A HORSE had to be rescued from a river after falling in while attached to a cart. Firefighters were called to the Hurrocks allotments, in Swalwell, Gateshead, shortly after 4pm today. “A horse and cart had entered the river Derwent,” a spokesman for
THE SAGE GATESHEAD has unveiled details of its new classical season - featuring a host of visiting orchestras and a range of exciting programmes. Music director Thomas Zehetmair will conduct the symphonies of Brahms and Schumann with The Sage Gateshead
A DESPERATE and heavily armed man who roamed the aisles of a superstore was suffering depressive illness at the time, a court was told. James Glendenning Douglas has been remanded in custody since the incident which led to Tesco Extra, in Durham
Motoring expert Nigel Burton races off to Harrogate to test out the familyfriendly nature of Jenson Button’s new eaterie JAMES HUNT used to breed budgerigars, Nigel Mansell had a golf club, Niki Lauda owns an airline, David Coulthard has a
A DRIVER was fined £400 and disqualified from driving for 12 months for driving while over the limit. Steven Smith, 37, was stopped by police in his Mercedes at 1.30am on May 1 on Middleton Lane, in Middleton St George, near Darlington.
A CALL has been made for keen amateur gardeners to take part in this year’s Darlington in Bloom competition. The competition, which is run by volunteers working in conjunction with Streetscene at Darlington Borough Council, aims to encourage people
A DELIVERY man caused £6,500 worth of damage when he crashed into a bus shelter on his way home from a first date. The woman who Tony Adams, 27, took out in Darlington, has however decided not to pursue the relationship while he faces criminal charges
A PUBLIC meeting has been called to discuss ways to prevent the loss of a bus route in Darlington. A decision by Darlington Borough Council to withdraw subidies for supported bus services around the town mean a number of areas will be left without a
DELAYS are expected for motorists as maintenance work gets underway on three bridges over the A1(M). The Highways Agency is spending £230,000 on a project to improve the three bridges between junctions 57 and 58 of the motorway, around the Merrybent
A PHYSICS teacher from Darlington became the 135th Mayor of Darlington at a civic ceremony last night. Councillor Paul Baldwin, who represents the Cockerton East ward, said he is looking forward to meeting people and working with the different groups
With a rollercoaster career, electronic music pioneer Gary Numan has been one of the industry’s great survivors. He talks to Stuart Arnold about his new Machine Music tour, the British weather and moving to America Your new tour has been described
IAN prepares to marry Mandy in EastEnders (BBC1) although their walk down the aisle is as strewn with obstacles as that scene in Raiders Of The Lost Ark that ends with Harrison Ford being chased by a big boulder. Walford’s equivalent to the
Martial arts star Jackie Chan said he wants to be like Dustin Hoffman or Al Pacino and do something totally different as he vowed his latest film would be his last big action picture. Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival to launch Chinese Zodiac, he
A VILLAGE has a weekend of events planned to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The celebrations in West Rainton and Leamside, near Durham, will begin on Saturday, June 2, with a village fair on the recreation ground. All attractions will be free
Rating:4/5 MORNING has broken. Young cop Rama (Iko Uwais) exercises, says a prayer, kisses his wife goodbye and goes to work. But this won’t be just another day at the office in a movie from Welsh writer-director Gareth Evans that neatly
MATTHEW BOURNE claims that the main reason that this 120- year-old ballet is so successful is because of Tchaikovsky’s incredible score. I beg to differ. Yes, the score is fabulous and familiar, but Bourne’s scrumptious interpretation is the
A SCHOOLBOY has become the youngest ever winner of a competition to find the region's next big entrepreneur. Leroy Allen, from Willington, in County Durham, was named the If We Can,You Can Challenge 2012 winner at an awards dinner in Gateshead last
PEOPLE are urged to come forward with suggestions for neglected areas of land which could be transformed into thriving wildlife habitats. The newly-formed Northallerton Environmental Enhancement Initiative is looking to take over abandoned areas of
The One Show (BBC1, 7pm) Maestro at the Opera (BBC2, 9pm) Lip Service (BBC3, 9pm) Barry Manilow at the BBC (BBC4, 9pm) PRESENTERS Chris Evans and Alex Jones are hoping for a flaming good time in a live edition from Royal Naval Air Station
IN WHAT would have been a perfect compliment to Lady Gaga’s infamous raw meat dress - a York race-goer stepped out in a Yorkshire Pudding and asparagus outfit yesterday. Nobody could argue that Rhonda Morritt’s dress wasn’t the latest season, when wowed
PEOPLE have been paying their respects to a pet shop parrot, known to hundreds of people for being a ‘mischief maker’. African Grey parrot Sinbad had been an established character in Northallerton over his 32 year life, well-known for entertaining visitors
THE fortnightly refuse collections have now started in County Durham and already there is a noticeable increase in the amount of fly tipping by the country roads. Because of unforeseen circumstances, I missed my bin collection last week. This
ALL that remains of the Attlee government’s legacy is the welfare state and the National Health Service. Over the intervening years all governments have made changes to the NHS so that members of the Attlee government would not recognise what
IT is with total incredulity that I respond to David Collinge’s comments about parental leave (HAS, May 14). Parental leave is an important time for both parents. Unfortunately, when my first child was born I had no right to statutory paid leave
I WOULD say the footballer Joey Barton and the boxer Dereck Chisora are in the same category of sportsmen who are in need of help. They are a disgrace to all the other honourable sportsmen and women who we appreciate. N Tate, Harrowgate Village
FIRSTLY, a big thank you to former Darlington manager Craig Liddle, the players and loyal supporters who have done so much to help the club. But how have we ended up in a lowly league with no ground to call our own? We are, no matter what people
IT’S all very well the media taking steps to protect children from menaces online but society seems to turn a blind eye to the problem of violent video games. In my opinion these games should be subjected to far more censorial scrutiny than the
JOHN WATSON asked if I had been abducted by the aliens I often write about or have moved out of the area (HAS, May 16). The answer is no, to both of his questions. Mr Watson labelled my offerings as “tedious” and “inane” but do we really have
County Durham Community Foundation has signed up to roll out Localgiving.com in County Durham & Darlington and is looking for groups to register so they can increase their income. The website is a resource for online donations for local groups who
A FATAL road accident in which a lorry collided with a car last month has claimed its fourth victim - all from the same family. Three people - Robert Reed, aged 75, Natalie Simpson, 18 and her 14-month-old daughter, Destiny - died in the crash on Seaton
I WAS shocked to read that Durham County Council has £568,000 to spend to improve community facilities in Crook (Echo, Apr 14). How is it that no money was available to keep the town’s leisure centre and swimming pool open? Add this money to
I MUST respond to Charlie Kay’s letter about the recent local elections (HAS, May 9). He talks about the poor election results of the Conservatives – something the Labour Party knows all about as it has had its fair share. It isn’t only the rich
THERE is widespread concern about public sector cuts – the loss of millions of jobs and the impact on services. But, at the same time, there is also resentment over the extraordinary levels of reward at the top table of the public sector. Imagine
AS Middlesbrough mayor, I meet many campaigners. The other week, I met the most remarkable one I have ever encountered. By now, I imagine you will have seen or read something about the story of Mark Heslehurst, the Middlesbrough man who has organised
North-East fostering agency Reach Out Care is celebrating birth children as part of National Foster Care Fortnight. Steve Pratt talks to a family coming to terms with children moving on to “for ever parents” A POEM, Goodbye Best Friend,
The Peacemakers: Karl Jenkins (EMI Classics 084 3782) This new choral work offers inspiration and solace. for a time in need. Featured are texts from great peacemakers Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, and a specially written contribution
NEWCASTLE Falcons' fight-back has continued with the eye-catching acquisition of Scotland scrum-half Rory Lawson. Despite not knowing what league they will be playing in next season, Falcons are clearly determined to improve on a bitterly disappointing
Morning Readers! I hope you've had a great week and have managed to lose some lbs this week. I have to say I'm really disappointed this week as I've been really good and have stuck to the healthy eating plan but gained half a lb. I can only
A DIESEL Porsche? What on earth were they thinking? The Panamera's 3.0-litre V6 is closely related to Audi's V6. It's the same as the one used in the Cayenne SUV and broadly similar to the powerplant to be found in, er, the A4. That doesn
POLICE are appealing for help after a bogus caller stole cash from a woman in her 80s. The elderly victim was targeted at her home in Durham City by a well-dressed man who claimed to be working for the council, but appears to have kept her talking while
A DURHAM man involved in an inheritance feud has been cleared of the manslaughter of his brother, who suffered a fatal heart attack following an altercation between them. It was alleged at Newcastle Crown Court, that Anthony Marshall, who had
TAXPAYERS will be left with a £2bn bill from the collapse and rescue of Northern Rock, parliament’s spending watchdog will warn today. The sum is the amount that will never be recovered from the £37bn pumped in by the Treasury when the Gosforthbased
A MOTORCYCLIST has died after his bike was in a collision with a tractor. The 35-year-old, who has been named locally as Richard Turner, from Appersett, near Hawes, was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident happened on the A684
WHEN Roy Hodgson announced his England squad for the European Championships on Wednesday, there was plenty of discussion about some of the players that missed out. Rio Ferdinand? Unfortunate to have been omitted while John Terry got the nod
AROUND 8,000 people lined Durham’s cobbled streets to witness the drama of a high-speed cycle race featuring some of the sport’s top stars tonight. Olympic gold medallist Ed Clancy and Commonwealth Games star James McCallum were among the elite
TWO of the region's manufacturers have launched recruitment drives as part of ambitious expansion plans. Cymru Welsh Water has placed a £1.6m order for Sayers Road Tankers in Northallerton for 25 tankers that will be used to maintain water supplies when
YOUNG people are been given the opportunity to get mentally and physically prepared for the world of work as a training firm attempts to tackle youth unemployment. Nordic Pioneer is running week-long boot camps aimed at boosting the employability
AHMED ELMOHAMADY'S two-year stay on Wearside is expected to come to an end this summer, but the Sunderland winger could be forced to leave the Premier League behind. As Nicklas Bendtner - who has accepted part blame for missing the team
DRUG workers last night issued an urgent warning after tests revealed batches of cannabis and legal highs circulating in a North-East town have been contaminated with potentially deadly crystal meth. A drug treatment service in Darlington
TWO former North-East police officers were part of a sophisticated criminal gang behind a cigarette smuggling operation that spanned the globe, a jury was told yesterday. Gary Thompson, 43, and Anthony Lamb, 48, who previously served with Cleveland
A LIBERAL Democrat treasury minister backed the case for lower “local pay” for nurses and teachers in the North- East – days after Nick Clegg criticised the idea. Danny Alexander, George Osborne’s deputy, said there was certainly evidence that
A BURGLAR who raided his sister’s home and stole from a friend on Christmas Day is starting a three-year prison sentence. Anthony Hall – who has nearly 120 offences on his record – was told by a judge that his latest crimes were “exceptionally
VAUXHALL has announced the next generation of the Astra will be built at its Ellesmere Port factory in Merseyside, paving the way for thousands of new jobs The news is the latest boost for the UK car industry after Nissan recently announced
MANUFACTURING in the North-East is well-prepared to cope with the double-dip recession, a business advisory firm has said. Action taken by the region's manufactuing firms since the first recession has made them better equipped to cope with future shocks
JOBS have been created at a North-East accountancy firm following an expansion. Darlingotn-based accountants and business advisers Christie Proud Thompson is opening a new office at Doxford International Business Park in Sunderland, creating
NEWCASTLE UNITED will not break the bank to bring in a new right-back this summer and a familiar face has been earmarked as a possible replacement for Danny Simpson: Davide Santon. Simpson's future remains up in the air because of a failure to agree
A TRAINING company which started from scratch eight years ago has shown it is possible to succeed in times of austerity, after predicting a £10m turnover this year. Bishop Auckland-based Learning Curve, which runs both attendance and distance learning
FORMER Northern Echo editor Sir Harold Evans yesterday told the Leveson Inquiry Rupert Murdoch was “evil incarnate”. Sir Harold, editor of the Echo from 1963 to 1967 and of The Sunday Times from 1967 to 1981, said that in 1981 there were a number
NEW figures have revealed a drop in the number of North- East families living in fuel poverty. However, the region remains one of the worst affected in the country, with one in five households struggling to pay their heating bills. According
CAMERAS have been installed on a historic bridge to stop HGV drivers ignoring weight limits and causing structural damage. Following repeated calls from councillors and residents, Durham County Council has agreed to install a camera on County
THE Home Secretary will examine stopping disgraced police officers from receiving golden handshakes after it emerged that a former chief constable of North Yorkshire would be given a £247,000 payoff after admitting gross misconduct. House of Commons
JONATHAN FRANKS has completed a move to North-East neighbours Hartlepool United following his release from Middlesbrough. Pools, who never release the details over the length of a player's contract, have taken him in on a permanent basis after his contract
