ELVET STRIDERS had an excellent day with some great performances in the penultimate cross country fixture of the season at Alnwick. The ladies team has been riding high all season and are currently sitting sixth in the top flight division one.
DIRECT train services between Middlesbrough and London will begin in 2020 using new Intercity Express trains built in County Durham, the new East Coast Main Line (ECML) operator has confirmed. Bosses at Virgin Trains East Coast (VTEC) have pledged
ARTISTS from across the region will be displaying their work in a charity event this weekend.The exhibition at Heighington Village Hall, near Darlington, is being held in aid of Butterwick Hospice and Phoenix House Recovery Centre in Catterick, the chosen
THE dawn of the latest era in the operation of the East Coast Main Line has arrived with the kind of promises normally reserved for power-hungry politicians on the approach to a general election. The line is now in the joint hands of Virgin and
HARTLEPOOL United supporters are pressing ahead with the formation of a supporters trust. An open meeting following Saturday’s 1-0 win over Wimbledon, held in the Corner Flag, the home of the club’s supporters’ association, was attended by over 100 fans
A WELL-KNOWN restaurant-bar has been refused permission to host a late-night gig with DJ Craig Charles after the owner was seen dispensing alcohol direct into friends' mouths from the bar.The Purple Pig, a burger restaurant and bar with outlets in Middlesbrough
A CONSERVATIVE councillor has been suspended by his party as it launches an investigation into "financial irregularities".Andrew Sherris, who represents Yarm on Stockton Borough Council, had already been deselected by his party and was planning
EVENTS are well underway to celebrate World Book Day on Thursday.Crown Street Library, in Darlington, has organised a series of activities for children and adults to mark the annual event, which aims to highlight the joys of reading for all ages. Young
SPRING may have officially begun, but wintry conditions remained across much of the region with snow and freezing temperatures bringing hazardous driving conditions for motorists. Strong winds and a blanket of snow caused problems for drivers in parts
GEORDIE television duo Ant and Dec are sending their 'supercomputer' to their native North-East this weekend to look for local talent.The feature for the double act’s Saturday Night Takeway show is coming to the Metrocentre in Gateshead for the first
MY main interest when reading a newspaper is its coverage of political events and the key personalities. A personality is most interesting when they have an angle of their own. To get this angle, journalists need to delve beneath the surface but
AN Olivier Award-winning play is to celebrate its 25th anniversary with a new production, appearing at Darlington Civic Theatre this week. Return to the Forbidden Planet, a musical inspired by Shakespeare's The Tempest, tells the story of a journey into
A BLUE plaque has been unveiled honouring the centenary of a historic hall being used as an army recruitment office.In January 1915, in a response to a request from the War Office, the then Mayor of Sunderland resolved to raise a Gun Brigade, numbering
HAVING spent past year being treated for breast cancer, I agree with some of the points raised by Susan Jaleel (HAS, March 2). I was seen both at Darlington and Bishop Auckland as the team work between the two. Bishop Auckland General is beautiful
IT was very disappointing to see the Labour councillors vote for a fourth annual increase in Darlington's council tax (Echo, 27 Feb). Voting this way meant rejecting £440,201 a year for our town from central government. They also chose to ignore
A SANCTUARY for teenagers whose lives have been blighted by sexual exploitation has been awarded Government funding. Durham County Council has been awarded just under £500,000 to provide a safe bolt-hole and round-the-clock therapeutic care for
A DOCTOR groped a teenage schoolgirl patient's breasts and played with her nipples during a GP appointment, a court heard today (Monday, March 2). Locum GP Unt Tun Maung cupped and squeezed each of the girl's breasts for a "significant period of
VILLAGERS were out in force to protest against a scheme to build two wind turbines.The residents were objecting to plans by renewable energy firm Airvolution to build two 140m turbines within half-a-mile from Wilton, Yearby and Kirkleatham.Lynnda Thomas
A SHOCK survey has shown the scale of the inactivity academic in the North-East.The survey of North-East parents showed that nearly half of their children did as little as 40 minutes or less exercise in a typical weekday.The Government recommends that
THE son of a woman who died from an asbestos-related industrial disease after washing her husband’s clothes and making their bed has launched a landmark case against an energy firm. Solicitors have begun legal proceedings after an inquest at Teesside
AN exotic African chest is set to go under the hammer at the Addisons of Barnard Castle auctioneers on Thursday (March 5).Originating from Zanzibar – one of the famous Indian Ocean Spice Islands – the early 19th Century hardwood piece is elaborately carved
A NORTH Yorkshire stately home has announced that this year’s Proms Spectacular concert will go back to its roots for its 25th anniversary celebrations.The Proms Spectacular will be held at Castle Howard, near Malton, on Saturday, August 22 and promoter
A STUDENT who was left stranded when she lost her purse has thanked the unknown person who later handed it in – without removing any of its contents. Shannon Peters, 22, said she would like to find out who the person was to thank him or her personally
AN EAST Durham care home is celebrating the addition of a new traditional sweet shop which claims to be every bit as sweet and colourful as the residents themselves.Field View Care Home, in Blackhall Colliery, recently finished work on their sweet shop
A SELF-TAUGHT artist who started painting when her children grew up is holding an exhibition of her work.Anne Wallace, 77, of Chester-le-Street, County Durham, enjoyed art at school but did not take up the brushes in earnest until she was 40.She has been
A councillor has been suspended from the Conservative Group on Stockton Council. Yarm Councillor Andrew Sherris was suspended by Ben Houchen, chairman of Stockton Conservative Association and the recently elected leader of the Conservative Group
THE Chief Constable of Durham Police has called for more to be done to tackle 'social media trolls', saying he is becoming increasingly concerned about the amount of time his officers have to spend dealing with harassment and abuse through social media.Mike
THE first art exhibition of the season is set to officially get underway at the Bowlees Visitor Centre, in Teesdale, on Sunday (March 8).The mezzanine art gallery in the former Methodist Chapel is hosting contemporary artist and sculptor, Trevor Craggs
BUSINESS leaders based at the county’s biggest industrial estate have criticised controversial plans to remove street lights along one of its main access routes.Durham County Council is proposing to remove street lights along the A167 between junction
MP Kevan Jones has met students from North Durham Academy, in Stanley, to discuss work they have been doing for the forthcoming General Election.The North Durham representative met young people and discussed their work on voter registration, which has
YOUNG sportswomen have netted a place in their school's history books by winning a place in a national final. The under-14 netball team from Ripon Grammar School already have the honour of being the first squad to make it through the area, county and
A NIGHTCLUB in Middlesbrough could still become a lap-dancing venue after police withdrew objections to plans to vary an existing licence.Slam on Exchange Square near the town's railway station has not yet applied for a 'sexual entertainments' licence
THE hotel industry’s brightest stars have been honoured at a glittering awards ceremony.Around 350 employees from hotels across the region gathered for the annual North-East Hotel Excellence Awards, at Hardwick Hall Hotel, Sedgefield, County Durham on
AN MP and council representatives hope to get assurances about the future of services at a North-East hospital when they lobby the health secretary later today (Tuesday, March 2).Hartlepool MP Iain Wright and Hartlepool council leader Christopher Akers-Belcher
A SUPERMARKET has been refused permission to receive deliveries on a Sunday – despite “mistakenly” breaching the rules and allowing vans to unload on Sundays for more than 20 years. Bosses at the Aldi supermarket on Yarm Road, Darlington, applied
LOTTERY funding is to turn an unusual colony of kittiwakes into screen stars.The birds, which nest around the quayside in Newcastle and Gateshead, are the furthest inland colony of gulls in the world.A £10,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund has
IT’S still more than four months away – but tickets are already being snapped up for this year‘s Great Yorkshire Show. The event is the biggest of its kind in the country and this year’s three-day show will be the 157th. Tickets went on sale
THE MARCH medal was played in gale force winds and at times driving rain Div 1 1st Andy Lincoln 77-7-70 2nd Pip Goodall 85-12-73 3rd Tony McKeen 85-11-74 Div 2 1st Jack Catterall 85-15-70 2nd James Goldie
TWO young chefs proved their worth in the kitchen after competing in a national cooking contest.Northallerton College students Georgina Mackley and Ellie Cameron competed in the district heat of the national Rotary Young Chef competition.The 16-year-olds
A TEENAGER has been jailed for 11 years after a court heard that he was still in denial about raping a child. Amaan Ghafoor was branded arrogant for thinking his victim would not reveal what had happened or would be believed. The 18-year-old
AHMED ELMOHAMADY has likened tomorrow’s game against his former club, Sunderland, to a “cup final”, and expressed hope that Hull City will extend their fantastic recent record against the Black Cats. Tomorrow’s opponents at the KC Stadium are separated
PUBLIC trust in politicians is at an all-time low. According to a recent poll, less than a quarter of constituents trust their MP to represent them in Parliament.Strangely, the national mood does not seem to be ringing alarm bells among politicians. Asked
A DRUNK student who survived falling into a freezing river in the early hours is to meet his rescuers.The un-named man, aged 20, fell into the River Wear in Durham City just a week after the body of law student Euan Coulthard was recovered from the water.Durham
BARNARD Castle is set to host an event to commemorate the 70th anniversary of VE Day on Friday, May 8. Poppy Appeal supporters have booked St Mary’s Church Parish Hall, in Newgate, to remember the day which marked the official signal for the end
POLICE are appealing for information after £75 worth of make-up was stolen from a shop in Richmond. A man entered Boots, in the Market Place, at around 9.15am last Friday, February 27, and put seven bottles of Bourjois foundation in his bag before leaving
A FIRM leading a £100m city transformation has made a senior appointment to drive forward its plans. Siglion, a joint venture company between Sunderland City Council and Carillion, with Igloo Regeneration providing development, asset and fund management
BIG-hearted members of the public have helped firefighters in Northallerton reach the top of the table when it comes to recycling old textiles.Every January the Fire Fighters Charity holds a national competition between fire stations to see which can
THE North of England Lead Mining Museum has received £81,327 from Arts Council England.The cash for the industrial museum in Weardale, County Durham – also known as Killhope – comes from a resilience fund established by the Arts Council specifically for
A SCHOOL founded by Durham’s Prince Bishops more than 400 years ago has received a glowing report by inspectors. Ofsted rated Wolsingham School and its sixth form college as good, praising the strong leadership and clear commitment to helping pupils reach
GUS POYET is delighted to have Wes Brown available for tomorrow’s game at Hull City, and has praised the Football Association for their swift overturning of the Sunderland defender’s dismissal in last weekend’s defeat to Manchester United. Brown
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a nine-year-old girl was knocked off her bike after a collision with a van. Follow the Darlington team on Facebook for breaking news direct to your timeline The girl involved in the incident
TRAIN company Northern Rail was the winner in four categories at the Rail Business Awards held in London.The categories were sustainability excellence, diversity and inclusion, security excellence and women in rail.It was also commended for being a close
A PHOTOGRAPH circulating on social media appears to show the moment a North Yorkshire barn was set alight. The image was sent to The Northern Echo this morning and has now been passed on to the police. It appears to show two young people in
SUNDERLAND defender Wes Brown will NOT serve a one-match ban after an appeal against his red card in Saturday's defeat to Manchester United was successful. An Independent Regulatory Commission has upheld a claim of wrongful dismissal in relation
STAFF at a Newton Aycliffe firm have scaled new heights to raise funds for their charity of the year.A nine-strong team from JDP Contracting Services completed a sponsored bungee jump off the Transporter Bridge in Middlesbrough in aid of Butterwick Hospice
DRIVERS who deliver milk to supermarkets are set to be balloted for strikes in a row over pay and conditions, threatening industrial action over Easter. Members of the GMB and Unite at Leeds-based Arla Foods are having their employment transferred
A FORMER Chelsea goalkeeper is to train youngsters in his home town to tie in with World Book Day.Ross Turnbull who began his career with Newton Aycliffe Football Club is heading home on Thursday (March 5) to boost reading skills.The former Middlesbrough
A SCULPTURE of a coal miner is to undergo major repairs after falling victim to the winter weather.The 15ft high sculpture of a coal miner was installed at Low Burnhall woods, near Durham City, in spring 2012, made of willow, oak, holly and blackthorn.It
A MEMORIAL service for babies who have died before or soon after birth will take place this week.The annual service of thanksgiving and remembrance will take place on Wednesday (March 4) at St. Cuthbert’s Church, North Road, Durham, starting at 7pm.Families
A DRUNK who abused a bus driver and turned on a would-be peacemaker passenger, threatening him with a hunting knife, has been jailed for 16 months.Tuesday afternoon bus passengers looked on in horror as Jason Cuthbertson drew the weapon, which had a serrated
AITOR KARANKA has confirmed Middlesbrough are considering taking action over an incident in which Sheffield Wednesday captain Jose Semedo was alleged to have spat at Grant Leadbitter. Semedo produced an angry reaction from the Boro captain and
A SALON owner says she has made improvements to her record keeping after being named and shamed for breaking minimum wage rules. Deborah Adcock, of LJ Beauty and Hair Salon, in Woods Terrace, Murton, County Durham, admitted her mistake in underpaying
The Great North Air Ambulance and the Butterwick Hospice received a cheque for £750 from the Zetland Hunt on Saturday, February 21. The presentation took place at the meet of the Zetland Hounds at Selaby Hall, Gainford. The money was raised at a successful
SCIENCE students took a hands-on approach to science after visiting the global healthcare company, GlaxoSmithKline, earlier this month.Evie Scott, 11, Holly Robinson, Grace Tarpey, Caleb Baker, Jack Parsons-Munn, all 12 and 16-year-old Alec Sabey from
BOWLING’S equivalent to the FA cup finals is coming to Darlington next month.The town has been chosen to host the final stages of the men’s and ladies’ all-England national team championship knockout events.Bowlers will battle it out for the prestigious
A LAUNCH event for a £1.4m nationwide campaign to inspire people who want to improve their rural communities was held in Darlington at the weekend.The free event was part of the latest phase of Village SOS, a Big Lottery funded campaign that enables people
A 60-year-old man who was stabbed in the stomach in an attempted robbery last week has been released from hospital.He was outside financial services firm Metcalfe, Kime & Co on Allensway in Thornaby, Teesside, when the incident happened, at about 5pm
A NORTH-East resident could be sitting on a National Lottery prize of more than £225,000. The ticket, worth £225,081, has yet to be claimed and was bought in Northumberland. The search is now on to find the owner of the winning ticket who matched
A FOODBANK has made an urgent appeal for stock after levels reached an all-time low.Hambleton Foodshare, in Northallerton, is issuing more than 30 emergency food parcels a week to people in need as the charity approaches its second birthday. it says there
THE countdown has begun for one of the fastest-growing events on the region’s foodie calendar.Northallerton’s Homegrown Food Festival has been a hit with the public since it was first launched back in 2012 to bring people closer to the produce from their
THE UK manufacturing sector is creating 5,000 jobs every month as a strong domestic market fuels its expansion, a report has revealed.The industry’s growth stood at a seven-month high in February, with recruitment increasing for a 22nd consecutive month
A WOMAN suffered minor injuries when she was pushed to the floor by a robber who made off with cash from the Chilton Moor filling station in North View Terrace, in Chilton Moor, near Houghton-le-Spring. The woman was working at the filling station
A GROUP of historic buildings are set to be sold off by Middlesbrough Council after development guidelines were approved.The sale of Nunthorpe Hall Farm and Blacksmith’s Yard, which was approved by the council’s Executive Sub-Committee for Property, will
A CAR was left balancing precariously on a fence above a motorway after a suspected drink driver failed to negotiate a roundabout. The vehicle was just inches away from toppling over a wooden fence and down a steep drop onto the A1M below, potentially
North Shields have managed to avoid an 800 mile round trip to Cornwall in the semi finals of the FA Vase. Shields could have been drawn away to St Austell from Cornwall, but instead they have been handed the winners of the replay between Wiltshire
FEMALE students at a martial arts academy are supporting a campaign aimed at inspiring women and girls to embrace an active lifestyle.This Girl Can encourages girls to get involved in exercise through a series of highly-publicised advertisements showing
PUPILS from secondary schools across Darlington competed to be crowned ‘Watt Bike Champions’ for 2015. The competition took place at Hurworth School but it was a team from Longfield Academy that emerged victorious.They were followed by Carmel College
IN step with history, last week’s column wondered how South Shields folk came to be known as Sand Dancers – and has had a couple of interesting theories. One’s from a gentleman whose email address and signature are both Craggsy the Clown, the other
As Julianne Moore picks up an Oscar for her portrayal of a woman with dementia, Lisa Salmon takes a closer look at the heartbreaking condition that's affecting more and more of us STILL Alice hasn't just scooped Julianne Moore a Best Actress Oscar
Can't wait for spring's blue skies? Get a head start indoors, with Gabrielle Fagan's bright new season buys At this time of year, even a glimpse of bright, blue sky, with its promise of spring, lifts the spirits. But our unpredictable climate
She may take her work seriously, but Dame Judi Dench always has time for a good giggle, as Keeley Bolger finds out Dame Judi Dench has a problem with growing older. "I don't like 'age' much. Is getting older better? No. There's nothing good
As Spring approaches and the fields fill up with lambs, Richard Darlington talks to Ruth Addicott about his life as a shepherd At 23, Richard Darlington has not only found his dream job, but one he hopes he’ll still be doing when he’s 90. He’s
If you're whipping up treats this Mother's Day, look no further than the latest batch of mouth-watering Hummingbird Bakery recipes. Founder Tarek Malouf tells Kate Whiting about the American adventures that inspired them If Mary Berry is the reigning
The best way to get a job isn't by sitting behind a screen, it's by getting out thereChoosing to start my first ever restaurant in Barnard Castle was a good decision. We’re told that location is everything and I know from experience how important it is
  WITTON PARK Rose and Crown clinched a third consecutive first division title with a resounding 12-0 victory over Bishop Bay Horse. Stephen Brunskill top scored with four and the rest came courtesy of Dean Thexton (2), Jason Brasauskas (2), Scott
THE East Coast rail route becomes privately run again today after more than five years in the public sector. Operated by a company under the control of the Department for Transport since November 2009, the East Coast line has now been taken over
TRIBUTES have been paid to a rowing coach who died after falling into the River Wear in Durham City. Experienced oarsman Bill Grant, from, Cleadon, Sunderland was coaching a rowing crew when he is believed to have suffered a medical episode,
Arthur and George (ITV, 9pm) THE death of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's wife, Louisa, led to the great physician and crimewriter taking on a case worthy of his creation Sherlock Holmes. The novelist was in need of a project, particularly after the
A ROOFER who “persistently and aggressively” targeted elderly women living on their own to pay for unwanted repairs has been jailed. Michael Maughan created work for himself by pulling tiles off the roof of his victims’ homes. Teesside Crown
A NON-LEAGUE football manager is threatening to quit after just four weeks in the job over claims that he was punched in the face by a rival assistant manager.Police were called to Durham City Football Club’s New Ferens Park on Saturday (February 28)
It’s amazing what a win can do.“I’m a much happier man than I was last Saturday,” said Darlington manager Martin Gray, after seeing his side collect three points of the much-needed variety, beating Bamber Bridge 2-1 for the second time this season.Unexpected
Newcastle United 1 Aston Villa 0 THIS summer, the Newcastle United hierarchy will have to take some major decisions that will go a long way towards shaping the future destiny of the club. Clearly, the appointment of a permanent head coach is
JONAS GUTIERREZ insists he does not want his return to the Newcastle United squad to be a token gesture, and is confident he still has something to offer in the final 11 games of the campaign. Gutierrez was included in Newcastle’s match-day squad
Sheffield Wednesday 2 Middlesbrough 0 IN an ever changing world there are still some things which you can depend on. In this instance, it’s that Middlesbrough always struggle at Sheffield Wednesday. Hillsborough has certainly not been a happy
Stats and ratings from Middlesbrough's defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.Goals1-0: Nuhiu (52 – got enough behind his penalty to take it past Konstantopoulos and into the bottom left corner)2-0: Keane (54 – reacted quickest to head in after Nuhiu’s shot came
MICHAEL Woods is facing a long road back to recovery after a season-ending injury.The Hartlepool United midfielder, who has been very impressive in recent weeks and a regular under Ronnie Moore, went over in the second half and suffered a dislocated ankle
Hartlepool United 1 AFC Wimbledon 0 THREE weeks ago and Jack Compton was sat at home as Hartlepool United lost at Portsmouth. An erroneous tweet, sent during the game, infuriated his team-mates. Back home, at a team meeting two days later they
MIDDLESBROUGH head coach Aitor Karanka has called for some perspective after his side missed the chance to reclaim top spot in the Championship. Boro’s automatic promotion hopes took a hit at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday after goals from Atdhe
REGARDLESS of Manchester United’s fall from grace, visitors to Old Trafford still require a slice of fortune to go in their favour if they are to return with a result.It seems to be fashionable to criticise United and Louis Van Gaal. It is true that the
GUS POYET accepted responsibility for Wes Brown’s remarkable red card at Manchester United, with the Sunderland head coach poised to make a substitution moments before the contentious penalty incident.Brown was giving his marching orders despite John
“FOR the one that makes it, there are thousands who don’t.”If Ben Crosby sounds a little rueful, he is.Mr Crosby is a director at family-run catering equipment supplier Crosbys.The 25-year-old firm is expanding at a rapid pace.It serves more than 2,000
OVERCROWDING in prisons such as Durham is "feeding crime and creating more victims", according to campaigners.Figures released today (Monday) show three in four men’s jails across England and Wales are holding more people than they are designed
LEGISLATION coming into force today (Monday, March 2) which makes it easier for police to detect and prosecute motorists who drive ‘high’ on drugs has been welcomed by a senior North-East police officer. The new offence, driving with certain drugs above
A TEENAGER and a four-year-old boy had a lucky escape after a car collided with them as they rode a bike. Nineteen-year-old Jordan Elliott had been to the shops with little McKenzie Bell when they went over the bonnet of the green Rover 25.
A CHARITY football match organised in memory of a popular Darlington restaurateur looks set to become an annual event. Friends and family of Peter Turnbull, who ran The Old Yard Tapas Bar on Bondgate, lined up against each other for the match to
Goal: 1-0: Bird (73, Compton opened up on the left, crossed and Bird hooked home from close range) Bookings: Fuller (39, foul); Potter (68, foul), Winfield (90, foul) Referee: Carl Boyeson (Hull): Agitated the home crowd at times with his decision
