RICHMOND magistrates' court is one of four in North Yorkshire expected to close following a review of the service across the county. The courthouse, along with those in Pickering, Whitby and Selby, is listed for eventual closure in consultation papers
LOCAL people, unable to afford the full cost of a new house in Redcar, are being invited to initially buy a 50 to 75 percent stake in the property of their choice. The invitation is being extended on a new housing development at Mickledales, where Yuill
THE Yorkshire Pantry has received £150,000 to help its members recover from the impact of foot-and-mouth. Mr John Partridge, project officer for the regional association of food and drink producers and processors, said it was a tremendous incentive for
A PIONEERING scheme to bring together community groups under one roof is to be tested in Brotton. The scheme, which goes under the working title of the One Stop Shop, hopes to open before Christmas in a former hairdresser's shop on Laburnum Road. The
A £43M shopping complex which is expected to revitalise the fortunes of a North-East town centre was opened yesterday by soap star Stephen Beckett. Stephen, who is best known as Dr Matt Ramsden in Coronation Street, helped the Mayor of Stockton, Councillor
A RAIDER wearing a Halloween mask threatened a shop assistant with a screwdriver before making off with money from the till. The man, who was wearing a green mask trimmed with ginger hair, walked into the Co-op in Front Street, Coxhoe, at around 8.20pm
Marske United chairman John Hodgson has paid tribute to outgoing manager Charlie Bell. Bell, along with assistant manager Steve Dowling, stunned the club by announcing that they were quitting after six years in joint charge at Mount Pleasant. "The news
A MAN whose decomposed remains were discovered in woodland died from hanging, a post-mortem examination established late yesterday. But the identity of the body was still a mystery last night despite a team of police officers working on the case. The
THE Bass North Cleveland Cricket League is looking for applications from local cricket clubs to join the league at its AGM in December. The area ranges from Staithes, on the North Yorkshire border, through East Cleveland and Teesside to Norton and Hartlepool
EFFORTS to keep track of dogs on Wearside have taken to the roads. A rider on a bright yellow scooter is travelling the area, offering to microchip people's pets in their own homes. The initiative is part of the National Canine Defence League's (NCDL)
CONCERN has been expressed over a shortage of accommodation in Darlington for homeless people who use drugs. Those working with the homeless have called for better provision for people living on the streets who are dependent on illegal substances and
TWO groups in Bedale have got together to put on the biggest firework display the town has ever seen. The community bonfire committee and the Bedale 750 steering group have agreed to pool their resources to put on a firework spectacular and bonfire on
Durham League - A full programme of Durham womens league fixtures was completed this week and it is beginning to look as though Tyneside are trying to wipe out all of the existing Durham League scoring records. Three games, three 'ton-up' victories, who
The Darlington Motor Factors second Division Cup semi finals were the highlight of the days action - although there were no surprise winners at the end of the day. Hurworth Albion and Shuttle & Loom - two newly promoted teams - won their respective
Sunderland striker Niall Quinn faces a late fitness test before the match against his former club Arsenal at the Stadium of Light. But the Black Cats should be boosted by the return of defender Emerson Thome, while Jason McAteer is set for his home debut
Most professional photographers, never mind keen and able amateurs, would give their back teeth to have their work published in a large and glossy coffee table edition. "I'm so lucky," said new author, Mr Neville Turner. "Here I am, a country vet with
TROUBLED train operator Arriva Northern was fined a record £2m as it confirmed plans last night to cut 1,100 services a week this winter. The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) said it was imposing the massive fine for cancelled services and warned the company
'WHAT do you want for Christmas" asked the department store Santa. "A cure for leukaemia please," replied the child. That bitter-sweet exchange provides a stark insight into the effect on a family of having a brother or sister with a life-threatening
After two years of research, the national Sleep Council is today calling for the end of the nine-to-five working day. Experts have revealed that the natural sleeping pattern of the human race is not suited to the standard working day. The Sleep Council
There was a noticeable absentee at the launch of the new British movie Gabriel And Me. The name of Billy Elliot didn't pass the lips of the cast and backers as they faced the media before the world premiere of the North-East set film. This is odd as the
NEW homes are being sought for two dogs. One-year-old Scooby and five-year-old Lassie are being cared for at the Blue Acre Kennels in Coxhoe after their owners decided they could no longer look after them. A spokeswoman for the kennels said: "Lassie needs
A PUBLIC inquiry by the European Parliament into the Government's handling of the foot-and-mouth crisis could be under way within months, MEPs claimed yesterday. European MPs claim they already have the backing of 25 per cent of the parliament - the number
PARISHIONERS have joined forces to organise a sale to raise money for their church. The sale of work will take place at St James the Great Church, Albert Hill, Darlington, on Saturday, November 10. People from the parish will sell home-made candles, cakes
A DARLINGTON couple have become the first on the town's Firthmoor estate to take delivery of a compost bin as part of a drive to encourage recycling. Alf and Win Crow received the bin as part of a scheme financed with £4,500 from the County Durham Environmental
Heather Rankin, from Darlington, will be going for gold next month when she collects an award from the Duke of Edinburgh. Heather, 20, of Galloway, has qualified for the gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, which will be presented to her at St James's Palace
A YOUTH club is hoping members from the past 50 years will turn up for a reunion next month. The Shildon Methodist Youth Connection, widely known until the late 1970s as The Wes, started life in the 1950s and has been attended by hundreds of people in
Darlington enjoyed double success last weekend as their Premier Division side began to flex their muscles in the British League with a smooth 11-3 win over Kingfisher Reading, but once again their exploits were overshadowed by a stunning performance by
FAMILIES with tiny tots took the chance to give their children a sure start in life thanks to a fun day with a serious message in Eston yesterday. The event was one of a series of activities being launched by the new Sure Start scheme in Grangetown, South
Letters from The Northern Echo COMEDY DOUBLE ACTS IF the names you selected were your idea of the all-time greats of comedy (Echo, Oct 20) you should go and lie down in a dark corner until you recover from whatever ails you. There is no way that Numbers
A PIONEERING scheme to bring together community groups under one roof is to be tested in an east Cleveland village. The scheme, which goes under the working title of the One Stop Shop, hopes to open in Brotton before Christmas in a former hairdressers
Spennymoor Boxing Academy are looking forward to their annual boxing dinner which precedes a trip across the Atlantic to take on a world-renowned Chicago boxing club. The successful club will box in the USA against the Chicago Golden Gloves team but first
I LOVED Dava Sobel's Longitude. In the same scientific vein, Simon Winchester could do for the history of geology what she did for horology with The Map That Changed The World: The Tale of William Smith and the Birth of a Science (Viking £12.99). It's
FRESH plans have been submitted to demolish a Darlington town centre house that was saved earlier this year after a public outcry backed by architects. Darlington Building Society withdrew its plans to raze Chesterfield - at the junction of Stanhope Road
CHILDREN have a special ability to be funny, simply by hearing words differently. A dad I know called Dave was enjoying a word game with his two little girls at bathtime. The girls took it in turns to choose a letter, think of a fruit, vegetable or animal
LACK of sufficient investment is at the root of the mounting problems facing Britain's railways. It was the overriding factor which brought down Railtrack and brought it back under effective public control. Starved of adequate resources to upgrade and
MANY of the world's great superstars were playing golf, or something akin to it, in the Dunhill Links tournament in Scotland last weekend. We can only assume that Irish icon Keith Wood turned down his invitation to hob-nob round St Andrews and Carnoustie
Spennymoor manager Peter Quigley was full of praise for Evenwood after his team's shock defeat by the Northern League minnows in the Durham Challenge Cup on Tuesday night. Moors lost 2-1 to a team struggling near the bottom of the league, and Quigley
NEWCASTLE Jesters' would-be coach Glenn Mulvenna would not rule out a return to the region next year if new owners were able to resurrect the club. But, following Wednesday's long-expected collapse of the franchise, his immediate future is uncertain.
MARKS and Spencer celebrated a century of shopping in Stockton this week. Entertainment and a visit from Coronation Street's two-timing doctor Matt Ramsden, alias actor Stephen Beckett, were among the attractions. He stepped in at the last minute to replace
CENTURIES-old saints have been given a modern-day shield to protect them from young vandals. The Roman Catholic parish of St Joseph's, in Coundon, near Bishop Auckland, County, Durham, has taken the drastic step of covering its 11 stained glass windows
Worthington CIU Winter League -Shotton Palms became the early leaders of the First Division after they whitewashed the visiting, newly-promoted Ferryhill. The home sides winners were John Armstrong, Paul Hickman, Jimmy Evans, Dave Swindle and Barry Hall
A PROJECT that provides support for young people who care for sick or disabled relatives has been awarded £42,000. Derwentside Young Carers, based in Stanley, received the grant from the Northern Rock Foundation. The scheme, which is run by children's
JOY Brook should be able to spot more than a few familiar faces in the audience when she performs in Four Nights in Knaresborough at the Civic theatre in Darlington. It is the 32-year-old, Scarborough-born actress' first appearance on stage in the North-East
ONLY one in three garages across North Yorkshire is giving good value for money when it comes to car servicing, say consumer watchdogs. An investigation by the county's trading standards officials revealed that two-thirds of vehicles were not receiving
THE schoolwatch scheme in Hartlepool has received £5,000 from the National Lottery Fund. The scheme encourages pupils, parents and residents to take an active part in helping to reduce incidents of crime and damage committed in their schools after hours
MIDDLESBROUGH have suffered another blow as they attempt to get away from the lower reaches of North Division One. Player-coach Jon Wrigley has a dead leg and will miss tomorrow's tough match at Aspatria, when Boro will try a new half back combination
GRAVE forecasts that Wear Valley's workforce is declining, leaving a growing retired population, has led to a call for action to reverse the trend. Wear Valley's workforce is expected to decline at an alarming rate over the next few years as younger people
GUISBOROUGH'S purple patch continued last Saturday when they won a pulsating match at Doncaster against Northern Counties East side Hatfield Main. They emerged 4-3 victors from the type of game which strikers relish and defenders dread. The Priorymen
Junior round-up - Whitley Tomahawks are still without a victory in the English Junior (Under 16) North A League. The latest defeat came from an 8-4 home defeat at the hands of Kingston Crunch at Hillheads. Kingston unbeaten and league leaders were ahead
MANY of the world's great superstars were playing golf, or something akin to it, in the Dunhill Links tournament in Scotland last weekend. We can only assume that Irish icon Keith Wood turned down his invitation to hob-nob round St Andrews and Carnoustie
There was a noticeable absentee at the launch of the new British movie Gabriel And Me. The name of Billy Elliot didn't pass the lips of the cast and backers as they faced the media before the world premiere of the North-East set film. This is odd as the
PRISONER Cell Block H is a television series about low life in an Australian women's jail. The guides term it "low budget", too, a euphemism for "cheap", though whether cheap and nasty is a matter of opinion and manifestly not Tony Duffy's. Tony has not
SUPERMARKET bosses met planning chiefs this week in a last-ditch attempt to prevent the Tesco store in Northallerton store closing for six weeks. The company is building a bigger store next to its current outlet in East Road. In a similar scheme to its
AN increase in council tax above the rate of inflation is on the way for North Yorkshire next year. Council leader John Weighell said the increasee was inevitable if the authority was to improve and develop its services. He said that clear priorities
WOOD producers are receiving the same prices today as they did in 1976 - and inflation means that, in real terms, the price is only a quarter of what it was then. The harsh reality was spelled out by Mr Martin Clark, a former lecturer in forestry economics
RICHMOND traders are to take themed markets to a new dimension as efforts continue to attract shoppers. A farmers' market is now a monthly event in the cobbled market square, but stallholders from both regular outdoor and indoor markets have been working
THE average price of a home in the North York Moors national park has soared to more than £160,000 - 25pc up on last year. The new survey says the price rules out any hope of many local residents working in the park being able to afford to buy. The figure
GREAT Ayton dominated the first half of their match against Hinderwell, but they failed to capitalise and it was Hinderwell who were a goal up at the break when Lythe took his chance after a good break. In the second half Ayton changed their tactics and
YOUNGSTERS have been given a taste of life in the driving seat as part of a scheme to make them better drivers. The Megadrive scheme has been operating in the Langbaurgh Police area for the last four years and Cleveland Police believe it is so successful
THE Quakers have a new manager. Darlington FC yesterday appointed Tommy Taylor to replace Gary Bennett, who resigned on Wednesday. The former Leyton Orient boss has been given a contract until the end of the season, at which point the Third Division club
Around 11m smuggled cigarettes have been seized by customs officers in one of the biggest operations ever mounted in the North-East. Customs and police officers confiscated the massive haul after carrying out two raids on vehicles on the A1 earlier this
FORMER Tory leader William Hague yesterday vowed to step up an inquiry into the treatment of a senior Army officer who claims he suffered race discrimination and harassment. Lieutentant Colonel Surinder Saggar, who now lives near Richmond, North Yorkshire
A project to capture the work of a fishing community on canvas has been given a £10,000 boost. The grant, from Yorkshire Arts, will help to launch Scarborough Art Gallery's Fisherman's Choice exhibition. Work on the project is due to get under way shortly
FAMILIES who were devastated by severe floods claim that despite defences costing more than £1m, their homes are still at risk. Three times last year, filthy water poured into people's homes at Skinningrove when the beck burst its banks. Since then, Redcar
THE Under-11s four match winning streak came to an end on Sunday with a 4-2 home to defeat by Newbottle in a Premier League fixture. Newbottle were 2-0 up after 15 minutes on a day where Byers struggled to find their usual fluency. Richard Suddes however
BUSINESS advisors hit the right note with a piano company. Washington business Key Pianos has grown since it asked Business Link Tyne and Wear for advice on countering a drop in sales. The company has been appointed as regional dealer for Steinway pianos
THE Friends of Willington Primary School, County Durham, turned the sky red to raise money for pupils' activities. Staff and children, above, launched more than 300 red balloons into the sky and watched as they drifted into the distance. In the next few
COUNCILLORS worried about vandalism have delayed a decision on whether to spend £15,700 on refurbishing public toilets at Stokesley. Health officers are to take another report to the Hambleton council cabinet after concern was expressed about some of
A policeman who hung himself felt trapped in his job and was disheartened after a letter of complaint about policing was sent to the Chief Constable, an inquest heard today. Twenty-seven-year-old PC Andrew Miller was found hanging in the home he shared
COUNCILLORS are holding surgeries at the following Redcar and Cleveland wards: Today: Guisborough, Chapel Beck Community Centre, 6-7pm. Tomorrow: Longbeck, New Marske Sports Club, 11am-noon; Guisborough, Guisborough Library, 11am-noon; Kirkleatham, Larkswood
RAIL users will have the chance to question representatives of Arriva Trains Northern and the British Transport Police next week. Meetings, which have been arranged by the Saltburn Line User Group, are concerned with new initiatives and passenger security
DAILY flights between Newcastle and Belfast Airport vacated by North-East operator Gill Air are set to be boosted from four to five. The move announced by British European airlines bucks the general downward trend in the airline industry caused by the
A MAN has been arrested in connection with the killing of a young Consett woman just days before the fifth anniversary of her death. Julie Smailes, a 27-year-old computer sales manager, was tied up, strangled and stabbed more than 50 times. A spokesman
MIDDLESBROUGH Football Club chairman Steve Gibson was last night named as the winner of The Northern Echo's Lifetime of Achievement Award at the Tees Valley Business Show. Mr Gibson, was the unanimous choice of the judges for the impact he has made as
STAFF on the night shift in the casualty department of a North Yorkshire hospital were terrified by the antics of a troublemaker. The man stormed past the reception desk at Harrogate District Hospital and demanded instant treatment, the town's magistrates
Glenn Nicie says it's like comparing a burger van to a fancy restaurant. "Both sell food but are very different," he says. Except food isn't his business. He's operations manager of For Your Eyes Only, a national chain of tableside dancing clubs preparing
A CHARITY offering young homeless people in Darlington an alternative to sleeping rough is desperate for new volunteers. Nightstop offers young people temporary accommodation while a more permanent home is being sought. The charity depends entirely on
A BAND of St Trinian's schoolgirls took over the running of a Guisborough charity shop yesterday as part of a day of events aimed at encouraging more volunteers. The staff at the Help the Aged shop in the Market Place dressed up as schoolgirls and provided
A ten-year-old boy badly burned when he was pushed into a bonfire, and a policeman left gasping for air after tackling a firework-ignited blaze are being used to illustrate the dangers of Bonfire Night. Washington schoolboy Paul Blyth is one example of
CHILDREN have a special ability to be funny, simply by hearing words differently. A dad I know called Dave was enjoying a word game with his two little girls at bathtime. The girls took it in turns to choose a letter, think of a fruit, vegetable or animal
SEVERAL readers wrote to me following my notes about hedges some weeks ago. Most raised follow-up questions relating to the repair and renovation of old hedges and problems of general cultivation but one letter broached the all-important subject of choosing
TINY tots dished out some seasonal cheer to their elderly neighbours at harvest time last week. The 20 young members of a Surestart Wear Valley's Get Crafty class packed fruit and vegetables for distribution to pensioners at Henknowle, near Bishop Auckland
USERS of the local rail services serving the towns of Northallerton, Thirsk and Darlington will be justifiably angry about train operator Arriva's announcement this week. The modified winter timetable simply defines as acceptable the service passengers
EXAM results in a North-East city have improved by nearly double the national average. The percentage of pupils in Sunderland gaining five or more A* to C grade GCSEs rose by one per cent to 39.5 per cent. Figures during the past three years show Sunderland
THE rise in house prices slowed in September to the lowest level since April, according to a new survey. However, there was a North-South split in the market, according to the research by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The South showed
YOUNGSTERS in a County Durham village have their own youth club, thanks to some of their older friends. Members of the Bowburn Youth Project, near Durham City, have set up youth club sessions for younger children. The sessions are aimed at eight to 11
A museum could be opened in Marske thanks to the donation of a Grade II listed building by a local man. Jack Anderson died in May and bequeathed the 17th Century Winkies Castle, in the High Street, to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council with a collection
SCHOOLchildren in Darlington could win their class a holiday by taking part in conservation and environmental projects. The Barclaycard Living Land Awards, run in conjunction with the Young People's Trust for the Environment (YPTE), is a nationwide competition
CUDDLY-TOY loving youngsters looked to the skies as four globe-trotting teddy bears were given a send-off from a picnic at Gateshead International Stadium yesterday. A conga around the North-East running track waved the bears off as they travel with four
A BRIDE who died two days before her wedding has given a new lease of life to five patients waiting for transplant organs. Miss Penelope Taylor, aged 27, from Neasham, was due to marry Mr Paul Gibson at All Saints' church, Hurworth, on Saturday, September
FIREFIGHTING equipment from the Wilton International site on Teesside is being used to improve the fire service in Africa. Enron, which provides the services and utilities on one of Europe's largest petrochemical complexes, is donating five sets of breathing
Emergency Services League - Durham HQ kept the pressure on leaders Frankland with their sixth straight win. Tony Insall scored all his side's goals in their 3-2 win at Langbaurgh for whom Darren Henry and Mick Campbell got the goals. Frankland stay top
AS John Heslop walks across his fields, there is a frantic flapping of wings and a pair of partridges rise majestically into the air. Everywhere there is the sweet sound of birdsong and the rough grassland margins along the edges of the fields rustle
A MAN was jailed yesterday for taking indecent photographs of a schoolgirl, which he stored on his computer. Factory worker Thomas Thorman, 35, was arrested by detectives from Cleveland Police's child protection unit investigating allegations made by
A mother wept for her dead baby yesterday - only days away from giving birth again. Annette Whalley's first baby, Liam, was just three days old when he died of a rare condition last August. Now Annette, 40, is expecting a baby in 17 days time. Her husband
A MAN drowned after being hit by a huge wave, an inquest was told yesterday. Kevin Scott, 20, of Fabian Road, Eston, near Middlesbrough, and three friends went to watch the rough seas, near Redcar, east Cleveland, in February. He led the way along a concrete
The rarest football cigarette card ever seen by collectors has been uncovered by an auctioneer. Even the most fanatical card collectors never even knew the Rutherford's Cigarette's card existed until a couple of weeks ago. The 100-year-old card features
HUNTSMAN skipped into the second round of the League Cup with an 8-4 over Brandon Brawns Den. It was hardly the most convincing performance from an in-form Huntsman side, and shoddy defending nearly cost them this game against their Second Division opposition
Sedgefield Town Council is holding a fireworks and lantern display in the grounds of Ceddesfeld Hall on Saturday, November 3, at 6.30pm. Admission will be £1 for adults and 50p for children who must be accompanied. Town clerk Lesley Swinbank has advised
CRIME, job insecurity and television have all led to a decline in community spirit in County Durham says new research. A survey by the Co-operative Insurance Society, released to coincide with Make a Difference Day on October 27, reveals that people in
THE threat of a bombing raid by the Luftwaffe began the romance of diamond wedding anniversary couple Sam and Doff Riddell. They bumped into each other during a blackout in Staindrop in 1939. Mr Riddell was stationed in Teesdale as his Army regiment prepared
FUNDING has been obtained to create three drop-in cyber cafes in the Sedgefield borough. A £28,000 grant has been secured from the UK Online Centre initiative by Sedgefield Borough Council to purchase computer equipment for cyber cafes in Ferryhill, Shildon
A COUPLE celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary say love, trust and a liking for cycling has kept them together over the years. Charles (Chuck) and Terri Tomlinson, both 80, of Oak Tree Close, Middleton St George, met in Middlesbrough in 1938.
THE chairman of Thirsk skateboard project, Coun Steve Hubbard, is confident that work will start next spring on the long-awaited skate park, to be created at Carrs Field. New plans have now been drawn up and submitted to Hambleton District council for
MIDDLESBROUGH new-boy Franck Queudrue last night warned the Premiership - 'there's plenty more to come'. The left-back, who scored his first goal for Boro on his home debut against Sunderland on Monday night, has made an immediate impact on Steve McClaren's
A TEENAGER who was called "Homing Pigeon Boy" has spurned his latest chance of a fresh start. Shaun McKerry was arrested three times in 11 days in September after being freed from a young offenders institution. He is now once more in detention. Following
A MOTHER is taking her fight to a European court to determine why her daughter died. Linda Hill says she has exhausted all legal avenues in this country in her campaign to find out the circumstances surrounding the death of her daughter, Jodey Slater,
It's been a busy week at Feethams with Gary Bennett stepping down on Wednesday and Tommy Taylor taking over the reins on Thursday. Despite chairman George Reynolds' insistence that Bennett was one of the best young coaches in the country, the Quakers
TRESPASSERS trying to cut through a fence at a quarry where an 11-year-old boy died, told safety inspectors they needed the wire mesh to make a rabbit hutch. Health and Safety Executive inspectors were carrying out an investigation into the death of Gavin
EVEN before the foot-and-mouth epidemic the countryside was in crisis. Since 1997 farm incomes had fallen by three-quarters to their lowest level since the 30s, farmers' profits were at their lowest level since the Deloitte and Touche farm surveys began
DETECTIVES have questioned a 45-year-old man who claims to be "Soldier David" - the man behind a string of threatening letters and malicious calls. But police said last night that the investigation into the letters was still going on. For two years, staff
A HOUSING association is planning to demolish several houses on an estate that was once so popular new residents were given maps to find their way around it. B&N Housing have lodged a planning application with Stockton Borough Council for permission
CAMPAIGNERS are going all out to raise enough cash for a study into a new swimming pool for Guisborough. A steering group says £10,000 is needed to take the venture forward. The town council has already made it clear it cannot back the campaign with cash
A NEW service for drug and alcohol users has been launched in Derwentside. The Fraser House Partnership, based in Palmerston Street in Consett, will provide a range of services for substance misusers. These include information, support, counselling and
A VILLAGE playing field is to be improved, thanks to a community group. The Brotton Community Forum has almost £2,000 to spend as a result of donations from steel giant Corus, Skelton and Brotton Parish Council and the Brotton Millennium Group. The forum
A MUSEUM could be built in Marske thanks to the donation of a grade II listed building by a local man. Jack Anderson died in May and bequeathed the 17th century grade II listed Winkies Castle, on the High Street, to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
Darlington Harriers - The senior women have regained the Stuart Pailor Trophy after a five-year gap. A team Bernadette Taylor ran 6:05.00 first leg, Georgina Rutherford 6:29.00 second leg and Joanne Short 6:41 third leg. The B team was Marion Bynoe 7.33
HEALTH chiefs are concerned at Durham County Council's plans to close 17 of its 25 residential homes for the elderly. This month South Durham NHS trust had to delay discharging 67 of its patients from its seven hospitals. Nineteen were in Darlington Memorial
PEOPLE living in East Cleveland are being urged to use taxis rather than buses. A councillor says it is cheaper and more convenient for a family to take a cab. And he predicts that if fare rises keep outstripping cost of living increases, bus firms will
IN the brilliant autumn sunshine, two figures stand side by side as they watch children gathering leaves. One is famous cricketer's wife and socialite Jemima Khan, the other Guisborough grandmother Hermione Youngs. The contrast may appear stark, but the
A MAN has been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of a young Consett woman just days before the fifth anniversary of her death. Julie Smailes, a 27-year-old computer sales manager, was tied up, strangled and stabbed more than 50 times. A 30
A £200,000 scheme to stabilise an East Cleveland land slope has been given the go-ahead. And the project is to be treated as a matter of urgency in a bid to head off damage to a potash mine rail link. Fears of flooding in Skinningrove were also voiced
Lealholm won a place in the draw of the next round of the League cup after coming out on top against Anchor in a good competitive game.Both Brown and Whitwell scored in each half to give Lealholm their 4-0 victory. After struggling for a team in the first
HARTLEPOOL United defender Chris Westwood last night revealed he is fit and raring to go. And Westwood, who has been out for the past two months with a hernia problem, is urging manager Chris Turner to put him straight back into action. Pool play Oxford
Five regional development agencies are to share in the extra £15 million announced recently to boost businesses hit by the foot-and-mouth epidemic. The North-West will get the major slice - £7 million. The South-West will receive £3 million and £2 million
A DISCHARGE of mine water on to a popular Durham footpath has been stemmed following intervention from the city's MP. During the summer Gerry Steinberg called on the Coal Authority and Environment Agency to investigate the situation on the riverbanks
One thing is very clear and that is that champions Newton Aycliffe are a shadow of last season's successful side and Archdeacon under the guidance of Mick Duffy are a much improved outfit. In Saturday's only league game early Deacon pressure resulted
Rock bottom Harlow sprang a major surprise when they toppled champions Moortown in the Kall Kwik Harrogate and District Squash League's First Division. Tom Ellis, who plays Premiership Yorkshire League Squash for Chapel Allerton, won at second string
A BAND of St Trinian's schoolgirls took over the running of a Guisborough charity shop yesterday as part of a day of events aimed at encouraging more volunteers. The staff at the Help the Aged shop in the Market Place dressed up as schoolgirls and provided
A CONTROVERSIAL refereeing decision, combined with a brilliant performance from goalkeeper Darren Poole, earned fourth-placed Northallerton Town a vital point against third-placed Easington Colliery. Poole was absolutely outstanding as the visitors, who
POLICE forces across the region have been praised for the largest annual drop in crime figures recorded. The British Crime Survey, published yesterday, revealed that the rate of crime fell by 12 per cent between 1999 and 2000. The survey was based on
A WOMAN was last night in intensive care with a broken neck following a traffic accident. The victim was a passenger in a Ford Ka that was involved in a collision with a Mercedes van in Tyne and Wear on Wednesday. The collision happened just after 8pm
OWNER Martyn Burke and trainer Mick Easterby had to wait a long time at Newmarket before a stewards' inquiry allowed Esyoueffcee to keep the ten-furlong Listed race on Thursday of last week. The filly, named after a certain Sheffield football team, hung
WARNINGS that elderly people's minibus services are threatened have been strongly rejected by three leading Conservative district councillors in Great Ayton. Couns June Imeson, John Fletcher and Len Groves told the parish council that critics of Hambleton
Darlington wasted no time in appointing Gary Bennett's replacement as manager when Tommy Taylor was given the job until the end of the season yesterday. Paul Bracewell, Ian Branfoot and John Aldridge all offered their services, but Darlington opted to
Willington League - Willington Cottles took the last two points to keep the visiting Willington Brewer's Droop without a win this season. The home side only managed singles points from Joe Bone and Andrew Richardson, whilst the Brewer's looked to on their
A UNIQUE christening ceremony brought Yarm High Street shuddering to a halt during the rush-hour. Already clogged with vehicles for Yarm's annual fair, the area was gridlocked last Friday teatime as a tiny baby got an unusual start in life. Crowds gathered
A MAN was left semi-conscious on his driveway after being set upon by three men. Police are appealing for witnesses to the assault, which took place in Netherfields, Middlesbrough, at 8.15pm on Wednesday, near Fullbeck House. The men approached the 40
AFTER three decades of pushing pedals, home care assistant Carol Warley has finally decided to hang up her bicycle clips. Carol, who celebrated her 65th birthday this week, has always used a bike to get around her patch in the Easingwold area of North
MUSEUM staff are turning the clock back to an altogether more genteel time. The Royal Pump Room Museum, in Harrogate, has been staging a series of events to entertain families during the half-term holidays. On Sunday, the museum will recreate the Victorian
A UNION boss has described plans to draft volunteers into libraries as "absolutely outrageous." John McCormack, branch secretary of Unison in Redcar and Cleveland, said he was "totally opposed" to the plans by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. He
AN hotelier has hit out against a local authority decision to take enforcement action to have an unauthorised advertising hoarding removed. Mr Mark Watson, proprietor of the Jersey Farm hotel, near Barnard Castle, had originally sited the A board on a
A TELEVISION weatherman predicted a safer outlook for youngsters at the launch of a cycle helmet campaign. Tyne Tees weatherman Bob Johnson teamed up with Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, Cleveland Police, Tees Health Authority and Spike the Hedgehog
ALMOST all of the 110-mile stretch of the Cleveland Way has re-opened this week. The popular walk has been closed since the start of the foot-and-mouth crisis in February. But with recent risk assessments proving negative, most of the walk is now available
PRISONER Cell Block H is a television series about low life in an Australian women's jail. The guides term it "low budget", too, a euphemism for "cheap", though whether cheap and nasty is a matter of opinion and manifestly not Tony Duffy's. Tony has not
Sir, - In response to Mr Peter Atkinsons' letter "This tawdry war" (D&S letters, Oct 19) I can only presume that this man has written this as some kind of sick joke in order to inflame readers and prompt reaction. So, yes, I am inflamed and yes I
RAIL passengers in the Northallerton, Thirsk, Darlington and Teesside areas will be affected when Arriva temporarily cuts some train services and replaces them with buses from Monday. The company said this week it had been forced to take action because
ONLY 337 out of 2,400 residents on Darlington's Whinfield estate bothered to return a questionnaire to be used in the preparation of a community action plan. A summer event to enable people to look at the findings of the survey was then attended by about
CRIME, job insecurity and television have all led to a decline in community spirit in County Durham according to new research. A survey by the Co-operative Insurance Society, released to coincide with Make a Difference Day, on Saturday, reveals that people
A LORRY repair business is moving from Richmondshire to Middlesbrough following a planning row. Mr Neil Arnold, whose commercial vehicle body shop has operated at Pinkney Carr farm, Manfield, near Richmond, for almost two years, said local pressure had
EFFORTS to keep track of dogs on Wearside have taken to the roads. A rider on a bright yellow scooter is travelling the area, offering to microchip people's pets in their own homes. The initiative is part of the National Canine Defence League's (NCDL)
Jonathan Harries has impressed since becoming a national athletics champion - just months after taking up the sport. The 15-year-old cerebral palsy sufferer won two medals in class six of the National CP Championships in Nottingham; gold in the 800m and
A HUGE order to supply products to Railtrack will safeguard work at two Corus plants in the UK. But while the £100m-plus order will underpin jobs at Workington, where 100 jobs were cut in the past year, and Castleton, Manchester, the steel will be supplied
POLICE are pursuing new lines of inquiry into the alleged death of a flamboyant barrister, accused of spanking junior colleagues. Barry Stewart allegedly lost his fight against breast cancer, a rare condition in men, in August, while waiting for his case
JOHN DUNLOP'S season has not been without its ups and downs because after a flying start his horses went off the boil in mid to late summer. Thankfully all is well again with his team, a fact confirmed by the well-being of Doncaster raider Riverina, who
TOWN councillors at Bedale have had more luck with their second attempt at a public meeting to seek ideas for celebrating the Queen's golden jubilee next year. A special exhibition recalling events of 1952, evening musical entertainment in the market
POLICE are appealing for information after a man died following a fall from his bicycle. The 71-year-old was cycling along Thames Avenue, Guisborough, when he fell off at about 10.30am on Friday. An ambulance was called and he was admitted to Middlesbrough
VISITORS to a museum are being invited to take a closer look at an area through a new exhibition. Kirkleatham Hall Museum, in Redcar, is hosting a display of aerial photographs. The exhibition, which runs until December 16, has been assembled by Tees
QUOTATIONS are elusive little blighters. I half-remembered one, thought it was Shaw and was convinced I knew exactly where I'd seen it. Totally wrong on the last count, it wasn't there at all, but here's the gist of it: don't do unto others as you'd like
A WOODLAND walk in an area free from foot-and-mouth disease restrictions took us well off the beaten track. In beautiful autumn conditions, we strolled among the mixture of maturing conifers and colourful deciduous trees, then came upon a grassy dell
Round two of the North-East Winter League moved to the carp filled waters of Woodland Lakes Carlton Miniott was spread between Curlew, Kestrel, Partridge, Skylark, and Wagtail and there was plenty of sport for all with only two blanks, writes JEFF HERBERT
LIFE isn't always convenient - so a friend discovered on Monday in Redcar. In a week with most authorities marking half-term, in Redcar the main public lavatories are closed for the winter. That's bad news for a lone adult; for an adult taking a family
DURHAM students are set to experience the latest in clubbing. Mobile phone giant Orange's enjoymusicv.2 tour is heading for Durham University's Student Union, one of 40 campuses it is visiting across the country. The tour, making its second stop in Durham
ONE of the all-time musical greats - West Side Story - takes to the stage at the Civic Theatre this week. Darlington Operatic Society is putting on the musical for the first time in its long history and has worked wonders to find 32 young performers to
