DOCTORS in the North-East have developed a pioneering treatment to combat the latest hospital superbug. Outbreaks of the infection clostridium difficile (CD) have more than trebled during the past five years. The bug is viewed as a high risk to hospitals
A CIVIC reception has been held for a woman who has dedicated more than 40 years of her life to a Darlington estate. Joyce Standing has held posts on committees and groups serving the people of Skerne Park. Darlington Mayor Stella Robson made a presentation
Foster's Northumberland and Tyneside Senior League: Swalwell are the new leaders after they defeated Sacriston and previous incumbents Leadgate lost a low-scoring game to Shotley Bridge. There was no stopping Swalwell though, who were asked to meet a
CHILDREN'S artwork will be on display at Darlington tourist information centre this week as part of celebrations to mark national childcare week. It aims to raise awareness of the good quality childcare available in Darlington. As part of the celebrations
A SERVICE that allows housebound readers to use Darlington library service needs more volunteers to help it expand. The home reader service is run by Darlington Council and WRVS volunteers and caters mainly for the elderly or infirm. The volunteers deliver
FOOTBALL Association chairman Geoff Thompson opened Durham FA's spanking new £1m headquarters yesterday, recalling the days when it was the Subbuteo table, not the top table, around which decisions were made. As a young FA Council member in the 1970s,
POLICE investigating a spate of criminal damage caused to cars have arrested three people. Over the past six weeks, officers have received a series of complaints from residents of Sedgefield village of cars being damaged in the High Street and Rectory
RICHMOND MP William Hague supported the British Lung Foundation's 20th birthday campaign by getting on to an exercise bike at the House of Commons. The Get Breathless campaign encourages everyone of all ages and abilities to get breathless in aid of the
A MOBILE classroom is making a return trip to the North-East to spread a Christian message to schools. The GSUS Live classroom is a large computer-equipped multi-purpose portable unit. It provides an environment in which pupils can learn about teachings
A CALL has been made for the public to pass comment on the impending demise of a landmark hotel. Proposals to demolish the Cock o' the North, at Farewell Hall, on the A167 southern approach to Durham, to make way for housing, have already won outline
THE tuning up is over and the first notes have been struck in the fifth, and biggest, Durham Brass Festival. Durham Constabulary Band played for an appreciative audience in an open air performance in Millennium Place, outside the city's Gala Theatre,
MOTHERS and fathers who are struggling to balance their working lives and parenting responsibilities have been offered help. Three after-school clubs have been set up for parents in Gateshead. High Hopes Out-of-School Club, Washingwell Out-of-School Club
A BOOK showing pictures of people and places in Consett of yesteryear has gone on sale. Pocket Images of Consett has been compiled by Derwentdale Local History Society. It is a reproduction of The Archive Photograph Series of Consett, first published
THOUSANDS of pounds has been allocated to help volunteers carry out work to improve the environment. The Big Lottery Fund has awarded Tees Valley Wildlife Trust £94,632 in the latest round of grants for the North-East. The trust, based in Redcar, will
AFTER-SCHOOL activities at four schools have received extra funding. Two secondary schools and two primary schools in Middlesbrough will share £183,000 from the Big Lottery Fund. The cash supports the Young People's Fund Extended Schools programme to
A STOREMAN who has already been recognised as one of the country's finest will shortly discover if he is the best in the UK. Glen Doyle is one of only three people shortlisted for the title Warehouseperson of the Year. Mr Doyle, who has worked for three
POLICE are trying to trace the owners of DIY items recovered from a property in Haswell, in east Durham. The items include a propane space heater, electrical sanders, a paint stripper, an industrial strimmer and an electric hedge trimmer. Used for drying
TWO old school friends are preparing for an 8,000-mile charity trip to Outer Mongolia in a rusty old car - worth less than a set of tyres. James Hammond and Mark Swindells hope the 1992 Fiat Panda will take them across 13 countries, five mountain ranges
GOLFERS raised £330 for the Brittle Bone Society at a charity golf day. Employees of Orange, in Darlington, took part in the event at Woodham Golf Club, Newton Aycliffe. The charity was chosen as one of the organisers, Jamie Dennis, suffers from the condition
EVEN before The Northern Echo revealed controversial council plans to merge highly successful Hurworth School with troubled Eastbourne Comprehensive into one newly-built school, there were whispers of unrest in education circles. It has been a tumultuous
A TEENAGER has been sentenced to three months in a young offenders' institute for twice breaching his anti-social behaviour order. Scott David Wood, of Canterbury Road, Redcar, received three months for each of the breaches after he was reported for playing
Margaret Asquith joined Darlington Borough Council in July 2002 as director of social services. She started her managerial career as the team manager for Lancashire County Council and later became its district manager and head of childcare practice and
AN annual bed race meant there was no time for dozing in a normally sleepy market town on Saturday. Thousands of people lined the streets of Knaresborough to watch the madcap competition. A record number of 55 beds took part in the procession and race
A SCHOOL'S sports team will return to lessons today bathed in glory after flying the flag for the UK in an overseas tournament at the weekend. Woodham Warriors - the American flag football team from Woodham Community Technology College, near Newton Aycliffe
A NORTH-EAST country house which hosts reality TV show Ladette to Lady has been inundated with pleas from women wanting help to become more ladylike. The owners of Eggleston Hall, in Teesdale, County Durham, are now considering a return to its days as
A TEAM of volunteers who keep young people off a town's streets is appealing for help to buy a minibus. Almost 200 youngsters, from toddlers to teenagers, play football at Ferryhill's Dean Bank recreation park every week. The club has ten teams and will
TOWN gala organisers are urging residents to make this year's event one of the best yet as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. Spennymoor Town Gala will celebrate its golden anniversary when it is held in the town's Jubilee Park on Saturday July 2. It
DURHAM are hoping to hear in two or three weeks that they are to be elevated to the same footing as the other Test grounds outside London, which would guarantee four Tests every five years. It would also bring Tests against more high-profile opponents
COMMUNITY leaders have backed plans to create zones restricting the drinking of alcohol in public in a bid to curb anti-social behaviour. Councillors in Ripon voted in favour of a ban on street drinking in four areas, the Market Square, Spa Gardens and
THEY ran in their thousands - young and old, healthy, recovering and dying - women who turned a park pink to try to beat cancer. The annual Darlington Race for Life yesterday saw 3,000 women, run, jog and walk 5km around the town's South Park in aid of
Darlington Building Society NYSD Premier League Premier Division: SALTBURN consolidated pole position when Phil Ramage led them to a comfortable victory at Redcar. He dominated his side's innings recording three sixes and eight boundaries in 103 before
BOSSES at resurgent Darlington Football Club have moved to quash rumours about potential new owners by revealing that chairman Stewart Davies will be staying put for the coming season. The Quakers were facing the threat of extinction just over a year
You don't have to travel far to find remarkable wildlife in the North-East, as the sightings of a small but rare creature on the edge of a housing estate proves. John Dean reports. BY any stretch of the imagination it was a remarkable sighting of a creature
A NORTH-EAST country house which hosts reality TV show Ladette to Lady has been inundated with pleas from women wanting help to become more ladylike. The owners of Eggleston Hall, in Teesdale, County Durham, are now considering a return to its days as
THE North-East economy could strike gold if London wins the contest to stage the 2012 Olympics. Although most events will be held in the capital, Newcastle's St James' Park is one of eight stadiums across the country that will host football matches at
Karl Burke's rich vein of form continued when he saddled bottom-weight Orphan to win the £50,000 totesport.com Stakes at Ripon on Saturday. The Middleham trainer made a slow start to the season, but he now has his string in top gear. He had sent out eight
THOUSANDS of North-Easterners are being urged to sign up to a national campaign to increase the number of specialist colitis and Crohn's disease nurses. Headed by Fame Academy's Carrie Grant, who suffers from Crohn's disease, the National Association
THE Royal Shakespeare Company is about to collaborate with the northern cult comic Viz in a bid to widen the Bard's appeal. The RSC revealed it is to join forces with the Newcastle-based Viz which has given life to cult cartoon characters such as The
BOLTON Wanderers are on the verge of ending Laurent Robert's Newcastle United career by winning the race for the Frenchman's signature. The enigmatic Robert has agreed personal terms and is due at the Reebok Stadium today to undergo a medical after the
A RENEWED appeal was made last night for witnesses to a head-on crash in which a motorcyclist was killed. Gary Thomas Stainsby was declared dead at the scene of the accident, on the A1086 Thorpe Road, on the outskirts of Horden, east Durham, on Friday
CAR enthusiasts enjoyed an organised rally in a County Durham castle's grounds at the weekend. The Castle Cruise at Witton Castle, near Bishop Auckland, yesterday was aimed at making young men more aware of health issues. Organiser Carl Bell, young men's
Doctor Who (BBC1); Unreported World (C4): I HAVE seen the future of broadcasting. There will be 60 Big Brother houses occupied at once. Call My Bluff will be played with real guns. And anyone who refuses to sing on Stars In Their Eyes will be blinded.
THE BBC last night faced calls to re-instate a North Yorkshire seaside resort to its regional weather map following complaints that it had disappeared. Members of the public complained that a new map being used by BBC Look North omitted Scarborough and
FORMER Newcastle United full-back Olivier Bernard could be in line for a surprise return to the North-East after offering his services to Middlesbrough. The 25-year-old is looking for a new club after leaving Southampton following the club's relegation
Doctor Who (BBC1) Unreported World (C4) I HAVE seen the future of broadcasting. There will be 60 Big Brother houses occupied at once. Call My Bluff will be played with real guns. And anyone who refuses to sing on Stars In Their Eyes will be blinded. How
Durham Coast League: It was a stroll in the park for Murton on Saturday when they coasted to victory over Bill Quay to retain their position at the top of the table. Early season, Bill Quay were joint-leaders but they failed to cope with the all-round
DIVINE SPIRIT (3.00) can get Michael Dods off the unlucky-for-some 13-winner mark for the season by taking Thirsk's six-furlong Dove Handicap. Assiduous followers of the Dods' stable are in profit to the tune of just over £15 to a level stake on all of
RAIL chiefs have apologised for publishing secret passwords to their computer system in an onboard magazine. Train operator Great North Eastern Railways (GNER) printed pictures in its April/May edition of Livewire showing mainframe and computer passwords
A PROMOTER who has brought two punk music legends to the region is planning a third gig featuring one of the genre's best-known bands. The Stranglers found fame during the heyday of punk with their first two albums and went on to have a string of singles
AN ELDERLY couple were taken to hospital after they were hit by a car at a pedestrian crossing. An 81-year-old woman suffered a dislocated shoulder and her 90-year-old husband received minor head injuries following the collision. The couple were hit by
A NEW beacon was lit at the weekend to permanently shine over the shrine of a North-East saint. The dedication was made to the eternal flame light, placed above the tomb of the Venerable Bede, in the Galilee Chapel of Durham Cathedral. A gift from the
A PROMOTER who has brought two punk music legends to the region is planning a third gig featuring one of the genre's best-known bands. The Stranglers found fame during the heyday of punk with their first two albums and went on to have a string of singles
A MUCH-LOVED hotel cat who proved a big attraction at wedding ceremonies has finally been replaced. Sid, the black cat who lost his life on the busy A173 earlier this year, used to turn up unannounced whenever there was a wedding at 17th Century Pinchinthorpe
A CIGAR-SMOKING hotel guest who ran up a £350 bill during a week-long stay but left without paying is being hunted by police. The man, thought to be in his 40s checked into the Lambton Worm hotel in Durham Road, Chester-le-Street, on the evening of Saturday
Matthew Hoggard entered Roses folklore at Headingley on Saturday by playing a truly heroic innings in bad light to salvage a draw and keep Yorkshire in the third promotion place in the Championship's Second Division. Although Hoggard has built up a reputation
THE search for a man missing from his North-East home for more than three years took a new twist today when police teams began searching areas near his former home. Specialists search teams, including dog units and experts brought in from other force
PUPILS put their cycling skills to the test over the weekend at a new inter-schools competition. Bike Trax 05 was held at Summerhill, a 100-acre country park on the outskirts of Hartlepool, on Saturday. The competition was aimed at year five pupils, and
THE party was in full flow at the weekend as nursing home staff and residents joined family and friends of Edith Hunter as she celebrated her 100th birthday. Mrs Hunter was the centre of attention as about 50 visitors joined the festivities at St Mary's
FIRE chiefs have rejected calls to build a regional fire service control room in North Yorkshire. Members of the county council's Richmondshire Area Committee wrote to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, asking it to consider building the Yorkshire
A COUNCIL is claiming success in a campaign to control the number of stray dogs on its streets. Two years ago, Hartlepool was identified as having too many strays. Following concerns from animal welfare groups, the council offered a free microchipping
A STALWART of amateur dramatics in Consett will be remembered at a production almost a year after her death. Agnes Rose, who died in August, aged 74, performed in countless shows staged by local groups. She was headteacher of St Mary's Primary School,
VILLAGERS turned out to transform their community into an oasis of colour. The village of Horden, in east Durham, is taking part in Northumbria In Bloom for the first time in almost 40 years Volunteers started a two-day campaign on Friday to weed and
A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE exhibition is showing what community art can achieve. Warrior Women is a group of women from Hartlepool who are survivors of abuse and domestic violence. They came together to produce work which reflects their experiences and celebrates
FIRE-EATERS, stilt-walkers, a magician and a human robot entertained hundreds of revellers at a VIP evening at a new nightclub in Chester-le-Street. Welcome staff passed around strawberries, canaps and champagne cocktails to police, councillors and business
A DRUG dealer's home has been closed down after a police raid. Nicola Ellis' house on Wicklow Street, Middlesbrough, was boarded up for three months after a district judge ordered its closure. Ellis, 30, is remanded in custody charged with supplying Class
LANDLORDS hoping to cash in on the arrival of 390,000 racegoers for Royal Ascot at York this week have been left disappointed. Many residents had hoped to rent out their homes to wealthy racegoers at inflated fees. But there are still rooms available
Two men were taken to hospital after a car accident, in Coatham Mundeville, late on Saturday. The collision between a taxi and a pick-up truck happened outside the Foresters Arms pub, at about 11.20pm.
A NORTH Yorkshire runner competed in yesterday's Edinburgh Marathon. Robert Hall, from Castle Bolton, in Wensleydale, took part in the race to raise funds for international charity the Bible Society. Mr Hall hopes to raise £500 to support the society's
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a man was attacked in broad daylight at the weekend. The 29-year-old victim was left with a broken cheek bone and broken nose after around ten people assaulted him in Willington, on Saturday afternoon. Witnesses
A CHARITY held its biggest fundraising event of the year. Northallerton-based Chopsticks held a garden fete at Northdale Horticulture, in Northallerton, on Saturday. Attractions included cream teas, a bouncy castle, an inflatable slide, plus a raffle
FAMILIES turned out in force to enjoy two carnivals at the weekend. Residents lined the streets of Shildon on Saturday to watch the procession of floats and neighbours in fancy dress parade through the town to Hackworth Park. Meanwhile, families in Toft
GOLFERS raised £330 for the Brittle Bone Society at a charity golf day. Employees from Orange, in Darlington, took part in the event at Woodham Golf Club, Newton Aycliffe. The charity was chosen as one of the organisers, Jamie Dennis, suffers from the
Foster's North-East Regional Premier League: UNTIL a fortnight ago Norton had not tasted success but, they made it two wins out of two when inflicting a first defeat of the season on Chester-le-Street at Ropery Lane on Saturday. And they did so in style
Darlington Building Society NYSD Premier League Premier Division: SALTBURN consolidated pole position when Phil Ramage led them to a comfortable victory at Redcar. He dominated his side's innings recording three sixes and eight boundaries in 103 before
EIGHT youngsters proved they were no slouches when it comes to the high-pressure world of big business. The teenagers, from Bedale High School, beat others from all over the county when they won the Coca Cola Real Business Challenge, which was staged
A RULING is expected this week on the future of controversial plans to redevelop York's Barbican Centre. The fate of the multi-million pound scheme is hanging in the balance after a High Court judge reserved his judgement over the dispute which has delayed
HER version of Fog on the Tyne eclipsed that of Lindisfarne. The American singer-songwriter's bell-like voice charmed the Geordie song in way previous artists have not, despite stuttering some of the words halfway through. It may have been just for the
EDUCATION chiefs in Darlington denied they were facing a crisis last night after a rebellion against the boss of children's services. The Northern Echo understands teaching unions have discussed a vote of no confidence in Margaret Asquith, the director
THE widow of a North-East soldier killed in Iraq spoke of her relief last night at the arrests of insurgents believed responsible for his death. Family and friends of Guardsman Anthony Wakefield said they had feared no one would ever be brought to justice
POLICE are trying to piece together the final three hours in the life of a student who died miles away from his home. Almost three months after the death of Newcastle University chemistry student Richard Hyde, mystery still surrounds his final hours.
The eyes of the racing world will be firmly focused on the region when Royal Ascot at York begins tomorrow. The Northern Echo's racing correspondent Colin Woods (Janus), looks at the runners and riders over the five day festival and gives you his ten-to-follow
I've been spying on my Goth neighbours, the ones who used to annoy me with their noises, but who now intrigue me with their silences as well as wafts of half conversations I get through the bathroom window. I wasn't that interested in them until I was
FRESH blood is needed to help keep one of the North-East's oldest sporting events afloat in future years. The 171st Durham Regatta ran smoothly over the weekend, with about 570 crews taking part in 500 races on the River Wear. Wet weather put a dampener
IT'S a measure of Durham's professionalism that after Saturday's win against Essex the talk was all about getting back to winning ways in the totesport League today. The defeat at the The Oval two weeks ago was Durham's only setback to date in either
RACEGOERS heading for Royal Ascot at York this week can look forward to dining on the finest food. Caterers expect to pop the cork on 60,000 bottles of champagne and 40,000 bottles of wine during the five-day meeting. Visitors will be served 8,000 lobsters
MISGUIDED pet owners are setting unwanted rabbits and guinea pigs free in a park. Ranger Natalie Marwood said that, on average, two rabbits a month are abandoned at Stewart Park, in Middlesbrough, which has a pets' corner. The latest one was a male lop-eared
BOSSES at resurgent Darlington Football Club have moved to quash rumours about potential new owners by revealing that chairman Stewart Davies will be staying put for the coming season. The Quakers were facing the threat of extinction just over a year
Foster's Durham Senior League: Championship chasers Whitburn and Eppleton scored runs freely but, the latter were unable to turn their runs into victory against Hetton Lyons, writes Bob Gidney. Consequently, Whitburn increased their lead at the top to
THE widow of a North-East soldier killed in Iraq spoke of her relief last night at the arrests of insurgents believed responsible for his death. Family and friends of Guardsman Anthony Wakefield admitted they feared no one would ever be brought to justice
A SUMMER crackdown against anti-social troublemakers will see some inner-city areas of the North-East become no-go zones for teenage yobs. Newcastle is one of several English cities planning to introduce dispersal zones in a zero-tolerance drive to curb
EUROPEAN MATTERS: SOME of The Northern Echo HAS correspondents seem to adopt the same head-in-the-sand views of the European elite rulers. Their condescending remarks about lack of understanding, negativity, emotions rule logic and narrow issues, suggesting
A TRAGEDY was narrowly avoided after a car smashed through the front door of a house, just feet from where a father was feeding his three-week-old baby. Richard Simpson said he could not believe his eyes when he saw the white Seat Cordoba crash into the
A RULING is expected this week on the future of controversial plans to redevelop York's Barbican Centre. The fate of the multi-million pound scheme is hanging in the balance after a High Court judge reserved his judgement over the dispute which has delayed
THE North-East economy could strike gold if London wins the contest to stage the 2012 Olympics. Although most events will be held in the capital, Newcastle's St James' Park is one of eight stadiums across the country that will host football matches at
Darlington Building Society NYSD Division One: Marton retained pole position when they coasted to victory over Stokesley, who battled for 47 overs scoring 129 all out. Matthew Telling, Jack Conway and Dean Kirby, whose six overs yielded four wickets at
A scheme to renovate one of the North best-known seaside attractions is due to start this autumn. The work at Peasholm Park, Scarborough, will include rebuilding the landmark pagoda, destroyed by arsonists five years ago, upgrading gardens, building a
JOHN Shuttleworth has been described as "aural prozac". His comedy is an acquired taste, but for those of us who love to hear the banal musings and quirky songs of a middle-aged man (accompanied on a Yamaha keyboard), this is a comic creation up there
Little Stephen Carr faces a race against time for a double-transplant operation to save his life after being diagnosed with a rare disease. Doctors have just diagnosed the 22-month-old with primary hyperoxaluria, a life-threatening condition that affects
CRICKET chiefs are reflecting on the successful staging of only the second Test match to be played at Durham's Riverside ground at Chester-le-Street. The only downside was the early close of play, as England finished off the Bangladeshi second innings
THE first round of funding is to be released for a scheme to unite two North-East towns into a single city. Described by organisers as one of Europe's largest regeneration projects, the plan to combine Stockton and Middlesbrough into one city region was
SUNDERLAND chairman Bob Murray last night insisted that only Mick McCarthy could have steered the Black Cats out of the Premier League wilderness. Having spent just two seasons away from the top-flight, the Wearsiders are back among the elite in August
THE level of Tony Blair's involvement on the world stage has been the subject of impassioned debate over the years. Some applaud it, others suggest he should concentrate more on domestic issues. But as Mr Blair prepares for talks on Africa with international
A Scout group is prepared for its next adventure after receiving a cash boost. The 1st Great Lumley Scouts have been awarded £200 through the North Eastern and Cumbrian Co-op's Community Dividend scheme. The group has used the donation to buy new camping
PLANNERS are being urged to block an application to put up a 12-metre high mobile phone mast in a north Durham estate. Telecommunications company O2 wants to put the antennae in the middle of the Garden Farm Estate in Chester-le-Street. The proposal for
NEW ZEALAND international Adrian Webster will be fit when Darlington return for pre-season training at the end of the month. The 24-year-old earned his first international cap against Australia last Thursday, before limping off late on with a knee injury
Yorkshire Phoenix ran out of steam in the closing overs of a tightly contested totesport League game at Grace Road yesterday when they lost by seven wickets to Leicestershire Foxes with 17 balls still remaining. It was Yorkshire's second defeat in the
A MUCH-LOVED hotel cat who proved a big attraction at wedding ceremonies has finally been replaced. Sid, the black cat who lost his life on the busy A173 earlier this year, used to turn up unannounced whenever there was a wedding at 17th Century Pinchinthorpe
This week is National Carers' Week, when the focus is on the growing group of people who devote their lives to looking after sick family members... and get little support, money or thanks for it. Sharon Griffiths talks to three of them about how it affects
BOLTON Wanderers are on the verge of ending Laurent Robert's Newcastle United career by winning the race for the Frenchman's signature. The enigmatic Robert has agreed personal terms and is due at the Reebok Stadium today to undergo a medical after the
