BOBBY ROBSON is preparing for the disbandment of Newcastle United's "bluechip brigade". Robson was rocked yesterday when midfield kingpin Robert Lee handed him a written transfer request following the breakdown of talks over a new contract. And right-back
RESIDENTS of an east Durham village had a chance to step down memory lane at an exhibition of old photographs. The one-day event was organised by Shotton Colliery History Group and included a local interest video and a display of Age Concern's React,
PEOPLE living in rural areas will be able to surf the web as part of a new project. The £90,000 National Lottery New Opportunities Fund scheme involves the setting up of 20 information and communications technology learning centres throughout Yorkshire
SUNDERLAND AFC is kicking off its campaign against racism this weekend. The club is holding a series of events at its match against Manchester United today. Sunderland is joining other Premiership clubs in supporting National Anti-Racism Week, organised
THE niece of a man whose dying gift to a children's hospice will dramatically increase the care it offers has told how he chose his beneficiary. Bill Reynolds left £40,000 in his will to the Butterwick Children's Hospice, in Stockton, which staff say
THE region's businesses have been warned of the rising costs of fire detection and prevention at a recent seminar. The seminar, sponsored by ADT and Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade, examined the mounting costs faced by local firms as a result of false alarms
Country music stars Ann Breen and Country Company perform the first concert on their Shamrock and Daffodil tour at Bishop Auckland Town hall on November 1, at 7.30pm. Ann Breen a native of Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, has represented Ireland in the
A TENTH Century stone reflecting both Viking mythology and Christian belief is going on display today. The Wealand stone, which is thought to be one of only three in Britain, is usually kept in the crypt at St Gregory's Church, Bedale, but will be available
THE marathon pedal power of a group of workers has provided a £2,500 boost for a women's charity. The team of 13 cyclists from 3M Aycliffe covered 160 miles on a sponsored ride to raise money for Wear Valley Women's Aid. The ride started in Berwick-upon-Tweed
AUCTION house group Sotheby's is to axe 287 jobs in a bid to claw back costs. The cuts will see US-based Sotheby's, owner of the London auction house, trim its workforce by 14 per cent to 1,765. Sotheby's is aiming to achieve annual savings of £34.6m
THERE was an air of respectability about William Ian Beggs which concealed a deep and brooding malevolence. The eldest of five children born to middle class parents in Lurgan, County Antrim, his interests ranged from classical music and computers to home-brewed
FRIENDS and relatives of a cancer victim have raised more than £9,000 in just a year to help the experts in their fight against the disease. It was after Sue Nattrass died at the age of 49, from breast cancer, that her brother, David Marshall, Sue's partner
AT FIRST glance, yesterday's poll showing that 74 per cent of Britons approve of the military action against Afghanistan and 16 per cent disapprove, leaves ten per cent of people stunningly indecisive saying "don't know". But the more one thinks about
IT was long after the reporters and the tv crews in their vans had driven out of Manfield that the villagers' patience was really tested. The residents of Manfield, near Darlington, were at the centre of a bewildering week in August, when the trial of
CLEVELAND'S Take Heart Support Group, which gives support and encouragement to recovering cardiac patients, is helping to host a fair. The combined charities pre-Christmas fair is at Langdon Square Community Centre, Coulby Newham, on Saturday, November
A TYNESIDE boat builder has plans to keep the industry afloat into the 21st Century by setting sail on a new venture. McNulty Boats, in Hebburn, plans to develop and manufacture a new luxury craft for the leisure market. The company, which has been building
A SCHEME to boost access to technology in rural east Cleveland will be increasing its staff and improving its services after it bought new premises in Saltburn. The Terminus Project was set up in November 1998 to overcome a lack of understanding of computers
Two police officers injured when youths threw a brick through the windscreen of their car have won the right to substantial compensation at London's Appeal Court. John David Robinson and Michael Mohon were in a patrol car pursuing a stolen vehicle through
THE interest on tens of thousands of mortgages has been miscalculated as a result of a computer glitch, Halifax has said. Britain's biggest mortgage lender said about 28,000 customers who had taken out mortgages with Leeds Permanent, with which Halifax
A late Mansfield Town goal grabbed all three points at Feethams against a Darlington side who can consider themselves unlucky not to have won the game. The Quakers held the majority of possession throughout the second half but failed to deliver any convincing
SUNDERLAND found defending Premiership champions - even without England skipper David Beckham - far too strong as they crashed to a 3-1 defeat in front of a record 48,305 crowd at the Stadium of Light. Beckham, in Scandinavia with his wife, was only one
A MAN has been jailed after he falsely claimed he was responsible for a serious road rage incident. Gavin Newton, 21, from Lilburne Close, Hendon, Sunderland, was jailed for nine months at Newcastle Crown Court after he admitted perverting the course
A LAWYER is suing a police chief after she was accused of lying to provide an alibi for a client. Jane Scott, a Hartlepool solicitor, was accused of giving a witness information so they could provide a defendant with an alibi, allowing him to get bail
A POLICEWOMAN was arrested and questioned by colleagues after neighbours set up their own security cameras following a spate of mystery tyre slashings. After becoming the victims of several overnight incidents outside their homes, villagers got together
THE author of the infamous Manfield poison pen letters was behind bars last night for carrying out a 12-year hate campaign against his neighbours. Retired Open University lecturer James Forster, 68, was sentenced to four months, which was met with anger
ROAD safety staff have come up with the bright idea of recycling a luminous jacket to benefit children. School crossing patrol officer Carol Trigg's jacket may be too dull for her to use, but Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's road safety staff thought
A NORTH-East engineer who made history by helping to raise the Russian submarine Kursk from the sea bed, returned home yesterday. Malcolm Dailey, who lives in Norton, Stockton, finished the task this week and flew into Teesside airport from Oslo late
TWO children have been banned from their school bus until Christmas after a fight broke out on the way home. Police had to be called by the driver of the Arriva bus when a fight broke out on the top deck as up to 60 youngsters were being driven back to
SHOPPERS can enjoy a sneak preview of this season's styles at a fashion show. The Galleries shopping centre in Washington is hosting a three-day event previewing all the hottest autumn and winter looks. With four shows a day over three days, there are
A SHOP manageress is inhaling the sweet smell of success after winning an award. The success of Sarah Dos Santos in managing The Perfume Shop, in the Cleveland Centre, Middlesbrough, was recognised at the firm's management conference. She was one of just
IT'S becoming apparent that there are a lack of opportunities for the number of horses wanting to race on the flat. In 2000, from January to September, there were 131,000 entries made whereas this year in the same period 153,000 entries were made. The
A rush of blood by Jussi Jaaskelainen turned a tight game dramatically in the Magpies' favour as Bobby Robson's men ran out comfortable 4-0 winners at the Reebok Stadium. The Bolton keeper rushed out of his box to handle Laurent Robert's long ball with
MORE people in the region are giving up smoking than ever before, according to North-East health bosses. Last year, more than 10,000 smokers gave up after enrolling in a special smoking cessation programme. Yesterday, 150 health professionals involved
A YOUNG employee is laying the foundations for a successful career in the construction industry, thanks to the North- East Chamber of Commerce. Ian Hindmoor, 20, from Belmont, Durham City, has been promoted to head of Ministry of Defence (MoD) operations
RESEARCH is to be carried out in Scarborough as part of a Government-funded project to explore the problem of unemployment, housing and the labour market in resorts. The work is being master-minded by Professor Steve Fothergill, of the Centre for Regional
ENGELBERT Humperdinck once had the world at his feet. It was all so easy, he hardly had to try and he was still the best. By his own admission - and he is not known for his modesty - he had what it takes. But a touch of sadness creeps into his normally
RESIDENTS are being invited to have their say on green issues next week. Gateshead Borough Council's environmental roadshow is canvassing views on its newly-published Draft Waste and Recycling Strategy. The document sets out how the council hopes to increase
REVIEWS: Title: F1 2001. Format: PS2 CDRom. Publisher: Electronic Arts. Price: £34.99 THE LAST Grand Prix of the year has still to be run and Electronic Arts already has F1 2001 in the shops. So, while the excitement may end this month, the championship
UPBEAT Chris Turner wants to be singing a different tune tonight. The Hartlepool United boss is fed-up of seeing his side come away from games with little or no reward for their efforts this season - and now he's looking for the right result. Pool are
VISITORS are given a five-star service at an award-winning museum, which has become the first in County Durham to be recognised by a new national scheme. The Killhope North of England Lead Mining Museum, in Weardale, became a Quality Assured Visitor Attraction
THE Macmillan County Durham Appeal got off to a flying start last night, when it was announced that £80,000 has already been raised. The cancer charity is trying to raise £600,000 to appoint the first consultant in palliative care to work exclusively
Adam Boyd bagged a brace as Hartlepool United moved off the bottom of the table with a comprehensive 3-0 win over woeful York City at Victoria Park. Pools took the lead on the half hour mark through Mark Tinkler when the former York man powerfully headed
It's becoming apparent that there are a lack of opportunities for the number of horses wanting to race on the flat. In 2000, from January to September, there were 131,000 entries made whereas this year in the same period 153,000 entries were made. The
A WAR games organiser who took a group of boys to his home and shot two of them with an imitation assault rifle appeared in court yesterday. Paul McGinty, 28, shot the youngsters, aged 12 and 13, with plastic pellets from the weapon, leaving one of them
A CORONER has warned of the dangers of swimming in open water after a tragic accident in which a teenager drowned at a spot dubbed "the black hole". Christopher Glen, 15, got into difficulties while playing in a 15ft deep stretch of the River Tees near
William MacLennan has become the fastest soldier in the world - and that's official. His place as the new world record holder for speed marching in full combat dress with a 40lb backpack has been confirmed by Guinness. William, a 35-year-old corporal
A TEN-pin bowling competition between two Age Concern groups will highlight the message that you are never too old to exercise. The event, organised by Durham and Chester-le-Street Health Promotion and Age Concern Durham, will take place next Saturday
THE first 100 blankets have been made from sections of the world's longest scarf. The 25-and-a-half mile scarf was knitted by members of the Women's Royal Voluntary Service and Women's Institute. It is being converted into more than 2,500 blankets for
A MAN'S dying wish to have his museum preserved looks likely to be granted. For several years before his death in May, Jack Anderson, of Anderson's shoe shop, painstakingly built up a collection of historical artefacts, documents and photographs at Winkie's
FOOTBALL fans can get their hands on the shades of the stars in a charity online auction. Big names from soccer, including former Newcastle United favourites Les Ferdinand and David Ginola, have donated their sunglasses to the auction for the Guide Dogs
SUPER slimmer Maxine Hope is discovering a whole new world after shedding more than seven stones in just over a year. The 32-year-old mother-of-three, from St Helen Auckland, near Bishop Auckland, came back from holiday in Spain to find she had been crowned
TWO MASKED robbers threatened a female assistant with wooden bats during a raid on a village convenience store, a court heard. The terrified woman and a lone customer ran screaming into the rear of the Happy Shopper store in Evenwood, near Bishop Auckland
A PROBATION officer whose dangerous driving caused an accident which left one woman dead and two others injured, had his jail term cut to 21 months yesterday. David Firbank, 44, of Ryelands Way, Pity Me, Durham, was jailed for two-and-a-half years at
WAITING lists for diabetes treatment will be cut after a £35,000 fundraising appeal has bought vital equipment to treat eye disease. A portable laser machine was presented to Bishop Auckland General Hospital yesterday after a two-year fundraising marathon
THE first Sunday train to the seaside leaves Darlington at 9.25am, though it would be mistaken to suppose that because it is the first, there is nothing which precedes it. A great, grey, arthritically articulated freight train shuffled along in front,
improved bus services have been announced by Harrogate and District Travel, which is increasing its passenger numbers year on year. The company will improve links in Harrogate along with York, Wetherby, Ripon, Tadcaster and Knaresborough. The improved
RAILTRACK will have to wait until Monday before learning the position of its ownership of the first section of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. Railtrack chairman John Robinson and chief executive Steve Marshall saw Transport Secretary Stephen Byers yesterday
CAMPAIGNERS have welcomed a council's decision to back plans for a skateboard park in a market town. Ryedale District Council has given its provisional backing to proposals for the park to be created on land in front of Pickering swimming pool. Town mayor
Letters from The Northern Echo DAVID BECKHAM IN THESE frightening, fraught days, it seemed good to have our minds diverted by the excitement of our national game - football. So how ashamed I felt when only three England players sang our National Anthem
THE public is being invited to have its say on the future provision of arts facilities in Ripon. An open consultation meeting will be held on Monday night at which input from local residents is being encouraged. The development follows the award of £14,000
A TEESSIDE firm has joined forces with the Government to deliver the firework safety message. For the second year, DTW Advertising and Marketing has overseen the Department of Trade and Industry's Firework Safety Campaign. A total of 25,000 schools packs
A FRESH approach to drawing and painting is to be explored in a course in Saltburn. The course, which starts on Tuesday, from 6pm to 9pm, at the Emmanuel Church Hall, will comprise four sessions. Students will do exercises designed to help them develop
Two men were in a serious but non-life threatening condition in hospital yesterday after being stabbed in the street. Police found one 24-year-old man with chest wounds and a 27-year-old man with head injuries on the Newbiggin Hall estate, in Newcastle
A FORMER North-East student described by police as a "serial killer in the making" was jailed for life last night for murdering a teenager and dismembering his body. Ex-Teesside Polytechnic student William Beggs, 38, was found guilty at the High Court
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren is calling on his side to demonstrate the self-belief he has witnessed at first hand with England and Manchester United. McClaren was United's assistant manager when they came from behind at the death to lift the European
MARCONI is bound to be one of the City's biggest stories next week when the troubled firm releases a key trading statement. But the market will also be on the look-out for more indications of the state of the economy post September 11 - with eyes on updates
SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid last night issued his battle-orders for the formidable home clash with Manchester United - "Attack them!" The Wearside boss goes into the game in front of a record crowd at the Stadium of Light with a patched-up team because
FUNDRAISERS from a Darlington bank have presented more than £3,700 to the town's St Teresa's Hospice. Staff at the Darlington HSBC branch raised the money last year with a variety of events, including market stalls, dinners and raffles. The staff adopted
Thieves rifled the pockets of a dead man whose body they stumbled across after breaking into his house. After turning out the pockets of the unnazzzmed pensioner, the burglars ignored the corpse as they ransacked his Redcar home, opening cupboards and
THE first Sunday train to the seaside leaves Darlington at 9.25am, though it would be mistaken to suppose that because it is the first, there is nothing which precedes it. A great, grey, arthritically articulated freight train shuffled along in front,
COUNCIL chiefs have sought to allay fears that an historic hall, which is used as a business and conference centre, is to be sold off. A report this week had suggested that the 18th Century Conyngham Hall, in Knaresborough, should be sold to bring in
THE North-East's only female MEP has told a gathering of successful women from the region that more needs to be done to attract women into politics. Barbara O'Toole, told the meeting yesterday, in Newcastle, that 30 per cent of MEPs are women, but just
AS a professional sparky for more than half a century, Richard Checksfield knows more than most about the comforts electric power can bring. But when he is at home he turns his back on such a modern convenience - and has lived without electricity for
THE leaves are falling and it is time to get soft fruit pruning under way. At the same time you can also propagate many varieties from hardwood cuttings. As these are always taken from the past season's growth, it is often possible to combine both operations
SUNDERLAND striker Kevin Phillips this week admitted he believes he won't be able to force his way into England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson's plans for the 2002 World Cup. However, if he keeps up his current form, there is every chance the Black Cats
SEVEN days after assuring England's place in the 2002 World Cup finals, the Stadium of Light is about to hail Sir Golden Balls himself. Manchester United's David Beckham is the one player in England right now who could go anywhere and get a hero's welcome
A DRIVER was crushed to death when a metal container fell on him at a factory. Jimmy Nesbitt was helping to move the five-tonne load on to a lorry at the Silentnight furniture factory, in North Hylton Road, Sunderland when it rolled off. The 59-year-old
CONCERN is mounting for a mother-of-seven who has not been seen by her family since leaving home last weekend. Jacqueline Seed, 39, is understood to have been upset recently and taking medication for depression. She left the family home, in Eden Hill
DAVID CHAPMAN, a legend in his own lifetime when it comes to handling five and six-furlong horses, has a chance to step back into the limelight at York this afternoon, courtesy of his super-speedy gelding Sharp Hat in the £30,000 Coral Eurobet Sprint
HUNDREDS of rubber ducks are to be used in a campaign to alert students to the threat of meningitis. Four hundred ducks, each carrying details of the symptoms students should look out for, will be thrown across Teesside University Students' Union nightclub
PLANS for a multi-million pound coastal defence strategy in North Yorkshire are going out to public consultation. Experts believe up to £55m will have to be spent on defences along the Whitby coast during the next 60 years - and a further £18m for river
ANOTHER eight CCTV cameras have been installed on some of the region's most notorious housing estates, in a £400,000 attempt to reduce crime. Sunderland's Pennywell estate used to be the car crime capital of Europe, with vehicle theft and burglary rates
Darlington manager Gary Bennett is well aware of the pitfalls of having a successful team. Quakers head into today's clash at home to Mansfield Town knowing that a win is crucial to keep the promotion dream on track. After the drab affair of the last
A CAMPAIGNER is appealing for funds to pay for the demolition of a concrete sculpture which has been described as an eyesore. Easington district councillor Joan Maslin has been campaigning to get rid of the Pasmore Pavilion, in Peterlee, for 18 years.
A magical work of art created at a Darlington college by a Japanese artist is now open to the public. Akinori Matsumoto has been working with art students at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College since the start of the month. The three-week residency is
TWO farmers and a tractor driver were fined by a court yesterday for flouting foot-and-mouth restrictions. They had been caught by patrols mounted to stop the disease spreading. Harrogate magistrates heard how North Yorkshire Police and the county's trading
POLICE are urging motorists to try to avoid stopping for a roadside confidence trickster who spins sob stories to his victims before making off with their money. The warning comes after a woman was flagged down on the outskirts of Darlington town centre
A project aims to boost job prospects in some of Hartlepool's most disadvantaged areas. The pilot project, called Enhancing Employability, will recruit a coordinator to work with businesses, training organisations and residents, to improve employment
REVIEWS: Title: F1 2001. Format: PS2 CDRom. Publisher: Electronic Arts. Price: £34.99 THE LAST Grand Prix of the year has still to be run and Electronic Arts already has F1 2001 in the shops. So, while the excitement may end this month, the championship
