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Thursday, March 6th, 2003 No. 6,087 • ft* Ifr <? > V


*^ 4d mtC’4 W <r n » Antl-war Up1 ■ *MT > 1 kl ^ *Ml»*ltl > In town ) ' U **} page 3 AT A GLANCE


A number of Clitheroe retailers have been hit as a credit card scam targets the Ribble Valley..


— —— — ■ page 7


Ribble Valley farmer John Alpe has won a top environment award for farm improvemehts.


................ .... . page 7


After selling fireworks to a 13- year-old, a newsagent appears in court. ‘.


■ i ...... . ■■■i.— — — page 3 ■■


Our Class of 2003 draws to a close with three village schools in the spotlight.',


i page 8


Rovers’ star Brad Friedl makes a Clarets’ fan’s day as guest of honour at a new business opening.


— page 11


A former Ribblesdale High School pupil has landed a major role in theatre management.


page 5


Racing driver Bill Rhodes has reclaimed a North of England title after 10.years.'


'


1 moderate SW, winds jfe and possible rain.


WEEKEND WEATHER: Dulljind cloudy with


SUNRISE: 6-49 a.m. SUNSET: 5-54 p.m.


LIGHTING UP TIME: ' • 5-54 p.m.


page 35


CALLUS ■News:


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Editorial e-mail: ■ vivien.meath@ eastlancsnews.co.uk


W Z i *


for e f fo r t


age 5


These test failures are driving Mable crazy!


A VALLEY woman’s driving test failure faces legal scrutiny in court. Mrs Mable Trotter, of Garnett


Road, Clitheroe, is taking the rare step of challenging the examiner’s decision - the fourth to go against her. The Driving Standards Agency is


defending the case, a civil one to be heard at the local area’s magistrates’ court m Blackburn. The bench has no power to alter the result but, if it agrees with Mrs Trotter's claims, it can order a free re-test. _


Mrs Trotter (38) moved to Britain in 2000 after meeting her husband,


; David, a maintenance engineer, pic? tured with her, while on holiday here. She comes from Zambia and passed


the driving te s t both there and in America first time.


1 She once drove buses and has never


had an accident m 14 years a t the wheel. Efforts to obtain a permanent full


licence now she lives locally have come to nothing. Mrs Trotter has failed the test twice at Nelson and twice at Skip- ton: • .■ 1 “I did not complain about the first


■ '


three, but I believe the latest result was incorrect' and this is why I have brought the action,” says Mrs Trotter, who'is employed as an administrative assistant. • “I will pursue the case as far as nec­


essary to get justice.” Test’ appeals which actually reach


court are very rare. Most are dealt with by the Driving Standards Agency’s own procedures, (s)


Schoolboy Oliver lined up to be a top gun thanks to RAF


by Natalie Cox


a s hei’learris.more about the mechanics of flying and-the hi-’ tech- equipmentiwhich' keeps ’ the armed force’s high-flyers airborne. As well as meeting station


will be showing the 10-year- old round the North West’s only flying station at Wood- vale in Formby. : • • ■' And no doubt the would-be pilot will be in seventh heaven


WHALLEY schoolboy Oliver Farnsworth will today see a flight of fan­ tasy become a reality. Top guns from the RAF


commander S/Ldr Simon Col­ lier, Oliver will be guided round th e base; by flying instructor F/Lt Helen Bond, before enjoying lunch in the officers’ mess. His itinerary will include a


Y v #


visit to the aircraft hanger and the air traffic control tower and,i if time permits, Oliver hopes to be shown the Mersey­ side Police helicopter. Accompanying him on his


dream day out will be school- friend David Barker, parents Andrew and Elaine Smalley, together with his headteacher a t Whalley CE P rim a ry School, Mr Brian Beresford. Mr Beresford explained that


the exciting o p p o r tu n i ty awaiting Oliver today was the culmination of an English exercise titled “Writing for a Purpose”. “As part of this aspect of the


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the project had resulted in such an exciting outcome. The RAF’s invitation came


as quite a shock to Oliver’s parents. His mother, Mrs Elaine Smalley, said: “I did not know he was writing the letter until he came home and said he had sent one to the RAF.: ; “I asked what he had put in it and he said he had asked for


r information and said he was = not sure, whether ithey, would i Write back; biit he was really pleased.when they did.” ’ She added that Oliver, of The Meadows, Billington,;. has


Galways’shown a keen interest in ’machinery, paying particular


I attention .to technical detail ■aiid often pulling things to


' pieces before p u tt in g them back together again. Building


.model planes and Lego con striictioiis are hobbies he has


:also always enjoyed. ■ “When we have been on holi­ day he always wanted to know every detail about the planes


.and was fascinated watching them take off and land,” said Mrs Smalley. 1 ; She added: “He has always


National Curriculum the chil­ dren have to write le t te r s aimed a t different audiences and in different styles ranging from the formal to the infor­ mal,” said Mr Beresford. “To make it more meaning:


ful to th e pupils th ey are asked to write to people or


organisations they are inter­ ested in, such as football clubs. “Oliver decided to write to


the RAF, saying he was inter­ ested in becoming a pilot. “The RAF rang to say his


letter had stood out because it had been so well written. Then


Valley on target to become a county cultural quarter


by Robbie Robinson ’


THE Ribble Valley is en route to becoming the Cultural Quarter of East Lancashire. T h e pro p o sa l for th e CQEL, p ro ­


nounced “sequel”, will draw together the separate arts and cultural groups th a t cur­ rently exist in the area, so th a t planning, funding, renovation of existing venues and the creation of new ones can be co-ordi­


nated for the greater benefit of the Valley. Representatives from th e Platform


Gallery, the Centenary Theatre, Great Days Festival, New Form Arts, the Parish Hall Development Committee, the Youth Arts Centre and other interested, parties met to discuss the joint initiative on Monday. They discussed how the formation of a co- ■


ordinated'strategy,-independent of, but drawing on the resources of all the groups, including.Ribble Valley,Borough Council, - would improve local quality of life through a


combined commitment to cultural develop­ ment. Mr Hugh Geddes, of Ribble Valley Enter­


prise Park, Barrow, where the meeting was held, said a “cultural champion” was need­ ed who would drive the Valley’s cultural strategy.


• ■ •••• : . . Also attending were Mr Peter Crompton


of Business Environments .Group, who stressed the feasibility study for arts and entertainments projects,in the town is cur­ rently examining a broad range of develop­ ments, including the parish hall require­ ments.


, . At the meeting, which was arranged by


Mr Geoff Jackson of Trinity, Mr Chris Hughes, leisure and tourism manager with the borough council, stressed any co-ordina­ tion would be welcomed and supported by the council, but the overall strategy could not be council driven. ; However, it was concluded that a co-ordi­ nating policy and team was vital for any cul­ tural development, so more meetings will be held to progress the decision. - \ *


ROYAL visits have certainly been to the fore during the Ribble Val-. ley Mayor's year of. office. Coun. Mrs Joyce Holgate has


already met the Queen,.Duke of '; Edinburgh, Prince Charles and Princess Anne. On Thursday she will be adding Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, Countess of Wes­ sex, to her list. "It has been a wonderful year,"


says Coun. Holgate, who is already wondering if past Mayors cam equal her royal tally! ■


> The Earl and Countess of Wes­


sex are to open the new East Lan- cashire. Hospice at-P a rk Lee', Blackburn. And the borough's


Mayor will not be the only Valley resident meeting the royals. : Lord and Lady Clitheroe will be present, MP Nigel Evans has been


-invited and hospice chairman, Downham resident Mr Geoffrey


■Braithwaite and his wife, Diana, will be to the fore. ..


- The visitors will be touring the


impressive facility before dining there, along-with some 30 invited guests. : For Mr Braithwaite, it will be


an extremely proud day. He has been involved with the project since 1979, joined the committee in


1983 and became "chairman in 1997." ■


Chip range damaged in blaze


THE frying range in a'chip shop ..;Firefighters attended the inci-’ in Waddington Road; Clitheroe, dent and,the fire was contained;, was slightly damaged when i t but.the first and second floors;


caught fire on Saturday n ig h t ;.^suffered some smoke damage. ; ' i


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they said they wanted to invite him to Woodvale, along with his parents. I t really will be a wonderful opportunity for him.” Mr Beresford said th a t


although o th e rp u p i ls had often received replies to their letters, this was the first time


> wanted to be a pilot. I t is his dream. He is so excited about the visit. I am really, really pleased he was chosen and I do hot think he quite believes it himself. At school he has always been good at maths and science, while English has not been one of his stronger sub­ jects. That is what was espe-


' dally pleasing to me because he seems to have written an intel ligent and imaginative letter.” (J040303/7/a)


yOtlf local


•/ f o f p o in t- CENTRE


A model roofer with feet on the ground!


WALKING along rooftops and catwalks could all be in a day’s work for Clitheroe teenager Paul Parkington. Four months after finding he had. “The


Look” when he won a modelling competition sponsored by this newspaper, the 18-year-old could secure his first contract tomorrow. The former Ribblesdale High School Tech­


nology College pupil (pictured) has a casting for catalogue work., If successful it would be his first assignment. A roofer by trade, Paul said he had joked to


his girlfriend, Krista Stewart, about his ambi­ tion to become a model. In a bid to make his dream come true she entered him in “The Look” competition. “She didn’t tell me what it was about properly, but said I was going to be in the paper, so it was quite a surprise,” said Paul. . Not only did he make it into the final 12, but


Paul was eventually declared overall male champion by judge Martha Poole, managing director of Manchester-based modelling agency Industry People. I t was Paul’s person- ality-and potential commercial look which .. caught the judge’s eye.'


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1 ; “Winning was a great feeling, but quite a


shock,” said Paul, of Garnett Road. Part of his prize was to receive representa­


tion by Industry People, as well as having a series of shots taken for his portfolio. ■ Despite his success Paul says he just wants


to “make a few bob” from modelling. In the meantime.he will continue his studies at Birm­ ingham College, where he is in the second year of an NVQ in sheeting and cladding, (s)


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