A BUSINESSMAN who has built up a 180-outlet business in just ten years has been rewarded for his entrepreneurship. David Charlton, chairman of The Officers Club chain of budget mens' clothing shops, clinched the consumer services entrepreneur title in
A NEWTON Aycliffe factory is celebrating the company's 100th birthday with events involving the community. Events at the 3M factory will include tree planting to create an environmental park, sponsorship of community events and a series of volunteer days
THERE'S still time for runners to sign up for the national Race for Life to raise money for Cancer Research UK. For the first time, a race is being held in Darlington and there are plenty of places left for women who want to be sponsored to run the 5km
PLANS have been submitted for a Sure Start family centre on a derelict factory site. Sedgefield Borough Council wants to build the centre on the former Praxis textiles factory site in Dean Bank, Ferryhill. The scheme would provide support for young families
DOZENS of budding David Beckhams forgot the World Cup for an afternoon and turned out in memory of a sports-loving policeman who died chasing suspects. Former colleagues of PC Keith Maddison, in Crook and Willington, keep his memory alive with an annual
Competitors are invited to take part in a golf day in aid of a North-East charity. The Calvert Trust has provided activity holidays for disabled people at Kielder Water, Northumberland, for 21 years. Its fifth annual golf day will be staged at the Matfen
So, it was too soon for England, after all. Deep down, we all knew the metamorphosis from World Cup down-and-outs to lifting the game's greatest prize in 20 months was impossible. Sven-Goran Eriksson may be a gifted coach with the knack of transforming
A MAN who had £900-worth of cannabis, £300-worth of cocaine, and other drugs in his home when it was raided by police, was jailed for three years yesterday. Stephen Butterfield, 28, of Roseberry Road, Redcar, denied possession of cannabis with intent
A NEW music group specialising in the Baroque period will make its debut in Durham next month. The Kepier Consort will perform Trio Sonatas, by the 18th century German composers Telemann and CPE Bach, in a concert at Elvet Methodist Church, on July 6.
PUPILS enjoyed a trip to Preston Park on Teesside after a bus company stepped in to provide free transport. Go North East supplied one of its Easy Access buses for 30 pupils from Oxclose Primary School, in Washington, many of whom have mobility difficulties
A FORMER sub post office master short of money because his hours had been cut "borrowed" money from his employers until he had taken almost £10,000, a court heard yesterday. John Wildsmith admitted at Teesside Crown Court theft of £9,440 from Borrowby
Esh Winning will have an eye on the leadership when they visit bottom-of-the-table Shildon this afternoon. They are odds on favourites to win after Shildon were bowled out for just 22 at Sedgefield last Sunday, a result which means they have lost all
THE battle to block an attempt to trim a vital Wensleydale bus service begins at a meeting in Northallerton next week. North Yorkshire County Council needs to cut its costs to give it more leeway to prop up services which operators are finding less lucrative
THE Hollywood blockbuster Spiderman is continuing to cast its web over local authorities in the region. Scarborough, in North Yorkshire, has become the latest council to reclassify the hit movie for a local cinema. The Hollywood Plaza has asked the borough
A couple are facing charges in connection with thefts from branches of the Market Cross chain of jewellers in the region. David Stephenson, 27, of Halifax, was remanded in custody until next Thursday when he appeared before Richmond magistrates, North
Leaders Murton will be without professional Calvin Stephenson when they meet bottom-of-the-table Houghton this afternoon. A family commitment means he will miss his first game since joining the club from Crook Town. Stephenson has been a huge success
A DOZEN youngsters from a Durham church will give up their summer holidays to embark on charity work. The young people are being supported by King's Church to travel to places as far afield as Vladivostok, in Russia, Santa Domingo, in Ecuador, Japan,
Norton will aim to take a good haul of points from their game with Sunderland today in a bid to move off the bottom of the table. To date, they have managed just one win in nine attempts and it will not be easy for them to double their success rate since
A CONCERT will be held in Leyburn Market Place next month to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Leyburn and District branch of the Royal British Legion. Muker Silver Band, conducted by Duncan Bythel, will play from 11am to 1pm on Saturday, July 6. There
A SCHEME to breathe new life into former pit villages is being developed by Durham County Council. Councillors hope to arrest the decline many communities have suffered since the demise of the county's mining industry, including loss of population. The
IN A move that is expected to be good news for book-lovers, opening hours are to be extended in many of the 45 libraries across North Yorkshire. More than 20 libraries are to have their Saturday opening hours extended from July 1, with the hours in the
TEENAGER Karl Smith is preparing to represent the region in a construction competition. The 18-year-old was recently named the winner of the regional UK Skillbuild competition in cabinet making. Karl, a student at Darlington College of Technology, will
Tickets for the maiden voyage of ''the longest, widest, tallest, most expensive cruise ship'' ever built have gone on sale. Cunard's spectacular new flagship, Queen Mary 2, sails out of Southampton on January 12, 2004 for a 14-night crossing to Fort Lauderdale
A NORTH-EAST bank manager is on his way to New York as a reward for outstanding business performance. Gary Lumby, who is based in Sedgefield, was promoted to divisional business manager at Yorkshire Bank at the beginning of the year. He is off to the
A REUNION of old school friends is to be held in the region. Former members of Eastbourne Secondary Modern School, Darlington, will get together next Saturday to celebrate their 50th birthdays. The event is being organised by former pupils Anne Boyd and
THE multi-million pound rejuvenation of a rundown part of Hartlepool could be ruined by vandals. Hartlepool Borough Council chiefs are taking action amid fears that the regeneration of the Headland could be scuppered by criminal damage. They want to raise
FACTORY technicians Mick Whieldon and Lee Atkins plan to paddle 132 miles along the Thames in canoes to raise cash for the Multiple Sclerosis Centre in Middlesbrough. They start near Oxford this weekend after six months of training using the River Tees
YEAR nine pupils at St Michael's School, in Billingham, have held their own version of a general election. The event was part of the Government's new citizenship syllabus, which is compulsory teaching in schools from September. Part of the syllabus is
An inquest was opened and adjourned yesterday into the death of a 35-year-old unemployed labourer. Colin Fulton was found dead at his home in West Dyke Road, Redcar, east Cleveland, on Tuesday. His brother David, 29, of Grange Close, Grangetown, gave
A GROUP of pupils could be jetting off to South Africa after reaching the final of a regional competition. The year, eight children from Eastbourne Comprehensive School have taken part in Northumbrian Water's Square Mile Project. The regional initiative
Brazilian bride Paula McGrory was lucky not to receive the red card at her own wedding yesterday. Just hours after Brazil dumped England out of the World Cup, the 26-year-old married her English sweetheart, Gareth Godwin. Despite even more tension than
The Anglican Deanery of Sedgefield will be offering a course of study in faith and life, formerly the Bishop's Faith and Life Course, for church members of all denominations from September this year. People seeking information can attend a taster evening
FOUR people appeared at crown court yesterday, accused of involvement in the supply of Ecstasy at a County Durham nightspot. Donna Dorritt, Mark Wilson, Alan Metcalfe and Jonathan Stewart are charged with conspiracy to supply the class A drug at the Trades
POLICE are hoping to trace a Good Samaritan who stopped to help at the scene of an accident in which a motorcyclist died. A man driving a blue Ford Escort, with two children in the back, assisted after the collision between a yellow Suzuki motorcycle
KENNY Craddock, a former member of North-East rock legends Lindisfarne, has died in a road accident in Portugal. Mr Craddock, 52, was a member of the Newcastle band between 1973 and 1975. The line-up was formed following the break-up of the original chart-topping
ONLY 21 months ago, England was managerless and had a solitary point from the first two games of the World Cup qualifiers. To qualify for the tournament after such a dreadful start was an outstanding achievement. To defeat Germany 5-1 in Munich on the
AN arts centre has stepped back in time to present an exhibition reflecting the 1950s. The display at the Discovery Centre, at Seaton Holme, Easington Village, east Durham, is open until June 23. Organised to co-incide with the Queen's Golden Jubilee,
SLOWLY, almost mournfully, they began to emerge from their homes with the same two words echoing in their heads: "If only." Children, allowed to go to school late, holding their parents hands. Heads bowed, eyes red, precious few words exchanged. Grown-ups
A MAN and woman yesterday admitted being involved in knifepoint raids at a housing office and village post office on the same day. Stephen Kenneth Ambler, 23, and 34-year-old Kay Thompson who appeared before Durham Crown Court, both pleaded guilty to
A fun run hits the market town of Bedale next month to raise cash for young footballers. Parents and grandparents are being urged to join youngsters taking part in the run at the High School on July 21. The event has been organised by Bedale junior football
ACOUSTICS at a new country park amphitheatre will be tested by a woman who helped to design the facility. Herrington Country Park, in the shadow of Penshaw Monument, near Sunderland, will be officially opened when it becomes the new venue for Durham County
BAD drivers will be offered the chance to retrain under a scheme to be introduced across County Durham. People convicted of careless driving will be able to volunteer for instruction to try to prevent them having accidents in the future. Those who agree
AN open lecture is being held as part of a drive to raise the profile of Freemasonry. To coincide with Freemasonry in the Community Week, the Universities Lodge of Durham is organising an open lecture at the Durham University Business School, Durham,
STAFF working for beleaguered Consignia have accused managers of heavy- handed tactics in their desperate drive to cut costs. The Northern Echo has learnt that postal workers have been threatened with the sack for delivering unstamped mail for colleagues
ONE of the largest ever gatherings of Rover vehicles in the region takes place next weekend. As many as 250 Rovers of all ages and models will be on display at the Beamish All Rover Rally, on Saturday and Sunday, June 29 and 30, including early Rover
WALKS, craft demonstrations, stone-walling workshops, mosaic-making, and abseiling are on next month's events programme in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Organisers are hoping to build on successful projects aimed at tempting tourists back to the
British director Michael Radford let the actors decide the subject majtter for his latest movie. They opted for the seedy world of stripping, he tells Steve Pratt. GIVEN the choice, it's strange that actresses should decide to make a movie about strippers
A NEWTON Aycliffe care centre's series of short guided health walks continues next month. The 3.5 mile walk, covering half of the Great Aycliffe Way and including a picnic stop, takes place on Sunday, July 7, at 10.30am. The walk starts and finishes at
WE are repeatedly told that British culture and its national flags are racist, yet during the World Cup we have seen countless people of differing races, creeds, cultures and colours in England and Japan openly embracing British culture and flags. Rather
A FORTNIGHT or so after Her Majesty, Kelloe Methodist Church marks its Golden Jubilee this weekend. Before it does, a necessary note on pronunciation. Kelloe is one of several Co Durham villages - and Prudhoe, across the Northumbrian water - which ends
Frankie Muniz has survived the tricky transition from child star to adult roles and now he's off to the big time. But he still remains a little lad who doesn't look his age. Steve Pratt reports. THE history of child stars in Hollywood is not a proud one
DURHAM will consider reinstating Andrew Pratt to his role as a pinch-hitting opener for tomorrow's National League match against Yorkshire at the Riverside. That's one of the few options available to skipper Jon Lewis as he tries to find a way out of
THE Press family (a.k.a. the Press Gang) descended upon our favourite restaurant last week. We were supposed to be celebrating my brothers' birthday. The only trouble was that my brother wasn't there. Well, he was, physically, but he seemed to have undergone
ELECTION candidates have taken their campaigns on to a town's new website in the run up to voting next week. The site, which can be found at marskeonline.com, aims to give visitors a comprehensive guide to Marske and New Marske in east Cleveland, including
Frankie Muniz has survived the tricky transition from child star to adult roles and now he's off to the big time. But he still remains a little lad who doesn't look his age. Steve Pratt reports. THE history of child stars in Hollywood is not a proud one
AFTER years of battling with her sexual identity, Paula Ryder is finally living life as a woman. But after a High Court judge this week denied a wish to have her birth certificate changed to reflect her "real" identity, she has vowed to continue her fight
SKATERS can look forward to the smoothest of surfaces as workers move in to install the latest in ice rink technology. The Ice Arena, part of the Billingham Forum leisure complex, will close for four weeks from tomorrow to allow work on the rink to be
AN eight-year-old girl was taken to hospital with a broken thigh bone after being hit by a car. Police believe the girl stepped into the path of a Fiat Punto travelling along Overdale Road, near the junction with Sandringham Road, Park End, Middlesbrough
TWO men who took the law into their own hands to drive out two women they suspected of being heroin users were locked up for 12 months. Stephen Whitfield, 20, and Anthony Short, 19, were among a group of men who terrified two young women living in Fishburn
PLANS to boycott controversial American-made ambulances could cripple the North-East's 999 service. Half of the 110-strong fleet used by the North-East Ambulance Service could be taken off the road if a threat by the Unison trade union is carried out.
A MOTHER-OF-THREE who swindled nearly £16,000 in income support has been jailed. Melanie Nicholson pleaded poverty but secretly owned one property and part-owned two more which housed paying tenants. The 29-year-old received £15,892 in benefits between
THE shock closure of a town's main post office has left residents without a vital community service. People in New Shildon were greeted with closed shutters and a notice to say the post office had been closed temporarily because of unforeseen circumstances
AN 18th Century country estate is shutting its gates to the public because the owners are fed up with the attitude of rude visitors. Bavington Hall and its 15-acre grounds, once the home of the famous Shafto family in Northumberland, was opened for tours
POLICE are on the trail of a red-shirted conman who could have targeted a number of vulnerable pensioners in a series of callous crimes. Police yesterday issued an e-fit likeness of a man in his 20s, who detectives in Bishop Auckland believe helped to
A DOCTOR who kept working despite being suspended by the General Medical Council avoided jail yesterday. Teesside Crown Court had heard Dr Michael Donnelly, 53, was escorted from Holme House Prison, in Stockton, when the authorities learnt he had been
A NEW cycling track has provided a boost to a popular countryside attraction in Hartlepool. The old BMX track at the 100-acre Summerhill site on the western edge of the town has been upgraded to the higher Bicycle Super-Cross (BSX) standard. The manager
NORTH-EAST police chiefs last night backed a Government scheme allowing members of the public to play a part in managing dangerous paedophiles. But campaigners said the move, to be piloted in five areas across the country including County Durham, did
A ROBBER who punched a shop worker in the face while trying to steal money was jailed for more than six years yesterday. Andrew John Bell was found guilty by a jury at Teesside Crown Court of robbery, and it emerged he was also due to be sentenced for
ONE of the region's highest-profile local politicians was in prison last night after being refused bail by magistrates in the city he once led. Rod Hills, 55, appeared before magistrates in York on charges, including blackmail and soliciting women for
A TEENAGER spent the day with an Army regiment after winning a radio competition. Galaxy Radio teamed up with six North-East Education Action Zones and Business Plus organisations throughout the region to run a competition giving local youngsters the
A road safety campaigner whose son was killed in an accident five years ago has hailed as a "great success" measures to cut accidents on the A61 in North Yorkshire. County councillor Richard Thomas lost his 30-year-old son Charles in a motorbike accident
Saltburn secretary Jonathan Bond reckons that Normanby Hall's victory on the third Saturday of the season was the catalyst for a successful winning sequence which has propelled the Seasiders into joint pole position. "We were certainly brought down to
Top club Burnmoor meet basement side Durham City this afternoon. The leaders are the only unbeaten side in the league and on current form should be too strong for a City side who have been dismissed for less than 100 in each of their last two matches.
A COUNCIL'S decision to proceed with the regeneration of Billingham town centre has been deferred. Stockton Borough Council's cabinet, which met on Thursday night, heard details of a £25m leisure, learning and health complex that the authority hopes will
COUNCILLORS have turned down a controversial plan to use the derelict site of the former St Mary's Hospital, in Dean Road, Scarborough, as a holiday temporary car park. Councillor Norman Murphy said: "We believe the offic-ers only want the park to generate
A TOWN'S police chief has pledged bobbies on the beat will become a familiar sight again. Harrogate district commander for North Yorkshire, Police Chief Inspector Les Potter, unveiled his plan to get more officers pounding streets as part of an attempt
HEROIN worth £300 was recovered from houses in Stockton during police raids yesterday. The drugs were seized at homes in Cramwell Avenue and Victoria Street by Stockton Community Task Force. Two men aged 27 and 28 and a woman aged 25 were arrested but
A study of Britain's wealth by postcode published this week put Middlesbrough's Newport Road bottom of the natinal league for annual household earnings. So just how bad is the area? Sarah Foster pays a visit. AT THE top of one side of Newport Road stands
A PETERLEE community centre is hoping to encourage more groups to use it. Oakerside Community Centre is holding its annual meeting on Wednesday, July 3, at 7pm, in the small hall. The meeting will give the public a chance to voice their opinions on what
TOURISTS are returning to the Yorkshire dales with an encouraging number of people booking to stay in the area. Richmondshire business forum heard that bookings for self catering and bed and breakfast accommodation appeared particularly healthy. Kate
DURHAM'S longest established housing association has taken over the management of miners' homes. Durham Aged Mineworkers' Homes Association (DAMHA) has taken on seven properties at Cockfield, west Durham, from Cockfield Aged Miners' Homes. To mark the
PLANS to rejuvenate one of the most degraded pieces of land in the region, and attract otters back to within a stone's throw of a major arterial route, have moved forward. A major wildlife survey was launched, giving a clearer picture of the state of
RESIDENTS in the twin communities of Scalby and Newby, near Scarborough, have backed their parish council to finance an independent survey on a riverside bank restoration scheme. The Environment Agency has come under fire from residents and councillors
SCHOOLS across County Durham are joining a scheme to persuade pupils to walk rather than get a lift. Twenty four schools are joining 33 which have produced school travel plans with Durham County Council. The idea is to encourage youngsters to walk, partly
ATHLETES with learning difficulties will be taking part in a sports event next week. More than 150 people from across County Durham will compete in the Sports Day at the Riverside Sports Complex in Chester-le-Street. Events will include javelin, sprints
AN expert based in the North-East has come up with a simple guide to avoid potentially dangerous sunburn. Too many people are not putting on enough sunscreen - about a third of the amount needed - before sunbathing, says Professor Brian Diffey of Newcastle
PUPILS from a school in Brotton proved they know their stuff when it comes to road safety. A four-strong team from St Peter's CE Primary School has won Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's Road Safety Quiz. Team members, all of whom were making their
PEOPLE are being urged to help the environment by reducing the amount of waste they create. Chester-le-Street District Council's waste minimisation officer, Helen Grant, appealed for residents in the district to choose products packaged in glass, which
A SCHOOL has proved itself up to speed with the information age by opening a new computer centre. Pupils from Ludworth Primary, near Durham, helped launch the UK Online Centre, part of a countywide initiative, on Thursday. The IT suite was built after
HUNDREDS of balloons were released into the sky by children from a Middlesbrough school to mark National Refugee Week. Pupils from Newport Primary School met Middlesbrough Speaker Councillor Ken Hall at the Bottle of Notes sculpture to release the colourful
Good hygiene is rewarded A FOOD for Health Award has been given to seven establishments throughout the Stockton area. The award, which rewards good hygiene in food premises, has been presented to: Morgans Butchers, Yarm High Street; North Tees Hospital
STUDENT Karl Smith is preparing to represent the region in a construction competition. Karl, 18, was recently named the winner of the regional UK Skillbuild competition in cabinet-making. The Darlington College of Technology student will now compete in
A MOTHBALLED North-East shipyard has announced it is back in business with plans to recruit nearly 20 members of staff. The Cammell Laird ship repair yard, on the banks of the River Tees, at South Bank, near Middlesbrough, has been silent since April
POLICE were on alert in the region's towns and cities last night after football fans drank all day following England's defeat against Brazil. Officers said there were only minor incidents of rowdy behaviour in the hours following the match but they were
CHILDREN at a Sedgefield nursery joined parents and staff on a sponsored walk. About 25 youngsters, aged up to five, from the Cherry Tree Nursery took part in the one-hour walk around Sedgefield, stopping at village shops for customers to contribute.
WORKERS enjoying their lunch were treated to a surprise performance on the theme of kissing when the first of nine pieces of street furniture planned for the Grainger Town area of Newcastle was unveiled in the city's Grey Street yesterday. The "kiss"
THE death of a diabetic woman who was suffering from depression remains a mystery. An inquest heard yesterday that Carol Topham, 40, of Greta Street, Skelton, east Cleveland, was found dead in her home by her estranged husband, Colin, in May last year
THE flags were flying, the band was playing and the crowds lining the quayside were cheering as we sailed into Whitby Harbour. The welcome, of course, was not for those of us aboard the BBC-chartered cruise boat Regal Lady. We were basking in the reflected
WHEN beat bobby PC Simon Stewart-Piercy agreed to help out at the village school fete, little did he imagine he would end up in the stocks for his trouble. And there was no shortage of pupils at Bloemfontein Primary School in Craghead, near Stanley, volunteering
THE LURE of the Champions' League and the chance to play under Sir Bobby Robson persuaded Hugo Viana to sign for Newcastle United. The Portuguese wonder boy, who has joined United from Sporting Lisbon for £8.4m on a five-year deal, is excited by the prospect
THE five-year-old Moss-Carbert quads will become television stars next week when they feature in a series about babies who have beaten the odds. Simon, Johnpaul, Adam and Hannah, who were born three months prematurely, will appear in the half-hour programme
RICHMOND raised its glass to its second summer festival which got under way last night. The town's first beer festival launches the programme, with the best real ale the area has to offer on sale in the Market Hall and a dozen pubs around the market place
A BELLRINGER will set out in a self-built plane to ring church and town hall bells in Britain's furthermost corners. David Barraclough will embark on the mission at 8am next Saturday when he will ring a quarter peal of Plain Bob Major on the bells at
THE flags are coming down. The shirts are coming off. The players are coming home. And still the tears are falling. Last night, goalkeeper David Seaman was clearly choked as he apologised for his fumbling part in England's downfall. "I want to say sorry
What does the name Peter Bonetti mean to you? Do you know him as the goalkeeper who stayed loyal to Chelsea, making 600 league appearances for the Stamford Bridge club? Or is he the man who was solely responsible for England's exit from the World Cup
THE Press family (a.k.a. the Press Gang) descended upon our favourite restaurant last week. We were supposed to be celebrating my brothers' birthday. The only trouble was that my brother wasn't there. Well, he was, physically, but he seemed to have undergone
South Korea have became the first Asian side ever to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup after they beat Spain 5-3 on penalties in Gwanju. Gus Hiddink's side face Germany next having added the Spaniards to their impressive list of World Cup scalps,
