A review of speed limits and road signs is being carried out in Hartlepool. The borough highways department aims to establish whether speed limits are appropriate and effective. It also hopes to ease traffic congestion, improve road safety and encourage
THE fate of a farmer's controversial and long-running battle to open a caravan park in Teesdale will be decided at an appeal later this year. Farmer and entertainer Paul Stephenson has been struggling for eight years to open a caravan site in Coal Road
AN interactive computer project designed to combat social exclusion has been launched in County Durham. The Integrated Access Via IT project aims to develop people's information technology skills and to help community groups all over the county gain access
Darlington defender Craig Liddle yesterday revealed that he is "unhappy" at Feethams and wants to join Sheffield Wednesday. Liddle, a firm favourite of the fans with his no-nonsense displays, claims he has had a nightmare summer, and wants to move on
Noel Whelan yesterday insisted that a £2m move to Middlesbrough will confirm that his bad-boy days are over. The striker brushed aside suggestions he has replaced the departed Paul Gascoigne as Bryan Robson's resident problem boy at the Riverside. "Things
DARLINGTON Mowden Park chairman John Parkinson is to act as Newcastle Falcons' business development director. His main task will be to oversee the expansion of the club's facilities at Kingston Park and the adjoining Bullocksteads playing area. The Falcons
Darren Lehmann and Anthony McGrath both got themselves out when centuries were theirs for the taking against Somerset at Taunton yesterday. But the real bad news for Yorkshire was a serious knee injury to skipper David Byas which will almost certainly
A COUPLE celebrating their diamond wedding say "helping each other out" is the secret of their successful marriage. Tommy and Eleanor Johnson, who were married at the Wesleyan Church in Stanley 60 years ago, will mark their special day with a family meal
Darren Lehmann and Anthony McGrath both got themselves out when centuries were theirs for the taking against Somerset at Taunton yesterday. But the real bad news for Yorkshire was a serious knee injury to skipper David Byas which will almost certainly
Crook Town face a crunch game when they go to Leadgate for the battle of the top two this afternoon. The title door unexpectedly re-opened last week when Leadgate's match at Esh Winning was rained off, and Crook narrowed the gap at the top to less than
ROYAL assent for a new Government Act has paved the way to complete the modernisation of Stockton Borough Council. A major consultation on town hall decision-making is under way in the wake of the passing of the Local Government Act. The legislation gives
COMMUNITY crime-fighting across North Yorkshire is in line for a major boost with the announcement of extra cash. The county's police force has won £710,000 to invest in crime-busting and community safety initiatives. The cash is the force's share of
THREE houses were broken into on the same day in Darlington this week, an occurrence which was described by police as a blip. On Thursday, two flats were broken into in Larchfield Street, between 11am and 4.30pm. A Sony Discman, Samsung VCR and a remote
A MOTHER-of-three slashed her face and then claimed she was attacked, in a bitter inter-family feud. Police found 30-year-old Sharon Tough shaking, and with dried blood on her cheek and forearm. She told them Anthony Carter struck as she left her home
MOBILE phone company Orange plc has been given approval to build an 11.5m mast near the Jet service station on the outskirts of Barnard Castle, despite opposition from local councillors. The decision was made by a planning inspector after members of Teesdale
FAMILIES are being urged to get healthy and exercise more. Tees and North-East NHS Trust is teaming up with the Sitara Initiative to launch a healthy eating and physical activity project, at the Multi Cultural Centre, in Middlesbrough's South Bank, on
ANYBODY who ventured into Bishop Auckland Town Hall yesterday was in for a big surprise, because teddy bears were having a picnic. Children took their favourite bears and joined in the fun, which had been laid on for them by Wear Valley Arts. Youngsters
BRITAIN's biggest car park operator is to enforce new parking restrictions on the streets of Durham City. Durham County Council has given the job of policing the scheme to National Car Parks (NCP), which was chosen over five other bidders. The council
A FORMER medical director who gave shamed surgeon Richard Neale a "glowing" reference is being questioned by medical authorities. The Northern Echo has learned that Dr Michael Saunders, who was medical director of The Friarage Hospital at the time of
COUNTY council officials have ruled out the provision of a temporary Bailey bridge to reduce the impact of the closure of the flood-hit Mercury Bridge on Richmond traders. The town's business and tourism association had written to North Yorkshire County
A COUNCIL is seeking Government cash to employ neighbourhood wardens. Gateshead Borough Council has put in a bid for Home Office funding to pay for four wardens, who would be based in the Leam area. They would keep an eye on empty properties, report any
A CONSETT charity that caters for women and children affected by domestic violence wants new members for its management committee. Derwentside Women's Aid is a safe house for people fearful of violence from their boyfriends and husbands. The group says
FIVE people were injured in a crash on a busy main road yesterday afternoon. The accident, involving a lorry and five cars, brought rush hour chaos to east Cleveland. The crash happened on the A171 Whitby-to-Guisborough road near the Jolly Sailor pub.
A LUMP of concrete from the eyesore car park made famous in the Michael Caine classic movie Get Carter is to be sent to the star as a memento. Town planners in Gateshead are preparing to knock down the multi-storey car park from which Sir Michael memorably
A BRIDGE which was closed for strengthening work is to reopen on Monday. Bollihope Ford Bridge, between Stanhope, in Weardale, and Egglestone, in Teesdale, needed reinforcing to bear the weight of 40-tonne lorries. A £41,000 strengthening scheme involved
A TEENAGE drummer is fast becoming a big noise in the music industry with his work testing high-tech instruments. Sixteen-year-old Will Seabury's latest trial could take the earache out of practice sessions for every budding drummer. Will, from Crook,
AN exhibition of work by studio artists has marked the opening of the Saltburn Artists Studio. The studio, in Marske Road, has been launched by Saltburn Improvement Company Ltd along with Saltburn Artists Projects supported by the regional development
DURHAM paceman Melvyn Betts will be out for two to three weeks following a minor operation on his latest knee injury. He will miss what could be the relegation decider against Kent at the Riverside, starting on Wednesday, and the following week's trip
Sunderland captain Adam Applegarth believes his side's game in hand will be crucial in the final run-in for the championship. "We are only four points ahead of Blaydon but I reckon two or three other sides are also in with a chance. Apart from Durham
BACK IN 1963, the year that Gary Nicholson was born, an Associated Rediffusion sit-com called Our Man at St Mark's made its television debut. Leslie Phillips was the parish priest in the first series, Donald Sinden subsequently. Joan Hickson played the
Thornaby skipper Neil Marsden is confident that his side will survive in the top flight and reckons that just another win will do the trick. Following an uncertain start to their first season back in the Premier Division, Thornaby have shown better form
AN investigation has been launched into a controversial decision by Durham County Council to back plans for traffic lights on a busy road at the centre of a proposed housing development. The Local Government Ombudsman confirmed yesterday that a complaint
fundraisers from the region are invited to recreate the maiden voyage of the Titanic to help Marie Curie cancer care. The simulated sea drama and rescue will take place at the Marine Safety Training centre in South Shields. Volunteers will be asked to
POLICE are threatening to cut off accidental mobile phone calls in order to ease demands on the force's 999 emergency system. Control room staff at Durham Police headquarters at Aykley Heads, Durham City, have been told to terminate so-called ghost 999
A MINI park has sprouted up in the heart of north Hartlepool. The green space has been created in an area which was previously an unsightly block of mainly empty, boarded-up houses. The 40 houses, a mixture of properties owned by Home Housing Association
A NORTH Durham federation of community volunteers is to close. Organisers of Chester-le-Street's Volunteers United group have decided to hand over to the district's other volunteer body, the Council for Voluntary Services (CVS). The CVS was set up by
A TEESSIDE railway station could soon be transformed to take advantage of the rail revival, if a proposed £280,000 improvement scheme is given the go-ahead. The scheme, at Thornaby station, would provide a new station building with a waiting area for
A SWIMMING club set up to help youngsters suffering from asthma has been given a cash boost by generous shoppers. Sunderland Asthmatic Swimming Club was presented with £400 from the North-Eastern Co-op's community dividend, which will be spent on things
FORMER miner Ron Hindhaugh has dug deep into a rich seam of old photographs for a new book on mining. Looking Back At . . . Mines and Mining charts 125 years of the history of King Coal, in County Durham. Ron, from Stanley, has brought together a photographic
POLICE fear a number of potentially-dangerous air-guns have been brought into Darlington following a school trip to eastern Europe. Their fear has been sparked by the confiscation of two identical ball-bearing guns from the Cockerton and Mowden area of
YOUNG people from across the country will be heading to Durham City next week, for a holiday with a difference. Instead of basking on a sun-kissed beach, a group of 16 to 30-year-olds will spend a week helping to preserve the city's heritage. Their working
FUNDRAISING time is against cancer sufferer Michael Blake if he is to take on the challenge of his life. The 24-year-old architecture graduate, from Newton Aycliffe, has still not reached a target of £3,000 to let him join a charity trek through the foothills
A MAN who is spearheading the regeneration of a Darlington estate has been put forward for an award. As chairman of the Firth Moor Community Partnership, Bill Cook was instrumental in putting together a bid to regenerate the estate. All his hard work
