A DECISION on the future of the East Coast Main Line railway franchise will be announced shortly, Transport Secretary Alistair Darling says. The issue was raised at Commons Question Time by York MP Hugh Bayley, who said: "There is no doubt that GNER has
THE parents of a seven-year-old boy who died in a blaze at the family home were last night keeping vigil at the hospital bedside of his younger brother. William Patrick Blakelock, known as Liam, was confirmed dead in hospital after he was found by firefighters
PUPILS across the region would eat healthier foods, such as salads, if they were presented in a trendy way, according to experts. Experiments at several schools in the North-East have shown a big increase in the number of students choosing healthy lunches
CARL ROBINSON hailed Sunderland's 'magnificent' fans and urged them to act as a 12th man in the club's bid for automatic promotion. Robinson admitted he didn't realise how passionate the Black Cats' fans were in his initial three-month spell on Wearside
PRIMARY School youngsters managed to stay silent for 15 minutes to raise money for charity. The pupils from St John's Primary School, Shildon, raised £1,255 for the Macmillan Nurses Big Hush event. This week some of the children who took part in the challenge
A £5m office development on the site of a former wool factory could bring up to 1,000 jobs to the region, The Northern Echo has learned. The developers of Lingfield Point in Darlington, the site of the former Paton and Baldwins factory, which was built
HIKERS and backpackers can now put their heads down for the night secure in the knowledge that they are helping the environment. Britain's first "eco-friendly" hostel is opening today on the edge of the North York Moors, at Lockton, near Pickering. A
THE psychology of modern football is unquestionably centred around the 'Can do' model of thinking. At every level of the game, players are told they can achieve anything if they put their mind to it. An opposition striker has scored 20 goals this season
More than 4,000 women across the region have already signed up for this summer's Race For Life events. Campaigners said yesterday it was a remarkable response since applications only opened six weeks ago for the eight races planned in the North-East and
Casanova is back on BBC screens, although only those with BBC3 will see the sexy goings-on involving David Tennant, last seen as a raunchy detective in the series Blackpool. Steve Pratt reports. BACK in 1971 Dennis Potter's Casanova, starring Frank Finlay
Satley WI: MRS Plews presided over the monthly meeting of Satley WI at Hall Hill Farm on February 14, attended by 16 members. After singing Jerusalem, speaker David Raeburn showed slides from his holiday in Katmandu and Nepal. He told how he and his wife
SOFTWARE developer Onisoft is hoping to break into the video games market with the launch of its first title. The Teesside company has spent more than two years working on Fate of Ages, a fantasy role-playing game, and is now marketing it to some of the
AT ANY other time Graeme Souness, plotting Newcastle's assault on Greek outfit Olympiacos this evening, would have taken a seat inside the Riverside Stadium tonight. There may not have been any chants in support of his former club Middlesbrough in their
RESCUERS of a dog that fell off a quarry face say he is lucky to be alive. Jed, a ten-year-old Alsatian, walked away without any injuries after he was trapped 70ft down the quarryside at Crawleyside, near Stanhope. Members of the Teesdale and Weardale
A TEENAGE driver who knocked a ten-year-old girl from her bike had been travelling at least 15mph over the speed limit, an inquest into the girl's death was told. A forensic accident investigator said that if Christopher Mitchell, 18, had been travelling
A JURY issued a damning indictment of the Prison Service, which it said let down a vulnerable inmate who took his own life in a high-security segregation unit. Following a five-week inquest - one of the longest into a death in custody - the jury found
Manufacturers surprised the City yesterday after output rose by 0.2 per cent in January. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there were no major falls in manufacturing production during a month in which the makers of food, tobacco and
THE head of steelmaking on Teesside yesterday paid tribute to the dedicated workforce that helped save the plant from closure. Colin Muncie, managing director of Teesside Cast Products (TCP), the subsidiary of Corus, said enormous efforts had been made
Not one but two Cole Porter masterpieces are currently touring the region as High Society swings swell-egantly unto Darlington's Civic Theatre while Shakespeare-inspired comedy romp Kiss Me Kate comes to Newcastle's Theatre Royal. Viv Hardwick talks to
LEN LUNGO is planning to have six runners at next week's Cheltenham Festival but meanwhile there is work to be done with Carlisle raider Le Biassais (2.05). Lungo's six-year-old opened his account at Newcastle in February with a gritty three-quarter-length
A JUNIOR doctor was yesterday accused of lying at an inquest into the death of a patient following an operation at a private North-East hospital. Barry Byers, 60, of Heighington, near Darlington, died after what should have been routine keyhole surgery
PLANS for a £1.1m revamp of Bedale Station could take a major step forward next week. Councillors will meet to award a tender for the first phase of the scheme which will see Station House given a complete overhaul. Officers have recommended that they
In a new version of Bouncers, actor Andy Brady takes on no less than six roles. He talks to Steve Pratt about the challenge. THE last time actor Andy Brady worked with Harrogate Theatre director Hannah Chissick, he played both a cow and a giant. He also
THE travel diaries of thousands of people are to be studied as part of plans to enhance Darlington's transport network. Residents were asked about their travel habits as part of the borough council's Town on the Move initiative. More than 4,000 local
SIR Bobby Robson has been made an Honorary Freeman of Newcastle. The former Newcastle United and England manager fought back tears at the ceremony to recognise his outstanding football career and his contribution to the business and culture of the city
SPORTING LISBON coach Jose Peseiro has turned to Sir Alex Ferguson's number two Carlos Queiroz in an attempt to topple the Middlesbrough side managed by a previous assistant manager at Old Trafford, writes Paul Fraser. Steve McClaren worked alongside
Witton Gilbert : THE president Mrs Thompson welcomed 32 members and two visitors to the February meeting. The speaker John Geddes gave an interesting talk with accompanying video entitled The Unbelievable Treasures of Witton Gilbert. The group meeting
THE head of steelmaking on Teesside yesterday paid tribute to the dedicated workforce that helped save the plant from closure. Colin Muncie, managing director of Teesside Cast Products (TCP), the subsidiary of Corus, said enormous efforts had been made
STANDING in snow on a freezing hilltop, the smart brass band strikes up Abide With Me. The voices of more than 200 people, pensioners in their eighties, children as young as six, join as one. It was a moving moment at a tragic place - the mass burial
MORE than £1,000 will be spent helping each worker at a factory find a new job. Emergency funding of £785,000 has been pledged to find jobs for 761 staff at LG Philips Displays, in Durham. The plant, which makes television tubes, will close in July. The
MARKED prioritaire, as well it might, a letter from Alan Ebbs in France encloses a cutting from Biggleswade Today about a Belfast lad's improbable claim to NorthEast sporting fame. Northern Ireland international Phil Gray has just become the first footballer
ADDICTS are slipping back into "the cycle of drugs and crime" because a flagship scheme to get them into treatment has flopped, MPs are warning today. A report by the all-party public accounts committee released today raises the alarm over the high drop-out
Secret Map Of Hollywood (BBC1) DID flamboyant pianist Liberace really make "goo-goo eyes" at a handsome young buck? And what exactly was actress Maureen O'Hara doing with her male companion in Row 35 of Graumann's Chinese Theatre? These sound like the
MORE than 120 jobs will be created in the region following a £13m investment programme. The jobs of 154 workers will also be safeguarded by the investment at TKA Tallent Chassis, at Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, which includes a grant of £1.6m from
ART students have been rewarded for their efforts after their work was used to brighten up a town centre. Students studying BTEC National Diplomas in Multimedia, Design and Fashion at Darlington College of Technology, had their Victorian-style designs
BRAVE fundraisers will put their best foot forward next week in aid of a hospice. The Butterwick Hospice has challenged supporters to walk across burning coals to raise cash. More than 20 people have volunteered for the sponsored firewalk at Ceddesfeld
A SCHOOL football team has won a place in the quarter final of a national competition. The year nine team from Eastbourne School, Darlington, has qualified for the Four Aces National Schools Cup, after beating a team from Bradford 4-1 on Monday. The team
THE OWNER of a burger van which has parked outside a supermarket for more than three years has been told to leave. Alan Crabtree, who runs Big Al's Snack Attack, has served customers at Asda's Whinbush Way store, in Darlington, with hot dogs and burgers
A FUTURISTIC trailer arrived in a school car park yesterday to drive home the benefits of higher education. The Aimhigher roadshow is part of a national campaign to highlight a university education to students. The 27ft trailer was an alternative to the
YOUNG people yesterday heard an Ethiopian coffee grower explain ways they can help poor farmers in the Third World. Tadesse Meskela is the general manager of the Oromia Coffee Farmers' Co-Operative Union, in Ethiopia. It represents about 70,000 smallhold
A MAN who used a haulage company's cheques to buy plumbing equipment was given a 12-month conditional discharge by magistrates yesterday. Furniture deliverer Philip Sowerby, 24, of Walker Drive, Bishop Auckland, admitted deceiving trade suppliers in Durham
THE stigma surrounding mental health is to come under attack thanks to an exhibition supported by a host of celebrities. Hats Off, organised by the national charity Mentality, is seeking to tackle the subject by enlisting the support of famous people,
PLANS for an electronic booking system have been unveiled by health chiefs in Darlington. The "Choose and Book" system will allow patients to go to their doctor's surgery and, if specialist treatment is needed, electronically book the date, hospital and
YOUNG people are invited to drama workshops to be held at two venues during the Easter school holidays. Melting Pot Arts will hold sessions based around the West End hit musical, Fame, at Spennymoor and Darlington for 11 to 18-year-olds. The theatre group
POLICE have pledged to step up efforts to deal with anti-social behaviour among youths after a village saw a major increase in offences. Hurworth parish council heard this week that there had been 19 cases of youths causing an annoyance in the past month
A £5m office development on the site of a former wool factory could bring up to 1,000 jobs to the region, The Northern Echo has learned. The developers of Lingfield Point in Darlington, the site of the former Paton and Baldwins factory, which was built
POLICE have been cracking down on anti-social behaviour by youths and warned their get-tough line will continue. Chester-le-Street community inspector Paul Anderson said two youths had been arrested for being drunk and disorderly and six others had received
COMMUNITY groups across Wear Valley met housing chiefs to map out the long-term future of the district's homes. Residents from Weardale, Bishop Auckland, Crook and Willington set out their views on how housing can be used to regenerate towns and villages
A SCHOOL netball team savoured the sweet taste of success when they won a trophy on their first outing. Year six girls at Ferryhill Station Primary School had never played netball before competing in a tournament at Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College
A MAN put behind bars for eight years, failed yesterday to convince top judges his drug convictions were "unsafe". But London's Criminal Appeal Court left the door open for John Alan Scott's lawyers to submit another challenge, after investigations are
A WOMAN who claims she was forced to act as a sex slave told a court yesterday she kept a secret diary about her ordeal. The 28-year-old claims she was repeatedly ordered to submit to sex with John Gibson, 41, who threatened he would distribute naked
COLLECTORS of antique fishing paraphernalia could net a bargain at auction this weekend. Around 150 fishing reels will go under the hammer at Tennants Auctioneers, in Leyburn, on Saturday. Also for sale are 100 antique fishing books, including one by
THE head of Bishop Auckland College joined a national campaign to protect adult learning from Government funding cuts. College principal Joanna Tait took part in a countrywide lobby and travelled to Westminster yesterday for the Association of Colleges
PLANS for a £1.1m revamp of Bedale Station could take a major step forward next week. Councillors will meet to award a tender for the first phase of the scheme which will see Station House given a complete overhaul. Officers have recommended that they
A MOTHER-OF-TWO who attacked her partner with a bread knife has been spared jail by a judge who told her: "Your children need you." Cheryl Wheeler, 29, was given an 18-month community rehabilitation order yesterday after she admitted assault occasioning
A CHURCH is opening a £50,000 extension next month as part of a project to help vulnerable and elderly people in the community. St John's Church, in Neasham Road, Darlington, has renovated its vestry and kitchen to house a lunch club for people in the
A CHARITY shop in north Durham has won a prize for coming up trumps in a nationwide appeal. The Barnardo's shop, in Consett, made one of the largest donations in the country to the Foresters Toy and Christmas Appeal last year. Members of the public were
THREE candidates will be fighting for two seats in an Easington District Council by-election today. Two Labour Party candidates and a representative of the British National Party will be seeking election for two of the three seats in the Wingate Ward.
A DANCE interpretation of the weather has been performed at a Durham theatre. The Elements, by The Pauline Cook School of Dancing, was held at The Empire Theatre in Consett at the weekend. Dancers aged from three to 24 performed a range of styles including
POLICE patrols are being increased following a spate of burglaries at homes along the A1 corridor in North Yorkshire. Raiders have targeted homes in Knaresborough, Spofforth, Boroughbridge and Kirby Hill over recent days and property worth thousands of
Police are treating the death of a 49-year-old woman, on Teesside, as "suspicious.'' The woman's body was found in an upstairs room of a house on Middlesbrough's Park End council estate in the early hours of today. The alarm was raised and a murder style
A REVOLUTIONARY dump truck has gone into action for the first time in the county where it was designed and made. Up to now, Thirsk-based Multidrive's 24-tonne M8 has only been sold to companies working in the mining industry in South Africa. But now,
A headteacher has defended a decision to axe teachers and support staff. Seven teachers and two administration staff have taken voluntary redundancy from the Kings Academy, in Coulby Newham, near Middlesbrough, one of the "super schools" promoted by Prime
AN appeal to raise £130,000 for cancer care services has been launched by Macmillan Cancer Relief. The cash will fund the charity's services across County Durham to improve the lives of those living with cancer. Elvira Soria, Macmillan's fundraising manager
A COUNCIL tax increase of 4.4 per cent has been agreed by Chester-le-Street District Council. The district council element of the tax for a Band D property will rise from £153.42 to £160.23 in April this year - an increase of £6.81 per year. More than
SCHOOLS across North Yorkshire are working towards bringing more than £500,000 in extra Government cash to the county. Any school which has its travel plan signed off by Easter could benefit from a cash boost of up to £12,000. The money can then be used
DARLINGTON manager David Hodgson faces more selection problems ahead of Saturday's visit of League Two table-toppers, Yeovil Town - but this time it's a headache he can handle. A week after Hodgson had 11 players unavailable against Boston United, Quakers
NATURALISTS are calling for a fresh look at the way formal parks and gardens in towns and cities are managed. The Yorkshire Naturalists' Union (YNU) says if green areas are looked after properly, their value for residents can be greatly increased. It
A BUS company is hoping to improve recruitment by letting jobseekers get behind the wheel of one of its vehicles. Go North East is holding a series of roadshows across the region, where potential applicants can drive one of its "bendy" buses around an
A RESTAURANT and catering company are looking for local suppliers of quality food. The recently-renovated Frenchgate Restaurant and Hotel, in Richmond, and Northern Select Foods, of Catterick Village, have got together to appeal for local, fresh produce
A TEACHER is planning to trek to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa to raise money for his local church's 150th anniversary. Michael Malone, 61, of Blackhills, Consett, has been in training for ten-day 50-mile expedition in Tanzania since last summer
UK DVD/VIDEO RENTAL: 1 (2) Sky Captain And The World of Tomorrow 2 (1) Dead Man's Shoes 3 (7) Hellboy 4 (-) Saw 5 (5) Collateral 6 (4) Walking Tall 7 (3) Shark Tale 8 (6) The Grudge 9 (9) Bridget Jones 10 (10) Old Boy Published: ??/??/2004
COUNCIL house tenants in Sedgefield are being urged to arm themselves with the facts about plans for the future of their homes before a vote. The borough council wants to transfer its homes to Sedgefield Housing, a new not-for-profit housing organisation
A ROW has broken out in a market town over a fish and chip van after a woman who runs a cafe said it was attracting the wrong sort of customers. Cafe owner Kay Allinson-Cooke said the van was a haven for council tenants and warned it would not be long
POLICE dogs used in teaching youngsters to say no to strangers are helping to ensure their grandparents avoid falling prey to doorstep conmen. The Durham force's Labradors Jet and Ben have toured the county's primary schools for years but now are visiting
NEWCASTLE Vipers are expected to announce their membership of the Elite League at a press conference on Tuesday morning. The club has called the press conference at a top Gateshead hotel, and it is understood a representative of a league, believed to
Love is in the air at the cinema and beautiful actresses Amber Valetta and Eva Mendes talk to Steve Pratt about acting alongside Will Smitth.. when they're not discussing gardening, constipation and being dumped by a date on the dance floor. INTERVIEW
WHEN you have lived in the same street for more than 40 years, it is hardly surprising that you take an interest in your neighbours. But Betty and Richey Waites' concern with the well-being of the people around them has taken them far beyond the call
Tony McCoy's bid to become the leading rider at next week's Cheltenham Festival for the third time received a boost yesterday as Paul Nicholls confirmed riding plans for two of the big races. With McCoy's principal employers, owner JP McManus and trainer
A YOUNG woman killed in a car crash as she left a motorway had only had two driving lessons, it has been revealed. And it remains a mystery why she jumped behind the wheel of her car and drove off when her husband got out. Cassandra Jobes, 19, of Poplar
A TEENAGER who died in a car crash as she left a motorway had only completed two driving lessons, it has been revealed. And mystery remains about why she jumped behind the wheel of her husband's car and sped off after he got out of the car. Cassandra
THE IRA has exposed its true colours by offering to shoot those responsible for killing Belfast father-of-two Robert McCartney. For all the talk of recent years, when it came to a choice between politics and bullets, it instinctively chose bullets. It
THERE are so many sophisticated shows around that it's often easy to forget they're primarily for little ones. With clever choreography and grown-up humour, we adults feel short-changed if we don't come away with some witty new lines. Disney Live's Winnie
A COMMUNITY centre has said it will no longer be holding discos following the death of a teenage boy after a party. Hundreds of pounds-worth of damage was caused to Marwood Community Centre, in Teesdale, County Durham, by revellers at the party on Friday
THE social services in Soapland have long been concerned about the welfare of youngsters like Chesney Brown. Children like him - and we will return to poor Chesney's new plight soon - are the real casualties of life in Coronation Street (ITV1), not terrible
Campaigners fighting against changes to part of the historic centre of Darlington pledged this afternoon that they would be ready for their most important date yet. Darlington Civic Trust has spent months battling against the proposed demolition of the
Police are investigating a new spate of wildcat sightings, including a puma savaging a full grown deer. The creature - believed to be the legendary Durham puma - has been reported prowling a remote area of East Durham. Police are taking the sightings
A FEARFUL mother has been forced to move her daughter to a safe house after hundreds of copies of a hoax letter were sent around her home town accusing her of being a sex offender. Single mother Sam Sawdon has been left distraught by the "malicious rumours
THERE are lots of moral dilemmas to face when you become a dad. For example, should you stop your children from organising a game of poker? Jack, 11, had his friend Ben round for the afternoon and I was sent into the dining room to investigate because
HUNDREDS of jobs in Darlington could be at risk after the UK's biggest general insurer made a takeover bid for roadside recovery company the RAC. Aviva, which owns the Norwich Union insurance company, has bid £1.1bn for the RAC, which has part of its
BRITISH GAS: YOUR report, British Gas (Echo, Feb 25) will have left many readers with the impression that our profits last year were excessive. In fact, our profit margin of 4.2 per cent was the same as we made in 2002. It represents a profit of around
PLANS to regenerate Stanley may be delayed by six months because of an objection to a compulsory purchase order. Derwentside District Council is forcing businesses on Front Street to move out as part of a £16m plan to enhance the town centre. It has issued
THE outstanding contribution of two young people who have improved their communities has been recognised at the National Community Champions Awards. The awards encourage people to increase their skills and inspire others. The Government yesterday awarded
THE success of last year's Olympic Games has undoubtedly fostered a mood of confidence and contentment in Athens, but the surprise success of Greece's footballers at Euro 2004 has had just as lasting an impact upon the city's sporting image. The moment
Former Darlington FC Chairman George Reynolds has been disqualified from holding company directorships for eight years, following the collapse of one of his former businesses. The Northern Echo reports. IN the decades before he emerged into the national
A NORTH-EAST MP has handed in a petition carrying more than 17,000 names in support of a woman who fears she will be killed if she is sent back to Zimbabwe. Edneth Gotora fled the African state after her husband and daughter were killed by supporters
Secret Map Of Hollywood (BBC1): DID flamboyant pianist Liberace really make "goo-goo eyes" at a handsome young buck? And what exactly was actress Maureen O'Hara doing with her male companion in Row 35 of Graumann's Chinese Theatre? These sound like the
A BUS company is hoping to improve recruitment by letting jobseekers get behind the wheel of one of its vehicles. Go North East is holding a series of roadshows across the region, where potential applicants can drive one of its "bendy" buses around an
ART students have been rewarded for their efforts after their work was used to brighten up a town centre. Students studying BTEC National Diplomas in Multimedia, Design and Fashion at Darlington College of Technology, had their Victorian-style designs
When it comes to talking pictures, international artist Julian Germain is proudest to talk about an unlikely eight-year project featuring an elderly friend called Charlie. Viv Hardwick talks to the artist who put Consett on the photographic map about
MEDIA mogul Chris Evans has confessed to a penchant for exposing himself as he walked around the office or in the middle of meetings at his Ginger Media Group. When female staff annoyed him, he would wave his appendage about, saying: "I bet you haven't
A FORMER councillor accused of indecently assaulting a young girl visited a police station after he heard of the allegations. Durham Crown Court was told that later on the day the girl was interviewed by officers about the alleged incident, Harry Devine
A CHARITY concert takes place this weekend in memory of a soldier killed in Iraq. Lance Corporal Ben Hyde, from North-allerton, died in June 2003 with five other military police officers, in an ambush on a police station. Northallerton Silver Band will
STEVE McCLAREN has banished the footage of Sporting Lisbon's tame draw with North-East neighbours Newcastle United to the dustbin, choosing instead to prepare his players with video nasties of the Portuguese giants. The Boro boss has been mightily impressed
THE Darlington branch of an international business group is celebrating its 3,000th referral. The Blackwell Chapter of Business Network International (BNI), which meets at the New Grange Hotel, has been active for two years. BNI, which has 72,000 members
THE psychology of modern football is unquestionably centred around the 'Can do' model of thinking. At every level of the game, players are told they can achieve anything if they put their mind to it. An opposition striker has scored 20 goals this season
BROTHER and sister Tim and Ciaran Jasper have made a big splash for charity. Tim, 11, and Ciaran, nine, of Sedgefield village, swam their 5,000m distance awards on Saturday, and at the same time raised £1,150 for The Cornel Romanian Rehabilitation Centre
STUDENTS with 100 per cent lesson attendance this term will be treated like stars tomorrow when they are driven home from college by a stretch limousine. The six students from King James I Community College in Bishop Auckland have not missed a lesson
ONE hour and 45 minutes of wordy drama with no interval is a tough ask for a Tyneside audience, particularly those gripped by stinking colds and no handkerchief. But director Stephen Daldry's remarkable adaptation of J B Priestley's work pervades like
A DIVING gear specialist is about to launch a new system that can help divers stay underwater for longer and at greater depths. Delta P Technology, in Gateshead, has created the Rebreather, a computer-monitored device that reclaims oxygen from a diver's
BACK to school, the dear old alma mater, the head's office temporarily overflowing with 750 red noses and with an undistinguished old boy. They've brought Comic Relief forward to today, tomorrow being the date of the official photographs. The potential
MORE than 120 jobs will be created in the region following a £13m investment programme. The jobs of 154 workers will also be safeguarded by the investment at TKA Tallent Chassis, at Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, which includes a grant of £1.6m from
RAIL firms have been accused of failing to do enough to help passengers facing severe disruption because of East Coast Main Line engineering work. Network Rail is carrying out major work over the next two weekends -on March 12, 13, 19 and 20, at a number
NORTH-EAST fire chief George Herbert has announced his retirement after five years at the helm of his brigade. Following 31 years in the service, the past half a decade as chief fire officer, he has informed the County Durham and Darlington brigade that
SPECIALIST clinics are to be set up soon in Darlington to monitor patients' blood pressure, and prevent heart attacks and strokes. Darlington Primary Care Trust pharmaceutical advisor Chris Williams has had four months training in supplementary prescribing
DARLINGTON Football Club is to name a stand at the Quakers' £20m stadium after a school. The club is celebrating the opening of the North Stand at the Williamson Motors Stadium by arranging a family event. Schools across the town have been encouraged
BRAVE fundraisers will put their best foot forward next week in aid of a hospice. The Butterwick Hospice has challenged supporters to walk across burning coals to raise cash. More than 20 people have volunteered for the sponsored firewalk at Ceddesfeld
A CABBIE who has failed a controversial driving test and notched up two speeding convictions in as many years, has been given a new taxi licence. John Moore, who has been a taxi driver in Darlington for 14 years, was given a 12-month licence yesterday
PUPILS at Hurworth School Maths and Computing College swapped their text books and calculators for yoga mats and meditation as they took part in a health day. The students enjoyed a day away from lessons as they learned a new range of healthy activities
A PUB will open until midnight after being granted a new licence. The Falchion public house in Blackwellgate, Darlington, was granted an entertainment licence by Darlington Borough Council yesterday. Landlord Stephen Murray wants a DJ to perform on Friday
HUNDREDS of jobs could be at risk in the region after the RAC agreed to a takeover by insurance group Aviva. Norwich Union owner Aviva was last night poised to buy the RAC after agreeing a "transformational" £1.1bn deal for the motoring group. The UK's
A TOP-PERFORMING village school has called in consultants to examine its options for the future - as rumours about its potential closure continue to circulate. Fears have been expressed about the future of Hurworth School Maths and Computing College,
AT the age of 13 months, Louie already has a catalogue of show victories to his name. Yesterday, the young Bedlington terrier had an exciting day in the ring when he appeared in the most prestigious event on the canine calendar, the Crufts championship
FROM country to hip hop and ballet to break-dancing, hundreds of youngsters strutted their stuff during the first Sedgefield schools' dance festival. More than 500 children from 30 schools performed to their favourite tracks at Newton Aycliffe Leisure
TOWN centre traders and police officers have come up with an action plan to clamp down on unruly youths in Newton Aycliffe. The town beat team stepped up patrols in Aycliffe shopping centre in the run-up to Christmas to cut shoplifting and ask youngsters
A TEAM of volunteers has taken over its new shop at one of the region's leading hospitals. The outlet at the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton, was officially opened yesterday by the chairwoman of the South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust, Glenys Marriott.
The reopening of a historic dockside moved a significant step forward yesterday. Sea anglers, walkers and small boat owners will soon be able to use the North Dock, in Seaham, which is expected to reopen to the public in the summer. Yesterday, civic leaders
YOUNGSTERS in Hartlepool rose to the challenge at an event organised by the construction industry. Year six pupils from the town's primary schools - including Eldon Grove, Hart, Kingsley and Rift House - spent the day with representatives of the Construction
A VET from Durham has been shortlisted as one of Britain's best. Rachel Smith, 28, who works for the city's Vets4Pets, was chosen from hundreds of entries across the UK in Petplan Veterinary Awards. She is competing for the title of Veterinary Nurse of
RESIDENTS have spoken of their dismay at losing a fight to save their community's last open space. Retired welder Fred Smith had applied for village green status for a small plot of land between his home and the A690 dual carriageway. He was backed by
HEALTH workers, patients and visitors were among those who stubbed their cigarettes out for the last time yesterday. Bosses at two North Yorkshire health trusts chose No Smoking Day to implement their ban on smoking on their premises, which includes the
HEALTH chiefs have told campaigners they have no plans to close a community hospital after a petition of more than 2,000 names was sent to the Secretary of State John Reid. But protestors are still cynical about future plans for South Moor Community Hospital
A MOBILE youth club packed with the latest technology is being launched to give teenagers in Derwentside something to do. The bus, called Ellie, is kitted out with a DVD, video and TV, PlayStation 2 and laptop computers as well as top-of-the-range decks
TONY Blair faces a nail-biting showdown with the House of Lords today to pass fresh anti-terror laws before ten al Qaida suspects must be released from prison. The Prime Minister made a series of concessions last night on his plans for control orders
A TEN-year-old boy has choked to death while eating a kebab. Christopher Curtis is believed to have choked on a piece of food as he ate. His mother, Shelly, frantically tried to resuscitate him. Christopher, of Walker, Newcastle, was pronounced dead in
THERE are lots of moral dilemmas to face when you become a dad. For example, should you stop your children from organising a game of poker? Jack, 11, had his friend Ben round for the afternoon and I was sent into the dining room to investigate because
A COMMUNITY centre has said it will no longer be holding discos following the death of a teenage boy after a party. Hundreds of pounds-worth of damage was caused to Marwood Community Centre, in Teesdale, County Durham, by revellers at the party on Friday
Teesdale Community Radio and Barnard Castle Football Club are looking for volunteers to help with fundraising. Anyone who can help can call Kevan Swain, volunteer co-ordinator on (07714) 285886.
A FEARFUL mother has been forced to move her daughter to a safe house after hundreds of copies of a hoax letter were sent around her home town accusing her of being a sex offender. Single mother Sam Sawdon has been left distraught by the "malicious rumours
THE mystery of a marine monster that may be lurking in the grey waters off a North-East coastal town deepened yesterday. Officials raised the alarm when 45 dead porpoises washed ashore with bite marks. They feared the death toll could be the work of a
TWO men are in hospital and a missing man is thought to be injured after a savage beating on a garage forecourt. The three men, the occupants of a stolen car, were repeatedly beaten with sticks or baseball bats during a prolonged attack in Seaham, County
CONTROVERSIAL flight paths for trainee RAF pilots will again come under the spotlight next week. RAF Linton-on-Ouse provides basic training to pilots in Tucano aircraft. They used to fly circuits to the north, north-west and south-west of the base. Last
As a new TV drama brings to terrifying life the way a supervolcano eruption would devastate the world, Lindsay Jennings finds out if scientists believe this could happen and asks - how scared should we be? THREE million visitors a year explore the breathtaking
BULLDOZERS moved into a housing estate this week to start pulling down homes that were condemned as unsafe due to structural defects. Phase one of the demolition of 120 houses on the St Andrews Estate, Bishop Auckland, began on Monday. Wear Valley District
Stockton and District Advice and Information Service is to offer refugees the chance to train as advice workers. The course starts this month. Refugees will receive a few hours training a week. Trainees do not need any formal qualifications, although
DALE WALK: Archaeologists Dr Tom Gledhill and Ros Nichol will lead a free five-mile walk exploring the archaeological landscape of Upper Teesdale from 10.30am on Saturday, March 19, starting at the end of the road that leads through Holwick village (GR
NEWCASTLE have been warned to expect an explosive atmosphere this evening. But, after successfully dodging grenades and mortars in the past, goalkeeper Shay Given has insisted that a hostile Greek crowd will not blow up his side's UEFA Cup hopes. The
THE role of assistant referees hasn't helped Hartlepool United's cause this week, leaving manager Neale Cooper furious. While defeats to Wrexham and Hull haven't knocked Pool out of the League One play-off zone, the influence of the flag-wavers has infuriated
The North-East launched a charm offensive this week to promote itself to Italy, following the start of daily flights to and from Rome. To coincide with the Ryanair flights, from Durham Tees Valley Airport, which began last month, the airport teamed up
PROPERTY developers are in talks with council bosses this week over ambitious plans to bring a retail and leisure park to Bishop Auckland. The proposals include an eight-screen multiplex cinema, restaurant facilities and 1,000 car park spaces. Property
