Fleetwood is leading the way by being the first in the country to have a solar powered Christmas trees.

It comes after Fleetwood Town Council opted to trial a unique eco-friendly festive light show.

Thirty-eight of the high-tech trees have been installed on lamp posts on Lord Street and North Albert Street and will set a Christmassy scene by harnessing sunlight. The light is collected via a solar panel either mounted above the branches of the trees or on the underside of its planter.

The trees have been rented for the festive season from a Derbyshire firm.

A hidden workforce of stay at home mums and dads could hold the key to small business growth and provide a huge boost the UK economy.

There are 5.4 million small businesses in the UK, representing 99% of all private sector businesses and contributing a staggering £1.8 trillion to our economy.

The number one frustration for most start-ups, entrepreneurs and small companies is not having the time or money to turn all their ideas into action. Hiring the expert staff members to help them grow, expand or diversify is time consuming and expensive, especially in the early stages of a venture.

But what if we could change that and give small businesses a way to grow in small, manageable, affordable steps?

The Hidden Workforce

According to IPSE there were 287,000 stay at home mums freelancing in the UK in 2015. Add the stay at home dads and there is a small army of professionals able to help. They are offering a whole range of services from marketing to accountancy without the need or desire for a full-time employment contract and salary.

Armed with an abundance of talent, skills and enthusiasm, they are held back simply because the traditional nine-to-five is not suitable while they have small children.

And it’s not just those with childcare commitments. There are retirees, experts freelancing around a day job, and talented people with disabilities who may find a conventional office job a challenge but still have masses to contribute.

Opportunity for small business

Jonny Dunning, CEO of weliketowork.com, believes this talented hidden workforce could be a massive opportunity for small businesses who are willing to adapt and offer flexible, remote contracts.

"It’s likely a stay at home mum doing marketing around her children will be working in the evenings or at weekends. A father who works from home designing websites will be delivering his finished product by file sharing rather than presenting to you in the office.

By thinking creatively about who your employees are, and where and when they work, businesses can gain immediate access to this pool of professionals from across the whole of the UK. "

More skill for less money

Because workers are hired on-demand for very specific projects, budgets can go much further.

Dunning says, "Most business owners know a website is essential to remain competitive in today’s marketplace. But a skilled, full time web designer is likely to cost around £40,000 per year.

However, by investing in lots of small specific projects – someone to build the website, someone to promote website, someone to answer all the queries you start to get from the website – you can save a lot of money.

Recruitment fees, national insurance contributions and equipment costs are all wiped off the budget immediately. Instead of £40,000 for a full time worker the cost can come down significantly. Plus, you would get an expert in their field for each specific component."

In a changing digital landscape expert staff are now just a click away. Ambitious freelancers are a perfect match for ambitious small businesses.

To find out more about the hidden workforce and hiring an on-demand professional contact freelance.jobstoday.co.uk

The proclamation will be read out by town criers in market squares throughout the county on on both Saturday and Sunday.

Lancashire Day commemorates the day - November 27 - in 1295 when Lancashire sent its first representatives to Parliament by King Edward I of England to attend what later became known as The Model Parliament.

Here is a list of events to mark Lancashire Day:

Chorley:

There will be fun for all the family with a whole host of traditional activities, exhibitions and displays at Astley Hall on Sunday from 10am to 4pm.

With a Town Crier, Chorley Silver Band playing in front of the Hall, Morris Dancers, and clog dancers and a chance to have a go yourself, dialect readings, stalls, exhibitions, and historical displays in the Coach House and Farmhouse, plus character performances and rugby demonstrations, there promises to be something for everyone.

The event has been organised in collaboration with members of local heritage and historical societies.

Those taking part include Alex Fisher clog dancer; Horwich Men’s Morris Dancers; Rivington ladies Morris Dancers; Chorley Heritage Centre steering group; Lancashire Authors; Lancashire History Society; Friends of Real Lancashire; Chorley Historical and Archaeological Society; Lancashire Family History and Heraldry Society, Chorley branch; Lancashire Artists; Lancashire Wildlife; Lancashire Dialect specialist Sid Calderbank; Chorley Panthers Rugby Club and more.

Nelson:

Nelson Town Council is holding an event in the town centre on Saturday, from 11am until 6pm. There will be a Town Crier every hour; free children’s rides; live music; face painting; crafts; library events and a Punch and Judy show. The day culminates with live music and the lights switch-on at 6pm.

Lancaster:

Starting on Friday, there will be celebrations across Lancaster University campus championing all that is great in Lancashire. All cuisine featured has been sourced locally from within Lancashire to illustrate their pride and commitment to sourcing locally and ethically.

Lancaster and Morecambe:

Both Morecambe and Lancaster's visitors centres will be open during the week for people to pop along and pick up lots of information about the county.

For times of when town criers will make their proclamations click here http://www.forl.co.uk

Hundreds of teaching jobs on the Fylde coast are at risk from a lack of funding, union bosses have warned.

One Blackpool headteacher says some schools could be forced to shut down entirely in the face of budget freezes and rising costs.

But teaching unions’ estimate that the lack of investment amounts to real-terms cuts of £65m in Lancashire has been branded ‘scaremongering’ by the Department for Education.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the ATL Education Union say without additional cash from the Government, Blackpool risks losing 145 teachers by 2020 - and another 1,596 jobs could go across Lancashire.

Andy Mellor, headteacher at St Nicholas CE Primary in Marton, said: “We have looked at paring back the budget, but there’s nothing left to squeeze out of it.

“We are at a point where potentially some of the smaller schools could find themselves going under.”

The warning comes after chancellor Philip Hammond ignored the issue of school funding in Wednesday’s Autumn Statement.

His only reference to schools’ budgets – to announce a £50m pot to help existing grammar schools expand – was dismissed by the NUT as ‘disappointing’.

The NUT and ATL unions estimate there could be 145 fewer teachers in Blackpool by 2020, with a further 1,596 jobs at risk across Lancashire.

The Department for Education described the unions’ figures as speculative and said the way schools are funded is set to be overhauled in 2018.

However, the unions have said the reforms won’t make matters any better.

Mr Mellor, who has previously fought the Government over now-scrapped plans to force schools to become academies, said his school’s funding has been frozen for the past three years, and said he has already had to look at letting staff on temporary contracts go.

“We can see the amount of money we have in reserve, which is a small amount we built up for a rainy day,” he said. “I don’t think it will get any wetter than this.

“In three or four years’ time, all our reserve will have gone.”

St Nicholas, in School Lane, no longer has a furniture budget to replace broken chairs or desks, while classroom resources have also been used sparingly, he added, with spending on books and pencils, as well as other materials dropping from £30,000 to £12,000 per annum.

He said: “We have made savings. We have had a year or two and most prudent heads will look at maintaining staffing levels because the most valuable commodity are the people working with the children.

“We have looked at paring back the budget, but there’s nothing left to squeeze out of it.”

Schools funding was conspicuous by its absence in Wednesday’s Autumn Statement, which was branded ‘disappointing’ by the NUT.

Kevin Courtney, the union’s general secretary, said: “The Government is not protecting education funding – it remains on course to inflict significant real terms cuts.

“All that [Chancellor] Philip Hammond has done is restate his commitment of £50m in new capital funding to support grammar schools.”

Mr Mellor said he’s aware other sectors, including the emergency services and the NHS, are also struggling for cash, but said: “My argument would be that kids get one go at education and school. I just feel as a taxpayer that I pay my tax because I want the children of this country to have a top class education.”

He also called on the government to let schools know whether there is light at the end of the tunnel or not.

He added: “If this continues we will be in dire straits and in a really bad way.

“The government says there’s no cuts and they are technically right, but in realistic terms they are not funding schools properly. How long is this going on for?”

Almost 1,000 council-run schools – around five per cent of all schools – and more than 100 academy trusts in England are in the red, it was revealed earlier this month. The government had planned to introduce its new ‘national funding formula’, which it said would end historic disparity between authorities, next year, but recently pushed it back to 2018/19.

Until then, schools will still be funded through a local formula set by their local authority, though education secretary Justine Greening told councils they won’t see funding reduced next year.

A Department for Education spokesman said: “The NUT and ATL’s report would appear to be irresponsible scaremongering, based on figures that are entirely speculative.

“In reality the schools budget has been protected and in 2016-17 totals over £40b, the highest ever on record.

“The government’s fairer funding proposals will ensure that areas with the highest need attract the most funding and end the historic unfairness in the system.” Mr Courtney said: “No headteacher should be put in the position of increasing class sizes, leaving building repairs undone or cutting staff and resources simply to balance the books. Nor should any parent accept this for their child.

“We are one of the richest countries in the world. We can and we should be funding our schools properly.”

And Mary Bousted, from union ATL, added: “The government must increase funding for schools. If it just reallocates the existing budget many children will lose out, with some of the most deprived hit hardest.

“The formula for schools’ funding must not be reformed while making real terms cuts to spending.

“All children deserve a fair chance to succeed and should not suffer because schools are under-resourced and teachers over-worked.”

A man who set fire to his mother’s house while she was out shopping has been sent to a young offenders institute for three years.

Liam Reddington, 20, had previously threatened to firebomb the semi-detached house and had set fire to a wheelie bin.

On August 22, Reddington, of Warrenhurst Avenue, Fleetwood, went to his mum’s house to find her and his sister about to go on a shopping trip.

But after they left, the teenager gathered a pushchair and other items in the living room and set fire to them, before leaving the house.

By the time a neighbour returned and saw smoke coming from the upstairs of the house, the living room had been destroyed and the ground floor was smoke damaged throughout.

Fortunately, no-one was in either the house or the adjoining property at the time of the blaze.

Reddington pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered when he appeared at Preston Crown Court to be sentenced.

The court heard he had used cannabis for a number of years and has mental health problems.

Judge Stuart Baker, sentencing, said: “The pictures make it clear that at the very least this must have caused many thousands of pounds for the landlord or insurance company to restore this property to a habitable condition.

“It must have been out-of-use for your mother and the family as a family home for some time. This was a serious case of setting fire to a semi-detached house.

“Thankfully the next door neighbour was out but there is nothing to suggest you knew that. You took that risk.

“I take note of the fact you have a troubled history.

“Whether that is something that is attributable wholly or in part by the long-standing use of illicit substances such as cannabis and amphetamine I am not able to say.

“I accept you have had difficulties you have not been able to control. There have been behavioural problems for a long period of time.

“Your mother required you to leave the home.

“Anyone who threatens to firebomb his mother’s house where he has a young sister living, and anyone who sets fire to a wheelie bin and who then sets fire to that house – which could have resulted in total devastation of that property – must be regarded as posing a real risk.”

The judge accepted Reddington has no previous convictions but said he had no choice but to send him to a Young Offender’s Institute for three years.

Here is a round-up of some of the cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court from November 24.

Wendy Ball, 55, fraud

A woman who stole a bank card from the wife of the elderly couple she looked after was described by a senior magistrate as having committed a despicable offence.

Wendy Ball’s crime only came to light after the wife’s death and her son realised her bank card had been 
used.

Ball then pushed a note through the family’s letterbox pleading for forgiveness, saying she would repay and begging them not to continue with the police investigation as it would cause heartache.

Ball, a 55-year-old grandmother, of Liggard Court, Mythop Road, Lytham, pleaded guilty to fraud between February and June this year.

She was sentenced to eight weeks in prison suspended for 18 months and ordered to pay £85 costs plus £115 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Presiding magistrate, David Cartain, told her: “This crime is a despicable offence perpetrated against a woman who passed away months previously and her husband who has dementia.”

Prosecutor, Malcolm Isherwood, said Ball had worked for a care company and had cared for the elderly couple overnight at times.

The wife was taken into hospital in February and died mid April.

Her son then realised her debit card had been used and a total of £124.69 spent in shops and at service stations.

CCTV showed Ball making various purchases with the card.

Allan Cobain, defending, described the case as tragic.

Ball had come across the card when she was in difficult financial circumstances.

She first used the card to buy a small amount of petrol when she had no money.

When she realised her use of the card was snowballing she put it back.

Ball had worked for a care company and looked after the couple but at the time of the offence she had given up her job and was on benefits.

She had still been allowed to do some nights at the elderly couple’s because she had done it previously.

She had been supporting her daughter who had been going through a vicious custody battle over her children.

Stephen Glover, 48, drink-driving

A head chef was almost four times over the alcohol limit when police saw him swerving around his home road without lights.

Stephen Glover had stopped drinking for six weeks before the offence but that day got a craving and drank a bottle and a quarter of vodka a court was told.

Glover, a 48-year-old father of three, of Regency Gardens, North Shore, pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order, told to do 125 hours unpaid work for the community, banned from the road for 32 months and ordered to pay £85 costs plus £85 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Malcolm Isherwood, said police received a tip-off about a possible drink driver on November 5.

It was after 8pm and police went to Regency Gardens where they saw Glover driving a Mitsubishi Outlander without lights.

A breath test showed 127 micrograms of alcohol in his body – 35 is the limit.

Stephen Duffy, defending, said his client had realised he was drinking too much and had started going to Alcoholic Anonymous meetings.

Glover had not had a drink for six months but then went out and bought vodka, drinking some before and after work. After committing the offence he had now upped his AA meetings to three times a week.

Harry Fryers, 19, failing to provide a sample of breath

A teenager under suspicion of drink-driving snatched his licence from a police officer’s hand and ran off.

Harry Fryers, a 19-year-old farm labourer, of Summerer Farm, Weeton Road, Poulton, pleaded guilty to failing to co-operate with a preliminary breathalyser test.

He was fined £120 with £85 costs, ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge and had four penalty points put on his driving licence by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Malcolm Isherwood, said police saw Fryers on October 29, about 11pm, driving a VW Golf which had a light out in Thornton. Fryers stopped when told to on School Road.

Officers could smell alcohol on his breath and said they were going to breath test him.

Fryers said he had had a pint of shandy and a cigarette recently.

It was then explained that because he had had a drink and smoke recently they would have to wait a few minutes to administer the breath test.

Moments later Fryers snatched his licence out of an officer’s hand and ran off.

He was chased but escaped. Later that night Fryers handed himself in and apologised to the officer.

Michael Leach, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions and a clean licence, had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

Mr Leach added: “In a moment of panic he ran off.

He went home and told his father he had done a stupid thing. His father then drove him immediately to the police station.”

Zoe Threlfall, 41, drink-driving

A woman seen driving round a roundabout without the headlights on was over the limit when stopped by police.

Zoe Threlfall, a 41-year-old customer service advisor, of Grasmere Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

She was banned from the road for 12 months and fined £265 with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Malcolm Isherwood, said police saw Threlfall on November 5, at 1.40am, driving a Renault Megane without lights on North Park Drive.

A breath test showed 52 micrograms of alcohol in her body – 35 is the limit.

Steven Townley, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had been babysitting for a friend and afterwards they had had a couple of drinks.

At no point did she think she was over the limit.

Threlfall, a single mother, would now have great problems getting her child to school and getting to work.

Garry Wynn, 53, possession of indecent films of children

A St Annes man was found with 70 indecent movies of children a court was told. Garry Wynn, 53, of St Albans Road, pleaded guilty to possessing the category A films, which feature the highest level of indecency in May last year. Prosecutor Malcolm Isherwood’s application that the case should go to crown court was not opposed by defence lawyer Brett Chappell. 
Wynn was bailed to appear for sentence on November 29 at Preston Crown Court by Blackpool magistrates.

Lanes have now been cleared between junctions 21a (Croft Interchange) and 21 (Woolston) on the M6 Southbound following an earlier four car accident.

Blackpool RNLI volunteers were called out at 10.15pm on Thursday night (24 November) after the UK Coastguard became concerned for the welfare of a small boat that had launched from Knott End but had not returned to shore.

The boat and its two occupants left Knott End on Thursday morning for a day of fishing but had not returned and attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful.

Volunteers from Blackpool RNLI, Fleetwood RNLI and Coastguard Rescue Teams from Lytham and Fleetwood carried out an extensive search from Blackpool RNLI lifeboat station to Fleetwood and eventually found the casualty vessel about a mile off Cleveleys.

The occupants of the boat were both safe and well and were planning to continue fishing overnight, however, poor weather was expected later so they were taken aboard Fleetwood RNLI all weather lifeboat and their boat was towed to Knott End.

Blackpool RNLI volunteer helmsman Colin Lowe said, ‘the people we were searching for this evening turned out to be safe and well and that’s always a relief for us. At this time of year the freezing temperatures mean cold water shock and hypothermia can set in within minutes if someone falls into the water so we were just pleased that they were both ok.

"It’s far better to be safe than sorry so always call 999 and ask for the Coastguard if you have any concerns.

"We also recommend that all boats carry a reliable means of contacting the Coastguard and that people tell someone where they are planning to go and when they expect to get back."

Duty controller for UK Coastguard Dai Jones said: "The vessel had been out for 12 hours with no sign of a return. We were unable to contact them to find out where they were and a search was carried out. Although they were safely anchored we advised them to come in.

"Our advice remains the same. If you’ re going out on your boat, make sure you carry means to contact the Coastguard if you get into trouble, but also make sure that someone knows where you plan to go and when you intend to be back."

More than half of Lancashire care homes said they have had difficulties gaining access to dental services for their residents – and those with poor mobility or dementia are most at risk.

Independent group Healthwatch said a study found 54 per cent of 62 care homes reported difficulty getting appointments in the past, though 86 per cent said residents do have access to ‘effective’ dental service when they need it.

And 31 per cent said they found it hard to get dentists to visit them, when residents have dementia or trouble getting out and about.

“It would be ideal if we could get a dentist to come regularly, especially because we are a dementia unit and the residents can’t always show pain and let us know if there are dental problems,” one care home worker said.

The NHS’s Jackie Forshaw, head of primary care commissioning in Lancashire, said: “The study has enabled us to take a closer look at this group of patients and what we can do to further improve services for them. The Local Dental Network is now working on a number of new initiatives to widen access for patients, including a focus on facilitated access for the elderly and supporting care homes across Lancashire in relation to oral health for residents.”

The report, called Access to Dental Services for Care Home Residents in Lancashire, gathered responses from 12 care homes in Fylde and Wyre. Some 91 per cent said residents have access to dentists, while 91 per cent also said they have access to emergency dental treatment if required.

One reported: “If we had a denture emergency, we could speak to the emergency dentist but we would have to arrange transport to get them the resident there which is sometimes an issue.”

Seven-in-10 homes said residents can get a home visit if they have difficulty leaving their residence, while just 10 per cent said they had issues in gaining access to a dentist for routine appointments.

However, one warned: “We have not found any difficulties accessing dental services for emergencies. The problem is the length of time waiting for routine visits.”

A Blackpool-born photographer is at the centre of a worldwide media frenzy after capturing a stunning image in the Scottish highlands.

Melvin Nicholson, from Mereside, captured a wonderful image of a white “fog bow” over Rannoch Moor in the west of Scotland.

After a mention on Chris Evans’ Radio 2 breakfast show his image went viral on social media and he suddenly found himself and his picture in demand from all over the world.

Melvin, 44, was out on the moor south of Glencoe on Sunday when the very unusual white rainbow appeared.

Melvin, in Scotland running a photographic workshop, was with another photographer on an early-morning shoot.

He decided to use the lone tree as the focal point of his image and his colleague moved to another spot.

Then the “magical” rainbow appeared – and Melvin had the perfect shot of the three framed by the “fog bow”.

A “fog bow” is a similar phenomenon to a rainbow but it appears in fog rather than rain.

Melvin, who went to Knowle High School messaged Radio 2 early the following morning and sent them the photo. He posted on Facebook: “I ventured down to Rannoch Moor today with fellow talented Scottish landscape photographer Scott Robertson in preparation for my four day workshop that starts this Thursday when I saw this unbelievably beautiful white rainbow also known as a fog bow.

“Big thanks to Scott Robertson Landscape Photography too for showing me this tree otherwise I would not have captured this shot.”

After the Radio 2 mention, suddenly Melvin, his picture and the phenomenon of the “fog bow” was being discussed on the airwaves.

His phone started ringing non-stop.

He said: “My world has gone crazy these last 24 hours ever since I shared the fog bow image on social media.

“I now have an agent who is dealing with all requests.

“I have had National Geographic and all kinds of people wanting to use it.

“It all seems a bit weird to be honest.”

Melvin added: “Sometimes you can spend hours setting up a shot and it doesn’t work. This one happened fairly quickly.

“You’ve got to have the sun behind you to see the fog bow.

“It isn’t going to make me a millionaire, I am just thrilled that so many people have got to see it.”

Visit www.melvinnicholsonphotography.co.uk.

Danny Dyer. He’s the living embodiment of chirpy Cockney sparrer-dom, isn’t he? Star of countless films about moody geezers and football hooligans, current landlord of TV’s most dramatic boozer the Queen Vic – if you cut him, he probably bleeds jellied eels.

Which is why I approached the latest series of the BBC’s ancestor-bothering Who Do You Think You Are? (BBC1, Thursdays, 8pm) with trepidation.

Surely professional Cockney Dyer would come from generations of dodgers, duckers and divers? Hardly the stuff of an interesting programme.

As he himself says: “They’re going to be expecting me to be related to criminals... I’d like to freak a few people out.”

And then there’s the problem of Dyer himself. His celluloid record is hardly inspiring, and he sometimes comes across in interviews as charmless and aggressive.

Which is why this particular episode was such a pleasant surprise.

The stories in Who Do You Think You Are? are often awe-inspiring, uplifting or tragic, yet seeing Dyer – sitting in a library, peering at a historian over a pair of horn-rimmed reading glasses – learn that his impoverished great-great grandmother was convicted of hiding the body of her baby, having made a tragic mistake, was somehow heart-breaking.

So far, so East End poverty. But Dyer’s story took increasingly baroque turns, as it turned out the family fortune was lost by an ancestor on the losing side in the Civil War. Then we learned the in-laws, and that means Danny himself, were related to Henry VIII’s chief adviser Thomas Cromwell – you know, Mark Rylance out of Wolf Hall.

And then the story took an even more bizarre twist. Suffice to say that, should a crumbling Buck House fall on the Royal Family during this year’s Christmas dinner, we could see King Danny sitting on the throne.

Dyer proved to be an engaging, interested, funny person to go on this amazing – dread TV buzzword coming up – journey with.

Each revelation was greeted with stunned gasps, as the colour drained from his face, from meeting distant relative Lord Tollemache – “the geezer’s got a *bleep* drawbridge. Let’s have a bit of bunny with a lord” – to the final, incredible reveal in Westminster Abbey. It ends with Dyer pledging “to get meself a ruff”.

Was I freaked out? Absolutely, but also charmed, entertained, and educated. What more could you ask from a TV show?

Two people have died after a fire ripped through a building in Manchester's Chinatown this morning.

Two bodies have been found after a fire in Manchester's Chinatown, Greater Manchester Police said.

The blaze began at around 2.15am and threatened to cause disruption as shoppers head out to grab Black Friday deals.

A number of roads in the city centre were blocked by the fleet of fire engines sent to tackle the flames which illuminated the decorative gateway at the peak of the blaze.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service group manager Phil Nelson said: "Crews are still working hard to extinguish the building. We're using two aerial appliances which have worked well in containing the fire and preventing spread to other buildings.

"We're working with police to see if we can get the road closures opened before the morning rush-hour traffic".

Due to falling debris, firefighters were forced to keep back from the multi-storey commercial building, which was left severely damaged.

GMFRS said the blaze was contained by around 6am but Portland Street, Princess Street and Faulkner Street remained closed and anyone travelling to the area was urged to find alternative routes.

Stagecoach Greater Manchester tweeted: "Piccadilly Gdns is inaccessible due to a fire on Portland St, services are terminating and starting from Princess St."

The video shows progress on the huge sea defence project at Rossall which is due to be completed next year.

Huge boulders are now in place and work is progressing on the installation of pre-cast concrete steps.

Wyre Council is replacing two kilometres of defences from Rossall Hospital to Rossall Point in a £63m coastal defence scheme that will protect 7,500 properties from the risk of flooding.

325,000 tonnes of rock armour are being used to create the base of the defences, to weather the harsh conditions on this exposed part of the coastline and allow the beach to build up in the area.

190,000 tonnes are already in place along with 90,000 tonnes of underlayer rock, 192,000 tonnes of structural fill, 10 sets beach access steps and more than 2,400 precast concrete units.

Coun Roger Berry, Wyre's cabinet member with responsibility for sea defences said: "This is a massive project which began in 2014.

"It isn't finished yet but you can really see it taking shape.

"It is not only a scheme which will provide protection for thousands of homes but it will give us a far more attractive Promenade.

"With the work which has already been carried out in Cleveleys and the work Blackpool Council has done there will be a fantastic stretch of Promenade for people to use.

"It has been very good working with Blackpool and Fylde on the scheme.

"We have learned a lot and undoubtedly saved money too."

Two lanes were closed and traffic was queuing after the crash which involved two lorries and two cars on the M6 Northbound just after 12pm today.

All lanes were reopened just after 12.30pm, however there are still long delays back to junction 31.

Lancashire Fire Services attended the scene.

Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw has supported Lancashire’s bid to become the country’s first White Ribbon County, aiming to end violence against women and girls.

For the first time, all councils across Lancashire will be accredited alongside the Commissioner’s office, Lancashire Police and health bodies.

As part of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, councils will sign up to the White Ribbon campaign which encourages all men to take a pledge not to “condone, commit or remain silent” about domestic abuse.

Mr Grunshaw said: “Tackling domestic abuse is a key priority under my new Police and Crime Plan and I am delighted that Lancashire will be the first White Ribbon County. This represents a clear commitment to take a stand against this type of violence.”

The campaign, part of a global movement to end male violence against women and girls, has been signed by more than 25,000 people in the UK.

A Blackpool shopkeeper has told of his shock at being punched to the ground in a racist attack.

Gulamoyhuddin Kaduji, 30, was working in his Pound Zone store in Topping Street when he was smacked in the face by 26-year-old Lee Smith whose only motive was that the shopkeeper “looked at him”.

Smith, of Osborne Road, Blackpool, was already on a suspended jail term for brandishing knives and swords out of a window when he attacked Mr Kaduji, on February 10 this year.

He admitted racially aggravated assault at Preston Crown Court.

Mr Kaduji, originally from Gujarat province in India, has been running a store in Blackpool for a year-and-a-half.

He said: “There are problems with shoplifting so I try to keep an eye on people. This guy started shouting at me, shouting abuse, saying he would hit me.

“Eventually he left the store. Then suddenly he ran back in and punched me in the face. It was a shock, I didn’t expect it. I was just protecting my business. My wife was in the shop and she saw everything. She got a picture of him.”

Preston Crown Court was told she described his language as “disgusting and awful” and said the attack was unprovoked.

In a police interview, Smith claimed his actions were “self defence”.

Defending, Chris Hudson said: “When they went in the shop they felt from the moment they stepped in the door they were under observation.

“It would appear the shopkeeper came out, and was keeping an eye on Mr Smith but the trouble is he is a vulnerable and sensitive individual.”

Judge Simon Newell sentenced Smith to a rehabilitation activity requirement, a curfew, and ordered him to pay £150 compensation at £5 per week.

The judge said: “It’s a very, very unpleasant incident, not only for Mr Kaduji and his wife but also for her (witness).”

Mr Kaduji said: “There is something on the street every day, but it’s people fighting, drinking, shouting.

“This was the first racist incident. You just have to brush it off, get on with it. I have a 
lot of regular customers and they are very good and supportive.”

An historic lifeboat looks set to be given a fresh coat of paint, thanks to cash grants from members of Lancashire County Council.

The 41ft vessel, Ann Letitia Russell, which helped save more than 150 lives with Fleetwood RNLI from 1939 to 1976, was returned to the town last summer from a Lowestoft marina for restoration.

Now the Ann Letitia Russell Rescue Group has applied to members of the county council for just over £700, to be used to buy paint to help renovate the lifeboat.

County councillors for Fleetwood West and East, Lorraine Beavers and Ron Shewan, have been asked for half of the cash each, with County Coun Beavers so far agreeing to give £358.78.

An application from the group said: “The Ann Letitia Russell served as the town lifeboat from 1939 to 1976.

“She was instrumental in saving more than 150 lives.

“Many local people come from fishing backgrounds and have memories of the service she provided for the local community.

“The local response to her return to Fleetwood was amazing. The aim of the charity is to return her to her original condition and put her on display in Fleetwood.”

The cash grant will be used to buy paint.

Street art is coming to St Annes – and is set to be the centrepiece of a festival being planned for next year.

The corner of Back St Annes Road West and Orchard Road is set to feature a giant piece of art currently being worked on by renowned specialist urban artists Hayley Garner and Joy Gilleard, who have already produced works on the streets of neighbouring Blackpool.

Known together as Nomad Clan, the Manchester-based duo have been commissioned by Blackpool-based Creative Arts and Futures on behalf of the St Annes Enterprise Partnership (STEP) to transform the back street in St Annes town centre which has long been touted as ‘art alley’, with various pictures hung on the wall in a bid to promote an art trail.

Nomad Clan were one of the headline artists at this year’s Sand Sea and Spray Festival in Blackpool, which attracted more than 30 artists, some from as far afield as Cuba, Iceland and Portugal – and the hope is that a street art festival can become part of the annual calendar in St Annes.

The line between Manchester and Eccles / Salford Crescent has now reopened.

Delays are however, still affecting trains run by the operators Northern and Arriva Trains Wales and First Transpennine Express.

According to National Rail Enquiries the affected routes are:-

Leeds / York / Newcastle - Liverpool Lime Street
Manchester Victoria - Liverpool Lime Street
Manchester Piccadilly - Liverpool Lime Street
Manchester Piccadilly – Preston / Blackpool North
Manchester Piccadilly – Chester / Llandudno / Holyhead
Manchester Piccadilly – Edinburgh / Glasgow
Manchester Piccadilly – Barrow / Windermere
Manchester Airport - Liverpool Lime Street / Southport / Blackpool North

Travellers are being advised that a ticket acceptance is in place and travellers may use their rail tickets on the following alternative routes:

Virgin Trains between Manchester Piccadilly / Chester / Warrington Bank Quay / Wigan North Western and Crewe
East Midlands Trains and TransPennine Express services between Warrington Central and Manchester Piccadilly
Northern via any reasonable route

Disruption is expected to last until 1pm.

For more information please see here.

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