A VICTORIAN walled garden and orchard could be brought back to life with a £300,000 lottery grant. Stockton Borough Council is hoping to receive a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the improvements at Preston Hall Museum and Park
A POLICE force is hoping to raise more than £2m by selling off unwanted properties. Members of the public will be able to bid for former police homes as 12 North Yorkshire Police properties go under the hammer later this month. The buildings are a mixture
ANTONY Sweeney misses out for Hartlepool United, after suffering a hamstring strain in midweek. The top scorer was replaced by Leon McSweeney, while there was also a start in the heart of the back four for Peter Hartley, with Gary Liddle moving into
SUNDERLAND make one change from the team that took a deserved point away from Anfield seven days ago for the visit of Manchester United this afternoon. Danny Welbeck, ineligble to play under Premier League rules, is replaced by Bolo Zenden
A WOMAN had to be cut free from her car after it overturned on the A19 this morning. The accident took place on the southbound carriageway between the Ellerbeck and Jeater Houses turn-offs, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire, shortly after
New striker Danny Powell makes his Darlington debut in today's game with Wrexham. The on loan forward, who joined on Thursday from MK Dons, goes straight into the side as one of three changes from the team which drew at York City on Monday. Also called
Brandon have turned down the opportunity to play their preliminary round Durham Challenge Cup tie against Gateshead. There was some debate during the week abouthe status of Gateshead in the Durham Challenge Cup, and now Durham FA have stated that they
CHARLIE Walker, Demon Donkey Dropper of Eryholme and one of grass roots sport’s high-calibre heroes, hits 70 – not out, of course – tomorrow. There’s talk of a birthday lunch in a posh restaurant somewhere near Newcastle; Charlie’s a bit worried
THIS gentle and hugely enjoyable tale of North Yorkshire vet James Herriot takes you right back to Sunday evenings in the Seventies, ensconced by the telly and feeling warm and cosy. If it’s deep drama or outrageous comedy you are after, forget
TIMING is everything for an actor. And Coronation Street star Tupele Dorgu knew it was the right time to leave gobby Kelly Crabtree and the famous cobbles behind. “It was a decision I’d been thinking about for a long time, but had to wait for
AT this time of the morning, at this time of the year, in this part of the world, the freezing cold air picks you up and slaps you round the face – it’s quite a wake-up call. I’ve got up early to catch the first lift up to the slopes which seem
A NORTH-EAST networking organisation which meets over a bowl of mussels is to launch a Durham branch next year. The Durham Mussel Club follows the success of the venture in Newcastle and Sunderland. The Mussel Club was set up more than four years
FEARS that Government proposals to limit immigration could disrupt the development of Nissan’s electric battery facility has prompted the North-East car maker to join calls for a rethink on the controversial law change. The Coalition has been
BP led a fresh rally for the FTSE 100 Index yesterday as higher oil prices and the potential resumption of dividend payments cheered investors. Buoyed by the three per cent rise for the oil stock, the FTSE started the new quarter where it left
NORTHERN Rock’s so-called “bad bank” has a new chief executive after yesterday being merged with the nationalised arm of Bradford & Bingley. A holding company, UK Asset Resolution (UKAR), has been established to oversee the two financial institutions
LESLEY STRACHAN, who was previously known as Susan Howe, would like to trace long lost relatives. They are descendants of John James and Miriam Howe (nee Rand) who lived in Butterknowle, County Durham. They had six children, Queenie, Vera, Marjorie,
THE ease with which banks and finance houses were bailed out was equalled only by the speed with which it was accomplished. The motor scrappage scheme was a genuine lifeline for the motor trade industry, and the overall winners were once again
LOOKING back, I remember when “nationalisation” became a dirty word in politics simply because it was taking government money to susidise it. So what? At least the money was spent supporting our own industries and workforce, unlike today when
MANY tests have been developed to assess intelligence (IQ). As far as I’m aware, no similar tests to measure common sense exist. Some intelligence would seem to be a pre-requisite of learning rules and laws, but is intelligence alone sufficient
I HAVE realised for many years that it is not the government of the day that runs this country; it is the senior civil servants who are in their jobs for years, regardless of what government is supposedly in power. They proved that recently by
WE had Sunday lunch at the Beefeater pub, near Morrisons, at Morton Park, Darlington, last weekend which was very good. What a surprise to see a large Christmas tree, decorated and lit up. The date was September 26. This must be a first. Jenny
Stitch in time, the golden days of St Mary’s, in Newton Aycliffe, are celebrated with a bunfight, a 50-panel quilt and a pilgrimage to Rome. LIKE the new town starting to show its age, St Mary’s Roman Catholic church in Newton Aycliffe celebrated
A 38-YEAR-OLD man is in a critical condition in hospital after an attack outside a city centre bar. Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident, which took place at 11.40pm last night outside Sergeant Pepper's Bar on Vine Lane, Newcastle. A spokesman
I AM starting to sense we may all be in for a lot rougher ride than any of us working people could ever anticipate. After working all my adult life and trying to re-educate myself by doing a journalism course, I have found myself with no job, therefore
SINGER Eddie Fisher, who has died at the age of 82 (Echo, Sept 25), was one of the best vocalists of the Fifties. I remember him having a hit with Cindy, Oh Cindy, in 1957. He said at the time he wanted to record songs that carried a message and
THE notion of the “Big Society” should be encouraged. It should be about valuing what exists in communities and promoting it, rebuilding structures that have become damaged and decayed and inspiring hope in those who need it most. But the idea
THE amount of publicity currently in the press maligning foxes makes one aware the ground is being prepared for an oncoming Private Member’s Bill to restore hunting with dogs. It’s a known fact that the Tory Party is committed to repealing the
ON behalf of Middleton Rangers Junior Football Club I would like to express our gratitude to Fishburn Boys’ under-ten team, their parents, and their manager, Stuart Campbell. Following the teams’ match last Sunday they presented Rangers with the
NEWCASTLE’S No 9 Andy Carroll believes he is ready to make the step-up to senior international football if Fabio Capello picks him for England’s forthcoming Euro 2012 Qualifier against Montenegro. Thursday brought the news that Carroll had been omitted
THE North-East is famous for many things, coal mining, ship building and the railways, but entrepreneurial spirit is not one of them. Although our region is steadily improving, thanks to the efforts of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum and One North East
AT this time, when everyone is facing uncertainty and having to cut back, there should be no sacred cows – and that includes the European Union budget. MEPs are looking hard at where efficiency savings can be made. Top of my list are the European
A new British film tells how a group of striking women were instrumental in furthering the campaign for equal pay. Steve Pratt talks to the film-makers determined to bring the forgotten story to a wide audience. CALENDAR Girls director Nigel
BLAYDON are hoping that the winding-up order served this week on Cambridge will not prevent them from turning up for next Saturday’s match at Crow Trees. As highlighted by the struggles of the Cornish clubs, the amount of travelling for National
NATIONALISM is an unspectacularly logical selection for the first leg of the autumn double at Newmarket. John Gosden’s colt is a shortpriced favourite for the totesport.com Cambridgeshire, which is traditionally a betting minefield. This time
REDCAR’S big day of the year today features one of Europe’s richest races for twoyear- olds in the totepool trophy, over the six-furlong trip. With over £130,000 on offer for the winner it is not surprising to see a maximum field of 23 chasing
SUNDERLAND City Council has forced the cancellation of a memorial race tomorrow with a demand for £1,200 to temporarily close part of the course. Houghton Harriers have had to refund entry fees for the Michael Page Memorial 10K – part of the
FEARS have been expressed over the North-East’s ability to benefit from the 2012 Olympics in London following the announcement of a range of budget cuts by regional development agency One North East. One North East had originally committed £75,000
WITH Alan Tait having rung the changes ahead of this afternoon’s game at Harlequins, stand-in skipper Rob Vickers is confident Newcastle Falcons will bounce back in style following last weekend’s embarrassment at the hands of London Irish. Falcons
After a fraught build-up that threatened to see the event called off, the Commonwealth Games finally gets under way in Delhi tomorrow. A number of North-East competitors have travelled to India, and The Northern Echo profiles three of the region’s leading
ARSENE Wenger maintains his Arsenal side have the quality to beat Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tomorrow, even without injured captain Cesc Fabregas and a host of first-team regulars. The 23-year-old Spain World Cup-winner
THIS week, we asked The Legends, “Should Andy Carroll be in the England team to face Montenegro a week on Tuesday?” MALCOLM MACDONALD “No, he’s not ready. The time for Andy Carroll to play for England is when he’s absolutely ready, and he’s
MARK Cooper is hoping his Darlington side can continue their eight-match unbeaten run when Wrexham visit the Northern Echo Arena on Saturday. The Quakers currently lie two places and three points below the play-offs and haven’t lost a game since
DENIS Behan isn’t one to mince his words. If things aren’t going well the Hartlepool United striker isn’t afraid to say so. After being thumped 4-0 at Victoria Park by Carlisle on Tuesday night, the Irishman wasn’t in such a jovial mood. "It's
SIR Alex Ferguson is happy to let Fabio Capello decide whether Wayne Rooney is fit enough to report for England duty next week. Although the Manchester United boss declared on Tuesday that Rooney could be out for three weeks with the ankle injury
EUROPE captain Colin Montgomerie last night insisted he was happy with the new format for the Ryder Cup – but conceded that could well change depending on the result. After a rain delay of more than seven hours on the opening day at Celtic Manor
MANCHESTER City winger Adam Johnson has baulked at suggestions his form may have dipped after two eyecatching performances for England. Johnson, 23, scored twice in the victories against Bulgaria and Switzerland in back-toback Euro 2012 qualifiers
ROBERTO Mancini is content Manchester City have got their defending right – now he wants to concentrate on the attack. City tackle Newcastle at Eastlands tomorrow, having conceded only six goals all season. Two of those efforts came in a bizarre
GORDON Strachan will not be appointing a new head coach despite Middlesbrough’s struggles in the opening two months of the season. The Boro boss lost one of his key right-hand men last month when Gary McAllister resigned to become assistant manager to
GARY O’Neil has echoed Gordon Strachan’s sentiments about "fundamental flaws" at Middlesbrough, and claimed the current crisis is part of a deeper malaise that can be traced back more than two seasons. Despite kicking off the campaign as favourites for
CHRIS Hughton will keep faith with under-fire full-back James Perch when Newcastle visit Manchester City tomorrow afternoon. Perch picked up five bookings in his opening five matches as he struggled to come to terms with life in the Premier
STEVE Bruce is hoping his side can repeat their impressive performances against the Premier League’s top four when Manchester United visit the Stadium of Light today. The Black Cats have already beaten big spending Man City and earned draws
IT might have been a chance encounter at a funeral in Manchester, but it said much about both Sir Alex Ferguson’s powers of recall and the depth of Phil Bardsley’s Mancunian roots. "My grandad (Alan) saw Sir Alex at a funeral a while back
A SPORTS car driver walked away from an accident involving a bin wagon in which his car was written off. The 33-year-old man was driving a convertible Lotus Elise in Yarm, near Stockton, when the accident, involving the lorry travelling in
THE family of missing chef Claudia Lawrence last night reacted with delight to the news that a £10,000 reward for information has been renewed. Two weeks ago, the withdrawal of the reward, offered by charity Crimestoppers, had left them shocked
ONE of the main routes through North Yorkshire – which is also one of the county’s biggest accident blackspots – is to be closed for five weeks. Sutton Bank, near Thirsk, is one of the most spectacular inland cliffs in Britain and up it snakes
A MAN was warned to expect jail after he stabbed a friend in a confrontation at a house party. Anthony John Wardle was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, following the incident at a house in Morpeth Street, Horden, County Durham, early
CANCER patients who hope to benefit from the Government’s new cancer drug fund will still have to apply to their local primary care trusts, according to a charity. The James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer, which has supported a number of North-East
GOVERNMENT plans to change the way police are governed have led two North-East forces to shelve merger talks. The police authorities that oversee the Durham and Northumbria forces have been discussing merging for several months. But
A CONSTRUCTION worker has died after being severely beaten in a road rage attack in the Republic of Ireland. Raymond Bates, from Dinting Close, in Peterlee, east Durham, died in hospital on Thursday evening after being beaten about the head with
SIR JOHN HALL announced plans for his lasting legacy to the North-East last night – and revealed doctors have his cancer under control. The business tycoon, who is suffering from incurable cancer, plans to establish a £2m rose garden at Wynyard
AN MP is demanding crisis talks with Orange bosses after it emerged that more than 100 jobs could go at its North-East call centres. Darlington MP Jenny Chapman accused bosses of misleading her over the extent of job losses at the town’s Orange
AN undercover reporter has been posthumously awarded the RSPCA’s highest honour for cracking a dog-fighting ring. Stephen Ibinson’s parents told The Northern Echo yesterday how proud they are of their son, who grew up in Newton Aycliffe, County
THOUSANDS of customers could receive refunds after one of the region’s biggest energy suppliers was ordered to repay overcharged households. Npower, which has more than 500,000 customers in the North-East and North Yorkshire, is repaying more
THOUSANDS of schoolchildren may have been given the wrong exam grades because of a technical error, The Northern Echo can reveal. Officials at examinations board AQA has ordered about 5,000 exam papers to be remarked because pupils may have received
