WHAT we musn't forget in this politically correct era of sympathy, compassion and tolerance is that the Newcastle flyweights, Bowyer and Dyer, are bears of very little brain who have been given no incentive to see beyond the confines of the degrading
OILFIELD exploration could help sustain hundreds of jobs in the North-East, experts have said. The Northern Offshore Federation (NOF), which represents 10,000 workers in the region's offshore industry, is monitoring three investigations in the North Sea
KNIVES, guns and drugs have been confiscated from schoolchildren in the region. Langbaurgh police report that a total of 84 pupils from secondary schools on Tees-side were questioned by officers in the past year. A further 23 have been arrested in Middlesbrough
KEEPING their remote upland farm readily accessible to the public has resulted in another accolade for a Teesdale couple already no strangers to awards. Maurice and Kath Toward have farmed at Herdship Farm at Harwood since 1967. Their valuable conservation
POLICE officers will be based in Great Ayton for the first time in more than a decade, under a new policing scheme launched in Hambleton. Neighbourhood policing teams have been set up in Great Ayton, Stokesley, Northallerton, Bedale, Thirsk and Easingwold
REDCAR Racecourse has announced its determination to stay ahead of the field with the appointment of Neil Etherington as chief executive. Mr Etherington, who has led inward investment activity in the Tees Valley area for the last decade, will take up
A DOG who had survived a lucky escape is looking for a new home. Chance, as he has been christened by his foster carers, survived being thrown from a speeding car then lived for several weeks on the central reservation of one of Britain's busiest motorways
A THIRSK butcher's shop has won an award for the best speciality sausage in the North-East. Johnson's Butchers in the Market Place won the Northern Council of Butchers' speciality sausage competition with a new pork, tomato and basil sausage. The sausage
THE Government will unveil a package of support today for workers at MG Rover after the collapse of a proposed deal with a Chinese company - threatening thousands of redundancies and an election nightmare for Tony Blair. Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia
A BREWERY run by two school friends has moved to larger premises to meet a growing demand from real ale lovers. Wensleydale Brewery started in a small back room at the Forester's Arms, in Carlton, near Leyburn, North Yorkshire. In order to keep supplying
A CLINIC behind an innovative new approach to helping people who have difficulty sleeping has been nominated for an award. The Sleep Clinic, home of the Sleep Pack, could be in line for an NHS Innovations regional award at a ceremony next week. The beauty
TWENTY-EIGHT letters of objection have been sent to Teesside licensing magistrates about plans by Ladbrokes to gain a betting licence for a shop in Station Street, Saltburn. A court official said the application would be heard in Guisborough on April
ATM MACHINES: I WAS dismayed at the article regarding ATM machines in post offices (Echo, Mar 31). This article did not make clear to readers that, if they have opened a card account at the post office for their pension or benefit to go into, they can
OLDER people are being given the chance to shape policy in their home towns. About 400 invitations are being circulated to organisations to join the Redcar and Cleveland Older People's Partnership Board. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's member for
CHRIS Westwood can see the footballing similarities between himself and Joel Porter. The Hartlepool United pair might be at opposite ends of the pitch, but both have impressed this season. Westwood teed up Porter's 15th goal of the season during Tuesday's
TRUANCY in Darlington schools breached council target figures last year. And a "school pass" scheme could now be brought in to combat casual absenteeism. Headteachers are to be asked for their views and it is hoped the system can operate from September
NHS officials say there have been substantial improvements in the length of time patients from County Durham have to wait for treatment. Since April last year, the maximum waiting limit for inpatient treatments, such as operations, has been nine months
THE Forestry Commission has revealed that a once endangered nocturnal bird is making an astonishing come-back in the region. Results from a national survey of nightjars, carried out last summer, reveal numbers have increased by nearly 250pc over the last
NATIVE bird species in the North-East have shown a 13pc increase while numbers in the South have continued to decline. The results for the period 1994 to 2003 were released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Apart from the overall
M ARCH saw the arrival of our first "real" summer migrants. The first were wheatears, with birds seen in Colsterdale and at Nosterfield on the relatively early date of the 18th. The following day, a sand martin was seen at Nosterfield, with a flock of
When Mr Darcy dived into a pond in Pride and Prejudice, millions of women swooned. Ten years later Colin Firth has got serious competition at last. It's in the 6ft 2 in shape of Midlands actor Richard Armitage, who played Victorian cotton mill owner John
DEVIL MAY CRY III, Publisher: Capcom. Format: PS2. Price: £39.99. Family friendly? 16+. VIDEO games are supposed to be challenging. A game that's a cake walk offers no incentive to play through. It's also poor value for money if you can breeze through
Fishburn Park 2 Bedale FC 1 A LATE goal from Nigel Binks was not enough to save Bedale from defeat at Fishburn Park and relegation to the second division. The home side took the lead five minutes into the second half through Michael Young and Gareth Reed
DEVIL MAY CRY III, Publisher: Capcom. Format: PS2. Price: £39.99. Family friendly? 16+. VIDEO games are supposed to be challenging. A game that's a cake walk offers no incentive to play through. It's also poor value for money if you can breeze through
THE mystery of a village's missing liberty stone was solved last night after it emerged that a resident had taken it away for safekeeping. The 4ft stone, which was sunk 2ft into the ground, had been removed earlier this week from the North Yorkshire village
A man "groomed" underage girls for sex through his involvement in amateur dramatics groups, a court heard. Scott Appleton, 32, formed relationships with impressionable girls aged 12 - 15, and in some cases filmed his sexual activity with them. Durham
A NEIGHBOURHOOD watch scheme has launched a campaign to educate people about protecting their property. The campaign has been launched by Chester-le-Street and District Neighbourhood Watch, at a time of year when thefts from garden sheds are expected
THE Big One is tomorrow, the Grand National, postponed for 25 minutes to avoid the timing of the re-arranged royal wedding. The lucky name brigade might go for Royal Auclair, Clan Royal or, perhaps, It Takes Time. Now that the ground looks likely to be
A conman claiming to own a ranch in America and needing money to get back home has tricked about 30 people in the UK out of thousands of pounds, police said today. The 59-year-old, who puts on an American accent but was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, has
BOTH Darlington clubs will be in National Three North again next season if tomorrow's results go in Mowden Park's favour. Darlington ensured their own survival last Saturday with a 31-6 home win against Rugby Lions, while Mowden hit top form to win 32
DARLINGTON'S biggest secondary school is in line for a £15m facelift. Hummersknott Language College, with 1,200-plus pupils, is in such a state education officials fear a major plant failure could mean temporary closure. Senior councillors will next week
FUNDRAISERS in Redcar are celebrating reaching their target for the restoration of the town clock. The King Edward VII Memorial Clock has stood tall in the centre of the town since 1913. Now, after years of neglect, the community has the final penny in
FARM organisations have won concessions on what non-agricultural activities can take place on farm land. Defra planned to restrict such activities to just five days during the ten-month qualifying period for the Single Farm Payment scheme but, after intense
ON-THE-SPOT fines could be introduced to combat litter and dog fouling in Richmondshire. On Tuesday, the district council environment and planning committee received a report entitled How clean is Richmondshire? It was completed by the community and environment
Experts are hoping to turn around the lives of North-East drug users - by turning them into football stars. The Government Office for the North-East has invested £3,000 for an addicts' football tournament designed to show there are easier ways of achieving
VISITORS to a disabled parking bay have been dismayed to find their only exit is up a steep flight of steps. Wheelchair-bound visitors to the Sage music venue at Gateshead have been grateful to find a clearly marked bay to park in. But the only way from
THE prestigious four-mile Grimethorpe Gold Cup, staged at the Middleton meeting at Whitwell on the Hill last Sunday, was won by Lord Daresbury's Shackleton (Middleton). The odds-on favourite was patiently ridden by Oliver Greenall. He waited in midfield
SCHOOL dinner ladies are among 140 female employees fighting for equal pay from their council employers. Joining the dinner ladies were their supervisors, school cleaners and home helps, who all say they should receive about £33 a week more to bring their
Parking wardens enraged motorists by leaving their van on double yellow lines - while they handed out parking tickets. Seaside day-trippers were left speechless after officials paid no attention to parking restrictions as they penalised drivers for doing
NORTHALLERTON shopkeeper Darren Grimston took to the fast Yorkshire forests for the first time last weekend and very nearly came away with an award on the Wold Construction North Humberside Forests Rally. Driving his newly-acquired Electrocare-backed
A KITE display got up, up and away at the weekend. There were colourful kites of every shape and size; fighter, stunt, power and man-lifting kites - all vying for attention, dodging, darting and bucking in the skies above the Kirkleatham Showfield on
ENGLISH beef producers continued to make steady improvements in the quality of carcases marketed in the past year. However, the latest annual carcase classification summary from the English Beef and Lamb Executive reveals plenty of scope for some producers
HOSPITAL bosses have revealed that no one in the region is waiting more than three months for heart surgery. Confirmation that long waits are a thing of the past marks a victory for The Northern Echo's long-running A Chance To Live campaign. Officials
A grey-haired gran who baked cannabis casseroles for her friends walked free from court yesterday as a judge refused to "make her a martyr." Patricia Tabram, 66, only took the drug for medicinal reasons and to help elderly friends suffering a variety
Since becoming a mayor I've found myself on a steep learning curve in many areas and one of them is art. It's a subject which I must admit had passed me by. Museums and art galleries weren't really my thing. But now my appreciation of art is growing.
BARNARD Castle School pupil Anna Dawson is the 2005 Pony Club Dengie Winter League show jumping champion after a great win at Warwickshire College last weekend. A total of 80 riders from all over the British Isles had qualified for the final, which is
AN opening night to rapturous applause was the chocolate on the Kit Kat for regional comedy writing duo, Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood. There's bound to be a slight nervousness about a new play that's sold out ten weeks before curtain-up. And how to follow
In the latest of a series of articles about cancer, consultant surgeon YKS Viswanath and specialist nurse Nicky Lackin, from the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, write about oesophageal cancer. THE oesophagus, also commonly known as the
TENS of thousands of pounds worth of high-grade South American drugs have been recovered during a police operation. Three people were arrested during the operation on Tyneside, which follows the interception at Stansted Airport of a package from Venezuela
Dick And Dom's Ask The Family (BBC2) Ask The Family (BBC2) Selling Houses (C4) AS far as I know, presenter Robert Robinson didn't have his thigh stroked by a mother and the children weren't called "silly ass" and made to wear a donkey mask. Such things
A MAN with only two years' cooking experience has spoken of his dream of opening a restaurant after finishing second in the BBC's Masterchef Goes Large contest. Mark Todd, who comes from Darlington but now lives in Bath, was always the competition's outsider
HEALTH chiefs are expected to decide next month whether to close a hospital unit for leukaemia sufferers. Campaigners have battled proposals to shut the six-bed haematology ward at Darlington Memorial Hospital and merge it with a unit at Bishop Auckland
DEVELOPERS say a £30m scheme to boost a Durham's night-time economy will not become part of the pub crawl circuit. Amec started work three months ago on the redevelopment of the Walkergate car park. The long-awaited development will include a multi-storey
THE head of Teesdale District Council has dismissed claims that a £20,000 Government-funded training trip to the Lake District is nothing but a junket. The allegation was made in an anonymous note left at the D&S Times office, which claimed to be
AFTER lengthy negotiations and months of planning contracts have been signed to set in motion work to transform the fortunes of a village that has suffered years of neglect. Later this month, demolition will begin as developers prepare for the first of
ARMY chiefs have been criticised after they admitted there were six times as many injuries at a North-East training camp as they originally said. A Ministry of Defence (MoD) statement yesterday revealed that 35 soldiers had suffered accidents at Otterburn
POPE John Paul was called simply "a good man whom we remember so fondly" by Bishop John Crowley, leader of the 80,000 Catholics in North Yorkshire and Teesside, when he met journalists on Monday. The previous day, at St Mary's Cathedral, Coulby Newham
A couple who scooped £2.1millon on the lottery are being sued by a florist for refusing to pay a bill of £815. Ashlie and John Chapman, who won the cash in 1998, are being taken to the small claims court by Susan Maher. The wrangle over the flowers began
A VILLAGE is in line to get a much-needed village hall - thanks to the local ladies' darts team. Players from the women's team in Wensley, near Leyburn, decided to act after a couple of drinks during one of their weekly fixtures. Setting themselves a
A conwoman was jailed for five years yesterday for robbing her childhood guardian angel of half a million pounds to feed her gambling addiction. Theresa Bragg, 43, from Middlesbrough, tracked down wealthy widow Anita Fowell who had been her housemother
A DRUNKEN man attacked a police officer by the side of the road, leaving him with cuts and bruises, a court heard. Graham Levy, 45, of Broom Dykes Lodge, Heighington, attacked the officer after his car was pulled over. Darlington Magistrates' Court heard
A COUNTY Durham company has forged new contacts in the Middle East. Perry Process Equipment Ltd, based in Newton Aycliffe, is an international process plant and equipment specialist. It has been working with clients in the chemical, pharmaceutical, plastics
A SURPRISE visit from Durham Mayor Mary Hawgood helped make yesterday a diamond day for anniversary couple Kirtley and Betty Fowell. Mr and Mrs Fowell, 88 and 82 respectively, of Framwellgate Moor, Durham, celebrated 60 years of marriage surrounded by
A FIRE Brigade Union chief seduced a schoolgirl into having sex with him by bombarding her with explicit text messages, a court heard yesterday. The 14-year-old recorded the "steamy" messages sent by Paul Ahmed, 44, in a book later handed to police. Newcastle
BUSINESS owners in Stokesley have helped employment by recruiting 12 new full and part-time staff members. From Tuesday, the School House Caf in College Square, Stokesley, will extend its opening hours to serve Mediterranean-influenced dishes between
FOUR firearms have been stolen from a North-East home. The guns, a 10in knife and hundreds of cartridges were taken from a property in Ingleby Barwick, Teesside, and it is feared thieves plan to sell them. Jewellery was also taken in the break-in, which
A man who murdered British backpacker Caroline Stuttle by pushing her off a bridge lost his appeal against conviction early today. Ian Previte, 32, was convicted last October of the murder and robbery of 19-year-old Miss Stuttle in the eastern Australian
AN experiment in which criminals in a prison were employed to recycle junk mail has been abandoned after a convicted burglar found a member of the public's bank details in an envelope. Inmates at Durham Prison have been employed to sort mail-shot letters
THE deadline for candidates for council elections in a Teesside borough passed yesterday, with 55 council seats up for grabs. The elections for Stockton Borough Council follow boundaries changes in the borough, which will see 26 wards served by 56 councillors
A PIONEERING punk band has sold out the first public concert at a North-East university venue for several years. The Damned will play the 700-capacity Dunelm House, Durham, on Saturday, May 7. The hall hosted some of the biggest names in rock in the 1960s
AN INDEPENDENT watchdog has criticised the performance of a council in delivering housing repairs for its 7,700 tenants. Inspectors from the Audit Commission gave Derwentside District Council only one star out of a possible three - ranking the authority
A NEW town centre taxi rank is to be opened after councillors unanimously voted in favour of the plan, despite opposition from local traders. The new rank, which can take up to ten taxis, is to be opened at the southern end of Front Street, in Chester-le-Street
STUART PARNABY has revealed how Middlesbrough's walking wounded are being teased and tormented by the fit members of the squad in an attempt to help the club claim a second successive season in European competition. After months of injury woe, Boro's
A VILLAGE has won its battle for a 40mph speed limit, despite objections from police. The campaign for the limit was headed by Birstwith Parish Council in Nidderdale and its county councillor Richard Thomas. Villagers backed the 40mph restriction at a
A MAN remained critically ill last night after he was stabbed in the stomach. The man, who is in his 50s, was taken to Newcastle General Hospital following the incident shortly before 11pm on Wednesday at a house in St John's Green, Percy Main, North
A MAN has appeared in court charged with the death of a plasterer following a fracas outside a pub. Kevin Todd, 22, appeared before magistrates in Guisborough yesterday charged with unlawful killing. John Carr was taken to the James Cook University Hospital
A COUNTY Durham farm is celebrating the birth of a second set of quadruplet lambs this spring. The latest Texel-Mule crosses were born at Killerby Hall Farm, Killerby, on Thursday of last week. They followed a set of quads born to another ewe in the same
DURHAM'S radio station could be launched by the autumn, the company that won the licence said last night. Communication regulator Ofcom has awarded the 12-year licence to Durham FM, part of the Local Radio Company, which operates Darlington's Alpha FM
A SERVICE giving patients physiotherapy advice over the telephone has been nominated for an award that recognises innovation in patient care. The Physio Direct Service, run by Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust (PCT), has been shortlisted
A VILLAGE is in line to get a much-needed village hall - thanks to the local ladies' darts team. Players from the women's team in Wensley, near Leyburn, decided to act after a couple of drinks during one of their weekly fixtures. Setting themselves a
A BRANCH of the RSPCA has set up its own website to help it re-home unwanted pets. The charity's Harrogate branch hopes the site will also raise their profile. The site - at www.rspcaharrogate.org.uk - contains contact numbers and an e-mail address for
CULINARY experts turned up the heat in a college cook-off designed to tests the skills of catering students. The competition, hosted by Darlington College of Technology, pitted young caterers against each other and the clock. Three-strong teams, comprising
NEWCASTLE UNITED kept their fists to themselves and let their feet do the talking by taking a giant step towards a place in the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup for the second successive season last night. After a frenzied few days following Lee Bowyer and
ENGINEERING group Siemens will re-launch part of its North-East business today after a £10m investment programme. The German company has changed the focus of its power generation business on the site of the former Parsons plant in Shields Road, Newcastle
RARE treasures will return to their North-East home before they are auctioned next month. Edinburgh auctioneer Lyon and Turnbull will sell antiques from Pallinsburn House, in North Northumberland, after the mansion was sold last year. Several of the treasures
ONE of the area's leading choirs is bidding farewell to its conductor on Sunday when he steps down after more than quarter of a century. Neville Kirby, who lives at Ingleton, has helped win international acclaim for Gainford Choral Society, but at the
A YOUNGSTER'S design is flying high after winning a competition to create a flag for her local cricket club. Niamh Blackett's artistic flair saw her chosen out of hundreds of primary and nursery schoolchildren in Crook, who were asked to design a flag
THE arrival of a new Education Village in Darlington this autumn will also mean a change of venue for a popular youth centre. Haughton Youth Centre's move to the new building is already being planned. Youth clubs and volunteer youth workers are being
BUSINESSES will swing into action to help a hospice during a corporate golf tournament. Teesside Hospice will host the event at Eaglescliffe Golf Club, which will include an 18-hole competition, a two-course carvery meal and trophy presentations. Elaine
THE council in Darlington is to approve the spending of large amounts of cash on schools in the town. The borough council is planning to spend the cash on building new schools and refurbishing existing ones. A large amount of the money will be spent on
FILTRATIONS specialist PSI Global has won a £1m contract for a toxic gas safety system. The group, in Bowburn, near Durham, has signed a three-year supply deal with Wessex Water Services, for its Chlorguard product. The system, which will be used in 32
SCHOOL dinner ladies are among 140 female employees fighting for equal pay from their council employers. Joining the dinner ladies were their supervisors, school cleaners and home helps, who all say they should receive about £33 a week more to bring their
AN organisation has been formed to represent companies responsible for £8bn of the region's manufacturing output. The North East Process Industry Cluster (Nepic) has 350 member companies, representing a quarter of the region's manufacturing base. The
SCORES of empty bottles were thrown into the River Skerne yesterday to launch a new health campaign. Message in a Bottle aims to get older and vulnerable people to keep their health details in a plastic bottle in their refrigerators in case of emergency
The demise of Britain's last volume car maker will have tremedous repercussions, not just for the 20,000 people whose jobs depended on MG Rover, but for the Government as well. Motoring editor Nigel Burton believes a hasty decision taken six years ago
A FIREFIGHTER is turning up the heat and taking on one of the world's hottest, harshest environments for charity. Mike Dayson, a firefighter with Redcar-based Cleveland Fire Brigade, is running the Marathon des Sables across the Sahara Desert, from Sunday
BEST-selling travel writer Bill Bryson has been appointed Chancellor of the University of Durham. The announcement was made on Tuesday, and the 54 year-old author, who famously wrote about falling in love with the city, said he was "honoured." The love
IT'S a magical place. As the early evening mist blurs the outlines of the trees and enfolds the grazing sheep, we round a bend in a country lane to be confronted with the gothic splendour of Swinton Park. On slightly raised ground, and backlit by pale
YOUNG people at a north Durham youth club have received some new equipment. Fifteen children aged 11-16, who attend Chester-le-Street Youth Club, have been trying their hand at mixing music. The aspiring DJs learned their skills on Saturday and recorded
THIEVES have taken liberties with a village's heritage. They have stolen a liberty stone - a parish boundary marker - from Picton, which lies between Kirklevington and Appleton Wiske. Police are appealing for help in tracking down those responsible. The
AN OLD boundary stone has been stolen from Picton, and police want help to track down both the stone and the thief. Called liberty stones, they marked the boundaries of parishes and this one had indicated the border for at least 150 years, perhaps more
MICK McCarthy last night thanked Brian Deane for aiding Sunderland's promotion push, despite the veteran striker not having kicked a ball for the club. Deane, who moved on loan from fellow Championship side Leeds on transfer deadline day, was an unused
DARLINGTON striker Alun Armstrong is struggling to be fit in time to visit Cambridge United tomorrow. The 30-year-old was due to resume full training with Quakers yesterday, before setting off with the rest of the squad today. However, assistant manager
WHAT we musn't forget in this politically correct era of sympathy, compassion and tolerance is that the Newcastle flyweights, Bowyer and Dyer, are bears of very little brain who have been given no incentive to see beyond the confines of the degrading
FOLLOWERS of this column frequently accuse me of being anti-Defra. I am not, but I do believe their rural policies need to be revised to get a balance in the countryside lacking under the present regime. Defra has caved in under pressure from well-organised
LEYBURN all but ended Richmond Mavericks A's title hopes last Saturday with a 4-2 triumph as leaders Middleham battled their way to a point. Steven Butterworth and a brilliant solo effort from Matt Chilton put Leyburn 2-0 up at the break as Mavericks
AS well as the General Election on May 5, local elections are also taking place across the country, including parts of the North-East. While Britain is electing a Prime Minister, the people of Hartlepool will be electing a new mayor, with seven candidates
RAPHAEL'S Madonna and Child, the tiny Renaissance painting more commonly known as the Madonna of the Pinks, goes on show at the Bowes Museum this month. It comes to the Bowes courtesy of the National Gallery, which is celebrating the purchase with a national
A MAN with a megaphone will leave litter bugs in no doubt over the error of their ways if they drop rubbish. Megaphone Man is Middlesbrough's new champion in the fight for litter-free streets. He will use his megaphone to loudly remind people what litter
Sir, - Further to your report (D&S, Apr 1), a monumental 20pc of Richmond adults under 75 years turned up at the last resources committee. The message to Coun Blackie, the council leader, is loud and clear: stop trying to hoodwink Richmond people
Dick And Dom's Ask The Family (BBC2); Ask The Family (BBC2); Selling Houses (C4): AS far as I know, presenter Robert Robinson didn't have his thigh stroked by a mother and the children weren't called "silly ass" and made to wear a donkey mask. Such things
THERE are two words almost guaranteed to strike terror into a woman's heart at this time of year: back bedroom. I do have a friend to whom I try not to mention the words at any time of year, as they're a very sore point in her house, but so many people
A MAN who trafficked cocaine and amphetamines to pay off a debt has been jailed for 30 months. Darren Hawkins had never been in trouble with the police before, until dealers told him he could pay off money he owed by delivering drugs. Teesside Crown Court
A COUNCIL is earning tens of thousands of pounds a year by spying on other parts of the country. The closed circuit television (CCTV) monitoring centre in Darlington Borough Council's town hall is one of the most advanced in the UK -and its reputation
DARLINGTON striker Alun Armstrong is struggling to be fit in time to face Cambridge United tomorrow. The 30-year-old was due to resume full training with Quakers yesterday, before setting off for Cambridgeshire with the rest of the squad this afternoon
HIGHWAY engineers still hope the driver responsible can be identified more than a month after his vehicle left a gaping hole in one parapet of Bedale Bridge. An insurance claim against him is the only alternative to North Yorkshire County Council having
A North Yorkshire rail line is to become a national pilot project which will see more people travelling by rail and cause less damage to the environment. The North York Moors National Park Authority's planning committee is being recommended to support
Bedale & West of Yore PC. - May 7: coach trip to Badminton Horse Trials, adults £36.50, children £21. Ring Mandy on 01677 470245 for more details or to book. Braes of Derwent PC. - Apr 9 & 10: tetrathlon at Durham. Apr 10: hunter trial, all classes
A POLICE force is encouraging drivers and passengers to wear seat belts. Road checks are being set up in Teesside's four policing districts. Insp Eric Robinson, head of Cleveland's road policing unit, said: "We are not being heavy handed but doing our
Plans for a new housing development at Sowerby have finally been approved after what has been described as a series of twists and turns over the past six months. Public opinion in the village was split over the proposal by John Potter to demolish an existing
THREE teenage girls who arrived in the UK claiming asylum have gone missing, and police are increasingly concerned for them. The Chinese girls have not been seen for a week after they left accommodation in Elswick Lodge, Newcastle, on March 30. Police
A YOUNG euphonium player from Thorpe Thewles has been invited to join the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain. Tim Cooper, 17, a sixth form student at Egglescliffe School, has played the instrument for ten years. He has appeared regularly with
HERITAGE campaigners in Darlington could be set to continue the battle over huge changes planned for the town centre. This was made clear as council chiefs cleared the final hurdle in their bid to transform High Row and other central areas. The Office
A PENSIONER died in hospital last night following an accident on the A19. William Robinson, 77, of Thornley, County Durham, was airlifted to the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, following the accident, shortly before 10am. The accident
WHAT we musn't forget in this politically correct era of sympathy, compassion and tolerance is that the Newcastle flyweights, Bowyer and Dyer, are bears of very little brain who have been given no incentive to see beyond the confines of the degrading
A £300M investment at Teesport could almost wipe out the area's unemployment problems, Redcar MP Vera Baird said last night. Owner PD Ports wants to invest the cash to create a deep-sea container terminal on the River Tees, which would take thousands
SARETH Nainby-Luxmoore has never been diagnosed as dyslexic. But she is fairly sure she has had the trait from being very young. And it is one reason she is keen to give numeracy help to young men at a County Durham young offenders institution. This charity
AN MP has taken up the case of a mother left begging officials for money to buy food for her five children. Laundry worker Julie Ornsby, 29, of Woodhouse Close Estate, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, pleaded with Inland Revenue staff for help when her
THE head of Cleveland police hopes a reduction in crime figures and financial restructuring will see the force lose its "in crisis" tag. Crime in Cleveland fell by 8pc in the past financial year, compared with the previous 12 months. This equates to 5,980
IN the programme notes, director Gregory Floy makes Harold Brighouse's classic play sound awfully serious with talk of alcoholism, feminism, chauvinism, snobbery, single parenting and the class struggle. Those may be some of the themes but I'd rather
A ROW over a bid to introduce a colour code for a city's taxi fleet will not be settled until later this year. Durham City Council wants all Hackney carriages to be a standard white to make them instantly recognisable to potential passengers. The council
AN experiment in which criminals in a prison were employed to recycle junk mail has been abandoned after a convicted burglar found a member of the public's bank details in an envelope. Inmates at Durham Prison have been employed to sort mail-shot letters
A 14-YEAR-OLD North-East boy who admitted indecently assaulting five female pupils at his school should have been put on the Sex Offenders' Register, the highest court in the land has ruled at the end of three years of legal wrangling. The case is the
A 14-YEAR-OLD North-East boy who admitted indecently assaulting five female pupils at his school should have been put on the Sex Offenders' Register, the highest court in the land has ruled at the end of three years of legal wrangling. The case is the
WHEN Graeme Souness urged his players to concentrate on all matters Sporting in the build-up to last night's game, he wasn't only referring to Newcastle's opponents from Lisbon. With the fall-out from Saturday's "Thriller with the Villa" continuing to
Researchers want to hear from people with restricted growth to see if they need help. Health Editor Barry Nelson finds out why. JOHN Wallace is an ambitious, self-employed landscape gardener with a thriving business in the North-East. In just four years
COLIN Charvis will be back for Newcastle Falcons' Premiership match at home to Worcester on Sunday, but Jonny Wilkinson will wait one more week. Welsh flanker Charvis has been out for three months since suffering a foot injury in the Heineken Cup match
A POLICE Chief has called for the re-labelling of his force after the announcement of a fall in crime and an increase in savings. Branded a force in crisis, Cleveland Police hit a financial black hole and had to tighten spending. But on Wednesday, Chief
SOFT ground specialist Haut de Gamme (3.45) has a great chance of landing today's Topham Trophy at Aintree. Ferdy Murphy's ten-year-old put up an outstanding performance to lower the colours of leading Grand National fancy, Strong Resolve, when the pair
An ice skater needed nine stitches after suffering a gash to the face in front of hundreds of fans. The accident happened as Sergei Malishev - one of the stars of Sleeping Beauty On Ice - was performing at Sunderland Empire earlier this week. The 22-year-old
THE developer that turned a desert outpost into a glittering city may join the £500m Middlehaven project, in Middlesbrough. Emaar has also hired consultants to evaluate investment options elsewhere in the Tees Valley, with the £300m North Shore scheme
PROTESTORS have lodged objections against a plan to create a taxi rank in a north Durham town centre. Chester-le Street District Council's licensing committee will consider whether there should be a new hackney carriage stand in Front Street. The idea
A POLICEMAN and a civilian who saved a man from bleeding to death after an incident at a Northallerton nightclub have been recognised with awards by the Royal Humane Society. PC Tony Slaney and Gareth Hare gave first aid to Mark Raw, who had a severe
Hebburn Town 1 Northallerton Town 1 NORTHALLERTON Town's division two promotion hopes suffered a severe blow last Saturday when they were held to a 1-1 draw at third-bottom Hebburn Town. With all their promotion rivals - Washington Nissan, West Allotment
BEDALE Town Council may face legal action by the Environment Agency over the timing of dredging work on the local beck, it was revealed yesterday. Local people worried about the work and its possible effect on wildlife have claimed the improvement project
MIDDLETON in TEESDALE. - Tues. Fwd: 131 store cattle for show & sale. Bullocks av £459.47 (up £18.75); hfrs av £382.71 (up £46.79). Prices, bullocks. - Lim X: £548, £535 Toft House; £530 Friar House Farm; £528, £500 Earnwell; £515, £472(2), £455(3
PRISON chiefs are investigating a riot at a women's prison which has left inmates being offered counselling. According to reports, a hostage situation took place at Low Newton prison, near Durham City, when a woman took over one of the landings on a wing
THERE is an old saying that April wears a white hat. This is not a reference to snow, however. It is a reminder that we can experience frosts during this unpredictable and sometimes stormy month, and even in some European countries a cold April is regarded
A SENIOR councillor has been found guilty of bringing his office into disrepute after he called a member of the public a "f***ing prostitute" during a council meeting. Steve Walmsley was investigated by the Standards Board for England after the woman
THE pressure on the leadership of Richmondshire District Council over the planned move of its headquarters to Colburn has continued to grow. The strength of feeling in Richmond is almost unprecedented. If correspondence sent to a local newspaper can be
A NEW policing scheme in Hambleton will see teams based in Northallerton, Bedale, Thirsk, Easingwold, Great Ayton and Stokesley. These back-to-basics teams will each comprise a sergeant, four police constables, and one police community support officer
A CONTRITE Lee Bowyer last night thanked Newcastle's fans for their forgiveness after they cheered him onto the field during the second half of the club's 1-0 win over Sporting Lisbon. Bowyer, fined £200,000 and given a written warning earlier this week
OILFIELD exploration could help sustain hundreds of jobs in the North-East, experts have said. The Northern Offshore Federation (NOF), which represents 10,000 workers in the region's offshore industry, is monitoring three investigations in the North Sea
By Andrea Johnson A TALENTED rugby player from Richmond School is living his dream after being selected for the England under-16 squad. Calum Clark, 15, has already represented his country in two successful international matches against Italy and Wales
A CROP which US drug enforcement authorities do not allow to be grown there could prove a real high for English farmers. A Yorkshire company is looking for farmers to grow finola hemp - cannabis sativa - for its financially-rewarding oil and fibre content
As Charles's wife, Camilla may be expected to serve him meals from the Dutchy Originals range. Shoptalk samples some of its extortionate delights. SO OK Camilla you have one more day to be nervous...but once the honeymoon's over and you're down to the
CONTROVERSIAL traffic calming measures proposed for Romanby look set to be toned down. The original scheme, which included raised road "tables" and a large number of road signs around the green, was condemned by parish councillors as overkill. The scheme
A YOUNG martial artist has landed one of the highest tae kwon do accolades possible for a youngster. Connor Woodcock, nine, from Aycliffe Village, was not only double promoted to blue belt but won the Best Of Grade award, at a grading session held at
A GUIDED walk around a town centre nature reserve will be held next weekend to keep residents informed about conservation projects on their doorstep. The countryside team from Sedgefield Borough Council will lead ramblers around Byerley Park Local Nature
COUNCILLORS have agreed to plans for a car showroom and bodyshop that has been redesigned because a major sewer runs through the site. Businessman Mathew Hardy had to alter the layout of Bridge Garage, on Aycliffe Industrial Estate, to ensure builders
PRESSURE is mounting on Richmondshire District Council over plans to sell off assets to finance its £4.5m relocation move to Colburn. District and town councillor Stuart Parsons has submitted a request to the district council for a Richmondshire referendum
A SCHOOL band is in rehearsals for its biggest concert of the year. Tudhoe Grange School Concert Band, in Spennymoor, will take to the stage alongside one of the region's top brass bands next month. Spennymoor Leisure Centre will host the band's annual
WITH the good folk of Richmond well and truly roused, and out in significant numbers, it was understandable that the long, overstretched, arm of the law reached out to last Wednesday's heated meeting-that-never-was in the town's Middle School hall. For
THE candidates for the role of mayor of Hartlepool threw their hats into the ring yesterday - all vowing to get down to the serious business of politics. Seven people, including candidates from two of the three main parties, will be vying for the position
Since becoming a mayor I've found myself on a steep learning curve in many areas and one of them is art. It's a subject which I must admit had passed me by. Museums and art galleries weren't really my thing. But now my appreciation of art is growing.
A DEVELOPER wants to build new homes on the site of a former filling station which has blighted a village since its demolition. Malangate Properties Ltd has applied to Teesdale District Council for planning permission to build 19 homes at the former Osborne
A COUNCIL has given the go-ahead for repair work on a Teesside theatre, which will ensure it re-opens by the summer. Stockton Borough Council yesterday agreed for interim repairs to be carried out to Billingham's Forum Theatre. The council said the work
A MOTORIST who panicked and tried to reverse his car to escape from police was jailed yesterday. When police questioned banned driver Wayne Johnson, 34, he hurled his £45 Rover backwards into a fence, bounced back into the road and stalled the engine.
A RESIDENT was surprised to see a council worker replacing the bus stop outside her house - as buses have not been running there for the past two years. Isobella Riordan lives in Swaledale Avenue, Darlington, where there are some serving bus stops. But
KNIVES, guns and drugs have been confiscated from schoolchildren in the region. Langbaurgh police report that a total of 84 pupils from secondary schools on Tees-side were questioned by officers in the past year. A further 23 have been arrested in Middlesbrough
A MASKED man left staff in a state of shock after he threatened them with a hammer before stealing cash. He entered Bell's Stores, in Station Terrace East, Boldon, South Tyneside, shortly after 9pm on Tuesday. He was described as white, in his late teens
THERE was a song in the air yesterday when Florence Muncaster celebrated her 100th birthday. Now a resident at the Lindisfarne Care Home, in Chester-le-Street, Mrs Muncaster was joined by members of her family and staff at a party to mark the special
STAFF and students at a north Durham school are celebrating after receiving a glowing report from inspectors. South Pelaw Infants' School was described as outstanding following an Ofsted inspection. It gained A-stars in ten areas it was assessed on and
A NEW supermarket has opened, marking the latest stage in the redevelopment of a town centre. The Catterick Garrison Aldi store was opened yesterday by Garrison Commander Johnny Hackett. The shop is the latest big name to open a branch in the town centre
VOLUNTEERS are needed to help tend and develop a hospice garden. Managers at Hartlepool and District Hospice, in Wells Avenue, Hartlepool, are desperately looking for people to maintain and cultivate the garden areas used by patients and their families
TENS of thousands of pounds worth of high-grade South American drugs have been recovered during a police operation. Three people were arrested during the operation on Tyneside, which follows the interception at Stansted Airport of a package from Venezuela
A THEATRE company has teamed up with rugby clubs to stage one of its plays. Lobster Productions is a three-man writing and touring theatre company based in Jarrow, Newcastle, and is embarking on a tour. The production, Dangle in the Dust, is set in the
A special reunion is taking place this evening. The event, at the Billingham Arms Hotel, in Billingham, is an unashamed nostalgia-fest, with posters proclaiming that the night is exclusively for the over-30s and promising visitors the chance to relive
THREE teenage girls who arrived in the UK claiming asylum have gone missing, and police are increasingly concerned for them. The Chinese girls have not been seen for a week after they left accommodation in Elswick Lodge, Newcastle, on March 30. Police
FIVE groups took part in a Battle of the Bands contest staged to raise money for charity. The event, at Bedale High School, raised money for Cancer Relief and to help former pupil Robert Simpson travel to South America and Africa during his gap year.
A MAN will appear in crown court after £1m worth of drugs were found in a house raid. Derrick Woods, 25, of Tynedale Street, Low Moorsley, Hetton-le-Hole, Wearside, is accused of two counts of possessing cocaine, and one of possessing cannabis, both with
A SCOUT troop has started building a new headquarters. Leader Ray Bowman says a great deal of hard work has been done by parents, friends and supporters to establish the hut, at Pickering. The cost, however, is expected to rise from the original £120,000
TWO market towns are preparing blueprints for their future. At Helmsley, town regeneration team leader Councillor Martin Van Der Weyer says consultants have drawn up initial plans. They include creating an open area in the Market Place where the Friday
Student Joanne Davies is hosting a recital concert tomorrow, from 6.30pm, at the United Reformed Church, Northgate, Darlington. Admission is free, but concert-goers will be asked to make a donation. Joanne, a student at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College
TALENTED youngsters of all ages will tread the boards this weekend to highlight their forthcoming productions. More than 200 performers in Durham Gala Theatre Stage School's junior and senior sections will take part in the school's Easter Showcase. The
DURHAM'S radio station could be launched by the autumn, the company that won the licence said last night. Communication regulator Ofcom has awarded the 12-year licence to Durham FM, part of the Local Radio Company, which operates Darlington's Alpha FM
STAFF at a North-East dog charity are hoping the popularity of the BBC's Doctor Who will help them find a home for one of their rescue dogs - named K9. The dog is a 13-year-old tan coloured Staffordshire Bull Terrier, who was rehomed by the Dogs Trust
THE deadline for a multi-million pound bid for funding to completely redevelop a Darlington school has been put back. Earlier this week, the borough council revealed that it was preparing to ask the Department for Education and Skills for £12m to revamp
PEOPLE living near a nature reserve are becoming increasingly concerned for the wildlife's safety. Residents, whose houses overlook Brinkburn Ponds, between Whessoe Road and Brinkburn Avenue, Darlington, have witnessed youths terrorising the birds. One
A DRUNKEN man attacked a police officer by the side of the road, leaving him with cuts and bruises, a court heard. Graham Levy, 45, of Broom Dykes Lodge, Heighington, attacked the officer after his car was pulled over. Darlington Magistrates' Court heard
A MAJOR music festival is expected to attract 25,000 people to the region next month. The Orange Evolution Music Festival is being held at three outdoor stages and more than 30 indoor venues with acts ranging from pop, blues and roots, and dance. Performances
DARLINGTON. - Thurs of last week. Fwd: 461 cattle, 864 sheep. Steers med to 125.5p/£690.25 av 113.3p; heavy to 136.5p/£881.48 av 112.24p; overall steer ave 112.32p; hfrs med to 131.5p/£597.60 av 113.56p; overall hfr av 113.17p; young bulls med to 130.5p
A CHARITY worker who used the organisation's debit card to top-up her mobile phone was spared jail yesterday. Laura Nichol, 28, of Tow Law, County Durham, had been working for Sightlines Initiative, an advocacy and training agency in Newcastle, for three
TWO market towns are preparing blueprints for their future. At Helmsley, town regeneration team leader Councillor Martin Van Der Weyer says consultants have drawn up initial plans. They include creating an open area in the Market Place where the Friday
