MYSTERY over the future of an indoor market deepened with a company, heavily tipped to take over the site, yesterday denying having an interest in the premises. Stallholders operating from the market hall, in Middlesbrough's Hill Street Centre, were convinced
IN THE recent industrial history of the North-East, success stories have been few and far between. The last two decades have seen a more or less unremitting decline in the former core industries of the region. Coal, chemicals, heavy engineering, shipbuilding
RESIDENTS of a demolition-threatened estate say that despite 18 months of asking for answers, their future remains uncertain. Families living at Whinney Banks, Middlesbrough, claim they first learned of the plans to demolish their homes from a newspaper
IRISH super group The Corrs were smiling yesterday after their highly emotional concert on Monday made more than £104,000 for one of the region's hospitals. The family group held the charity gig at the Telewest Arena, Newcastle, in aid of the city's Freeman
England are to take on Mexico and Holland later this year as warm-up games under Sven-Goran Eriksson ahead of the testing World Cup qualifiers away to Greece and Germany - but the North-East has missed out on the chance to host a match. Instead of a return
Middlesbrough have ruled out any major signings to back Terry Venables as he leads the battle to beat the drop. There is only a limited amount of cash available for the former England coach and manager Bryan Robson confirmed they will look to the current
TONY Blair said this week that you can't please all the people all the time, which became only too clear when he was pelted with tomatoes by a protestor. No Prime Minister deserves that. It can be worse than an assault because it is so demeaning. But
PREMIERSHIP giants Chelsea and high-flying Ipswich are the latest to check on the talents of free-scoring Hartlepool United midfielder Tommy Miller. The 22-year-old netted 16 times last season and took his tally for the current campaign to 13 with a penalty
STAFF responsible for bringing future generations into the world have had their efforts rewarded with a Government benchmark of quality. Every year, hundreds of babies are welcomed into the world by midwives and medical staff at Bishop Auckland General
BILLINGHAM Forum is to be demolished to make way for a supermarket, councillors decided last night. The leisure centre, which was opened by the Queen in 1967, will be knocked down as part of redevelopment plans for the town. A new sports and leisure complex
NISSAN'S new Micra project may have a grim sting in the tail for North-East suppliers, the company warned last night. Even if the new car comes to Sunderland, many Nissan suppliers could find themselves losing out to Europe. The Wearside plant will hear
A YOUNG sports fanatic from the North-East has died after being struck down by a massive stroke, it was revealed last night. Johann Rooke was getting ready to leave for work at a Glasgow bank, when he suddenly felt an intense pain in the back of his head
DOG owners are being offered the chance to improve the obedience of their pets at a course in Teesdale. The seven-week course, which is being run by Barnard Castle Dog Training Club, will include basic obedience training, and will give dog owners advice
EVIL mother Donna Horrigan is facing jail after turning her three-year-old daughter into Britain's youngest ever drug dealer. Angel-faced toddler Demi Horrigan should have been playing with her toys like any normal child. Instead, undercover police were
TOP DOG Harsu Super returns to his old track, Sunderland, tonight looking to add the Regal Gold Cup to his sparkling Regal Puppy Derby success. The January 1999 Ratify-Yes Super fawn dog lifted the £7,000 Puppy Derby first prize with an unbeaten three-race
A TOURING entertainment scheme will be be bringing drama and music to Teesdale in the spring. The North Pennine Highlights, which gives village halls in rural areas the chance to host professional arts performances, has secured a series of drama and music
AUSSIE duo Mark Schwarzer and Paul Okon have been given international clearance to stick with Middlesbrough throughout their relegation fight. The Socceroos have told players plying their trade abroad that they can skip the start of the World Cup qualifiers
A PROPOSED merger between two of the North-East's biggest brewing names appeared a step closer last night, as the long-running speculation over the future of Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries (W&DB) sparked up again. W&DB, owners of Camerons
DARLINGTON Building Society held a special cocktail party at its flagship branch at Tubwell Row, to re-establish professional relationships following the Christmas and New Year holidays. The Mayor of Darlington, Councillor Dorothy Long, joined more than
Darlington did their confidence the world of good with an emphatic victory in the LDV Vans Trophy at Bootham Crescent last night. Quakers never looked back after they scored twice within a minute early in the game and they went on to score more than two
GATFLAX (2.05) looks the safest bet at Catterick this afternoon on a mammoth card guaranteed to warm the bookies' hearts rather than line the punters' pockets. Six of the seven races have 15 runners or more, making winner finding nigh on impossible. But
A SCHOOLGIRL whose funeral takes place today was inspired to donate her organs after following the plight of heart transplant girl Sally Slater. Billy Brown, 49, said he had been told his 12-year-old daughter, Natalie, who died last week from meningitis
BRADFORD keeper Matt Clarke has issued a "come and get me'' plea to Newcastle. The Magpies were this week rocked by Shay Given's shock transfer request. And £2.5m-rated Clarke would jump at the chance to take his place if Newcastle agree to off-load the
PLANS to build a hotel and leisure complex next to Newcastle Airport creating 90 new jobs have been unveiled Construction company Willmott Dixon has submitted its planning application for the development of a 152-bedroom hotel together with conference
A SPECIAL jobs fair is to be held later this month for people who want to get involved in this year's Census. The ten-yearly snapshot of the nation is due to take place on April 29 and people are needed to be the public face of the great population count
THIEVES have raided three commercial premises on a Darlington industrial estate. The units on the Cleveland Industrial Estate, Albert Hill, were targeted between 4pm on Sunday and 8am on Monday. In one raid, two Ford Transit vans were stolen. One was
FUNDRAISERS at a Bishop Auckland hospice are appealing to people to give their old Yellow Pages telephone books to help raise money. New phone books are already being distributed in the region, and the old ones can help raise funds for The Butterwick
FIRMS in north Hartlepool are being urged to start the new year by tapping into a special fund to beat crooks. Cash is available to help businesses boost security at their premises by installing extra lighting or fitting alarms, fencing and shutters.
CONSERVATIONISTS are urging all festive revellers to make good on their New Year resolutions - by joining up as volunteers. The Ryedale Conservation Volunteers have already been set their first task of the year 2001, at Beadale Wood, near Wrelton. They
A FERRYHILL woman has bought gifts for a children's hospital ward with donations she received from people visiting her home to view the elaborate Christmas decorations. Ann Fisher, of Lilac Road, Chilton Lane, transformed her house into a Father Christmas's
A PLANE sparked a range of dramatic theories when it was spotted circling over parts of the region yesterday morning. School caretaker Geoff Richardson was one of many readers who telephoned The Northern Echo to report a sighting of the "jumbo" circling
THE car plant at Sunderland has always been, and remains, the jewel in Nissan's crown and fully deserves to be treated accordingly. The case to build the new Micra at the plant is very strong indeed. In a region without a car assembly tradition, the Sunderland
WHEN a teenage Dawn French was going out to a party, her father told the cuddly youngster that she looked really great. Consequently, Dawn believed she did, and despite her curves, bounced cheerfully off to have a good time, a normal life and, grounded
THE number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents in County Durham has fallen by more than a third in the past 13 years, it was announced yesterday. Provisional figures released by Durham County Council highways officers show that the
SPORTSWEAR and outdoor clothing group Blacks Leisure is moving its head office operation to Peterlee. The group's small London head office, which has a staff of ten, will close, with a handful of jobs being transferred to the former Fisher Price factory
VOLUNTARY groups are warning that another round of council cuts could leave some of North Yorkshire's elderly and disabled as virtual prisoners in their own homes. With a General Election looming, the Government promised local authorities more money to
A CHESTER-le-Street slimming club has opened a men-only weight-loss class for men who don't want to join a mixed group. Marion Hoyle, founder of Slimming Unique, says they want to hear from men who enjoy good wholesome food but still want to lose weight
Sunderland's Kevin Phillips can grab a crucial advantage over his rivals in the desperate battle for England places. New coach Sven Goran Eriksson will be at Sunderland's clash with West Ham at Upton Park on Saturday. And that offers Phillips the perfect
Darlington last night gave central defender Dean Walling a trial outing for ther reserves at Lincoln. Walling, 31, is a former Carlisle teammate of manager Gary Bennett, who is looking for cover in the middle of a defence which is walking a disciplinary
CHILDREN are invited to join a fun event at Hartlepool's Summerhill conservation and outdoor sports park next month. Youngsters can learn how to make their own mirror design using materials such as tiles, glass beads and glitter. The workshop is being
IT'S not exactly the kind of holiday you would find in a travel brochure. While most of us save all year for two weeks in the sun, Geoff Richardson can think of nothing better than to spend his holidays at Heathrow Airport. Armed with his binoculars,
Fears were growing last night for the health of Princess Margaret after she was taken to hospital suffering from a "severe loss of appetite". The Queen's 70-year-old sister had a suspected second stroke just before Christmas. An initial improvement in
A NOMAD who used large knives to catch rabbits as he lived off the land was cleared by a jury of possessing an offensive weapon. Wanderer Melville Bird, 52, was arrested on York Railway Station last August after a commuter spotted a large sheath knife
MULTI-millionaire George Reynolds revealed in court yesterday that he has no insurance on his homes around Europe - because he believed his reputation meant he could never claim. The Darlington FC chairman said he had no cover for his £7m mansion in County
A WOMAN who tore a budgie apart "like a piece of paper" in front of her 16 year-old son has been banned from keeping another pet. Teesside magistrates heard how Christine Lawson, 45, vented her anger on the bird following a family dispute. Police officers
YOUNG KENNY, a leading contender for this year's Grand National, continues his preparation for the Aintree showpiece at Wetherby today in the £14,000 Rocom Chase. Peter Beaumont's equine giant proved himself to be as good as ever with a battling success
EVIL mother Donna Horrigan is facing jail after turning her three-year-old daughter into Britain's youngest ever drug dealer. Angel-faced toddler Demi Horrigan should have been playing with her toys like any normal child. Instead, undercover police were
POLICE are hunting sadistic thugs who crucified a cat on a graveyard cross. The gruesome discovery was made by a mother and her teenage daughter as they walked through the cemetery. The cat's stomach had been slashed open and it was crudely lashed with
VANDALS have left staff and pupils at a Teesdale school devastated after they destroyed a memorial tree and plaque to commemorate children who died in concentration camps and armed conflicts. Children and teachers at Gainford Primary School, near Darlington
HIGHLY-RATED Sunderland midfielder Gavin McCann is walking a disciplinary tightrope - and one mistake could rule him out of a head-to-head against the player he has been likened to, Manchester United star Roy Keane. McCann, 23 today, has been outstanding
AN advertising agency has been criticised after inviting job applicants to send in a topless photo along with their CV. Bosses at AD78 said they wanted a university graduate with experience in marketing for the post of account handler. The job offers
VILLAGERS in Weardale are mourning the loss of a great local character. Former postman George Snowdon came to lodge at the Cowshill Hotel, in Upper Weardale, more than 15 years ago, and was still a resident when he died there at the age of 92. Landlady
HARE COURSING ED Bowen writes about hunting, the countryside and conservation (HAS, Jan 12). Let us leave fox hunting entirely to one side and ask the following question of ED Bowen. What possible connection can there be between conservation and hare
A FIRE chief described yesterday how he disbanded a firefighting shift by transferring a number of its members because they had become a "law unto themselves". Tyne and Wear Chief Fire Officer Richard Bull told an industrial tribunal in Newcastle that
UNIONS fear up to 2,000 jobs could be axed from aerospace giant BAE Systems after the group announced cuts in its defence division. The company warned that staffing levels were being reviewed because orders for its Hawk training aircraft and business
PEOPLE in Teesdale are being urged to scour their attics and cupboards for items to help create a display of mementos depicting the dales. The appeal has been launched by community development trust Middleton Plus, which is hoping hundreds of people in
CHILDREN at 64 schools across the region received more than £1m of National Lottery money for after-school activity yesterday. Middlesbrough educational workers received £857,973 for 45 schools, and a further £194,176 went to schools in the Easington
THE friend of a Wearside woman who is alleged to have been raped in her home by a stranger, told a court yesterday of the distressed state she found her friend in after the ordeal. The ex-flatmate of the victim told the court how she received a phone
VANDALS have caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage at one of North Yorkshire's most popular tourist destinations. A display installed specially to help disabled people enjoy a visit to Richmond Castle has been wrecked. Heavy wooden benches were also
IAN CLARK last night eclipsed his old club as Hartlepool United enjoyed a 3-1 win over Doncaster Rovers in the LDV Vans Trophy at Victoria Park. Clark netted one goal and won a decisive penalty two second-half minutes later as Pool made it six wins in
LOW income families in County Durham are to have their views heard in Parliament and influence policies affecting their daily lives. The Hansard Society, an independent education charity, has been asked to gather evidence on issues surrounding low income
RESIDENTS living in the shadow of a golf club's 65ft leylandii trees say they are ruining their lives. People living in Briar Walk, Darlington, have been fighting for five years to have the trees pruned. They say they had written notice in 1980 from Blackwell
AN imaginative play with a cast of frogs, moles and other colourful characters is touring Weardale and Teesdale. Fresh from winning the Barclays Award for the Best Show for Children in 2000, Cleveland Theatre Company is touring with one of their most
THE site of a former battery manufacturer is to be re-charged by a new landlord. The former Eveready Complex will get a new lease of life after being bought by Philadelphia Properties in November. The site, in Tanfield Lea, near Stanley, will be launched
NOW that we are indisputably in a new century, what will be the word most on world leaders' lips throughout the next 100 years? The same one that has been most of their lips for the past 100 years: peace. Let's go back further. Not to Biblical times and
Redcar Coastwatch officer and local weatherman Peter Jackson has died in hospital following a long illness aged 71. From 1946 he kept a daily record of the weather and also recorded the daily sea temperature at Redcar for the Ministry of Agriculture,
A SCHOOL is looking towards a more successful future a year after it was told by Government inspectors to prove it can do better. An Office for Standards in Education report on Dodmire Junior School, Darlington, highlighted weaknesses and the inspectors
A SCHEME to make the North-East's history available on the Internet is being developed by a computer software company with offices in the region. ESRI (UK), of Pity Me, Durham City, will develop and supply software for Tomorrow's History, Britain's first
A NORTH-East Euro MP has thrown his weight behind calls for the EU to back Nissan's £40m aid package, which is hoped could help guarantee the new Micra contract. Martin Callanan has written to EU commissioner for competition, Mario Monti, outlining the
A scheme geared at ensuring children enjoy safer travel to school is being launched in a North-East town. Harlow Green Infant and Junior School, in Gateshead, was selected last year for a Safer Routes to Schools pilot project to encourage more children
A SYSTEM to educate and support children excluded, or about to be excluded from school, was approved by councillors yesterday. The cabinet committee of Darlington Borough Council agreed to the development of a Pupil Support Service, to ensure that all
A £40,000 restoration project for a town's historic landmark is nearing completion. Scaffolding has blocked the view of Grey Friars Tower in Richmond for the past few weeks, as contractors replaced crumbling masonry which may have been a danger to passers-by
THE number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents in County Durham has fallen by more than a third in 13 years, it was announced yesterday. Provisional figures released by Durham County Council highways officers show that the targets
A NEW service, launched by Richmondshire Council allows the district's residents to settle their bills in seconds. The authority launched an on-line payment facility for rent, council tax and non-domestic rates on its website. Other pages include information
THE sound of music is forcing residents of a Teesside town to endure sleepless nights. A council is receiving more complaints about noise than ever - leading to a plea to music lovers to exercise restraint. Jeff Duffield, environmental health manager
AN ENVIRONMENTAL charity based in north Durham is holding a day of fun activities at a new wood. Workers at The Acorn Trust are organising children's games, a litter hunt, tree pruning and maintenance at the Acorn Wood, in South Stanley. The community
A MAN appeared in court yesterday on charges relating to the alleged sale of eggs of endangered birds. In what is believed to be the first case brought under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations of 1985, involving the sale
A PARISH council has set its budget for the next financial year at a level of just over £1-a-month for householders in band A properties. Belmont Parish Council, on the outskirts of Durham City, plans to include the number of bedding plots and create
A POT-POURRI of a column, or rag-bag as the churlish might assert, in which we shall honour old friends, dig six feet deep, essay a veritable compendium of word games and ponder what might be read into the human posterior. The bottom line, as it were.
NEW sponsors have been announced for a County Durham-based environmental awards ceremony. The national Countryside Agency has donated £500 to sponsor the Durham County Council's millennium 2000 Environment Award. Open to community groups, schools, companies
PLANS are going ahead to build a community centre offering parenting classes to young families in Hartlepool. Hartlepool Borough Council is seeking planning permission to build a community building near the youth centre, in Rossmere Way. The £690,000
