I'VE had several comments about last Saturday's column about the Grand Contour Canal plan of 1942, including one from an angry chap who took it all too literally and said it was disgraceful that I was advocating the sale of North-East water to
Division One club Marske United have appointed Craig Gibbin as their new manager. Gibbin takes over from Paul Burton, who quit after four years at the end of last season, and he brings Mark Harkin and Malcolm Carver with him from his previous club
A GROCERY store has handed over almost £1,200 to help a hospice keep caring. Sainsbury’s Local, in The Avenue, Chester-le-Street, last year chose St Cuthbert’s Hospice, Durham, as its Charity of the Year. Staff undertook fundraising that included
INSURANCE company Aviva was given a rough ride by shareholders yesterday after more than half of votes at its annual general meeting revolted against pay awards. In another sign of growing investor activism, the defeat came despite chief executive
TYNE and Wear Metro workers are to be balloted for industrial action following a row over pay. The Rail Maritime and Transport union said its members will vote in the coming weeks after talks with the operating company DB Regio failed to produce a
IT has been the most painful of births but Darlington Football Club is finally owned by the local community. No one should pretend that we have the ideal outcome because a great deal of uncertainty remains. But Darlington FC, born in
FREE nutrition and exercise classes are being offered to children and families. The fun 10-week MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition … Do it!) programme, will be held at the leisure centre and One Point hub in Chester-le-Street from Tuesday,
THE museum dedicated to the region’s industrial heritage is moving forward in time. Beamish Museum, the open air attraction near Stanley ub County Durham, has traditionally concentrated on the latter part of the 19th Century and the early
A WIFE who spent her first holiday with her future husband in Durham nearly ten years ago surprised him with a new bench in the city to celebrate his 40th birthday. Sarah and Roger Walmsley, of Lincolnshire, fell in love with Durham on that first visit
AFTER months of heartbreak and uncertainty, Darlington FC has today been bought by fans' company Darlington FC 1883 (DFC 1883) in a deal which it is hoped will give the club a sustainable future. DFC 1883 has agreed to buy the club's assets
ELDERLY residents who rely on a bus to get to the shops and doctors' surgery say they have been left stranded after the route was axed. The 6a/6b service, along Whinbush Way, in the Haughton area of Darlington, was discontinued in January. Although
ARTWORKS by four college students have gone on display in an outdoor gallery as part of a scheme to introduce new artists to the public. The last phase of the Arts in the Yards project, based in Mechanics’ Yard, behind High Row, in Darlington town centre
PLANS to build 14 new houses on the site of a former school are to be discussed by councillors next week. The application for the L-shaped site, on the corner of Thompson Street West and Bowman Street, in Darlington, which also includes two flats, has
PLANS to turn an historic abbey into a nursing home for up to 60 people have sparked complaints from local residents who say it would be out of keeping with the local area. Saint John of God Care Services has applied to build a 60-bed nursing home and
The Restaurant Inspector (Channel 5, 9pm) Glee (Sky1, 9pm) Playhouse Presents: King of the Teds (Sky Arts 1, 9pm) THE Hotel Inspector launched the TV careers of Ruth Watson and Alex Polizzi, as cameras followed them as they imparted words of
THE first businesses have committed to Tees Valley's Enterprise Zone, creating scores of jobs and heralding a landmark day for the project. Community leaders are hoping signing up Omega Plastics and Propipe Limited to Hartlepool's Queens Meadow Business
A MAJOR housing scheme which could create 3,000 jobs and attract £350m of investment could get the go-ahead next week, despite scores of objections. Owners of the dilapidated former MOD site at Allens West in Eaglescliffe want to transform it into
TRIBUTES have been paid to a father who died after being assaulted at his home. Father-of-two Jonathan Gilbert spent ten days in hospital after the attack at his home in Crook, County Durham, on Friday, April 20, but died without regaining consciousness
AS feared, Ian Bell made Durham pay for dropping him off the final ball yesterday as he progressed from his overnight 59 to 106 in the 90 minutes’ play which was possible this afternoon. Warwickshire were 195 for seven, 32 ahead, when the rain returned
Follow reporter Joe Willis' tweets live from the The Northern Echo Darlington Arena where a press conference is being held on the future of Darlington Football Club
POLICE investigating a museum break-in in which valuable Chinese antiques were stolen have arrested another suspect. Justin Oliver Clarke, who was wanted in connection with last month’s burglary at the Oriental Museum in Durham, handed himself
WORKERS on the Tyne and Wear Metro are being balloted on strike action in a dispute over pay. System operator DBTW, a subsidiary of the German state railway, is offering a 1.4 per cent increase, well below inflation. On Tuesday, May
The area forbiddingly known as the East Durham Triangle may be about to take a three-point turn for the worse THE East Durham Triangle is a strange and terrible place. Football clubs just disappear there. What, in recent times, of Shotton Comrades
IT disturbs me that the potential new owners of Darlington FC wish to leave The Northern Echo Arena and take the club out of town to play future “home” games at Bishop Auckland or Shildon. This would be madness. People already moan about the
REGARDING a recent report by the Woman’s Sports and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) into the lack of enthusiasm being shown by schoolgirls towards school sports (Echo, May 2). The girls told researchers that “it is unfeminine to sweat”. As a result
DURING the war in Iraq, SAS search squads were asked to seek and find rocket launch sites. Just think how much easier this search would have been had the Iraqi military published the exact positions of these sites and the number of soldiers and
REGARDING recent “sightings” of Madeleine McCann, I would like to think if these are real please reunite her with her parents as soon as possible. What I cannot accept is that she was left alone for 90 minutes unchecked. The parents were having
I SPOTTED this as part of Philip Johnston’s article in The Daily Telegraph and think it deserves wider viewing. Ten drinkers decide to settle their £100 weekly beer bill roughly as we pay taxes. The first four men (the poorest) paid nothing, the
I HEARTILY agree with John Hill who asks: “Who wants wheelie bins?”(HAS, Apr 28) Not me and, I am sure, the majority of people in Darlington don’t want them either. They are unsightly and I am sure they will eventually prove very smelly. We seem
WHEN I was a 15-year-old apprentice plumber I was on a job at a property from which the family had been evicted. As well as some building work, we had to clear the perishables from the house. I found it upsetting because their framed photographs
IT is David Cameron’s next chance to relaunch his troubled Government – but, with a week to go, there is a danger it will blow up in his face. I’m talking about the Queen’s Speech, the moment that should – after the longest parliamentary session
AFTER the rejection of people’s favourite Harry Redknapp, Roy Hodgson was always going to face an uphill battle with the media over his appointment as England manager. He doesn’t have Redknapp’s easygoing charisma or ability to disarm the press
Play is underway at 1.10 following rain and an early lunch. With Warwickshire resuming on 116-5, only 47 behind, this will be a crucial session for Durham in a game they can't afford to lose. Ian Bell, who is on 59, confirmed that when he edged the final
The Sun newspaper has been slammed for its front page mocking the newly appointed England manager about his speech impediment. Lucy Richardson tells why, like Roy Hodgson, having a speech difficulty has never held her back WHEN Roy Hodgson
It is difficult to imagine the circumstances in which Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Quartet for the End of Time) was premiered. Written by the Messiaen while incarcerated in a German prisoner of war camp, the work was first aired with
ONE of the region’s leading Churchmen is heading for the other end of the country. The suffragan Bishop of Whitby, the Right Reverend Martin Warner, is to become the next Bishop of Chichester after two years in his current role. Dr Warner, 53, succeeds
THE chief executive of a non-league football club was arrested during an away match in North Yorkshire. Carolyn Still, 29, was held for using threatening words and behaviour during Mansfield Town's Blue Square Bet Premier play-off semi-final against
DARLINGTON FC 1883 is confident it has overcome obstacles which had prevented it from buying the Quakers. A positive announcement on the future of the football club is now expected at this afternoon's press conference at the Arena at 4pm.
Clash City Rockers will perform their tribute to Punk Rock legends The Clash at The Market Tavern, South Burns, Chester-le-Street, on Sunday, May 6, at 4pm. Admission is free.
A 36-YEAR-old man accused of murdering two people in their homes appeared in court via videolink today and seemed to have a gash to his head. James Allen, of Lothian Road, Middlesbrough, has apparently suffered the injury since he was remanded
CAMPAIGNERS hoping to create County Durham’s first free school are just one step from success, after education chiefs granted them a selection interview. Leaders of the Durham Free School campaign will be questioned on their proposals by Department
Morning everyone! I hope you're all managing to stay dry in this very wet weather and you've had a great week with your weight loss. I've had a mixed week and have gained 1.5lb which will be gone next week. I started off the week being really
A MAN died following a collision involving three cars on the A66 between Darlington and Stockton last night. The unnamed 53-year-old male passenger was travelling in a Renault Clio and was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident occurred on the
FIFTEEN young kickboxers have been chosen to represent their country in the sport. Youngsters from the North-East Kickboxing Academy, aged eight to 16, will be taking part in the World Martial Games in Telford in August. Dubbed the ‘
THE mother of a boy who has been missing since he fell into the River Wear last week has spoken publicly for the first time. Eight-year-old Ian Bell, from Sunnybrow, near Crook, County Durham, has not been seen since last Friday night.
THE disabled mum allegedly killed by her son before he shot himself was looking forward to the day out only hours before the tragedy, her partner revealed last night. Jean Blakey lived every day with a smile on her face and never let her Multiple
A MAN charged in connection with a £2m antiques theft at the Oriental Museum in Durham City has appeared in court, as police issued a picture of another man they want to speak to about the raid. Lee Wildman, who was granted bail when first
FOOTBALL fans should flock to Wembley for the forthcoming all-North-East FA Vase final or risk it being moved to a lesser stadium in future, it has been said. West Auckland face Dunston UTS on Sunday, May 13, and the chairman of the Northern
HE may not have made the longest drive at the annual Sir Bobby Robson Celebrity Golf Day, but Paul Devine walked away with honours for the longest flight. Businessman Mr Devine, originally from Wallsend, North Tyneside, lives in the US state
ALAN SHEARER thinks a low expectancy ahead of this summer's European Championships could be the perfect start to life as England boss for Roy Hodgson. Hodgson was formally appointed as Fabio Capello's successor on Tuesday when he agreed to take over
A POLICE officer with nearly 30 years experience is facing the sack after admitting drink-driving. PC Christine Thomas was twice the legal limit when breathalysed by colleagues who suspected she had been drinking before her shift. She
A PRISONER serving life in a North-East jail said he wanted to “kill somebody, anybody” after throwing a TV from his cell over a balcony, narrowly missing inmates below. Stephen Dawes, 58, sent the television crashing onto a table tennis table
NINE North-East firms have yet to receive grants from a Government job creation scheme – more than a year after they were promised the cash. The companies were all winners in the first round of the flagship Regional Growth Fund (RGF) – in April
HAVING watched his side brush aside Champions League finalists Chelsea, Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew last night called on his players to seize the opportunity as they take the battle for a top-four finish into the final two games. The Magpies
A MAN charged with murdering two people in their homes made an obscene gesture towards magistrates as he was remanded in custody. James Allen, of Lothian Road, Middlesbrough, smiled throughout yesterday’s proceedings at Teesside Magistrates’
DARLINGTON FC is facing liquidation today after the company bidding to buy the club was given a noon deadline to proceed with its offer. Although Darlington FC (DFC) 1883 was confident that it was in a position to buy the club yesterday morning
LEE CATTERMOLE thinks the success of Newcastle United's first full season under Alan Pardew should act as an incentive to the Sunderland squad to make inroads on the European places themselves next time around. Cattermole has been encouraged by the start
Jonny Bairstow continued his love affair with Scarborough's North Marine Road ground yesterday as his fifth career century in first-class cricket dug Yorkshire out of an opening day hole against Leicestershire. The 22 year-old wicketkeeper shared an
ON the odd occasion when the rain has relented, county cricket matches have moved on apace this season and Graham Onions was again a prime mover at Edgbaston yesterday. But he couldn't shift Ian Bell, who was bound to rediscover his form sometime and
