A building society has raised more than £1m for charities and groups around the country. Yorkshire Building Society raised the cash thanks to the efforts of staff and donations from customers. Already 1,400 organisations and good causes have benefited
TWO men appeared in court yesterday after a house raid in which police recovered drugs said to have a street value of more than £250,000. Robert Henson, 54, and 35-year-old Dean Ferguson are accused of conspiracy to supply class A drugs. The home of Mr
PUPILS at Eastbourne Comprehensive School, in Darlington, were paid a visit by the town's MP, Alan Milburn, yesterday. He spoke to pupils on the school council about the improvements which have been made at Eastbourne since it was declared a special measures
THE results of research to find villagers' views on providing a shelter for youngsters in Evenwood will be presented to the community next week. A group of young people from the village has carried out research to gauge the views of local residents on
PUPILS and teachers at a Darlington school have been rewarded for their environmentally friendly ways. Abbey Infant School has achieved the Green Flag Award - the top honour in the Europe-wide Eco Schools programme run by Encams, formerly known as the
NEWCASTLE United striker Craig Bellamy has admitted his guilt over the Middlesbrough derby bust-up with referee Andy D'Urso. But the Welsh international, charged with using "abusive and insulting words to a match official'' and facing a possible two-game
WORK has started to turn the site of a former nursing home into the first unit of its kind for young mothers in the North-East. Demolition work has begun at Gladstone House, in Gladstone Street, Darlington. The nursing home will be replaced by a housing
A EUROPEAN caf brought a flavour of continental living to primary school pupils in Crook this week. Visitors from schools in Hungary, Norway, Finland and Germany joined in lessons during a European week designed to give the children a taste of life outside
WAITING times to see family doctors and practice nurses have been halved as part of an innovative approach by GPs' surgeries in Darlington. Four of the town's 11 surgeries have been involved in the Advanced Access initiative, with five more expected to
WAITING times to see family doctors and practice nurses have been halved as part of an innovative approach by GPs' surgeries in Darlington. Four of the town's 11 surgeries have been involved in the Advanced Access initiative, with five more expected to
MUCH has been spoken of the Prime Minister's so-called 'council of peace' with the US President. It is understandable that the gathering in Camp David attracted most attention. But we must not dilute the significance of Tony Blair's subsequent meeting
FIREFIGHTERS freed a suspected burglar from a ventilation shaft of a pub yesterday after he spent the night stuck inside. The alarm was raised by a drayman who heard the man's cries for help as he made a delivery at the Twin Farms, Kenton Bank Foot, Newcastle
INGLEBY Barwick is to have extra councillors, under recommendations just published by an Electoral Commission Boundary Committee. It has re-drawn electoral wards across the whole Stockton borough to reflect population shifts, new community identities
THREE teenagers are putting body and soul into a charity golfing tournament. The hope shared by youngsters Shaun Townsend, Robert Dowson and Dale Smith is that people on Teesside will show a little heart - and sponsor them. The schoolboys - Freeborough's
GIFTED and talented youngsters from across the borough of Stockton will be attending masterclasses next week. Barry Teare, a former president of the National Association for Able Children in Education, is visiting the borough to work with able pupils
A WOMAN who has set up a business as a pet nanny has found her sideline in pet portraits has taken off. Pelton pet nanny Caroline Howlett, offers her service to people with pets such as horses, dogs and birds in the Chester-le-Street area. She looks after
MORE than a year after a former miner went missing, police have pledged they will never give up the search for him. On March 25, last year, 53-year-old Edward Donnelly, from Fynway, Sacriston, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, went missing from the
Residents in Thornaby are being reminded to attend a meeting next week. The aim of the meeting is to give residents in the town a chance to have their say on whether they would like the Village Park Residents' Association to continue. The meeting will
A SHORTAGE of childminders in County Durham has prompted an appeal to people to think about taking up the career. The Childcare Information Service (CIS) is urging people to think about pursuing a career as a carer and to take advantage of the grants
TWO teenagers have rallied to help a local youngster by completing a cross-country run. Easington Community School pupils Michael Cook and Shaun Goundry, both 15, were among 65 people who took part in the five-mile run at Hawthorn. It was organised by
FOUR pensioners have been reunited 30 years after they last worked together. Joseph Scott, 80, from Great Lumley, Etta Burrige, 77, and Connie Newton, 87, both from Perkinsville, and Elsie Douglas, 81, of Chester-le-Street, worked for what is now Go NorthEast
MEN over the age of 60 are being reminded to collect their free bus passes in Hartlepool. From Monday, men will be eligible for concessionary travel passes at the same age as women under legislation introduced by the Department of Transport. Local men
FORMER boxing favourite Frank Bruno will turn DJ next week when he takes to the decks at the North-East's floating nightclub. The ex-world heavyweight champion will show his new-found disc-jockeying skills at the Tuxedo Princess, berthed at Gateshead
A TOURING theatre company, a museum and an author have been working together to give children an understanding of life in the Dales during the Second World War. John Browning was an evacuee from Sunderland, who was sent to Redmire, North Yorkshire, 60
A JOB-STARVED dale was last night celebrating the rescue of a steelworks which has dominated its industrial base for more than 140 years. A new company is expected to take over the troubled Weardale Steel works at Wolsingham, County Durham, next Tuesday
PUPILS from Newlands Catholic School in Middlesbrough are staging their version of the musical Fame next week. Inspired by the Oscar-winning movie and the television series, Fame follows the lives of students attending New York's High School for the Performing
Relegation scraps aren't meant to be pretty and caretaker boss Mick Tait has pre-warned fans that the coming weeks are all about points and not performance. Last week's battling win at Scunthorpe may have offered little in terms of entertainment but it
COMMUNITY safety officers in Hambleton are urging more people to join the district's specialist schemes designed to track down burglars in remote rural areas. Hambleton's Farm Watch and Mobile Watch schemes encourage farmers and residents in rural areas
TOWNS and villages across the Hambleton district are to benefit from a £90,000 investment in lighting this year. Councillors have approved a series of 14 schemes in nine villages and towns as part of a two-year improvement programme. Easingwold will get
MORE security cameras are to be installed in Derwentside. The district council's development control committee has given the go-ahead for nine closed-circuit television cameras in Consett, Leadgate and Stanley. They will be placed in areas identified
ANTI-social behaviour orders could be served on children who went on a wrecking spree in a park. The alcohol-fuelled youngsters, many of them in their early teens, jumped on flower beds, destroying plants, and broke branches off an ornamental tree last
RENEWED efforts are being made to improve access to a Richmond trading estate. Residents of a narrow, steep, residential road are again pressing local authorities to upgrade the access to the Gallowfields estate. A planning application for a warehouse
A DISTRICT-WIDE crackdown on car parking abuse has seen an increased number of offenders in court over the past six months. The 38 offenders had all failed to pay parking fines given by Hambleton District Council. From next week, the fines will be more
A VILLAGE cricket team had plenty of reasons to celebrate when they held their annual presentation night at Northallerton Rugby Club last Friday. Players and supporters of Langbaurgh League club Kirby Sigston gathered to toast last season's historic achievements
AN AMBITIOUS and imaginative new feature at this year's Royal Show will be the biggest single outdoor exhibition ever staged by the Royal Agricultural Society of England. The Grain Chain (an artist's illustration is pictured left) will cover four blocks
Sir, - Full marks to Coun George Carter for his eloquent pleas (D&S, Mar 14) for the retention of the Manor House for the people of Stokesley. Of course, North Yorkshire County Council has aimed to dispose of it for many years and it is a pity that
A former private hospital looks likely to be demolished to make way for a homes complex. Under the scheme, the old Belvedere Hospital in Scarborough will be replaced by 22 homes and flats. Councillors are being recommended to approve the scheme, which
EIGHTEEN years ago a fresh-faced Tyneside youngster set out from St James' Park on a promising footballing career. Now, with his playing days all but over, Paul Stephenson is embarking on his second football career. Once the darling of the Leazes End,
RESIDENTS have seen red over plans for a green community on their doorsteps. An urban village of 120 eco-friendly homes in Tony Blair's Sedgefield constituency is being hailed by developers as a model for 21st Century living. But people living on upmarket
TWO men appeared in court yesterday after a house raid in which police recovered drugs said to have a street value of more than £250,000. Robert Henson, 54, and 35-year-old Dean Ferguson are accused of conspiracy to supply class A drugs. The home of Mr
A WIDE-RANGING line-up of seminars has been announced for North Sheep 2003, to be held in June. The event, staged by the Northern Region of the National Sheep Association, takes place at Walburn Hall Farm, Downholme, near Richmond, on Wednesday, June
A special relationship was the centrepiece of a service to mark the 240th anniversary of one of John Wesley's favourite churches NOT just because everyone agreed he was gorgeous but because his parents are also his grandparents, Sunday morning service
A TECHNOLOGY company is to more than double its workforce in the North-East. Techtonik, which develops IT solutions and software for global businesses, is to increase its workforce from 15 to 50 in Sunderland. The expansion programme will involve the
BOSSES at a North-East power tool plant have confirmed its closure, saying it has been hit by heavy financial losses. The Northern Echo reported yesterday how staff at Roto-Zip, in Spennymoor, County Durham, had been sent letters informing them that the
THE unveiling of information panels marked the completion of restoration work in Richmond's Friary Gardens. The £96,000 two-year project saw extensive repairs to the fifteenth century tower and installation of pathways to link the Friary Hospital and
Sir, - You report the securing of planning permission for a new "beacon" on Beacon Hill on the boundary of Danby and Glaisdale parishes (D&S, Mar 21). I was one of the people who responded to the question in the Danby Parish Plan questionnaire (Glaisdale
A British soldier was killed and two others badly injured in a possible "friendly fire" incident near Basra, it emerged last night. The British soldiers were thought to have been hit when an American A-10 tankbuster aircraft fired depleted uranium shells
HOLIDAYMAKERS have been returning to the countryside in droves since the end of the foot-and-mouth crisis, figures reveal. During the past year, visitor numbers at youth hostels across the Yorkshire region have recovered well. Preliminary results show
A SEASIDE town's oldest family business and shop is to change hands. AA Sotheran's printers, stationers and book shop has been known to generations of Redcar shoppers, going back to 1890. But, after 43 years as a printer and third generation owner, charity
Q You say the current pension rate is £98.15. How come I only get £84.76 on my pension? A The basic state retirement pension is £75.50 a week. This should not be confused with Minimum Income Guarantee, a benefit that tops up a pensioner's income to a
Spennymoor could be without their first choice keeper when they take on Matlock at the Brewery Field this afternoon. Recent signing Martin Kearney is struggling with flu and is only rated 50-50, so manager Jamie Pollock will probably bring in Gareth McNary
A WOMAN has told how her father forced her to have sex with him after taking her out shopping as a 16th birthday treat. Lynn Henry - who waived her right to anonymity so her father could be publicly shamed - said it was 'brilliant' to watch him jailed
THE NEW Dean of Durham spoke of the sombre moment in our history as he was installed in the post last Thursday. Delivering his sermon after being instituted, installed and welcomed to the diocese before a packed congregation at Durham Cathedral, the Very
HE'S the latest - and smallest - addition to one of the North's biggest owl sanctuaries. The Turkmanian Eagle Owl, born earlier this month, is one of more than 100 birds at the Kirkleatham Owl Conservation Centre at Kirkleatham, near Redcar. And the chick
DURHAM County Council is pressing ahead with the closure of a Barnard Castle home for the elderly - despite admitting that it will interfere with residents' human rights. Rage - the Relatives' Action Group for the Elderly - challenged the council's decision
DARLINGTON Mowden Park's under-16 girls' rugby team became North-East champions when they won the regional super 12s tournament at Tynedale last Sunday. They notched up a total of 80 points without conceding a single point in their four matches, starting
A CHURCH in the Picton, Kirklevington and Worsall parish is being supported with scaffolding, as tests continue to investigate subsidence below an interior archway. About £9,000 has been allocated for repairs for St Hilary's Church at Picton, but some
TWO teenagers appeared in court yesterday charged with burning down a village school. The 14-year-olds, who cannot be named, were accompanied by their parents when they appeared before South Durham Youth Court, in Darlington, to face an arson charge.
THE final touches are being put to plans to transform the centre of Chester-le-Street with £12m of investment. The project is among the biggest ever to be undertaken the town. It will involve creating a new civic heart, a heritage trail, a community woodland
FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - In the mortality returns of the great towns for last week Stockton's death rate was the lowest, only 11 per thousand. This speaks well for the sanitary state of the town, and one that it hoped will continue. As likely
A RETIRED farmer was eyeing up the biggest piece of furniture at a Hutchinson-Scott auction of antiques at the town hall in Northallerton. He had popped over on a Sunday afternoon on a mission to furnish his new farmhouse. We agreed that the dresser,
Ladies dust off your best hats and get out your posh frocks, because Royal Ascot, the racing world's most glamorous meeting, may be moving to the North. Mark Foster reports . . . IT has been known locally, for years immemorial, as the Ascot of the North
IT should have been the TV event of the year for me, a quiz on the box in the corner which measured your love life. But Test The Nation - The National Relationship Test (BBC1, Saturday), the show which lasted longer than some marriages, turned out to
A TEENAGER who deliberately set fire to his flat during the firefighters' strike was given a 30-month prison sentence at Teesside Crown Court yesterday. Tom Deane, 18, who recently lived in Grangefield, Chesterfield, admitted one charge of arson. Tom
MAJOR funding has been pumped into the key area of science and innovation in an effort to transform the North-East into a centre of excellence, industry leaders were told yesterday. One NorthEast, the regional development agency, has allocated £200m over
ECONOMIC experts are to be called in to make a case for Teesside steel. Plans to compile a business plan were made by worried Redcar and Cleveland Borough councillors this week following a statement from debt-laden Corus steelmakers. Fears have grown
RONNIE FROM DONNY represents a very solid each-way bet in this afternoon's big sprint, the £50,000 Showcase Handicap at Ascot, writes Colin Woods. Trainer Brian Ellison gave his speedster a pipe-opener at Newcastle on Monday when, despite looking short
LAST weekend would have been a very good time for getting loads of gardening done. The weather was absolutely perfect. Gloriously bright sunshine, but with just enough chill in the air to prevent it getting uncomfortable whilst undertaking hard physical
A VILLAGE punch-up ended in court yesterday when a pub landlord admitted assault on a man he regarded as a "blasted nuisance". Police had to be called to the Punch Bowl Inn, at Marton-cum-Grafton, near Boroughbridge, after Ian Gill, licensee of the Crown
THE Willingham's Recovery North Humberside Forest Rally tomorrow boasts a capacity entry as 180 crews contest the third round of the BTRDA championship over some of Yorkshire's classic stages. Former multiple winner Warren Philliskirk was scheduled to
THE Labour Party in East Cleveland has played what it believes to be one of its strongest cards in the run up to elections. David Walsh, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said latest tables showed the authority had improved from having the
SHE was by all accounts a remarkable young woman who, competing in an overwhelmingly male world, put Bedale on the speedway map 70 years ago. The hair-raising career of dirt and grass track motorcyclist Eva Askquith, who died in 1985 just a day short
CAMPAIGNERS look set to win the day over the controversial siting of Northallerton's farmers' market. A review now says the stalls could go after all to the north of the town hall - something protesters have been calling for since the markets started
TWO poachers resorted to barbaric means to illegally snare spawning salmon. John Richard Spaven and Darren Smitheringale, both of Thames Road, Skelton, admitted using a spear to catch fish after Environment Agency officers discovered the weapon in their
THE well-known pink and gold silks of Yorkshire owner-breeder Guy Reed were carried to victory in the Lincoln last Saturday, the first time he had landed this valuable race in a career which has seen him take most of the big handicaps. Pablo, out of a
academic and consultant Dr Allan Britton has been appointed chairman of the North-East chapter of the Eco-Ethics International Union (EEIU). Operating in 54 countries, the EEIU develops, distributes and campaigns for more self-restraint and critical self-reassessment
A MAN jailed yesterday for downloading child pornography began his obsession with his computer at school aged 13. Christopher Powton, 21, from Billingham told police he started by downloading images of naked teenagers off the Internet when he was 13 or
GRANT Tuer maintained his dominance of the Hurworth Hunt race with his seventh win in eight years as the Hurworth point to point took place in front of a capacity crowd at Hutton Rudby last Saturday. Tessa Gray on her mother's Miorbhail made virtually
THREE men accused of petrol bombing a Redcar pizza shop owned by an Iraqi man just hours after the Gulf War started will appear at Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday. Gordon Robb, 34, a father-of-four of Westfield Way, Dormanstown, Shaun Camfield, 36, of
VILLAGERS have put up a wall of silence over the alleged assault that has left a 59-year-old man fighting for his life. Barrie Lee suffered serious head injuries in an incident that happened late on Tuesday night, yards from his home in Ivy Terrace, Langley
VOLUNTEERS, parish councils and landowners could all become partners with North Yorkshire County Council in monitoring and maintaining the network of roadside verges, the authority has been told. The council is to undertake a wide-ranging review of its
WAR changes everything - and so it was at Helles Barracks yesterday when 300 people stood up and applauded as more than 100 new infantrymen marched on the parade ground in full dress uniform. Normally, passing-out ceremonies are things of military precision
MAJOR repair and strengthening work to a footpath by the River Leven at Hutton Rudby is going well, parish councillors say. The popular right of way behind Levenside has been closed for months, after sections collapsed into the water. The path is well-used
WAR AGAINST IRAQ: THE people of Iraq were promised by a top British general that "our armies do not come into your cities as conquerors or enemies, but as liberators" - not in 2003 but in 1917. Just years later Britain was using chemical weapons against
A TOP-LEVEL Middlesbrough delegation are due to fly to Spain next week for talks with Real Madrid in an attempt to seal a £5m-plus deal for Geremi. The Cameroon midfielder has been a major success while on loan with Boro this season and manager Steve
Sir, - Last Christmas Mr Simpson, chief executive of Hambleton District Council, wrote to you (D&S, Dec 20) saying he found my constant references to officers of the council to be most inappropriate because I had not provided details of my allegations
SECURITY cameras installed in two villages near Catterick Garrison are playing their part in the fight against vandalism. Parish councillors from Hipswell and Scotton say the seven cameras, which are monitored from the garrison police headquarters, seem
STEELWORKERS threatened with unemployment have beaten performance records in a bid to prove their worth. Union bosses at Teesside's endangered Corus plant have revealed that last week was the plant's most productive ever. The Redcar plant last week turned
A MULE will help to recreate the country life of yesteryear at County Durham's biggest local history fair. Frances, who is more than 20 years old, will make her debut with the re-enactment group Rent a Peasant at Durham County Council's Yesterday Belongs
THIEVES who stole a pressurised gas tank could be putting themselves in grave danger, police warned yesterday. They broke in and removed the 48-gallon liquid petroleum gas tank from the rear of a white Citroen Berlingo van, between 7.30pm on Thursday
ROB Andrew and Rory Underwood are among the many well-wishers who have sent good luck messages to the Barnard Castle boys as they prepare to grace Twickenham today. Neither of the illustrious old boys can be at the Daily Mail Under 18 Schools final against
TWO people were trapped when two vehicles crashed on the A167 at about 6pm yesterday, between the Cock o' the North pub, on the outskirts of Durham, and the former Bridge Hotel, near Croxdale. Two fire crews from Durham were called to the scene, along
A DEVELOPED Hawes Auction Mart site should be a centre of national excellence, putting Wensleydale on the map, a public meeting heard. Paul Askew, the project director working for consultants finalising a feasibility study for the future use of the mart
A ROW over a Northallerton school's rules on clothes deepened this week. In the wake of a mother's anger over her daughter being told she could not wear a denim jacket to school, parents of a younger child are going even further. Nick and Debbie Leete
A NEW radio station is offering budding presenters the chance to take to the airwaves. Pool fm, which will be based in Hartlepool, has already offered media placements to college students allowing them to work alongside existing staff, and is now offering
THE deputy governor of a North-East Women's prison has insisted it is one of the best in the country, despite being labelled overcrowded. Low Newton Prison and Young Offenders' Institution, on the outskirts of Durham City was named as one of the eight
A FACTORY worker was crushed when an overhead crane operated by an untrained colleague knocked a heavy steel frame on top of him, an inquest heard yesterday. Bosses at Northern Engineering and Fabrications, on Darlington's Cleveland Industrial Estate,
COUNTRYSIDE burglars have been put on the run by rural volunteers. Since mobile patrols were launched around North Yorkshire communities last year, break-ins have taken a tumble. And the success of the Countrywatch scheme around Danby Wiske has sparked
Accounting support, holistic therapies, tailor-made suits and Santa home visits are some of the services potentially on offer in three months thanks to Enterprise Island. The people behind these potential businesses were unveiled as they met for the first
A SENIOR North-East Labour stalwart and former mayor has quit the party in disgust, claiming she is fed up with back-stabbing. Councillor Pat Walker has resigned as Labour Group secretary in Middlesbrough and left the party. She blamed Labour members
A TALENTED young rugby player will celebrate the proudest moment of his life today when he leads his school team out on to the hallowed turf of Twickenham on his 18th birthday. Lee Dickson will have the honour of captaining Barnard Castle School in the
REDCAR students have been exploring methods of catching criminals in the University of Teesside's £40,000 Crime House. Ten Year 10 pupils from Sacred Heart RC School searched for clues to staged crimes and collected fingerprints, footprints and other
WE were returning to our village late one night after a baby-sitting session and were delighted to see a badger ambling down the centre of the road directly ahead. It seemed unperturbed by our presence and continued its rather slow progress for some yards
GREAT Britain international Michael Openshaw makes his first North-East road race appearance of the year on home ground at Chester-le-Street tomorrow, writes Frank Johnson. Although the 30-year-old former national cross-country champion runs for powerful
A FINAL warning system for young offenders in Darlington is proving an effective deterrent against crime. More than 90 per cent of youngsters who admit offences to police and are given a warning instead of a court appearance do not re-offend. John Hindmarch
AN innovative residential centre costing £2m, will offer North Yorkshire children an escape from technology. The Clow Beck Children's Farm, near Croft on the outskirts of Darlington, aims to teach youngsters about sustainable living by making them part
PEOPLE in Northallerton are being urged to make sure their town is looking in tip-top condition next month. The spring judges for the Yorkshire in Bloom competition will be in the town from 1.45pm on April 8. The local Environmental Action Group is urging
COUNCIL officer Alan Grey has been honoured by colleagues in Ferryhill. Mr Grey, projects assistant at Ferryhill Town Council, was presented with gifts as he left the authority after four years. He was thanked by councillors and other organisations, including
FISHING FEES: Membership fees are now due for Frosterley Angling Club. They should be paid to treasurer Ken Holmes, at Fellview, Bollihope. For details contact club secretary Peter Stephenson, on (01388) 527603. NEW BOOK: Witton-le-Wear History Group
The following cases were heard at South Durham Youth Court in Darlington yesterday PLEA ENTERED: A 16-year-old youth denied burgling a house in Kielder Drive, Darlington, and stealing car keys. He also faces a further charge of being a passenger in a
A WIDE range of opportunities for residents in Hartlepool is the legacy being left behind by a regeneration project in the town when it finishes at the end of the month. The Owton Rossmere Partnership, a partnership of Hartlepool Borough Council and representatives
A TECHNOLOGY company is to more than double its workforce in the North-East. Techtonik, which develops IT solutions and software for global businesses, is to increase its workforce from 15 to 50 in Sunderland. The expansion programme will involve the
THREE passengers in the hit-and-run car that killed six-year-old Rebecca Sawyer on New Year's Eve will not be charged, the Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed. The Vauxhall Astra that crashed into Rebecca's family car in Ashington, Northumberland,
A guide offering help for people caring for Hartlepool's youngest residents has been published. Hartlepool for Under Eights covers all aspects of bringing up children and includes listings of groups, organisations and support networks as well as health
POLICE facilities across Hambleton are to be given a reshuffle along with the creation of "one stop shops" in the heart of two market towns. North Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Della Cannings has announced plans to bring together many of the services
A MULE will help to recreate the country life of yesteryear at County Durham's biggest local history fair. Frances, who is more than 20 years old, will make her debut with the re-enactment group Rent a Peasant at Durham County Council's Yesterday Belongs
FIFTEEN racing yards fling open their gates to the public at the annual Middleham stables open day on Good Friday. Visitors have the chance to chat to trainers, jockeys and stable staff and watch horses swimming in the equine pool. There is also a possibility
CAR parking schemes at two hospitals in Teesside are to be introduced next week. Hundreds of extra parking spaces have been created for patients, visitors and staff at the University Hospital of Hartlepool and the University Hospital of North Tees, Stockton
THE first group of youngsters have completed a challenge to learn vital lessons in personal safety. The Crucial Crew course features 11 safety issue scenarios and more than 2,300 children from 96 schools in the Harrogate and Wetherby districts will have
RESIDENTS and visitors who enjoy relaxing in a town's gardens will have a better idea of their history, thanks to panels unveiled this week. The area around Richmond's Friary Gardens has changed significantly over recent years, with the arrival of the
A COUNCILLOR has criticised police over their response to a spate of car break-ins at the police authority's base. John Shuttleworth, the independent Durham county councillor for Weardale, said police were slow in answering a report that four cars had
CHILDREN are singing hits from their favourite pop stars, thanks to a £1,000 grant. Newcastle Building Society Community Fund donated the money to the Thorney Close Action and Enterprise Centre, in Sunderland. The club, for children aged five to 11, used
TWO North-East chefs have shown off their skills to competition judges. Stuart Thompson, a mobile chef with Durham County Council, won the Association of Civic Hosts' Civic Chef of the Year competition, run in conjunction with British Meat Foodservice
FORMER boxing favourite Frank Bruno will turn DJ next week when he takes to the decks at the North-East's floating nightclub. The ex-world heavyweight champion will show his new-found disc-jockeying skills at the Tuxedo Princess, berthed at Gateshead
A STRATEGY aimed at improving transport in Hambleton has won the support of the district council. It sets out the county council's position on transport, and offers proposals. Hambleton District Council aims to work with North Yorkshire County Council
A LOCAL Olympian met children from east Cleveland to present them with a national sporting excellence award on Thursday. Athlete Alison Curbishley met pupils from Ravensworth Junior School, in Normanby, and Bankfields Primary School, at Eston. The schools
Millions of pounds have been spent over the years on creating a new image for Hartlepool, scene of the legendary monkey-hanging during the Napoleonic Wars. But like a bad penny, the old joke just keeps turning up. First, the town voted Stuart Drummond
An open day to look at setting up an Environmental Partnership in Newcastle takes place in St James's United Reformed Church, Northumberland Road, on Monday, from noon until 8pm. The group will feed into the council's ten-year plan for the city.
BMX bike riders have taken over from skateboarders in causing problems at a council's headquarters. Durham County Council has spent about £5,000 repairing damage to steps, seats and railings at County Hall, Durham, caused by youngsters using them for
HIGH speed Internet services have come to Stanley - and youngsters are the first to benefit. Communications firm BT has spent more than £200,000 upgrading the former pit town's telephone exchange so that it can provide broadband Internet access to its
WORRIED residents are being urged to air their views about another controversial planning application to build more flats in a quiet suburb. Stockton Borough Council has received a planning application from Steve Lister Developments to demolish a bungalow
The trans-Pennine spat we reported last week involving the marts at Hawes and Kirkby Stephen over the true heritage and home of the Swaledale sheep breed provoked a certain sense of indignation in the Calvert family household in Low Row. The Calverts
POLICE are still hunting a man who showed two nine-year-old girls pornography before committing a sexual act. The girls were playing in North Park in Darlington when they were approached by the man. He showed them pornographic literature and committed
A SOCIAL work assistant milked the bank account of a disabled woman she was trusted to help. Margaret Rose, 45, was given authorisation to draw pension payments and withdraw money from the account of the 69-year-old woman to pay her bills while she was
IT should have been the TV event of the year for me, a quiz on the box in the corner which measured your love life. But Test The Nation - The National Relationship Test (BBC1, Saturday), the show which lasted longer than some marriages, turned out to
QUAKERS fans can breathe a little easier as their team go into tomorrow's home game with Bury boosted by last Saturday's unexpected 1-0 victory at Scunthorpe United. After repelling all that the home side could throw at them, Darlington pinched all three
SUNDERLAND midfielder Kevin Kilbane has thanked sacked manager Howard Wilkinson for reviving a career that was "going backwards'' under Peter Reid. Kilbane, with the Republic of Ireland squad preparing for today's Euro 2004 qualifier against Georgia in
MIDDLETON St George could receive a £21,000 windfall for its play area if a new housing scheme goes through. Thoroughbred Homes has applied to Darlington Borough Council to build 21 four-bedroom homes on land off Killinghall Row, currently used by RAH
FORMER boxing favourite Frank Bruno will turn DJ next week when he takes to the decks at the North-East's floating nightclub. The ex-world heavyweight champion will show his new-found disc-jockeying skills at the Tuxedo Princess, berthed at Gateshead
Residents in Thornaby are being reminded to attend a meeting next week. The aim of the meeting is to give residents in the town a chance to have their say on whether they would like the Village Park Residents' Association to continue. The meeting will
POLICE: I MUST agree with Tom Amos (HAS, Mar 22) that a 76 per cent increase in rates for the police force in North Yorkshire is beyond belief as in this area they do not appear to exist. Is the increase to enable them to have better vehicles or offices
A YOUNG jockey from Darlington is celebrating her first winner after piloting Tarawan to a five-length victory at Doncaster last week. Michaela Sowerby, a former member of the Zetland Pony Club and Zetland Hunt, began her career as an apprentice with
The vanishing way of life of the North-East's coble fishermen is recorded in a two-part television documentary made, and inspired, by the father-and-son team behind The Last Horsemen. Film-maker Charles Bowden owes the inspiration for his latest series
RESIDENT EVIL ZERO. Developer: Capcom. Publisher: Nintendo. Price: £40. Platform: Gamecube THIS is the Resident Evil game that almost never was. Conceived in the dying days of the N64, Resident Evil Zero was supposed to be a Nintendo cartridge exclusive
A JOB-STARVED dale was last night celebrating the rescue of a steelworks which has dominated its industrial base for more than 140 years. A new company is expected to take over the troubled Weardale Steel works at Wolsingham, County Durham, next Tuesday
SOARING use of supply teachers in Darlington could disrupt children's education, says a watchdog committee. In January, 1,345 supply sessions cost £90,000, the equivalent of three full-time teachers' annual salaries. The final report of the council's
Yorkshire's members will attend a much-changed annual meeting at Headingley today following the abolition of the committee in December and its replacement with an all-powerful four-man management board. It could also be the last annual meeting at which
HEXHAM & Northern Marts conducted the dispersal sale of the Sedgefield herd of pedigree AA cattle on behalf of Hardwick Farms, Brakes Farm, Sedgefield. Buyers attended from all parts of the UK. The sale peaked at 2,300gns for Brandsby Evora, an outstanding
DARLINGTON Borough Council is being urged to carry out a public consultation on the merits of water fluoridation to control dental disease in children. Schools are already being encouraged to provide water coolers in classrooms because it is thought to
A CAMPAIGN has been launched to teach children about the dangers of electricity. Northern Electricity Distribution Limited (NEDL) has recruited a mascot - Vic Voltage - to encourage youngsters to stay away from pylons. The warnings are being made in the
PUB and disco activities in Yarm could be expanding further, with plans for longer Sunday opening hours and possible outdoor events by the River Tees. The New Cross Keys is applying for permission to extend its Sunday opening hours, while the Blue Bell
ONE of the region's biggest factory outlets could be saved from closure, it has been revealed. The Designer Room, the flagship store of the multi-million pound Hartlepool Marina development, could be sold within weeks. Nationally, The Designer Room chain
ENGLAND is at the forefront of a recovery in the sheep breeding flock. It has expanded by more than two per cent on the year to 16.43 million head, according to Defra's December survey. In fact, nearly the entire post -FMD recovery in the active breeding
TWO weeks after becoming a Royal Marine Commando, a 22-year-old is serving in the Gulf. Michael Graham, from Chester-le-Street, received his Green Beret last month after completing some of the hardest Army training in the world. Within days Royal Marine
THE owners of a Leeming Bar factory which is being rebuilt following a devastating fire last year turned down a chance to move the operation to Newton Aycliffe, it was revealed this week. Vale of Mowbray has demonstrated its commitment to staying in Leeming
THE Prince of Wales yesterday heard how a scheme he launched to help deprived and isolated rural areas has become a lifeline to local people. Just hours before he was due to undergo surgery for a hernia injury, the prince hosted a seminar at his Gloucestershire
Area 1A. - Apr 5: Julie Templeton training day, Dalton Piercy EC, ring Alison on 0191 4155257 or Kate on 0191 4153827 to book a place. Members only. Areas 2 & 4. - Apr 12: Team SJ at Northallerton EC, details from Hilary McKenna, 0191 4206921. Bedale
MOTHERS are being invited to take a trip down memory lane this weekend and look at the prams that perhaps their mothers and grandmothers would have spent their first years in. One of the region's attractions is hosting a Mother's Day exhibition of prams
STOKESLEY sixth form drama students pulled out all the stops for their last performances together before heading off to university, drama school or work. Two groups of A-level students performed Agamemnon and Electra this week, with spectacular lighting
A North-east hospice is appealing for knitters to help them create the world's longest scarf. All July, the Hartlepool and District Hospice will hold a sponsored knit and will ask knitters to produce as much as they can of the length of the scarf. The
FIREFIGHTERS freed a suspected burglar from a ventilation shaft of a pub yesterday after he spent the night stuck inside. The alarm was raised by a drayman who heard the man's cries for help as he made a delivery at the Twin Farms, Kenton Bank Foot, Newcastle
A CONSETT man has told how his flight home became a terrifying ordeal, after the plane caught fire and the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing. The British Airways service from Birmingham to Newcastle, had only been in the air for a matter of
Lady Bear is fancied to give her rivals a right good mauling in Ascot's mile-and-a-quarter Totebetxpress Conditions Stakes. The ever-thoughtful Malton trainer Richard Fahey generally chooses his races carefully and he has once again excelled himself,
WHEN Cissy Horner turned 100 she vowed she wasn't having any fuss. But she still had a ball when friends and family threw her a party. The popular pensioner was inundated with cards and flowers at Barrington Lodge, Nursing Home, Bishop Auckland, including
NORTHALLERTON Town cricket club have re-engaged professional Jonathan Barnes for the coming season for the ninth year in succession. Secretary David Wake, confirming this at the club's recent annual general meeting, said that the club had yet again been
ONCE bitten twice shy is a lesson you learn in the schoolyard that stays with you for life. And Tony Blair hit the nail on the head when he alluded to this worldly wise saying in explaining why the masses of Iraq have not so far risen up against Saddam
WHAT a jolly jape it should be for England in Liechtenstein tomorrow, but should we really be allowing those nasty Turks to come to Sunderland's Stadium of Light next week? Following the furore over the regime in Zimbabwe, which wrecked the England cricketers
The vanishing way of life of the North-East's coble fishermen is recorded in a two-part television documentary made, and inspired, by the father-and-son team behind The Last Horsemen. Film-maker Charles Bowden owes the inspiration for his latest series
Students recreating CS Lewis's magical world of Narnia for a theatre performance, have discovered the mystical location is based on a North-East bridge. Pupils at Durham High School for Girls are to stage their version of the children's story, The Lion
FORMER Hartlepool United favourite Tommy Miller is backing the club to shake-off their promotion jitters, and still walk away with the Division Three title. The midfielder was a favourite at Victoria Park before his £800,000 switch to Ipswich in 2001,
From a Footballer's Wife to the North-East stage, Katherine Monaghan takes it all in her stride. Viv Hardwick reports. SITTING in the semi-darkness of Darlington's beautiful Civic Theatre circle area, the curtain is quite literally going up on Katherine
NOT for the first time in 2003, Middlesbrough's Gareth Southgate and Newcastle United's Jonathan Woodgate are going head-to-head. But, whereas both players had their teammates backing them up earlier this month, this evening they are going it alone -
DURHAM City was not untouched by the coal-mining activity that dominated much of the county. Apart from being the headquarters of the Durham Miners' Union and the venue of the annual Miners' Gala, Durham was home to several coal mines. Mining activity
A FAMOUS footballing son of east Cleveland has died at the age of 82. Harry Ayres, originally from Warrenby, near Redcar, took on some of football's greats while playing for Fulham and Gillingham. One famous picture of Mr Ayres shows him unsuccessfully
With seven crucial matches remaining in Darlington's scramble for Third Division survival, Northern Echo Sport looks back at the highs and lows of attendances at Feethams in the roller coaster Reynolds' years - and calls on Quakers' fans to rally to the
CAMPAIGNERS seeking the permanent return of the Lindisfarne Gospels to the North-East made a special pilgrimage to Durham Cathedral. Members of the Northumbrian Association chose St Cuthbert's Day last Thursday, to make a symbolic six-and-three-quarter
WOMEN footballers have been ordered to ditch their controversial sponsorship logo after the FA ruled it as inappropriate. Chester-le-Street Ladies Football Club were overjoyed when they were told they were to receive a £1,300 sponsorship deal to publicise
THE first batch of ideas for an animal health master plan have emerged from a meeting in Northallerton. The first of a series of regional consultation sessions on a future animal health and welfare strategy urged the government to ensure strong import
TIGHTER safety measures were called for last night after two men were killed when a telescopic tower light - used to illuminate roadworks - clipped overhead power cables carrying 20,000 volts. Kim Crimmins, whose son, John, 33, died along with colleague
A YEAR after former miner went missing, police are still trying to trace him. On March 25 last year, Edward Donnelly, 53, from Fynway, in Sacriston, near Chesterle-Street, went missing from the home he shared with his sister. But despite the efforts by
A NORTH-EAST mayor is backing a campaign to end the stigma attached to mental health. Next month Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon will open an exhibition of photographs and artwork dealing with people's experiences of mental health. The show, at Middlesbrough
BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed. Fwd: 422 prime sheep. Hoggs lt to 124.6p av 111.4; std to 136.8p av 119.6p; med to 134.2p av 122.6p; heavy to 125.9p av 121.5p. Cast sheep: Cont to £70; Mules to £63; Leics to £63; Swales to £47. DARLINGTON. - Thurs of last week
A FOOTBALLING-CRAZY teenager and his friends have scored a major success to lay a pitch in their small village. Wayne Davies, 16, first started arguing that his village should have a football pitch when he was ten. Now, after a six-year campaign, Wayne
DARLINGTON football supporters can toast the end of an era for the Quakers with a special ale. The local branch of the Campaign for Real Ale and Darlington Supporters' Trust kicked off the Spring Thing folk music and beer festival at Darlington Arts Centre
THE train standing at Thirsk railway station wasn't allowed in the posh parts of Harrogate. The wealthy residents didn't want the smoke from the coal fires to dirty their spa town by calling there. This is just one of the many interesting facts Jane Barstow
A woman charged with the murder of her husband, who was found dying in a country lane, was refused bail yesterday. Christina Button, 31, and her nephew, Simon Tannahill, 30, are accused of killing 53-year-old council worker George Button. Mr Button died
Consett are facing the moment of truth in their fight against relegation when they take on Durham City today. Consett are third from bottom of the First Division and need to make the most of three home games in the next seven days to climb above Prudhoe
PUPILS in the North have been using interactive dolls to help them learn lifesaving skills to help them when baby-sitting. Fifteen Year 11 pupils are the first to try the eight-week childcare course at Kings manor School, Middlesbrough. They have been
Thursday's prices Kenneth Wilson, Thorpe Arch. - Wheat: April £67; May £68; June £69. Barley: April £64; May £64; June £64. Oilseed rape: April £163; May £164; June £165. GrainCo, Tyne Dock.. - Wheat: April £67; May £68; June £69. Barley: April £64; May
A COUNCIL has received a personal apology from Government fraud inspectors in the wake of a press release announcing they were to be investigated. Now the planned 17-week inspection at Redcar and Cleveland Council's housing benefit section has been revised
North Lodge WI: THE annual general meeting of North Lodge WI was opened by the president B Dawson who welcomed members and A Dinning, country treasurer, who was the WIA for the evening. J Rennie dealt with the county letter and correspondence then Mrs
Media group SMG was yesterday given approval to sell the Herald and other Scottish titles to the British division of US newspaper group Gannett. Watchdogs from the Competition Commission concluded that the transfer of the Herald, Sunday Herald, Evening
THREE passengers in the hit-and-run car that killed six-year-old Rebecca Sawyer on New Year's Eve will not be charged, the Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed. The Vauxhall Astra that crashed into Rebecca's family car in Ashington, Northumberland,
A YARM teenager is already aiming for the top on the dream pony bought for her last autumn. Fifteen-year-old Hollie Davies and her six-year-old Connemara gelding Western Andy have made their mark on the equestrian scene in a very short space of time.
AN inquiry is to be carried out after a lifeboat ran aground while attempting to help a pleasure craft which got into difficulties in fog. The Hartlepool lifeboat was called to help the Hustler, but instead ran aground at Heugh Pier, off Garrison Point
ANDY Blythe looks remarkably relaxed for somebody who has just taken the biggest gamble of his life. Having quit his £30,000-a-year executive job in January, the 28-year-old Teessider has just two months to prove himself on the professional golf circuit
A MEDIA centre has been awarded Beacon Status for excellence in the training of journalists. Yesterday, Darlington College of Technology's School of Journalism, Media and the Arts celebrated the award with a presentation. The college was also marking
A NORTH-EAST tourist has warned smokers that a trip to Spain is not a passport to cheap cigarettes. Sylvia Halpin is writing to the country's authorities calling on them to clarify the laws on cigarette sales after discovering she could buy no more than
A DARLINGTON school struck gold in a football competition. Dodmire Junior School team beat off all other competition in the Football in the Community tournament but then narrowly lost 2-1 to the Leeds Academy in the semi-finals. Their skills caught the
DARLINGTON'S newest art gallery needs a name. The space inside the former rates hall in the town hall has housed a number of shows since its conversion into a gallery last October, and the annual Dover Prize exhibition opens there this weekend. To coincide
LAST weekend would have been a very good time for getting loads of gardening done. The weather was absolutely perfect. Gloriously bright sunshine, but with just enough chill in the air to prevent it getting uncomfortable whilst undertaking hard physical
GLASSMAKER Janusz Pozniak has swapped the skyscrapers of Seattle for the rugged hills of the North York Moors. The acclaimed artist has flown across from the States to work with internationally-renowned Gillies Jones Glass in remote Rosedale Abbey. This
THE latest addition to the closed-circuit television camera network in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland was unveiled on Monday. Redcar and Cleveland's Community Safety Partnership's successful application to the Home Office's Crime Reduction Programme
A Yorkshire farmer who has produced plant oils so pure that they are being used in the oil fields of Qatar wants 400 farmers to join him. Clifford Spencer's company, Springdale Farms, based in Rudstone, near Driffield, is recognised as a world leader
OLDER and wiser heads in the service community will be tempted to say to themselves this weekend: "We told you so". Those who expected a swift, tidy and mostly bloodless Iraqi war are now firmly disabused of the notion. War, even in the virtual reality
A GROUP of Guides and Brownies are appealing to their local community for a help with a gardening competition. The Guides and Brownies from Middleton St George, near Darlington, have entered the National Green Fingered Challenge, which encourages young
Students recreating CS Lewis's magical world of Narnia for a theatre performance, have discovered the mystical location is based on a North-East bridge. Pupils at Durham High School for Girls are to stage their version of the children's story, The Lion
A WOMAN with incurable bone cancer will pass through the North-East next week as part of a 1,000-mile fundraising bike ride. Jane Tomlinson, from Leeds, began her incredible tandem cycling trip from John O'groats to Land's End last Friday. She hopes to
CHILDREN in Darlington got a treat yesterday when Noddy paid them a visit. The popular Enid Blyton character handed out presents to youngsters at the Darlington Arts Centre crche, in Vane Terrace. He was in town prior to his performance in Noddy and the
AN annual fundraising concert, which faced being cancelled when its military stars were called to war, is to go ahead as planned. The Last Night of the Proms at Darlington's Dolphin Centre was scrapped when members of the Normandy Band of the Queen's
A RANGE of centuries-old farm buildings vital to Teesdale's rural heritage have benefited from a multi-million pound Government scheme to protect environmentally sensitive areas. The stone buildings, which are about 200 years old, are used for storing
A £2.5m primary school which will provide modern technical facilities for its pupils, as well as the wider community, was opened yesterday. Chilton infant and junior schools were brought together on the former junior school site in a refurbished and extended
