England bowler Steve Harmison has called on Peter Moores and Kevin Pietersen to find a quick solution to their ongoing feud. Moores, the national team’s coach, and Pietersen, his captain, are set for crisis talks later this week in order to find a way
Blyth Spartans 0 Blackburn 1 (Carlos Villanueva 58) Chilean midfielder Carlos Villanueva spared Blackburn’s blushes as brave Blyth’s FA Cup dream finally came to an end. Villanueva’s excellent 59th-minute free-kick was enough to book
FORMER Prime Minister Tony Blair is to be awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom by outgoing US President George Bush it was announced tonight. Mr Blair, who was also MP for Sedgefield in County Durham, will receive the highest civilian award
Virtua Tennis is a tennis game for most consoles. It was released on the 30th March and cost was £30 RRP. It includes 30 pro tennis players and has many different play modes including world tour and tournament mode. The main part of the
A man has been cleared of killing a bookmakers' manager during a row over a £60 bet. Trevor Hall, 38, had denied the manslaughter of Jeffrey Hiland, 52, who died of a heart attack during a row at his shop on June 2. Hall was due to be tried
A vicar was arrested after an unholy row with his neighbour over the height of a hedge. Residents living next to the vicarage in Castleside, Consett, County Durham, were shocked to discover that their vicar, Stuart Bennett, and his neighbour
TEN years is a long time in the editor’s chair – probably too long. An eventful decade as editor of The Northern Echo passed for me yesterday, so I thought I’d mark the milestone by looking back at some of the headlines in the paper on the day
A meeting of Sedgefield’s Area 3 Forum will be held at Trimdon Colliery Working Men’s Club on Wednesday (7th January, 2009) at 7pm.
A CHURCH will go in search of answers to some of life’s big questions with a course that starts later this month. St Paul’s Church, in Spennymoor, will run the free ten week Alpha course from Thursday January 22, 7pm. It aims to give non-churchgoers
TWO senior appointments have been made to the new organisation that is to run social housing in Sedgefield. Sedgefield Borough Homes will take control of Sedgefield Borough Council's 8,500 homes from April 1. Alan Boddy will hold the position of director
An interesting adjudication has just come in from the Press Complaints Commission. The PCC - the media's watchdog - received a number of complaints about the coverage of a man who decapitated himself using a chainsaw. Twelve newspaper articles, in print
The Legends back, and with the usual reliable crack ! Still grafting, working for Todds now, and any bits of building work you might need doing! Graham (Grampus) Lamb was out sweeping his front path, when Tupper walked by. “Its cold today Tupper
A large tree has fallen across the river Skerne near Mill Lane in Haughton. This is causing the debris of wasted reeds to bank dangerously and block the passage of natural water downstream. Drink cans, paper, a house for sale sign and discarded
Classes and activities at Parkside Community Association, Parkside School are recommencing this week following the festive break. Activities starting Monday, 5th January include: Climbing Wall Experience, 5-6pm. Shotokan Karate (beginners
A YOUNGSTER whose ear was bitten off by a horse is helping an air ambulance in the region to raise funds. Joe Smith, five, was left covered in blood after the horrific incident last year. He made a full recovery after being flown to
MIDDLESBROUGH winger Stewart Downing has today handed in a written transfer request. Hours after Boro chairman Steve Gibson insisted the 24-year-old would not be sold in the wake of a formal approach from Tottenham, the England international
A letter has arrived today from Sir Bobby Robson, thanking The Northern Echo for a £1,500 donation to his cancer foundation. The money was raised at the Local Heroes Awards at the end of November. Sir Bobby says: "I have been fighting
The Diary Of Anne Frank (BBC1, 7pm); Above Suspicion (ITV1, 9pm) ‘IT seems to me,” Anne Frank confides to her diary, “that no one will be interested in the chatterings of a 13-yearold girl.” How wrong she was. Sixty years later her story, and that
Shereen Low talks to Oscar-winning star Benicio Del Toro about his latest role as the revoluntionary leader, Che Guevara. BENICIO Del Toro must be one of the most modest actors in Hollywood. The Puerto Rican star picked up an Oscar for best supporting
Piers Browne is bursting with creativity and ideas. Ruth Campbell visits the Wensleydale artist at his remote hilltop studio where he paints, writes and composes music and is now busy working on huge seascapes which are full of light and movement
THE Bishops who recently accused Labour of being morally bankrupt would have been better to condemn the latest Israeli barbaric onslaught on Gaza, killing many women and children and leaving so many injured that the hospitals simply cannot cope
THE recent death of Eartha Kitt at the age of 81 (Echo, Dec 27) has reminded me that her version of An Old Fashioned Girl was the first single record I bought. It was a hit in the 1950s and was frequently played on the radio. I later went on
DOES columnist Peter Mullen (Echo, Dec 30) know something we don’t? Apparently, “this year final salary public sector pensions will increase by more than four times the rate of inflation”. Inflation is currently about four per cent, so the rise
THERE is a great need for people to work together and not to be seeking financial gain at any cost. It is the seeking of financial gain that has distorted the financial market, leading the world to the mess that it is in. Would a person who, having
IT has become fashionable to portray deflation as some sort of disease to be avoided at all costs, an idea repeated in your Comment column (Echo, Jan 2). The reality is that several periods of steadily falling prices in the 1800s and before have
When Shelly, a playboy bunny (Anna Faris) finds herself kicked out of the playboy mansion with nowhere to go, she stumbles across a bunch of sorority girls from Zeta Alpha Zeta. The seven members just happen to be the most socially clueless women on the
WHILE I fully sympathise with the small business owner who cannot get money owed by some of his customers (HAS, Jan 1), I cannot agree that the use of force and extended powers for bailiffs is the answer to this problem. Force is one step removed
THE situation in Afghanistan goes from bad to worse, one reason for it doing so being our presence there. What possible justification have we for remaining? All we are doing is prolonging the agony of the Afghan people and throwing the lives of
I CAN assure Geoffrey Bulmer (HAS, Jan 1) that my views are not based on the opinions of the media, right-wing or otherwise. I am not sure that my letter on Che Guevara (HAS, Dec 27) was the “jaundiced outburst” that Mr Bulmer perceived it to be
MAY I, through this column and on behalf of Cockerton Prize Silver Band, Darlington, express sincere gratitude to all those who contributed to our cash collections over the Christmas period. The band was overwhelmed by the scale of people’s generosity
TEN years is a long time in the editor’s chair – probably too long. An eventful decade as editor of The Northern Echo passed for me yesterday, so I thought I’d mark the milestone by looking back at some of the headlines in the paper on the day I
Actor Bruce Byron, who plays tough guy DC Terry Perkins in The Bill, tells Hannah Stephenson how he sought therapy for his self-hatred and poor body image before learning to tackle his weight problem. HE’S spent his acting career playing
AN immediate ceasefire in Gaza is the only way to start to bring a peaceful future to this troubled part of the world. Israel’s ground and air attacks are not the answer. Israel feels, with some justification, that Hamas is a terrorist organisation
WHEN innocent trucker John Vasey was freed from a French jail, he thought his nightmare was over. But more than four years after being released, John, 48, was due to fly out to France again today after being summoned back to court. He has slowly rebuilt
UniBond League DURHAM City manager Lee Collings was delighted with the response of his players as they cruised to a 3-0 home win over Ossett Albion and maintain their unbeaten record in the UniBond League First Division North on Saturday. Collings
skilltraining Northern League BISHOP Auckland manager Brian Honour admitted that there is a massive gulf between the top and the bottom of the table after they were easily beaten 4-1 at home by Dunston on Saturday. Bottom of the table Bishops
CHRIS Turner labelled his Hartlepool United side’s win over Stoke as the best day of his football career. The former Sunderland and Manchester United goalkeeper was a League Cup winner at Wembley with Sheffield Wednesday in 1992 and had the honour
Southampton 0 Manchester United 3 Jan Poortvliet was upset by referee Mike Riley’s refereeing decisions after his side were knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United. Goals from Danny Welbeck, Nani and substitute Darron Gibson earned the
West Ham United 3 Barnsley 0 DESPITE the cloud of uncertainty hanging over Upton Park, Carlton Cole predicted a bright future for West Ham following Kieron Dyer’s return to action. Dyer enjoyed a 20-minute cameo off the bench in Sunday’s 3-0
EL-HADJI Diouf will tell Ricky Sbragia ‘play me or sell me’ when he meets the Sunderland manager to discuss his future this week. Diouf made only his second start since late October as Sunderland beat Bolton to progress to the FA Cup fourth round
Wearside league REIGNING champions New Marske moved into second position – their highest rating so far – but they were taken to the wire by second-bottom Windscale. The only goal came after 42 minutes as Shaun Garbutt rifled the ball into the
Hartlepool United 2 Stoke City 0 MICKY Nelson is well into his sixth season at Hartlepool United and is approaching his 300th appearance. He’s been promoted and played in play-off semifinals and a final. None, he feels, of his other 281 outings
Gillingham 1 Aston Villa 2 ASTON Villa manager Martin O’Neill was a delighted – but relieved – man after his side overcame an FA Cup banana skin at Gillingham. James Milner scored both goals as Villa prevailed 2-1 against their impressive League
BLACKBURN manager Sam Allardyce admits he is not looking forward to this evening’s FA Cup third-round tie at Blyth Spartans. The non-leaguers are in the third round for a fifth time and, despite struggling near the foot of the Blue Square North
Hull City 0 Newcastle United 0 MAGIC, romance and drama. Three of the most over-used words that accompany the FA Cup third round so thank heavens Hull City and Newcastle United ensured none could be found at the KC Stadium on Saturday. Monotonous
Middlesbrough 2 Barrow 1 GARETH Southgate had his faith in football reaffirmed after seeing 7,000 Barrow fans celebrate their side’s battling performance in the FA Cup third round on Saturday. Following the match, the Boro boss lambasted the
Darlington 2 Bournemouth 1 PAWEL ABBOTT is back and he has timed his return to perfection as Darlington need him now more than ever. His cameo against Chesterfield last week provided glimpses of his undoubted talents, and on Saturday he showed
Sunderland 2 Bolton Wanderers 1 WHEN Ricky Sbragia was confirmed as Sunderland’s new permanent manager over the Christmas period, he immediately insisted he would not be afraid to embrace change. Just one week later, and he has already been
NEWCASTLE United assistant manager Chris Hughton has insisted that Joe Kinnear will have the final say on any players moving to Newcastle United this month. The Magpies manager wants to bring at least four new faces to St James Park but, according
DAVID Wheater has urged Stewart Downing to stay at the club and help his teammates in their fight to avoid relegation. The pair both featured in the 2-1 FA Cup victory over Barrow, but Redcar-born defender Wheater knows the priority this season
DARLINGTON captain Steve Foster has laughed off suggestions he is about to leave the club and has reiterated is desire to win promotion with Quakers. Huddersfield Town were said to be ready to take the Mansfield-born defender to the Galpharm
TWO things have emerged to warm us up during the cold snap. Racing history was created at Wolverhampton last Tuesday evening when Mullitovermaurice allowed Hayley Turner to become the only female to rack up a century in a calendar year Britain.
CHRIS Wall was left dreaming of Winter Derby glory after Premio Loco stole a march on his rivals in the William Hill January Sales - 0800 44 40 40 Conditions Stakes at Lingfield. The Chris Wall-trained gelding, confidently ridden by George Baker
Blaydon 13 Redruth 13 BLAYDON will hope they have found a long-term occupant at No 10 after Newcastle’s Joe Shaw offered a solution to their fly half problem in Saturday’s pulsating match at home to Redruth. In excellent conditions, a crowd of
ANDY Murray marked himself out as the man to beat going into the new season as he overcame world No 1 Rafael Nadal in the final of the World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi. Both players at times produced strokes in keeping with the exhibition
Chester-le-Street's Scottish international Freya Murray bounced back to take third place behind brilliant teenager Steph Twell in the IAAF Cross Country International in Antrim, Northern Ireland. The 26-year-old revealed afterwards that a change
IT is one of the biggest games in Blyth Spartans’ history, but for the Northumberland club’s manager, Harry Dunn, this evening’s FA Cup thirdround tie with Blackburn Rovers will be hard pushed to beat his own most cherished footballing memory.
Bristol 48 Newcastle Falcons 8 NEWCASTLE boss Steve Bates accepts next month’s showdown with Bristol could prove ‘‘a significant game’’ in the fight for Guinness Premiership survival. Friday the 13th is an appropriate date, given the potentially
SOUTH Africa captain Graeme Smith should be available for Australia’s visit to the republic, despite fracturing his hand on the second day of the third Test at Sydney. Smith was forced to retire hurt on 30 after being struck by a rearing delivery
FORMER England captain David Gower believes skipper Kevin Pietersen will win his power struggle with coach Peter Moores. The two are reported to have been at loggerheads over a host of issues, with matters coming to a head over the selectors’
STEWART Downing will today stun Middlesbrough by handing in a written transfer request. After a frantic weekend on Teesside chairman Steve Gibson and chief executive Keith Lamb both went on the offensive to warn off any clubs interested in capturing
HARTLEPOOL UNITED have received a fittingly rich reward for one of the greatest results in their history after they were drawn at home to Premier League West Ham in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Having beaten Stoke City 2- 0 on Saturday, Pools
A CALL has gone out for landowners to provide sites for “urgently needed” affordable housing. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority wants residents to suggest areas that could be built on. Authority chiefs hope the move will create cheaper
AN industrious craft club that started as a small social group has become a dedicated charity crusader. The 30 or so members of Dean Bank Chat ’n’ Craft, in Ferryhill, County Durham, help countless good causes each year at home and abroad.
Every Saturday morning, young men and women who have fallen foul of the law are forced to get out of bed to learn the error of their ways. Karen Westcott visits The Attendance Centre, in Middlesbrough. THE baby faces of two boys on the TV screen were
A PHOTOGRAPHER who stumbled across two 100-yearold pictures of rare classic cars thinks they may be the only ones of their type in existence. Keith Orange found the glass plate negatives of the Belgian Metallurgique cars in a pile of pictures
HOUSEBUILDER Bellway is likely to clash with investors after ditching previous performance targets to pay out huge bonuses to directors. The Association of British Insurers (ABI), which represents major investors, has issued its strongest warning
NORTH law firm Ward Hadaway has won a contract to advise a company that protects millions of workers from a hidden killer. Lexia Solutions, which specialises in tackling asbestos and environmental issues in the construction sector, has appointed
YORKSHIRE WATER is believed to be the only water company in the UK regularly using a new device which uses a blast of air to clean pipes. More than 126 miles of the region’s iron water mains were cleaned last year, using the Whirlwind technology
A VILLAGE pub has been given a new lease of life after being taken over by its customers. The Bridge Inn, in Middleton- in-Teesdale, County Durham, will support village groups and businesses, as well as attracting more tourists to the area.
STAFF at a North-East car dealer group could become the highest qualified sales team of a major motor retailer in the UK. North Yorkshire-based kream automotive training has been appointed by Vertu Motors to train all its sales staff to at least
A BUSINESS which started life as a venture selling ear plugs on eBay has moved to a bigger factory unit and taken on four staff in the past two months. Three years ago, Mike Morrell was working as a safety engineer for Nissan when he decided
POLICE are investigating a spate of fires believed to have been started deliberately. In the most serious of the blazes, a family’s garage was left seriously damaged. All three incidents happened in the same area of Northallerton, North Yorkshire
FRENCH environmentalists are making a last-ditch bid to prevent the asbestos-laden French aircraft carrier the Clemenceau from heading to the North-East, The Northern Echo has learnt. AE2D, an environmental association based in the port of Brest
FAMILIES of former rail workers are being sought for a project to honour unsung war heroes. The Head of Steam railway museum in Darlington, and the National Railway Museum, at Shildon, County Durham, have joined forces to create a project to
MORE than 200 Woolworths stores, including 14 in the region, closed for the final time at the weekend. The outlets, which were given a one-day reprieve by administrators to give them more time to clear stock, closed on Saturday. The
THE former chief officer of a disbanded health watchdog has strongly criticised the National Health Service’s handling of plans to reorganise hospital services in the region, and called on Health Secretary Alan Johnson to intervene. Valerie
A LIVESTOCK auctioneer and a digger driver hope to both fulfil lifelong dreams of racing horses at Aintree on Grand National day. Robert Whitelock, 52, from Chester-le-Street, and William Barker, 23, from Whitby, are on their way to realising a
THE country’s bird-watching community is in a flap over the arrival of a rare gull in the region. It has been classified as a “mega sighting” the highestlevel alert in the twitching world. Hundreds of enthusiasts – some from as far away as Hampshire
THE death of a man from shotgun injuries is not being treated as suspicious, police say. Officers were called to a flat above a tanning salon in Norton Road, Stockton, at 4pm on Friday and found the body of a 29-year-old man. A shotgun was found
A QUARTER of young people in the North-East have admitted they are often or always depressed, according to a study released today. The research, carried out on behalf of The Prince’s Trust, highlights a significant core of under-25s across the
