Archive

  • New chairman and assistant manager for Bedlington

    Bedlington have tonight announced the arrival of some new blood at Dr Pit Welfare. Dave Holmes, who did a huge amount of work to rescue the club when it was in crisis six years ago, has stood down as chairman, and been replaced by Ronana Liddane

  • Six people injured in gas explosion

    SIX people have been taken to hospital after an explosion in a flat tonight. Police were called to the property on Marian Court in Gateshead at 5.29pm today, following reports of a smell of gas. Three policemen entered the flat, where

  • College honour for talented students

    THREE talented students are preparing to take the world by storm after collecting their college’s greatest honour. Fort 102 years the solid silver Cuthbert Cross has been presented to those whose “honourable and chivalrous conduct” contributes the mkost

  • Criminals help fund gardening project

    CRIMINALS’ cash has helped boost the fortunes of a community gardening scheme which helps disadvantaged people. Ripon Community Link Walled Garden Scheme successfully bid for a portion of £25,000 made available to local groups and charities under North

  • Choir sings in memory of Jackie

    A CHOIR has dedicated its monthly choral evensong to the memory of one of its choristers who died earler this month. The choir of St. Mary’s parish church ijn Richmond sang special music to commemorate Jackie Robinson, who died aged 74 after an 18-month

  • Theatre Review: Tender Napalm, Northern Stage, Newcastle

    THE stage is set for battle, with two chairs at either end of a central area, with the audience on both sides. Award-winning writer Philip Ridley gives us two unnamed characters, Man and Woman, who meet in a garden at an Essex birthday party.

  • Free dog health checks on offer around Darlington

    A SERIES of free dog health check sessions will be held next month to help dog owners ensure their pet is fit and healthy. The free checks, carried out by PDSA veterinary nurses, will include a body condition score and weight check, teeth and gums check

  • New art gallery in Darlington Library off to a winning start

    DARLINGTON'S pubicly owned art collection will be displayed in the town's new civic art space, a council official has said. The new Crown Street Art Gallery, based in the central library in Darlington, was officially opened on Saturday, when the

  • Neighbourly plea to young Darlington families

    A YOUNGER generation of wardens are being called on to join Darlington's Neighbourhood Watch Association. The committee which runs the scheme is asking people, perhaps with young families, who have moved to new housing estates in Darlington

  • Two heads are better than Wan

    Gok Cooks Chinese (C4, 8.30pm) Love Shaft (E4, 7.30pm) Are My Fake Breasts Safe? (BBC3, 9pm) APPARENTLY, Gok Wan isn’t content with conquering the nation’s fashion needs – he fancies having a good go at feeding us too, and he’s just as

  • Nearly new 200,000 bins delivered

    THE delivery of new ‘twin bins’ to more than 190,000 homes has been completed. Blue-topped recycling bins were distributed to homes across County Durham as part of Durham County Council’s switch to fortnightly collections. The system, which sees rubbish

  • May 21, 2012

    TUCKED AWAY Tucked away useless facts amassed over years As too easily facts cared about disappear Useless decades churn, burning fashion, disgrace, breaking down barriers, with Knowledge and distaste, skipping through years

  • Concern for vulnerable as call funds cut

    A TOTAL of 45 jobs could be lost after a council cut a service designed to help disabled, elderly and vulnerable people. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has stopped paying £683,000 for a Homecall service provided by housing association Coast

  • Shoppers feel the force and help children's charity

    A SELECTION of characters from the Galactic Empire landed in Middlesbrough at the weekend to promote the 35th anniversary of the release of the first Star Wars film. Imperial Stormtroopers joined Darth Vader at the Captain Cook Square shopping centre

  • Service given royal approval

    YOUTH offending work on Teesside has been given a royal seal of approval. The South Tees Youth Offending team was invited to attend a Prince's Trust conference. The royal request was to give Prince Charles, who set up the charity, a chance to

  • 16-year-old father turns life around with engineering role

    A YOUNG father has put his problems in the past and gained a foothold on the employment ladder. Anthony Pinchbeck, who is sitting exams at the Eston Centre for excluded pupils, in Eston, near Middlesbrough, is enjoying a work placement at Graham

  • Back to school for a Wembley hero

    AN assistant headteacher showed off his cup-winners' medal at school after coming home a hero from a Wembley final. Michael Robson, 31, of Oakfields Community College, in Middlesbrough, played centre back for Dunston UTS in their 2-0 victory over

  • Keep on running

    FOREIGN Secretary William Hague has come up with the answer to Britain’s economic woes: “stop moaning and work harder”. To back up this statement and get the ball rolling the Government will lead by example.This summer civil servants in 17 Government

  • The wit of Maggie Thatcher

    I WAS interested to read Harry Mead’s review of the Richard Benson compilation “The Wit and Wisdom of Margaret Thatcher” (Echo, May 14). She certainly made some memorable comments during her time as Prime Minister. I recall an exchange in the

  • Animal farm

    I READ the letter from E Sparks (HAS, May 16) with great interest. He wrote that a small number of wealthy people pay almost half of the entire income tax take, but fails to add that over 99 per cent of the wealth in the UK is owned by just one

  • Thanks George

    I WOULD like to thank George Reynolds for building The Northern Echo Arena . He had high hopes but things just did not work out. A few years ago I placed a £50 bet for Darlington to win promotion. They nearly did but, alas, it was not to be.

  • Flaming hell

    THE Olympic flame was handed, in a choreographed ceremony, from Greece to Britain this week. The pomp was a world away from the economic misery on Greece’s streets. The flame will be carried round Britain in a farcical relay backdropped by an

  • Town centres

    STOCKTON Borough Council must have a death wish for the town. Walking back to my car at the Lidl car park (the only place i could find a parking place anywhere near to the centre) I counted at least 17 empty shops. So what was the council’s answer

  • Fly tipping

    I WAS surprised to read the allegation in your letters column that fly tipping is on the increase in Darlington as a result of changes to the operation of the household recycling site in Whessoe Road (HAS, May 17). As the cabinet member responsible

  • Throwing stones to make waves

    THERE has been a big response to last week’s column about the decision by Middlesbrough primary school heads to stop giving names of children to newspaper photographers who turn up to cover all kinds of events and achievements. It has sparked a

  • Retirement

    FAR be it from me to be Job’s comfort to Christopher Wardell (HAS, May 18) but, in my experience, one’s forties are the most depressing time of your life. You become increasingly aware of waning powers, both physical and mental, and if you haven

  • Birthday boy

    HOW nice to read I share a birthday with Chris Wardell as I feel his contributions to HAS are amusing. We are separated by quite a few years though – my introduction to this world was only just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. Let

  • Britain's workshop

    WE welcome Business Secretary Vince Cable to the North-East today. We welcome his optimistic words about the North-East returning to its glory days as the workshop of Britain. And we welcome confirmation of Regional Growth Fund (RGF) grants in the

  • Shaping our health plan

    In less than a year the controversial NHS reforms will be implemented. Health Editor Barry Nelson reports on the gradual transformation of a much-loved and vital service used by everyone TO say that the headquarters of NHS County Durham and

  • Man arrested after missing girl, three, is found

    A THREE-year-old girl who was reported missing with her father has been found safe and well, police said today. Cleveland Police had asked the public to help them find Rihannah Dawson and her father Javed Khaliq, 33, saying they had serious concerns

  • Dawdon theaten top two despite falling short against Murton

    Saturday’s Durham Coast League programme Murton held their nerve as they battled out a drawn finish with Dawdon, who fell short of victory by 15 runs with wickets in hand. There were victories, though, for both Seaham sides, Park and Harbour,

  • Worker dies on North Yorkshire Moors Railway

    A RAIL worker has died after becoming trapped between two trains on a heritage railway. The man died in an incident at Grosmont Station, on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, at about 12.30pm today, British Transport Police said. A BTP

  • Laidlaw's eleven boundaries keeps Tynedale top

    In the NTSL only two matches survived the weather which again favoured leaders Tynedale. They stayed out in front with a 25-runs victory against Annfield Plain in which Kiwi Ross Laidlaw hit the high spots with a match winning 90, and 6

  • Damp squib for Richmond

    RICHMONDSHIRE became the latest casualty of the weather after being left waterlogged while others played. Shire opted to travel through to Marske despite being advised by the home club that the ground was unfit following heavy overnight rain

  • Third defeat for Stockton as batsmen fall short

    STOCKTON’S batting failings came back to haunt them at Sunderland, and it cost them dear once more as they crumbled to a third defeat. On a day when the full programme of games were played, they were among the losers, leaving Ashbrooke beaten

  • Starc off to a flyer for Tykes

    MITCHELL Starc made a flying start to his Yorkshire career as his new county beat Derbyshire in the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition at Headingley. The Australian left-arm fast bowler put the frustration of 14 flights in 12 days behind him to swap

  • Gale set to miss a spell after suffering shoulder injury

    YORKSHIRE captain Andrew Gale is facing a week on the sidelines. The Tykes skipper will have a scan on a shoulder injury today to determine whether he needs an injection or not. If he does, which is expected, then Gale will have to rest

  • Durham face spinner problem after Breese injured in defeat

    DURHAM created a good chance to inject some momentum into their dismal season in the CB 40 League match at the Oval yesterday, only to stumble to defeat by 60 runs. If they are not already looking for an overseas spinner to boost their Twenty20

  • Lady Elsie Robson opens new community project in Stanley

    A NEW community project providing affordable furniture to residents in north Durham was unveiled in Stanley by Lady Elsie Robson this morning. Lady Elsie, a trustee of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, officially opened The Store – an initiative

  • Bulgarian music under the spotlight in Durham City

    ALL aspects of Bulgarian music will be placed under the spotlight at a talk and recital in Durham City at the weekend. Grey College, a constituent part of Durham University, will continue its popular public summer talks when world-renowned performer

  • Former Darlington boss Liddle joins Sunderland coaching staff

    SUNDERLAND have confirmed that former Darlington manager Craig Liddle has joined the club's academy coaching staff. The ex-Quakers caretaker manager will link up with the Black Cats' youngsters as development coach for the club's full-time under-17s

  • Hundreds of youngsters compete in football finals

    HUNDREDS of youngsters battled it out for football glory yesterday. Twenty-two cup finals took place at Middlesbrough FC’s training ground in Hurworth, near Darlington. The Teesside Junior Football Alliance’s end-ofseason cup finals were competed

  • Ryanair reports record profits

    BUDGET airline Ryanair has reported record profits as fare rises helped to offset a sharp rise in fuel costs. Net profit for the year to March was £406m, up 25 per cent on a year earlier. Revenue rose by 19 per cent. The airline said traffic grew

  • Tributes paid to Methodist minister who died aged 75

    A METHODIST minister who continued to offer spiritual help and guidance to friends after his retirement has died at the age of 75. The Reverend John Mason spent five years as minister at Bondgate Methodist Church, in Darlington, before moving to Trinity

  • Durham top after late try

    A LAST-GASP try by Blaydon's former Stockton winger Tom Jeffery gave Durham a 32-31 win against Eastern Counties at Cambridge and lifted them into the top tier of the County Championship. As in the 48-24 win against Warwickshire, all the points came

  • No charges as 'high-life' accused repays £17,700

    CHARGES have been dropped against a woman accused of stealing thousands of pounds from a former friend to live the high life with holidays, pop concerts and clothes. Julia Fletcher, 26, went to the Canary Islands for a sunshine break and saw

  • Family of shooting victims calls for gun law changes

    A YOUNG MAN whose mother, sister and aunt were shot dead by his stepfather has launched a campaign for stricter gun laws to be introduced. Bobby Turnbull, 23, lost his mother Alison Turnbull, 44, sister Tanya Turnbull, 24, and his aunt, Susan

  • Water voles making a comeback in region

    THE national treasure of the rodent world - water voles - are making a comeback in parts of the region. Made famous as Ratty in Wind in the Willows, the mammals are one of the country’s most famous and most endangered creatures. But

  • Plans to outsource public services on hold

    COST-cutting plans to out-source taxpayer-owned theatres, museums, libraries and leisure centres have been put on hold, amid doubts over the hoped-for savings. Facing cuts of nearly £190m by 2017, in January Labour-led Durham County Council announced

  • Honour and Pools seeking the next Adam Johnson

    Brian Honour is out to find the next Adam Johnson - with the aim of benefiting his former club Hartlepool United. The former Pools midfielder and crowd hero has linked up with the club to try and develop talent in the East Durham area, where

  • O'Neill set for academy and reserve-team overhaul

    MARTIN O'NEILL will overhaul Sunderland's academy and reserve-team squads this summer in an attempt to stamp his mark on the long-term future of the club. As well as targeting a number of additions to his senior squad, O'Neill is keen to strengthen

  • Actress calls for pensioners to be nominated Diamond Champions

    A CHARACTER actress famous for playing strong older women never frightened to speak their mind is calling for fellow pensioners to be nominated as Diamond Champions. Patricia Routledge, fondly known to millions as TV’s pretentious Hyacinth “Bucket”

  • Fulham ready to move for Newcastle United defender

    FULHAM are ready to test Newcastle United's resolve to hold on to Danny Simpson, even though the full-back claims he would like to stay at St James' Park. Simpson has been at loggerheads with the Newcastle hierarchy over his refusal to sign

  • 'I want Rockliffe to be world-renowned', says MD

    Taking a quick peek at the personalities behind the region's companies, we meet Nick Holmes , managing director of five star hotel, spa and golf complex Rockliffe Hall, owned by Middlesbrough FC chairman Steve Gibson. LUXURY may be the