Archive

  • Shooting yourself in both feet

    WE'VE seen two examples recently of publicity stunts that grabbed immediate attention but ultimately backfired. Rash comments by Robert Kilroy-Silk had journalists drooling but didn't go down well with the party's millionaire backer who has now switched

  • Italian job keeps Wilks on course for three titles

    SCORTON driver Steve Petch and co-driver John Richardson, from Northallerton, returned to their beloved home forests last weekend to record a superb sixth place finish overall on the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire. Incorporating the penultimate round of the

  • Cap on pay-outs plan

    MINERS' leaders have stepped up their attacks on controversial plans to cap compensation payments. In move that could save the Government £2bn, up to 200,000 ex-miners and their families could lose out on potential six-figure pay-outs. The new scheme

  • International search for hit-and-run killer

    AN international search has been launched for a hit-and-run driver who has fled an open prison. Dominic Huggett, from Thornaby, Teesside, who killed an elderly grandmother and maimed two members of her family, is thought to be in Spain. Police yesterday

  • Cocaine baron's £2.2m is seized

    DRUGS baron Brian Charrington has had £2.2m found in the loft of his home during a Customs raid confiscated by a High Court judge. The money, which with interest is now worth £3.5m, was found in the attic of the former car dealer's house in Weaverthorpe

  • Poor record over council home care

    A NORTH-EAST council ranks among the bottom 30 authorities in the country when it comes to helping old people with provision at home, according to figures published today. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has come 124th in a national league of 150

  • Axe falls on 600 jobs as Unilever announces factory closure

    MORE than 600 jobs are being axed following Unilever's announcement that it will close its Birds Eye ready-meals factory in Grimsby. The group said the plant, which employs mostly part-time workers, was likely to close during the first quarter of next

  • Milner hails the big three

    NEWCASTLE UNITED'S attacking triumvirate have been hailed as the best in the business by teenage winger James Milner. Since arriving from Leeds in the summer, the 18-year-old has been able to witness at first hand the striking prowess of Alan Shearer,

  • Prison landscape was once a place where monks roamed

    Frankland and Brasside are on the north side of the River Wear in a wedge of open countryside formed by the valley that lies between the Durham suburbs of Gilesgate and Newton Hall. The area can be reached on foot from Durham via Framwellgate waterside

  • You Write

    Council image: I refer to Mr Pratt's letter (Advertiser Sept 25th) where he suggests that not to be referred to the Standards Board implies an untarnished record and takes exception to the current leader's intention to clean up the tarnished image that

  • Porter keen to find cure for travel bug

    AFTER finding his shooting boots, Joel Porter is trying to solve a puzzle at the other end. Hartlepool United's Australian striker has scored three goals in his last four starts, including one in last week's comfortable win over Hull at Victoria Park.

  • Sex act teenager facing custody

    A YOUTH faces being locked up after he admitted committing a sex act in front of a six-year-old child. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was due to face trial at Sedgefield Magistrates' Court, in Newton Aycliffe, yesterday, but pleaded

  • Operating profits down at United

    Newcastle United announced yesterday its operating profit has fallen by £3.3m. Profits fell from £11.6m to £8.3m, a drop of nearly a quarter. Group turnover fell £6.2m to £90.2m after the team failed to qualify for the Champions League, which contributed

  • Government admits: miners will lose out

    THE Government came clean last night and confirmed plans to speed up compensation for pitmen that will deny tens of thousands of ex-miners the right to a full medical examination. The effect is likely to slash pay-outs from the current average of £10,000

  • 08/10/04

    HUNTING: MANY thanks to Harry Mead for his excellent column (Echo, Sept 19). This makes the case against foxhunting very clear. We are now seeing the Countryside Alliance in its true colours. If the law suits them they will abide by it - eg trespass.

  • Providing hands-on approach to alternative medicine

    WHEN I made an appointment to see health kinesiologist Sandra Adams, it's fair to say that I had absolutely no idea what I was letting myself in for. I couldn't even pronounce kinesiology (kin-easy-ology, as it happens) and apart from realising that it

  • Boys? At Polam Hall ...

    MALE students will be admitted to a school in Darlington in September for the first time in its 150-year history. Polam Hall, an independent fee-paying school, said the decision to allow boys into its sixth form would help female pupils ease into university

  • Protest march is rallying call for wider grievances

    THE man behind a planned protest march in Redcar later this month has called for other groups to join in and champion their causes. Comedian Chris McGlade, who lives in Redcar, is leading a campaign against a proposed multi-million pound housing and leisure

  • How drama unfolded for young aspiring actress

    I CAN still remember getting the phonecall to say I'd got the part of Katie Drew in the Catherine Cookson mini- series Tilly Trotter. I was standing in my parents' kitchen and it was, as I embarrassingly remember saying at the time, about the best thing

  • Spellbinding efforts will earn TV place

    SCHOOLCHILDREN across the North-East are taking part in national tests as part of a competition to find who is the best at spelling. The region's finest will win a place in BBC1's new show Hard Spell, which will be broadcast next month. Thousands of pupils

  • Cookson fans urged to help fund TV film

    FANS of North-East icon Catherine Cookson are being asked to help fund a TV film based on one of her best-loved novels. Producer Ray Marshall, who has already brought 18 of her novels to TV, is launching an ambitious plan to raise the finance for the

  • Family art

    A free family art day will be held at Preston Hall Museum, Eaglescliffe, on Saturday, October 16, from 11am to 4pm. Work produced will be displayed at Billingham Art Gallery from October 23 until November 27. A crafts workshop is also being held at Billingham

  • Tenant farmers must secure land until 2012

    MOST farmers have now received the information regarding the historical element of the new Single Payment subsidy and some have been able to challenge their moorland line, but everyone is still in the dark. It appears that the Rural Payments Agency has

  • Bigley murder confirmed

    Reports that British hostage Ken Bigley has been executed have now been confirmed by Mr Bigley's family. This lunchtime reports via Abu Dhabi Television claimed that Al Qaeda terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's millitant group had killed the 62-year-old

  • N-E lifeboat crew in Greek rescue drama

    LIFEBOAT crewmen from the North-East have saved four lives - off the coast of Greece. The five men, and their two friends, were taking part in a yacht race off the island of Levkas when they heard a distress call on channel 16 of their VHF radio. The

  • Lee forced to bring plans forward

    CRAIG Lee will be back in the Darlington team to visit Dudley Kingswinford tomorrow, although he would have preferred to wait another week after his knee operation. The player-coach has brought forward his return to action following Andrew Turner's decision

  • Pool fans still in no rush to lavish praise on Newell

    MIKE Newell took over at Hartlepool United in an unusual position; he left the club in equally different circumstances. Few managers join a club sitting pretty at the top of the table and even fewer are axed after leading the club to promotion. But, as

  • Minister admits pit payments shake-up

    THE Government came clean last night and confirmed plans to speed up compensation for pitmen that will deny tens of thousands of ex-miners the right to a full medical examination. The effect is likely to slash pay-outs from an average of £10,000 to far

  • Illegal music swapping targeted

    Legal action is being taken against 28 people in the UK for illegally swapping music over the Internet, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) announced yesterday. Yesterday's action is the first of its kind in the UK - legal action has already been

  • Darlington forced to mull over kicking options

    DARLINGTON'S major priority over the summer was to find a goal-kicker, and in fact they recruited four. But already the first choice has deserted them. After his fourth penalty of the match secured the 17-16 win at Bedford Athletic two weeks ago, 24-year-old

  • Police in "horrifying stand-off" as man threatens children

    A father-of-two is under arrest after threatening to set himself and his two small daughters on fire. Police managed to overpower the man, when, after dousing himself in petrol, he produced a cigarette lighter, following what officers described as a "

  • Ban on new NHS patients

    TEES Local Dentists' Committee is recommending its members refuse to take on any more NHS patients following what they feel is a poor deal in the latest round of Government funding. They learned at a meeting last week, called by Middlesborough Primary

  • Young rider strikes European silver

    THIRSK-BASED Lucy Holliday has returned from the Young Riders European three-day event championships in Portugal with a team silver medal. The talented 20-year-old, making her first appearance on a British young rider team, rode her nine-year-old grey

  • Comment from The Northern Echo: A case none can judge

    THERE are times when there is a clear gulf between what is right and what is wrong; when it is easy to decide what should be done. And there are times when it is impossible to weigh up the arguments and feel comfortable about the conclusions. The tragedy

  • Police too busy to help old people under attack

    A BLISTERING attack has been launched on police response times in Darlington. The borough council leader says the town is being let down by a lamentable service and wants Durham chief constable Paul Garvin to attend a special meeting with councillors

  • Pressure of rural life keeps network busy ten years on

    AN ORGANISATION set up to raise awareness of the problems of stress in the countryside has celebrated its tenth anniversary. Representatives from a wide range of countryside and farming organisations met at the Great Yorkshire Showground to mark the anniversary

  • Pony dates

    Bedale & West of Yore PC. - Mounted games training, Oct 10, 4-6pm and Oct 24, 5-7pm, at Catterick. For details ring Rowan on 01748 832829. Competition rallies, ten years and over, REC Oct 18, YRC Oct 11 and 25. For further details phone Robert 01845

  • Cap on pay-outs plan

    MINERS' leaders have stepped up their attacks on controversial plans to cap compensation payments. In move that could save the Government £2bn, up to 200,000 ex-miners and their families could lose out on potential six-figure pay-outs. The new scheme

  • Pupils will fly the fairplay flag

    TWO young sports fans will lead the teams out at an international football match this evening. Rebecca Morrell, from Barnard Castle, and Christopher Storey, from Bishop Auckland, both County Durham, won a competition to be flag bearers at the England

  • Children glimpse tribute to a hero

    A SCULPTOR has given children at a North-East primary school a sneak preview of his statue of a once-forgotten Second World War hero. Keith Maddison has been commissioned by The Northern Echo to create the 9ft cast of Andrew Mynarski, the 27-year-old

  • Firm gives assurance over caves waste plan

    NO nuclear, biological or foreign waste will be deposited if 1,000ft-deep salt caves are used as a giant dump, protestors were assured yesterday. But the US company behind the plan to pump "hazardous waste" into caverns near Hartlepool could not say exactly

  • Football courses for youngsters axed

    SUNDERLAND AFC has withdrawn its grassroots community football coaching courses for youngsters. The Coca Cola Championship side, which has had to make cutbacks since relegation from the Premiership two seasons ago, said the scheme had operated at a loss

  • Shop Talk: Clobber for the chubbier chap

    Waistlines may be expanding at a rapid rate, but clothing stores seem slow to catch up. Shoptalk discovers a gem for the larger gent. AUSTIN Orton is a big man with big ideas. So when the former aeronautical expert despaired of finding clothes that he

  • Scout leader may go to jail for sex texts

    A SCOUT leader who sent explicit messages by text to a teenage girl was warned he faces a possible prison sentence. Benjamin Edward Cockburn, 27, was said to have planned to pick the 14-year-old girl up from school intending to take her home with him

  • Pledge to return assembly powers to local councils

    THE Tories will not scrap the elected assembly if the North- East votes 'Yes' on November 4, the party said yesterday. Bernard Jenkin, spokes-man on devolved government, said the referendum was a matter for local people and the Conservatives would "respect

  • Special sales

    HAWES. - Thurs of last week. Annual show & sale for Blue-faced Leicester Sheep Breeders' Assn. Fwd: 34 aged rams, 148 shlg rams, 466 ram lambs, 51 females. Aged rams to £5,200 av £1,061 (down £379 on 2003). Shlg rams to £6,200 (down £279 on 2003).

  • Driver jailed for sex attacks on girls

    A LORRY driver was yesterday jailed for nine years for a string of sex attacks on young girls over a 13-year period. Melvin McFadden, 54, was told his crimes were "grave offences" and the sentence should be a deterrent to him and others tempted to carry

  • Talks offer hope in town's nursing homes crisis

    TALKS have begun in a bid to save a Guisborough care home from closure. Barry Parvin, proprietor of the Graceland care home, in Belmangate, announced last week that it was to close, with the loss of 120 beds. He said Redcar and Cleveland Council and Langbaurgh

  • 'Superstar' opera singer to perform

    A YOUNG opera singer described by Classic FM as a potential superstar is to be the centrepiece of a concert next month. Summer will sing the soprano solo role in Mozart's Requiem, during Bedale Festival Choir's concert at St Gregory's Church, Bedale,

  • Celebrating after 65 years together

    A COUPLE who celebrated their blue sapphire anniversary after 65 years of marriage said the secret of their success was hard work and helping people. Sid and Muriel Ellis, of Darlington, married in Loftus Methodist Church on October 6, 1939. Mr Ellis,

  • Rat-catcher and Nip say farewell

    MASTER rat-catcher Nip, and his owner Billy Thompson, have hung up their bait stations for the last time. Mr Thompson joined Hambleton District Council in 1982 as a pest control officer, but is now retiring. "You name it and we have dealt with it," he

  • Small is beautiful at North Yorkshire centre

    HELEN Bell, the former international three-day event rider, believes that small is beautiful when it comes to training ponies and horses for eventing and show jumping. Helen competed regularly at Badminton and Burghley in the Nineties, as well as representing

  • Easterby in Flighty mood with a double assault

    TIM EASTERBY sets his supporters a real teaser at York today by running both Flighty Fellow and Mrs Moh in the betfair.com Handicap. Without a shadow of doubt either of the talented duo are capable of lifting the one-mile prize, but a first choice must

  • The ten most irritating people in sport

    FROM Jonno to Jonny - it's a pity that Lawrence didn't bridge the gap for a little longer. Anyone who saw Jonno's Tigers thrash Jonny's Falcons last Saturday would realise that if one is to succeed the other in lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy he has a bit

  • Easterby in Flighty mood with a double assault

    TIM EASTERBY sets his supporters a real teaser at York today by running both Flighty Fellow and Mrs Moh in the betfair.com Handicap. Without a shadow of doubt either of the talented duo are capable of lifting the one-mile prize, but a first choice must

  • Tories rally round Howard despite remarks about N-E

    SENIOR Tories last night rallied round Conservative leader Michael Howard after he appeared to dismiss the party vote in the North-East. Mr Howard told reporters at the Conservative Party conference that it could win the next election without winning

  • 60 new jobs are created as company expands markets

    ONE of south Durham's most successful companies is taking on 60 new staff to sell its products directly to homes all over Europe. Another 20 manufacturing workers have already been taken on by Ebac Ltd, in Bishop Auckland, in advance of the direct marketing

  • Lottery boost for ME group

    CHARITY workers who provide help and support for people suffering from a chronic fatigue syndrome are celebrating a lottery fund injection of more than £100,000. The cash boost will provide core funding for three years for ME North-East, which helps people

  • When angst turns to agony

    More than a million children in the UK could be suffering from anxiety or depression, according to a new survey. Health Correspondent Barry Nelson investigates. GROWING up is hard to do, but these days mounting social pressures on young children are making

  • Museum event to draw crowd

    BEAMISH open-air museum aims to draw in the crowds with a Victorian art event on Saturday, October 16. Visitors will be able to practise their drawing skills under the watchful gaze of a Victorian school ma'am at the Big Draw event, from 10am. The next

  • Pensioner's racing pigeons stolen

    A PENSIONER who was left devastated by the theft of 33 of his prized racing pigeons has appealed for help in tracing the thieves. Gordon Stevenson, 68, said the birds, worth about £950, had been stolen from a cree at Woodside Gardens allotments, Sacriston

  • Conference to talk about suicide rate

    HEALTH officials will attend a major conference aimed at tackling Darlington's high rate of suicides. The event, at Morton Park, next Friday, is expected to attract health professionals, social services represen-tatives, the voluntary sector and members

  • Ju-Jitsu expert visits

    THE man with the hardest hands in the world is coming to the region later this month. French martial arts expert Jean Yves Mulot, who is in the Guinness Book of World Records for breaking concrete blocks with his bare hands, is appearing at the World

  • Will feline drama have a happy ending?

    THEATRE staff are hoping the story of an injured cat that turned up on their doorstep will have a happy ending. The cat was found on Wednesday at the stage door of The Gala Theatre, in Durham City. They gave the animal, which was injured after apparently

  • Police answer 95 per cent of calls within a single second

    NEW technology is ringing the changes, with a police force answering most 999 calls the second they are made. Last year, Cleveland Police picked up just above 80 percent of emergency calls within the designated ten second time frame. Now, because of investment

  • Laptop tonic for Jasmine

    A YOUNG girl waiting for a kidney transplant has been given her own laptop so she can do her school work at home. Jasmine Bell, ten, from Loftus, east Cleveland, who has chronic renal failure, undergoes about 15 hours of dialysis at the Royal Victoria

  • Applications sought to bid for commercial radio licence

    APPLICATIONS are being sought from firms wanting to run a commercial radio station in the North-East. The new communications regulator Ofcom, which took over from the Radio Authority, yesterday began advertising for the new local FM licence for Durham

  • Farmer has business idea all wrapped up

    A FARMER has come up with a business idea which will solve a problem for his colleagues. David Brown, who has been farm manager at High Waupley Farm in Easington, Saltburn, for 22 years, has come up with a solution to forthcoming EU legislation about

  • Poor record over council home care

    A NORTH-EAST council ranks among the bottom 30 authorities in the country when it comes to helping old people with provision at home, according to figures published today. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has come 124th in a national league of 150

  • Unhappy passengers ready to set up rail action group

    A PASSENGER action group is to be set up after complaints about a town's railway station. North Yorkshire County Council decided to form the group after a recent meeting when concerns were raised about Northallerton railway station. Among the issues raised

  • Children glimpse tribute to war hero

    A SCULPTOR has given children at a North-East primary school a sneak preview of his statue of a once-forgotten Second World War hero. Keith Maddison has been commissioned by The Northern Echo to create the 9ft cast of Andrew Mynarski, the 27-year-old

  • Husband of victim to sue former PC

    A HUSBAND whose wife was left severely brain-damaged after she was hit by a police car is suing for damages of more than £3.7m. Linda Donaldson, 52, was knocked down by police officer Philip Wilkinson at a pelican crossing in Walker, Newcastle, in April

  • £100,000 to tackle ME

    CHARITY workers who provide help for people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome were last night celebrating a Lottery grant of more than £100,000. The cash will provide funding for three years for ME North-East, which helps people with myalgic encephalopathy

  • Patients asked for views on hospitals

    PATIENTS who have attended the accident and emergency departments of three hospitals are to be quizzed about the service they received. Anyone treated in either of the North Tees and Hartlepool Trust's accident and emergency departments in June or who

  • Abseil challenge

    An abseil from the Tyne Bridge in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care, takes place in Newcastle on Sunday. Anyone interested in taking part is asked to contact 0191-382 3312.

  • Minister to address joint conferences

    HUNDREDS of delegates are visiting the region for two national conferences looking at education and child welfare later this month. Education Secretary Charles Clarke MP will address the Local Government Association's (LGA) annual Education Conference

  • Sparkling day for breed's centenary sale

    THE annual show and sale of the Wensleydale Longwool Sheep Breeders' Association at Craven Cattle Marts' Skipton auction mart last Friday was a sparkling occasion. The "Champagne sale" celebrated 100 years of close liaison and goodwill between auctioneers

  • House vote 'defies sense'

    COUNCILLORS have defied planning officers' advice by voting to approve a revised scheme to build a four-bedroomed detached house at Beech Tree Farm, Sleights Lane, Rainton, near Thirsk. Members of an area planning committee of Harrogate Borough Council

  • Tadpoles tie for trophy

    TWO youngsters tied for the top spot at Thirsk's Tadpole swimming gala. Sarah Lacy, nine, and Glen Ient, eight, shared the honours in the gala. The pair took lessons at the town's swimming pool and now train with Thirsk White Horse Swim Team. The club

  • Headland's history captured on posters

    THE growth of Hartlepool's historic Headland over the centuries has been captured in a series of posters. Called Hartlepool Through The Ages, the four posters include a series of reconstructions showing the Headland from the air at four different historical

  • Stargazine night proves out of this world for pupils

    THE mystery of the stars have been revealed to children at Bedale Primary School this week. A planetarium set up at the school gave year five and year six pupils a glimpse of faraway galaxies during a space event on Wednesday night. Parents were invited

  • New season of courses opens

    THE autumn season of courses starts at Chester-le-Street Community Centre with expert-led sessions in a range of subjects next week. Monday sees the opening of calligraphy classes, a four-week course, running from 9.30am to noon. Body Blast exercise courses

  • Mental health teams given extra staff

    PEOPLE with mental health problems are to benefit from 17 new workers who will focus on patients' recovery. The support, time and recovery workers (STRs) will work in a variety of settings, including hospital wards and units across the area. They will

  • Law firm celebrates centenary

    A LAW firm celebrated its centenary year with a reunion of staff from yesteryear. Staff at Wear Valley solicitors Marquis Hewitts traced former employees to join present day staff and clients for a gathering of 120 people at the office in Elliott Street

  • A woodland wonderland

    KEEN walkers are being invited to join a guided walk of woodlands this weekend. Sedgefield Borough Council's Countryside team is leading the event which will take place around the woodlands of Spennymoor on Saturday. The start will be at the car park

  • Applications sought to bid for commercial radio licence

    APPLICATIONS are being sought from firms wanting to run a commercial radio station in the North-East. The new communications regulator Ofcom, which took over from the Radio Authority, yesterday began advertising for the new local FM licence for Durham

  • Children's banner with a message

    YOUNGSTERS unveiled a banner created to bring their views of the world into a newly-refurbished community centre. Children who attended a summer activity programme at Tow Law Community Centre visited Tow Law Millennium Green and walked around the village

  • Roadshows to ensure all homes are warm

    A SET of roadshows geared at ensuring that everyone in a north Durham district can enjoy an affordable warm home has been unveiled. The initiative was launched as part of the Vision in Action conference staged by the Chester-le-Street District Partnership

  • Nomination recognises unsung hero

    A LECTURER has been short-listed for an award that recognises unsung heroes. Denise Hardy, from Guisborough, is a further education lecturer in counselling and teacher training at Redcar and Cleveland College. She has been short-listed for the further

  • Survey on 999 response time

    AN INDEPENDENT survey has confirmed that most people are happy with the police response to 999 calls. Researchers found that 88 per cent of callers from the Durham Constabulary force area were satisfied with the time taken to respond to emergency calls

  • Move south can help Collins fulfil ambitions

    NEILL COLLINS believes his move from Scottish minnows Dumbarton to Championship promotion hopefuls Sunderland will help him realise his international ambitions. Berti Vogts' side face Norway in a World Cup qualifier tomorrow in the sort of occasion Collins

  • Why we must pump up the volume

    IN the 1970s, soaring oil prices were blamed for pushing the world into recession. As crude oil reaches as record high, Nick Morrison looks at what this means for petrol prices - and whether another recession could be in the offing. SPEED limits were

  • Boro youngsters mature enough to handle the big stage

    EXPERIENCED Gaizka Mendieta insists the young professionals thrown into the heat of Middlesbrough's first team battle have proven they can handle life at the top. Teenagers James Morrison and Tony McMahon, as well as 20-year-old Stewart Downing have all

  • Anxious wait for telecom workers

    MORE than 80 workers in the region are facing an anxious wait after mobile phone company Orange announced it was to axe between 200 and 300 jobs across the UK. The group is understood to be planning the redundancies at its network and technical systems

  • Teenager on top form in national test

    A YOUNG rider from East Cleveland produced a superb performance to finish runner-up in a national competition last Sunday. Jenny Smith, of Horse Close Farm, Marske, was second in the novice section at the British Horse Society national cross-country championships

  • Cantona is the role model for Ferdinand

    Rio Ferdinand revealed that he had been inspired by the example of Eric Cantona in coping with his own eight-month suspension as he prepared to make his long-awaited return for England. Ferdinand missed 13 England games during his ban for missing a drugs

  • PC drags man from blazing car

    A POLICE officer who rescued a man from a burning car has been praised by senior officers. PC John Fawcett was called to an accident on the A64, near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, at about 7.20am yesterday. A silver Vauxhall Vectra carrying two men had

  • Burton's Bytes: The hottest way of going for the burn

    BURNOUT 3: TAKEDOWN: Publisher: Electronic Arts. Formats: PS2, Xbox. Price: £39.99: Family friendly? It's all just good old knockabout fun. I LIKE games like Gran Turismo but then I love cars. If you've only a passing interest in motoring then I reckon

  • Deal ideal for Wijnhard

    DARLINGTON boss David Hodgson believes the terms of Clyde Wijnhard's contract will bring out the best in the Dutch striker. The 30-year-old put pen to paper on a one-month deal last week, on a pay-as-you-play basis. Hodgson is keen to run the rule over

  • Why it's no fun being followed

    A new study on stalking is expected to reveal that more people suffer from it than has ever been acknowledged. Barry Nelson asks what's being done to combat the problem. THE devastating effects of stalking on victims' lives are to be examined in a major

  • Superstore's expansion plan backed despite concerns

    TESCO's plans to expand its store at Catterick Garrison have been backed in principle by the narrowest of margins. The casting vote of Coun Jim Fryer, chairman of Richmondshire District Council's environment and planning committee, cleared the way for

  • Court staff rewarded for protecting judge

    THREE court workers wrestled with a strugging defendant who had leapt out of the dock towards the judge. Usher Malcolm Magee, and custody officers Margaret Fearon and Paul Alderson weighed in to prevent 18-year-old David Laddie reaching Judge Richard

  • The hottest way of going for the burn

    BURNOUT 3: TAKEDOWN: Publisher: Electronic Arts. Formats: PS2, Xbox. Price: £39.99: Family friendly? It's all just good old knockabout fun. I LIKE games like Gran Turismo but then I love cars. If you've only a passing interest in motoring then I reckon

  • Lee forced to bring plans forward

    CRAIG Lee will be back in the Darlington team to visit Dudley Kingswinford tomorrow, although he would have preferred to wait another week after his knee operation. The player-coach has brought forward his return to action following Andrew Turner's decision

  • Businesses fear loss of trade to Herriot centre

    A PLAN to provide refreshments at Thirsk's major tourist attraction, The World of James Herriot, will seriously damage other outlets in the market town, it was claimed this week. Thirsk Chamber of Trade has written to the chief executive of Hambleton

  • Work begins on

    CONSTRUCTION work started this week on a new outdoor floodlit games pitch at Huntcliff School, Saltburn. It will be used in the evenings and weekends by the adjoining leisure centre, providing a welcome boost to the town's sporting and leisure facilities

  • Boulders bar path of emergency ambulance

    PARISH councillors have told their chairman he must remove boulders he has placed on the village green outside his home. At Tuesday's meeting at Cockfield Community Centre, Coun Keith Quigley explained that he had placed them there to protect a rebuilt

  • Team's timely flight

    A DRUNKEN passenger picked the wrong flight to start an air rage incident. On board were 34 members of the British Police rugby league squad, including Durham's 6ft 4in Mick Kent. And when the New Zealand passenger became aggressive they lost no time

  • 'Central Park is perfect for government department'

    INDUSTRY last night gave its backing to the £170m redevelopment of a derelict area of Darlington, calling it an ideal location for devolved Government jobs. The North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), which represents thousands of businesses in the region

  • Controversial goal pegs back Town after Roberts strike

    WITH the exception of one change, Northallerton boss Paul Burton kept faith with the side which beat Alnwick Town 2-0 in midweek for last Saturday's tricky away game at unbeaten Washington. This meant that leading scorer John Outhwaite and David Onions

  • Committee's decision welcomed

    INTEREST rates were kept at 4.75 per cent yesterday amid signs that five rises during the past year had slowed rising house prices and consumer spending. The latest no-change decision - the second in succession from the Bank of England's monetary policy

  • No competition

    WE have some sympathy with the Richmondshire district councillors who tried to put a halt to Tesco's expansion plans at Catterick Garrison. They wanted to protect Richmond town centre from further competition and felt an even bigger supermarket a few

  • 'Central Park is perfect for government department'

    INDUSTRY last night gave its backing to the £170m redevelopment of a derelict area of Darlington, calling it an ideal location for devolved Government jobs. The North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), which represents thousands of businesses in the region

  • Memories of Teesside International linger on

    TEESSIDE International Airport's name change has clearly not quite registered around the world. Spectator was in Amsterdam's vast Schiphol airport last week waiting to board the evening flight to Durham-Tees Valley when the public address announcer declared

  • Charity sets up text helpline

    A PIONEERING text helpline for young people will be launched in Chester-le-Street at the weekend. The town's branch of the charity Mind is launching the service in the district on World Mental Health Day on Sunday, following a survey in local comprehensive

  • Business editor appointed

    JULIA Breen has been appointed business editor at The Northern Echo. The 26-year-old has been deputy business editor for the past six months and has worked at the newspaper for more than three years in a number of posts, including education correspondent

  • Museum calls in ghostbusters for game of draughts

    STAFF at a Weardale museum have called in ghostbusters to help them solve a mystery. In recent weeks, workers at the North of England Lead Mining Museum, at Killhope, in Upper Weardale, County Durham, have noticed strange activities in the mine shop,

  • Husband of victim to sue former PC

    A HUSBAND whose wife was left severely brain-damaged after she was hit by a police car is suing for damages of more than £3.7m. Linda Donaldson, 52, was knocked down by police officer Philip Wilkinson at a pelican crossing in Walker, Newcastle, in April

  • Applications sought to bid for commercial radio licence

    APPLICATIONS are being sought from firms wanting to run a commercial radio station in the North-East. The new communications regulator Ofcom, which took over from the Radio Authority, yesterday began advertising for the new local FM licence for Durham

  • Children will enjoy shows from around the world

    TAKEOFF 2004 is back in Darlington, at the arts centre from Sunday to Wednesday. Takeoff is England's leading annual celebration of professional theatre for children and young people. It is organised by CTC Theatre, based at the Arts Centre in Vane Terrace

  • Wellock's World: The ten most irritating people in sport

    FROM Jonno to Jonny - it's a pity that Lawrence didn't bridge the gap for a little longer. Anyone who saw Jonno's Tigers thrash Jonny's Falcons last Saturday would realise that if one is to succeed the other in lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy he has a bit

  • Reality of the Asian race

    The Great British Asian Invasion (C4): RONNIE Barker was dressed up as an Indian. Brown face, turban, comedy "goodness gracious me" accent, the lot. This was a sketch about Indian cooking from an episode of The Two Ronnies. "Ronnie Barker a racist? Hardly

  • Clobber for the chubbier chap

    AUSTIN Orton is a big man with big ideas. So when the former aeronautical expert despaired of finding clothes that he liked and which fitted him, he started his own business. Now Big Ozzy sells clothes to big men all over Britain, Europe and even the

  • Staff needed as heritage centre prepares to open

    A HERITAGE centre is looking to fill a number of posts before it opens its doors for the first time later this month. Camerons still has a number of vacancies for staff at its centre in Stockton Road, Hartlepool, which opens on October 18. Based in the

  • 500cc labour of love

    TWO motorcycle enthusiasts will show off their latest labour of love at a classic bike show in Redcar this weekend. Ernie Crust, from Nunthorpe, and Ted Hardwick, from Guisborough, have rebuilt a 500cc Norton using parts dating back to the Forties and

  • Lookers buys new dealership - and staff

    A CAR dealership accused of abandoning its workforce has taken on a new franchise complete with staff. Lookers Toyota, which axed the entire staff of its Northallerton garage last month, has taken over the Massingberd Volkswagen dealership, directly opposite

  • Drummer catches eye of pop manager

    BUDDING pop stars had the chance to shine before one of the music industry's most successful managers when he visited a North-East studio. Genius Entertainment, based in Stanley, County Durham, was asked to showcase bands and musicians to American businessman

  • 'We are only choice for government'

    Conservative leader Michael Howard yesterday rallied his party for the forthcoming General Election campaign with a pledge to lead a trustworthy government which will act swiftly to address voters' concerns over crime, immigration, tax, the public services

  • TV review

    The Great British Asian Invasion (C4) RONNIE Barker was dressed up as an Indian. Brown face, turban, comedy "goodness gracious me" accent, the lot. This was a sketch about Indian cooking from an episode of The Two Ronnies. "Ronnie Barker a racist? Hardly

  • Double success for inn 'run with imagination'

    THATCHED pub, the Star Inn, at Harome, has been named Pub of the Year for the second year running in the Ebury Publishing Good Pub Guide, 2005. It is also named as the guide's Dining Pub of the Year.. And another North Yorkshire pub, the Wombwell Arms

  • Contract change sinks Bookless

    A fruit and vegetable retailer has gone into liquidation with the loss of about 110 jobs. Bookless, which is based in Gateshead, called in liquidators after its contract with discount supermarket chain Kwik Save was cancelled. A total of 50 shop staff

  • Wow - that's the new vision for Darlington

    UP TO 2,000 jobs could be created from a massive £170m development scheme being hailed as the start of "a new Darlington." The project, which planners say will simply "wow" people, includes homes, offices, public spaces and a sculpture park. The new college

  • Bodybuilder muscles in on another title

    VETERAN bodybuilder John Citrone has entered the record books by lifting his fifth Mr Universe Masters title. The 61-year-old, from Washington, Wearside, has already won five world championships during his career. He won his first major title when he

  • Inquiry call over council spending

    THE Labour Party is calling for an independent inquiry into the spending of a Teesside council. The opposition group of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has called for a probe into the disposal of assets following recent decisions made by the council's

  • Waste of time

    Sir, - Congratulations to Della Cannings on her stance against police officers doing jury service (D&S, Oct 1). It is outrageous that people vital to the community such as police and doctors should no longer be exempt. A few years ago I was called

  • Join Sister Sledge

    SEVENTIES disco funk divas Sister Sledge are to bring in the New Year at the region's flagship music centre. The group, which scored a Top Ten hit in 1979 with We Are Family, will perform at The Sage Gateshead on Friday, December 31. Sage programme manager

  • Shrug off the apathy and use your vote

    LIFE was much simpler when Private Willis, B Company, 1st Grenadier Guards, was the Palace Yard sentry at Westminster in the days of Gilbert and Sullivan. As he sings in Iolanthe "...every boy and every gal/that's born into this world alive/is either

  • Birthday firm says it with trees

    ROOTS have been laid in preparation for a Darlington firm's 40th anniversary. On Monday, the first of 40 trees was planted by Cummins Engines, at its Yarm Road site, dedicated to its milestone birthday which will be celebrated next July. The other 39

  • You Write

    Serious decision: Closing Morrisons' recent acquisition in Durham - Safeway - would indeed be serious. The other shops in Millburngate Centre would suffer and probably domestic rates would increase to compensate for lost revenue. Morrisons deserve to

  • Result for club as hole row is resolved

    SUPPORTERS of one of the region's oldest football clubs were celebrating last night after the Coal Authority agreed to repair its sinking pitch. Tow Law Town FC feared it could go out of business last week when a ten-metre wide crater suddenly opened

  • Converted churches are in demand and fetching big money

    FORMER churches are fetching big money in North Yorkshire and County Durham after they have been converted into houses or apartments. The former Roman Catholic church of St Lawrence at Lartington, near Barnard Castle, has been sold for almost £500,000

  • Prices at the Marts

    BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed of last week. Fwd: 2,240 sheep. Lt lambs to 111p av 93.2p; std to 112p av 103.6p; med to 111p av 102.3p; heavy to 111p av 102.9p. Cast sheep: Cont £50.50; Suff £41.50; Mule £34.50 Swale £22. DARLINGTON. - Thurs of last week. Fwd:

  • New flood maps will not hit house prices, says agency

    RUMOURS that the publication of new flood maps will slash thousands of pounds from house values and leave owners unable to obtain insurance have been denied. National newspaper stories claiming that newly-unveiled Environment Agency flood maps would make

  • Dale glows with pride after tourism triumphs

    TEESDALE has won three awards in the annual Pride of Northumbria competition, the results of which were announced on Wednesday. Dr Anne Allen and Sue Berresford stepped up to take the web site of the year trophy and certificate for the quality of the

  • Parents lose plea as judge decides not to prolong pain

    Paediatric experts told a judge yesterday that baby Charlotte Wyatt, who weighed only a pound and measured 5in when she was born three months premature at St Mary's Hospital, Portsmouth, last October, had no feelings other than continuing pain. Mr Justice

  • TFA steps up margins fight

    THE Tenant Farmers' Association is stepping up its campaign to win exemption from a controversial cross-compliance condition. It wants Defra to exempt fields smaller than two hectares from the requirement of a two-metre margin next to hedges and wet ditches

  • Survey on 999 response time

    AN INDEPENDENT survey has confirmed that most people are happy with the police response to 999 calls. Researchers found that 88 per cent of callers from the Durham Constabulary force area were satisfied with the time taken to respond to emergency calls

  • Drivers told to cut speed

    NEW measures to slow down speeding drivers near homes in Spennymoor should be given the go-ahead next week. Durham County Council's Highways Committee will hear that the need for the schemes in the Carr Lane and Ox Close areas of the town outweighs objections

  • Hands-on aid by bank

    A BANK'S employees took time out from behind their desks to help decorate a village resource centre. Workers from the Barclays Employee Volunteering Programme helped members of the Sedgefield Development Partnership paint their new premises with the help

  • Children tune up to learn new music skills

    PUPILS from a Darlington school visited a new music centre yesterday as part of a programme set up to develop their musical knowledge and skills. Youngsters at Cockerton Church of England Primary School and deputy headteacher Claire Carter visited The

  • 60 new jobs are created

    ONE of south Durham's most successful companies is taking on 60 staff to sell its products directly to homes all over Europe. Another 20 manufacturing workers have already been taken on by Ebac Ltd, in Bishop Auckland, in advance of the direct marketing

  • Police raids planned in new under-age drink crackdown

    COUNCIL bosses last night warned tearaway youngsters to expect a series of raids to crack down on under-age drinking. Darlington Borough Council pledged to work closely with local police to combat anti-social behaviour problems after a swoop on the Springfield

  • Protest at plan to close path

    CLOSING a footpath on a Darlington estate to deter youths on motorbikes will penalise residents, a meeting was told. The borough council plans to apply to magistrates for an order to block off the path, behind Holgate Moor Green in Firthmoor, because

  • Students help give nursery a new look

    DESIGN students have used their artistic skills to bring some animal magic to a Darlington playground. Ten second-year National Diploma students from Darlington College of Technology have produced a colourful mural to brighten a metal storage container

  • Businessman's story revealed in biography

    A BOOK telling the story of a veteran North-East businessman's rise from humble roots to international success was officially launched this week. Sir Tom Cowie began his working life as a second-hand motorcycle salesman in Sunderland and went on to found

  • Search is on for pride of the town

    A COMPETITION has been launched in Hartlepool in a bid to find environmental champions. The Pride in Your Neighbourhood Awards have an October 15 deadline. The scheme is part of Hartlepool Borough Council's Pride in Hartlepool campaign and aims to recognise

  • Pupils and parents ready for challenge

    MORE than a thousand pupils, parents and school staff will be encouraged to discover their artistic talents next week. Pupils at 12 schools will take part in a Big Draw event during Family Learning Week, starting on Monday. A professional artist will

  • Deal done to combat graffiti in town

    AN anti-graffiti drive is underway in Hartlepool in a bid to improve the town's image. Hartlepool Borough Council has brokered a deal with BT and NTL to combat graffiti and fly-posting on telephone junction boxes. The partnership sees the companies supplying

  • -No' campaign's headquarters broken into

    BURGLARS have broken into the headquarters of the North- East No campaign. Volunteers arrived at their offices yesterday to find a third-storey window had been smashed and a box containing petty cash had been stolen. The thieves appeared to have scaled

  • Report cites vital role for trade unions

    TRADE unions have a vital role to play in ensuring multinational corporations meet the needs of the North-East, according to a new report. The study, carried out by researchers from Northumbria University, suggests that trade union representatives, can

  • Spanish GPs to stay on Teesside

    TWO Spanish GPs have been so impressed with the people of Teesside that they have decided to stay for at least another two years. Irene Redolat and Chelo Fernandez came on a fact-finding visit to Teesside earlier this summer and were so impressed by the

  • A bet led to love

    RON Grogan was so sure he would marry the girl he met at a local dance that he bet her £50 he would one day walk her down the aisle. This weekend, the Tow Law town councillor, and his wife, Jean, both 71, are celebrating their golden wedding anniversary

  • Under-age crackdown

    COUNCIL bosses last night warned youngsters to expect a series of raids to crack down on under-age drinking. Darlington Borough Council pledged to work closely with local police to combat anti-social behaviour problems after a swoop on the Springfield

  • Drivers told to cut speed

    NEW measures to slow down speeding drivers near homes in Spennymoor should be given the go-ahead next week. Durham County Council's Highways Committee will hear that the need for the schemes in the Carr Lane and Ox Close areas of the town outweighs objections

  • Inquiry call over council spending

    THE Labour Party is calling for an independent inquiry into the spending of a Teesside council. The opposition group of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has called for a probe into the disposal of assets following recent decisions made by the council's

  • Five held after police drugs raid

    Police have recovered heroin and money after raids in South Tyneside. The police operation was carried out at several addresses in South Shields on Wednesday. Three men and two women were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply controlled drugs.

  • 999 response 'satisfactory'

    AN INDEPENDENT survey has confirmed the overwhelming majority of people are happy with the police response to 999 calls. Researchers found that 88 per cent of callers from Durham Constabulary force area were satisfied with the time taken to respond to

  • She's a walking miracle

    DOCTORS have described a two-year-old North-East girl as a walking miracle. Specialists can offer no explanation as to why Lucia Castro-Quroga, from Lanchester, County Durham, is one of a handful of people to survive an extremely rare and "incurable"

  • Care flats blocked after protests

    RESIDENTS have cleared a major hurdle in a campaign to halt a development near their homes. People living near the proposed site of 40 residential care flats, on the former University College of Ripon and York St John in College Road, Ripon, saw members

  • Twin success at New Deal awards

    A COMMUNITY-LED regeneration scheme has resulted in top honours for the partners behind the project. The West Middlesbrough Neighbourhood Trust (WMNT) and Middlesbrough Council won awards at the inaugural National New Deal for Communities Awards day.

  • Celebration of achievements

    THE achievements of students will be celebrated this week. Stockton Borough Council's adult education service and Write to Read will host the event tomorrow and on Saturday. Tomorrow there will be a torch-lit procession from HM Bark Endeavour in Stockton

  • Parents shake a leg and join in Jeans for Genes charity event

    YOUNGSTERS traded jeans for genes in a pre-school play-group's first charity event. They were joined by parents, staff and helpers, who also jumped into their denims for the day at Framwellgate Moor Play Group. Group leader Jacqui Todd came up with the

  • 500 join in five years

    STARTED only five years ago, the North Yorkshire Smallholders' Society has just reached 500 members. The society was formed to meet the needs of smallholders throughout the North of England by Mrs Pat Walker, a breeder of rare sheep. She is secretary

  • Starring role in caring for patients

    PART-TIME actor Mark Coatesworth is ready to take up a new role as one of the latest breed of health professionals in Hartlepool. After 20 years as a paramedic with the North-East Ambulance Service, he found himself starring in television dramas such

  • Circus arrives

    Uncle Sam's American Circus is at Clairville Common, Middlesbrough, until Saturday. The show includes whip-cracking, and knife and tomahawk throwing. The circus does not use animal acts.

  • Hands-on aid by bank

    A BANK'S employees took time out from behind their desks to help decorate a village resource centre. Workers from the Barclays Employee Volunteering Programme helped members of the Sedgefield Development Partnership paint their new premises with the help

  • Patients pitch in to help orphans

    PATIENTS have used their knitting skills to help Romanian orphans. Women from the Friary Community Hospital in Richmond knitted blankets while male patients filled shoeboxes with an assortment of gifts. Barbara Healy, healthcare assistant at the hospital

  • Healthy pupils score with kits

    SOCCER-MAD youngsters are starting the new season in style after being kitted out by a school caterer. Scolarest is the new sponsor of the under-11 boys' team at Lumley Junior School, Great Lumley, Chester-le-Street. The team, which plays in the Chester-le-Street

  • 60 new jobs are created as company expands markets

    ONE of south Durham's most successful companies is taking on 60 new staff to sell its products directly to homes all over Europe. Another 20 manufacturing workers have already been taken on by Ebac Ltd, in Bishop Auckland, in advance of the direct marketing

  • Councillor forces election after walking out on party

    A COUNCILLOR has quit in a row over the exclusion of opposition representation in a new regeneration scheme. Former shop owner Kathleen Atkinson has resigned her seat on both Durham City and Belmont Parish councils and left the Liberal Democrat party.

  • The student vote

    A COUNCIL is running a Big Brother-style election to encourage schoolchildren to take an interest in politics. Pupils in Richmondshire are voting for their favourite of five district councillors after seeing how each performs during Internet discussions

  • Radio car takes pole for raffle

    A SIX-foot-long radio-controlled Formula One car will be the star prize in a charity raffle. The model has been donated to the organisers of the Original Victorian Fair in Masham. John Todd, chairman of the organising committee and town crier, said: "

  • Speed cameras can now identify driver

    SPEEDING motorists in North Yorkshire are facing a clampdown thanks to the police's latest equipment. The new detection equipment includes video cameras fixed to laser speed guns, which identify the driver as well as the number plate of a speeding vehicle

  • Flood map leads to insurance concerns

    PUBLICATION of a multi-million pound flood-risk map has led to fears it could create a postcode lottery for homeowners seeking insurance. Concerns have been expressed that premiums in flood-prone areas could soar and some homeowners could even be refused

  • Teenager's arm cut to bone during attack

    A TEENAGER'S arm was cut to the bone in a glassing in a pizza shop, a court was told yeterday. Robert Rogan,17, was repeatedly stabbed with a broken pint glass as he tried to escape Stephen Chipchase, 20. Tim Bubb, prosecuting at Teesside Crown Court,

  • B&Q embraces dust-free DIY

    AN award-winning invention that promises to keep the decorating dust-free has been picked up by DIY retailer B&Q. Reuzip Partnership, from Middlesbrough, has won a contract with B&Q to sell its reusable, zipped plastic cover in the retailer's

  • Back in the saddle to help hospital

    A YOUNG girl who was injured in a riding accident has got back on a horse to raise funds for the hospital where she was treated. Eight-year-old Sarah Daniel, from Thirsk, was taken to Northallerton's Friarage Hospital with a collapsed lung in February

  • Shooting yourself in both feet

    WE'VE seen two examples recently of publicity stunts that grabbed immediate attention but ultimately backfired. Rash comments by Robert Kilroy-Silk had journalists drooling but didn't go down well with the party's millionaire backer who has now switched

  • A Voice For The North: Voters in south of region targeted

    SUPPORTERS of the proposed directly-elected assembly for the North-East yesterday launched a concerted drive to win over wavering voters in the south of the region. With Teesside looking increasingly likely to be the decisive battleground in the referendum

  • Twelfth Night, English Touring Theatre, York Theatre Royal

    HOLLYWOOD maverick Billy Bob Thornton reckons Shakespeare is "over-rated, bulls**t, and just a bunch of soap operas". Post-rant, here is the first chance to pit Billy Bard against Billy Bob. Twelfth Night is top of the Shakespeare comedy hit parade: a

  • "Off the streets order" proves effective

    POLICE chiefs yesterday hailed the success of a teenage curfew imposed on a troubled North East estate. The public order action has proved so effective that the "off the streets order'' has been lifted more than two weeks early. In April this year, police

  • One-way plans could face U-turn

    PLANS to make a busy street one-way could be scrapped next week following a string of objections from residents. Council officers had suggested making Romanby Road in Northallerton a one-way system, with traffic entering it from the High Street. The aim

  • Johnston's star burns bright after Newmarket victory

    COMPLETING four Group 1 victories in a season, and running on ground that was not ideal last Saturday, Attraction was tagged "the best horse I've ever trained" by her trainer, Mark Johnston. Adding the Sun Chariot to her British and Irish Guineas brace

  • Time to jump on jive bandwagon

    A DANCE craze which should suit most musical tastes has arrived in County Durham. Modern jive dancing is catching on in discos and on function room dance floors across the region, partly thanks to the efforts of Lynn Smith. The Darlington dance teacher