Two years ago Chester-bound Stretton (4.05) returned after a well-earned winter holiday to win the Walker Smith Handicap and if my calculations are correct a repeat performance is very much on the cards. The James Bethell-trained six-year-old is clearly
AMONG the traditional images of children eating sticks of rock and grandmas sunning themselves in deckchairs, the thought of seaside donkeys wearing huge nappies does not sit well. But that was the suggestion brought up at a meeting by the leader of Scarborough
AN exhibition of photographs and poetry evoking the spirit of the North-East landscape will go on show in County Durham next week. Northern Grit, which opens at the Durham Light Infantry Museum and Durham Art Gallery, on Tuesday, features the work of
CROSS-EYED grimaces, protruding tongues, not to mention false teeth, were the order of the day when a pub held its first gurning competition at the weekend. And it was Beryl Burn, of Chester-le-Street, putting on a face that would petrify small children
VOLUNTEERS are needed to help people in Chester-le-Street with everyday problems. The Citizen's Advice Bureau on Front Street is gearing up to expand its service, possibly opening in the evenings. Manager Vaughan Davidson would like to hear from people
AN African asylum seeker living in the North-East yesterday became the second person in England and Wales to be prosecuted for allegedly infecting women with HIV. Musician Feston Konzani, of Middlesbrough, is accused of giving the deadly virus to four
INDUSTRY Secretary Patricia Hewitt will today warn the North's call centre workers to improve their skills or risk losing their jobs to India and the Philippines. A long-awaited report on the so-called offshoring of jobs will warn that British staff lack
As part of The Northern Echo's Lifeblood campaign, encouraging more people to give blood, here are details of planned donor sessions: Today Harrowgate Hill Methodist Church, Lowson Street, Darlington 2.15pm-7pm Town Hall, Raby Road, Hartlepool 10am-7pm
A BUILDING materials group is closing 11 regional offices in a move that will affect 1,100 staff. Wolseley is transferring its corporate functions to headquarters near Warwick and expanding its office at Ripon, North Yorkshire. The move will see the closure
ALAN Shearer has urged his Newcastle team-mates to grasp their "chance of greatness" when they take on Marseille for a place in the UEFA Cup final tonight. The Magpies are just 90 minutes away from their first European final appearance for 35 years after
LOMANA LuaLua has sensationally snubbed Newcastle by turning down the chance of a UEFA Cup semi-final appearance in Marseille tonight. The African striker is currently on loan on Portsmouth and was part of the Pompey side that held champions Arsenal to
She was the darling of the Labour conference and the politician with the popular touch - then it all went horribly wrong. Nick Morrison talks to Mo Mowlam about life after government. THERE was a time when Mo Mowlam could do no wrong. In a world of on-message
MEMBERS of a theatre group's youth section have achieved excellent examination results. Sedgefield Spys, the youth section of Sedgefield Players, held its annual certificate presentation in Sedgefield Parish Hall. Society president Barry Jackson made
TWO residential care homes in the North-East have raised concerns over a national scam that is trying to rip off businesses. In the latest incidents, the homes received letters from the bogus Health and Safety Registration Enforcement Division, with a
AN MP says a town's coastline will be at risk if a proposed windfarm goes ahead. EDF Energy wants to build a windfarm half a mile off Coatham Sands, Redcar, east Cleveland, with 30 400ft turbines capable of generating enough energy to power 72,000 homes
DETECTIVES hunting two rapists who attacked a 25-year-old North-East woman say they have traced a vital witness. The terrified victim was attacked by two men who offered her a lift home after she had spent a night out in Middlesbrough. The attack took
PEOPLE with mobility problems living in urban areas can now use a scheme that has been benefiting disabled rural residents for more than five years. About 2,000 people use Durham County Council's Access bus service. But from next Monday, the scheme will
A CONTROVERSIAL application to convert a barn near a shooting club into a home has been deferred by councillors. The application by Freda Longstaff to convert the barn in Mickleton was deferred by Teesdale District Council in order to obtain legal advice
A SOLDIER with the Territorial Army has been presented with a top award for his years of outstanding service. Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) Andy Haywood has been awarded Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant's Certificate. He received the honour from the Lord
DEVELOPERS hope to deliver a project that could bring hundreds of jobs to the region, The Northern Echo can reveal. High Point Estates is understood to be talking to a leisure firm that could provide the anchor for a multi-million pound development on
INVESTIGATORS are still trying to establish the cause of a fire that gutted a bakery. Peter's Cathedral Bakers has closed its chain of 71 shops following the fire at its headquarters on the Dragonville Industrial Estate, Durham City, nearly two weeks
PEOPLE with mobility problems in County Durham's urban areas are to share a travel scheme which has been running in the countryside for more than five years. About 2,000 people in rural communities already use Durham County Council's Access bus service
Huntley and Palmer's biscuit tins are now very collectable following the discovery of some rather risque images. For 30 years it was simply Carole Archer's needlework tin; for two pins she'd have given it to the binmen. Now, however, the former corner
THE Mayor of Richmond has revealed he has become the second councillor to be reported to the Standards Board for England by the chief executive of the district authority. Catterick councillor Tony Pelton has already confirmed his name has been referred
NORTH Ormesby enjoyed a spring clean-up thanks to its residents and schoolchildren. It was funded by the local neighbourhood management project and organised by environmental organisation Groundwork South Tees. The clean-up began in the market place where
A £1.4M scheme is being launched to help steer vulnerable children in the Stockton area away from trouble. The multi-agency Behaviour Educational Support Team (Best) will be funded through the Government's Behaviour Improvement Programme. The aim is to
AN author has helped to raise more than £600 for charity with a book telling of her childhood memories. Jean Wade, a member of the Bennet House Writers group, in Darlington, sold copies of her book, Half a Jelly Bean, at a coffee morning in aid of St
A COUNCIL has been forced to employ security guards to protect a community centre. Skerne Park Community Centre, in Darlington, has been repeatedly targeted by vandals since work started to repair damage caused by an arson attack on Tuesday, March 23.
FRAUD squad detectives from the North East's three police forces are teaming up to tackle financial criminals across the region. Officers from the economic crime units of Durham, Northumbria and Cleveland police are taking part in a two-day seminar at
A NEW appeal for life-saving bone marrow donors has been made by a charity. Working in conjunction with Northallerton Round Table, the Anthony Nolan Trust has organised a special session to encourage people to find out how to become donors. They are particularly
A COLOURFUL mosaic, designed by people with learning disabilities, reflects the kind of experiences they hope a new centre will help them enjoy. North Yorkshire County Council is to transform the Ashbank Day Centre, in Northallerton, constructing a new
A RADICAL £80m demolition and redevelopment programme has been proposed for one of the region's town centres. As part of the plans, consultants have advised Stockton Borough Council to demolish some of the town's most prominent buildings. The entire town
A STUDENT council has handed over a petition to Government Chief Whip Hilary Armstrong to ask that children all over the world receive a fair education. Members of Wolsingham School and Community College's School Council met the North-West Durham MP when
THE police authority chairman heading Britain's most controversial force was humiliated last night as he tried to cling on to his position. Councillor Ken Walker was beaten in a ballot to choose candidates for Cleveland Police Authority from Middlesbrough
THEY'RE a classy lot in Emmerdale (ITV1). When they throw a party, they really throw a shindig. Marquees, caterers, booze - and the surprise ingredient, Sadie the superbitch. She's Jimmy King's wife and brings the family party to a standstill as she lands
A FAMILY have been told they may have to wait three years before they get justice for their dead son. Pam and George Cummings are opposing an appeal by the three Greek doctors responsible for the death of Christopher Rochester, who are seeking to have
AN inquiry has cleared councillors in Tony Blair's County Durham constituency after allegations of bullying and boozing, the Northern Echo can reveal. But the Standards Board for England, which regulates council behaviour, said last night that ten more
CABLE operator ntl has passed a milestone in its recovery by moving into operating profit for the first time. Foundations for the improved performance were laid by a 7.7 per cent rise in customers at its ntl home division in the three months to March
RAIL enthusiasts built up a head of steam over the busy Bank Holiday weekend recreating a golden age in passenger travel. The good weather attracted the crowds to the Tanfield Railway and visitors were treated to rides on coaches pulled by the No 49,
Two years ago Chester-bound Stretton (4.05) returned after a well-earned winter holiday to win the Walker Smith Handicap and if my calculations are correct a repeat performance is very much on the cards. The James Bethell-trained six-year-old is clearly
AN internal investigation has found no evidence of the bullying alleged to have taken place at a North-East council. Employees at Chester-le-Street District Council complained to union bosses about harassment at work. But personnel, equalities and internal
A FOOD company is promoting small food producers in North Yorkshire in a campaign designed to tell people where its products come from. Moorsfresh, in Pickering, is showcasing the stories of its producers through a series of Provenance information cards
Fighting monsters is hard work, as both Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale discovered when they took on a few of the stunts in Van Helsing. The two stars talked to Steve Pratt. HAIR has played a key role in the career of Australian actor and singer Hugh
A CHARITY that helps people deal with debt is celebrating the first birthday of its North Yorkshire base. Staff at the Christians Against Poverty Debt Counselling Centre say they have helped more people than they ever expected. The centre, based in New
A NEW £95,000 play park is a dream come true for a small community. The Middlewood Green Action Group, which is made up of residents and councillors from St Helen Auckland, near Bishop Auckland, has worked for five years to create a new play area for
The Last Samurai (15, Warner Home Video, also available to buy DVD £22.99/VHS £16.99): Stars: Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly, Tony Goldwyn, Shin Koyamada, Timothy Spall, Hiroyuki Sanada, Koyuki, Shichinosuke Nakamura, Seizo Fukumoto. CAPTAIN
PARENTS have been warned that their children may be riding motorised scooters illegally. Stockton Borough Council's trading standards officers said that few parents realise that some types of scooters are not allowed to be ridden on pavements and cycle
A MAGAZINE looking back at the good old days of life in Yorkshire is to feature on a popular television quiz show tomorrow. Down Your Way will be the guest publication in the missing words round of Have I Got News For You. The magazine is published in
THE fortunes of a miserable moggy which shunned all human contact have taken a turn for the better. Last week, The Northern Echo reported on the sorry tale of Mr Snugs, a depressed black-and-white cat who could not find a home. The petulant pussycat was
ROYAL Bank of Scotland (RBS) is expecting to generate a quarter of its profits in the US following a £5.8bn acquisition. The deal for Charter One Financial was struck through the group's US subsidiary, Citizens, the second largest bank in New England.
FILM and train enthusiasts are in for a treat when they visit Darlington's Railway Centre and Museum on Saturday. Five films showing different aspects of the railway from the past and special events, including the moving of a farm by rail, will be shown
THE results of a series of Bank Holiday spot checks on caravans defy belief according to police. Eighty-four caravans were stopped and checked in the York area over the weekend. In the first series of checks, 58 caravans were stopped. Ten were immediately
IT MAY look like a scene from a horror movie...but the experts reckon there is really nothing to fear from beekeeping. To demonstrate the point they are offering free beekeeping lessons. The sessions at Houghall College in Durham are free so there is
MORE than 200 youngsters helped to raise money for a summer play scheme. Children of all ages tried their hand at climbing on the Rock-It mobile climbing wall at Branksome School in Darlington. Sarah Kasagic, development worker for the Cockerton and Branksome
PEOPLE in the North-East are being urged by one of the region's best-known athletes to run a mile for charity The theme of Sport Relief 2004 is to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Roger Bannister's record-breaking first four-minute mile. Organisers want
ALAN Shearer has urged his Newcastle team-mates to grasp their "chance of greatness" when they take on Marseille for a place in the UEFA Cup final tonight. The Magpies are just 90 minutes away from their first European final appearance for 35 years after
Destination D-Day (BBC1) Revenge: Getting even with your ex (five) THE young men who'd volunteered to undertake training based on preparations for the 1944 Normandy landings were surprised when they got their hands on their first lethal weapon - an iron
A FORMER German soldier chose the North-East Prisoner of War (PoW) camp where he was held nearly 60 years ago as his final resting place. Rudi Lux's ashes are buried under a Peace rose at Harperley PoW camp, near Crook, County Durham, where he arrived
A COMPUTER bug which targets Microsoft software brought down the IT network of a local authority yesterday. The "worm", dubbed the Sasser bug, uses e-mail to access systems. Once opened on the network, it can spread quickly to other unprotected terminals
ELECTRICITY produced by two wind turbines was used to run some of the machinery at a pharmaceutical plant for the first time yesterday. The 135ft high wind turbines are expected to reduce GlaxoSmithKline's electricity bill by about £60,000 at its plant
DURHAM County Council's new-style old people's homes have won a second award - this time from surveyors. The network of 'extra care' developments won gold in the community benefit category at the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Northern Region
WAR MOVIES: HUGH Pender (HAS, Apr 30) makes a number of interesting points concerning war movies. However, as for his question as to whether the British are a war-seeking nation because of our history, I would say no. When one looks closely at history
TICKETS have gone on sale for two open-air plays set in the grounds of a County Durham castle. Raby Castle, near Staindrop, is hosting the two plays by the Chapterhouse Theatre Compan. The first play will be Shakespeare's comedy As You Like It, on Saturday
AN internal investigation has found no evidence of alleged bullying at Chester-le-Street District Council. Council workers had complained to union bosses that they suffered harassment at work. But Simon Westrip, personnel, equalities and internal communications
She was the darling of the Labour conference and the politician with the popular touch - then it all went horribly wrong. Nick Morrison talks to Mo Mowlam about life after government. THERE was a time when Mo Mowlam could do no wrong. In a world of on-message
WAR MOVIES: HUGH Pender (HAS, Apr 30) makes a number of interesting points concerning war movies. However, as for his question as to whether the British are a war-seeking nation because of our history, I would say no. When one looks closely at history
A CHANCE meeting in a car park between two old schoolfriends has led to plans for a grand school reunion, 45 years after many pupils last saw each other. Members of the 1959/60 year of Chester-le-Street Modern School will meet at the Chester-le-Street
ONE of the North-East's finest real ale pubs, which was under threat six months ago, has bounced back by winning an award. The Quaker bar in Darlington's Mechanics Yard, run by Steve Metcalfe and Lynda Harland, was due to shut in October last year, when
SIR Bobby Robson has admitted that his side's final chance of glory is on the line in the south of France tonight - but the Newcastle boss fully expects his players to meet their biggest challenge of the season. The Magpies take on Marseille in the second
DISCOUNT clothing retailer Matalan said the building blocks were in place for recovery, despite seeing annual profits slip by 48 per cent. Optimism was fuelled by growth in like-for-like sales in the nine weeks to May 1 of 3.1 per cent, with profitability
WHEN you have as many kids as us, birthday parties come around with alarming regularity. A month after having to entertain a load of seven-year-olds by being a bucking bronco on a bouncy castle in the garden, we were at it again. This time, it was our
CELTIC are likely to receive a firm 'hands-off' warning if they step up their interest in Middlesbrough's Gaizka Mendieta. Sources in Scotland have suggested that Bhoys boss Martin O'Neill is interested in taking the Spaniard north of the border to compensate
Every effort will be made at Dean Park this morning to try to avoid a bowl-out if the weather again creates havoc with Yorkshire's Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy second-round tie with Dorset. Further heavy rain at lunchtime yesterday on an already sodden
WHEN you have as many kids as us, birthday parties come around with alarming regularity. A month after having to entertain a load of seven-year-olds by being a bucking bronco on a bouncy castle in the garden, we were at it again. This time, it was our
THE injury jinx which has reared its ugly head for a third successive season for Durham has never been as cruel as it was yesterday. They had to draft in 41-year-old bowling coach Alan Walker for the C & G Trophy second-round tie against Sussex, only
SHARES in budget airline easyJet lost a quarter of their value yesterday after a warning that tough competition could affect its traditionally strong summer and autumn season. The group's stock sank 73p to 219p, after it said it was adopting a cautious
DURHAM were last night rocked by the news that South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs will not be taking up his one-year contract with the county. When Gibbs let it be known in the middle of last summer that he was keen to play county cricket, Durham
Yorkshire have targeted an overseas player to fill in while Australians Darren Lehmann and Ian Harvey are away and his identity could be revealed today, writes David Warner. Although his name is being kept under wraps, I understand they are going for
SOUND business advice has ironed out the creases in a £100,000 business venture. Lincoln and Harding Ltd has been set up at Catterick Garrison, providing commercial laundry services to the area. The brother and sister team of Carol Lincoln and David Harding
A MAGAZINE looking back at the good old days of life in Yorkshire is to feature on a popular television quiz show tomorrow. Down Your Way will be the guest publication in the missing words round of Have I Got News For You. The magazine is published in
Sting went back to his Geordie roots yesterday to launch a multi million pound music venue. The Tyneside-born star was at the Baltic arts centre, Newcastle, to announce he will team up with Northern Sinfonia and a world-renowned high-wire artist for the
A MAN has spoken of the final minutes he spent with his stepson following a fatal fall. Steven Guiney, from Guisborough, east Cleveland, and his wife, Christine, spent only a few minutes with their son, Anthony Porritt, at James Cook University Hospital
CARERS are calling for more help in their daily struggle to look after relatives and friends at home. A report by support charity Durham Dales Action For Carers has highlighted the important role the thousands of carers in rural Wear Valley play and their
A GROUP of lecturers yesterday staged a demonstration in a university's executive suite to protest at plans to shed up to 58 posts. The demonstration at Northumbria University followed a meeting of college lecturers' union NATFHE, which voted unanimously
A RURAL council has reaffirmed its decision to withdraw funding from a charity that offers a lifeline to vulnerable people. Teesdale District Council says it can no longer afford to give £7,000 annual funding to the Dales Community Alarm Trust, which
PEOPLE with mobility problems in County Durham's urban areas are to share a travel scheme which has been running in the countryside for more than five years. About 2,000 people in rural communities already use Durham County Council's Access bus service
NORTH Yorkshire's local authorities have scored well following a detailed scrutiny by the Audit Commission of the services each provides. Teams of independent inspectors spent a week with each district council, interviewing officers, councillors and the
FOOTBALL is a religion to many in the North-East, so it seemed fitting that the FA Cup stood gleaming next to the altar. Yesterday, Sunderland Minster was the venue for a memorial to Bob Stokoe, who brought the trophy back to the region twice. He won
HEART patients in the Durham Dales are using an ancient martial art to stay fit. A tai chi exercise programme is being offered to angina suffers. The course is providing 12 weekly sessions every Tuesday, from 10am to noon, in the Four Clocks Centre, Bishop
ROADSHOWS to help the elderly were launched in east Durham yesterday. Easington Primary Care Trust (PCT) has organised a series of events devised to help older people enjoy healthier lives and assure them that care is in place when they need it. Consultations
YESTERDAY'S bombs in Athens should not bring into question whether the Olympic Games should go ahead. If we do start to withdraw teams because we are frightened of terrorists, our footballers will not be going to the Euro 2004 championships in Portugal
ACTOR Brian Blessed will launch a photographic exhibition in the Dales next week to help celebrate the national park's 50th anniversary. I Love 1954, I Love 2004 opens at the Dales Countryside Museum, in Hawes, at 11am on Wednesday. Mr Blessed is president
FOOTBALL is a religion to many in the North-East, so it seemed fitting that the FA Cup stood gleaming next to the altar. Yesterday, Sunderland Minster was the venue for a memorial to Bob Stokoe, who brought the trophy back to the region twice. He won
POLICE are continuing their investigations into attacks on buses on a Darlington estate. Local beat officer PC Jonathan Stoker has a number of new names of suspects involved in throwing stones at buses, resulting in some service being temporarily withdrawn
COUNCILLORS in Darlington took to the streets yesterday to find out residents' opinions of a recycling scheme. Four members of the borough council's public protection scrutiny committee knocked on doors in Hammond Drive, Bourne Avenue, Waverley Terrace
CHILDREN caught on camera trying to trespass on a railway line have been warned that their behaviour could lead to tragedy. Youngsters have been filmed by closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) damaging a fence near the train tracks on Darlington's
A COUNCIL decision to allow 18 flats to be built in the West End of Darlington sparked angry scenes yesterday. Kebbell Homes was granted permission for the development in Cleveland Terrace, amid heated protests at the Darlington Borough Council planning
COMMUNITY leaders on a Darlington estate fear children are trying to trespass on a railway line. Youngsters have been caught on closed-circuit television cameras damaging a fence near the train tracks in Edgemoor Road, Firthmoor. Peter Bowerbank, from
A MEMORIAL dedicated to those who died in one of the region's worst mining disasters has been unveiled. An explosion at West Stanley Burns Pit in Stanley claimed the lives of 168 men and boys. Pupils from East Stanley Primary School unveiled a plaque
A MAGAZINE looking back at the good old days of life in Yorkshire is to feature on a popular television quiz show tomorrow. Down Your Way will be the guest publication in the missing words round of Have I Got News For You. The magazine is published in
PEOPLE in the North-East are being urged by one of the region's best-known athletes to run a mile for charity The theme of Sport Relief 2004 is to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Roger Bannister's record-breaking first four-minute mile. Organisers want
JEFF WHITLEY is free to play in Sunderland's play-off push after escaping a ban from the Football Association yesterday, writes Paul Fraser. The midfielder had a charge of violent behaviour reduced to improper conduct for an incident during the match
A TEENAGER tried to attack a pregnant woman with a clothes prop two years before killing his friend with a knife, a court heard. Newcastle Crown Court has heard David Mitchell, 19, stabbed Paul Best during his 18th birthday celebrations at home on February
RUGBY World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson has become an ambassador for a children's charity. The Newcastle Falcons' fly half, who sealed England's victory against Australia, will support the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC
GARY BREEN will draw on his own international play-off experiences in a bid to help Sunderland achieve their Premiership goal. The centre-back was part of a Republic of Ireland side that had to try to qualify for two major championships via the backdoor
Steve Pratt talks to popular touring musical star Richard Swerrun about the challenge of switching a technicolour dreamcoat for grey hair, moustache and middle-aged stubble. IT'S a good job that the party of fans from Darlington checked to see if Richard
WHEN you have as many kids as us, birthday parties come around with alarming regularity. A month after having to entertain a load of seven-year-olds by being a bucking bronco on a bouncy castle in the garden, we were at it again. This time, it was our
A LITTLE boy who has battled against the odds for most of his short life has inspired a new charity supporting disabled children in one of the region's most isolated valleys. Two weeks after he was born, Jake Howes, three, of Frosterley, was already defying
AN emotional appeal from bereaved people has led a council to promise to sort out a flooding problem at a cemetery. Nearly 100 complaints about flooding at Stranton Cemetery, in Hartlepool, have been received by the borough council in the past six months
A FAMILY firm that took corner shop handiness into the centre of Middlesbrough is celebrating 30 years in business. Castlegate Electrics, a home and lighting specialist, still operates to the same principles of "if we haven't got it, we can get it" on
FIRE crews are fighting hoax callers by refusing to attend fires they know to be malicious. In the North-East, individual fire brigades were struggling to cope with the number of hoax calls, which officers say waste valuable time and money, and put people's
Pierce Brosnan simply doesn't know if he's going to earn a fifth and and final shot at 007. Meanwhile, there's a downbeat lawyer to portray instead. Steve Pratt reports. PIERCE Brosnan's latest role couldn't be further removed from his suave, sophisticated
AN Advertiser reporter is looking for sponsorship for a 450-mile, month-long walk to raise funds for a memorial appeal. Chris Webber plans to walk from the site of Britain's oldest mine at Cissbury Ring, near Brighton, to Stanley. Any money raised will
FILM and train enthusiasts are in for a treat when they visit Darlington's Railway Centre and Museum on Saturday. Five films showing different aspects of the railway from the past and special events, including the moving of a farm by rail, will be shown
MEMORIES of Sunderland's FA Cup triumph in 1973 are on display as the city paid tribute to the architect of the club's success. Memorabilia from the sensational 1-0 defeat of Leeds United - as well as the club's previous FA Cup victory in 1937 - is on
SCHOOLBOY rugby star Mathew Tait enjoyed a dream debut to his professional career on Sunday, scoring a try for Newcastle Falcons with his first touch of the ball. The 18-year-old centre, of Wolsingham, has been hailed as a star in the making after impressing
TWO teams of novice rowers are to compete for the honours in a North-East women's boat race. Sixteen woman freshers - first year students - from Durham and Newcastle Universities came face to face in Baltic Square, on Tyneside, yesterday to promote this
WHAT with all the 11-pluses, SATs tests, end-of-term exams, spellings, tables, reading and stacks of other homework we have been dealing with in our house in the year and a half since our youngest was born, we haven't paid much attention to his intellectual
WHEN Jesus entered Jerusalem he chose to travel on a donkey. Yesterday, in keeping with the Christian tenets of humility, a North-East church leader chose to leave his flock using a similarly humble conveyance - a Skoda. Some may look down sniffily on
BUDDING gardeners have been demonstrating their green fingers. Youngsters from Consett Infants School, in Teasdale Road, Consett, went on a field trip to the town's Focus/Do It All DIY store and garden centre in Front Street. Centre staff gave the reception
Chris Webber looks at the latest attempt to put North-East performers on the musical map as Stockton's Arc prepares for three days of seminars, workshops and gigs plus some words of wisdom from Fergal Sharkey of the Undertones. ROCK star Feargal Sharkey
CONTRACTORS have had to replace a project team working on a leisure centre which has been beset by delays. The Louisa Centre, in Front Street, Stanley, is undergoing a £5.7m redevelopment that includes a new swimming pool and gym. The pool was due to
CABLE operator ntl has passed a milestone in its recovery by moving into operating profit for the first time. Foundations for the improved performance were laid by a 7.7 per cent rise in customers at its ntl home division in the three months to March
MORE than £3,000 has been raised at a charity concert held in aid of two hospices on Teesside. The concert was held at Egglescliffe School, Eaglescliffe and more than 500 people attended to witness the success year 13 pupil Danny Allinson, who has won
CARERS across the district have called for more help in their daily struggle to look after people at home. A report by support charity Durham Dales Action For Carers has highlighted the important role that thousands of carers in Wear Valley play and shown
THE race is on to find a North-East beauty capable of taking on the world. Sedgefield Racecourse is to stage the final of the first official Miss Durham beauty contest. The competition, to be staged on May 25, will involve 20 finalists competing before
A VIOLINIST from Durham has won an award. Miriam Davis, 18, who attends Durham School, came top in the finals of the James Etherington competition. The £300 first prize will help to pay her expenses for the Young Sinfonia tour of Spain this summer. Miriam
YOUNG people from across the North-East will showcase their talents in a performance at the weekend. Durham Cygnets Drama and Theatre Arts in association with North East Talent Enterprises will present Star Search, at the Gala Theatre, in Durham, at 7.30pm
Former EastEnders Michael Greco tells Viv Hardwick he's unhappy with TV offers since he quit the BBC1 soap and is off to America in search of a new challenge. Meanwhile, he's happy to play a gigolo for one more week at Darlington. MICHAEL Greco agrees
POSTERS alerting the public to the potential threat from terrorists are being issued by a North-East police force. But Durham Police chiefs have stressed it is not (NOT) a reaction to any specific threat to people, places or events within the county,
FAMILY and friends of a Chester-le-Street woman celebrated her 100th birthday. West House Nursing Home, on Waldridge Road, was decked out with banners and balloons for Neil Scott's big day. A party was held for 25 residents with entertainment from local
Firefighter Allan Richardson was hailed a hero after plunging into a treacherous river to save a drowning man. The stricken 61-year-old was disappearing under the water as he was whipped along by a strong current. Emergency services received a 999 call
THE UK's first rail academy was opened yesterday by Education Secretary, Charles Clarke. The £1.25m venture is based at the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York. It is a centre of excellence for training and education in the rail industry and will see
Destination D-Day (BBC1): Revenge: Getting even with your ex (five): THE young men who'd volunteered to undertake training based on preparations for the 1944 Normandy landings were surprised when they got their hands on their first lethal weapon - an
RICHMOND Foods has kept the promise it made last year that it would record its first winter profit. The ice cream maker narrowly missed a return to the black in the first half of last year when it recorded pre-tax losses of £200,000. But good acquisitions
DARLINGTON have opened preliminary talks with neighbours Middlesbrough with a view to re-signing Danny Graham on a year-long loan next season. Assistant manager Martin Gray last night revealed to Northern Echo Sport that the club is exploring the possibility
THE family of a German man who went missing from a North-East ferry have offered a reward information leading to his safe return. Frank Conrad, 35, was last seen at 1.30am on Tuesday, March 9, on the DFDS ferry that left Amsterdam at 6.30pm the previous
