Archive

  • Boom or bust for car part makers?

    Renault and Nissan's decision to drop one in five suppliers has yet to have an effect on parts manufacturers in the region - but the motor giants said the move may be to the benefit of local firms. The French and Japanese car makers have been working

  • Rivaldo finds adoration he craves from Greeks

    GOING to Greece hasn't earned Samba superstar Rivaldo the prestige that might have come his way had he plied his trade in the Premiership, or the pots of cash which would have been guaranteed by a move to the Middle East. But last summer's switch to Olympiacos

  • Vanity, thy name is woman

    TEENAGERS with perfect skin are sloshing on gallons of unnecessary face cream... others ask for cosmetic surgery for their 18th birthdays... and now five-year-olds think they have to be slim to be popular. And it's all our fault. Five-year-olds, with

  • Plans for multi-screen cinema in market town

    AN eight-screen multiplex cinema, restaurant facilities and 1,000 car parking spaces form part of a development proposal for a County Durham market town. Developers are in talks with planners over a multi-million pound scheme to build on the former Warner

  • A bitter pill for Glaxo

    GlaxoSmithKline said action taken by US authorities forcing the withdrawal of two key drugs would have an "uncertain" impact on its profits. Glaxo, which employs more than 1,000 people in Barnard Castle, County Durham, is expected to meet US officials

  • The real hero of Trafalgar

    AS a child, Max Adams thought he was descended from Lord Nelson and avidly read up about the great British naval hero. But in the year marking the 200th anniversary of his greatest victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, the writer and broadcaster is more

  • Business brief

    Industry award for TSG: Technology Services Group, in Newcastle, has won an industry award. It was named Exchequer Software's UK Re-seller of the Year at the annual Channel Forum event, in Bournemouth. Exchequer, which is a leading developer of financial

  • Babysitter guilty of murder

    A BABYSITTER who repeatedly rammed a two-year-old boy's head against a set of bannisters was last night facing a life sentence after she was convicted of murder. Suzanne Holdsworth, 35, had denied the fatal attack on Kyle Fisher, the force of which was

  • Blair criticises school meals but no more cash on offer

    TONY Blair has criticised the poor quality of school meals but he insisted canteens could serve healthier food without an increase in spending. Speaking to The Northern Echo, the Prime Minister admitted many dinners offered to Britain's school children

  • Burglar gets life for attack on Mary, 81

    A BURGLAR who caused horrific injuries to an 81-year-old great grandmother during a raid at her home was jailed for life yesterday. Barry Alderson left Mary Richardson, who weighed only six stone, with a fractured skull, collarbone, nose and severe bruising

  • Reminder for Ritchie with third defeat on trot

    HARTLEPOOL UNITED marked a landmark for Ritchie Humphreys with a reminder of the early days of the midfielder's time at Victoria Park. As Humphreys made his 200th consecutive performance for the club, Pool lost at Hull City - their third successive League

  • Market report

    Mining stocks were the talk of the London market yesterday as the FTSE 100 languished in negative territory. News that Xstrata had drawn a line under its troubled bid for Australian miner WMC Resources made the stock one of the highest blue-chip climbers

  • A reason to make sure ban sticks

    IT should have been one of the most auspicious days in the stirring story of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Exactly 40 years after British Rail closed down the line on which it operates, it was re-coupled with Whitby. Headed by a steam loco greased

  • Bikers' day out ended in tragedy

    A MOTORCYCLIST died after losing control of his bike during a visit to the Lake District, an inquest heard yesterday. Plasterer Ian Watt, from Darlington, and his friends, Robert Longstaff and Brian Greaves, were riding their bikes when the accident happened

  • Graeme Storm's European Tour Diary

    THREE Ryder Cup decisions were made last week. Ian Woosnam was rightfully named captain for next year, Nick Faldo likewise for 2008, and there was one other which many have chosen to overlook. Most have taken an interest in the selection committee's decision

  • Farmers angry over 'milk price rise'

    A MILK co-operative that sent a letter to customers saying prices were going up to help dairy farmers has been criticised. Farmers say they are not getting any more for their milk from Dairy Farmers of Britain, and the letter is misleading. But the co-operative

  • A bitter pill for Glaxo

    GlaxoSmithKline said action taken by US authorities forcing the withdrawal of two key drugs would have an "uncertain" impact on its profits. Glaxo, which employs more than 1,000 people in Barnard Castle, County Durham, is expected to meet US officials

  • Clouding can shine

    CLOUDING OVER simply pulverised her rivals at Catterick last week and there seems no reason why she won't be in similar form at the same track today. Keith Reveley's stocky filly only has to shoulder a 7lb penalty for that facile success, which is nothing

  • Boom or bust for car part makers?

    Renault and Nissan's decision to drop one in five suppliers has yet to have an effect on parts manufacturers in the region - but the motor giants said the move may be to the benefit of local firms. The French and Japanese car makers have been working

  • Chieftain Group is back in the black

    The Chieftain Group has reported profits of nearly £1m following losses of £450,000 last year. The industrial insulation and fire-proofing group saw turnover rise to £11.8m and profits climb to £902,000. Chieftain, which has branch offices in Newcastle

  • Clouding can shine

    CLOUDING OVER simply pulverised her rivals at Catterick last week and there seems no reason why she won't be in similar form at the same track today. Keith Reveley's stocky filly only has to shoulder a 7lb penalty for that facile success, which is nothing

  • 'I feared he would rape my mother'

    A WOMAN told a court yesterday how she was told her mother would be raped if she did not submit to sex. The woman, who cannot be named, claims she was ordered to submit to sex with John Gibson, 41, during a four-month campaign or else he would show naked

  • Souness banking on Kluivert

    GRAEME Souness last night urged Dutch enigma Patrick Kluivert to reveal his "true self" as his Newcastle side prepare to put their continental credentials on the line in Greece. The Magpies trained in Athens yesterday ahead of tomorrow night's UEFA Cup

  • Stag and hen parties blamed for rise in crime at stations

    ALMOST 60 crimes a month are committed at North-East train stations, according to figures uncovered by The Northern Echo. In a ten-month period, between April last year and January this year, there were 593 crimes at eight stations between Newcastle and

  • Police appeal for witnesses to fatal car chase accident

    INVESTIGATORS are appealing for witnesses to a police chase that ended in a teenager's death. Officers from Northumbria Police stopped commuters in Middlesbrough yesterday morning to quiz them about a crash that claimed the life of 18-year-old Craig Morris

  • £10m revamp of town could mean fewer parking places

    PLANS to give the centre of a historic market town a major facelift have sparked fears it could reduce parking. Work is due to begin shortly on the first phase of the Barnard Castle Historic Town Centre Project. Although it broadly supported the scheme

  • 'Disgusted' seaman to return war badge

    A SURVIVOR of wartime Arctic convoys has vowed to return a veteran's badge in protest over the Government's refusal to award British seamen medals for their efforts. Jimmy Taylor, of Grove Hill, Middlesbrough, said he plans to hand back the badge awarded

  • Thieves steal athlete's vital kit

    INTERNATIONAL orienteer Heather Munro is at a loss after thieves stole vital equipment, including her custom-made trainers. The thieves struck in County Durham days before she is to travel to Japan to prepare for the next leg of the sport's world championships

  • Councillor defends -asbestos' tactics

    A COUNCILLOR has defended his actions after causing panic during a council meeting when he waved around what he claimed was a chunk of asbestos. Independent councillor John Marshall produced a piece of slate from a bag during the meeting at the Civic

  • Three released in drugs probe

    THREE people arrested for suspected drug offences following the death of a 15-year-old boy at a party have been released on police bail. A 14-year-old and two men, aged 19 and 25 were arrested by officers investigating the death of 15-year-old John Winter

  • Super way to register births

    MORE than half of babies born in York are being registered at a supermarket, according to new figures. City of York Council was the first in the UK to offer a satellite registration service at its Asda store. The service has proved so popular that more

  • Big cheque from children's Big Hush

    PRIMARY School youngsters managed to stay silent for a full 15 minutes to raise money for charity. The children from St John's Primary School, Shildon, raised £1,255 for the Macmillan Nurses Big Hush event through their efforts. This week, some of the

  • Mother's Day campaign

    A MAJOR campaign to highlight and tackle domestic abuse has moved into its second phase. The Don't Suffer in Silence initiative, in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, has turned its attention to mums. Eye-catching posters asking "What did you

  • Romances reach end of shelf-life

    ROMANTIC housewife Jennifer Joy sleeps for only two hours a night so she has time to read as many Mills and Boon novels as possible. Mrs Joy, 57, of Walker, Newcastle, reads up to four of the romances a day and her home is groaning under the weight of

  • Man held after two dogs shot

    A MAN is being quizzed by detectives investigating two shooting incidents. A shotgun was fired through the window of a house in Lingdale, east Cleveland, shortly before midnight on Sunday. The 34-year-old homeowner's two dogs were later shot dead on nearby

  • Appeal for missing boy to contact his family

    POLICE in Peterlee are appealing for a teenager missing from home since Monday night to contact his family to let them know he is safe. Fifteen-year-old Dean Peacock was last seen by his parents at the home he shares with them in Hawthorne Crescent, Horden

  • Calls for more rural police patrols

    INCIDENTS of night-time sheep rustling and tractor thefts have prompted calls for increased rural police patrols. A herd of sheep, two Land Rovers and several quad bikes have been stolen from farms in North Yorkshire in the past month. Horse riding equipment

  • Dial-A-Ride service to increase charges

    A VALUABLE bus service for residents who struggle to use public transport will see its first price rise in almost a decade. The popular Dial-A-Ride transport, which offers journeys around Redcar and Cleveland, has announced an increase of £3 for an annual

  • 'You're never too old to quit'

    SIX decades after first rolling a cigarette a pensioner has quit. At the age of 79, Frank Gell, of Trimdon, County Durham, has proved you are never too old to make a life-changing decision by giving up smoking. Mr Gell, was determined to quit the habit

  • Motorway crash tragedy

    A YOUNG woman was killed in a crash when her car left the A1 motorway The 19-year-old, of Stanley, County Durham, died of her injuries after the smash, near Chester-le-Street, at 9.25pm on Monday. The accident happened at Blind Lane Interchange, at junction

  • Devoted students get limo ride home

    STUDENTS who have attended all their lessons this term will be treated like stars tomorrow when they are driven home from college in a stretch limousine. The six students from King James I Community College, in Bishop Auckland, have not missed a lesson

  • Minister inspects region

    HOUSING minister Keith Hill toured the region yesterday to inspect improvements in housing. In Middlesbrough, the MP visited Erimus Housing's Residents' Resource Centre, in Thorntree, and the Grove Hill Resource Centre, where he discussed the potential

  • Residents lose battle to protect estate land

    RESIDENTS have spoken of their dismay at losing the fight to protect their community's last open space. Retired welder Fred Smith had been backed by neighbours on the High Grange Estate, in Gilesgate Moor, Durham. He had applied for village green status

  • Suspension after Internet

    A SENIOR member of staff at an exclusive school has been suspended for viewing inappropriate material on the Internet during school hours, it has been revealed. Northumbria Police last night confirmed they had been informed about the incident, at Ascham

  • Secret of a modest war hero revealed

    A TOWN hailed as Britain's bravest has given up details of another hero. Sergeant George Simpson was awarded the Conspicuously Gallantry Medal for helping to save a bomber and its crew after it was shot by a German fighter in 1945. But his heroism remained

  • Thornton admits he owes it to McCarthy

    SEAN THORNTON revealed how he is shaping up for the promotion push thanks to Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy Thornton admitted it looked as though he might be shipped out of the Stadium of Light after falling out of favour earlier this season. But after

  • Remembering victims of domestic violence

    BALLOONS filled the skies over County Durham yesterday in memory of the women who die as a result of domestic violence. At six locations, 104 balloons - one for each of the women who are killed each year across the United Kingdom - were released to send

  • Tributes to tragic teenager as three bailed in drugs probe

    THREE people arrested for suspected drug offences following the death of a 15-year-old boy at a party have been released on police bail. A 14-year-old and two men, aged 19 and 25, were arrested by officers investigating the death of John Winter. The three

  • Letting the swag out of the bag

    HEAVEN knows why the eye should fall upon the report of the proceedings of Leyburn Town Council in the Darlington & Stockton Times, but it has and here's the deal. A market stall holder has applied to sell "swag"; the council has decided to check

  • Vanity thy name is woman

    TEENAGERS with perfect skin are sloshing on gallons of unnecessary face cream... others ask for cosmetic surgery for their 18th birthdays... and now five-year-olds think they have to be slim to be popular. And it's all our fault. Five-year-olds, with

  • Brown told to tighten public purse strings

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned Chancellor Gordon Brown last night that he must rein in public spending or face the prospect of putting up taxes. In its latest health check on the British economy, the world financial watchdog said that public

  • Cole clinches harrier title

    MIDDLESBROUGH-Mandale's Rob Cole won the North Yorkshire and South Durham Harrier League senior men's title by one point when he finished third overall in the sixth and final meeting of the season at Richmond. The 8.5K race, over heavy ground, was won

  • Hodgson's still keen on Appleby

    MANAGER David Hodgson has rekindled his interest in Matty Appleby after the former Darlington crowd favourite admitted he would like to end his playing days in his native North-East, writes LEE HALL. The Middlesbrough-born utility man, who left Quakers

  • Boy choked on doner kebab

    A ten-year-old boy choked to death on a doner kebab despite frantic efforts to save him. Christopher Curtis was eating his favourite takeaway at home with his mum Shelley when he started to choke. Shelley and her partner John Belshaw fought to resuscitate

  • On TV

    Comic Relief In Da Bungalow (BBC2) Coach Trip (C4) THE BBC schedules are increasingly resembling a very long trailer for Friday's Comic Relief Red Nose Night. Already there's no escape from Comic Relief Does Fame Academy, in which minor celebrities prove

  • Football trophy on touring display

    FOOTBALL'S holy grail, the Barclays Premiership Trophy, has been on display helping to raise funds for charity. The cup was on show on the Teesside Princess pleasure boat as it travelled between Stockton and Yarm. Customers took part in a raffle and collection

  • Reynolds in directorship agreement

    A flamboyant multi-millionaire former football club chairman has agreed not to hold a directorship for eight years, it was announced today. Action was taken against George Reynolds, who ran Darlington Football Club, after his chipboard and worktops company

  • Race-fix probe: jockey arrested

    A SIXTH jockey has been arrested as part of a police investigation into alleged race fixing. Gyles Parkin, 32, was arrested yesterday in Malton, North Yorkshire. He was questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud as part of an inquiry led by City

  • Comment from The Northern Echo: Securing the right balance

    MARGARET Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George Bush. All of them have insisted that we should not let terrorists win by changing our way of life. Be alert to the threat but do not stop flying or visiting capital cities

  • Stranglers called in to promote £100m scheme

    PUNK band The Stranglers are helping to show off a North-East business park. The 1970s icons, who had hits with Golden Brown, Heroes and Peaches, are playing a concert tonight at MIPIM, in Cannes, Europe's largest international real estate conference.

  • Babysitter convicted of Kyle's murder

    A BABYSITTER who repeatedly rammed a two-year-old boy's head against a set of bannisters was last night facing a life sentence after she was convicted of murder. Suzanne Holdsworth, 35, had denied the fatal attack on Kyle Fisher, the force of which was

  • Capita fined over failings

    The company that administers the congestion charge in London has been fined £4.5m over the past two years for failing to meet targets. Capita, which has operations in Darlington, has been fined more than £7,400 every day the charge has operated, according

  • Trainer wins contract with Marlow

    TRAINING provider Anderson Business College has won a contract to train managers at Marlow Foods. The Sunderland company will put several of Marlow Foods' managers through a diploma in management. The contract win represents a coup for the business college

  • Retailer fails to connect with shoppers

    Alarm bells were ringing in the retail sector last night after fashion chain French Connection announced a shock 17 per cent fall in sales during the past five weeks. French Connection shares dropped after it admitted its recent ranges had not been in

  • Media firm plans to create 70 jobs

    A MEDIA company that opened a division in the region only six months ago plans to create 70 jobs. Infoserve, based in Leeds, opened its sales division in offices in Stockton with 30 staff. Investment in offices and staff will see its Teesside workforce

  • Wasn't it Majestic?

    SINCE the dawn of the present century, said the deputy mayor of Darlington, Councillor Richard Luck, in 1932, 'the inventions of science have been most prolific but there's none which is having and will have so great an effect upon the life of people

  • 09/03/2005

    NO SMOKING RESEARCH published in the British Medical Journal last week showed that 30 people a day are killed by exposure to second hand smoke. This is yet more evidence that it is time for truly comprehensive protection from second hand smoke in all

  • Boy dies after fire at family home

    A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD boy died last night following a fire at his home. The blaze broke out at a semi-detached house in Broome Road, Carrville, on the outskirts of Durham, at just after 6.30pm yesterday. Firefighters rescued three people from the burning building

  • Dangling a carrot to help businesses turn smoke-free

    FROM today - No Smoking Day - consumers in one part of the region can choose whether they support smoke-free businesses. What is claimed to be the most sophisticated non-smoking website in the North-East goes online today. It lists businesses and services

  • More fun for the bogie boys

    Comic Relief In Da Bungalow (BBC2): Coach Trip (C4) THE BBC schedules are increasingly resembling a very long trailer for Friday's Comic Relief Red Nose Night. Already there's no escape from Comic Relief Does Fame Academy, in which minor celebrities prove

  • Council turning cameras on park to stop the vandals

    A RESIDENTS' group created to improve the safety of a run-down park has won the backing of Darlington Borough Council. Friends of North Park have arranged for cameras in the neighbouring North Road cemetery to be turned so they will also cover the park

  • Big cheque from children's Big Hush

    PRIMARY School youngsters managed to stay silent for a full 15 minutes to raise money for charity. The children from St John's Primary School, Shildon, raised £1,255 for the Macmillan Nurses Big Hush event through their efforts. This week, some of the

  • Watch out for shark on N-E coastline

    MARINE experts suspect a large shark is patrolling the waters off the North-East coast. A probe is under way after 45 dead porpoises - many with chunks ripped out of them - were discovered along the coastline in recent weeks. Decapitated seals have also

  • Walk-in centre helps to ease NHS workload

    THOUSANDS of patients using a new walk-in medical centre in Darlington have eased the workload of their doctor or the hospital, according to new figures. The £2m medical centre opened in January at Dr Piper House, the headquarters of Darlington Primary

  • Shark fear after porpoise bodies found

    A shark may be responsible for the deaths of 45 porpoises off the North-East coast, marine experts have warned. An investigation has been launched after the porpoises - many with chunks ripped out of them - were washed up along the coastline in recent

  • Six-figure payout for ladder fall injuries

    A LABOURER who has suffered years of agonising back pain after falling off a ladder at work has received a six-figure payout for his injuries. Robert Cowley, 47, from Billingham, Teesside, said he has been on painkillers for the past six years following

  • Preserve memories of war

    MEMORIES of the Second World War are being sought for a project that will see them preserved for ever. People from across North Yorkshire who were in the forces, worked to the Home Front or lived through the war years are being asked to record their recollections

  • Boro boys and babes on parade

    A GROUP of soccer fans are looking to a football club to help them score in the world of fashion. Sixteen wannabies have applied to model Middlesbrough Football Club's new-look away strip. They will model different strips which will be put to a supporters

  • 'No' vote leads groups to go separate ways

    TWO of the key organisations in regional government are to separate in a shake-up following the No vote in last year's referendum on a directly-elected assembly for the North-East. At a meeting in Newcastle's Guildhall yesterday, members of the Association

  • Women enjoy their day

    WOMEN in Stanley showed they had the feel-good factor yesterday at an event held for them. The sessions in the hall of St Stephen's Church, in Holly Hill Gardens, coincided with International Women's Day. They included make overs, self defence courses

  • Queudrue seeks a Euro lift

    FRANCK QUEUDRUE is hoping Middlesbrough can deliver a knockout blow in Europe to help revive the club's ailing Premiership fortunes. Bolton's victory at Manchester City on Monday toppled the Teessiders from the sixth place they have held since October

  • Tanni gears up for half marathon

    PARALYMPIC champion Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson will take part in the longest- running half marathon in the Tees Valley at the weekend. The 23rd Liberata Redcar Half Marathon on Sunday has a record 1,300 entries. Dame Tanni said: "It's so important to me

  • Violent crime on Teesside up 50 per cent - police study

    VIOLENT crime is up by almost 50 per cent on Teesside since last year, new figures have revealed. Concerned about a link between alcohol and violent crime, Cleveland Police Authority chairman Ted Cox yesterday appealed to councils in the area to carefully

  • Mexico test for Wilks

    SOUTH of the border, down Mexico way goes the song, and Guy Wilks will be hoping he is calling the tune as the World Rally Championship heads to the Latin quarter this weekend. The Darlington driver arrived in Mexico on Monday after a 26-hour flight from

  • Company at end of the line - 30 years after closure

    THE company that helped to make Darlington the centre of locomotive production is to be wound up - more than 30 years after production ceased. Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns (RSH) has not built a train since 1964 when production came at an end at the

  • Motorbike blackspot road blights safety figures

    A ROAD in the region is among the most accident-prone in the country, according to the AA Motorist Trust. The A59, between Skipton and Harrogate, North Yorkshire, is among the top ten most dangerous routes in Britain, based on the figures for the period

  • Son's death 'such a waste'

    A FAMILY has spoken of the waste of their popular son's life in an accident on the A1(M). Barry Spence, 33, who lived in a bungalow in Gilesgate, Durham City, was killed when he was hit by a BMW heading south near Newton Aycliffe, early on Sunday. His

  • Trial told of 'obsession' with child

    A GIRL said that a man accused of indecently touching her told her he did it because he was "obsessed" by her, a court heard. Durham Crown Court was shown the video-taped police interview with the girl, now aged 14, on the second day of the re-trial of

  • Edith, 92, mugged for her pension

    A 92-YEAR-OLD woman suffered a fractured leg after she was pushed to the ground by a mugger on a bicycle. The pensioner, who wishes only to be known as Edith, believes she was tailed by her attacker after collecting her pension from the post office. Cleveland