NEW Darlington signing Liam Hardy is relishing the twin-pronged challenge of earning a place in the team and helping the club achieve promotion. The Evo-Stik Premier Division’s leading scorer arrived today from Buxton, signing a two-and-a-half
THE winner of Superbrain 2016 is retired deputy head teacher Peter Twiss, of Durham, who is generously giving his prize to a local charity. "You do Superbrain for the glory – not the money," he said. Mr Twiss last won the North-East's toughest
POLITICIANS’ expenses will always be a thorny subject – especially at a time when the public sector is being squeezed so tightly. It is, therefore, no surprise that the claims for entertainment, submitted by flamboyant Commons Speaker John Bercow
YOUNGSTERS cut a cake to officially re-open their school after work on part of an extensive refurbishment programme was completed.St Martin’s Ampleforth Pre-Prep, near Helmsley, has seen the nursery and reception classrooms restructured to an open plan
A SERIAL child sex offender, already told he could be facing a life sentence for a catalogue of abuse over 20 years, was today (Friday February 12) convicted of a further two charges.Fifty-year-old Stanley Simpson was found ‘guilty’ of a total of 29 charges
PLANS for a major development at one of the North-East’s most popular tourist attractions are to be discussed by councillors.Beamish Museum has submitted an application for its £17m expansion scheme to Durham County Council.A decision on the project,
MORE than 100 charities and community groups attended a first-of-its-kind funding surgery.The County Durham Community Foundation event, held in Meadowfield, near Durham, offered funding advice to those applying for grants and support and, following its
ADVICE sessions on everything from debt and personal finances to living arrangements and benefit changes will be available to County Durham residents.A week of drop-ins run by Advice in County Durham are set to take place over five days starting on Monday
A HEAD chef has been appointed in a restaurant in a newly-refurbished hotel.Acklam Hall, in Middlesbrough, has announced that Adam Anderson will head up the team in the kitchens at the Brierley restaurant.He has worked in Wynyard Hall, Jesmond Dene House
LAID in a hospital bed for two months after being injured in Afghanistan, Stuart Robinson turned to sport to aid his recovery.The former RAF corporal was on a routine patrol near Camp Bastion in 2013 when his vehicle hit by a Taliban bomb.He sustained
MORE than 1,000 toy robots and science fiction-themed toys from the 1920s onwards will go under the hammer in the region next month.Specialist toy auctioneers Vectis, in Thornaby, Teesside estimates the hoard of toys - which are from a private collector
A NORTH-EAST children’s author and illustrator is set to entertain little ones this half term.Known for her books Be Quiet Belinda and Not So Silly Sausage, Liz Million, of Darlington, will be leading free story and illustration events at libraries across
A FIRE brigade has pledged to be dementia friendly.The County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service has signed up to a charter sealing its commitment to improving how it engages with those living with the condition.Chief fire officer Stuart Errington
A PEACEFUL demonstration is due to take place on Valentine’s Day, to call for an end to violence against women. On Sunday, February 14 a rally will take place at Harrogate Cenotaph as part of the One Billion Rising global movement. The international movement
A BILLINGHAM man diagnosed with mesothelioma, an incurable form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos decades ago, is appealing to his former colleagues for help after taking legal action.Kevin Hind, 68, was diagnosed with the disease in July 2015
A KEY junction on the Tyne and Wear Metro will be replaced this weekend, causing a 54-hour line closure.Nexus, which owns and manages the Metro, will replace a set of points in the tunnel between the St James and Monument stations in Newcastle.As a result
A FUNDRAISER launched by a Harrogate restaurant to support the homeless in the town during the cold winter months has raised £350.Over the festive period, The Yorkshire Meatball Co, on Station Bridge, added a discretionary charge of 50p to every bill
SEDGEFIELD Racecourse is to host its annual Fish Fryers Raceday next month.The event on Mother's Day will see a traditional British treat of fish and chips dished up to guests alongside a serving of seven live races.Jill Williamson, executive director
A CAMPAIGNING grandmother who was diagnosed with leukaemia and given only two days to live in 2010 has died.June Ryder, of Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, fought a "five-and-a-half-year battle" with the disease which returned for the third time
FREEZE councillors’ allowances, rent out the town hall and cut agency spending, those battling against Darlington cuts argued at a meeting.A special meeting of Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet last night (Thursday, January 11), saw councillors accused
AN unseemly row erupted after questions were raised over the use of funding for Christmas presents for children of sacked SSI steelworkers. The insinuation that more could have been done for the youngsters was branded as "scurrilous" by the councillor
YOUNG adults are being offered the chance to swap Hartlepool for the Bay of Biscay.The town is taking part in a new exchange programme with Gijon City Council in northern Spain to encourage people aged 16-30, who are not in education, employment or training
COUNCIL tax bills are on course to rise in York, after senior councillors backed a budget deal for the year ahead.The three percent council tax increase was supported alongside a raft of funding cuts that will wipe £6.5million off council bills in the
A DOG-OWNER was dumbstruck when he was told that his lost pet belonged to a family one mile down the road. Mr Darcy, a one-year-old Lhasa Apsos, did a runner from Steve Grocott's home in Saltersgate Road, Darlington, during his “morning constitutional
COUPLES in York and Harrogate are being asked to take part in Channel 4's popular reality television programme Come Dine With Me.Channel 4 is looking for couples who enjoy hosting dinner parties to apply to take part, for the chance to appear on the show
A COUNCIL U-turn means key services could be saved for another year.Newcastle City Council’s cabinet is set to give unexpected short-term support to Kenton and Newburn leisure centres, the flagship City Library, the children’s social work service and
PEOPLE are invited to share their favourite walk to help a tourism team create a digital walking guide.Visit Ryedale is encouraging anyone with a favourite stroll from a town in Ryedale to get in contact with the council.The tourism organisation is working
PLANS for an additional 87 homes have been submitted for a housing development in Malton.The extra properties are part of a scheme on the Showfield site in Pasture Lane which will part-fund the proposed new livestock market and business centre on the
SUSPECTED fake designer goods were seized after raids on houses in County Durham.On Wednesday morning, officers from Durham County Council targeted homes in Newton Aycliffe and Bishop Auckland.The authority's Fair Trading team recovered 45 boxes of supposedly
AN engineering apprentice from Teesside has won a prestigious national award.Billingham student Connor Duncan is just five months into his apprenticeship with quarry company Hope Construction Materials and has been named Student of the Year in the Welding
A PUBLIC meeting will be held about the future of a County Durham community hospital.Bishop Auckland MP Helen Goodman will host the meeting later this month so residents in Teesdale can raise concerns and ask questions about the future of the Richardson
RUGBY players at learned the meaning of pedal power as they tackled adaptive cycling to raise awareness of brain injury.Squad members Jake Henry and Jamie Barnard, of Darlington Mowden Park, kicked off the club's recent partnership with brain injury charity
A PETITION has been launched in a bid to make Darlington’s new Nando’s halal. Campaigners are hoping to ensure the popular chicken chain can be frequented by the town’s Muslim population. The restaurant, scheduled to open as part of the town's
FALLEN trees and debris has been cleared from the River Tees to reduce the risk of flooding in the market town of Yarm.The large pile of debris was removed by Environment Agency (EA) staff, who winched it from the water near the railway bridge north of
A TOWN cut in half by the festive season floods has finally been re-united again.The east and west sides of Tadcaster in North Yorkshire were reconnected with the opening of a temporary footbridge across the River Wharfe.The main bridge had to be closed
A MOTORCYCLIST suffered serious head injuries in a crash in Middlesbrough yesterday (Thursday, February 11).Police are appealing for witnesses following the collision, involving a motorcycle and a Skoda Fabia, on Ladgate Lane at the crossroad junction
THE FIRST female Master of the Gild of Butchers has been appointed in York at a Shrove Tuesday ceremony.Sarah-Jane Trueman has been installed as the Master of the Company of Butchers in the City of York in the Parish and Guild Church of All Saints Pavement
NORTHERN echo Camera Club member Stephen Parker had to get up early to capture this image of a fishing boat setting out from Hartelpool.Stephen is the latest member of The Northern Echo's camera club to see his work printed in the paper.Dozens of members
A COUPLE camping in a park were warned they would be "sliced up" during a terrifying gang robbery.The man and his girlfriend had two mobile phones and other belongings stolen in the confrontation with Lee Colman, Ryan Harrison and Christopher
A SCHOOLGIRL has been taken to hospital after she was hit a car.The 11-year-old collided with a red BMW X6 on the A692, in the Moorside area of Consett, County Durham, just before 4pm today (Friday, February 12).An ambulance was called and the girl was
A VISITOR attraction in north Durham is celebrating after success in three prestigious tourism awards.Hall Hill Farm, near Lanchester, were ‘runners up’ in two categories at the National Farm Attraction Network Awards last weekThe categories were Farm
NEW ZEALAND’S World Cup winners might have graced The Northern Echo Arena turf in memorable fashion during the autumn, but the All Blacks aren’t the only internationals to have made Darlington Mowden Park their home this season. In second row forward
A BARBER shop and two homes in a terraced block have been severely damaged after fire broke out this morning (Friday, Feb 12).Crews were called to Black’s barbers at Low Westwood, near Ebchester, County Durham, at about 9.40am.Police closed the busy A694
A VERDICT of accidental death has been recorded at the inquest into the death of a long-serving councillor.Robin Todd MBE, who served his community for more than 50 years, died last May, aged 74.The grandfather-of-one had been suffering from lymphoma
A FUND set up in memory of a murder victim has paid out its first grant to a professional golfer in need of a boost at the start of his career. The Andrew Jackson Trust for Young Golfers has handed over £500 to Callum Tarren, 25, from Darlington
We thought it was a good time to delve into our Barnard Castle file from The Northern Echo's archives. If any of them bring back memories, or if you have any information about any of them, please email chris.lloyd@nne.co.uk FROM THE AIR:
WHERE do I begin? It’s been an interesting week to be a Darlo fan. A regulation 3-0 win against a useful Matlock side followed by transfer activity that will have caught most if not all by surprise. First of all, the Matlock game; it was a solid
A NORTH Police and Crime Commissioner has condemned the Met Police chief’s suggestion that alleged victims of sexual abuse should not be automatically believed.Yesterday (Thursday), Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said officers
BUSINESSES heading to the Yorkshire Dales for team-building events are able to leave something valuable behind – a native tree.TeamWalking, an outdoor adventure specialist, is dedicating a new tree for every business that books one of their team-building
HUNDREDS of people entered The Northern Echo's Giant Champagne Christmas Crossword but the first correct entry to be drawn out of the hat belonged to Malcolm Dunstone, a retired local government officer from Darlington. "It was quite a challenge
HUNDREDS of suppliers have been given details of contracts up for grabs to help build two of the UK’s most significant rail projects. Representatives from supply chain companies were given the inside track by executives from the HS2 high speed rail network
FORMER Sunderland footballer Adam Johnson had a sexual encounter in his car with a 15-year-old fan who had an "enormous crush on him" and idolised him, a jury has been told. Prosecutors said the former Sunderland winger "abused his revered position
HOSPITAL bosses should not shift the blame for Darlington's clogged A&E ward onto sick people with nowhere else to go, says a patients' advocacy group.The comments were made by Healthwatch Darlington after bosses from Darlington Memorial Hospital asked
DEMOLITION work to make way for a £3.5 million housing scheme in north Durham has been resumed. The development of 37 homes at Pelton, near Chester-le-Street, is being carried out by Cestria Community Housing.It includes 21 two-bedroom bungalows and 16
TIME is running out for local groups to make the most of the Tour de Yorkshire's arrival.Middlesbrough is playing host to the start of Stage 3 of the event on Sunday, May 1, and the town's council wants to celebrate in style.Local groups and organisations
RESIDENTS in Newton Aycliffe will soon be able to receive one-to-one support to help them boost their confidence online.Coined the Digital Money Coach, the project will engage the community and equip them with the digital literacy skills needed to navigate
THE number of people going to Stockton town centre appears to be going down - despite £20 million being spent on the town in a refurbishment which took two-and-a-half years.Leader of the Conservative Group, Ben Houchen, said the news was a "damning
FORTY jobs will be created and one of the region's leading manufacturers is set for a cash windfall after planning was approved to convert a former plastics factory into a discount supermarket.Nifco UK, based at Eaglescliffe, near Stockton, has agreed
THE Government has blocked the export of a work of art that has been on display in North Yorkshire for almost two centuries. Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has slapped a temporary export ban on a painting by one of Rembrandt’s most talented apprentices
FIRST thing’s first. I want to make clear I’m an amateur when it comes to fitness matters. An enthusiastic amateur but an amateur nonetheless. I’m not so much all the gear, no idea, as not much gear, or idea either. I run to keep in shape for
PREPARATIONS are being made for a much loved Yarm woman's 100th birthday tomorrow (Saturday, February 13).Edith Lowther, who is well known in the town as a former active member of the bowling scene, came to Teesside as a Captain in the army.Her daughter
TWO bingo players at the same hall have scooped a total of £30,000 in two wins within days of each other.The winning streak at Apollo Bingo Club, on Sherburn Road, Durham City, began when one player won the first £10,000 jackpot in the Majestic Bonus
A YOUNG drug taker has landed himself a 13-month prison sentence, all because he stole £18 worth of goods at a supermarket on Christmas Eve, a court heard.Jack Birkett was given “a chance” to overcome his drug addiction by a judge at Durham Crown Court
SMOKERS nipping out of hospital for a crafty fag are being shown up over a loud speaker. “Loud and clear” recorded messages asking smokers to put out their cigarettes are now being broadcast outside Darlington Memorial Hospital (DMH) and the University
THE owners of The Independent and The Independent on Sunday newspapers have confirmed the print version of the titles will close. ESI Media said The Independent, launched in 1986, will become the first national newspaper title to move to a digital-only
AN OPTOMETRIST from County Durham is preparing for a trip to Africa where she will train students.Helen Sewell, who works for Specsavers in Bishop Auckland and Newton Aycliffe, will travel with charity Vision Aid Overseas (VAO) to Ethiopia for two weeks
A GLOBAL campaign to get children running is picking up pace in Darlington.Olympic long jumper and Middlesbrough-born Chris Tomlinson joined around 750 schoolchildren to launch the GO Run For Fun initiative on the first date of its nationwide tour.Pupils
HURWORTH has become the first north-east parish council to be recognised as one of the best in the country.The council has received the gold award from the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) for demonstrating that it is “at the forefront of
AN MP’s campaign to connect residents and businesses in the remotest parts of his constituency to superfast broadband has ended in success.Rishi Sunak, the Tory MP for Richmond, has welcomed an initiative which will pay for a high speed connection for
A INDIAN restaurant owner in County Durham has pledged his support to a local boxing hero ahead of a fight.Sabir Ahmed, who runs the Cinnamon Spice Club, in Trimdon, is sponsoring Muay Thai boxer Jordan Williams who will take to the ring tomorrow (Saturday
Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, Civic Theatre, Darlington on Saturday, 2.30pm and 7.30pm A classic. A landmark. A legend. The Mousetrap is famous around the world for being the longest running show of any kind in the history of theatre, with over
LICENSING regulations designed to stop taxi companies using vehicles older than ten years are being introduced in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire.Hambleton District Council has altered its Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy to restrict
ALMOST 70 fixed penalty notices were issued by Durham County Council in December 2015.They included 53 for littering, one for dog fouling, 12 for untidy gardens or yards and one for an abandoned vehicle and 27 people were prosecuted for failing to pay
A MEAT thief has been ordered to repay the cost of goods he stole from a Sainsbury’s store in Darlington.Liam Christon, of Borough Road, Darlington, admitted stealing a pack of meat worth £15.30 from the Clifton Road Sainsbury’s when he appeared at Newton
CHILDREN had a splashing time when they took part in a school sports festival.About 75 pupils from primary schools in the Spennymoor area enjoyed water polo training and a tournament at Spennymoor Leisure Centre on Thursday (February 11).Although the
A TOURISM group is holding a day of free entry to a town’s top attractions in a bid to remind residents of the wealth of culture and entertainment on offer.People living in and around Richmond can gain free entry to the Green Howards Museum, Richmond
BUILDING society staff have donned their Lycra to cycle 136 miles on a static bike.Colleagues at Skipton Building Society’s Bedale branch joined in a regional effort to raise money for the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund at Leeds General Infirmary.Branch
STAFF at a chemical firm have set themselves a charitable challenge. Workers at Lucite International’s Cassel site, in Billingham, near Stockton, raised £3,000 last year for local and national good causes. However, they are now looking to beat that number
DARLINGTON'S Morton Park Way business park has welcomed three new tenants, following a change of ownership. BD Aviation, Bold Bloc Design Ltd and Advantage Signz UK are all taking space on the site, which is set for further investment following its purchase
RESIDENTS at a Catterick Garrison care home have given their facility a strong rating in a national survey.Rosedale Care Home was given an overall performance rating (OPR) of 936 out of 1,000, comparing favourably with the national average score of 878
A CONCERT will raise money for the Friends of Chernobyl - a charity which brings children affected by the Chernobyl disaster to the UK for a holiday.Entertainment at Crakehall village hall on February 26 will be provided by singer Alison Williams, who
A CYCLIST is locked in battle with highways officials after his bike was brought to a shuddering halt by a pencil-shaped hole in a road surface.Greengrocer Jonathan Wilson said he had been riding steadily close to the kerb on the A167 East Road, by the
Ian Chandler takes charge of Whitley Bay again in the league at home to North Shields today. Chandler left the Bay two seasons ago, and was asked to return following the departure of Paddy Atkinson last week. In his first spell at the club as manager
Spennymoor are hoping that new signing David Dowson will give them an energy boost at home to Kendal Town on Saturday. The former Sunderland player joined Moors from neighbours Darlington in midweek, and he will probably start alongside Nathan Fisher
I’ll never think about Leonardo DiCaprio’s bum in the same way again. Nor Kate Winslet’s, Charlotte Rampling’s or even Eddie Redmayne’s.All the actors are nominated for this year’s Oscars and as such will receive a goodie bag worth an eye-watering $232,000
I HAVE written to Darlington Borough Council (DBC) a number of times about its waste of public money over the past few years starting with the town centre project fiasco in 2005-7 which cost us millions. Going down the list of cuts that were listed
I AM writing concerning the proposal of Darlington Borough Council to stop the council tax support grant to parish councils from the 2017-18 financial year. The support grant was introduced by the government when Darlington Borough Council stopped
VALENTINE’S Day is the perfect opportunity to appreciate the support from loved ones. Commercial gifts aside, it helps you say those things that otherwise might go unspoken in the midst of everyday life. For couples caring for seriously ill children
A FEW years ago I went to Teesside University and gained an MA in creating writing. I enjoy going to local events such as The Black Light Engine Room, in Middlesbrough, and performing my poems. I am a member of Middlesbrough U3A (an organisation
IN this column yesterday, we called on local political leaders to put aside their party differences and to unite in the fight against latest austerity cuts which threaten to undermine the character of the historic market town of Darlington. It
DRUG company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and a number of generic pharmaceuticals firms have been fined £45m for anti-competitive practices. The fine was handed down by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which said Glaxo made more than £50m of
DARLINGTON have swooped for Buxton striker Liam Hardy, the division’s 19-goal leading scorer. Less than 48 hours after allowing David Dowson to join Spennymoor Town, manager Martin Gray has signed Hardy and he goes straight into the squad for tomorrow's
STEVE McCLAREN has recommended that Newcastle United do not allow Cheick Tiote to leave Tyneside before the end of the season – even though the midfielder continues to attract interest from China. Tiote was set to join Shanghai Shenhua last month
A MAN who suffered horrendous abuse as a child has spoken out about his ordeal in the hope he will inspire other victims to seek the justice they deserve. Paul Remmer, 37, from Thirsk, North Yorkshire, has waived his right to anonymity as a sexual
WITH the benefit of hindsight, it all looks so obvious now. Sitting in Leicester City’s King Power Stadium last May, watching the Foxes demolish Newcastle United as part of their successful survival bid, I should have sensed I was glimpsing a side
A 25-YEAR-OLD man was this afternoon airlifted to hospital after suffering severe head injuries in a collision between a car and a motorbike. The incident happened at the junction of Marton Road and Ladgate Lane in Middlesbrough at 4.50pm.
THEIR working relationship may have curtly ended, but Aitor Karanka has backed Craig Hignett to be a success as a manager. Hignett was assistant manager to Karanka at Middlesbrough for eight months, before a falling-out led to his swift departure
A CATHOLIC priest suspended from his post at a Darlington church has been charged with abusing two schoolboys, The Northern Echo can reveal. Father Michael Higginbottom will appear in court next month to face allegations that he assaulted the boys
IT’S been a long wait for Craig Hignett, but now he’s ready. The new Hartlepool United manager is ready to make his mark at the club, ready for life as a manager and, more importantly, ready to lift Pools out of trouble.Hignett takes his first managerial
SUNDERLAND last night sacked £10m winger Adam Johnson, but Sam Allardyce is still convinced he has the forwards capable of keeping Premier League football at the Stadium of Light.The Wearside club confirmed Johnson has had his contract terminated with
Mr Selfridge (ITV, 9pm) THE latest series of Mr Selfridge has seen Harry (Jeremy Piven) suffer a dip in his fortunes, and with the pressure mounting, he's forced to come clean to Jimmy Dillon (Sacha Dhawan) about the extent of his financial problems.However
STEVE McCLAREN is confident Newcastle United possess the quality to climb clear of the Premier League’s bottom three, after showing they have the right character for a relegation fight. The Magpies sit a point above the drop zone ahead of tomorrow
A JUDGE has ordered psychiatric reports on a man who hatched an elaborate plan to kill his neighbour after becoming obsessed with a revenge plot sparked by a "flea-infested duvet". Andrew James Miller subjected his victim to a "horrifying ordeal
Dealing with the effects of sexual assault is an enormous challenge for all victims, but for those abused as children the complex emotions can remain buried for a lifetime - but as one man proves, there can be hope for recovery. Paul Remmer Ashley
AITOR KARANKA insists he is prepared to dip into the emergency loan market to boost Middlesbrough's promotion push.But the Boro boss is hopeful his hand won't be forced by injuries as the Teessiders enter the final three months of the Championship campaign
A BROADBAND box it was hoped would bring high-speed Internet to a Durham suburb is still standing empty eight months after it was installed.BT Openreach installed the supply box on Abbey Road, Pity Me last summer following sustained pressure from residents
LEE GASKELL has caught the eye with some terrific goals since joining Darlington in October, and Tuesday’s wondrous effort was the best of the lot believes the striker. He puts the goal in his top five ever scored, and unsurprisingly so having
THE leadership of a County Durham school has changed while the headteacher is absent. Headteacher of Staindrop an Academy, Andrew Flint, has been absent from the school but parents say they have been left in the dark as to why. In a letter
DARLINGTON’S political opponents are to put aside their differences to lobby the Government over swingeing budget cuts which are set to change the town forever. A special cabinet meeting on Thursday night saw the town’s Conservative leader pledge
A HEADTEACHER says the majority of parents backed the decision to invite a Muslim leader to talk to pupils despite a protest outside the school. A demonstration took place outside East Stanley Primary School, in Stanley, County Durham, on Wednesday
