FIRE crews in County Durham were called to a series of blazes tonight involving allotments and a derelict building. In Ferryhill, a fire broke out on allotments at Davy Street at 10.45pm. County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service
Darlington have completed the permanent signing of Alan White, finally bringing the defender back to his hometown club almost 18 months since manager Martin Gray first tried to land him. He has been with the club on loan from Harrogate Town since
THREE drivers have been taken to hospital after a car believed to have been travelling in the wrong direction on the A19 collided with two other vehicles. The emergency services were called to reports of a multi-vehicle accident on the southbound
Micky Barron’s appearance for Consett at Shildon last night lasted only five minutes of their 4-2 defeat. The former Hartlepool defender appeared to twist an ankle when turning as he faced an early Shildon attack, and he limped off. Consett
A RETIRED restaurant owner with a love of numbers has embraced modern technology to help gamblers get lucky. After seven years in the pipeline, Frederick Stehr’s app, Lotto Dice Roller, is now available through iTunes. The app helps Lotto players
FIRE fighters rescued a man and his two dogs from a second-floor flat after a serious blaze earlier today. The emergency services were called to a building containing flats above shops on Hylton Road in the Millfield area of Sunderland at 11.24am
CAMPAIGNERS have travelled to Scotland to gather evidence against plans to downgrade paediatric and maternity services at a general hospital. Councillors at Richmondshire District Council are battling to retain the current services provided at
DARLINGTON schools have received awards for encouraging their pupils to cycle or walk to school. Representatives from 11 schools across the borough came together on Wednesday (October 9), at Carmel College to recognise this year’s Modeshift Stars
A VIDEOGRAPHER based in Northallerton has won a regional award for customer service. Sarah MacVean, 36, who runs MacVean Videography, came out top in the Yorkshire category for outstanding customer service in videography at the recent North of
NEWCASTLE United has topped the league - for arrests at matches last season. The Tyneside club’s supporters clocked up 175, more than any other followers of a Premier League team. Much of it was due to mayhem in the city centre following Sunderland's
POLICE searching for a man who has been missing from his Darlington home for several weeks have found a body. Officers who have been looking for 25-year-old Alan Youngson since August 15 found a body in woodland near Jedburgh Drive, in Darlington
Comedian Stewart Lee will be performing his show Much A-Stew About Northing at the Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre, Westgate Road, Newcastle, tomorrow (Thursday, October 10 and on Friday (October 11) at 8pm. For ticket details and booking call 0844 493 9999
GHOST HUNT: A Halloween ghost hunt is to take place at Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon. The event is being run by the North East Paranormal Investigations team on Thursday, October 31 between 9pm and 2am. Tickets are £28 and places
PRAMS STOLEN: Up to £12,000 worth of prams have been stolen in a burglary from Nursery Thyme, in Bridge Street, Sunderland. Between ten and 15 prams were taken in the overnight burglary, which was discovered on Tuesday (Oct 8) morning. Anyone who is
RESIDENTS of Gateshead are being asked for their views on how to plug the council’s £45m funding gap. The money must be saved over two years, between 2014 and 2016. Cuts of £75m have already been made since 2010. Consultation runs from October 15 to
A North-East fire brigade has appointed a new assistant chief officer to oversee front line emergency response. Chris Lowther, previously area manager for service delivery, has been named assistant chief fire officer for community safety in Tyne
A MAN who fraudulently racked up almost £10,000 debt in his son’s name has escaped prison. Philip Maven applied for credit cards, catalogue accounts and a Wonga loan over a four year period in the name of his son, while struggling with money and
THE PORTRAITS of six Red Caps killed – including three from North Yorshire and the North-East – are featured in a set of stamps going on display in major new exhibition previewed today (Wednesday, October 9). Queen and Country by Steve McQueen,
DIRECT flights to New York and a North-East “Oystercard” are among the suggestions for boosting the region’s economy contained in an influential report. The study, commissioned by the North East Chamber of Commerce and produced by think tank IPPR
YOUNG scooter enthusiasts have packed supermarket bags, taken part in a ten-mile fancy dress walk and stayed awake for 16 hours to raise funds to get to a festival. Last year, the friends, who all attend Newton Aycliffe Youth Centre, applied for
PROBATION workers from the region joined colleagues from across the country today (Wednesday, October 9) to lobby the Government over plans to privatise offender management . Hundreds gathered at the Palace of Westminster in London to voice concerns
ON World Mental Health Day a North-East charity has revealed it has been awarded more than £183,000 to convert three empty houses into homes for people with mental health needs. Chief executive of Redcar and Cleveland Mind, Veronica Harnett, said
FORMER Middlesbrough striker Bernie Slaven has blamed money problems for the axing of the Three Legends radio show. The football phone-in has been running for the past 14 years. After a 13 year run, the show was dumped by Real Radio in 2012
A 20-YEAR-old County Durham man is awaiting sentence after admitting he broke into a woman’s home in the early hours armed with a hammer and attacked her. Liam Green’s assault put the victim, who is in her 50s, in hospital with serious, but not
EXTRA help is at hand for stroke sufferers in a North-East town. Introduced in September last year, the Exercise After Stroke scheme complements the existing referral programme in Darlington. Both programmes are organised by Darlington Borough
A North-East football club’s charitable foundation has been short-listed for a prestigious industry award. Sunderland AFC’s charitable arm, the Foundation of Light, is named among the eight finalists in the Best Football Community Scheme category
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to a car crash which left a 72-year-old man with a broken wrist. The collision took place on Young Street in Hartlepool at about 3.45pm on Friday, October 4. The vehicle did not stop at the scene. Any
POLICE are hunting thieves who targeted a business premises and stole scaffolding tubes. The raid happened sometime over the weekend of October 4 and 7 on Brenda Road in Hartlepool. Officers believe that a Hiab type truck with a lifting arm
TOURISM experts from across the country will descend on the North-East next week (October 16-18). Visit County Durham (VCD) is hosting the Tourism Management Institute’s (TMI) annual conference at the Radisson Blu Hotel, in Durham City, from October
CAMPAIGNERS hoping to save a former football stadium from redevelopment have made injury time appeal to the Attorney General. Shaun Campbell and Doug Embleton have written to the Attorney General's Office questioning the validity of the sale of
DAUGHTERS of the late Lord Lambton have told a top judge they are ''sad and bitterly heartbroken'' a family dispute over their father's multi million-pound estate has ended up in the courts. Lord Lambton created a scandal in his lifetime when he
DAVID Cameron ducked a challenge to defend a “devastating” cut to health funding across the region that could reach £170m a year. NHS chiefs are planning to strip the money from the North-East and North Yorkshire by switching cash from poorer areas
FOOTBALL players, coaches and officials keen to improve their knowledge of first aid are being invited to sign up for a course in Hartlepool. The Borough Council’s Sport and Recreation Service has teamed up with Durham County FA to stage the FA
A TEENAGER has had her first novel published. Millie Nelson’s Experimental Fusion is a science fiction thriller set in the year 2067. As war rages, England unveils a secret weapon: fusing humans with animals. The 16-year-old, a pupil at
A CANCER survivor is urging people in the North-East to support the Stand Up To Cancer campaign. Liam Johnson, 25, of Shildon, County Durham, who has survived leukaemia hopes to motivate people to raise funds to tackle the illness. He was rushed
A MASTERPLAN to prepare Newton Aycliffe for the arrival of the Hitachi rail contract has been agreed by councillors. Durham County Council’s Newton Aycliffe Regeneration Masterplan sets as its priorities: supporting Aycliffe business park, delivering
OVERWORKED officers have, at times, taken two or three days to respond to a backlog of 100 incidents in Middlesbrough, said a police chief justifying the disbanding of the mounted section. With budget cuts prompting Cleveland Police to axe 350
AN employment tribunal brought by a former perfume counter manager at a North-East department store has been settled out of court, The Northern Echo understands. Alex Skye, who worked at Binns, in Darlington, over the Christmas period last year
A LEADING councillor gave a talk to students as part of a scheme aimed at introducing them to the business world. Cyndi Hughes, Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet member for children and young people, spoke to 40 students at Darlington College
FOOTBALL FINAL: The Foundation Of Light, the charitable foundation set up by Sunderland AFC, has been named a finalist in the Football Business Awards. The charity is one of eight finalists in the best football community scheme category, with the winner
A KITTEN which was dumped outside an animal sanctuary in paper bags from a McDonald's restaurant is thought to have been thrown out of a passing car. Staff at Kays Hill Animal Sanctuary, near to West Auckland, County Durham, found the kitten, believed
RAIL passengers have been urged to help the search for an alleged phone thief on a main line service waiting at a North-East station. British Transport Police (BTP) is appealing for information after a man, who accidentally left his mobile phone
AN ASPIRING actor’s big move to the bright lights of London has begun to pay off with television and film roles. Ryan Edwards, originally from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, is making his small screen debut in the current series of Downton Abbey
FRESH from their recent concert at the Sage Gateshead, the Royal Signals (Northern) Band is back at its base for an ‘Evening With’ show this month. The show will be held at the Territorial Army centre, in Neasham Road, at 7.30pm, on Tuesday, October
A MASTERPLAN to guide development of Peterlee over the next five years has been agreed by councillors. Durham County Council’s Peterlee Masterplan identifies the following priorities for the east Durham town: delivering a vibrant town centre, making
A PAIR of dachshund breeders accused of causing unnecessary suffering to their animals have defended themselves in court. Frank and Hazel Hill of Park Hill Lodge, Spennymoor, deny seven charges relating to inadequate care of their 32 dogs.
AN ENVIRONMENT charity has said it is “extremely concerned” about Government proposals to allow barns to be turned into homes without planning permission. The Government’s greater flexibility for change consultation of use is asking for views on
A FOOTBALL match to honour a Newcastle United veteran has raised almost £328,000 for good causes. Former Magpies goalkeeper Steve Harper, now playing for Hull City after a 20-year stint with the club, handed over the cash which will be split between
A BRIDAL fashion show takes place at the banqueting suites, at Shotton Hall, Old Shotton, Peterlee, tomorrow (Thursday October 10), from 6 - 10pm. It will include more than 20 stalls and displays, showcasing services available to cater for the
THE 40th anniversary of one of Teesside’s first indoor shopping centres was celebrated today (Wednesday, October 9) with the official opening of a refurbished market hall. The Castlegate Shopping Centre in Stockton, which opened in 1973, has undergone
AN MP is encouraging residents to have their say on the future of their east Cleveland post office. Proposals have been made to move New Marske’s post office from Dale Street into McColl’s store on Gurney Street, which would include the modernisation
A STUDENT has engineered a bright future for himself after securing a rare and prestigious scholarship to support him through his degree at Cambridge University. Cameron McCormack had already impressed assessors in the Arkwright Engineering Scholarship
A DARLINGTON councillor has called for the town’s public toilets to be reopened, saying the issue is one he hears complaints about the most from local people. Darlington Borough Council closed the toilets at the town’s Covered Market in April last
A MOTHER-OF-FOUR with a passion for singing has reached the penultimate stage of a national open mic competition. Deborah Taylor-Smith, of Newton Aycliffe in County Durham, impressed judges at the Open Mic UK auditions with her rendition of Shania
Age Concern is holding new Healthy Horizon line dancing classes at the Belle Vue Leisure Centre, Consett, from 1pm to 2.30pm on Friday.s Sessions are £2 each. For further information contact 01207 280119. PACT MEETING: A Police and Community Together
DURHAM’S Sherburn Hospital has a new chaplain who was licensed at a ceremony today (Wednesday, October 9). The Rev Eileen Tarren, who was previously Associate Priest/Self Supporting Minister of Sherburn and Shadforth, will provide pastoral care
BEAMISH Museum is to hold two bonfire nights next month. The popular open-air museum, near Stanley, County Durham, will stage events on the events field on Saturday and Tuesday November 2 and 5. As well as a bonfire and fireworks display, vehicles
A SCHOOL has received a national award for its commitment to the arts. Greenfield Community College in Newton Aycliffe was awarded the Arts Mark Gold by Trinity College London in recognition of the high quality art and cultural opportunities it
A CENTRE for adults with learning difficulties has suffered a major setback in a fundraising venture, after vandals destroyed its apple crop. Yatton House Society, based in Great Ayton, was due to hold its annual apple festival on October 20.
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a man exposed himself to a woman who was out jogging. The 28-year-old was jogging along a track alongside Common Lane at Heslington, York, when a man passed her at speed on a BMX bike. He stopped further
AN annual charity fundraising shopping event has got off to a flying start as it marked its silver anniversary. Durham Shopping Extravaganza celebrated its 25th anniversary with a familiar voice to national radio listeners officially began proceedings
THE boss of a North East telecoms firm has advised consumers and businesses to shop around for their phone and internet services after BT revealed a price hike. Mike Odysseas, founder and managing director of Odyssey Systems, says BT customers
THE world’s fastest steam locomotive, Mallard, has returned home after a successful ”tour” down the East Coast Mainline ahead of a second chance to catch up with its surviving sisters. In the run-up to the Autumn Great Gathering at the National
THE leader of the Royal College of Nursing in the North-East has urged all NHS health professionals to have a flu jab. Regional director, Glenn Turp, who was vaccinated against flu during a visit to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough
A beginners course in family history will be held at the Chester-le-Street Community Association, Newcastle Bank over five weeks starting on November 4. The sessions will be on Mondays from 7 to 9.15pm. The cost is £17.50. To enrol call at the centre
IN the 1950s they were synonymous with a certain brand of confectionery bar, their faces peering out from a range of advertising posters extolling the joys of bubbly chocolate. Their elegant painted profiles helped sell millions of Aero bars –
TWO North-East football fans will head to Staffordshire this weekend, on the latest leg of their nine-month journey to the FA Cup Final. Andy Fury and Mark Tearney decided to follow the competition from its earliest stages to the showpiece final
NEWCASTLE United had the highest number of fans arrested in the Premier League last season, according to Home Office statistics. A total of 175 people were detained for a variety of reasons during the 2012-13 season. Manchester United were
POLICE are appealing for help to trace burglars who stole more than £2,500 of fishing gear from a shed in Ferryhill. The burglars broke into the shed at the rear of a house on Derwent Road at about 2am yesterday. (Tuesday, October 8) They took
CAMPAIGNERS have protested outside the Foreign Office in London to demand support for British families who lose loved ones abroad. Bereaved families claim the Government does not do enough to help when a British citizen dies in a foreign country
A RENOWNED North-East baker says it remains committed to the high street, despite scaling back major store expansion plans. Greggs has stalled a drive to increase shop numbers as it looks to bolster its position in the £6bn UK snack industry.
A MAN carried out public retribution on the alleged perpetrator of a window smashing incident at his mother's home. Christopher James Nicholson came across the man he believed was responsible for the damage as he was paying for an item in a convenience
A GROUP of vulnerable young people have been given the chance to be curators of an exhibition featuring art from prisons across the North-East. The project entitled Reflections is being staged at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and The Gallery
POLICE have sealed off a road in Redcar while an investigation is carried out into how a pensioner suffered head injuries. Cleveland Police said this afternoon (Wednesday) that the 65-year-old was from Chestnut Avenue in the town. He is currently
AN Autumn fair will be held at Cockerton Methodist Church on Saturday, October 12 from 10.30am to 2pm. There will be a number of stalls and refreshments and admission is free. POLICE MEET: A Police and Communities Together (Pact) meeting for the
A SENIOR member of staff from Croft Circuit has been banned from the road for a year after she was caught drink driving. Karen Kirby, 45, was stopped by police as she drove out of Gainford on the A67 at around 1am on September 21. Sonny Lawson
A HARROWING storyline about a popular teacher’s anxious wait for a kidney donor will reach its climax on Waterloo Road tomorrow night (Thursday, October 10). Lizzie Anderson talks to the North-East actress at the heart of the drama. IT has been
COUNCIL chiefs have pledged to listen to the public’s views on the future of five care homes, despite claims closure is a “done deal”. Durham County Council’s Labour cabinet today (Wednesday, October 9) ordered a three-month public consultation
A THIEF who used a baby's buggy to conceal make-up he had stolen from a supermarket has been given 26 weeks jail. Teesside Crown Court heard that Sam Wright committed the offence just two days after being given a suspended eight-month jail sentence
A MAN charged with murder was remanded in custody after he appeared at crown court. William Tomlin, 42, appeared in front of the Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, via a video link to Holme House Prison, Stockton, where he is
HOPES for economic recovery have been dented by a double dose of disappointing economic figures. Output from British factories fell unexpectedly in August, sending overall industrial production down 1.1 per cent in its biggest monthly fall for
A WOMAN who who walked her dog more than 100 miles to raise funds for an old folks care home has thanked everyone who helped. Pensioner Hazel Doherty and Molly, a 12-year-old pocket beagle, spent weeks on the walks along derelict railway tracks
STUDENTS at Redcar & Cleveland College are to receive help and guidance from some of the region’s leading creative entrepreneurs thanks to a new partnership with a digital hub. The college has formed a working relationship with DigitalCity
DOZENS of businesses have rallied to the aid of a cash-strapped community radio station. Thirty organisations have signed up to support Barnard Castle-based Radio Teesdale's annual fundraising 'radiothon'. The event, which this year takes place
Durham Citizens Advice Bureau will hold an outreach advice session tomorrow (Thursday, October 10) in Brandon Community Hall between 11am and noon. No appointment is necessary. ROCK NIGHT: Tribute band Thyn Lizzy will be playing at the Big Jug,
AN EXHIBITION combining both ancient and modern glassmaking techniques has opened at the National Glass Centre. Constructions, a solo exhibition by Jeffrey Sarmiento, will be on display at the University of Sunderland’s National Glass Centre until
PUPILS and teachers at a North-East primary school are celebrating after receiving a letter from the Government telling them they were number one in the country. Schools Minister David Law recently wrote to Our Lady Queen of Martyrs RC Primary
POLICE looking for a man who has been missing from his home for several weeks are searching woodland in Darlington. Alan Youngson, pictured below, has not been seen since he went missing from his Darlington home in August. Officers looking
PEOPLE living in the Middlesbrough area are facing changes to their telephone system in an attempt to free up more numbers, Ofcom has announced. From October 1 next year, anyone with a 01642 code will have to dial in the number before making a
RETAILERS at Teesside's biggest shopping park battled it out on the football pitch to raise more than £600 for children’s charity Zoe’s Place. Managers and staff at Teesside Shopping Park, Stockton, held a five-a-side football tournament and 20
A MAN who assaulted a policeman before trying to kick a nurse in the face has been jailed for 18 weeks. David Regan had drunk more than a bottle of vodka and became aggressive and abusive while undergoing treatment at Darlington Memorial Hospital
A SOCIAL club is to be transformed into the bar immortalised in hit TV comedy Benidorm and local people are being urged to join in the fun. Councillor Stephen Akers-Belcher, Hartlepool’s Ceremonial Mayor, aims to re-create the atmosphere of Neptune
ONE question that has always intrigued fight fans was whether Muhammad Ali really was “The Greatest”? Would he, for instance, have defeated Rocky Marciano? Although it’s difficult to compare sportsmen from different eras the fact that both men
I THOROUGHLY enjoyed reading that a new series of Thunderbirds to be made (Echo, Oct 1). I watched the original series in the 1960s and 1970s. My late father took me to the Odeon cinema in Sunderland to watch the film Thunderbirds Are Go in
I WRITE to complain about the poor standard of grass cutting in the Greenways area of Spennymoor. Grass cutting has become less frequent and the standard of work has deteriorated during recent months. I have reported to the council that the
AT last some good news for our local underused airport (Echo, Oct 8). The history of Durham Tees Valley Airport’s (DTVA) parent company, Peel Holdings, is very complicated. Basically, it is one of the largest real estate companies in the UK.
AFTER 20 years of mismanagement, Darlington’s Labour cabinet is cobbling together yet another ten-year plan for our historic town. Introduced nationally, these plans should improve viability and trade, attract customers to shops and businesses
NEWTON Aycliffe Spiritualist Church’s next service will be held at the Agnew Community Centre on Morrison Close, Woodham, near Newton Aycliffe, at 7pm on Monday, October 14. Jackie Breach and Freddie Parks are the confirmed mediums. Refreshments will
YOUNGSTERS from a village school are putting their best feet forward this month. Kirk Merrington Primary School, near Spennymoor, has teamed up with homebuilder Barratt North East to reap the benefits of walking to school throughout October, which
‘Risks still abound, but the time is coming when we can stop looking over our shoulders quite so much’ UP until the US Government partially, but significantly, shut down last week, the past few months had generally been very good for the developed
SHARES in Marks & Spencer suffered another day of losses as concerns grew that its star-studded clothing relaunch is failing to revive the chain. The retailer was down more than three per cent to 463¾after shedding nearly three per cent on
IT’S an old adage that you should be careful what you wish for. This now needs to be directed to an unexpected quarter – Yorkshire’s countryside community, especially in its national parks. If you had to name a section of society noted for level-headedness
For the first time in four years, borrowing on credit cards and personal loans is back on the rise. Vicky Shaw takes a closer look AFTER years of cautious consumer behaviour following the economic downturn, annual household borrowing on credit
PICTURE: Front, from left: Libby Johnson – Darchem/Esterline, welder, final year apprentice completing HNC in mechanical engineering; Joanne Taylor Heerema, structural fabricator, final year apprentice; Jessica Hough – Caterpillar, year one, level
Winning numbers for the Great North Air Ambulance lottery draw for 9th October 2013: £200 N14123 Carlisle; £100 N16247 Cockermouth; £50 N19953 Northallerton; £50 N26678 York; £25 N34986 Cockermouth; £25 N40564 Newcastle; £25 N36956 Frizington; £25
The second phase of the Government’s Help to Buy scheme was unveiled yesterday, giving hope to thousands of first-time buyers and those with little equity in their homes. Hannah Bryan reports FOR many young people, the dream of moving out of their
A MAN has been arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm following a series of early morning raids in Guisborough. The raids came after a gang of armed men attacked a house. Police were called to an address in Warwick Road at around
A TEENAGER’S natural ability with cars has set him on the road to a successful career. Billy Lake was taken on as an apprentice motor vehicle technician after studying at Darlington College, a key partner in Foundation for Jobs, during his school
THE chance to buy shares in Royal Mail closed last night, and for the coalition Government, this could be a defining moment. Gordon Brown was dogged by accusations that he sold Britain’s gold reserves at the bottom of the market; it will be just
ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster will study the looming two rounds of Heineken Cup action intently as he finalises plans for the autumn with the captaincy and midfield among his most pressing issues. Flankers Chris Robshaw and Tom Wood are dueling
A MAJOR revamp of struggling bakery chain Greggs has helped the business stem a sales decline but investors have been told profits will remain under pressure for two years. Chief executive Roger Whiteside said he was encouraged by trading figures
Final Score: Sheffield United 0 Hartlepool United 1 TWO away games, two away victories – things seem to be taking shape for Colin Cooper’s Hartlepool United. Following a comprehensive win at Mansfield at the weekend, Pools last night went to
PHIL JAGIELKA insists Joe Hart has the full support of his England team-mates despite a recent dip in form. For the first time in three years, Hart’s position as England’s number one has come into question after a series of sub-par performances
A TEENAGER is already busy calculating her future career after securing an apprenticeship with a car dealership. Emma Wathey has been taken on by Jennings Motor Group as an apprentice accounts assistant. The 16-year-old, from Billingham, near
Is your contraception choice the best one for you? A survey reveals that many women don’t feel they have enough information, Abi Jackson looks at the options. THERE was a time, somewhere in my mid-teens, when contraception talk was fairly frequent
MINISTERS have been urged to keep a vital rail link in state hands and scrap plans for "rip-off merchants from the private sector" to take control. The nationalised railway company operating the East Coast main line has returned £208m to taxpayers
Ask the expert I’ve found my 12-year-old son watching online porn. I know I should talk to him, but what should I say? ‘APPROPRIATE behaviour towards sex and relationships is vital when young people are beginning to surf the net, and we must
MARATHON man Mark Allison says he expects running across Australia to be his toughest challenge yet. The computer software developer ran 3,100 miles across the US in 2011, earning him the nickname Run Geordie Run. Four years earlier, he had
PARISHIONERS who were left with a bill of thousands of pounds after thieves stripped the lead off their church before Christmas will get help from a celebrated male voice choir at the weekend. The The East Fife Male Voice Choir will perform at
WHEN it comes to Disney, Cinderella can also meet her Prince Charming in real life. The lucky couple are Vicky and James Black, who are living their own fairytale as part of the current Disney On Ice: Dare To Dream visit to the MetroRadio Arena Newcastle
ALTHOUGH he made his TV debut co-presenting a programme about El Alamein with his newsreader dad Peter, Dan Snow, has gone on to be a successful presenter in his own right. This documentary might be his most challenging yet as he heads to the Democratic
KATHRYN MEWES claims to be able to enter any household with a child whose behaviour is proving problematic and turn it around in only three days. As a result, sleepless nights, pulling hair out and untold other miseries are suddenly banished forever
WHAT took you so long? That was my reaction to the story in Tuesday's Northern Echo that bosses at Durham Tees Valley Airport are drawing up a masterplan to safeguard the site. Since BMI pulled its London service passenger numbers have been
ENGLAND Under-21s captain Andre Wisdom still has the backing of manager Gareth Southgate, despite picking up a four-match ban for lashing out in last month’s clash with Finland. The 20-year-old Liverpool defender was sent off in the second half
THIS little piece of theatre for the under sixes just goes to show that there is no such thing as an ordinary granny. Adapted by Carina Rodney from a picture book for children by crime writer Val McDermid, I can assure you that this granny most
TWO men from Middlesbrough, aged 25 and 27, have been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and assault following the death of local man Benji Bolsenbroek. Mr Bolsenbroek died after a large scale disturbance at the Park Hotel on Linthorpe Road
A LEGAL secretary is celebrating more than two decades in the profession with a promotion that will see her work alongside a partner in the North-East’s largest family law firm. Kelly Thornton’s first job after qualifying from Northumberland College
ALAN PARDEW admits some of his Newcastle United youngsters need to go out on loan to get regular playing time, but has revealed the club is struggling to find suitable options that will help enhance their careers. The likes of Haris Vuckic, Gael
TICKETS are available to relive the week that legendary broadcaster David Frost spent at Darlington 40 years ago. Frost, who died earlier this year, made a programme about a week in the life of Quakers in 1973 when they were at the bottom of the
DRESSED smartly in a black suit and sporting a red and white club tie, Gustavo Poyet turned and took his seat in the media suite at the Academy of Light. Smiling, and without the support of his chairman, Ellis Short, he delivered his plans for Sunderland
ANDY NAYLOR from The Brighton Argus gives us the lowdown on new Sunderland head coach Gus Poyet. Poyet v Di Canio It will be an entertaining ride with Gus in charge. What you will get is oodles of charisma and a bit of controversy thrown in
REGULAR worshippers at a much-loved hospital chapel are having to face up to its imminent demolition. The Northern Echo revealed yesterday (Tuesday, October 23) that NHS bosses plan to build a £20m new extension at Darlington Memorial Hospital
NEW Sunderland manager Gustavo Poyet met the players for the first time yesterday and then asked not to be compared to his predecessor, Paolo Di Canio. After two weeks of talks and deliberation, the club's owner Ellis Short handed the South American
THREE trainee solicitors have been taken on at Sintons, as part of its commitment to supporting aspiring legal talent in the region. Matthew Holbrook, Lucy Robson and Rebecca Stapely have secured training contracts at the leading Newcastle firm
LEGAL advice privilege (LAP) is one of the two forms of legal professional privilege (LPP) which entitle clients to refuse to disclose certain confidential communication to other parties such as tribunals and regulatory bodies, writes Catherine McNulty
TODAY'S appointment of Gustavo Poyet as Sunderland's new manager is the fourth key decision in the space of less than a year that has been heavily influenced by director of football Roberto De Fanti. With the club's Premier League status at stake,
BRITISH BOBSLEIGH chief Gary Anderson is confident North-Easterner John Jackson will shake off the effects of a serious Achilles injury to drive GBR 2 at next year's Winter Olympics. Bishop Auckland-born Jackson, who was raised in Barnard Castle
FOUR months from today, the first full day of competition at the Winter Olympics in Sochi will be drawing to a close. With a number of British athletes in the world's top ten for their chosen discipline, it promises to be one of the most successful
A MAN has been charged with theft after nearly £11,000 vanished from a social club’s holiday funds. Police arrested Martin Taylor, 47, of Scott Street, Shildon, after reports the money had disappeared from Shildon Railway Institute's Touring Club
A NORTH-EAST student has beaten international competition to secure an entrepreneurial award. Ali Khalid Alyami, from Newcastle University, was given the overall prize at UK Trade and Investment’s (UKTI) Entrepreneurs’ Festival. He was part
A NORTH-EAST law firm has seen its senior members cited in the world's largest independent legal referral guide. Latimer Hinks, based in Darlington, has been highlighted in Legal 500 for its expertise in corporate and commercial, commercial property
A FORMER perfume counter manager claims he lost his job at a North-East department store amid subconscious racial and gender discrimination. Alex Skye worked at Binns, in Darlington, for nine weeks, during the busy Christmas period between November
THE owner of a steel firm, which employs more than 1,500 North-East workers, could cut jobs at one of its leading chemical plants. Tata Group has revealed plans to close a soda ash factory, putting about 220 jobs at risk. Under the proposals
ONE of the North-East's leading business figures has been given a new honour. Heidi Mottram, OBE, chief executive of Northumbrian Water, has been made a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). The honour is the highest level of
A SUPERMARKET says it will create more than 100 new North-East jobs at a store. Tesco is closing its store in Delves Lane, Consett, County Durham, and opening £2.5m premises on former steelworks land in Genesis Way. The company says it is taking
A FIFTH-GENERATION kitchen designer has supplied equipment to support a military recovery centre. PWS, based in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, has installed four kitchens at Phoenix House, in Catterick, North Yorkshire, which is being run by Help
A CAR maker is working on plans to build another model at its North-East factory, The Northern Echo understands. Nissan, in Sunderland, has hinted it will add to its bustling production line again after starting £125m work on the next generation
LOCAL authority leaders have given a cautious welcome to a rescue plan for Durham Tees Valley Airport (DTVA). Business and regeneration chiefs have also backed Peel Holdings’ apparent commitment to stand by the ailing airport. The Northern
A DRUGS firm could bring a revolutionary wonder vaccine to the North-East. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is working on a malaria treatment to protect children and babies, which could be available by 2015. The company employs more than 1,000 workers
A PLASTICS company says sales have increased after a strong second half to the year. Victrex, which has a plant at Seal Sands, near Billingham, has revealed its full-year results, showing sales 10 per cent ahead of last year. The firm says
A NORTH-EAST firm, whose specialist equipment helps Royal Navy divers sweep the UK coastline for unexploded mines, says it wants to extend its services with the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Haskel Europe makes high pressure pumps and valves and supplies
A LAW firm has ensured patients will get better access to treatment after working on a merger of two North-East GP practices. Ward Hadaway, based in Newcastle, helped Oxford Terrace Medical Group and Rawling Road Medical Centre, both in Gateshead
FROM the golden Halls of Asgard, through the scream-filled corridors of Arkham Asylum via a zombie-infested holiday island and an alternate reality reclaimed by nature - one North-East company does not so much have the world at its feet as numerous
A NORTH-EAST travel company has continued its expansion after acquiring the South's largest independent travel agent. Hays Travel has bought Bath Travel, based in Bournemouth, which employs 360 workers and has annual sales of more than £100m.
A MARINE engineering firm has strengthened its international standing after working with a fellow North-East company on a major offshore energy development. Tekmar Energy, based in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, supplied cable protection for the
A TEENAGER is already calculating her future career after securing an apprenticeship with a car dealership. Emma Wathey has been taken on by Jennings Motor Group as an apprentice accounts assistant. The 16-year-old, from Billingham, near Stockton
LEE STAMP, a director and family business specialist at PwC Newcastle offers readers his expert advice. Question: "I have spent over 20 years working hard to build what is today a very successful business. I feel I have now earned the right to
A UNIVERSITY complex and the redevelopment of a coastal marina have taken top honours at a prestigious awards ceremony. The redevelopment of Durham University’s science site and the rejuvenation of Seaham Harbour Marina shared the top accolade
PROPOSALS to relocate a Post Office branch have been described as a 'monumental change for the village'. If the move goes ahead, the branch in Evenwood, near Bishop Auckland, would move to Kash Retail, in Shirley Terrace, from its current location
A COUNTY DURHAM congregation played host to a group of pilgrims from Canada. The Darlington Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, based at St Osmund's Church, Gainford, welcomed Father Lee Kenyon and eight members of the Personal Ordinariate of
THE number of civil partnerships has crept up across the region – ahead of a review that could see the unions scrapped. Official figures showed that 275 gay and lesbian couples tied the knot last year, a small increase on the 272 who entered into
A STATUE commemorating the team of miners who won the first ever football World Cup will be officially opened this Saturday (October 12). Four years after the statue was first thought of, the monument in the centre of West Auckland in County Durham
A WEEK of fun, forging and frights awaits visitors to a County Durham mining museum during the half-term holiday. Killhope: the North of England Lead Mining Museum is planning a series of events to keep people entertained during the school holiday
WITH devastating floods becoming an increasingly regular occurrence on the English calendar, Duncan Leatherdale meets the County Durham firefighters prepared to travel to help victims of the weather. A FAMILY of four are missing after their boat
A TOWN council is hoping to mobilise an army of artists to help with a festive promotion. Barnard Castle Town Council and the town's Business Guild will be celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas with events and a town trail. To prepare for
THE ambulance service has responded to criticism over response times which are being blamed for suspension of a North-East maternity unit. Deliveries at the midwifery-led unit at Bishop Auckland have been suspended since July after County Durham
PLANTING PLEA: Volunteers are being sought to help plant 10,000 bulbs around the castle walls in Barnard Castle. Community bulb planting days have been arranged for Saturday, November 9, 10.30am-12.30pm and Wednesday, November 13, 1.30pm to 3.30pm.
A FORMER Bishop Auckland landlady has celebrated her 105th birthday surrounding by her family. Evie Mason is a resident of Church View Care Home, in South Church, Bishop Auckland, and recently had one of the rooms Alma’s Lounge named after her
PUPILS from a tiny rural school swapped the classroom for the golf course as a treat for taking part in a special project. Youngsters from Forest of Teesdale Primary, visited 10 other schools to explain what life was like on farms in upper Teesdale
