MIDDLE-AGED people can reduce their risk of developing dementia and Alzhei-mer's later in life by remaining physically active, according to a study. Researchers found people who exercised at least twice a week in sessions lasting 20 minutes reduced their
BUDGET airline Ryanair yesterday said it remained on track to hit annual forecasts but sounded a cautious note about the winter. The Dublin-based carrier said it had managed to combat higher fuel prices by raising ticket prices and improving cost efficiencies
British American Tobacco (BAT) has announced plans to sell its 55 per cent stake in Formula One motor racing team BAR Honda. The move by the UK-based cigarette manufacturer will hand complete control to Honda, which acquired a 45 per cent holding in the
SCIENTISTS have praised the bravery of North-East patients who tested a remarkable new cancer treatment. Thirty-three patients with various types of advanced cancer were "guinea-pigs" in the first experimental phase of a promising drug developed by Newcastle
SOME of the leading motor experts in the world will gather in Sunderland today for its eighth annual International Automotive Conference. The event, organised by the city council, will include a presentation by Claudio Bianchini, director of the National
A FATAL road accident closed a motorway for 16 hours yesterday causing chaos for motorists. One man was declared dead at the scene of the multi-vehicle pile-up on the A1(M) northbound, just north of Wetherby, in West Yorkshire. Five other people were
A TRAIN stop at Durham Tees Valley Airport that is used by only a handful of passengers could be axed. The stop, on the nearby Bishop Auckland to Saltburn line, was built when the airport opened and once had regular services and a connecting shuttle bus
A YOUNG boy bravely fended off a suspected sex offender who grabbed him in an attempted daylight abduction at a North-East railway station. The seven-year-old had slipped from his mother's hand in a crowd at Newcastle Central Station on Saturday and she
MEMBERS of the public are being invited to comment on Able UK's latest application for its ghost ship scrap yard. The company is seeking hazardous substances consent from Hartlepool Borough Council to store a range of materials, including asbestos, PCBs
A BUMPER firework display will light up the region's skies on November 5 to celebrate the 400th anniversary the attempted bombing of Parliament by Guy Fawkes. Twice the usual quantity of fireworks will be used in Stockton's spectacular display, which
A couple accused of stealing more than £12,000 from a social club were cleared of all charges yesterday. Alyson Lock, 35, and Anthony Lock, 37, worked at the Hepworth and Grandage Social Club, in North Hylton Road, Sunderland, from November 2002. Mr Lock
VOLUNTEERS who rescued a swimming pool from closure have announced a host of activities for the autumn. Campaigners in Weardale formed their own charitable trust to re-open the pool at Wolsingham after it lost a £20,000-a-year council subsidy. Now the
A BOGUS roofer has conned pensioners out of large amounts of money. The man tricked two pensioners living in the Craven area of North Yorkshire out of their holiday money. He also tried to con five other victims in the district. The man either said he
ROYAL Navy bosses have been accused of preventing the regeneration of a waterfront site by revamping their base rather than move out. Anthony Sargent, general director of the Sage Gateshead, said the Navy's decision to remain at the HMS Calliope building
CHEF Tom Jackson cooked up a storm when he visited a North-East primary school yesterday. Tom, who is chef at Durham City's Bistro 21 restaurant, was at St Margaret's Primary School, Neville's Cross, yesterday to persuade ten-year-old pupils that cooking
A COUNCIL'S work to ensure everyone can play a full role in society has been quoted as a model of good practice. Two years ago, work started on a social inclusion strategy for Darlington called All Together Now. The strategy aimed to improve chances for
A WOMAN arrested after a hit-and-run accident in Majorca that left a married couple dead has been named by island officials. Josephine Anne Wallis, from Whitby, North Yorkshire, is alleged to have fled after knocking down Margaret O'Sullivan, 48, and
A CAR crashed into two other vehicles within minutes of being taken from outside the owner's home. The Ford Fiesta caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage to a nearly-new Nissan Almera, which was parked nearby, and soon after, collided head-on with
AN honest schoolboy landed himself a bill of more than £2,000 after owning up to accidentally smashing a plate glass window. The 16-year-old was with a group of other teenagers on a pavement outside the Co-op in Horsemarket, Barnard Castle, County Durham
A COUNCIL will have to pay back more than £2m to motorists it allegedly "fined'' illegally for parking infringements, the campaigner who uncovered the situation claimed last night. Penalty charge notices issued by Sunderland City Council are invalid because
A SUPPORT group for mothers who want to breastfeed their babies was launched yesterday. Monthly meetings to support mothers who want to breastfeed their children take place at St Margaret's Church Hall, in South Street, Durham City. The group has been
POLICE are hunting a man who indecently assaulted a 16-year-old girl. The girl was attacked following a night out with friends in Crook, County Durham. Two male passers-by came to her aid. The incident occurred at 1am on Saturday as the teenager was walking
A COURSE to help preserve precious memories gets under way next week. Clayport Library, in Durham City, is to host the course over three successive Saturdays, starting on October 15. Each week, participants will be asked to bring in about a dozen photographs
A MOTHER has found her vocation in life as a bus driver. Kathleen Bianchi, from Houghton-le-Spring, Wearside, had always dreamed of a career as a driver, but did not have the courage to take the next step. After returning from the Scottish Borders with
A PUB manager has admitted stealing more than £19,000 from his bar. Timothy Knight, 39, stole the money and then falsified the records at Baroque, in Sunderland, in a bid to cover his tracks. At Newcastle Crown Court yesterday, he pleaded guilty to stealing
YORKSHIRE Water has thanked the residents of a town for their patience following 18 months of disruption. The company has installed combined sewer overflows beneath roads and footpaths in Harrogate. Parliament Street, one of the busiest shopping streets
A SLEEPING police officer woken by his rowdy next door neighbour found him at the bottom of the garden wielding a pick-axe handle and threatening to break his back, a court heard yesterday. Sarah Tyrer, prosecuting, told Harrogate magistrates that PC
PUPILS at a North-East school have embraced the healthy eating message - to the delight of staff. Abbey Infants School, in Darlington, has been serving healthier meals for the past 18 months after a consultation exercise with parents and the borough council
A MAN struggled with police only a yard from a busy road, a court was told yesterday. Magistrates in Harrogate, North Yorkshire heard how 31-year-old Philip Jones visited Ripon Races on August 29 and got so drunk he missed the coach taking his party of
DETECTIVES recovered heroin and cannabis during two raids on Teesside homes. Houses in Tithe Barn Road and Cornforth Close, both Hardwick, Stockton, were raided by members of the town's drug unit on Monday night as part of its ongoing fight against drugs
A GROUP of teenage boys have successfully completed an innovative course designed to help them make the most of their lives. The nine were the first group from the town to take part in the Cleveland Fire Brigade's Local Intervention Fire Education (Life
A KNIFE-wielding robber who terrorised students in broad daylight has been jailed for life to protect the public. Gary Moody, 20, robbed three Sunderland University students in seven days during the first week of May this year. Newcastle Crown Court heard
A REALITY TV show winner was hurt when violence broke out at a charity event. Hell's Kitchen champion Terry Miller was left nursing cuts and bruises after stepping in to stop the fighting. Terry, 46, had attended the breast cancer awareness charity fundraiser
A FULL-HOUSE of 1,100 screaming teenagers attended Darlington's Civic Theatre's first beat concert last night, said The Northern Echo on December 9, 1964. "Outside there were Beatle-type crowds as police, time and time again, cleared a way through for
FOR Brian Myers, the Five By Five came at the beginning of a remarkable 40-year career in showbusiness - albeit one that has been as much in the backwaters as in the limelight. Brian grew up on Bank Top, Darlington, served his time as a joiner in William
Chief Sports Writer's Paul Fraser and Scott Wilson give the lowdown on Middlesbrough's Uefa Cup opponents GRASSHOPPERS ZURICH (Away 20/10) Where: Grasshoppers play in the Swiss city situated on the country's central plateau. With a population of 360,000
BARRING injury Jamie Spencer appears more or less home and hosed in the jockey's championship, a situation brought about by his freelance status, which has enabled him to pick and choose mounts as appropriate. Many of the top trainers regularly utilise
The last single sex college at Durham University opened its doors to its first male students this week. The 92 male undergraduates were among 224 first year students joining St Mary's College, bringing to an end 106 years of tradition. Although the college
SCIENTISTS have praised the bravery of North-East patients who tested a remarkable new cancer treatment. Thirty-three patients with various types of advanced cancer were "guinea-pigs" in the first experimental phase of a promising drug developed by Newcastle
THE family of a North-East woman killed in a bomb blast while on holiday in Turkey will not get any compensation from the British Government. Helyn Bennett's mother, Sharon Holden, said yesterday - on the day some victims of the London bombings received
LITTLE Ellie Luther manages a brave smile - despite having a condition that affects only one child in a million. The five-year-old suffers from an incurable skin complaint which causes the same amount of skin to grow in a night that most people grow in
TOMMY Miller might have fulfilled a childhood ambition by scoring on home soil for Sunderland last weekend but, perhaps more importantly, the midfielder's close-range strike also helped someone else celebrate as well. After starting the season with a
RONNIE Barker was one of the few people who could lay claim to the title of comic genius. From The Two Ronnies to Open All Hours, via a sitcom hailed as one of the greatest of all time, he was one of our most-loved entertainers and an inspiration to a
WHILE the Premiership's power-brokers have been falling over themselves to promote English football's attacking merits this month, Steven Taylor last night claimed Newcastle's new-found defensive strength was at the root of their recent revival. Saturday's
MARRIAGE is on the way out. Within 25 years, nearly half of all men in their 40s and more than a third of women will not have walked up the aisle. Maybe they won't have found the right person. Maybe they're scared of commitment. Maybe they're just frightened
Out in the northern Pacific, scientists have pulled off a spectacular scoop. They have observed and photographed for the first time a giant squid in its wild habitat, some 3,000ft down in the ocean. Described in the journal of the Royal Society, the event
Class Of '76 (ITV1) THE scene is a school playground where children are happily at play. The voiceover informs the viewer that "Amy was the first", and you know that whatever she came first in, it wasn't something pleasant. Sure enough, Amy's death as
STEVE McCLAREN will call on help from Teesside hero Tony Mowbray as the Middlesbrough boss attempts to steer the club through the group stage of the UEFA Cup. Boro were pitted against Ukrainian outfit Dnipro in Group D of the competition yesterday, along
THE Government last night signalled the go-ahead for a privately-sponsored £25m city academy to be built in Darlington. Council chiefs confirmed that the facility, which would bring together Hurworth School and Eastbourne comprehensive, could open by
A PRIVATE health company has defended itself after it emerged that a North-East GP was asked to handle out-of-hours calls from Wales. Details about the case, which involved an 84-year-old heart attack victim in the Rhondda Valley, surfaced amid speculation
A DISAPPOINTING week in terms of a tournament finish, but a great seven days in terms of star spotting. In this game I have the pleasure of mixing with the likes of Colin Montgomerie, Retief Goosen and Lee Westwood on a regular basis as the European Tour
BUSINESSES and entrepreneurs across the region are being urged to enter the 2006 Queen's Awards for Enterprise before the October 31 deadline. The business awards recognise outstanding achievement in international trade, innovation or sustainable development
TWO young fathers were killed when their car, driven at high speed while over the drink-drive limit, hit a prison van head-on, an inquest heard yesterday. Witnesses estimated the Ford Fiesta was travelling at 80mph when it veered into the path of the
A TEENAGER has been charged with arson after trying to set fire to her pyjamas. Magistrates at Newton Aycliffe yesterday remanded the girl, from High Etherley, near Bishop Auckland, into secure accommodation. Ciaran Grogan, prosecuting, told the court
OIL company BP last night warned that hurricanes Katrina and Rita may knock more than £400m off profits in the third quarter of the year. The company, which announced first-half profits of £6bn in July - or £1.4m an hour - said trading conditions for
A FOOTBALL fan went to a local derby game hours after he was banned him from attending football matches for three years. Yesterday, ardent Darlington FC supporter Lee Davidson, who admitted he "just could not stay away" from his team's Carling Cup match
BUSINESS confidence in Darlington is continuing to grow, despite the national economic challenges in the wake of Hurricane Katrina's impact on the US. The positive outlook was supported by the recent launch of a promotional CD-ROM. That initiative was
A PUB manager has admitted stealing more than £19,000 from his bar. Timothy Knight, 39, stole the money and then falsified the records at Baroque, in Sunderland, in a bid to cover his tracks. At Newcastle Crown Court yesterday, he pleaded guilty to stealing
AN Iraqi asylum seeker has been jailed for two years after he admitted attacking a 15-year-old girl. Mivan Jasim had sex with the teenager after she had visited his flat with a friend following a night out drinking. At Teesside Crown Court yesterday,
TRADERS say they are losing thousands of pounds of business because of roadworks in Thirsk. Businesses believe that the work is putting off customers and leading tourists to bypass the town. North Yorkshire County Council is carrying out the work, which
WEAR Valley pensioners are joining 1,000 other campaigners from across the country in a mass lobby of parliament next week. Members of the Wear Valley and Auckland branch of the North-East Pensioners Association hope to meet their constituency MPs Helen
A MAN who raped and sexually assaulted a teenage girl days after being released from prison has been jailed for eight years. Donald Murphy, who had a previous conviction for indecent assault, attacked the girl and subjected her to the sex attack three
OLDER residents in east Durham could soon be in line for a cash boost, thanks to an initiative being pioneered by Easington District Council. The authority has joined forces with the Pension Service to make sure pensioners in the district are claiming
THE chairman of a community-police group said merging with another force would be a disaster for policing in the county. Martin Leather, chairman of the Boroughbridge group, made his comment at a meeting of Harrogate's district-wide community-police forum
BURGLARS have stolen cannabis plants from a poison garden designed to warn against the misuse of drugs. Thieves took seven plants and propagating equipment from Alnwick Gardens, the only poison garden in the UK. The controversial garden was opened by
MICKY Barron yesterday stepped up his Hartlepool United rehabilitation, as another player moved out of Victoria Park. Barron played 80 minutes of the reserve team win at Scunthorpe, his first action of a season which hasn't started yet for the skipper
A FOOTBALL fan went to a local derby game, hours after he was banned him from attending football matches for three years. Yesterday, ardent Darlington FC supporterLee Davidson, who admitted he "just could not stay away" from his team's Carling Cup match
At least 12 schoolchildren were taken to hospital after the bus they were travelling in overheated. The vehicle was travelling on the A179 in Hart Village, near Hartlepool, on this morning. The children, who are pupils at English Martyrs School, in Hartlepool
A TEAM of celebrities limbered up for their big football challenge by training with some of Newcastle United's star players. The squad, which will take on a team of professionals in The Match, on Sky One, later this month took part in their first game
A PRIVATE health company has defended itself after it emerged that a North-East GP was asked to handle out-of-hours calls from Wales. Details about the case, which involved an 84-year-old heart attack victim in the Rhondda Valley, surfaced amid speculation
A second teenager has appeared in court charged with raping a 65-year-old woman, and aggravated burglary. The attack happened at her home in Marton, Middlesbrough, on 29 September. Lee Michael Beazley, 19, of Dalcross Court, Hemlington, Middlesbrough,
Academy go-ahead: The Government last night signalled the go-ahead for a privately-sponsored £25m city academy to be built in a North-East town. Council chiefs confirmed that the facility, which would bring together Hurworth School and Eastbourne Comprehensive
SPECULATION in the City was mounting last night that van hire group Northgate was planning to turn down an estimated £800m takeover approach. Several major banks sold small amounts of shares as rumours circulated that Northgate's larger shareholders believed
TRAINER Chris Wilson ended a losing streak stretching back over two-and-a-half years when Zeydnaa took the two-mile Skyram Handicap at Catterick yesterday. Wilson, based at the small village of Manfield just a few miles to the south of Darlington, was
TRADERS say they are losing thousands of pounds of business because of roadworks in Thirsk. Businesses believe that the work is putting off customers and leading tourists to bypass the town. North Yorkshire County Council is carrying out the work, which
The Church of England's first black Archbishop will formally take up his post in a ceremony today. Dr John Sentamu, who once fled Idi Amin's Uganda, will be confirmed as the 97th Archbishop of York at St Mary-le-Bow church, Cheapside, London. The ancient
MARRIAGE is on the way out. Within 25 years, nearly half of all men in their 40s and more than a third of women will not have walked up the aisle. Maybe they won't have found the right person. Maybe they're scared of commitment. Maybe they're just frightened
FIGHTING POVERTY: ONE might expect writing off $55bn in loans to be a major step towards ending debt for poor countries. That is, if there was any intention of ending debt. I suspect that much of the interest in wiping the slate clean is to clear the
Phil Stamp last night agreed to join Darlington with the former Middlesbrough midfielder signing a deal until the end of December. He played in last night's reserve game at Doncaster Rovers and the 29-year-old is likely to be in the squad for Friday night's
TRAINER Chris Wilson ended a losing streak stretching back over two-and-a-half years when Zeydnaa took the two-mile Skyram Handicap at Catterick yesterday. Wilson, based at the small village of Manfield just a few miles to the south of Darlington, was
Ronnie Corbett last night led the tributes to his comedy partner and friend Ronnie Barker, who has died after a long illness. He was 76. Fans and celebrities were united in their praise for one of the greatest comedians of all time. Barker, who brought
A FUNERAL director is hoping to add funeral pyres to his list of send-offs in the North-East. Carl Marlow, the owner of Go As You Please, already offers alternative services, including torch-lit processions and burials at sea. Now he is aiming to be the
A VIDEO diary shot by mountaineer Alan Hinkes as he became the first Briton to climb all 14 of the world's highest peaks will be screened next week. Climb Every Mountain will be shown on ITV Tyne Tees at 7.30pm on Tuesday. The documentary follows Mr Hinkes
FLEA bitten, as a Gadfly column probably should be, we have been mithering about midges. Stephen Chaytor, councillor and part-time musician, hits the best note yet. Stephen, who represents sundry Trimdons on Easington District Council, also plays in a
Potential blows to the profits of the UK's heavyweight companies kept investors away from the London market yesterday. BP warned that storm damage could cost it more than £400m in the third quarter of this year, setting the tone for a poor session by
IT could be described as a brave, dynamic move or a reckless gamble. But the educational experiment unfolding in Darlington may have implications for schools throughout the country. The recipe is unique. Take a highly successful village school and a badly
LIFEBOATS in the North- East have bucked the national trend - they were called out fewer times this summer than last. Nationally, the RNLI had its busiest summer, with 3,681 launches, an increase of ten per cent on last year. But stations at Tynemouth
A PRIVATE health company has defended itself after it emerged that a North-East GP was asked to handle out-of-hours calls from Wales. Details about the case, which involved an 84-year-old heart attack victim in the Rhondda Valley, surfaced amid speculation
Three Yorkshire jumps tracks will award a special trophy to the leading conditional rider this season in memory of Tom Halliday. Halliday died after a fall at Market Rasen earlier this year prompting Wetherby, Catterick and Doncaster to introduce the
A RESEARCH facility in the North-East has been showcasing its work in fuel-cell technology. The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), based at the Wilton Centre, on Teesside, has a stand at the International Grove Fuel Cell Symposium this week. The symposium
LURPAK butter maker Arla left forecasts untouched yesterday as it looked to recover from its warning that profits would be hurt by higher oil prices. The UK's largest supplier of milk said in August that it had not been able to protect margins from the
