Archive

  • Warning after boys rescued

    AN OFF-DUTY coastguard has told how he saved two boys from drowning as he took an evening stroll. A third boy was rescued by a surfer after the youngsters found themselves in trouble swimming against the tide at Saltburn at about 7pm on Wednesday. Skinningrove

  • Construction workers picket at Wembley

    More than 200 construction workers staged an unofficial picket today at the Wembley Stadium building site in a row over jobs. Members of unions Amicus and GMB launched the protest over the cancellation of 200 on-site steel workers' contracts on Friday

  • Testing times in quest for school choice

    PARENTS in County Dur-ham are twice as likely to win an appeal if their child fails to gain a place at their first-choice school as people in a neighbouring town, latest figures show. In Darlington, only 19 per cent of decisions concerning primary children

  • Somewhere new for fans to gather

    FOOTBALL fans raised a glass to a development at resurgent Darlington Football Club at the weekend. A bar opened in the north-west corner of the Williamson Motors Stadium, ahead of Saturday's game against Bristol Rovers. The bar complements the existing

  • Police probe hoax water supply calls

    POLICE are investigating after residents received hoax calls warning their water supply was contaminated with sewage. Several households in the Pickering and Scarborough areas of North Yorkshire received the recorded message at about 1.30am yesterday.

  • Asda takes over as top clothes retailer

    Staff at supermarket chain Asda are celebrating after overtaking Marks and Spencer as Britain's biggest clothing retailer. Industry figures for the past three months show Asda's market share, based on the amount of clothes it sells, has risen by almost

  • Praise for fall in town's re-offending rate

    A NORTH-EAST town is one of the best areas in the country for combating youth crime, according to a report. Burglary and vehicle-crime by young people in Darlington has fallen 18 per cent since 2001. The town's Youth Offending Service (YOS) has been ranked

  • Learning disabled support expansion

    A SUPPORT service for people with learning disabilities in Darlington is to be expanded. Darlington Borough Council wants more people to access its volunteering project and leisure services scheme. The service will be provided by Employment Advance and

  • Witness signature scrapped for regional assembly vote

    BALLOT papers for November's referendum on a regional assembly for the North-East are to be simplified to avoid a repeat of the confusion that marred this year's European elections. The controversial witness statement - which forced voters to collect

  • Garden is testimony to real teamwork

    AN OVERGROWN wilderness has been transformed to offer young families a green haven. It has taken two years of hard work by a partnership formed between Durham County Council's Auckland Gate Centre, SureStart Wear Valley and the Countryside Agency's Greenstart

  • On track for a great exhibition

    TRAIN enthusiasts were treated to a model railway exhibition at a seaside town at the weekend. The Cleveland Model Railway Club hosted the exhibition, which included working model railways, static exhibits, demonstrations and traders from all over the

  • Sobbing Paula's Olympic torment

    Paula Radcliffe saw her Olympic dream vanish for a third time last night as she broke down in the gruelling Athens marathon. The British running heroine's brave bid for gold ended in tears as she dramatically dropped out of the toughest of road races

  • Arsonists risk man's life as he flees flat

    FIREFIGHTERS believe arsonists may have put a man's life at risk by setting fire to a property in South Bank. The fire broke out in a first floor bedsit, in Napier Street, at about 4.30am on Saturday. The only occupant of the building, a man in his early

  • At the mercy of the sea

    TWO men were lucky to escape with their lives after they were swept out to sea by heavy surf. But rescuers, who battled through the swell in lifeboats, looked on in amazement as the pair were washed back ashore by the huge waves. The pair, aged 16 and

  • Burnmoor and Lyons keep title chase open

    Durham Senior League: Burnmoor and Hetton Lyons issued a warning to leaders Boldon that they are still in contention as the title race approaches its latter stages. Both hustled out the opposition while Boldon were hindered by a torrential downpour which

  • Storytellers celebrate success

    A CONSERVATION success story in Darlington was celebrated as a storytelling festival got under way. The restored stretch of the River Skerne, at the eastern end of the town, hosted one of the events that made up part of the Tales From The Tees festival

  • Care trust to run patient safety scheme

    HEALTH officials in Darlington are working with the National Patient Safety Agency to introduce systems to keep the public safe. Darlington Primary Care Trust said if mistakes were made the initiative should stop them happening again. The town's 11 general

  • Rail travel milestone celebrated

    A CELEBRATION is being held to mark the centenary of an event which changed the face of travel in the North-East. In 1904, the first electric trains were introduced on Tyneside, developed by Newcastle firm Merz and McLellan. The trains were extended to

  • Town's motor show proves a success

    THE Market Place in Bishop Auckland was taken over by cars for the town's second motor show. Friday's event was so successful that the organisers have already signed up dealers take part in next year's show. Eight car dealers from throughout the region

  • Learning disabled support expansion

    A SUPPORT service for people with learning disabilities in Darlington is to be expanded. Darlington Borough Council wants more people to access its volunteering project and leisure services scheme. The service will be provided by Employment Advance and

  • Seaside is brought to town centre

    FAMILIES were able to enjoy the fun of the seaside without having to travel to the coast at the weekend. About 1,000 people visited Bishop Auckland Market Place yesterday to build sandcastles and play on fairground rides, at a fun day hosted by Wear Valley

  • Appeal for volunteers

    A CHARITY is looking for volunteers to keep a repair scheme on the road. Age Concern County Durham is developing a service for older people in the Sedgefield area that will help them stay in their own homes as long as possible. The Handyvan Scheme will

  • Plymouth sound warning to Cats as McCarthy's men sunk again

    IT is of growing concern on Wearside that at the same stage last year Sunderland occupied a better position in English football's second tier than they do now. Four points are all Mick McCarthy's side have to show from their opening four matches, having

  • Cash boost for hospital baby units

    FAMILIES have raised more than £1,000 to thank the hospital staff who saved the lives of their babies. A series of fundraising events centred around the Cricket Club in Quaking Houses, near Stanley, drew to a close at the weekend. The cash will be split

  • On the map to offer advice

    A NEW centre offering information to visitors and advice for residents was launched in Peterlee this weekend. The town's deputy mayor, Councillor Ron Curtis, officially opened the Peterlee Information Centre in Upper Yoden Way on Saturday. It will act

  • Appeal to Blair in bid to clear estate of thugs

    THE chairman of a residents' association is writing to the Prime Minister in his fight to get about 200 homes demolished and zero tolerance imposed on a Teesside estate. Paul Tuffs, chairman of Grangetown Residents' Association, has been fighting for

  • Fears raised over WI hall plans

    PLANS to demolish an empty Women's Institute hall in a North Yorkshire village have prompted 50 letters of protest and an official objection from a neighbouring town council. The hall was formerly used by Scriven Women's Institute and it was also hired

  • Rural authority sums up cost of spending programme

    THE cost of running Ryedale District Council, one of the biggest rural authorities in the country, amounted to £7.6m in the past financial year. Chief financial officer, Trevor Teasdale, says in his annual report on the accounts, that environmental health

  • Childcare centre aims to be cash-spinner for community

    A CHILDCARE facility that aims to plough thousands of pounds back into a former pit village will open next week. Craghead Childcare Centre, in Craghead, near Stanley, will be a community-led project, run on a not-for-profit basis. Cash generated above

  • Coroner apologises for inquest backlog

    A CORONER whose backlog of inquests sparked a judicial review has apologised for the delays. Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield escaped last month with a severe reprimand from the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, in a long-awaited report into his conduct

  • Pensioner dies after falling into pond

    A pensioner who died after falling into a shallow duck pond just yards from his holiday home was this evening named as George Beattie. The body of the 69-year-old was found by police at the Greenlake Caravan Park in Crimdon, near Peterlee, in the early

  • Dale Festival serves up food, history and culture

    THOUSANDS of people were able to sample what the region has to offer in food, history and culture at the weekend. More than 6,000 visitors attended the Teesdale Food and Craft Festival in the grounds of Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham, on

  • Promotion battle hotting up

    Darlington Building Society NYSD Premier League Division One: With only four games remaining the battle for promotion is hotting up and when Marton sent Marske crashing to just 37 all out, they closed in on leaders Billingham Synthonia. The Marske batsmen

  • Sixth form students book in for summer school learning

    SIXTH form students from across the region arrived at Durham University last night for a summer school. About 130 young people, who will start year 13 next month, will take part in the six-day course at St Aidan's College. The residential summer school

  • Yorkshire Diary

    Fast bowler John Blain and acting captain Matthew Wood are two Yorkshire players who will be able to look back with some pride on what has so far been a fairly indifferent season. Blain has turned out to be one of the county's leading wicket-takers while

  • TV stars finish a Street ahead

    TV STARS took on a team of ex-football professionals yesterday to raise thousands for a North-East sports club. Familiar faces from Coronation Street, Holby City, Hollyoaks and Brookside turned out at Durham County FC's Archibalds Stadium, at Belmont,

  • Car crash deaths: man is remanded

    A 21-YEAR-OLD man was remanded in custody at the weekend charged with causing the deaths of two motorists in a three-car collision in a busy city centre. Robert Charles Parry was accused of causing the deaths of Andrew Moore and Gwyn Price by dangerous

  • £18m plan to expand chain of restaurants

    A RESTAURANT at the region's biggest shopping centre is to become a chain, after bosses announced plans for a major expansion. Big Luke's Texas Restaurant at the Gateshead MetroCentre, has signed up for a unit in the new £18m River Quarter development

  • Report praises social services

    SOCIAL service chiefs have expressed their delight after new Government figures highlighted improvements in the department. A report by the Commission for Social Care Inspection has shown the number of young people in care, being given help to find a

  • Change will benefit Desert

    RICHARD WHITAKER'S decision to drop Nevada Desert (3.45) down in distance could help his horse make a welcome return to the winners' enclosure at Hamilton this afternoon. Having disappointed over a mile-and-a-half at York last time out, Scarcroft-near-Leeds

  • Developers search for mines war legacy

    A LEGACY of plans to prevent a Nazi invasion of Britain 60 years ago is posing a problem for builders working on a leisure development. Investigations are to be carried out after a check on land near Redcar seafront discovered underground anomalies that

  • Sacked stadium workers to picket

    TWO hundred steelworkers sacked from the £750m Wembley Stadium project are planning a mass picket today. The workers, including draughtsmen, welders, fabricators, engineers, technicians and senior management, lost their jobs on Friday - only weeks after

  • Youngsters give lift to their own village project

    YOUNGSTERS have taken a leading role in creating a much-needed community youth centre which will open its doors for the first time today. More than 30 young people have been involved in designing and decorating the ambitious Easington Colliery Youth Project

  • Ant and Dec ball helps to raise £54,000

    GEORDIE duo Ant and Dec raised more than £54,000 at the first Northern Stars Charity Ball in aid of Just for Kids. The event was held at the Newcastle and Gateshead Hilton Hotel, where guests were treated to a version of Saturday Night Takeaway. Sixteen

  • Coxhoe close the gap on leaders RA

    Coxhoe Athletic moved to within a couple of points of leaders Darlington RA when they won for the third time in five attempts on Saturday. The newcomers finished 3-1 in front of Harton and Westoe after taking an early lead with an own goal by Keith McRichie

  • Invitation to fire brigade open day

    YOUNG people have been invited to a fire brigade open day. Cleveland Fire Brigade will explain to those aged between 13 and 16 what life is like as a firefighter and encourage them to join the Young Firefighters Association (YFA). Gordon Young, team leader

  • When your name is Bin Ladin...

    I'm a very private person,'' says Carmen Bin Ladin, and you can easily believe her. Shy, intense and smoking a sequence of nervy cigarettes, the prospect of having press attention trained on her and her three daughters is something the elegant Swiss-Persian

  • Worst performance yet, says boss

    STUNNED manager Mick McCarthy wants Sunderland to recover from the 'worst performance' during his managerial reign and close the gap on the Championship's early pacesetters. The Black Cats, due to take on League Two side Chester City in the Carling Cup

  • Regan is just Champion

    STEWART Regan is running slightly late, and for the former star junior of Crook Athletic Club, "running" remains the word. In the waiting room at the Football League's headquarters near Marble Arch - "a lovely part of London, " he later suggests, though

  • War and the art of spin

    It was used to play stirring songs to encourage recruits in the First World War and to cover the noise of prisoners tunnelling to escape from Colditz in the Second. Harry Mead examines the role of the gramophone in modern warfare. RADAR and the Enigma

  • Change will benefit Desert

    RICHARD WHITAKER'S decision to drop Nevada Desert (3.45) down in distance could help his horse make a welcome return to the winners' enclosure at Hamilton this afternoon. Having disappointed over a mile-and-a-half at York last time out, Scarcroft-near-Leeds

  • Two held as heroin seized

    TWO men have been arrested and £20,000 of heroin seized following a police chase. At 6.10pm on Saturday, a patrol car from Cleveland Police's traffic unit attempted to stop a Mitsubishi on the A19. The vehicle, with two men inside, failed to stop and

  • Taxpayer foots increasing bill for fly-tipping

    FLY-TIPPING is costing County Durham taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, according to a new report. The study, by Durham County Council's working group set up to tackle the illegal dumping of waste, reveals for the first time the full extent

  • Yorkshire Diary

    Fast bowler John Blain and acting captain Matthew Wood are two Yorkshire players who will be able to look back with some pride on what has so far been a fairly indifferent season. Blain has turned out to be one of the county's leading wicket-takers while

  • Gutsy Lewis vows to battle on as skipper despite wooden spoon

    THE message from Durham skipper Jon Lewis, both in words and deeds, during the rain-ruined draw at Colchester was: "I am not a quitter." Other than helping Durham to two batting points, Lewis's gutsy century counted for little in the end as his side's

  • Entertainment in short supply as Rovers roll over Quakers

    A dull home defeat served further notice that Darlington desperately need a striker if they're avoid any more reverses against the likes of Bristol Rovers - a side who did little to earn their win on Saturday. In fact neither team were worthy of the three

  • Trapped in a DIY nightmare

    I thought buying my first flat would be so much fun; poring over colour charts in coffee shops, mooching around Habitat and throwing parties on a whim without having to confer with flatmates. And it probably would have been if I was a more practical sort

  • £3m Lotto winner celebrates with a cuppa

    A WOMAN who scooped nearly £3m in a Lotto jackpot win described last night how she calmed her nerves by having a cup of tea. Catherine Brown, from Durham, had a brew with her daughter, Deborah, 25, after her only child rushed to her home after being told

  • Durham Diary

    DURHAM have suffered so much at the hands of Husseys over the last two seasons, could they now be considering taking one on? Michael Hussey, whose younger brother David thrashed 166 not out against Durham at Trent Bridge this season, would fit the bill

  • School sponsorship tribute in memory of RAF airman

    AN RAF regiment has paid tribute to one of its fallen comrades by sponsoring his former primary school. Andy Wilson died after jumping from an aeroplane at Shotton Airfield, near Peterlee, County Durham, in June. His body was found in a field, a mile

  • 23/08/04

    REGIONAL GOVERNMENT: I AM in favour of an elected assembly to represent the interests of the people of the North-East. An elected assembly would have powers and influence over economic development, skills and training, strategic planning, culture, public

  • Yuk! Get ready to be bugged by science

    YOUNGSTERS can get their hands on a snake, maggots and flatulent bugs at a visitor attraction this week. Visitors to the Life Science Centre, in Newcastle, can learn more about the disgusting habits of animals in the Meet Mr Bug workshop. The 30-minute

  • Dawood saves Tykes from certain defeat

    A COURAGEOUS and defiant innings from wicketkeeper-batsman, Ismail Dawood saved Yorkshire from certain defeat in their Championship match against Leicestershire at Grace Road yesterday. Chasing a target of 310 in what became 69 overs, Yorkshire had slumped

  • Business started in shed sells for £40m

    Two golfing enthusiasts who started a business from a shed purchased for £36 in the late 1970s yesterday sold their venture for £40m. Howard Bilton and Tony Norton founded the American Golf Discount store chain which began in humble surroundings at Ashton-in-Makerfield

  • Artists' work draws crowds

    Work by artists in a seaside town has drawn admiring eyes. The Saltburn Community and Arts Association Watercolour Paintings Exhibition attracted more than 120 entries. A variety of work by both amateurs and professionals has been on show at the Community

  • Village in shock after teen drowns

    A village is in shock after a teenage swimmer drowned in a reservoir. The 17-year-old boy was swimming in the Cod Beck Reservoir, near Osmotherley, North Yorkshire, on Sunday, when the tragedy happened. Although swimming is banned at the beauty spot,

  • It's Tangerine torment for Pool

    MARK Tinkler is sick of Blackpool. Come to think of it everyone at Hartlepool United feels the same way. It's not difficult to recall details of Saturday's game, because the script was first written on Friday, February 20 this year. This draw was a picture

  • Yorkshire firm wins design contract

    A North Yorkshire company has won a contract to design a £1.5m medical centre near Leeds. Severfield-Reeve Projects, based in Thirsk, specialises in development and design and is working with East Leeds Primary Care Trust on the development at Kippax,

  • Artists get global chance to show talent

    A GROUP of keen artists are showcasing their latest creations in the prestige setting of a World Heritage site. Durham Art Group members launched their 2004/5 exhibition in the Undercroft Restaurant, at the city's cathedral. It features about 30 pieces

  • Kimblesworth remain in the hunt

    The Readers Durham County League: With four games left Kimblesworth are just nine points adrift of leaders Evenwood after Lady Luck shone on them at the weekend. They were able to stage their game with Brandon but Evenwood's home fixture with Crook Town

  • Family 'forced out of house' by travellers

    A WOMAN says she and her family have been forced out of their Darlington home because of the behaviour of travelling families. The woman, who has asked not to be identified, said travellers had been using bushes as lavatories near an illegal campsite

  • Leading light of the LitFest

    EVEN for those who don't read, names like Ian Rankin and Roy Hattersley are bound to ring a bell. Although the two may not appear to have much in common, both are authors and both are among the star attractions of this year's Durham Literature Festival

  • Leading light of the LitFest

    The 15th annual Durham Literature Festival gets under way next month. Sarah Foster talks to its organiser and finds out what's in store. EVEN for those who don't read, names like Ian Rankin and Roy Hattersley are bound to ring a bell. Although the two

  • Yuk! Get ready to be bugged by science

    YOUNGSTERS can get their hands on a snake, maggots and flatulent bugs at a visitor attraction this week. Visitors to the Life Science Centre, in Newcastle, can learn more about the disgusting habits of animals in the Meet Mr Bug workshop. The 30-minute

  • Plans are approved for new school buildings

    THE building of a school at a seaside town has been approved. Bydales Secondary School, in Marlborough Road, Marske, near Saltburn, east Cleveland, will be demolished and a new school built in its place. The building will be two-storeys with three wings

  • SureStart scheme poised to win support

    FUNDING for a £630,000 centre for families in Darlington is expected to be approved by councillors tomorrow. SureStart wants to use Mount Pleasant School as a base in the Cockerton west ward. Darlington Borough Council will decide whether to release £317,922

  • Appeal for volunteers

    A CHARITY is looking for volunteers to keep a repair scheme on the road. Age Concern County Durham is developing a service for older people in the Sedgefield area that will help them stay in their own homes as long as possible. The Handyvan Scheme will

  • Carving out fun on the farm

    VISITORS to Newham Grange Leisure Farm had the chance to see more than the usual farmyard attractions this weekend. The Middlesbrough centre was open free to the public as part of the Tees Forest Storytelling Festival "Tales from the Tees" on Saturday

  • Report reveals huge burden of fly-tipping on taxpayers

    FLY-TIPPING is costing County Durham taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, according to a report. The study, by Durham County Council's working group set up to tackle the illegal dumping of waste, reveals for the first time the full extent

  • Taxpayer foots increasing bill for fly-tipping

    FLY-TIPPING is costing County Durham taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, according to a new report. The study, by Durham County Council's working group set up to tackle the illegal dumping of waste, reveals for the first time the full extent

  • MP joins call for new phone mast laws

    NEW laws giving residents a say on the location of mobile phone masts are being backed by a North Yorkshire MP. A shake-up of planning regulations put forward by Conservatives would mean all mobile phone masts would require full planning permission. At

  • Badminton clubs on lookout for members

    KEEN badminton players are invited to join two clubs who are looking for new members. The Abbey and Guisborough Priory badminton clubs would like members who probably have some experience of the game, but prefer a friendly evening to a highly competitive

  • Death inquiry appeal

    POLICE have been unable to confirm whether a man whose death they are treating as suspicious suffered any injuries before he died. The body of Lewis Welch, 32, an oil industry worker, was found at a flat in Wheatacre Close, Marske, shortly before 7pm

  • Hodgson hits out at boo-boys

    With the flame of optimism almost extinguished by back-to-back defeats in which Darlington have failed to score, manager David Hodgson has called for the fans to keep off his players' backs, writes Craig Stoddart. Striker Craig Russell has borne the brunt

  • Three-year plan for learning

    COUNCILLORS are to be asked to approve a three-year development plan for adult learners in Darlington. Local authorities no longer need to produce an annual action plan as part of the Government's efforts to reduce bureaucracy. The yearly document has

  • Visitors get a taste oflife in the 1890s

    MUSEUM visitors took a trip down memory lane at the weekend. The Victorian period street at Preston Hall Museum, near Stockton, which represents a typical urban setting of the 1890s, was brought to life by actors who talked to adults and children about

  • Festival fun on the street

    DARLINGTON town centre teemed with visitors on Saturday as the town's annual three-day festival drew to a close. The Natural Theatre Company paid its first visit and entertained shoppers and festival-goes as part of Street Theatre Day. Performers returning

  • Double joy for Hannah

    Student hannah Robson had a double cause for celebrate yesterday. In addition to her celebrating her 18th birthday, Ms Robson, from Trimdon Village, discovered that she had gained a place at stage school. She has dreamed of a career in the theatre since

  • Revived gala is hailed a success

    ABOUT 1,500 people gathered at Liverton Mines for the village's first summer gala for 13 years on Saturday. Visitors enjoyed a fancy dress parade, magic shows, falconry displays, Punch and Judy shows as well as cake and produce stalls, craft shows and

  • Anniversary party

    VOLUNTEERS who offer advice to people in Crook are celebrating the first anniversary of their move to a new home. Last year, people working in their free time for Signpost managed to help people living in Crook gain £260,000 in benefits and other entitlements

  • Nursing home fire victim, 89, dies

    A PENSIONER has died after being badly burnt in a fire at a residential nursing home. Forensic investigations continued over the weekend into the cause of the blaze at St David's Nursing Home, in Lord Street, Redcar, east Cleveland, on Friday. BUPA, which

  • Hopes raised for low-cost housing

    HOPES have been raised that affordable housing could be built in North Yorkshire as a result of changes in the discount of council tax on second homes. Jeremy Walker, chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council said in a report to its executive,

  • Council provides computers boost for Prince's Trust

    A COUNCIL'S old computers are being given a second life helping young people set-up businesses and undertake further education. North Yorkshire County Council has given 50 computers to the Prince's Trust, after replacing the machines with more modern

  • Woman grounded after ID rejected

    A GRANDMOTHER was grounded when airline bosses banned her from flying after they declined to accept seven items of identification. Louie Clarke's dream trip to see her grandson had to be abandoned because she did not have the required documents. The 68

  • Blitz may continue over illegal sale of cigs

    A TRADING standards department hopes to receive backing to continue enforcement action against retailers who sell tobacco to under-age children. Councillors in Darlington will be asked to approve a programme of inspections of premises that sell tobacco

  • Mum's pride in silver medal Alison

    THE family of North Yorkshire Olympic medal winner Alison Mowbray told last night of their pride at her achievement. Miss Mowbray, 33, who comes from Richmond, won silver with rowing crewmates Debbie Flood, Frances Houghton and Rebecca Romero, in the

  • Hall work on show to public

    HISTORY enthusiasts and property-buyers have had a preview of the restored interior of one of the region's most important historic houses. Part of Grey Towers Hall, a Victorian mansion on the A172 Stokesley to Middlesbrough road, at Nunthorpe, near Middlesbrough

  • Little to cheer as Quakers fall to disappointing home defeat

    A dull home defeat served further notice that Darlington desperately need a striker if they are avoid any more reverses against the likes of Bristol Rovers - a side who did little to earn their win on Saturday. In fact neither team were worthy of the

  • Life-saver among daredevils taking the plunge for charity

    A WOMAN who saved the life of a boy by donating bone marrow has abseiled down the front of her local church to raise money for charity. Rebecca Hardy, 25, is determined to raise much-needed funds for the Anthony Nolan Trust and increase awareness of the

  • Museum puts finest pieces of lace on display

    PIECES from the region's finest collection of lace work will be on display this weekend. The Beamish Museum, near Stanley, County Durham, will show off highlights from its extensive collection of lace on Saturday and Sunday. Along with the exhibition

  • Woman's joy after sight is restored

    JUDITH SMITH cried with joy as she saw her grandchildren for the first time after surgeons restored her sight by implanting part of a tooth inside her eye. She had been blind for nearly 30 years after suffering a rare reaction to epilepsy medication when

  • Hill test for vintage cars

    A VINTAGE vehicles hill climb in the region takes place on Sunday, September 12, from 1pm. The 12th Saltburn Vintage Sprint Hill Climb will start near the Cat Nab car park, which will be used as the paddock, and finish just short of the Toll Bridge Cottage

  • Help at hand for alcohol problems

    PEOPLE with alcohol problems have been thrown a lifeline to help them with their problems. A counsellor has been appointed to help them because waiting lists for those needing help with drink problems are high on Teesside. Counsellors say the problem

  • Working on chance to find job skills

    YOUNG jobseekers are being urged to take part in a programme aimed at giving them the skills needed in the world of work. The Prince's Trust based at the YMCA in Consett is looking for young people from Derwentside aged 16 to 25 to take part in its Team

  • Fundraising drive to secure better disabled access

    VILLAGERS are rallying round to raise thousands of pounds needed to improve access to community facilities. Residents in Shotley Bridge, near Consett, are organising fundraising events to pay for wheelchair access to both St Cuthbert's Church and the

  • Stepping up challenge to keep fit

    COUNCIL workers are putting their best foot forward to support a campaign which aims to get the North-East moving. During the next six weeks, staff from Sunderland City Council will take up a challenge to see how many steps they can take. It is all part

  • Summer fair to pull in 400

    A FUN day for residents in a former pit village takes place next month. Annfield Plain Community Partnership is holding a summer fair in the field behind the Clavering Youth Club in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, on Saturday, September 11, from midday

  • South extend lead

    Foster's ECB North East Regional Premier League: South Northumberland extended their lead at the top of the table with a decisive victory over Stockton on Teesside. Despite half centuries by Guy Darwin and Alex Roberts, Stockton were restricted to 157

  • MP outraged as jobs move to India

    A Labour MP says he is "outraged'' at a major employer's decision to outsource clerical work to India. Durham member Gerry Steinberg, who is retiring at the next election, backed Siemens Business Service's bid to run the National Savings and Investments

  • More rain forecast

    Rain-drenched Britain was hit with further downpours today as the summer wash-out continued. The North of England and the South West were expected to bare the brunt of the showers today, with the Midlands and East Anglia also experiencing heavy rain.

  • New cameras cut out bad behaviour by 70 per cent

    ANTI-SOCIAL behaviour in a troubled Teesside community has been reduced by 70 per cent thanks to CCTV cameras. Residents in Hemlington, Middlesbrough, had campaigned for years to have extra cameras installed in the area. The cameras were eventually put

  • Childcare centre aims to be cash-spinner for community

    A CHILDCARE facility that aims to plough thousands of pounds back into a former pit village will open next week. Craghead Childcare Centre, in Craghead, near Stanley, will be a community-led project, run on a not-for-profit basis. Cash generated above

  • No defence for Newcastle

    THE exit of Jonathan Woodgate from Tyneside has caused more than a few ripples in the footballing world, but the Newcastle fans reaction to the Real Madrid move remains strangely subdued. No St James' Park confrontations between manager and fans - remember

  • National recognition for leisure centre

    STAFF at a leisure centre have been celebrating after learning that it has won recognition in a national assessment programme. Bedale Leisure Centre was placed in the top two per cent of leisure facilities in the UK. To achieve the award, centres have

  • We gave it a go - McClaren

    STEVE McClaren last night praised his Middlesbrough players for their fearless attitude, despite watching them concede five goals during an incredible 90 minutes at Highbury. Boro looked to be heading for a routine defeat when Thierry Henry fired Arsenal

  • Council set to fight post offices axe

    A COUNCIL is to consider fighting plans to close seven post offices. Plans to shut the branches in York, as part of a nationwide cost-cutting exercise, were announced last week. Tomorrow, City of York Council will hold an urgent meeting to discuss action

  • Curtain up as theatre marks its anniversary

    A THEATRE is celebrating its first anniversary after undergoing a £1.6m restoration, with the launch of a season of performances. Dance, music and drama are all included in the programme at the Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond. Theatre spokeswoman Laura

  • TV review

    Atlantic Britain (C4) Who Killed Thomas Becket? (C4) IT sounded as if the Mitchell brothers had returned to Albert Square when Adam Nicolson began talking about "big, tough, angry, violent". He was actually referring to conditions along to the Cornish

  • Murton so near

    Durham Coast League: Murton are just about home and dry in the race for the championship, writes Malcolm Pratt. The games involving the leading sides were all washed out and Murton now require just five points from their last two games to retain the title

  • Guisborough close in on title number four

    Darlington Building Society NYSD Premier League Premier Division: Guisborough are now in a position to win the championship for a fourth successive season. They have their noses in front after defeating Marske with ease, while Northallerton, who started

  • Woody money will be spent

    FREDDY Shepherd has assured Newcastle fans that the money from the £13.4m sale of Jonathan Woodgate will be spent on new players. The Newcastle chairman admitted the decision to sell Woodgate to Real Madrid was his and his alone, saying the offer was

  • Band's free gigs offer to fundraisers

    A band, which has helped to raise more than £3,000 for various charities, is inviting fundraisers to use its services for free. The Daytrippers, from Yarm, near Stockton, play 60s and 70s music for free in aid of any charitable organisation. For more

  • Husband is charged with wife's murder

    THE husband of a woman killed outside her home has appeared at court charged with her murder. Nusrat Ali, 25, was stabbed in the garden of the home she shared with her mother and five sisters in Lothian Road, Middlesbrough, last Tuesday. Her 29-year-old

  • Labour claims of alliance rubbished by rival party

    THE Labour candidate in the Hartlepool by-election has accused the Liberal Democrats of forming an alliance with the Conservatives. But the claim was last night dismissed by the Lib Dems, who described it as laughable. In an e-mail to Labour Party members

  • Hutchinson relishes Conlon return

    IT was inevitable that highly-rated defender Joey Hutchinson would succeed Barry Conlon as Darlington's most sought-after star. Brought to the club by Gary Bennett in 2001 in a £60,000 deal from York City, Conlon soon established himself as one of the

  • Comment from The Northern Echo: A 'yes' for the postal vote

    THERE were obvious flaws in the system of postal voting used for the Euro and local government elections in June. The ballots papers were confusing and the process of actually putting completed papers in envelopes was an unnecessary rigmarole. It was

  • Region facing shortage of chefs

    Hard work and unsociable hours has led to a regional shortage of chefs in the North-East which could plunge the restaurant trade into crisis. One business, Sam's on Coniscliffe Road in Darlington, was forced to close its doors for two weeks due to a lack

  • Singer offers opportunity to shine on stage

    A PROFESSIONAL singer is running a series of free classes for all ages. Helena Webber, who has many years' experience performing live and in recording studios, will give stage school lessons to all-comers at Park View Theatre, in Park View Community School

  • Blaze rescuer is hailed a hero

    A PASSING motorist who pulled a man from his burning home was last night hailed a lifesaver by firefighters. The rescuer was driving in Faraday Street, Middlesbrough, when he saw smoke coming from the terraced house. Firefighters said the rescuer found

  • We can continue to get better, says Fletcher

    Duncan Fletcher believes his history-making side can continue their progress and become the first England side in 40 years to win a Test series in South Africa. Having completed the first whitewash over West Indies since 1928 with their 10-wicket victory

  • Refugee warns that asylum law increases terror threat

    AN Iraqi refugee last night warned that the Government's policy on failed asylum seekers could increase the risk of creating a new breed of terrorist. There are hundreds of people from the Middle East in the North-East who have exhausted all the legal

  • Company wins right to burn fat

    A COMPANY has been given permission to burn 100,000 tonnes of fat from cattle slaughtered at the height of the BSE crisis. The Environment Agency gave SembCorp Utilities UK Limited, near Redcar, a permit to carry out a 45-day trial to burn the fat at

  • Bellamy's tribute to Woody

    CRAIG Bellamy was among a number of former team-mates quick to praise departing centre-back Jonathan Woodgate following his move to Real Madrid. Bellamy labelled a switch to the Bernabeu as the 'pinnacle' of any professional's career and one no player

  • Hello sailor...hello terror

    Atlantic Britain (C4); Who Killed Thomas Becket? (C4): IT sounded as if the Mitchell brothers had returned to Albert Square when Adam Nicolson began talking about "big, tough, angry, violent". He was actually referring to conditions along to the Cornish