SUNDERLAND have hailed an attempt to win over the hearts and minds of their supporters a success after selling out for tonight's Carling Cup tie with Arsenal. At a time when ticket pricing has been under the spotlight, and as football attendances continue
SURGEONS are fighting to save the sight of a schoolboy who yobs may have blinded in one eye. The 11-year-old has damage to a cornea after being hit in the face with a brick. He was targeted by a gang in Middlesbrough, one of whom threw the brick. A spokeswoman
DURHAM yesterday completed the signing of Australian seamer Mick Lewis as their second overseas player for next season. They also announced that they have promoted four academy products, all batsmen, to the full-time staff, including Ben Harmison. Harmison
The northern research partnership involving eight of the region's universities - called N8 - has appointed DR DAVID SECHER as its first chief executive. The N8 group comprises the universities of Durham, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle
A MAN convicted of a gangland murder 38 years ago is pleading with the public to help him prove his innocence. Dennis Stafford and business associate Michael Luvaglio were convicted of murdering fruit machine dealer Angus Sibbet in South Hetton, County
GARLANDS Call Centres has appointed NIGEL MYERS as finance director. He will head the Garlands' finance team with responsibility for preparation of budgets and forecasts, financial control and preparation of management accounts, contract management and
A TRAILER hire and sales company that went into administration earlier this month hopes its growing export business will lead to a profitable future. Darlington Trailer Hire Limited, based at Hackworth Industrial Estate, in Shildon, called in local insolvency
Churchyards can be the answer to Nature's prayers in a world where concrete often hold sway. Environment correspondent John Dean reports. WALKING through the graveyard at St Oswald's Church, there is a great sense of peace. This is, after all, the last
A YOUNG horse-rider has been left shaken after a confrontation with a motorcyclist on a quiet country road. Her attacker gripped her throat so hard during the incident that his fingers left bruise marks on her neck. The terrifying confrontation took place
A TRAILER hire and sales company that went into administration earlier this month hopes its growing export business will lead to a profitable future. Darlington Trailer Hire Limited, based at Hackworth Industrial Estate, in Shildon, called in local insolvency
A QUANTITY surveyor in Newcastle has been appointed to work on two housing developments in the North-East worth more than £3m. RNJ Partnerships has signed contracts with property developer Prestigious Living North-East Ltd for the schemes in Middlesbrough
A WOMAN from the North-East is heading to Pakistan today to help set up two field hospitals for victims of the earthquake. Paula Sansom will spend three months working as Pakistan's health director for medical charity Merlin. She will face sub-zero temperatures
RAY Price from Chester-le-Street recommended Paraphernalia, one of those plurals which may never have had a singular, above an antique shop of the same name in Norton-on-Tees, next to the Red Lion. The smoked salmon and dill scrambled eggs were wonderful
IT company Clear Digital Solutions has appointed DAVID NEWTON to work on its software development team. The 37-year-old, who is taking a course in software engineering at Teesside University, joined the company as a junior developer.
THE GMB union yesterday accused the Government of "using the North-East as a ground for cheap, short-term employment" and urged it to boost manufacturing jobs in the region. Tom Brennan, the union's regional secretary, said the North-South divide was
POSTERS that highlight the link between smoking and heart disease are going up around the region. The posters, which will appear in Durham, Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Langbaurgh, Stockton and Wear Valley, are intended to drive home the message
A LOTTERY winner is determined to keep his feet on the ground after scooping £10.4m. Grandfather Paul Chapman is contemplating how to spend the cash after his numbers came up on Lotto Extra, on October 12. The 59-year-old former ICI worker will never
A family GP "deliberately terminated" the lives of three of his patients, a court heard today. Dr Howard Martin, 70, is accused of murdering Frank Moss, Stanley Weldon and Harry Gittins, from near Bishop Auckland, by administering fatal overdoses of morphine
LAST Saturday I went into church to solemnise a wedding and found the best man prowling around the chancel carrying a digital recorder. "'Ere mate," he asked in the phraseology used for addressing a clergyman these days "where do I stick this?" By the
A MAN who chopped another man's finger off in a dispute over a £60 loan has failed in an Appeal Court application to reduce his sentence. Lee Grieve, 21, of Clapham Avenue, Walker, Newcastle, was jailed for five years after he admitted causing grievous
A COMMUNITY kitchen has proved to be worth its weight in gold when it comes to looking after diners' health. Kitchen staff at Maidendale House, on Darlington's Firthmoor estate, have secured the gold award in the Darlington Heartbeat scheme. The accolade
TICKETS are on sale for an international martial arts and Thai boxing contest being held in Darlington. The event is due to take place at the Dolphin Centre on Sunday, November 13. The show will feature one world and two European Thai boxing title fights
A COUNCIL which was criticised earlier this year for failing thousands of teenagers has pledged to invest an extra £340,000 in youth services. Darlington Borough Council was reprimanded in February for providing a poor youth service. The criticism came
PUPILS and staff at a village school looked pretty in pink as they supported a national charity campaign. Hurworth School, Maths and Computing College, near Darlington, got behind Breast Cancer Care's Tickled Pink initiative and raised nearly £300 for
A PIONEERING database to help people with drug and alcohol problems is to be piloted over the next three months. Designed by the County Durham Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT), it is being tried out by the Substance Misuse Team, part of the County
PEOPLE in Consett can improve their English and maths and get help finding a job at a centre on their doorstep. The Consett South Enterprise Association has become a Learndirect link centre and a JobCentre Plus intermediary centre and is holding a week-long
A NATIONAL survey of nurses has found that a North-East city is the best place to work in the country. Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust was top of its list of the 100 best places for nurses to work after a survey by The Nursing Times. The trust
HUNDREDS of survival packs are to issued to elderly people in the Sedgefield area this winter. Age Concern will distribute Winter Warmth packs across the area following the success of the scheme in other areas. The project is designed to ensure that older
YOUNGSTERS got the chance to get up close and personal with some huge creepy crawlies. Plucky children were able to hold massive landsnails, giant millipedes, a dragon lizard, mice and spiders, including a tarantula, when Zoolab visited the Hartlepool
A NORTH-East MP has become the first Labour backbencher to pledge to rebel against Tony Blair's plans to hold terror suspects for 90 days without charge. Sunderland South MP Chris Mullin, a former former Foreign Office minister, said it "cannot be justified
A CAMPAIGN is being launched to raise awareness of debt in Richmondshire. Next month, hundreds of balloons are to be released outside the Richmondshire Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) in Bargate, Richmond, to publicise an information card on the subject.
THE region's sea anglers are invited to a meeting tomorrow night to call for action to revitalise the sport. Angling, which enthusiasts say contributes £37m a year to the North-East economy, has suffered in recent years as stocks are depleted from commercial
A GANG of Romanian immigrants who tried to steal from a Teesside newsagents by distracting staff have been jailed. The four women and a man, who had travelled from Slough, Berkshire, to commit the crime, targeted a newsagents in Langley Avenue, Thornaby
A COUNCIL is helping to give care of the mentally handicapped an international agenda. Middlesbrough is playing host to delegates from Greece and Turkey who are making a fact-finding visit to the town later this week. Councillor Brenda Thompson, Middlesbrough
DAVID HICKMAN has been appointed North-East operations manager for Improve, the food and drink sector skills council. He will be based in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, and will also cover the North-West and Yorkshire regions. His job involves looking
A DOG walker who helped save the life of a stabbing victim was one of several people to be awarded a police commendation yesterday. Chief Superintendent Bernie Mitchell presented awards to police officers and civilians from the North Yorkshire Police
CHILDREN in North Yorkshire are being urged to stay visible on the roads as the dark nights draw in. Last winter, 65 children in Yorkshire and Humberside were killed or seriously injured on the roads. Thirty-three of the accidents happened between 3pm
TOWN councillors who have been inundated with complaints from residents about the state of a town's grass verges have decided to put the work out to tender. Kirkbymoorside's deputy mayor, Councillor Gaynor de Barr, said: "We have had numerous complaints
YOUTH club members are hosting a coffee evening next month to get to know the adult residents in their area. The Primrose Hill Youth Club in Stockton will be offering cups of tea and coffee, biscuits and cake, along with fun games and activities. The
A NATIONAL survey of nurses has found that a North-East city is the best place to work in the country. Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust was top of its list of the 100 best places for nurses to work after a survey by The Nursing Times. The trust
FESTIVE goodwill was in short supply when Christmas Day callers paid a visit to a house in a County Durham village. Durham Crown Court was told that Michael Edward Maxwell, Mark Thomas Gaskell, David Cummings and David Parker knocked at premises in Trimdon
DOG owners in Shildon, Newton Aycliffe, Spennymoor and Ferryhill can get a free health check for their animals this week. The Dogs Trust and Sedgefield Borough Council are urging dog owners to bring their pets along for a free check-up. Anybody who lives
FESTIVE goodwill was not on the minds of Christmas Day callers at a house in a County Durham village. Durham Crown Court heard that Michael Edward Maxwell, Mark Thomas Gaskell, David Cummings and David Parker knocked at premises in Trimdon Station, on
A NEW generation of spy cameras will help police fight yobs. The cameras transmit live images to laptops, giving officers up-to-the-minute views of areas. Officers in Gateshead will be the first to try the devices, and if the pilot is successful, the
'I WOULDN'T have had an affair if I hadn't felt neglected. David didn't seem to see me anymore - he never commented on my appearance, or even listened to the things I said. I felt as if I was constantly having to ask him questions, just to get a conversation
YOUNGSTERS from a Bishop Auckland drama group were given the opportunity to perform live with the backing of some of the region's leading amateur musicians. The children from the Laurel Drama Group thrilled the audience with their version of The Little
VETERANS' EVENT: More than 100 Second World War veterans and their partners enjoyed a tea dance organised by the Cleveland branch of the services welfare charity Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association Forces Help at the Redcar Bowl, with the
AS well as celebrating in style at his 70th birthday party, Albert Kennedy wanted to do something to help orthopaedic patients at his local hospital. So he asked revellers at his party in the village hall at Leeming, where he lives, to make donations
COUNCILLORS have backed moves to close Pickering's Market Place on Mondays as part of a controversial proposed traffic strategy for the town. North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) highways department is to make the Market Place a pedestrian zone between
When other students were out drinking and chasing girls, Chris Topp was touring old factories. But his obsession led him to become one of the world's leading experts in a dying craft, and, as Nick Morrison reports, he doesn't mind ruffling a few feathers
SMOKING is likely to be banned in workingmen's clubs as well as in pubs and restaurants under measures due to be unveiled this week. Proposals to exempt private clubs from a ban - allowing members to make a choice - have been dropped after Health Secretary
CHILDREN raised money for the Asian earthquake appeal by holding a non-uniform day. The pupils of Browney Primary School, near Durham City, dressed in green and white, the colours of the Pakistan flag, and decorated the school with flags of various nations
POLICE sealed off an area of a North-East city this morning following what police describe as the sudden death of a young man. Officers are investigating the death of a 21-year-old man in Beechwood Crescent, in the Southwick area of Sunderland in the
SENIOR officers have concluded that the controversial proposal for a single police force covering the whole of the North-East is the only solution to meet Government demands over the future policing of the region. Two panels made up of senior operational
MIRJAN (3.20) makes plenty of appeal as one of the best bets of the day on a cracking afternoon of National Hunt action at Cheltenham. Despite not getting the run of the race, Len Lungo's gallant nine-year-old still ran a blinder to take seventh spot
MIDDLESBROUGH'S defensive problems worsened last night after skipper Gareth Southgate was ruled out for six weeks and full-back Stuart Parnaby was declared unavailable for the club's next two games. With Abel Xavier expected to be banned for at least
NATIONAL park chiefs have raised concerns about a Government scheme making it cheaper for pension holders to buy a second home. From next year, anyone with a self-invested personal pension (SIPP) can invest the money in a holiday home and get 40 per cent
Comeback kids Brian Close and Clark Keltie will end their injury exile when they return to action for Darlington reserves today. The duo will make their first appearances of the season against Scunthorpe United's second string after lengthy injury lay-offs
IT WILL be a case of 'Friends Reunited' when Justin Hoyte lines up against his former Arsenal team-mates this evening and, after moving to Sunderland in the summer, the 20-year-old is already watching the next generation of Highbury starlets come to the
TOYTOWN hero Noddy is to entertain another generation of toddlers after his owner announced the extension of a deal with broadcaster Five yesterday. Under a new contact between Chorion and Five, Make Way for Noddy will be shown for at least 30 weeks a
POLICE will review the kick-off times of future derby games in the wake of violence that marred Newcastle's game against Sunderland on Sunday. At the height of the violence, about 300 football fans were involved in drink-fuelled clashes in Newcastle's
NOLBERTO SOLANO insists Newcastle United's derby winners have left the celebrating to supporters in an attempt to ensure the future of manager Graeme Souness lies at St James' Park. While the Magpies faithful enjoyed their fourth successive victory over
A MAN who admitted carrying out an indecent act on a four-year-old girl walked free from court yesterday. Durham Crown Court heard that Rodney John Whitby, 39, committed the act on Tuesday, May 24. The girl later told her mother and Whitby was confronted
A BISHOP involved in a fatal two-car accident says he is praying for a woman who died in the accident. Karen Barton, 44, of The Oval, Hartlepool, was a passenger in a white MG sports car being driven by her husband, Nigel, 51, when it was in collision
MARK Tinkler's appeal against his weekend dismissal will be heard today. Both the Hartlepool United midfielder and MK Dons' substitute Aaron Wilbraham were red carded in the closing minutes of Saturday's game. But Pool and the MK Dons have asked the FA
VEGETABLE grower and marketer Greyfriars UK has appointed PAUL HARRINGTON as general manager of its sweetcorn and garlic operation. Mr Harrington will be based at Greyfriars' distribution facility at Hutton Conyers, near Ripon. He joins from G's marketing
A DOG owner vowed yesterday to fight on to save a public footpath from being diverted, despite councillors voting in favour of moving it. Eileen O'Hara said she enjoyed walking her dog on the path, which runs past a waste recycling unit near her home
PD LOGISTICS has signed a three-year contract worth £2m to provide warehousing for chemicals group Huntsman. The road transport company, part of PD Ports, Logistics and Shipping, which owns Teesport, has secured the deal for Huntsman's pigments division
MIDDLESBROUGH'S defensive problems worsened last night after skipper Gareth Southgate was ruled out for six weeks and full-back Stuart Parnaby was declared unavailable for the club's next two games. With Abel Xavier expected to be banned for at least
If you're the kind of person who has rails of clothes but nothing to wear, then maybe you need a personal shopper. Women's Editor Lindsay Jennings meets two. SITTING with Belinda Alexander and Gail Little, it is easy to see why they are freelance fashion
A COUPLE whose plans to marry in the idyllic Mexican resort of Cancun were washed out by Hurricane Wilma could tie the knot back in the North-East this weekend. Family and friends of distraught Lynn Bratt and Gordon Steels are hoping they will be among
Business Link's Tees Valley operation has recruited three new board directors. They will form part of the 14-strong board in Tees Valley, chaired by Terry Owen, founder and managing director of InBiz. MARTIN LITTLETON, managing director and chairman of
ONLINE shopping guide Shopsafe.co.uk is one of the top 1,000 most used websites in the UK, according to a survey by Ranking.com. The website, owned by Darlington-based web-design agency Edward Robertson, has also been named the second most popular site
THE family of a two-year-old boy who died in a car accident will be consulted over plans by the driver responsible for his death to secure the return of his driving licence. Stephen Robinson was jailed for two-and-a-half years in December 2002 and banned
SMOKING is likely to be banned in workingmen's clubs as well as in pubs and restaurants under measures due to be unveiled this week. Proposals to exempt private clubs from a ban - allowing members to make a choice - have been dropped after Health Secretary
MICK McCARTHY believes attracting the next generation of Sunderland fans outweighs the importance of overcoming Arsenal and going far in the Carling Cup this season. An unprecedented, and welcomed, pricing policy by the Stadium of Light hierarchy for
SMOKING CHOICE: YOUR correspondent, who was probably too afraid to name himself, spoke of choice when it came to smoking (HAS, Oct 21). This is what I want. If I go into a pub I have the choice of buying alcohol or a soft drink. If I go into a restaurant
A LOTTERY winner is determined to keep his feet on the ground after scooping £10.4m. Grandfather Paul Chapman is contemplating how to spend the cash after his numbers came up on Lotto Extra, on October 12. The 59-year-old former ICI worker will never
A RELATIVE of the only survivor of an infamous massacre believes she may be his last descendant in the region. Janet Tunstall is related to Dr William Brydon, who was believed to be the only survivor of a disastrous attempt to withdraw from Kabul to Jalalabad
THE GMB union yesterday accused the Government of "using the North-East as a ground for cheap, short-term employment" and urged it to boost manufacturing jobs in the region. Tom Brennan, the union's regional secretary, said the North-South divide was
A SCHOOL has responded to the tragic death of its deputy headteacher by devoting an entire day to raising funds for a good cause. Father-of-two Phil Lewis, who taught at Moorside Community Technology College, in Consett, County Durham, for 26 years, died
MICK McCARTHY believes attracting the next generation of Sunderland fans outweighs the importance of overcoming Arsenal and going far in the Carling Cup this season. An unprecedented, and welcomed, pricing policy by the Stadium of Light hierarchy for
A CAMPAIGN group fighting to save a village school from closure accused Tony Blair of double standards after a speech which promised more parent power in education. Darlington Borough Council wants to merge Hurworth School with Eastbourne Comprehensive
A TEENAGER who hosted parties in his step-father's flat while he was away on holiday set fire to the property to cover up the mess left by guests. Party-loving David Luxon set furniture alight and started a blaze in the bedroom in an attempt to hide damage
MAKERS of Wallace and Gromit's favourite cheese are celebrating after they won awards. Wensleydale Creamery took five medals at the annual British Cheese Awards in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, at the weekend. The dairy, in Hawes, North Yorkshire, won
NO matter the subject - football, politics, religion, whatever - bar rooms are full of opinions and loud voices. And the voices were as loud as ever yesterday as drinkers dissected Government plans to widen anti-tobacco laws. Smokers sat with non-smokers
NOLBERTO SOLANO insists Newcastle United's derby winners have left the celebrating to supporters in an attempt to ensure the future of manager Graeme Souness lies at St James' Park. While the Magpies faithful enjoyed their fourth successive victory over
AT least 20 people were killed yesterday as three vehicle bombs went off close to a hotel compound used by western journalists and contractors in Baghdad. Iraqi security chiefs said the attack was aimed at taking over the Palestine and Sheraton hotels
'To be the best in what ever sport you undertake requires sacrifices. The greater the sacrifice, the greater the success.' THE motto towers above every drop of sweat that burns its way out at Neil Fannan's Hartlepool gym. With Michael Hunter on the verge
A NORTH-East MP has become the first Labour backbencher to pledge to rebel against Tony Blair's plans to hold terror suspects for 90 days without charge. Sunderland South MP Chris Mullin, a former former Foreign Office minister, said it "cannot be justified
A council which is trying to improve its public image is planning to hold a regular Question Time session at which ratepayers will be able to demand answers from senior members. Residents will be able to put their queries during a 30-minute session every
A MAN who bit a police inspector after being caught burgling a mental health charity hostel will be sentenced in the crown court. Harry George William French, 20, of Yarm Road, Darlington, pleaded guilty at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court yesterday
POLICE in Bishop Auckland are appealing for information after a bogus caller talked his way into a pensioner's house by saying he was from the "water board". A man described as white, 5ft 8in, of medium build with short, mousey-brown hair called at a
RESIDENTS have been called to a public meeting to discuss controversial plans for a housing estate and industrial park in their village. The move comes after Yuill Homes submitted an application to build 106 houses on a former sawmills site, in Wolsingham
A HOSPITAL trust has become the first in the region to appoint so-called older people's champions. Officials at Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust are the first in the North-East to take steps to counteract ageism and support older patients. Nearly
THREE men, one of whom carried an electric stun gun, have tried to rob a Chinese restaurant. The three, one wielding a handgun and another a stun gun, threatened the head chef of the New Royal Circle, in Stowell Street, Newcastle, and demanded money.
YOUNG chess players from around the country are visiting a North Yorkshire school to compete in a national chess tournament. The Ampleforth Junior Masters, at Ampleforth College, is in its sixth year and is regarded as being the British junior championship
AT a time when attendances at football matches are in decline, something quite special is happening in the North-East tonight. Sunderland will have a full house of 48,000 at the Stadium of Light for Arsenal's visit in the Carling Cup. And that is a tribute
YOUNG musicians will be in the spotlight at the latest in a series of concerts showcasing their talents. Durham Young Musicians will stage a concert on Sunday, in the DLI Museum and Durham Art Gallery, at Aykley Heads, Durham. Violinist Ed Cross and pianist
A SCHOOL is celebrating after it was given a complete set of football coaching kits and sports equipment. Barclays has come to the aid of Lanchester EP Primary School by donating the gear. The school provides many sporting opportunities for boys and girls
CHILDREN who gave an artistic makeover to a set of road barriers will finally see the results next week. Engineers from the Highways Agency built new safety barriers along the side of the busy A167 road through Durham City to protect the East Coast Main
A FOOTBALL team has secured a sponsorship deal with the Army. Priestfields football club, whose players come from Bishop Auckland, play in the Soccer Sensations third division and have secured new kit and equipment. The team won the league last season
A PEOPLE'S panel has given high marks to North Yorkshire County Council staff in a survey. A total of 1,353 members of the council's panel, established from the public to give independent verdicts on council services, responded. Of those who had been
NATURE-LOVERS can find out about the wildlife in their neighbourhood this week. The events are part of Hartlepool Council's Wild About Hartlepool programme. A Night of the Owls takes place tomorrow between 6pm and 8pm, starting at the entrance to the
Marske United have appointed former boss Charlie Bell as their new manager following the sudden departure of Darren Trotter. Marske lost 3-2 at home to North Shields on Saturday to leave them in the bottom half of the table, with Trotter leaving shortly
A MAN convicted of a gangland murder 38 years ago is pleading with the public to help him prove his innocence. Dennis Stafford and business associate Michael Luvaglio were convicted of murdering fruit machine dealer Angus Sibbet in South Hetton, County
PLANS for a North-East wind farm have been welcomed by a company set up to promote renewable energy sources. Renew Tees Valley, which promotes renewable energy and recycling industries, said the approved development was another important step forward.
TECHNOLOGY and knowledge-based businesses across the North-East are to benefit from a £5m investment fund to be launched by regional fund management firm NEL. The money will replace the North-East Seed Capital Fund, which NEL has managed for the last
VIRGIN Mobile and Carphone Warehouse yesterday confirmed they were in talks over the launch of a mobile phone service in France. The joint venture would see Virgin phones sold in Carphone's Phone House outlets in France, as well as in Virgin Megastores
STAFF at one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms hit the jackpot yesterday as a bumper Christmas bonus was announced. KPMG will pay its 8,950 UK staff a total bonus of £59m compared with £35m last year. It comes on the back of soaring revenues which were
GUY Wilks' dream of lifting the Junior World Rally Championship is still alive - but only just! The Darlington driver was knocked off the top spot at the weekend. Drivers have to nominate one of the eight events to sit out during the season and Wilks'
