ENTREPRENEUR Neil Brown is to launch a 24-hour flower service across the region this week. Virtual florist Flowers in 24 will allow users to order a bouquet via the touch screen of an Alphyra UK mobile phone Top-Up kiosk. The first sites will be set up
A Middlesbrough man died of head injuries following an alleged altercation in a bar, an interim inquest heard. Home office pathologist Mark Egan told Teesside Coroners Court the cause of David Cutts' death was a brain haemorrhage as a result of a fall
BRITAIN is about to be overrun by an invasion of killer alien crabs, North-East researchers are warning today. Swarms of Chinese mitten crabs - named because of the distinctive tufts of dark brown fur on their claws - are spreading at an alarming rate
PENSIONERS last night spoke of their distress at living through two of the coldest months of the year without hot water in their homes. Several residents of Sir ED Walker Homes, in Darlington, have been told their two-month wait for their hot water supply
THE debate over the way the North-East is to be policed in the future is an important one which is destined to go on for some time to come. But the truth is that the vast majority of people do not care whether a single police force for the whole region
MISINFORMATION: I ATTENDED the first "school based" information session on the proposed City Academy for Darlington. It was hosted by officers of the local authority, at Dodmire School. I was disappointed, if not surprised, by the level of misinformation
A PROJECT to teach schoolchildren and community groups about Chinese art is opening its doors to the public. China Link Arts has hired artist Chun-Chao Chiu to teach youngsters the secrets of traditional arts from his homeland, such as watercolour painting
A BANNED driver led police on a short high-speed chase in a residential area and then refused to give a breath test. Durham Crown Court heard that Michael Quinn came to police attention following reports from filling station staff after he drove away
PERFORMING art students from an east Cleveland college will be taking to the stage this week. The young people from Prior Pursglove College, Guisborough, will perform The Beggar's Opera. The audience is invited to witness the execution of Captain Macheath
A MINI enthusiast has been backed by a business park to complete an Italian Job for charity. Steve Poad, of the Prince Bishop's County Durham Mini Owners' Club, will join hundreds of drivers to tour Italy. He has been given £350 towards by Lingfield Point
SCOTT Parker has defended Alan Shearer's role in the dressing room after Newcastle's record goalscorer insisted he would be a help to the club's next permanent manager, rather than a hindrance. Shearer's influence at Newcastle has been called into question
A POPULAR choir has helped its local hospital with a concert featuring music from around the world. Thanks to the musical talents of the Alverton Singers, more than £300 was raised for the Friends of the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton. The singers
YOUNG gymnasts vaulted, flipped and cartwheeled their way to gold at a recent competition. Seven schools fielded teams in the Hambleton and Richmond Area Gymnastics Competition, at Hambleton Leisure Centre, in Northallerton. Northallerton College swept
TEENAGER Anna Burnley has had a busy few weeks in the swimming pool and her efforts have raised £390 for charity. The 16-year-old Thirsk White Horse Swim Team member eventually covered a total of 1,408 lengths - the equivalent of 22 miles - in her marathon
AN illustrated talk on York Theatre Royal will be held at the Galtres Centre, Easingwold, at 7.30pm on Friday, February 17. Kayleigh Moorhouse, who has been front-of-house manager at the theatre for the past seven years, will describe how a production
MORE money is being invested in repairs to flood-ravaged parts of North Yorkshire. Millions have already been spent on the clean-up and repairs after the disastrous flash flood that hit the county last summer. And now development agency Yorkshire Forward
COUNCILS have agreed a scheme for free pensioner bus travel, but passengers will still pay for many journeys. If they have council-issued concessionary passes, retired and registered disabled people in Durham will not have to pay to travel in their home
HEALTH workers are counting their coppers to help raise funds for a local hospice. The team in the child health department at Chester-le-Street Community Hospital has been raising money for St Cuthbert's Hospice, in Durham City, and has been inundated
PARISH councillors have vowed to clamp down on teenage vandals who are wrecking a village recreation area. Wolsingham Parish Council said that the repeated vandalism was out of control and were introducing new measures to rid the village of the trouble
Two men were injured when the Transit van they were in hit a stone wall, just outside Gainford. The men were travelling on the A67 towards Winston at 10.30am on Sunday. They were taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital. One was treated for spinal and chest
A PUBLIC meeting will be held next week for residents to give their views on proposed planning policies. Officers from Hambleton District Council will be at Northallerton Civic Centre from 7pm on Monday to answer questions on the authority's development
SCHOOL pupils are preparing to spend the summer visiting one of the most inhospitable places in the world. A group of students from Framwellgate School, in Durham City, are to take part in a "wet and dry" scientific expedition to the Sinai peninsula in
THE bitter battle over plans for a single North-East police force was heading for the High Court last night after the Home Office announced it was pressing ahead with the merger. Home Secretary Charles Clarke published a fresh study that concluded the
PEOPLE will be able to help protect wildlife this week by making bat and bird boxes on Teesside. Craft sessions for all the family are taking place at Preston Hall Museum, in Eaglescliffe, on Sunday, from 10am to noon, giving park visitors the opportunity
A FORMER Army officer has said he will take the Government to the High Court if he is not paid £86,000 compensation in the next three weeks. Retired soldier Major Richard Perkins, 88, claims he is owed the money after his pension was wrongly taxed for
SCHOOL pupils got a lesson in keeping their town tidy when they turned out for a litter pick. Ten youngsters from Sunnydale School, in Shildon, volunteered to join Sedgefield Borough Council's neigh-bourhood wardens on a clean-up operation near their
WHILE Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson is displaying commendable loyalty to under-fire manager Steve McClaren, there is only ever so much that a football club can take. When the crowd is calling for change, fans are throwing away their season tickets
INVESTMENT in education in the Tees Valley by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) will pass the £50m mark this year. Since 2001, the LSC has spent £27m in the Tees Valley, with another £29m approved. Of the £29m, £24m has been approved for the Middlesbrough
SUNDERLAND'S EDF Energy has appointed STEVE HAYFIELD as director of account and revenue management. He will be based at EDF's Doxford International site, after moving from Exeter. He has held several senior management positions at EDF Energy, London Energy
THE company given the task of revitalising Teesside has appointed a director of development. Richard Buckley joins Tees Valley Regeneration from The Banks Group, a national land and property development company. He has a diploma in town planning and has
WORK has started on a £4m shopping development in Durham. Seven units are being added to the Dragonville park to provide an additional 53,000sq ft of retail space, with parking for up to 285 people. Discount retailer TK Maxx has confirmed it is opening
UNION leaders last night welcomed a deal that will save the final salary pension scheme for thousands of workers at steel company Corus. Corus, which employs thousands in the North-East, has agreed to end its pensions contributions "holiday" from April
Three men have appeared in court charged with the manslaughter of the youngest Briton to reach the summit of Mount Everest more than six years ago. Jonathan Tinker, Henry Todd and Michael Smith appeared at York Magistrates Court charged with unlawfully
THE Royal Bank of Scotland has appointed JOHN DRYDEN as director of corporate development with its North-East team, based in Newcastle. He has worked for The Royal Bank of Scotland for more than five years and has moved from the bank's corporate and institutional
CHICKEN LITTLE, Publisher: Disney Interactive, Format: PS2, X Box, PC, Price: £34.99. Family friendly? Yes. BASED on the Disney movie of the same name starring Joan Cusack, Steve Zahn and Zach Braff, Chicken Little tells the familiar story of the goof-ball
GINGER McCAIN'S training days may be numbered after 37 years in the business, but the man made famous by the exploits of Red Rum showed he hasn't lost the magic touch with a 25-1 double at Sedgefield yesterday. A legend in his own lifetime with four Aintree
THE bitter battle over plans for a single North-East police force was heading for the High Court last night after the Home Office announced it was pressing ahead with the merger. Home Secretary Charles Clarke published a fresh study that concluded the
THE family of a North-East GP are searching for a mystery mourner who has been leaving flowers on his grave for 40 years. Dr John Leslie was a respected doctor who served Shildon, County Durham, and the surrounding area for 20 years, from 1946. He died
MYSTERY surrounds the theft of laptop computers belonging to the former North-East police chief investigating the death of Princess Diana. Offices in the Gosforth area of Newcastle used by Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington, who headed the Northumbria force
ARGENTO (2.20) has the ideal opportunity to make up for a disappointing campaign at Market Rasen. George Moore's chaser seemed to have lost his old sparkle until staging a mini-revival when a close-up fifth over hurdles at Kelso. It was a much-improved
VICKI BROWN has been promoted to manageress of upmarket shop The House, in Yarm, Teesside. The 34-year-old has been working at The House for two years as a sales assistant. She joined the company from high street fashion chain Principles. As manageress
LAUNCHPAD Homes has appointed JANICE GRAHAM as relationship manager. Launchpad helps first-time buyers enter the property market by offering rental options, which buyers can use as deposits. Ms Graham will manage applications and property selection. She
ISLAMIC CARTOONS: MODERATE Muslims speak about respect and put forward a lack of respect for their religious culture by native Britons as a significant factor in the worldwide havoc which is being wrought upon non-believers in the name of their prophet
Healthcare law expert BILL SCANTLEBURY has joined North-East law firm Ward Hadaway as an associate. With more than 15 years experience with law firms in London and the North-East, most recently at Eversheds, he will be leading the Ward Hadaway team dealing
Transport company Stagecoach has announced the appointment of JODINE MILNE as marketing manager for Stagecoach North East. Ms Milne has marketing experience in the finance and leisure industries and joins Stagecoach from manufacturer Illbruck, where she
CAR dealership Lookers has walked away from the three-way takeover battle for rival Reg Vardy. The move came after Vardy backed a £506m offer from Pendragon. Lookers said it was in the best interests of its shareholders not to proceed with a bid for Vardy
MANUFACTURERS continued to struggle in the past three months as a further decline in orders led to a fall in output and confidence in most UK regions. The decline was driven mainly by a weakness in domestic orders, with the fall more severe than expected
THE chairman of computer software group Sage, based in the North-East, is to step down. Michael Jackson, chairman since 2000, will be replaced by Sir Julian Horn-Smith, the outgoing deputy chief executive of Vodafone Group. Sir Julian will become non-executive
WITH record-breaking musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang heading for £3.5m in ticket sales, Sunderland Empire theatre manager Paul Ryan has defended his venue's pricing policy. No child concessions were available in the stalls or circle over Christmas and
CHICKEN LITTLE Publisher: Disney Interactive Format: PS2, X Box, PC Price: £34.99 Family friendly? Yes. BASED on the Disney movie of the same name starring Joan Cusack, Steve Zahn and Zach Braff, Chicken Little tells the familiar story of the goof-ball
A series of cartoons has fanned the flames of Muslim rage across the world. Writing from the Islamic tourist destination of Dubai, former Northern Echo journalist Tony Metcalf explains why the flag burning may not yet be over. THIS is no longer just about
A VOLUNTARY worker who spent a month in Africa helping with an Aids project will tell pupils about her experience. Fiona Hughes, of Middleton One Row, near Darlington, spent four weeks in Tanzania training volunteers. Her role, supported by Voluntary
PLANS to invest £1.7m in a free travel scheme for pensioners and disabled people in the Darlington area have been unveiled. The money will be invested over the coming year in a free travel deal that will include thousands of people across the borough.
MYSTERY surrounds the theft of laptop computers belonging to the former North-East police chief investigating the death of Princess Diana. Offices in the Gosforth area of Newcastle used by Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington, who headed the Northumbria force
ONE of the most sought after prizes in football has come to the North-East. Unfortunately, the Barclays Premiership Trophy only stayed in the region for a day as it visited Darlington. Football fans were given the opportunity to have their photograph
A VILLAGE'S recreation area is to be transformed into a play area. The attraction, in Trimdon Station, will provide a range of activities, including a ball court with hard surface, a large spacenet climbing frame, tube slide and a large swing for juniors
A VILLAGE pub's beer festival proved so popular it ran dry eight hours before last orders. Real ale fans got through more than 2,300 pints during the three-day annual event, at The Beamish Mary Inn, at No Place, near Stanley. Usually there is some beer
POLICE are hunting a gang of young women who attacked a female drinker in a Middlesbrough night spot. The 22-year-old woman was assaulted by four women while she was drinking with her sister in the Blue Lounge bar, on Linthorpe Road, at 10.50pm on Friday
RUMOURS that a Guisborough gym has closed down have been quashed by its owner. Bodyzone women's gym has only closed temporarily for urgent roof and electrical repairs, according to owner Craig Bayliss. The 42-year has reassured the gym's 400 members that
A COLLEGE is giving school leavers the chance to experience student life next week. Redcar and Cleveland College will hold an open day on Thursday, February 16, when prospective students will be invited to take part in a series of tasters within a variety
SPEED limit zones outside schools have been recommended to tackle road safety concerns. Hartlepool Borough Council is being urged to pilot a number of 20mph zones at schools in the area. The recommendation is one of several made by the council's neighbourhood
POLICE bosses in Cleveland have been savouring a treat with the arrival of contractors to keep the force fed. Support services company ESS has been chosen to operate the catering and vending services at police headquarters, Middlesbrough and Stockton
A COUPLE whose son died in a car accident soon after passing his test have talked to students about road safety. It was part of a Drive Alive event at Risedale College, in Hipswell, near Catterick Garrison. Police, firefighters and road safety officers
THE Freemen of Durham have given a £500 boost to city Mayor John Lightley's charity appeal. The Freemen, the descendants of craftsmen in the city who formed guilds in medieval times, share income from the rental on land they own and investments. Councillor
A COMMUNITY group was yesterday rewarded for its work in the village. Dene Valley Community Partnership received a plaque from the British Urban Regeneration Association (Bura) for the role the villagers have played in the area. The group won a Bura Regeneration
FREEZING temperatures outside are not a problem this winter for pensioner Fred Raine, whose new central heating system has been paid for by a Government grant. Labour Chief Whip Hilary Armstrong visited Mr Raine at his home in Stanley Crook to publicise
THE mental health in-reach services team for the Durham Cluster of Prisons has received awards for its work. They won the excellence award and were runners-up for the partnership working award, for achievements last year, and received the accolades from
WITH record-breaking musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang heading for £3.5m in ticket sales, Sunderland Empire theatre manager Paul Ryan has defended his venue's pricing policy. No child concessions were available in the stalls or circle over Christmas and
THE North-East division of interior specialist Work Inc has appointed COLIN PLATT as business development manager. His main responsibilities are to develop new business partnerships by winning contracting and furniture business across the region. David
A FURIOUS Bob Murray has slammed suggestions that Sunderland's board spent last summer planning for a swift return to the Championship. And, while Mick McCarthy continues to hang on to his job despite his side's record of just two Premiership wins, the
HUNDREDS of schoolchildren were told to stay at home yesterday after a nursery on Teesside was torched. Arsonists are thought to have caused the fire at Dormanstown Primary School, east Cleveland, in the early hours. Eighteen firefighters took over an
GLOBAL chemical company Huntsman has rejected takeover proposals claiming they undervalue the group. The US group, which employs 1,500 people in the North-East and is worth about £2.4bn, said its board of directors had rejected all potential takeover
SIX days after being suspended, the future of Hartlepool United boss Martin Scott is likely to be resolved today. The club has held a thorough investigation into events which followed the home defeat to Blackpool at Victoria Park on Saturday, January
Police in County Durham and Teesside have carried out a series of raids to stop a gang of suspected fraudsters. Four men were arrested after officers surrounded a house in Hilda Street, Darlington, this morning. There were a further five arrests following
BURNLEY striker Kyle Lafferty will spend a second month on loan at Darlington, but Paul Hopkins will not be extending his stay following the arrival of Guy Bates. Manager David Hodgson yesterday sent Hopkins back to Everton, despite having the option
COAST and Country Housing has appointed LOUISE DALE as investment co-ordinator. She joins from Sedgefield Borough Council, where she was an asset management officer. The company has also appointed ANDREA LAVERICK as a community project co-ordinator. She
BUSINESS leaders have been discussing what they can do to tackle the region's skills shortages. Business in the Community's regional leadership team, led by Northumbrian Water managing director John Cuthbert, met to discuss how they could contribute to
SOFA retailer ScS Upholstery is to open another oulet in the North-East, creating up to 20 jobs. The announcement came as the company, which is based in Sunderland, revealed in a trading update that sales had risen four per cent in the past four months
Football superstar Michael Owen is celebrating after his wife gave birth to their second child. James Michael Owen was born at 12.56pm on Monday at the Countess of Chester Hospital, Chester, weighing 7lbs 9oz. Owen said: "Louise and James are both doing
A DOUBLE celebration for former Durham County cricketer Michael Gough. Today he marries the lovely Charlotte Gott, in the Spring he's expected to become the youngest ever first class umpire. Michael, 26, has already provisionally been named on the "Reserve
electronics manufacturer Seaward Group has bought a test instrument company based in the South for an undisclosed sum. Seaward's acquisition of Cropico, in Croydon, Surrey, which provides scientific and quality control measurement equipment to clients
Alan Shearer notwithstanding, the man of Match of the Day on Saturday was clearly Mr Barry Sygmuta, hereinafter known as The Ballerina in the Black. (The B*****d in the Black is presently Mr Jeff Winter. There'll be much more of him in Friday's column
SMALL businesses on the North Yorkshire coast are being encouraged to claim reductions in their business rates. Businesses occupying premises with a rateable value of less than £15,000 are entitled to a reduction of up to 50 per cent against their non-domestic
Body Shock: Half Ton Man (C4) Megastructures (five) SIZE does matter whether you're eating yourself to death or building an artificial island resort so big it can be seen from space. Body Shock subject Patrick Dueul looked liked something out of a horror
Music legend Sting is to receive an honorary degree from his home-town university. The former Police frontman, who has gone on to achieve recognition as a solo artist and environmentalist, will receive an honorary Doctorate in music (DMus). The Geordie
A MAN who struck up a friendship with a fellow drinker smashed a bottle over his head after the pair went back to his house for more beer. Matthew Hodges, 23, was yesterday locked up for the attack on Philip Lowther, 27, in Ferryhill, County Durham, last
North Yorkshire financial planning business Planning for Life has appointed DIANE DUNCAN. She has 23 years experience in developing financial planning software. Her role at the Helmsley business will be to produce plans developed with clients. Director
DEVOUT Muslims are right to complain about the way the prophet Mohammed has been mocked in the newspaper cartoons which have appeared in several Western countries. But they are wrong to threaten death to the perpetrators. I have a lot of sympathy with
ARGENTO (2.20) has the ideal opportunity to make up for a disappointing campaign at Market Rasen. George Moore's chaser seemed to have lost his old sparkle until staging a mini-revival when a close-up fifth over hurdles at Kelso. It was a much-improved
ENVIRONMENT Secretary Elliot Morley has agreed to sign up for the remaining cost of the multi-million pound sea defence scheme at Scarborough. Councillor Eileen Bosomworth, leader of Scarborough Council, said: "There has been a lot of hard work and negotiations
WHILE Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson is displaying commendable loyalty to under-fire manager Steve McClaren, there is only ever so much that a football club can take. When the crowd is calling for change, fans are throwing their season tickets away
DES MASON has been appointed as construction manager at Haslam Homes. Mr Mason, 56, has worked in the industry for more than 40 years, including as a joiner and site manager. He is responsible for ensuring that developments are completed on time and within
AMONG several possible problems in calling your new restaurant God's Kitchen is a visit from the deity tricks department. Wrath of ages, there are those who take playing God quite seriously. Another is that Ambrosia may no longer be defined as tinned
NORTH hospitals have avoided having specialist teams sent in to help tackle the potentially fatal superbug MRSA. A handful of hospitals in the region have seen infection rates rise -more than doubling at one trust -according to latest figures. However
MORE than half the workforce at the country's oldest chromium plant are expected to be made redundant today. Elementis Chromium announced in October it was cutting 120 jobs and closing one of the kilns at its Urlay Nook site in Eaglescliffe, near Yarm
