Archive

  • The danger of a new turbulent priest

    CONNOISSEURS of Archbishops of Canterbury have not had much to rejoice about these last 40 years. Michael Ramsey, it is true, was an amiable old buffer - even when he was only 40 - and he used to make self-deprecatory jokes about his poor memory. Bob

  • Echo Woman: Trinny and Susannah? We're not that rude

    IF you're stuck for inspiration, a trip to the shops can be a frustrating experience. As sales hot up, Women's Editor Christen Pears meets two personal shoppers who hope to make the experience fun. CONTRARY to popular male belief, not all women are shopaholics

  • Nation salutes Mary, heart of the hospice

    A widow who sold her home to found the first North-East hospice has been awarded an OBE in the New Year's Honours List. Mary Butterwick has dedicated her life to setting up the hospice which now bears her name. She founded the Butterwick Hospice in Stockton

  • Newell happy with player knowledge

    FOR Mike Newell the getting to know you period is over. The Hartlepool United boss believes the manager-player relationship at Victoria Park is coming along quite nicely - and that can only be good news. Newell took over at Pool on November 21 after which

  • Ironic timing of Queen's thumbs-up

    AFTER 18 years at the Sunderland tiller, steering the club through choppy waters and towards a calmer future, Bob Murray must wish he were able to smile at the irony of the timing of his CBE. The Sunderland chairman knows more than most about the slings

  • Sunderland chief given CBE honour

    BOB MURRAY'S efforts in leading Sunderland back to football's top table were given the Royal seal of approval last night when he was awarded the CBE in the New Year's Honours List. Almost two decades after first joining the board at Roker Park, the chairman

  • North-East homes embrace latest Internet technology

    THE North-East has shown that it is at the forefront of the Internet revolution by smashing cable operator ntl's broadband subscription expectations. The firm, which has a base on Teesside, anticipated the region would be fairly slow to embrace the latest

  • Police try to identify man hit by car

    Police are trying to identify the body of a man who was killed after being hit by a car as he lay in the middle of a road. The man - believed to be about 30 - was struck by a Nissan Primera on the A67 at Middleton-St-George, Darlington, on Monday night

  • New Year Honours: Entrepreneur honoured

    A multi-millionaire entrepreneur has been honoured for services to the software industry. Newcastle computer software magnate Graham Wylie, founder of the hugely successful Sage company, has won a CBE. Mr Wylie set up Sage with three partners in Newcastle

  • Driver in intensive care after crash

    A DRIVER was in intensive care last night after dragging himself to a nearby house for help after his car left the road and careered into a field. Police found the grey Mini Cooper between Harrogate and Spofforth in North Yorkshire after they were alerted

  • Sudden death of festival creator

    TRIBUTES have been paid to the creator of the region's biggest free blues festival who has died suddenly aged 55. John Kearney founded the Northern Recording studio co-operative in Consett, County Durham, in the 1980s and launched the Stanley Blues Festival

  • New Year Honours: Constable recognised for hobby initiative

    A POLICEMAN has described his delight at being honoured for setting up a pioneering youth scheme. PC Mick Watson, of the Durham constabulary, established the Get Hooked on Fishing initiative, with the help of Durham Agency Against Crime, about three years

  • New Year Honours: OBE for voluntary work

    DAVID Harker, chief executive of Citizens' Advice, has been awarded an OBE for his services to the voluntary sector. Born in Darlington, he has lived in Lewisham, south London, since 1973 and began his career in the voluntary sector with Voluntary Action

  • Amazing Ahern makes a happy return at Lingfield

    Jockey Eddie Ahern made a successful return after a lengthy ban to take the Happy New Year From Bet Direct Maiden Stakes on Jade's Promise. Ahern, who was riding his 30th winner from 129 rides on the circuit, was returning to the saddle after serving

  • £15m boost for post offices in deprived areas

    POST offices which have been hit by massive rises in insurance premiums could benefit from a new £15m government rescue fund. The Department for Trade and Industry announced yesterday that grants of up to £50,000 will be available to sub-post offices

  • Brave Mica inspires fundraising effort

    A PLUCKY young girl's battle against a rare kidney disease has inspired her family and friends to raise money for the hospital where she is being treated. Four-year-old Mica Newcomb, from St Helen Auckland, has to have treatment at Newcastle's Royal Victoria

  • Ambulance driver to retire after serving for 23 years

    DRIVER Val Blease is to retire from the ambulance service after 23 years. Mrs Blease joined Richmond ambulance station, North Yorkshire, in 1979 to transport children with learning difficulties to school. Over the years she has established relationships

  • New Year Honours: Award is 'for local people'

    COMMUNITY champion Brian Myers says he is accepting his MBE on behalf of the people of his town. The 60-year-old has been honoured for his services to the community in Willington, County Durham. A grandfather-of-two, he has established several projects

  • Of princes, peace and Posh and Becks

    Easing world tension, new feelings of hope, and a revival of the age of gaiety - all are in the stars for next year. Nick Morrison looks at what may lie ahead. THE omens do not look good. Even if UN inspectors fail to find evidence that Saddam Hussein

  • 'Wolf whistle' mayor mourned

    A FORMER mayor, who hit the national headlines in an extraordinary row over wolf-whistling, has died at the age of 60. Rita Fishwick, who was Darlington's civic leader from 1991 to 1992, died in the early hours of Saturday. Mrs Fishwick gained national

  • Priya's vision

    A DURHAM optician has helped people in a poor African country see better with donated glasses. Priya Almani, of Specsavers in North Road, Durham, treated up to 50 patients a day during a two-week trip to Uganda with the charity Vision Aid Overseas. Priya

  • Consultation over traffic ban

    PLANS to withdraw a ban on heavy lorries using a country road between two villages is going out to public consultation. Members of a North Yorkshire County Council area committee voted to revoke the existing 7.5 tonne weight restriction on the road between

  • Campaign launched to get better Internet connections

    A CAMPAIGN to introduce technology which will enable swifter and more efficient Internet connections in Ferryhill is gathering pace. The town currently has no access to broadband services through the telephone exchange. The broadband system enables much

  • New Year Honours: Director Scott is 'truly humble'

    Film Director Ridley Scott said yesterday that he was "truly humbled" to receive a knighthood in the New Year's Honours List. Sir Ridley was named a Knight Bachelor for his services to the British film industry, in a career which has produced such memorable

  • Inquest into toddler who died in bath

    AN INQUEST was opened yesterday into the Christmas Day death of a toddler who is believed to have drowned in the bath. Erin Reed's mother, Melissa Connolly, 29, of Roworth Road, Middlesbrough, found the 18-month-old girl face down in the water after she

  • Stolen medicines could be lethal

    A MIX of potentially lethal drugs was stolen from a car parked in York yesterday. Di hydrocodeine, tramadol, votarol and sildenafil were all in a plastic bag taken from the seat of a Renault parked at Safeway, in Acomb, between 7.30am and 7.45am. Both

  • Bus collision woman dies

    AN ELDERLY woman has died in hospital more than two months after being injured in an accident involving a bus. Mary Bongard, of North End, Durham City, died in the University Hospital of North Durham at the weekend. The 83-year-old pedestrian suffered

  • Hospital ward graced by host of famous faces

    A HOST of celebrities have checked into the children's ward of the new £67m Bishop Auckland General Hospital. Among the famous faces are former Republic of Ireland and Sunderland football star Niall Quinn and Newcastle United and former England striker

  • Business partnership finds the road to recovery

    OFF-ROAD driving enthusiasts are flocking to a thriving business in Teesdale. Deepdale Off Road was established by husband and wife team Graeme and Ann Gill at Smatgill Farm, near Barnard Castle, three years ago as a sideline to compensate for a downturn

  • Warning to check out farm machines

    FARMERS have been warned to check the safety of their machinery - or risk the consequences of a visit by inspectors. A recent survey of North Yorkshire by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the police indicated not all is as it should be on farmsteads

  • Community fights on after prolonging life of play area

    A DEPRIVED community is celebrating after residents dug deep to save their award-winning play area from closure - but its long-term future remains in doubt. The £145,000 park and floodlit, all-weather sports pitch at Delves Lane, near Consett, was set

  • News in brief: Procession from cathedral

    A Candlelight procession from Durham Market Place to the cathedral will be held today by Durham Churches Together at 5.45pm. It will be followed by a service in the cathedral at 6.15pm. Everyone is welcome and should bring candles. CLASSIC FILM: The Lamplight

  • Thugs steal disabled man's wheelchair

    A disabled man has been left a prisoner in his own home after thieves made off with his wheelchair. Jeffrey Ball, 49, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, had to cancel New Year's Eve plans after the chair was stolen from the front porch of his Hartlepool

  • News in brief: Procession from cathedral

    A Candlelight procession from Durham Market Place to the cathedral will be held today by Durham Churches Together at 5.45pm. It will be followed by a service in the cathedral at 6.15pm. Everyone is welcome and should bring candles. CLASSIC FILM: The Lamplight

  • News in brief: Jubilee design to be unveiled

    The winning design for a Ferryhill jubilee fountain will be selected at a meeting of the town council's civic amenities committee, in the town hall, on Wednesday, January 8, starting at 7pm. The competition entries are on display in the town hall. EXTRA

  • News in brief: Jubilee design to be unveiled

    The winning design for a Ferryhill jubilee fountain will be selected at a meeting of the town council's civic amenities committee, in the town hall, on Wednesday, January 8, starting at 7pm. The competition entries are on display in the town hall. EXTRA

  • Book unveils mercenary past of region's Roman soldiers

    A RETIRED archaeologist who has shed light on the history of a Roman town is hoping his latest book will prove a hit. Chester-le-Street and its Place in History unveils fascinating facts on the County Durham town's past, including its bustling river trade

  • Station's future is up to residents

    RESIDENTS have been urged to back a trust launched to save a town's disused railway station from developers. Richmondshire District Council owns the building in Richmond. Until recently it was home to the Richmond Garden and Farm Supply Centre. However

  • News in brief: Procession from cathedral

    A Candlelight procession from Durham Market Place to the cathedral will be held today by Durham Churches Together at 5.45pm. It will be followed by a service in the cathedral at 6.15pm. Everyone is welcome and should bring candles. CLASSIC FILM: The Lamplight

  • Time to collect and recycle trees

    THE annual Christmas Tree collection is about to get under way in Stockton. The council's Care for Your Area team will be making a tour of the borough on Monday to collect Christmas trees from residents' homes for recycling. To take part in this green

  • Perfect delivery day for Holly, Angel, Noel, Santa and Cupid

    A FAMILY pet delivered a surprise Christmas gift when it gave birth to five pups. Snowy, a two-year-old West Highland Terrier, gave birth to its first litter on Christmas Day. The five pups, all female, had been due on December 29, but the first was born

  • £750,000 grant to preserve and renovate historic sector

    THE historic quarter of Middlesbrough is to be preserved for future generations thanks to a £750,000 National Lottery grant. The Heritage Lottery boost means some of the town's most historic buildings, around Queen's Square and the railway station, will

  • Transport grants given to schemes

    GRANTS totalling more than £10,000 have been given to transport schemes across the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire. Hambleton District Council has approved awards to community car schemes operating from five centres in the district. Each offers

  • Threat to mum's murder law fight

    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

  • Have-a-go Mallon back to his roots

    FORMER "zero tolerance" detective Ray Mallon returned to his policing days when he saw a woman being chased by a man, it was revealed yesterday. The ex-head of Middlesbrough CID, now the town's mayor, wrestled the man to the ground and sat on him until

  • Kidney swap duo reunited after op

    A TRANSPLANT donor has been reunited in hospital with his close friend, to whom he donated his kidney. Almost three weeks after the North-East's first friend-to-friend kidney transplant, donor Derek Marshall visited recipient Bill Brough to pass on his

  • All heart Historg a winner

    HAVING overcome a career-threatening heart problem, Historg's (2.10) rehabilitation can take a further turn for the good by scooping the big race of the day at Cheltenham, the £25,000 Racecourse of The Year Handicap Chase. Just over a year ago things

  • Rundle heads for exit door

    DARLINGTON are poised to sell young midfielder Adam Rundle to Carlisle United this morning, in a deal worth £40,000. Rundle, who nearly joined the Cumbrians earlier this season, has already agreed a three and a half year contract at Brunton Park. The

  • Tait in call for players to pick up points

    DARLINGTON'S caretaker boss Mick Tait has called on his players to "get cracking again" after collecting just three points from their last three games. After three consecutive draws Quakers' resurgence under Tait appears to have come to a halt in recent

  • Gazza hasn't had a stroke, says his dad

    THE father of football star Paul Gascoigne last night scotched rumours that his son has suffered a major illness. Gazza's dad, John, said the former Newcastle United, Middlesbrough, and England star had suffered a trapped nerve which had caused the left

  • Death crash hearing adjourned

    A 22-YEAR-OLD man suffered fatal multiple injuries in a car accident, an opening inquest heard. Andrew James Doyle, of South View, Hunwick, near Bishop Auckland, died after he was involved in a head-on crash between a Peugeot 306 car and Volkswagen Golf

  • New Year Honours: Exciting end to a decade

    A SENIOR councillor described her OBE as an exciting way to start the new year and to conclude her decade as council leader. June Imeson has held the senior post at Hambleton District Council since the early 1990s, but had already represented Great Ayton

  • Comment: An honour truly deserved

    WE do not always approve of the names chosen for honours lists. Too often they are transparent rewards for those who have licked establishment boots. But few honours have given us greater pleasure than the OBE granted to 79-year-old Mary Butterwick in

  • New Year Honours: A worker with a lotta bottle

    John Williamson, who has run a milk round in the Easingwold area of North Yorkshire for the past 34 years, is to receive an MBE for services to the rural community. "My wife, Joan, knows but I haven't told the rest of my family," said the 62-year-old,

  • Intruder attacked man in attempt to steal cash

    A BUSINESSMAN who was attacked and robbed in his home fought back to stop a late-night intruder escaping with a large amount of cash. Despite suffering head wounds after being hit with a bottle, the 57-year-old Middlesbrough man chased his attacker from

  • New Year Honours: Byker's Andrea is honoured

    The woman behind hit TV shows including Byker Grove, The Tube, The Word and The Big Breakfast has been awarded an OBE for her services to broadcasting. Newcastle television executive Andrea Wonfor, 58, began her working life as a trainee for Granada in

  • New Year Honours: Academic hailed for community service

    PROFESSOR John Clarke receives an OBE for his services to the community in County Durham. Since premature retirement from Durham University in 1990, the geography academic, an emeritus professor, became a Deputy Lieutenant of County Durham, and served

  • News in brief: Robbed by street thug

    A THUG left a man with a broken arm after a vicious street robbery. The victim, in his fifties, was walking along Westmorland Road, in the West End of Newcastle, at about 11pm on Friday, December 27. He was attacked by a man thought to be in his twenties

  • New Year Honours: Hobby became a career

    A NATIONAL park ranger who retired last month after 27 years service receives an MBE. Trevor King started work for the North York Moors National Park as a volunteer - but his hobby soon became a full-time job lasting nearly three decades. Stepping down

  • New Year Honours: OBE is icing on Mary's cake

    THE woman behind the North-East's first hospice has been rewarded for her unstinting work with the terminally ill. Mary Butterwick, who is awarded an OBE, sold her home to help found the Butterwick Hospice, in Stockton, in 1984. Prompted to ease the suffering

  • Hunt for off-licence armed raiders

    Thieves have been financing their Christmas by raiding small shops and off-licences in a North Yorkshire town. Police are linking a spate of robberies in Harrogate, which began at Blockbusters video hire shop in Knaresborough Road, at about 5.30pm, on

  • New Year Honours: Friend to students

    Joe Williams, 57, general manager University of Sunderland Students' Union, has been awarded an MBE. Mr Williams, of Ryhope, Sunderland, has worked for the university for nine years. "I am overcome, but delighted," he said. "To be awarded an MBE for something

  • Weather in its element on high and low ground

    THE extremes of the British climate were illustrated by conditions across the North-East as the region prepares for damp New Year celebrations. Snow fell on the A66 on Stainmore on Sunday night and the early hours of yesterday. The road stayed open, and

  • Nine Riders to keep a watchful eye over the New Year

    IT might be New Year's Eve but there Is no rest for the horses in service with Cleveland Police. The nine horses in the mounted section at Ormesby Hall, Middlesbrough, have had a busy festive period, maintaining a high visibility presence in the run-up

  • Brass band celebrates successful festive spell

    THE Cockerton Prize Silver Band in Darlington has enjoyed a successful Christmas and is hoping to raise enough money for new uniforms and instruments. Organisers are drawing up a bid to the National Lottery's New Opportunities Fund and have embarked on

  • Brass band celebrates successful festive spell

    THE Cockerton Prize Silver Band in Darlington has enjoyed a successful Christmas and is hoping to raise enough money for new uniforms and instruments. Organisers are drawing up a bid to the National Lottery's New Opportunities Fund and have embarked on

  • Curtain falls on campus

    PERFORMING arts students at Stockton and Billingham College staged the last show at the college's old campus, before moving to a riverside complex at Thornaby's Teesdale site. Students performed The Jungle Book to an invited audience which included current

  • Brave Mica inspires fundraising effort

    A PLUCKY young girl's battle against a rare kidney disease has inspired her family and friends to raise money for the hospital where she is being treated. Four-year-old Mica Newcomb, from St Helen Auckland, has to have treatment at Newcastle's Royal Victoria

  • Claire provides tea with a tune at Bettys

    Service with a song has been added to the menu at Bettys in Harrogate. Twenty-year-old part-time waitress Claire Cave has become Yorkshire's first singing waitress. Studying music and performance at York St John College, she regularly performs in the

  • Mystery of shed body

    A MYSTERY man has been found dead in a garden shed. The body of the elderly man was discovered shortly after noon on Saturday, in a shed in communal gardens in Borrowdale Avenue, Walker, Newcastle. Police said there were no suspicious circumstances. The

  • Police appeal for witness information

    POLICE have issued a description of a witness they would like to speak to about an alleged assault in Scarborough that left a man needing hospital treatment. The incident took place in the early hours of Sunday in the Woodland Ravine area. A man, bleeding

  • Charity challenge

    Cancer Research UK is seeking daredevils to raise money for the charity by abseiling off the Tyne Bridge on Sunday, January 26. The event is open to anyone over 16. Anyone interested in taking part should contact Jill Campbell on (07881) 812173.

  • Campaign launched to get better Internet connections

    A CAMPAIGN to introduce technology which will enable swifter and more efficient Internet connections in Ferryhill is gathering pace. The town currently has no access to broadband services through the telephone exchange. The broadband system enables much

  • Warning issued on window replacement work

    HOME OWNERS have been urged to stay vigilant when carrying out improvements to their property. The warning from Darlington Borough Council yesterday came in the wake of reports that some companies are failing to comply with new building regulations. The

  • Warning issued on window replacement work

    HOME OWNERS have been urged to stay vigilant when carrying out improvements to their property. The warning from Darlington Borough Council yesterday came in the wake of reports that some companies are failing to comply with new building regulations. The

  • Old trees wanted for recycling

    PEOPLE in Darlington borough are being urged to make a New Year's resolution to support recycling efforts. Darlington Borough Council officials are urging people to think more about the environment - starting with recycling Christmas trees. Council staff

  • Old trees wanted for recycling

    PEOPLE in Darlington borough are being urged to make a New Year's resolution to support recycling efforts. Darlington Borough Council officials are urging people to think more about the environment - starting with recycling Christmas trees. Council staff

  • Vets staff in search for dogs' owners

    EFFORTS are being made to reunite two dogs with their owners in time for the New Year. The pets, a German shepherd and a Staffordshire bull terrier, were taken to Wilson's Veterinary Surgery, in Tenter Street, Bishop Auckland, last week. They both have

  • Vets staff in search for dogs' owners

    EFFORTS are being made to reunite two dogs with their owners in time for the New Year. The pets, a German shepherd and a Staffordshire bull terrier, were taken to Wilson's Veterinary Surgery, in Tenter Street, Bishop Auckland, last week. They both have

  • Hospital ward graced by host of famous faces

    A HOST of celebrities have checked into the children's ward of the new £67m Bishop Auckland General Hospital. Among the famous faces are former Republic of Ireland and Sunderland football star Niall Quinn and Newcastle United and former England striker

  • Yorwaste faces new challenge

    WASTE management company Yorwaste is planning to deal with the region's next potential waste mountain. After dealing with thousands of obsolete fridges and freezers, the Northallerton- business, is turning its attention to unwanted electronic and electrical

  • Free travel home on big party night

    THOUSANDS of revellers planning to celebrate New Year's Eve in the region's party capital will be able to travel free. The Tyne and Wear Metro service will be free to all passengers tonight, from 10.30pm to 1.45am on New Year's Day. The offer is part

  • Santa rides prove a great success

    DURHAM Rotary Club's Santa sleigh rides round the district proved a great success. Youngsters flocked to meet Father Christmas as he made visits to estates and villages in the run-up to Christmas. The club collected £2,860 which will be distributed to

  • Second award for recruitment consultancy

    A recruitment consultant from Darlington has scooped her second award just two years after establishing her business. Angela Anderson, 29, from Brinkburn Drive, established Zenith Recruitment in Hebburn, South Tyneside, at the beginning of 2001. In May

  • Agency opts for local talent

    DEVELOPMENT agency One NorthEast has chosen information technology company Sage to put it at the forefront of e-procurement. Sage, of Newcastle, and its partner Ascent Technology, will provide the agency with financial and workflow management systems.

  • Police target under-age drinkers

    POLICE are targeting underage drinkers in Washington over the festive period. The operation involves officers from the North Washington Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) and Trading Standards. It was set up following concerns from the community about youngsters

  • Pupils get a taste for Cashless school dinners system

    A £235,000 system to overhaul a school dinners service is to be launched in Gateshead. The borough council is investing in catering equipment and a cashless system in its schools over the next three years, in order to keep up with demand. The system,

  • Inquest opened into river tragedy

    A CORONER has opened and adjourned an inquest into the death of a schoolboy who was swept away while fishing on the River Leven near Yarm. David Steel, 16, of Norton Road, Norton, Teesside, was with friends and had enjoyed a barbecue and cans of pop when

  • News in brief: Appeal leads to public inquiry

    A public inquiry is to be held into plans for a Northallerton housing development. Barratt is appealing against a council decision to refuse permission for 60 houses and 39 flats at Boroughbridge Road. The firm says use of the land for housing "cannot

  • Driver killed

    DRIVERS faced long delays at the weekend, after a man died in a car crash. The 31-year-old, who has not been named, was killed when his Renault Clio collided with a Ford Transit van on the A1, five miles south of Alnwick, Northumberland, at 4.20pm on

  • News in brief: Procession from cathedral

    A Candlelight procession from Durham Market Place to the cathedral will be held today by Durham Churches Together at 5.45pm. It will be followed by a service in the cathedral at 6.15pm. Everyone is welcome and should bring candles. CLASSIC FILM: The Lamplight

  • News in brief: Two brothers stabbed

    TWO brothers were stabbed in a late-night attack in Marske High Street on Saturday. The men aged, 17 and 20, suffered single stab wounds to their abdomens. They were taken to Middlesbrough General Hospital before being transferred to James Cook University

  • Medina pleads for escape

    HOWARD Wilkinson cast doubt last night over the Sunderland future of Nicolas Medina - the £3.5m midfielder who has not made a senior appearance for the club, 18 months after they signed him. As Medina voiced his hope that Wilkinson would allow the midfielder

  • 31.12.02

    FIREWORKS: THE Guide Dogs for the Blind Association appeals to readers to sign our Regulate Fireworks Now petition, which calls for an end to the disruption and distress caused to guide dogs and their owners by fireworks. Every year, New Year celebrations

  • Arriva workers threaten court action over leave time

    Rail workers are threatening court action over what they say is a deliberate ploy by bosses to refuse them holiday time. Arriva Trains Northern is involved in what has now become the rail industry's longest-running industrial dispute since 1922, with

  • Maccarone issues big warning to Boro chiefs

    MASSIMO MACCARONE last night stunned Middlesbrough by threatening to quit the club unless he wins back his place in the new year. Boro's £8.15m record signing, who has been demoted to the bench for the last three games after going ten matches without