It is not very often, when writing about Burnley, that we get to see four images of roughly the same spot representing a period of about 200 years but that is what we are going to consider today.

You will have noticed two of the images are not photographic. You may think they were produced before the invention of the camera but, if these were your thoughts, you would be wrong. In the course of this brief article let me try to explain why.

The first three images are of the Bull which stood at the junction of what is now Manchester Road and St James’s Street before the hotel was demolished soon after 1930. The fourth image is the Burton’s store which was built on the same site in the 1930s.

Now you know where we are, let us look at the first image. It shows the Bull in its first incarnation. The building first served as a small farm – the farmhouse is to the right and the barn, with its large wooden doors, to the left. The image also reminds us that, at this time, the 18th Century, or the very end of the 17th Century, when the building was constructed, people had to be inventive about their supplies of water. Notice the hand pump in front of the barn and the water butt at the extreme left of the building. There was no piped water in Burnley until 1819 and it had to be paid for so survivals like these were very common well into the 19th Century. The pump was not always reliable, even in Burnley’s climate, so the storage of water from the roof of a building was very sensible.

As we know, the original town centre of Burnley was on Church Street, near St Peter’s, but, after the middle years of the 18th Century, the centre moved, over a generation or so, to the site seen in today’s images. There were already a small number of buildings there. So far as we know, they appear to have been small farms, or crofts, and we know some were converted for other uses once the weekly market began to be held on St James’s Street.

This is shown in the second image which was made in the 1850s. It shows the town centre as it was then. The Bull is on the left and you can see the bottom part of Manchester Road alongside the building. The market moved from outside St Peter’s to the wide part of St James’s Street.

It was no accident that St James’s Street was wider at this point. This was so because it was intended that the open market should be held there. The buildings on the right, mostly shops, were built as they were to create enough space for the market to be held comfortably.

In fact, most of these buildings were built, not as shops, but houses. They were quite substantial and some of Burnley’s wealthier families occupied them when they were first built. We have records of this but I have not the space to go into that now. Incidentally, you might wonder why these properties, as often as not, were houses rather than shops? The reason is that Burnley people in the 18th Century were not really used to buying their supplies in shops. Many grew their own food and there were numerous small market gardens all over town where food could be bought. Some of these market gardens sold directly to the public but others, you have guessed it, sold their goods – milk, cheese, butter, vegetables, bread etc - at the weekly market.

Although there had been shops on Church Street at quite an early date – years before the move to St James’s Street – they were not shops as we would recognise them. They were a bit like the single storey lock-up shops some of you will remember from your younger days. For those of you who don’t, another comparison would be with a slightly more substantial, and a little more permanent, market stall, the kind that you see, on Market Days on the main street in Skipton, even today.

The wide part of St James’s Street can still be recognised today. At the time this picture was drawn it had at least one other use. When the market was not taking place, and the stalls removed, the space was uses as a sort of taxi rank and the single horse vehicle you can see, in the middle of the picture, is involved in that trade.

Moving on to the third picture, this is the Bull Hotel which replaced the farm buildings we saw in the first image. It dates from 1819 and was built by the Hargreaves family which ran Burnley’s coal mines. The Bull Hotel was Burnley’s most important hotel. In the days before the coming of the railways it served as a stop for the stage coaches that served the town and some of the carriers used the building as a booking office.

The hotel had numerous other uses but one of them was to serve as the meeting place for Burnley’s Improvement Commissioners, one of the fore-runners of the Town Council. As one of their rivals, the Town Committee (formerly the Select Vestry) met at the nearby Swan Hotel this part of town was not a pleasant place to be when the two bodies were in dispute. When Burnley achieved long overdue Borough status in 1861 this rivalry came to an end.

Before we leave the third image I want you to realise just how big the Bull Hotel was. You can do this by counting the chimney pots on the roof of the building. Each chimney pot served the fire of one room in the hotel. It will not take you long to realise there were a lot of rooms.

Not all of the structure was occupied by the Bull – you can see some shop awnings on the left of this picture which was taken between 1904 and 1908. It was in 1904 that the Manchester Road tram lines were opened and the image was franked, as a postcard, in 1908.

The last picture shows a similar scene but the Bull has gone, replaced by the Burnley branch of Burton’s, the tailors, who still occupy the site. There were two branches of Burtons in Burnley but this one was the one most people know about. It was built in the 1930s and is one of the better of Burnley’s 20th Century buildings. If you would like to find out the dates relating to the building all you have to do is visit the site, look beneath the windows and the story will unfold.

Remember, at the beginning of this article, I said I would reveal how it was that the first image was produced. It was not drawn in the 18th Century, or even in the early 19th, it was reconstructed from a bill head used by the Bull and made into a very popular postcard. The second image was drawn after the invention of photography (c1840) but it is likely it is more art than photograph. Of course, the last two images are photos and very good ones they are too.

A polytunnel company has become the first organisation in Pendle to become an accredited Living Wage employer.

First Tunnels Polytunnels Ltd will pay all staff a minimum hourly wage of £7.85, regardless of whether they are permanent employers or third-party contractors and suppliers.

Their commitment was applauded by the Living Wage Foundation, the organisation who independently set the Living Wage according to the basic cost of living in the UK.

The rate is currently set at £9.15 in London and £7.85 elsewhere.

By paying a Living Wage the Pendle company will be paying employees at least £1.35 per hour more than the national minimum wage of £6.50 currently provides for.

Managing Director of First Tunnels Polytunnels, Sean Barker, said: “This is a really proud moment for the company as it approaches celebrating 25 years in business.

“We believe we are the first and only Polytunnel supplier in the UK to achieve this accreditation, and as such are delighted to be leading the way.”

Employers choose to pay the Living Wage on a voluntary basis.

The Living Wage enjoys cross party support, with public backing from the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.

Living Wage Foundation Director, Rhys Moore said: “We are delighted to welcome First Tunnels to the Living Wage movement as an accredited employer.

“The best employers are voluntarily signing up to pay the Living Wage now.

“The Living Wage is a robust calculation that reflects the real cost of living, rewarding a hard day’s work with a fair day’s pay.”

Clarets boss Sean Dyche was disappointed with his side’s lack of cutting edge as they were knocked out of the Capital One Cup by League 1 Port Vale at Vale Park.

Burnley lacked cohesion going forward, and struggled to work Jak Alnwick in the home goal, and Dyche admitted: “I thought it was a good performance from Port Vale, ours was good with the ball, we kept it a lot, but didn’t really have the bite we normally show, particularly in the top third of the pitch.

“I thought defensively they were excellent, our two centre halves were outstanding, limited them to very little, but they got a goal which is in, but I must say, the referee gives a throw in and then somehow it’s a goal.

“The linesman didn’t give it, the referee did, but that’s by the by, right at the death we had a reaction to them scoring , but you have to react when it’s 0-0.”

He added: “I saw plenty of good habits with the ball, but not the cutting edge and bite we normally have, and they’re the things we have to correct. We had that at Leeds, but these games have a different kind of atmosphere, it’s important we remember what we’re about, do what we do best, and there were signs of that, but not enough in the top third.”

And he was typically tight-lipped over the Henri Lansbury saga, with the Nottingham Forest midfielder on the bench for Dougie Freedman’s side against Walsall, an unused substitute after Monday’s ‘is he, isn’t he’ scenario.

Dyche merely said: “The latest is we’re looking in the market to bring players in.”

Burnley Borough Council has collaborated with UCFB Burnley to promote three exciting scholarships over the next three years.

The scholarship will provide a UCFB Burnley student with £3,000 a year towards their tuition fees, assuming that they meet all their attendance and academic requirements.

Burnley Council leader Mark Townsend said: “It’s already great news that we have this prestigious and ambitious university college in our borough – a facility that links to {http://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/education/burnley-s-ucfb-college-of-football-business-to-open-wembley-campus-1-5446621|the only other UCFB campus in Wembley}.

“Alongside the development of the UCLAN campus, and the expansion of Burnley College and the University Technical College, it’s a sign of how opportunities for study and career development have opened up in our town.

“It’s even greater news that our partnership with UCFB has now led to these scholarships. They offer really significant financial help to residents.”

Professor Philip Wilson, provost and chief executive of UCFB said: “Establishing these scholarships demonstrates the commitment of the council and UCFB towards raising educational aspirations among the residents of Burnley.”

A world first in Higher Education, UCFB delivers university degrees in the football business, sport and leisure industries, taught at Turf Moor.

Nottingham Forest boss Dougie Freedman will speak to midfielder Henri Lansbury over his proposed £4m switch to Burnley, before making the final say.

Freedman is set for discussions with the 24-year-old and chairman Fawaz Al Hawasi, with the former Arsenal man potentially travelling north to then hold talks with Burnley as early as today.

Freedman said: “Henri’s opinion will count for a lot. I have to look after the interests of the football club, of myself and of the player – so there are three people who matter in this.

“I will make the decision with the chairman, over what is best for Forest. You have to take into consideration what the player wants as well. But we also need to balance the books while making sure we remain strong as a team.

“We are looking short in midfield, with Ben Osborn out with food poisoning as well, along with Robert Tesche’s injury. So that has to be a factor. But we also need a competitive edge on the pitch. The bid has not been rejected. We have noted that they have made a bid and we will get back to them with an answer, when I have had a talk with the chairman and with Henri.

“The final decision will lie with me, this club will always come first. We do not need money; we do not need to sell him. But we have to do what is right.”

A senior Forest executive revealed to the Nottingham media on Monday night that {http://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/burnley-fc/latest-news/burnley-s-4m-bid-for-henri-lansbury-accepted-by-nottingham-forest-1-7402937|Burnley’s bid had been accepted}, only for Fawaz to refute the claim later on Twitter,

An animal rights campaign group is offering a £1,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of two people who attacked a pair of alpacas in Lancashire.

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is offering a reward of up to £1,000 for information on the pair who attacked alpacas Bill and Ben at a nursing home in Haslingden, chasing them and throwing garden chairs at them.

The incident happened about 10.15pm on August 4th when men went into the grounds of Danesmoor Nursing Home in Helmshore Road.

{news/video-two-alpacas-attacked-in-lancashire-1-7399221|Do you recognise the men involved? Click here to see CCTV of them}

“It’s imperative that any community faced with a sadistic and violent act such as this take measures to find the culprits and bring them to justice”, says PETA UK spokesperson Elisa Allen.

“Animal abusers are a danger to everyone – they take their issues out on whoever is available to them, human or non-human, and must be caught before they act again.”

The campaign group says history shows that past incidents involving cruelty to animals regularly appear in the records of serial rapists and murderers. Young killers Mary Bell, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables as well as serial murderers Ian Huntley, Thomas Hamilton (the Dunblane massacre), Fred West, Dennis Nilsen, Ian Brady and Raoul Moat all started out by deliberately harming animals.

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact police on 01706 237367 or e-mail 3944@lancashire.pnn.police.uk and reference log number 1503.

I understand Burnley are interested in bringing Karlsruhe striker Rouwen Hennings to Turf Moor.

The 27-year-old has been a target for Championship rivals Sheffield Wednesday, who had a €2.5m bid rejected last month.

But the Clarets are hoping to push through a £3m deal for Hennings, who netted 18 goals in 29 games last season to finish top scorer in Bundesliga 2, helping Karlsruhe finish third.

Hennings added a goal against Hamburg in the promotion/relegation play-off game, though Hamburg prevailed 3-2 on aggregate.

A former Germany Under 21 international, scoring 13 in 21 appearances, Hennings has attracted interest from a number of Championship clubs, with Burnley looking to add firepower after the sale of Danny Ings to Liverpool, and the absence of the injured Ashley Barnes.

Hennings started his career with Hamburg II, where he hit 11 goals in 51 games, and after loan spells with VfL Osnabrück and St. Pauli, he joined St. Pauli in 2009, scoring 10 in 52 games.

A loan back to VfL Osnabrück brought a further five goals in 17 games, but his strikerate at Karlsruhe has been the best of his career, 37 in 95 appearances.

Teenagers across the country will wake up to find out if their hard work has paid off as they collect their A-level results.

Around 300,000 students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be heading to their schools and colleges to receive their grades.

For some, the results will dictate whether they get into their university, apprenticeship or training scheme of choice, or whether they have to reconsider their options.

Last year A-level pass rates dropped for the first time in more than three decades, while the proportion of exams awarded the very highest grades rose.

In total, 98% of exams scored at least an E grade, down by 0.1 percentage points - the first time it has fallen in 32 years.

Just over one in four (26%) of exams were awarded an A* or A grade, down 0.3 percentage points on 2013.

The proportion of A* grades rose to 8.2%, up 0.6 percentage points.

Boys out-performed girls at A* grade for the third year running, with 8.5% of boys’ entries attaining the top mark, compared with 7.9% of the girls, according to the official data, published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ).

Provisional data published by exams regulator Ofqual in May suggested the number of students opting to take a maths A-level continued to grow. It showed there had been 92,300 entries for the subject across the country, excluding Scotland, by April 20.

It also said there had been a rise in pupils choosing to take traditional subjects such as English and science, as they were seen as as “good currency” by those sixth-formers seeking to study at an institution where competition for places is intense.

Commenting ahead of the publication of today’s results, Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union in the UK, said: “The publication of this year’s A-levels results will once again be against a backdrop of uncertainty, not only from the impact of recent qualification reforms, but also amidst the now seemingly annual ritual of claims about inaccurate marking and questionable standards.

“Every year young people and teachers who have worked hard throughout the course see their efforts undermined by those who wish to detract from the achievements of our public education system which delivers, year on year, world-class standards of education.

“Teachers and pupils should be congratulated without reservation for what they have achieved.”

As the A-level results are published, youngsters who have applied for university will be finding out whether they have met the grade requirements to take up their chosen course.

The tens of thousands of would-be students without a university place are likely to enter clearing - the annual process which allows them to search and apply for courses that still have vacancies.

But those hoping to get last-minute admissions to the universities of Bath, Oxford or Cambridge are out of luck.

All three institutions will not be entering clearing this year as all of their places have already been filled.

Last year 512,000 people secured a place at university or college through Ucas, with 61,300 students accepted through clearing.

But in May one of Britain’s largest graduate employers announced it was going to drop using A-levels as a way of selecting recruits because it disadvantaged those from poorer backgrounds.

The accountancy firm PwC said it would no longer use an applicant’s A-level grades when deciding what young graduates to recruit.

The firm, one of the Big Four accounting giants, said the policy could “drive radical changes in the social mobility and diversity of the professional services’ industry”.

Until now, the company had looked at an applicant’s Ucas score, which gives points for the qualifications 16 and 17-year-olds have, as a way of screening which graduates to select.

But bosses decided to ditch the score as a means of filtering applicants after deciding the strong correlation between class and school performance meant many able candidates from poorer backgrounds were stumbling at the first hurdle.

PwC has been rated the top graduate employer by the Sunday Times for the past 12 years and receives 17 applications for every graduate role it advertises.

Nelson and Colne College Sixth Form are celebrating the amazing success of staff and students this A Level Results Day as they maintain a 100% pass rate for the fourth consecutive year.

A quarter of students at the college have achieved coveted A* to A grades, while many are going on to study at top universities across the UK, including the University of York, University of Warwick and University of Newcastle.

And, despite national reports suggesting a decline in top grades in Physics, Biology, and Chemistry, students have bucked the trend – with the percentage of A* to B grades in all three subjects rising.

These results build on the college’s ongoing success at having been chosen as part of an elite and small group to be awarded STEM Assured status – an industry-led kite-mark for excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. In Maths A* to B grades have increased by 17% from last year.

Nelson and Colne College Principal Amanda Melton said: “I am delighted the hard work, commitment and dedication of our outstanding students has paid off and that once again we are able to celebrate a 100% pass rate.

“We have seen an overall rise in top grades, and a special thank you must also go to our wonderful staff, whose commitment to exceptional teaching never fails to amaze me.

“Seeing our students progress from secondary school leavers to young adults ready for university or employment is an absolute joy, and we wish each and every one of them the best of luck on their next journey. We hope they stay in touch as part of our alumni network, and go on to inspire the next set of students ready to join the NCC community.

“It is particularly pleasing to see students doing so well in our STEM subject areas, following a £2m. investment in our engineering facilities.”

A major utility company has been charged with an alleged health and safety breach following the death of a Burnley schoolboy last year.

Shuttleworth College pupil Robbie Williamson (11) died on April 22nd last year after falling from a pipe while playing with friends on a canal bridge.

He slipped from a gas pipe attached to Dugdale Bridge along the Leeds Liverpool Canal in Lowerhouse Lane and hit his head on the bank before falling into the water.

Robbie was pulled from the water by nearby resident Peter Graham, but later died in hospital.

East Lancashire Coroner Mr Richard Taylor recorded a conclusion of {http://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/local/accidental-death-conclusion-into-death-of-robbie-1-7138343|accidental death following an inquest in March}, and raised concerns over the ease with which children can access such pipes.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive into the tragedy has led to the {http://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/local/utility-firm-faces-questions-after-boy-s-canal-fall-death-1-6590200|charge being made against National Grid}.

It is alleged that on or before April 22 2014, National Grid Plc., failed to discharge a duty imposed by health and safety legislation, with regards to “the conveyance of natural gas”.

The legislation covers ensuring “as was reasonably practicable” the health and safety of others by preventing the risk of injury by falls from the bridge.

If convicted by magistrates, National Grid Plc could be fined up to £20,000, or could face an unlimited fine if the case is sent to Crown Court.

Defence solicitors representing the London-based utility company requested an adjournment during a brief hearing at Burnley Magistrates Court on Friday August 7th. The case has been adjourned until September 11th,

A hard-up Colne ex-farmer who let his premises be used for a near £20,000 cannabis factory has walked free from court.

John Leslie Allison (69) of Hubbs House Farm, Southfield Lane, told police he had allowed somebody else to cultivate the drugs in his two bedrooms because he was going to get paid £2,000. He had fallen on hard times, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Miss Emma Kehoe said: “It was quite a sophisticated set-up, with fans, lighting and timers.”

She said cannabis worth £19,000 could potentially have been produced.

Allison admitted permitting his premises to be used for the production of cannabis on February 4th and had been committed for sentence by Pennine magistrates.

Judge Andrew Woolman sentenced him to six months in prison, suspended for two years.

Hubbs House Farm was shut down as a working farm by a closure order in February 2013.

In April this year, Allison was prosecuted for burning waste, which included plastics and tractor tyres, and which sent {http://www.pendletoday.co.uk/news/crime/police-probe-colne-blaze-farm-1-7096987|dark smoke across the area}.

He had been given a 12 month conditional discharge by magistrates, after admitting two charges of contravening the Clean Air Act.

In 2010, Allison appeared before Burnley Crown Court and had been {http://www.pendletoday.co.uk/news/filthy-colne-dairy-farm-is-closed-1-5433605|fined £1,700 after he was said to have run a “filthy” dairy}.

That hearing was told how Allison had earlier been told by health bosses to put things right at the farm, but had insisted the premises just needed a spring clean instead of major work.

Allison, whose business was described at that time as making a loss, had admitted 14 allegations under food hygiene legislation and three concerning animal welfare. He was also ordered to pay a £1,300 contribution towards the £8,800 costs of the case.

Sentencing him for those offences, Judge Philip Butler had said that Allison had not completely refused to comply with his obligations.

He said the defendant, who then had 50 cows and ran his small farm traditionally, had provided a massively important public service and although the offences were serious, he did not deserve to go to jail.

Jenny Molloy knows only too well what it means to be a neglected child, deprived of love and left to battle through life with nothing to depend on but your own wits and determination.

As the nine-year-old child of alcoholic parents in north London, she walked into a police station with her younger brothers and asked to be taken into care. By the age of thirty, she felt ready to deal with the demons of her childhood and engaged in intensive therapy.

Now, Molloy regularly gives talks and is asked by government bodies to advise on the care and fostering of children. Her mission is to reach out to those who have been raised in care, and to the professionals who take responsibility for them, to inspire hope and to remind us that these youngsters too have abilities.

Molloy gave harrowing accounts of her own childhood experiences in the books Hackney Child and Tainted Love, co-written under her pen name Hope Daniels, but in this first title under her real name, she brings us the stories of children searching for love both in and out of the care system.

Being in care, says Molloy, did not damage her personally but the harm that a lack of love inflicts on a child is far greater than many imagine.

A lot of neglected youngsters, she tells us, are angry – one of the key reasons why they often don’t get the help they need – but their anger is usually used to hide fear, a fear born of loneliness, isolation and vulnerability.

Neglected, a grim account of blighted young lives, reveals what can happen when children are deprived of love or fall in love with the wrong people, and how social workers can bring them back to an understanding of what love really means.

Molloy introduces us to some brave and inspirational children… Jemma, taken into care after her father tried to kill her, Angelika who was abandoned by her mother and ended up in a criminal gang and Emma, whose life spiralled out of control after her mother’s sudden death.

These, and many of the other stories, are the disturbing accounts of children for whom sex, drugs and alcohol filled a vacuum in their lives that should have been taken up by care and understanding.

The experiences of these youngsters make shocking reading but it is only through learning about the circumstances that led them into the depths of their personal traumas can we hope to understand and help them, and break the circle of neglect.

No matter how bad things are, Molloy tells those afflicted by neglect, there is always hope. And with hope, there is the possibility to heal and to build a new and better kind of life.

(Simon & Schuster, paperback, £7.99)

Health bosses have been accused of betraying vulnerable patients in Burnley after transferring the town’s Fracture Clinic to Blackburn.

The Burnley Express has discovered that Burnley General Hospital’s Fracture Clinic will be moved to the Royal Blackburn Hospital for a six month trial.

But MPs and health campaigners have said the move is not the right one for patients, who now face a painful 13 mile journey from Burnley to Blackburn.

The East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust said the move would “enhance patients’ experience” and would cut long waiting times.

Mr Qaisar Choudry, clinical director for Orthopaedic Services at the Trust, said: “It is unacceptable that our patients wait far longer than is recommended by British Orthopaedic Guidelines and I am confident that people will appreciate being seen much sooner, at the right time and place. The result will be a better quality and safer service for all.”

But Burnley’s former MP Gordon Birtwistle said he was outraged at the decision and accused the Trust of breaking promises to keep the fracture clinic as a part of the new urgent care centre which opened in Burnley in 2013.

He said: “I feel absolutely let down – it’s outrageous. When I secured the £10m. for the new urgent care centre I was assured that the fracture clinic would remain in Burnley.

“All the facilities are there now so this has nothing to do with money. I want our new MP Julie Cooper to meet with the chief executive and chairman of the Trust and demand that the fracture clinic is retained here in Burnley.”

The town’s new Labour MP Mrs Cooper said the move was down to government funding cuts.

She added: “I will always campaign for more and better services to be available at Burnley General Hospital and of course I will be vehemently opposing the Trust’s proposal to consider removing the Fracture Clinic from Burnley.

“There are serious ongoing concerns about the cuts in funding to the NHS. This year the health service has a funding gap of £30 billion.

“The Government has promised to provide £8 billion of that but have not as yet identified where this will come from. This still leaves a shortfall of an eye-watering £22 billion. I will monitor the situation closely and keep people informed.”

Russ McLean, the chairman of the Pennine Lancashire Patient Voices Group, said: “This will be a massive inconvenience to patients, many of whom will be elderly and in pain.

“I realise that the Trust is under huge financial strain but I am disappointed that this decision has been taken.

“I feel more provision should be made for patients in their local community and I will be raising this with the Trust’s chief executive when I meet him next.”

Mrs Linda Whittaker, a former Unison representative at Burnley General, said the move could dissuade patients from seeking further treatment.

She said: “I was working as a union rep when the idea of moving the Fracture Clinic to Blackburn was first mooted in 2005.

“At the time, I had fractured my spine in three places and was in tremendous pain.

“When people suffer an accident the last thing they want to do is travel 13 miles to Blackburn on a shuttle bus.

“I am very disappointed that the Trust has decided now to move the clinic.

Patients want to be seen as close to home as possible so I think this is a detrimental step.

“I love Burnley General Hospital and still work as a volunteer there. It is very sad to see the clinic go and I can’t support this.”

The British Orthopaedic Association clinical guidelines highlight the quality measures that should be expected from a fracture clinic service and include the importance of a fracture clinic appointment within 72 hours.

Dr Damian Riley, medical director at the Trust, added: “As always, we are fully committed to providing safe, personal and effective care for all our patients.

“We will measure the effectiveness of this change over the next six months and the results will determine our next steps.”

Nelson were unable to prevent Burnley creating history on Sunday by claiming their third-successive Worsley Cup triumph at Seedhill.

Burnley’s triumph was their ninth in total, drawing level with Nelson, as the league leaders continued their recent monopoly of the competition.

It was warm on Sunday and a good crowd turned out to watch.

Burnley won the toss, elected to bat, and made a solid start, with Vishal Tripathi and professional Chris Holt building sound innings.

The 50 partnership came up in the 12th over as they saw off opening bowlers Sam Halstead and Richard Meade.

Tripathi also took captain Neil Thompson out of the attack with some big hitting.

Then a huge six off Harrison Phelan took Tripathi past his own personal 50.

The introduction of sub­pro Qaiser Abbas into the attack slowed the run­rate and he soon collected his first wicket.

Holt was smartly caught at slip by Khurrum Nazir for 28, after hitting three fours.

Tripathi soon followed, swiftly stumped by Russell Bradley when he danced down the wicket to Abbas.

He had faced 80 balls and hit five fours and two sixes in compiling 60 runs.

David Brown made 13 before Phelan took a splendid return catch to dismiss him.

A 40 run stand for the fourth wicket developed but was ended with Phelan taking another catch, this time at square leg to dismiss Chris Burton for 17.

Wickets began to fall at regular intervals from this point with Michael Brown lbw to Nazir for 5, Steve Brunt well caught on the long off boundary by Thompson off Toxy Hussain for 11, and Jon Clare clean bowled by Abbas for 40.

Burnley’s tail failed to wag and Bharat Tripathi (3), Cole Hayman (2) and Jhangir Liaqat (5) fell in quick succession as they were 206 all out.

Abbas finished with 4-17 from 10 overs, while Nazir claimed four wickets too.

Nelson’s reply had hardly started when Russell Bradley was bowled by Liaqat for 2 and his brother Lewis, soon followed, caught behind off Clare for 12.

The best stand in the Nelson innings came next as Phelan and Abbas added 31.

Unfortunately for the home side, Phelan was then caught behind off Tom Lawson for 10.

The match was virtually over bar the shouting, when Abbas was also caught behind for 33. He had hit five fours off 38 balls and was the most likely batsman to take the match to Burnley.

He apparently thought he had hit the ball into the ground before the wicket­keeper caught it.

Nelson’s score went from 73-3 to 78-8 in 25 minutes as Thompson (6), Hussain (1), Nazir (1) and Halstead (2), all followed Abbas back to the pavilion.

Meade (5) and Uzair Khalid (2) were the other two batsmen to surrender as Nelson were bowled out for 88.

Holt came on to bowl with Nelson on 74-4 and finished with the amazing figures of 5-7 from six overs, helping Burnley to win by 118 runs.

Vishal Tripathi was named man of the match for his superb innings of 60 – the highest score of the match.

Burnley added the Worsley Cup to the Twenty20 and Ron Singleton Trophy wins, and now have the Lancashire League title in their sights.

A plan to convert a retail unit in Nelson to a shop and hot food takeaway with two three bedroom flats above has been refused by Pendle Council’s Nelson Committee.

Councillors decided to turn down the plans at 115 Manchester Road which had a recommendation for refusal.

The application attracted six objections from nearby residents and Nelson Town Council members felt that there were already a sufficient number of fast food outlets in the town.

Committee members refused it on grounds that it was an inappropriate form of development in the Whitefield conservation area, it would impact on the amenity of residents by loss of privacy, the noise and fumes from the takeaway would impact residents of associated flats and it would affect the flow of traffic in Manchester Road.

Ribble Valley students have enjoyed another record breaking year of A Level exam success.

Pupils at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School Sixth Form received “outstanding” results according to head teacher Mrs Judith Child with more than 68% of all results awarded the highest grades of A*- B and more than 88% awarded at A*- C.

Mrs Child said: “Our students are celebrating their amazing results awarded today. Their fantastic achievements truly reflect their hard work, dedication and commitment whilst at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School.

“We are absolutely delighted that our students have received outstanding results and have been accepted on the most prestigious courses at the universities of their choice.

“Over 68% of all results were awarded the highest grades of A*- B and over 88% were awarded at A*- C.

“More than 25% of our students achieved 3 or more A grades or above and 12% of all results were graded at A*.

“The results truly reflect the hard work of our students and staff and the tremendous support from parents and carers. We would like to wish all our students well in their future studies and careers.

“We are also delighted with the excellent results achieved by our Year 12 students who have received their AS Level module results today. Our AS students have gained our best ever results with 32% of all results awarded at the highest grade of A and 53% of results awarded at A-B.

“We are very proud that Clitheroe Royal Grammar School offers an exceptional educational experience which prepares students to achieve highly in their A Levels and future life.”

Students at Burnley’s Thomas Whitham Sixth Form are celebrating today after recording an overall pass rate of 98%, coupled with an outstanding high grade profile (39% A*-B grades).

Headteacher Mr Simon Davies said: “I can only be full of praise for our students who have contributed to this fantastic set of results and for the hard working and dedicated staff who have helped them achieve these results.

“We are all thrilled we have maintained the very high standards set by previous years and once again we will be seeing hard working students rewarded with places at the best universities in the country.

“Special mention should be made of Alex Cartin, previously of Hameldon Community College, who achieved straight As in all his subjects and is going on to study robotics at Sheffield University. Rhys Mossop, formerly of Unity College, achieved excellent results in all his subjects – including an A* in creative writing – and is going on to read social anthropology at Manchester University.

“Rachel Bolt – formerly of Sir John Thursby Community College – achieved excellent results in all her subjects and is going on to study drama at Manchester University.”

A Nelson driver has been prosecuted by Pendle Council for driving a private hire vehicle without the correct licence.

Burnley Magistrates Court heard that Omar Sharif was caught driving for Superline Taxis in Nelson without a private hire driver’s licence in April and May this year.

On July 17th, Mr Sharif pleaded guilty to driving without a licence on three separate occasions.

He was given a 12 month conditional discharge, ordered to pay £50 prosecution costs, £15 victim surcharge and £150 court charge.

Coun. Neil Butterworth, Chairman of the Taxi Licensing Committee, explained: “We take the safety and protection of the public very seriously.

“A private hire driver’s licence allows the holder of that licence to legally drive a private hire vehicle and carry fare paying passengers where a prior booking has been made for the journey.

“Licence holders have undergone criminal checks and a medical to make sure that they are fit to drive.

“This is a clear message that anyone caught putting the public at risk by not having the required licence will be prosecuted.”

A bright future awaits scores of students from Burnley who are today celebrating another impressive set of A-Level results.

Burnley College gained a staggering 99.8% pass rate with around a quarter of all students achieving A* or A grades.

Some 89% of students achieved at least one high grade at A*-C and 58% of students achieved at least one top grade A*-B.

Students achieving A* and A grades include Annabel Moorhouse, a former pupil at Bowland High School, Grindleton, and Catherine Fothergill, former pupil at Colne’s Fisher More RC High School, who both plan to study linguistics at The University of Edinburgh.

Lucy Treasure, a former pupil at Rhyddings High School, Oswaldtwistle, who plans to study ecology and conservation at Lancaster University and Shannon Howarth, a former pupil of Blessed Trinity High School, who is planning a career in finance.

Principal Mr Hugh Bramwell said: “This year’s incredible results are a credit to the hard work and determination of our students, the support of their parents and families, together with the individual attention given by our outstanding teachers.

“Each year our students continue to exceed their potential through learning in a structured and calm environment and benefiting from the support of teachers who are passionate about their success.

“The high grades our students achieve are driven by inspiration and enhanced through a comprehensive extra-curricular programme.”

Two years of hard work and determination has paid off for staff and students at Nelson and Colne College as they celebrate outstanding results and prepare for their next journey.

There were tears and excitement on the morning of A Level Results Day as students finally breathed a sigh of relief after months of nerves and anticipation.

For the fourth year running, {http://www.pendletoday.co.uk/news/education/nelson-colne-college-celebrate-100-pass-rate-1-7407058|Nelson and Colne College has achieved a 100% pass rate}, and this is due, the students say, to the overall experience the College has offered to them over the past two years.

Matt Langstroth (18), a former Park High School student who will be studying Medicine at Hull York Medical School, said: “It is not just about the grades at Nelson and Colne College – there is so much going on behind the scenes.

“I have developed academically, but as a person as well – my time management skills are better, I was also able to do a pre-professional course in Medicine, and with the help of the College I gained experience at Airedale and Blackburn Hospital and talked to former students. I have got one A and two A*s – I have had a brilliant College life and all the hard work has paid off! I cannot wait to start University!”

Harry Hardisty, from Nelson, who achieved two A*s and an A in Mathematics, Further Mathematics and Physics, also thanked staff for the quality of the teaching and the “best staff” in the area.

And former Park High School student Kate Whitaker, who did work experience with Leader Times Newspapers, was also all smiles as she picked up two A*s and an A in English Language, English Literature and History. She will now progress to the University of York and has ambitions of becoming a children’s TV presenter.

Nelson and Colne College Principal, Amanda Melton, said: “It’s an exceptionally nerve-racking night before for everybody, including me, but I don’t know how it happens that every year we seem to do better than the previous year.

“I was really nervous on Wednesday as well because I was hearing about the reduction in overall performance in science and maths but our results are up again this year so we’ve bucked the trend.

“I’m delighted that we exceed everybody’s expectations in terms of the results year after year.”