A STUDENT has been invited to meet a Government minister next month to talk about his role in a pioneering community scheme. Alan Strickland, who attends Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, in Darlington, has been invited to London by Margaret Hodge,
SCULPTOR Phil Townsend has produced a set of carved stiles for popular routes used by ramblers. The carvings, which will be put up around the Teesdale village of Cockfield, in County Durham, are based on local landmarks, such as Blackburn Bridge, Scotland
AN ARMY of 300 volunteers is being called up to teach road sense to children. Thirty volunteers are being recruited at ten schools on Teesside which have been targeted for the scheme. A "Kerbcraft" co-ordinator, Tracee Hall-Young, will organise the three-year
HOLDING ground should not hamper the prospects of Hindiana (2.00) in this afternoon's big race at Haydock, the £45,000 Peter Marsh Chase. National Hunt devotees will doubtless be licking their lips in anticipation of what is an absolutely spine-tingling
A TEENAGER broke into his mother's house twice to fund his heroin habit, a court heard yesterday. Michael Riley, 19, of Minors Crescent, Darlington, admitted four charges of burglary, three of theft and two of failing to surrender to bail when he appeared
Sunderland boss Peter Reid believes he is facing an impossible job - trying to replace Niall Quinn. Reid is searching for a proven striker to do 35-year-old Quinn's job of taking the weight off Kevin Phillips. And Reid admits he may have to change Sunderland's
THE struggling Filtronic operation will be the centre of attention this week as the business reports interim results. The Shipley company, which took over the former Fujitsu plant at Newton Aycliffe in 1999, is due to report on Friday. The Newton Aycliffe
NEW headquarters could herald a jobs boost for a County Durham company. Bede, which designs and manufactures x-ray equipment for the semiconductor industry, added 43 staff to its operations last year, taking its worldwide workforce to 107, including operations
A POLICEMAN was dragged along a petrol station forecourt after trying to stop a suspected disqualified driver, a court heard yesterday. James Webber, 26, of Jameson Terrace, South Hetton, County Durham, admitted driving whilst disqualified, dangerous
ROAD safety on a Dales housing estate will be discussed once more at a meeting on Monday. North Yorkshire County Council has been at loggerheads with residents of Brentwood, in Leyburn, since developers opened the cul-de-sac to allow traffic onto Wensleydale
AN INQUEST has been opened into the death of a man who was in a car which collided with a vehicle driven by a 16-year-old. Teesside Deputy Coroner Gordon Hetherington heard that 22-year-old student Philip Taylor, of Bilsdale Road, Longlands, Middlesbrough
A restaurant where North-East singing sensation Zoe Birkett has worked as a waitress is making sure its customers back her bid for stardom. La Famiglia, in Parkgate, Darlington, hands out mobile phones to diners on Saturday nights to ensure they vote
A masked robber fled with a quantity of cash from Boozebuster, in Durham Road, Sunderland, at 8.40pm on Thursday. A police spokesman said the man forced staff to open a till before making off in a stolen Rover, registration number K119ENH. The vehicle
PRIVATE car park owners have been urged to clamp down on able-bodied drivers using disabled parking bays. Earlier this week, Darlington Association on Disability called on drivers not to misuse the disabled badge system and warned that those who exploited
A CAFE has become one of the first independent shops in Darlington to accept euros. Wade's Coffee House, in Post House Wynd, started accepting the euro on Monday, although as yet no-one has taken advantage of the chance to use the currency. The restaurant
CHILDREN may be to blame for a recent spate of burglaries in a village, according to police. Officers have urged people living in Hurworth to be vigilant to try to stop any further break-ins. Since January 10 there have been eight burglaries in the village
A CHARITY taxi service for the elderly and disabled is still waiting to hear if it will be thrown a financial lifeline by the local authority. Dial-a-Ride had hoped to find out this week if Darlington Borough Council would help it out of its deepening
Teenagers from the Impact scheme, which provides alternative education for pupils who have been excluded from school, will be embarking on a community project next week. The young people, aged between 14 and 16, have volunteered to paint the inside of
A PUBLIC meeting has been called to discuss the future of a Sedgefield road which many residents want closed to traffic. Beacon Road is used by many local people as a country walk, but it is also a favourite annual stopping point for travellers en route
A Palestinian student appeared before a North-Easy court yesterday charged with being a member of an organisation banned under terrorism legislation. Adnan Abdelah, 21, is accused of belonging to, or professing membership of, the Islamic group Hamas.
A PATIENT left permanently disabled after she received botched hospital treatment following a road accident has been awarded £1.8m compensation. Victoria Baldam was nine when she was taken to Newcastle General Hospital with head injuries, in 1992. The
POLICE are seeking a vital witness to a collision, which left a man in a coma. Kulver Singh, 33, who runs a fast-food take away in The Avenue, Seaham, Wearside, sustained serious head injuries in the incident, in Princess Road, Seaham, last Friday. His
A FORMER Page Three girl has won a legal battle against a photographic firm which sacked her when bosses discovered her past. Kristy Green posed for a series of topless shoots - but she decided to ditch the cut-throat world of modelling to become a photographer
A coroner has denied stealing more than £170,000 from the estates of dead people. Jeremy David Cave, 52, appeared before Teesside Crown Court charged with ten counts of theft. Mr Cave, of The Grange, Balk, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, was suspended from
Politicians are seeing red after a council paid £1.4m for a Blue Carpet which turned out to be a washed-out shade of grey. Thomas Heatherwick revealed his design to transform a public square in Newcastle in 1996. His plans for a swathe of vivid blue paving
A North Yorkshire election has been halted following a High Court injunction taken out by a deposed councillor. Alex Abiola was disqualified from membership of Eastfield Parish Council near Scarborough after failing to attend the legally required number
For most gamblers, having a flutter is more of a bit of fun than a serious attempt to get rich. But Ruth Campbell meets one man for whom a day at the races means earning a living. PAUL Cooper greets me by the gate of his imposing five-bedroom Georgian
IT has been a wobbly week for Labour. Not as bad as the heady few days of September 1999 when fuel protestors briefly threatened the Government's majority and its popular support, but bad enough to seriously concern the party leadership. On Monday, Stephen
CYCLISTS and walkers will have to wait until 2004 before the new Pennine Bridleway, from North Yorkshire to Derbyshire, is fully open, junior environment minister Lord Whitty said yesterday. Progress was slow last year because of foot-and-mouth disease
THE man convicted of causing the deaths of ten people in the Selby rail disaster is to appeal. Solicitors acting for Gary Hart, 37, have lodged papers for an appeal against his conviction for causing the deaths by dangerous driving, said a spokesman at
THE new Bishop of Jarrow, former Archdeacon of Canterbury the Venerable John Pritchard, will be consecrated at Durham Cathedral today. Bishop Pritchard will be consecrated Suffragan Jarrow by the Archbishop of York, the Most Reverend Dr David Hope, in
DARLINGTON striker Barry Conlon is ready to put his nightmare penalty miss behind him against his old employers Southend United this afternoon. In the Quakers' FA Cup third-round draw with Peterborough on Tuesday night, Conlon fired a spot-kick high over
Letters from The Northern Echo COUNCIL TAX FOR the year 2002-3 Darlington Council says it is going to have to put up the tax above nine per cent to cover the Dolphin Centre and the Civic Theatre. Why do those who use these leisure services pay for them
QI receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and rely on my daughter to drive me around. Can she get exemption on her road tax? AOnly if your DLA includes the higher rate for mobility and the car is used substantially for your purposes. Q My monthly works
CARMEL Roman Catholic Technology College is putting its success on the athletics track to good use in a national construction competition. The Darlington college has reached the finals of Shepherd Construction's School Challenge, which offers a prize
FANS of boy band A1 have the chance to meet them when they sign copies of their latest single next week. The group releases Caught in the Middle, on Monday, and will be at the Big W store, Portrack Lane, Stockton, Tees-side, on Thursday, at 4.30pm. Fans
GNER has confirmed that it has handed back about £33m to the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) under the terms of its franchise agreement. The East Coast Mainline operator is among six rail companies paying the SRA for the privilege of running its franchises
FOR vegetable gardeners, this is the beginning of the new season. If the seed order has not been compiled, this should be done immediately, for a number of varieties of vegetables can be started off during January. Among the first sowings that can be
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren is ready to react to his failure to land Diego Forlan by making a £7m bid for Manchester United's Dwight Yorke. Former Old Trafford No 2 McClaren was left embarrassed and frustrated yesterday as United boss Sir Alex Ferguson
NEWCASTLE Falcons are hoping their Headingley experience will stand them in good stead for tomorrow's Powergen Cup quarter-final against Leeds Tykes. Only Jonny Wilkinson's surprising failure to land a conversion prevented them from drawing their European
THE Government came under fire last night for insisting that national guidance on who should pay for repairs to dozens of crumbling railway bridge barriers was already in place. Local authorities pleaded for clear advice on where the responsibility lies
WHEN the police arrested Rick on a perjury charge in Sunday's Playing The Field on BBC1, one of TV's meanest men received his just desSerts. This is a man who slept with his sister-in-law, framed his brother for attempted murder and told the world that
ANOTHER £865 is to be invested in helping to make a poorly teenager's dreams come true. Alan Clough, who lives in Brompton-on-Swale, suffers from leukaemia - but his brave battle with the disease prompted regulars at The Crown, in the village, to arrange
HEALTH chiefs have allayed fears over a possible merger of two County Durham hospitals. Patients across the county have expressed concern over a proposal to merge the new £97m University Hospital, North Durham, and the to-be-completed £67m Bishop Auckland
SHEEP farmer Jimmy Bell has been named as the North-East Farming Entrepreneur of the Year. Jimmy and his wife Kirsty sell most of their meat direct to the public at farmers' markets in Northumberland. The couple, of East Wingates, Longhorsley, near Morpeth
VOLUNTEERS are desperately needed to help keep a branch of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals afloat. Last year, the Harrogate charity helped find homes for 81 cats and kittens, neutered 110 dogs and cats, and micro-chipped 342
RESIDENTS are being invited to discuss the future of a Wearside park. A meeting about Princess Anne Park, in Washington, is being held at Biddick Farm Arts Centre, on Tuesday, from 7pm to 8.30pm. Those attending will hear views on how the park can be
DARRELL Clarke can't wait to show his old Mansfield teammates what they are missing today. The Hartlepool United midfielder makes his first return to Field Mill since his £80,000 summer move to Victoria Park as Pool aim to reduce the eight-point gap between
THE families of three women mown down by a drink-driver returned from London where they were campaigning for a change in the law this week. Two North-East families pressed Home Office minister Keith Bradley to introduce US-style vehicle homicide charges
Fans of Sunderland Football Club have had their say on whether Peter Reid should stay on as their manager. An Internet poll of fans, run by fanzine producers ALS Publications, yesterday revealed that a small majority, 53 per cent, of voters were in favour
PLANS for a new business park on North Tyneside, that could create 2,000 jobs, have been given the go-ahead. Bett Properties in conjunction with Yorvale Developments, of Leeds, have received planning permission for the £40m Orion Business Park from North
THE jury considering the case of a woman accused of trying to steal a pensioner's bag was discharged last night. Elizabeth Ness, 35, of Emerald Street, Saltburn, east Cleveland, was accused of attempted robbery. She denied the charge and her trial was
A combined package of computer equipment and training is available for North-East farmers and rural businesses. The Countryside Computer Package comprises an Internet-enabled Hewlett-Packard business system with a computer and printer, delivered direct
A NORTH Yorkshire community has been paying tribute to a man of few words who nevertheless inspired many to help make the district a better place to live. Richmond's Paddy Fleming died suddenly, aged 59, earlier this week, not long after he had been encouraging
POLICE last night released a description of a young woman believed to be the mother of a stillborn baby boy found behind a pub. The premature baby was discovered at about 10.45am on Thursday at the Moorcock pub, in Acre Rigg Road, Peterlee, east Durham
For the second time in five days Darlington surrendered a two-goal lead to draw against Southend at Feethams on Saturday. The visitors were two-nil down within the hour but Quakers paid for sitting back in the last twenty minutes and allowed the visitors
AYCLIFFE Village, known for sound historical reasons as Old Aycliffe, is just off the A1 north of Darlington. The thought occurred on the way up the motorway last Sunday morning that just about the only people we know there are inn keepers or domino players
AYCLIFFE Village, known for sound historical reasons as Old Aycliffe, is just off the A1 north of Darlington. The thought occurred on the way up the motorway last Sunday morning that just about the only people we know there are inn keepers or domino players
England striker Kevin Phillips came to Sunderland's rescue with his tenth goal of the season as Fulham threatened to snatch their first top-flight victory on Wearside for 52 years. French midfielder Steed Malbranque had given the Londoners a deserved
THE heartbroken mother of a teenage drugs victim had a dramatic doorstep confrontation with a suspected dealer - only days after her daughter was found dead. Helgi Brown confronted the man after 17-year-old Lilli, was found dead of a suspected heroin
COUNCIL wardens have been called in to deal with a rat infestation at a Darlington school. Pest control wardens were contacted by teachers at Eastbourne Comprehensive School after rats were seen around the school buildings. Although the rodents have all
MARTIANS invaded a North-East town centre yesterday. The little green men have landed in Middlesbrough, but residents have nothing to fear. In the science fiction film Mars Attacks! the Martians could only be repulsed by the loud playing of the songs
A PENSIONER has called a public meeting because he fears that his community could be affected by extra traffic when a bypass opens in a neighbouring town Verdun Evans is seeking the construction of a relief road for his home village of Howden-le-Wear,
A PLAN to hold a circus in Barnard Castle will be considered by councillors next week. Robert Brothers Famous Circus has submitted a request to Teesdale District Council, for permission to hold the circus on the Demesnes. The circus initially applied
Police are urging people to come forward with information after a house was ransacked. The home in Newlands Avenue, Cockton Hill, Bishop Auckland, was raided between 8.30am and 1.30pm yesterday and a mobile telephone, jewellery, cash and a child's BMX
A HEADTEACHER will visit Australia to conduct environmental research after winning an Earthwatch Millennium Award. James McManners, headteacher of Cassop Primary School, near Coxhoe, will be working with scientists from environmental charity Earthwatch
THIS summer, 1,250 pupils from every primary, secondary and special school in the Wear Valley will be taking part in a mini-Commonwealth Games festival, to mark the real event, taking place in Manchester. The festival will be launched next Friday, at
The on-off career of a doctor who once treated Prime Minister Tony Blair was finally decided yesterday with his "voluntary" erasure from the medical register. Originally the subject of conditions, 61-year-old Dr Sivagurunathan Srirangalingam, known as
OLYMPIC swimmer Nick Gillingham joined forces with Tony the Frosties Tiger to launch a swimming scheme in Teesdale. The silver and bronze medallist in the Olympic 200m breaststroke visited Teesdale Sports Centre, in Barnard Castle, to launch the Swim
LESSONS must be learned from a serious chemical leak at a Newton Aycliffe factory, say councillors. A meeting between members of Great Aycliffe Town Council and Great Lakes Manufacturing has resulted in calls for improved emergency procedures on and off
CHILDREN could soon be involved with a junior version of a community warden scheme which patrols Darlington's streets. The wardens work to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, as well as improving the environment by stopping dog fouling or people dropping
PERFORMER Toyah Wilcox is backing a North-East hospice's bid to get people to recycle rubbish. The Butterwick Hospice in Bishop Auckland is running one of 21 projects as part of the national Make Things Happen campaign, which is being supported by the
INFORMATION about a new tenancy agreement has gone out to nearly 6,000 council homes this week. Wear Valley District Council intends to introduce a new agreement which will be easier to understand as well as to enforce. Tenants have until February 11
THE Teesside branch of the Alzheimer's Society is looking for volunteers to join a befriending service being set up in the Redcar and east Cleveland area. Volunteers are needed to work with people who have Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia and their
PEOPLE living in east Cleveland are being invited to a series of public information sessions as part of a council's drive to recruit school governors. The meetings will start with a 15-minute presentation which will be followed by a question and answer
Middlesbrough were held to a 1-1 draw by Bolton on Saturday, a result which sees them drop into the relegation zone. A disappointing crowd of 26104 saw Boro take a deserved lead through Noel Whelan in the 38th minute. The former Coventry striker sent
A TEENAGER was yesterday remanded in custody until Thursday. Christopher Ian Dalton, 19, of Princess Road, Ripon, was remanded in custody by Harrogate magistrates on two charges. He is accused of threatening to smash windows at the home of his mother,
A range of arts events has been lined up in Hartlepool for the next few months. An exhibition on ancient Egypt, the Hartlepool Music and Arts Festival and drama performances are just some of the events on offer through Hartlepool Borough Council's arts
Rocker Rod Stewart could have unwittingly landed himself in trouble after taking sides in the fever-pitch world of North-East football. The soccer-mad singer runs his own football team in Los Angeles, and decided to buy some strips for their new season
YOUNG people in the North-East will next week get the chance to hear Sunderland-born writer Terry Deary recount his colourful career as an actor, theatre director, drama teacher and award-winning author. Terry's talk, Not Bad for a Mackem, will be held
A SAFE overhaul of a chemical works has paid off for charities on Teesside. Eight charities are sharing £3,000 following a successful and accident-free overhaul of one of Huntsman's petrochemicals plants at Wilton. The Paraxylene plant, which makes raw
LABOUR has maintained its massive majority on a north Durham council after an election marked mainly by apathy. Just over 15 per cent of the electorate voted in the Consett South seat of Derwentside District Council, which was won by Labour's Cathy Clarke
THE Vikings have arrived in Redcar. A glimpse into life more than 1,000 years ago is on show in an exhibition at the Kirkleatham Hall Museum, Redcar, from today until March 17. Material on display includes a wooden model of a Viking ship, complete with
A former nursery nurse seeking damages for libel over allegations branding her a paedophile told the High Court there was not a grain of truth in the "incredible'' claims against her. Dawn Reed, 31, went into the witness box at London's Law Courts to
A THEATRE club member has cancelled an order for 30 tickets for a new theatre after failing to get through to the box office. Keith Stitt, 68, a member of Sunderland's Royalty Theatre club, says he made more than ten phone calls to the Gala Theatre box
HARTLEPOOL suffered a 3-0 defeat at Mansfield in a game that failed to reflect the scoreline. Pool suffered a horrific start when Graeme Lee headed into his own net after just 130 seconds and although Mansfield tried to capitalise on it early on, Pool
A teenager had his throat slashed in the street after a row erupted over a broken PlayStation game. Mark Howe, 29, attacked Ben King with a knife, leaving him with a wound to his neck. Newcastle Crown Court heard that Howe had had an argument with the
A SERIES of cost-cutting measures aimed at bailing out a flagship tourist attraction hit hard by foot-and-mouth disease could be introduced by council chiefs. The World of James Herriot Centre suffered a major loss of trade last year in the wake of the
ANGER was growing last night as it emerged that no one is to face criminal charges, despite a £1m inquiry uncovering a "compelling picture" of likely child abuse at a leading special school. A three-year investigation published yesterday concluded that
A buzzard was found poisoned in the Greenhead area of Northumberland, next to Hadrian's Wall, police have revealed. The bird of prey was found next to a rabbit which had been covered with a lethal agricultural chemical. Police have made extensive inquiries
THE woman charged with the task of breathing new life into Yorkshire Dales communities has made a flying start to the job. Carol Lewis, the new community development worker for Swaledale and Arkengarthdale, says she is confident of unlocking the door
WHEN the police arrested Rick on a perjury charge in Sunday's Playing The Field on BBC1, one of TV's meanest men received his just desSerts. This is a man who slept with his sister-in-law, framed his brother for attempted murder and told the world that
UNION officials are to meet management for a second time next week to try to settle a dispute which led to the first strike at a dump truck factory. Shopfloor workers at the Caterpillar plant in Peterlee, east Durham, have staged 24-hour strikes on the
NOLBERTO SOLANO has paid Newcastle United teammate Kieron Dyer the ultimate compliment, by claiming he can be as big a star as Diego Maradona. The Argentinian legend took a young Solano under his wing when they played alongside each other for Boca Juniors
NORTH-EAST employees were forced to dig deep in their pockets when their manager was held to ransom by highway robbers. Staff from Remploy, which finds employment for disabled people, carried out the stunt to raise money for the National Society for the
A MAN who admitted a string of sexual offences was jailed for four years yesterday. John Joseph Mohan, 56, of Warwick Street, Middlesbrough, admitted eight charges of indecent assault against young girls at Teesside Crown Court. Christopher Atwell, prosecuting
A book aimed at helping lay people take part in daily church services is being launched next week. As part of a drive to include lay people in services usually restricted to the clergy, Daily Prayer will be launched at Durham Cathedral on Wednesday. The
TERRITIORIAL Army officer Colonel John Astbury has reached a crowning moment in his part-time military career. As the Queen's Golden Jubilee year gets under way, the Middlesbrough businessman has been made aide-de-camp to the monarch. A former pupil of
