BEACON status has been awarded to four of the region's local authorities in recognition of their commitment to delivering quality public services. Darlington Borough, Middlesbrough and Stockton Borough councils have received the honour for their work
AN international manhunt was under way last night after police smashed a major drugs ring. An unnamed man was believed to have fled abroad as detectives began questioning seven others about a drugs operation said to have an £8m turnover and a supply network
A housing development that offers a mix of homes with affordable price or rental tags was opened yesterday. Housing minister Keith Hill, who presided over the ceremony at South Hylton Green, in Sunderland, praised the work of Pathway Homes, which is part
AN event is being staged to let young people know what activities are available to them. Organised by the Social Inclusion Programme, the event will be held on Friday, June 18, and Saturday, June 19, at Peterlee Leisure Centre. On the Friday, the project
POLICE last night named a mother and her five-year-old son who were killed in an accident on the A1. Bernadette Moate, 32 and her son, Callum Farr, of North Marine Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, were hit as they crossed the road. The accident happened
TWO men were remanded in custody yesterday, charged in relation to a stabbing. Dale Robinson, 29, of Firtree, Shildon, and Andrew Pennington, 31, of Silverdale Place, Newton Aycliffe, both County Durham, are facing charges of wounding with intent to cause
HOSPICE patients and school pupils are to benefit from charity events at two Bishop Auckland bookmakers. Staff at Ladbrokes, in Newgate Street and Cockton Hill, Bishop Auckland, have raised £750 through events at both shops. The Butterwick Hospice at
AN obsessive loner who downloaded information about an al Qaeda attack and referred to himself as Osama bin Laden was jailed for importing illegal weapons. Microbiology student Carl Barnsley was jailed for five years for importing more than 1,200 rounds
A SCHEME which will help pubs and clubs in Redcar to keep troublemakers out started yesterday. Nineteen premises in Redcar, including all eight nightclubs, have joined the PubWatch Radio scheme and been given hand-held radios so they can share information
A TAXI driver accused of indecent assault told a court he could not remember his alleged victim. Parvaz Akhtar, who denies assault and falsely imprisoning the woman in his cab, told a jury at Teesside Crown Court that he carried lots of female passengers
CAB drivers are up in arms over plans to make them wear clip-on ties. They are flocking to sign a petition against an agreement between Station Taxis, in York, and GNER, which runs the city's station. Both parties hoped a seven-year wrangle over an enforced
A FORMER soldier turned to drink after a comrade was shot dead beside him during a harrowing tour of duty in Northern Ireland, a court heard yesterday. Harrogate magistrates were told how George Lumby was arrested for his sixth drink-driving offence since
OPERA star Suzannah Clarke has been confirmed as a headline act for an open-air three-day music event in June. The Middlesbrough-born soprano will perform at Opera at the House, the inaugural Harewood Music Festival, in the grounds of Harewood House,
A TEENAGE motorcyclist was killed when a car pulled in front of him at traffic lights, an inquest heard. Karl Allison, 16, of Stanhope Gardens, Annfield Plain, County Durham, died of multiple injuries and his 17-year-old brother, Christopher, his pillion
A COURT official's attempts to arrest a painter and decorator he knew owed money ended in him being dragged along by a car, magistrates heard yesterday. Stephanie Waite, prosecuting, said warrant enforcement officer Andrew Tate saw Peter Baronovsky walking
A NURSE whose child porn collection included images of girls being raped and bestiality was yesterday struck off the medical register. David Short, 46, twice paid $29.95 for month-long access to a website where he could download scores of illegal images
More than 30 ministers and lay preachers from Chester-le-Street Methodist circuit have taken part in a Christian arts day aimed at making services more exciting. The event, which was held at Chester-le-Street Methodist Church hall, was hosted by charity
CHILDREN in Chester-le-Street have written to Durham County Council chiefs asking for somewhere they can enjoy music. Nine youngsters aged ten to 14 got together with Investing in Children co-ordinator Clare Beighton to tackle the problem. They wrote
A DRAMATIC landscape of green dales topped by remote moorland, it is an area justly billed as England's Last Wilderness. It is appropriate then, that it is also gaining a reputation as a place where nothing happens, much to the delight of residents. Teesdale
LEE Nicholson and Michael Dalkin have proved they are model inmates. The two, who are serving sentences at Kirklevington prison, near Yarm, have built a scale model of Stockton's Princess Diana Bridge. The steel structure has been installed at Nature's
A CHAMPION bodybuilder has organised a race night to help raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind. June Woodall, from Saltburn, is doing her bit to ensure a team from Marske Vets, in Marske, can take part in the Keswick Challenge, in June, to raise cash
MAN OF LETTERS (5.00) should not be opposed in division two of Warwick's Courier Maiden Stakes. Mark Johnston's colt ran a cracker on his recent comeback at Doncaster, setting a strong pace until headed and giving way inside the final furlong when the
FORMER Health Secretary Alan Milburn will say today that life is "a million times better" since he resigned from the Cabinet to spend more time with his family, and he will urge the Government to do much more to help other people correct their work/life
SIR Bobby Robson has flagged up PSV Eindhoven's returning stars as the biggest threat to Newcastle's progress into the last four of the UEFA Cup. The Magpies travel to PSV's Philips Stadion for the first leg of their quarter-final clash tomorrow, with
THE red squirrel could vanish from a part of the North within 20 years, a biologist warned last night. The animal has come under increasing threat from the spread of the bigger American grey squirrels. Dr Peter Lurz, of Newcastle University, said fewer
Standard Life policyholders last night criticised the company's plan to demutualise. The society was holding its annual meeting less than a week after it announced plans to convert to a public limited company (plc). About 1,000 jobs are also due to be
BEACON status has been awarded to four of the region's local authorities in recognition of their commitment to delivering quality public services. Darlington Borough, Middlesbrough and Stockton Borough councils have received the honour for their work
Police and the security services have foiled a terrorist plot to launch a poison gas attack in Britain. A plan to use a highly toxic chemical called osmium tetroxide was uncovered after communications between terror suspects were monitored. The chemical
ALMOST a quarter of workers facing redundancy at a North-East factory have found employment. Hundreds of workers facing redundancy at Samsung were on the hunt for jobs yesterday as the company held an employment fair. Bosses said that 107 of its 425 workers
research suggests that one of the most tranquil market towns in the region was once an unlikely cradle of military technology. Best-selling writer Bill Bryson yesterday unveiled visitor facilities that give an insight into the brutal past of Helmsley,
A Swedish technique that can "cure" stress incontinence in women has been used in the North-East for the first time. The procedure, which involves injecting a drug called Zuidex, has been performed on women at the University Hospital of Hartlepool. Carried
NORTH-East housebuilder Bellway last night set its sights on a profits milestone after increasing its order book by more than 25 per cent. The Newcastle group said it was on track to deliver its 13th year of sales growth after pre-tax profits grew 35.6
Standard Life policyholders last night criticised the company's plan to demutualise. The society was holding its annual meeting less than a week after it announced plans to convert to a public limited company (plc). About 1,000 jobs are also due to be
A NORTH-East company's hopes of becoming the hub of a new offshore wind industry lay in ruin last night. Mayflower Energy, in Middlesbrough, has gone into administration following the collapse of parent company the Mayflower Corporation. Only last Tuesday
IT is to be a column, at once to assume the panoramic view, which embraces beck, sneck, peck and Big Eck. Firstly, however to "beck", which is not to be confused with Becks. (It isn't that sort of a column.) Discussing a few weeks ago the move by Brompton
SOMETIMES you wonder if the right people get rich. Ingvar Kamprad, founder of Ikea, is now said to be the richest man in the world, richer even than Bill Gates and worth about £32bn. If that was in one pound coins, it would take you more than a lifetime
Police and the security services have foiled a terrorist plot to launch a poison gas attack in Britain. A plan to use a highly toxic chemical called osmium tetroxide was uncovered after communications between terror suspects were monitored. The chemical
WAITING times have fallen sharply over the past year at County Durham and Darlington hospitals. There are now no patients in Durham, Darlington or Bishop Auckland who have been waiting for in-patient treatment for more than nine months. The numbers waiting
research suggests that one of the most tranquil market towns in the region was once an unlikely cradle of military technology. Best-selling writer Bill Bryson yesterday unveiled visitor facilities that give an insight into the brutal past of Helmsley,
DURHAM were last night still trying to resolve whether county cup holders Darlington Mowden Park can begin their defence of the trophy. Mowden were due to play their delayed first round tie at Stockton tonight, but asked for a week's delay because of
MAN OF LETTERS (5.00) should not be opposed in division two of Warwick's Courier Maiden Stakes. Mark Johnston's colt ran a cracker on his recent comeback at Doncaster, setting a strong pace until headed and giving way inside the final furlong when the
Big lift for airports group PASSENGER numbers at airports owned by TBI have risen by 13 per cent as demand for low-cost services remained strong in the first three months of this year. The group, which operates Luton, Belfast International, Cardiff and
Health and social care agencies are being urged to work together to cut the high number of suicides in a North-East town. Darlington has one of the worst rates in the region with an average of 18 people a year taking their own lives compared to the national
MIKE Newell suffered agony on his return to Victoria Park after the most enthralling of games last night. The former Hartlepool United boss could only look on as his current side, Luton Town, went down to a 4-3 defeat. Adam Boyd's last minute penalty
DESPITE the shackles of administration and the threat of relegation, Darlington's Joey Hutchinson is enjoying life back in the North-East. The Middlesbrough-born defender swapped the Premiership for the Third Division during the summer, leaving Birmingham
THE atmosphere in the most famous court in the country certainly did not intimidate a group of youngsters from the North. The Number One Court at the Old Bailey, in London, has seen the likes of the Kray twins, the Yorkshire Ripper and countless other
WHEN Sunderland's secret weapon Darren Byfield pounced, revenge will have been the last thing on the Black Cats' minds. Having suffered the trauma of losing in an FA Cup semi-final just two days earlier at the Theatre of Dreams, Mick McCarthy had to pick
A PUB will help a wildlife organisation promote its work over Easter. The Church Mouse, in Great North Road, near Chester-le-Street, has teamed up with the Northumberland Wildlife Trust. Staff will encourage customers to join the trust and find out about
PLANS to provide fluoridated milk in schools to improve the state of children's teeth in a North-East borough have been shelved. The Oral Healthcare of Children in Darlington Review Group reported to the council yesterday that a difference of professional
DERELICT wasteland is to be transformed into green space, it was announced yesterday. The site at Monkton, Jarrow, South Tyneside, is one of three in the country to be transferred to the Land Restoration Trust, launched by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott
A WOMAN appeared before magistrates yesterday after attempting to punch a police officer while she was drunk. Sharon Redfern, 40, of Walker Drive, Bishop Auckland, lashed out at a police inspector who attended the home after reports of a disturbance,
A YOUNG heroin addict fled with cash from a discount store after threatening a teenage assistant with a knife, a court was told yesterday. John McGloen, 23, said he was holding a Mars bar and not a knife in the raid on the Poundstretcher store, in Peterlee
A FATHER watched in horror as his biker daughter was killed in a hit-and-run crash. Leslie Lawrence, 36, of Cromwell Street, Sunderland, was riding her 600cc Yamaha on the A19 near Washington, Wearside, when she was struck by a Ford Fiesta. The crash
A PENSIONER is being treated in hospital after he was found with a head injury in his garden yesterday morning. William Young was discovered by a newspaper delivery boy outside his home in Hurworth, near Darlington, shortly after 8am. He is believed to
A MOTORIST who drove a horsebox while nearly twice the legal drink-drive limit lost his licence yesterday. Dean Shields, 36, of Black Hamilton Farm, Ferryhill, County Durham, received a 16-month driving ban and was fined £100 at South Durham Magistrates
A NORTH-EAST man struck it rich with the help of his university tutor. Chris Payne, an English teacher at Blakeston School, in Stockton, won £125,000 on ITV's Who Wants to be a Millionaire? on Saturday. After sailing through the previous questions, the
TWO cousins have been jailed for a drunken brawl which left one man with a broken jaw and cheekbone and the other unconscious in hospital with a fractured eye socket. The brawl, involving Kenny and Andrew Beal, who both admitted assault, began after a
ONE of the oldest houses in a coastal town is to be demolished after surveys found it to be riddled with dry rot. Rock House in Seaham, which was originally built as a manager's house for the Londonderry estate before becoming a community centre, has
A DRUG addict living rough in a former pit village died of a heroin overdose, an inquest heard. Jeffrey Everett, 31, was found dead at West Street, Grange Villa, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, last July. His grandmother, Margaret Everett, of West
AN old favourite is getting a new look at a museum dedicated to the men and women who gave their lives in the Second World War. Next month, it will be 60 years since the first French bomber squadrons were formed at what was then RAF Elvington, near York
MICK McCARTHY last night saluted his 'mentally tough' Sunderland stars for bouncing back from their FA Cup disappointment. After the depressing defeat at the hands of Millwall in Sunday's semi-final, the Black Cats responded by narrowly overcoming relegated
A CAMPAIGN to fight the problem of fly tipping in the countryside has been launch-ed by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA). It is running a national survey to convince local authorities and the Government on the need for action. The CLA's
EIGHT men have been arrested for using a public toilet for sex acts following complaints from local people. Undercover police made the arrests for offences of causing a public nuisance after the men were detained at the toilet block in Zetland Park, Redcar
PLANS to build a block of flats near the planned route of a city road should be refused, according to a senior planning officer. Finton Lyle Limited is seeking permission for a four-storey block of nine flats next to Kingdom Hall, in St Wilfrid's Road
OFFICALS at an athletics club are hoping to track down some of its original runners and field competitors for a reunion to mark its 20th anniversary. Teesdale Athletic Club has 70 men, women and junior members, who meet for training sessions in Barnard
POLICE are investigating the death of a restaurant manager who was found collapsed in a street. Chanu Miah, 48, of Sunderland Road, South Shields, South Tyneside, collapsed while delivering a takeaway to a house in the town's Salmon Street on Monday night
A CORONER whose backlog of unfinished inquests sparked a judicial investigation was last night told: "It's time to go." Teesside MP Dari Taylor called on Michael Sheffield to retire so a replacement can be appointed to clear up the outstanding cases.
A PLAN to transform a school's grounds into an outdoor classroom has been launched. Children at Neville's Cross Primary School, in Durham, have come up with suggestions for their playground. The first part of the project consists of three tepees made
A BADLY botched wall, partially obscured by a crude metal fire escape, had us all excited a couple of weeks ago, because it was the rediscovered remains of Darlington's oldest Methodist chapel. Built in 1779, this chapel can be seen in a private car park
A TEENAGER who drove while more than three times the limit was jailed for four months yesterday. Matthew Large, 18, of Gouldsmith Gardens, Darlington, was banned from driving for three years at South Durham Magistrates' Court. When stopped by police on
Secret Intersex (C4) ONE mother summed up many people's feelings by saying it - a third gender, not male or female but somewhere in between - was a concern but also fascinating. She laughed as she said it because she was slightly embarrassed about this
THE North East's tallest office block has become the home to an unusual piece of art over the Easter period. A clear acrylic egg, seated in a nest of porcelain twigs, will be housed in a Perspex box in the reception of Centre North-East, in Albert Road
A UNIVERSITY is inviting children to enter a photography competition with a difference. The University of Teesside is looking for photographs illustrating what their home area means to youngsters. Dr Tony Chapman, assistant director of the school of social
AT the grand age of 94 and after 68 years of marriage Walter Marchant is still king of the billiard table. Mr Marchant and his wife Reene, also 94, will celebrate their wedding anniversary on Sunday. The couple will be joined by their two sons, two daughters
IT is almost a year since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, symbolised by the pulling down of his statue in Baghdad. The historic event demonstrated the ease with which the military objectives of the way in Iraq were achieved. Subsequently, however, the
A student who carried out a crazed knife attack on a man and woman on Teesside, may be deported. French national Eric Samo severed an artery in student Richard Laven's arm and slashed the throat of his prospective mother-in-law Marlene Hunter, after bursting
I CAN see some of the arguments for the introduction of regional government but, at the moment, I remain to be convinced that it is the way ahead. There are too many questions yet to be answered but, I would have to say that, in principle, my instincts
A national charity is running a patient education drive in the region after a survey showed that the North-East is a diabetes blackspot. Last month a survey by Experion suggested that the North-East probably has more hospital admissions for Type 2 diabetes
A NORTH-EAST couple have proved there is cash in trash after announcing plans for a big boost in recycling. Jill and Martin Bacon started their business - Teesdale Rotters - as a favour to neighbours who wanted rid of garden rubbish but faced a long trek
GHOST SHIPS: I SERVED in the Royal Navy for ten years and for the last 30 years have been in the Merchant Navy. I have seen ships being scrapped in appalling conditions in India and Taiwan, so give Able UK the chance to scrap these ships in a professional
WOMEN in the region are being urged to run, jog or walk their way to health this summer. The launch of Cancer Research UK's 2004 Race for Life events coincided with a survey that shows that only three per cent of Britons are aware that being overweight
SHARES in mobile phone maker Nokia fell by as much as 16 per cent yesterday after the company warned that first quarter sales would be below expectations. Other telecoms stocks also fell on the back of the announcement, which estimated net sales would
Secret Intersex (C4): ONE mother summed up many people's feelings by saying it - a third gender, not male or female but somewhere in between - was a concern but also fascinating. She laughed as she said it because she was slightly embarrassed about this
SOME house buyers are managing to knock up to 15 per cent off the price of a property, saving nearly £25,000 on an average home costing £163,000, research has shown. A third of people buying a property negotiate the price down by between six per cent
THE financiers whose millions helped build the Reynolds Arena last night agreed a deal to buy the Darlington FC stadium. The Northern Echo understands that the Sterling Consortium is the new owner of the Neasham Road ground. Administrators have sold the
The crucial role of North-East munitions workers during the Second World War is due to be celebrated next year. The National Lottery last night announced a £7.3m fund to pay for events marking the service of home front veterans on the 60th anniversary
MIDDLESBROUGH skipper Gareth Southgate was last night undergoing scans on a knee injury that threatens to derail his participation in this summer's European Championships. The England international went straight to hospital after injuring himself in yesterday's
A NORTH-East engineering business is helping to contribute to the success of Formula One driver Jenson Button. XL edm, in Stockton, Teesside, has won a contract to supply engine parts for the BAR cars. Since it started supplying BAR with both engine parts
OUT of darkness comes light. Separated by several thousand miles, two horrific events, one of them drawing worldwide attention, the other, sadly, little-reported beyond our own North-East, have prompted responses that display the best in the human spirit
THE Church of England is poised to hand over more than £20m to replace a Darlington comprehensive school at the centre of a pioneering education initiative. Education chiefs confirmed last night they were in talks with Church authorities over the plan
Colin Montgomerie was approached by a security guard as he finished a practice session yesterday and was asked if he would speak to the ''working press'' at the Masters. ''That's two words you don't normally hear together,'' joked the Scot, in jovial
ELDERLY residents are being disturbed by people tapping on their windows at night. People living in the Poets Corner area of Park East, in Darlington, have reported the nuisance late at night or in the early hours. At this week's Neighbourhood Watch meeting
MEDIA group News Corporation is to "significantly expand" its shareholder base by switching its main listing from Australia to New York, it emerged yesterday. The group, which publishes The Times and Sun newspapers, said the proposal would stimulate demand
A lack of major corporate news ahead of the long Easter weekend led to a lacklustre performance by the FTSE 100 Index yesterday. The slow start to trading on Wall Street and a downbeat sales statement from telecoms company Nokia sent the Footsie 7.9 points
THE closure of one, or even two, of Darlington's secondary schools is expected to be the most burning issue facing the borough council over the next few years. Already, The Northern Echo has received calls from readers who are taking house-buying decisions
SOME pensioners could boost their income by hundreds of pounds a year if they claimed everything they were entitled to, according to Age Concern. The charity hopes a five-day campaign, called Your Rights Week, will make sure older people do not miss out
THERE'S an old adage that success breeds success and, for Grand National winning jockey Graham Lee, the claim certainly seems to ring true. Lee, who is based at Ingleby Barwick, produced the ride of his life to steer Amberleigh House to the most dramatic
A MAN'S "clumsy" bid to fleece his former employers of £81,000 when he was made redundant quickly came to light, a court heard. Michael Andrew Stokoe altered his £9,059 redundancy cheque from Bookham Technology, in a bid to increase the pay-off tenfold
THE financiers whose millions helped build the Reynolds Arena last night agreed a deal to buy the Darlington FC stadium. The Northern Echo understands that the Sterling Consortium is the new owner of the Neasham Road ground. Administrators have sold the
Police have appealed for for witnesses following an arson attack on a flat on Tuesday afternoon. Firefighters were called to Eastbourne Avenue, Bensham. Gateshead, at around 12.30pm. A police spokesman a fire had started in a flat and spread to an adjoining
A mother accused of kidnapping her two young children on Teesside has been remanded in custody until June 4. Shanaz Hafeez, 30, of Egerton Road, appeared at Teesside Crown Court yesterday charged with the kidnap of daughters, Salina, aged five and three-year-old
RESIDENTS of a village who were given three months' notice to quit their homes have been told they can stay after a buyer in the North-East was found for the properties. Fifteen homes in Gittisham, East Devon, will be sold to Northumberland and Durham
