ST MICHAEL'S IS A STAR ATTRACTION
Award winning St Michael's Church in Swinley held an open day at the weekend to celebrate their latest English Heritage honour, the national organisation responsible for the listing of buildings.
St Michael's has , until recently, been Grade II, but earlier this year English Heritage took another look at the fine old building and decided o make it a Grade II Star, a standard that few buildings attain.
A programme of events was planned for Saturday (1st) so that parishioners could celebrate the church's new status and invite people to have a look around the building.
BLAZE HERO IS 'ONE IN A MILLION'
The Wigan hero who rescued a fellow backpacker
from a horror blaze at an Australian hostel was hailed "one in a million" by the girl whose life he saved.
Keith O'Brien, 22, of Broadlands
Shevington, smashed through a barred window and pushed Kelly Symonds from the burning building before saving himself.
The pair were among 20
Britons who survived the fire at the two-storey Palace Backpackers Hostel in Childers, 195 miles north of Brisbane, which killed 15 people.
Welsh girl Kelly has since phoned Keith's parents, Susan and Paul, to tell them, "Keith is one in a million. I thank him for saving my life."
The praise comes as survivors try to come to terms with the tragedy, which broke out at the 100 year-old timber building a week last Friday.
Keith, a former St John Rigby college student said, "The smoke was like you couldn't see in front of your face. In the room the door was closed so I
ended up kicking the door in and smashing a window. But there were bars on the window, about a foot and a half by a foot, so I shoved my friend
through and she got pulled out and then some firemen yanked me out."
Susan O'Brien said, "It was really sweet of Kelly to phone up, she seems
like a really nice girl.
Keith is very angry about the whole thing, he is just trying to come to terms
with it. He doesn't think he has been brave and he doesn't understand what all the fuss is about. He says anyone would have done the same thing in
that position."
Keith has spoken briefly to the Australian Prime Minister John Howard and is now hoping to go to Sydney to meet with friends
before coming home in August.
Keith's dad Paul said, "I spoke to him on Sunday and he was telling me about the church service. They are just
finding it hard accepting what has happened. I am obviously proud of what he did, but Keith is a very level headed lad."
Kelly's dad Michael
said, "She has told us that her room mate got her out of the hostel. We are just grateful that she is alive."
SHAMED PRIEST LOSES JOB
Months of speculation could soon draw to a close after a permanent priest was named to take over St Aidan's RC church in Winstanley.
It is almost three months ago since the Rev Mark Worden went into hiding after admitting he has been having a secret love affair for four years.
He was last seen at St Aidan's on Ash Wednesday after being told he must choose between his vocation and the woman he loves.
Church officials at the time of his disappearance said that he was spending time alone to try and solve his agonising dilemma.
Now the Archdiocese of Liverpool has confirmed that Father Francis Tillotson, who is currently the parish priest at St John's in Wigan, will be taking over at St Aidan's.
A spokesman said, "We can confirm that Father Francis Tillotson will be the new permanent priest at St Aidan's although it is not known when he is to start there yet. There has been no change in Rev Worden's situation".
In March this year Father Mark went to Liverpool to confess to his archbishop Patrick Kelly that he has been seeing his patner Sue Miles for four years.
Parishioners were shocked at the news of his double life.
Rev Worden, also a governor at St Aidan's Primary School, has said he does not want to be portrayed as a troubled priest who has been led astray but says he wants to speak out against what he sees as the church's outdated attitude towards relationships and sex.
It is believed the couple have been friends for 10 years.
SAMANTHA PROVES WIGANERS REALLY DO KNOW THEIR PIES
Schoolgirl Samantha Ayles has confirmed in
spectacular fashion that Wigan folk really do know their pies.ROD VISITS JJB STADIUM
Rock legend Rod Stewart made a hush-hush visit to Wigan...to try
out the new JJB Stadium for size.
Rod was in town with his football team the Vagabond Old Boys for a behind closed doors match with the JJB team. The
football fanatic and his team, made up of old friends and a few celebrity pals including game show host and actor Bradley Walsh, arranged the match as a follow up
to a game they staged at Wembley at the weekend when they beat the JJB team 4-0.
Superstar Rod had a fantastic time during the game which was refereed by Rod's
older brother Don and ended in a 2-2 draw, despite straining his leg during th second half of the match. And he was full of praise for the new joint home of Wigan
Warriors and Wigan Athletic.
He said, "It's gorgeous, even better than my own pitch and even better than Wembley. It was a very good game and the JJB team was
a lot better today than Saturday. Although, they seem to have brought in a few younger players since Saturday, players are supposed to be over 35 because most of us
Vagabonds are a bit older!!"
Based most of the year in Los Angeles, Rod makes the most of his few months in England playing football twice a week at his full size
football pitch in the garden of his Epping mansion.
At 55 Rod may be getting on a bit, but he cut a lean figure as he darted around the pitch in a Scotland strip.
Although he didn't get a chance to look around the town, he does have plans to return next year. He said, "We hope to make this an annual event and maybe next time I'll
get a chance to have a proper look around Wigan."
BILL CALLS IT A DAY
A Wigan school governor is retiring after more than 60 years in education.
Bill Pearson's decision to call it a day ends a glittering carrer which began in 1940 as a teacher, and most recently as a governor for Aspull Church Primary School.
Head teacher Carol Farrimond said, "He has been a valued governor who always worked hard for the school and for the children. We will miss him a lot and wish him all the best."
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