Archive

  • Lucky escape for girl in phone box

    A TEENAGE girl has spoken of her amazing escape after being crushed by an overturned car that ploughed into a telephone box as she made a call. Jestine Fennessy is lucky to be alive after the accident outside her home on Friday. The 15-year-old escaped

  • Conman dumped fiancee by text after stealing her money

    A COWARDLY conman left his bride-to-be with thousands of pounds of debt after he dumped her by text. Rachel Taylor was waiting for fiance William Pratt to meet her in Sunderland city centre so a £10,000 loan she had taken out for their future could be

  • Children help celebrate survival stories

    AN annual day which pays tribute to 100 dales airman who lost their lives celebrated survival at its tenth event yesterday. The Teesdale Aviation Memorial Day brought together primary school children and servicemen on parkland outside Deerbolt Young Offenders

  • Defeat leaves a sour taste for Chirac

    WE'VE been the worst of friends and the best of enemies since 1066. It was appropriate, then, that we should give the French a grand Olympic beating in the 200th anniversary year of Lord Nelson famously giving them a glorious naval beating. Oh, and where

  • Hearing into future of killer police officer

    A POLICE officer who killed his wife by stabbing her 96 times has refused to resign from the force. Cleveland Chief Constable Sean Price told The Northern Echo last night that the future of Ivor Jones will now be decided at a disciplinary hearing on July

  • Harvey's heroics prove all in vain

    Another blistering innings from Ian Harvey could not stop Yorkshire from losing by seven wickets to Leicestershire at Grace Road as they bowed out of the Twenty20 Cup at the end of their North Division programme. The only consolation for Yorkshire was

  • Emergency hotline numbers

    Friends and relatives worried about loved ones in the wake of the terrorist attacks in London can call the casualty helpline on 0870 1566 344. Police in London have also set up an anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321. Transport For London can be reached

  • Ambulance shake-up could see rural stations closed

    RURAL ambulance services in the North-East are facing a major reorganisation. Under controversial proposals, existing ambulance stations in places such as Barnard Castle, Middleton-in-Teesdale and St John's Chapel, in County Durham, could be closed. Instead

  • City gears up for Gala

    THE streets of Durham will be a blaze of colour this Saturday as an expected crowd of 50,000 turns out for the 121st Miners' Gala. About 30 bands and 60 banners from all over County Durham and beyond will head for the city's racecourse, some stopping

  • Help at hand

    FREE help with job-searching skills is being offered next week. The Skills4Life Online project is holding hour-long sessions covering CVs, letters and Internet job searches. The sessions are at Bishop Auckland Town Hall library on Wednesday, from 3pm

  • New fight to save pub

    RESIDENTS are preparing for a fresh battle to save a landmark pub. The future of the renowned White Horse Pub and Hotel in Darlington is under threat again from developers. Earlier this year, Premier Homes UK submitted plans to Darlington Borough Council

  • Britain strikes gold

    BRITAIN was celebrating last night after London pulled off a spectacular victory to win the billion-pound battle for the 2012 Olympic Games. The capital beat favourites Paris in the closest of finishes, winning the fourth and final vote of International

  • How charity could begin at home

    Not everyone's carried away by the clamour to "make poverty history". Some people think our Government shouldn't be worrying about Africa, while pensioners in this country are struggling to live, and hospitals and schools are desperate for more funds.

  • Village mourns two young dads

    A COMMUNITY will tomorrow say its final farewell to two young dads who were killed in a car accident. Lifelong friends Andrew Keith Fairley, 20, and Alan Nicholson, 24, who lived just one street apart in West Cornforth, died when their car collided with

  • Pupils with designs on success ensure event's popularity grows

    THE number of children taking part in an engineering event has doubled. A record number of 115 projects were entered into this year's Engineering Inspirations Education Showcase compared to last year. The event, a challenge to pupils from across Yorkshire

  • Calls to halt gang warfare on estate

    RESIDENTS on a Darlington estate are urging the authorities to work together to crack down on unruly youths. People on the Firthmoor estate say they are being threatened and intimidated by gangs of teenagers on a daily basis. Frightened and angry residents

  • In aid of charity

    Coral bookmakers in Bishop Auckland are holding a race night for Cancer Research UK on Thursday, July 14. There will be a bar, raffle and supper at Bishop Auckland Town Hall, at 7pm.

  • Customer's horror in bar shooting

    A PUB customer told a court yesterday how terrified women hid in the toilets after gunmen opened fire. Chris Botham was talking at the trial of two men accused of shooting dead pensioner Fred Fowler. She said she was in the ladies toilets when she heard

  • £2m Ikea store refit

    NEWCASTLE-based Norstead has won a £2m contract to work on Ikea's Gateshead store. The project includes upgrading and extending heating, lighting and ventilation in the furniture superstore. Norstead is also working at Ikea in Brent Park, Lakeside, Warrington

  • 18 months in jail fir biting man's nose in club scuffle

    A MAN who bit deeply into the nose of his opponent in a late night brawl was yesterday jailed for 18 months. Mark Wilson, 22, left the victim with blood-stained nasal tissue hanging from his face, following the fight outside a nightclub in Consett, County

  • Station trust to offer taste of Italy

    AN evening of Italian music and food will raise money to help restore a former railway station. Richmondshire Buildings Preservation Trust says tickets for Sunday's event are selling fast. The Italian evening will be held at Richmond Station, which the

  • Donations boost skateboard park

    A TOWN'S long-awaited skateboard park should be open by the autumn, thanks to a councillor's intervention. Building contractor Colin Barker, a Masham parish councillor, worked for free on the project and persuaded others to help. Their involvement kept

  • Fire crews express concern over proposals for reform

    PLANS to reform the county fire service will be discussed next week but many proposals still do not have the backing of firefighters. Fire service managers want to introduce eight community safety vehicles, including those to be based at Malton, Northallerton

  • Mystery over withdrawal of £1m club facelift proposal

    CONTROVERSIAL plans to refurbish a nightclub have been mysteriously withdrawn. Leisure firm Lady Joy Ltd informed planners by e-mail yesterday morning that it no longer wished to pursue the £1m upgrade of The Wesley nightclub in Hartlepool town centre

  • Searching for war memories

    PEOPLE in Sunderland are being offered the chance to record their memories of life during the Second World War for the BBC's People's War website. The corporation is collecting memories on all aspects of the conflict that will serve as a national archive

  • Scanner stolen from hospital

    A LIFE-SAVING piece of medical equipment has been stolen from a hospital. Medical staff and police have been left stunned by the theft of a portable ultra-sound heart monitor from the Cardiology Unit at the University Hospital of North Durham and detectives

  • £150,000 action van blasts graffiti

    A POWERFUL weapon is helping to blitz unsightly graffiti across east Durham. Easington District Council, along with Easington Colliery and Horden Pathfinder Project, has invested £150,000 in a Graffiti Action Van. It is being used three days a week in

  • Work on pitch is sweet success

    WORK has started to create a children's football pitch - using soil from sugar beet. The pitch at Lingerfield Recreation Ground, near Knaresborough, will become the home of Scotton Scorchers Junior Football Club and Scotton Lingerfield Primary School.

  • 34 landmark buildings on at-risk list

    A FIRE-blackened Victorian church that survived bombing in the war has joined a list published today of North-East historical treasures at risk of being lost forever. Holy Trinity Church, in Stockton, lost its spire when it was hit in a bombing raid during

  • School drummers 'steel' the show

    A PRIMARY school is drumming up support for the arts with a week dedicated to the subject. St Francis Junior School, in Newton Aycliffe, is hosting a number of creative workshops. Yesterday, year six pupils impressed schoolmates and parents with a steel

  • Celebration of a mining community

    A HERITAGE group is appealing for former residents of a colliery village to help celebrate its history with an exhibition and reunion weekend. Members of Whitworth Heritage Group are organising the celebration for former residents of Page Bank, near Spennymoor

  • Last days at school

    TRIBUTES have been paid to three teachers, who are retiring after clocking up nearly 80 years service between them. David Crompton and Denis Kemp are retiring from Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, in Darlington, and Mike Winstanley is planning a change

  • 30 years of service

    A WOMAN who has worked at the same shop for 30 years has been recognised for her service. Marion Cole started as a Saturday sales assistant on the shop floor at Boyes, in Darlington, at the age of 16. She joined the shop when she left school and within

  • A school of artists

    BUDDING artists made a mini-gallery in school with their creations. Every pupil at Corporation Road Community School, in Darlington, created artwork for the exhibition. Parents and friends were invited to a viewing and were able to buy their favourites

  • Developing wish list for town centre

    LEAFLETS are dropping through the doors in Billingham this week, detailing plans for the town centre. Stockton Borough Council has produced a top ten wish list of what people want in Billingham town centre. There will also be an open day, on Wednesday

  • Africa theme for youngsters

    YOUNGSTERS in the Tees Valley will take part in a week of workshops to embrace an array of African cultures. The African Experience Day will see pupils from four schools take part in workshops throughout the week. The event is a joint project of children's

  • Tenants told they must admit gas inspectors

    FORMER council house tenants are being warned they could face legal action if they obstruct inspectors in carrying out gas safety checks on their homes. Housing Hartlepool, responsible for the town's 7,500 former council properties, said it had been forced

  • Council backs verge protest

    A COUNCIL is supporting angry residents who have placed oversized flowerpots outside their homes to stop motorists parking on grass verges. Sympathetic officials at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council had warned residents in Stanley Grove, Redcar, that

  • North-East science city plans unveiled

    PLANS to transform the North-East into a world-beating scientific powerhouse were unveiled yesterday. The scheme is expected to attract £600m in funding and create up to 20,000 jobs in the region. In response to the Government's decision to designate

  • Elected mayors have not given strong leadership, says report

    ELECTED mayors have not provided the strong leadership for their communities that the Government wanted, a report by a political think-tank says today The study concluded that many of the first group of mayors have become caught up in town hall politics

  • Mourners pack church for councillor's funeral

    HUNDREDS of people turned out to bid a fond farewell to one of the area's most highly-respected councillors. Rod Burtt, a Conservative member of Darlington Borough Council, died last month, aged 64. Family, friends and colleagues from both sides of the

  • Police fear for missing girl, 19

    POLICE say they are increasingly concerned for the welfare of a teenager missing since last week. Nineteen-year-old Jenny Nicholl was last seen at her home in Richmond, North Yorkshire, on Thursday evening. The alarm was raised when she failed to turn

  • John North: Last pint at 'Studio Six'

    A gathering at the Egypt Cottage marks the end of an era for Tyne Tees Television. TYNE Tees Television had been in the same converted furniture warehouse on City Road, Newcastle, since the station first piped up on January 15, 1959. Up and down the City

  • Lamb ready for Downing talks

    MIDDLESBROUGH officials will hold further talks with unsettled winger Stewart Downing this week after reiterating their desire to keep him at the Riverside. The Teessiders turned down Tottenham's £7m bid for the England international last week, but Downing's

  • 'I can honestly say I have never been so scared'

    A Northern Echo reporter was near the centre of the terrorist attacks in London today. Liz Lamb was travelling on a bus next to one of the double-decker buses which was blown up by terrorists. She arrived at London's Kings Cross shortly after the first

  • Holiday mother: Leaving children was worst mistake

    A MOTHER who went on holiday leaving her three young children at home says it was the biggest mistake she has ever made. Kelly Ann Piggford said: "I will never leave my babies alone again. Seeing them has made me feel so guilty, but I promise I will make

  • Students urged to cone clean over thefts

    NO self-respecting student bedsit would be complete without one. If Che Guevara posters were the enduring symbol of student bedrooms in the 60s and 70s, then today's must-have accessory is the humble traffic cone, which has become as much a part of university

  • The appliance of science promises jobs for region

    PLANS to transform the North-East into a world-beating scientific powerhouse were unveiled yesterday. The scheme is expected to attract £600m in funding and create up to 20,000 jobs in the region. In response to the Government's decision to designate

  • Firm wins US navy contract

    A COMPANY based in a small market town has landed a contract worth almost £570,000 to supply life-saving equipment to the US navy. Analox, in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, will provide the navy's submarine fleet with nearly 200 emergency atmospheric monitors

  • London 2012: the party comes to a shuddering halt

    Only hours after the party started, the London Olympic bid team has suspended its celebrations following this morning's horrific terrorist attacks across the capital. Talk of getting started on the herculean task of staging the games and transforming

  • Britain strikes gold

    BRITAIN was celebrating last night after London pulled off a spectacular victory to win the billion-pound battle for the 2012 Olympic Games. The capital beat favourites Paris in the closest of finishes, winning the fourth and final vote of International

  • Top Ten To Rent

    UK DVD/VIDEO RENTAL: 1 (-) Hitch 2 (-) Hostage 3 (1) Million Dollar Baby 4 (5) Shall We Dance 5 (3) Flight Of The Phoenix 6 (-) The Life Aquatic 7 (-) The Machinist 8 (4) Assault On Precinct 13 9 (2) The Aviator 10 (6) Creep Published: 07/07/2005

  • Plea for more hours - and let new pony fit bill

    I DEFINITELY need 27-plus hours in a day; I know as I have just muddled through half-term week when all things equine have dominated - hacks, Farriers, rallies and practises and cabin fever from doing about 150 miles in the truck! Last week the empty

  • Priceless £10 donation made to delighted museum staff

    A GENEROUS benefactor has donated £10 to a North-East museum. But this is no ordinary donation, because the banknotes are more than 100 years old and their real value is priceless. The notes were given to Darlington Railway Centre and Museum and date

  • Three to appear in court facing brothel charges

    POLICE confirmed last night that charges had been brought against three men who were arrested during raids on suspected brothels in the North-East. The three, who were detained after officers raided premises in Darlington in January, will appear before

  • Accident victim ready to go home

    FOUR years after receiving the last rites, a young road accident victim will tomorrow return home to the parents who never gave up hope that he would recover. Stuart Nevins, who suffered massive brain injuries in a car crash, is preparing to bid farewell

  • 07/07/05

    SUPER SUPPLEMENT: I WOULD like to congratulate you on the excellent Second World War Victory supplement (Echo, July 4). I would also like to make an addition to the list of North-East airfields. One that was not mentioned is RAF Wombleton, a bomber base

  • Decision breathes new life into British sport

    GREAT Britain is already well endowed when it comes to Olympic memories. From Mary Peters' pentathlon gold in 1972 to Dame Kelly Holmes' tears of joy some 32 years later, Britain has hardly been starved of unforgettable Olympic moments. But none have

  • Hundreds support asylum call

    A FAILED asylum seeker faces a death sentence if he is forced to return to his war-torn homeland, his supporters have warned. Campaigners fighting to keep Moses Maglo Possi, 25, in England have collected a petition of more than 700 names from across Mr

  • Judge calls for end to Zimbabwe expulsions

    A senior judge called on the Government yesterday to halt all removals of failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe pending a further High Court hearing. The judge acted after a Refugee Legal Council (RLC) representative told him there was evidence to suggest

  • School's wildlife-friendly gardens earn award

    A PRIMARY school's sensory garden is one of the winners of a regional environmental award. Pupils at St Patrick's school in Consett decided to improve the existing school gardens to make them more wildlife-friendly, including a sensory area for youngsters

  • All eyes on world leaders

    A SECURITY technology company has provided a camera system that will be watching over the G8 summit in Gleneagles this week. The £180,000 contract to route all the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras used by police in Scotland into one main centre

  • £2m Ikea store refit

    NEWCASTLE-based Norstead has won a £2m contract to work on Ikea's Gateshead store. The project includes upgrading and extending heating, lighting and ventilation in the furniture superstore. Norstead is also working at Ikea in Brent Park, Lakeside, Warrington

  • Capital gain will be billions

    THE successful 2012 London Olympics bid is expected to unleash billions of pounds of investment and will transform large swathes of the capital's rundown East End. The centrepiece will be an 80,000-seat stadium, still to be built, but much of the plans

  • Teenager bragged to friends about punch that killed man

    A TEENAGER bragged to friends about knocking out a father-of-three who later died - only eight days after he was given an anti-social behaviour order. Gary Prescott, 16, was "full of himself" after he felled 52-year-old Thomas Noble with a blow from behind

  • Reg Vardy buys five N-E car dealers

    CAR retailer Reg Vardy has bought five North-East dealerships from Priory Motor Group in a deal worth £15.5m. It has exchanged contracts to acquire a BMW and a Mini dealership in North Tyneside, Vauxhall dealerships in Blaydon and Gateshead, and a dual

  • Yardbirds to top the bill at blues festival

    THE band that launched the careers of some of rock's best guitarists will headline the 13th Stanley Blues Festival next month. The Yardbirds, who had five top ten hits including For Your Love, have boasted Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Led Zeppelin's Jimmy

  • McCarthy accepts defeat in Miller

    MICK McCarthy last night ruled out an improved bid for Wolves' striker Kenny Miller after insisting he would have "no qualms" about starting the new season without making any further additions to his Sunderland squad. With Kevin Kyle unlikely to travel

  • Stan Laurel's former school prepares for 400th birthday ball

    THE Bishop Auckland school where screen legend Stan Laurel gave some of his very first performances at the tender age of 12, is celebrating its 400th anniversary. King James I Community College is staging a host of events to mark the milestone ending

  • Euro-MP criticises nuclear bill

    A NORTH-EAST Euro-MP has criticised the millions of pounds spent on nuclear decommissioning. Fiona Hall, Liberal Democrat Euro MP for the region, said the current cost of UK decommissioning was £48bn. She said that, in the past, nuclear power plants were

  • London leading the way with an Olympic hat-trick

    In seven years London will become the first city to host the modern Olympic Games a third time. Deputy Editor Chris Lloyd looks back on the games of 1908 and 1948 and discovers the first North-East gold medallist was a yachtsman from Darlington. LONDON

  • Opportunity comes knocking for museum

    A FRONT door, believed to date from the late 1700s, has been returned to its home town after an absence of 40 years. Now on display at the Richmondshire Museum, in Richmond, the door once graced a house in the town's Ryder's Wynd. It was made for a house

  • Terror bombs kill Tube and bus passengers

    Seven terrorist bomb blasts on London buses and Underground trains have shut down the capital. Reorts indicate that up to 33 people are confirmed killed, and more than a hundred others injured. A City of London police spokesman said there were "quite

  • Decision breathes new life into British sport

    GREAT Britain is already well endowed when it comes to Olympic memories. From Mary Peters' pentathlon gold in 1972 to Dame Kelly Holmes' tears of joy some 32 years later, Britain has hardly been starved of unforgettable Olympic moments. But none have

  • Region bucks trend as manufacturing faces recession

    THE manufacturing sector was on the brink of recession yesterday after official data showed that manufacturing output failed to pick up in May. Economists said a recession was "virtually unavoidable" after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said

  • WI news

    Leadgate: JUNE'S meeting was presided over by vice presidentMargaret Hillary, and Mrs Westthorpe read her theme If You Think You Can - Then Do it. The minutes and correspondence was dealt with by Mrs Hedley, secretary, and the treasurer's report was given

  • Present Laugher, Darlington Civic Theatre

    THIS forties version of Noel's House Party sparkles with wit but ultimately fails to shine, particularly during Act One. So long is the scene introducing the life of performer Gary Essendine (Richard Pocock) - which is allegedly a thinly disguised Coward

  • New bus gets youngsters on the move

    A NEW community bus providing a vital service for youngsters involved in a youth project and other people with mobility problems, has taken to the road. The bus, provided with the help of Defra's Rural Enterprise Scheme, Durham County Council, and industrial

  • Council aims for improved transport plan

    PLANS to cut traffic congestion, increase numbers of parking spaces and encourage 'greener' forms of transport are being considered by council bosses. The issues have come under the spotlight as Darlington Borough Council draws up proposals to develop

  • Survey against town council

    A CONTROVERSIAL council survey that cost tax payers £10,000 has revealed that 60 per cent of people in Stanley are against the creation of an independent town council. Derwentside District Council sent a letter to 24,500 people in the town and surrounding

  • Charlton keen on Bowyer deal

    Charlton Athletic are poised to make a £1.5m bid to take Newcastle midfielder Lee Bowyer back to The Valley, writes Scott Wilson. The 28-year-old has already pulled out of a proposed move to Birmingham this summer following protests from a section of

  • It's a musucal sed-off for a popular teacher

    PUPILS from a Derwentside school have dedicated a musical production to their headteacher, who is retiring after 21 years at the helm. John Cowley is leaving Greenland Junior School in South Moor, Stanley, next Friday, after more than two decades in charge

  • Ambulance shake-up could see rural stations closed

    RURAL ambulance services in the North-East are facing a major reorganisation. Under controversial proposals, existing ambulance stations in places such as Barnard Castle, Middleton-in-Teesdale and St John's Chapel, in County Durham, could be closed. Instead

  • 34 landmark buildings on at-risk list

    A FIRE-blackened Victorian church that survived bombing in the war has joined a list published today of North-East historical treasures at risk of being lost forever. Holy Trinity Church, in Stockton, lost its spire when it was hit in a bombing raid during

  • Press protocol relaxed

    PLANS to restrict town councillors from speaking to the Press have been relaxed. Barnard Castle Town Council stated that councillors can to talk to the media, but must ensure that their personal views are not represented as those of the whole council.

  • Town meets to tackle vandals

    VANDALS who went on the rampage at the weekend smashing school and shop windows have sparked calls for a public meeting. Residents of Willington are being urged to attend a meeting next Tuesday night to discuss ways of tackling vandalism. The chairman

  • Award for winning coaches

    CHAMPION coaches who have guided a school football team to its most successful season have been honoured. Eight years ago, parents Eric Nichol and John Lowes volunteered to help out as coaches at Catchgate Primary School, at Catchgate, near Stanley. Yesterday

  • Children help celebrate survival stories

    AN annual day which pays tribute to 100 dales airman who lost their lives celebrated survival at its tenth event yesterday. The Teesdale Aviation Memorial Day brought together primary school children and servicemen on parkland outside Deerbolt Young Offenders

  • Grand finale to singers' season

    Sedgefield Lyric Singers ended the season with two well-attended summer concerts in Sedgefield Parish Hall, conducted by Jean Whittaker with Margaret Taylor. The Lyrics Youth Choir, conducted by Sandy Clubley and accompanied by Robert Guest also took

  • Cash boost for charities from former mayor

    A TOWN'S former mayor has shared out the proceeds of her charity campaign. Former Ferryhill Town Council Mayor Christine Woods presented £1,800 to the Great North Air Ambulance and Ferryhill Town Band. The money was raised through a series of events during

  • Anti-social behaviour team created

    THE fight against anti-social behaviour in Darlington has taken another step forward with the creation of a new team. The three-member team will protect communities from bad behaviour and support residents who suffer abuse. Created by Darlington Borough

  • Town's golden gala attracts record crowd

    RECORD crowds turned out in force as Spennymoor Gala celebrated its 50th anniversary last weekend. Families lined the streets in the town centre to watch as a grand procession of floats, bands and vintage vehicles passed through on its way to Jubilee

  • Teenager bragged to friends about punch that killed man

    A TEENAGER bragged to friends about knocking out a father-of-three who later died - only eight days after he was given an anti-social behaviour order. Gary Prescott, 16, was "full of himself" after he felled 52-year-old Thomas Noble with a blow from behind

  • Region remembers at special service

    THE day of commemoration for the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War is being marked with a special service at Durham Cathedral. Veterans' groups will join civic and church figures from across the North-East at the evensong service, on

  • Young musicians to present concert

    FOUR musicians will perform in Durham in the latest of a series of concerts promoting young talent. The concert, by Durham Young Musicians (DYM), will be on Sunday, July 17, in St Cuthbert's Church, North Road, Durham, at 2pm, and will feature Joanne

  • Wardens step up night patrols

    A COUNCIL'S street wardens are to step up night shifts and work from police stations. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council says the move is in response to public feedback. The six supervisors and 24 wardens will split into two shifts, each with 15 personnel

  • Grassroots: Crook

    CENTRE DANCE: A 50-50 dance with Graham Scarlett and a drummer will take place at St Catherine's Community Centre on Saturday. Tickets are £4, on (01388) 765110. COUNTRY NIGHT: A country and western night with Dave Forster will take place at Crook Cricket

  • Too much in the bin

    PEOPLE are being encouraged to recycle more following a study of what people bin. Each week, the refuse collection team in Stockton sees a large proportion of extra bin bags put out alongside wheeled bins. Stockton Borough Council's Care For Your Area

  • Pupils exploring in Mongolia

    TEENAGE explorers from a girls' school on Teesside are off to explore China and Mongolia. Twelve pupils, aged 16 to 18, from Teesside High School, Eaglescliffe, will visit Beijing and Xian, home of the Terracotta Warriors. They will temporarily leave

  • Eyesore flats about to be bulldozed

    VANDALISED eyesores are being demolished on Teesside next week - much to the relief of local residents. Four rundown blocks of flats in Middlesbrough, said by landlord Erimus Housing to have been "a magnet for crime, vandalism and anti-social behaviour

  • Cow survives beck ordeal

    FIREFIGHTERS spent an hour trying to remove a cow from a beck. A crew from Reeth fire station were called to Townend Hall Farm, in Reeth, shortly after 3pm on Tuesday. The cow had become stuck while crossing a beck. A spokeswoman for the fire service

  • Future of community railway

    THE long-term future of one of Britain's most scenic rail lines has been secured after it was named as a community route. The Esk Valley line, which runs from Middlesbrough to Whitby, is one of only three routes in the country that have been chosen by

  • Fundraisers not sheepish about the challenge

    fundraisers are on the way to reaching their target after a sponsored wheelchair walk and mini-marathon. The people of Weardale turned out in force to support the events by Independence 4 Disability and the Weardale Whippets last weekend. Weardale doctors

  • Licence granted despite objections

    MAGISTRATES have granted a licence for a new pub on the edge of Darlington despite objections from residents. The application by Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries is for a pub which will be built next to a school on the West Park Estate, Faverdale. Residents

  • Warning after parents fined for letting chiuldren truant

    PARENTS have been given a fresh warning about the consequences of not sending their children to school after education bosses fined persistent offenders. Darlington Borough Council has given out its first fines to parents whose children have repeatedly

  • Time capsule for bridge

    THE only remaining bridge on a historic 19th century rail line is being filled in as part of a flood defence scheme. And a time capsule has been planted by the local historical society inside the arch of the bridge, at the top of Norton Avenue, in Stockton

  • Pupils help with park clean-up

    Children rolled up their sleeves and put their backs into tidying up of community park. Youngsters from three local schools took part in the litter pick and environmental fun day at Blackhill and Consett park. More than 40 pupils from Delves Lane Primary

  • Children's day

    A DAY for children based on steam trains has been organised at the Tanfield Railway on the A6076, between Stanley and Sunniside, on Sunday, July 17. Engines with friendly faces will be running through Causey Woods from 11am. A colouring competition and

  • Pupils roll up their sleeves to clean park

    CHILDREN rolled up their sleeves and put their backs into a clean-up of a community park. Youngsters from three local schools took part in the litter-pick and environmental fun day at Blackhill and Consett park. More than 40 pupils from Delves Lane Primary

  • Children join in safety planning

    PRIMARY schoolchildren took a walk around their neighbourhood and came up with safety suggestions which are being put into a £250,000 package of improvements. Pupils from Newport Primary School, Middlesbrough, took part in a community walkabout, organised

  • Bare essentials

    The first full-length dance work, called Naked, created by George Piper Dances has wowed audiences and split the critics. Michael Nunn talks to Nick Morrison about the company's change of direction as it visits York. MICHAEL Nunn isn't used to bad reviews

  • Generous residents praised

    RESIDENTS of Wear Valley have been praised for their generosity after helping raise just over £7,000 for charity. Margaret Jones, last year's chairman of Wear Valley District Council, thanked everyone for their support as she presented £7,054.79 to the

  • Community park opens

    A MUCH-NEEDED park was launched at the weekend with activities and entertainment. The opening of the Eastfields/Westfields Doorstep Green in South Moor, Stanley, was the culmination of a three-year project, which cost about £270,000. The park was developed

  • Work of dedicated volunteers recognised

    THE dedication of a band of charity volunteers in Darlington has been officially recognised. The St Cuthbert's Care organisation has 45 volunteers, with 31 of them working at its charity shop in Skinnergate. Some of those women have been doing voluntary

  • Comment From The Northern Echo: The winners, Britain and Blair

    THE British are good at losing. So good that football defeats in penalty shoot-outs are considered inevitable, and a grassy slope at Wimbledon is named after a man who will never quite be good enough to be a tennis champion. But all that changed yesterday

  • Hill farms on brink of collaspe sats trust

    THE ancient practice of hill farming is on the brink of collapse, a report by The National Trust says. The trust, which looks after about 150,000 hectares of upland, said the majority of hill farmers were facing a severe fall in income because of reforms

  • Lord of the rings

    One man has done more than anyone to bring the 2012 Olympics to London. Nick Morrison looks at how Lord Coe transformed Britain's chnces of winning the Games for the first time in 60 years. IT was October 1968, and in the hall of a secondary modern school

  • Police ask for help after man vanishes

    A FERRY passenger has disappeared during a North Sea crossing. Police are keen to speak to passengers on the Princess of Scandinavia, who may have seen 51-year-old Glyn Keatinge during its journey from Gothenburg to North Shields at the weekend. Mr Keatinge

  • The Descent

    The Descent (18)**** , Stars: Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder, Nora Jane Noone, MyAnna Buring. 99 mins: SIX friends are trapped in a hostile environment, and in their search for a way out, they find themselves hunted by a race

  • Descent into hell

    His first film combined horror and gore with a fair bit of comedy, but his second feature is an altogether darker affair. In more ways than one. Nick Morrison talks to Newcastle film-maker Neil Marshall. NEIL Marshall is making no apologies for the amount

  • The appliance of science promises jobs for region

    PLANS to transform the North-East into a world-beating scientific powerhouse were unveiled yesterday. The scheme is expected to attract £600m in funding and create up to 20,000 jobs in the region. In response to the Government's decision to designate

  • Disney deal gives engineering firm workers a real Buzz

    ENGINEERING firm TAS Consultants has won a contract to supply control systems for a new Buzz Lightyear theme park ride at Disneyland Resort Paris. The Stockton company will design and supply systems for Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, a ride based on the

  • Girls build a future in construction contest

    GIRLS from schools across Darlington were building new careers for themselves as they took part in a construction contest. The event at the Morton Park Business Centre saw teenagers aiming to design and build a new landmark for the area, to be known as

  • Catterick Report

    DAVID NICHOLLS, the Sessay-near-Thirsk-based trainer, maintained the superb recent form of his stable when Victoria Peek obliged at rain-soaked Catterick yesterday, writes Colin Woods. Following Tuesday's across-the-card treble at Newmarket and Pontefract

  • Hell on the high seas

    To The Ends Of The Earth (BBC2), The World's Most Photographed (BBC2): IF To The Ends Of The Earth was being shown on ITV, it would be called Voyages From Hell - a sort of costume version of those Holidays/Honeymoon From Hell programmes. For what happens

  • Vote on homes, tenants urged

    THOUSANDS of council house tenants who have yet to log their views on the future of their homes are being urged to vote. Sedgefield Borough Council, which is considering the transfer of its 9,200 homes to a non-profit-making company, and campaigners opposing

  • PM leaves G8 for London

    Prime Minister Tony Blair interrupted the G8 conference in Scotland to make a statement about today's "barbaric" terrorist attacks in London. Mr Blair said it was now "reasonably clear" that there had been a series of terrorist attacks to coincide with

  • Fresh air main reason for visit

    THE chance to breathe fresh air is the main reason people visit the region's national parks, a survey has found. The Association of National Park Authorities (Anpa) found that 63 per cent of visitors said fresh air was the main reason to visit the Yorkshire

  • Walking on thin ice

    NO matter how much we adore and are devoted to our children, there are times when we are desperate to get away from them. Some of us dream of lying in bed after 6.30am. Or we may simply long to have a whole adult conversation, without being interrupted

  • London isn't the only winner when it comes to Olympic gold

    BUSINESS, sport and cultural leaders from around the North-East did a high jump for joy when news of London's Olympic success was announced yesterday - and they had a lot to celebrate. The community leaders gathered at the offices of One NorthEast in

  • Somnus is up for the July Cup

    PROVIDED the sun stays away and the ground good to soft, Somnus (3.05) has an outstanding chance of bringing the July Cup back from Newmarket to Tim Easterby's North Yorkshire stable. An inherently shy person, Easterby prefers to let his horses do the

  • Young actors prepare to star in popular musical

    TICKETS are on sale for a community play involving more than 40 youngsters. Theatre company Crash Bang Wallop and Stokesley School are putting on Oliver, which also features ten adult cast members. As part of the project, Paul Busby, head of music at

  • Childminder wins national title

    A MOTHER who has been profoundly deaf since she was a youngster has won the national Child Minder of the Year award. Ann Robson, of Carrville, Durham City, was nominated by the mother of one of the children she cares for. At the Childcare Stars 2005 awards

  • Exciting times ahead for region's rising stars

    Yesterday's Northern Echo profiled six North-East stars dreaming of Olympic success. Chief Sports Writer Scott Wilson revisits the region's super six to get their reaction to yesterday's news. Paul Drinkhall (Table Tennis) "It's great news that London

  • Judge to aid dad in fight to see son

    A FATHER fighting to get rights to contact his son was yesterday promised the personal help of one of Britain's top judges. The father, who is in his 40s and lives in York, split from his partner of 22 years at the beginning of 2003. She took their six-year-old