Just when you thought soaps had done it all, along comes five's Family Affairs claiming a first - introducing a happy family. You could hear the shock waves go round the room as series producer Alison Davis revealed the news. We're so used to soap families
MILLIONS of pounds of European money to boost job creation and economic development in the North-East could be lost because earlier cash handouts have not been spent, it was claimed last night. The region's Liberal Democrats blame "Government bureaucratic
While there's a long tradition of video game spin-offs from films, the traffic in the other direction has been less profitable. In the run-up to the new Lara Croft movie, Steve Pratt looks at the action heroine who rewrote the rules. This was the moment
MASSIMO MACCARONE will miss the first two months of Middlesbrough's Premiership campaign, writes PAUL FRASER. The Italian striker suffered ankle damage in the pre-season friendly win at Hull City and has been in his homeland for further tests. And Boro
RAILWAY staff have been given a tonic over the hot summer months. Train operator GNER has negotiated a deal with foot care specialists Scholl to receive substantial discounts on foot care and treatments. While on duty GNER staff walk many miles each week
WHILE all eyes were on teen heartthrob Justin Timberlake during his recent visit to Newcastle, a new security system was keeping potential troublemakers in the frame. Integrated Electronic Security, based in Darlington, devised the system, which has given
ABOUT 30 A-level computer studies students are still awaiting their exam results following a mix-up. The group, from Stockton Riverside College, sat their exams with the Edexcel exam board, which said it is waiting for results of coursework to be sent
THE world was holding its breath last night as a virus threatened to wreak havoc with hundreds of thousands of computers. An electronic "worm" was programmed to attack an estimated 300,000 computers worldwide without anti-virus or firewall software. It
A DATE has been set for a meeting between protestors and two authorities about a waste transfer station. Representatives from Teesdale District Council and Durham County Council will meet residents from Stainton Grove, near Barnard Castle, County Durham
There aren't many who have seen Darlington in action more times than 81-year-old Mabel Neil. Three months ago the final full-time whistle blew at Feethams, bringing to an end a 120-year era and for Mabel it marked the end of 57 years of watching Quakers
SIR BOBBY ROBSON has pleaded with the Leeds hate mob to lay off Lee Bowyer when Newcastle arrive for tomorrow's highly-charged Premiership opener. Bowyer endured a torrent of abuse at Elland Road in February on his first return to his former club with
THE funeral of a North-East teenager who drowned while on holiday in Scotland took place yesterday. Adam Shad, 15, had been on holiday with his mother Jeanette, brother Joseph, and stepfather Terry, when he drowned in a river near Loch Lomond. He was
A CONMAN will fight his conviction by claiming a juror fell for the barrister who led the prosecution. Darlington fraudster George Steen has learned the female foreman of the jury sent Richard Latham QC a bottle of champagne and a note asking: "What does
RACECOURSE staff are becoming concerned for the welfare of a stray dog which has been seen roaming around the track for the past few days. Staff at Sedgefield Racecourse have taken the black and white collie to their hearts and have named it Dwain, after
THE family of a man missing from home since Monday have made an emotional plea for his safe return. Concern is growing for the welfare of 55-year-old George Richardson, known to everyone as Ian. Mr Richardson lives with his wife, Jennifer, and children
NATIONAL Lottery funds will mean a North-East charity will be able to help more patients who are in constant pain. Members of Campain Durham, a group set up to fight for better services for pain sufferers, have received a £1,500 grant from the National
A YOUNG tae kwondo star landed a second award on the same day that his father received his first. Bradley Smith gained a second dan black belt in Doncaster last week, impressing five of the country's leading tae kwondo experts with his skills. Ten-year-old
BUSINESSES in County Durham are being warned not to be taken in by a data protection scam being run by companies out to make a fast profit. Durham County Council trading standards officers are urging firms to be wary of letters demanding £100 to comply
A PRISONER accused of taking part in a large-scale disturbance when prison officers were pelted with pool balls was cleared yesterday. Dean Temple, 23, from Hartlepool, was found not guilty of violent disorder on the direction of Judge David Bryant. Sixty
DURHAM Cathedral is getting a summer clean-up, thanks to the help of a small army of volunteers. People from across the UK and abroad arrived in Durham to help with maintenance work on the city's World Heritage Site. They are given a variety of tasks
A TRAIN company dogged by driver shortages and cancelled services is promising to improve communications with its customers when things go wrong. The launch of the initiative by Arriva Trains Northern was welcomed by a passenger pressure group last night
WITH no houses and just one door to its name it is one of the smallest streets in the world. Minden Street is so short it does not even have a postcode and thousands of passers-by miss it every day. It measures 43ft and takes between 20 and 25 steps to
An overturned trailer caused traffic problems at rush hour yesterday. The trailer had overturned, blocking the sliproad to the A66 at Stockton West, in Teesside, at about 5pm, spilling grain over the road. Lengthy tailbacks built up as traffic queued
A PARTNERSHIP with a car dealer has ensured beat bobbies in part of the region can get around. Peter Marwoods has supplied two cars and a van for community officers patrolling villages in Richmondshire. PC Sam Grainger and PC Paul Lax are already working
RESIDENTS of a town are being encouraged to help piece together the history of their community. Material is needed for an exhibition telling the story of Stokesley, North Yorkshire. Members of Stokesley Local History Study Group are seeking maps, photographs
PUBMASTER is mounting an assault on the pubs, bars and bier kellers of continental Europe, The Northern Echo can reveal. The chain is scouting Spain, France and Germany for potential acquisitions to add to its 3,200 pubs. The Hartlepool firm is locked
SEA DRAGONS which once ruled the North-East's prehistoric coast will be brought dramatically back to life at an event today. Dinosaur expert Will Watts will be at the Durham Light Infantry Museum and Durham Art Gallery, Aykley Heads, Durham, to talk about
The Reynolds Arena welcomes Third Division football for the first time this afternoon - and manager Mick Tait is determined not to let another slip up spoil one of the biggest days in the club's history. Last week's 4-1 opening-day drubbing at title favourites
LIFELONG steam enthusiast John Henderson was buried yesterday - and travelled to his funeral in fitting style. Followed by mourners and preceded by a walker, he journeyed to the church by the transport he had always preferred. Instead of a hearse he was
"DARLINGTON cannot afford to miss out on a multi-million pound investment which will become a real asset to the town." That is what The Northern Echo said three years ago at the height of the planning debate over Darlington Football Club's new stadium
TWO men were being hunted by police yesterday after a vicious early-morning knife attack. A 24-year-old man was waiting for a taxi in Blossom Street, York, when he was attacked at about 2am yesterday. Police said two men had been throwing bottle and other
A NEW reality TV series will follow a group of North-East lads as they go clubbing around the country. Tyne Tees Television is looking for five friends it can take partying in Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool. They will sample the nightlife and see how
Brancepeth's Matthew Moor is hoping to catch the eye of the Durham selectors tomorrow at Woodburn against Hartlepool in the semi-finals of the Clark Cup. Moor, 24, is desperate to add to his one Durham cap so far and believes a strong performance could
POLICE were last night hunting a man who tried to entice two young girls into his car. The seven-year-olds were in Tivoli Place, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, at 6pm on Thursday when they were approached by a man in a blue sports car. He told them he
LEADING watercooler manufacturer Ebac has expanded its international operations with the opening of a showroom at its office in Amman, Jordan. The outlet will house the full range of Ebac's products and will service the entire region, which includes the
MIDDLESBROUGH target Sean Davis was last night urged to further his England chances by opting for a move to the Riverside instead of Goodison Park. Davis, who will be missing from the Fulham squad to face Boro this afternoon in the Premiership opener
QUAKERS GOOD LUCK to Darlington FC today against Kidderminster Harriers. Even with a limited capacity for the grand opening of our new stadium, I am sure that the home fans will raise the roof in vocal support of Neil Maddison and the boys. If we continue
CAR manufacturer Nissan is to inject £50m into its workers' pension fund to make up for a shortfall. The company announced in June it was closing its final salary scheme to newcomers and was searching for a way to plug a £121m deficit. Options included
AS it drains into a bag, blood is a rich, angry colour. It'd be wrong to say it was red because it is far more of a bruised purple, rather like a ripe plum that's been squashed on the road and is attracting all the flies and wasps from miles around to
ANIMAL welfare officers have been sickened by a "malicious act of cruelty" against a rabbit. The animal was found bleeding in the road at noon on Thursday after having half of its ears sliced off. A member of the public discovered the male rabbit in Bewick
ALAN SHEARER has given himself two years to realise his dream of winning the title with Newcastle - but believes this could be the season. Skipper Shearer, who fired Blackburn to the Premiership crown under former Magpies boss Kenny Dalglish in 1995,
A DAY centre will stay closed for a further three weeks following flooding in Sunday's storm. The Warren Road Day Opportunities Centre, Hartlepool, for people with learning disabilities, organises activities for about 220 people aged 19 and over. The
A CITY'S mayor has reacted with fury over plans to impose a big rise in fees to use its town hall. Mayor of Ripon David Parnaby, a member of Ripon City Council, said under the new management scheme, the authority, which only has parish council status,
As the 60th anniversary of D-Day draws near, hundreds of veterans will once again take the beachers of Normandy by storm. Gavin Engelbrecht sets the scene. THERE'S nothing quite like the testimony of real people to bring history alive - especially for
A FOOTBALL team is hoping to raise money for a children's charity with a 24-hour rowing machine relay. Fighting Cocks Football Club, from Middleton St George, near Darlington, are holding the event in aid of the TFM/Magic Radio Make a Child Smile campaign
AN ARMY cadet leader and two friends yesterday set off to walk the full length of Hadrian's Wall to raise money for the group. Attachment Commander Harry Hogg, of Willington, left Carlisle yesterday and expects to reach Wallsend by Sunday and raise £300
A VILLAGE pub launched a charity fundraising weekend last night in aid of a cause close to the landlord's and landlady's hearts. Sue and David Baldwin, owners of The Queens Head, in Cockfield, Teesdale, have organised a packed weekend of events to raise
A DARLINGTON student has been awarded a first class honours degree from Lancaster University. Meenakshi Chaudhary, of Ropner Gardens, Middleton St George, graduated with a BSc honours degree in operations management at a ceremony with the university's
DOG-walkers are urgently needed in the region to help the ill and elderly stay with their pets for as long as possible. Charity The Cinnamon Trust has a severe shortage of volunteers in the North-East and needs animal lovers to help out. The Trust is
A SURFER was saved from the sea yesterday - but a would-be rescuer nearly drowned. Lifeguard Paul Crook, 19, from Redcar, swam into choppy seas at Saltburn to save 24-year-old Donna Ford who was being swept out by a strong current while surfing with a
A SECOND World War plane will grace a ceremony to remember the victims of the Japanese Imperial Army. A parade marking the 58th anniversary of VJ - Victory over Japan - Day will be held tomorrow and will feature a fly-past of a Douglas Dakota. The US-built
DETECTIVES were last night trying to make contact in Lithuania with the family of a 27-year-old woman who was found hanged in front of city centre offices. A police spokesman said the woman was found at the back of the Ridley Place building, in Newcastle
A North-East museum is offering free admission to families. The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, County Durham, will be offering free access on Saturday, August 30. Families can view treasures and art exhibitions, and there will also be activities for
POLICE said they have new leads in their hunt for the killers of a father-of-two following an intensive search. Cleveland Police set up roadblocks around a sprawling grid of back streets in Middlesbrough, spoke to 700 people and stopped 180 vehicles.
A terrified shop worker was threatened with a knife by robbers yesterday afternoon. The two men waited until the youth had opened his till at Bell's store, on the Red Hall estate, in Darlington, before holding up a knife and stealing a quantity of bank
A LEADING North-East poet is preparing to tell the story of the life and times of a legendary County Durham figure. Using poetry and narrative, Keith Armstrong is to give a presentation of the story of the Polish born Count Joseph Boruwlaski who spent
I HAVE got to talk about it because it really was the event of the week. I am talking about the incredible storm last Sunday morning that literally rolled in out of the blue. It was one of those moments in time where everyone remembers what they were
THE only North-East heat of the National Motor Championship Autotest will be held tomorrow. The Hartlepool Motor Club meeting has attracted 27 drivers from around Britain and more are expected to enter before tomorrow. The autotest sets a course that
MORE than 100 people queued last night to help leukaemia sufferer Lindsey Wood and others like her. The 19-year-old, from Ingleby Barwick, near Middlesbrough, needs a bone marrow transplant to help her overcome the life-threatening cancer. She is urging
A COUNTY'S Football Association is to have new headquarters built. A three-storey building will be built on a site currently used for access and car-parking at the Riverside Pavilion, at Chester-le-Street, overlooking the main football pitch at the complex
IT is nearly four months since President Bush declared that major hostilities in Iraq were over, following the demise of Saddam Hussein's regime. But the dangers continue for the British servicemen striving to help rebuild the war-torn country, with seven
RESIDENTS have been praised for their rapid response to a fire at a school which could have destroyed the building. Firefighters from Stockton were called to the Glebe Primary School, Pulford Road, Stockton, at about 8.30pm on Thursday after receiving
A NEW chapter in the North-East's rich sporting history will begin this afternoon when thousands of fans witness the first match at Darlington Football Club's new stadium. Final preparations were being made at the multi-million pound Reynolds Arena last
