Archive

  • Aysgarth YHA given another lease of life

    A popular youth hostel - threatened with closure in a swathe of cuts a year ago - has been given another stay of execution. Aysgarth was among ten premises earmarked for the axe when the Youth Hostel Association (YHA) announced it was having to rein in

  • Late reward for Stabler

    AFTER winning five of their 95 league games under the coaching of John Stabler, West Hartlepool waited until his retirement at the end of this season had been made official to spring a surprise result. The 40-year-old fly half deserves the credit he has

  • Families fear for relatives' ashes at club

    FAMILIES who have had the ashes of loved ones scattered at their favourite football ground have raised concerns over its potential redevelopment. They have called for a memorial garden to be built by builders if York City's ground at Bootham Crescent

  • Time fast running out for Wilkinson

    NO stadium to call home, a manager who doesn't face the press after a game, who doesn't write in the matchday programme, and who tells the world he may retire at the end of the season - now that is a club in crisis. Add to that the manager and chairman

  • Collett's derby heroics deny Hartlepool again

    What have Hartlepool United done to Andy Collett in a previous life? On Saturday - and not for the first time - he made them pay for it. Darlington's goalkeeper confirmed his reputation as the best in the division with an inspiring display, which earned

  • Lecture marks Wesley birth anniversary

    A Methodist preacher follows in the footsteps of the movement's founder as he heads to the North-East to deliver a public lecture on Saturday. The Reverend Dr Leslie Griffiths will speak at North Road Methodist Church, Dur-ham, as part of the worldwide

  • Spot on Boyd unruffled by nerves

    COOL-HEADED Adam Boyd revealed a dose of derby nerves affected Mark Tinkler at Feethams, writes Nick Loughlin. Boyd slotted home a 48th minute penalty in front of 2,000 Hartlepool United fans to pull his team level. And Boyd admitted Mark Tinkler opted

  • Safety first for cavalier Magpies

    JUST as "1-0 to the Arsenal'' became a mantra for glory in north London, so "2-1 to Newcastle'' could become an anthem of celebration on Tyneside. Implausible as it may seem, the Magpies' gung-ho days might finally be over, sacrificed in the pursuit of

  • Weekend TV: Making the most of a magical mystery

    Jonathan Creek (BBC1); Clocking Off (BBC1);Faking It USA (C4) A killer wearing a Davy Crockett hat. A woman strangled inside a locked gynamsium. Gunshots fired at a policewoman taking part in a crime reconstruction. And the presenter of a Crimewatch-type

  • UniBond League: Bishops boosted by win

    Bishop Auckland are now six points above the UniBond League relegation zone after a 2-1 home win over Chorley on Saturday. Manager Brian Honour was delighted with the performance, which puts them well clear of Trafford and Eastwood Town. "I thought the

  • Maddison told he is not staying

    Darlington midfielder Neil Maddison has been told he can leave the club in the summer. After playing his part in Saturday's 2-2 draw with rivals Hartlepool, the 33-year-old revealed afterwards that his contract would not be getting renewed, two years

  • Disabled pensioner in blaze tragedy

    A DISABLED pensioner was found dead in her home following a fire yesterday. The 67-year-old, who lived alone, was discovered in her ground-floor flat in Darlington by her care worker shortly after 10am. Police are investigating the cause of the blaze,

  • University dismisses 'quotas' allegation

    A North-East university has been accused of introducing "quotas" to curb the number of privately educated school-leavers on certain courses. Durham was named at the weekend along with Bristol and Edinburgh as universities setting targets to restrict the

  • Spiderman makes a youngster's day as abseilers aid charity

    SPIDERMAN Jonathan Cole completed a personal challenge while inadvertently thrilling one passing youngster at the weekend. The 27-year-old cancer-survivor successfully abseiled from the roof of the National Glass Centre, Sunderland, yesterday. Jonathan

  • Spanish Armada talk

    Men and women of the Spanish Armada will be the subject of a lecture in Darlington next month. The talk will be given after Darlington Historical Society's annual meeting on Wednesday, April 16, at 7.30pm, at Walkington House, Vane Terrace.

  • Council stalwart will not seek re-election

    ONE of Sedgefield Borough Council's most prominent members has decided to retire after 30 years. Councillor Fred Chaplin, deputy leader of the council for the past 16 years, will not be seeking re-election in May. The grandfather-of-two is one of only

  • Children to move into new nursery

    DIRECTORS and parents of a non-profit-making facility for young children saw their dream fulfilled on Saturday with the opening of a new £70,000 nursery building in Barnard Castle. The Green Lane Nursery and Childcare Centre was established in September

  • News in brief: Industrial fire causes damage

    FIREFIGHTERS were called to a blaze in a set of steel buildings at Skelton Industrial Estate on Saturday, at 4.30pm. Crews from Skelton, Saltburn and Redcar turned out to douse the flames but the corrugated metal was severely damaged by the intense heat

  • Safety fear prompts call for car ban outside school

    A WORRIED grandparent is calling for improvements to road safety outside a new £2m school, in Darlington. John Robdrup claims the entrance to Firth Moor Primary School is a potential death trap for children. Parents in cars collecting youngsters from

  • School notches up three trophies

    A SCHOOL with a proud sporting tradition is celebrating a notable achievement. Durham School underlined its strength on the rugby field by winning county titles in three age categories on Saturday. The independent school's under-14, under-15 and under

  • Marathon places

    TEESSIDE Hospice Care Foundation has guaranteed entry places in the Edinburgh Marathon. The race will take place on June 15 and the route will go past some of Edinburgh's best visitor attractions, including Edinburgh Castle, The Royal Mile, Arthur's Seat

  • Residents resist plan

    PLANS to build a luxury sports pavilion in a village are being resisted by residents. The football and cricket sports committee at Scalby, near Scarborough, wants to demolish a pavilion at Carr Lane and build a new complex. It has told local planners

  • Bags of energy in raising funds for musical production

    THE cast of a forthcoming production of Half a Sixpence earned a pretty penny after going bag packing on Saturday to raise funds. Members of Darlington Operatic Youth Theatre, an offshoot of the town's Amatuer Operatic Society, raised £545 at Morrisons

  • Deadline looming for £1.2m centre bid

    DEVELOPERS have just under a fortnight to bid for the contract to build a £1.2m community centre on a Darlington estate. Firthmoor Community Partnership Board has set a deadline of Friday, March 14, for bids. The contract will be awarded three days later

  • Appeal support

    GENEROUS youngsters from east Middlesbrough have helped to raise cash for a Teesside children's hospice. Members of the Thorntree Youth Club organised a series of events which took place over the half term holiday to support the Zoe's Place hospice, in

  • Council stalwart will not seek re-election

    ONE of Sedgefield Borough Council's most prominent members has decided to retire after 30 years. Councillor Fred Chaplin, deputy leader of the council for the past 16 years, will not be seeking re-election in May. The grandfather-of-two is one of only

  • Grant will help to preserve past

    A PROJECT to record and translate Whitby's medieval history has been given funding by a regeneration scheme. Much of the information was collated about 15 years ago by Rosalin Barker, secretary of the Friends of Whitby Abbey, with the help of students

  • School's rugby teams carry off a remarkable treble

    A SCHOOL with a proud sporting tradition is celebrating a notable achievement even by its own high standards. Durham School underlined its strength on the rugby field by landing the county titles in three age categories at the weekend. The independent

  • Barn makeover is a success

    CHILDREN have been brightening up the barn area of an outdoor centre with pictures of woodland creatures. Countryside warden Neil Thirkell said that about 30 people helped to transform the shelter at Saltburn Valley Woodland Centre yesterday. As well

  • News in brief: 86-year-old war hero dies

    Arthur Crossling, head of the long-established Scarborough painting and decorating business A C Crossling, has died at the age of 86. His business also had interests in Sunderland and Middlesbrough. He was a Second World War veteran who was awarded the

  • Children tuck in to healthy food at school

    PUPILS at a Middlesbrough school are being well fed with facts as well as food before classes start. Fifteen youngsters aged seven to 11 were given a lesson in sandwich-making and how to keep a balanced diet when they were visited by Carolyn Liddle, of

  • Auditor orders authority to examine free passes policy

    AN auditor has criticised a council for its policy of issuing free parking permits and bus passes to councillors. However, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has hit back by saying that passes are only issued if it works out cheaper to do so. The auditor

  • Children try action-packed activities

    STOCKTON'S Mayor yesterday launched a holiday activity programme to give children the chance to try something different during school holidays. About 90 youngsters met Councillor Jean O'Donnell at the youth centre in Thornaby and had a go at activities

  • Editor: I was told that Blair spoke out

    THE editor of a North-East newspaper broke his silence yesterday to support claims that the Prime Minister intervened in a campaign to remove him from his job. Harry Blackwood, who has been suspended as editor of the Hartlepool Mail, revealed he is now

  • Theatre will be restored to former glory

    CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating news that Harrogate's Royal Hall theatre will be saved and restored to its former glory. The Government's funding agency Yorkshire Forward is making almost £4m available to Harrogate International Centre, which runs the town's

  • Open day is opportunity for activities

    WOMEN are invited to try their hand at a range of activities during a one-off open day tomorrow. Taster sessions have been lined up in a number of craft, hobby, health and specialist interest courses at Bowburn Community Centre, near Durham. Tomorrow's

  • Egyptian fashion revealed

    FASHION statements made by the ancient Egyptians came under the spotlight of an expert at the weekend. Rachael Dann, a PhD student at Durham University's department of archaeology, delivered an illustrated talk on ancient Egyptian clothing to an audience

  • Four killed in another sad weekend on roads

    FOUR people were killed in another weekend of tragedy on the region's roads. The latest accidents come only a week after a North Yorkshire couple were killed when their car veered into a lorry. Six-months pregnant Suzie Baldwin, 29, and her husband Adrian

  • News in brief: Demolition of halls begins

    TWO former Sunderland University buildings are being demolished to make way for an apartment complex, in The Cloisters, in the Ashbrooke area of the city. Work has begun knocking down Park and Williamson halls, to be replaced with 53 apartments by developer

  • Facing up to threat of war

    Most of them are vehemently against war with Iraq and only half would fight for their country. Students at Sedgefield Community College - in Tony Blair's constituency - tell Lindsay Jennings about their fears and hopes as a possible conflict with Iraq

  • Tyre blaze at depot

    THICK black smoke could be seen for miles bellowing from a County Durham haulage depot yesterday afternoon after hundreds of tyres were set on fire. Police plan to speak to a number of local youths about the blaze at Thomas Brothers, in Murton, east Durham

  • Brazilian star bidding to halt Magpies' charge

    JUNINHO last night begged Steve McClaren to let him off the leash against Newcastle United from the start of Wednesday's derby. The Brazilian came through Saturday's 45-minute run-out in the draw with Everton unscathed after a six-month lay-off with a

  • The trade that is costing a packet

    Thousands of people make the trip to the continent to stock up on cut-price cigarettes. But, while the exodus may be bad news for our corner shops, John Dean visits a Belgian town where shopkeepers are doing a thriving trade, thanks to lower duties on

  • 03/03/03

    WEARDALE: I AM almost 20 years of age and, at present, can see no future for business in Weardale. I have been in and out of work since leaving school and the schemes which the councils and the regional agencies have put forward for the Blue Circle Cement

  • So easy for Darlington as promotion looms

    IT IS all looking a little too easy for Darlington at the moment and the watching Mowden Park players would have been struck by the growing gulf between North One and National Division Three. Mowden's match against Broadstreet was off because the visitors

  • The young voices of hunting

    DRESSED smartly in her black riding jacket, jodhpurs and hat, Stephnie Bell is excited as she sets off on the last day of the hunting season. But it could be the last time that she and her friends at the South Durham Hunt will gather, in the backyard

  • Comment: Time to be less quiet

    THESE should be happy times for the Leader of the Opposition. After six years in office, the honeymoon period for this Government has ended and its popularity is waning. There is growing discontent at the scope of improvements to public services and concern

  • Boro hopes recharged by Juninho's return

    JUNINHO buzzed around the Riverside pitch with the urgency of a man who had a point to prove. He took throw-ins, he gave away a couple of free-kicks with fouls on Thomas Gravesen - who looks like he should be the Brazilian's minder, not victim. He hauled

  • Stitchin' time

    PEOPLE from Durham will help the student group Speak sew a record-breaking dress on Saturday, March 15, at St Nicholas's Church, Durham. Speak is a national network of students and young people which campaigns against injustice, and the dress is being

  • Lilian's art on display

    A LANDSCAPE artist is displaying her work in a month-long exhibition. Lilian Strong, who attends The Shinwell Centre for people with learning disabilities, in Peterlee, is exhibiting a selection of her paintings in the Discovery Centre, at Seaton Holme

  • Downing St visit made by civic leaders

    CIVIC leaders met the Prime Minister at an event to recognise high achievement. Sunderland City Council's chief executive, Colin Sinclair, and leader Bob Symonds joined colleagues from 22 other councils judged as excellent in the Government's Comprehensive

  • London fine for couple who were in Yorkshire

    A COUPLE are locked in a battle over a fine imposed under London's new congestion charge system - despite the fact they have not been to the capital since the tolls were introduced. Brian and Beverley Masterman were stunned when an envelope dropped on

  • Sidings scheme to cut lorry traffic

    A DEAL has been struck which should lead to a substantial reduction in lorry traffic on some of North Yorkshire's busiest routes. The county council has given the go-ahead to allow a local company, Plasmor, to use rail sidings at Great Heck, near Selby

  • Event full of holiday ideas

    FIRE-EATERS, jugglers, unicyclists and stilt walkers provided the entertainment at an event organised by The Northern Echo on Saturday. Hundreds of people flocked to the Home and Abroad 2003 - Get up and Go event, at the Blackwell Grange Hotel, Darlington

  • Hear All Sides: Taxi drivers

    I FEEL the Echo was misinformed (Feb 14) in its article about the shortage of taxi drivers in Darlington. It's purely due to the prehistoric attitudes of the current taxi firm owners that we have such a problem. Most Darlington taxi drivers rent their

  • Spear which killed Captain Cook expected to fetch £2,000

    THE spear which killed legendary explorer Captain James Cook is expected to fetch up to £2,000 when it comes under the hammer later this month. Edinburgh auction house Lyon and Turnbull is selling the weapon, which was handed down through the family of

  • Nightmares in the country - and broken dreams in football

    Last Friday I took part in a seminar on Business Growth in Rural Areas and, as a lifelong townie, I found it particularly fascinating. The event was hosted by Darlington College at their Catterick base and was led by keynote speaker William Hague MP who

  • Circumcision case GP told he can resume career

    A GP found guilty of serious professional misconduct can resume unconditional practice in his North-East surgery after successfully retraining. Dr Michael John Harbinson, a senior partner at Tanfield View Surgery in Stanley, County Durham, was found guilty

  • News in brief: Demolition of halls begins

    TWO former Sunderland University buildings are being demolished to make way for an apartment complex, in The Cloisters, in the Ashbrooke area of the city. Work has begun knocking down Park and Williamson halls, to be replaced with 53 apartments by developer

  • Derby Comment

    MICK TAIT last week claimed his Darlington players were as good as Hartlepool's. They weren't as good on Saturday; for 45 minutes they were better. Pool knew Quakers would be up for this game - desperate to salvage some pride after the September 14 mauling

  • Monologues play cast is announced

    THE cast of a critically-acclaimed show being performed in the region has been announced. Sorcha Cusack, from Casualty, Gwyneth Strong - Cassandra from Only Fools and Horses - and actress Mina Anwar will star in the Vagina Monologues at Newcastle's Theatre

  • Watching Brief

    NEW-BOY Jonathan Woodgate received a hero's welcome when he entered the football hot-bed that is St. James' Park on Saturday, writes Paul Fraser. It's amazing what a little talent and a £9m price-tag will do to immediately win over a player's new supporters

  • Double trouble

    GOOD partnerships have been vital for two of the North-East's high-flying clubs this season. And that fact is reflected in this month's Northern Echo Sport Player of the Year ratings. Hartlepool United's rock-solid central defensive pairing - Chris Westwood

  • Lifebelt thefts

    LIVES are being put at risk on the Yorkshire coast by thieves who are stealing lifebelts. In the latest incident, four were taken from Scarborough's seafront between the Sea Life Centre and the coastguard station. Coastguard Dave Warburton said: "Removing

  • Shining to sparkle

    It's always worth taking notice when a yard hits form and Newcastle trainer Robert Johnson's horses are certainly running well at present. His Shining Tyne, who shaped well after a short break at Gosforth Park last week, can notch his first success by

  • Fireworks opponent hails move

    A WOMAN who has campaigned for more than four years to stop the all-year-round use of fireworks has hailed moves for new laws as a huge step forward. Marjorie Johnson, of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, has received hundreds of letters from across the country

  • Former MI5 agent back to see the Boro

    FORMER MI5 agent David Shayler was back in the North-East at the weekend to visit family and watch his beloved Middlesbrough FC. It was the first time the renegade spy has been to Middlesbrough since his electronic tag was removed. He had to wear the

  • It's neigh joke for horse that can't eat grass

    HAVE you heard the one about the horse that's allergic to grass. The unlikely condition is making life a bit of a nag for an unfortunate filly called Bella. Bella's owner, Lesley Richardson, noticed that the horse was breaking out in unexplained lumps

  • The all-singing, all-dancing Nasty Nick

    Viv Hardwick talks to actor John Altman, best known for his role as Dot Cotton's rotten son in EastEnders. HE might be TV's original Nasty Nick, thanks to EastEnders, but the actor is honest John Altman when it comes to his own profession. And, for a

  • Blair backs Echo campaign for tribute to mine victims

    PRIME Minister Tony Blair has backed The Northern Echo's Stanley Burns Pit Disaster Memorial Appeal. Mr Blair also made a special mention of former collier Bob Drake, of Stanley, County Durham, who tracked down the final resting places of each of the

  • Fears of thugs' revenge

    VIOLENT soccer thugs could hijack England's international against Turkey to take revenge for the death of two murdered Leeds United fans. Police are monitoring some of the UK's most violent gangs feared to be descending on Wearside for the European Championships

  • Nominations sought for pupil awards

    TEENAGERS with a 100 per cent school attendance record are to receive awards. Durham County Council wants to invite final year secondary pupils with a full attendance to a celebration. During the past two years the council has presented awards to year

  • Dyer gives Robson a derby poser

    NEWCASTLE United boss Sir Bobby Robson could pull Kieron Dyer out of Wednesday's derby at Middlesbrough as fears grow over the England midfielder's fitness. Dyer has been hit by a recurrence of the shin trouble that forced him to undergo double surgery

  • News in brief: Appeal follows street robbery

    Police investigating a street robbery in Farm Close, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, on February 20, are appealing for a possible witness to contact them. Following the attack at 1.30pm, in a which a 17-year-old man had £80 stolen, officers believe the

  • Seven arrests at derby clash

    POLICE arrested seven people following a North-East football derby on Saturday. A heavy police presence marked the Third Division match between Darlington and Hartlepool United, at the Quakers' Feethams ground. Three men were arrested for breach of the

  • Sporting stars shine for anti-racism show

    INTERNATIONAL sports stars from North-East teams will tonight open an exhibition of children's artwork carrying an anti-racism message. Three Tyneside rugby and football favourites will also meet some of the artists responsible for the exhibits on show

  • French applaud regimented English pupils

    ENGLISH children are like "quiet little soldiers" compared with their rowdier French counterparts, research has revealed. A survey of trainee French teachers who visited the North-East on an exchange trip showed that 85 per cent felt that English pupils

  • Clinic prepares for relaunch

    A PRIVATE clinic which helps brain and spinal injury patients recover is seeking more NHS referrals. The Hawthorns Rehabilitation Centre, in Peterlee, County Durham, was opened in July 2001 at a cost of £500,000. Despite a severe shortage in specialist

  • Protests over £2.1bn energy rescue plan

    THE Government's proposed £2.1bn rescue package for nuclear generator British Energy could be challenged in the courts. AES, the American owner of the UK's biggest power station, at Drax, near Selby, North Yorkshire, claims the rescue package could threaten

  • Niall opens medical centre extension

    FOOTBALLING hero Niall Quinn helped doctors celebrate an extension to their practice. The former Sunderland and Republic of Ireland player opened St Andrew's Medical Practice, in Spennymoor, on Friday. The surgery provided a buffet meal to mark a double

  • Spanish Armada talk

    Men and women of the Spanish Armada will be the subject of a lecture in Darlington next month. The talk will be given after Darlington Historical Society's annual meeting on Wednesday, April 16, at 7.30pm, at Walkington House, Vane Terrace.

  • Hear All Sides: Taxi drivers

    I FEEL the Echo was misinformed (Feb 14) in its article about the shortage of taxi drivers in Darlington. It's purely due to the prehistoric attitudes of the current taxi firm owners that we have such a problem. Most Darlington taxi drivers rent their

  • Annie and Betty on holiday of a lifetime

    TWO elderly nursing home residents have packed their bags and jetted off to cruise around the Canary Islands. The residents, both wheelchair users, had never flown before and were accompanied by a nurse and two carers - who gave up part of their own holidays

  • Rockery tonic for hospital patients

    YOUNGSTERS helped brighten the lives of hospital patients by creating a sensory garden and rockery. Young volunteers from The Prince's Trust raised almost £400 to fund the project at Weardale Community Hospital, in Stanhope. The team of 16 to 25 year-olds

  • Plea for Lourdes cash

    STUDENTS from a Darlington college are raising money so they can help disabled children during a trip to Lourdes. About 35 sixth-formers from Carmel College hope to attend the week-long visit at Easter, organised by the Handicapped Children's Pilgrimage

  • Helping harvest mice to flourish

    CHILDREN from a Darlington school visited a nature reserve as part of their project to help save an endangered creature. Children, and adult members of their families, from Harrowgate Hill Junior School are building nest boxes for harvest mice. It is

  • Councillors to rethink street cleaning

    INCREASING levels of graffiti, vandalism and fly-posting could lead to an overhaul of street cleaning in York. Councillors are discussing a new approach to the problem, after criticism that it had become worse in recent years. They want to combine street

  • Authority decides one head is better than two

    HEADTEACHER Lynne Wood will be spending her lunchtimes on the road next term - driving between the two schools under her care. She is about to become the first headteacher in North Yorkshire to take charge of two schools. Bilsdale Midcable and Chopgate

  • Court open day planned

    MEMBERS of the public will get the opportunity to see how justice is done at a Teesside Magistrates' Court open day. There will be mock trials, talks with magistrates, a demonstration of video links to prisoners and opportunities for those interested

  • Dumped cars are blight on moors

    DUMPED and abandoned cars are becoming a serious problem for the organisation charged with caring for the North York Moors. Hundreds of vehicles have been left on the moors in recent years, leaving others to pick up the bill for their disposal. The vehicles

  • Television stars take a stroll by the river

    Two stars of the small screen joined the tourists strolling by the River Ouse, in York, at the weekend. Former EastEnder and Footballers' Wives star Gillian Taylforth was out walking with Gary Mavers, better known as Dr Atwood in TV's Peak Practice. The

  • News in brief: Blue Peter Bikeathon plea

    CHILDREN in Darlington are being asked to take part in a sponsored bike ride to raise cash for a cancer charity. The third Blue Peter Bikeathon, in aid of Leukemia Research, will be held at South Park on Sunday, May 4. "We're hoping for a fantastic turnout

  • Pensioner's home hit by arson attack

    A HOUSEBOUND pensioner from Thornaby was terrified when arsonists pushed a burning package through her door. And in a separate incident, burning rubbish was pushed through the door of a hairdressers in Outram Street, Middlesbrough. The fire brigade was

  • Brigade is backing kitchen campaign

    CLEVELAND Fire Brigade is taking part in a national campaign aimed at promoting the importance of safety in the kitchen. It is part of a two-year programme aimed at increasing public awareness of major fire risks and encourages practical action to reduce

  • Teachers to be locked up in school for three days for charity

    NINE teachers are to be locked in a Teesside school for three nights in a fundraising event inspired by recent reality television shows. Parents and pupils at Yarm Preparatory School will be able to vote each morning to evict three of the captives, who

  • Karen takes title at regional finals

    MIDDLESBROUGH girl Karen Kelly has won a place in the National Boccia Championships after winning gold in the regional finals. Karen, who has cerebral palsy, beat off competition from 40 of the North-East's finest players for the place in the fast-growing

  • Skate park group hopeful of attracting £250,000 funding

    A PARTNERSHIP behind plans to create three skate parks is hopeful of attracting almost £250,000 to fulfil its aim. But it has been criticised for choosing an existing play park as one of the sites. The Durham Skate Park Partnership, made up of police,

  • Bunny that's unlucky in love

    DOING what rabbits do best almost cost Pepsi, a lop-eared albino, her life. Feeling a little amorous, she made her advances on the buck with whom she shared a hutch after being fostered out from North Yorkshire's famous Bunny Burrows refuge. However,

  • Boys arrested after fire

    Two boys have been arrested following a blaze at a haulage depot. The youngsters, aged 11 and 13, were interviewed by police in relation to a fire at Thomas Brothers, in Murton, east Durham, on Sunday afternoon. Fire officers arrived to find hundreds

  • News in brief: Industrial fire causes damage

    FIREFIGHTERS were called to a blaze in a set of steel buildings at Skelton Industrial Estate on Saturday, at 4.30pm. Crews from Skelton, Saltburn and Redcar turned out to douse the flames but the corrugated metal was severely damaged by the intense heat

  • Family moves to South Africa to save child

    The parents of a dying girl have sold their home and moved to South Africa after claiming a North-East hospital cannot give their baby the care she needs. Lisa and Fintan O'Rourke flew to Pretoria at the weekend after selling their £200,000 Hartlepool

  • Writer to follow in the wake of North Navy hero

    A WRITER plans to travel thousands of miles on the trail of one of the North-East's great military heroes. Newcastle-born Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood was second in command to Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, one of the most celebrated

  • Wearside League: On-song RA home in on leaders Ryhope

    Darlington RA won for the 11th time in 12 outings to move within two points of leaders Boldon CA. After scoring six times in their previous game, Ryhope CW were expected to provide stiff opposition when they visited Brinkburn Road. It took the home side

  • United front over low pay

    CHURCH leaders joined forces to show a united front in a campaign to relieve poverty among the low- paid elements of society. Representatives of seven churches and Christian denominations met at Brunswick Chapel, Newcastle, to discuss low pay. They signed

  • Attack victim fights for life

    A FATHER was fighting for his life last night after being beaten up by a gang. Joiner Mark Toner, 28, was attacked in Wallsend, North Tyneside, as he returned home after a night out. He suffered serious head injuries and was last night being treated in

  • Undercover operations to catch poachers launched

    A GROUP of farmers have mounted their first nighttime undercover operation to crack down on rural crime. The operation, run in conjunction with Darlington police, took place in the early hours of the morning on Friday and involved a team of the town's

  • 2am bus service for city drinkers

    DURHAM revellers are being asked where they want planned late-night bus services to run to. The region's largest bus operator, Go North-East, could run buses as late as 2.15am to cater for drinkers in the city on Friday and Saturday nights. The services

  • Wetlands scheme to improve habitat

    WETLAND birds living in the shadow of an island are reaping the benefits of a Government-endorsed partnership. St Mary's Local Nature Reserve, in North Tyneside, provides a wetland home for several important species. The land bordering it is managed by

  • News in brief: Demolition of halls begins

    TWO former Sunderland University buildings are being demolished to make way for an apartment complex, in The Cloisters, in the Ashbrooke area of the city. Work has begun knocking down Park and Williamson halls, to be replaced with 53 apartments by developer

  • Competitors prepare for pancake race

    SCHOOLS, businesses, shops and cathedral clergy will compete in Ripon's annual pancake race tomorrow. The Pancake Bell will chime at 11am to start the dash from outside the cathedral's West Door, up Kirkgate to the Market Place. The Dean, the Very Reverend

  • McCann blow for Cats

    SUNDERLAND go into a crucial relegation double header against Bolton and West Ham without the services of influential midfielder Gavin McCann. The England international picked up his tenth booking of the season on Saturday after a crunching challenge

  • News in brief: Library boost for researchers

    Sedgefield Family History Group visited Sedgefield Library for its February meeting to see the facilities available to help members in their research, including the availability of Internet access. The next meeting is on Monday, March 17, at Ceddesfeld

  • Referendum over home rule for N-E 'favoured by most'

    AN overwhelming majority of people are in favour of holding a referendum on home rule as support grows for a directly elected regional assembly in the North-East, according to a survey. The results of the Government's "soundings" exercise on whether or

  • Tourism expert backs his roots

    A LEADING tourism expert is to carry the North-East bid for European Capital of Culture status to foreign shores on behalf of his home city. Former British Tourism Authority chief executive Jeff Hamblin will help to develop an international strategy to

  • My life as a stay-at-home dad

    Fed up of telling people my children were the most important things in my life while failing to see enough of them, I turned our family's world upside down. Literally. For ten years or more we'd talked of going to New Zealand, to see a long-lost branch