SIX alleged football hooligans were stopped from travelling from the North-East to the Euro 2004 tournament at the weekend. Banning orders were imposed on David Skeen, Mark Mennim, Darren Brindley, Stephen Wallace, Terence Donohue and Barry Crompton,
Paul Gascoigne rose from the back streets of Newcastle to the most elevated football stages of the world and down into the despair of alchohol-induced misery. As his autobiography is published this week, Scott Wilson examines the Gazza story. IN 1949,
The Unlikeliest Couples In Britain (ITV1) St Jimmy's (ITV1) WHAT could be worse than being married to a man who thinks he's Tommy Cooper and goes around with a fez on his head saying "Just like that" and telling awful jokes? Not a lot, you might think
LABOUR and the Tories suffered a Euro election blow last night as voters deserted them in their thousands in favour of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and the Liberal Democrats. In the North-East, the LibDems won a seat from Labour, while in Yorkshire
Cancer patients in the North East and North Yorkshire are losers in a "postcode lottery" that denies them life-saving drugs, a report revealed yesterday. People in Teesside, South Durham and North Yorkshire are less likely to be prescribed recommended
VETERANS have accused North-East councils of betraying those who fought in the Second World War. The Royal British Legion has published a blacklist of councils that deduct money from war pensions of those injured in the war. The announcement comes just
I'VE become rather lazy about going to the gym lately and I'm trying to wean myself back into exercise with gentler forms of sport, so I thought I'd give yoga a go. I had seen posters of Bikram yoga with bendy models holding dancerly stretches which looked
Foster's ECB North East Regional Premier League: Blaydon are now the only unbeaten side and the new leaders after they saw off the challenge from champions South Northumberland. But it was a close call and at the end of a low-scoring game Blaydon had
A RESEARCH project which could bring hope to thousands of people living with genetic heart conditions is under way in the region. Scientists at Newcastle University have been given a grant of £70,000 by the National Heart Research Fund (NHRF) to try to
Sky-high oil prices left their mark on the manufacturing sector in May by helping to drive up the cost of raw materials by 1.6 per cent. The increase will fuel worries that inflationary pressures are building in the economy and may encourage the Bank
SCIENTISTS in the North-East hope to be given the go- ahead this week to allow them to create the first cloned human embryo in Britain. The Newcastle University team, based at the city's Centre for Life, plans to develop dozens of cloned embryos using
A PARTY of Germans flew from Newcastle Airport yesterday after a whistle-stop tour of the North-East. The delegation of 25, described as key media and leading travel trade representatives, were in the region at the invitation of Newcastle International
A WARNING has been issued to householders over door-to-door collections of unwanted clothes and other items. An organisation called the Angels of Mercy has delivered leaflets and large plastic bags throughout Hartlepool asking for donations of items such
A FUTURISTIC science research centre that could unlock the secret to a cure for some of the world's biggest killer diseases is to be established in the North-East. Called the Institute for Bioinformatics (IfB), it will bring together scientists and supercomputers
AT the last count, my uncle had recorded 86 species of plant in flower over the weekend. They ranged from the normal cultivated plants, such as the wallflower, lupin and delphinium; through to the more exotic species like the fragrant daisy bush and ten-foot
THE athletics world in the North-East is mourning the death of a dedicated enthusiast of the sport who founded the Blaydon Race, which was run only last week. Dr Jim Dewar, 69, was found dead at his home in Heddon-on-the-Wall, near Newcastle, on Friday
OBESITY: MANY people are overweight through no fault of their own, unfortunately having a medical condition that dictates the way they look, and possibly how they feel. I would sincerely hope that people are not suggesting such people are not as worthy
FOOTBALL manager Mick McCarthy is to be immortalised in song in an epic to rival the films Troy and Gladiator. Macartacus, as the work is titled, centres on a historic struggle between two warriors fought on a foreign field. However, it is not the legendary
A NEW air taxi service for the region's business community is due to start flying from Teesside Airport. Northern Aviation has been issued an air operators' certificate for the service by the Civil Aviation Authority. A Cessna Golden Eagle plane has been
Federation Special Durham Senoir League: It's all change at the top again with Burnmoor returning to pole position for the first time since the middle of May. However, pride of place from the weekend games goes to Seaham Harbour who moved off the bottom
A FATHER and son died after the car they they were travelling in left the road and overturned early yesterday morning. Malcolm Gellatly, 48, of Westfield Way, Redcar, east Cleveland, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on the A177 at Bowburn
YOUNG performers are preparing to step out for the first time on a professional stage tonight. Pupils at Belmont Comprehensive School, and youngsters from feeder primary schools, will premier a dramatic work called Beautiful Mountain. It will be performed
Thousands of spectators lined the banks of the River Wear at the weekend as the sun shone on one of the country's oldest rowing festivals. More than 250 crews took part in races during the 170th Durham Regatta. An added attraction was an array of vintage
England suffered a calamitous start to their Euro 2004 quest as Zinedine Zidane conjured a stunning two-goal last gasp comeback that left Sven-Goran Eriksson's side paying the price of David Beckham's penalty miss. Indeed, this was as dramatic and painful
A WARTIME bombing tragedy which rocked a small mining community was finally given official recognition at the weekend. Sixty-two years after the event, a sculpted memorial stone was unveiled bearing the names of the eight people who lost their lives following
VISIONS of King Kong inspired Mark Cant to abseil 90ft to raise money for charity. He donned a monkey suit to abseil down the tower at St Edmund's Church, Sedgefield, on Saturday, to raise money for the church and the school attended by his son Matthew
A COMMUNITY has pulled out all the stops to try to revive one of its traditions. Over the years, the carnival at St Helen Auckland, near Bishop Auckland, has fallen by the wayside, but residents are determined that it will once again become one of the
PUPILS from Darlington will be taking part in a national world record attempt on Wednesday. About 100 pupils from Springfield Primary School will join the Guinness Book of Records Walking Bus event. They will walk to and from the Asda supermarket, in
HUNDREDS of visitors flocked to Shildon's annual carnival this year. A parade featuring seven decorated floats, jazz bands and youngsters from primary schools in the town got the town carnival off to a fitting start. People lined the streets to watch
CARE workers and volunteers have been rewarded for their dedication at an awards ceremony. More than 100 people attended The Social Resource Centre Tenth Anniversary Achievement Awards, in the Masonic Hall, Ferryhill, on Friday. The purpose of the awards
A SUMMER party took place yesterday to mark the end of a year-long effort to raise aspirations in an area trying to overcome industrial decline. A free Party in the Park was held in Consett, to herald the efforts of the people involved with the We're
CELEBRATED Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson collected her latest accolade in a degree ceremony at the weekend. The athlete, from Redcar, Teesside, broke off preparations for her latest medal bid in the Athens Paralympics to be conferred with an honorary
YOUNGSTERS took the chance to have a ride on a railway legend at the weekend when Thomas the Tank Engine rolled into town. Accompanied by the Fat Controller, Sir Topham Hatt, Thomas gave rides on the Wensleydale Railway from Leeming Bar station throughout
THOUSANDS of people lined the streets on Saturday to watch 50 teams compete in an annual charity bed race. The race, organised by Knaresborough Lions, followed a mile-and-a-half course, which included having to cross the River Nidd during the final stages
POLICE will spend £35,000 on satellite equipment for an incident command vehicle. Officers in North Yorkshire found that the vehicle's communication equipment suffered in remote parts of the county. The holiday home-style truck and a similar lorry for
PEOPLE thinking of returning to education are being invited to attend an open day. The Foundation Programme, run by the University of Durham, Queen's Campus, in Stockton, offers a route into higher education for people who do not have the necessary qualifications
PLANS to replace a cricket club's perimeter fence are likely to be refused amid concerns that it would introduce the character of an industrial estate to a conservation area. Redcar Cricket Club has applied to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council for
SIXTH form students will have an hour-long live link to scuba divers in Australia's Barrier Reef in a video conferencing link-up this week. The secrets of the sea will be unlocked on Wednesday when A-level biology students at Stockton Sixth Form College
PEOPLE living in Hartlepool are being asked to help shape the creation of a town square for the Headland. A competition will be run later this year to find a leading designer to redesign the area in front of the Borough Buildings, between Middlegate,
THE skies above the North-East will come alive with colour next month through an International Festival of Kites, Music and Dance. The event at the Northern Area Playing Fields, Washington, Wearside, on July 3 and 4, will see some of the world's best
SHOCKING footage of the body of a teenage boy being cut from a car after a fatal crash is to be shown to youngsters to warn them of the dangers of "joyriding". The family of Liam Richardson have allowed the video, which was recorded by the emergency services
A PLEA has gone out for more people to become involved in running Pickering's Memorial Hall. One of the best known community centres in North Yorkshire, the building underwent a £750,000 restoration a few years ago. Councillor Mal Danks, who represents
AGE may prove no barrier to the veteran 12-year-old Rymer's Rascal (5.00), strongly fancied to take the honours in the one-mile Hayton Handicap at Carlisle. There's plenty of life left in the legs of Eric Alston's game old-timer yet, given the evidence
AN initiative to help local food and drink producers to expand their markets and showcase their products in Europe has been launched. The project, called Urbal (urban-rural), gives producers the chance to travel to regional food festivals in partner countries
YOUNG performers are preparing to step out for the first time on a professional stage tonight. Pupils at Belmont Comprehensive School, and youngsters from feeder primary schools, will premier a dramatic work called Beautiful Mountain. It will be performed
The Readers Durham County League: Evenwood continue to set the pace and they made it eight wins out of nine defeating Brandon by seven wickets with almost six overs to spare. Once again, it was Deighton Butler who led the charge for runs and he struck
Yorkshire Phoenix turned in another thoroughly businesslike performance to beat Worcestershire Royals by six wickets at New Road yesterday and move into one of the three promotion spots in Division Two of the totesport League. It was Yorkshire's fifth
POLICE today named the sky diver who died when a parachute jump went tragically wrong at the weekend. Andrew Wilson's body was found a mile away from Shotton Airfield, near Peterlee, in County Durham, where he was supposed to land. Police said the 25-
FORESTRY officials have created suntraps in one of the region's beauty spots to prevent a member of the ant family from becoming extinct. The Northern Hairy Wood Ant needs sunlight. Small numbers of the creatures were discovered by ex-forester and ecologist
A PUB ravaged by fire last month will be rebuilt, brewery bosses have confirmed. The Old Farmhouse Inn, on the outskirts of Darlington, was devastated by the blaze, which gutted the kitchen and dining room. The fire, which occurred on May 18, started
A RESEARCH project which could bring hope to thousands of people living with genetic heart conditions is under way in the region. Scientists at Newcastle University have been given a grant of £70,000 by the National Heart Research Fund (NHRF) to try to
Development of a £10m shopping and housing project will be delayed for at least two months while experts probe the extent of gypsum deposits on the site. The scheme cannot proceed until completion of a wider probe of the derelict site for deposits and
It may be too good to be true, but the residents of Botton Village believe they've found the perfect way to live, as Christen Pears discovers. I'M standing on top of the ridge above Danby Dale, a little valley on the edge of the North York Moors. It's
Stunned England fans watched their team throw away a 1-0 lead in their opening match of Euro 2004 - conceding two goals in injury time to French superstar Zinedine Zidane. To compound the misery, when the team were leading England captain David Beckham
A FORMER art lecturer has returned to the North-East to exhibit his work at Kirkleatham Museum, near Redcar. Niven McNicol, who lectured in art at the former Teesside College of Education, in Middlesbrough, until 1975, organised his return after a visit
WEIRD and wonderful structures created by art students have gone on display in Darlington. The designs include a giant pair of stuffed pants, an inflatable sphere and a ball gown made from wire and melted plastics. Students from Queen Elizabeth Sixth
FIVE girls have received an award for their outstanding contribution to their school and local community. All five attend Grangefield School, Stockton, and are members of the Clickin Chicks team, who act as mentors for a group of senior citizens taking
A fundraising night will be held later this week to raise money for an extension to the Shopmobility scheme in Hartlepool. The charity, based in the town's Middleton Grange Shopping Centre, provides wheelchairs and buggies to help people get around the
It may be "three miles from anywhere" but Andy Norman hopes to attract thousands to a music festival on his farm. He talks to Viv Hardwick. THIMBLEBY Hill Farm, located "three miles from anywhere... County Durham", normally boasts just one music-mad farmer
An argument has broken out between two heavyweight council leaders over plans for a sign which would be visible from aircraft flying overhead. Durham County Council has given planning permission for the tower, which will cost about £50,000. The 18m high
North Yorkshire Police is "teetering on the edge" of being ranked among the country's worst-performing forces, according to a damning report. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) has called for a better performance from chief constable Della
AN exhibition charting the rise of the steam railways has opened. Photographs, railway objects, models and documents from the days of steam locomotives are on show at the Stockton in Steam Exhibition, at the Green Dragon Museum, in Calverts Lane, Stockton
THE key feature of last night's European results in the North-East was how voters deserted the two major parties and sought refuge in the traditionally smaller parties. The Liberal Democrats polled 138,791 votes, which was enough to win one of the three
RESIDENTS living next to a disused rail route are protesting about moves to reopen it. Fears are growing that plans to reinstate the line, which ran between Harrogate and Ripon, via Nidd Bridge, Wormald Green and Littlethorpe, could create planning difficulties
A PENSIONER who lay helpless in the street for up to three hours on a cold night after breaking his hip has praised a taxi driver who found him and took him to hospital. Tom Mason, who had been celebrating his 91st birthday with a friend earlier in the
Anthony McGrath's first Championship century of the season at Riverside last week may have been the innings which clinched him a place in England's squad for the NatWest Series of one-day matches with New Zealand and the West Indies which begins on June
PETERLEE baker Terry Wall returned from injury to give himself an early birthday present when he won the 3M 10K at Newton Aycliffe for the second year in succession. The Morpeth Harrier - 34 on Friday - picked up the £100 first prize with a 25 second
Darlington Building Society NYSD Premier League Premier Division: Saltburn moved into pole position for the first time this season when they gained a winning draw from their top-of-the-table clash with Northallerton, who had been ahead since the opening
MORE than 100 people swapped their suits for combat clothing at the weekend, spending two days with the Army. Employees from about 60 companies, councils and health trusts all over the North-East and North Yorkshire were at Catterick Garrison for a taste
AN apology from Tony Blair for taking the country into war against Iraq would solve very little. For a start, Mr Blair is personally convinced that he was absolutely right to go to war, and so an apology is impossible. That is as it should be: if we have
AT the last count, my uncle had recorded 86 species of plant in flower over the weekend. They ranged from the normal cultivated plants, such as the wallflower, lupin and delphinium; through to the more exotic species like the fragrant daisy bush and ten-foot
Saltburn moved into pole position for the first time this season when they gained a winning draw from their top-of-the-table clash with Northallerton, who had been ahead since the opening day. Tony Bell (79) and Adil Ditta with 36 were the principal contributors
EXPERTS were last night trying to discover why a North-East man fell to his death at the weekend when a parachute jump went wrong. Detectives are hoping they can establish exactly what happened in the last minutes of the 25-year-old skydiver's life. His
Darlington Building Society NYSD Premier League Division One: After taking a 12-point lead following Saturday's programme, Billingham Synthonia dropped back to second place when they gained only six points from their drawn match at Seaton Carew yesterday
The Unlikeliest Couples In Britain (ITV1); St Jimmy's (ITV1): WHAT could be worse than being married to a man who thinks he's Tommy Cooper and goes around with a fez on his head saying "Just like that" and telling awful jokes? Not a lot, you might think
DURHAM have been told that Pakistan do not require Shoaib Akhtar for the Asia Cup, so he will be with them until at least mid-August. But they are seeking clarification about when he will have to leave to prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy, which starts
LOWER league starlet Dean Whitehead is expected to become Sunderland's third signing of the summer in the next 48 hours. The young midfielder has been courted by Black Cats boss Mick McCarthy for the past few months and is now ready to put pen to paper
A CYCLIST is preparing for an emotional 900-mile ride after the death of the friend who inspired his fundraising challenge. Ken Nelson, 68, from Bridgehill, Consett, County Durham, and his friend, Peter Pattison, 60, had planned to cycle from John O'
A STATELY home is to celebrate its links with an American state by marking Maryland Charter Day on Sunday. Kiplin Hall, near Scorton, North Yorkshire, will feature 17th Century crafts and food. The anniversary dates from 1634 when Charles I granted the
FOUR men will appear in court today charged with an attempted armed raid at a village post office. The men were arrested by police investigating the attempted robbery at the post office in Shotton Colliery, east Durham, shortly after cash had been delivered
Matt Dawson emerged from another tortuous experience at the House of Pain to declare that England can recover from their Carisbrook calamity. The wheels came off England's World Cup chariot in spectacular fashion, derailed by an All Blacks team whose
NEARLY 70,000 people visited a museum during a nine-day celebration of the railway industry. The National Railway Museum (NRM), in York, held Railfest between May 29 and June 6 to mark the 200th anniversary of rail travel. It began with the arrival of
House prices are still soaring across the North-East despite signs of a slow-up, according to the Government. Figures from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister showed price gains eased slightly to 22.7 per cent from 26.2 per cent for the year to the
STAFF at a mental health care trust made the most of the warm weather and swapped their daily routine for a lunchtime bike ride. The cyclists took part in a four-mile round trip from the Pierremont Unit, at Darlington Memorial Hospital, in Hollyhurst
CARE workers and volunteers have been rewarded for their dedication at an awards ceremony. More than 100 people attended The Social Resource Centre Tenth Anniversary Achievement Awards, in the Masonic Hall, Ferryhill, on Friday. The purpose of the awards
FORMER servicemen paid tribute to fallen comrades during a ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of the Royal British Legion in County Durham. Many of the 15 branches in the county, and from the former county boundary from the Tees to the Tyne, plus other
A VICTORIAN chapel that has fallen into disrepair since it closed three years has gone on the market. The Primitive Methodist Chapel, in Toft Hill, near Bishop Auckland, is being marketed by Barnard Castle-based chartered surveyors Sandersons, for £145,000
WHEN cat Poppy went missing, owner Sandy Ward thought her pet had used up all of its nine lives. But the cat turned up six weeks later, after a 300-mile trip from Gateshead to Glasgow and back. Ms Ward had given up hope of finding three-year-old Poppy
A SUPPORT group calling for better services for people suffering from lung conditions presented a MP with a petition pressing the government for more money for funding. The Teesside Breathe Easy group handed the petition to Ashok Kumar MP for Middlesbrough
WORKERS in Middlesbrough have been trying Portuguese cuisine in the build-up the European football championships. Centre North East teamed up with Nando's, in Middlesbrough, to offer staff the chance to try traditional Portuguese food, including Peri-Peri
Two Teesside MPs have opened the Redcar and Cleveland Victim Support Unit offices, which last year dealt with 6,800 referrals. Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar and Redcar MP Vera Baird unveiled a plaque and met trustees, staff and
A FORMER art lecturer has returned to the North-East to exhibit his work at Kirkleatham Museum, near Redcar. Niven McNicol, who lectured in art at the former Teesside College of Education, in Middlesbrough, until 1975, organised his return after a visit
SKATEBOARD parks are a step nearer for young enthusiasts, partly thanks to their own daredevil efforts. Fifteen teenagers, supported by three local councillors, raised a four figure sum from a sponsored abseil to boost the funds of the Durham Skate and
A SCHOOL bursar has won an award for writing a case study on her work. Judith Williams received an engraved crystal bowl and cheque after writing a 5,000 word report on her job at Teesdale Comprehensive School, in Barnard Castle. She collected the prizes
Durham Coast League: It was predictable that the top-of-the-table clash between leaders Silksworth and Murton would end in a draw. They both gained eight points allowing third-placed Bill Quay to make up ground. After three early wickets had fallen, Murton
A CHARITY that rehomes retired greyhounds is gearing up for an appearance at an agricultural show. The North Yorkshire branch of the Retired Greyhound Trust will have a display stand at the North Yorkshire County Show, at South Otterington, on Sunday.
SCIENTISTS in the North-East hope to be given the go- ahead this week to allow them to create the first cloned human embryo in Britain. The Newcastle University team, based at the city's Centre for Life, plans to develop dozens of cloned embryos using
THE link between two historical and horticultural landmarks has been stengthened. Major improvements have been carried out to Pinewoods, the link walk between the Valley Gardens and the Royal Horticultural Society's Harlow Carr gardens. Visitors will
Scores of war veterans, pilots old an new, and local townsfolk gathered at the weekend to pay tribute to a brave airman who made the ultimate sacrifice in the call of duty and of friendship. Kate Bowman reports. Of all the poignant and touching remarks
TRIBUTES were paid last night to a motorcycle enthusiast who was killed while riding with friends during an annual biking holiday abroad. Karl Andrew Sinclair, of Toronto, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, was knocked off his motorbike in a head-on
MEN'S health issues will be the subject of a number of roadshows next week. Derwentside and Durham and Chester-le-Street primary care trusts are holding four roadshows to raise awareness of cancer in men. Health workers will be highlighting the importance
CHILDREN at a County Durham school have been presented with a PE kit because their old kit was so bright it was attracting thunder flies. The luminous yellow tops were designed to make Esh Winning Primary School stand out in the crowd at sports events
AN initiative to help local food and drink producers to expand their markets and showcase their products in Europe has been launched. The project, called Urbal (urban-rural), gives producers the chance to travel to regional food festivals in partner countries
THE next stage in an MP's attempt to ban large shops opening on Christmas Day takes place later this week. Shopworkers are being urged to lobby their parliamentary representatives to support a Private Member's Bill sponsored by Durham North MP Kevan Jones
Labour and the Tories both suffered a Euro election setback last night as voters deserted them in favour of the LibDems and the UK Independence Party. In the North-East, Labour MEP Barbara "Mo" O'Toole lost her seat to Liberal Democrat Fiona Hall, a former
SIX alleged football hooligans were stopped from travelling from the North-East to the Euro 2004 tournament at the weekend. Banning orders were imposed on David Skeen, Mark Mennim, Darren Brindley, Stephen Wallace, Terence Donohue and Barry Crompton,
FOOTBALL fever gripped the region ahead of last night's England-France showdown. Although England supporters outnumbered their French counterparts ten to one on the streets of Lisbon, fans back home were determined not to miss out. One fan has gone all
LIVE music and colourful costumes will bring added life to a market place when a carnival comes to town. Crowds are expected to gather at Crook Community Samba Festival, in County Durham, on Tuesday next week. Live bands will play in the market place
