Extraordinary People: The Girl Whose Muscles Are Turning To Bone (five) Broken News (BBC2) WHEN she asked why she'd got FOP, the mother of seven-year-old Luciana told her it was because she was a very special little girl. The truth is that her condition
A man who was badly beaten in an attack is in a stable condition, police confirmed last night. Andrew Reid, 36, suffered multiple fractures to his face after he was kicked and punched during the incident, opposite Morrisons supermarket, in North Road,
Property consultancy Knight Frank has strengthened its Newcastle office with three appointments. SIMON BARRATT and LUCY PRINCE have joined the commercial department at Quayside House, while CARA MAUDSLEY has joined the residential valuation consultancy
PETER Beedle, heavyweight champion of the NorthEast's fish frying fraternity, is in the national final of the Chip Shop of the Year contest, it was announced this week. No matter the adage about today's news being tomorrow's fish and chip wrappings, it
A self-confessed killer could become the first person to face a re-trial following changes to the double jeopardy law which prevents people being tried for the same crime twice. Labourer Billy Dunlop has twice been acquitted of the murder of pizza delivery
A Darlington doctor who has already been fined £3,000 at Teesside Crown Court used the names of his son and some patients' in a prescription scam to obtain Codeine-based drugs a disciplinary tribunal in London was told today. At the Crown Court Dr Robin
A MAN is alleged to have raped an eight-year-old girl in an alleyway, a court has heard. Edwin Christopher Shield, 42, is accused of putting his hand over the girl's mouth, then kissing her and raping her. The girl told police he then punched her and
Paul Tergat, Hendrick Ramaala and Haile Gebrselassie will line up in next year's Flora London Marathon. Race director David Bedford, who confirmed the trio's participation, admitted he was enthralled by the battle to the finishing line between world record-holder
North-East businessman George Reynolds, jailed for tax fraud, has appealed against his sentence. Lawyers acting for Reynolds, the former owner of Darlington Football Club, have described his three-year jail sentence as "manifestly excessive". If the appeal
A new radio station could be on the air by next summer after Ofcom announced the winners of a commercial licence. BTN FM has been awarded a 12-year licence to broadcast to Northallerton, Thirsk and Bedale. The station is now looking for premises in Northallerton
FRANCK QUEUDRUE last night delivered a frank assessment of Middlesbrough's inconsistency by highlighting a lack of fire as the main reason for a failure to win two Premiership games in a row. Boro have picked up just 15 points from a possible 36 this
THOUSANDS of music fans have been clamouring to get tickets for next summer's Elton John concert in the region. The tickets went on sale at 9am yesterday, and phone lines and Internet sites were busy throughout the day as fans booked their places at Durham
TRIBUTES have been paid to Anne Wall, one of the North-East's leading horse experts, who has died at the age of 51. She bred several champion horses as well as running riding and trekking stables with husband Robert at Raygill Farm, in Lartington, near
Pregnant women are often neglected by fashion designers, but a Durham University graduate is changing that with a new luxorious lingerie business. Women's Editor Linday Jennings meets her. WHEN Jules Fossett's sister and sister-in-law asked her to consider
LINGERIE chain Ann Summers has opened its first concession in a department store and announced plans for further expansion. The high street group, which sells sex toys and underwear, opened a concession in an Allders store in Surrey. It recently opened
What are we to make of the riots in France which have been going on for a fortnight and which have now spread to many parts of the country? They are certainly not race riots such as those which occurred in America in the 1960s in the pursuit of civil
IMPROVING Ungaro (2.40) has conditions to suit in the Betfred Poker Handicap Hurdle at Sedgefield this afternoon. Keith Reveley doesn't send too many of his up-and-coming young stars to the track, but it's a case of striking while the iron is hot with
A PLAN is being drawn up that could create 3,500 jobs at a North-East business park and former tobacco factory. Marchday, the company developing Lingfield Point business park, in Darlington, has appointed property consultants King Sturge to draw up a
A SOFT drinks company has secured £50,000 to increase its product range. Thorncroft Drinks, in Eaglescliffe, Teesside, makes a range of healthy cordials, including wild nettle and pink ginger flavours, which it supplies to Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Harrods
AN artistic tribute created by two brothers in memory of their mining grandfathers is on display in the home of colliery art. Neil and Ian Hardy joined to celebrate their grandfathers' tough life working in North-East pits. Neil, 31, painted for the exhibition
A Church of England education official has been cleared of indecently assaulting a child. The Reverend Peter Lister, the Diocese of Lichfield's director of education, had been due to stand trial at Newcastle Crown Court yesterday over an allegation he
HUNDREDS of village residents have joined a postal protest against plans for a new housing estate and industrial park. This afternoon, leaders of a campaign against the development at the Sawmills site, on the eastern edge of Wolsingham, will deliver
A CLUB for Teesdale residents is celebrating a string of anniversaries. Members of Gainford Day Club gathered yesterday to celebrate the club's fifth anniversary. Also at the party were three sets of members who have recently celebrated important marriage
A MAN was charged after an incident at the weekend. Michael John Russett, 32, of Thorngate Wynd, Barnard Castle, was charged yesterday with failing to stop for a police officer, resisting arrest and driving with excess alcohol on the A688 road at Stainton
A NEW initiative aimed at stamping out anti-social behaviour and under-age drinking is to be launched in Crook and Willington. Off-licence traders are to be encouraged to join the new Off-licence Association to give greater protection to staff, and help
HUNDREDS of village residents have joined a postal protest against plans for a new housing estate and industrial park. This afternoon, leaders of a campaign against the development at the Sawmills site, on the eastern edge of Wolsingham, will deliver
A MAN who risked his life to pull his elderly neighbour from her burning home was praised by a coroner yesterday. Alan Place carried 83-year-old Mary Potter from her house in South View, Northallerton, on March 20. She was taken to the town's Friarage
TRIBUTES have been paid to Anne Wall, one of the North-East's leading horse experts, who has died at the age of 51. She bred several champion horses as well as running riding and trekking stables with husband Robert at Raygill Farm, in Lartington, near
POLICE patrols are being stepped up to combat a car crime craze hitting Teesside. Thieves are smashing their way into vehicles to steal satellite navigation systems, usually targeting the cars of visitors parked up for several hours in Middlesbrough.
A MONK is appealing for people to take their surplus apple crops to an abbey, to be pressed and turned into juice. Father Rainer Verborg, of Ampleforth Abbey, North Yorkshire, says that many apples grown in gardens and orchards are wasted. Under his plan
TRADERS in Chester-le-Street are being urged to support a plan that will literally put them on the map to boost business. The Business Association is drawing up a blueprint that will pinpoint shops, so visitors can locate them quickly on shop locator
TWO of the region's brightest young sports stars are teaming up to open facilities for residents of an isolated dale. A £1.3m sports hall development at Wolsingham School and Community College, in Weardale, County Durham, will be used by the public outside
BOSSES at Sedgefield Racecourse, who applied for a new entertainment licence, handed objectors an olive branch yesterday to secure the permit. Residents in Sedgefield village objected to aspects of the venue's application to host events with music and
A MAN was treated in hospital for facial injuries after he was attacked in the street by an 18-year-old. The 62-year-old was taken to University Hospital of North Durham, and later released. Police said they had been called to an incident in Waterloo
PEOPLE across County Durham can now get fire safety advice on their doorsteps. County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service has created six district teams based at local stations. Until now, help and advice has only been available from staff at
SCHOOLCHILDREN are learning how to stay safe at the eighth annual Sedgefield Safety Carousel event. Around 1,200 pupils from primary schools across the borough will have taken part in the event at Newton Aycliffe Young People's Centre by the time it ends
Dedicated fundraisers are swapping the comfort of a stately home for the rigours of a Lake District challenge. Ten staff from Castle Howard, near Malton, are about to take part in a gruelling walk to raise funds for the BBC's Children in Need appeal.
THE legality of a new political group in control of a North Yorkshire local authority has been called into question. Concerns have been raised about the lawfulness of the Independent Coalition for Richmondshire. The coalition was launched after the merger
The Prime Minister believes it is a crucial part of the battle against terrorists, and polls show almost three quarters of people agree. So why is there so much concern over the Terrorism Bill? Nick Morrison reports. IN the fight against terrorism, the
VIOLENT TOWN: A QUOTE in The Northern Echo (Nov 3) following two attacks in Darlington, "Det Insp Harker reassured the public that Darlington was not becoming more violent", astounded me. Does this man ever go into the town centre or have the misfortune
A MOTHER has praised a new partnership that managed to get her nuisance son out of trouble and back on track. The mother said her 11-year-old boy's future was saved by the joint effort of the Safer Hartlepool Partnership's Anti-Social Behaviour Unit (
THE man who helped transform dairy business ACC into a multi-million pound company has been appointed chairman of one of the North-East's fastest-growing companies. TREVOR HUGHES, who has been a board member of CWS retail and the Co-Operative Bank, as
A TEAM of graphic and web designers has launched a service to help businesses achieve the right corporate image. MediaXpress has been set up by the Media Factory, a subsidiary of The Northern Echo's publisher, Newsquest (North East). The award-winning
PEOPLE from Darlington are being invited to train to become lifesavers by the North East Ambulance Service. The service has life-saving equipment to issue to community volunteers who have been trained to attend incidents involving heart attacks. The British
CHRISTMAS spirit came early to pupils at a village school, as they helped to make the festive season happier for underprivileged children. Students from Hurworth School Maths and Computing College have spent several weeks filling shoe boxes with presents
A PROFESSOR told a murder jury yesterday he would not have expected a patient to survive after being given a high dose of morphine by his doctor. Professor Robert Forrest, an expert in toxicology, said 60mg injections of the drug given to cancer sufferer
EFFORTS are being made to turn the North-East into one of the country's leading centres for husky racing. Enthusiasts from around the region are working on plans for a £380,000 racing centre and trails around the 150,000-acre Kielder Forest, in Northumberland
A COMMUNITY is being thanked by fire chiefs for ensuring Bonfire Night passed safely. Cleveland Fire Brigade attended 103 bonfire incidents from October 10 to November 5, a 41.5 per cent reduction on last year. The success follows a concerted multi-agency
A PROJECT which works with young people in Derwentside has been shortlisted for a national award. The Spice programme, run by Derwentside District Council, is one of 11 projects from across the country in the running to be awarded Beacon status by the
TENANTS are being given a voice on the future of housing on Teesside. Housing Hartlepool has invited 30 tenants to take part in focus groups where they will be asked their views on a range of issues, including the accessibility of services. The company
North-East schoolboy Tom Hunter has just stepped onboard a £6m musical as he prepares to sing, dance and act his way into becoming one of the young stars of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The nine-year-old from School Aycliffe, near Darlington, will spend the
STAFF and pupils at a Teesside primary school have been praised by Ofsted inspectors following their latest inspection. The report said the excellent vision of the headteacher at Harrow Gate Primary School, in Stockton, had ensured that the school was
ANIMAL RESCUE: Members of Saltburn Animal Rescue Association (Sara) and Save Our Strays will be holding a joint fundraising event tonight at Marske Cricket Club, from 7.30pm to 11pm. The entertainment will be provided by Marske Fishermen's Choir. Tickets
A YOUNG woman who gave birth to a stillborn baby hours after being jailed for assault has failed to win a cut in her prison sentence. The family of Katrina Robinson hit out last night after being told her appeal to have her 15-month sentence reduced had
The North-East's biggest law firm Dickinson Dees has welcomed 13 trainee solicitors as part of its annual recruitment drive. The firm has recruited graduates from Oxford, Cambridge and St Andrews, as well as the North-East's top universities. The lucky
SUNDERLAND'S hopes of converting Justin Hoyte's loan deal into a permanent arrangement have been dented by Arsene Wenger's glowing reference to the enterprising full-back. Hoyte has been one of the few bright spots during the Black Cats' disappointing
A TEAM of girls have shown they really mean business by completing their first challenge for the Future Business Magnates competition ten days ahead of schedule. The team, from Durham High School for Girls, was the first to complete their task, more than
A CORONER has called for lifebelts to be installed beside a reservoir after hearing how a 23-year-old drowned during a family day out. Stephen Forrest of Hemlington, Middlesbrough, died on July 16 after trying to swim across Cod Beck Reservoir, near Osmotherley
Did you see it on the box? The Little House on the Prairie, Stanley United's e'er so humble headquarters, featured among improbable company on BBC2's Culture Show last Thursday. "I love this ground for all its stark, bare beauty," enthused poet and Barnsley
A DISGRUNTLED Martin Scott has condemned the Football Association for their constant meddling with match balls. The Hartlepool manager revealed his players had to adapt to yet another ball change for their FA Cup round one clash with Dagenham & Redbridge
England fly-half Charlie Hodgson is determined to make the sledging Australians choke on their words at Twickenham this Saturday. Hodgson was subjected to a torrent of abuse as he struggled with his goal-kicking in last year's Cook Cup clash and admitted
TEES VALLEY: I WAS born in Grangetown in the 1930s and grew up believing I was a Yorkshireman. During my working life in the construction industry I worked in various parts of the UK, never once did I feel the need to change the image of my birth place
DARLINGTON'S hopes of landing a Premiership striker may have been thrown into doubt at the weekend, but manager David Hodgson hopes to resurrect a deal soon. Hodgson was last week given assurances that a loan until Christmas would be viable. But the striker
ABEL XAVIER is facing a worldwide ban from football of up to two years when he appears at a UEFA disciplinary hearing next week to answer a charge of taking a banned performance-enhancing drug. The experienced Portuguese defender signed a one-year contract
EFFORTS are being made to turn the North-East into one of the country's leading centres for husky racing. Enthusiasts from around the region are working on plans for a £380,000 racing centre and trails around the 150,000-acre Kielder Forest, in Northumberland
CRUTES Law Firm has appointed ELLIE CHRISTIE as a graduate paralegal. Ms Christie, originally from Salisbury, has joined the Newcastle office after graduating from Northumbria University and completing a degree in business management and marketing. She
GOVERNMENT minister Margaret Hodge has told people on incapacity benefit that welfare reforms are an opportunity rather than a threat. Mrs Hodge was speaking during a visit to the Bishopgate Surgery, in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, yesterday. After
MORE than 30 drystone wall builders and hedge layers took up the challenge to show off their traditional country skills at a North-East nature reserve at the weekend. The County Durham Hedgerow Partnership's eighth annual competition at the Durham Wildlife
INTERNATIONAL opera singer Graeme Danby is to star in one of the biggest nights in a North-East brass band's history. The English National Opera bass, from Consett, County Durham, will star in the first concert of a Festival of Brass being staged by Stanhope
NORTH-EAST veterans of the Second World War were saluted yesterday by a charity fund, 60 years after peace was declared in Britain. Every single veteran has had their name added to a Heroes Return memorial scroll to be presented to the Minister for Veterans
A man is critically ill in intensive care after collapsing from a serious head injury he got in a fight the night before. The unnamed 33-year-old single man, from Brandon, County Durham, was found lying in Front Street, Meadowfield, on Saturday evening
PEOPLE are being asked to help create a travelling exhibition of everyday life during the Second World War. The display is being produced to support the Their Past, Your Future exhibition from the Imperial War Museum at Billingham Art Gallery from November
A hammer attacker who traded on his family's terror name was jailed for six years yesterday. Mick McQuade, 47 - whose gunman brother Keith, 50, is serving life - battered Neil Honeyman, 27, for an alleged assault on his 15-year-old stepson. McQuade told
MORE astute readers will have realised that the bairns whose humour has for 20 years brought these columns to an aptly absurd end are now growing up a bit. The younger lad is six weeks into a postgraduate journalism course at Cardiff University, already
BRITISH TEST: THE odd assortment of questions in the new British citizenship test (Echo, Nov 1) poses the further question: "Why are we granting citizenship to anyone?", What is in it for us? The Gulf states, such as Dubai, have proportionally large migrant
Transport group Arriva has won a contract to operate rail services in southern Germany that could be worth £150m over the next ten years. The bus and rail operator, which is based in Sunderland, will control services in Bavaria, southern Germany, near
POLICE search teams combed dense woodland for the body of missing shopworker Jenny Nicholl yesterday. Officers spent all day searching Badger Beck Plantation, near Jenny's home town of Richmond, North Yorkshire. Detectives announced last week that the
THE soaring cost of building two transport ships at Swan Hunter could affect the yard's chance of winning work on two £4bn aircraft carriers, Tony Blair admitted yesterday. The Prime Minister denied that the owner of yards at Tyneside and Teesside had
Pricewaterhouse-Coopers has appointed BILL MacLEOD to its Newcastle assurance team from the company's offices in Glasgow. Mr MacLeod has been with PricewaterhouseCoopers for more than 20 years and has been a partner since 1995. He has a range of international
A Church of England education official has been cleared of indecently assaulting a child. The Reverend Peter Lister, the Diocese of Lichfield's director of education, had been due to stand trial at Newcastle Crown Court yesterday over an allegation he
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to an assault in which a group of young men attacked a teenager in Newton Aycliffe at the weekend. The 18-year-old victim was walking in the Rowan Place area between 11pm and 11.30pm on Saturday when he was attacked.
A CLUB for Teesdale residents is celebrating a string of anniversaries. Members of Gainford Day Club gathered yesterday to celebrate the club's fifth anniversary. Also at the party were three sets of members who have recently celebrated important marriage
BUSINESSES and organisations are being urged to raffle a teddy bear this Christmas to raise much-needed funds for a hospice. Teesside Hospice in Middlesbrough has 35 cuddly toys, complete with seasonal hats and scarves and chocolate goodies, which need
MORE than 30 drystone wall builders and hedge layers took up the challenge to show off their traditional country skills at a North-East nature reserve at the weekend. The County Durham Hedgerow Partnership's eighth annual competition at the Durham Wildlife
A FREE tour around Darlington's oldest park will take place on Saturday, allowing residents to see the results of a multi-million pound restoration project. South Park has been brought up to date with modern facilities such as a new skate park and education
A 'DRIVING lesson' in a friend's car ended with a teenage motorist crashing and writing off the vehicle, a court heard. Shaun James O'Kane was at the wheel of the Ford Fiesta which travelled at up to 70mph on roads with 30mph and 40mph limits in the Stanley
YOUNGSTERS experienced beginners' luck when they entered the Northumbria in Bloom competition and came away with a prize. Children at Hartburn Primary School, in Stockton, picked up an award of merit in the Rod Leyburn Memorial Trophy for the best school
EXTRA community sports facilities for the people of Richmond should be ready for use in the New Year. Earlier this year, Richmondshire District Council's community committee released £150,000 funding towards Richmond School's project to extend its sports
POLICE in north Durham have warned youths of the dangers of throwing missiles at buses after making several arrests for criminal damage and anti-social behaviour offences. The arrests follow a crackdown on youths who have been throwing objects at buses
A GOVERNING body has urged parents to get behind Darlington's new Education Village and concentrate on the "exciting educational future" being offered to their children and the community. The new federated governing body of the Education Village wrote
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to an assault in which a group of young men beat up a teenager in Newton Aycliffe at the weekend. The 18-year-old victim was walking in the Rowan Place area between 11pm and 11.30pm on Saturday night when he was attacked
PEOPLE are being invited to get a head- start on their Christmas shopping. Visually-impaired students at Henshaws College, Harrogate, are holding a seasonal arts and crafts fair on Saturday. Local traders will be selling a range of goods, from framed
BOSSES at Sedgefield Racecourse, who applied for a new entertainment licence, handed objectors an olive branch yesterday to secure the permit. Residents in Sedgefield village objected to aspects of the venue's application to host events with music and
PEOPLE across County Durham can now get fire safety advice on their doorsteps. County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service has created six district teams based at local stations. Until now, help and advice has only been available from staff at
A KIDNEY transplant patient has successfully completed his second marathon. Harry Burrell, 33, had a life-saving kidney transplant operation at St James's Hospital in Leeds almost four years ago. Less than three years after the operation, he completed
STREET wardens on wheels are cracking down on crime across east Durham. The first street wardens to be provided with cycles are operating in the Wingate area, which includes the rural communities of Station Town, Trimdon Station and Deaf Hill. Councillor
HIGHWAY chiefs are eager to spread the word on the benefits of a city's forthcoming park and ride scheme. A marketing company is helping to promote the introduction of the service, designed to relieve parking congestion in Durham City centre. Three park
TONY BLAIR last night looked likely to put his leadership on the line by standing firm on controversial anti-terror laws. Home Secretary Charles Clarke was poised to offer concessions but the Government stood firm on plans to allow police to hold suspects
EIGHT-YEAR-OLD Jade Crawford was more than a little nervous when she took part in a national jazz competition, playing the cymbals for the first time. But her confidence was given a massive boost when she not only was judged the best cymbal player, she
A LOVING father will make a last-ditch effort to save his dying three-year-old daughter by donating one of his kidneys. Kenzi Quinn, of Palgrove Road, Pennywell, Sunderland, spends 11 hours a day on a dialysis machine. Without a transplant soon, she will
HOPES of a pick-up by the troubled manufacturing sector were dealt a blow last night by figures for September showing an unexpected fall in output. Factory output fell by 0.3 per cent on the previous month - the second consecutive monthly decline. The
CLUBS, schools and coaches are being invited to a sports networking event. Stockton Borough Council is hosting the workshop on Tuesday, November 22, from 6pm to 8pm at the River Tees Watersports Centre. The evening will feature mini-workshops and network
NATIONAL Lottery operator Camelot has seen its longest period of growth, with ticket sales up by £55.2m. Announcing its interim results at the weekend, Camelot said total ticket sales for the half year to September 24 grew to £2,409.8m - a year-on-year
STUDENTS gathered last night to be rewarded for their outstanding achievements at a North-East college. Darlington College of Technology held its annual awards night in front of a packed audience, who watched students collect trophies and certificates
PRIMARY school children have been given safety advice from a local building company. Construction firm MMP, based at Newton Aycliffe, is building a SureStart nursery next to Moorside Primary School, near Consett. Staff from the company visited the school
OUT-OF-SORTS Newcastle midfielder Amdy Faye is going nowhere fast - even if he wants to. The Senegalese player's agent, Willie McKay, has revealed Faye is frustrated with life on the bench at St James' Park but is in no rush to leave. There were suggestions
THERE are no easy answers in the intense debate over anti-terror legislation. We all want to protect Britain from terrorist attacks but finding the correct balance between the prolonged detention of suspects and the protection of civil liberties is a
ENGINEERING group Amec has won £80m-worth of work with the National Grid to work on gas storage facilities in South Wales and central England. Amec's industrial division, based in Darlington, will carry out the work - the latest in a series of contracts
