Archive

  • Panionios raising standards

    When Panionios take on Newcastle in the UEFA Cup Group Stage tomorrow night, things will be a little different from the last time they found themselves up against English opposition. When former Liverpool midfielder Ronnie Whelan took charge of the Athenian

  • TV review

    Little Britain (BBC3) Wife Swap (C4) EMILY and Florence, the crap transvestites, were having afternoon tea in an English tearoom. They were determined not to draw attention to themselves, although dressing as pantomime dames and having a moustache rather

  • Hunt goes on for missing sports fan

    DETECTIVES searching for a missing North-East man in Greece hope the avid Middlesbrough football fan will turn up to watch his team play tomorrow night. The move comes as police said they have solved the mystery surrounding a photograph delivered to Melvyn

  • Sainsbury's includes Bells in moves to 'become great again'

    Teesside-based Bells Stores will play a key role in Sainsbury's strategy to improve its flagging sales, it was revealed yesterday. As the supermarket unveiled its strategy for success, under the banner "Making Sainsbury's Great Again", it reinforced its

  • Record profits for Bellway

    Housebuilder Bellway maintained a positive view on the property market yesterday as it unveiled another set of record results. The forecast-beating 21.4 per cent rise in profits to £205.5m was the 13th improvement in a row for the Newcastle group, which

  • Multi-million way to escape the nine to five

    WITH £6,000 and the determination to ditch their nine-to-five jobs two North-East women set out on the road to becoming owners of a multi-million pound company. Sunderland-born Caroline Cassap and mother-of-two Samantha Leeds, of Hartlepool, joined forces

  • Spread your assets and take the tension out of your pension

    Time is catching up at last on high-spending "baby boomers" as they approach retirement. There is a £57bn hole in our savings pot, which threatens to cut pensioner income by 30 per cent over the next 30 years and leave many facing hardship in old age.

  • Pondering pink perplexities

    LYING back and thinking of where the next column might come from, we were intrigued in Friday's paper by the headline "Knitting club starts up in former brothel." The purlers - tricoteuses or treat, as they might say with Hallowe'en fast approaching -

  • Women's football team to host Man U

    ONE of the biggest names in football will be on the scoreboard at a North ground on Sunday. Manchester United's wom-en's team will play at Shildon, County Durham, in the first round of the Women's FA Cup. The match is a home tie for South Durham Royals

  • CATS' eyes on helping farm

    Workers from a North-East company have been helping to improve a community farm. Staff and contractors at the BP CATS Terminal, at Seal Sands, have been working at the Clarence Community Farm in nearby Port Clarence, on Teesside. Projects carried out

  • Korean car maker's ambition marked by ten millionth export

    THE ambitions of Korean car makers know no bounds. Hyundai recently passed an important milestone in its short history when the ten-millionth export vehicle rolled off production lines in Ulsan, Korea. The achievement marks Hyundai as the most accomplished

  • Kidnap terror of a woman who cares

    A TERRIFIED aid chief was in the hands of Iraqi kidnappers last night after being taken hostage in Baghdad. Margaret Hassan, who heads Care International's operation in the country, was shown with her hands bound behind her back looking very distressed

  • The real cost of pensions' crisis

    THE architects of the Great Pensions' Crisis are not the hapless millions now being told they have not been saving enough, but recent governments entrusted with securing a decent standard of living for the nation's citizens at the end of their working

  • Water firm helps birds back from the brink

    ONE of the region's most endangered birds is battling back from the brink of extinction thanks to a scheme backed by Northumbrian Water. The company is also about to embark on a project to plant 9,500 trees and shrubs in the Durham hills in order to further

  • Caig at back of the queue

    THERE are many ways to assess a footballer's fame, but one of the most effective has always been the autograph test. Never mind column inches, celebrity friends or an appearance on a TV chat show - the proof of players' popularity lies in the number of

  • Couple accidentaly call police in throes of passion

    A red-faced couple launched a police emergency when they accidentally called 999 in the throes of passion. Officers at Durham Police's north communications centre became concerned when a call came through, but all that could be heard was the sound of

  • 'We must protect North Sea wildlife now'

    ANOTHER leading wildlife organisation has added its voice to calls for increased protection for creatures in the North Sea from pressures including industrial pollution. The RSPB has called on Prime Minister Tony Blair to fulfil his promise for a Marine

  • Flour and egg target of police message

    POLICE in a North-East town are urging shopkeepers to be wary of selling eggs and flour to trick-or-treating youths. Inspector Paul Unsworth, from Darlington Community Safety Partnership, has written to every grocery shop in the town to warn about the

  • Husband dragged wife along street

    A husband put his fingers in his wife's mouth and dragged her along the street in front of their four-year-old son, a court heard yesterday. George Fairbridge, 30, of Leonard Street, Darlington, pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife Diane, at South Durham

  • Teachers flying to China for training

    FOUR headteachers are making a ground-breaking visit to China to outline a new approach to primary school teaching. David Fry, of Finchale Primary School, Dorothy Brennan, of Langley Park Primary School, Jill Gleghorn, of Blue Coat Junior School, Newton

  • Fathers 4 Justice campaigner in court

    Fathers 4 Justice campaigner Paul Watson, who contested the Hartlepool by-election, will appear in court today charged with assaulting a fellow candidate at the count. The 35-year-old faces charges of assault and criminal damage in relation to an incident

  • Last-minute agony as Pool go for a Burton

    Neale Cooper was a frustrated manager last night as his Hartlepool United side suffered their sixth away defeat of the season. After comfortably holding - and outplaying for long periods - second-placed Brentford, a last- minute goal was the harshest

  • More debate, fewer stunts

    ALTHOUGH we do not agree with the campaign that is calling for a No vote in the referendum on the regional assembly, we do rather admire the way it has been conducted. It has been brutally successful. It hasn't bothered with the central argument of this

  • Gluepot will favour George

    SOFT GROUND specialist George The Best (5.25) is fancied to take full advantage of the predicted testing conditions at Newcastle today. By the time Micky Hammond's sprinter goes to post for the final race on the card, the vcmobile.co.uk Handicap, the

  • Marco recalls hot Greek reception

    NEWCASTLE can expect a red-hot atmosphere when they face Panionios in Athens tomorrow, but the reception is unlikely to be as warm as the one given to North-East journeyman Marco Gabbiadini when he made his debut for the Greek side seven years ago. Gabbiadini

  • Schoolfriends reunited after chance comments made by daughter

    Childhood pals who spent 20 years unaware they were living in the same village marked their renewed friendship by organising a school reunion. Leslie Rolfe, formerly Anderson, left Consett for Wakefield, West Yorkshire, where she met classmate Pat Kershaw

  • Roofing firm set to expand

    A company which has grown steadily since starting with just five men 21 years ago announced a new £1.5m expansion today. C.A. Roofing now employs 235 people at its factory in Evenwood near Barnard Castle, Co Durham, and 265 others on a contract basis

  • Brewery plans to buy up to 200 pubs

    Camerons Brewery is set for a huge expansion of its pub franchise, with plans to buy nearly 200 pubs in the next two years. The Hartlepool-based brewery, which owns nine outlets, said it was scouring the region for suitable sites. About 30 pubs were sold

  • Safe trader register to be established

    A SCHEME to help prevent residents falling prey to rogue doorstep traders was launched yesterday. Durham County Council's Trading Standards team will set up a Registered Trader Scheme across the county. It aims to offer householders a "good guys" list

  • Crime is down but fear won't go away

    Thousands of families will this weekend be invited to take part in the biggest community safety survey ever carried out in County Durham and Darlington. A total of 14,500 householders will be asked questions about anti-social behaviour and disorder issues

  • Hotel holds open day in hunt for carers

    A HOTEL providing short breaks for adults with learning disabilities is looking for staff. Philip Parkinson Healthcare is recruiting 40 workers for its £1m Wallace Mews development in Mowbray Road, South Shields, South Tyneside, which opens next year.

  • Why we're all job snobs

    Our obsession with purely academic qualifications is selling youngsters short and leaving us in the lurch. WE are such snobs about jobs. Nearly every three-year-old wants to be Bob the Builder when they grow up, but somehow, we do our best to change their

  • Householders get chance to take part in crime survey

    Thousands of families will this weekend be invited to take part in the biggest community safety survey ever carried out in County Durham and Darlington. A total of 14,500 householders will be asked a series of detailed questions about anti- social behaviour

  • Teenagers' European connection

    TEENAGERS from part of the North-East will link up with contemporaries in central Europe in a video conference today. As part of Local Democracy Week celebrations, youngsters aged 14 to 18 from Bishop Auckland Girls' Group and Durham Children and Young

  • Pondering pink perplexities

    Lying back and thinking of where the next column might come from, we were intrigued in Friday's paper by the headline "Knitting club starts up in former brothel." The purlers - tricoteuses or treat, as they might say with Hallowe'en fast approaching -

  • Community officer keeping the streets safe

    A TEESSIDE community officer has made more than 50 arrests since he started walking his patch. His crimesheet includes arrests for robberies, burglaries and car theft in the Berwick Hills area of Middlesbrough. Police community support officer (PCSO)

  • Eight admit conspiring to supply heroin in region

    A gang appeared in court yesterday to admit conspiring to supply heroin in the North-East. No details of the offences were given at Teesside Crown Court, but eight of the gang have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs between November

  • Hotel holds open day in hunt for carers

    A hotel providing short breaks for adults with learning disabilities is looking for staff. Philip Parkinson Healthcare is recruiting 40 workers for its £1m Wallace Mews development in Mowbray Road, South Shields, South Tyneside, which opens next year.

  • Raising funds for cancer charity

    Chapmans the jewellers is staging a breast cancer awareness day at its Market Place shop, in Durham, tomorrow. Ten per cent of takings are to be donated to the Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity. Pink champagne and other refreshments are on offer for

  • 'Stolen' tack goes on show

    POLICE investigating burglaries across North Yorkshire are appealing for help in re-uniting suspected stolen items with their owners. Detectives at Thirsk have recovered a large amount of tack, including saddles, bridles, harnesses, bits, grooming equipment

  • 'We must protect North Sea wildlife now'

    ANOTHER leading wildlife organisation has added its voice to calls for increased protection for creatures in the North Sea from pressures including industrial pollution. The RSPB has called on Prime Minister Tony Blair to fulfil his promise for a Marine

  • Hospital treatment for knife offender

    A BUS driver who repeatedly stabbed his wife will be taken from jail to hospital today for treatment for a heart condition. Barry Moore, 60, is on remand in Holme House Prison, in Stockton, and will be given an angiagram examination at the James Cook

  • Security reminder is given after crime fall

    DESPITE a fall in the crime-rate, householders are being urged to continue to be on their guard against burglaries. Although Hambleton has the second lowest crime rate in North Yorkshire, members of the local Community Safety Partnership said complacency

  • Sausages sale to aid hospice

    A HOSPICE is to receive a funding boost from an unlikely source - sausages. To mark British Sausage Appreciation Week, which starts on Saturday, butcher's chain Harry Coates and Son will donate 10p for every pound of sausage sold through its three shops

  • Technology students get a 'real life' peak at the world

    Students could end up working on engineering projects around the globe if a ground-breaking international education scheme gets the go-ahead. A member of the British Council in Indonesia spent the day in North Yorkshire with teachers and education officials

  • Son admits menacing calls to flower shop

    A MAN who made menacing calls to a garden centre after his mum's Mothers' Day flowers weren't delivered was given a six-month conditional discharge by magistrates yesterday. Gary McKenzie, 37, from Darlington, admitted two counts at South Durham Magistrates

  • Youngsters are to be warned about railway dangers

    YOUNGSTERS in the Harrogate area are about to be targeted with a railway safety message. Arriva Trains Northern schools liaison officer Chris Leech is bringing his play safe and stay safe message to schools in the area during the next few weeks. Over

  • School safety plan is hailed a success

    MEASURES to improve the safety of children at a Hartlepool primary school are being hailed a success. A vehicle count carried out in the area around Kingsley School has revealed a big drop in the numbers parking in Kingsley Avenue. This follows the installation

  • Children in spotlight with singer Stardust

    SINGER Alvin Stardust has recruited dozens of young performers to star in his latest show. Stardust, best known for his 1970s hits My Coo-Ca-Choo and Jealous Mind, visited north Durham to meet members of the recently-reformed Consett Theatre Workshop

  • Club's licence plea might my refused

    Councillors are being asked to refuse plans to allow a club to hold a public entertainment licence. Central United Workingmen's Club, in Shields Terrace, Hartlepool, has applied to Hartlepool Borough Council's licensing department for permission for the

  • Camera phone ban considered

    CAMERA phones face could be banned in schools because of fears that secret pictures of teachers could be taken. Staff are worried their photographs could be manipulated and used on the Internet. Christina Ponting, the human resources manager at North

  • Force bid to recruit 60 officers

    A NORTH police force is bidding for scores of extra community support officers (CSOs) to ease the workload of beat officers. Durham Constabulary has applied to the Home Office for almost £1m to recruit a further 60 CSOs, who would be deployed across the

  • Elliott keeps Cats' run going

    Stephen Elliott continued his football education at Vicarage Road last night. The Sunderland striker's seventh goal of the season ensured that the Black Cats stretched their run to just one defeat in their last nine League games. Elliott and Mart Poom

  • Casino betting on equal opportunities for recruits

    The North-East's newest casino venture is launching a recruitment drive to attract more women as croupiers. Bannatyne's Casino, which opens in February on Newcastle's Quayside, is looking to fill about 70 vacancies for croupiers, pit bosses, chefs and

  • Cheryl's task is to tackle N-E learning 'gremlins'

    THE Get on North East initiative, which aims to improve adult literacy and numeracy in the region, has created a post to target businesses. Business in the Community, a member of the initiative's Skills for Life Taskforce, has appointed CHERYL WILLIAMS

  • Hike in steel prices forces firm to make redundancies

    The worldwide hike in steel prices has led another North-East manufacturer into financial difficulties, after County Durham firm Kenmore Refrigeration Components declared job losses. The Crook-based company said rising steel costs had led to a decision

  • N-E college opens extension

    A NEW era in education began today, as one of the North-East's leading colleges officially took the wraps off a £5million redevelopment project. Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, in Darlington, staged a ceremony to mark the completion of a scheme to

  • Drugs found in woman's handbag

    A woman who kept drugs in her handbag was given a 12-month conditional discharge by magistrates yesterday. Gina Reynolds, 32, admitted possessing 40g of amphetamine and 4g of cannabis resin at South Durham Magistrates' Court. Police found the drugs after

  • Council leader says assembly 'has lost plot'

    A COUNCIL leader has strongly criticised the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly, claiming the organisation has "lost the plot." John Blackie, county councillor and leader of Richmondshire District Council, told a meeting the organisation was too expensive

  • Police pledge to catch bus attack vandals

    A bus driver was taken to hospital after a brick was thrown through the window of his vehicle. Despite suffering a painful cut, he managed to keep control of the bus and bring it safely to a halt in Ennis Square, Dormanstown, Redcar, east Cleveland, on

  • Academics help companies to defend against hackers

    ACADEMICS from the North-East are helping companies tackle the problem of computer hacking and viruses, which affects almost half of all UK businesses every year. The European Telecommunications Resilience and Recovery Association (ETRA), a wholly-owned

  • Compulsory purchase will save scheme

    A NORTH-EAST council last night took urgent action to ensure that a crucial £90m retail development goes ahead. St Martin's Property Group pulled out of the Commercial Street scheme, in Darlington, last month to concentrate on projects in London. It put

  • Hitting wind turbine targets could create 38,000 N-E jobs

    A massive forest of wind turbines could be erected off the region's coast in a move which could create 38,000 jobs. Greenpeace and the Department for Trade and Industry launched a report recommending that millions of pounds be spent erecting up to 13,000

  • Return of a cult classic

    Little Britain (BBC3) Wife Swap (C4): EMILY and Florence, the crap transvestites, were having afternoon tea in an English tearoom. They were determined not to draw attention to themselves, although dressing as pantomime dames and having a moustache rather

  • Why we're all job snobs

    Our obsession with purely academic qualifications is selling youngsters short and leaving us in the lurch. WE are such snobs about jobs. Nearly every three-year-old wants to be Bob the Builder when they grow up, but somehow, we do our best to change their

  • Sewer renewal to stem flooding

    RESIDENTS whose lives have been made a misery by flooding may soon get a respite thanks to a £500,000 sewer improvement scheme. For years, residents in the south of Hartlepool have repeatedly told Hartlepool Borough Council of their frustrations at the

  • Parlour determined not to suffer old agonies

    RAY PARLOUR knows all about failing in Europe, having played at Arsenal and suffered the humiliation of early exits when expected to fly the flag for the Premiership all the way to the Champions League final. That is why the midfielder, travelling with

  • Mercedes feeling the pressure but prepares to show its class

    VARIOUS parts of the Daimler Chrysler group have suffered tough times in the past couple of years. First it was Chrysler, the US arm of the company, needed massive financial support to help soften the blow caused by oversaturation of the US car market

  • Armstrong comes to Quakers' rescue

    WHILE Gary Mills' tenure as Notts County boss hung in the balance, until the 70th minute there was a feeling that Darlington were in the wrong place at the wrong time at Meadow Lane last night. Mills appeared to have earned a brief reprieve from the County

  • Parlour determined not to suffer old agonies

    RAY PARLOUR knows all about failing in Europe, having played at Arsenal and suffered the humiliation of early exits when expected to fly the flag for the Premiership all the way to the Champions League final. That is why the midfielder, travelling with

  • Alcoholic 'slapped and punched' six-year-old

    AN alcoholic who left a six-year-old girl with a two-inch bald patch after dragging her by the hair is facing jail. The Darlington woman also slapped and punched the child's arm, South Durham Magistrates Court was told yesterday. The 35-year-old, of Skeeby

  • Recruits sign up at healthcare firm

    PRIVATE healthcare provider Castlebeck has added some public sector expertise to its growing team. The Darlington-based company, which provides specialist healthcare and rehabilitation services for adults with learning disabilities, has appointed Dr Tony

  • Countdown to Christmas under way for traders

    There are only 65 shopping days to Christmas. That is, for most people, if you include Sundays, which have become shopping days over recent years. Some individuals would insist that this figure means 64 days before one need go shopping, but I am trying

  • 20/10/04

    WITH surprisingly little fuss and publicity, some of the most radical changes in the history of employment law slipped quietly into the statute book on October 1. There are 13 or so new laws which employers must now deal with. First of all, there are

  • 20/10/04

    REGIONAL ASSEMBLY: THE Northern Echo has had the courage to nail its colours to the mast on the regional assembly, that I respect. You say vote Yes and in that I believe you are mistaken. In Tuesday's Comment you say the No side needs to give an alternative

  • Warning over 'skimming'

    POLICE have issued a fresh warning over the use by fraudsters of so-called card skimming devices at cashpoints. The devices are attached to card slots and read information, which can be downloaded on to another card In order to withdraw cash. They are

  • Footballer's wife falsely claimed benefits

    A footballer's wife is facing jail after she falsely claimed thousands of pounds worth of benefits. Kathryn Ibbetson, 34, drew the benefits between November and June last year despite being married to former Darlington and Torquay United midfielder Brian

  • Pet service has ticket to success

    AN entrepreneur, who was out of work for five years, has started up his own business couriering pets to and from Europe. Chris Connell gave up a career in the Army to look after his wife, who suffers from asthma. Frustrated by his failure to get back

  • Elliott delighted to be back from wilderness

    Sports writer Will Scott spoke to Newcastle's forgotten man Robbie Elliott about spending his Saturdays at the Wacky Warehouse; the class of 1990-1991; his reluctant transfer to Bolton and his future in the game. Robbie Elliott jetted off to Athens yesterday

  • New rail network operator is finally given a start date

    THE country's largest railway network finally had a new operator last night - along with billions of pounds in public subsidy. Rail chiefs said that preferred bidder Serco-NedRailways would take over the Northern Rail franchise on December 12 - about

  • Mine payouts judgement may be only days away

    A FINAL judgement over proposals to speed up compensation payments to former miners could be only days away. Mr Justice Turner told both parties in yesterday's High Court hearing to put forward a joint submission for his consideration. The judge, whose

  • Why we're all job snobs

    WE are such snobs about jobs. Nearly every three-year-old wants to be Bob the Builder when they grow up, but somehow, we do our best to change their minds. Which is probably why our education system is in such a mess. Once upon a time, craftsmen were

  • Gluepot will favour George

    SOFT GROUND specialist George The Best (5.25) is fancied to take full advantage of the predicted testing conditions at Newcastle today. By the time Micky Hammond's sprinter goes to post for the final race on the card, the vcmobile.co.uk Handicap, the

  • Cleared porn-charge politician tells of torment

    A RISING politician taken to court on child pornography charges told yesterday how his wife's commitment and love had kept him going. Chris Morgan seemed destined for a bright political future when he became North Tyneside's first elected mayor in 2002

  • Swiming pool is solar-heated

    A NORTH-EAST council has installed solar panels to heat a swimming pool. The solar panels will also be used to provide hot water for showers and washing facilities at Teesdale Sports Centre, in Barnard Castle, County Durham. The installation consists

  • Pondering pink perplexities

    LYING back and thinking of where the next column might come from, we were intrigued in Friday's paper by the headline "Knitting club starts up in former brothel." The purlers - tricoteuses or treat, as they might say with Hallowe'en fast approaching -

  • A saga of betrayal, death... and ice cream

    When the lannarelli family came to England in 1895, it began a long tradition of ice cream making in Darlington. But, as Chris Lloyd discovers, there is so much more to this family's story. This is the story of how an Italian shepherd boy from the hills

  • Veterans pay their respects at funeral of D-Day soldier

    OLD soldiers have paid their respects at the funeral of Ronnie Henderson, one of the first British tank drivers to land on the Normandy beaches on D-Day. A handful of surviving war veterans were among the mourners at the service for him at St Mary's Parish

  • Teenagers prepare to stage second shakespere production

    A GROUP of teenage friends have once again produced a difficult Shakespeare play with no help from adults. The Stockton youngsters, aged 14 to 18, will open their production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at the £11m Arc theatre tonight. Since the group

  • Event will celebrate life of N-East poet

    AN event to celebrate the life of a North-East poet and artist will take place next month. The celebration of the work and achievements of Edward Gargate will take place at the Meet the Middletons display, in Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham, on Wednesday

  • Funding boost for football complex

    A football complex which will serve thousands of youngsters is to go ahead after being awarded more than £900,000. The Football Foundation, the UK's largest sports charity, yesterday announced a funding package of £988,869 to the Russell Foster Tyne and

  • Keedy's run helps deprived in india

    A kind-hearted teenager handed over the money she raised from the Great North Run to help young people in one of the poorest districts in India. Keedy Noble, 14, spends some of her spare time helping her parents, Tony and Anne Noble, to run Craft Works

  • Betting on a roulette revolution

    More casios, unlimited jackpots, casino advertising for the first time - long awaited proposals mark a complete overhaul of the gambling industry. Nick Morrison looks at why we love a flutter - and whether we could become a nation of gambling addicts.

  • Up to 3,000 species in your back garden

    Gas pipeline company Transco has supported the launch of a leaflet encouraging people to take part in wildlife gardening. The leaflet has been produced by Durham Wildlife Trust in association with the company and Durham City Council, with support from

  • Teenagers' European connection

    TEENAGERS from part of the North-East will link up with contemporaries in central Europe in a video conference today. As part of Local Democracy Week celebrations, youngsters aged 14 to 18 from Bishop Auckland Girls' Group and Durham Children and Young

  • Hepples plans mix of indoors and out

    STEPHEN Hepples, fast establishing himself as the North-East's leading distance runner, is likely to switch from the roads to a mix of cross-country and indoor athletics this winter. The 24-year-old North Yorkshireman, who competes in the British League

  • Court date for mother-to-be

    A MOTHER-TO-BE appeared at Crown Court yesterday accused of shoplifting from a supermarket. Heavily-pregnant Kelly Hodder, 32, pleaded not guilty to stealing two DVDs, two birthday cards and a cake from Asda on May 8. Mr Recorder Simon Bourne-Arton ordered

  • Bellamy future in balance

    Craig Bellamy's Newcastle future is hanging in the balance today after a training ground bust-up with manager Graeme Souness threatened to end his three-year stay at the club. Souness addressed the media yesterday morning, demanding an end to Newcastle's

  • Maggot found on pupil's tray

    A nine-year-old boy found a maggot crawling on his school dinner tray, his mother said yesterday. Kevin Ray, nine, spotted the larva as he tucked into a meal of sausage roll, beans and chips at Cheviot Junior School in Norham Avenue North, South Shields

  • House explosion 'only to frighten'

    A MAN yesterday admitted causing an explosion at a North-East house. John Tinkler, of Starmer Crescent, Darlington, pleaded guilty at Teesside Crown Court to unlawfully and maliciously causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury