CLARETS skipper Chris McCann feels the club’s youngsters need time to build a solid base for promotion.

Burnley have fallen below fans’ expectations after relegation from the Premier League, finishing eighth and 13th in the Championship.

But while McCann thinks there should be a certain realism going forward, he believes a youthful Clarets squad are moving in the right direction towards a return to the top flight.

The Dubliner insists it is time to create new memories – not hark back to old ones.

McCann said: “Personally, I think a lot of people are still too hung up a little bit on the promotion year, and still try to compare us to that.

“They feel as if that’s where we belong.

“That’s been and gone and people need to get behind us now.

“We’re a new breed and the players coming through need the support because although the fans want to be there, we want to be there just as bad.

“It didn’t happen last season but it could happen next season.”

Top-scorer Jay Rodriguez has joined Southampton in a club-record £7m move.

But McCann insists that a few new faces could push the squad into contention. He said: “We need to keep our squad together and add a few more, and we could be a real force in the league next year.

“Now that we’ve got a full season under our belt together, we have no real excuses not to come back and have a right go.

“But it’s not going to happen overnight. You can’t flick a switch and you’ll be back challenging in the Premier League.

“People have to bear with us, and as I said all last season, be patient, let us grow into our roles and allow us time.

“We’re a young bunch of lads who are ambitious and want to be back there as much as anybody else, but it does take time, and it’s going to take us a little bit of time.

“Last season we did put in some good performances and showed that we are capable of being in the top six, but we just weren’t consistent enough to keep ourselves there.

“We can come back next year and have a right go.”

Meanwhile, boss Eddie Howe looks set to be frustrated in his attempts to land centre back Jason Shackell for the second successive summer.

Last year, Howe was eager to land the 28-year-old, then player of the year at Barnsley, but the former Norwich man ended up joining Derby County for around £1m.

And having been alerted to his potential availability, Howe has gone back in for him, with Derby turning down four offers from three clubs - two believed to be from the Clarets.

However, it seems as though Derby have had a change of heart, as chief executive Tom Glick said: “We’ve turned down four bids from three different clubs on Jason at this point.

“Simply put, Jason is an essential player for us.

“He played every minute of every game and it’s no surprise we’ve had interest in him, from more than those three clubs, too.

“He’s a top player in the Championship and a leader for us, so it would take a lot to pry him away from Derby.”

You can always rely on Peirene Press to get the grey matter moving...

Their classy, culturally rich novellas bring us the best of contemporary European writing and prove that small really is beautiful.

Challenging and thought-provoking, Peirene’s output is almost defiantly original and they don’t come with more ‘attitude’ than Pia Juul’s genre-bending crime mystery, translated here with sensitivity and skill by Aitken Martin.

Short in length but big on ideas, The Murder of Halland is a masterclass in literary sleight of hand. It should be a detective novel but instead Juul, Denmark’s foremost literary author, reaches far beyond our expectations by asking not ‘whodunit ,’ but do we need to know who did it. Which is more important, she demands, cause or effect?

Halland, a middle-aged man, is shot in broad daylight near his home in a remote Danish town but the heart of the story is the unravelling of his widow Bess’s mind rather than the piecing together of his murder.

His death becomes the catalyst for Bess’s bleak, baffling and almost surreal mourning process which to outsiders appears insensitive, irrational and bizarre – stealing cash, making amorous advances to a neighbour, flirting with the caretaker, getting drunk and going to dances.

Instead of following the conventional rules of crime fiction, Juul show us sudden death in all its bewildering reality – when the bereaved struggles to feel overwhelming ‘sorrow’ and ‘grief’ but instead experiences the flow of life through the senses, something far more tangible than pure emotion.

Thus Bess, an author, notes the warm fragrance of wood, the sun glinting on the fjord and the sound of a blackbird greeting the day, rather than worrying about the identity of Halland’s killer. His death fills her with a fury that is unsettling for the reader: ‘I wanted to kill Halland myself... his death was preventing me from finishing my book.’

Indeed, Bess, self-absorbed and unpredictable, is our sole narrator and the characters, some of them suspects, make an appearance only through a prism of her recollection of events past and present and her increasing detachment from the police inquiry.

And to test our perceptions of Bess as coldly sane or insanely traumatised, those around her also fail to act within normal parameters. Her ex-husband turns up and declares that he wants her back, a neighbour unexpectedly disappears and the return of long-lost daughter Abby is not the ‘grand reconciliation’ we had expected.

In fact, Bess drifts through the days after Halland’s death in a dream-like state with mood swings that take her from anger, selfishness and frustration to hyperactivity, exhaustion and numbness.

Her disinterest in the police investigation is offset by nuggets of information, thrown into the story with an almost casual indifference but which the reader cannot fail to feast on – Halland’s secret laptop, a hidden relationship and a locked room.

The mystery over Halland’s killer hangs like a shadow behind Bess’s absurd dance of death, a tantalising enigma that we have been persuaded is of no importance in comparison to the human state ... until the very last page when Juul turns our thought processes upside down in one final provocative move.

The Murder of Halland is not the kind of Nordic crime fiction we have come to expect, but defying expectation is the name of Juul’s game. People, like stories, do not always conform to ‘norms’ and delighting in variety is the very best reason not to miss this subtle and intelligent Scandinavian classic.

(Peirene, paperback, £10)

A MIDDLE-AGED woman, her two sons and three others were involved in violence after a karaoke “chavs insult” at a Colne pub, a court was told.

Shirley Hammerton (46), then working at the Jolly Hatters, Shane Hammerton (19), Peter Hammerton (25), Hannah Shearon, Rebecca Haworth, both 21, and Michael Hartley (25), all played parts in the trouble, which led to three people being attacked. Two of them, a young couple, were said to have been knocked out and were left injured.

Burnley Crown Court heard how in the two-part melee, Bernard Coughlin was hit on the head from behind and was set upon. His girlfriend, Gemma Machin, tried to intervene and was pulled away by Shirley Hammerton, who slapped her and ripped out her hair extensions. Miss Machin was also kicked and punched in the second half of the fracas.

The Hammertons, of Oak Street, Shearon, of Duke Street, Haworth, of Oxford Street, all Colne and Hartley, of Cross Street, Earby, had admitted affray on November 6th, 2010, and all walked free from court.

Shane Hammerton received five months in detention, suspended for 18 months, with 100 hours unpaid work, Peter Hammerton was given 12 months in jail, suspended for 18 months, with 18 months supervision, Shirley Hammerton got five months behind bars, suspended for 18 months, with six months supervision and 80 hours unpaid work, Hartley received eight months in custody, suspended for 18 months, with 100 hours unpaid work and Shearon and Haworth were given 12-week curfews between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Mr Robert Golinski (prosecuting) said one incident took place outside the pub and the other in the area of Norfolk Street, Colne, in the half an hour before police arrived at about 11-10 p.m.

Mr Coughlin and Miss Machin went with friends to the Jolly Hatters, Mr Coughlin took a turn on the karaoke and made some comment about “chavs” over the microphone. He was not a pub regular and a number of people took offence.

Mr Coughlin joined his partner outside the premises, where she was making a phone call and was struck on the head. He turned to see a group, including Shane and Peter Hammerton and Hartley and was taunted in an offensive way. He challenged the gang, but was attacked. The victim was punched, kicked, pushed and pulled, and suffered cuts to his face and was bleeding.

The prosecutor continued: “Gemma Machin tried to intervene to help her boyfriend, but was pulled away forcibly by Shirley Hammerton, who came out of the pub. Shirley Hammeron slapped Miss Machin and pulled her hair hard enough to detach her hair extensions.”

David Montgomery, one of Mr Coughlin’s friends, also tried to assist him, but was pushed by a group and Shirley Hammerton struck him in the face and knocked him to the ground. Mr Montgomery and Miss Machin tried to escape the scene and headed up Norfolk Street to Clifford Street, where Miss Machin’s father, Sean Machin, lived.

Mr Golinski said Sean Machin went out into the street to speak to Shirley Hammerton, who he had known for some time. By this time, she was on Norfolk Street, with more than 20 youngsters, including Shearon and Haworth. The group was joined by the Hammerton brothers. Mr Machin wanted to know what had gone on, Shearon threw a drink at him, grabbed Gemma Machin by the hair, pulled her to the ground and punched her repeatedly. Shane and Peter Hammerton and Haworth got involved with others and Miss Machin was hit and kicked. She thought she lost consciousness for a short time.

Peter Hammerton fought with Mr Machin and when Mr Machin was on the ground, he was booted by a number of people. The police arrived and the violence ended. The defendants were later arrested and all denied any offence when questioned.

The prosecutor said Mr Coughlin and Miss Machin went to hospital. He had a “C” shaped cut in his forehead, two other facial gashes and tenderness and redness on the back of his head. He complained of loss of consciousness for a few seconds. He had been left scarred. Miss Machin had suffered swelling, tenderness and grazes and a slight disruption of the joint between her left collar bone and shoulder joint.

The hearing was told Peter Hammerton had been given anti-social behaviour and drink banning orders in the past and had been to custody and his mother had a record for assault. Hartley and Shane Hammerton had previous convictions but Shearon and Haworth were of previous good character.

I have always been a big fan of TOM CLANCY games, especially the GHOST RECON series they offer more originality than any other of its genre, and every version always has something new.

When GHOST RECON: FUTURE SOLDIER by UBISOFT was announced I couldn`t wait to check it out and I wasn`t disappointed , in fact I think this is one of the best yet, I don`t usually go much on story lines in games I just want to get stuck in , with this game you have no choice, you have no cinematic skip option (not many anyway) so you have to listen to it, fortunately these don`t take long and they don`t take themselves seriously, the amount of new gadgets in this game is great from cloaking devices to drones and even a rocket/mortar launching beast called a WARHOUND, make for a rollercoaster journey.

The story is simple, when a stolen bomb takes out a Ghost squad, you and your team mates are a new ghost squad sent out to find out what happened, and to track down the source, resulting in a whirlwind world tour kicking bottoms in traditional GHOST RECON style, you and your team are all that stands between the World and a global conflict (not too much pressure then)

If you have played CALL OF DUTY and BATTLEFIELD lately you’re going to love this, and with some nice original touches, this is well on its way to being one of the best games of the year, OK as with all the GHOST RECON games they aren`t particularly hard to play, but they certainly make up for it with stunning set pieces and loads of action.

A new and very interesting development with this game is the weapon customisation menu (Gunsmith) which is KINECT friendly, you can take your weapons apart and modify them with the wave of a hand ,and even fire them on the range whilst using the KINECT (the shape of things to come?) of course you can do the same thing with the controller, so don`t worry if you don`t have a KINECT, but a great idea and it`s good to see this kind of forward thinking.

There are over 50 weapons to choose from, most of them can be customised so you will be spoilt for choice.

The use of drones both airborne and ground based is essential in pinpointing enemies, and taking them out, especially with the synchronized sniping, just tag up to four targets and your team will fire simultaneously for a swift take down.

With cloaking device and an array of grenades you’re pretty well equipped for anything, but it’s not the kind of game where you can go rushing in guns blazing, a little bit of planning and is always best.

Of course you can go in guns blazing if you really want too and with the A button option you can move quickly from cover to cover (similar to GEARS OF WAR)this gives a real feeling of being in the thick of it, and with a great soundtrack you can really get immersed in the whole experience.

The campaign is the longest I have played in a while which is great news for non-Xbox live® gamers.

The multiplay is also excellent, with a fully co-op campaign and plenty of competitive modes including, Conflict, Decoy, saboteur and Siege

With the Addition of the new wave based mode called Guerrilla there is plenty to keep you occupied.

Summary

To be honest I really loved this game it has everything an action game should have, mainly lots of action! With easy controls, a shed load of weapons , gadgets a nice campaign and on-line multiplay TOM CLANCY`S GHOST RECON:FUTURE SOLDIER is the best of this genre I have played in a while, not since the days of CRYSIS 2 have I had so much fun in my living room.

I give TOM CLANCY`S GHOST RECON: FUTURE SOLDIER 9.5 out of 10 it would have had a 10 but a few glitches took the edge off

• Tom Clancy Ghost Recon: Future Soldier

• Genre : Tactical Shooter

• Developers : Ubisoft (Paris, Red storm and Romania)

• Publisher : Ubisoft

• Playstation 3®

• Xbox 360®

• PC

• Age Rating : 18

• Release date: 25th May 2012

• {http://ghost-recon.ubi.com/gr-portal/en-GB/home/index.aspx|http://ghost-recon.ubi.com/gr-portal/en-GB/home/index.aspx}

• For more reviews visit {http://www.theleet.co.uk|www.theleet.co.uk}

{http://plus.google.com/108216529008755708133?rel=author|By Dayvid Ryan|Dayvid Ryan}

BURNLEY’S Rachel Brown will cap a remarkable career by taking part at the London Olympics as part of Team GB.

The Everton and England goalkeeper has played at World Cups and European Championships, and been selected for the FIFA All-Star team, and will now help the first-ever Great Britain women’s football squad at the Games go for gold.

Team GB will take on New Zealand at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on July 25th, two days before the opening ceremony, before facing Cameroon, again in Cardiff, on July 28th, before completing their group fixtures against Brazil at Wembley three days later.

In a distinguished career, Rachel has yet to play at either venue, which is another thrill, and she beamed: “We were told on Monday but were told not to let anyone know, and it was horrible not being able to tell anyone, but now I can, and I can’t believe it, I’m honoured to represent the first-ever GB women’s team at the Olympics!

“It’s a mix of relief and delight, it’s a massive opportunity.

“This was probably the one call-up I’ve been most doubtful about as there are only two goalkeepers, and it feels absolutely amazing.

“I feel very emotional, with all the messages and calls of congraulations I’ve had, it’s so special to be going to a home Olympics.”

The prospect of it being a one-off tournament for Britain adds to the prestige: “It’s beyond comprehension - I don’t know if there will ever be a GB team again in women’s football, so it could be a once in a lifetime experience.

“I don’t think I’ll be playing international football in four years time, so I’ll savour every last drop of Olympic fever.

“I’ve just been out recently to buy an Olympics mug to get into the spirit, and it’s incredible I’m going to be there.

“I’m the biggest sports fan anyway, and I’m a big GB supporter, so I would have been watching every sport I could, but now I’m going to be an Olympian as well!”

The experience of being in and around the athletes’ village is an added bonus, while the squad will be in and around Stuart Pearce’s men’s panel - which could feature the likes of David Beckham, Craig Bellamy and Gareth Bale: “It’s going to be unbelievable, I’ve never experienced a tournament where so many other sports are going on at the same time so it’s going to be so much more exciting than a World Cup even.

“We’re even going to be based at the Olympic athletes’ village a lot of the time, and I’m looking forward to seeing people wandering around.

“We meet on July 8th and the first two weeks are in a training camp with the men’s team, which is exciting again.

“Then we play a double-header friendly at Middlesbrough, where we play Sweden, and the men’s team follow against Brazil.

“Because we’re both based together, we hope to get some of the media interest which the men’s team will attract, which would be fantastic for the women’s game.

“But then we play the first two games at the Millennium Stadium, when we’ll stay close to Cardiff, then Wembley against Brazil - just unreal!

“So we’ll be back at the Olympic Village for the build up to that game.

“I just keep saying ‘wow’, and I think I’ll have more ‘wow’ moments to come.

“I’ve not played at the Millennium or Wembley before, so we’ll see what happens if I’m selected.

“I’ve been to Wembley with Burnley a few times, but never played there.”

She has, however, been to an Olympic Games before, as she reveals: “I actually went to the Olympics when I was 16 after my GCSE’s, when I went to America for some coaching, and I was a ball girl at the Atalanta Games in 1996, at Legion Field, in Birmingham, Alabama.

“It was the first time women’s football was played at the Olympics, so I guess it’s fate that I’m in the first-ever Team GB squad for the games!”

Rachel’s 2012 gets even better, as she prepares for another special date, with her wedding day set for New Year’s Eve.

And the Olympics isn’t the only tournament on the horizon for Rachel, who was back between the posts for England last week, keeping two clean sheets against Holland and Slovenia to put the Lionesses on the brink of Euro 2013 in Sweden: “It wasn’t the prettiest of games against Holland, who we’ve struggled to beat in the past, but we won 1-0, and then won convincingly in Slovenia and put ourselves in pole position to qualify now.

“If we beat Croatia in September, we top the group and qualify.”

THE Clarets’ Easter fixture away to Watford has been moved forward 24 hours to be played on Good Friday.

The game at Vicarage Road will now be played on Friday, March 29, 2013 (kick-off 3pm).

Moving the game will allow both sides an extra 24 hours to recover ahead of their Easter Monday games, with Burnley at home to Nottingham Forest on April 1.

A MAN has been arrested on suspicion murder after a body was found in the Manchester Road area this morning.

The body of the 27-year-old man was found in Albion Terrace, Burnley, at 9am.

A 52-year-old man, who was lying close to the body, was arrested by police and a Lancashire Constabulary spokesman said: “Police were called to Albion Terrace in Burnley shortly before 9am this morning where the body of a 27-year-old man was found lying on the street.

“A second man, aged 52, who was lying close to the deceased man was arrested on suspicion of murder. He was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital for treatment.

“Police are at the early stage of an investigation into the circumstances of the incidents.”

GOLF Rossendale Driving Range & Academy is offering free golf taster sessions for beginners.

The range, based at Marl Pits Sports Complex in Rawtenstall, has secured funding from England Golf to be able to offer free beginners lessons with PGA Pro Mike Bardi.

The initiative is part of the Road to the Open Project to celebrate The Open being at Royal Lytham and St Anne’s Golf Club this year.

The free 30 minute lessons will take place on Tuesday 3rd July between 12pm-6pm.

Normally it would cost £19 for a half hour lesson including all balls and equipment, but thanks to the funding the coaching will be free and all golfers will have to pay for is the balls they use during their session at a special rate of just £5 per 100 balls.

Golf Rossendale’s managing director Scott Grundy said: “We are delighted that England Golf have approved our funding application so that we can offer free sessions.

“As a Rangemark facility we want to encourage as many new people as possible to pick up a club and give golf a try, and this project has helped us to do this.

“We are looking forward to Tuesday and hope that as many people as possible take advantage of these free taster sessions.

To book a free golf lesson call 01706 213966 or email {mailto:info@golfrossendale.co.uk|info@golfrossendale.co.uk}

FIVE people were jailed today at Preston Crown Court for their part in disorder in Brierfield last summer.

They had pleaded guilty to a variety of offences on the second day of a trial earlier this year.

Two others failed to appear at court for the trial and warrants have been issued for their arrest.

Lancashire Constabulary launched an investigation in July last year after approximately 25 suspected members of the English Defence League gathered in Colne Road, Brierfield for a so-called “flash demonstration”.

Before they arrived in Brierfield, the defendants and others moved around Lancashire and were tracked by the police in a series of so-called “flash demonstrations” which started in Blackburn and moved to Accrington, Clitheroe, Simonstone and finally Brierfield where the disorder broke out.

Fortunately nobody was seriously injured during the disturbance.

Supt Steve Pemberton said: “I am pleased with these convictions and the sentences imposed and I hope it sends a message to others that disorder on Lancashire’s streets will not be tolerated. This was a spontaneous incident on a busy Saturday afternoon which could have been much more serious than it fortunately was had it not been for the speedy police response and that of local community leaders who were able to quell any subsequent rise in tensions.

“The Constabulary respects the right to peaceful protest but where people resort to disorder, as in this case, we will deal firmly with them.

“We have been working closely with community leaders since this incident to keep them informed about the progress of the investigation, which is on-going. We will continue to work to ensure that members of the public feel safe and that any incidents which result in criminality will be thoroughly investigated and people brought to justice.”

The defendants, and sentences handed down, were:

l Bernard Holmes (26), of Dickinson Close, Blackburn. Pleaded guilty to racially aggravated public order. Sentenced to 18 months in prison and given a five-year CRASBO.

lGraham Smith (48), of Draperfield, Chorley. Pleaded guilty to public order. Sentenced to 100 hours community service and given a 16-week custodial sentence, suspended for two years.

l David Garratt (46), of Beckett Street, Darwen. Pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon. Sentenced to 47 weeks in prison.

l Leonard Hawley (47), of Worcester Road, Blackburn. Pleaded guilty to racially aggravated public order. Sentenced to 37 weeks in prison.

l David Wilson (47), of Devon Road, Blackburn. Pleaded guilty to racially aggravated public order. Sentenced to 37 weeks in prison.

l Jason Smith (43), of Oak Avenue, Todmorden. Pleaded guilty to racially aggravated public order. Sentenced to 37 weeks in prison.

l Leanne Thornton (26), also of Oak Avenue, Todmorden. Pleaded guilty to public order. Sentenced to 150 hours community service and given a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for two years.

l John English (24), of Shorrock Lane, Blackburn. Pleaded guilty to public order. Sentenced to 100 hours community service and given a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for two years.

l Jordan Lonsdale (20), of Ribble Lane, Chatburn. Pleaded guilty to public order. Sentenced to a 12-month supervision order and a 13-week curfew and given a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for two years.

l Paul Jackson (41), of Springbank Terrace, Blackburn. Pleaded guilty to public order. Given 150 hours community service and a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for two years.

l Martin Corner (31), of Corporation Street, Chorley. Pleaded guilty to public order. Sentenced to a 12- month supervision order and a 13-week curfew and given a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for two years.

In the lead-up to the trouble in Brierfield, there was a demonstration by the gang outside the Simonstone home of local MEP and former Pendle councillor Sajjid Karim.

After Tuesday’s hearing, he said: “I would like to thank Lancashire Police and the Crown Prosecution Service for what I know has been a difficult and sensitive crime to investigate and bring to justice.

“These defendants tried everything to avoid facing the law but were brought to justice kicking and screaming, they gave no thought to the people they terrorised and intimidated last July, whilst behaving like ‘wild animals.’ They regarded an eight year old child within the safety of her own home as fair game.

“Now this case is over I hope we will see an end to the unacceptable and violent behaviour orchestrated by the English Defence League across Lancashire.”

THESE are the first pictures from the murder inquiry that is taking place following the discovery of a man’s body in Albion Terrace, Burnley.

The images show a body being taken from the scene and officers in protective gear surveying the site. We also have a shot of the location thgat body is believed to have been discovered this morning.

Police continue to probe the circumstances surrounding the discovery in the Scott Park area of town. We’ll have more news from the scene and video footage online soon.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the discovery of the body of the 27-year-old man at 9am.

A 52-year-old man, who was lying close to the body, was arrested by police and a Lancashire Constabulary spokesman said: “Police were called to Albion Terrace in Burnley shortly before 9am this morning where the body of a 27-year-old man was found lying on the street.

“A second man, aged 52, who was lying close to the deceased man was arrested on suspicion of murder. He was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital for treatment.

“Police are at the early stage of an investigation into the circumstances of the incidents.”

HERE is our first video from Albion Terrace, Burnley, where a body was discovered this morning.

A man has been arrested on suspicion murder after the body of a 27-year-old man was found in Albion Terrace, Burnley, at 9am.

A 52-year-old man, who was lying close to the body, was arrested by police and a Lancashire Constabulary spokesman said: “Police were called to Albion Terrace in Burnley shortly before 9am this morning where the body of a 27-year-old man was found lying on the street.

“A second man, aged 52, who was lying close to the deceased man was arrested on suspicion of murder. He was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital for treatment.

“Police are at the early stage of an investigation into the circumstances of the incidents.”

A CHURCH lead thief didn’t reckon on an angry neighbour, who confronted and detained him until police arrived, a court heard.

Pennine magistrates were told how Neil Langley was caught red-handed stripping lead flashing from St Paul’s Church, in Nelson. Eagle-eyed Jon- Paul Fawcett, who lives in the street adjacent to the church, had been watching football on the television when he spotted Langley, was appalled and went out and put a stop to his law breaking.

Mr Fawcett punched Langley, who he thought might have a cutting tool and was going to hit him, and held on to him while shouting for others to call the police. Langley, who had broken a window, was subject to a suspended jail term, imposed in April for common assault, at the time.

The defendant (30), of Pine Street, Nelson, admitted theft on June 13th and has now been locked up for a total of 12 weeks. The bench told him it was “because of the seriousness” of his behaviour.

Mrs Alex Mann (prosecuting) said at about 8-30 p.m., Mr Fawcett was watching the football when he realised something was going on outside his house. The prosecutor said: “He was disgusted somebody would steal from a church.”

Mr Fawcett went out, recognised the defendant and shouted: “What do you think you are playing at, nicking from a church?” Langley denied he was stealing and claimed he was putting something back, but Mr Fawcett told the defendant he had been watching him.

Mrs Mann said Langley started waving his arms about and Mr Fawcett, knowing lead usually had to be cut, thought the defendant might have a cutting tool. Langley went close up to Mr Fawcett, who panicked as he believed he was going to hit him, and struck the defendant to detain him. Langley tried to run off, but Mr Fawcett managed to keep him there by grabbing his jeans. Mr Fawcett shouted at three women nearby to call the police and held on to the defendant until officers arrived.

The prosecutor said: “The church warden says that lead was missing and other pieces of lead were loose. It will cost a substantial amount of money to fix.”

Mr Ben Leech, for Langley, said he had very little recollection of what happened. He had been in a pub and had got himself in some trouble either inside or outside of it and tried to escape by going into the churchyard. He believed his drink may have been spiked.

The defendant admitted to the police he had taken lead and was aware of its worth. He had previously had a drug problem. The solicitor added: “He knows the precarious position he finds himself in.”

A BARROWFORD pub boss flouted licensing laws by serving drinks and playing “loud” music after time, a court heard.

Grandmother Catherine Tattersall (58), licensee at Winstons, had been warned by police after a complaint of early hours noise, but was later caught again in a “covert” police investigation, when three special constables posed as customers.

Tattersall, a member of the Barrowford Show committee for 20 years and who judges children’s pets at the event, was “mortified” to be asked to go to the police station, but went voluntarily and found being questioned “quite daunting, Pennine magistrates were told.

The hearing was told how Tattersall, whose solicitor described her offending as a “fall from grace,” had since had her licence hours extended and the police had not objected to her application.

The defendant, of Pasture Lane, Barrowford, admitted one count of carrying on unauthorised licensable activity, by providing regulated entertainment on April 3rd, and three similar allegations, one involving providing regulated entertainment and two of serving alcohol after permitted hours, all on April 14th. Tattersall, who has no previous convictions, was given a 12-month conditional discharge, with £50 costs. The police had wanted temporary suspension of her licence for two to four weeks, but the Bench said they saw no reason to.

Mrs Alex Mann (prosecuting) said police went to Winstons, a small pub/club in the centre of Barrowford, on a Tuesday and could hear noise from inside, despite it being 1 a.m. The premises were locked, but were opened and the music was turned off. The defendant held a personal alcohol licence, which at that time ran from Sunday to Thursday, between 8 p.m. and 11-30 p.m. and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. She should have stopped trading at 11-30 p.m.

On April 14th, she breached her licence conditions again. Police visited, drinks were served and recorded loud music was being played at almost 1 a.m, despite the time and despite the earlier warning.

For Tattersall, Mr Ian Baker said Winstons was very old fashioned, small and used to be a members’ club. The clientele was not troublesome.

The solicitor continued: “This lady did apply to the local authority to extend licensing hours and indeed on May 23rd, the hours were extended and the police did not raise any objections.”

Mr Baker said the music was a CD player behind the bar and was not live or amplified. There had been no involvement of the environmental health department and no noise abatement issue.

On April 14th, when three special constables attended the premises, music was being played and they were also able to get two rounds of drink after time. There were no fights or anti- social behaviour. The solicitor went on: “There were three, very well -dressed, polite people in the premises.

“This lady has been at these premises for 23 years and this is the first time she has been hauled in and spoken to by the police.”

The solicitor added Tattersall was well known in the area, was involved in the community and had been on the committee of Barrowford Show for 20 years. She had equestrian interests and rescued horses. He added: “She has learned a lot from this. I don’t think there will be a repetition of these offences.”

The Clarets are to stage an open day for fans ahead of the big kick-off.

The club will throw open the doors at Turf Moor on Saturday, August 11 - a week before Burnley’s big Championship curtain-raiser against Bolton Wanderers.

The central attraction of the day will be an open training session for Eddie Howe’s first-team squad on the pitch as they fine-tune their preparations for the new campaign which starts with a Capital Cup clash at Port Vale on Tuesday, August 14.

Supporters will get the chance to watch the manager put his players through their paces before an opportunity for photos and autographs with the Clarets’ playing staff.

Further entertainment will also be on offer in and around the ground with times and more details to be announced shortly.

THERE seems to be a number of dirt bike/motocross type games around at the moment, TRIALS EVOLUTION and MAD RIDERS to name but two, and now there is MUD FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP developed by MILESTONE and released by BLACK BEAN.

OK not the shortest title of a game I have seen, but this is one of those so-so kind of games, you know it`s kind of OK but not going to blow your skirt up.

With 5 different modes there is plenty of choice and with a couple of on-line modes and a 12 player Xbox live ® multi player, MUD FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP is not exactly short of ideas.

The problem is that the gameplay itself is pretty dull and uninspiring with 12 locations, 84 bikers ,14 different bikes and a host of other features ,this game is crammed with interesting things, it’s just the actual game itself is lacking.

The career mode (MUD WORLD TOUR) is just a series of events which are basically the same, you have a race, then a sort of time trial, then a one on one and then a stunt section, you gain points for each section completed which allows you to buy either more race levels, upgrade your rider or purchase a better one, plus plenty of other upgrades available to buy as well.

The problem with games like this is that you can`t have an experience like you can with DIRT, and a steering wheel, there are bike like controllers out there but they are difficult to find.

The controls are simple left stick for balance/steering, right trigger for acceleration and left trigger for braking so you can get stuck in straight away.

You can boost your energy with a drink which is available at the touch of the (X) button, but I personally didn`t see the point of this.

You will notice that there is an option called SCRUB which is accessible with the (A) button , this works when you approach a hill, you hold the button down just before take-off this makes your bike flip sideways (SCRUB) and if you release at the right time, and land without crashing you get a temporary speed boost.

Motocross of Nations is another mode which is again a combination of MX1 and MX2 class bikes on 12 different tracks, with the official championship mode bringing together two different classes of bikes the MX1 and MX2 so you can race on a number of different tracks all over the world in both classes.

Finally we have the trick battle mode, with riders performing tricks to gain points at a variety of locations.

Now you would think with all that content MUD FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP would be a really interesting and fulfilling game ,,unfortunately it just isn`t the case, I found myself tiring of the experience fairly quickly, it just doesn`t have that buzz that other simulation games have , maybe it’s because it doesn`t quite know whether it is an arcade or simulation game, I get the feeling that it`s stuck between the two and not sure which way to go.

Summary

MUD FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP isn`t half bad , with plenty of content and a good on-line play element , it`s just feels lacking and a bit dull, the graphics are good I just didn`t feel like I was interacting with the game, if you are a big MUD FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP fan then you will appreciate this game because all the big stars and teams are represented here, but if you are looking for an experience like DIRT then this isn`t the game for you.

I give MUD FIM MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 7 out of 10

• MUD FIM Motocross World Championship

• Developer: Milestone

• Publisher: Black Bean

• Xbox 360®

• Playstation 3®

• PC

• Release date: 4th May 2012

• {http://www.mudthegame.com.mudthegame.com}

{http://plus.google.com/108216529008755708133?rel=author|By Dayvid Ryan|Dayvid Ryan}

A 71-YEAR-OLD woman had to be rescued from her first floor flat by firefighters following a blaze at a launderette in Langroyd Road, Colne, on Tuesday night.

The fire, which broke out shortly after 11 p.m., caused severe fire, heat and smoke damage to the launderette, moderate smoke damage to two other rooms on the ground floor and light smoke damage to six first floor rooms.

The woman was brought to safety from the first floor by firefighters using an extension ladder and was said to be unharmed.

Crews used six sets of breathing apparatus, two hose reels, a jet, two thermal imaging cameras and a ventilation unit to deal with the fire, which is not being treated as suspicious.

WHAT more can a boy wish for? A 21ft tipi complete with a firebowl and the ultimate – a bag of marshmallows!

Twenty minutes after “checking’’ into his Indian home for the weekend, five-year-old Ruaridh had helped his dad build a fire, worked out how the toasting fork needed to be handled and cooked a pink and white fluffy kebab!

And all that while his two-year-old sister Flora whizzed around the spacious tipi kissing the beautifully painted animals on the inside perimeters.

Outside the rain thundered down, but the Hay family managed to keep dry and cook a three-course meal on the fire bowl, before turning in for the night, parents on a comfy double bed, while the children slept soundly on futons, all of us kept warm by duck down duvets and Fair Trade and reindeer rugs.

We were nestled in the heart of the Northumbrian National Park in Tarset, around 20 miles from Hexham, staying in the tipi owned by Wild Northumbrian Tipis and Yurt hosts Robert and Victoria Hersey.

Set in beautiful rolling countryside, the tipi is stragetically placed on its own, with another three on site, but out of sight, and two yurts.

Cooking and washing facilities (complete with underfloor heating!) are close by and the Hersey’s have made a good job of creating an environmentally friendly atmosphere in beautiful surroundings rich in wildlife (red squirrels!) and flowers. The couple run special workshops to teach outdoor skills such as bushcraft and wildness therapy.

One of the attractions of the area is its darkness at night. A few miles away from Tarset is Kielder Water and Forest Park. There lies an observatory where you watch the stars by night and during the day, enjoy Northern Europe’s largest man-made lake and England’s largest forest.

There are lots of bike and walking trails and a birds of prey centre. An hour’s drive takes you into the market town of Hexham. Centrepiece in the town is the abbey which dates back to around 675 AD. Hexham Old Gaol is the oldest purpose-built prison in England, complete with a trip to the dungeon!

The town itself if compact and neat and has a certain charm about it as you wander around. It is also home to a small, but beautiful racecourse. We had a flutter on Ladies’ Day and enjoyed the old-fashioned facilities and well-kept course, which as with most small courses, offers race-goers a good view without the need for big television screens.

From Hexham, we headed towards Newcastle and the newly-opened Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens. Set in the grounds of Northumberland College, the zoo is home to a host of animals from emus to meerkats!

It has been well thought out and the animals are kept in spacious and green settings, with the staff really enthusiastic about their “inmates’’. Students are taught in the zoo and at weekends and in school holidays, it is open to the public.

There is so much more to see in Northumberland, it’s a county full of beautiful countryside, deserted beaches and picture postcard homes. Our trip was just a taster, like the toasted marshmallows, we’ll be back for more!

For more information on Wild Northumbrian Tipis and Yurts, log onto {http://www.wildnorthumbrian.co.uk|www.wildnorthumbrian.co.uk}

Tourist information is available via {http://www.visitnorthumberland.com.visitnorthumberland.com}

A MANHUNT is under way for a shop worker believed to be from Nelson who groped a vulnerable woman as he worked in a city store.

The man, who has not been identified, is still under search after the incident earlier this year. Police have this week launched an appeal to find him, suggesting he may live in the Manchester Road area of Nelson, perhaps in the Farrar Street/Rupert Street area.

The 25-year-old woman, who has not been named, went into the Booze Xpress on Corporation Street in Preston city centre after having a night out with her boyfriend - but was immediately targeted by the man who was working alone. The shop is run by people from Nelson but they were not involved in the incident.

The woman was the only customer in the shop and as she tried to pay for goods the shopkeeper kept grabbing her hand. He then started complimenting her on her zip-up coat.

CCTV footage shows him moving towards her and unzipping her coat. The woman then alleges he sexually assaulted her. The victim went home and told her mother, who informed police.

The woman’s mother, who lives in Preston, said her daughter has “a very trusting nature and no one is an enemy to her”.

She added: ““She is also very resilient but after the incident, she was very upset and wouldn’t go out on her own and would get colleagues to go for her lunch saying certain people were looking at her and that made her very vulnerable.

“She seems to be her old self again but she has not forgotten what this man did to her. She hopes he will be caught and brought to justice so he can’t do this to anyone else.”

Det. Sgt John Crichton, of Preston CID, said: “She hasn’t come to any great harm, thankfully, but she is vulnerable. It’s possible he could target another woman wherever he is and it is also possible that he is here illegally. He may be from Pakistan.

“There was no reason for his behaviour and he’s preyed on a young woman with difficulties.” He added: “He is believed to be from the Nelson area. The people who run it are from Nelson.

“I would encourage anyone who knows who is or where he is to contact us.”

The incident happened at 10-40 p.m. on January 23rd.

The owners of the shop and its current staff are not involved in the incident. However, the store is under further investigation after detectives probing the sex attack visited the shop and discovered an illegal immigrant working there.

He was detained and has since been handed over to the UK Borders Agency.

Anyone with who recognises the man or can help CID with information can contact Preston police on 01772 203203 or 101.

Curiouser and curiouser, Alice in Wonderland would have remarked if she had wandered through the intriguing plotlines in Eliza Graham’s haunting new novel.

The History Room is a clever and compelling story, one that addresses social issues past and present, the fall-out from broken relationships, the devastation of war and yet grips like a vice with the disturbing mystery at its heart.

The addictive mixture of light and darkness, warmth and cold, joy and sadness make for an unforgettable rollercoaster ride which ends abruptly in a truly unexpected and unsettling last lap.

Strange happenings at a grand Cotswold private school would seem to be nothing more than cruel pranks but as Graham ratchets up the tension, we sense an evil that is uncomfortably at odds with the mellow warmth of the rural setting.

Letchford, a school noted for its high standards and happy ethos, is run by its founder Charles Statton who appears to his staff and pupils to be the archetypal English headmaster.

His youngest daughter Meredith Cordingley, whose marriage has been falling apart since her soldier husband Hugh was maimed by an explosive device in Afghanistan, has returned to teach at Letchford but is struggling to ‘outpace’ her heartache over Hugh and the recent sudden death of her mother.

The timeless setting provides Meredith with a tranquil refuge until one afternoon when a shocking discovery is made in the history room. The police are called, but all is not what it seems.

Unsettled by events, she finds ghosts are now ‘hanging all around the fringes and if I turned my head quickly enough I’d glimpse them.’

Meredith is determined to discover the culprit and becomes convinced that a manipulative member of staff is controlling the sinister goings-on at her beloved Letchford, and exerting a malign influence on a vulnerable and troubled young pupil.

Her journey to untangle the truth takes Meredith back to her father’s roots in communist Czechoslovakia, to ‘another person, a man with a hinterland unknown to us.’

But digging up the past risks her father’s reputation, as well as her own, and as the mystery unravels Meredith finds out that there is more than one person at Letchford who is hiding complicated secrets...

Graham’s story relies on three narrative voices, allowing readers an insight into the principal characters’ thoughts and motives without giving away too much information on essential strands of the plot.

Multi-themed, emotionally wise and perfectly paced, The History Room delivers an absorbing read with a twist in its tail that is guaranteed to darken dreams for days after the last page has turned.

(Pan, paperback, £7.99)

A WOMAN who moved to Nelson from London last year is launching a campaign to encourage people to love the town.

“I Love Nelson, Lancashire,” is the brainchild of Walker, of Chapel Street, to get more people to shop in Nelson instead of going to out-of-town retail parks and big supermarkets.

She is in the process of setting up an online directory full of Nelson businesses, events and services as a reference point.

Walker said she came up with the idea after seeing negative comments about the town on Facebook.

“I moved up to Nelson in October. I was made redundant in London and for various reasons it looked unlikely that I would get another job.

“I sold my flat and bought two properties up here. I went on the Nelson Lancashire Facebook group and all I could see was people posting a lot of pictures of Nelson and saying how great it was.

“I asked people what’s good about it now but people were struggling to tell me anything good.”

Walker has visited a number of businesses in the town so that she can add their details to the online directory but is urging as many as possible to contact her to speed up the process.

The I Love Nelson slogan is “helping yourself to a brighter future” and Walker, who has got the backing of Pendle Council and Nelson Town Council, hopes it will help people take more pride in the town. She is also asking shops to reward loyal customers with discounts as an incentive to shop locally.

“I hate shopping and if I can’t buy it in Asda I order it online so I’m going to have to change my habits as well,” she said.

“People go to the big supermarkets because they can get everything there. If shops in Nelson offer a discount of 10% it’s an incentive for people to shop here.”

Any businesses which want to register for the directory can do so via the website ilovenelson.co.uk or by emailing ilovenelson@talktalk.net.