Archive

  • Tow Law Market steam past Station at top

    Tow Law Area League Tow Law Station lost their top spot when they visited Tow Law new Market A and only collected two points when there were singles wins from Bill Kitching and Michael Bell. The home side had singles points from Gary Parker, Kenneth Atkinson

  • 'I'd pay to watch entertainers Pool' - Turner

    CHRIS Turner last night admitted he would quite happily pay to watch his Hartlepool United side in action. Pool sit on top of Division Three after taking 20 points from nine games and Victoria Park attendances have shot up this season. Pool's trip to

  • New County North Durham Youth League

    Five sides from the U16 division were involved in the Durham County U16 Cup and four of the results were as a result of a golden goal. Redheugh just edged South Moor 4-3, Birtley finished 3-2 in front of South Shields, Barnard Castle sent Blackfyne out

  • It's the age of nobodies

    IT'S enough to give you the sheikhs. Among the people I'd never heard of suddenly making the headlines are Peter Enckelman, Miles Maclagan and Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed al Maktoum. The first two could be described as hapless, while the 16-year-old sheikh

  • Right time to back John O'Groats

    TRYING to select the winner of today's 28-runner £20,000 Ayr Silver Cup is a bit like trying to find a needle in a haystack, however, at least in siding with John O'Groats (3.10) we have a horse probably at the peak of his powers. Trainer Michael Dods

  • Swimming

    Chris Alderton, the Hartlepool swimmer, has just returned from Cambridge where the Great Britain Short Course Championships were held. Chris qualified for three events. In the 1500m Freestyle - Junior(16&under) - he won the Gold Medal and Trophy,

  • £5m boost for heart patients

    HEALTH bosses have agreed to invest an extra £5.7m on improving treatment for heart patients in the region. It will mean an extra 61 heart operations and an extra 88 angioplasties (unblocking cardiac arteries) will be carried out at the Freeman Hospital

  • South Cleveland Garages Teesside League

    Division Two: Bill'ham Wdrs 2 Darlington RA Res 2 Billingham Wanderers and visitors Darlington RA were evenly matched, with the visitors going close through Peter Gormley early in the first half. Three minutes into the second-half Lee Thompson gave the

  • Judge unwilling to jail offender

    A judge says he is reluctant to jail a chronic alcohol who persistently breaches Durham's first anti-social behaviour order. John Newman, 32, formerly of New Brancepeth, has breached the four-year order five times since it was imposed in June 2000. It

  • North-East Christian Fellowship League

    A hat-trick from Ryan Pender against Whitley Bay Churches maintained Metro Church Sunderland's 100 per cent record. Sunderland ran out 3-0 winners, Pender completing his hat-trick in the second half after scoring twice before the break. Jesmond Parish

  • Ice Hockey

    Junior round-up Sunderland Commanches visited Birmingham Rockets in the English (Pee-Wee) Under 15 North A League and came away pointless in a 3-1 defeat. Commanches were on the wrong end of several penalty calls and two of Birmingham's goals came on

  • Harrogate & District Union Of Golf Clubs

    Men's & Ladies' Scratch Knock-out Finals Harrogate's Ruth Skaife picked up her fifth scratch knockout title at Ilkley GC on Sunday, beating Bedale's Sue Mayman 4&3 in a fantastic final. Despite playing some excellent determined golf over 36 holes

  • Wearside League

    Darlington RA manager David Woodcock was pressed into action when he had a amazing 29 players unavailable against Harton and Westoe - and enjoyed the game so much that he is considering selecting himself for tomorrow's match at Cleadon SC. Woodcock, who

  • Protest march places in demand

    THOUSANDS of countryside campaigners in the region are preparing to descend on London at the weekend for a mass protest march. At least 10,000 people from the region are expected to take specially-chartered trains and coaches to join the Countryside Alliance

  • Athletics: Crook & District AC

    Colin Everson continued his successful return to marathon running by finishing the Nottingham Marathon in a time of 3 hrs. 8 mins. which placed him high up in the 45-50 age category. John Howells also rolled back the years by finishing in the top third

  • Battlelines drawn in Tunnel propsal

    Campaigners were last night drawing up battlelines after deputy Prime Minister John Prescott ordered a public inquiry into proposals for a second Tyne Tunnel. The decision to place the New Tyne Crossing under the spotlight was welcomed by environmentalists

  • Shop Talk: Discovering their own pots of gold

    IF you've ever driven up Wensleydale, you'll have probably noticed the Aysgarth Pottery Emporium. It's that converted barn with outside stairs that serve as a display case for terracotta pots, giant wicker hampers, woven baskets, pots, planters and a

  • Angling: Ripon Piscatorials Ure Championships

    New sponsors Ripon Interiors picked the perfect time to back the Ripon Piscatorials Ure Championships, writes Jeff Herbert. Attracting 113 rods, this year's match will be long remembered when for the first time two competitors shared the prestigious trophy

  • The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League

    In Division One Coundon Foresters became the only team to win all four of their opening league games as they beat East End WMC 3-2 thanks to goals from Curt Warburton, Adam Reid and Kev Bromley. Morley and Drydon both struck for the East Enders, but it

  • Improved local services key to cutting drugs

    A major drugs conference in the North-East today heard how the key to cutting addiction was better local services. The conference, held at the Samsung Centre, in Wynyard, Teesside, gathered about 100 delegates from across the private and public sector

  • No new Ball games at Feethams

    TOMMY Taylor has ditched plans to bring Kevin Ball back to the North-East due to an unappealing combination of excessive wage demands and a lack of fitness. The Darlington manager, looking to arrest his side's slide down the Third Division table after

  • Search is on for the Local Heroes of 2002

    THE search is under way for the stars of grass roots sport - the Local Heroes of 2002. The most prestigious awards event in grass roots sport takes place for the third year running at Tall Trees Hotel, near Yarm, on November 14. And Newcastle United star

  • Burton's Bytes: Give driving simulator a go... you'll love it

    TOCA Race Driver. Format: PS2 DVD ROM. Publisher: Codemasters. Price: £39.99. OH no, just what the PS2 needs - yet another driving simulator. It may seem like heresy when I'm talking about the latest in the highly acclaimed TOCA series but I must profess

  • Bus bosses claim staff will ignore strike

    Bullish Arriva bosses today claimed that as many as 200 staff will turn their backs on the latest strike by conductors in a dispute over pay. Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport workers union will stage a 19th day of industrial action tomorrow

  • New appeal for missing canoeist

    A wife has talked of her agonising wait for news of her missing husband, as police on Teesside renew an appeal to the public for help. Within hours of the disappearance of keen canoeist John Darwin searchers found a washed up paddle, followed a week later

  • Residents mark village heritage

    THE heritage of a village has been celebrated by residents working on two community projects. People in Edmondsley, near Chester-le-Street, have been working with Groundwork West Durham to create two benches for the village and a heritage walk leaflet

  • Lancet whistleblower forced to quit police

    A DETECTIVE whose allegations helped spark the controversial Operation Lancet inquiry was yesterday forced to quit his job. Detective Constable Ian Martin was a key witness against former Middlesbrough CID chief Ray Mallon in the multi-million pound anti-corruption

  • Thirsk Falcons

    Thirsk Falcons 8 Darlington Spraire Lads 1 Thirsk Falcons Under 13s, last season's winners of the Richmond and District League, have started life in the Teesside Junior Alliance in fine form. Last weekend they entertained Darlington Spraire Lads in a

  • Air cadets enjoy star's visit

    A POP star's flying visit was the highlight of a summer camp for Bishop Auckland air cadets. Jamiriquay arrived by private jet at RAF Northolt, North London, during the 2505 Air Training Squadron's annual stay, waving at the group as he walked with bodyguards

  • Air cadets enjoy star's visit

    A POP star's flying visit was the highlight of a summer camp for Bishop Auckland air cadets. Jamiriquay arrived by private jet at RAF Northolt, North London, during the 2505 Air Training Squadron's annual stay, waving at the group as he walked with bodyguards

  • Chilean students visit region on tour of UK

    A GROUP of Chilean students have spent three days in the region as part of a tour of the country. A party of 44 pupils and five teachers, from Craig House School, in Santiago, have been staying at Barnard Castle School, in County Durham, for the past

  • Library has tasty new wine section

    A wine tasting group is being set up in Chilton Library, which will bring together members of the village library and people who use Durham County Council's house-bound library service. Denise Tyerman, community development officer for the council's cultural

  • Town 'sure to recover' from loss

    BUSINESS chiefs are confident that one of Darlington's main shopping areas will bounce back from the loss of a major store. Supermarket giant Safeway confirmed earlier this week that it was planning to shut down its store in the Queen Street Arcade, in

  • Last Night's TV: Divine Designs (five)

    Which building looks like a pig on its back? Welcome to the brave new world of five, formerly known as Channel 5. Out with smutty films and sex series, in with the educational and historical. Who'd have thought that naughty five would be running a daily

  • Driver dies after crash

    A MAN has died and a woman is fighting for her life after a car crash. The 20-year-old man, from the Guisborough area, died after his car collided with another on the A171. A woman aged 50 was described as being in a critical but stable condition in the

  • Referee cop back at work

    THE police sergeant who found stress therapy in officiating at a crunch Premiership clash was back in uniform for the first time in three weeks yesterday. Sgt Nigel Miller reported for duty on the busy custody desk at Bishop Auckland police station five

  • Working to ensure asylum seekers' safety

    IMMIGRATION Minister Beverley Hughes heard how North-East councils are working to ensure no more asylum seekers are murdered on the region's streets yesterday. The Home Office minister was on Tyneside yesterday for the annual meeting of the North-East

  • Airgun seized after songbird shooting

    A POLICEMAN has issued a warning that illegal use of high-powered airguns will not be tolerated. Yesterday morning, PC Eddie O'Hara seized a £700 airgun used to shoot a starling in Loftus. The police officer took the injured bird to an animal sanctuary

  • Campus honour for Sir Tom

    A UNIVERSITY renamed a campus to mark the 80th birthday of its famous champion yesterday. From now on, St Peter's Campus, at Sunderland University, will be known as the Sir Tom Cowie Campus, in recognition of Sunderland-born Sir Tom's contribution to

  • Youngsters invited to take the wheel

    NEARLY 250 16-year-olds will be allowed to take a practice drive in Redcar. Already 210 youngsters have signed up to take part in Langbargh Police and Redcar and Cleveland Council's road safety day. Only 30 places are left and organisers say all 16-year-olds

  • One of the best pints in the region

    A PUB in Harrogate is in line for a national award for its lager. The Retreat was selected as a regional finalist because of its expertise in serving a perfect pint of Stella Artois and will compete against 11 other outlets to go through to the national

  • Classic cars to line up for top event

    ABOUT 200 classic cars will line up at the weekend at the biggest event of its kind in the region. Classic Car Day takes place at Beamish Museum, near Stanley, County Durham, on Sunday, from 10.30am to 4pm. A preliminary launch event was staged yesterday

  • Customers pick up free health check

    SHOPPERS out buying groceries have been getting a health check on the state of their hearts. A team of coronary heart disease nurses from Derwentside Primary Care Trust was in Asda's Stanley store earlier this week, offering blood pressure checks to customers

  • News in brief: Fun lined up for sculptures day

    A FUN day takes place this weekend to celebrate the installation of sculptures created by adults with learning difficulties. The artwork, created with the help of artist Andrew McKeown, is based on the theme of buds, shoots and stems and will be installed

  • Patrols stepped up after bag snatches

    POLICE have stepped up patrols in Seaham following a spate of bag snatches from pensioners. They believe the offences are unconnected - although they cannot rule out a link - and are asking residents not to be alarmed. The latest incident happened on

  • Bus driver's trek in the saddle pays dividend for cancer charity

    A CYCLIST presented a cancer charity with a cheque for £500 yesterday after completing a marathon cycle ride. Bus driver Carl Thompson, 50, of Langley Park, raised £1 for each of the 500 miles of his recent cycling trip to Edinburgh and back. After setting

  • Mortgage market still advancing

    GROSS mortgage advances totalled £19.5bn in August - the third highest on record. Although lower than the record lending level seen in July, it is still significantly higher than the August 2001 figure of £16.5bn. Total mortgage lending during 2002 is

  • Broker checks out fine with dentists

    INSURANCE broker Smart and Cook has increased its share of the dental practice market to six per cent - after signing up its 2,002nd dentist. Their healthcare division, operating out of Monk's Cross, York, provides exclusive insurance products to dental

  • News in brief: Witnesses to attack sought

    POLICE have questioned a Bishop Auckland man following an alleged assault in a street on a 40-year-old man. The victim was treated for head injuries in Darlington Memorial Hospital following the incident outside the Late Shopper, in Proudfoot Drive, Woodhouse

  • Agency wants more aboard the broadband wagon

    HUNDREDS of small and medium-sized businesses are being given the chance to test new software packages through access to broadband internet. In an attempt to boost the region's use of e-commerce, the regional development agency Yorkshire Forward is spending

  • News in brief: Fun lined up for sculptures day

    A FUN day takes place this weekend to celebrate the installation of sculptures created by adults with learning difficulties. The artwork, created with the help of artist Andrew McKeown, is based on the theme of buds, shoots and stems and will be installed

  • Schools have a touch of class

    A GROUP of schools in Stockton has successfully completed a pilot project aimed at raising standards in primary education. Seven of the 11 schools taking part in the project were assessed in July and have received the Investors in People Award. The remaining

  • The value of keeping to the rule book

    WHOEVER said schooldays are the happiest of your life must have had a very boring adulthood. Childhood is all very well and good, but making your own decisions, carving out your own future, gives far more of a buzz. But certainly schools play a major

  • Inquiry told of nurse's night at patient's home

    A senior nurse started a relationship with a vulnerable patient and slept overnight at her home, an inquiry heard. Shaun Castle, 45, made more than 140 home visits to the woman and regularly phoned her when he was off duty, the Nursing and Midwifery Council

  • Better start for young families

    A COMMUNITY facility will be opened in Hartlepool today by the town's MP Peter Mandelson. The £650,000 Sure Start (South) Centre on Rossmere Way, is a Government-funded initiative to provide additional education, health and social care support to families

  • Handy guide to safe working

    A safety campaign has been launched by a housing provider urging workers to prevent hand injury by wearing the right protective gloves. A poster showing a gashed hand covered in blood spearheads the Lovell campaign. The poster has gone out to all Lovell

  • Rally saloons come roaring back along forest tracks

    FAST cars, showers of dirt and thousands of fans - the biggest championship motor rally in Yorkshire returns to the forest after ten years. The famous stages in Cropton and Dalby forests, near Pickering, will witness high octane sport with the penultimate

  • Home wanted for mongrel

    A THREE-YEAR-OLD mongrel called Ben is looking for a new home. Ben was given to the National Animal Sanctuary Support League (NASSL) in Darlington after its owners separated. Pauline Wilson, from NASSL, said: "It is the same old story a family split-up

  • Bear market is so lucrative

    THEY are cute, cuddly and can be worth a tidy sum - if you can bear to part with them. The teddy bear celebrates its 100th birthday this year. To mark the occasion, a collection of 26 of the children's favourite goes under the hammer at Newcastle auctioneers

  • 'Why I'm glad thalidomide affected me'

    Forty years ago, eight people met at a hotel to found the Thalidomide Society. Health Correspondent Harry Nelson meets one of ther 457 Britons whose lives were changed for ever by a drug taken by their mothers to combat nausea during pregnancy. ONE of

  • When hard work just isn't enough

    As the row over A-level results continues, Education Correspondent Lindsay Jennings looks at key questions surrounding the issue and talks to two students caught in the middle. Q Why has Education Secretary Estelle Morris ordered an independent inquiry

  • News in brief: Warning over chemicals

    DANGEROUS chemicals stolen from a school could have been missing since July. Police issued a warning yesterday to thieves that the chemicals, stolen from St Robert of Newminster Secondary School, in Washington, Wearside, will give caustic burns if exposed

  • Wellocks World: It's the age of nobodies

    IT'S enough to give you the sheikhs. Among the people I'd never heard of suddenly making the headlines are Peter Enckelman, Miles Maclagan and Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed al Maktoum. The first two could be described as hapless, while the 16-year-old sheikh

  • Collections licensed to thrill the bank manager

    One man's love affair with the world's greatest secret agent is set to net him a fortune even Goldfinger would be proud of, Mark Foster reports. HIS name is Bond... James Bond - and those lucky enough to have one of the original books could soon be enjoying

  • Villagers trying to save open space criticise green group

    VILLAGERS fighting to save an open space from a housing developer have attacked a local environmental group. Residents of Blackfyne, Consett, claim Groundwork West Durham will benefit from plans to build houses on the Blue Heaps. Derwentside College has

  • The value of keeping to the rule book

    WHOEVER said schooldays are the happiest of your life must have had a very boring adulthood. Childhood is all very well and good, but making your own decisions, carving out your own future, gives far more of a buzz. But certainly schools play a major

  • Field day for mushrooms and toadstools

    NATURE lovers are being invited to hunt for alien life forms on the North York Moors. But don't panic, there's no need to call for the Men in Black, the life forms are mushrooms and toadstools that have sprouted due to the wet and warm weather. The Forestry

  • Newhouse on song yet again

    Tow Law Bass League In the top of the table clash, Newhouse Club retained their lead and their unbeaten record when they visited Hamilton Row Black Horse and only dropped three points, when Steve Wilkie took their only singles to add to a trebles and

  • Festive ice rink not to be repeated

    A CHRISTMAS market and ice rink which was a big hit with shoppers in Spennymoor will not be repeated this year. Sedgefield Borough Council hailed last year's town centre attraction as a success, claiming it drew 25,000 visitors and boosted the local economy

  • Centrepiece is unveiled

    AN eye-catching sculpture has been unveiled outside a new centre offering support to parents and young children in Hartlepool. The galvanised steel structure, which is based on design ideas put forward by local families, greets visitors to the Sure Start

  • News in brief: Boat and crew rescued

    THE Teesmouth lifeboat towed a stranded fishing boat to safety on Wednesday. The all-weather lifeboat was launched at about 1pm and collected the 16ft fishing boat about two miles north of Redcar. It took the boat and its two crew back to the River Tees

  • Profits boost store growth

    SUPERMARKET chain Morrisons has unveiled further expansion plans in the North-East after announcing big profits. The firm revealed pre-tax profits for the first half-year of 2002 of £114.5m - an increase of 16.1 per cent on last year. And its development

  • Bishop Auckland RUFC

    THEY made it two wins out of two to go joint top of the Durham and Northumberland third division with Saturday's 32-27 victory at home to Medicals. Medicals, relegated from the second division last season, showed an early dominance in the line-outs. They

  • Children confess to destroying facilities

    Children as young as nine have admitted their part in a summer wrecking spree which caused thousands of pounds worth of damage in the centre of a former pit community. Two nine-year-old boys and two 13-year-old girls have been interviewed by detectives

  • Bowman Anderson Accountants Spennymoor Sunday League

    NEWLY-PROMOTED Broompark Loves continued their winning start to the season with a 6-1 win over The Grand last week. Loves completed their third straight league victory, to jump up to third in Division One. Two goals by Ben Roffe and one each from Mark

  • Guarded welcome for exams inquiry

    HEADTEACHERS last night gave a guarded welcome to the tough stance taken by Education Secretary Estelle Morris after she ordered an independent inquiry into the growing A-level grades scandal. Former chief schools inspector Mike Tomlinson has been asked

  • Move over Mackenzie - for the next Arthaus star

    EYE-CATCHING work by a promising young artist has gone on show in a gallery already renowned for its originality. Middlesbrough-born Mackenzie Thorpe is still in San Francisco, where new work by him has been taking America by storm. Some will be on sale

  • Virus Watch

    Oror is a nasty - but, luckily, not widespread - virus which is able to disguise itself in emails containing a wide variety of text and subject lines, making it very hard to spot. As well as the usual mass-mailing and infection tactics, it also tries

  • Roseberry Group North East Durham League

    Champions East Rainton were denied the opportunity to play their last game of the season when Belford House conceded their game. This is a rare occurrence in the league. Coundon completed their programme with a 65 runs victory at home to Plawsworth when

  • Hockey and Rugby: Sunday Invitation Ladies League

    Guisborough 6 New Dales 0 The home team enjoyed a comfortable win in their first game of the season, the final score no reflection on the entertaining game played by both teams. Guisborough's Charlotte Page and Helen Humphrey played some excellent crosses

  • Auckland and District EBAC Youth League

    Willington under-18 juniors, who won three trophies last season, continued the defence of the Auckland and District EBAC Youth League Cup with a midweek 2-0 victory in group one away to Bishop Auckland, the team they beat in last year's final. John Richardson

  • Rags to riches...

    They had nowt, or next to nowt, when first we interviewed Alan and Michele Finch. They lived in a terraced house in Heaton, drank from coffee mugs with the slogan "I'm the Boss Around Here", nursed a Big Idea. "I want to be incredibly rich, working from

  • A Hoggarth and Sons Eskvale and Cleveland League

    Lealholm 1 Grangetown YCC 4 Graham Robinson chipped the ball over the advancing goalkeeper early on to give Grangetown the lead. The second goal came after the Lealholm keeper parried a shot which rebounded to Robinson who slotted home before hitting

  • 'Inferior' strike fire cover may leave calls ignored

    FEARS were growing last night that emergency calls could be ignored by a makeshift military force should firefighters take national strike action. The Northern Echo has been told that, because of the level of expected cover, service personnel will be

  • Saggers uproots Tykes

    Yorkshire's hopes of ending their Championship season with a home victory were virtually destroyed at Headingley yesterday by Kent seamer Martin Saggers, who made them follow-on 181 runs in arrears. They then made a shocking start to their second innings

  • Tennis: Yarm Club

    A team from Yarm tennis club are making good progress in the Peugeot inter-club tennis challenge having got through to the area final to be held at David Lloyd, Teesside. On Sunday Fulwood are up against teams from Jesmond Lawn Tennis Club, Gosforth and

  • Sunderland Catholic Club Over 40s League

    A tremendous fightback against Regency Windows saw West Cornforth win their first game of the season. Despite trailing 1-0 at the break, West battled hard to win the home match 3-1. Tony Roe's deflected equaliser was only the start of the fabulous fightback

  • FA angers ANL chief Amos

    Northern League chairman Mike Amos is annoyed that the Northern League's isolation is going to continue. After a recent meeting involving all the leagues at Northern League level, it has become clear that the League's position in the pyramid will be unchanged

  • Agents words will worry Boro faithful

    MASSIMO Maccarone's agent warned Middlesbrough last night that the striker is considering a return to Italy in just two years' time. With Serie A clubs already circling the Riverside following Maccarone's explosive start to his Premiership career, Pablo

  • Stepy's Coaches Sunday League

    In the First Round of the Durham City AFC Supporters Trophy, one of the favourites to do well in the Competition Newton Aycliffe Wmc crashed out of the competition losing 6-2 at Washington Dunlop. Four goals from Gary McCartney and one each from Dave

  • Swimming: Middlesbrough ASC

    Middlesbrough went into action to defend the Evening Gazette team trophy at Eston this week and emerged worthy winners, thanks to some great team performance. All age ranges from 10 years to 16 and over were represented in a crowded evening of 16 events

  • Shaky foundations which led to celebrated court case

    Bankruptcy and litigation - it was never quiet in the Gaunless Valley's mines, and on one occasion, the House of Lords sensationally had to adjudicate on a village dispute. MINING was a notoriously fickle business. Fortunes fluctuated wildly and nowhere

  • 'Respectable' peace activist who waged a war of hatred

    HAD things been different, Robert Walker may have become a pillar of his local community. A peace activist and Labour Party member, the softly-spoken Walker was being groomed for a career in local politics. He once proudly boasted that he had been invited

  • Breeder faces jail for vendetta

    A gundog breeder who carried out a bizarre campaign of intimidation against a couple who bought a fish farm that he wanted was last night facing a lengthy jail sentence. Robert Walker, 50, of New Ivesley Farm, near Esh Winning, County Durham, was described

  • Shildon edging to a repeat

    Worthington Durham County CIU Summer League Old Shildon moved closer to repeating their Championship victory of last season when they only dropped one point at home to Willington to move four points clear at the top with only two matches left. Tom Parkin

  • South Cleveland Garages Teesside League

    Macmillan Bowl preliminary round Fishburn Park 5 Whitby Town Res 1 The Macmillan Bowl draw only drew two first division sides together; even more remarkable it paired two Whitby sides together. Fishburn Park were unbeaten up to last week in the League

  • Darlington Mowden Park

    Darlington Mowden Park 3rds 99 Billingham 3rds 0 Mowden Park opened the scoring with a great drive from prop Euan Rankin within three minutes, converted by Stuart Edwardson, and they never looked back. Other try scorers were Ridley (2), Evans (2), Davison

  • Longhorn Hardware Darlington and District League

    Archdeacon dominated their encounter against DGSO B to run out comfortable 6-0 winners and move into third place in the table. Anth Thorns (2), Neil Blewitt (2), Andy Vernon and Tommy Wright scored at regular intervals. Hole in the Wall recorded their

  • Athletics: Newton Aycliffe

    The Autumn Coast 5k road race saw the Aycliffe junior men performing really well at New Marske. The three 16-year-olds, trained by ex-top class runner Paul Harker, all finished in the top 50. Latest recruit Lewis Moses was particularly outstanding in

  • Durham Alliance League Cup

    Durham Vic and SC Sunderland produced a thriller in what must be described as the game of the round. The Vic's Linton Pratt opened the scoring and shortly after Neil Middlemiss equalised for Sporting Club. John Cain then added another one for Sporting

  • Games

    CIU League Byers Green visited Cockton Hill in the First Round of the Knock Out Cup and had their chances to go through but eventually went pout in the deciding pool game, which they should have won. The home side had edged through to take the darts section

  • Grassroots: Derwentside

    WELSH MUSIC: Derwentside Accordion Club will be entertained by Walter Perrie, from North Wales, from 7.30pm to 11pm, on Thursday, at Castleside WMC. Tickets are £1.50. SUPPORT GROUP: A breastfeeding support group is held by Stanley Sure Start at 1.30pm

  • Grassroots: Chester-le-Street, Birtley and District

    BIG NIGHT: Ouston Social Club's leek show presentation night will be held tomorrow. FLOWER SHOW: The second early show of Chester-le-Street Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society will be held from 2pm to 6pm on Saturday, next week, and from 10.30am to 4pm the

  • Town's history is almost ready

    A BOOK documenting the chequered history of one of Britain's smallest cities looks set to go on sale early next year. Historian Maurice Taylor has been working to a number of publication dates, but it is understood the first chronicle of Ripon's past

  • Illustrated talk

    Zoologist and wildlife programme maker Dr Martha Holmes will give an illustrated talk at Darlington Arts Centre, next Tuesday. Tickets are £8, and £6 for discounts. Call (01325) 486555 for details.

  • New bullying claims in rail pay battle

    ARRIVA Trains Northern was last night facing renewed bullying claims amid on-going strike action by conductors. Conductors working for the company will hold a 24-hour strike tomorrow in support of their pay claim. The strike is the latest in a dispute

  • Comment: Who has an A in spin?

    One month ago, the annual debate began about whether A-levels were being dumbed down. There were too many passes, the exam was getting easier, grades weren't worth the paper they were written on... Yesterday, Education Secretary Estelle Morris started

  • Virtuoso performance by advisor

    AN IT expert helping North-East businesses has gained a qualification for a major Government-backed programme. Maureen Storey, who helps to run Durham office services and IT consultancy, Virtuoso, is now an accredited advisor for the Technology Means

  • Hunt for 'vicar' after road rage attack on car

    DETECTIVES are hoping security television footage may help catch a "vicar" who launched a terrifying road rage attack on a shocked mother and her daughter. Ann Killen, 48, and daughter Sara, 21, were showered with glass as a man, who was dressed as a

  • Action over barrister ruled out

    THE Legal Services Ombudsman has decided to take no further action in a two-year battle over complaints made against the barrister who defended disgraced surgeon Richard Neale. But the ombudsman, Anne Abraham, criticised the Bar Council for failing to

  • Floral tribute to plunge victim

    THE family of a North-East holidaymaker who died after falling 40ft from a balcony on the Greek island of Rhodes yesterday laid a floral tribute at the place where he fell. Christopher Rochester bled to death in hospital after breaking his back and pelvis

  • Emmerdale's Woolpack goes under the hammer

    Fans of ITV's Emmerdale will have the chance to buy the soap's pub when it goes under the hammer next month, it was announced last night. The Woolpack Inn is expected to make more than £500,000 in the sale in Leeds. It was used by ITV for more than 20

  • Stamps reach the stars

    YOU could soon be seeing stars while opening your post with Royal Mail's latest set of stamps. To help celebrate the first anniversary of an astronomy centre in North Yorkshire, four first class stamps make up a picture featuring two galaxies and two

  • Launch of project to brighten region

    RESIDENTS are invited to support Saturday's launch of a project to brighten up life in their Wear Valley villages. The Coundon and Leeholme Community Project has its base at 13 Tees Walk where a busy programme gets under way at 1pm. Visitors can find

  • Acceptable plan

    PLANNERS are set to over-rule objections to a plan to redevelop a saleroom at Whitby. David Duggleby fine art auctioneers wants to alter its saleroom at The Paddock, Whitby, and make a new shop front. But residents have sent a petition to Scarborough

  • Langbaurgh League

    Hutton Rudby quickly saw off the challenge of Stainsby, who they dismissed in 17 overs for 36 runs. Tom Flavell took four wickets for four runs from the 12 balls he delivered, Paul Coombes had three for 13 in eight overs and Ian Reid three for 18 from

  • Bingo - here are our first winners

    FOUR readers are in the money as the first winners of The Northern Echo's Bingo Daily Lucky Numbers competition. The four people were the first to call a special hotline yesterday after spotting their numbers in the newspaper. The winners include pensioner

  • Shoppers keep High Street boom going going

    HIGH Street sales rebounded last month as shoppers confounded expectations and continued spending, new figures revealed yesterday. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the volume of retail sales in August was 0.6 per cent above July

  • Athletics: Quakers RC

    On Sunday, 8 September, Ray Harrison Memorial 10K, Billingham was held. Gordon Richards led the Quaker contingent home finishing 26th out of 244 competitors in a time of 38:24, followed by Ian McMaster, 70th, 42:57, Peter Smith, 77th, 43:12, Terry Deary

  • Going the extra mile for charity

    BUSINESSMAN Simon Wrightson will have a more personal reason than most to succeed in this year's Great North Run. The 48-year-old, from Manfield, near Darlington, will be raising money for Headway, the brain injury association, when he takes part in the

  • Retail park rapidly taking shape

    CONSTRUCTION is progressing rapidly on Dalton Park, the North-East's new retail outlet and leisure destination. Since starting on the County Durham site in March, the main contractor, Ballast, has completed steel work on seven blocks, containing 51 units

  • Looking for the beginning and the end of Philadelphia story

    LOCAL knowledge is being called on to help place a former mining village on the map. Road signs are to be erected to pinpoint the small Wearside community of Philadelphia, following a plea from the village cricket club. But council traffic engineers want

  • Car parks group to run toll road

    DURHAM City's toll road, the first in the country, will be managed by National Car Parks. Durham County Council, architect of the scheme, appointed NCP, which is already policing on-street pay and display parking in and around the city centre. The toll

  • Amaro sets its sights on the national scene

    THE region's biggest independent leaflet distribution firm is seeking national clients in a drive to expand. Amaro, in Blaydon, Newcastle, is the market leader in door-to-door distributing, but is seeking bigger, nationally-based clients who need wide-scale

  • News in brief: World's biggest coffee morning

    MACMILLAN Cancer Relief is holding the world's biggest coffee morning on Friday, September 27, to raise money for people and their families who are living with cancer. About 1.5 million people around the UK will be having a cuppa to raise funds. Jo-anne

  • Autonomy needed for assemblies

    REGIONAL assemblies must be given autonomy and proper financial support if they are to play an influential role in areas such the North-East, a Government minister was told last night. The message, from the Institute of Chartered Accountants, was conveyed

  • Homage to a woman of valour

    STRIPPED of all dignity, her execution was brutal and without ceremony. Barely able to walk, Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent Violette Szabo was frogmarched along with two fellow agents to an alleyway and forced to kneel before being shot in the

  • Village in the running for national title

    One of North Yorkshire's picture-postcard villages has been judged the best in the county. Glaisdale in the Esk Valley on the North York Moors has been named as Village of the Year in a competition run by the Yorkshire Rural Community Council and Calor

  • Witnesses sought

    POLICE have questioned a Bishop Auckland man following an alleged assault on a 40-year-old man. The victim was treated for head injuries in Darlington Memorial Hospital following the incident outside the Late Shopper, in Proudfoot Drive, Woodhouse Close

  • Shorthand success

    Darlington College journalism students have proved they are experts at shorthand. More than a third of the 35 trainees across the country who passed their 100 words per minute exam were from Darlington College and the only students in the country to get

  • Home wanted for mongrel

    A THREE-YEAR-OLD mongrel called Ben is looking for a new home. Ben was given to the National Animal Sanctuary Support League (NASSL) in Darlington after its owners separated. Pauline Wilson, from NASSL, said: "It is the same old story a family split-up

  • News in brief: Lottery grants for groups

    VOLUNTARY and community groups in Darlington are being invited to find out how to apply for Lottery grants. Next Thursday a National Lottery Fair Share event will be held at the Dolphin Centre, in Darlington. The event will provide community groups with

  • News in brief: Boat and crew rescued

    THE Teesmouth lifeboat towed a stranded fishing boat to safety on Wednesday. The all-weather lifeboat was launched at about 1pm and collected the 16ft fishing boat about two miles north of Redcar. It took the boat and its two crew back to the River Tees

  • Hear All Sides: Stress at work

    I WAS disappointed by your front page 'exclusive' (Echo, Sept 17). The paper's normally very high standards of ethics and basic decency seem to have been ignored. I am sure the article was factually correct but I feel there was an implication of something

  • Leaning tower needs more time

    THE RAVAGES of time have taken a bigger toll on a Teesside landmark than was first thought. Helping hands will probably be needed to work on Middlesbrough's 200ft clock tower into the New Year - well past the Christmas completion date that was first forecast

  • Inmate's treatment led to his suicide

    AN INQUEST jury has found the treatment at the hands of other prisoners led an inmate to take his own life. A three-day inquest into the death of Adam Larder heard that the 21-year-old heroin addict was found hanged in a cell at Holme House Prison, Stockton

  • Auckland and District EBAC Youth League

    Willington under-18 juniors, who won three trophies last season, continued the defence of the Auckland and District EBAC Youth League Cup with a midweek 2-0 victory in group one away to Bishop Auckland, the team they beat in last year's final. John Richardson

  • Concerns grow over river level

    A RIVER boat operator has added his voice to a debate over alleged falling levels of a popular stretch of water around a cathedral city. Rowers recently raised concern for water pastimes and wildlife after claiming that the level of the River Wear has

  • Clean start for market town

    IT is hoped that a clean-up planned for the first week of November will breathe new life into Richmond. People have complained that the market town, at the foot of Swaledale, has been looking tired and could benefit from some revitalising initiatives.

  • Horse and Shoe and Station set up final date

    Bishop Auckland and District League Crook Olde Horse Shoe will meet Tow Law Station in the Final of the League Knock Out Cup after both had similar victories in their semi-finals. The Shoe beat the visiting Bishop Auckland Snooker Club B for the loss

  • Rhyming time

    TWO workshops are being planned for people in the borough of Stockton in the run-up to National Poetry Day. The poetry workshops will be held in the Green Dragon Museum, Stockton, and will be led by Maureen Almond. The workshops will explore reactions

  • Conference focuses on crime victims

    THE fourth annual conference of the North of England Victims Association (Neva) takes place next week. Organisers say the conference on Tyneside should attract the largest gathering of murder victims' families ever seen in the UK. Among those expected

  • National athletics stadium plan boost

    PLANS to build a national athletics stadium in the region have won backing from an influential body. On the eve of the Athletics World Cup, in Madrid, taking place today and tomorrow, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (Cabe) called

  • Bride-to-be Karen harnesses flower power in a good cause

    FANS of flower arranging and alternative therapies will have a unique opportunity this weekend thanks to the generosity of bride-to-be Karen Grey. Karen, who marries Harry Humble, near Lanchester, on Saturday, is handing her flower-filled wedding marquee

  • Parents and pupils dig in together

    A GARDENING project designed to get children and their parents working together has been launched by Stockton Borough Council. The Coronation Garden will take shape over the coming months at The Norton School, Norton, with pupils and parents working on

  • Industrial estate takes bloom prize

    A GREEN industrial estate in the North-East was an unlikely winner of an accolade in the annual Britain in Bloom awards. Sunderland's Doxford International Business Park won the Commercial Award, "for outstanding contribution from business and retail

  • Bjorklund issues a derby day warning

    SUNDERLAND centre-back Joachim Bjorklund has warned there will be no hiding place in tomorrow's Tyne-Wear showdown at St. James' Park. Bjorklund was given an early taste of the passions aroused by the fixture when the bitter rivals met at the Stadium

  • The Unibond League

    There has already been plenty of interest in the manager's post at Bishop Auckland following the resignation of Alan Shoulder. The former Newcastle player quit after Bishops' season sank to a new low on Tuesday night when they were dumped out of the FA

  • Crook League

    The Green, Bill Row and Australian, Howden le Wear are the new sides bringing up the number of teams to 24 for the new season. Division One: Golden Fleece A 8 (4) Royal Sun Inn 3 (1); Mill House 2 (2) RAFA 9 (3); Old Horseshoe 9 (2) Travellers Rest 2

  • Profits slide at steel group

    North Yorkshire-based structural steel group Severfield-Rowen saw shares slide by 10 per cent yesterday after warning full-year profits would fall below expectations. The group, based near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, said due to "tough and very competitive

  • Hot Harmison warms up for the Ashes in style

    STEPHEN Harmison is unlikely to find the Australians emulating the Gloucestershire tail-enders by threatening to trample on square leg, but as a prelude to his Ashes tour his efforts at Bristol yesterday were most encouraging. His first five-wicket haul

  • Athletics: Darlington Harriers

    Jack Mason ran an excellent race at the Bradford 10km on September 8 incorporating the Yorkshire 10km championship finishing 19th in the Open Veterans race in 39.12. On the same day six Harriers took part in the Ray Harrison Memorial race at Billingham

  • Give driving simulator a go... you'll love it

    TOCA Race Driver. Format: PS2 DVD ROM. Publisher: Codemasters. Price: £39.99. OH no, just what the PS2 needs - yet another driving simulator. It may seem like heresy when I'm talking about the latest in the highly acclaimed TOCA series but I must profess