REGIONAL GOVERNMENT: THE proposed assembly will give a unified voice to the North-East. Services will improve; costs will be lower. We have heard it all before. Thirty-five years ago, Middlesbrough, Stockton, Redcar, Eston and South Bank were unified
The ninth Hartlepool Round Table annual charity beer festival will be held at The Borough Hall this weekend. More than 1,000 people are expected to attend and the main beneficiary will be the RNLI. Entry costs £7 on the door, and organisers expect a sell-out
AN ancient bye law decrees that if an Englishman encounters a Welshman within Chester's city walls after 11 o'clock, he is legally entitled to shoot him with a crossbow. Times have moved on since that judgment was passed. But just 30 miles up the M6 in
CAST your mind back to the Labour party conference. A matter of some significance slipped past virtually unnoticed. "I want to put myself forward for a third term and if elected I would serve that full term.'' "The decision, of course, is one for the
THREE men appeared in court yesterday after a fight at a Darlington nightclub. David John Darke, 21, and Mark Antony Connelly, 23, both of Zetland Road, Barnard Castle, admitted using or threatening unlawful violence in June this year. Rachel Master,
A SOUTH Durham family who won an education award are promoting a special learning week. The six members of the Parsley family, from Bishop Auckland, were presented with the family learning award at a ceremony sponsored by County Durham Learning Partnership
A 15-year development plan that will turn Ripon into Yorkshire's rural capital of culture has been launched. The 2020 vision group identified the key areas of culture, tourism, enterprise, learning and community needed to improve the city. The project
Who Do You Think You Are? (BBC2): OR Celebrity Family Tree, by any other name. In different circumstances, famous people would complain about media intrusion into their private lives. Here, they positively encourage us to delve into their family secrets
WHEN Kelly Holmes arrived on Tyneside for last month's Great North Mile, she was given the kind of reception normally reserved for nobility and Newcastle number nines. Two Olympic gold medals can do wonderful things. But amid the acclaim heaped on Holmes
THREE men appeared in court yesterday after a fight at a Darlington nightclub. David John Darke, 21, and Mark Antony Connelly, 23, both of Zetland Road, Barnard Castle, admitted using or threatening unlawful violence in June this year. Rachel Master,
AN estate is getting a makeover in a cleaning blitz this week. A series of events will also be held as part of Operation WEB - Westfield Estate Blitz - on a Loftus estate. The week-long effort is the third programme following the success of Operation
SUNDERLAND centre-half Danny Collins is looking forward to dribbling round some cones in training - because it will make a change from avoiding the rabbit holes he was taking on last week. Collins became Mick McCarthy's latest recruit when he left League
RELATIVES of a resident at a nursing home threatened with closure have disputed council claims that it is running at a profit. A protest march will be held on Saturday against the closure of Graceland Nursing Home, Guisborough, which would leave 51 residents
DARLINGTON boss David Hodgson will run the rule over Canadian international Tyler Hughes at Huddersfield Town this afternoon, red tape permitting. The club have applied for international clearance to play the Toronto Lynx defender in Darlington's reserves
"Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?" - Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night. Sandwiched immediately between The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations' two cursory contributions from Neil Kinnock and two more from Henry
Who Do You Think You Are? (BBC2) OR Celebrity Family Tree, by any other name. In different circumstances, famous people would complain about media intrusion into their private lives. Here, they positively encourage us to delve into their family secrets
A NORTH-EAST policeman may lose his job after he admitted dealing in counterfeit goods. PC John Wragg, who works for Cleveland Police and is based in Hartlepool, appeared at Teesside Crown Court yesterday. The 34-year-old officer pleaded guilty to three
THE North-East's oldest shipping company, which two years ago was the subject of a management buyout, has hit the acquisitions trail. Casper Shipping Limited, of Middlesbrough, has bought BS Freight Limited, an air freight company based at Durham Tees
GOOD morning. I hope you're well. Anything interesting planned for the day? A lesson in small talk, perhaps... Pupils at a top independent school are being taught their manners. They've signed up for a 14-week course on how to make conversation, lay a
Chancellor Gordon Brown yesterday threw his weight behind a campaign for an elected regional assembly for the North-East. He tells Political Editor Chris Lloyd why it won't be a white elephant. WITH a splatter of statistics and a real fire in his belly
DISABLED youngsters can make the most of the facilities at a children's centre after the installation of a stairlift. The £5,000 lift for the centre in Northallerton - which provides assessment, therapy and early education for disabled youngsters and
Teaching children manners at school may seem like madness, but without this basic instruction, we'll all slip further into the mire. GOOD morning. I hope you're well. Anything interesting planned for the day? A lesson in small talk, perhaps... Pupils
"Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?" - Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night. Sandwiched immediately between The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations' two cursory contributions from Neil Kinnock and two more from Henry
AN angry father has criticised staff at a military hospital who refused his nine-year-old daughter treatment because she was not registered there. Paul Barlow, of Falkland Road, Catterick Garrison, said a receptionist at the Duchess of Kent military hospital
A MAN could face jail after police raided his North-East home and found 906 indecent images of children on his computer. Paul Michael Rhodes, 21, of Oakland Gardens, Darlington, was caught during Operation Ore - the transatlantic investigation into Internet
FOOTBALL legends Malcolm Macdonald, Eric Gates and Bernie Slaven will rekindle simmering rivalries next week when they compete against each other in a cooking challenge. The former footballers, who played for North-East clubs, will be taking part in a
FOOTBALL legends Malcolm Macdonald, Eric Gates and Bernie Slaven will rekindle simmering rivalries next week when they compete against each other in a cooking challenge. The former footballers, who played for North-East clubs, will be taking part in a
THE daughter of a North-East Victoria Cross winner is preparing to take an emotional pilgrimage to the grave of her father. Lilian Wakenshaw was a young girl when her father, Adam Herbert Wakenshaw, was killed in action more than 60 years ago in the North
US firm DuPont, which employs about 100 staff at its factory in Darlington, is facing a $200m fine over a cancer and birth defects scandal. DuPont produces the famed non-stick chemical Teflon, used on saucepans, clothing and even buildings. However the
HOUSEBUILDER George Wimpey said higher interest rates were continuing to take their toll on the housing market. The group said it expected slower trading in the UK to have a modest effect on sales volumes during the rest of the year following the recent
THERE is no doubt that The Northern Echo has stirred up quite a hornets' nest with its revelations in recent weeks that ministers were seeking to change procedures for paying miners compensation for lung diseases. We make no apology for doing so because
"Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?" - Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night. Sandwiched immediately between The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations' two cursory contributions from Neil Kinnock and two more from Henry
A SOCIAL worker was attacked by a client wielding a jar of salsa dip, a court heard yesterday. Harrogate magistrates were told how Carl Ramsden, who worked with the Craven, Harrogate and Rural District Primary Care Trust's outreach team, had called at
COURT action has been taken to stop a persistent nuisance who pesters shop, restaurant and pub staff while drunk or under the influence of drugs. Banning orders were yesterday made restricting the movements and actions of 33-year-old Lee Godfrey, who
Planners in Durham are facing a 20-year challenge to recreate a city which is worth of World Heritage Status. They acknowledge it will be a huge task but say the city has no alternative if it is to thrive as a regional centre. Majorie McIntyre looks at
A devastated mother told yesterday how she came across the road accident that claimed the lives of her ten-year-old son and teenage daughter. Karen Armstrong became concerned when eldest daughter, Lindsay, 26, called to say her sister, Jenna, 19, and
MORE than 147 students from a specialist sports college have achieved awards for sporting achievement. FA Cup Final referee Jeff Winter presented prizes to pupils at Laurence Jackson School's Sports College celebration evening at Gisborough Hall. The
IMPROVEMENTS to the centre of a former pit village are due to get underway. The £120,000 scheme for the centre of Annfield Plain, near Stanley, includes new high quality stone paving in West Road. A lay-by will be created outside the post office and improvements
A crackdown on firework safety is being launched across Hambleton in an effort to ensure this year's Bonfire Night goes without a hitch. New laws to curb bad behaviour by groups of teenagers, not only on November 5 but in the run-up to the celebrations
CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save their community hospital have hit out at plans for new headquarters for a primary care trust. Durham Dales Primary Care Trust (PCT) wants to build a new headquarters for about 80 staff at South Church Enterprise Park, Bishop
YOUNGSTERS are preparing their boats for the annual Parade of Sail in honour of one of history's most renowned seafarers. The parade at Great Ayton, east Cleveland, is just one of the events being held to mark the 276th anniversary of Captain James Cook's
World Cup hat-trick hero Sir Geoff Hurst has accused David Beckham of "bringing the country into disrepute" by deliberately getting himself suspended for tonight's World Cup tie in Azerbaijan. Hurst also insisted that Sir Alf Ramsey would have stripped
A FATHER has written to Tony Blair asking him to curb the import of the drugs that killed his daughter. Helen Traynor, a bakery assistant from Coast Road, Redcar, east Cleveland,who had been addicted to heroin since her mid-teens, died last December,
A REPORT by the Pensions Commission yesterday found that workers will suffer a 30 per cent cut in their retirement income unless urgent action is taken to tackle the pensions crisis. The Northern Echo answers your questions about the crisis - and what
PLANS for a £170million overhaul of a city centre shopping mall look likely to be approved next week. The proposals for Eldon Square, in Newcastle, go before Newcastle City Council's ruling executive Wednesday October 20. If it goes ahead, it is expected
AN angry father has criticised staff at a military hospital who refused his nine-year-old daughter treatment because she was not registered there. Paul Barlow, of Falkland Road, Catterick Garrison, said a receptionist at the Duchess of Kent military hospital
A MAN who became famous all over the country as a skilful trainer of harness racing ponies, has died at the age of 86. Owners who wanted to know how to improve difficult horses used to contact Bob Brown at his home in Butterknowle, near Barnard Castle
NEWCASTLE midfielder Jermaine Jenas last night insisted that it is better to be a non-playing member of the England squad than not to be part of the national set-up at all. Jenas teamed up with the rest of Sven Goran Eriksson's squad last week ahead of
THE Government has caved in to protests and withdrawn controversial plans to impose compensation settlements on ex-miners. In what amounts to a victory for The Northern Echo's Justice for the Miners campaign, Coal Health Minister Nigel Griffiths has accepted
ONE Middlesbrough player is hoping this week's international break will be one of the last he spends on Teesside for the foreseeable future. Gaizka Mendieta, who has spent the last fortnight topping up on his fitness levels at Boro's Hurworth training
VETERANS from across the North-East have begun preparations for one of the largest Remembrance Day parades in the country. The event, in Sunderland, which attracts veterans of the Second World War, the Suez, Korea and Gulf conflicts, will mark several
A CHEQUE for more than £10,000 has been handed to charity bosses after a hugely successful bike ride. The Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) received £10,600 at a presentation night at the Dog and Gun pub, in Potto, North Yorkshire. The money was
A TEENAGER who attacked a fellow customer with a glass during a fracas in a pub was spared jail yesterday. Gary Skeoch, 18, forgot he had a glass in his hand when he lashed out at Dean Whittacker in the Red Lion, in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, on
SCORES of children are drawing a line on Teesside - with the help of professionals. Pupils from five Tees Valley schools are being schooled in the latest drawing techniques by experts from the Royal Academy of Arts. Creative Partnerships Tees Valley has
WETHERBY'S winter programme of National Hunt action kicks off this afternoon with six cracking races over the jumps at the demanding North Yorkshire track. The stiff fences means it is not a place for the faint-hearted and one horse who shows no fear
TWO North-East detectives will arrive in Greece today to step up the international search for a sports fan who disappeared during the Olympic Games. Melvyn Gamblin, of Darlington, was last seen almost six weeks ago by staff at a hotel in Athens, where
GIRLS harvested toys for charity in this year's harvest festival at a Teesside School. Pupils at the private Teesside Prep School for Girls in Eaglescliffe, near Stockton, donated the toys to Aid to Poland. The toys, which included bikes, a Wendy house
TROOPS from the region who have been serving in Afghanistan have formally handed over their role to their successors. The 1st Battalion of The Green Howards has been operating in the war-ravaged country for six months, but the troops have now returned
EDUCATION bosses insist that they are making progress in tackling racist incidents in Darlington schools despite a rise the number of cases. In the last school year, there were 75 racial incidents reported to the local education authority compared to
A WOMAN yesterday admitted that she stole hundreds of pounds of clothes to help pay for her heroin addiction. Police found the items during a search at the home of Amy Ross, 23, of Wadham Grove, Darlington, South Durham Magistrates' Court heard. She pleaded
A teenager who raped a girl on the eve of her 18th birthday told her to think of it as a present from him. Lee Stephenson forced himself on top of his victim while she slept in her bedroom, Teesside Crown Court heard. Stephenson, 19, of Coronation Avenue
Kieren Fallon hopes to be back in the saddle at Lingfield Park today after missing his six scheduled rides at Leicester yesterday. The champion jockey has a full book of eight rides at the Surrey track. Fallon narrowly escaped serious injury when he took
A MAN who became famous all over the country as a skilful trainer of harness racing ponies, has died at the age of 86. Owners who wanted to know how to improve difficult horses used to contact Bob Brown at his home in Butterknowle, near Barnard Castle
WHEN Kelly Holmes arrived on Tyneside for last month's Great North Mile, she was given the kind of reception normally reserved for nobility and Newcastle number nines. Two Olympic gold medals can do wonderful things. But amid the acclaim heaped on Holmes
EAST Durham campaigners were last night celebrating after plans to site a mobile phone mast were scrapped. Residents in the Pennine Drive area of Peterlee were angered when cellphone giant Hutchinson 3G applied to Easington District Council to erect a
AN action plan will address issues raised following a survey of disabled access in the centre of Bishop Auckland. Town centre manager Derek Toon commissioned the Wear Valley Disability Access Forum to investigate areas where people with mobility problems
A HOSPITAL radio service has welcomed a new presenter to its team - blind DJ Adam Firth. The 18-year-old is a student at Henshaws College in Harrogate and already has his own DJ company, which he hires out for weddings and parties. He joined Harrogate
