SKIPPER Gareth Southgate has warned that the run-up to Christmas will provide the true test of Middlesbrough's Premiership mettle. Steve McClaren's side have taken the top flight by storm this season and held on to third place with Saturday's 2-0 home
A bit belatedly - "you were on holiday again," he protests - Thornton Watlass cricket club chairman Goff Weatherall reports a possibly unique instance of father and son hitting a century in the same innings. Thornton Watlass is the village near Bedale
ABOVE the fireplace at The George in Wath sits uncertainly the "Landlords and landladies" darts trophy, contested by the local licensed trade. New owner Stewart Marr is unlikely to retain it. "I'd rather cook than play darts," he confesses, dressed in
A NORTH-EAST manufacturing company has won a major contract worth millions. Kenmore UK, from Crook, County Durham, has beaten off stiff international competition to win the contract with Electrolux in northern Italy. The company manufactures components
Sales executive, Spennymoor, 36 hrs pw, required to sell advertising for football leagues, rugby clubs, no experience required. Ref: SPE 10223. Mig welder, Spennymoor, 39 hrs pw, temporary ongoing, must be experienced in Mig and CO2 welding. Ref: SPE
Ingrid Sylvestre is making a name for herself painting giraffes. Women's Editor Christen Pears meets the artist with a lot of neck. I'VE never met Ingrid Sylvestre but I recognise her the instant she walks into the room. The giraffe print rucksack and
A colourful roadshow is teaching children the importance of communication skills. The British Telecom Communications Roadshow is visiting schools educating children about basic speaking and listening skills in an interactive way. BT has employed the theatrical
DESPITE the notable disadvantage of a wide draw, Aries (2.30) has the class to claim the top prize of the day at Catterick in the £10,000 Showcase Handicap. Mick Channon's filly so nearly pulled off a welcome 10-1 winning nap for us at Newmarket last
THE wife of Malcolm Todd Nicolson, who died in a weekend trail bike accident, last night described him as a "funny, lovely, likeable man". The 41-year-old father-of-two suffered fatal head and neck injuries after an accident at Low Hardwick Farm, Sedgefield
A TEENAGER has been praised by judges in a national competition to find the country's top amateur motorsport photographer. Andrew Fryatt from Bedale was runner up in the junior category of the Green Flag British Motorsport Photographer of the Year competition
Nominees for this year's Newcomer to Business award - sponsored by The Northern Echo - are brushing off their dinner suits and cocktail dresses ready for the presentation on Thursday night. That's when the business community of the Tees Valley will gather
A RELIGIOUS ceremony conducted by Muslim and Jewish leaders alongside Christian clergy opened the Conservative conference in Bournemouth yesterday. Readings from the Koran, a Jewish song and traditional Christian hymns were supposed to show how the party
AN independent report into North Yorkshire's libraries describes them as no more than fair and, despite promises of a cash boost, the Audit Commission has concluded that prospects for improvement remain uncertain. North Yorkshire County Council has pledged
A TEENAGE gunman fled after he fired on a van driver in rush-hour traffic. Witnesses said the youth stood on the roadside and shot at the driver as he crossed a busy viaduct. The terrified man ducked as the bullet shattered his windscreen, causing him
VIRGIN boss Sir Richard Branson took a ride on a pioneering steam engine yesterday to launch a short-break campaign. Stephenson's Rocket was at full steam at York's National Railway Museum with Sir Richard aboard to tempt tourists to the city. Visitors
THE Conservatives yesterday announced 25 new policies which leader Iain Duncan Smith hopes will be as defining as the pamphlet Margaret Thatcher issued in 1976, a year after she became party leader. The pamphlet was called The Right Approach, and dealt
NEW no-car lanes went into operation in two of the busiest streets in Newcastle city centre yesterday. A package of measures came into force, including the introduction of new traffic management plans aimed at reducing congestion on Percy Street and Gallowgate
NORTHERN Soul is returning to Darlington after a decade or so away with a special night featuring six disc jockeys on Saturday. The event is being held at the ASE Club, in Northgate, and comes at a time when Northern Soul music is rekindling its popularity
AN open day with taster sessions for people wanting to learn computer skills is being held at the Pioneering Care Centre, Cobbler's Hall, Newton Aycliffe, on Thursday, October 24, starting at 9.30am. Places for taster sessions are limited, so early booking
'WOE unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchres which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness." That quotation from St Matthew's gospel came to mind as I
YORKSHIRE Water has pledged to match any money that is raised by its employees' fund-raising organisation, the Waterwheelers. Since 1995 the Waterwheelers has donated more than £170,000 to charity. Waterwheelers chairman Wayne Christie said: "This is
TWO artists from a North Yorkshire glass studio have been shortlisted for a worldwide design award. Stephen Gillies and Kate Jones, of Gillies Jones Glass, Rosedale Abbey, on the North York Moors, have had one of their glass pieces selected for the Bombay
A FAMILIAR face takes the lead role in a world premiere, staged in Richmond later this month. J L Carr's novel, A Month in the Country, has been adapted for radio in the past, while a screen version starred Colin Firth and Kenneth Branagh. But it has
WORK is under way to prepare a North-East paint products plant for expansion following a £1m-plus invest- ment. Hammerite Products, a division of ICI Paints, is modifying its paint manufacturing plant at Prudhoe in Northumberland, creating 30 new jobs
A TEESSIDE college graduate is working hard to keep a steam collection on track. Paul Middleton is a key member of the maintenance crew of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and thanks to Middlesbrough College on Teesside and Engineering and Marine Training
Families are being invited to take part in a free two-day learning event in Middlesbrough. The Family Activity Weekend, at Berwick Hills Library, will feature classes in yoga, face painting, line dancing, family history, healthy eating, computers, crafts
A TEENAGE soldier from Darlington is helping the Green Howards recruit new members. Private George Brawn, 17, is a member of the Catterick-based recruiting team for the regiment and is hoping to encourage people to sign up before he joins the 1st Battalion
WORKERS from a drugs company site in Teesdale have raised £10,000 for six local charities. More than 180 staff from GlaxoSmithKline took part in two-mile and four-mile runs to raise money for the Disabled Youngsters Scheme, the Friends of Cotherstone
NORTHERN Soul is returning to Darlington after a decade or so away with a special night featuring six disc jockeys on Saturday. The event is being held at the ASE Club, in Northgate, and comes at a time when Northern Soul music is rekindling its popularity
TRADERS in Ferryhill have joined forces in an effort to secure the future of the town centre. The first Ferryhill Traders' Forum has been formed to help attract funding to improve the town's facilities and encourage more visitors and shoppers. The group
AN open day with taster sessions for people wanting to learn computer skills is being held at the Pioneering Care Centre, Cobbler's Hall, Newton Aycliffe, on Thursday, October 24, starting at 9.30am. Places for taster sessions are limited, so early booking
RIDING SCHOOL: The opening of the Hole in the Wall Riding School on Sunday, October 13, will include face-painting, stalls, demonstrations by the fire service, pony rides and a scrufts dog show. There will be prizes for the dog with the waggiest tail,
VISITORS who stumble across one of North Yorkshire's more remote Wensleydale villages will know more about its history, thanks to a £7,000 grant. The Local Heritage Initiative (LHI) has agreed to back Thornton Steward's application for cash to help pay
DARLINGTON Citizens' Advice Bureau needs volunteers to help with the general running of the facility. Advisors, administrative workers and receptionists are needed. Anyone interested should contact Sue Simpson on (01325) 256166. Volunteers are needed
TV licensing staff in Darlington have been told to expect redundancies early next year, it was revealed last night. Nineteen workers at Capita's offices in Mowden Hall, Staindrop Road, have been told they could lose their jobs as the company plans to
A REPTILE expert is to give a talk. Mark O'Shea, the author of several books on reptiles, and creator of O'Shea's Big Adventure TV series, will speak on Wednesday, October 23, at County Hall, Durham City. Doors open at 7pm and tickets are £5, available
A SURVEY of alcopops being sold in the region has revealed that some contain undeclared or excessive amounts of chemicals. Consumer experts at Durham County Council analysed and tested several types of the alcoholic drinks to national food standards.
A MAN died yesterday when his scooter collided with a van on the outskirts of a North city. John Turton, 40, of Newby Street, Ripon, North Yorkshire, was pronounced dead at the scene after his red scooter and a Volkswagen box van collided head-on, in
MORE than £1m has been spent on caring for people with life-limiting illnesses by Butterwick Hospice Care. The organisation incorporates the Butterwick Hospice and Children's Hospice in Stockton and the Butterwick Hospice in Bishop Auckland. In its annual
FLOWERS galore will be on show at a festival at South Bank Baptist Church, South Bank, near Middlesbrough, this weekend. The free harvest-themed event is open from 10am to 5pm on Saturday, and noon to 5pm on Sunday. The church is also hosting a charity
A BUSINESS initiative for would-be entrepreneurs has helped a salsa dance tutor put his best foot forward. The University of Sunderland's School of Business has helped one of its graduates, 36-year-old Sokol Abazi, draw up a business plan to start his
PETER Reid last night paid the ultimate price for Sunderland's steady decline over the past 18 months when he was sacked after seven-and-a-half years as manager. Reid was axed only 24 hours after a 3-1 defeat at Arsenal left Sunderland, who only finished
Newlyweds Harold and Dorothy Britton had more than stars in their eyes when they tied the knot. The retired couple could gaze at the entire solar system as they exchanged vows at the Castle Eden Planetarium, Thorpe Thewles, near Stockton. The pair, from
A HOUSEBUILDER has tapped into local talent to enhance luxury apartments. Bowey Homes has teamed up with Sunderland University to buy students' paintings for the stairwell walls of its 30-apartment development overlooking the cricket grounds in Ashbrooke
Hunter Cummings, president of the Durham County Cricket League and a man as tireless as he was unassuming, has died after a long illness. He was 80. Hunter was chiefly a Tudhoe man, worked 14 hour days on the ground, insisted that it was nothing out of
DARLINGTON Citizens' Advice Bureau needs volunteers to help with the general running of the facility. Advisors, administrative workers and receptionists are needed. Anyone interested should contact Sue Simpson on (01325) 256166. Volunteers are needed
Republic of Ireland boss Mick McCarthy has admitted he is "flattered" that his name has been linked with the vacant Sunderland job but has stressed his future lies with the Irish national team. McCarthy had been touted as one of the leading candidates
SHE may be 100 but a North Yorkshire centenarian isn't ready to give up on her latest hobby. Nellie Alderson, who lives at the Nightingale Hall residential home in Richmond, was celebrating with family on Thursday. But, once all the fuss was over, she
IT is a crying shame that it had to end with so much rancour and recrimination. That the fans who once sang "Cheer Up Peter Reid" and worshipped their saviour should turn against the man. That after seven-and-a-half years that saw Sunderland become an
CHILDREN in Northallerton were in the driving seat for a road safety lesson last week. Youngsters who go to the town's Looby Lou's nursery were treated to the arrival of a police car on Thursday as the session got under way. One of the children's father
DERBY County boss John Gregory has emerged as a shock candidate to take charge at Sunderland following the sacking of Peter Reid. Sunderland announced last night that Reid's managerial reign of seven years and seven months was at an end. Four members
A PHOTOGRAPHIC exhibition, aiming to illustrate the sacrifices made by young soldiers in World War Two, is on display at a regimental museum. The display, showing men aged between 18 and 24 wearing the types of uniforms their grandfathers wore during
BANK staff will be swapping their office garb for coats and wellies later this month when they set to work on a community clean-up. Conversion work on the old Barclays bank building in the Swaledale village of Reeth is now well on its way as the building
A JUDGE has warned of the evils of heroin while jailing three dealers for giving the drug to a vulnerable teenager. Judge Tim Hewitt said the death of Lilli Brown, 17, was "a graphic illustration of the dangers of heroin abuse". She was found dead after
Police have arrested a 34-year-old man in connection with the shooting and wounding of a 49-year-old man at the Rovers Return pub, in Sunderland, on Monday, October 1. The man, who has been held on suspicion of attempted murder, was last night being questioned
Mayor Ray Mallon will tomorrow unveil what he has described as a revolutionary strategy to fight crime. The tough-talking former police chief, once dubbed Robocop, who won a landscape victory to become independent Mayor of Middlesbrough in May, has spent
THE chief of housebuilder Barratt Developments has died in a road accident, it was announced today. Frank Eaton, chairman and chief executive of the firm, died last night in a head-on collision on the A69 near Hexham, Northumberland. His Jaguar Sovereign
The Tories will today attack Labour's plans for elected regional assemblies. David Davies, Shadow spokesman for the Office of Deputy Prime Minister, will ridicule John Prescott's proposals as "taking power away from people" instead of giving it to them
ONE landslide defeat at a General Election should be enough for any political party to take a long hard look at itself. But it has taken the Conservative Party a second disaster at the polls, plus 16 months of torpor, to come to terms with the blindingly
FIREFIGHTERS and staff led 48 elderly residents to safety last night after fire severely damaged a nursing home. The blaze - described by police as a major incident - caused extensive damage to Regent's View Nursing Home, in Francis Way, Hetton-le-Hole
A SOCIAL services boss has described provisions for the disabled as a "Cinderella service" following the publication of a report on the deaths of an autistic boy and his mother. Helen Rogan, 38, plunged 180ft from Hownsgill Viaduct, near Consett, County
SAMURAI swords, blowpipes from Borneo and Indian daggers are some of the bloodthirsty exhibits on display at Durham's Oriental Museum. The Dull Edged Sword; the Changing Role of the Warrior in the Orient is an exhibition put together by nine postgraduate
BBC news reader George Alagiah revisited his student days yesterday when he opened university accommodation. When the journalist and former BBC foreign correspondent had been a student in Durham in the late 1970s, en-suite rooms complete with "shower
NISSAN boss Carlos Ghosn has repeated his warning that thousands of jobs are at risk unless Britain joins the euro. The car firm's UK president and chief executive said the future of its Wearside plantdepended on whether the UK adopted the euro. The jobs
AN urgent plea has gone out to re-unite a Staffordshire bull terrier cross with her family of puppies. The milk-laden pet was handed into Stockton's Animal Welfare Team yesterday, who fear there may be some puppies somewhere which desperately need their
THE headteacher and chairman of governors at a Darlington comprehensive school have resigned. The shock news was revealed to parents last night when pupils at Eastbourne Comprehensive School were given a newsletter to take home. The letter revealed that
A COUPLE yesterday admitted to magistrates that they had not cared for their two pet dogs properly. David Frederick Isles and Leanne Thompson pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to Millie, a blue merle collie-cross, and Holly, a black and
A woman told a court yesterday that a man wielding a knife kidnapped her from her home and then raped her in his car. The 22-year-old said that steel worker John Owens, 33, abducted her from her parents' house in North Yorkshire after making her submit
THE SAVING of 1,306 lives off the North Yorkshire coast is to be celebrated. The men and women of the Whitby branch of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution will mark the station's 200th anniversary in the town at a thanksgiving service on Sunday. The
THE go-ahead has been given for the final phase of work on Citygate, which involves 8,000 square metres of office space built on the site of Gallowgate coach station in Newcastle. The office space development will complete an ongoing project that has
A CHURCH in North Yorkshire is breaking the mould of the traditional harvest festival this year by inviting parishioners to bring examples of their hobbies with them to services. St Mark's, in Harrogate, is expecting to be festooned with windsurfing boards
LOTTERY operator Camelot plans to close its North-East regional office as part of a series of cuts which would lead to 80 job losses nationally. The small Sunderland office, with a workforce of only eight, is earmarked for closure along with other regional
PLANS for a 70-metre ski slope in a remote area of County Durham have been given short shrift by planning officials - but a grass airstrip for light aircraft and parking have their blessing. Dentist and businessman Les Smith bought the ski slope from
A GOLF tournament is being held to raise money for a charity appeal launched by a keen player who died of cancer. Teams of four from businesses in the Darlington area will compete for the Rob Niven trophy at Stressholme Golf Course on Monday October 14
MORE than 100 auditioned for the chance to appear in the hit 1970s musical Oh! What A Night which opens tonight at the Empire Theatre, Sunderland. Beating off all other dancers were Mhairi McLean, 21, of Thornhill, Sunderland and Lyndsay Marsden, 18,
THE announcement that 990 jobs are to go at Black & Decker, Spennymoor, leaving a scaled down workforce of 450, is devastating news for the hard-hit Spennymoor economy. When added to the 650 jobs lost at Electrolux and the 450 lost at Rothmans, it
A train driver has been disciplined after nearly causing a tragedy when he went through a red light. He was on collision course with another train, but disaster was averted when the other driver stopped. It happened three days before last Christmas, but
THE development of women's football - the fastest growing team sport in the country - has been given a boost by the National Lottery. Under the Awards For All programme a grant of almost £4,000 is on its way to the Harrogate and District Women and Girls
A common sight on Britain's roads 20 years ago, hitch-hikers have now become a rare breed. Paul Willis becomes acquainted with the rule of thumb. THE start of the M1 is a bleak and uninspiring place. You take the tube to north London and get off in Hendon
A COMMUNITY'S efforts to take control of its future take another step forward this month. The Catterick area's Community Works project has confirmed it has found a temporary office and expects to have an operational headquarters by the end of the month
PEOPLE who give their time freely to ensure the smooth running of one of the UK's leading museums were rewarded for their hard work and dedication yesterday. The National Railway Museum in York estimates its 167-strong volunteer army is worth about £350,000
FLOWERS galore will be on show at a festival at South Bank Baptist Church, South Bank, near Middlesbrough, this weekend. The free harvest-themed event is open from 10am to 5pm on Saturday, and noon to 5pm on Sunday. The church is also hosting a charity
EVENTS will take place throughout the region this month to mark the birthday of Captain James Cook. A week-long celebration of the region's links with the 18th Century seafarer start on Monday, October 21, with events from Hartlepool to Whitby. Youngsters
A PUB which has threatened to get rid of its popular Seventies-style flashing dance floor is now hoping to replace it with a 21st Century alternative. The multi-coloured dance floor at the New Cross Keys, in Yarm, has long been a favourite place for late-night
A COUPLE yesterday admitted to magistrates that they had not cared for their two pet dogs properly. David Frederick Isles and Leanne Thompson pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to Millie, a blue merle collie-cross, and Holly, a black and
A GOLF tournament is being held to raise money for a charity appeal launched by a keen player who died of cancer. Teams of four from businesses in the Darlington area will compete for the Rob Niven trophy at Stressholme Golf Course on Monday October 14
AN auction of men has helped to raise money for an injured teenager. Friends of Ben Woods, from Hurworth, near Darlington, agreed to participate in the event at the Turks Head pub in Bondgate, Darlington, on Sunday. Ben, 17, lost his right arm and left
A DARLINGTON man who left school with no qualifications has risen through the ranks of the police force. Nine months after leaving school, Rupert Nicholson, from Staindrop, near Darlington, enrolled at Darlington College of Technology and gained GCE O-levels
I kicked off this week with a very funny Sunday evening at the Cackling Clown Comedy Club at The Studio in Hartlepool. Live entertainment is always the best kind, and this venue works brilliantly. As you might know, it's a great conversion of a former
A MAN lost his job because he smacked his child, a court was told yesterday. The 36-year-old from east Cleveland, who The Northern Echo has not named in order to protect the child's identity, was sacked as a swimming pool lifeguard working with school
AN elderly man died yesterday when a fire broke out in the lounge of his home. Two fire engines tackled the blaze at Church End, Wath, near Ripon, North Yorkshire just after 1pm. The man died in the lounge, where the fire started. A spokesman for the
FOUR police officers completed the last leg of a trek around the country's football grounds yesterday, to raise funds for the families of murdered schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Yesterday, the journey took the team to Sunderland, Newcastle
PEOPLE with diabetes could soon be able to have their cake and eat it, thanks to a pioneering North-East scheme. The project has proved such a success that it could become the standard approach to managing people with insulin-dependent diabetes. More
A NEW art gallery will ship rare works all over the world when it opens in the North-East next week. Eyestorm, owned by international businessman Don Smith and well-known art dealer David Grob, is being dubbed an art warehouse because the Gateshead business
RESIDENTS in a North-East town with unhealthy diets are being given a stark warning - for their own good. The consumer advice centre in Corporation Road, Middlesbrough is running a window display with everyday products such as crisps and chocolate - alongside
A REVIEW of National Health Service funding is expected to channel cash into under-privileged areas in a departure from the existing targets-based formula. Ministers had indicated that from next year money would be allocated according to hospital performance
AN UNUSUAL wildlife lagoon is being created in a bid to attract rare flora and fauna. The sluice lagoon, one of the rarest wildlife habitats in Britain, is under construction at Greatham, near Seal Sands, Teesside, as part of project including English
IRREPLACEABLE film has been stolen from a film company trying to make a Bollywood movie in the region. Thieves also took more than £5,000 worth of equipment as film-makers unloaded equipment in Middlesbrough. A spokesman for KK Films said the theft may
Writer performers The Right Size took the right approach to playing Britain's best loved comedy duo on stage, says Steve Pratt. WHILE most double acts would dearly love to attain the success of Morecambe and Wise, they wouldn't want to be regarded as
GARY SPEED has leapt to the defence of errant Newcastle United teammate Craig Bellamy. Midfielder Speed spoke up for fellow Welsh international Bellamy following the fiery striker's latest disciplinary rap. Bellamy received a dressing down from manager
ABOVE the fireplace at The George in Wath sits uncertainly the "Landlords and landladies" darts trophy, contested by the local licensed trade. New owner Stewart Marr is unlikely to retain it. "I'd rather cook than play darts," he confesses, dressed in
A PENSIONER had the surprise of her life when a 40-strong Norwegian choir gave an impromptu concert outside her home. Margaret Keelan was bowled over when the Inspirational Gospel Choir turned her garden in a quiet cul-de-sac in Darlington into a concert
DAVE Campbell is not a typical midwife - for a start, he's a man. He's also an ex-Army staff sergeant who spent 15 years serving in notoriously tough locations across the globe, including Northern Ireland. His military background has given him a tough
David O'Leary, FOR: Young manager unlucky to lose his job at Leeds. AGAINST: Controversial figure with outspoken views. George Graham FOR:Has a proven track record in the Premiership. AGAINST: Boring style of play. Bryan Robson FOR: Is sure to have learnt
Is man's brain really in his trousers? I ALWAYS thought a man's best friend was his dog. Apparently not. It's a very different creature, more of a one-eye trouser snake. The superior, the boss, the chairman... the documentary Man's Best Friend is never
Rotary concert: Richmond Rotary Club is staging a concert for senior citizens at the Zetland Christian community centre next Wednesday at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from Finkle Street and West End post offices in the town and the Spar shop in Gilling
A COLLECTION of documents and artefacts currently on show at the Green Howards Museum in Richmond held a special significance to one group of visitors. The Green Howards spent 24 years serving in Sri Lanka at the turn of the 19th century and some of the
