IAN Blackwell shook off his poor batting form to defy his former Somerset colleagues as Durham hung on for a draw. The lead was 88 with 11.5 overs left when last man Ruel Brathwaite joined Blackwell. Had Somerset removed him straightaway they might have
Seaham Red Star have appointed Mark Collingwood as their new manager. Collingwood has quit Northern Alliance club Hebburn Reyrolle, whom he has taken to second place in the Alliance, and he will be joined by his assistant Simon Johnson. Seaham secretary
Conrad Hillerby today quit as manager of STL First Division club Norton. Hillerby has been at the club for four seasons, and says that he 's decided to quit because "I've taken the club as far as I can." He is one of Norton's most successful managers
BARRING another disastrous collapse, Durham look like holding on for a draw, although they did lose Paul Collingwood for 36 in the over before tea. That left them on 144 for three, two runs ahead with Mark Stoneman unbeaten on 32 after being
West Auckland striker Mattie Moffat is hoping to play in a specially made face mask at Wembley tomorrow. The club's top scorer fractured his cheekbone in four places at Ashington a fortnight ago, which appeared to rule him out of the big day. However
A BUSY High Street was cordoned off for several hours this morning after police were called to a suspicious package left outside a charity shop. Officers were alerted to the items left in the centre of Langley Moor, in County Durham, at 9am by a member
DURHAM came under fire from Craig Kieswetter this morning and were left with a first innings deficit of 142 with 71 overs left in the game. With five overs to face before lunch there were few alarms as they reached 16 without loss in sunny conditions
THE safe at a coin and stamp dealer’s premises was emptied in a break-in while the owner was in hospital, a court heard. An estimated £24,400 in sterling, 400 euros and some personal documents were taken in the burglary at JRC Stamps and Coins
A JUDGE condemned the “lads on the pull” culture as he jailed a man for five-and-a-half years for raping a woman on a drink and drug-fuelled night out. David Matthews attacked the 19-year-old at a friend’s home after she went to bed after a
A DRUNKEN young motorist struck a taxi driver as he tried to flee in his car after failing to pay for a fare. Jonathan Thomas Nattrass took the taxi after police ejected him from the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle, where he vomited in
THE new owners of Darlington FC have told fans their club has a bright future which the supporters will control. Up to 200 supporters packed into the Blackwell Grange Hotel, in Darlington, last night to meet the interim board of Darlington FC
A ROW over the introduction of wheelie bins in a town continues after opposition councillors said they could not support the move. Darlington Borough Council said last month it would introduce wheelie bins to the town amid fears that waste collection
THE closeness of David Cameron’s friendship with former News International boss Rebekah Brooks was laid bare yesterday – highlighted by his habit of signing off texts “lots of love”. Mrs Brooks disclosed that the Prime Minister sent a message
A STRIKE by tanker drivers has been averted after they voted narrowly to accept a peace deal aimed at ending a long-running row over terms and conditions. Unite said its members working for seven distribution firms backed the deal by 51 per cent
TWO police staff have been fined for using a “form of torture” on a man who was being booked into a police station. In CCTV footage, David Healer was heard screaming in agony and begging for a doctor as Sergeant Stephen Harvey wrestled
ALAN Pardew claims qualifying for the Champions League at Everton tomorrow afternoon would be as important to Newcastle United as their Championship title triumph of two seasons ago. Newcastle travel to Goodison Park for their final game of the season
PAUL Collingwood is set to take over the captaincy of Durham's one-day team tomorrow if Dale Benkenstein decides not to risk his injured shoulder. The opening CB 40 League match is at home to Somerset, who knocked out Durham in the semi-final at Taunton
FAMILIES who lost their playground to “health and safety gone mad” are still waiting to hear whether it will be replaced, nearly six months on. Parents and children alike were devastated in November last year after Durham County Council ruled
THE Government’s stop-start attempts to reform the House of Lords have been panned by the Bishop of Durham. The coalition used Wednesday’s Queen’s Speech to pledge to “reform the composition” of the Lords so that most members were elected in future
THE new owners of a nightclub that closed after a soldier was killed by an underage drinker have vowed to put its controversial past behind them. The finishing touches are almost complete at The Hub, formerly known as Escapades, in Darlington
TWO people were last night being questioned on suspicion of murder in connection with the deaths of five children in a house fire, police said. A 38-year-old man from Derby was arrested yesterday by detectives investigating the deaths of ten-year-old
A WOMAN was last night fighting for her life after being stabbed in her home – only hours before a man’s body was discovered at a nearby house. Police believe the man’s death may be linked to the attack on the woman, who is in a critical condition
A GROWING need from children affected by family bereavement is behind the launch of a service in the region. The Butterwick Hospice, in Bishop Auckland, has seen a surge in the number of inquiries from families concerned at the impact of bereavement
A PAEDOPHILE photographer who said he had taken “millions” of pictures of children and put part of his collection on a perverts’ internet site based in Russia was jailed yesterday. Michael Carruthers, 45, was tracked down after investigators
A WOMAN blinded in a vicious attack by her boyfriend has urged other victims of domestic abuse not to suffer in silence. Tina Nash, 31, spoke out as Shane Jenkin began a life sentence for the unprovoked assault in which he gouged out her eyes
WATCH out Wembley, wonderful West are on their way – and they will be dressed for the occasion. Since West Auckland Town’s semi-final triumph over Herne Bay last month, all the talk of the town has been about their impending visit to Wembley
A VOLUNTEER-RUN hospital radio station has been left facing a bill of thousands of pounds after thieves broke into a studio and stole essential equipment. The committee behind Auckland Hospital Radio, based at Bishop Auckland Hospital, said they
ALAN Pardew last night became the first ever Newcastle United boss to be named Premier League Manager of the Season. Pardew has been rewarded for a remarkable nine months that see Newcastle going into their final game of the campaign at Everton tomorrow
ALAN Pardew has confirmed that Danny Guthrie is set to leave Newcastle United this summer, with Danny Simpson's future also looking uncertain, and revealed the club will prioritise the capture of a goalscoring centre-half. Simpson has repeatedly
FORMER Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate is set to become one of the most powerful men in English football. Southgate is the favourite to become the Football Association's new technical director, a wide-ranging role that will have a major impact
DAVIDE Santon claims Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew is every bit as special as the 'Special One'. Santon worked under Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan as the former Chelsea boss guided his Italian employers to an unprecedented treble of the
West Auckland manager Peter Dixon reckons that Dunston are the people’s favourites to win the FA Carlsberg Vase in their all Northern League final at Wembley tomorrow. West go into the big match as the bookies' favourites to win the competition – a testament
Dunston manager Billy Irwin believes that there’ll be few, if any, Wembley nerves amongst his players when they line up against West Auckland in the all Northern League FA Carlsberg Vase final on Sunday afternoon. Unlike West, Dunston haven’t been to
Haydock stage a mixed jumps/flat card with trainer Nicky Henderson looking to saddle the winner of the feature Swinton Hurdle for the third year on the spin. The Lambourn handler has three of the 20 declared runners this year and, despite the fact the
It's been a crazy six months for trainer David Lanigan and the madness might well continue as just after 3:15pm today Main Sequence could well be a lively outsider for next month's Epsom Derby. The Irishman has made a big impression in the training ranks
