ALAN SHEARER led Newcastle back to the top of the Premiership as Bobby Robson's men enjoyed a convincing Boxing Day victory over troubled Middlesbrough in the 100th League meeting between the sides. Arsenal's 2-1 home win against Chelsea earlier in the
Darlington's third division clash with Carlisle has been postponed along with Hartlepool's game with Scunthorpe at Victoria Park. After an early morning pitch inspection at Carlisle's Brunton Park stadium, the referee informed both sides that the pitch
A TEENAGER with a string of annoying habits is to star in the nation's latest reality TV show. Chris Nevin, of Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire, will join ten other contestants on Cruel Winter, a new programme broadcast on youth channel Trouble. The 18-year-old
NEARLY 47 years ago, retired machine operator Derek White sat in his local pub and played his first game of dominoes. Surrounded by his mates, and supping a pint of best bitter, the then 21-year-old parted with half a crown unaware that he was about to
Tommy Taylor wants the Darlington players to ensure all of last week's hard training doesn't go to waste this afternoon when he takes his side across to Carlisle. The team last week trained without a day off in preparation for the visit of Cheltenham
CONSERVATIONISTS who branched out with a successful tree preservation scheme have been honoured for their work protecting woodlands. Durham County Council was the only North-East local authority to receive an award during a ceremony at the House of Lords
HUNDREDS of families were forced to lock themselves indoors on Christmas Eve after toxic gas spilled out of a chemical complex. Residents on Teesside were ordered indoors and told to lock doors and windows after a leak of thermex gas from the Wilton International
POLICE issued the clearest message yet that there would be no let up in the war against drugs in the North-East when they raided a suspected dealer's home on Christmas morning. Officers in Middlesbrough announced three weeks ago they would arrest "a dealer
In this year's Christmas message Queen Elizabeth was in a solemn mood and reflected on the evel of the September 11 terrorist outrages. Delivering her 50th Christmas broadcast, which was cast on television, radio and Internet broadcast, she acknowledged
PRAISE has been heaped on a North-East local authority helping to create new additions to the region's skyline. Gateshead Borough Council's latest accolade came from Stephen Byers, the Minister whose brief includes local government. He held up the borough
AS the North-East basked in festive sunshine at least two people from the region were guaranteed a white Christmas on Tuesday, in one of the most inhospitable places on earth. Instead of turkey with all the trimmings, Captain Harry Scrope and Sergeant
AN eight-year-old North-East girl, who touched the nation with her secret diary describing the loss of her pet cow during the foot-and-mouth cull, has found a new animal friend. Jessica Cleminson's faith in God and mankind was rocked when Ministry of
THOUSANDS of viewers witnessed the delight of a brave North-East youngster during a surprise visit to Santa in the Arctic Circle. Emma Doree and her family were accompanied by presenter Gabby Roslin as part of the BBC programme Rolf's Merry Christmas,
POWERFUL computer equipment taken in a raid on a North-East university science complex, may have been stolen to order for a foreign buyer. Police confirmed last night that valuable research data taken in the raid on Durham University's science site may
BARRING a fall, French ace First Gold should have all the answers in today's big race, the £150,000 King George V1 Chase at Kempton. It would be nice to think the money was safe on home soil, but if events last year are anything to go by then First Gold
STUDENT Jef Trousdale celebrated his birthday in high-flying style, thanks to his wife. The 37-year-old, from New Marske, Redcar, piloted himself in cyber-space with the help of a Tornado flight simulator at RAF Leeming. His wife, Alison, teaches guitar
STANLEY police station is not where most of us would wish to spend a cold night in December. But, for four hungry puppies on the point of freezing to death, it was doggie heaven as they were spoilt by officers on the nightshift. The pups were found by
SUZY Cooper thinks carefully before telling me about her pantomime debut at York Theatre Royal. "I'm not going to say what my age is but I've done eight pantomimes there," she says. The actress has been given honorary membership of Berwick Kaler's club
WHAT a jolly lot you are. The Northern Echo was inundated with entries for our Ho Ho Homes competition. The contest, run in conjunction with Century FM, to find the best-decorated house in the region has seen some impressive entries from across the North-East
BOBBY ROBSON has saluted the role of running machine Gary Speed in Newcastle's sprint to the front of the Premiership pack. Welsh international Speed has clocked up 335 Premiership appearances, more than anyone in the game. And the former Leeds and Everton
STAFF have been placed on alert after a group of youngsters tried to disrupt a carol service. The group ran amok outside Ripon Cathedral, North Yorkshire, letting out cat-calls and noises aimed at spoiling the service. The cathedral has suffered from
Chris Lloyd presents the first installment of a two-part Christmas ghost story which is based, rather losely, on a true event. This lady who in violence died, Left her blood, that none could hide, Her desolate vigil, still to keep, While Darlington folk
LIKE most other children of her age, Katie Meehan is enjoying a magical Christmas, but the brave six-year-old and her family know that another major trauma is only weeks away. Katie, from South Shields, South Tyneside, has a condition called cystic hygroma
THE festive season ended on a sour note for brass band member Roger Taylor after thieves broke into his car and stole his prized cornet. The 19-year-old, who plays with the Rowntree Band in York, has made an appeal for help to track down the rare instrument
TWO GOALS in the first half from Republic of Ireland international Niall Quinn gave Sunderland their first top-flight victory at Ewood Park for 54 years and ended a sorry run of four consecutive away defeats. Peter Reid's men hit top form in a scintillating
THE Yorkshire Dales have been identified as one of the best areas for breeding wading birds in England. Officers from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds worked with their counterparts in the National Park authority to carry out a survey that
A 25-year-old Teesside man was lucky to escape with his life after vandals set fire to a car outside his home in the early hours of Boxing Day. Firefighters arrived at Bow Street, Middlesbrough, at 2.15am on Wednesday as the blaze from a Ford Fiesta quickly
THE Queen and the Archbishop of Canterbury yesterday expressed the hope that faith may help good come out of the evil perpetrated on September 11. That has to be the fervent wish of the entire civilised world. The next few weeks and months in Afghanistan
FIVE children were arrested and a sixth was detained in hospital after the car they were travelling in crashed while being pursued by a police car. A 13-year-old girl was cut free from the wreckage and taken to Newcastle General Hospital suffering from
ONLY the Sunday Club, a group of dales farmers with a wicked sense of humour, could come up with the idea of holding a chocolate cake competition in the midst of recent snowstorms. The club, which has become notable for staging such events as pork pie
LITTLE Louis Baxter is the best Christmas present his proud parents could have wished for. The tot, who was three months old yesterday, spent the day being spoiled by his family at their home in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham. For his parents, Jackie
A NORTH-EAST hospital had a power failure after it was struck by lightning. The incident happened just after 1.30pm on Saturday when the University Hospital of Hartlepool was struck in what was described by onlookers as a "freak piece of lightning." The
GOLF and gardens are not always good bedfellows. Even replaced divots can look unsightly in immaculate lawns, while shrubbery can be very reluctant to yield up lost balls. But if golf's your passion and gardens are your wife's there can be no finer place
A COUNTRYSIDE watchdog wants councillors to be sent on training courses so they can better appreciate the challenges facing farmers as the rural economy battles with the aftermath of foot-and-mouth disease. The Country Land and Business Association (CLA
THE funeral of a four-year-old girl who fell to her death from a bedroom window will be held this week. Lyndsey Churlish plunged 20ft from an open window at the back of her home in Wood View, Trimdon Station, last Tuesday. Mother Suzanne discovered her
LOCAL MPs have been asked to help a North-East council win more Government cash, after provisional funding figures left the borough near the bottom of the national "funding league" for the year ahead. When the Government announced how much grant money
Young footballers have the chance to learn more about the game on Christmas coaching courses. Sunderland Football Club's coaching staff will be running soccer schools during the festive break for youngsters aged four to 14. Development officer Bob Oates
FRIENDS and colleagues have donated more than £600 to a trust fund set up by the family of a four-year-old suffering from a mystery illness that could claim her life. Rosie Henry was a normal, happy child until she contracted the illness which is attacking
A NORTH YORKSHIRE company is giving Leeds United fans something to look forward to - even if recent controversies have taken the shine off performances on the pitch. York construction company Yorkon is building its 200th McDonald's restaurant, opposite
A PLEA has been made by North Yorkshire MP John Greenway for a flood defence scheme for Norton and Malton to go ahead as a priority, despite the cost rocketing by £1.3m. The Government is expected to pay 65 per cent of the extra cost, but the Yorkshire
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren has warned his side they could be facing the future champions at St. James' Park this afternoon. Bobby Robson's Newcastle are surprise Premiership leaders ahead of the Boxing Day programme. But England coach McClaren
REPUBLIC of Ireland international Jason McAteer believes that Sunderland could benefit from the impatience of fans at his old club Blackburn Rovers when the sides meet at Ewood Park this afternoon. McAteer, who has proved to be a snip at £1m, has no fears
CHRIS TURNER will be hoping for a festive repeat as he leads his Hartlepool United side into a tasty programme. Pool entertain Scunthorpe this afternoon, before Leyton Orient arrive at Victoria Park and Pool go to Hull on New Year's Day. Saturday's point
IN the closest title race for years, any one of six teams could be top of the league come January 2. The traditionally tight Christmas programme sees most sides play three games in seven games, providing an excellent guide to the ones likely to stay the
LEEDS UNITED I COULDN'T stop at least one eyebrow rising at Chris Webber's front page (Echo, Dec 17) report that Jonathan Woodgate is "to move to Leeds and away from the temptations of his home town of Middlesbrough". But it is no surprise to read of
A MODEL made from craft card and balsa wood has helped to recreate part of a village's industrial past. Pensioner Bill Colley, from Wear View, Byers Green, near Spennymoor, County Durham, has been making models of the region's industry since 1979. His
A TEENAGER, who was left paralysed after an accident on his BMX bike, has astounded doctors by returning home for the festive season. Experts had feared that 14-year-old Gavin Wilson would never be able to breathe without the aid of a ventilator after
