Whickham have tonight appointed Robin Falcus as their new manager. Falcus has already been at the club before in a managerial capacity alongside Terry Ritson, and the pair stood down last summer, Neil Saxton taking over. However, Saxton moved on to
Former Hartlepool and Darlington striker Ian Clark has been appointed the new assistant manager of Billingham Town. Clark, who made over 250 appearances for Hartlepool and Darlington after beginning his career at Stockton, takes over from Micky Dunwell
A MOTHER and father have been charged with murdering their six children, who died after a fire at their home. Mick Philpott and his wife Mairead will appear at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates Court tomorrow morning, a spokesman for Derbyshire Police
DARLINGTON FC will play at Bishop Auckland – not Shildon – next season, it has been announced. Darlington FC 1883 (DFC 1883) has agreed a groundshare deal with Bishop Auckland FC after concerns emerged about the safety of Shildon’s Dean Street
NEWCASTLE International Airport is seeking a buyer for a 49 per cent share of the business after one partner decided to pull the plug on its 11-year partnership. Copenhagen Airports said it wanted to offload the shareholding as part of moves
CONGRATULATIONS to Stockton, which last week beat hundreds of rival bidders for a share of the Government’s high street transformation fund. The announcement follows retail queen Mary Portas’ review of town centre shopping. Stockton, which has
INDUSTRY bosses all over the region have reacted with delight after the Government ate humble pie and backed down over controversial taxes on pasties and caravans. The announcement of the post-Budget consultation on closing VAT loopholes means
A NUMBER of North-East local authorities are testing proposed reforms to the current system of support for children with special educational needs. Darlington, Hartlepool, Gateshead and North Yorkshire have all been chosen as “pathfinder” authorities
A FIVE-YEAR contract worth more than £25m has been secured by a North-East engineering firm to provide support to global chemicals company Huntsman. Redhall Engineering will provide maintenance, shutdown and support to Huntsman Polyurethane’s
THE boss of Greggs has congratulated the Government over its surprise “pasty tax” U-turn, confirming that the move will enables the baker to proceed with ambitious expansion plans. Chief executive Ken McMeikan described the news as “wonderful
REFORMED offenders and homeless people wanting to get their lives back on track have installed planters as a way of reconnecting with their communities. Cornerstone, a charity based in Willington, helps people who are homeless get back into their
A VACANCY has arisen in the ranks of Eldon Parish Council and applications are being sought. Applicants for the post must be at least 18-years of age and be British or a member of the European Union. They must be a registered elector in the parish,
POLICE have issued an alert after the seizure of a batch of potentially lethal drugs during a raid in North Yorkshire. The class-A drug - known as 4-Methylamphetamine - has previously been linked to deaths across the United Kingdom and Europe, but has
POLICE have issued an alert after the seizure of a batch of potentrially lethal drugs during a raid in North Yorkshire. The class-A drug - known as 4-Methylamphetamine - has previously been linked to deaths across the United Kingdom and Europe but has
A COUPLE hoping to raise thousands of pounds for a cancer charity that helped them in their hour of need. Jack and Anita Doyle, of Chester-le-Street, are holding a charity ball for Macmillan Cancer Support at the Ramside Hall Hotel, Durham, on Thursday
Former Health Secretary and Darlington MP Alan Milburn is now the Coalition's adviser on what is known in political circles as "social mobility". It sounds complicated but it boils down to the ability of people from all backgrounds to get into
A SUMMER drink-driving campaign, to try and ensure people enjoy their holidays without tragedy, is about to get underway. The Hambleton and Richmondshire Community Safety Partnership launches the campaign next month. Community safety officers will
SUNDERLAND footballer Titus Bramble today said a woman who accused him of sexual assault was "touchy feelie" and flirty and kissed him passionately as they shared a taxi from a nightclub. The Sunderland defender told a court she put her hand on his crotch
TWO men were caught trying to steal hanging baskets from a garden centre thanks to a new security system. The system, which uses military-style perimeter detectors and cameras, was fitted at the Chesters Grove Garden Centre in Chester-le-Street, after
TWO showcase rock gigs could be hit by travel disruption if railway staff stage a planned strike.. The Tyne and Wear Metro could be shutdown when Coldplay and Bruce Springsteen - who was nicknamed The Boss -play Sunderland’s Stadium of Light
THE only good reason for Glen Chapple putting Durham in this morning was to prey on their batting fragility. He was proved right as they slumped to 82 for six at lunch against the swinging ball. Despite Mark Stoneman’s early surrender, there was no
A TEAM of hardy fund-raisers have completed a gruelling charity run. The team from RAF Leeming covered the equivalent of three-and-a-half marathons in just three-and-a-half days - and totla of 91 miles. Personnel from the base’s Logistics
THE risk of flooding to a number of homes has been reduced with the completion of a £35,000 project. The money has been invested in flood protection measures for ten homes in Romanby, Northallerton. They include flood barriers, putting covers on air
PEOPLE fear a youngster will be injured by vehicles gridlocking a road as £10m plans to merge two schools gather pace. The concerns stem from Durham County Council's proposal to expand Spennymoor School and merge it with nearby Tudhoe Grange School.
As she goes through her third divorce, Dragons’ Den star Hilary Devey talks to Hannah Stephenson about her terrible choices in men and why women can’t have it all SHE may be super-rich and super-successful, but today Dragons’ Den TV star Hilary
IN 1965 I was proudly accepted as a member of Coxhoe Working Men’s Club. I was 18 years old at the time. Clubs in those days were watering holes for thirsty miners and quarrymen. On Sunday mornings we were entertained by the resident Jolly Boys
I VOTED against the privatisation of the Sedgefield Borough Council’s housing stock when it was transferred to Sedgefield Borough Homes, the housing association now called livin. I voted against it because tenants would lose their democratic
Video: Sgt Tim Robson films the scene at a 'youth disco' in Durham City. The images have been blurred to protect the youths' identities POLICE have pledged to crack down on ‘youth discos’ which have brought a surge of problems with underage
MY favourite press misprint appeared in The Hartlepool Mail sometime in the mid-1960s and involved a match report between Hartlepool United and the visitors Aldershot Town, also known as the Shots. After a spell of pressure from the home team
I FEEL sorry for Darlington FC and its long-suffering fans. It goes from bad to worse. After 129 years of history, the club has been demoted to the Northern League and has now been told by those horrible dinosaurs at the FA that it has to change
I FOUND the recent letters from Charlie Kay and Mr JL Wicks with their references to George Orwell’s Animal Farm (HAS, May 21 and 23) most interesting. I first became aware of this novel when an animated film version of it was made in 1955. In
NOT for the first time, Cleveland Police is embroiled in an extraordinary and disturbing state of affairs. Fifteen years ago, Ray Mallon was suspended from duty as part of Operation Lancet, an inquiry which took five years, cost £7m, produced no
DURHAM County Council has just spent a month, and I suspect a considerable amount of money, installing three ferocious and absolutely pointless speed bumps in a quiet residential estate, in Bishop Auckland. They are quite the steepest that I’ve
MY husband and I spent a few hours in Bishop Auckland this week. We sat awhile soaking up the sun. The town looked dirty and dismal. There was litter all over, plastic bottles scattered about the place and plastic sandwich wrappers. It was a disgrace
CRIMINAL justice in Britain is now largely a farce. I am sure most of us will agree on that. Currently there are two people from the North-East whose views on the issue might, I imagine, make explosive reading. One is Peter Sturman, owner of an
THE Darling Boy can take advantage of what looks a favourable mark over timber to claim the Paxtons And Peregrine Looking After Customers Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at Sedgefield. Trained by Tom George, the seven-year-old was a really easy winner
A loud rap on the door at six in the morning changed the world of Chief Constable Sean Price forever. Chris Webber talked to him about how being arrested led first to depression and then a deep desire to fight back AS he lay in bed early last
JAMES ANDERSON and Graeme Swann are capable of matching Australia greats Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne – according to England’s bowling coach David Saker. Using McGrath and Warne – arguably the defining seam and spin bowlers of their era – as
PHIL JAGIELKA is hoping new head coach Roy Hodgson will provide “the missing ingredient” and bring England long-awaited success at Euro 2012. Everton central defender Jagielka was promoted to the squad after Manchester City midfielder Gareth
NEWCASTLE UNITED confirmed their first summer signing last week, Middlesbrough followed it up on Tuesday by finalising Grant Leadbitter's return to the North-East and there is a sense of more to come. Clearly the Magpies and Boro were keen
A FOUR-YEAR-OLD boy suffered a fractured skull after colliding with a Range Rover. The youngster was thrown to the ground after being struck by the car as he ran from the pavement to the central reservation outside the Royal Chef Chinese takeaway
INQUIRIES are taking place to try to pinpoint the cause of a fire which engulfed a village pub in the early hours today. The first report of a blaze at The Plainsman, in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, was received by Durham Fire and Rescue Service
A MAN punched his neighbour 15 times after the victim returned home to discover someone had smeared cat faeces over the windows of his house, a court was told. Michael Russel suffered swelling and bruising to his face after being assaulted by Jamie
A MOTORIST was caught in possession of cannabis after police stopped him for having a faulty brake light on his car, a court was told. James Burnside, of Geneva Road, Darlington, had 1.7 grammes of cannabis on him when police stopped him on May 14,
A VICAR who switched his religious allegiance after 28 years as an Anglican has been ordained as a Catholic priest. Father Ian Grieves was ordained at St Anne’s Catholic Church, in Darlington, in a colourful ceremony last night. The 56-year-old led
A WOMAN who was allegedly sexually assaulted by Premiership footballer Titus Bramble in the back of a cab tearfully told a court how she “just kept telling him no”. The witness said she was really scared by the Sunderland defender’s advances on
JOHNNY Hayes is attracting interest from Hartlepool United - and another of Neale Cooper's transfer targets was yesterday made available. Cooper is out to bolster his midfield and Inverness left winger Hayes is high on his list of targets. He is out
Durham City chairman Austin Carney says that his club will be able to compete better in the new season. City will resume their place in the Northern League at Saturday's AGM after a four year absence in the leagues above, and Carney, who took over as
WEST Bromwich Albion are ready to offer Danny Guthrie an alternative route out of Newcastle United this summer. Guthrie has been interesting Aston Villa but the departure of Alex McLeish from Villa Park has put such a move on hold. That
SUNDERLAND are hoping to engineer a loan deal for Manchester City starlet John Guidetti after scouting the striker extensively in the second half of last season. Guidetti, who only turned 20 in April, spent last season on loan at Dutch side Feyenoord
ONE of the region’s most senior police officers is retiring. Jon Stoddart, the Chief Constable of Durham Police, will retire in October after seven years in charge. Mr Stoddart, 52, has led the force through restructuring and austerity, but will
A WOMAN who fell 80ft from a hotel balcony in Majorca lost her balance while trying to throw a spider out of her suitcase, it emerged last night. Chantelle Serginson, 24, of Middlesbrough, fractured her skull and legs in multiple places when
A FORMER police officer is facing jail after he was found guilty of being part of a global cigarette smuggling gang. Anthony Lamb, 50, was convicted yesterday following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court. The former Cleveland police constable,
Darlington have been knocked out of next season's FA Cup before the competition has even started. They suffered another blow last night when it was confirmed they will not be allowed to compete in the either the FA Cup or FA Vase. Registration
HOME Office bungling left the region’s police officers without smart phones while other forces received boxes of spares, a report warns today. Only one in seven officers in Durham were given new mobile devices – designed to cut paperwork and send
THE Bishop of Durham has described the modern economy as causing “a slow landslide of suffering’’ through high unemployment. The Right Reverend Justin Welby spoke out at a memorial service in Gateshead on the 200th anniversary of the Felling Colliery
A CAB driver who left his taxi unattended on a rank to use the toilet has accused a council of causing him unnecessary stress after a five-month wait to decide how to punish him. Mark Brown faced Darlington Borough Council’s licensing committee
A RELATIVELY minor allegation surrounding the hiring of a van was a key reason for the dawn arrests of Cleveland Police’s two most senior officers. Yesterday, the solicitors of Sean Price and Derek Bonnard, both arrested on August 3 last year
A NORTH-EAST chief constable and his deputy arrested over allegations of corruption are suing the heads of three police forces and the boss of the National Crime Agency (NCA). Chief Constable of Cleveland Sean Price and his deputy, Derek Bonnard
A NORTH-EAST woman being held in Bali after £1.6m of cocaine was allegedly found in her suitcase could avoid the death penalty, it was reported last night. Lindsay Sandiford, from Redcar, was allegedly caught with 4.8kg of the drug hidden in
