The Darwen RiverBlitz invites volunteers to survey water quality and habitats with Ribble Rivers Trust to help protect local rivers and wildlife.

Burnley restaurant Ellis’s has issued a plea for support as owner Kyle Ellis warns hospitality is “on its knees” with falling footfall and rising costs.

Lancashire University has been ranked as the North West's best uni, and among the top 15 in the country, by The Guardian.

Christina Gabbitas, author and founder of the Children's Literature Festivals, praised the success of the Blackburn with Darwen Libraries Book Awards

Accrington Stanley's Big Shirt Giveaway has hit a major milestone, with over 10,000 football shirts distributed to Year 3 pupils

SP Electricity North West has welcomed 31 new apprentices to its three-year training programme

A staff member at an Accrington care provider was seen walking away from a distressed patient with their fingers in their ears during a CQC visit.

A Lancashire company has been hit with hefty fines after it was found to be operating waste sites without permits and falsifying hazardous waste documents.Cats and Dust Limited, its director Cavin Mears and former director Stephen Bryce were convicted after an investigation by The Environment Agency.On Friday, September 12, a hearing at Preston Crown Court heard that Mears and Bryce were previously directors at RF Recycling Ltd, a company which operated a regulated facility without an environmental permit at Unit 6, Twin Lakes Industrial Estate, Croston,  between January 2020 and June 2020.Following a visit from the Environment Agency in October 2021, RF Recycling ceased trading.However, Cats and Dust Ltd commenced trading immediately afterwards, operating unlawfully from a separate unit within the same trading estate until January 2022. Cavin Mears, who was a director of RF Recycling Ltd, is the sole director of Cats and Dust Ltd.Stephen Bryce resigned as a director of Cats and Dust Ltd in September 2021, shortly before the company began trading. During the sentencing, His Honour Judge Guy Mathieson said both men had long experience in the waste industry, including work with hazardous materials, and therefore should have been fully aware of their legal responsibilities.He described their conduct as reckless at the outset, but later deliberate and financially motivated, with falsified paperwork used to conceal their actions.Judge Mathieson added that their disregard for regulations demonstrated that they “didn’t care about obligations and didn’t care about the impact on people, property or the environment.” Shannon Nicholson, Environmental Crime Team Leader at the Environment Agency said: “This case shows that those who attempt to profit from waste crime will be held to account.   “Handling hazardous materials without the correct permits is a serious offence which can put communities and the environment at risk, while also undercutting legitimate businesses. “By continuing operations despite warnings and by falsifying paperwork, these defendants demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law.” Cats and Dust Ltd was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £6,000 in costs.Cavin Mears, 45, from Euxton, Chorley, received a 12-month community order requiring 200 hours of unpaid work and was ordered to pay £5,360 in compensation to the Environment Agency, along with £6,000 in costs.Stephen Bryce,45, from Lancaster, was given a 12-month community order requiring 150 hours of unpaid work and was ordered to pay £6,000 in costs.

Two of Blackburn’s best curry houses have been recognised as the North West’s best at a recent award ceremony.Kebabish Original, in Whalley New Road, and MyLahore in Whitebirk both picked up awards for the North West’s best casual dining restaurant and best fusion food at the Asian Restaurant Awards in Manchester.  In its ninth year, the winners were recognised for outstanding culinary performance as well as their hard work.Bilal Ahmed, manager at Blackburn MyLahore, said: “We’re incredibly proud that MyLahore Blackburn has been named Best Fusion Restaurant of the Year at the 9th Asian Restaurant Awards, a true testament to our amazing team, loyal guests, and our passion for creating unforgettable dining experiences.”Both restaurants were also honoured recently in a list compiled by the Asian Catering Federation, during a ceremony at the Palace of Westminster.Kebabish quotes etc.The awards dinner held at the Manchester Deansgate Hotel was hosted by broadcast journalist and BBC TV News anchor Samantha Simmonds with a guest appearance from Anisa Khan, owner of Bombay Pizza and finalist in this year’s BBC flagship programme The Apprentice.Over one hundred restaurants and takeaways from the entire range of Asian cuisines were nominated for the awards by popular vote, with a total of 34 winners, chosen by a panel of judges.Chair of the Asian Catering Federation Yawar Khan said: “The food industry’s resilience, hard work, and passion are what bring it success.“Each year, at the Asian Restaurant Awards International in Manchester we celebrate excellence, and today’s winners truly deserve their places as best in the country.“These are the businesses that allow the Asian food industry to continue to thrive, despite the many challenges currently faced by the hospitality sector, in particular the new immigration rules in the UK, and the fees charged by online platforms.“On behalf of the Asian Catering Federation I would like to sincerely congratulate them all.”

A Blackburn Rovers scheme that “provides a lifeline” thanks to the badge getting people talking about mental health has been celebrated at a national awards.

The headteacher at a Clitheroe school has said the success of their Ofsted report is “testament to the unwavering commitment of our staff”.

The crime rate in Blackburn with Darwen increases in July having seen a drop in June.

We're back. From Monday, MPs will stream under the portcullis back into the Commons chamber. But this is far from a straightforward autumn, with dangers for all the leaders lurking everywhere.

Actor Benedict Cumberbatch says he's shocked at how "fragile" he still is - despite years in the spotlight and success in the industry.

Donald Trump has cancelled a loophole from today that had allowed consumers and businesses to be spared duties for sending low-value goods to the United States.

Assisted dying would place added pressure on NHS, hospice and social care capacity, creating a "substantial task" for the healthcare system, especially as demand rises, according to a health thinktank.