The producer of a major new TV series describes it in the following terms: "They are fighting for a place, all they want to do is have sex and take over the world". Goodness, you think, this must be a bonkbuster addition to the late night schedule on
NOT FOR the first time this season, Middlesbrough were unable to find the performance required to take them into the top ten of the Premiership. Back in September Steve McClaren's side were propping up the top-flight after their 4-1 defeat at home to
THE booking of Tony Dobbin for Carbury Cross (2.10) in the £100,000 De Vere Gold Cup at Haydock is a hint not to be missed. Seven days ago at Newcastle Dobbin grabbed the headlines in a similarly high-profile long-distance chase by snatching a last-gasp
MPs were so concerned by a lack of beds at a proposed £97m North-East hospital they considered scrapping it before a brick was laid. In the end, the Government went ahead with the University Hospital of North Durham - ordered by the Conservatives - because
IF it's entertainment and goals you are looking for there's only one place to be. Victoria Park, Hartlepool might seem an unlikely venue to outsiders and cynics alike, but that's where it's happening. Saturday's 5-1 demolition of Southend came on the
It's 18 months late, but the first new crossing over the Thames in more than 100 years opened for good yesterday. And, as Nick Morrison discovers, the North-East provided a steady hand. ITS design may have been an innovation - a shimmering blade of light
Letters from The Northern Echo METRIC MARTYRS ON Monday at the High Court in London, the Metric Martyrs' Appeal was rejected with the damning statement that all EU legislation now overrules British law, upholding the judgement from Sunderland, where the
CHRIS Turner has set his play-off chasing Hartlepool players a minimum 20-point target if they are to stand a chance of realising their ambitions. With 13 games remaining, Pool lie in tenth spot in Division Three on 47 points, just four points out of
NEWCASTLE United boss Bobby Robson has branded as "brainless'' the fans trying to hound Peter Reid out of Sunderland. Ahead of tomorrow's derby between the sides at the Stadium of Light, Robson rounded on the boo -boys who have called for Reid's head
DANISH international goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen believes that Newcastle United can qualify for Europe this season - if they bounce back after losing to Sunderland tomorrow! No-one has done more in recent seasons to thwart the Tynesiders in derby matches
Billy Elliot star Jamie Bell was as shocked as everyone else when asked to step forward to collect the best actor prize at the British Academy Film Awards last year. Few expected the Billingham teenager to beat Hollywood heavyweights like Tom Hanks and
THOSE Ordnance Surveyors who depict churches with towers and churches with spires and churches with nothing much up top at all, would find an awful lot to the square inch in Yarm Road, Stockton. Anglicans, Methodists and Roman Catholics congregate within
GEORGE Reynolds' plans to sell off his chipboard business will come as a bitter blow to the 180 staff who work there. The exuberant chairman of Darlington Football Club had once said he would pass the business to his workforce. But instead, he has chosen
Darlington chairman George Reynolds last night turned the tables on the fans, claiming he is waiting for the Feethams faithful to return before splashing out any cash on the team. Supporters have been crying out for a new striker all season and any hopes
A serial stalker who threatened to sexually mutilate TV vet Trude Mostue is facing life in jail unless he can be cured, a judge warned yesterday. Construction worker John Maynard, from York, is so anxious to receive psychiatric treatment that he has already
BANKS and cigarettes will be the topic of discussion on the market next week. Royal Bank of Scotland is expected to come out with sector-beating profit growth of 25 per cent when it reports on Thursday, fund manager Gerrard said. Overall, profits are
BRITISH Energy hasn't ruled out building another nuclear power plant on Teesside, once an existing operation reaches the end of its life. A plant, costing more than £1bn could be built next to the existing power station in Tees Road, Hartlepool, with
A JUDGE has allowed police more time to investigate the overseas' assets of a convicted drug dealer. Drugs squad officers in County Durham were yesterday granted an extra month to make inquiries into Spanish property and a bank account believed to be
HUNDREDS of North-East workers are anxiously awaiting news of a multi-billion pound US takeover battle that could see their jobs put up for sale. Los Angeles based defence giant Northrop Grumman has tabled a £4 billion bid for TRW which has a car parts
A DRINK-DRIVER who caused the deaths of a six-year-old girl and her grandmother after a pre-Christmas drinks session was facing jail last night. Pensioner Susan Harty was about twice the legal drinkdrive limit when her red Vauxhall Corsa was involved
A NORTH YORKSHIRE company is developing a new type of cattle feed which could provide a welcome boost for beleaguered British farmers . Ecosyl Products Ltd, which invents treatments for cattle and sheep, has won a DTI-funded Smart award to develop a process
TICKETS to see singing sensation Zoe Birkett in the North-East as part of a UK tour have sold out in less than a day. Teenager Zoe, of Darlington, will be starring at the Telewest Arena, Newcastle, with the other finalists from ITV's Pop Idol competition
ENGLAND hero Jonny Wilkinson will be pressed into service for Newcastle at Bristol today following a recurrence of David Walder's hamstring injury. It was planned to rest Wilkinson ahead of England's potential Grand Slam decider against France in Paris
TWO men subjected a friend to a terrifying ordeal of violence for no apparent reason, a court heard yesterday. They pummelled and slashed Paul Clement, 26, for more than half-an-hour before tying him to a chair, threatening to kill him and shaving his
Prior to Saturday's game at home to Torquay, chairman George Reynolds called for the fans to return to Feethams in order to provide transfer funds. It appears not many listened to his comments because only 3,000 turned up and at this rate he'll be lucky
ARRIVA Trains Northern last night signalled a new get-tough approach with striking conductors. The company revealed it was withdrawing rest day working with immediate effect in a bid to hit conductors in the pocket. The tactic is aimed at stopping striking
POLICE have renewed an appeal for help in tracing a road rage attacker who slashed his victim's arm and face. Investigations into the attack, nine months ago, have failed to track down the driver, who used a four-inch knife on his victim. The attack happened
TRANSPORT group Go-Ahead has warned of a further squeeze on profits as air and rail services continue to come under pressure. The Newcastle firm runs the Thames Trains and Thameslink commuter lines, as well as bus services in the UK, and also has a substantial
HIGH-FLYING Newcastle had to thank a former Sunderland player - goalkeeper Shay Given - for a crucial victory in the 122nd Tyne-Wear derby at the Stadium of Light. For while Greek central defender Nikos Dabizas grabbed the match-winning goal to lift the
A TEENAGE killer who strangled his girlfriend was given a four-year prison sentence yesterday - after a court heard he was a victim of domestic violence. Billy Clifton, from Darlington, had originally been charged with murder. But in a highly unusual
STEVE McCLAREN has hailed loan signing Benito Carbone as Middlesbrough's missing link - but warned he must produce goals as well as guile to clinch a permanent move to the Riverside. Carbone has created two goals in as many appearances since his arrival
Darlington FC owner George Reynolds said last night he had decided to sell his main business to concentrate on his "first love" - the Quakers. Mr Reynolds, 65, has clinched a deal to sell his George Reynolds UK chipboard factory for an undisclosed sum
The East Coast main line was shut down for four hours yesterday after high winds forced the closure of York railway station. Hundreds of people had to be evacuated from the station after corrugated iron was blown off the roof, crashing onto an overhead
OCCASIONALLY, sport produces a priceless, nerve-tingling moment: Hurst's hat-trick; Botham's Ashes; Ali's "rope dope" flooring of George Foreman; Red Rum's epic third Grand National victory; Torvill and Dean's joyful Bolero. Who could have imagined that
