Archive

  • Family lucky to escape from causeway

    A FAMILY-of-four was rescued safely on Tuesday after becoming the latest casualties of the incoming tide at a coastal beauty spot. An RAF rescue helicopter called from its base at nearby Boulmer successfully winched two young children, plus their mother

  • Ross gets man of the match

    TEAM: Under 9 Colts 1 - 1 St Francis B GOALSCORERS: Ferguson M.O.M: Angus Ferguson REPORT: The last game of the season was supposed to be a fun affair, but after Allstars deservedly scored, the opposition manager (and team) turned nasty and

  • Teenager survives 100ft bridge fall

    A TEENAGER is recovering after plunging more than 100 feet from a bridge. In a dramatic early morning rescue, the 18-year-old girl was hauled to safety by police officers from the swirling waters of the Wear after she had been spotted falling from the

  • Darlington sign Foster

    Darlington have today announced the signing of Scunthorpe United defender Steve Foster on a two-year contract. The centre-back was offered a new contract at Glanford Park but has snubbed the chance of playing in the Championship to team up again with

  • Business Bulletin

    Bede's losses shrink X-RAY technology firm Bede has today announced a decrease in first quarter losses to £1.14m, on revenues of £1.38m. The Durham-based plc, which has undergone a restructuring to achieve annual cost savings of £1.5m, also reported

  • Man rescued from flat fire

    A MAN has been dragged semi-conscious from a burning flat on Teesside. Fire fighters were forced to break into the 61-year-old's ground floor flat, where they found him slumped in his bedroom. The alarm had been raised by the tenants of a first floor

  • Fans give mixed response to 'Big Sam' appointment

    NEWCASTLE fans have given a mixed response to the appointment of Sam Allardyce. The 52-year-old, who was a Sunderland player in the early 1980s and began his managerial career as the Black Cat's youth coach, has signed a three-year contract at St James

  • British man a 'suspect' in Madeleine case

    A BRITISH man questioned by police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann was officially classed as a suspect today. Robert Murat was questioned late last night while forensic experts searched his house just yards from where the four-year-old

  • David is cleaning up

    A SUCCESSFUL farm waste plastic collection service has expanded to include hazardous waste. David Brown, of Agriplass, now collects waste oil, filters, spray suits, gloves and aerosols to help farmers comply with legislation. Non-hazardous farm waste

  • Song contest

    HOW was our pathetic entry ever given the green light for Saturday's Eurovision Song Contest? Yes, the contest is good comedy entertainment, and in some respect seems to bring other countries together, a bit like weddings and funerals. However, if

  • Local government

    THE statement in your feature on local government reorganisation (Echo, May 11) that three years ago "People also voted for a county-wide unitary council instead of three" is extremely misleading. For several reasons that vote was totally unrepresentative

  • ID cards

    THE Government showed breathtaking contempt for the law and the public as it attempted to bury the bad news of spiralling costs of the ID cards project on the day that Tony Blair announced his resignation. The announcement was slipped out more

  • Tony Blair

    TONY Blair says he did what he thought was right by invading Iraq. Why did he think it was right? Whitehall's joint intelligence committee (JIC) advised him that there was no reliable intelligence about Iraq's WMD (weapons of mass destruction),

  • Murder inquiry launched after teenager found dead

    A MURDER inquiry was launched after the body of a teenager was found at a flat by police early today. Officers attended the premises in the Hollow Drive area of Throckley, west of Newcastle, as a result of "information received", around 2am. A teenager

  • Alan Milburn

    DARLINGTON MP Alan Milburn, a former Health Secretary, has got a £25,000 job to advise the manufacturers of Pepsi and Walkers Crisps on health matters, and must suffer four meetings a year for this (Echo, May 12). I leave the maths to you. I would

  • Gordon Brown

    LISTENING to Gordon Brown on BBC1's Sunday AM programme was interesting. It is early days, but he spoke of a plan which starts to deal with important issues which have arisen over recent years. If he is able to involve all levels of the nation

  • House of Lords decision on payment notice 'appears wrong'

    The House of Lords recently handed down its first judgment interpreting the Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. The decision, in Melville Dundas Ltd (in receivership) v George Wimpey UK Ltd, by a three-to-two majority, was unexpected

  • Forging links with support group

    Dickinson Dees has agreed a five-year deal to work with the newly-formed Business Link North-East (BLNE) organisation. The deal, which will see the Newcastle firm provide advice and legal guidance, comes after Dickinson Dees played a central role in

  • James Ramsbotham: Reflecting on Tony's ten years in charge

    SO, there we have it. The political world's worst-kept secret finally came to pass and Tony Blair will hand over the reins of power after a decade as Prime Minister. A number of journalists have contacted the North East Chamber of Trade (NECC) in recent

  • Chamber employee on business ladder

    THE region's leading employers' organisation has helped one of its employees to take the first step on the business ladder. The North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) has supported former press officer Mike Parker launch his own public relations firm Mike

  • Care home operator's growth plan

    CARE homes operator Southern Cross Healthcare yesterday reported a dramatic decrease in losses as it continued to expand nationwide. The Darlington plc unveiled pre-tax losses of £600,000 for the 26 weeks to April 1, compared to £12.4m in same period

  • Gaining foothold in the Far East market

    A MANUFACTURING company in Durham has won its first order from Japan and signed up a new distributor after increasing its foothold in the Far East. PC Henderson Limited, which specialises in the design and manufacture of sliding door hardware and already

  • Bakery chain savours rise in sales

    LEADING bakery chain Greggs yesterday said profits were ahead of company forecasts as sales climbed by almost five per cent. The Newcastle-based group said it was trading "satisfactorily" after April's warm weather brought shoppers on to the high street

  • It's success at the double

    UK Land Estates and Buildings for Business have completed work on two hybrid unit developments within the same week. West Quay Court, on Sunderland Enterprise Park, and Boldon Court, on Boldon Business Park, offer 50:50 office/workshop space at two excellent

  • New MD installed at DTZ

    DTZ, a leading global real estate adviser, has appointed Chris Balch as managing director for UK & Ireland. He will have overall responsibility for DTZ's mainstream practice activities in the UK & Ireland and its minority interests in Northern Ireland

  • Producers urged to increase milk prices

    EVERY litre of milk dairy farmers produce is costing them an average of 3.42p - more than twice the 1.5p they were losing a year ago. A report, British Milk - What price 2007? says that at the same time, the average cost of milk production has risen by

  • Sheep farming family put production first

    THE Weardale farming family hosting next month's North Sheep 2007 has no ambition to join agri-environment schemes. Instead, the Skidmores, of North Hanging Wells, Eastgate, are focusing on maximising production. John Skidmore said the landscape people

  • Carve out a steak in beef production

    MORE than 30 overseas delegates will join thousands of beef farmers at the National Beef Association's (NBA) Beef Expo 2007, at Skipton Auction Mart, on Thursday. Representatives from Poland, Portugal, Germany, Belgium, France, Czech Republic, Nigeria

  • David is cleaning up

    A SUCCESSFUL farm waste plastic collection service has expanded to include hazardous waste. David Brown, of Agriplass, now collects waste oil, filters, spray suits, gloves and aerosols to help farmers comply with legislation. Non-hazardous farm waste

  • Ready to take notes?

    The head of Ward Hadaway's banking and finance team, Julie Harrison, pictured, will give a talk today at the law firm's Money, Money, Money seminar. The event, chaired by the head of Business Link North East, Paul Callaghan, will give a no-nonsense guide

  • Outdoor clothing specialist aims to scale retail heights

    The Berghaus brand is synonymous with the great outdoors. Busines Editor Kate Bowman talks to brand president Richard Cotter about the Sundeland company's plans to break into the Chinese and US markets. BERGHAUS has come a long way in its 41-year history

  • Rick Warburton: Changing face of banking seems familiar

    Rick Warburton, the managing partner at Yorkshire Bank's Tees Valley Financial Solutions Centre discusses how the banking industry has adapted to business customers' needs, and why the "new" way of doing things may not be quite as radical as first thought

  • Net group outgrows space in two years

    A GROWING internet company has moved to a base almost 50 times the size of its original, only two years after its inception. Wow Solutions, in Durham, has already built up a base of multi-national clients including Bank of Scotland, Ernst & Young and

  • Company joins new UK network

    A NORTH-EAST company has joined a new UK network to help people threatened by large inheritance tax payments. The Will Writing Group, based in Newcastle, has become a member of the Legal Services Network (LSN), which will operate in seven regions

  • Mark moves out of the fast lane

    A BUSINESSMAN has traded his stressful job as a sales director for a career in alternative medicine. Mark Fielding, from Saltburn, east Cleveland, decided he no longer wanted to live life in the fast lane, and decided to venture into a new profession

  • Ice work if you can get it

    COLLEAGUES Eric Moran and Eric Turpin are putting redundancy behind them to launch an environmentally friendly cleaning company. The pair worked in the engineering sector of an international tyre company before they were made redundant in October last

  • Rising takeover pace leads to fear

    IN the past few weeks, hardly a day has gone by without another one of our leading companies attracting a takeover rumour or a formal bid. These takeover bids and the wild speculation that often accompanies them is one of the reasons why stock markets

  • Northern Bear hungry for more acquisitions

    SHARES in regional building services group Northern Bear continued to climb yesterday after it announced its second acquisition since its flotation. The County Durham plc has acquired asbestos removal business Chirmarn, taking the number of specialist

  • Wiring company to expand into Europe

    A MANUFACTURING firm in the region hopes to increase its turnover by six-fold to £30m and create up to 50 jobs. Apex Wiring Solutions is already a UK market leader in its field and plans to further strengthen its position, as well as expand into Europe

  • 4,000 jobs hope after Nissan land sale

    NISSAN has sold off part of its North-East car plant to make way for a £75m business park. New owners, developers Wilton and Clugston, plan to transform the 45-acre site in Sunderland into an office and leisure complex, leading to the creation of 4,000

  • Knifeman sent to prison after attacking terrified teenager

    A COLLEGE student has had to give up her studies after being subjected to a street attack. Katrina Mitchell feared she was going to have her throat cut when Keith Anderson threatened her after she left a night class in Darlington in March. Anderson was

  • Rape 'victim' charged with wasting police time

    A MAN whose claims of rape triggered a manhunt has been charged with wasting police time. The 24-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told detectives he had been raped by two men in a town centre alleyway. He gave detectives a detailed description

  • May 15th, 2007

    Is it Little Suzie? I remember Suzie, Supposedly my mate She'd nick soggy tomato sauce-drenched chips From my dinner plate. She always wore grey-white socks For school, for play, for bed By golly that girl really Got into my head. Whenever we were

  • Basket bonanza

    THE Catterick group of Women's Institutes will hold a basket bonanza in aid of the children's unit at the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton. The event will take place in Northallerton Town Hall from 9am to 3.30pm on Saturday. Entry is free and refreshments

  • Developers help sports proposals

    FUNDING obtained from developers as part of planning applications could be used to finance £1.8m of improvements to leisure and sports facilities. Hambleton District Council has earmarked £862,000 for projects in Northallerton, Thirsk, Stokesley and

  • Winning teacher on a high

    AN award-winning teacher who was voted one of the best in the country is flying high - literally. Jeffrey Threlfall was voted Britain's best secondary headteacher by the Teaching Awards Trust. Due to the RAF's sponsorship of the awards, he won a trip

  • Annual event with a story to tell

    LESSONS for a group of pupils are more fun thanks to story bags sponsored by Richmond Meet. Children at Richmond CE School will use the bags to link storytelling sessions with maths, science and other curriculum subjects. Michelle Faunderf, from the school

  • The Motown Show, Darlington Civic Theatre

    'THANK you very much for voting for me," says bubbly Brenda Edwards when she discovers that I was one of the phone voters trying to take her to victory in ITV's X Factor contest in 2005. Eventually beaten by Shayne Ward, the mother-of-two is making a

  • Learning to give cavities the brush-off

    IT was all smiles at a nursery yesterday when youngsters brushed up on their oral hygiene. Children at Rosedene Nursery, in Ormesby, near Middlesbrough, celebrated the start of National Smile Month with help from professionals. The nursery held one of

  • Merger of art forms

    AN exhibition celebrating creative writing and visual arts has opened at Preston Hall Museum, near Stockton. The Museum of My Life project is being held at six venues across the region. At Preston Hall, writer Carina Rodney, artist Effie Burns and museum

  • Jungle lore

    Return of the Tribe (five, 8pm), The Widow's Tale (BBC2, 9pm) THE visit of tribesmen from Papua New Guinea to this country takes an unexpected turn in the second part of Return Of The Tribe. The surprise is not that these visitors from the jungle are

  • League to put youngsters on the pitch and off streets

    NEIGHBOURHOOD officers in an area of Stockton have set up a junior football league as part of a drive to forge better links between police and youngsters on their beat. The five-a-side mini-league kicked off yesterday, at the Tilery Sports Centre, on

  • Axe attack at house party

    AN axe-wielding thug who gatecrashed a party and attacked a teenager has been jailed for 15 months. Ross Kelly was angry about not being invited to a booze-up involving some of his friends in Middlesbrough. The 21-year-old turned up with two other pals

  • Art gallery owners secure national accolade

    AN art gallery was named the best in the country at an awards ceremony in London. Platinum Galleries, based in Northallerton and the Psyche Department Store, in Middlesbrough, won art retailer of the year category in the Fine Art Trade Guild's 2007 awards

  • No smoke without... farce

    I TAKE as my text: "And the house was filled with smoke" (Isaiah 6:4) It's official. We have been warned. The secularising authorities, politically-correct branch, have decreed that, from next year, churches must put up "No Smoking" signs. This is a

  • Pensioner conned out of cash by 'roofers'

    COUNCIL officials have repeated warnings about unannounced doorstep callers after a pensioner was targeted by a gang claiming to be roofers. Stockton Borough Council's trading standards and licensing team issued the caution after an elderly man was conned

  • Killer's wife is spared jail over benefits scam

    A WOMAN who spent more than £2,000 of her husband's benefit payments while he was serving time for murder abroad was spared jail yesterday. Anne-Marie Oates, also known as Monteith, and Richard Monteith moved to Spain in 2001. In March the following

  • Hear All Sides

    SAMARITANS I AM writing to thank all the shoppers and visitors to Darlington on Saturday, May 5, who saw myself and my collectors in their luminescent green bibs collecting for the Samaritans and didn't pass us by on the other side of the street. We raised

  • Hear All Sides

    ELECTION THANKS I WOULD like to express my gratitude to those residents of the Escomb Ward who gave me so much moral and vocal support during my campaign leading up to the Wear Valley District Council elections. I would also like to thank them for their

  • Prescription - now it's books on the NHS

    DOCTORS will be turning over a new leaf when they start writing prescriptions for books to help patients with their problems. Stockton Borough Council's libraries are working with Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust, and North Tees NHS Primary Care

  • A life on the ocean wave for club members

    A SCHOOL was invaded by young pirates. The children, wearing hats, eye-patches and moustaches, were taking part in a Pirate Day at Steeple People Out-of-School Club, in Ainderby Steeple CE Primary School, Morton-on-Swale near Northallerton. The children

  • Club hands out donations

    The Rotary Club of Barnard Castle has handed out £1,000 worth of donations after successful fundraising. Gifts of £100 will be given to The Samaritans, Friends of Darlington Memorial Hospital, the African Educational Trust, the Wheelchair Trust, the

  • Non-uniform days for pupils

    STUDENTS on a work placement scheme in a Darlington factory have enlisted six schools in a fundraising exercise. Each year, university undergraduates who spend a year at Cummins arrange a charity appeal. The team is organising a non-uniform day at town

  • Plot to smuggle drugs into prison monitored by staff

    A PRISONER hatched a plot for his girlfriend to smuggle drugs into jail to enable him to repay a debt, a court heard. But, unknown to Paul Eric Gallagher, his calls to Carol Hutchinson were monitored by Durham Prison staff. Durham Crown Court heard that

  • Father sets up new business

    A FORMER Richmondshire councillor has launched a new business. David Cowell, who sat on Richmondshire District Council as an independent in the Eighties, is well-known in Wensleydale. Mr Cowell, previously of Adair Asset Management, has launched a financial

  • Handbag stolen from fruit shop

    POLICE are appealing for information after a shop worker's handbag was stolen as she served customers. The incident happened on Sunday morning at Joan Woodhall's fruiterers in Front Street, Stanhope, before 11am. Officers believe when she was serving,

  • Kenny travels

    It was only a drop-in-the-ocean quiz question, but Lottery millionaire Kenny Wynne was determined not to take No for an answer. "Who won the first World Cup?" they asked as the QEII cruised serenely around the globe, and weren't expecting the answer to

  • Critic warns of gala day flop after venue switch

    A DISPUTE has broken out after a leading critic predicted failure for plans to boost shop trade during Thirsk's annual festival. Thirsk Festival's gala day, the highlight of the two-week event, will this year be staged in the market place, instead of

  • Trophies are teams' net result

    TWO school sports teams have plenty to cheer about after top class performances in league and cup competitions. Year 8 netball and football teams at Spennymoor School are celebrating a record year. The football team won the under-13 Bishop Auckland schools

  • Briton is quizzed in hunt for Madeleine

    Police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann were last night interviewing a man as they searched a villa 160 yards from where she was snatched.Intense police activity surrounded the house lived in by British man Robert Murat.His mother,

  • A very personal rce for life

    A week before Christmas last year, Echo reporter Jill Neill 49, from Melsonby, near Richmond was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer. After a course of chemotherapy, she signed up for Cancer Research's Race For Life, which takes place next month.

  • Very far fom A1

    There's fast food and slow food not far from our motorways, but not all of it's worth even a short trip.MOTORWAY service stations have become a national institution in the way that Bedlam used to be. Visitors paid over the top there, too, and for a similarly

  • 'Our local bobby is the man to match the job'

    WORK to improve life for residents of a Hartlepool estate has been hailed a success.Under the banner of neighbourhood policing, the Safer Hartlepool Partnership has launched a number of initiatives aimed at transforming the Burbank area.The action has

  • Cartoonist ready to draw in the crowds

    A CARTOONIST renowned for satirising world figures is exhibiting his work in the region.Andrzej Krauze is best known for his political cartoons, which are published in The Guardian.Originally from Warsaw, his work is on show at Shandy Hall, near Coxwold

  • Prefab home worth ten times more in brick

    A PREFABRICATED house has been valued at nearly ten times what it was worth two years ago.The house, made of reinforced concrete, was bought by Joan and Gordon Walls for £13,500 two years ago, but is now worth about £130,000 after it was clad with bricks.Prefabricated

  • Team designs way to help victims

    A THIRSK firm has risen to a challenge to help raise funds for victims of disasters. Four members of the GSM Graphic Arts team, in Thirsk, underwent the gruelling two-day Shelterbox Challenge. Technical manager Andy Goddard, sales manager Phil Deller

  • Football the key as children benefit from new-look centre

    A FOOTBALL club is heading a scheme to improve literacy, numeracy, health and fitness in its home town.Jim Murphy, Government minister for employment and welfare reform, yesterday officially opened a classroom block at the Herlingshaw Education Centre

  • Inquiry after catalogue of problems hits holiday flight

    airport bosses have promised a review of an "unacceptable" incident that left passengers stuck on board a grounded aircraft for about eight hours.The flight finally left Newcastle Airport yesterday morning - and even then it was an hour late.Police were

  • Vicar takes a shine for charity

    USED to polishing people's souls, a vicar has raised cash for charity by polishing their shoes.Reverend Toddy Hoare set up his shoe-shining stall in Thirsk Market Place, North Yorkshire, yesterday.The Hillside Parishes vicar was collecting money for Christian

  • £3m compensation payout for life ruined by 999 crash

    A GRANDMOTHER who was left severely brain damaged after she was hit by a police car has received more than £3m in compensation.Linda Donaldson was hit on a pelican crossing as the patrol car drove through a red light while responding to a 999 call to

  • Ministry agrees to help make safe former minesweeper

    AN MP who has campaigned to have a decaying former Navy minesweeper removed from the region has welcomed news that work will be carried out to reduce its environmental impact.Frank Cook, MP for Stockton North, has led calls for the disposal of TS Kellington

  • The white stuff

    We're often told it's best for babies, but how does breastfeeding really help - and can it work for every mum? In National Breastfeeding Awareness Week, which runs until Saturday, Women's Editor Sarah Foster finds out.BEFORE the advent of the bottle,

  • Sympathy floods in after horses die in blaze

    INTERNATIONAL support has flooded in for a man whose three horses were killed in an arson attack.Members of the horse community have been sickened by one of the worst acts of animal cruelty in the North-East.Scores of messages and sympathetic comments

  • Appeal for support against home packs

    MPs across the North-East have been sent a video appeal from the boss of one of the region's law firms ahead of tomorrow's Parliamentary debate on the controversial Home Information Packs (Hips).Gordon Brown Associates, based in Chester-le-Street, County

  • Force delighted as statistics reveal high level of safety

    THE safest county in England is North Yorkshire, according to Home Office figures.In the first three months of the year, North Yorkshire had the lowest crime rate in the country, with 16.19 crimes per 1,000 residents, against a national average of 22.42

  • Roman legion's mysterious fate inspires plans for film

    THE rugged North-East landscape is to provide the backdrop for a Hollywood blockbuster telling the story of a Roman legion said to have disappeared near Hadrian's Wall.Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald has revealed he is to direct a film version

  • Life's been a hoot for runaway owl

    AN eagle owl with a penchant for window shopping in a busy town centre has been reunited with its owner.The famous "Boro owl" was last night in safe hands after owner Marc Grey successfully caught up with the runaway.Mr Grey, 23, from Loftus, east Cleveland

  • Teachers' plea to help sick African children

    OLD football shirts are being collected for children with Aids and HIV as Darlington teachers prepare to visit affected children in Africa. Four primary school teachers will tour schools around Pretoria and Johannesburg, South Africa. The group will fly

  • Summer fair

    A SUMMER fair in Middleton-in-Teesdale next month will offer something for all the family. St Mary's Church summer fair will be held in Middleton Village Hall from 2pm on June 2. There will be a tombola, a white elephant stall and a raffle, as well cake

  • Deals give cut-price travel for students

    THE council behind a controversial shake-up of free travel for sixth form and college students has announced it has struck deals with bus operators. Durham County Council earlier this year scrapped a scheme giving some students free travel in favour of

  • Aston to show stamina

    NEWCASTLE'S testing two-mile circuit should bring out the best in Aston Lad (3.20), who normally requires a right good gallop before getting up a head of steam. Micky Hammond gave his six-year-old a blow over hurdles up at Perth 19 days ago, a run which

  • Attempts to get credit details

    CUSTOMERS and businesses have been warned to be on their guard following attempts to gain credit card details from two flower shops in the county. The appeal has been made after the two shops received phone calls from a person who claimed to be from

  • Graham is in demand

    HARTLEPOOL United face competition from Championship sides Scunthorpe and Sheffield Wednesday for the services of Danny Graham. The striker was last week freed by Middlesbrough and has long been courted by Pools' boss Danny Wilson. Graham, a former Chester-le-Street

  • Derby boss upbeat

    Derby manager Billy Davies is confident his players will not let the enormity of the occasion get the better of them when Southampton visit Pride Park in the Coca-Cola Championship play-off semi-final second leg. County are 2-1 ahead following Saturday's

  • Flintoff ankle worry

    England are waiting anxiously to discover whether Andrew Flintoff's bid to re-establish himself as a world-class all-rounder has been undermined by a recurrence of his ankle problems. The 29-year-old Lancashire star has used the time since the World Cup

  • Rescue attempt may come 'too late' to save centre

    VOLUNTEERS at a community centre threatened with closure fear a potential lifeline offered by Durham County Council will be too late. Trustees of The Shildon Centre announced last week they expected to close the venue and its support services at the end

  • Scouts celebrate 100 years of adventure

    SCOUTS from across the North-East came together to mark the centenary of the movement in a unique cathedral service. Members of more than 100 Scout and Explorer Scout groups flew their flags at the centenary event at Durham Cathedral. The cathedral came

  • White fulfils ambition to play for Quakers

    After signing for his hometown club at the third attempt, Alan White admits that playing for Darlington will fulfil a lifelong ambition. Twice previously during his career the centre-back had hoped to join Quakers, only to see the deal fall through. But

  • Boro call for Tevez clarity

    MIDDLESBROUGH are asking for clarity from the Premier League over the decision that handed West Ham the right to play Carlos Tevez in the relegation run-in, but chief executive Keith Lamb insists the Teessiders are unlikely to legally challenge the ruling

  • Viduka faces 'biggest decision of my life'

    MARK VIDUKA has indicated he will inform Middlesbrough of his contract intentions within the next two weeks, but claims he has one of the biggest decisions of his life to make. The Aussie striker, who signed off on what could be his Boro swansong with

  • Warnock may be on his way, says McCall

    Stuart McCall believes Neil Warnock has taken charge of his final match as Sheffield United manager. The Blades were relegated from the Barclays Premiership after losing 2-1 to Wigan at Bramall Lane, which saw the Latics leapfrog their opponents and

  • Choir from US to perform in concert

    A HIGHLY-ACCLAIMED US choir is to perform a concert later this month. The Fredonia Chamber Singers, made up of undergraduates from the School of Music at the State University of New York, is to perform at Durham City on Friday, May 25. The choral grouop

  • Shirkers a pain in the Butt

    NICKY Butt has launched a withering attack on the "one or two" Newcastle players who are not completely committed to the club. And with Sam Allardyce due to be confirmed as Newcastle's new manager at a St James' Park press conference this afternoon, the

  • Whelan denies Jewell City link

    Wigan chairman Dave Whelan insists Paul Jewell will not be heading for Manchester City but will instead take ''six months off'' after his shock resignation as manager. Jewell resigned less than 24 hours after Wigan had escaped relegation with their dramatic

  • City put in the tourism spotlight

    VISITORS from the North-West have been checking out the attractions of Durham City. About 30 people who organise group trips for organisations such as Women's Institutes and Probus Clubs, were given a whirlwind fact-finding tour of the city and surrounding

  • Gardens opening for public to aid hospice

    THE gates of gardens across County Durham are to be opened to raise money for a hospice. The gardens of at least nine properties in towns and villages, including Durham City, Chester-le-Street and Hamsterley, near Barnard Castle, will welcome the public

  • Views wanted on scheme to reduce speeding

    PEOPLE in County Durham are being given the chance to comment on a scheme to tackle speeding drivers. The draft County Durham and Darlington speed management strategy, which will run for five years, is the result of consultation between the police, county

  • Evans in United talks to decide his future

    JONNY EVANS is due to meet Sir Alex Ferguson within the next 48 hours when the promising defender will be given an indication of his chances of returning to Sunderland next season. Ferguson, keen to meet up with the 19-year-old ahead of this weekend's

  • Plumbing heavy metal

    A PLUMBING student is hoping to secure a recording contract for his heavy metal band. Luke Harrison, from New College Durham, is in a band called Beyond the Grave. The five-piece outfit recently recorded a four-track EP, The Craven Betrayal, which is

  • Residents tune in to radio production

    VILLAGERS in Teesdale have signed up to be part of a new community radio station which will be launched this summer. Members of Radio Teesdale dropped in to Staindrop's Scarth Hall to recruit volunteers and get programme ideas from locals. There were

  • Students to get lower fares in deals with bus operators

    THE council behind a controversial shake-up of free travel for sixth-form and college students has announced it has struck deals with bus operators. Durham County Council earlier this year decided to scrap a scheme giving some post-16 students free travel

  • Car window smashed by host of party

    A HOUSE party host smashed the car window of a guest as a reprisal after a row with a friend. Durham Crown Court heard that the atmosphere soured during the evening and a couple left Gary Robson's home as tempers frayed. David Crook, prosecuting, said

  • No quick decision on new City boss

    Manchester City have vowed not to be rushed into appointing a successor to departed manager Stuart Pearce. After just over two years in charge, Pearce was yesterday axed by the Eastlands club following a dismal campaign which saw City register an all-time

  • No place for a court ruling

    IN every level of football, from Sunday morning pub kickaround to top level Premiership professional, there are rules to prevent teams from playing ringers. A league becomes meaningless if a team can field an ineligible player to help boost its results

  • Tributes are paid to man known as Mr Seaham

    A RETIRED Durham businessman, who won many awards for his tireless work in the community, has died at the age of 85. Known by all as Mr Seaham, Bill Brooks was last night praised by town mayor Councillor Sonia Forster, who described him as "a truly wonderful

  • Service marks centenary of Scouting

    SCOUTS from across the North-East marked the centenary of the movement in a cathedral service. Durham Cathedral was alive with colour as more than 100 Scout and Explorer Scout groups paraded standards. Every Scout group in County Durham and Tyne and Wear

  • Ready for pain

    A MARTIAL arts fighter from Darlington will compete in one of Europe's biggest competitions at the weekend. Michael Dicks, from the Darlington Boxing and Martial Arts Academy, will top the bill at the fight on Sunday. The Pain and Glory show takes place

  • Tributes to golf fan with famous sense of humour

    THE funeral of a Darlington man known fondly as "Mr Golf" takes place today. Syd Liddle was president of Darlington Golf Club, Haughton Grange, from 2000 to his death on Saturday, May 5. He was 85. He had been captain of the club, competitions secretary

  • Students get chance to quiz football hero

    STUDENTS got a taste of life in the media last week when they had the chance to quiz Middlesbrough Football Club star Stuart Downing. Ten students in years 7 and 10 at Hurworth Maths and Computing College were invited to a Sky Sports News fans' forum

  • Heartbreak as dogs face being put down

    TWO stray dogs could be put down unless a new home is found for them soon. Jack, a two-year-old, white Staffordshire bull terrier, with a brindle patch over his left eye, was dumped at Darlington police station last week. He is micro-chipped. The chip

  • Life and times of Vegas showgirl

    A FORMER Las Vegas showgirl has shared her experiences with a women's lunch club. Rowena Harker-Leder, who performed as part of the Bluebell Girls in the Fifties and Sixties, addressed Darlington Women's Club about her experiences at the Stardust Hotel

  • 'I long to have Linda back again'

    John Donaldson was told his wife had been left brain dead after being hit by a police car. He tells Nigel Green how he refused to give up hope and is now seeing glimmers of the woman he married return.EVERY Friday afternoon, John Donaldson would fill

  • Cafe owner honoured for literacy work

    A CAFE owner won a national award for her efforts to persuade customers to read more.Alison Miller, 38, of Linthorpe, near Middlesbrough, runs Brunches Cafe, in Corporation Road, where she leaves books out for customers.Organisers of the literacy campaign

  • Artist quartet set to hold free exhibition

    AN art quartet from a Teesdale village will display their talents at an exhibition in next month.Janet Crow, Jill Hirst, Geoff Hewitt and Ray Landon live in Cotherstone and have formed Quartz.Their free exhibition will be held in the Witham Hall, in

  • £330m for health plans as Government defends NHS

    A CAMPAIGN to restore public faith in the NHS was launched by the Government yesterday as it pledged £330m for better services across the North-East and North Yorkshire over the next 12 months.The news comes amid Labour unease that polls show the Conservatives