Archive

  • Parking charges for disabled drivers will be introduced

    CAR PARKING charges for disabled drivers will be introduced in Durham City, councillors have decided. The move will provide Durham City Council with an estimated £50,000 in parking fees each year. Councillors have decided to give parking permit holders

  • Government launch investigation into British soldiers

    The Government last night pledged to leave no stone unturned in its investigation into the mysterious deaths of British soldiers. A police investigation into the deaths at Deepcut barracks in Surrey is to be followed by an Army inquiry, Armed Forces Minister

  • A bore draw for under pressure Tykes

    Yorkshire failed to avoid the follow on but still managed to salvage a draw in their Championship match against Somerset at Scarborough which will go down as one of the dullest games in which they have ever been involved. Coach Wayne Clark expressed himself

  • Tim Wellock's Durham Diary

    DURHAM are approaching the point where they may have to consider a replacement for Martin Love, whose little finger on his right hand is still a mess. A month after suffering a nasty break when trying to take a slip catch against Worcestershire, Love

  • 10,000BC - Baltic Curiosity, that is

    UP TO 10,000 people streamed into Britain's newest art gallery at the weekend after it opened its doors to the public for the first time. The first visitors, who queued up at a minute past midnight on Friday, had three hours to get a look around the former

  • Football veteran receives honorary degree

    World Cup hero Niall Quinn and award-winning actress Gina McKee received honorary degrees at the same ceremony yesterday Sunderland veteran Quinn who gave the proceeds from his testimonial season to children's charities was honoured at the city's university

  • Metric martyrs launch latest legal battle

    Five market traders - so-called metric martyrs - are today taking their legal battle for the unfettered legal right to trade in pounds and ounces to the House of Lords. They are asking the Law Lords, sitting in the highest court in the land, to give them

  • Mum's meningitis agony

    A distraught mum who lost a baby to meningitis is facing further agony as her other son fights to survive the illness. Andrea Carr was left heartbroken when the virus took the life of her eight-week-old son David. And now she has to watch helpless as

  • Show is right at home on new site

    THE cattle, sheep and goats may not have made it to this year's Durham County Show but people still arrived in their droves to make the event a resounding success. Following its cancellation due to the ravages of foot-and-mouth last year, this year's

  • North-East youngsters perform in special show

    Some of Britain's most talented youngsters, including several from the North-East, will perform in a specially-commissioned show next month. Members of the National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT), including 21 from the Newcastle and Gateshead area, will appear

  • Teenagers recover in hospital after road incidents

    Teenage victims of two weekend road accidents remain in hospital attempting to recover from serious injuries. A 16-year-old boy knocked down in Potto Street, Shotton Colliery, east Durham, was still poorly, but stable, in Middlesbrough General Hospital

  • Hopes of end in battle for law change

    THE parents of murdered pizza delivery girl Julie Hogg will discover this week if they are a step closer to achieving justice for their daughter. Ann Ming and her husband, Charlie, have been campaigning for an end to the double jeopardy rule - which prevents

  • 'Metric martyrs' have their day in the highest court

    FIVE "metric martyrs" today take their legal battle for the unfettered legal right to trade in pounds and ounces to the House of Lords. The market traders are asking the Law Lords, sitting in the highest court in the land, to give them permission to challenge

  • Sport mourns death of ice hockey hero

    ICE hockey is mourning one of the first members of the region's all-conquering Durham Wasps team. Robert Burns started playing ice hockey against former German prisoners of war at Durham ice rink in 1947 and went on to international honours. Known to

  • New map points the way to go

    PEOPLE planning journeys in and around Northumberland are about to find their task is made easier with the help of a new map form Ordnance Survey. The mapping agency is publishing the map in its Travel Map series to help visitors, and people living in

  • Employment rights role for Denison Till

    COMMERCIAL law firm Denison Till has been appointed to a nationwide legal panel set up by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC). The York firm is one of only 40 in the country to be appointed to the panel, where it will handle employment rights cases

  • Now it's a statue tribute to Sir Bobby

    FOOTBALL legend Sir Bobby Robson will be honoured tomorrow with a statue at the club where he forged his early career. Sir Bobby led Ipswich Town to glory as manager in the 1970s and 80s and the statue is sited at the club's stadium in Portman Road. It

  • World record holder presents school sports prizes

    Long-distance runner Jill Boltz visited Heathfield Primary School, Darlington, to present sports awards. She holds the world record for 25km street running and has a silver medal in 10,000 metres from the 1990 Commonwealth Games. At Friday's assembly,

  • Review of national parks outlined

    GUIDELINES for the future of the English national parks were set out yesterday by Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael. Speaking at a conference in Southampton, Mr Michael launched the findings of a Government review of England's national park authorities

  • Windmill will form backdrop to art show

    A windmill will provide an unusual backdrop during an exhibition next month. The Fulwell Mill, Sunderland, will host Sunderland City Council's summer art exhibition from August 3 to 11. The 180-year-old mill reopened in June last year following a £810,000

  • Homes scheme brings protests

    A FORMER council chairman has criticised planning officers and a chief executive in a dispute over plans to turn a business area over to housing. The proposal to convert Commercial Yard, in Barnard Castle, into homes has met with strong opposition in

  • Comment: An inspiring time of culture

    THE Newcastle and Gateshead initiative to become the European Capital of Culture is something of a misnomer in that it is intended to reflect upon not just Tyneside but the North-East as a whole. Those behind the ambitious bid, conscious of the 'Newcastle-centric

  • Membership swells before strike action

    MORE than 200 new members have joined Unison in North Yorkshire ahead of a highly-publicised strike this week. Plans for the one-day stoppage, on Wednesday, are said to be gathering momentum among local government staff angry at pay levels. Unison spokesman

  • Glorious weather aids carnival's success

    CROWDS flocked to enjoy Staindrop's village carnival at the weekend. Saturday's event, a tradition which dates back a century, was the biggest the village between Darlington and Barnard Castle had ever held. Organisers said the show was enjoyed by hundreds

  • Pupils take interest in communities

    A SCHEME to encourage youngsters to take a greater interest in their community has been launched in Hartlepool. The Community Awareness Awards are aimed at pupils who attend Dyke House, Brougham and Jesmond Road schools. Children are asked to produce

  • Bishops draw to extend lead

    Division One: Bishop Auckland preserved their healthy lead at the top of the table when they comfortably held nearest challengers Great Ayton to a draw. The runs flowed when Bishops made first use of the wicket and Ayton were presented with the formidable

  • Male slimmers earn praise from actress

    THE North-East was well represented in the final of the Slimming World Man of the Year contest at the weekend. More than 50 semi-finalists from all over the UK competed for the title at Slimming World's headquarters in Derbyshire. All of the former fatties

  • News in brief: Witness appeal after accident

    POLICE are appealing for witnesses to a road accident which has left a man in a critical condition. The accident happened on the A688 road at Tindale Crescent, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, just before 11pm on Saturday. A 29-year-old pedestrian was

  • Murton maintain lead with Easi victory

    Another herculean effort from Calvin Stephenson, who was supported by Joe Dodd, swept Murton to a three-figure win at Easington, which keeps them ahead at the top of the table. When the first three batsmen were dismissed for a combined total of only 16

  • Guisborough's title bid gathers momentum

    The Guisborough bandwagon rolls on and they extended their lead by a further 11 points when they defeated Thornaby while Saltburn could only draw at Blackhall. When David Towse took four wickets for just 29 runs in another hugely-economical performance

  • News in brief: Attractions and fun of the fair

    COUNTRY crafts, badge-making and a view of the stars from Australia at the planetarium are some of the events at the Castle Eden Walkway fair on Sunday. The fair will run from 11am to 4pm and attractions include a bird of prey display and a Punch and

  • Young dancers step out at fete

    TEN students from the Born to Dance School, in Darlington, performed a series of dance pieces at the Sadberge village fete recently. The young performers, who were aged between seven and 15, delighting visitors to the event, who included the Mayor of

  • Warning to drivers on roadworks

    THERE will be several road restrictions operating in Darlington from this week to allow maintenance work. Transco will be carrying out work at Haughton Green, from house numbers 6 to 72, and the road will be closed for five weeks from today. There will

  • Lessons in showbusiness for pupils

    PUPILS at Haughton Comprehensive School, in Darlington, staged an ambitious performance after working with Theatre Cap-a-Pie for a week. The year nine students worked with actors, dancers and designers on the company's new production, The Pearl, based

  • Refuse collection scheme changes 'causing confusion'

    A NEW scheme for collecting refuse across Darlington is already causing chaos, even though it has not yet officially started. Some people in the village of Hurworth found their rubbish was not collected last week, while others were told it would not be

  • Homes scheme brings protests

    A FORMER council chairman has criticised planning officers and a chief executive in a dispute over plans to turn a business area over to housing. The proposal to convert Commercial Yard, in Barnard Castle, into homes has met with strong opposition in

  • Appeal to get more crafts on display

    ORGANISERS of this year's Sedgefield Show are looking for more exhibitors for the crafts section. Entries are coming in steadily for most sections of the show, which is back again on August 10 after an enforced break last year because of the foot-and-mouth

  • Education shake-up moves a step nearer

    A MASSIVE education shake-up in Darlington will move a step closer tomorrow. The £21m project, which will see three schools rebuilt as an education village, needs £200,000 to commission a consultant's report. Earlier this year, the Government gave approval

  • News in brief: Man hurt in house blaze

    A terraced house in Fenby Avenue, Darlington, was badly damaged by fire on Saturday. Firefighters were called to the property at 1.30am to tackle a blaze in a ground floor room. A man was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. BIKE RIDE: Darlington

  • Website sows seeds of greater understanding about forestry

    A PROJECT aimed at helping young people see the wood from the trees is about to take root across the North-East. Seed to Saw - a pioneering regional educational initiative - is launching a website to make children more aware of forests and how they are

  • Contest provides spice of life

    MOHAN Miah has proved himself to be hot stuff in the kitchen - by winning the first York Curry Chef of the Year contest. Mr Miah, of the Bengal Brassiere, in Nether Poppleton, was declared the winner by judges after a close competition at the Nestle conference

  • Re-enactment Looks back at a disgraced monk's misdemeanours

    DISGRACED Cistercian monk Brother Oswald told of his misdemeanours and woes at the weekend - as historical re-enactors came to North Yorkshire. Visitors to Mount Grace Priory, near Northallerton, were treated to the story of the 13th Century monk who

  • Museum may be forced to withdraw free admission

    A NORTH Yorkshire museum may be forced to consider reintroducing admission fees for residents in an attempt to bring in more cash. Richmondshire Museum was one of three Richmond attractions to waive charges for people who live in the town at the start

  • Race for Life's grand support

    MORE than 1,000 women joined together this weekend to run for charity. Organisers say they have been stunned by the number of runners who signed up for the last North-East Race for Life, held in Darlington. It is the first time the female-only run, which

  • Grassroots: Derwentside

    CHURCH BARBECUE: St Mary's RC Church, South Moor, is holding a barbecue from 7.30pm on Friday. Entry is £3 for adults and £1.50 for accompanied children IRISH SONG: Derwentside Leisure Services will present Anne Breen and her Band at 8pm, on Thursday,

  • Grassroots: Chester-le-Street Birtley and District

    MARY PICKS UP AN AWARD:The Community Personality of the Year Award from the Durham Association of Youth and Community Groups was presented to Mary Knox, of Lumley, for her work with the Friday Club, which enables housebound people to take part in social

  • Looking back to the future

    PUPILS have buried a time capsule on the site of their new school to give future generations a glimpse of life at the start of the millennium. The new school, which will be built on the site of High Usworth Infants in Washington, is due to open its doors

  • North-East youngsers to lead 'healthier' life

    North-East youngsters will live healthier lives thanks to the efforts of shop staff. Co-op staff from the North-East and Cumbria raised a total of £14,000 for the Newcastle-based Children's Foundation at two charity nights at the Federation Brewery, in

  • Poor ticket sales lead to cancellation

    A MUSICAL charity evening has been cancelled because organisers believe recent bad weather put a dampener on ticket sales. The event was to be held at Cleveland Police headquarters at Ladgate Lane, Middlesbrough, on August 10, in partnership with Teesside

  • Education shake-up moves a step nearer

    A MASSIVE education shake-up in Darlington will move a step closer tomorrow. The £21m project, which will see three schools rebuilt as an education village, needs £200,000 to commission a consultant's report. Earlier this year, the Government gave approval

  • News in brief: Cash allocation aids rural area

    GRANTS of more than £8,000 have been awarded to important village schemes in rural Hambleton. The district council has allocated cash to Topcliffe and Pickhill, near Thirsk, and Crakehall, near Bedale. Topcliffe playing fields association was given £1,100

  • Hear All Sides: UK ECOMOMY

    AMONG the many treats for the enemies of this proud nation during the first six months of the year, was the closure of the important Massey Ferguson tractor plant in Coventry, with the loss of 1,000 jobs. Most Britons did not want this; the population

  • Roads alert for drivers

    PLANS to introduce safety schemes on roads in Hartlepool look likely to be approved. Members of Hartlepool Borough Council's regeneration and economy committee will meet on Thursday to discuss plans for "gateway" schemes on a number of roads in the town

  • Memories inspire artistic children

    PUPILS who have improved the grounds of a Middlesbrough primary school sought inspiration from their grandparents. The year six pupils at Archibald Primary began by taking their grandparents on a school trip to Preston Hall Museum, Eaglescliffe, where

  • Durham are top dogs

    DURHAM County emerged as the top North-East team with two gold medals at the English Schools Championships in Nottingham. But Northumberland were not far behind, winning three silver and two bronze. Durham's star performer was Washington schoolboy Lewis

  • Adams stars on debut to inspire Blaydon boys

    West Indies Test star Jimmy Adams was an immediate hit when he made his debut for Blaydon as replacement professional for the injured Nehemiah Perry. Already in the country as one of the Lashings XI squad, which next month plays at the Riverside, Adams

  • A recipe for success?

    Newcastle United's summer signing sensation Hugo Viana is hoping he will settle straight into his new home with a little help from his mum. The Potuguese teenager believes he will have no trouble settling in due to some home comforts in the shape of his

  • Patients die after 'rushed' examination, GMC told

    A GP failed to adequately observe, diagnose or treat two patients who later died after he "rushed" their examinations, the General Medical Council was told today. Jane Gustafsson, 51, treated the two men as emergency patients at her surgery in Seaham,

  • Fifty jobs to go at engine company

    ENGINE maker Cummins has announced that more than 50 jobs are to go at its Darlington plant. US-owned Cummins, which is one of the town's biggest employers, is axing a number of temporary staff in the latest of a series of cost-cutting measures. Thirty-nine

  • Local hero Thompson looking miles ahead

    The official programme hailed James Thompson the local hero - and the 28-year-old York-born star left Croft Circuit as leader of the British Touring Car championships yesterday. Thompson dominated the lunchtime sprint race from start to finish - although

  • Woman spots long-lost brother in shopping centre

    When retired hotelier Barbara Clark went shopping with her elder brother Brian they returned home with far more than they had hoped for. For while out looking for fresh fish in York city centre they were unexpectedly reunited with their long-lost brother

  • Front-runner Sohaib fits the bill

    With only four runners in the Sodexho Prestige Scottish Classic over a mile and a quarter at Ayr this afternoon, tactics are likely to play a big part in determining the outcome. It's a big advantage to have a front-runner on your side in races of this

  • Appeal for missing woman

    An appeal for information about a missing North-East woman may be taken abroad after her car was discovered at an airport in the region. Jennifer Forbes has not been seen by family and friends for 11 days (if Tuesday) and has not been in contact since

  • Exhibition opens

    A new exhibition has opened at a gallery which champions contemporary art in the North-East. Limbo-land, by Zoe Walker, opened at the Gymnasium Art Gallery, Berwick, yesterday. The artist has created a huge inflatable moon and romantic video which refer

  • On the move

    Newcastle City Council's Youth Offending Team has moved to new offices at Scottish Life House, Jesmond Quadrant. The move means that the team will have room for its expansion as the Government's restorative youth justice programme goes fully online. The

  • Conductors unrepentant as railway misery piles up

    RAILWAY passengers in the region have been warned they face further misery as conductors vowed to continue their series of 24-hour strikes. About 680 conductors employed by Arriva Trains Northern, who are members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union

  • Couple jailed for weight-loss fraud

    A COUPLE were jailed for conning thousands of women into paying up to £159 for a new slimming drug then selling them repacked vitamin pills costing £2.39. Their sales claims guaranteed a weight loss of 10lb to 15lb in the first month, but analyst Professor

  • N-E agency denies neglect of local firms

    THE chairman of One NorthEast has hit out at business leaders after they accused the regional development agency of neglecting local firms. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) North-East says the agency should concentrate more on helping the region's

  • Carla follows in mother's footsteps by joining sponsored walk

    YOUNG Carla Jelley followed in her mother's footsteps when she set out to complete a sponsored walk to raise cash for cancer research at the weekend. Carla took part in the ten mile sponsored walk around Winlaton, Gateshead, in memory of her mother, Estelle

  • Identical in more than their looks

    IDENTICAL twins Katie and Sarah Lowes are celebrating after graduating with the same degree. Onlookers thought they were seeing double when the sisters strolled up to collected their awards at Newcastle University's graduation ceremony. They were even

  • Identical in more than their looks

    IDENTICAL twins Katie and Sarah Lowes are celebrating after graduating with the same degree. Onlookers thought they were seeing double when the sisters strolled up to collected their awards at Newcastle University's graduation ceremony. They were even

  • Deep in nostalgia, rich in optimism

    INSTANTLY recognisable by his shock of white hair, the former Labour leader Michael Foot epitomised the spirit of the day. Frail he may have been, at 88, but he stood resolute throughout the long proceedings, punching the air with his walking stick as

  • Consignia re-thinks plans for charges

    CONSIGNIA is to re-think plans to charge many customers £14 a week to deliver post before 9am after its chairman admitted he had not been told about the proposals. Allan Leighton said the pilot projects for the scheme, which come into effect today, would

  • Schools take leisure activities seriously

    PRIMARY schools throughout the Northallerton area are opening their doors to leisure chiefs over the next fortnight. The Hambleton Leisure Centre staff will be visiting a dozen schools to promote its summer holiday activities. The summer events are aimed

  • Refuse collection scheme changes 'causing confusion'

    A NEW scheme for collecting refuse across Darlington is already causing chaos, even though it has not yet officially started. Some people in the village of Hurworth found their rubbish was not collected last week, while others were told it would not be

  • Judi's new role . . . as Freeman of York

    OSCAR-WINNING actor Dame Judi Dench, one of the region's most famous daughters, has been given the freedom of the city of York at a civic ceremony. The internationally-acclaimed star of stage and screen was surrounded by family and friends as she was

  • Farm property stolen in raid

    BURGLARS who raided rural premises over the weekend have stolen farm machinery and veterinary drugs. The incident took place between Friday night and Saturday morning in North Cowton, near Northallerton. Agricultural machinery and three boxes of Calciget

  • Fitting the bill by going final mile

    FITNESS enthusiasts across North Yorkshire did their bit for charity over the weekend by contributing to the BBC's Sport Relief fund. All four leisure centres in the Hambleton district opened on Saturday to allow dozens of people to take to the rowing

  • £30,000 puts sport facility a step closer

    AN investment in providing top-class sporting facilities for youngsters has been announced by council leaders. Hambleton District Council has awarded a £30,000 grant to the project to bring a £610,000 all-weather pitch to Bedale. The authority had already

  • Potential sites for development

    A study has identified several potential sites for future housing developments in the Hambleton district. Parish councils, North Yorkshire County Council and the Housebuilders' Federation are being asked for their views on the draft version of the Hambleton

  • Race for the top hots up

    Evenwood continue to lead the table but they are being hotly pursued by Kimblesworth who are not going to give up their crown without a fight. When Langley Park were reduced to 120 all out, including no fewer than 31 extras, it was an uphill struggle

  • Bard's romantic comedy is given a perfect setting

    HARTLEPOOL'S Historic Quay will provide the setting for a Shakespearian tale of a prince and princess shipwrecked on a foreign shore. Chapterhouse Theatre Company put on the open air production of Shakespeare's romantic comedy Twelfth Night on Thursday

  • Ryton powered to win

    Keiron Powar powered Ryton to an unexpected win against Lintz but with nearest challengers Annfield Plain and Lanchester also losing, the leaders lost little ground. Powar opened the Ryton innings and was still there at the end, unbeaten on 124 out of

  • 800 homes hit after power cable struck

    ALMOST 800 homes were without power for several hours on Saturday night after a farmer struck an overhead cable. A farm vehicle made contact with the overhead line near Bolam, County Durham, just after 6pm. An inquiry has been launched into how the accident

  • News in brief: Man hurt in house blaze

    A terraced house in Fenby Avenue, Darlington, was badly damaged by fire on Saturday. Firefighters were called to the property at 1.30am to tackle a blaze in a ground floor room. A man was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. BIKE RIDE: Darlington

  • Glorious weather aids carnival's success

    CROWDS flocked to enjoy Staindrop's village carnival at the weekend. Saturday's event, a tradition which dates back a century, was the biggest the village between Darlington and Barnard Castle had ever held. Organisers said the show was enjoyed by hundreds

  • Trip switched

    Darlington and Teesdale Naturalists' Field Club has altered the venue for its next outing, on Saturday, July 27, to Saltburn. Take 9.42am train from Darlington to meet on the pier at 11am.

  • Summer of fun on offer at library

    STORY readings and activity sessions for children aged four to eight will take place at Woodhouse Close Library, Bishop Auckland, during the school summer holidays. The sessions start on Thursday, July 25, and will be held each Thursday during August,

  • Charity show needs more performers

    FERRYHILL Town Council has appealed for performers to take part in a fundraising event to allow an annual pensioners' trip to continue. The council runs trips to South Shields for pensioners every year and used to hold fundraising events to pay for it

  • Festival is set for a repeat

    A FESTIVAL which brought a flavour of continental Europe to Darlington looks likely be repeated in autumn. The French market held in Darlington's Market Square in April, was a resounding success. The event attracted thousands of shoppers to the town to

  • Rotary moves

    Lahkindar Singh, a retired eye surgeon, has handed over as president of the Rotary Club of Darlington to Derek Alderson, owner of Alderson's Family Butchers, in Cockerton. Mr Alderson's wife, Janet, has also relinquished the presidency of the Inner Wheel

  • Scale of crisis facing Hall 'family firm' revealed

    THE extent of the crisis facing one of the region's best-known business empires has been revealed. Cameron Hall Developments, the family firm of former Newcastle United chairman Sir John Hall, made a total operating loss of £90m in the year to November

  • Town celebrates its French ties

    WOLSINGHAM residents got a flavour of France during a weekend of activities to celebrate Bastille Day. The event was held to raise awareness of the new town-twinning arrangements with Poix de Picardie and to help raise funds to support the association's

  • World record holder presents school sports prizes

    Long-distance runner Jill Boltz visited Heathfield Primary School, Darlington, to present sports awards. She holds the world record for 25km street running and has a silver medal in 10,000 metres from the 1990 Commonwealth Games. At Friday's assembly,

  • Energy saving initiative

    AN initiative to encourage recycling and reduce waste going into landfill sites took place in Wear Valley at the weekend. Environmental regeneration charity Groundwork West Durham teamed up with Wear Valley District Council and Blackwall Ltd to offer

  • Charity show needs more performers

    FERRYHILL Town Council has appealed for performers to take part in a fundraising event to allow an annual pensioners' trip to continue. The council runs trips to South Shields for pensioners every year and used to hold fundraising events to pay for it

  • Law lords rule against metric martyr

    METRIC martyr Steven Thorburn has lost his bid to appeal against a court fine for trading in pounds and ounces. An appeal committee of three law lords, sitting in the highest court of the land, refused to give market trader Mr Thoburn permission to challenge

  • Quakers settle for third at Kingstonian

    Darlington gave six trialists their chance to shine as they finished third in a four-team tournament at Kingstonian this weekend. Former Leyton Orient players KK Opara and Neil Gough played on Saturday in a 3-2 defeat to the hosts, while midfielders Mark

  • It's all-White for Craig

    Craig White said thank-you for a £1,500 benefit collection on his home ground at Scarborough yesterday by turning in an electrifying all-round performance which brought Yorkshire their first home victory of the season in any competition. White first rattled

  • Baby showered in glass by gunman

    A hidden gunman shot the window out of a parked car showering glass across a five-month-old girl being cradled only inches away. Emelia Harper had been lifted into the back seat of the car by a friend of her father, who was trying to stop her from crying

  • Weekend TV: The things they do for fame...

    After Dynasty (ITV), Believe Nothing (ITV), The Great Dome Robbery (C5), Art That Shook The World (BBC2) Michael Portillo stands in the middle of a ring of fire talking of his passion for "the most provocative and ambitious work of art conceived for the

  • End of an era at Castle Eden

    Beer drinkers are mourning the loss of one of the North-East's finest brewing names. Castle Eden Brewery, which recently bought The Camerons Lion Brewery in Hartlepool, yesterday announced it had changed its name to Camerons. Following the take-over in

  • Appeal to get more crafts on display

    ORGANISERS of this year's Sedgefield Show are looking for more exhibitors for the crafts section. Entries are coming in steadily for most sections of the show, which is back again on August 10 after an enforced break last year because of the foot-and-mouth

  • Volunteers scale dizzy heights for alzheimer's awareness week

    AS part of Alzheimer's Awareness Week volunteers have taken part in a daring challenge in a bid to raise awareness of the illness. The group from the Teesside branch of the Alzheimer's Society walked across the top of the Transporter Bridge, in Middlesbrough

  • Adopt-a-bus scheme for safer travel

    PUPILS in Sunderland are the driving force behind a scheme to stamp out anti-social behaviour. The youngsters from schools in Sunderland Police's West Area Command are to adopt their local buses in an attempt to look after them. Youths in the area have

  • Best in land for anti-crime initiatives

    A WEARSIDE agency dedicated to tackling youth crime has been named as the top team in the country. Sunderland's Youth Offending Team has been recognised by its governing body, the Youth Justice board, as joint best of 154 teams nationwide. The ranking

  • Youth assembly findings presented

    YOUNGSTERS have presented the findings of a year-long study into the issues that concern them most. Durham Youth Assembly, made up of secondary school students from across the county, presented the findings to North Durham MP Kevan Jones and Councillor

  • News in brief: Attractions and fun of the fair

    COUNTRY crafts, badge-making and a view of the stars from Australia at the planetarium are some of the events at the Castle Eden Walkway fair on Sunday. The fair will run from 11am to 4pm and attractions include a bird of prey display and a Punch and

  • Terror swoop police in major legal battle

    THE legal fallout from one of the region's biggest anti-terrorist swoop increased last night when it was discovered that eight people are suing police over the operation. Durham and Cleveland police forces are being taken to court over controversial Operation

  • My career as a sex icon

    Claudia Shear has had many jobs, including answering the phone in a whorehouse, so she's not about to let fame go to her head, she tells Steve Pratt. AMERICAN writer and performer Claudia Shear has won plaudits and applause for the play in which she appears

  • Friends of park step up protests

    CAMPAIGNERS against plans to build on a town's only large park are stepping up their protests. The Friends of the Park, set up by Billingham residents angry at proposals to build on John Whitehead Park, say they have collected more than 5,000 signatures

  • Taking the credit for making movies

    Paul Anderson is making a name for himself in science fiction and horror films. Steve Pratt meets the director who started with home movies and ended up with the leading lady. Writer and director Paul Anderson remembers clearly the moment he decided he

  • Church in mass row attracts curious few

    SEVERAL worshippers visited a remote, long disused, church at the weekend after plans were announced to celebrate mass there for the first time in 500 years. Philip-James French had planned to return Catholic services to the tiny St Andrew's Church, in