As you probably saw in Monday's Northern Echo (front page no less!), it's been quite a week with the call from Number Ten. I was telling you in my previous column that I was due at a bit of a do last Friday to celebrate the opening of the new Sleep Inn
Security officer, Chester-le-Street., £4.20ph. Must have ten-year checkable work history and have own transport. Previous experience an advantage but not essential. Ref: CHM 15188. Support worker, Chester-le-Street. £4.60ph. Knowledge of people's special
Darlington branch of the Cats Protection League is holding an autumn fair at St Cuthbert's Church Centre, Market Place, Darlington, on Saturday, from 10am to 12.30pm. ADVANCED DRIVERS: The Darlington Advanced Motorists group holds meetings on the second
SPECIAL civic backing is being given to the annual poppy appeal with cross-community support in one North-East city. The 2002 Durham Poppy Appeal was launched by the city's Mayor, Councillor Eileen Rochford, at 11am yesterday. She was joined at the Town
A SILVER sword that has travelled all over the world has finally found a permanent home, less than a mile from where its journey started. The dress sword was worn on ceremonial occasions by Major David O'Driscoll, a former member of the Green Howards,
IN a move to make life less stressful for disabled people using taxis, Middlesbrough Council has just held the first training course aimed at making operators more aware of their responsibilities. Following a licence application for a wheelchair accessible
THOUSANDS of youngsters will be safer on the roads this winter in the wake of an initiative to make them more visible to traffic. Almost 13,000 children in York are being given reflective stickers in a road safety campaign launched yesterday. With youngsters
AN unusual item of garden furniture has been stolen from a home in Darlington. The seat, in the shape of a grizzly bear, was taken from the front garden of a house in the Mowden area of town. The highly unusual item, which was assembled in three pieces
POLICE are hunting two men who attacked a cyclist. The incident happened near the Old Moor Pub, on Oxbridge Lane, Stockton. Two men approached the cyclist and grabbed at his shoulder bag, containing a £500 computer, pulling him to the ground. The first
FERRYHILL is aiming to build on its success in this year's Northumbria in Bloom competition by involving even more residents. The town enjoyed its best results yet in this year's contest, winning the most improved entry award and an award of merit in
Darlington branch of the Cats Protection League is holding an autumn fair at St Cuthbert's Church Centre, Market Place, Darlington, on Saturday, from 10am to 12.30pm. ADVANCED DRIVERS: The Darlington Advanced Motorists group holds meetings on the second
PLANS to regenerate a park that was once the jewel at the heart of a mining community were unveiled yesterday. View Lane Park, in Stanley, has become virtually a no-go area after years of neglect. Yesterday its owners, Derwentside District Council, revealed
POLICE are appealing for a teenager missing from home for a week to call her family. Angela Hailes, 16, of Calvert Terrace, Murton, County Durham, was last seen by her mother, also called Angela, at 2pm on Sunday, October 27. The youngster, who lives
SPECIALIST fire crews were called out to a car submerged in the River Skerne at Darlington yesterday. The vehicle was seen in the river between Albert Road and John Street by police around noon. Two fire appliances from Darlington were called out, plus
COLLEGE students are on the look-out for brave men to help make their charity fundraising successful. Beauty therapy students at New College Durham are looking for male students and non-students to have their legs and chests waxed for Children in Need
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 FIELD study centre has been officially opened at an award-winning nature reserve in the heart of Catterick Garrison. The £325,000 purpose-built centre is the culmination of ten years' work by conservationists at Foxglove Covert. The building provides
THE main shopping streets in Darlington could be turned into a centre for entertainment and pavement cafes, under proposals to create pedestrian-only areas. Town centre manager Louise Payne has welcomed the plans by Darlington Borough Council to turn
BAYDALE Beck runs ruminatively around the west end of Darlington. It must not be confused with Bedale beck, which is in the North Yorkshire town of that name and best known for the leech house, a listed and carefully preserved building, which stands alongside
A DREAM has come true for Northallerton band stalwart, David Lewis, who has been presented with a musical gift to treasure. During a concert at the town hall, he was presented with a trombone that once belonged to a close friend, Bob Raine. The gift marks
POLICE are hunting two men who attacked a cyclist. The incident happened near the Old Moor Pub, on Oxbridge Lane, Stockton. Two men approached the cyclist and grabbed at his shoulder bag, containing a £500 computer, pulling him to the ground. The first
Askrigg artist Janet Rawlings exhibits her work under the title of Dales Panoramas next week. The Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes hosts the event, which opens on Saturday and runs until Sunday, December 1. A charity preview on the first day will be
CAMPAIGNERS battling to save a popular footpath from slipping into the waters of Britain's fastest-flowing river are hoping formal blueprints for a rescue plan will strengthen their case. The Easby Footpath Restoration Group was formed two years ago after
THIRSK youngsters saw at first hand last week the problems involved in providing skateboarding facilities in the town. Councillors and volunteers have been trying for a couple of years to set up a suitable place for them to follow their hobby. Currently
PLANS to lay a sports pitch at a Teesside school have been given the go-ahead, despite objections from neighbouring residents. Councillors from Stockton Borough Council's planning committee have agreed plans for the all-weather floodlit sports pitch at
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A SILVER sword that has travelled all over the world has finally found a permanent home - less than a mile from where its journey started. The dress sword was worn in ceremonial occasions by Major David O'Driscoll, a former member of the Green Howards
TEENAGERS are being blamed for between £5,000 and £10,000 worth of damage caused to a church. Between 5.15pm and 5.45pm on Sunday, five Lancet-style stained glass windows were broken at St Cuthberts Church, in Ormesby, Middlesbrough. Five youths were
A HEROIN addict who said he was forced to live rough on the streets of Harrogate turned to crime for the first time in 15 years to raise cash, the town's magistrates were told yesterday. Sarah Tyrer, prosecuting, said Gary Markie tried to walk out of
Hair stylist, Bedale. Full or part-time available. Required for women's and men's hairdressing. Must have NVQ and experience. Training can be given. Ref: NOE 17480. General assistant/bar staff, Leyburn. £4.20ph, 40hrs pw, 5 over 7 between 7.30am and 10pm
HUNDREDS of students and staff received prizes at Darlington College of Technology's annual awards ceremony last night. The awards recognised achievements in further and higher education, training, work-based learning and school link programmes. Annual
THE Audit Commission has awarded South Tyneside Borough Council a one-star rating after inspecting the authority's housing and building maintenance service. The Housing Inspectorate report states that customer care was satisfactory, but performance on
THE Audit Commission has awarded South Tyneside Borough Council a one-star rating after inspecting the authority's housing and building maintenance service. The Housing Inspectorate report states that customer care was satisfactory, but performance on
THE Audit Commission has awarded South Tyneside Borough Council a one-star rating after inspecting the authority's housing and building maintenance service. The Housing Inspectorate report states that customer care was satisfactory, but performance on
A SCAFFOLDER appeared in court yesterday accused of assault, affray and criminal damage. Trevor Stuart Gill, 20, is accused of causing actual bodily harm to Michael Briggs , assaulting cinema worker Nathan Fielding, damaging a car and two counts of affray
CYCLISTS have voiced fears that a multi-million pound underpass could be putting their lives at risk. They say the danger lies in the recently completed A64 underpass at Copmanthorpe, near York. They say that after following the cyclepath through the
YOUNGSTERS will recreate the past when they perform in a play next week. English and drama students from years seven to 11 at Egglescliffe School, Eaglescliffe, are to perform The Rock 'n' Rollin' Ratz. The play is set in 1950s America, where rock and
CRIME-fighting and prevention schemes from around the world are being analysed as part of a major study. Researchers at York University's Centre for Criminal Justice Economics and Psychology will compare the methods used to tackle violent crime in developing
COMPUTER training has been made more accessible to people throughout North Yorkshire. A computer centre opened its doors to the public yesterday offering the chance to learn new skills. Robin Hood's Bay fire station has become the first rural station
A RETIRED schoolteacher has been picked as Chester-le-Street's first town crier. Marjorie Dodds was the only woman out of five candidates shortlisted for the post, all of whom were put before an impromptu audience of shoppers and judges in the town centre
THIRTY-NINE bus drivers and other workers at Arriva North East's Stokesley branch have been told their depot is to close in February. In a statement issued yesterday, the company said it was working hard to ensure that employees will be redeployed elsewhere
AN £86,690 touring toy library opened in east Cleveland yesterday. The service will also provide specialised toys for children with special needs. "We have been planning this since January and we are delighted that we are now ready to get up and running
A "No Ball Games" sign which was forcing children to cross a busy road to reach the only remaining play area in their village has been removed. The sign angered parents in Aycliffe Village, who said the grassed area it was placed on had been used as a
A BESPOKE bedroom for Harry Potter fans is part of the service being provided by a North-East housebuilder. Broseley Homes is adding appeal to houses on developments at Castlebeck, in Consett, and Hollowbeck, Crook. The Sunderland company has opened four-bedroom
YOUNGSTERS are being challenged to watch a spooky play tomorrow. Bishop Auckland Town Hall will host the production by theatre group Pop-Up's new OffStreet project, to develop drama for seven to 11-year-olds. The Nightwatch, written by Michael Punter,
A COACH driver who indecently assaulted a 15-year-old girl on a school trip to Spain and was subsequently registered as a sex offender has fought off a High Court bid to deprive him of his driving licence. Lawyers for transport secretary Alistair Darling
HUNDREDS of students and staff received prizes at Darlington College of Technology's annual awards ceremony last night. The awards recognised achievements in further and higher education, training, work-based learning and school link programmes. Annual
A BESPOKE bedroom for Harry Potter fans is part of the service being provided by a North-East housebuilder. Broseley Homes is adding appeal to houses on developments at Castlebeck, in Consett, and Hollowbeck, Crook. The Sunderland company has opened four-bedroom
A GROUP of students from a County Durham college are to sample life on the ocean wave with the Royal Navy. The team of ten from the pre-uniformed and public services course at East Durham and Houghall College are to join the crew of HMS Example tomorrow
A DECISION to close a maternity hospital because of a shortage of midwives has caused outrage among patients and politicians. Mothers-to-be began petitioning for support within hours of the announcement that the maternity unit at Guisborough General Hospital
Its supposed to be only the British who talk about the weather, but most of Europe has been full of stormy tales over the last few days. I spent last weekend in Amsterdam, and on Sunday it experienced some of the strongest winds in living memory. I know
A COUPLE'S addiction to heroin caused them to neglect their pet dogs, a court heard yesterday. David Frederick Isles and Leanne Thompson were supporting a £120-a-day drugs habit when the RSPCA was called to their home in January. The couple, who had the
VETERANS will not be able to follow their usual Remembrance Sunday parade route through Richmond because they could be at risk from a terrorist attack. In the past, old soldiers have marched up Frenchgate on their way from a service at St Mary's Church
A LABOUR of love which started some 20 years ago has reached a triumphant conclusion. Northallerton historian Mick Riordan launched his new book about the town on Friday night . The History of Northallerton represents 25 years of research into the market
The Northern Echo's campaign which is "working for a future" has had a good start, and it's vital that a difference is made after a string of body blows on the jobs front. Of course, there's a real need to protect and revive manufacturing, but the progress
The coach journeys back from places like Exeter and Torquay are usually a nightmare to say the least. The weekend's trip back from Exeter was one of the better ones. Over the last few years we haven't done particularly well at those places, so to win
For the second week running, we played Friday night football and again we could look at the results coming in on Saturday with a convincing lead at the top of the table. It's certainly a great feeling to be top and great credit must go to everyone at
THE Audit Commission has awarded South Tyneside Borough Council a one-star rating after inspecting the authority's housing and building maintenance service. The Housing Inspectorate report states that customer care was satisfactory, but performance on
A DALES market town - already named among the top ten places to live in Britain last week - has won further praise from a Euro MP. Yorkshire and Humber's Timothy Kirkhope toured Richmond on Thursday to see for himself how the town is likely to spend £100,000
