Archive

Willington League: League leaders, Willington Lion and Unicorn suffered a decisive shock home defeat when Willington Black Horse Inn won by three points. The home side's only points came in the singles, where Arthur Goldsborough and Kevin Bake won. The

TERMINAL cancer sufferer Jane Tomlinson yesterday announced that she is to take on another gruelling challenge, despite being seriously ill. After a tough Christmas and New Year coping with the cancer, the 39-year-old mother-of-three plans to run the

A PENSIONER suffered a heart attack and collapsed, dying, as he spoke to a neighbour and her child. The 11-year-old ran to a nearby doctor's surgery to get help as his mother, Mrs Leigh Suggett, tried to catch 80-year-old Tony Rambow as he collapsed at

SPECIAL patrols are being launched to target anti-social behaviour hot spots in parts of East Cleveland. Over the coming weeks, Cleveland police's five-strong neighbourhood task group will concentrate its work around Marske, New Marske and Redcar East

Andrew Muxworthy has backed his Chester-le-Street Town team to come up trumps when they visit West Ham United as underdogs next week. After taking a string of League scalps in the FA Youth Cup, Chester-le-Street Town Juniors take on the Hammers at Upton

UNCERTAINTY is hanging over hundreds of jobs in the UK following Eastman Kodak's decision to cut 15,000 staff worldwide. The US company blamed the popularity of digital cameras for the lay-offs, which represent about 20 per cent of its workforce. It follows

A WOMAN who lost a rare sheep at the weekend believes the animal died following a dog attack. Caroline Ward, of Cleveland Lodge, Great Ayton, discovered the body of the two-year-old Soay ewe on Saturday. A neighbour reported seeing torches in the vicinity

MP Alan Milburn yesterday checked on the progress of a replica locomotive built by North-East volunteers. The former Cabinet minister paid his first visit to the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, in Hopetown Lane, Darlington, to learn about the creation of the

A NATIONAL scheme to help producers meet buyer specifications enjoyed a huge response when it was launched at the sheep fair. More than 250 producers signed up for the two-year Better Returns programme, run by the English Beef and Lamb Executive. "The

Making Babies The Gay Way (C4): THE title made it sound like a particularly blue episode of Blue Peter in which an old washing up liquid bottle and some sticky back plastic was used to make something useful. Indeed, at one point lesbian Katie and gay

A FEED for horses and ponies is helping animal feed manufacturer I'Ansons set export records. Speedi-Bett, developed by I'Ansons Masham Micronized Feeds (MMF), is ready for use in ten minutes, compared to traditional sugarbeet products, which must be

TWO months after a North-East shopkeeper was left brain damaged after a row over cigarettes, a campaign has been launched to curb underage sales. Eight out of ten North-East shopkeepers said they had been abused after refusing to sell cigarettes to people

With the start of the League Cup first round the weather took it's toll as only three matches survived, with the rest going by the wayside to waterlogged pitches. The big shock was at Saint John's Snods Edge where Michael Ogle put them in the lead over

Darlington Allstars: The bad weather last weekend saw all but one of the Allstars' matches postponed. The Under-15s were away to South Bank Juniors for this week's league fixture. The Allstars started well in the first half and pulled off some good chances

DAIRY farmers should and must be more involved in the way the industry is run. The industry was "shrouded in a veil of mystery and smothered by a mist of secrecy" said Drew Sloan, chief executive of Semex. "We are all being separated from each other by

UNDEMOCRATIC, unwanted and far too costly was the unanimous verdict on Monday evening of Leyburn's town councillors about the way the Government is pushing for regional assemblies in the North. They, like Middleham town councillors, believe that the costly

REGULARS at a village social club have raised more than £5,000 for children. Grange Villa Workmen's Social Club in Grange Villa, near Chester-le-Street, has spent nine months raising the cash. There were social evenings, raffles and customers raised sponsorship

WHEN one of Spectator's colleagues finally got round to looking through all the clubs' and societies' magazines and newsletters which had poured through the letterbox, and been put by, over the holiday period, an item in the RNLI's journal The Lifeboat

TEENAGE singing sensation Katie Melua will be visiting the region during her debut UK tour, which kicks off next month. The 12-date tour starts in her former home town of Belfast on February 29 and takes in York's Barbican on Friday, March 5. More venues

A CAMPAIGN to save Guisborough swimming pool is to be launched. The pool has been earmarked for closure under budget cuts proposed by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. The proposal has yet to be agreed by councillors. Dr Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough

With discount stores and supermarkets stocking cheap toiletries and cosmetics, Boots is at risk of being edged out of the market. Shoptalk checks out the cost differences between the high street stalwart and its competitors. THERE'S a war going on in

LET'S make something clear before I start - I hope this is the shortest-lived column in newspaper history! Until Darlington are back on an even keel it's my role to inform the town what's going on at the club. I'll continue as an aspiring scribe until

AN MP is to meet Government transport chiefs in a bid to save services from being cut on a rail route. Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, will meet Transport Minister Kim Howells on February 2 to discuss plans to slash trains

ESH WINNING lies in the valley of the River Deerness four miles west of Durham. It is one of the larger mining communities of the valley and is often described as a mining village, but there is no longer a colliery here and with its own market place it

Wilton 2nds played host to division two strugglers Morpeth 1sts in what was their first game after the festive break. Both teams were a little edgy at first but it didn't take long for Wilton to stamp their authority on the game, as they took an early

Bishop Auckland 2nd XV produced an excellent all-round performance to defeat a bigger, more experienced Chester le Street side 19-5 in the Quarter Final of the Durham County Fourth Teams Shield. At the outset, it looked as if Bishop's young forwards would

AN outbreak of salmonella that affected 138 North-East people was a new strain unlike any previously detected, health officials said last night. The bug, which was traced to the former Lau's Buffet King, in Durham, in May last year, left 13 people needing

The hard overnight frost took it toll on the fixtures with 17 games postponed. In the games that did take place in the Premiership goals from Jon-Paul Tallentire, Daniel Lennon and Liam Clough gave Spennymoor Quinns a well-deserved share of the points

Ryhope CW weren't exactly singing in the rain last week but nevertheless they were delighted with their victory over Barnard Castle Glaxo which propelled them into seventh position - their highest rating for a long time. Last season, the Wearsiders struggled

Evenwood RR: At the Great North Winter runs in Newcastle Nathan Nicholson finished a fabulous eighth in 5.32 with Helen Pounder 7.00 for 56th. Times were tight for all as D Douthwaite and Alice May Johnston both dashed at the line in 7.56 and 7.58, 108th

THE sheep industry has a bright future with plenty of opportunities - but it is vital that the Government announces its decision on the mid-term CAP reform as soon as possible. "There is going to be reform. It is going to happen," said Peter Morris, policy

Cup giant-killers Chester-le-Street Town Juniors have produced some memorable victories against the odds this season - and now they have West Ham United in their sights. In reaching the last 32 of the FA Youth Cup they've already knocked out the juniors

COUNCILLORS have thrown their weight behind a proposal for pay and display car parking on the cobbles in Barnard Castle. The scheme was described as an "emotive subject" by Mark Ladyman, Teesdale District Council's director of community services, at a

A FACTORY opening today will give hope to the hundreds of workers in the region recently hit by redundancy. The factory, a former Sanyo site in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, is home to manufacturer Balmer Lindley Group (BLG). The opening will give encouragement

MASKED robbers tied up three people during an armed raid on a working men's club before fleeing with cash. Two women cleaners and the manager of the club in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, were confronted by two men who burst in as they began work at

AFTER ten years of trying, part-time rally driver Tony Bardy finally secured an outright victory by winning the Digital Office Solutions Jack Frost Stages rally at Croft circuit. Driving his Nissan Sunny GTI-R on the Darlington and District Motor Club

A TOP target in Middlesbrough's search for a striker has declared he wants to see out his current contract. Former Newcastle United and Manchester United striker Andy Cole was on manager Steve McClaren's list of possible targets during this month's transfer

In his first column for The Northern Echo, Darlington manager David Hodgson appeals to the people of the town to show their support for the club by turning out in their thousands for Sunday's All-Stars games. LET'S make something clear before I start

THE administrators of Darlington Football Club admitted last night that it was highly unlikely former chairman George Reynolds would reclaim the Quakers. Mr Reynolds stepped down earlier this month after nearly five years of drama on and off the pitch

A FILM archive cataloguing more than 100 years of history has re-opened to the public. The Yorkshire Film Archive at the Fountains Learning Centre premises in York St John College were opened on Wednesday. It is open to the public and academic researchers

Willington: THE Under-18s have reached the final of the coveted Durham County Youth Cup for the second time in three seasons. They defeated Redheugh 3-2 with a golden goal after the sides had shared four goals. John Cunningham and Christopher Hodgson

MICK McCARTHY claims Sunderland's chances of returning to the Premiership will never be as strong as they are now. The Black Cats are sitting fourth in the Division One table - just four points adrift of an automatic promotion place with 18 games to play

PEOPLE should support the church the same way they support their local McDonald's, a church official has said. The appeal for greater generosity was made by Canon Keith Punshon after it was revealed that an £85,000 grant to Ripon Cathedral, in North Yorkshire

Braes of Derwent PC. - Feb 1: Indoor dressage at Holmside Arena. All classes open to non-members. For details send sae to Linda Middleton, Grange Farm, Sunnyside, Bishop Auckland DL13 4LZ. BSPS Area 3a. - Jan 25 and Feb 22: Novice winter shows at Northallerton

SMILE. Somewhere today you will be captured by a closed-circuit camera at least once, and probably more times than you ever imagined possible, in streets, car parks, shops and even at the office. The innocent, they always say, have nothing to fear and

AN emergency hostel is needed to cope with the rising tide of homelessness in Darlington. A working group has already identified a building and is negotiating to buy, relying on raising money through trusts and other benefactors. The Rev Dr John Elliston

One of the constant criticisms of politicans is that they cannot be trusted to tell the truth, that what they say one day they will happily change the next if it helps them. It is a condition that affects MPs of all levels. Just recently we have seen

Premier Division: Welfare Cosmopolitan 1 Blackhall Hardwick 1: Both teams played a physical and well-played game in which the home side took the lead when Chris Lennon scored his first of the season as he met a Charlie Coates corner at the far post. Chris

POLICE were last night trying to trace a mother of three, last seen by her family in the early hours of Tuesday. Elizabeth Armstrong, 31, left her home in Markington, North Yorkshire, at the wheel of her red Rover car, but has not returned since. Concern

One of the constant criticisms of politicans is that they cannot be trusted to tell the truth, that what they say one day they will happily change the next if it helps them. It is a condition that affects MPs of all levels. Just recently we have seen

Newfit Services Willington: Hunwick Quarry produced a major shock when they travelled to Sunnybrow Brown Trout, who had led the table for most of the season, and won by three points. The Trout had singles wins from Jason Martin, Stephen Longhorn and Trevor

TONY Blair put his foot in it during a whistle-stop tour of his North-East constituency today. The Prime Minister was being shown round a new factory which manufactures lighting columns when he stood in some paint - red paint, as the Labour Party leader

With the weather conditions taking their toll on Sunday's fixtures only two games went ahead and both were in Division Three. The game of the day involved the impressive MN All Stars who played hosts to Aruba and it was the visitors who took the lead

DETECTIVES were yesterday granted more time to question a suspect arrested in relation to the death of a man at his North-East home. Colin Johnson was found dead in the living room of his house in Pickering Road, Pennywell, Sunderland, when his girlfriend

THREE students are celebrating winning county recognition for rugby. The pupils all attend Teesdale Comprehensive School, Barnard Castle, and play for Mowden Rugby Club, in Darlington. Luke Edwards has been selected at under-15s level and made his debut

PLANS for a multi-million pound shopping and car parking complex in Darlington have been approved. Investream Limited has been given permission to redevelop the car park to create the three-storey building. The development will include two retail or leisure

A SERIES of meetings to help to determine the level of council tax set by Sedgefield Borough Council are to be held next week. A report to the council's cabinet last week said the borough's residents had been facing the prospect of a double figure percentage

DURHAM City Council has appointed a new chief executive - the predecessor's deputy. Brian Spears, who has worked for the authority for 16 years, will take over from Colin Shearsmith who left at the end of last year. Mr Spears, who became deputy last year

Durham Amateur Rowing Club celebrates the start of the New Year with the award of Sport England's Clubmark. This is a National kite marked accreditation, which signifies Durham ARCs commitment to being a safe, effective child friendly club. After the

AN international festival which attracts stars from around the world has warned that the withdrawal of a £23,000 council support grant could cost the local economy £1m in income. Harrogate International Festival has previously welcomed classical performers

Highland Laddie v Lingdale Tavern: With the weather taking it's toll on most of the fixtures this game attracted a lot of spectators. It took both sides time to settle and with Lingdale missing their top scorer, Shane Breckon, it was up to young Dane

A WEEKLY village surgery held in the former changing room of a community hall is to close within weeks. Despite opposition from residents in Quarrington Hill, near Durham, Monday surgeries are to be cancelled following a decision by Durham and Chester-le-Street

M'brough PO 4 British Steel Sp 1: Middlesbrough Post Office went back to the top of the table despite the best efforts of British Steel Sports who defied their lowly league position to the Post Office a run for their money particularly in a very even

Over-60s pairs area final: K Lamb/B Metcalfe (D'ton) 17, J Gibson/D Bell (H'pool) 16 (extra end). Father and son area final: M and K O'Riodan (Thornaby) 31, B and P Mosley (Thornaby) 8. Pairs: Jenkins/Jones (Thornaby) 7, Mnasfield/Wells (H'pool) 24; Moseley

Countryside wardens from Guisborough Forest and Walkway will lead a six-mile walk on Wednesday, February 4, from 10am to 1pm. The walk is free, but places must be booked. For details, call (01287) 631132.

POSTCARDS, photographs and the results of private research are part of a large donation of historical material that has been given to a library. The material, from Stokesley Local History Study Group, will be added to the collection already in the town's

A PLANNING inspector has given approval for an outbuilding to be demolished and rebuilt following an appeal. North York Moors National Park's planning committee had rejected the scheme at 40 North End, Osmotherley, because it was in a conservation area

TICKETS are available for a sportsmen's dinner staged by the Chester-le-Street and District branch of Sunderland AFC Supporters' Association. The event, traditionally a sell-out night held at the Stadium of Light banqueting suite on Maundy Thursday, takes

A COMMUNITY worker says he is tired of people running down an estate when he and many others are working hard to improve it. For many years, Hardwick estate, in Stockton, has suffered at the hands of vandalism, neglect and anti-social behaviour. However

RURAL communities have been granted £425,000 for dial-a-ride buses to improve access to hospitals. The Government grant to people living in the Stockton and Hartlepool areas comes days after a separate £730,000 grant was awarded to Stockton Borough Council

POLICE are to increase patrols in Thornaby in an effort to crackdown on yobs. Patrols will be targeting Saltburn Road, Loftus Road, Eston Close and Scalby Square, where nuisance behaviour and vandalism is rife. Inspector Ian Coates, head of policing in

FOUR groups have secured a cash boost from the National Lottery's Awards for All scheme. The grants programme was set up to help small groups fund projects which involve people in their local community, bringing them together to take part in a range of

A housing developer is seeking permission to build homes alongside a road that is expected to open this summer. Miller Homes North-East hopes to build almost 200 homes on a former brickworks site next to Crook bypass. It has made two applications, which

THERE'S a war going on in your bathroom cupboard. We are changing our shopping habits, getting pickier about where we buy our toothpaste and toiletries, lotions and lozenges. No longer do we automatically think of Boots. Instead, we're as likely to pick

A ROBBER brandishing a crowbar was overpowered by a brave shopkeeper who recognised him as a regular customer. The 33-year-old trader reacted instantly when the raider burst in to the off-licence, banged the iron bar on the counter and demanded the contents

HUNDREDS of people are expected to attend a jobs fair next week where more than 400 call centre posts will be on offer. Representatives from leading companies such as Barclays, T Mobile, EDF Energy, Junction, Northern Rock and Citifinancial will attend

MOBILE phone companies have agreed to work more closely with countryside organisations to protect the landscape while improving communications in rural areas. The Yorkshire Dales National Park authority has welcomed the "accord" agreement, signed by the

DARLINGTON defender Ryan Valentine has been warned by manager David Hodgson that his "needless" booking at Kidderminster could prove costly. Valentine picked up his fifth yellow card of the season for a lunge on Adie Smith in Saturday's 1-1 draw at the

FOUR law students are being supported in their studies by a North-East law firm. Ward Hadaway, of Newcastle, has awarded annual bursaries of £1,500 each to four Durham University law students to provide financial backing during the three years of their

SCHOOLS have taken part in a project at the University of Durham which combines science and the arts. Members of Jack Drum Arts have delivered workshops in schools based on a theory of the science of ageing developed by Professor Tom Kirkwood at Newcastle

East End WMC 4, Greyhound 0: The Clubmen inflicted a first league defeat of the season on the runaway leaders with this victory. East End were really up for the game and led 1-0 at the interval never allowing their opponents to settle at any stage. The

After Britain's leading cot death specialist ws discredited, the Government announced a review into thousands of cases where children have been taken into care because of fears that parents may harm them. One of these parents talks to Christen Pears.

Tow Law Scottish Courage League: Tow Law Football Club lifted themselves into third place when they won their re-arranged match at Tow Law New Market A in the deciding doubles. The footballers went into a lead after the singles where they had wins from

SUNDERLAND chairman Bob Murray is not known for courting publicity, so it was brave of him to call in the media to announce he is to offer the players record bonuses for achieving promotion. He risks being reminded that if players have any pride such

AN MP has praised the work of a Redcar primary school that has been awarded the Primary Quality Mark. Vera Baird, MP for Redcar, congratulated Wheatlands Primary School, in Hundale Crescent, on its success following an inspection by the Basic Skills Agency

With victory over Redcar Glazing, John Davey Ltd are within touching distance of a cup final place needing just two points from two games to make sure. They beat Redcar Glazing by 3-2 with three first half goals but sat back to allow Redcar to pull two

Auckland Area CIU League: Old Shildon have finally found their darts accuracy for they made their third consecutive victory after losing all their other matches since joining the league. They only dropped one point to the visiting Eldon Lane. Geoff Rowland

NOMINATIONS received for the key national NFU officers include Richard Betton from North Riding and and Durham County NFU. The elections take place next month. President: deputy president Tim Bennett, Carmarthen; Richard Haddock, Devon; Derek Mead, Somerset

BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed of last week. Fwd: 1, 496 sheep. Lt hoggs to 114.7p av 108.2p; std to 115.8p av 109.4p; med to 117p av 109.4p; heavy to 106.4p av 101.8p. Cast ewes. - Cont X to £72.50; Mule to £62. Swale to £40. Tues. - Fwd: 269 store cattle. BB

THE NFU governing body fears the Government may snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by making the wrong decision on how to implement the CAP in England. The union has been a major proponent of decoupling farm payments from production and has worked

COUNCIL chiefs are promising no repeat of the winter gridlock which brought motorists shuddering to a halt last week - but only if weather forecasters this time get it right. Ahead of a predicted cold snap which is expected from Sunday, Durham County

BEDALE High School year 11 pupil Tom Young, from Aiskew, narrowly missed out on selection to the England under-16 rugby team following trials at Wolverhampton last weekend. Billeted at the Quality Hotel for the weekend, the 15-year-old found there was

A COMPANY has capitalised on the popularity of healthier foods by introducing a range of 98 per cent fat-free ice cream to the UK. Richmond Ice Creams, based at Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire, has brought Skinny Cow to Britain. Launched in the US in 1992

SHAUNA Lowry was born on July 6, 1970, in Belfast, and is a highly respected broadcaster and campaigner, dedicated to animal rescue and protection. Lowry became well known presenting TV series including the BBC's Animal Hospital, and has been the face

The Rev Brian Rice, self-styled missionary maverick and loiterer with intent, steps down next week after 20 years as voluntary chaplain to Hartlepool United. Unlike United, blessed poor, the minister for sport will remain on his knees, however. He has

A MOTOR accessories firm is moving up a gear with plans to launch a three-car rally team. "The plans are fairly well in their infancy, as is the firm, but the rally cross starts in March,'' said Phil Herring, team manager with Triple Six, of Middlesbrough

PRODUCERS were advised that they should know their exact costs of production. John Vipond, senior sheep specialist with the Scottish Agricultural College, said they should plan production to meet market specifications, and should work around their farm

Whitley Bay Squaws join Telford Wrekin Raiders at the top of women's division one North following a 5-4 win at Telford on Saturday. The winner came with only 27 seconds remaining in the match. Squaws went ahead with the only goal of the first period from

ELDERLY people in two North Yorkshire parishes fear being buried in paupers' graves because of new cemetery fees. This is the claim of two former councillors who say they have been lobbied by worried residents in both Romanby and Northallerton. Jack Dobson

FOLLOWERS of Musselburgh-bound Midlem Melody (3.35) have been handsomely rewarded so far this season as the ultra-consistent mare continues to plunder prize after prize. With three wins plus several placed efforts already to her name, the money-spinning

Durham League Division One Cup: East Durham & Houghall Comm. College A v Willington Wasps: Willington came out strong from the tip-off, sending their intentions of a tough game to the home team, through Ben Scorers and Luke Somerville. The Wasps could

FOLLOWERS of Musselburgh-bound Midlem Melody (3.35) have been handsomely rewarded so far this season as the ultra-consistent mare continues to plunder prize after prize. With three wins plus several placed efforts already to her name, the money-spinning

GEORGE REYNOLDS was facing the prospect of legal action from the administrators of crisis-torn Darlington Football Club last night as the full scale of the Quakers' financial catastrophe was revealed. The former chairman was given the warning on a dramatic

VOLUNTEERS are needed to keep a treadmill running for ten hours. The exercise machine will begin running at Chester-le-Street Leisure Centre at 9am on Thursday, February 22, and must be kept going until 7pm. Individuals or teams can sign up for stints

POLICE are hunting thieves who have stolen archery equipment including arrows capable of piercing armoured plate. The arrows are similar to those used by English archers to defeat the French army at the battle of Agincourt nearly 600 years ago. They were

COUNCIL leaders have denied claims that Guisborough swimming pool could close as part of a cost-cutting exercise. Alarm bells were triggered after a report to Redcar and Cleveland Council's cabinet meeting on Tuesday revealed that shutting down the pool

This weekend's final fixtures have added spice as the mid table teams are chasing top four places to make the play-offs next month, with the local Cleveland derby between Tennis World Middlesbrough and David Lloyd Teesside the most crucial encounter of

A Shildon school is following the lead set by the town's football team by enjoying success in a major cup competition. Earlier this season Northern League Shildon put the town's name on the map by reaching the first round proper of the FA Cup for the

ALTHOUGH still on the right side of 30, I felt old among the audience at the Metro Radio Arena. The venue was packed with rows of girls whose average age was about 14, hyperventilating at the thought of seeing their idol in the flesh. They had to wait

A MUSEUM created out of love for the Yorkshire Dales is to change hands as it approaches its 30th anniversary. The folk museum at Reeth was opened in 1974 by Erica Law and her late husband, Donald, after they bought and converted the village's former

ZIMBABWE: TO tour Zimbabwe when mass human rights violations continue to take place is morally wrong. Where freedom of movement, speech and association are all suppressed by the government; where mass torture, illegal imprisonment and partisan feeding

DR ASHOK Kumar MP is to hold talks with Transport Minister Kim Howells in a bid to prevent cuts to train services between Saltburn and Newcastle. The Strategic Rail Authority plans to axe almost all the existing service, claiming it is under-used and

GLADIATOR SWORD OF VENGEANCE. Publisher: Acclaim. Formats: PS2, Pc CD Rom. Price: £39.99. EVERYONE knows that the Romans were a bloodthirsty lot. After all, back in those days a sightseeing visit to the gladiatorial arena wouldn't have been complete without

Bishop Auckland are worried they have missed out on more cash from their transfer of Jeff Smith to Bolton Wanderers two years ago. Midfielder Smith went to the Reebok Stadium for an initial £25,000 fee, with more payments linked to appearances. He quickly

THE Northern Echo today launches an appeal to support Darlington's make-or-break home game against Rochdale on January 31. Unless sufficient money is made from the game, administrators have warned that the club could fold. To help see the club through

AN ALLOTMENT shop, funded through coffee mornings and grants, was officially opened at the weekend. The Mayor of Guisborough, Coun Anne Franklin, opened Guisborough Allotment Society's shop in Wilton Lane, Guisborough, which will be run by volunteers.

A MULTI-NATIONAL sports project is taking place in the county next month, with children travelling from across Europe to take part. Students from two Chester-le-Street schools, The Hermitage and Park View Community schools, are to team up with young people

SUNDERLAND chairman Bob Murray is not known for courting publicity, so it was brave of him to call in the media to announce he is to offer the players record bonuses for achieving promotion. He risks being reminded that if players have any pride such

Northern League clubs have asked for another meeting with the Football Association over their future role within the national league system. FA officer Mike Appleby was due at an EGM of Northern League clubs last night, but pulled out several days beforehand

A BARNARD Castle guesthouse owner is among the first to be featured in a new category in the world famous Michelin Guide. The guide's reputation is based on choosing the finest eating places and most luxurious hotels, but a new category - the Bib hotel

Pyman Cup: Quarter-final: Hartlepool BBOB 15 Hartlepool Athletic 19. Athletic will now be away to the winners of the Hartlepool Rovers II v West Amater's quarter final tie, the date of which is yet to be confirmed. Durham County Second Teams Cup Quarter-finals

A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD girl in traditional Nepalese dress gave the Princess Royal a garland of flowers yesterday as she opened a Gurkha temple at an Army barracks. Suista Gurung, the daughter of Staff Sergeant Surendra Gurung, gave the yellow and pink roses

Charles Stead of Northumberland Fell Runners beat Paul Lowe of Mandale Harriers by over two minutes at the Eston Nab Nee Nocker on Sunday. Stead also broke his record set in last years event, lowering it to 34 minutes 34 seconds for the 5.5 mile course

AN HISTORIC building is to be redeveloped to provide a one-stop council shop. The Mechanics Institute in Bridge End, Chester-le-Street, is to be redesigned and re-opened as a point of contact for people wanting help or advice from Chester-le-Street District

TRUCKERS Tavern, one of our Fifteen to Follow, will be partnered by Tony Dobbin tomorrow in the Pillar Chase at Cheltenham after a shock split this week between Ferdy Murphy and stable jockey Davy Russell. This time last year Russell first hit our headlines

BROWNEY caused a stir last week with a slender 1-0 win over championship favourites Old Shildon. Only four games from the league's fixture programme survived a severe frost that put paid to eight games. And Browney recorded arguably their result of the

DARLINGTON Mowden Park will have player-coach Richard Arnold back as they attempt to end Waterloo's 100 per cent record in National Three North tomorrow. Mowden lost 19-14 at home to the club from Blundellsands but have won all eight matches since and

The torrential rain last weekend totally disrupted the Over-40s Cup and League programme, only 11 matches being played, five cup and six league. In the Kenny Ball Cup, premier side Norton & Stockton won 3-0 away to Division Three leaders Houghton

In their quest for the Inter Club Durham County Seniors League Championship The Quakers Men's team, playing from The Morrisons Centre, this week had a neck and neck battle with an equally determined Durham City Three Rink Team. For Darlington Jack Grayson

Making Babies The Gay Way (C4) THE title made it sound like a particularly blue episode of Blue Peter in which an old washing up liquid bottle and some sticky back plastic was used to make something useful. Indeed, at one point lesbian Katie and gay man

NO-ONE is quite sure when rabbits first appeared in this country, with some experts believing they were introduced from Spain in the latter half of the thirteenth century, others suggesting they arrived from France in the twelfth century and yet more

Richmond and Zetland Harriers' Under-15 Girls team had enough energy to out-run the opposition at Whitby on Sunday 11 in the fourth NYSD X-C League fixture and, having won all four fixtures to date, lead their group with a maximum 32 points. The Senior

MORE evidence has emerged that business confidence in the North-East is growing. Two reports revealed the region's economy is strengthening and that manufacturing is leading the charge. Industry has suffered years of depression, but according to the British

Sir, - I was pleased to read the TransPennine Express rail service which passes through Northallerton is to be improved. But, as they intend putting 56 faster trains into service in 2005, this will mean increased closure of the Low Gates crossing. It

DARLINGTON Mowden Park will have player-coach Richard Arnold back as they attempt to end Waterloo's 100 per cent record in National Three North tomorrow. Mowden lost 19-14 at home to the club from Blundellsands but have won all eight matches since and

PLANS to make Chester-le-Street the first smoking-free town in Britain are to be looked at soon. The district council is considering banning smoking from bars, restaurants, shops and even parks and streets. A report is being prepared on the feasibility

County Championships: Junior Division 1A: Durham County's junior team captured the first division honours last Saturday in Grantham and gained promotion to the premier division without losing a match. The three counties played were well and truly trounced

On Sunday Durham's under-12 team took part in an inter counties match at Herringthorpe Leisure Centre, Rotherham. The team had excellent wins over Warwickshire, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire seconds but lost out to Lancashire for a place in the finals. However

Penalties were needed at Howden Australian where Crook White Swan were the opponents in the Albert Vickers Cup. The Swan led 3-0 at half time but Australian came back to force extra time. John Conley grabbed a hat trick and goals from Kevin Burke and

SCHOOLS throughout the region are being urged to take part in The Big Hush to help children with cancer. Every year, the Macmillan cancer charity holds a sponsored silence in schools to raise money. This year, the event has been called The Big Hush and

GEORGE REYNOLDS admitted under oath yesterday that he paid money from his ailing business into Darlington Football Club - because he considered the company to be his bank account. The former Quakers chairman was grilled at Teesside County Court about

PLANS to ban smoking from a town's streets are doomed to failure, a smokers' campaign group says. Chester-le-Street District Council, in County Durham, is considering banning smoking from bars, restaurants, shops and possibly even parks and streets. Councillor

A MACHETE-WIELDING burglar was jailed for eight years yesterday after he forced his way into an elderly woman's home and threatened to kill her. Sheila Walton was left terrified and distraught when 26-year-old Stephen Nagy pulled out a machete on the

GLADIATOR SWORD OF VENGEANCE. Publisher: Acclaim. Formats: PS2, Pc CD Rom. Price: £39.99. EVERYONE knows that the Romans were a bloodthirsty lot. After all, back in those days a sightseeing visit to the gladiatorial arena wouldn't have been complete without

Sheffield United 0 Darlingfton , FA Cup First Round January 14, 1911. The Northern Echo called it "the most staggering result of the first round," which was probably an understatement. In all likelihood, it was the greatest day in Darlington's 120-year

A BRAZILIAN Soccer School in Stockton gained further recognition this week for the effectiveness of their coaching with Brazilian World Cup winning midfielder, Juninho extolling the benefits of Futebol de Sal£o for younger players. Juninho explained the

A BANK call-centre worker waited only four days in his new job before stealing thousands of pounds from customers. In only a fortnight, Steven Husband transferred more than £11,000 from customers into his accounts while working at Lloyds TSB, in Sunderland

DRUNKEN teenagers causing trouble in a village have prompted councillors to take direct action. They are concerned that groups of youngsters, many in their early teens, are regularly gathering in Sadberge, near Darlington, and drinking. Councillors said

A DRIVER overturned his car on the A1(M) after he raced another car at speeds of up to 100mph, a court was told. Witnesses told police they had been overtaken by Raymond Donkin in his silver Ford Focus and another man driving a Vauxhall Nova "hurtling

SCHOOLS from south Durham have taken part in a project that combines science and the arts. Members of Jack Drum Arts have delivered workshops in three secondary schools - Wolsingham Comprehensive, Greenfield, in Newton Aycliffe, and Teesdale, in Barnard

FERRYHILL Town Council's Investors in People status has been endorsed after an inspection. The town council was the first in the North-East, and only the second in the country, to achieve the status three years ago. A review carried out last year has

A MARINE who was killed while serving in Iraq has been honoured by his former school. Laurence Jackson School, in Guisborough, has created a memorial trophy in memory of former pupil Chris Maddison, who died on March 30 last year, aged 24, while serving

PUPILS at a Darlington school were rewarded for their hard work at a prize- giving ceremony this week. Scores of youngsters at Hummersknott School and Language College received trophies for their academic and sporting successes. The prizes were presented

BUSINESS owners and residents have united in their anger over plans to open a sex shop in Hartlepool. Members of Hartlepool Borough Council's licensing committee will meet on Wednesday to discuss the application from Provincial Enterprises Ltd for a sex

STUDENTS became super-sleuths for the day by trying out genetic fingerprinting. Pupils from Fyndoune Community College, in Sacriston, and Deerness Valley Comprehensive, in Ushaw Moor, both near Durham, took part in the mock crime scene investigations

FAMILY pride was at stake when Burgoynnes hit the Horse & Groom for six in Division Three. It was a case of "anything you can do..." when brothers David and Michael Nicholson both recorded hat-tricks in the 6-2 win over the Groom who replied through

A LIBRARY has launched more than 30 courses ranging from traditional crafts to using the latest technology. Clayport Library, in Millennium Place, Durham, is starting a new term of courses which includes Spanish, family history, mat-making, digital photography

BROTHERS Ricky and Warren Li are joining in the celebrations for the Chinese New Year. The pair, aged four and six, played with traditional Chinese toys including kites, windmills and paper dragons to celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Monkey. York's

A RECLUSE who set up a mobile home on the embankment of the A66, near Darlington, has escaped eviction for the time being. Thomas Walker-Coates disobeyed planning policies and parked his caravan and five dog kennels, in a field near Sadberge. The move

EXCAVATION work has begun on a sports pitch in Thornaby which will serve two schools and the local community. Stockton Borough Council's cabinet member for education, leisure and culture Councillor Alex Cunningham visited the site at the field between

THE deputy head boy of a North-East school last night questioned Prime Minister Tony Blair over his controversial plans for student tuition top-up fees. Lee Keenan, 16, of Thomas Hepburn Community School, in Gateshead, confronted Mr Blair during his visit

ESH WINNING lies in the valley of the River Deerness four miles west of Durham. It is one of the larger mining communities of the valley and is often described as a mining village, but there is no longer a colliery here and with its own market place it

DRUNKEN teenagers causing trouble in a village have prompted councillors to take direct action. They are concerned that groups of youngsters, many in their early teens, are regularly gathering in Sadberge, near Darlington, and drinking. Councillors said

A DISUSED primary school in Stockton is to be transformed into a community resource centre thanks to a £1m boost. The funding, from the European Regional Development Fund, will pay for the work to the former Newtown Infants School, which has stood empty

VISITORS to a North-East nature reserve will be invited to help create a new habitat for dragonflies. The World Wetlands Day wetland challenge at Washington's Wildlife and Wetlands Trust (WWT) will be held from 10am-3pm on Sunday, February 1. There will

THE deputy head boy of a North-East school last night questioned Prime Minister Tony Blair over his controversial plans for student tuition top-up fees. Lee Keenan, 16, of Thomas Hepburn Community School, in Gateshead, confronted Mr Blair during his visit

One of the region's police forces says it is bucking the national trend. County Durham Police said overall crime for the quarter between July and September 2003 had dropped year-on-year by 3.5 per cent to 12,116. Violent crime, which includes violence

A RURAL bank branch is to close two days a week following a review by regional management. Barclays at Middleton-in-Teesdale is currently open five days a week, but will switch to three by the beginning of April, only three months after the D&S Times

THE Black Dyke Brass Band, whose music features on TV's Groundforce, will perform at Middlesbrough Town Hall, at 7.30pm, on Saturday, February 28. Tickets are £12.50, available on (01642) 242561. Published: 23/01/2004

SIR BOBBY ROBSON last night reacted furiously to claims that Carl Cort had been "the invisible man'' in over three years with Newcastle. As Cort prepared to join Wolves in a £2m deal, an angry Robson rounded on the 26-year-old striker's critics. Injury-plagued

A large turnout of elderly club members filled the club house for their annual get together. A report on his year was given by the seniors captain Alec Crowe, who highlighted the seniors outing to Durham City gold club in September and was attended by

QUESTIONS, questions, questions.That's the problem for those dealing with George Reynolds: so many questions; so few answers. The questions came thick and fast on two fronts yesterday. As creditors met to hear the depth of the black hole Darlington Football

MORE than 1,700 workers in the North-East face a more certain future after the Government gave its blessing to the merger of two mail order firms. Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt approved plans by the Barclay brothers to merge their March UK (Littlewoods

George Reynolds was in the dock yesterday, grilled about his business dealings. Chris Lloyd witnesses a courtroom drama with more than a touch of comdey. THERE is a popular comedy on the television at the moment called Little Britain. One of its main

Darlington Skerne Park were a couple of minutes from picking up their first win of the season but had to be satisfied with a share of the points with Darlington Dalesman after an evenly contested game. Andy Williams put Skerne Park ahead with Stuart Melville

FARMERS have finally settled their dispute with the Government over a huge bill they were left with following the foot-and-mouth clean up operation. The Northumberland and Durham Machinery Ring had been involved in a lengthy wrangle with Defra over its

SALTBURN teenager Daniel Neilson has secured a place at the National Blue Chip Show Jumping Championships with his novice pony Lets Go Rocky. The Freebrough School pupil finished in an excellent third place on the six-year-old bay in a Kitt Sapphire junior

Division One, Bedale FC 0, Nunthorpe Ath 2: The only first division game to survive the weather turned up a shock result. Bedale entertained Nunthorpe Athletic who are at the wrong end of the table and a tight first half ended goalless. In the second

WITH a following of thousands, top international players and a bad reputation it just can't seem to shake - women's rugby is growing strong. Rugby is the second-fastest growing sport among women in the country, with thousands of players competing in leagues

Worthington CIU League: Crowtrees A managed to open out a three-point gap at the top of the Second Division after they whitewashed the visiting Belmont. The home side's winners were Sean Johnston, Sonny Hann, Keith McLauchlan, Steve Armstrong and Phil

POLICE in India have told the family of murdered wildlife artist David Green that he may have been the victim of a failed robbery. The body of the 53-year-old Darlington nature lover was expected to be brought back to the region last night. The freelance

In the league, Felling Mulberry over took Gateshead Black Bull when they recorded a convincing 5-0 win. Felling were made to work hard for their deserved win with goals from Steven Cairns, Lee Wilkinson, Gary Harkness, Jason Pringle and Paul Wilkinson

THE splendour of Durham Cathedral provided a perfect backdrop for the recreation of the coronation of King George II. In a mesmerising performance, the King's Consort transported a capacity audience back in time to savour the full pomp and ceremony of

The wet January hit the region's rivers again for the weekend fixtures and competitors on the Ure, Swale, Tees and Ouse had to work hard for a bite in the swollen conditions. Biggest disappointment came during Bradford City's Open on their newly acquired

Quarter finals: Ann Brown/Brenda Mangles (Gt Aycliffe) 15, Cal I'Anson/Trudy N Broxson (S'and) 13 (extra end); Masie Conway/Joyce Jones (Thornaby) 17, Margaret richardson/Joyce Hull (Spennymoor) 8; Ella Baker/Val Bambrough (S'land) 12, Ann Longmoor/Dora

Northallerton skipper Peter Pinkney ended up at hospital after injuring himself in a quarter final cup clash. Disaster struck for Pinkney in the second game of his clash against Harrogate Squash Club player Stuart Macdonald. Pinkney was forced to pull

NORTH-EAST mayor Ray Mallon has snubbed overtures by the Labour Party and vowed to remain an independent directly-elected official. The former head of Middlesbrough CID and now mayor of the town said that by being an independent mayor, he "can truly take