MOBILE phones and phone cards worth around £40,000 have been stolen by 'professional' burglars. The raiders broke into the Carphone Warehouse, Silver Street, Durham City, through the roof, subdued the alarm system and smashed their way into a storeroom
THE future of a charity that helps thousands of community groups has been secured with a £250,000 grant. The cash will bankroll the Derwentside-based Council for Voluntary Services (CVS) for the next three years. Chief officer John Hails said: "This is
BIRDS have chosen a lofty location to discard the remnants of their stolen harvest. Staff at one of Bishop Auckland's landmarks, the Four Clocks project, a converted Methodist church, in Newgate Street, were amazed by an inch-thick carpet of cherry stones
FUNDRAISERS have been thanked for helping to raise £678,000 for the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust during the past year. The money has helped to improve patient services, buy medical equipment and enhance the hospital wards. Among those who raised
STARLINGS have chosen a lofty location to store the remains of their stolen harvest. Staff at one of Bishop Auckland's most famous landmarks, the Four Clocks project, a converted Methodist Church in Newgate Street, were amazed by an inch-thick carpet
SHOPPING centre manager David Ward has taken to the stage to encourage youngsters to become pop stars for the day. Mr Ward, manager of the Cleveland Centre in Middlesbrough, was promoting the Top Spot Singing Competition, which is open to young people
POLICE seized crack cocaine, amphetamines and cannabis in seven drugs raids in Middlesbrough last week. Four people were arrested for possession of drugs, three were released without charge, and one was bailed pending forensic tests. Two others were arrested
TRADING standards chiefs are urging consumers to use an innovative crime-fighting website to report cowboy traders. The site www.ripofftipof-f.net was launched in January and gives people a chance to tell industry watchdogs about rogue traders they suspect
PLANS to improve two of Wear Valley's market towns are forging ahead with the appointment of two action plan managers. Funding has now been allocated to appoint managers for both Crook and Stanhope as part of the recently launched Market Towns Initiative
COURSES galore are on offer in Hartlepool next month. Adult education bosses have put on more than 50 different types of course, ranging from learning to play the guitar to digital photography. Anyone over the age of 16 can sign up for a course, many
HUNDREDS of tenants across Teesside could soon be keeping up with the latest local news at the touch of a button. The Endeavour Housing Association is paying for training to help tenants set up individual websites. They will also provide the training
Love cheats who commit adultery through the Internet are increasingly fuelling marital break-ups in the region, a leading marriage counselling organisation said last night. Relate North-East is getting more calls than ever before to its helpline from
THE crew of a police helicopter are being credited with saving a man's life following a search and rescue. A helicopter from the North-East Air Support Unit flew from Newcastle Airport to Chester-le-Street on Tuesday night to search for an unnamed man
MARIE Curie Cancer Care in North Yorkshire is looking for adventurous volunteers willing to take the plunge with a fundraising parachute jump. Intrepid fundraisers can try a tandem jump from 10,000ft, attached to a professional, or a static line jump
HISTORY WALK: A three mile walk passing through ancient woodland and examining the mining legacy of Sacriston will take place from 11am on Sunday, starting from the Sacriston Community Centre. ORGAN MUSIC: Paul Brown will entertain members of the North-East
TWO professional musicians visited Greenfield Community College, in Newton Aycliffe yesterday, as part a tour of concerts and workshops for people with severe mental health problems. Laurie Crump and Jamie Savan are touring as part of the 25th anniversary
Yorkshire's depleted bowling attack turned out to be much stronger than expected at Headingley yesterday and bowled out Warwickshire for 233 on a rain-hit da. But Yorkshire, who replied with 29 for one, were left to ponder over whether pitch liaison officer
MANAGERS at the University Hospital of North Durham are considering housing patients in portable buildings as a way of boosting bed numbers. The plan by officials at the North Durham NHS Trust to bring in temporary accommodation is part of a proposal
SMALLER Son is in Outer Mongolia. I haven't heard from him for ten days. If not exactly worried, I am beginning to fret a little. "Well," says his brother with an air of sweet reason, "I don't suppose there are many call boxes in the Gobi Desert." Which
Four months ago Craig Liddle looked certain to have played his last game for Darlington. After four eventful years at Feethams, the captain of an unsteady ship was all set to depart for new shores after a contract dispute with the Darlington hierarchy
A RESCUE package to prevent two school swimming pools from closing is being put together by Sedgefield Borough Council. An announcement by Durham County Council to pull the plug and close the two school pools at Shildon and Fishburn has angered the local
A NORTH-East jail has been named and shamed as one of the most violent prisons in the country. Castington Young Offenders' Institution, in Northumberland, was named as the third most violent prison in England and Wales, with an assault rate of 64.2 per
BUDDING folk musicians spent a week in Durham learning from the masters. And they put their skills to good use at public performances with the tutors. More than 300 players of all ages took part in annual workshops run by the region's Folkworks development
SPEED restrictions remained in place last night on a section of the East Coast Main Line where a culvert collapsed. Railtrack said it was continuing investigations into the fault just north of the Croxdale Viaduct, near Durham. Engineers are anxious to
PLANS to make alterations to a house in Hurworth Place have been approved despite concern about the placing of a fence. Sandra John-Thomas, of Fox Close, applied to Darlington Borough Council for permission to install a dormer window at the back of her
DARLINGTON Borough Council could face legal action from insurance companies if plans to cut down a tree in the town are rejected, it was warned yesterday. John Burdis, of Marigold Court, Darlington, has applied to the council for planning permission to
YOUNGSTERS from seven holiday clubs in Darlington gathered for a fun day yesterday. The annual play day at Polam Hall School included a mini-Olympics, which was enjoyed by 140 children who received awards, certificates and medals. Arts and crafts, five-a-side
DRIVERS will be paying £2 to drive on to Durham City's peninsula from this autumn. Transport Secretary Alistair Darling has approved Durham County Council's plan to make the winding street from the Market Place the country's first toll road. The scheme
THE ladies' team at Blackwell Grange Golf Club, Darlington, raised almost £2,000 towards hospital equipment for breast cancer sufferers with coffee mornings, a bridge drive, and donations. The money will help to buy a £20,000 mammotone machine, which
THE splendour of some of the region's most scenic countryside is to be turned to economic advantage under proposals unveiled yesterday. Improved facilities for wildlife watching, better access to renowned heritage sites and aid for struggling businesses
INTEREST rates are likely to remain steady for the foreseeable future, the Bank of England indicated yesterday as it edged down its forecasts for inflation and growth in the wake of stock market slides. In its quarterly inflation report, the Bank of England
OUR sympathies go out to Duncan Bannatyne. He is a man of integrity and enterprise, who does not deserve to be embroiled in allegations of political 'sleaze'. Voluntarily, he has donated a relatively small amount of money to the Labour Party, knowing
Since Matalan advertised jobs for its new cut-price clothing store in Darlington, the town's JobCentre has received more than 900 requests for applications for 111 positions, 92 of them part-time. The new store is located in Neasham Road, on the former
CONSERVATIONISTS trying to save one of England's most endangered birds of prey were yesterday celebrating a major success in their campaign. Six hen harriers have been safely reared in the Yorkshire Dales in what is the first successful breeding in the
ORGANISERS of Ferryhill Gala are hoping the event will become an established event on the town's calendar. The third annual gala takes place in Ferryhill Market Place on Saturday and Sunday. The event was established to celebrate the millennium, but proved
POLICE are appealing for help from the public after a man was beaten up in a cemetery during a late-night attack. The man, believed to be in his early 30s, was found slumped on the ground in the Manor Road Cemetery, Scarborough, shortly after midnight
A PROJECT aimed at improving habitats on the region's rivers is nearing completion. The Northumbrian River Project is aimed at upgrading waterway environments and boosting the rural economy. Work during the scheme has included removal of any obstructions
THE body of a man who went missing after discharging himself from hospital has been found on secluded farmland. Keith Keenan walked out of the University Hospital of North Tees, Stockton, on Sunday, July 21, after being admitted with septicaemia. His
DARLINGTON Football Club boss George Reynolds is setting up a radio station to fight back against his critics. The chairman confirmed last night that he is to set up 24-hour-a-day Quakers FM, with the radio studio being incorporated into his new stadium
POLICE have issued an e-fit image of a man they want to question in connection with a spate of burglaries in North Yorkshire. The suspect was among a group of three men, who tricked their way into the home of an elderly Scorton resident last month, after
LITTLE Danika Peel enjoyed a spectacular start to her summer holidays when she came face-to-face with a real hawk. The six-year-old lives at RAF Leeming, where her father is a corporal with the RAF police. She met the hawk while visiting the base's Stepping
A HIGH profile campaign to prevent road accidents involving horses on North Yorkshire's roads has been launched. The British Horse Society (BHS) is targeting motorists in an effort to encourage them to slow down when driving along country roads. "As part
A WEBSITE for young train enthusiasts which was developed with the help of the National Railway Museum in York is to go on-line. The interactive website www.trakkies.co.uk is aimed at youngsters aged between seven and 11 who have a passion for the railways
Prison officers tonight hit back at criticism of a flagship jail claiming they were being forced to "warehouse" inmates because of chronic under funding. Stockton's Holme House Prison was condemned in a report by the Prison Reform Trust for locking prisoners
GAS generated by waste in two North-East landfill sites is being turned into clean and green electricity thanks to a £1m investment. The two sites, at St Bede's, in Birtley, and Bolam, near West Auckland, are both operated by Premier Waste Management,
THE latest North-East addition to the Just Learning private nursery network is opening its doors to allow parents and children to view the facilities on offer. The former Early Years Centre, in Durham Road, Stockton, has recently become a Just Learning
FOUR athletes are to compete against each other and the clock in a race in Durham on Bank Holiday Monday. The challenge will be to run around Palace Green before the cathedral's midday chimes finish. The event, based on a scene from the film Chariots
A FARMER has signed up to a scheme which aims to improve the countryside and protect the region's threatened farmland birds. Applications for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' Countryside Stewardship Scheme increased by 20 per cent
WORK on Barnard Castle's long awaited £12m new Safeway store will begin on Monday after five years of wrangles. But while the number of jobs being created by the new store is, as yet uncertain, the supermarket chain has urged its contractors to use as
CHANGES to the way domestic waste is collected in Darlington will cut £200,000 from the cost of the country's most expensive refuse disposal system. The new system will mean the demise of the dustbin, with waste having to be put in black plastic bags
FORTY years of full-time ministry ended with a trip down memory lane for retiring Methodist superintendent Bill Middlemiss. Old friends from Methodist circuits he had served across the country joined congregations from Crook and Willington at his farewell
THE Health and Safety Executive is to be asked to investigate alleged breaches of safety at Arriva Trains Northern. The Rail Maritime and Transport workers union said it had written to the agency to complain that managers were being used to do trained
SOAP opera fans at a County Durham special school created their own version of EastEnders for a writing project. A group of 11 to 16-year-olds from The Meadows, in Spennymoor, also produced a magazine during sessions with members of New Writing North,
A PENSIONER has thanked stallholders who held an impromptu collection for his wife after her purse was stolen in Darlington Market Square. Harold and Jenny Applegarth, of Darlington had been watching a tea dance when they realised that Mrs Applegarth's
CHANGES to the way domestic waste is collected in Darlington will cut £200,000 from the cost of the country's most expensive refuse disposal system. The new system will mean the demise of the dustbin, with waste having to be put in black plastic bags
A COUNCIL has finally taken delivery of a rare item of skateboarding equipment after a marathon journey from the United States. But the prized stunt ramp, which is to form the centrepiece of a mobile skateboard park, almost didn't make it after it was
THE crew of a police helicopter are being credited with saving a man's life following a search and rescue. A helicopter from the North-East Air Support Unit flew from Newcastle Airport to Chester-le-Street on Tuesday night to search for an unnamed man
HUNDREDS of youngsters, including some with special needs, are enjoying a new sport thanks to a £3,500 grant. Young athletes with disabilities in Stanley, County Durham, are among those becoming hooked on new age curling. The sport is based on the Olympic
NORTH-EAST computer peripherals and accessories reseller Lindy Electronics is celebrating its 70th anniversary with a visit by the grandsons of the company's founder. It was originally founded in Berlin in 1932 by Klaus Lindenberg as a wholesaler for
FRUSTRATED inventor Malcolm Doherty has put his family up for sale in an Internet auction. Mr Doherty was so fed up with his failure to sell his designs to British companies, he put himself, his wife and two sons up for sale to anyone who will help him
A DOG, which ran alongside its owner in charity fun-runs, has gone missing. Jan Mazurk's dog Jazz bolted during storms last Tuesday and has not returned. The black collie cross ran the Race for Life with Mrs Mazurk in July. Mrs Mazurk said: "I just want
HUNDREDS of youngsters, including those with special needs, are enjoying a new sport thanks to a £3,500 grant. Young athletes with disabilities in Stanley are among those becoming hooked on New Age Curling. The sport is based on the Olympic event of curling
SOME well-known names of rock will descend on the region next month for the first UK Metal Mania festival. Among the artists performing at Newcastle University on Saturday, September 7, will be former Iron Maiden singer Blaze Bayley, the Tigers of Pan
A BLUEPRINT for creating jobs and economic prosperity in County Durham over the next five years has been agreed, it was revealed yesterday. The key players in economic development and regeneration in the county made the decision earlier this week. Representatives
A ROW has broken out over a piece of art planned for a Teesside town centre. Councillors have denounced the six-metre high sheet metal sculpture in Redcar High Street. The sculpture, called The Seven Plaice, is being put up by Teesland Developments Ltd
MORE than half-a-century ago they were among the daring young men who helped turn the tide of the war, taking the blitz back to Fortress Europe. Night after fear-filled night they took to the skies with their deadly cargo, unsure when - or even if - they
DUTCH master Patrick Kluivert followed up his admission that he would seriously consider a move to Newcastle by handing Titus Bramble a harsh lesson in last night's prestige friendly at St. James' Park. England Under-21 centre-back Bramble, whose £5m
A VETERAN maverick councillor has died at his home, aged 73. Jimmy Whelan served Darlington at town and county council level in a 35-year political career. He was first elected to Darlington Town Council in 1956, as Labour's representative in the Harrowgate
THE region's biggest free blues festival attracted 15,000 people as the sun came out after days of rain. Organisers of Stanley Blues Festival, which has taken place every year since 1993, had been expecting a record crowd of 9,000- 10,000 for the event
RURAL residents across South Durham are being urged to help in the fight against poaching. Police believe people living in quieter or more remote areas need to be more vigilant, not only concerning the security of their own property but also regarding
PLANS for a golf driving range in Bishop Auckland could be given planning approval today. The application for a 14-booth range at Flatts Farm will be heard by Wear Valley District Council's development control committee when is it expected to get the
AT first glance a set of blinkers is a curious piece of equipment to be fitted to a racehorse. After all, what person in their right mind would want to restrict an animal's sight when it is expected to keep clear of its rivals during the course of a race
PLANS to develop Darlington's Safeway supermarket into a megastore have been withdrawn at the last minute. The change was revealed yesterday to Darlington Borough Council's planning applications committee, which had been preparing to debate the proposals
WITH a precise flick of his right boot, Juninho brought a little Brazilian sunshine to a rain-sodden Riverside last night. It took just ten minutes for Juninho to warm the hearts of the Middlesbrough fans that had braved a heavy downpour to acclaim the
ANGRY farmers last night pledged to cause chaos across Britain on Monday in the biggest mass protest since the fuel crisis. They plan to drive their tractors and trailers along roads at peak traffic times in a nationwide protest at the refusal of the
A TRANSPORT group chairman has voiced concerns over the number of unseatbelted buses operating on school routes. Michael Lightfoot, northern region chairman of the Confederation of Passenger Transport and managing director of Durham City Coaches, spoke
TWO students from a Darlington school have taken part in a special event at Middlesbrough Football Club. Naomi Rees and Chris Wilson, both 14 and students at Haughton Community School, were selected to take part in the Boro Boss Project. The pilot project
A COMMUNITY garden has been officially opened in Hartlepool. Councillor Carl Richardson, chairman of Hartlepool Borough Council, opened the garden which is behind Jutland Road Community Centre. The Jubilee Community Garden was the idea of Rossmere and
A tall order for the property gurus. Property seekers Phil Spencer and Kirstie Allsopp had a tall order in Macclesfield. The first home that newlyweds Andy and Emily were looking for needed a room capable of housing taking their "rather sizeable" bed.
A PARK is set to be spruced up by volunteers celebrating the 40th anniversary of their organisation. Community Services Volunteers (CSV) will set to work on Nuns Moor Park, Newcastle, on Friday and Saturday. The CSV is the country's leading volunteer
A FLAGSHIP nursery and community centre designed for up to 80 toddlers is to be built on Teesside. As part of the Government's £300m drive to create 45,000 new nursery places across the country, the National Day Nurseries Association is to build the centre
A SHOPPING centre car park has become the first in Middlesbrough to pick up an award for safety and security. The Secure Car Park Award was given to the Hill Street Centre after its car park was refurbished and extra signs, lighting and pedestrian access
A COUNCILLOR is attempting to lure a major car manufacturer to Weardale in an ambitious move to help regenerate the area. John Shuttleworth is determined to try everything he can to reverse the fortunes of the dale, which is facing 147 job losses with
A GIANT stick of rock was presented to youngsters at a Durham hospital last week. At 3ft 5in high, the rock was the equivalent to 100 pieces of ordinary rock and is to be raffled off to raise funds for the Treetops Children's Unit at the University Hospital
MANAGERS at the University Hospital of North Durham are considering housing patients in portable buildings as a way of boosting bed numbers. The plan by officials at the North Durham NHS Trust to bring in temporary accommodation is part of a proposal
A CALL of nature from a cow could soon leave someone flushed -with cash. For when she makes a deposit in her favourite field, someone, somewhere, is in line for a cheque for £1,000. Anica, an 11-year-old Friesian from Melvyn Peacock's Grange Farm in Bedale
NORTH-East millionaire Duncan Bannatyne last night insisted there was no connection between his £10,000 donation to the Labour Party and a planned shake-up of gambling laws. The Darlington businessman, whose plans to move into the casino business would
THE history of a watch presented to a collieryman more than 80 years ago is proving a puzzle for council officials. The watch was donated to Ferryhill Town Council after being bought for £150 from a sale at the Durham Mining Museum. The watch is inscribed
SMALLER Son is in Outer Mongolia. I haven't heard from him for ten days. If not exactly worried, I am beginning to fret a little. "Well," says his brother with an air of sweet reason, "I don't suppose there are many call boxes in the Gobi Desert." Which
It's been a long wait for railway enthusiasts but they're finally expecting the green light to reopen 12 miles of track on which to run their beloved trains. PILGRIM'S progress is for no more than 150 yards, along a ten and a quarter inch railway track
DOG owners are being urged to get their pets microchipped at a roadshow visiting the Chester-le-Street area next week. The National Canine Defence League (NCDL) is giving the service free to pensioners and people on benefit and charging the subsidised
A North-East farmer says the foot-and-mouth epidemic has left him so hard up he is having to share a field with his sheep. Ken Moore and his wife, Susan, say the epidemic has left their business on the verge of ruin. The couple have been living in a caravan
SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid must redouble his desperate search for a striker after confirmation that Chelsea's Eidur Gudjohnsen is staying at Stamford Bridge. Reid, who has incurred the wrath of angry fans for failing to find a new strike partner for
A BUS driver has been robbed of his takings. He was punched in the side of the face by a youth, who was one of three young people to board the empty Arriva bus at a stop in east Cleveland. The youth snatched the driver's cash machine and ran off after
AN artist's drawing of a proposed new home for Darlington's Sure Start project has been released. Darlington Borough Council's planning committee is expected to send the proposals for the building, in the McNay Street car park at Darlington Railway Centre
A MAN at the centre of a stand-off with armed police, after attacking his partner with an ornamental Samurai sword, was yesterday jailed for two-and-a-half years. John Piggins kicked open the door of Dawn Elliott's council home, in Leadgate, near Consett
TORRENTIAL rain and flash floods continued to cause chaos across the region yesterday. The heavy downpours throughout the day left hundreds of homes flooded and forced the emergency services to close roads. County Durham took the brunt of the flooding
FARMERS starting to plough after the harvest have been urged to restore public rights of way crossing their fields - or risk prosecution and heavy fines. Easingwold-based Yorkshire regional director for the Country Land and Business Association, Dorothy
A DESPERATE plea is being made to cat lovers by an animal shelter that is running out of space. The Hobos Animal Rescue, in Evenwood, near Bishop Auckland, has more than 20 cats which are in need of loving homes. Tish Robinson from the shelter said: "
EXTRA flights are to be laid on between the North-East and South-West of England, in response to demand for greater choice of services. From Monday, August 19, British Airways' subsidiary, British Airways CitiExpress, will increase weekday flights from
THE long-running Coppergate Riverside inquiry in York has come to an end - with campaigners abandoning their bid to create parkland instead of shops. York Tomorrow withdrew its appeal against City of York Council's refusal of permission for public open
JAPANESE company Sanyo is stepping up efforts to sell its mothballed North-East factory. The site, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, has remained empty since microwave oven production ended last year with the loss of 284 jobs. It was hoped that a deal
The following planning applications will be considered when Wear Valley District Council's development control committee meets in the council chamber, at Crook Civic Centre, at 6pm tonight: Shield restoration: Removal and restoration of a stone heraldic
CYCLIST John Halliwell reckons the number-two rider on a tandem is always made to feel like a second-class citizen. So the 46-year-old ex-college boffin is working on a three-wheeled cycle with side-by-side seating, fitted with independent drives, gearing
WORK on Barnard Castle's long awaited £12m new Safeway store will begin on Monday after five years of wrangles. But while the number of jobs being created by the new store is, as yet uncertain, the supermarket chain has urged its contractors to use as
A FARMER has signed up to a scheme which aims to improve the countryside and protect the region's threatened farmland birds. Applications for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' Countryside Stewardship Scheme increased by 20 per cent
THE decision whether or not to merge hospitals and push through controversial reforms is now in the hands of a Government minister. After an hour-long meeting, County Durham and Tees Valley Health Authority backed the so-called Darzi Plan to shake up
PARENTS and health visitors were busy creating a mural yesterday as part of a new project to encourage healthy living. The mural, at Teesdale Community Health Centre, in Barnard Castle, will be used to give tips and advice on how to look after children's
ARTISTS' groups throughout the city of York have clubbed together to raise nearly £1,900 for local good causes. Members of York Art Society, Art Options, Northern Potters' Association and various independent artists, with City of York Council's city centre
CLAIMS that a third of new junior doctors in the region face excessive working hours have been challenged. While some hospitals admit that some pre-registration house officers still work "illegal" hours, other hospitals claim that working hours for new
UTILITY firm Scottish Power has launched an investigation after an employee was accused of using illegal selling tactics. Disabled pensioner Josie Collins claims she was tricked into signing a form to change her gas and electricity supplier to the firm
COUNCILLORS have condemned a "derisory" sum of money set aside for leisure projects by developers transforming a former working men's club site to housing. Members of City of York Council hit out at the £9,600 contribution being made by JTM Developments
FIFTY children were given a fun taster of life at secondary school yesterday as part of a summer of activities. The ten and 11-year-olds are taking part in a scheme at Wensleydale School, in Leyburn, which has seen them tackling maths and English challenges
A woman was warned by a judge yesterday that she faces a jail sentence following a violent attack on an asylum seeker, which has left him brain damaged. Louise Dobbs, 18, of Birch Tree Close, Spencerbeck, Middlesbrough, admitted assaulting Kosovan Gazim
A TEENAGE legal secretary has won an out-of-court settlement against a North-East law firm. Lindsey Gooda, 19, received the undisclosed sum after claiming sexual harassment and constructive dismissal against her employers Tilly Bailey and Irvine, of Hartlepool
FREE smoke detectors are being fitted in 130 rented properties in a Ryedale town under a new partnership. Fitzwilliam Estates has teamed up with North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service to provide potentially life-saving detectors in its Malton properties
THE crew of a police helicopter are being credited with saving a man's life following a search and rescue. A helicopter from the North-East Air Support Unit flew from Newcastle Airport to Chester-le-Street on Tuesday night to search for an unnamed man
A MULTI-STOREY car park which featured in the cult movie Get Carter has been designated a heritage site. It has been included among a list of places of special cultural interest to be highlighted in a series of open days. For two days next month, visitors
MARKS and Spencer has invested further in the region, pledging £2.5m to bring another of its firsts to the North-East. The company announced yesterday it was to spend the money as work began on its new food hall, at the MetroCentre, Gateshead, which will
A FUN day will mark the success of a project that aims to improve the quality of life of residents. The New Safer Deal for Communities Day will celebrate the achievements of three of the New Deal for Communities Projects; the Newcastle West New Deal Police
PUBS, clubs, restaurants and hotels throughout Sunderland have turned green in a scheme which is celebrating its first anniversary. Recycle-More-Glass is a groundbreaking initiative which makes it easy for licensed premises to recycle the empty bottles
IN a three-part series, Chief Sports Writer Steven Baker takes a look at the perilous financial state of football worldwide. Today controversial Darlington chairman George Reynolds explains why ITV Digital's demise could be a blessing in disguise THE
PARENTS and health visitors were busy creating a mural yesterday as part of a new project to encourage healthy living. The mural, at Teesdale Community Health Centre, in Barnard Castle, will be used to give tips and advice on how to look after children's
ORGANISERS of Ferryhill Gala are hoping the event will become an established event on the town's calendar. The third annual gala takes place in Ferryhill Market Place on Saturday and Sunday. The event was established to celebrate the millennium, but proved
As the Government faces new accusations of tailoring policies to suit party donors, Political Editor Chris Lloyd looks at the case for the taxpayer funding political parties. DUNCAN Bannatyne is exactly the sort of person that New Labour has been desperately
Since Matalan advertised jobs for its new cut-price clothing store in Darlington, the town's JobCentre has received more than 900 requests for applications for 111 positions, 92 of them part-time. The new store is located in Neasham Road, on the former
HUNDREDS of youngsters were taken back to the era of the cowboy yesterday. Burns Green, outside Chester-le-Street Leisure Centre, staged a Wild West Show featuring Martell's Raiders. The event featured bullwhip and rope spinning, stunt fights and a fast
THE magic of Harry Potter's school of witchcraft and wizardry will be portrayed in miniature by local enthusiasts at a dolls' house exhibition later this month. Members of Durham and District Dolls' House Club set themselves the theme of fantasy rooms
A LITTLE girl suffering from a chronic eating disorder at the age of four has made progress along her long road to recovery. Mother Lisa Jones feared she might never witness the sight of daughter Annie tucking into a meal. But now the youngster, who suffers
FORTY years of full-time ministry ended with a trip down memory lane for retiring Methodist superintendent Bill Middlemiss. Old friends from Methodist circuits he had served across the country joined congregations from Crook and Willington at his farewell
CAMPAIGNERS are urging councillors to refuse planning permission for improvements to a football club's training facilities. Sunderland AFC's revised plans for its Academy of Light go before South Tyneside councillors tomorrow. Despite local opposition
Fears were growing last night that two ten-year-old girls missing since Sunday have been abducted as police released a poignant last picture of the youngsters. The photograph of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman posing in their Manchester United shirts
CHILDREN hunted high and low for creepy crawlies yesterday at a wildlife fun day in Middlesbrough. Youngsters aged between five and seven took part in the free event at Lingfield Farm Countryside Centre, Coulby Newham. Centre assistant Graeme Shimmin
WHILE Britain's European trade is growing reasonably strongly compared to the eurozone countries, our trade with the rest of the world is growing faster. New OECD figures show that over the three years since the launch of the euro, Britain's exports to
MANAGERS at the University Hospital of North Durham are considering housing patients in portable buildings as a way of boosting bed numbers. The plan by officials at the North Durham NHS Trust to bring in temporary accommodation is part of a proposal
CHANGES to the way domestic rubbish is collected will save Darlington Borough Council more than £200,000 a year. The new system of collecting refuse will mean the demise of the dustbin, with waste having to be placed in black liners and taken to the roadside
THE region's biggest free blues festival attracted 15,000 people as the sun came out after days of rain. Organisers of Stanley Blues Festival, which has taken place every year since 1993, had been expecting a record crowd of 9,000- 10,000 for the event
VILLAGERS are vowing to clean up their community which, they say, is being ruined by drug abuse and other anti-social behaviour. Homeowners in South Moor, near Stanley, this week spoke out about the problems of drugs, arson, violence and vandalism that
DURHAM is hoping for more glory in the country's best-known environmental competition. Last year the city came second in the large town category of Britain in Bloom. Now, councillors and officials hope they can go one better in this year's competition
THE first ever national museum to be built in the region will be known as the Shildon Railway Village. Shildon will house a slice of industrial history in an £8m offshoot of York's National Railway Museum. Outline designs are being submitted to planners
BRIAN Lara spent far more time signing autographs than he did at the Riverside crease yesterday as he made 500 fewer than his record score against Durham. The West Indian left-hander left the other Lashings World X1 stars to plunder the Durham bowling
A VITAL financial advice service for residents in some of the most remote parts of North Yorkshire is to close. The Money Advice Service run by Richmondshire Citizens Advice Bureau will close at the start of next month after a hugely successful period
VILLAGERS have welcomed a £350,000 scheme to replace a 19th Century railway bridge. A recent structural assessment of the bridge in Escomb Lane, near Bishop Auckland, revealed that it was sub-standard. Durham County Council announced plans to demolish
THE Government is facing pressure to develop a roadside drug testing device after it was revealed that half the drivers who died in accidents in County Durham area had taken drugs. Figures released by Durham Constabulary show that of the 23 drivers who
