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Page 2 August 2026 AD SALES 01204 478812 No part of this publicationmay be used or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure that the articles and advertisements that are carried are authentic, however the publisher accepts no responsibility for claims made. © Investors in Publishing Ltd 2026. This newspaper is publishedmonthly by Investors in Publishing, Publishing House, 3 Bridgebank Industrial Estate,Taylor Street, Horwich, Bolton BL6 7PD. 01204 478812 EDITOR Ged Henderson ged@hendersonnewsandmedia.com ADVERTISING Jayne Meadowcroft 01204 478812 or 07703 045189 jayne@independentnewspapers.co.uk CLASSIFIEDS Teresa Bond 01204 478812 teresa@independentnewspapers.co.uk CONTACT US DD Exhibitions Ltd trading as DD Exhibitions Ltd of Unit 1, Hudcar Mills, Porritt Street, Bury, BL9 6HJ , is applying to change an existing licence as follows: to keep an extra 3 goods vehicles and 4 trailers at the operating centre at the aforementioned site. Owners or occupiers of land (including buildings) near the operating centres who believe that their use or enjoyment of that land would be affected, should make written representations to the Traffic Commissioner at Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7UE stating their reasons, within 21 days of this notice. Representors must at the same time send a copy of their representations to the applicant at the address given at the top of this notice. A guide to making representations is available at: www.gov.uk/ government/publications/a-guide-to-making-representations- objections-and-complaints-goods-vehicle-operator-licensing GOODS VEHICLE OPERATOR’S LICENCE A BOLTON school has officially opened its new £4.5million exten- sion to meet growing demand. The project has created new class- rooms and a library space at Lady- bridge High School, allowing it to accommodate 150 additional students. Headteacher Paddy Russell, said: “We are delighted with the completion of our new building, which provides a new large library and careers space, along with classrooms for Humanities and Art. “We are particularly excited about the library space, which will be a mature, university-style learning environment. “The library will allow for independ- ent study, as well as group work and exhibitions of learning.” He added: “The construction project MOORLAND on Winter Hill that was devastated by a raging wildfire eight years ago has still not fully recovered, envi- ronmental campaigners have revealed. The fierce summer 2018 blaze lasted 42 days and it took around 100 firefighters to bring it under control and put it out. While some of the land- scape has recovered, Alan Wright, from The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Man- chester and NorthMerseyside, told the BBC the impact was still visible. He was speaking amid warnings aimed at preventing a similar blaze breaking out in the area during the heat- wave that has seen wildfires ripping through other moor- land areas in other parts of Greater Manchester. Police officers also increased patrols around the Smithills Estate moorland area of Win- ter Hill during the recent spell of hot and dry weather. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and Bol- ton Council issued warnings, reminding visitors to the moors that they face a hefty fine if they use barbecues or set off fireworks which could spark a fire. A Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) was intro- duced following the 2018 wildfire covering parts of Bolton, Chorley and Darwen to help prevent devastation to wildlife. The PSPO bans any activ- ities on moorland that pose a serious fire risk, including lighting barbecues, build- ing or lighting campfires or camping stoves, setting off fireworks and releasing night- sky paper lanterns. Anyone found breaching the order on the moorlands around Horwich faces a fine of £1,000. Alan Wright, head of cam- paigns and communications at the trust, said the moor- land area affected by the 2018 blaze had not fully recovered from the damage it caused. In an interview with the HORWICH Council has handed over a series of grants to help a range of local organ- isations with their work in the community. Horwich Community Choir has been given £500 to cover the costs of its summer concert. Echo and Wave CIC – a baby loss support group which is currently one of the mayor’s chosen charities for the year – received just over £500. That money will be used by the charity to help with training, uni- forms and supporting material for a start-up library. St Catherine’s Church has also been given £500 to help towards the afternoon teas and entertainment it organised for older people in the summer months. Bridge Church will use its £350 grant towards toys and refresh- ments for its toddler group and refreshments for those that attend support organisations. The town’s Air Cadets has also received £500 and there have been a number of larger grants awarded. Anderton Centre is being sup- ported with money to subsidise the cost of Horwich children attending its outdoor learning visits during October half-term And the Horwich Heritage centre has also been given cash backing so it can continue its work protecting local history. Devastating: The aftermath of the 2018 blaze (Photo credit: Lancashire FRS) Ribbon-cutting: Ladybridge High School’s extension if officially opened (Photo credit: Bolton Council) Cash support for the community High school’s £4.5m extension unveiled ran extremely smoothly, was completed on schedule and we are delighted with the quality of the final finish. Rabiya Jiva, Bolton Council’s exec- utive cabinet member for children’s services, said: “We want every child in Bolton to thrive and reach their full potential, and a big part of that is pro- viding excellent school facilities close to where families live. “This extension will mean even more students can benefit from the outstand- ing teaching and supportive environ- ment at Ladybridge High School. “We continue our work to expand the number of places across the borough by working with all schools to make the most of existing facilities.” Alert: Police have increased patrols in moorland areas (Photo credit: GMP) BBC, he said: “Any time there’s a fire it will kill lots and lots of fledglings, it will kill lots of mammals, it will kill lots of insects, and then it will create areas which are just no-go areas for years to come because there are no food plants.” Alan added that despite the long-term damage, a lot of work had been carried out help re-grow plants and make the environment one in which wildlife could thrive again. Commenting on this sum- mer’s wildfires, he said the Wildlife Trust was calling for more conversations with landowners, farmers, conser- vation groups and the fire ser- vice “about how this seriously needs to be sorted, because we can’t put up with this happen- ing every single year”. In a statement Greater Manchester Police said: “Neighbourhood officers have increased patrols around the Smithills Estate moorland area of Winter Hill during the recent spell of dry weather. “We want everyone to come and enjoy this beautiful area responsibly, but with the warm and dry conditions, there is an increased risk of moorland fires. Even a small spark can have dev- astating consequences for wildlife, the landscape and nearby communities.” Meanwhile, a guided walk organised by the Woodland Trust marked the anniver- sary of the Winter Hill blaze and explored the lasting impact of one of the largest moorland fires in England. The event focused on the ongoing restoration work on the moorland and what can be done to reduce the risk of future fires. STILL IN RECOVERY