THE editor of a rural newspaper has stepped down after only four months in charge. Matthew Mills, the editor of the Teesdale Mercury, in west Durham, has blamed unforeseen family difficulties as the reason for his resignation. The newspaper's chairman
THAT was the Night Mail crossing the border, It once brought the cheque and the postal order... One hundred and sixty-six years of history came to an end last Friday night when the last Travelling Post Office (TPO) rattled through Darlington station on
WITH Jonny Wilkinson still unfit, Newcastle Falcons will rely on the same personnel tomorrow to apply a more impressive finish to the job they started against Montferrand last Sunday. They take a 10-3 lead into the second leg of their Parker Pen European
I AM doing the rounds of the New Year sales looking for a new washing machine. It has to be a robust one, one that can cope with the daily washing of mud-soaked, soil-encrusted and compost-enriched clothes. It will have to be able to deal with heavy coats
THE growth in "green" employment could lead to 35,000 people working in the sector in the UK by 2020, a report has predicted. The Government's push to meet renewable energy targets will create employment opportunities in a number of areas, a Department
THE celebrations for my son's 18th birthday have even belittled the search for Britain's (not the UK you will note) Best Sitcom on BBC2. What started out as a modest family get-together has blossomed into a full fancy dress occasion at a local hall with
computer users in the North-East have been warned to ignore a hoax e-mail warning women they are under threat from abduction at petrol stations. The message, purporting to come from the British Transport Police, says: "Be extra careful going to and from
WORKERS at Nestl are considering strike action in protest at new working arrangements. Staff on one of the Kit-Kat production lines in York said that signing up to the arrangements would cost them £10,000 in lost wages. A compensation package has been
AN anonymous caller could hold vital clues in the hunt for a killer who bludgeoned a North-East teenager to death, detectives revealed last night. Officers investigating the murder of Scott Pritchard are keen to speak to a man who dialled 999 the night
Darlington manager David Hodgson gave up the good life to return to the club. Hodgson, who starts his new weekly column in The Northern Echo next Friday is in at the deep end with the club in administration and facing relegation from the Football League
DAVID HODGSON will this afternoon tell Barry Conlon and Neil Wainwright to continue where they left off and end Darlington's drought in front of goal. Second-bottom Quakers head to Kidderminster Harriers without a win in six games. And with just one goal
The column took advantage of the publication of a post-war history of St Cuthbert's church to pay a long overdue visit to its close neighbour. ST Cuthbert's church is little more than 100 yards from these offices. We toil within the sound of its blithe
PUBLIC transport in Stockton is being reviewed and residents have been given a chance to air their views. There will be a joint public meeting between Stockton Borough Council's health and social care select committee and the environment and regeneration
SIR BOBBY ROBSON yesterday cushioned the blow of a failed £2m move for Leeds striker Alan Smith by declaring that Craig Bellamy could be only two weeks away from a Newcastle comeback. Bellamy has been out for over three months after flying to the United
A TEESDALE company that made motor-cycle racing leathers for some of the country's top riders has closed its shop. AM Leathers, in Barnard Castle, which made biking gear for police forces as well as national and international motorcycle racing enthusiasts
COUNCIL chiefs have issued a health notice to employees informing them of a rare virus contracted by one of their colleagues. Darlington Borough Council has informed its staff that one of its employees has Parvovirus B19. The virus commonly infects humans
AN advice and information centre is up-to-date with technology as a result of a BT scheme connecting communities to the worldwide web. Clients of the Signpost service, in Crook, have speedy access to a wide range of services through a new computer at
POLICE officers who tackled some of Britain's toughest terrain have raised hundreds of pounds for charity. Two groups from Durham Constabulary picked the country's most challenging hikes to raise money for the Special Care Baby Unit and the Accident and
AN historic building is to be redeveloped to provide a one-stop council shop. The Mechanics Institute at Bridge End, Chester-le-Street, is to be redesigned and re-launched as a point of contact for people wanting help or advice from the district council
NEIGHBOURING football clubs are looking to secure their future by bidding for grants to carry out stadium improvements. Football League inspectors have visited Crook Town and Willington's grounds and demanded improvements to meet new league requirements
STUDENTS at Spennymoor Comprehensive School have created a life-size model camel as the centrepiece of a museum exhibition. A display of handmade textiles from the Gujarat province of India has gone on show at the Oriental Museum, in Elvet Hall, Durham
A TEENAGER who attacked a man walking with a group of children was locked up for 12 months yesterday. Christopher Mulholland, 20, of Darlington, rammed a broken broom shank into the face of Philip Wood, leaving him permanently scarred and unable to eat
A NEW police communications system means callers ringing officers in Darlington will speak to staff in Bishop Auckland. From today, telephone calls to Darlington police station, on (01325) 467681, will be handled by staff at the force's new south communications
CELEBRITIES are promoting healthy lifestyles on Teesside. Health chiefs are using a magazine format to get their message across, particularly to young women. The Your Life! magazine has celebrity interviews, tips and eight pages of information about NHS
With few top flight companies expected to report next week, the spotlight will fall on companies in the FTSE 250, ranging from breweries and supermarkets to electronics firms. Analysts are expecting big things from supermarket group Somerfield when it
IT was World Cup final day when Darlington Mowden Park played away to today's visitors, Dudley Kingswinford, and Tom McLaren remembers it well. Although born in Scotland, the 24-year-old Mowden No 8 was only a few weeks old when his parents moved to Australia
If Darlington survive their massive off-field traumas, an uncertain future on the pitch awaits. Lee Hall considers what is needed to avoid the dreaded drop to the Nationwide Conference. It's the million-dollar question to which every club haunted with
A COURT action against an MP who was accused of failing to pay his bills, was dismissed yesterday. Builder Peter Robinson claimed Frank Cook, MP for Stockton North, had not paid him in full for completing a £15,986 refurbishment on the MP's London home
NEWCASTLE United last night lined up Celtic star Henrik Larsson after failing to prise Alan Smith away from Leeds. Swedish scoring sensation Larsson is poised to sign a pre-contract with the Magpies ahead of joining them on a Bosman transfer this summer
ASPIRING disc jockeys can attend workshops starting tomorrow to learn how to mix, blend and scratch music. Disc jockey K Delight, also known as Christian Kay, is holding six workshops at Haughton Youth Centre for young people in the Springfield, Whinfield
A 21-year-old man is on target to become the region's youngest fully-qualified jeweller. David Black, of Stockton, is a supervisor with jewellers H Samuel, in the Middleton Grange Shopping Centre, Hartlepool. He had worked there for the past three years
RICHARD FAHEY'S long journey from Malton to Kempton to contest the £50,000 Lanzarote Hurdle should not be in vain provided Altay (3.40) maintains the stable's outstanding run of form. Fahey, who enjoyed an across-the-card treble at Catterick and Southwell
A "DANGEROUS sexual predator" from the North-East who raped eight women and girls prowled areas around the M25 in his hunt for victims, a court was told yesterday. The first victim of former railway worker Antoni Imiela, originally from Newton Aycliffe
POWERFUL Morpeth Harriers will again be the club to beat in tomorrow's 21st Durham Cathedral Relays. The Northumbrians - recognised as the region's strongest senior men's road-racing outfit - provided the first two teams home last year after dividing
A THEATRE audience will be given the chance to question Ann Widdecombe MP when she appears in the region tonight. The politician will take part in An Audience With Ann Widdecombe at the Arc, in Stockton, where she will share stories and anecdotes covbering
A "neighbour from hell" was jailed for three years yesterday after being caught by a security camera trying to start a fire next door. Ex-soldier Trevor Bunce, who "made a misery" of the lives of the elderly neighbouring couple, was filmed using paint
HIGHWAY engineers have blamed incorrect weather forecasts and a rush-hour panic for Thursday's road chaos. Heavy snowfall in County Durham and North Yorkshire led to gridlock on many roads on Thursday evening and caused dozens of minor accidents. Angry
For ten years, those loveable Friends have been holding court from the Central Perk sofa. But soon it will be time to say goodbye. Or will it? THIS could be the end of a beautiful Friendship. But will Rachel, Phoebe, Monica, Joey, Chandler and Ross really
I AM doing the rounds of the New Year sales looking for a new washing machine. It has to be a robust one, one that can cope with the daily washing of mud-soaked, soil-encrusted and compost-enriched clothes. It will have to be able to deal with heavy coats
A "neighbour from hell" was jailed for three years yesterday after being caught by a security camera trying to start a fire next door. Ex-soldier Trevor Bunce, who "made a misery" of the lives of the elderly neighbouring couple, was filmed using paint
FILTRONIC has capitalised on the weak US dollar to refinance its debt, saving the company at least £1.6m a year. The group took advantage of the relative strength of the pound to clear its $74m outstanding ten per cent senior notes. A secondary £10m short-term
HIGH street retailer Boots beat market expectations with a 4.1 per cent rise in like-for-like sales over the Christmas season. The health and beauty chain said it had learned lessons from last year by increasing its range of beauty products and fragrances
TWO local authorities in the region have reacted angrily to government threats to cap planned council tax rises of more than five per cent. North Yorkshire County Council said the "shot across the bows" took no account of either the level of its council
HOUSEBUILDER Bellway is confident that it will achieve record annual results for an eighth year in succession. Encouraging trends in reservations have led to optimism at the company, which is based in Newcastle. The upbeat comments come three months after
solicitor David Gatherer was jailed in disgrace yesterday after being found guilty of ripping off an elderly widow in a house sale scam. Victim Joan Fort instructed the lawyer to sell a converted former shop she owned in Esh Winning, Durham, in the summer
LOCAL GOVERNMENT: WEAR Valley District Council and Sedgefield Borough Council are considering plans to save £60,000 a year by merging the control centres of their Homeline and Carelink service, which provide on-line warden help for older people living
A "DANGEROUS sexual predator" from the North-East who raped eight women and girls prowled areas around the M25 in his hunt for victims, a court was told yesterday. The first victim of former railway worker Antoni Imiela, originally from Newton Aycliffe
FOOTBALL stars from Hartlepool United are teaming up with the town's six secondary schools to promote good behaviour by children travelling on school buses. There are hundreds of pupils in Hartlepool who have special passes enabling them to travel daily
meetings are being held in Hartlepool next week in a bid to shape revamps of two of the town's play areas. A total of £140,000 has been earmarked for investment in the Seaton Park and Town Moor playgrounds and Hartlepool Borough Council officers want
COUNCIL chiefs have issued a health notice to employees informing them of a rare virus contracted by one of their colleagues. Darlington Borough Council has informed its staff that one of its employees has Parvovirus B19. The virus commonly infects humans
FILLING in a council questionnaire has proved rewarding for Isabel French. The council tenant, of Rowlands Gill, responded to a consultation by Gateshead Council before it set up an arms-length organisation to run its housing stock. She was presented
EXTRA residential home places have led to a dramatic reduction in the number of patients who take up beds unnecessarily in Darlington Memorial Hospital. At its peak last year, the problem of bed-blocking saw up to 35 patients a week having to staying
A MAN carried out a sustained attack on his estranged wife in front of a customer at the hairdressers' shop where she worked. Glen David Lawrence was yesterday jailed for three years after Durham Crown Court was told how his terrified wife feared she
KIND-HEARTED regulars at a village social club have raised more than £5,000 to help sick children. Staff at Grange Villa Workmen's Social Club, in Front Street, Grange Villa, near Chester-le-Street, held activities including social evenings, raffles and
A UNIVERSITY in the North-East is selling paintings to raise funds for a school in China. Northumbria University, in Newcastle, which has links with the Nanning Vocational School, in China, has been given almost 40 paintings by the school headteacher.
ANOTHER North-East council has added its support to a proposal to merge Durham's district councils into three. If the public votes for a Regional Assembly, it is likely that one tier of local government will have to be abolished. Chester-le-Street District
LONG-AWAITED improvements to a village shopping centre and main road network begin next month. A £500,000 scheme is designed to enhance the main commercial area of Shiney Row, between Chester-le-Street and Sunderland. But it will also improve traffic
A SCHOOL is running classes for parents to help them cope with difficult teenage years. While much is made of how hard it is being a teenager, little attention is paid to how difficult it can be for parents. The Hermitage School, in Chester-le-Street,
A WOMAN with severe disabilities is writing to the Government to try to change housing rules which could leave her on the streets. Janice Fairbridge, 45, said she must leave her Teesside home because her medical condition is worsening and she needs to
In his latest movie, Ben Affleck plays a man who can see into the future. But, as Steve Pratt discovers, when it comes to his own plans and his on-off marriage to Jennifer Lopez the actor doesn't see things quite so clearly. Ben Affleck on the GMTV sofa
A MULTI-MILLION pound National Lottery bid to build a flagship museum in the region - the centrepiece of plans to create a new regional cultural capital - has been withdrawn. The partnership behind plans for a Great Museum of the North, in Newcastle,
THIS could be the end of a beautiful Friendship. But will Rachel, Phoebe, Monica, Joey, Chandler and Ross really say goodbye after the final episode of Friends is screened on American television in May? They say yes. Past experience says no. Actors are
A MULTI-MILLION pound National Lottery bid to build a flagship museum in the region - the centrepiece of plans to create a new regional cultural capital - has been withdrawn. The partnership behind plans for a Great Museum of the North, in Newcastle,
HARTLEPOOL United boss Neale Cooper will resist the temptation to hand a quick debut to new signing Scott Walker. Cooper takes his side to Tranmere this afternoon and powerful Scottish defender Walker is in line for a place on the bench. Pool are seeking
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren last night appeared to have been taken by surprise after Liverpool counterpart Gerard Houllier revealed that Emile Heskey's immediate future lies at Anfield. McClaren had earlier confirmed for the first time that the
A CONTROVERSIAL North-East vicar is calling for the return of the death penalty and an end to the National Lottery. The Reverend George Curry, vicar at the Evangelical church of St Stephen's and St Paul's, in Newcastle, makes the comments during a TV
THE case for the 2012 Olympics Games being awarded to London, ahead of other parts of the United Kingdom, is not overwhelming. To focus so much national investment and international attention on the wealthiest and most recognisable area of our country
DARLINGTON Football Club will fold next month unless a bumper crowd turns up for their next home league game. That is the stark warning from administrators, who are asking the people of the town to show their support and commitment to the club by turning
WORKERS at Nestl are considering strike action in protest at new working arrangements. Staff on one of the Kit-Kat production lines in York said that signing up to the arrangements would cost them £10,000 in lost wages. A compensation package has been
A MULTI-MILLION pound National Lottery bid to build a flagship museum in the region - the centrepiece of plans to create a new regional cultural capital - has been withdrawn. The partnership behind plans for a Great Museum of the North, in Newcastle,
DARLINGTON Football Club will fold next month unless a bumper crowd turns up for their next home league game. That is the stark warning from administrators, who are asking the people of the town to show their support and commitment to the club by turning
Gibraltar has much to offer the British tourist and, as The Rock celebrates the tercentenary of its link to Britain, Chris Gibbings enjoys a winter trip to the sun. A break to warm sunny weather in the depths of the British winter can't be bad - with
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren last night appeared to have been taken by surprise after Liverpool counterpart Gerard Houllier revealed that Emile Heskey's immediate future lies at Anfield. McClaren had earlier confirmed for the first time that the
