Archive

  • Addict wins cut in his jail sentence

    A DRUG addict who was part of a heroin supply network in a North town has won a cut to his "manifestly excessive" jail term. Appeal Court judges took 18 months off Jonathan Allen Chadwick's four-year sentence after they ruled he deserved the cut because

  • Court hears of mother's battle

    A MOTHER has told a jury how she battled to save her dying son after his throat was cut in a late-night attack on his doorstep. Denise Beddow stemmed the flow of blood from the gaping wound with tea towels until neighbours came to help. Her son Craig

  • Expenses claim MP slated by local chief

    LABOUR MP Frank Cook was criticised by his constituency chairman last night after trying to claim almost £1,500 from the taxpayer to spruce up his overgrown garden. The Commons authorities have refused to pay the Stockton North MP's expenses claim, submitted

  • Rockin' On Heaven's Door, Gala Theatre, Durham

    ROCKIN' on Heaven's Door is an established musical, back in Durham by popular demand. The show combines four tribute singers: Roy Orbison, Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, and the King himself, Elvis Presley, all backed by a five piece band. There is an inescapable

  • Plans approved for £4.5m club

    PLANS to build a £4.5m Springs fitness and leisure club in Middlesbrough, by extending the Tennis World complex in Marton Road, has been approved by councillors. The project, which will create 70 jobs, has the support of the Lawn Tennis Association. The

  • On TV

    Tribe (BBC2) Manhunt: Fireraiser (ITV1) ANTHROPOLOGIST Barry Parry doesn't observe, he experiences. Rather than just film the lives of remote tribes, he goes off and lives with them. In the impenetrable forest of West Papua he sought out the last uncontacted

  • Revamp of town to begin at last

    A MULTI-MILLION pound deal to regenerate a run-down North-East town has finally been signed. It means that the scheme to revamp the heart of Thornaby Town Centre will finally become a reality after years of planning. Thornfield Properties will invest

  • Man scoops holiday prize

    A TEESSIDE man won a five-star luxury holiday in Spain when he took a test drive in a Seat Altea. John Chambers' prize was the result of a promotion by Jennings Seat and The Magic Travel Group to launch the new car. But the doting dad has handed over

  • Family calls for more advice after woman dies of DVT

    THE family of a woman who died after suffering from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) have called for greater awareness of the condition. North Yorkshire East Coroner Michael Oakley yesterday recorded a verdict of misadventure on Karen Pearse, a 44-year-old

  • Police warn over paintball shootings

    POLICE have warned of the dangers of paintball guns after a spate of shootings. Officers in the North York Moors have confiscated two paintball guns in recent weeks. One gun was taken from a group of youths spotted firing from a car in Kirkbymoorside

  • 'Mother used drugs to ease her pain'

    A MOTHER who spent her benefit money on drugs after her children were taken into care was in court yesterday. Harrogate magistrates heard how Jane Sykes planned to use heroin and cannabis to comfort her in the absence of her children. But police arrived

  • Taking action over inequalities

    HEALTH experts in Darlington are to produce an action plan to tackle inequalities. More than 200 people met last week to devise ways of improving the health of the town's 102,000 population. Darlington Partnership's Assembly on Health event, at the Dolphin

  • Martial art expert took on attacker

    A MARTIAL arts expert leapt into action to keep a thug at bay until police arrived, despite being stabbed several times. Neil Stavers, a black belt in jujitsu, a brown belt in aikido and a blue belt in judo, was stabbed after he intervened when he saw

  • Writer helps to spread

    CHILDREN'S author Grant Slatter is to hold a story session with local brownies and cubs tomorrow to encourage more youngsters to read. Mr Slatter, who wrote the Oddies series of children's books, will entertain members of the 1st Eppleton Brownies and

  • Town to clamp down on fly-tipping

    A CLAMPDOWN on the illegal transportation of waste and fly-tipping is to be launched in a Teesside town. Environmental officers in Hartlepool have joined forces with police and customs officers to stop illegal tipping. Vehicles will be spot-checked in

  • Charity fills care post

    A CHARITY which is to open a respite centre for children and young people with autism on Teesside, has recruited its first key worker. Heather Whyman has been appointed care manager for the Norton, Stockton, based Daisy Chain charity. With a wealth of

  • A few surprises, but no frozen ovaries

    After spending nine months teaching English in Romania, Jane Bradley, from Wolviston near Billingham, returns more than two years later and finds that some things will never change. BEING back in Cluj was a bit of an unexpected culture shock. Maybe last

  • Police will combine forces in bid to make village safer

    A CAMPAIGN to crack down on troublemakers in a north Durham village was launched yesterday. Durham Constabulary's Streetsafe initiative in Sacriston will combine the forces of several agencies to target anti-social behaviour, drug dealers, low-level crime

  • Inquest: Suspected CD pirate committed suicide

    A MAN suspected of organising a CD and DVD piracy business sent a goodbye text message to his estranged wife before he killed himself, an inquest has heard. Paul Matthew Candler, 33, died on May 7 last year after he took a large quantity of tablets. His

  • Boy's £1.75m payout after accident

    A BOY who was severely brain-damaged when he was knocked from his tricycle as a toddler has been awarded £1.75m compensation. George Currie has needed constant care after he was knocked from his tricycle by a taxi in September 1993, which left him with

  • Heavy snowfalls forecast in region

    PEOPLE in the North-East and North Yorkshire have been advised to take extra care on the roads, with heavy snow forecast for this morning. High winds have also been forecast -leading to the possibility of localised blizzard conditions. As the first showers

  • 'Blanket 20mph limit' opposed

    SCHOOLS on main roads should not automatically be allowed to impose 20mph speed limits, according to a senior council officer. The Harrogate area committee has asked for the county council policy to be changed so that 20mph speed limits can be brought

  • County sees lowest property slowdown

    PROPERTY prices in Yorkshire are falling more slowly than anywhere else in the UK, a report showed yesterday. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' (RICS)' monthly housing survey for the region showed that, although house prices went down in December

  • Youngsters raise a cheer for success of school

    STAFF and pupils at a school in Darlington are celebrating success in a recent inspection. Abbey Infant School, in the west end of the town, was identified as a good school with some very good features after an inspection by Ofsted. Teaching staff at

  • Pub blaze 'was arson'

    ARSONISTS are being blamed for an early morning blaze at a pub over the weekend. Cleveland Fire Brigade were called to the Oasis pub in Roseberry Road, Redcar, Teesside, at about 4.20am on Sunday. Fire chiefs have reported the blaze was deliberate and

  • Demand for North Run places high

    ENTRIES for this year's Great North Run are now open, with an entry ballot in operation for the first time. The 25th annual race will take place on September 18, but new arrangements are in place because demand for places is expected to be high. This

  • Park chiefs' welcome for more funds

    NATIONAL park chiefs have welcomed the announcement of extra Government funding. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has been told its annual grant for 2005/2006 will be £4,906,870 -an increase of £320,000 on last year. Speaking after the announcement

  • Curfew to tackle gangs of rowdy youths on streets

    CURFEW orders are being put in place to tackle gangs of youths who intimidate residents. Teenagers under the age of 16 who are found on the streets after 9pm in some areas of Middlesbrough will be escorted home by Cleveland Police. Residents in Grangetown

  • Fireman receives award

    A FIREFIGHTER paralysed from the chest down in a horrific cycling accident has been honoured by the fire service. Peter Hoare collided with a broken-down bus as he cycled between Northallerton and Leeming Bar in May 2002. The accident left him paralysed

  • Partygoers help keep service in air

    FUNDRAISING at a Christmas party in a North pub has raised £1,400 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA). Staff at the Buckles Inn, at Bilbrough, near York, worked hard selling tickets throughout last month and, with the support of manager Ian Booth, hundreds

  • Medics send for Moxy Malone

    A CARTOON detective is on Teesside to raise awareness about the misuse of prescribed antibiotics. Moxy Malone, designed by Viz illustrator Steve Donald, is seeking the truth about when antibiotics do and don't work. Middlesbrough Primary Care Trust (PCT

  • Inner city estate refurbished

    An inner city housing estate is being smartened up with murals painted on to the front of boarded up houses to make them looked lived-in. To hide the run-down appearance of empty and often derelict homes traditional corrugated iron has been replaced with

  • Police will combine forces in bid to make village safer

    A CAMPAIGN to crack down on troublemakers in a north Durham village was launched yesterday. Durham Constabulary's Streetsafe initiative in Sacriston will combine the forces of several agencies to target anti-social behaviour, drug dealers, low-level crime

  • Bus company seeks fresh recruits

    A BUS company hunting for new drivers is offering people the chance to get behind the wheel of one of its vehicles. Arriva North East is on the lookout for recruits for its services in north and east Durham. It is holding a recruitment open day on Sunday

  • Chris Fleetwood

    NEWCASTLE-based plc the Chieftain Group has appointed CHRIS FLEETWOOD as a non-executive director. The 53-year-old currently holds a number of executive and non-executive positions in North-East companies. Between 1988 and 2000, Mr Fleetwood was Chief

  • Villages dig deep for tsunami cash

    GENEROUS people from three small North-East villages have donated £5,700 to the tsunami appeal. The huge collection, from Heighington, Redworth and the hamlet of Killerby, in County Durham, is even more impressive because the area has a population of

  • Court told of gun death

    A COURT heard how a youth accidentally shot a 13-year-old boy dead on a hunting trip. William Buffey was killed by a single round to the back of the head from a .22 rifle on February 22 last year. Two people appeared at Leeds Crown Court on Friday on

  • Festival call to region's musicians

    A CALL has gone out to musicians who want to take part in a North-East arts festival. Hartlepool Music and Arts Festival attracts participants from across the region and competition heats will take place at Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre on Friday and Saturday

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    Joiner, 40hpw, Mon-Fri 8am-4.30pm, exceed NMW. Must be time-served and have current driving licence. Ref: DUR 41830. Skip Driver, 48hpw Mon-Fri 6.45am-5.15pm, £400pw. Must be 25+ for insurance purposes and home a class 2 licence. Previous experience of

  • Asian exploitations leading to net profits for the Toon Army

    In the final part of our series focusing on the commercial side of the North-East's top three football clubs, Paul Willis looks at the Toon Army brand. WANDER through any market in Bangkok and before long you are sure to find a trader selling replica

  • Raiders tie up pool hall worker in armed raid

    AN all-night snooker hall is reviewing its 24-hour operations following an armed robbery. A masked man and woman burst into Riley's Pool Hall, in Yarm Lane, Stockton, in the early hours yesterday, threatened a male member of staff with a crowbar and hammer

  • Rediscover your childhood at museum event

    AN evening of childhood memories and nostalgia is being planned at a North Yorkshire museum. The Royal Pump Room Museum, in Victoria Avenue, Harrogate, is inviting people on a trip down memory lane and to take along their favourite childhood book for

  • Robert Muckle adds to its employment team

    EXPANDING law firm Robert Muckle has recruited three employment lawyers from outside the region. "I am delighted to welcome three new employment lawyers who have all chosen to relocate to the North-East from Leeds, Hertfordshire and London and have chosen

  • Yorkon wins award for a second year

    PIONEERING York-based Portakabin subsidiary Yorkon has won a major industry award for the second year running. The company has been devising new ways of building schools, retail outlets and blocks of flats in its factory rather than on building sites

  • Liddle to step up his return

    DARLINGTON skipper Craig Liddle will step up his return from injury in tomorrow's behind-closed-doors friendly with Leeds United. David Hodgson has confirmed that Liddle is expected to get a run-out for the first time this year after undergoing a double

  • Children all set for silence test

    YOUNGSTERS practised staying silent as they prepared for a national charity effort. The 38 pupils at East Cowton Primary School, near Northallerton, will be among those taking part in the Big Hush in aid of Macmillan Cancer Relief on January 28. They

  • Would now be a good time to begin working for myself?

    Q I am quite a successful salesman, but am sick of being an employee. With the majority of the money I make going to my bosses, its time that I earned myself a bigger piece of the pie and ran my own business. I think I can turn my experience and contacts

  • When things go bump in the gun battery . . .

    SPOOKED residents called police after spotting a suspicious presence at a disused military installation. Officers were drafted in when strange lights and shadows were spotted at the Heugh Gun Battery, at Hartlepool. But when police arrived at the First

  • The North: from Neptune to fish and chips

    What's the significance of Durham's bare-bottomed statue of Neptune and where did a lovely house once stand in Whitby? Harry Mead finds the answers to these questions and more. DURHAM: OVER 1,000 YEARS OF HISTORY AND LEGEND by Martin Dufferwiel (Mainstream

  • Showtime for melody makers

    AUDIENCES are preparing for a foot-tapping time at the annual village opera. The Lanchester and District Amateur Operatic Society will be staging The Melody Lingers On at the village's St Bede's School, at 7.15pm, from Wednesday, February 2, to Friday

  • Violent gang targeting banks

    A VIOLENT gang of criminals is operating a sophisticated con using false cash machine fronts. The gang is thought to be responsible for three incidents of false fronts being placed over Barclays Bank machines in Teesside. One bank customer in North Ormesby

  • Eating Owt: Poppadoms with panache

    It boasts food of unrivalled flair and despite its unlikely setting, Villa Spice is true to its word. IN idle moments, of which there are a great many, the column falls to planning its own funeral. The cortege will arrive to the suitably haunting sound

  • Jobs blow at TV cabinet maker

    A NORTH-EAST town was facing a jobs blow last night as a TV cabinet maker told workers its factory was to close with the loss of up to 100 jobs. Acre Products, a family-owned business based in Keighley, West Yorkshire, told unions on Thursday that the

  • Marcus makes welcome return to telecoms firm

    A former employee of leading North-East telecommunications company Executel has returned to the firm after a six-month absence. MARCUS AYRES, 32, from Newcastle, previously worked for the Gateshead company as an account manager, but left last year to

  • Priest admits sexual assault on 13-year-old boy in 1970s

    A ROMAN Catholic priest has admitted that he sexually abused a 13-year-old boy. Michael Dunn, 55, entered formal pleas of guilty to one charge of indecent assault and to two charges of gross indecency when he appeared at Teesside Magistrates' Court yesterday

  • Building firm's boss eyes

    A BUILDING firm has its sights set on steady expansion, after a buy-out. Randall Orchard Construction, in Richmond, has been sold to Graeme Newton for an undisclosed sum. The group, based on the Gallowfields Trading Estate in Mercury Road, builds and

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    Domestic, Northallerton. £4.85ph, 25hrs pw, 8am to 1.30pm, 5 over 7 days. Must have cleaning experience and be able to relate to needs of the elderly. Ref: NAL 1224. Secretary, Thirsk. £16,000 to £18,000pa, 35hrs pw, 9am to 5pm, or 8am to 4pm, Mon-Fri

  • Boa Morte leaves door open

    LUIS BOA MORTE'S transfer to Newcastle could be back on. Manager Graeme Souness made a tentative approach for the Fulham striker a fortnight ago only to be told by his Craven Cottage counterpart Chris Coleman he was not for sale. Despite Coleman's rebuff

  • Chain expects to plumb new heights

    PLUMB Center chain Wolseley said it was confident of further progress after seeing first half sales and profits move sharply ahead. The building and plumbing materials specialist said its UK division, which employs 12,000 people at 1,500 sites, had been

  • Firebombings being treated as racial attacks, say police

    A SPATE of racially motivated firebomb attacks have been carried out in a North-East town. A mosque, Chinese takeaway and pizza shop in Darlington have been targeted in the early morning attacks. Glass bottles filled with a flammable liquid were thrown

  • Too many cars, too few buyers - it's time to put the brakes on

    Car manufacturers have grappled with the problem of overcapacity for many years. But, according to a new report, many of them are seriously underestimating the danger of making too many cars. Industry analysts believe the global car market can absorb

  • Pupils to defend gym title

    Pupils are preparing to defend a gymnastics title against some of the best young gymnasts in the area. Youngsters from Queen Mary's School at Baldersby, near Topcliffe, are hard at work practising for the Hambleton District Gym Competition. The school

  • Demand for North Run places high

    ENTRIES for this year's Great North Run are now open, with an entry ballot in operation for the first time. The 25th annual race will take place on September 18, but new arrangements are in place because demand for places is expected to be high. This

  • David Clancy

    DAVID CLANCY has been appointed to the board of North Yorkshire development company S Harrison Developments, part of the S Harrison Group. The 42-year-old holds a degree in general practice surveying from Newcastle and has worked for the valuation office

  • When bonding brings tears to the eyes

    Tribe (BBC2); Manhunt: Fireraiser (ITV1): ANTHROPOLOGIST Barry Parry doesn't observe, he experiences. Rather than just film the lives of remote tribes, he goes off and lives with them. In the impenetrable forest of West Papua he sought out the last uncontacted

  • Comment from The Northern Echo: An expense claim too far

    THE image of modern British politics is tarnished by the cynicism felt for politicians. Never has the esteem for ministers and MPs been so low. The challenge facing all politicians at the next, and subsequent, elections is to persuade the public that

  • Zenden's plea

    MIDDLESBROUGH midfielder Bolo Zenden believes there is no need for an FA action after Sunday's 16-man melee during his side's draw with Everton, writes Paul Fraser. The Football Association will await the arrival of referee Dermot Gallagher's match report

  • Celia Craig, Stephen Hall and Warren Edge

    THE Newcastle office of professional services firm Deloitte has awarded directorships to three members of staff. CELIA CRAIG, STEPHEN HALL and WARREN EDGE have been promoted. Ms Craig, who has worked in the firm's assurance and advisory department for

  • Festival call to region's musicians

    A CALL has gone out to musicians who want to take part in a North-East arts festival. Hartlepool Music and Arts Festival attracts participants from across the region and competition heats will take place at Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre on Friday and Saturday

  • £100,000 on offer to 'Stock-Idol'

    THE London Stock Exchange yesterday laid down a £100,000 challenge to find the country's best investor in a "Stock-Idol" challenge. Entrants from the North-East and Yorkshire will compete in a regional heat with a £5,000 prize on offer to the holder of

  • Bishop launches savings service

    THE Bishop of Jarrow followed in the footsteps of Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife, Cherie, yesterday when he signed up for a saving and loans co-operative. The Right Reverend John Pritchard performed a formal opening ceremony at a collection point

  • Plans to build £2m school on hold after safety fears raised

    Plans for a £2m primary school have gone back to the drawing board after claims that access to the building would be dangerous. An application for St Cuthbert's RCVA Primary School, in Crook, has been withdrawn by the Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle

  • Call centre plans more success

    A CALL centre training programme boasting a 90 per cent success rate in finding permanent jobs for its trainees will hold an open day later this week. The programme, run by Contact Centre Professional, has organised an open day to take place on Thursday

  • Charity cycle raises £932

    A GYM team that cycled hundreds of miles without moving from the spot raised £932.50 for breast cancer victims. The marathon effort took place at Visions gym, at Woodhouse Close Leisure Complex, Bishop Auckland, to support the Breast Cancer Campaign's

  • Rowan Ferguson

    THE North-East's largest law firm is expanding its education group with the appointment of ROWAN FERGUSON. She will join Dickinson Dees as head of education, leading a team of lawyers working for education clients throughout the UK. She will initially

  • Minibus crash teenager still critical

    A TEENAGE motorist was still in a critical condition yesterday after a minibus hit the back of his car at the weekend. Jonathan Stephen Cadman, 18, of Whitworth Manor, Spennymoor, was standing outside his Alpha Romeo when the crash occurred at 2.30pm

  • Plea to help ex-servicemen

    A RETIRED civil servant is urging businesses and the public to support the region's former servicemen. Laurie Bristow, who served in the Royal Navy for 12 years, has been appointed to raise funds for the County Durham and Darlington branch of SSAFA Forces

  • Plea to help ex-servicemen

    A RETIRED civil servant is urging businesses and the public to support the region's former servicemen. Laurie Bristow, who served in the Royal Navy for 12 years, has been appointed to raise funds for the County Durham and Darlington branch of SSAFA Forces

  • Police link rural burglaries

    POLICE are warning residents of Teesdale to secure outbuildings and garages after a spate of burglaries that are being linked. In the early hours of yesterday, two men were disturbed at outbuildings in Spa Road, Gainford. The men had broken padlocks on

  • Proud day for Bill and his family

    A PENSIONER who has spent the past decade and a half helping to revive a North-East community has collected his MBE from the Lord Lieutenant of County Durham. Bill Cook turned down an invitation to Buckingham Palace and chose to collect his MBE from Sir

  • People may be missing out on cash

    RESIDENTS of Darlington who are missing out on tens of thousands of pounds worth of benefits are being urged to claim what they are entitled to. Borough council officials are contacting 12,000 people who may be missing out on help with council tax, rent

  • Coach for hire

    COMMUNITY groups for elderly or vulnerable people are invited to take advantage of a community hire coach. Sedgefield Borough Council is offering the use of a 24-seater coach, which can accommodate wheelchairs and people with impaired mobility, for social

  • Gay links made

    NEWCASTLE City Council will spend almost £67,000 to appoint someone to work with the city's lesbian, gay and bisexual community. The holder of the two-year post will be expected to make links between Newcastle City Council and the city's gay community

  • Driver arrested

    A man was arrested for driving while disqualified after fleeing when police stopped the car he was driving. The vehicle was pulled over on the A1 northbound near Barton Lorry Park, in North Yorkshire, at about 10.30am on Sunday. The driver ran off but

  • Zenden warns Euro rivals

    MIDDLESBROUGH'S Bolo Zenden had words of warning for Everton and Liverpool last night: "We're not going to give up on a Champions League place just yet". Boro's failure to overcome the Toffees at the Riverside Stadium on Sunday has left the eight point

  • Heritage help is quicker

    ADVICE on heritage-related planning applications in the region has been speeded up, according to a report yesterday. English Heritage said that last year, advice was delivered 25 per cent faster than in 2003. All advice on planning and listed building

  • Banker Count attracts sizeable interest

    TOP-WEIGHT should be no barrier to prevent Banker Count (3.10) continuing his winning ways at Towcester today. Having previously hit both posts and the crossbar in a series of near-misses, the Venetia Williams-trained 13-year-old eventually ended a losing

  • Appeal to help ex-servicemen

    A RETIRED civil servant has issued a new year appeal to businesses and the public to support the region's former servicemen. Laurie Bristow, who served in the Royal Navy for 12 years, has been appointed to raise funds for the County Durham and Darlington

  • Minibus back on road after donations

    A HOSPICE minibus damaged by burglars is back on the road thanks to people's generosity. The £20,000 Renault vehicle is used to take terminally ill patients to and from St Cuthbert's Hospice, in Durham. Just before Christmas, thieves broke into the garage

  • Homeless charity awarded grant to work with young

    A CHARITY has been awarded a grant that will help its work with homeless people over the next three years. The Stanley-based charity Single Homeless Action Initiative Derwentside (Shaid) has been given £30,000 by the Greggs Trust to aid its work with

  • Violent gang targeting banks

    A VIOLENT gang of criminals is operating a sophisticated con using false cash machine fronts. The gang is thought to be responsible for three incidents of false fronts being placed over Barclays Bank machines in Teesside. One bank customer in North Ormesby

  • Curfew to tackle gangs of rowdy youths on streets

    CURFEW orders are being put in place to tackle gangs of youths who intimidate residents. Teenagers under the age of 16 who are found on the streets after 9pm in some areas of Middlesbrough will be escorted home by Cleveland Police. Residents in Grangetown

  • College warden appointed

    A NEW warden of Cranmer Hall will be officially appointed tonight. Bishop of Durham, the Right Reverend Tom Wright, will license Canon Anne Dyer as the warden at a 7.30pm ceremony in the Leech Hall of St John's College, Durham. The 46-year-old canon will

  • No sweat for Federer as he posts Open win

    It may not have been the hottest day on record in Melbourne, but for Roger Federer to barely break sweat was still a notable achievement. Against a player ranked 49th in the world and the reigning Australian Open doubles champion, Federer demonstrated

  • Head of closure-threatened school blasts error in report

    A HEADteacher whose school is facing closure has criticised education bosses for an error in a key council report. Darlington Borough Council's cabinet will decide today whether to approve shutting Rise Carr Primary School, in Eldon Street, this summer

  • Hairdresser acted as a courier to deliver cannabis

    A HAIRDRESSER who agreed to act as a cannabis courier found himself arrested in a drugs bust, a court heard yesterday. Harrogate magistrates were told how Alistair Moffat travelled from a flat in High Street, Knaresborough, to Starbeck, Harrogate, to

  • Bus company seeks fresh recruits...

    A BUS company hunting for new drivers is offering people the chance to get behind the wheel of one of its vehicles. Arriva North East is on the lookout for recruits for its services in north and east Durham. It is holding a recruitment open day on Sunday

  • Union tells of BPI talks collapse

    INDUSTRIAL relations at a strike-hit factory in the region have completely broken down, a union leader claimed last night. Management and workers at British Polythene Industries, in Stockton, have failed to thrash out an agreement following six one-day

  • Collins duo pass the test

    Seeing Danny and Neill Collins line up - and greatly impress - in Sunderland's win at Derby might have been a surprise for some, but not for the latter. The pair were asked to fill the boots of Gary Breen and Steve Caldwell, at the heart of Sunderland's

  • The Beautiful South planning forest gig

    POP band The Beautiful South are heading North for a spectacular forest gig. The concert in Dalby Forest, near Pickering, North Yorkshire, is the latest in a series at the 8,500-acre site. Last year, a concert by Paul Weller sold out. Other performers

  • Students are injured as bus hits barrier at station

    AN investigation is under way after a bus collided with a barrier at a bus station. College students were taken to hospital - thought to be suffering shock, bruises and possible whiplash - after they were thrown about by the impact. Passengers on the

  • Media bosses view ITV bid

    ITV shares made further heavy gains yesterday after reports said former BBC director general Greg Dyke may launch a £6bn takeover bid. Shares in the company have lifted ten per cent since Wednesday - including three per cent yesterday - amid speculation

  • Club celebrates a decade of helping stroke sufferers

    A CLUB started in Hartlepool for people who have suffered a stroke and their carers is celebrating its tenth anniversary. The club, which began with just ten people, now welcomes up to 36 patients and their relatives and friends to its weekly meetings

  • Banker Count attracts sizeable interest

    TOP-WEIGHT should be no barrier to prevent Banker Count (3.10) continuing his winning ways at Towcester today. Having previously hit both posts and the crossbar in a series of near-misses, the Venetia Williams-trained 13-year-old eventually ended a losing

  • Nationwide appeal to help elderly people

    A NATIONWIDE charity appeal to help elderly people was launched in a North-East town yesterday. Help the Aged chose Tesco in Stockton to launch its campaign against isolation and loneliness among pensioners. The charity decided to highlight the problem

  • Father escapes tsunami by minutes

    A NORTH-EAST father thought to have been killed in the Asian tsunami disaster has been found alive and well. Michael Swanton, 36, was on the beach at Phuket when he heard the wave was coming. The father-of-one, who owns a transport company in the area

  • 'Fully let' sign on Terrace Hill offices

    THE latest office building to be developed at Teesdale Business Park, on Teesside, is now fully let. Westminster, a Terrace Hill building at St Mark's Court, has attracted companies including Allied Irish Bank, Terrace Hill itself and Lister Associates

  • Worries over missing man

    FEARS are growing for the welfare of a man who is missing from his North Yorkshire home. Peter Jones, 52, left his home in Harrogate, last Thursday morning. He was driving a silver Ford Focus with the registration number X707 YMV. He was last seen in

  • Basil's brush with Postman Pat to deliver DVD deal

    THE group that owns the rights to Basil Brush and Postman Pat last night struck a deal to launch DVDs featuring cartoon strongman He-Man. Shares in Entertainment Rights were beefed up yesterday by the deal with distributor BCI Eclipse to target 100 million

  • Assault case delayed over cancer tests

    THE case of a former community warden accused of indecently assaulting a woman has been delayed. Derek Mitchell, 58, will have tests with a medical specialist before he stands trial later this year. Mr Mitchell, of Ingham Grove, Hartlepool, has been receiving

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    Powder Coater, 40hpw, £5ph. Previous experience is essential. Applicants must be flexible to meet demands of business. Ref: NEU 18640. Driver/Handyperson, 37.3hpw, £5.50ph. Must be aged 25+ for insurance purposes with full clean driving licence. Forklift

  • £1.9m sport centre work to begin

    WORK is due to start on a £1.9m sports centre on Teesside following archaeological excavations. The centre, on The Headland, in Hartlepool, will feature a sports hall, badminton courts, a fitness room and a creche. Building work at the site, on empty

  • Porterfield's new Korea

    The man whose Wembley goal wrong footed football and secured Sunderland's finest hour is celebrating an underdog day every bit as improbable. Ian Porterfield, now a wing heeled Alan Whicker among managers, has led unfancied Busan I'Cons to victory in

  • Tribute to pit workers moves another step closer

    PREPARATIONS to finally mark the mass graves of the men and boys who died in the region's worst pit disaster have started. Work on a memorial stone is due to start in the coming weeks, with Scott's Memorials, in Consett, County Durham, carrying out the

  • Shamani Coverdale

    SHAMANI COVERDALE has been appointed to the new role of business relationship manager. With seven years' experience in marketing and business, she will be working closely with both organisations. She said: "The role of universities within the North-East

  • N-E helps Airbus to take off

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  • 18/01/05

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