I AM just so relieved that Posh and Becks have patched up their rumoured 'differences', not because I care about their emotional wellbeing, but because I am reeling from a nasty bout of Posh over-exposure. It is worse than suffering sunstroke, walking
EAGLESCLIFFE golf club must be the worst kept secret in the region. Recently dubbed a 'hidden gem of English golf' this pretty parklands course, situated just three miles from Stockton and one mile from Yarm, has bucked national trends by being one of
HORDEN, who nine years ago were seven divisions below West Hartlepool, won the first league derby between the clubs 12-6 on Saturday. A crowd of around 300 turned up at Welfare Park to watch a North Two East match played in a good spirit with no yellow
A LEADING North-East art gallery will celebrate its centenary next year with a £430,000 makeover. The work at Newcastle's Laing Art Gallery will see the creation of a watercolour gallery to feature the Laing's internationally important collections. A
TWO ships from the "ghost fleet" will leave US waters tomorrow and head for the North-East amid fierce protests by environmentalists. On Saturday, the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency gave permission for the vessels to enter British waters. Two more
ISRAEL has spent the weekend asking herself "where did the latest suicide bomber come from?" and "where did she learn her techniques?" Once Israel found the answers, she took revenge, flattening what she believed to be Hanadi Jaradat's house in Jenin
COUNCIL TAX: THE Local Government Act 2003 gives Whitehall new powers to change the banding of council tax, and levy extra charges on higher valued homes across England. As a result, council tax bills could soar to new levels. Across the country, council
Hitler: The Rise Of Evil (C4): Eroica (BBC2): "HE'S so sensitive, I don't know how he will survive without me," said the dying mother. She needn't have worried as her son went on to make a name for himself and win a place in the history books. This was
With the Conservative Party Conference starting today, Chris Lloyd talks to William Haig about not being leader and where the current leader should take the party. "THIS is a marvellous feeling," says William Hague as he leans back contentedly in his
If Trevor Kettle plays his red and yellow cards right he may well be changing Mansfield for Manchester United in the near future. That's according to Darlington manager Mick Tait, who will be the first to admit his judgement isn't the greatest when it
POSSIBLY the richest person ever to set foot on Teesside touched down at the airport yesterday. He stayed less than six hours, and left three points the richer as his football team, Chelsea, beat Middlesbrough 2-1. Oil entrepreneur Roman Abramovich (right
A SMALL, former mining community in the North-East could play host to the most powerful man in the world next month, if rumours growing yesterday are to be believed. It is known that US President George W Bush is to visit Prime Minister Tony Blair for
A SHOP worker spent a week drinking in a hotel room and worrying what to do with the £45,000 he had stolen from a North-East store as the net closed in on him. Police launched a hunt for Gary Crawford, 32, last week after he disappeared from his job at
STEVE McCLAREN last night labelled Middlesbrough's agonising 2-1 defeat by Chelsea as "a travesty of justice''. Boro gave themselves a fighting chance of a famous victory after falling behind early in the game. Yet, in the end, McClaren's men didn't even
An England yob whose brother was murdered by a Turkish soccer thug today admitted taking part in the shameful scenes that marred the last meeting between the two countries. Andrew Loftus, 32, was distraught when his brother Christopher, 35, was stabbed
HERNAN CRESPO inflicted an ultimately cruel defeat on Middlesbrough and repaid an instalment on his £16.8m fee as Chelsea narrowed the gap on Premiership leaders Arsenal to a point with a game in hand. The Riverside was treated to a hugely-entertaining
THE Royal Military Police were no match for the Television All Stars in a charity football match at the Reynolds Arena in Darlington, yesterday. The All Stars, featuring cast members from Coronation Street, Holby City, Hollyoaks, Brookside and Byker Grove
POLICE are urging horse owners to keep their animals out of Bishop Auckland town centre during peak traffic times to avoid road accidents. Officers from the town's police station were called to the town centre on Tuesday afternoon, following complaints
A NEWTON Aycliffe out-of-school club is to run weekly "messy play" sessions. Smile, the Greenfield Out-of-School Club, will hold its first session on Friday, from noon to 2pm. Taking place within the registered childcare facility, the sessions will be
THE family of a patient who spent three months receiving treatment at Darlington Memorial Hospital have presented staff with a framed picture as a mark of their gratitude for his care. The picture of a harbour scene was given to staff on ward 11, in memory
THE family of a patient who spent three months receiving treatment at Darlington Memorial Hospital have presented staff with a framed picture as a mark of their gratitude for his care. The picture of a harbour scene was given to staff on ward 11, in memory
AMATEUR authors are being invited to dust off their dictionaries for a creative writing workshop next week. Tutor David Stephenson said: "The workshops will be practical and are aimed at beginners. You don't need any previous experience. We will be exploring
AMATEUR authors are being invited to dust off their dictionaries for a creative writing workshop next week. Tutor David Stephenson said: "The workshops will be practical and are aimed at beginners. You don't need any previous experience. We will be exploring
LIBRARIES will echo to the sound of music during a series of concerts next week. Hassan Erraji and Arabesque, who blend North African music with modern western rhythms, will be performing at four County Durham libraries. Mr Erraji, from Morocco, is a
LIBRARIES will echo to the sound of music during a series of concerts next week. Hassan Erraji and Arabesque, who blend North African music with modern western rhythms, will be performing at four County Durham libraries. Mr Erraji, from Morocco, is a
A COMMUNITY garden has been dedicated to a man who was known locally as the "village grandfather". Newfield Community Association paid tribute to the life of William Willis by installing a monument in the centre of a recently developed garden in his honour
A COMMUNITY garden has been dedicated to a man who was known locally as the "village grandfather". Newfield Community Association paid tribute to the life of William Willis by installing a monument in the centre of a recently developed garden in his honour
HUNDREDS of primary school pupils in Darlington will walk to school today wearing bright yellow safety jackets. It marks the start of National Walk to School Week and to mark the event Darlington Borough Council has provided 9,000 reflective jackets to
HUNDREDS of primary school pupils in Darlington will walk to school today wearing bright yellow safety jackets. It marks the start of National Walk to School Week and to mark the event Darlington Borough Council has provided 9,000 reflective jackets to
A GROUP of residents who are opposed to having their homes demolished have formed an action plan to block the plans. The Home Owners Association has been formed to stop 578 owner-occupied homes on the Mandale Estate in Thornaby being knocked down. With
ONE of the country's best known amateur football clubs is a step closer to getting a new ground, almost a decade after drawing up plans for the scheme. Bishop Auckland Football Club wants to move from its former Kingsway ground to a new stadium in Tindale
A CELEBRITY cook prepared a mouth-watering feast for guests while they discussed ways to put Yorkshire Dales traditional beef on the nation's best menus. Using only local produce, writer and broadcaster Sophie Grigson filled the stomachs of farmers, producers
A SCHEME to find out what bored teenagers want to keep them out of trouble has been hailed a success. Durham County Council last year launched an attack on what it called the "carrier bag culture'' of youngsters drinking and taking drugs on village street
BOSSES at the Yorkshire Air Museum are still waiting anxiously to find out if they have been successful in their bid to land Concorde. The museum, at Elvington, near York, was one of only 12 sites across the world shortlisted a few months ago as a possible
YOUNG drivers are being urged to "stay beautiful" and avoid being scarred for life in a hard-hitting road safety campaign launched across North Yorkshire today. The message will be promoted on the back of buses and on radio to encourage less experienced
RAMBLERS, councillors and Forest Enterprise have opposed plans put forward by a motorsport company which operates four-by-four vehicles in a North Yorkshire forest. Moorland Adventure Sport (MAS), of Bickley Rigg Farm, Langdale End, near Scarborough,
A man was arrested by police in the early hours of Saturday after travelling 35 miles the wrong way down a motorway. The man, in his thirties, from Sunderland, was caught by police in the Darlington area after travelling south on the northbound carriageway
AN organisation for young people has been awarded £100,000 of National Lottery cash. Cleveland Youth Association received the money in the latest round of awards announced by the Community Fund. It will be put towards its justice support project, which
Students who attended Winifred Hodge's art classes in Leyburn are presenting an exhibition. Painting for Pleasure will be at the town's Tennants Auction Rooms from October 18 until November 1. Admission is free, but any donations and a percentage of the
THE library and information centre at Thirsk has been presented with a copy of a new biography of the late Joan Maynard. Miss Maynard was a prominent left-wing politician, and MP for Sheffield Brightside, who lived at Sowerby until she died a few years
DURHAM'S Gala Theatre was the place to be for lovers of fine wine and beer at the weekend. The £14m venue staged its second Oktoberfest at which visitors could sample more than 40 different beers, wines from around the world and a new fruit juice called
ARMED raiders used a car magazine ruse in an attempt to rob a North-East father and son of thousands of pounds. Laurie Masterson, 53, and his 22-year-old son Andrew, both from Hartlepool, answered an advert for a car at a knockdown price for a cash- only
DRUGS worth almost £300,000 were seized from two properties in the North-East over the weekend. Fifty kgs of cannabis resin, 15,000 Ecstasy tablets and one and a half kgs of amphetamines were recovered in one of the most successful raids ever on Teesside
A FORMER England international footballer who emigrated to Australia has returned to the North-East to tell the story of his life. Now in his late seventies, Stan Rickaby grew up on Teesside and played for Middlesbrough before moving to West Bromwich
THE Mayor of Middlesbrough Ray Mallon has threatened to stop rubbish being cleared away from a street unless residents keep it tidy. Mr Mallon said that Middlesbrough Council would clear up piles of rubbish at Kensington Road - but it would be the last
I AM just so relieved that Posh and Becks have patched up their rumoured 'differences', not because I care about their emotional wellbeing, but because I am reeling from a nasty bout of Posh over-exposure. It is worse than suffering sunstroke, walking
SUNDERLAND City Council has joined a campaign against age discrimination. The council has signed the Age Concern Business Pledge to value its older employees and recognise the positive contribution they can make. About 14,000 people work for the authority
The region's rich multi-racial background is being celebrated with a series of events during National Black History month. For the first time ever the region is joining the rest of the UK by paying tribute to its black history throughout October. Schools
IT seems incomprehensible, given the financial straitjacket that Mick McCarthy has worn since arriving at the Stadium of Light, but First Division managers are jealous of the Sunderland manager's resources. That's right: McCarthy has lost £14m of Premiership
NEALE Cooper admits he would have had no complaints even if his side had made a pointless journey back to the North-East on Saturday night. A single Mark Tinkler goal gave Pool the advantage until two goals in quick succession put the visitors behind.
Darlington will be appealing against David McGurk's sending off at the weekend, manager Mick Tait has insisted. McGurk was one of seven Quakers players to be cautioned by referee Trevor Kettle, who controversially dismissed the Teessider after a second
WITHIN days of the Black & Decker announcement, The Northern Echo launched its Working For A Future campaign to bring hope to shattered communities. The decision by the company to lay off the Spennymoor workers followed a long list of closures and
A 200-YEAR-OLD banknote, issued at a time when towns still printed their own money, failed to live up to its expected sale price at auction. Expectation was high that the one guinea note, made in Darlington, would fetch up to £150 when it went under the
QUALITY of life in the North-East could be improved if the Government accepts recommendations set out in a new report. The North-East Assembly has looked at tourism, skills and training, small business survival and business sites and premises, in a bid
BRITAIN'S second largest pub group is in secret talks aimed at a £1.2bn takeover of the Pubmaster chain from Hartlepool. Punch Taverns has identified the 3,200-strong pub company as a strong acquisition target in an industry that is consolidating at a
A MOTHER and daughter have worked together to create a children's book that brings the story of Noah's Ark into the 21st Century. The Voyage of The Ark was written by Shirley Hetherington, of Great Ayton, near Middlesbrough, and illustrated by her artist
IT is only a matter of time before an employer in the region is sued over passive smoking at work. That is the warning employers will receive at a major conference later this month. The Newcastle event - organised by the Department of Health - will focus
HUNDREDS of people were tested to become bone marrow donors in support of a North-East woman who is suffering from leukaemia. Nearly 350 people gave blood samples to nurses at the Middleton Grange Shopping Centre, in Hartlepool, to support Kim Goodrich
Following her capture by the Taliban, when friends and family feared for her life, former Northern Echo reporter Yvonne Ridley has converted to Islam and is making a new life for herself in the Middle East, she tells BBC correspondent Jayne Margetts.
A SHOP worker spent a week drinking in a hotel room and worrying what to do with the £45,000 he had stolen from a North-East store as the net closed in on him. Police launched a hunt for Gary Crawford, 32, last week after he disappeared from his job at
A SMALL, former mining community in the North-East could play host to the most powerful man in the world next month, if rumours growing yesterday are to be believed. It is known that US President George W Bush is to visit Prime Minister Tony Blair for
AS cheers echoed through the BBC1 studios for the winner of Fame Academy 2003, an uncomfortable silence fell over the small North Yorkshire village of Castleton, near Whitby. Disappointment, and in some cases utter disbelief, filled the faces of the scores
ROCK star Sting has admitted he hated growing up in the North-East and spent his youth "plotting to escape". The singer, above, born in Wallsend, North Tyneside, said he loathed the town and did not get on well with his family. He told US TV channel CBS
HORDEN, who nine years ago were seven divisions below West Hartlepool, won the first league derby between the clubs 12-6 on Saturday. A crowd of around 300 turned up at Welfare Park to watch a North Two East match played in a good spirit with no yellow
THE crisis in the Middle East worsened yesterday as Israel launched its first attack inside Syria for more than 20 years. Last night, the UN Security Council met in an emergency session, with Syria calling for condemnation of the attack. Israel launched
Hitler: The Rise Of Evil (C4): Eroica (BBC2): "HE'S so sensitive, I don't know how he will survive without me," said the dying mother. She needn't have worried as her son went on to make a name for himself and win a place in the history books. This was
Read more about Newcastle United FC here. AS chants of 'there's only one Bobby Robson' reverberated around St. James' Park, there was a sense Newcastle United were finally going to lift the doom and gloom surrounding the club. And with one typical predatory
HERNAN CRESPO inflicted an ultimately cruel defeat on Middlesbrough and repaid an instalment on his £16.8m fee as Chelsea narrowed the gap on Premiership leaders Arsenal to a point with a game in hand. The Riverside was treated to a hugely-entertaining
SOLDIERS returned to the scene of one of their regiment's most famous engagements - and almost ended up fighting it again. Members of the Green Howards had travelled to the Ukraine to visit the 19th Century battlefields of the Crimean War. But they ended
A YEAR ago, a community was rocked when almost 1,000 workers were told that their jobs were being axed. Power tool giants Black & Decker announced it was to cut 950 jobs from its plant at Spennymoor, County Durham, to transfer assembly and packaging
SO, Sven-Goran Eriksson's a lucky manager, is he? That criticism, often aimed at the England coach by his enemies, would be laughed at today if it weren't so painfully untrue. As Eriksson approaches the defining moment of his England reign, he could scarcely
DETECTIVES are looking at a possible link between the unsolved murder of North-East student Sara Cameron and a man accused of killing two Spanish teenagers. Finnish-born Sara, 23, who was studying European Sports Management at Northumbria University,
IT was a freezing morning on Sunday, February 11, 1940, when the RAF Hudson plane carrying four young airmen came down. Three of the Hudson's crew were killed instantly as the plane hit the hillside close to Great Ayton, near Middlesbrough, at 4.15am.
IT'S a shame Peter Mandelson wasn't at the Fitness First stadium on Saturday; Hartlepool's Member of Parliament could have learned a thing or two about the art of spin. Labour's annual conference ended in Bournemouth 48 hours before Pool's game on the
MORE than 200 soldiers marched through a city's streets this weekend with drums beating, flags flying and bayonets fixed. Troops from 2 Signal Regiment, the 1st Battalion the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment and the Prince of Wales's Own Company of the
ABOUT 1,000 parents and swimmers from all over the country attended Darlington Amateur Swimming Club's 20th Annual Open Meet at the Dolphin Centre this weekend. There were about 60 events throughout the two-day competition. Full results will be published
IT was a freezing morning on Sunday, February 11, 1940, when the RAF Hudson plane carrying four young airmen came down. Three of the Hudson's crew were killed instantly as the plane hit the hillside close to Great Ayton, near Middlesbrough, at 4.15am.
THE brother of a Leeds United fan stabbed to death in Istanbul yesterday admitted "lashing out" at a camerman ahead of a Euro 2004 qualifier between England and Turkey earlier this year. Today's case, before Sunderland Magistrates, comes days before another
ALMOST 500 pairs of spectacles are to be distributed to the poor and needy in India thanks to the kindness and support of people in Darlington. The spectacles will be delivered to a health centre at the Arun Vihar Community Centre, near the Indian capital
POLICE are urging horse owners to keep their animals out of Bishop Auckland town centre during peak traffic times to avoid road accidents. Officers from the town's police station were called to the town centre on Tuesday afternoon, following complaints
A NEWTON Aycliffe out-of-school club is to run weekly "messy play" sessions. Smile, the Greenfield Out-of-School Club, will hold its first session on Friday, from noon to 2pm. Taking place within the registered childcare facility, the sessions will be
A collection of work by Darlington artist Maaike Draper-Albers will be on display at the Bishop Auckland Discovery Centre, in the town's Market Place, from Thursday until Saturday, October 25. The centre is open from Thursday to Saturday, between 11am
A collection of work by Darlington artist Maaike Draper-Albers will be on display at the Bishop Auckland Discovery Centre, in the town's Market Place, from Thursday until Saturday, October 25. The centre is open from Thursday to Saturday, between 11am
PUB regulars have raised £1,742 to boost the efforts of a doctor seeking to improve the lives of young people with diabetes. The Ash Tree, in Carr Lane, Spennymoor, hosted an auction and raffle to support paediatric consultant Dr Bill Lamb, who is raising
WORK will start today on a £3.9m scheme to restore Darlington's South Park. The first phase of the work will see a £500,000 project get under way to renew the gateways and railings around the park. The sections of railings and gates that can be restored
MORE than 30 schools in Newcastle are taking part in Walk to School Week, which begins today. The national event has been organised to highlight the benefits of walking to children's health and to the school environment, as well as safety issues relating
SUNDERLAND City Council has joined a campaign against age discrimination. The council has signed the Age Concern Business Pledge to value its older employees and recognise the positive contribution they can make. About 14,000 people work for the authority
CONSTRUCTION firm bosses volunteered to be pelted with sponges at the company's open day. The Esh Group of Companies celebrated the opening of the firm's headquarters, at Bowburn, by showing workers' families round the site. As well as a guided tour,
A bus service linking Derwentside villages and towns has proved so successful it is being extended. The South Derwentside Link 767 was launched in March as a six-month pilot to meet public demand. So many people have used the service, which runs between
A CAMPAIGN launched today will inform people about the vision for Cleveland Police under new Chief Constable Sean Price. Newspaper and radio adverts and posters on buses will promote the theme "putting people first". Cleveland Police Authority chairman
DRIVERS in Middlesbrough have been warned about delays during essential gas mains work this week. Pipeline company Transco will carry out the work on the junction of Roman Road, Green Lane and Emerson Avenue from 9am today. Their presence will mean the
A MAN who set up a business in memory of a child with Downs Syndrome, whom he and his wife were about to adopt, has been honoured by the Queen. Barrie and Sue Evason, of Marton-cum-Grafton, near Boroughbridge, lost Jenny Ruth when she was ten months old
A TRADITION which dates back to the 12th Century was celebrated at the weekend. Houghton-le-Spring's annual feast dates from the medieval years when the poor and hungry were given food by the town's Rector, Bernard Gilpin, who earned the title The Apostle
AWARD-winning butcher Harry Coates is celebrating more competition success with his sausages and ready meals. Mr Coates, who has shops at Framwellgate Moor, Durham, Coxhoe, and Trimdon, won five gold and two silver in the West Midlands Awards for Excellence
THOUSANDS of children are broadening their horizons with the help of international artists. More than 60 schools across County Durham and Sunderland are taking part in dance, drama, art and music workshops throughout the autumn term, as part of the Small
HUNDREDS of pounds of damage has been caused during a string of car crimes across the Ryedale district. North Yorkshire Police confirmed that there had been a spate of car crimes, with thieves targeting vehicles in several areas over recent days and snatching
A LEADING North-East art gallery will celebrate its centenary next year with a £430,000 makeover. The work at Newcastle's Laing Art Gallery will see the creation of a watercolour gallery to feature the Laing's internationally important collections. A
Malton trainer Richard Fahey doesn't send many horses to Windsor so the hint should be taken with Neckar Valley, who is weighted to give a good account in the Wycombe Wanderers Classified Stakes over an extended mile and three furlongs. The four-year-old
Two cars were destroyed by a fire in a garage in North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, on Saturday. Fire crews were called just after 7pm to South Bank Road. They used breathing apparatus and two hose reel jets to put out the flames. The garage was damaged by
AS chants of 'there's only one Bobby Robson' reverberated around St. James' Park, there was a sense Newcastle United were finally going to lift the doom and gloom surrounding the club. And with one typical predatory strike from goal-machine Alan Shearer
A THEATRE will welcome back a familiar face this Christmas when a former staff member joins the cast of its pantomime. Steve Luck, who was publicity officer for Darlington Civic Theatre in the late 1980s and early 1990s, will play Dame Gertie Gemmel in
SUNDERLAND City Council has joined a campaign against age discrimination. The council has signed the Age Concern Business Pledge to value its older employees and recognise the positive contribution they can make. About 14,000 people work for the authority
JULIO ARCA last night slammed referee Paul Danson and accused the controversial official of being intimidated into him sending off at Bramall Lane. Arca will be suspended for the game with Walsall on October 18 after he was dismissed for two bookable
BAD weather scuppered hopes that the giant oil production vessel Bonga could sail from the North-East over the weekend. The vessel, the biggest to sail up the River Tyne, could have set off on its journey to Nigeria over the weekend because the tides
IT seems incomprehensible, given the financial straitjacket that Mick McCarthy has worn since arriving at the Stadium of Light, but First Division managers are jealous of the Sunderland manager's resources. That's right: McCarthy has lost £14m of Premiership
If Trevor Kettle plays his red and yellow cards right he may well be changing Mansfield for Manchester United in the near future. That's according to Darlington manager Mick Tait, who will be the first to admit his judgement isn't the greatest when it
DETECTIVES are looking at a possible link between the unsolved murder of North-East student Sara Cameron and a man accused of killing two Spanish teenagers. Finnish-born Sara, 23, who was studying European Sports Management at Northumbria University,
LEE BOWYER has been told by manager Sir Bobby Robson to get tough in a bid to kick-start his Newcastle United career. Bowyer enjoyed his best display in a Newcastle shirt in the 1-0 win over Southampton on Saturday. When the 26-year-old signed on at St
IT'S a shame Peter Mandelson wasn't at the Fitness First stadium on Saturday; Hartlepool's Member of Parliament could have learned a thing or two about the art of spin. Labour's annual conference ended in Bournemouth 48 hours before Pool's game on the
A MOTHER whose son drowned is urging people to put pressure on a local authority to reinstate lifeguards on a dangerous stretch of beach. June Wharam lost her eight-year-old son Jordan Moon at Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool, when he was swept out to sea
EAGLESCLIFFE golf club must be the worst kept secret in the region. Recently dubbed a 'hidden gem of English golf' this pretty parklands course, situated just three miles from Stockton and one mile from Yarm, has bucked national trends by being one of
TWO ships from the "ghost fleet" will leave US waters tomorrow and head for the North-East amid fierce protests by environmentalists. On Saturday, the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency gave permission for the vessels to enter British waters. Two more
