Archive

  • Stepy's Coaches League

    The League programme for Sunday was halved as the League still has a lot of clubs in the Durham County Football Association Sunday Football Cup. Meadowfield Brancepeth Castle who are exempt until the next round, entertained Murton Village Inn whose form

  • The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League

    This week saw a much more restricted fixture list as several teams were taking part in the second round of the Durham County Cup. Only one game took place in Division One, as The Northern Echo beat Central Club 1-0 - a result which leaves Central still

  • Use your loaf, walk to school

    THOUSANDS of Darlington youngsters worked up an appetite by walking to school on Wednesday. When they arrived, they tucked into a free bread and jam breakfast provided by family baker Warburton's, before settling down to their lessons. The company gave

  • Consett Sunday League

    CRAGHEAD slumped to their first defeat of the season when they suffered a heavy 7-2 defeat in the Harkness Trophy at AK Leisure and with it a place in the semi-finals. Andrew Thompson, Marc Eccles and Stu Smith all scored twice for AK Leisure along with

  • Squash: Durham and Cleveland Senior County Closed Championship

    Michael Bruton (Bannatyne's, Durham) impressed in taking his first ever title with the boys U10 honours at the tournament staged at Nunthorpe SC recently. He defeated Norton's Mark Conway in the final 9-4 9-6 9-6 after knocking out Kyle Garbutt (Guisborough

  • Hill secure second spot

    Worthington Durham County CIU Summer League: Wheatley Hill A managed to take the runners-up spot in the First Division with a home recovery against the visiting Newton Aycliffe, who needed a whitewash success to save their top bracket status. Denis Clish

  • Shop Talk: Give the charities a present too

    YOU knew it was high summer when the Christmas crackers appeared in Tesco and the mince pies in Marks & Spencer. And now - sorry - we are going to start talking about Christmas too. But there's a good reason. If you want to make each Christmas present

  • Youth Leagues

    Brompton: Brompton U9s entertained a Richmond squad in two mini soccer matches and produced an excellent performance from an unchanged squad from last week. Brompton ran out winners with scores of 7-0 and 8-0 In the first match goals came from Chris Holmes

  • Spanish GPs check out N-E

    MORE Spanish doctors flew into the North-East last night as part of plans to boost the region's dwindling medical workforce. The ten GPs who are interested in working on Teesside are meeting health officials and looking around the area. If they like what

  • Words of anger and sympathy as an industrial tragedy unfolds

    This is was the reaction from leading figures yesterday: * Prime Minister and Sedgefield MP Tony Blair said: "This is a tragedy. We will work to help employees find other jobs and make sure they are properly looked after." * John Edmonds, general secretary

  • Hathaway and Cope Stokesley League

    Bull's Head 1 North Skelton 2: North Skelton defied early season form to come out on top in the East Cleveland derby. Sean Mathews gave them the best possible start firing home a 20 yard free kick with ten minutes gone and Mark Sherwood gave the visitors

  • The Zetland celebrates a year of many successes

    THE Zetland Hunt Pony Club is celebrating a fabulous year, with successes in different disciplines at both senior and intermediate level. The club moved into Area 2 from Area 3 three years ago and have found some stiff competition from rival clubs. The

  • Hoggarth and Eskvale Cleveland League

    In a hard fought game against current league leaders, Grangetown, Boosbeck Utd kept on top for most of the first half, chances coming to Dean Winter, Arran Johnson and Ivan Thompson with Vince Parry outstanding in midfield. Grangetown then attacked down

  • Angling

    THE River Wear Championships split between Shincliffe to Chester Moor offered the ideal opportunity to practise for next week's opening fixture of the North East Winter League on the Wear and competitors will now be hoping for rain to freshen up a low

  • Northallerton juniors on song

    JUNIOR members of the Northallerton Riding Club enjoyed a very successful visit to the British Riding Clubs national championships at Lincolnshire showground on September 15. The equitation jumping team of Hannah Goldie, Jennifer Garbutt, Harriet Floyd

  • Residents' rights were ignored, says report

    THE human rights of about 700 elderly residents were breached during a council's planned closure of its care homes, an independent inquiry has found. Durham County Council has come under continued attack from residents, relatives and a campaign group

  • Rapist reward

    A REWARD has been offered for information which could help catch a serial rapist who could come from the North-East. Thames Valley police have offered a £10,000 reward for help in their bid to find the man who could be responsible for a nine sex attacks

  • Minibus charity hopes for funds from fuel scheme

    A CHARITY running door-to-door minibuses for elderly people hopes to have some of its fuel expenses reimbursed by a Government scheme, after its direct subsidy was cut by Hambleton Council last year. Stokesley and District Community Care Association estimated

  • Seeing red over pay deal at Orange

    UNION chiefs are in talks with lawyers over a simmering dispute between workers and management at telecommunications firm Orange. The Northern Echo reported last week how a row had broken out over a pay review for front-line staff at the company, which

  • Grant will fund three-year learning project at museum

    FAMOUS periods in the history of the railways are to be brought back to life after enthusiasts secured a grant of more than £14,000. Darlington Railway Centre and Museum is to become an even greater learning complex for the area's youngsters, thanks to

  • Stanley Sunday League

    PELTON FELL and Stanley FC both pulled off superb wins in the Durham Sunday Cup though it was harder going for league leaders Chester Garden Farm. Reigning Champions Stanley travelled to Bishop Auckland Green Tree and despite having to field a weakened

  • Pool Round Up

    Durham Ranking Tournament: Michael Rhodes came through to win the penultimate with a whitewash success in the final tournament at Durham Snooker Club over Colin Hutchinson, who occupies the second place in the Ranking List ready for the 'Big Money' Final

  • How to archive your favourite movies

    THE PRICE of stand-alone DVD recorders has already started to fall but even the cheapest are still hundreds of pounds more expensive than a trusty VCR. DVD is an eminently sensible way of archiving your favourite movies. It's easy to store, lasts far

  • Grain report

    by Robin Twizell RMD Agriculture FEED wheat prices have remained under pressure, following American maize markets. It is the time of year when trade organisations are all making their estimates of the surplus of wheat within the UK. Most will estimate

  • Hockey: Sunday Invitation Ladies League

    Tioxide 1 Barnard Castle 7: The high score was not a true reflection of this game in what proved to be an end to end game with excellent play by both teams. However, it was Barnard Castle who triumphed. Their excellent short passing and finishing to out

  • Billingham Swimming Club

    Billingham enjoyed a lovely day out near the Lakes at Sedbergh School competing in the Northern Region and World Wide Biathlon Challenge Day. The first six in each category to compete in the National Biathlon Championships held in November at Sheffield

  • Private scans - at £395

    A PRIVATE company is offering North-East patients the chance to beat long queues for scans . . . if they are prepared to pay £395 a time. Alliance Medical is giving patients the chance to have private scans using their MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

  • Injured pensioner tells of ex-mayor bust-up

    A PENSIONER told last night how he ended up needing hospital treatment after a bust-up with a former mayor. Only seconds before the start of Stockton Borough Council's full council meeting on Wednesday night, a scuffle broke out at the town hall when

  • Top juveniles head quality Redcar card

    REDCAR'S big race of the season - The betabet Two-Year-Old Trophy, one of the richest races in Europe for juveniles - heads a quality seven-race programme tomorrow. With guaranteed prize money of £150,000, the race over the straight six furlongs is sure

  • Ice Hockey: Junior Round Up

    Billingham Bears began their English Under 16 North A league campaign with a comfortable 7-0 victory at Blackburn Eagles the game was won in the opening period with Bears out-shooting their hosts 29-2 and having a 4-0 lead. Bears scorers: James Udell

  • Bid to count children in private foster care

    DURHAM County Council is trying to find out how many local children have been privately fostered. Private fostering is legal but is causing problems for social services departments across the country because not all arrangements are notified to them.

  • Helen takes on key role in health care

    A FORMER practice nurse has been appointed director of primary care and performance management with the Durham Dales Primary Care Trust. Helen Suddes will lead the integration and development of primary care and play a key role in improving and maintaining

  • Our big loss is their great gain

    Black & Decker's decision to slash its Spennymoor workforce will see production shifted to the Czech Republic. Stuart Arnold examines the move. AS Spennymoor mourns, the town of Usti Nad Labem celebrates. Lying about 60 miles north-west of Prague,

  • Centre's fate in balance

    THE fate of a threatened community centre could be known within a fortnight. Middleton St George's community centre is on the verge of being shut down because of a serious cash shortage. Darlington Borough Council recently withdrew a £4,500 grant, which

  • New blow as steel firm cuts 70 jobs

    THERE was more bad news for County Durham's economy last night when one of the last major employers in Weardale announced it was making about 70 people redundant. Workers at Weardale Steel in Wolsingham were told not to turn up for work this morning.

  • Emergency Services League

    The Meredith Trophy got under way this week and in the top match the holders Easington lost 5-2 to Frankland who will visit Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade in the next round they having had a first round bye. Match of the day was between Newcastle West and

  • Darlington hail best young guns side ever

    DARLINGTON CC'S finest Junior cricket team ever is celebrating after scooping a hat-trick of trophies over the past five months. The successful Under-11 squad claimed the North Yorkshire Area Cricket Council League title in impressive style by remaining

  • The latest body blow to hit town

    THE announcement of job losses at Black & Decker is the latest in a series of body blows for the tight-knit community of Spennymoor. Falling trade, lack of investment and mass redundancies have become common place in a town that has been left almost

  • Councillor says minister will call in school move plan

    YARM School's plans to sell its existing sites for £25m and relocate to the edge of town may have to go before a lengthy public inquiry. The independent school's headmaster, David Dunn, revealed the plans to the D&S Times two weeks ago. He said the

  • Town centre extension in doubt

    THE future of a multi-million pound extension of Newton Aycliffe town centre has been thrown in doubt. The long delayed £25m expansion has been hit by differences between the owners of the existing centre and the partners who want to press ahead with

  • New chapter begins for mobile libraries

    TWO new vehicles opened up a new era in North Yorkshire County Council's mobile library service this week. With smart new purple livery, the mobiles are state of the art and will carry everything from DVDs, computer games and videos to the county's rural

  • Breaking new ground

    A WORSHIP specialist has been appointed as a cathedral's first salaried woman priest. The Reverend Gilly Myers has taken over as succentor, sacrist and minor canon at Durham Cathedral. Her responsibilities include co-ordinating worship and music, looking

  • Striker helps medical team achieve goal

    INJURED striker Kevin Phillips went to the doctor's yesterday - but this time it was to open a new health centre. The cramped, rundown surgery at Bowburn, near Durham City, has been replaced with a modern medical centre. The Sunderland and England striker

  • £55,000 upgrade of village approved

    A £55,000 IMPROVEMENT scheme for Trimdon Village has been given the go-ahead. Plans for environmental improvements along the Church Road shopping area in the village were approved at a meeting of Sedgefield Borough Council's cabinet. The proposal involves

  • Health chiefs hit back after report slams clinic

    HEALTH chiefs yesterday defended conditions for patients at a Scarborough psychiatric unit, condemned by inspectors. A team from the Mental Health Act Commission called at the 11-bed Oliver House rehabilitation unit at the Cross Lane Hospital in Newby

  • Pool campaign gathers support

    CAMPAIGNERS trying to have a swimming pool built in their home town have received a welcome boost. The Get Redcar A Swimming Pool, or Grasp, group, has received backing from the Amateur Swimming Association. The association's national facilities officer

  • Re-stocked winner

    A FARMER whose stock was culled during the foot-and-mouth epidemic has seen his new lambs come good at his local auction mart. John Alderson, who trades as H W Alderson & Son of Howgill Grange in Baldersdale, told the D&S Times he had lost everything

  • Prices from the auction marts

    BARNARD CASTLE. - Tues. Fwd: 134 cattle. BA bull calf £140 WB Tallentire. Char X hfr & hfr calf £480 M&P Wilson. Lim bulls: G Williamson £540, £498, £488, £475. £450; Dowson & Sartin £450, £445; Watson £410. Char bulls WB Rutter & Sons

  • Minogue set to appear in NE

    Aussie star Dannii Minogue, who once sold out at giant venues all over the world, is set to appear at a tiny pub in Newcastle's East End. Her appearance at The Cluny on Wednesday is a major coup for the pub, with Dannii performing to a crowd of just 250

  • 24 hours from total wipeout

    BLACK & Decker's North-East plant was saved from closure with only 24 hours to spare by a massive Government "sweetener", The Northern Echo can reveal. Bosses at the US company confirmed yesterday that 950 jobs are to go - but an 11th hour deal saved

  • The Unibond League

    Spennymoor have been given a double award by the UniBond league for a successful September. Moors, who kicked off the season late because of their problems with an FA investigation, have lifted the UniBond League Club of the month First Division award

  • Athletics

    Shildon Athletics FOUR senior members took part in the inaugural North East 24 hour track relay for life in aid of Cancer Research held at Monkton Stadium Jarrow. Chris Griffith, Kevin Chester, John Hewitson and helped by Michelle and Paul Williams and

  • Remnants of an industrial age

    MY frequent excursions to the North York Moors often take me through Rosedale, and in recent weeks those journeys have been affected by damage to the carriageway of the famous Chimney Bank. This steep, winding hill, which carries a spectacular moorland

  • South Cleveland Garages Teesside League

    Macmillan Bowl Preliminary Round Bedale FC 7 Dorman FC 1: Bedale earned a first round tie with rivals Richmond Town after an emphatic victory over second division promotion hopefuls Dormans. Paul Orton gave the home side an early lead, Bedale then took

  • Russian Rhythm a beat too quick for Newmarket rivals

    ALREADY pencilled in as the likely winner of next season's 1,000 Guineas, Russian Rhythm (2.50) has the class to maintain her unbeaten record in today's Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket. Russian Rhythm is a colossus of a filly, physically way

  • Ashen faces as the news broke

    Peter Tennick is one of the part-time workers at Black & Decker who now face redundancy. Here, he relives the morning leading up to yesterday's announcement. On arrival at work yesterday morning there was an unnerving buzz about the place. The Northern

  • Joseph's two-tier charity challenge

    A 50-year-old man is embarking on this year's Great North Run and the New York Marathon in memory of his baby son, who died of meningitis. Joseph Thornton, from New Brancepeth, near Durham, is marking the 15th anniversary since the death of his baby son

  • Caricatures spark fresh hilarity

    KING George III had his best wig on beside an exhibition of caricatures. Actor Ray Alexander was looking his regal best to help promote a collection of late 18th Century drawings by satirist James Gillray, entitled At the Court of George III. Royals and

  • Pupils learn how to learn

    SCHOOLCHILDREN gave the conventional curriculum a miss yesterday, to learn how to learn. Experts in study skills ran workshops for pupils in their final year at Kings Manor School, Middlesbrough, Teacher Peter Dawes said: "The aim is to invest in the

  • McStockdale happy to be back in fold

    ROBBIE Stockdale is a relieved man after being called up by Scotland for their vital World Cup qualifier in Iceland next week. The Middlesbrough defender annoyed Scotland boss Berti Vogts when he opted to play for his club side rather than take on the

  • Medical help for refugees

    ASYLUM seekers on Teesside will soon have their own doctor's surgery. Haven Medical Practice has been set up by Middlesbrough Primary Care Trust and will help deal with the complex health problems of refugees new to the North-East. The surgery will concentrate

  • Time team in search for dig volunteers

    EXPERTS are inviting the public to help uncover evidence of Iron Age remains next week. After a series of aerial photographs and a recent geophysical survey, archaeologists have identified a site at the dig at Foxrush Farm, near Domanstown, in the Redcar

  • Wheelchair loan service

    A NEW wheelchair loan service has been set up at the Pioneering Care Centre in Newton Aycliffe. The service offers wheelchair hire for up to six weeks at a time. The service is free, but a £10 refundable deposit is required. The Pioneering Care Centre

  • When the best is not good enough

    Once hailed as the best in the world, workers at yet another North-East factory are now looking for new jobs. Nick Morrison asks: Where have all the foreign investors gone? "YOUR attitude and quality standards are very high. We can all learn from you.

  • Bid to count children in private foster care

    DURHAM County Council is trying to find out how many local children have been privately fostered. Private fostering is legal but is causing problems for social services departments across the country because not all arrangements are notified to them.

  • News in brief: Baby died of meningitis

    A TEN-WEEK-OLD baby from Newton Aycliffe died of meningitis, an inquest at Bishop Auckland Magistrates' Court heard yesterday. Lucy Austin, of Stocks Green Road, died in Bishop Auckland General Hospital on Saturday, August 31. It was initially believed

  • Crisis summit debates decline of the short story

    LEADING literary figures gathered in the region yesterday to discuss the decline of the short story. An emergency summit, called Save our Short Story, was organised as the first step in a campaign to rescue the form from extinction. Among those attending

  • Black Sheep marks decade in business

    BREWERY bosses have been raising a glass to a decade in business in which they have exceeded even their own expectations. Paul Theakston had his sights set no higher than survival in 1992 when he took on the might of Scottish and Newcastle, after it acquired

  • Clarke's school pals tackle roads for research fund

    FORMER schoolmates of brain haemorrhage victim Clarke Lister are running the Great North Run for the appeal founded in his name. Former pupils of Shotton Hall Junior School, Peterlee, will be among 100 Durham Sixth Form Centre students tackling the half-marathon

  • Charity gets a move on

    CHARITY workers who want to set up a sports trust for young people are donning their running shoes. Moving On, a small charity that provides support for homeless young people in Durham, is raising money to set up a sports trust. It will enable young people

  • Hear All Sides: World Affairs

    I NEVER cease to be amazed at the attitude of the media and people generally to the death of one or more individuals. The destruction of the Twin Towers in New York received massive publicity to condemn what was an act of terrorism. However, our media

  • Political focus switches

    THE political focus switches from west to east this weekend. The media's attention has been on Blackpool which has been hosting the Labour Party Conference over the last few days. However, Scarborough takes up the baton from tomorrow when the UK Independence

  • Hockey coach proves a hit on tour

    A FORMER Olympic hockey player who has turned to coaching showed off his skills on a school's new all-weather pitch. Great Britain and England star Callum Giles, who visited Barnard Castle School, was at the centre of a rules controversy before he retired

  • Scheme patient's fast-track operation

    A patient who helped to launch a national scheme to speed up hospital treatment for heart disease has undergone a double bypass operation. Peter Szymik has become one of the first patients with South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust to opt for early treatment

  • Courts' video link to prison

    Equipment is to be introduced in two North Yorkshire magistrates courts to save remand prisoners long journeys for hearings which last a matter of minutes. A video link is to be installed between Hull Prison and the courts at York and Harrogate. Defendants

  • Community clean-up can bank on help

    BANK staff will be swapping office garb for coats and wellies later this month when they set to work on a community clean-up. The old Barclays building in the Swaledale village of Reeth is well on its way to becoming a community office, which will include

  • Police arrest 50 in purge

    MORE people have been arrested as a result of a crackdown on drugs. Langbaurgh Police's Operation Trident began across east Cleveland last month and there has been a total of 50 arrests, resulting in the detection of more than 300 crimes and the recovery

  • Secure cycle park on the way

    THE North-East is to get its first fully-staffed, secure cycle park next month. The £70,000 facility - created by green charity Middlesbrough Environment City (MEC) - will be free of charge and will offer cyclists showers, toilets, changing facilities

  • Pub effort for teenager hurt on rail

    A FUNDRAISING event takes place at the weekend in aid of a teenager who suffered serious injuries when he was struck by a train. Ben Woods, 17, of Hurworth, near Darlington, lost his right arm and left leg in the accident, which occurred on the East Coast

  • Store celebrates

    A STORE is celebrating its 101st birthday and the first anniversary of its £1.7m revamp. Since the revamp of the Marks and Spencer store in Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, 27 new workers have been taken on. The upgrade - the third since 1993 - brings the

  • Nick is inspired to do run on wheels

    A FATHER is putting his long-term battle with Multiple Sclerosis to one side to tackle the Great North Run and raise money for children with special needs. Nick Hoar could lose his sight and be wheelchair-bound should he suffer a serious setback in his

  • MP aids cheese maker's Euro-fight

    A North Yorkshire MP has vowed to help an award winning cheese producer trapped in a "bureaucratic nightmare". Anne McIntosh, MP for the Vale of York, is working with Shepherd's Purse Cheeses in a fight against the ruling that banned the company from

  • Moors railway put on war footing

    THOUSANDS of wartime enthusiasts will gather this month and go back in time to 1943. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is holding its annual wartime weekend, and people come from across the country to be involved in the three days of re-enactments. The

  • How poetry can help ease the pain

    Mental health patients are increasingly being encourged to channel their pent-up emotions into poetry and painting. Health Correspondent Barry Nelson reports. STEVE Urwin started writing poetry out of a sense of isolation. "I have to express myself in

  • Grassroots: Derwentside

    ADVICE SESSION: Lone parents can obtain advice about work and training at Stanley Sure Start, between 1.30pm and 3.30pm on Tuesdays. For more information, call Joanne Clark or Joanne Francis on (01207) 232048. TALK TIME: Canny Crack takes place in Delves

  • Fun day launch to encourage green thinking

    FAMILIES with young children are going green so that their youngsters flourish by living healthier lives. A new Greenstart project is linking environmental agency Groundwork West Durham with Sure Start initiatives in the Wear Valley, Stanley and Chester-le-Street

  • News in brief: 'Please return our computer'

    A FAMILY is appealing to thieves to return a home computer that contains memories of their dead teenage daughter. The family returned to their home in the Byker area of Newcastle, on Sunday, to find they had been burgled and the PC, containing digital

  • Grassroots: Yarm Town Council

    Christmas Invite: People of different religions should be invited to Yarm's Christmas tree ceremony as a goodwill gesture to counterbalance tension surrounding a possible war in Iraq. That was the view of Councillor Eric Turton at the latest meeting of

  • The girl who really knows the score

    LAURA Swainston's friends thinks she's mad. For while the 14-year-old's pals are out shopping for the latest clothes and pop CDs, she spends her Saturdays keeping score at Richmondshire Cricket Club. Laura, from Pallet Hill, Catterick Village, would jump

  • Captain's title race hots up

    Tow Law Bass League The race for the Captain's League title is very tight with Stanley Earl Derby and Newhouse Club sharing the top spot with ten points each. However Esh Stag's Head and Tow Law New Market A are just a point behind, wqith the Market having

  • Artistic talents are placed on display

    ARTISTS from around the county have exhibited their work to Rural Arts. The integrated arts initiative, based in Thirsk, held a training day on Wednesday for artists who want to get together and undertake workshops in rural communities. The organisation

  • News in brief: New faces at university

    York University welcomed two new faces as the new academic year got under way this week. Professor Brian Cantor has taken over as vice-chancellor, joining the campus from the University of Oxford, where he was head of the division of mathematical and

  • Daredevil girl reaps reward for her efforts

    PARTY girl Dianne Rose can look forward to a year of fun after completing a series of dares under the watchful eye of Big Brother's Jonny Regan. Dianne, 22, from Sunderland, won the prize at the Woodpecker Live party held at Newcastle racecourse. More

  • Church service will mark 200 years of lifeboat bravery

    THE 200th anniversary of a Cleveland lifeboat is celebrated at a church service on Sunday. Past and present members and helpers of Redcar lifeboat station and the Zetland Museum will be at St Peter's Church in the town for a thanksgiving service at 2.30

  • GP's baby makes an unexpected arrival

    A doctor and his wife were taken by surprise when their baby was born in the back of an ambulance. Caroline Taylor, 34, thought she had plenty of time to get to hospital when she went into labour - but baby Amelia did not want to wait. Paramedic Paul

  • Traffic concern as firm's expansion approved

    A NORTH Yorkshire firm of animal feed manufacturers has been given the go ahead to build a new warehouse and extend its lorry park. Members of Ripon area planning committee of Harrogate Borough Council approved the scheme at I'Anson Bros Ltd, Thorpe Road

  • A-levels: We don't know full extent of problem - says Blair

    TONY Blair yesterday admitted that the Government still does not know the full extent of the A-level exam marking fiasco. Estimates have suggested that more than 100,000 pupils could have been affected by the problems with the marking of A-level and AS

  • Chinese war effort recalled

    A BROADCASTER will give a talk about the 100,000-strong Chinese labour force that helped the British Army during the First World War. Acclaimed author and broadcaster Julian Putkowski will trace the history of the Chinese Labour Corps, which served on

  • Maize crops are well on the way to harvest

    FARMERS at a maize open day in Wensleydale learned everything they needed to know about growing the crop. Hosts for the event at Thorney Farm, Spennithorne, were Metcalfe Farms and it was organised by KW Alternative Feeds in conjunction with Grainseed

  • Bowman Anderson Accountants Spennymoor Sunday League

    SPENNYMOOR Thorns maintained their impressive start to the season with a nail-biting 4-3 victory over Brandon - their fifth win of the campaign. Thorns, promoted last season and contenders for a top three finish, wobbled slightly against mid-table Brandon

  • Couple win battle of trenches

    WHEN it comes to growing prize-winning leeks keen Weardale gardeners David and Gillian Pattinson believe in keeping it in the family. That is why they picked up the first two prizes in the annual show held at the Village Hall, Westgate, which attracted

  • Halloween fear to help boost hospice

    BRAVE people are invited to survive a scary walk this Halloween to raise money for a local hospice. Students from Bishop Auckland College will dress as ghosts and ghouls to haunt the grounds of Whitworth Hall Country Park, near Spennymoor, on October

  • Helen takes on key role in health care

    A FORMER practice nurse has been appointed director of primary care and performance management with the Durham Dales Primary Care Trust. Helen Suddes will lead the integration and development of primary care and play a key role in improving and maintaining

  • Looking Back

    FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - The charming heather-clad hills of Swaledale have gained a rather unexpected triumph, in the way of sport among the grouse. The season has undoubtedly been one of the best. Record bags of partridge and ground game

  • Police admit Deepcut 'errors'

    POLICE admitted last night that errors were made in investigating the death of a North-East soldier, and three other privates, who died in suspicious circumstances. The head of Surrey CID, Detective Chief Inspector Craig Denholm, who has been drafted

  • Welcome to the Roasted Pepper generation

    THE plight of village pubs has been recorded at length. This week we report that another, at Thirn near Bedale, is to be turned into a private house. But we also record how another traditional village pub has found a new role, as a thoroughly modern tapas-style

  • Firefighters battle scrap yard blaze

    AROUND 40 firefighters spent ten hours tackling a blaze at a Hartlepool scrapyard. It is estimated about 550 tonnes of scrap cars went up in flames at the yard near Hartlepool Lifeboat Station in the town's Ferry Road on Thursday night. The fire could

  • The Albany Northern League Today

    Five Northern League clubs look set to have points deducted for fielding ineligible players. West Auckland, Whitley Bay, Esh Winning and Billingham Town from the First Division, and Alnwick from the Second, were all due in front of the league management

  • Team's task will be to lift gloom

    FOR the hundreds of workers at Black & Decker it will be hard to see a silver lining in the dark cloud which hangs over them today. But a special team made up of key education, local government and business figures is already planning how to lift

  • Durham & District

    This week saw three teams hit double figures,newcomers Stateside beat the visiting Cooperage,league champions Durham Snooker Club beat the visiting Catholic Club and The Woodman beat their hosts McKenna's all 10-3. The shock of the week was when newcomers

  • 'Time to go' says MLC director-general

    THE Director General of the Meat and Livestock Commission announced his resignation on Tuesday. Gwyn Howells said it was time to move on. "The MLC going forward will be a different organisation from the one I was appointed to run, with far less scope

  • Letters: No dispute?

    Sir, - Over recent weeks your readers may have noted a protracted discussion in your letter pages about recycling in Richmondshire. This ding-dong battle between the chairman of the Richmondshire District Council environment committee and myself, culminated

  • Longhorn Darlington and District League

    DSRM SC Reserves 0 Albion 10. Albion were always in charge and Rolly's were so shell-shocked they failed to keep count of the score. Gary Mitchell helped himself to five and Albion's other marksmen were Kevin Baines, Christopher Robinson, Rodney Brown

  • Praise for good places designed to be enjoyed

    THE transformation of Durham City centre from congested streets to a haven for pedestrians is praised in a new book on the most successfully designed places in Britain. The Good Place Guide describes more than 120 areas that people are likely to enjoy

  • Durham Alliance

    Seaham The Duke went out of the League Challenge Cup losing 4-3 at home to Sporting Club Sunderland. They were in the lead in 10 minutes, Anthony Hand beating the keeper with a low drive. Lee Butler levelled the score for Sporting Club. The Duke went

  • Women's FA Cup

    Doncaster R 0 Chester-le-Street 1: An excellent first half drive from Laura Darmody settled this FA Cup tie against Doncaster Rovers, from the Yorkshire & Humberside Premier division. The first half saw constant CLS pressure; Rachael Weightman, Vikki

  • Dales village to get new water plant

    PLANS for a treatment plant to improve drinking water quality for residents of a remote Yorkshire Dales village are debated by the national park authority next week. Yorkshire Water wants to build the plant near its existing treatment works above Pepper

  • Windass bidding to stay down by the Riverside

    DEAN WINDASS wants to stay with Middlesbrough for the rest of his career. The attack-minded midfielder has vowed to overcome his latest injury setback and show manager Steve McClaren he is worthy of a new, long-term deal. Windass re-emerged from the wilderness

  • A day at the races...

    All that this column knows about horse racing could be written (in crayon) in the margin of the two inch cutting which we snipped the other day from one of the Sundays. Leading Middleham trainer Mark Johnston, it said, had claimed that Newcastle racecourse

  • Threatened hostel is viable, says report

    AN independent report has confirmed a Dales youth hostel threatened with closure has a viable future - but only if cash can be found to help cover the costs of a radical overhaul. Aysgarth was among ten properties earmarked for the axe by the Youth Hostel

  • Sheeting cuts tyre use by 90pc

    A NEW way to secure silage sheeting was demonstrated at the open day and is claimed to reduce tyre use by 90pc. Secure Covers can be used to protect all feeds, such as silage, brewers' grains and concentrates/straights, from bird damage and droppings.

  • Charollais sell to 1,800 gns

    THERE was a packed ringside at Leyburn mart where local breeders David and Joan Ford held the dispersal sale of their well-known Harmby Moor flock of Charollais sheep. After 15 years of breeding and show-ring success, the dispersal resulted from their

  • Prices from special autumn livestock sales

    HAWES. - Breeding sheep, opening annual sale of uncrossed Swaledale ewes. Ewes to £81 av £57.74p (up £27.87 on 2000); gimmer shlgs to £91 av £57.68p. Prices. - Ewes: JC Nelson & Son £81, £75, £71, £70, £64; S Bell & Sons £80, £70; WM&JE Shuttleworth

  • Tennis and Squash

    Yarm Tennis Club have come away victorious from the Peugeot Inter-Club Tennis Challenge Area Finals staged at David Lloyd Leisure (Teeside) last Sunday. Players Tracy and Iain Spears, Linda Hicks, and Mike Dixon won through after facing stiff competition

  • Darlington Mount Pleasant Rangers

    The under 12 A Team played against 21st All Stars at home and after some good football lost 2-1. Rangers scorer was star man Grant Hickman. The B Team entertain Thirsk Falcons and lost 3-1. Rangers scorer was Tom Heilbron, with Liam Dixon MOM. The under

  • 'This is the world we live in'

    WHEN The Northern Echo asked the Prime Minister about the jobs blow at a Press conference yesterday, this is what Tony Blair said: Of course, Black & Decker has been there for a long time. It will be a tragedy for the workforce - but it's the world

  • Inquiry into cell deaths opened

    INQUIRIES were under way last night into two deaths in neighbouring prison establishments. The incidents are not connected and police have confirmed that there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the deaths of either inmate. Both were found hanged

  • Time to pull on those trainers

    TENS of the thousands of fun runners and some of the world's elite athletes are limbering up for Sunday's Bupa Great North Run. The 22nd running of the annual half-marathon from Newcastle to South Shields has attracted a record 47,000 field. After the

  • Games: In form Duo maintain form

    CIU League: The semi-finals of the League Knock Out Cup went according to form with Cockton Hill and Crook Belle Vue qualifying for the Final, which will be arranged at a neutral venue on a date to be decided at the next league meeting. Cockton Hill played

  • Harness Racing

    North-East Standardbred Club, Sunday, October 6 Witton Castle Races 12.30pm Race one, 12.30pm The Shetland Pony race. Race 2 12.55pn 1 miles ballot for positions (1-4) Clark Commercials Race: 1 Stacy's Success, 2 Marty's Son, 3 Flyers Comet, 4 Sahara

  • Ripon veteran clocks up 1,200 matches

    A VETERAN Ripon rugby player has completed an incredible 1,200 appearances for his club. Johnny Williamson reached the milestone when he appeared in the second row for the Ripon third team in their 58-0 victory over Heath Old Boys, from Halifax, last

  • Council faces £6,000-a-day -fine' over care home crisis

    A NORTH Yorkshire MP has criticised Government plans to fine social services thousands of pounds amid a crisis that is "of their own creation". North Yorkshire County Council face charges of about £6,000 a day if Government plans to ease the problem of

  • Gold at last for cyclist

    GREAT Britain cyclist Chris Newton achieved his ambition of gaining a gold medal at the track cycling world championships in Copenhagen. Mr Newton, of Bishopsgarth, Stockton, had won bronze and silver medals at many international sporting events, including

  • Chance to hone skills

    Durham's aspiring young cricketers are being given a chance to hone their skills during the long winter months with a series of courses provided by Durham County Cricket Club's players and coaches. Ten cricket skill sessions will be held at Fyndoune School

  • Boarded-up shops provide tell-tale sign of bleak days

    AMONG the row of boarded-up shops in Festival Walk shopping parade is a sign that contradicts its bleak surroundings. Placed above the door of a shop that closed long ago, it reads: "Incentives Available". But there are no incentives here. The shopping

  • Letters: Hunting views

    Sir, - According to Trevor Nicholson (D&S letters, Sept 27), "The people of Britain and the Parliament they elected are against fox hunting and that is enough to have this barbaric sport banned." Mr Nicholson, that is nowhere near enough. If every

  • Fighters scrambled

    TORNADO fighters from the region were put on alert yesterday to intercept a British Airways flight which reported it may have hijackers on board. A passenger on the plane flying from Baltimore to Heathrow overheard two men sitting nearby talking about

  • Job losses a 'tragedy' - PM

    Prime Minister Tony Blair has said the job losses at Black & Decker are a "tragedy" for the workers. Speaking at a press conference at the Labour Party Conference in Blackpool, Tony Blair pledged that the Government would work "very closely" with

  • Letters: Tancred taunt

    Sir, - As the county councillor who moved approval of the planning application for an integrated waste management facility at Scorton, I have read your recent correspondence columns with interest. The letter from the chairman of Rountons Parish Council

  • Company's retail rescue package gets second chance

    A PLANNING scheme aimed at saving jobs in Northallerton was the centre of a council U-turn this week. Members of Hambleton's Council planning committee had rejected an application by Northallerton Wholesale Foods to turn part of its industrial estate

  • South Cleveland Garages Teesside League

    South Cleveland Garages Teesside League DIVISION TWO: Darlington SRM 2 Darlington CB 2 This local derby saw visitors Darlington Cleveland Bridge taking the lead through Duane Beagle after only 14 minutes. Home side Darlington Simpson Rolling Mills keeper

  • Mowden girls go from strength to strength

    DARLINGTON Mowden Park Under-16 girls beat their Driffield rivals 39-5 last Sunday. Captain Abby Blackburn scored and converted the opening try after ten minutes,with Amber Hyde and vice-captain Nicola Jackson adding further first-half tries for a 17-

  • Decision to withdraw cheap school bus fares condemned

    ANGRY parents have condemned Durham County Council for withdrawing reduced bus fares for children travelling to school. Parents of the 43 youngsters in Trimdon Station who are affected by the move said there was plenty of room on buses for their children

  • Petch heads local Trackrod Rally challenge

    A HOST of local crews were in action in the various classes on the Trackrod Rally last weekend. Leading the way with a superb third place overall was Scorton driver Steve Petch and his co-driver John Richardson from Northallerton, who finished the two-day

  • Bedale Golf Club

    September Medal Good weather was the order of the day for the final medal of the season and 145 golfers enjoyed a course in top condition. The best round of the day was played by Kevin Ward who with a gross 70 and a nett 69 was the clear winner with a

  • Agencies cleared over mother and son deaths

    SOCIAL Services chiefs have been cleared of any responsibility for the death of a 38-year-old single parent who jumped 180ft from a viaduct taking her 11-year-old autistic son. An independent inquiry into the tragedy says it could not have been foreseen

  • New arrival boosts airport's hopes of large freight work

    AN AIRCRAFT which has been specially modified to take large freight is now serving North-East businesses from Teesside International Airport. The Conroy Guppy is a one-off conversion which in the past has transported elephant, tigers and even herds of

  • French cheek

    IT IS probably a good thing the French market held in Darlington over last weekend was not being held this weekend. Furious local farmers might have been sorely tempted to make some form of protest over the French Government's shameless attempts to protect

  • Bridge call

    THE Government was under pressure last night to deliver on its promise of ending the scandal of Britain's crumbling railway bridges. On the day that beleaguered Railtrack finally reached the end of the line, experts demanded that Tony Blair did not forget

  • Athletics

    Ferryhill Athletic were on the receiving end of a 15-0 thrashing last weekend - and Birtley Town manager Dave Smith has no qualms at the size of his victory. "Goal difference is as good as a point and I told the lads at half-time to score as many as they

  • Cutting-edge technology wins firm top science award

    A DARLINGTON company that invented a revolutionary new material used by space organisations has won TV's top science award. Peratech, based at Morton Park, won the BBC Tomorrow's World Industry Award for inventing quantum tunnelling composites. As well

  • Halloween fear to help boost hospice

    BRAVE people are invited to survive a scary walk this Halloween to raise money for a local hospice. Students from Bishop Auckland College will dress as ghosts and ghouls to haunt the grounds of Whitworth Hall Country Park, near Spennymoor, on October

  • Dreadful day when the dream of a job for life finally died

    IT WAS the news they had all dreaded and many expected. But the announcement that hundreds of jobs had been axed still left Black & Decker's workforce devastated. After the confirmation of the dire news in the staff canteen, many filed outside, shock

  • Table Tennis

    Sunderland and District Association Although the new season has just started there has been plenty of activity during the Summer Months. Players have been competing not only in England but also within Europe A number of players went to the Veterans World

  • News in brief: Doors open for mental health

    Advocacy in Darlington will be opening its doors next Thursday for World Mental Health Day. The day starts at 10am and representatives of all the agencies who work from Pease House in the Horsemarket in Darlington will be available to talk about their

  • Wheelchair loan service opens

    A NEW wheelchair loan service has been set up at the Pioneering Care Centre in Newton Aycliffe. The service offers wheelchair hire for up to six weeks at a time. The service is free, but a £10 refundable deposit is required. The Pioneering Care Centre

  • Motorists to face major delays for A1 resurfacing

    DRIVERS should brace themselves for severe delays on the A1 in North Yorkshire later this month. A stretch between Holtby Grange and Leeming Bar will be down to one lane in each direction for about four weeks and disruption is inevitable. The work is

  • News in brief: 'Please return our computer'

    A FAMILY is appealing to thieves to return a home computer that contains memories of their dead teenage daughter. The family returned to their home in the Byker area of Newcastle, on Sunday, to find they had been burgled and the PC, containing digital

  • Burton's Bytes: How to archive your favourite movies

    THE PRICE of stand-alone DVD recorders has already started to fall but even the cheapest are still hundreds of pounds more expensive than a trusty VCR. DVD is an eminently sensible way of archiving your favourite movies. It's easy to store, lasts far

  • Sunderland Catholic Club Over 40 League

    In the Villa Real Cup third round holders Billingham Wanderers won 3-1 away to Glaxo who played well but could not score, while Bobby Swift sent the visitors into an interval lead. After the restart Billingham went further ahead through Bob Hatfield and

  • Night fever: could the lights go out?

    SATURDAY night fever could become a distant memory if an illuminated Seventies-style dance floor is removed from a Yarm pub. The multicoloured dance floor at the New Cross Keys could be taken away during a forthcoming refurbishment of the pub's upper

  • Norman's a real sexy guy - all 5ft 3in of him

    A North-East man is head and shoulders above the rest - he has been chosen as a finalist in a search for Britain's sexiest short bloke. Norman Allen, 41, from Shildon, who is 5ft 3in, beat off competition from thousands of men across the country to win

  • Girl missing

    Police are growing concerned for the welfare of a teenager missing from home. Chantelle Reid, 15, left her home in Hexham Avenue, Walker, Newcastle, at about 11.30am on Tuesday. She is 5ft 6in, and was wearing a red Kickers t-shirt, black trousers, and

  • Dead daughter's reminders stolen

    A GRIEVING father last night told of his devastation after burglars stole treasured mementoes of his daughter who died of lung cancer. Images of Suzanne Watson were stored on a computer to eventually show her son Connor - the survivor of twins born weeks

  • Comment: Immorality of global economy

    IT is hard to imagine a community in the United Kingdom which has suffered more economic pain in recent times than Spennymoor. The near-1,000 jobs to disappear at Black & Decker follow the devastation already caused by the closure of the Rothmans

  • Man in hospital after bus accident

    A MAN was rushed to hospital with chest and leg injuries yesterday after falling under a bus. The 43-year-old was trapped under the shuttle bus in Middlesbrough for about 30 minutes, while firefighters hoisted the vehicle into the air. The man was conscious

  • Health centre for refugees to open

    WHAT is believed to be the first doctor's surgery in the North-East dedicated to helping asylum seekers opens this month. The Haven Medical Practice has been set up in an effort to relieve pressure on other family doctors in Middlesbrough - an area which

  • Disused playground is now an award-winning woodland walk

    A WOODLAND walk, designed to inspire children with special needs, has won a top award. Local people and the business community clubbed together to help cover the cost of the sensory trail through the grounds of Springwater School, in Starbeck, Harrogate

  • MP says athletes are being let down

    young athletes in the Vale of York are being failed by the Government, says MP Anne McIntosh. She has challenged the Culture Secretary over the availability of sports training for 16 to 18-year-olds. Miss McIntosh said that after talks with young athletes

  • Developers face heaps of opposition

    RESIDENTS have handed in a petition protesting at plans to build houses on a green area. People at Blackfyne, near Consett, have collected 350 signatures so far against the development on the Blue Heaps, three-acres of grassland formed out of ore heaps

  • Whitehead signs for Quakers

    DARLINGTON last night completed the signing of Carlisle United defender Stuart Whitehead. And Quakers boss Tommy Taylor revealed that the centre-back will be pitched straight into action against Bristol Rovers at Feethams tomorrow. Whitehead has long

  • Record salmon population is thriving in cleaner river

    A NORTH-East river has recorded the highest number of salmon in England and Wales following a vast improvement in its cleanliness. According to figures released by the Environment Agency yesterday, anglers declared catching 2,513 salmon in the River Tyne

  • Athletics

    Two of Teesside's top young athletes have ended the season in fine style. Elaine Smith (Teesside Univ) competing for Sale Harriers in the European championships for junior clubs, was their top performer winning a silver medal in the long jump with a leap

  • Local League Round Up

    Crook League Crook Royal Sun Inn gave themselves a good lift up the table after they only dropped two points to the visiting Crook Queen's Head A, who only singles point came from Doug Smailes and the doubles point when Doug Smailes was joined by Phil

  • Just ask for cash, urges Lottery

    POORER areas of the North-East are being encouraged to apply for money from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Trationally, the region has not received as much funding as other parts of the country. Within the region, some areas get less than their neighbours

  • Son follows father in fundraising race

    A FATHER who has raised thousands of pounds to help terminally ill babies is now hoping to see his son do the same. Stan Barron, 63, from Redcar, has taken part in the Great North Run for many years, raising money for Zoe's Place, a hospice for babies

  • North east Christian Fellowship League

    George Churchill netted five times before half time as Monkwearmouth Christians beat Stakeford Methodist Church 6-2. Simon Burnside got the sixth with Philip Baxter and Daniel Vuong scoring for Stakeford. A goal after the hour from Simon Normandale collected

  • £55,000 upgrade of village approved

    A £55,000 IMPROVEMENT scheme for Trimdon Village has been given the go-ahead. Plans for environmental improvements along the Church Road shopping area in the village was approved at a meeting of Sedgefield Borough Council's cabinet. The proposal involves

  • 'Don't give up battle for asbestos compensation'

    A WIDOW who was paid £180,000 in compensation after asbestos killed her husband has urged other North-East families to fight on. Jill Edwards, of Masham, North Yorkshire, said she hoped the out-of-court settlement agreed on Wednesday would encourage the

  • 'Once in a lifetime experience' for advocate

    A LEGAL executive from Stockton helped celebrate the opening of the legal year at Westminster Abbey on Tuesday. Kath Carrick, who works at Tilly, Bailey and Irvine in the town, was invited to the judges service. Kath, a Fellow of the Institute of Legal

  • Students put detective skills to the test

    STUDENT sleuths have been polishing their detective skills at a specially created "crime house". Lecturers at the University of Teesside have filled a terraced building in Middlesbrough with hidden clues and remnants from simulated crimes, which students

  • 'Lucky' survivor trussed up and left to choke to death

    RESCUE home workers have dubbed a terrier Lucky after she survived being tied up and left to choke to death in a quiet street. A dog warden found the six-month-old bitch close to death. Her legs had been bound tight with rope, and she was tied with a

  • Theatre manager is made redundant

    THE manager of Durham's troubled Gala Theatre has been made redundant by his new employer. Durham City Council took over the £14m theatre in June, shortly after it was officially opened by The Queen, following the failure of the firm it hired to run the

  • Funding aid for charity's land appeal

    A NORTH Yorkshire charity behind a £850,000 appeal to buy land and premises has been chosen to benefit from sales of Mencap Christmas cards this year. Northallerton-based Chopsticks, which provides employment for people with learning disabilities, was

  • Mugged on the doorstep

    A PENSIONER was mugged on the way home from a chip shop in Stockton. The 68-year-old woman was returning to her home in Suffolk Street from the shop in Windsor Road when the thief pounced. He snatched her bag, knocking her to the ground in the process

  • 'Outstanding' stables conversion wins award

    THE £1.5m restoration and conversion of virtually derelict stables into offices on the Zetland estate, near Richmond, has won a major award. It took 2 years to turn the listed buildings on the Aske estate into offices and the work has now topped its category

  • Restoration work under way to correct mistakes of the past

    WORK has begun at a North Yorkshire abbey to put right a failed restoration scheme undertaken in the 1940s. Repairs carried out to the 13th Century south transept at Fountains Abbey, near Ripon, just after the Second World War used cement, mixed with

  • Brewery signs up to do business in the drink

    ONE OF the North-East's oldest breweries is the first to join a new business venture by the charity HMS Trincomalee Trust. The UK's oldest ship, moored at Jackson Dock, Hartlepool, is to be opened for functions, receptions and presentations. Camerons

  • Are breast checks a waste of time?

    Barry Nelson talks to surgeon Roger Brookstein in the wake of research which shows that breast self-examination may not be useful. NEWS that regular breast self-examination doesn't seem to reduce cancer deaths is no surprise to surgeon Roger Brookstein

  • 150 write to bishop over crisis at cathedral

    ABOUT 150 people have written to a bishop following a growing crisis which centres on the dean of Ripon Cathedral, the Very Reverend John Methuen. Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, the Right Reverend John Packer, had invited members of the congregation and wider

  • Fresh doubts in US firm cash fight

    FRESH doubts have been raised as to whether or not £12m of taxpayers' money invested in a collapsed Tyneside electronics firm can be recovered. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has been in negotiations to reclaim the cash from the US-based Viasystems

  • Salvation Army volunteers

    A GROUP of Salvation Army volunteers are taking part in the Great North Run. The runners are all connected to the Tom Raine Court Hostel, in Darlington, run by the Salvation Army. All the money they raise will go to the hostel which provides accommodation

  • Fireplace firm wins award and cash prize

    FIREPLACE manufacturer John Willetts is celebrating after being named retailer of the year by heating firm Baxi. The business, in Cambridge Street, Spennymoor, County Durham was among 50 companies from across the UK invited to the Belfry for Baxi/Valor's

  • Love Everlasting sparks big Ascot haul for Johnston

    THE Ascot Festival of Racing has no strauncher supporter than Mark Johnston and he deservedly came home to Yorkshire with one of the best records there, landing the Group 3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes and passing the £2m prize money mark for this season into

  • Police appeal for witnesses

    Police have made a fresh appeal for witnesses to an assault on Saturday that left a man with head injuries. The 25-year-old was involved in an altercation with two men outside the Ikon nightclub in Newcastle. It carried on over the Central Motorway footbridge

  • News in brief: 'Please return our computer'

    A FAMILY is appealing to thieves to return a home computer that contains memories of their dead teenage daughter. The family returned to their home in the Byker area of Newcastle, on Sunday, to find they had been burgled and the PC, containing digital

  • Grassroots: Chester-le-Street, Birtley and District

    FIELD WALK: A three-and-a-half-mile field walk which skirts Waldridge Fell on the way to Kimblesworth will start from the car park of the Red Lion, Plawsworth, at 11am on Sunday. GOLF DAY: Members of the Wheatsheaf 2000 Golf Society will play at the Westerhope

  • Boddy Printers Sunday League

    Lingdale YCC are doing well this season sitting in fifth position in the league having finished bottom last season. They beat Big W 7-2 after being two down. Aaron Thompson put Big W two up but Lingdale pulled one back before the interval, Morgan Clode

  • Stilt walkers to lead procession

    COLOURFUL characters on stilts will be weaving a magical story high above the crowds, when a theatre company from Portugal opens a follies procession in the North-East at the weekend. Teatro Ka is one of Portugal's premier stilt theatre companies and

  • Museum keeps top spot

    A MUSEUM has been named one of the country's top quality visitor attractions. Killhope, the North of England Lead Mining Museum in Weardale, County Durham, has comfortably retained its English Tourism Council Quality Assured Visitor Attraction status.

  • Parking ban may remain in force

    A TEMPORARY parking ban near a hospital looks likely to become permanent. Last July, temporary "no waiting at any time" restrictions were introduced in the roads surrounding the University Hospital of North Durham, in Framwellgate Moor. The move was prompted

  • Grandad's joy over bingo win

    DAVID Duffy's grandchildren will be in for a special Christmas after he won £250 in The Northern Echo's Bingo Daily Lucky Numbers competition. Mr Duffy, 53, from Ferryhill, County Durham, matched the number on his bingo card with one printed in the newspaper

  • Scrapyard blaze

    Firefighters battled for about two hours to control a blaze which destroyed six vehicles at Riverview Commercials scrapyard, in Darlington, on Wednesday night. A nearby workshop was also damaged. Police suspect arsonists started the fire by piling rubbish

  • Determined Pearl, 80, seeking nomination to stand for labour

    A GRANDMOTHER is hoping to become one of Britain's oldest councillors at the age of 80. Labour die-hard Pearl Hall is planning to fight for a seat in South Bank, Middlesbrough, in next year's district elections. And even though she will be 86 by the time

  • Home closure: human rights will be breached

    THE proposed closure of a Teesdale care home breaches the human rights of its elderly residents, an independent commission has found. The panel, chaired by academic David Fruin and human rights solicitor Bernadette Livesey, was commissioned by Durham

  • New role for man of the motor industry

    A LEADING figure in the motor industry for almost 30 years has been appointed Vice-Lord Lieutenant of County Durham Lord Lieutenant Sir Paul Nicholson appointed Alasdair MacConachie following the retirement of Kit Bartram. Mr Bartram becomes an Honorary

  • Young to vote with their feet

    A DANCE club for under-18s has been launched in East Durham. Now organisers are calling upon young people to use it. Club Idol, which is aimed at 12 to 14-year-olds, and Club Envy, for 15 to 17-year-olds, were created after teenagers in Peterlee said

  • Village fights cash crisis and apathy to keep hall running

    A COUNTY Durham village could have to dig into its pockets to keep its community centre open. Middleton St George has been hit by Darlington Borough Council's decision to withdraw an annual grant from rural halls. It relied on the £4,500 grant so that

  • Youngsters move for chess title

    A RECORD entry of 80 of the best young chess talents in the UK compete later this month for the biggest prize in British chess. Ampleforth Junior Masters - now in its third year - will be held at Ampleforth College, a Catholic independent school in North

  • Darling Youth Teams Round Up

    Darlington 21st Allstars : The U12 Colts were hosts to Barnard Castle and enjoyed a 6-2 win. Allstars scored their first goal two minutes in and romped to- a 5-1 lead at half time. On target were Liam Clarke (3) Adam MacDonald (3), with Michael Lakey

  • Carn Bhac stands supreme at Richmond

    THE six-year-old Highland stallion Carn Bhac of Langley, shown by Jody Fairclough and Stuart Roberts, was overall supreme champion at the North East Dartmoor and Exmoor Enthusiasts summer show at Richmond equestrian centre. The pony had taken the large

  • No regrets as singer launches first major CD

    EIGHTEEN months ago, French exchange teacher Florence Malavialle dropped into a singers' night at Darlington Folk Club. Last week, it was standing room only when she chose the club to launch her CD. In 18 months, Flossie - as she is known when singing

  • Crown prosecutors called in to investigate road death

    CROWN Prosecution Service solicitors are to talk to police about a car crash in which a man died. Last month an inquest heard how father-of-two Paul Richardson died in a collision in Middlesbrough on Christmas Eve 2000. Leandra Watson, the other driver

  • News in brief: 'Please return our computer'

    A FAMILY is appealing to thieves to return a home computer that contains memories of their dead teenage daughter. The family returned to their home in the Byker area of Newcastle, on Sunday, to find they had been burgled and the PC, containing digital

  • Youth work in need of volunteers

    DESPITE already employing 400 part-time youth workers, North Yorkshire County Council's community education service needs more adults to work with the young people. Youth workers provide support and advice to youngsters in their district in a variety

  • Bishop Auckland

    BISHOP AUCKLAND rugby firsts almost caused an upset on Saturday when they lost 14-13 away to leaders Ponteland in the Durham and Northumberland third division. A last minute withdrawal by pack leader Peter Gallone left Bishops with a weakened pack, but

  • Council sets up pioneering hotline

    A CONFIDENTIAL telephone hotline has been launched to help stamp out illicit firework sales. The Middlesbrough Borough Council initiative is in response to growing reports of people selling fireworks from home, so avoiding the strict safety regulations

  • Campaigners refuse to give up on morrland beacon

    ESK valley councillors are considering submitting an altered design for a beacon above Danby. If the North York Moors National Park Authority refuses planning permission again, they may launch an appeal. Danby Group Parish Council discussed planning tactics

  • Historic quay sweeps decks at tourism awards

    A RESTORED naval quay yesterday swept the boards yesterday when it scooped a tourist award. The Hartlepool Historic Quay was presented with the large visitor attraction of the year prize at the Pride of Northumbria Awards in Newcastle. The attraction's

  • Delights of a walk around Askrigg

    ASKRIGG, the centre for this week's walk, is among the most attractive of Wensleydale's many villages. More than 40 years ago, it was the subject of Yorkshire Village, a classic village history written by two residents, Marie Hartley and the late Joan

  • Durham City XV versus Durham Police XV

    Following a last minute cry off by Wearside 11's, a hastily arranged fixture with a scratch Durham Police side, saw a Durham come out on top, with a comfortable 53-7 victory at Hollow Drift. A strong all round performance during the first half saw Durham

  • Owners win battle to convert pub to home

    COUNCILLORS have finally agreed that a North Yorkshire pub can be turned into a home. The landlord of the Boot and Shoe in Thirn has been trying to sell the pub for seven years. A previous decision to reject a plea for the building to become a house was

  • Priest jailed

    An Anglican priest who once served in Tony Blair's constituency was today jailed for 18 months after he groped a 10-year-old boy in his vicarage. The Rev George Glover, known to parishioners as Father Eddie, abused his trusted position and broke Church

  • Power Lifting

    JOHN BATTY has taken his power-lifting on to a new level after breaking the Commonwealth and British records. The 38-year-old Darlington man lifted 265.5kg at the South Yorkshire Championships in Yorkshire last weekend - beating the previous record of

  • Hockey hopefuls

    A FORMER Great Britain and England hockey player has been in Teesdale this week to pass on some of his skills to up and coming youngsters. Callum Giles, who has been coaching in Australia for the last six months, visited Barnard Castle School where he

  • Darlington minis

    It was success at the double for Darlington Rugby Club Minis when their under-11s and under-12s won their age group competitions in a recent tournament hosted by Alnwick RUFC. The under-12s won all of their games without conceding a point, with Calum

  • Darlington kick-off at Harrogate

    Darlington RFC : Darlington Under 13s played their first game of the season away to Harrogate. The shock of turning up in cars, on time, with all players and parents accounted for, was nothing compared to the excitement of playing on Harrogate's 1st team

  • After 36 years, an 11-line letter cancels clinic

    SADBERGE villagers are bewildered by the sudden axing of a chiropody service which has been running smoothly for 36 years. The newly-established GP and nurse-led Sedgefield Primary Care Trust has told them that their village hall does not conform to health

  • YHA faces big bill to keep hostel

    THE bill for keeping Aysgarth Youth Hostel open would top £500,000, a report published yesterday has confirmed. The feasibility study, launched in response to the Youth Hostels Association's proposals to close the mid-Wensleydale hostel, concludes a 50pc

  • Couple sweep board as show proves vitality of hill farms

    CLEANING up the prizes will lead to the cleaning of lots of cups for a couple who swept the board of major trophies at Langdon Beck show on Saturday. As well as the Brian Bainbridge Cup for supreme champion, Andrew and June Harrison, of Ettersgill in

  • Basketball

    Durham League Middlesbrough Mavericks, or to give them their full title, Middlesbrough Steve Whitehead Joinery and Double Glazing Mavericks, just as they did last season, are once again making the early running at the top of Durham League Division One