JANUARY: The single currency has a smooth launch as Europeans in 12 countries get their first look at new euro notes and coins. Chancellor Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah mourn the loss of their ten-day-old baby daughter Jennifer Jane. She had suffered
Since it all began in 1953, people from Darlington and Mlheim an der Ruhr have participated in annual exchanges - town officials, schools, music and sports clubs, professional contacts and language students have all been involved. The fact that friendships
A MOORLAND management project has been hailed as a blueprint for the rest of Europe. The North York Moors National Park Authority's farm and rural community scheme was described in Brussels as a model for how integrated rural development could be used
IT isn't pretty, but catch-and-drive can be very effective for well-drilled sides and it brought four of Nuneaton's six tries in a 37-15 home win against Darlington Mowden Park. Depleted Mowden had no answer to the line-out tactic, and with the other
North Shields considered the New Marske pitch unplayable - but were a good deal happier at the end of the game after they had won 2-0 and moved to the top of the table for the first time this season. Only one other game went ahead and the Robins considered
THE best Christmas present I ever had was a plastic bucket and spade. It was red with a raised white pattern. The spade was yellow. I was three at the time, and living in the middle of the Sahara desert. Yes, mine was a very large sand pit indeed. This
Q WAS the Holy Roman Empire a continuation of the Roman Empire and when did the last emperor rule? - Bill Hutchinson, Chester-le-Street. A THE Holy Roman Empire started as the Carolingian Empire of Charlemagne, in 800AD but its real foundation is attributed
TOUGH-TACKLING Gary Pearson says he might as well hang up his boots rather than fall victim to petty refereeing decisions. The 26-year-old, who has only recently returned to action following a lengthy spell on the sidelines, collected his second booking
It hasn't been the best of winters so far for Karl Burke, but his fortunes can change at Lingfield this afternoon. The Middleham trainer can be on the mark with Golden Brief in division two of the Bet Direct On Channel 4 Page 613 Handicap over seven furlongs
A TEENAGE boy drowned after being swept away in a fast-moving river. The 16-year-old, who has not been named, had been fishing with friends on the River Leven, near Yarm, on Teesside, when he fell in the water. One of the boys, a 15-year-old, dived in
NEWCASTLE United football star Laurent Robert appeared to throw a punch at a journalist yesterday in the St James' Park press room. The incident happened less than five minutes after the end of Newcastle's 2-1 Premiership victory over Tottenham Hotspur
NO prizes for guessing who got a brand new whistle in their Christmas box this year. Perhaps referee Lee Mason should have asked Santa for a couple more because if Saturday's performance is anything to go by the Lancashire official will be getting through
Spennymoor manager Tony Lee was unhappy with the referee as his side went down 5-3 at Witton Albion. Moors looked as if they would be on their way to three much-needed points when they led 3-1, but they were pegged back by two crucial decisions by the
ALEN BOKSIC was "rested" by Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren at Aston Villa, but he is expected to return at Blackburn Rovers. Boro travel to Ewood Park on New Year's Day knowing defeat could see the Teessiders drop into the bottom half of the table.
GARY Speed is facing a hernia operation and a subsequent six-week lay-off and Kieron Dyer will have a scan on his calf problem today, plunging Sir Bobby Robson headlong into a midfield crisis. After making plans to sign at least one defender when the
IF Middlesbrough wanted to find someone to blame for their latest away day debacle, they would not need to look very far: Enter referee Rob Styles. The card-happy Waterlooville official - he has handed out 53 bookings in 12 games, more than any other
THE parents of a young jockey killed in a freak accident at the stables where he was working have spoken of their grief. Philip Greally was knocked unconscious when a horse lashed out and kicked him on the head as he worked at stables in Sheriff Hutton
EUROPE: WE need to keep the whole of the demise of the British fishing industry in perspective. Simply ask these questions: Who has been in control of the fish management policy for the North Sea for the past 30 years which has resulted in the current
The historic quarter of Middlesbrough is to be preserved for future generations thanks to a £750,000 lottery grant. The Heritage Lottery boost means some of the town's most historic buildings, around Queen's Square and the railway station, will be renovated
TRANSCO workers have raised millions of pounds for charity. For the past three years, the gas transportation company has run the Safety Charity Challenge, which encourages staff to spot and report safety hazards in the workplace. Every time a report is
A NORTH-East librarian has won a national award for her work for distance learning students. Christine Stevenson, of the University of Sunderland, has been awarded the Robinson Medal for Innovation by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information
Colin Upton is facing a painful New Year's Eve. The bar manager of the Slug and Lettuce, in York, has promised to have his chest waxed if he manages to raise £750 in donations. The waxing is planned for for tomorrow, if enough money is pledged, and the
FUEL TAX protestors have warned they will mobilise once more if prices on the forecourts are increased. The threat of action came from North-East haulier and farmer Andrew Spence, as experts predicted that motorists could soon be paying as much as 80p
POLICE have announced that they no longer consider the death of a toddler on Christmas Day as suspicious. Erin Louise Reed drowned in the bath at her family home in Middlesbrough. Police have interviewed each member of her family and say the death of
MIKE Newell got what he asked for from his Hartlepool United players on Saturday. For the first time since he took over in November, Newell's side kept a clean sheet as they beat Cambridge 3-0 at Victoria Park. Pool's last shut-out was against York on
VANDALS have destroyed a village's Christmas tree and lights. The attack on Christmas decorations, this time at Skelton, near Saltburn, is the third in east Cleveland in the past few weeks. Decorations and a Christmas tree were also attacked at Loftus
PLANS have been unveiled for more then £600,000 worth of improvements to roads in Tyne Dock, South Shields. The Port of Tyne proposals include a new mile-long stretch of road to improve access. The plans follow the increase in the volume of cargo handled
Ambulance services across the region are asking people to think twice before dialling 999. The Tees, East and North Ambulance Service has revealed that over Christmas it received a number of calls from people wanting advice rather than an ambulance, and
Planning chiefs at Newcastle City Council have voiced fears of major traffic problems on the Tyne Bridge if a £250m business park is approved by their Gateshead counterparts. Fifty acres of land on the Gateshead side of the River Tyne have been earmarked
CLASSES and activities will be held at a Wear Valley school in the New Year. Activities have been organised by Parkside Community Association, to be held five days a week at Parkside Comprehensive School, in Willington. Among the classes on offer will
FOUR people escaped serious injury yesterday when their car overturned and left the road in wet weather on a busy dual carriageway. The accident happened at 1.30pm on the A19 northbound, at the junction for Yarm, on Teesside, when their Ford Fiesta flipped
A DESIGN for a country house made centuries ago by the creator of Castle Howard could at last become a reality if a council gives the plans the go-ahead. Architect Sir John Vanbrugh, who was the genius behind Castle Howard, in North Yorkshire, made the
STRAYS may be having a dog's life at the moment - but that is all set to change in east Cleveland. Four years after launching an appeal to build a home for unwanted pets, a dedicated band of animal lovers has started a search for sites. Anne Prosser,
IF Sir Bobby Robson does a bit of bargain-hunting next month, don't expect him to go for Chris Perry - even though the Tottenham Hotspur defence would be cheap as chips. Then again, after yesterday's bullet header into his own net, Nikos Dabizas may be
POLICE and hospital staff have hailed the bravery of a 93-year-old mugging victim, who suffered a broken hip after being flung into a road by her attacker. The woman's determination to recover from the ordeal has won admirers among police in Harrogate
Consett manager Colin Carr is hoping that his team can turn draws into wins after they came from behind to earn a point against title-chasing Brandon. Consett have been in the relegation fight for most of the season, but Carr is hoping that his team can
DERWENTSIDE district councillors are set to approve plans for 43 houses on land formerly belonging to Greencroft Lower School, in Shield Row Lane, New Kyo. Six will be built on a former bus turning lane next to the site, while the remainder will be within
DERWENTSIDE district councillors are set to approve plans for 43 houses on land formerly belonging to Greencroft Lower School, in Shield Row Lane, New Kyo. Six will be built on a former bus turning lane next to the site, while the remainder will be within
TWO Darlington soldiers have been spending Christmas serving in Northern Ireland. Private Nicky Cooper, 18, a former pupil of Hummersknott Comprehensive School in the town, is spending the festive season on his first operational tour of Northern Ireland
PLANS to call time on pub happy hours to stop drunken street violence have met a mixed reaction on Teesside. Government ministers have proposed cutting out cheap happy hours in an attempt to prevent binge drinking. But leading community safety experts
A scout from Bishop Auckland is the first in his troop to gain an explorer award. Ryan Bunker, of the 2nd Bishop Auckland Scouts, organised several activities to achieve the award. To gain the badge he had to show good knowledge of emergency precautions
FOUR childcare nurseries are to be built in disadvantaged areas of Darlington. The Neighbourhood Nurseries, for children aged up to four, will provide 211 full daycare places. The nurseries should be open by March 2004, and will specifically offer care
NORTH-EAST comedian Vic Reeves is reported to be spending £30,000 on his wedding to former topless model Nancy Sorrell. The 43-year-old star, from Darlington, and his fiancee, 25, are reported to be planning to say their vows at the exclusive Eastwell
A NEWLY-WED couple set off for an unusual honeymoon at the weekend - with their family and friends in tow. Joanne and Stuart Hackett got married on December 21 at Hartforth Hall, near Gilling West, Richmond, North Yorkshire. But after the service in front
A LUNCHEON organiser has received a long service award. Rose Featherstone retired at Christmas after 23 years as organiser of the weekly luncheon club for the retired residents of Great Ayton. At a ceremony, the Reverend Paul Peverell, vicar of Great
A COMMUNITY leader has vowed to take on the vandals who have continually attacked a community centre. Colin Leckonby, secretary at Low Grange Community Centre, and a borough councillor, said the centre had been targeted by vandals at least once a month
Development agency One NorthEast has chosen IT company Sage to put it at the forefront of e-procurement. Newcastle-based Sage and its partner Ascent Technology will provide the agency with financial and workflow management systems. Sage Line 500 will
PLANS to call time on pub happy hours to stop drunken street violence have met a mixed reaction on Teesside. Government ministers have proposed cutting out cheap happy hours in an attempt to prevent binge drinking. But leading community safety experts
THE North-South divide is expected to narrow in the property market next year, according to the latest predictions. One survey, by Housetrack, shows that prices in the North-East will remain buoyant, while the market in the South-East stagnates. Properties
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to an accident in which a woman was injured when her car was shunted underneath a passing lorry. The woman, who is in her twenties, was injured when her Peugeot 106 was hit in the rear by a dark coloured Volkswagen Golf
MP John Greenway visited staff and patients at a North Yorkshire hospital to learn more about where a £1.5m grant will be spent. The Ryedale MP chatted with staff and patients at Malton Hospital and was given a tour of the building. Scarborough, Whitby
NEWCASTLE City Council has stepped up its campaign against litter by installing new bins. The bins, in the city's Northumberland Street, allow smokers to extinguish and dispose of their cigarette ends. Officials hope they will reduce the number of stubs
SHOPKEEPERS in North Yorkshire are being helped to keep their property more secure against thieves and vandals. Funding by the Home Office will enable measures to be introduced to make shops in High Street, Eastfield, in Scarborough, more secure. The
SMOKERS in North Yorkshire hoping to quit their habit on New Year's Day are being warned that they are likely to fail if they have not prepared beforehand. The North Yorkshire Stop Smoking Service says that only about three per cent of people who decide
A PROJECT to bring together a range of charities under one roof is to be launched in January. Consett Churches and Neighbourhood Action (CCANA), is launching a one-stop shop in Christ Church hall, Consett, on January 30. The long-awaited scheme aims to
THE battle-lines are being drawn up in the fight to prevent a growing crime problem in the Ryedale area. Crime figures show that burglars are twice as likely to break into unsecured outbuildings than homes. Statistics reveal that in the 11 months to the
TRICKS of the theatre lighting trade are being used to brighten up a key location. After successfully lighting shows at Durham's Gala Theatre for the past year, its chief electrician, Keir Webster, was asked to turn his attention to Millennium Square,
A NORTH-EAST football club chairman has resigned from the board of the Wembley National Stadium. Sunderland FC chairman Bob Murray played a key role in the development of the national stadium. He said: "Since joining the board I have come to realise the
MORE than 100 older people gathered for a party in Annfield Plain, near Stanley. Greencroft School's annual senior citizens Christmas party featured music and dance by pupils, including well known hits from West End musicals, finishing with Christmas
DERWENTSIDE district councillors are set to approve plans for 43 houses on land formerly belonging to Greencroft Lower School, in Shield Row Lane, New Kyo. Six will be built on a former bus turning lane next to the site, while the remainder will be within
THE helmsman of Filey lifeboat, Neil Cammish, has been honoured by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution for his part in the search for a man who was thought to have been missing at sea. Mr Cammish masterminded the search after the alarm was raised,
RAILWAY history on the North Yorkshire coast is to be marked by a seat. A seat made from stone, metal and tiles has been unveiled on a former rail line near Runswick Bay. Other schemes are under way elsewhere, as part of the North Yorkshire Moors community
PASSENGERS flying from Newcastle Airport with Thomas Cook airlines should see more on-time flights next year. The airline has pledged to keep its lead in on-time departures from the North-East in 2003. The company, formerly JMC Airlines, was named as
PASSENGERS flying from Newcastle Airport with Thomas Cook airlines should see more on-time flights next year. The airline has pledged to keep its lead in on-time departures from the North-East in 2003. The company, formerly JMC Airlines, was named as
FERRYHILL Town Council is unable to landscape a strip of land in front of pensioners' bungalows because it will cost too much to buy. Members have approached Sedgefield Borough Council to ask it to reconsider its position after putting a £12,500 price
A DEVELOPING community project is celebrating after striking a deal to buy a County Durham dale's last surviving police station. Under a deal struck two years ago, Stanhope Community Association has bought the Victorian-built property from Durham Police
A DEVELOPING community project is celebrating after striking a deal to buy a County Durham dale's last surviving police station. Under a deal struck two years ago, Stanhope Community Association has bought the Victorian-built property from Durham Police
Q WAS the Holy Roman Empire a continuation of the Roman Empire and when did the last emperor rule? - Bill Hutchinson, Chester-le-Street. A THE Holy Roman Empire started as the Carolingian Empire of Charlemagne, in 800AD but its real foundation is attributed
SITTING on the lounge carpet, chewing a mangled toy, Anton, a golden retriever, looks like any normal pet. But Anton - dubbed "Wonderdog" by his disabled owner Carol Goodman - is her lifeline to the outside world. He takes the washing out of the machine
AN intensive review is being carried out by the Government's medical watchdog into the controversial anti-depressant drug Seroxat. Thousands of users of the drug, including scores in the North-East and North Yorkshire, have reported serious adverse effects
THE best Christmas present I ever had was a plastic bucket and spade. It was red with a raised white pattern. The spade was yellow. I was three at the time, and living in the middle of the Sahara desert. Yes, mine was a very large sand pit indeed. This
THE North-East's first cricket Test match will go ahead despite growing pressure on England to boycott their opponents Zimbabwe, it was revealed last night. Zimbabwe are due to play England at the Riverside, in Chester-le-Street, in June, in an historic
A mother fighting to end the 800-year-old double jeopardy rule has challenged the new chairman of the bar council to re-think his plans to retain it. Matthias Kelly, newly appointed chairman of the body representing and regulating barristers, has made
Former Robocop Ray Mallon returned to his 'zero tolerance' days when he saw a woman being chased by a man on his old beat. The former head of Middlesbrough CID, now the town's mayor, wrestled the thug to the ground and sat on him until police arrived.
SIR BOBBY ROBSON'S "Blue-chip'' stars bagged the goals which ultimately brought nervy Newcastle an eighth successive home League win, but one that came at a high price. Alan Shearer and Gary Speed, who manager Robson regards as perfect role models for
ENGLAND'S cricketers should not take part in the World Cup which begins in February in Zimbabwe. With the European Union imposing sanctions and the Commonwealth suspending its membership, Zimbabwe is a pariah state led by a man who is a leading member
A NORTH-East librarian has won a national award for her work for distance learning students. Christine Stevenson, of the University of Sunderland, has been awarded the Robinson Medal for Innovation by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information
STAFF and pupils at a Bishop Auckland school have double cause for celebration. Woodhouse Close Junior School has received the Activemark award from Sport England for its promotion of physical activity. The school will also be able to offer more sport
PLANS have been unveiled for more then £600,000 worth of improvements to roads in Tyne Dock, South Shields. The Port of Tyne proposals include a new mile-long stretch of road to improve access. The plans follow the increase in the volume of cargo handled
THE Prime Minister's son has set tongues wagging after he was reportedly spotted arm-in-arm with the granddaughter of a wealthy Tory peer from the region. Rumours of Euan Blair's relationship with Rosie Willoughby, granddaughter of Lord Middleton, who
A programme showing the development of the cascading water garden at Alnwick Castle will be broadcast next weekend, The show, presented by Charlie Dimmock, will feature contractors, planners and designers of the gardens along with Lady Jane Percy, the
A programme showing the development of the cascading water garden at Alnwick Castle will be broadcast next weekend, The show, presented by Charlie Dimmock, will feature contractors, planners and designers of the gardens along with Lady Jane Percy, the
FOCUS groups across Wear Valley have helped the district council to ensure its housing services are effective. People using the repairs and maintenance departments were invited to focus group meetings in Bishop Auckland, Crook and Stanhope to share their
WORSHIPPERS gathered at a Wear Valley church for the last time yesterday. But the congregation at Crook Baptist Church also celebrated a new beginning in the life of the church. The building in Grey Street has been a centre for Christian worship for more
A LARGE steam engine was brought back to life at the weekend, recalling a bygone era when it helped supply water to hundreds of North-East homes. One of two 100 horsepower engines at the Ryhope Engines Museum, near Sunderland, took up to a week to be
A LARGE steam engine was brought back to life at the weekend, recalling a bygone era when it helped supply water to hundreds of North-East homes. One of two 100 horsepower engines at the Ryhope Engines Museum, near Sunderland, took up to a week to be
DERWENTSIDE district councillors are set to approve plans for 43 houses on land formerly belonging to Greencroft Lower School, in Shield Row Lane, New Kyo. Six will be built on a former bus turning lane next to the site, while the remainder will be within
An appeal has been lodged against a decision by Darlington Borough Council to stop two apartments being built in the town's Milbank Road. The council said the apartments, on waste land behind 66 Milbank Road, could restrict traffic flow on the lane behind
A door dating back to Norman times is being re-opened to enable services to be held in a village church. Hovingham church, in North Yorkshire, has been closed for six months because of the risk of masonry falling on the congregation, but now hopes are
THE father of a North-East soldier found shot at Deepcut barracks has said he believes the killing of a fifth soldier in London is linked to his son's death. Geoff Gray has always believed that his 17-year-old son, also called Geoff, and three other soldiers
ANYONE looking to treat themselves to an unusual gift is invited to Hartlepool Art Gallery. A wide range of paintings, ceramics and other crafts are on sale at the Gallery until Sunday. As well as work by members of Hartlepool Art Club, there will be
Food for thought in more ways than one I WAS expecting more in the way of revelations than Secrets Of The Royal Kitchen served up. Instead of what the butler-saw-type secrets, we got recipes from former royal chef Graham Newbold. The only saucy secrets
FOR a midfielder with a goalscoring reputation, it's fair to say Darrell Clarke hasn't lived up to his name this season. After earning a decent career ratio of goals per games, Clarke's had to wait a long time, too long in fact, to break his duck this
AN ice-hockey demonstration took place at Middlesbrough's open air rink on Saturday in an attempt to encourage people to take up the sport. The Billingham Bombers under 12s ice hockey team held the event and Billingham Ice Arena's mascot IC the Bear also
A MULTI-MILLION pound programme to rejuvenate more than 200 homes is well under way. The £2.6m project is being carried out in Houghton-le-Spring by Lovells Eastern, which specialises in refurbishment projects. The firm is carrying out the project as
A 62-year-old man was killed after the car he was driving collided head on with another vehicle. The man died when his silver Honda Civic crashed into a Peugeot Zara on the A684, at Railway Street, in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, at 12.45pm on Saturday.
POLICE in Harrogate are linking four cash raids involving knife-wielding robbers. Three of the raids were at shops and one at a filling station. The robbers have been captured on video footage, which is being studied by police. Detective Sergeant Paul
A YOUNGSTER'S brave battle against cancer has spurred people in the region to raise thousands of pounds to buy a specialist ambulance. Joshua Scarlett-Abbott fell ill in November last year and had to undergo a special life-saving operation using ECMO
YOUNGSTERS in York have enjoyed a white Christmas with a difference. Bubble bath was emptied into the refurbished fountain in Parliament Street, and within minutes it was overflowing with foam. The fountain has traditionally provided the base for a huge
AN increasing number of North-East pensioners are logging on to the net, according to new research. Age Concern has seen a sharp rise in interest in its courses showing older people how to get on to the Internet, and pensioners are using their computers
AFTER 93 years, light has finally been shed on the mystery of where many of the 168 men and boys who died in the North-East's worst ever pit disaster lie. Earlier this year, The Northern Echo revealed that the final resting places of more than 40 victims
CELEBRITY chef Rosemary Shrager is to move her award-winning cookery school to the heart of North Yorkshire. The school at Amhuinn-suidhe Castle, in the Hebrides, has twice been voted one of the country's top ten and has also featured in two Channel Five
HARRY RICHARDSON has landed himself a festive bonus of £200 in a recruitment consultancy competition. Harry is one of a growing number of workers sourced by Westray Recruitment's Washington office for Myson Radiators, in the Team Valley, in Gateshead.
A WORK placement team catering for more than 5,000 youngsters a year has been praised by independent assessors. The work experience team at DBEE, the education business partnership for County Durham, gives pupils aged from 14 to 16 their first taste of
A COMMITTEE set up to keep an eye on the activities of councillors in North Yorkshire has released its first annual report. The county council's standards committee monitors councillors and advise members on the Code of Conduct, which every councillor
PASSENGERS have been promised the East Coast mainline will be open as usual today after a weekend of rail misery. The line between Darlington and York was shut on Friday morning for maintenance work and remained closed until this morning. Hundreds of
There is a chance to see the seals and birds of Teesmouth National Nature Reserve on guided visits to British Energy's observation hide overlooking Seal Sands at 10.30am and 11.30am on Sunday. The short guided trips from the Teesmouth Field Centre will
A COMPANY that provides piloting services for ships has warned owners and masters that the risk of accidents on the seas is growing. Middlesbrough's Deep Sea and Coastal Pilots said that bigger ships, tighter schedules and smaller crews meant the UK waters
A website has a new look after being relaunched to feature new pages and faster navigation. Four home pages have been created on the Hambleton site - home, business, residents and visitors - to tailor links for specific users. Forms can also be downloaded
FLY tipping in the North-East countryside is going to get worse, a leading rural business advisor has warned. Strutt and Parker says that because the cost of disposing of waste at landfill sites is increasing, the temptation to dump waste illegally will
POLICE are warning people to be on their guard against opportunist thieves following two burglaries. In the first incident, on Christmas Day, the burglars forced their way into a house at Ouston, near Chester-le-Street, through a kitchen window while
A POLICE health unit has received £102,000 from the Government. Northumbria Police's occupational health unit has received the money as part of an extra £4m being made available to forces throughout the UK. It will help Chief Constable Crispian Strachan
