TWO police officers and a teenage boy have been honoured by the St John Ambulance for their life-saving efforts. PC Paul Hyde and PCSO Kelly Taylor were presented with certificates of commendation for their attempts to save the life of a mother-of-three
Seaham Red Star moved away from the bottom three with a 4-2 away win at Brandon in the second division tonight. Brandon twice took the lead through Daniel Corbett in the first half with Michael McKeown replying, but after half time Seaham took control
First Division Esh Winning have appointed Andrew Soppitt as their new manager. Soppitt is currently manager of Cornforth United in the Durham Alliance, and will be helped by experienced pair Richie Alderson and Gary O'Hara, who both played for several
SITTING in a two-thirds empty Riverside Stadium on Tuesday night, watching Middlesbrough labour to a narrow win over fellow Championship strugglers Derby County, it was tempting to assume that a nadir had been reached. In reality, however
MAXIMILIAN Haas has two months in which to persuade Tony Mowbray to extend his Middlesbrough career beyond the end of the season. Haas signed an initial six-month deal when he left Bayern Munich in January, with the option of a further one-year
Colin and Julie Cooper paid a visit to Teesside Hospice’s Children’s Bereavement Service ‘Forget-Me-Not’ where they presented staff with a cheque for £5,000 on behalf of the Finlay Cooper Fund. The much needed donation is going to be used to subsidise
FACTORIES employing hundreds of disabled people in the North-East will not close after receiving the required number of applications for voluntary redundancy. Remploy, with facilities in Spennymoor, County Durham, Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead and
ADAM Luke’s still a schoolboy; some might say an Old School boy. At 15, he still signs himself “Adam Luke (Master)”, still faithfully attends and enthusiastically supports his parish church, still insists that his studies come before promoting
AUNTIE Doreen was born to be a joker – so she would have loved the fact that her funeral was full of laughter. I grew up with tales of the tricks she got up to with her seven brothers and only sister, who became my mum. Like the time they were
INGLETON’S between Darlington and Staindrop, its village hall decked last Saturday evening with the flags of France. There are to be French songs and French food, maison Morrison’s. A French journalist might call this a tricolor piece, a town twinner
ALEX Tait has warned his Newcastle Falcons team-mates to beware a Harlequins backlash when they attempt to secure an LV Cup final place tomorrow. Having claimed an emphatic 33-18 win over Quins at Kingston Park last Friday, Falcons will be looking to
Even now, I still have the odd pangs of doubt about whether I was right to turn The Northern Echo tabloid. But this picture, sent in by reader Louise McPherson, reminds me that it was the right thing to do. It shows baby Eleanor reading
The jury in the trial of Raoul Moat's alleged accomplices was sent home to continue its deliberations at 10.30am tomorrow. Karl Ness and Qhuram Awan claim they were held hostage by the former Newcastle doorman during his rampage in July.
MILLWALL have escaped punishment for the crowd disorder that blighted Middlesbrough's visit to The Den on February 19. Referee Chris Sarginson threatened to abandon the game after a series of missiles were thrown at the assistant referee and Boro goalkeeper
A RURAL campaign group is warning landowners to keep a watchful eye around empty buildings after police foiled a number of attempts to hold unlicensed raves in the region. North Yorkshire Police have thwarted a number of attempts to hold raves in the
AN 87-year-old woman who died after she became stranded in a river while walking alone in the Yorkshire Dales has been named by police. Eva Beatrice Higginbottam, from Matlock, in Derbyshire, died on Monday after being pulled from the River Ure, in Wensleydale
MIDDLESBROUGH Mayor Ray Mallon has visited the latest group of young apprentices as they take their first steps in the world of work. The Mayor’s Apprentices Programme was launched in January 2009 as part of Mr Mallon’s Youth Agenda. The aim was
A tribute to an old friend, a salute to a young ’un and a French connection too. WERE it not for Tom Purvis, the world – or at least this precious part of it – might never have know that the longest word that may be compiled by using only the top
TREVOR BARK (HAS, March 8) may not be a part of the Labour Party, but his political leaning is quite clear and his ability to only read what he wants to read is also clear. I was quite clear (HAS, March 4) in agreeing that the banks were the catalysts
THE Tory election manifesto promised no more powers would be handed over to the EU without a referendum. Undoubtedly, this dissuaded many who were considering voting UKIP to keep faith with the Conservative Party. Additionally, the Conservatives
WORK and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith claims there are plenty of jobs to be had. He says there are 500,000 unfilled vacancies in Britain today, but would not elaborate what these jobs are or where they are located. Iain Duncan Smith has
I MUST respond to Colin Mortimer’s letter (HAS, March 5) regarding Tony Blair and the Fujitsu plant in Newton Aycliffe. The reasons for Fujitsu’s closure were global economics. Fujitsu manufactured a 4Mb chip for home PCs. What was state of the
WATCHING the BBC news on Monday I drew two conclusions from the furore surrounding Prince Andrew. Firstly, in the same way that I have no interest in two fleas on a dog’s back, I have no interest in who a person I consider a social parasite spends
WITH the Durham Gate project beginning soon I wonder how many people from the local area will be employed during its construction and after? British National Party members from the local area have been campaigning over the past months for local
SO George Osborne thinks families are suffering the brunt of the petrol price rises does he? Well George, it’s not just families, it’s all working class folk. As you’re not one of them you will never know, Mr Osborne. You say the Budget will
GEOFF BULMER is right (HAS, March 5) to say that we do not know how the world we know came into existence. I agree entirely that Genesis (though a beautiful and uplifting story) is not a believable explanation for creation. Beyond question
THE Minimum Wage (Amendment) Bill, proposed by backbencher Christopher Chope, has just had its second reading in the Commons. The veteran backbench MP believes that wages should be allowed to reflect local labour markets. Nice try. This bill
ARE radical plans for elected police chiefs in County Durham, Cleveland and North Yorkshire a welcome injection of “people power” – or a disastrous recipe for corruption and scandal? That will be the debate taking place at Westminster today
THERE are plenty of people who depend on welfare benefits because they have a genuine need. And then there are those who abuse the system. The Government has a responsibility to protect the genuinely vulnerable who need state help. But David Cameron
On May 5, the nation will choose in a referendum whether to change how it elects its government. Should it switch from the centuries’ old First Past the Post to a proportional system called the Alternative Vote (AV)? YES Ian Swales
TAXPAYER owned Northern Rock today announced the appointment of Deutsche Bank to prepare it for a return to the private sector. The appointment follows a tender process instigated in January by UK Financial Investments (UKFI), the body charged
VALERIE HOLDSWORTH is trying to find out what the initials on her grandfathers collar mean, as seen in this photograph. He is Edward Hornby, who was born in Yorkshire in 1846 and lived in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, from 1871 to 1901, as
AT the end of Britannia Terrace in Saltburn was the Alexandra Hotel (was being the operative word: it closed in 1973 and was converted into apartments). I reckon it must have had the best views in town: over the sea, over the pier, over Huntcliff
HEALTH campaigners in the North-East say the new National Tobacco Plan will save lives and improve the life chances of thousands of children in the region. The Government’s announcement of tough measures to reduce smoking – including putting
EOIN MORGAN has upgraded from the Champions League to the World Cup, and from Manchester to Chittagong. England’s replacement for Kevin Pietersen has also switched sports, of course, having given up on his plan to cheer on Manchester United against
JEMMA LOWE turned agony into ecstasy on day five of the British Gas Swimming Championships, booking a spot at this summer’s world equivalent at the second attempt. Lowe cut a frustrated figure on Sunday in the 100m butterfly, the event she
TIGER WOODS says he has taken heart from Jack Nicklaus still believing his 18- major record will be broken by the former world number one. “It’s nice to have Jack say that – that’s something that is very humbling,’’ said Woods on the eve of the
JONNY WILKINSON admits Grand Slam-chasing England have been a better side since he was dropped 12 months ago. Wilkinson, England’s World Cup-winning fly-half, was axed for only the third time in his career after last year’s 15- 15 bore draw with
DARLINGTON return to training today in preparation for part two of their mini-series of games with Gateshead with manager Mark Cooper no doubt still seething about his team’s inability to defend late on in games. The sides meet again at The Northern
LEWIS HAMILTON yesterday delivered a damning verdict on McLaren’s latest challenger, stating it is currently not good enough to win this year’s Formula One world title. That is not to say Hamilton is throwing in the towel on his hopes of adding
AFTER a breathless introduction to life at Middlesbrough, goalkeeper Paul Smith is hoping to secure an extended stay at the Riverside between now and the end of the season. Having only completed a season-long loan from Nottingham Forest on
NEWCASTLE boss Alan Pardew remains keen to sign Stephen Ireland on a permanent deal in the summer, despite the fact the midfielder is yet to play for the Magpies. The Irish international joined in January on a deal until the end of the season
A BOLLARD that caused the cancellation of a pancake race amid fears it might fail proved it was in full working order yesterday. The popular event, which takes place every Shrove Tuesday in Bishop Auckland, was cancelled after safety bosses raised
SUNDERLAND received a huge injury boost yesterday when it was revealed goalkeeper Craig Gordon will not need surgery on his troublesome knee. The Scotsman has not featured since the home defeat to Tottenham on February 12 after suffering a knock
A FATHER-OF-FOUR who has never worked and claims incapacity benefit for his alcohol addiction last night hit back at the judge who branded him a “sponger”. Stanley Clifton launched a four-letter tirade at Judge John Walford, who said the Darlington
THE North-East’s biggest council is preparing a £9m funding bid to deliver superfast broadband to thousands of rural homes and businesses. Durham County Council is bidding for Government cash to extend next-generation internet, with speeds
AN 87-year-old woman has died after apparently trying to cross a river while out walking on her own. The pensioner was found by a fisherman partly submerged in the River Ure in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire. The man pulled the woman from the river
A COUNCIL was forced to fit 320 low-energy light bulbs – at a cost of £6 each – by now defunct building regulations. In what was branded an “insane” waste of tax payers’ money, Darlington Borough Council revealed it was required by the regulations
MOST of the region’s Labour MPs will snub their leader by urging voters to stick with first-past-the-post in the looming referendum on changing the Westminster voting system. Just five of the party’s 15 MPs in this area are backing a switch to
A SQUEEZE on public sector pensions – to be unveiled today – could backfire by forcing millions of town hall workers to quit their scheme altogether, the region’s MPs are warning. A threatened three per cent hike in contributions, to help plug
A GOVERNMENT decision to classify County Durham as a metropolitan area is to blame for cuts to free bus travel for elderly and disabled people, councillors heard yesterday. Labour-run Durham County Council’s cabinet backed plans to charge the elderly
TWO businesses are counting the cost after thieves stole hundreds of pounds worth of speciality cheese and jewellery. Burglars broke into the Ribblesdale Cheese Company and its neighbour, The Good Life, in Hawes, North Yorkshire, at the weekend
AN appeal by the chairman of Darlington FC for 2,000 adult season ticket pledges by the end of the month has met with a mixed response. However, Andy Smith, from the supporters club, said he believed fans would back the appeal, launched to help
A VICAR has said the loss of the Zurbaran paintings from Auckland Castle would be felt to be “incredibly damaging” by many of his parishoners. But with speculation mounting that a way may yet be found of keeping the £15m 17th Century paintings
COUNCILLORS are recomending that a single veterans’ helpline should be set up in the North-East to ensure that struggling former servicemen and women get the help they need. The recommendation that local authorities should consider providing
BACK-FROM-THE-DEAD canoeist John Darwin has spoken of his desire to be reunited with his wife – on the day she was freed from prison. Anne Darwin was released from Askham Grange, in York, yesterday after reaching the mid-point of her six-and-a-half-year
Dunston manager Billy Irwin paid tribute to his players’ strength of character after they beat Spennymoor on penalties last night to reach the final of the Durham Challenge Cup. Dunston kept their nerve to win the shootout 3-2 after drawing
