HOMELESS people are to be thrown a winter lifeline following the tragic death of a rough-sleeper. The First Stop charity yesterday revealed plans to bring extra emergency accommodation to Darlington, in the event of more atrocious weather conditions which
Marks & Spencer is spending £330,000 on a revamp of its Darlington store. The work includes new flooring, equipment and signage. The food hall will grow by 500sq ft, with a better horticulture range and wine department. The Per Una range, a big hit
BUSINESSES from Easington have shown their support for the formation of an East Durham Business Forum (EDBF). More than 40 companies attended a breakfast event at Seaham Hall to discuss the issues affecting businesses in Easington. It was opened by Tom
Rosey Dunn is only the second woman in the North-East to be chairman of a branch of the National Farmers' Union. Womens Editor Christen Pears meets her. "SOMETHING'S mooing and I don't like it," says Rosey Dunn, standing up and looking out of the window
THE story of how women went to war will be told at the weekend. During the First World War, Army officials felt that a woman's place was definitely not in uniform. But despite their opposition, the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps was set up in 1917, to be
THE amount of waste recycled across North Yorkshire is set to double over the next decade. Further recycling and composting schemes are to be introduced all over the county by the council-owned waste management firm Yorwaste. Its targets include increasing
TRIBUTES have been paid to high-ranking TA officer and businessman who was killed on a family holiday in Florida. Lt Col Ian Hall was fatally injured earlier this month when he was hit by a car while in Orlando. He was the commanding officer of 34 (Northern
A TALENTED young squash player from Guisborough has earned national recognition as a potential star of the future. Chris Allinson, a year eight student at the town's Laurence Jackson School sports college, has been chosen to train with the England squad
FEARS that a Northallerton community project would have to shut down have been allayed thanks to thousands of pounds worth of funding. Almost £70,000 of lottery money has secured the future for Breathing Space, a group which provides social trips out
Bricklayer, Darlington, £7.30ph, 39hrs pw, required for housing site, must be time-served. Ref: DAE 33225. Kitchen assistant, Barnard Castle, £4.20ph, 10hrs pw, required for nursing home, experience an advantage. Ref: BAJ 4662. Assistant cook, Barnard
SEPARATING the bones of business from the emotions of sport has never been simple, particularly where professionalism is concerned. Whatever the chosen game - be it football, rugby or cricket - passion runs at fever pitch while a cool head for finance
THE night before the great snows were forecast, ahead of the plough and not following it, we headed hesitantly into the hills and to the Strathmore Arms at Holwick. The hamlet is three miles above Middleton-in-Teesdale, at the end of a road to nowhere
VANDALS have slashed more than 20 car tyres after a spate of attacks in Consett and Stanley over the weekend. Nineteen tyres were damaged in attacks on 12 cars in Durham Road and Cleveland Terrace, Stanley, between 10pm on Friday and 4.30am on Saturday
Robbers wielding an old-fashioned musket and a crowbar made off with cash after threatening staff at a Darlington video store. Detectives were last night hunting two men after they smashed their way into Blockbuster video, in Grange Road, shortly after
IT is roughly the size of a matchbox and weighs less than an ounce. But an electronic tracking device could ease the fears of parents worried about their children going missing. The £500 bug, made by Tyneside firm GlobalPoint Technologies, enables parents
COLLEGE students are being urged to do their bit to make Darlington litter-free. The borough council is working with staff and students at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College to provide extra bins in order to reduce the amount of rubbish being dropped
A 50-YEAR plan that aims to promote Hambleton as a vibrant, safe and prosperous district will be launched this summer. During the past 12 months a number of groups have compiled the Hambleton Community Plan. Representatives from county and district councils
DARLINGTON has almost doubled the National Lottery funding it receives, according to new figures. The town will collect almost £760,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund in the present financial year, compared with just under £400,000 a year in
A TEENAGER has admitted beating his friend to death during a row over a shirt. William Heslop, 18, denied murdering 16-year-old Karl Brownsword but admitted the lesser charge of manslaughter yesterday. Heslop struck his friend half a dozen times at a
A PLEA by four people for a tree to be cut down has been refused - and a tree preservation order has been imposed instead. Fearby and Healey Parish Council, at Masham, near Ripon, took up the issue after concerns had been expressed by residents about
Bishop Auckland Town Hall is hosting the 2003 Wear Valley CAMRA Beer Festival for the fifth year, from Wednesday to Saturday, February 12 to 15. It promises to tantalise the tastebuds with 24 cask conditioned beers from small independent breweries across
EXTRA cash is boosting the fight against heart disease by setting more people on the path to healthy living. The Countryside Agency has increased its funding to Wear Valley District Council's three-year programme, which encourages people to stay fitter
DOZENS of past and present students were among mourners at the funeral of a lecturer and former broadcaster. The funeral of George English, 54, who taught media studies at New College, Durham, was held at Durham Crematorium on Friday. Mr English, who
PUPILS savoured a taste of the Orient as part of Chinese New Year celebrations yesterday. Raventhorpe Preparatory School, in Darlington, dedicated the whole day to the theme, with 12 nursery pupils enjoying the extra education topic. Teachers decided
SEDGEFIELD Borough Council's contribution towards an environmental improvement scheme for Ferryhill Station should be under way in the next few weeks. Officers will this week ask cabinet members to approve releasing £25,000 for The Gateway Scheme, designed
HOUNDS from the Hurworth Hunt were yesterday preparing for their bi-centennial meet this morning at Neasham Abbey, near Darlington. They were given a run in the snow close to their kennels at West Rounton, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire, by huntsman
PEOPLE are being encouraged to turn their back garden into a nature reserve - for the price of a packet of bird seed. Roadshow workshops are being launched this month aimed at showing people across Middlesbrough how they can help keep garden birds alive
A NORTH-EAST couple involved in a coach crash in the Nevada Desert have spoken of their relief at news of a record compensation settlement for victims. Los Angeles County Superior Court announced yesterday that 39 British holidaymakers will between them
DOMESTIC violence specialists will gather in Sunderland to share expertise. Representatives from the police, probation service, education, healthcare, social services, voluntary organisations and the city's Domestic Violence Forum will meet to examine
THE Morrisons supermarket chain last night remained silent over suggestions it was on the verge of improving its offer for rival Safeway. The Bradford-based company was rumoured to be looking at a £750,000 cash sweetener to accompany its all-share offer
A MAN described as of "somewhat limited intelligence" was jailed for two years yesterday for committing indecent acts with two girls. Lee Lumsden, 22, of The Gardens, Chester-le-Street, was said to have carried out the acts on girls aged under ten on
A MAN described as of "somewhat limited intelligence" was jailed for two years yesterday for committing indecent acts with two girls. Lee Lumsden, 22, of The Gardens, Chester-le-Street, was said to have carried out the acts on girls aged under ten on
A KNIFEMAN escaped with cash after a raid on a filling station. The robber walked into the Total Washington service station in Heworth Road, Washington, Wearside, at 9.15pm on Saturday. He threatened the sales assistant with a knife, took a small amount
A KNIFEMAN escaped with cash after a raid on a filling station. The robber walked into the Total Washington service station in Heworth Road, Washington, Wearside, at 9.15pm on Saturday. He threatened the sales assistant with a knife, took a small amount
AFTER a sometimes tense build-up over several weeks, a funeral which attracted hundreds of gypsies to the North-East from far and wide passed off peacefully yesterday. Since Patrick Lowther died of suspected pneumonia on January 10, a steady flow of gipsies
FORMER football boss Brian Clough has left hospital three weeks after his life-saving liver transplant. Clough, who played for Middlesbrough and Sunderland before enjoying huge success as a manager, was told he had just weeks to live after his heavy drinking
A CRACKDOWN on drink-fuelled crime and disorder got off to a good start this weekend, say police. Landlords and bar managers in Consett showed their support for the police operation, with ten licensees signing up for the revamped Pubwatch scheme. It follows
Smooth Finnish, an exhibition by international glass designers Harri Koskinen, Markku Salo and Anna-leena Hakatie, showing the playful nature of Finnish glass, opens at the National Glass Centre, Sunderland, today.
A MAN who found it difficult to cope following his mother's death attacked a cabbie taking him home from a night out, magistrates heard yesterday. Andrew Crawford attacked taxi driver Andrew Duncan after he had been driven from the centre of Harrogate
THE identity of a man whose body was pulled out of the Tees is expected to be released today. A woman walking her dog along the river near Low Coniscliffe, on the outskirts of Darlington, made the discovery on Sunday morning. Police are trying to establish
Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, will be visiting Holy Rood House, Thirsk, at the weekend. He will be giving a lecture to the Centre for the Study of Theology and Health, in St Oswald's Church, Sowerby, on Friday evening. He will also preach
A TEENAGER has appeared in court charged with causing death by dangerous driving. The 14-year-old, who cannot be named, appeared before Sedgefield magistrates, County Durham, in connection with a crash in which 13-year-old Liam Richardson, from Ferryhill
AN experienced health worker is getting to grips with his new job as a finance director. Accountant Joe Corrigan recently started work as director of finance for Easington Primary Care Trust (PCT). He was formerly general manager of Whitley Bay Primary
VANDALS have slashed more than 20 car tyres after a spate of attacks in Consett and Stanley over the weekend. Nineteen tyres were damaged in attacks on 12 cars in Durham Road and Cleveland Terrace, Stanley, between 10pm on Friday and 4.30am on Saturday
AN MP calling for a public inquiry into the deaths of soldiers at Catterick Garrison will take his fight to the House of Commons today. Labour's Kevin McNamara will address MPs in a 90-minute debate on the deaths at Britain's biggest base, as well as
A pensioner died and her sister was left critically ill after it is thought they used their gas cooker to keep warm. Neighbours called police to the house in Hill View Road, Sunderland, yesterday, after becoming concerned that they had not seen the two
A gentleman from Cumbria seeks information about his grandfather, Louis Fletcher, a Football League referee much caricatured in his 27 years in the middle. "Since he refereed in black riding breeches, sported a waxed handlebar moustache, measured 5ft
Scaffolding will be erected at the East End of York Minster next week to allow an inspection before the start of a five to six-year programme of restoration. The work will be carried out by the carvers and masons of the minster's stoneyard after the inspection
A SPECIALIST glass company has denied a charge brought following a factory accident in which an employee was left paralysed from the neck down. Romag Limited, a security laminator manufacturer at Leadgate, near Consett, County Durham, is to stand trial
A SPECIALIST glass company has denied a charge brought following a factory accident in which an employee was left paralysed from the neck down. Romag Limited, a security laminator manufacturer at Leadgate, near Consett, County Durham, is to stand trial
RESIDENTS are invited to join in Chinese New Year celebrations on Friday. And those attending the fun at the University of Teesside, in Middlesbrough, can enjoy a double bill of celebrations. Members of the Students' Union Tae Kwon Do Club will perform
A TEENAGE mother and her boyfriend were convicted yesterday of cruelty to her ten-week-old baby who was found with multiple fractures. After a six-day trial, the jury at Teesside Crown Court took only 45 minutes to convict Rachael Simpson, 19, and Andrew
YOUNGSTERS aged four to 16 from the Portrack and Tilery areas of Stockton are invited to have their bicycles security marked by police on Saturday. The event is at The Willows Centre, next to Tilery Primary School, in Northport Road, from 10am to 2pm.
A HOSPITAL trust is welcoming three new non-executive directors to its board. Pauline Singleton, Ian Grieve and Jean Cockerill have been appointed to the board of South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust and will serve for four years. The board provides strategic
POLICE hunting the killer of Amanda "Milly" Dowler said yesterday they expected to know by the end of the week if they had found a match for mystery DNA found on the schoolgirl's clothing. The unidentified male DNA, discovered on clothes recovered from
AN MP has been sent hate mail over his commitment to Kosovan refugees. Harrogate's Liberal-Democrat MP Phil Willis said he had received a number of anonymous letters and calls from people angry at his decision to visit the state next week. He will be
FLOORING specialist BHK (UK) Limited is a company to watch this year, according to a market analyst. David Pattison, from financial market research firm Plimsoll Publishing undertook a study of the UK flooring market and found that Peterlee-based BHK
BEDMAKER Silentnight has announced plans to reorganise its furniture business. But the reorganisation will not affect the Sunderland-based Homeworthy operation, which employs 700 staff. Chief executive Nino Allenza said the reorganisation would only affect
COUNCIL tax payers will benefit from an above inflation cash settlement from Whitehall, according to the Government. But, as Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford announced next year's deal for councils, many North-East authorities were bracing taxpayers
A TRAINEE hairdresser is celebrating after winning an award. Tracey May, a student at Stockton Riverside College, took part in a competition organised by the National Hairdressing Federation. The 25-year-old was entered for the competition by Vocational
YOUNGSTERS will change their uniform to help change lives as part of a national campaign. Schools throughout the North-East will participate in Unicef's Day for Change, on Friday. Now in its 15th year, the event will involve children paying a small fee
A church restoration project is one step closer to its target of raising £11,000 thanks to a donation from the team behind a major BP pipeline. St Lawrence's Church, at East Rounton near Northallerton, dates back to the thirteenth century and is of great
Cleveland Police has today announced the appointment of Sean Price as the new Chief Constable for the force. The current Deputy Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire Police will take over when the existing chief Barry Shaw retires next month. "I am absolutely
TWO men who were secretly filmed killing ten goats in a shed were given prison sentences yesterday for their part in the "squalid and cruel" slaughter. The animals, bought for an Islamic halal ceremony, should have died quickly from a single cut to the
WARDENS at Guisborough Forest and Walkway want youngsters on their half-term holiday to create a mural for the visitor centre at Pinchinthorpe. The mural will be created by children from the centre's environmental youth group on Wednesday, February 19
NEWCASTLE United and Middlesbrough will hold a summit meeting tomorrow night to sort out their differences over the controversial postponement of Saturday's Riverside derby. United manager Sir Bobby Robson accused Boro of engineering the call-off because
A North-East church minister appeared in court yesterday accused of systematically abusing boys when he was a prison officer. One alleged victim, who was 15 at the time, said that when he pleaded with his tormentor to stop the repeated sex attacks, he
Magnificent men (and women) and their flying machines NOW we know the reason for the Mona Lisa's enigmatic smile in Leonard da Vinci's famous painting. She was trying stifle a laugh at the artist's belief that man could fly. Viewers may have had the same
Jealousy is behind the backlash against celebrity chefs, Arabella Weir tells Steve Pratt. After all, who wouldn't love to rustle up something delicious with scallops and chives with their eyes shut? Although Arabella Weir's new BBC2 series sends up TV
HAULAGE company Prestons of Potto has joined the expanding Pall-Ex Network. With a turnover exceeding £20m, more than 220 vehicles and 310 employees, Prestons is looking to expand into the Teesside area. Started in 1936 as an agricultural firm, Prestons
AIRPORT ground handling company Groundstar Ltd has won £600,000 of business. The Newcastle Airport-based organisation has signed up international airline operators SN Brussels and LTE. SN Brussels, which code shares with British Airways on the Newcastle
CELTIC have taken released defender Stanislav Varga on trial after being snubbed by Sunderland in an attempt to sign out of favour Emerson Thome. Varga starts training with the Scottish giants this morning after manager Martin O'Neill handed the centre-back
THE Wright Brothers' first powered flight a century ago has inspired a North-East company to lead a marketing and export drive. Ultimate Collection has made metallic model airplanes for corporate clients such as Vickers Defence and Renault. The firm already
THE story of how women went to war will be told at the weekend. During the First World War, Army officials felt that a woman's place was definitely not in uniform. But despite their opposition, the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps was set up in 1917, to be
MIDDLESBROUGH new boy Chris Riggott hopes Gareth Southgate can help nurture him into an England international. Riggott, who made the move from Derby County along with striker Malcolm Christie in a transfer deadline day deal, has joined on an initial three-month
Darlington face Third Division basement club Swansea City this evening with caretaker boss Mick Tait warning his players: "It's not going to be easy." Quakers travelled to South Wales yesterday to prepare for what Tait expects to be a difficult game,
A PLUCKY pensioner has told how she slammed the door shut on a burglar. Frightened Freda Nolan threw herself against her front door to keep out an intruder as he attempted to get in. The 83-year-old said she was watching television when she got up to
FEW teachers these days still wear academic gowns but not a day goes by when Robert Pritchard doesn't wear his. Complete with his vast array of bow ties, Mr Pritchard - Roz to his friends - is a traditional schoolmaster. But all that will change for the
MIKE NEWELL today collects his first honour as Hartlepool United manager, but refuses to consider the bigger prize which could be winging its way to Victoria Park. Newell was yesterday named Division Three manager of the month for January after raking
Our columnist is informed that Arriva trains do not cater for electric wheelchairs, and sets out to see if it's true. EVER had that feeling that, no matter how hard you try, something is just not going to work out? That's the feeling I got when I started
Two asylum-seeking brothers were seriously injured after confronting a gang of 10 youths who were throwing snowballs at their home, police said today. The brothers, in their early 30s, had come out of the house in Bedlington, Northumberland, to chase
MICHAEL RICKETTS last night marked his move to Middlesbrough by firing a parting shot at Bolton boss Sam Allardyce. Boro chief executive Keith Lamb revealed that Ricketts' £3.5m switch was only completed five minutes before the transfer window closed
A CONSERVATIVE market town has been shocked after a model's bare backside replaced the traditional image of a farmer shearing sheep outside a busy pub. Tanya Robinson was the toast of North Yorkshire when she won FHM's High Street Honeys competition in
Saturday's game brought us another three points, even if the performance wasn't one of our best compared to recent weeks. I thought Torquay played some good football and will be in the shake-up come the end of the season. On behalf of all the players
Care assistant, Northallerton. £4.75 to £5.25ph, 16hrs pw, from 7 days, Must be qualified to NVQ 2 or minimum one year's experience. Must be flexible. Own transport essential. Ref: NOE 18260. General farm worker, Huby, York. £4.77ph, 40hrs pw, 8am to
Sales assistant, Billingham. £4.20ph, 10hpw min, 10am-6pm, on 7-day rota. Must be 18-plus with good customer service skills. Training provided. Duties to take and pay out bets, offering front line customer service. Ref: BIG12740. Sales representative,
Support worker, Chester-le-Street. £4.60ph, 35hpw.Knowledge of people with special needs essential. NVQ Level II preferred. To support people with learning disabilities. Ref: CHM 15336. Receptionist, Stanley. NMW. 10am-8pm, Mon-Sat, 30 hpw. Must have
BEING the rector of a Wren church in the City of London is nothing if not great fun. We are a Grade One listed building and, since parish churches get no financial help from the state, we are always struggling to maintain the fabric. This is not easy
Robbers wielding an old-fashioned musket and a crowbar made off with cash after threatening staff at a Darlington video store. Detectives were last night hunting two men after they smashed their way into Blockbuster video, in Grange Road, shortly after
COLLEGE students are being urged to do their bit to make Darlington litter-free. The borough council is working with staff and students at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College to provide extra bins in order to reduce the amount of rubbish being dropped
ALMOST 200 people have benefited from a warmer home this winter thanks to the Stockton Warm Zone. During the past year, Sue Mylan and Yvette Cooper, who are based at Stockton Borough Council's welfare rights section in Billingham, have made 926 home visits
FATHERS struggling to cope with the demands of childcare are being offered a lifeline as part of a scheme which is the first of its kind in Darlington. Grandfathers, stepfathers and other male carers are also being offered the chance to support each other
BUDDING beauty therapist Zara Wylie has won an industry award for skin care. The 18-year-old student at Darlington College of Technology has become the Dermalogica Retail Student of the Year. The prize is awarded annually to the student who sells the
A WOMAN faces a prison sentence after she admitted neglecting her two pet dogs when she appeared at Bishop Auckland Magistrates' Court yesterday. Shelley Atkinson, of Almond Court, Shildon, pleaded guilty to two charges of causing unnecessary suffering
DOZENS of past and present students were among mourners at the funeral of a lecturer and former broadcaster. The funeral of George English, 54, who taught media studies at New College, Durham, was held at Durham Crematorium on Friday. Mr English, who
YOUNGSTERS are being invited to a party as the Salvation Army celebrates its annual Young People's Weekend. Children between five and 11 can enjoy the fun at a Praise Party at the Salvation Army Centre, Cross Street, Shildon, on Saturday. The party is
GREAT-great-grandmother Margaret Smith celebrated her birthday surrounded by four generations of her family. The 89-year-old, from North Cowton, near Darlington, was joined by friends and family for the celebration, and is already looking forward to her
A MUGGER who terrorised the streets of Teesside was put behind bars for six years yesterday - on his birthday. Six-foot-six Paul Bailey, 19, always frisked his teenage victims for cash and mobile phones before stamping on their heads or using a knife,
PEOPLE living in the Cockerton area of Darlington can voice their concerns about local issues at a series of advice sessions starting today. PC Amanda Stevens, local beat officer, is holding an advice session at the fruit and vegetable shop in the farmers
FEARS about the safety of vehicles which have been converted to run on liquefied petroleum gas has prompted trading standards officers in North Yorkshire to offer free checks. They are now urging traders and consumers in the county to have their vehicle
Seroxat is one of the world's biggest selling anti-depressant drugs and is marketed as bei;ng non-addictive. But thousands of people have reported disturbing claims of dependency and withdrawal effects, as Lindsay Jennings reports. PHIL Jones says he
GREAT-great-grandmother Margaret Smith has celebrated her birthday surrounded by five generations of her family. The 89-year-old, from North Cowton, near Darlington, was joined by friends and family for the celebration, and is already looking forward
A MAN is recovering after he was stabbed in the chest with a screwdriver while trying to stop a teenager from stealing his car. The 42-year-old, who has not been named, was stabbed twice in the shoulder, with one thrust leaving a deep wound, after confronting
LIFE assurer Standard Life heaped more bad news on beleaguered investors by announcing it was slashing payouts on its long-term savings policies by about 15 per cent. The mutual blamed "extremely difficult investment conditions" for the third reduction
MINISTER for Work Nick Brown visited the region yesterday to see how seriously the North-East takes its shopping. Mr Brown visited the MetroPeople, at the MetroCentre, in Gateshead, to see at first-hand how training in the retailing sector had been revolutionised
TROUBLED rail operator Arriva is to continue to run the region's local and trans-pennine services for at least another year. The strike-hit company has agreed an interim franchise arrangement with the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) until September 2004
POLICE are searching for a burglar after two roof-top break-ins at Stanley businesses. The burglar struck at Vantage Chemists, in Clifford Road, Stanley, on Monday, January 27. He climbed on to a flat roof behind the store and broke a small window. He
THE identity of a man whose body was pulled out of the Tees is expected to be released today. A woman walking her dog along the river near Low Coniscliffe, on the outskirts of Darlington, made the discovery on Sunday morning. Police are trying to establish
AN entrepreneur told a court yesterday how he was tricked into asking for a multi-million pound loan 15 times the size he wanted. David Payne said he approached a gang of loan sharks to borrow almost £1m so he could buy plots of land in his native New
A BANNED motorist fled from police after escaping through the open window of a patrol car. Gary David Stanners, 20, was at the wheel of a Nissan Sunny which was stopped by police on the A690 Durham to Sunderland dual carriageway at Houghton-le-Spring,
AN ELECTRICIAN punched a doorman after being thrown out of a nightclub and then headbutted a police officer trying to get him into a police van, Harrogate magistrates were told. The court heard that Ian Bradley, 22, of Eastbourne Grove, Heworth, York,
A VETERAN Labour councillor deselected by her party is bidding to become national president of a trade union. Councillor Pat Buttle, a member of Darlington Borough Council for almost 25 years, said yesterday that, along with a number of other Darlington
RESEARCHERS are appealing for North-East people to help carry out a survey into hayfever causes. This spring, the Woodland Trust and the National Pollen Research Unit are asking people to record the early flowering grasses, such as Yorkshire fog, cocksfoot
A former young inmate today described how he had been groomed for sexual abuse at the hands of former prison officer Neville Husband, who later went on to become a church minister. The man, now in his 40s, said Husband had developed a "strange friendship
THE first indication of whether the North-East is in favour of a regional assembly will be given tomorrow. Earlier this year, Durham County Council wrote to 32,000 households throughout the county, selected randomly, to gauge the level of interest in
A MODERN-DAY Robin Hood stole £17,000 from a gymnastics association to help a club for disadvantaged children. John Wake, 72, was the treasurer of the North of England Gymnastics Association, but over a five-year period took advantage of his position
CHILDREN still too young to hold a driving licence had a taste of life behind the wheel yesterday. Pupils from years 10 and 11 at Harelaw School, in Catchgate, near Stanley, tried out a £500,000 driving simulator based on a Vauxhall Corsa. The machine
RUBBISH tips in County Durham have been given an environmentally-friendly facelift. The new style of household waste recycling centres have been created with the help of a £1.7m grant from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
THE screen hit Billy Elliot, set in the North-East, is being turned into a stage musical. Elton John is writing songs for a London West End show based on the award-winning British hit. The movie, which was shot in and around Easington Colliery, made a
PUPILS who took their plea for a crossing patrol to County Hall yesterday are celebrating victory. A class of youngsters from Our Lady and St Joseph's RC Primary School, in Leadgate, County Durham, went to County Hall, Durham, for a highways committee
IT was the end of an era at Northallerton's Broomfield School on Friday. After a special assembly, caretaker Shirley Caisley has retired after nearly 20 years' service. And head teacher Heather Thom admitted: "She will be a very hard act to follow." Mrs
The events leading up to last Saturday's football action, or lack of it, spelled out some important lessons about community affection for their local club, or lack of it. The potential row involving Boro's early postponement of their match against Newcastle
STARS of the hit musical Fame found the ideal way to limber up for a series of high-energy performances yesterday. Six actors from the show, which is at Darlington Civic Theatre until Saturday, spent the afternoon in the Dolphin Centre's Pulse Suite Two
A pensioner died and her sister was left critically ill after it is thought they used their gas cooker to keep warm. Neighbours called police to the house in Hill View Road, Sunderland, yesterday, after becoming concerned that they had not seen the two
MOTORISTS in Tyneside will face shorter delays after Newcastle and Gateshead councils agreed to co-ordinate major roadworks. Traffic will be down to one lane on the A167 from the Gateshead side of the Tyne Bridge through to its junction with the Jesmond
THE mystery surrounding the crash of a Second World War Lancaster bomber could be solved by two aircraft enthusiasts. Geoff Arnott, 26, and Adam Wright, 32, are seeking permission to excavate a site in North Yorkshire where the plane came down almost
REPORTS that six fire stations are to close on Teesside have been dismissed by a fire chief as rumours. Chief fire officer John Doyle said changes are planned to the service but that there has been no decision made to close six fire stations. He also
POLICE hunting the killer of Amanda "Milly" Dowler said yesterday they expected to know by the end of the week if they had found a match for mystery DNA found on the schoolgirl's clothing. The unidentified male DNA, discovered on clothes recovered from
SNOW and icy conditions brought some of the region's roads and bus services to a standstill yesterday. Drivers in Teesside, Darlington and the Richmond area of North Yorkshire were badly affected, with several inches of snow falling overnight. Despite
YOUNG people can dance the night away on Saturday, and raise money for charity. The Millennium Volunteers, a Government-funded group which encourages 16 to 26-year-olds to help their communities, is holding a 'danceathon' at the Sundial Hotel in Northallerton
A MARKET town's sports hall has been transformed into a theatre for the first leg of the Royal Shakespeare Company's international tour. Five articulated wagons, carrying more than 50 tonnes of lighting, sound and stage equipment, arrived in Northallerton
A COUNCIL leader will not fight his marginal seat in forthcoming elections, but will instead stand in a safe ward. Labour's David Walsh, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, was yesterday accused of "running scared" by a rival leader in Cleveland's
TELEVISION presenter David Dickinson has been banned from a leading antiques fair - after being accused of turning it into a circus. He and his Bargain Hunt production crew have been asked not to return to the Great Northern International Antiques and
ONE of North Yorkshire's most senior police officers is to retire, it was announced yesterday. Deputy Chief Constable Peter Walker will step down in October, by which time he will have completed 30 years of service. He started as a uniformed constable
YOUNGSTERS are being urged to embrace environmental issues to win a trip worth £40,000. North-East schools are preparing entries for the Barclaycard LivingLand Awards 2003. The awards, now in their second year, are run in conjunction with the Young People's
WARDENS at Guisborough Forest and Walkway want youngsters on their half-term holiday to create a mural for the visitor centre at Pinchinthorpe. The mural will be created by children from the centre's environmental youth group on Wednesday, February 19
VANDALS have slashed more than 20 car tyres after a spate of attacks in Consett and Stanley over the weekend. Nineteen tyres were damaged in attacks on 12 cars in Durham Road and Cleveland Terrace, Stanley, between 10pm on Friday and 4.30am on Saturday
MIDDLESBROUGH FC: HOW were Middlesbrough allowed to cancel the Tees-Tyne derby game so far ahead of the kick off, particularly since their opponents only had to travel 35 miles or so down the A19? The decision is doubly baffling when, just up the road
Saturday's game brought us another three points, even if the performance wasn't one of our best compared to recent weeks. I thought Torquay played some good football and will be in the shake-up come the end of the season. On behalf of all the players
THE amount of waste recycled in England's biggest county is set to double over the next decade. Further recycling and composting schemes are to be introduced all over North Yorkshire by the council-owned waste management firm Yorwaste. Its targets include
SLOPPY jumping cost Frantic Tan any chance of winning the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow in December. But it could be a different story in the Showcase Handicap at the course this afternoon, provided he doesn't make any similar blunders. Frantic Tan
Our columnist is informed that Arriva trains do not cater for electric wheelchairs, and sets out to see if it's true. EVER had that feeling that, no matter how hard you try, something is just not going to work out? That's the feeling I got when I started
THE night before the great snows were forecast, ahead of the plough and not following it, we headed hesitantly into the hills and to the Strathmore Arms at Holwick. The hamlet is three miles above Middleton-in-Teesdale, at the end of a road to nowhere
Barnardo's is calling on the Government to do more to protect children as it launches a new report on domestic violence. The children's charity believes youngsters suffer long-lasting emotional damage from witnessing violence between adults in the home
A former councillor has barricaded himself in his home and doused himself in petrol to stop his eviction. Maurice Kellett, who is believed to be armed with a sword, has been holding police and baliffs at bay, since yesterday afternoon. The incident began
