Archive

  • Pool find their man

    NEALE COOPER has finally found the solution to Hartlepool United's problem right side, writes Paul Fraser. The Pool boss is expected to unveil a loan signing from a higher league club later today and he will be available for selection for Saturday's visit

  • Expansion landmark with fleet at 10,000

    THE rapid expansion of Vardy Contract Motoring (VCM) has seen the division reach a landmark as it took its fleet to beyond 10,000 vehicles. It reached the figure after only five years of operations as the contract hire, fleet management and personal leasing

  • Bowyer challenge upsets Keegan

    ANGRY Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan last night laid into controversial Newcastle midfielder Lee Bowyer for the challenge that threatens to rob him of Eyal Berkovic for this week's crucial UEFA Cup clash. Berkovic was forced to limp out of the 3

  • Norwegian drinkers help to ease club's debt by the pint

    SIX thirsty Norwegians travelled for more than 12 hours to reach a tiny County Durham sports club for a few pints at the weekend. The group caught a flight from Oslo to Glasgow, two trains to Durham and a taxi to Willington so they could cheer on the

  • Port may benefit from busy channel

    PORT facilities on Teesside could be on the brink of a boom as transport bosses look to ease a congestion crisis that is gripping the South Coast of Britain. A report by the House of Commons Transport Committee last week highlighted ongoing problems caused

  • Plans to prepare racecourse for Royal Ascot go on show

    IT is still more than a year-and-half away but the preparations for bringing Royal Ascot to the region are gaining momentum. The planning application to complete the loop of York's Knavesmire course has been registered with the local authority. Talks

  • 'Vulture' conmen proud of evil trade

    The Northern Echo is campaigning to end the scourge of doorstep conmen. Neil Hunter talks to police who are on their trail. TO their peers, they are seen as skilled "workmen" who take pride in their ability to deceive and manipulate vulnerable people.

  • Latest Ghost Ships are towed into the Channel

    THE second two Ghost Ships were last night in the English Channel and are expected to dock in the North-East at the end of this week. The Canopus, a submarine repair vessel, will be towed in to Hartlepool on Thursday, followed by Compass Island, a dry

  • Celebrations of sport and marriage

    I still haven't got both feet back down on the ground after England's fabulous triumph in the World Cup. Last Saturday morning I had to go straight from the pub's big screen to conduct a wedding at St Michael's here in the City. I must say, it was the

  • Photos offer snapshop of family life

    A RETIRED businessman is hoping to be able to put someone in the picture after discovering old family snapshots. Peter Sotheran found 175 photographs dating from the 1920s while he was clearing out an attic. They consist of an album of family photographs

  • Over the moon...

    AS loveable Alfie Moon in EastEnders, mobs of screaming teenagers and hugs in the street are nothing out of the ordinary for Shane Richie these days. But before he landed the role, the 39-year-old's life was quite different - his marriage to singer Coleen

  • Head chef bids for national curry title

    THE heat will be turned up when a North-East curry chef bids for the national title of Curry Chef of the Year. Mohammed Sultan's will compete against defending champion Chad Rhaman and six other regional finalists in tomorrow's final, which will be held

  • Having ball at nursery

    NURSERY children in Darlington were granted their wish to go to the ball as part of a books and stories project. The Just Learning Nursery, in Newton Lane, used the fairytale Cinderella as the basis for several sessions. Children made invitations for

  • Hodgson forced to wait

    DARLINGTON boss David Hodgson should find out within the next 48 hours what his punishment will be for his sending off at Swansea City. The Football Association are awaiting referee Clive Penton's report before deciding whether Hodgson should be banned

  • Council steps up security for tenants

    SECURITY in three areas of Darlington has been improved under a scheme costing almost £200,000. More than 600 homes have been enhanced as part of concerted efforts to crack down on crime over the winter months. Darlington Borough Council announced yesterday

  • Drunken sex attacker locked up

    A DRUNK sexually assaulted a babysitter after she refused to kiss him, a court was told yesterday. Edward Brown, 36, drank 20 pints during a day at the races last June, before he arrived at the house where the teenager was looking after four children.

  • Fire service changes are discussed

    THE public is being consulted on plans to change the way a North-East fire brigade will operate as part of a national modernisation agenda for the Fire Service. Cleveland Fire Authority has produced a five-year risk management plan for the brigade that

  • Playground's £370,000 arson bill

    HEARTBROKEN charity workers were left counting the cost after their community offices and play centre were destroyed in a suspected arson attack. The building at the Bell Farm Adventure Playground, in Byland Avenue, York, was so badly damaged in the fire

  • Century of history is captured with old photographs

    THE past has come to life for a town with the publication of a book chronicling 100 years of its history. Around Thirsk: A Second Selection tells the story of the town from the 1870s to the 1970s through old photographs. The secretary of Thirsk Museum

  • Traffic schemes will tackle congestion in town's centre

    TRAFFIC congestion in Northallerton is to be tackled following consultations. A scheme has been designed by North Yorkshire County Council to target congestion areas in the town, such as Low Gates level crossing and the High Street. Nearly 2,000 people

  • It was also too much for Jonny's father

    THE father of England rugby hero Jonny Wilkinson revealed yesterday how he walked away from the game minutes before his son scored the drop goal that won the World Cup. Phil Wilkinson, who has just flown back from Australia, left his seat in the crowd

  • Decision on lease due

    A DECISION is to be made on whether a residents' association can continue to lease a council-owned property. South Bank Residents' Association, in South Bank, near Middlesbrough, uses Loughtonhurst, a Victorian terraced property in South Terrace, to run

  • Tributes paid to bubbly teenager killed in accident

    A MOTHER of a teenager who was killed in a road accident has paid tribute to her bubbly and outgoing daughter. Ashleigh Reed, was a pillion passenger on a Yamaha 600cc that collided with a BMW on the A1027 Norton Ring Road at its junction with the Glebe

  • Behaviour expert at conference

    THE internationally re-nowned behavioural specialist, Bill Rogers, will be a guest speaker at a national conference in the North-East next month. The consultant and author is making a rare visit to the country to attend Sunderland's Conference on Promoting

  • Students taste working life

    SIXTH-FORM students are being given the chance to combine education with work. Stockton Sixth Form College's Student Apprenticeship scheme is aimed at youngsters who are unsure if they want to stay in education or find a job once they leave school. Nine

  • Museum's day of festive fun

    A MUSEUM will hold a Christmas extravaganza next month. The Bowes Museum, at Barnard Castle, County Durham, will stage Eat, Drink and Be Merry on Saturday, December 6. Visitors will receive a complementary glass of mulled wine and mince pie before looking

  • Festive lesson in power use

    PUPILS at a Darlington school enjoyed a day of festive learning with a difference yesterday. Officials from npower visited Corporation Road Community Junior School for a series of workshops focusing on different power themes. A team power challenge saw

  • School scoops award for health

    A VILLAGE primary school has been awarded a healthy stamp of approval. The Healthy School accolade was given to Brandon Infants and Nursery, near Durham, for a collective effort in making it a more pleasant environment to visit. Headteacher Anne Charlton

  • Posters to encourage attendance

    A poster campaign is warning parents they will harm their children's education if they take them out of school for a day as a Christmas treat. The posters, on 15 Arriva buses in County Durham, warn parents that they will be killing their children's education

  • Key network for towns

    HOUSING, transport and broadband Internet were last week identified by Minister for Rural Affairs Alun Michael as the key to the future of the region's market towns. He was speaking at the launch event of a Yorkshire and Humber network of Action for Market

  • Schools drugs education project proves a big success

    A DRUGS education project aimed at primary school pupils has proved such a success that it is now entering its third year. The Outthere Peer Education Project this year has involved volunteers from Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College working in

  • Sporting mark of excellence awarded

    A SCHOOL has received a national award for the quality of its sports education. Teesdale Comprehensive School, in Barnard Castle, has been awarded a Sportsmark by Sports England in recognition of the excellence of the opportunities for sport given to

  • Cannabis theme cafe hits back

    THE owner of a caf that promotes cannabis has insisted he is offering a responsible service for adults, despite mounting criticism. Peter Watson's Haschischins caf, has been open on Chester-le-Street's Front Street for three weeks. The 51-year-old grandfather

  • Setback threat to burns girl mission

    A charity worker is poised to drive into a diplomatic row. Rod Jones, the founder of Convoy Aid, hopes to bring a seven-year-old Romanian girl disfigured by burns to Britain for life-saving treatment. The 55-year-old fears he could be refused entry to

  • Apprentices rewarded

    SIXTEEN students have been recognised for outstanding achievement and excelling in their specialist areas in engineering. Austin McNamara, executive director of County Durham's Learning and Skills Council, presented the Advanced Modern Apprentices with

  • Hospital could lose stars

    THE boss of the North-East's biggest hospital trust has warned that it could lose its remaining two stars if there is no reform of star rating rules. Len Fenwick, chief executive of the 1900-bed Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, said either star rating assessment

  • Miracle escape of quarry worker

    A PLANT hire firm has been fined following an accident in which a JCB operator crashed 120ft down a quarry face. Paul Ripley miraculously escaped serious injury following the accident in October last year at Cold Knuckles Quarry, Quarrington Hill, County

  • Museum prepares for Santa weekends

    SANTA'S little helper is busy spending her time wrapping gifts to give to youngsters at a popular Darlington attraction. Mary Christmas, alias Olive Howe, is at the Darlington Railway Centre and Museum, in North Road, which is preparing to host three

  • Students celebrate proudest day of degrees and awards

    MORE than 3,000 graduates from the University of Teesside are receiving their degrees, diplomas and certificates at Middlesbrough Town Hall, from today. This year's honorary graduates are Middlesbrough-born former football legend Brian Clough, who becomes

  • No ticket, but Paul meets his heroes after all

    BARMAN Paul Dryden was left disappointed after the astronomic price of a ticket for the rugby World Cup final scuppered his chances of seeing England's superstars in action at the Telstra Stadium. But his despair turned to elation just hours later when

  • Airport's blueprint for change

    NEWCASTLE International Airport has revealed the blueprint it expects will take it through to 2016. The document, dubbed the Masterplan, includes changes that will govern the development of the airport. Five months of consultation will be held before

  • A remarkable ruler and a renowned robbery

    Oliver Cromwell: Warts And All (BBC1); Brinks Mat: The Greatest Heist (C4); CROMWELL would have got on well with Ebenezer Scrooge. Like the Dickens character, he was no fan of Christmas and banned the festival, along with maypole dancing (no great loss

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    Activities coordinator. £4.50ph, 20hrs pw. Experience in residential/community setting preferred. Ref: DUR 35706. Gym instructor/receptionist. 40hrs pw, between Mon-Sun, 9am to 9pm, female only. Required to instruct clients in gym. Experience an advantage

  • Expansion landmark with fleet at 10,000

    THE rapid expansion of Vardy Contract Motoring (VCM) has seen the division reach a landmark as it took its fleet to beyond 10,000 vehicles. It reached the figure after only five years of operations as the contract hire, fleet management and personal leasing

  • Serenade to humble sausage roll

    SOME sing of love or heartbreak, and others of brave deeds - but, for three characters from Richmond Operatic Society, it's sausage rolls. Martin Ash, Tom Burrows and Geoff Wagstaff play Bill, Ben and Bob in Soiree D'Amour on this week at the Georgian

  • Age is not a barrier as energy company recruits extra staff

    THE latest recruits at a customer services centre are proving that you are never too old to learn - or to start a new career. Included in the recruits at EDF Energy, based in Doxford Park, Sunderland, are a number of advisors who feared their age would

  • Families urged to oppose turbines

    ONE of the region's biggest wind farm projects is facing growing opposition from disgruntled residents. Opponents have launched a campaign to stop the erection of 25 wind turbines between the A66 and Stang Forest, about six miles from Barnard Castle,

  • Sharon Griffiths meets... Countryside Alliance boss Angela Vaux

    THE glorious countryside, the exhilarating physical challenge, the sheer delight of watching hounds working... When Angela Vaux describes the joy of hunting, her enthusiasm is infectious. Yet when she gave up recently, she was surprised to find that what

  • Alarm at chemical cocktail in our blood

    BLOOD tests on North-East people have revealed a cocktail of highly-toxic chemicals, according to a report released today. Scientists carried out toxicology tests on blood samples collected from volunteers throughout the country. What the screening revealed

  • Acrobat wins European medal

    A NORTH-EAST acrobat has won a bronze medal in the European Gymnastics Championships. Durham University student Scott Patterson was competing in the sports acrobatics discipline in the championships, held in Poland. Scott, who studies at the university's

  • Angela's Passions

    THE glorious countryside, the exhilarating physical challenge, the sheer delight of watching hounds working... When Angela Vaux describes the joy of hunting, her enthusiasm is infectious. Yet when she gave up recently, she was surprised to find that what

  • Firemen's lift for sales of brigade's cheeky calendar

    BIG BROTHER star Jonny Regan joined up with his old workmates yesterday to help promote a fire station calendar that is already selling like hot cakes. The former firefighter had agreed to be featured in the pin-up fund raising calendar, the brain child

  • Deal struck with British Library

    ONLINE shopping company amazon.co.uk can now sell millions of rare books over the Internet after forging an alliance with the British Library. The World Wide Web favourite was previously unable to offer pre-ISBN books as it did not have access to bibliographic

  • Eating Owt: A near brush with Bush

    George W. Bush may have favoured the nearby Dun Cow for lunch, but the Nag's Head, in Sedgefield, has plenty of characters of its own. MEANWHILE back in the Nags Head, the boys in the bar were discussing the imminent VIP visit to the pub at the other

  • Woman escapes with bruises after 100ft plunge from cliff

    A RESCUE team battled against rising tides to save a 24-year-old woman after she survived a 100ft cliff fall. The unnamed woman escaped with little more than superficial injuries, when she plunged off the towering Noses Point at Seaham in County Durham

  • Glaxo loses a crucial patent after federal court appeal

    DRUGS company GlaxoSmithKline has lost a crucial appeal in the US over patent rights for one of its best-selling products. The pharmaceutical firm had been fighting a decision by a federal court in Washington DC upholding an earlier ruling that legal

  • Tears of hit-run victim's parents

    THE family of a 15-year-old schoolboy killed in a hit-and- run last week, have made an emotional plea for witnesses to help end their nightmare. Their appeal followed the arrest of five people on suspicion of the murder of teenager Ian Gourley. Ian's

  • Teacher sponsors school team kit

    A TEACHER has agreed to sponsor a football kit for his school team. Ben Sutherland, a business studies teacher at Hurworth School Computing and Maths College, near Darlington, also owns the Crossways Guest House in York. He was approached by head of PE

  • TV review

    Oliver Cromwell: Warts And All (BBC1) Brinks Mat: The Greatest Heist (C4) CROMWELL would have got on well with Ebenezer Scrooge. Like the Dickens character, he was no fan of Christmas and banned the festival, along with maypole dancing (no great loss

  • Kaylie takes cross-country title

    Kaylie Taylor has become the first girl in her school to win a regional cross country title. Kaylie, 11, who attends Alderman Leach Primary School, in Leach Grove, Darlington, competed against 76 other girls in the Upper Schools Junior Cross Country Championship

  • Dinner guests

    The opening of Days of the Raj, a restaurant, in Gosforth, Newcastle, aimed at combining the best of Eastern and Western cultures, was attended by the Mayors of Newcastle and Gateshead and High Commissioner of Bangladesh Mizanur Rahman.

  • Teenager stabbed in heart, trial told

    A STABBING victim suffered a succession of injuries, a court heard yesterday. Chris Cave, 17, was knifed through the heart and collapsed outside his best friend's flat in Burnmore Close, Redcar, east Cleveland. The prosecution in the case allege that

  • Computer theft from man in a wheelchair

    A WHEELCHAIR-BOUND man had his medication and laptop computer stolen when he was robbed yesterday. The 52-year-old was making his way down Locke Road, in Redcar, east Cleveland, on his way to Redcar and Cleveland College, where he is on a computer course

  • 110mph man banned from driving

    FRUSTRATION cost company executive Tracey Neil Ross his driving licence, and may mean the loss of his job. Harrogate magistrates heard how, after missing his motorway exit, Ross was caught doing 110mph in his car by North Yorkshire police. Ross, 36, the

  • Extra drink leads to court

    A BIRTHDAY party held for a businesswoman resulted in her being banned from driving after she was caught more than three times over the drink-drive limit. Harrogate Magistrates' Court heard yesterday how Jacqueline Addy, who pleaded guilty to drink-driving

  • Chief to look after rental cars safety

    A post has been created at a North-East firm to oversee the safety of rental vehicles. Arriva has appointed David Thompson as the new maintenance supervisor. He will be responsible for the safety of the company's 1,100 vehicles that are rented out to

  • Search for car thieves

    POLICE are looking for a gang of youths who fled the scene after crashing a car which then burst into flames. It happened on the junction of Normanby Road and Bevanlee Road in South Bank at 8.30pm on Friday. A grey Ford Fiesta XR2 left the road after

  • Youngsters join world art day to learn of different cultures

    PUPILS from a primary school, which was severely damaged by fire last month, are taking part in a worldwide Art Day today. Every one of Grangetown Primary School's 250 pupils will be looking at different styles of art and culture, with each of the 12

  • Sixth-form 'slaves' at pupils' beck and call

    SIXTH-FORMERS from a York school had to do the bidding of the younger children after being sold as slaves for a day to help raise money for causes at home and abroad. The stunt was part of a four-day drive by pupils from Huntington School which also included

  • Prime Minister meets a trio of new constituents

    PRIME Minister Tony Blair took time out from his busy schedule to meet three of his newest constituents. Mr Blair visited a community house in Trimdon Village to meet triplets Jay, Ellie and Ben. The Prime Minister, who was due to entertain US President

  • Meeting called over schools closures

    PARENTS have called a public meeting in their battle to save a primary school. People who have children at Eldon Lane Primary School, near Bishop Auckland, have vowed to fight plans for their school to merge with Dene Valley Primary School. The move would

  • Campaign wants Blair to go Left

    TWO North-East MPs have helped launch a radical group to shift the Labour Party to the Left. Kevan Jones (Durham North) and Vera Baird (Redcar) are among 15 backbench MPs who yesterday founded New Wave to persuade Prime Minister Tony Blair to change direction

  • Scheme will teach four-year-olds French

    A project to teach French to four-year-olds will be launched in County Durham this week. St Bede's RC School, in Lanchester, a specialist language college, is working with its partner primary schools to bring modern foreign languages to children from

  • Grey Horse romp to hat-trick

    Whilst a nation rejoiced on Saturday morning, another extraordinary team of champions were themselves getting down to final action. The Grey Horse from Bank Top, Darlington, had won the British 5s and 3s team singles knockout three times in the previous

  • Grey Horse romp to hat-trick

    Whilst a nation rejoiced on Saturday morning, another extraordinary team of champions were themselves getting down to final action. The Grey Horse from Bank Top, Darlington, had won the British 5s and 3s team singles knockout three times in the previous

  • North-East offers value added living

    HOUSE-HUNTERS hoping for a crime-free life and an affordable home are being directed to the North-East. New research shows five places in County Durham are among the 20 best in the country when it comes to value for money and safety. Teesdale tops the

  • Pupils produce history guide

    A HISTORY guide to Barnard Castle has been produced by two year seven girls at Teesdale Comprehensive School. Charlotte Bowron and Gillian Teward produced the guide as part of a history course. They are hoping it will be printed and made available to

  • Grassroots: Crook

    HISTORY DISPLAY: An exhibition of photographs, maps, and books relating to Howden-le-Wear and Fir Tree, dating from the late 19th century, will form part of an exhibition organised by the Howden-le-Wear Local History Society on Saturday, from 10am to

  • Photos offer snapshop of family life

    A RETIRED businessman is hoping to be able to put someone in the picture after discovering old family snapshots. Peter Sotheran found 175 photographs dating from the 1920s while he was clearing out an attic. They consist of an album of family photographs

  • Calatagan to end the famine

    MALCOLM JEFFERSON has made an uncharacteristically slow start to the season, but that could all be about to change provided Calatagan (2.30) defies top weight in the betfair.com Handicap Hurdle at Sedgefield this afternoon. Calatagan is unlucky not have

  • Price goes up for Sunderland target Stead

    SUNDERLAND risk losing out on striker Jon Stead after Huddersfield Town raised the asking price to nearer £1.5m. And in a new twist, Nottingham Forest have emerged as genuine rivals for Stead's signature. Forest have accepted a £500,000 bid from First

  • Elvis fan turns entrance to home into Graceland

    An Elvis impersonator is all shook up after he had the entrance to Graceland re-created outside his home. Paul Priestley, 41, has been devoted to the late, great rock 'n' roll star since he was nine-years-old. But now he has taken his devotion further

  • Study highlights return of child poverty to N-E

    THE spectre of child poverty is returning to the North-East, according to public health experts. Researchers from Teesside University's School of Health and Social Care say that despite a steady overall improvement in the health of most people living

  • 24/11/03

    CAPITAL PUNISHMENT: THERE were cries of moral indignation from the media following recent comments made by the new Shadow Home Secretary David Davis on the subject of capital punishment. During the course of an interview given to The Sunday Telegraph,

  • Manufacturing shows signs of encouragement

    THE UK's manufacturing industry is showing encouraging signs after a two-month slump in order books. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said total order books had returned to August's levels and export orders were now at their highest for nearly

  • Slow down, coroner begs bikers

    A CORONER pleaded with bikers to slow down after the inquest into the death of a 31-year-old motorcyclist. The hearing at the Town Hall in Richmond last week, was told speed was almost certainly a factor in the death of Mark Lofthouse of Leyburn, whose

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    Switchboard operative, Northallerton. £7.25ph, 37hrs pw, 8.30am to 5pm, Mon-Thur, 4.30pm finish Fri, temporary, from Dec 22 to Mar 14. Must have switchboard/call centre experience. Mitel Light switchboard preferred with reception experience. Ref: NOE

  • Jonny worth £5m a year - if he wants it

    Jonny Wilkinson's World Cup final heroics could mean as much as £5m a year to England's newest sporting hero. That is the view of PR guru Max Clifford, who believes the hottest property in world rugby has everything it takes to become the David Beckham

  • Calatagan to end slow start

    MALCOLM JEFFERSON has made an uncharacteristically slow start to the season, but that could all be about to change provided Calatagan (2.30) defies top weight in the betfair.com Handicap Hurdle at Sedgefield this afternoon. Calatagan is unlucky not have

  • Traffic plan gets an airing

    A BLUEPRINT for the future of traffic management in Northallerton has been produced following a major public consultation exercise. The scheme has been designed by North Yorkshire County Council and targets key congestion hot spots, such as Low Gates

  • All set for crucial meeting

    A DATE has been set for a crucial meeting which could decide the destiny of a parcel of council-owned land in Richmond, at the centre of controversy since the local authority indicated it may be sold. Richmondshire District Council's resources committee

  • 'I never thought it would happen to me'

    Today is International Day Against Violence Against Women but, despite increased awareness, one in four women still experience violence at the hands of a partner or ex-partner. Women's Editor Christen Pears reports. LAURA was pregnant when her boyfriend

  • Galloping to the rescue

    MANAGERS of one of the North-East's most important wildlife sites have called in some hardy volunteers to help with vital conservation work. Rare Exmoor ponies have been brought in at the National Nature Reserve close to Thrislington Quarry, near Ferryhill

  • Families urged to oppose turbines

    ONE of the region's biggest wind farm projects is facing growing opposition from disgruntled residents. Opponents have launched a campaign to stop the erection of 25 wind turbines between the A66 and Stang Forest, about six miles from Barnard Castle,

  • A near brush with Bush

    George W. Bush may have favoured the nearby Dun Cow for lunch, but the Nag's Head, in Sedgefield, has plenty of characters of its own. MEANWHILE back in the Nags Head, the boys in the bar were discussing the imminent VIP visit to the pub at the other

  • Ehiogu the guiding light for Boro's kids

    MIDDLESBROUGH'S youngsters have been told to take a leaf out of the Ugo Ehiogu book on 'attitude to injury' in their bid to become stars of the future. Ehiogu has not played since damaging the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the final

  • Comment from The Northern Echo: Lockerbie - the final questions

    THE 270 people who died at the hands of the Lockerbie bomber came from 21 nations and seven faiths. It is unrealistic, therefore, to expect unanimity of opinion on the sentence handed down to the man convicted of the atrocity. The families of the victims