Teenage star Gareth Gates last night became the youngest British male solo star to notch up a Number One hit, dislodging Pop Idol rival Will Young from the top. The 17-year-old, from Bradford, took Unchained Melody to the chart's prime slot. It is the
A man accused of the murder of a woman whose body was found in a suitcase is will stand trial at the Old Bailey in September, it was announced today. Kyu Soo Kim, 30, from Holborn, central London, is charged with the murder of Hyo Jung Jin, 21, a South
FAMILIES and staff at a North-East residential home which is facing closure are preparing for a battle to keep it open. More than 70 residents of Nazareth House, in Middlesbrough, face losing their home when the Roman Catholic-run building closes. Families
FIVE suspected drug dealers were detained by police in weekend raids on homes in Bishop Auckland. The swoop netted three kilos of cannabis worth £3,000, plus a quantity of amphetamines. Four men and a woman, in their early 20s, were arrested on Friday
POLICE chiefs in North Yorkshire are celebrating a double dose of success in the fight against crime. The county learnt at the weekend that it has the fastest growing police force in the country after Chief Constable David Kenworthy confirmed that the
VILLAGERS are calling for the restoration of two bus service routes. Transport company Arriva's amendments to bus services 60 and 65 on the approach to Durham confused many passengers heading for destinations prior to the city centre. Service 60, beginning
BOBBY ROBSON last night insisted that Kieron Dyer's World Cup prospects won't be hindered by his absence from the England team for this week's warm-up game against Italy at Elland Road. Sven-Goran Eriksson was in attendance as Dyer proved his recovery
SUNDERLAND Harriers produced a grandstand finish to retain their Durham Pine North-East Harrier League senior men's team title in the final fixture at Prudhoe. The Wearsiders went into the last race one point behind leaders Blaydon Harriers, but produced
KIEREN Fallon may have lost the lucrative retainer with Sir Michael Stoute, but he will be very hard to beat again in this year's jockeys' championship. Following a stint in Dubai at the weekend, the Irishman returns to the domestic scene at Wolverhampton
UNLUCKY Middlesbrough midfielder Paul Ince believes one strange decision has resulted in him missing out on this year's FA Cup semi-final. Ince faces a two-match ban after he was shown his tenth yellow card of the season in the 1-0 win over Manchester
SOUTHAMPTON manager Gordon Strachan could have put his finger on the reason for Sunderland's fall from grace this season - their secret weapon is no longer a secret. For during the last two campaigns Peter Reid's men climbed to dizzy Premiership heights
A goalless draw at home to Swansea City can never be considered anything to be proud of. Saturday was no different, but, rather refreshingly, Darlington were left disappointed with the point. Quakers' performance warranted all three points. After weeks
A couple remained in hospital with serious injuries today after a £40,000 sports car they had taken for a test drive was involved in an horrific crash. Lynn Conder was rushed to hospital by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance with a suspected broken back and
Rival gangs of clubbers fought a pitched battle in the streets of a County Durham town leaving one man needing plastic surgery. The fight between rival gangs of men and women from Consett and the Highfield area of Rowlands Gill started in 70s City on
Disbaility can often bring problems of isolation, and this can hit teenagers particularly hard. Liz Lamb looks at how one scheme is aiming to bridge the gap. LAUGHING with her friends, Laura Dinsdale looks like any other teenager hanging out with her
The first stage of a £100,000 revamp of one of the region's flagship tourist attractions was unveiled today. The changes to the World of James Herriot Centre, in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, are part of a five-year plan to develop the £1.4m museum for the
HOMEOWNERS in flood-prone areas across the region are facing an insurance nightmare which leaves them in danger of becoming trapped in unsaleable properties, it was claimed yesterday. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) warned that a lack of Government
FORMER Agriculture Minister Nick Brown will be put on the spot tomorrow on the Government's handling of the foot-and-mouth epidemic. He will attend the European Parliament's inquiry committee and will become the first British Minister to give evidence
The parents of missing teenager Amanda Dowler yesterday made a tearful public appeal three days after she vanished without trace. In a cruel twist, police later found a body on a railway line near the 13-year-old's Surrey home - but it turned out to be
STUNNED postal workers are likely to be told today that Consignia is to slash 40,000 jobs over the next three years, it was reported last night. One fifth of the workforce is to be made redundant and up to 3,000 urban post offices are set to be closed
YOUNGSTERS causing criminal damage or drinking illegally will be returned home in police cars under a new initiative in Darlington. The town's police and Darlington Borough Council's uniformed wardens are carrying out a joint operation to crack down on
Eighteen nursing and residential homes across Wearside are celebrating after winning Healthy Home awards for their outstanding health and hygiene records. In a competition run by Sunderland City Council and Sunderland Health Authority for both private
CHILDREN from either side of the Tyne are backing a bid for European Capital of Culture status in 2008. Eighty primary and nursery schools, plus two after school clubs, in Gateshead and Newcastle are working on a series of joint projects. The Tyneside
A woman is getting into the swim of a new business with a job agency's help. Jo Gibson, of Chester-le-Street, recently found herself unemployed after 17 years as a swimming instructor. Deciding to stay in the profession, she sought the help of the Chester-le-Street
GENIUS is an over-worked word, especially in the world of football where hype and hyperbole are rife. Yet when a man of the stature of Bobby Robson readily lavishes such praise on a player, it is difficult to disagree. That is particularly so when the
CHRIS Turner is hoping to extend James Coppinger's loan stay at Hartlepool United. Coppinger moved to Pool on loan from Newcastle in January and has made ten starts, netting two goals playing on the right wing. But he hasn't been in the 16 on duty for
REPUBLIC of Ireland international Jason McAteer admitted after the disappointing 1-1 home draw against Southampton that the Sunderland dressing room is currently not a happy place. But McAteer, whose second goal in consecutive home games looked like easing
Tommy Taylor has long wanted more money to spend on bringing new players to the club - but now he wants money to spend on the players he already has at Feethams! That's because new goalkeeper Chris Porter, who played free of charge on Saturday, won't
North-East drivers have two weeks to give their views on a planned £2 road toll for Durham City. Durham County Council has approved a scheme to charge drivers to use Saddler Street, which leads from the Market Place to the peninsula and includes the World
Readers have pledged more than £2,600 from their own pockets to keep hopes of a public inquiry into the Richard Neale scandal alive. The campaign group representing 250 victims of the North Yorkshire surgeon needs to raise £10,000 to continue their legal
Ray Mallon unveiled his election manifesto today with a promise to cut crime, spend on education and get rid of Middlesbrough's "cloth cap" image. The former head of Middlesbrough CID launched his bid to become the town's first elected mayor at Marton
Q: MY older sister, who is 80, started reciting the poem below which she says she learned at school in Birtley. The verses she remembers are: January brings the snow, makes our feet and fingers glow. February brings the rain, thaws the frozen lake again
Short story writer Margaret Wilkinson tells Entertainments Writer STEVE PRATT about how she came to pen a grotesque cabaret for the stage SHE was the original bad girl - known as every man's desire, and women's too. Lulu was the temptress who destroyed
SUGGESTIONS that Tony Blair is facing a possible leadership challenge are premature. He remains the best man to lead the Labour Party and - in the absence of a credible Opposition - and the country. But there is little doubt that unease about his leadership
Hornblower (ITV) Resurrecting The Mammoth (C5) Nobody said "aa-ha, me hearties" or danced a hornpipe on deck, but someone in Hornblower really did talk about splicing the mainbrace. This was Captain David Warner, who clearly thought he was aboard the
A former trainee soldier who claimed £100,000 damages after he lost the sight in an eye during a game of water polo at his barracks has lost his legal battle. David Gillespie, 31, had only been with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers for a
