YOU can pick your friends, but you can't pick your relations, it's often said, but sometimes you can't help feeling very glad you're related to someone, and proud of them. Such was the case for the D&S Times last weekend when the statue of Second
A FORMER parish councillor facing a catalogue of sexual abuse charges dating back to the 1960s will not stand trial - because he could not stand the stress. Clifford Worley had been charged with 12 counts of indecently assaulting a girl under 16 between
POLICE who closed a crack house have had the tenant evicted from the premises. Officers raided the house on Teesside at the end of March, after complaints from neighbours about drug-taking and prostitution. They used powers under the Anti-Social Behaviour
UNION officials want to know if the controversial private finance initiative contributed to a cash crisis at a North-East superhospital. South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust has been ordered by the district auditor to make cuts of £66m over three years to settle
THE environmental campaign group Greenpeace is sometimes its own worst enemy. The group's members' predilection for handcuffing themselves to anything they don't like is getting a bit tiresome and, we suspect, unproductive in generating the desired effect
After years of unparalleled investment in the region's health services could the party be over? Health Editor Barry Nelson considers the omens. NOT only have the brakes been applied at South Tees Hospitals Trust but some would say it looks more like an
WORK has started to repair damage caused by the latest landslip at Loftus Bank. A team of men worked for nine months to reshape the hill following a devastating landslide in 1999. They removed unstable ground, and replaced it with clay fill. The latest
A TEAM of rising young sports stars start their campaign to be crowned European champions today. Woodham Warriors, the American flag football team from Woodham Community Technology College, near Newton Aycliffe, represent the UK in the European championships
A FOUR-year-old from Spennymoor who has Down's Syndrome accepted a cheque on behalf of a trust from a local college. Gabrielle Toas and her mother, Christine, collected a cheque for £53 from Bishop Auckland College's Spennymoor Computer Learning Centre
PARENTS of disabled children living in the North-East are being offered help to look after their youngsters. The project, run by Barnardo's, has been made available to parents across the region after a successful trial in County Durham. It offers short
COUNCIL bosses have bowed to pressure from angry business owners and have made changes to controversial on-street parking charges in Darlington town centre. The borough council installed parking meters on several streets in the town centre last November
A FOUR-year-old from Spennymoor who suffers from Downs Syndrome accepted a cheque on behalf of a trust from a local college. Gabrielle Toas and her mother, Christine, collected a cheque for £53 from Bishop Auckland College's Spennymoor Computer Learning
A BOYFRIEND who flew into a rage and tried to kill his partner with a knife in a sudden and unprovoked attack is facing jail. Andrew Burn, 22, claimed he was merely trying to frighten his then girlfriend Zoe Lonsdale, 19, into dumping him. But he was
PATIENT services may be hit at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton because South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust has been ordered to make cuts of £66m over the next three years. James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough and the recently re-opened Guisborough
A £400,000 engineering scheme is under way in Newton Aycliffe to upgrade gas supplies. A team of engineers from Northern Gas Networks will replace more than 2km of old metal gas main with durable plastic pipe. It is among the first projects by the region's
A FORMATION meeting is being staged by the Knights of the Horn, which fosters fellowship and charitable causes, to serve the Whealtey Hill, Wingate and Thornley areas of east Durham. Anyone aged 21 or over is welcome to attend the meeting, at the Crossways
PEOPLE in Bishop Auckland will become stars for an evening in aid of a children's hospice. Tindale Crescent Workingmen's Club hosts a Stars in Their Eyes event this evening, and fundraisers will be transformed into well-known singers. Money raised from
PUPILS will be putting their cycling skills to the test this weekend in a new inter-schools competition. Bike Trax 05 is to be held at Summerhill, in Hartlepool, a 100-acre council-run country park off Catcote Road, on Saturday, from 10am to 1.30pm The
A GROUP has been formed to fight the latest in a rash of planning applications to tear down Edwardian houses and replace them with flats. Stockton South MP Dari Talor, who shares residents' concerns about the threat to the character of Eaglescliffe, has
A SERIES of events designed to promote childcare as a career choice will be staged in Darlington next week. Darlington Borough Council's early years team will host story days and teddy bear hunts and people considering a career in childcare will be able
THE citizens of Well, a village betwixt Masham and Bedale, have good reason to revere a certain D Brier of Her Majesty's Planning Inspectorate. Mr Brier may be the absolute epitome of the faceless bureaucrat or may be a thoroughly nice chap. Whatever
A SENIOR Government official has been on a fact-finding trip to the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. Authority chairman Carl Les said the visit of David Coleman, Defra's head of the countryside (recreation and landscape), was an opportunity for
THREE generations of the same family will ensure an annual fun run really lives up to its name. Brian Simms, 62, his son Michael, 38, and Michael's daughter, Emily, four, all from Eston, near Middlesbrough, will take part in the two-mile family fun run
A GROUP of teachers will come from Russia with love when they visit the region next week. The seven teachers will travel from County Durham's twin city of Kostroma, and will each attend a school in the area, teaching children about their lifestyle and
SCHOOLBOY Joel Currell has been warming up this week in preparation for a charity bike ride in aid of cancer care at the weekend. The five-year-old will be the youngest person to participate in Sunday's Cycle for Life through the streets of Hartlepool
COUNCIL bosses last night confirmed proposals to close the two schools involved in Britain's first education federation - and replace them in a multi-million pound project. The Northern Echo can reveal that governors are considering plans to shut top-performing
THE Royal Artillery motorcycle display team will be the star attraction at an Army open day later this month. The team, known as the Flying Gunners, will entertain the crowds at Catterick Garrison on Saturday, June 25. The soldiers regularly appear at
PICKERING'S Memorial Hall still needs nearly £10,000 to clear its debts, the hall's charitable trust was told at its annual meeting. But trust chairman, the Reverend Ivon Baker, said that after a difficult period last year, he was able to report on "remarkable
PLANNING permission has been granted for the first stage of a major city centre redevelopment scheme. Harrogate Borough Council has approved plans for a supermarket, attached shops and 29 apartments on a semi-derelict site west of the Market Place, in
MULTI-million pound plans to build a college in Scarborough are to be discussed next week. The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has put forward the idea, which will see a merger of the resort's sixth form college with Yorkshire Coast College in a purpose-built
RESIDENTS of Northallerton and Romanby get their first wheelie bin refuse collection service on Monday. The 5,394 households are the last in the Hambleton District Council area to come under the wheelie bin scheme. Each home gets two bins - black for
THERE are many people who think Lee Bowyer ought to be in jail, yet even if he is found guilty in a court of law of assaulting a team-mate he will probably get away with a suspended sentence. He has already been fined and served a ban, so a public slap
A FAMILY fun day in Barnard Castle is going global. Entertainment at this year's GlaxoSmithKline fun day, on Sunday, will include Chinese Dragon Dancers, American horses and a Caribbean steel band. There will also be fair rides, bouncy castle and side
TWO respected North-East musicians have been knocked down and killed in a hit-and-run accident. Joe Scurfield and Keith Morris were struck by a white BMW as they crossed Westgate Road, in Newcastle, at 10pm on Wednesday. The car did not stop and was later
ONE of the world's most famous steam locomotives - The Flying Scotsman- will be on show at a conference this weekend. And Nobel Prize-winning Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former US Secretary of State Colin Powell will be the key speakers at the Yorkshire
THERE will be no counting of the chickens, but Durham are as good as promoted on the evidence of yesterday's Riverside run spree, which took them to 380 for four against Essex. Apart from defying predictions that they would implode once international
CASH from the Heritage Lottery Fund is boosting plans to preserve and improve a historic cemetery on Teesside. Middlesbrough Council has been awarded £596,500 to help meet the cost of the £1.2m restoration programme at the Victorian Linthorpe Cemetery
MORE than a thousand staff involved in the supply of gas in the North-East and Yorkshire have been reassured over their futures following a £1.4bn takeover. Their company, National Grid Transco, was sold last week to consortium Northern Gas Networks Holdings
A FORMER England cricketer more used to making mincemeat of his opponents was behind the counter of a County Durham butcher's shop yesterday. Ian Botham visited McFarlane's Butchers, in Barnard Castle, as part of his campaign to promote British produce
A SCHOOL has set up a fruit tuck shop for its pupils. And year six youngsters will run the healthy break-time stall at South Stanley Junior School. It was formed after the school received a grant from Derwentside Primary Care Trust (PCT) of £100 to promote
PLANS for a hotel and restaurant on the site of a former steelworks have been revealed. An outline planning application has been submitted with details of the proposed £2.2m development, which would create more than 50 jobs. A 24-room hotel and 150-seat
CROFT Superbike winner Gregorio Lavilla has praised the North-East crowd for the way he was feted after his dramatic victory in race two, writes Matt Westcott. The Spaniard has raced all over the world before coming to the Bennetts British Superbike Championship
ONE of the finest means of learning about the countryside and its wildlife is to take a walk through a deciduous woodland. You might not wish to learn anything, however; your desire may be only to commune with nature without bothering to study or identify
KIRKBY STEPHEN. - Tues. Fwd: 1,203 sheep inc anniversary show. Judge: Jim Holden. Prizes. - Cont X 35kg & up: 1 GR Brass, Bridge End £61; 2 G Harker & Son, Punchard House, £60; 3 J Fawcett & Son, Hollins Farm, £58, all to Kepak, Preston. Suff
THE thorny question of what is art taxed planning councillors at Darlington this week. The owner of Urban Chaos, a shop in Duke Street, argued that a spray-painted mural on the shop's frontage was skilful art. Planning officer Adrian Miller told councillors
For many years now I have been convinced that alcohol is a bigger threat to society than drugs. As a rookie police officer, I remember a sergeant with 25 years experience telling me that "drink is the root of all evil". That may be a bit of an exaggeration
RESIDENTS fear plans to build 60 flats next to the former home of Darlington Football Club will spoil the area. Aston Investments and Rotherham Holdings have submitted the plans for two blocks - three and four storeys high - on vacant land to the south
THE scattergun approach was how David "Dandy" Nicholls tackled the Epsom sprints last Saturday and his tactics paid off as usual at the Surrey course with two top winners. Fire Up The Band scooped the five-furlong Vodafone Dash under a strong Richard
A COMPANY accountant who stole more than £7,000 from his firm to fund his cocaine habit walked free from court today. Brian Lowther had already been sacked from Springfield in Sunderland for stealing a "substantial" amount of money, but bosses at Gain
Richard Fahey looks to be striking while the iron is hot with Realism, who has strong claims from a favourable draw in the CSFB AES Handicap over a mile and a quarter at Sandown this afternoon. Fahey's runner was progressive on a sound surface last year
GRAEME Storm and Kenneth Ferrie's hopes of landing strong finishes in the KLM Open ended largely in disappointment yesterday. The North-East pair are both lying well off the pace in Holland going into today's second round and are faced with plenty of
'WE ARE a victim of our own success," said Coun Nick Wallis, Darlington Borough Council's "cabinet member" for highways and transport, referring to the apparently sudden realisation that one of the town's main roads might not cope with an extra 2,200
FEARS for the safety of pedestrians have been raised following reports of horse riders using a new path linking two villages. On Monday, Neasham Parish Council voiced concerns about people exercising their horses along the Neasham to Hurworth path and
TWO respected North-East musicians have been knocked down and killed in a hit-and-run accident. Joe Scurfield and Keith Morris were struck by a white BMW as they crossed Westgate Road, in Newcastle, at 10pm on Wednesday. The car did not stop and was later
A MAN who was jailed for driving his car at a group of bouncers has been banned from all the pubs and clubs in a North-East town. Shaun Cooper was sent to prison for two-and-a-half years earlier this year after he drove his car at doormen working at a
A UNIVERSITY professor in the North-East has earned the accolade considered the knighthood of the science world. Professor Richard Samuel Ward was named among 44 pre-eminent scientists from the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth elected to the Fellowship
MICK McCARTHY will learn within the next 72 hours whether Blackburn striker Jon Stead has accepted the challenge of spearheading Sunderland's Premiership return. After talking to the Black Cats over a proposed £1.5m move, eventually rising to £1.8m, Stead
CONTINUOUS rain failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the thousands of sheep producers attending North Sheep 2005 on Wednesday of last week. The event held at Cumbrian agri-businessman Allan Jenkinson's Whinfell Park, where industry leaders expressed optimism
FLYTIPPERS now face jail for the offence. Under a new law, they now face five years in prison and a maximum £50,000 fine. Defra's Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act came into force on Tuesday, giving councils greater powers to prosecute offenders
COUNCIL bosses last night confirmed proposals to close the two schools involved in Britain's first education federation - and replace them in a multi-million pound project. The Northern Echo can reveal that governors are considering plans to shut top-performing
KIRBY Sigston are still out in front after they won for the seventh time in eight outings last Saturday, defeating Hutton Rudby by four wickets. The home side posted a useful 173-6, which included 99 by Hereford. He was bowled needing just one run for
A MEMORIAL to the Queen Mother has been vandalised after only three weeks. The armillary sphere - an elaborate sundial - was bought by the Friends of the Bowes Museum and installed in the grounds in May as a tribute to Her Majesty, who was their patron
KE Zin is the dutiful daughter of the title and at the heart of this ambitious East-West collaboration between the Playhouse and the Sichuan People's Art Theatre in China. This princess of the Isle of Joy obeys her royal father to the letter, until a
A champion mouse breeder who was tormented for months by yobs finally snapped when he spotted someone stealing his pears, a court was told today. Ginger bearded Tim Kniveton blew a fuse after teenage tearaways threw eggs at his farmhouse home, damaged
BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed of last week. Fwd: 403 sheep. Std lambs to 141p av 136.3p; med to 158p av 140.2p; heavy to 145p av 138.2p; lt hoggs to 104p av 92.1p; std to 113p av 98.3p; med to 120p av 117.5p; heavy to 117p av 113.8p; owt to 122p av 103.8p. Cast
WATER cooler maker Ebac is looking to take its home delivery service global, after North-East trials proved a success. The company, based in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, is more than doubling the workforce for its Bottled Water Direct division, in
EXHIBITORS at a Redcar garden show have vowed never to return to the area after they were targeted by sneak thieves at the weekend. The thefts marred Redcar and Cleveland Council's first ever garden show at Kirkleatham Museum. A juggler from Nottingham
GT4, Publisher: Sony. Format: PS2. Price: £39.99. Family friendly? Nothing to worry about: WHEN I tell people that part of my job entails testing cars, nine out of ten can't disguise their envy. It must be great, the thinking goes, to spend part of your
Satanists and pagans will enjoy the same protection as Christians under new laws banning incitement to racial hatred published yesterday. Even atheists will be protected by legislation which aims to prevent people being victimised for their "beliefs".
Richard Fahey looks to be striking while the iron is hot with Realism, who has strong claims from a favourable draw in the CSFB AES Handicap over a mile and a quarter at Sandown this afternoon. Fahey's runner was progressive on a sound surface last year
THOUSANDS of racing enthusiasts will flock to York for Royal Ascot next week - but it appears that few are willing to stay in North Yorkshire, and even York has accommodation to spare. Transfer of the meet to York racecourse prompted many in the county
A TOURIST attraction showcasing the region's railway heritage has launched a bid for funding. Darlington Railway Centre and Museum could be revitalised if applications for grants from three organisations are successful. The venue has applied for nearly
For many years now I have been convinced that alcohol is a bigger threat to society than drugs. As a rookie police officer, I remember a sergeant with 25 years experience telling me that "drink is the root of all evil". That may be a bit of an exaggeration
WANT to save yourself £150? Then it's time to make the switch. The prices of gas and electricity have soared in recent years. But you don't have to give up long hot baths or wear five jumpers on chilly days to save money. Instead, you can just change
A FORMER parish councillor facing a catalogue of sexual abuse charges dating back to the 1960s will not stand trial - because he could not stand the stress. Clifford Worley had been charged with 12 charges of indecently assaulting a girl under 16 between
NORTHALLERTON co-driver John Richardson made a welcome return to competitive action following three and a half months out when he was reunited with Scorton's Steve Petch on last weekend's Mutiny National Rally in Wales. Having sustained back and rib injuries
Bollocks To Cancer (C4): STEVEN Liddell began the film by telling us about his cancer. "Fortunately, I had the tumour removed; unfortunately, it was attached to my left bollock at the time," he said. I can't help feeling sorry for 19-year-old Steven.
FORMER England coach David Lloyd has predicted Durham will win the County Championship First Division within the next decade after becoming a big fan of Martyn Moxon's side. Lloyd remembers the days in the early nineties when talk was rife of Durham becoming
Bollocks To Cancer (C4) STEVEN Liddell began the film by telling us about his cancer. "Fortunately, I had the tumour removed; unfortunately, it was attached to my left bollock at the time," he said. I can't help feeling sorry for 19-year-old Steven. Not
CAMPAIGNERS who restored timetabled passenger trains to Wensleydale two years ago may reach the end of the line unless they can raise £100,000 in the next seven weeks. Wensleydale Railway Association is seeking what it describes as ''financial angels'
You may think it would be a headache, but changing your power supplier is actually very simple. ShopTalk show you how. WANT to save yourself £150? Then it's time to make the switch. The prices of gas and electricity have soared in recent years. But you
THE biggest cereal and oilseed rape variety event in the North-East takes place at Croft later this month. The annual crop variety open day, organised by Farmway, will feature a record 12 oilseed rape varieties, 11 wheats and seven barleys at Grange Farm
A POLICE operation is being hailed a major success after netting 180 arrests in seven weeks. Operation Tribune has targeted known and persistent offenders committing vehicle crime and shed and garage break-ins. As a result, crime in Darlington and south
RICHMONDSHIRE, bottom of the premier division with only one win in nine attempts, are hopeful Shanoka Dissanayake will return from Sri Lanka in time to play against Bishop Auckland at Kingsway tomorrow. Dissanayake, an integral part of the team, had to
THERE are many people who think Lee Bowyer ought to be in jail, yet even if he is found guilty in a court of law of assaulting a team-mate he will probably get away with a suspended sentence. He has already been fined and served a ban, so a public slap
A THREE-YEAR dispute over a lease at Saltburn's community centre and theatre is rumbling on with the Community and Arts Association seeking advice from the Charity Commission. Association chairman Philip Thomson said the annual meeting had decided in
Australian left-hander Phil Jaques stood on the brink of a double achievement in the Roses match at Headingley yesterday before failing at the last hurdle. The Yorkshire opener was in such good form during the morning that he looked set to become the
DARLINGTON manager David Hodgson will hold further talks with Mansfield Town striker Colin Larkin today after abandoning his interest in Swansea's Paul Connor. Hodgson has chosen not to pursue Connor any further after learning the Bishop Auckland-born
STALWART supporters of the Wensleydale Railway Association who have already paid their dues in membership fees and, in some cases, voluntary work, are now being asked to dig even deeper to help keep their cherished project on track. With the annual meeting
LOW-cost airline Ryanair is looking to strengthen its links with North-East tourism agencies, in a bid to help market the region abroad. Cathy Timlin, a senior manager with the Dublin-based company, has lined up meetings with regional bodies such as One
SARAH Sparshott's work placement went so well that she created a job for herself. The 23-year-old former Bedale High School student from Thirn proved invaluable at York publishing company Stone Soup and became a full-time member of staff after taking
GUESTS at this year's GlaxoSmithKline fun day, on Sunday, in Barnard Castle, will include Chinese Dragon Dancers. The fun starts at 10.30am. Admission is by programme, at the gate for £1. Children and senior citizens are free
YOUNG netballers battled it out in the Darlington primary schools netball tournament. The competition, at Longfield School, was won by Mowden Junior School, and the runners up were Raventhorpe. The competition, on Wednesday, which was sponsored by Master
A MURAL depicting images of a town in years gone by is to be erected on the site of a former cinema later this month. The 80ft by 8ft design will be assembled where the Tivoli Cinema used to stand in Spennymoor town centre, near the town library, on Saturday
YOUNG models took to the catwalk in aid of their school. Several pupils from North Road Primary School showed off the latest high street designs in the fashion show, which was organised by the Friends of North Road Primary School, to raise money for the
PEOPLE in Bishop Auckland will become stars for an evening in aid of a local children's hospice. Tindale Crescent Workingmen's Club hosts a Stars in Their Eyes night this evening, when performers will be transformed into well-known singers for their acts
DESIGNS for a major leisure and housing scheme have been approved by council officials. It is the latest milestone for Redcar's Coatham Enclosure - now dubbed the Coatham Links development - believed to cost £55m. The final revised plan was formally approved
A TOURIST attraction showcasing the region's railway heritage has launched a bid for funding. Darlington Railway Centre and Museum could be revitalised if applications for grants from three organisations are successful. The venue has applied for nearly
A MAN has appeared in court charged with the murder of a father of three. Steven Doyle, 37, of Blyth, Northumberland, died in Newcastle General Hospital on Saturday, three weeks after he suffered severe head injuries in an alleged attack at the Quilted
A TEAM of rising young sports stars start their campaign to be crowned European champions today. Woodham Warriors, the American flag football team from Woodham Community Technology College, near Newton Aycliffe, represent the UK in the European championships
PLANS to convert a house in a Teesdale village into two separate homes may be given approval despite objections from residents. Teesdale District Council planning officers have recommended planning permission is granted for the conversion of Jubilee House
FOUR community groups in Darlington have benefited from grants from the National Lottery Awards for All Scheme. The groups won almost £20,000 between them to help pay for small projects. Last month, the Branksome and Cockerton West Community Partnership
A FORMER England cricketer more used to making mincemeat of his opponents was behind the counter of a County Durham butcher's shop yesterday. Ian Botham visited McFarlane's Butchers, in Barnard Castle, as part of his campaign to promote British produce
DADS can enjoy a treat this Father's Day by riding the footplate of a steam train. Darlington Railway Museum, North Road, Darlington, is offering steam enthusiasts the chance to climb aboard with the engine driver while the children ride along behind
THOUSANDS of spectators are expected to attend one of the region's longest-established sporting events this weekend. In its 171st year, the annual Durham Regatta attracts rowers from across Europe to compete in a weekend of racing on the River Wear. Last
A BLUEPRINT has been drawn up to shape the future of a Wear Valley market town. Wolsingham Parish Council has worked with residents to produce a parish plan, which contains the results of a comprehensive survey and recommendations on how to improve the
SPORTING hero Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson who usually receives gold medals, found herself in the role of presenting gold. The paralympic champion, who has won a total of 11 gold medals, marked the start of a new era for a Redcar-based housing association
MODELS of bears being tortured go on sale at one of the region's historic tourist attractions this weekend. Piranha Studios, in Newcastle, has teamed up with York Dungeons to launch Dungeon Bad Taste Bears. The six will include Stretch, a teddy bear hung
TRADERS and organisations in Malton are staging a day of events on Tuesday to raise funds for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Service. The Leeds-based service is regularly called out to transport people to hospital. Children at St Mary's Catholic School,
A FORMER England cricketer more used to making mincemeat of his opponents was behind the counter of a County Durham butcher's shop yesterday. Ian Botham visited McFarlane's Butchers, in Barnard Castle, as part of his campaign to promote British produce
NIDDERDALE'S area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB), which stretches from the north Leeds borders to parts of Mashamshire, has been given a major financial boost. The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has granted the area a
AN exhibition has opened celebrating traditional hand knitting in the Yorkshire Dales. The event at the Dales Countryside Museum, in Hawes, explores the past, present and future of the craft. It looks at materials, patterns and some of the small Dales-based
THE Army and ambulance service in North Yorkshire have joined forces to provide life-saving emergency medical aid. Combat medics from 24th Medical Squadron of the Close Support Medical Regiment have been recruited for the ground-breaking scheme to operate
A LEGAL team is looking at pursuing a compensation claim for more than 200 sacked workers. The O'Donnell Brothers civil engineering firm, which had depots on Teesside and Tyneside, went into administration early last month. Administrators sacked 229 of
BUSINESSES in the region last night praised the Bank of England for once more freezing interest rates. George Cowcher, chief executive of the North East Chamber of Commerce, said: "This is a sound decision by the Bank of England. "For the tenth month
NORTH Yorkshire artist, Michael Bilton, has had a painting accepted for the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition. The semi-abstract picture in oils is one of his larger canvasses, measuring 6ft square. Called Whispering Wood, it is an atmospheric evocation
A SERIES of drop-in sessions is to be held to enable residents to find out more about a recycling initiative. Organised by Hartlepool Council, the question and answer events, at five separate locations, form part of an extensive consultation exercise.
OFFICIALS are sticking with plans to fund Richmondshire District Council's controversial move to Colburn. They have recommended approval for the controversial sale of car parks and office buildings in Richmond. The latest report from chief officers at
THE frocks were dazzling, the hats were big, and the heels were high, but yesterday was only a dress rehearsal for Royal Ascot. Ladies day at Ripon Racecourse attracted the usual array of brightly-coloured designer outfits. The annual event is a top date
FISHERMEN at Saltburn are pleased to know that the borough council is carrying out a blitz of unlicensed tractors and boats at the lower promenade boat park. "The tractors with council notices on them are an eyesore," said Ron Batchelor, 65, of Brotton
WHEN the Weardale Railway was opened last summer, it was a day of celebration in a beautiful part of England. And when it went into voluntary liquidation in January, with debts of almost £1m, it was a crushing disappointment. We are pleased to report
WOMEN from across Darlington and the surrounding area are gearing up to take part in the annual Race for Life in the town's South Park on Sunday. As the park is undergoing restoration, a new route has been planned. Race for Life events are held across
ANDY O'BRIEN will be unveiled as a Portsmouth player this lunch-time, but Newcastle United boss Graeme Souness last night insisted the summer departures from St James' Park will be replaced. Pompey are believed to have lined up a deal - understood to
HEALTH chiefs have warned that the maternity unit at Guisborough General Hospital could close because of financial constraints. South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust owes £31m, having borrowed the money from the strategic health authority and local primary care
A TEESDALE village is to do away with its anti-speeding rumble strips, following complaints from residents. The six strips were put along Main Road at Gainford more than ten years ago in a bid to slow traffic passing through the village on the busy A67
An attacker who bit off a man's earlobe during a confrontation in a city bar has been jailed for three-and-a-half years. Gavin Kerr, 27, plunged his teeth into Robert Welsh's ear as they fought on the floor in Yates wine lodge in Sunderland. Newcastle
GRADUATES who have set up their own businesses on a North-East university campus received the Royal seal of approval yesterday. And a fleet-footed Prince Andrew even tried out a game-playing version of a computer dance mat when he met the entrepreneurs
ENGINEERS at a North-East engine manufacturer have discovered a new way of helping the environment - and there is an inexhaustible supply of the vital ingredient. The company is experimenting with sheep urine in an effort to cut the harmful emissions
THERE are many people who think Lee Bowyer ought to be in jail, yet even if he is found guilty in a court of law of assaulting a team-mate he will probably get away with a suspended sentence. He has already been fined and served a ban, so a public slap
A DAMP squib. Yet worth igniting. But could it backfire? That perhaps sums up the new right-to-roam in the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors, where the contentious measure came into force late last month. So far, there has been no report of any phalanx
A PIRATE enthusiast who calls himself Flintlock Fred had the shock of his life when two armed police units arrived to confiscate his 50p toy gun. Steve Dungworth, 43, had bought the toy flintlock from a car boot sale when he joined the Whitby International
AFTER a promising start to the 2005 season, Middlesbrough road racer Paul Veazey finally netted his first rostrum placing when he finished third in the National Superstock Cup race at Croft circuit last weekend. Having contested the previous three rounds
MARTON quickly saw off the challenge from Guisborough last Sunday to maintain pole position in Division One. They had the home side back in the pavilion for just 88 runs as Matthew Telling took 6-37 in 17 overs. Graham Shaw (48no) and Andrew Morrow (40no
A TOURIST attraction showcasing the region's railway heritage has launched a bid for funding. Darlington Railway Centre and Museum could be revitalised if applications for grants from three organisations are successful. The venue has applied for nearly
THE crew behind the North Atlantic rowing attempt are making good progress, although fatigue is beginning to set in Nigel Morris and George Rock, of Ingleby Barwick, Stockton, along with fellow crew members Steve Dawson and Rob Munslow, are thinking of
When Jane was 11, her father began sexually abusing her friends. She tells Nick Morrison how a Barnardo's counselling service has helped her rebuild her life. THE stories had been going around Jane's school for months. At first, Jane denied it, protecting
The North-Eastern Police History Society - dedicated to preserving the history of policing from the Tees to the Tweed - is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Gavin Havery Reports. ANTI-SOCIAL behaviour, binge drinking and complaints that there aren't
A BRIDE with a passion for fashion has gone into business specialising in designer wedding footwear. Allison Mendelsohn, from Newton Aycliffe, set up Exclusively Shoes following a difficult search for the perfect footwear for her own big day. She said
REGENERATION agency One NorthEast is withholding vital funding from a rescue package for the troubled Weardale Railway - until it can be convinced the heritage line has a sustainable future. A behind-the-scenes deal to raise £500,000 to save the County
THERE will be no counting of the chickens, but Durham are as good as promoted on the evidence of yesterday's Riverside run spree, which took them to 380 for four against Essex. Apart from defying predictions that they would implode once international
GT4, Publisher: Sony. Format: PS2. Price: £39.99. Family friendly? Nothing to worry about: WHEN I tell people that part of my job entails testing cars, nine out of ten can't disguise their envy. It must be great, the thinking goes, to spend part of your
FOOTBALL VIOLENCE: THE law should not intervene in violence on the football field. The police cannot cope with everyday anti-social behaviour with villains breaking the law and they have a very poor response in coping with complaints from council tax
AN octogenarian psychopath bludgeoned a 93-year-old carehome resident to death with an iron. May Thrower, 83, struck Olive Garvie at least 12 times on the head and in the face. Staff at Coniscliffe residential home, in Jesmond, Newcastle, discovered Thrower
Businessman Darren Bosi was the victim of a highway robbery when he saw his £20,000 sports car pull up in front of him - seconds after it had been stolen. Mr Bosi, who runs a hairdressing salon in Benton, Newcastle, was returning to a city centre car
A KILLER policeman will still be able to pick up a hefty force pension when he is released from prison, it has emerged. And it was revealed that Ivor Jones has yet to officially resign from Cleveland Police - despite being jailed a week ago for eight
