Archive

FOUR drunken louts ran amok in Darlington town centre, fighting each other and lashing out at others, a court heard. The booze-fuelled battle began in a kebab shop but ended in the cells of Darlington police station. The four men, Daniel

POTENTIAL running coaches are being offered free training to support people taking part in the Great North Run. The Tony Blair Sports Foundation (TBSF) is working with Run in England to offer the Leadership in Running and Fitness qualification. It

Nigel asking me to write a blog for him the other week set me thinking about my childhood and the idyllic life I had then, along with most others in our village so I thought I would pen a few memories. Play – With little money around we

SCOTT McDonald returns to Middlesbrough's starting line-up for this afternoon's Tees-Tyne derby with Newcastle. The Australia international has missed the club's last two matches with a hernia injury, but returns to partner New Zealand international

Chris Turner stuck with the same starting XI as Hartlepool United took on Yeovil at Huish Park. On the back of last weekend's 3-0 win over Southend at Victoria Park, Pools headed south desperate to halt their eight-game losing streak on the road. Ben

A NORTH-EAST university is boldly going where no British university has gone before by offering a degree in space law. The University of Sunderland will launch the course in September. Students will look at the law relating to space activities and outer

Andrew Milne makes his first start since rejoining Darlington in today's game at Northampton Town. The defender returned to the club a fortnight ago from Leeds United and he comes into the side as a replacement for injured left-back Stuart

PETE DAVIES is trying to find former members of Darlingtons three scooter clubs during the 1950s, 60s and 70s. The clubs were Darlington Lambretta Club, Darlington Vespa Club, also known as the Rockets, and Darlington Scooter Club, known as the Darlingtonians

POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a distraction burglary at the home of an elderly man. The incident took place at a house on Gladstone Street in Fencehouses, Houghton-le-Spring, at 2pm on Thursday. A man approached the elderly occupant and said

DURHAM'S Paul Collingwood became England's second centurion of the match and Bangladesh lost three first-innings wickets as the tourists moved into a dominant position on day two of the first Test. England declared on 599 for six after Collingwood

THREE people have been arrested after a burglary at the Corus site in Redcar. Police were called to the plant at 4.15am today, and subsequently attended an address at Eglington Avenue in Grangetown, where they arrested three local men aged 16, 21 and

DOG owners are being warned to keep their pets under control in lambing season or they could face legal action. A new ruling under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 states that dogs legally need to be kept on their leads while on open access

The Friends of King George V group in partnership with Ferryhill Town Council are appealing for members of the public who frequently use or have an interest in King George V Playing Fields to become members. The relatively new group has

Thanks to a £2,795 grant award to the Durham County Vintage Collectors Society, plans to hold a third Vintage Rally at Mainsforth Sports Complex has been given the green light. The Vintage Rally has proven to be a fantastic weekend in the past two

The study of crime has paid off for Teesside University student Allan Cattermole as he has gained his first job as a partnership intelligence analyst with Redcar and Cleveland Council. Although employed by the Council, Allan is working as

The Bishop of Durham, Tom Wright will pay a visit to Ferryhill on the 14th of March themed ‘Signs of Hope’. The visit has been organised by Reverend Keith Lumsdon to show the Bishop the regeneration work and renewals programme happening in the town

Pupils at Skelton Primary School prove they are bright sparks by officially switching on their £20,000 solar panels installed with funding from The Co-operative. The children were joined by The Co-operative’s colourful climate change character

THE Quakers face almost certain relegation, the RA – what might be termed Darlington’s second team – struggle at the foot of the Northern League second division. There’s still one Darlington team set to run out at Wembley, however – and for

ANNE HENDERSON enjoyed double graduations from Teesside University in November 2009. Anne was awarded a First Class BSc (Hons) Computer Studies at Middlesbrough Town Hall.  Anne then returned to cross the Town Hall’s stage again that week

STAFF FROM HOMECALL, the telecare division of Coast and Country Housing, battled through the hazardous snow, in order to provide their life saving service to thousands of vulnerable people from across the Tees Valley region. HomeCall’s trusty

DO you have an heirloom in your attic, or a treasure in the shed? If you think there’s a chance your car boot bargain might turn out to be a valuable antique, you can find out on a special holiday break featuring Antiques Roadshow expert, Eric

For the people of Abu Dhabi, motorsport is a passion. Matt Westcott travelled to Sweden to find out why the Emirate’s tourism chiefs are using rallying to promote their country as a travel destination. FROM somewhere deep in the forest

I WAS expecting a thoroughly memorable production of Oh What a Lovely War. The flyer promised a madcap orchestra of musicians, dancers, singers and clowns, armed with sketches, songs and stories. A grey brick backdrop looked fantastic and,

SET entirely in an officers’ dugout in the trenches of the First World War, Journey’s End is an intense examination of bravery, friendship and manhood. Seeing Stanhope, a charismatic alcoholic, trying to galvanise his company for an expected

Mary Thompson celebrated Slimming World’s 40th anniversary in style by cuddling up to top television and radio presenter Vernon Kay at the company’s annual Awards ceremony recently. The local Slimming World Consultant, who runs weekly groups

IN his latest TV adventure, traveller Simon Reeve dodges army patrols in forbidden Burma, haggles with a camel trader, sees rare giant green turtles laying eggs and sucks the eye out of a fish during a traditional Bengali meal. But his most violent

While the Xcel Centre may not be every churchgoer’s cup of tea, many have a taste for the evangelical. HOW often these past 16 years – for the At Your Service column is getting on a bit, too – has it been supposed not only that none of the congregation

RECENTLY, the bungalow in which I live has undergone major refurbishment comprising double glazing, rewiring, central heating, new kitchen and bathroom. It was a bit of an ordeal at the time, but well worth it. I would like to compliment

IN the forthcoming General Election campaign we will have clear differences between the main parties at least in the presentational sense. In the red corner, we will find the glowering presence of Gordon Brown backed up by the massed ranks of

HOW much longer are the good people of Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, going to line their streets to watch the flag-draped coffins of soldiers killed in Afghanistan slowly pass? Nothing wrong in respecting our dead young men sacrificed on the altar

RE Councillor Nick Wallis’ comments urging residents to sign up for Neighbourhood Watch rather than pay for a private security firm to police their area (Echo, some editions, March 11). The firm, Sparta Security, has expanded in Darlington because

AGAIN, Labour’s legislators show how out of touch they are with the real world. Firstly, we had the idea of marching disorderly youths to cashpoints to pay their fixed penalties; then, the Asbo system which quite simply has no affect on the unruliest

IT is with some disbelief that I read the constant letters and columns attacking Conservative policies of the Eighties. These people seem to suffer from convenient amnesia when ignoring the bankrupt state of the country in the Seventies. Those

I WAS pleased to see your article about Peterlee which featured the Apollo Pavilion (Echo, March 11). The Pavilion, which you now rightly acknowledge is a well-known feature of Peterlee, was only restored because of local residents’ efforts and the

Scott Duncan, aged 34, has been signed-up by North East based entertainment agency, Beverly Artistes. Scott, who lives on Redcar, immediately received bookings and has been claiming rave reviews after lighting up the sound waves at clubs and pubs

DURING the late 19th and early 20th Century “The Great Game” was played out between the British and Russian empires for supremacy in Central Asia, especially Afghanistan. It seems “The Great Game” has now moved to within our own borders and is

I TURNED 42 on Thursday. This means I am unfortunate. Like most of the population, I am too young to have been able to give my opinion on Britain’s membership of the EU. Yet we are supposed to live in a democracy. Being 42 also means I am fortunate

Primrose, first born child of Ver Merry springtime’s harbinger… THE lines come from Shakespeare’s least known play, The Two Noble Kinsmen, but this weekend mothers the length and breadth of the country will come to know a primrose. The primrose

IT has been a week when the sexual offenders’ register has been in the national spotlight. As a result of the clear mismanagement of Peter Chapman – the Facebook killer of Darlington student Ashleigh Hall – there have been calls for a review of

KEVIN PIETERSEN believes he has finally ironed out the technical flaws that plagued his preparations for the first Test against Bangladesh. First-time captain Alastair Cook scored an imperious 158no as England punished the Tigers on the opening

Sadistic bully Stephen Spence begins the first day of a prison sentence today. Jim Entwistle speaks to police and victims of domestic violence about how such perpetrators are brought to justice, and why a register would save lives. STEPHEN

The three main elements of the Nature’s World project will be: i) ‘DIG for FUN’ Encouraging local urban people to try to grow something! The war time campaign ‘Dig for Victory’ was phenomenally successful in getting people to grow food. This

MARTIN JOHNSON has urged England to unleash two weeks of hurt on Scotland at Murrayfield – and prove they have learned how to win big matches in the most volatile surroundings. England’s Grand Slam ambitions were crushed by Ireland a fortnight

PLAYING partners Ian Poulter and Padraig Harrington went in totally opposite directions in the second round of the WGC-CA Championship in Miami yesterday. Harrington moved into contention on six under par following a four-under 68, four behind

QASPAL can be followed with supreme confidence in the Paddy Power Imperial Cup at Sandown. The Philip Hobbs-trained six-year-old scraped into the valuable handicap – he needed the defection of six runners – but a nerve-jangling wait can be

The former England skipper writes for The Northern Echo during the RBS 6 Nations. AS we’ve seen during this year’s competition, the RBS 6 Nations has a habit of serving up great drama. Theatre is one thing but good old-fashioned rivalry is another

MIDDLESBROUGH’S Chris Tomlinson admitted he was still a work in progress after failing to make the long jump final at the World Indoor Championships in Doha. Tomlinson took his technique back to the drawing board in the New Year and headed

IF last season's Formula One Championship was a foregone conclusion even before the start of the first race, this year's competition is anything but. It was well documented that Brawn GP were several steps ahead of the rest of the field with their controversial

JENSON BUTTON shrugged off the controversy surrounding the new McLaren as Formula One yesterday hit the track running in typically contentious style. A debate is raging regarding an innovative aerodynamic concept on the car that has been passed

NORTH-EAST hopes of medal-winning performances at today’s Inter Counties Cross Country Championships are high after the regional association came up with £3,000 from its coffers to pay for accommodation and extra travel costs following the

WITH seven goals in 11 games, not only is Tadhg Purcell Darlington’s man of the moment but also one of League Two’s hottest properties. Only the division’s leading marksman, Rotherham United’s Adam Le Fondre, has found the next more often in

The horse racing world converges on the Cotswolds next week for the four-day Cheltenham Festival. Chief Sports Writer Scott Wilson met leading Yorkshire trainer Ferdy Murphy and discovered just how difficult his winter preparations have been. IF you

BLEAK journeys back up the M1 on a Saturday evening have become the norm for Hartlepool United. Eight games, eight losses on the road is their record since October; while a run last season brought two draws and six defeats from eight and the

LIVERPOOL manager Rafael Benitez is backing striker Fernando Torres to end his European goal drought and fire his side into the quarter-finals of the Europa League. The Spain international drew another blank in the 1-0 defeat in Lille, although

CHELSEA have been plunged into a goalkeeping crisis ahead of Tuesday night’s Champions League return leg against Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan. Chelsea lost first-choice goalkeeper Petr Cech with a calf strain in the 2-1 opening leg defeat at

CARLOS TEVEZ has been backed to maintain his scoring form and help Manchester City secure a top four finish. The Argentina striker heads into the match against Sunderland tomorrow looking to improve his impressive 21-goal tally. Tevez, 26,

WE asked the Legends: Is the Middlesbrough versus Newcastle United match a derby? MALCOLM MACDONALD Yes: I say that because in the five years I was a Newcastle player the only local clashes I played in were against Middlesbrough. During my

Becky Mitchell, a wedding and portrait photographer studied photography for five years and graduated in 2005 from Cleveland College of Art & Design. “Things were slow to start with” states Becky “Although I had loads of qualifications,

MANAGER Phil Brown is confident his Hull squad remains united for their relegation fight despite a training ground altercation between Jimmy Bullard and Nick Barmby. The duo had to be separated by team-mates during a warm-down session at a

QPR manager Neil Warnock is relishing a return to former club Sheffield United today in the Coca-Cola Championship. Warnock has made an impressive start to his Loftus Road career, with successive home victories over West Brom and Plymouth. However

BEING surrounded by familiar faces from Celtic has helped Barry Robson make Middlesbrough his new home from home, but there is one thing missing from his life on Teesside – meat. Not just any old cuts will satisfy the Scotland international

DANNY SIMPSON has revealed the bizarre technique helping to build team spirit in Newcastle United’s drive for promotion: killing each other. It is not that the Magpies camp have turned to violence on the training ground, it’s more a case of

DEBATE may rage about the claims of a Middlesbrough versus Newcastle contest to be labelled a derby match but Boro boast a host of characters who’ve survived the fiercest local rivalry in world football – Celtic versus Rangers. A hostile

DESPITE unequivocal assurances about his future as Sunderland manager, Steve Bruce last night insisted he is not about to take such backing from American billionaire Ellis Short for granted. Rather than solely focus on ensuring the Black Cats

CHRIS HUGHTON has hit back at Middlesbrough suggestions that Newcastle are only leading the Championship because of the size of their wage bill by insisting the club have no “God-given right” to return to the Premier League. In the build-up

THERE was a time when the only results that mattered in football were the ones that were determined on the pitch. Not any more. On Monday, Sunderland will release their financial results for the year ending July 2009, and after a month that

The Future Jobs Fund was started in late 2009 and was open to any person who has been out of work for longer than 12 months. The Future Jobs Fund committed 8 million pounds to create 1253 jobs across the Tees Valley area. The primary objective

DANCERS and athletes will be kept on their toes as a North-East school boosts its sporting facilities. Work is well under way constructing a fitness centre, dance studio and cricket facility at Barnard Castle School. The two-storey building

A COLLECTION of work by a popular North-East artist is to go on sale. The family of the late Tom McGuinness has released dozens of original pieces for sale through Darlington gallery Gallerina. Mr McGuinness is regarded as one of the most important

AN MP who stood against David Cameron in the Conservative Party leadership race has backed villagers fighting a planned wind farm on the outskirts of their community. David Davis, who represents the Humberside ward of Haltemprice and Howden

A DRUG dealer caught during an undercover police operation was last night starting a prison sentence of more than three years. Nasser Hussain was told by a judge that he had added to the heroin problem in Middlesbrough with his illegal activities

A FORMER soldier’s act of “drunken stupidity” waving an imitation handgun from a car window has landed him behind bars for the first time. James Mosley leaned from the passenger window of a Fiat Punto, which slowed approaching a couple walking

A DECISION not to ban teachers from joining racist organisations could be pivotal for the BNP, an activist with the far right party claims. Former teacher Adam Walker spoke out after the Government accepted a recommendation from former Chief

A PROUD old solider who was one of the last surviving members of the Durham Light Infantry has died at the age of 94. Jack Potts founded the DLI club in his home town of Bishop Auckland, where he served as secretary for 34 years. He

A FAMOUS storybook wizard entertained primary schoolchildren by reading stories. The youngsters at Dodmire School, in Darlington, were read to by Gandalf, the wizard, star of the Hobbit, which is being staged at Darlington Civic Theatre. The

A FORMER karate instructor spoke last night of his relief, and sadness, after being cleared of molesting two of his pupils. Brian Matthewman was accused of indecently assaulting the girls in the Nineties when he held classes on Teesside. He was

BUSINESSES across North Yorkshire are to benefit from a £90m investment fund. Finance Yorkshire, spearheaded by Yorkshire Forward, will be unveiled at the Marriott Hotel in York on Wednesday, March, 24. It will invest in companies across the

AN aid package designed to generate new employment in the Tees Valley after the partial mothballing of Corus Teesside Cast Products (TCP) has created its first 27 jobs. The grant to PD&MS Energy (Teesside) Ltd is the first from the £60m Tees Valley

CARING women have been packing gifts to send to soldiers serving in Afghanistan. Members of the Inner Wheel Club of Durham packed 48 boxes with toiletries, tissues, sweets, biscuits, books, notepads and pens, to send to members of 3rd Battalion

ONE of the region’s mayors yesterday gave his backing to a wristband appeal for soldiers injured and killed in the line of duty. Darlington Mayor Jim Ruck paid £100 for a wristband to help 3 Rifles. The appeal, which is backed by The

CHILDREN’S author Terry Deary aims to get people running down memory lane to help sick children. The award-winning Horrible Histories writer is urging people to try to Beat the Beamish Tram. The challenge will take place on Sunday, June 27, with

A MUSIC festival organiser said last night the “show is back on” after a crown court case against him was dropped. Andrew Norman, 52, was preparing for a potential trial later this year, having been accused of permitting his land to be used

A TERRACED shop that partially collapsed into a town centre street in the early hours of yesterday will have to be demolished. The front of the building, a second-hand store in South Terrace, Seaham, County Durham, gave way at about 5am, spilling

A PAGE 3 model showed off her brains last night as she argued the case for her chosen profession. Peta Todd left behind the saucy world of topless photo shoots for the sombre intellectual pugilism of one of the world’s oldest student debating

A MOTHER-TO-BE who “came back from the dead” after being struck down by swine flu is preparing to celebrate Mother’s Day with the baby son she feared she would never see. Joanne Walters, 30, from Acklam, Middlesbrough, said she cannot believe

TWO moonlighting workmen who set fire to a house to cover up their lack of progress on a contract job have been locked up for three years. Kevin McGill and Derek Stevenson were worried that their boss was due to visit the property and would see

A WOMAN beaten and tortured by her violent partner said last night his victims had been let down by the courts after he was jailed for a minimum of four years. Stephen Spence, a 51-yearold slaughterman from Darlington, carried out a string

A COUNCIL has been branded “absolutely mad” for proposing to move a tourist information centre – just as the season gets under way. Concerns have been voiced over Hambleton District Council plans to relocate the Thirsk centre from the Market

A CONTROVERSIAL £50,000 grant application that was criticised by some members of a community has been rejected by officials. The Friends of Dean Park Group’s grant bid for a multi-use games area in the Ferryhill park has been declined by the funding

AN attempt to protect teenagers against skin cancer by banning them from tanning salons moved a significant step closer to becoming law yesterday. The Sunbeds (Regulation) Bill, put forward by a Labour backbencher cleared its Commons stages in

A LANDLORD has been forced to quit his pub after claims there was too much trouble in his premises – despite huge support from his customers. Dennis Brannigan took over The Castle Tavern, in Market Square, Richmond, North Yorkshire, in December

MORE than 250 jobs could be created if multi-millionpound plans for a renewable energy-fuelled power plant are given the goahead. The £150m plant is planned for land to the west of Koppers UK, in Port Clarence, in Stockton, and would create