Shildon’s title hopes were dented by a hotly disputed penalty when they went down 2-1 at home to Whitley Bay in the STL First Division. Whitley took the lead after 8 minutes when Paul Chow flicked the ball on for Lee Kerr to lift over advancing
Liverpool stunned Manchester United to win 3-1 in the Lancashire derby at Anfield. Some magnificent forward play gave Liverpool the edge over their fierce rivals who weren’t at their best. Liverpool took the lead thanks to a magnificent run from Luis
YOUNGSTERS at a Darlington to school brought literature to life by dressing as their favourite fictional characters. Children from independent prep school Yarm at Raventhorpe became Desperate Dan, Little Red Riding Hood, Harry Potter and Hermione
A CHARITY which aims to help get people active is holding the first in a series of taster bike rides at the weekend. Darlovelo is giving people the opportunity to try Dutch-style bikes with a guided ride of Darlington's West End on Saturday
A HIGH-PERFORMING school has been given approval to become an academy. Darlington Borough Council's cabinet unanimously agreed on Tuesday to release Hurworth School from local authority control to allow it to become an academy. This
A COLLEGE childcare centre has been rated as "outstanding" by Government inspectors. Darlington College Childcare Centre, which provides childcare for staff and students of the college as well as the wider community, was given the highest rating in
A SOLDIER pulled his wife from their bed and dragged her down the stairs by her ankles while children were asleep in the house, a court heard. As he carried out the assault, Simon Butterworth told his partner she was lucky he did not kill her, Darlington
COOKS and gardeners are being invited to a workshop to help turn their passion for produce into a business. The workshop, which will take place at Durham Indoor Market on Tuesday, March 15, will include advice on the help available and what
MY WIFE Jane rarely ventures an opinion about a test car. To her, cars are about getting from A to B, whereas, I think that's what buses and push-bikes are for. The Jaguar XJL is emphatically not just about getting from A to B, so I was surprised
COUNCIL officials are aiming to stub out cigarette litter in south Durham this week. During increased and high profile patrols, teams of neighbourhood wardens and civic pride officers are tackling the issue and confronting anyone seen dropping cigarette
A PEDESTRIAN who died in hospital the day after being knocked down crossing a road has been described as, "a quiet family man". Stephen Rutter, 35, suffered serious head injuries in the collision involving a silver Renault Scenic car on a pedestrian
THOSE who believe it's high time The Northern Echo had a new editor will get their wish next on Monday March 21. After 12 years in the editor's chair, I'm stepping aside. But, before anyone gets too excited, it's only for one day. Dragons
THE North East Shadow Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has returned a mixed verdict on whether to maintain the current rate of interest, ahead of the Bank of England's own MPC announcement on Thursday. Two of the ten members are now calling for a rise
POLICE have branded the behaviour of a small number of Sunderland fans as "disgraceful" following trouble on the railway. Five Sunderland fans were arrested, three were issued with fixed penalty notices, and three were reported for bad behaviour, during
RECREATIONS of the mysterious stone heads of Easter Island are at the centre of a new exhibition on the famous statues which have become a worldwide icon. Easter Island, Myths and Popular Culture is being held at The Captain Cook Birthplace Museum
POLICE are investigating the death of a 30-year-old Northallerton man who died following a motorcycle accident on private land near Brompton, Northallerton. The incident was reported to police at around 6.50pm on Tuesday by the ambulance service.
IT is understood that Anne Darwin has been released from prison this morning. Mrs Darwin cashed in £250,000 in insurance and pensions following her husband John’s faked death in a canoe accident off Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool. The 59-year-old
THOSE of us who lived during the era of Lord Denning, Winston Churchill and many other men of high esteem, are in accord – our present cohort of politicians are not worthy of recognition. Each November 11, they stand at the cenotaph, wearing poppies
UNBELIEVABLE. That’s what I thought when I read Gary Hart’s account of the rail disaster at Great Heck (Echo, Feb 28). No, he certainly didn’t mean to cause those deaths but to try and worm his way out of any culpability is abhorrent. He stated
LOCAL councils like ours have had their settlement from government greatly reduced and I am fearful that support for families will be cut as a result. If councillors cut care and support services, families will be pushed to breaking point and I
TWO Second World War hand grenades had to be detonated by bomb disposal experts after they were found by workmen. The devices were discovered in a house in the Marygate area of York while the property was being cleared. They
IT is fantastic news that Teesside’s steel-making industry has been resurrected. Hopefully, it will only be the start and put Redcar back on the map. I still believe, however, that former MP Vera Baird, who worked tirelessly for the people of
AMID the furore about the obscene wages paid to chief executives of banks and councils, maybe the public should be told just what these people do to justify their outrageous financial rewards. A couple of fly-on-the-wall documentaries, showing
HAVING always lived in the house in which I was born, “clearing out” is a huge task. Among my finds were Headingley scorecards, one of which was empty apart from the preprinted five wickets that had already fallen. Now, in the report “Robbery
THERE is an old saying: “Where there’s life, there’s hope.” Here is an update: “Where there’s oil, there’s Yanks”. GH Grieveson, Richmond.
I DO not agree with the Government’s proposed plan to make GPs responsible for a budget of £80bn and expecting them to commission services. GPs should be allowed to be General Practitioners. They should not be expected to be managers. Why close
I AM always saddened by all the tragedies that happen. But the one that moved me the most was Police Constable David Rathband who was shot and blinded by gunman Raoul Moat while on duty. So when I read about the woman who came up behind him at
Today is No Smoking Day. Health Editor Barry Nelson reports on how you can summon up the willpower to call your next cigarette your last. EVERYONE knows that smoking is bad for your health and your finances – yet ten million people in the UK still
National League Basketball sponsored by TADEA; Sustainable Energy Solutions & Heaven Scent; Yankee Candles Middlesbrough Tavistock & Heaven Scent Provide Prizes & Gifts for Final Game of Season. This Sunday all fans are being rewarded
GRANDS Crus may appear to be half-asleep for much of his time at David Pipe’s stables but there could be no doubting his place as the star attraction at his trainer’s press morning. The gentle grey instantly became a major danger to Big Buck’
OFFICERS from Darlington Borough Council have used covert surveillance to spy on people 124 times since 2007, a report reveals. Under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, councils can carry out certain types of surveillance to gather
SUNDERLAND strike duo Fraizer Campbell and Danny Welbeck edged closer to a return from injury yesterday afternoon as they both made appearances for the reserves in a 1-1 draw with West Ham United. Black Cats boss Steve Bruce was present as Welbeck
NEWCASTLE Falcons have completed the signing of scrum-half prospect Jordi Pasqualin from their Aviva Premiership rivals Gloucester. Pasqualin, a current England Under-20 international, will move to Kingston Park for the start of next season.
NATIONALISED lender Northern Rock said today it was paying staff £13.1m in bonuses for 2010 despite posting a multimillion-pound loss for the year. Most of the banks 4,500 staff, who on average earn £25,000 a year, will receive a payout of
KEVIN Nolan claims he was “humbled” to be named Sports Personality of the Year at the annual Sport Newcastle Awards at Newcastle Civic Centre, writes Scott Wilson. The Newcastle United captain was honoured for his role in last season's Championship
MIDDLESBROUGH manager Tony Mowbray is hoping to follow up last night's crucial 2-1 win over Derby County with another success in the transfer market before the Football League loan deadline at the end of the month. Merouane Zemmama's 89th-minute
SCHALKE (1) vs VALENCIA (1) German side Schalke are in the driving seat after Raul's away goal secured a 1-1 draw in Valencia's Mestalla Stadium. Schalke have won all their home games in the Champions League this season, but their European form stands
WITH Jose Enrique a major doubt for Newcastle's trip to Stoke in ten days time, Alan Pardew is ready to hand teenage full-back Shane Ferguson his first senior start at the Britannia Stadium. Enrique is awaiting the results of a scan on the
A JUDGE branded a defendant a sponger and described him as "the embodiment of the welfare dependency culture" when he appeared in court for failing to carry out unpaid work. Stanley Clifton, 31, has never had a job and now claims hundreds of pounds a
THE last wagon to be built at a former North-East works is returning to the town where it was created. The Friends of the National Railway Museum North-East branch has bought the Merry-Go-Round (MGR) wagon HDA 368459, which was the last to be completed
A TEAM of engineers in the North-East has started work on a record-breaking plane able to remain in the air for five years. Led by Professor Barrie Mecrow, the Newcastle University team has won a major contract to create a motor for the US-based
THE body that promotes Hadrian's Wall as a worldwide tourist attraction - once delivering a £3m economic boost from a single event - faces the axe because of government cuts. The likely fate of Hadrian's Wall Heritage Limited (HWHL) is the starkest
BUSINESS LEADERS have written to the Government demanding a radical overhaul of airport taxes to help boost the regions export drive. The North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) believes that businesses using smaller regional sites such as Durham Tees
Thornaby manager Ray Morton thought that his side battled back well to earn a point at Gillford Park last night. After all the drama surrounding the Cumbrians off the field in the last week, from that point of view the match went peacefully
HUNDREDS more jobs could be created on the site which is due to house Japanese train maker Hitachi. A second as yet unnamed company plans to move onto Amazon Park, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, and is in advanced negotiations to lease
IF an alien had landed in the middle of a North-East town yesterday afternoon, it would have been nearly as confused as me. The Shrove Tuesday Ball Game, in Sedgefield, County Durham, was, without a doubt, the most surreal experience I’ve ever
A 63-YEAR-OLD heroin addict who takes the drug to relieve back pain was advised by a judge: “You’re getting too old for this – go to the doctors for some tablets.” David Newnham was caught with two lots of the powder, as well as cannabis and amphetamine
A SENIOR councillor has accused developers who claim a school project has gone £1.3m over budget of acting like greedy bankers. Darlington Borough Council leader John Williams said Kier Northern’s claim that Northwood School overran its agreed
THE earth literally moved when Mike Wright met his future wife for the first time. He had only just arrived at his hotel room in China with his bride-to-be, Erin, when an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale tore through the building
THE chairman of Darlington FC last night issued a plea for fans to buy 2,000 adult season tickets and ensure the club’s survival. Raj Singh said he would guarantee the Quakers’ safety if sufficient pledges to take up 2011-12 season tickets
SUNDERLAND fans fear their team will never win the Premier League, the club's chairman told a parliamentary inquiry into the running of football yesterday. All Black Cats' supporters hope for is a top-six place and the thrill of "European football
AN electric car firm which failed in attempts to buy out the Tanfield Group last year, yesterday hinted it may pursue a similar move with the North-East van maker's chief rival. In October, Liberty Electric Cars, which has its manufacturing base in
Shildon manager Gary Forrest is looking for a big improvement when the league leaders take on high fliers Whitley Bay at Dean Street tonight. The Railwaymen suffered one of the surprises of the season when they lost at neighbours Bishop Auckland last
MICK WADSWORTH admitted there were no excuses after his Hartlepool United side slipped to defeat at Carlisle. Up against ten men for the second-half after Liam Noble was red-carded for a two-footed lunge on Antony Sweeney, Pools failed to get going.
Gateshead 2 Darlington 2 Darlington missed an opportunity to move another place up the table as yet again they threw away points in injury time by conceding a late, late goal in part one of the triple-header against Gateshead on Tuesday night.
Middlesbrough 2 Derby County 1 FIVE years ago today, an Aiyegbeni Yakubu penalty helped Middlesbrough beat Roma en route to the final of the UEFA Cup. But on Tuesday night, a deflected strike from Merouane Zemmama enabled the Teessiders to
