ENGLISH dairy farmers do have a bright future, but getting there will be tough - those who are struggling to make a profit now, or who think they may struggle in the future, must consider their options. A joint Milk Development Council/NFU meeting in
MIDDLESBROUGH manager Steve McClaren has admitted he could exploit the loan market again as he looks to strengthen his side for the challenge of Europe. McClaren has prided himself on the "creative'' deals which helped Boro to their first major trophy
It's that time in the football season when cups are won and championships decided and the local scene is certainly busy at the moment. The culmination of a season's slog can be joy or, as Bishop Auckland Under-15s found at Fratton Park last week in the
THE organisers of the Dales Festival of Food and Drink last weekend were applauded up and down Wensleydale this week for so successfully bringing in thousands of visitors and sharing the bounty with many others. Not only did the tulip festival at Constable
AN event to showcase talent in Newton Aycliffe has attracted the cream of the town's young performers. Great Aycliffe Town Council has provided the Playhouse Marquee, which incorporates a large stage and seating for more than 200 at the Great Aycliffe
MATT and Craig Ridley had a day to remember at the May Limousin bull sale at Carlisle. The Ridleys, of Haltcliffe, Hesket New Market, Wigton, achieved the sale's top price of 43,000gns - the second highest ever for a Limousin bull - and sold two other
A LAST gasp win at the end of a gruelling semi-final has capped off a sensational season for a student basketball squad. With just four seconds left on the clock, the under-19 side from Wolsingham School and Community College pulled off a remarkable victory
If Sir Terry Leahy, chief executive of the all conquering Tesco, will forgive me, I have a suggestion as to how his company can make even more money. Imagine you're queuing at the till. You put all your purchases on the conveyor belt and then you jump
Durham and District League: Coxhoe, who were in danger of relegation last season, became the surprise leaders of the First Division after their six points home win over Brandon. Reigning champions, Leeholme are in second place, two points adrift but four
Pre-competition favourites Pepper Draughting Services lived up to their billing when they came out on top against a well-organised and hard working FRA Mowden in the final of the second division cup on Sunday. Held at Darlington RA's Brinkburn Road ground
Nell the sheepdog, whose videos about life on the North York Moors made her a worldwide star, has died. She passed away peacefully on the settee at her home in Moors-holm, near Saltburn, east Cleveland, aged 14. Although still a working sheepdog, the
A GROUP of German students will bid farewell to Darlington today after spending a fortnight in the town to improve their English. The 17 teenagers, from Schulzeutrum Lerchenstrasse School, in Bremen, have been staying at the Dalesman Hotel, in Victoria
A MAN with mounting court fines was given a last chance to pay them off when he appeared before magistrates yesterday. David Zipfel, 30, of Whitby Way, Darlington, appeared at Darlington Magistrates' Court after failing to keep up with the payments of
A CONCERT is being held at a Teesside museum tomorrow. The Avison Ensemble, a period orchestra from Newcastle which has been inspired by Tyneside composer Charles Avison, will perform at Preston Hall Museum, in Eaglescliffe. The concert is called A Classical
Northern League chairman Mike Amos has defended the league's decision to recommend that Murton should be relegated to the Wearside League. The league's management committee will recommend to the AGM on June 6 that Murton should be relegated from the Northern
BEAT officers in Newton Aycliffe were kept busy all day at a crime prevention surgery held in a town supermarket. Hundreds of people paused at the stand, set up in the new Tesco supermarket yesterday to ask for information and advice. PC Stan Webster
IRATE bus workers tired of being pestered by pigeons went on a killing spree, it emerged last night. Public transport operator Go North-East has admitted that two members of staff at its bus depot in Chester Road, Stanley, had taken matters into their
A STUDENT council has handed a petition to Government Chief Whip Hilary Armstrong to ask that children all over the world receive a fair education. Members of Wolsingham School and Community College's school council met the North-West Durham MP when she
FIVE post offices in North Yorkshire could close in August as part of a national programme of urban closures. Post Office Ltd announced yesterday that one post office in Ripon and four in Harrogate are under threat. The Post Office is restructuring its
SENIOR managers of the health service turned out in force at a public meeting to defend an out-of-hours system introduced in Wensleydale. The North Yorkshire Emergency Doctors (NYED) network took over effective responsibility for cover at night and over
RESIDENTS cheered as an application for a controversial housing development on Teesside was unanimously thrown out by councillors. Local people were upset by a plan to build 111 homes on green wedge land at High Farm, Skippers Lane, Normanby. They feared
PLANS to build a DIY supercentre on the edge of a market town would have a detrimental effect on the town centre, according to council officers. B&Q wants to build a 45,000sq ft store, 13,000sq ft garden centre and a 9,000sq ft bulk store, plus a
There are a number of interesting old halls and houses located in and around Lanchester that reflect the desirability of the village and its surrounding countryside. Some halls have since been demolished, but others remain as private residences. However
THEY wouldn't listen. Mark Johnston kept telling them; we, too, never lost faith, but those in the south wouldn't heed the signs, not even after the most public racecourse gallop in history as Ripon showed off our northern filly on television the Saturday
She only went out after a row with her boyfriend, but her act of revenge ended in rape. She talks to Sam Strangeways abou the day her life changed. IT was an argument with her boyfriend on a Sunday morning which led Paula to go to Middlesbrough on her
TOUCHING prayers and memories were penned by youngsters at a North Yorkshire school in remembrance of their 48-year-old headteacher who died recently. The messages from pupils aged between five and 11 at Grewelthorpe Church of England Primary School were
Killinghall Arms defeated Blackhall Hardwick 3-2 to win the Robson-Pattison Cup. The first half belonged to Killingworth they took an early lead when Neil Howie scored and should have increased it but Davy Thompson's spot kick was brilliantly saved by
TONIGHT'S eagerly-awaited Sting concert has been cancelled after the superstar contracted a throat infection. A spokesman for Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle said: "We have unfortunately been informed by the event promoter that the Sting concert scheduled
SECOND Division side Masons Arms clinched a shock cup double when they lifted the B&A Trophy last week. Masons, who had already bagged the Second Division Cup with a 1-0 win over Voltigeur a week before, were deserved winners over First Division side
CELEBRITY gardener Simon Cross started working with youngsters yesterday to transform a piece of wasteland. The teenagers will work with the Tyne Tees and GMTV gardener to turn the 30ft x 70ft derelict plot of land into a garden and sitting area. The
Stanley RAFA have struggled all season in the league, but have experienced no such problems in the Richardson Cup. Needless to say they were particularly confident when they tackled Felling Mulberry in the final and must have thought it was going to be
A COUNTY Durham schoolgirl is to represent the region in a tennis tournament. Laura Greaves has been playing tennis since she started at Durham High School in 2000 under the guidance of coach Geoff Henderson. She won her first tournament at the age of
A TRIAL that will give ID cards to thousands of people across the North-East has been delayed for more than two months because of teething troubles. The scheme, which is expected to pave the way for compulsory cards within a decade, was supposed to start
SIX awards won for the regeneration of Newcastle's Grainger Town will go on display at the Tourist Information Centre, in Grainger Street, from Monday.
ONE of the saddest developments in the North-East over the past 30 years has been decline of Stockton High Street. It's only claim to fame now is that it remains the widest High Street in the country. Despite that, few people want to go there now, unless
AFTER years of struggling to restore old stations and sheds, volunteers working to reopen a redundant railway line are finally to get their first new building. Weardale Railways, in County Durham, marked a milestone yesterday when they laid the foundations
Referee Roy Pearson sounds the final whistle on Sunday after 25 momentous years in best-of-order black. "I've enjoyed every moment," he insists, though his hair's long turned grey in the oft-contentious cause. It's what you get, he says, for a quarter
THE region's newest retail park will host a farmers' market this weekend. Local growers will offer freshly prepared food to people at Dalton Park, in Murton, County Durham, tomorrow and on Sunday. Already popular in the region, the markets give farmers
STRONG increases in new business ventures and products helped the service sector expand last month, figures showed yesterday. The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply's (CIPS) purchasing managers' index found the sector grew for the 13th consecutive
Amy Fossheim, a 14-year-old gymnast from the South Durham Gymnastics Club in Spennymoor, helped Great Britain to reach fourth place in the junior European Gymnastics championships which were held in Amsterdam last week. Great Britain's previous best result
TWO more North-East soccer hooligans have been banned from the Euro 2004 finals. In a civil case brought by Cleveland Police, Mark Pallister and Gary Bolton were yesterday barred from Portugal and also from entering football grounds worldwide. A district
PRINCE Charles and cast members from television's All Creatures Great and Small are among celebrities who have congratulated Swaledale Woollens on its 30th anniversary. The business at Muker, which uses local yarns to create sweaters, socks and other
A SOLIDER who was left fighting for her life after she was seriously injured in Iraq has given birth to her first child. Corporal Jane McLauchlan gave birth to 7lb 13oz Nathan Maddison in hospital in Osnabruck, Germany, on April 25. Cpl McLauchlan, who
THE history of the Headland area of Hartlepool is to come under the spotlight in an exhibition. Last autumn, Bob Beagrie was appointed writer in residence at the Headland, as part of a wider project to research, record and celebrate the area's heritage
A scheme that aims to help students with learning difficulties travel independently and safely has been launched in Hartlepool. Cycling licences are being issued to youngsters at Catcote School when they successfully complete an 11-week safer cycling
CONCERNS have been raised over the proposed site of a school for children with behavioural, social and emotional difficulties. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council wants to establish a school in the borough for about 50 to 60 pupils with such difficulties
The RFU National Clubs Under-17s competition takes place at Broadstreet RFC, Coventry tomorrow and Mowden Park will be competing after successfully coming through the qualification process. The first qualification round was held at Ryton at the end of
A EURO MP has expressed concern after a test revealed his blood was contaminated by man-made chemicals. North-East Labour MEP Stephen Hughes was one of 39 MEPs who took part in a survey organised by WWF, the Global Environment Network and the Co-operative
A SIXTIES singer, who rubbed shoulders with the stars and toured the Middle East with showgirls, was also a main feature of Darlington market. Seymour Borlant put his good looks and voice to work on his market pitch, but also tried his hand at breaking
UNIONS are due to meet brewery bosses next week for talks on the future of 170 jobs at the Federation Brewery, near the Gateshead MetroCentre. About 110 jobs are due to be lost if members of the Federation Brewery vote in favour of a merger with Scottish
Roach at Silksworth Lake again showed in numbers for Sunday's Stevie Brown Memorial boasting three double figured weights despite bright sunny conditions. Shimano Quaker rods claimed the top two positions with John Parkinson finishing with 14.5.0 in the
THOSE who take pleasure in the shocking demise of Leeds United are predicting that the sale of Alan Smith, Mark Viduka, Paul Robinson and Dominic Matteo to reduce debts and the wage bill will result in an escalating downward spiral. But Sunderland were
STING will return to his Geordie roots to combine his talents with a world-renowned high-wire artist and leading orchestra to create an unforgettable extravaganza. The Tyneside-born star was at the Baltic arts centre, Gateshead, yesterday to announce
A LEADING conservationist has put forward ideas for developing renewable energy in the North York Moors National Park. Writing in Voice of the Moors, the quarterly magazine of the North Yorkshire Moors Association, editor John Farquhar says: "My first
A RUPERT Abrahams double was the highlight of the Zetland point to point held at Witton Castle on Monday, with both his winning horses trained by Robin Tate. First leg was a very impressive front-running performance by Royal Snoopy (M Abrahams/West of
DO you remember how not too long ago some people were predicting the death of the newspaper? They said that the internet boom would do away with the need for grubby print editions which couldn't be up-dated every second of every day. But those who made
Durham County: Durham County opened their County Championship campaign by travelling to play Cheshire at Winnington Park and were defeated 77-3 by a very well organised and hard working team. Cheshire delivered a polished performance running in ten tries
A TEENAGER accused of fatally stabbing a friend at his 18th birthday party told a court yesterday the blade went into him accidentally. David Mitchell, 19, said he had intended to throw the knife away, but it ended up going into Paul Best's back. Newcastle
A DESPERATE plea to reduce the number of flats on a new Darlington development fell on deaf ears this week. Furious residents have threatened to complain to the Ombudsman about the way Darlington Council planning committee made its decision to allow 18
SO near and yet so far - Newcastle United's 35-year wait for silverware shows no sign of coming to an end. The Magpies have had one hand on both the Premiership trophy and the FA Cup in recent years but, on each occasion, they faltered with the finishing
Newton Aycliffe Youth Centre: Hartlepool St Francis Eagles were the opponents for an important cup semi final in the Cleveland Youth League. The game was always going to be close with both teams performing well all season. The first half was all Aycliffe
AN Advertiser reporter is looking for sponsorship for a 450-mile, month-long walk to raise funds for a memorial appeal. Chris Webber plans to walk from the site of Britain's oldest mine at Cissbury Ring, near Brighton, to Stanley. Any money raised will
THE famous silver swan at the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle has undergone a full service to keep it in tip-top condition. The 230-year-old automaton was acquired by museum founders, John and Josephine Bowes, in 1872, and continues to perform twice a
Sir, - In response to Coun Halton's letter re Freebrough School, education in East Cleveland has always been politically motivated. Against a background of failing rolls, DeBrus School was built at Skelton. When it became obvious it was not viable, attempts
THE talents of young performers are showcased in a variety show at Durham's Gala Theatre tomorrow. Star Search will feature about 40 youngsters aged seven to 25 and is being staged by Durham Cygnets Drama and Theatre Arts and North-East Talent Enterprises
LISTENERS to a regional radio station will have the chance to design their playlist on a CD to be released this year. Magic 1152 is handing over the reins to the people of the North-East and letting them decide which songs should appear on the CD. It
A impressive 25 members entered the Kirbymoorside 10K, which is a fairly tough road race with some long hills, and the hot, sunny conditions made it even tougher. Gary Dunn was the first Harrier to finish, in fifth place, in 36.39 with Cameron Choules
If Sir Terry Leahy, chief executive of the all conquering Tesco, will forgive me, I have a suggestion as to how his company can make even more money. Imagine you're queuing at the till. You put all your purchases on the conveyor belt and then you jump
THE gunman at the centre of a siege that shocked the North-East more than a decade ago was back behind bars last night after he was arrested in a dramatic police operation. Armed officers swooped to detain Keith Pringle, who had been released only months
IRAQ: WHEN is Tony Blair going to stop sending our troops into the cauldron of hell called Iraq? He must stop pandering to Mr Bush and realise these men are human beings, not cannon fodder. Their job is not ultimately to be killed, but to be protectors
A British diplomat paid the one-way air fare for his gay African lover to travel to England and claim asylum, so they could continue their illicit affair, a court heard. High Commission attache Christopher Henderson told the court he met the defendant
FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - Every year there is an annual gathering of some 70 or 80 railway clerks from Darlington and Gateshead and they test their merits by a football or cricket match. The place selected this year was Witton-le-Wear. This
CONSTRUCTION of one of the UK's largest news distribution centres is being hailed as another feather in the cap for a structural design consultancy. AMP Consultants, of Darlington, provided structural steelwork designs and connection specifications for
Paul Davison of Spennymoor, has been out of the professional ranks for over seven years but returned with a bang when he won the eighth Senior Ranking Tour event by beating ex-Main Tour player, Wayne Cooper 4-2 in the final. This lifts Davison up to ninth
I Like to Watch (C4): Last week a documentary about flashers. This week, one about people who like to watch other people in sexual situations. Do I detect a pattern here? Coming through, a programme about people who like to watch flashers while having
SO near and yet so far - Newcastle United's 35-year wait for silverware shows no sign of coming to an end. The Magpies have had one hand on both the Premiership trophy and the FA Cup in recent years but, on each occasion, they faltered with the finishing
THE Dales Festival of Food and Drink broke even more records this year with over 20,000 people passing through the gates during the three-day event - an 18pc increase on last year. There was often a stream of traffic from the A1 to Leyburn as people came
Darlington Spraire Lads: At the end of last month, Spraire Lads sent a squad to France to take part in the 20th International Tournament for 14 year-olds hosted by US Camon on the outskirts of Amiens. To meet the French FA's age criteria Spraire was represented
A CONCERT is being held at a Teesside museum tomorrow. The Avison Ensemble, a period orchestra from Newcastle which has been inspired by Tyneside composer Charles Avison, will perform at Preston Hall Museum, in Eaglescliffe. The concert is called A Classical
A teenage girl was kept captive by an African musician who infected her with the HIV virus after repeatedly having unprotected sex with her while she was just 15, a court heard today. The girl, now aged 18, said that 28-year-old Feston Konzani chatted
FRIENDS and relatives of a young RAF man who was killed in secret nerve gas trials held a two-minute silence yesterday during an inquest into his death. The inquiry into the death of 20-year-old Ronald Maddison, from Consett, County Durham, was adjourned
Inclement weather kept anglers away for the middle part of the week but the break was worth the wait. 25 anglers caught 113 fish in the 2lbs range with the biggest at 4.5 lbs. Three day permit holders caught 40 fish between them. Club member Jerry McBeth
South Durham took two boxers to Shildon ABC where Mark Dawes boxed P Boyle from Halfpenny ABC and Dawes won on points. Another South Durham boxer, John Freeman, boxed P Hamson from Horsley Hill ABC and although Hamson was a game opponent he wasn't a match
VANESSA FIELDS will get married this summer without the need for painkillers after surgery carried out in the North-East. Ms Fields, 28, who has suffered from serious back problems since she was a teenager, has been cured after the first operation of
Low drawn horses have enjoyed big advantages at Chester this week making the task of Chappel Cresent (4.05) significantly easier in the Warwick International Handicap, writes Colin Woods. A natural front-runner, Chappel Cresent has struck pure gold in
More than 240 million pre-packed sandwiches are sold in Britain each year but the ready-made filling market is quickly catching up. LORD Sandwich has a lot to answer for. But at least he kept it simple. All he did was slap some beef between two slices
Durham County won the FA County Youth Cup when they defeated North Riding County 4-0 in the final at the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough on Saturday. The seventh consecutive victory, which equalled their record number of wins, was a result of an excellent
A WOMAN barred from working as a prostitute on every street in the country has been given one last chance to clean up her act or face being returned to prison. Amanda Jane Riley, 23, pleaded guilty at Teesside Magistrates' Court to two charges of persistently
I Like to Watch (C4) Last week a documentary about flashers. This week, one about people who like to watch other people in sexual situations. Do I detect a pattern here? Coming through, a programme about people who like to watch flashers while having
THOSE who take pleasure in the shocking demise of Leeds United are predicting that the sale of Alan Smith, Mark Viduka, Paul Robinson and Dominic Matteo to reduce debts and the wage bill will result in an escalating downward spiral. But Sunderland were
DARLINGTON. - Thurs of last week. Fwd: 479 cattle, 559 sheep. Steers lt to 127.5p/£580.13 av 117.5p; med to 118.5p/£616.20 av 102.42p; heavy to 118.5p/£802.13 av 102.47p, overall steer av 103.1p; hfrs lt to 89.5p/£349.05 av 88.5p; med to 139.5p/£669.60
Stillington The Royal and Shildon Elm Road WMC had their usual tight encounter with the home side coming out 4-2 victors. Mark Warnes put Royal ahead with Thomas Louden equalising. Royal had a good spell, scoring three through Paul Cleary, sub Lee O'Connell
A RADICAL £80m redevelopment programme has been proposed for Stockton town centre. It includes the demolition of the Swallow Hotel, an adjoining car park and part of the Castlegate shopping centre. A new bus station would be built in the area - and another
FORMER Health Secretary Alan Milburn said he wants charities to carry out tests for Aids to cut waiting lists. The Darlington MP risked angering Labour traditionalists by calling for voluntary groups to be paid to deliver services run by the NHS. The
A REDCAR and Cleveland councillor celebrated 25 years of unbroken service on the council this week. Coun Steve Kay was first elected to the then Langbaurgh Borough Council on May 3, 1979, and has represented the Lockwood ward, which includes his home
The Northern Echo Cup Final, Redcar Mackinlay P v Lingdale Tavern: Lingdale were looking to put the disappointment of lasy week's league cup final and two league defeats behind them. They started the game well, making chances for the two Breckons at the
IF IN doubt, dial 999 was the message to upper Wensleydale residents concerned about out-of-hours GP cover. Top officials from health organisations attended the area parish forum to defend the new system of providing doctors at nights, weekends and bank
THERE have been massive changes at what used to be known simply as Motel Leeming. The late Stanislaw Les, the Polish expatriate who founded the place in 1961 to reap the benefits of the then new Leeming bypass, would have recognised his original bit,
Sir, - Instinctively, a warm welcome should be given to the proposal for new office units to be built on the Colburn Business Park. But is this a case of throwing good money after bad? Yorkshire Forward's proposals, which include £628,000 of Richmondshire
MORTON on Swale rider Nicola Tweddle had every reason to be delighted with her performance at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, where entrants had to cope with truly testing conditions. The 27-year-old, who was making her fifth appearance
LORD Sandwich has a lot to answer for. But at least he kept it simple. All he did was slap some beef between two slices of bread and lo - he had created a fast food empire. We all eat lots of sandwiches. About 155 a year each apparently. Most of those
The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League, First Division: The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League first division championship has gone to East End WMC. It went down to the final game of the season between the Eastenders and
Wet wickets were not conducive for run making and there were some low scores with Haughton managing only 42 on their visit to Middleton St George in Division A, writes Malcolm Pratt. Tahir claimed four wickets for five runs and Hussein had figures of
Shildon Timothy Hackworth pulled off a good home win over Coxhoe Cricketers Arms with a good bowling display followed by some confident batting. The visitors made 63 for 9 in their 20 overs, with the Shildon team replying with 65 for two with Ian Longstaff
Darlington and District League Kingfisher Finance Trophy Final, Newton Aycliffe 2 Greyhound 1, (aet, abandoned after 95 mins): The third meeting of the teams within a fortnight was always going to be a tempestuous affair but their was no sign of things
Stockton were the first team to win a trophy this season, following their victory in the Final of the Meredith Trophy. Frankland were their opponents in an entertaining match, played at Norton. The first was very even with few chances for either team.
A GRIEVING woman told last night how her fiancee died a hero in a freak boating tragedy only days after he proposed to her. Jane Trainor, from Redcar, east Cleveland, had hoped to be able to wave from the beach to her partner, Peter Blount, who had gone
A MAN is hoping to turn his passion for military vehicles into a corporate leisure business. Bill Bates has applied for planning permission to convert eight acres of land at his home, Handley Cross, near Yarm, into an off-road driving and shooting centre
A former manager of Hartlepool United is taking legal action against supporters for comments posted on a fans' Internet message board. Solicitors acting for Mike Newell, now the boss of Second Division rivals Luton Town, have lodged a libel complaint
Royal Military Police were last night questioning a soldier over fresh claims that British troops abused Iraqis. The soldier, who has not been named, was being interviewed in London after speaking to The Daily Mirror, it was confirmed. The new claims
Sir - Speaking as a 55-year-old motorcyclist, car driver and cyclist I would like to make a few comments about motorcyclists and the threat they apparently pose to others. Bikers are vulnerable - the only protection against injury is their experience,
A coach trip organised by Ian Douglas for some workmates 20 years ago was enjoyed by them all, but more importantly it led to him launching an unpaid sideline which has raised a fortune for charity. That first outing for colleagues at the Glaxo factory
DARLINGTON bring the curtain down on a traumatic season when they visit old foes Scunthorpe United tomorrow. David Hodgson's side will be hoping to bow out on a high note after they failed to give their fans much to cheer in last Saturday's final home
PLANS for Bedale Museum, which stages an exhibition next week on 300 years of local travel and transport, may depend on a meeting with representatives of the National Lottery. Founded in 1959 and still housed in a cramped room on the ground floor of Bedale
DURHAM are to retain Marcus North for the full season and have called Vince Wells out of retirement to join the squad for the championship match against Essex starting at Riverside today. They will also hand a debut to Pakistani paceman Tahir Mughal,
VISITORS to 15 North-East attractions will be able to save money this summer through a new passport initiative. The Herriot County Attractions Group, in North Yorkshire, has joined forces with Newby Hall, near Ripon for the three-month long scheme. The
OFFICIALS from Darlington Borough Council are planning to attend a national conference on local authority standards. The third Annual Assembly of Standards Committees takes place in Birmingham, on September 13 and 14. Representatives from Darlington are
A CAR thief was sent to prison for four months yesterday after completing only six hours of two community punishment orders. Unemployed Jon William Soley, 23, was told by magistrate Alfred Walker that he could have no more chances and now faced jail.
A SUPERMARKET manager has threatened to call in police after receiving a barrage of abuse from thoughtless shoppers who park in bays for cars of disabled drivers. A growing number of customers, including mothers with children and pensioners, have thrown
TWO days of activities and attractions to mark the anniversary of VE Day are taking place in Newton Aycliffe this weekend. The event, to mark the official surrender of Germany at the end of the Second World War, will be held at the town's Scout Hut in
A MAN was sent to prison yesterday for assaulting his partner after a night out in Bishop Auckland town centre. Christopher Howe, of Blackett Street, Bishop Auckland, pleaded guilty to common assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) in November last
FOR years he has been the "meeter and greeter" for thousands of people visiting Middlesbrough Council offices, but now John Druery has raised the barrier for the last time. Mr Druery, a former crane driver and blacksmith's assistant at Smiths Dock, has
ANGRY council workers staged a demonstration last night over job evaluation pay cuts. Employees at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council lobbied their bosses before a council meeting at Eston Town Hall, near Middlesbrough. A large number have received
A MOTHER and her 15-year-old daughter are recovering after firefighters rescued them from their home. Officers were called to a kitchen fire at their house in Westgate Avenue, Silksworth, Sunderland, at about 1am on Wednesday. The woman tried to extinguish
Yorkshire wanted to get their Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy match against Dorset at Bournemouth done and dusted as quickly as possible yesterday - and thanks to Chris Silverwood they made sure the Minor Counties' side didn't hang about for long after
The championship will not be decided till the final game of the season on Saturday when Bishop Rugby Club entertain West Auckland Queens Head. With a superior goal difference Queens Head will be favourites and need only draw whilst Rugby Club must win
A NEW reference library at a primary school has wowed pupils with its cosy surroundings and wide range of books. The library has been moved and expanded from a site in the entrance of Mill Hill Primary School, in Northallerton, to a mobile classroom in
ONE of the sporting highlights of the summer came early to a school in North Yorkshire this week. Le Cateau Primary School, in Catterick Garrison, linked up with Midlands firm Sport By Design for a day of Olympic-themed events to help with numeracy and
YOUNG readers are on a literary mission to find the most popular children's book. The Chatterbox junior reading club for five to 11-year-olds, which meets at Durham County Council's Clayport Library, came up with the idea. Nomination papers have been
Thornaby Mandale 1 Kings Head 2: The King's Head title push stayed on track but only just with super sub Brian Crawley scoring twice late in the game against Mandale to secure the vital three points. Mandale had taken the lead in the 20th minute when
TWO teenagers from the North-East will appear in TV's Stars in Their Eyes Kids at the weekend. Ashlea Pearson, 13, and Peter Skeen, 15, beat off competition from thousands of other young people to win a place on the show. Ashlea, 13, of Birtley, Gateshead
RICHMOND swimmer Joanne Jackson, 17, who trains with Richmond Dales ASC and Derwentside and swims for Durham Aquatics, took two titles at the North Eastern Counties Junior/Senior Gala at Sheffield. Having qualified to swim in the Athens Olympics by winning
Lumley Ladies: Lumley enjoyed mixed fortunes after sending six teams to compete in different age group categories at the first major festival of the summer, at York. Teams from across the North took part in the tournament, played in blistering spring
THE organisers of the weekend's Dales Festival of Food and Drink must have watched the rain come down on Tuesday morning with particular satisfaction. They must also have noted with approval, or at least with a slight sense of schadenfreude, the plight
Premier Division, Lion Hillcarter 1 Burn Valley 0: The destiny of the Premier League title will go right down to the wire after Lion just edged out a plucky Burn Valley side by a single goal. The match kicked off with the players and the large crowd bathed
A YOUNG dancer has proved her success in winning a regional tap title last year was no flash in the pan. Stephanie Lund, 12, of Shadforth, near Durham, took the International Dance Teachers' Association North-East of England Junior Championship last year
DAVE Pye, from Great Ayton, produced an almost faultless display of trials riding to take the premier award in the second round of the Guisborough club's Saturday night summer series at Birk Brow. Pye recorded a dab on section six and then dabbed again
SCHOOLS Minister David Miliband MP fielded questions on the state of education in the North-East last night. Mr Miliband visited Derwentside College, in Consett, along with north-west Durham MP and Government Chief Whip, Hilary Armstrong. The event was
DEVELOPING links between the North-East and northern Germany could bring millions of pounds of EU funding to both areas, it was claimed last night. Tourism and development representatives from the Hannover area are visiting the region to forge business
A COUNCIL heavily criticised in a Government report for its lack of political leadership is to vote on whether to appoint a council leader next week. Teesdale District Council was given a rating of "poor" in a Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA
POSTERS alerting the public to the threat from terrorists are being issued by a North-East police force. Durham Police chiefs said it was not a reaction to a specific threat to people, places or events. Assistant Chief Constable Gary Barnett said it was
Most people like to go out, meet friends, enjoy a sociable supper. For others the day-to-day interaction we take for granted can be torture. Health Correspondent Barry Nelson talks to one man whose life was made impossible by social anxiety. FEW people
DARLINGTON Kim Chung Do was honoured at the weekend by a seminar instructed by Martial Arts expert Grand Master Kim Yong Ho. Master Kim, a 9th Dan in Taekwondo, travelled to Kim Chung Do's Central Dojang in Gladstone Street, Darlington, from Paris to
THE Bank of England's rate-setting committee has been warned against using "shock treatment" to rein in the economy. The manufacturing sector accepted a quarter per cent rise in interest rates by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) yesterday, but warned
Nell the sheepdog, whose videos about life on the North York Moors made her a worldwide star, has died. She passed away peacefully on the settee at her home in Moors-holm, near Saltburn, east Cleveland, aged 14. Although still a working sheepdog, the
MACHINES from the golden age of steam will be at one of the region's leading tourist attractions this weekend. Visitors to the Beamish Museum, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, can enjoy a traction engine rally tomorrow and on Sunday. The Steam Glorious
Champions Boroughbridge got their season off to a winning start. Their 5.5-3.5 win over former title holders Harlow was just the tonic they needed to start the new campaign. Boroughbridge took the First Division title for the first time last season using
FARMER'S daughter, Chris Flintoft, is diversifying from helping her father on Broadgate Farm, Westerdale. She has set up a cycle hire business, Purple Mountain Bike Hire, from a shed in the car park of her sister Dafny Hebron's pub, the Coach and Horses
MIDDLETON in TEESDALE. - Tues. Fwd: 297 breeding & store cattle for May show & sale. Judge: James Crichton, Egremont. Champion, Steyr Cup & £20 voucher from Tunstall Tractors: JC&J White, Rigg Farm, 10-m-o -bred Lim £1,350 to Hough, Pontefract
There are a number of interesting old halls and houses located in and around Lanchester that reflect the desirability of the village and its surrounding countryside. Some halls have since been demolished, but others remain as private residences. However
A PROTECTED species of newt is thought to be living on the future site of a Darlington college development A routine environmental survey of Darlington College of Technology's new Haughton Road site suggested that great crested newts could be living and
TWO North-East councils have been given Government approval to debate transferring their properties to housing associations. Sedgefield Borough and Teesdale District Councils will now discuss Large Scale Voluntary Transfer (LSVT) schemes with their tenants
MANY more British farmers could find growing non-food crops an attractive alternative to mainstream arable crops in the wake of the latest round of EU reform, according to Melvyn Askew, head of non-food crop research for the Central Science Laboratory
THE beauty to be found in the landscape and working life of rural Teesdale has inspired a local filmmaker to capture it on video. Beautiful Teesdale is named after a poem by the late Walter Dent Bayles and has the subtitle A Country Lad at Home, the country
The weather played havoc with Saturday's programme but more games were played on Monday, writes Malcolm Pratt. Thimbleby were one of the two clubs able stage a game on Saturday and were rewarded with an 18 run victory over Skelton Castle. Following an
MALICE, FORMAT: PS2, Publisher: Xicat Interactive, Price: £39.99: IT'S not very often your game starts with the death of the main character but that's exactly what happens in the first moments of Malice, the new role playing adventure from Argonaut. Having
President George Bush last night finally apologised for the abuse and humiliation of Iraqi prisoners by US soldiers - as more shocking pictures were published. He said the scenes of mistreatment had made Americans "sick to our stomachs". Mr Bush told
A RIDING centre for disabled children and adults is desperate for volunteers to help with lessons. The Unicorn Centre at Hemlington, near Middlesbrough, has such a serious shortage that it has been forced to make cancellations. Julie Elphee, chairman,
ALAN Milburn is to earn up to £30,000-a-year as an advisor to a private equity firm. The Darlington MP and former Health Secretary has joined an advisory committee for Bridgepoint, which has a stake in a number of companies working in the health sector
A CAMPAIGN is under way to stop bus company bosses cutting services in the Newton Hall area of Durham. Residents who rely on bus services on the Newton Hall estate are angry that a reduction in services is to be introduced next month. People are particularly
THE chairman of Darlington Building Society has called for an end to the row over the chief executive's pay deal. William Baker Baker told last week's annual meeting that it was damaging the society's reputation and made his plea after Dr Ian Ross, a
MIDDLEHAM Town Council was extremely disappointed with the response from North Yorkshire police to its petition about the level of policing in the area. The petition was sent to the chief constable, Della Cannings, whose staff officer, Insp Richard Spedding
TRANMERE Rovers are leading the chase for Darlington striker Barry Conlon. Former Quakers boss Brian Little is reported to be lining up an approach for the 25-year-old, who is out of contract in the summer. Conlon has hinted at extending his three-year
ALMOST 200 guests attended the inaugural Durham Sport's Awards Dinner, which celebrated the success of coaches, clubs and volunteers throughout the county. Guest speaker for the event at Durham University's Collingwood College was Seaham-born Brian Marwood
President George Bush last night finally apologised for the abuse and humiliation of Iraqi prisoners by US soldiers. He said the scenes of mistreatment had made Americans "sick to our stomachs". Bush told Jordan's King Abdullah II: "I was sorry for the
DURHAM are to retain Marcus North for the full season and have called Vince Wells out of retirement to join the squad for the championship match against Essex starting at Riverside today. They will also hand a debut to Pakistani paceman Tahir Mughal,
ANGRY council workers staged a demonstration last night over job evaluation pay cuts. Employees at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council lobbied their bosses before a council meeting at Eston Town Hall, near Middlesbrough. A large number have received
DURHAM County Council's new-style old people's homes have won a second award - this time from surveyors. The network of 'extra care' developments won gold in the community benefit category at the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Northern Region
A LEADING councillor in Northallerton is trying to separate a new Christmas lights committee from the town council. At Monday's annual meeting of the council, Coun John Coulson will propose a motion to this effect. It is partly aimed at heading off elements
APRIL produced a mixed-bag of weather, lovely, sunny days contrasting with depressingly dull periods. It was mainly warm, even very warm on two or three days, but distinctly chilly on others. Fine dry interludes came between soggy spells. There was hail
TONY Blair is absolutely right to pay tribute to the work of the British and American troops in Iraq. They are putting their lives at risk to help the local people and build a stable and secure future. However, this is not the perception of many people
SUNDERLAND boss Mick McCarthy has thrown down the gauntlet to midfielder Sean Thornton. McCarthy has demanded that the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international maintains the influential form he showed in Tuesday's crucial victory over Division One champions
HOBBS Racing rider Dennis Hobbs endured further frustration when his bid to regain the lead of the THINK! British Superbike Cup was thwarted at Oulton Park last weekend due to a combination of tyre problems in race one and a broken clutch in the second
Just about the entire programme on the opening day of the season was washed out and just one game went ahead, writes Malcolm Pratt. Norton, managed to stage their fixture with The Merlin and were rewarded with a narrow victory following a low-scoring
A DEMONSTRATION and conference on the management of bracken is to be held in Northumberland this summer. The open day, "Bracken Control - Science and Practice" is organised by the International Bracken Group and takes place in the College Valley, near
Crook Cup Finals: The two finals produced very one-sided matches with the beaten teams only managing to take one point. The First Division title went to Crook Travellers Rest B with a win over Crook Surtees, whilst the Second Division Cup went to Crook
Newton Aycliffe: At the first Tees Forest 5k trail race at Guisborough on Thursday, April 22 Matthew Bell who the following day went into hospital for an operation on a long term knee injury finnished 4th in 17 mins 16 secs. Bell on limited training showed
COUNCIL officials have "bared their souls" over a floodline flop in Thirsk. A full investigation is still going on as to why the new phone line failed residents during heavy rain last month. But at the Hambleton Flood Forum meeting on Thursday of last
NEARLY 50 jobs have been safeguarded and another 25 created at a steel manufacturing company. Increased demand for the products manufactured at Metallink Fluid Power Systems, in Crook, County Durham, has led to the expansion. The company specialises in
Sir, - May I take the opportunity to congratulate the Leyburn and Mid-Wensleydale Partnership on organising a superb Festival of Food & Drink. Blessed with good weather, the scene was set for a thoroughly enjoyable, informative and relaxing family
BREWER and pubs group Jennings Brothers last night pledged to continue expanding in the North-East and North-Yorkshire as it announced a 7.5 per cent growth in beer sales. Jennings, based in Cockermouth, Cumbria, said sales of its lead brand Cumberland
CHRIS Brass, from Low Broomflat Farm, Chop Gate, has just helped a ewe to give birth to six healthy lambs. Is this a record? The Brass family has more than 500 sheep on their farm and Bill Brass, who has farmed all his life, says he has never had a ewe
Bishop Auckland manager Brian Honour has targeted at least four players to strengthen his squad ahead of the new season. Bishops finished 13th in the First Division, and Honour knows that he must bring in some new blood for the Premier Division season
IT WAS the biggest scandal to hit the sleepy villages of Daddry Shield (population: 47) for many a year. What had happened to the village post box attached to the old telephone pole outside farmer Neil Pattinson's cottage? The box has been there for as
A YOUTH who sexually abused boys at a North-East public school has had his sentence more than halved so he can start a new life. The 17-year-old, who forced four youngsters to take part in degrading sex acts with him, was sentenced on Friday to two years
A FARMING couple face an anxious wait as the legalities of allowing them to convert a redundant barn just 30m from a gun club are explored. Freda and Richie Longstaff live in a Raby Estates property in upper Teesdale. But looking towards their retirement
THE boss of a brewery has won his battle to move his business out of the district that gave the company its name. Nick Stafford founded Hambleton Ales at Holme-on-Swale, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire. He was given permission for the premises to be developed
THE centrepiece of a North-East museum has had a makeover. The Silver Swan, arguably the most popular exhibit at the Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, has been serviced by specialist Ray Mand, to enable it to continue operating successfully. The 230-year
In the opening game of the season, East Rainton lost for the first time in 40 games but they quickly made amends when they visited Kelloe at the weekend. they sent their opponents crashing to just 38 all out as Barry Humphries claimed five wickets for
PRODUCTION of a fire-hit Durham bakery firm's entire range will be up and running within a month, company bosses have pledged. All 71 Peter's the Bakers stores, from Northumberland to North Yorkshire, are pencilled in to re-open on Monday, May 24, only
Spennymoor Boxing Academy's latest annual dinner and boxing tournament was another sell-out and was attended by guest of honour Malcolm MacDonald. The evening was dedicated to the club's former Master of Ceremonies and committee man Royce Carson. Carson
They certainly celebrated at Boldon CA on Monday after winning the magnificent Monkwarmouth Charity Cup with victory over Stokesley SC. And the South Tyneside team did it in style ending 5-2 ahead of the Teessiders who have strongly challenged for the
THE race is on to see who will claim second place behind Division One champions Leadgate Golden Lion. While the Lion were enjoying another goals spree both second placed Lanchester Social and Stateside had big away wins at Chopwell and Stanley Central
The Men's Scratch Team, looking very smart in their new Club Strip sponsored by Turners of Sedgefield, put in a sterling performance to gain a narrow 8-6 victory over hosts, George Washington GC. There were good wins 4&3 by Tony Stafford and James
THE Government this week issued its first joint annual report for the Countryside Stewardship and Environmentally Sensitive Areas Schemes. Elliot Morley, Environment Minister, said both had made significant contributions over the past 17 years. Countryside
Emily Jade Dargue of Newton Aycliffe had an outstanding success last week when gaining a 1st Dan black belt in the Korean martial art of Tae-Kwon-Do. Eleven-year-old Emily has been training twice a week at Stephenson Way School since she was only seven
NORTH Yorkshire lingerie internet entrepreneur, Sally Robinson of Ample Bosom, was on hand to launch a new service for business travellers at Swinton Park, near Masham. The luxury castle hotel is the latest in a growing band to join forces with Swisscom-Eurospot
At Hull Ice Arena over three days this Bank Holiday weekend was the 10th anniversary Junior Inter-Conference championship tournament. Northern Conference join Midlands, South East and South West and play at four age levels, U11, U13, U15 and U17. North
A CONTROVERSIAL flats development in Redcar has been given the go-ahead by the slenderest of margins An application by Cleveland Housing Aid Trust to build 16 flats in four two-storey blocks at Wheatlands Farm, Redcar Road, was considered by Redcar and
A TEAM effort is behind a North-East mercy mission to Belarus. A van full of aid is on its way to the area thanks to the efforts of the District of Easington Council, the GMB union and vehicle hire company Burnt Tree, which has provided the vehicle It
IT may look like a scene from a horror movie but the experts reckon there is really nothing to fear from beekeeping. To demonstrate the point they are offering free beekeeping lessons. The sessions at Houghall College in Durham are free. Students can
A BOATING trip ended in tragedy when two friends lost their lives at the weekend. Bernard Powell, 56, from Stokesley, and Peter Blount, 47, from Redcar, died after the cabin cruiser they set out in capsized close to the coast at Redcar on Sunday afternoon
Durham County: Durham County suffered a home whitewash defeat when they entertained South Yorkshire in the Region One Inter-Counties League. The Durham Men's A team lost 24-20 with the home scorers being Dave Harrop and Steve Thompson with three wins
WE'RE not using our public libraries as much as we used to do, according to a report from campaign group Libri. It can't be because, as a nation, we've stopped reading, and I say this as the wife of someone who runs charity second-hand bookstalls as a
Worthington CIU Team Knockout: A packed Ferryhill Club snooker hall was hushed as Coundon needed the deciding black of the five frame aggregate points match to beat Brandon in the final of the Team Knock Out Cup. The vital ball crawled its way into the
by Robin Twizell RMD Agriculture WHEAT prices have remained in a narrow range because any interest from local consumers is soon booked as merchants buy in their Scottish sales to release local wheat. Oilseed prices have risen a little on both old and
POLICE recruits will be put through their paces by seasoned veterans after an overhaul of training methods. Experienced officers will visit the six area command centres of Northumbria Police to provide one-to-one tuition. The first centre will be South
A FAMILY is offering a £1,000 reward to catch vandals who attacked their house while they slept. Craig Brown, 25, and Michelle Whatley, 19, were in bed with their baby daughter when a brick was thrown through their bedroom window at 1am on Saturday. Large
Local cricket's longest serving sponsor has extended its record; Darlington Building Society is backing the North Yorkshire and South Durham Premier League for the 14th successive year. The NYSD Premier League, which got underway in April, consists of
THE work of Boudin, Monet and the sea painters of Normandy will be on show in an exhibition at the Bowes Museum which opens at the end of May. The show explores the close relationship between Boudin and Monet and their interaction with other French painters
DIVISION ONE: Carlin How 2 Hartlepool FC 0: Carlin How entertained League champions Hartlepool FC knowing a win would be enough to secure second spot - providing Mackinlay Park beat Thornaby. They started the brightest and took the lead in the 30th minute
THE month of May contains a massive amount of weather lore, not only in this country but also overseas. Although it is widely regarded as the month of blossom and new foliage, it can produce some chilly, wet weather, cold winds and even snow. Surprisingly
MALICE, FORMAT: PS2, Publisher: Xicat Interactive, Price: £39.99: IT'S not very often your game starts with the death of the main character but that's exactly what happens in the first moments of Malice, the new role playing adventure from Argonaut. Having
MALICE FORMAT: PS2 Publisher: Xicat Interactive Price: £39.99 IT'S not very often your game starts with the death of the main character but that's exactly what happens in the first moments of Malice, the new role playing adventure from Argonaut. Having
SIR Bobby Robson last night praised his Newcastle United players despite watching them toil to a 2-0 defeat in Marseille that ended the club's dreams of European glory. The Magpies weren't at the races in a one-sided first half that could, and perhaps
TRANMERE Rovers are leading the chase for Darlington striker Barry Conlon. Former Quakers boss Brian Little is reported to be lining up an approach for the 25-year-old, who is out of contract in the summer. Conlon has hinted at extending his three-year
THERE is still hope of saving a historic building from an uncertain future after the Heritage Lottery Fund confirmed it is yet to formally withdraw an offer of a £6m restoration grant. Uncertainty has been hanging over Harrogate's Royal Hall ever since
