THE Prime Minister took time out of a busy schedule to join schoolchildren on a kick-about yesterday. Tony Blair, a Newcastle United fan, even tested how hard he could kick a football and recorded a speed of 41mph. He was opening the indoor soccer arena
DAVID HODGSON has every reason not to under-estimate relegation-threatened Kidderminster Harriers at the Williamson Motors Stadium this afternoon - because Darlington were in a similar predicament this time last season. The Quakers' boss last night warned
WARREN Hughes made his American racing debut in the recent Sebring 12 Hour sportscar race in Florida. The race, which is the opening round of the American Le Mans series, is used by many teams as preparation for the Le Mans 24 Hour race in June. Driving
TRAVELLERS choosing to let the train take the strain this weekend face delays on the main North-South route. Engineering works are being carried out on the East Coast Main Line, connecting the North-East and North Yorkshire with London and Scotland. The
A successful businessman jumped six floors from an office window to his death after visiting websites that recommended methods of committing suicide. IT manager Jeremy Brooks, 32, of Harewood Road, Gosforth, Newcastle, had been suffering from depression
HORSE riders will be able to pick up some advice from an expert next week. The Richmond Equestrian Centre will be playing host to top trials and dressage judge Sue Carson next Friday. And during her demonstration she will be focusing on saddler and their
RACING fans and the simply curious turned up in their thousands yesterday to get a glimpse behind the scenes of the sport of kings. Middleham, in the Yorkshire Dales, is at the heart of the racing industry and is home to many of the country's leading
BURGLARS are being warned there will be nowhere to hide from the eyes and ears of the rural community, as a new Neighbourhood Watch scheme starts work. The Rural Watch scheme covers a large area west of Darlington. At a public meeting near Heighington
POLICE are to be armed with a camera system that will help catch wanted criminals as they move around Darlington. The automatic number plate recognition system will be paid for with a £200,000 Home Office grant. A pilot scheme in Bradford has already
A TALENTED violinist has won a BBC Fame Academy bursary of £1,500 to further her musical career. Rachel Alban, a year ten pupil at Polam Hall School, in Darlington, won the bursary to buy a violin and develop her musical talents The 14-year-old, who is
A PAIR of Prince Naseem Hamed's boxing gloves are up for grabs as part of an auction to raise funds to help sick and under-privileged youngsters. Radio station TFM has got together with Middlesbrough Council for this year's live charity auction on Thursday
Tow Law's chances of avoiding relegation have been hit by the news that they might have to play all their remaining home games away from Ironworks Road. Lawyers are at Guisborough today in a crucial basement clash, but their scheduled home games in the
VOTERS in east Durham have been urged to make their voices heard in the coming local elections. Residents of Easington district will decide who will be representing them on Durham County Council for the next four years when they go to the polls on Thursday
PEOPLE in Darlington are being warned to be on their guard after a spate of high- pressure sales pitches on the doorstep and over the phone. The warning from Darlington Borough Council's Trading Standards team and the Community Safety Partnership comes
STUDENTS at Darlington College of Technology have been given a taste of life in the armed forces. Army and RAF sergeants spent the day with students at the Larchfield Street campus as part of the college's uniformed services programme, designed to introduce
SOME eye-catching costumes were on view yesterday as fundraisers sold tickets for a charity treasure hunt. And Olivia Brefitt and Kathryn Smith chose to wear pirate costumes - although they were asking people for their money in the nicest possible way
BURGLARS are being warned there will be nowhere to hide from the eyes and ears of the rural community, as a new Neighbourhood Watch scheme starts work. The Rural Watch scheme covers a large area west of Darlington. At a public meeting near Heighington
A SHOP commemorating the Second World War has been given the thumbs up by local veterans. The World War II military shop opened in Tow Law last week to display collectables from all aspects of the conflict. Veterans, historians and members of the Northern
A SHOP commemorating the Second World War has been given the thumbs up by local veterans. The World War II military shop opened in Tow Law last week to display collectables from all aspects of the conflict. Veterans, historians and members of the Northern
BIG changes are needed at two harbours hit by the decline in the fishing industry, a report says. The Seafish Industry Authority (SFA) says a rethink is needed on Scarborough and Whitby's ports, in North Yorkshire, and the industry must consolidate, rationalise
A PROJECT is bringing the history of former pit villages to life for walkers and wildlife-lovers. Later this year, people following a three-mile circular path through the countryside between Quarrington Hill, Bowburn and Cassop, near Durham, will get
THE County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is updating its no-smoking policy and will implement a ban in all its hospital grounds by spring next year. Changes to the policy will be introduced in two phases. Next month, the staff smoking
FOOTBALL courses are being held in Chester-le-Street from Tuesday until Friday. The courses, at the Riverside, have been organised by Pro Soccer North East, formerly Coerver Coaching. They are taking place from 10am until 3pm each day and are aimed at
THE Prime Minister met a task force privately yesterday to discuss the future of workers at the doomed LG Philips electronics plant. Mr Blair, who pledged Government support when it was announced the factory in Belmont, Durham City, was to close with
RESIDENTS in a drug-hit community are launching a self-help group offering round-the-clock support to families trying to cope with the effects of substance and alcohol misuse. The 24 volunteers manning the helpline telephone lines have all received training
In the heart of the jungle in Belize, The Green Howards have been carrying out exercises to prepare them for the toughest of conditions. Reporter Olivia Richwald joined the soldiers in Central America and, in the first of three articles, details how they
POLICE are increasingly concerned about the welfare of a 35-year-old man who is missing. Andrew Ellis Breeze was last seen by his wife at their Darlington home at about 8.30am on Wednesday as she left for work. When she returned at lunchtime, he was missing
MIDDLESBROUGH residents are being urged to show their pride in their home area by becoming ambassadors for the town. The Middlesbrough Pride campaign is aimed at making sure staff in hotels, shops and restaurants are aware of the things that are happening
Residents in Middlesbrough are celebrating the opening of a community centre on the site of a former convent. Tees Valley Housing Group (TVHG) demolished the old gatehouse to the site in Marton Road and replaced it with The Lodge, a £113,000 purpose-built
VIOLENT and rowdy youths who think they can run riot on the streets have been warned by police bosses they could end up behind bars. The advice comes in the wake of gang members being sentenced to more than 11 years' custody following a drink-fuelled
YORKSHIRE'S traditional white roses are causing a prickly problem. The flowers entwining imposing metal gates to the Army Foundation College, in Harrogate, are supposed to represent the proud White Rose of Yorkshire. But closer examination reveals that
NOTORIOUS highwayman Dick Turpin has returned to the cell where he spent his last hours on earth. Actor Gary Goldthorpe has donned the garb of the infamous thief to tell children about his exploits. This year sees the 300th anniversary of Turpin's birth
KIERON Dyer's footballing rehabilitation should come full circle on Wednesday night at St James' Park. Dyer's Newcastle United career was in tatters last August following his refusal to play on the right for former manager Sir Bobby Robson against Middlesbrough
A MILLIONAIRE businessman who has threatened to set up a gipsy camp in Tony Blair's backyard last night said they could move in within days of a General Election. Property developer Len Gridley, whose home overlooks a travellers' site at Crays Hill, Essex
KEMPTON has the honour of staging 2005's first turf Flat fixture, which means a total break from tradition by way of today's Rosebery Stakes replacing the Lincoln at Doncaster as the inaugural big-money handicap of the season. With £50,000 on offer, the
A DISABLED teenager received a boost when street wardens raised £6,500 to help his family keep him at home. The cash was raised over a year to help pay for Daniel Woodhouse's round-the-clock care. The 16-year-old, from the Stainton area of Middlesbrough
It had the ring of an epic adventure: we were going to walk from the Alps to the Mediterranean. The idea conjured up images of long marches in blazing sun and freezing snow; of Hannibal and his elephants; of Sir Ranulph Fiennes pushing forward the limits
DARLINGTON: IT IS a nightmare getting parked in Darlington. I attended a 2pm matinee of High Society and it was terrible arriving to find the car park closed and the nearby car park full. I dropped off my elderly passenger and parked outside houses where
THE team that didn't know how to lose are now seeing the other side of the coin; Hartlepool United last night lost their fifth game in six at Victoria Park. A run of 12 consecutive League and Cup wins in front of their home fans has disappeared and instead
PEOPLE in isolated communities are being offered exercise on their doorsteps and factory employees can work out at lunchtime in a £1.1m mobile gym being launched in the North-East next week. The Wellness on Wheels project, believed to be the first in
A 20-year dream has come true for craftsman Philip Bastow, with the opening of a contemporary art gallery above his furniture studio. He had wanted to create an exhibition space since setting up his business in Reeth, North Yorkshire, and now he has done
A PAIR of Prince Naseem Hamed's boxing gloves are up for grabs as part of an auction to raise funds to help sick and under-privileged youngsters. Radio station TFM has got together with Middlesbrough Borough Council for a live charity auction on Thursday
After a gap of almost 16 years, Doctor Who returns to our screens tonight. Nick Morrison looks at the travels of a Time Lord who has been requested for a new generation. E was a pioneering space explorer, a brilliant scientist but with a knack of getting
THE new family stand at Darlington FC stadium will open for the first time today, and young fans will get in free. At today's League Two match against Kidderminster Harriers, fans will get inside the North Stand of the Williamson Motors Stadium for the
DAVID HODGSON has every reason not to under-estimate relegation-threatened Kidderminster Harriers at the Williamson Motors Stadium this afternoon - because Darlington were in a similar predicament this time last season. The Quakers' boss last night warned
SUNDERLAND midfielder Carl Robinson reckons Newcastle United bad boy Craig Bellamy should be judged on the pitch rather than off it. Bellamy was shipped out on loan to Celtic - following a much- publicised spat with his United boss Graeme Souness - during
MICHAEL Stephenson will be back in his England Schools position of full back for Newcastle Falcons' home game against Bath tomorrow. But he will have Australian Matt Burke breathing down his neck. Burke has been out for two months after a knee operation
THE Prime Minister met a task force privately yesterday to discuss the future of workers at the doomed LG Philips electronics plant. Mr Blair, who pledged Government support when it was announced the factory in Belmont, Durham City, was to close with
AARON HUGHES has thanked Newcastle boss Graeme Souness for handing him the perfect preparation for today's World Cup qualifier with England. The Northern Ireland captain had lost his place in the Magpies starting line-up following the January arrivals
THE Prime Minister took time out of a busy schedule to join schoolchildren on a kick-about yesterday. Tony Blair, a Newcastle United fan, even tested how hard he could kick a football and recorded a speed of 41mph. He was opening the indoor soccer arena
Spennymoor manager Graeme Clark quit yesterday after Moors were thumped 5-1 at Gateshead. Clark has been in charge at the Brewery Field since Tony Lee quit in October, but decided to resign after the game. Clark said: "I've resigned for personal reasons
TWO Brownie packs could fold if they do not find new voluntary leaders. Unless new volunteers are found to help run the 1st and 6th Yarm Brownies, near Stockton, the groups will be forced to close. Other packs in the area are already full, so the end
MIDDLESBROUGH are desperate for a repeat of their UEFA Cup adventure next season - despite finding an exploration in Europe is not as financially rewarding as anticipated. Despite playing ten games in the competition this season, a run that led to them
One of the UK's first supermodels - who went on to become a medal-winner at the Paralympic Games - has died. Dianne Bond and her identical twin sister Pamela were famous faces all over the country in the late 1950s when they were 21 and modelling as the
NEW Sunderland striker Brian Deane has admitted the chance to land some silverware before he hangs up his boots was the main reason behind his deadline day move to the Stadium of Light. The 37-year-old striker made a surprise switch from Leeds to the
ACTOR Edward Fox has agreed to take a key role in helping to boost fundraising for restoration work on a theatre. Harrogate's Grade II star-listed Royal Hall, in North Yorkshire, is being partially restored . The Heritage Lottery Fund recently announced
THE bill for the often-delayed upgrade of a section of the Great North Road has already reached almost £12m - although no improvement work has been done yet. The Highways Agency spent £11.83m on preparatory work for the project on a 24-mile section of
That series that used to attract big audiences has lost its sparkle. The ratings are down and people don't talk about the show as they did in its heyday. A programme that used to produce water cooler moments, making it the talk of the office the following
A NORTH-EAST couple have provided a haven for a family of five left homeless after the Asian tsunami. They have also ensured that thousands of pounds raised in villages in Weardale, County Durham, have gone towards rebuilding the lives of families in
A YEAR after leukaemia claimed the life of 32-year-old Mark Donnelly, colleagues and friends are staging an event to honour his memory. A charity golf tournament will be held in his name at Wynyard Golf Club, near Stockton, on Thursday, April 28. The
A LONELY goat has found a best friend and a minder after being rescued by animal welfare officers - a possessive cockerel. Since the pair were thrown together, Ronnie the rooster has refused to leave Vinny's side and even sleeps on his back. The two are
A Walking-for-health group has added more walks and venues to its spring programme. Hambleton Strollers has hour-long weekly walks in Stokesley and Northallerton and fortnightly walks in Thirsk, Bedale, Easingwold and Great Ayton. The group celebrated
CHEESE-MAKERS from Yorkshire have proved themselves among the world's best. Wensleydale Creamery, Shepherds Purse and the Swaledale Cheese Company received prizes in the World Cheese Awards for their artisan cheese-making. All three cheese-makers are
GARDENING enthusiasts across North Yorkshire are being urged to ensure that the year-on-year-growth of waste recycling continues in 2005. The Easter weekend traditionally signals the time of year when householders begin turning their attention to the
TRAVELLERS choosing to let the train take the strain this weekend face delays on the main North-South route. Engineering works are being carried out on the East Coast Main Line, connecting the North-East and North Yorkshire with London and Scotland. The
A MAN who built a two-metre high pigeon loft in his garden has vowed to fight Darlington Borough Council after it ordered him to take it down. Chris Batty, of Stooperdale Avenue, Cockerton, has kept pigeons all his adult life and built the loft four months
HORSE owners are mounting late-night vigils to catch thieves targeting stables in the Bishop Auckland area. A group from a village outside the town is working with police to trap the culprits, who raid isolated properties stealing hay, feed, generators
A COMMUNITY beat manager is moving to pastures new and fresh challenges. PC Alan Kinghorn has been a familiar face in Birtley, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, since October 2000, having been one of the first Community Beat Managers (CBMs) in the
A DRIVE to transform a village by clamping down on troublemakers and tackling the fear of crime culminated in a fun day attended by hundreds of people. Durham Police's Streetsafe campaign has run over the past three months in Sacriston. The campaign,
IN the past six months the Darlington Lions Club has donated more than £6,000 to local good causes. This includes donations to ChildLine, the Citizens' Advice Bureau, Talking Newspapers, Yorkshire Cancer Research, Mind and Guide Dogs for the Blind, and
Ashington manager Ray Gowan admitted that he couldn't have had a better day when his side thumped Shildon 7-0 in the Albany Northern League. Gowan was manager of Shildon for over a decade until he left in the autumn, and he said: "I couldn't have written
YOUNGSTERS at a Darlington nursery have been given the chance to become their favourite fictional character for a day. The children dressed up in a range of costumes to mark poetry day at the Just Learning Nursery, in Newton Lane. Among the characters
GARDEN THEFT: Garden ornaments worth about £350 were stolen from a home in St George's Gate, Middleton St George, between Thursday night and yesterday morning. Police are advising residents to lock their gates and not to leave anything on display in the
A LEADING figure within the St John Ambulance organisation is to become the fourth woman to hold the office of High Sheriff of North Yorkshire. Elise McKinley will make her declaration of office at the Merchant Taylor's Hall in Aldwark, York, next Friday
HORSE owners are mounting late night vigils to catch thieves targeting stables in the Bishop Auckland area. A group from a village outside the town is working with police to trap the culprits, who raid isolated properties stealing hay, feed, generators
POP-UP CRAFTS: Youngsters will have the chance to make a pop-up puppet of their favourite animal from noon to 3pm on April 6 at Guisborough Forest and Walkway, on Teesside. The event is for children aged five and over and costs £1 to take part. 70s DISCO
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to turn a former guesthouse into a residential home for children with behavioural problems has been rejected. Farrow House, which operates children's homes, wanted to turn the property in Northstead Manor Drive, Scarborough into a
A REDCAR man has been fined £100 and ordered to pay £341 costs by Teesside magistrates for refusing to pay a £50 on-the-spot litter fine. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's community safety wardens found two white bags of household rubbish, with soil
PEOPLE who want to learn about their family tree can attend courses run by Durham County Council. The county's Clayport Library is offering three family history courses. The courses will include advice on using the census and the Internet. The course,
PEOPLE in Hartlepool are being asked whether they think their community wardens should be given more powers. New legislation means that wardens can carry out enforcement tasks that have previously been the sole responsibility of the police. Hartlepool
A WORKSHOP has been arranged to give residents a clearer picture of what might happen to health services in Hartlepool. The last of three sessions organised by the Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) health forum takes place on Tuesday. Guests invited
HUNDREDS flocked to a North-East hilltop to raise a cross and join an outdoor Easter service yesterday. The event, at Tunstall Hill, Sunderland, was started 40 years ago by St Cecilia's RC Church, in Ryhope Road. Originally for members of the church,
BEDALE firefighters have won the North Yorkshire Fire Service's western area award for raising the most money for the national benevolent fund. The crew raised £4,045 in a year, equating to £337 per crew member.
FORESTRY chiefs are moving up a gear to stage a challenging motoring expedition into a North-East wilderness. The ranger-led trek for four-wheel drives will use some of the 550-mile network of logging trails in the Kielder Forest, in Northumberland, normally
MIDDLESBROUGH are desperate for a repeat of their UEFA Cup adventure next season - despite finding an exploration in Europe is not as financially rewarding as anticipated. Despite playing ten games in the competition this season, a run that led to them
A BNP activist is bidding to be elected on to the board of a city organisation which won Government praise for promoting racial harmony. David Guynan is a fully paid-up member of the right-wing British National Party - and stood as a candidate in local
A LONELY goat has found a best friend and a minder after being rescued by animal welfare officers - a possessive cockerel. Since the pair were thrown together, Ronnie the rooster has refused to leave Vinny's side and even sleeps on his back. The two are
A FREE crime-fighting scheme is being offered to householders in Sunderland's east end and Hendon areas. The scheme is a package of home security measures, including front and rear door locks, window locks, door chains and smoke alarms. If any resident
A SCHOOL has come up with a winning design to help tackle crime. Greencroft Comprehensive School, in Stanley, won two awards after designing a new logo for the Derwentside Community Safety Partnership. Tyler Walton, 12, won first prize and Liam Cooke,
LEADING National Hunt owner, Trevor Hemmings, has another potential star on his hands courtesy of Baron Monty (2.30), bidding for a three-timer in Haydock's £20,000 Red Square Novices Hurdle Final, writes Colin Woods. Hemmings, fresh from a deserved double
TWO teenagers died last night after being hit by an express train on the East Coast Main Line. The tragedy happened near the Five Arches railway bridge, in Darlington, where a large gang of youths had gathered. The two boys, who are both believed to be
It's 25 long years since Northern Ireland scored against England. Sports Writer Paul Fraser caught up with former Middlesbrough winger Terry Cochrane, the last player to make his mark on the scoresheet in a green shirt, who fears it could be just as long
Bedlington joint manager Tony Lowery says that the opening goal is vital in the second leg of their FA Vase semi-final at home to Sudbury today. Terriers go into the game 2-1 down against the Eastern League leaders, who have only lost once in all competitions
A LONELY goat has found a best friend and a minder after being rescued by animal welfare officers - a possessive cockerel. Since the pair were thrown together, Ronnie the rooster has refused to leave Vinny's side and even sleeps on his back. The two are
She may have already done it on the radio, but Emma Gregory is happy to don a corset for a stage version of Hobson's Choice, she tells Steve Pratt. THANKS to her father, Emma Gregory began acting at an early age. As young as six, she'd accompany him to
A successful businessman jumped six floors from an office window to his death after visiting websites that recommended methods of committing suicide. IT manager Jeremy Brooks, 32, of Harewood Road, Gosforth, Newcastle, had been suffering from depression
PIGEONS are not chicken. Pigeons are very brave. Valiant, a cuddly cartoon film released yesterday, shows just how brave. It has been inspired by the role racing pigeons played in the Second World War, and its authenticity has been ensured by Gerry Francis
A MILLIONAIRE businessman who has threatened to set up a gipsy camp in Tony Blair's backyard last night said they could move in within days of a General Election. Property developer Len Gridley, whose home overlooks a travellers' site at Crays Hill, Essex
DOCTOR Who fans in the North-East are holding a fancy dress party tonight to celebrate the return of the cult television show. Gordon Muir and Andy Waterhouse, of Norton, Stockton, on Teesside, will dress as characters from the BBC sci-fi programme for
THE team that didn't know how to lose are now seeing the other side of the coin; Hartlepool United last night lost their fifth game in six at Victoria Park. A run of 12 consecutive League and Cup wins in front of their home fans has disappeared and instead
A BNP activist is bidding to be elected on to the board of a city organisation which won Government praise for promoting racial harmony. David Guynan is a fully paid-up member of the right-wing British National Party - and stood as a candidate in local
Coxhoe Athletic aim to take another step towards overtaking second-top Stokesley SC when they host Wolviston. Victory today and in Monday's fixture against bottom-of-the-table Ferryhill Athletic could propel Coxhoe ahead of Stokesley, who only play on
TWO teenagers died last night after being hit by an express train on the East Coast Main Line. The tragedy happened near the Five Arches railway bridge, in Darlington, where a gang of youths had gathered. The two boys, who are both believed to be 15,
TO lose one candidate for revealing the "truth" about Conservative plans may be a misfortune. To lose two is very careless and must cause questions about exactly what is driving the Conservative Party. Michael Howard acted ruthlessly in ejecting Howard
NORTH-EAST walkers are joining mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington and arts supremo Lord Melvyn Bragg to follow in the footsteps of the country's greatest fell-walking chronicler. The Cumbrian duo are striding out in the Lake District in May to mark the 50th
HUNDREDS flocked to a North-East hilltop to raise a cross and join an outdoor Easter service yesterday. The event, at Tunstall Hill, Sunderland, was started 40 years ago by St Cecilia's RC Church, in Ryhope Road. Originally for members of the church,
THE Mayor of Winnipeg has praised all those involved in The Northern Echo campaign to have a statue erected in honour of Canadian war hero Andrew Mynarski. Mayor Sam Katz has added his voice of thanks to those who helped raise the £40,000 needed to build
TRACK middle-distance specialist Tom Ranger played a crucial role as Morpeth Harriers retained their senior men's relay title in the annual Good Friday Road Races at Newburn Riverside Park, Newcastle, yesterday. The former North-East 1500m champion took
Tow Law's chances of avoiding relegation have been hit by the news that they might have to play all their remaining home games away from Ironworks Road. Lawyers are at Guisborough today in a crucial basement clash, but their scheduled home games in the
HOLIDAY cabins and an 18-hole golf course could transform one of the region's best-known landscapes. Proposals for the development - in the shadow of the Newton Cap Viaduct, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham - go before planners next week. Former Newcastle
POLICE are investigating the suspicious death of a man who was discovered in his flat after officers broke down the door on Thursday night. The 37-year-old, who has not been named by police, had not been seen since the previous day and a neighbour, concerned
TORY leader Michael Howard yesterday ended the political career of his former deputy party chairman, Howard Flight, after remarks he made were seized on by Labour to claim the Conservatives had a secret agenda to cut public spending. Mr Howard said: "
That series that used to attract big audiences has lost its sparkle. The ratings are down and people don't talk about the show as they did in its heyday. A programme that used to produce water cooler moments, making it the talk of the office the following
Ruth Kelly is the worst Education Secretary since Labour came to power and is not up to the job, a teachers' union leader said yesterday. Hilary Bills, the new president of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), accused Ms Kelly of patronising teachers
There was no donkey, but a rather special Palm Sunday service at St Giles's church in Bowes. Whoever it was that first advised against working with children and animals had clearly never been a bishop in the Church of England, especially on Palm Sunday
