Archive

  • Job Search 2002

    MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Community care manager, Northallerton. £16,734, £22,971 pro rata, part-time. Must possess relevant qualification DipSW, COSW. CSS, DipOT, Dip Care Management

  • Council policy is questioned by ex-chairman

    THE former chairman of a Darlington company has issued a warning to developers considering working with the borough council on a new out-of-town development. Derek Walter was chairman of Indescon, a company with 400 employees, until it closed in the 1990s

  • Dance routines on show

    A GROUP of young dancers were put through their paces by a choreographer in readiness for a public performance at the weekend. Members of Middlesbrough Youth Dance Group teamed up with dancers from the Linx Youth Dance Group to work with Peter Huggins

  • Winning ways all round for school

    A NORTH Yorkshire school can boast a brace of top trophies after two hockey teams won titles at the area rally. The under-14s from Queen Mary's School at Baldersby Park, near Thirsk, won five of their six matches to claim their prize, drawing their remaining

  • Timetable for completion of new school

    YOUNGSTERS in Darlington took time out of their classes to pay a visit to the building site of their new school yesterday. Work on the new £2.1m Firthmoor Primary School is developing rapidly, with a completion date set for next January. Since the builders

  • Home advantage brings out the animal in players

    RESEARCHERS who discovered a scientific reason why playing at home usually ends in victory are hoping to test North-East Premiership footballers next season. Scientists at Northumbria University found levels of the male hormone testosterone were higher

  • Road improvement plan is unveiled on busy town route

    A ROAD improvement scheme has been revealed for one of Darlington's busiest routes. Work on North Road would include a new junction being built near the B&Q store and a road being constructed behind the store. It is hoped the road improvements, due

  • A thousand young voices are raised in quest for music title

    MORE than a thousand young musicians from all over the North-East have battled it out for the chance to perform at the Royal Festival Hall. The musicians, from 42 schools were competing in the regional Music for Youth contest, at Egglescliffe School,

  • 'Toddler died after horror shaking attack'

    Cruel Richard Baxter bit his 14-month-old son then shook him to death when he would not stop crying, a jury heard yesterday. Mr Baxter allegedly carried out a prolonged and savage attack on Jake Baxter after a drink and cannabis binge. He said the youngster

  • Row grows over decision on 'zero tolerance' areas

    THE Government last night faced growing calls to include the North-East in a new nationwide crackdown on street crime. MPs said they were bewildered that the region seemed to have been ignored in the Robbery Reduction Initiative. About 5,000 traffic officers

  • Artist's work returns to mining roots of region

    AN exhibition by a top North-East artist has opened in the region. South Shields-born Bob Olley is showing his work in Bishop Auckland town hall, County Durham, for the first time. Mr Olley has been dubbed The Geordie Lowry because his work - which is

  • Doctor dies in holiday tragedy

    A 55-year-old North Yorkshire hospital consultant has died suddenly while holidaying in Egypt. Michael Oakley, who was based at Harrogate District Hospital, was described as a respected specialist who had a wonderful sense of humour. One report suggested

  • Real ale campaign in froth over pint change

    CAMPAIGNERS last night accused the Government of ripping off drinkers after proposed changes to the measure of a pint were announced. At present, only licensees serving 90 per cent or less of a full pint can be prosecuted. The reform, announced by Trade

  • Town to get more bobbies on the beat

    MORE bobbies are to be ordered on the beat in an effort to drive down crime levels in Darlington. The changes will mean that fewer beat officers are pulled away from their designated areas to cover for colleagues who are away from their jobs in police

  • Williams puts the bubbly on hold

    ANTHONY Williams is about to get the champagne - but it may be another year before he sprays it in celebration. Williams will be between the sticks for Hartlepool at Carlisle tonight, knowing nothing less than three points will suffice if Pool are to

  • Friends stay committed to aid hospital

    A CHARITY group which works to support Northallerton's Friarage Hospital has said its mission remains unchanged, despite reorganisation within the health service. The hospital falls under the umbrella of the South Tees NHS Trust and the newly-formed Hambleton

  • Gareth heads for top - but no record

    SALES of Pop Idol runner-up Gareth Gates' debut single may be doing well across the UK, but in the North-East sales have been steady but not spectacular. Gareth was the bookies' favourite to win the competition and won the hearts of the region when he

  • North Yorkshire news in brief

    Shops scheme is scrapped A MULTI-MILLION pound scheme to demolish Scarborough's derelict Royal Opera House and build shops and a large car park on the site has been scrapped. Scarborough Borough Council had been in talks with St James Investment Group

  • Like Boro, Robbo's old home is under new management

    AFTER taking Bryan Robson's job as manager of Middlesbrough Football Club, Steve McLaren has now moved into his old home. McLaren's house-hunting wife Catherine was being shown around the five bedroom mansion, close to the village of Aislaby, near Yarm

  • Tree pruning appeal is dismissed

    A BATTLE to cut a 45ft horse chestnut tree down to size has been lost, on the order of Local Government Minister Stephen Byers. Almsford Court Maintenance applied to reduce the size of the tree in the grounds of Almsford Court flats, Almsford Avenue,

  • MPs intervene over "snail's pace" police inquiry

    PRESSURE was growing tonight as Cleveland Police concluded their inquiry into a senior officer accused of relieving himself against a presidential palace. Chief Superintendent Kevin Pitt was caught on camera apparently urinating beside a wall while on

  • Oh baby, good advice for youngsters

    LOOKING after baby is a very useful skill, no matter how old you are. So youngsters in Darlington have picked up vital tips on a course in baby-sitting. The year ten pupils from Eastbourne School have been taking the course at Darlington College of Technology's

  • City's green outlook wins recognition

    A CITY'S efforts to tackle green issues have been recognised by a top environmental group. Environmental Campaigns (Encams), presented a certificate to Sunderland City Council endorsing its achievements over the past eight years as part of the People

  • Who's moving in for the kill?

    Last night the House of Commons had its say on hunting with hounds, and today the House of Lords gets its chance. Nick Morrison looks at the latest twists in the long-running debate. WHEN Tony Blair first walked through the doors of 10 Downing Street,

  • Father 'believed daughter was molested'

    A FATHER said yesterday his daughter's extreme behaviour led him to believe she had been molested by two nursery workers. "Although my daughter has been unable to articulate all that happened to her, I believe that this is because she was terrorised by

  • Pin Point heads north of border

    expanding recruitment consultancy Pin Point Personnel is exporting its successful business formula north of the border. The Newcastle company is opening premises in Aberdeen and Paisley, outside Glasgow, under the name of Pathway Scotia, as an extension

  • Youngsters show their true colours

    ARTISTIC young people have helped to fly the flag for their neighbourhood as part of the New Deal for Communities (NDC) programme in west Middlesbrough. A dozen youngsters from the West Lane Youth Forum helped to design three flags which are now flying

  • White, Young, Green for go at business park

    PROJECT management and design consultancy White Young Green has been appointed to provide civil and structural engineering for a 52-acre, urban business park development at Gateshead Quays. The firm's Teesside office will work with preferred developer

  • Gilt-edged chances for firm with midas touch

    ASPIRE Gifts has the Midas touch - it specialises in turning things to gold. The County Durham business, set up in Wolsingham three years ago, coats anything from a rose to a 12ft palm tree in gold, bronze or chrome. It concentrates on supplying coated

  • N-E parents in rush to get separate jabs for children

    HUNDREDS of worried parents in the region are continuing to call a company offering separate vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella. Last weekend, Direct Health 2000 came to the region for a second time, to offer a course of three jabs to the children

  • Ski accident coma girl is flown home

    A 17-YEAR-OLD girl remains in a coma following an skiing accident three weeks ago has been flown home to the North-East. Nicola Smales, 17, was flown into Newcastle by Medivac and taken to an undisclosed hospital in the area. Her condition remains the

  • Free entry to fun day for bus users

    YOUNGSTERS are being offered free entry to a council's programme of activities this Easter, as long as they travel by bus. Children who can show a ticket stub will have free admission to a variety of activities at Redcar and Cleveland Council's three

  • Working couple cheated benefits

    A HUSBAND and wife milked the benefits system of more than £3,500 in eight months after running up debts of £20,000, a court heard. Nigel and Donna Smith, who have children aged two and three, did not bother to tell Harrogate Borough Council, in North

  • Youth policy gives town a second elected mayor

    A NORTH-EAST town is to have not one but two elected mayors. While grown-ups will go to the polls in May to choose a candidate to be responsible for running Middlesbrough and a multi-million pound budget, the town's teenagers will have already chosen

  • Mother is victim of motiveless attack

    A MOTHER has been left too afraid to leave her home on her own, after she was the victim of a violent and unprovoked attack. The 35-year-old woman had been walking along Newgate Street, in Bishop Auckland, when she was knocked to the ground with a blow

  • Children educated in art of healthy eating

    PUPILS and staff at a Teesside primary school were learning about food yesterday at the start of a healthy eating week. Hardwick Primary School, in Stockton, is holding events to get the healthy eating message across all week.The children are being encouraged

  • Wardens prepare for streets

    A GROUP of 16 street wardens in Middlesbrough have completed the first part of their training and will begin work next month. The wardens have been through an intensive programme covering how to deal with anti-social behaviour, litter, graffiti, abandoned

  • Council website is judged in the top 20

    A LOCAL authority website has made the top 20 in a national survey. According to the Society of Information Technology Management's Better Connected 2002 survey, Durham County Council's website is among the best of those by more than 450 local authorities

  • Man found with whisky in car

    POLICE who investigated a parked car after a tip-off from a worried neighbour found three whisky bottles inside and Richard Malthouse sitting behind the wheel, a court heard yesterday. Peter Scott, prosecuting, told Harrogate magistrates that Malthouse

  • Lee stays switched on with scheme

    LEE Cusworth is switching on to a bright future as an electrician, thanks partly to a scheme to help youngsters get onto apprenticeships. The 21-year-old, who lives in the Owton Manor area of Hartlepool, is just finishing his three-year apprenticeship

  • Villagers push project

    VILLAGERS of Beamish have rolled up their sleeves to help their more famous neighbour - internationally renowned Beamish Museum - install its biggest ever object. For the 23ft 6in-wide Elswick Number Two - Tyneside's last ever wherry vessel built in 1930

  • Pensions chief backs change of rules drive

    PENSIONS Secretary Alistair Darling pledged his commitment to abolishing harsh financial rules affecting elderly hospital patients when he visited the North-East yesterday. Mr Darling told campaigners against pensioner poverty he was fully supportive

  • Students with designs on top jobs in fashion

    FASHION students from the North-East have begun their quest to become the next generation of top designers. Representatives from the Prince's Trust and Top Shop spent yesterday at Northumbria University where they talked to final year students about the

  • Youngsters to join Sir Cliff in spotlight

    YOUNG performers from across the region will be appearing at a star-studded concert in the Royal Albert Hall. About 40 members of Stagecoach Theatre Arts, in Darlington, Guisborough and Yarm, will be joining music celebrities for the Reaching Out For

  • Offering students intoxicating prospect of savouring the malt

    A COLLEGE is putting whisky tasting on the curriculum to convince potential students that study can be intoxicating. As part of its "Gan On, Have a Go Agen" initiative, East Durham and Houghall Community College is running a three-hour course for potential

  • Reviving memories of mining in village

    THIS week is the last chance for people to enjoy a millennium exhibition in Bishop Auckland which brings to life the traditions of a remote ex-mining village. People in Nenthead, a village in the North Pennines, put together a selection of photographs

  • Wardens complete training

    A GROUP of 16 street wardens in Middlesbrough have completed the first part of their training and will begin work next month. The wardens have been through an intensive programme covering how to deal with anti-social behaviour, litter, graffiti, abandoned

  • Over 50s helped into training

    JOBLESS people over 50 are being encouraged to go back to school. Hartlepool College of Further Education has launched a scheme to develop their skills. There are 20 places available on the scheme, which will run between April this year and July next

  • Deputy head's anger over language funding 'snub'

    A DEVELOPMENT agency has been accused of snubbing youngsters who are learning to speak Mandarin Chinese. Hummersknott School and Language College, in Darlington, is running the pioneering GCSE course as business prospects open up in the Chinese market

  • Traders get an Easter bonus

    A COUNCIL is hoping to have solved a problem for a resort's traders, following months of disruption caused by construction work on a multi million pound shops complex. Municipal car parks will be free to motorists in Redcar, east Cleveland, over Easter

  • Harmison ruled out of tour

    DURHAM leave for two weeks in Cape Town today without paceman Stephen Harmison, who dislocated his shoulder during his final game for the England Academy in Australia. The injury happened because he caught his thumb in his pocket during delivery rather

  • Mayor's navy honour

    A WOMAN mayor has been made an honorary sailor. Councillor Vilma Collins was officially invested as an honorary life member of the Dormanstown and Redcar branch of the Merchant Navy Association, yesterday. The widow of former seafarer Terry - himself

  • Star pupil Rebecca is on course for top army career

    A TALENTED east Durham student has won a place at an Army college. Rebecca Allen, 15, a pupil at Easington Community School, is one of only about 20 girls to win a place at Welbeck College, the Army's sixth form centre, near Nottingham. She plans to study

  • Drive for expansion after mobility scheme's successful launch

    ORGANISERS of a charity which was launched yesterday have been so overwhelmed by the early response they are already hoping to expand. Ring-a-Ride was set up to replace the Darlington Dial-a-Ride scheme which closed last month because of financial problems

  • Spotlight on euro issues

    EXPERTS on Europe will face questions from people from the North-East in a question and answer session on the implications of the euro. The event, at Darlington Arts Centre on Friday, from 7pm to 9pm, will be introduced by Dr Gordon Adam, MEP, who is

  • Teesside news in brief

    Clampdown on road tax cheats A CLAMPDOWN on road tax cheats is being launched across Teesside today. The DVLA has set up "stingray" cameras in the area to catch motorists using unlicensed vehicles. In addition, extra wheelclamping hit squads will target

  • Secret life of the submariner

    Submarine (C5) THE British naval establishment was not keen to introduce submarines a century ago. Controller of the navy, Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson, thought them"underhand, unfair and damned un-English". It just wasn't cricket, old chap, to sneak up

  • Children book in to scheme having pots of fun

    THE magic of fairy tales came true for the children of St Patrick's RC Primary School, in Consett, recently. For pupils and staff alike dressed up as story book characters to celebrate World Book Day and to raise money to send books to children in the

  • Construction problem puts Laing in red

    BUILDING group John Laing slumped into the red last year after problems at its construction arm took their toll on annual figures. Laing posted a one-off hit of £33.6m following the sale of the under-performing division to Essex firm O'Rourke for £1.

  • Can you give a pelican a name?

    A FALCONRY centre with a reputation for its unusual collection has added another exotic species to the list. Vultures and a kookaburra already help to keep the crowds entertained during spectacular flying displays at Sion Hill, near Thirsk, along with

  • Plea for businesses to help buy historic station house

    COMMUNITY groups hope businesses will help them secure an important part of their history by funding the purchase of a station house. The building, in Witton Park, near Bishop Auckland, once stood on the Stockton to Darlington railway and dates back to

  • Enforced closure of social club sparks political row

    LABOUR Party officials remained tight-lipped last night over their reasons for walking into a social club to demand its immediate closure. Their refusal to discuss the matter comes in the face of growing anger among party members, who claim Chester-le-Street

  • Shopping trips will aid schools

    LOCAL schools are to benefit from an initiative launched by a Northallerton shop. Formative Fun, in the High Street, is offering a 10p voucher for every £5 parents spend in the store. The vouchers can be used to buy educational toys for schools in the

  • Councillor's bid to be mayor

    The leader of Hartlepool Borough Council is bidding to become the town's first elected mayor in May. Councillor Arthur Preece has been chosen as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the May 2 poll. He heads a Liberal Democrat and Conservative alliance,

  • Job Search 2002

    MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Security patrol person, Stanhope, £4.50ph, 20-25hrs pw, must have driving licence and experience, age 25 plus. Ref: CRK: 5657. Driver/nursery person

  • Job Search 2002

    MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Senior support worker, Stockton. £6.93ph, variable rota 24/7. Must have recognised qualification. D32, D33 and driver preferred, plus supervisory experience

  • Job Search 2002

    MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Stylist. £5ph, 16hrs pw. Required for all aspects of ladies and gents hairdressing. Must be qualified with at least five years' experience. Ref: DUR

  • Cat campaign hits the road

    THE RSPCA launched a neutering clinic on wheels in the North-East yesterday to prevent the UK becoming overrun with thousands of unwanted cats. The new purpose-built mobile neutering clinic will give cat owners on state benefits the chance to have their

  • Magpies get expert advice

    NEWCASTLE United have turned again to the man who saved Alan Shearer's career in a bid to fast-track Craig Bellamy back to fitness. United are in constant contact with Colorado-based knee specialist Richard Steadman, who operated on Shearer ten months

  • Boro seeking deal for striker Carbone

    BENITO CARBONE is playing his way towards a permanent move to Middlesbrough. The Italian, on loan from Bradford City until the end of the season, is close to convincing Boro boss Steve McClaren that he is worth a £3m gamble. Carbone has failed to score

  • Business news in brief

    TransAtlantic boost from BA BRITISH Airways is increasing frequency on some of its transAtlantic routes, including Concorde to New York, following an upsurge in passenger numbers. From April 21, BA is restoring the Saturday London to New York Concorde

  • £28m defence works due to start at resort

    THE £28m coastal defence work to protect Scarborough's 750-year-old harbour and the Marine Drive is to start at the end of the month. Newcastle company Edmund Nuttall won the contract over 41 other companies from all parts of Europe, said Councillor Godfrey

  • Thome poised for a Cats return

    STEELY Sunderland defender Emerson Thome hopes to be able to give himself the perfect 30th birthday present at the end of this month - the chance to join the battle for Premiership safety. But the Brazilian centre half, who had a second knee cartilage

  • Woman asks walkers for sex in bushes

    A WOMAN who has been accosting male dog walkers and offering them sex is being hunted by police. A man on an evening stroll along York's Water Lane, on Sunday evening, was approached by a woman in her 30s, who seemed friendly. She warned him not to continue

  • Hear all sides

    SECONDARY SCHOOLS THE open letter from the seven secondary school headteachers in Darlington (Echo, Mar 13) brings to our attention a very serious situation which is developing day by day. The question of Government under-funding of local authorities

  • Stylish makeover for an ancestral home

    A FORMER ancestral home, linked to the Beamish Museum complex until recent years, is opening its own public restaurant. Beamish Hall is a Grade II-listed stately home set in 23-acres of parkland in north-west Durham. It is undergoing a transformation

  • Portmeirion profits tumble

    POTTERY group Portmeirion saw profits more than halve after being hit by the double blow of foot-and-mouth and September 11. The farm epidemic hit sales in the first half of last year, as overseas tourists decided against trips to the UK. But the Stoke-on-Trent

  • RMC may dump German firm

    CONCRETE and cement business RMC has hinted it may offload the German business which dragged down its annual figures earlier this month. Earnings in Germany slumped from £49.1m to just £4.6m and offset a "powerful" performance from the group's UK operation

  • Cement works closure battle taken to EC

    THE European Commission will be presented with evidence today claiming that redundancies at a North-East cement works are in breach of European employment law. North-East Euro MP Stephen Hughes is to meet the European Commissioner for Employment and Social

  • Outdoor challenge facing teams

    THREE teams of youngsters from County Durham and Teesside will be going head-to-head against more than 80 schools in a challenging competition. Youngsters from Darlington Youth and Community Association, Ormesby Comprehensive in Middlesbrough, and Woodham

  • Comment from The Northern Echo; Middle way out of a hole

    IT COULD be argued that the Government's handling of fox hunting is symbolic of all of New Labour's failings. If hunting is cruel, it should be banned. If it is not cruel, it should be left alone. On such a black-and-white issue, says this argument, there

  • Toys are top draw

    Collectors and dealers from all over the world bid on more than 1,000 lots of toys at a two-day auction which made £250,000 for Teesside toy auction house Vectis, in Buckingham. Four pre-war Dinky toys in original boxes made £2,430 and a miniature book

  • MPs vote again for end to fox hunting

    MPS defied pro-hunt protestors last night by voting to ban hunting with hounds in a defining moment for the battle against bloodsports. As hundreds of protestors gathered outside Parliament, MPs began a historic five-hour debate on bloodsports for the

  • Bus driver escapes injury in gun blast

    A BUS driver was left shaken but unhurt after the windscreen of his vehicle was blasted with a shotgun. Police believe Saturday night's shooting may have been a random attack and have no clues as to the motive. The shooting happened in Huntington Road

  • Speedy occupation rate for new units

    BUSINESS units in a complex which honours North Yorkshire swimming star Nicola Jackson have been snapped up. The Richmond 17-year-old swam for Britain at the 2000 Olympics and won a gold at the World Championships last year to become one of the county's

  • Bobbies get on their bikes to tackle off-road riders

    POLICE officers on bikes will be on patrol in east Durham this week in a bid to curb the activities of off-road riders. The initiative follows growing complaints from residents in the Easington division over the anti-social behaviour of teenagers using

  • Tracey salutes Army life

    A COUNTY Durham soldier is hoping for promotion after spending a month on exercises in Cyprus. Lance Bombadier Tracey Barron, from Willington, took part in an exercise, known as Lion Sun, alongside colleagues from the 39 Regiment Royal Artillery. The

  • Schools share in sporting windfall

    FOUR primary schools in a North-East borough were celebrating last night after landing a total of £1.75m to improve facilities for sport and the arts. The award to the schools in Hartlepool is part of a £130m joint Government and Lottery-funded programme

  • Darlington and South Durham news in brief

    Cash boost for luncheon club ELM Road Luncheon Club, in Shildon, hosts an evening of music through the decades by Relativity Plus One. There will also be a raffle and bingo at the event at Elm Road Workingmen's Club, on Saturday, at 7.30pm. Tickets cost

  • Rob kicks off on waterfront

    ROB Andrew, director of Rugby at Newcastle Falcons will kick off the latest UK Land Estates development tomorrow. Rob will drop kick a rugby ball over the roof of the first building at The Waterfront development on Newburn Riverside in Newcastle. The

  • North Durham and Tyneside news in brief

    Hospice hunts for treasure An Easter treasure hunt is being staged as part of a spring fair in the grounds of St Cuthbert's Hospice, Durham. Sunday's event also features children's fancy dress for the under-eights, a painted egg competition, birds of

  • Disfigured baby expected to leave hospital

    A baby born with badly disfigured facial features could be out of hospital by the end of next week, her family today said. Maria Aziz Al-Rafi has been in a paediatric intensive care unit in hospital since suffering a seizure, brought on by blocked airways

  • Region's advertising drive gets mixed response

    £2M advertising drive to promote the North-East has been attacked by campaigners battling to save jobs in the region. Regional development agency One NorthEast and the North-East Assembly last night launched Here. Now. CORR - a marketing initiative aimed

  • Petition move in jobs fight

    A NORTH-EAST council launched a petition last night in a bid to prevent the potential loss of hundreds of jobs at a defence factory. The petition drawn up by Gateshead Borough Council and available to sign at the borough's libraries and civic centre,

  • Corus's move to pull out of debt

    Corus has signalled its intention to quit the aluminium market in an attempt to haul itself out of the red. The troubled Anglo-Dutch company posted annual pre-tax losses of £462m after prices were depressed by the economic slowdown and saturated steel

  • Joe has no desire to get his kit off

    'CONSIGNIA," snorts actor Joe Caffrey, "I think most people want a Post Office, think it's The Post Office and don't want anything Consignia-ed." Caffrey, 35, has spent a lot of time with postal people since he agreed to star in the latest Live Theatre

  • Pools edge closer to play-offs

    FOR Hartlepool the play-offs might not be out of the question as they answered the doubters in the best possible manner. Pool had been written off in some quarters after Saturday's draw at Rochdale, but Tuesday night's win at Carlisle was just what Chris

  • Legal row baby has test op

    THE family of a baby born with a badly disfigured face said last night she was doing fine following a "medical investigation". The case of 14-week-old Maria Aziz Al-Rafi hit the headlines earlier this month after a clash of opinions between parents and

  • Fundraisers build a thirst

    A "THIRSTY walk", which was scrapped in the face of foot-and-mouth restrictions last year, is back on track. Regulars and friends will trek the 23 miles from the Whale Bones at Whitby, North Yorkshire, to the bar of The Frigate pub at Marske, in east

  • Government urged to give facts on crisis

    AN influential organisation is pressing the Government to make sure the public are given the facts about the foot-and-mouth crisis. The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) represents the UK's landowners - many of whom want to press on with the

  • Dozens line up for first rotary run

    AS many as 50 runners took part in the first Richmond Rotary Club Fun Run, on Sunday. The inaugural event had two aims: to raise money for the Butterwick Children's Hospice in Stockton, and to raise the profile of both the Rotary Club and the Richmond

  • Tearing down religious standards

    SOMETHING very nasty has happened in our church. Last week, I went in to conduct the Friday lunchtime service and discovered that the flag was missing. This is not just any old flag. It is the Colour of the Stock Exchange Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers

  • Certainly not spoiled for choice

    A GALA dinner, as one or other of these columns may hitherto have observed, is now the accepted term for any desperately devised event comprising more than one course, an effrontery of horseradish and a bread bun with the "broth". Almost always they are

  • How old rivals got the better of Jim

    Oh but Jim Blenkinsopp was a hard nut, so they reckon - tough as the teak table top at Durham FA, where for almost 30 years he was secretary. Hard, mightily efficient and fair. We mention it because of the events of May 1956, because of yet another row

  • Stunt launches £677,000 initiative

    A COUNCILLOR showed just how far she was prepared to go when she helped a launch a new cycling initiative with the same slogan yesterday. Tracey Simpson-Laing stepped in at the last minute to help promote a £677,000 package for York's cyclists at the

  • Racist tenants may lose homes

    TENANTS in Teesside accused of serious racial harassment could face losing their homes under new guidelines. The Endeavour Housing Association, which has properties in Middlesbrough, Stockton, east Cleveland and Hartlepool, has introduced a racial harassment

  • Plan to remove theatre asbestos

    ASBESTOS at one of the region's leading theatres will be removed during the summer, if the local council approves the project on Thursday. Work to remove the asbestos from the stage area of Darlington Civic Theatre is being given high priority by council

  • School children get their heads around designing on fabric

    PRIMARY schoolchildren in Ferryhill have been working with art students to create printed designs. The five-week project at Ferryhill Station Primary School came to an end yesterday. Students Kevin Potts, Mark Walton and Daniel Walls and their tutor from

  • Oxbridge prompt for higher education

    STUDENTS from Cambridge University will be visiting schools in the Stockton area of Teesside today to encourage more youngsters to think about higher education. Under the Excellence Challenge programme, a group of 17 students from King's College, Cambridge

  • A chance to give thanks for reign

    ANYONE who would like to congratulate the Queen on her 50-year reign can sign a commemorative book, which is circulating in the Harrogate district. The new mayor of the borough, as well as the mayors of Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge and Pateley

  • Radar's sights on Sedgefield repeat

    RADAR (3.00) is going the right way to record his second success of the month at Sedgefield this afternoon. Two weeks ago the seven-year-old turned out over course and distance and, viewing from the stands, appeared to be treading water with a half-mile

  • Shake-up to ease load on Victim Support branches

    VICTIM Support, the main service for crime victims in County Durham and Darlington, is launching a nerve centre to ease the pressure on hard-up branches. The charity, which last year helped nearly 16,000 people in the area, opens its new base in Court

  • Community group gets new minibus

    A COMMUNITY group can travel in comfort after being presented with a new 16-seater minibus. Members of Dene Valley Community Partnership travelled to Birmingham to collect their Convoy minibus from Leyland DAF's (LDV) headquarters. The group was having

  • Fire station revamp hit cash snag

    PLANS for a £30,000 renovation of Darlington Fire Station has been delayed due to cash flow problems. Work on the engineering project, which started in September last year, was due to take six weeks to complete, but six months later it is still not finished

  • Plan aims to control sales of homes in national park

    NEW policies could soon be introduced limiting who can buy new homes in the Yorkshire Dales. After months of extensive public consultation, the national park is on the verge of agreeing the framework of a blueprint for the future. The first phase of a

  • Plans under way for town carnival

    RESIDENTS are getting into the festive spirit as plans get under way for a town's gala and carnival. Every year, crowds visit Shildon for the carnival which centres around the town's Hackworth Park. Organisers are planning a range of activities for the

  • Teachers' doubts over recruitment

    HEADTEACHERS in the region gave a cautious welcome yesterday to figures showing teacher recruitment at its highest level for seven years. About 29,000 people across the country are expected to start teacher training this year - the highest number since

  • Just the ticket at former school

    A FORMER Sunday school will be the first port of call for the thousands of visitors expected to visit the region's first national museum when it opens in two years' time. Sedgefield Borough Council has already taken over the building in Shildon, built

  • Reynolds' request rejected by squad

    Darlington's players and chairman agreed to disagree yesterday when they met head-on at the training ground in Durham. Chairman George Reynolds wanted the squad to apologise for walking out of the infamous fans' forum last month when his wife, Susan,

  • Train death witnessed by horrified passengers

    A MAN was killed after he was hit by a train in front of horrified passengers this morning. The man, in his fifties, is believed to have jumped in front of the passenger train, at Durham railway station, at around 10 am. Police and ambulance crews in