INTREPID Durham man Richard Toynbee will cycle 300 miles across China in aid of disabled charity, Mencap. Richard, 34, acting manager at the city's Prince Bishops Shopping Centre, will be one of 100 cyclists making the journey from the Great Wall of China
HARTLEPOOL United's derby clash with Darlington at Victoria Park will go ahead as planned - at 3pm on Saturday, October 7. And that means the division three game will go head to head with England's World Cup qualifier with Germany at Wembley at the same
THIS time last week, I was wandering through the narrow streets of an attractive but industrial and fairly typical Italian town called Sinalunga. There were no McDonald's, no Pizza Hut, no Kentucky Fried Chicken. No Gap clothes, no Ikea furniture, no
A LANDLADY is appealing to Advertiser readers to help her trace the history of her pub. Mandie Swales, who has run The North Eastern in Clarence Street, Spennymoor, for the past four years, has just held a party to celebrate its 100th birthday. Mandie
THE BEST of this year's harvest of leeks, vegetables and flowers will be judged at an open air museum this weekend. The event will be held at the Colliery Village at Beamish Museum on Saturday and Sunday. Thirteen stands of leeks and nine classes of vegetables
MYSTERY continues to surround the future of a plot of land near Barnard Castle town centre. Council and supermarket chiefs are keeping tight-lipped over the latest developments in an on-going dispute over the potential store site, which has been at the
A VOLUNTARY group due to take over a Chester-le-Street community centre says it will remain a resource for residents. Some people in the Chester West part of the town feared that Bullion Hall, in Bullion Lane, might be closed. But the Council for Voluntary
AN appeal set up in aid of a former jockey who was seriously injured in a fall, has received a £150,000 boost. The Scott Taylor appeal was set up to pay for the long term needs and day to day care of Scott Taylor, from Fishburn, County Durham. Mr Taylor
DINERS were evacuated from a smoke-filled restaurant when fire gutted its kitchens. Staff at Pinnochio's Pizzeria, in Harrogate, raised the alarm after smoke was spotted coming from ducting in the early evening. Firefighters were called to the incident
IF your wedding photographs feature Mary Quant mini-skirts, mop-top haircuts and mod-style suits, then Newcastle's Register Office wants to hear from you. To help mark refurbishment of the office's wedding suite, registrars are calling for couples who
SUNDERLAND University has been given top marks for some of its teacher training. The Teacher Training Agency has given the university's school of education A grades for its information technology and business teaching along with eight Bs and two Cs in
HERE comes the bride - and there goes the bridegroom arm-in-arm with the best man. Ah yes, there's nothing like a soap wedding to bring out the worst in people. Events on the day run as smoothly as Virgin train services. Everything that can go wrong does
A TEAM of riders set off on a cross-country cycle route yesterday to boost the funds of the British Heart Foundation and Durham County Cricket Club. Durham cricket fan John Wilson, who has returned to the saddle at the age of 76, made it his pledge in
Anthony McGrath plundered his first century of the season and Darren Lehmann his fourth as they piled up the runs in Yorkshire's Championship match with Kent at Canterbury yesterday. Both got out within three runs of each other after slamming 195 together
DURHAM were officially relegated when Surrey declared at 2.25pm yesterday after being on the receiving end of the biggest stand against them in nine years of first-class cricket. The 359 put on by Surrey's left-handed openers, Mark Butcher and Ian Ward
Alan Shearer yesterday revealed how his world had turned upside down in 12 magical months. The goal that shot Newcastle to the top of the Premiership table at Coventry on Wednesday night capped a remarkable turnabout in the form and fortune of the former
HOME is where the heart is for North-East pensioners, according to a new survey. Norwich Union questioned 600 pensioners across the country who own or are buying their own home. The research showed that 53 per cent of those living in the North-East would
NOTORIOUS villain Spiderboy is about to become a father. But the infamous young criminal has been warned he must change his ways if he ever wants to see his child. The 20-year-old thug, Tommy Laws, lived up to his Houdini reputation by fleeing an "escape-proof
CLAIMS that new hospitals built under the controversial private finance initiative may be obsolete before they are finished have been rejected in the region, where three major building projects are under way. Construction teams are working on new facilities
A County Durham farmer has just agreed to a £1m excavation of a fully intact Roman fort and town under his land that is expected to attract world-wide attention. Farmer Nick Greenwell's family have always known there was a lot more to find out about the
A FORMER school headteacher has taken to painting in a big way since retiring. Ken Charlton decided to find a pastime to occupy his mind after 38 years in teaching, the last 15 as head at Hurworth School, near Darlington. "My wife decided I needed a hobby
A MUSIC and beer event has been extended from its usual weekend of festivities to a whole week. The annual Orange Darlington Festival's Rhythm 'n' Brews event is celebrating its 21st birthday with an extended programme at the town's Arts Centre. There
A GEM of a jewellery designer has proved her 18-carat worth by being chosen for an exhibition. After graduating with first class honours from Cleveland College of Art and Design, Joanne Riddle set her heart on starting her own textile business. Within
ASSOCIATED British Ports showed investment in its ports business was paying off after half-year profits in the division steamed ahead. AB Ports, which operates 23 ports around the UK including Whitby, said the seven per cent growth in operating profit
COUNCIL chiefs are set to urge Home Secretary Jack Straw to intervene in the Operation Lancet inquiry - against the wishes of the Cleveland Police Authority. Councillor David Walsh, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, yesterday won the full
WINDFALLS of up to £6,000 will be heading to members of mutual insurer Scottish Provident, following the £1.8 bn takeover by Abbey National. Scottish Provident's 325,000 qualifying with profits policyholders will receive an average payment of £4,500 for
STEEL Town, a musical based on the closure of Consett Steelworks, which ripped the heart out of the town 20 years ago, gets its first performances on home ground next week. Students from South Tyneside College's Btec Performing Arts course will stage
PRESSURE is growing for the resurrection of plans to build a bypass around Northallerton. Hambleton District Council is being urged to start talks with North Yorkshire County Council to turn Northallerton's long-awaited dream into reality. An outer bypass
Motorists are today facing yet another hike in the cost of petrol because of an increase in the cost of oil. The rise was immediately condemned by motoring organisations, while the Dump the Pump protest group warned of a £5 gallon soon. Petrol has already
MAJOR electrical stores have warned that thousands of children hoping to get the new PlayStation 2 for Christmas are set to be disappointed because of high demand for the games console. But a North-East chain believes the demand has not been as great
ORGANISERS of a light show on the County Durham coast have neglected towns in the south of the county, according to a councillor. Councillor Tony Moore said residents of large towns, including Newton Aycliffe, Spennymoor and Shildon, had not been told
A PETERLEE school which won specialist status earlier this year has opened refurbished science laboratories. Dene House Comprehensive has been renamed Dene Community School of Technology after the Government gave it technology college status. The school
PARENTS never stop treating their offspring like children - even when those 'children' are middle-aged. My dad, as has been noted before, clearly believes that I am still a seven-year-old, as opposed to a father-of-four hurtling towards 40. He also seems
ONE of the worst pit disasters to befall the North-East will be remembered when a poignant reminder of the event falls under the hammer later this month. The tiny gold medal, the size of a two pence piece, was awarded to Joseph Snaith 'for services with
THE future tenants of a major Darlington store have been announced after months of uncertainty. C & A have been planning to abandon the two-level anchor site in the town's Cornmill Shopping Centre for more than a year. Company management announced
PLANS for a new business park near Chester-le-Street will create up to 500 job opportunities. Town planners have granted approval for a £3.5m business park on the edge of the town. Designed for architects, solicitors, accountants and other professional
AN exciting competition has been launched to find the region's most effective engineering user of computer-aided engineering through computer -aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacture (CAM) technologies. The award is designed to showcase regional
AN exciting competition has been launched to find the region's most effective engineering user of computer-aided engineering through computer -aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacture (CAM) technologies. The award is designed to showcase regional
THE summer holidays are normally a chance to relax, however 46 pupils from St. John's RC Comprehensive in Bishop Auckland decided to spend two weeks of their holiday back at school. DfEE funding provided a summer school for 'more able children', in which
FORMER England international Chris Waddle has agreed to return to Tow Law. Waddle left the Northern League club two decades ago on the road to national and international stardom with Newcastle, Spurs and England. But now he has agreed to go back to Ironworks
MORE plans to demolish homes across an entire district of County Durham have been announced. Dozens of mainly derelict council houses have been knocked down already by Derwentside District Council, while plans to destroy dozens more are in the pipeline
A NOSTALGIC exhibition has been launched at Durham County Hall. Flashback is billed as a celebration of elderly people's lives and features memorabilia collected by residents and staff in the county's care homes. Six scenes have been created including
INDEPENDENT care home owners have sparked a row by claiming a controversial decision to axe five old people's complexes in the region was justified. Darlington Borough Council agreed this week that all its residential homes should close because it cannot
YOUNG people from special schools in Teesside are being invited to take part in a football initiative for youngsters with special needs. Television sports presenter Gabby Yorath is launching the Interoute Cup, which will be contested by teams from special
A GROUP of youngsters has added a new dimension to their sports changing rooms. The youngsters, aged 15-18, gave a complete makeover to part of the changing rooms building at the King George V Playing Fields, off Miers Avenue, Hartlepool, during the summer
A GROUP of youngsters has added a new dimension to their sports changing rooms. The youngsters, aged 15-18, gave a complete makeover to part of the changing rooms building at the King George V Playing Fields, off Miers Avenue, Hartlepool, during the summer
AN artist's impressions of his coast-to-coast walk are going on display in a North Yorkshire town today. Well-known Cumbria artist Peter Slater relived the 190-mile trek from St Bees on the west coast to Robin Hood's Bay - which he completed during the
DALES residents have expressed concerns over British Telecom's plans to install a series of radio masts. The company has submitted applications to the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority to site radio antennae and masts throughout Swaledale and Arkengarthdale
DALES residents have expressed concerns over British Telecom's plans to install a series of radio masts. The company has submitted applications to the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority to site radio antennae and masts throughout Swaledale and Arkengarthdale
A PUB landlord fears his passing trade will suffer because a new housing estate blocks access to a main road. The Blue Bell, in Kip Hill, Stanley, has always relied heavily on passing trade from the busy Causey Road, turning off into Beamish Burn Road
WORK to strengthen the central pier of a bridge damaged by floods is under way and it could be reopened to traffic next month. Piling work on Richmond's Mercury Bridge has started, with a rig on top of the bridge and piles sunk into the structure to make
THE mother of a teenage girl injured in a hit-and-run accident has criticised police for failing to reach the car involved before it was burned out. Rebecca Wheatley, and Hayley McLouglin, both 15, were being driven home from their dancing lesson by Hayley's
AN artistic endeavour has led to success for a woman struck down by health problems. Angela Kruger, 54, thought her future was fixed after spending years working with figures as an accountant. Then in 1989, her life was turned upside down when doctors
A MOMENT of madness has left a lawyer's life in tatters after he was convicted of gross indecency with another man. The court heard that Kelvin Jones had lost his wife, his home, his career and his reputation after he was caught in bushes next to a lay-by
AT least it makes a change from pink elephants. Drivers in Newcastle could have been forgiven for thinking they were seeing things yesterday when a green fairy was hoisted high above the city. The fairy's appearance was part of a publicity stunt by Lanchester
GOVERNMENT promises to tackle hospital waiting lists were in tatters last night after a sharp rise in the numbers facing delays of more than 12 months for treatment. Only weeks after Health Secretary and Darlington MP Alan Milburn launched his plan to
AFTER forty years of searching for funds, Bishop Auckland has finally got the go-ahead to build its new £67m general hospital. Denise Potter, head of commissioning and service review, and Julie Oliver, communications manager, spoke to pupils from St John's
A RUBBISH tip is to stay open for five years longer than planned - after it emerged it wasn't filling up quickly enough. The Tancred Quarry tip at Scorton, near Richmond, was opened in 1994 and was expected to take rubbish for six years. But now Tancred
BURGLED businesses may yet be able to reclaim stolen equipment. Langbaurgh CID has recovered electrical goods, power tools, compact discs and light plant equipment after cracking down on crooks who travel into the area to carry out burglaries. The seized
SMALL football clubs have been offered the hope that they will not lose vital income from selling rising talent. The European Commission wants the transfer fee system scrapped because it breaks EU rules on fair competition and free movement of workers
A PETERLEE school which won specialist status earlier this year has opened refurbished science laboratories. Dene House Comprehensive has been renamed Dene Community School of Technology after the Government gave it technology college status. The school
STONE-throwing youngsters who target cars passing under road bridges are dicing with death, a senior police officer has warned. In the past few days, drivers in the Bishop Auckland area have reported stones being thrown at their cars in South Church,
ANGRY town hall workers are demanding action from council leaders to guarantee their pension rights will be unaffected by privatisation. Council staff in Middlesbrough say they want assurances that the cash they have put into pension schemes will be protected
Ancient churches stand to gain valuable cash for repairs as a result of a sponsored cycle ride next weekend by hundreds of riders in Yorkshire. The county's Historic Churches Trust has been told that it stands to benefit from £100,000 from Landfill Tax
RJB MINING, owners of the North-East's last remaining deep coal mine, refused to be drawn on the company's long-term future after revealing a big improvement in its half year results. The UK's leading coal mining group yesterday remained tight-lipped
RJB MINING, owners of the North-East's last remaining deep coal mine, refused to be drawn on the company's long-term future after revealing a big improvement in its half year results. The UK's leading coal mining group yesterday remained tight-lipped
THIS time last week, I was wandering through the narrow streets of an attractive but industrial and fairly typical Italian town called Sinalunga. There were no McDonald's, no Pizza Hut, no Kentucky Fried Chicken. No Gap clothes, no Ikea furniture, no
REMEDIAL therapist Jenny Grogan will be running a series of courses in Darlington, starting this month. In addition to being a relaxing experience massage therapy is used in many medical practices and hospitals. The Hollytree School of Complementary Therapies
PARENTS never stop treating their offspring like children - even when those 'children' are middle-aged. My dad, as has been noted before, clearly believes that I am still a seven-year-old, as opposed to a father-of-four hurtling towards 40. He also seems
PUPILS and teachers at Red Hall Primary School, Darlington, are celebrating a glowing report. Ofsted inspectors described it as very effective, saying pupils' attitudes to the school are very good and the teaching is also very strong. The inspectors said
THOUSANDS of traders across the region could be affected by a landmark decision to prosecute a North-East greengrocer for refusing to sell goods in metric measures. Steven Thoburn is being taken to court by Sunderland City Council because he sells his
BIG may be beautiful but small can sometimes be special. And shops don't come much smaller than Terry Farr's Cheese and Wine Shop. Tucked up in Clark's Yard off High Row in Darlington, it's a little treat for good food lovers, a tiny whitewashed room
BIG may be beautiful but small can sometimes be special. And shops don't come much smaller than Terry Farr's Cheese and Wine Shop. Tucked up in Clark's Yard off High Row in Darlington, it's a little treat for good food lovers, a tiny whitewashed room
THE first new school crossing patrol to be introduced by Darlington Borough Council has been launched. The council took responsibility for the schools crossing service when it became a unitary authority in April 1997. Bill Lynas, who previously managed
THE summer holidays are normally a chance to relax. However, 46 pupils from St John's RC Comprehensive School, in Bishop Auckland, decided to spend two weeks of their summer holidays back at school. The Department for Education and Employment funding
A PIONEERING project is putting a Bishop Auckland factory at the very heart of its community. A lifelong learning scheme has just been launched at Mechetronics to help its own workers, and those at neighbouring firm's, boost their skills. Company secretary
CHILDREN should be seen but not heard. It's an adage which has been part of the British psyche for generations. And when children are heard, invariably that becomes a problem, a problem so great in fact that in the past it has become a medical problem
THOUSANDS of County Durham secondary school pupils will be offered the chance to sign up for cheaper travel next week. County council officials will visit five schools so that youngsters, aged 14 and 15, can get a special card entitling them to half-price
DETAILED studies are to be carried out into market towns with a view to putting one of them forward for a £300,000 windfall. The research aims to identify the strengths and weaknesses of individual towns to determine which of them are most in need of
THE looming hulk of HMS Ocean cuts an unlikely figure for a ship at the sharp end of British foreign diplomacy. Lacking the presence of a battleship with bristling guns or the shapely majesty of an aircraft carrier, only her size distinguishes her. But
Darlington manager Gary Bennett reckons that some of his players matured in the famous Worthington Cup victory at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night. The town is buzzing after Quakers came back from a goal down - the first time they have done so since
A TEENAGER received a suspected fractured skull when he was involved in a road accident yesterday. A van was in collision with 13-year-old Robert Sanderson in Darlington, at lunchtime. Police believe the driver may not have realised his van had been in
A TEENAGER received a suspected fractured skull when he was involved in a road accident yesterday. A van was in collision with 13-year-old Robert Sanderson in Darlington, at lunchtime. Police believe the driver may not have realised his van had been in
AN appeal set up in aid of a former jockey who was seriously injured in a fall, has received a £150,000 boost. The Scott Taylor appeal was set up to pay for the long term needs and day to day care of Scott Taylor, from Fishburn, County Durham. Mr Taylor
DINERS were evacuated from a smoke-filled restaurant when fire gutted its kitchens. Staff at Pinnochio's Pizzeria, in Harrogate, raised the alarm after smoke was spotted coming from ducting in the early evening. Firefighters were called to the incident
POLICE chiefs will spearhead a debate on tackling Internet crime at a national conference next week. The Police Superintendents' Association conference will discuss ways of catching perverts and thieves preying on people via the world-wide web when it
HERE comes the bride - and there goes the bridegroom arm-in-arm with the best man. Ah yes, there's nothing like a soap wedding to bring out the worst in people. Events on the day run as smoothly as Virgin train services. Everything that can go wrong does
RESIDENTS are being asked for their views on plans to build a park shelter. Leaflets have been sent out to homes on Hartlepool's Headland containing an artist's impression of how the proposed structure might look, together with a tear-off reply slip for
DERBY boss Jim Smith yesterday launched a triple retaliatory strike against Middlesbrough as Wednesday's Pride Park cheat row blew up again. Smith hit back at counterpart Bryan Robson over his claim that Dean Sturridge cheated to set up Derby's second
HIGH-RISE pensioners are to be given a new outlook on life. The problem-hit 16 storey Glastonbury House, Middlesbrough, is to be given an overhaul after the findings of a structural survey. All 96 Middlesbrough Borough Council flats are to have their
HIGH-RISE pensioners are to be given a new outlook on life. The problem-hit 16 storey Glastonbury House, Middlesbrough, is to be given an overhaul after the findings of a structural survey. All 96 Middlesbrough Borough Council flats are to have their
Sunderland warmed up for tomorrow's dress rehersal at Old Trafford by thumping Manchester United 4-0 last night in the F.A. Premier Reserve League match at the staging of light last night. John Oster inspired Sunderland to a well-deserved win, the Wales
A doctor is being investigated after claims he removed a dead woman's heart pacemaker with a penknife in her home. Dr Arepalli Krishnamurthy, who is known as Dr Murthy, is alleged to have removed the device from Edna Everson, 81, at her home in Bramhall
A CALL has been made for urgent action to secure empty houses earmarked for demolition, after a blaze in a derelict property threatened homes. On Monday night, residents of Eldon Lane, near Bishop Auckland, watched as a fire started by arsonists ripped
ON July 25, pupils from St John's RC School summer school went on a visit to BBC Radio Cleveland, in Middlesbrough, to interview the presenters and see how a radio station functions. First we were taken to the reception area, where we waited for the secretary
