THE owner of a raccoon that was spotted roaming the streets of Tyneside has appealed for his safe return – as he has two females pining for him. Bruno was spotted in the garden of a house in Chopwell in September by householder Ralph Lowes.
CAR company Vauxhall has warned owners of around 3,000 models not to drive the vehicles due to a steering problem. Vauxhall said that around 3,000 Adam and Corsa/Corsavan models registered since May 2014 had been manufactured with a steering system
CHILDHOOD dreams of writing a book have finally come true for an academic who is looking forward to seeing her first novel in print.Gabrielle Kent, senior lecturer in Computer Games Development at Teesside University’s School of Computing in Middlesbrough
A UNION has branded a £15,000 pay rise for an NHS boss as "disgraceful".Unison was reacting to a report which revealed that Professor Tricia Hart, who was appointed as chief executive at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust during
MARK HUGHES admits he will have no problem piling the pressure on Alan Pardew on Monday night, but is wary that Newcastle United are turning things around at the wrong time for Stoke City.The Magpies stunned many of their frustrated fans in midweek when
TWO bin bags filled with drugs have been seized in North Yorkshire by police carrying out routine patrols.A Ford Mondeo was pulled over in Crankley Lane, Easingwold, by officers at 3.15pm on Monday who searched the vehicle and found two large bin liners
THE North-East’s three police and crime commissioners are making an official complaint about a judge who spared a wife beater jail despite hearing how he had bitten, throttled and held a knife to her throat.Vera Baird, Ron Hogg and Barry Coppinger
CAMPAIGNERS fighting plans to build housing on a playing field at Bellburn Lane have added their voice to calls for people to attend a meeting where the plans will be discussed.Darlington Borough Council's place scrutiny committee will discuss the
TENS of thousands of illegal cigarettes have been seized by trading standards officials, following a series of raids in Darlington. Raids took place on at least six convenience stores in the town, including premises in the town centre. As part
THIS stunning image of the Mynarski Memorial Lancaster is now on sale on The Northern Echo's photosales website.The image, taken by keen photographer Geoff Hill, from Sedgefield, was captured during the plane's recent visit to the North-East.The
RAF fighter aircraft were poised to launch air strikes against Islamic State (IS) jihadists after Parliament gave the green light for military action. At the end of a marathon Commons debate, MPs voted by 524 to 43 - a majority of 481 - to endorse
YOUNGSTERS took part in a charity event inspired by one of Britain’s best loved children’s authors.The Dahlicious Dress Up Day was held at Edmondsley Primary School, near Chester-le-Street, today. (Friday, September 26)Over £100 has
THE organisers of the Tour de France said they hope the crowds which lined the Grand Depart route turn out in force for a three-day international cycling race across Yorkshire. Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) boss Christian Prudhomme said the race
EMBRACE are performing there in December - and now couples look likely to be able to share their first kiss as a married couple at Middlesbrough Town Hall.Proposals are being put forward to demolish the existing register office nearby and transform the
A JOBS scheme has helped more than 20,000 unemployed people in the North-East into lasting work, the Government claims.Ministers say the Work Programme has contributed to the largest drop in long-term unemployment in Britain since 1998.In the North-East
A COMMUNITY centre in Bishop Auckland is celebrating successful partnerships with local businesses as it continues to enjoy the fruits of its golden anniversary year.Auckland Youth and Community Centre (AYCC) celebrated 50 years with a family fun day
FRIENDS, colleagues and children across the region raised their mugs to Macmillan Cancer Support to celebrate the charity’s Big Coffee Morning campaign.From hairdressers, to playschools and Neighbourhood Watch Associations, scores of people got
STUDENTS got a taste of traditional African dancing when Ugandan teenagers popped into school as part of their three month fundraising tour.Pupils from years seven to ten at St John’s RC School and Sixth Form College, in Bishop Auckland, were treated
SUNDERLAND youngster Duncan Watmore has penned a new deal at Sunderland. The 20-year-old has agreed an extension to his existing contract which will see him committed to the Stadium of Light until June 2016. Watmore joined Sunderland’s development
PROGRESS is being made on a multi-million pound in-patient unit at St Teresa’s Hospice, with detailed drawings been submitted by architects.Planning permission for the ten-bed extension was granted by Darlington Borough Council in the summer and
OPPOSING councillors set aside political differences to pour scorn on a 'scurrilous, spurious and dangerous' petition about accident and emergency (A&E) services at a North-East hospital. County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust has
AMAZONIAN tribesmen environmental campaigners joined North-East churchgoers on the path of one of the region’s greatest saints. Davi Yanomami and Mauricio Ye’kuama, from Brazil, were among about 30 walkers who today (Friday, September 26) followed
A YOUNG ballerina is celebrating after being selected for a place on a prestigious ballet programme.Eight-year-old Jasmine Davison, who attends the Polka School of Dance, in Bowburn, near Durham, successfully auditioned for a place on the Elmhurst Associate
TWO political parties have formed an alliance to push for new powers for the North of England.The North East Party and Yorkshire First have agreed to work together to campaign for the region to have a "devolved, directly democratic, accountable body
YOUNG Darlington residents are being urged to vote on which issues are most important to them as part of a national youth parliament campaign. Darlington’s member of youth parliament, Danny Brown, is spearheading a campaign to get young residents
SCORES of dog lovers have signed up their canine companions for St Cuthbert’s Hospice’s fundraising Paws for a Cause walk.The event, one of the Durham hospice’s biggest money-spinners, takes place at the Riverside in Chester-le-Street
POLICE have released a photo of a man who they need to trace after someone defecated on a bus seat. The bald, bespectacled man was caught on CCTV on a bus in Newcastle city centre and it is thought the incident happened on Thursday August 21 at
FINAL plans have been unveiled for an extension and refurbishment of a medical group’s practice to transform it into a village health centre.Staff at Shinwell Medical Group in Fourth Street at Horden plans to extend their general practice surgery
A FAMILY fun day will be held in Weardale tomorrow (Saturday September 27) to help children in need of specialist medical equipment.After four-month-old Jayden Kellett, from Wolsingham, in Weardale, was diagnosed with flat head syndrome friends and family
A TEENAGE sports star has roped neighbours into a event that will see them step into the ring and square up to each other - all in the name of charity.Jordan Williams organised a Thai boxing charity night in the former St Luke’s Church, in Sedgefield
A WOMAN appeared in court today (Friday September 26) in a case relating to alleged fraudulent and/or false objections made regarding a planning application.Alison Parker, 48, of Windmill, near Bishop Auckland, is charged with two counts under the Forgery
IN 1906, Robert Baden-Powell, a distinguished officer in the British Army wrote a short guide for boys about reconnaissance and scouting. The following year he held a camp on Brownsea Island to test some of the tips in his manual. The camp and
A 77-year-old former nanny has fought back from hip replacement surgery to become a karate black belt.Three years after taking up the sport Eileen Watson, of Great Ayton, was awarded the coveted grade after impressing instructors with a range of techniques.It
A TEENAGER has been assaulted after a gang of youths blocked his way as he walked along the footpath that leads from Westminster Close to Churchill Road. Eston, near Middlesbrough, at around 8.40om on Sunday, September 22. The 15-year-old victim
STUDENTS filmed at a police firearms centre to make a promotional video.The Cleveland Police and Durham Constabulary Tactical Training Centre has instructed officers how to use guns since the facility opened in 2001.From its base at Urlay Nook near Stockon
AN MEP has argued parking charges in a town centre should be scrapped after a survey showed nearly 23.9 per cent of all shops are empty.Jonathan Arnott, the North-East's only Ukip Euro MP, said "drastic action" was needed to persuade shoppers
AITOR KARANKA has urged his Middlesbrough players to forget about the memories of Tuesday night’s epic penalty drama in the Capital One Cup at Anfield by returning to Championship duty with a bang. Boro have no fresh injury problems ahead of the
YOUNG families will be at the centre of a new drive to save communities in the Yorkshire Dales after figures showed a 50 per cent decrease in school rolls over the last 15 years.Richmondshire District Council has vowed to ‘think outside the box&
A VILLAGE with a population of about 500 has re-lived the day thousands of Tour de France fans, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry visited.Residents of West Tanfield, near Masham, packed into the village hall this week to view
CHRISTIAN leaders say they are facing a race against time to keep a 15th century church open.Unless £14,000 can be raised to replace the electrical system at St Peter’s Church, Helperby, near Thirsk, it will close on January 1.The Rev Chris
A COUNCIL chief executive has pledged to make any necessary improvements to auditing procedures, after an employee was jailed for equipment theft worth almost £80,000. Phillip Gaskin was last week jailed for 18 months, after he admitted stealing
A CONSERVATION body has announced plans to introduce wildflower species to 60 hectares of hay meadows, pastures and road verges as part of a scheme to enhance an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB).Nidderdale AONB, which extends north to Masham
PLANS to extend opening hours and stage live music at an 18th century pub have been met with a wave of opposition from residents.Stephen Irvine, landlord of The White Swan, in West End, Stokesley, has applied to Hambleton District Council's licensing
A BOROUGH councillor has been selected to stand for MP in next year's general election for the Liberal Democrats.Josh Mason, who is a member of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, has been chosen to fight for the Redcar seat after current incumbent
AN original manuscript of one of the world’s most-read books is the centrepiece of a new exhibition of adventure books. Books For Boys opens at Durham University’s Palace Green Library on Saturday and explores notions of boyhood in the run-up to
EFFORTS to re-open a piece of the region's industrial heritage have taken a step forward, The Northern Echo has learnt.Tees Cottage Cottage Pumping Station, in Darlington, has been closed to the public since May, after a number of serious safety and
A NORTH-EAST business membership organisation has celebrated companies’ successes at an event.The North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) held its annual dinner at Middlesbrough’s Thistle Hotel.The evening included speeches from Middlesbrough
SIX banks are facing record fines after the City regulator reportedly began talks to settle an investigation into the manipulation of currency markets.Barclays, HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase and UBS could be hit with fines in
A PIONEERING scheme to increase the number of qualified craftspeople to help conserve and restore the Tees Valley's traditional pre-1919 buildings is growing.Six apprentices have now begun training for new careers under the Heritage Skills Apprenticeship
A HEROIN addict battling his addiction shoplifted to buy drugs after finding out his girlfriend was going to prison, a court heard.Frankie Pearson of Shakespeare Close, Darlington, admitted stealing £48 worth of coffee from the Sainsbury’s
OPTIONS, options, finally a Middlesbrough manager has options. Not since the days of playing in the Premier League can Boro claim to have had the players to freshen things up with a degree of regularity without fearing it might disrupt the side.That,
AN extension to a thriving sixth form centre marks the latest multi-million pound investment in Middlesbrough College.It has already outgrown its original building opened in 2012 so an expanded ‘MC6’ costing £3m is expected to be finished
A MINING firm operating in the North-East has confirmed it has secured funding to manage the closure of two deep mines.UK Coal says a deal, including a £4m Government commercial loan and support from partners, will allow it to close Kellingley Colliery
BUYING a property can be one of the most difficult, not to mention stressful, life events that anyone can embark on. Conversely, making a property ready for market can also be one of the most difficult things to get right. Challenging issues can
A SANDWICH shop almost fell foul of tough new guidelines restricting the number of takeaways allowed in a the Redcar area.A complaint had been lodged with planning inspectors that the D Town Deli, which has been open for several years in Dormanstown,
LAMENT the summer’s passing if you must, but autumn always brings a harvest of new looks to delight decor divas. “Rooms can become as stale as wardrobes unless they’re revised and updated occasionally,” says Linda Holmes from online furnishings
IT MAY sound somewhat clichéd, but Fox House really is the perfect home for buyers who want to live the rural idyll of being surrounded by beautiful countryside yet within easy reach of nearby towns and cities. Situated on an exclusive development
WHETHER you have a family as big as the Waltons, regularly entertain visitors or just want the space to spread out and enjoy a little privacy, Ingleside could be the perfect home for you. Set in the rural village of Thorntonle- Moor, Ingleside
THE latest phase of £20m regeneration work in Stockton Town Centre has been completed.Recent work has led to the creation of more parking as well as an events space at the northern end of the High Street.An additional 23 short stay spaces are now
THE organisers of a food fair due to take place next month have appealed for local businesses interested in having a stall to come forward. Heighington Village Hall will be the venue for the fair on Saturday, October 25, between 10am and 4pm.
A VIOLENT and obsessed stalker who raped a woman and left a friend with permanent brain damage after a horrific hammer attack was locked up for life today. Anthony Graham - branded "a significant danger" by a judge at Teesside Crown Court - was
A GROUP of Rotarians from Darlington raised £4,500 for charity by tackling the gruelling Way of the Roses cycle ride. The 12 riders took three days to ride 174 miles between Morecambe in Lancashire to Bridlington in Yorkshire, stopping at Lancaster
ANNUAL house price growth accelerated to 8.4 per cent in England and Wales in August - the highest rate of increase for nearly seven years, figures show.However the slowest rate of increase was 3 per cent in the North-East.Over the last year, prices had
A THEATRE group is celebrating after securing the long term lease of a former school as a base for their live performances.Earthbeat, a theatre group for adults with learning disabilities, has been campaigning for months to find a new home after their
A RECOVERING heroin addict with a long-standing drug habit has appeared in court for shoplifting.Linda Dodsworth, 28, admitted stealing £60 worth of alcohol from the Co-op on West Auckland Road, Darlington, when she appeared before magistrates at
The Federation of Small Businesses North-East (FSB) will form part of a Government review into ways to transform how taxpayers’ money is spent on public services. Ministers are looking at the Social Value Act, which requires public commissioners
THE body of an elderly man has been recovered from the River Wear. Emergency services were called to the river at Low Willington, in County Durham, around lunchtime today (Friday, September 26). The man’s body was located and recovered
FIRE crews managed to stop a recycling centre fire from developing into a major blaze this morning. Thick black smoke could be seen billowing into the sky several miles from the scene of the fire at Spennymoor, in County Durham. Three crews
West Auckland will be trying to stretch their unbeaten run to six league matches when they go to Ashington on Saturday. West haven’t lost in the league since Anth Smith took charge as manager, and today they are boosted by the return of striker
Shildon manager Gary Forrest says that the Railwaymen must defend well if they are to progress against Stalybridge from the Conference North in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup on Saturday. Shildon are currently eighth in the ENL around
SKIPPER Paul Collingwood admitted that Warwickshire had “out-skilled” Durham twice this season, but also felt the match at Edgbaston was a game too far for his battle-weary troops. “With a reduced squad and the injuries we had, this season has
IT hasn’t all been good news for Yorkshire’s Adam Lyth this last fortnight despite an LV= County Championship title win, nearly 1,500 runs in a season and an England Performance Programme call-up. Lyth even celebrated his 27th birthday yesterday
SAM ROBSON’S first halfcentury for over two months helped Middlesex set up a tantalising final day in their LV= County Championship Division One relegation decider against Lancashire at Old Trafford. The England opener made 75 as Middlesex established
BOXERS from the Paul Hamilton Boxing & Martial Arts Academy are pictured ahead of this evening’s show at The Northern Echo Arena. Fourteen of their boxers will take on fighters from around the region on the card, which will be held in the south-west
RORY McILROY will get the chance to let his golf do the talking against Phil Mickelson on the opening morning of the 40th Ryder Cup at Gleneagles today. On Wednesday the American veteran made a joke about McIlroy’s court case against the Northern
PINK is not the enemy. Low expectations are. Professor Alice Roberts – the beaming, bouncy face of TV science and archaeology – said this week that we she would never give her daughter a princess party – for fear of emphasising girlie stereotypes
GOODBYE holiday charts or pulling a sickie. How about holidays, a day off, a lie-in or an early finish whenever you like? That’s what Richard Branson is offering Virgin employees, who’ll be allowed to take as much time off as they want, whenever
WHY can’t politicians’ wives let them get on with it? You wouldn’t expect the wife of the chief executive of M&S or a major bank to keep popping along to her husband’s work and telling everyone what a good job he’s doing, but that’s what politicians
DEAR SHARON Reading the column I was struck by your treasuring of small delights. Isn’t it amazing how many memories can be wrapped up in one small thing? Just now, homemade blackberry jam is my particular small delight. As soon as I taste it I
EARLIER this year, I was lucky enough to stand within five metres of one of the world’s most powerful creatures – the white rhino – on a walking safari in Zambia’s Mosi-oa- Tunya National Park. It was a humbling experience, given even greater gravitas
Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1, 9pm) IT’S going to be murder on the dance floor again, and we love it. A couple of weeks ago, the Strictly class of 2014 launched the red-carpet show without anyone falling down the stars or out of their costumes.
THE Polar Express Train Ride has organised fun X Factor-style auditions to find part of the cast for the Christmas event in Weardale this winter.Inspired by the hit Warner Bros film The Polar Express and book by Chris Van Allsburg, the officially-licensed
AS a family we love the seaside so a long weekend on the East Yorkshire coast was eagerly anticipated by everyone except the grumpy 16-year-old. After weighing up the dangers of leaving him home alone against the prospect of looking at his gloomy
THE globally-acclaimed violinist Anna-Liisa Bezrodny will be returning to Durham City for a concert with Orchestra North East next month. Following her captivating performance of Brahms’s violin concerto at the Gala Theatre last year, the violinist
I AM not often moved to write to the media but, having just watched the TV report on Don Robson’s 84th birthday party in Stanhope, I really could not believe my eyes at the sight of the so-called security guards that were preventing close members of
I WATCHED the disgraceful way in which Durham County Council handled the birthday party for 84-year-old Don Robson, who left his care home on Wednesday. The sight of six security guards, and others within another building, whose clothing had “crowd
WHEN the time comes for us to vote for our choice of county councillors, I hope we all remember the disgraceful way the current council has treated our elderly people who have been forced to leave local authority homes. The case of Don Robson,
HEAR ALL SIDES correspondents who imply that the electoral system is biased towards the Conservatives and that Scotland is Tory-free are repeating myths. Academics and pollsters agree that the electoral system favours Labour. That is not to blame
IS County Durham becoming a policed state? When Weardale residents voiced their opinions about care home closures in Crook council offices, the police were called to block peaceful protests. Now an 84-year-old resident has six bouncers to police
FOLLOWING Rob Merrick’s column headlined “Labour has missed an open goal” (Echo, Sept 25), I wish Rob a speedy recovery from the forearm smash he received from an on the ball footy challenge from Ed Balls. I’m not a conference creature but one
THE clash on the football field between Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls and Parliamentary Correspondent Rob Merrick has created a lot of publicity for The Northern Echo in the national media this week – I even got a text off a friend in North London saying
I’M speaking at the Festival of Thrift on Saturday and wondering what words to use. As many as 30,000 people are expected at the festival which celebrates old-fashioned frugal concepts, such as living on a budget, with a modern upcycling twist.
THE Black Bull, in Wolsingham, is holding a family fundraising day for a four-month-old who needs a special piece of corrective equipment.Jayden Kellett was diagnosed with flat head syndrome and the helmet cost £2,000.Friends and family have been
WEALTH manager Brewin Dolphin has appointed business development manager, Lucie Gordon, to help strengthen the firm's links with Independent Financial Advisors (IFA’s) across the region.Ms Gordon, who is an AFPC qualified Chartered Financial
SHARES in the company responsible for printing Bank of England banknotes, have fallen 30 per cent after it issued a profits warning. De La Rue, which prints banknotes for several countries and also makes the UK's biometric passports, warning that
SIR Richard Branson revealed this week that he is happy to let his staff take as much holiday as they like. Confirmation that the region’s biggest charity, the Northern Rock Foundation, is to be wound down showed the tycoon’s generosity towards
His team-mates looked on anxiously and captain Jose Maria Olazabal had his eyes tightly shut, but Martin Kaymer has revealed he never had any doubt he would make the putt to retain the Ryder Cup at Medinah. Kaymer was faced with a seven-foot putt
He has a number of alter egos - Mr Ryder Cup, The Postman (because he always delivers) - but there is no mistaking Ian Poulter when the biennial contest against the United States rolls into town. The 38-year-old seems to grow in stature in the
Spennymoor manager Jason Ainsley says that Moors must expect a “very difficult FA Cup tie” when they go to Dunston UTS on Saturday. A place in the penultimate qualifying round is at stake in the north east derby between two recent FA Vase winners
AFTER the euphoria of Lord’s came the anti-climax of Edgbaston as Durham ended their season with their third mauling in two seasons by the Warwickshire Bears. On the ground where they lost by 318 runs in the second match last season they suffered
COLIN COOPER yesterday went back to his former club to land another loan signing from Middlesbrough. The Hartlepool United boss and former Boro coach has landed one of his former Academy players in David Atkinson until the turn of the year.
Former New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns will appear in court next week to face one count of perjury linked to a libel action he brought in the UK in 2012. Cairns won £90,000 in damages after he sued Lalit Modi, founder of the Indian Premier League
ADAM REACH has worked his way into contention for an England Under-21 call after a fantastic start to the season with Middlesbrough.Reach has finally come of age on Teesside after a few years of threatening to do so having graduated from the club&rsquo
ALAN PARDEW is confident Adam Armstrong will be a “great talent” for Newcastle United, but has challenged the 17-year-old to match Wednesday’s standards whenever he lines up in a first-team shirt.Armstrong made his first senior start
AMID all the furore about Newcastle United’s below-par start to the season and the frenzied speculation surrounding Alan Pardew’s future at St James’ Park, Sunderland’s performances since the start of the campaign have been somewhat overlooked. Yet
AN action plan to improve working relationships at a school hit by allegations of bullying and harassment among staff has been put in place.Colonel Stephen Padgett, the chair of the interim executive board (IEB) at Richmond School, said he was pleased
THE man behind the plan to secure the future of Durham Tees Valley Airport (DTVA) has told councillors that its existing routes to Amsterdam and Aberdeen must be prioritised ahead of new London or international routes. Peter Nears, strategic planning
SCORES of North-East construction apprenticeships could be created in a building restoration scheme.The Heritage Skills Apprenticeship Project has taken on six youngsters.Bosses say they hope to extend the number to 40 in the next two years.The programme
THE parents of a man who fell to his death while paragliding in South America are hoping for justice as the people whose negligence they believe killed their son finally face trial.Four people will appear in court in Argentina next week accused of causing
