THREE serious road accidents in North Yorkshire over the weekend have left two men dead and two more fighting for their lives. Two men were killed after the blue Ford Fiesta they were travelling in was involved in a crash with a Silver Seat car on the
A SCHOOL caretaker has been remembered by pupils as part of an ambitious playground venture. Norman Symmonds, who died recently, had been caretaker at Roseberry School in Great Ayton for 19 years, and had worked hard to improve its wildlife area. Now
STEVE McCLAREN is hoping loan signing Benito Carbone can provide Middlesbrough with the inspirational touch that Paolo di Canio brought to West Ham. Boro boss McClaren insists he is not taking a gamble with controversial Italian itinerant Carbone. The
HARTLEPOOL United's promotion hopes took a hammer blow last night with the news that leading scorer Gordon Watson will be out of action for up to four weeks. The 13-goal striker, a revelation since moving to Pool in September, will undergo knee surgery
A LEADING North-East councillor is calling on the Government to actively protect the jobs of hundreds of power workers. The appeal is on its way to the Department of Trade and Industry amid reports that Innogy (COR) the electricity company, which last
Darlington's six-goal draw with Shrewsbury on Saturday may have ranked high on the entertainment scale, but Quakers' defending rated way below and it's simple mistakes which cost Tommy Taylor's side dear. Saturday's six goal show may have proved value
TEXTILES group Dewhirst is to shut its Sunderland factory with the loss of nearly 400 jobs. The end of the Leechmere factory will also affect another 45 support jobs in the Ashington factory as Dewhirst switches production to Morocco. A company spokesman
WHEN Alen Boksic tracks back, harries opponents for possession and chases lost causes, you feel the need to blink and blink again. A master in the art of goal-scoring he may be, but Boksic has never been one to put himself out for his teammates. The crack
DURHAM Chief Constable George Hedges has launched a stinging attack on the pay deal for officers proposed under the new Police Reform Bill. The deal, put forward by Home Secretary David Blunkett, was "divisive" and would set officer against officer, said
London Electricity has bought Northern Electric's wind power portfolio for £3.5m. The deal is part of a £6.5m investment by London Electricity in renewable energy technology. The acquisition by the power firm's generation subsidiary, London Power Company
MALCOLM JEFFERSON suffered a tragic loss when his Champion Hurdle hope Dato Star died on the gallops late last year, but at least Moss Harvey has come along just at the right time to soften the blow. Moss Harvey won four staying hurdle races on the bounce
LINDY Electronics has reported strong orders for its new international division, just a month after its launch. The Middlesbrough business has won orders from a dozen countries. As well as customers from Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and Belgium taking
A RESCUE plan designed to secure the future of crisis-hit Equitable Life has been given the legal all-clear, opening the way for a £250m injection from Halifax. The High Court sanctioned a compromise "scheme of arrangement" which won the approval of 98
rail passengers in the North-East have come perilously close to being involved in a major disaster on numerous occasions in the past year, it emerged last night. Since ten people were killed in the Selby train crash, in North Yorkshire, last February,
Love it or loathe it, you can't ignore it. Pop Idol reaches the final tonight and, with ten million viewers expected, the show itself is the overall winner. Steve Pratt explains its appeal. Only one question is on the lips of the viewing public tonight
A DECADE after hanging up his running shoes and ending his athletics career, Steve Cram is "competing" in the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City - not on the field but in the TV studio. As part of the BBC presenting team, he'll be helping front over 90
A HIGH-POWERED delegation met administrators of Sunderland's Federal Mogul factory to explore ways of saving the firm and about 400 jobs under threat. Sunderland City Council leader Councillor Colin Anderson, was joined by Labour MPs Bill Etherington
TWO men who brought a housing estate to a standstill when police raided their home and discovered a huge haul of weapons have a history of stashing armoury, The Northern Echo can reveal. Raymond Fothergill, 66, and John Lambert, 54, yesterday admitted
MORE footpaths are re-opening in County Durham following the lifting of foot-and-mouth restrictions by Defra. Durham County Council says that less than eight per cent of the county's network of 4,300 routes is still closed. "The re-openings mean that
A PLAN to site a giant ferris wheel at a coastal town's harbourside as part of the celebrations for the return of the Endeavour in June have angered town councillors. Whitby councillors are protesting to Scarborough Borough Council and North Yorkshire
A TEENAGE boy was left terrified after two youths dragged him into a side street and threatened him with a makeshift weapon before making off with his mobile phone. One of the youths grabbed his victim and pushed him away from the main road to an alleyway
SUNDERLAND fans celebrated their first victory of 2002 by giving manager Peter Reid a huge vote of confidence at Pride Park. After seeing Republic of Ireland striker clinch the points with a match-winning goal ten minutes from time the 3,000 supporters
ENTERTAINMENT is the name of the game at Victoria Park. Saturday's victory stroll over Torquay means Pool have bagged 17 goals in their last five home encounters and their tally of 37 Victoria Park strikes is bettered in English football only by Kevin
THE family of grieving footballer Colin Cooper are thanking the world for the overwhelming number of condolences received following his toddler son's tragic death. Messages of sympathy received by the Middlesbrough defender and his wife, Julie - after
A SERIES of one-day exhibitions to help budding entrepreneurs get started in business will be launched next week. The Getting Started exhibitions will begin at Macmillan College in Middlesbrough on Saturday then run on consecutive Saturdays. They are
NO Premiership title was ever won in February. There's one man who knows that for a fact, and he arrives back on Tyneside next weekend. Kevin Keegan's Newcastle must have believed in February 1996 - with the infamous 12 point lead - that the Premiership
A NIGHT out turned to terror for Hazel Howden after she became trapped inside an electronic loo for two hours. Helpless Hazel Howden, 39, had gone to use the high-tech public convenience in the centre of Newcastle after a night out with friends. But her
NEIGHBOURS have gone it alone to shut out crooks. Residents could not believe it when they were ruled out of a scheme which has brought peace of mind to others in the town where they live. But householders from crime-hit Stratford Road in Hartlepool,
A FORMER employee, claiming she was sacked unfairly by international artist Mackenzie Thorpe, has opened her own art gallery just yards from his studio. Angela Davis has not yet given evidence to a tribunal, which is due to rule on her allegations of
DARLINGTON manager Tommy Taylor believes the club's next five games could make or break their season. The Quakers, who entertain seventh-placed Shrewsbury Town this afternoon, sit seven points adrift of a play-off place. But with their next four matches
AN ambitious scheme to build a 500ft-long rope bridge high above the River Tees could become a reality. Marketing bosses in Teesdale, County Durham, have already approached engineers to see if building a rope bridge across the river, near Barnard Castle
CRAIG BELLAMY is on a final warning at Newcastle United after being cautioned by police for an attack on a girl student. United confirmed yesterday that they had launched an internal investigation into the incident, which took place on Newcastle's Quayside
A MAN whose immediate family has been hit by cancer three times drummed up financial support for the Cancer Research Campaign with a special musical event. Paul Archer played the drums for 12 hours non-stop while other musicians and bands took turns in
NEWCASTLE Falcons' new hooker Steve Brotherstone will again be looking over his shoulder at a Thompson when he makes his debut at Leeds tomorrow. Brotherstone, who has played seven times for Scotland, found himself playing second fiddle at Northampton
THE region's most famous staircase is need of £150,000-worth of renovation. The 199 Church Stairs lead from Whitby's harbourside to the graveyard of the town's 850-year-old parish church of St Mary's. They were featured in Bram Stoker's classic horror
J K Rowling, creator of Harry Potter, will tomorrow pay tribute to a brave little boy from the North-East who touched her heart. The author will be in London to mark this year's Child of Achievement Awards. As well as the youngsters who can attend, she
Victims of disgraced gynaecologist Richard Neale face an anxious wait to hear if their campaign for a public inquiry has succeeded - a move opposed by Health Secretary Alan Milburn. Former patients have been at the High Court in London all week arguing
A SENIOR officer accused of urinating against a presidential palace claimed last night he had been framed by Lithuanian police - and felt forced to resign. Chief Superintendent Kevin Pitt, 49, agreed that grainy CCTV footage showed him leaning against
IT is the turn of the industry big names to report next week, with a raft of companies - from global drugs group GlaxoSmithKline to oil heavyweight BP - all expected to post profits well into the billions. BP issues fourth quarter figures on Tuesday,
SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid admitted last night that his struggling side might be meeting revitalised relegation battlers Derby County "at the wrong time" at Pride Park this afternoon. While the Wearsiders extended their run without a win to seven games
THE Rev Dr Robert Innes is 41, portrays the very picture of rude good health - a bit like the young Bamber Gascoigne, truth to tell - and suggests a man of many talents in the High Summer of his days. It is, perhaps, just as well. Vicars of the parish
A SCHOOLBOY suffered horrific head injuries when he was repeatedly kicked in the face by two thugs because he spurned the advances of a young admirer. Doctors are still unable to tell whether 14-year-old Karl Leighton will be left permanently brain damaged
Letters from The Northern Echo COUNCIL TAX WE have a senior executive in Darlington Borough Council who likes to compare its responsibilities with that of running a business. If it wants to be judged by this yardstick, then it should consider the following
WITH mounting redundancies in manufacturing plants across the region contrasting with regeneration projects such as a major new technology park in Sedgefield, industry insiders appear at odds over what lies ahead. Many believe that jobs in the North-East's
A SEARCH for a car repair manual uncovered a poignant reminder of the lives lost in the First World War. Amber Bryan-Smith, six, went to look for the book in the bureau at her home in Carrville, Durham. But the drawers would not open and had to be lifted
IT is the age of the manufactured pop star - when the ability to mime to technically-enhanced recordings is the key to success. Pop Idol, the television programme which has gripped the country, has been a refreshing antidote. Whoever wins tonight's final
