GERAINT Thomas made history as the first Briton to win a Tour de France stage on Alpe d'Huez, extending his overall lead on stage 12. At the top of one of cycling's most revered climbs the Welshman won in an uphill sprint from Team Sunweb's Tom
IT has been a week of small margins, of bits and whits, of dots and jots, of scintallas and tittles, of smidgens and smitchels and even smitches. Theresa May’s Government won a crucial vote on a customs union with the EU by just 307 votes to 301
THE grand opening of Joe the Quilter’s cottage has been celebrated – the first building in the £18million Remaking Beamish project.The heather-thatched cottage at Beamish Museum, near Stanley, is a recreation of the “lost” home of renowned Georgian quilter
BEN STOKES will make his second Durham Jets appearance of the season when Worcestershire Rapids visit Emirates Riverside in the Vitality T20 Blast tomorrow. Stokes, who struck an unbeaten 90 against Yorkshire Vikings in Durham’s opening T20 outing
A WOMAN who was born on the same day as Nelson Mandela has celebrated her 100th birthday. Former hairdresser Mary Willans, who is originally from Seaham, celebrated the milestone with a family party at St Margaret’s care home, Durham. Born
DETECTIVES are appealing for information after a hooded man with a suspected firearm robbed a convenience store.The incident happened at Costcutter on Heworth Road, York, at around 12.45pm on Wednesday.The robber, thought to be in his 20s, entered the
PLANS to demolish a 1940s college and replace it with a housing estate are moving forward. Finchale, the charity which owns the site of Finchale Training College, already has outline planning permission for the scheme to build up to 100 houses
FULHAM are hoping to complete the £20m capture of Newcastle United striker Aleksandar Mitrovic in the next 48 hours, with Rafael Benitez hoping the Serb’s departure will enable him to complete an attacking acquisition of his own. Mitrovic is due
A NORTH-EAST police force is introducing spit guards to protect officers and staff against such “horrendous assaults”.Northumbria Police will start issuing the protective equipment from Friday.The decision comes after it was revealed that 341 employees
A DETECTIVE has told how he punched a suspect hard in the nose to prevent him from escaping during the dramatic police chase of two men.Christopher Hills was said to have adopted a ‘fighting stance’ when he was confronted by Detective Sergeant Scott Jameson
BRITISH nature from farmland birds and butterflies to threatened species and important landscapes are suffering declines, an official assessment shows.The Government used 51 indicators of the state of UK biodiversity - all the plant and animal species
POUNDWORLD is axing hundreds more jobs as it closes its head office, warehouse operations and another batch of stores.The budget retailer is closing its warehouse and distribution network, the Press Association understands, alongside its head office in
A CYCLIST was taken to hospital following a crash in Darlington at lunchtime on Thursday. The injured man was involved in a one-vehicle crash involving a car and his bike, just after 12.30pm. The incident took place at the junction of Auckland
A MAN with two illegally held rifles, plus ammunition for both, admitted he did not have the necessary certification, a court heard. Police acting on a tip-off visited Christopher Sherwood’s home in High Row, Newfield, near Willington, on January
A TOWN council which found itself at the centre of a social media storm has elected a new mayor. Ferryhill Town Council, in County Durham, elected Councillor David Farry as its chairman for the remainder of the 2018-19 civic year on Wednesday.
A WOMAN alleged to have been seen punching her cat repeatedly is being sought.The woman was seen carrying a cat carrier while walking along a path leading from Coldstream Avenue, Sunderland towards the Aldi supermarket on July 15. When she reached the
THREE people remain in a serious condition in hospital following a crash between Durham and Stanley. A Durham Police spokesperson said: “There was a two-vehicle collision on the crossroads in Edmondsley involving a Hyundai and Mitsubishi at 11.43am
After a four-year absence, The Bletchley Circle is back with an exciting spin-off set in San Francisco. Star Julie Graham tells Georgia Humphreys why the female-led drama means so much to her JULIE Graham has learnt some acting jobs are particularly
It has been 10 years since Mamma Mia had cinema audiences dancing in the aisles but now the cast are back for a sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, and this time they are joined by Cher. The cast talk to Laura Harding PIERCE BROSNAN is a very
A COUPLE have been jailed for leaving their elderly dog to suffer from a painful leg injury for more than three years. Sophia Koch. 29, and Adrian Wilkie, 31, both of Trafalgar Square, Scarborough, appeared beforeYork magistrates having been arrested
A CRASH involving a car and a parked lorry is caused severe delays for several hours on the A19. North East Traffic Live, which issues updates about the region's road network, said there had been a crash near to the A690 Durham Road junction on
A PICNIC to celebrate 100 years of votes for woman and all men will be held in Spennymoor on Sunday.People are invited to take a picnic and dress up in Edwardian costume for the event, in Jubilee Park, from 2.30pm on Sunday.The fun will include music
A PUB manager died after being left in a nine-month coma following a fall down the stairs at his home in North Yorkshire. Andrew Daly, 43, suffered numerous brain injuries when he hit his head after falling down the stairs on March 23, 2017, in
NORTHERN Spire – Sunderland’s new bridge across the River Wear – is expected to open in August. Finishing works on the cable-stayed bridge, which boasts an impressive 105m central A-framed pylon, are expected to take a few more weeks, with the
WAS it really only five days ago? The celebrations on the Champs Elysees have barely settled down, but the World Cup already feels like it took place in a different lifetime. Thankfully, though, there’s no need panic. The new Football League season
SPORTS Direct is determined to maintain its strategic investment in Debenhams, despite taking a £85 million hit on its stake in its full-year results. The retailer blamed tough comparatives and the writedown on its stake in the department store
SENIOR Tories, including one from North Yorkshire, have come under fresh pressure after claims that they deliberately broke voting pacts during a knife-edge Brexit vote.Chief Whip Julian Smith, the Skipton and Ripon MP, apologised and said Tory Party
A SPECIAL free event has been organised to help support local musicians and teach them about the recording industry.Members of the PRS for Music and the Musicians' Union will be coming Darlington's Forum Music Centre on Tuesday, July 24.Musicians
MY wife and I decided as we are both fans to spend a couple of weeks in Herriot Country. We are enjoying our visit very much except for one disappointing sight we saw a couple of days ago. On one of our trips we went through the village of
AN eight-year-old has shown a natural flair for taekwondo by picking up an award after just a few months of training.Zak Lee, from Butterknowle, was awarded Best of Grade at a recent martial arts exam in Darlington.The youngster, who goes to Woodland
A HEADTEACHER has praised pupils for their sporting success in a cross country tournament.Youngsters from the Federation of Abbey Schools came second in the annual Tees Valley Cross Country Final, held at the end of June.The school’s head, Jonathan Briggs
HEALTH issues are being tackled by a walking programme delivered as part of an NHS initiative. Groundwork NE and Cumbria are developing the Red Hall Walking Programme in Darlington to improve residents’ health. The town was selected as one
IT was with disbelief that I read that both candidates for the post of leader of the council had refused to set out their personal visions for Darlington’s future (Echo, July 17) when asked by The Northern Echo. Does this mean neither of them have one
NEWCASTLE Newcastle United’s transfer log-jam could finally be broken in the next couple of days, with Fulham keen to push through their £20m purchase of Aleksandar Mitrovic. Fulham are keen to have Mitrovic back within their squad next week
AT a time when Darlington Borough Council’s credibility is at an all-time low they have blown it again – twice in one day.First, Crown Street Library. According to your report (Echo, July 17), the blinkered Councillor Nick Wallis states that the authority
POLICE are hunting for a vandal who jumped on a car in Newcastle city centre – owned by an elderly street pastor.The volunteer had given up her own time to work with the Street Pastors in the city centre on the evening of Friday, July 6.She had volunteered
I WAS not surprised when the “Heathrow run-a-way” did not emerge from his hideaway during Donald Trump’s visit to our country.The president did us all a favour when he gave Boris Johnson the “kiss of death” by praising his leadership qualities and promoting
THE English football team return from the recent World Cup, amid predictions of a golden future ahead.England will obviously be one of the favourites to win the 2020 European Championships.However in reality, England suffered three defeats in Russia –
HELPING children to maintain a healthy weight and ensuring overweight youngsters and their families have the support they need are the focus of a countywide consultation. Durham County Council is seeking the public’s views on the factors that influence
Gabrielle, the singer who conquered the world music charts is back with her first album in more than a decade. She talks to Joe Nerssessian IT'S been a long 11 years since soul songstress Gabrielle released her last album. The 48-year-old boasts
MATT TERRY, winner of 2016’s X Factor, is roaring into the region as Alex The Lion in the new stage adaptation of Madagascar The Musical with a date at Sunderland Empire at the end of August. Since winning X-Factor, Matt has been non-stop recording
WHAT are Darlington Borough Council doing?For weeks we had disruption on the ring road, between the Fire Station and the Royal Mail office, with new paths being laid down etc. Now after only a few weeks, those paths have been dug up. Rate payers’ money
DOUBLE Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominee, Nish Kumar is taking his brand new show on a national tour of the UK. The title is a quote from Terminator 2. There will be jokes about politics, mankind’s capacity for self-destruction and if this will lead
IN answer to the unnamed author of the letters moaning about the speed of emergency vehicles when proceeding to emergencies (HAS, July 2 and 9).I can well understand the reason why you didn’t want your name printed, I’ve never read such unadulterated
Pub tea is order of the day for Katie MacFarlane THERE’S something about a pub tea that never gets old, even if we are experiencing ridiculously hot weather at the moment. And after helping my colleague Lizzie on her fabulous hat and fascinator
Fresh from the Edinburgh Festival, Pete Firman, one of the UK’s most celebrated magicians and comedians, is bringing his Marvels tour to Durham IN the packed modern field of magic acts, Middlesbrough's Pete Firman certainly stands out. He’s recently
Certificate: 15Running Time: 94 minsStar Rating: 4/5STYLE confidently trumps substance in Drew Pearce's intriguing dystopian thriller about a secret membership-only hospital for the criminal fraternity. Set during a sweltering summer of civil unrest
THE plight of Darlington’s Mr Punch came to the nation’s attention after he railed against the impact of ‘snowflakes’ on his business earlier this week.Children’s entertainer Brian Llewellyn has had bookings cancelled by those who thought his show glorified
Comedian and musician Graham Fellows is touring Jilted John for the first time in a celebration of the first character he came up with some 40 years ago To celebrate Jilted John’s 40th anniversary and relive the summer of 1978, which saw millions
A GROUND-BREAKING ceremony has been held to mark work starting on a new business park on the outskirts of Darlington town centre. The 94-acre Symmetry Park site, near Lingfield Point, will include more than 1.6 million sq ft of employment space
WITH all this Brexiting depressing the world it is good to have some quintessential English phenomena delighting the world! And what could be more British than any of the thirteen Gilbert and Sullivan operas which have set the standard for musical
TINA essentially tells Mick to leave it because sinister Stuart isn't worth it, which is good advice - so it's a shame that neither of them can follow it (EastEnders, BBC1). Mick comes to blows with his former mate after confronting him, but it's
IT is almost four weeks to the day since this column was used to call for an urgent modernisation of Parliamentary procedures. That demand was the result of the arcane rules which allowed the blocking of a bill that would have made “upskirting”
THE wonder of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series has been captured in a new exhibition on the history of magic and folklore. ‘Harry Potter: A History of Magic’ displays magical treasures from the local area at The Dorman Museum, Middlesbrough.
FOUR people were taken to hospital – two of them seriously injured – following a crash between Durham and Stanley. Latest information here A Durham Police spokesperson said: "There was a two-vehicle collision on the crossroads in Edmondsley
IS there another musical that is so seriously entertaining and entertaining serious as Hairspray?You’d have imagined that a show dealing with such sensitive issues as racial discrimination and fat-shaming would be a hard slog. But not Hairspray which
BRITISH Steel plans to invest £90m in its UK sites as it gears up to to bid for some of the country's biggest infrastructure projects. The steel firm's Scunthorpe mill will get a £50m cash injection while £40m has been earmarked for other sites
OUR pick of tonight's TV choices. Our Shirley Valentine Summer (ITV, 9.30pm) It's now 32 years since playwright Willy Russell introduced audiences to Shirley Valentine, the put-upon Liverpool housewife who rediscovers her zest for life on a
Police eventDARLINGTON Police officers will be speaking to any residents with crime or anti-social behaviour issues in the town on Saturday, July 21. The Cuppa with a Copper event will be held in the town’s Costa Coffee from 1pm. Officers will also offer
ACTRESS Roxanne Pallett has been airlifted to hospital following a high-speed crash into a concrete wall, according to reports. The former Emmerdale star, 36, was taking part in a stock car race with her radio show co-host Ben Fry on July 18 at
Arthur Puckrin, an athlete who took extreme sport to extremes, has died. He was 80, perpetually pushed back the barriers of human endurance but never quite answered the question “Why?”Incredible, incorrigible, indomitable, his basic discipline was the
AS Sunderland work on adding three more players to Jack Ross’ squad, one signing already through the Stadium of Light doors has explained how talk of the troubles of the last couple of seasons has been banned.Dylan McGeouch, signed as a free agent after
WORRIED parents have been offered reassurances by education bosses - after their children's SATS results were annulled because of maladministration. Year 6 children at the primary school in Colburn, near Catterick, have had their Key Stage 2 Sats
FROM Russia with a bottle of Kaliningrad best bitter, a present for the column, our international jet-setting friend Ralph Ord landed back in Blighty early last Tuesday. Once he managed Eastgate leisure centre, and the mighty Wearhead United a
ENGLAND goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has been given his own parking space at Lidl. The 24-year-old has been honoured for his performances with a reserved space at his local supermarket in Gateshead. Lidl bosses made the same gesture to fellow
AN animal lover overwhelmed by abandoned and unwanted turtles has spoken of the crisis facing the fascinating creatures. Turtle Rescue UK Durham founder Jacqui Bell, who cares for more than 80 turtles in her two-bedroomed terraced home, as well
STUDENTS have been encouraged to treasure their school and appreciate how it is preparing them for their future. Hugh McHale-Maughan, who left Ripon Grammar School as head boy in 2013, was special guest at the annual Lower School prizegiving.
A HOUSING association is making a stand against domestic abuse in its communities with a series of policies.Broadacres has signed up to the Make a Stand national campaign, launched by the Chartered Institute of Housing, in partnership with the Domestic
COUNCIL chiefs say a partnership between two local authorities to deliver back office functions has saved more than £13m. Xentrall Shared Services, based at Lingfield Point, in Darlington, provides IT systems and support to 4,500 staff working
DARLINGTON’S newest councillor has vowed to keep his promises to constituents and represent the interests of all residents in the council chamber.Labour’s Eddie Heslop was elected to the authority following the death of Cllr David Regan, which prompted
COUNCIL leaders have paid tribute to the the Queen’s personal representative in North Yorkshire, ahead of his memorial service in York Minster on Friday.A minute’s silence was held at a full meeting of North Yorkshire County Council to honour Barry Dodd
A NUISANCE 999 caller banned from calling emergency services after making numerous false suicide threats has now been convicted of trespassing on the railway. Dawn Richardson, 43, of Middlefield, Pelton, was convicted in her absence at South Durham
A FOUR-YEAR-OLD boy has been raising money for two friends who both suffer from neurological motor disorders. Harrison Foers from Middleton St George, near Darlington. was inspired to help his friends Joseph and Emil after helping at previous charity
AN educational programme tackling Islamic extremism in the North-East has been officially launched.Founded by Middlesbrough-born Ifty Rafiq and officially launched at the Jamia Masjid Al-Madina Mosque in the town, The Harmony Initiative is a national
VOLUNTEERS at an animal rescue centre where 25 geese where beheaded have started a campaign to install CCTV. Those at Wetheriggs Animal Rescue, near Barnard Castle, were left devastated when they found the birds had been killed overnight on July
TOBACCO control group Fresh wants people in the North-East affected by smoking to share their real life experiences.The aim is to put their stories at the heart of a ‘hard hitting’ new campaign later this year warning of the dangers of smoking and showing
FALSE alarms in County Durham and Darlington schools were the cause of about 180 calls to the fire service last year.County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service was called to 750 false alarms in 2017/18 caused by automatic fire detectors. A quarter
THOUSANDS of pounds has been added to a new fund designed to support community causes in areas surrounding a new wind farm.As part of preparations for the construction of its Moor House wind farm, on the outskirts of Darlington, Banks Renewables set aside
DARLINGTON’S MP is urging its council to consider its contentious decision to close a historic library in light of challenges to the town centre. Jenny Chapman spoke out after campaigners lost their High Court battle against Darlington Borough
A WOMAN told a police officer she was going to stab her love rival and burn her house down. Shauna Graham and her victim had been involved in a long-running feud spanning six years after a row over Ms Graham’s ex-partner, magistrates in Newton
PROTESTORS have been told their appeal to block a controversial opencast coalmine in the North-East has been rejected by the Government.The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, headed by James Brokenshire, has informed residents that
MEMBERS of a youth club have been learning how to scuba dive.It was the top choice of teenagers attending the Sacriston Youth Project when they were asked to pick a new activity.A group of eight boys, aged 13 to 15, are undergoing training at the Freemans
A SPORTS club is putting to good use a new floor which has been installed in Newton Aycliffe.Athena Sports Academy has had the sprung floor installed at its base, Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre, thanks to a grant of £15,000.With support from Durham County
DARLINGTON are inviting supporters to attend an open training session this evening at Blackwell Meadows.Taking place from 7pm, fans will be able to watch the players being put through their paces and then chat with them afterwards.Refreshments will be
CAR parks across Hambleton are set to get a makeover after councillors approved a £550,000 investment this week.The funding allocation marks the start of a two year improvement programme across the five market towns of Northallerton, Thirsk, Bedale, Stokesley
A NEW scheme to help boost small Richmondshire businesses has welcomed its first members.Yorebridge House in Bainbridge has received cash from the district council initiative – which has £30,000 in funding to help small businesses take on new apprentices.Henry
After nearly 30 years heading Darlington council, Bill Dixon retires tonight. He gave a final interview to Chris Lloyd BILL DIXON looks down at the tattoos on his bare forearms. “When I was working at the rolling mills, you went in on a Thursday
A CRICKET club has launched a campaign to raise thousands of pounds so it can rise from the ashes of an arson attack. The pavilion at Spennymoor Cricket Club was completely destroyed, along with most of the club’s belongings, after a fire on Saturday
HOME-educated children and their parents yesterday presented a 16,000-signature petition to civil servants in Darlington protesting over plans to change the rules on home schooling.The families also held a protest picnic near the Department for Education
A LORRY driver involved in a crash which killed a pensioner had fallen unconscious at the wheel following months of illness. An inquest into the death of Patricia ‘Jenny’ Cresswell, 70, at Northallerton’s Evolution Centre on Wednesday, July 18,
A MAN who struggled to come up with a consistent explanation why he had £24,000 in the boot of his car has had the money confiscated. It follows Benjamin Craig Robson’s mid-trial change of plea at Durham Crown Court. The case arose from the
A LOCAL educational authority has said it is powerless to save one of its own village schools after its future became threatened having been guided by the authority to amalgamate with two others. Campaigners told a full meeting of North Yorkshire
FRESH plans are being made to extend facilities at the North-East’s largest post-16 school. Durham Sixth Form, which has more than 1,300 young people on its roll, already has planning permission for a new multi-media building on its site in Durham city
A GOVERNMENT decision to allow a police and crime commissioner to also control a county’s fire service will be “a recipe for disaster”, unless action is taken, a meeting has heard.North Yorkshire County Council members expressed continued cross-party
A BEEKEEPER who lost 120,000 bees to vandals has been “blown away” by the public’s kindness after a police appeal prompted a national fundraising drive which went viral.Steve Cattanach found two of his hives in Carr-Ellison Park, Hebburn, South Tyneside
CELEBRATORY events to mark the 150th anniversary of explorer Gertrude Bell’s birthday finished in spectacular style with an extraordinary discovery.Ms Bell is a significant historical figure, with her Middle Eastern travels leading to her becoming highly
A BEER festival is back with a bang at a popular watering hole, which lays claim to a city’s best beer garden.The Woodman Inn, in Durham, holds its third annual Beer, Bangers and Cocktail Festival from tomorrow.Apart from a selection of 30-plus real ales
A MURDER mystery evening is being held at a community centre.Shoestring Theatre Company is performing an interactive play at The Venue in Stanley.The event is being staged on Friday, July 27, from 7.30pm, and is called Who Killed The Caretaker? Bill Wilkinson
A COUPLE who have opened their garden for charity for two decades will welcome visitors for the final time this summer.Jean and Trevor Crompton, of Woodside House, in Witton Park, near Bishop Auckland, are offering members of the public the last chance
Life saverFISHBURN Parish Council has been working in partnership with the Cardiac Arrest Prevention Team at the University Hospital of North Durham to provide an automatic external defibrillator (AED) in the parish. The unit will be accessed by a unique
A CHURCH built in a South Durham town more than a century ago could be converted into a home if planning permission is granted.Windlestone Methodist Church, on Durham Road, in Chilton, was built in 1913 and is understood to have been in use from 1914
