Archive

  • Bainbridge's hat trick puts Benfield out

    North Shields striker Gareth Bainbridge scored a hat trick as they put Newcastle Benfield out of the League Cup 4-3 tonight. Bainbridge put Shields ahead from the edge of the box on 9 minutes, but Paul Brayson levelled for Benfield on 38 minutes

  • Quakers lose on penalties again after youths impress

    Darlington 3 Whitby 3 (Whitby won 3-1 on penalties) Darlington were presented with the October Team of the Month award last night – but they won’t be presented with the Dodson Sport League Cup after losing 3-1 on penalties to Whitby Town after

  • Thirsk and Northallerton Golf Club celebrates centenary

    A HISTORIC golf club in the heart of Herriot Country is celebrating its 100th birthday this year with support from a new funding arrangement from Yorkshire Bank. Thirsk & Northallerton Golf Club, established in 1914, is a picturesque parkland

  • No retirement plans for York-born Dame Judi Dench

    YORK-born Dame Judi Dench has said she is driven "spare" by people asking when she is retiring. The 79-year-old, from Heworth, who was diagnosed with macular degeneration which can lead to blindness several years ago, can no longer read her own

  • Foo Fighters announce Stadium of Light gig

    GRAMMY Award-winning rock band Foo Fighters will play Sunderland's Stadium of Light next summer. The gig will kick off the UK leg of the band's Sonic Highways European tour and is the only date between Edinburgh and London. Led by Dave Grohl

  • No rest for Reveillere at Sunderland

    SUNDERLAND defender Anthony Reveillere is not expecting any let-up on the training pitch in spite of the international break this week.While the likes of John O’Shea, Steven Fletcher and Seb Larsson, among others, are away from the club on duty for their

  • The Wrong Trousers comes to Middlesbrough

    THEY look like ‘The Wrong Trousers’ from a Wallace and Gromit animation, but a real-life pair of robotic legs called Rex has proved to be a ‘cracking’ invention on a visit to Teesside. For paralysed people usually restricted to a wheelchair, the

  • Modern day heroes meet the old in Middlesbrough

    MODERN day soldiers came to talk to older people who lived through two world wars.The regular and Territorial Army soldiers, based in Coulby Newham, visited Parkville Care Centre, in Middlesbrough, as part of the care home's Remembering Our Heroes week.There

  • Knievel memorabilia catches the eye at Thornaby auction

    MEMORABILIA about the world's most famous motorbike exhibitionist of all time, Evel Knievel, is to go on sale at auction in the region. The posters, shirts, jackets, books and toys, including a stunt cycle, will be sold as part of a wider auction

  • Apprenticeship support for young people in 'Pop-Up' shop

    APPRENTICESHIPS for young people will be in the spotlight at a special event in Middlesbrough.The apprenticeship ‘Pop Up Shop’ will be open for business in the Hillstreet Centre tomorrow (Thursday, November 13).The event has been organised by Middlesbrough

  • Community bus service for villagers

    RESIDENTS of a Darlington village are set to benefit from the introduction of a community bus service.The Tees Valley Transport Brokerage Project, managed by Tees Valley Rural Community Council, has arranged for a small minibus to be available for residents

  • Darth Vader heads for the seaside

    JEDI knights beware – the man who epitomised the Dark Side is heading for the region.The man who originally brought Darth Vader to life, actor and bodybuilder Dave Prowse will be appearing in Scarborough next year.He will be taking part in the now-annual

  • Accountants will continue sponsorship of rugby club

    A NORTH-EAST rugby club has announced the continuation of its partnership with a firm of accountants.Darlington Mowden Park rugby club has announced that its sponsorship from Stockton firm Baines Jewitt will continue for another year.The extended support

  • Attack victim taken to hospital

    A MAN required hospital treatment after having an unknown substance thrown in his face during a disturbance in a North-East street.Northumbria Police are now appealing for information after the incident in Newcastle.Officers say the attack happened at

  • Police force faces inquiry over failure to act over child abuse

    THE Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating a police force over its failure to act on child abuse intelligence.North Yorkshire Police has referred itself to the IPCC in relation to intelligence it received from the Child Exploitation

  • Spotlight falls on infamous robbery

    ONE of the most infamous robberies in British history is examined in a major new exhibition coming to the region.The Great Train Robbery in August, 1963, saw the theft of £2.6m from a travelling Post Office on the way to London from Glasgow.Now, more

  • Bus depot achieves gold standard award

    A BUS depot has been awarded the highest level of accreditation for Investors in People (IIP) status, one of only three per cent of companies to achieve the award.Arriva North East's Darlington depot has secured IIP gold status, which is described as

  • Charity jailbreak for tragic James, 16

    THREE North-East students will flee the region this weekend to raise money for charity in memory of a teenager who died tragically young.Bethany Fleming, Lana Faidulla and Tom Purvis, together known as Team BLT, will take part in a “jailbreak” challenge

  • 'Wicked man' jailed for decades of sexual abuse

    A MAN who separately sexually abused two young children over three decades has been jailed for 12 years.Alan Gregory Norster was described by Judge Les Spittle as a “wicked man” who had caused incalculable damage.The judge said he considered sending the

  • NHS not up for sale, Hartburn households tell MP

    AN apparent property exodus in a leafy suburb of Stockton turned out to be a publicity stunt by The People’s NHS, claiming the National Health Service could be privatised under a trade deal.Mock hoardings with the slogan “stop the sale” were pitched up

  • National Portrait Gallery exhibition in the North East

    AN exhibition on loan from the National Portrait Gallery in London will be displayed at Darlington’s Head of Steam museum until December 14.‘Murder and Mystery Writers: Past and Present’ features contemporary photographs of crime writers by award-winning

  • Discover your history

    HISTORY buffs are invited to explore their county’s archives this week.Durham County Record Office is supporting the national Explore Your Archives Week.It has archives spanning almost 900 years covering the historic county from the River Tyne to the

  • RSPCA removes 12 horses from equestrian centre

    THE RSPCA has removed a dozen horses in its care from an equestrian centre following an incident in which a former racehorse was shot and left in a garden.A spokesman for the charity said it had relocated the 12 horses over concerns about the incident

  • Housebuilder Barratt buoyed by market

    HOUSEBUILDER Barratt Developments says it expects to continue its improvement as market conditions remain strong.The company, founded by North-East property tycoon Sir Lawrie Barratt, revealed it is on track to hit 15,000 sales, excluding joint ventures

  • Jump in cancelled ops

    SEVEN out of eight North-East NHS hospital trusts saw an increase in the number of operations cancelled during July to September 2014 compared to the same quarter in 2013.The survey by the Labour Party found big rises in operation cancellations at City

  • Multi-million dollar movie filmed in the region

    FILMING has begun on a multi-million dollar movie that will see North Yorkshire stand in for a host of international locations.Avatar star Sam Worthington will take the lead in The Hunter’s Prayer, described as a fast-paced thriller.Scenes will be filmed

  • Flybe Newcastle to Stansted flights start next March

    AIRLINE Flybe will start operations at London Stansted Airport with from March 15, 2015 to include twice daily flights from Newcastle. Chris Sanders, aviation development director at Newcastle International Airport, said: “This restores an important

  • Could you adopt?

    A COUNCIL is looking for would-be parents willing to adopt brothers and sisters.There are currently ten sibling groups of two or more brothers and sisters awaiting adoption in County Durham.Durham County Council’s adoption service is holding a drop-in

  • Remembering those lost at sea

    SAILORS on County Durham’s adopted warship honoured the memory of their predecessors on Armistice Day.The crew from HMS Bulwark gathered on the flight deck to observe two minutes’ silence at 11am.There followed a wreath laying service.Captain Dean Bassett

  • Silent protest against human trafficking

    MORE than 70 men staged a city centre protest against human trafficking.The men took a break from the Iron Men conference at Newcastle Christian Life Centre to stage a silent vigil against the horrific crime around Monument in the city centre.They all

  • Raising awareness of substance abuse

    A WEEK-LONG campaign is being launched to raise awareness of the issues surrounding substance misuse and the services available in Hartlepool.Hartlepool Substance Misuse Week, which this year runs from November 17 to 23, is organised by Safer Hartlepool

  • Landscaping firm's housing plan thrown out

    PLANS to build nearly 90 new homes in open countryside have been thrown out, to the joy of villagers.Landscaping firm Brambledown Services wanted to sell six acres of their base, on Brandon Lane, in Brandon, near Durham, for an 89-home housing estate,

  • Were stillborn babies buried under housing site?

    UP to 50 houses could be built on a former maternity hospital site, despite fears stillborn babies were buried there.Developer Woodside Leisure Ltd says there are no records of stillborn babies having been buried at the Thorpe Maternity Hospital, off

  • School pupils walk for Sir Bobby

    A SCHOOL has raised more than £7,000 for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation with a sponsored walk.Pupils from Dame Allan’s School in Newcastle completed the 11-mile Derwent Walk, from Consett in County Durham to Swalwell in Gateshead, and raised £7,807 for

  • Graduates urged to attend recruitment fair

    NORTH-EAST graduates can meet a number of national and international companies at a recruitment fair in the region.The University of Sunderland is hosting an event featuring exhibitor stalls and presentations, and will provide help with writing CVs, covering

  • Students take golf lessons from professional golf coach

    NORTHALLERTON College is celebrating after being crowned inter-school golf champions of 2014. The tournament was held at Bedale Golf Club recently and featured representatives from Allertonshire School, Bedale High School and Mowbray School as well as

  • Helping hand for hair and beauty students

    HAIR and beauty students were given advice to help with their future careers at a college event.Industry staff at New College Durham and external specialists, showcased their skills and provided interactive taster sessions for the college’s hair and beauty

  • Darlington pupils design safety messages for Christmas period

    SCHOOLCHILDREN have put pen to paper to design posters with safety messages that aim to keep shoppers safe in the run up to Christmas. Pupils at the Federation of Abbey Schools, in Abbey Road, Darlington, created the posters as part of a campaign

  • GPs urge patients not to ask for antibiotics

    RESIDENTS in the Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby area are being urged to pledge to responsibly use antibiotics.As part of European Antibiotics Awareness Day on Tuesday (November 18), Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group

  • Bank forecasts pay packets boost

    HOUSEHOLDS will finally see a real terms boost to their pay packets next year as wages growth accelerates and inflation dips below one per cent for the first time in more than a decade, Bank of England forecasts have suggested.The Bank's quarterly inflation

  • Witness appeal over "vicious" street robbery in Northallerton

    DETECTIVES in Northallerton are appealing for two witnesses to come forward following a violent street robbery which left a man seriously injured. The incident took place between midnight and 1am last night on Valley Road, Northallerton, near the

  • Renewable energy boost for village Methodist church

    A VILLAGE church has received a warm boost this winter thanks to solar panels paid for by a business community initiative.Banks Group has donated £7,600 from its community fund to Witton Park Methodist Chapel, near Bishop Auckland, to fund the renewable

  • Dreamspace police chief to retire

    A POLICE inspector who led the response to the Dreamspace disaster is to retire after nearly 30 years with the same force.Paul Anderson was the senior officer on duty and approaching the end of his shift when reports started coming in of something awful

  • Pioneering centre to support diabetes and cancer work

    A REVOLUTIONARY North-East centre will play a crucial role in developing treatment for diabetes and cancer sufferers.The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) has revealed it is part of a consortium led by Midatech Biogune, focused on insulin patches.Bosses

  • Woman assaulted after attending Remembrance Sunday parade

    A WOMAN was assaulted after attending a Remembrance Day parade with her five-year-old daughter in Redcar.The 43-year-old woman was in a car park on West Dyke Road, near the Job Centre, when the assault happened.Two boys aged 12 and 14 have been arrested

  • Charity quiz night for hospital scanner appeal

    A CHARITY quiz in aid of a hospital MRI Scanner appeal will take place on Saturday, November 22.The Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffalos, Alverton North Lodge 2274, is hosting the quiz at the Oddfellows Arms in Northallerton for the Friarage Hospital’

  • Council 'dragged feet' over crisis school - MP

    AN MP says he has no faith in a local authority to turn round a crisis-hit federation school.Labour’s Kevan Jones said Labour-led Durham County Council had dragged its feet over leadership problems at the Durham Federation, which was plunged into special

  • Exhibition captures gritty reality of frontline

    THE stark reality of life on the military frontline can be seen from today (Tuesday, November 11) at the mima gallery in Middlesbrough in an exhibition by official war artist Derek Eland.And some soldiers' thoughts about losing their charismatic sergeant

  • Officials rule out single-site hospital service

    HOSPITAL bosses have assured Hartlepool councillors that there is no plan to consolidate hospital services in the area at North Tees.Following a meeting between the leaders of Hartlepool Borough Council and the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation

  • Pickerings Lift photograph shortlisted for national award

    A PHOTGRAPH that captures the spirit of North-East manufacturing is being exhibited in the House of Commons.North-East photographer Steve Sharp was shortlisted in the professional category of the EEF/Lombard ‘Make it Britain’ competition for his image

  • Councillors to vote on village school merger

    PROPOSALS to create a new village primary school to replace the existing junior and infant schools are to be discussed next week.Durham County Council’s Cabinet will be asked to agree plans for a new split-site school in Leadgate when it meets on Wednesday

  • Darlington cycling initiative hailed a success

    AN initiative to get youngsters on two wheels has been hailed a success after dozens of children learnt to ride a bike.A team of young volunteers from Carmel Cycling Club joined Darlington’s sustainable transport team, Local Motion, to help 43 children

  • Hotel and restaurant saved from conversion to student digs

    A POPULAR hotel and restaurant have been saved, after councillors threw out plans to turn the premises into student digs.The owners of the Kingslodge Hotel, in Durham City, wanted to convert the Waddington Street building into rooms for 57 students, plans

  • Pools' FA Cup tie with Blyth Spartans will be televised

    HARTLEPOOL United's FA Cup second round home tie against Blyth Spartans has been moved to Friday, December 5 (7:45pm kick-off) after being selected for live television broadcast on BBC2. It’s the first time Pools have been selected for live television

  • Developer buys Billingham town centre

    DEVELOPER St Modwen has bought Billingham town centre for £14.25m ahead of a revamp of shops, leisure and business facilities. The town centre is more than 322,000 sq ft of retail and ancillary office space, which includes tenants such as Boyes

  • My Masterchef humble pie

    As the professionals fight it out in the MasterChef kitchen, Keeley Bolger explains how things went when she put her cooking skills to the test IF Gregg Wallace is trying to help me relax, it isn't working. "What are you doing with this?" he barks

  • It's time to dump Ed and plump for a winner

    AS the General Election draws ever nearer I am beginning to get worried for the future of Labour leader Ed Miliband. Politics has never been my forte, I hardly write or talk about it, but coming from a working class family I've voted Labour since

  • Pointing the way forward

    AT a time when economic development has been stifled by austerity, the sale of a North-East business park this week should not go unnoticed because it underlines what can still be achieved when the right people are involved.Lingfield Point has a special

  • Has a new Cold War already begun?

    “RING of steel around Queen to foil Cenotaph terrorist plot.” A headline for the Remembrance Sunday Service 100 years after the start of the First World War. But wasn’t it precisely to remove the need for such a safeguard that the legions of British

  • Business more than just game

    The Apprentice (BBC1, 9pm) WATCHING The Apprentice can be a challenge. Not only are there those unwatchable moments when the losing team in any task are slagging each other off, all the way to the You’re Fired finger, but some, like me, have to

  • Bridging the skills gap

    SCHOOL pupils have been bridge building with the aim of inspiring them to become tomorrow’s civil engineers. Pupils from primary and secondary schools in Darlington have been attending a week of sessions where they build the cable-stayed bridge

  • Wear on our way?

    PARTS of Sunderland city centre look awful, so news of a deal to help drive forward its biggest ever regeneration is to be welcomed. The closure of the Vaux Brewery in 1999 left a massive gap – and a horribly visible eyesore – that has plagued

  • Lorries flout Barnard Castle bridge ban

    LORRIES are continuing to flout a ban on them crossing a landmark bridge. The HGVs, which are currently banned from using Barnard Castle’s County Bridge, have sparked outrage among residents who say they are continuing to cross the landmark which

  • Teesdale stalwart to be awarded MBE

    A community salwart is set to be recognised with an MBE.Peter Stubbs, is one of the founder members of Farmwatch, a community initiative similar to Neighbourhood Watch.Farmwatch was originally set it up in 1979 and is now in its 25th year.The 72-year-old

  • Evans to train with Blades

    Sheffield United are set to allow convicted rapist Ched Evans to train with his former club later this week.Press Association Sport understands that the club have agreed to allow him to train in order to recover his fitness but there is no move by the

  • Yarde back for England

    England have recalled Marland Yarde for Saturday's QBE International against South Africa after Semesa Rokoduguni was ruled out of the Twickenham showdown with a thigh problem.Rokoduguni was injured in the second half of last weekend's 24-21 defeat by

  • Rangers fans call for Ashley probe

    RANGERS fans have written to stock market bosses urging them to investigate Mike Ashley's Ibrox power grab.The Rangers Supporters Trust has also raised a number of concerns about the current board's handling of the League One champions, accusing them

  • Barritt to show his versatility against Springboks

    ENGLAND centre Brad Barritt bristles at his "unwarranted" reputation as a one-dimensional player selected purely to stiffen the defence. Barritt started his first Test since March 2013 when he lined-up alongside Kyle Eastmond in Saturday's 24-21

  • Mulhern leaves Sunderland Ladies

    SUNDERLAND AFC Ladies manager Mick Mulhern has stepped down from his role at the club after helping the team secure promotion to the FA Women’s Super League 1. Mulhern has helped to guide the side to seven league titles and one league cup trophy

  • Sainsbury's plans £150m price cuts

    SAINSBURY'S says it is planning £150m in price cuts over the next year as it braces itself for several years of challenging trading.A review of the business also found the need to improve the quality of 3,000 own-brand products, while the company said

  • More in work as unemployment falls

    A RECORD number of people are in work after another huge fall in unemployment, according to new figures. The jobless total fell by 115,000 in the quarter to September to 1.96 million, the lowest figure since the start of the year. The number

  • Renewed appeal over Darlington knife-point robbery

    POLICE have issued a renewed appeal for information about an armed robbery in Darlington, having so far failed to trace the man responsible. A man with his face painted white burst into Biglin News, in West Auckland Road, at 12.30pm on Wednesday

  • Gray to rest Darlington's senior players for Whitby visit

    DARLINGTON this evening stage the first of two cup ties in four days, though Saturday’s FA Trophy tie is of much greater significance to manager Martin Gray. His team travels to St Neots Town for a second round qualifying fixture, a match that

  • Cahill fit for England's game with Slovenia

    Gary Cahill has confirmed he will be fit to face Slovenia in Saturday's Euro 2016 qualifier at Wembley. The Chelsea central defender was one of five players to miss training yesterday afternoon as a precaution but will be ready to line up in the

  • Campbell-Brown looking to Beijing

    DOUBLE Olympic 200 metres gold medallist Veronica Campbell-Brown insists she will not be affected by the discredited drug allegations which threatened to ruin her career. The 32-year-old Jamaican was cleared by the Court of Arbitration of Sport

  • Alcohol Plus Youths Equals Vulnerability

    Having had some input into using social media to get the best out of it, I now intend to use this blog to keep the people of Darlington informed of all the good things we do as well as some of the things I believe you will be interested in such as

  • A warm glow amid the winter chill

    DID anyone notice that moment when autumn ended and winter began? asks James Ramsbotham, chief executive of the North East Chamber of Commerce. It was like someone switched off the heating on October 31 and we all woke up shivering on November 1.It happened

  • Newcastle bring Streete back after defensive injuries

    ALAN PARDEW has shored up his defensive options after injuries to Steven Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini by calling youngster Remie Streete back from his loan at Port Vale. Streete, who made three appearances for the League One outfit, returned to

  • Event showcases Tees Valley skills

    A MAJOR skills showcase hosted by Tees Valley Unlimited, attracted scores of exhibitors and hundreds of visitors.Supported by the European Social Fund and National Careers Service, Tees Valley Skills was a one-day event designed to promote the wide range

  • Yorkshire training duo host Yearling Parade

    ANN and George Duffield are hosting a special Yearling Parade at their stables near Leyburn on Sunday, November 16.The parade has been organised by the Duffields to showcase the 30-or-so yearlings they bought at recent sales at Newmarket, Doncaster and

  • Double figures is Franks' scoring target

    TWO goals at the weekend, three for the season. Now Jonathan Franks wants at least seven more this season. The Hartlepool United wideman netted both goals as Pools progressed to the second round of the FA Cup and a tie with Blyth Spartans.

  • Zone is creating new jobs, says Pickles

    FIGURES released today show the North East Enterprise zone is creating more than 1,000 jobs and attracting new companies to the region.The zone, across sites in Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, is playing a vital role in driving forward the economy, creating

  • Virgin Money bosses to press-ahead with float

    THE initial public offering (IPO) for Newcastle-based Virgin Money is now officially back on the table, after the lending bosses now vow to float by the end of November, writes Samantha Dolby of Brewin Dolphin. Sir Richard Branson, who part-owns Virgin

  • Jackson reforms should be scrapped, says insolvency expert

    A NORTH-EAST insolvency expert has led calls for planned legal changes which would end up costing the creditors of insolvent firms more than £160m per year to be scrapped.Allan Kelly, chair of insolvency trade body R3 in the North East and a restructuring

  • Cleat firm wins Saudi Arabia airport deal

    A CABLE cleat maker has secured a significant deal to send equipment to a new Asian airport.Ellis, in Rillington, near Scarborough, is supplying cleats to the King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA), near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.Bosses say its products

  • Bus firm welcomes apprentices

    TWO workers are looking forward to engineering careers thanks to a bus company apprenticeship scheme.Charlie Marshall and Joe Cowell have been taken on by Stagecoach North East at its Teesside depot.Bosses say the pair will learn all aspects of vehicle

  • College trains next generation of shale workers

    THE next generation of shale gas workers will be trained in the North-East, college bosses have revealed. Redcar and Cleveland College (RCC) says it will act as a national hub to nurture engineers for fracking. The move is part of Government

  • Manufacturing a better British future

    Lord Digby Jones talks to Deputy Business Editor Steven Hugill about British manufacturing, Government support, regional powers and Lord Sugar UP high on a gantry, with microphone in hand, Lord Digby Jones gestures to his audience to move closer

  • Apprentice Amaan joins IT crowd

    AN apprentice has been hailed an IT troubleshooter by a North-East car parts firm. Amaan Ayoub looks after IT at Nifco UK, based in Eaglescliffe, near Stockton, which makes plastic components from door handles to bumper brackets. The Middlesbrough

  • Darlington man's Merc vying for top honours

    A 1987 MERCEDES owned by a Darlington man is one of 16 classic cars set to do battle at the UK’s biggest classic car show in the nationwide concours competition. The Showcase forms part of the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show – itself the biggest

  • Beamish strikes gold as it picks up another tourism award

    BEAMISH Museum was crowned the North-East’s best large attraction at the region’s tourism awards last night (Tuesday, November 11).The open air museum, just outside Stanley, County Durham, has won a host of awards over the years for its lively interpretation

  • Fletcher out to beat O'Shea

    SCOTLAND striker Steven Fletcher is relishing the opportunity to take on club-mate John O'Shea for real as the pair prepare to go head-to-head with precious Euro 2016 qualifying points at stake. The 27-year-old frontman and the Republic of Ireland