WORK to reverse the ravages of time at the world's first custom-built locomotive factory has moved an important step closer to completion. Yesterday marked the beginning of the final stage of the restoration of the Robert Stephenson and Company boiler
TRADING standards officers who raided a car boot sale recovered hundreds of bootleg films, a court heard yesterday. Copies of Lord of the Rings and the soundtrack album from Moulin Rouge were among the items seized at Buttersyke Bar, Pannal, Harrogate
AN appeal has gone out for information on a North-East orphan. Adam Morin, of Northampton, is trying to discover more about the early life of his grandfather, Cooper Slater, who was sent to Lanchester Orphanage, when he was four. Mr Slater, who died 19
A VIDEO of the popular Northern Echo Local Heroes Awards has gone on sale. The awards, held last November, were organised to recognise the achievements of unsung amateur sportsmen and women in the North-East. Many sporting heroes were honoured and the
A FARMING couple, who have endured a year-long foot-and-mouth nightmare, are looking to a brighter future with the re-opening of their pony trekking centre. Sheila Ashby, who runs the centre at Johnston Arms, Boltby, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, is hoping
A MAJOR revamp of the Scout Movement will be launched in the North-East this weekend. Tomorrow's launch comes after seven years of consultation and review involving 30,000 people. The announcement, which will contain the largest changes to the Scout Movement
AN innovative Internet scheme set up by The Northern Echo to help community groups in the region has already helped more than 1,000 organisations to create their own website. The CommuniGate scheme became an instant success when it was launched in September
A YOUNG crime victim is to get his money back from the drug addict who snatched it from his hands. The 11-year-old boy was about to buy his mother a birthday present in York when Julie Greenwood, 22, grabbed £40 from his wallet, York magistrates heard
A SECURITY firm boss has been found not guilty of the attempted murder of his former business partner. Robbie Doneathy, 35, Appleby Close, Eaglescliffe, Teesside, was cleared on the charge over the shooting in Preston Park, Teesside. Unarmed combat expert
A WOMAN celebrating her friend's 40th birthday died after suffering massive head injuries when she fell down stairs at a party, an inquest heard. Frances Camplejohn, 34, suffered serious brain damage in the fall and died six days later at Middlesbrough
JAMES Bond depended on many things during his 40-year reign as the world's coolest secret agents. Magnetic watches, exploding Parker pens, fast cars and not so fast cars (he once drove a Citroen 2CV) have all helped 007 out of a sticky situation. Moviegoers
A HIGH-class crook, jailed for his part in the theft of a £400,000 Rembrandt painting, has won his fight for holiday pay earned while serving his sentence. Former antiques dealer David Duddin, 56, was sent to prison at Newcastle Crown Court in 1997 for
VICTIMS of bungling surgeon Richard Neale have been given only four days to come up with £10,000 if their fight for a public inquiry into the scandal is not to end in defeat. Despite losing in the High Court last week, lawyers representing furious patients
PARENTS are being offered lessons in first aid procedures which could help to save a baby's life. A two-hour class has been set up by Royal Lifesaving Society examiner Jean Robertson and is funded by the Friends of the Friary Hospital, in Richmond. Life-sized
COUNCILLORS are to look in more depth at four possible sites for a new base for Richmondshire District Council. The office accommodation working party whittled down a list of options to four sites, three in Richmond and one, the preferred option, on Colburn
A YOUNG mathematician is about to pit his wits against the best brains in the world. Pupils from Hurworth Comprehensive School, near Darlington, have been involved in a national competition to find the best young mathematicians in the country. Out of
WENSLEYDALE has its own website, thanks to the local business association and Yorkshire Forward. Leyburn and Mid-Wensleydale Business Association received help from the regional development agency's foot-and-mouth business recovery fund so that all entries
A SPELL in police custody has worked wonders for a nanny goat who has changed her ways. Muffin is settled at Farplace Animal Rescue, Westgate, Weardale, County Durham, after going on the rampage through Bishop Auckland a few weeks ago. Motorists smirked
PRIMARY school footballers have raised £1,100 in a penalty shoot-out competition. The children from Cockton Hill Infant School were asked to collect sponsorship for the event, to raise money for the development of the school playground. Money was also
Sporting youngsters are warming up for the Teesside Youth Games, held at Eston and Acklam sports centres in June. Youngsters from Stockton, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and east Cleveland will compete in sports including basketball, cricket, rugby, swimming
A TEENAGER could be set for stardom after gaining a place in a National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT) production. Sarah Warbey, a pupil at Hummersknott School and Languages College, and a member of Darlington Stagecoach Theatre Arts, beat off strong competition
DON'T be a fool when you're going to school - that's the message from ten-year-old Vincent Hutchinson to his fellow pupils travelling to school on the bus. Vincent, a pupil at Havelock Primary School, in Sunderland, won a competition to design a poster
A SECURITY firm boss has been found not guilty of the attempted murder of his former business partner. Robbie Doneathy, 35, Appleby Close, Eaglescliffe, Teesside, was cleared on the charge over the shooting in Preston Park, Teesside. Unarmed combat expert
A CHAIN of newsagents in the North-East is offering schools the chance to watch nature at work this Easter. Mills Group, which has 29 stores across the region, has specially-prepared fertilised hens' eggs, which they are offering to schools. Pupils will
PARISH councillors are reluctant to take on responsibility for run-down allotments which could land them with hefty repair bills. Dene Valley and Witton-le-Wear parish councils, and Tow Law Town Council, are taking a stand against Wear Valley District
A NORTH-EAST theatre is to get its youngest boss in its 94-year history. Sunderland-born Debbie Garrick is moving on as manager of the city's Empire Theatre and will be replaced by 26-year-old Dominic Stokes, from Felixstowe, Suffolk. He worked with Ms
WORK to reverse the ravages of time at the world's first custom-built locomotive factory has moved an important step closer to completion. Yesterday marked the beginning of the final stage of the restoration of the Robert Stephenson and Company boiler
ALDERMAN Richard Wastell, one of Whitby's best-known personalities, has died at the age of 82. For 40 years he served in local government in the North Yorkshire town, and was three times the town mayor. He was a member of the former Whitby Urban District
A DARLINGTON couple who first met at a bus stop have celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. Kenneth Luck, 75, and his wife Marjorie, 71, were married on March 22, 1952. They have three children, David, Colin and Christine, and are the proud grandparents
HOURS of rehearsals will end with a huge party performance next week for 30 musicians from learning disability day care centres in the Wear Valley and Sedgefield areas. A compact disc recorded at weekly group workshops held over the winter months will
DON'T be a fool when you're going to school - that's the message from ten-year-old Vincent Hutchinson to his fellow pupils travelling to school on the bus. Vincent, a pupil at Havelock Primary School, in Sunderland, won a competition to design a poster
An 87-year-old North-East widow was woken from her sleep and subjected to a terrifying sex attack by a naked intruder, a court heard yesterday. Frances Doran was so traumatised by her ordeal that she later had a heart attack . Her attacker Michael Rochester
HEALTH chiefs issued assurances yesterday that vital services would not be scrapped after the closure of a private hospital was announced. The 120-year-old St John of God Hospital at Scorton, near Richmond, North Yorkshire, is to be closed and the building
CLIENTS at one of the region's most successful centres for adults with learning disabilities played host to scores of visitors yesterday when they staged their annual open day. Attenders at the Durham Centre at Aykley Heads had spent weeks preparing for
As Mick Easterby doesn't have many runners at Newbury, it looks significant that he should be treble-handed at the Berkshire venue this afternoon. And the Sheriff Hutton handler has fair prospects with all of those runners - Flat Top in the three-mile
ANTH Lormor has revealed he is gutted that his loan move to Shrewsbury Town has come to an end. The Hartlepool United striker, who returned to the North-East after a one-month spell this week, scored two goals in seven starts at Gay Meadow. And Lormor
Durham manager Brian Honour won't be changing his tactics for one of the biggest days in the club's history today. City visit Tyneside to take on fellow Northern League club Whitley Bay, with the eventual prize over the two legs a place in the FAVase
REPUBLIC of Ireland veteran Niall Quinn has warned his Sunderland team-mates that defeat against Southampton this afternoon could prove "catastrophic" in the battle for Premiership survival. A double for Gordon Strachan's men would leave the Wearsiders
EMBATTLED Peter Reid finds his managerial reputation - and the Premiership safety of Sunderland - on the line this afternoon as he faces one of the biggest tests in his seven-year career on Wearside against Southampton at the Stadium of Light. Defeat,
STEVE McCLAREN heads back to Old Trafford today acutely aware of the harm Middlesbrough can do to Manchester United's Premiership title defence. Boro boss McClaren, whose side are preoccupied with the opposite end of the table, summed up the importance
NEWCASTLE'S hopes of a semi-final showdown with north-east rivals Middlesbrough were ended at the hands of Arsenal on Saturday. The Gunners, still reeling from their midweek European Cup exit, were two up inside the first ten minutes of this FA Cup quarter-final
Last Sunday's parish bulletin was number 1001, the week before that was 1100. If it all sounds a bit Irish, it was St Patrick's Day, after all. Well, it was and it wasn't (as they might say on O'Connell Street.) Whilst the great day fell as always on
TOUGH security standards at two primary schools have earned them police awards. Middlestone Moor Primary, near Spennymoor and Catchgate Primary, at Annfield Plain, have gained Secured by Design accreditation, a nationally-approved award which recognises
AN east Durham council warned yesterday that anyone caught fly-tipping in its area will face stiff penalties. Concerned over the rapid increase in illegal dumping of rubbish across the District of Easington, council officers have given notice that offenders
ROCK lovers Paul Scott and Adam Sayers have turned their love of music into a business. Castlegate Quay, in Stockton, no longer rocks once a year with performers at the Riverside Festival, but daily now thanks to recording studio Sanity Multi-Media. Adam
THE UK's largest electricity supplier, Innogy, which took over Northern Electric's domestic supply business, is being bought by German energy firm RWE for £3.1bn. The move, widely expected in the City, comes a month after the Swindon firm revealed it
A JUDGE yesterday began summing up the evidence in the case of a man who admits killing his girlfriend's baby. Richard Baxter, 30, who is on trial for murder, is alleged to have shaken to death Paula Moore's 14-month-old baby, Jake. The child, who died
A FAMILY of Macedonian refugees have vowed to ask the Government for permission to stay in the North-East, after their appeal for asylum was denied. Lile and Marjun Dimitrievski fled to Britain two years ago to escape the bitter war raging in their country
DRAMA student Jenny Taylor is one step closer to realising her dream of becoming an actress after impressing the critics at a major arts event. The talented teenager may be studiously working on her GCSEs at Bedale High School, North Yorkshire, but she
THE new studio of a talking newspaper which was rehoused by The Northern Echo received its first high-profile visitor yesterday. Darlington Talking Newspaper for the Blind welcomed Alan Milburn, the town's MP, for a tour and interview a week after the
TOURISTS returning to the countryside for the first time since the foot-and-mouth crisis have become easy prey for criminals, police have warned. Some sightseers have even been left stranded after a spate of car thefts in North Yorkshire tourist spots
Warrants have been issued for the arrest of two people who failed to appear in court on charges involving a teenager who died of a drugs overdose. Lisa Brown, 26, and Mark Anthony Gibben, 31, both of Middlesbrough, are charged alongside Anthony Ernest
A CHARITY concert is being organised by two musical brothers to raise money for children at a hospital's limbs unit. Graeme and Mike Ross, two-thirds of Durham band Taller Than, have been spurred on to help the cause after their mother, Amelia, had to
UNION leaders yesterday staged the first of a series of public meetings aimed at getting justice for victims of asbestos-related diseases. The GMB event, at Sunderland's Stadium of Light, came in the wake of the Fairchild judgement, in December. In that
TRADING standards bosses are warning people about sweets which have caused some youngsters to choke to death. The sweets have names such as Mini Fruit Gels and Mini Fruit Bites. Imported from Asia, they contain thick jelly in a small plastic cup. Some
A SPELL in police custody has worked wonders for a nanny goat who has changed her ways. Muffin is settled at Farplace Animal Rescue, Westgate, Weardale, County Durham, after going on the rampage through Bishop Auckland a few weeks ago. Motorists smirked
A FALKLANDS War veteran has started a campaign to buy the Royal Navy's oldest warship and convert it into a memorial to the conflict. Former Royal Marine Colin Waite, of Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham, has vowed to save HMS Fearless before it is
A TAXI driver was attacked and robbed of his takings by a passenger in the early hours yesterday. The driver, from Hartlepool's Premier Taxis, picked up the fare outside Wesley's nightclub in the town at 2am. He was asked to take the passenger, a man
A TEESSIDE rock band and a Darlington recording studio have teamed up to show the power of the Government's New Deal for Musicians scheme. Through the New Deal programme, four members of the five piece group, Iridium, were able to gain access to recording
TROUBLE-HIT Arriva Trains Northern has published a new customer charter for its beleaguered rail passengers. The charter sets out the company's commitment to deliver and continually improve services. Passenger groups say they welcome the good intentions
A PICTURESQUE corner of the region is staking its claim for a share of more than £50m in European regeneration funding. Pickering Area Partnership has been set up to examine ways of boosting the economy of the town and neighbouring parishes in Ryedale
FREE tickets are still available for Monday night's Positive Young People Awards 2002 ceremony. The achievements of more than 100 young people in the community will be recognised at the awards at Darlington's Civic Theatre. Members of the public have
Baroness Thatcher will never make a public speech again after suffering "a number of small strokes" over recent months, her office announced yesterday. Doctors have told the former Conservative Prime Minister that these strokes can neither be predicted
NEW dog bins are being installed across Stockton to clamp down on fouling. The measures follow legislation last year which targeted dog owners with on-the-spot fines of £35 if they did not clean up after their pets. Stockton Borough Council has launched
YOUNGSTERS have been putting the finishing touches to a school project. The pupils from Harewood Junior School, in Thornaby, have spent time designing flower beds for a new play area in the town's Littleboy Park and on Wednesday they planted shrubs at
Darlington policemen Karl Lowe and Dave Barker are in training for next month's London Marathon to raise money for charity. PC Lowe, beat officer for Hurworth, Neasham and Middleton St George, is hoping to raise £1,500 for newborn and premature baby charity
A FIRM of solicitors has donated £2,000 to the Butterwick Hospice's Precious Hours initiative. A team from Archers Solictors, at Stockton, raised the money by completing the Lyke Wake Walk. Precious Hours is aimed at funding specialist nursing care for
IT took two years, 760 hours and £7,400 to make, but finally a group of Shildon embroiderers have unveiled a millennium masterpiece. The Shildon Art and Craft Textile Group began work on two millennium wall hangings two years ago, with a £700 National
NORTH-EAST wrestling fans are to be treated to a gathering of US grapplers such as Jake The Snakes Roberts, American Avalanche, P N News and Texan Tiger Steele. They will be supported by other fighters such as DJ Disco Fury, Roughie Silverstone and Mad
FIVE years ago, on Darlington's Skerne Park estate, crime was rife, houses stood empty and the self-esteem of residents was at rock bottom. Then Skerne Park was awarded £3.5m from the Government's Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) and the fortunes of the
TWO by-elections in Prime Minister Tony Blair's Sedgefield constituency have resulted in defeats for Labour. The death of two Labour councillors in Spennymoor and Shildon prompted by-elections on Thursday, which resulted in two Liberal Democrats being
TOURISTS returning to the countryside for the first time since the foot-and-mouth crisis have become easy prey for criminals, police have warned. Some sightseers have even been left stranded after a spate of car thefts in North Yorkshire tourist spots
A HUSBAND and wife who are Darlington's longest serving church ministers are to retire. Pastor Ken Evans and his wife, Marjorie, have served for 27 years at the Assembly of God Pentecostal Church, overseeing its move from North Lodge Terrace to Corporation
A DRIVER who ran down a man as he lay on a grass embankment has been cleared of dangerous driving, but convicted of the lesser charge of careless driving. Trevor Kellett, 22, of Highfield Road, Shiney Row, near Sunderland, was driving a friend's car at
TOURISM chiefs have launched one of their biggest drives yet to entice visitors back to North Yorkshire after the ravages of foot-and-mouth disease. One of the key events in the rural recovery was unveiled yesterday, when council bosses announced that
A MAN who jumped to his death in front of an express train from a station platform was named yesterday. Joseph Leonard Thackery, 54, died instantly when he was hit by the train, which was travelling through Durham station, on Tuesday. Durham police revealed
A MATHEMATICAL challenge posed no problem for junior school youngsters, who have been presented with certificates for their skills. Children from Woodhouse Close Junior School, Bishop Auckland, were set a mathematics challenge by teacher Lindsay Burnip
CHILDREN from a North school have taken action to protect an increasingly rare bush. Despite once being a common sight in North Yorkshire, sheep, rabbit and grouse have all contributed to the decline of the juniper. Now, children in the village of Botton
A PLAN by youngsters to encourage other young people to take part in activites off the streets has been unveiled. The Dene Krew, an organisation based on The Dene Estate near Medomsley, has worked with the Durham County Council youth offending team to
CHILDREN at a Darlington school held a non-uniform day yesterday to help a former pupil with her gap year project. Reid Street Primary School joined the fundraising effort for Chloe Campbell, who is trying to raise £1,700 to work in India. Chloe, 17,
RESIDENTS of a Teesside community have been pampered, all in the name of learning. People at Hemlington, near Middlesbrough, were treated to aromatherapy, Indian head massage, manicure and make-over demonstrations by a team from the University of Teesside
ONLY hours after launching its annual Easter egg competition a town had a bumper clutch of 50 entries in the bag. The competition is one of the most popular events staged by Peterlee Town Council. Sponsored by the town's Asda store and Cadbury's, it is
YOUNGSTERS sampled the working life of beauticians, chefs, firefighters and dancers. at a hands-on careers event on Thursday. More than 300 teenagers with special needs tried their hands at a variety of jobs during 30-minute workshops at the University
AN innovative Internet scheme set up by The Northern Echo to help community groups in the region has already helped more than 1,000 organisations to create their own website. The CommuniGate scheme became an instant success when it was launched in September
A much improved Darlington side were unfortunate to be held to a goalless draw at home to Swansea at Feethams on Saturday. Darlington created the games better chances and Swans goalkeeper Roger Freestone pulled off some good saves to keep his side in
Southampton substitute Jo Tessem grabbed an equaliser two minutes from time to leave Sunderland in deep relegation trouble. The Wearsiders appeared to have marked their 100th league game at the Stadium of Light with a priceless victory when Republic of
Middlesbrough recorded their second victory of the season over champions Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday. A ninth minute strike from Croatian Alen Boksic proved enough to seal the points for the Teessiders. Diminutive Italian Benito Carbone
DARLINGTON Mowden Park have received confirmation from the RFU that they are to have two points deducted from their National Division Three North total. They have been told that they did not carry out the full registration requirements before including
HARTLEPOOL United have never enjoyed taking on Macclesfield at Victoria Park. Four previous meetings had brought two draws and two defeats for Pool - but few have been as costly or important as last night's reverse. Because with the defeat came the distant
Bishop Auckland are going full steam ahead with ground improvements at Shildon to meet the UniBond League's deadline. Bishops announced yesterday that they have signed a two- year groundshare deal with Shildon, while their old ground Kingsway is sold
Thornaby could be marooned in the bottom three if they fail to win their crunch relegation clash at Newcastle Blue Star today. Thornaby have won just once in their last 16 matches, and conceded six goals in each of their last two home games, against Bedlington
Darlington will be looking to avoid taking their winless run into double-figures when Swansea City visit Feethams today. Quakers haven't collected three points since the beginning of February, when Carlisle were beaten 3-1 at Brunton Park. Darlington
Soap characters have a habit of going out of one scene and coming back looking completely different. The latest to undergo a head transplant is Sam Buther in Eastenders WHEN Albert Square's Peggy Butcher went to Spain for the funeral of missing husband
OUR front page story today will add to the growing concern that the criminal justice system is geared to the interests of those who break the law. Nearing the end of his nine-year sentence in Kirklevington Grange Prison, Yarm, David Duddin was correctly
First, the one sure thing. Shrek will win the first Oscar to be handed out for best animated feature film. Other than that, nothing is certain when the 74th Academy Awards ceremony gets under way in Los Angeles tomorrow. The annual gong-giving film bash
POLICE have repeated a warning to elderly people to beware of bogus water officials. It follows an attempted burglary at the home of an elderly couple in School Street, Easington, by two men who were allowed in after claiming they needed to test water
A COMPANY was prosecuted yesterday for not completing roadworks on time, causing an unnecessary traffic jam. Consett magistrates ordered Northumbrian Water to pay a £500 fine and £190 costs for failing to execute works at times other than that directed
