losing run in the Liverpool Competition at bottom club Birkenhead Park last weekend were dashed in a 39-run defeat, meaning tomorrow’s visit to ECB premier division leaders Northern looks a daunting prospect.
Blackpool Bullets, will contest finals day of the ECB National ClubU19 T20 at Southport and Birkdale on Sunday, having beaten Deane and Derby Lions in the quarter-finals by 72 runs.
Jake Muncaster had a remarkable match, top-scoring with 41 in the Bullets’ 130-8 and then taking 5-7 from 16 deliveries as the Bolton side were dismissed for 58 in 11.4 overs. Matthew Siddall chipped in with 3-13 from three overs as Mohammed Bhola (31) scored most of D&D’s runs as five of his team-mates failed to score.

Four teams can still win title, says Blackpool captain: weekend cricket preview


Blackpool CC captain Paul Danson believes four teams can still win the Northern Premier League, even though his leaders have at least one game in hand on all their title rivals.


A 12-year-old boy had pleaded guilty to raping a nine-year-old boy at Blackpool.
The defendant, from North Shore, who can not be identified for legal reasons, also admitted twice sexually assaulting the same boy.
The offences took place between April 29 and May 29 last year.
The boy was bailed for pre-sentence reports at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court.
He must live at his given address and not have any contact with children under the age of 18 unless supervised by an adult who has knowledge of the court proceedings, as conditions of his bail.
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story 12-year-old pleads guilty to rape Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area...


A 12-year-old boy had pleaded guilty to raping a nine-year-old boy at Blackpool.


Blackpool is all set for a world premier at The Grand Theatre this week – and it’s pants.
Underpants, to be exact.
Because Aliens Love Underpants. And they’re coming to The Grand to tell their zany and hilarious tale based on the best-selling children’s book of the same name.
The book is being brought to life on stage for the very first time.
Just remember: aliens love underpants of every shape and size, but there are no underpants in space so here’s a big surprise!
With stunning effects, madcap action, original music – and lots of aliens of course – this production based on the Claire Freedman and Ben Cort book should be a delight for the whole family.
The Big Wooden Horse and Nick Brooke production has a two-day run at The Grand, on Friday and Saturday.
Shows are at 1.30pm on Friday, and 11am and 2pm on Saturday.
Tickets are priced at £15 each. Call (01253) 290190 for details.

Aliens and underpants take over The Grand


Blackpool is all set for a world premier at The Grand Theatre this week – and it’s pants.


This year marks the 25th anniversary of the death of legendary novellist Graham Greene and stage adaptation one of his most entertaining works ‘Travels with My Aunt’ will be coming to Blackpool Grand Theatre on Tuesday, September 20.
Described as “one very ordinary man’s extraordinary journey of self-discovery”, the story follows Henry Pulling, who leads a quiet bachelor life until his Aunt Augusta persuades him to travel with her initially to Brigton but eventually as far flung as Istanbul, meeting all sorts of weird and wonderful people along the way.
The plot mirrors Green’s own obsession with travelling and just four actors play the roles of over 20 characters.
The show has been adapted by Creative Cow, and the company’s co-founder Katherin Senior said: “We love the way Travels with my Aunt traces two voyages in parallel – one a physical cross-continental journey by plane, train and boat and the other a mind-blowing, eye-opening journey of self-discovery. Henry couldn’t be more different from Greene himself, who was adventurous, risk-loving and unconventional - but can we perhaps see some similarities by the end? It’s a great pleasure to be touring this work by one of our favourite authors in this anniversary year.”
Tickets are priced from £12.50 and are available by calling 01253 290 190.


This year marks the 25th anniversary of the death of legendary novellist Graham Greene and stage adaptation one of his most entertaining works ‘Travels with My Aunt’ will be coming to Blackpool Grand Theatre on Tuesday, September 20.


The types of cookies we, our ad network and technology partners use are listed below:
Revenue Science ► A tool used by some of our advertisers to target adverts to you based on pages you have visited in the past. To opt out of this type of targeting you can visit the 'Your Online Choices' website by clicking here.
Google Ads ► Our sites contain advertising from Google; these use cookies to ensure you get adverts relevant to you. You can tailor the type of ads you receive by visiting here or to opt out of this type of targeting you can visit the 'Your Online Choices' website by clicking here.
Digital Analytics ► This is used to help us identify unique visitors to our websites. This data is anonymous and we cannot use this to uniquely identify individuals and their usage of the sites.
Dart for Publishers ► This comes from our ad serving technology and is used to track how many times you have seen a particular ad on our sites, so that you don't just see one advert but an even spread. This information is not used by us for any other type of audience recording or monitoring.
ComScore ► ComScore monitor and externally verify our site traffic data for use within the advertising industry. Any data collected is anonymous statistical data and cannot be traced back to an individual.
Local Targeting ► Our Classified websites (Photos, Motors, Jobs and Property Today) use cookies to ensure you get the correct local newspaper branding and content when you visit them. These cookies store no personally identifiable information.
Grapeshot ► We use Grapeshot as a contextual targeting technology, allowing us to create custom groups of stories outside out of our usual site navigation. Grapeshot stores the categories of story you have been exposed to. Their privacy policy and opt out option can be accessed here.
Subscriptions Online ► Our partner for Newspaper subscriptions online stores data from the forms you complete in these to increase the usability of the site and enhance user experience.
Add This ► Add This provides the social networking widget found in many of our pages. This widget gives you the tools to bookmark our websites, blog, share, tweet and email our content to a friend.


Follow our live match coverage of Fleetwood Town’s League One game against Bolton Wanderers here.


Meet a witch on a dangerous mission, a fabulous fantasy queen and a cast of colourful picture book stars in a glittering array of new titles from Macmillan Children’s Books.
Age 9 plus:
Fire Witch by Matt Ralphs
English history, thrilling adventure and a bewitching heroine…
Matt Ralphs is back with Fire Witch, the red-hot sequel to Fire Girl, and our fiery, fearless witch Hazel must gather her wits and steel her nerves to join her enemies and try to save her mother.
Packed with intrigue, danger, nail-biting tension and flashes of rib-tickling humour, these page-turning stories featuring an extraordinary girl are addictive reading for young fans of fantasy, drama and… witches!
The Civil War in England is over, Oliver Cromwell rules the land and a new battle is raging… between the people and the witches. Twelve-year-old HazelHooper is no ordinary girl. She is a Fire Witch, she can wield and manipulate flame and she is getting stronger all the time. But she is also angry because her mother Hecate had to sacrifice herself to the demon world in order to stop a demonic invasion. Hazel must fight on alone and she is determined to get her back, whatever the cost.
Her only chance to find Hecate is to seek advice from brilliant demonologist Nicolas Murrell, the Order of Witch Hunters’ most prized prisoner, and the man who summoned the demon responsible for Hecate’s fate. With only Bramley, her grumpy dormouse familiar for company, Hazel must disguise herself as a boy and infiltrate the black heart of the Order of Witch Hunters to speak to Murrell before he is executed. But can he be trusted? Will Murrell reveal to his captors that their newest apprentice is actually… a witch?
Ralphs has always been fascinated by witches, ghosts and anything that sends a shiver down his spine and this magical series is the perfect creation of his high-flying, super scary imagination.
A world of supernatural in the midst of terrifying real history…
(Macmillan, paperback, £6.99)
Age 10 plus:
The Hunting of the Princes by Peter F. Hamilton
Also dabbling in the wondrous world of fantasy is Peter F.Hamilton, the UK’s bestselling adult science fiction author, who was inspired to write for a younger audience by his own two children.
The Hunting of the Princes is the second book in his original and gripping Queen of Dreams trilogy which began with The Secret Throne and has all the hallmarks of a memorable modern classic.
Sprinkled with atmospheric black and white illustrations by Rohan Eason, this gorgeous fantasy series is a vivid, magical adventure featuring amazing kingdoms, daring quests and deadly menace.
Taggie Paganuzzi has had a busy year in the beautiful old market town of Stamford in Lincolnshire. Her mum was a Third Realm sorceress and now Taggie has inherited her family’s magical powers. From finding out she is the queen-to-be of a magical realm to learning to use her magic skills and discovering that the King of Night wants her dead, there have been a lot of ‘firsts.’
Assassins have been targeting royal heirs throughout the magical realms and now someone has tried to kill Taggie whilst she was cycling back to her home. Everyone thinks the King of Night’s army, the Karrak invaders, are responsible and that war is inevitable. But Taggie has found out two very interesting facts. Firstly, that the Karraks come from a cold, dark universe and cannot abide warmth and light. And secondly, that there was once a gate to this universe, now lost in the mists of time. If Taggie and her friends can find the gate, perhaps they can also stop the war? But to do that, they need to find a Karrak willing to take their side…
Hamilton conjures up a thrilling alternative world in which good must overcome evil, children are pitted against powerful enemies and a fantastic cast of amazing animal characters add to all the fun and fantasy. Don’t miss it!
(Macmillan, paperback, £6.99)
Age 3 plus:
Flying Lemurs by Zehra Hicks
This funny, reassuring story about overcoming fears and discovering hidden talents is the latest inspirational book from Macmillan’s new imprint for young children, Two Hoots.
A zingy, zany tale bursting with high-octane energy and an adorable cast of high-flying animals, this gorgeous circus-themed odyssey comes from talented author and illustrator Zehra Hicks whose speciality is telling stories through pictures.
Everyone in the lemur family is good at jumping, a talent which comes in handy as they are all circus performers. Mum is a brilliant trapeze artist, Dad’s trampoline routine is absolutely huge and Grandma’s speciality is being shot from a cannon.
Unfortunately little Lemur is not so good at jumping… in fact, he’s not even a fan of heights. He just can’t jump, no matter how hard he tries. But there are other things that Lemur is good at – throwing custard pies, skateboarding and playing the tambourine – so maybe with a bit of practice, he can become the best circus performer of them all!
Hicks ramps up the visual and verbal drama of this fun and warm-hearted story with her multi-textured illustrations, painted here by using bamboo and a bold palette of colours. Having fun, accepting life’s triumphs and disasters, and discovering the importance of family love all come under the spotlight in a sparkling and inspirational picture book.
(Two Hoots, paperback, £6.99)
Age 3 plus:
More People to Love Me by Mo O’Hara and Ada Grey
Modern families come in all shapes and sizes… and sometimes they are extra super-sized!
Mo O’Hara, author of the popular My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish series, delivers the perfect picture book for the step family generation in this moving story about a little girl with so many branches to her family tree that she runs out of space to draw them all.
Asked by her teacher to draw her family tree, the little girl just doesn’t know where to start. She’s got her mum and dad, her sister Cee Cee, her stepdad David and her stepmum Sharon. And then there are her mum’s new baby twins, her step brother Michael and no one must forget about Happy the tortoise. But the tree is starting to get rather crowded because there are all the grandparents to fit in as well. There’s only one thing for it, the family tree is going to have to grow!O’Hara was inspired to write by her own children’s positive experiences of being part of an extended family and felt that this was
rarely depicted in picture books. The result is a warm and moving tale about one little girl and her family that keeps on growing.
The gentle, reassuring and playful story is complemented by Ada Grey’s charming illustrations, reinforcing the message that every family is different and the bigger the family, the more people there are to love… and to love you back!
(Macmillan, paperback, £6.99)
Age 3 plus:
The Hippopandamouse by Jools Bentley
Nobody’s perfect… and sometimes being imperfectly different makes you special!
Author and illustrator Jools Bentley plays with traditional expectations in this cute and clever story about a little princess who falls for the only toy in the shop that doesn’t have a name.
Princess Flo has pocket money to spend so she heads off to Fluffley’s Fine Toys, the best toy shop in town. Everybody there has been working very hard to prepare for her visit – so hard, in fact, that one of the cuddly toys has ended up as a strange mix of a hippo, panda and mouse. The shop’s owner Miss Fluffey is eager to show Princess Flo the cuddly teddies, cute kittens and perky penguins, all perfect for a royal princess. But to everyone’s horror, Princess Flo spots the strange looking toy. The part hippo, part panda and part mouse is a total and utter mistake! But Flo loves this toy being different, seeing something unique and special in the strange animal. All he needs now is a name… Hippopandamouse!
Wise, witty and wonderfully warm-hearted, the tale of The Hippopandamouse is a beautiful, big-hearted story, gorgeously illustrated and simply perfect for little princesses everywhere.
(Macmillan, paperback, £6.99)
Age 3 plus:
Prince Ribbit by Jonathan Emmett and Poly Bernatene
Hop, skip and jump into this brilliant new picture book from top team Jonathan Emmett and Poly Bernatene.
Well-loved fairy tale, The Frog Prince, gets a dashing, daring makeover as ever popular author Emmett and talented illustrator Bernatene put a devilishly clever twist in the not-so-handsome frog’s tail.
One day, Princess Martha and her sisters, Princess Lucinda and Princess Arabella, are listening to the story of The Frog Prince. Lucinda and Arabella love romantic tales and their happily-ever-after endings, but Martha isn’t so sure. She prefers facts to fairy tales, and likes real frogs more than enchanted ones, and besides, clever Martha knows that not everything written in books is true.
Unknown to the sisters, a clever little frog is listening to the story and it sparks a bright idea. If he can convince the gullible princesses that he is actually a prince, perhaps he could start getting some royal treatment of his own. So is Prince Ribbit really a handsome prince, or just a plain, ordinary frog?
There’s only one way to find out… pucker up princesses, it’s time for true love’s kiss!
Emmett works his own brand of fairy tale magic as he transforms a classic tale into a feast of smiles and smoochy surprises while Bernatene’s stunning and superbly detailed illustrations provide a feast of colour and fun.
A picture book that all the family can enjoy…
(Macmillan, paperback, £6.99)
Age 3 plus:
Dear Zoo Drawing and Colouring Book by Rod Campbell
Rod Campbell, creator of the classic, much-loved Dear Zoo books, has been a trusted name in early learning for over 30 years and he’s back with this inspirational first drawing and colouring book.
Dear Zoo, an ingeniously simple, lift-the-flap book with touches of gentle humour, introduces pre-school children to the wonder and variety of wild animals, and now a new generation can join in all the fun and draw their very own zoo full of amazing creatures.
There are 32 pages of drawing, colouring and doodling featuring all the animals from the original story. At the top of each page, little ones are told what to draw and given a helping hand with many of the pictures already started.
Packed full of simple activities that are perfectly pitched for pre-schoolers, the book’s large, square, extra thick pages can be peeled off the pad, stuck to walls at home or even put in a frame if they are special mini-masterpieces.
Draw bananas for the naughty monkey, give the fierce lion big sharp teeth, design a bowl for a frisky puppy or give a camel a big smile. The Dear ZooDrawing and Colouring Book is the ideal first lesson for budding young artists and dedicated toddler doodlers.
(Macmillan, paperback, £5.99)

Book reviews: History, fantasy and animal magic with Macmillan


Meet a witch on a dangerous mission, a fabulous fantasy queen and a cast of colourful picture book stars in a glittering array of new titles from Macmillan Children’s Books.


AD/DC, Metallica, The Rolling Stones, Oasis, Fleetwood Mac. What do all these bands have in common?
They’ve all played Reading Festival and now a young Blackpool band are going to be added to that list of legendary musicians this weekend.
Fans at the main stage at Leeds Festival
For a lot of bands, playing Reading (and now the twinned Leeds) Festival is the pinnacle of their career but for Fighting Caravans, this achievement has come in the group’s infant stages.
An alternative rock quintet, who describe their sound as “A tacky disco meets a last-mile wake”, Fighting Caravans won the annual Futuresound competition to get their slot at the festival. Josh Hogan, the band’s 21-year-old drummer, from South Shore, spoke about the band’s excitement.
He said: “It was nuts, it took a long time to actually sink in but its a great feeling, definitely a bucket-list level achievement.
“I’ve been a few times and to now be playing on one of those stages is just amazing,
It was nuts, it took a long time to actually sink in but its a great feeling, definitely a bucket-list level achievement
“Its come around so quickly and we are very excited, we can’t wait!”
Josh also talked about the competition and thanked everyone who voted for the band, adding: “We entered the Futuresound competition and were fortunate enough to get chosen to participate in the live heats along side 39 other bands, so to come out on top was just crazy.
“We are extremely grateful, firstly to Futuresound for the opportunity, but mainly to everyone who bought a ticket, came down, partied and voted for us, we wouldn’t be in the position without those guys!”
Joining Josh in the band are singer Daniel Clark, 28, guitarists Ross Day and Alex Fletcher, 22 and 20, and bassist Simeon Lees, 22.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The festival appearance marks a meteoric rise for the band, who have only been touring with their current line-up since July last year.
They’re influenced mainly by American Blues but also by contemporary rock music likening their sound to Queens of the Stone Age, Nick Cave and Radiohead, with subtle country, jazz and psychedelic overtones.
In 2015, Fighting Caravans released their debut EP, Beasts Of England and during September will be embarking on a tour of the UK and the rest of Europe with dates in The Netherlands, Germany and Czech Republic.
Speaking about the European tour, Josh said: “Having the chance to play our music in different countries is second to none.
“We went out to Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands last October and that was amazing, everyone was so welcoming and the hospitality we were shown was ace.”
Reading Festival is the oldest music festival still in existence and it’s best known for booking rock, indie, metal and punk bands. Since 1999, it has also run parallel in Leeds.
This year’s event will be headlined by Foals, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Biffy Clyro.


AD/DC, Metallica, The Rolling Stones, Oasis, Fleetwood Mac. What do all these bands have in common?


Sobering political reality trumps blood-saturated fiction in the third instalment of James DeMonaco’s horror series, set in a dystopian America which has legalised murder for 12 hours every March to sate the population’s bloodlust and reduce crime levels for the rest of the year.
The original film, released in 2013, was a guilty pleasure fusing nail-biting tension with explosions of shocking violence.
A gruesome follow-up, The Purge Anarchy, fell short of expectations and now The Purge: Election Year polls a similarly lukewarm response by attempting to skewer the American political establishment.
Unfortunately, the real-life horror show of the 2016 race for the White House - a contest dripping with bile and intolerance - is far more disturbing than anything writer-director DeMonaco can conjure on screen for his beleaguered characters as they attempt to survive another night of wanton slaughter.
A potentially delicious subplot - the influx of murder tourists, who travel to America on Purge night to commit unspeakable crimes that are forbidden in their own countries - is undernourished and goes nowhere.
Eighteen years after her entire family was slaughtered on Purge night, Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell) is poised to narrowly win the 2022 Presidential election by campaigning on a promise to end the annual cull.
Her rival, Minister Edwidge Owens (Kyle Secor), is a firm believer in the Purge and has the full backing of the New Founding Fathers (NFF), the shadowy political hierarchy led by Caleb Warrens (Raymond J Barry).
These men and women in tailored suits are distressed by the possibility of Roan winning over the electorate and they plot to eliminate her.
“We are going to use this year’s Purge to do some spring cleaning gentlemen!” snarls Warrens, who masterminds a scheme to undermine the security measures put in place by the Senator’s trusted bodyguard and protector, Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo).
Meanwhile, as the 7pm siren to signal the start of the Purge approaches, hard-working shop owner Joe Dickson (Mykelti Williamson) and his assistant Marcos (Joseph Julian Soria) have an ill-fated run-in with two thieving schoolgirls (Brittany Mirabile, Juani Feliz) that they might regret when the blood-letting begins in earnest.
The Purge: Election Year is one hack ‘n’ slash too far for DeMonaco’s neat premise.
Plotting is flimsy and characters are thinly sketched, so we don’t have a strong emotional attachment to them.
Williamson provides comic relief to dissipate tension, almost putting a bullet in the head of one friend, who creeps up on him.
“Good Lord! It’s Purge night. You don’t sneak up on black people!” he shrieks.
Fans of earlier films will get their kicks from the gory set pieces but the lack of new ideas and directorial verve is palpable.
It’s time for a complete reshuffle behind the cameras.
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story The Purge: Election Year - One hack ‘n’ slash too far Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area...


Sobering political reality trumps blood-saturated fiction in the third instalment of James DeMonaco’s horror series, set in a dystopian America which has legalised murder for 12 hours every March to sate the population’s bloodlust and reduce crime levels for the rest of the year.


The Purge: Election Year - One hack ‘n’ slash too far


A family were given an £8,000 handout in order to leave their home ahead of a huge flats demolition.
The family, who live in Addison Crescent, close to the site of the former tower blocks at Queens Park, Layton, were given the cash by demolition firm Lovell.
In secret documents seen by The Gazette, the pay-out was for “ongoing disturbance” and to vacate their property during the explosive demolition of the three blocks on July 31. While many residents in nearby homes agreed to move out temporarily without fuss, one family complained to the firm about the impact on them with Lovell agreeing to pay the £8,000 to settle the row.
In one letter, the company said: “Further to our recent correspondence regarding the ongoing demolition work at Queens Park, Blackpool, I would confirm that Lovell is prepared to make an ex-gratia payment to you in recognition of the disturbance you have experienced and more particularly in lieu of your confirmed willingness to vacate your home at Addison Crescent throughout the operation of the temporary demolition exclusion zone at Queens Park during the ‘blow-down’ of the three remaining tower blocks.
“Specifically it is hereby agreed that Lovell will pay you the sum of £8,000 in two instalments; £4,000 on receipt of receiving your signed acknowledgement and acceptance of the terms set out in this letter, and the balance of £4,000 to be paid immediately after the event.
“The terms set out in this letter are confidential between ourselves and you undertake to us not to disclose any of these terms to any third party save with our consent or if compelled to do so by any court or authority of competent jurisdiction.
“They also represent a full and final settlement in respect of your ongoing complaints.
“If the above terms are acceptable to you, please sign, date and return to us the enclosed copy of this letter. Upon receipt we will make arrangements to process the first payment to you.”
It is signed by Bruce Lister, Lovell’s regeneration manager who worked on the £22m project. In a second letter, which again uses Mr Lister’s name, Lovell said: “A payment of £8,000 has today been made into your current account, as per your requirements. I now await confirmation that you will comply with the terms of our agreement and also seek reaffirmation that this agreement will remain confidential between us.”
Today, a Lovell spokesman refused to confirm that the payment was made and said: “We won’t be commenting on this, apart from to reiterate that – as the company has previously publicly stated – the earlier postponement of the demolition was entirely because our specialist demolition subcontractors advised that more time was needed to ensure the safe demolition of the blocks.”
Blackpool Council paid a set fee to Lovell to carry out the operation, with the cost of the £8,000 pay-out being met by Lovell and not the town hall.
The family refused to comment when approached by The Gazette.
The July 31 demolition operation was hailed a success on the day with residents only out of their houses for a few hours.
It was the final clearance phase of the scheme which had begun in March 2013 with the removal of the Healey Street maisonettes.
Two other tower blocks Ashworth Court and Charles Court, were taken down gradually to make room for new houses, but it was decided it would be better to blow up the final three.
Residents were asked to evacuate the area at 8.15am and four special support centres were set up where people could get free hot breakfasts and refreshments.
Hundreds did so without serious complaints although some people said that the dust cloud which enveloped spectators downwind had caused alarm.
Lovell called in teams to clean up the dust from the area and clean residents’ windows after the event and said all harmful material had been removed from the towers before the blasts. The demolitions had been originally scheduled for May, but had to be delayed due to more work needing to be done to weaken the structures and to give time for lessons to be learned from a similar demolition in Liverpool at Seaforth which failed to bring the buildings down.
The day after the demolition Mr Lister said: “It was well planned but there’s a great sense of relief that everything appears to have gone well.
“It couldn’t have been done if people hadn’t been prepared to move out for a few houses while the work was done – so my thanks to them.”
The rubble from the three flats, twenty-three storey Walter Robinson Court and 16-storey Elizabeth and Churchill Courts, will be used to provide foundations for 99 new homes to be built on the site which should be completed by Spring 2018.
It is the second phase of the development carried out by Lovell. The first phase involved the gradual dismantling of the Ashworth Court and Charles Court tower blocks and the construction of 92 new homes.
The demolition was shown live on the Gazette’s Facebook page and was seen by 2.5 million people around the world.

Family offered £8k for moving out on flats’ demolition day


A family were given an £8,000 handout in order to leave their home ahead of a huge flats demolition.


Police in Blackpool want to speak to this woman after the theft of a pensioner’s handbag in the resort.
Money and bank cards were stolen from the elderly woman’s bag at an address on St Annes Road, Blackpool.
The victim’s son, aged 61, met the woman outside Ma Kelly’s Public House on Lytham Road at around 11.15pm on Friday August 19.
They travelled back to the man’s address on Lytham Road, when the woman told him she was going out to make a phone call.
However, the woman didn’t return and the man then discovered that bank cards and around £60 cash had been stolen from his 80-year-old mother’s bag.
PC Ian Byrne from Blackpool Police said: “If you recognise this woman or have any information that could assist us, please get in touch.”
Anyone with information can all police on 101 quoting incidentLC-20160820-0108. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org.


Police in Blackpool want to speak to this woman after the theft of a pensioner’s handbag in the resort.


A security guard attacked outside outside a supermarket in Blackpool has had an emotional reunion with the off-duty medic who saved his life.
Peter Mowbray, an operating department practitioner – who works as an assistant in operating theatres at Blackpool Victoria Hospital – went to the aid of Darren Fisher when he was hit over the head with a bottle outside Sainsbury’s supermarket on Talbot Road on Tuesday, August 16.
Peter Mowbray
Mr Fisher had seen a man stealing two bottles of alcohol from the store, chased him, and was hit as he confronted him outside Subway.
Darren, 41, from Blackpool, said he would not have survived if it hadn’t been for Peter’s swift and professional actions.
Peter realised it was likely Darren had a bleed on the brain and even used the torch on his smartphone to carry out observations.
Darren said: “It’s an amazing thing that Peter has done. I’m forever in his debt.”
My medical training immediately kicked in. I could see that Darren’s left pupil was ‘blown’ which indicated a serious head injury
Peter, 49, who has worked at the hospital since 1986, had finished work for the day and was out for a drive in Blackpool at around 8.30pm with his wife Louise and 15-year-old son Bradley.
They were driving past Sainsbury’s supermarket when Bradley spotted Darren lying on the pavement and shouted for his dad to stop the car. Peter pulled up on the pavement then he and Louise went to Darren’s aid.
Peter informed the store manager that he was a medical professional and took charge of the situation. The ambulance service and police were called as Peter surveyed the scene.
Peter said: “There was blood and glass everywhere.
Sainsbury's supermarket in Talbot Road
“My medical training immediately kicked in. I could see that Darren’s left pupil was ‘blown’ which indicated a serious head injury.
“I got him to sit upright to reduce the pressure to his brain. “If I had got him to lie down his brain would have swollen and he would possibly have had brain damage or might even have died.
“Louise was on her knees supporting him to stay in an upright position.
“By keeping him upright we tried to avoid a brain injury. It could have gone either way.
“Darren’s hand was bleeding from the glass so I put a pressure dressing on it from the store’s medical kit and looked after him while we waited for the ambulance to arrive.
“After half an hour the police came and asked me what I needed. Two burly police officers came with a medical kit.
“It had complete breathing apparatus with an oxygen mask and a pulse oximeter to measure oxygen levels and the pulse.
“I did Darren’s neuro obs ervations on my iPhone. It has a pen torch on it and I used that to look into his eyes. I used it to make sure he was not deteriorating.
“Darren was aware of what was going on throughout. I told him not to move even though he had cramp in his legs. I told him he had a head injury and could deteriorate rapidly if he moved. He understood the importance of keeping calm and still.
“It was so important to try to preserve his brain – the last thing you want is a man with a young family suffering a brain injury and not being able to work. Everyone worked together to do their best for Darren on the day. It was a real team effort.
“It was quite frightening. In a hospital setting you can monitor everything. All I had was gravity and some basic bits of equipment.
“I felt really vulnerable but someone had to take control. I’m immensely proud that it all came together in the end.
“It’s a testament to the training I’ve had at the hospital that I was able to save this gentleman’s life.”
Darren, who has five children of his own and nine between him and his wife Colette, 47, was in hospital for three days after the attack and is making a steady recovery.
The first time he left home after his ordeal was to thank Peter personally at the hospital on Tuesday, August 23.
He said: “I wanted to thank Peter for saving my life.
“I’m still feeling a bit light-headed. The swelling has gone down.
“If Peter had not been there I don’t know what would have happened. I’m still able to be a dad to my kids now.
“All of the staff at the hospital were brilliant. I was treated like royalty.”
Darren got in touch with Peter through Facebook to thank him and to say how grateful he was.
Peter said: “We’ve become friends now. The comments on Facebook from Darren’s family have been lovely. They have thanked me for saving his life.
“It is humbling to receive such nice messages. It makes me feel as a person that I really made a difference to someone.
“It’s what my job is all about – making a difference and helping others. It all reflects well on the hospital.”
In his role as an Operating Department Practitioner (ODP), Peter usually works with anaesthetists in operating theatres.
Over the years he has also worked in the Emergency Department and on ITU (Intensive Trauma Unit).
Peter praised his son for spotting Darren: “If it hadn’t been for Bradley it could have been a very different story. He deserves huge credit.”
Bradley, who attends Hodgson Academy and assisted Peter until the ambulance arrived, said: “I was a bit nervous because I had never been in a situation like that before but my main priority was making sure Darren was OK.”
A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: “Peter and Bradley deserve huge credit for their swift actions in helping Peter.
“Without their intervention the outcome could have been very different.”
Sainsbury’s has also thanked Peter and sent him a card, chocolates and a bottle of Prosecco.
A spokesman for Sainsbury’s told The Gazette: “We’re relieved that Darren made a speedy recovery.
“Peter’s brave and calm response made all the difference and we’re grateful to all involved, including our first aider colleague and the police.”
Peter added: “As health care professionals we are all duty bound to stop and help if we see someone injured.
“I would like to think other people would do the same thing if it happened to me.
“I’m happy that, by all accounts, Darren has made a full recovery.
“I hope we’ll have a life-long friendship.”
Police continue to hunt Darren’s attacker. Call Lancashire Police on 101.

Attacked security guard meets Blackpool Victoria Hospital medic who saved his life


A security guard attacked outside outside a supermarket in Blackpool has had an emotional reunion with the off-duty medic who saved his life.


A recruitment firm has been named the best company in the UK for work-life balance.
Financial recruiter Goodman Masson took first place in the list by jobs site Glassdoor, based on reviews submitted to its website by current and former staff.
The company, which is based in London and also has offices in Dusseldorf, was praised by staff for its “huge investment” in staff benefits and “great” parties twice a year.
“The attention paid to the wellbeing of staff is at a level rarely matched elsewhere,” said an anonymous employee working in the London office.
In second place was technology firm Cisco Systems, and in third place was insurer HomeServe.
West Midlands-based HomeServe, which employs 1,200 people at its headquarters in Walsall and has 2.1 million customers in the UK, was commended for its attitude towards the treatment of its staff.
“The salary is very competitive and you are rewarded very generously for your hard work and just for carrying out your role. The company has a great framework for career progression and is always looking to promote people internally for job roles,” said a water supply engineer working at the firm.
Greg Reed, chief marketing officer at HomeServe, said: “We believe if you take care of your people, they will take care of your customers. This means creating a culture where people genuinely enjoy coming to work every day because they feel what they do really makes a difference in our customers’ lives.”
Temping firm LOLA and Screwfix completed the top five. Other companies in the top 20 included Apple, American Express Lloyds Banking Group, Unilever and John Lewis.
Google is known for its plush offices, but doesn’t make the top 20 companies for work-life balance. Its new London office has sleep pods so workers can take a nap, although perhaps this is an indication of long hours.
For a company to have been considered, at least 50 work-life balance ratings must have been submitted by UK-based employees in the past year.
The top 20 companies for work-life balance:
1. Goodman Masson
2. Cisco Systems
3. HomeServe UK
4. LOLA Staffing
5. Screwfix
6. American Express
7. BP
8. Peninsula Business Services
9. ARM Holdings
10. Unilever
11.Thomson Reuters
12. Kantar Worldpanel
13. Atkins
14. Téléfonica
15. Credit Suisse
16. Rolls-Royce
17. John Lewis
18. Waitrose
19. Lloyds Banking Group
20. Apple
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story Revealed: The top UK companies for work-life balance Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area...


A recruitment firm has been named the best company in the UK for work-life balance.


Revealed: The top UK companies for work-life balance


Based on an article in Rolling Stone magazine and a subsequent book, War Dogs heavily dramatizes the true story of two enterprising twentysomethings, who became multi-millionaires as arms dealers to the US military.
Director Todd Phillips, mastermind of The Hangover films, and co-writer Jason Smilovic don’t let the truth get in the way of spinning an entertaining yarn.
They embellish the jaw-dropping rags-to-riches narrative with a hare-brained chase through the notorious Triangle of Death to the south of Baghdad, and some fizzing one-liners, which are used as chapter headings to bookmark each stage of the journey.
Miles Teller and Jonah Hill, who garnered numerous awards for their eye-catching work in Whiplash and The Wolf Of Wall Street respectively, are an incendiary double-act.
They clamber over various obstacles thrown in their characters’ paths and brazenly wisecrack in the face of death.
Phillips’ film opens with TV news footage from the war in Iraq in 2008.
Miles Teller as David Packouz
“I see 17,000 dollars,” explains massage therapist David Packouz (Teller). “That’s what it costs to outfit an American soldier.”
Narrating his own extraordinary story, David introduces us to his wife Iz (Ana de Armas), with whom he hopes to raise a family by selling bed sheets to local care homes.
His get-rich-quick scheme flops and David is reluctant to tell his spouse that the boxes of bedding cluttering up their apartment are not their golden ticket to a brighter future.
At this low ebb, David meets his friend Efraim Diveroli (Hill), who has discovered a website which lists contracts that the US military needs to be fulfilled.
Jonah Hill as Efraim Diveroli
“When life kicked me, I stayed down. But Efraim? He kicked back,” gushes David, who agrees to become a partner in this shadowy yet highly lucrative business.
The buddies tender for a massive munitions contract with the help of infamous dealer Henry Girard (Bradley Cooper) and underbid by 53 million dollars.
David travels to Albania to fulfil the contract, aided by his driver Bashkim (JB Blanc), who knows which palms to grease.
When David questions the morality of the business, which he keeps secret from Iz, Efraim immediately hits back.
“This isn’t about being pro-war,” he counsels David. “It’s about being pro-money.”
Bolstered by strong performances from the two leads, War Dogs is an engrossing and frequently uproarious comedy of errors.
Phillips and Smilovic’s script short changes the supporting characters: Iz exists solely to prick David’s conscience with her fleeting words of wisdom.
However, they do they craft some big laughs like when the buddies visit a weapons expo in Las Vegas and David pithily describes the event as “Comic-Con with grenades”.
War - what is it good for?
It’s very good for lining the pockets of the greedy and the enterprising.
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story War Dogs: An engrossing and frequently uproarious comedy of errors Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area...


Based on an article in Rolling Stone magazine and a subsequent book, War Dogs heavily dramatizes the true story of two enterprising twentysomethings, who became multi-millionaires as arms dealers to the US military.


War Dogs: An engrossing and frequently uproarious comedy of errors


The finale of the open air theatre season at Lytham Hall will bring both joy and a tinge of sadness to visiting company Illyria this Sunday afternoon.
Illyria will be giving their penultimate performance of the Roald Dahl children’s favourite Danny the Champion of the World which has been playing to substantial family audiences at venues all over the United Kingdom.
Their 95-day tour has included a week at Cornwall’s famous Minack Theatre as well as shows at Fulham Palace, Hartland Abbey, Chepstow Castle and Tatton Park.
Illyria’s artistic director Oliver Gray who travelled from his base in Cornwall for his first visit to Lytham Hall in July feels that his cast of six are relishing the chance to return to one of their favourite venues at the end of their marathon tour.
“They simply love the calmness of the beautiful parkland at Lytham Hall and always find that the Lytham audience in August, many of them children, is always one of the most responsive on the tour. I was delighted to see Lytham Hall for myself and found it a most impressive setting for open air theatre,” he said.
Illyria stalwart Ffion Glyn who plays the pram-pushing vicar’s wife Mrs Clipstone pays tribute to the quality of Road Dahl’s writing.
“There is sadness and tension in Danny the Champion the World, as well as much humour, and that has surprised and appealed to our audiences all over England, Scotland and Wales this summer. We will be a little sad too giving the penultimate performance of memorable tour. It’s an eye-catching show and I think the families at Lytham Hall are in for a Bank Holiday treat.”
Open air theatre organiser Julian Wilde believes that Illyria will bring the season to a happy conclusion with one of Roald Dahl’s most appealing works.
“I am sure Illyria will do us proud once again. We have already sold a large number of tickets and I do advise everyone to book in advance as we are heading for a full house. ”
Gates which will be open from 2pm for picnickers, with the play starting at 4pm, and the audience should bring their own folding chairs or rugs. An area in front of the stage will be reserved for small children.
Tickets are £13, with concessions of £10, £6.50 and £3.
Book on-line on Illyria’s website at www.illyria.uk.com


The finale of the open air theatre season at Lytham Hall will bring both joy and a tinge of sadness to visiting company Illyria this Sunday afternoon.


A band nominated for Best Group at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards are the special guests at St Annes Folk Club on Saturday.
Jaywalkers are a three-piece consisting from Lancashire, who play guitar, double bass and violin and who have been described as the rising stars of the folk world.
Regular performers at the Cambridge Folk Festival and Sidmouth Folk Week, they have released three successful albums and are heading to St Annes after a summer spent touring the UK.
“It’s pretty exciting to have a band of this calibre coming to play St Annes,” said Steve Canavan, who runs the folk club and is also a Gazette columnist.
“They are a really talented group who have become pretty successful in the last few years.
“I like them because not only are they great musicians and sound terrific – I defy anyone not to tap their feet along to the tunes – but they stay true to their Lancashire roots and a lot of their songs are about the north west.
“It should be a really good night.”
The folk club takes place at the Pavilion Café in Ashton Gardens, St Annes, and tickets for the concert are £7 – available by emailing lsafolkclub@hotmail.com or by buying direct from the venue.
Doors open at 7.15pm on Saturday September 3, the music starts at 8pm.

You’ll want to cross the road to watch this folk band


A band nominated for Best Group at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards are the special guests at St Annes Folk Club on Saturday.


American rapper RZA elegantly sums up the fleeting nature of fame during his cameo appearance in Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone’s musical mockumentary.
“The higher you get, the harder you fall. Ask any coconut,” sermonizes the hip-hop superstar.
These words of wisdom are aimed at sweet, yet corruptible, Conner Friel (Andy Samberg), who sells out his childhood pals to land a solo record deal and secure his moment in the social media spotlight.
Part cautionary tale, part buddy comedy, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping gleefully lampoons music documentaries, including Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, by offering a fly-on-the-wall glimpse into the life of an icon as he prepares to launch his second album.
Schaffer and Taccone festoon their tongue-in-cheek expose with real-life music industry figures, plus colourful supporting performances including Justin Timberlake as a singing chef, who juliennes carrots with pride.
Thus Simon Cowell offers his glowing assessment of Conner - “I think he’s incredible. He’s the real deal!” - and the likes of Mariah Carey, Usher, Carrie Underwood and 50 Cent wax lyrical about his impact on their careers.
Andy Samberg as Conner4Real
For the first 40 minutes, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is hysterical, but then like the preened and polished subject, the film loses its way.
Conner and childhood buddies Lawrence Dunn (Schaffer) and Owen Bouchard (Taccone) achieved considerable success as the trio The Style Boyz.
However, it was clear to everyone in the cutthroat music business that Conner was the glittering star in the firmament.
He went solo and The Style Boyz disbanded.
Lawrence turned his back on celebrity to settle on a farm in Big Timber, Colorado, while Owen remained in the background as Conner’s DJ.
Following the rousing success of Conner’s debut LP entitled Thriller, Also, a documentary film crew shadows the pop icon in the days leading up to the release of the follow-up album, ConnQuest.
Flanked by an entourage including his manager Harry Duggins (Tim Meadows), acid-tongued publicist Paula Klein (Sarah Silverman) and “a guy who kicks him in the nuts so he remembers where he came from”, Conner feebly shoulders the mounting pressure flanked by actress girlfriend, Ashley Wednesday (Imogen Poots).
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is half of one of the best comedies of the year.
Opening scenes are a hoot.
“It’s like a tricycle. When you take away one of the wheels, what have you got?” scoffs Lawrence when someone suggests The Style Boyz could fracture.
Note-perfect music videos include Equal Rights featuring P!nk, which promotes same sex relationships, while Conner punctuates each line of the chorus with a defiant, “I’m not gay”.
Sadly, the filmmakers run out of ideas for a lacklustre second half and introduce outlandish new characters to sustain our interest.
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping - Half of one of the best comedies of the year Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area...


American rapper RZA elegantly sums up the fleeting nature of fame during his cameo appearance in Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone’s musical mockumentary.


Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping - Half of one of the best comedies of the year


Casdh for floating support, sheltered accommodation, and a service providing help for elderly people with hearing impairments axed
Funding for women’s refuges in Lancashire will be cut – and funding for ‘floating’ support, sheltered accommodation, and to a service providing help for elderly people with hearing impairments axed in cost-cutting proposals.
Lancashire County Council has announced proposals to use its new Prevention and Early Help Fund to provide £1.25m funding for domestic abuse services in the county, allowing for the continuation of Lancashire’s nine women’s refuges.
We’re pleased to provide £800,000 to women’s refuges, which is only a slight reduction from the previous budget County Coun Tony Martin
The fund will also be used to provide annual funding of £1.25m for services for homeless people with complex needs, and £500,000 for crisis support.
However, the announcement has been made in light of savage cuts to services.
Alongside extensive consultation, a cross-party cabinet working group was set up to consider the impact of ceasing to fund the non-statutory elements of Supporting People services, as well as looking at how best to use the new annual £3m Prevention and Early Help Fund.
Under the proposals, £800,000 of the £1.25m budget for domestic violence services would fund support within the nine women’s refuges in the county.
The council is proposing that £1.25m will be made available to support homeless households with complex needs. £500,000 transitional funding is also being allocated whilst supported accommodation services are redesigned.
The county council is continuing to invest £1.35m funding to meet the housing and support needs of 16 and 17 year olds. £500,000 transitional funding is also being allocated whilst supported accommodation services for young people who are homeless, or leaving care, are redesigned.
And £500,000 proposed for crisis support will be used to provide people with furniture, food or fuel to help meet their needs during crisis situations.
Funding for the floating support service; the support funded within sheltered accommodation; and the support provided within a sheltered scheme for elderly people with hearing impairments are proposed to cease from 1 April 2017.
Where people meet the statutory threshold they will receive appropriate support and services. For those who are not eligible for statutory services then the county council will be working with people to ensure that they are made aware of other services that are available in the community.
County Coun Tony Martin, cabinet member for adult and community services, said: “The county council faces an unprecedented financial challenge meaning it must make savings of £200m by 2020/21. This has been caused by cuts in government funding and rising demand for our services.
“We’ve had to make some very tough decisions as part of the budget to ensure we have enough money to deliver the statutory services which must be provided by law.
“One of the proposals that formed part of the council’s budget was to reduce the non-statutory part of the Supporting People service.
“We want to replace this with the Prevention and Early Help Fund. With less money than was previously available, we set up a cabinet working group and ran a consultation to see which priority areas the fund should focus on.
“We’re pleased to provide £800,000 to women’s refuges, which is only a slight reduction from the previous budget. We’re confident that by delivering the service more efficiently we won’t need to reduce the services provided by the refuges.
“We’re also able to carry on supporting homeless people with complex needs and young people who are either homeless or leaving care.
“There is also funding available for those who suffer a crisis, including help to buy furniture, gas and electricity, or food, and to receive support to help them avoid similar situations in the future.
“However, we’ve had no option but to cut some services such as the floating support, sheltered accommodation, and our support to a service providing help for elderly people with hearing impairments. We hope that many people will still be able to get support through services such as the wellbeing scheme and social care.
“These are still only proposals and have to be considered by the council’s cabinet.”

Refuges’ cash cut - and support services axed


Funding for women’s refuges in Lancashire will be cut – and funding for ‘floating’ support, sheltered accommodation, and to a service providing help for elderly people with hearing impairments axed in cost-cutting proposals.


Time is running out for Lancashire residents to have their say on how the county is policed by taking part in Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw’s survey.
Feedback from the online poll will be used to shape the Commissioner’s new police and crime plan, which sets out how police and community safety partners work together to keep Lancashire safe.
I am delighted so many people have taken this chance to have their say on policing in Lancashire but if you haven’t, there is still time
Hundreds of people have so far taken part in the Let’s Talk Policing consultation, meeting the Commissioner out and about in towns across the county or via the online survey.
Anyone who has yet to do so has until Sunday September 4 to make their voice heard.
Mr Grunshaw said: “I am delighted so many people have taken this chance to have their say on policing in Lancashire but if you haven’t, there is still time.
“It is my job to be your voice, as the public of Lancashire, on policing matters. It is important my new police and crime plan reflects your views and needs.
“This is plan is at the heart of everything we do and will set the policing priorities for the next four years as well as determining how I delegate resources to the Chief Constable. This is an important chance to make sure your views are heard.”
For details about the consultation and to take part in the online survey, visit http://lancashire-pcc.gov.uk/lets-talk-policing/


Time is running out for Lancashire residents to have their say on how the county is policed by taking part in Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw’s survey.


A host of musical theatre stars will join pop star Sarah Harding and TV heart-throb Andy Moss when Ghost – The Musical heads to Blackpool.
West End star Jacqui Dubois will take on the role of Oda Mae Brown which was made famous by Whoopi Goldberg in the film of the same name.
Jacqui Dubois
Also taking to the stage will be Sam Feriday as Carl, Leo Sene as Willie, James Earl Adair as the Hospital Ghost, Gary Lee Netley as the Subway Ghost, Tarisha Rommick as Louise and Simbi Akande as Clara.
Completing the cast will be Lori Baker, Ethan Bradshaw, Lauren Drew, Matthew Vinetot, Mike Ward and Kelly Hampson. They will join Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding who will star as Molly and former Hollyoaks actor Andy Moss who plays Sam.
Producer Bill Kenwright said: “Ghost is a story full of hope, and is one of those films which never leaves you. The book by Bruce Joel Rubin and score by Dave Stewart and Glenn Ballad come together wonderfully in one of my favourite new musicals in years.”
Winter Gardens Managing Director Michael Williams said: “We’re sure people are going to love the show when it arrives.”
Ghost is a story full of hope, and is one of those films which never leaves you
The double academy award winning film was a box office success when it was released in 1990 and starred the late Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Tony Goldwyn and Whoopi Goldberg. The show will run at Blackpool Opera House from Monday October 3 to Monday October 15. Tickets are on sale now from www.wintergardensblackpool.com

Girls Aloud singer in Blackpool musical cast


A host of musical theatre stars will join pop star Sarah Harding and TV heart-throb Andy Moss when Ghost – The Musical heads to Blackpool.


Here is a list of fun events coming up this weekend.
FREE AND PAID: Blackpool Illuminations Switch On and Slimefest, September 2 to 4
Dame Barbara Windsor will switch the lights on at the Tower Festival Headland on Friday, following a party led by Ashley Banjo, and dance group Diversity. Other stars include The Vamps, Fleur East, Fatman Scoop and Club MTV. Free entry by wristband only. Celebrations continue across the weekend, as Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely host Nickelodeon’s first UK Slimfest at the Empress Ballroom. Tickets, at £27.50, available from http://www.visitblackpool.com/slime. Slimfest also features a free outdoor experience including character appearances and family activities on the Tower Festival Headland.
PAID: Survival Skills and Crafty Creative, Preston, September 2 to 4
As part of Brockholes Nature Reserve’s Wild Families series, it hosts Survival Skills on Friday September 2, from 2pm until 4pm. Participants will camouflage up before heading out to follow a tracking trail and have a go at shelter building, fire lighting and cooking. Tickets are from £5. Family ticket is £18. On Saturday and Sunday, there are drop-in craft sessions from 10am until 4pm. Entry is £3.Located off M6, junction 31.
FREE AND PAID: Morecambe Vintage By the Sea Festival, September 3 and 4
A celebration of 20th century design, fashion, vehicles and entertainment on the Prom, with a flypast by a Lancaster Bomber; a Spitfire; and a Hurricane as part of an RAF Battle of Britain Memorial. There will be a Routemaster Bus Bar and vintage car show, a Vintage Roadshow, live music, wandering street performance, and workshops. Visit http://www.vintagefestival.co.uk.
FREE AND PAID: Tractor Road Run, Chipping, Sunday September 4
Families are invited to gather around Chipping to watch as an entourage of tractors drive around the village.
Tractors will set off from Green Lane Showground at 10am.
It costs £15 to enter a tractor, including a two-course lunch.
Spectators can stand and watch for free.
All money raised will go towards Rosemere Cancer Foundation.
PAID: Blackburn and East Lancs Model Railway Exhibition, September 3 and 4
A Model Railway Exhibition will be held at Hyndburn Leisure Centre, Henry Street, Accrington, from 10am until 5pm.
There will be layouts in various scales, specialist traders and demonstrators from across the UK and refreshments are available. Adult entry is £7, with children free. Parking is also free. The exhibition is organised by Blackburn and East Lancs Model Railway Society.
FREE AND PAID: Wigan 10k, September 4
Wigan’s annual 10k race, organised by charity Joining Jack, starts at 10am at the town centre. There will be live entertainment, a European Market, and a fun fair. Starsailor frontman James Walsh will close the music festival. Meanwhile, the day before, there is a Fun Run for children at Robin Park, from 11am until 5pm. Free entry. For registration times visit http://www.wiganeventsguide.com/event/wigan-fun-runs/
PAID: Proms in the Park, Wigan, Saturday September 3
Families are invited to bring a picnic and something to sit on whilst enjoying an evening with music at Mesnes Park, Wigan.
Gates open at 6pm and the musical concert starts at 7.45pm.
The event ends at 10pm.
Tickets are £10 for adults, £7 for children and concessions.
A family ticket is £28.
PAID: HAPPA Grand Open Day, Saturday September 3
Families are invited to Horse and Pony Protection Association’s annual open day extravaganza at Shores Hey Farm, off Halifax Road, Briercliffe, Burnley, from noon until 4pm.
There will be stalls, games, cake, scarecrow and produce competitions, horse riding displays and live music. There will also be handling sessions from Cooper’s Critters. Admission is £1 per person.
FREE: Parbold Street Festival, September 3 to 4
A total of 14 venues throughout the village offer a showcase in arts, education, entertainment and music, from noon on Saturday. There will be music from local bands and singers on the Big Stage by the Railway pub; a market place with more than 40 stalls; barges dressed in lights for the Festival of Light; a duck race; theatre; fairground; Kids Zone; workshops; horse demonstrations; and family fun.
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story Top 10 things to do in Lancashire at the weekend Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area...


Here is a list of fun events coming up this weekend.


Top 10 things to do in Lancashire at the weekend


Pier Jam will make its long awaited return to North Pier this Saturday, just so long as the weather stays calm.
Part two of the four-part series was called off on Saturday, August 20 due to “unprecedented weather”, in line with advice from the Authorities, Local Licensing & Pier Safety Officers.
Duke Dumont, Tchami, Philip George and Son of 8 had been due to perform at the house music event but the adverse weather conditions made this impossible.
However ticket holders for Pier Jam 2 were offered a refund or the chance to transfer their ticket over to this weekend’s event.
Part three on Saturday is headlined by Hannah Wants, with performances from Shadowchild, Shiba San, Tough Love and Monki also scheduled.
Hannah Wants headlines the event on the back of being voted Best Bass DJ at the Pacha Music Awards and Best DJ at the BMA’s in 2015.
Over the last few years her hard-hitting style has made her world-renowned and a must for any festival organisers.
Shadowchild is the alias of Simon Neale, somewhat of a veteran of the electronic music scene.
Also joining them is WMC Award winner Shiba San, BBC Radio 1’s Monki and Tough Love, best known for their top 20 single ‘So Freakin’ Tight’.
Tickets are on sale from £20 and are available at http://www.pierjam.com/tickets.


Pier Jam will make its long awaited return to North Pier this Saturday, just so long as the weather stays calm.


Police are appealing for information after a Blackpool man went missing.
Philip Martin, 38, was last seen in Reaney Avenue around 1.30pm on Friday, August 17.
Mr Martin has not been seen or heard from since then, with friends and work colleagues becoming concerned for his welfare.
PC Charlotte Bartlett, of Blackpool Police, said: “There have been no confirmed sightings of Philip for close to two weeks and we are now extremely worried about him.
“We would urge anybody who sees him, or who knows where he may be, to contact us immediately.
“Similarly we would appeal to Philip, if he sees this, to get in touch to let us know he is safe.”
Mr Martin is described as white with cropped, dark brown hair. It is not known what clothing he was wearing when he disappeared.
He is believed to have links to Cumbria and Yorkshire.
Anybody with information is urged to contact police on 101, quoting log number 0625 of August 23.

Appeal made as Blackpool man goes missing


Police are appealing for information after a Blackpool man went missing.


It’s probably win or bust for Fleetwood in this afternoon’s derby clash with Blackpool after the Broadwater club lost further ground to their Fylde coast rivals in the Northern Premier League title race.
In what could prove a decisive double-header holiday weekend, Fleetwood lost by 79 runs at Preston, while Blackpool began an up and down 24 hours at Netherfield with a precious win. The Stanley Park club returned to the same ground for yesterday’s Readers Cup semi-final but lost by 30 runs.
Blackpool played their first match for three weeks in Cumbria on Saturday but were straight back in the groove, dismissing their hosts for 58 en route to victory by 64 runs.
Blackpool were put into bat and were quickly in trouble as three of their top four managed just five between them .
However, Andy Furniss and wicketkeeper Ben Howarth steered the visitors past the hundred mark, both making 25 before Blackpool were dismissed for 122 with 4.2 overs remaining. Mark Clarkson made Netherfield’s early inroads and finished with 5-63 from 15 overs, James Johnson taking 3-15 off 4.4.
This modest total proved more than ample as only two Netherfield batsmen reached double figures and they were all out in 32.1 overs. Blackpool pro Daryl Mitchell made 4-28 from 11.1 overs and Jake Muncaster an excellent 3-6 from five overs on his elevation to the first team.
Blackpool still hold their three-point lead over Leyland, who won at Chorley by four wickets, and the Stanley Park club have a game in hand. Leyland are at home to Darwen today.
South African Daryn Smit enjoyed an outstanding Fleetwood debut but couldn’t spare them a 79-run defeat at Preston. The all-rounder filled the shoes vacated by departed professional Travis Dean and took 7-47 from 15.3 overs of leg spin after Fleetwood put their hosts in.
Preston were all out for 173 in 46.4 overs after solid contributions from all their top-four, former St Annes all-rounder Lukman Vahaluwala leading the way with 47.
Smit, who had been playing for Rossendale in the Lancashire League, was Fleetwood’s best with the bat as well, scoring 21 at number six, but seven of his team-mates got out for eight or fewer as the visitors were dismissed for 94 in 36.3 overs, Lukman and Afzal Kapadia both taking three wickets. It means Fleetwood have slipped to fourth, behind a Barrow side that beat bottom club Morecambe by 68 runs.
Today’s game at Fleetwood is Blackpool’s third in as many days after they returned to Netherfield only to miss out on a place in the Readers Cup final. The hosts chose to bat in this semi and made 138-7 from their 35 overs,
Bradley Earl gave them a solid platform, top-scoring with 34 in an opening stand of 56 with captain Ben Barrow.
The Blackpool reply was soon in big trouble at 33-5 as the top four misfired for the second day running, scoring only nine between them.
Number eight Daniel Pile showed them how to do it with 31 but it was too late to save the game, Blackpool dismissed for 108 in 32.4 overs.
Tom Bruce took 3-33 from seven overs for Netherfield, who face Lancaster in Sunday’s final.
St Annes dropped a spot to eighth after a five-wicket defeat at home to Penrith.
The hosts struggled without professional Shadley van Schalkwyk and toiled to 123 in 43.3 overs after being put in at Vernon Road.
Number seven Henry Higson, with an unbeaten 37, showed his team-mates how it was done as seven of them mustered only six runs between them, Greg Hall and Zakhele Qwabe both helping themselves to four wickets.
Penrith wicketkeeper Chris Marrow then carried his bat for 68 as the visitors sealed victory in 31.1 overs at 124-5.
Lytham welcomed back Toby Lester for their Liverpool Competition match at Bootle but the Lancashire player couldn’t quite secure a draw as he got out to the final ball.
The hosts chose to bat at Wadham Road and made 190 in 53.2 overs thanks largely to opener Jackson Knight’s 85 from 92 balls, with 16 fours and a six. Taylor Cornall dismissed him on his way to 4-29 from 12.3 overs.
In reply, wicketkeeper Gary Knight was Lytham’s top scorer with 40, putting on 55 for the sixth wicket with Tom Morrison.
Lytham were always off the pace but looked like holding on for the draw with Lester at the crease.
Needing to see out the 51st and final over, Lester fell to Christ Liptrot’s last ball for 27 and the visitors were all out for 137, beaten by 53 runs.
Moore and Smalley SE+ Palace Shield results
Premier division: Fulwood and Broughton 223-4 (M Smith 56no, B Parkinson 53, M Smith 48) beat Garstang 161 (Mark Walling 36, U Sadaqat 4-10 ) by 62 runs, Fylde 28 ( Driver 6-11, S Marsh 4-16 )lost to Croston 74 ( D Smith 5-31) by 47 runs, Penwortham 69-0 beat Whittingham and Goosnargh 64 by 10 wickets, Thornton Cleveleys 155 (J Eade 60no, A Hogarth 5-47) lost to Freckleton 221-8 (A Hogarth 127no) by 66 runs, Torrisholme 93 lost to Longridge 96-1 by nine wickets, Vernon Carus 128-6 beat Great Eccleston 124 by four wickets.
Division One: Garstang 2 108-8 (A Egerton 30, D Billington 4-21) beat BAC-EE Preston 87 by 21 runs, Kirkham and Wesham 125 (D Moore 32, R McCutcheon 4-13) lost to Vernon Carus 2 129-4 (D Whittle 51no) by six wickets, Longridge 2 150-7 (A Simpson 31, I Davies 4-26) beat Norcross 149-9 (C Parker 41, W Baines 3-26, D Wilson 3-52) by three wickets, Rufford 88 lost to Eccleston 90-6 by four wickets, White Coppice 153-6 beat Hogton 145 by eight runs, Withnell Fold 93 lost to Fulwood and Broughton 2 96-3 by seven wickets.
Division Two: Great Eccleston 2 243-8 (I Dudhara 81no, J Whittle 49, P Harvey 40, J Bass 4-64) beat Thornton Cleveleys 2 93 (J Whittle 6-24) by 150 runs, Gregson Lane 112 lost to Penwortham 2 139-6 by 27 runs, Mawdesley 119 (C Gibbons 30, W Norris 4-12, T Phillips 4-31) beat Wrea Green 98 (M Wood 50, D Lemarinel 5-25 ) by 21 runs, New Longton 205 beat Tarleton 124 by 81 runs, Walton-le-Dale 138 (S Keely 34, M Cowburn 5-26, J Brown 3-38) lost to South Shore 139-1 (D Jardine 66no) by nine wickets, Whittle and Clayton-le-Woods 86-4 (C McMahon 51 ) beat Blackpool 3 85 (C Allison 30, T Markham 5-29) by six wickets.

Weekend cricket round-up: Ups and downs for Blackpool at Netherfield


It’s probably win or bust for Fleetwood in this afternoon’s derby clash with Blackpool after the Broadwater club lost further ground to their Fylde coast rivals in the Northern Premier League title race.


The critically acclaimed Russian State Opera will be bringing ‘Carmen’ to the Blackpool Grand Theatre on Sunday, September 18.
Georges Bizets’ Carmen, described as “The most powerful and enjoyable opera”, features a live orchestra with more than 30 musicians. The songs are in French but there will also be English subtitles available for those, like myself, whose French vocabulary stretches as far as ‘bonjour’ and ‘au revoir’.
Set in 19th century Seville, It tells the story of the downfall of Don José, a naïve soldier who is seduced by Carmen, free-spirited femme fatale. José abandons his childhood sweetheart and deserts from his military duties, yet loses Carmen’s love to the glamorous toreador Escamillo.
The music from the opera, which was first performed in 1875, is widely acclaimed and the ‘Toreador Song’ is among the best known of all operatic arias.
Producer Alexej Ignatow, of Amande Concerts Ltd, who has co-ordinated the UK tour, said: “We are constantly on the lookout for new challenges, to ensure that our opera and ballet audiences get a chance to experience a wide spectrum of various classic pieces.
“With extensive national tours that get our productions seen the length and breadth of the country, we are able to offer national audiences in various theatres an unforgettable experience at a fraction of the price, all without sacrificing quality. So, it is very close to my heart to continue working with theatres all over the UK to deliver top quality productions every year and make new converts wherever we go.
“No experience is needed to enjoy these classics. Our sets and costume designs, as well as the informative programmes make the productions very accessible and most of all, enjoyable. For opera, English surtitles make it easy to follow the story as you listen to the performance sung in its original language.”
If you’ve never been to an opera before but have always been interested, then this might be the perfect opportunity. With exciting themes such as love, treachery, passion and betrayal, as well as the English subtitles, this might just be the perfect way in.
Tickets are priced between £18.50 and £35.50. A special discounted price of £12.50 is available to under 26’s, subject to availability. Call 01253 290 190.


The critically acclaimed Russian State Opera will be bringing ‘Carmen’ to the Blackpool Grand Theatre on Sunday, September 18.


The types of cookies we, our ad network and technology partners use are listed below:
Revenue Science ► A tool used by some of our advertisers to target adverts to you based on pages you have visited in the past. To opt out of this type of targeting you can visit the 'Your Online Choices' website by clicking here.
Google Ads ► Our sites contain advertising from Google; these use cookies to ensure you get adverts relevant to you. You can tailor the type of ads you receive by visiting here or to opt out of this type of targeting you can visit the 'Your Online Choices' website by clicking here.
Digital Analytics ► This is used to help us identify unique visitors to our websites. This data is anonymous and we cannot use this to uniquely identify individuals and their usage of the sites.
Dart for Publishers ► This comes from our ad serving technology and is used to track how many times you have seen a particular ad on our sites, so that you don't just see one advert but an even spread. This information is not used by us for any other type of audience recording or monitoring.
ComScore ► ComScore monitor and externally verify our site traffic data for use within the advertising industry. Any data collected is anonymous statistical data and cannot be traced back to an individual.
Local Targeting ► Our Classified websites (Photos, Motors, Jobs and Property Today) use cookies to ensure you get the correct local newspaper branding and content when you visit them. These cookies store no personally identifiable information.
Grapeshot ► We use Grapeshot as a contextual targeting technology, allowing us to create custom groups of stories outside out of our usual site navigation. Grapeshot stores the categories of story you have been exposed to. Their privacy policy and opt out option can be accessed here.
Subscriptions Online ► Our partner for Newspaper subscriptions online stores data from the forms you complete in these to increase the usability of the site and enhance user experience.
Add This ► Add This provides the social networking widget found in many of our pages. This widget gives you the tools to bookmark our websites, blog, share, tweet and email our content to a friend.


Callous thieves broke into a well-known Fleetwood ‘sea mine’ to steal money donated to charity.


She might not be able to fly right up to the sky but the daughter of the legendary Keith Harris will be following in her father’s footsteps, performing at a variety show on Friday, September 16.
Sixteen-year-old Kitty Harris grew up in Poulton and although she hasn’t taken up her dad’s ventriloquism, she’s still a natural performer and has been singing and dancing since the age of four at Langleys Dance Centre.
She has even appeared with her dad at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool in ‘Best of British’ produced by Duggie Chapman.
It’s Steve Hewlett, the ventriloquist who finished in fourth place on the 2013 series of Britian’s Got Talent, and a close friend of Keith Harris, who personally asked Kitty to perform at the ‘Talents of Britain’ show at the Lancaster Grand next month.
Speaking about Kitty’s inclusion in the talent show, Steve said it was a no-brainer, saying: “I’m proud to be introducing Kitty at The Grand in Lancaster this September.
“This will be a very Special moment for me, Kitty, her family and Talents of Britain, as she is not only a fantastic talent in her own right but she has been guided by wonderful parents and one of the most successful performers Great Britain has ever seen in Keith Harris.
“She will do his legacy proud.”
Steve was a long-time friend of Keith, before his death in 2015, and added that he saw him as somewhat of a mentor, he said: “I was 16 Kitty’s age) when I first worked with Keith on a TV show in 1993.
“As a young ventriloquist he was so helpful to me. When I entered BGT 2013 he was one of the close friends I asked for guidance and he was chuffed I got to the final.
“He was so encouraging and kind from that day to his last.
“He would call me just to see how I was doing and my family and just gave me his generous advice and time.”
Talents of Britain is touring this Autumn on the back of a sell-out 2015. As well as Steve Hewlett and Kitty Harris, it also features the likes of dancers Stavros Flatley, comedian Kev Orkian and impressionist Paul Burling.
Tickets are priced at £17 for adults and £15 for concessions. They’re available to buy from http://www.lancastergrand.co.uk/

Kitty follows legendary father on to the stage


She might not be able to fly right up to the sky but the daughter of the legendary Keith Harris will be following in her father’s footsteps, performing at a variety show on Friday, September 16.


The English Beat - starring original songwriter and lead-singer of The Beat, Dave Wakeling - have announced their UK tour heading to 53 Degrees in Preston on Thursday September 22nd.
Dave Wakeling – the songwriter and lead-singer of The Beat - returns to the UK this September for a full UK tour, where he will be showcasing new material due for release in 2017.
The singer, songwriter and guitarist behind the biggest 1980’s 2-Tone Band, The Beat, known in the US as The English Beat, Dave Wakeling is the consummate showman, touring the world with an all-star line-up, performing all the hits of The Beat, General Public and a host of new songs.
The English Beat will play an extensive run of UK dates including shows in Liverpool, Newcastle, Cardiff, and London, and Dave’s hometown and the birthplace of many Beat lyrics and classics, Birmingham.
The band has been busy in the studio working on their first new album in 30 years, due for release in February 2017, titled ‘Here We Go Love’.
With a unique energy, pure melody, passion and politics, it’s impossible to forget the genius of UK Top 10 singles, ‘Mirror in the Bathroom’, ‘Hands Off She’s Mine’ and ‘Too Nice To Talk To’, before The Beat disbanded in 1983.
“I am very excited to be coming back to the UK to play shows and to get to introduce the songs from our upcoming new album. We have been in summer training, with shows with ub40, b52’s, culture club and train, and the band is in tip top form and ready to rock, steady!” Dave Wakeling.
SEPTEMBER TOUR DATES:
Friday 16th September – Concorde 2, Brighton
Saturday 17th September – Skabour Festival, Folkstone
Sunday 18th September – The Forum, Tunbridge Wells www.twforum.co.uk
Tuesday 20th September – Fibbers, York
Wednesday 21st September – The Magnet, Liverpool
Thursday 22nd September – 53 Degrees, Preston
Friday 23rd September – Robin 2, Wolverhampton
Saturday 24th September – The Windsor, Fife
Sunday 25th September – Volunteer Hall, Galashiels
Tuesday 27th September – Think Tank, Newcastle
Wednesday 28th September – Trades Club, Hebden Bridge http://thetradesclub.com
Thursday 29th September – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
Friday 30th September – Crauford Arms, Milton Keynes
OCTOBER TOUR DATES:
Saturday 1st October – Birmingham O2 Institute, Birmingham
Monday 3rd October – Ruby Lounge, Manchester
Tuesday 4th October – Komedia, Bath
Wednesday 5th October – Rescue Room, Nottingham
Friday 7th October – The Zone Night Club, Redruth http://broadbeat.co.uk
Saturday 8th October – The Garage, London

Dave Wakeling’s The English Beat skanking their way to 53 Degrees


The English Beat - starring original songwriter and lead-singer of The Beat, Dave Wakeling - have announced their UK tour heading to 53 Degrees in Preston on Thursday September 22nd.


Donations to hospital charity Blue Skies Hospitals Fund have been used to buy testing equipment which will rapidly speed up the diagnosis of encephalitis and meningitis.
The equipment, a Biofire Film Array, tests cerebrospinal fluid taken from patients who have come to hospital with suspected meningitis or encephalitis – a rare but serious condition that causes inflammation of the brain. It tests for several different bacteria and viruses, and the results come back within an hour of the test starting, allowing doctors to begin or amend any treatment.
From a patient’s point of view, if the test comes back negative the doctors can stop any treatment they’ve started
The equipment is based in Blackpool Victoria Hospital’s Pathology Department which applied to Blue Skies – the charity for Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – for the funding.
Before Blue Skies agreed to funding, the team would have to send the spinal fluid via medical taxi to Manchester for processing and results would be expected to take a minimum of two days.
Biomedical Scientist Dawn Singleton said: “From a patient’s point of view, if the test comes back negative the doctors can stop any treatment they’ve started.
“That’s as important as if the results come back positive when we would be able to properly tailor the treatment.
“A lot of viral illnesses do not need treatment at all, but previously a patient would be started on intravenous medication while the test was carried out.”
The Biofire is currently being set up, and should be in use within the hospital within a month.
It is hoped it will eventually be used not only for spinal fluid tests but other fluids as well which will help patients presenting with an array of symptoms.


Donations to hospital charity Blue Skies Hospitals Fund have been used to buy testing equipment which will rapidly speed up the diagnosis of encephalitis and meningitis.


A fundraiser is aiming to travel to all 62 train stations in Lancashire in under 24 hours.
David Chandler is taking part in the “Lancashire Challenge” to raise funds for a hospice.
The route depends on a lot of luck!
The 46-year-old admin officer will set off on a journey like no other on September 16 by visiting every station across Lancashire.
David, who works for Lancaster Canal Boats and is a volunteer radio station presenter , said: “I like a challenge and this has not been done before. I have got a friend who works on the railways, he is also a mathematician, he worked out the route for me and we think it is just about doable.
“It is actually difficult, as there are less trains and the stations are spread far and wide but it will be quite exciting when we start.
“I am not really a train buff, I know it appears that way but I am interested more in the people. I like the idea of travelling around all these places in one day.”
Covering hundreds of miles the “Lancashire Challenge” is David’s latest fundraiser for Lancaster’s St John’s hospice, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
Last year David completed a similar challenge, when he visited all 270 London Underground stations in 20 hours, eight minutes.
David said: “After the Tube challenge, I began to wonder if something similar could be done around the county of Lancashire.”
Lancashire has 62 railway stations and David has applied the same rules used on the Tube challenge for his latest venture.
He said: “We must visit each station on a scheduled passenger service. We can also travel between stations on foot or by public transport – but not by car, taxi or bicycle.
“The route we’ve put together depends on a lot of luck and services running on time.
“I’m hoping we don’t get any delays, or the day could be severely curtailed!”

Train odyssey around 62 train stations in Lancashire for campaign


A fundraiser is aiming to travel to all 62 train stations in Lancashire in under 24 hours.


Blackpool today unveiled its new litter-busting squad in a bid to slash the £3m annual cost of cleaning the resort’s streets of discarded waste.
As part of a zero tolerance crackdown on litter louts, the team - which took to the streets yesterday - will hand out £80 fines to anyone caught dropping litter or allowing their dog to foul.
The hard-line approach is part of a campaign to make Blackpool the cleanest seaside resort in the UK by 2020.
Currently around 3,000 tonnes of rubbish a year is picked up from the town’s streets including drinks cans, fast-food packaging and sweet wrappers.
Environmental specialist 3GS had been contracted to provide the enforcement teams with the scheme funded from the fines collected.
Its managing director Paul Buttivant, himself a former councillor in London, pledged anyone caught dropping litter would face the penalty.
But he added the clampdown would not be ‘over zealous’.
He said: “Our particular business model works very well because we are not vigilantes.
“We take a balanced approach to enforcement and are not over zealous.
“When we issue penalty tickets we also aim to educate people about why they should not be dropping litter.
“If an officer witnesses an individual littering, they approach them and deal with them on the spot.
“All our officers are salaried and we do not give them targets or incentivise them in any way. We are ethical in our approach.
“People can submit a complaint to us and if there was a genuine misunderstanding, then we will deal with it appropriately.”
Coun Gillian Campbell, deputy leader of Blackpool Council, said: “Littering is not only a crime but it shows a complete disregard to the area where you are living or visiting.
“In the past, some people would drop litter because they thought they could get away with it.
“However our new partnership with 3GS will make it much more likely those people will get caught.”
“With a resort as busy as Blackpool, some litter is to be expected and where possible our staff try to keep the area as clean as we can.
“However, with depleting resources it becomes more and more difficult to stay on top of it and we need the public to help us by putting their litter in the bin rather than dropping it on the floor.”
Nationally local authorities spend around £1bn a year cleaning up litter.
3GS says between 75 per cent and 80 per cent of the fines it issues are paid.

New team to bust Blackpool’s litterbugs unveiled


Blackpool today unveiled its new litter-busting squad in a bid to slash the £3m annual cost of cleaning the resort’s streets of discarded waste.


Getting a tattoo is a huge commitment– a permanent mark etched into your skin forever.
For many people, tattoos are a fashion statement, or a reminder of someone close to their heart.
Revival Tattoo's cover up of a faded tribal tattoo
But what happens when that permanent reminder turns out looking less-than-spectacular?
That’s where Blackpool’s very own ‘tattoo fixers’ step in, armed with a needle and plenty of ink to combat faded portraits, wonky lines, and the love hearts that represent bitter reminders of past relationships that didn’t quite work out as planned.
Revival Tattoos on Whitegate Drive and Mania Tattoo on Station Road are just two studios that offer a helping hand to tattoo enthusiasts who have grown tired of old, ugly tattoos.
Mania Tattoo manager Luke Williams, 32, said: “People come in asking for cover-ups every day. This is because the standard of tattoos has risen dramatically in the last 10 years. The quality of what can be achieved has changed. We’ve gone from cartoon style tattoos to masterpiece portraits.”
Revival Tattoo Design cover up a bungled attempt at a Kurt Cobain portrait with a skull
The demand for quick fixes has soared so much in recent years that some tattoo artists now boast their ability to effectively cover up old tattoos as their main talent.
Nathan Heywood, 25, of Revival Tattoos, is one of the few tattoo artists who specialises in covering up old and faded tattoos with bold ‘neo traditional’ style patterns, using bright colours to hide even the darkest of tats.
He became the first Englishman to walk away with a prize at the Westchester Tattoo Convention in New York last year, after impressing judges in the ‘best colour’ and ‘best neo traditional’ categories.
He said: “Cover-ups overwhelmingly outnumber the original tattoos that I do. It’s probably about 70 per cent cover-ups and 30 per cent ‘clean’.
Revival Tattoo artists fix a wonky-looking pocketwatch tattoo for one of their customers
“Fashion comes in and out. Ten years ago it was highly fashionable to have tribal tattoos and now they regret them.
“We get people travelling from all over the UK. As soon as word gets out that you can do cover-ups people are interested.
“Sometimes a tattoo can never be fixed, so all you can do is cover it up. I had a lad come in with a really awful tattoo of a skull and snake, so I covered it up - with a skull and a snake.
“It’s probably tribal tattoos I have to cover up the most. I’m not a massive fan of them. They’re basically just stylised black patterns - there’s no deep meaning behind them.
A cover-up by Mania Tattoos
“A tribal tattoo is extremely difficult to cover up because they are almost solid black. That’s where the neo-traditional style comes in handy.
“Some people jump around they are so happy it’s gone. Some people even cry because they’ve had a really terrible tattoo that they have had for years and they’ve been to 30 different artists who have all told them there’s nothing they can do.”
While Nathan uses striking colours to disguise poor quality tattoos, Mania Tattoo offers laser removal treatment to customers with particularly bold tattoos to fade the pattern ahead of performing a cover-up.
They are set to star in Channel 5’s ‘Tattoo Disasters’ this September, where they will tackle some of the country’s most ill-advised tattoos.
Luke said: “The main cover-up that we get asked to do is ex-girlfriends’ and boyfriends’ names.
“There’s also people who have tattooed themselves at home who turn up with horrific things on their arms that their friends have done because they bought a cheap kit off Amazon.
Revival tattoo artist Nathan Heywood
“The cost can range anywhere from £60 to £1,000 depending on the size of the tattoo.”
And the worst tattoo they have ever had to fix?
Nathan said: “One person came to me with an obscene tattoo on their forearm that was so bad it had put them on anti-depressants.
“Another man had gone to an artist for a tattoo of his baby son and it turned out looking like Quasimodo. One eye was bigger than the other, the lips were wonky and the nose was flat. He wasn’t very happy!”
Luke said: “There was a young girl once came in and she had the word ARSENAL written down her arm in massive letters and it was just terribly done. All the letters were overlapping.
“It was one of the worst tattoos I had ever seen.
“In the end it turned out we couldn’t do anything for her because she was under 18.”


Getting a tattoo is a huge commitment– a permanent mark etched into your skin forever.


A body been recovered from Preston Docks today (Saturday), police have confirmed.
Eyewitnesses reported a heavy police presence on the Docks including an ambulance and aquatic search team from the fire service.
One bystander, who asked not to be named, said they had seen a white bike pulled from the water, followed by a body.
Emergency services have been at the scene in Navigation Way since shortly before noon today.
Police have not yet been able to give any further details, other then the body being recovered.


A body been recovered from Preston Docks today (Saturday), police have confirmed.


Police are trying to trace a man missing from home in the Rossendale area who has links to the Fylde coast.
Stephen Walker, 49, was last seen at his home address at around 7am on Burnley Road East in Waterfoot on Tuesday, August 9. His family haven’t seen or heard from him since.
PC Pete Law said: “We are getting increasingly concerned for Mr Walker’s welfare as he has been missing for over a week now.
“If you have seen him or know of his whereabouts, please make contact with us.”
Stephen is described as white, 5ft 8ins, medium build with blue eyes, thinning grey hair, a goatee beard, a tanned complexion and cropped hair.
He is known to have links to the St Annes and Blackpools area and could be travelling in a red Fiat Stilo with the registration PY02 ULT.
Anyone with information can call police on 101 quoting incident reference LC-20160823-0449.


Police are trying to trace a man missing from home in the Rossendale area who has links to the Fylde coast.


After months of rumours, Apple has all but confirmed that the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be officially unveiled on 7 September.
The tech giant has confirmed plans for a major media event in San Francisco next Wednesday where it is expected to take the wraps off the newest version of its groundbreaking mobile.
A second-generation iWatch is also expected to be revealed at the event.
Rumours around the iPhone 7’s specifications have been flying around for months. It is expected to be slimmer and lighter than the current iPhone 6S and there is a suggestion it could be waterproof.
Leaked photos also suggest it could do away completely with a headphone jack, replacing the traditional tangle of white wires with wireless Bluetooth-connected headphones.
There is also speculation that the larger 7 Plus will come with a dual-camera system.
It is likely to get a full HD 1080p edge-to-edge screen and a larger battery to keep users online for longer and address criticisms about the longevity of the iPhone 6.
Speculation about processing power has ranged from a dual-core processor like the 6S up to an unlikely hex-core but RAM is expected to remain at 2GB. Whatever the hardware, it’s likely to come with iOS 10 and the variety of functionality upgrades that brings with it.
Pricing is expected to follow Apple’s trend of keeping the cost of new handsets stable so the iPhone 7 will cost around £539 but that’s likely to come with 32GB of storage, a jump over its predecessor’s 16GB.

iPhone 7 launch date confirmed - and it’s soon


After months of rumours, Apple has all but confirmed that the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be officially unveiled on 7 September.