Bishop Auckland still have hopes of a cup double when they beat North Shields 3-2 in the Northern League Cup last night Already through to the Durham Challenge Cup final, they took the lead after 20 minutes with an Andy Johnson penalty after Kyle
Our Chief Constable Mike Barton has been having one to one sessions with all of his Inspectors to discuss leadership and career development. For a busy man, it must be important to him to invest this sort of time in us - but I'm worth it!! It was
Argentine Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope tonight and chose the papal name Francis, becoming the first pontiff from the Americas and the first from outside Europe in more than a millennium. A stunned-looking Bergoglio shyly waved to the
INSPIRATIONAL young people from across Darlington were honoured for their achievements in the arts, education and sport at the annual Vibe Awards. Now in its 16th year, the awards recognise the contribution made by youngsters to the local community
Police have issued an urgent appeal to find a Romanian man - spotted in various parts of the North-East - in connection with a sexual assault on a teenage girl in Whitby. Detectives need to speak to Gheorghe Mighali, 27, of no fixed abode, to
Steven Johnson starts against his former club as Darlington make three changes for this evening’s game against Shildon at Heritage Park. The forward comes in for Adam Nicholls, who drops to the bench, while Joe Tait and Stephen Thompson are also
CLAUDIA Lawrence’s father hopes a book detailing the case surrounding her disappearance may prick the conscience of someone with vital knowledge of her fate. Speaking days before the fourth anniversary of his daughter vanishing, solicitor Peter
A BY-ELECTION to replace a popular councillor will be held next month, with the main political parties confident of a strong showing. Jackie Maddison, a member of Darlington Borough Council for almost ten years and a driving force behind the town
STALLS are available for a market showcase in Darlington which is being held as part the town’s arts festival. Darlington for Culture is working with the town’s borough council as part of the Love Your Local market event, held in the Market Square
White smoke is billowing from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, meaning 115 cardinals in a papal conclave have elected a new leader for the worlds 1.2 billion Catholics. The new pope is expected to appear on the balcony of St Peters Basilica within
RUNNERS NEEDED: Runners and joggers are being encouraged to take part in this year’s Bupa Great North Run on Sunday, September 15 for Butterwick Hospice in Stockton. For more information and to secure your place please call Gail Pearson on 01642 628930
SPECIALLY trained police officers have been combing the home town of a missing grandmother while her partner appeared in court charged with her murder. Pamela Jackson, 55, has not been seen since Saturday, March 2, when she spoke to her son Joe
A new Gurdwara (Sikh Temple), built at a cost of £2.4m in on Cottenham Street, Newcastle, will open with prayers and Thanksgiving at 10am on Sunday April 21. Speeches by political and civic leader will start at noon. The project was funded by the Sikh
TALES of bunnies, chicks and little eggs are set to enthrall youngsters at an Easter story-telling and craft session at Hardwick Park, near Sedgefield, County Durham, this month. Toddler Tales and Trails takes place from 10am to 11.30am and 1pm to
PUPILS stepped back in time to tell the tale of how Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered. A Glint of Gold was performed by youngsters aged seven to nine from Barnard Prep School. The play traces Howard Carter's famous discovery of the tomb in
A 27-YEAR-OLD man has died after being crushed by a forklift truck at the largest steel fabrication plant in the UK. Kelvin McGibbon became trapped under the vehicle while working in the stores area of the 55-acre Severfield-Watson site in Dalton
COUNCIL chiefs have defended a senior officer’s ten per cent pay increase described as “hard to justify” by a union leader. Hambleton District Council chief executive Phil Morton will see his salary rise by £10,000 by April 2014. Mr Morton
Police have issued an appeal over a deactivated firearm stolen in a house burglary. The Colt 44 revolver, which has blocked barrels and no firing mechanism, was taken in a break-in at a house in Fencehouses, between Houghton-le-Spring and Chester-le-Street
RYEDALE District Council is funding two apprentice schemes for young people and businesses over the next two years. The apprenticeships will be created within the public and private sectors in Ryedale. About £100,000 will fund new apprentice posts
A LARGE selection of images by celebrated 1960s photographer Lord Patrick Lichfield will fall under the hammer in the North-East later this month. The 30-strong collection includes images of the Queen with Price Philip, Sir John Gielgud, actress
LEISURE centres across Hambleton have lined up a programme of events for the Easter holidays. Centres across the district have organised a range of activities to keep young people entertained during next month’s school holidays, between April 2
A BURGLAR who ransacked a couple's new home and left it looking like "a horror scene" was today (Wednesday, March 13) jailed for 18 months. Irreplaceable items of jewellery were taken in the November raid along with £4,180 in cash, a television
A PROPOSED development of five two-bedroom houses and three three-bedroom houses has been approved by planning committee members – but the developer must improve their design. The site lies behind the Rose and Crown Hotel in Bainbridge and currently
THE jury considering their verdict in a murder trial have been sent home after failing to reach a decision after more than four hours of deliberation. Robert Baker is charged with the murder of John Coates in the block of flats where they both
A STARLET from Stockton has beaten hundreds of competitors and reached the regional finals of a UK-wide singing competition. Eliza Mackenzie Dobson, 11, from Fairfield in Stockton, will perform Jessie J’s track Domino in the quarter finals of TeenStar
CHARITY shop bosses are appealing for spring and summer clothes, with stock selling fast despite the wintery weather. Barnardo’s stores in Tow Law, Barnard Castle, Bishop Auckland and Consett, all County Durham, are looking for fresh donations,
RESIDENTS have lost their fight against the introduction of traffic and parking measures around a secondary school. Durham County Council will make a series of changes to roads near Whitworth Park School and Sixth Form College, in Spennymoor, in
A RACIST lout who attacked a shopkeeper and his friend was behind bars tonight (Wednesday, March 13) after being branded "thoroughly disgraceful" by a judge. James Appleby yelled obscenities at Fakher Rasul Mohammed when he said he was charging
SCIENCE WEEK: Staff at Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon will host a series of events to mark Science Week. They will take place at the museum’s Collection building between March 18-22 with doors open between 10am and 4pm daily. Entry
A NEW £25,000 pedestrian bridge has been lowered into place in Stokesley. The new footbridge, which links Levenside with the town centre, has replaced an old iron bridge which closed two years ago after being declared dangerous. The town’s
BOBBIES are going on the buses in the latest move to gather feedback from the public on crime and policing issues. Bus passengers travelling from Durham to surrounding suburbs and villages can expect to see a uniformed police officer getting on
CLEVELAND Police have checked over 30 coaches and mini buses that transport children to school in order to carry out safety checks. The safety checks were carried out at identified school sites across all of Teesside after children had disembarked
YOUNG scientists experimented with exploding custard at a fun event today, Wednesday, March 13. The idea of the Big Bang Science event at Stockton Riverside College was to inspire young people to take an interest in science, maths and engineering
THE wet weather over the last year has been blamed for a drop in attendance at some of the region’s major tourist attractions. Gardens and outdoor attractions were the main losers when it came to visitor numbers nationwide, according to the Association
POLICE are warning school children about the consequences of taking and sharing explicit photos on their mobile phones. Sergeant Andy Phillips and PC Darren Rogers visited Consett Academy, in Consett, County Durham, to talk to Year 11 pupils about
A TEN-year-old boy had to be airlifted to hospital following a playground accident. The Great North Air Ambulance this morning (Wednesday, March 13) landed in the grounds of Brompton-on-Swale CE Primary School, near Richmond, after the pupil was
A TEENAGER who died of severe head injuries after being struck by a car may have been distracted by loud music playing over his earphones, an inquest was told today. Daniel Millichamp crossed the road in front of a stationary car, but did not look
WORK has started to give Middlesbrough College a multi-million pound makeover which will include a unique construction site for students. The college has already spent £3.5m of its own reserves to knock down a derelict building on its grounds to
STUDENTS are exploring the depths of Greek tragedy in a classic tale given a contemporary twist. Northallerton College is staging Antigone, which opens tonight, March 13, and continues tomorrow, March 14, at 7:30pm. A cast of 18 Year 10 to
A NATIONAL pub chain has created 45 jobs in Spennymoor as it prepares to open a JD Wetherspoon. The new business will be based on Cheapside and the pub giant approached the local Jobcentre to help it fill its staffing rota. The pub has taken
A fortnightly craft fair is set to return to Stewart Park in Middlesbrough near the new Bolckow Visitor Centre. Stalls including handmade cards, cupcakes, jewellery, handmade furniture and picture frames will be on sale from 11am to 3pm on Sunday (
THE chairman of Middlesbrough Football Club is trying to attract new fans – by offering them a free pint. Every adult who buys a new season card for 2013-14 will be entitled to a free pint of Tetley’s or Carlsberg from the concourse bar at each
Groundwork North East is asking residents to get involved in a Lottery bid to help maintain Darlington’s green spaces. The group is urging residents to fill out a survey on the town’s parks and nature reserves so that the information can help its Lottery
England’s most senior judge has warned that cuts to legal aid could lead people to take the law into their own hands. STUART ARNOLD talks to one lawyer about her reservations. IT has long been a pillar of our legal system. That is the right to
AN appeal has been issued to find a new home for a tourist information centre (TIC). Richmond TIC was based in the town’s Friary Gardens until last week when Richmondshire Leisure Trust pulled out of an agreement to run it. It closed to the
DEFENCE bosses have asked for assurances that a £1.5bn potash mine will not compromise international security by interfering with sensitive radar equipment. The Ministry of Defence has submitted a holding objection over York Potash’s plans to mine
COUNCIL leader Bill Dixon has pledged to enforce £500 fines for motorcyclists caught riding on a Darlington nature reserve. Signs around the Maidendale Nature Reserve in Firthmoor state that motorists caught driving on the land could be fined up
ASPIRING young actors took to the red carpet for their very own Oscars-style award ceremony. A cast of students from the Dales School, Morton-on-Swale, were under the spotlight as they attended the premiere screening of their film Fleeing the War
A RETIRED couple who complained about the poor state of a public toilets block have given the refurbished facilities their seal of approval. Lancashire residents Vic and Barbara Robinson were given a guided tour of the conveniences this month –
THE Port of Tyne plans to more than treble its apprenticeships in 2013, creating new opportunities for young people throughout the business. As well as traditional engineering apprenticeships, the port will recruit 13 extra young people in roles
A CAR licence plate which looks like it reads ‘Durham’ is to be auctioned next week (Wednesday, March 20). The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is auctioning the personalised registration ‘DU12 HAM’ during a three-day sale starting at
AN Easter Bunny Trail will entertain young visitors to Dalton Park outlet shopping centre, at Murton, east Durham, from Thursday March 28 - Tuesday April 2. The site will be closed on Easter Sunday (March 31), while opening hours at the centre
SCHOOLGIRLS got up close and personal with animals of all shapes and sizes as part of a science week initiative. Pupils at Durham High School for Girls, in Durham City, held meerkats, scorpions, snakes and other animals from Jay’s Animal Encounters
A TRADITION dating back centuries has been revived by a North Yorkshire grocer. Carlin peas were traditionally eaten in the region during Lent, often on the fifth Sunday, which is also known as Carlin or Passion Sunday. And Jefferson’s Grocer
LOGGING trucks transporting timber in England’s largest county are being issued with the routes they must follow. The idea behind the new online route map for North Yorkshire is to reduce the impact of the lorries on local communities and the environment
THE chairman of the National Trust has been accused of misunderstanding rural housing issues after claiming children raised in the countryside had no automatic right to stay there. Sir Simon Jenkins said the majority of new homes should be built
CROWDS braved the snow to find out about volunteering opportunities in Darlington today. The Darlington LINK organisation, which will close at the end of the month, held an event at the Dolphin Centre to promote opportunities in the town and encourage
WORK on a major new centre to provide treatment for injured jockeys is expected to get underway before the end of the year. The £3.5m scheme at Malton, North Yorkshire, has been given the go-ahead by Ryedale District Council’s planning committee
A MEDIEVAL gold ring has been discovered in a North Yorkshire field by a farm-worker with a metal detector. Christian Smith, from Grimethorpe, near Barnsley, found the artefact while surveying a field by Whorlton, near Stokesley. It was found
Treasures from down the centuries will be packed up and moved up the road as Durham University’s Old Fulling Mill Museum closes this summer. Mark Tallentire takes a tour IT’S the building that appears on as many sitting room walls as it gets visitors
A DARLINGTON woman is celebrating after reaching her 102nd birthday yesterday (Tuesday March 12). Edith Lawson, who lives in the town’s Rydal Care Home, puts her long life down to staying teetotal and never smoking. Staff at the home celebrated
THE North-East campaign group which has been one of the loudest voices in the call for action over cheap booze has urged the Government to stand firm on minimum unit pricing. The call by Balance, the North-East Alcohol Office, follows reports of
MORE than 600 children tangoed, quickstepped and cartwheeled their way to rapturous applause at a community dance festival this week. The two-day event, at Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre, saw youngsters from 27 County Durham schools perform high
SMALL horses brought huge joy when they trotted into a village hall to mingle with café-goers and pre-school children. American miniature horses Mr P and Wish spent an afternoon at Sadberge Pre-School and the village hall coffee shop in a visit
REDWORTH HALL: A new manager has been appointed at Redworth Hall Hotel, County Durham. Nicholas Testa, who has held senior management roles at properties across the country, will now help to run the 150 acre 18th century estate.
A STREET has been preyed upon by thieves who stole valuables from six cars. Police officers are appealing for information after vehicles on Harvington Chase, Coulby Newham in Middlesbrough, were targeted overnight on Friday. Possessions including
A TEENAGE beauty queen hopes to win the Miss Teen International GB competition title in her first year of entering modelling competitions. Olivia Hodgson, of Byers Green, near Spennymoor, won the regional North-East final of the Miss Teen competition
A workshop on the history of archaeology is to be held in Pickering on Saturday, March 23. Tutor Dr Robert Wright will be leading the class at the Memorial Hall at Potter Hill, in the Ryedale town. It costs £20 and must be booked in advance by ringing
AN inquest into the death of Dawn Patricia Phillips was opened an adjourned at Crook Coroners Court in County Durham this morning (Wednesday, March 13). The 22-year-old died at her home at Langdale Oval, Trimdon Colliery, near Sedgefield, County
APPRENTICES have received money from a charity towards the cost of tools and equipment. Six youngsters who are studying at New College Durham were awarded grants from Lord Crew’s Charity, which was founded in the 17th Centuruy by a Bishop of Durham
A SEVENTH annual community bike ride was launched today (Wednesday, March 13). The Durham Big Ride will return on Sunday, September 1, with hundreds of cyclists expected to take part in three, ten and 25-mile rides starting and ending at County
POLICE are warning Darlington residents to be vigilant about security after burglars stole car keys from a house and drove off in the householder’s vehicle. The incident happened in the Eastbourne area of town and PCSO Danny Metcalfe said it was
ETHERLEY Methodist Church, on South Road, Etherley, near Bishop Auckland, will host a Macmillan Cancer Support coffee morning on Saturday (March 16) from 10am to noon. All proceeds will go to the cause.
A LOCAL advice service has been ordered to close by its national association. Derwentside Citizens Advice Bureau, which has offices in Stanley and Consett , has been suspended from membership of the association. The national Citizens Advice
AN INQUEST today heard how a driver died when an unexpected patch of ice caused his car to skid off the road and hit a tree. Architect John Sheldrake, 61, from Stockton, was fatally injured when his car came off the B1263 near Richmond, North Yorkshire
MY colleague Anthony signed off last week’s column by posing that anyone seeking a return above five per cent or so needs to wander up the risk scale, leaving the poor nominal, and often negative real, rates of return on cash behind. This is true
THE owner of some of the UK’s biggest shopping centres is raising nearly £1bn so it can snap up a raft of retail and office properties coming onto the market. British Land has sold its Ropemaker Place development in London for £472m and is launching
Mortgage rates are falling below two percent and houses are on the market for £5,000. Is this the best time to buy a house? Kathryn Gaw investigates MORTGAGE rates have never been lower, despite the fact that there is supposed to be a housing crisis
THE friend of a Stockton skateboarder who died of a heart attack at the age of 35 is training to run her first marathon in his memory. Kat Mackenzie has been inspired to raise money for Heart Research UK following the sudden death in 2011 of Steve
Braving searing temperatures and blazing infernos, Mike Linstead, below, online marketing manager of the North East Chamber of Commerce, joins crews at Durham Tees Valley Airport to find out why the region’s international fire training centre is so
VOLUNTEERS are being sought to help keep an historic Darlington park thriving into the future. In 1853 South Park was the first Victorian park of its kind to open in the North East The Friends volunteers who now help tend the grounds are keen
A LONG term drug user died after injecting amphetamine into his foot, an inquest has heard. Trevor Horton, 47, of Borough Road, Darlington, died in his home on September 25 last year. An inquest at Chester-le-Street heard that a friend had
MICE have been dining at a filthy Chinese restaurant which has been closed down by health inspectors. A routine probe of the Dragon House, in Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, on Friday found mouse droppings throughout the kitchen and evidence that
RESEARCHERS at a North-East university are to assess the effectiveness of a therapeutic service set up to help young people affected by sexual abuse. The new study, by Durham and Bristol universities, will involve one of the largest randomised
KIND-HEARTED STUDENTS will help AIDS orphans during a trip to Ethiopia. Twenty students from Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College in Darlington will contribute to a number of projects in the poverty-stricken country when they travel there in October
LUCY ADAMS leads a double life. During the day she is a rising star in the family law team at Tees Valley firm Archers Law. On April 1, she will become one of the youngest people in the firm’s history to be made an associate solicitor and she recently
A SACRISTON school was the venue for a weekend of competitions for young farners. County Durham Federation of Young Farmer Clubs hosted the annual Northern Area of Young Farmers Competitions Weekend at Fyndoune Community College. The event
A NORTH-EAST port operator has handed fulltime permanent jobs to 13 of its apprentices. The new dock operations roles at Teesport will start at the end of next month when PD Ports’ existing apprenticeship programme is completed. The programme
AN electronics design and manufacturing firm making key components for the UK high speed rail network has created 30 North-East jobs. Stadium Group, based in Hartlepool, is working with Siemens to make digital radio displays for train cabs and
Graeme Hetherington will be reporting live from Teesside Crown Court this morning with the jury in the John Coates murder trial expcted to retire to consider its verdict. The judge is continuing to sum up the evidence from the trial of Robert Baker
MEMBERS of a swimming club were bathed in glory recently when they took away a haul of medals from a major competition. Darlington Swimming Club won 12 medals when they competed with the area’s best clubs at the Northumberland and Durham County
A GRADE I listed church where a celebrated 18th century novelist served as curate has been given permission to modernise the interior. Following initial objections from a conservation group, Church of England judge Canon Peter Collier QC has ruled
TWO funeral homes are appealing for Easter eggs to give to youngsters at a women’s refuge. HW Carter, in Stokesley, and Wilson, Willoughby and Wetherills, in Northallerton, said they will deliver residents’ donations of chocolate eggs to children
THE country is heading for the third recession since the financial crash in 2008 after a shock slump in manufacturing output undermined confidence further. Official data showed output fell by 1.5 per cent during a snow-hit January – the fastest
I WAS sad to read that Sheffield Council are to close the Don Valley Stadium (Echo, Jan 8). So much for the promise every major city will have a multi-purpose stadium. Where has all the money gone from the Olympics or was that just for London
FOR once I find myself in total agreement with Tim Farron, president of the Liberal Democrats, that his members are like cockroaches. They lurk around in dark corners awaiting opportunity to eat what is discarded and create great upset when they
THE lessons that are there to learn from the mistakes of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts have been ignored. Supporting or originating wars in Islamic countries has never attracted their gratitude – only threats of revenge against us. We
THE NHS is not safe in David Cameron’s hands. The public must understand that most of the Tory party would probably prefer an American-style health system but they know to say this would be electoral suicide. Not even Mrs Thatcher, who expressed
IF Ben Martin of Animal Aid puts his trust in vegetables (HAS, Mar 5) he must not think of the vast array of chemicals used by commercial growers to fight pests and diseases. Remember the insecticide DDT? It decimated birds by weakening the shells
NINETY-FIVE workers at RBS and 428 members of Barclays received bonuses of £1m or more for taking risks with other people’s money last year. What is this “risk” compared with say a brain or heart surgeon who may kill his patient or a bomb disposal
HAVING witnessed how hard the accident and emergency staff work at the University Hospital of North Durham, can I make a plea for the return of these services to Bishop Auckland General? They should have not been removed in the first place.
I FIND there are days when I feel that I am losing my grip or slipping into a parallel universe. This week, for instance, I was scrolling down a well-known national news site and I chanced upon an article about alcohol abuse. The article said
I HAVE observed the circus sideshow that is the Lib Dem manufactured row over the chairman of Durham County Council’s so-called clothing, or more factually, civic allowance with great interest. As the mayor of County Durham’s largest town, Bishop
DAVID CAMERON once called Nick Clegg a dead parrot in homage to a classic John Cleese Monty Python sketch. Now another parrot has been spotted. This one’s alive and well and has been seen flapping around the corridors of Downing Street.
While today’s children aren’t as active as previously, research shows they still prefer make-believe games to computers. Lisa Salmon MANY parents think traditional children’s play, such as cowboys and Indians or doctors and nurses, comes a poor
A CHILDREN’S writer who has penned stories about a miniature railway will meet fans at a museum. Joe Coates, of Scarborough, North Yorkshire, has penned the latest of his North Bay Tales series called Donkey Alert at North Bay Railway. He is
NOW, all sing along with me children: “Take me back to the Black Hills, the Black Hills of Dakota, to the beautiful Indian country that I love…” The old song leapt into my head when I heard that South Dakota teachers are to be provided with guns
A leading surgeon from the region – running a military hospital in Afghanistan – believes the Army is on target to leave the country with a viable healthcare system when the troops pull out next year. Mark Foster reports IT’S been a tough job and
FUTURE sporting stars have showcased their skills at a regional competition. Youngsters from four schools across the North-East took part in the South Durham Futsal Competition, hosted by Hummersknott Academy, in Darlington. Year seven boys
An eight-week yoga course for all abilities will be held at the Chester-le-Street Community Association, Newcastle Bank, on Wednesdays between 10.30am and noon starting on April 10. The cost is £5 per session or £32 for the full course in advance.
KEEPING children safe has always been challenging but the internet – and social networking, in particular – has changed the rules. For years teenagers have spent hours chatting on the phone to friends. Today’s children are no different but the
TWO aspiring musicians are celebrating after their songwriting skills bagged them a brand new electric guitar. Teesdale teenagers Tom Saxby and Caitlin Carr's song All the Ocean was judged the best in a competition run by the TCR Hub, in Barnard
CHILDREN in the North-East have been learning how reading is cool with Happy Days star Henry ‘The Fonz’ Winkler. The dyslexic actor turned best-selling children’s author was given a warm welcome at Atkinson Road Primary School in Newcastle where
TERRY MYNOTT. That might not be a name for which you can immediately place a face with right now, but chances are he will be all you are talking about long after the end credits of The Mimic have rolled. You see, Mr Mynott is a clever man. He has
TV loves a good wedding. They are guaranteed to pull in extra viewers whenever one takes place in a soap. Docusoap The Wedding Shop aired recently, C4 had their gypsy wedding shows, and Sky Living’s Battle of the Brides also went down a treat.
SPOOKS, ghosts, ghouls... call them what you will, but these spirits from the afterlife don’t exist, do they? Well, believing in such things would help the folk in Lightfields come to terms with what is happening around them an awful lot quicker
NISSAN has reported strong February sales after growing its market share in Europe. The UK, home to Nissan's record-breaking Sunderland plant, recorded an increase of seven per cent in fiscal year-to-date sales. Sales of the Nissan Qashqai
AN inquest into the death of a young woman who died in car accident at the weekend was opened and adjourned this morning (Wednesday, March 13). Family pay tribute to "bubbly" mother-of-one Darlington mother-of-one Christine Harrison
SMOKERS were urged to stub out their habit and swap fags for swag today (Wednesday March 13). Stop smoking advisers were in Joseph Pease Place in Darlington to promote the ‘Swap Fag for Swag’ initiative as part of the national No Smoking Day 2013
IT was a welcome return to the area for North California singer-songwriter Rita Hosking and her husband – Dobro and banjo-playing harmony vocalist Sean Feder. Showing a wonderful relaxed stage presence, Hosking is a fine craftswoman when it comes
ASCREENING of awardwinning director Ken Loach’s new film, The Spirit of ’45, at Newcastle Tyneside Cinema on Sunday will be followed by a broadcast satellite Q&A with the filmmaker. He will be joined in the Q&A by author Owen Jones, journalist
A PROUD John Quinn declared his intention to plan another assault on the Stan James Champion Hurdle at next year’s Cheltenham Festival after Countrywide Flame ran a “huge race” to finish third. Turning for home in the two mile and half furlong
SIMONSIG justified his short-price to win The Racing Post Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival – but his expected duel with Overturn failed to materialise. The 8-15 favourite couldn’t settle early in the two mile contest and wasn’t fluent at
ON-MESSAGE England will ignore Australia’s meltdown in India and make sure they are not distracted in preparation for the second Test against New Zealand. Alastair Cook’s tourists are inevitably well aware of events on the subcontinent where four
SHANE WATSON insists he ‘‘loves’’ playing cricket for Australia – but stopped short of ruling out international retirement following this week’s disciplinary issues. Watson, James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja were all suspended
AUSTRALIA may benefit in time for next summer’s Ashes from the ‘‘kick up the backside’’ they have given to four Test players. New Zealand bowling coach Shane Bond certainly thinks so anyway, and is confident too that the saga will not result in
ASSISTANT coach Andy Farrell backed England to come through the ‘‘ultimate test’’ and beat Wales in the hostile Millennium Stadium cauldron to claim their first Grand Slam for a decade. After all, it is not like they are playing Papua New Guinea
DARLINGTON fear this evening’s game with Shildon will become the latest in a string of postponements in a stop-start season. The weekend’s game with Guisborough Town was called off due to a waterlogged pitch, meaning that Quakers have not had a
ASSISTANT coach Robin McBryde claims the Wales captaincy is ‘‘up for discussion’’ after an injured Ryan Jones was ruled out of Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations title decider against England in Cardiff. Leadership duties, it is understood, could be handed
Final Score: Barcelona 4 AC Milan 0 (Barcelona win 4-0 on agg) LIONEL MESSI put in another astonishing display to lead Barcelona to the quarter final of the Champions League following a dominant display against AC Milan at the Nou Camp. Two
STOCKPILING of unwanted medicine is costing a North-East town upwards of £500,000-a-year, it has been claimed. The figure was revealed after the family of one patient from Darlington handed over four crates containing thousands of pounds’ worth
A FARMER has said he will not make any changes to a sunken lane which he filled in last year. Andrew Avison, from Middlefields Farm in Melmerby, near Middleham, filled in Lickber Lane last year because he said it was waterlogged and impassible.
HE'S engineered a Hartlepool United improvement in recent weeks, but John Hughes claims he hasn't even got started yet. Pools' game at Oldham last night was frozen off, re-arranged for next Tuesday. By then, Pools will have been at Coventry
AS Newcastle bid to reach the last eight of the Europa League against Anzhi tomorrow night, club officials are urging fans to comply with stadium rules after receiving a string of fines from UEFA this season. After a goalless draw in Moscow last Thursday
COLIN COOPER has moved to reassure Middlesbrough supporters that Tony Mowbray is doing everything in his power to stop the rot after his side went from serious promotion contenders to play-off outsiders. Only a matter of months ago, Boro were in
SUNDAY'S visit of Norwich is viewed as among the biggest game of Sunderland's season and Simon Mignolet insists the squad must not use the pressure currently heaped on their shoulders as an excuse for their bad run. Last weekend's defeat to Queens
A MOTHER of two teenage North-East soldiers about to be hit by the so-called ‘bedroom tax’ told of her joy last night (Tuesday, March 12) after a surprise government U-turn. Alison Huggan, from Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough, faced a £100 monthly
REBUILDING work at a crumbling North-East school will only be brought forward if “money falls out of the air”, an education minister warned. David Laws, a Liberal Democrat, said Hetton Secondary School, in Houghton le Spring, must wait for cash
FANS last night quizzed Darlington FC officials on recent changes at the club including the reasons behind the restructuring of the board. Joe Willis looks at some of the key questions. What is the new structure of the Darlington 1883 board?
EIGHT young people, who developed their skills at a leading North-East training organisation, have secured engineering apprenticeships with firms in the region in little over a week. The young people who have been based with South West Durham Training
DETERMINED teenager Bethany Bennett is proof that if you really want something, you have to go out and get it. The 17-year-old, who attends Redcar and Cleveland College, always had a passion to work in beauty therapy and literally went knocking
VULNERABLE people faced with financial settlements have been offered a lifeline by a North-East law firm. BHP Law, which has offices in Darlington, Durham, Teesside and Newcastle, has strengthened its Court of Protection Deputies team, who act
A NORTH-EAST commercial law firm has advised a national house builder on a £30m project to transform an area of London into a 240-home development. Watson Burton, based in Newcastle, worked with Bellway on the Barking Riverside programme, a 443
A LAW firm is hoping to put two school leavers on the path to success after taking them on as apprentices. Gordon Brown Law Firm has hired 16-year-olds Jack Gardner and Sophie Younger, who will work in the company's Chester-le-Street and Newcastle
THREE apprentices at a North-East web software company are on the road to success after earning permanent roles at the firm. Jason Nixon, 19, Sarah Denholm, 20, and 21-year-old Amy Chambers, joined AYO Digital as part of last year's National Apprenticeship
A MOTHER who posed as her schoolgirl daughter to trap an internet sex pest told last night of her shock after hearing he had walked free from court. Matthew Jenart, 28, dodged prison when a judge said he could not be sure what his intentions were
AN electronics design and manufacturing firm making key components for the UK high speed rail network has created 30 North-East jobs. Stadium Group, based in Hartlepool, is working with Siemens to make digital radio displays for train cabs and
TWO North-East car part manufacturers have gone back to the classroom to inspire the next generation of apprentices. Nifco and Gestamp Tallent Automotive yesterday launched the search for new young talent as part of National Apprenticeship Week
A COMMERCIAL law firm is offering advice to North-East businesses on the changes to data protection regulations. Muckle LLP has warned companies they could face heavy fines if they don't prepare for new legislation, which is expected to be introduced
A LAW firm has won a contract to deliver mock tribunal sessions. Collingwood Legal will work with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) to run the events, which focus on the practical elements of tribunal proceedings and advice
A BUILDING restoration company could create a number of new jobs after being chosen to carry out work on an ancient ruin depicted by a famous artist. Stone Technical Services, in Darlington, has been appointed by English Heritage to perform structural
ABOUT 25 North-East jobs could be lost after a travel agent revealed plans to close 195 high street stores. Holiday group Thomas Cook says it is looking to cut 16 per cent of its 15,500 UK and Ireland workforce, with shop staff and back-office
A TALENTED apprentice has designs on a successful career after being taken on North-East printing company. Joshua Murphy, 21, was employed by Printing.com, just four months after finishing an IT foundation course at Middlesbrough College. Mr
TWO years ago, the newly elected leader of the Labour Party addressed the annual British Chambers of Commerce conference and left the audience entirely underwhelmed, writes Ross Smith. His delivery was pedestrian, his policies unformed and his
THE Government must provide better access to the internet for jobseekers or risk chaos when most benefit claims are moved online. The warning came from the charity, the Ladder project in Ferryhill, County Durham, which has seen a big increase in
A historic town centre will become a magnet for motoring fans and rally enthusiasts next month as a major competition rolls into town. Bishop Auckland marketplace will be used as the start and finishing point for the SG Petch Tour of Hamsterley
A FOUR-day multi-sports and dance camp is being offered to energetic youngsters during the Easter holidays. The event is being hosted by Teesdale School, Barnard Castle, and takes place from Tuesday, April 2, to Friday, April 5, between 9.30am
BIRD lovers are being invited to view one of the must-see spring rituals of the black grouse. The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and Natural England are organising treks to a black grouse lek (mating ground) in upper Teesdale to see the males
MUSIC fans are to be treated to sounds of the 16th and 17th Centuries at a forthcoming concert. Pellingman’s Saraband, featuring Jacob Heringman and Susanna Pell, will perform at the Bowes Museum on Saturday, April 27 at 7.30pm in an event organised
NINE out of 10 survey respondents are in favour of plans to build a supermarket on a football ground and relocate the 124-year-old club to a new stadium, developers have claimed. Jomast Developments, the company behind the plans for Crook Town
A BUSY road is to be repaired less than a year after improvements were carried out after the wrong surface was put down. However, the work to Manor Road and Maude Terrace, in St Helen Auckland, will not cost the taxpayer anything after a council
YOUNG explorers inspired by Sir Ranulph Fiennes have completed an expedition around their nearby nature reserve. Youngsters from the Year 5 Class at St Cuthbert’s Primary School in Crook spent several months preparing for their big adventure.
A MEETING will be held at a primary school to help people answer their questions about impending benefit reforms. The public event will be held at St Helen Auckland Primary School between 6pm and 7.30pm tomorrow (Thursday, March 14). It has
