FEAR of crime will be on the agenda next week when a Government team visits Durham City. Members of Durham County Council will meet the Home Office's Fear of Crime team at County Hall to discuss what the Government is doing to reduce fear of crime. The
THE recycling message hits the streets at the start of a public awareness campaign next week. Durham County Council's waste reduction team begins a three-week drive to persuade the people of Easington district of the benefits of recycling. They plan to
A WELL-KNOWN landmark regularly targeted by vandals could soon be pulled down in a bid to make the seafront more attractive. The North Shelter, at Seaton Carew, dates back to 1936 and was built on reclaimed sand as part of a scheme to help alleviate unemployment
AFTER suffering a 'good kick in the teeth' in Spain, combative midfielder George Boateng is confident Tottenham will feel the full force of Middlesbrough's most feared strikeforce tomorrow. Forwards Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Mark Viduka are in the midst
THE development of Catterick Garrison town centre will be discussed at a meeting next week. The Ministry of Defence will outline plans to provide more services and facilities in the town at a meeting of Richmond Business and Tourism Association (RBTA)
Speech therapist Jaclyn Thompson was so desperate to join BBC1's Can't Sing Singers that she travels from her home in Newcastle to Liverpool for voice coaching every weekend. She talks to Viv Hardwick. NOW you'd have thought a speech and language therapist
A CRICKET club which helps youngsters keep fit while having fun is seeking new members. Durham Young Lions, based at the Durham County Cricket ground, at Chester-le-Street's Riverside, is inviting children aged six to 11 to try out a variety of sports
ENVIRONMENTAL champions in Hartlepool have been rewarded at an awards ceremony. Councillor Carl Richardson, chairman of Hartlepool Borough Council, and Mayor Stuart Drummond presented the annual Pride in Your Neighbourhood Awards on Thursday. The awards
AN Olympic medal-winning swimmer has congratulated visually-impaired students on a triumph of their own. Steve Parry, who took bronze in the men's 200m butterfly in Athens earlier this year, called to see swimmers from Henshaws College, Harrogate, after
A GROUP of businessmen and academics have been on a factfinding tour of one of the region's air bases. The Company of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York annually awards tankards to members of the forces who have made a contribution to the community
A DEVELOPMENT agency formed in the wake of a devastating economic disaster for a North-East town celebrated its 20th birthday yesterday. The Shildon and Sedgefield Development Agency (Sasda) marked the anniversary at Locomotion: National Railway Museum
HUNDREDS of workers at a Vauxhall car plant staged an unofficial walkout yesterday in a dispute over temporary staff, halting production of the Astra. Workers at Ellesmere Port took part in the strike in protest at the ending of contracts for 46 temporary
RETAIL group Argos yesterday took over a North-East site that will provide the home for a major distribution centre. The company is planning to create 700 jobs at the Faverdale East business park, on the edge of Darlington. The 740,000sq ft centre will
Q We are 68 and 64 with an income that works out at £238 a week. This is made up of State Pensions of £115.53 and £55.11, plus monthly works pensions of £170.53 and £121.82. Our savings are £6,000. Do we qualify for any Pension Credit or a reduction in
DOZENS of uniformed police officers lined the entrance to the church as family, friends and colleagues paid their final respects to a popular young policeman. Many people were left standing in St Cuthbert's Church, in Darlington, for the funeral yesterday
SANTA is coming to town and ten lucky youngsters can win the chance to meet him next weekend. Organisers of the annual Durham Christmas Festival have arranged a link with a town in Lapland. And Santa is winging his way from the northern Finnish town of
A MAN who punched a woman so hard that her teeth cut through her lip has been cleared of unlawful wounding. A jury at Teesside Crown Court also found Stephen Worthy not guilty of assaulting the girl's sister in the same late-night incident. Mr Worthy,
TATTOOS, cigarettes, loud arguments, hysteria and food fights on TV... No, not I'm A Celebrity or even the arrival of Fungus The Bogeyman on BBC1, but the bizarre Family Contract (BBC1, Wednesday) which brought us into the clutches of the dysfunctional
A Christmas treat is in store at the Sir William Turner Almshouses, Kirkleatham, on Friday, December 10. Tickets for a classical performance by Gerald Gregory and Miyako Machida cost £10. For details, call (01287) 632225.
FRENCHMAN'S CREEK represents fantastic each-way value at around 14-1 for this afternoon's eagerly anticipated Hennessy Gold Cup. Following a long spell on the sidelines, Hughie Morrison's former Cheltenham Festival winner took his first positive step
IT will be a case of friends re-united at St James' Park tomorrow as two of Newcastle's most popular sons go head to head in the search for Premiership points. Robbie Elliott is undergoing an incredible renaissance this season but tomorrow he will find
CHRIST the King is a Marie Celeste among church buildings, the roof that symbolised the crown of thorns a bed of nails instead. The priest's chair remains in its accustomed place, celebrant no longer; children's drawings and dried flower arrangements
A SUCCESSFUL £300,000 project to rebuild a historic bridge has been crowned with a national accolade. The Institution of Civil Engineers described the work, at Myton-on-Swale, near Boroughbridge, as fabulous. The project was one of only five honoured
MICK McCarthy has admitted he's enjoying management as much today as he did 12 years ago when he cut his teeth in the profession at Millwall. With Sir Alex Ferguson celebrating his 1,000th game in charge at Manchester United this week, McCarthy has a
A DISTURBED teenager has been placed on the sex offenders' register indefinitely after he admitted dragging a 14-year-old girl into bushes and raping her. Christopher Wilson, 17, removed the terrified schoolgirl's underwear and sexually assaulted her
NEWCASTLE Falcons will be wary of a backlash when Northampton visit Kingston Park tomorrow following the Saints' run of eight Premiership defeats. They have sacked South African coach Alan Solomons, who joined from Ulster in the summer, and flanker Corne
Bishop Auckland manager Brian Honour has set his team a target of ten wins to avoid relegation. Bishops take on Lincoln United today, sitting second bottom in the UniBond League, five points adrift of fifth-bottom Bridlington. Honour said: "Usually 40
AN operatic society's first pantomime proved so popular that they are putting on another show this year. Ferryhill Operatic Society presents Cinderella in the newly-refurbished Mainsforth Community Centre, Ferryhill Station, next month. The group performed
DARLINGTON have covered more miles than Phileas Fogg this month and, like the fictitious journeyman, David Hodgson's men seem hell-bent on defying the odds after last night's win at Cheltenham Town. Hodgson's globe-trotters can put their travel socks
It's three quarters of a century since Sir Patrick Moore was seized by an obsession which saw him become a world expert in his field, even though he was an amateur. Now he is determined to reach an unbeatable milestone. Nick Morrison reports. HIS mind
A GULF War veteran who killed his friend by injecting him with heroin has failed in an Appeal Court bid to have his three-year jail term cut. Paul Eeles, 31, of Ayrsome Grange Road, Middlesbrough, was jailed in July after pleading guilty to the manslaughter
A grieving man has issued a plea to thieves who stole precious mementos from his home. Construction site manager Jason Bell was left devastated when sneak burglars raided his house in Hemlington, Middlesbrough. Painful memories of his fiancee's death
Defending champions Sunderland Harriers hope to rally the troops to fend off a determined challenge from cross country specialists Morpeth as the DP Furniture Express North-East Harrier League reaches the halfway stage at Blaydon tomorrow. The Wearsiders
CRAIG Bellamy has warned his team-mates that they are playing for their Newcastle futures as they look to turn around the club's disappointing start to the season. Three defeats in the last month have left the Magpies ninth in the Premiership table, ten
FRESH from a minor operation for a breathing problem, Intersky Falcon (3.00) gets the nod for the Pertemps "Fighting Fifth" Hurdle at Newcastle. Intersky Falcon is no stranger to success in the Grade One contest, having already picked up the prestigious
A HOME Office investigation has been launched after a remand prisoner was set free by mistake, The Northern Echo can reveal. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Steve Reddington, who was sent home from Sedgefield Magistrates' Court instead of
A MAN stepped out onto railway tracks in front of a moving train yesterday. The southbound Virgin train managed to stop before it hit him north of Darlington railway station, but the man stood between the tracks and refused to move. Trains were delayed
A SCHOOL in one of Darlington's most deprived areas has plans to create a sports complex for the town. The headteacher of Branksome Comprehensive School, Howard Gilfillan, has visions of transforming the playing fields into a complex for almost every
A GOLDEN "Oscar" has been presented to a music retailer who has provided vital donations to a hospice. The statuette was presented to Williams Music Group by St Teresa's Hospice in recognition of the continued support the company has given over the years
A SCHOOL in one of Darlington's most deprived areas has plans to create a sports complex for the town. The headteacher of Branksome Comprehensive School, Howard Gilfillan, has visions of transforming the playing fields into a complex for almost every
AFTER a difficult year of restructuring, 50plus Age Concern in Darlington has appointed two members of staff to take it forward. Gulbag Singh has been recruited as an information and advice caseworker. John Lowes has taken on the responsibility of promotions
A SPENNYMOOR youngster won a top trophy after deciding to enter a national tae kwon do competition at the last minute. Liam Machan, of Ridgeside, North Close, signed up for the British Tae kwon do Championship Opens, at Sheffield, just a week before it
A SCHOOL helped to celebrate the 20th birthday of its local swimming pool yesterday. Pupils from King Street Primary School created a colourful birthday banner to mark the 20th anniversary of the opening of Spennymoor Leisure Centre's pool. To mark the
POLICE suspect fowl play after a spate of chicken-tipping left two villages overrun by abandoned poultry. Residents of two villages awoke to find scores of scrawny chickens clucking and scratching around their gardens. Residents in Greenhaugh, Northumberland
TERRIFIED teachers put their phobias aside to face an invasion of squeaking field mice. Squealing staff donned rubber gloves and armed themselves with disinfectant after dozens of tiny rodents were discovered at Newcomen Primary School, in Redcar. Headteacher
A PARISH church will take on an extra-festive look as it holds its first ever Christmas tree exhibition. St Mary's Church, Thirsk, will hold the event in conjunction with the town's Christmas Fair. About 30 trees of all shapes, sizes and designs will
BUSINESSES in the North-East have been urged to set their sights on Europe and look at the opportunities created by the newly-enlarged European Union. The advice came from the Minister for Europe, Dr Denis MacShane, when he opened the Regional International
A PSYCHIATRIC patient killed himself beneath the wheels of a high speed train on the eve of his 30th birthday. A coroner's inquest at Chester-le-Street yesterday heard that Gareth Ryan Walburn was hit by a train travelling at about 90mph as it approached
CATERERS at the University Hospital of North Durham have won a national award for offering healthy eating choices. Haden Buildings Management picked up the Heartbeat Award from Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust. It is presented to caterers
DARLINGTON MP Alan Milburn spoke yesterday at the launch of a vital service to house homeless people before Christmas. Mr Milburn was joined by more than 50 people at the Baptist Church in Grange Road, for the launch of Stop2Night which aims to find somewhere
AFTER suffering a 'good kick in the teeth' in Spain, combative midfielder George Boateng is confident Tottenham will feel the full force of Middlesbrough's most feared strikeforce tomorrow. Forwards Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Mark Viduka are in the midst
WORK got under way yesterday on a £1.9m flagship centre which it is hoped will transform the teaching of science in schools across the North-East. Government Chief Whip and North-West Durham MP Hilary Armstrong cut the first sod to start construction
NETBALL players have been improving their skills since the creation of a Darlington academy earlier this year. Tees Valley Sport is working with Darlington Sports Development Team to coach 20 girls, in years seven, eight and nine, in netball. The players
A HOSPICE in Darlington has been presented with a hamper of food by children from a local primary school. Pupils and staff at the Holy Family RC Primary School, in Darlington, began collecting food in the run-up to the school's Harvest festival celebrations
A DESPERATE father who turned to a loan shark for help when his uninsured home burned to the ground was jailed for five years yesterday for robbing his local bank. David Bruce, from Seaham, County Durham, who was hailed a hero when he saved his young
A PERSISTENT drunk who has served more than 80 prison terms has become the subject of the region's first permanent Anti-Social Behaviour Order (Asbo). The order against repeat offender John Newman, 39, covers England and Wales and has no time limit. Newman
WORK got under way yesterday on a £1.9m flagship centre which it is hoped will transform the teaching of science in schools across the North-East. Government Chief Whip and North-West Durham MP Hilary Armstrong cut the first sod to start construction
A couple have turned down an offer of £300,000 from a developer to buy up a village store and post office and build houses on the site. Bernard and Mary Knowles refused the offer because they want to see the enterprise run for the community and are backing
Dunston assistant manager Perry Briggs says that their FA Vase exit has made them even more determined to win the league again. Dunston were one of the league's main hopes for the Vase, but they were surprisingly beaten 4-2 at home by Pickering in midweek
DEFENDER Steve Caldwell has labelled Sunderland 'the best team in the Championship' and challenged his team-mates to prove themselves worthy of the tag. The Scotland international admitted the team were still on a high following their 2-0 win over Ipswich
A SOLICITOR who stole £9,600 from her employer was yesterday jailed for three months. Elizabeth Rebecca Handley, better known in Teesside legal circles as Liza Mulligan, her maiden name, took the money to help meet £23,000 debts accrued as a student and
HARTLEPOOL United have rejected a six-figure bid for Micky Nelson. Hull City boss Peter Taylor this week lodged a bid, believed to be in excess of £100,000, for the defender who last month submitted a written transfer request. But Pool chairman Ken Hodcroft
BOSSES at rail infrastructure operator Network Rail could be in line for further bonuses after the group announced it was on track for profits. Half-year losses at the group narrowed and delays were reduced by 16 per cent, according to figures for the
Speech therapist Jaclyn Thompson was so desperate to join BBC1's Can't Sing Singers that she travels from her home in Newcastle to Liverpool for voice coaching every weekend. She talks to Viv Hardwick. NOW you'd have thought a speech and language therapist
LAWYERS in a murder trial gave their closing speeches to jurors yesterday. Christopher Weldon, 28, is accused of pushing 18-year-old John Chipp to his death from the Queen Alexander Bridge, in Sunderland, in the early hours of March 19. Prosecutors claim
A DISTURBED teenager has been placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely after he admitted dragging a 14-year-old girl into bushes and raping her. Christopher Wilson, 17, removed the terrified schoolgirl's underwear and sexually assaulted her after
ITmay be an uphill struggle to replace the 'Pinapple Church', but Bowburn parishoniers are determined to see the fruits of their labours. CHRIST the King is a Marie Celeste among church buildings, the roof that symbolised the crown of thorns a bed of
AFTER a year of major construction and building alterations, the University Gallery at Newcastle's University of Northumbria reopens to the public today with exhibitions by the Scottish Colourists, watercolours by Norwegian Frans Widerberg and a sculpture
AN art exhibition at St Joseph's Primary School, Norton, has been opened by internationally-renowned artist Richard Piers Rayner. The school, which was Teesside's first primary school to achieve the Government's Artsmark Gold standard, is holding the
THE Mechanics' Institute in Chester-le-Street began its life as a reading room and education centre for the working men of the town. A century later, the grand old building is returning to its roots - this time as a flagship enterprise and learning centre
DEFENDER Steve Caldwell has labelled Sunderland 'the best team in the Championship' and challenged his team-mates to prove themselves worthy of the tag. The Scotland international admitted the team were still on a high following their 2-0 win over Ipswich
A BRAVERY medal awarded to a pigeon that was parachuted into occupied France with British secret agents during the Second World War - and brought back vital intelligence - went on show yesterday before its auction next week. Commando the pigeon was awarded
CHILDREN'S minister Margaret Hodge will rue the speech which tried to justify the state's intrusion into family life. Predictably, her comments have been seized upon by those eager to accuse the Government of creating a "nanny state". Yet the thrust of
STEVE McCLAREN hopes a little warm weather training will help Middlesbrough continue their good Premiership form at Tottenham tomorrow. Instead of flying back with the official Boro tour party on Friday afternoon, McClaren kept his players in Valencia
FIRE SERVICE: JUDITH Wallace (HAS, Nov 20) indicates that small fire brigades are more efficient when generally, as far as fire brigades go, the bigger the better. During the war, one fire brigade for the whole of this country proved its worth during
PEOPLE in Fishburn are being invited to meet the real "Billy Elliott" at a brass band concert. The Fishburn Brass Band is holding the event to thank all the people who helped them to raise £1,900. The band will receive a cheque on the night, after the
YOUNG achievers from across the region were honoured at a glittering ceremony last night - and even received a personal message of congratulations from the Prime Minister. Tony Blair told of his delight at the efforts of the youngsters, as 500 guests
TELECOMS operator BT yesterday announced the sale of its stake in one of the world's largest satellite companies for £363m. BT said it was selling its 15.8 per cent share in Eutelsat to GS Capital Partners as part of an ongoing strategy to dispose of
CHEMICALS group Huntsman has taken the first steps towards becoming a public company. The US company, which announced plans two months ago to build the world's largest polyethelene plant on Teesside, filed a registration statement for a proposed initial
TELECOMS operator BT yesterday announced the sale of its stake in one of the world's largest satellite companies for £363m. BT said it was selling its 15.8 per cent share in Eutelsat to GS Capital Partners as part of an ongoing strategy to dispose of
A Christmas treat is in store at the Sir William Turner Almshouses, Kirkleatham, on Friday, December 10. Tickets for a classical performance by Gerald Gregory and Miyako Machida cost £10. For details, call (01287) 632225. Published: 27/11/2004
POLICE are looking for information after two cars were stolen. A red Hyundai Accent was stolen from Norwich Grove, Darlington, between 5.45pm and 6.10pm on Thursday. A silver Ford Fiesta Freestyle was stolen from Durham Tees Valley Airport in the past
TWO teenage girls have appeared in court after they were caught shoplifting in Darlington town centre. The 16-year-old and 13-year-old, from Darlington, both admitted stealing socks worth £3, from Tammy Girl, on November 1. The older girl told magistrates
ELDERLY people in Darlington are being urged to have their flu vaccines as the take-up rate has dropped below previous years. National scares about vaccine shortages and public apathy over the flu virus are being blamed for the disappointing figures as
NEIGHBOURING bowls clubs are celebrating success. Ferryhill's Dean Bank Veterans, of Dean Bank Park, scooped the annual South Durham knockout trophy and Mainsforth Bowls Club won the Durham and District second Division. Mainsforth enjoyed further glory
A COMMUNITY centre has become a victim of its own success because its popularity has seen running costs soar beyond its means. Members of the management committee at Auckland Youth and Community Centre are sending out a rallying call for help to see them
CONSUMER watchdogs in Hartlepool are warning firms to beware an unsolicited fax. The single-page fax, which purports to come from a firm in India, says the sender wants to sell the recipient's fax number to advertising agencies outside the European Union
A NORTH Durham village will get an early Christmas gift when work begins next week to give its streets a makeover. Durham County Council starts work on a £103,000 scheme in Front Street, Craghead, near Stanley, on Monday. Workmen will tear out rough concrete
LAWYERS in a murder trial gave their closing speeches to jurors yesterday. Christopher Weldon, 28, is accused of pushing 18-year-old John Chipp to his death from the Queen Alexander Bridge, in Sunderland, in the early hours of March 19. Prosecutors claim
FAMILIES are being encouraged to take part in a project aimed at helping them keep fit and lose weight. The Stockton Borough Council and North Tees Primary Care Trust project begins in January and will run for 12 weeks at the Alma Street Day Centre, Stockton
Recruits to Cleveland Police have been told the force will not rest on its laurels after a drop in crime. Chief Constable Sean Price told the latest 28 rookie officers, due to start patrols next year, that despite large falls in crime, there will be no
PEOPLE living in isolated locations across Hambleton are to be consulted on about disposal of rubbish. Some households are sited along unadopted or unsatisfactory lanes along which council refuse lorries cannot safely travel. The road can be in a poor
A COUPLE have spoken of their anger after thieves stole goods from their crashed car. Stephen Forrest, 36, lost control of his Vauxhall Corsa on the road between Burnhope and Maiden Law, near Lanchester, and it smashed into a stone wall. He was taken
A DESPERATE father who turned to a loan shark for help when his uninsured home burned to the ground was jailed for five years yesterday for robbing his local bank. David Bruce, from Seaham, County Durham, who was hailed a hero when he saved his young
HUNDREDS of students have been queuing up to be vaccinated after a mumps outbreak in the region. The mass vaccination drive is under way on three North-East university campuses after what has been described as a "sharp increase" in cases. Health officials
SHOPPERS in Middlesbrough are being asked to nominate a worthy cause. Bosses at Hill Street shopping centre are asking people to suggest a good cause to benefit from its annual festive charity collection. Donations are made by youngsters visiting Santa's
A £21m hospital redevelopment scheme took a major step forward yesterday as work officially got under way on the two-year project. The Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, will be transformed by the work and taken firmly into the 21st Century. At a ceremony
WORK got under way yesterday on a £1.9m flagship centre which it is hoped will transform the teaching of science in schools across the North-East. Government Chief Whip and North-West Durham MP Hilary Armstrong cut the first sod to start construction
PUPIL Jonathan Dulston took a break from lessons to try his hand at being headteacher for the day. The year 11 student from Eastbourne Comprehensive School, in Darlington, took charge of the staff meeting, met LEA officers and looked at recruitment needs
A FORTNIGHT ago Darlington seemed to be escaping the injury problems afflicting their National Three North rivals. Then they suffered three casualties on the eve of their match at Tynedale and suddenly weddings, funerals and illness are also taking their
A TEAM of airmen took part in a sponsored coast-to-coast cycle ride to help a stricken comrade. The six-strong group from RAF Leeming rode from Whitehaven to Sunderland to raise money for retired Squad-ron Leader Mike Wilson, who suffered a brain stem
EVER since the first alehouse opened its doors, pubs have been places where the most important issues of the day are debated. But while the rest of the country discusses the merits of the Iraq war or why EastEnders has gone downhill, regulars at the Charlaw
THE future of a newly-opened £70,000 skateboard park is at the centre of a planning wrangle. Kirkbymoorside Town Council heard that complaints had been made to Ryedale District Council that the park - opened just three weeks ago in the Old Road play area
PLANS to build a supported scheme for homeless young people will be discussed by councillors next week. Stonham Housing has lodged an application with Hartlepool Borough Council to build ten flats, plus staff and support accommodation, on land in Gainford
MORE than 24,000 primary schoolchildren in North Yorkshire are to be given free fruit at school. Every child aged from four to six will get a free piece of fruit each school day as part of a drive to promote healthy eating and tackle obesity. The scheme
GRAEME Souness has promised Titus Bramble he will be the lynchpin of the Newcastle defence if he maintains the discipline that has seen him banish his injury blues. Bramble has proved something of an enigma since making a £5m move from Ipswich in July
A North-East chef will be destroying the myth that hospital food cannot be gourmet when he goes on BBC Radio 4 tomorrow. Ron McKenzie has been head of catering at Darlington Memorial Hospital for five years. This week he was crowned public service caterer
THERE is no fool-proof way of choosing a holiday destination. Even the most reliable personal recommendations hinge upon the giver and recipient of the advice sharing a similar outlook on travel. It can't always ensure that travellers spend time and money
HUNDREDS of students have been queuing up to be vaccinated after a mumps outbreak in the region. The mass vaccination drive is under way on three North-East university campuses after what has been described as a "sharp increase" in cases. Health officials
GRAEME Souness has promised Titus Bramble he will be the lynchpin of the Newcastle defence if he maintains the discipline that has seen him banish his injury blues. Bramble has proved something of an enigma since making a £5m move from Ipswich in July
