THEATRE bosses have apologised and offered free return tickets after technical problems twice interrupted a flagship production last night (Tuesday, May 13).Hundreds were gathered at the Sunderland Empire theatre for Tuesday night’s performance
AS detectives continued to question a man suspected of murdering her daughter, Joan Lawrence was doing her best to block out her "living nightmare" and carry on as normally as possible. "If I think too much about what's happening, I'll go insane
EVERYONE attending Middlesbrough Council AGM was evicted from the meeting tonight after a member of the public refused to stop filming proceedings. Councillor Bob Kerr, who had only been appointed council chairman five minutes earlier, evicted
A MAN arrested on suspicion of murdering Claudia Lawrence has tonight been released on police bail. Michael Snelling, 59, from York, was questioned by detectives after being arrested yesterday (Tuesday, May 13) on Tyneside at a home believed to
MILITARY firefighters were unable to save two sleeping soldiers whose tent at Camp Bastion had been engulfed by flames, an inquest heard today (Wednesday, May 14). Privates Dean Hutchinson, 23, from Spennymoor, County Durham, and Rob Wood, 28,
AN 11-YEAR-OLD boy who climbed Roseberry Topping as a tribute to his late step-grandfather has made a return trip to clean up graffiti blighting a landmark on the famous hill.Josh Heslop, of Ingleby Barwick was featured The Northern Echo last month after
A PENSIONER who touched a female bus passenger’s thigh and asked her to come home with him has been convicted of sexual assault.David Rivers said he would buy the young woman a drink and a portion of fish and chips if she went back to his home,
STEPHEN Sutton was an extraordinary young man who packed more into his 19 years than many people achieve in lifetimes which last far longer. When he was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer aged 15, he was determined to make most of the time he
NEWCASTLE UNITED’s board have confirmed Alan Pardew will still be the club’s manager next season, and reaffirmed their view that a prolonged cup run could potentially damage their primary ambition of remaining in the Premier League. Pardew’s position
A PETITION has handed in at the House of Commons against a raft of proposed health cuts in part of the North-East. Tom Blenkinsop, the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP, delivered the 700-strong protest against plans that he says will hit
A MAN arrested on suspicion of the murder of missing York chef Claudia Lawrence has been released on bail tonight. Michael Snelling, 59, was arrested by officers yesterday morning. A spokesman for the force said: "North Yorkshire Police have
THE UK's first fully digital bank has made further appointments to its new team.Atom, which is being set up in the North-East, has welcomed David McCarthy as chief financial officer.Craig Iley has been appointed managing director of business banking
A CHEF who struggled with depression and alcohol problems was found dead under a bush after going missing three days earlier.Stephen Finley had battled with his health problems for several years, Teesside Coroner's Court heard today (Wednesday, May
A MAN who denies repeatedly raping a young woman while his wife was out of the country was today (Wednesday, May 14) accused of inventing “a pack of lies” in his defence. Hassan Akhtar, 37, denies four counts of rape and one of attempted rape of
COUNCIL chiefs are planning to showcase the range and diversity of businesses in the area and celebrate their achievements.Hambleton District Council is to hold its first-ever business awards in July as part of its “Business Friendly – going
A STUDENT remains missing, nearly 96 hours after he was last seen. Police continued their painstaking search for clues which might help them trace Luke Pearce today (Wednesday, May 14), scouring the River Wear in Durham City and surrounding riverbanks
A FARMER who admitted illegally burning waste on his land has been ordered to pay more than £3,500 in fines and costs.Environment Agency investigators responding to reports of large amounts of black smoke emanating from the farm owned by Stephen
POLICE are appealing for information about a missing 26-year-old woman from Middlesbrough. Rebecca Marie Rouse from the town's Dorothy Street was last seen on April 24 around the Gresham area of Middlesbrough on Parliament Road. She is described
A UNIQUE science exhibition which has been described as potentially life-changing opens in the North-East this weekend. The Centre for Life in Newcastle is hosting the world-famous Body Worlds exhibition developed by Gunther von Hagens, the scientist
VANDALS who caused £4,000 worth of damage to power cables have been warned they are risking lives.Durham Police issued the warning following reports of assailants attacking overhead power cables in Crook and Willington, in County Durham.Officers
POLICE are searching for a man wanted in connection with a burglary in a rural village.Officers were called to a house in Cotherstone, County Durham, yesterday (Tuesday), just before 11am, following reports of a burglary.Several rings were taken from
A STEEL firm says it is emerging from the recession after cutting losses and increasing production.Tata Steel, which employs 1,500 North-East workers, says European losses for the year to March 31 fell to £16m from £283m.Bosses say the improvement
A ROAD was closed as a precaution after a fire broke out at a chemical plant in the early hours of the morning (Wednesday, May 14).A small fire involving a number of drums on the Vertellus Specialities plant started at about 3.15am and the road was closed
TWO Royal visitors will be adding to the atmosphere at the country‘s biggest agricultural show this year.The Princess Royal and the Countess of Wessex will be among the 135,000 people expected to attend the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate between
AN academic from the North-East has won the National Award for Excellence in Teaching Sociology for her innovative approach.Dr Carol Stephenson, programme director and principal lecturer in sociology at Northumbria University, was presented with the
EIGHT secondary schools from across the North of England had the chance to show off their nifty footwork in the inaugural Northern Education Trust Schools' Football Cup.Hartlepool's Dyke House Sports and Technology College organised the gathering
A PARCEL Force worker has been ordered to pay back more than £13,000 he made from stealing and selling his employer's old equipment. Desmond Seaman stole 101 handheld computers and finger scanners stored in a Middlesbrough depot. He sold them
A DEPRESSED man threatened his neighbour with a fake gun and said he would blow her house up to provoke police into shooting him dead, a court heard.Cleveland Police firearms officers showed "great skill" to end the stand-off without killing
STUDENTS Saffie Heselton and Bethan Lynas have given their stamp of approval to a new Government campaign to get more females studying and working in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).The teenagers are the only girls studying engineering
TEAMS will don fancy dress and take to the water for a charity raft race next month.Up to 24 rafts, each manned by up to six crew members, will race along a 300m-long course on the River Wear in Durham City on Saturday, June 7, in this year’s Durham
A SURPRISE proposal had a happy ending when a couple returned to the scene of their first date at Thirsk Racecourse after more than 20 years.Middlesbrough couple Paul Emerson and Sheila Collins went their separate ways after meeting 20 years ago but reignited
A BARBER with a passion for sport is staging a football tournament next month to help fund livesaving treatment for a North-East toddler. James Willcock, of the Sportsman Barber Shop in Fishburn, County Durham, hopes to raise hundreds of pounds
A NEW plaque has been unveiled to celebrate a coastal village’s historical links to the iron and steel industry using an original template from 1974.The Skinningrove Centenary Plaque was designed by the iron and steel works’ chief pattern
THE FAMILIES of three kayakers found dead in a river after they got into difficulty have released photographs of their loved ones. Brothers Darren and Mark Thorpe and their cousin Gavin Bradley failed to return home on Sunday after a day out on the River
ROBIN Hood swung into action to save the day by escorting pupils to school to promote healthy lifestyles.Youngster Beth Caygill, seven, of Timothy Hackworth Primary School in Shildon secured the chance for her and her friends to be accompanied by the
A CRACKDOWN on underage drinkers in Darlington parks resulted in dozens of bottles of alcohol being seized and four youths taken in by police.The Staysafe Operation involved the police, Darlington Borough Council staff and addiction support service NECA
PAUL Collingwood provided the swash this afternoon while Kumar Sangakkara continued to provide the buckle in reaching 159. Collingwood’s 74 off 78 balls propelled Durham towards maximum batting points, which had looked unlikely when the new ball
EMOTIONS ran high at a public event showcasing proposals for the future use of St Laurence’s Church in Middleton St George.The church was officially closed in 2012 under controversial circumstances as some residents believed the Church Commissioners
COUNCILLORS have backed proposals to give a car dealership a major facelift.Durham County Council has granted Bristol Street Motors planning permission to demolish their current showroom and some offices on Carrville High Street, Durham City, and develop
BRITAIN’S best anglers will be landing in the North-East this weekend for a national fishing contest.About 120 trout anglers from England and Wales will compete at the Derwent Reservoir in County Durham on Saturday (May 17) in the Water Industry
A CONTROVERSIAL pub’s successful application to start selling alcohol from 9am has been condemned by a councillor. The PoundPub in Stockton had originally applied to Stockton Borough Council to start selling alcohol at 8am and Cleveland Police
RESIDENTS are being urged to have their say on revised plans for thousands of new homes in Darlington. Last summer, Darlington Borough Council received hundreds of responses to a consultation on its Making and Growing Places development plan, which
The Durham City branch of Newcastle Building Society (NBS) staged a raffle in aid of Durham Hospital Radio, raising £487, marking the start of 12 months of fundraising for the station under the firm’s Cornerstone in the Community initiative
A POPULAR family fun day returns to the Durham Heritage Coast this weekend. Low Tide Day at Seaham Hall beach and car park, in Seaham, includes a range of free games and activities, including the chance to tell local stories and memories in exchange for
WORKERS who fear for their futures under a possible privatisation began a 48-hour strike today (Wednesday, May 14).Staff at the Land Registry office in Durham City are among thousands of Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) members employed by the
THE football season may be over but Sunderland’s Stadium of Light is a hive of activity.Concert promoters and hundreds of set-up crew have started preparing the stadium for the first of its two summer concerts, featuring boy band One Direction,
A CHARITY bike race named after a sweet treat exclusive to a famous Yorkshire tearoom takes place on Sunday.Staff from Bettys Tea Rooms and Taylors of Harrogate, a family business, will be channelling their inner Tour de France cyclist at the 11th annual
A VETERAN soldier who tore knee ligaments while serving in Iraq is aiming to complete two long-distance triathlon, thanks to a Help for Heroes recovery centre and an anti-gravity treadmill.Paul Fee, 28, finds it harder to run outside after having several
THREE generations of a family have completed a 10k run to raise funds to build a medical centre in a remote area of Nepal.Retired animal medicines blender Ken Tiffany said he had been inspired to help build the centre in the Himalayan village of Syangja
SEVEN role models have been selected to lead and represent the student body at their school.Ripon Grammar School has appointed its head boy and head girl and their five deputies who will take office in June and serve for 12 months.Sixth formers Nicholas
BRAINPOWER will be harnessed in a bid to help the Samaritans this month.Teams will be pitted against each other at the charity’s annual Big Fat Lots of Fun Quiz, taking place in Darlington on Wednesday, May 28.The Northern Echo’s editor, Peter
PLANS to build 49 homes as part of a scheme to rejuvenate a south Durham village have been given a cautious welcome by residents.Initial Group wants to develop a four acre site in Kirk Merrington, near Spennymoor, with two, three and four bedroom properties.The
KUMAR Sangakkara is closing in on the inevitable century, but a scoring rate of three an over is going to leave Durham short of maximum batting points at Hove. They were 238 for four from 79 overs at lunch and on a perfect day for batting Sangakkara
AN offshore contractor says it has created 300 new jobs to increase work on a major project.Heerema Fabrication Group, in Hartlepool, says it need workers to build platforms for the North Sea's Cygnus gas field.The company has worked on a 1,640-tonne
A FIFTY-YEAR-OLD autographed photograph of The Rolling Stones is expected to sell for hundreds of pounds when it comes under the hammer tomorrow (Thursday, May 15). The five members of the band are pictured sitting on the grass in Finsbury Park
A GROUP of charitable college students have stepped in to help a landlady replace her broken furniture after it was trashed by football fans. Kate Umpleby was left devastated after a group of Cardiff City fans trashed her pub - The Foresters Arms
A WORLD-LEADING thinker will speak in the region next week.Political theorist and activist Noam Chomsky will discuss whether humanity can survive the 21st century without a major setback when he delivers a lecture at Durham University on Thursday, May
FOUR community groups can progress with projects thanks to funding from their county councillor. Bishop Auckland county councillor Sam Zair has presented cheques totalling £1,050 to Bishop Auckland Table Tennis Club, Wear Valley Sunday League, Room
INSPIRATIONAL cancer charity fundraiser Stephen Sutton, 19, died peacefully in his sleep this morning, his mother said on his Facebook page today. The teenager was diagnosed with bowel cancer when he was 15. Despite treatment, his tumours spread
A RESCUE and rehabilitation centre for wild animals is appealing for donations to create a new treatment room and fund an ambulance following a surge in the number of casualties.The Wildlife Haven, which is run by mother and daughter Krista and Lauren
AN all-female American folk trio will perform in the region this weekend.Harpeth Rising comprises Rebecca Reed-Lunn on banjo and vocals, Jordana Greenberg, on violin and vocals and Maria di Meglio on cello and vocals.The Nashville-based group, which formed
THEY are not big or clever but four letter words can still be headline grabbers. I’m not even sure the word a*** qualifies as a proper swear word, but the fact that I’ve had to use asterisks to replace rse suggests that it still has the power to
PEOPLE have the chance to find out about new careers at a jobs event. The Newcastle City Jobs Fair takes place tomorrow, with 3,000 expected to attend. The day will feature a Dragons’ Den-style interview panel, with employers including Primark
NORTH-EAST businesses with growth plans are being invited to an event at Nissan’s Sunderland plant to find out how to drive ambitions forward and take advantage of improvements in the economy. Putting Employers in the Driving Seat is being organised
AN award-winning community pub is seeking new managers.The George and Dragon, in Hudswell, near Richmond, is looking for tenants to replace Margaret and Jackie Stubbs, who are leaving after four years due to ill health.Paul Cullen, chairman of the Hudswell
MORE than 3,000 young people have now benefitted from Foundation for Jobs since the initiative to tackle rising youth unemployment was launched just over two years ago.They include 274 new apprentices, 2,531 school age pupils building closer links with
NO frills airline Easyjet has reported a narrowing of half-year losses, helped by a record number of business passengers and tight control on costs.The budget carrier reported a total of 27.6 million passengers in the six months to the end of March, a
EXITING the European Union would be a “disaster” for British jobs and business, said Sir Richard Branson, who hopes people will see the sense of staying at the heart of the world's largest borderless single market. Ahead of next week&
SCHOOL pupils should refer to teaching staff by their first names rather than sexist titles such as "sir" and "miss", academics have said. Senior education experts say the latter has connotations which make them appear less capable than their male
A CASTLE-BASED creative and digital agency is celebrating an incredible first year in business after winning prestigious national and international contracts.Curious12, which has offices at Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland was set up by directors Richard
IF Sir Richard Branson takes control of the East Coast train line his long term aim is to revive ambitious plans for a new high speed line. Ministers have promised passengers more frequent and faster trains when the franchise is awarded for the
A CAPACITY audience at Durham Cathedral enjoyed a moving celebration of the region’s cultural heritage, captured in the works of two local composers. The Durham Choral Society and Orchestra, under the baton of Michael Summers, opened with the keenly-anticipated
THE number of people in work now stands at a record high, fuelled by increased self-employment.More than 30.4 million people are now working, the highest since records began in 1971.Self-employment has reached 4.5 million, figures from the Office for
COUNTY DURHAM’S Anne-Marie Perry claimed two dressage podium places at the Addington Manor Premier League show in Buckinghamshire.Perry, who is based near Hartlepool and was on the standby list for the British dressage team at the 2012 Olympics
Yorkshire win by an innings and 155 runs YORKSHIRE signed off from Championship duties to send a powerful warning to other counties with a comprehensive innings victory over Warwickshire at Headingley inside three days. Their innings and 155
FORMER England forwards specialist John Wells will step up to the role of head coach with club Newcastle Falcons next season. The Falcons have confirmed their coaching staff, which also sees a new role for ex-Newcastle flyhalf Dave Walder.
SAEED BIN SUROOR has warned True Story will only line up in tomorrow’s Betfred Dante Stakes at York if the ground dries up. With the going on the Knavesmire soft after a weekend of heavy rain, the participation of the Investec Derby second-favourite
NEWCASTLE FALCONS have signed Italian second row Josh Furno from French Top 14 side Biarritz Olympique. Furno is Dean Richards’ ninth summer signing as Falcons’ director of rugby looks to extensively remodel a squad that scrambled to Aviva Premiership
ENGLAND have welcomed Michael Carberry back into the fold as “life moves on” for both parties, despite the opener’s outspoken remarks about his previous omission. Carberry was never left out of a one-day international squad, merely not selected
WHEN Kumar Sangakkara said he wanted to play two games for Durham in order to acclimatise he obviously didn’t expect the monsoonlike rain to which he is accustomed in Sri Lanka. It took only 40 minutes of torrential rain at lunchtime on the second
MANCHESTER United’s Adnan Januzaj has been included in Belgium’s World Cup squad. The 19-year-old is yet to play for the country of his birth after only committing himself to the nation last month. But boss Marc Wilmots has included the attacker
ROY KEANE has read the riot act on Manchester United defenders Phil Jones and Chris Smalling, insisting the pair have “gone backwards” and need to buck up their ideas if they are ever to succeed at Old Trafford. Jones, 22, and Smalling, 24,
PORNOGRAPHY. It’s a topic that would certainly leave Outnumbered’s Pete and Sue Brockman a little flustered, should any of their on-screen offspring bring it up, but Tyger Drew-Honey, who plays their eldest child Jake in the hit show, is completely
LITTLE Mix are embarking on their biggest UK tour to date. The tour sees them headlining at some of the UK’s biggest arenas and includes a welcome return to the North-East at the weekend for South Shields-born Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirwall.
Episodes (BBC2, 10pm) MATT LeBlanc loves Britain. He said so recently in an interview on The One Show. Is it because of the culture, the history, the sights and sounds, or the overwhelming pleasantness of the locals? None of the above, apparently
REBECCA Craft, 23, from Sunderland, loves haggling. Her most recent triumph was when purchasing my acoustic guitar from a music store in Newcastle. “I haggled for nearly half an hour asking firstly to see the manager to negotiate price as the
A LITERARY flavour to the column today. Since last autumn I have been reading, for the first time in about 50 years, Anthony Trollope’s Barchester Towers. A few pages each night, though it’s difficult deciding where to stop. HughWalpole, a 20th
NOW that my beloved Manchester City have won the Premiership title again, I would like to tell Ian Butler that I’m overjoyed with my club’s “meagre success” (HAS, Apr 28). Some bitter people like to point out that City and Chelsea splash the cash
WHATEVER happened to the notion that an Englishman’s home is his castle? Not only is our privacy continually compromised by a constant barrage of nuisance phone calls we now find, at least in the Etherley area, that we are to be subjected to uninvited
AS part of Christian Aid week Northern Echo reporter Graeme Hetherington went to Colombia to speak to people affected by a decades' long civil war. The Ruiz family told him about their horrific ordeal.MANUEL Ruiz and his 15-year-old son Samir were
I RECENTLY moved into a new house and, as I needed the internet, I decided to contact the local supplier which is always advertising that it “will do you proud”. So off I went to the local library and subscribed for telephone and internet. The
DAVID CAMERON is my hero for saying Gary Barlow is a national treasure and should keep his OBE (Echo, May 13). Gary Barlow has, for many years, given pleasure to millions with his music. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a great fan of his it but I admire
I HAVE just received my final water bill for a property that has been unoccupied for two years awaiting a buyer. The bill was £45.08 which represented a standing charge — all for no water or sewerage use. Northumbrian Water must use the same
I READ in The Northern Echo that cat owners would like more protection for their pets (Echo, May 12), especially from dogs. Can I make a plea for more protection for birds from cats? Fat, overfed cats, thrown out of their houses by inconsiderate
Next time you transfer cash into someone else’s bank account, make sure you check the details SO, you’ve gone online and transferred some cash to a friend to settle a debt. But a while later, that friend says they never received the money.
THIS is how the EU works: a group of committee lads run a local golf club and, along with dedicated members, nurture the course and surrounding countryside. They all contribute financially and physically to the tasks that need performing. The rules
A FORMER art deco cinema is to accommodate one of the region’s largest soft play facilities - together with a theatre and restaurant. The Majestic, an iconic 1930s building in Darlington will reopen this summer following an extensive refurbishment
LOIC REMY was rewarded for an impressive season at Newcastle United with a World Cup call-up last night – which is also likely to signal the end of his St James’ Park stay. Remy saw off the challenge of his closest rival Alexandre Lazcette to claim
COLIN COOPER is keen to show Hartlepool United’s top performing players how much he wants to keep them by handing out improved contracts over the summer. After releasing higher earners such as Andy Monkhouse and Simon Walton – along with younger
RIPON diver Jack Laugher maintained his fine recent run of form when he claimed his first senior international medals at last week's Diving World Series event in Moscow. Laugher picked up bronze medals in both the 3m individual springboard and
HE has sampled the bright lights of London, and competed and trained in some of the best venues in the world, but for Olympic long jumper Chris Tomlinson, there is no place like home. Having spent the best part of a decade living in the capital
LUNG cancer victims have been betrayed by a cynical Government deal with insurance companies, a parliamentary inquiry was told today yesterday (May 13).Leading solicitors condemned a shake-up that will allow lawyers to swipe up to 25 per cent of damages
GUSTAVO POYET has ignored speculation about his future by instructing Sunderland to thrash out a permanent deal for Argentine defender Santiago Vergini. West Ham United are understood to have placed Poyet high on on a list of possible contenders
AITOR KARANKA is considering Middlesbrough’s transfer options in the Football League in the hope of building a promotion winning side for next season. After suggesting to chairman Steve Gibson and the club’s recruitment team that the foreign market
IF we were to equate the recent performance of the investment universe to the recently completed football season, what comparisons could be drawn?The domestic champions are AB Foods, who lead the FTSE100 since the season began. In stark contrast to big-spending
A DECISION to ban market stalls from a revamped town centre has been branded a “death wish” by traders and shoppers. Stallholders at Newton Aycliffe’s weekly market were given one months notice of its impending closure after town centre owners,
IF we were to equate the recent performance of the investment universe to the recently completed football season, what comparisons could be drawn?The domestic champions are AB Foods who lead the FTSE100 since the season began.In stark contrast to big-spending
A LAW firm hopes to raise thousands of pounds for charity at a sell-out event.Latimer Hinks' Eighth Charity Ball, supported by HSBC, takes place on Friday, June 6, at Wynyard Hall, near Sedgefield, County Durham.St Teresa’s Hospice and the County
AN industrial face mask maker is working with schools to get more girls studying core subjects.3M, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, has signed up to the Government's Your Life campaign, which aims to increase focus on science, technology, engineering
A MINING company has rewarded an apprentice for his hard work.Cleveland Potash, based at Boulby, east Cleveland, gave 17-year-old Sam Slater a watch after he was named apprentice of the year and electrical learner of the year.The teenager, from Brotton
IT is a true reflection of the old meeting the new. Symbolic of the past, a revered wooden lift occupies a small corner of the factory. Its intricate metalwork and signage a celebration of manufacturing's past. Just feet away though, its
A PLANNING consultancy has made a number of new appointments.Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners (NLP) has welcomed eight staff to its Newcastle office.Bosses say the move means it now employs 40 workers in the region.The appointments include associate directors
A FIRM has received a specialist quality accreditation from the Law Society.Hunton and Garget, in Richmond, North Yorkshire, achieved the award under the Law Society’s wills and inheritance quality scheme.Bosses say the company is the first law
MILLIONS of people mis-sold cover for bank and credit cards will receive claims reminders in a £1.3bn compensation scheme.CPP, based in York, is repaying up to seven million customers after the Financial Services Authority found it guilty of providing
A £250M North-East refinery has spearheaded a bioethanol firm's record sales.CropEnergies AG says the revived Ensus plant, in Wilton, near Redcar, has been pivotal to increased production.Bosses say the factory, which was previously mothballed
A CAR dealership is driving forward its success in the classic vehicle market.Acklam Car Centre, near Middlesbrough, says it has seen increased numbers of motorists look to vintage motors as a future investment.The family-owned firm attracts interest
A COMPANY bringing clothes-making back to the North-East will start production in days, The Northern Echo can confirm.The AMA Group, in Peterlee, east Durham, will make garments for designer brands, high street retailers and supermarkets.Bosses say the
WARD Hadaway has won a place on a national panel to provide advice on property issues in the NHS. After a fiercely contested competition, Ward Hadaway has been chosen to advise on property issues for NHS Property Services, a company set up by the
