DUTCH striker Clyde Wijnhard last night ended speculation surrounding his Darlington future by agreeing a deal which will keep him at the Williamson Motors Stadium until 2006. Wijnhard put pen-to-paper on a two-year deal following talks with his agent
A RECORD entry of more than 100 calves and yearlings has made tomorrow's North of England Aberdeen-Angus calf show one of the largest shows of the breed in the UK. Organised by the North-East of England Aberdeen-Angus Club, the event at Skipton mart has
WAR heroes will be remembered at services in the Redcar and East Cleveland area on Sunday. Boosbeck: 2.30pm, wreath-laying at war memorial, 3pm service at St Aidan's Parish Church. Brotton: 9.45am, service at St Margaret's Church, then at 11am, wreath-laying
A QUESTION hangs over the future of Richmond's town centre manager following uncertainty over funding. Colin Grant was appointed in April 2002 to help regenerate the town economy by attracting retailers and other businesses. His post was funded by Yorkshire
TAXI drivers have criticised a council for making them foot the bill for compulsory new safety measures. From April, taxis in Northallerton will be required to display standard signs on the sides of the vehicles to identify them as licensed cabs. The
SIX schools in Darlington are joining together to bid for £90,000 of Lottery funding. Longfield School and Sports College and its feeder schools - Rise Carr, Corporation Road and North Road primaries and Harrowgate Hill junior and infant - have been invited
THE Football Association is investigating claims that a young woman footballer was head- butted. Lyn Stanley, 20, alleges she was attacked by Pauline Godward, 44, who is one of the highest qualified female coaches in the country. Ms Godward, who leads
PLANS to transform a former church hall into a hostel for homeless people in Darlington have met fierce opposition. Hundreds of people have protested against proposals to turn St George's Hall, in Elmfield Street, into 11 bedsits. A planning application
HOUSE of Desires, part of the RSC Spanish Golden Age season, was written by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, a 17th century Spanish nun. Thankfully, her work is far from staid. The action follows the misadventures of six lovers living beneath the same roof.
ENVIRONMENTALIST David Bellamy was at home yesterday rummaging through the undergrowth of the Winter Gardens, in Sunderland. Dr Bellamy, above, was in the town for a Botanic Gardens Education Network (BGEN) conference, where he was a key speaker. He presented
EDUCATION Minister Ivan Lewis has helped to launch a group aimed at improving the skills of the North-East workforce. Skills North-East, the country's first regional skills partnership, brings together agencies including One North- East, the Learning
A sale of Italian shoes, designer bridal wear and more will take place at Newsham Village Hall. The sale, on Tuesday, at 7.30pm is in aid of Barningham parish church funds. Tickets cost £2.50, including wine and nibbles, and are available on the door
VILLAGERS have called for action to rid their streets of nuisance youths they say are shattering the peace of their community. Residents of Trimdon packed the village hall on Wednesday night to urge police, councillors and community groups to clamp down
PEOPLE in Teesdale are being asked to volunteer for a new service which provides support for families. Sure Start Teesdale and Family Link, a project of Children North East, want to recruit new volunteers to support families with young children. Gillian
YOUNG actors from Wear Valley and Teesdale have been shortlisted for a national awards scheme recognising outstanding contributions to local communities. The Jackass Youth Theatre is one of 20 groups selected out of 120 across the country for the Philip
PEOPLE affected by sewer flooding in Seaton Carew have a chance to meet water industry representatives. Consumer group WaterVoice is hosting a meeting at the Baltic Room, Hartlepool Historic Quay, at 10am next Wednesday at which representatives from Northumbrian
BARNARD CASTLE. - Mon. Annual show & sale of 250 suckled calves, inc 30 feeding bulls. Champion: BB bullock R Hutchinson & Sons £600 £600 to the judges, Messrs Robshaw; res JW Dent & Sons £530. Prizes. - Lim bullock: 1 RW Makepeace; 2 JW Dent
A WILDLIFE garden created at a flood-plagued allotments was runner up in a countywide conservation awards scheme. Bishop Middleham wildlife garden was awarded second prize in the community category of the Durham Wildlife Trust Conservation Awards 2004
POLICE had to use CS gas to subdue a knife-wielding man after he had been locked out by his wife, a court was told yesterday. Magistrates heard how mechanic Paul Dyson had refused to surrender the large kitchen knife he was brandishing when officers arrived
Northallerton Town 7 Willington 1 NORTHALLERTON Town manager Paul Burton introduced new signing Ian Williams to the bench for last Saturday's division two fixture against bottom side Willington. Full back Williams, signed earlier in the week from first
Thursday's prices Grainfarmers, Thorp Arch. - Wheat: Nov £63; Dec £64; Jan £64.50. Barley: Nov £64; Dec £65; Jan £66. Oilseed rape: Nov £136; Dec £137; Jan £138. GrainCo, Tyne Dock. - Wheat: Nov £63; Dec £63.50; Jan £64. Barley: Nov £66; Dec £67; Jan
POWERGEN Cup holders Newcastle Falcons have been drawn away to Saracens in the sixth round of this season's competition on the weekend of December 18/19. It means a re-match with the man who lifted the trophy as Falcons' skipper at Twickenham in May,
PUB group Punch Taverns said yesterday that its £1.2bn acquisition of Pubmaster, based in Hartlepool, had led to a profits boost of nearly 40 per cent. The UK's second-largest pub company increased its sites in the North-East from 120 to 481 when it bought
THREE police officers were injured during a struggle with a man suspected of carrying drugs. Officers were attempting to arrest the man who fled from the rear of a house in Blakeston Road, Billingham, yesterday. They chased him across several gardens
A HOME improvement agency for elderly and disabled people or low income families has scooped a national award. Sedgefield Borough Council has been awarded a National Quality Mark by Foundations, the co-ordinating body for home improvement agencies in
CAMPAIGNERS fighting to protect Darlington town centre's heritage will be collecting signatures for a petition tomorrow. Darlington Civic Trust is campaigning to save High Row from radical change as part of a £6.5m pedestrian town centre scheme, and to
A PAIR of talented volunteers have teamed up to produce the photographs for a hospice calendar. Ron Foster and Arthur Mountain have taken photographs around Tees Valley and North Yorkshire to capture 12 distinct scenes. They include views of Roseberry
LOWLAND farmers whose land is frequently hit by floods could be in line for a better deal. A leading North Yorkshire councillor has called for the Government to set up a National Food Strategy to help the landowners. Coun Pamela Anderson, of Swinton,
YOUNG bikers who were given a ticking off by police for riding machines off-road have been put back on the straight and narrow - and have certificates to prove it. Police in Consett presented "graduation" certificates to five teenagers from north Durham
SCHOOL pupils had a more active weekend than usual when the Army dropped in to give them a taste of life as a soldier. Thirty girls from Queen Mary's School at Baldersby Park, near Thirsk, took part in the Army weekend, run by 38 Engineer Regiment, Ripon
TICKETS are now on sale for Cinderella at the Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond. Fairy godmothers, ugly sisters and charming princes will all feature in the favourite magical fairytale. Actress Helen Power, who plays Cinderella, is looking forward to
PLUMBING student Jonny Green had a pipe dream come true - battling his way to the finals of a national skills competition. The 18-year-old was runner-up in the Skillbuild competition which pits young apprentices in a contest designed to recognise and
ONE of the advantages of having this column is the response it brings from readers; some agree, others do not, but two recently stand out. Last Friday, the D&S reported on the service at Kirkby Knowle church when the Rev Toddy Hoare blessed dogs of
WORKING on his new role as Darlington's "heritage champion" will be almost like going back to school for David Lyonette. As the veteran councillor admits: "I will certainly have to do my homework." But he sees that as part and parcel of preserving all
THREE sisters reunited after half a century apart thanks to a website are on a mission to complete the reunion of their family. In 1952, baby Doreen Bougourd, now 52, had her last cuddle from big sister Barbara Cooper, before they were separated and taken
Mister McGoldrick, a progressive sort who ran his best race on his reappearance, is fancied to give a good account for his in-form stable in the Beards Jewellers Cup Handicap Chase over two miles at Cheltenham this afternoon. Sue Smith's seven-year-old
BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed of last week. Fwd: 2,183 sheep. Suff stores to £36; lt lambs to 112p av 105.2p; med to 117p av 106p; heavy to 107p av 103.4p. Cast sheep: Cont £45.50; Suff £40.50; Mule £35.50; Swale £21. DARLINGTON. - Thurs of last week. Fwd: 363
Detectives in Africa have launched a murder hunt after the body of a North-East man was found dumped in a well. Grieving relatives have identified the body of Tynesider Simon Buckley, 40, who with his flatmate was slaughtered at his home in Harare's eastern
THE newest residents at Askham Bryan College are settling into their accommodation - with beds of straw, meals from a bucket and an early morning groom with a body brush. Some 22 horses and ponies have taken up residence in the college's £700,000 purpose-built
HIGH street chain Marks & Spencer is using a celebrity-packed advertising campaign to help boost sales this Christmas. A festive television commercial for the embattled chain features pop star Rachel Stevens, actresses Martine McCutcheon and Helen
THIRTEEN years after he last won the title, Kent driver Pat Doran overcame a strong home and Continental challenge to win a thrilling MSA British Rallycross Grand Prix at Croft circuit last weekend. Driving the ex-Carlos Sainz Ford Escort WRC, the Sittingbourne
A SHOW of erotic and nude paintings, drawings and etchings by British artists Inge Clayton, Anet Duncan, David Beer and Krista Taylor will open on Saturday. The work will be on display at the Adze Gallery, in Gillygate, York, from 11am to 5pm, Wednesday
SHAREHOLDERS attending the annual meeting of Thirsk auction mart backed their directors' plans to relocate the business. The new, 100,000sq ft mart and rural business centre will be built between York Road and the dual carriageway on the south side of
ON THE "two handshakes" principle, I am just that distance from a band due to feature on John Peel's show after he got home from Peru. Peel's sudden death, during his working holiday in South America, brought the sort of reaction which makes it a real
MORE than three-quarters of businesses in the region do not trust their banks' advice, a survey showed. Research conducted among 200 businesses with a turnover of more than £1m showed that 82 per cent did not trust their bank manager. Gerry Milligan,
A TWO-YEAR-OLD sheep dog is believed to have sold for a new world record price at an official sale at Skipton mart. At 4,100gns, Floss, a black and white bitch sold for almost 1,000gns more than the previous record, also set at the mart. She was sold
A DISGRACED police officer has been sentenced to four months in prison after being found guilty of assaulting two men in custody. Paul Ions, 29, of Ingleby Barwick, near Stockton, was caught on security camera punching 22-year-old Paul Longstaff after
FEARS have been expressed that a Bedale nursing home which has been on the commercial property market for four years could close unless it finds a new owner. Bedale Grange, in Firby Road, was opened in 1985 in what was formerly a large private house.
THE controversy surrounding the demolition of a run-down council estate has been laid to rest after being given final approval this week, according to council officials. Plans to rebuild the Whitehill estate, Pelton Fell, near Chester-le-Street, were
THE Government has quashed growing speculation that it has agreed to allow the US to site interceptor missiles at a North base. It denied there were plans to install a missile system at RAF Fylingdales, in North Yorkshire, as part of the US "Son of Star
THE enchanting Scottish village of Brigadoon will be revealed in new stage production next week. The South Moor Operatic Society will stage the play Brigadoon at the Lamplight Arts Centre, Stanley, from Tuesday until Saturday, November 20 at 7pm each
A TEESSIDE youngster who has spent much of her life in hospital was guest of honour at the opening of the young people's unit at The James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough. The unit, which looks after 11 to 16-year-olds, is part of the children's
HOSPITAL staff took a stand to improve awareness of the warning signs and symptoms of mouth cancer. As part of oral cancer awareness week, staff from the ear, nose and throat and oral maxillofacial departments at the James Cook University Hospital, are
MICK McCARTHY insists he is not concerned by Steven Caldwell's absence from the Scotland squad for next week's international friendly as his priorities lie at club level. The Sterling-born stopper, who has four full international caps, has been omitted
ALMOST half of men who die in parts of the North-East are killed by a "smoking epidemic", a shock report reveals today. The most in-depth study so far of the human cost of smoking reveals the North-East death toll is only matched in Merseyside, Greater
A DEVASTATED mother paid tribute to her teenage daughter who lit up the lives of everyone she knew. Samantha Parker, aged 17, of Redcar, died following a road crash on Monday. The teenager, known as Sam, suffered multiple injuries and died later the same
FORMER Labour Party general secretary Lord Sawyer of Darlington has been appointed chancellor of the Teesside University. The lifelong trade unionist, who left school with no formal qualifications, will succeed former home secretary Lord Brittan as chancellor
For 35 years he has embodied the hopes and dreams of the Palestinian people. Nick Morrison looks at the life of Yasser Arafat - and what the future holds for the cause of Palestine after his death. HE was an heroic freedom fighter, and a brutal terrorist
RAIL services across the Pennines through Northallerton and Thirsk are due to return to normal on Monday following a controversial two-week reduction in the timetable. The news was announced as Northallerton traveller Julian Hazeldine revealed how he
THE future of a festival which brings the region worldwide attention is hanging in the balance, The Northern Echo can reveal. Billingham International Folklore Festival, which attracts dancers and musicians from around the world and about 40,000 visitors
SHEEP dog training for Dales farmers and first aid for mothers with young children are among the courses being set up as part of the Learning Pays for Adults project in North Yorkshire. Fleur Butler, the lifelong learning development worker for Richmonshire
PUBS and clubs are to pay towards the cost of nine extra police officers to patrol two North-East town centres at weekends. An extra sergeant and eight other officers will patrol the streets of Stockton and Yarm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
Police were today granted permission to hold money seized from former Darlington FC chairman George Reynolds. At a hearing at Durham Magistrates' Court, detectives were told they could hold on to £6,700 and just over 7,000 euros recovered on Wednesday
RURAL businesses could gain valuable advice from a series of special roadshows. Business Link York and North Yorkshire will stage the events and the first is at Ripley Castle on Wednesday, November 17. The events will have expert advisers and exhibitors
TICKETS are now on sale for Cinderella at the Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond. Fairy godmothers, ugly sisters and charming princes will all feature in the favourite magical fairytale. Actress Helen Power, who plays Cinderella, is looking forward to
CHILDREN paid a moving tribute to a once-forgotten war hero and his comrades at an Armistice Day service yesterday. Pupils from Middleton St George Primary School, near Darlington, who are studying the brave actions of Canadian air gunner Andrew Mynarski
Bedale & West of Yore PC. - Nov 21: Pony club games team training at Catterick. For more details contact Rowan on 01748 832829. Braes of Derwent PC. - Nov 28: Team show jumping at Holmeside Arena and open classes for teams of three or four. Sae for
THE Government this week ruled out further referendums for regional assemblies following last week's overwhelming "No" vote in the North-East. John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister, formally abandoned the postponed polls in Yorkshire and the North-West
THINGS are really looking up for the two Darlington rugby clubs after both made moderate starts to the season. Mowden Park moved into fourth place in National Three North by heroically defying a crippling injury list to win 13-10 at New Brighton last
A TYRE fitter has been seriously injured in a collision with a lorry while changing a punctured tyre on a notorious stretch of road. The incident, which also left the driver of one of the lorries in a critical condition, happened on the A66 at Bowes,
DARLINGTON are hoping their season follows its usual pattern and they can put a winning run together in National Three North. While other clubs have heavy casualty lists, they emerged unscathed from last week's excellent 40-12 home win against Cleckheaton
PLANS to create a garden for schoolchildren are blossoming thanks to a £500 donation. Newker Primary School in Chester-le-Street has been awarded a grant from the North Eastern and Cumbrian Co-op's community dividend fund towards designing and building
RAINFALL certainly has had its ups-and-downs this year. April was very wet with two dry months on either side. September was bone dry and sandwiched between two extremely soggy months - one of the wettest Augusts on record, and now October, able to boast
Blackpool (BBC1) What The Butler Saw (C4) YOU'LL either be for or against Blackpool from the opening scene as the characters are introduced singing along to Elvis Presley's Viva Las Vegas. Comparisons with Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective are inevitable
THERE were no victory parades for the many national servicemen returning from the Suez in the early 1950s. They thought they had done their duty and carried on with their lives - but there remained, all the same, a longing for recognition for their sacrifices
SPECTATOR is as "green" as the next when it comes to recycling and hasn't really got it in for the Darlington scheme - mentioned here two weeks ago, too - but the planned publicity campaign the council hopes will increase the amount residents recycle
STOCKTON rider Kirsty Porter was in tremendous form when Stainsby Grange Equestrian Centre, Thornaby hosted two junior qualifiers for the Blue Chip Championships at Solihull next April. She won the Pro Junior Sparkle on the 13-year-old Foxmill Montana
TELECOMS operator BT announced yesterday that rising demand for broadband had helped it to its fastest revenue growth in nearly three years. BT said it was connecting a new broadband customer every 15 seconds as turnover from so-called new-wave services
DUTCH striker Clyde Wijnhard last night ended speculation surrounding his Darlington future by agreeing a deal which will keep him at the Williamson Motors Stadium until 2006. Wijnhard put pen-to-paper on a two-year deal following talks with his agent
PUPILS and staff have been finding out what life was like when their school was built. They are celebrating the 150th anniversary of St Cuthbert's RC Primary School, Willington, County Durham, all this week, by wearing Victorian clothes and taking old-style
What's the difference between a politician lying in the road and a hedgehog? There are skid marks before the hedgehog. That's how one wag summed up how some of the public view their elected representatives. In the end it was a cynicism that proved too
TEN years ago anyone so much as mentioning Rugby League in Union circles would have been tarred and feathered, banished to the stocks and stoned half to death. Now, as Newcastle's Jamie Noon has discovered to his cost, we have discrimination in reverse
PLUCKING up the courage to make a booking at the recently renamed La Locanda restaurant in Staindrop brought images flooding back of my last visit to the premises more than 20 years ago. On that occasion, if memory serves me rightly, it was called The
OLD adversaries British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have been joined by a third UK carrier, bmi, in the battle to operate new flights to India. The three airlines are appearing at a two-day Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) hearing in London. Each of the
GRAND THEFT AUTO: SAN ANDREAS: Format: PS2, Xbox. Price: £39.99. Family Friendly? Adults only. POSSIBLY the most eagerly awaited game of 2004 (a colleague of mine actually took a week's holiday just to play it). Grand Theft Auto San Andreas explodes onto
A YOUNG motor cycle trials rider has overcome severe hearing problems to win a top national award. Kathryn Wardle, a 16-year-old from Ravensworth, near Richmond, was presented with a Motor Cycle Industry Association outstanding achievement award at the
AMONG a range of fundraising cards and notelets produced by the Friends of a Teesdale church are two booklets written by historian Alan Wilkinson. Mr Wilkinson, a retired head of English at Barnard Castle School and a member of the town council, is a
THOSE of us interested in the folk stories of this region will be delighted and intrigued by the news that remains of a hitherto unknown type of human have been discovered on a remote Indonesian island. So remarkable is this discovery that the history
THE preferred site of a £25m hospital in Redcar will be revealed at a meeting with local residents today. The proposals are central to the Fit for the Future project, which focuses on redeveloping services currently provided at Redcar's Stead Memorial
GRAND THEFT AUTO: SAN ANDREAS: Format: PS2, Xbox. Price: £39.99. Family Friendly? Adults only. POSSIBLY the most eagerly awaited game of 2004 (a colleague of mine actually took a week's holiday just to play it). Grand Theft Auto San Andreas explodes onto
LANGBAURGH Primary Care Trust has revealed its preferred site for a new £25m hospital in Redcar. The trust unveiled plans to build the hospital off West Dyke Road, next to Micklow Close, at a meeting with residents yesterday. The proposals are central
PLANS to turn an empty church hall into 11 bedsits for the single homeless have met fierce opposition. The application for a change of use for St George's Hall in Elmfield Street, Darlington, is recommended for approval by the borough council's planners
POLICEMAN-turned-politician Ray Mallon was yesterday confirmed as one of five new board members of regional development agency One NorthEast. The appointment, revealed by The Northern Echo on Thursday, was announced by Jacqui Smith, Minister of State
HORSE riders say their safety is being put at risk by vandals who have removed warning signs on a shared pathway. Signs asking cyclists to give way to horses and walkers on the route between Saltburn Riding Centre and Marske have disappeared without explanation
THE enchanting Scottish village of Brigadoon will be revealed in new stage production next week. The South Moor Operatic Society will stage the play Brigadoon at the Lamplight Arts Centre, Stanley, from Tuesday until Saturday, November 20 at 7pm each
THE Darlington franchise of the collapsed South Cleveland Garages chain has new owners. Former manager Neil Gibson confirmed yesterday that he had taken over the Mitsubishi franchise in McMullen Road with partners Bill Robson and George Ellis. They will
Mister McGoldrick, a progressive sort who ran his best race on his reappearance, is fancied to give a good account for his in-form stable in the Beards Jewellers Cup Handicap Chase over two miles at Cheltenham this afternoon. Sue Smith's seven-year-old
PAUL Hayler, one of the UK's leading international dressage riders, will be bringing four of his top horses to Northallerton Equestrian Centre for what should be a fascinating lecture demonstration on Friday, December 3. Hayler currently competes in the
Blackpool (BBC1); What The Butler Saw (C4): YOU'LL either be for or against Blackpool from the opening scene as the characters are introduced singing along to Elvis Presley's Viva Las Vegas. Comparisons with Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective are inevitable
Middlesbrough's Bolo Zenden has defended Steve McClaren's decision to rest key players for Wednesday's defeat at Liverpool. Boro lost their grip on the Carling Cup and also lost their nine-game unbeaten run against a similarly weakened team. A win would
What's the difference between a politician lying in the road and a hedgehog? There are skid marks before the hedgehog. That's how one wag summed up how some of the public view their elected representatives. In the end it was a cynicism that proved too
A university student with a sinister interest in violent organisations and explosives has failed to win a cut in his jail term for stockpiling an arsenal of illegal weapons. In refusing to cut the five-year term imposed on Carl Barnsley, London's Criminal
RUSSIAN school children taking part in a cultural exchange focusing on Remembrance Day have met the Mayor of Darlington. Councillor Roderick Francis invited the 12 pupils and two teachers from School 639, in St Petersburg, who are hosted by Hummersknott
A PATIENTS' watchdog is working with officials to address concerns over transport at a new health centre. The Hundens Lane facility, in Darlington, is being developed at a cost of £1m to provide services for older people. The centre, opening next autumn
THE total number of crimes in Darlington has fallen by almost 18 per cent since this time last year. And Chief Superintendent Michael Banks said officers in the town were now detecting 30 per cent more offences than they were last November. He said: "
FRESH concerns for the future of small businesses in Darlington were raised yesterday. Traders in Grange Road are worried about the impact of on-street parking charges imposed by Darlington Borough Council. Charges on more than 20 streets, including Grange
CHILDREN have been filling shoe boxes with gifts to help disadvantaged youngsters in Eastern Europe. Pupils at Middleton St George Primary School, near Darlington, donated about 70 wrapped parcels as part of Operation Christmas Child. They are filled
ARMED robbers have escaped with thousands of pounds after attacking security guards with ammonia at a high street bank. Two Securicor guards were surrounded by a gang which squirted the liquid and threatened them with a metal bar as they loaded a cashpoint
A five-year-old boy who suffered 90 per cent burns in a house fire has died. Jason Baillie was rescued from the fire in Thornaby, near Stockton on Tuesday but lost his fight for life last night. His grandmother, Susan Baillie, who was 40, was pronounced
TWO worthy causes will benefit from the landslide No vote on the regional assembly. For they will share in cash from the winnings of two campaigners who put a bet on the result. Neil Herron and Colin Moran, of the unofficial North-East No Campaign, which
THE following matters were discussed by Hurworth parish council at its latest meeting. Councillors agreed to write again to Darlington Borough Council about the state of pavements in Elmfield Road. They are also writing to the borough authority about
COUNCIL leaders in Darlington are being asked to back a plan aimed at stopping the "spiral of decline" in eleven of the town's poorest wards. New Government figures show that ten wards in Darlington are among the most deprived in the country. Central,
AN urgent appeal has been launched to recruit lollipop men and women. County Durham is heading for a crossing patrol crisis because one in five of its 247 patrols is currently vacant. "I've never known so many vacancies before,'' said Hugh Stephenson,
A NORTH-EAST city that has been deprived of a silverscreen for several years will soon have cinema again. Cineworld Cinemas is making final preparations for the opening of a 12-screen facility in West Wear Street, in Sunderland on Saturday, November 26
PLANS are being finalised for festive fun in a Teesdale market town. The Barnard Castle Christmas Festival opening ceremony is on Friday, December 3. The opening event will begin at 6.30pm and there will be a number of new features, including a small
MORE than 200 sugar beet growers were today expected to meet NFU and British Sugar officials amid fears that sweeping reforms could put thousands of jobs at risk. European Commission proposals could see a cut of up to 16pc in UK sugar beet production
TAXPAYERS are bracing themselves for a council tax rise of at least five per cent as an authority faces a £1.5m deficit. A new report shows that Hartlepool Borough Council, which has a budget of £115m, is on course to balance the books this year after
CHILDREN have been filling shoe boxes with gifts to help disadvantaged youngsters in Eastern Europe. Pupils at Middleton St George Primary School, near Darlington, donated about 70 wrapped parcels as part of Operation Christmas Child. They are filled
MORE than 1,000 ornamental daffodil bulbs have been planted by pupils to bring a splash of colour to their community. The youngsters from Dormanstown primary school's Sunflower Group, with help from the area's Community Forum, got down to planting in
ROCK superstar Sting has expressed his support for those battling development plans for a North-East beauty spot. In an e-mail, Sting recollected memories of the Coatham Bowl, Redcar, to Chris McGlade, who is co-ordinating the Coatham Enclosure protest
PLANS to demolish a former school and build a new one has been put on hold. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's planning committee delayed the decision to knock down the former Warsett School in Brotton and redevelop the site for the new Freeborough
A TEESSIDE council has been praised for the way it interacts with local residents to produce its vision for the future. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's approach to community planning is "good" and there are "promising prospects" for improvements
THE safeguarding of a town's historic open spaces could be a step nearer next week. Richmondshire Landscape Trust wants to buy sites in Richmond's Westfield, South Bank, Sleegill, Reeth Road and Jack King's Wood from the district council to protect them
TRAIN services on a key North-East link will return to normal on Monday just weeks after cuts caused huge passenger protests. Bosses at TransPennine Express reduced the number of daily trains between York and Middlesbrough from 16 to ten and from 13 to
THERE were no victory parades for the many national servicemen returning from the Suez in the early 1950s. They thought they had done their duty and carried on with their lives - but there remained, all the same, a longing for recognition for their sacrifices
AN EXPERIENCED rider was killed when a "flighty" young horse collapsed on top of her, an inquest heard. Teacher and Guide leader Jane Booth, 57, a keen rider since childhood, suffered massive crush injuries to her upper body and died instantly following
TWO-MINUTE silences were impeccably observed across the North yesterday. As the nearby St Nicholas Church clock struck 11am, a ceremony took place in Durham Market Place. Three buglers sounded the Last Post, prayers were said by the Dean of Durham, the
TEN years ago anyone so much as mentioning Rugby League in Union circles would have been tarred and feathered, banished to the stocks and stoned half to death. Now, as Newcastle's Jamie Noon has discovered to his cost, we have discrimination in reverse
THIN, gaunt-featured with a halo of Shaft-like hair, one of the 1970s most creative songwriters seats himself at an electric keyboard at the front of the stage, wearing a smock-like shirt with floppy pink sleeves. O'Sullivan's hermit-like existence on
A CORONER wants a dangerous road junction at Sedgefield to be sealed off, following the death of a motorcyclist and his pillion passenger. After recording verdicts of accidental death, Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield said he intended to write to Durham
THE widows of former miners are to be offered flat rate payments of £1,200 as part of new proposals to speed up respiratory compensation payments. The offer comes from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) submitted to the High Court in advance of
A garage in Mickleton was burgled overnight on Tuesday and goods worth about £2,000 stolen. A TS160 compressor, a personal computer, a yellow and black DeWalt 14.4 volt rechargeable drill were taken in the raid. Police have not ruled out a connection
PLANS to illuminate a seaside chair lift have been approved. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council approved the proposal to install floodlights and other lighting of the Cliff Lift, at Saltburn, east Cleveland, yesterday. The pier and the chalets will
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
CROSS country runners from Northallerton College will be picking up the pace tomorrow as they strive to get through to the national schools finals. Six boys and five girls will be taking part in the England Schools Cross Country Cup competition regional
ONE of the friendliest, most family-orientated festivals of music and speech in the country has opened its doors to even more participants. The Wensleydale Tournament of Song will be open to all rather than to just those living within 25 miles of Leyburn
ALLOWING chemists to offer services currently provided by doctors will mean big benefits for patients, claims a North Yorkshire health boss. But community leaders warn the move must not mean pharmacists are used to replace GPs. If they agree a new contract
VANDALS are threatening the safety of horse riders in rural East Cleveland. Safety signs on an off-road route shared by horse riders, ramblers and cyclists between Saltburn and Marske have been removed. There are an estimated 500 horses being ridden in
ARTISTS and photographers of amateur and professional status, including students, are being challenged to "make art out of people" for a major selling exhibition in the new year. The People Show, an open competition for the North-East, offers prizes ranging
IN an increasingly unstable world, the need to find compromise in the Middle East is at the top of the international agenda. And the death of Yasser Arafat - an admirable defender of his people to some, a terrorist to others - is an opportunity to breathe
PUB group Punch Taverns said yesterday that its £1.2bn acquisition of Pubmaster, based in Hartlepool, had led to a profits boost of nearly 40 per cent. The UK's second-largest pub company increased its sites in the North-East from 120 to 481 when it bought
ENGINEERING group Siem-ens posted a 39 per cent rise in annual profits yesterday, despite a software fault in a new line of mobile phones. The German company, which employs about 20,000 people in the UK, including 120 call centre staff at a site in Durham
BUSINESS leaders in the region have backed moves to make the North-East a specialist centre for decommissioning ships. The North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) has welcomed demands by an all-party committee of MPs that the Government establish a thriving
A WAR hero has celebrated his 90th birthday - an occasion marked by bugles and drums on parade outside his home. Captain Richard Annand, who served with the Durham Light Infantry, was the first man to receive the Victoria Cross in the Second World War
A LONG-running battle over the future of the former Vaux Brewery site in Sunderland took another turn yesterday when site-owners Tesco announced plans for a £150m mixed-use development. A planning application for the development, which would include retail
CHRIS Westwood is looking forward to a different kind of footballing test tomorrow. Westwood will be part of the Hartlepool United rearguard facing Lincoln in the first round of the FA Cup at Victoria Park. He is well aware of the threat posed by The
A WOMAN was captured on security cameras buying goods with a cheque book which went missing more than three years before. The cheque book was reported lost to police in Darlington in January 2001. On May 19 this year, the woman was caught on a closed-circuit
CONSERVATIONISTS in North Yorkshire have spoken of their fear over the potential threat of wind turbines and the upgrading of the A64 York to Scarborough road. The chairman of the Ryedale branch of the Council to Protect Rural England (CPRE), David Goodman
DETECTIVES investigating George Reynolds have seized another substantial amount of cash from the former Darlington Football Club chairman, it emerged last night. The Northern Echo exclusively revealed yesterday that the 68-year-old had been formally charged
YOUNGSTERS are helping to turn a derelict allotment into a green haven for people of all ages. The Chester West and Central Community Project in Chester-le-Street is transforming the overgrown site in Station View. Pupils from Bullion Lane Primary School
LOFTUS teenager Paul Drinkhall displayed remarkable maturity under pressure to win the deciding rubber on his full senior debut for England in their European Cup qualifying match against the Netherlands in Barrow in Furness last week. The 14-year-old,
IF the result of the referendum on an elected regional assembly for the North-East was not a surprise, the scale of the "No" vote was. While the polls were broadly right about how the vote was going to go, they were wrong about the level of participation
A VANDAL has painted a love message across a sculpture in a North-East town. The message - which reads I So Luv U Quattro Yes I Do - appeared overnight on Wednesday on the 130ft-long Brick Train on the outskirts of Darlington. Commuters spotted the white
AN animal charity is looking for new homes for three deaf dogs. Patch, Alf and Winston are three lovable rescue dogs at the Dogs Trust Darlington's Rehoming Centre, who all need homes. They are "cuddly with fantastic personalities", but the shelter is
England captain Michael Vaughan announced details of his 2005 Yorkshire benefit at Headingley yesterday and revealed that one of the main attractions would be a Twenty-20 floodlit match on the Test ground between his own star-studded International XI
SALES of a beer to commemorate the memory of one of the region's football heroes have gone flat. Bob Stokoe's Best beer was brewed by the Double Maxim Beer Company to remember one of Sunderland and Newcastle United's all-time greats. But Asda stores has
Tributes have been paid to Susan Baillie, the grandmother who died in a house fire at her home in Thornaby, near Stockton, on Tuesday. Her 22-year-old daughter, Joanne Baillie, survived the blaze and was at the bedside of her five-year-old son, Jason,
DARLINGTON are hoping their season follows its usual pattern and they can put a winning run together in National Three North. While other clubs have heavy casualty lists, they emerged unscathed from last week's excellent 40-12 home win against Cleckheaton
British forces are to carry out an evacuation of British nationals from the troubled west African state of Ivory Coast, it was announced yesterday. Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said the Army's Spearhead Lead Company Group, drawn from the Royal Gurkha
TWO-MINUTE silences were impeccably observed across the North yesterday. As the nearby St Nicholas Church clock struck 11am, a ceremony took place in Durham Market Place. Three buglers sounded the Last Post, prayers were said by the Dean of Durham, the
WORK has started on the world's biggest biofuels production complex at Seal Sands. The Mayor of Stockton, Coun Jennie Beaumont, performed the ceremonial task of cutting the first sod at the Biofuels Corporation site on Tuesday. The £21m plant will be
CAMPAIGNERS have accused their MP of failing to support them in their fight to save a Guisborough nursing home. About 40 relatives of residents in Graceland Care Home attended a public meeting at the cricket club on Saturday to find out the latest position
HOUSEBUILDER Barratt Developments said yesterday that orders had broken through the £1bn barrier, despite concerns about a housing market slowdown. The Newcastle company said that although interest rate rises had moderated demand, it had enough orders
ANXIOUS relatives of residents in a care home threatened with closure have been given hope after the owner said he will do everything he can to keep it open. Last month, an action group was formed by families of residents in Graceland Care Home, Guisborough
CARTE Diamond stole the honours in the November Handicap at Doncaster last Saturday, ridden by Kieren Fallon and trained at Norton by Brian Ellison. We anticipated a high quality race, and indeed it was, with both Mark Johnston and Tim Easterby double-handed
When Lewis Moody pulls on the white shirt with the red rose tomorrow for the first time since the World Cup final almost 12 months ago he will end the most frustrating year of his career. The Leicester flanker, with the blond hair and dynamic game, spearheads
A FORMER soldier held children spellbound when he told them of the importance of remembering the country's war heroes. Children aged 12 and 13 at Blakeston Secondary School, in Stockton, also read their own poetry in an assembly about remembering the
TONY BLAIR called for fresh efforts to find a Middle East peace settlement yesterday in the wake of Yasser Arafat's death. The Palestinian leader's body was on the way to Egypt last night from the French hospital where he died early yesterday, aged 75
DARLINGTON will hope to build on last Saturday's impressive 2-1 win at Rushden and Diamonds by knocking visitors Yeovil Town out of the FA Cup tomorrow. They will be without Craig Hignett, who pulled a hamstring as he stretched to convert Neil Wainwright's
NEWCASTLE United manager Graeme Souness has held clear-the-air talks with Laurent Robert following the latest alleged outburst from his controversial winger. The two met face-to-face yesterday morning with the Scot seeking an explanation over comments
A PRIVATELY-funded police initiative to combat trouble caused by late-night revellers is launched in Stockton and Yarm tonight. Operation Tranquility will see extra officers drafted in to support town centre pubs, clubs and food takeaways at weekends.
TEN children would be more than enough for most mothers, but not for Marian Cornforth as she opens a new 40-place nursery. With help from her husband, Robin, and their ten children, who range in age from three to 21 years, Mrs Cornforth has converted
A MUM is warning parents to be careful after her son had six penalty points imposed for riding a battery-powered scooter. The youngster does not even possess a licence that can be endorsed. Michelle Fishpool warned people the same could happen to their
A PARISH council is calling for action to combat a rocketing rise in anti-social behaviour. On Monday night, Sgt Mark Ralphs, from Darlington police, said he believed the increase in incidents in Middleton St George was due to Hallowe'en and Mischief
The lung disease mesothelioma used to be untreatable. Health Correspondent Barry Nelson hears how progress is being made and meets an inspiring fighter. PROFESSOR Hilary Calvert knew he was on to something when an excited radiologist rang up. "He wanted
SMOKING: I HAVE just returned from a trip to Dublin, after taking advantage of your offer for flights to the city. A great trip, thank you. I would also like to add weight to the campaign to promote a ban of smoking in enclosed public places. In Dublin
MOTORISTS travelling to and from Bedale face more disruption with temporary traffic lights from Monday. The main A684 will be affected while Yorkshire Water repairs a sewer over a short stretch between the railway crossing and the bridge over Bedale Beck
NEWCASTLE UNITED centre-back Titus Bramble has been told by manager Graeme Souness that he must add consistency to his game if he wants to develop into one of the country's top defenders. The £5m signing from Ipswich made only his second start of the
