Three Tyneside bands lifted the spirits on a dreary, wet evening in Darlington on Friday. Casualkai, The Silence Breaks and South Street gave powerful and energetic performances at the Forum to a large crowd, including homegrown fans from Tyneside and
RESIDENTS of a North-East village turned out in force to defend their community's reputation after it was labelled a "village of hate" in the national Press. A hundred people packed into the community centre at West Cornforth, in County Durham, yesterday
TWELVE days ago, Michael Owen discovered that nobody does anticipation quite like Newcastle. Fifteen thousand expectant fans flocked to St James' Park in a mass outpouring of hope and desire. On Saturday, the Magpies' supposed saviour discovered that,
NYRON Nosworthy believes Sunderland's Premiership learning curve is over, and the time has arrived to put some points on the board. A catalogue of individual blunders has punctuated the Black Cats' return to the big time leaving them rooted to the foot
BUSINESSES are being reminded to enter this year's Queen's Awards for Enterprise scheme. Several organisations have applied for details of the awards and, with the deadline for entries on October 31, officials are convinced there are more who can join
IT is telling that, when Wayne Rooney felt the need to lash out during the half-time interval of Wednesday night's calamitous World Cup qualifier in Northern Ireland, he did not seek out England boss Sven Goran Eriksson. Instead, he directed his ire at
THOUSANDS of North-East patients who suffer from tinnitus are being let down by the NHS, according to research. A study by the charity Deafness Research UK suggests that a large number of North-East people suffering from tinnitus are not getting the treatment
MICHAEL OWEN had pictured the scene. After pulling on the Newcastle United shirt for the first time he had imagined scoring the winning goal on his first appearance at St James' Park - but even he was left disappointed. The £16m club record buy was starved
MENUS from the past will be served up in a talk by archivist Jennifer Gill this month. The county archivist will talk about food featured in the archives at Durham City's Clayport Library at 2pm on Saturday, September 24. Ms Gill said: "Food is a necessity
A UNIQUE wheelchair race returned to the region yesterday with 18 racers speeding through the Tyne Tunnel. Tunnel 2K had a list of internationals, including 11 times paralympic gold medallist Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and Canadian paralympian and six times
AN afternoon of family fun is being held in the Northgate area of Darlington. The Northgate Community Partnership has arranged the event, on Wednesday, to bring residents together to find out what is available in their area. There will be a number of
A THIRTEEN-STRONG football squad has signed up as blood donors in support of a retired Methodist minister. The Reverend Brian Shackleton, from Sinnington, near Pickering, is not collecting money when he takes part in the Great North Run on Sunday, but
CINEMA is returning to a market town after a 44-year absence. Bedale has not had a permanent cinema since 1961 when shows finished on the top floor of the former town hall and assembly rooms. But thanks to a £6,500 grant from the York and North Yorkshire
A PROJECT aimed at ridding Darlington of litter has seen tonnes of rubbish cleared from streets and back lanes across the borough. Darlington Borough Council's 100-Day Grot Spot Campaign, launched in June, encouraged residents to call a hotline to report
MORE than 1,000 students have tapped into information to help them enjoy student life to the full. The Downloading Darlington event was staged at Darlington College of Technology for new students during the first week of term. Representatives from a host
PREPARATIONS for Darlington's 26th annual beer and music festival will take a step forward today, when the all-important casks of ale are rolled into town. They will be delivered to the Arts Centre, in Vane Terrace, by volunteer members of the Campaign
LEADING historian John Rushton, who was awarded an MBE this year, is to head a series of lectures. The Pickering branch of the Workers Educational Association, whose 220 members come from all parts of Ryedale, is hosting the event. Mr Rushton is researching
THE twin towns of Malton and Norton have been selected to pilot a Government project which is likely to play a key part in boosting their economic prospects. Town centre manager Peter Mudge said the news that Yorkshire Forward had identified the towns
A CAMPAIGN will be launched next week to remind people that littering and failing to clean up after their dog is an offence. Posters will go up with the slogan Don't Trash Richmondshire and a campaign bus will tour the district from Monday. Staff from
A TRADITIONAL ceremony dating back to the Middle Ages was performed in Richmond on Saturday. Mayor Stuart Parsons was dressed in full civic regalia as he led a procession from the town hall to Trinity Tower where the First Fruits ceremony was held. A
TWO brothers with a passion for running are preparing to realise the dream of a lifetime - to complete a marathon. To make the occasion all the more memorable, prison officer Phil Hannant, 40, and his brother, Bob, 59, a laboratory manager, are going
A DOOR-KNOCKING nuisance has been harassing pensioners during 18 months of early-morning torment. Targeting bungalows, the mystery caller bangs loudly on doors and windows three times before running off. Residents in Cotswold Drive, Skelton, east Cleveland
STOCKTON'S schools have been praised by the Government for improved test results among 14-year-olds. Schools in the area have increased results, since last year, by seven percentage points in English, three percentage points in maths and six percentage
A SCAM which conned householders into calling premium rate telephone numbers has been uncovered. Two companies from Manchester and Ireland were each fined £20,000 after a mail-out campaign told people they could win up to £75,000. Earlier this year, letters
HEALTHY hearts were the centre of attraction at a fun day yesterday with free health checks and activities. The Fathers and Families Healthy Heart Fun Day, at SureStart Abingdon and Abingdon Primary School, provided information for a better lifestyle.
YOUNGSTERS at a County Durham primary school have succeeded in creating a car-free zone outside the building. Children at Ludworth Primary School, near Durham, encouraged parents and carers to walk to and from school, resulting in a dramatic reduction
MORE money is being ploughed into a successful scheme to help businesses protect themselves against crime. Hartlepool Borough Council's grants committee has allocated £15,000 to support the Business Security Scheme in the current financial year. The money
THOUSANDS of people in multi-storey apartments will receive a guide on rights and responsibilities. The Gateshead Housing Company guide has been produced with the help of tenants in the borough. The guide contains information about the standards of service
England's former top policeman yesterday launched a vitriolic attack on ex-Home Secretary David Blunkett. In a book serialised in the News of the World, former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord Stevens described his difficult relationship with Mr
A 28-year-old woman died after a crash as she crossed the northbound carriageway of the A1 yesterday. A police spokesman said a Fiat Maria collided with the woman, and a Mazda 626 hit the central barrier, as it avoided the accident, just north of the
A THREE-MONTH public consultation begins today on plans to create a urology service covering County Durham, South Tyneside and Wearside. The service will deal with problems of the kidney, bladder and other related organs. If approved, inpatient treatment
League cricket in the North East was just about washed out on Saturday and by and large only those sides challenging for honours or fighting against relegation played. The entire Premier Division of the Darlington Building Society NYSD Premier League
Three Tyneside bands lifted the spirits on a dreary, wet evening in Darlington on Friday. Casualkai, The Silence Breaks and South Street gave powerful and energetic performances at the Forum to a large crowd, including homegrown fans from Tyneside and
Three Tyneside bands lifted the spirits on a dreary, wet evening in Darlington on Friday. Casualkai, The Silence Breaks and South Street gave powerful and energetic performances at the Forum to a large crowd, including homegrown fans from Tyneside and
FAMILIES were furious when a vagrant set up home in an abandoned car. The K-reg Rover found a new female owner, who moved in with all her belongings in plastic bags. Friends even brought her house-warming gifts of alcohol and food as she held an impromptu
BACKERS sweet on the prospects of Jellytot (2.40) may well have reason to celebrate come the climax the Redcar Racecourse Conference Nursery. Strictly on the book, Jellytot is well held by The Terrier to whom he could only finish fourth when the pair
ABOUT 70,000 children are skipping school every day in Britain and some of the worst truancy rates are here in the North-East, with little sign of improvement. It is a problem which contributes to anti-social behaviour and one which has to be tackled.
MARTIN Scott is never afraid to give youngsters an opportunity and his approach paid off on Saturday. But while Michael Maidens, David Foley and Steven Istead each make their mark and impressed at Bloomfield Road, it was one of Hartlepool United's elder
A UNIQUE wheelchair race returned to the region yesterday with 18 racers speeding through the Tyne Tunnel. Tunnel 2K had a list of internationals, including 11 times paralympic gold medallist Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and Canadian paralympian and six times
JORDAN and Peter Andre were not the only couple enjoying a fairytale wedding this weekend. Boutique owner Pennita Wilshire tied the knot with businessman Guy Brudenell, in North Yorkshire. But while the celebrity pair were kept hidden by a team of security
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren has hailed the footballing "arrogance" of new signing Fabio Rochemback, labelling his debut as "the best he's ever seen". The Brazilian was an instant hit with the Boro fans and his new manager in the 2-1 win over Arsenal
THE region's open countryside is under serious threat from developers and changes in farming, it was claimed yesterday. The warning was made by North-East and North Yorkshire members of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE). It came as the CPRE
ENGLAND'S cricketers were on the brink of one of the greatest sporting moments in the nation's history last night, thanks to some inspired bowling and some dreary English weather. After a dramatic morning in which eight Australian wickets tumbled, bad
A disappointing draw at Mansfield proved decisive in Darlington missing out on last season's play-offs. Many more results like Saturday's would once again destroy dreams of promotion. Already this season Quakers have needlessly thrown away points (when
CHILDREN should be let off their homework as a reward for going to school regularly, according to Government advice aimed at cutting truancy. Teachers have been told they should offer incentives to pupils to encourage good attendance. These could include
IF Steve McClaren could have picked a side to face at home following the embarrassing 3-0 Riverside defeat by Charlton last month, you could be assured Arsenal would come somewhere near the bottom of his list. Eight straight league defeats and the Boro
NORTH-EAST duo Graeme Storm and Kenneth Ferrie are rivals for the final place in Colin Montgomerie's Seve Trophy team to face the rest of Europe next week - but could be overlooked for Paul Casey's inclusion. All three were at the Linde German Masters
There are no signs of motorists panic-buying at petrol pumps ahead of planned refinery blockades, fuel retailers indicated today. Mark Bradshaw, head of Garagewatch, which represents 6,500 independent retailers in the UK, said forecourts had been "quite
A businessman was shot in the foot today when a robber attacked him and then stole a vehicle containing tools near Burnopfield, County Durham. The tools are valued at more than £30,000. The businessman, 37, was attacked when he arrived for work at a factory
A NUMBER of advertising hoardings around the St James' Park turf hammered home the message 'GOAL! From September 30'. It is not a prediction for the day Michael Owen will start to find the net for Newcastle United, just part of the launch campaign for
NORTH-EAST singer Chris Rea collapsed while preparing to take part in a 24-hour motorsport race. The Middlesbrough-born star needed treatment to fight a serious infection that flared up during a practice session at the Silverstone circuit, in Northamptonshire
Former teenage heart-throb Donny Osmond smiles, revealing those pearly-whites which sent young girls into a frenzy during his Puppy Love reign in the 1970s. The 47-year-old father-of-five is in the UK to promote his autobiography, Life Is Just What You
TWELVE days ago, Michael Owen discovered that nobody does anticipation quite like Newcastle. Fifteen thousand expectant fans flocked to St James' Park in a mass outpouring of hope and desire. On Saturday, the Magpies' supposed saviour discovered that,
Sunderland Nissan boss Wilf Constantine handed in his resignation after the 6-1 home drubbing by Newcastle Benfield - but was then persuaded to withdraw it. Nissan have won just twice this season, and Constantine temporarily decided that enough was enough
A POLICEMAN last night described the moment a man walked into a police station and handed over a plastic bag containing five sticks of dynamite as being like something out of a cartoon. But it was no laughing matter for PC Adam Winter, who recognised
David Hodgson remained uncharacteristically pragmatic in his assessment of Mansfield Town's controversial opener on Saturday - despite it appearing to be scored from an offside position. After a team-mate had blasted across goal Simon Brown stabbed home
England's defeat in Belfast in midweek gave a new lease of life to the footballing underdog and, with that victory firmly in mind, the Black Cats boarded their plane for the capital believing a change in fortune was about to swing their way after four
Last week the Institute for Public Policy Research published a report which has likely made Sir Andrew Green incandescent with rage. Sir Andrew is the head of Migration Watch, a right-wing think-tank hell bent upon arguing that immigrants are a no good
CUTLERY king George Hood has won the biggest title in spoon playing after the closest contest in memory. The 79-year-old former railwayman won the World Spoon Championship, held in a County Durham pub on Saturday, for the third successive year Mr Hood
IF Steve McClaren could have picked a side to face at home following the embarrassing 3-0 Riverside defeat by Charlton last month, you could be assured Arsenal would come somewhere near the bottom of his list. Eight straight league defeats and the Boro
PATIENTS have praised the care they get from doctors, nurses and other specialist mental health service staff, according to a survey published today. Nearly 400 service users at Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust took part in the national Mental
WHITE HORSE: I AGREE with all the comments made by R Wilson (HAS, Sept 7) about Darlington's White Horse development. Why should our elected councillors allow out-of-town developers to build eyesores outside our homes? The White Horse has been steadily
With Anthony McGrath still striding the stage like a Colossus, Yorkshire were robbed by bad weather of the Championship victory against Worcestershire which would almost certainly have clinched promotion. But they still hold on to third place in the table
CIVIC leaders are preparing to roll out the red carpet ahead of a town's first Royal visit for more than 100 years. Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, will be in Richmond, North Yorkshire, on Wednesday to help the town celebrate the
Operation Capone, a police effort to cut down on yob behaviour that caused many complaints in a rural area, was hailed yesterday as an outstanding success. Bad behaviour by young people was reduced by 66.66 per cent during the seven week project in Barnard
League cricket in the North East was just about washed out on Saturday and by and large only those sides challenging for honours or fighting against relegation played. The entire Premier Division of the Darlington Building Society NYSD Premier League
As part of The Northern Echo's Lifeblood campaign, which aims to encourage people to give blood, here are details of forthcoming donor sessions in the region. TODAY * Vane Tempest Social Club, New Drive, Seaham, 2.25pm-7pm * Community Centre, Linthorpe
THE Durham Dales hosted the world of agriculture at the weekend. In Weardale, Stanhope Agricultural Society held its 164th show over two days. The Royal Signals White Helmets Motorcycle Display Team and Stanhope Silver Band provided entertainment on Saturday
YOUNG families celebrated the success of their local SureStart centre with a party. Mothers, fathers, children and staff from the Wear Valley SureStart Busy Base Centre at Eldon, near Bishop Auckland, threw a party to celebrate the second birthday of
YOUNGSTERS and their parents are invited to join in weekly storytelling sessions starting today. Story Time at Crown Street Library will run from 9am until 11.30am every Monday until October 17 for pre-school children and their parents or guardians. It
AN appeal has been made for more volunteers to help North Yorkshire County Council's home library service. The service is provided by more than 200 volunteers in 25 schemes, who visit 700 people every fortnight - but more volunteers are needed to meet
PROFITS from a book written by a legendary striker are heading straight to charity. Hillstreet shopping centre is sponsoring the autobiography of ex-Middlesbrough football hero Bernie Slaven. Legend focuses on his career as the club's top scorer of the
PARISH councillors have joined gardeners in their fight to save a village's allotments. Middridge Parish Council is calling on Durham County Council -the owner of the allotments -to be flexible over the sale of the site, on the outskirts of Middridge,
GARDENERS have reached a legal milestone after a decade-long battle with councillors over their allotments. The occupiers of the Briarfields site, in Hartlepool, who were evicted two years ago, have emerged victorious after a report investigated the actions
A FAMILIAR face in the farming community is retiring after 30 years. Peter Edmonds, group secretary of the North Riding and Durham branch of the National Farmers' Union (NFU), began working in Northallerton in August 1975. In those days, his office consisted
JAMIE Oliver may have taken the twizzler out of turkey, but even he might have thought twice about getting the leopard out of the custard. The intriguing image will be unravelled when county archivist Jennifer Gill talks about food, in the archives at
YOUNG and old came together for the launch of a three-year crime strategy. Richmondshire Community Safety Partnership unveiled its 2005-2008 crime reduction strategy at Richmond's station building. Two further strategies, one for domestic abuse and one
A LIBRARY service based at Cherry Knowle Hospital, in Ryhope, Sunderland, has been opened. It will be used by all staff providing mental health services for patients across Sunderland, South Tyneside and Gateshead. The new service combines access to electronic
PATIENTS in a north Durham community have endorsed their primary care services and the quality of care by doctors and dentists, according to a survey by the Healthcare Commission. Most patients in Derwentside have confidence and trust in the person caring
A MAJOR fire control centre for the North-East will not be operational until 2008 at the earliest, The Northern Echo has learnt. The facility, which will handle 999 calls from across the region, is being built on Belmont Business Park, on the outskirts
DETAILED plans of a care village with hundreds of bungalows and flats for older people will be unveiled this week. Residents in Hartlepool are being offered the chance to view the proposal from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the council and health trusts
A FATHER-TO-BE has made it to the semi-finals of the Quitter of the Year awards. Russell Welsh, 36, from Hartlepool, used the news of his wife's pregnancy as his motivation to quit smoking. He has now beaten off competition from former smokers across
WHEN the gates of the steelworks at Consett swung closed for the final time, it brought an end to 140 years of production on the site. The giant 700-acre steelworks site is now being transformed from a reminder of economic decline to a symbol of future
As part of The Northern Echo's Lifeblood campaign, which aims to encourage people to give blood, here are details of forthcoming donor sessions in the region. TODAY * Vane Tempest Social Club, New Drive, Seaham, 2.25pm-7pm * Community Centre, Linthorpe
AN 18-year-old pedestrian was seriously hurt when he was involved in an accident with a car on an unlit country road at the weekend. Police said a Ford Mondeo was being driven east on the A181 at Byers Garth, east of Durham, when the accident took place
COUNCIL chiefs could face an investigation over their handling of a multi-million pound education project being pioneered in Darlington, it has emerged. The £35m Haughton education village will be the first scheme of its kind in the country. The 1,400
DETECTIVES investigating a distraction burglary are appealing for help to identify a man who stole money from a pensioner's home. At about 1.30pm last Wednesday, an elderly woman noticed a man standing at her back door in Helmington Row, near Crook. She
CUTLERY king George Hood has won the biggest title in spoon playing after the closest contest in memory. The 79-year-old former railwayman won the World Spoon Championship, held in a County Durham pub on Saturday, for the third successive year Mr Hood
FEARS of a season's struggle receded for Darlington Mowden Park as they won 16-14 at Tynedale, who needed a late try to get so close. The conversion attempt by Will Massey was well off target and he also missed a penalty after skipper and goal-kicker
At 12.28pm a quarter of a century ago today, production scheduler Tommy Moore tapped the last of the steel to be produced at the works in Consett. It marked the end of an era for the industrial north Durham town and the start of a new beginning. Consett
England ended 18 long years of failure by clinching their first Ashes series success since 1986-7 at The Oval today. Their draw ensured a 2-1 series triumph and ended Australia's years of dominance. Full coverage in The Northern Echo on Tuesday.
A teenage drink-driver was today warned that he faces custody after admitting killing two musicians in a crash on Tyneside. Joseph Scurfield, 46, and Keith Morris, 52, were killed when they were hit by a BMW car that mounted the pavement in Westgate Road
THE doors to hundreds of historic buildings were thrown open to the public over the weekend during Heritage Open Days 2005. Visitors were able to explore a courthouse, tour a prison and peer at Saxon relics in an ancient Norman church, as the attractions
A 47-year-old man had to undergo a four-hour, life-saving operation after being stabbed at his home in Billingham. Police said the attacker walked into the man's house in South View, Billingham, on Saturday night, stabbed him once in the stomach, then
A NORTH-EAST businessman wanted in Singapore on double murder charges will appear at the High Court of Australia tonight to fight his extradition. Michael McCrea, 48, is accused of killing his chauffeur and the driver's girlfriend in January 2002. He
NEW cameras have helped North-East police arrest ten times more criminals than normal beat officers. The Automatic Number Plate Recognition system can scan thousands of car registration numbers every minute. The devices, which sit at the side of the road
A POLICEMAN last night described the moment a man walked into a police station and handed over a plastic bag containing five sticks of dynamite as being like something out of a cartoon. But it was no laughing matter for PC Adam Winter, who recognised
MARTIN Scott is never afraid to give youngsters an opportunity and his approach paid off on Saturday. But while Michael Maidens, David Foley and Steven Istead each make their mark and impressed at Bloomfield Road, it was one of Hartlepool United's elder
A PATIENT who escaped from a secure ward in a new £20m North-East mental hospital said he did it to prove a point. Speaking to The Northern Echo last night, the 57-year-old man said he wanted to show how easy it was to escape from the Cedar ward at West
A disappointing draw at Mansfield proved decisive in Darlington missing out on last season's play-offs. Many more results like Saturday's would once again destroy dreams of promotion. Already this season Quakers have needlessly thrown away points (when
South London's murky weather conditions made another telling contribution towards ending England's long wait for Ashes success, inching the hosts towards their historic prize in the deciding Oval Test. Bad light restricted play to just 43.1 overs of the
LEADERS Cleadon SC left it late before clinching a 3-2 victory at Wolviston. Dean Moore was an early marksman for the home side but two goals in eight minutes by Kyle Gooden and Danny Efford turned the tables. Wolviston levelled through Paul Roberts and
SOME props wait 20 years for their first try, so even the prospect of having to buy a jug of beer couldn't wipe the smile off Dan Miller's face when he completed a hat-trick on Saturday. It said a lot about the efficiency of Darlington's driving maul,
A BRONZE bust of a North-East war hero was unveiled yesterday. The work depicting Captain Richard Annand, the first soldier to earn the Victoria Cross in the Second World War, was uncovered at the annual reunion of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI). The
MARK Tinkler believes Saturday's last-gasp win at Blackpool will prove a turning point in Hartlepool United's season. Pool have stuttered into gear this campaign and Saturday's victory was only their second of the season. But Tinkler, back in the side
Durham City manager Neil Hixon has been sacked after an embarrassing defeat at the weekend. Hixon's side lost 2-0 at home to Hebburn in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup and yesterday he paid the price. The manager labelled his players "a disgrace
The Great North Run, which takes place on Sunday, celebrates its 25th birthday this year, but a quarter of a century ago few could have predicted the hold it would have on the public imagination. Nick Morrison looks at the origins of the world's biggest
MICHAEL OWEN had pictured the scene. After pulling on the Newcastle United shirt for the first time he had imagined scoring the winning goal on his first appearance at St James' Park - but even he was left disappointed. The £16m club record buy was starved
THE first steps towards agreeing plans to develop a North harbour have been made. A report by senior officers at Scarborough Council said the scheme for Whitby, estimated to cost £2.7m, aims to increase the number of yachting berths and provide new facilities
DURHAM swept to the brink of a promotion double yesterday when Gordon Muchall's first one-day century steered them to a seven-wicket totesport League win against Yorkshire at Headingley. It would take enormous defeats in their two remaining games and
