Motocross comes to the North-East Centre next week at Witton Castle, near Crook, and applications to take part are being invited. Iveston and Satley Motocycle Club get their season up and running with an adult meeting at the venue alongside The A68 trunk
COBBLE improvement work continues in Guisborough - it is now 73,000 and counting. The major project in the town's Westgate, which started on St Valentine's day last year, has now involved laying more than 73,000 cobbles. As two weeks of cobble-cleaning
A GOVERNMENT scientist last night moved to allay public fears over the transportation of foot-and-mouth pyre ash. "Everything possible has been, and will be, done to ensure the ash is dealt with safely,'' said Dr Mike Tas, national director of disposals
BUSINESS Link County Durham, a division of A4E Consulting has arranged for all the principal support and advice agencies to Come Together at Auckland Castle, on Wednesday, from 10am to 8pm. The list of exhibitors attending this event, sponsored by Century
THE thought of trekking across the Himalayas poses no problems to superfit slimmer Stephanie Cubbin. For the 23-year-old medical secretary from Barnard Castle has already conquered one uphill challenge - her weight. As a size 28 teenager, Stephanie realised
CRAFTSWOMEN aim to create mutton dressed as lamb to help an annual agricultural event take place despite the foot-and-mouth crisis. Members of the Durham guild of weavers, spinners and dyers are staging a public demonstration this weekend, when they plan
FOOTPATH ROW I WOULD like to complain bitterly on behalf of myself and all the other residents of Thirsk about the shocking state of footpaths around the Market Place. At a recent public meeting in Thirsk Town Hall, I suggested that part of the £1m due
A FLOWER festival is taking place in New Marske to celebrate 25 years of the village chapel. The event takes place next weekend, July 20 to 22. It will be opened by Redcar and Cleveland's mayor, Coun Vilma Collins, at 10.15am on Saturday morning. There
Sir, - Your headline last week, "Britain's biggest farmer (ie the Co-op) bans 20 pesticides" was eye-catching; the article that followed was heartening. The Co-op has highlighted many serious defects in how new chemicals are insinuated into farming practice
THERE will be fun in the forest at Chopwell Forest Festival; at the weekend. To mark the tenth anniversary of the Friends of Chopwell Wood, near Rowlands Gill, woodturners will compete to become North's quickest bodger. Among the competitors will be Chris
THREE youths were disturbed after they started a fire on a housing estate which is under construction. A security guard spotted the trio who quickly made off from the Psimon Homes Oakfield Lodge estate, in the Cockerton area of Darlington, at around 7.30pm
THREE youths were disturbed after they started a fire on a housing estate which is under construction. A security guard spotted the trio who quickly made off from the Psimon Homes Oakfield Lodge estate, in the Cockerton area of Darlington, at around 7.30pm
INVESTMENT of £750,000 looks set to provide millions of pounds worth of new and improved sports facilities in three locations in Richmondshire. The district council agreed to support a major leisure complex planned by the army at Catterick Garrison, which
TWO teenage girls' dream holiday turned into a nightmare when they were hit by flight chaos at Teesside Airport. Katherine Shakesheff and friend Hannah Dean, who are both 15 years old, were looking forward to a holiday in Malaysia. But their flight from
ESTATE youngsters who acted as guardian angels while a £120,000 playground was being built were given a pat on the back by contractors yesterday. Families with young children in Woodhouse Close, Bishop Auckland, helped to design the play area, which will
DOCTORS in the region are to pioneer tests which could revolutionise the way all heart failure patients are treated. If it is successful it could slash waiting times for potentially life-saving treatment and become standard practice across the UK. A simple
RICHARD Kearton sometimes stood on the shoulders of his brother Cherry, from where he operated a camera mounted on a tripod fixed to a couple of tall poles. The gymnastic feat enabled the brothers to obtain pictures of birds' nests high in a bush or tree
West Side Story, Sunderland Empire When I first saw the original West End production of West Side Story (I must have been a babe in arms!) I remember a member of the audience remarking on how shockingly violent it was. Set in fifties New York, it is Romeo
SCHOOL hasn't even broken up for the holidays yet and already the British summer ritual of thousands of families queuing up to sleep on airport floors for days on end has begun. Suddenly, our planned 12-hour car and ferry journey, complete with four fractious
A clutch of local youngsters made a successful medals raid on the Scottish age group championships in Glasgow, four of them Shanna King (Middlesbrough) 13-14yrs 100m breaststroke; Rebecca Rides (Newburn) 12yrs 400m freestyle; David Carter (Darlington)
DURHAM will have a day at the seaside in their C & G Trophy quarter-final - and they will not have to face Muthiah Muralitharan. The match against Lancashire is to be played at Blackpool on July 25 because of a Robbie Williams concert at Old Trafford
A WILDLIFE organisation hit by the foot-and-mouth crisis has launched an emergency appeal for funds. Durham Wildlife Trust could lose up to £20,000 due to the restrictions and is also experiencing difficulties managing its nature reserves. Chief executive
NURSERY operators have revealed plans to open a childcare facility which would bring a jobs boost to the region. Kindercare is hoping to open a 100-place nursery for children aged between three months and five years, on part of a former university campus
ARTWORK of all shapes and sizes lit up a one-off multi-media exhibition in Chester-le-Street this week. The event, which coincides with Alzheimer's Awareness Week, celebrated an arts project running since October involving 50 pensioners from the town.
After a very successful amateur career, ten years ago Robert formed Spennymoor Boxing Academy with the help of secretary Paul Hodgson. The club rose out of the ashes of Spennymoor ABC which split up at this time. He immediately pledged to run the club
NEWCASTLE Jesters today released its new logo as preparations start for the new season. Although the club is still unable to sign players because of a Superleague embargo in place because of the ongoing pay dispute, Newcastle are, like many clubs, looking
VIDEO games retailer Chips is planning a nationwide expansion of its store network. The business, which has its headquarters in Middlesbrough, and branches across the region, including Darlington, Bishop Auckland, Stockton, Northallerton, Redcar and Sunderland
A FORMER twilight area of a town has won an architectural "Oscar". More than 500 homes were demolished in a phased slum clearance programme of the Rivers area of Middlesbrough. Now a regeneration of the neighbourhood, which took five years to complete
A DARLINGTON school is at the forefront of a project to ensure the future of the country's dwindling harvest mice. Nine- and ten-year-olds at Harrowgate Hill junior school are involved in a breeding programme which originated at Chester zoo. It was the
EVER wondered why you sleep on your side of the bed? When we were newly-weds, I slept on the left. But when the kids came along and we had to move to a bigger house, my side automatically moved to the right. When we moved again, we had to stay in a rented
ST TERESA'S hospice in Darlington is to receive a cash boost of £50,000 to secure service expansion in the light of a three-fold patient increase. Over the past four years, the number of patients receiving care at the hospice has risen from just over
Worthington CIU Summer League - Newton Aycliffe pulled off one of their best victories for some time when they beat the visiting league leaders, Wheatley Hill. A for the loss of only one point. Ronnie Hall gave the home side a great start by inflicting
NEW Northallerton Town FC manager Peter Mulcaster has made six new signings as he prepares for the coming season. Mulcaster, who has returned to the club after leaving in February 2000 in order to take the manager's job at Spennymoor United, has brought
A MULTI-MILLION pound investment in flood defences has been announced in a bid to prevent a repeat of last year's crisis. The Environment Agency confirmed that £4.1m would be ploughed into major schemes to protect two towns which have suffered severe
NEIGHBOURS in Nunthorpe have become embroiled in a row over proposals for a £30m scheme to ease traffic congestion. Plans for an east Middlesbrough transport corridor have been in existence for more than 30 years. Now, Redcar and Cleveland and Middlesbrough
COUNCILLORS will hold surgeries in the following Redcar and Cleveland wards: Today: Guisborough, Guisborough Library, 6-7pm. Tomorrow: Belmont, the Anchor Inn, Belmongate, 9.30-10.30am; Brotton, Brotton Library, 10.30-11.30am; Lockwood and Skinningrove
Bass North Cleveland League - There was an incredible result in division two when Cowpen Bewley were all out for 32 but then dismissed Skelton Castle for 25. Stephen Clapp claimed seven wickets for 16 runs to help send Cowpen Bewley back to the pavilion
CRIMESTOPPERS are asking for help in identifying two youths who attempted to steal eight bottles of whisky from the Co-op in Coxhoe. The youths entered the store in Commercial Street at about 7.55pm on Tuesday, March 20. They hesitated before entering
BUS operator Stagecoach North-East is working in partnership with local authorities and transport operator Nexus to persuade motorists to dump the car. It has adopted a Core Network initiative, which will see the bus operators and local authorities work
The bream once again showed for competitors drawn below Hawthorne bend during Thornaby AA's July Cup on the Lower Tees at Bowesfield. Lower Tees Amalgamation Organiser Dave Munt enjoyed just rewards winning with 26.8.0. The Billingham angler opted for
A RECENT link-up between Northallerton civic society and the renowned York Georgian society on a walking tour of Northallerton sparked a kaleidoscope of tumbling images of the bustling, colourful, thriving town of yesteryear. Already deemed "ancient"
A MOVE to bring democracy to the people of an area of County Durham gets under way later this month. Earlier this year three public forums were set up Derwentside to help the public identify areas of community life that need Government attention. A new
Slazenger Harrogate and District League - Harlow cut the lead of table topping Academy to two points. A 6.5-2.5 away win over Knaresborough and a 7-2 victory against bottom of the table Dacre put Harlow within two points of The Academy, who had earlier
Crook Town AFC begun pre-season training last week with manager Ronan Liddane having made three new signings, writes JOHN PHELAN. Kevin McGarrigle joined having gained football league experience with Brighton and also played for Tow Law and Blyth Spartans
A NEW building the size of an average supermarket is springing up on Leeming Bar industrial estate as a successful ice- cream maker expands still further. Richmond Frozen Confectionery has undertaken a £4m investment to make its Leeming Bar factory the
TWO Hungarian youngsters, including a 12-year-old girl, have been beaten up by a gang of 15 drunken yobs in a picturesque village. But the school exchange pupils also experienced the best of North-East life - thanks to local bobbies who collected more
The Tow Law Town's five-a-side tournament, staged as part of the final stages of the Annual Beer Festival, attracted an entry of 15 teams with the eventual winners being East Durham Houghall College. All the entrants played four games in the qualifying
EAST Cleveland residents were celebrating this week as a merger between coastal towns was thrown out. A government panel has rejected plans for a greenfield development between Marske, New Marske and Redcar. The controversial scheme was included in the
A GROUP of students from Lithuania have spent a week in east Cleveland polishing up their language skills and teaching youngsters about their culture. Sigita Tamasiunaite, Rasa Jurgaityte and Algirdas Javtokas are all students at the University of Siauliai
THE milk of human kindness flowed over when a North-East company stepped in to help a hospital's special baby unit. ACC Milk, which is based in Blaydon, Tyneside, donated £500 to the Special Baby Care Unit at the University Hospital of North Durham. The
NEWCASTLE United boss Bobby Robson yesterday warned he won't be held to ransom by Europe's star names. Robson has endured a frustrating close-season, during which he has seen several targets slip through the transfer net. Barcelona winger Boudewijn Zenden
CHILDREN at Yarm school have been turning fun into an art form - for uniforms were abandoned in favour of decorated art shirts during a day of activities. All 550 pupils, along with teachers and governors at Yarm primary school celebrated National Children's
A Hindu woman has won £4,000 in damages after a surgeon gave her a nose job using "sacred" cow cartilage without her knowledge. The woman, who has asked not to be named, said she would never have consented to the procedure had she known as cattle are
APART from being an extremely expensive drain on the public purse, Operation Lancet has been a public relations disaster for Cleveland Police. And it is not the fault of the media. Lancet has gone on too long. It has lurched from one embarrassment to
Two 'golden oldies' with a combined age of 132 years have teamed up in an attempt to revive the ailing fortunes of the Darlington Building Society NYSD League Premier Division side Bishop Auckland. Keith Hopper, who has been chairman at Kingsway for 20
AN elderly woman was hurt when she fell in a struggle with a young man, who tried to snatch her handbag. The pensioner hung on to her bag when the man approached her and a friend as they walked along Marshall Road, Newton Aycliffe, at about 9.50pm, onWednesday
Bishop Auckland League - Spennymoor Hillingdon pulled off a good odd point home win against Bishop Auckland Football Club. The Hilly had two singles points from John Bulmer and Ronnie McAloon with Shaun Bulmer and Ian Smith adding one each. In reply there
A SINGLE mother has opened a shop to cater for young women looking for cheap baby clothes. Paula Amos, 27, was pregnant with her second child, Jackson, when she hit on the idea of providing second hand baby equipment for young mums. With the help of InBiz
THE owner of a Bedale riding centre has turned to the local government ombudsman in her two-year fight with a council over drainage and rubbish problems. Mrs Sue Heathfield said this week that blocked drainage ditches on North Yorkshire County Council
PEUGEOT Super 106 Cup contender, Ryan Champion put up a strong performance in the second round of the championship when he contested The Rallye du Charlemagne in northern France last weekend. Co-driven by Northallerton's Ian Windress, Ryan, from Castleton
FLYMO is cutting 80 permanent jobs from its North-East workforce. The cuts are being blamed on the seasonal nature of the products manufactured at the Newton Aycliffe factory which include lawnmowers, hedge trimmers and other electrical garden products
RETIRED Thirsk vet, Mr Jim Wight, son of Mr Alf Wight, alias author James Herriot, has come out of retirement to help a farming family tackle the threat of foot-and-mouth. Mr Wight agreed to undertake 48-hour surveillance on the Felixkirk farm run by
Sir, - I am afraid that accusing me of arrogance, narrow-mindedness etc (D&S letters June 29 &July 6) does not address the real problem. The editor of a world-famous medical journal said a few years ago: "there are only two kinds of science -
BCTG. - July 16: Grid work with Jane Graham, tel: 01325 332685. Bedale Hunt SC. - Aug 5: Showcross at Helen Bell's, Manor House, Newsham, Thirsk. For details, tel 01845 501451. Aug 12: Rummage sale at the Golden Fleece hotel, Thirsk, between 11am and
IT IS a double celebration for identical twins Sarah and Shirley Hitchon who are graduating from Newcastle University. Sarah and Shirley, who grew up on their parents' dairy farm in Herefordshire, gained identical honours degrees in farm business management
I don't know, I return home after a couple of weeks out of the country to find the crippled rising from their wheelchairs, news of a virgin birth and lesbians snogging in the streets - and that was only on Bad Girls. The outrageous storylines in this
LIGHT-FRAMED fillies are a dime a dozen in horseracing, but big really is beautiful in the case of Young Rosein, a magnificently manicured five-year-old mare, fancied to win this afternoon's £15,000 Hearthstead Homes Handicap at York. It's no wonder Young
THE drama studio at Laurence Jackson School in Guisborough has been transformed into a 1930's Berlin nightclub as the school staged its latest musical production, Cabaret. Leading roles were taken by pupils, Sarah Oxley, Matthew Barlow, Christopher Kirby
THE clamour for a further cut in interest rates has gained pace after new figures showed the economic slowdown was spreading across the UK. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said UK firms suffered their worst period of economic activity for more
A DANDY double at headquarters was the Tuesday action as David Nicholls and jockey Darryll Holland pulled off a remarkable two timer at Newmarket's July meeting. Arpeggio, at the rewarding odds of 25-1, opened the proceedings in the colours of His Eminence
BOLDON'S top order kept their nerve to steer their school to victory in The Northern Echo/Local Heroes Under-15 Schools Cricket Cup. Over the semi-final and final held on Wednesday, they amassed a total of 273 runs for the loss of just four wickets. That
Eurocell Marshall Tufflex Darlington and District League - Only one game went ahead in Division A and Heighington easily defeated Spennymoor. Batting first Heighington totalled 202 for eight which included 58 by Darren Riley who struck two sixes and eight
A TOWN hall union fears Darlington council's use of agency and self-employed workers is likely to escalate. In 1999 three directorates - development, environment and community services - were merged into two and Unison says they are understaffed. Mr Alan
A MAN trying to kill himself set fire to his house after taking a cocktail of drink and drugs, a court heard yesterday. Kelvin Blades, previously of Ocean View, Blackhall Rocks, admitted a charge of arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered
A PIG and arable farming couple have created an oasis for motorists on the busy trans-Pennine A66. Mr Paul Barkes, aged 41, and his wife Jo, who is 33, have converted Thorpe Farm Peel House, near Greta Bridge, into a gourmet farm shop and coffee shop
ESTATE youngsters who acted as guardian angels while a £120,000 playground was being built were given a pat on the back by contractors yesterday. Families with young children in Woodhouse Close, Bishop Auckland, helped to design the play area, which will
UEFA CUP contenders Ipswich Town are set to win the chase for Tommy Miller after Hartlepool United started a summer bidding war for the £1m-rated hot-shot. Pool yesterday opened the door for clubs to make their move after the 22-year-old declined the
HIGH rollers and bad weather conspired to knock full-year profits at bookmaker Stanley Leisure. Some big wins at its Crockfords casino, in London's West End, meant profits at the company's gaming division fell short of target. A total of 221 race cancellations
TWO moorland farmers, who have been pioneers in wildlife conservation and diversification, are now in line for a national award. Four generationas of John Simpson's family have run Keasbeck Hill Farm at Harwood Dale in the North York Moors National Park
A girl buried the story of her school as it prepared to transfer to a new, multi-million pound building. Clare Robinson, 13, from Rye Hills School, Redcar, buried a school diary, items of school uniform, PE kit, a copy of the national curriculum, textbooks
DESPITE Wimbledon fever reaching new heights this year, an east Cleveland tennis club is to close because of lack of interest. Marske Tennis Club is going to have to fold because of a lack of support, and money to improve the club's courts and facilities
DRINKS firm Diageo's Burger King business has been hit by the foot-and-mouth crisis. Customer concerns about the disease have seen a knock-on effect on sales at the burger chain across Europe where memories of BSE were still rife, the company said. Diageo
IT has been revealed that doctors are receiving twice the going rate for providing evening cover at a Darlington clinic. The Northern Echo understands GPs on the rota for Darlington Primary Care Group's (PCG) clinic are being paid £80 an hour for weekday
THE intended re-opening of footpaths in Teesdale has been postponed following new outbreaks of foot-and-mouth in Cumbria and Yorkshire. Durham County Council had hoped to lift the blanket closure of footpaths this week, but new guidelines issued by the
BIKERS are putting themselves and residents in danger by speeding around housing estates. Safety campaigners are growing increasingly concerned about motorcyclists at Wood Road, Skinningrove, and on the Westfield Estate, Loftus. Loftus Road Safety Committee
PITMEN'S leaders in the North-East have expressed "disgust" at Government delays in compensating injured and ailing ex-miners. In forceful statements on the eve of the 117th Durham Miners' Gala, NUM regional figureheads Dave Guy and Dave Hopper called
COUNCIL employees are donating £4,000 to help a local team compete at the Special Olympics. Workers at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council who have taken out personal loans with the authority's bankers, the Co-op, have donated the sum from Redcar and
IT will be the end of an era when a headteacher and some of his colleagues retire after notching up almost 80 years at the same school. Brian Jones has been the headteacher of St John's Roman Catholic School, Bishop Auckland, since 1984. After 17 years
Police have appealed for information about a missing teenager. Tracey Maughan, 15, of Marsden Grove, Wrekenton, Gateshead, has not been seen since July 1. A police spokesman said she had gone missing from home before, but never for such a long period.
IN March, 17 students from Villa Real School, in Consett, set off for a residential visit to the Calvert Trust, at Kielder, Northumberland, with seven adults, some staff and some volunteers. It had been a worrying few weeks beforehand, as we waited for
NEVER mind the false tears of the Oscars - the awards ceremony at Villa Real school for disabled children had enough emotion and real achievement to beat them all. Parents, relatives and teachers crammed into the hall at the Consett school to take part
A disabled woman was punched in the face by a burglar who stole her shoulder bag. The woman, in her late 50s, was in her flat in l'Anson Street, Darlington, when she was confronted by the man. After a struggle in which she was punched in the face, the
A WOMAN farmer has hit out at the attitude of a government minister as he arrived in a foot-and-mouth hotspot to promote a biosecurity campaign. North Yorkshire sheep farmer Eleanor Graham, who has 3,000 Swaledale sheep, claims Mr Elliot Morley told her
TICKETS are still available for the festive tea, organised by Bedale 750 for pensioners in the old Bedale Rural Council area. The tea, at Bedale high school on Saturday, July 21, 3-5pm, will offer up to 250 people the chance to meet over afternoon tea
A 15-YEAR-OLD girl was sexually assaulted on a bus by a man armed with a knife as she travelled home from school. The man, in his 40s, is said to have toyed with his knife and stared at the girl for the rest of her journey after the attack. He remained
A POLICE officer who launched an unprovoked street attack on a young mother as she walked home in Northallerton has been allowed to keep his job. The Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police has apologised to 22-year-old Kelly Watts and paid her £1,500
BOLDON'S batsmen were the stars of the show as they hit their way to victory in The Northern Echo/Local Heroes Under-15s Schools Cricket Cup. Their top order mastered the difficult conditions in a rain-affected semi-final and then stayed on top in the
THE slaughter of more than 14,000 sheep and cattle is under way as the foot-and-mouth outbreak around Thirsk worsens. The cull is being carried out on farms surrounding the town in a desperate bid to halt the disease's progress. Infected stock were slaughtered
SOMEWHERE in Alaric Thompson's head, a light switched on, and he found himself staring into unfamiliar eyes. As the picture cleared, he saw the concerned face of a paramedic gazing down at him. Slowly taking in his surroundings, he registered that he
IT is the time of year when verges and waste ground are covered in tall, pretty, yellow flowers - which spell death to horses and cattle. The British Horse Society is once again running Root Out Ragwort Week to raise awareness of the dangers of the poisonous
PAUL Anderson made a splash with Tees and Hartlepool Club after presenting the title of Volvo Royal Yachting Association Champion Club status at their Summer Regatta. General manager of Mill Volvo, Anderson had the honour of presenting the award in recognition
The final stages of the competition were played at Tennis World in Middlesbrough on Wednesday with Cleadon Primary School finishing as winners. The Tyne & Wear-based school won the Year Three (eight-year-olds and under) by securing just three points
COMMITTED to the bend, I start to lean the bike over. I checked my mirrors a second earlier and everything is fine. Then with the roar of an overhead jet-fighter, a blue sports bike flashes underneath me, inches away, before overtaking a car on a blind
WE'RE all going on our summer holidays to get stuck in traffic jams, airport lounges, holiday homes in the rain... Well, we hope not. But, unless you're pitching your tent in the back garden, there are bound to be boring bits on even the best journey.
INDEPENDENT auditors have given approval to Durham Police Authority's plans for future improvements. Under the Government's Best Value legislation, passed two years ago, police and local authorities must outline details of how they plan to improve the
REGULAR readers may have been following the progress of the blue tits which made use of a nesting box we provided in the spring. In recent days, we've heard the loud chirping which has been issuing from this box, both at times we passed nearby and when
MORE than just one town is relying on award-winning gardener Mark Riddle and his team in this year's Britain in Bloom contest. While producing Darlington Borough Council's floral designs for the competition, Mark and his team grow plants for another 16
POLICE on Tyneside are investigating the third major timber fire in as many months. More than 70 firefighters were called in to tackle the large wood fire at Reeves Timber Merchants, Tyne Dock, South Shields, at 2am yesterday. The first of the trio of
WENSLEYDALE should be used as a national test-bed for a fresh start in agriculture. Mr David Butterworth, chief executive of the Yorkshire Dales national park authority, said it was ideally placed because of the work of the self-help group, Rejuvenate
FORAGE produced by the 8,500 farms slaughtered out as a result of foot-and-mouth will make an important contribution to bridging the gap between livestock numbers and reduced fodder stocks this winter, says the National Beef Association. It wants the
SCHOOL hasn't even broken up for the holidays yet and already the British summer ritual of thousands of families queuing up to sleep on airport floors for days on end has begun. Suddenly, our planned 12-hour car and ferry journey, complete with four fractious
WE'RE all going on our summer holidays to get stuck in traffic jams, airport lounges, holiday homes in the rain... Well, we hope not. But, unless you're pitching your tent in the back garden, there are bound to be boring bits on even the best journey.
I don't know, I return home after a couple of weeks out of the country to find the crippled rising from their wheelchairs, news of a virgin birth and lesbians snogging in the streets - and that was only on Bad Girls. The outrageous storylines in this
EVER wondered why you sleep on your side of the bed? When we were newly-weds, I slept on the left. But when the kids came along and we had to move to a bigger house, my side automatically moved to the right. When we moved again, we had to stay in a rented
DURHAM Prison could lose its status as the country's only high risk centre for female inmates, but only due to its geographical location. The city's 19th Century-built institution, a male regional dispersal jail, also contains a "prison within a prison
DURHAM Prison could lose its status as the country's only high risk centre for female inmates, but only due to its geographical location. The city's 19th Century-built institution, a male regional dispersal jail, also contains a "prison within a prison
AFTER the brilliant May had given us high expectations, we had to wait until the last week of June for another taste of summer. The weather had already started to deteriorate at the end of May, and June began with a series of small depressions running
DAVID Harland, from Whitby, scored a double win over Walter Taylor's excellent tracks at Richmond's junior show. He took the 1m open on Colourwood Colando, ahead of Sally Jane Adams and Kosmic King, and also won the Members' Cup with Betty Bug. James
ARTISTIC students have created a fitting tribute to the memory of a popular teacher who died nearly two years ago. Youngsters at the Allertonshire School, in Northallerton, worked with sculptor Anthony Sturgess to produce a White Rose design in honour
A MISSING wedding ring that disappeared 26 years ago brought double joy to a couple when it was returned on their wedding anniversary. Retired radiologist Mr David Wilkinson lost his wedding band at his former home in Osbaldwick, near York, in 1975. "
YOUNG musicians in North Yorkshire are to take part in a British premiere next week. North Yorkshire Schools Symphony Orchestra and Big Band will perform Endler's Sinfonia 14 in E flat, as part of the programme for the concert at the Royal Hall, in Harrogate
TWO woman PCs who stared down the barrel of a shotgun have just missed out on a top bravery award. Constables Helen Johnston, 34, and Lesley Burt, 30, both based in Stanley, were shortlisted for their bravery in the face of a gun-toting husband who terrorised
DEADLOCK over the reopening of moorland paths was set to end today. North York Moors national park was expecting to get a decision on its tough stand over foot-and-mouth closures. With new outbreaks in the Esk Valley this week, the park authority wants
AS BEDALE continued to celebrate 750 years of its market charter, the five voices of Quintessential, the semi-professional group from Harrogate, contributed a programme of music spanning the same 750 years. Last Friday's concert ranged from the old English
A FOOTBALL-MAD youngster is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and live out the dream of every young boy. Ten-year-old Mark Howley adores football and everything associated with it, and constantly dreams of becoming a star player in
LAW firm Jacksons Solicitors is increasing its staff by more than one third. The 36 new recruits will mainly be based at Jacksons' Stockton headquarters, and will handle a considerable volume of new business generated by the firm's Newcastle and Leeds
POLICE are appealling for witnesses following the death of a student in a car accident. Suzanne Marie Preen, 18, died when her Ford Fiesta left the road as she was driving south on the A167 last Friday night. Her car hit a steel fence just north of the
RABY Castle re-opens to the public on Sunday after being closed since the beginning of the foot-and-mouth crisis. There is full access to the castle and gardens and facilities such as the tearooms, gift shop and woodland adventure playground. There is
TEENAGE pupils-turned-counsellors told how they uncovered a world of childhood misery at their County Durham comprehensive school when they started a bullying helpline. Speaking at the launch of a county helpline set up by the county council, the girls
POLICE have pledged there will be no short-cuts in their quest for answers over the death of a hospital psychiatric patient 26 years ago. Jonathan Longstaff died in a fire in the P1 psychiatric wing of Darlington Memorial Hospital in August 1975. It was
A MULTI-MEDIA youth event is being held on Teesside this weekend. RegenR8, at Middlesbrough Town Hall, tomorrow, is billed as a "creative and musical experience" for the area's youngsters. Started by Metro Church Teesside, and backed by several local
FIVE young athletes of Richmond and Zetland Harriers competed for their school county teams at the English Schools Track and Field championships held at Exeter and all can be pleased with their performances. Nick Zissler ran the junior boys 1500ms in
A CHORUS of boos and heckles dominated the opening exchanges of a public inquiry into a controversial bail hostel. Proceedings at the Chester-le-Street inquiry on Tuesday threatened to grind to a halt after protesters started barracking the lawyer representing
PEOPLE in the region are being asked to help the World Wildlife Fund in its quest to stop the decline in fish stocks. The charity has published a report, Fish of the Day, which was launched at North Shields fish quay yesterday, and highlights ways people
A Newcastle United-mad vicar is singing hymns of praise to his favourite team. Rev Glyn Evans is introducing alternative lyrics worshipping £15 million striker Alan Shearer and manager Bobby Robson at his services. Shine Jesus Shine becomes Score Shearer
SUSPENDED officers and the Press could be gagged from criticising long running anti-corruption inquiries if the Government accepts suggestions by a North-East police authority. The controversial move - which was instantly attacked by MPs and freedom of
A 19-YEAR-OLD student told yesterday how a fun night out ended in tragedy when his friend plunged 70ft to his death. Stuggling to come to terms with the death of Matthew Egglestone, James Gray said: "He was my best friend." Solicitor's clerk Matthew,
PATIENTS are being encouraged to stop taking sleeping tablets by doctors and pharmacists. In the north Tees area, some GP practices will provide special clinics and all practices are able to provide advice for patients who wish to stop taking sleeping
Willington and District League - Willington Market put themselves in a very strong position when they won in the decider at Willington Black Horse Tavern. This victory leaves the Market two points clear at the top of the table from Hunwick Club with just
AN ex-vicar who became a woodturner is competing in the first Bodging Olympics this weekend. To mark the tenth anniversary of the Friends of Chopwell Wood, near Rowlands Gill, woodturners will compete to become North's quickest bodger. Among the competitors
A DIABETES sufferer has accused his local council of discrimination for ruling that he could not become a taxi driver. Anthony Ash, of Newfield, near Bishop Auckland, said he had approached a private doctor for a medical. He had been declared fit, but
WHILE the First Test was the centre of attraction in Birmingham, an Indian party was also touring Britain and last week ended up playing a Yarm School XI at Norton cricket ground. The 34- strong group from the Assam Valley School in India was visiting
WHILE Durham were on their travels ending the winning run of one-day cricket kings Gloucestershire, potential county stars of the future were in the limelight at the Riverside. Around 100 children from schools in County Durham, Cleveland, North Yorkshire
A PROTEST by angry parents against cuts in school transport is gaining momentum. Around 30 people attended a public meeting to plan a protest walk on Monday night. The walk from the four Catholic primary schools in Darlington, on Wednesday next week at
The annual Darlington Town Sports Championships took place last week at the Eastbourne Complex - and Carmel School dominated the podium positions. Year in, year out, the school performs well at this meeting, and this year they took the overall trophy
WE columnists don't like being labelled boring. Which is why Nasser Hussain has been having a bit of a spat with Sir Tim Rice, who is granted a national newspaper column on the strength of being a celebrity and a cricket nut. This tends not to go down
WE columnists don't like being labelled boring. Which is why Nasser Hussain has been having a bit of a spat with Sir Tim Rice, who is granted a national newspaper column on the strength of being a celebrity and a cricket nut. This tends not to go down
FOOT-AND-MOUTH has hit entries for a top mountain bike competition in Hamsterley Forest, County Durham, this weekend. Tomorrow's downhill races are the first to he held on a challenging new course in the forest and would normally have attracted 200 competitors
EARLIER this week local community computer centres in East Cleveland and Gateshead were given grants of more than £250,000 from the National Lottery by the New Opportunities Fund as part of a £200m scheme to bring computers to communities. Redcar and
TEN-YEAR-OLD Emily Stead and her new partner Friars Santa have enjoyed a brilliant season so far. They have picked up five firsts, two championships and one reserve, qualifying for several classes at the Peterborough Ponies UK championships and the National
A PAEDIATRICIAN is hoping the plight of millions of untreated disabled children in India will move people to join a support group. The Indian Children's Medical Trust was recently formed in India to provide the sub-continent's first ever rehabilitation
A SCHEME for under-fives in east Cleveland celebrated its first birthday on Monday with a free fun day. The Sure Start East Cleveland Partnership is part of the Government's national scheme to help youngsters and their parents escape poverty. Local MP
AT the opening last week of People Pictures, a selection of portraits from Darlington Borough Council's art collection, a centre of attraction was the portrait of one grammar school master painted by another. The subject, "Bug" Allen, taught biology to
A DELEGATION from Jersey arrived at a Teesside school on a fact-finding mission last week. Members of the Jersey Government visited the new £7.7m Rye Hills School, in Redcar, to see how partnership working has made it a reality. The party was led by senator
A TELEPHONE call from Texas has led to an additional event for the Bedale 750 market character celebrations. The phone call, from Mr Simon Bainbridge, who has family links at Leeming Bar, asked if it would be possible for the Houston children's chorus
Sir, - On the July 20, the government will announce that all footpaths are open in accordance with the DEFRA guidelines issued on 23rd May 2001 so you may be forgiven for thinking that the FMD crisis is over. Those of us who live and work in upper Wensleydale
TODAY is a milestone occasion for the people of Saltburn. Former Culture Minister Mr Chris Smith is officially reopening Saltburn pier in a special day for the town. It was Mr Smith's action in upgrading the listed status of the N-E coast's last remaining
EMPLOYEES at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council are donating £4,000 to help a local team compete at the Special Olympics. Workers who have personal loans with the authority's bankers, the Co-op, have contributed to a £4,000 donation from Redcar and
MUSEUM chiefs put the focus on the Far East yesterday when they rolled out the red carpet to welcome the Bullet Train to Britain. Shinkansen Car 22-141 was unveiled in its new home at the National Railway Museum in York after a 10,000-mile journey from
BOBBIES got on their bikes to raise £3,000 for charity in a marathon ride. A team of 12 Cleveland Police officers and friends made the 100-mile coast-to-coast trip to help fund treatment for eight-year-old Katie Rawson. Among the participants was the
AFTER more than a century, the classroom bell will sound for the last time this afternoon in a small independent school with a proud academic record. Record exam results and a glowing Ofsted report could not save St Anne's High School, in Wolsingham,
A father-of-four is to stand trial accused of causing the deaths of 10 people in the Selby rail disaster. Gary Hart, 36, of Strubby, Lincs, appeared at Leeds Crown Court today over the tragedy at the village of Great Heck, near Selby, North Yorks, on
THE North-East boss of a security company conned a 91-year Alzheimer's sufferer out of her life savings by charging more than £30,000 for a cheap alarm and a smoke detector. Derek William Hepple, 34, who had previously duped a disabled Teesside woman,
CHEEKY thieves who left a County Durham farmer with a 14ft hole in the roof of his cattle shed may have stolen to order, police believe. More than 200 blue slates were taken off Michael Fletcher's byre at The Mill, Ingleton, near Darlington, in just a
UP TO 75pc of North Yorkshire's footpaths, closed for four months through foot-and-mouth restrictions, could reopen from next Friday, July 20. The government wants to lift blanket closures across the country, freeing all rights of way at least 3km from
A FLORAL model replica of Saltburn's newly-refurbished pier will greet visitors. The display is part of the Saltburn's preparations for a big day today - when former Culture Minister Chris Smith visits the town to officially re-open the pier and judges
CHILDREN caught in the poverty trap in the region were handed a £57.5m lifeline yesterday. The Government announced one of its biggest ever childcare hand-outs to be spent on setting up and maintaining schemes to help babies and children, aged up to three
MORE teams are joining the newly-established IT Sports Harrogate and District Junior Squash League next season. Last season the league had 20 sides. But before a ball has been struck for the new term more than 30 teams have joined and others are expected
DEMAND for organic food is greater than ever. Marks and Spencer has doubled its sales of organic poultry and fish and cannot get enough organic beef and lamb. The company is also increasing the amount of organic vegetables and fruit and is looking at
GOOD value and excellent entertainment were on offer in abundance on Sunday when 200 people turned up to hear the Northallerton college bands play at Bedale high school. The four bands, varying in size from eight to 65 players, plus a saxophone quartet
PROTESTORS against a controversial bail hostel have been accused of snobbery at the third day of a public inquiry. After suggesting more "socially deprived" areas would be better suited to a hostel, County Durham Probation Service bosses branded protestors
NOTHING government ministers and officials have said in the last fortnight suggests a change in its attitude that the foot-and-mouth crisis is over. The government decision to revoke all footpath closure orders on July 20 unless they lie within three
A MAJOR housing development on a greenfield site in Northallerton was given the green light yesterday, despite objections from neighbours. Hambleton District Council's development control committee granted outline planning consent to HM Prison Service
A £200,000 scheme to make accident blackspot roads safer has been approved. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has chosen nine schemes that will help to reduce the number of fatal, serious injury accidents and child casualties on its roads. Between
A SPORTS club will be aiming for the top next season after getting a cash injection from the National Lottery. Thirsk Hockey Club has received a £1,800 grant to purchase new equipment - the second major boost for the club, which has just completed one
FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - A successful garden fete and sale was held in the beautiful grounds of Woodside Hall, Preston on Tees, lent by Mrs R H Appleton, to raise funds for a mission church and Sunday schools for the parishes of Holy Trinity
EVERYTHING is shipshape for glassware firm Fantasy Giftware. The company, of Hebburn, South Tyneside, produces ships in bottles and decorative glassware products, which are selling by the boatload in the US. The company has appointed a dedicated distribution
A bit like tomorrow's Lions crunch, the 1907 amateur soccer match between England and Holland at Feethams was reckoned by The Northern Echo to "mark a new epoch in international football." England's right-half that December day was William Osborne Cleminson
A bit like tomorrow's Lions crunch, the 1907 amateur soccer match between England and Holland at Feethams was reckoned by The Northern Echo to "mark a new epoch in international football." England's right-half that December day was William Osborne Cleminson
MARSKE United and Billingham Town and have been exempted to the second round proper in the FA Carlsberg Vase. Guisborough Town will be at home to West Allotment Celtic in the second qualifying round of the FA Carlsberg Vase, which takes place on September
THE long-awaited inquiry into disgraced North Yorkshire gynaecologist Richard Neale has been announced by the Department of Health. An independent investigation into how the NHS handled allegations about the performance and conduct of the former Northallerton
A CATHOLIC community is mourning the death of its parish priest. Father Christopher Keating, the parish priest of St William's Church at Dormanstown, near Redcar, died at the town's Stead Hospital on Friday. He was 86 years old and still serving as the
Furnishings and gadgets designed to aid the elderly were stolen in what is believed to have been a chance theft from a sales representative's van. More than £4,000 worth of equipment was taken from the white Mercedes Vito, parked outside the rep's home
A SPECIAL flowerbed containing thousands of plants has been created to celebrate a mayor's civic year. Coun Vilma Collins, mayor of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, has the words "Mayor 2001: V Collins" spelled out in more than 1,700 yellow pyretherum
A COUPLE who were the first in Wensleydale to fall victim to foot-and-mouth have designed their own defence system. A 20ft long and 9ft wide vehicle disinfectant dip now stands guard on the only track to Raygill House Farm, between Bainbridge and Hawes
A 23-year-old man yesterday denied sexually abusing three young children. Jason Mark Cappleman, of North Marine Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, was said to have carried out indecent assaults on a girl and two boys aged between six and 12, attempting
REVISED plans for a 50-acre country park in Ingleby Barwick have been submitted to Stockton Borough Council. Provided in line with a final phase of housing on the current Riverdown scheme, the park would stretch from the western edge of Ingleby Barwick
THE number of debt inquiries taken by Sedgefield and District Citizens' Advice Bureau has doubled during the past year. This contributed to an increase in the total number of inquiries, to 30,927 in the past 12 months - a 23 per cent rise. The service
AN armed robber who threatened an elderly man and his dog with a craft knife was jailed for six years yesterday. David Potter, 23, of Duke Street, Millfield, Sunderland, was found guilty of robbery by a jury at Durham Crown Court in June, and was sentenced
A NEW housing estate could be built on the site of a former riding centre. Planners at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council were yesterday asked to approve outline planning permission for a new housing estate of more than 50 properties on the site of
A North-East Labour MP criticised the Government last night for excluding him from influential parliamentary committees. Former chief whip Derek Foster, MP for Bishop Auckland, County Durham, was chairman of the Employment Committee before the General
MIDDLESBROUGH midfielder Paul Ince was last night at the centre of a captaincy poser after claiming he had lost the skipper's armband to £6.5m signing Gareth Southgate. Former England international Ince insisted: "Gareth is the captain. I'm happy and
COUNCILLORS have agreed to keep town centre roads traffic-free - permanently. At a meeting of Middlesbrough Borough Council's cabinet this week, proposals to maintain a traffic ban on the town's Newport and Corporation Roads were endorsed. The ban was
TRENDY Stephen Gray is such a dedicated follower of fashion that his wardrobe is worth more than his house. The 26-year-old has had to take out a separate policy since home insurers refused to cover the collection, worth £37,000. Versace, Viviene Westwood
A HORTICULTURIST has managed to grow a rare palm tree in his North-East garden. John Taylor, from Elton Moor Farm, near Darlington, succeeded in growing the 16ft Canary Island date palm outside after it grew too big for his conservatory. Mr Taylor has
