A SATISFIED Aitor Karanka last night underlined the importance of Middlesbrough’s 1-0 win over Hull City, claiming his side had proved their superiority over one of their key rivals. Gaston Ramirez’s second-half header settled things at the Riverside
MIDDLESBROUGH 1 HULL CITY 0 SINCE Wayne Rooney was photographed drinking while on international duty with England, a succession of managers have been asked what they like their players to do on an evening. Aitor Karanka’s answer is simple – he
SUNDERLAND are reeling from yet another serious injury blow after Duncan Watmore was ruled out for the rest of the season with a cruciate knee ligament injury. Watmore damaged his knee in the closing stages of Saturday’s 2-1 win over Leicester
SUNDERLAND will face Premier League opposition in the third round of the FA Cup after last night’s draw pitted them with fellow top-flight side Burnley. In a relatively inviting draw for the North-East’s big three, Middlesbrough will also be at
VIKTOR FISCHER returns to Middlesbrough's starting line-up for this evening's Premier League home game with Hull City. Fischer will be making his first start since the 1-1 draw at West Ham at the start of October. The Denmark international
Chief Sports Writer Scott Wilson reports live from Riverside Stadium as Middlesbrough take on Hull City. Tweets by @Scottwilsonecho Kick-off: 8pm
A TALK will be held on women and the culture of fashion during the First World War.Lucie Whitmore will deliver ‘The Modish and the Militant’ at the Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, County Durham, on Saturday from 2.30pm to 4.30pm.Students, volunteers
TRAVIS Perkins branches in Bishop Auckland and Durham are inviting would-be rugby players to visit in December to try their hand at the ‘Cement Mixer Challenge’, where they will be given the chance to score a try into a cement mixer.For each rugby ball
IT WAS a cold and frosty start in North Yorkshire morning – but riders who took to the gallops on Middleham Moor were rewarded with a stunning skyscape during the winter sunrise. Middleham, in Wensleydale, is a hub of the racehorse community and
STUDENTS clicked, creaked and crooned their way through a haunting musical with a creepy and kooky, mysterious and spooky performance to remember. A 40-strong cast, from Years 10 to 13, brought the The Addams Family to life in spectacular fashion
A WOMAN motorist has died after her car was in collision with a lorry. The woman, who was in her 30s, was at the wheel of a red Ford Ka when it collided with a lorry on the A168 just south of Boroughbridge at about 12.24pm today, Monday. She
A READY meal maker claims its “best days lie ahead” after customer clamour for convenience food provided a lift. Greencore Group says it is well positioned for further growth as busy shoppers choose its food-on-the-go ranges. The business runs
A HIRE company behind portable buildings has taken on a fellow North-East firm to continue its expansion. Mobile Mini has brought Gateshead’s Containers 2000 Limited into its operations. The business, which runs its UK endeavours out of Preston
Heather Barron talks to a North-East expert about the winter tasks that gardeners can do to keep busy... THERE'S no such thing as a quiet time in the garden, and, although the summer explosion has died down, over the next few months there are still
AN emergency service has come under fire for rushing to the aid of a cyclist who needed her bike cutting free from a padlock. Firefighters sped through York last week with sirens and lights activated – but the incident merely involved a bike padlocked
A SPECIALIST art and design college has been recognised for its contribution to the creative sector in a national report on the impact of creative universities to the UK economy.In a new report into the economic impact of creative focused academic institutions
A WEEKLY series of ten-minute talks on one of the region’s best-loved buildings is to get underway this week. Stories from the long and colourful history of Durham Cathedral will be revealed as part its Open Treasure programme. Each Wednesday
A BIG Issue seller will be given a fitting send-off after thousands of pounds was raised for his funeral. Peter Toulson, who regularly sold the magazine outside Marks and Spencer, in Parliament Street, York, died suddenly last week. A crowdfunding
A SCHEME launched to help Teesside's needy has achieved half of its target in just two weeks.Teesside University’s ‘Yule Help’ campaign was launched to provide food and support to Middlesbrough Food Bank and has raised £507 via its Just Giving website
A STUDENT is accused of raping a female undergraduate after she was helped home from a house party in a drunken state. The trial has begun of Alistair Cooke, a third year student at Durham University when the incident took place, on June 2, last
A GARDEN centre kicked off its Christmas party season with a ladies' night, raising £931 for charity.Dobbies Birtley, near Chester-le-Street, had a fun-filled evening which included sampling, demonstrations, complimentary treatments and Christmas
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a house was broken into in Knaresborough.The break-in happened on Greengate Lane in the town at around 7.20pm on Friday, December 2. A woman was seen running from the scene.Due to the dark nights, the public are
CHRISTMAS celebrations were enjoyed across the generations at a festive tea party held at Polam Hall School in Darlington.Sixth formers and younger pupils entertained a dining hall full of elderly visitors at the school’s Jack Frost Party, an annual event
RUNNERS of all ages got into the festive spirit with a run around the grounds of an historic attraction.The annual Santa Fun Run, organised by Ryedale Special Families, saw families put on their Santa Claus suits for the early winter dash at Castle Howard.The
A POPULAR bike ride event has announced its dates for 2017.The Ripon Rotary Bike Ride will take place on May 13, 2017.The event consists of a 100km circular route starting from Bishop Monkton Village Hall, with a water and refreshment stop every 17km
MORE than 250 people including Labour’s chief whip Nick Brown MP attended the regional conference of campaign group Momentum.The group, formed to back Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour leadership bid, held its first North-East conference in Newcastle on Saturday.Speaking
AN ELDERLY marchioness, whose aristocratic family owns around 12,000 acres of North Yorkshire, has been accused of dangerous driving that led to a four-vehicle crash. Lady Susan Zetland, of the Zetland Estate, north of Richmond, appeared before
SIX ladies have raised and donated £250 for an Autism support group in Ferryhill.The six ladies, made up of Enid Ridley, Zena Roddam, Doreen Barber, Anne Dawbney, Joyce Nunn and Audrey Gargett donated the funds raised from a recently held Christmas fair.Little
PLAIN clothes police officers will be going undercover in Darlington’s shops from this week as part of a crackdown on festive shoplifting.Thefts from retailers traditionally peaks in the run-up to the festive season, and police in Darlington are planning
ROBIN Hood with a Teesside twist is on offer at Middlesbrough College's panto this Christmas.Armed with a sword and a feather in his cap, student Jake Smithson is looking forward to playing the lead role.The 17-year-old from Ingleby Barwick will be
A GENEROUS donation will help a unique charity in its work to benefit the community and its volunteers.Darlington’s Café JJ, which is staffed by a team of people with learning disabilities, was given a £3,150 boost recently.As part of a safety initiative
A TEENAGER who suffers from a rare bone condition has won silver at the European karate championships. Ryan Spencer, from Ouston near Chester-le-Street, was part of a four-man team representing England at the championships in Greece. The 19
DURHAM teaching assistants have suspended their strike to allow time for talks, union leaders have announced. Three days strike action this week by Durham teaching assistants had been scheduled to start tomorrow, but have been called off to allow
A MOTORIST accused of killing a new grandfather in a horrific car crash appeared before a judge for the first time on Monday. Ryan Gilling did not enter a plea to the charge of causing death by dangerous driving during the brief hearing held on
A NORTH-EAST MEP is on a mission of a different sort this week - delivering parcels to food banks. Taking time out from representing his constituents at EU sessions in Brussels and Strasbourg, UKIP Euro-MP Jonathan Arnott is spending his time helping
A MOTORIST who intervened as a thief tried to steal a handbag is being asked to contact police. A woman was walking on to Marlborough Road from Oxbridge Lane in Stockton at about 8.15pm on Tuesday, November 29 when she was approached by a male
A BUILDERS’ merchant is inviting would-be rugby players to to try their hand at scoring a try into a cement mixer.For each rugby ball successfully thrown into the mixer, Travis Perkins will make a £1 donation to Durham City RUFC.The winner will getting
FAMILY food firm Heck is celebrating after another round of award success. The firm, based in Bedale, which makes premium sausages and burgers, has been named the fourth fastest growing private company in the UK and the top-rated Yorkshire company
AN art exhibition commemorating Chernobyl 30 years on is opening in Middlesbrough. The exhibition, inspired by artists’ visit to the site of the world’s largest nuclear disaster, will launch this week at The House of Blah Blah gallery.The group of 14
STUDENTS from a Darlington college were given an audience with the Shadow Brexit Minister when he visited the town.The Labour MP, and former Director of Public Prosecutions was on a whistle-stop tour of County Durham on Friday, visiting a range of companies
PUPILS swapped schoolbooks for statement sheets today as they arrived to find their classroom 'trashed' by Jack Frost.Youngsters at St Joseph’s Primary School in Newton Aycliffe spent the morning investigating a 'crime scene' which saw
AN INQUEST has opened into the death of a mother-of-two who died following a head-on crash near Darlington. Christine Margaret Watson suffered fatal injuries in the collision on a stretch of the A167 Croft Road between Hurworth and Darlington.
SUCCESSES of the past were used to inspire students for the future an awards ceremony to remember – the last for a headmaster whose impact was hailed immense.Staff, students, parents and others heard a catalogue of successes stretching back decades at
COMMUNITY knitting groups have been busy helping residents living with dementia keep their hands warm and busy this winter.Hand muffs called ‘Twiddlemuffs’ provide visual and sensory stimulation to dementia patients from across Stockton Borough – as well
YARM School chefs, husband and wife team Greg and Wendy Wallace, have triumphed in a national culinary competition.Head chef Mr Wallace won the Culinary Team Challenge in the Sodexo National Salon Culinaire industry catering awards, cooking alongside
I’M not a big film aficionado but one movie that really does it for me is Groundhog Day. Staring Bill Murray, the titular character gets stuck in an infinite loop, reliving the same day over and over again until he finds the true meaning of love. Well
Celebrate Christmas - and the countdown to the holiday - with a fragrance festival indoors. Gabrielle Fagan sources 12 super-seasonal scents for the home Ring the bells, deck the halls and... source the smells! Granted, that last one may not be
THREE talented pupils from the same primary school have won gift vouchers in a national European Day of Languages competition.Children from Roseberry Primary and Nursery School in Pelton, near Chester-le-Street wrote invitations in French from famous
A SMALL business from Helmsley was one of 100 from around the country invited to Downing Street for a reception to mark the UK’s fourth annual Small Business Saturday.Emma Woods, owner of Duncombe Sawmill in Helmsley, joined other small business owners
IF YOU find the thought of a new challenge – and a new home – to celebrate the new year appealing, make sure to take a careful look at Hill Top Cottage in Crakehall.A rather unique four-bedroom period family home overlooking the village green, Hill Top
THE CREATION of a masterplan aimed at transforming County Durham’s economic fortunes for a generation has been put on ice at the 11th hour in the latest delay to beset the ambitious proposals. Durham County Council had been preparing to seek cabinet
THE Bishop Auckland telly addict best known for watching TV from the comfort of her own home, has won this year’s reality jungle adventure I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! Scarlett Moffatt appears on the Channel 4 series Gogglebox where
WOMAN of the moment Scarlett Moffatt's earnings are set to "rocket" after her coronation as queen of the jungle. According to industry experts, the I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! winner could be pocketing more than £1million in the next
REVISED plans for purpose-built student accommodation look set to be rejected, despite being significantly scaled back. Developers are seeking planning permission to demolish the 1960s-built Fram Well House in Diamond Terrace, Durham and replace
SENIOR MPs are to meet business and university leaders in the region to help shape a report into the Government’s industrial strategy.Members of the House of Commons Select Committee scrutinising industrial policy are to visit County Durham on Thursday.The
WITH many care homes under fire two private homes run by a family group in North Yorkshire have been declared “outstanding”.The Millings in Bedale, and St John’s at Kirk Hammerton both came out with top marks after inspections by the Care Quality Commission
Shildon were given a home tie in the fourth round of the FA Buildbase Vase when the draw was made at lunchtime today. The Railwaymen, who won at 2015 winners North Shields last Saturday, have been drawn at home to Atherton Collieries from the North
INFORMATION about changes to bin collections coming to Richmondshire early in the New Year is dropping through letterboxes this week.Every home will receive a postcard detailing the changes to household and recycling collection days – which come into
A STUDENT is celebrating a double win after an innovative app caught the imagination of judges.Darlington College IT student Olivia Reynolds won her category and the overall award with the idea for Socialmoda, an app for anyone who struggles to socialise
MEMORIES 301 took a stroll down Priestgate in the past, paying particular attention to the Darlington Co-operative and Industrial Society which grew like topsy until it had spread through to Tubwell Row. The super store, founded in 1868, closed
MARKSMAN: George Camsell, who scored a club record 345 goals in 453 league and cup appearances for Middlesbrough, plus 18 goals in nine appearances for England WHAT A RUN! The Middlesbrough team from the 1926-27 season. From left, back row, J Miller,
EVERYTHING Sharon Griffiths mentioned in her article about paying to see a GP (Echo, Dec 2) is optional and not life threatening. If you can’t afford to run a car or cut your garden hedge you can live without it, but if you are ill and can’t afford
A TEENAGE girl from North Yorkshire is making her mark in the sporting world. Stokesley School student Emma Brown has been chosen to play for the Under-16 England ladies football squad in the New Year. She was originally picked to play against
AN elderly man died in a dual-carriageway crash in which his car is believed to have been travelling in the wrong direction. The tragedy happened at around 6.20pm on Saturday on the A64 west-bound carriageway near to the junction with Grimston
THE two biggest games in European club rugby could be coming to Newcastle in 2018 after the city lodged its bid for the European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup finals. If the bid is successful, the Champions Cup final in May 2018 will be staged
FESTIVE cheer came early to a local hospice as hundreds of Father Christmases made a seasonal dash for the cash. Decked out in white beards and red suits, a sea of Santa’s went on the run to help fill the fundraising Christmas stockings for St
Just a couple of hours by train from the North-East, the bright lights of London beckon Christmas shoppers and theatre-goers. Jenny Needham has a capital time FOR many different reasons, London attracts tourists all year round, but during the festive
JAMIE East hosts his own radio show weekdays between 10am and 1pm on Virgin Radio. You can follow Jamie on Twitter @jamieeast Jamie's latest ride. Photo: Jamie East What was your first bike and what do you remember about it? My first
CONGRATULATIONS to the Lib Dems for their stunning win in the Richmond Park by-election (Echo, Dec 3). The day before polling in the by-election some newspapers predicted the Lib Dems were going to lose and the party was finished. The electoral
ON November 28, Poland’s Prime Minister declared that her national language should be taught in British schools. Beata Szydlo used a televised Downing Street press conference to make the request of Theresa May. She spoke about the option of
NEW figures released by the Office for National Statistics last week confirmed again that net migration into the UK is still running at around 360,000 which, when added to the previous last two years, takes the figure to more than one million.
ON THE ROAD: THE Octavia vRS is the sporty saloon that puts the room into vroom. A family car with a 2.0 litre engine shoved up front, the vRS aims to be something of a jack of all trades. Available in both petrol and diesel form, we had the
WITH reference to Terence Fineran’s letter in Hear All Sides (Nov 28), I think he is being a tad harsh on Theresa May. I am sure that like so very many of the people she governs, she has money problems. I recall that on the morning of June 24,
CLAIMS by John Bearby (HAS, Nov 24) that Nigel Farage should be ambassador to the US must be challenged. I voted to quit the EU, but my judgement was not based on immigration because areas like London, with the highest immigration, also have the
DANGEROUS drivers who kill could face life sentences for their crimes if a Government consultation becomes law. Last year 122 people were sentenced for causing death by dangerous driving, with a further 21 convicted of causing death by careless
A designer from North Yorkshire has thought up a novel way of keeping cosy and warm as temperatures drop An enterprising young designer from North Yorkshire has designed a range of winter hoods called LILhood. "No one ever said, 'I just love what
Omar Allibhoy, who is soon to open a restaurant in the region, has some great recipes for the Christmas party season Spanish food is no longer the preserve of summer holidays, as Omar Allibhoy’s Spanish Made Simple makes it incredibly easy to create
Christmas party season - and those figure-hugging dresses - is on the approach, so time to crash diet, right? Wrong! Ditch the fads, not the carbs, and embrace a more soul-soothing approach to feeling fancy-frock-fabulous, says Abi Jackson It's
Big hair is back as Shine Hair & Beauty unveils its new collection for the party season Party season is well under way and this year it’s about maximum impact. Big hair is well and truly back in as the new looks created by stylists at Shine
As Darlington’s art mecca Gallerina moves to a new home, Jenny Needham talks to owner Richard Hindle about his continuing passion for making contemporary fine art accessible to all After leaving school and getting a job in a studio, picture framer
Liverpool is the home of The Beatles, the Grand National and two Premier League football clubs. But Andrew White finds it also has much to offer the Christmas shopper I USUALLY hate shopping, but I make an exception for Christmas shopping – and
He's one of the world's most respected actors - but even Tom Hanks isn't immune to feeling intimidated on set. As Sully soars into cinemas, the actor tells Susan Griffin about the pressures and rewards of playing true-life characters Tom Hanks
Just like the rest of us, Christmas is set to be a busy affair in Tom Aikens' house - but with enough prep, we can all dish up a drama-free day. The chef tells Jeananne Craig his seasonal secrets He's a perfectionist chef with a chain of restaurants
POLICE are appealing for witnesses following a crash involving four vehicles on Kirkleatham Lane in Redcar. It happened at around 1pm on Friday, December 2 and involved a bronze BMW 320, a red BMW 330D, a white Citroen C3 and a black Nissan Qashqai
ARMED robbers are being hunted by police after a raid in Guisborough. A woman was threatened with a bladed weapon after two men stormed the Co-op petrol station on Middlesbrough Road and demanded cash on Sunday. The staff member had a weapon
Even in the recent cold conditions, a native of South Africa is blooming By now we should be experiencing the first true cold winds of winter, however, except for a couple of days of heavy snow fall, we have been feeling positively warm for the
A TECHNOLOGY firm says North-East work is providing fresh impetus. Filtronic has hailed the continuing demand for its Orpheus e-band transceiver, which is made at its County Durham base. The company’s transceivers, as well as its antennas,
THE Charlatans are set to play Scarborough Open Air Theatre. The indie band have chalked up 22 Top 40 singles and three number one albums over 25 years. The Charlatans’ headline show at Scarborough OAT – Europe’s largest open air theatre –
HOW poignant that on the day of the Local Heroes Awards 2016, a grand old Local Hero should pass away. This year’s ceremony – honouring the stars of grass roots sport – took place on Thursday at Wynyard Hall, near Stockton. Before the announcement
ONE lane of the A66 westbound carriageway was blocked this morning due to an accident near Long Newton. The accident has now been cleared and all lanes reopened. ON the northbound carriageway of the A19, one lane was blocked following an accident
ENGLAND football manager Gareth Southgate has taken his 16th century mansion home off the market - days after being handed the top job. The former Middlesbrough FC player and manager and his wife, Alison, had been trying to sell his property near
Brits Icon – Robbie Williams (ITV, 9pm)AFTER Elton John and David Bowie, few would add the name of Robbie Williams, but the solo sensation and former Take That member, from Stoke-on-Trent, is joining the ranks of Brits Icons and brings to 18 an unequalled
RAIL enthusiasts who spent over 30 years painstakingly restoring a rare locomotive back to its former glory have been shortlisted for a national award. The Darlington Railway Preservation Society bought Locomotive No 78018 in 1981 and have spent
DAVID MOYES thinks Lamine Kone is starting to show the sort of form that helped keep Sunderland up last season – and wants the Ivorian to maintain his standards even if he could be faced with a big decision in January. Kone and Papy Djilobodji
A SCAFFOLDING instructor who was once a "roadie" for the likes of the Rolling Stones and Madonna is retiring after a 40-year career. Fran Mincha is now settled in Yarm after retiring from his most recent job as a college instructor – but in his
JUST after Jermain Defoe had stroked in Sunderland’s second, the noise from the home fans cranked up a notch. As the ‘David Moyes’ red and white army’ chant bellowed around the Stadium of Light, the man himself could have been forgiven for offering
A FAMILY are convinced they were drugged and robbed of more than £1,000 worth of belongings as they slept in their caravan at a French service station. Fiona and Andrew Plews fear some type of gas was pumped into their locked caravan - knocking
AITOR KARANKA has called on Middlesbrough to channel the spirit that propelled them to victory on Hull's last visit as the Tigers arrive at the Riverside for the latest key encounter between the clubs. Substitute David Nugent claimed a dramatic
A REFLECTIVE Karl Darlow insists Newcastle United have to take the positives from Friday’s chaotic 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest, and has urged the club’s fans not to panic despite three setbacks in the space of a week. Darlow saved two penalties
THANKS to a much greater emphasis on the importance of statistical analysis, you can get a breakdown of pretty much anything that happens on a football field nowadays. Sometimes, the results are as you would expect. Most shots per game in Europe
WHAT does nursing, car parts manufacturing and property development have in common? The answer is Jeremy O’Connor has managed them all. The businessman, who lives in Ingelby Barwick, near Stockton, has recently taken on the first Teesside-based
NORTH-East researchers say shifting weather patterns could cause more frequent and more powerful hurricanes in the USA. Hurricanes have gradually moved northwards from the western Caribbean towards northern North America over the past few hundred years
A CHRONIC staff shortage has meant almost a third of GP practices in the North-East have been unable to fill vacancies in the last year, say leading doctors. The British Medical Association [BMA] has warned that staff shortages mean surgeries across
LEADING conservation groups are calling on the Government to step up the protection of national parks amid a wave of major developments, including the world’s largest potash mine. A study by the National Trust, Campaign for National Parks and Campaign
