Archive

  • Barcode company moves to new base

    BARCODE specialist Briarsoft is enjoying a double celebration - its tenth anniversary has been marked by a move to new headquarters. The company is expanding into larger premises in Derwentside. Briarsoft, which provides companies with barcode/auto ID

  • Defence group buys US firm

    DEFENCE group Smiths has bought a US company that makes equipment to identify chemicals used in weapons of mass destruction. Smiths said it had completed the acquisition of SensIR Technologies for £41.5m. It said the deal would help it build its business

  • Sad stories of the schoolboy soldiers

    Secret History: Britain's Boy Soldiers (C4): WHEN Lord Kitchener declared: "Your country needs you", the young men of Britain responded eagerly with three-quarters of a million volunteering for the army in two months. What this documentary revealed was

  • 'SuperSlim tubes can take on the world'

    A factory is fighting competition from abroad by adapting its production line. LG Philips Displays, in Durham, is producing a thin television tube to challenge flat-screen technologies. The 21-inch Real Flat SuperSlim cathode ray tube (CRT) has already

  • A chance to shine for new novelists

    American former violin salesman Peter Tanton is among the up-and-coming writers being promoted in a unique festival, as Steve Pratt discovers. SINCE moving to this country a decade ago, American Peter Tanton has done a variety of jobs, including being

  • Koeman confirms Magpies failed bid

    AJAX boss Ronald Koeman has confirmed that Newcastle United have failed with a cut-price £1m bid for Hatem Trabelsi. The Tunisia right-back is one of Sir Bobby Robson's key targets as the United manager seeks to solve a problem position in his defence

  • Theatre shows artist's work

    AN exhibition of water colour paintings has opened at the Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond. The paintings, from artist Nora Yates, are of landscapes and local features. The exhibition runs until August 9 and will be open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday

  • Youngsters reach out

    YOUNGSTERS living in foster care or in children's homes can now support and entertain each other through a new interactive web site. The site has been developed by the Young People's Consultation Group, which consists of six North Yorkshire teenagers

  • People injured as shopping centre roof collapses

    Six people were injured when part of a shopping centre roof collapsed. Customers using the Middleton Grange shopping complex in Hartlepool, Teesside, had to run for cover whene large sections of the ceiling and part of a water main fell in on them. Fire

  • Ghoulish cyclists ride for fun

    FRANKENSTEIN and his bride were among 180 people who took part in a fancy dress bike ride. The event, organised by the North Riding Dales Licensed Victuallers Association was held to raise cash for local charities. The cyclistss set off from Leyburn along

  • Firefighters race to save rare moorland in blaze

    FIREFIGHTERS faced a desperate race against time to save a rare North-East moorland habitat last night. About 1,000 square metres of Waldridge Fell, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, was ablaze yesterday. The first firefighters, who were on the scene

  • Rescue package secures 150 jobs

    NEARLY 150 jobs have been secured and another 33 created by a £1m rescue package at wax jacket maker J Barbour and Sons. The investment will be used to modernise the factory, warehouse and distribution centre of the South Shields company. The rescue package

  • Eye lost in bottle attack, trial told

    A TRAINEE teacher lost an eye when he was attacked in a nightclub after going to the aid of a girl who had been assaulted, a court was told yesterday. Paul Gibson, 33, who was with his wife, Helen, lost the sight in his right eye when he was hit with

  • Sting in the tail of the gadflies

    Just five years ago they were written off as a spent force, but on Sunday they stunned Labour and Conservative by coming third in a nationwide election. Nick Morrison looks at the rise of the UK Independence Party and what it means for the future of British

  • Forest fuel source for pioneering scheme

    A REMOTE North-East village is pioneering a heating scheme that is powered by woodchips. Kielder, next to Northumberland's vast Kielder Forest, is today launching a wood- fuelled district heating scheme using chips from the woods that surround it. The

  • Business diary

    The Northern Echo is publishing a business diary of meetings, seminars and events in the region. It will be published twice monthly in Business Echo and online at www.businessecho.co.uk. To include your organisation's listing, log on to www.businessecho.co.uk

  • Barcode company moves to new base

    BARCODE specialist Briarsoft is enjoying a double celebration - its tenth anniversary has been marked by a move to new headquarters. The company is expanding into larger premises in Derwentside. Briarsoft, which provides companies with barcode/auto ID

  • Police set to apply to retain Reynolds' cash

    Police will tomorrow morning make a court application to retain the £500,000 seized from former Darlington Football Club owner George Reynolds pending further investigations. Mr Reynolds, his cousin Richard Tennick and personal assistant Ian Robinson

  • Veteran MEP fights on after losing seat

    LABOUR'S ousted Yorkshire MEP David Bowe plans to continue campaigning for Britain to stay in Europe. The former Middlesbrough teacher yesterday pledged his "absolute determination to continue promoting the case for Europe and challenging those who seek

  • Inquiry into river fish deaths

    MORE than 1,000 fish have been found dead along the banks of a County Durham river in a suspected pollution incident. Officers from the Environment Agency were called to the River Gaunless, near Bishop Auckland, at the weekend after a member of the public

  • War of words over 'obtrusive' stainless steel county sign

    A DISPUTE has broken out between two council leaders over plans for a sign that would be visible from aircraft flying overhead. Durham County Council has given planning permission for the tower, which will cost about £50,000. The 18m-high sign, on the

  • Let's ban insulting ministers

    I DON'T know what's got into Dr John Reid, the Health Secretary. He says: "As my mother would put it, people from those lower socio-economic categories have very few pleasures in life and one of them they regard as smoking. All I say is be careful, please

  • Double boost for plan to honour heroic pilot

    THE Northern Echo's campaign to remember a forgotten Second World War hero has received a double boost. The Forgotten Hero campaign aims to raise £40,000 for a statue in memory of airman Andrew Mynarski who gave his life to rescue his friend from a burning

  • Chris's one-man marathon walk gathers pace and support

    A FORMER Army officer who lost his right arm and leg in a landmine explosion passed through County Durham yesterday as part of a 1,000-mile sponsored walk. Chris Moon is hoping to raise £1m by walking the equivalent of two marathons a day from John O'Groats

  • Debate over success of speed cameras

    Opponents on both sides of the speed camera debate today clashed over a new report which indicates they have saving more than 100 lives a year. The number of people killed or seriously injured at camera sites nationwide fell by an average of 40 per cent

  • Hospice opens to care for children

    THE North-East's first hospice for babies and young children was opened by Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe yesterday. Zoe's Place, the former Convent of Mercy building, in Normanby High Street, near Middlesbrough, provides care for children with health

  • Four remanded after firearm charges

    FOUR men were remanded in custody yesterday after jointly being charged with attempted robbery and a firearm offence. Appearing in Peterlee Magistrates' Court were Ian Hart, 30, of Goodyear Crescent, in Sherburn Road Estate, Durham, Russell Frederick

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    Personal assistant, Stanley. £14,000 to £17,000pa, 37.5hrs pw, 8.15am to 4.30pm, Mon-Thurs, 3pm finish Fri. Must be computer literate in use of PowerPoint and Excel. Marketing/ sales experience essential. Ref: STG 16367. CNC setter/operator, Tanfield

  • Per una's welcome boost for M&S

    Marks & Spencer may be ailing but the lastest collection from per una is just what the doctor ordered. Women's Editor Christen Pears enjoys a sneak preview. MARKS & Spencer has been hitting the headlines recently - for all the wrong reasons. With

  • Police seek man after child incident

    POLICE have issued an e-fit picture and made a new appeal for information about a man who made "inappropriate" comments to a seven-year-old girl in a North-East town. He spoke to the girl as she walked along a path beside a scout hut in Wilson Street,

  • High-spenders stick with wine warehouse

    WINE warehouse chain Majestic has posted its eleventh consecutive year of record profits. Majestic, which has 115 stores, said pre-tax profits of £10.6m were 27 per cent higher than a year ago. New customers helped to lift like-for-like sales by ten per

  • Crowds expected to view loco

    THE first of 60 exhibits to go on show at the region's £11m national railway museum arrives tomorrow. Train enthusiasts are expected to turn out in huge numbers when a North Eastern Railway (NER) 0-8-0 steam locomotive arrives to start the countdown to

  • Former mayor Clarence dies at age of 72

    A POPULAR former mayor who was always willing to help people has died at the age of 72. Clarence Watson worked for local councils in Teesdale for 31 years, ending up as a general foreman. He was a member of Barnard Castle Town Council for 11 years and

  • Recreation centre scheme supported

    CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a recreation centre at a Teesdale caravan park look likely to be approved. Planning officers at Teesdale District Council have recommended approval for the centre at Cragwood Caravan Site, Ramshaw. An application for a community

  • Referee backs anti-arson initiative

    JEFF Winter, who refereed this year's FA Cup final, has teamed up with police and fire services to show the red card to arsonists. The premiership referee has joined forces with County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, Durham Constabulary

  • New service to reduce home blaze injuries

    A SERVICE is being launched today to reduce the number of people being killed or injured in house fires. As part of a nationwide drive to make people more aware of fire safety measures and escape routes in the home, County Durham and Darlington Fire and

  • Village fete raises £2,000 for church

    THE sun shone for a church fete attended by hundreds of villagers at the weekend. The event, in Hurworth, near Darlington, raised almost £2,000 for All Saints Church on Saturday. The fete was opened by Peter Barron, editor of The Northern Echo. Visitors

  • Police appeal after indecent exposures

    POLICE in north Durham have appealed for information after two incidents of indecent exposure. Two teenage girls were walking on an area known as Oakey's field, near to the Good Street estate, in Stanley, at 12.15pm on Friday, when they heard a whistle

  • Trials turn into contracts for entrepreneurs

    TWO young entrepreneurs are out to make a big noise in business circles with a series of contract wins. Nick Bell and Olly Henderson are behind Zero Plus UK, an audio-visual company that installs sound and television systems in homes, bars, hotels, offices

  • Rat alive and well after house fire

    A FAMILY who lost everything in a house fire were delighted when their pet rat escaped with only singed whiskers. Victoria Hutchinson and her children, Dylan, nine, Kayleigh, eight, Aimee, seven, Olivia and Laura, three, and Levi, 18 months, were left

  • Four remanded after firearm charges

    FOUR men were remanded in custody yesterday after jointly being charged with attempted robbery and a firearm offence. Appearing in Peterlee Magistrates' Court were Ian Hart, 30, of Goodyear Crescent, in Sherburn Road Estate, Durham, Russell Frederick

  • Football trials for under-14s

    Football trials are being held to complete a youth team in Chester-le-Street. Riverside Under-14s need five players to compete in the Leam Rangers Tournament next month and a series of free talent-spotting training sessions have been organised. They will

  • 'Prospects still improving'

    JOB prospects continue to improve in the UK, but employers are finding it difficult to recruit skilled staff, according to a report. A survey of 2,500 companies by employment group Manpower showed business sectors are showing widespread confidence but

  • Shop staff help to stop under-age drinking

    SHOP staff in the Redcar and Cleveland area have been brushing up on their skills to tackle the problem of under-age alcohol sales. The authority's trading standards unit has teamed up with Bells Stores Training Centre, in Marske, and 25 sales staff from

  • Church sends equipment to Ghana school

    A CHURCH is helping poverty-stricken schools in Ghana by sending out surplus equipment from a school. The opening of the £20m Unity City Academy, in Middlesbrough, has meant that the entire contents of the former building are now surplus to requirements

  • Seminar tackles education in rural areas

    ENCOURAGING education in rural areas was the focus of a two-day event that attracted learning and education professionals from all over the UK. The event, at Northallerton College, was organised by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) North Yorkshire

  • Flymo lays off 25 factory workers

    TWENTY-five people are to lose their jobs at a lawnmower factory. Flymo, at Aycliffe Industrial Estate, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, will ask for volunteers for redundancy. The company could not be contacted for comment last night. Gerry Hunter, of

  • Teenage cyclist dies in hospital

    A TEENAGE cyclist has died after falling off his bike and hitting his head on the road. David Hetherington, 16, was hurt near his grandmother's house in Front Street South, Quarrington Hill, south-east of Durham City, on June 5. He was not wearing a helmet

  • Behaviour orders for teens who terrorised school staff

    RESTRICTIONS were yesterday placed on the movements and actions of two teenagers who repeatedly intimidated school staff. Anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) were imposed on Michael Cuthbert, 15, and 16-year-old Brian Gillespie by Durham magistrates.

  • Shop will meet needs of the deaf

    A charity is setting up a shop to meet the needs of deaf people. Co.deaf, which celebrates its fourth anniversary at the weekend, will open a resource centre for services for deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing people in County Durham. The charity is

  • Celebrate Success campaign ends on a high at fun day

    THOUSANDS of people turned out at the weekend for a day of festivities. Families from across Derwentside travelled to Blackhill and Consett Park, on Sunday, for a fun day to mark the end of the Celebrate Success campaign. The campaign focused on the achievements

  • Giles reveals his hurt

    England hero Ashley Giles has revealed how he has thought about giving up his international career after becoming increasingly affected by the constant criticism of his performances. Warwickshire's left-arm spinner was rightly hailed as a match-winner

  • Church kits out school in Ghana

    A CHURCH is helping poverty-stricken schools in Ghana by sending out equipment from a school on Teesside. The opening of the £20m Unity City Academy, in Middlesbrough, has meant that the old equipment is surplus to requirements. The New Life Baptist Church

  • Governor takes splash for cash

    THE sun shone on youngsters who took part in a fancy dress parade at the weekend. The children from St Bede's School, in Redcar Road, Marske, walked from Marske Town Square to the school to mark their annual fete. Passers-by stopped at the roadside to

  • Father and son disappear along with clients' money

    DETECTIVES are investigating a North-East father and son who have gone missing from their business along with hundreds of thousands of pounds of customers' cash. Police in Darlington say they have been deluged with complaints about Just Trucks, which

  • Double Scottish success

    NORTH-EAST drivers Barry Johnson and Guy Wilks are flying high after a highly successful weekend at the Scottish Rally. Shildon's Johnson came third overall, while Darlington's Wilks stormed to victory in the Super 1600 class. Jonny Milner and Nicky Beech

  • School wins award

    A PRIMARY school has scooped an award for encouraging pupils to help shape their school. Stanley Crook Primary School has been presented with an Investors in Children Award, which acknowledges the role given to pupils in decisions that affect them. Headteacher

  • Fundraising auction

    PRIZES ranging from a gourmet dinner for ten to a tour of Newcastle Airport are being auctioned tomorrow, at 7.30pm, to help children with diabetes. A promises auction at Bishop Auckland Town Hall is raising money for Dr Bill Lamb's appeal to buy insulin

  • Former mayor Clarence dies at age of 72

    A POPULAR former mayor who was always willing to help people has died at the age of 72. Clarence Watson worked for local councils in Teesdale for 31 years, ending up as a general foreman. He was a member of Barnard Castle Town Council for 11 years and

  • Referee backs anti-arson initiative

    JEFF Winter, who refereed this year's FA Cup final, has teamed up with police and fire services to show the red card to arsonists. The premiership referee has joined forces with County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, Durham Constabulary

  • Move to form council comes under attack

    A COUNCIL has launched a stinging attack on plans to form a breakaway parish. The submission for a proposed parish council for Aycliffe Village was criticised during a meeting to discuss its merits. Great Aycliffe Town Council is to strongly oppose the

  • In-store advice is a big success

    A DROP-IN centre to help victims of domestic violence is celebrating its success. Victim Support holds drop-in sessions at the Asda store in Whinbush Way, Darlington, on the last Thursday of the month, when victims of domestic violence or other crimes

  • Manager took £36,000 in bid to win friends

    A FINANCE manager with a gift company stole more than £36,000 from his employers over a two-year period, a court heard. Aaron Davidson, 23, used the money to try to win friends, spending beyond his means, Durham Crown Court was told. Davidson, with no

  • Flats for people with learning disabilities

    Living accommodation for people with learning disabilities is being built in a £770,000 scheme. Endeavour Housing Association is demolishing two blocks of flats in Shelley Close, Stanley, and replacing them with ten apartments. Carole Richardson, Endeavour's

  • Chaos as Metro closes section of track

    RUSH-hour rail commuters faced chaos yesterday as part of the Tyne and Wear Metro network was closed. Network bosses Nexus warned that a section of line in North Tyneside would be shut on Sunday, as contractors carried out work on a new station. But the

  • Campaign to reduce fire deaths

    A life-saving service is being launched today. County Durham and Darlington Fire Brigade is offering free fire safety checks to the 248,000 households in the area. It is part of a nationwide drive to make people more aware of fire safety measures and

  • Fashion Fringe impressed by young talent

    AN EYE for fashion could earn a North-East designer £100,000 this month. Fiona Sinha, of Jesmond, Newcastle, is through to the final stages of the Fashion Fringe search for Britain's most talented young designer. Ms Sinha, who runs label Sinhastanic with

  • Support centre for young people opens

    A WIDE range of support services for young people have been brought together under one roof with the opening of a youth centre. The centre, in Station Bridge, Harrogate, was originally the brainchild of the town's Rossett Youth Centre. Its members wanted

  • Scheme to tackle offending launched

    A NATIONAL scheme to cut re-offending and re-conviction rates among young adults is being piloted in North Yorkshire. The programme will see offenders aged between 18 and 20 given high intensity community sentences, combining punishment, rehabilitation

  • Care children

    YOUNGSTERS living in foster care or children's homes can now support and entertain each other through a new interactive website. The site has been developed by the Young People's Consultation Group, which is made up of six North Yorkshire teenagers in

  • Do not fall foul of dog dirt laws

    PET owners who fail to clean up after their dogs will continue to be hit in the wallet. That was the warning given by a senior councillor at the start of National Poop Scoop Week, in Middlesbrough, yesterday. Twelve £50 fixed penalty fines have been issued

  • River search after man is arrested

    A POLICE underwater search team was brought in at the weekend after a man was arrested in the River Ouse. Police were called at 7.40pm on Friday when a member of the public reported seeing a man in the river near Clifton Bridge, in York. The 33-year-old

  • Rising oil prices drive costs higher

    OIL prices left their mark on the manufacturing sector last month by helping to drive up the cost of raw materials by 1.6 per cent. The increase will raise concerns that inflationary pressures are building in the economy and may encourage the Bank of

  • Sweeping changes to ensure town's streets are kept clean

    A TOWN is reviving tried and tested methods to keep the streets clean. Street sweepers pushing brooms and hand barrows are making a comeback in Middlesbrough. Two hand barrows have been bought to help workers keep the streets of North Ormesby cleaner

  • Former library aims to be a hive of activity

    A BUILDING designed to help to keep North-East business buzzing opened yesterday. The Research Beehive is the result of a £2.2m conversion of the old Newcastle University library building, and replaces a senior common room. It features a suite of meeting

  • Cyclists urged to take part in sponsored ride

    CYCLISTS are being invited to take part in a sponsored ride in aid of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust. The event, on Sunday, has been planned as part of National Cycle Week to raise awareness of healthy living and healthy travelling options. Money

  • Echo reporter sets off on grave mission

    NORTHERN Echo reporter Chris Webber has set off on a 450-mile walk in support of a campaign to mark the mass grave of the victims of a pit disaster. Mr Webber will walk from the site of Britain's oldest mine, at Cissbury Ring, near Brighton, to Stanley

  • It's a whole new world for Julie

    From a career in banking to a job as a tour manager for a singles holiday company, Julie Jones has transformed her life. She talks to Women's Editor Christen Pears. TWO years ago, Julie Jones was at a low ebb. Her mother had just been diagnosed with cancer

  • Eating Owt: Sublime sandwiches on a special Sunday

    On the column's return to the Chapel Farm Tea Room, in Whaw, on D-Day, the sandwiches were still the best in in Britain ON the 60th anniversary of D-Day, though the timing was pure coincidence, we again went to Whaw. It's a blissful hamlet in Arkengarthdale

  • Emotional finish for Nesbit

    MICHAEL NESBIT sensationally became Northern Rock North-East Masters champion and dedicated the victory to his father, Jim, who recently passed away. As soon as Nesbit clinched the title, for the second time in four years, at Matfen Hall, his home club

  • Crowds expected to view loco

    THE first of 60 exhibits to go on show at the region's £11m national railway museum arrives tomorrow. Train enthusiasts are expected to turn out in huge numbers when a North Eastern Railway (NER) 0-8-0 steam locomotive arrives to start the countdown to

  • Vodou Nation, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds

    THIS show celebrates the bicentenary of Haiti with a mixture of music, song and video. It is the product of many hearts and minds, including directors Brett Bailey and Geraldine Connor, but it's Richard Morse's pounding music and songs from his band RAM

  • Drunken row led to DJ axe attack

    A DRUNKEN row between two previously friendly disc jockeys ended with an axe attack in the early hours of New Years Day, a court heard. David Neil Allen, 20, and his victim, a 19-year-old fellow DJ, both played gigs in Darlington on New Years' Eve, Durham

  • James should make it home

    UNLIKE the hapless David Beckham in Portugal on Sunday, I don't expect Tony James (2.30) to duff his shot in the opening race of five fantastic days of top-class action from Royal Ascot. Tony James is not exactly a simple penalty kick in the Group 2 Coventry

  • Wife's tribute to crash victims

    TRIBUTES have been paid to a father and son who died in a weekend car crash. Shaun Gellatly, 28, and his father, Malcolm, 48, died in the early hours of Sunday when the Rover they were back seat passengers in left the A177 at Bowburn, near Durham City

  • 15/06/04

    FLAGS: BRITISH law works on the basis that we are free to do whatever we wish unless a law or ruling exists which either bans, controls, gives guidelines, etc, on such actions. For example, in 1936 the House of Commons ruled that any Briton within the

  • 'Metflex system is attracting attention'

    A WATERPROOFING system developed by a Tees Valley company is attracting attention from around the world for use on everything from aquariums to car parks. John T Metcalfe Ltd, of Thornaby, has won contracts for its Metflex technology in the Middle and

  • Tragic skydiver had made 100 jumps

    AN airman who fell to his death at the weekend in a parachute accident was jumping for the first time in his native North-East. Andrew Wilson's fatal fall was watched from the ground by staff at Peterlee Parachute Centre, County Durham. Witnesses said

  • Inflation expected to increase

    Economists today forecast further rises in inflation after the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) reached its highest level in more than a year. Sky-high fuel prices were the main driver behind the rise in the CPI to 1.5% in May from 1.2% during the previous

  • Latest designs on display at exhibition

    STRIKING contemporary textile designs will be on display at an exhibition. Called Touch, the exhibition showcases final project work by textile design students at the Cleveland College of Art and Design's Hartlepool campus. Fabrics, furnishing prints,

  • Work to start on £485,000 sports project

    SPORTS enthusiasts have had a boost with the news that work on a long-awaited sports complex is about to start. Construction on the £485,000 project in Northallerton will get under way later this month It follows the confirmation that the final piece

  • James should make it home

    UNLIKE the hapless David Beckham in Portugal on Sunday, I don't expect Tony James (2.30) to duff his shot in the opening race of five fantastic days of top-class action from Royal Ascot. Tony James is not exactly a simple penalty kick in the Group 2 Coventry

  • Gala theatre reveals losses of £753,556 in past year

    Durham's Gala Theatre has lost £753,556 in the past financial year figures have revealed. The Liberal Democrat-led city council came in for criticism earlier this month when it failed to publish the exact debts accrued at the theatre during the year 2003

  • Double Scottish success

    NORTH-EAST drivers Barry Johnson and Guy Wilks are flying high after a highly successful weekend at the Scottish Rally. Shildon's Johnson came third overall, while Darlington's Wilks stormed to victory in the Super 1600 class. Jonny Milner and Nicky Beech

  • North's cancer sufferers lose out in treatment 'lottery'

    CANCER patients in the North-East and North Yorkshire are losers in a "postcode lottery" that denies them life-saving drugs, according to a report published yesterday. People living in Teesside, south Durham and North Yorkshire are less likely to be prescribed

  • Sven's faith in errant skipper rock solid

    Sven-Goran Eriksson is placing his trust in David Beckham to lead England's Euro 2004 fightback - by putting his penalty miss against France firmly behind him. Eriksson held a squad meeting yesterday and mentioned England's morale-sapping 2-1 defeat by

  • Museum's footwear fashion exhibition is a step back in time

    EXAMPLES of what the well heeled wore in times gone by are on show at a museum this summer. Georgian slippers, Victorian children's boots, 1920's evening shoes and 1970's platforms are among 20 pairs of shoes and photographs of 40 more pairs, on exhibition

  • Emotional finish for Nesbit

    MICHAEL NESBIT sensationally became Northern Rock North-East Masters champion and dedicated the victory to his father, Jim, who recently passed away. As soon as Nesbit clinched the title, for the second time in four years, at Matfen Hall, his home club

  • Reynolds held in police cash swoop

    FORMER Darlington Football club chairman George Reynolds was last night being held in police custody on suspicion of money laundering. Police swooped on a car containing Mr Reynolds, 68, former football club director Richard Tennick, 57, and his personal

  • Eating Owt: sublime sandwiches

    ON the 60th anniversary of D-Day, though the timing was pure coincidence, we again went to Whaw. It's a blissful hamlet in Arkengarthdale, North Yorkshire, where in July 2002, we had eaten by far the finest sandwich in 17 years before the gustatory plough

  • Capital day out for little Megan

    A GIRL with Down's syndrome will be making a trip to London this summer to see her portrait in a display. Megan Jemmett's mother, Karen, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, entered a photo of her three-year-old daughter into a competition organised by

  • Biker danger routes in spotlight

    A SURVEY by the AA has highlighted some of the region's worst roads for motorcycle-related deaths. The AA Motoring Trust examined hundreds of primary roads in the country and singled out 149 where at least a third of fatal and serious accidents involved

  • Sublime sandwiches on a special Sunday

    On the column's return to the Chapel Farm Tea Room, in Whaw, on D-Day, the sandwiches were still the best in in Britain ON the 60th anniversary of D-Day, though the timing was pure coincidence, we again went to Whaw. It's a blissful hamlet in Arkengarthdale

  • Pilot project for young offenders

    A NATIONAL scheme to cut re-offending and re-conviction rates among young adult offenders is being piloted in North Yorkshire. Under the scheme, offenders, aged between 18 and 20, will be given high intensity community sentences combining punishment,

  • MP urges support for embattled police chief

    THE embattled chief constable of a North-East police force has received a morale boost from a senior Labour MP. Ashok Kumar, Middlesbrough South MP, has called on the public to support Cleveland Chief Constable Sean Price. He spoke out in the wake of

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    Gardener/handyman, Thirsk. £200pw, 40hrs pw, 5 days out of 7, between 8am and 4pm. Must have some knowledge of gardening/property maintenance. Ref: NOE 22181. Agricultural engineer, Northallerton. 39hrs pw, 8am to 5pm, Mon-Thur, 4pm finish Fri. Applicants

  • Comment from The Northern Echo: End this cancer lottery

    PROGRESS is clearly being made in the fight against cancer. New developments in treatment and research are coming to the fore and more sufferers than ever before are being given hope. But for many victims, the chances of winning that fight are dependent

  • Teacher jailed after indecently assaulting 15-year-old

    AN inexperienced teacher was yesterday jailed for 18 months for indecently assaulting a 15-year-old pupil he befriended. Michael Craig Rosher, 37, of previous good character, came into contact with the girl, who has mild learning difficulties, months

  • Spending spree on school improvements

    EDUCATION chiefs are trying to breathe new life into schools across the county. The county council has £3.3m to spend on primary and secondary schools. Projects vary from small-scale developments in rural communities to improve the learning environment

  • Sex attacks on elderly women

    A MAN has admitted carrying out sex attacks on two elderly women in their bedrooms. Barrie Wilkinson, 28, pleaded guilty at Teesside Crown Court to two counts of indecent assault, relating to attacks on widows in their homes in Seaham, County Durham,

  • TV review

    Secret History: Britain's Boy Soldiers (C4) WHEN Lord Kitchener declared: "Your country needs you", the young men of Britain responded eagerly with three-quarters of a million volunteering for the army in two months. What this documentary revealed was

  • Farm buildings with grisly past given new leisure role

    A FARM in the North-East with a macabre past has become a haven for relaxation following the launch of a spa treatment centre. High Hill House Farm, near Ferryhill, in County Durham, was the scene of a gruesome triple murder in 1683. John Brass, 17, and

  • Ex-soldier hopes to locate lost medals

    A WAR veteran is appealing for help in finding cherished medals which have gone missing since he last wore them on Armistice Day. Retired rail worker Ronald Phillips, 72, was proud to parade the Korean and United Nations Medals which he earned on active

  • 'SuperSlim tubes can take on the world'

    A factory is fighting competition from abroad by adapting its production line. LG Philips Displays, in Durham, is producing a thin television tube to challenge flat-screen technologies. The 21-inch Real Flat SuperSlim cathode ray tube (CRT) has already

  • 'Don't leave pets in cars' warning

    PET owners are being warned not to leave their animals unnatended in cars on sunny days after a border collie had to be rescued. Firefighters in Pickering, North Yorkshire, freed the dog, which was locked in a Ford Mondeo in the car park of the Black

  • Stock market flotation planned by Vectura

    A BIOTECHNOLOGY company which is developing an inhaled alternative to Viagra has announced plans to float on the London stock market. Vectura, in Chippenham, Wiltshire, is hoping to raise between £20m and £25m to give the company a market value of up

  • House prices rises 'expected to continue in the North'

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