ONE of Darlington's specialist schools has been accepted as an affiliate of the Technology Colleges Trust. This move for Haughton Community School follows its successful bid for arts college status, which comes into effect in September. Trust affiliation
Crook striker Michael Sutcliffe, who made his debut earlier this season, is having a trial with Sunderland. He scored one of the goals in Crook's 2-1 win at Chester-le-Street last Saturday. Crook secretary Alan Stewart said: "We had a phone call from
Cleveland Ladies Super League Ithe final week of the League, leaders Wings Social Club from Stockton were away to second placed, The Royal Hotel from Hartlepool. The Royal needed a convincing win to take the title from their guests but it wasn't to be
Bedale and West of Yore PC. - All mounted activities cancelled until further notice. Cleveland Hunt PC. - All mounted events are cancelled until further notice. East Cleveland PC. - All events cancelled until further notice. For details ring Eve, 01287
VILLAGERS are celebrating a £192,000 National Lottery grant which will help them turn an empty pub into a community centre. The money from the Lottery's new community fund is going to the Dene Valley Partnership, which is trying to regenerate a group
REDCAR'S 18-day 2001 Flat season begins on Thursday, May 3 with the racecourse executive committed to a substantial investment in prize money for the new campaign and with a new logo emphasising vibrancy and optimism. The most valuable race of the season
CHILDREN as young as seven could be behind the latest case of arson on a Darlington housing estate. Just days after fire chiefs warned that "lives were at risk", another derelict house on the Firthmoor estate was targeted by youngsters. They broke into
A TRIP to a council playing field nearly ended in tragedy for a six-year-old girl who was dragged across the ground by an illegally-tethered horse. Georgina Coates got her leg caught in the horse's chain when she went to play with her brother on a recreation
WATERCOLOURS of Yorkshire scenes are among the lots at Tennants' spring catalogue sale this year. Work by Henry Carter, George Watts, Joseph Bagshawe and Fred Lawson will be included in the auction to be held next Thursday and Friday. The highlight is
PLANS for a new housing development look set to receive the go-ahead despite the concerns of councillors and archaeologists. Seeger Homes has submitted plans to Hambleton District Council to create 18 new homes at Masonic Lane in Thirsk. The scheme would
WORK colleagues of a man who died after he was found lying unconscious have organised a charity football match in his honour. The match, in memory of 34-year-old Paul Simpson, will take place at Darlington FC's Feethams ground, on Wednesday, May 9. It
TWO WeightWatchers' groups have raised hundreds of pounds for charity by losing hundreds of pounds in weight. The classes at Washington and Birtley decided to support the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation last year. Team leader Bob Little, who runs the
MARTIN Love is in no doubt that he has a hard act to follow when he begins his Durham career against Gloucestershire at the Riverside today. The 27-year-old Queensland batsman takes over from fellow Australian Simon Katich, who is in the Ashes party to
Gail Hall may not be a typical daredevil, but when it comes to saying thanks to doctors and nurses for caring for her diabetic daughter she is ready for anything. In a week's time, she will be strapped into a helicopter stimulator, which will then be
THREE North-East towns have been inadvertently moved almost 200 miles to the other side of the country by one of Britain's top supermarket chains. Shoppers at Safeway stores in Darlington, Redcar and Berwick have been left chuckling at the error on a
A BABY who died when she was only 32 days old could have been shaken to death, an inquest heard yesterday. Melissa Featherstone suffered brain damage and died in a Teesside hospital on August 22, 1994. At the inquest, Peter Hildreth, a retired detective
AN elderly man was found dead by firefighters in the living room of his home this morning. Firefighters were called to a kitchen fire in the semi-detached house in Maritime Crescent, Horden, near Peterlee shortly before 9am. The man, believed to be in
OPPONENTS of plans to convert Durham's Robins Cinema into a nightclub are hoping that licensing magistrates will block the scheme. Plans for the building, in North Road, moved a step forward when city councillors gave planning permission, despite police
AN important milestone has been reached in the creation of a new school in Hartlepool. From September, Henry Smith School will become a Church of England voluntary aided school. The seal has been set on this transformation after the new school's governing
THE majority of people in Middlesbrough are generally satisfied with the town's leisure and sports facilities, although many do not make use of them, according to a report. The findings are revealed in a survey conducted by Middlesbrough Borough Council
METRIC MARTYR STEPHEN Thoburn, the Metric Martyr, may have lost his case in court, but his courageous stand has been noticed and admired by millions of people around the world. It has drawn attention to the ridiculous situation we now find ourselves in
A MASKED robber who held up an off-licence with a replica handgun is being hunted by police. The thief, said to be in his twenties, went on the run after robbing the Victoria Wine store in Roman Way, West Denton, Newcastle, at just after 9pm on Wednesday
A DISTRAUGHT mother has begged her ex-partner to return her four-year-old daughter - feared to have been snatched and taken abroad. Police across Europe have been put on alert for on-the-run father David Lancaster who may have taken his daughter Lauren
A RELIGIOUS exhibition has proved so popular that it will run for another week. The Catholic Heritage Exhibition, on show at St Clare's Church, Brookfield, Middlesbrough, is being retained due to a tremendous response from those attending. Parish priest
VILLAGERS were celebrating last night after councillors threw out plans for 193 homes in fields near their homes. Residents of West Rainton have vowed to fight on if the developers launched an appeal against Durham City Council's decision. They are hoping
A TEENAGER once known as the "Singing Defective" and one of the region's most infamous youth criminals was jailed for more than two years yesterday. Dean English, 19, of Basingstoke Road, Peterlee, County Durham, was jailed at Teesside Crown Court after
A FORMER soldier accused of wounding a man in a street fight was defending himself, a court heard yesterday. Daniel Wiper, 22, of Whitby Way, Darlington, is accused of unlawfully wounding David Snowball by biting him on the face in March last year. He
A SLIMMER who lost three stones after a going on a diet that can include chocolate and alcohol, is setting up her own classes to help others who want to lose weight. Alison Gore, 28, joined the Slimming World class in Darlington after getting photographs
MAY Bank Holiday fun will be on offer at the Darlington Railway Centre and Museum next month. With reduced entry fees and many people avoiding the country because of the foot-and-mouth crisis, the museum is hoping for a bumper weekend for its Spring Fair
Sir, - I notice that Tony Blair has decided to encourage the over 50s to do voluntary work. This country has a long history of voluntary work; many services would grind to a halt without volunteers. The problem is the unpredictability of finance. Organisations
A TOTAL of 123 farms in Richmondshire have been wiped out by foot-and-mouth disease. The figure was brought to the district's special working group to illustrate how deeply the crisis was biting into the local economy. Eleven holdings had the disease
A GOLF tournament is being held today for people who have attended a spinal rehabilitation programme in the region. The first Jellyfish Open will be held at the Stressholme Golf Club, in Darlington. All golfers taking part have attended the 12-week spinal
A TEENAGER once known as the "Singing Defective" and one of the region's most infamous youth criminals was jailed for more than two years yesterday. Dean English, 19, of Basingstoke Road, Peterlee, County Durham, was jailed at Teesside Crown Court after
THE son of a war bride has told of his joy at meeting his long-lost American family after 50 years. Michael Henry was in tears as he came face to face with his half sister and brother, who he did not even know he had, until last year. Mr Henry, 55, met
A FARMER who last week hit out at rumours that he had helped spread foot-and-mouth disease is still under investigation. An army spokesman confirmed yesterday that they were removing carcases found in woods on land belonging to Mr Maurice Dickeson of
Brothers Kelvin and Karl Armstrong had never entered a national boxing championship until this season, but both have reached finals of their respective tournaments. Karl, 14, fights in a rearranged National Schoolboy Final in Barnsley next Saturday while
A farmer told last night of his anguish at being responsible for the killing of his sheep. The culling of 132 animals, many of them ewes carrying lambs, was carried out yesterday at Simon Plumb's farm. Mr Plumb, 22, who has two fields at Sidehead, near
ONE Man And His Dog was a hugely enjoyable television programme. Shepherds, partnered by their wonderful sheepdogs, skilfully rounded up sheep into a small pen, to whistles, anxious shouts of "Come by, Meg", and Phil Drabble's whispered commentary. In
Durham Alliance In Wednesday's League Challenge Cup Final, played at Chester Moor Ground, Washington Westwood beat Belford House 2-0. Westwood took the lead in the 37th minute when a cross from the left was punched out by the keeper on to the head of
CHESTER-LE-STREET schoolboys have reached the finals of a national soccer tournament for the second year running. Last year, Chester-le-Street District Schools shared the honours in the finals of the under-11 Adidas Predator seven-a-side competition at
FIVE-year-old Chloe Horton this week wrote a goodbye note to the animal friends she would never see again.. The cattle and sheep at Temple Farm in East Cowton were diagnosed with foot-and-mouth disease on Tuesday and the slaughter began almost immediately
After last week's blank the League were back in action with a full programme and some very closely contested fixtures. At Hurworth, Darren Wray shot the Otter & Fish into an early lead but by half-time Wayne Claydon had struck twice for visitors Shildon
Durham Riverside RAR beat Boldon Colts 2-0 and Durham County Mosquitos 4-0 last week to go top of the Russell Foster Tyne and Wear Youth League, Premier Division. Jonathan Staff and Kieron McDonald scored to sink Boldon, while Ricky Fenwick (2), Jonathan
TIME is no longer standing still as justice is dispensed at Durham's historic crown court building. The Durham Crown Court clock has remained inactive in recent years, neither able to tick or chime. But, after a visit by a team of expert clocksmiths,
A TALENTED young golfer from Middleham was in sparkling form recently while representing the English schools in a competition at the home of golf. Jodi Ewart (right), who is just 13, finished in the top five in her age group in the under 16s open strokeplay
SPECTATOR was in York on the Friday morning when the Prime Minister called in to drum up support for the British tourism. We didn't bump into each other but I did wonder why Mr Blair, accompanied by Mrs Blair, choose that fine city to visit in order to
A FARMING family is celebrating some good news for a change after winning the holiday of a lifetime. Geoff and Yvonne Storr were devastated earlier this month when they had to have 170 sheep, which were hefted on the fell near their home at Copley Bent
ONE-MONTH-OLD Georgia Postgate recently took centre stage when she performed the opening ceremony for a special extension to St Joseph's RC Primary School at Rosecroft Lane, Loftus. Helped by mum, Debra, Georgia cut the ribbon which started an afternoon
WITH due respect to Britain's farmers, they do not enjoy universal sympathy. Despite the undoubted misery spread by foot-and-mouth disease, many people retain the view that farmers expect - and receive - too much help from the State, compared with workers
THE managing director of a County Durham business has turned tipster to bring a prize in a national competition to the North-East. Glen Welford's tip on improving business performance won the boss of Powder and Liquid Products (PLP), in Consett, a three-day
Worthington CIU Team KO Cup A late recovery in the final frame saw Newhouse B of the Third Division move into the final after they beat First Division, Shotton Palms on the black in the semi-final played at Sherburn Village. They will meet Second Division
The Under-8s played Cleveland Hall in a highly entertaining Apollo Doors Mini League match, running out 1-0 winners at the end. The goal for Blackfyne was scored by Jack Malone with Luke Richardson getting man of the match. Blackfyne would like to congratulate
A MOBILE holistic therapist is planning to expand her services by persuading North-East employers to take a leaf out of the book of their southern counterparts. Susan Doyle, of Peterlee, received a £2,000 loan from the Prince's Trust to set up her business
RESIDENTS of a Darlington estate can look forward to a greener future with the adoption of an environmental strategy. Last year, Firthmoor was awarded £3m over five years from the Government's Single Regeneration Budget. Firthmoor Community Partnership
A Hoggarth and Sons Eskvale and Cleveland League Jason Sollet scored a hat-trick for the Huntsman but still finished on the losing side in the semi-finals of the Eileen Hodgson Bowl, beaten 4-3 by Lealholm. Pete Thomson and Andy Raw netted for Lealholm
A FRAIL grandfather from Stanley was this week anxiously awaiting word from his son who went missing four months ago after he abducted his daughter from Switzerland. Steven King, 41, who disappeared with his daughter Anna Leorah on December 16, is believed
Auckland and District Ebac Youth League Bishop Auckland kept their six-point lead at the top with Saturday's 4-1 win at West Auckland, the game played at Tudhoe. Neil Robinson and Warren Burn scored two goals apiece for Bishops, whose mom was Andrew Lee
Judith Battersby, the club's track specialist, ran to a fantastic victory at the Shildon Open meeting, beating off strong opposition in the 3000m track event her winning time was 10:38. Striders competed at the Enron Redcar and Cleveland half-marathon
THE appointment of Martyn Moxon as coach has heightened Durham's expectations of an immediate return to Division One. Following the disappointing break-up of the highly-respected seam attack, a season of consolidation might perhaps be more realistic.
STAFF at Nissan have helped save lives by giving blood. Blood donors are needed constantly, and demand can range from two units for a hip replacement to 700 units for long-term treatment of a serious crash victim. Only six per cent of eligible people
CONSUMERS with a problem are set to benefit from a new video initiative in North Yorkshire. The county's trading standards service in Northallerton has teamed up with the Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) to create a direct video link-up between the two.
THE largest single-site combined heat and power plant in the country is to be built at Cleveland Potash, a company based at the Boulby mine. Thanks to this new plant the company, which has been using heavy fuel oil with gas to generate electricity, will
THERE was a time when Peter Monkhouse could see no way out for his haulage business - on the brink of being forced under by the crisis. As one of the first in the North-East to fall victim to the epidemic, the 37-year-old could only watch helplessly as
Darlington 21st Allstars THERE were distinct signs of improvement with a number of important league wins bringing renewed confidence which will be so important in the final weeks of the season. The Under-14s recorded only their second Division One victory
A MUSEUM has another valuable exhibit to add to its impressive collection, thanks to the generosity of a family from the region. The Green Howards Regimental Museum, in Richmond, displays hundreds of decorations, recording the achievements of soldiers
A LEISURE centre's pool has had to be closed just weeks after another problem forced the closure of its sports hall. Problems with the pool's filtration plant, leading to a loss of water, are the latest to be faced by staff at Saltburn Leisure Centre.
HIGHER meat prices following the outbreak of foot-and-mouth helped put the brakes on inflation's fall last month. The key underlying figure remained static at 1.9 per cent, although the headline rate did tumble 0.4 per cent on the back of lower mortgage
A SHOWMAN is to receive a discount of £383 to compensate for lack of customers, following the cancellation of Barnard Castle Meet celebrations due to the foot-and-mouth outbreak. It was not yet clear whether Mr Newsome still intended to hold the fair
THE first exhibits have been installed at a revamped museum. After two years of redevelopment work, curators at Sunderland Museum have begun to place items in the first of eight new galleries. These are the Time Machine and Textile Traditions galleries
A PIONEERING scheme is set to head off road dangers in Guisborough. The road safety committee has come up with a ground-breaking plan to ease perils faced by pedestrians. An initiative called Pedestrians in Perilous Situations is being launched to spotlight
EAST Durham youngsters will get lessons in safety when they return to school next week. Up to 1,400 pupils from 34 primary schools will take part in the nine-day Safety Carousel run by the county's police and other agencies. The event, which starts at
A FRAIL grandfather from Stanley was this week anxiously awaiting word from his son who went missing four months ago after he abducted his daughter from Switzerland. Steven King, 41, who disappeared with his daughter Anna Leorah on December 16, is believed
SURGERIES across Darlington are to receive cash incentives in a bid to reduce hefty NHS prescribing costs and promote service development. The scheme, proposed by Darlington primary care group (PCG) this week, will award practices up to £1,000 per full-time
TRADING standards officers sounded a nationwide alert last night after thieves stole two JCB buckets from a farm infected by foot-and-mouth. The scoops, fitted to the front of machines used for lifting carcasses, went missing from Manor House Farm at
A NORTH-EAST doctor involved in treating drug addicts, will be joining a major police conference next week. Ian Guy, who set up a GP surgery in Middlesborough and South Bank dedicated to meeting the needs of drug-users, will be taking part in one of the
A PRIMARY school in Loftus, east Cleveland, has received a glowing report from Government inspectors. The Ofsted report said that St Joseph's Primary School was a very good school with a happy and hardworking community, where teaching is very effective
Spennymoor Boxing Academy are preparing for their first show of the year which takes place next and they have put together a strong bill. Jewels in the crown Stuart McCrone and Nathan Ballan will both be in action while fight fans are invited to come
Hathaway and Cope Stokesley League Having booked their place in two of the League;s cup finals, Dormans have set about the task of lifting the title. They started with a 4-0 win over Middlesbrough Post Office and on Wednesday they returned from Redcar
Junior round-up Billingham Wolves had a successful weekend in the English Under-19 Northern championship play-offs, taking four points against Sheffield Steelhawks from their two meetings. The first was at the Forum ice arena and brought Wolves a 5-0
A TEENAGER'S acting talents have given him a chance at stardom with the offer of a film. Danny Wales, of King James Community College, Bishop Auckland, is following in the footsteps of film actor Hugh Grant, by starring in a university-made film. Sunderland
Sedgefield Borough Council plans to turn a circular bridleway, which runs for about two miles around Woodham, Newton Aycliffe, into a public right of way. But only a small section running through the residential areas of Woodham has actually been dedicated
REGULARS at a Richmond pub have been captured on canvas after the landlady commissioned a painting of her best customers. Ms Tabi Lee, who took over the Unicorn pub in Newbiggin four-and-a-half years ago, had several paintings of the outside of the building
This Sunday marks a very special day for Colin Summerson. April 22nd 1961, was a day he will never forget as he was a member of the West Auckland side who met Walthamstow Avenue in the FA Amateur Cup final at Wembley. "I was the only local in the team
YOUNGSTERS have used their artistic talents to encourage smokers young and old to kick the habit. Twenty members of Bowburn Youth Project created a colourful cloth banner that features a cigarette being cut by scissors and traffic lights suggesting that
GOVERNORS of a newly-created Stockton school have announced the appointment of its headteacher. St Mark's Elm Tree Church of England Primary School will open in September, following the amalgamation of the present Elm Tree Community Infant School and
CLEVELAND Fire Brigade may make a bid for £50,000 from a fund to help fight internal bullying and improve the skills of its officers. The fire authority will meet today to discuss a proposal to bid for money from the Partnership at Work Fund. The Government
QUAKERS came out of an Easter programme from hell with their honour intact and three more vital points in the bag. The fixtures computer had decreed that Darlington had to follow Saturday's Feethams game against third-placed Cardiff City with a trip to
In Division One Coundon Miners Arms' superb season continued when they maintained their 100 per cent record, as they opened up a nine point lead after beating nearest rivals Team Scania 3-1. Spraire won their tenth successive league game by beating The
PUPILS in Stockton are being offered help to overcome exam nerves and deal with other stressful situations through a new project funded by Health Action Zone Teesside. Stress Busters, run by school nurses at Ragworth Neighbourhood Centre, has already
YOUNG football supporters are being offered free tickets for the UEFA European under-16 championships. The semi-final game will take place on Thursday, May 3, and school parties and junior teams are invited to apply for free tickets for the game. The
Camerons Teesside League THORNABY made it to the final of the Macmillan Bowl with an extra time win following a titanic battle at Carlin How. Thornaby, 3-2 winners, will meet the winners of the Grangetown BC-Cargo Fleet match in the final at Guisborough
A MASSIVE slaughter programme on 19 farms began on Wednesday following confirmation of two new cases of foot-and-mouth at East Cowton, near Northallerton. Maff confirmed on Tuesday that both Temple farm and Scorton Road farm had succumbed to the virus
WORK to breathe new life into an area of waste ground began on Teesside yesterday. Glebe Park, in the Gresham ward of Middlesbrough, is among 126 sites in the United Kingdom to be selected for a share of Barclays Bank's £1m kick-start fund. The bank will
A scheme to extend and improve a Ferryhill cemetery has been given a £10,000 boost. Lafarge, the building materials group, which operates the nearby Thrislington Quarry and Works, is supporting the Duncomb Cemetery scheme, in the Cleves Cross area of
BUSINESS is booming at the Innovation Centre at Kirkleatham Business Park near Redcar. There are 17 firms employing 99 people and hopes are high that occupancy levels will be approaching 100 per cent when the £2.4m centre celebrates its first anniversary
MUSEUMS chief Sir Richard Foster, who committed suicide last month, had been due to visit one of the region's leading attractions. Sir Richard, who was found dead on a beach near his home in Swanage, in Dorset, on March 8, had agreed to visit the Bowes
Fairs Software Tyneside Junior League NEWCASTLE East End celebrated winning the League Cup when an only goal from Gavin Wood was sufficient against West Denton who enjoyed a lot more success in a couple of league fixtures. First, West Denton saw off South
REFUGEES and asylum seekers are building new lives in the North-East thanks to a project that helps them develop invaluable work skills. Newcastle City Council and the Automotive Sector Strategic Alliance (ASSA) have teamed up to help six eastern Europeans
FANS of Premiership side Middlesbrough are being invited to demonstrate their soccer skills during a special penalty shoot-out. As part of a nationwide tour, fans are invited along to the BT Cellnet Riverside Stadium this weekend to take part in GoalStriker
Two managers with a combined age in excess of 100 years were forced into action during the Bank Holiday programme. Boldon CA's David Jones played a starring role in his side's 2-1 win at Redcar Town but Vince Kirkup was unable to inspire Stanley United
ILLEGAL and badly worn tyres will be the focus of a regional road safety campaign during May. Police from Durham, North Yorkshire, Cleveland and Northumbria will be joining forces with the Tyre Industry Council (TIC) in what will be the first regional
A CLUB which was the life and soul of ICI in Cleveland has come to an end after more than half a century. Founded by ICI workers in 1946, Wilton Castle club played an important role in the social and business activities of the firm on Teesside. It offered
A LORRY driver has been jailed for three months for trying to smuggle in nearly 28,000 cigarettes. Brian Lormor, 59, from Hetton-le-Hole, near Sunderland, was intercepted by customs officers at Norwich Airport last October 24, when he stepped off a flight
Durham League Nissan and Teesside Huskies A shared the honours in the final week of the season, although the former missed out on making it a double celebration. Nissan beat champions East Durham and Houghall Academy 80-71 in the Men's Division One Cup
THE former owner of one of the region's best known bakers has swapped bread and cakes for battleships and cruise liners. Mr John Murray, the former managing director of Murray's the Bakers, which closed in August after 77 years in business, has been appointed
A TEAM working to cut high unemployment rates has helped more than 150 people since it was set up six months ago. Easington Action Team for Jobs started work in October last year and is one of eight teams working around the North-East to help remove the
BUILDING surveyors Peter Fall Cowie has invested in new premises on Teesside. The company is opening premises at Preston Farm, Stockton, for 12 staff, with room for expansion. Peter Fall Cowie has been in the North-East for more than 25 years, with offices
I MADE the bold statement last week that it was not unreasonable for investors to ask their financial advisors where they thought the bottom of the market would be. It is only fair and reasonable, therefore, for myself to continue to look for signals
THE FOCUS is on the flat now, with this week's highlight being the Newmarket Craven meeting. Clues were there for those who watched, as Mark Johnston came back to form with a Musselburgh maiden winner in the shape of Golden Wells. This is entered in the
County foursomes at South Shields golf club on Tuesday, April 26: 10.00: A. Peart & S Dunn (Garesfield) v V Atkinson & B Milne (Whitburn). 10.08: S Dixon & L Keenan (Ravensworth) v D Curry & I Taylor (Wearside). 10.16: M Bell & J Woods
FLOWER demonstrator Carl Wilde, who regularly appears on ITV's This Morning, entertained more than 200 people at a meeting of the Ferryhill, Sedgefield and District Flower Club, in Mainsforth Hall. His creations included a spider's web and a design with
POLICE are asking dog owners to control their animals after sheep were killed in two separate attacks. Two Alsatians and a terrier attacked and killed four sheep at a smallholding in Liverton village, near Loftus, on Monday night and a local farmer believes
Jonathan Cocker of Guisborough and Andrew Gray of Chester-le-Street - both aged 14 - got their track seasons off to a good start in the opening rounds of the British Racing and Sports Car Club's youth motor sport T-Cars programme at Castle Coombe, Wiltshire
WORK is in hand to extend a ban on playing golf in public places in Hartlepool. A bylaw is already in force banning the playing of golf with solid golf balls in various parks and open spaces around the town. But following complaints about golf in the
Twin sisters won joint first prize in the 2001 Darlington Festival Junior Speech Championship. Sixth form sisters Kizzy and Zena Kukreja, who go to Polam Hall School in Darlington, tied for joint first place for those aged sixteen and under. Four more
THE new season heralds a further expansion with the acceptance of three new clubs, bringing the club membership figure to a record 48, the league now being sponsored by York-based estate agents Hunters. The new trio are Hull Zingari, Hornsea, along with
DARLINGTON teenager Mark Burr stormed to the best result of his career when he took a brilliant fourth place in round four of the British Superbike Privateers Championship in front of 20,000 fans at Silverstone on Monday. Riding the Hawk Racing 750cc
THE York and District Senior League will start the 2001 season with a new title following a sponsorship deal which sees York-based estate agents Hunters replace Costcutters Supermarkets, who have sponsored the league for ten seasons. The new season also
Albany Northern League, Division One Guisborough Town took only three points from a possible six on their travels last weekend, beating Newcastle Blue Star 2-1 on Good Friday, but losing 2-0 to Marske United on Easter Monday. Mark Forster, the team's
PRIVATE householders in Sedgefield borough are being discriminated against in applications for area improvement grants, according to Liberal Democrat councillors. Ben Ord and Garry Huntington said grants which are open to improve areas around council
A COUPLE drove off with a trolley-load of groceries without paying for them. The man and a woman went into Morrisons, in North Road, Darlington, at about 1.30pm, on Wednesday. After loading their trolley, they walked through the checkout and out of the
THE TEES and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust will begin a three-week, £42,000 improvement project on Tuesday to replace windows in Guisborough General Hospital's Chaloner Block with double-glazed units. Although the work will ensure a more comfortable
JOBS could be lost unless more airport runways are built, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has warned. Air passenger levels are to double over the next 15 years and airport capacity has to be expanded, said CBI director general Digby Jones.
MORE visitor attractions are opening across the North-East. Chesters Roman fort, on Hadrian's Wall, is the best example of a Roman cavalry fort in the UK. The Northumbrian museum has been open throughout the crisis, but the excavated fort, with its bath
A FORMER beauty queen who blackmailed an ex-international soccer star is believed to have committed suicide. Carolyn Pick, 36, claimed she had phone sex with the star and had copies of the seedy tapes after he spurned her advances. She was locked up in
A young girl lies in a dark alley, her clothes torn and her battered face covered in blood. She has been attacked, raped and left lying unconscious. This isn't a scene from a hard-hitting drama being screened after the watershed but from the country's
THE countryside continued its fightback yesterday with the reopening of a farmers' market. The market, in Durham City, was back after its enforced closure - albeit with reduced numbers. Eileen Wood, operations director of Durham Markets Company, said:
A SCHOOL is celebrating after winning a national award for exceptional exam results. Grindon Infant School, Sunderland, received a School Achievement Award - and more than £6,000 - from the Department for Education and Employment for getting better results
Willington and District League The top spot in the race for the player of the year is shared by three players. They are M Richardson sen (Australian A), T Liddle (Brown Trout) and D Robson (Football Club) played 12, won 10, lost 2. I. Richardson (Hunwick
When eight-year-old Jessica Cleminson tearfully confided to her diary the devastation she felt at learning that her pregnant pet cow Caroline was to be killed, little did she know that her child's-eye view of the crisis would touch the nation in such
POLICE are investigating a possible link between a knife attack on an Iraqi man and a similar assault on a refugee last month. A gang of thugs are thought to be behind an unprovoked attack on a 26-year-old Iraqi man in Sunderland, on Easter Monday. He
HEALTH Secretary Alan Milburn has outlined his vision for the future of genetic medicine - and strongly hinted that the region could play a vital role. The Darlington MP chose the impressive backdrop of the £70m International Centre for Life, in Newcastle
READERS of The Northern Echo are being asked to help a granddaughter fill in the missing link in her family tree. Rena Cuddigan has spent five years trying to find out more about her late grandfather Albert Proud who was born in Witton-le-Wear, near Bishop
SMALL businesses in the North are losing about one day a week to administrative tasks. That was the major finding of the British Gas Time survey, published today. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the North rated filing and paperwork, credit
A SCHEME to help young homeless people in Teesdale could still get council backing. The Durham Accommodation Resource Team (Dart) was told by Teesdale District Council in March that it would not receive funding this year. The organisation, which runs
A WINDOW taken from the chapel of a former psychiatric hospital has found a new home in St Edmund's Parish Church, Sedgefield. The window, from Winterton Hospital, will be re-dedicated by Fr John Caden at a service in the church next Wednesday at 7pm.
DOCTORS in the region have backed plans for a possible mass resignation from the NHS. The British Medical Association (BMA) is to ballot the country's 36,000 GPs on whether they would be prepared to resign if agreement is not reached with the Government
THIS column comes to you for the first time from the cosy confines of the Press cabin at Durham County Cricket Club. A regular in the rather plusher Press box at Lord's used to say the world's three greatest lies were: "Yes, darling of course I love you
A 13-YEAR-OLD boy, questioned after a swoop on suspected paedophiles, has been charged with possessing indecent images of children. The teenager, who has not been named by police, was quizzed following a raid on his home in Thornaby, Stockton, where he
A FUND is being set up to help young people between the ages of five and 13 cope with serious problems in their lives, and will benefit youngsters in Hartlepool. The Children's Fund is a Government initiative intended to bridge the gap between the Sure
Teesside Hospice charity shops have teamed up with the Cleveland Centre, in Middlesbrough, to encourage the town's residents to recycle their unwanted clothing and household goods, to help the shops. Anyone who can help is asked to bring their unwanted
RECORD numbers of visitors flocked to attractions across North Yorkshire over the Easter weekend. However, remote pubs, cafes and guest houses continued to feel the pinch as visitors chose to avoid the areas affected by foot-and-mouth in favour of the
NEWCASTLE United could face competition from Middlesbrough in the scramble for Barcelona skipper Josep Guardiola. The Spanish international is out of contract this summer and Manchester United and Liverpool are leading a chase which also features Chelsea
From this newspaper 100 years ago. - The past year has been one of discussion as to the great expansion of Darlington industrially. For months past building operations in regard to the extension of the North-East Railway Company's North Road shops have
One of the two North-East teams in the world's first Internet pub quiz had a lucky break on Wednesday night when they were joined by a high-profile competitor. Prime Minister Tony Blair called into the Black Bull pub in Trimdon for a drink and saw how
THE Government's chief scientist last night announced that the foot-and-mouth epidemic was "fully under control". Professor David King's bold statement came as The Northern Echo brought together Tony Blair and a North-East farmer so that the Prime Minister
STAFF have been celebrating the arrival of the first baby at the new University Hospital of North Durham. Diane Henaghan, 35, gave birth to baby Beth shortly after 7am on Saturday, April, 7. She weighed a healthy 7lbs 5ozs. Diane and her partner Steve
A WOMAN died after snorting heroin at her boyfriend's flat, an inquest was told. Marianne Keenan, 26, had smoked several cannabis cigarettes with boyfriend Gary Foley, 28, before he went to bed. He told police he found her dead on the sofa of his flat
A SHOWMAN is to receive a discount of £383 to compensate for lack of customers, following the cancellation of Barnard Castle Meet celebrations due to the foot-and-mouth outbreak. It was not yet clear whether Mr Newsome still intended to hold the fair
A YOUNGSTER is celebrating success in a national gymnastics contest. Following a gold medal win for tumbling at the National Development Plan regional championships at South Tyneside, Fay Kirkbride, a pupil at Acklam Grange School, Middlesbrough, represented
A DRUGS gang is responsible for burgling more than 50 Derwentside homes, police have warned. Detectives believe the same gang is responsible and have urged householders in South Stanley, and nearby South Moor, to step up security. They say that they have
A CHARITY is offering people a chance to be trained in different aspects of bereavement. Cruse Bereavement Care will run a training day in Darlington, on Thursday, May 10. Modules will include complicated and traumatic grieving, views from the clergy
THE North-East and Cumbria are among areas targeted by a £15m package of short-term aid for those worst-hit by the foot-and-mouth crisis. The cash, announced by rural task force chairman and environment minister, Mr Michael Meacher, complements £8m already
A CRUNCH promotion clash had to be abandoned when the referee left the football field in tears because a fan was hurling abuse at him. Experienced referee Russell Tiffin came in for criticism after sending off one of the home side's players just before
A PEACEFUL protest threatened to get out of hand last week as villagers vented their fury over a mass burial pit. Police had to remove a group of teenagers who had tied themselves to a wagon in a bid to stop work on the site, at the former Inkerman opencast
Darlington management pair Gary Bennett and Mick Tait look likely to accept new deals. Chairman George Reynolds revealed yesterday that he has offered the pair new three-year contracts. Bennett said: "We've spoken to the chairman about stopping beyond
GARY PALLISTER has lost his fight to be fit for the climax of Middlesbrough's struggle against relegation. The 35-year-old former England centre-back, sidelined for five months after undergoing surgery for a chronic back problem, had hoped to play again
NEIGHBOURS have ended up in court in a bid to settle a bitter dispute over a garden hedge. Engineer Paul Brough has already paid £20,000 in legal fees during the row over whether he should be allowed to cut the 20ft leylandii. Mr Brough claimed that he
A LITTLE boy whose body became a battleground in a series of operations to save his life is winning his four-year fight for survival. Callum Jones was born suffering from a condition known as severe combined immuno-deficiency (SCID) disease, which meant
DURHAM schoolgirls have just missed out on the chance of glory in the regional rounds of a national six-a-side soccer competition. Durham Johnston School's under-13s reached the semi-finals of the northern heat of the Adidas Community Cup. The school
FOOT-AND-MOUTH could become a £1bn crisis for the North-East economy, according to a financial expert. Analysis carried out by David Harvey, professor of agricultural economics at Newcastle University, has calculated that, nationally, the country's final
MORE than £100,000 has been allocated to pay for new bobbies on the beat across Derwentside. It is thought that at least five new police officers will be made available to Derwentside police force, although senior figures in the force are hoping to negotiate
Individuals - second round Draw: S O'Neil (Fal) v F Grainger (Buck); S Barraclough (TH) v K Moody (JUC); P Kerrigan (TH) v C Bromfield (DOW); C Smith (Spr) v K Bateman (Sla); K James (FS) v J Lawley (FS); S Richards (RT) v P Atherton (FS); K Pratt (Bri
A NORTH Yorkshire wom-an, who believes her much- loved pet was snatched from a busy seaside resort over the Easter weekend, is appealing for help. Twelve-year-old Emma Foster was playing on the beach at Whitby with the five-year-old Beagle, called Oscar
POLICE have launched a manhunt following a doorstep shooting. A 27-year-old man was shot in the leg after answering the door at his home in Broomside Lane, Belmont, near Durham City at around 6pm last night. He was taken to the University Hospital of
THEY came for Valerie's teenage son at midnight and led him away in handcuffs. For three years, the middle-class Darlington mother had watched her son's mental health steadily deteriorating. His illness - an acute form of schizophrenia which has a very
GUISBOROUGH pensioner John Hasson, 72, is planning to trek through the Himalayas as part of a trip organised by the British Heart Foundation. The trek will take Mr Hasson from Kathmandu up to Pokhara and along the Himalayas before he ends up 1,000 feet
THE prospective Labour candidate to fill the shoes of Mo Mowlam has vowed to help repair the damage caused by major job losses at Corus and Cammell Laird. Vera Baird, the party's candidate for Redcar, condemned Corus for the "cavalier and heartless way
THREE voluntary groups in Darlington have received national lottery grants totalling more than £600,000. Darlington council for voluntary service, the parish of St Hilda and St Columba and Darlington and district youth and community association were among
EDUCATION chiefs have reassured campaigners that plans to allow more pupils into a village school cannot be overturned. Durham County Council has pledged to raise the admission limit for first years joining Coxhoe Primary School from 30 to 35. The move
VICTIMS of crime, pensioners and schoolchildren are among the latest beneficiaries of charity grants. Good causes throughout the Tees Valley will share in more than £58,000 from the Cleveland Community Foundation. As one of 39 groups to benefit, the Teesside
Jackson Kneeshaw scored an impressive hat-trick for the Under-8s to a 4-1 win against Whinney Banks Under-7s, despite several fine saves by man of the match Ryan Clarke, in goal for Whinney Banks. Jamie McGlade scored a well-taken goal for Whinney Banks
OUTDOOR lovers will have a chance to blow away the winter cobwebs this weekend with a heritage walk around Coatham and the South Gare. The Tees Valley Wildlife Trust is leading the guided walk which leaves the Coatham Marsh car park, near Redcar, at 10am
MAJOR changes are planned in the gardening world with the news that two of the biggest horticultural societies in the country are to merge. The Harrogate-based Northern Horticultural Society (NHS), which has about 10,000 members, is to merge with the
TWO youths who punched a cyclist to the ground and stole his £1,500 mountain bike are being sought by police. The boys, aged about 17, approached a 16-year-old boy who was riding the expensive blue metallic Marin bike in Albany Way Park, Washington, on
A COUPLE who have spent a decade building an award-winning hotel and restaurant are planning to swap their £2.5m business for a new challenge in Spain. Eleven years ago the Crab and Lobster restaurant and the Crab Manor hotel at Asenby, near Thirsk, were
AN advice service worker hopes to raise awareness of extra cash available for elderly people and carers. John Garner, of Hambleton Citizens' Advice Bureau, is urging residents of Leyburn and Great Ayton, who are over 60 or caring for someone who is sick
A HUNT'S supporters have come up with a novel way to try to soften the blow of severe financial problems caused by the foot-and-mouth outbreak. With no hunting possible since the first cases of the disease were reported, members of the Hurworth Hunt Supporters
A CHURCH stalwart has stepped down from her parochial church council after being a member for 70 years, but will carry on playing the church organ. Mrs Cissy Harrison, aged 91, of West Rounton, has been a churchgoer all her life. She began playing the
LESTER Piggott was driving back towards Newmarket after an early-morning gallop on the heath when a riderless racehorse crossed the road in front of his car and began nibbling the verge. "It's one of the first things I learned in this game," he said to
A DIAMOND wedding was celebrated in style by a devoted couple. As well as their large family, Bob and Lily Davison were joined by friends from Moor Grange residential home, Spennymoor, to mark 60 years of marriage. Although Bob, 84, moved into Moor Grange
A FORMER professional soldier has taken over as fitness manager of a North-East health club. Tony Harwood, from West Rainton, near Durham City, was in the Army for nine years and gained extensive experience and qualifications in six years as a physical
NEW figures published by the Office for National Statistics have ranked North Yorkshire joint first with Cornwall as the most popular setting for civil weddings. Official figures for the county show a six per cent increase in the number of wedding ceremonies
Sir, - In February I wrote a letter to your paper seeking readers' views on drink-drive levels. At the time the European Parliament voted by a majority to ask the European commission to bring forward a directive for a harmonised blood alcohol content
RESIDENTS of West Green at Stokesley are upset by a proposed small housing development behind their properties, which are in a conservation area. They have sent a strong and detailed letter to Mr Steve Quartermain, Hambleton director of planning and environmental
AN Aiskew man will not be severing all his links with his extended "family" when he retires next week from an elderly people's home in Bedale. Mr Peter Jones can count himself as almost an original member of staff at Benkhill Lodge, where one of the 38
CRACKING down on sickness levels could save Redcar and Cleveland council £1.2m a year. The worst absence rates in the region are said to bedevil the authority. People The number of people taking time off sick is way above average, costing nearly £680,000
'Gosh!" exclaims Tony Blair, looking at The Northern Echo's front page of May 2, 1997. The headline screams "Blair's Britain" above a large picture of a jubilant Mr Blair and his wife Cherie arriving at Aycliffe Leisure Centre - the count which swept
WHATEVER happened to the annual spring cleaning session? I am sure many of us can recall those halcyon days when spring cleaning dominated the household at this time of year. It was a memorable occasion. Almost the entire contents of the house were humped
PEOPLE living in moorland villages should not be second-class citizens when it comes to public transport. This was the claim of a parish councillor after hearing that some local buses were nearing the end of their useful life. Meanwhile, Danby councillors
THE most threatened bird species in the Yorkshire dales are highlighted in a book produced by the national park authority and two conservation organisations. Birds of Conservation Concern in the Yorkshire Dales National Park was written by Mr Ian Court
THE Tenant Farmers' Association has told the government that its implementation of the EU water framework directive could cripple British agriculture. There are no specific proposals in the consultation document from the Department of the Environment,
THE start of the new league will take place on May 10 but there are still vacancies for any three man teams who wish to join. Players who have just completed an individual league have got together four teams but are looking forward to hearing from any
Miserable weather continues to dog the Seniors Friday morning golf, in fact, most of the seniors preferred to stay in bed rather than muster on the first tee at 8am. However, for 18 hardy golfers who turned up a Stable competition was played. Leading
A TOWN'S key players will discuss a ground-breaking partnership at a forum's first meeting next week. Representatives from Middlesbrough Borough Council, Hyder Business Services and local government trades unions will gather for the inaugural meeting
RADIO One DJ Steve Lamacq will join six of the region's up and coming bands for a second night of music next month. Lamacq will take to the stage to DJ at the From Teesside With Love gig at The Arc, Stockton, on May 4, following a successful show last
Elswick Harriers The club's Good Friday road race took place in Nethenby Drive, Fenham, with nearly 400 competitors taking part in the seven-race programme. Elswick ladies took the honours with first team prize in the senior women's race. Sophie Milburn
A PUB landlady has won her campaign to open a village post office behind the bar - but strictly outside opening hours for serving pints. Villagers at Grewelthorpe, near Ripon, are celebrating a decision that the Crown Inn will also become their post office
Steelworkers are to discuss industrial action today after the country's biggest steel firm was accused of ''industrial sabotage'' by pressing ahead with thousands of job losses. The multi-union steel committee is holding a meeting at the Lackenby coil
THE contemporary art of Nicky Fife goes on show in Thirsk in a new exhibition entitled Yearning for Bliss. The artist has been living and painting in North Yorkshire for the past 12 years, having studied life drawing at the Slade school of art, London
Sir, - Official figures published by the Department of the Environment, Transport and Regions prove that council tax is lower under Conservative controlled councils. The average household pays £88 a year more on a band D council tax bill in a Labour council
FAR-REACHING new planning guidance which will help to reduce the number of houses being built on green field sites in North Yorkshire has been published by the government. The Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions is consulting local
DRYING ground on day one of Ayr's Scottish Grand National meeting has considerably boosted the chances of Major Sponsor (3.50) in the feature event of the afternoon, the Hillhouse Quarry Handicap Chase. Following an extremely lucrative autumn campaign
THE latest episode in a long-running saga surrounding a £15m supermarket development has hit fresh controversy - over the secrecy surrounding its trolleys. A bitter year-long row between Safeway and Teesdale District Council was finally resolved in December
A FORMER fashion house could be destined for a new lease of life. The Frances Lee shop, in Pottergate, Richmond, has been empty for more than three years. The company, which used to boast a world-wide reputation in the industry, went out of business in
A WATERMILL opened during the Easter holiday to show visitors its inner workings. Visitors were able to see the fully-restored, four-storey Tocketts mill, near Guisborough, as it ground local wheat on Sunday and Monday. Tocketts is a grade II listed building
OUR review of how the local tourist industry fared over the crucial Easter break makes it clear that the holiday was not the disaster many had feared. Despite the poor weather, people did turn out into the countryside and a number of visitor attractions
Action is being taken to smarten up unsightly shrubs in York Road, Hartlepool. Three raised shrub beds, at the end of Thornton, Carlton and Dalton Streets, and a fourth in South Road, will be cleaned out and replanted. The shrubbery is in a poor condition
FEARS of repeat flooding has stopped some elderly people returning to their homes in Thirsk. Todds Court and Gillings Court, sheltered accommodation for the elderly run by Broadacres, were among the worst affected premises in the town last November. The
HARTLEPOOL Borough Council's community magazine Hartbeat, could be in line for a £12,000 bonus. The extra money would allow the magazine to be distributed to homes throughout the borough four times a year. The Hartlepool Primary Care Trust has offered
POLICE say the number of school buses with potentially serious defects appears to be falling in County Durham. A two-week operation checking buses across the county led to 11 out of the 192 vehicles inspected being ordered off the road immediately. This
Sunderland boss Peter Reid is keeping his fingers crossed Niall Quinn will be fit in time for the 120th Tyne-Wear derby at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. The Republic of Ireland striker came on as a second-half substitute against Coventry at the weekend
TEENAGE racing driver Jonathan Cocker made a good start to the track season on Monday at Castle Combe in Wiltshire in the opening rounds of the British Racing and Sports Car Club's youth motor sport programme, T-Cars. The 14-year-old newcomer from Guisborough
BOXING club coaches came up with the perfect strip to unite young Sunderland and Newcastle fans in their own fighting force. Rivals on the football terraces but good pals in the gym, the boys from Spennymoor Boxing Academy can't argue over their new strip
A SPLASH of cash brightened up the future of Northern writers last night as £21,000 of prizes were handed out at this year's Northern Writers' Awards at Cluny Warehouse arts centre, Newcastle. Northern Writer of the Year, winning £8,000, was Tyneside
Willington Ladies League Willington Club completed the double when they landed both the darts and dominoes titles in the last match of the season. In the darts section they beat the visiting second placed team, the Prospect Club to take the title by six
FRIENDS and family of a baby boy who died from cot death have raised more than £1,000 in his memory. Sporting tournaments, fancy dress collections and charity nights during last week and the Easter weekend have helped preserve memories of 13-week-old
A CONCERT by Irish supergroup The Corrs raised more than £3,000 for the British Lung Foundation's Breathe North office. Collecting buckets were handed round after last week's concert at Newcastle's Telewest Arena and £3,145 to was donated the charity.
On Wednesday evening Newcastle United Under-19s lost 2-0 at home to Sheffield Wednesday. Newcastle, although beaten by the better side, wasted enough chances to have won their penultimate match of the season. James Tevendale's 26th minute strike from
A DECISION to allow a newly-refurbished Darlington pub to extend its opening hours has been put on hold by councillors. Flares, formerly the Filibuster and Firkin, in Skinnergate, applied to Darlington Borough Council to open until 2am, from Wednesday
SCOUTS are appealing for more help with their campsite at Ingleby Greenhow in North Yorkshire. The scouts, from Redcar, asked for assistance in The Northern Echo and her sister paper, The Clarion, for equipment to help set up the new campsite. But they
A HUNT was continuing yesterday for a mysterious big cat after another sighting in the region. There have been a number of reports of panthers and pumas across the region during the past few weeks, including Durham, where there have been reports of several
POLICE have renewed an appeal for witnesses to a road accident that claimed the life of a 57-year-old man. The incident happened on Friday, April 6, at 10pm, when the man's Ford Fiesta van was involved in a collision at the Hemlington Lane junction with
CASH to help protect about 9,000 North-East homes from burglars is due to be announced by Home Office Minister Mike O'Brien today. About £200,000 funding will be given to three projects as part of national push to tackle such crimes. There have been 24
FOUR years of hard work and dedication has paid off for a group of seven modern apprentices who have been given permanent contracts with excavator manufacturer Komatsu UK. The group joined the firm, which is based in Birtley, County Durham, in 1997 on
THE deadline for bids for the UK's largest regional brewer, Wolverhampton and Dudley, passed yesterday. The company, which owns the Camerons Lion Brewery, in Hartlepool, employing 170 staff, put itself up for sale last year after a profits warning and
A CAR clamping scheme to stop football fans parking illegally at a shopping centre is proving a success. Sunderland Retail Park in Newcastle Road introduced the policy in February before Sunderland AFC's match against Liverpool. Fans who ignore the warnings
BATTLING cobbler Tony Martin fears his family business may be forced to close over a £1,600 rates bill. Magistrates have granted Durham City Council a liability order for the £1,580 in business rates arrears owed on the shop, Durham Cobbler, which has
THIRSK racecourse has lost its opening meeting on the Flat, which was scheduled to take place today and tomorrow, because it falls within an area designated by MAFF as a foot-and-mouth infected area. But Thirsk is hoping to stage a busy programme in May
HUNDREDS of gardens across the region will be blooming in style this spring after a phenomenal response to the launch of The Northern Echo Gardening Club. Nearly 500 people have joined our club in the few weeks it has been running - and expert columnist
Bishop Auckland's injury crisis continued in Wednesday night's 2-1 win over Hyde United. Bishops lost defender Mark Salmon and Andy Shaw during the game, and they are big doubts for tomorrow's home game with second placed Stalybridge. Bishops took the
AN inquiry into how foot-and-mouth returned to the UK after a 34-year gap is yet to get under way - but one man has been identified as the possible culprit. Bobby Waugh has been blamed for starting the crisis by feeding contaminated swill to pigs on his
A FAMILY ice-cream firm, forced to move to a town centre site because of the crisis, has bounced back. Trade has improved, and chairman Brian Moore is urging others to follow suit. He said: "We took the view that if our customers could not come to our
Redcar and Cleveland residents have been invited to have their say on proposals which could change the way the borough council operates. A leaflet setting out three options the council can adopt for the future running of the authority are being distributed
CONSULTATIONS will continue on proposed Hartlepool taxi fare increases, first suggested in October last year. Hartlepool Borough Council was set to agree an increase of 20p in initial minimum fares at a meeting yesterday. The changes, which included an
FOUR members of staff at a residential nursing home are celebrating after passing their exams. Langley Park Nursing Home, near Durham City, encourages staff to work for professional qualifications. Manager Pauline Waite said: "When most people come to
After inflicting the first defeat on Crook Olde Horse Shoe the previous week, Bishop Auckland King's Head failed to maintain their form when they visited Henknowle Manor House and went down by three points to a team which really lifted their standard.
Crook and District League Crook Wanderers took the first step to the Crook and District League and cup double when they won the Norman Wright Memorial Knockout Trophy. In the final on the Crook Millfield, Wanderers beat Byers Green St Peter's 3-0. Stuart
A GRIMSBY lorry driver has been arrested on suspicion of murdering Teesside prostitute Vicky Glass whose naked body was found dumped on moorland. The 39-year-old married man was questioned for 14 hours on Wednesday after Cleveland detectives travelled
I AM back in Belfast for the first time in three years and it has been a strange, almost surreal experience. For a start, I am used to armed police stopping and searching cars at security checkpoints here but, in the past, they were looking for Semtex
AN application to build a four-bedroom house in Spennymoor has been rejected because it would be too close to neighbouring homes. The proposal for a detached house at Walkworth Lane was considered by Sedgefield Borough Council's development control committee
THE controversial package of reforms thrown at the beef industry immediately after the eruption of the European BSE crisis last November could soon run out of steam, according to the National Beef Association. It says there are signs that, if it can add
