A YOUNG boy has been excluded from a primary school after being caught offering his classmates a herbal substance he claimed was drugs. The year five boy was excluded from Springfield Primary School, in Darlington, last Wednesday after he was discovered
A NORTH police force that has been dogged by financial difficulties is beginning to put its troubled past behind it. A Government report indicates that Cleveland Police has made significant progress in its attempt to address the financial problems that
INVESTMENT of more than £8m will be ploughed into small businesses in York and North Yorkshire before March 2008, Business Link is predicting. Under the Business Support Scheme, investment in support services for businesses in North Yorkshire has exceeded
THE Bishop of Durham has launched an extraordinary attack on Tony Blair's suppression of free speech - accusing him of introducing 1984-style "thought crimes". The Right Reverend Tom Wright condemned new laws that had sparked the investigation of religious
DARLINGTON Building Society said yesterday that it had pushed up mortgage lending by seven per cent last year in the face of tough market conditions. The mutual said it had seen strong growth in 2005, with new lending also increasing by 10.2 per cent
In the second of four articles reporting on North troops in Iraq, Olivia Richwald meets soldiers from The First Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, in Basra. THE First Fusiliers, also known as the Desert Rats, were part of the British contingent
TAK: THE GREAT JUJU CHALLENGE Publisher: THQ Formats: PS2, Xbox, Game Cube Price: £29.99 Family friendly? 3+ TO date there have been three Tak adventures and the pint-sized sorcerer has garnered a wide fan base of young and old gamers alike. Tak: The
ALAN Shearer is gunning for his big mate Rob Lee after being handed a daunting FA Cup mission. Shearer's dream of lifting Newcastle's first domestic trophy in 51 years to bring the curtain down on his career took a massive blow when the Magpies were paired
CREDITABLE PERFORMANCE: I WAS disappointed to read the letter from Mr Robert Bridgett of Shildon (HAS, Feb 15) which contained, in my view, unwarranted criticism of Durham Constabularys new single non-emergency number. The force has introduced massive
PROPERTY consultancy EC Harris has appointed ANDY JOHNSON as an associate in the North-East. He joins from Reg Vardy, where he was responsible for the control and project management of the company's construction projects, worth £25m a year. He said: "
HARRY HOOLY (3.20) heads to Sedgefield this afternoon with an ideal opportunity to end a long losing streak. The 11-year-old hasn't won since November 2004, when in the hands of today's rider Rose Davidson he cleared right away from his rivals to record
I could never see myself as a writer of bodice-rippers because whenever I've tried to describe sexual going on in my novels, I've always embarrassed myself so much I had to leave the room. But sex rears its head - or whatever other appropriate part -
SARAH BOULBY has been appointed as Business Link account manager at the North-East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) in Durham. The 25-year-old, who lives in Newton Aycliffe, will provide help and advice to businesses throughout the area. The position is her
GEORGE BOATENG is desperate to make up for lost time by continuing to turn in the dynamic displays for Middlesbrough that will ensure his World Cup dream remains alive and kicking. Despite playing just three games since recovering from ankle ligament
MORE than 10,000 school pupils have taken part in talks about the effects of anti-social behaviour. Since November, Stockton Borough Council's anti-social behaviour team has visited schools across the borough to spread their message - Respect: Give some
THE body that enforces food safety law in the region has been given a clean bill of health. The Food Standards Agency, the government watchdog that oversees food law enforcement, carried out an audit of Durham County Council's trading standards service
A SHOWCASE of local talent has been on stage at Liverpool's world famous Cavern Club. The venue, known for its regular Beatles concerts at the start of their rise to fame, recently played host to a duo of young Teesdale bands. Members of The Blue 42s
STAFF at a community centre are facing a race against time to secure funding for three vital posts. Money for the three workers at the Jubilee Fields Community Centre, which is at the heart of the Jubilee Estate in Shildon, will run out next month, but
COUNCIL taxpayers in Derwentside have been told the district council will not increase the amount it charges for its services this year. While the biggest portion of the council tax bill, claimed by Durham County Council, is rising by 4.6 per cent, along
A MAN who moved from Middlesbrough to avoid incidents of violence was left needing facial surgery after an unprovoked attack. The 28-year-old was enjoying a night out in Saltburn with his girlfriend when the incident happened at 11.15pm on Friday. The
TESTS have revealed a car that plunged 40ft and left three friends dead had no mechanical defects. The Renault Clio was examined by officers investigating the deaths of Liz Carroll, Richard Hornsby, and James Robson. They were driving through the village
A NEW play area built following a fundraising effort by parents and teachers has already proved a hit with youngsters. The play area, at Queen Mary's School, near Topcliffe, Thirsk, features a Wendy house and ride-on toys. It cost £12,000 to build and
MUSIC and dance put fun into learning for families who turned up at an event in Teesdale. African drums, dancing, football coaching, arts, crafts and basic Spanish lessons were all included in a busy programme in Middleton-in-Teesdale Village Hall at
A SPAT between two soldiers waiting to be posted to Iraq ended in one of them appearing in court yesterday. Paul Williams, 23, who is with 38 Engineer Regiment at Claro Barracks, Ripon, admitted using threatening behaviour. Catherine Knowles, prosecuting
PARENTS went back to school this week in a Government initiative. Ropery Walk Primary School, in Seaham, which has recently seen the addition of new sports and arts facilities, was chosen as the launch pad for the Family Fun Week. The project aims to
TWO people are recovering after being injured in a road accident. A Jeep left the road and landed in a ditch near Thorpe Bassett, Malton, on Sunday evening. A woman passenger in her 40s was released from the wreckage by firefighters. She suffered leg
SMALL businesses are being offered tips on how to win contracts from the public sector. An event in Thirsk next month, Selling to the Public Sector, aims to explain the procurement needs of public organisations. It will feature a demonstration of how
A MAN who systematically sexually abused two girls for up to two decades was yesterday jailed for seven years. Durham Crown Court heard that Michael Marriott may have left the two victims permanently psychologically scarred. The court was told the cycle
TWO women and a man have been jailed for a total of ten years following an undercover police sting in Darlington targeting heroin dealers. Bernardette McArthur, Josie Currie and Quentin Denton were secretly filmed selling heroin to, among others, three
TWENTY-SIX soldiers from one of the British Army's proudest regiments have failed a drugs test in the past six months and are facing explusion from the service in disgrace. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said last night that four of the soldiers from The
A PUB is turning up the heat for its customers in a bid to raise money for charity. The Normanby pub, in Middlesbrough, is holding a charity curry tasting night on Wednesday, March 1, in aid of Oxfam. Curry fans will be invited to test their tastebuds
Crash victim is cut from car: A WOMAN was cut free from her car yesterday following a head-on collision. Fire crews were called to Barns Farm, on the A173 Skelton to Guisborough Road, at about 11.45am, following the collision between a Nissan Almera and
THE Government's chief whip, Hilary Armstrong, is to open a different sort of parliament on Friday, and head-up a question time debate. The MP for north-west Durham will be in Consett to open the County Durham Learning Disabilities Service User Parliament
MICHAELA SHARP has been appointed as compliance officer at the Big Lottery Fund. The 25-year-old, from Thornaby, Teesside, will work at the organisation's Newcastle office. Big Lottery distributes half of the good causes money raised by the National Lottery
STEPHEN ELLIOTT could be in line for a surprise recall to the Sunderland team at Birmingham City this weekend if he can prove his fitness in the reserves tomorrow. The Black Cats striker has been out of action since November 5 after suffering a stress
SHOWER manufacturer Roman has announced a change to its senior management team. Company founder and current managing director Gerry Osborne is to take on a new role as chairman, with David Osborne stepping up from marketing director to take over the day-to-day
A FORMER teacher has landed one of the top jobs at the North-East Chamber of Commerce (NECC). Karen Brown has been appointed head of the chamber's workforce development arm, NECC Training Limited. The newly-appointed director of training and development
Simon Jones instigated a remarkable victory to provide England with double cheer in their tour opener. Welshman Jones was handed the new ball for the Cricket Club of India's second innings at the Brabourne Stadium and operated at somewhere close to full
TITUS BRAMBLE feels close friend Kieron Dyer will play in this summer's World Cup providing the attacking midfielder fires Newcastle United to the FA Cup final. Dyer's first start since August on Saturday brought a match-winning goal against Southampton
HARRY HOOLY (3.20) heads to Sedgefield this afternoon with an ideal opportunity to end a long losing streak. The 11-year-old hasn't won since November 2004, when in the hands of today's rider Rose Davidson he cleared right away from his rivals to record
TAK: THE GREAT JUJU CHALLENGE, Publisher: THQ, Formats: PS2, Xbox, Game Cube, Price: £29.99. Family friendly? 3+. TO date there have been three Tak adventures and the pint-sized sorcerer has garnered a wide fan base of young and old gamers alike. Tak:
BIRD flu is on its way. It will arrive here one day. It is inevitable. But very little else is. There are sections of the media which seem to be willing it over here. They seem desperate for their scare story to come true. Perhaps we should remember that
A MAN was last night charged with the murder of his 28-year-old wife after she died of stab wounds near her North-East home at the weekend. Schoolteacher Andrea Howarth, who had only recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, was found dying in
PAUL STEPHENSON believes former manager Chris Turner's return to Hartlepool United will help to revitalise the club and bring back great memories of the not-too-distant past. Turner was yesterday appointed as director of sport with Stephenson told to
PHILEAS Fogg owner United Biscuits yesterday bought two brands rescued from troubled crisp maker Golden Wonder. Northern Ireland-based Tayto acquired Golden Wonder and immediately sold the Wheat Crunchies and Nik Naks brands to United Biscuits. In a co-manufacturing
FARMERS had prayed that the sight of disinfectant trays and warning signs outside their gates was a thing of the past. But five years after foot-and-mouth disease devastated Britain's livestock and dairy industries, poultry farmers are preparing for avian
DARLINGTON have made an "audacious" loan bid for Middlesbrough striker Danny Graham after Kyle Lafferty was recalled by Burnley yesterday. Injuries and suspensions at Turf Moor have forced Steve Cotterill to bring Lafferty's successful Quakers stint to
l DAVE CRAWFORD has been appointed as chairman of Sunderland Housing Group. He has been a member of the board for five years and chaired the Audit Committee, which ensures that the group's governance is in line with regulatory requirements. Mr Crawford
Talking of Harry Herring, and by now having exhausted every possible piscatorial pun, Friday's column pictured him in a Blackhall CW side of the 1960s. Hails of Hartlepool recognised other faces, too. The chap in the top coat was the late Jackie Hather
IF NOT an out-and-out euphemism - like, for example, gardening leave - the phrase "working from home" is still regarded with suspicion, as if going equipped for theft. I work from home most Thursday mornings. The benefits - no ever-ringing telephone,
MORE than 1,000 people were rescued by lifeboat crews in the region last year. Statistics issued today by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution show that last year was the busiest ever year nationally, and the second-busiest in the North, which includes
BUSINESS law firm the Endeavour Partnership has appointed LEE BRAMLEY as an associate. He qualified in 2000 and joined the firm's commercial litigation department in 2002. Paul Bennett, partner and head of commercial litigation, said: "Lee's promotion
COUNCIL taxpayers in Derwentside have been told the district council will not increase the amount it charges for its services this year. While the biggest portion of the council tax bill, claimed by Durham County Council, is rising by 4.6 per cent, along
WARS, natural disasters and terrorist incidents - the 4,000 soldiers of 19 Light Brigade have their bags packed and are ready to go. In January, the brigade and other units from 3 (UK) Division joined the Nato Response Force (NRF). The brigade - which
A LAW-ABIDING motorist is demanding compensation after a court banned the wrong driver. Ian Thompson says he suffered £2,000 in lost earnings after he was mistakenly banned from driving for three years. After he received a letter from Sunderland Magistrates
TWO County Durham recruits are among the latest trainee sailors to complete a Navy course. Jody Beckingham, from Newton Aycliffe, and Anton Stanford, from Cockerton, Darlington, passed their training at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall. The pair joined the Royal
WORK on a youth centre and drop-in cafe is due to start next month after overcoming the final funding hurdle. The YMCA in Barnard Castle has been awarded a £39,000 grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The money will be used for the
HARROGATE'S Valley Gardens, which helped the town to win the European in Bloom award, has won a national accolade. It has been included in the country's Good Parks Guide which is due to go on sale in April for £12.99. The book is a reference guide for
THE body that enforces food safety in County Durham has been given a clean bill of health. The Food Standards Agency, the Government watchdog that oversees food law enforcement, carried out an audit of the county council's trading standards service. The
CHILDREN at a primary school are enjoying their play times more thanks to a developer's grant. St Margaret's School, in the Nevilles Cross area of Durham City, received £6,000 to resurface the school's upper playground. The donation was the first made
A MAN was last night charged with the murder of his 28-year-old wife after she died of stab wounds near her North-East home at the weekend. Schoolteacher Andrea Howarth, who had only recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, was found dying in
A MANUFACTURER of high-performance pipe coatings in the region has once again beaten Chinese rivals on price to win a major contract in China. E Wood Ltd, in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, last night signed a £717,000 contract with Baoji Steel to supply
A CHINESE arts project is being held in the half-term break. Apple Xue Yang will lead a series of dance-based workshops over three days at the Park View Community Association, in Chester-le-Street. Activities include making a Chinese dragon for the dragon
GOVERNMENT ministers have declined an invitation to visit the county to discuss the proposed police mergers. Harrogate Borough Council chiefs have only just received a reply after writing to Home Office Minister Hazel Blears and Home Secretary Charles
Life On Mars (BBC1) Bodyshock: Born With Two Heads (C4) One episode left and those of us who think Life On Mars is the best thing on TV are praying that doctors don't manage to bring Sam out of his coma. That means his alive self can stay in 1973 where
Detectives are reopening their inquiry into the disappearance of a student on Teesside three years ago. Craig Hetherington, of Guisborough, vanished after a night out with friends in Middlesbrough in February 2003. Despite an intensive search of the area
A SCHEME to give a north Durham village a facelift worth £55,000 gets under way next week. Work will start to improve the appearance of New Kyo, near Stanley, after funding was secured. The project is being run as part of Durham County Council's urban
SMOKERS in north Durham are being offered help to quit the habit with a new exercise programme that starts today. The eight-week scheme takes place at the Brandon and Deerness Sure Start Centre, in Ushaw Moor, every Tuesday, between 9.30am and noon. It
MARKET traders will be forced to find new sites after plans for a £3m upgrade to a shopping centre were given the go-ahead. The group of market stallholders, who operate out of the Castlegate Shopping Centre, in Stockton, have until the end of the year
THE Government said yesterday there was no European ''masterplan'' for dealing with the outbreak of bird flu, which has struck seven EU countries. France and the Netherlands have both requested the right to begin partial vaccination programmes of poultry
LAW firm Gordon Brown Associates has appointed LIAM WRIGHT to run its Low Fell estate agency. His appointment as branch manager and valuer sees the Low Fell office given a dedicated boss for the first time, having previously been overseen by the department's
GOVERNMENT ministers and bird experts joined forces yesterday to appeal for calm over fears that bird flu is on its way to the UK. But the Government acknowledged there was a higher risk of the virus coming to Britain after a duck in France was confirmed
Defence Secretary John Reid yesterday called for more understanding of the pressure British troops face in Iraq. But, as Glen Reynolds argues, the British government should call for the immediate closure of Guantanamo Bay if it is to regain any moral
A MANAGEMENT buyout could save more than 200 jobs at a troubled engineering firm. Eliza Tinsley's metal fabrication factory at Evenwood, near Bishop Auckland, is believed to be the subject of a management buyout - which could save the plant after its
