EASTER at Sage Gateshead was marked by The English Concert under Bernard Labadie performing two contrasting settings of Stabat Mater – a dramatic meditation on the Virgin Mary’s suffering at the foot of the Christ's cross. Vivaldi’s setting, featuring
A 79-YEAR-old woman, who had gone missing with her dog, has been found safe and well. Barbara Dickinson, from Stockton, left the house around 2pm today to walk her Shih Tzu dog, a route that takes around 90 minutes around Norton. Concern was
ANGLERS are being reminded that the coarse fish close season is in operation, as enforcement officers cast their net on illegal fishing. Since the close season began on March 16, Environment Agency (EA) fisheries enforcement officers have caught
A MAN who bought a mobile phone which had been turned into a stun gun to protect his family while holidaying in Turkey has been jailed. Wisdom Andrew Bowers bought the device from a market stall in Turkey in September last year and foolishly decided
A MAN with a passion for fishing has been able to make his hobby a full time job after the coaching business he ran in his spare time was snapped up by a regional country pursuits company. Olly Shepherd, 31, from Felixkirk, near Thirsk, has always
TRADITIONAL Easter parades, events and activities have taken place across the region today (Friday, April 18). The Bishop of Durham joined Good Friday worshippers on their annual Walk of Witness. Bishop Paul Butler took his place in the procession
A GRANT of £10,500 will support sports clubs across Durham and Chester-le-Street. Durham Area Action Partnership (AAP) has given the money to the Durham and Chester-le-Street School Sports Partnership (SSP) to provide Change 4 Life sports clubs
THE GOOD Friday Middleham Stables Open Day was blessed with glorious sunshine which drew in crowds looking for an Easter day out. More than 500 horses in 16 stables were on show for visitors to see, and crowds had already started together in the
Shildon lifted the Durham Challenge Cup for the first time since 1972 when they came from behind to beat Spennymoor 2-1 in a dramatic finale at Central Avenue. Shildon trailed until the last seven minutes, when striker Billy Greulich-Smith scored
Sales of a much-ridiculed high street accessory are booming in the North-East, as the humble wheeled shopping trolley makes its return to our high streets. Emma Sisk reports COMMONLY associated with grannies, wheeled shopping trolleys hit a popularity
A FORMER RAF pilot has pledged to raise £10,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association after his best friend was diagnosed with the disease. Chris Burwell, from Richmond, in North Yorkshire, also former head of operations at Cobhams, at Durham
A LIVE broadcast telling the story of the crucifiction of Jesus Christ has been staged in the North-East. From the seafront of South Shields, the stage was nestled inside a giant installation, the shape of a cross, made from 64 shipping containers
A PLAY set against the backdrop of the First World War will hit Richmond’s Georgian Theatre Royal on Friday, May 2. Mikron Theatre Company has commission Troupers, a story about British entertainment on a downer and actor Lena Ashwell who finds
FIRE chiefs are appealing to local residents to play their part to help win the battle to stop arson. The rallying call comes just days after Cleveland Fire Brigade launched its latest campaign declaring ‘Enough is Enough’ and warning arsonists
COFFEE MORNING: A fundraising coffee morning for Northallerton’s Friarage Hospital MRI scanner appeal will take place on Sunday, May 11 from 10.30am until 12.30pm at Middleton Tyas Village Hall. There will be various stalls, a raffle and tombola
POLICE are trying to trace the owner of motorbike which collided with a car in Hartlepool after the rider left the scene of the incident. The green Kawasaki collided with a red Vauxhall Astra estate on Owton Manor Lane, Hartlepool at about 1.15pm
The Royal Netherlands Navy has returned to the region with the visit of the submarine HNLMS Walrus. The 68m-long submarine will spend four days at the Port of Tyne’s Northumbrian Quay in North Shields, while her 50-strong crew enjoy time in the
A COUPLE celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary said the secret to a happy marriage is to be tolerant of one another – and to be able to laugh together. Malcolm and Margaret Laverick, from Moulton, near Richmond, celebrated 60 years together
MORE than 90 applications have been submitted for a share of £130,000 made available by County Durham’s police and crime commissioner to support community safety initiatives. Local organisations and groups across County Durham and Darlington, particularly
THREE new faces have been welcomed to the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Owen Paterson MP has appointed Julie Martin and Steve Macaré to the authority while Stuart Parsons
COUNCIL officials have insisted that they have no plans to change a much-maligned road junction in Darlington, but have admitted its operation will be reviewed later this year. Darlington Borough Council has said there are no plans to make the
CLOSE harmony group Five Pearls and a Piano is joining forces with members of Reeth Brass Band for a special evening of 1940s and 1950s music and entertainment in aid of the air ambulance charities. The concert will take place in the Buck Hotel
A SINGING group has returned from a trip to Spain where they performed in Barcelona Cathedral, Montserrat Basilica and Sagrada Familia. Northallerton group Sing and Discover went on the trip organised by Linda Metcalfe last month. Ms Metcalfe
A1 CRASH: Six vehicles have been involved in a crash on the A1 northbound carriageway after noon today, between Junction 51 and Marne Barrack, Catterick, around 15 miles from Scotch Corner. North Yorkshire Police said no one had been hurt in the
CHILDREN at a nursery near Darlington have been getting creative to take part in an Easter bonnet making competition. The youngsters at High Bank Nursery in Stapleton were given the task of making the festive headwear ahead of an Easter bonnet
VOLUNTEERS are needed to help maintain a spiritual centre in the countryside. Minsteracres Retreat Centre, near Consett, is looking for people with an interest in the environment to help manage its 110 acre estate of pasture and woodland. Geoff
A1 CRASH: Multiple vehicles have been involved in a crash on the A1 (M) northbound carriageway between Junction 51 at Leeming Bar and Catterick, aT noon today. North Yorkshire Police said the road has not been closed and a clear-up operation is
POLICE WARNING: Young people in Darlington have been warned by police that officers are on the look-out for acts of criminal damage and anti-social behaviour during the school holidays. During the last holiday period a number of incidents where ball
MOTORISTS are being warned to keep their doors locked as they travel after two bag snatches from cars at traffic lights in Middlesbrough. On Wednesday afternoon (April 16) two males carried out a series of offences in the area of Marton Road and
GUIDED WALK: A 4.5mile guided walk will take walkers from Swinithwaite village, near Aysgarth in Wensleydale, through West Witton, along the river Ure and to the three flight waterfall at Redmire. The three-hour walk, on Wednesday, May 7, will
A MASTER prop maker for some of the biggest blockbusters in the last ten years has now been accepted into an elite group of furniture crafters. Craig Narramore, from Northallerton, was snapped up to work on Star Wars Episode 1 straight from his
A LACK of council housing in a Dales market town means that residents who are looking to live in the town are faced with either a long wait or a move ten miles to an area with greater housing stock. One young family, currently living in a bedsit
A SCHOOL in Stanley has received national recognition for students’ achievements at GCSE level. A recent in-depth analysis of official Department for Education data on all state-funded schools in England by SSAT, the national schools’ membership
THE number of young people not in work or education has fallen across the Redcar and Cleveland area after it was criticised by Whitehall for high levels of youth inactivity. The borough council was one of the few local authority areas with more
THE body of a 72 -year-old man from Durham has been recovered from the River Wear. Police were called to Washington at 12.30pm on Thursday following reports of a man in the water. Officers and other emergency services attended at Bonemill Lane
A NORTH-EAST rugby club has been awarded a £50,000 grant to boost its facilities and encourage grassroots participation. Darlington Mowden Park Rugby Club, based at The Northern Echo Arena, has been given £50,000 by Sport England as part of a national
RAMBLERS stepped out with gusto for bracing walks along a newly opened stretch of coastal path in the North-East. Members of six regional Ramblers groups marked the opening by taking to different parts of the pathway linking South Bents, north
A HOTEL chain is seeking a premises licence to bring back a popular live music event for a second year. Ramsides Estates Limited, which owns Hardwick Hall Hotel, near Sedgefield, County Durham, has applied for a two-day licence to stage Hardwick
PREPARATIONS for the wedding of Northern Echo competition winners Julie Bond and Darren Hird are continuing with gusto. Having already chosen the groomswear from Affleck and Moffat menswear in Darlington, the happy couple continued their quest
A DETERMINED fundraiser is not letting a digestive disease stop her from pedaling 300 miles from London to Paris for charity. Gaynor Woodford-Phillips, 46 of Mowden, Darlington, is taking on the challenge to raise money for a charity that helps
A NORTH-EAST novelist, who wrote in the regional romantic style popularised by Catherine Cookson, has died in hospital, aged 77. Benita Brown failed to overcome a recent serious illness, having been admitted to intensive care at Newcastle’s Royal
A MAN who picked up a knife to frighten further attackers after being beaten unconscious on a night out has been given a conditional discharge. Magistrates in Newton Aycliffe heard Steven Paul Whitehead picked up the 10 inch blade after coming
A BAKER has quickly risen in her new quest to become an elite bodybuilder after being challenged by her fiancée. Cassie Miller only took up the sport 13 weeks ago but she has just finished second in a national competition. Ms Miller, 22, from
A PUBLIC meeting has been called to debate benefits and welfare spending. The debate is the second to be staged by Durham Democracy Forum, a new group set up to discuss the big political issues of the day. The meeting will be held in Durham
A JUDGE has cut the sentence on a woman who supplied drugs to a man shortly before his death after admitting it was too high. Leeann Douglass was sentenced to 22 months in jail at Teesside Crown Court after admitting several charges including possessing
A DINNER to celebrate a hotel’s 50th anniversary has raised more than £5,000 for a hospice. The money was raised for St Cuthbert’s Hospice, Durham, at the end of a formal dinner held at Ramside Hall Hotel, near the city, to celebrate its 50 years
ASPIRING family historians can get tips on researching their ancestors. Durham County Record Office is running four family history courses during May and June. Dawn Layland, an education and outreach activist, said: “This is a really good chance
AN ENGLAND rugby legend forged a friendship with a North-East club when he visited the region to launch a clothing line. Phil Vickery, who has 73 England caps and five for the British and Irish Lions, visited Darlington’s House of Fraser to officially
A MAN died as a result of drug abuse just a day after being released from prison, an inquest heard. Peter Roland McNally had been released from Durham Prison on Tuesday, February 11 after serving four months in custody for dishonesty offences.
A RETIRED RAF engineer has been awarded his MBE at Buckingham Palace. Warrant Officer (WO) Barry McEvoy, of Middleton St George, was recognised for his work setting up 14th Squadron at RAF Waddington, in Lincolnshire. The squadron was given
A TABLE tennis club that has introduced more than 400 children to the sport has encouraged more people to take up a paddle . Since it was founded in May last year the Darlington Table Tennis Academy (DTTA) has worked with schools across the Darlington
WORKERS more used to finding homes for people will be spending the night on the streets to raise money for the homeless. Five members of staff at Hunters Estate Agency are set to take part in the Big Tees Sleepout in the fight against local poverty
CHILDREN in Durham City have been taking part in an Easter egg hunt. Prince Bishops Shopping Centre staged the sweet spring fun in the mall and will be doing it again tomorrow (Easter Saturday, April 19) in the Bishops’ Quarter. Cut-out eggs
PLANS are underway to prepare for pop superstars One Direction when they visit the region next month. The boy band kicks off the UK leg of their Where We Are tour at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland on May 28. The gig, which is set to be
THE DEADLINE to enter Stockton Duathlon Festival is just around the bend. More than 800 people have already entered the run-cycle-run race, which takes place on Sunday, April 27 but there’s still time to join in the fun. There are three distances
A LEADER of a council has sought to “set the record straight” about myths surrounding the plan to replace Yarm’s cobbles. Stockton Borough Council is investing £500,000 in Yarm High Street, including replacing the cobbles around the town hall.
A MAN who lashed out at his father’s fence after arguing with his stepmother over his future has been given a conditional discharge. Andrew Gray admitted using threatening behaviour when he appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court. Prosecutor
COLIN COOPER believes his players can lift Hartlepool United away from relegation danger over Easter so he can press ahead with plans for next season. Cooper is keen to have any lingering threat of dropping in to the Conference Premier extinguished
ALAN PARDEW maintains there is still a “good chance” of Loic Remy making a permanent move to Newcastle United this summer. Remy's loan deal from QPR is due to expire at the end of the season, with a number of Europe's leading clubs having expressed
SUNDERLAND'S players continue to believe they can pull off an unlikely Premier League survival bid, with striker Connor Wickham insisting: “We are fighters, not losers.” Wednesday's concession of an 89th-minute equaliser to Manchester City dealt
AITOR KARANKA thinks Kenneth Omeruo can be a Premier League star of the future, but the Middlesbrough boss is determined to have the Chelsea youngster back at the Riverside next season regardless of the division. Omeruo will replace the suspended
A GROUP of North East mothers are organising a rallying cry for the NHS following in the footsteps of the historic Jarrow March. The People’s March, which already has more than 500 participants signed up, will cover about 300-miles from Jarrow
A HOUSEBUILDER says it is creating North-East jobs to meet rising buyer demand. Persimmon wants site engineers and managers, designers and quantity surveyors to capitalise on increased sales. The York-based company, which is one of the UK's
IN an Easter message, the Very Reverend Michael Sadgrove, the Dean of Durham, argues the season is one of change, but hope and expectation. GOOD Friday means a death. Easter means a resurrection. The death and resurrection of Jesus are the very
RESIDENTS are gearing up for a County Hall showdown with developers who want to build £20m-worth of student digs on their doorstep. Families living on Sheraton Park, in Neville's Cross, Durham City, hope to thwart Alumno Developments' plans to
CHURCHES and residents joined together for an annual Good Friday Walk of Witness through two villages. The procession from Toft Hill to Low Etherley, near Bishop Auckland, was led by the Rev Richard Deimel. Prayers were offered at various locations
A NEW banner to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the miners' strike will also be a potent symbol of the struggles facing today's workers and those seeking employment, according to union officials. The Durham Miners' Association (DMA), the union
A FISH and chip shop was damaged by fire shortly before opening for business on what is traditionally one of the busiest days of the year. K Singh was getting ready to welcome Good Friday customers to Fry Time, in High Street, West Cornforth, County
BOOT SALE: A car boot sale will be held on Easter Monday at St John's Chapel Recreation Ground. It starts at 8am and costs £5 per car for sellers with 50p admission for buyers. Proceeds will go to recreation ground funds. TASTY TREAT: Witton Park
SUMMER FUN: Town councillors in Barnard Castle will meet on Wednesday, April 23, to discuss a programme of summer entertainment. Seven events, ranging from brass band music to a medieval Day are being proposed. ANNUAL MEETING: The annual general
A CHOIR will remember the First World War at its spring concert. The Gainford Singers will perform In Memoriam at St Mary's Church, in the village, on Sunday, April 27. The performance will feature John Rutter’s Requiem, a work the composer
VILLAGE groups are joining together in a bid to secure lottery cash for the renovation of a war memorial. Middleton-in-Teesdale Parish Council and Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services (Utass) are leading the project, which will also involve
A UNIQUE evening's entertainment of live painting and music will take place at Durham Cathedral. The Animotion Show will feature Russian-born Teesdale-based artist Maria Rud, who will create artwork inspired by a range of musicians including percussionist
PARISH councillors have decided against challenging a County Durham estate over ownership of a village green. Members of Middleton-in-Teesdale Parish Council were told they could have a claim to the village green after the Raby Estate contacted
A REJUVENATED tourism group is hoping a new series of walks will attract more visitors to rural County Durham. The Teesdale Challenge Walks all start and finish in Middleton-in-Teesdale. They have been devised by the Upper Teesdale Tourism
