LAURA WEIGHTMAN announced her arrival at the top table of world athletics in style this evening as she claimed a superb Commonwealth Games silver medal in the final of the 1,500m. On a landmark night for the North-East that also saw Shildon’s Kate
I have been fortunate in being able to spend last week's soaring temperatures fanned by sea breezes amongst Scotland's sea lochs. Anchoring close to shore, all was quiet and peaceful; even the most noisy of tourist had been overwhelmed into a languid
AFTER running 10km every day for 100 days, Kenny Reader knew exactly what to do with his trainers. "They're going straight in the river," he said. Doing so marked the end of a challenge the Durham City rugby player set himself in honour of
POLICE have detained three people after a man found wandering the streets in a disoriented state died. At 1.40pm today, (Tuesday July 29,) Northumbria Police received a report expressing concern for an 18-year-old man in Pinewood Close in Newcastle
SHILDON'S Kate Avery claimed an excellent fourth-place finish as she made her major championships debut in the 10,000m final at the Commonwealth Games. Avery, who is a former junior winner at The Northern Echo's Local Heroes awards, was only called
THE Middlesbrough connection at Hartlepool United is tested on Wednesday night with the sides meeting in a Victoria Park friendly. Pools boss Colin Cooper has ex-Riverside team-mates Matthew Bates and Stuart Parnaby in his side and he’s now assisted
Full-time: Sunderland 1 Recreativo de Huelva 0 GUSTAVO POYET would have preferred to have given more of his first team players a decent run out in Portugal when this week’s three fixtures in Albufeira were arranged earlier this year. Instead
AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson will be turning up the decibels when he pays a visit to Croft Circuit near Darlington this weekend (August 2/3).Born up the road in Gateshead, the man famous for such rock anthems as ‘Highway to Hell’, ‘Back
THE majority of Sunderland’s first team will not figure against Recreativo Huelva as Gustavo Poyet’s gives a number of young guns a chance to shine. Poyet is likely to give the likes of Vito Mannone, Valentin Roberge and Liam Bridcutt a run out
AN application to open a large opencast mine has been refused amid fears about its impact on the region’s tourist industry. UK Coal Surface Mines Ltd was seeking permission for a 123-hectare opencast, straddling the border between County Durham
A 43-YEAR-old woman was airlifted to hospital after she went missing for five hours after falling from her horse on the North York Moors.The woman, who has not been named, is in a critical condition with serious spinal injuries. She was taken by the Great
A SUPERFIT grandmother has been recognised for her dedication to keep fit classes as she celebrated her 90th birthday. Mary Slater has been a regular user of the Dolphin Centre in Darlington since it first opened in 1982. The grandmother-of-two
A POP-up exhibition dedicated to the soldiers of the Durham Light Infantry who served in WW1 has opened to mark the conflict’s centenary. Community Service Volunteers (CSV) created the free exhibition, in the main library at Chester-le-Street,
GOVERNORS are being sought for a cathedral.Durham Cathedral is seeking two volunteers to become lay members of its governing chapter, to work alongside five residentiary canons and the chapter clerk.They will help set the cathedral’s budget and
THE North Yorkshire MP tasked with looking into fracking has expressed concerns about the controversial method – saying the country need a national debate on its future energy supplies. This week the government opened its bidding process for shale
THREE tonnes of rubbish dumped in a disabled parking spot at one of the region's most famous parks have been left for nearly three weeks.Campaigners say the rubble, believed to be roofing, was dumped by a 7.5 tonne truck at Albert Park, in the centre
POLICE are poring over CCTV footage to work out how a man came to be run over by a bus on a busy high street. The 62-year-old pedestrian, who has not been named but is from Hetton-le-Hole, Wearside, was knocked down as he crossed North Road near
PLANS for an eight-storey block of student apartments, which opponents said would be the tallest building in Durham other than its famous cathedral, have been rejected.Developers Peveril Securities had applied for planning permission to create privately-run
THE winners of a children’s photography competition have been chosen.Judges picked four winners for the This Is My Durham contest at Durham Town Hall today (Tuesday, July 29).Children aged 16 and under were invited to send in a photo they had taken
A RECORD number of entries were attracted to this year’s Ryedale Show, with more competitors drawn from further afield than ever before. The 148th Ryedale Show, held at Welburn Park, near Kirkbymoorside enjoyed near perfect weather conditions today
RENOWNED organists from around the world will arrive in Durham tomorrow (Wednesday, July 30) as part of the annual congress of the Incorporated Association of Organists (IAO). As part of their visit to the city, the delegates will be attending a special
ONE of Yorkshire’s most prominent chefs will be playing a key role in one of the region’s highest-profile food award schemes this year. Multi-award winning Stephanie Moon will be presenting the trophies to the winners of the Flavours of Herriot
ORGANISERS of the Weardale Railway’s popular Polar Express ride have already sold more than 6,000 tickets since they went on sale recently.The heritage railway’s ride is based on the Warner Brothers film The Polar Express and it is the third
TOWN councillors have pledged to create a business plan in a bid to lease an empty community building.Members of Barnard Castle Town Council are keen to take over the Woodleigh premises, on Flatts Road, in Barnard Castle, after Durham County Council advertised
Raymond Crisp visits York’s first and only five-star hotel to try the food and see a magnificent restoration YORK has much to thank George Hudson for. This local man dubbed “The Railway King” was one of those responsible for persuading George Stephenson
A GOLF club has become the first in the region to introduce a new variation of the game, which is gaining in popularity. Stokesley Golf Range is the first club in the North-East and North Yorkshire to give players the chance to try the faster-paced
FRIENDSHIPS blossomed at a care home when staff and residents planted sunflowers in memory of soldiers who died in the First World War. Dementia and Alzheimer’s patients at Willowdene Care Home in Sedgefield, County Durham, planted and nurtured
Noise gives way to relaxation on Palm Island in the Grenadines, as Tori Mayo samples the resort’s new series of quiet discos. And, she happily confirms, silence really is golden SWEET dreams are made of this... As I sip on a frozen margarita
FRESH from Rory McIlroy’s Open success comes another gaming take on the world of golf, as EA tees up with an arcade interpretation of probably the trickiest challenge in sport. The virtual club in your hand here certainly won’t feel like the kind of
ENTER the world of the multi-million dollar film and comic franchise Kick Ass in Kick Ass 2, a no-holds-barred beat-em-up set in New York City, three to four years after the events of the first film. Central hero Dave, aka Kick Ass, has retired from
THE title alone should give an indication of the mature themes gratuitously explored in this third-person hack-n-slash assault on the senses. Subtle it is not, but if competing in a dystopian future literally just to stay alive is what floats your
THIS is a sizzling cinematic puzzle platformer that takes place in an industrial-alchemic setting. In short, it’s about being a child, having a little brother, growing up, falling down and solving some puzzles, but the unusual atmospheric black and
Garden design can reveal more than you think about the past THERE is a well-known saying about history that goes something like “you have to know where you’ve been to know where you are going”. This is as true of garden design as it is of any other
A MAN in a car performed an obscene act in front of a schoolgirl at the weekend. It is believed the girl was walking with a friend near Whitby Way shops in Darlington during the morning of Saturday, July 26 when the incident took place. A spokesman
If your home’s floorboards need a revamp, grab your paint pot, says Julia Gray IF you’re looking to transform or liven up your home’s floorboards, staining or varnishing them might be the most obvious options, but painting them is the most hassle-free
AMBITIOUS plans to provide special housing for older and disabled people alongside major changes in the kind of help available are going out to the public for consultation across North Yorkshire.After a major review of health and social care, the county
ENFORCEMENT locations for police mobile safety cameras for week commencing Wednesday July 30, 2014. A65 Clapham by-pass A65 Settle by-pass A629 eastbound Crosshills A629 Skipton by-pass A59 Beamsley Hill A65 Settle Crossing, Long Preston
The scent of summer instantly triggers happy holiday memories and now, you can buy it in a bottle. Gabrielle Fagan sources this year’s most heavenly home fragrances YOU may not be able to bottle happiness, but you can capture the scents of summer
‘GREAT War” and “fashion” together in a book title seems, at first, to jar. Something so grim paired with something we still think of as frivolous. But really, fashion, as in the clothes we wear, is just another fascinating way of viewing history.
A PROPOSAL to build community facilities on a village playing field has been dropped after it was opposed by a large number of residents.Middleton St George Parish Council had suggested using part of the playing field, on Station Road, to build a row
NEWCASTLE FALCONS will field a strong line-up as they look to defend their unbeaten group-stage record in Saturday’s Premiership Rugby 7s tournament at The Northern Echo Arena. Sevens coach Mark Laycock has selected a squad that blends first-team
THE Government is pumping £40,000 into a new initiative to tackle crime in the countryside.The National Rural Crime Network was set up earlier this year as a collaborative think-tank to research and implement ways to reduce rural crime. Led by North
A TEENAGE cyclist had to be taken to hospital after suffering cuts and bruises and a suspected broken collar bone when he crashed in a disused quarry.Cleveland Mountain Rescue were called by the Yorkshire Ambulance Service to assist with the incident
PROMOTERS hope the first road cycle race to be held in a North-East town will provide a much needed financial boost.The Bishop Auckland Cycle Race will take place next week on an 850m closed road-circuit in Fore Bondgate, Finkle Street, North Bondgate
THE group waits politely as Lijie Zhang, whose name, she explains, means “beautiful and outstanding”, prepares to begin her talk on life in China. She admits to being a little nervous, but, from the moment she starts speaking, she has the audience
Raspberry Pi, the bestselling single-board computer, gets a new launch with a reformulated recipe. Katie Wright has a taste THE next generation of Raspberry Pi, the hugely popular single-board computer, is now on sale, boasting a reformulated recipe
APPEALS to rethink cutbacks on cutting grass road verges across North Yorkshire have been thrown out by county council bosses, leaving many town and parish councils to foot the bills themselves.North Yorkshire County Council is set to save up to £
LIFEBOATMEN were called out two more times in quick succession after a dramatic rescue last night. (Monday, July 28)As previously reported in The Northern Echo, Hartlepool RNLI rescued two men who had been adrift on a life-raft for up to nine hours near
ROCK legend and renowned petrol head Brian Johnson is set to rev up a retro motoring festival this weekend with his beloved Mini. The AC/DC frontman, originally from Tyne and Wear, will be making an appearance at the Croft Nostalgia Weekend, held at Croft
THE number of safety camera vans operating on the roads of England’s biggest county is set to double as police step up an initiative against rogue motorists. North Yorkshire has more than 9,000kms of roads – one of the biggest networks in the country
LONDON'S Gherkin skyscraper has been put up for sale, with interest expected from Chinese, other Asian, and US buyers, estate agency Savills has said.The City of London tower is expected to fetch offers in the region of £650m, the firm said.Savills
A FORMER royal residence which opened its doors to the paying public for the first time has played host to celebrity royalty, welcoming rock star Liam Gallagher as its first bed and breakfast guest.The former Oasis vocalist described the country hall
An unexpected bequest has allowed York Art Gallery to press ahead with its development plans. Steve Pratt finds out more THE brother and sister behind the £2m bequest that kickstarted York Art Gallery’s current £8m development remain something
THE family of a North-East teenager who died ten months after being punched has launched a fresh bid to prove the attack caused his death.Solicitors instructed by the family of Kristian Thompson have asked the Attorney General's Office to order a
A FAMILY was left distraught after vandals damaged a stillborn baby’s grave just weeks before the fifth anniversary of his death.Mother Joanne Andrews was devastated to discover that the headstone and commemorative ornaments had disappeared from
Feeding the clan can result in making a multitude of meals – and Jane Kennedy has had enough. Thankfully, the mum of five has a cunning plan: one dish, two ways... Ingredients: Serves six 60ml olive oil 1 onion, finely diced 2 small
SOME of the best young vocal talents from across North-East will perform stories of love and romance through song and poetry. The Miranda Wright Singers present Tell Me the Truth About Love at Witham Hall, in Barnard Castle, at 7.30pm, on Friday, August
Feeding the clan can result in making a multitude of meals – and Jane Kennedy has had enough. Thankfully, the mum of five has a cunning plan: one dish, two ways... Ingredients: Serves four 6 prosciutto slices or thinly sliced bacon rashers
THIS flourless cake is one of the lightest and freshest desserts you can think of and is perfect for summer. But somehow just making and eating it makes any day of the year that little bit more summery. The recipe calls for a vanilla pod. You could
A LANDLADY has vowed to appeal a decision to revoke the licence of her family pub following concerns about drug use and underage drinking. Lotty’s Bar in Crook failed three test purchase operations in March and April after a 16-year-old girl, accompanied
A STROKE survivor who took up painting to help him to recover has been praised for his artwork.Ken Tooby, 66, of Bishop Auckland, had two strokes in 2011 leaving him with no speech, swallowing difficulties and a right sided weakness.The Stroke Association
Are the foods we like set in stone, or we can we develop our tastebuds over time? OF course, it almost goes without saying that I’ve got impeccable taste. Well I would think that, wouldn’t I? Just as you probably think you have too. In fact
CHARITY runners took part in a North-East fun run to help raise money for causes close to their hearts.Ruth Murray and Wendy Bailey, of Darlington Building Society, put on their running shoes in the Sunderland Color Run in a bid to raise £500.They
AN ELITE cycle race boosted the region’s economy by nearly £300,000, a report claims.The Pearl Izumi Tour Series saw some of the country’s best cyclists race around Durham City’s cobbled streets at speeds of up to 50kph one evening
A FOOTBALL club that was saved from financial ruin by the late Sir Bobby Robson has raised more than £1,000 for his cancer charity.Tow Law Town’s Ironworks Road ground in Tow Law, County Durham, was bathed in sunshine for a special charity
Sportswear firm Reebok is helping people to shape up – whatever their plans for the summer ANYONE seeking to look scorching this summer should stop by Reebok’s Fithub in Debenhams, Eldon Square, tomorrow, where top celebrity fitness trainer Sarah
A STUDENT from Thirsk has won a national award for her work to help other students set up businesses.Rachel Everett, 24, who studies at Lancaster University, was presented with the Above and Beyond award by the National Association of Student Employment
AN award-winning novelist, who beat JK Rowling to a coveted Blue Peter Book prize, has been encouraging pupils in North Yorkshire to get writing.Leading children's author and former teacher Alan Gibbons spent the day with students at the Allertonshire
WORK to construct a new footbridge at Thornaby Railway Station is underway.The existing 125 year old bridge is due for replacement so Stockton Council contracted Balfour Beatty Construction Services to remove it last weekend and build a new one.The £
THE chairman of east Cleveland’s historic almshouses has stood down after almost quarter of a century as a trustee. Peter Sotheran spent 16 years as the chairman of the management board, which almost exactly matches the time served by Sir William
GUSTAVO POYET is weighing up other options in the transfer market after failing to strike a deal for Uruguayan playmaker Cristian Rodriguez. Poyet, whose side face Recreativo Del Huelva in Portugal tonight, had hoped to have Rodriguez in his first
BY the time most Sunderland fans arrived in Portugal, Gustavo Poyet’s first team squad had already had a few days training behind them – but the supporters are not the only late arrivals out here. After Saturday’s friendly at Boston, Poyet decided
AN outdoor concert dedicated to tribute bands is expected to attract thousands of fans. The UK’s only touring tribute act festival takes place at Riverside Park, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, on Saturday (August 2) between 12.30pm and 11,45pm.The
A FREE outdoor cinema in Darlington’s Market Square proved so popular that organisers have arranged to repeat the event. Hundreds of people spent the afternoon sitting in the sun last Friday enjoying the Disney hit Frozen, family favourite Toy Story
BUILDING work has begun on a new £2m health centre in east Durham. The centre will a much-needed medical facility for the Wheatley Hill area, creating a new base for GPs and associated medical services. Five GPs will be based in the surgery side
COMMUNITY representatives gathered to celebrate the first anniversary of a Christian centre in Darlington.The Word of Life International Christian Centre has been based on Corporation Road for the last 12 months and celebrated its first anniversary with
A CANCER charity has thanked the people of Chester-le-Street for raising money for its work.The town’s branch of the Leeds Building Society raised £750 for Macmillan Cancer Support as part of a national fundraising drive.The office, in Front
AIMEE WILLMOTT'S superb Commonwealth Games came to a somewhat disappointing end this morning as she failed to qualify for the final of the 400m freestyle. Having won her second silver medal of the meet when she finished second in the final of the
THREE councillors are supporting Durham City’s bid to win a prestigious horticultural prize by funding a wildflower meadow. Amanda Hopgood, Mamie Simmons and Mark Wilkes, all Liberal Democrat county councillors for Framwellgate Moor and Newton
LOCAL artists are at the heart of a new exhibition in Darlington.Colourful work by three North-East artists is currently on display in the Darlington Building Society.The gallery at the building society was established in a bid to support Darlington&rsquo
FLOOR coverings retailer Carpetright says its financial performance is improving steadily, though its UK division continues to prop up weaker European performances. The firm said UK like-for-like sales increased 6.1 per cent for the 13 weeks to July 26
JADE JONES will compete in the final of the Commonwealth Games 1,500m T54 event on Thursday night after successfully making it through this morning's qualifying round. With the top three from each heat making it into the final, Middlesbrough's
CHRIS TOMLINSON needed just one jump to book his place in the Commonwealth Games long jump final this morning. Tomlinson went out to 7.89m in his first qualifying jump in Glasgow, and while the mark was 1cm short of the automatic qualifying distance
THE big interview of the week took place last night as entertainments writer Viv Hardwick quizzed showbiz legend Sooty. Viv spoke to Sooty ahead of his North-East appearances at Consett’s Empire Theatre on August 2 and Billingham Forum on September
FASHION retailer Next has upped its full-year profit guidance by £25m after better-than-expected first-half sales.The group said it is on course to lift profits to between £775m and £815m.The results, for the 26 weeks to July 26, mean
POLICE have appealed for witnesses after a man was knocked down by a bus yesterday. The pedestrian, who is 62 and from Hetton-le-Hole, Wearside, was struck by an Arriva single-decker bus near North Road bus station, Durham, shortly before 3pm on
After the announcement that obese people with Type 2 diabetes should receive gastric surgery free of charge on the NHS, the public is up in arms. But, as Nel Staveley discovers, it’s not as cut and dry as it sounds... THE soaring level of obesity
Some familiar haunts – and a first visit to a real phantom village PAUL Screeton’s new book drops, substantially, onto the doormat. It’s his 11th or 12th. Most might broadly be said to concern the paranormal; this one’s about ghosts. We meet
Kirstie’s Fill Your House For Free (C4, 8pm) ACCORDING to “jolly hockey sticks” Kirstie Allsopp there’s a revolution going on throughout the country, turning the kerbside into a shopping Mecca. That’s in terms of trying to ensure other people
IT seems as if the days of the James Herriot-type of vet is becoming increasingly rare. On a recent visit my vet had a large shop selling animal food and toys etc. It had more in common with Pets At Home than a vet’s. Our animals are insured against
ON July 21 every newspaper had Russia in the headlines. As tragic as the Malaysia Airlines plane crash was surely the war crimes by Israel in Gaza deserved a mention? Of course, the dead in the plane crash were white Dutch, US and UK etc and the murdered
I FOUND your comparison of chief executives’ pay in the North- East interesting (Echo, July 25), but a little disingenuous: you mention that Hambleton’s chief executive’s pay is one of the lowest in the North-East and North Yorkshire, but fail to mention
I READ with interest the article “Wartime icon” by Alexa Copeland (Echo, July 15) and so many memories came flooding back. Firstly, I recalled the day at Hartburn School, in Stockton, when we were taken into the school field to see the planes of
THE Tory party abolished apprenticeships in this country and that is why today we are still short of skilled people. The next thing we could be short of is professional people because of the £9,000 university tuition fees, but the Government says
THE journey from South Yorkshire to Scotland paid off for Garry Moss as the trainer was on hand to welcome his two runners on the afternoon into the Ayr winner’s enclosure. Despite having a stable of just a dozen horses, the Tickhill-based handler
I WAS pleased to see the new front of house of the old Majestic Cinema, in Bondgate, Darlington (Echo, July 23). It brought back many happy memories for me. In the late 1930s I was training to become a cinema projectionist. My training
WHEN the Palestinians in Gaza complain that they have been under Israeli siege for eight years, they have a point. They have no airport and no seaport. The Israelis operate a naval blockade and they control passage between Israel and Gaza by means
SEA SHANTY and Beacon can get Richard Hannon off to a fantastic start with a double on the opening day of Glorious Goodwod. Hannon jnr has a hard act to follow at the Sussex venue as his father, Richard, dominated on the Downs before passing the
IAN BELL and Test debutant Jos Buttler turned on the style to put England in command against India at the Ageas Bowl. Bell (167) took his England century count on this ground to four – two in just two Test innings, to go with two in one-day internationals
DURHAM will have Ben Stokes available for their second Royal London Cup tie against Kent at Canterbury today, plus the visit of Warwickshire to South Northumberland on Thursday. After being left out of the England team for the third Test, he is
Youth unemployment nationwide rose by 20,000 last month. Nearly a million people aged 18 to 24 are out of work. 1.16 million are estimated to be Neets – not in employment, education or training. Professor Robin Simmons and Newcastle city councillor
AS we have said before, it would be shortsighted for Britain to overlook the economic benefits to be had from fracking. There is no hiding from the fact that it is going to be a controversial process but it will also be a valuable source of future
YORKSHIRE overseas star Kane Williamson is determined to remain positive about his future as a bowler after his action was deemed illegal last week. The New Zealand international batsman, who has bowled some useful parttime off-spin through his
CLAIMS that senior officers at Cleveland Police conspired to cover up institutional racism will be investigated by an external police force, it has emerged. Complaints about the management of the force’s internal equality review – a document that
ENGLAND Women take on Sweden at Hartlepool’s Victoria Park this Sunday in a warm-up game ahead of their final 2015 World Cup qualifiers. Sports writer Steph Clark spoke to South Hetton’s Steph Houghton about life under new boss Mark SampsonENGLAND
NEWCASTLE Liverpool have decided they don't want Loic Remy, although QPR boss Harry Redknapp simply isn't buying the stories emerging from Anfield about a failed medical. And as we know from his previous dealings, Redknapp will normally buy absolutely
GEORGE FRIEND has admitted that all summer arrivals will be welcomed by the rest of the Middlesbrough squad as Aitor Karanka closes in on a number of much-needed recruits. Friend, skipper for Saturday’s friendly win at Rochdale, has revealed how
A PEDESTRIAN was airlifted to hospital after being hit by a bus. Shop workers reported hearing screams as the man was knocked down by a single-decker bus close to North Road bus station, in Durham City, shortly before 3pm yesterday. Update
A NATURAL bodybuilder who was about to give up his career just a few months ago has won a place in the British championships after launching his own gym and fighting back to fitness.Justin Shepherd, 29, from Thirsk, says he is now “living the dream
A WOMAN called for dogs to be kept on leads after being attacked by a loose animal, which also savaged her pet. Deborah Forster was relaxing with her dog Ted in Darlington’s Green Park on Saturday, July 19 when another dog - believed to be a Staffordshire
A NORTH Yorkshire TV producer and photographer who has been at the centre of some of the world's biggest disasters found himself in the middle of another tragedy while on holiday in America. Paul Berriff, from Bedale, who was knocked unconscious
A TEENAGE author says she won’t let her six-figure book deal change her student lifestyle. While 19-year-old Alice Oseman admits not having to find a first job when she finishes Durham University in two years’ time is a weight off her mind, she
ADAM JOHNSON has geared up for tonight’s first friendly in the Algarve by claiming Sunderland’s patient approach in the transfer market should ensure there is no repeat of last season’s struggles. While fans have become slightly frustrated by an
AN e-commerce firm supporting fashion brands aims to create 50 jobs after completing a management buyout.Visualsoft, which employs more than 150 workers, says it wants to take on staff as it looks to treble turnover by 2017.The buyout, led by founding
WORKERS’ average salary growth doubled in June, suggesting the labour market recovery is picking up speed, a survey has said.A UK job market report from Adzuna says advertised salaries increased to £32,933 last month, growing 1.7 per cent
A MOBILE phone technology hopes to create more North-East jobs as it targets broadband markets.Filtronic, at NetPark, in Sedgefield, County Durham, develops chips linking mobile smartphones to networks.Its broadband division makes high performance radio
DAVID Cameron will meet the families of British victims of the downed Malaysia Airlines plane today as officials push for far-reaching economic sanctions against Russia. The Prime Minister will meet the families at Downing Street to express his
