The woman and her children, who are aged five and 11, were found upstairs at the house in Sandy Lane and rescued together with the family’s pet dog from the terraced house at around 4am yesterday morning.

The children and the spaniel dog were rescued by fire-fighters wearing breathing apparatus, who then before getting the mother out of the property through the front bedroom window using an extension ladder.

Two fire engines from Leigh and one from Atherton attended the blaze, and were at the house for around an hour and three-quarters.

Firefighters used hose reels and breathing apparatus to tackle the fire, then used a positive pressure ventilator to draw the smoke out of the house.

Watch Manager Iain Ronaldson said: “We broke the front door down and all the smoke started coming out.

“Fire-fighters wearing breathing apparatus went in and carried the two children out. The mother was rescued from the bedroom window by ladder.”

A neighbour living on the opposite side of the road, who asked not to be named, said; “I only noticed anything when I looked at the CCTV camera this morning. At the time I slept right through it. I saw a fire engine turn up on the camera at about 4.05am, and that was it.

“I only really looked at the house and noticed what was happening this morning when I saw the police cars were outside.”

An investigation has begun into the cause of the fire, which is believed to have started in a storage container in the kitchen.

The scene was also attended by officers from Wigan CID and representatives from the council’s Children and Young People’s Services, who are investigating.

We have used the experience of the XZone nights to develop our own Friday night provision for 8 to 16 year old children. These will take place each Friday at Lowton Youth and Community Centre from 6:30-8:30pm with Scooby and the crew welcoming young people to join in. Future sessions will include a “Curry Night” designed to get the young people to make a healthy curry which they have to prepare and cook for themselves (Sandy will be a volunteer taster for this particular session). Also planned sessions on “growing your own food”, “gardening”,”how to eat healthily”, “sport” and “craft skills”.

Lowton Youth and Community Centre has been part of the community of Lowton for some time now. In fact, the parents of some of our youth club kids used to come here to the youth club themselves!

We are a centre that is pleased to offer a home to groups from in and around the Lowton area and have rooms to rent for conferences, training, meetings, events and courses. Many things are changing here and we want the community of Lowton to come and get involved with us as we move forwards.

Christopher Horridge, 21, of Oak Avenue, Golborne, pleaded guilty to assaulting Daniel Kearns, when he appeared at Wigan Magistrates’ Court.

Ms Jayne Kearsley, prosecuting, told the court that on April 30, Mr Kearns had left his house in Pine Grove, Golborne, when he saw Horridge, whom he had first met four years ago, during an incident which left his forearm broken.

Horridge threw his victim to the ground, pulled his top and punched him to the back of the head.

As Mr Kearns tried to cover his face with his hands, Horridge hit him in the ribs and the back of the head.

He kicked Mr Kearns in the left arm and stopped when a relative shouted at him.

It was believed Horridge was angry about his friend’s window being smashed as he shouted to Mr Kearns ‘if you break a window again, I will kill you.’

Mr Kearns suffered sore ribs, red marks to the back of his neck, a swollen left arm and his forearm, which had a metal plate from a previous injury, was sore.

At a previous hearing, Horridge admitted he grabbed Kearns, but denied kicking him.

Mr Glen Wrigley, defending, said: “This was an assault where fortunately lesser harm was caused. He accepts full culpability as he took matters into his own hands. It was a chance meeting and was not premeditated.”

He added that Horridge had recently split up with his girlfriend and has severe problems with alcohol.

Horridge was sentenced to a 12-month community order, subject to supervision and a six-month alcohol treatment programme.

An outstanding £400 fine was remitted to allow for £120 compensation to the victim, £100 court costs and a £39.40 consolidated fee.

The robbery took place at a house on Summercroft Close, Golborne, at about 2.30am on Wednesday June 29.

The gang of thieves smashed the glass patio door to get inside, then confronted the 35-year-old, menacing him with the bat before making demands for property. They stole various items. The man was not injured but was shaken up.

Police are now appealing to anyone with information to come forward. There were at least two offenders who were black and dressed in dark clothing.

Det Con Gavin Cunliffe of Wigan CID, said: “These men invaded the privacy of this man’s home, threatened him with weapons and subjected him to intense physical intimidation just to get their hands on some cash.

“It is really important we track these men down because they are violent criminals with access to weapons.

“I would appeal to anyone who knows anything about this robbery, either by witnessing these men going into or out of the house or if you have overheard some gossip, to call us, in total confidence if necessary.”

Anyone with details should call Wigan CID on 0161 856 7295 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

Cathryn, 45, who comes from Lowton, married US motivational speaker The Scary Guy in a ceremony at Manchester Town Hall.

They celebrated their reception at Bar 38, in Manchester, with guests from all over the world, and spent their honeymoon in Paris.

The couple met in 2005 when Cathryn was teaching at a school in Bury and The Scary Guy was booked to speak to pupils about prejudice and bullying.

When she helped The Scary Guy write up a curriculum for his sessions, he asked her to join him on his worldwide tours.

They started dating in 2007 and married this year.

The Scary Guy, who legally changed his name from Earl Kenneth Kaufmann 13 years ago, said: “I have a reading disorder, so I never write things down. When I spoke at the school, Cathryn wrote the curriculum for me.

“I was so impressed I thought we should hire her.

“She left her job as an educator and went on the road with me in 2006.

“We kept it platonic and business-like, but we then decided this was love and the relationship developed.”

The pair tour the world with VisionHeart and KidsVisionHeart Inc, with Cathryn writing the material for The Scary Guy to deliver.

He uses humour and shock tactics to teach children the emotional consequences of bullying and name calling in order to eliminate hate.

He added: “We develop and design programmes to modify behaviour in children so they are aware of the fact they have the power to take responsibility for their actions.

“We dedicate our lives to helping people and allowing children a chance to do things differently. We hope to make a difference to their lives.”

The couple have no children together, but Cathryn is close to The Scary Guy’s daughter and two grandchildren.

They travel around a lot but often spend time in Cathryn’s cottage in Wales and visit family in Leigh.

The Scary Guy, who is a former tattoo artist, added; “We have a good time when we come back here to Cathryn’s home town.

“Because Cathryn’s mum and family live in the area and she loves her family we try to get here two or three times a year.”

Anthony Cragg, 22, of Froghall Lane, Orford, Warrington, pleaded not guilty to wounding Craig Higgins with intent.

He also denied a lesser alternative charge of wounding and possessing a knife in Law Street, Golborne. The offences allegedly occurred on September 13 last year.

He was remanded on bail until June 27.

Sgt Paul Jones, 27, has worked with Prince William in the RAF for more than a year and although the Prince expressed a wish for all his colleagues to be there on his big day when an envelope from Buckingham Palace dropped through the front door, both he and his wife Gemma were stunned.

Gemma, 27, from Lowton, said: “I was completely shocked when I opened the envelope because although Prince William had said that he wanted everyone there we didn’t know if that was just the flight crew or partners as well.

“So when I opened it and the invitation was to both of us I couldn’t believe it, it was brilliant.

“Obviously I’m really excited but it is still so surreal and it hasn’t quite sunk in even though its only a few days away.”

Paul, from Astley, joined the RAF when he was just 19 and has known Prince William for a year when the pair met while doing their search and rescue training together, before becoming part of the same flight unit based at RAF Valley on Anglesey.

He said: “I was really star struck at first because you hear Prince William’s name and you think ‘wow, this is going to be big’.

“But after meeting him you forget about his title because he is really good at putting you at ease and I soon realised that he is just a normal person.

“Having worked closely with him for more than a year now he is just one of the team. He has a great sense of humour and he is part of all the banter, he joins in with the jokes and dishes them out himself too.”

Although rubbing shoulders with the future King is just part of the job for the 27-year-old radar and winch operator, he says that being a guest at one of the biggest national occasions of recent years is one of the biggest days of his life.

He said: “When you think about the scale of how big an event this is going to be and the type of people that will be there it makes you feel really honoured and humbled. It’s an amazing thing.

“We have two children Finlay, four, and Alex, who is just one, and although Finlay knows where we are going he doesn’t quite understand the scale of it, so it’s going to be a wonderful story to tell in the future, especially if William does become the King.”

And with less than days to go the pair are just about ready for the Friday which will be watched by millions of people across the world.

Gemma has even enlisted a personal shopper to make sure everything is just right on the day.

She said: “My friend told me about a personal shopper service at the Trafford Centre, so I booked myself in there and had people bringing the clothes to me totally taking the stress out of everything.

“And I settled on a white and silver dress from Selfridges with a little black cardigan, black shoes, handbag and hat. I’m looking forward to seeing what Kate will be wearing, but I’m sure that whatever she wears she will look beautiful.

“I can’t wait now, it’s just unbelievable, I’m just little old me and all of a sudden I’m going to the Royal wedding.”

The pair have to be at Westminster Abbey for 8.30am on Friday ready for the ceremony at 11am, they will then go to Buckingham Palace for the reception before an evening meal put on for members of Prince William’s unit and their partners.

Whilst the weather was fine, conditions underfoot were a bit boggy.

“I’m glad I had my wellies with me – it was really muddy but great fun” said one Y7 student.

The students chose to raise money for Wigan Hospice and children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent.

The event is in its 7th year and is always popular with students. “It’s a reflection of the outstanding behaviour of our students that we can have almost 1000 teenagers walking 5 miles around Lowton” said Headteacher John Shanahan. “The amount of money raised shows them to be genuinely concerned about those less fortunate than themselves and needing support” he added.

An appeal for witnesses was today made for anyone with information about the robbery in Newton Lane, Golborne, last Thursday night.

The 58-year-old occupant was terrorised by two masked men who burst into the house at about 10.40pm.

They demanded cash and jewellery, and then one of the men bound her hands behind her back.

They escaped with a large amount of jewellery, including a Rolex watch, diamond ring and gold bracelet.

It is believed the intruders ran off over Haydock golf course, as tyre tracks were seen on the fairways.

There is no description of the robbers, other than it is understood they spoke with soft Irish accents.

DC Linda Howcroft, of Wigan CID, said: “Fortunately this woman was not injured but she was put through a horrendous ordeal.

“I am keen to hear from anyone who might have been in the area or may have seen the car driving away over the golf course. It is vital we catch these men quickly.

“We are working hard to catch the men responsible, but we are hoping anyone who knows about this crime or has information about the people who committed it will recognise what a cowardly act this is and get in touch.”

Anyone with information should call Wigan CID on 0161 856 7203, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

The Vaccine Damage Payment Unit has ruled that 18-year-old Robert Fletcher’s severe disabilities were caused by the inoculation when he was a toddler.

For most of his life, mum Jackie has campaigned for recognition that the “cocktail” of vaccines can pose risks, and she set up the national JABS (Justice, Awareness and Basic Support) group which represents thousands of families who feel their children have been left with conditions ranging from autism to Crohn’s disease by MMR.

But they have been routinely dismissed as “scaremongers” by the medical establishment who have produced rafts of research to demonstrate that the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccination is not dangerous while highlighting the greater risks from measles.

Now, however, the Department of Health is having to face up to a legal precedent, plus the prospect of countless more damage claims.

Robert – who has the mental age of a 14-month-old, cannot walk unaided, is doubly incontinent and can have dozens of fits a day – will only be awarded £80,000, which his family say will be handy for disabled adaptations to the house in Golborne.

But Jackie and husband John point out that it is dwarfed by the US compensation system which awarded $32m to a boy left paralysed from the waist down by MMR.

They have called on a re-vamp of the UK system, saying it should be the pharmaceutical companies paying damages (as they do in America) rather than the taxpayer and that the payments themselves should be more realistic.