YOUNG musicians and dancers hope to hit the right note and raise a smile among visitors to a city centre park later this week. The Sunderland Music International Live Entertainment (Smile) festival proved a success when it was first staged in the newly
A MOBILE phone shop will mark its second anniversary by releasing 1,000 balloons in a charity fundraising competition. Talkabout, in Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland, has operated in the town for two years. Store owner Billy Lau wanted to do something
STAFF and volunteers at a young offenders' institution have been celebrating the success of an adult support group. As part of the scheme, volunteers are invited to work with young men at the Deerbolt Young Offenders' Institution, in Barnard Castle, supporting
A LORRY driver had an extraordinary escape yesterday after his truck careered out of control and crushed six parked cars. The 20-tonne lorry overturned and slid down a steep bank for 100 yards before crashing into the cars and demolishing a telegraph
A 44-year-old man died from an overdose of the painkilling drug diconal and alcohol, an inquest at Bishop Auckland Magistrates' Court heard yesterday. Kenneth Scott, of Walker Lane, Newton Aycliffe, died on August 15 last year. Darlington and South Durham
A MAN has been arrested by police in connection with the rape of an 18-year-old prostitute on Teesside. The woman was attacked by a man claiming to be a police officer in Middlesbrough in the early hours of Wednesday, July 24. A 38-year-old man from the
PREPARATIONS are under way for the annual Stockton Summer Show. The show, organised by Stockton Borough Council's events team, will take place at Preston Park from Saturday, August 24, to Monday, August 26, with equestrian events starting on Friday, August
A new business park is likely to boost the region's job prospects. Newcastle developer Hillford Group is well advanced with constructing the first of three purpose-built call centre facilities located at Peterlee's Whitehouse Point Business Park, in the
A new business park is likely to boost the region's job prospects. Newcastle developer Hillford Group is well advanced with constructing the first of three purpose-built call centre facilities located at Peterlee's Whitehouse Point Business Park, in the
A vicar yesterday denied launching a sex attack on a ten-year-old boy in his home. The Reverend George Glover, known as Father Eddie, admitted breaking church rules by allowing the youngster into his home while he was alone, but said he had expected his
A vicar yesterday denied launching a sex attack on a ten-year-old boy in his home. The Reverend George Glover, known as Father Eddie, admitted breaking church rules by allowing the youngster into his home while he was alone, but said he had expected his
SCIENTISTS at catalyst company Synetix, a member of the ICI Group, have announced a discovery which may prevent the world running out of polyester. Used in everything from sleeping bags to tyres, the material is very versatile, but it has become a victim
A WOMAN who is living in fear after her stepfather rapist was released from prison early is demanding police install a panic button in her home. Mandy Holstein, of Darlington, is afraid for her safety, and that of her children, after Garth Valentine-Earley
THE owners of a Darlington caf are celebrating their ten years in business a month early after being included in a guide book. Ian and Rosie Watson, who own Crusty's, in Northgate, will have chalked up ten years on their menu board next month. But the
STOP panicking and get a job - any job. It will do you more good than the wrong course at the wrong university. A level results are out tomorrow. Cue lots of pictures of beautiful young girls shrieking and leaping up and down clutching news of their brilliant
A PIPES and drums band is celebrating receiving a National Lottery grant. The Newton Aycliffe Royal British Legion Pipes and Drums received £4,710 from the National Lottery's Awards for All programme. The grant will allow the band to buy uniforms for
A 14-year-old girl has won the chance to challenge for a place in the national hockey team. At the end of the month Hannah Baker, from Crook, will take part in a national assessment camp for players from the North of England. It follows her participation
BUDDING pop stars will have the opportunity to appear in a showcase Christmas concert. Unsigned singers and musicians from across the region are being offered the chance to take to the stage in front of music industry scouts, producers and pop magazine
A TEN-YEAR-OLD boy was admitted to hospital after being shot behind the ear with an air rifle. A police spokesman said the victim, who was not seriously injured, had been playing with friends in the Pennywell area of Sunderland, at 5pm on Monday, when
A £6.5m educational centre is preparing to open next month. Derwentside College campus in Consett, has moved from Park Road to a purpose-built facility in Front Street. It is the first major rebuild and relocation of a college in the North-East and is
TEESSIDE Development Corporation has left its mark on our region. It transformed acres of derelict and contaminated urban land, helping to create thousands of jobs and laying the foundations for economic regeneration well into the future. It is a matter
A DERELICT house where the body of murder victim was discovered has finally been demolished. Julie Paterson's torso was found dumped in a black bin liner in the garden of the run-down cottage in Polam Lane, Darlington, four years ago, after she was murdered
MORE than 300 people have been arrested as part of an anti-drugs campaign in Middlesbrough. The Dealer a Day operation, which started last December, has led to 328 raids against suspected drug dealers in the town. Drugs with a street value of more than
A FARMING couple have revealed plans to diversify their business by turning part of their land into boarding kennels. Arthur and Maxine Tait want to build dog kennels at Willow Farm, in Scagglethorpe, near Malton, in a move they say will create local
MAJOR roadworks are to be suspended so Sunderland football fans can travel to matches. Traffic restrictions on the city's Wearmouth Bridge will be temporarily lifted to minimise disruption to supporters travelling to Sunderland's Saturday matches against
STEAM trains, which carry holidaymakers from York to Scarborough on nostalgia trips, should stop at Malton, say councillors. Ryedale district councillor Brian Maud has suggested that people travelling on the twice weekly service could stop off in the
Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and Cleveland East, has been a fierce critic of the Teesside Development Corporation for years. Here he looks at the peculiar way the TDC operated, which has led to the loss of millions of pounds of taxpayers' money
VILLAGERS have raised their glasses to a couple who are set to re-open a popular pub which has been closed for nearly two years. Residents of Husthwaite, near Easingwold, are celebrating the news that their local pub, formerly known as The Blacksmith's
A wheelchair user's plea for a specially adapted extension to his home has won the backing of a family doctor and councillors, but is still being challenged by planners. Members of Ripon area planning committee of Harrogate Borough Council, who voted
Burglar Jonathan Aplin twice triggered an alarm at an off-licence - the second time when police were outside the shop. When Aplin, 31, pleaded guilty to entering the shop in Regent Parade, Harrogate, Hugh Simpson, presiding at the town's magistrates'
FANS of magnificent flying machines will be converging on a rural airfield over the next bank holiday weekend for a show. Featuring some of the biggest radio-controlled aircraft in the country, replicas of the world's fastest jets and First World War
TWELVE students have returned from a trip to Africa with a new sense of humility and worth after visiting and helping communities in Malawi. During their stay, the 12 girls from Darlington's Polam Hall School and Teesside High School, in Eaglescliffe,
A TEENAGE R alleged to have shot dead a friend with his father's gun goes on trial today. The 14-year-old Teesside boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is alleged to have fired an air rifle at Matthew Sheffield, 14, hitting him in the head and
Extra hospitality courses, including a chef's diploma, are on offer at Newcastle College. The courses aim to help fill a 60 per cent shortfall in the region for the number of people applying for jobs in the hospitality sector. For further details, contact
YOUNGSTERS from one of the most deprived areas in Britain were praised yesterday for their contribution to their community. Joanna Kerr, and sisters Emma and Samantha Mackintosh, all aged 16, won the Lions Award for their voluntary work in Pennywell,
YOUNGSTERS from one of the most deprived areas in Britain were praised yesterday for their contribution to their community. Joanna Kerr, and sisters Emma and Samantha Mackintosh, all aged 16, won the Lions Award for their voluntary work in Pennywell,
DESIGN, advertising and marketing business The House of Type has secured projects worth more than £100,000 following its recent move. The business, which started in Great Ayton, North Yorkshire, 16 years ago, has moved from Guisborough, east Cleveland
NOT all museums are a burden to the ratepayers (Echo, Aug 10). The Weardale Museum is an independent museum run completely by volunteers in their third age. We operate to the professional standards set out by the Museums and Galleries Commission and believe
POLICE across the country carried out a string of dawn raids yesterday as part of an inquiry into an alleged Internet paedophile ring. Officers from eight forces, including North Yorkshire Police, were involved in an operation aimed at stopping the distribution
POLICE across the country carried out a string of dawn raids yesterday as part of an inquiry into an alleged Internet paedophile ring. Officers from eight forces, including North Yorkshire Police, were involved in an operation aimed at stopping the distribution
THE magnificent landscape of North Yorkshire provides some breathtaking views, but maintaining the scenic beauty is a tricky exercise. So when fears emerged about rocks crumbling from the cliff face below Knaresborough Castle, local authorities sent for
A PILOT scheme designed to instil an enterprising spirit in teenagers is taking place at the University of Durham this week. About 40 young people, aged from 15 to 19, are working to come up with their own ideas for a business or not-for-profit organisation
A BABYSITTER who raped an eight-year-old girl in his care has been jailed for six years at Teesside Crown Court. Paul Evans, now 25, of Murrayfield Way, Darlington, pleaded guilty to one count of rape, which happened in 1995, as well as unrelated burglary
ASDA is taking on 2,000 staff this year at its George clothing division, the group said yesterday. The retailer said full-time and temporary jobs would be on offer across the 228 Asda stores selling the clothing range. At least 30 of the jobs created
NORTHUMBRIA Tourist Board will be targeting up to 50 travel operators at a series of shows aimed at attracting more visitors to the region. The series of Group Travel roadshows will begin at Cadbury World in Birmingham on October 8, where operators will
PEOPLE living in Hartlepool's New Deal for Communities area are being urged to apply early for places on a one-day assertiveness workshop. There are still several vacancies on the course, which will take place at Hartlepool Mind's premises in Crown Buildings
YOUNGSTERS are being offered the chance to take part in a range of activities to beat the boredom during the long summer break. The Summer Opportunities for Children and Communities programme aims to give eight to 16-year-olds in the borough of Stockton
THE 3,000 carpet tiles covering the ground floor of Redcar's central library are being replaced and are being offered to community groups for free. Library staff estimate that, with more than 5,000 visitors a week, more than seven million pairs of feet
GOVERNMENT officials were warned that a controversial North-East development agency had cash flow problems two years before it was wound up, a damning report reveals today. Auditors expressed concerns about the solvency of the Teesside Development Corporation
BRITAIN'S biggest medical defence organisation has backed the rights of struck-off doctors to work in the health service - as long as they do not practise medicine. The Medical Protection Society's (MPS) defence of the status quo came after calls to ban
ONE hundred and sixty patients treated for deafness have been contacted over meningitis fears. Doctors have written to every patient who has had a cochlear implant at North Riding Infirmary, in Middlesbrough, in the past 12 years. The patients are being
DEVASTATED pigeon fanciers were last night counting the cost of a suspected arson attack that wiped out their collection of 48 birds. Police investigating the incident, which destroyed three lofts in the village of Bearpark, near Durham, believe the fire
DEVASTATED pigeon fanciers were last night counting the cost of a suspected arson attack that wiped out their collection of 48 birds. Police investigating the incident, which destroyed three lofts in the village of Bearpark, near Durham, believe the fire
Darlington 2: Swansea City 2 - Darlington were denied a winning start to their home campaign when Swansea City grabbed a late leveller to steal a point at Feethams last night. Quakers came from behind to take the lead, but Steve Watkin's 89th minute goal
A HUGE investment which promises to bring new education and job opportunities to the people of North Yorkshire was announced yesterday. In a ground-breaking partnership scheme, the county council has signed a seven-year deal worth £12m with a telecommunications
A DIXON stood atop Cockfield Fell and tried to persuade a duke that a canal could ferry coal for miles and make them rich beyond their wildest dreams. At his feet, a young Dixon played - probably sketching in a childish way some of his father's more imaginative
NURSES have been praised by a health service chief on a visit to the region. The newly-appointed national director of mental health nursing, Rachel Munton, was in Durham City to meet nurses from County Durham and Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust
A FAMILY restaurant has launched a search for children with the same name as its mascot. Brewsters, at Tindale Crossing, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, is one of 139 sites taking part in the hunt for a child aged between three and eight with the
WORK has started on a long-awaited £12 million supermarket which could bring up to 150 jobs to Teesdale. Bulldozers moved on to the site of the proposed Safeway store in Barnard Castle town centre on Monday, to clear the land for the development. The
CHILDREN'S play equipment has been condemned by a council after safety checks revealed possible faults. Nine swings and a slide in the Wear Valley District Council area have been cordoned off as a precaution. The checks followed an accident at Sunniside
A SENIOR councillor has been ordered to pay damages to a man he punched in the face at a football match seven years ago. Stephen Walmsley, 51, denied hitting Sunday League football physiotherapist John Lynch during a local cup final in October 1995. But
A SENIOR councillor has been ordered to pay damages to a man he punched in the face at a football match seven years ago. Stephen Walmsley, 51, denied hitting Sunday League football physiotherapist John Lynch during a local cup final in October 1995. But
A solicitor was due to appear in court today in connection with an alleged £325,000 Legal Aid fraud over a period of three years. John Tate, 50, of Mayberry Grove, Middlesbrough was due before Newcastle magistrates charged with 81 counts of dishonesty
THE bare facts are impressive. More than 12,000 jobs were created by the TDC. Some £1.1bn of private sector investment was also attracted during its reign to parts of the region battered by industrial decline. And 1,300 acres of wasted, derelict land
THE bare facts are impressive. More than 12,000 jobs were created by the TDC. Some £1.1bn of private sector investment was also attracted during its reign to parts of the region battered by industrial decline. And 1,300 acres of wasted, derelict land
Hartlepool Utd 2: Boston Utd 0 - CHRIS Turner called for a reality-check and fans to keep up the good work ahead of last night's clash with Boston United. But if he wants the former he is going to have to stop his players from playing like they did in
WEEPING Helgi Brown told last night how she would never feel justice had been done for her tragic daughter, Lilli. The beautiful 17-year-old was found dead in a Stockton house after a party at the beginning of this year. And, although the two people who
TERRIFIED residents at the mercy of foul-mouthed vandals have been left too frightened to leave their homes. People living in Marion Avenue, Eaglescliffe, say that for the past two years they have had to put up with youngsters damaging bushes, firing
STOP panicking and get a job - any job. It will do you more good than the wrong course at the wrong university. A level results are out tomorrow. Cue lots of pictures of beautiful young girls shrieking and leaping up and down clutching news of their brilliant
A DARLINGTON cricket club is mourning the loss of one of its finest ever players. Norman Wilson, 80, a former member of Darlington RA Cricket Club, died at his home in Willow Road, Darlington. Mr Wilson, known as Big Norm to his friends, started his sports
AN alternative therapist awaiting trial for allegedly indecently assaulting female clients now faces a further charge. Reflexologist Stuart Hill denied three counts of indecent assault and one of intimidating a witness at an earlier hearing at Durham
MOTORISTS faced lengthy delays on one of the region's busiest roads when it was closed after a collision between a transit van and a mechanical digger. Three people were taken to hospital following the accident on the southbound carriageway of the A1(
TWO terrier-cross dogs are looking for new homes with readers of The Northern Echo. Eight-week-old Casper and two-year-old Cassie are both being cared for at the National Animal Sanctuary Support League's rehoming centre in Darlington. Cassie was given
A MOTORCYCLIST died after he lost control of his machine, an inquest heard. James Daniel Casey, 46, died when his red Honda VRF motorbike left the A68 south of Tow Law and crashed into several small trees on Saturday August 8, last year. Mr Casey, of
ELDERLY bus passengers say changes to a service have left them stranded. Residents at two sheltered housing complexes in Darlington used the number 25 Stagecoach bus to travel to and from shops in the Branksome area. But two weeks ago the service, which
POLICE have made 79 arrests since a force launched a permanent anti-burglary initiative in Newcastle West in April, it has been revealed. Operation Raffles, spearheaded by Northumbria Police, is part of a burglary strategy partnership which is gathering
A MAN has been arrested by police in connection with the rape of an 18-year-old prostitute on Teesside. The woman was attacked by a man claiming to be a police officer in Middlesbrough in the early hours of Wednesday, July 24. A 38-year-old man from the
YOUNG footballers have appealed for the return of equipment after thieves ransacked a Scout hut. Children who play for Shildon Juniors were devastated when coach Doug Grant told them that four goal nets had been stolen from the storage area on the town's
EVERYONE, it was once said, has a book in them. It's advice that luminaries in the football world, never noted for their literary ability, are taking on board more than ever before. And aren't the authors making good use of their hitherto untapped writing
A TRAVELLING theme park will visit Catterick Garrison next month, complete with fairground rides. The event will be held next to the Tesco's supermarket from Wednesday, September 4, to Sunday, September 8. It will feature "white knuckle" rides, waltzers
AN article in Monday's edition of The Northern Echo described a police siege leading up to the arrest of a man at a house on Bishop Auckland's Woodhouse Close Estate. We are happy to make it clear that the events took place in St Luke's Close, and not
STOCKTON has never really threatened the region's list of property hot-spots. But an image overhaul and a smattering of famous names moving in have transformed the Teesside town into the third most affluent spot in the North-East. According to a Barclays
WHILST recent columns have been assembling collective nouns - an anthology of pro's was suggested last week for a street corner showing of ladies of the night - what should be the proper noun for a discursion such as this one? A rag-bag is close but may
Heather Mills, wife of Sir Paul McCartney, has been accused of failing to register her charity. The Washington-born former swimwear model has been attacked by a New York columnist for failing to register her charity for the victim of landmines for six
A COMMUNITY takes its first steps towards a brighter future tomorrow when an open meeting is held to give residents the chance to have their say on what they see as likely priorities in years to come. Booth Hall in Catterick Village, North Yorkshire,
A mother broke down last night after two people pleaded guilty to supplying the class-A drug which killed her teenage daughter. Lilli Brown, 17, died after revellers at a party had a £15-a-head whip round to buy bags of the killer drug heroin. The keen
A DERELICT house where the body of murder victim was discovered has finally been demolished. Julie Paterson's torso was found dumped in a black bin liner in the garden of the run-down cottage in Polam Lane, Darlington, four years ago, after she was murdered
A NORTH-EAST firm of solicitors has been helping Tyneside brothers Baldev and Amarjit Ladhar to expand theirhotel and leisure businesses with three deals. In June, Mincoffs Solicitors handled the purchase of Rabbit Catering, of Billingham. This gave the
BIKERS have rallied round to organise a fundraising day in aid of an air ambulance organisation. Members of the Broken Piston Motorcycle Club are looking for people to enter teams of eight for challenges including pie and egg-eating. The event, at Whitehill
INFLATION figures again confounded the markets yesterday as a sharper-than-expected rise cooled talk of interest rate cuts. Analysts expecting a 0.3 per cent rise in the underlying rate saw last month's figure surge two per cent from the previous month's
PROPOSALS for a £2.5m complex for the elderly, made up of one and two-bedroomed flats, are now on view at Stokesley. North Yorkshire County Council, in partnership with Broadacres Housing Association and Hambleton District Council, wants to develop a
MIRRORS which date back more than 2,000 years are to go on show to the public after a delicate conservation project. The Etruscan mirrors, which originate from what is now the Tuscany region of Italy, are among the prized pieces of art in the collection
COMPUTER users will be able to access council services through the Internet and other electronic channels, thanks to a joint venture between two North-East local authorities. Newcastle City Council and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council information
OPPORTUNIST thieves are targeting businesses and hotels, police have warned. In just four days, the thieves have stolen handbags, alcohol and cash in the Newcastle area. Detective Inspector Joan Revel, of Newcastle North area command, said: "These people
YOUNGSTERS became creative yesterday by making masks from around the world. The event at Billingham Art Gallery coincided with the Billingham International Folklore Festival, which runs until Saturday. Using masks from around the world as their inspiration
STOCKTON has never really threatened the region's list of property hot-spots. But an image overhaul and a smattering of famous names moving in have transformed the Teesside town into the third most affluent spot in the North-East. According to a Barclays
A GOOD Samaritan who helped at the roadside after an accident near Malton at the weekend is being asked to come forward by police. The woman, who was driving a red car, helped by allowing one of the injured to sit inside her vehicle to recover. The accident
FEARS of further flooding on Teesside, following the torrential downpours of recent weeks, have begun to abate. After severe weather last week with floods caused by swollen rivers, more rainfall was feared. But Redcar fire station officer Bob Crosby said
COMPUTER users will be able to access council services through the Internet and other electronic channels, thanks to a joint venture between two North-East local authorities. Newcastle City Council and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council information
COMPUTER users will be able to access council services through the Internet and other electronic channels, thanks to a joint venture between two North-East local authorities. Newcastle City Council and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council information
A TEENAGER alleged to have shot dead a friend with his father's gun goes on trial today. The 14-year-old Teesside boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is alleged to have fired an air rifle at Matthew Sheffield, 14, hitting him in the head and causing
CELEBRITY gardener Simon Cross was on hand to give out the prizes to the winners of a Teesside flower contest yesterday. The presenter of ITV's The Whole Nine Yards joined Middlesbrough councillor Ron Lowes to hand out the prizes for the Gresham in Bloom
OFFICIALS at one of the region's top football clubs were criticised yesterday after snubbing a charity event in aid of a poorly toddler. A group of RAF servicemen said the launch of their sponsored cycle ride was ruined after Newcastle United refused
OFFICIALS at one of the region's top football clubs were criticised yesterday after snubbing a charity event in aid of a poorly toddler. A group of RAF servicemen said the launch of their sponsored cycle ride was ruined after Newcastle United refused
DURHAM will go into tonight's floodlit match against Glamorgan at the Riverside in high spirits, despite evidence that their injury jinx is determined to pursue them until the end of the season. Buoyed by Sunday's excellent win at Leicester, they will
A COMPREHENSIVE list of events taking place in Hambleton during next year is being drawn up by council chiefs. The district council is compiling its 2003 visitor guide and organisers of local activities and shows have until Friday, August 23, to submit
PROJECTS taking place in North Yorkshire are being encouraged to apply for funding. The North Yorkshire Small Projects Fund is a partnership between Yorkshire Forward, North Yorkshire County Council, district councils and the national parks. The fund
FOOTBALL fanatic Gary Lamb's five minutes of fame has been temporarily kicked into touch, because of his favourite sport. The Sunderland fan was to have appeared in the second of a two-part BBC documentary Obsessions, scheduled to be broadcast tonight
AN unseemly row between authorities is holding up work on flood defences in a part of the region which has suffered more than any other. Residents of Norton, in North Yorkshire, have been sent letters this week explaining why work is yet to be completed
PEDAL power has proved an effective weapon in the fight against crime for a squad of biking bobbies who are patrolling city streets. The two-wheeled lawmen in York have attended more than 100 incidents, made 28 arrests and covered 1,500 miles in the first
NORTH-EAST car and truck dealership CD Bramall forecast a strong outcome for the year yesterday after motoring ahead in the first half. Bramall, which is based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, said motorists in the UK had continued to buy vehicles during
IT FILLED 16 crowded column inches. And if we wished to present our monarchy as a Ruritanian pantomime worthy of Walt Disney, nothing better could be devised. To Charles Stewart, footman Royal Lodge, Leslie Chappell, Page of the Presence (the Queen Mother's
ONE hundred and sixty patients treated for deafness have been contacted over meningitis fears. Doctors have written to every patient who has had a cochlear implant at North Riding Infirmary, in Middlesbrough, in the past 12 years. The patients are being
Police have confirmed an area of heathland examined overnight is not linked with the disappearance of schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Forensic experts worked through the night after the discovery in a wooded area of Warren Hill, near Newmarket
A 3ft 3in Polish "count" who entertained European gentry by playing a miniature violin has been restored to his rightful place in Durham's history. A pair of shoes, tiny three piece suit and top hat that have gone on display in Durham Town Hall look as
A FAMILY restaurant has launched a search for children with the same name as its mascot. Brewsters, at Tindale Crossing, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, is one of 139 sites taking part in the hunt for a child aged between three and eight with the
COMMUTERS in the North-East have taken car sharing to heart, according to a new survey. The Department of Transport's national travel survey has revealed that more people in the region share cars to get to work than anywhere else in the country. The survey
A 3ft 3in Polish "count" who entertained European gentry by playing a miniature violin has been restored to his rightful place in Durham's history. A pair of shoes, tiny three piece suit and top hat that have gone on display in Durham Town Hall look as
FURIOUS North-East MPs yesterday vowed to continue their fight to make leaders of a defunct development agency pay for the "missing millions." Two damning reports into the corporate mis-management of the Teesside Development Corporation have revealed
My Worst Week (BBC1): CELEBRITIES who sin know that their moment of wrongdoing will be repeated more often than an old Carry On comedy. Forgive and forget isn't a concept that appeals to the makers of this trashy, but unashamedly watchable, series which
SUNDERLAND boss Peter Reid is expected to finally splash the cash today when he completes deals to bring two highly-rated English young guns to the club. Liverpool full-back Stephen Wright and Leicester's Young Player of the Year Matt Piper have both
PLANS for new childcare facilities in Middlesbrough are set to create more than 40 jobs. Money from the Government's New Opportunities Fund (NOF) and private investors will fund the two 80-place nurseries in east and south Middlesbrough. They are part
A row erupted yesterday when a solicitor's son walked away from court without even a fine after being caught with 26 Ecstasy pills. The woman lawyer's 17-year-old son, who cannot be named, lives in a wealthy suburb of Sunderland and had no previous convictions
YVONNE Beattie is taking a Master of Arts degree in historical studies at Sunderland University. One of her specialist areas is what happened to ordinary people in Darlington during the Second World War. She is particularly interested to hear from people
I am proud to have been chairman of the Teesside Development Corporation. I was appointed by the government of the day and asked to break the mould of bureaucratic local government and to get things done for Teesside. I have been criticised by a subsequent
I am proud to have been chairman of the Teesside Development Corporation. I was appointed by the government of the day and asked to break the mould of bureaucratic local government and to get things done for Teesside. I have been criticised by a subsequent
A DIXON stood atop Cockfield Fell and tried to persuade a duke that a canal could ferry coal for miles and make them rich beyond their wildest dreams. At his feet, a young Dixon played - probably sketching in a childish way some of his father's more imaginative
GEORGE Boateng has been given the green light to start his first season in a Middlesbrough shirt this Saturday. The 26-year-old midfielder, who was signed for £5m this summer, has only been given a fine from the Football Association for misconduct. Boateng
FROM the moment Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher carried out her famous "walk in the wilderness" along the industrial wasteland on the banks of the River Tees, in 1987, it was clear that the Teesside Development Corporation (TDC) would be controversial
FROM the moment Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher carried out her famous "walk in the wilderness" along the industrial wasteland on the banks of the River Tees, in 1987, it was clear that the Teesside Development Corporation (TDC) would be controversial
FIREFIGHTERS struggled for nearly two hours to prevent several houses from flooding after a water main burst yesterday. Five appliances from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Brigade pumped water from streets on the Burnside estate in Houghton-le-Spring as
A coroner today warned children not to be tempted into swimming in disused quarries following the death of a teenager who drowned at a local beauty spot. Jamie Robert Kowalczyk, a non-swimmer, died in the Blue Lagoon at Womersley, North Yorkshire on Thursday
WEEPING Helgi Brown told last night how she would never feel justice had been done for her tragic daughter, Lilli. The beautiful 17-year-old was found dead in a Stockton house after a party at the beginning of this year. And, although the two people who
AN international construction group is favourite to win the contract to build a £13.5m privately-funded police station on Teesside. Dutch company Hollandsche Beton (HBG) were yesterday revealed by Cleveland Police Authority as the preferred bidder for
PIONEERING research by a North-East university into ways to make Britain's crumbling road bridges safer is to be presented to an international conference next week. After eight years of painstaking work, experts at the University of Teesside have completed
AFTER a mid-season spell in the doldrums the Michael Dods' stable has sparked back into life over the past couple of weeks. One of horses helping to revive the Denton handler's fortunes is Beverley-bound John O'Groats, who under an inspired ride from
SOME of the assets of a family furniture chain have been sold less two weeks after the business went into administration. Simon Allport and Neil Matthews, of Ernst and Young, administrators to North-East furniture retailer Conroys, have completed the
WHILST recent columns have been assembling collective nouns - an anthology of pro's was suggested last week for a street corner showing of ladies of the night - what should be the proper noun for a discursion such as this one? A rag-bag is close but may
AS Sir Alex Ferguson's unofficial spokesman, it was perhaps to be expected that Roy Keane's autobiography would be as explosive as his temper. Just as Ferguson's book amounted to little more than a character assassination of some of his former players
FORMER schools inspector Gervase Phinn, who has written accounts of his years working in Yorkshire, and historian John Julius Norwich, are among the speakers for Darlington Lecture Association's 120th season, which begins next month. Mr Phinn will speak
An aquarium has had to shell out for new designer homes to re-house its stock of fussy hermit crabs. The cranky crustaceans refused to move into the drab crab dwellings provided in their tanks. So bosses had to import some brand new sophisticated shells
A MAN told a friend he intended becoming the first suicide victim to jump from the Gateshead Millennium bridge - hours before he threw himself off it and drowned. A Newcastle coroner was told yesterday how Kevin Dormand, 43, who had alcohol problems and
A MAN told a friend he intended becoming the first suicide victim to jump from the Gateshead Millennium bridge - hours before he threw himself off it and drowned. A Newcastle coroner was told yesterday how Kevin Dormand, 43, who had alcohol problems and
TWO former nursery workers who were wrongly accused of child abuse are planning to report a North-East paediatrician to the medical disciplinary body. Dawn Reed, 31, and Christopher Lillie, 37, said they were brought to the brink of suicide after an independent
TWO former nursery workers who were wrongly accused of child abuse are planning to report a North-East paediatrician to the medical disciplinary body. Dawn Reed, 31, and Christopher Lillie, 37, said they were brought to the brink of suicide after an independent
MOTORISTS faced lengthy delays on one of the region's busiest roads when it was closed after a collision between a transit van and a mechanical digger. Three people were taken to hospital following the accident on the southbound carriageway of the A1(
