WIGAN Council Leader Lord Peter Smith looks forward to the arrival of his home town weekly paper.

Sending 140th birthday wishes, he said: “I’d like to congratulate the Journal on reaching this remarkable milestone, few things in life last 140 years. In 1874, Queen Victoria was on the throne and Disraeli become Prime Minister – supported by two Tory MPs from this area.

“Since the Journal was established, the world of journalism and the town of Leigh have changed in many ways. But one thing remains – the best place to learn what’s happening in our town is to pick up the paper each week.”