A CAMPAIGN has been launched to fight a relief road that could be built through attractive countryside on the fringes of Durham city centre. Save Our Valley for the City hopes residents and visitors will lend their support and help it to defeat the northern
SIX school meal general assistants have completed a training course. The trainee assistant cooks trained for five months in a number of kitchens in Sunderland and Washington. They work for the City of Sunderland school meals provider, Onecall, and the
TEAMS are wanted for a charity golf day in aid of a children's hospice. Proceeds from the event at Bedale Golf Club, in North Yorkshire, on Monday, September 19, will go to Butterwick Children's Hospice, in Stockton. Hospice fundraiser Nicola Fewell said
Satley WI: The monthly meeting of Satley WI was held in the parish hall on Monday, July 11. Mrs Plews presided and 18 members attended. The guest speaker was Miss Watson, who talked about Victorian jewellery. Her slides allowed members to see the beauty
POLICE are to increase patrols along the rivers of Darlington amid growing concerns that children are risking their lives by going swimming. The announcement comes after police and Darlington-based Countryside Crime Watch first warned about the dangers
A CITY said a tearful farewell to its adopted warship this week. The crew of HMS Invincible, above, paraded through the streets of Durham City on Monday to mark a 25-year affiliation between the two. After a service in the Cathedral, the crew and ship's
SPRINTING sensation Mecca's Mate stands on the brink of her biggest career success to date in this afternoon's Group 3 Audi Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. The rags-to-riches story of the North Yorkhire-based speedster almost defies belief seeing as David
Armed police are patrolling train North-East stations and Durham Tees Valley airport in response to heightened security across the UK. Durham Police said it had armed officers at Durham and Darlington railway stations as well as Durham Tees Valley Airport
AS caretaker Linda Gregory shut the gates to Rise Carr Primary School for the final time last Friday, she and other staff struggled to hold back the tears. When Darlington Borough Council announced plans in January to close the school because of falling
WHEN we were greeted by a bunch of children brandishing SOP banners, I wondered just how much fun this show would be for our two reviewers - Jack, five, and an experienced theatre-goer, and his three-year-old friend Luc, who was on his first trip to a
Yorkshire set Derbyshire the daunting task of scoring 421 to avoid the follow-on in the Championship match at Headingley and their bottom-of-the-table opponents were struggling at the close on 247 for seven, still 174 runs away from safety. Now Yorkshire
A FORMER patient who led a high-profile campaign to get a disgraced gynaecologist struck off has been invited to help the NHS put its house in order. Sheila Wright-Hogeland, from near Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, was the prime mover behind a well-organised
A FLOTILLA of Tall Ships will glide from the mouth of the River Tyne this morning as they bid farewell to the North-East. An estimated one million visitors have flocked to the Newcastle-Gateshead quaysides to see the stunning ships since they arrived
SPRINTING sensation Mecca's Mate stands on the brink of her biggest career success to date in this afternoon's Group 3 Audi Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. The rags-to-riches story of the North Yorkhire-based speedster almost defies belief seeing as David
THE Northern Echo's former sports editor, Nick Helliwell, has died aged 59. Mr Helliwell, who used to live in Darlington, worked on the sports pages in the early 1990s. He left the paper to work in Barrow-in-Furness, South Cumbria. He later moved to London
HARTLEPOOL has the most abortions in the North-East after a 12.5 per cent rise in terminations last year. There were 314 abortions last year, compared to 279 the previous year, giving the town an abortion rate of 18 per 1,000 women. It put Hartlepool
A MUCH-delayed inquest into the death of a young woman three years ago after a routine operation will take place in the autumn. Elaine Basham, from Loftus, east Cleveland, was 33 when surgery to remove her tonsils ended in tragedy, in November 2001. A
TWO men who were arrested under the Terrorism Act as they travelled on a North-East train were released without charge last night. The pair had been on an East Coast Main Line service to King's Cross when they were detained at Grantham railway station
Knight of the theatre Alan Ayckbourn is currently the toast of New York and Scarborough. He talks to Viv Hardwick about the 50th anniversary of the Stephen Joseph Theatre and why his 70th play won't be seen until next year. AT a time when many are destined
Jobs are being created at a power station in the region after British Energy reported a return to profit thanks to higher energy prices following January's financial restructuring. Twenty-one posts will be created at Hartlepool power station during the
SUNDERLAND conceded the Raich Carter Trophy at Hull last night and, after watching yet another disappointing display in front of goal, boss Mick McCarthy must be wishing he had someone with the attacking instincts of one of the club's favourite sons.
FORGOTTEN SOLDIERS: RE: the article the 'Forgotten soldiers of Egypt' (HAS, July 18). I know myself, along with others, their feeling about being forgotten. I served in Palestine from 1946 to 1948, a campaign against terrorists which, over the years,
The Strange Case Of Sherlock Holmes And Arthur Conan Doyle (BBC2); Stepkids: Don't Ruin My Big Day (C4): READERS didn't take the news of Sherlock Holmes's death well. The creator of the Baker Street detective, Arthur Conan Doyle, was threatened, insulted
A TOWN is to have a brighter Christmas after the council received £10,000 for decorative lights. Project Genesis, which is developing the former steelworks sites, has donated the cash to Derwentside District Council for lights in Consett. It was presented
CONSTRUCTION group MMP have been given £30,000 towards their appeal to help survivors of the Boxing Day tsunami disaster. A donation from builders' merchants Jewson took the total raised by the Newton Aycliffe company to more than £132,000. MMP staff
INVESTMENT in UK ports is being damaged by moves to open services to competition, MPs have been told. A European directive could force the owners of ports to allow other companies to operate services, such as cargo unloading. PD Ports, which operates
A NORTH-EAST man has won a national title in ultimate fighting, less that two years after taking up the sport. Michael Holmes, 23, of Spennymoor, County Durham, travelled to Swansea to compete for the House of Power UK title and returned with the champion's
THE scale of the terrorist threat facing Britain was revealed last night as police questioned a suspected would-be suicide bomber captured in a dramatic armed raid by police and MI5. Yasin Hassan Omar, a 24-year-old Somalian, was felled with a Taser stun
THE scale of the terrorist threat facing Britain was revealed last night as police questioned a suspected would-be suicide bomber captured in a dramatic armed raid by police and MI5. Yasin Hassan Omar, a 24-year-old Somalian, was felled with a Taser stun
SKATERS will be able to take to the ice when a synthetic rink comes to Durham. Catering firm boss Lesley Jones has hired a 405sq metre rink for four weeks that will be set up at The Sands, from Friday, August 5. The city has been without an ice rink for
SUPERMARKET chain Morrisons said yesterday that it had been encouraged by recent trading after sales showed a five per cent improvement. The group, which has been beset with problems following the acquisition of Safeway, said it was on track to have all
MIDDLESBROUGH misfit Massimo Maccarone will be left in limbo this weekend after being axed from the squad that will travel to Portugal for a four-team tournament on the Algarve. The 25-year-old has been told to return to England after a much-mooted move
A BRAVE young girl was the VIP guest for the day at a high street store's reopening. Leukaemia sufferer Chloe Latcham, who is preparing for bone marrow surgery, cut the ribbon to mark the completion of a refurbishment of the Durham City branch of Woolworths
FOR hundreds of years, the skyline of Durham has been dominated by its famed castle and cathedral. But future visitors may be greeted with a new first sight of the city -a huge steel bowl on the horizon. The 50ft diameter Sky Bowl, dubbed the Wok of the
Next Easter will see revelations about Jesus and Judas Iscariot which could have huge ramifications for the history of western civilisation. Or so goes the gospel according to Dr Glen Reynolds... SO close to this office that it should provide waitress
Belmont WI: THE outing to Pickering and The Wolds Way Lavender Farm on July 9 was most enjoyable. Unfortunately, the August outing to South Shields had to be cancelled. Jean Morgan read the report prepared by delegate Joan Barton, of Spennymoor West WI
Move over Gene Wilder, the public awaits Johnny Depp as the Willie Wonka of the 21st Centrury. He talks to Steve Pratt with director Tim Burton as the pair explain how they moved on from darkly comic adult movies to put Roald Dahl's classic novel back
HEARTBROKEN parents told how a suicide bomber tore their lives apart on a family holiday to Turkey - killing their 'beautiful, bubbly' daughter. And Sharon Holden spoke of the 'mother's instinct' that convinced her something had happened to her 21-year-old
THE North-East is to become the centre of a new UK stroke research network. The decision to choose Newcastle University to lead the network means that North-East patients should be among the first in the country to get access to pioneering drugs. The
POLICE are warning people in Teesdale to be vigilant after a spate of shed burglaries. The warning comes after Barnard Castle School's groundsman's shed was broken into over the weekend. The burglars stole tools and several items of gardening equipment
TWENTY-five classic cars will be the stars of village's annual fair. The Classic Rover Sports Car Rally has organised its tea stop to coincide with Romaldkirk parish fair, in Teesdale, on Saturday, August 20. The fair, on the village green, will include
A SHARP-eyed seven-year-old is the toast of a town's traders after winning a family outing. Corrina Farthing was one of the youngest entrants in a competition organised by Bishop Auckland Town Centre Forum for their 1940s celebrations. She correctly spotted
A COUNCIL has promised to provide a shower for a pensioner who has had to stand in a plastic bowl to wash for the last six months. Arthritis sufferer Stan Robinson, 78, has not been able to use the bath in his council bungalow in Wheatbottom, Crook, since
COUNTY Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority has been rated as a "fair'' organisation in the first Audit Commission assessment of the service. The finding was published yesterday, following the commission's Comprehensive Performance Assessment
VOLUNTEERS who have been campaigning to save a town's swimming pool have called it a day. The Friends of Shildon Swimming Pool have voted to disband because they have not been able to find the funding for repairs that would safeguard the pool's future
A MAN was remanded in custody yesterday after threatening to blow up a bus just days after the London bombings. Ian McCready made the threat to police only eight days after the London blasts which killed 56 people, including 13 passengers on a bus. McCready
A FLOTILLA of Tall Ships will glide from the mouth of the River Tyne this morning as they bid farewell to the North-East. An estimated one million visitors have flocked to the Newcastle-Gateshead quaysides to see the stunning ships since they arrived
A NORTH-EAST support group for people affected by asbestos-related illnesses has been launched. The Tyne and Wear Asbestos Support Group (TWASG) aims to provide information, advice and support to potential claimants. Asbestos has killed, and is continuing
A BISHOP Auckland youngster has won a national competition after designing a new mascot for British Gas. Ten-year-old Hayley Bradley, of Escombe Road, beat entries from across the country with her blue cartoon character, Gassy. She won £2,000 in computer
STUDENTS at a school have been honoured for their achievements in classwork, sport and music. Sir Kenneth Calman, the former national Chief Medical Officer and vice-chancellor of Durham University, presented the prizes at Barnard Castle School's speech
THE first turf was dug yesterday at the start of a £40m scheme to revamp a housing estate. Ray Wallace Thompson, an architect who worked on the original Hardwick estate, Stockton, in the 1950s, was asked back to cut the earth for the first new home at
FRESH plans have been submitted for a new medical centre in a North Yorkshire village. A planning application for the two-storey building in Scorton has been submitted to Richmondshire District Council. The development, in High Row, Scorton, would include
As Londoners come to terms with the aftermath of the July 7 bombings and with living with the fear of what may be to come, Northern Echo columnist Peter Mullen, who lives in the capital, explains what life is like in the city and how the 'Blitz' spirit
A CIRCUS boss has defended concerns from an animal rights organisation about the way its animals are kept. Peter Jolly's Circus, which is visiting Barnard Castle, County Durham, this week has been criticised by the Captive Animals' Protection Society
BIKERS have rallied round and raised £200 for the Cleveland Search and Rescue Team. Members of the Border Wings, the regional group of the Goldwing Owners' Club, are the guests at this weekend's 12th annual Engine and Vehicle Rally, in the grounds of
HOME Secretary Charles Clarke has been widely criticised for flying out of Britain despite the country being at the centre of terrorist attacks. Critics say it shows a bad example that the man responsible for law and order doesn't stay behind during the
MORE than half of Darlington's licensees have yet to apply for a new licence to trade. Pubs, clubs and off-licences have just a few days left to apply for a new licence under the Licensing Act 2004. Licensees have until August 6 to apply to Darlington
DURHAM Constabulary has chosen a major seaside event to launch a campaign to double its Specials in the area. A recruitment drive for ten new special constables will get underway at Seaham's annual carnival on Sunday. Durham Constabulary was the first
A COUPLE from Consett met family and friends for a party at their home yesterday to celebrate 65 years of married life. George Cowell, 92, and his wife, Muriel, 90, of The Avenue, met at Blackpool when they stayed next door to each other at a boarding
WHILE Darlington await a decision from Dutch target Shelton Martis, manager David Hodgson has warned the club will not be held to ransom by the defender's representatives. Martis has returned to Holland to consider a one-year deal offered by Quakers after
A WASTE collection and disposal company based in Newton Aycliffe has won a national award. Automotive Waste Solutions (AWS), of St Cuthbert's Way, secured the Motor Trader Environment award at a ceremony at London's Grosvenor House Hotel. The awards have
YOUNG Cameron Steel kept his cool when his mum collapsed and had a fit after a hair dryer gave her an electric shock. The four-year-old calmly went upstairs to alert his dad, who was in the bath, and also called next door to summon help from a neighbour
A COUPLE who met at a popular South West Durham night spot have celebrated 60 happy years of marriage. Wilf and Ida Watson were inundated with visitors to their home in Langmere, Spennymoor, who came to wish them well on their diamond wedding anniversary
DURHAM yesterday announced that wicketkeeper Andrew Pratt has been released at the age of 30. He made his debut in 1997 and played 62 first-class matches, scoring 1,974 runs at an average of 21.69, with a top score of 93 against Gloucestershire at Riverside
A SERVICE for people with alcohol and drug problems in North Durham has been hailed a success by health chiefs. The Claypath Project has helped more than 158 people - 110 for substance use and 48 for alcohol problems - since it was launched in December
THE first stage of preparation work to make Darlington a pedestrian town centre is nearing completion, with the creation of a new lane for buses on the inner ring road. Extensive work, costing £400,000, has been carried out in St Cuthbert's Way to create
NORTHUMBRIA Alfresco is staging a free children's concert featuring opera singers Graeme Danby and Valerie Reid and folk musician Johnny Handle. The event will be at 11am on Saturday at Durham County Cricket Club, Chester-le-Street. Admission is free.
AN investigation was under way last night into claims a pupil was made to continue with a games lesson - despite later being found to have a broken leg. The mother of 11-year-old Anick Sharma has alleged that her son was not given treatment after sustaining
THE village cricket club where England star Paul Collingwood learned his craft has been recognised for excellence in coaching youngsters. Shotley Bridge Cricket Club, near Consett, has joined the elite of amateur clubs by earning a coveted Sport England
A HANDFUL of lucky people will get a glimpse behind the four famous faces of a Darlington landmark. There will be 32 places available on tours of the town clock, as the monument opens for one day later this year. It is the sixth year that the clock has
A CIRCUS boss has defended concerns from an animal rights organisation about the way its animals are kept. Peter Jolly's Circus, which is visiting Barnard Castle, County Durham, this week has been criticised by the Captive Animals' Protection Society
STAFF shortages have forced the temporary closure of a hospital ward. A ward at South Moor Hospital in Craghead, near Stanley, will be closed for three months from the end of July. Health bosses say the closure will affect a small number of patients.
A SHARP-EYED seven-year-old is the toast of a town's traders after winning a family outing. Corrina Farthing was one of the youngest entrants in a competition organised by Bishop Auckland Town Centre Forum for its Forties celebrations. She correctly spotted
SIR Bobby Robson launched his autobiography in his native North-East yesterday. The former Newcastle United manager signed copies for fans at Tesco Extra, in Kingston Park, and WH Smith, in the MetroCentre. Farewell But Not Goodbye traces the story of
A MAN has been banned from keeping animals for life after leaving his pet dog to suffer an horrific skin disease. The German shepherd dog had to be put down after the infection, which started out as dermatitis, eventually ate away at its flesh, leaving
THE head of the Prison Service in the North-East has promised 'a complete overhaul' of the running of Durham Prison in the wake of figures that show it has one of the worst suicide rates in the country. Recently-appointed regional manager Niall Clifford
A couple who were getting a little too over attentive with each other got more than they bargained for when an outraged mother decided to cool things down. Susan Gill, of Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, dampened their enthusiasm when she turned the garden hose
A couple whose £5,740 loan ballooned to £384,000 and was threatening financial ruin until it was cancelled by a judge have fought off an attempt by the loan company to enforce the debt. The Court of Appeal in London dismissed a challenge by London North
The Strange Case Of Sherlock Holmes And Arthur Conan Doyle (BBC2) Stepkids: Don't Ruin My Big Day (C4) READERS didn't take the news of Sherlock Holmes's death well. The creator of the Baker Street detective, Arthur Conan Doyle, was threatened, insulted
A man accused of raping a woman as she slept yesterday walked free from court after he was cleared by a jury. Steven Mason, 28, was found not guilty of raping the 34-year-old woman by the jury of six men and six women at Teesside Crown Court which took
TRESPASSERS and vandals who endanger lives by messing around on railway lines will have nowhere to hide this summer - as the police launch a crackdown. Rail bosses hope by stepping up uniformed and plain-clothes patrols, they will catch and prosecute
A MAN was remanded in custody yesterday after threatening to blow up a bus just days after the London bombings. Ian McCready made the threat to police only eight days after the London blasts which killed 56 people, including 13 passengers on a bus. McCready
AN exhibition of photographs from the first seven years of the Stanley Blues Festival is being held in the town's Lamplight Arts Centre. With this year's event a week away, about 60 pictures of performers and crowds from the 1993 to 2000 festivals went
A MAN alleged to have crept into woman's home and raped her as she slept, believed she was "up for it", a court was told. Steven George Mason denies raping the 34-year-old who is said to have initially thought that, in the dark, the man having sex with
COMMUNITY campaigners are battling to honour their war dead by restoring the figure of a soldier to a village monument. Supporters of the Save Our Soldier appeal in Coundon and Leeholme need to raise thousands of pounds to rebuild the life-size concrete
As the 60th anniversary of the final victory of the Second World War approaches, former combat veterans in the North-East are embarking on trips to battlefields across the world. To mark the event, communities across the region are marking the end of
NATURALLY, I was as delighted as anyone else when Britain won the race to stage the 2012 Olympics. What an honour to host the world's greatest event. Fantastic. Triumphant. Inspirational. But then Jack, 11, hit me with a comment as painful as a well-aimed
Plain speaking: THE Community Plan brochure from the City of Durham is vague, abstract, boring and pompous! It's full of expressions like 'economic driver', 'inward investment' and 'regeneration initiatives'. They've had three 'visions' and even more
Jobs are being created at a power station in the region after British Energy reported a return to profit thanks to higher energy prices following January's financial restructuring. Twenty-one posts will be created at Hartlepool power station during the
SUNDERLAND Football Club has joined a regional travel operator to launch a service for supporters. Black Cats Travel has been set up to offer holidays specifically for Sunderland fans, with all profits going to the club. Hays Travel, which is the region's
Shooting estates in the region are predicting a poor grouse season this year as an infestation of worms threatens much of the country's population. The resurgence of the deadly worm has meant many shoots across northern England and Scotland will be cancelled
NORTH-EAST travellers will soon be able to fly directly from the region to the Big Apple with the world's largest airline, it has been revealed. Newcastle International Airport announced yesterday that American Airlines is to operate a new daily scheduled
THE business behind The Computer Shop and the Tiny and Time brands went into administration yesterday, with the loss of 1,500 jobs. Granville Technology Group, Britain's largest computer manufacturer, closed its 78 outlets, including those at Teesside
EXTRA police patrols are being drafted into a town centre to curb lager louts. Cleveland Police say they are targeting drunken troublemakers in Middlesbrough town centre, which is already covered by a three-month dispersal order. The order gives police
VOLUNTEERS who have been campaigning to save a town's swimming pool have decided to call it a day. The Friends of Shildon Swimming Pool have voted to disband because they have not been able to find the funding for much-needed repairs that would safeguard
UK DVD/VIDEO RENTAL: 1 (1) Constantine 2 (-) Hide And Seek 3 (2) Hitch 4 (-) Are We There Yet? 5 (3) Miss Congeniality 2 6 (5) Hostage 7 (4) Magic Roundabout 8 (6) Million Dollar Baby 9 (7) The Life Aquatic 10 (8) The Machinist Published: 28/05/2005
Northern Rock has announced it is likely to build a major new £60m office complex which could create up to 2,500 jobs in the North-East. The bank, which publishes record interim results today, says it is at an advanced stage of negotiation to move into
CONSERVATIONISTS say money is being squandered on road projects - after new figures revealed that costs for scores of schemes have soared. The planned upgrade of the Great North Road to motorway status, in North Yorkshire, is one of many where the bills
It was the final concert of the summer - Haydn's Creation, sung in a hilltop church on an evening of low cloud and rain. It should have been one of those magical warm evenings when the dusky foliage on the trees seems almost luminous and the scent of
A POIGNANT drama about the First World War is being staged at a North theatre this week. Richmond Amateur Dramatic Society is performing Oh! What a Lovely War at the Georgian Theatre Royal, in Richmond, North Yorkshire. The play combines popular songs
MPs have called for sweeping changes to the royal accounts - and urged Chancellor Gordon Brown to explain why the Queen and the Prince of Wales get big tax breaks. The demands are made in the first-ever inquiry into Prince Charles' £505m Duchy of Cornwall
A MAN in his 50s has been handed an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) after a dispute with his neighbours spiralled out of control. Trevor Davidson is now banned from rifling through neighbours' bins, spitting at people, deliberately blocking the road
A RETIRED firefighter is hoping to find old photographs of a Barnard Castle shop. Dennis Barker, of Woodside, in the town, is looking for pictures of the old Lipton's tea shop, in Horsemarket. The building, which is next to the Witham Hall, now houses
COUNTY Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority has been rated as a "fair'' organisation in the first Audit Commission assessment of the service. The finding was published yesterday, following the commission's Comprehensive Performance Assessment
PEOPLE across County Durham are being reminded of the non-emergency police telephone number. Cards are being sent to 300,000 homes with the number - 0845 6060365 - which was introduced for routine calls in April as part of a shake-up in the force's communications
COUNTY Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority has been rated as a "fair'' organisation in the first Audit Commission assessment of the service. The finding was published yesterday, following the commission's Comprehensive Performance Assessment
STAFF shortages have forced the temporary closure of a hospital ward. A ward at South Moor Hospital, in Craghead, near Stanley, County Durham, will close for three months from Sunday. Health bosses said the closure would affect a small number of patients
FORMER Newcastle University student Philip Bernays has become the new chief executive of the city's Theatre Royal. The death of the venue's popular boss, 58-year-old Peter Sarah, in April, sparked a nationwide hunt for a suitable replacement. Now the
PARISH councils have joined to help in the fight to save a village school. Parish council representatives from Hurworth, Middleton St George, Bishopton, Neasham and Low Dinsdale, Low Coniscliffe and Merrybent, Heighington and Whessoe met to discuss the
FLORAL experts were in Darlington on Tuesday to judge the town's blooms. Judges for the annual Northumbria in Bloom contest toured the town and met community groups. Among the places they visited were South Park, North Lodge Park and Stanhope Park, the
A MAN has been fined after admitting he fitted a gas boiler while not being Corgi-registered. William John Wood, from Pine Ridge, Sedgefield, appeared before Bishop Auckland Magistrates' Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to the charge brought by the
SUNDERLAND Football Club has joined a regional travel operator to launch a service for supporters. Black Cats Travel has been set up to offer holidays specifically for Sunderland fans, with all profits going to the club. Hays Travel, which is the region's
COMMUTERS are being warned to expect disruption next week when work gets under way to replace a 90-year-old water pipe. The 10in water main, which runs through the Elvet area of Durham City, is being replaced with an 11in main following a series of floods
PLANS to build houses behind a Teesdale working men's club have been recommended for refusal. Cockfield Working Men's Club has applied to Teesdale District Council to build homes at the back of the club. However, planning officers at Teesdale District
DURHAM City Council has been inundated with applications from young people for nine apprenticeships it is offering. The council took on its first apprentices three years ago, in a bid to ease a skills shortage in an areas such as plumbing. It recruited
A GROUP of people with learning disabilities have celebrated completing an education and training course. The 21 people received certificates for completing courses offered by the Teesside Region Open College Network. They were able to choose from 11
THE current chairman of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority has been re-elected to serve for a second year. Craven District Council leader Carl Lis received unanimous backing from members at a meeting on Tuesday. He and Jerry Pearlman, who has
NORTH Yorkshire Police has appointed a new deputy chief constable. Ian McPherson will succeed Roger Baker, who recently left to become chief constable of Essex Constabulary. Mr McPherson, currently an assistant chief constable with Merseyside Police,
HIGH ROW: DARLINGTON'S High Row can yet be saved from destruction by the vandals on the borough council. Officers have not listened to the expressed views of the public and are seeking to wipe away over 100 years of history at a stroke. As George Flynn
NORTH Yorkshire's fire and rescue service managers have been praised by independent inspectors. North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority has been rated as 'good' in the first Audit Commission assessment of how well the service is being run. The authority
THE driver of a Toyota Avensis escaped injury after the vehicle left the road and landed in a ditch. The accident took place on the A66 westbound, near the Gilling West turn-off, yesterday morning.
POLICE are investigating a graffiti campaign accusing councillors of corruption. The claims about a number of councillors have been daubed on road bridges across east Cleveland and repeated in leaflets put over road signs. Redcar and Cleveland Borough
NATURALLY, I was as delighted as anyone else when Britain won the race to stage the 2012 Olympics. What an honour to host the world's greatest event. Fantastic. Triumphant. Inspirational. But then Jack, 11, hit me with a comment as painful as a well-aimed
A SCHEME for nine new homes on a site in Masham - four of them affordable - caused a split vote by planning councillors. Three members of an area planning committee of Harrogate Borough Council voted in favour of the project at Sunnyside in Red Lane while
A SCHOOL could be among the first in the region to have a wind turbine to boost education and the environment. The plans at Branksome Comprehensive School, in Darlington, could lead to part of the school being run on electricity produced by the wind turbine
A SPECIAL constable who spends up to 35 hours a week on the beat has used his rare moments of spare time to become a black belt in judo. Raffi Aghanian, 49, is part of the neighbourhood policing team in Scarborough and is a common sight on patrol in the
FOUR council workers have been honoured for showing dedication to their jobs. The Richmondshire District Council employees have received an Excellence in Performance Award. Grounds maintenance officers Tom Henry and Graham Staveley won praise for their
A MEDIA project run by asylum seekers and refugees is aiming to tell the true stories behind immigration. Organised through a teaching centre in Stockton, the project has resulted in language students producing an online radio programme. As part of the
FREE workshops to encourage young people to discover ancient crafts will be held in the grounds of Kirkleatham Museum, at Redcar. Museum worker Steve Thurston has organised dem-onstrations, including bronze axe casting, iron smelting, flint-knapping,
A COUPLE from the North-East have only one present on their wedding list -a £2,000 borehole. David Taylor, 52, and fiancee Heather Fraser, 46, will marry next month, and have asked guests not to bother with the usual toasters and dinner services. Instead
THE first stage of preparation work to make Darlington a pedestrian town centre is nearing completion, with the creation of a new lane for buses on the inner ring road. Work, costing £400,000, has been carried out in St Cuthbert's Way to create a dedicated
A BUSINESS has given a splash of colour to a roundabout. Lingfield Point will sponsor the roundabout at the junction of Yarm Road and McMullen Road, in Darlington, and it has been designed to reflect the business park's image. Estate manager Eddie Humphries
SIR Bobby Robson launched his autobiography in his native North-East yesterday. The former Newcastle United manager signed copies for fans at Tesco Extra, in Kingston Park, and WH Smith, in the MetroCentre. Farewell But Not Goodbye traces the story of
DARLINGTON FC will become one of the first clubs in the country to introduce a random bag search policy, following the bomb hoax that sparked the evacuation of thousands of fans. The friendly match between Darlington and Middlesbrough, at the Quakers'
SCHOOL grounds have been transformed into an outdoor classroom. A national survey has found such projects increase pupils' concentration and interest. The £7,000 project carried out at St Paulinus Roman Catholic Primary School, Guisborough, part of a
Viv Hardwick talks to Stockton International Riveside Festival artistic director Frank Wilson about why the borough's 18th event is the best so far. THE UK's biggest and best annual street arts festival at Stockton is either good or occasionally exceptional
SOAPLAND has witnessed a some pretty strange weddings but the forthcoming marriage of Sharon and Dennis in EastEnders (BBC1) promises a very disturbing sight. The appearance of the bride's father should prove very interesting because they'll have to raise
A HOSPITAL that has lost services to its NHS neighbours could have an extra role as a private treatment centre. Bishop Auckland General Hospital is a potential site for a new privately-run centre. It could mean patients from County Durham and Teesside
