A PROGRAMME of events to raise awareness of mental health issues was unveiled in north Durham on Monday. The event coincided with World Mental Health Day and 30 workers attended a discussion and training session at the Healthy Living Centre, in Dipton
AN organisation dedicated to beating rural crime is inviting people to hunt for treasure later this month. The Darlington Countryside Crime Watch scheme is staging a treasure trail on Friday, October 28, starting at 6.30pm. Organisers are keeping the
AN optician from Derwentside has collected 700 pairs of old glasses for an eyecare charity. Specsavers in Consett is now appealing to people to help them collect another 300 pairs of glasses for Vision Aid Overseas by Christmas. Since the store opened
One of England's worst truants has promised to attend school to save his mother from prison. Richard Usher, 15, agreed to return to All Saints College, Newcastle, yesterday after playing truant for eight months. Gosforth magistrates accepted his promise
SIXTH form students were given a harsh lesson in the importance of careful driving by Cleveland Fire Brigade. Year 13 students at Teesside High School in Eaglescliffe were shown footage of accidents to demonstrate to new drivers just what would happen
TENS of thousands of people on Teesside are to be urged to fund a charity's drive to end cruelty to children. More than 68,000 homes are being targeted in an appeal asking people to give £2 a month to support the work of the NSPCC. Steve Medd, NSPCC community
PLANS to change the community warden service on Teesside have been deferred. Councillors in Stockton will decide on November 3 whether changes should be made to the service to make it more aggressive and efficient. Members have been given the option to
FACILITIES for sport and the arts in east Durham received a boost yesterday with the opening of a £716,000 development at Seaham. The multi-purpose arts and sports hall at Ropery Walk Primary School, in the Deneside area of the town, was opened by Durham
A TOWN mayor performed one of his more unusual civic duties this week. Councillor David Blades, mayor of Northallerton used an electric razor to shave Laurell-Lea Hoath's head. Miss Hoath is the manager of Northallerton charity Work-crafts, which provides
THE Lord Mayor of York was treated to a bird's eye view of her city during a fact-finding visit to an air base. Councillor Janet Greenwood was one of a number of VIPs, including the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Lord Crathorne, who visited RAF Linton-on-Ouse
IT was one of the biggest sporting events in the region for years - but now it is official that Royal Ascot will not be coming north next year. Despite some hopes that the meeting would return to York next summer, the £200m redevelopment of its Berkshire
LIAM Plunkett last night admitted he was "still in a state of shock" after earning a surprise promotion to England's Test squad for next month's tour of Pakistan. The Durham fast bowler, who had already been named in the one-day party, replaces the injured
DOES size really matter? It is a question at the centre of two of the most important areas of Government policy - health and crime. Should primary care trusts, responsible for delivering local health services, be amalgamated into bigger organisations
Rob Andrew takes charge of his 300th competitive game as Newcastle Falcons' director of rugby at Leicester on Friday. The former England fly half played his last game for Wasps a decade ago before taking over the Newcastle reins on October 21, 1995, in
Turgeonev, who has notched four of his nine career wins at Wetherby, is fancied to get back into the winning habit in the skybet.com Supporting Spinal Research Bobby Renton Handicap Chase over 2 miles. Tim Easterby's chaser has suffered in the grip of
Proposals to merge two schools were already controversial, even before the news thay could be replaced by a city academy. Nick Morrison looks at the Government's flagship education policy - and why it isn't popular with everyone. THEY are the future of
FIREFIGHTER David Glendenning was revealed yesterday as the good Samaritan who helped a homeless couple after their tent was destroyed in a blaze. He was in a fire crew called to the blaze at Barnard Castle, and then returned to give Kevin and Susan Howe
IRISH drinks and snacks firm C&C Group yesterday reported a 14 per cent rise in half-year earnings thanks to its expending cider business. C&C said the performance of Magners cider following its roll-out in greater London had exceeded expectations
Macclesfield could end Clyde Wijnhard's search for a new club after making an approach to take the striker on loan from Darlington. Manager David Hodgson has reiterated that Wijnhard has played his last game for Darlington. But, to allow the player to
Beyond Boundaries (BBC2) Supernova (BBC2) EVEN the narrator wasn't sure this was a good idea. "Some of them won't make it," he declared, setting the scene for the 28 day, 220 mile trek taking in dense jungle, crocodile-infested rivers and a live volcano.The
MINISTERS pledged yesterday to fight changes that threaten to deny County Durham and Tees Valley up to £500m of regeneration funding. Regions minister Alan Michael criticised the European Commission's attempt to increase the area's gross domestic product
Archaeologists yesterday raised the anchor and a section of the bow from Henry VIII's flagship, the Mary Rose, on the anniversary of the recovery of the hull. Divers have been examining the site of the sunken Tudor warship in the Solent, off Portsmouth
A FORMER councillor walked free from court yesterday having been cleared of all charges relating to his role as treasurer of a collapsed charity. Judge Beatrice Bolton directed a jury at Durham Crown Court to return not guilty verdicts on the last two
A driver has relived the night he had his car hijacked by three men and was forced to take them on a terrifying 20-minute drive. Adam Close told a jury that he feared for his safety after the revellers ordered him to drive them from a popular North-East
A DISABLED grandmother has criticised police after they failed to respond to her calls and disperse a gang of 50 rowdy youths. Jane Rowbotham said she felt like a prisoner in her own home when the gang congregated outside her front door. The 54-year-old
Eight men were being held by detectives last night after more than 200 police officers carried out a series of dawn raids to smash a people smuggling network thought to be among the largest in Europe. Several alleged senior members of the gang were among
THE owners of a woodland want to restore follies dotted around its 110 acres. The Woodland Trust announced this week it plans to restore Fisher's Hall and Mowbray Castle at Hackfall Woods, Grewelthorpe, near Ripon, North Yorkshire. But before restoration
FIREFIGHTER Dave Ibbertson has being crowned British champion in a new water sport. The Darlington star has won the national kite surfing championships. Mr Ibbertson won the title, in only his second competitive season, at Blackpool, at the weekend. Kite
A DARLINGTON man could be facing a custodial sentence after he assaulted his mother and sister following a family Christening. Wesley Richardson, of Barden Moor Road, pleaded guilty to the incident when he appeared at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday
A FRUSTRATED Michael Chopra revealed he intends to utilise his versatility and take a watch-and-learn crash course from new Magpies hero Michael Owen in a bid to win a place in Graeme Souness' first team. The 21-year-old striker returned to second team
THE best revenge is to live well. And that means even under the threat of terrorism, especially under the threat of terrorism. We must, of course, be sensible, vigilant and put up with some inconveniences. But what we must do above all else is enjoy life
KELVIN Davis believes Manchester United may not intimidate and strike fear into sides the way they once did in the 1990s but insists it would be foolish to dismiss them as a spent force. The Sunderland goalkeeper acknowledged there has been a changing
A CARE home confirmed last night that it had dismissed one of its nurses after a patient's death. Patricia Beauchamp failed to attend an inquest into the death of stroke victim Brian Jones and so did not hear her care of the invalid described by Irene
A ROW over a European Union flag taken down from outside a council headquarters has taken another twist - after the authority confirmed it was seeking to put it back up at taxpayers' expense. Wear Valley District Council was ordered to take down the flag
CHILDREN from a County Durham school yesterday helped open a road that should lead to a brighter future for their village. The £9.1m Chilton bypass was built by Durham County Council to reduce the volume of traffic travelling through the centre of the
Two brothers have been jailed for attacking other drinkers at a pub. Matthew Sowden, 36, was locked up for two years for smashing a pool cue across the head of Wayne Bennett. His brother Karl, 38, was jailed for eight months for punching Mr Bennett and
A man from the North-East has been convicted of murdering the couple who adopted him as a child. David Weightman was only three-months-old when Pam and Bill Weightman adopted him. The couple emigrated from Birtley, near Chester-le-Street, to Australia
Councillors are angry at the possibility of a key part of law enforcement in their village being based elsewhere. Middleton St George parish council heard at its meeting on Monday that local police community support officer Jon Angus could be given an
A TRAVELLING advice and information service for older people is back on the road. Age Concern County Durham's bus offers a free service today at Evenwood, Fairfield, from 10am to 11am, and from 11am until noon, outside the workmen's club. At 1.30pm to
A VILLAGE which has been plagued by youngsters' anti-social behaviour is hoping to have turned a corner in its efforts to tackle the issue. Middleton St George has suffered problems over the past year with youths causing trouble. The Water Park has borne
A RETIRED senior policeman has been appointed to head the board of Wear Valley and Teesdale's primary care trust. Former chief superintendent Paul Taylor, left, took over as the £17,164-a-year chairman of the Durham Dales trust at the beginning of the
TICKETS have gone on sale for a concert which will raise money for a town's annual rhythm and blues festival. Off The Wall, from Tyneside, are to perform at Glaxo Sports and Social Club, in Barnard Castle, on November 4. Some of the proceeds from the
AN alcoholic who stole food from shops after spending all his money on drinks appeared in court yesterday. Stuart Oliver, 27, of Hambleton Road, Coundon, pleaded guilty at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court yesterday to four counts of theft, failing to
VOLUNTEERS from the Prince's Trust launched a clean-up of Bishop Auckland. The group, which is based in the town and is part of a partnership with Stockton Riverside College, has identified two areas of land that need tidying up. One is next to Auckland
PENSIONER John Greaves was hit by a cyclist on a pelican crossing, a court heard yesterday. Harrogate magistrates were told how Mr Greaves and his wife had been part-way across the A59 Harrogate-York, road near the town's Swarcliffe Road junction, when
A REGIONAL firm of chartered accountants and business advisors has expanded its Darlington branch. Clive Owen & Co LLP recently appointed Mary McArthur, Lucy Donner, Katie Sidgwick and Emily Card. Ms McArthur is an audit senior in the owner-managed
A COUPLE are demanding an explanation after being told to leave allotments they have had for more than 13 years. Barry and Karen Smith, from Bishop Auckland, have been ordered by Dean Valley Parish Council to vacate their patch in Grange Avenue allotments
Singers from Teesside and Weardale will be joined in harmony for the first time at a concert on Saturday . Stanhope and Middlesbrough choral groups will be on stage in the church hall, Stanhope, at 7.30pm. "Although some members of both groups have performed
COUNCIL officials have published details of services facing the axe as a result of a Government capping order. Hambleton District Council is proposing cuts in closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and recycling after ministers ruled plans to raise
A CONTROVERSIAL nightclub is hoping to finally re-open with revised plans costing £750,000. The Wesley nightclub, in Hartlepool, is aiming to re-open by next Easter after drawing up revised proposals to refurbish the building. The club, which is based
The 60-metre observation wheel on Gateshead Quays will be leaving this week, dashing hopes it would be part of the Tyneside skyline until the New Year. Hundreds of thousands of people have visited the structure, which has been dubbed the Gateshead Eye
JUST when Middlesbrough's problems looked to be receding, the club's injury curse has struck again with the news that Ray Parlour will be out of action for at least two months. The 32-year-old midfielder, who played in seven of Boro's first eight games
FAR from being a burden, the dramatic rise in oil prices in the past year could be a boon for the North-East economy, the Bank of England governor claimed last night. Mervyn King said that oil-producing countries would have more wealth - and therefore
A CAMPAIGN has been launched to reduce slips and trips in the workplace. Council staff in Richmondshire are working with the Health and Safety Executive on the Watch Your Step initiative. A leaflet outlining the main causes of accidents is being distributed
COUNCIL bosses will still have to find £37,000 to pay for flooding damage, despite receiving a grant from the Government. Hambleton District Council learned this week it would receive £120,000 towards the cost of repairs after freak storms hit the county
PARISH councillors have expressed their anger at the possibility of a key part of law enforcement in their village being based at Durham Tees Valley Airport. Middleton St George parish council heard at its meeting on Monday that local police community
A nine-acre nature area and woodland which will enhance a Weardale village has been officially opened. The Meadows Project was created to turn disused land in Rookhope into a major recreational site for people from the village and surrounding areas. Work
FIRE juggler Matt Robinson has a new burning ambition in life - to be a musician. The 20-year-old is now weeks into a music technology course, taking a dramatic turn away from his more dangerous pastime. Mr Robinson, from Newton Aycliffe, is studying
A man has been charged with attempted murder in connection with a serious stabbing. John David Raper, 36, of Grange Road, Darlington, is due to appear before South Durham magistrates sitting in Newton Aycliffe this morning. He is alleged to have stabbed
A WESTERN-BORN Buddhist Lama will visit next week. Lama Jampa Thaye, master of Tibetan Buddhism, will give a talk called the Path of Awakening at the St Robert's Centre, in Harrogate, on October 21, from 7.30pm. He is visiting as part of celebrations
THE sole survivor of a rebel attack on British forces spoke of his ordeal yesterday at an inquest into the death of his three colleagues. Royal Military Policemen Major Matthew Titchener, 32, Warrant Officer Colin Wall, 34, and Corporal Dewi Pritchard
A REGIONAL firm of chartered accountants and business advisors has expanded its Darlington branch. Clive Owen & Co LLP recently appointed Mary McArthur, Lucy Donner, Katie Sidgwick and Emily Card. Ms McArthur is an audit senior in the owner-managed
A HAIRDRESSER is celebrating ten years of success in Darlington. Stephen Smith originally set up Esteem Hair and Beauty, in Victoria Road. Last December, he moved to a first-floor salon in Blackwellgate Arcade. He said he had come a long way since he
DARREN Williams can see the signs that Hartlepool United are getting things right. Pool have stuttered into gear this season, but won their last game at Bristol City 11 days ago. Now Williams, part of a back four which has kept consecutive clean sheets
NATIONAL Express advanced into Spain yesterday with a £262m deal to create Europe's largest coach and bus operator. The acquisition of Alsa - one of Spain's leading coach businesses - adds a fleet of 1,400 vehicles, plus 3,100 employees responsible for
CATTLE PLEA: EVERY year the British taxpayer supports a cruel and horrendous trade in live animals. Cattle from Europe are shipped alive to the Middle East, enduring a stressful ten-day sea journey. When they arrive, the exhausted animals are slaughtered
THERE are high hopes that the region will soon get the first in a new generation of superscanners. Yesterday's announcement by Health Minister Rosie Winterton that the Government is to invest £20m in improving access to scans over the next two years has
THE prospect of a £1bn bid for supermarket Somerfield was kept alive yesterday by the last remaining bidder in the long-running takeover saga. The consortium featuring Apax Partners, property tycoon Robert Tchenguiz and investment bank Barclays Capital
TWO police forces were involved in an extraordinary clash last night over their vision for North-East policing after a tit-for-tat row involving a chief constable. Paul Garvin, Durham Police's most senior officer, was described as "not the best person
Hurrah! At last! Action is finally being taken against fat cats. If all goes well, failed company bosses will no longer be able to walk away with huge pay-offs. Under a new proposal, directors' contracts would include a clause enabling companies to claw
A SCHOOLGIRL has been left almost blind in one eye after her optician allegedly failed to spot an obvious defect. North-East optician Stuart Maxwell could now be struck off over allegations that he failed to administer the proper treatment for amblyopia
A MAN who lost his sight more than 30 years ago set a new world blind land speed record yesterday. Mike Newman drove a BMW M5 at an average speed of 167.32mph over a measured mile on the runway at Elvington Airfield, in York. He reached a top speed of
Army chiefs have met with anti-bullying campaigners for the first time to discuss ways of forging a partnership to tackle the problem. Delegates from Daniel's Trust and the Forces Helpline, both set up to help bullied armed services staff, were invited
EMPLOYERS' organisation the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) announced last night it had appointed Sarah Green as its North-East director. Ms Green joins the CBI from a two-year role as internal communications manager at regional development agency
TWO police forces were involved in a clash last night over their vision for North-East policing after a tit-for-tat row involving a chief constable. Paul Garvin, Durham Police's most senior officer, was described as "not the best person to judge the future
MARKS & Spencer halted a two-year trading slump yesterday after new ranges and an overhaul helped the embattled retailer to a surprise pick-up in sales. The food, clothing and homeware retailer posted its first quarterly sales rise since October 2003
A DRIVER has relived the night his car was hijacked by three men who forced him take them on a terrifying 20-minute drive. Adam Close told a jury that he feared for his safety after the revellers ordered him to drive them from a North-East night spot
A deaf pensioner who stabbed a schoolboy has been spared jail after a judge accepted he snapped after months of torment by local youths. Frank Morton plunged a blade into the 14-year-old after leaving his home to confront three boys who were playing a
ENERGY workers will find out the hard way what it is like to get cut off during the winter this week. And after they stumble out of a mobile refridgeration unit, staff will be lectured about being cold by polar explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes. The stunt
IT'S not all the teachers' fault. Not entirely. It's not even Tony Blair's, or even the various education ministers, who are good at grabbing headlines, but not, it seems, much else. Maybe some of the blame lies closer to home. Official figures this week
THE Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have agreed to become patrons of an historic theatre in the region. Charles and Camilla accepted the invitation from the Georgian Theatre Royal, in Richmond, North Yorkshire, after visiting the 18th Century
Children are leaving primary school without knowing the three Rs, but is it any wonder in these TV obsessed times? IT'S not all the teachers' fault. Not entirely. It's not even Tony Blair's, or even the various education ministers, who are good at grabbing
AS well they might, recent columns have dwelt upon the wretchedness and ever-spiralling fares of the North-East bus network, particularly those services run by the absurdly named Arriva. Today, conversely, details of a transport of delight. It is a route
PEOPLE are being invited to explore part of the region's railway heritage this weekend with the excavation of part of the former Stockton to Darlington Railway. Stockton Borough Council's countryside service and museum service has joined Tees Archaeology
EMERGENCY services were called to a car crash outside a Darlington college yesterday. Police and paramedics attended the crash, which involved a Renault Clio and Toyota Corolla, at Darlington College of Technology, in Cleveland Avenue, at about 3.30pm
A YORKSHIREMAN is hoping people in Teesdale may have details of his ancestors. John Milner, from Addingham, near Ilkley, has visited Teesdale to learn more about his family, who were from Barnard Castle and Scargill. He has inherited correspondence, including
A TEENAGER who threw a glass into another woman's face during a Christmas Eve night out was spared jail yesterday. Katie Noble, 19, intended to throw a drink over Claire Maughan but the glass flew out of her hand and hit her victim in the face, leaving
A MAN who assaulted two women and knocked a man out cold after they offered to help when his car broke down has failed in an Appeal Court bid to cut his jail term. Lewis William Neal, 23, of James William Street, Sunderland, was jailed for four years
A THREE-MONTH public consultation seeking views on the provision of acute services in east Durham will begin next week. People in the district of Easington are being invited to have their say on the recommendations by Sir Ara Darzi in his report of acute
A HAIRDRESSER is celebrating ten years of success in Darlington. Stephen Smith originally set up Esteem Hair and Beauty, in Victoria Road. Last December, he moved to a first-floor salon in Blackwellgate Arcade. He said he had come a long way since he
A REGIONAL firm of chartered accountants and business advisors has expanded its Darlington branch. Clive Owen & Co LLP recently appointed Mary McArthur, Lucy Donner, Katie Sidgwick and Emily Card. Ms McArthur is an audit senior in the owner-managed
SEVEN teachers and teaching assistants from Teesside schools are preparing for a new adventure as part of an overseas development scheme. The team of teaching staff from three Stockton schools are travelling to Peru during the October half-term. Funded
MORE than 50 singers from Weardale and Teesside will be joined in harmony for the first time at a concert this weekend. The Stanhope and Middlesbrough choral groups will be on stage at the Church Hall, Stanhope, on Saturday, at 7.30pm. "Although some
THE Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will unveil a plaque at The Sage Gateshead on Friday after a walkabout in St Mary's Square, Gateshead Quays. Anthony Sargent, general director of The Sage Gateshead, will welcome them to the music venue, designed by
A review of disused buildings in a North Yorkshire town centre is under way. Work has started to identify empty properties in Richmond that can be transformed into high quality office accommodation. The work is being funded by Yorkshire Forward, as part
TEENAGE twins will be sentenced next month after they admitted attacking their stepfather and mother. The 16-year-old boys pleaded guilty to alternative charges at Teesside Crown Court yesterday. They admitted joint charges of wounding their stepfather
RESIDENTS are being reminded to think carefully if approached by cold-callers offering to fit loft insulation. The advice comes from staff with the Hartlepool Borough Council-backed Hartwarmers Plus scheme, who are concerned that some people are signing
A WOMAN from Consett has been named Durham's top female volunteer for her services to children's cricket. Hilary Nesbit has turned round the fortunes of Shotley Bridge Cricket Club's junior section in only four years. She was awarded the title of female
HUNDREDS of children have been invited to take part in a parade marking the 200th anniversary of Admiral Lord Nelson's victory over the French fleet at Trafalgar. Sunday's event has been organised by the Middesbrough Military Celebratory Association and
