A TALENTED sports student who successfully battled a brain tumour has been handed an award for outstanding academic achievements. When he was only nine, Adam Theaker was left with weakness in his left hand and foot following the tumour. But the youngster
BUSINESSES in Middlesbrough have been given their last orders to sign up to a new licensing system. The process of getting a personal licence to sell drink and convert an existing licence for a pub, club or late night caf is relatively straightforward
THE words "community production" can strike fear into the heart of audiences. Too often, the result is well-meaning and gives many people the chance to participate in theatre but proves an artistic letdown for those watching. Once Upon A Quarry Hill emerges
A PENSIONER last night accused a council of destroying her memories. Stockton Borough Council cleared 77-year-old Joyce Clegg's home of furniture, personal documents, and possessions, including family photographs, a presentation gold watch and clock.
AT least three adult herons and several chicks have been killed with a shotgun. Last night, wildlife groups condemned the attack on the protected birds, which resulted in the destruction of three nests at a North Yorkshire heronry. Graham Madge, from
A GOOD Samaritan was attacked with a knife after he tried to help a man lying semi-conscious on the ground. The 19-year-old was jogging when he saw the man collapsed on his back in bushes next to the pathway. When he went to assist, the stricken man launched
BEFORE a terrorist bomb struck, Helen Bennett and Stephen Stables had everything to look forward to. A golden future was ahead for the pair, pictured a few months ago at a dinner at RAF Cosford, in Shropshire. They were looking forward to their first
COUNCIL leaders faced serious condemnation last night during the first public debate about their handling of the construction of Darlington Football Club's £20m stadium. A Local Government Ombudsman report, published in April, said Darlington Borough
EXCITED children are making a song and dance about the start of work on a £1.7m performing arts and fitness pavilion. The construction work, to begin next month, will provide Redcar Community College with two purpose-built drama suites, which convert
THE chief constable of a North-East police force said last night the latest crime figures confirm his force's area as one of the country's safest places to live and work. Chief Constable Paul Garvin, of the County Dur-ham and Darlington force, was speaking
RSPCA inspectors have launched an investigation after a dog close to starvation was found wandering around a North-East village. The male lurcher was found at the back of Co-operative Terrace, Trimdon Grange, County Durham, on Tuesday evening by residents
TRADERS in Stockton are seeking compensation after claims that roadworks have severely hit takings. Businesses in Church Road said the roadworks on nearby Riverside had gradually eroded their profits over the past year. But now a 7ft fence, put up outside
Division Three MIDDLEHAM lost the toss to visitors Lofthouse and Middlesmoor on Saturday and were asked to field. The visitors got off to a blistering start with 48 coming from the first nine overs, until last week's centurian, Dan Thirkell, was adjudged
A TEENAGE leisure centre worker has walked free from court after being cleared of sexually assaulting a schoolgirl swimmer. Part-time pool attendant Christopher Peart last night told of how the allegations hanging over him have left him putting his life
A FORMER ICI manager has been given the task of attracting investment to the Tees Valley. Tees Valley Regeneration, (TVR) the body set up to revitalise the area, has appointed Neil Kenley as a director. Mr Kenley, from Billingham, joins the urban regeneration
A WOMAN who has given up her spare time to help others for 22 years has had her services recognised. Linda Cockburn was presented with flowers and a certificate by Linda Ebbatson, leader of Chester-le-Street District Council. She has helped at Ouston
IT'S always somewhat disconcerting to eat a meal in a public dining room in splendid isolation. There's the hushed atmosphere, the idle staff shifting from one foot to the other. And if nobody else eats here, what's wrong with it? At Headlam Hall one
CASES of animal cruelty in the region have soared. The RSPCA says new figures depict the "horrific face" of treatment of animals, with more complaints and more rescues of pets in distress. Some case studies are appalling - including that of a North Yorkshire
REGIONAL development agency One NorthEast has helped create and safeguard more than 17,000 jobs in the region during the past year, figures showed yesterday. The agency exceeded its job creation and safeguard target, set by the Department of Trade and
A North-East mother has been charged with child neglect after allegedly leaving her children at home while on holiday in Turkey. Kelly Ann Piggford, also known as Rogerson, is to face magistrates next month accused of three counts of child neglect after
FEARS of rising fraud have prompted a root-and-branch review of the multi-billion pound compensation scheme for former coal miners. Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks told MPs yesterday that the probe would consider whether there were adequate safeguards in
NORTHERN Foods said first quarter trading was meeting hopes in tough markets. Northern, which employs 300 staff at Dalepak frozen foods, in Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire, said underlying sales in the 13 weeks to July 2 rose 3.2 per cent against 1.4 per
DAVID ALLAN'S strength in the saddle aboard Pevensey could prove vital in their joint quest to win the most valuable race of the day at York, the £20,000 HSS Hire Handicap. Mark Buckley's three-year-old has been talked of in some quarters as a winner
A FATHER wrongly accused of almost shaking his baby son to death spoke yesterday after his conviction was quashed in a landmark hearing. Michael Faulder, 36, is looking forward to rebuilding his relationship with the youngster but cannot forget the "six
SHOPPERS buying summer clothes and sports goods have taken monthly growth in high street sales to its highest level for more than a year. A rise in fashion sales by clothing stores and strong sales by sports retailers increased the volume of retail sales
IN NATIONAL Archaeology Week, both English Heritage and Defra have commended farmer David Robinson, of Sutton Howgrave Hall, near Ripon, for his work on protecting and conserving the remains of a medieval village on his land. Mr Robinson took out a ten-year
Bombers made a second attempt to kill Londoners yesterday, Britain's most senior police officer said last night. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said the intention of those who tried to set off explosive devices at four locations on the
GARETH SOUTHGATE wants Middlesbrough to forget about missed transfer targets and concentrate on reinforcing their midfield to strengthen their push for Premiership improvement. Juventus' Stephen Appiah became the second player to snub Boro within a week
FORMULA ONE 2005 Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Format: PS2 Price: £39.99 Family friendly? Yes. FORMULA One may be choking on the dust of its more entertaining rival - the British Touring Car Championship - but it stubbornly remains the world's
THE growing gap between house prices and incomes could damage the future of the region's rural communities, a Government report says. The 2005 State of the Countryside report, published by the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC), states that buying
PRODUCERS of a youth theatre group's summer show are offering a tempting prize of a trip to New York to boost audience figures. Dionysis Theatre Company is preparing for its fourth annual summer production at Durham's Gala Theatre. A cast and crew of
BY tonight, 15 vessels taking part in the Tall Ships Race will have arrived in WHITBY for a weekend of music and exhibitions. Over the weekend, there will be opportunities to board the ships and talk to the crew about life on board. Among those taking
PAUL Collingwood may have slipped down the pecking order of England Test batsmen, but many more days like yesterday could quickly force a rethink. Scoring 190 against a depleted Derbyshire attack on a flat Derby track would normally merit only a passing
A SCHOOL football team is regrouping during the summer holiday for a special one-off match. St Benet's RC Primary School side, from Ouston, has gladly taken up an invitation from old boy, recently retired professional footballer Craig Liddle, to feature
BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed of last week. Fwd: 1,325 sheep. Lt lambs to 117p av 110.6p; std to 118p av 114.8p; med to 126p av 116.7p; heavy to 117p av 114.3p. Cst sheep: Cont £36; Mule £29.50; Swale £27.50. DARLINGTON. - Thurs of last week. Fwd: 391 cattle,
Middleton St George maintained their 100pc record when they had five wickets to spare at Cockerton. Batting first, the home side were restricted to 134 for nine as Rodgers claimed four wickets for 35 and McKenna four for 66. Farrow top scored for Cockerton
Police have shot a man at Stockwell Tube station and a mosque in east London is surrounded by armed officers. Eyewitnesses say an Asian man was shot five times after being chased into the south London station. One said the man "looked like a cornered
SILTON entertained second placed Ingleby Cross and restricted the visitors to 112-4, Anthony Doyle (41) top scoring and Richard Bentley picking up 2 for 20 for the home side. When Silton replied openers John Harper (46 no) and Chris Cowton (39) put on
THE father of missing teenager Jenny Nicholl said he believes his daughter's friends may hold the key to her disappearance. Last night, Brian Nicholl urged anyone who knew the 19-year-old's whereabouts to "make one simple call to end three weeks of pain
PRODUCERS of a youth theatre group's summer show are offering a tempting prize of a trip to New York to boost audience figures. Dionysis Theatre Company is preparing for its fourth annual summer production at Durham's Gala Theatre. A cast and crew of
FOLK singer Julie Felix has embarked on a national tour to celebrate a career that spans 40 years. This includes a concert next weekend, on Saturday, July 30, as part of the Hardraw Gathering. Felix, who first arrived in Britain from California in 1964
DECADES OF supporting racing from three northern owners paid off again on Saturday when Jack Hanson at Newbury and Jim Ennis and Barry Batey at Ripon all took their turns in the winner's circle. Hanson's red and green hoops, yellow and green cap, have
JUST when I was thinking that the Ashes war of words was nothing more than media-driven hype it turned out to be a prelude to some terrific hostility from Steve Harmison. Perhaps he was partly fired up by the shock news of the Rawalpindi Rickshaw, Shoaib
THE MP for Durham North, Kevan Jones, has retained his seat on an influential parliamentary committee. The Labour backbencher, who represents Chester-le-Street, keeps the defence committee post, one he has used to spearhead criticism of the Ministry of
EVERY year more than 7,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with skin cancer. 1,700 die from it. It is one of the fastest growing cancers. And with more of us taking foreign holidays, rates are set to soar. So don't skimp on the sun cream. Slap it on generously
A MAN has drowned while swimming in Cod Beck Reservoir, near Osmotherley. Police and firefighters recovered the body of 23-year-old Stephen James Forrest, of Doxford Walk, Hemlington, Middlesbrough, on Tuesday. Search teams had been combing the popular
WHAT'S an agricultural show?" said the junior school-agers on our bus as we passed the showground entrance a few days before the Great Yorkshire opened. What indeed, and where to start. I explained that, at shows, farmers took their cattle and sheep,
Yorkshire began and ended the day brightly at Scarborough yesterday, but it was Leicestershire who picked up a first innings lead of 179 before declining to enforce the follow-on. At Grace Road in mid-May, Yorkshire pulled off a sensational victory after
A BUSINESSWOMAN from Kilburn, who started farming rare breeds of sheep and trading in their fleeces only six years ago, is to appear on Yorkshire Television's Dales Diary in the autumn. Sandie Davison was approached by the show's producer, Barbara Buglass
THE businessman behind a £70m scheme to redevelop the former Samsung site at Wynyard has called for Sir John Hall to resign from the board of the County Durham Development Company. Chris Musgrave, managing director of Wynyard Ltd, reacted angrily to news
FORMULA ONE 2005, Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment, Format: PS2, Price: £39.99: Family friendly? Yes. FORMULA One may be choking on the dust of its more entertaining rival - the British Touring Car Championship - but it stubbornly remains the world's
THE Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, is again to host the Teesdale Food and Craft Festival in celebration of local foods, history, culture and people. The event, now in its third year, is held in the grounds of the museum tomorrow and Sunday and is free
As an inquiry this week into the cases of two sex pest psychiatrists from North Yorkshire concluded that health care workers should be obliged to blow the whistle on colleagues who act inappropriately, victims of surgeon Richard Neale agree the time for
IS it really a year since the last Great North Walk, when thousands set out from the magnificent setting of Auckland Castle? Is it really two years since that glorious - too hot - day when the Great North Walkers climbed the hills above Wolsingham with
A MAN who downloaded more than 1,300 child pornography images was jailed for nine months yesterday. Shaun Birbeck, 25 was arrested last year when police raided his home in Hylton Road, Pennywell, Sunderland, and seized his computer. He pleaded guilty
A COUNCIL says that more people are heeding a new rule not to over-fill their wheelie bins. Chester-le-Street District Council has told refuse workers not to empty bins left out with their lids open because officials say it is a potential health and safety
COLLEGE principal Gareth Rees temporarily put aside the cares of office to try his hand at juggling. Professor Rees, principal of Askham Bryan College, near York, joined other staff trying different activities during a half-day training session. As well
HUNDREDS of children are hoping to qualify as pirates this summer. More than 800 young people are embarking on a "reading voyage" in Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's libraries. This year's theme is a pirate ship, with a fun activity pack and six
A NEWLY refurbished community building is to be opened in Peterlee's Woodhouse Park tomorrow. The park was created in 1998 by Peterlee Town Council to mark the 50th anniversary of the designation of the town. More than half a million pounds has been spent
A DESPERATE mother has said she would rather kill herself than be forced to move back to Serbia after her appeal for asylum was rejected. A campaign has been launched in East Cleveland to press the Home Office to reconsider the case of Ilire Xhama and
HOUSE burglaries in a Teesside town have almost halved during the past three months. There was a 48 per cent drop in house break-ins in Stockton between April and last month, compared to the same period last year. Superintendent Dave Brunskill said the
PUB regulars will see temperatures rise as they take part in a charity fire walk next month. The Eagle, in Eaglescliffe, is hosting the event to raise money for Butterwick Hospice. Pub-goers will receive two hours of motivational training before the event
A MOBILE closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera has been installed as part of a drive to combat anti-social behaviour in a market town. The £10,500 camera has been erected at Bedale Hall and will be positioned at selected sites in the town for the next
IRRESPONSIBLE drivers on Teesside are being warned to slow down, buckle up, hang up and quit drink-driving. The head of Cleveland Police's road traffic unit has criticised motorists who flout the law and needlessly put people's lives at risk. Inspector
COMPLAINTS from more than 70 women about sexual abuse in North Yorkshire hospitals were ignored, it has been revealed. A delayed report has condemned doctors and NHS managers in their dealing with the complaints, which stretched over a 40-year period,
WHESSOE, the international engineering specialist, is to keep its HQ in Darlington. A world-wide search for a new head office has ended at Morton Palms business park after the offer of a £525,000 investment grant. The move secures more than 135 jobs and
Glenn McGrath settled back into his usual Lord's routine to secure his place in cricket's hall of fame and ruin England's fine start to the first Test. The 35-year-old Australia seamer has repeatedly confounded the critics in recent years, firstly after
IT will be five years tomorrow since disgraced surgeon Richard Neale was struck off for botching operations and lying to patients. But on the eve of that anniversary the president of the General Medical Council (GMC) has warned the NHS remains vulnerable
THE site of Northallerton's annual bonfire could be lost to create new car park spaces. A scheme to create 28 extra spaces on the Applegarth bonfire site and 24 new spaces on the landscaped areas at Hambleton Forum were backed by Hambleton District Council
I HAVE a vivid memory as a schoolboy carrying a bucket up the stairs because we had an outside loo and I didn't want to go out in the cold if I was caught short in the night. That terraced house has now been demolished and it's unlikely there is a home
Premier Division Easingwold's hopes of building on their exciting win a week ago against Dunnington and retaining the title took a blow when they suffered a two-wicket defeat at Beverley Town. Andrew Dawson made 70 and Dan Copeland 28 but Easingwold were
PARENTS in a village where a school is facing closure have begun to put their houses on the market, a meeting heard last night. Conservative councillor Heather Scott told a full meeting of Darlington Borough Council that some people in Hurworth were preparing
A STOCKTON firm of chartered accountants has helped to turn a passion into profit for a client who is mad about milk. While Jamie Oliver's campaign to improve school meals has attracted much attention, former Co-op dairy manager Jon Thornes has been campaigning
A Hundred Orgasms A Day: Extraordinary People (five) Extras (BBC2) HOUSEWIFE and mother-of-three Rachel dreads washday. She has a fear of washing machines. The spin cycle really turns her on. She suffers from a rare condition known as persistent sexual
THE world's most prolific author for girls would undoubtedly frown thoughtfully about the level of sweet-paper rattling and bottom fidgeting which competes with the quietly-spoken passages of this fascinating work. Somehow, out of this cacophony comes
ONE of Spectator's colleagues was taken aback at the trendy transformation in the cafe at a Redcar amusement arcade where, in a moment of minor monetary madness (ie 20p), he once managed to wrest a soft toy depicting Sylvester, the spluttering cartoon
THE decision taken by central government to cap the council tax levied by Hambleton District Council is bizarre, if not entirely unexpected. The capping process, set in train before the general election when Labour desired to be seen to be getting tough
RESIDENTS of a street are complaining because their local council approved plans to convert a bungalow into a two-storey house. Peoplewholivein Queensmere,Chester-le-Street, say the development, with dormer windows that jut out from the roof, is not in
HEAVY price-cutting on the latest Harry Potter book was blamed last night for recent poor sales at bookshop chain Ottakar's. The retailer sold the sixth instalment in the adventures of the child wizard for £11.99 at its 136 stores, but was unable to compete
Bombers made a second attempt to kill Londoners yesterday, Britain's most senior police officer said last night. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said the intention of those who tried to set off explosive devices at four locations on the
FURNITURE retailer MFI last night announced a 26 per cent fall in half-year profits but said it was winning the battle to revive sales. MFI, which employs 600 people at its Hygena factory in Stockton, credited an advertising campaign and price cuts for
TWENTY-EIGHT per cent of the workers made redundant by electronics company LG Philips have found jobs or started retraining. The company announced the closure of its Durham plant with the loss of 760 jobs earlier this year. The factory closes today after
MORE than 100 traditional ships will arrive on the Tyne over the next week as part of the biggest outdoor event to be held in the country this year. The Newcastle-Gateshead Tall Ships' Race starts on Monday after three years of planning and is likely
DARLINGTON Borough Council spent £25,000 on recruiting a new chief executive. Extra resources were requested to meet the cost of finding a successor to Barry Keel. But the council says that "in the big scheme of things the figure is not that high." And
Kate Heath, 30, grew up in Catterick, North Yorkshire, but has worked in London for the past eight years. After yesterday's terrorist attacks, she spoke of the growing climate of fear in the capital. Yesterday the news reports came in that somebody's
FURTHER expansion of Southern ports would jeopardise a plan that could bring 7,000 jobs to the North-East, a Government minister was warned last night. Teesport owner PD Ports wants to invest £300m in a deep-sea container terminal on Teesside that would
WHEN I was a very small child, my friends and I used to look for red clovers and detach the flowers' petals one by one to suck sweet nectar from their bases. This was a common practice among country children and it explains why this very plentiful and
A DECISION on a controversial plan to extract sand and gravel near scheduled ancient monuments will not be made for another two months. North Yorkshire councillors agreed on Tuesday to make a site visit on August 4 before meeting again in September in
A SCHOOLBOY burst into tears in front of his classmates when his maths teacher called him "fatso". Mark Ghezali, 12, wept after the comment by maths teacher Adrian Kay, who insulted him because he disrupted a lesson. Mark's mother claims he was then mocked
HERDS of bison roaming the countryside was a sight more common in the Great Plains of the US in the early 19th Century than today's green fields of England. But one North Yorkshire family have changed that by bringing a number of the animals to graze
A BRAVE seven-year-old boy has been released from hospital after he was impaled on a garden railing. The ornamental spike went through Alex McCabe's chin and out of his mouth after he slipped while walking along a wall on the way to the sweet shop. Family
AS caretaker Linda Gregory shuts the gates to Rise Carr Primary School for the final time today, she and other staff will struggle to hold back the tears. When Darlington Borough Council announced plans in January to close the school because of falling
A MAN appeared in court yesterday charged with the murder of a North-East schoolboy. Dean Pike died after the blaze at his home in Sunderland. Neil English has been charged with his murder and the attempted murder of Dean's pregnant mother, Janine Dodd
THE following cases were heard by South Durham magistrates sitting in Darlington yesterday; * A Darlington man was banned from driving for 16 months after pleading guilty to drink driving. Daniel Kelly, 24, of Grosvenor Street, also admitted driving without
POLICE investigating the robbery of a woman who suffered head injuries were at the scene early this morning, a week after the attack. Officers were in Chester Road, Sunderland, between 1am and 2am, looking for witnesses. The 23-year-old had her bag snatched
AN exhibition of photographs from the first seven years of the Stanley Blues Festival is being held in the town's Lamplight Arts Centre. With this year's event two weeks away, about 60 pictures of performers and crowds from the 1993 to 2000 festivals
COMMUNITY campaigners are to honour their war dead by restoring a village monument. Supporters of a Save Our Soldier appeal in Coundon and Leeholme need to raise thousands of pounds to rebuild the life-size concrete model of a First World War infantryman
NEARLY three-quarters of the pubs in Teesdale still have to apply to transfer their entertainment licences. The pubs have been warned that there are only 14 working days to transfer their existing licences to new licences under the Licensing Act 2004.
STUDENT Louise Hebden has her sights set on life in the fast lane. The 17-year-old has already become the first girl to gain work experience as a technician at a Teesside motor dealership. The Coulby Newham teenager, who likes nothing better than building
CONSERVATIONISTS say they have serious concerns about a vision and masterplan being drawn up for Durham City over the next 15 years. Residents, traders and students are being urged to take part in what has been dubbed the most important consultation in
FORGET War of the Worlds - the alien invasion has started at Middlesbrough. Throughout the summer holidays, a programme of sci-fi entertainment will be on offer at the Hillstreet shopping centre. There will be everything from Darth Vaders on stilts to
Reports of 'big cats' roaming the North-East regularly make the newspaper headlines but, although naturalists believe the sightings are genuine, they also think the creatures are not breeding but are, in fact dying out. John Dean reports. IT was as the
THE bomb disposal squad was called to a Great Ayton garden this week after a couple found a live grenade beneath their holly hedge. The drama began two weeks ago when Des Mercer and his wife, Eileen, both of whom are leading members of the Methodist church
A MAN is about to run the race of his life to thank a cancer charity for putting him on the road to recovery. But 25-year-old Paul Jackson from Saltburn, is looking for sponsors to help him raise as much as possible for the children's cancer charity CLIC
CONFIRMATION that a second Tyne Tunnel is to be built has been hailed as good news for North-East motorists and businesses. The new crossing is expected to cost about £140m and will be built east of the existing tunnel that runs under the river between
THE hidden artistic talents of North-East figures have been revealed in a book. The third edition of The Artists of Northumberland, written by art historian Marshall Hall, was launched in Newcastle yesterday. It highlights the work of best-selling novelist
CONFIRMATION that a second Tyne Tunnel is to be built has been hailed as good news for North-East motorists and businesses. The new crossing is expected to cost about £140m and will be built east of the existing tunnel that runs under the river between
BY MALCOLM PRATT Saltburn, who have won five games more than any other side and command a 56-points lead at the top, enjoy the luxury of being able to field an unchanged side when they host Richmondshire in the Darlington Building Society NYSD Premier
Paul Connor's decision to remain at Swansea City is already a distant memory for Darlington manager David Hodgson, who is already eyeing a move for a Premiership striker. Hodgson has wasted little time in turning his attentions elsewhere following an
TRADERS and highways officials fear tourists will struggle to find Richmond this summer after directions to army barracks were fixed over a sign to the town from the A1. Town leaders thought at first the obliteration of the "Richmond" sign at a junction
BEST OF LUCK: WHEN I received details of season ticket prices from Darlington FC, I was disappointed at the rise in price for senior citizens. However, what really annoyed me was that the price included a free replica shirt, worth £36. I do not want a
The parents of a British woman blown up in the Turkish terror attacks last weekend will speak today about their loss. Helen Bennett, 21, was killed in the explosion which ripped through a minibus in Kusadasi on Saturday, also injuring her fiance Stephen
A CHARITY has called on the Government to do more to stop children buying alcohol in the wake of the deaths of two North-East boys. Stuart Adams and Lee Mullis died when they were hit by a train while messing around on tracks in Darlington. On Wednesday
CUSTOMERS of three village post offices are being asked to accept big reductions in opening hours in return for survival of the services. The Post Office is consulting on a pilot scheme for the branches at Leeming Bar, Crakehall and North Stainley to
PRIMARY school children had history vividly brought to life when part of a Roman road was discovered beneath their feet. Excited pupils at Cestria Primary School, in Chester-le-Street, were taken outside to see the remains of the cobbled road, discovered
A Hundred Orgasms A Day: Extraordinary People (five); Extras (BBC2): HOUSEWIFE and mother-of-three Rachel dreads washday. She has a fear of washing machines. The spin cycle really turns her on. She suffers from a rare condition known as persistent sexual
A MAN appeared in court yesterday charged with the murder of a North-East schoolboy. Dean Pike died after the blaze at his home in Sunderland. Neil English has been charged with his murder and the attempted murder of Dean's pregnant mother, Janine Dodd
A MAN from the North-East jailed in a so-called "shaken baby syndrome" case was cleared by the Court of Appeal yesterday. Three judges in London held that the presence of three classic features of the syndrome did not automatically lead to a conclusion
ATHLETES returned home with a record medal tally to a rapturous reception. Redcar and Cleveland had 51 athletes competing in ten different sports as part of the 258-strong Northern team at the Special Olympics National Summer Games, held in Glasgow. Mayor
SESSAY are now firm favourites to take the title after a narrow victory over closest challengers Thirsk, whilst Newburgh still have an outside chance after beating Alne, who themselves are all but relegated. Sheriff Hutton have almost guaranteed their
BY JANE HARPER A RE-CREATION of a wartime pony trek is proving less hazardous than the original, erratic journey. Four pupils and a riding mistress from Fyling Hall School near Whitby set off on Monday to follow in the footsteps of a Second World War
CIVIL emergency plans in Darlington are to be reviewed in the wake of the London terror attack and last week's double bomb scare in the town centre. Darlington centre came to a halt when a rucksack was left in a phone kiosk and two men were spotted acting
A devastated couple told yesterday how an "inhuman" suicide bomber tore their lives apart on a family holiday. A last minute decision to go to the beach delivered tragic Helyn Bennet, 21, and her family into the hands of a callous killer. Sharon and Tom
THE Forestry Commission has begun a new regional approach to supporting and enhancing England's woodlands. The English Woodland Grant Scheme has allocated £1.3m for the North-East, and £1.5m for Yorkshire and the Humber, for new planting and better stewardship
STRUGGLING neighbourhoods across the North-East won a £166m windfall yesterday to spruce up areas and tackle crime. Education and health schemes in 14 towns and cities were handed a share of a £109.2bn pot to improve homes, clear up open spaces and cut
PAVAROTTI wannabes managed by opera star Suzannah Clarke will be smartly turned out thanks to a community grant. The West Redcar Single Regeneration Budget's Community Chest has given £1,000 to the newly-formed Corus Heavy Metal Opera, a group of Corus
THE cost of removing poisonous zinc and arsenic from land below dozens of properties will run into millions of pounds, a council has warned. Nearly a hundred homes on an estate in Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool, have been affected by the contamination,
A MOTHER-of-six was branded a nuisance by a court after pleading guilty to two charges of shoplifting. Janay Brown, of Blakeston Court, Stockton, was given an 18-month community rehabilitation order by South Durham magistrates sitting in Darlington yesterday
GUIDO Louis' life story reads like a Boys' Own adventure. After leaving home at the age of 16 to join the circus, he was taught stunt riding by Cossacks and now runs his own troupe from the unlikely setting of a caravan near Richmond. With his partner
MORE than 100 traditional ships will arrive on the Tyne over the next week as part of the biggest outdoor event to be held in the country this year. The Newcastle-Gateshead Tall Ships' Race starts on Monday after three years of planning and is likely
A RIDING school has won its battle to expand its facilities, but has been given a three-month deadline to improve parking facilities. Jodhpurs Riding School in Blind Lane, Tockwith, near Wetherby, secured planning permission for an indoor riding arena
Scorton schoolboy Max Coates was competing in the National WTP Cadet Karting Championship last weekend at his home circuit Warden Law near Sunderland. The 11-year-old, who leaves Bolton on Swale Primary School at the end of this term, had a brilliant
WORKERS are refurbishing the Fawdon Wagonway Underpass, underneath the A1, in the Brunswick Village and Wideopen area of North Tyneside. Work is not expected to cause disruptions.
THE decision to cap an authority with one of the lowest council taxes in the country has been approved, despite protests from local MPs. The Commons gave its blessing to the capping of Hambleton District Council - and ignored the warning of former Tory
DARREN Williams is in line for his Hartlepool United debut tomorrow. The ex-Sunderland defender moved to Pool from Cardiff this week and will be involved at York City, the club from where he moved to Sunderland in 1996. Williams was an unused substitute
DAVID ALLAN'S strength in the saddle aboard Pevensey could prove vital in their joint quest to win the most valuable race of the day at York, the £20,000 HSS Hire Handicap. Mark Buckley's three-year-old has been talked of in some quarters as a winner
WHILE many of her friends spend weekends socialising in bars, Sam Foster is conducting weddings and delivering sermons. At 25, Sam has just become Britain's youngest female vicar. Working at St Oswald's Church, in Fulford, York, she admits some parishioners
