THE musical talent and performance skills of pupils and staff at Ferryhill Comprehensive School were displayed during a summer concert. The evening was compered by deputy headteacher Allan Fuller and organised by head of music John Hall. There were performances
DARLINGTON director of football Luke Raine has called on the town to get behind the club as they attempt to pick up the pieces from last season and attempt a promotion assault. After reaching the Third Division play-off final the previous year, Quakers
DURHAM groundsman David Measor was not impressed by the comments of Glamorgan captain Steve James about the pitch for last Sunday's Norwich Union League contest. In his weekly column in a South Wales newspaper, James said: "I was particularly angry about
WHAT is it about Darlington and trains? Last year, we had to endure the debacle over the ill-fated Festival of Steam, which was planned as a millennium celebration of the town's railway heritage. The festival, which was expected to attract thousands of
SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid, set to add to this summer's £7.1m transfer outlay, has been strongly linked with two French strikers - and another Argentinian whizz-kid. The Wearside boss, who is in Brittany with his first-team squad preparing for tomorrow
FOOTBALL club chairman Steve Gibson is about to be upstaged on his own turf - by daughter Katie. The 11-year-old dancer will perform with London West End singers at a musicals extravaganza to be staged at Middlesbrough FC's Riverside stadium, on Saturday
PEOPLE are being urged to do their bit to save vanishing wildflowers. Schoolchildren and adults are being recruited not only to keep an eye on areas where the plants grow on Teesside, but to be trained in how to propagate them. The scheme - the Wildflower
A meeting offering people the chance to find out more about local health services is being held next week. Following a decision by the Board of Middlesbrough and Eston Primary Care Group to go out into the community, a meeting has been arranged at Whinney
TENANTS and leaseholders in Stockton are being urged to join the debate on the future of council homes. Councillor Steve Nelson, the council's cabinet member for housing and community safety said: "We have been looking at all available options to ensure
YOUNGSTERS put their artistic talents to the test as they explored the history of a Hartlepool park. Pupils of Eldon Grove Primary School, in Hartlepool, spent time with artist Ashley McCornick, who has been appointed to work with the community on the
IN her two years as William Hague's press secretary Amanda Patell failed to undermine Labour's election prospects. In the space of a 45-minute TV programme last night she effectively wrecked the chances of Michael Portillo ever leading the Conservative
GALA veterans muttered about it being a little too easy to negotiate Elvet Bridge these days. They said it was a far cry from the days when the sheer volume of people would lead shopkeepers to nail planks across their windows to stop people falling in
DARLINGTON Borough Council is taking steps to ensure that its housing services are equally accessible to all. A racial equality housing statement has been prepared by council officers and will be discussed by councillors at the social affairs and health
DURHAM prison is a maze of locked doors, barbed wire, reinforced concrete, intercom systems, bars and bolts. There's no such thing as entering the labyrinthine world in a rush; sliding electric doors open at snail's pace, handprints are taken, bags are
A CLERGYWOMAN has received a top award for devoting her life to helping others. Rosemarie Heimer, 61, who works on Teesside, has received one of Germany's top honours - the Cross of the Order of Merit. For hundreds of home-sick and tired seafarers docking
A FORMER Darlington student has unearthed more success after being awarded a first-class honours degree from Durham University. John Thompson, who previously attended Darlington College of Technology, has gained a BA (Hons) degree in archaeology. He gained
A NEWTON Aycliffe school's athletics team has been in top form in local league events. Greenfield School Community and Arts College won several trophies as the South West Durham League season closed last week. In the under-13 age group, for year eight
SEDGEFIELD is gearing up for another attempt to win the Britain in Bloom contest. The village has just received a visit from Northumbria in Bloom judges. Sedgefield has won the best small county town category in that competition for the past eight years
A MINI-paralympics will give hundreds of disabled children their first experience of the thrill of competition tomorrow. About 200 youngsters will compete at the new Shildon Stadium in the first county-wide inclusive athletics festival for children in
A CAMPAIGN against council plans to cut free school transport is gaining momentum. Parents of children at Skerne Park Primary School, Darlington, are the latest to protest against the borough council's proposals to cut free school transport and use the
THE musical talent and performance skills of pupils and staff at Ferryhill Comprehensive School were displayed during a summer concert. The evening was compered by deputy headteacher Allan Fuller and organised by head of music John Hall. There were performances
A PLUCKY eight-year-old accident victim proved he is in a class of his own when he visited his school friends and teachers to thank them for their support. Hennry Marriott defied the odds and lived despite a serious road accident in which he received
ACTION to improve safety on a North Yorkshire road is on the way. North Yorkshire County Council has won approval to establish four passing places for slow-moving vehicles on the A61 between Harrogate and Ripon. The section has been the scene of several
NORTH-EAST actress Denise Welch has ruled out a return to Coronation Street as speculation mounts that she has landed one of TV's highest paid jobs. Welch is being hotly tipped to replace Judy Finnigan on the This Morning sofa, following Judy and husband
A scheme costing £3m to tackle persistent young offenders will be given the go-ahead today. The Tees Valley Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSP) project will bring together the Youth Offending Services in Darlington, Middlesbrough,
BOY Band X-Poze took time out of their preparations for Saturday's Sound Trak 2001 event to help launch the North-East's newest music website. Revolution offers bands in the region a chance to appear on the worldwide web alongside established national
A ROW over "free" tickets for concerts at Harrogate International Centre (HIC) involving the town's MP and the borough's mayor has been resolved - with any hint of impropriety ruled out. Trouble flared in April when the only Labour member of the borough
COUNCIL leaders say the fiasco surrounding the cancelled Love Parade will not scupper Newcastle's chances of becoming a European City of Culture. On Saturday, Radio One executives pulled the plug on the dance music extravaganza, after Newcastle City Council
COMPANIES in the North-East have bucked the national economic trend of major falls in profitability. While firms all over the UK suffer from the worst economic decline in more than a decade, business in the North saw their profitability - measured by
Hard Lines There's sad distress in Bear Park and Ushaw Moor too. There's willing hands to labour but can't find work to do. The men are standing idle, I can hear as I pass by, Each man to his neighbour say: "When will the clouds roll by?" We'll put our
EVERY working day George Rock is surrounded by high-tech equipment. However, he plans to return to basics and pit nothing but raw muscle against the forces of nature. A self-confessed adrenalin junkie Mr Rock, a BT customer service engineer from Ingleby
WORK on a new multi-million pound shopping development for Redcar town centre got underway today. The £26m Regent Walk scheme has been on the cards for the seaside town for the past five years and the development will include a Morrison's supermarket,
WORK on a new multi-million pound shopping development for Redcar town centre got underway today. The £26m Regent Walk scheme has been on the cards for the seaside town for the past five years and the development will include a Morrison's supermarket,
A FARMER has been given a chance to prove that an 18th Century mill on his land should be demolished rather than renovated. Farmer Jeff Horn wants to demolish the mill at Little Marsh Farm, in Cowpen Bewley, and build a house, as well as converting two
BRITISH paralympic gold medallist Stephen Miller opened a children's fun day at the Durham Light Infantry Museum yesterday. Fun and games at the Children's Network Fun Day included a balloon race, dog demonstration, live music and a performance by a special
Tony Blair was today warning unions they cannot "veto" plans for private sector involvement in public services. In a speech being trailed as a "route map for reform", the Prime Minister will spell out his "absolute determination" to push through the changes
A CASH boost has helped a local football club out of a hole. Players from Northern League team Murton FC were sidelined last year when a gaping hole opened up on the west wing of their pitch. The eight-foot-wide crater measured about 70ft deep, and was
IT MIGHT not pull the wool over anyone's eyes, but at least it is guaranteed to be free of foot-and-mouth disease. The life-size fabric sheep on display at Durham's botanical gardens is designed for this year's Masham Sheep Fair, in North Yorkshire. Foot-and-mouth
A MINI paralympics will give hundreds of disabled children their first chance to experience the thrill of competition. One of the North-East's newest athletics stadiums will host the first countywide athletics festival for children in special and mainstream
Stealth, the frontline US fighter jet, will swoop into the North-East to make a debut visit as part of this year's Sunderland International Airshow, it has been revealed. The aircraft, designed to be invisible to radar, will be a highlight for the thousands
British industry is on the verge of recession, a report claimed today. Profits are down by 15% in a number of sectors and companies fear further problems as the worldwide slowdown begins to bite in the UK. The company profitability report, by information
VETS at the sharp end of the battle against foot-and-mouth have launched an attack on the Government department handling the crisis. They have united to condemn the new Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for its lack of co-ordination
CARTOON HERO: There's just no stopping children's TV favourite Bob the Builder. First he had a Christmas Number One, then he found himself the object of desire of five women, including his girlfriend's sister. Now he's set to hit the top of the charts
Kieron Dyer was today seeking showdown talks with Newcastle after the club rejected a £15 million bid from Leeds. The England midfielder, 22, is desperate to quit the Toon side and join boss David O'Leary at Elland Road, the Daily Express said. Dyer,
A church service for bereaved parents is being extended this year to families caught up in the organ retention row. South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust has invited mothers and fathers who have concerns about the storage of human body parts, in the wake of
Q: I WAS interested in your Burning Question on Salter's Lane. Another road that interests me is the Roman Road that crosses the Tees at Middleton St George. Does this have a name and what is its exact course? - Doug McKenna, Stockton-on-Tees A: THIS
NORTHERN business chiefs were keeping their heads on Saturday night when they remembered how others had lost theirs. Guests at a Bastille Day dinner saw ambitious plans unveiled by hosts the French Business Council (FBC) to bring together the region's
ORGANISERS aim to make an international concert a people's party. The curtain goes up on the Teesside International Eisteddfod on Saturday, and the emphasis is on community enjoyment. Chairman Derek Richmond said yesterday: "The event this year will take
A FATHER from North Yorkshire was among those who put their culinary skills to the test in a competition designed to find the country's top amateur chef. Father-of-two Tom Simpson, from Thirlby, near Thirsk, was one of 28 who took part in the northern
THE search is on for would-be buskers and street theatre entertainers to take part in a three-day festival in the region next month. This year's Orange Darlington Festival takes place throughout the August Bank Holiday weekend with the theme of "A Festival
THE search is on for would-be buskers and street theatre entertainers to take part in a three-day festival in the region next month. This year's Orange Darlington Festival takes place throughout the August Bank Holiday weekend with the theme of "A Festival
CHILDREN from schools throughout a town have had their achievements recognised. Middlesbrough Borough Council asked staff from infant, junior and secondary schools to nominate two pupils they considered worthy of recognition. The youngsters went to the
Sunderland boss Peter Reid has flashed out a warning - don't write off Niall Quinn. The Republic of Ireland striker, 33, is receiving treatment for a back injury as his team-mates go through their paces at a pre-season training camp in northern France
SCOTSMAN David Coulthard last night pledged to fight on for the Formula One World Championship after his bid for the elusive title received a bitter blow, ending on lap three of the British Grand Prix. "It's going to be very difficult, but I refuse to
Parents are to blame when their children turn out to be juvenile delinquents, researchers have found. Those who are inconsistent, overbearing and arbitary when they try to lay down the law to children produce conflict and are often unsuccessful in their
A COMMUNITY newspaper is on the streets of Shildon days after its predecessor folded because of mounting debts. One of the men behind the new Shildon Crier is a former editor of The Shildon Record, which was wound up owing more than £8,000 in taxes and
FORMER Army homes, deemed surplus to requirements by the Ministry of Defence, have been selling like the proverbial hot potatoes. In three days of business, 49 were snapped up by eager bargain hunters who descended on Catterick Garrison, in North Yorkshire
MOTORISTS were given a stark reminder of the need to cut their speed at the weekend - when the emergency services joined forces to stage a gruesome car smash. The staged accident, involving two cars, was held outside the Victoria shopping centre, Harrogate
EVERY age has its heroes and champions. Robin Hood was medieval man's fantasy - righting wrongs, defending the underdog. Now, analysis of rhymes and stories of Robin by two North-East academics has shown the legendary character probably never existed.
THE new leader of the Conservative party on Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is gearing up for next year's local elections. Councillor Vera Moody took over the leader's job from Councillor Barbara Harpham during the general election, when Coun Harpham
A HOUSEWIFE'S favourite comes under the spotlight in a new exhibition this week. The National Glass Centre, Sunderland, has installed a 1950s' kitchen to display its collection of Pyrex tableware. Loaned by friends of the centre, the glassware is typical
ALMOST a year to the day after his death, a murder victim's grief- stricken family are distraught at the "cruel" timing of an MP's crusade to free the young jockey convicted of his brutal killing. Labour's John McDonnell, who has links with the cleared
LIKE an oyster, the outer shell of Richmond's Georgian Theatre Royal disguises the treasure within. Plasterwork is falling away in lumps from the extension built in the 1960s, leaving the bare bricks visible beneath. From the outside, the building looks
A CAMPAIGN to block plans to discharge raw sewage into a North Yorkshire river is being stepped up. Yorkshire Water is seeking approval from the Environment Agency to make the discharges into the River Esk if there is a mechanical breakdown or power failure
CHILDREN have left their mark on a restored green area by carving their names on a central sculpture. The youngsters from the Watergate Estate, in Crook, made ceramic leaves and flowers for the feature at a workshop led by Selby artist Ailsa Magnus. One
THE weather threatened to wash out one of the biggest weekends of the year in a village's social calendar. But organisers of Staindrop Carnival breathed a sigh of relief when the sun broke through and brought out the crowds. An estimated 1,000 people
PEOPLE are being urged to do their bit to conserve wild flowers. Children and adults are being recruited, not only to keep an eye on areas where the plants grow, but to be trained in how to propagate them. The Wildflower Ark Tees Valley Education Project
COMMUNITY campaigners turned back the clock to launch a conservation project for the new millennium. A medieval festival marked the opening of a five-acre wildlife and nature reserve in Shildon, which has been funded with £140,000 from agencies including
"WHEN I first heard my son was using heroin, I thought 'He can't be - he's never been to London'." Coming from the mother of a 21-year-old man who died from a heroin overdose last year, this might seem a little naive. But to a generation of working class
A TRAIN company is attempting to woo First Class travellers out of the air, off the roads and on to the rails. From this Thursday, GNER is slashing the price of first-class tickets by more than half in an effort to get more people "let the train take
A DEDICATED councillor who continued to attend meetings after having his legs amputated has died. Chester-le-Street Civic Centre's flag was at half-mast after Bob Suddick, 77, district councillor for the Kimblesworth and Plawsworth ward, died on Thursday
TOMMY Miller's future is likely to be decided today as the in-demand midfielder heads for a double round of transfer talks. The Hartlepool United midfielder is booked in for a meeting with Ipswich boss George Burley this morning, before heading cross-country
Michael Portillo was last night battling to persuade Tory MPs he did not betray William Hague as they prepared to decide his political future. The shadow chancellor and his supporters were aiming to limit any damage caused by the screening of video diaries
ROADSIDE verges in North Yorkshire are becoming a haven for wildflowers, thanks to a new project being pioneered by the county council. Highway chiefs and farmers are working with the council's ecology department to encourage wildflowers and wildlife
RAIN may have dampened fans' spirits, but the four members of an up-and coming indie band are fired up for a bright future after a big win at an open air music festival. Resthouse, from Shildon, County Durham, won a free day's recording at Studio 64,
A PUB landlord will serve a free slap-up meal to a local man who helped him trace the history of the community it serves. Bob Middlemiss, landlord of the Church Mouse pub, Front Street, Chester Moor, near Chester-le-Street, which officially opens later
FLOSSY is fancied to spring a major surprise by landing the day's most valuable race, the Group 3 Sodexho Prestige Scottish Classic at Ayr. Chris Thornton's mare has been unsuccessfully toiling away on predominately fast ground over the past few months
A TRAINEE teacher who was beaten black and blue by eight students in dinner jackets has criticised the way his case was handled by police. Hugh Holding, 31, a former student at Durham University, was brutally beaten by a gang of smartly dressed men as
Our recent competition, My Favourite Place, recalled fond memories for our readers. Here, starting with the winning entry, is a selection of the letters we received... HAVING spent my childhood in Ovington, I am left with memories I hope will never fail
PATIENTS will soon be able to see their GP or practice nurse on the same day they ask for an appointment, thanks to a pilot scheme. North Tees Primary Care Trust has announced seven of its GP practices are taking part in a national primary care collaborative
