Goals: 0-1: Young (89, slotted home from close range after Abeid’s ill-advised back-pass forced Krul into a rushed clearance) Bookings: Rojo (60, foul), Gutierrez (67, foul), Valencia (84, foul) Referee: Anthony Taylor (Wythenshawe) – Got
THE North-East’s cities are trapped by “lower knowledge” economies and lack jobs in the new digital industries, a gloomy study warns today (Wednesday, March 4).But other Northern cities – Leeds and Manchester, in particular – have managed to “re-invent
Bishop Auckland are now without a win in six matches after they were beaten 3-1 at North Shields in the ENL tonight. However, they looked as if they would hold on to a draw after they had Johnny Butler red carded after 30 minutes. Bishops had
DARLINGTON Football Club is to be congratulated for responding in the right way following the death of a man who played a key role in saving the Quakers. We said yesterday that the role of the club’s former administrator, Harvey Madden, should
WELL done to eight-year-old Sophia Trow who has stuck the boot into Clarks for being "sexist" with shoes designs. Sophia, who comes from Middlesbrough, wrote to the bosses of the multi-national company, saying they are out of step by by selling
THE Conservative party under Margaret Thatcher abolished apprenticeship schemes in this country and then the Conservative and Liberal parties increased tuition fees to £9,000 in England (but not in Scotland), while in Wales they pay just over £3,000
ONE of the reasons given for the problems in hospitals this winter was that there were greater numbers of old people. The majority of the elderly use medical services as a last resort and not for minor ailments. Many of the illnesses needing hospital
SIR JOHN HALL has expressed support for the County Durham Plan (although he lives outside the county concerned) and, therefore, perhaps he could help the plan by building a large estate of affordable housing on his lovely estate. To many, this
A DOCTOR said to have become aroused after an unnecessarily intimate examination of a teenage patient claimed he was suffering erection problems at the time.Dr Unt Tun Maung is accused of indecently touching the 15-year-old’s breasts while supposedly
SO it's official then. We are now an atheistic country. According to Government guidelines, God, if He exists at all, had nothing to do with Creation. How unscientific of Sir Issac Newton and thousands of other scientists to allow the evidence
A DENTIST is all smiles after buying the practice where he started out as a work experience student a decade ago.David Lamb bought the Kingsgate Dental practice, on Church Street, Durham City, from retiring owner Peter Gourlay in a partly “blind” sale.The
A RESTORED blacksmith shop is opening its doors to the public this weekend.Hetton Smithy in Hetton-le-Hole, on Wearside, will stage the event from 10am to 2pm on Saturday March 7.Owner John Guy has worked at the smithy all his life but the recent restoration
A MAN who threatened teachers and reduced a schoolgirl to tears while wearing a monkey onesie has been sentenced for his part in a drunken disturbance at a North-East academy.Daniel Brannigan threatened to knock out two teachers when he and a 16-year-old
TWO organisations in the North-East have received funding from the Arts Council’s strategic touring programme.The programme aims to bring art and culture to audiences in areas that may have low levels of art engagement.New Writing North, which is based
A TEAM of experts has been assembled in readiness for a cathedral’s new exhibition spaces opening to the public.Durham Cathedral, which is moving ahead with its £10m Open Treasure project to create new world-class exhibition spaces for treasures from
TWO abandoned horses are searching for a new home.The male skewbald horses are currently being looked after by Ark on the Edge Animal Sanctuary volunteer, Anne Richardson, who took them in after they were brought to the sanctuary, in Woodland, Teesdale.Sanctuary
THE last remaining tourist information centre in part of North Yorkshire is to close.The centre, in Pickering in the Ryedale district,, will shut in September and will be replaced by information services at the town’s library and possibly a visitor information
MORE than a quarter of a million pounds is to be spent on children’s theatre in the North.The Arts Council England has awarded New Writing North (NWN), organisers of the Durham Book Festival, £264,674 to deliver three touring productions over the next
AN UNDER-FIRE councillor who has been suspended from his party for "financial irregularities" has hit back at his former leader.Andrew Sherris, Conservative councillor for Yarm for Stockton Borough Council, is understood to have been in arrears
A JEWELLERY design company has donated £500 to a £1m cathedral appeal.Hertfordshire-based Reine d’Amour presented the gift to Durham Cathedral following a visit by Anne-Valerie Legrix, the head of design; paying for the construction of the St Joseph’s
THIS is the moment a paedophile was snared by a North-East vigilante group targeting online perverts calling themselves Dark Justice. John Rudd, 57, travelled across the North-East after he was tricked into thinking he was to meet a 14-year-old
HUNDREDS of North-East businesswomen gathered to launch a new organisation that aims to support, encourage and promote enterprising women.The North East Foundation for Women in Enterprise (NEFWE) aims to help women at all stages of their careers, whether
A SCHEME to encourage people to mix with wildlife to improve their health has been launched.Durham Wildlife Trust is running My Wild Life which aims to show people the benefits which can be derived from spending time with nature.The group wants people
FIREFIGHTERS today (Wednesday, March 4) rescued a young horse which got stuck up to its neck in mud.At one point it appeared the animal may die from the stress, but rescuers managed to revive it following the operation in the Brasside area, of Durham
ONE of the region’s leading comprehensive schools has been given a glowing Ofsted report.Durham Johnston School, in Durham City, was described as outstanding in every category by the schools watchdog.Inspectors found that school leaders and managers promote
A MINUTE'S applause for a man instrumental in saving Darlington Football Club will be held during the Quakers' next home game, it has been announced. Harvey Madden, who has died aged 66, was the administrator who worked tirelessly to help save
THE organisers of the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire have announced details of when the international cycling race will pass locations to enable spectators and businesses to plan for the three-day event.Welcome to Yorkshire and the Amaury Sport Organisation
A CONSORTIUM of major historic houses has been honoured for its efforts to mark the outbreak of the First World War.The Yorkshire Country House Partnership was awarded one of the prestigious 2015 Hudson’s Heritage Awards at a ceremony held in London’s
PEOPLE used to getting their own way never take kindly to being thwarted. So the fury emanating from Durham County Council and its business-community allies over the rejection of its mammoth development plan is no surprise.The controversial document appears
A NOTORIOUS paedophile and sex menace who was once banned from an entire North-East town has died in prison.John Wayne Locke, who was 70, was banned from Hartlepool because of his behaviour.Breaches of his Sexual Offences Prevention Order (Sopo) included
The launch of a pilot scheme that aims to bring down cases of speeding has been praised. Ashley Barnard reports SPEEDING in North Yorkshire has been the single biggest issue for Police and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan to contend with since
EMOTIVE performances based on the lives of North-East women will be staged to mark International Women’s Day. The stories of 162 young women from across the region - and Liverpool - inspired Jumping Puddles, a play from theatre company Open Clasp.The
A VOLUNTEER-run children’s reading scheme is hosting a networking event this month to recruit more members and share ideas.Busy Readers was launched by Darlington Cares in September 2013 and involves volunteers going into schools for an hour a week to
FLYTIPPERS who dump waste across County Durham are being targeted as part of a crackdown by a multi-agency team.The Operation Stop It group, which includes Durham County Council, is carrying out stop and check exercises to make sure vehicles are licensed
A CHARITY fundraiser has called into a hospice to see how the money he raised for a cause close to his heart has been invested.Mike Findley MBE donated £2,000 to Teesside Hospice to purchase Virtual Skylights for its complimentary therapy suite.The former
A COUNCIL leader has hit back at criticism over a public consultation on plans for a combined Tees Valley authority.The Northern Echo previously reported that a seven-week long consultation on a combined authority for Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough
County Super League Spennymoor Top Hat closed the gap on the beaten Stanhope Bonny Moor Hen after they only dropped two points to the visiting Peterlee Hearts of Oak. The home team won two of the three pairs points with the following singles (Top
A WILDLIFE trust has hailed the success of a series of events held across the region aimed at improving the welfare of local birds.The Tees Valley Wildlife Trust staged the Provide Bed and Breakfast for Our Birds week of hands-on events over the half
Crook & District League Howden Australian moved to the top after only dropping one point at the Surtees, whilst former leaders, Travellers B slipped to third after only taking two points from their A team. Results: Kings 4 Fir Tree 3; White
Wear Valley Games League The Top Hat made a clean sweep in the top of the darts table clash with the visiting Bay Horse when they had singles wins from John Teal with a 180, Alan Bell with two 180’s and a 14 dart leg, Michael Bylett, Dave Simpson
A PROBE assessing rival airport expansion schemes must back the right horse and choose Gatwick, a North-East born official has said. Stewart Wingate, Gatwick’s chief executive, said a second runway at the Sussex site would deliver substantially
Worthington C.I.U. Winter League There was no change at the top of the First Division after both Hunwick A, the leaders and Bearpark A won in the deciders. Andy Stephenson put Sherburn Village ahead at Hunwick by beating Paul Atkinson, who
STIRRING sights and sounds are promised when a stately home’s Proms Spectacular goes back to its roots.This year’s extravaganza at Castle Howard, near Malton, on August 22, will be a 25th anniversary celebration.Back by popular demand, the spectacular
A NOTORIOUS Scottish convict who escaped from a prison in Ireland has been transferred to a jail in the North-East, police said.Glaswegian Derek Brockwell, 53, fled custody in the Republic last month and was captured by police in Belfast.Irish police
PUPILS at a rural primary school are celebrating the opening of a new wooden outdoor classroom after the school raised £20,000 to fund it.The construction at Middleton Tyas CE Primary School, near Richmond, North Yorkshire, will provide a classroom space
Bishop Auckland League Bishop Auckland Snooker Club moved into pole position in the table after they only dropped two points to the visiting neighbours from the Derby. Coundon Miners edged to an odd point win at the Green Tree, who had two
OWNERS of Land Rover Defenders are being urged to be extra vigilant after a number of thefts and attempted thefts in North Yorkshire.Two of the tough 4x4s have been taken in the west of the county while attempts have been made to take others from rural
COUNCILLORS have ignored an independent recommendation to increase their allowances and voted to freeze them.Members of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council believed increasing their allowances at a time of austerity would not be acceptable.The report
ALL weather vehicles have been donated to two charities to keep their lifesaving blood transportation scheme on the road in all conditions.The Vauxhall Mokka 4x4s were given to Northumbria Blood Bikes and Blood Bikes Cumbria which provide vital transportation
THE regional umbrella body for charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises in the North-East of England, VONNE, have appointed a new chief executive.Jane Hartley will take up her post on April 7 and is well known to VONNE as its former chairwoman
THE CENTENARY Scott Trial has resulted in more than £16,300 being raised for local charities.The hugely popular trial biking event held annually in October near Feldom Ranges in Swaledale celebrated its 100th year in 2014, and a presentation event on
SCHOOLCHILDREN have opened a new coffee shop.Pupils from Brandon Primary School, in Brandon, near Durham, were invited to cut the ribbon at the new Costa Coffee, at the Arnison Centre, in Pity Me, today (Wednesday, March 4).Store manager Hayley Gaffney
POLICE are urging Darlington residents not to let their properties become easy targets for criminals following another burglary in the town.A house on Fife Road was burgled after access was gained through an unlocked patio door sometime between midnight
DARLINGTON’S Mayor and Mayoress lent their hand to helping youngsters raise bags of money for Comic Relief.Mayor Gerald Lee and his wife Ruth helped a team of students from Hummersknott School pack customers’ shopping bags at the Sainsbury’s supermarket
TEENAGERS have created a short film outlining the dangers of 'sexting' which will be used to educate fellow youngsters on the pitfalls of the craze. Pupils at Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College in County Durham worked with Changing Relations
A NEW police inspector has taken the helm in Darlington.Caroline Dawson has been appointed as neighbourhood inspector for Darlington, taking over from Mick Button who has moved to work at the force’s headquarters in Aykley Heads, Durham. Inspector Dawson
THOUSANDS of bakery workers will receive a cash windfall as a North-East empire revels in strong customer demand. Greggs says staff will share £6.4m after the pie and pasty maker saw total sales increase to £804m for the year to January 3.
THE Care Quality Commission (CQC) has told a care home in Low Etherley, near Bishop Auckland, that it must make improvements or face further action. Inspectors carried out an unannounced inspection at Etherley Lodge in October, where they found that the
CHANCELLOR George Osborne has been accused of selling the family silver in a £757m deal to offload the Government’s Eurostar stake. The Treasury is shedding its 40 per cent holding in the cross-Channel operator to Anglo-Canadian consortium Patina
TWO sexual predators have so far been trapped by an online vigilante group which calls itself Dark Justice and operates in the North-East. They have been lured to the Millennium Bridge over the River Tyne where they expected to meet a 14-year-old
A FORMER Darlington MP has been officially installed as the third Chancellor of Lancaster University.Alan Milburn was the Labour MP for Darlington from 1992 to 2010 and served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Secretary of State for Health and Chancellor
A COUNCIL is reminding residents to sign up if they want to have their garden waste taken away for £20 a year, a service that was free until this spring.Residents can join the Durham County Council green waste collection scheme at any time of the year
RAIDERS escaped with jewellery worth thousands of pounds after targeting a property in North Yorkshire.Rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets, some including diamonds and rubies, were taken from a house in Abbey Mill Gardens, Knaresborough.The raid
A ROWING coach who died after falling into the River Wear in Durham City on Saturday (February 28) may have suffered from heart disease, a coroner has heard.Opening an inquest into his death at Crook Coroner’s Court today (March 4), County Durham Coroner
OPEN Championship venue Royal St George's has voted to allow women members for the first time in its history.A statement read: "The Royal St George's Golf Club is pleased to announce that, following an extraordinary general meeting held on 14th February
POLICE are appealing for help after a car carrying a family through Stanley was hit by an object thrown from a park.The car was travelling along Sunny Terrace at around 7.30pm on Tuesday, February 24 when a youth in Oakey’s Park threw an object, which
ONE of Yorkshire’s most famous tea rooms is to raise money for a charity which provides hospice care to people in their homes.Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms in Northallerton has selected Herriot Hospice Homecare as its charity for 2015 and staff are hoping to
THE multi-million pound redevelopment of a former food factory has passed its first planning hurdle. Councillors have approved an outline application to create a trade park at Kerry Foods, Dragon Lane, on the Dragonville Industrial Estate, Durham
YOUNGSTERS became detectives to crack the mysterious case of four computers which vanished from their school.When children arrived at Cockfield Primary School last Monday (March 23) they discovered the library window ajar and four laptops missing.They
VILLAGERS fighting controversial plans to dig coal from open countryside expect the issue to go before a public inquiry this summer.Residents of Pittington, West Rainton and surrounding villages to the east of Durham City have been fighting Hargreaves
A CATHEDRAL shop has received the blessing of historian Dan Snow.The BBC broadcaster was presiding at the 2015 Hudson's Heritage Awards at Goldsmith's Hall in London, where Durham Cathedral was up for three prizes.The cathedral shop was highly commended
A REGIONAL brass band contest will take place next weekend (March 14-15).Durham’s Gala Theatre will host the North of England Regional Brass Band Championships on March 14 and 15.It will be the first time the contest has been held at the Gala, having
A CIRCUS star who specialises in juggling footballs wowed children with his skills ahead of two North-East performances.Zhora Oganisyan, who holds the world record for football juggling – balancing on a large ball while kicking a standard ball from foot
THE son of the man who founded Greggs bakers has appeared in court charged with 26 sexual offences against children. Colin Gregg, 73, who has been both the headmaster of a private school and a social worker, is to stand trial accused of indecently
A TEACHER is taking her students on the trip of a lifetime after being inspired by her own South African adventure.The group of 12 Stockton Riverside College students are destined for the desert plains of Namibia, where they will help local farmers and
WHAT would you do if you caught a member of staff kissing the boss, and who is the best Doctor Who? They are some of the bizarre questions North-East jobseekers have been asked in interviews, according to a new study which lifts the lid on the
ERIC MEADOWS and Tony Herrington, of Coundon, were among those who answered the throwaway plea amid the pictures of Newton Aycliffe in Memories 217: why is there a Gort Road beside the town square? They directed us to John Standish Surtees Prendergast
A COMMITTEE of North-East business leaders has unanimously voted in favour of holding interest rates amid fears about the fragility of improvements in the economy. Ahead of tomorrow's announcement by the Bank of England which is epxected to see
The winning numbers for the Great North Air Ambulance weekly draw for Wednesday March 4, 2015 are: £200 N24711, Blyth; £100 N22215, Guisborough; £50 N13848, Scarborough; £50 N18160, Guisborough; £25 N34899, Cleator Moor; £25 N41275, Middlesbrough
VOTERS in Thornaby have overwhelmingly voted ‘yes’ to leave Stockton Borough Council. More than 72 per cent of 4,105 voters from the town, a 32 per cent turn out, agreed that ‘Thornaby should be independent from Stockton.’ The postal vote cost
GUS POYET has no regrets about his actions after he was sent to the stands for the first time as Sunderland boss last night before his team salvaged a much-needed point against Hull City. Poyet also described Monday as “a very difficult day” and
An underwater cricket match has been staged in Sydney to promote the world cup series in the city. Members of staff at Sydney Aquarium donned sub-aqua gear to play the game, using a coral protrusion as the stumps. It was reported to be a low-scoring
SHORT of cash? Turn on the bank note printer and pay your bills in super fresh, crisp, fifty euro notes. Looking back at this column over the last few weeks, I note my colleagues have, quite naturally, focused on the oil price and inflation
WHEN you get to my age, you’re lucky if you still have your mum ¬ ¬- and I’m well aware that I'm very fortunate indeed. My mum is still going strong despite being in her 80s, and I love her to bits. She’s always been there when I’ve needed her,
The Road to Wembley isn’t an original concept, nor probably the Railroad either, but stand-up comedian Andy Fury had made a highly diverting fist of it.Fury, now 32, is a Hebburn lad who supported Sunderland, studied journalism at the city’s university
The Railroad to Wembley draws tantalizingly near its destination I am monarch of all I surveyMy right there is none to dispute;From the centre all round to the seaI am lord of the fowl and the brute.– William Cowper, The Solitude of Alexander SelkirkSelkirk
A former Black and Decker engineer, Steph McGovern is now cutting it in the world of national television. She shared her story with students from Darlington's Longfield Academy on a recent visit to the school OUT of camera-shot a pig sinks its
A COUNCILLOR is being investigated by his own party for failing to pay his council tax. Andrew Sherris, Conservative councillor for Yarm and Kirklevington on Stockton Borough Council, was suspended by his party on Monday pending an investigation
THE only problem with this review is that it isn’t long enough for the superlatives that this Watermill Theatre production richly deserves: in short - it’s stunning. The exceptionally talented ensemble of 14 not only act, sing and dance their way through
THREE officers at the centre of an investigation into a "brutal" arrest should face a misconduct hearing, an Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) report reveals. In 2013, CCTV footage of the dramatic arrest of a couple on Stockton High
A SELF-CONFESSED hoarder has finally yielded to his wife’s pleas to de-clutter their home by opening his own charity shop. Kind-hearted Godfrey Bennett, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, has raised hundreds of pounds for good causes by selling
GREGGS has announced pre-tax profits of £58.3 million for 2014 - up 41 per cent on last year. Like-for-like sales were up by 4.5 per cent - halting a modest decline in sales witnessed by the North-East company in 2013. Total sales were up 5.5
DURHAM SUNDAY Cup Semi Final Last Sunday saw the semi-final of the Durham Sunday Cup between two Goals Stockton Sunday League teams when Norton George & Dragon entertained Hardwick Social Club and this turned into a scrappy game spoilt by a blustery
PAUL DRINKHALL admitted to mixed emotions after winning one final and losing another at the Senior National Table Tennis Championships last weekend. Drinkhall, who is from Loftus in East Cleveland, claimed the men’s doubles title alongside Liam
VETERAN TV star June Whitfield is making a one-off appearance in Albert Square. The actress, who starred in hits including Terry And June and Absolutely Fabulous, will appear in EastEnders opposite Jessie Wallace's character, Kat Moon, in a single
You would not put it past Tony McCoy to make his last ride in Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup a winning one on Carlingford Lough.While McCoy's 20-year reign as champion jockey has almost been a quest for incredible numbers, he has won the blue riband event
STOCKTON-BORN Stephen Tompkinson is about to reacquaint us with workaholic detective Alan Banks, in the fourth series of the gritty ITV crime drama DCI Banks, which sees the sleuth hit by more personal tragedies.Those with sharp eyes will also have seen
Middlesbrough 3 Millwall 0 THE Championship rollercoaster has plenty of twists and turns left in it yet, but Middlesbrough got their promotion push back on track with a convincing win over Millwall last night. The panic is over – at least for
A MAN’S life began to unravel after he was convicted of fraud in a case which saw a police officer jailed for forging his father’s will, a court heard. Peter Atkinson was given a suspended prison sentence at Teesside Crown Court in January last
AITOR KARANKA insisted he never doubted his team’s mental strength after Middlesbrough returned to the top of the Championship last night. The Teessiders put Saturday’s defeat to Sheffield Wednesday firmly behind them with a comprehensive 3-0 win
THANK god for Sir John Hall. As a Sunderland fan who can’t abide the Metrocentre that is a phrase I thought I would never write. The miner’s-son-turned-Tory-cheerleader has made a career out of asking questions that nobody else considers, or
LOUIS VAN GAAL spoke of his need for a 20-goal a season striker last week – in Papiss Cisse, Newcastle have just the man, believes John Carver.Cisse has found the net once every 84 minutes this season, and his 11 goals have fired him to joint-sixth in
TRIBUTES have been paid to a successful businessman who made his fortune making and selling fireplaces. Self-made millionaire John Willetts, of John Willetts Fireplaces, based in Spennymoor, County Durham, died on Friday, February 27, at the age
WHEN news of the planning inspector’s report on the ambitious County Durham Plan first broke, it is fair to say we were somewhat taken aback, writes James Ramsbotham, North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) chief executive.We have heard, on many occasions
NIFCO UK last week won the biggest single deal in its history. Business Editor Andy Richardson looks at one of the Tees Valley’s great success stories. LESS than 10 years after it was ready to call in the administrators a North-East plastics firm played
A SUNDAY league semi-final fixture ended in dramatic style - when the players found themselves tackling a blaze. The fire broke out in a storage building at Northallerton Town Football Club on Sunday (March 1) morning, as Romanby and Thirsk Town
A PAEDOPHILE who tried to snatch a schoolgirl from the street and groomed other youngsters on the internet is facing a lengthy spell behind bars. Paul Whitfield - pictured here for the first time - will be assessed for 'dangerousness' before being
Full-time: Hull City 1 Sunderland 1 JACK RODWELL provided Gus Poyet with a much-needed break when a dreadful 48 hours threatened to get a whole lot worse for Sunderland at the KC Stadium. A frustrated Poyet was sent to the stands and the Black
THE universities of Newcastle and Sunderland refused to answer questions on their vice-chancellors’ spending on flights, hotels and expense claims, according to the University and College Union (UCU).A report, covering 155 UK universities showed university
IF you have seen one Hartlepool United away defeat, you have seen them all. In losing at Dagenham last night, the performance and outcome followed the script previously on show at Portsmouth, Bury, Shrewsbury and Wycombe of late. Pools can
