A GRIEVING couple described how they battled in vain to save their son, who collapsed after pre-season football training in scorching temperatures. Ben Hall, 18, who appeared to be at the peak of fitness as he reported for the session with a Sunday league
KIDS don't have bogies anymore. No, I don't mean up their noses. I mean they don't have little home-made wagons to ride around in. They're too busy on their Playstations with virtual reality Grand Prix racing. When we were growing up in South Bank, Middlesbrough
PROPOSALS for a £150m overhaul of the heart of Newcastle's city centre shopping district have been unveiled. Capital Shopping Centres (CSC) plans to expand and redevelop its Eldon Square complex, in partnership with Newcastle City Council and the Shell
TWO firefighters are lucky to be alive as the burning roof of a supermarket collapsed only seconds after they left the building. Arsonists have been blamed for the fire that devastated the Costcutter store in Church Street, Dunnington, near York, on Tuesday
KIDS don't have bogies anymore. No, I don't mean up their noses. I mean they don't have little home-made wagons to ride around in. They're too busy on their Playstations with virtual reality Grand Prix racing. When we were growing up in South Bank, Middlesbrough
A PRIMARY school is to become the first in County Durham to offer childcare facilities and education on the same campus. The Butterfly Day Care Nursery, housed within West Cornforth Primary School, West Cornforth, near Spennymoor, is the vision of headteacher
A TEENAGER got the chance to shadow the editor of The Northern Echo for a day after winning an essay writing competition. Catherine Llewellyn, from Hummersknott School and Language College, in Darlington, collected the prize for her a piece on her hero
HUGE sculptures celebrating Darlington's industrial past will be lifted into place by crane at a big housing development today and tomorrow. The sculptures, engraved with poetry, will be lowered into position to mark progress in the construction of the
ESTATE agents in North Yorkshire have been warned of a crackdown on illegally placed "for sale" signs. Enforcement chiefs at Harrogate Borough Council, which covers Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge, Masham and Harrogate said the situation
THE matriarch of a Teesside drugs dynasty serving eight years in prison could be locked up for even longer if she persists in trying to hide her ill-gotten gains from prosecutors, London's High Court was told. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) wants
JEFF WHITLEY showed glimpses of just why Mick McCarthy is so keen to see the tough-tackler put pen to paper on a permanent basis at Sunderland with an impressive display at York City last night. But despite a superb second-half goal from the midfielder
COCKROACHES, snakes and scorpions brought science lessons to life for students at Sunnydale School in Shildon. The menagerie of creepy crawlies taken along by animal ranger Jenny Cook, from Falkirk-based Zoolab, helped science teacher Colin Booth illustrate
TEENAGERS Alastair McElhoney and Jack Longbottom are taking a well-earned rest after an eight-day marathon that left them tired, blistered and triumphant. The 18-year-olds traversed all types of terrain to complete the 190-mile coast to coast walk from
YOUNG cricketers from the North-East were stumped in their attempt to add national glory to regional success. But Annfield Plain Junior School flew the flag proudly for the region at Nottinghamshire's Trent Bridge ground. The ten-strong team of boys and
VISITORS to Durham Market Place will be greeted by a mix of music and motors this weekend. Live Music and Motors takes place on Sunday, featuring a display of new car models from local garages and performances by six bands to cater for all musical tastes
Yarm Preparatory School pupils have taken to the stage for an end-of-term production of a hit musical. The school's production of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, involved all its year six pupils and
THE Richmondshire district could merge with a neighbouring area should a system of regional government be introduced in Yorkshire. Councillors agreed that joining forces with Hambleton or Craven would be the best way for the authority to survive in some
BRITAIN'S bosses are obsessed with work, even while on holiday, according to a new survey. Research by the Chartered Management Institute found that 45 per cent of those surveyed regularly interrupted their annual leave to contact their employers and
POLICE believe a council official who disappeared in mysterious circumstances may have changed his appearance.Last night they issued a photofit of Terry Robson in the hope of tracking him down. Mr Robson, who is clerk to Spennymoor town counci, has not
THE man who helped a teenager win her dispute with Warner Bros over Harry Potter has joined a North-East law firm. Matthew Rippon has joined Watson Burton as a senior solicitor, specialising in intellectual property and information technology. In his
POLICE were last night hunting the "despicable" thief who robbed a woman after she suffered an epileptic fit and collapsed in the street. The 57-year-old victim, who was said to be distraught after the theft, blacked out as she walked through a busy area
TWO men were yesterday jailed for an unprovoked assault on a gay man leaving a nightclub. George Matthew Daniel and Lawrence Bainbridge carried out the attack outside the Mardi Gras club in Darlington, on a popular night with the gay and lesbian community
CHILDREN as young as five are having to assume the burden of caring for disabled or sick relatives, according to worried charity workers. Almost 1,500 youngsters are registered with Young Carers projects in the region, but according to Britain's biggest
THE fate of a North-East born businessman who could face a double murder charge in Singapore will be decided in the next few days. Michael McCrea, 45, who ran a business offering financial advice to expatriates, was arrested in Australia after the remains
TWO pupils at a North-East school have backed a plea for better treatment of Britain's owls. Lorna Brown and Rowan Whittington, both aged ten and from Darlington, were so moved by a campaign backed by Harry Potter author JK Rowling that they wrote an
KIDS don't have bogies anymore. No, I don't mean up their noses. I mean they don't have little home-made wagons to ride around in. They're too busy on their Playstations with virtual reality Grand Prix racing. When we were growing up in South Bank, Middlesbrough
Your Life In Their Vans (BBC1) - AS moving house is acknowledged as one of the most stressful things you can do, it's strange that anyone would add to the bad time by having a TV film crew around to capture every crisis. The narrator maintained a relentlessly
THE mother of a man who was stabbed to death with a samurai sword is calling for a law to regulate the sale of dangerous weapons. Barbara Dunne said she believed there should be controls on the sale of knives and other sharp objects. Her son Robert was
HERE comes the bride, but will Shelley say "I do" or "get lost" to bridegroom Peter Barlow in Coronation Street (ITV1)? The happy couple have a few things to sort out beforehand. Their pre-nuptial agreement needs to include such topics as the wife and
THE total amount raised for The Northern Echo's Stanley Burns Pit Disaster Memorial Appeal stands at nearly £2,500. The money will be used for a graveside tribute to 54 men and boys buried in unmarked mass burial trenches in Stanley, County Durham. A
PLANS are under way to create 400 jobs which are badly needed in a rural area to replace those being cut at a big drugs factory. The efforts are being helped by £750,000 donated to an enterprise fund by GlaxoSmithKline to compensate for reducing its workforce
ACCORDING to a new survey, employers would consider testing their workers for drugs if they thought productivity or health and safety was being affected. A survey of 204 firms published today found that only a handful test their staff, but half of those
THE Liberal Democrat leader of Durham City Council is backing calls to set up three all-purpose councils in the county. If the North-East votes for a regional assembly, one of the current two tiers of local government will be abolished. But it will have
UNION activists paraded an inflatable pink elephant outside the annual meeting of telecoms company BT yesterday, to protest at the number of call centre jobs going overseas. BT, which has call centres in Middlesbrough and Newcastle, announced earlier
HIGH street retailer Marks and Spencer yesterday announced a rise in profits from its clothing division, a few months after turning its back on North-East clothing manufacturers. The store chain's first quarter figures showed a 3.9 per cent rise in sales
POLICE were last night hunting a man who tried to drag a teenage girl into his car. The 14-year-old victim was walking to a friend's house on Sunday afternoon, in the Grange Road area of Darlington, when she was approached by the man who was driving a
SAFETY campaigners last night warned against the dangers of swimming after the death of a five-year-old boy who was swept out to sea. Police said Lewis Ashley was plucked unconscious from the water in Northumberland but died later in hospital. Attempts
A TEENAGER killed during a school trip to the Italian Alps was described by his headteacher yesterday as an "archetypal excellent student". An inquiry will begin today into the death of 17-year-old Alex Foulkes, one of a dozen Harrogate Grammar School
NORTH-EAST athletics hero Steve Cram has been honoured for his achievements on the track. The former middle distance runner, who was known as the Jarrow Arrow, received an honorary Doctorate of Civil Law from Northumbria University in Newcastle yesterday
I REMEMBER hearing a doctor talking about alcoholism on a radio programme once. He said the best way of discovering if a patient had a drink problem was not to examine the patient themselves, but to take a close look at their partner. At the time, I had
THE future of one of County Durham's best known amateur football clubs hangs in the balance while supporters mount a campaign to pay for new floodlights. Evenwood Town could be kicked out of the Northern League at the end of August unless it can raise
Just four years ago Graeme Storm was on the verge of something big. After a glorious amateur career, the Hartlepool golfer turned pro and harboured high ambitions. Since playing in The Open and the US Masters, Storm's career has taken a turn for the worse
RECORDED crime in the North-East and North Yorkshire has risen sharply, but police last night said it was not out of control. Figures out today show forces across the region are suffering from huge rises in the number of offences reported to them, with
THERE is much to welcome in the initial report from the working party looking at the future of secondary education. The assessment that the present system has too much emphasis on traditional written examinations at the expense of wider learning strikes
THE lenses were focused on Darren Gough's bid for a Test recall at Riverside yesterday, but two more fast bowling showmen took star billing on a day of rich entertainment. Shoaib Akhtar and Steve Kirby enjoyed a good, old-fashioned joust, which the Yorkshire
YOUNG skateboarders from Sedgefield borough will be competing for cash prizes this weekend. Sedgefield Borough Council will hold its first summer skate jam at the Pioneering Care Centre in Newton Aycliffe on Saturday, from 11am. Heats for the competition
PUPILS will say a fond farewell to a favourite teacher this week. James Alderson, 55, head of science and examinations officer at Hurworth Comprehensive School, is retiring tomorrow. He joined the village school in 1979. Before that, he worked at Eastbourne
A COUNCILLOR is calling on residents to be vigilant after a crime-fighting committee's decision to disband. Councillor Bill Stenson said he was saddened to discover that Mowden Neighbourhood Watch committee members had decided to step down at the end
STUDENTS took to the catwalk to model outfits they made from items normally destined for the tip. Hurworth Comprehensive School, near Darlington, held its third annual bin bag fashion day yesterday. The theme of the competition was Walt Disney, and the
A SEMINAR on the risks associated with taking drugs will be held later this month. Parents and carers over the age of 16 are being urged to attend the Drug Awareness evening in Northallerton to hear from a range of specialists. The Hambleton Community
A PLAYGROUP has won a learning certificate. Playdays, based at Grindon Young People's Centre in the Sunderland district, has been accredited by the Play School Learning Alliance for the quality of its care and education. The group, which dates from the
DURHAM City's new library could be in line for a national award. Durham County Council's complex, part of the £30m Millennium City development, is on the shortlist for the 2003 New Public Library Awards. The library, which replaced an ageing building
CHILDREN at a Stockton primary school are celebrating after learning their dedication to sport has been rewarded with an award. Harrow Gate Primary School is to receive the Activemark Gold from Sport England for its diverse physical education programme
AFTER three years, nine schools in Middlesbrough have completed the town's Healthy School Scheme. Those that took part received certificates of accreditation at a ceremony earlier this week. The scheme promotes equality of opportunity, self review and
MORE than £50,000 is to be spent on the swimming pools and sports hall at Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre. The essential maintenance work is being carried out by Sedgefield Borough Council's leisure department. It means that the pools will be closed to
CHILDREN in the borough of Redcar and east Cleveland are being encouraged to take part in a reading challenge. Last year the Reading Planet scheme attracted hundreds of youngsters, and this year's challenge, the Reading Maze, is hoping to repeat that
A SERIES of talks about birds have been planned for libraries across the borough of Stockton this summer. Stockton Borough Council's children and youth services have arranged the one-hour talks by Bob Brown, of the parks and countryside service. They
Your Life In Their Vans (BBC1) - AS moving house is acknowledged as one of the most stressful things you can do, it's strange that anyone would add to the bad time by having a TV film crew around to capture every crisis. The narrator maintained a relentlessly
A SUCCESSFUL neighbourhood watch scheme has been given a boost by a local motor dealer. Bedale Mobile Watch has been loaned a new Toyota Yaris by Northallerton dealers Lookers. Its dealer principal Colin Tipton handed over the keys to watch supervisor
PROPOSALS for a recycling centre have been submitted for a countryside site. Yorwaste, which took over waste management from North Yorkshire County Council in 1993, has applied to develop at Flaxby, just off the A59 road between Knaresborough and York
A CUNNING escape artist is hoping his owner will want to hiss-and-make-up after he left his home to enjoy the great outdoors. The reptile was spotted near a group of children on a street corner in Northallerton, North Yorkshire. Despite trying to remain
WEST HAM boss Glenn Roeder last night warned Middlesbrough to act fast or risk missing out on Trevor Sinclair. Boro manager Steve McClaren, who has already seen Geremi, David Dunn, Brett Emerton and Alan Wright escape his transfer dragnet, had hoped to
IRAQ: IT'S an old trick of politicians. If you are in deep trouble, vehemently deny something never claimed in the first place. So it is with Tony Blair. He says any suggestion that Downing Street made the intelligence services invent evidence of weapons
WORD had come up with the Durham Miners' Association that Tony Benn might get through eight pints of tea during his 90 minutes in Willington. They couldn't find a pint pot. Like Nimbys and New Labour, it's probably a sign of the times. Old guarded by
FORMER Sunderland record-buy Emerson Thome last night urged Glasgow Rangers to make his move north of the border permanent. The Brazilian centre-back was one of a number of players released by the Black Cats earlier this summer and he is currently on
TWO men escaped with their lives - and saved an engineering works from being destroyed by fire. The two unnamed nightshift workers had only left a paint spraying booth, the seat of the fire at Middlesbrough engineering works Dowding and Mills, ten minutes
THE chairman of a board set up to regenerate Billingham has expressed his disappointment at the low number of residents who replied to a survey giving their views on the proposals. Billingham Partnership Board sent about 16,000 information brochures to
IT is a question that casts a giant shadow over this country's finest golfers as the sport's greatest tournament gets under way today. Why are the British so useless in the British Open? Strictly speaking, of course, the event is known purely and simply
TRANSPORT officials have announced a package of upgrading work on one of the main routes through Darlington. Proposals for the A167 -the former Great North Road running north to south through the town - are designed to enhance safety for motorists and
PLANS are under way to create 400 jobs which are badly needed in a rural area to replace those being cut at a big drugs factory. The efforts are being helped by £750,000 donated to an enterprise fund by GlaxoSmithKline to compensate for reducing its workforce
AN author has delved into the past to recreate the story of a railway that was reborn. The Wensleydale Railway re-opened amid a fanfare of publicity earlier this month, almost 50 years after it last hauled passengers. Regular services resumed following
AN investigation has been launched after a man died when he lost control of his car while being followed by a police van. The 33-year-old was driving a white Ford Escort that overturned at a traffic island at the junction of Beckfields Avenue and Barwick
AN art gallery celebrating a town's railway history will be opened tomorrow. The gallery, in the newly refurbished West Wing of Darlington Railway Museum, will showcase railway art and exhibitions. The centre's opening exhibition features four displays
The Victorians' obsession with the exotic Lady's Slipper Orchid almost led to its extinction - until one wild example was discovered in North Yorkshire, as Lindsay Jennings reports. THE only clue to its existence is the warden sitting in the sunshine
Darlington manager Mick Tait last night challenged defender David McGurk to establish himself as a first-team regular next season. The 20-year-old was restricted to just six appearances last season with skipper Craig Liddle, Matt Clarke, Gary Pearson
