A 48-YEAR-OLD man charged over an incident in which a 69-year-old man was stabbed in the face with a screwdriver was back in court at the weekend. Keith John Davis is facing four more charges of aggravated burglary, taking a vehicle without consent and
NEWCASTLE Falcons pair Richard Arnold and Martin Shaw had an unhappy debut for Darlington Mowden Park in a 24-20 defeat at Fylde. Shaw, who had been suffering from sickness, lasted only 15 minutes before retiring, and the reshuffle which took Iain Dixon
FOOTBALL PARKING: B FOSTER (HAS, Oct 8) complains about having to pay £5 to park at the Reynolds Arena. The solution is for him to write to the club and ask why there is no free bus service and a park-and-ride scheme. This would cost Mr Foster nothing
Court proceedings against a former magistrate accused of assaulting a girlfriend came to a halt today, with the jury being discharged. But Paul Geldart, 44, will have to come back for a re-trial, probably later in the year, before Judge Maurice Carr.
PEOPLE living in the North-East are most likely to take a holiday break close to home, according to research revealed yesterday. More than one in ten Britons has never been on holiday outside the UK, while nearly a quarter have never left Europe. About
DARLINGTON'S young guns are certainly learning life the hard way. There is no doubting Mick Tait's current crop of young stars have bright futures ahead of them. But it is the results now and not later that matter most to the Quakers boss, whose inexperienced
Henry VIII (ITV1) Silent Witness (BBC1) "The time has come to cast your votes," said the man in charge and, for one brief moment, I thought we were back watching Pop Idol. But no, this was yet another drama about Henry VIII and, after the votes had been
REALISTIC Marcus Stewart has warned Sunderland supporters that promotion is not a formality despite a massive turnaround in fortunes on Wearside. After losing their opening two Division One matches - to Nottingham Forest and Millwall - the Black Cats
There's no doubt about the authorship of Kill Bill. As the credits tell us: THE 4th FILM BY QUENTIN TARANTINO. That information leaves audiences in little doubt that the movie will be violent, both physically and verbally, with a cast featuring several
AYR has been a happy hunting ground for Mark Johnston, and with fancied runners in both the first two races on the card the stable should not leave the course empty-handed today. Finishing second is always a bitter pill to swallow, especially when the
A village green 'tax' could be threatening to dash the dreams of prospective house buyers across the region. A little known clause in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 which came into force last year allows owners of common land the right to
SOMEONE once likened Ricky Tomlinson's nose to a satsuma you'd find at the bottom of the fruit bowl. It's true, he's never been the prettiest of characters and admits that in real life, he is 99 per cent Jim 'my arse' Royle - the coarse, flatulent couch
DARLINGTON'S mounting injury problems have taken a further blow after striker Barry Conlon was ruled out for up to six weeks. Conlon was stretchered off during Saturday's crushing 4-0 home defeat at the hands of Bristol Rovers. There were fears the 25
A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE, who owns a substantial tract of the Yorkshire Dales, has set his sights on a sailing record. Robert Miller owns the vessel which set the best time for a transatlantic crossing by a single-hulled yacht last week. The Mari Cha IV sailed
STAFF from Station View Medical Centre, Bishop Auckland, have presented £865 to the Butterwick Hospice. The money was raised by medical centre staff who took part in the Great North Walk earlier this year. So far, people who have taken part in the walk
There are also plans to encourage adults from the local community to visit the centre and learn how to use the computers on Wednesday mornings. Although the computers were free, the association had to pay £75 to have telephone lines put in for computers
A CROSSBREED dog that was abandoned in a shed for almost two weeks is in need of a new home. Molly, a two-year-old mongrel, was discovered by vegetable growers locked in a shed on an allotment. It is believed she was left there for more than a week. The
SCHOOLS from across Darlington are considering flying a green flag for the environment. Representatives of schools including Abbey Junior School, Heathfield School and Dodmire School have met to hear about ecological projects at two other schools with
PEOPLE have joined forces with their local primary school to provide a computer suite for the community. Members of Sunnybrow Residents' Association, near Crook, took advantage of new opportunities when they found out that Sunnybrow Primary School was
Members of Sunnybrow Residents' Association, near Crook, seized their opportunity when they discovered Sunnybrow Primary School was replacing its computers. The chairman of the association, Rick Kelly, contacted the headteacher to inquire about having
PEOPLE were given a glimpse of what life is like on other continents when they visited Darlington town centre at the weekend. A weekend of activities organised by the Campaign for Learning saw parts of the town turned into culture zones. The Railway Museum
A £110,000 resource centre to provide better adult learning facilities in Thirsk will be launched on Saturday. The East Thirsk Community Learning Resource Centre will be opened by executive director of the Learning and Skills Council North Yorkshire,
NURSE Mary Hoskins is using rap music to hammer home a crucial health message. The district nurse hopes to increase the uptake of the flu vaccine, which is designed to keep the most vulnerable people safe this winter. "I don't see why we shouldn't aim
HUNDREDS of villagers are uniting to battle against industrial development plans in a rural area. Because so many have tabled protests about plans for two schemes at Market Flat Lane, Scotton, near Knaresborough, a planning meeting to decide the issues
COUNCILLORS are being urged to pledge their continued support for farmers markets. Hambleton District Council's cabinet meeting on Thursday will be told the new location, in Northallerton, has proved popular, attracting up to 20 stalls every month to
PEOPLE parking their cars before setting off to walk across the moors are causing problems for Esk Valley residents. Following protests by Danby Parish Council notices may be put on windscreens saying the cars are causing an obstruction. Bill Breakell
AS the new Bishop of Durham waited outside his cathedral yesterday, he must have wondered if the congregation was ever going to let him in. In a ceremony that dates back centuries, each new bishop is greeted at Durham Cathedral by a closed door - and
FORMER emissary and Beirut hostage Terry Waite will be telling the story of his capture and incarceration at the hands of terrorists when he visits North Yorkshire next month. The talk, with humour as well as drama, will be accompanied by music played
A family have marked links with a regiment that stretch back to the 19th Century. The medals of Sergeant Tommy Riordan have been presented by his son, John, to the Green Howards Regimental Museum in Richmond, North Yorkshire. Twelve member of the family
A STATELY home is celebrating the 150th anniversary of one of its most spectacular features. The Atlas Fountain has dominated the south front of Castle Howard, near Malton, North Yorkshire, since 1853. In October that year, Georgiana, the dowager Countess
THE group behind a controversial housing development has been asked to look at its plans again. Cleveland Housing Aid Trust has been asked to amend its application to build 22 two-storey flats at Wheatlands Farm Cottages, Redcar. The council's planning
COLLEAGUES of a student crushed by a runaway council van spoke of their relief yesterday after her condition improved. Ursula Billington was left fighting for her life after she was pinned against a wall by the van as it rolled down a steep and narrow
A COUNCIL is proposing to reintroduce Medium Density Fireboard (MDF) into school lessons, despite banning the material five years ago on health grounds. MDF was banned from being used in design technology lessons at Darlington schools by Darlington Council
TWO students have achieved excellence awards from the London College of Music. Rebecca Wilson, of Guisborough, and Phillip Glass, from Eston, were the highest regional achievers in their examinations in the last academic year. Rebecca is studying for
AN artist who is helping revive a medieval art form is displaying his work this week. Julian Chapman is showing 20 of his pieces in the centuries-old Batik style, which has recently found favour with interior designers. The art features scenes from Middle
A TAKEAWAY cannot be opened below flats in Loftus, councillors have ruled. A 104-name petition protesting against the change of use application for the West Road premises was received by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's planning committee. The objections
SOME of Britain's top roller-skaters joined youngsters for charity performances at Albert Park, Middlesbrough, at the weekend. That's Entertainment was performed by 13 roller dan-cers at the refurbished rink. The skaters, also joined by other youngsters
RESIDENTS of a seaside town are concerned that a bright orange stream may be driving tourists away. The stream, which flows through Saltburn Gill Nature Reserve, in east Cleveland, is known locally as "red river". There are fears that its orange colour
DETERMINED shoppers are flocking to Selfridges in London to pick up the latest must-have fashion accessory for middle-aged women. But unlike most bargains at the high-class department store - the latest fashion fad is not covered by a 28-day returns policy
VIRGIN trains confirmed last night that it is considering sending passengers' luggage by road - and charging for the service. The company is exploring the possibility of introducing "door-to-door" luggage delivery to homes or hotels on its CrossCountry
There's no doubt about the authorship of Kill Bill. As the credits tell us: THE 4th FILM BY QUENTIN TARANTINO. That information leaves audiences in little doubt that the movie will be violent, both physically and verbally, with a cast featuring several
ALEX Elliott likes a glass of wine in the evening, but his latest Northern Stage role calls for much heavier drinking. Together with co-stars Tony Neilsen and Mark Calvert, he was sent down the pub during Happy Hour to get drunk. They each downed two-thirds
TEACHERS from Russia have proved a big hit with pupils across the North-East. Fifteen students from Kostroma, a city which has forged strong links with County Durham, have been working in schools, mainly primaries, for four days. One of the teachers,
BESIEGED Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith last night faced a Commons standards investigation as he battled to head off a plot to overthrow him. Mr Duncan Smith insisted he had done nothing wrong in employing his wife Betsy during the first year of his leadership
IF DARLINGTON didn't already know it, they can be in no doubt now that their failure to strengthen the squad for national league rugby means they will struggle to survive in Three North. After half an hour on Saturday they led 17-0 and in North One would
AGGRESSIVE beggars have been arrested in a drive by police to rid Newcastle city centre of them. Officers acted after complaints from shoppers, traders, office workers and visitors. It led to 12 arrests, with those charged to appear before Newcastle magistrates
MORE than 1,000 motorcycle enthusiasts from across the region visited a bike show at the weekend. Teesside's 22nd Classic Bike Show had more than a few surprises for even the most committed motorbike fans, including a 2ft high 55cc Des Heckle Sprinter
Considering Perth saved its first significant rain for months for the launch of the World Cup campaign, it is perhaps understandable there was the merest flake of rust in England's performance. But as the marker Clive Woodward's men had promised they
SOME people are bemoaning the demise of the 'ladette'. The death toll was sounded for all beer-guzzling, loud-mouthed women everywhere when we were told that the DJ Sara Cox was to be taken off the prime time morning slot on Radio 1 and relegated to early
A prize draw holiday of a lifetime is going unclaimed. All winners of a grand draw for Teesside Hospice have been notified - but for the second prize winner. The Middlesbrough based hospice has established that the telephone number written on the back
SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON would be more foolish than the players that almost scuppered England's Euro 2004 chances if he had chosen this moment to resign as coach. He has shown commendable restraint, and no little skill, over the last week to guide England
FORMER Blue Circle cement worker Jim Readman recorded his sixth victory in ten years at Rookhope Club Leek Show, in Weardale, at the weekend. Mr Readman, from Westgate, showed a pair of leeks measuring 179.6 cubic inches. Second was Denis Richardson,
A HIGH street retailer is giving food to charities to ensure the elderly and young children get a healthy meal. The Marks and Spencer store in Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland, has teamed up with Woodhouse Close Church, South Durham Hospice and other local
THE sudden change in weather has prompted the Cats Protection charity to appeal for homes for older cats and feral kittens. As the colder nights draw near, the charity's Wear Valley, Darlington and Dales branch is becoming stretched to capacity with stray
A BOOK that will take residents of Shildon on a trip down memory lane is being launched this month. Shildon and District, by Tom Hutchinson, will be launched in the town's Timothy Hackworth Museum on Saturday, October 25. Mr Hutchinson will be available
ENVIRONMENT officials have hailed the success of a crackdown on fly-tipping in Darlington. The borough council's environmental response team is said to be exceeding targets for clearing up badly affected areas. The authority's target for the time it takes
MORE than 60 jobs are to be created in Darlington after business leaders gave out £12,000 worth of grants. Businesses in the tourism, sales promotion and manufacturing sectors are to benefit from the cash windfall. The money has been provided by the economic
STUDENTS learning about the mysteries of flight will be helping to lighten the load at an award-winning Yorkshire museum. York College and the Yorkshire Air Museum, at nearby Elvington, have confirmed a partnership which will mean anyone on the college's
A CROSSBREED dog that was abandoned in a shed for almost two weeks is in need of a new home. Molly, a two-year-old mongrel, was discovered by vegetable growers locked in a shed on an allotment. It is believed she was left there for more than a week. The
A FAMILY doctor who worked in Darlington for three decades has died at the age of 85. Dr Patrick Corkery died in the Irish town of Cork on September 20 after a long illness, his family reported. He came to Darlington in June 1949, becoming a partner in
A stately home has confirmed it will be holding another Christmas fair which it hopes will beat the £22,000 raised for the NSPCC last year. Persimmon Homes has agreed to sponsor the event at Castle Howard on Wednesday, November 5, which is expected to
THE ghost of a Roman emperor was conjured up by treasure hunters when Yorkshire Museum, in York, hosted the BBC's Hidden Treasures programme on Saturday. Among the finds taken in for analysis was a Roman denarius coin, marked with the crest of Emperor
FAMILIES learnt to tell their scruples from their drachms at an event in York over the weekend. The city's Castle Museum challenged all-comers to test their knowledge of weights and measures as part of the York Family Learning Weekend with questions based
THE silence in a room once filled with the sounds of ticking clocks is a fitting tribute to one man. Biochemist and science teacher Bill Munro devoted 15 years of care on the fascinating collection in the Clock Room at the King's Head Hotel, in Richmond
TWO pairs of one of the rarest ducks species in the world have arrived in the North-East. The four Madagascar teal are among nearly 100 new arrivals to the Wildlife and Wetland Trust (WWT) Washington Centre, on Wearside. Little was known about the species
A ride in a stolen car left a teenager and a man seriously injured when the vehicle crashed into a lamp-post. The crash happened at about 11.20pm on Saturday on the B1285 Stockton Road, near its junction with the A1018, at Seaham Grange, near Seaham,
HUNDREDS of County Durham residents joined others across the region this weekend to take part in the UK's biggest annual art event. The Big Draw, a national drive to get more people interested in art, was launched on Saturday. Among the venues taking
A GIANT crane lowered a new bridge into place in Durham yesterday. The 100-tonne machine placed the £450,000 footbridge on to its piers, providing a safe crossing over the busy A690 in the city centre. The 35-metre span steel bridge, for pedestrians and
RESIDENTS gathered at the weekend to tidy their rubbish-strewn neighbourhood. Newton Hall Parish Paths Partnership has been set up to improve the footpath network on the outskirts of Durham. On Saturday, volunteers carried out a litter pick on the path
A FAMILY doctor who worked in Darlington for three decades has died at the age of 85. Dr Patrick Corkery died in the Irish town of Cork on September 20 after a long illness, his family reported. He came to Darlington in June 1949, becoming a partner in
ANGEL of the North creator Antony Gormley has returned to the region to launch a piece of public art. Monument is a video installation by artist Carl von Weiler, who worked with 12 A-level art students from North Tyneside and was tutored by Mr Gormley
SPORTSMEN gave up their free time for a charity fundraiser in memory of a young brain haemorrhage victim. Boxer Billy Hardy joined footballing favourite Peter Beardsley, Newcastle goalkeeper Steve Harper and ex-Middlesbrough player David Mills in a question-and-answer
YOUNGSTERS who have led a project to bring permanent skate-parks to north-west Durham will enjoy the fruits of their labour this week. The official opening ceremony of the first skatepark, at the Kings Head Fields site, in Stanley, takes place on Wednesday
AN initiative has been launched in Hartlepool to raise awareness surrounding environmental issues. Officers from Hartlepool Borough Council are offering environmental awareness training courses as part of their re-launched Pride in Hartlepool campaign
PARENTS have been angered by a decision to cut back their youngsters' music rehearsal time - because they are too loud. The teenagers, aged between 15 and 19, pay by the hour to practise their music at a community centre, but last week the committee reduced
ACCIDENT figures obtained by The Northern Echo reveal the tragic lessons of the Selby rail disaster have yet to be fully learned. In the past 12 months, 33 vehicles have crashed through rail bridge safety barriers in the UK and ended up on the tracks.
Bryan Smart can't believe how well things have gone since his move to the Hambleton House stable, near Thirsk, last autumn. He is enjoying his best season with Vademecum, and at Newcastle he took his score to 33 under Royston Ffrench in the first division
YOUNGSTERS were urged last night not to take any dangerous risks after a North-East teenager lost an eye when a firework exploded in his face. Craig Dryden was playing with a group of friends near his home when the shooter-style missile went off, leaving
PUBLICAN Craig Holt phoned home at the weekend to reveal he had beaten the ban on England fans to watch David Beckham's team manage a crucial draw against Turkey in Istanbul. The 44-year-old from York - along with his wife and a friend - believe they
A woman collapsed after a fire raiser pushed burning material through her letter box, filling her home with smoke. The unnamed mother of four, who suffers from respiratory problems, had to be given oxygen and first aid at the scene in Ainsdale Road, Middlesbrough
A 31-YEAR-OLD man from the region taken hostage by guerrillas while travelling through South America turned down a chance to escape, it has been revealed. Mark Henderson, 31, of North Yorkshire, is still missing in the Sierra Nevada mountains in Colombia
FOOTBALL PARKING B FOSTER (HAS, Oct 8) complains about having to pay £5 to park at the Reynolds Arena. The solution is for him to write to the club and ask why there is no free bus service and a park-and-ride scheme. This would cost Mr Foster nothing,
WHEN it happened, we were told that the Selby rail crash was a one-in-a-million chance. But as The Northern Echo Railway Bridges campaign has highlighted, the odds of a tragedy of the same proportions happening again may be considerably shorter. Already
