Terms and Conditions for Competitions

These rules will be deemed incorporated in each competition except to the extent that any specific instruction in a competition (hereafter called the ‘competition instructions’) provides otherwise.

By entering the competition, entrants (or voters) together with any other member of the public involved hereby agree to be bound by these rules as amended from time to time, and by any competition instructions.

1. It is the responsibility of entrants to keep themselves informed as to any updates of these rules, and they acknowledge that any failure to comply with these rules could lead to their disqualification without reasons being given or opportunity for challenge.

2. The Judges shall, unless provided otherwise in the competition instructions, be the Editor, unless specifically stated otherwise.

3. Entries or votes should be made or cast fairly. If, in the opinion of the Judges this principle has been flouted, they can declare any entries or votes invalid, void the competition, change the competition instructions, or adjust the entries or the voting to achieve fairness. Only one entry/vote per entrant will be permitted, unless competition instructions specify otherwise.

4. The decision of the Judges over every instance shall be final and unchallengable and in their absolute discretion they may declare void any entry/vote or the competition itself should they consider that there are no entries reaching a required standard.

5. Judges shall have the right, at their discretion, to change the rules of a competition while it is running if it appears to them that it would be appropriate to do so, including the extension of the closing date whereupon there will be an announcement of any such extension at the first reasonable opportunity.

6. All competitions are open to UK residents aged 18 or over unless any other age restriction is specified or implied. Entrants should, if under 18, obtain permission in advance from their parent or guardian and be able to demonstrate that to the Judges’s satisfaction. Employees of Local Communications Limited or the Saddleworth Independent newspaper, regular contributors and contractors, the promoters and individuals connected with any company involved in the competition, agents and members of the immediate family of the above people will not be eligible to participate.

7. All entries must be legible and made on the official form, if there is one, or the official page on the website (www.saddind.co.uk). They must be clearly marked with the entrant’s name, address, email address and telephone number as requested.

8. Entries must be made in accordance with the competition instructions. They are invalid if they are received any later than the specified closing time.

9. In the case of token collect or voucher promotions, only originals are valid. Strictly no photocopies will be accepted. No tokens or vouchers are redeemable for cash.

10. All questions must be answered and all other entry requirements fulfilled, including in any ‘pay to enter’ competition each entry must be accompanied by the appropriate entry fee or proof of purchase as appropriate.

11. The winner will be chosen in accordance with the competition instructions and the exercise of their residual discretion by the Judges, and either will be the first correct entry drawn from the total entries or all entries will be examined and the prize awarded to the entry that the Judges consider to be the best.

12. Other prizes will be awarded in accordance with the order of priority as stated in the individual competition.

13. LCL reserves the right to publish the names of the winners and runners-up, and the winning entries themselves, either in print or online. LCL shall have a non-exclusive licence to publish, syndicate, distribute, reproduce and exploit the material in all present and future media and formats and to sub-license these rights to others.

14. There will be no cash or other alternative to the prize offered and prizes are not transferable.

15. In the event of any error, whether printing, technological or otherwise, which affects the competition in any way, the Judges reserve the right to administer the competition as though the error had not occurred.

16. If any winner of a competition is unable to take up a prize for any reason, or if LCL has not been able, after making reasonable efforts, to make contact with the winner, LCL reserve the right to award that prize (without notice to the first winner chosen) to an alternative winner.

17. Where necessary to determine an outright winner(s), the Judges reserve the right to require that entrants take part in an eliminating contest (or ‘tie breaker’) or a draw to determine the winner(s) of the prizes.