IT is good to see Peter Mandelson standing up for what he believes and fighting for the ghost ships, even though what he believes may prove unpopular with voters. He is part of the lobby that is putting forward a persuasive case that it is safe to allow
A PARAMEDIC who tended alleged murder victim George Button said he did not think he had been the victim of a hit-and-run. Rapid response paramedic David Abbs tried in vain to revive the 53-year-old council electrician, who was found dying on the verge
IT'S always a very homely feeling going back to stay for a few days with my parents. I always used to look forward to holidays as a student, just because I could immerse myself in the relaxed comfort and warmth of a well lived in house. It didn't matter
PETER Mandelson last night launched an extraordinary attack on critics of an £11m deal to scrap condemned US naval ships in the North-East. The former Labour Government minister accused a US Congresswoman who described the ships as "a disaster waiting
HAVING just joined the ranks of Britain's motorists, my youngest son's first piece of TV-inspired motoring knowledge is that the signal to lock or unlock your vehicle travels further if you operate the electronic device next to your skull. Apparently
RISING young North-East rock music talent Pete Shoulder has showcased his new sound on a three-track CD. The disc, featuring his new band The Others, will be on sale at his gigs, including the Newcastle Opera House later this month, and through the website
A BLACK cat recovering after being hit by a car is to have a new home. The young female adult, with only half a tail, underwent surgery for a ruptured diaphragm at the Gilmoor Vets Group, in Gilesgate, Durham. She was taken there after being knocked over
NEVER mind Hartlepool United seeking revenge this afternoon. For one player - an integral part of the promotion team of last season - a different battle is on the cards. Kevin Henderson left Pool last month to sign for Carlisle. And while Pool meet Rushden
TWO County Durham primary schools could close under plans to reduce surplus places. But the plans to shut the schools at North Blunts, in Peterlee, and the former pit village of Haswell, also in east Durham, are likely to face opposition. The plans also
A COLLEGE has won a Government award recognising the development of a technology centre. Askham Bryan College, near York has been awarded Centre of Vocational Excellence status after it created a food chain technology centre with facilities for a food
A FORMER member of the band Genesis is appearing in the North-East on his UK tour. Steve Hackett, reputedly one of Britain's finest composers and guitarists, contributed heavily to the early success of Genesis, followed by international solo success.
In the first of her despatches from across the world, Nicky Holden explains how missing baboons almost blighted a birthday. SOUTH Africans are a bossy lot, with an unusually assertive approach to tourism. On Monday morning fresh (ha!) from our 11-hour
PETER Mandelson last night launched an extraordinary attack on critics of an £11m deal to scrap condemned US naval ships in the North-East. The former Labour Government minister accused a US Congresswoman who described the ships as "a disaster waiting
ONE of the biggest housing developments in the North-East is to create a lasting tribute to the region's historic railway links. Bosses behind the West Park scheme on the outskirts of Darlington are planning to name a host of streets on the £60m development
Why change a winning formula? seems to be the motto for TV programme makers these days as the same ideas are endlessly recycled. But where will it end? Enough is enough. ITV1 adds yet another series to the increasingly overloaded file marked reality TV
JONNY Be Good, proclaims the England fans' banner at the World Cup, and so far that's all he has been. But in tomorrow's semi-final against France he will need to be absolutely marvellous. As if combining his duties as the general orchestrator of England's
There is no other way to explain it. David Hodgson and Darlington Football Club were meant for each other. The amazing events which have unfolded at the Reynolds Arena in recent weeks have written yet another extraordinary chapter in the club's history
CARLOS MARINELLI'S Middlesbrough misery was finally brought to an end last night when the Riverside outfit terminated his contract by mutual consent. The Argentinian - dubbed the new Diego Maradona when he arrived on Teesside from Boca Juniors in 1999
A COUNCIL has pledged to write to the parents of every child at two nurseries scheduled for closure. Darlington Borough Council wants to close Eastbourne and Heathfield nurseries next April and create foundation stage departments at Dodmire Infant and
ANGRY traders in Darlington say a boarded-up patch of land outside their shops is attracting tramps and rats. The rubbish-strewn site in Clark's Yard was exposed to shoppers yesterday after heavy winds on Thursday night blew down the boards. Among the
'HOW many acres does Tony Blair have?" asked the Assistant Chief of Staff of the White House. According to various sightings, this chap, with up to 27 advisors, has been swanning around Sedgefield and South Durham for several weeks, eyeing up all angles
YOUNGSTERS are being encouraged to grow their own fruit and vegetables with the launch of a children's allotment. Tindale Crescent allotments, in Bishop Auckland, has been transformed through a partnership venture between Surestart Wear Valley, Greenstart
A NURSE has won acclaim for her research into where terminal cancer patients prefer to die. Jill Sayer, a Macmillan nurse with Darlington Primary Care Trust, is to be awarded the David and Ros Simon Research Award for the best project relating to cancer
UNTIL 30 or so years ago, the Zetland was Richmond's cinema. Last Saturday evening, they had their longest queues since Gone With the Wind. It was the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance - "Richmond's answer to the Royal Albert Hall," someone
DARLINGTON MP Alan Milburn has visited the town's Victim Support branch to learn about the progress of a new outreach service for domestic violence victims. The visit was part of a national Victim Support event to recognise the work of volunteers. "All
CHURCHES across North Yorkshire have benefited from grants worth more than £20,000 to boost their tourism potential. The money for the county's Church Tourism Initiative has come from various sources, including the National Lottery, the Countryside Agency
A CHURCH is pulling out all the stops to boost its organ appeal by staging a major concert. Leading Russian organist Ekaterina Melnikova will be accompanying Bedale Festival Choir in a performance of Handel's Messiah at the town's St Gregory's Church,
RESIDENTS are being asked to pass verdict on the performance of their council. Sixteen-page questionnaires are being delivered to 2,500 randomly selected homes across east Cleveland. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council said it is carrying out the major
Football Association chief executive Mark Palios last night ordered an urgent review into the rules governing the selection of England players under police investigation. Palios denied his job is under threat after the chaos which has surrounded the FA's
THE finishing touch to a £2.1m refurbishment of a North-East bridge has been unveiled by a civic leader. A crest, in the centre of the Wearmouth Bridge, in Sunderland, has been carefully restored to its original red and gold colours with six coats of
AN arts centre is on the drawing board for a Teesside town and could see the merging of two educational organisations. The University of Teesside and Cleveland College of Art and Design are jointly planning with Middlesbrough Borough Council to develop
COUNCIL tax payers in North Yorkshire can expect a higher bill for police services next year. The county force was granted a 76 per cent increase in funding from local people last year. Planning is about to start for its next budget, with communities
SIR BOBBY ROBSON last night hailed Newcastle United's new academy and declared: "This is better than Barcelona.'' On the day chairman Freddy Shepherd revealed that United had splashed out a mind-boggling £300m in the past ten years, manager Robson spoke
FORMER Great Britain junior international Stephen Hepples has decided to miss today's 52nd Brampton-Carlisle race to concentrate on winning an England vest in the European Cross Country Championships. The 22-year-old Loftus AC runner - regarded as one
There is no other way to explain it. David Hodgson and Darlington Football Club were meant for each other. The amazing events which have unfolded at the Reynolds Arena in recent weeks have written yet another extraordinary chapter in the club's history
Scarborough Art Gallery is showing a series of photographs by Traeger and Patrick Kinmoth in A Gardener's Labyrinth, an exhibition of portraits of people, plants and places. The work is on show until January 4 and Scarborough is the only venue outside
A MARTIAL arts instructor has won the right to appeal against his conviction for murder. Anthony Bottrill is serving life for the murder of Bryan Scott at Kirkleatham Showground, near Redcar, east Cleveland. The 44-year-old divorced father-of-one has
A STRUGGLING food manufacturer could be sold by Christmas, saving up to 1,100 jobs, it was claimed yesterday. The administrators of Hibernia Foods said some of the biggest companies in the industry had shown interest. There was shock when the firm went
THREE teachers who had to stop work on ill health grounds failed yesterday in a "surprising" bid to convince a judge they should be sacked, making them eligible for severance pay. The court's decision will disappoint more than 100 other sick or incapacitated
FASHION designer Stella McCartney was in the region yesterday to show her support for patients battling cancer. The renowned designer, whose mother, Linda McCartney, died of breast cancer five years ago, planted a silver birch to mark the opening of a
A BUS driver has been treated in hospital after being hit in the face by a pool ball thrown through his cab window. Cleveland Police said the incident could have had "disastrous consequences" and might even have killed the driver and any passengers on
A FORMER nun is to appear in court for sentencing next week after admitting two arson attacks, including one at a North-East hospital. Philippa Carruth, who set fire to her flat in Darlington and a room at the town's Memorial Hospital, will learn her
MODEL train maker Hornby declared it was rediscovering the magic of the 1950s and 1960s as popularity surged for its products. The company announced it was full steam ahead for growth after half-year profits surged 33 per cent to £2.2m. Capitalising on
As the lastest Britsh rom-com, Love Actually, opens, Film Writer Steve Pratt wonders if it will signal the resurgence of the ailing British film industry. RUMOURS of the death of the British film industry have been greatly exaggerated. It's been very
A WOMAN was jailed for two years yesterday for having sex with two boys. Susan Garbutt, 48, told police she had sex with a boy aged 13 or 14, up to eight times, and on a single occasion with a 12-year-old. Durham Crown Court heard that the offences came
TRIALIST Peter Kovacs has flown back to his homeland after completing his spell with Sunderland. The Hungarian striker hopes to be back on Wearside in January when he aims to persuade manager Mick McCarthy to try to make the move permanent. However, as
TWO quick-thinking youngsters have been praised by ambulance chiefs for dialing 999 when their diabetic mother collapsed at home. Ryan and Paul Gray were off school with the flu when the drama happened at their home in Eastbourne Road, Darlington. Lisa
ONE wonders if the embattled Sven-Goran Eriksson will have enough players left to field a team against Denmark tomorrow. As the Football Association continue their mission to keep the England side the preserve of the holier than thou, who will be the
George Bush's plans to meet families of British soldiers killed in Iraq were dismissed last night as a selfish stunt by two angry fathers. The US President wants to meet relatives during his visit to the UK next week to tell them their loved ones died
TWO County Durham schools have won an award for their efforts to teach pupils about other countries. Cockton Hill Infants School, Bishop Auckland, and St Patrick's RC Primary School, Consett, have been given the British Council's International Schools
A PSYCHOLOGIST and a lawyer have set up a nanny-finding bureau to help working parents. Sarah Skilbeck established Nanny Solution with the help of the Prince's Trust and a business mentor provided by the organisation, lawyer Karen Simms. Mrs Skilbeck,
TWO students at universities in the North-East and North Yorkshire have been awarded medals to recognise their achievements in engineering. Robert Argile, from Newcastle University, and Peter Nightingale, from York University, have won the Sir William
ACCESS to a popular part of the region's mining heritage is under threat, because its owners cannot find anyone to staff it. Beamish Museum, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, has so far failed to find a worker to take visitors inside its coal mine
A SWEEPING review of every secondary school in Darlington is to be carried out to tackle the falling number of pupils and decrepit state of buildings. Darlington Borough Council estimates that by 2014 there will be a 22 per cent drop in the number of
LECTURERS at a North-East university yesterday confirmed that they will take strike action over compulsory redundancies. Staff at Sunderland University will stage a one-day strike on Tuesday. They voted this week to work to rule in protest at the proposed
HE might view pretzels with suspicion after choking on one and fainting briefly in the White House last year, but if he gets a little hungry during his British visit next week, US president George W Bush should be able to turn to his own supply of the
builders are being urged to beef up security at the site of a derelict hospital. Barratt Homes, which is planning to build 300 flats and houses on the site of the former Middlesbrough General Hospital, needs to act "as a matter of urgency," according
LECTURERS at a North-East university yesterday confirmed that they will take strike action over compulsory redundancies. Staff at Sunderland University will stage a one-day strike on Tuesday. They voted this week to work to rule in protest at the proposed
HE was already revered as one of the North-East's greatest sporting champions. Now, boxing legend Billy Hardy is proving a knock-out in the retail world. The Sunderland-born star has been learning the ropes at a sports shop in Darlington town centre,
Q I am 93 and my wife is 82. My State Pension is £83.84 and my wife's is £46.78 weekly. I also have Attendance Allowance of £57.20 and War Pension of £37.17. Our savings are £15,800. Are we entitled to Pension Credit or help with council tax? A As things
A FATHER of four was found guilty yesterday of injuring a shopkeeper who was left severely brain-damaged after being thrown from a car bonnet. Alan Rees was involved in a heated argument with Rakhvinder Singh Garcha at the Faverdale convenience store
ENGLISH HISTORY: TONY Kelly (HAS, Nov 11) says that white immigrants in previous centuries "showed a willingness to assimilate", implying that more recent migrants from the West Indies, Asia, etc do not. There are problems with lack of communication and
A STUDENT earned £25 and her school £100 after designing a poster promoting local democracy. Chloe Severs, 13, of Hurworth School Maths and Computing College, won a competition run by Darlington Borough Council. The council asked all of the town's secondary
A CANDLE-LIT procession, a craft fair and a visit from Father Christmas are some of the attractions lined up for the Ferryhill Christmas fair. St Luke's Church Hall will host a craft fair and Father Christmas will be with his elves in the grotto on Friday
TAXI drivers have called for a meeting to resolve a dispute over taxi rank provision at a new supermarket. Taxi cab proprietors last week staged a mass protest outside the new Tesco store in Newton Aycliffe town centre, to protest that the car park did
VOLUNTEERS have been helping to clean up an area of open space in Dean Bank, near Ferryhill. Local residents and Barclay's Bank Staff worked alongside members of Ferryhill Scout Troop, Dean Bank Residents' Association and Groundwork East Durham's project
TWO Primary Care Trusts in South Durham are celebrating being recommended for a national award. The Durham Dales and Sedgefield primary care trusts (PCT) have been recommended for Practice Status in the Improving Working Lives (IWL) accreditation process
NEWCASTLE United football boss Sir Bobby Robson ventured into red and white territory to launch Christmas events. The Sacriston-born manager switched on the festive lights at the Dalton Park shopping complex at Murton, east Durham, an area where allegiances
THREE pupils from the same school have been short-listed for a Tees Valley friendly award. The pupils, from Our Lady and St Bede RC School, in Stockton, have reached the final of The Friend Achiever Awards. The three have been chosen from dozens of applicants
WARMER homes are on the horizon for people in the Grangefield area of Stockton. Assessors from the Transco-sponsored Stockton Warm Zone project started work in the town's Grangefield ward this month in the latest stage of their bid to lift 13,000 homes
THE largest Italian restaurant on Tyneside opens its doors on Monday. The creation of Coco'Mos, in Dean Street, Newcastle, has created 30 jobs. It is a joint venture between North-East nightlife experts Absolute Leisure and Sergio Addis, owner of Da Vinci's
HE'S the player every England rugby fan reckons could make the difference between defeat and victory in the World Cup semi-final against France tomorrow in Sydney. Despite the occasional uncharacteristic lapse in Australia, Newcastle's Jonny Wilkinson
A village school has been given a glowing report by a team of official Government inspectors. The Church of England primary school at Kirby Hill, near Boroughbridge, won plaudits in a range of areas from the Office of Standards in Education team. The
AN author who appealed for help tracing a propeller blade from a Second World War fighter plane says he has had a tremendous response from readers of The Northern Echo. The blade was signed by North-East war veteran George Bennions and appears in a photograph
YOUNGSTERS are calling on good sports for help after vandals targeted their outdoor PE equipment. Some of the gear was taken and the rest strewn across the grounds of Bullamoor junior school, in Northallerton, after the vandals broke into a storage shed
A UNIVERSITY has started one of its biggest staff recruitment drives in 20 years. Durham University is advertising for 26 lecturers and professors in 13 departments, including English, theology, psychology and law, for the academic year 2004-5. The university
A WARSHIP is hoping to strengthen its ties to an adopted town by recruiting local youngsters into the Royal Navy. The frigate HMS Marlborough was one of the first warships to deploy in the second invasion of Iraq and one of the last to leave. Marlborough's
Farce descended into fiasco as the Football Association were forced to review James Beattie's place in the England squad due to a drink-drive conviction - just hours after he had replaced Alan Smith. Smith was called up as a replacement for Darius Vassell
As Darlington Football Club prepare to welcome back their prodigal son this afternoon, the man himself admits he is stepping into the unknown. Still coming to terms with his shock return to management with Quakers, David Hodgson has no idea of what to
NEWCASTLE Falcons are anxious to get their proud cup record back on track at Rotherham tomorrow after big disappointments in their last two ties. They lost 38-7 to Northampton in the semi-final two years ago then bowed out at the first hurdle at home
THE British Chambers of Commerce has attacked plans to charge firms for the cost to the NHS of nursing victims of accidents at work. The House of Lords is debating the Health and Social Care Bill, which contains proposals for the change. Manufacturers
A DOCTOR accused of indecently assaulting patients was yesterday granted bail by a crown court judge. Dr Syed Amjad Husain, of Orchard Court Surgery, in Darlington, has been in custody since his arrest by police investigating patients' complaints, on
A DRUNKEN unqualified driver used a car "like a lethal weapon", striking a woman standing on a footpath, a court heard. John Thomas Hardy, 22, was yesterday jailed for three-and-a-half years after a judge told him it was lucky the victim was not killed
SHAREHOLDERS have backed a controversial decision to appoint media tycoon Rupert Murdoch's son James as the new chief executive of broadcaster BSkyB. Despite the vote in favour at the company's annual meeting, BSkyB still faced concerns from investors
NO matter whether he is operating over hurdles, fences, or running on the flat, Gralmano's amazing versatility continues to stand him in good stead. A multiple winner under all three codes, there's just no stopping Gralmano (2.10), who bids for yet more
Prison reformers have called for the closure of a notorious women's wing after another death at a prison with one of Britain's worst suicide records. Wendy Booth, 35, became the eighth suspected suicide at Durham Prison in two years. Yesterday, Durham
IT'S always a very homely feeling going back to stay for a few days with my parents. I always used to look forward to holidays as a student, just because I could immerse myself in the relaxed comfort and warmth of a well lived in house. It didn't matter
WORK to improve one of the country's most dangerous roads could take several years, the Highways Agency warned last night. A series of public consultations is being held on plans to create six sections of dual-carriageway on the A66 trans-Pennine route
UNTIL 30 or so years ago, the Zetland was Richmond's cinema. Last Saturday evening, they had their longest queues since Gone With the Wind. It was the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance - "Richmond's answer to the Royal Albert Hall," someone
Designer Imogen Cloet tells Steve Pratt about the challenge of turning an Oscar Wilde short story into a children's show. WHAT designer Imogen Cloet calls her "baby show" is coming along nicely in the Gulbenkian Studio theatre. On my way to meet her,
THE region's information and communication technology needs are expected to be addressed by a £1.2m programme of support. Enterprise agency Entrust has recruited Business Link and the European Regional Development Fund to finance up to half of each project
A CHEF was slashed with a knife after he was forced to kneel in a bath because of a debt, a court was told yesterday. Calvin Jeff, a chef at two Teesside restaurants, was forced to kneel fully clothed in the bath, which was full of water, by workmate
