Lancashire nostalgia in 1998: New Moyes deal; holy war; and big pants prank

Here's a look at some of the stories that were making the headlines back in 1998:
David Moyes has agreed a new deal to continue as Preston North End's player/managerDavid Moyes has agreed a new deal to continue as Preston North End's player/manager
David Moyes has agreed a new deal to continue as Preston North End's player/manager

Moyes agrees new PNE deal

David Moyes celebrated a new Deepdale contract and vowed: “I want to see the club back in the First Division.”

And the Evening Post can reveal that goalkeeper Kelham O’Hanlon will join Moyes’ managerial team as first team coach at Deepdale.

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Moyes has agreed a one-year “roll-over” deal and said: “When the board of directors gave me the chance to manage Preston North End in January I asked them to give me the opportunity to see what I could do.

“I think I steadied the ship and helped give the players their self-belief back.

“Now I am determined to try and finish the job by moving this club along another step.

“Preston North End have played at this level of football for far too long now. I would love to be the man to help push this great club on and into a higher league.”

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Moyes took charge in January following Gary Peters’ resignation and steered Preston clear of the relegation trapdoor. North End tasted defeat just once in their last ten Division Two games.

And Moyes, who will put pen to paper on the deal before the weekend, has resisted the temptation to hang up his boots.

He will continue as a player in what is sure to prove a challenging first season in the Deepdale hot seat.

READ MORE: Look back at a selection of pictures from 1998 here

All out holy war breaks out at Chorley Mormon temple

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints hit out at a rival religious group it claimed was impersonating Mormons.

Bryan Grant, the church’s director of public affairs, said the Reachout Trust, a self-styled Christian ministry, had been handing out copies of a fake Mormon magazine dubbed the Temple Times.

The leaflets had been given to thousands of people visiting the new Preston Temple at Hartwood Green, Chorley.

Mr Grant said the innocent-looking pamphlet contained a neutral description of the new £100m temple but denounced the church in its closing pages.

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He said: “Visitors think it is a genuine Mormon document but this simply not the case.”

Mr Grant accused the Christian group of tresspass and claimed they had been using the Mormon-run Park and Ride scheme to hand out their literature to tourists.

He said: “Legally, they are trespassing. We want to be nice about this and do not wish to notify the police but at the moment we find their behaviour offensive.”

But Doug Harris, director of the Reachout Trust, said there was nothing sinister behind the actions of his team.

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He added: “If they are trespassing, it is unwitting and we urge the Mormons to discuss this with our leaders as we don’t wish to break the law.”

National Trust not amused by monumental big pants prank

Two pranksters used a giant pair of Lancashire-made jeans to save the blushes of the proud owner of Britain’s most impressive piece of manhood.

The £40,000 jeans appeared over the legs and mighty appendage of the world famous Cerne Abbas chalk giant in Dorset as a publicity stunt for a soon to be launched American fashion house.

But the stunt could yet prove an expensive one for organisers Jeff Boardman and Ben Jones, from Romford in Essex.

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The National Trust have declared themselves “horrified” by the use of the Skelmersdale-manufactured trousers and commented that they were “very concerned” about damage to the site.

Franki Burstin, UK rep for the jeans company, said: “It is a great thing to do.”