FORMER Northern Ireland Secretary and North-East MP Mo Mowlam is gravely ill in hospital with only days to live, it emerged last night. Dr Mowlam previously suffered a brain tumour and her increasingly frail appearance in recent months prompted fresh
THORNY MANDATE (5.10) may well possess sufficient tactical speed to overcome a lousy wide draw and take the closing St Helens Handicap at Haydock. Although stall 16 is not ideal at the Midlands venue as the incumbent is forced to come all round the houses
MORE than six decades after she left her home on Teesside to join a religious order, Sister Lucy Stacco still finds endless joy in her life and calling. The sprightly 80-year-old shared her 60th jubilee with friends in Crook, County Durham, looking back
A MAN was last night being questioned by police after being arrested on suspicion of rape. Police are appealing for information after a young woman was attacked as she walked home. The woman, in her 20s, was returning from a friend's house in Wheatley
FOR almost 150 years the famous White Horse of Kilburn has proudly stood sentinel on the edge of the North York Moors. But the passage of time affects everything - and more recently the huge landmark by Sutton Bank has been looking more like an old grey
TWO old school friends who are on a charity drive to Outer Mongolia are being hampered by corrupt Russian police and border control confusion. James Hammond and Mark Swindells set off from London on Saturday for the 8,000-mile journey across Europe in
STEVE McCLAREN made a statement by naming Mark Viduka in Middlesbrough's starting line-up but it was Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres who looked the complete striker last night. Worryingly for Boro, with just nine days to go before the Premiership
BOSSES at a North-East football club have ordered their star players to visit the bar on every match day this season - to discuss their performances with supporters. Darlington FC has introduced a policy ensuring that fans will not only have each other's
In his first in-depth newspaper interview, Darlington Football Club chairman Stewart Davies yesterday told Stuart Mackintosh of his hopes for a prosperous new season - on and off the field - for the Quakers. FOR an astute businessman who freely admits
THE 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar draws ever closer in patriotic sights. More than anyone else in the North, Mike Dalton plans to push the boat out. For the 59-year-old guesthouse owner, every day is Trafalgar Day, its hero worshipped totally
HUNDREDS of pubs and clubs across the region face a race against time to apply for new drinks licences ahead of the August 6 deadline. At the same time, council staff are working to process a last-minute rush of applications - and in some cases will open
A MAJOR North-East festival is creating a stir among music fans across the country, the organisers say. More than 10,000 people, many from outside the region, are expected to attend the Stanley Blues Festival in County Durham on Saturday, which will be
THE lifeblood of a rich vein of horseracing history in the North-East has been revived following a multi-million pound restoration project. Over the past 15 months, Gibside Stables, at the National Trust property, near Rowlands Gill, Gateshead, has been
One summer about 15 years ago we found ourselves camping in a rather smart French seaside resort. It was hot, and there was quite a long walk to the popular beach, along a sandy path between pine-shaded holiday homes. Just before we reached the beach
Craig Hignett will put the disappointment of being overlooked by Darlington manager David Hodgson behind him when he flies out to Cyprus next week. Hignett last night spoke of his regret at the way in which his Quakers' career was cut short by Hodgson's
THE Rehearsal Chase, a traditional Cheltenham Gold Cup trial, has been switched from Chepstow to Newcastle on Saturday, November 26. The valuable £60,000 Grade One event also has a brand new sponsor, Reuben Page, the North of England's longest-established
TIME at the bar could mean just that for pub landlords facing a deadline of Saturday to convert their old-style justices licenses into new ones. The 2004 Licensing Act, which replaces the 1964 act, allowed licensees a six-month transition period from
A historic battery that helped to protect the North-East coast from the German Navy in the First World War has reached a major milestone in its restoration. The second of two massive guns was lifted back into place at Heugh Gun Battery on Hartlepool's
A DRIVER who broke her back in a car crash was able to summon enough strength to lift the vehicle and rescue her friend. Eight-and-a-half stone Kyla Smith, 23, lifted the wrecked car up just enough to allow Jonathon Connor to free himself. The pair had
IF ever there was a time for a public inquiry into allegations of Army bullying it is now. Video footage filmed by a soldier at the Army's School of Infantry, in Catterick, North Yorkshire, shows scenes of bullying of recruits who were hooded and forced
A BOOM in second home ownership is spreading to towns across the North-East, raising fears that first-time buyers will be priced out of the market. In North Yorkshire, where the number of first-time buyers is already in serious decline, the problemis
A FIRM of North-East bookmakers has re-branded its betting shops after nearly doubling turnover and staff numbers in the past two years. County Durham company Reuben Page launched as Pagebet yesterday and announced that it was sponsoring a new steeplechase
A MAN has gone on trial accused of smashing into his former girlfriend's house and beating her with a spade. Michael Wayne Sanderson says he was acting in self-defence when one of the young woman's friends attacked him during the late-night melee. But
A GROUP of MPs yesterday called for a North-East coroner to be sacked because of an alleged backlog of inquests. Latest figures show Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield has yet to complete 209 inquests, and 47 of them have been outstanding for six months
A SURVEY has revealed what drivers in the region have long known: the Great North Road makes people's blood boil. The A1 has been picked out as one of the country's highways from hell and one of the most loathed routes in Britain. The section between
HUNDREDS of pensioners in Darlington will no longer qualify for a scheme which gives them free taxi rides. For the past few years, those over the age of 60 have been given taxi vouchers by Darlington Borough Council. But from September, the £50 in taxi
HEALTH staff in Darlington have joined the growing lobby fighting to put an end to second-hand smoking. Three times more people die from the effects of passive smoking than are killed in industrial accidents. In a public health drive, Darlington Primary
A LANDLORD is to create a summer attractions information point after being inspired by several customers who came across "hidden treasures" in the region. Stuart Mann is providing the information in The Tawny Owl in Neasham Road, Darlington, because he
AN appeal is being made to parents to play their part in cutting the number of arson attacks which account for 80 per cent of a brigade's call-outs. Latest figures show hoax calls and vehicles deliberately set on fire in the Cleveland Fire Brigade area
A COMMUNITY safety group is enlisting the support of the police to educate people about off-road vehicles. The Eastbourne Community Safety Partnership discussed the issue at its monthly meeting at Maidendale House yesterday, though admitted the problem
TEENAGERS with special needs are helping to brighten life for residents of a Durham old people's home. Twenty-three youngsters who attend centres run by Durham County Council have been creating bird tables, boxes and feeders for Cheveley House in Belmont
CHILDREN and their parents can find out about activities on Teesside on the Internet. Activities aimed at eight to 13-year-olds, are now shown on the Stockton Events and Activities Listing, which was launched yesterday. Residents can find details of activities
A LOVING family and a lot of shared laughter have kept the magic alive in a marriage that has lasted 65 years. Bob and Agnes Ankers kept open house for their anniversary yesterday, welcoming friends and their large extended family to their home in Ravensworth
YOUNG boat-builders put their artistic talents to the test at a museum fun day yesterday. The Museum of Hartlepool entertained children throughout the day as part of its Monsters of the Deep exhibition, part of the Sea Britain celebrations. Throughout
A £5m project to transform a farmer's auction mart into a tourist attraction and training centre is expected to take a step forward next week. Bosses at Hawes Auction Mart, in Hawes, Wensleydale, have submitted plans to build a centre for training, exhibitions
JUDGES from Britain In Bloom will be in Durham City today as the city goes for gold in the national competition. A team from the Royal Horticultural Society will run the rule over the flower beds, displays and landscaping works, which it is hoped will
A NURSE has been nominated for a national award for her years of care and commitment to her patients. Community nurse Ann Oliver, who works at Durham University's Science Park, has been nominated for the Dettol Community Nurse of the Year award. Colleague
STAFF and residents celebrated a nursing home's tenth anniversary with a fancy dress party. Staff at Barrington Lodge Nursing Home, Bishop Auckland, swapped their uniforms to come to work dressed as characters from fairytales and books to celebrate the
STAFF and residents celebrated a nursing home's tenth anniversary with a fancy dress party. Staff at Barrington Lodge Nursing Home, Bishop Auckland, swapped their uniforms to come to work dressed as characters from fairytales and books to celebrate the
PEOPLE are invited to join in the fun at an action-packed family charity day that is being held in Durham to help two children's charities. The event will be at the Meadowfield Leisure Centre from noon on Sunday, organised by staff from Vodaphone shops
BUSINESSES which have lost thousands of pounds in profits due to massive road works outside their premises have been told they will not be compensated. The shops and restaurants along Church Road, at the junction with the Riverside, in Stockton, claimed
THE lifeblood of a rich vein of horseracing history in the North-East has been revived following a multi-million pound restoration project. Over the past 15 months, Gibside Stables, at the National Trust property, near Rowlands Gill, Gateshead, has been
A RURAL authority is looking into the possibility of moving into purpose-built offices. A review of Teesdale District Council's assets has said the council's offices at Teesdale House, Galgate, Barnard Castle, are unsuitable and has recommended moving
A RURAL authority is looking into the possibility of moving into purpose-built offices. A review of Teesdale District Council's assets has said the council's offices at Teesdale House, Galgate, Barnard Castle, are unsuitable and has recommended moving
DRAINS and dykes are to be cleared and £10,000 put towards renewing hedges, fences and stone walls swept away in floods. The work will be carried out by Ryedale District Council in the North Yorkshire Moors National Park villages of Hawnby, Snilesworth
A PAIR of long-serving care workers have been saluted by their employer after clocking up a total of 40 years service. Cleaner Maureen Golden and resident manager Olive Watson have each worked at the Burn Promenade sheltered housing scheme in Houghton-le-Spring
Pupils are giving up two weeks of their holidays to return to the classroom. More than 130 youngsters aged 11 to 16 are taking part in a summer school hosted by York University. It has been organised by the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth
CHERIE BLAIR: SOMEONE please tell me the Prime Minister's wife has been misquoted. To even dare to suggest that terrorists and suicide bombers have "human rights" is surely a dangerous statement. I would have thought that anybody who believes in mass
AN Asian family put on a plane to Pakistan, then transferred to a detention centre, has been allowed to return home to the North-East while their case is reviewed. Raheela Sajid and her children, Muhammad, 14, and Shahtaj, 11, have the support of the
OUR children know the number of ChildLine off by heart. There are posters advertising the children's helpline in the older boys' secondary school. It's even plastered over breakfast cereal boxes. "If you're feeling upset, have a problem or need advice
GRAEME Souness has spent the last fortnight desperately searching for a striker - on the evidence of last night's Intertoto Cup defeat to Deportivo La Coruna, he had better add a couple of defenders to his already lengthy shopping list. The start of the
A £27.8m office development with the potential to create up to 1,100 jobs has been completed. The Lighthouse View scheme, at Dawton Business Park, Seaham, comprises three separate office blocks, one of which is used as a call centre for the Department
STRIPPING away the burden of unnecessary regulations could boost British productivity by at least £10bn, according to Government findings. Cabinet Office Minister John Hutton and the Department of Trade and Industry Minister for Competitiveness Barry
THE decision to put the Bank of England in charge of setting interest rates was last night judged to have been successful by economists. As the Bank held its hundredth meeting after taking control of the base rate eight years ago, experts said the Monetary
THE way Middlesbrough Council interacts with the community has resulted in it becoming a Civic Pioneer. The scheme is a key part of the Government's drive for civic renewal by involving the community in the way that council services are delivered and
THORNY MANDATE (5.10) may well possess sufficient tactical speed to overcome a lousy wide draw and take the closing St Helens Handicap at Haydock. Although stall 16 is not ideal at the Midlands venue as the incumbent is forced to come all round the houses
POLICE are appealing for help in tracking down a conman involved in a theft at the home of an elderly woman. The man struck at about 4pm on Monday but details of the incident were only released yesterday. The conman approached the 84-year-old woman at
A TEENAGER who stabbed a man in the back as he lay helpless on the ground has been warned he is facing jail. Raymond Armour was attacked when he went to a house in Charles Street, Boldon Colliery, after a brick was thrown through a window into his living
EVERTON fan Alan Stubbs has described the torture of walking away from the club he has supported all his life - but wants to make sure his Merseyside contract troubles work to the benefit of new employers Sunderland. After rejecting a 12-month extension
IT only took a few seconds to reduce a slice of the region's industrial heritage to a pile of dust and rubble yesterday. More than 2,000 tons of concrete and metal crumpled into the earth at Eastgate, County Durham, where a 1960s cement plant could be
It is 60 years since the world entered the atomic age, with the dropping of a uranium bomb on Hiroshima. But debate still rages over whether it was justified. Nick Morrison reports. AS he watched the flash turn from brilliant white to orange, and the
LONDON SHOOTING: THE death of Jean Charles de Menezes was tragic. I'm so sorry a young man died, but I have to say the police have been fantastic, whatever Peter Troy thinks (HAS, Aug 1). They worked hard to find out who those cowardly bombers were. If
Michael Vaughan emerged unscathed from his Ashes injury scare and backed his under-fire England team to bounce back strongly in the second Test against Australia at Edgbaston. The England captain provided the perfect fillip for the England dressing room
A MERCY ship that is to take vital health care to people living in the Amazon jungle has arrived in the North-East. The Amazon Hope 2, captained by County Durham man Peter Hall, has anchored in Hartlepool Marina as part of a UK tour before leaving next
TWO Women's Institute members are in training for a charity bike ride around Cuba. Marion St Quinton and Rita Cloughton get up at 6am most days for an eight or nine-hour cycle. The pair, from Bainbridge, in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, will head out
Will I Still Love My Mum? (C4) How To Start Your Own Country (BBC2) TEN-year-olds' Hannah and Kayley's lives are in their hands. They must make a life-or-death decision whether to have a transplant operation. Is it right to ask a ten-year-old sick child
The son of a missing murder victim has begged his family to continue their quest to bring his lifelong anguish to an end. The 18-year-old told of his heartache after a search for his mother Laura May Al Shatanawi drew a blank. Detectives received a fresh
PEOPLE are being urged to get in trim for two running events on Teesside. Hartlepool Borough Council's sports development team is joining with Hartlepool Burn Road Harriers to organise activities for families. A family fun run of just over one mile will
FOREST rangers are inviting people to trek to the top of a hill dubbed Cleveland's Matterhorn. The summit of Roseberry Topping is the destination for a free family walk, setting out from Pinchinthorpe Visitor Centre in Guisborough Forest. It is the final
CHILDREN from a Darlington estate enjoyed a fun day at their local community centre. Skerne Park youngsters enjoyed a climbing wall, henna tattooing, nail art, motorcycling, crafts and other sports. A healthy barbecue and fruit meal was also provided
A MAN, who fell 70ft from the window of a block of flats remained in a critical condition in Sunderland Royal Hospital last night. The 30-year-old was badly hurt when he plunged from the sixth- storey window of the 13-storey D'Arcy Court block, in Hendon
A £7m community "hub" is to open, housing a range of services. The former highways depot in Stokesley has been transformed under a partnership agreement between North Yorkshire County Council, Hambleton District Council and the Broadacres Housing Association
A SOLDIER who has gone into hiding after allegations he was attacked by senior non-commissioned officers claimed last night bullying was routine at Britain's biggest Army base. Lee McDonald spoke out after the release of a video showing the apparent abuse
A LOVING family and a lot of shared laughter have kept the magic alive in a marriage that has lasted 65 years. Bob and Agnes Ankers kept open house for their anniversary yesterday, welcoming friends and their large extended family to their home in Ravensworth
VOLUNTEERS are to take to the road to add voices to a group shaping aspects of Wear Valley's future. A customer panel bus starts a four-day mission next week to reach all of the district's communities. On board will be panel members who are aiming to
VOLUNTEERS are to take to the road to add voices to a group shaping aspects of Wear Valley's future. A customer panel bus starts a four-day mission next week to reach all of the district's communities. On board will be panel members who are aiming to
A BUS company has promised that changes to its service will not disrupt people's journeys in the area. Arriva has been criticised for the changes by residents in West Cornforth, who say that the new timetable makes travelling to and from Spennymoor difficult
A BUS company has promised that changes to its service will not disrupt people's journeys in the area. Arriva has been criticised for the changes by residents in West Cornforth, who say that the new timetable makes travelling to and from Spennymoor difficult
A MAN who attacked his social worker and a police employee after putting hospital staff and patients in fear for their safety faces a prison sentence. Harrogate magistrates heard yesterday how Jonathan Fieldhouse's behaviour last Sunday and Monday, during
DURHAM City Council and Durham University are joining forces to sell land they own in the heart of the city. The city council is looking to dispose of the swimming baths site at the back of Old Elvet once the city's new pool is built on land at Durham
A nature reserve will be the venue for a meditation and positive thinking workshop next month. Martial arts and yoga teacher Phillip Strand will hold the health and self-development workshop at Foxglove Covert Nature Reserve, Catterick Garrison, on September
TWO charity stalwarts in Teesdale have been honoured with a visit to a royal garden party. Brenda Thwaites, from Cotherstone, and Maureen Bainbridge, from Baldersdale, were invited to attend the Royal Garden Party at Holyrood Palace, in Edinburgh, at
TWO charity stalwarts in Teesdale have been honoured with a visit to a royal garden party. Brenda Thwaites, from Cotherstone, and Maureen Bainbridge, from Baldersdale, were invited to attend the Royal Garden Party at Holyrood Palace, in Edinburgh, at
THE late Queen Mother had close links with Gibside and used to visit the estate with her father in the early 1900s when it was no longer occupied by the family and the buildings had started to deteriorate. The family would have picnics outside the banqueting
A DRIVER who broke her back in a car crash was able to summon enough strength to lift the vehicle and rescue her friend. Eight-and-a-half stone Kyla Smith, 23, lifted the wrecked car up just enough to allow Jonathon Connor to free himself. The pair had
SEXUAL health clinics aimed at young people in Derwentside have been opened. The Derwentside Centre for Young People, based at the YMCA in Parliament Street, Consett, has opened two sexual health and chlamydia screening clinics. Since the centre was opened
TWO Women's Institute members are in training for a charity bike ride around Cuba. Marion St Quinton and Rita Cloughton get up at 6am most days for an eight or nine-hour cycle. The pair, from Bainbridge, in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, will head out
FORMER Northern Ireland Secretary and North-East MP Mo Mowlam is gravely ill in hospital with only days to live, it emerged last night. Dr Mowlam previously suffered a brain tumour and her increasingly frail appearance in recent months prompted fresh
A LOVING family and a lot of shared laughter have kept the magic alive in a marriage that has lasted 65 years. Bob and Agnes Ankers kept open house for their anniversary yesterday, welcoming friends and their large extended family to their home in Ravensworth
A £7m community "hub" is about to come online, housing a range of services. The former highways depot in Stokesley has been transformed under a partnership agreement between North Yorkshire County Council, Hambleton District Council and the Broadacres
CRAIG Hignett will put the disappointment of being overlooked by Darlington manager David Hodgson behind him when he flies out to Cyprus next week. Hignett last night spoke of his regret at the way in which his Quakers career was cut short by Hodgson's
GRAEME Souness admitted he needed four top-class additions if last night's Intertoto Cup defeat to Deportivo La Coruna was not to prove representative of Newcastle's season. The Magpies, who edged into an aggregate lead at one stage, crashed out of European
A DRUNKEN teenager has been ordered to keep clear of a North-East town centre after causing months of misery for shopkeepers and residents. Jamie Waters was a member of a gang of vagrant alcoholics who regularly used the heart of Middlesbrough's shopping
CHRIS Llewellyn is hoping for a more sedate outing at Victoria Park on Saturday than his last League One encounter at his new home. Hartlepool United's new recruit has already witnessed the best and worst of his new club. As a Wrexham player last season
FESTIVAL cricket - what's it all about? That was the question on the front of the brochure for the 100th Southend Festival. Perhaps they ought to visit Scarborough in three weeks to find the answer because bringing this festival to a soulless new venue
THE 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar draws ever closer in patriotic sights. More than anyone else in the North, Mike Dalton plans to push the boat out. For the 59-year-old guesthouse owner, every day is Trafalgar Day, its hero worshipped totally
DISABLED pensioner Jack Smiles fought a mugger who grabbed him when he was on his motorised scooter. The 77-year-old was unloading shopping in his back yard when the robber pounced and snatched his savings. Mr Smiles had been to the Lloyds TSB bank when
housebuilder Bellway said it expected to deliver record full-year results this year, in line with market expectations. In a trading update, Newcastle-based Bellway said completions on homes were a record at more than 7,000 - six per cent up on last year
POLICE investigating the disappearance of a former miner three years ago have concluded a search of a former pit site - without finding any clues. Edward Donnelly was 53 when he vanished from his home in Fynway, Sacriston, County Durham, on March 25,
A POLICE force is carrying out a drink-driving blitz to cut road deaths this summer. Teesside has a problem with a hardcore of drink drivers and Inspector Eric Robinson, head of Cleveland Police's road policing unit, is concerned boozy barbecues on long
CHERIE BLAIR: SOMEONE please tell me the Prime Minister's wife has been misquoted. To even dare to suggest that terrorists and suicide bombers have "human rights" is surely a dangerous statement. I would have thought that anybody who believes in mass
