EMPLOYERS in the Tees Valley are being invited to take part in a major consultation process to find out how best their business needs can be met. The consultation by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) offers employers in the Darlington, Hartlepool,
TROUBLED Arriva Trains Northern has been dealt another blow in its bid to cling on to the second biggest rail franchise in the region. The company was warned yesterday that it could be stripped of its Trans-Pennine franchise by rail chiefs, who fined
Thomas Cook is to axe thousands of jobs across Europe and close a number of travel agencies after reporting a 12 per cent fall in winter bookings. There was no breakdown of how many jobs will go in the UK, where voluntary redundancy schemes and cuts in
Letters from The Northern Echo WAR AGAINST TERRORISM HUGH Pender's rhetoric (HAS, Oct 25) makes an irrelevant appeal to history and shows a dislike of America. The seeds of hate that he talks of are those created by theocratic despotic regimes in the
TWELVE months ago contractors began work on the construction of Darlington Football Club's multi-million pound stadium. After winning the argument with protestors, the Quaker's chairman George Reynolds kept his promise to the fans and ordered the start
Darlington's players will undergo a 90-minute audition today as they take on Hull City in an attempt to put themselves in the good books of new manager Tommy Taylor. The latest incumbent of the Quakers hot-seat will watch the game from the stands, leaving
FORMER Boro striker and football pundit Bernie Slaven has announced he is going to stand for Mayor of Middlesbrough. Last week, residents voted overwhelmingly to have a directly-elected mayor in the town. Mr Slaven is the first to openly announce he will
TIME is running out for this cuddly character who is on death row at a North-East kennels. The tan and white collie cross mongrel was found wandering in Kilburn Street, Shildon, County Durham, on Saturday, wearing a collar, but no identification. A notice
NEWCASTLE Falcons begin a very demanding month by travelling to France for tomorrow's Heineken European Cup match against Toulouse without Jonny Wilkinson and skipper Pat Lam. While part of the positive attitude at the club involves stressing that they
A MAN has appeared in court accused of leading a two-year hate campaign in which letters, signed Soldier David, were sent to a number of North-East stores. Former housing officer Ian Walker, 45, of Sherwood Road, Thornaby, Teesside appeared at Teesside
A MOTHER-OF-THREE told yesterday how she worked as a prostitute for two-and-a-half years to pay off her family's debts. The 40-year-old, from Darlington, said she was forced to sell her body to pay off more than £10,000 worth of debt. She spoke after
STEVE McClaren was left fuming at the penalty decision that he believes was a "defining moment" in Middlesbrough's 2-1 defeat at Tottenham. And the Boro boss, whose side lost their first Premiership away game since August at White Hart Lane, was left
DANISH goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen warned last night that Sunderland could be sucked into a relegation battle if they do not snap out of their poor run of form, starting against championship contenders Arsenal at the Stadium of Light this afternoon. Peter
NOT content with plundering the big bucks on offer at the Breeders' Cup meeting over in the USA, Irish ace Aidan O'Brien seems almost certain to capture Doncaster's £175,000 Racing Post Trophy with Castle Gandolfo (3.05). O'Brien has three of the six
DETERMINED Steve McClaren is under no illusions about the task that lies ahead at Tottenham today. The Middlesbrough boss has not tasted a League defeat on his travels since August, but he believes Glenn Hoddle's side could be Boro's toughest opponents
THE owner of a knacker's yard, who plans to build the first two animal incinerators in the region, has said that he will not burn any slaughtered foot-and-mouth livestock. John Warren, who slaughters worn-out animals at his business at Eden Hall, in Hamsterley
HEALTH Secretary Alan Milburn's plan to speed up treatment in casualty units is already paying dividends in the North-East, it was revealed last night. The Darlington MP responded to worsening accident and emergency waiting times by announcing new measures
INTERNET millionaire Karl Watkin has withdrawn his interest in a stricken North-East computer software firm. QSP, which produces financial management software, recently went into receivership, putting about 300 jobs in jeopardy. The move followed the
HE has streaked at FA Cup finals, ran nude across TV weather maps and even bared his bum at Crufts, but on Saturday Mark Roberts turned his attention to a pretty little Dales town. HE has dropped his pants in some of the world's most celebrated venues
A STEPFATHER who attacked his daughter's partner with a hammer after a row erupted on the phone has been jailed. Barry Seed, 40, snapped after a dispute with Peter Greenhaugh in July and travelled to his home in Sulgrave, Washington, Wearside, by bus,
BREWER and pub operator Scottish & Newcastle has agreed a £260m deal to sell 456 of its leased pubs to Royal Bank of Scotland. The deal follows two sales of its leased pubs to RBS over the last two years, and brings the number of its pubs sold to
A pond which featured in many of a coastal town's most famous photographs and paintings is about to be restored by English Heritage. Archaeologists are to oversee an operation to remove weeds and silt which have ruined the water of the pond, at Whitby
BRIDE-to-be Penelope Taylor gave new hope to five strangers when her life was cut short - just 48 hours before the wedding of her dreams. The 27-year-old felt ill at her wedding rehearsal last month and was found unconscious the next day at the County
NEWCASTLE United manager Bobby Robson is hoping wingers Nolberto Solano and Laurent Robert make a quick return to form against Everton this afternoon. The Magpies boss, who was criticised by Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle after last week's 2-0 defeat
Q Between us, all we have are our state pensions of £171 a week and savings of £3,000. Can we get a rebate on our council tax of £745 a year? A The Government has just announced that between 1.28 million and 1.86 million people do not claim the council
AN IRAQI Kurd refugee, who fled Saddam Hussein's army to start a new life in England, was last night starting a life sentence for stabbing a countryman to death in a busy North-East shopping centre. The 28-year-old knifed fellow refugee Mohammed Ali six
Though they were of the 19th Century, the family at Hauxwell rectory might today be termed dysfunctional. The Rector himself wasn't so much dysfunctional as stone bonkers. The Rev Mark Pattison fathered two sons and ten daughters, disliked most and hated
A POLICE officer hanged himself after a resident from his village beat wrote to the chief constable complaining about a lack of policing, an inquest heard. PC Andrew Miller took the letter personally and became angry and despondent over the comments.
IN the past, if you wanted a little muscle on your door, then you simply gave Thugs-U-Like a call and they would send round a couple of heavies. Their pedigree may have been questionable; in fact, you may have wondered if they had records longer than
CONFIDENCE on the London market faces a major test next week as a host of blue-chip companies prepare to deliver figures. Airports operator BAA will provide a further update on passenger demand since the US atrocities when it issues interim results on
REVIEWS: Title: Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2. Publisher; Acclaim. Format: PS2 CD ROM. Price: £39.99. THE curse of the sequel, it seems, doesn't just afflict Hollywood. A successful video game franchise is just as likely to suffer the same fate. Don't believe
THE English cricketing authorities, in consultation with the Foreign Office and commissioners, have decided that it is safe for the forthcoming tour to India to go ahead. The games will be played hundreds of miles away from any danger zones. If that assessment
HUNDREDS of North-East jobs were in the balance last night with engineering firm Kvaerner facing collapse. The Anglo-Norwegian firm, which employs more than 500 workers on Teesside, said it could face bankruptcy by Monday. Bosses said job losses could
Last week Tommy Taylor took up employment at Feethams as Quakers changed managers. On Saturday they had a temporary manager in Mick Tait and even changed their shirts DURING the defeat to Hull City, but the poor run of form continues. Against ten men
AT LONG LAST Sunderland finally demonstrated the qualities they hope will be good enough to open a door into Europe this season. And championship contenders Arsenal could count themselves fortunate to leave the Stadium of Light with a share of the spoils
CONFIDENT manager Chris Turner believes combining youth with experience is the way to fire his side to victory against Oxford United this afternoon. And the Pool boss believes that by playing Adam Boyd, 19, alongside Gordon Watson, 30, as his front two
IT didn't seem too long ago when Newcastle picked up most of their points on Tyneside, and anything amassed on away visits was mere icing on the cake. The fortress that was St James' Park has been chipped away at over the years and, although still a tough
A 32-year-old father was yesterday jailed for life after sexually assaulting his daughter and injecting an alcoholic woman with a fatal dose of heroin. Teesside Crown Court heard how the man admitted the indecent assault on his ten-year-old daughter after
SURELY it's time that the Race Planning Department at the British Horseracing Board realised where the North of England is situated. Since September 1, until today, there have been only 16 National Hunt fixtures north of Market Rasen. In the same period
WHEN 17th Century Spanish painter Francisco de Zurburan placed his life-sized paintings of Jacob and his Twelve Sons on a ship bound for the New World, he envisaged they would hang on the walls of churches in South America, helping to educate the native
RECENT wet and mild weather has exacerbated the moss problem on many lawns. Not only have gardeners been experiencing the rapid spread of this creeping menace, but also, because of very heavy rainfall, have been afflicted increasingly with a green slimy
MORE than 11 million smuggled cigarettes have been seized by customs officers in one of the biggest operations mounted against crime in the region. Customs officials last night hailed the record seizures as a major breakthrough in the battle against criminal
HARTLEPOOL United's players will discover what it feels like to be a supporter as they undergo 90 minutes of torture. Boss Chris Turner will make his players watch the video of Saturday's woeful home defeat to Oxford as he strives to discover why his
IAN Hornsby has left unemployment behind him by putting his gardening skills to good use. The 37-year-old has set up Country Garden Services, in South Moor, Stanley, County Durham, after taking part in a business awareness training programme run by The
