After winning both Classic trials at Newmarket in the week, champion trainer Richard Hannon turns his attentions to Newbury for further Guineas clues and his pair of Ivawood and Tiggy Wiggy are both fancied to go close in the Greenham and Fred Darling
THE main road through Nunthorpe was closed today after a two-vehicle crash. The accident happened on The Avenue earlier this afternoon, showering the road and footpaths with debris. It involved a silver Volkswagen Golf and a black Skoda Rapid
A LIFELINE providing friendship and support for elderly residents living alone has been promoted by its television personality founder. Dame Esther Rantzen visited the Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, to speak about The Silver Line service.
THEY continue to rely on other results going their way, but Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka on Friday night claimed his side deserve to be playing in the Premier League next season. Boro moved back to the top of the Championship table as
NORWICH 0 MIDDLESBROUGH 1 AND so the pendulum swings again. Billed as a game Middlesbrough had to win to keep their hopes of automatic promotion alive, last night’s victory over promotion rivals Norwich City could prove the key moment of a campaign
FOR a prime minister seeking re-election, job figures showing unemployment at a seven-year low are a clear cause for celebration. But when that same prime minister is only neck and neck in the opinion polls, it is just as much a cause for concern
A FATHER-of-five who allowed his dog to attack a man over a £7 debt thanked a judge as he was spared an immediate jail sentence.There was more good news for Michael Arundel after his pitbull dog Rizla escaped being destroyed on the recommendation of police
I ALWAYS think that this weekend is the switchover in codes, the flat steps up another notch while the jumping starts to slow down after today's Scottish Grand National at Ayr.In Scotland's flagship race there would be no more popular winner than Lie
Ed Miliband has pledged to put an end to the "scandal" of long-term unpaid internships that keep the poorest young people from the best careers by banning placements that last for more than four weeks. For more local and national election
NICK Clegg has called on Tory and Labour supporters to vote tactically in an effort to stop Alex Salmond returning to Westminster as the Liberal Democrats suffered a fresh opinion poll setback in Scotland. For more local and national election
BORIS Johnson has not ruled out becoming a minister in the first year of a Tory government but said David Cameron would not be in favour of such a move. For more local and national election news, pictures from the campaign trails and to see
TEESSIDE is essential to the ‘Northern powerhouse’ to improve the region’s prosperity, the Transport minister said on a visit to Middlesbrough.Patrick McLoughlin pledged that its 30-year-old pacer trains will be scrapped but could only hope that Durham
DANIEL AYALA and Grant Leadbitter return to Middlesbrough's starting line-up for this evening's crucial promotion clash with Norwich City. Boro kick off at Carrow Road knowing they almost certainly have to claim at least a point if they are to
I WAS saddened to read about the passing of the former Durham Light Infantry soldier, William Ernest Bowman, who died at the age of 93 (Echo, Apr 14). Though I did not know Mr Bowman, my father would have fought alongside him in Burma. He was the
SIX unknown British soldiers, whose bodies were recently discovered in a farmer’s field in Belgium, have been given a dignified send-off more than a century after they fell. Drum Major Paul Ingleton, 37, based in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire
A UNIQUE run staged by a football club charity is gearing up for its fifth year.Entries have opened for the Sunderland Foundation of Light's Lambton 10k run and 3k fun run through the grounds of the iconic and exclusive Lambton Estate, Chester-le-Street
Chief Scott Wilson reports live from Carrow Road as Middlesbrough take on Norwich City. A loss tonight to their promotion rivals would be a real hammer blow to Boro's Premier League football hopes. Tweets by @Scottwilsonecho
DOZENS of pre-war and vintage cars lined up at a North-East racing circuit as they took part in a three-day time trial.Competitors taking part in the Flying Scotsman Rally roared into Croft Circuit, near Darlington, on the first leg of their three-day
ROTARIANS are hoping to raise £10,000 for a cancer charity while rowing a pirate ship to Venice.The club, in Pickering, North Yorkshire, plan to take part in the Vogalonga, and annual regatta in the Italian city that last year saw more than 1,800 boats
A CAR careered into safety railings at a busy Darlington junction.It happened at about 3.45pm today (Friday, April 17) when a woman driving a black Volkswagen Golf crashed into railings at the junction of Greenbank Road and Woodland Road near Darlington
ONE of Darlington’s best loved businesses will be taking to the streets for the town’s second annual food festival.The two day Distinctly Delicious Darlington Festival of Food will be held in the town centre on May 9 and 10 and so far 50 per cent more
ROCK n roll classics will provide the soundtrack to a Darlington charity event.The So Shoddy Waddy tribute band will host an evening of live music and entertainment in aid of Age UK Darlington on Saturday, May 9.The Rock n Roll Fundraiser will give music
A CHARITY that helps people recovering from alcohol and drug addiction wants to create a drop-in centre - in what is currently a pub.Changing Lives has agreed to buy the Melbourne pub, in Cemetery Road, York, and now hopes to secure planning permission
A MAN who was found to have images of child abuse and extreme pornography involving animals on his personal computer has been spared an immediate prison sentence. Darren Parker, who had no previous criminal record, was arrested after he was linked
A DOCTOR'S 12 year career was in ruins last night after he was jailed for groping a teenage patient.Dr Unt Tun Maung was working as a locum GP when he cupped, squeezed and fondled a young woman’s breasts during a routine examination at a Teesside medical
HUNDREDS of former ice hockey players and fans are expected to take part in a special charity weekend.A golf day will be held at the Ramside Hall Hotel and Golf Club, Durham City, to mark 100 years of the sport being played in Britain.It is on Saturday
A COUPLE who supported each other through tough times are starting a new chapter of their life together as man and wife. Michael and Kathryn Stones, of Shildon, County Durham, tied the knot today (Friday, April 17) after winning The Northern Echo
DOZENS of floral tributes have been left at the scene where a popular teenager died in a car crash. Budding strongman and “gentle giant” Tyrone Singh, from Darlington, lost his life when the silver Hyundai Getz he was driving collided with a barrier on
DETECTIVES investigating an alleged serious sex attack at a nature reserve said they were misled over the incident.North Yorkshire Police said they are not looking for anyone in relation to the incident, which triggered a large-scale investigation.Safety
A NORTH-EAST basketball team has been involved in a road traffic accident on their way to a match this evening. Durham Wildcats, who play most of their games at Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre, were on their way to the capital for a match against
THE popular television show Pointless was first screened on BBC 2 in August 2009. Prsented by Alexander Armstrong and question-master Richard Osman, It was conceived as a game show equivalent of Trivial Pursuit which rewarded contestants' obscure knowledge
CYCLING enthusiasts today (Friday April 17) handed over a cheque of £1,000 to a hospice as they prepare to take to the saddle again for their latest fundraising drive.Prison worker Mark Jones applied to the Prison Services’ Charitable Trust for £1,000
The second oldest senior league in world cricket is due for a makeover, with significant change on the cards for NYSD clubs in the next two seasons. This summer will represent year one of a restructuring process that will see each division being made
A DOG from Darlington is entering the homes of millions of people across the country after bagging a starring role in a television advertising campaign.Miska the Doberman is starring in Pets at Home’s campaign, My Pet Moments, after the retailer launched
A TEENAGER who downloaded abusive images of girls as young as 12 months is behind bars tonight (Friday, July 17).Eighteen-year-old Nathan Foster was sentenced to two years and three months in custody after pleading guilty to possessing and distributing
A WATER company has decided to close off a popular picnic site and replace it with woodland, citing a history of vandalism and anti-social behaviour. Carricks picnic area on the banks of the Derwent River at Derwent Reservoir, near Edmundbyers, County
IN the fall-out from last night’s “challengers” TV debate, Nigel Farage spent much of the day denying he had “lost his rag” when he attacked the BBC. The UKIP leader was greeted with jeers and boos when he accused the Beeb of picking an anti-UKIP
A JEWELLERY store involved in two recent armed robberies has been singled out for special recognition.Middlesbrough mayor Ray Mallon presented the owners and staff of Market Cross Jewellers with a Borough Award at a ceremony in the Town Hall.The award
A HAPLESS criminal bragged on Facebook he was preparing to be a "nasty boy" before arming himself with a carving knife to rob his local shop.Hours later the drug user blundered into a Sainsbury's but left empty handed after being foiled by a
A YOUNG woman has been left traumatised after a man grabbed her handbag as she walked home after a night out. The would-be robber, who had a distinctive tattoo on his collarbone, struck as the 18-year-old victim walked through a wooded area off
TODAY is Record Store Day, where independent music stores in the UK come together and celebrate their existence.Independent shops used to be commonplace on the high street, but the rise of the internet and the unyielding power of the bigger chains killed
BIRDS of prey flew into a shopping centre much to the delight of onlookers.One in particular was Craig Isherwood, a member of Teesside Stroke Club, whose love of animals and birds brought him to the event.North Yorkshire Moors Birds of Prey held a static
POLICE are appealing to trace a 21-year-old man who went missing this morning (Friday).Aaron Sneddon was last seen in the Leven Street area of Middlesbrough at approximately 6.40am in a distressed state.Officers are concerned for his welfare and anyone
STAFF at a north Durham supermarket will be putting on their best poses to help a girl who suffers from a severe form of epilepsy.Faye Winston, 34, who works at Tesco in Consett, is organising a Calendar Girl- type photoshoot in aid of five-year-old Elika
A MAN is trying to trace a mystery County Durham woman he met while on a short break in Blackpool. John Hilton met the woman at the Savoy Hotel, in Blackpool, on a Saturday evening in August 2012, while the Olympics were taking place in London.
A GRAPHICS student from Middlesbrough is helping to make the third Darlington Arts Festival a success after winning the opportunity to design the event brochure.Second-year Cleveland College of Art & Design (CCAD) student Matthew Robson, 20, from Grangetown
PLAYERS and coaches from a well-known football club are celebrating after a community group saved its pitches for future generations.Ten teams from Billingham Synthonia Juniors FC train and play at Central Avenue in Billingham, which could have been sold
Are any irritating noises coming out of your knees yet?If not, give it time. Because “clicking, clunking and cracking” are common, audible sounds that come as an inevitable consequence of growing older and they become more noticeable somewhere in the
A LABOUR candidate in the region has broken ranks by pledging to vote against the renewal of the Trident nuclear deterrent.Party leader Ed Miliband has insisted he would retain the submarine-based weapons system, because Britain faces an “uncertain and
AN attraction devoted to the world’s most beloved vet has a new manager.Kate Pawlett has stepped up into the new role of centre manager at the World of James Herriot in Thirsk.The centre opened in 1999 and Ms Pawlett has been part of the team since 2001
RESIDENTS living in a village plagued by speeding have been giving a helping hand to tackle motorists who regularly break the speed limit.For years, Sadberge has been used as a rat-run by motorists, with recent figures showing some drivers are hitting
A FREE party to herald the first three-day Tour de Yorkshire international cycling race is set to take place in York.The Eve of Tour Celebration will be hosted by cycling broadcaster OJ Borg and will feature entertainment, music and celebrities from the
DAME Esther Rantzen and actor Kevin Whately will give readings at a Holocaust memorial event.Darkness to Light takes place at Durham Cathedral on Saturday (April 18) to mark the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
ROYAL Northern Sinfonia has unveiled a new classical season taking audiences through three key musical journeys. Reclaiming Mozart, Sibelius and the Musical North, and Early Encounters will form the core programmes at Sage Gateshead for the 2015
A FACTORY worker selected for the GB Paralympic team after his leg was amputated following an industrial accident has won a multi-million pound settlement from the County Durham firm where he worked.Tom Perry was trapped for almost an hour after he was
IT was a school trip with a difference for County Durham youngsters last week when they travelled all the way to China. Pupils and staff from Teesdale School, Barnard Castle, and Whitworth Park School, Spennymoor, were given a warm welcome by their
PARISH councillors are calling for more action to be taken against speeding motorists in Middleton St George.At a recent meeting of the Parish Council, it was revealed that tens of thousands of cars had been clocked breaking the 30mph limit through the
POLICE are urging vigilance among residents of the Whinfield area following reports of suspected bogus callers.The pair, described as a man and woman in their late twenties or early thirties, appear to be targeting vulnerable residents and are posing
The 2015 season is a very special one for the NYSD ECB Premier League as it marks the 25th consecutive year of support by their primary sponsors, Darlington Building Society.League president Chris West knows only too well what the backing has meant to
A LONG-serving racecourse worker has been honoured by having a revamped building for stable staff named after him.Thirsk Racecourse has named the accommodation block, which has more than 1,500 visitors a season, after 80-year-old Harry Halliday, who started
Reigning champions Darlington will have it all to do to retain their crown when the season gets underway this afternoon.Quakers, who deservedly claimed the title after finishing as runners-up in each of the previous two campaigns, have lost several key
A PENSIONER has been jailed for four years for sexually touching a teenage girl.Seventy-eight-year-old Charles Maconochie, a man with no previous criminal convictions on his record, pleaded guilty to nine charges of sexual offences against a single girl
VANDALS have attacked graves in a city’s main cemetery. Headstones were damaged and items moved or stolen from plots at Bishopwearmouth Cemetery in Chester Road, Sunderland. Police are stepping up patrols in response to the spate of incidents
A TECHNOLOGY firm developing a wonder substance says tests have proved its material can play a key role in paints and coatings.Applied Graphene Materials (AGM) says preliminary findings show its graphene increases the scratch resistance and strength of
ELECTION candidates have shown their support to the North-East's fishing fleets.Ukip MEP Jonathan Arnott was joined by fishermen and three of the party's parliamentary candidates at the Fish Quay at Sunderland harbour.Mr Arnott said: "Ukip have always
A SENIOR councillor has pledged to vote for the opposition if they can run a council on the same level of council tax as a neighbouring authority.Mick Griffiths, deputy leader of independent-run Richmondshire District Council, made the statement after
YOUNGSTERS who won a competition after ditching the car to cycle to school enjoyed a daredevil mountain bike show as their reward.Pupils from Sedgefield Primary School and St John’s Primary School, in Shildon, were winners in The Big Pedal competition
BRITISH Transport Police have issued an image of a man they wish to speak to in connection with a signalling failure in the Darlington area.A railway cable was placed across the tracks near the Maidendale Junction in the Geneva Road area of town in an
PEOPLE in North Durham are being urged to make sure they are registered to vote.Monday (April 20) is the deadline for the General Election on May 7.Every eligible person has to register individually whereas before registration was done by the head of
Newcastle have lost their last five, form poor enough to prompt bet365 to cut their relegation odds from 200/1 to 66/1 and although the Magpies look highly unlikely to go down given their nine-point cushion above the drop zone, the pressure is increasing
A CYCLING-themed family fun day will mark one of the biggest events in the UK sporting calendar this year – the Tour de Yorkshire.The first stage of the inaugural tour on May 1 will pass right by the Moors Centre at Danby mid-afternoon, with the grounds
EACH month The Northern Echo highlights one of the many dogs looking for a home at the Dogs Trust Darlington, in Sadberge, near Darlington.MIA is a seven-year-old crossbreed who arrived at the centre recently due to a change in her owners’ circumstances
CHURCHES across Darlington have joined together to give the town’s election candidates a grilling on an array of issues.A formal presentation held at the Market Cross today (Friday, April 17) was arranged to allow representatives from Darlington’s Christian
PASSENGERS were evacuated from a Metro station after fire broke out below ground. Fire broke out in the ceiling of the busy Monument station in Newcastle shortly after 12.30pm. Four appliances were sent to the scene to extinguish the fire,
THE delights of Yorkshire are once again proving themselves hard to beat in the tourism world.The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence see the nation’s best of the best go up against each other.And this year North Yorkshire has six finalists – two of them
THE gardens of one of the last Edwardian country houses to be built in Yorkshire before the First World War are set to be opened for the first time after a lengthy restoration project.After years of neglect which saw part of the grounds at Sion Hill Hall
PROBLEMS caused by metal detectorists in Barnard Castle have become a hazardous 'epidemic' according to town councillors. Several members expressed concerns at a recent Barnard Castle Town Council meeting after receiving complaints from residents
A SUPPORT group for people with lung problems and their carers will host a series of events, the next being a charity concert.Breathe Easy Durham Dales will host an evening of song and brass at Bishop Auckland Methodist Church, on Cockton Hill Road, on
POLICE have assured rural communities it will be ‘business as usual’ for officers despite temporarily moving out of their village base.Officers currently based at Stanhope, in Weardale, will work out of Crook police station over the summer ahead of a
A SCHOOL’S nightmare journey - which began when a floor collapsed beneath the feet of children and teachers - is now over.Stokesley Community Primary School last week celebrated being able to move nursery and infant children into its extensively restored
Spennymoor hope to get the point they need to assure themselves of a place in the play offs when they go to Radcliffe Borough on Saturday. Moors inched closer in midweek when they picked up a point against a well-drilled Lancaster City team, and
Marske United could have their first ever Northern League title in their grasp if they beat Bishop Auckland at Mount Pleasant on Saturday and other results go in their favour. If Marske beat Bishops, and Shildon and North Shields both drop points
A STRETCH of countryside on the outskirts of Darlington could be used to site a large solar farm if plans by an energy firm are approved. Elgin Energy ispreparing to lodge an application with Darlington Borough Council to create an 18-hectare (
DISADVANTAGED young people living in London and the South are most likely to get ahead in life while pupils in some parts of the North-East and North Yorkshire are experiencing low or very low social mobility, according to new research. The new
GEORGE FRIEND has dismissed suggestions that his Middlesbrough team-mates lack the mental resolve needed to overcome Norwich City in tonight’s promotion showdown. Boro head to Carrow Road knowing that a defeat will almost certainly signal the end
ANNEGRET Raunigk is clearly bonkers. Not to mention selfish and irresponsible. But she’s certainly changing the image of older women. An achievement she shares, improbably, with Hillary Clinton.Annegret, a teacher from Berlin, is 65. She has thirteen
Social networking sites popular with children are not necessarily safe, the NSPCC has warned. Joe Willis reports LIKE many parents, Cheryl Ellis thought her son would be safe playing his games console in his bedroom. But a chance overheard
COUNTY Durham scanner firm Kromek has been awarded a $2m deal to supply the US Government. The Sedgefield company, that specialises in radiation detection technology for the medical, security and nuclear sectors, has been awarded a modification
THE former boss of a North-East car parts manufacturer has been appointed to head-up a new engineering University Technical College (UTC), and help tackle the regional skills gap. David Land, who recently left Newton Aycliffe car parts maker Gestamp
RACHEL Furness says Sunderland are itching to set the record straight when Bristol Academy come to town today.The newly-promoted Lady Black Cats sent shockwaves through FA WSL 1 with their opening-day victory over reigning champions Liverpool in March.However
POLICE are appealing to trace a 21-year-old man who went missing this morning. Aaron Sneddon was last seen in the Leven Street area of Middlesbrough at approximately 6.40am in a distressed state. Officers are concerned for his welfare and anyone
A BURST water pipe has flooded parts of Newcastle city centre, causing disruption for motorists and a loss of pressure for households. The incident was reported to police and Northumbrian Water at around 6.30am after water starting to flood Scotswood
THREE games to go, three wins wanted. That’s the situation Darlington are in ahead of the last week of their season, a season that will extend to include the play-offs should they finish second behind leaders Salford City. Although currently
A NEW venue will put Darlington’s live music scene firmly back on the map and attract bands from far and wide, say owners. The Green Room’s launch heralds a new era for music fans in the town, according to the team behind Duke Street’s latest attraction
POLICE are urging the public to help identify a man suspected of conning money out of elderly smokers. The man has approached five victims in the streets of Thirsk and Northallerton over the past few months, and offered to sell them cheap cigarettes
A MAN convicted for carrying a knife in public for the fourth time in less than a decade has been jailed for two years. Darren Ross Hall was found to be carrying a 5in serrated-bladed kitchen knife up his sleeve by police answering a call to a
AN AMBULANCE service has apologised to the family of a woman who died after errors by emergency call operators meant she was not classed as having a life-threatening condition. ECHO COMMENT: Tragedy shows why political promises on the NHS must
THE North-East needs to secure its fair share of infrastructure investment if it is to realise its full potential as one of the major economic regions of the UK.That was the key message from one of the UK’s top engineers who yesterday helped launch a
SATURDAY is Record Store Day, where independent music stores in the UK come together and celebrate their existence. Independent shops used to be commonplace on the high street, but the rise of the internet and the unwielding power of the bigger
A TOWN has been hit with rugby fever after a grassroots club has successfully battled its way to a final at the game’s most hallowed ground. Northallerton Rugby Club is preparing for the biggest game in their history on Sunday, May 3 when they
AN award-winning school farm is looking for a new home for its most vociferous resident - after neighbours raised concerns that Billy the cockerel and his crack of dawn racket was keeping them awakeTo be fair it’s not just Billy, some of the resident
A BULLIED Darlington teenager who was jailed for raping a young boy and abusing three more has had his sentence slashed on appeal. Mark Anthony Smith, 19, preyed on the four boys, subjecting them to vile sexual abuse and raping one of them when
A FOOD container maker has announced international expansion plans.Faerch Plast, which has a plant near Durham City, is targeting Australia, New Zealand, the US and the Middle East.The firm says it is building a network of distributors to market its frozen
A THIRD-GENERATION distribution firm has strengthened its industry position after signing a deal to improve access to the East Coast Main Line. AV Dawson, in Middlesbrough, says it has an agreement with Network Rail to take control of sidings linking
DURHAM are awaiting the results of a scan on Paul Coughlin's side after the Sunderland all-rounder broke down in the opening championship win at Taunton.Side strains usually rule out players for eight weeks, which would be a big blow for 22-year-old Coughlin
BY now the vast majority of Middlesbrough’s fans are familiar with the identity of Ben Gibson’s uncle. What they might not know is how Steve Gibson, the club’s well-loved chairman, once sacked the talented defender - and he hopes to avoid a repeat.That
SCOTT HARRISON yesterday earned the praise of boss Ronnie Moore after being officially recognised for his recent efforts.The Hartlepool United centre-half was instrumental in the upturn in fortunes that has put Pools outside the relegation zone in League
1. MIDDLESBROUGH Football Club aims for the stars tonight with a crunch encounter against automatic promotion rivals Norwich. Come on Boro. 2. STILL looking skywards, a fireball seen blazing over the North-East is thought to be an early arrival
JOHN CARVER thinks Newcastle United’s dressing room is in desperate need of a leader to unite a dressing room to take the club in to a brighter future.The Magpies head coach, who does not know if he will be still in the job beyond this season, thinks
AIMEE WILLMOTT insisted she's ready for a crack at her signature event after claiming 200m medley bronze at the British Swimming Championships in London.Willmott arrived in the Olympic pool with a priority of defending her 400m medley title and booking
AITOR KARANKA has admitted that it would be wonderful for Middlesbrough to be hit the Premier League jackpot next year, but has reassured fans that going up is not vital for the club’s short-term financial future.Boro head into tonight’s crucial promotion
STOKE CITY are one of a number of Premier League clubs looking to exploit the uncertainty at Sunderland by making a summer move for Lee Cattermole.Cattermole is set to enter the final 12 months of his contract and with no fresh deal close at the Stadium
STEVE, a taxi driver from Durham, reckons he has not missed a St James’ Park home game in 19 years. Andy, a building contractor from Bishop Auckland who contacted the Echo at the start of the week, remembers missing one match five years ago, but that
ED Miliband was judged the "winner" of the second TV debate of the General Election campaign in an instant poll conducted after he clashed with leaders of smaller parties who urged him to form a "progressive" coalition to run the country.The
A CHOIR made up of 64 football fans, some from the North-East, will sing at Wembley during this year's FA Cup Final - including two Elvis impersonators, a karaoke champion, and a 100-year-old supporter.The BBC's Songs Of Praise launched a competition
