Lancashire nostalgia in the year 2000: PNE champions, gingers see red; and cows wipe out Blackpool

The pride of Preston as PNE lift trophy Jubilant David Moyes lands a smacker on the silverware as Preston went Championship crazy. The North End boss could not contain his delight as he and his Deepdale devotees kicked off a wild promotion party. More than 19,000 fans packed in the ground to see the club lift the Second Division Championship trophy. Nearly 20 years of hurt was blown away in an instant as the Preston North End skipper Sean Gregan lifted the coveted trophy to trigger unforgettable scenes. And no-one was happier than manager Moyes as he joined his team and Sir Tom Finney on a memorable lap of honour. Bottle after bottle of Champagne were cracked open as the players - who had sealed the title two weeks before the end of the season - lapped up every single minute. The party was then moved into town as pubs, clubs and entire streets became a sea of flags and scarves. Preston will now get a repeat performance when the team sets off on an open-top bus ride from the ground into the town centre, ahead of a civic reception at the town hall. New advert makes gingerheads see red Fiery is the word usually the word associated with redheads, but now, apparently, being blessed with a carrot top is almost a disability. An electric company has sparked a storm of complaints after launching a £6m billboard advertising campaign. The Wiltshire-based company, npower (formerly Midlands Electricity) has been criticised for its: “There are some things in life you can’t choose” series, which includes a “ginger family”. The boards, which seek to get people to change suppliers, have been the subject of official complaints lodged with advertising standards watchdogs. And rightly so. How can having ginger hair be a bad thing? If it is really is so awful, why do bottles and bottles of red hair dye fly off chemist shelves as people seek to join the flame-haired elite? An endless list of famous faces including Chris Evans, Cilla Black, Patsy Palmer, Neil Kinnock, Robin Cook and Charles Kennedy have all been crowned with a bronze mop. Most have found their careers enhanced by their distinctive locks. Preston too has it’s own very successful gingers, none more so than North End manager David Moyes. He reckons his hair is a winner - just like this team. He said: “It’s never bothered me to be honest.” Cows could wipe out Blackpool Farmyard flatulence could wipe out Blackpool and Morecambe. But don’t panic just yet... it will take at least another 50 years. In a new report boffins claim methane from livestock is the second most prevalent greenhouse gas in the North West and the third biggest cause of global warming. A temperature rise of up to three degrees is predicted for the next 50 years which would lead to the flooding of towns and village, especially on the Fylde. The findings were compiled by Sustainability North West at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Atmospheric Research and Information Centre. Lancashire supplies 26 per cent of all methane emissions and Cumbria’ a windy 31 per cent of the region’s total.