South Cleveland Garages Teesside League The League's version of the Community Shield took place at League Champions Grangetown Boys Club, who entertained MacMillan Bowl holders Thornaby Football Club. After a bright start on a wet day, on a surprisingly
IF we were to launch a worldwide search for the merest crumbs of comfort from Juninho's injury, we would come up with the usual observation that it gives someone else a chance, then perhaps reassure ourselves that it's not only the mollycoddled English
THE prosperity of residents living in Yarm has pushed the area into the top three of the region's most affluent places. Stockton South, which includes Yarm, has come out third in a list of regional high earners compiled by Barclays. The report, based
WHILE it may be true that the Feversham League is presently struggling for survival, memories of better times came flooding back when champions Spout House met High Farndale in a top four play-off semi-final at Harome. The match was adorned with excellent
A-LEVEL celebrations were ruined for some students yesterday when an exam board failed to mark their work on time. It left scores of frustrated students across the region agonising over whether or not they would be accepted at their chosen universities
SUNSHINE and beaches - the perfect mix for relaxing those aching muscles and giving your hard-worked body a holiday. Trouble is, your hair will probably hate it, so give it a treat when you get home. IF RAINWATER is good for hair, then we should all be
HARRISON & Hetherington has begun an immediate £100,000 investment programme for its newly-acquired marts at Lazonby and Kirkby Stephen in preparation for the autumn sales starting on September 1. A full agenda of special autumn breeding and store
STAR TREK VOYAGER: Elite Force. Format: PS2 DVD-RoM. Publisher: Codemasters. £39.99. IF YOU'RE a fan of the world's best successful TV science fiction franchise then you'll know all about Star Trek's Prime Directive. It's all that "seeking out strange
Sir, - I refer to your leader (D&S Aug 9) in which you state: "Too many people spend too much time fretting about what they eat. It is surely counter productive ..." Since the Fifties, somewhere in the region of 3,500 chemicals have been added to
AS students digest the contents of those dreaded envelopes containing A-level results this weekend, they will do so against the now familiar debate about exam standards. Results are better this year, as they have been for a number of years. The pass rate
Old Shildon found their way back on the Championship trail after they beat the visiting second placed Wheatley Hill A for the loss of only one point. The Shildon team were given a boost when Michael Pratt knocked in the second highest break of the First
A MULTI-million pound price tag was put on a County Durham grouse moor on Monday, when it was put up for sale. The Muggleswick Estate, near Edmundbyers has been put on the market by agents acting for the owner, Viscount Lambton, with an asking price of
ONE of the best known hotels in the region has been bought for an undisclosed sum. Owner David Barnard has sold his award-winning Crab and Lobster seafood restaurant and Crab Manor - its sister hotel - at Asenby, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, to Vimac
POLICE patrolling North Yorkshire's roads have admitted they are beginning to dread sunny summer days because so many bikers are losing their lives in accidents across the county. Fatalities on a country lane near Boroughbridge, and on the A661, near
The decision to hold a public enquiry into plans to build a second Tyne Tunnel has been belayed due to the amount of objection to it. Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott was due to make the announcement today but the decision has been put back to September
DETECTIVES hope this picture will help in their hunt for thieves who robbed a man as he lay dying in the street. John Clayton, known as Mike, collapsed in Darlington in the early hours of the morning after a Friday night out and was powerless to act as
All the results from the annual Darlington 10K road race. 1-100: 1 Martin Scaife (Chester le St) 30.21, 2 Stewy Bell (Chester le St) 30.22, 3 Andrew Kilding (City Sheffield) 31.24, 4 Barry Stephenson Quakers RC 31.41, 5 Jon Orange Richmond & Zet 32.32
North-East Conference: Durham Tigers were awarded a 27-0 walkover win following the failure of Northern Division side Chester Wolves to fulfil last Saturday's fixture. Durham Tigers' hopes of banishing memories of the previous week's heavy defeat at Teesside
Spennymoor & District Friendly League There were 24 entries into the League Singles Championship held at Wolviston King's Arms with Terry Flett of the host club emerging as the winner. Two of the quarter-finals brought tough matches. In the first
IF we were to launch a worldwide search for the merest crumbs of comfort from Juninho's injury, we would come up with the usual observation that it gives someone else a chance, then perhaps reassure ourselves that it's not only the mollycoddled English
Garden Farm Details of the quality of pool on show at the Garden Farm in Chester-le-Street from Friday, August 30 to Sunday, September 1 are now emerging and all point to a fantastic weekend. Besides the very serious encounters the key organiser, Lee
A-LEVEL pass rates reached a record high yesterday with thousands of students celebrating top grades. Some schools even boasted 100 per cent pass rates, while many others recorded dramatic improvements on last year's grades. Results at Queen Elizabeth
CADETS from across the North-East are marching to summer camp this year, thanks to a £2,000 donation from Newcastle Building Society. The society has given the money to the North of England Cadet Forces Trust, which will use it to help more than 40 army
Youngsters taking part in a course organised by Darlington Football in the Community, will receive a visit from Darlington FC's first team. The players will work with the youngsters, aged five to 14, and give them tips on technique. Week-long courses,
A SUPPORT service for youngsters has helped 199 people since it opened a month ago. The service, Connexions County Durham, aims to bring together experts to help people aged 13 to 19 with problems they might face, from low self-esteem to homelessness.
PROPOSALS for more than £2 million to be spent on improving housing on three Darlington estates are expected to be approved next week. Details of the scheme, which will affect 432 homes, will be discussed by Darlington Borough Council's cabinet on Tuesday
CLUMSY burglars who tried to break into a newsagent's were arrested after they made so much noise they alerted neighbours. Two men had already burgled a first-floor flat in Stockton Road, Sunderland, and were trying to break into the shop when they were
CLUMSY burglars who tried to break into a newsagent's were arrested after they made so much noise they alerted neighbours. Two men had already burgled a first-floor flat in Stockton Road, Sunderland, and were trying to break into the shop when they were
TEENAGER Amelia Scholey is recovering in hospital after undergoing her second emergency heart transplant operation in three days. The 15-year-old, from Scarborough, North Yorkshire, was flown to London for surgery last Wednesday. But her body showed signs
A HUSBAND had his wife jailed last night for defying a court order to leave their North-East home. The Darlington woman claimed she had nowhere to go after asking relatives and rejecting a "squalid" council flat. Her husband applied to Teesside County
TAXI drivers have described new medical forms which give them clearance to work as unnecessary bureaucracy. Three months ago, Darlington Borough Council introduced the documents because of concerns about ambiguity in previous methods of medical assessment
JOURNALISTS at a North-East newspaper group have ended their strike over pay and conditions. Members of the National Union of Journalists at the Newcastle Evening Chronicle and Journal ended their industrial action yesterday after accepting their management's
A TEMPORARY governing body is to be set up to oversee the amalgamation of three Darlington schools. Earlier this year, it was announced that plans were being drawn up to merge the nursery, infant and junior schools in Corporation Road. Darlington Borough
PASSENGERS on the Tyne and Wear Metro face major disruptions after staff voted in favour of industrial action. Workers at Nexus, which operates the transport system, decided to strike after rejecting an efficiency and productivity offer. The strike is
TOURISM is becoming a cottage industry in Durham City. Carol Woods, who stood unsuccessfully as the Liberal Democrats' candidate for the city in the last General Election, has turned a grade II-listed building in Gilesgate into a holiday cottage. Over
PROPOSALS for more than £2 million to be spent on improving housing on three Darlington estates are expected to be approved next week. Details of the scheme, which will affect 432 homes, will be discussed by Darlington Borough Council's cabinet on Tuesday
THE eyes and ears of music lovers from around the world are about to be focused on a North-East festival for the fourth year running. Newcastle's leisure area at Jesmond Dene will host the Jezfest, on Sunday, August 25. Last year's event, which went out
YOUNGSTERS in Shildon can continue to play football after a council stepped in to replace stolen goal nets. This week, children from the town's junior football club were devastated when thieves ransacked their storage hut and took four goal nets. Sedgefield
YESTERDAY was a stressful day for millions of teenagers. It was the day they discovered whether they had passed their A-levels. For some, there was jubilation and our congratulations go out to the students whose grades matched their hopes. We particularly
THERE is plenty of baby talk at an animal rescue centre since the arrival of nine broody hamsters. Hobo's Animal Rescue, in Evenwood, County Durham, has just taken in the pets from a man at Middlesbrough who said he could no longer cope with them. Much
HOUSEWORK can seem a never-ending cycle, but when you are dusting, hoovering and sweeping a Norman cathedral, more than one pair of hands are required. A team of volunteers descended on Durham Cathedral this week to help carry out maintenance and cleaning
POLICE are continuing to target illegal off-road motorcyclists in the Gateshead West and Newcastle West area commands. Gateshead West, covering large rural areas which have in the past attracted riders, has seen a 34 per cent decrease in complaints in
World Travel Holdings, the group which bought Sir Bob Geldof's Deckchair.com, yesterday set its sights on breaking into profit next year. Figures show the company achieved a £57,000 profit in the second quarter after cutting back on costs and seeing a
CLUMSY burglars who tried to break into a newsagent's were arrested after they made so much noise they alerted neighbours. Two men had already burgled a first-floor flat in Stockton Road, Sunderland, and were trying to break into the shop when they were
In the 25 years since his death, Elvis Presley's star has continued to burn as brightly as ever. Nick Morrison meets a man who helps keep the magic alive. IT'S a little disconcerting, to say the least. Sitting opposite me is a man wearing a white jumpsuit
A WEBSITE is to be launched next month to promote the towns of Crook, Stanhope and the surrounding area of County Durham. The Wear Valley portal, provides access to a range of information about the area, including entertainment, lifestyle activities,
The Bank of Scotland, part of Edinburgh banking group HBOS, has launched a range of financial services aimed at Arsenal fans. Your Financial Arsenal is being run in conjunction with the North London club and products include credit cards and personal
BIRDS of prey are increasing, while once common garden birds, such as the starling and house sparrow, are declining, conservation groups have said. The results are published in a new review of the UK's wild birds, prepared by Government and non-governmental
A MALTON pub is hoping to do a roaring trade now its mascot has been given a makeover. Until this week, The Golden Lion was anything but; the paint on the motif above the door of the premises had faded with time, prompting landlady Janice Hart to call
THE days when steam was the main form of transport will be remembered in an art exhibition next month. Steam enthusiast and artist Les Joss, former acting head of Wellfield Comprehensive, in east Durham, will be displaying his work at the dli, formerly
A FARMING family in Teesside is on course to open a golf driving range later this month. For the Pickerings, of Holdenfields Farm, near Yarm, the opening of Yarm Driving Range is their first venture into diversification. They launched the business with
A CO-OPERATIVE nursery is taking steps to find new premises. The group, based at Shotley Bridge, near Consett, has secured a £1,000 grant to help with its proposed relocation. Money was awarded through the North Eastern and Cumbrian Co-op's community
AN ACTION-PACKED weekend of activities is being lined up for an annual sports and arts festival. The festival will take place on Saturday to Monday, August 24 to 26, at Haswell and Haswell Plough, and will include three days of traditional coalfield sports
THREE Darlington Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College students were overjoyed yesterday to discover they were among the creme de la creme for A-level marks. Laura MacKenzie's score for business studies A-level placed her in the top five in the country out
NEWSQUEST, publishers of The Northern Echo, has raised money for charity by recycling old mobile phones. A total of £490 was raised for the British Red Cross after staff handed over 160 old phones for recycling. Peter Fautley, Newsquest's telecommunications
DURHAM'S retiring chief constable says there is too much Government interference in policing. George Hedges, whose five-year contract ends in four weeks, has already criticised ministers for imposing targets, which, he says take bobbies off the beat.
DRIVERS are ignoring lessons from the Selby rail crash by failing to heed warnings about falling asleep at the wheel. Road safety charity Brake said a survey that it carried out showed drivers were travelling too long without a break. It highlighted the
THOUSANDS of students will be clamouring to get into the right university, but careers advisors say don't make any rash decisions. If you are among those with disappointing results who are going through clearing - trying to find the best course with the
A SIXTH-Form student who astounded scientists by proving there could be life on Mars yesterday celebrated top grades in his six A-levels. Gifted 18-year-old Edwin Kite scored straight As in maths, further maths, physics, chemistry, biology and geology
A BRAVE student who battled back from a horrific accident to continue his studies has achieved AS-level success. Ben Woods, 17, lost his left arm and leg after he was hit by an express train on the East Coast Main Line, near Darlington, on July 1. The
A NORTH-EAST nightclub has been sold as part of a £3m deal involving seven properties. The Mardi Gras, in Gladstone Street, Darlington, has been sold by owners First Leisure Trading, along with Bar Rio, in the same street. They have been bought by Springwood
TEENAGERS living in parts of Middlesbrough are to take part in a one day festival. The free festival, which will be called the Directions Big Day, is being staged for youngsters from the Easterside, Saltersgill and Beechwood areas. A school field in Easterside
SPECTATOR'S oldest colleague sat with a shorthand notebook in the days when urban and rural district councils ran their business unbedevilled by councillors' party politics. That was left to the larger towns and counties. Last week saw the death of a
ARE YOU a teenager with bags of energy, enthusiasm and commitment? If so, you could be in line for a part in a new drama and music project. The search is on for 20 young people - aged between 11 and 20 to work with 20 adults for a project in Hartlepool
GARDENERS at Kirkbymoor-side have won agreement over their allotments after a two-year battle. After a wrangle with North Yorkshire County Council and its agent, Mouchel, Kirkbymoorside Allotments Association has been told it can have a ten-year lease
CONSERVATIONISTS have criticised plans to demolish a care home on an estate of Edwardian mansions in Harrogate's conservation area. The dispute is over plans by Antler Homes (Yorkshire) Ltd to demolish the home, on the corner of Duchy Road and Rutland
Bishop Auckland chairman Terry Jackson is looking forward to a new beginning when Bishops kick off their UniBond League season tomorrow, writes RAY SIMPSON. Bishops, who were forcibly demoted to the First Division at the end of last season because Shildon's
THE magic of Harry Potter's school of witchcraft and wizardry can be viewed in miniature at a dolls' house display later this month. Members of Durham and District Dolls' House Club set themselves the theme of 'fantasy rooms' for their third annual exhibition
DURHAM will have Stephen Harmison back in their team to face Glamorgan at the Riverside today as they begin a hectic final 5 weeks of the season. Following his encouraging Test debut last week, the England selectors have requested that Harmison shouldn't
For the second time this season, Yorkshire were forced to endure a Swann song yesterday, but it failed to finish them off because they fought back well to leave the Roses game nicely poised at Old Trafford. Having seen a potentially substantial lead slip
A HANDFUL of green lanes in the Yorkshire Dales national park could be protected from vehicle damage by experimental traffic bans. The traffic regulation orders would exclude motorcycles and four-wheel-drive vehicles from up to four sensitive lanes for
BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed. Fwd: 1,190 sheep. Lambs lt to 98.6p av 90.5p;std to 119.4p av 108.8p; med to 122p av 109.5p; heavy to 109.6p av 105.8p. Cast ewes: Mule to £35; Leic to £38; Cont to £33; horned to £29. DARLINGTON. - Thurs of last week. Fwd 36 cattle
The second week's programme was again badly affected by the weather especially when the Under-13s played. The Foster's Northumberland and Tyneside Senior League were 107 for nine in their game with the Boddington's Durham Coast League at Castle Eden.
Shildon: Ben Finn rounded off of his season when he competed on Saturday, August 10 at the AAA U20 and U23 Championships held at the Alexander Stadium, Birmingham. Ben competed in the U17 boys 800m semi-finals although not achieving a personal best time
Durham City totalled 105 without losing a wicket but only just defeated South Hetton by one run. Joel Hughes was seven runs short of a century as he ended with 93 not out and Neil Duffitt carried his bat for 46. When Chris Naylor contributed 45 and David
ON Thursday, July 31, 1952, one of Britain's most impressive country homes was opened to the public for the first time. Castle Howard attracted 129 members of the public on that first day. 50 years on, a typical July 31 attracts 1,290 visitors. With 200,000
With a great deal of help from his friends, Eddie Sharp's attempt to raise £5,000 in memory of his son more than doubled its target at the weekend. Well over half came from an auction on Saturday evening of signed shirts and footballs - two shirts topping
A FORUM to highlight the role of the heritage breeds in the management of hill and upland areas will be held at Camp Hill, Bedale, on September 18. Conceived by Gerald Turton of Upsall, a leading breeder of Beef Shorthorns, the forum is part funded under
A MAN who has kept his post as Mayor of Bedale said this week that he wanted to draw a line under an episode which saw him fined for an offence involving illegal tobacco products. Coun Ray Calvert won the support of fellow town councillors on Monday,
Once he boxed for England and was an Imperial Service champion. Now at 65 and with two new hips, Bobby Mills fights on. Still he has a makeshift gym in his backyard, still does carefully programmed hour and a quarter workouts, still runs and skips when
A POLICE officer who tackled a mentally unstable gunman in a busy hospital has been praised for her courage. PC Karen Winter, 37, was officially commended by George Hedges, the chief constable of Durham. The brave PC, who is based at South Moor in Stanley
I am just home from a weekend walking with a party of 12 in the Lake District, where our target was Great Gable and the surrounding hills, which included Scafell Pikes, Lingmell Beck and Stye Head Tarn. We were amid the splendid and rugged landscape of
A £90 million boost for run-down North-East health centres has been announced. The cash bonanza will transform primary care facilities but patients will have to wait years before they see any improvements. It includes a long-awaited replacement for the
A CHESTER-LE-STREET runner was just piped at the post in a running race that attracted more than 1,000 entries. Stewy Bell, a member of Chester-le-StreetAthletics Club, was beaten into second place in the Darlington annual 10k road race on Sunday. The
He was the little boy for whom football rolled out the green carpet - and who won the hearts of millions. Seven-year-old Connor Rumney, who suffers from a genetic disorder with a very long name, was chosen as one of Liverpool's mascots for Sunday's FA
The Captain Cook 8s are the champions of the three-man team event, the team which consists of captain Steve Woodier, Kevin Dismore, Ian Corns and Paul Burke, overcame some tough opposition to lift the title. In the semis they saw off the strong Tables
Sarah Scott has been selected for the Born 1987 or later Great Britain squad after spending an intensive week of training at Millfield School in Somerset recently. Also selected was Anna Richardson who plays for Sedgefield and Durham City and their inclusion
Chris Glasper turned in a remarkable performance for Tudhoe in their home game with Crook Town when he bowled all seven victims ending with the outstanding figures of seven for ten. When Tim Smalley claimed two wickets for 14 runs from the other end,
NORTHALLERTON'S mayor has acted quickly after the latest bout of vandalism to hit the town by setting up a meeting to start thrashing out the problem. Coun Jack Dobson says he will be calling for community wardens as part of the campaign against the yobs
STAR TREK VOYAGER: Elite Force. Format: PS2 DVD-RoM. Publisher: Codemasters. £39.99. IF YOU'RE a fan of the world's best successful TV science fiction franchise then you'll know all about Star Trek's Prime Directive. It's all that "seeking out strange
COUPLES expecting to marry at a Darlington hotel have been forced to change their big day plans after it announced it is to close next month. The Newbus Arms, at Neasham, which holds a licence to perform civil wedding ceremonies, is to close on Sunday
A DALES farmer, who lost his herd to foot-and-mouth, has restocked with cows that are not happy about hills. Although no signs of the disease were found in the herd of Bainbridge farmer Mason Scarr, his cows were culled in April last year when a neighbouring
REDCAR MP Vera Baird is urging her constituents to take advantage of a leaflet explaining how people on low incomes can claim extra cash. The Help the Aged leaflet offers free advice to those over 60 on making claims for Government money to help with
ROCK fans have the chance to see young guitar virtuoso Pete Shoulder in concert next month. The 18-year-old will be playing on home territory at Durham City's 520-seat Gala Theatre on Friday, September 6. The singer-songwriter from Waldridge, near Chester-le-Street
POLICE are investigating a possible scam involving the national young people's charity ChildLine. Collectors claiming to represent the charity, which runs a phoneline for children in trouble, have been calling at homes in the Bishop Auckland area asking
A £186,000 investment has been made at a Co-op in Barnard Castle. The store in Horsemarket has been relaunched following a refit. The unit is now trading as a Welcome store where the focus is on fresh food and convenience lines. Included in the modernisation
SHERIFF Hutton Bridge made sure of their first ever Pilmoor Evening League championship when they easily beat Alne to hold off the challenge of Sessay, who finished two points behind. The situation is less clear at the foot of the table. Huby are relegated
HUNDREDS of people packed into a village church to commemorate a man who dedicated his last days to fund-raising for a North-East hospice. Rob Niven, 51, of Ingleton, near Darlington, died last Sunday, just days after he launched a campaign to raise money
NEW research has found that one of the North-East's oldest occupations is hazardous to health. According to the Oxford University study fishermen and merchant seafarers have by far the most dangerous jobs in Britain. It was found that people working on
TWO youths were seen acting suspiciously around the time that thieves broke into a house in Roseberry Street, Darlington. Nothing was taken in the raid, which happened between 11am and 5pm on Wednesday. The youths, aged about 17, were wearing T-shirts
CLEVELAND police have announced sweeping changes to cope with huge increases in the number of incidents and 999 calls. Last year, the number of incidents increased by 34,000 and 999 calls went up by 25pc. Chief Constable Barry Shaw is to implement major
Champions Bardsey lost a vital match against third from bottom Roundhay by 58 games to 50 - a defeat which could cost them the First Division title. Horsforth are now favourites to take the title. It was a weakened Bardsey side that went down to Roundhay
THE horrifying events in Soham have affected the whole country. The depth of trauma that Holly and Jessica's parents are going through is impossible to imagine. But am I alone in thinking that the in-depth coverage is now beginning to cross the border
TWO of the League's title-chasing sides will meet in a blockbusting opening game of the campaign as the new season kicks off this Sunday. Newton Aycliffe - last year's runners-up and five-times champions - will take on up-and-coming Lakeside (formerly
EJ Harrison is the latest of last year's successful squad to agree terms for the 2002/03 season. The 25-year-old point guard, who finished the last campaign by being named Most Valuable Player at the championship play off victory at Coventry Skydome,
DAVE Greenlay was Thirsk's match-winner last Saturday when his team boosted their chances of premier division survival with a surprisingly comfortable victory over second-placed Acomb. The result also virtually ended Acomb's chances of catching leaders
MOULDY chicken which brought a visit from environmental health inspectors led to closure of a family bakery after more than 30 years of trading, a court heard today. Harrogate magistrates were told how a would-be customer at the Hookstone Bakery at Woodlands
A LEEMING Bar food company saved by a management buy-out seven years ago is resisting an attempt by a union to organise its 180-strong workforce. The Iron and Steel Trades Confederation, which has evolved into a more general organisation and now has members
THE stage is set for a potential thriller between Richmond and Sessay in the final of the Walter Thompson Granindon Cup at Northallerton CC on Sunday, August 25, starting at 3pm. Richmond, who booked their place in the final by beating Silton on Monday
Ryan Tebbs has been tipped for a successful future in motor sport after catching the eye during his first season in go-karting. The nine-year-old races in meetings all around the country and proud father, Roland, is his biggest fan. "He seems to be progressing
CHANGES have been introduced to revolutionise the way Cleveland Police operates. With the support of the Cleveland Police Authority, Chief Constable Barry Shaw wants to implement changes to cope with an increase in the force's workload. Last year alone
MIDDLESBROUGH have joined Tottenham in turning down the chance to sign Juninho's World Cup stand-in Ricardinho. The Corinthians midfielder, who twice came on as a substitute for Juninho during Brazil's glorious Far-East campaign, is being hawked around
Stanley United have scored eight goals winning their first two matches. After defeating Cleadon SC 4-0 at the weekend, they inflicted a 4-3 defeat on champions North Shields at Hill Top on Wednesday night. John Holmes struck twice in the first half and
FOR the strategists of Millbank, it was their worst nightmare. Labour had introduced powerful US-style elected mayors to run the country's town halls and energise local elections which were plagued by voter apathy. But the result was not what they expected
THE FAMILY of a woman who died in hospital in Durham after taking an overdose is to pursue a claim for clinical negligence. It follows an inquest verdict of misadventure, contributed to by neglect, recorded by North Durham coroner Andrew Tweddle into
ALMOST the entire population of a North-East village will be celebrating with champagne today after their remarkable syndicate scooped a big National Lottery prize. The sleepy village of Stainton, near Middlesbrough, has been stunned after no less than
STUDENTS across Cleveland are celebrating a record year for A-level exam results. Records tumbled at all the major colleges and schools in the area, with pass rates and the number of top grades soaring to new highs. Yarm School completed a clean sweep
A MIDNIGHT deadline passed with no word from an abductor who may have taken schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. A dramatic "call me" plea was issued on TV and radio by the police officer leading the hunt for the missing ten-year-olds, Detective
SNEAK thieves have struck at two homes in the North Road area of Darlington. A house in Saltersgate Road was raided between 5.20pm on Monday and 1pm on Tuesday, and a handbag containing cash and documents were stolen. Between 1pm and 3pm on Wednesday,
MORE than two women in five find packing the most stressful part of a holiday. For almost half the men, the money side of things is the worst. Well, it's mostly the women who pack and the men who say: "But you didn't put my ...... in. I can't do without
TWO passengers were injured when vandals threw a bottle through the window of a speeding train last night. A middle-aged man and a woman in her early 20s were showered with glass and suffered cuts in the attack, on the outskirts of Darlington. The busy
COMPANIES and children from the Darlington area have presented a cheque to the town's St Teresa's Hospice. The businesses joined schools and other organisations to raise £8,500 as part of the hospice's Go Yellow Campaign in June. People around the town
TWINS Kizzy and Zena Kukreja both went home happy after achieving six A grades and a B grade between them. The sisters, who are pupils at Polam Hall School in Darlington, were among the most achieving A level students this year. Zena attained four A levels
A SUPPORT service for youngsters has helped 199 people since it opened a month ago. The service, Connexions County Durham, aims to bring together experts to help people aged 13 to 19 with problems they might face, from low self-esteem to homelessness.
A GM trial site in the region was found to have been contaminated with an unauthorised strain of oilseed rape. The crop at Oakenshaw, near Crook, County Dur-ham, is among 12 sites in England to contain the unapproved rapeseed and will be harvested and
MORE volunteers are needed as an expanding charity continues to honour the memory of its founder. The North-East Helpline Trust, founded by Spennymoor Independent Methodist minister Walter Wilkinson, is hoping to increase the number of soup kitchens it
A UNIVERSITY student who had to re-sit his first year exams and had broken up with his girlfriend was found hanged, an inquest heard yesterday. Andrew Hetherington, 21, of St John's, Isle of Man, was studying law at Durham and sharing a house in the city's
KEEN rambler Richard Pearce has been striding out to familiarise himself with his new working environment. However, it is likely to take some time, as the chief recreation ranger with the Forestry Commission has 56,000 acres of woodland to get to know
Youngsters taking part in a course organised by Darlington Football in the Community, will receive a visit from Darlington FC's first team. The players will work with the youngsters, aged five to 14, and give them tips on technique. Week-long courses,
A COMPANY has been awarded a contract to deliver services to people starting up their own businesses and to young companies in Hambleton and Richmondshire. Business Solution Bedale has been given the contract by Business Link York. The Bedale advisory
TWO men who were in a car that crashed resulting in the subsequent death of a pensioner are not to be prosecuted. The family of Jimmy Mulligan spoke of their outrage yesterday after he was left to "die like a dog in the street". Even though the pair admitted
SALTBURN'S new bandstand is one of five winning projects in Redcar and Cleveland's first ever design awards. A panel of architects, landscapers, surveyors and planners picked five winners and gave commendations to four other entries. The competition was
THERE was a time when the growing of cabbage was very much a seasonal affair. There were four basic types, spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and the times for sowing the seed were equally clearly defined. Nowadays, it seems, you can sow, grow, and eat
A NORTH-EAST university is celebrating after getting more than £1m to offer fully-funded places to postgraduate students next month. The European Social Fund (ESF) award to Sunderland University means that 300 postgraduates, from the school of computing
A TEAM of specialist nurses is successfully fighting heart disease in one of the worst affected areas in the country. Nancye Carr, Helen Wilkinson and Susan Husband have spent the past year working to combat the disease in Derwentside, County Durham.
The claim that proposed EU legislation absolves cyclists or pedestrians of guilt in collision with motor vehicles is wrong. And the claim that motorists' insurance premiums would rise by £50 as a result of the introduction of such legislation is also
A NEW organisation, which aims to encourage couch potatoes to get on their feet and walk, has been awarded a £45,000 grant from the Countryside Agency. The Hambleton Strollers will be able to use the cash to employ a field worker - and, once someone is
A NORTHALLERTON community centre will be given a new identity when it reopens after extensive refurbishment next month. Hambleton Community Centre will be renamed the Hambleton Forum when the £400,000 refit has been completed. The building will boast
THE director of an engineering business, which failed with debts of more than £248,325, was disqualified from acting as a company director for 12 years, when she appeared at Teesside County Court. Kareen Rose James-Rawson, 52, of High Heath, Hawthorn
A LASTING and poignant tribute to a Redcar and Cleveland councillor who died almost a year ago is to be made today when a housing office will be named after her. The Grangetown Area Housing Office at Kingsley Road, Grangetown, will be officially named
AN AWARD-winning photographer, now in his eighties, is still showing the youngsters how to do it. Ray Wallace Thompson, 85, is renowned as one of the best amateur snappers in the world, and this week he proved his prowess with the lens once again by scooping
A LEGAL executive stands accused of stealing £102,000 from client's wills and trust funds over seven years. Ian Spoor, 40, was responsible for the administration of wills and probate for dozens of clients at two North-East legal firms. At Chester-le-Street
SHOPPERS were treated to a production of Grease, in Redcar High Street. Members of Topline Productions - some of whom are pictured above - took part in the event as part of a fun day. As well as the Grease production, youngsters could also watch Punch
There's been a huge increase in the number of people in the North-East suffering from end-stage liver disease and sufferers are gettng younger. But back-up services in the area are poor. Barry Nelson reports. MIKE Bramble is worried. After 20 years working
A GROUP of girls who found themselves with nothing to do during the summer holidays have been given a chance to try out different activities. The teenagers, all from North Ormesby, found themselves left on the sidelines while the boys played in a daily
A HEALTH and safety officer was crushed to death when a 3.5 tonne steel plate pinned him to a moving conveyer belt, an inquest heard yesterday. Robert Powlay, 54, was pinned to metal rollers when the 20ft long, 10ft wide steel sheet rolled over him. Work
PAUL Peeling described as "exhilarating" the feeling he got when he realised he'd achieved possibly the best A-level grades in the country. The 18-year-old from Yarm School notched up six A-levels at grade A*. With top marks in maths, further maths, physics
PARENTS of a seriously ill baby are appealing to people to attend a fundraising event. Finton and Lisa O'Rourke, from Hartlepool, want to raise funds to buy specialist equipment needed by hospitals in Teesside to help them care for very ill infant children
NORTH-EAST motorsport star Paul Swift has the chance to perform in front of a home crowd this weekend. The 22-year-old son of stunt driver Russ Swift is lying second in the British Trial and Rally Driver Association's Auto-Test championship. So far, Paul
YOUNGSTERS from the centre of Middlesbrough sampled life in the country yesterday. Animals from Newham Grange Leisure Farm, Coulby Newham, were on show at Albert Park. There were also displays of wood-turning by the British Trust for Conservation volunteers
A NEW £1m abattoir in Wensleydale could offer the key to success for many Dales farmers. For apart from dealing with meat for individual producers, it is also hoped the abattoir will handle larger volumes produced by local farmers and marketed by the
SWD Veterans League The Second Division was thrown wide open when the leaders, Leeholme failed to take a point from their visit to Shildon Railway A, who moved up to share the second place with Langley Park A, just five points behind the leaders. Shildon
THIRTY child witnesses as young as ten have given statements to police about the death of a boy under the wheels of a school bus, a court was told yesterday. Bus driver Deborah White, 40, is awaiting trial on a charge of causing the death by dangerous
PRIME Minister Tony Blair's former parish priest was last night facing jail after groping a ten-year-old boy at his North-East vicarage. The Reverend George Glover - known as "Father Eddie" to his parishioners - lured the youngster into his home and carried
A NORTH Yorkshire authority has underlined its commitment to environmentally-friendly polices. Hambleton District Council has bought four new vans, which run on either liquid petroleum gas (LPG) or unleaded fuel with the help of a £5,000 grant from the
WOODEN railings around a village's greens may have to be re-painted by volunteers in order to save money, a parish council has said. For years the railings have been an attractive feature of Hovingham, North Yorkshire, the home of The Duchess of Kent.
TRADERS in Thirsk hope a post delivery pilot does not hit business. The town has been chosen to try out a scheme aimed at cutting costs and boosting efficiency for Royal Mail. But the leader of the local chamber of trade fears there might be an adverse
TRADERS will be asked to consider a thumbprint scheme in an effort to combat credit card fraud. Police in Barnard Castle have revealed that the scheme, called Thumbs Up, could be a solution to the problem. It will involve traders asking shoppers to provide
Preliminary round draw: Redhouse v Shotton Comrades; Coundon v Winlaton New West End; Consett Station v Quarrington Hill; Newton Aycliffe v Grange Villa; Durham City v Cockton Hill; Ryton v Coxhoe; Easington Colliery v Holmeside Hall; Fishburn v Lanchester
STEPHEN Wright wants to emulate best friend Steven Gerrard by completing a meteoric rise from the Liverpool Academy to the England team. Sunderland's new signing has looked on enviously over the past two years as Gerrard, an Anfield colleague of Wright
THE Under-18s continued their pre-season preparations with a successful trip to Scotland at the weekend. The club were visiting Kelty FC, a semi-professional club from Dunfermline, for games against the hosts Under-17 and Under-21 sides. On Saturday,
Romanby:The club held its Club invitation Day on Sunday. Results: 1 J Pollock and S Metcalfe; 2 D Andrews and R Cullen; 3 S Gaythorpe and T Lunn; 4 C Gorman and A Gorman. Bishop Auckland August Medal Division One: I Graham gross 74, nett 65; 2 A Barker
A COURT heard how a drunken prank left its victim with potentially lifelong facial scars. While David Skelton slept off the effects of eight cans of lager at a Good Friday house party, friends Stephen Pearson and Mark Worthy part-shaved his eyebrows.
CIU League: Crook Belle Vue came through a tough home fixture against Ferryhill to win by three points and stay at the top of the darts section by three points from Cockton Hill, who have played a match extra. Byers Green are in third place, 16 points
Darlington last night signed two midfielders ahead of tomorrow's game with Oxford and both may play a part. Former Hartlepool United favourite, Jon Cullen, and Phil Hadland, whose most recent club is Brighton, both agreed short term deals. The pair will
Tow Law Cattle Mart slipped four points behind the third placed, Tow Law New Market A when they were stretched at Esh McKennas before edging through by the odd point. The home side made a great start by taking both trebles points but then could only manage
WORK can start next month on a £1.2m pub development in Darlington after magistrates gave the scheme their approval. The JD Wetherspoon pub chain will undertake a major redevelopment of buildings in Crown Street to form a Lloyds No 1 bar, which is scheduled
NORTH Yorkshire has topped the national A-level league. The results of students in the county improved over last year and are also better than those achieved nationally. Figures show that almost 23pc gained passes at grade A and 96pc a pass, compared
THE horrifying events in Soham have affected the whole country. The depth of trauma that Holly and Jessica's parents are going through is impossible to imagine. But am I alone in thinking that the in-depth coverage is now beginning to cross the border
A PUBLIC meeting later this month could prove vital in the battle to save a youth hostel. The Youth Hostel Association (YHA) announced earlier this year that Aysgarth, in Wensleydale, was among ten hostels around the UK which would have to go. It said
PERVERT Eddie Glover left a trail of scandal behind him in some of the North-East communities he served. But the affable clergyman, with his charming manner, was cleared and forgiven by the Church of England each time his name was tainted. Glover's reputation
Please! No more croc wrestling. IT SEEMS only yesterday I complained that if I saw another programme featuring crocodile/alligator hunters I would scream. Put in your earplugs now. Vets In The Wild West ended with Steve Leonard and Trude Mostue tussling
Tow Law Area League: Tow Law Station moved up to share second place in the table with their hosts at Sunniside Comedian after they won by three points. The home side had singles wins from Jean Wright and Derek Thompson whilst the Station set up their
WHEN Sally's owner took her out for a walk, the black Labrador had no idea it would be a 900 mile trek across Europe to Chester-le-Street. The dedicated dog has accompanied her owner Ian Young across the continent on a mammoth fund-raising walk and both
Anthony Gale and Andrew Stephenson were again in outstanding form for Dawdon in their home game with Silksworth. Gill contributed 89 and Stephenson added 56 to a total of 171 for two which included 23 by Stephen Gale. When Silksworth replied almost half
Greeted by the pipes and drums of Tulloch Transport and by the massed bands of the Regiment of Groundhoppers, Gretna FC hasted home on Saturday. Twice Northern League champions, they had played all but one of their 56 seasons south of the border - "mining
Over 1,000 runners of all ages took part in the annual Darlington 10k road race on Sunday race, as well as a junior competition and a family fun run. It was deemed a great success by organisers who had to map the race out on a new course after police
One of the region's leading cricket leagues is 100 not out, prompting Mike Amos to open a nostalgic score book whilst the column pays its annual visit to the Little House on the Prairie. The Durham Senior Cricket League is celebrating its centenary. Ray
Referee Dave Roberts plans to get the football season off to a flier on Saturday - he and his two assistants are arriving at their Albany Northern League match by plane. Dave - appropriately Sky Sports' man in the North-East - will pilot his own four
Barkston Ash League Champions Bardsey lost a vital match against third from bottom Roundhay by 58 games to 50 - a defeat which could cost them the First Division title. Horsforth are now favourites to take the title. It was a weakened Bardsey side that
YOUNG rock talent Pete Shoulder is to play Durham City's Gala Theatre. Pete, 18, from Waldridge, Chester-le-Street, last year signed a six-album deal with recording giants Sony and was a hit with the record crowd at the recent Stanley Blues Festival.
Bedale are making a swift return to Division One after clinching the Second Division championship. In the past few seasons Bedale have acquired a yo-yo tag after switching between the top two divisions. But a 7.5-1.5 win over one time promotion rivals
THE future of a £14m theatre beset by financial problems could be decided at a crunch council meeting later this month. Durham's Gala Theatre was placed into the hands of the city council when its management company crashed in May, with debts of £700,000
EIGHT acres of playing fields at a Darlington school have been earmarked for housing development. On Tuesday, members of Darlington council's cabinet are expected to approve the sale of 3.1 hectares of land, currently a redundant athletics track and hockey
CONFIDENT skipper Michael Barron insists Hartlepool United are relishing the battle to stay top of the Third Division. Pool have played two games - against Carlisle and Boston - and they are the only team in the League with maximum points. But instead
THE county's biggest shake up in policing for a decade will result in more bobbies on the beat and the promise of no redundancies, police chiefs claimed this week. The claims were made after sweeping changes - which will see Durham's six police divisions
USING the old maxim of leaving the best till last, patience will be required in order to wait for the nap selection of the day, Young Alex (5.10) in the closing six-furlong sprint at Newcastle. While chatting with trainer Karl Burke on Middleham Low Moor
THE decision whether to merge County Durham hospitals and push through controversial reforms is now in the hands of a Government minister. After an hour-long special meeting last week, County Durham and Tees Valley Health Authority backed the so-called
Expectations are high for this Sunday's Big Embassy Pairs Qualifier after the Lower Tees record was smashed not once but twice during a sensational Yarm ACA Open as the river yet again showed its premier league status, writes Jeff Herbert. The venue was
CLUMSY burglars who tried to break into a newsagent's were arrested after they made so much noise they alerted neighbours. Two men had already burgled a first-floor flat in Stockton Road, Sunderland, and were trying to break into the shop when they were
A MAJOR redevelopment is on the cards for a visitor centre on the North York Moors. Big plans for the Moors Centre at Danby could see the creation of a new rail halt and development of the site as a traditional shooting lodge. A new children's play area
A TOWN centre bar in Harrogate has been granted temporary planning permission to put tables, chairs and an enclosure barrier outside its premises in Montpellier Parade, in the town centre, to serve food and drink. Planners have ruled that tables and chairs
A TWO-DAY-old flamingo chick has become the latest attraction for visitors at a nature reserve. The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, at Washington, is hoping for a record number of flamingo chicks this year and is celebrating the first arrivals. With their
PEDAL power has proved an effective weapon in the fight against crime for a squad of biking bobbies. The two-wheeled lawmen in York have attended more than 100 incidents, made 28 arrests and covered 1,500 miles in the first month of a trial scheme. Sergeant
A VIOLENT robber was jailed for four years yesterday after being labelled as a danger to the public by a judge. Stacey Maxwell, 31, of Mann Street, South Shields, has a string of violent convictions stretching back to 1986, including robbery, assaults
POLICE chiefs have claimed that the biggest shake-up in policing in County Durham for a decade will result in at least 20 more bobbies on the beat and no redundancies. Under the changes, due to be implemented next April, the six police divisions in the
REDCAR MP Vera Baird is urging her constituents to take advantage of a leaflet explaining how people on low incomes can claim extra cash. The Help the Aged leaflet offers free advice to those over 60 on making claims for Government money to help with
