THREE Darlington schools have been left counting the cost of vandalism. Rise Carr Primary School, North Road Junior and Infant School, and Haughton Comprehensive School, were all attacked during the half-term break last week. Windows were smashed at all
WHEN it comes to voting for Tony Blair, let me try to spread a little apathy. For a start, there's more reality in Big Brother than there has been throughout Blair's election campaign. It's all been spin and smoke and mirrors, deceitful propaganda and
IT'S getting on 15 years since the Little 'Un, as then he almost was, last lunched with us in the brewery country around Masham, in North Yorkshire. He was barely two at the time, innocently persuaded to try some futuristic orange cake that was up to
Stan Wilson attended John Pickering's funeral at Hutton Rudby yesterday with memories of the day he clipped him round the ear. It was a Monday morning in1958. John, later Middlesbrough's much respected first team coach, was captain of the Under-13s at
AN exciting new team right out of Africa is entertaining crowds at a falconry centre. Five African hooded vultures, with a wing span of four-and-a-half feet, have been brought to Sion Hill Hall, at Kirby Wiske, near Northallerton. Falconer Ben Potter,
STUDENT artists are showing off their exam work in an art exhibition. Parents and friends will be able to see what pupils from Conyers School in Yarm have been creating in classes. Included in the exhibition are textiles, drawings, paintings, sculpture
THE name George Reynolds is already known to many in the region - but it could soon be impossible to avoid after it was revealed that Darlington's new football stadium will bear his name. The flamboyant multi-millionaire has made a big impression since
AN environmental charity is to transform a derelict allotment site into a model of good conservation techniques. The Acorn Trust will turn the site at Constance Street, Consett, into a sustainable garden, using principles such as organic gardening, composting
A HISTORY fair is being held this weekend as part of Hartlepool's 800th charter anniversary celebrations. The event will be run by the Headland Local History Society and will take place in Hartlepool Borough hall on Saturday, between 11am and 4pm. The
A MODEL enthusiast's collection of ships in bottles has taken pride of place in a display at his local museum. Allan Nesbitte has collected a range of miniature vessels over the past 18 years - and Thirsk Museum has now decided to show the models off
RETAIL company Kingfisher is to demerge Woolworths and Superdrug after calling off talks to sell both high street chains. The group has decided to press on with plans to put the two chains into a separately-quoted company along with its entertainment
A NORTH-EAST poet's tribute to a young South African hero is to be published in an anthology of verse. Jeanette Walker, from Hemlington, near Middlesbrough, wrote a poem for 12-year-old Nkosi Johnson, who contracted HIV from his mother and became a symbol
ALL the fun of the circus comes to a North-East town today. The Moscow State Circus has arrived in Darlington and will be putting on nightly performances, until Sunday. The Big Top has been erected in South Park, ready for the opening show this evening
High-tech computer equipment is to be installed in Cleveland fire engines to tell crews exactly what dangers they are facing as they travel to incidents. The new equipment will provide vital information about an incident to firefighters before they reach
MORE than 30,000 visitors are expected to flock to a County Durham town when traders from across Europe fly in. This is the third successive year that a continental market, with traders from Holland, France, Germany, Spain and Italy, has brought its range
FORMER England footballer Peter Thompson was jailed for drink-driving yesterday after undercover police followed his car's erratic progress across a town. Left-winger Thompson, 58, who now runs a hotel in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, won 16 caps for England
RETAILER Great Universal Stores (GUS) is on track for its partial flotation of Burberry, as it showed profits at the upmarket brand had more than trebled over the last year. GUS, which also owns catalogue retailer Argos, said Burberry's operating profits
A HARD CORE of suspected North-East football hooligans were ordered to hand over their passports last night in a bid to prevent bloodshed ahead of England's crucial World Cup qualifier. Government officials used new powers to crack down on 454 suspected
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Receptionist, Stockton. Part-time, nmw, 8am-1pm and 1pm-6pm. Involves operating a busy Meridian switchboard. Telephone/reception experience, an excellent
DURHAM have denied last season's skipper Nick Speak the chance to erase the nightmare of Derby from his memory banks. They have preferred Martin Speight as Paul Collingwood's deputy for the championship match against division two's bottom club starting
SCIENCE Minister Lord Sainsbury learned about industry on two different scales on a visit to the region yesterday. Accompanied by Ashok Kumar, Labour's candidate for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, and Vera Baird, standing in Redcar, he began
PARENTS involved in an organ retention row have criticised a doctor's decision to stand as a candidate against Health Secretary Alan Milburn. The move comes after Midlands pathologist Dr Craig Platt, who is standing in Darlington, was reported to have
LIBERAL Democrat peer Lord Smith was campaigning in the North-East yesterday. Lord Smith, a professor of politics in Yorkshire, visited Durham City where he met students and academics from Durham University. Lord Smith held a forum on tuition fees and
A CHURCH group has criticised officials for failing to stage a public debate between election candidates. Following a disappointing turnout at St Nicholas's Church, Durham City, on Saturday, when only two of the four candidates for the city seat appeared
BRYAN Robson yesterday vowed to make a comeback after losing his job following seven eventful and emotional years as manager of Middlesbrough. Robson left after agreeing compensation for the two remaining years of his £1m-a-year contract, and assistant
A COUPLE were banned for life from keeping animals by a court yesterday. A vet who examined the carcass of a dog at a house in Thornaby, Teesside, said it was the most emaciated animal she had seen in 25 years. Two dogs were found abandoned in the yard
SUNDERLAND have not ruled themselves out of the race for in-demand Everton striker Francis Jeffers. While there have been unconfirmed reports that neighbours Newcastle United are first in line with a bid of £8m, the England Under-21 international is currently
MILLIONS of gallons of water are being gradually pumped into a lake forming the centrepiece of a project to restore one of the region's finest Victorian Parks. The move to refill Saltwell Park lake in Gateshead, has come as a welcome relief to several
A TEENAGE girl who ran off with her sister's 38-year-old boyfriend was jailed yesterday for a street robbery. Caroline Atkinson ended up living in hostels in attempts to break the "Svengali-like" hold of violent John Barnes, said Aisha Wadoodi, defending
A NURSE at the centre of an inquest into the deaths of four patients has confirmed she is to sue the police for wrongful arrest. Senior nurse Kathleen Atkinson has denied allegations over the past six years that she was responsible for the deaths of four
LIMITED edition replicas of a stately home have sold out - days after they went on sale. Just 500 replicas of Pockerley Manor, a popular feature at Beamish Museum, were made from sculptor Phoebe Harvery-Lee's model. They were sold three days after going
A MAN who drowned his sorrows after the break-up of his third marriage escaped a jail sentence yesterday - despite being told his drink-drive reading was one of the highest a court had seen. Graham Kell was found to be just below four times the legal
HUNDREDS of children are expected to attend the 13th annual teddy bears' picnic in the grounds of Peterlee's Shotton Hall. The event, which attracts youngsters from all over east Durham, is being hosted by Peterlee Town Council. The picnic will be held
A SCHEME to bring wardens into all communities in Redcar and Cleveland Borough took a step forward yesterday. The community safety warden scheme is designed to tackle environmental damage and anti-social behaviour. The scheme was piloted in Brotton, Teesville
A RIOT broke out at a refugee hostel after a group of Iraqi Kurds had their pocket money cut to pay for damage caused to the building. The Angel Heights hostel, in Newcastle, erupted in violence after the men were warned that their £7 weekly allowance
HIGHWAYS engineers have begun work designing a £1.4m bypass for Crook. Durham County Council says the bypass scheme will open up development sites around the town, provide relief from traffic for the town's residents and traders, and ease congestion in
A REAL-life Billy Elliot is flying high after swapping his football boots for ballet shoes. Newcastle United supporter Gary Walsh, nine, has given up soccer to become the only boy in a dance and stage school. He ignores the sniggers of his former team
JOHN BOOTH, the former Labour press officer who is standing against his old boss Peter Mandelson in Hartlepool, was formally expelled from the party yesterday after 31 years of membership. It was no surprise because, as Ken Livingstone discovered in the
A MAN has appeared in court facing sex charges dating back almost 20 years. Douglas Gailes, 59, is alleged to have carried out a series of sex attacks on a young girl, during the 1980s. Newcastle Crown Court heard how the attacks started when the youngster
A LEADING clergyman who has bounced back after a transplant operation and surgery for cancer is facing a third major operation this week. The Dean of Ripon, the Very Reverend John Metheun, is having his left hip replaced in an operation at St James's
A PAVILION used by mental health charity Mind is to be improved with a £14,000 grant. Mind has been based at the former bowls pavilion, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, for five years. The building, in St Oswald's Park, has been enhanced considerably
LOCAL people are hoping councillors will reject plans to build a road through a stretch of countryside after carrying out a site visit this week. An application has been submitted to construct an access road and car park in a field near Barmpton Lane,
KARATE kid Danny Metcalfe is celebrating after becoming a junior champion. The 12-year-old, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, is unbeaten in three years and fought over three rounds to beat James Dixon, from Manchester, in the recent NASCKC Junior
A Durham hotel has said goodbye to one of its most popular members of staff. Assistant restaurant manager Bernardo "Bernie" Diaz Salcedo, 58, is retiring after 22 years of service at the Durham Marriott Royal County Hotel. He is returning to live in his
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Commis chef, Northallerton. Wage tba, full-time to include lunch and evenings. Required to help chef in running of the kitchen. Must have experience
A NORTH-EAST garden centre is to get a £1m new look that will create 25 jobs. The upgraded Peter Barratts garden centre, in Stockton, Teesside, will include a 250-seater restaurant, new warehouse and a bigger indoor shop area, in a deal financed by Lloyds
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Travel telesales consultant, Peterlee. £9,250 to £12,000 pa, full-time, 3 days on, 3 days off shift pattern. Required to work in call centre selling
FOUR years ago, the North-East watched in delicious anticipation as the first hard evidence of a Labour election victory filtered through from Sunderland South. Already renowned as the constituency first passed the post back in 1992, people felt that
A COUPLE used their ruby wedding anniversary celebration to help a hospital provide a new play area for sick children. When Celia and Edward McKinley celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, they decided to ask their family and friends to give money
A RAT-INFESTED take-away has been closed down after council officers found appalling conditions in the shop. The Classic Parmesan House, in Bishopton Road, Stockton, was closed yesterday after officers from Stockton Borough Council's environment and technical
EDWARD Forth believes William Hague can be beaten in his Richmond backyard, and if tactical voting helps him overturn the Conservative leader's 10,000 majority, so much the better. Campaigning yesterday in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, he said: "In
A HOTEL offering holidaymakers a break from election overkill has suffered an own-goal after it was asked to act as a polling station. Bosses at Walworth Castle Hotel, near Darlington, County Durham, thought they had come up with an ideal cure for people
A SAFETY crackdown is being launched on roads in Teesside. Chemical tankers and light goods vans will be pulled over in a series of spot checks. The multi agency checks will look at everything from drivers' hours, to mechanical faults, and include searches
PEOPLE in Darlington have just one more opportunity to become the town's poetry champion. The closing date for the United Press UK Poetry Championship is approaching, and more entries are needed. One poet will represent Darlington in an annual Best of
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Teacher/Home Tutor: Darlington, £7.00ph, 32hpw, required to work in a specialist home for children. DAE25493 Coach Driver: Darlington/Nationwide, £180pw
A MAN being held on suspicion of murder in a Swiss jail has made a second attempt to kill himself. Majid El Hamri's wife, Alison, is leaving her Teesside home, and the couple's six-year-old twins with relatives, to fly to Berne to be with her husband.
POLICE are investigating a fire which destroyed 15 heavy goods vehicles early yesterday. The Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade sent 14 appliances to fight the blaze, at Ryder Truck Rentals, on the Portobello Industrial Estate, Birtley, at 2am. Using six water
AN international conference on parenting and early learning is to be hosted by the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) in Harrogate. The First Things First conference starts tomorrow. The RNIB says it is organising the event to inform parents
A WETLAND nature reserve for birds and wildlife is to be created near Port Clarence. The nature reserve will not only provide a home for national and internationally-protected birds but will also help alleviate flooding problems for local people. The
SOME of the items stolen from a woman by a bag snatcher on the eve of her 86th birthday have been recovered. Police have renewed their appeal for information about the attack in Southend Avenue, Darlington, last Friday. The pensioner suffered face injuries
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Receptionist, Stockton. Part-time, nmw, 8am-1pm and 1pm-6pm. Involves operating a busy Meridian switchboard. Telephone/reception experience, an excellent
A shopkeeper who was stabbed when he foiled a robbery says he would do it all again. Ken Peacock works 80 hours a week and was not prepared to hand over his hard-earned takings to the robbers who burst into his off-licence in Darlington, County Durham
A GROUP of lung patients have completed a fitness programme aimed at helping them live with their illness. The eight patients from the University Hospital of North Tees, in Hartlepool, all have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and attend a
CARERS in Darlington are being invited to tea with the mayor as part of a week of events to raise awareness of the problems they face. Other events during the week, from June 11 to 17, includes the launch of a local strategy for carers and a service for
A suspect in the murder of North-East man Freddie Knights was arrested by armed police in Essex at the weekend. The 37-year-old Tyneside man was being questioned last night by murder squad detectives on Tyneside. Police also arrested two other men - one
BRYAN Robson had come to the end of the road at Middlesbrough. His position had become untenable. After the Terry Venables experience, there could be no way back. The fans had lost confidence in him - even if Steve Gibson had not. But Bryan Robson does
REGARDLESS of the size and direction of the swing in tomorrow's General Election, two dozen MPs from the last Parliament will take seats in the new one. And they will have gained them without any of the distasteful antics required in the month-long thrash
A FASHION show with a difference turned catering clothes into catwalk chic yesterday. The Food for Thought Business Club, run by Stockton Borough Council, hosted a fashion event to show off the latest styles in catering uniforms. The event, at Middlesbrough
Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs was freed from the handcuffs and chain used to secure him to a hospital bed last night. His son Michael said the 71-year-old had been uncuffed at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, south-east London. Michael, 26, criticised
GENERAL ELECTION YOUR editorial (Echo, May 30) is correct in pointing out the weakness of William Hague's simplistic platitudes of keeping the pound. The pound is an anachronism and I can't see the point of the rest of the EU keeping a currency out of
MO MOWLAM was in a mischievous mood. As she looked up from her bingo card, she said: "This is fun, the most fun we have had all day. All we have done is boring political meetings." Her popularity with the people remains undimmed. She received a rapturous
Schoolboy Martin Rosinski has invented a £40 device that could put an end to the carnage on Britain's railways. The youngster's electronic box, which fits on to train axles, could avoid disasters such as the Hatfield crash. Martin, 16, who was sitting
A PEARL-ENCRUSTED mouse took centre stage in a courtroom yesterday as an antiques dealer went on trial. A jury will decide whether the 200-year-old gold clockwork rodent, spotted in London, was the same one that was stolen six years before from County
FOOTBALL legend Bryan Robson quit as Middlesbrough manager yesterday and admitted he had been driven out by angry fans. The former England captain's seven-year love affair with the Boro came to a sad end when Robson announced he was leaving by "mutual
A BOOTLEGGER who had two cars and a van travelling to Europe twice a week to bring in contraband cigarettes and alcohol was jailed for 12 months yesterday. Adrian Meggs's vehicles were logged at the Channel Tunnel 100 times in a year, said Shaun Dodds
A TAKE-AWAY has been refused permission to open on Sundays because of fears over increased traffic and noise. The Four Seasons Pizzeria in Rimswell Parade, Stockton, had applied to be allowed to open seven days a week to increase trade. The pizzeria only
A jobless teenager who was caught on camera having sex with a horse later told police: "I was drunk." Stephen Spalding, 18, was caught on CCTV camera carrying out the attack as he made his way home from the pub. Newcastle Crown Court was told his route
Wimpey Homes has applied for planning permission to build 16 houses at Wynyard Park, near Billingham. The company wants to build the homes and garages on land off Wynyard Woods. Hartlepool Borough Council will make a decision on the application in the
A MOTORIST who abducted two girls and drove them to his home 35 miles away, where he took indecent photographs of them, was jailed for three years yesterday. A jury at Teesside Crown Court took 20 minutes to find 55-year-old Peter Ainsley guilty of abducting
ONE of the region's hospices has been shortlisted for the national Charity Awards. Hartlepool and District Hospice, which provides short-term, palliative care for patients with terminal illnesses, has been put forward for the social care, welfare and
COUNCILLORS have finally agreed to grant permission for a "Wild West" water wheel to be erected - just weeks after they rejected the idea outright. Members of Derwentside District Council were told by one of their own staff that they must reconsider the
SCOOTERS large and small were wheeled out for a stint in the sun at a national rally at the weekend. Hundreds of scooters were turned out for the national Lambretta Rally, at Witton Castle, near Bishop Auckland, when bikes of all shapes and sizes were
A MAN has been fined £250 after he tried to sell one of the UK's rarest birds through a free advertisements paper. Peter Hill, 25, was caught out after his advert for the female common buzzard was spotted by a bird lover, who informed police. Yesterday
TWO ram-raiders escaped empty-handed after a failed attempt to break into a mini-bank in a Hartlepool shop. Police were alerted to the attack at 1.55am yesterday, when two alarms in the Day and Night store in Wynyard Road were activated. A stolen car
THIEVES armed with bolt cutters have robbed children of hundreds of pounds worth of new toys. The toys were stolen from a padlocked bin at Annfield Plain Infant School, Stanley, County Durham, in the mid-term break. Headteacher Susan Marr said the children
TRADING standards and police chiefs are stepping up patrols to check vehicles carrying livestock throughout North Yorkshire. Complaints have been made about the illegal movement of animals, which could lead to the spread of foot-and-mouth disease. Stuart
FOR the second year running Waterstons, the Durham-based IT and Business Consultancy, has made it to the final of the Microsoft Digital Britain Awards. Its IT solution for the National Salvage Group (NSG) is one of only three projects to be shortlisted
PUPILS and staff at a school's early years department have been ranked top of the class by education watchdogs. Youngsters at Queen Mary's School, Topcliffe, near Thirsk, celebrated yesterday after an Ofsted inspection praised their behaviour, as well
Olympic triple jump champion Jonathan Edwards picked up another honour today when he received a CBE from the Queen. The 35-year-old world record holder followed his success at the Sydney Games with a trip to Buckingham Palace. The Newcastle-based star
A BUS driver was terrorised by a robber who attacked his vehicle before escaping with cash. The driver of the Stagecoach bus was driving towards Hartlepool when the attack happened on the road into Greatham village, just off the A689, at 11.40pm on Saturday
FOOT-AND-MOUTH disease last night appeared to have opened up a new front in the region. Ministry of Agriculture (Maff) vets confirmed a case in North Yorkshire, at Low Farm, Carlsmoor, Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon. The farm, which is on the eastern edge
UP TO £25,000 is up for grabs for community or voluntary groups in Sunderland. The Back on the Map Community Chest Fund, which is one of the first projects to be funded from the £54m New Deal for Communities cash, was recently awarded to the East End
SAFETY measures have been scaled down after a health scare hit North-East beaches. A mystery substance seen floating on the sea off east Cleveland has been identified as red tide algae, which is only harmful as an irritant for people with sensitive skin
beach patrols have been launched to keep people out of the sea. Council staff are monitoring the sands between Saltburn and South Gare, Redcar, east Cleveland, advising bathers to keep out of the water, following the discovery of an unidentified substance
CHILDREN with special needs can attend an out of school hours club. The club will be based at Sunningdale School, in Wearside, and was set up with a £50,000 grant from the Government's New Opportunities Fund. It will run breakfast, after- school and holiday
THEY say lightning never strikes twice, but a new sculpture will see it strike every hour. The 30ft Lightning Clock is the brainchild of artist Andy Plant, who used copper and steel to bring it to life. The clock's design was inspired by the once exposed
POLICE say the actions of two women in fending off an attacker could have prevented a much more serious incident. The women were approached by a man in Salisbury Terrace, near Wilson Street, Darlington, between 11.30pm and midnight on Sunday. He grabbed
