TOWNSFOLK at Yarm are to be asked about ideas for a major alteration at the town hall. Renovation of the ground floor and relocation of public toilets are being envisaged as part of plans to improve the centre of the town. The scheme would involve opening
There are still some places available on computing courses being run by the Priory Campus of Prior Pursglove College, in Guisborough. For details of courses, which include basic computing, using the Internet and web page design, ring (01287) 280800
OUT in time for Blackpool away, and also in time for Christmas, an every cough and spit statistical chronicle of the Quakers called The Definitive Darlington FC. This is the Definitive article. The history's compiled by Frank Tweddle, the club's official
ONCE the transport of mods and grannies, scooters are fast becoming fashionable with all shapes, sizes and sexes. Even diehard bikers, who once derided the lightweights, are now turning to them as a fun alternative, particularly in the winter when pristine
INTERPRISE 2001, organised by County Durham Development Company (CDDC), promises to be next year's biggest business-to-business event in the region, offering a unique opportunity to establish new contacts and explore new markets in Europe and beyond.
HAUGHTON school in Darlington hopes its week-long festival of African film, dance and animation will move it closer towards art college status. The Adpana festival began on Monday and is the result of two months' hard work by year nine pupils who have
JUBILANT residents are celebrating after plans to build offices on a green belt were withdrawn. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has announced an agreement in principle to build the offices on a former foundry site in Guisborough. The news means that
UK FARMERS must invest in becoming more efficient managers. Mr Steve Ellwood, head of agriculture with HSBC Bank, said that was his most important message of the day. "We need to recognise that the risks in agricultural production are far greater than
Four students from a martial arts club in Middlesbrough have struck gold while representing their country at two different world championships while two more won silver medals. The six members of the Scorpio Freestyle Club, based in Park End Community
DRIVERS of smoky commercial vehicles in Darlington are being warned to clean up their act or face being shopped. An initiative brought in by the Vehicle Inspectorate urges everyone to do their bit for the environment by reporting commercial diesel vehicles
CLUB stalwart Malcolm Barkess showed age is no barrier in the COM 2000 Consett Sunday League when he donned his boots to help Stanley Central in their first division game. Maxie, as he is known, is over 50, but was quick to step in and fill the void when
Adam Applegarth, who led Sunderland to the first Foster's North East Premier League Championship, was named player of the season after the awards ceremony held in the members' lounge at the Riverside, Chester le Street. Applegarth took 39 wickets at the
ON Tuesday last week, with year ten pupils Sacha Buckley and Jennifer Haines, I represented Hurworth School at the Darlington Schools' Public Speaking Competition, at Darlington College of Technology. Sacha introduced the team and the topic, I conducted
PUPILS at a primary school put the US presidential candidates to shame when they actually managed to declare a winner in their own classroom elections. Children aged six to 11 nominated and elected candidates to stand on the pupil council at Cestria Primary
BISHOP Auckland, who reached the final of the English Schools FA Heinz Ketchup Trophy (Under-15) two seasons ago, are on the glory trail again. They are through to the third round in the northern draw and play away to Manchester-based Trafford. They were
The Guisborough Motor Club had an entry of 60 for their East Yorkshire Centre Trial at Charltons near Guisborough on Sunday. Last year's winner Sean Robinson had to settle for second place behind Ian Austermuhle of Rosedale, who dropped just six marks
A POLICE officer is hoping to give thieves a rough ride when it comes to stealing bikes this Christmas. Hartlepool crime prevention officer Colin Hopkins is encouraging people buying new bikes this Christmas to make them less attractive to thieves by
A GOOD WEEK FOR... SEXUAL EQUALITY THE big news of the week is that council workers in London are testing the first female urinal with a view to letting it loose on the streets. It allows women to do their business standing up, just like men. The creator
FOUR hundred runners converge on Richmond on Sunday for what has been described as the toughest 10-kilometre road run in the country. The event, which traces a circular route from the castle via Mercury Bridge, Holly Hill and Easby, has attracted competitors
FUNDRAISERS are celebrating following an abseil down the Tyne Bridge on Sunday. The event was organised by the Katie Trust, a Redcar-based charity that is raising money to fund a new research post at the regional cancer research unit at the Royal Victoria
A GOOD WEEK FOR... EXCUSES AFTER British Rail's legendary "leaves on the line" and the wrong kind snow", London's Millennium Bridge came up with one of the best excuses of all time. The bridge had to be closed after just three days because it was swinging
WITH a flagship 180 bhp, four-wheel-drive and six-speed transmission, Seat's Leon range is exciting car drivers around the region. The high-performance Leon, with 142 mph performance, marks a fresh milestone for the fast advancing, Barcelona-based car
SANTA'S elves will be leaving post boxes in Newton Aycliffe again this year. All children who post their letter to Father Christmas in the special boxes will receive a reply from the Ice Palace in Greenland, where he lives. Parents are asked to check
Durham County champion Matthew Hurst added two more titles to his collection at the weekend when he won the Durham Under-21 Restricted Championship Singles and Doubles titles. The 17-year-old from Thorpe Larches, Stockton, became Durham County Champion
A NEW youth organisation has been formed in East Cleveland by the man at the centre of a row with a charity. Russ Watson resigned from St John Ambulance after he was reprimanded by senior officers for carrying sandbags during the July floods in Skinningrove
Sir, - I refer to Mr M Lawn's letter (What Pleasure, D&S Nov 17) concerning the pheasant shoot at Mount Grace priory. It amazes me that his complaint was that his four-year-old son witnessed the shoot. Was Mr Lawn and his family forced against their
Sir, - May I use your columns to vent my frustration borne out of a recent shopping experience in a local Tesco supermarket? I had commented that the imported (Danish) bacon was actually cheaper than the equivalent home produced product, and wondered
AN MP is urging managers to splash out on a new swimming pool for Guisborough. Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar is pressing for a commitment to either radically upgrade existing facilities or build a new pool. The move follows an
YOUNGSTERS from a County Durham school will enjoy a day in the Dome for being good pals. Bowburn Junior School, near Durham City, won the trip to the London attraction for its Playground Friends scheme. A dozen Year Six pupils, aged ten and 11, watch
FULL-TIME firefighters in North Yorkshire could have their annual leave cut by up to three days in an attempt to improve manning levels on engines. The option is one of three being considered by senior officers and the controlling fire and rescue authority
LIBRARY customers in North Yorkshire are being asked to voice their opinions on the quality of the service. Questionnaires are to be given out at the county's 45 libraries, starting on Monday, and can be posted in a special ballot box. The library service
A GEM of a guest house has just been given its fifth award this year. Mr David Armstrong and his wife, Heather, who own and run Clow Beck House, near Croft-on-Tees, returned from London's Caf Royal this week, very proud of themselves. The couple's extended
REPORTS of race attacks in Darlington have gone up by 300 per cent in the last three years, it has been revealed. Although the town has the highest concentration of ethnic minorities in County Durham, it is still only around two per cent of the 101,000
AN ILLUSTRATED guide has been produced featuring the Shotley Bridge Heritage Trail. The guide containing three walks around the village, pointing out buildings and places of interest, has been produced by the Shotley Bridge Village Trust. Each walk is
COUNCIL chiefs are making preparations for future emergencies in the wake of the devastating floods that paralysed large parts of the region. An emergency committee of Richmondshire District Council is meeting later this week to discuss the authority's
CIU League The finals night for the knock-out competitions were held at Crook Belle Vue. In the semi-finals of the darts singles Ronnie McAloon of Byers Green beat Ray Scott of Middlestone Moor 3-2 and Jeff Sneath of Crook Belle Vue beat teammate, Paul
Worthington CIU Winter League Wheatley Hill A took the first point at Stanley Central with a win by Alan Hall, but then the home side took over and prevented the Hill from moving to the top of the First Division. The Central's winners were Michael Vicary
A LARGER than life sized tribute to soccer legend, 'Gentleman George' Hardwick, 80, has been unveiled on Teesside. The nine feet tall statue of the former Boro defender and England captain stands opposite a statue of the late Wilf Mannion, his former
WHAT on earth is going on at Feethams? David Hodgson has gone and so has half the team. It seems chairman George Reynolds is trying to change the face of football by capping the wage and bonus structure. The club has sold a lot of talent without replacing
MASTERPIECES from the brushes of some of the world's great artists are appearing in schools in the Durham area. Nevilles Cross Primary, Sacriston Juniors, and St Godric's Primary, at Newton Hall, are able to display reproductions of four paintings, originals
Crook Town Horizon Glass The visiting Hetton Juniors went ahead after only ten minutes of the Russell Foster League match when Joey Donkin worked his way down the left and crossed for Alan Thompson to score from just inside the penalty area. Three minutes
CRITICISM of Richmondshire's tourism service by the audit commission was labelled disappointing, appalling and not worth the paper it is written on. Officers, councillors and accommodation providers were dismayed the authority was rated only "fair" and
AMERICAN pop diva "Tina Turner" was the star of the show last night as Sunderland's Christmas Parade brought cheer to the city's streets. Thousands of people turned up to see Tina, also known as US tribute artist Jacqui Virgil, who was the main attraction
A CONTROVERSIAL proposal to build artists' studios on a former gardeners' site is expected to win councillors' approval. A proposal has been submitted to develop studios, a gallery and public toilets on the Old Nursery Site, at Rose Walk, Saltburn. Planners
The flagship of the current SEAT range, the handsome Toledo saloon, is based on the VW Golf but actually costs slightly more. The new Toledo offers more room than a Golf and, a SEAT trait, a simply enormous boot. Luggage-carrying capacity may be slightly
AN AINTREE return in the Grand National is now the target for Young Kenny, who battled to a brave and emotional win over the big obstacles in the Becher Chase on Saturday for trainer Peter Beaumont. Russ Garritty, in his first victory over the Aintree
Durham Alliance Ties in the Durham Trophy, first round, produced some exciting football and goals in abundance, notably at Chesters FC whose depleted squad were on the wrong end of a 5-1 result against Wolviston Reserves. David Hewson netted the lone
A FORMER farm, which has continually diversified to become one of Teesdale's premier hotels, is to be allowed to add leisure facilities and a swimming pool to its attractions. Mr Mark Watson wants to build a single-storey extension to the Jersey Farm
CAR ownership is full of ups and downs. And never more so than in the case of Citroen's new state-of-the-art diesel, the Xsara Hdi. Acknowledged leaders in the field of diesel research, Citroen has used its expertise to produce a replacement for the phenomenally
The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League The two Darlington and Stockton Times First Division Cup semi-finals produced victories for Newton Aycliffe Sports Club and Coundon Miners Arms. In the clash of top against bottom, leaders Aycliffe
TONIGHT'S the night they've all been talking about in the world of grass roots sport. The Local Heroes Awards 2000 will be presented to a host of unsung stars at Darlington Football Club's Ambassador Suite tonight. Rio Ferdinand might be making football
FARMERS must work on the basis that they are not going to make as much money as they have in the past. Mr Mike Yeadon of Smiths Gore said they should all reduce expectations of the amount of income they can generate. The arable farms he advises have all
A DERELICT site is to be landscaped as part of a major restoration project at Sir William Turner's Hospital in Kirkleatham. The 300-year-old Grade I listed almshouses are at the centre of a £1.6m restoration scheme in which half a hect-are of adjacent
VILLAGERS are being invited to join a tree-planting record attempt. About 150 birch, pine, oak, hawthorn and blackthorn, will be planted on the recreation ground at Cockfield, near Bishop Auckland, on Saturday, as part of environmental improvements to
Though X may be an initial rarely used in the English language, Peugeot dealerships across the UK are expecting to be putting it on to the nation's roads in some numbers with the introduction of the new X vehicle registration on September 16. And with
THOUSANDS of pounds are to be spent making the walk to school safer for a group of Darlington children. St Bede's RC Primary School will be the next local school to benefit from Darlington Borough Council's Safer Routes to Schools programme. The authority
JEAN Swinburn was special guest at the BSJA Area 12/2A held at the Chilton Country Hotel, Fencehouses and received two bronzes of a mare foal and showjumper for her service as area representative for the past 15 years, writes Malcolm Bewsher. Joe and
THE villages of Brotton and Skelton will be lit up this Christmas thanks to a new partnership. The festive lights are to be provided by Skelton and Brotton Parish Council and residents, who have formed the Blooming Lights Committee. Christmas trees have
BCTG. - Dec 4: Training evening rally with Jane Graham. Tel: Corinne 01325 332685. Braes of Derwent South PC. - Dec 9: Indoor hunter trial, Holmside Park, novice, intermediate and open classes. Sae for schedules, Sue Forster, Derwent Dene House, East
THE Olympian achievements of a 16-year-old girl have been recognised by a north Durham council. Nicola Jackson's swimming coach at Consett's Belle Vue sports complex, David McNulty, only decided to recommend that she participate at the Sydney Olympic
PETER Reid launched a scathing attack on Peter Ridsdale yesterday and accused the Leeds chairman of attempting to unsettle his ace striker Kevin Phillips. The patience of Sunderland boss Reid snapped when he was asked to comment on yet more speculation
TWO teenagers have been withdrawn from one of the North-East's leading privately-run schools after being caught with drugs. The boys, both fourth-formers at The King's School, Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear, were removed from the school by their parents to
COUNCILLORS are expected to officially express their disapproval of two separate plans to erect mobile telephone masts in a small north Durham community. However, Derwentside District Council planning committee will not have the powers to prevent phone
A DETERMINED villager has completed a five-year labour of love for her church. St Peter's Church, Osmotherley, has a new millennium kneeler for the altar, designed and stitched in the village by Dorothy Henderson, 73. Mrs Henderson said she volunteered
AROUND 200 new jobs are set to be created after a North-East shipyard landed a £15m conversion contract. Cammell Laird in South Tyneside revealed it had clinched yet another major conversion contract, winning an order to convert the diving support craft
CHURCHES throughout the Ripon and Leeds Diocese are being asked to give their responses on issues including infidelity, second marriages and homosexuality. It follows a ground-breaking conference last month to examine controversial questions of human
AN old stable has been transformed into a centre of artistic excellence, thanks to the efforts of painter Alex Clark and her family. After six months of hard work, Alex, who specialises in painting wildlife watercolours, has opened the first fine art
QUEEN Elizabeth Sixth Form College, Darlington reached the second round of the State Schools County Cup with a 39-0 home victory over Bede College, Billingham. Queen Elizabeth raced to a 29-0 lead at half time, allowing a number of substitutes to gain
OWNERS of unusual Victorian heirlooms have a chance to feature in a New Years Day television special being filmed at Beamish Museum. A one-hour Antiques Roadshow-style show will be screened on BBC2 on January 1, set amid the turn-of-the-century attractions
DARLINGTON'S largest-ever residents' only parking scheme will be introduced next week. People living in 800 properties will benefit from the scheme, which starts on Monday, after lengthy consultations between Darlington Borough Council and residents.
TOWARDS the end of the summer a government proposal with potentially far-reaching implications for the way our health services are run slipped into the public domain. As part of a series of changes to way patients interests are represented on the bodies
'YOURS is the original mind, really, if we are going to be straightforward about it," Joan Ingilby once remarked during an interview. But Marie Hartley, to whom the compliment was addressed, would have none of it. "We do all the research together and
A NORTH-EAST runner has begun a trek up Everest in preparation for a marathon with a difference. Robin Rutherford, 49, from Darlington, won a place in the Everest Marathon 2000 last month. He is in the middle of a 16-day trek up the world's highest mountain
WHETHER or not Bryan Robson survives as the Boro boss does not amount to a hill of beans compared with the new crisis facing sport in general. It is predicted that gene therapy, or genetic engineering, will be used within five years to boost performances
THE sun shines down on my head, the wind tugs at what is left of my hair and the panorama stretching before me is beautiful North Yorkshire. It's the perfect day for driving the perfect kind of car, a soft-top. The sound of the animals vies with the throaty
I LISTENED with interest to Polar explorer Robert Swan talk movingly on radio last week about his battle with alcoholism. The Boys' Own-style adventurer from County Durham, who now makes his living giving inspirational talks to business people about leadership
HOMEOWNERS have been warned to be on their guard after a string of burglaries. During the past two weeks private homes in Brackenbeds Close in Pelton and others in Ouston, near Chester-le-Street have been singled out by a thieves. Police, who have stepped
OUT in time for Blackpool away, and also in time for Christmas, an every cough and spit statistical chronicle of the Quakers called The Definitive Darlington FC. This is the Definitive article. The history's compiled by Frank Tweddle, the club's official
THERE are basic laws of physics most of us get through life knowing nothing about. This is all very well and good until it comes to choosing a car, at which time a bit of knowledge is of great benefit For instance, you want to buy a car which is sporty
SCHOOLCHILDREN in Middlesbrough were given the chance to meet some of the country's top authors as part of the Northern Children's Book Festival last week. The authors, visited schools and libraries throughout the borough to take part in various events
THE opening salvos have been fired in the battle to represent Darlington in Parliament. Although the next General Election does not have to be held until 2002, the two key candidates who will be contesting the Darlington seat have come out fighting. Tony
Billingham Town 3 Guisborough Town 2 GUISBOROUGH'S good run in the Albany Northern League was interrupted on Saturday. The breakthrough for Billingham came from Rowntree on 20 minutes. On the half hour Richie Storr pulled Guisborough level and his second
MARSKE United moved up to seventh place in the Albany Northern League after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tow Law. A Dave Markham cross saw keeper Bellamy head inches past his post resulting in a corner. Markham and Greg Booth worked an opening and Darren
VILLAGERS who lose their post office next weekend hope to win permission to extend their community hall to provide a self-contained shop and post office. The parish council at Newsham, near Richmond, has submitted a planning application to Richmondshire
CITY council chiefs were in London yesterday to outline plans to improve services for young people. Colin Sinclair, Sunderland City Council's chief executive, told a one-day conference at Local Government House about pioneering proposals for Public Service
IT'S THE biggest game of the season at the Riverside as Boro face bottom-of-the-table Bradford City on the back of a miserable run of seven straight defeats. "At the start of the season, the last thing we expected - or wanted - was to be in the position
Well, it's only taken twelve years, but Smaller Son has finally made up for losing his pants down the changing room drain. You forget, don't you, what small children can be like? Our friend Steve forgot. He and his children were staying with us. They
FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - Yesterday, on the Stud Farm of Messrs J and D Linton, of Low-street, Bedale, the trial of a new labour-saving machine, called the Macdonald Turnip Lifter and Topping Machine, took place. The weather was most favourable
THE British Horse Society has presented the Forestry Commission's North York Moors district with a national accolade for protecting important bridleways. The Elizabeth Kirk award has been made for agreeing to designate more than five kilometres of trails
THE juggernaut came out of nowhere, all 38 tons, bearing down as it cut the corner of a fast right-hander. There was a lay-by on my side of the road and I suppose the trucker had decided it was tea time. Unfortunately for me we were on a collision course
A CAMPAIGN to cut burglaries in east Durham during the dark winter days is proving successful, just two weeks after its launch. Since the operation, codenamed Darc, began on November 6, it has almost halved the number of house break-ins in the area, compared
A TEENAGER has beaten off competition from 5,000 other budding writers from across Britain and abroad to win a writing competition. Now Helen Hammond, 14, from Chester-le-Street will have her work published in a unique book of short stories. Helen was
ONE main aim behind the proposed re-organisation of the NFU is to secure as much new government money as possible for farmers. The change in the role of regional policy advisers is designed to release them to spend more time on helping farmers apply for
A NORTH-EAST man braved the acid tongue of quizmaster Anne Robinson to win television's The Weakest Link game show. Father-of-two George Mills, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, picked up £2,040 after winning the final of the hit BBC programme. Mr
AN INTENSIVE lobbying campaign has been launched to save the British sugar beet industry from potential destruction. A European proposal would allow the world's 48 poorest countries to export everything but weapons to the European union - free of any
I'VE got to admit I'm a tad perplexed. I've been a motoring writer for some time now and one of the first things I do is decide which category the test vehicle falls into. But try as I might I couldn't find a pigeon-hole for Mazda's new Demio. I mean,
AN EAST Cleveland village has called a public meeting to tackle the problem of youth disorder. Brotton is gearing itself up to fight back in the wake of a church being wrecked and a school bus set alight. Elderly people are said to be scared to leave
A CAMPAIGN to provide deaf children with specialist schooling is going to the top. Parents are lodging an appeal with Education Secretary David Blunkett against plans by Middlesbrough Borough Council to transfer deaf youngsters from the town's Beverley
SPORTS enthusiast Miss Charlotte Page is on top form after this week's awards ceremony at Teesside university. The Guisborough graduate, who gained a first class BSc (Hons) in sports science, also won the Armstrong sports award for best final year dissertation
THE JAPANESE largely built their motoring empire by copying Western designs. Datsun (now Nissan) started making cars in 1931, building Austins under licence, and Isuzu used to make Wolsleys. When they couldn't licence a rival model directly, the Japanese
LET'S be honest, estates are not really the best looking of cars. They may be functional, enormously practical, but are they really going to win any beauty competitions? No, I think not. Well, until now. When I heard Alfa Romeo was thinking of reintroducing
THE St John Ambulance Bricks and Wheels appeal received a £500 boost this week with a donation from Barclays Bank North Yorkshire group. The charity, which provides first aid training and cover at public events, aims to raise £840,000 to pay for nine
The penultimate round of the North East Winter League resulted in a near repeat of the previous match on the Lower Tees, writes JEFF HERBERT. Darlington Angling Centre rods monopolised individual placings but the powerful Middlesbrough Newman Scotts ruled
REDCAR MP Mo Mowlam will switch on the town's Christmas lights and lead a High Street singalong on Sunday, December 3. The switch-on has been organised by The Clarion in association with Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's Town Centre Management and
ASSURANCES about potato contracts have been given to worried growers in the region. Thousands of tonnes of potatoes lie waterlogged in fields throughout Durham and North Yorkshire as many growers are forced to wait for lifting conditions to improve. A
Sedgefield's junior international swimmer and waterpolo player Angela Winstanley-Smith, 15, has been chosen as the Northumberland and Durham Counties Swimmer of the Year, writes ERIC WILKINSON. She will be presented with the Arthur Mothersdale Memorial
TWO Cleveland musicians play before royalty in Sweden this weekend. Brass band soloists, James Chisholm and Stuart Shields, will take part in the concert by special request. They were invited by Capt Alan Lewis, conductor of the Swedish Professional Regimental
A CHURCH choir which may be the last all-male group of its kind in the region is to include female voices for the first time - but only at evensong. Girls will make their debut in the new year at St Peter's in Stockton. For all major festivals and communion
FIGURES so far suggest Pudsey Bear's 21st birthday is going to be one to remember. The BBC's Children in Need Appeal celebrated the milestone with a seven-hour marathon broadcast on TV and radio a week ago - and, at £12m, the total so far beats 1999 by
READING all the hype and road tests about the current crop of sports bikes, you would imagine that all machines other than the mighty Yamaha R1 are pedestrian. Well don't read - ride. It's the only way to know for sure whether a bike is to your taste.
A MAN who took home a foal to 'try and save its life' was found guilty of neglecting the animal by Bishop Auckland magistrates this week. John Williamson, 46, of St Mary's Close, Bishop Auckland, appeared before the court accused of failing to provide
TWO out of three North-East children receiving long-term home tuition because they are too ill to go to school are victims of the mystery illness ME, it was revealed last night. Latest figures suggest that 67 per cent of chronically-ill children in County
LEADING fuel protestor Andrew Spence last night backtracked on comments about bringing Britain to its knees with a new wave of blockades. The County Durham farmer had previously pledged to bring about a "winter of discontent" in the new year. Mr Spence
A WORKSHOP to help farmers and landowners make the most of woodland grant schemes takes place next month. Yorwoods, the Yorkshire Woodland Initiative, has arranged the session for Wednesday, December 6, from 1pm to 4.30pm, at the Sutton Bank Visitor Centre
THE nose to this week's column comes as a bargain offer. You can have two for the price of one. You say you don't want two? That you would sooner have one at half-price? Can't be done, but tell you what - take them both, choose between them in the comfort
THIS week's Diary begins with a Rhea Rant. The weekend before compiling these notes, my wife and I decided to take advantage of a break in the wet weather and go for a ramble on the North York moors. Limited time meant we could only enjoy a short outing
THE four council-run leisure centres in the Hambleton area are preparing for their annual maintenance shutdown. The centres in Bedale, Northallerton, Stokesley and Thirsk will all be closed for several days. Facilities manager Steven Lister said: "It
Easington manager Wilf Constantine has welcomed striker Gavin Naylor back into the fold. Naylor signed for Easington from Bishop Auckland at the start of the season, but was rumoured to be on his way to another club in the middle of October. As a consequence
UNIVERSITY leaders have revealed ambitious plans to a create a new medical school as a way of meeting the need for more health professionals in the region. The universities of York and Hull are working together with health bosses to develop a bid for
Sir, - The recent flooding in Northallerton raises a number of questions. Firstly, what happened on the building site on Bankhead Road that caused Bullamoor Road to turn into a raging torrent, and who or what authority was responsible for it? Secondly
REGIONAL job creating agencies have failed in their bid to attract the Government's Meteorological Office to the North-East. Exeter, in the South-West, has been selected as the preferred site from four shortlisted for the new Met Office headquarters,
PEOPLE carriers have been around in some form or other for quite a long time. Big and practical, they've all shared one thing, looks that would do grace to a baked bean can. Fiat broke with tradition with the Multipla, which looks like nothing on this
IT IS an amazing story that we tell on our front page today. A two-day-old baby was abandoned nearly 50 years ago in a telephone box in Darlington; now, after a brush with mortality, she is seeking to discover who she really is, who her natural mother
Junior round-up BILLINGHAM Bears went down to a 3-0 home defeat against Nottingham Cougars in English Junior (Under-16) North A League at the Forum Arena. Nottingham, who won 4-2 in the lace city against Bears earlier in the season, were a goal up after
HORNBY rally driver Anth Eaton's second place in the Mintex National Championship this season was even more creditable given it was his first proper attempt at the title. Driving the Group A Ford Escort Cosworth, Eaton and his co-driver and near-neighbour
A HOUSING benefits system will be given a £75,000 overhaul after serious flaws were found. The system operated by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council was examined by an external auditor after concerns were raised over its efficiency. He said that there
Stepy's Coaches Durham and District Sunday League Ithe Racing Promotions Trophy holders Hetton Lyons CC easily overcame Premiership visitors Ushaw Moor CC 4-0 to move comfortably into the next round of the competition. Alan Pearson (2) Stuart Irvine and
SEAT is on a roll at the moment. The Toledo is breaking new ground for the marque, helping establish its credentials as the sporting arm of the VW-empire, and now the Ibiza is ready to set the small hatchback market alight. This is the fourth generation
UPPER Wensleydale, one of the Yorkshire's most picturesque areas, is also one of its most deprived, says the county's rural watchdog. Mr Stan Roocroft, development officer for the Yorkshire rural community council in the Dale, said that of the 3,600 residents
YOUNG designers were given a glimpse of the future when they saw their work as a virtual model. Youngsters from the South Bank Youth Centre, in east Cleveland, teamed up with the University of Teesside to come up with ideas for how their premises could
A SERIES of flood defence measures have been approved for one of the region's worst-hit areas. On Tuesday, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council approved measures aimed at preventing a repetition of flooding in the East Cleveland village of Skinningrove
PLANS that will safeguard the jobs of a major employer in an unemployment blackspot were announced this week. Consett stairlift manufacturers Bison Bede are to expand with a move to new state-of-the-art premises in the town. A spokesman for the company
STUDENTS at a school in Skelton have earned a place in the top echelon of England's improving schools. De Brus School's GCSE pass rate for five A*-C grades in the summer showed a year on year rise from 17 per cent to 44 per cent, the 11th best improvement
Professional boxing returns to Darlington after an absence of six years tonight with two of the town's most promising boxers bidding to make it a double success. Andy Vickers tops the bill in his bout against Sheffield's Keith Palmer at the Dolphin Centre
TOMI Sova could be out of action for the Newcastle Jesters until next year after suffering a knee injury in last night's game against Nottingham Panthers. The problem may be a recurrence of an old injury and coach Jukka Jalonen said: "It seems to be pretty
REFUSE collectors began strike action on Monday following weeks of wrangling with Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. They are unhappy with council plans to introduce a series of shift patterns, which would see them working in the evenings. A ban on
MEMBERS of Young Farmers' Clubs are "set up for life to be leaders of the rural community in the future" according to Ms Janet Gee, chief executive of the National Federation of YFCs. Speaking to a standing room only annual meeting in Bishop Auckland
JUST because those mighty Gladiators are absent from our screens after their show was cancelled by ITV, doesn't mean these human fighting machines have been putting their feet up. Far from it. Ace, alias Warren Furman, has spent the past couple of months
THE NEW Skoda Fabia is based on the next generation Volkswagen Polo, which is more than you can say for VW's recently revised baby hatch. Volkswagen drivers won't get their hands on the next generation Polo for nearly two years. The version that's just
North East Counties Fell Racing Championships Alison Raw (Darlington Harriers) won in fine style at the Lordstones Race across the North York Moors from Kirby. She completed the 14-miles course in 113.59, winning by almost four minutes from Kendra White
A POLICE officer who served as an armed guard to Tony Blair is fighting to win her job back after being told to resign following a conviction for drink-driving. Kay Nolan, 32, the first woman to be appointed to the Prime Minister's elite protection team
PARENTS have been warned to be on their guard after a spate of child abduction attempts. Detectives are hunting a dangerous would-be child snatcher thought to be responsible for a string of incidents in the East Cleveland and Whitby area. The eight cases
LEYBURN can now boast one of the few father and daughter financial advisory teams in the country. Mrs Wendy Johnston became a partner in her father's Yoredale Insurance Services in March this year and has just been accepted as a fully qualified financial
VILLAGERS rolled out a red banner signed by 400 residents as a millennium fundraiser. The two oldest residents of Howden-le-Wear, near Crook, were the first to sign the embroidered banner, which was presented to the village's community association this
A NORTH-East police force is looking for recruits with a nose (preferably wet) for the job. Cleveland Police - who always get satisfaction from making a good "collar'' - are on the look-out for recruits of the furry, four-legged variety. Ideally German
IT'S ALWAYS nice when something far exceeds your expectations. So it was with the Berlingo Multispace. First impressions weren't good. The Berlingo may come in several eye-watering shades of metallic paint but no amount of garish colours, psychedelic
FACED with a tiring journey there are few cars better than Mazda's small people carrier, the Premacy. The cabin is light and comfortable thanks to huge areas of glass, including deep windows and large sunroof. Seats and door armrests are ideal to slump
THE BABY of the Citroen range, the Saxo recently underwent a mid-life revamp which further differentiated it from its rival, the Peugeot 106. Beneath the skin it remains pretty much as before. The Saxo has always enjoyed class-leading dynamics so this
POPULAR newscaster John Suchet will be showing another side to his character next week - when he puts music in the news. The TV journalist will be indulging in his passion for the classics by bringing his stage show, Beethoven - the Last Master, to Northallerton
CHRISTMAS celebrations could fall flat for North-East revellers after a fake champagne scam saw the real thing replaced with cheap plonk. Trading standards officers are investigating crooks who are cashing in on the Christmas spirit by flooding the region
THE massive crane which lifted the Gateshead Millennium Bridge into place started its long, slow journey back to Holland yesterday. The 850-tonne Asian Hercules, one of the world's largest floating cranes, became as big a crowd-puller as the bridge it
THE following Redcar and Cleveland councillors are holding ward surgeries: Today: Keith Pudney, Guisborough, Chapel Beck Community Centre, 6-7pm. Tomorrow: Anne Franklin and Bill Clarke, Guisborough, Guisborough Library, 11am-noon; Brenda Forster, Norman
A DISTINGUISHED former editor of The Northern Echo returned to his old stomping ground today. Harold Evans visited the Darlington headquarters of the regional morning newspaper of the year. Earlier in the day, he collected a degree of Doctors Letters
The new Almera Tino, Nissan's first compact MPV for the European market, aims to provide drivers with the most 'car-like' dynamics of any vehicle in the class. Appealing to a new generation of MPV customers more used to conventional hatchback handling
NORTHERN Spirit has blamed Railtrack for the severe disruption to its East Coast timetables. It says there is no light at the end of the tunnel just yet. For the past two weeks, passengers travelling with Northern Spirit between York and Newcastle have
JOSHUA Luc Dixon became the first baby in the country to be officially named at a non-religious ceremony last week. The register office service was held in Northallerton in the wake of a Government report highlighting ways in which parents could demonstrate
A FORMER farm which was turned into a hotel has been given permission to open a leisure and fitness centre. The Jersey Farm Hotel, near Barnard Castle, has been given approval by Teesdale District Council to build a single-storey extension which will
IT IS an amazing story that we tell on our front page today. A two-day-old baby was abandoned nearly 50 years ago in a telephone box in Darlington; now, after a brush with mortality, she is seeking to discover who she really is, who her natural mother
NEARLY 50 years ago, a new-born baby girl was found abandoned in a North-East phone box. She was adopted by a loving couple, and is now a happily-married 49-year-old grandmother. But there is an enormous gap in her life - and today she is appealing through
RAIL campaigners went public yesterday in an attempt to raise up to £2.5m towards fulfilling their dream of restoring passenger services in Wensleydale. A new company, Wensleydale Railway plc, has been formed to get the 22-mile line between Northallerton
A HEART specialist has urged North-East people to have their cholesterol levels checked, after a survey revealed that very few people at risk of heart disease are being prescribed potentially life-saving drugs. Only three per cent of people at high risk
AN indoor sports centre is to be built in the grounds of a Hartlepool school. The complex will include a fitness room, creche, netball courts and car parking. Hartlepool Borough Council has agreed planning permission for centre, at Brierton Comprehensive
A RESIDENT has written to every member of Stockton Borough Council in his continuing fight to stop a phone company digging up his road. Johnny Johnson, of Tunstall Road, Hartburn, first approached the Audit Commission about repairs to pavements dug up
TRADITION is to hold sway in Yarm where councillors are sticking to their decision not to invite a radio roadshow to herald the switching on of the festive lights. At last week's town council meeting, members heard there had been many comments about the
ORIENTEERING is definitely the most physically demanding of all the sports I've had a go at so far in this series - and this time, much to the amusement of my colleagues, there was no way I was keeping my tie on. Anticipating that the experience might
Students from Chungdokwan Taekwondo took part in the English national championships, held at Newton Aycliffe leisure centre. They came from clubs including Cockerton and Branksome, Newton Aycliffe, Spennymoor, Crook, Durham, Washington and Ferryhill enjoyed
THE successful farmers' markets which have mushroomed in towns around the northern dales have been nominated for a regional award. The marts, which began with a pilot at Barnard Castle, Teesdale, last December, have been nominated for the northern regional
THE concept of a Harley Davidson 'Sport' is one which would have most sportsbike riders laughing in their leathers, grinning in their Gortex, howling in their helmets. Harleys may be a motorcycling icon, a cruiser's delight, but they will never be sporty
FORECASTERS who have prompted a flurry of bets on a white Christmas in the North-East admitted last night: "We're no experts." Bookmakers have shortened the odds on snow falling on December 25 after an Internet site suggested we could be in for some Arctic-style
A PIECE of hallowed Wembley turf goes under the hammer at an auction set to raise funds for a hospital's intensive care unit. Complete with a certificate of authenticity, the turf is not the only possible Christmas gift up for grabs at the Friarage hospital
A POLICE force is being told to make its PCs more PC (politically correct). Northumbria Police chiefs were stunned when Government inspectors suggested they change the colour of officers' shirts and alter the identification numbers given to female officers
A NORTH-EAST council has appointed a 46-year-old former planning officer as its chief executive. The newly-created top post at the district of Easington attracted candidates from all over the country. After a string of interviews, the authority announced
YOU'VE not only got one of the best value and best selling coupes on the market, you've certainly got one of the best looking. It's so pretty in fact that you launch an advertising campaign boasting it's better looking than a Ferrari 550 Maranello, which
I LISTENED with interest to Polar explorer Robert Swan talk movingly on radio last week about his battle with alcoholism. The Boys' Own-style adventurer from County Durham, who now makes his living giving inspirational talks to business people about leadership
A GRADE II* listed house which has stood empty for ten years is to become part of a complex to attract tourists using the A66. The proposal by Mr Paul Barkes involves the conversion and extension of the house at Thorpe Farm, Greta Bridge, near Barnard
A THOUSAND years of Durham county and diocese will be celebrated at a special Millennium service on Sunday. The public service, at Durham Cathedral, will be introduced by the Dean of Durham, the Very Reverend John Arnold, with a sermon given by the Bishop
A ROSE by any other name would smell as sweet but would the Young Farmers' Clubs by any other name help the "recruit and retain" campaign, the national federation's chief executive, Ms Janet Gee, was asked at Durham County federation's agm last Friday
