Lancashire nostalgia in 2002: Big Brother; Pele supports England; and flop stars

Southport girl Adele Roberts is causing a stir on Big Brother | other

Here's a look at some of the stories that were making the headlines back in 2002:

Big Brother is back with a bang!

You either love it or hate it - but you can’t ignore it!

Watching a group of complete strangers sitting around in a house talking shouldn’t be compulsive viewing.

But even on its third airing Big Brother is capturing larger audiences.

Around four million people are tuning in every night to find out what the contestants are doing, with 6.8 million tuning in during the launch of the third series.

With simulated sex scenes, stories of shoplifting, a bit of cross-dressing and plenty of bad language, the new series has grabbed the interest of both the public and the media.

Southport stunner Adele Roberts has also been causing a stir stripping to her underwear for housemate Lee Davey’s 22nd birthday celebration.

Look back at a selection of pictures from 2002 here

World-beating Pele supports England... No, not THAT one!

Pele rocked football by backing Sven’s men to beat Brazil and win the World Cup.

However, before we all get too excited, the Pele in question isn’t’ the world-beating Edson Arantes do Nascimento.

No, he’s a teenager from Leyland who works in a clothes shop in Preston.

Pele Duncan was named after the great Brazilian striker by his football-mad father.

Pele, aged 16, of Longmeanygate, said: “I do like my name and I am glad that it is unusual.

“I always used to be kicking a football around in the street, in the garden or on the school playground.

“There was only ever one Pele at school and the name makes sure that you are always remembered.

“But sometimes people don’t believe me when I tell them my name. They think that I am joking or that it is just a nickname.”

Pele was given his name by dad, Dave Duncan, 41, a keen Preston North End fan from Maypark, Clayton Brook, near Chorley.

And Pele was just 11 months old when he became a season ticket holder at Deepdale, joining his father on the terraces.

Pele added: “I hope England will win and I definitely will be cheering them on.”

Who's a flop star now?

Singing sensations Jessica Taylor and Kevin Simms were enjoying the sweet smell of success again.

Jessica, of Penwortham, Preston, and Kevin, of Abbey Village, near Chorley, shot to number three in the charts with band Liberty X’s debut album, Thinking It Over.

Two weeks ago the group secured their first number one single with Just a Little.

The hit was enough to silence their critics who wrote them off after failing to make it into Hear’Say, winners of ITV’s Pop Stars.