AS the country celebrates England's Ashes victory, there's an opportunity to soak up more cricketing magic at an event in the North-East. Henry "Blowers" Blofeld, the doyen of cricket commentators and familiar voice of Test Match Special, brings his show
CONCERNS are growing for a woman who has been missing from home for more than a week. Carol Aldworth was last seen on Wednesday, September 7. She had been shopping before being dropped off at her home in Pennine View, Tow Law, County Durham. She then
AN MP has pledged to farmers that she will do all she can to break supermarkets' monopoly on food prices. Bishop Auckland MP Helen Goodman spent yesterday touring farms in Teesdale and speaking to farmers about their concerns and issues facing the countryside
CONCERNS are growing for a woman who has been missing from home for more than a week. Carol Aldworth was last seen on Wednesday, September 7. She had been shopping before being dropped off at her home in Pennine View, Tow Law, County Durham. She then
A WOMAN celebrated the birthday that doctors had feared she would not reach by raising money for the two hospitals that saved her life. Five years ago, Lyn Hornsby, of Kirk Merrington, near Spennymoor, was given two years to live when a blood clot was
SUPPORTERS of a charitable fund will celebrate a decade of support for a county's good causes. The County Durham Foundation has handed out almost £10m to community groups and other worthy recipients, since its formation in 1995. Launched to distribute
NATIONAL Health Service boss Sir Nigel Crisp was in east Durham yesterday to open a 24-hour walk-in healthcare centre. The NHS chief executive was at the Urgent Care Centre of Peterlee Community Hospital. The centre, which is run by Easington Primary
TWO rowers from north Durham will tonight be presented with sports achievements awards. Chester-le-Street District Council chairman Councillor Allen Turner will make the awards to Victoria Bryant and Steven Thompson. He will also present a £150 cheque
SO what can you get for a pound these days? Not much. About half a Marks & Sparks sandwich, or a cup of tea. Even the Big Issue costs more than a quid now. But you'd be surprised. With just a few pounds in our pocket we went out to see what we could
DRIVERS are being reminded that changes to Darlington town centre traffic system come into effect on Sunday. Most bus stops will be revised and on-street parking for blue badge holders will also change as work begins on the borough council's £6.5m pedestrianisation
A businessman who travelled the world using a fake passport was jailed for a year yesterday. Newcastle Crown Court heard yesterday that George McCormack, 51, had ornate jewellery from Asia copied in Columbia and sold it on in South America and Europe.
FIREFIGHTERS yesterday tackled a fire at a house earmarked for demolition. The house is among 1,500 that Middlesbrough Council plans to demolish in the Gresham area as part of a town centre regeneration scheme. Two appliances attended the fire, in Gresham
A hospital consultant who was racially discriminated against by her employers and then sacked has won £1.6m compensation, it was announced last night Dr Feyi Awotona was awarded the money by an employment tribunal after fighting a six-year legal fight
VANDALS are unscrewing play equipment in a children's recreation area - and putting lives at risk. Earlier this week, vandals tampered with a see-saw and a revolving pyramid called the Witch's Hat at the Holgate Moor doorstep green, in Firthmoor, Darlington
CHANGES to the design of 120 houses and flats on a former sports ground have been submitted. George Wimpey wants to change the type, layout and design of some homes and build eight more at the former Cleveland Bridge sports and social club, Yarm Road,
THE discovery of a man's body under a JCB on a disused farm is being investigated. Police and firefighters were called to Combe Bank Farm, Boosbeck, near Guisborough, on Tuesday, just before 10pm, where they found the body of a 32-year-old man trapped
STEVE McClaren last night criticised Middlesbrough's stay-away fans after a crowd of less than 15,000 watched his side kick-off their European campaign with a 2-0 win over Greek minnows Xanthi. George Boateng and Mark Viduka fired Boro to the verge of
ANTI-YOB UNIT: I AM writing to you in utter disbelief that the Darlington anti-yob unit is being disbanded because it is doing such a good job (Echo, Sept 10). It has reduced youth disorder by 40 per cent and has been a great success, but because local
EIGHT years after Lee Clark last had a starting role for Newcastle United, the gritty local hero looks set to play an important role in the club's Sunday reunion with Craig Bellamy, writes Paul Fraser. Newcastle boss Graeme Souness is having to reshuffle
VETERAN motorcycles are being dusted down and wheeled out for an annual test of endurance on rural routes around the North-East. Sunday's 34th Beamish Trophy Trial will see a cavalcade of vintage and classic motorcycles, and associated vehicles, attempting
High street sales failed to bounce back last month as supermarkets suffered a sharp reversal of fortunes, official figures showed. The Office for National Statistics said retail sales were flat last month after a pick-up in spending on general merchandise
When people suggest that Prince Harry has had a "privileged" upbringing, I wonder if they know the meaning of the word. He has undoubtedly been brought up in the lap of luxury, with the best education that money can buy. But he has also seen his parents
DELIVERY group TNT is to open a £4.5m call centre in the region, creating 200 jobs. Its Express Services operation will begin recruiting later this year when it opens the centre at Maingate House, Team Valley, near Gateshead. The announcement comes only
Horizon: The Hawking Paradox (BBC2) Risking It All (C4) STEPHEN Hawking has become "a bye-word for genius" and is "one of the most famous scientists in the world". But has the author of A Brief History Of Time been barking up the wrong scientific tree
LIVING for the moment is the modern way, but it would be good to think that a fair percentage of those people drawn to cheer our sporting heroes on open-top bus rides could see some long-lasting significance in such parades. The benefits of England winning
A MAN has been placed on the sex offenders' register for five years for taking pictures of a woman in a pub toilet. Alex Grainger, of Oakmoor Close, Darlington, followed the woman to the toilet in a pub in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, on May 5. Darlington
AS the annual Welcome to Walking Week gets under way this weekend, more routes across the North-East are being opened up to walkers with the support of the Government's agri-environment schemes. Organised by the Ramblers' Association, the week is the
It started as a way to meet friends and learn about embroidery and cake-making, but today's Women's Institute members are more likely to be belly dancing and zipping down aerial wires. Women's Editor Lindsay Jennings reports as the WI celebrates its 90th
MICK McCarthy last night offered his backing to Kelvin Davis and insisted Sunderland's under-fire goalkeeper would not be fazed by last weekend's Stamford Bridge shocker. Davis was widely criticised in the wake of last Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Chelsea
A SCHIZOPHRENIC has been ordered to be detained in a hospital indefinitely after he indecently assaulted a nurse. John Thompson locked the woman in his home and demanded sex, then attacked her when she refused. Teesside Crown Court heard that the 27-year-old
THE Government minister in charge of public health came face to face with the North-East's pioneering gym-on-wheels for the first time yesterday. Caroline Flint, who met ten-year-olds from Bishop Auckland on the WOW (Wellness On Wheels) gym, said: "It
A DARLINGTON man has been made the subject of a court order after pleading guilty to assaulting his wife. Keith Cooper, of Cartmell Terrace, is starting an 18-month community rehabilitation order, which will include an awareness course on domestic violence
PLANS to extend licensing hours at a cricket club have provoked objections from people living nearby. Northallerton Cricket Club in Farndale Avenue, Romanby, has applied to serve alcohol and play music from 11am to 1am every day. The club's existing licence
HARTLEPOOL will be going Greek today when students exhibit their summer project. Forty-three year nine and ten students from Hartlepool's six secondary schools have spent three months studying aspects of Greek culture. The students, aged 14 and 15, have
MIDDLESBROUGH Primary Care Trust (PCT) has arranged a Question Time-style public debate about smoking in enclosed public places. The panel is made up of Peter Kelly, director of health improvement and public health at the PCT, Middlesbrough Mayor Ray
WALKING in North Yorkshire's countryside is being made easier as a result of extensive work by a county council's service. The authority's envirionment and heritage scrutiny committee was told by the countryside service's John Edwards that, since it was
THE Ashes will be at the start of Sunday's 25th Great North Run to inspire the record 50,000 runners taking part in the famous half-marathon. And Durham all-rounder Paul Collingwood, part of the winning Ashes side, will start the race. The tiny urn, which
TWO charities have benefited from a campaign to encourage people in Hartlepool to pay their council tax by direct debit. Officers from Hartlepool Borough Council pledged to donate £5 to the nominated charities for every new direct debit arrangement set
A CRUCIAL strike from Mark Viduka saved Middlesbrough after they had gone AWOL for the second half against a midfielder renowned for his vanishing acts from the Riverside Stadium. With seven minutes remaining of last night's UEFA Cup first round tie with
A CRUCIAL strike from Mark Viduka saved Middlesbrough after they had gone AWOL for the second half against a midfielder renowned for his vanishing acts from the Riverside Stadium. With seven minutes remaining of last night's UEFA Cup first round tie with
A CRACKDOWN on crime in north Durham has targeted drug dealers, drunks and disorderly yobs. Police arrested 15 people on suspicion of drug offences, most of them for supplying, as part of a three-week campaign during the summer holidays. An extra 14 officers
VOLUNTEERS are being sought to help rehabilitate young offenders in North Yorkshire. Local people are needed to train as community panel members for the county's youth offending team. Most young offenders, appearing in youth court for the first time and
WORK is about to start on a major £5.1m rural business centre and auction mart in the heart of North Yorkshire. Thirsk Rural Business Centre will include 12 business and light industrial units, as well as the relocated mart, and should be completed by
Throughout the North-East, Patient and Public Involvement forums are making waves in the NHS, as Barry Nelson finds out. WHEN North-East teenagers were asked how their local health centre could be improved, the NHS questioners didn't get the answer they
IT was clearly too much to expect - that the standards of behaviour and sportsmanship displayed by the cricketers of England and Australia might rub off on the world of football. Those cricketing standards had been a feature of the summer. Despite one
A CHARITY shop manager described her dismay at discovering that thieves had stolen a set of collectible ornaments - the latest in a spate of thefts. Anne Northwood, of Barnardo's, in Middle Street, Consett, said: "It is so upsetting. "The thieves distracted
A MAN who pulled down a woman's trousers and punched her between the legs has been jailed. Paul Dawson, who had a history of alleged similar sex attacks, will go on the sex offenders' register for ten years. Teesside Crown Court was told the attack left
Yorkshire's mind will be firmly fixed on promotion at Derby today when they begin their Frizzell County Championship game against bottom-of-the-table, Derbyshire. Captain Craig White last night called upon his team to make every effort to secure the victory
A TROUBLE hit estate is to be bulldozed and rebuilt in a multi-million pound bid to give it a fresh start. The Burnmoor Close and Blayberry Close area of Redcar has been plagued with a declining housing stock and serious anti-social behaviour over the
A MASSIVE angel's head sculpture was installed today, making it the latest addition to the growing collection of public artwork at the Team Valley in Gateshead. The three-metre high sculpture named Golden Angel, was carved by Emily Young and is at UK
THE family of a young mother who died in mysterious circumstances following a routine operation has been given £200,000 compensation. Mother-of-two Nicola Pinnegar was 20 when she died after surgery last June. The asthmatic woman had a simple operation
Mitochondrial myopathy, a rare and disabling condition, is in the news for the first time because of research by North-East scientists. Health Editor Barry Nelson meets someone who lives with this life-changing genetic illness. JULIA Lofthouse was falling
AN MP has pledged to farmers that she will do all she can to break supermarkets' monopoly on food prices. Bishop Auckland MP Helen Goodman spent yesterday touring farms in Teesdale and speaking to farmers about their concerns and issues facing the countryside
MOVING TO LINUX by Marcel Gagne. Publisher: Addison-Wesley. Price: £28.99.: I'M writing this review on a laptop. It runs Windows and the first time it booted I returned a few minutes later to find that it had crashed. I pressed the Alt-Ctrl-Del combination
SENIOR figures at a North-East university have insisted that world-class stem cell research will continue in the region, despite a key scientist leaving the team. It follows confirmation that internationally renowned scientists Professor Miodrag Stojkovic
A MAN was beaten with a home-made mace as he waited to pick up his five-year-old son from a primary school. Parents and children watched in horror as the 30-year-old was battered about the head and body as he sat in his car. The man suffered a broken
TWO teenagers who firebombed a mosque, a Chinese takeaway and a pizza shop in a series of racially-motivated attacks have been jailed. Matthew Howells, 19, and 16-year-old Roy Fisher targeted the premises in Darlington using petrol bombs during an arson
THE beer lovers' bible was officially unveiled yesterday, as one of the region's most popular festivals got under way. Rhythm 'n' Brews, the 26th annual Darlington beer and musical festival, runs until Sunday. A range of real ales will be available at
SUPPORTERS of a charitable fund will celebrate a decade of support for a county's good causes. The County Durham Foundation has handed out almost £10m to community groups and other worthy recipients, since its formation in 1995. Launched to distribute
A GROUP of young people have taken their first steps towards a military career. The teenagers, who have just completed their GCSEs, signed on at Bishop Auckland's Armed Forces Careers Office. They will enjoy a host of different careers from the Royal
A POPULAR dales agricultural show takes place tomorrow with a large number of exhibitors and attractions. The 130th Eggleston Show will take place at Streatlam Farm, near Barnard Castle. As well as the traditional agricultural show classes, a large number
A DISQUALIFIED driver got behind the wheel of his friend's car after drinking, a court was told. Paul McGregor, 45, of Cloverdale, Whinfield, Darlington, was given a four-month suspended sentence and banned from driving for five years after he admitted
SCHOOLCHILDREN are being encouraged to become more active - and use a new footpath and cycleway linking two neighbouring villages. The path, between Hurworth and Neasham, near Darlington, was funded by Darlington Borough Council, Castlebeck Care - which
A FATHER-OF-TWO blamed his vasectomy for sparking a high-speed police chase, a court heard. Karl Wappat, 37, drove his partner's car despite being disqualified and having no insurance. He drove at 70mph in a 30mph zone during a four-mile chase through
A REIGNING European karate champion has put his feet on the ground to open a new martial arts shop. Alan Craig, who has set up Craig Style Martial Art Supplies with former pupil and business partner Paul Hannah, said it would be the first store in the
COUNCILLORS will get a language lesson when they turn up for up for a committee meeting later this month. The agenda for Durham County Council's overview and scrutiny committee on Monday, September 26, will be written in Italian - accompanied by an English
THE North-East Assembly has appointed a chief executive. It announced yesterday that Jo Boaden, director of the Bridging NewcastleGateshead project, will take up the role early next year. Assembly chairman Alex Watson said the high-profile position was
A SCHOOL has piped aboard a special visitor - the captain of County Durham's adopted warship. Captain Jerry Stanford and Commander Jeremy Rigby, of the amphibious assault ship HMS Bulwark, paid a short visit to the county - the last before Capt Stanford
IT remained unclear last night whether regional development agency One NorthEast would be able to help struggling shipbuilder Swan Hunter. The development agency and Swan's owner, Jaap Kroese, said crisis talks held yesterday about the future of the Wallsend
THREE teenagers have spoken of their distress after they discovered their chickens had been slaughtered. Brothers Anthony, 16, and Lee Campbell, 15, and friend Jason Bryan, 13, made the discovery when they went to feed their hens at Howden-le-Wear Allotments
A NINE-YEAR-OLD girl received hospital treatment for a cut to her head after someone threw a stone at her while she was playing with friends. The girl was playing with a friend on a footpath behind Bell Stores, Oakfield, Newton Aycliffe, on Wednesday,
A TEESDALE roofing firm has resubmitted plans to build a new factory. Planners have recommend approval is granted for the proposed unit for CA Group at Evenwood Industrial Estate. A similar application for a 93 metre by 36 metre building was approved
DURHAM'S Gary Pratt desperately wants to get his career back on track after being inspired by his involvement with the England team. But he still isn't certain of his future with Durham, saying: "I'm involved in contract talks at the moment." He is out
A TRAINING company has announced plans to increase its turnover five-fold and create 50 jobs. Talent Training, at the Team Valley, Gateshead, provides a range of training packages for clients across the country. It expects to see turnover rise from £1m
THE owner of DIY chain B&Q has reacted to falling UK sales by announcing plans to close 22 stores and downsize another 16. In the toughest market conditions it has seen in years, Kingfisher said the changes were part of an action plan that last week
ILLEGAL fly-tipping costs North-East council taxpayers a staggering £6.3m a year to clean up, new figures have revealed. There were 81,882 incidents - 224 every day - of rubbish dumped in streets, lanes, parks and wasteland in the financial year that
NO-FRILLS supermarket chain Netto opened a £3m store in Stockton yesterday. The 10,000sq ft Maritime Road outlet will replace the former Netto store at Chandlers Wharf, in Bridge Road, and create an additional five jobs to the 17 that have transferred
A EUROPEAN directive that could have reduced investment in UK ports has been rejected by a committee. It could also have forced port owners to hand assets to competitors within only ten or 15 years. That would have made port owners unlikely to make major
MOVING TO LINUX by Marcel Gagne. Publisher: Addison-Wesley. Price: £28.99. I'M writing this review on a laptop. It runs Windows and the first time it booted I returned a few minutes later to find that it had crashed. I pressed the Alt-Ctrl-Del combination
A SPEED trap that was put out of action in an arson attack will be back in place on a notorious North-East road within a month. Police last night revealed that the mobile Gatso camera will return to the A66 linking Teesside with Darlington over the next
MORE than one hundred jobs could be axed in the North-East under cost-cutting plans for the official body in charge of promoting learning and skills in England. Union officials last night said the job cuts - among 1,300 nationwide - will lead to the closure
STEEL BLUE (2.30) must enter calculations for the Ayr Silver Cup in view of the fact that both he and Richard Whitaker's stable have made a welcome return to form in recent weeks. With a maximum 28 runners facing the starter for the six-furlong cavalry
IN his pre-match press conference prior to last night's UEFA Cup first-round clash with Xanthi, Steve McClaren spoke at length about just how much European qualification had meant to Middlesbrough's players at the end of last season. It is a shame the
A TEAM of scientists has been awarded almost £500,000 to establish a centre to monitor gases in the atmosphere. Chemists Dr Lucy Carpenter and Dr Alastair Lewis, of York University, are getting £487,070 from the National Environment Research Council to
POLICE have said they are still baffled by the disappearance of teenager Jenny Nicholl. It is now 12 weeks since the 19-year-old was last seen by her parents at her home in Richmond, North Yorkshire. Despite searches of countryside, door-to-door enquiries
THE Ashes will be at the start of Sunday's 25th Great North Run to inspire the record 50,000 runners taking part in the famous half-marathon. And Durham all-rounder Paul Collingwood, part of the winning Ashes side, will start the race. The tiny urn, which
VOLUNTEERS are needed to survey and clean up the region's beaches this weekend. The effort is part of an annual effort to tackle more than 350 beaches nationwide and is supported by the Prince of Wales, who is president of the Marine Conservation Society
A MOTORIST was killed early today when his car ploughed into a bridge, flipped over and rolled into a ditch. The man, who has yet to be named, was at the wheel of a black Hyundai coupe and was certified dead at the scene. The accident happened on the
THE region's biggest dog show starts today at a new venue. About 9,000 dogs have been entered for Darlington Dog Show Society's Championship Show. The three-day event runs until Sunday at Newby Hall, near Ripon, North Yorkshire. The location was changed
A SCHOOLGIRL whose mother abandoned her to start a new life abroad said last night it was the best thing that has ever happened to her. Fifteen-year-old Laura Wilthew was shocked when she returned home one day in July to find her mother, Elaine Walker
JACK Wilkinson could top a memorable week with a place in the Hartlepool United squad tomorrow. Pool meet table-topping Swansea at Victoria Park, still seeking their first win at home after two League One draws and two defeats this season. Wilkinson this
PAUL Collingwood is confident his Durham teammate Steve Harmison will go to Pakistan this winter and hopes to be on the plane with him. Now resting at home in Ashington, Harmison faces a hectic time next month as he and Andrew Flintoff are in the Rest
SPORTS pundit Jeff Stelling visited his hometown of Hartlepool to mark a major milestone in the refurbishment of hundreds of former council homes. The Sky Sports anchorman visited the Rift House neighbourhood where he grew up to hand over the 500th modernised
PEOPLE are being invited to hear how well their local hospitals are doing when health chiefs hold their annual meeting. The County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals Trust will meet on Wednesday, September 28, at 9am, at Chester-le-Street Community
PUPILS from two schools with differing environments have joined together to create their own music and dance production. Middlesbrough's North Ormesby Primary and St Paulinus RC Primary, in Guisborough, are taking part in a year-long National Trust scheme
MEASURES to combat an increase in drink-related violence on Teesside are to be stepped up to stop it spiralling out of control. Cleveland Police have warned there will be no let-up in their determination to counter the rise in violent incidents. Following
QUARTERS at a college for students with learning disabilities have been opened. The Bungalow, at Connections Campus, in Redcar, is the new home to a vocational and essential life skills course for young adults. It will teach students how to live independently
LIVING for the moment is the modern way, but it would be good to think that a fair percentage of those people drawn to cheer our sporting heroes on open-top bus rides could see some long-lasting significance in such parades. The benefits of England winning
LIFE looked grim for a German Shepherd puppy who was found tied to a lamp post and tormented by youths with fireworks. But young Jake has come through his traumatic early life and has emerged as a fully-fledged police dog with Northumbria Police. Jake
DEDICATED policing teams have been set up in two areas of Hartlepool as part of a community safety initiative. Each team is made up of a police officer and a police community support officer (PCSO). One team is assigned to work in Rift House and the other
Organisers of the Richmondshire Concerts have announced the line-up for six performances. The season of concerts starts with a performance by Cleveland Chamber Orchestra at the Zetland Centre, Richmond, on Saturday, September 24. The second concert, on
WORK on a traffic calming scheme to stop drivers from speeding past a primary school will get under way next month following a year-long campaign by parents. A 20mph limit, two speed cushions and two speed tables will be installed in Thirsk Road, outside
SO what can you get for a pound these days? Not much. About half a Marks & Sparks sandwich, or a cup of tea. Even the Big Issue costs more than a quid now. But you'd be surprised. With just a few pounds in our pocket we went out to see what we could
CONSETT STEELWORKS: YOUR retrospective on the closure of the Consett steelworks (Echo, Sept 12) says: "It was deemed to be a 'lame duck' industry and, following an acrimonious national strike that year (1980), the steelmen of Consett campaigned to save
