Archive

  • A ration book and a ghost story

    AS the First World War progressed, food became scarce. Queues grew outside shops, and malnutrition crept into poorer communities. In 1916, it became illegal to eat more than two courses in public at lunch, or three courses at dinner, and people

  • Urgent appeal after theft of drugs intended for animals

    DRUGS designed for animals were stolen in from a County Durhan vets, prompting an urgent appeal by police. The appeal follows a recent burglary of the Stanley based veterinary office where numerous drugs were stolen. A spokesman for Consett

  • FISHING: Witton Castle Lakes report w/e 23rd May

    WE ENJOYED pleasant conditions at Witton Castle Lakes this week even with the prevalence of that chilly breeze. We welcomed 72 visiting anglers who enjoyed a good weeks sport and returned a rod average of 3.2. No one reached the 15 fish limit this

  • Historic inn communicates with bygone era technology

    WHILE the younger generation may struggle to remember the time before the internet and mobile phones, old technology continues to ring a bell for customers at an historic pub.Behind the counter at the Birch Hall Inn, at Beck Hole, in the North York Moors

  • Darlington mother to raise funds for baby son's hospital

    THE mother of a baby boy who was born with one kidney is fundraising for the hospital which cared for him.Sarah Woodward, of Pendleton Road, Darlington, gave birth to her son, Elliott, on May 6 last year at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle.The

  • Footballer joins children in anti crime rap

    NEWCASTLE United player Sammi Ameobi has been joined by students to rap about the impact anti-social behaviour and criminal damage has on their communities.The striker met teenagers from Tanfield School and North Durham Academy in Stanley, County Durham

  • Talks take place for the next Tour de Yorkshire

    THE cheering has only just died down – but already talks are taking place about next year’s Tour de Yorkshire international cycling event.The debut event, earlier this month, was a major success, riding the crest of the wave following the Grand Depart

  • Something fishy on the North York Moors

    YOUNGSTERS have been up to something fishy in a remote corner of the North York Moors – for the very best of reasons.They released 70 young Atlantic salmon into the River Esk at Beck Hole after raising them from eggs in a hatchery tank at their school

  • Charity boss was main speaker

    A CHARITY boss was the main speaker at a women’s lunch. Andrea Flynn, director of Ferryhill-based Enter CIC, which provides performance opportunities for children from deprived backgrounds, spoke about her life and work at the County Durham Community

  • Tomb-maker children create Lego replica of shrine

    PRIMARY school pupils put their Lego skills to the test by creating a replica of the tomb of the Venerable Bede.Children from St Bede’s Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided School in Sacriston visited Durham Cathedral to create their model.A Lego model of Durham

  • Mayor's in with the Inn crowd

    A MAYOR sampled a new local food menu as one of his final acts in the job.Councillor John Robinson is about to finish his year as Mayor of Durham but before he does he visited The Court Inn to try a new menu featuring locally sourced food.He said: “The

  • Brass festival announces first strand of classical concerts

    AN ANNUAL brass festival is to host a string of classical concerts across four days, organisers have announced.For the first time since it was founded in 2007, the Durham Brass will include a classical strand, with five concerts ranging from the haunting

  • It was acceptable in the '80s...

    COLLEGE students took an audience back to the 1980s with an evening of hits and hairdos.BTEC Level 3 music students from New College Durham staged Hits and Hairdos II – It Was Acceptable in the 80s at the Gala Theatre, Durham.Drummer Thomas Lee, 16, from

  • Opera star headlines student arts festival

    OPERA star Sir Thomas Allen will perform at the climax of a first-of-its-kind student arts festival.The Seaham Harbour-born baritone, who is also Chancellor of Durham University, will appear with the university’s Orchestral Society in a concert marking

  • National praise for Darlington architects

    EXPERTS have been lauded nationally as outstanding after pioneering a technique that is transforming the construction industry.Niven Architects have won the top ranking from the KTP Grading Panel, an awards body of the Government-funded Technology Strategy

  • Science show blasting into Darlington

    A SCIENCE show that packs a punch will blast onto stage at a North-East theatre next month.Ministry of Science Live will be at Darlington Civic Theatre on Saturday, June 6.Billed as 'not your ordinary science show', organisers are promising fun, laughter

  • Litter pickers invited to clean up their communities

    FOUR litter picking events have been organised to mark next month’s World Environment Day.The County Durham Environment Partnership has organised the events on June 5 to encourage individuals and organisations to get involved in looking after their own

  • Beer festival at Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt

    A BEER festival is being held to celebrate a town’s thriving micro-pub scene.Craft Beer at The Crypt is taking place from Friday, June 19, to Sunday, June 21, featuring real ales and specialist gins as well as food, live music and DJ sets.Rob Guest, Middlesbrough

  • 'Barn that Rocks' event for hospice

    A COUPLE who have raised £20,000 for a charity which provides home-based hospice care, hope to raise more money with a live music event in their barn.Peter and Barbara Fall, of Grazing Nook Farm, Patrick Brompton, near Bedale, are putting on ‘The Barn

  • Whitney – Queen of the Night comes to Darlington

    THE music and life of one of the greatest singers of a generation will be celebrated at an upcoming theatre show.West End star Rebecca Freckleton will be hitting the high notes when she plays the late Whitney Houston at Darlington Civic Theatre next month.Whitney

  • Laughter promised as new comedy club is launched

    A NEW comedy club is being launched in North YorkshireTruefitt’s Tap on Northallerton’s High Street are starting the club, in conjunction with Darlington-based Hilarity Bites Comedy Club.It will run on the first Wednesday of the month, and will feature

  • Concert to honour memory of The Few

    THE 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain is to be marked with a concert to honour those from the North-East who sacrificed so much during the nation’s darkest hour.The Band of the Royal Air Force College will perform a selection of rousing and reflective

  • From the Archive: Lost Darlington

    ONLY 30 years ago, Darlington – like most towns - was very different to what it is today. Fortunately, understanding the passing of time, local historian George Flynn recorded its buildings and streets before they disappeared, either through redevelopment

  • Bishop Auckland care home gets musical

    A CARE home has been alive with the sound of music this week.Sandringham Care Home, in Bishop Auckland, has held a series of activities based on a musicals theme throughout Dementia Awareness Week.On Wednesday, theatre company Act One Productions performed

  • Mayor accepts challenge from young badminton players

    FORMER mayor of Darlington Gerald Lee showed he still has what it takes when he accepted a challenge from members of Hummersknott Badminton Club.In one of his last engagements as mayor, Cllr Lee was invited along to the Dolphin Centre to take part in

  • Appeal to trace missing man Del Charlton from North Ormesby

    POLICE are appealing for help in tracing a missing man. Del Charlton, 47, from North Ormesby, was last seen at 8.30am on Wednesday, May 20 and has not made contact with anyone or returned home. He is described as white, 5ft 7ins tall of slim

  • WattCycle puts new £21m sports village in a spin

    A NEW fitness regime is shaping up at the £21 Middlesbrough Sports Village following investment of £75,000 by Joanne Bannatyne and her business partner.The intensive WattCycle exercise offers a hard-core aerobic workout using hi-tech ‘Wattbikes’ which

  • Labour leadership

    HOW dishonorable for leadership contenders to blame all responsibility for Labour’s defeat on the shoulders of Ed Miliband. If the founders of Labour were somehow to hear what is now said inside the party they would turn in their graves. They often

  • TESTED: Skoda Fabia SE L1.2 TSI (Price, as tested £15,065)

    On the road: YOU can keep your big swanky cars, the best things come in small packages. Revamped and revitalised, the Fabia puts many loftier models to shame. In a week full of surprises the first came within seconds of getting in. Where’s the ignition

  • Serving up lessons at Bettys

    Blend together a Michelin star chef and Bettys Cookery School and you have the perfect recipe, as Lizzie Anderson discoversBettys Cookery School in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, is buzzing with excitement. It is a bright spring morning and 25 people are

  • Sexsmith marks 20th anniversary with Newcastle gig

    RON Sexsmith, the Canadian singer songwriter, is playing the North-East next month as part of a tour marking 20 years since his debut on a major label. Sexsmith will perform at the Tyne Theatre and Opera House in Newcastle on June 26. He spoke

  • Car Torque .... with TV presenter Gordon Burns

    GORDON Burns will forever be remembered as the presenter of TV’s the Krypton Factor. He is also a former presenter on BBC North West Tonight. He now co-owns the Gordon Burns Partnership, which specialises in reputation management, media communications

  • Car Torque .... with TV presenter Anna Williamson

    ANNA Williamson is a best known as a Nickelodeon and CiTV presenter. She also appears on ITV’s Daybreak and Lorraine and is an entertainment reporter for Digital Spy. Anna is also a Childline Counsellor and has recently become an official ambassador

  • A golden opportunity for Bishop Auckland

    LAST year, when The Northern Echo broke the news of plans to create a multi-million visitor attraction in Bishop Auckland, we asked: “Can Bishop Auckland and its struggling local economy afford not to embrace such an imaginative and ambitious vision

  • Vossen delighted with the result of his Middlesbrough move

    WHEN Jelle Vossen decided that the time was right to leave Genk last summer, he was faced with a selection of prospective employers. Aston Villa and Everton were both credited with a strong desire to take him to the Premier League. Fulham, tipped

  • Darlington's name remains the same

    QUAKERS’ name will remain as Darlington 1883 after opting not to submit a request to the Football Association to change it for at least another season. The deadline for clubs wishing to change their name was March 31, and this week both Hyde FC

  • Opposition

    I WAS disappointed to read (Echo, May 13) that J Edwards, speaking on behalf of Northallerton Civic Society, was opposed to the development at the northern approach to Northallerton which was to incorporate a bridge over the Middlesbrough railway line

  • Durham's future

    DURHAM County Council encourages everyone to be involved and vocal in the future of our noble city - but to no avail. After two years of public abuse, The Journey sculpture must be re-located to the recommended site, by the north door of the Cathedral

  • Dozens of off-duty police officers caught speeding

    DOZENS of off-duty police officers caught speeding in the region have been criticised by road safety officers for undermining traffic laws.An investigation using freedom of information powers by The Northern Echo found that more than 100 police officers

  • Supermarket sweep

    AFTER going to a supermarket to do the weekly shopping I was tired of people bumping into me with their trolleys. This included staff filling shelves , a job I think should be done overnight or in the early morning. I have come up with  an

  • Mother of terminally ill baby pleads for routine GBS screening

    THE mother of a terminally ill baby girl has joined calls for all pregnant women to be routinely screened for an infection which in rare cases can prove fatal. Rachel Hetherington’s eight-week-old daughter, Briannah, contracted Group B Streptococcus