HARTLEPOOL United's walking wounded are stepping up their returns, aiming to follow Jack Ross' lead. Ross has returned to the fray after being out for almost two months with a knee injury. And now, with the former Clyde skipper in the Pool squad, it's
A PROFOUNDLY deaf teenager has won an award for her achievements on a motorbike. Trials bike rider Kathryn Wardle, 16, this week received a Motor Cycle Industry Association (MCI) award for outstanding achievement. Kathryn, of Richmond, North Yorkshire
MY first overwhelming feeling on seeing my newborn grandson was one of utter terror. Of course, in time, I did come to feel those other emotions every grandparent's supposed to feel - overpowering love, joy beyond words. But the terror was there first
DESPITE 30 years coaching and management experience between them, last night was still a case of the old against the new as Graeme Souness locked horns with Jose Mourinho. The cool thoughtful Mourinho in the blue corner against the fiery Souness in the
For the last three decades Yasser Arafat has been the symbol of Palestinian independence. As the situation in the Middle East hovers on the brink of a new crisis, Northern Echo journalist Paul Willis recalls his encounter with the Palestinian leader.
VISITORS to a museum will get the chance to drive a train in exchange for just £5 this weekend. The National Railway Museum (NRM) in York is running a Diesel Cab It weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Visitors can become a Diesel Driver for a Fiver and drive
NORTHALLERTON. Wed. Forward: 1,246 store lambs in prize show and sale, 118 store and breeding cattle. Lambs judged by R. Brown: 1 Texel, J.O. Brewis and Son £45.20; 1 Suffolk, T.H. Cook £43.50; others Suffolk X £42.90, Texel X £44.20, Charollais £35.20
POLICE last night formally charged George Reynolds, the former chairman of Darlington Football Club, with money laundering. The 68-year-old will appear in court later this month, alongside his cousin Richard Tennick, 58, and 43-year-old personal assistant
Daniela Denby-Ashe has moved on from EastEnders to become pouting and stroppy Janey in My Family. Now she's headstrong heroine Margaret in the BBC adaptation of the novel North And South. Steve Pratt reports. GOING back to the 19th century wasn't without
IF Middlesbrough are not in Europe next season then the full effect of last night's defeat may not be felt until the UEFA Cup fixtures are announced. Boro may be on the crest of a wave, rubbing shoulders with the great and good at the top end of the Premiership
Subitango, featuring the Tango Siempre Ensemble and dancers perform at Mickleton Village Hall on December 2, at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £4.50 for adults, £3 for concessions and £11 for families, on the door, or from Mickleton Post Office or service station
POLICE last night formally charged George Reynolds, the former chairman of Darlington Football Club, with money laundering. The 68-year-old will appear in court later this month, alongside his cousin Richard Tennick, 58, and 43-year-old personal assistant
A GANG of vandals left a trail of destruction as they raced around a golf course in hotwired buggies - in scenes reminiscent of the anarchic film Jackass. Shocked club officials on Tuesday morning discovered four of their new golf buggies worth thousands
A RADIO station has admitted it acted "stupidly" after attempting to secretly bury thousands of pounds worth of gold on a North-East racetrack. Galaxy 105-106 sent its marketing manager Andy Saxton to hide £25,000 worth of Krug bullion - the prize in
AN exhibition of photographs by the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire will open today. Pictures by Lord Crathorne, the Queen's representative in the county, will be on display at the Georgian Theatre Royal, in Richmond, until December 6. The exhibition
REPORTS of bullying are higher at a North Yorkshire Army base than at notorious Deepcut barracks. Evidence submitted to the House of Commons by Surrey Police said there were more victims of abuse at Catterick Garrison than at Deepcut. The Surrey base
NURSERY teachers have been praised for taking advantage of specialist support schemes for toddlers. Rosedene Nursery, in Greenstones Road, Redcar, was commended by Ofsted inspectors for the quality of teaching. Park Lane Infant School, in Guisborough,
THE owners of a well-cared-for cat found in a village near Darlington are being urged to come forward. The beige and black striped tabby was spotted outside the Spar shop, in Hurworth, before being rescued a week ago by the local branch of the Cats' Protection
PUDSEY Bear set off on an important mission to represent the people of Stockton yesterday. The Children-in-Need charity bear collected a plaque bearing the borough's coat of arms and a letter to take to Norway. Pudsey, the symbol of the BBC charity, will
ANYONE struggling to find unusual Christmas presents is invited to Hartlepool Art Gallery for some unusual gifts. From Saturday the gallery, in Church Square, will be hosting two new exhibitions at which most exhibits will be on sale. Hartlepool Art Club
A SPOOKY storytelling session for adults will be held at Belmont Library, Cheveley Park Shopping Centre, Belmont, Durham, on Wednesday, from 2pm to 3.30pm. Admission is free.
CAMPAIGNERS on Teesside have vowed to keep on the pressure for tougher anti-fireworks laws. The authorities hailed a multi-agency crackdown on the misuse of fireworks using new laws a success. But campaigners in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough said new legislation
A COUNTY Durham school has earned a health award. Woodland Primary School, in Teesdale, was presented with a County Durham and Darlington Healthy School Award by Kath Toward, of the Durham Dales Primary Care Trust. The award is supported by the trust
THE Hollybush Activity Centre is looking for 21 volunteers to serve on its management committee. The roles include four places for teenagers and will be decided at the centre's first annual meeting, in the centre in Station Road, Skelton, at 6pm on Tuesday
THE tenth anniversary of an appeal to take aid to Romania has seen the largest-ever consignment dispatched for eastern Europe. The Northallerton-based New Life for Romania Appeal gathered 1,013 boxes weighing 12.5 metric tonnes. Items dispatched include
GRAEME Souness was left to reflect on what might have been last night as his dream of a Carling Cup success with his new charges was ended by an extra-time double from Jose Mourinho's super-subs. After defending stoically for 90 minutes, Newcastle were
THE newest residents of an agricultural college are settling into their accommodation. Askham Bryan College's £700,000 Equestrian Centre is now home to 22 horses and ponies. Students have the option of bringing their horses with them to the York college
A PENSIONER has called for the reopening of a footpath illegally closed to stop vandalism at two schools. A security fence was put up on the path at Ushaw Moor, County Durham, which links Ushaw Moor Junior School and the nearby Roman Catholic primary
SHOPPING areas in parts of north Durham have been declared truancy-free zones this week. Durham County Council and Durham Police have joined forces to cut the number of young people missing school. Consett North, South Moor and the main shopping area
Measures to tackle anti-social behaviour are being called for in a village after youths twice threatened to stab a man outside his home. Maurice Howie was faced with a verbal onslaught from yobs outside his house in High Stell, Middleton St George, near
DRUGS and a computer believed to be stolen from a school were seized during a police raid at a house on Friday. Officers executing a drugs warrant at a home in West Cornforth seized a small quantity of cannabis and amphetamine. They also found a laptop
A SCHOOL that is becoming a "fame academy'' showed off its pupils' talents yesterday. Belmont School Community Arts College, formerly Belmont Comprehensive School, in Durham won specialist status in the performing arts from the Government early this year
A ROUND-the-clock games marathon in a social club in Crook raised more than £750 for a cancer charity. The end of British Summer Time meant that friends from the Croft Club had to stay awake an extra hour to complete their fundraising last weekend. Organiser
COUNCILLORS and officials say the dream of a unitary County Durham council is not dead. Despite people voting for one county-wide all-purpose council instead of three based on existing districts, a shake-up of local government will not happen because
A MUSIC lover has offered to provide £20,000 towards an £80,000 piano for The Spa Orchestra at Scarborough. The 92-year-old orchestra is using a piano which is nearly 80 years old. The town's tourism chief, Steve Hollingworth, said specialists from top
A workshop to discuss the problem of debt - and how people cope with it - is being held by senior members of North Yorkshire County Council. They are taking a close look at debt in communities and how the actions of the authority and its partners impact
A NORTH-East amateur football club is hoping to attract grants of more than £1m to turn it into a centre for sporting innovation. Management at Evenwood Town AFC say the Health, Exercise, Activity Regeneration in Teesdale (Heart) project could become
AN animal charity is holding a pet health day to give owners the chance to book free check-ups and microchipping. The event has been organised by the Harrogate and District branch of the RSPCA and will take place on Wednesday, November 24, at Vets4Pets
THE Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) in North Yorkshire has organised a series of workshops and events over the next month. Next Thursday, there will be a conference at Pavilions, at the Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, to celebrate 25
VEGETARIAN Dr Emma Henderson has raised more than £3,000 after defying a life-long self-imposed ban eating meat. She joined 20 friends who paid to join her in eating a traditional meat meal at The Star Inn, Harome, near Helmsley, prepared by her friends
THE preferred site of a £25m hospital in Redcar will be revealed at a meeting with local residents later this week. The proposals are central to the Fit For The Future project, which focuses on redeveloping services currently provided at Redcar's Stead
She's the yank famous for portraying a British singleton who's carrying a few extra pounds. Renee Zellwegger explains to Steve Pratt why she returned to the role for a second dose of Bridget Jones's Diary and why it's hard work retaining that fuller figure
SERVICE PLANS: Services at Yarm Parish Church on Remembrance Sunday begin at 8am when Holy Communion is celebrated. At 9.30am, there will be a sung Eucharist followed by a procession to the war memorial at 10.30am. The Act of Remembrance will start at
On Sunday, Durham people will gather for remembrance services across the county. Annfield Plain: 1.30pm, meet at disco car park followed by service at Annfield Plain Central Methodist Church at 2pm. Wreath-laying at about 2.30pm. Blackhill: 11am, at St
UK DVD/VIDEO RENTAL: 1 (-) Elf 2 (2) Troy 3 (-) Shrek 2 4 (3) Fahrenheit 9/11 5 (4) The Day After Tomorrow 6 (6) Dawn Of The Dead 7 (-) Godsend 8 (-) You Got Served 9 (-) Quicksand 10 (-) Kill Bill - Vol. 2 Published: 11/11/2004
THREE RAF servicemen have raised £500 for charity by completing the Berlin Marathon. The trio from RAF Leeming, North Yorkshire - Officer Commanding Flt Lt Morgan Williams, Cpl Derek Robinson and Cpl Stuart Thorlby-Coy, who are members of the base's general
POLICE are stepping up night-time patrols in Coxhoe to crack down on rowdy youngsters. They have received several complaints in recent weeks about gangs of youths, some of them 30-strong, who congregate in Front Street. Police say the youngsters are rowdy
A THEATRE group that has spent 25 years putting on shows for young people has been invited on a tour of the Far East. CTC Theatre, formerly known as Cleveland Theatre Company, was founded in November 1979 to perform plays for local schools. But in recent
Darlington's Keith Murray, the North of England cyclo-cross champion, had to settle for second place on the day but moved into an overall lead in round three of the North Eastern CCA-Science in Sport.com League on the Hetton Lyons circuit. Victory in
DEAN Whitehead has told his Sunderland team-mates they will have to stand up to the Championship bully boys if they are to keep their Premiership charge on track. The midfielder, who joined the Black Cats from League Two side Oxford in the summer, says
A COUPLE from the North-East are among thousands of bank customers counting the cost of Britain's fastest growing fraud. A "skimming" scam, where fraudsters copy card details and use a tiny spy camera to record pin numbers, took £900 from the account
A POLICE officer accused of assaulting a man in custody told a court he would do the same again if he was violently attacked. PC Paul Ions said he was struck from behind by Paul Longstaff and reacted instinctively to defend himself before spinning round
Autumn and witchcraft do seem to go together. Recar-born Pip Donaghy and experienced actor Oliver Cotton talk to Steve Pratt about reviving Arthur Miller's classic work The Crucible which plays Darlington's Civic Theatre next week. TWO roles made Redcar-born
Runaways (BBC1) CELEBRITIES are, more often than not, only required to make themselves look silly when the Children In Need campaign comes round each year. But chart-topper Will Young was wearing his serious face for this documentary marking the 25th
Two women have been arrested in connection with the death of a Sunderland man who died when a firework was pushed through his letterbox. The women, aged 27 and 57, were arrested on suspicion of supplying fireworks to people under 18 years on the city's
Steve Pratt talks to Fame Academy contestant Alistair Griffin about the transformation in his musical fortunes. JUST as soap stars are tarred and feathered with their character's name for years afterwards, so BBC talent show Fame Academy will remain with
A TEAM of boxers from Down Under has left the sunny southern hemisphere for a week-long exchange trip with a County Durham club. Spennymoor Boxing Academy will extend a warm welcome to the party of 16 - ten boxers and six coaches and supporters - during
MY first overwhelming feeling on seeing my newborn grandson was one of utter terror. Of course, in time, I did come to feel those other emotions every grandparent's supposed to feel - overpowering love, joy beyond words. But the terror was there first
THE North-East's transport chief has praised an award-winning scheme highlighting the dangers of driving on drugs. The campaign, launched 18 months ago by councils and drug action teams across the region, has won The Prince Michael International Road
A tyre fitter has been seriously injured after being hit by a lorry while changing a punctured tyre on a notorious stretch of County Durham road. The incident which also left the driver of one of the lorries in a critical condition happened on the A66
A WALTER MITTY-STYLE conman who claimed to have the Midas touch with the stock market blew hundreds of thousands of pounds on a luxury lifestyle. Malcolm Varrick, 29, was last night beginning a four-year jail sentence after making massive losses on the
MY first overwhelming feeling on seeing my newborn grandson was one of utter terror. Of course, in time, I did come to feel those other emotions every grandparent's supposed to feel - overpowering love, joy beyond words. But the terror was there first
A TREE is to be planted in Darlington's South Park in memory of a cancer victim. Thelma Mills, 40, died of lung cancer in September last year - one day after celebrating her 24th wedding anniversary with husband Rob, of Geneva Road. The couple had been
STEELMAKER Corus is cutting 78 jobs at a South Wales plant to improve efficiency in the face of fierce international competition. The jobs will go at the company's tin plate plant, at Trostre, Llanelli, over the coming year. Corus employs 3,000 people
THE NORTH-EAST is favourite to become a world-class base for dismantling so-called ghost ships to end the scandal of toxic vessels being sent to India and Pakistan. An all-party committee of MPs has demanded the Government helps set up a "thriving ship-dismantling
A COUPLE have realised their dream by opening an opticians with a difference - one that tests clients' eyes in their own homes. Orly and Izhak Simkin, who come from South Africa, have set up Opticians at Home, based at their practice at Consett's Number
A rock climbing firm is celebrating ten years in business. Rock Antics has tripled in size since it was founded in 1994 by climbing enthusiasts Neil and Dawn Mason and Colin Binks in Newton Aycliffe. The company, based at the town's leisure centre, now
I AM sure I am not the only person in Britain who thought I was hearing things when the solemn-voiced ITV announcer revealed that the much hyped Sunday afternoon showing of The Railway Children was being dropped from the schedules due to the "tragic events
COMMUNITY pharmacists and GPs have been urging poeple to be more aware of the medicines they take. A week-long campaign has also been enouraging patients and carers to play an active role in decisions about different options for treatments. Derwentside
DARLINGTON'S FA Cup preparations received some timely good news yesterday following skipper Craig Liddle's successful return to action. The influential defender eased his way through 90 minutes of the reserves' 2-1 win at Grimsby Town and will go straight
POLICE are warning pensioners to be on their guard after a spate of bogus callers targeted homes. Detectives in County Durham are investigating five incidents they believe were carried out by the same men. All the victims were elderly women and were fooled
A HOUSE fire which killed a woman and critically injured her five-year-old grandson was unlikely to have been caused deliberately, according to police. Two other people, including the mother of the boy, managed to escape from the house in Thornaby, near
A NORTH-EAST college has become the first in the country to offer A-levels in amateur boxing. Students at East Durham and Houghall Community College were celebrating the decision yesterday. College principal Ian Prescott said: "Boxing is an outstanding
Paul Hunter joined the growing list of big-name casualties at the British Open when he found 22-year-old Shaun Murphy too hot to handle in Brighton yesterday. World number four Hunter followed Jimmy White, UK champion Matthew Stevens and 2002 world champion
Eve Best may be about to become the next best thing on TV, thanks to two-part drama Lie With Me. The contemporary storyline of date rape drug and murder is bound to make an impact with viewers. Steve Pratt reports. TELEVISION drama rarely offers chances
A disgraced police officer has been sentenced to four months in prison after being found guilty of assaulting two young men in custody. Paul Ions, 29, of Ingleby Barwick, Teesside, was caught on security camera punching 22-year-old Paul Longstaff after
HEALTH managers in Darlington are hoping a new £1m walk-in medical centre will relieve pressure on the Memorial Hospital's casualty department. The centre, due to open in January, will take up the ground floor of Darlington Primary Care Trust's HQ at
Better before: I have complained to Durham County Council about the job carried out on resurfacing roads in Broompark. I have asked that Castle View be re-swept. Not one person in this street has had a good word for the work. In fact, the road was better
CHRISTMAS in Durham will be more colourful thanks to the work of artistic youngsters. For the second year, the Durham City Forum has run a competition for primary school pupils to produce designs for the city's festive light display. Nearly 400 entries
A NEWTON Aycliffe newsagent wants customers to know his shop is staying open - despite his post office shutting down. Neville Parade Post Office will close on Wednesday as part of Post Office Limited's urban restructuring scheme. But owner Stephen Holmes
COUNCILLORS are calling for surveillance cameras to be put up in the centre of a Darlington borough village as a last resort to tackle anti-social behaviour. The drastic move comes after a resident in Middleton St George was surrounded by youths and twice
PEOPLE who are visually impaired in the Darlington borough are being urged to attend an event this month to ensure they are receiving the benefits they are entitled to. The advice session takes place at Vane House Resource Centre, in Vane Terrace, on
A TEAM of boxers from Down Under has left the sunny southern hemisphere for a week-long exchange trip with a County Durham club. Spennymoor Boxing Academy will extend a warm welcome to the party of 16 - ten boxers and six coaches and supporters - during
A NORTH-EAST doctor is celebrating after coming top in a nationwide medical exam. Elizabeth Kendrick, 28, of Newcastle, has won the Fraser Rose Medal for obtaining the best results out of 1,700 candidates in the entrance qualification for the Royal College
A policewoman has told how her car was hijacked with her young daughter still inside. Off-duty Sergeant Cheryl Warcup told a jury at Newcastle Crown Court how she was driving in congested traffic with daughter Alice strapped in the back, when Barry Lynn
A PLUMBER who took part in violence against Turkish football fans in a car park has had his prison sentence cut. But London's Criminal Appeal Court refused to reduce the jail term of another football hooligan, builder Noel Crann, who was among five other
DURHAM City's MP Gerry Steinberg has taken up a fight on behalf of villagers in danger of losing healthcare services. Until now those residents of Kelloe and Quarrington Hill have been able to access chiropody care in neighbouring Coxhoe. But with their
AN environmental project aimed at helping one of the nation's most endangered mammals has been awarded £47,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The Gore Burn Restoration Project, based on land between Wheatley Hill and Thornley, east Durham, is helping
TIME CHANGES: I WOKE up today about 7am. It was quite light, and I thought just who are these light mornings and darker evening for? The earlier darkness creates more winter depression, opportunities for burglars and vandals to do their worst. We've altered
EVEN at 6ft 3in plus heels, the sight of writer-actor Simon Williams dressed as a woman draws little more than polite amusement. The "man forced to adopt women's garb" comedy plot is a familiar one - in this case, Williams is a stiff-shirted, lovelorn
TWO North-East sisters whose former fish and chip shop was the first business to be started by The Prince's Trust are featuring in a photographic exhibition. Enterprise Works is launched today to celebrate 21 years of young people who have overcome barriers
TWO former heroin addicts are warning that the drugs problem in a small market town could spiral out of control if action is not taken. The pair have called on health bosses to offer more support to users in Richmond wanting to kick the habit. Paula Mann
YOUNGSTERS are helping turn a derelict allotment into a green haven. The Chester West and Central Community Project, in Chester-le-Street, is transforming the overgrown site in Station View into an area where people can enjoy nature. Pupils from Bullion
ARMISTICE Day is always a date for reflection: an essential reminder of the horrors of war and the sacrifices of those who gave their lives. Today, with battles raging in Iraq and British troops in extreme danger every second, November 11 is especially
DURHAM'S Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) has launched an appeal for volunteers to join its team of advisors. The free service, established in the city in 1939, provides advice, information and support on a range of issues such as debt, benefits and housing
A WORLD-CLASS research unit where scientists will try to unlock the mysteries of the ageing process has opened in the region. The Henry Wellcome Laboratory for Biogerontology at Newcastle University will house one of the world's foremost research teams
DOZENS of youngsters saw their school achievements recognised last night. High achievers at Hurworth School, Maths and Computing College were honoured for their work in various areas. Headteacher Dean Judson was among those to present certificates to
A PLAN for a bungalow which would have straddled Nidderdale village's development limit has been refused. An application to build a two-bedroomed bungalow on land north of Stud Farm, Dacre Banks, near Pateley Bridge, was refused on the casting vote of
A CANINE celebrity who rose to fame by giving villagers the run-around for months is helping to encourage youngsters to take pride in their neighbourhood. Crafty collie Dwain visited schools in Sedgefield yesterday during environment workshops aimed at
POLICE in south Durham are urging homeowners to be vigilant in the protection of their homes throughout the winter months. Officers across Sedgefield, Wear Valley and Teesdale are encouraging people to tighten home security as properties are now empty
SOARING oil prices have led to the loss of jobs at a struggling manufacturer, The Northern Echo can reveal. Eighteen workers have been made redundant at Mono Containers, in Durham, the third round of job losses this year. More bad news is on the way as
OFFICERS and staff at a North-East police force are to help inspire potential recruits. A recruitment video produced by Northumbria Police is to be shown at job fairs, career events and public events. It aims to display the range of jobs on offer and
Runaways (BBC1): CELEBRITIES are, more often than not, only required to make themselves look silly when the Children In Need campaign comes round each year. But chart-topper Will Young was wearing his serious face for this documentary marking the 25th
A MEETING will take place this week to give people the chance to learn more about a multi-million pound international nature reserve to be created on Teesside. Representatives of the RSPB and the Teesside Environmental Trust (TET) will give updates on
COUNCILLORS and officials say the dream of a unitary County Durham council is not dead. Despite people voting for one county-wide all-purpose council instead of three based on existing districts, a shake-up of local government will not happen because
SILVER screen entertainment could come to homes and pubs in the North-East as a mobile cinema tours the UK showing short films on request. Members of the public can call a hotline the day before the cinema arrives to arrange a free screening in venues
A year ago the first of the US ghost ships arrived in Hartlepool, amid huge controversy. But what has happened since?Gavin Havery reports THE jaws of a mechanical shovel snap shut around a mouthful of sediment from the bed of the Seaton channel and it
A ROAD sign obscured by trees is only one of the errors carried out by professional traffic management companies, community groups in part of the North have said. Organisers of community ev-ents in Teesdale, County Dur-ham, have criticised traffic management
CAR manaufacturers have given renewed hope to car dealership workers made redundant following the collapse of South Cleveland Garages (SCG). Companies are in talks about setting up several dealerships in the Tees Valley. If successful, the move could
Former Labour Party general secretary Lord Sawyer of Darlington is to become the new chancellor of the University of Teesside, it was announced today. The lifelong trade unionist will succeed former home secretary Lord Brittan as the university's chancellor
STEELMAKER Corus is cutting 78 jobs at a South Wales plant to improve efficiency in the face of fierce international competition. The jobs will go at the company's tin plate plant, at Trostre, Llanelli, over the coming year. Corus employs 3,000 people
MIDDLESBROUGH, proud holders of the Carling Cup they won nine months ago, had their dreams of retaining the trophy torn apart last night when they were dumped out in round four by a Liverpool team determined to give Emlyn Hughes the perfect tribute. The
On Sunday, Durham people will gather for remembrance services across the county. Annfield Plain: 1.30pm, meet at disco car park followed by service at Annfield Plain Central Methodist Church at 2pm. Wreath-laying at about 2.30pm. Blackhill: 11am, at St
THE achievements of students and staff at Darlington College of Technology were celebrated on Monday evening. The college's annual awards ceremony was staged at the Civic Theatre and saw hundreds of people honoured. The event was compered by BBC Radio
THE beat of African drums echoed around school corridors this week. More than 200 pupils in Richmondshire took part in percussion workshops led by Andy Spearpoint, one of the region's leading experts on African music. The sessions, at Middleton Tyas,
THE work of a County Durham 'pitman-poet' is being celebrated in the month of his 85th birthday. Norman Cornish's distinctive scenes of life in a County Durham mining community are featured in an exhibition which runs until November 28, at Sunderland's
A NEW insight into the life of Grace Darling has been revealed in letters discovered in archives. More than 20 letters were found in the archives at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's (RNLI) Grace Darling Museum, in Bamburgh, Northumberland, where
YOUNG designer Sophie Williams has drawn inspiration from the pantomime season to create a Christmas card that will be seen across the country. The seven-year-old was victorious in a competition to find the festive card to be used by Darlington's Civic
WARM tributes were paid yesterday to an internationally-known figure who lit up a corner of the North-East on annual visits. Residents and students joined civic and public figures from across the region to celebrate the life of Sir Peter Ustinov, at Durham
IT'S good to see Les Battersby and his moll Cilla Brown clean up their act. In Coronation Street (ITV1), the unsavoury pair put the soap in Soapland by plunging into their new spa bath - the one that makes such a racket it sounds like an armed tank approaching
TWO of the world's most famous trains are drawing huge crowds to the North's newest museum, helping it smash its annual visitor target in just a few weeks. Rail buffs were out in force to greet the giant Flying Scotsman and a smaller working replica of
NEWCASTLE'S Carling Cup dreams were shattered last night as, for the second time in four seasons, Chelsea left it late before dumping them out of the competition. Three years ago, it was Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink doing the damage in the 90th minute and,
THE second of the three Shakespearean tragedies the RSC is presenting at the Theatre Royal this season, Macbeth is perhaps the most popular. Certainly the house was packed and although the youngsters in the audience were excitedly noisy when the lights
Following progressive performers is always a sensible ploy on all-weather surfaces and Heathyards Pride, who fits firmly into that category, takes the eye in the Bet Direct On 0800 329393 Classified Stakes over a mile and a half at Wolverhampton this
A forgotten monologue written by Stanley Holloway and never before published, lives on in the memory of Dawson Forcett. SO politically incorrect it might almost have been treasonable, an unpublished Stanley Holloway monologue has resurfaced more than
A NORTH-EAST mayor officially became a British citizen yesterday. Trinidad-born Mayor of Darlington Councillor Roderick Francis took part in a citizenship ceremony at the Town Hall. The civic leader, who became the town's first black mayor when he took
ONE of the region's regiments has appointed a new regimental secretary. Lieutenant Colonel Pip Leighton has become secretary of the Green Howards regiment, and is now based at its headquarters in Richmond, North Yorkshire. He will be responsible for all
MAYOR Ray Mallon is expected to be announced shortly as a board member of regional development agency One NorthEast. The former Cleveland Police officer - once dubbed Robocop for his no-nonsense views - will be named as a member of the organisation by
DARLINGTON'S FA Cup preparations received some timely good news yesterday following skipper Craig Liddle's successful return to action. The influential defender eased his way through 90 minutes of the reserves' 2-1 win at Grimsby Town and will go straight
A MENTAL health worker from the North-East has won a national literary competition. Catherine Flanigan, who works for Stockton Integrated Mental Health Services, has won the BBC national literary competition End of Story, for the story started by Marian
A millionaire convicted of kidnapping and threatening to kill two businessmen unless they gave him £600,000 has won the first round of his battle to clear his name. Volkar Kappler, 38, from Wales, was jailed for 11 years at Teesside Crown Court in October
DURHAM racing driver Chris Dent's career in Formula Renault UK got off to a flying start on Saturday with the 19-year-old carving his way through the field in his first race. Dent's car suffered mechanical problems in testing for the Winter Championship
REPORTS of bullying are higher at a North Yorkshire Army base than at notorious Deepcut barracks. Evidence submitted to the House of Commons by Surrey Police said there were more victims of abuse at Catterick Garrison than at Deepcut. The Surrey base
