Archive

  • Old habits and diehards

    While the rest of England raised a glass to youth and vitality, the Over 40s League celebrated its 22nd wrinkle retardant awards night. Even dear old David Seaman is younger than any of this lot: for money read love, for vitality read viagra. It began

  • Last Night's TV: The Search For King Solomon's Mines (C4)

    Story of a good old-fashioned treasure hunt. Travel writer Tahir Shah admits that the search to find the source of King Solomon's treasures is a family obsession. Both his father and his grandfather before him looked for the mines in Yemen and Sudan.

  • Accident verdict on crash tragedy

    A DRIVER and his passenger died of massive internal injuries after they were involved in a collision at one of Teesside's most notorious accident blackspots, an inquest heard yesterday. An inquest at Teesside Magistrates' Court heard how a Peugeot 309

  • Swedish cash gets property deals moving

    SWEDISH bank Handelsbanken has completed property deals in the North-East worth £2.6m. The bank, which moved into the region two months ago, has advanced funding to allow property developer City and Northern to extend its portfolio. In the first deal,

  • Police seek help with busker's death probe

    MURDER squad detectives were last night trying to piece together the final movements of a drugs user, who died several days after being brutally assaulted. The body of Antony John Grayson, a well-known busker in York city centre, was found in his flat

  • Jail warning to father of teenage truant

    A NORTH-EAST father is facing jail if he fails to send his teenage son to school. The 48-year-old single father from County Durham was brought before the courts earlier this year. Education chiefs took action after his son failed to attend lessons for

  • Getaway driver in burglary for shotguns gets four years

    A GETAWAY driver who escaped with six shotguns after the daylight burglary of a country manor house, was jailed yesterday. Edward O'Neill was only drafted in to act as driver during the raid, in North Yorkshire, at the last minute, Teesside Crown Court

  • Parents' fury over school buses without seatbelts

    PARENTS are threatening to keep their children away from school unless seatbelts are provided on their bus. A new contractor was brought in for yesterday's first day back at school after the half-term break, to cover the bus route, from Aycliffe Village

  • Rape case corporal found hanged

    A MILITARY policeman has been found dead at his barracks on the day he was due in court to face allegations he raped and indecently assaulted a teenage girl, it was revealed yesterday. Corporal Colin Winning, from Glasgow, was found hanged by colleagues

  • Making a splash to aid little Rosie

    TWO pre-school workers took to water to raise cash for a sick youngster. Melanie Lush and Linda Walters, who work with Tumble Tots providing sessions to keep under fives occupied, covered 187 lengths in the swimming pool at Hambleton Leisure Centre, in

  • Boost for traders over bridge repairs

    TRADERS in a market town badly hit by last year's foot-and-mouth epidemic are celebrating after council engineers agreed to keep a bridge open while repairs are carried out. Businesses in Barnard Castle were worried that the town's County Bridge, which

  • Call over plans for school changes

    THOUSANDS of parents in North Yorkshire have not been informed about a possible switch to a six-term school year, it was claimed yesterday. Labour chiefs said the county council had failed to make many families aware of the proposals, which could be introduced

  • Three held in firearms and drugs swoops

    ARMED police and dog teams have arrested three men and seized a quantity of suspected crack cocaine. The men were arrested in Middlesbrough as part of Operation Roulette - a round-up of illegally-held weapons, launched last Friday. "Our determination

  • Nation is back in the grip of World Cup

    WORLD Cup fever is set to grip the nation again tomorrow as England take on Nigeria in a bid to secure their place in the second phase of football's most coveted competition. Following England's inspired victory over many pundits' tournament favourites

  • Coining it in

    A HOSPICE is appealing for unwanted foreign currency. A spokesman for Hartlepool and District Hospice said: "With the introduction of the euro, many foreign coins are unusable. By donating currency, people can give much-needed funds to help the hospice

  • Job cuts talks moved back

    A MEETING between unions and management at the Caterpillar plant in Stockton has been put back. Representatives from the AEEU/Amicus were due to meet bosses at the plant over proposed job cuts yesterday, but it will now take place on Thursday afternoon

  • Contest entries sought

    Entries can be submitted for the Beautiful Durham competition, organised by the city council, until Friday, July 5. Judging takes place on Thursday and Friday, July 11 and 12, with awards presented at the Town Hall, on October 3. The awards are open for

  • North-East comics in TV awards bid

    THREE North-East comics have made it to the regional final of the BBC New Comedy Awards in Glasgow tomorrow night. Matthew Reed, Seymour Mace and Dan Nightingale, all from Newcastle, will be taking on Peter Liu and David Wilkie, both from Edinburgh, and

  • School hit by vandals

    PUPILS were kept at home yesterday after their school was vandalised during the half-term holiday. Children at Woodham Burn Junior School, in Newton Aycliffe, had an extended holiday when it was discovered that the roof of the school had been damaged

  • Comment: A time to wish them well

    IT is a great pity that preparations for the wedding of Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills have been marred by stories about the bride in some newspapers. We hope the reports do not tarnish today's joyous occasion. There is much to be admired in Ms

  • Restoration cheer for town church

    AN ambitious project to restore a country church to its former glory has reached the end of its first phase. A new vestry and chapel have been created at St Michael's Church, Malton, as part of the £250,000 scheme. The Reverend Nick Jones said the successful

  • Emotional tribute to car death son

    THE family of a teenager who was killed in a road accident on Sunday have paid an emotional tribute to him. Peter Allsop, 17, died when his car left a country road and hit a tree near Pickering, North Yorkshire, at about 3pm. Firefighters used cutting

  • Headbutt soldier ordered to pay victim

    A SOLDIER facing sentence for headbutting a woman was ordered to pay his victim £150 compensation yesterday. Jamie Thompson, 22, formerly stationed at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, but who is now stationed in Warminster, Wiltshire, admitted a charge

  • Cable company eyes up big rival

    DEBT-LADEN cable operator ntl is set to take on major rival BSkyB after announcing plans to offer more channels to subscribers. Ntl, which after a major corporate restructuring is owned by bondholders, has announced plans to add 29 more television channels

  • RSPCA plans school visits

    HUNDREDS of youngsters will tackle crucial animal welfare issues next week, as part of an RSPCA initiative. The society's officers will be visiting schools throughout the North-East and Yorkshire, to give talks and host activities ranging from designing

  • Robot designers aim to kick up a FireStorm in TV battle

    North-East fighting robot FireStorm returns to the Robot Wars ring on Friday when TV millions will hopefully see the mighty yellow machine knocking lumps out of the opposition. So good is the contender, built by Graham Bone, 23, from Langley Moor, near

  • Councils may forge financial services bond

    THREE councils are to join forces to see if they can make their financial services more efficient. Darlington, Richmondshire and Teesdale councils will investigate working together on matters such as collection of council tax and business rates housing

  • Hear all sides: GOLDEN JUBILEE

    WHILE celebrating the Queen's Jubilee, our group began to discuss the future of the monarchy. We must assume that Charles will eventually become King of England and it is certain that he will marry the former Mrs Parker Bowles and she will then become

  • Safety drive aims to cut chimney blazes

    FIRE chiefs have launched a safety campaign designed to cut down on one of the major causes of blazes in North Yorkshire. Chimney fires accounted for almost ten per cent of call-outs in the county last year, and firefighters spent a total of 36 working

  • Coroner criticises absence of friend

    A MAN was criticised by a coroner for failing to attend an inquest into the death of a friend. The hearing in Middlesbrough was told Stefan Szwarga, 35, died after drinking the equivalent of eight pints of beer, on top of heroin, diazepam and cannabis

  • Walking back to health and happiness

    A NEW initiative aims to boost the health of people in Hartlepool by promoting the benefits of walking. The project is being led by Gerry Rodgers, Hartlepool Borough Council's newly-appointed health and sports officer. His role is to work with various

  • Celebrating college bond with Queen

    A COLLEGE is organising a reunion to mark its golden jubilee year at its current site. St Mary's, Durham University's only all-female college, started in 1899 as a hostel for six women students. It is one of the university's oldest colleges, and moved

  • Why vets are turning to natural healing

    From magnetic collars for arthiritic dogs to flower essence remedies for sick horses, the demand for alternative treatments for pets is booming. Emily Flanagan looks at some of the therapies on offer. WHEN Angela Pulsford's horse fell ill with grass fever

  • Bus crash: four still serious

    FOUR women were still in a serious condition last night after a coach crash at the weekend. Thirteen women were being treated in hospitals in Cumbria yesterday after a Women's Institute day trip from Stakeford, near Ashington, Northumberland, ended in

  • Theatre firm's creditors gather

    CREDITORS of the firm which ran Durham's Gala Theatre before going into liquidation last month will meet to recover their debts today. A meeting of the 150 creditors owed money by the Entertainment Team (Durham) will take place at Durham's Ramside Hall

  • Punch and Judy are a hit

    THE annual Yarm Charity Fair organised by the Yarm District Lions Club took place on Sunday. Heavy rain kept crowds below levels of previous years, but visitors still enjoyed the fun, especially the Punch and Judy show, right, which entranced young and

  • Protection urged for 'heritage' farm

    CAMPAIGNERS are claiming what they hope will be the final victory in a long-running battle to protect a farm from development schemes. Plans to develop Home Farm, on the outskirts of Guisborough, which houses early-Victorian water-powered agricultural

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Administration assistant, Bedale. Wage negotiable, 20hpw, TBA. Must have typing and basic computing and book-keeping skills. Experience in Sage preferable. Ref:

  • Store provides answer to Charlotte's dreams

    A FURNITURE store has granted a poorly youngster's wish by donating a bed. Barker and Stonehouse was approached by the Make A Wish Foundation to help 11-year-old Charlotte Cheeseman. The youngster, from Springwell Village, near Washington, who is recovering

  • Double honours

    Durham University Athletic Union has given its Honorary Palatinate Award to former test cricketer Graeme Fowler, the university's head cricket coach, and Derek Fowler, who won nine caps playing rugby for England and is the new president of the Rugby Football

  • Training course proves that manners maketh man's best friend

    A TOP trainer has been showing that you can teach old dogs new tricks. Internationally-renowned trainer John Rogerson was teaching nine rescue dogs good manners at the National Canine Defence League (NCDL) rehoming centre at Sadberge, near Darlington.

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Bakery assistant, Stockton. £4.10ph, 8.30am-4pm, Mon to Fri, 7.30am-4pm, Sat. Previous shop and till experience essential. Some cash handling involved. Ref: STL33138

  • Eyes down for city bingo plan

    A GIANT bingo and leisure complex could form the centrepiece of a large-scale city centre redevelopment. Entertainment company Mecca has revealed plans to create a £2m bingo club alongside the KwikSave store in the Park Lane area, near Sunderland's new

  • Footballer jailed for blow which killed team-mate

    A FOOTBALL player who killed a team-mate with a single punch during a Christmas night out has been jailed for 15 months. Ian Allan, 34, whose wife is due to give birth to their second child this week, died three days before Christmas six days after hitting

  • When you just can't beat a bit of batter

    THE Talking Newspaper for the Blind, now lodged in the nether regions of this echoing building, wanted a taped interview the other day about a lifetime in journalism. We've ten minutes, they said. Chiefly they were fascinated by the Eating Owt column,

  • Church organ in spotlight

    ORGANISTS from across the district will be heading for Topcliffe this weekend. The Ripon and Leeds Royal School of Church Music launches its annual Organ Day on Saturday with a chance to play the newly-installed Father Willis organ at St Columba's Church

  • Gloom as 320 food jobs go

    MORE than 300 people have been made redundant after administrators for food group Albert Fisher stopped production at one of its plants. KPMG had originally wanted to sell Albert Fisher, which employs people in Newcastle and York, as a going concern but

  • Fifteen left in hunt for awards

    JUDGES at this year's Spirit of Innovation Awards have whittled down an initial 80 entries to the 15 finalists. The 15, in four categories, will now have an anxious wait until June 19, when the winners in each category will be announced at a ceremony

  • Support urged for waste tip proposal

    PLANNING officials are supporting plans for a new tip on the edge of Catterick Village. There has been stiff opposition to a bid to the use of Pallett Hill Quarry for the disposal of inert waste, such as building rubble. Despite a public meeting last

  • Party-goers barred by pub for wearing England shirts

    A group of men were barred from a pub after England's famous victory over Argentina because they were wearing Three Lions shirts. Nick Askey, 33, had arranged to see his friends after returning from a five- month tour of Europe. But he said the party

  • News in brief: Plea follows garage raid

    SERVICE station staff were left shocked but unhurt after they were threatened by two men brandishing an axe and a hammer. The incident happened at the Esso garage, in the A1 northbound Granada services, Gateshead, at 8.45pm, on Saturday. Two men entered

  • News in brief: Seeking views about loos

    COUNCIL chiefs have launched a consultation exercise about a town's £125,000 new toilets. Residents met Stockton Borough Council members and officers at Norton Green Community Centre to have their say. The council announced in March that the toilets would

  • Bowls club fears for future as vandalism attacks go on

    A BOWLS club dating back more than 60 years is facing closure due to the constant abuse of its green, according to its secretary. Last year, members of the Brandon Bowls Club were forced to play most of their home matches elsewhere due to their green,

  • Keane should be regretting

    As the Republic of Ireland aim to secure a second-round place that they so richly deserve today, somebody somewhere ought to be taking a long, hard look at himself. That somebody is Roy Keane, and if he isn't hanging his head in shame then he's even more

  • Eating Owt: When you just can't beat a bit of batter

    THE Talking Newspaper for the Blind, now lodged in the nether regions of this echoing building, wanted a taped interview the other day about a lifetime in journalism. We've ten minutes, they said. Chiefly they were fascinated by the Eating Owt column,

  • Arson victim offers reward

    THE owner of a traditional gipsy caravan which was destroyed in an arson attack is offering a cash reward to catch the culprits. The man, who is not being named, has put up a £5,000 reward after the carriage and a touring caravan were burnt to the ground

  • Hornby profits steam ahead

    MODEL train maker Hornby has reported a surge in profits over the last year as mature collectors continued to buy up its ranges. The Kent-based group, which makes Hornby model railways and Scalextric car racing models, said pre-tax profits for the year

  • Mboma backs Nigeria win

    FORMER African Player of the Year Patrick Mboma has a warning for England ahead of their crucial final World Cup group phase clash: 'Nigeria can beat you'. If Sven-Goran Eriksson's men avoid defeat against the Super Eagles in Osaka tomorrow morning a

  • Store provides answer to Charlotte's dreams

    A FURNITURE store has granted a poorly youngster's wish by donating a bed. Barker and Stonehouse was approached by the Make A Wish Foundation to help 11-year-old Charlotte Cheeseman. The youngster, from Springwell Village, near Washington, who is recovering

  • Mon Petite worth a small bet

    MON PETITE (2.45) might be worth a small wager in the Jeroboam Handicap at Redcar this afternoon. Trainer Jeremy Glover has been running his three-year-old filly over six furlongs so far this season, a strange decision since she doesn't appear to have

  • Contest entries sought

    Entries can be submitted for the Beautiful Durham competition, organised by the city council, until Friday, July 5. Judging takes place on Thursday and Friday, July 11 and 12, with awards presented at the Town Hall, on October 3. The awards are open for

  • Appointments: Artistic talent in nursery

    TWO nursery nurses whose unexpected displays of artistic talent surprised their employers have been promoted. KYRA McKENRY, from Low Fell, Gateshead, and SHARON GRAY, from Urpeth Grange, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, have been appointed deputy managers

  • Charity cyclists plan cuban adventure

    TWO pensioners are hoping to cycle through Cuba later this year to raise money for the visually impaired. David Ayre, 70, and Jim French, 65, are planning on making the 500km trip, but need to raise £2,000 each to take part in the adventure for the Royal

  • For Queen and Country - Sven's boys and Lewis inspire all

    Maybe it's the lack of sleep caused by the late-night celebrations and early kick-offs in the Far East that has left us feeling delirious, but doesn't it feel great to be British again? OK, so those Republicans among us may have squirmed uncomfortably

  • Dosh, dough or wonga - it all adds up

    BARCLAYS has drawn up the first money map of Britain, revealing the most popular colloquialisms for money in the UK. The Fluent in Finance report has been prompted by reactions to the latest television commercial for the bank, featuring Hollywood star

  • The world according to football

    IT'S taken over, hasn't it? Earwig-O, earwig-O, earwig-O! Wall to wall football. I came out of church after the annual service for the Master Mariners Company last Friday lunchtime and tried to get a taxi to take me to their ship, HQS Wellington, for

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. PCV service driver, Durham. £4.50 ph, part-time, tba. Knowledge of Durham area preferred. Ref: DUR29976. Hairdresser, Durham. NMW plus bonus. Thurs, 9am-6pm. Fri

  • Ryanair profits hit the heights

    DEMAND for no-frills flights across Europe shows no signs of abating as Ryanair's full-year profits surged. The Dublin group, which has operations at Teesside Airport, has spent the last year building up its European service, including new routes to Germany

  • Army 'serial killer' inquiry demanded

    THE grieving parents of a young soldier, who was found mysteriously shot dead, last night demanded a public inquiry into his death amid fears that a serial killer may be on the loose. Private Geoff Gray, of Seaham, County Durham, was found dead last September

  • Exhibition of landscape art

    SCENES from some of the region's most beautiful landscapes go on show later this month. More than 100 paintings by Yorkshire Dales artists will be displayed at the annual Yoredale Art Club exhibition in Leyburn, Wensleydale. Some of the paintings, in

  • Pupils kept at home after school is vandalised

    PUPILS were kept at home yesterday after their school was vandalised during the half-term holiday. Children at Woodham Burn Junior School, in Newton Aycliffe, had an extended holiday when it was discovered that the roof of the school had been damaged

  • Crash victims died of massive injuries

    A DRIVER and his passenger died of massive internal injuries after they were involved in a collision at one of Teesside's most notorious accident blackspots, an inquest heard yesterday. The inquest, at Teesside Magistrates' Court, heard how a Peugeot

  • Website aims to help the disabled

    A WEBSITE to help disabled people access information will be launched on Thursday. Maria Eagle MP, the minister for people with disabilities, will be among those attending the launch of NE Ability, at Durham County Hall. The site was commissioned by the

  • Teenage volunteer nominated for award

    A TEENAGE volunteer from the region has been nominated for a national award. Stacey Lee, 18, of Willington, County Durham, has been chosen as a finalist in the Nationwide Awards for Voluntary Endeavour. She will be judged against ten other volunteers

  • Councils' money saver

    THREE councils are to join forces to see if they can make their financial services more efficient. Darlington, Richmondshire and Teesdale councils will investigate working together on such things as collection of council tax and business rates and payment

  • Piece of paper that could cost £2,500

    RESIDENTS in Redcar and Cleveland are being warned they could lose up to £2,500 in grants if they fall foul of the latest scam involving bogus callers. Welfare rights staff at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council have reported incidents where people are

  • Sikhs say thanks for rally funding

    COUNCILLORS were thanked yesterday for giving a financial grant to a successful racial peace rally. Darlington Borough Council leader John Williams was invited to visit the Sikh temple, in Louisa Street, so the organisers of the community awareness and

  • Ground-breaking deal could bring 600 jobs to blackspot

    A MULTI-million pound jobs deal has been agreed in principle for an unemployment blackspot. National support services company Amey is negotiating with Redcar and Cleveland Council on a partnership package which would generate millions of pounds in saving

  • Medical school denies cash blow

    MEDICAL school bosses have denied claims that funding cuts will lead to redundancies in the region and damage efforts to boost doctor numbers. Officials at Newcastle University Medical School were reacting to claims by a top academic that "massive" funding

  • Churchman to deny sex allegations

    A churchman accused of sex attacks is to deny all charges. The Reverend Neville Husband entered no pleas during a short hearing at Newcastle Crown Court yesterday, and spoke only to confirm his name. But his barrister, Christopher Knox, said: "I can indicate

  • Animal ban after horse found dead

    THE owner of a horse which was killed at a busy roadside was banned yesterday from keeping animals for five years. The black colt was found strangled by its chain down a steep embankment next to the A688 bypass at Bishop Auckland, County Durham. District

  • Cor luv-a-duck, that's one way to light up the village

    VILLAGERS had a quacking time in a bid to raise funds for their Christmas appeal. Dozens of residents of Staindrop, in County Durham, turned out for the annual duck race in the stream running through the village, which was held to raise funds for the

  • Woman admits flight mayhem

    A WOMAN accused of causing mayhem aboard a packed holiday jet admitted yesterday to having been drunk on board the aircraft. Care worker Charlotte Davies, 31, pleaded guilty to being a passenger under the influence of alcohol at Newcastle Crown Court.

  • Feedback report issued over future of dales

    A REPORT has been published on the results of consultation with the public on the future of Arkengarthdale and Swaledale. The document outlines what local people see as the priorities and the likely challenges the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority

  • Village princess and her princes

    A NEW princess has been crowned in a North-East village - and for the first time she will be accompanied by two boys on her duties. Charlotte Clewlow, 11, was named as Princess of Hurworth, near Darlington, and Matthew Hudspith and Joshua Robert were

  • Taxi hit pedestrian walking in road

    A TAXI driver who hit a pedestrian who was walking in the road was fined £200 yesterday. Sajid Rafi, 30, of Atholl Street, Middlesbrough, admitted a charge of careless driving at Teesside Crown Court. A not guilty plea to a charge of dangerous driving

  • Disadvantaged areas win Lottery cash

    DISADVANTAGED neighbourhoods throughout the region are to benefit from millions of pounds of National Lottery cash. The money is coming to the North-East through the new Fair Share scheme, which is made up of the Community and New Opportunities funds.

  • Traders' joy over bridge repairs

    TRADERS in a market town badly hit by last year's foot-and-mouth epidemic are celebrating after council engineers agreed to keep a bridge open while repairs are carried out. Businesses in Barnard Castle were worried that the town's County Bridge, which

  • Restaurant dishes up Caribbean culture for youngsters

    TEENAGERS sampled a taste of the Caribbean at a culture awareness event. Members of St Helen Youth Inclusion Programme enjoyed last week's event so much that it could become the focus of a regular club. About 22 of the project's 50 youngsters, from St

  • News in brief: Invitation to join Toy Library

    Sparky's Toy Library in Darlington is open to new members. The library includes a variety of games and books for the under fives and membership is £2. The toy library is open at Skerne Park children's centre, on Friday, between 9am and 11am and items

  • Sex attack pensioner is spared jail term

    A 76-YEAR-OLD man who sexually assaulted a young girl was spared jail yesterday. Mark Jefferson had his 18- month jail term suspended for two years at Teesside Crown Court after he admitted four charges of indecent assault. Catherine Fagan, prosecuting

  • News in brief: Bike damaged in shed blaze

    A garden shed containing a quad bike, in Hall Lane Estate, Willington, was severely damaged by fire early yesterday. Two appliances from Crook Fire Station attended the blaze, at about 1.15am. MP SURGERY: Bishop Auckland MP Derek Foster will hold a surgery

  • American dream raises fire station cash

    A COUNCILLOR has returned home triumphant after completing a cycle trip across America. Durham county councillor Len O'Donnell, 69, embarked on the 3,640-mile trip from Los Angeles to Washington DC in March. He aimed to raise money to replace some of

  • Bureau's past comes back to life

    CITIZENS' Advice Bureau (CAB) staff unearthed a history of the service dating back to 1939 during a recent move. Staff at the Durham branch of the organisation were packing up for their move from Ruth First House, Claypath, to the Millennium City development

  • Sophie gets in the groove for Galaxy's Out There concert

    SOPHISTICATED pop star Sophie Ellis Bextor is the latest to sign up for a North-East concert. Ms Ellis Bextor, whose hits include Murder on the Dancefloor, Take Me Home and her Number 1 with Spiller, Groovejet (If This Ain't Love), will perform in the

  • Gift leaves children stumped for words

    PUPILS at a special school in the region were bowled over yesterday when cricket pundit Ian Botham paid them a visit. The former England cricket star presented youngsters at Rosebank Special School, in Ferryhill, County Durham, with a coach from The Variety

  • Marines aid attack victim

    TWO United States marines went to the aid of a woman who was being attacked by her husband on a bus, a court heard. The marines were among passengers on the bus in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, who took exception to Peter Plumpton's behaviour. They and

  • Shaping up for good show

    STAFF at Hogg the Builder are getting practice in country pursuits such as horse riding and fishing prior to the Sledmere Country Show at the weekend. The York housebuilder is sponsoring the show and is expecting to welcome more than 100 customers to

  • Planning system shake-up on way

    PEOPLE could be allowed to speak before the North York Moors National Park planning committee as part of a planned shake-up. But planning officers are to take a tougher line on properties which are let for holidays, and fewer applications will actually

  • Jackpot win No.5 at lucky bingo club

    A MOTHER-OF-TWO has become the fifth National Bingo Game winner this year at a North-East club. The 34-year-old woman was playing at the Mecca Club, in Stockton, Teesside, when she won the jackpot of £57,090, plus a regional prize of £1,073 and club prize

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. LGV Class 1 driver, Boldon, near Barnard Castle. £4.70-£5 per hour. Must have at least five years' HGV experience. Ref: BAJ 4423. Builder, Winston. £280 per week

  • Bus travel stays free - for now - on 'unsafe' route

    FREE bus travel will still be available to youngsters on an "unsafe'' school route for the autumn term. About 150 pupils of Blackfyne Community, Consett, who live in Leadgate, faced having the concession withdrawn after Durham County Council concluded

  • Marching in the family's footsteps

    NAOMI Hunt has become the fourth generation - and the first woman - of her family to join the Army. Naomi, 18, has secured her dream job in the Royal Military Police after completing a National Diploma in Public Uniformed Services at Newcastle College

  • A Grand start for play debut

    A NEW comedy has broken box office records at a North-East arts venue. Good To Firm, a first-time effort by Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood, attracted almost 1,000 people to the Customs House at South Shields, including a 398-seat sell-out on Saturday night,

  • Assembly debates White Paper

    CAMPAIGNERS pushing for devolution for the North-East have held a lively debate about the contents of a Government White Paper on the subject. The Campaign for a North East Assembly met in Newcastle at the weekend to discuss the proposals. Although members

  • Radioactive bomb plot foiled

    The US government has arrested an American citizen accused of conspiring with al Qaida terrorists to build and detonate a radioactive "dirty bomb" - with Washington as his target. Attorney General John Ashcroft said that Abdullah Al Muhajir, a former

  • England's last game drama

    England enter familiar territory tomorrow when their World Cup fate is decided by their final Group F clash with Nigeria. The Three Lions have made a habit of testing their fans' nerves for more than a decade in major tournaments. Since 1986, England

  • Throne is now the people's potty . . .

    QUEEN Victoria does not look amused - and who can blame her? The bowl she holds was once the Royal throne of kings - and now it has become the people's potty. At least two members of the royal family, George IV and Victoria's own Prince Albert, are believed

  • News in brief: Plea follows garage raid

    SERVICE station staff were left shocked but unhurt after they were threatened by two men brandishing an axe and a hammer. The incident happened at the Esso garage, in the A1 northbound Granada services, Gateshead, at 8.45pm, on Saturday. Two men entered

  • 'My child hasn't eaten for three years'

    While most four-year-olds are feasting on sweets and burgers, four-year-old Annie Jones doesn't touch a morsel. She suffers from infantile anorexia, which, as Adrian Worsley finds out, has nothing to do with stick-thin models and poor body image. AT children's

  • Jubilee find brings echo of the past

    IN John Henry Smithingale's day, you celebrated a monarch's jubilee by raising a pint of stout to the King and standing for the National Anthem. You would be lucky to get some bunting and a paper hat, never mind a rock concert at Buckingham Palace and

  • Museum's wartime vehicles display draws visitors from afar

    THE dark days of the Second World War were recalled at a special display at the Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington, near York. Despite the museum's name, the action this time was firmly on the ground. The spirit of D-Day was rekindled with a spectacular

  • News in brief: Student is found safe

    A STUDENT who has been missing from home for nearly a month has been found safe and well. William Ross Edmondson went missing from his home in Eaglescliffe, near Stockton, Teesside, on May 16. Concerns were growing for the Sheffield University student

  • Grant allows go-ahead for workshop units

    A TYNESIDE community group has won backing from the EU for purpose-built offices and workshops for budding entrepreneurs. A European regional development fund grant of £209,228 has been awarded to Newcastle City Council to help it create the community-owned

  • McCarthy's men through

    Republic of Ireland are through to the second round after they saw of World Cup whipping boys Saudi Arabia 3-0 in Yokohama. Robbie Keane, Gary Breen and Damian Duff grabbed the goals which takes Mick McCarthy's men through to the last 16 where they'll

  • Interest rates likely to rise

    INTEREST rates look set to rise after new figures showed the manufacturing sector was heading out of recession. The Office for National Statistics said manufacturing output rose 0.8 per cent in April, the biggest rise for eight months. Ten out of 13 sectors

  • Children lend a hand for display of photographs

    POSITIVE images of mental health are in the hands of Teesside's children. An exhibition to persuade people to rethink images of mental health issues features photographs of hundreds of youngsters' hands, each of them filled with a positive image drawn