STEVE McClaren has heaped lavish praise on the Middlesbrough Academy as both Boro's reserve team and the youth side continue to push for honours this season. Last night the reserves' 1-0 win at Manchester City put them top of their league, while on Thursday
WAR AGAINST IRAQ THE solution to the problem of whether or not Saddam Hussein has concealed weapons of mass destruction is clear to me. We have currently engaged a couple of hundred weapons inspectors to search for devices that Saddam has probably spent
MORE jobs have been lost in another black week for the North-East economy - and more could follow next week. Bosses at Hugh Mackay Carpets in Durham, which has supplied Buckingham Palace, the Savoy Hotel and Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, have told staff
A VISUAL record charting more than 300 years of the region's history can be accessed by the Internet thanks to a £170,000 grant from English Heritage. Hundreds of images charting the working life of the North-East have gone online and can be seen by anyone
A SHOP-KEEPER has collected more than a million stamps in ten months to raise money for charity. Peter Sotheran, managing director of Sotheran's Printers in Redcar, east Cleveland, has collected the stamps for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.
Claire Sweeney's mum didn't want her to go into the Celebrity Big Brother House. Two years ago, as the former Brookside actress was on her way there, her mum continued to try to talk her out of it. It's a good job she didn't listen to her mother. The
IN October 1960, Durham City and Durham County Council unveiled proposals for the improvement of the city's road system. The primary aim was to take the choking traffic out of the city's busy market square, but it was hoped that the new road system might
A NORTH-EAST county has been singled out as the top performing probation area in the country. County Durham's probation service came top in a league of 42 areas which compared performance with national standards. Professor Robert Williams, chairman of
POLICE plan to reconstruct the last moments of a dog walker fatally injured in a mystery incident. George Button, 53, of West Rainton, near Durham City, died on Wednesday without regaining consciousness from a head injury he suffered on Monday night.
MYSTERY still surrounds the deaths of two friends found in a smoke-filled car as police renewed their appeals for information last night. Paul Williams, 38, of Hart Crescent, Blackhall Rocks, near Hartlepool, and his friend Christopher John Howe, 32,
POLICE investigating the murder of 12-year-old Natalie Ruddick are trying to trace three people who may have vital clues to the crime. Natalie died after being stabbed several times in a sustained attack at her home in Frosterley Place, on the New Mills
A TERRIFIED youngster died under the wheels of a bus after it was stormed by teenage bullies - leaving the driver powerless to help, a court heard yesterday. Twelve-year-old Jamie Wells died yards from his home when he fell trying to get off the bus while
A RAIL academy could be set up in the North-East to nurture engineering talent and cure a skills shortage in the industry. The academy, which is being backed by development agency One NorthEast, is the idea of Newcastle engineering consultants Railway
A TRUCKER has been jailed for three years for a crash at speed which killed a van driver. Terry Weekes, 47, had driven articulated lorries for 20 years until the accident which saw him convicted yesterday of causing death by dangerous driving, a jury
TWIN sisters Cath and Joan Langan always did everything together - so it was no surprise they ended up marrying two brothers. Fifty years on, the foursome are as happy as ever. The identical twins got hitched in a double ceremony in 1953 - Cath to Geoff
A college run by the region's best-paid principal has been branded inadequate by inspectors. Ian Prescott, of East Durham and Houghall Community College, was ranked the 14th biggest earner of Britain's 442 principals in a survey by the Times Educational
Mick Tait knows exactly what to expect when his side take on promotion hopefuls Bournemouth this afternoon. After picking up the manager of the month award for February, Cherries boss Sean O'Driscoll has seen his third-placed side lose both their games
POLICE stumbled across a drugs haul worth more than £140,000 after answering a routine call to a disturbance at a farm yesterday. Bailiffs trying to enter the remote farmhouse in Greencroft, near Stanley, County Durham, called the police. Officers found
NEWTON Hall estate on the northern outskirts of Durham City is one of the largest private housing estates in Europe. It is situated on the hills formed by the moors of Framwellgate and is clearly a recent addition to Durham's ancient skyline. However,
OPERA star Suzannah Clarke will perform at a festival in North Korea, after taking advice from the Foreign Office. Ms Clarke, from Normanby, near Middlesbrough, will take part in four concerts in the capital Pyongyang as part of an international Friendship
A BELEAGURED police force is at the centre of a surveillance row. The allegations are being levelled at Cleveland Police by its own officers. Force management emphatically denies claims that they used hidden cameras and microphones to monitor their staff
soldiers could find themselves seeing double when identical twins Claire and Stephanie Butler take their places among Britain's armed forces in the Gulf. Last week, the 31-year-old Newcastle nurses were called up and arrived at Chetwynd barracks, near
People interested in setting up a community website are invited to attend free workshops. The workshops will be hosted by The Northern Echo's CommuniGate programme at Darlington Library, in Crown Steet, on Wednesday, from 10am to noon, and Thursday, from
A BISHOP Auckland hospice is inviting people to take part in a series of sponsored walks. Butterwick Hospice Care has arranged the sponsored walks in Cumbria, for people to raise funds, while enjoying the scenery and getting some exercise at the same
WOMEN were invited to an afternoon of indulgence at a fundraising event for a local hospice. The Hall Garth Golf and Country Club, at Coatham Mundeville, Darlington, was the venue for afternoon tea. The event was organised by the Butterwick Hospice at
SMOKERS in Sedgefield borough who want to stop can now attend classes which have already proved a big success. Stop smoking sessions in Newton Aycliffe have already helped 126 people to stop. With national No Smoking Day approaching on Wednesday, smoking
CHURCHES in Bishop Auckland are holding services next week for those wishing to offer prayers for the Iraq crisis. St Mary's RC Church, in Vart Road, is hosting a service from 6.30pm on Wednesday and has been arranged by the Bishop Auckland Fellowship
STUDENTS who took a lengthy course of legal training to help community groups have been presented with their certificates. The paralegal course, which involved groups throughout Sedgefield borough, is a pilot project which is now expected to be repeated
A MAN who had Down's syndrome and Alzheimer's disease died after suffering a broken pelvis, an inquest heard yesterday. Harry Howe, 61, who lived at a Mencap residential home, in Wellbeck Avenue, Darlington, was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection
POLICE have issued an e-fit of a man who terrified a paper boy with a sharp instrument before running off laughing. The boy was stopped by the man in North Terrace, close to the A173 in Skelton, shortly before 8am on Monday, February 10. The boy said
A SCHEME has been put forward to upgrade a popular Ferryhill footpath. Councillor Charlie Magee has worked with officers from Durham County Council and Ferryhill Town Council to produce a scheme to upgrade the footpath next to Manor Farm and Manor Court
A DEPRESSED man hanged himself with a leather belt after taking a cocktail of drink and drugs, an inquest was told. Anthony Lund, 35, of Phoenix Park, Hemlington, Middlesbrough, had taken 18 sleeping tablets, 24 anti-depressants and drank the equivalent
A GROUP of teenage boys from a Stockton school have helped raise money for a Blue Peter appeal. David Hardman, Neil McDonald, Jonathan Chambers and Philip Hardwick, all in year 11 at Grangefield School, came up with the idea to raise money for the Blue
PEOPLE living in Hartlepool's New Deal for Communities area are invited to a series of special meetings to find out more about projects and give their views on the progress made so far. Residents in the area are invited to a series of special Theme Workshops
A GRANT of £55,000 awarded to Stockton Borough Council, plus £19,000 of its own money, will be used to develop a conservation plan for Thornaby Old Town Hall and extension. The project planning grant was awarded this month from the Heritage Lottery Fund
VIEWS are sought about North Yorkshire's libraries. The North Yorkshire Library Service is committed to meeting community needs, but hopes to establish what they are by encouraging people to fill in a questionnaire. The survey will be conducted between
AN art collection donated to Scarborough by Tom Laugh-ton, brother of famous British actor Charles Laughton, goes on show today. To mark the centenary of Tom's birth, Scarborough Art Gallery will be exhibiting a varied collection of paintings given to
NORTH Yorkshire Police will welcome 51 new officers next week - the force's largest-ever intake. The officers will be sworn in on Tuesday at an attestation ceremony at County Hall, Northallerton, swelling the number of officers serving the county to 1,441
A NEW tourism initiative hopes to bring new life to North Yorkshire's churches and attract more visitors. For the first time, Yorkshire Tourist Board (YTB) will meet at a specially organised conference with North Yorkshire Church Tourism Initiative, in
WEDDING planning is made easy this weekend when The Northern Echo stages its Bride and Groom 2003 exhibition. What has become one of the region's leading wedding displays will be staged in the spectacular setting of the Bishop of Durham's home, Auckland
dancing, aqua aerobics and yoga are among events being held in Sunderland as part of International Women's Day. The More than a Woman event will be held in the Sandhill Centre, Grindon Lane, Sunderland, from 10am to 4pm, today. Michelle Smith, who has
A NATIONALLY renowned work of art will be unveiled in Northallerton later this month. The Madeira Millennium Tapestry goes on show at the town's Hambleton Forum a week on Monday. Two days later it will move to The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough
A playgroup that was facing closure has been saved. Tanfield Lea Playgroup and Toddlers, in the Old Junior School, Tanfield Lea, near Stanley, was facing a cash crisis and looked likely to shut down. But now the Lloyds TSB Foundation has stepped in with
EVERYTHING from beer tasting to knocking in nails using frozen fruit will be explored at the University of Sunderland as part of National Science Week. The events, which began yesterday, are aimed at showing that science and technology can be fun and
THREADMAKER Coats announced its strategy of disposing of well-known clothing names was paying off. The group said its decision to focus on thread rather than fashion retail was starting to work. Like-for-like sales of the product rose 11 per cent before
NO-NONSENSE public houses group JD Wetherspoon toasted a five per cent rise in operating profits but said the six- month period had been hit by considerable cost increases. The Watford-based company said sales had increased by 23 per cent to £350.6m with
COMPUTER gamers will soon be able to act out the controversial plot of cult movie Reservoir Dogs. Games publisher SCI Entertainment has acquired the interactive rights to the 1992 film which was directed by Quentin Tarantino. The movie, which tells the
FUNDRAISERS are gearing up for the highlight of their campaign with the help of a bright yellow car. Throughout this month, Marie Curie Cancer Care is holding its national Daffodil Campaign, supported by Yellow Pages, to raise money for the free home
Soldiers parted from their loved ones by the military build-up in the Gulf can send messages home thanks to a service launched by their radio station. Catterick's Garrison Radio has opened phone, text message and e-mail centres. Those serving in the Middle
UNION bosses fear plans unveiled by BT to create two call centres in India could lead to thousands of North-East job cuts. The telecoms company yesterday confirmed it was building two contact centres in Bangalore and New Delhi. They will initially handle
A MOTHER who fought years of depression ended her life when she walked in front of a train, an inquest heard. Yvonne Mary Reed was struck down by an empty passenger train at Northallerton station, North Yorkshire, in the early morning of Wednesday, September
BY the time I rounded the corner, history had been airbrushed and there was only a clean driving line through the sand to show for the unimaginable horror that had happened a few hours earlier. Although the deaths had occured a couple of hundred yards
DETECTIVES investigating the death of a North-East soldier said last night there was no evidence so far that a third party had been involved. Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Denholm, head of Surrey Police CID, told a briefing on the progress of the
ANYONE in the office want a trip to Dublin with the promise of lots of Guinness drinking thrown in? Aw go on, go on, go on. My hand shoots up immediately - I don't need much persuading. Flying from Newcastle Airport on the new Ryanair Newcastle to Dublin
A MAN who claims to have won the Mr Universe title more times than movie strongman Arnold Schwarzenegger is hoping to muscle in on another world title. Hartlepool father-of-two Eddie Ellwood is competing this weekend in the regional finals of a competition
TEENAGERS who got hooked on fishing through a nationally-acclaimed police scheme will join star demonstrators at an angling fair. The four, aged from 15 to 18, are all graduates of Durham Police's award-winning Get Hooked on Fishing project, set up in
Time marches on and we approach mid-March again. It's a time in the countryside for Mad March Hares who stand on their hind feet and have a boxing match. Eventually they quit and disappear in opposite directions, living to fight another day. Would that
A BRIDE celebrated her marriage with steak and chips and half a lager after the Gulf call-up wrecked her lavish wedding plans. Nichola Thomas, 38, had to settle for a more simple wedding after her paratrooper fianc was issued with his call-up papers.
CAN it really be nearly 12 months since Pop Idol loser Jessica Garlick suffered the indignity of not winning the Eurovision Song Contest? She somehow managed a smile and talked of "my great year" as she joined the guests for Song For Europe (BBC1, Sunday
A DISPLAY marketing firm's pre-tax profits rose 116 per cent thanks to a restructuring of its distribution team. Premier Direct, which sells discount books, arts and homeware products directly to staff in their workplace, said it had overcome a difficult
CRAIG BELLAMY has been defended by Bob Moncur, the last Newcastle United captain to lift a trophy, as the irascible striker faces another ban. Moncur refused to condemn Bellamy for his outburst at the officials following Wednesday's derby defeat by Middlesbrough
A NORTH-EAST woman was last night facing possible criminal charges over her role in the "evil trade" of buying and selling babies for adoption. Jay Carter, from Skelton, east Cleveland, was named by a High Court judge, who lifted a ban on her identification
Mick Tait knows exactly what to expect when his side take on promotion hopefuls Bournemouth this afternoon. After picking up the manager of the month award for February, Cherries boss Sean O'Driscoll has seen his third-placed side lose both their games
A GROUP campaigning for more women to be represented in regional politics opened its new headquarters yesterday. The North-East Constitutional Convention Women's Forum launched its offices at Hawthorne House, Forth Banks, in Newcastle, with the help of
A Sunderland University student who used cloned credit cards to buy goods appeared in court yesterday. Adebayo Abdul, 28, used the cards, which had been cloned from unsuspecting customers in America, and spent more than £40 on items such as cigarettes
A COUNCIL yesterday defended its stance over claims that it unfairly excluded a councillor from a key planning meeting concerning sand and gravel extraction. North Yorkshire County Council has come under fire in London's High Court for allegedly barring
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw last night threw down the gauntlet to the international community to uphold the will of the United Nations and enforce the disarmament of Iraq "on its own terms". In an impassioned speech to the UN Security Council, he announced
A DRIVER who died in a head-on crash which also killed an 86-year-old widow and her daughter had been smoking cannabis, an inquest heard. Forensic tests showed swimming instructor Steven Clark had the drug in his blood and urine following the accident
SUNDERLAND'S new youth supremo Kees Zwamborn warned last night that he would not be a Wearside miracle worker as he insisted: "I'm not a magician." Zwamborn, the former head of Ajax's famed academy, claims he would be doing a good job if one player graduated
A NORTH-EAST company has provided the Northern Ireland Office and the Police Service of Northern Ireland with an external confidential call line for staff to report wrongdoing in the workplace. The contract to provide the service has been won by Safecall
A BROTHER and sister, banned from keeping cattle and sheep after their conviction on 21 charges brought by the RSPCA two years ago, were found guilty of another six yesterday. Dorothy Margaret Tinkler, 57, and William Leonard Tinkler, 58, who share a
A CHEF who trained in the North-East was runner-up in a top cookery competition this week. David Carr, who went to Yarm School, near Stockton, and trained at Darlington College of Technology, reached the regional heat of the Roux scholarship contest in
DURING the past week I have been out digging holes in my local village green. I haven't been on a destructive trail of mindless vandalism, or fruitlessly searching for gold. I've been helping to plant a tree of memory, dedicated to a local inhabitant.
He may have a tough guy image, but Dennis Quaid had no qualms about playing gay on screen. But, as Steve Pratt reports, it wasn't always this way for the stars of the past. THIS was the kissing scene that Michael Caine was dreading. Usually, locking lips
STRICTLY speaking Saddam Hussein is in violation of Resolution 1441. As the latest Blix report confirmed yesterday, Iraq is not undertaking full and unconditional disarmament. Nevertheless the progress made by the weapons inspectors has been substantial
CAMPAIGNERS say devolution in the North-East will give women a greater say in decision-making. Recent research has shown women in the region continue to earn less than men and are more likely to work part-time in low paid and insecure jobs. The figures
YOU don't get to be named Preacher of the Year by The Times, as the Rev Paul Walker once was, without knowing how to grab a congregation by the coat collar of its consciousness. There can nonetheless have been no more dramatic nor more emotional pronouncements
THE brother of Girls Aloud star Cheryl Tweedy has vowed to change his ways for the sake of his sister's music career. Unemployed Andrew Tweedy, 22, has been exposed as a glue-sniffing thug, bringing trouble for his 19-year-old sister. Yesterday, he announ-ced
TRADERS and disabled drivers are urging county councillors to change a town centre's controversial parking restrictions. Traffic orders made by Durham County Council limit visits to Bishop Auckland's main shopping area, Newgate Street, to before 11.30am
Flower fans are expected to flock to a show staged by the Darlington and District Orchid Society. Top nurseries will be at the group's annual show, which is to be held at the White Horse Hotel, in North Road, this weekend. Paintings and greeting cards
COUNCIL tax payers in Teesdale have been promised better quality services in return for an above inflation rates rise. Teesdale District Council agreed the increase of six per cent - more than three per cent below the national and regional average. The
DOCTORS from around County Durham will have to cover for colleagues when they close their surgeries for half a day to take part in a training exercise. Dozens of GPs from the Sedgefield area will take part in a training exercise to brush up their skills
DEVELOPERS were yesterday given permission to build houses on the former Cleveland Bridge engineering site, in Darlington. The Three Rivers Housing Group submitted plans for land north of Parkside and to the east of the Darlington to Middlesbrough railway
WELL-BEHAVED children at a Darlington school are being rewarded for their efforts with a weekly treat. Pupils at Firthmoor Primary School who stay out of trouble get to sit at a golden table every Friday, where they are waited on by staff. "They sit at
POLICE have released an e-fit of a man who has posed as an official to steal from homes. The man, aged about 30, burgled a house in Whitby Way, on Darlington's Branksome estate, on Tuesday morning. He tricked an elderly resident by claiming to be from
DARLINGTON Borough Council has denied that a new housing development will affect a nearby workingmen's club. Alexander Developments has submitted a planning application to build nine dwellings at Haughton Green, close to Haughton Workingmen's club. Club
A CRACKDOWN on drug dealers in Darlington has led to three arrests. The suspects were arrested as operations against the sale of hard drugs in the town were stepped up. Officers say they are aware of the worst-affected areas and will be targeting those
A FORMER council house is being transformed into a community centre, thanks to a £20,000 grant. Derwentside District Council is leasing one of its bungalows in Acton Dene, East Stanley, to the Stanley Hall Community Partnership. The partnership is converting
A DEAF burglar who did not hear a teenage girl's scream as he raided her home was jailed yesterday. Frank Woods, 31, was not wise enough to know his limits, said Paul Cleasby, defending. The 13-year-old heard Woods hammering on the front door of her home
TAXI drivers are to be prosecuted following an undercover operation. Middlesbrough Council officials posing as passengers found four taxis from outside the area plying for hire, four private hire cars picking up passengers and one unlicensed driver. Licensing
PARENTS demonstrating against the decision to build a community college in Skelton have asked the local MP to take up their cause. The multi-million pound building will replace Freebrough College, which serves the Skelton, Brotton and Loftus areas and
HUNTSMEN have paid tribute to countryman Joe Tindall who has hung up his horn after 40 years' service with the Glaisdale Hounds. Fellow huntsmen and women, friends and family gathered at a dinner in Whitby last night in his honour following his retirement
THERE'S a script Hartlepool United seem to follow for Friday night home games. Both last night against Bury and last November against York, Pool had a frustrating time as they drew 0-0 against a team striving for the play-offs, had a half-time floodlight
FUNDRAISERS are enjoying the sweet smell of success after creating an aromatherapy suite for cancer sufferers. Patients visiting the Mowbray Suite at Northallerton's Friarage Hospital can benefit from a fragrant and calming aromatherapy service, helping
NURSERY rhymes and traditional verses helped bring poetry to life as primary school children celebrated World Book Day. On Thursday, pupils and staff at St Chad's RC School, in Witton Park, dressed as their favourite characters to entertain the other
QUALIFIED bus driver Tracy Capper will use a different kind of wheels next week in aid of Comic Relief. She and pal Michelle Strong plan to rollerblade from Catterick Garrison to Richmond. "I only took my PSV to prove women can do most things just as
Housing plans which spark-ed public protests in North Yorkshire look set to be given the go-ahead next week. Hambleton District Council's development control committee is being recommended to grant planning permission to build 19 houses and 24 flats on
A FISH and chip shop has landed a prime catch by winning a national quality award. The Golden Fry, in West Road, Annfield Plain, is one of only 500 UK fish and chip shops to be recognised with the Seafish Friers Quality Award. Owners Pam and Dave Nagra
A SCHEME to improve literacy skills among nursery children has been launched. The Talk Talk project is to run in four nurseries in the Hendon and East End areas of Sunderland. The project provides each child with an activity bag containing a book, toy
SURGERIES promoting pension and benefits take-up for the over-60s are being held in east Durham. Easington District Council is working with the Department for Work and Pensions to run surgeries for local residents. The next surgeries will be held from
A BOY of seven raised the alarm after spotting a wheelchair-bound man being robbed in the street. Police said the youngster sprang into action when he saw the robber grab Keith Moore's wheelchair and push it against a wall at the entrance to Eldon Square
THE haunting story of tragic icon Marilyn Monroe comes to the stage next week. Still Marilyn is a biographical drama about Monroe at the height of her career and charts her friendship with a young stills photographer, her marriages and private life. Written
A FOOTBALL legend's jubilee fund will be boosted by an ice show's ticket sales. Organisers of Holiday on Ice In Concert, being staged at Newcastle's Telewest Arena in April, will donate £1 for every opening night ticket sold to Newcastle United manager
IMAGINE, if you dare, the apocalyptic scenario of having your annual income slashed in half while at the same time seeing your expenditure fall by a miniscule amount. Oh, and one more thing: you're already deep in the red when your revenue is reduced
BAKERY chain Greggs is putting its faith in takeaway food rather than its traditional bread and rolls, the company said. The group, which now operates more than 1,200 branches across the country, said strong demand for pre-packed sandwiches and drinks
THE number of single parents in the North-East has risen dramatically. Research carried out at Durham University for the GMB union shows that about a quarter of all households with children in Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Sunderland have single parents
Millburngate House is one of the most controversial landmarks in Durham City. More commonly known as the National Savings Office, almost anyone in the city, with even the slightest interest in its architectural skyline has an opinion on this concrete
POLICE homed in on a pub last night in a bid to discover clues to the whereabouts of a missing student. Craig Hetherington, 22, from Guisborough, east Cleveland, was last seen almost two weeks ago near the Corner House pub, Middles- brough, in the early
