MANUFACTURERS across the North-East are more optimistic about the future after seeing a pick-up in orders. The trend echoes a nationwide increase in output, with factory bosses reporting that orders had improved to a level not seen since last March, according
UP to £40m was stolen from a security depot in what is thought to be Britain's biggest robbery, it emerged last night. The Bank of England said at least £25m had been stolen, but sources said the true figure could be as high as £40m, making it the biggest
The Apprentice (BBC2) The Sex Tapes That Shocked The World (five) Sir Alan Sugar wasn't very sweet when he learnt that the women's team had been using their feminine wiles to achieve victory as the new series of The Apprentice got under way. He frowned
A REAL life Romeo proved his girlfriend was his true Soul-mate - when he proposed to her in the presence of her favourite actor. Paul Normington asked Christine Fearns to marry him in front of David Soul, who was starring in the play Mack and Mabel at
DAVID HODGSON last night conceded defeat in his latest attempt to land Middlesbrough striker Danny Graham. The Teessiders yesterday rebuffed an approach from Hodgson to take Graham to the 96.6 TFM Darlington Arena on an initial one-month loan. Graham
REGIONAL health bosses yesterday approved a controversial report that brought a major hospital shake-up a step closer. It means the plan drawn up by health expert Professor Ara Darzi now looks likely to go through, despite objections from local coun-
IT was meant to be a weekend away from it all - a chance to spend some quality time together and re-ignite the old flame of romance. OK, so we had four noisy children with us in a holiday village in the middle of a forest. But my wife had thoughtfully
CHEMICALS and materials group Johnson Matthey yesterday announced multi-millions pound plans to build an autocatalyst facility in Russia. Johnson Matthey, which employs 450 people at the UK headquarters of its catalysts business in Billingham, Teesside
RAYMOND Van Barneveld will hope to prove his scintillating start to the Holstein Premier League was more than beginner's luck when he takes on Wayne 'Hawaii 501' Mardle at Sunderland's Seaburn Leisure Centre tonight. After defecting from the rival BDO
ANGELO Baldasera left Italy for West Hartlepool around 1900 without - as perhaps they say in those vernacular parts - two lire to scratch his backside with. He prospered on the back of an ice cream cart, began an east Durham dynasty greatly known and
Newcastle Falcons centre Jamie Noon has spoken of the Calcutta Cup challenge that awaits him at Murrayfield on Saturday as England take on Scotland in the Six Nations. "We know it's going to be a battle up there," said Noon, who makes his third England
