Archive

  • Newcastle and Interbrew Pro-Am Invitation Competition

    Newcastle and Interbrew's Pro-Am Invitation Snooker competition at Richardson and Westgarth Sports and Social Club was held on July 23. Peter Lines (Leeds) won the Newcastle and Interview UK Pro-Am Snooker Invitation against Michael Rhodes (Spennymoor

  • Council agrees to act over neglected land

    ACTION is to be taken to clean up blighted land at Brotton, which residents claim is leading to a slump in property values. A public meeting about the state of the village brickyard and park area was attended by about 50 people who voiced a number of

  • Dolan's golden fight suffers unlucky start

    David Dolan will begin his assault on Commonwealth Games gold against Bahamas boxer Jerry Otis Butler this evening. Dolan, from Sunderland, was hoping he would be one of the five super-heavyweights to receive a bye into the quarter-finals. But yesterday's

  • Brown shows Ronaldo how

    You might not connect World cup winners Brazil with Crook Town but Ronaldo's toe-poked goal in the World Cup finals reminded Cardiff City physio Jimmy Goodfellow of a Crook player who had a toe-poke technique of his own. Goodfellow an amateur cup winner

  • Children with big hearts

    KIND-HEARTED children who have been toiling behind the scenes as carers and helpers have been rewarded for their efforts. Bullion Lane Primary School in Chester-le-Street decided to hold its own good citizens' awards in recognition of the work pupils

  • Jolly japes for fun day

    AHOY there, me hearties! There will be pirate fun aplenty at Saltburn's second annual Swashbuckle event on Sunday. The Redcar and Cleveland Council-organised free fun day, from 10am to 5pm, will feature a best-dressed pirate parade, a buccaneer talent

  • Controversy over bus lanes leads to call for action

    EGGLESCLIFFE Parish Council has called on Stockton Council to hold a full public meeting about the controversial bus lanes leading to Yarm. If this does not happen, the parish council will arrange a meeting itself, and ask the relevant road engineers,

  • Flying high and crashing down to earth

    Xtreme Air Racing. Format: PC CD-ROM. Publisher: Just Flight. SOMETIMES, it seems, the video games industry can see no further than the end of its nose. Xtreme Air Racing - XAR for short - is a good example of a title that may never have seen the light

  • Unibond league clubs

    Unibond League clubs will be playing at least two games in the new League cup format this season, writes Ray Simpson. The much criticised group format has been ditched - much to the delight of the clubs - and instead all of them will be playing in the

  • Letters: Gala was a treat

    Sir, - May I be allowed to write about criticism of Thirsk gala. What has been said in last week's paper is quite true, but the man who never made a mistake, is the one who never did anything! To just sit on The Flatts on Saturday and Sunday and see thousands

  • Car firm to back design for crankshaft

    A COUNTY Durham inventor is hoping his latest design will revolutionise the motor industry. Edward Allen, 72, of Newton Aycliffe, has won the backing of German motor giant Audi to build a prototype of his innovative crankshaft design. The company has

  • Racecourse 'will go ahead'

    PLANS to build a multi-million pound racecourse in Redcar will go ahead despite funding problems, its creator has pledged. Property developer Lord Zetland wants to build a racecourse on land at Dunsdale Farm, two miles outside Redcar. He had hoped that

  • Will service could end long-lost heir claims

    False claims of being the long-lost heir to the family estate could be a thing of the past with a North-East firm's futuristic will service. Sunderland-based company Complement Genomics is offering the chance to keep your DNA on file along with your will

  • Young performer wins role in musical

    YOUNGSTERS used to long to leave home to join a circus - and for one Richmond teenager, that dream has come true showbiz-style. Robin Mills, 15, is to appear in a new production of the musical Barnum after being chosen from thousands of hopefuls. Robin

  • Joe lifts new trophy

    BUDDING young tennis players at Crakehall will now be competing for a trophy named in memory of a retired local magistrate and supporter of charitable organisations in North Yorkshire. Joe Wilkinson, of Crakehall CE Primary School, has become the first

  • Stokesley boys given football master class

    BOYS from the Stokesley Juniors football team recently had the chance to learn from the man who nurtured the skills of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and the Neville brothers. Eric Harrison, coach co-ordinator at Manchester United and assistant

  • Police warn car park hooligans

    YOUNG drivers who turned a sea-front car park into a dangerous race track are facing prosecution after being captured on camera. Police launched a crackdown after large numbers of youths took over the Majuba car park in Redcar, racing cars and motorcycles

  • New footy club takes to the field

    A new junior football club scored an instant hit by organising a successful tournament. Mount Pleasant Rangers JFC have recently been formed in the Cockerton area of Darlington. Age groups up and running are Under-8s, Under-11s and Under-12s and other

  • Hunt supporters heartened on the streets of London

    DURHAM and North Yorkshire hunts collected hundreds of signatures from well-wishers in favour of hunting with dogs at the weekend. Members of the Shildon Countryside Movement and the Braes of Derwent, South Durham, Hurworth and Zetland hunts took part

  • Don honoured for fine innings

    THE man who helped to put North-East cricket on the map has been honoured by one of the region's universities. Don Robson, former leader of Durham County Council, has been given an Honorary Doctorate of Laws by Sunderland University. Mr Robson, 66, of

  • Don honoured for fine innings

    THE man who helped to put North-East cricket on the map has been honoured by one of the region's universities. Don Robson, former leader of Durham County Council, has been given an Honorary Doctorate of Laws by Sunderland University. Mr Robson, 66, of

  • PC criticises officers over charge decision

    A POLICE officer has criticised detectives for failing to prosecute a man she says her husband caught breaking into his car. Northumbria PC Caroline McArdle, of Chester-le-Street, has spoken of her disbelief that the man has not been charged. Her husband

  • Slazenger Harrogate and District League

    Invincipble Northallerton have won promotion for the third successive season - and they have yet to suffer their first defeat. Their 6-5-2.5 victory over Birstwith means they have now gone a remarkable 36 matches without defeat since joining the league

  • Inspector to decide on path's future

    A PLANNING inspector will decide whether the controversial closure of a local footpath should be reversed. Durham City Council closed the 74-metre route between Lowland Road and Sawmill Lane, in Brandon, three years ago, saying it was in a bad state and

  • Poverty fight heats up

    A HOT air balloon launched Redcar and Cleveland Council's affordable warmth strategy. The strategy's key aim is to eradicate fuel poverty and in Redcar and Cleveland that figure is expected to top 17,000 households. The average household will release

  • Top-scorer Fletcher sigms for Bedlington

    LAST season's leading scorer in the Northern League, Dunston's Andy Fletcher, has sprung a surprise by signing for league champions Bedlington, writes RAY SIMPSON. Fletcher picked up the leading goalscorer award at the league's Annual Dinner two months

  • Stockmarket gains sparked by US confidence

    BLUE-CHIP shares raced ahead yesterday as investors enjoyed a rare upward swing on the London market. The day was notable for a string of corporate updates, but the main driver for the improved mood was a sterling performance in the US overnight. The

  • Athletics: Rob makes fine debut

    Durham City harrier Rob Hand, the British cross-country veteran champion, turned his attention to track and field competition by competing in the Veterans' Athletic Association NE championship at Jarrow. Running in the over 40 age group and making his

  • Careful preparation, the secret

    AN Olympic sprinter will train every day for years in the hope of winning gold. Twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, they plan mentally and physically in the hope of running 100m in under ten seconds. Others crave more long term success - but the

  • Cash in quickly, the experts warn Jonny

    SHOWBUSINESS experts last night warned Big Brother contestant Jonny to make the most of his 15 minutes of fame when he leaves the house. An expert from publicist Max Clifford's company said Jonny "lacked charisma" and should seek his fortune before he

  • Ceremony to officially name town's replacement lifeboat

    THE official naming ceremony for Redcar's new £87,000 lifeboat will take place tomorrow. The event starts at 1.45pm opposite the lifeboat station on the Esplanade. The Atlantic 75 class lifeboat, Leicester Challenge II, arrived in the town in November

  • Rangers enjoy Pleasant tournament victory

    Mount Pleasant Rangers: The under 11s had two teams in action at a tournament at Norton & Stockton this weekend which Rangers "Reds" won convincingly. Mount Pleasant Rangers "Reds" played Leven and beat them 2-0. Rangers scorers were Nathan Wilson

  • The Newcastle and Interbrew Pro-Am Invitation

    The first semi-final was played between two players in the world's top 70 and the high standard of snooker played reflected this. Despite a lack of his big breaks that have they become accustomed to throughout the tournament, the packed audience were

  • Letters: Hall crisis deepens

    Sir, - The crisis village halls, which you reported (July 19) for Darlington and North Yorkshire, affects Co Durham as well. Durham County Council has consulted widely, and is trying to save something from the fire, but the outlook is pessimistic. The

  • Town pub watch spreads its net

    A SCHEME aimed at tackling drugs and violence in Darlington's town centre pubs and clubs is being expanded across the whole borough. Darlington Pub Watch was launched four years ago, originally taking in the larger licensed premises before being extended

  • Hospital patient died after fall

    AN ELDERLY woman died in hospital after falling while trying to walk without the assistance of medical staff, an inquest heard last week. Irene Robert Shaw had been admitted to the University Hospital of North Durham in January this year for a routine

  • Swift heads for Wales in search of more glory

    DARLINGTON driver Paul Swift leads a team of the region's best Autotest drivers as they challenge for glory in the inter association event in North Wales this weekend. Son of world-renowned competition and exhibition driver Russ Swift, the 22-year-old

  • Chance to become an art critic for a day

    RIPON International Festival has secured a grant of £11,000 from Yorkshire Arts Regional Lottery towards this year's event in September - its fifth anniversary. Booking is under way for the ten-day festival which opens at Ripon College on Friday, September

  • County Durham

    Young cricketers in County Durham can get expert coaching during the school holidays thanks to a travelling Cricket Road Show, sponsored by Sportsmatch and local firm H J Banks. Beginners and improvers aged 9-16 years pay only £6 for three, three-hour

  • The lessons must be learned

    A SELF-help group which supported Wensleydale farmers through last year's foot-and-mouth outbreak gave a cautious response to the Lessons Learned report. Jim McRobert, of Rejuvenate, established when the disease gripped the dale in the spring and summer

  • Last Night's TV: Bitches And Beauty Queens (C4)

    Beauty queens aren't born, they're manufactured. At least, they are in India where prospective Miss Indias spend 40 days in a Mumbai hotel learning to become jewels in the crown of the beauty competition world. The method appears to work. The success

  • Row over hospital continues

    The long-running row whether the new Durham hospital should have been built with private or public funds re-ignited yesterday, on the day Prime Minister Tony Blair carried out the opening ceremony. The public service union, Unison, claims that their criticism

  • Cleveland County Bowling Association Finals 2002

    Mixed pairs: S Hall (Elm Tree), W Hall (Elm Tree) 18, Mrs J Shaw (Elm Tree), B McIntee (West End) 12.Mens Secretarys: J Gillespie Smiths Dock) 21, A Hannaford ((Locke Park) 10. Two Bowl Singles: T Addison (Smiths Dock) 21, E Hawes (Stockton Utd) 9. Senior

  • End of the road for loyal Joan

    A LOLLIPOP lady who has been a part of school life for more than 20 years has hung up her stick. Joan Stothard has been helping children across the busy road outside Broom Cottages Primary School in Ferryhill, since 1979. She has been there so long that

  • Letters: Mr Borman - hero or villain?

    Sir, - The Richmondshire Association of Council Tax Payers is appalled by the way Richmond District Council has resorted to methods of intimidation of one of our members, Mr Bernard Borman of Leyburn, in recent local and national press coverage. Mr Borman

  • Thorp rides to victory against strong field

    RICHMOND Motor Club's annual two-day crossroads trial took place last week, based at Grinton, near Reeth. The event attracted an entry of 167 competitors and Dan Thorp took the win over the two days of competition on his Gas Gas. Results. - Experts: 1

  • Talks planned in bid to solve market van parking problems

    TALKS are to be held in an attempt to clarify van parking arrangements for Guisborough market stall holders. Traders have traditionally been allowed to park vehicles by their stalls before 10am and after 3pm, to allow for unloading and loading. But confusion

  • Military history in focus

    AN exhibition exploring the North-East's military history was unveiled this week in Redcar. Defence of the Realm, at Kirkleatham Hall Museum until Sunday, September 15, features paintings of 20 military sites, including Redcar, Warrenby, South Gare, Skelton

  • Music festival may fold

    A major summer music festival looks likely to fold due to a £20,000 funding shortfall. Organisers are considering pulling the plug on the Allensford Festival - which is due to take place near Consett at the end of next month. A report from officers at

  • Rejuvenated Durham show their better side

    A FOOTBALL reporter would have asked the manager at close of play: "What did you say to your players at half-time?" Durham coach Martyn Moxon is not given to loud verbals; in any case under the latest nonsense from the European Court of Human Rights he

  • Darts AGM

    Forcett & District Ladies League AGM will be held at the Board Inn Richmond on Wednesday 31st July, starting at 8.30pm. The new season will commence on Wednesday 11th September and any new teams wishing to join the League can contact Christine Wilson

  • New health chief

    Doctor David Walker is County Durham and Tees Valley Health Authority's new director of public health. Dr Walker, who has been on secondment to Newcastle and North Tyneside Health Authority for 12 months, was formerly deputy director of public health

  • Prices at the markets

    BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed. Fwd: 1,240 prime sheep. Prime lambs std to 105.5p av 100.8p; med to 109.3p av 101.8p; heavy to 106.8p av 99.2p. Cast ewes: Suff to £42; Cont to £42; Mule to £34; horned to £28.80. DARLINGTON. - Thurs of last week. Fwd: 29 cattle

  • New home wanted for very polite Popeye

    A VET is appealing for someone to give a home to a loving, well-mannered dog called Popeye. Stanhope Park Veterinary Practice, in Darlington, is caring for the three-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier dog. Popeye was in a poor physical condition when

  • Call for arson task force

    YOUNGSTERS are responsible for more than a third of all arson attacks on cars and property, according to a report published yesterday. The Government survey shows crimes like joyriding and insurance fraud are behind nearly half of all burned out vehicle

  • Flying high and crashing down to earth

    Xtreme Air Racing. Format: PC CD-ROM. Publisher: Just Flight. SOMETIMES, it seems, the video games industry can see no further than the end of its nose. Xtreme Air Racing - XAR for short - is a good example of a title that may never have seen the light

  • Stage set for village carnival

    AN annual carnival which was badly affected by the foot-and-mouth crisis last summer is back to full strength. Middleton-in-Teesdale Carnival was nearly cancelled last year because of the epidemic. This year, organisers have promised a full list of attractions

  • Ship to ward link-up

    YOUNG hospital patients have launched a ship-to-shore link with the Royal Navy's latest warship. Sailors from HMS Bulwark marked the adoption of the children's ward at Bishop Auckland General as one of their chosen charities by taking bags of toys to

  • Media deals inquiry under way

    MEDIA company AOL Time Warner has said the US Securities and Exchange Commission is looking into a series of transactions that may have improperly boosted revenue. Chief executive Richard Parsons told investors that the SEC was conducting a ''fact-finding

  • High price to pay for increase in malicious fires

    THE number of malicious fires has doubled over the past decade, according to figures released yesterday. In that period it was estimated that such blazes started deliberately in the North-East cost the fire brigade the equivalent of £28m to deal with.

  • Wellock's World: Grand Prix free zone

    MENTION of Michael Schumacher's fifth world title goes very much against the grain in this Grand Prix free zone. But I wish to offer the opinion that he has had an armchair ride compared with Lance Armstrong, who is about to complete his fourth successive

  • Claire guns for gold

    SURE-shooting champion Claire Griffin is aiming to beat the best shots in the Commonwealth next week. Claire, 22, still flushed with the success of becoming the women's English champion with a small bore rifle, will be representing England at the Commonwealth

  • Private talks over conduct of police chief

    THE fate of a beleaguered North-East chief constable could be decided behind closed doors today. Cleveland Police Authority is meeting at Middlesbrough FC's Cellnet Stadium to consider a critical report into the conduct of Cleveland Chief Constable Barry

  • Rachael answers call of the wild

    A RANGER is preparing for an international adventure after receiving a surprise telephone call. Rachael Oakes, 17, from Sunderland, will join 60 American girl scouts on a canoeing expedition on the American- Canadian border. She was invited after applying

  • Holiday treats for youngsters

    POLICE dogs Jet and Ben will visit the Sure Start Centre in Joicey Gardens, Stanley, on Monday at 1.30pm. The visit is part of a series of summer holiday activities planned for pre-school children. Youngsters will also be treated to day trips to local

  • Inquiry follows truck fall fatality

    AN investigation has been launched by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after a man died from head injuries following a fall at an engineering plant. An inquest at Bishop Auckland, County Durham, into the death of David Woodcock was adjourned yesterday

  • Volunteer Sophie's royal date

    A TEENAGER met the Queen, the Prime Minister and a Pop Idol as a reward for her voluntary work. Sophie Smith, 18, from South Hylton, Sunderland, was invited to a royal garden party in recognition of her work with the Pennywell Youth Project. She has been

  • More aid needed for rural business

    POLITICIANS should not forget rural businesses as they consider the lessons learnt from the foot-and-mouth crisis, a report said yesterday. The study, by Newcastle University's Centre for Rural Economy urged the Government to provide extra help for businesses

  • Grant will help bring museum to life

    A North-East museum is getting ready to pump more than £200,000 into bringing their historic attraction to life. The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, County Durham, is to use its share of a £5.2m grant from the Government to introduce actors and guides

  • Lakes head contenders

    Cleveland Billiards & Snooker League Sponsored by Coors Brewers. In week eight of the 2002 Billiards League the Redcar Lakes still remain at the top of the table by two clear points after beating the Redcar Literary's 'B' team by 2 games to 1. Gary

  • Police seek train hoaxer

    POLICE have condemned a hoaxer who claimed that somebody had been struck by a train. A Railtrack Signaling Centre received a call at about 7pm on Wednesday to say a young person had been hit by a train on the line at Ferryhill, County Durham. The call

  • Planes near miss leads to 'remedial training'

    A military air traffic controller has been sent on "remedial training" after an RAF jet and a passenger plane came within 500 feet of disaster. The RAF Tornado F3 crossed the bows of the British Regional Airways plane, carrying 12 passengers, at 979mph

  • Extra PC's come under fire

    MEMBERS of the police authority came under fire last night after it was revealed that extra PC's are to be introduced in County Durham. However, the PC's in question are not crime-busting Police Constables but thousands of pounds worth of personal computers

  • Summer fun on agenda at schools

    YOUNGSTERS can brush up their IT skills and have fun at summer schools in Redcar and Cleveland. The borough council is running eight week-long schools, aimed at year five and six pupils who are moving up next term,with mornings spent on computer work

  • Team unveils garden spruce-up

    THE team responsible for a garden makeover presented it to its delighted owner yesterday after completing the work. After Gerry and Marjorie Cox won a competition set by The Northern Echo Gardening Club column, the team of experts set to work sprucing

  • Tuneful offer to hospitals and homes

    A GROUP of singers from Saltburn are offering their services to hospitals and residential homes in the area. They want to take live music to people who do not usually have access to it, and say they will create concert programmes to reflect the tastes

  • Step out on country trail

    NATURE lovers are invited to take in the east Durham scenery tomorrow. A circular walk, which is free, sets off from the Raby Arms pub in Hart Village, Hartlepool, at 10am and should finish by 3pm. Caine Spence, countryside officer with Hartlepool Borough

  • Bishop Auckland RC

    Bishop Auckland has started pre-season training at the West Mills ground, with former first 15 captain Mark McNair as club coach. The club is aiming for promotion after finishing fifth in the Durham and Northumberland third division last season. Paul

  • Guide to greener building schemes

    A PRACTICAL guide to making building projects more efficient is launched next week. The Building in Sustainability guide is aimed at anyone planning a building project - from a single house to a 300-home estate or land reclamation project. It explains

  • Pedalling police trio are new force on the beat

    A TRIO of cycling bobbies hope to put the brakes on crime in Middlesbrough. The community police officers are patrolling the streets on mountain bikes as Cleveland Police's first cycle squad. The force hopes the bikes, bought with money from the West

  • Chip pan blaze drama

    A YOUNG couple were rescued from their home by firefighters after leaving a chip pan on overnight. The fire brigade was called to the house in Temple Street, Parkfield, Stockton, just after 7am yesterday after a blaze broke out in the kitchen. The man

  • Future looks bright for Orange

    MOBILE phone group Orange yesterday drew encouragement from figures showing it had added 415,000 UK customers in the first six months of the year. The company employs about 5,000 people in the region and recently announced it was seeking to recruit 500

  • Shops car park secures award

    A SHOPPING centre car park has become the first in Middlesbrough to receive a security award. The Hill Street Shopping Centre has been presented with the award by the national Secured Car Park Scheme. To achieve the award, the centre had to meet criteria

  • Ceremony to celebrate new lifeboat

    THE official naming ceremony for Redcar's new £87,000 lifeboat takes place tomorrow. The ceremony begins at 1.45pm opposite the lifeboat station on the Esplanade. The Atlantic 75 class lifeboat, called Leicester Challenge II, arrived in the town in November

  • Development areas close in on rural communities

    HOUSING development areas in the Yorkshire Dales are being more tightly drawn around villages, the Association of Rural Communities (ARC) has claimed. A spokesman said boundary lines shown in the park authority's local plan have been tightened, and in

  • Stars of shark exhibition swim into view

    MUSEUM visitors will be able to watch baby sharks grow into fearsome adults as part of an exhibition. Two Starry Smoothhound Sharks, baby rays, dogfish and dogfish eggs have just arrived at Newcastle's Hancock Museum, where they will live for the next

  • Headteachers to get laptops

    HUNDREDS of teachers in North Yorkshire are to get laptop computers. About 20 per cent of the county's 5,000 teachers are to benefit from a £1m county council initiative. The laptops are to be bought and distributed by the local education authority. They

  • Canon's academy honour

    A PROFESSOR and cathedral clergyman has been awarded one of the UK's premier learning distinctions. The Reverend Canon Professor David Brown, a theologian at Durham University and canon of Durham Cathedral, has been made a fellow of the British Academy

  • Basket stars set for region

    A unique basketball opportunity comes to the north-east this week in the shape of the first Qualifying Round of the XV European Basketball Championships for Cadette Women. The competition will take the form of a tournament between four countries; England

  • Family builds up funds for Greek justice mission

    A FAMILY is raising money to take their fight for justice for their dead son to court in Greece. Pam Cummings has fought for two years for action to be taken against the medical staff she believes failed to save the life of her son Chris Rochester, from

  • Games: CIU League

    The shock of the season came at darts when leaders, Cockton Hill when they beaten at home by the odd point by Crowtrees. This cost them the top spot as Crook Belle Vue, who whitewashed the visiting Middlestone Moor, took over with a three points advantage

  • Blair boosts reserach projects

    Prime Minister Tony Blair today launched a pioneering new Science and Industry Council initiative aimed at turning cutting-edge research into commercial developments and creating jobs. He conceded as he pledged the Government's support to scientific research

  • There has to be a national strategy

    THE Anderson inquiry put forward more than 80 recommendations for handling future crises. First and foremost, and central to them all, is the development of a national strategy for animal health and disease control. The Government and Defra should work

  • New health chief

    Doctor David Walker is County Durham and Tees Valley Health Authority's new director of public health. Dr Walker, who has been on secondment to Newcastle and North Tyneside Health Authority for 12 months, was formerly deputy director of public health

  • Nature reserve has lots to offer

    A NATURE reserve is getting ready to welcome the public tomorrow. The Whinnies Nature Reserve, near Darlington, is offering free activities for families at its summer fair. Attractions will include wood turning and willow garden structure demonstrations

  • £8m plan for village bypass put on hold

    COUNCILLORS have criticised a decision to drop plans to build a long-awaited bypass at an accident blackspot. Liberal Democrat councillors on North Yorkshire County Council have criticised a decision to delay a long-awaited bypass for at least a decade

  • Domestic violence policy

    A POLICY to reduce domestic violence in Darlington will also include borough council employees. The council's intention to offer support to victims was welcomed by members of its health scrutiny committee, but there was concern about how council workers

  • Stage set for village carnival

    AN annual carnival which was badly affected by the foot-and-mouth crisis last summer is back to full strength. Middleton-in-Teesdale Carnival was nearly cancelled last year because of the epidemic. This year, organisers have promised a full list of attractions

  • No such thing as a free lunch?

    RUMBLING tums may be on the agenda at Yorkshire Dales National Park meetings if members of the public keep helping themselves to authority officers' and members' lunches. Food provided at village halls and other meeting venues specifically for officials

  • Grieving Rachel's plea over bikers

    AN 11-year-old girl braved the media yesterday and told them: "My daddy was killed riding home on his motorbike." Rachel Stead spoke of her loss in a bid to prevent further carnage on the road. Sixteen motorcyclists have been killed in North Yorkshire

  • 'Let's halt grim toll of death that taints roads with sadness'

    FLOWERS mark the spot of countless tragedies on the roads of Great Britain, but in North Yorkshire the floral tributes are more poignant still. "We had one lad come round a left-hand bend on his bike in the Dales," recalled police spokesman Ron Johnson

  • Kids in the running with their own Games

    THE excitement of the Commonwealth Games spread to a nursery yesterday, as children took part in a series of activities. Youngsters at Kids and Co Nursery, at Darlington Town Hall, held their very own mini-version of the international sporting event,

  • Victory means a six-year wait

    VILLAGERS who are on the verge of securing a bypass after a 30-year battle have now been told work will not start for another six years. Residents of Shipton-by-Beningbrough, on the A19 near York, were jubilant when North Yorkshire County Council agreed

  • Trial offer to young players

    ASPIRING footballers are being offered the chance to try out for the newest team in the region. Nineteen-year-olds are needed for trials for Catterick Garrison Town Football Club, which will compete for the first time in the coming season in the Northern

  • Museum rustles up some monster fun for youngsters

    SCARY sea monsters came to life at a mask-making workshop in Redcar yesterday. Five free workshops were held at Kirkleatham Hall Museum during the day and more than 120 children attended. They created a variety of gruesome masks using cardboard, glitter

  • News in brief: River death man named

    THE BODY of a man discovered by an angler on a riverbank last week has been identified as Melvin Foster Ongles, 61, from Hetton-le-Hole, near Seaham. He was discovered in a secluded spot on the banks of the River Wear at Holmhill Lane, Chester-le-Street

  • Hear All Sides: BENNY YORKE

    THE last part of your article on my brother Benny Yorke (Echo, June 26), was misleading. All the people who knew Benny Yorke, the Man of a Thousand Voices, knew he was very partial to the odd double vodka and lemonade, to say the least. However, to claim

  • Actors make dramatic plea for funding

    A SMALL touring theatre company has made an appeal for businesses to help take its latest production out on the road. Hey Tude, a three-strong Teesside-based troupe who use theatre to highlight social issues, hope to find a sponsor for their version of

  • Moves to revive struggling museum

    AN action plan to help revive the fortunes of an ailing museum has been drawn up. Malton Museum, in the town's market place, has been suffering from low visitor numbers for several years. Two years ago, the centre was attracting so few visitors that the

  • A mix of theatre and commerce, with a superb sense of timing

    WHEN Rodney Tennant was voted UK auctioneer of the year he knew his grandfather would have been proud of him. Edmund Tennant established the family firm in Middleham in the late nineteenth century and, two generations later, the company competes favourably

  • Patient forced to hire taxi for long run to hospital

    AMBULANCE chiefs have vowed to investigate an incident where a patient had to take a taxi from upper Wensleydale to Bishop Auckland and back for a hospital appointment. Officials of Tees East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service and Hambleton and Richmondshire

  • High-flying stunts to wow the crowds

    HUNDREDS of thousands of people are expected to converge on Wearside this weekend to enjoy an action-packed programme at Europe's biggest air show. Now in its 14th year, the Sunderland International Air Show at Seaburn and Roker will feature old favourites

  • Collection centre plan as mart is taken over

    LEYBURN auction mart this week announced that it was expanding and taking over the mart in Ripon. It has successfully approached the board of directors at Ripon to rent the premises from them. Ripon mart has not re-opened since the national close-down

  • Alun driving towards success with Peugeot

    NORTH-EAST rally driver Alun Pearson is determined to hit the road again in style this weekend. Pearson, from Swainby, North Yorkshire, will be competing in the next leg of the 206 Super Cup Rally Championships at Quinton, mid-Wales. And the 36-year-old

  • Aycliffe in fine shape against Hospitals

    Darlington and District League: Newton Aycliffe romped to 242 for three when they entertained Sunderland Hospitals in division one. Stephen Bell and Karl Wheeler shared a third wicket partnership of 139 with Bell hitting three sixes and seven boundaries

  • Roller Hockey

    The traditional roller hockey domestic season has just come to an end with both the national and northern cup finals having taken place in June. Northern Counties Club, Middlesbrough turned out to be the cream of the country's crop with appearances in

  • And the knock-on effect hits PF&K

    PENRITH livestock mart is to close - a victim of last year's foot-and-mouth crisis. Virtually the entire area was culled out, leaving the mart with no throughput. The shock closure was announced on Wednesday and Penrith Farmers' and Kidd's announced that

  • National recognition for new way with offenders

    A FRESH way of monitoring released sex offenders in County Durham and Darlington has received national acclaim. A seven-strong public protection team, brought together two-and-a-half years ago to monitor and supervise convicted sex offenders released

  • Eleven-month inquiry fails to answer major questions

    AN 11-MONTH investigation into last year's £8bn foot-and-mouth crisis has ended with key questions left unanswered. Who ordered the contiguous cull and the closure of footpaths, and why it took 25 days to enlist the help of the army, remains unknown.

  • News in brief: Scouts benefit from bike ride

    A SCOUT group will be the beneficiary of Kevin Mackenzie's second coast-to-coast bike ride. The 31-year-old, of Sandriggs, Darlington, raised £450 last year for St Teresa's Hospice. This year he wants to raise money for the 8th Darlington Scout group,

  • Workshop on heather

    THE Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group in North Yorkshire, in association with Target Training, invites moorland owners, managers and advisers to a heather restoration workshop on Thursday evening. The workshop, at 6pm at Coppergill Moor, Hebden, Grassington

  • Chantelle's on the ball

    CHANTELLE Handy could barely bounce a ball six months ago - but following intensive training the sky is the limit as she prepares to represent her country in basketball. Chantelle, 15, of Shotley Bridge, will this weekend play for England under-16 basketball

  • Improvements to rail bridges expected soon

    The Government's pledge to end the scandal of Britain's dangerous railway bridges is set to bring more long-awaited improvements to this region in the near future. In a major success for The Northern Echo's campaign to reduce the potential for another

  • Looking Back

    FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - The Bishop of Durham spoke about the peril of excessive amusement during a friendly societies' demonstration at Wolsingham. Dr Moule said the idea of duty in this country was going down before that of amusement. The

  • Grand Prix free zone

    MENTION of Michael Schumacher's fifth world title goes very much against the grain in this Grand Prix free zone. But I wish to offer the opinion that he has had an armchair ride compared with Lance Armstrong, who is about to complete his fourth successive

  • Sporting group may take the lead

    A NEW organisation is being tipped to become a driving force behind sports and recreation in a corner of North Yorkshire. Sporting enthusiasts from across the Ryedale district are being encouraged to lend their support to the group's plans. Members of

  • Not just a cart - a work of art

    A TRAP built in Teesdale at the beginning of the last century is returning to its hometown to be sold. The cart, which owner Max Hardcastle describes as a "square Teesdale trap", was made in about 1914 by Forster and Sons of Middleton in Teesdale and

  • Blair's danger bridges pledge

    TONY Blair last night personally pledged to resolve the "who pays for what" row over urgently needed repairs to railway bridge crash barriers. The announcement signals victory for The Northern Echo's bridge safety campaign launched after the Great Heck

  • Gateman may be switched from Ascot to Irish race

    GATEMAN, Mark Johnston's Group 3 winner at the Curragh recently, is entered by the Middleham maestro in tomorrow's Tote International Handicap, but may be sent to Ireland instead. The ground at Ascot is fast and is being watered as we go to press, so

  • Traders still waiting for cafe society

    A COUNCIL has been criticised for not promoting the caf society it announced two years ago. In 2000 Darlington Borough Council announced that pubs and cafs around the town centre would be encouraged to put chairs and tables outside in the summer. A special

  • Claire guns for gold

    SURE-shooting champion Claire Griffin is aiming to beat the best shots in the Commonwealth next week. Claire, 22, still flushed with the success of becoming the women's English champion with a small bore rifle, will be representing England at the Commonwealth

  • Pop Idol Zoe on top form at racecourse

    THOUSANDS of music fans turned out to see some of the biggest names in pop at the first of the region's Feel The Noise Live concerts at the weekend. Among those performing at Newcastle Racecourse was Darlington's 17-year-old singing sensation Zoe Birkett

  • Racing project's funding setback

    A PLAN to build a multi-million pound racecourse near a North-East town will go ahead despite funding problems, its creator has pledged. Lord Zetland wants to build one of the best racecourses in the world on land at Dunsdale Farm, two miles outside Redcar

  • Airport amnesia

    WHILE the predicted increased use of Teesside and Newcastle airports is welcome as far as it goes, it is disappointing that the North-East and Yorkshire do not figure more prominently in the Government's thoughts on how Britain might accommodate the huge

  • Juninho set for Riverside return

    Juninho is on the verge of joining Middlesbrough for a third time after the club revealed they had agreed terms with the player during talks in Madrid last night. Boro boss Steve McClaren cut short his trip with his squad at a training base in Austria

  • Wizard fun planned at car rally

    A FORD Anglia, similar to the one owned by the Dursleys in the Harry Potter stories, will be one of the highlights at next month's Kirkleatham car rally. Young Harry Potter fans are being encouraged to attend the event in fancy dress. There is a prize

  • Windfall for museum

    BEAMISH museum has been awarded a Government grant after being named among the best in Britain. Beamish will share a windfall of almost £750,000 with Bowes Museum, which will be spent making them more accessible to visitors. The award was announced by

  • Fears over three-into-two ambulance merger plan

    AMBULANCES serving people in Stokesley, Great Ayton and Hutton Rudby could soon be controlled from Newcastle or Leeds, it is feared. While an amalgamation of ambulance services may tidy-up administrative boundaries, there are concerns that local response

  • New venue to help artist in his career

    THE landscape of North Yorkshire and Teesdale has provided the inspiration for a solo exhibition by a Richmond artist. The display of 20 paintings at Darlington's Crown Street gallery in August is the biggest yet by Glenn Beveridge. He hopes it will spark

  • Shop Talk: A new lease for the staff of life

    MAN might not be able to live by bread alone - but it's becoming a lot more possible. Bread has never been so interesting. After years of white, brown and nothing more than a granary loaf to bring excitement into our lives, suddenly our bakers have raided

  • Siberian peace awaits teacher

    A DARLINGTON teacher will be at peace next week as she jets off to Russia to take part in an unusual international summer school. Debra Smurthwaite, a French and German teacher at Carmel RC Technology College, flies off to Novosibirsk in Siberia to take

  • Crime reporting method increases figures

    A new method of recording crime in Richmondshire is responsible for an apparent huge rise in incidents. Police said that there appeared to have been a 46 per cent increase in crime in the rural area was down to new Home Office counting rules. Sgt Mick

  • Litter droppers filmed

    SEDGEFIELD Borough Council has defended its policy of photographing children dropping litter. The council's Kick the Litter Bug Campaign includes issuing fixed penalty fines for those found dropping rubbish. Some parents have criticised the council for

  • RLC North East Division

    Following a rest week in the Rugby League Conference Fixture List, Durham Tigers now face the start of the play-off phase tomorrow with a home game against Bridlington Bulls. Having finished second in their debut season in the RLC North East Division,

  • Windfall for museum

    BEAMISH museum has been awarded a Government grant after being named among the best in Britain. Beamish will share a windfall of almost £750,000 with Bowes Museum, which will be spent making them more accessible to visitors. The award was announced by

  • Bedale GC

    July Medal: A field of 112 players entered this month's medal with a standard scratch for the day of 71. Duncan Currie returned a gross of 76 which when his handicap was taken into account left him clear Division One winner. Division One: 68 Duncan Currie

  • MP and Labour group at war

    OPEN warfare has broken out in a constituency Labour Party over comments made by their MP. Kevan Jones, MP for North Durham, hit the headlines last month when he called for Chester-le-Street and Derwentside district councils to be abolished - adding Derwentside

  • Concern over rise in civil claims

    A POLICE force which payed out more than £125,000 in civil claims in just three months has blamed the huge figure on Britain becoming a more litigious country. Between April 1 and June 30 this year, Cleveland Police Force spent £125,369 settling 188 cases

  • £1m club revamp proposed despite development talks

    A DARLINGTON nightclub is poised for a £1m overhaul, despite talks that could see it demolished to make way for a shopping centre extension. The Plastered Parrot, in Commercial Street, is undergoing a major refurbishment to attract older people by creating

  • Letters: Pitch problems

    Sir, - I read with interest your article (D&S July 19) concerning the problems faced by Mr Kelly at Leyburn market. I know this pitch well as it was formerly occupied by my business, Out of Town Country Clothing, for 16 years- five by myself and 11

  • Deaf student earns top award

    A PROFOUNDLY deaf student has received a top award from her college for her success in her studies. Sandra Dunn, 18, from Chester-le-Street, has been presented with an award in recognition of her dedication to her NVQ Level 2 Beauty Therapy course at

  • Fluoridated milk could be offered to tackle decay

    NURSERY school pupils might be given fluoridated milk in a bid to tackle the high incidence of tooth decay among five-year-olds in County Durham. The idea is part of a wider package of measures to address the problem, said consultant in dental public

  • YAS president aims to bridge urban-rural gap for children

    THE new president of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society is John Henderson, who takes over for 2002-2003 from Peter Smith. At a ceremony on the final day of this year's Great Yorkshire Show, Mr Smith handed over the staff of office to his successor. As

  • Careful preparation, the secret

    AN Olympic sprinter will train every day for years in the hope of winning gold. Twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, they plan mentally and physically in the hope of running 100m in under ten seconds. Others crave more long term success - but the

  • Buy into top genes

    SOME of the Charolais breed's highest genetic merit cattle come under the hammer next month when the entire Limestone herd owned by Graham Rowles Nicholson, together with a consignment of females and calves from JSR Farms' Givendale herd, are sold at

  • Police investigating rail death

    A MAN was killed by a high speed train on the East Coast mainline on Friday. Police are now trying to identify the person, thought to be in his fifties and inform his family.The driver of the Kings Cross to Glasgow train rang British Transport Police

  • Rose and Crown ease Stag's grip on top spot

    Tow Law Area League: Esh Stag's Head lost the sole right to the top spot when they went down by three points at Tow Law Rose and Crown. The home side had singles wins from Dorothy Mowbray, Vina Gywnnette, Christine Hammond and Tommy Bruce with the Stag's

  • Man wins appeal to cut sentence

    A MAN who tried to rape a woman in a terrifying dawn beach attack has won a cut in his jail sentence. Top judges at London's Court of Appeal ruled the 12-year jail term imposed on 30-year-old Lee Walters was "manifestly excessive" and reduced it to ten-and-a-half

  • Ski champion -- from Durham Dales

    It is a sport more commonly associated with cosmopolitan Colorado or vibrant Val d'Isere - but now the normally snow-free Durham Dales have produced their first world skiing champion. PE teacher Jamie Wallace has pipped the best skiers in the world to

  • School team collects four trophies

    THE lads and lasses of St Joseph's primary school have just completed their most successful football season ever. The youngsters at the voluntary aided Roman Catholic school in Stanley have no fewer than four trophies and ended up runners-up in another

  • Crook ease to good win

    Readers Durham County League U18s : Crook Town enjoyed an easy nine wickets victory over neighbours Hunwick, who they restricted to 58. Sean Brown top scored with 25 and in the Crook attack Chris Guy captured four wickets for 22 runs in five overs and

  • School squad jet off on dream tour

    A PARTY of 32 pupils and four staff from Yarm School were due to fly out today on a rugby tour to New Zealand. They were leaving from Teesside airport to catch their connection through to Auckland, where they will be based for three weeks. They will also

  • Bowls: Leeholme in on top spot

    Durham & District League: Leeholme put themselves in a very strong position to land another Championship when they travelled to second placed Shotton and took all ten points. The Shotton team went down by 58 shots against 83 with the rink scores (

  • Vets start taking the alternative view

    WHEN Angela Pulsford's horse fell ill with grass fever, she prepared herself for the worst. The disease, which affects the nervous system, has all but baffled the scientific world and the vast majority of animals die from the illness. But Angela wasn't

  • Rally brings treat for Harry Potter fans

    HARRY Potter fans can take a trip in a genuine 1961 Ford Anglia - as featured in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - at a classic car rally in Redcar next month. The car, owned by Don McKenzie, from East Cleveland, will be available for photo opportunities

  • £300,000 Lottery cash boosts community centre campaign reality

    A CAMPAIGN to build a new community centre in a run-down area of Teesside has received a £300,000 boost. The cash award, from the National Lottery's Community Fund, means the long-awaited Trinity Centre, in North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, is about to become

  • Moorland martyr's life and death

    IN a reader's letter (D&S, July 5), a correspondent from Great Ayton expresses his confusion about the execution of Father Postgate in 1679; in the same edition, there was a brief preview of the Postgate Rally at Ugthorpe on Sunday, July 7, an event

  • Mill latest to lift crown

    George Mann Cup : Wolsingham Mill Race became the 31st name on the 1928 cup when they beat Wolsingham Teachers in the final, played at Wolsingham School and Community College and sponsored by Weardale Steel. The trophies were presented by the Cup Committee

  • Village buzzing as bee-eaters pay visit

    THOUSANDS of visitors are expected to descend on a tiny North-East village this weekend to catch a rare glimpse of a pair of breeding birds. Bird-watching enthusiasts, known as twitchers, will be joined by other members of the public at a small farm near

  • Magpies to meet Champions League minnows

    Newcastle United will meet either Lillestrom of Norway or Bosnian side Zeljeznicar in the third qualifying round of the Champions League after this morning's draw in Switzerland. Bobby Robson's men play the away leg first on August 13 or 14, with the

  • Magical debut for young rider

    A PACKED grandstand at this year's Great Yorkshire Show witnessed a dream debut by Sophie Staveley and her mount Monivae Magic Rainbow. The 12-year-old from Snainton, near Scarborough, and the 11.2hh coloured gelding, (pictured right) owned by Pat Dorman

  • Flying high in the ring and in breeding world

    CLEVELAND rider Joanne Tanfield is not only celebrating a cracking year with winnings around the £4,000 mark, but she has also started a breeding and stud yard. Her seven-year-old chestnut gelding, Stainsby Sponeck, has paid dividends by being brought

  • Grain prices

    by Robin Twizell RMD Agriculture OLD crop wheat prices are slowly improving as the weather delays any prospects of early harvest. New crop prices have generally remained unchanged as the generally bullish American markets are countered by the availability

  • News in brief: River death man named

    THE BODY of a man discovered by an angler on a riverbank last week has been identified as Melvin Foster Ongles, 61, from Hetton-le-Hole, near Seaham. He was discovered in a secluded spot on the banks of the River Wear at Holmhill Lane, Chester-le-Street

  • Halfords sold for £410m

    CAR parts and bicycle accessories chain Halfords is to be sold by Boots for £410m, it was announced yesterday. Private equity group CVC Capital Partners will pick up 400 Halfords stores and its head office in Redditch as part of the agreement. The sale

  • A stately setting for sculptures

    A STRIKING series of sculptures have taken up temporary residence in the grounds of one of the region's best known stately homes. An exhibition of contemporary and traditional sculpture, presented by the Frank T Sabin Gallery, is on display at Castle

  • Cherie to launch family aid project

    CHERIE Blair will be in Darlington today to promote a scheme to help families resolve their problems. After a successful pilot programme, The Family Group Conference scheme will be launched at Darlington Football Club by the Prime Minister's wife. The

  • Domestic violence policy

    A POLICY to reduce domestic violence in Darlington will also include borough council employees. The council's intention to offer support to victims was welcomed by members of its health scrutiny committee, but there was concern about how council workers

  • Pop fans urged to heed safety guidelines

    REVELLERS preparing for Stockton's Feel the Noise Live pop spectacular on Sunday are being urged to follow safety guidelines. The 25,000-capacity concert, which will feature big name acts such as Atomic Kitten, Hear'Say and Toploader, is expected to be

  • £550,000 Lottery windfall for town

    DARLINGTON is to receive more than £550,000 in grant aid from the National Lottery Community Fund. The award came as voluntary and community groups across the North-East were allocated £2.5m in a Fair Share initiative targeted at areas that have not received

  • Police 'kept secret file on expert'

    ALLEGATIONS that a secret police file was opened to collate evidence against a fingerprint expert were made at an industrial tribunal yesterday. Civilian fingerprint expert Gail Hunter is claiming she was unfairly dismissed from her post as a team leader

  • Royal thanks for jubilee gift

    STRIKING scenes from two of South Durham's villages could take pride of place at Buckingham Palace. Residents from Hamsterley and South Bedburn have sent six small watercolours and a greeting showing beauty spots from the villages to the palace as a gift

  • Pensioner calls for pet's return

    A PENSIONER is appealing to anyone who has information on the whereabouts of his dog. Robert Bowtell, 65, of Ferryhill, left his canine companion, Jack, in his garden on Friday night last week, but when he returned the animal was missing. Jack is a white

  • Voyage of discovery for artistic students

    TWO artists will experience the culture of Berlin thanks to an £8,000 bursary scheme. Two university graduates will travel to the German city thanks to The Northern Arts European bursary scheme. Berlin was chosen because it reflects the renaissance of

  • Club prepares for Scottish celebration

    A FOOTBALL club is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a game against opposition from north of the border. Whitehill Football Club, formed on Chester-le-Street's Whitehill estate will play the Edinburgh All Blacks on Saturday. The Scottish team contacted

  • Home Office grant funds city camera upgrade

    A CITY'S closed circuit television (CCTV) network has undergone a revamp. The 38-camera system in Sunderland has been upgraded thanks to a Home Office grant awarded to Sunderland Community Safety Partnership. The system, which was first installed in 1994

  • Comment: Life as we don't want to know it

    TONIGHT, Big Brother comes to an end. For many - probably the majority - it will be a blessd relief. For some - and upwards of nine million are expected to watch tonight - it will be the end of a TV addiction. But for practically everyone it will be the

  • News in brief: River death man named

    THE BODY of a man discovered by an angler on a riverbank last week has been identified as Melvin Foster Ongles, 61, from Hetton-le-Hole, near Seaham. He was discovered in a secluded spot on the banks of the River Wear at Holmhill Lane, Chester-le-Street

  • Amtel site move boosts job hopes

    JOBS could be created in the region after electronics company Amtel announced the closure of one of its American factories. The company, which took over the Siemens plant in North Tyneside in September 2000, is planning to close a plant in Texas. As a

  • 'Chainsaw' suspect's court battle

    An American wanted over the grisly murders of two Mormon missionaries 28 years ago pleaded to be left in peace when he made a brief appearance in a British court yesterday. The savage killings of Mark Fischer, 19, and Gary Darley, 20, gained notoriety

  • Journalists on strike for better pay

    JOURNALISTS at a North-East newspaper group were on strike yesterday, as part of an ongoing pay dispute. It was the first of two 24-hour strikes to be staged by members of the National Union of Journalists at the Newcastle Chronicle and Journal Limited

  • Golden couple to hold family celebration

    A FORMER miner and his wife are celebrating 50 years of marriage today. Joe and Hilda Lennox, of Sherburn, near Durham, met in Haughton in 1952. "He was performing in a concert at the school where I was teaching," said Hilda, 76. "There was a party afterwards

  • When size really does matter

    The University Hospital of North Durham will be officially opened today. Health Correspondent Barry Nelson looks a the controversy surrounding Dryburn Hospital's much-needed but undersized replacement. WHEN the University Hospital of North Durham is declared

  • Relief at last for farmers

    HOPES are rising among the farming community that the Government could be about to relax the crippling restrictions aimed at preventing a repeat of the foot-and-mouth crisis. Farmers say the 20-day standstill rule is too rigid and fear it could have a

  • Unions may have to pay for legal defeat

    A HOUSING provider has won a landmark case against unions, which claimed it failed to properly handle a local authority homes takeover. The national unions of Unison, GMB and Ucatt claimed that Sunderland City Council and the Sunderland Housing Group

  • Extended hours for test drivers

    IT is business round the clock for customers of Jennings Ford, who are taking advantage of an unusual service. Customers looking to purchase a vehicle from the group's Yarm Road Business Centre, in Stockton, will be able to take any vehicle from the Ford

  • 'Council did not reject second siren'

    COUNCILLORS have hit back at suggestions that they vetoed plans to have an extra warning siren installed in a village hit by floods. As reported in The Northern Echo on Tuesday, people living in Skinningrove, east Cleveland, say a flood warning siren

  • Lehmann and Lumb fight back to stun Surrey

    Darren Lehmann and Michael Lumb rallied Yorkshire with a sparkling unbroken stand of 137 in only 28 overs at Guildford yesterday to wipe out a first innings arrears of 210 against Championship leaders Surrey. Yorkshire were 254 for three at the close

  • Plea after girl goes missing

    Police are appealing for help in tracing a 16-year-old North-East girl who has gone missing. Kirsty Holland left her home in Houghton-le-Spring, Wearside, on Wednesday night. She is known to frequent Washington, Sunderland and Newcastle. She is described

  • Hygiene warning for food outlets

    RESTAURANTS and takeaways who fail to meet strict food hygiene standards will be prosecuted, a North-East council has warned. It followed a case in which the teenage owner of an Indian takeaway was ordered to pay more than £1,400 by Teesside magistrates

  • Cancelled show must go on

    A POPULAR prom that was cancelled last year owing to the foot and mouth epidemic is to be re-staged. Mowbray House, at Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon, will become an outdoor Royal Albert Hall when Mowbray Proms is staged on the lawns on July 27. Harrogate

  • Couple in lucky escape after fire

    A COUPLE received first aid treatment from paramedics after an early morning blaze at their home yesterday. The fire, the cause of which is still being investigated, happened at a house in East Holme Drive, Rawcliffe, York, when a wooden shed caught fire

  • New home wanted for very polite Popeye

    A VET is appealing for someone to give a home to a loving, well-mannered dog called Popeye. Stanhope Park Veterinary Practice, in Darlington, is caring for the three-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier dog. Popeye was in a poor physical condition when

  • News in brief: City prepares to defend title

    A CITY will defend the crown it won last year at an international competition after being named a finalist in this year's event. Newcastle's submission to the Nations in Bloom (NIB) competition has satisfied the judges to allow the city to take part in

  • Fitness fans in the running

    FITNESS enthusiasts are rising to the latest challenge at Bedale leisure centre. Entrants in the Do-athlon competition cycle for 20 minutes on an exercise bike, followed by a 20-minute walk or run on the treadmill. The total covered is logged, with prizes

  • Market gets the go-ahead

    A MONTHLY farmers' market in Guisborough, east Cleveland, would offer farmers a low cost venue to sell locally-produced goods. The owners of Pinchinthorpe Hall plan to set up a monthly market and use an adjacent field as an overspill car park. Director

  • News in brief: Road shuts for bridge work

    THE exit slip road from the eastbound A64 at Copmanthorpe, near York, will be closed overnight tomorrow to allow a new footbridge spanning the East Coast main line to be lifted into place. The road will be closed from 6pm tomorrow until 11am on Sunday

  • Aid from books

    A book sale, organised by Action Aid to help poor Brazilian farmers, will be held at the central library in Hartlepool on Monday, from 10.30am to 3.30pm.

  • Cherie to launch family aid project

    CHERIE Blair will be in Darlington today to promote a scheme to help families resolve their problems. After a successful pilot programme, The Family Group Conference scheme will be launched at Darlington Football Club by the Prime Minister's wife. The

  • Pensioner calls for pet's return

    A PENSIONER is appealing to anyone who has information on the whereabouts of his dog. Robert Bowtell, 65, of Ferryhill, left his canine companion, Jack, in his garden on Friday night last week, but when he returned the animal was missing. Jack is a white

  • £550,000 Lottery windfall for town

    DARLINGTON is to receive more than £550,000 in grant aid from the National Lottery Community Fund. The award came as voluntary and community groups across the North-East were allocated £2.5m in a Fair Share initiative targeted at areas that have not received

  • Black Horse earn narrow victory over determined Derby

    Tow Law Bass League: Hamilton Row Black Horse recovered in the last two doubles to edge through to victory on their visit to Stanley Earl Derby. The home side took both trebles points but then only managed two singles when Stuart Lacy and Les Sanders

  • Public buildings 'in good repair'

    PUBLIC buildings in Darlington are in a significantly better condition than those of most other local authorities. Its libraries, crematorium, sports centres, offices and administrative buildings are in good condition, John Buxton, director of development

  • Tension mounts as end is in sight

    FIREFighter Jonny has admitted to Big Brother that he doesn't believe he will be the one to walk away with £70,000 tonight. He is becoming increasingly restless as tension builds up to the Big Brother finale. The 29-year-old, from County Durham, went

  • War hero who rose through the ranks

    DECORATED war hero turned barrister Geoffrey Delaroy-Hall has died at the age of 81. Mr Delaroy-Hall, of Arrathorne, near Hunton, was a wartime RAF bomber pilot who worked his way up through the ranks and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Born

  • Searchlight finds a new home

    THE spotlight was firmly fixed on a former PoW camp yesterday as experts toyed with the idea of bringing a piece of history back to life. A Second World War rescue lamp has been donated to Eden Camp, the award-winning modern history museum, near Malton

  • Tourism scheme could help historic churches

    SCORES of ancient North Yorkshire village churches may benefit from a new tourism scheme. A partnership project has been set up between the Yorkshire Tourist Board and the Churches Regional Commission to promote historic churches. Zoe Kemp, the project

  • Remains may offer clues to Gaul's loss

    THE remains of six people have been discovered on the wreck of the trawler Gaul, nearly three decades after the vessel sank mysteriously off the coast of Norway. The discovery was welcomed by grieving relatives, who may now finally be able to find out

  • News in brief: Woman injured in car crash

    A WOMAN was airlifted to hospital with suspected neck and back injuries after her car collided with another vehicle on the A689 near Wynyard village. Emergency workers were called to the scene just after 5.30pm on Wednesday, after the woman's Renault

  • Empress out to impress

    It had been a very lean season for Chris Thornton until his Oriental Empress burst on to the scene in early summer. And the progressive stayer, who has won her last three races, can continue her improvement by taking the two mile apprentice handicap (

  • Council takes lead with sponsored dog bins

    THE old adage of "where there's muck there's brass" is being taken seriously by one North-East council - but only where dogs are concerned. For Durham City Council will receive a four-figure sum after becoming one of the first UK authorities to sell sponsorship

  • Holiday man killed by chicken pox

    A MAN has died on a family holiday after contracting chicken pox. Jeff Morgan, 36, died while he was on holiday in Cyprus, with his wife and two daughters. Mr Morgan, a vehicle mechanic originally from Teesside, did not respond to treatment and lost his

  • News in brief: Scouts benefit from bike ride

    A SCOUT group will be the beneficiary of Kevin Mackenzie's second coast-to-coast bike ride. The 31-year-old, of Sandriggs, Darlington, raised £450 last year for St Teresa's Hospice. This year he wants to raise money for the 8th Darlington Scout group,

  • New partnership makes it a season to remember

    MINI Tidkin Soldier, a 13-hand bay Tobiano gelding owned by Stephanie Towers, and his new jockey Emma Liddle of Redcar are having a successful season. The pair (pictured right) qualified for the CHAPS finals at Hambleton Show and took the in-hand championship

  • On the run to restore Heartbeat chapel

    EGTON residents are raising money to restore an historic mortuary chapel which has appeared in the Heartbeat TV drama. The Eskdale community holds a seven- and three-mile fun-run on Saturday, August 31. Proceeds will be divided between Cancer Research

  • Pony dates

    Bedale & West of Yore PC. - Aug 11: Minimus clear round hunter trial at Chapel Hill, Thornborough, Bedale, sae schedule Mrs J Hodgson, Field House, Scruton, Northallerton, 01677 425782. Sept 7: Showcross at Londonderry. Sept 7 & 8: Tetrathlon

  • News in brief: Woman injured in car crash

    A WOMAN was airlifted to hospital with suspected neck and back injuries after her car collided with another vehicle on the A689 near Wynyard village. Emergency workers were called to the scene just after 5.30pm on Wednesday, after the woman's Renault

  • Clamping dispute leads to car access ban for woman

    A MOTHER is struggling to gain access to her home after council officials banned her from driving across a public car park. Paula Jo Barker has used Bondgate car park, in Bishop Auckland, as an easy route to her front door for 17 years. But a dispute

  • Taylor plays waiting game on Whitehead

    Tommy Taylor is awaiting the telephone call which could complete his summer rebuilding work. Carlisle's Stuart Whitehead has been targeted for a move across the Pennines to Feethams and talks with the player's agent have been ongoing while Quakers have

  • Dismay at waste plan that will create a tip

    RESIDENTS of a picturesque village are upset that a new refuse collection scheme may lead to wheelie bins spoiling the view. Hambleton District Council's new rules have provoked anger, even tears, at Sandhutton. The village is built around several greens

  • Guitarist Deacon hoping to hit the right notes

    JARED Deacon went through a unique checklist when packing his bags for the Commonwealth Games. Tracksuit, running kit, spikes, toothbrush - and guitar. Confused? Well don't be. Deacon, from South Shields, is the antithesis of the one-dimensional sportsman

  • -No frills' airline is key to airport expansion

    A "NO frills" operator could put Teesside Airport on track for a predicted three million passengers by 2030. The potential is so great that there could be 800 extra jobs in the pipeline within ten years and it is being tipped as a favourite for runway

  • A cheese by any other name ...

    WHAT'S in a name? The makers of Thirsk's famous feta cheese will soon find out. The European Commission has banned Shepherd's Purse from using its Yorkshire Feta label. Shepherd's Purse owner, Judy Bell, has been ordered to stop using the name feta because

  • Fury at local authority home computer initiative

    News that police authority members, as well as councillors, are to be provided with home computers has provoked fury among tax payers. At the latest Durham Police Authority meeting, members agreed that they should each be provided with a laptop computer

  • From horse fair victim to the Apple of her eye

    AN UNDERNOURISHED and beaten pony is turning out to be a winner for a Darlington girl, who is already a star athlete. Stephanie Weddell, who is 13 next month, is off to compete in Warwickshire on seven-year-old Apple in September. He ended up being a

  • Angling

    Low clear, no flow and warm weather meant it was a day for the pole to dominate with light feeding the order of the day during round four of the Yarm AA Summer League on the lower reaches of the Tees, writesJeff Herbert.. Darlington Angling Centre's Peter

  • Sheep -vital' to park landscape

    THE North Yorkshire Moors Association is strongly supporting the North York Moors National Park Authority's proposals aimed at helping maintain sheep flocks on the moors. The association council said sheep grazing the moorland were a vital link in maintaining

  • Peugeot Inter-Club Tennis Challenge

    The winners of the 2001 Peugeot Tennis Mixed Doubles Tournament, Ian and Tracy Spears from Stockton on Tees, are setting their sights on a new challenge by entering the 2002 Peugeot Inter-Club Tennis Challenge. Playing for Yarm Tennis Club they will be