A MAN was rescued by firefighters when his flat became engulfed in flames. Firefighters were called to the kitchen fire at Walpole Street, Middlesbrough, at about 4am on Saturday morning after neighbours heard the smoke alarm. The 23-year-old was asleep
Fans of Darlington and Hartlepool football clubs overcame their rivalry to raise money for charity by staging a friendly football match yesterday. The game was played in aid of Jon Robert Collingwood, who lost the use of his legs in a car crash last year
AN up-and-coming chart band helped ensure this year's Richmond Live was the best yet. The programme was extended over two days for the first time this year. Friday night's show was aimed largely at teenagers, with local bands leading the entertainment
A CONVERSION project, in which an old stable block has been given a new lease of life, is in line for a top enterprise award. The listed building at Aske Hall, near Richmond, was empty until it was redesigned as small business units, which opened last
Other content from the Darlington & Stockton Times includes : Farming news. Equestrian news. Weekend Times. Auctions.
A WOMAN has fought back from car crash injuries to set up her own business. Ann Stonehouse, 32, suffered injuries which stopped her sitting her final exams to become a chartered accountant. At the time, she was supervising a finance department. After
THE outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease failed to stop a village farm being turned into a motor racing track this weekend for one of Europe's biggest car events. Competitors from across Europe came together to compete in the 2001 National Autograss Championships
FARMERS last night insisted that they had not cashed in on the foot-and-mouth epidemic despite massive compensation claims. The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed yesterday that 37 farmers stand to pocket more than £1m
AN elders' congress could soon become a feature of a Teesside council. Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Abbott suggested the idea at a full meeting of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. His proposal would involve encouraging people over the age of
FAMILIES from Marske and the Ings estate, in Redcar, have complained about the smell from a new sewage treatment works. Their complaints have been passed to Northumbrian Water by local councillors. But according to Councillor Joyce Benbow, who represents
NORTH-EAST Paralympic champion Tanni Grey-Thompson is preparing for her toughest challenge yet, after announcing she is expecting her first child. Tanni, 31, who lives in Redcar, spent the weekend celebrating with husband Ian after revealing that the
THE owners of a pensioners' sheltered housing complex have apologised to its residents following problems over essential repair works. Elderly residents have protested that their homes have been encased in scaffolding and green mesh for five months, causing
PREPARATIONS are under way for a fundraising golf tournament. This year's Charity Pro Am Tournament will be held at Wynard Golf Club, Middlesbrough, on Wednesday, August 29. It will involve more than 150 players, who will tee off to raise money for the
Growth It's then, Beyond deepest depth of despair You'll find meaning, And all that felt worthless Becomes worthwhile. And where there was no reason A purpose begins to grow, And that which came as failure Becomes success and victory. It's then and only
A TEENAGE leukaemia sufferer can look forward to a few treats, thanks to pub regulars in the village where he lives. Hopes were high when 13-year-old Alan Clough had a bone marrow transplant to combat the disease when he was four. But he has since relapsed
ROOM for improvement is the polite way to describe Darlington's display in Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Barrow, a team who compete at two levels below the Quakers and finished sixth in the UniBond Premier League last season. It is normally accepted during
A LEADING businessman has hit out over the traffic chaos caused by a series of roadworks in a market town. Don Moore, president of Thirsk Chamber of Trade, said the situation was similar to a siege after two sets of roadworks were put in place at the
THE HOLIDAY CONGRATULATIONS to Richard Doughty for the delightful picture of "Mr and Mrs Crabbe" enjoying a day by the sea (Echo, July 27) - a photograph of actors who are performing Didn't We Have A Lovely Time! at York Castle Museum. I'm sure it gave
A CHILD care scheme has won £2m to provide extra support for disadvantaged families. Middlesbrough's Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership secured the funding through a Government initiative. The partnership provides child care services in
ACCOUNTANT Anne Young raised £600 for charity by cycling 110 miles across the North-East. Ms Young, 35, of Kenton, Newcastle, works at the North Eastern and Cumbrian Co-op's headquarters, in Gateshead, and visited the Co-op's eight department stores at
AN airport has struck a deal to ensure more people can read its own travel magazine. Teesside International Airport and the North-East Mailing Centre, in Washington, Wearside, have struck a deal to distribute the magazine, called Flightlines. The centre
FERRYHILL Town Council has awarded an £800 grant to a community centre. The Mayor of Ferryhill, Councillor Kath Conroy, presented the cheque to Geoff Harker, secretary of Mainsforth Community Centre. The centre is home to several groups, including Ferryhill
AN 18-YEAR-OLD woman was raped behind a city centre cathedral at the weekend. The attack took place behind St Nicholas' Cathedral, Newcastle, in the early hours of Saturday. The suspect was described as being of slim build, in his early 20s, with short
ONE of the region's premiere craft events has been extended to four days. The Newby Hall August bank holiday fair has been established for 19 years at the venue near Ripon, North Yorkshire. This year, it will run from Friday to Monday, August 24 to 27
A NORTH-EAST teacher is finally gaining the recognition he craved, but never quite achieved, in 15 years as a professional rock musician. Peter Simpson, from Bowburn, County Durham, spent many years on the road with several bands, in the 1970s and 1980s
YOUNGSTERS in a Ferryhill park were only too pleased to help keep it spic and span when approached by council officers. King George V playing field is being improved by measures including the installation of £28,000 worth of play equipment. Contractor
directors of a taxi service for the disabled say it will have to cease operating because of new licensing laws. Charles Smith, finance director of Darlington Dial a Ride, received a letter from Darlington Borough Council on Friday which said the service's
A FAMILY fun extravaganza in aid of Cancer Research is to take place over the August Bank Holiday weekend. The charity event at Hurworth Community Centre, from noon on Sunday, August 26, is being supported by Darlington's Iceland store, in Yarm Road.
TEA dancers dodged heavy showers and thunder over the weekend during an annual celebration of markets and pottery. The Darlington Market Festival and Pot Fair is running in the town's Market Place until tomorrow. As well as traders from far afield, selling
THERE should to be no dispute over the right to compensation for farmers who have seen their businesses destroyed by the foot-and-mouth epidemic. Payments ought to reflect the value of the livestock they have lost and the cost of replacing them. If independent
SEVEN pre-season games without defeat, Hartlepool United are ready for an assault on the Third Division. And why not after Chris Turner's men recorded a comfortable 3-1 win over Nationwide Conference side Morecambe at Christie Park. Jermaine Easter, a
WORK on a footbridge across a section of the A19, where a 12-year-old girl lost her life three years ago, moved closer to completion at the weekend. The walkway has been designed to create a safe link between a Peterlee industrial complex and a neighbouring
WITH chunks of shrapnel from dismembered contestants flying through the air at 200mph, there is little doubt that Robot Wars is the most dangerous televised sport in the world. The BBC2 series has made stars of the metal robots, which mangle their defeated
Convicted killer John Cannan, who has been questioned by police over the disappearance of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh, today brought unsuccessful High Court proceedings against the prison authorities over access to private telephone facilities to contact
YOUNG victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster are being given a rare chance to enjoy fresh air thanks to the kindness of families in the Crook area. Ukrainian charity Welleka has teamed up with Crook for Children of Chernobyl as part of the Clean Air
A SURGEON at the centre of an investigation over allegations that he denied North-East cancer patients vital treatment was warned seven years ago to improve his standards. The General Medical Council is investigating whether Hartlepool and Durham surgeon
A seven-month old baby was taken to hospital following a small fire at a Darlington house. The baby, whose identity has not been released, was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation after a fire broke out in the kitchen
A DISTURBANCE involving 15 to 18 youths resulted in one of them being taken to hospital early on Saturday. The incident happened at about 12.30am in the King Street area of Barnard Castle, County Durham. One of the youths was taken to Darlington Memorial
BIDDERS for the second biggest rail franchise in the region are being forced to wait months to see who will win control of the network. Transport Secretary Stephen Byers was to have declared a winner for the Trans-Pennine Express contract before he left
HEALTH Secretary and Darlington MP Alan Milburn is under attack for cutting spending on anti-smoking campaigns despite a commitment by the Government to ban tobacco advertising. Figures released show the amount spent on campaigns fell from £16m in 1999
EXAM board bosses have said they are confident this year's A and AS-level results will be out on time. Problems with the controversial AS-levels had led to fears that some of the AS and A-level results, particularly English Literature and Language, would
A FORMER National Serviceman who was exposed to mustard gas at the Porton Down research centre has spoken of his anger at being used as a human guinea pig. Austin Ellis, 64, from Shotton Colliery, County Durham, was a 20-year-old corporal when he volunteered
YOUNG people are being offered the chance to beat the summer blues and have a riot of a time in some of the region's most spectacular woodlands. The Forestry Commission is staging its first Ranger Roadshow, calling at Kielder and Hamsterley Forests and
AN ANNUAL celebration of the region's railway heritage opens this week, providing a glimpse into the past, present and future of the industry. The Bishop Auckland Discovery Centre, in County Durham, opens its exhibition on Thursday with a display including
A SECOND Darlington forces' association is under threat of closure because of a drop in attendance at its monthly meetings. Naval men past and present are being called to the decks in an effort to save it from extinction. Less than a fortnight ago, the
DRINKERS got to find out who was the Weakest Drunk in the final of a regional pub quiz. Nine contestants from pubs across County Durham battled it out in a competition based on the TV show, The Weakest Link. As well as answering questions correctly, the
ADAM I'ANSON will have a story to tell about becoming a teenager. A meal at the Fox and Hounds on the edge of Northallerton, North Yorkshire, with family and friends was a treat in itself. But flying there by helicopter with best friend Charles Chapman
TAXI operators claim they are being driven out of business by in increase in competition and a lack of rank spaces. The claim comes as Middlesbrough Borough Council's licensing committee prepares to discuss plans to issue 20 extra licences for wheelchair
SPEED cameras, funded by parking fines, have resulted in a 44 per cent drop in injuries from road accidents over 12 months. The initiative, in its second year in the Cleveland area, is part of a national trial to see if speeding and accidents on high
THIRTY talented young sports enthusiasts have spent a fortnight taking part in a summer school. The year six, seven and eight pupils, from Haughton Community School, in Darlington, and other surrounding primary and secondary schools, were selected for
A debate is to take place to discuss the future of a problem beck that runs through the centre of a town. The beck at Loftus is part of a network of east Cleveland streams that flow down to the sea at nearby Skinningrove. It runs through a culvert below
HUNTING ghosts is not all about comical chases and masked crooks out to fool a bunch of kids - as TV cartoon character Scooby Doo would have us believe. Nor is it all about paranormal investigations, the likes of which have fans of X-Files heroes Mulder
A book about past and present life in Spennymoor has been published, Millennium Memories of Spennymoor has been compiled by two local men, former headteacher Tony Coia, and professional photographer George Teasdale. Interest has already been high, and
VILLAGERS awoke to find their cars had been attacked by a serial tyre slasher. The attacks, on at least eight vehicles in School Aycliffe, happened on Friday night. PC Simon Bacon, of Newton Aycliffe police, said it was believed the attacks were carried
PEOPLE stepped back in time at the weekend for a feast of fun at a medieval fair. The two-day extravaganza took place in the area surrounding Middlegate and St Hilda's Church, in Hartlepool's Headland area, to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the granting
INFAMOUS crook Spider Boy is refusing to give himself up to police - because he wants a suntan. Police are hunting the tearaway - real name Tommy Laws - after he snubbed probation appointments because he was busy making a film about his crimes. He has
COLLEGE students studying a uniformed services course have proved that hard work and dedication spell success. Many Derwentside College students, who have attended the course in Stanley's former fire station have fulfilled lifelong ambitions by gaining
CARNIVAL fun descended on a town at the weekend. Stockton was awash with colour as a weekend of music and dance was incorporated into the Stockton International Riverside Festival. The fun was a celebration of UK carnival sound and colour in all its forms
A WOMAN was left with cuts and bruises after an early morning assault at the weekend. The victim was walking along Park Street, Ripon, North Yorkshire, when she was attacked, between 2am and 2.30am on Saturday. She was not seriously hurt, but was left
A PROJECT aimed at helping adults with learning difficulties has had a financial windfall. Craft Works, which was set up in 1993, provides life skills and work experience for adults with special needs across North Yorkshire and County Durham. Its service
Little bridesmaid Sophie Graham - mown down and left for dead by a hit-and-run driver - has returned home from hospital after making an incredible recovery. Doctors warned five-year-old Sophie's parents, Mark and Andrea, that she may not pull through
A MICHAEL Schumacher look-a-like was at a mini-Grand Prix in the region at the weekend. The fake Formula One star was at the Cornmill Shopping Centre in Darlington, yesterday, to cheer on competitors during a giant Scalextric race. People of all ages
FOR ten years loyal service Curtis Fleming deserved a fitting performance in his testimonial against Athletic Bilbao - and his teammates did not disappoint. Most notably Joseph-Desire Job's impressive pre-season form continued with a hard-working display
LAST week, A View From High Row lamented the lenient prison sentence given to a crook who had confessed to dozens of burglaries around Darlington. This week, there is cause for even more anger. A local family is having to come to terms with the fact that
ALLOTMENT holders in Richmond have been rewarded for keeping their plots tidy and attractive. The town council's allotment competition was judged and winners will receive their trophies and vouchers at the town's first fruits ceremony, on September 15
A FARMING couple said they will appeal after their dream of opening an organic business was shattered by planning officers and councillors. Ken Brown and Victoria Whiles-Brown have spent thousands of pounds on a 16-acre site, close to Morley, near Bishop
VOLUNTEERS at a Redcar charity shop raised more than £400 at a flag day. A team of seven volunteers from the Imperial Cancer Research Fund shop, in High Street, took to the street with collection boxes. Shop manager Rena Shaw said: "It was well worth
NICK LANGLEY, 13, is pictured putting the finishing touches to his work at an art exhibition at Redcar and Cleveland College. The display was a showcase for youngsters from across east Cleveland, who have been taking part in a summer school, designed
A CENTRE for people with learning disabilities in Newton Aycliffe is to stay open for three extra months while its future is discussed. Concern has been expressed about what will happen to users of the Acorn Centre, an occupational therapy unit on Newton
Angel eyes: The perfect gift for the 1970s fan who has everything, but wants something extra tacky, has gone on the market. The house where the pilot episode for Charlie's Angels was filmed in 1976 is up for sale. If you have ever fancied yourself as
MORE than 8,000 music fans descended on a County Durham town for its annual blues festival. Saturday's ninth Stanley Blues Festival promised the strongest line-up yet, mixing North-East talent with national and international acts. First off was The Watts
GRANDFATHER Bill Frankland is planning a 100-mile trek through the Highlands of Scotland to raise money for a hospice. Mr Frankland, 70, of Castletown, Sunderland, will do the West Highland Walk, between Milngavie and Fort William, from August 23 to 30
MORE paramedics could soon be racing to emergencies on motorcycles after a North-East trial revealed that they are much faster than traditional ambulances. And ambulancemen in busy cities could be issued with push-bikes in a bid to beat congestion. Officials
HOMELESS German shepherd Sam has lived most of his life at Newton Aycliffe tip. So a temporary stay at kennels will no doubt be like living in a five-star hotel for the three-year-old. But his carers at Amirene Kennels, Widehope Farm, West Auckland, are
A BABY who was given a 15 per cent chance of survival when he was born four months prematurely, has battled against the odds to celebrate his first birthday today. Spencer Gaffney-Williams weighed only 1lb 11oz when born. His parents were told that if
WORK has started on a new £10m city academy for North-East schoolchildren. The Unity City Academy will be the new school for youngsters at Keldholme and Langbaurgh Schools, at east Middlesbrough, and is being built on a site between the two current schools
Q: AN old beer bottle found in Eldon Lane, near Bishop Auckland, is inscribed Eldon Lane Brewery. Can you tell me if there was such a brewery, and was it situated in Eldon Lane village? - V Gallagher, Bishop Auckland. A: I haven't come up with anything
VILLAGERS fighting plans for a rural church to be turned into a house say the controversial scheme shows a lack of respect and dignity. Residents of Thornton-le-Beans, near Northallerton, are outraged at the proposed conversion of the former Chapel of
CONFUSION surrounds the future of the Ice Hockey Superleague's South Yorkshire franchise after a "decision" to allow the Sheffield Steelers to join the British National League. The decision was apparently made by the BNL late on Saturday afternoon, however
PEOPLE who took part in Teesside's Great Hip and Knee Walk presented £15,000 to hospital staff. Hundreds of people stepped out for the fundraising event in June. Half the proceeds will be spent on local orthopaedic projects, with the remainder going to
ORGANISERS of a village disco have criticised youngsters for staying away. The disco, targeted at 14 to 17 year olds to keep them off the streets, was planned by staff at Hurworth Grange community centre, who booked a DJ. Non-alcoholic drinks were available
POLICE have arrested seven men, four from South Shields and three from Darlington, in connection with an assault on Yarm High Street, on Saturday, July 21. The 46-year-old male victim, from Hartlepool, remains in a critical but stable condition at James
MARTIN Love passed 1,000 championship runs for the season as he and Jimmy Daley carried Durham to a seven-wicket win at Kidderminster yesterday. The second win of the season halted a run of three defeats in four games but probably comes too late to raise
Nolberto Solano today hit back at claims he'll become the first Premiership star charged in the forged passport scandal. A national tabloid this morning reported that the £10 million-rated Newcastle midfielder, 26, will be accused after a six-month probe
A Chinese chess set was taken by thieves who broke into a Wear Valley carpet warehouse last week. More than £4,000-worth of computer equipment was also taken in the burglary at Riding Hall Carpets, Low Willington. Detective Sergeant Kieran Reed, of Crook
CONSERVATIONISTS have lost their fight to stop a store in an historic city market place having a video screen in its window. A planning inspector has overturned a planning enforcement notice that Durham City Council issued against national record store
A MAN was rescued by firefighters when his flat became engulfed in flames. Firefighters were called to the kitchen fire at Walpole Street, Middlesbrough, at about 4am on Saturday morning after neighbours heard the smoke alarm. The 23-year-old was asleep
IMPROVEMENT work on a Darlington estate's community hall has started after residents raised half of the £22,000 cost. The other half of the money needed to renovate Salutation Hall, on the Hummersknott estate, was put forward by the church. It is hoped
THE first group of candidates to complete a customised course in healthcare management have graduated. Nineteen managers and team leaders of the Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland Mental Health NHS Trust undertook the five-week course to earn
THE 20-year battle to improve road safety on one of the country's most deadly roads could be over within days. Dozens have died on the A66 trans-Pennine route, despite a sustained campaign - supported by the Northern Echo - to have the road fully upgraded
THE drama of a night-time rescue from a flooding North-East village has been brought to life for youngsters in a national magazine. The story of events in Skinningrove, east Cleveland, on November 2 last year has been recreated for youngsters who subscribe
A COUNTY Durham information service has won an award for the legal advice and information it offers the public. Directions, has been providing information on a variety of issues to people in the county for seven years. It has been awarded the Community
YOU couldn't miss Ed Gatenby on his nightly lock down if you were standing at the opposite extreme of the expansive open-plan women's wing. A former national league basketball player, and more than a little brawny, he seems to loom even taller than his
WHEN Stan Young found love through The Northern Echo's contact column, Two's Company, there was one person he never expected to be at his wedding to fiancee Gail Burns. But their blossoming relationship led to Stan tracing the father he thought was dead
Other content from the Darlington & Stockton Times includes : Farming news. Equestrian news. Weekend Times. Auctions.
PARISH councils and builders are to be asked for their views on a local authority's plans to control housing developments. Harrogate Borough Council has produced a draft policy aiming to control the rate of building on greenfield and previously developed
Summer could be a bit of a drama for teacher Belinda Cunningham. Ms Cunningham, who works at Richmond School, North Yorkshire, is among 35 people from across the country joining the Royal Shakespeare Company's summer school, at Stratford-on-Avon. Led
HISTORY came back to life when a city celebrated the life of its patron saint. Regeneration projects in the centre of Ripon, North Yorkshire, meant the traditional parade to mark St Wilfrid's return from exile, in AD686, seemed in jeopardy this year.
THE former leader of Durham County Council is among 12 former councillors to be honoured for their long service. Don Robson, who was the council's Labour leader for a decade, retired at the elections in June, after 20 years' service and nine years on
A housing scheme aimed at enhancing a rundown part of a town is being blocked by a dispute over a "ransom strip" of land which is preventing access to the site. Outline planning permission has already being granted for the new housing development at Wood
A NEWTON Aycliffe school was still buzzing with activity - two weeks after the end of term. Greenfield Community and Arts Centre has been playing host to two out-of-school initiatives - Sedgefield Borough Council's tennis school and Durham County Council's
A POPULAR North-East music venue will have tributes to two of the world's greatest bands as its star attractions next month. Graf Zeppelin and U2our will perform free shows at The Emporium, in Stockton's High Street. The Led Zeppelin tribute band will
A BOWLING Club is looking forward to the official opening of its £22,000 pavilion this weekend. The pavilion at Sherburn Village Bowling Club's green ,has been built with a £19,878 grant from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust. The club also raised £2,500
