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. Monday Parish Hall, Newgate, Barnard Castle 2.15pm-7pm Community Hall, Haresfield Way, Ingleby
A PRIVATE mental hospital is to expand because the NHS does not have the capacity to care for seriously ill patients. A chronic lack of NHS beds for patients who require mid to long-term treatment is the reason why the Middleton St George Hospital, near
AN event is being organised to help people in the Durham Dales beat the winter blues this year. The Community Networks for Teesdale and Wear Valley is organising an open day on November 8 to prepare people for the winter months. Topics covered will include
A CHURCH has been resurrected by a community seven years after it was severely damaged by fire. Villagers in Brancepeth, County Durham, agreed to pay what they could to help fund the restoration of the Grade I-listed Norman church of St Brandon. The 17th
Needy children appeal starts: STAFF at Redcar and Cleveland Council are launching a collection for children who are the victims of war, poverty, famine, disease and natural disaster. It is the sixth year of the shoebox collection with staff in council
SMILES, plaudits and backslaps all round come 5pm on Saturday, it was something of an unusual sight at Victoria Park. Lee Bullock was Hartlepool United's match-winner, a tidy header four minutes after his arrival as a substitute clinched the win. And
DAVID HODGSON will pit his wits against Barnsley in the first round of the FA Cup next month. Saturday's draw paired Darlington with the League One side, although Hodgson was disappointed not to begin the competition with a home tie, which would have
THE North-East has been identified as a blackspot for bird crime in a report. Shocking statistics have prompted the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) to call for an end to the illegal and needless killing of birds of prey. The RSPB's Birdcrime
A POLICE authority in the North-East is supporting the merger of the region's three main police forces. Northumbria Police Authority is recommending a single strategic force consisting of Northumbria, Durham and Cleveland. At the monthly meeting of the
THERE was pomp, circumstance, a lot of fun - and some confusion - to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar in the region. While the rest of the nation attributes the Royal Navy's victory over the combined French and Spanish fleets
A senior police officer will review the decision to hold a volatile football match at lunchtime after hundreds of drunken fans confronted outnumbered police in a city centre. Up to 300 people gathered in Newcastle's Bigg Market as thugs looked to fight
ENTRIES are starting to come in for a competition offering thousands of pounds to the owners of the region's best community websites. The CommuniGate initiative run by Newsquest NorthEast, publishers of The Northern Echo, has seen more than 2,000 non-profit
THE pipe organ at a North-East college has been brought back to life after more than a decade. The instrument at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, in Darlington, was used once again as student Emily Simpson played John Stanley's Trumpet Voluntary at
WHETHER it be Middlesbrough's ambitious raid on Juventus for Fabrizio Ravanelli, Christian Ziege's controversial departure from the Riverside Stadium or Carling Cup glory in Cardiff - Riverside X includes every tale. The new book - published by the club
About 20 people were arrested after mass disorder broke out in a city centre following Newcastle United's win over arch rivals Sunderland. Up to 300 people were involved in the trouble in Newcastle's Bigg Market at around 7.30pm yesterday and extra officers
A LEGAL action that aims to recover millions of pounds from solicitors firms and claims handlers on behalf of sick miners will be formally lodged in the High Court this week. The group action is being launched on Wednesday by Greene Wood and McLean, a
Bishop Auckland manager Brian Healy is well aware of the task facing him as manager in the UniBond First Division after they lost their basement battle 2-1 at Spalding. Healy, appointed a fortnight ago, watched his side give away two goals in the first
A PARTY to commemorate the people who fought on the Home Front during the Second World War was held in a North-East village over the weekend. Broth and rice pudding were served up at Wood View Community Centre, in Langley Park, County Durham, on Saturday
IT IS the half-term holidays, but instead of languishing under the duvet like most teenagers, Sam Stern is part-way through a national publicity tour. Yesterday he was filming for Blue Peter, undertaking a three minute cooking challenge with presenter
RESIDENTS of North Yorkshire are being encouraged to find out if they are paying too much council tax. Richmondshire District Council is hoping to reduce the number of people missing out on help they are entitled to. A benefits calculator has been added
PRE-CHRISTMAS fun and games will take place at Penny Garth car park, Hawes, on Thursday, between 6pm and 9pm. Entertainment includes a fancy dress competition on the theme of Santa's Friends, a bouncy castle, hunt the snowball and a ball pen. Entry is
HOSPITAL patients are to benefit from the efforts of local gardening enthusiasts. Since building work started on Malton Hospital's new Fitzwilliam Ward and other departments, people have volunteered their services to plant up and maintain the gardens.
A COUPLE celebrated their diamond wedding in style on Saturday by having a meal with family and friends. People came from all over the country to toast Clifford and Elsie Nicholson at Beamish Hall Hotel, near Stanley. They are both 78 and live in Elwin
A bishop involved in a fatal, two car smash says he is praying for a woman killed in the accident. Karen Barton, 44, of The Oval, Hartlepool, was a passenger in a white MG sports car being driven by her husband, Nigel, 51, when it was in a collision with
A BUSY road will be closed while a bridge is replaced at the weekend. Traffic will be banned from part of Ladgate Lane, in Middlesbrough, as the £500,000 scheme goes ahead. The road will be closed from 6pm on Friday until 7am next Monday, and cars will
INSPIRED by the fastest run of the day by Great Britain track international Nick McCormick, Morpeth Harriers took silver in the National Six-Stage Road Relay Championships at Sutton Coldfield, writes Frank Johnson. The 24-year-old Tynesider, who competed
DARLINGTON Operatic Society celebrates a double first when its production of Oklahoma! opens at Darlington Civic Theatre on Wednesday. In the society's diamond jubilee year, Joanne Hand makes her debut as director of the musical, while 18-year-old Andy
CYCLING enthusiasts in Darlington have called on council managers to take a bold approach to encouraging people to leave their cars at home. Darlington Cycling Campaign urged the borough council to invest a £1.5m windfall wisely to ensure more people
AN advice leaflet has been produced to let people know about the benefits they can claim after redundancy. The welfare rights service at Durham County Council has come up with the information sheet Benefits After Redundancy to help out people who have
PLANS to relocate a high-performing school were agreed months ago and crucial decisions have already been made, according to their critics. Darlington Borough Council hopes to create a £25m privately-sponsored city academy, bringing Hurworth and Eastbourne
Esh Winning manager Vince Kirkup blasted his players after they were thumped 6-0 at champions Dunston. Dunston have been out of sorts recently, but were too strong for Esh. Kirkup, in his 29th consecutive year of management, stormed: "Too many players
STUDENTS and staff at a university are backing a drive to raise cash for cancer research. About 100 undergraduates and staff at the University of Teesside are expected to join a mass exercise class to be staged on the Middlesbrough campus on Thursday
THE writing really is on the wall at an art gallery whose future was uncertain just two months ago. People were invited to drop in at Billingham Art Gallery on Saturday, to take part in an event to cover an entire wall with a large collaborative piece
A NEW scheme to promote freedom of choice and healthy eating is under way at a Stockton school. Reception class pupils in St Mark's Elm Tree Church of England Primary School are given the choice of a salad bar or a healthy main course each day, with a
A VETERINARY surgery opened its doors to the public yesterday to offer an insight into its work. Visitors to the Stanhope Park Veterinary Hospital, in Darlington, also had the chance to examine its equipment. Surgeons and nurses were available to demonstrate
A NORTH Yorkshire developer has submitted plans for a £120m project at one of the county's seaside towns. Detailed planning applications for three sites within The Sands, at Scarborough's North Bay, have been completed by Benchmark Leisure, of Northallerton
THE speed limit on a stretch of road will change this week after motorists' complaints. Hartlepool Borough Council was persuaded to raise the limit on the southbound A179 Easington Road from 30mph to 40mph. The limit will operate for 15-months after which
TRAFFIC is growing more chaotic in a County Durham town where an unsafe building has forced the closure of one of its busiest roadways. For more than six weeks, a section of Peterlee's Bede Way - which leads to the town's bus station and Castle Dene shopping
PLANS to promote breastfeeding in Darlington have been welcomed by health chiefs. The town has pledged to adopt new measures as part of an initiative run by the United Nations Children's Fund. One of the prime aims of the scheme is to encourage breast-feeding
A 30-year-old woman died in front of her family while celebrating being given the all-clear by heart doctors. Dianne Mather collapsed at the table during a family meal after discussing marriage with her long-term partner. She was born with a hole in her
NEWCASTLE Falcons have set their sights on winning the European Challenge Cup as their best route back into the Heineken Cup next season. After reaching the quarter-finals of the senior European event last season they are desperate to get back into it
WORK has begun on the final phase of a project to improve water supplies to more than 40,000 homes. In the £2.6m Northumbrian Water scheme to improve supplies in east Durham and Sunderland, 55km of watermain have been upgraded. Work started this week
WASHDAY blues will be red hot fun at a north Durham library this week. Staff from Durham Heritage Centre will be at Durham County Council's Clayport Library to tell the story of Mrs Mopple's washing line, complete with clothes to dress up in. The event
HEAVY rain affected the number of visitors to one of the region's oldest fairs at the weekend. However, the traditional 'flashings' at Yarm Fair, when horses are paraded up and down High Street for the benefit of prospective buyers, went ahead. The flashings
WITNESSES who have ignored police pleas to help solve a murder have been told to expect a knock on their doors this week. Detectives have collected the names of people who were in Benson's Bar, Middlesbrough, on the night David Cutts sustained fatal injuries
NORTH-EAST duo Journey South took a step closer to music stardom as television talent show X Factor descended into a row about the judges. Teesside brothers Andy and Carl Pemberton survived the public vote on Saturday night to make it into the final ten
Ever since she burst onto the music scene as an 18-year-old, Kate Bush has defied convention. As she releases her first record for 12 years, Nick Morrison looks at the career of the most elusive woman in pop. WILD hair flowing and clad in a black leotard
ONE of the men drafted in to transform Newcastle United's fortunes in the summer delivered the perfect Tyne-Wear derby match winner to ease the pressure on the manager who brought him to the North-East, Graeme Souness. Turkish midfielder Emre curled an
A rare headed goal from Neil Wainwright put Darlington on course for victory on Saturday, but he was quick to pay tribute to fellow goalscorer Jonjo Dickman, writes Craig Stoddart. Midfielder Dickman was a surprise inclusion against Cheltenham, having
DARLINGTON were relieved that a neck injury to lock Michael Taylor turned out not to be serious in their 41-10 defeat away to National Three North leaders Nuneaton. But they have lost scrum half Rob Stewart for a while with a broken arm. Darlington couldn't
A NORTH-EAST couple who had planned a dream wedding were last night among thousands of British holidaymakers trapped in the devastating path of Hurricane Wilma. Lynn Bratt and Gordon Steels, who are due to be married today, were sheltering in a reinforced
DERBY Day, according to celebrated American travel writer and Chancellor of Durham University writer Bill Bryson, breaks with "a wave of heady emotions". Invariably, he claims, it is "memorably pleasant". It is safe to assume that Bryson, on his numerous
Lessons aimed at keeping children on the straight and narrow could be taught in schools next year. The Government is supporting the production of an education pack to be sent to every secondary school in Middlesbrough. A key element will be a DVD with
A couple who allowed cancer to spread unchecked in their dog have been allowed to care for six other animals. Pensioners Ray and Pamela Bennett failed to get veterinary treatment for Sally, a 14-year-old greyhound. RSPCA officers had to be called out
STANLEY United, among the oldest, coldest and quite possibly boldest of all the region's football clubs, may have reached the end of the high road. Full FA members for 115 years, three times Northern League champions and former Amateur Cup semi-finalists
HUNDREDS of teenage soldiers have marched on their first parade watched by parents and relatives. Each of the 860 soldiers at the Army Foundation College (AFC), in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, showed off their military skills in one of three parades at
WHILE Blaydon moved up to third in National Three North, Mowden Park slipped to fifth from the bottom and suffered three injuries. The most serious saw their only experienced lock, Iain Robinson, stretchered off after 20 minutes with a bad ankle injury
ONE of the region's MPs is pushing forward a Bill that would give people greater rights to defend their property against intruders. Anne McIntosh, Conservative member for the Vale of York, will launch her campaign for her Private Member's Bill on Friday
If the Hodgson family of Denton, Co Durham, fancied a game of Monopoly on Saturday night they will have found one vital piece missing. Earlier in the afternoon, the man of the house had already played the 'get out of jail free' card. Struggling to score
HARTLEPOOL is a town steeped in boxing tradition. The Feeneys, Dave Garside, Teddy Gardner, the London brothers and Stewart Lithgo are among those to have hit the headlines on the national stage. Not to mention 2005's European challenger Michael Hunter
TOWN centre businesses in Darlington are being urged to apply for money to help improve their premises. The borough council's Shop Front Grant Scheme aims to encourage investment and regeneration in the town centre, as part of its £6.5m pedestrian project
His new cookbook could put Sam Stern among the likes of celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver and Rich Stein - and he's only 15. Women's Editor Lindsay Jennings meets him. IT IS the half-term holidays, but instead of languishing under the duvet like most teenagers
RESIDENTS staged a peaceful protest yesterday as part of campaign to prevent council workers installing parking meters. People who live in Durham's affluent Western Hill carried placards and played Bob Dylan's Blowin' in the Wind as they arrived to mark
SPEEDING I AGREE with Anna Semlyen (HAS, Oct 14) that using a body count approach to decide road safety measures is appalling. Government requires children to be killed before a crossing can be installed outside their school. But I must take issue with
NEW research into obesity and pregnancy is under way after alarming reports that North-East mothers could be putting their lives at serious risk. Levels of obesity in the region have been increasing above the national average, while the latest statistics
WILD hair flowing and clad in a black leotard, the gamine figure whirled and flailed her arms while her voice seemed to hit notes no-one else had even thought of. It was 1978. The country was in the grip of punk. But Kate Bush was a sensation. From the
HARTLEPOOL United are planning a video appeal against Mark Tinkler's dismissal on Saturday, writes Nick Loughlin. Both Tinkler and visiting substitute Aaron Wilbraham were dismissed in the closing stages as they lined-up to face a throw in. Shotley Bridge
Esh Winning manager Vince Kirkup blasted his players after they were thumped 6-0 at champions Dunston. Dunston have been out of sorts recently, but were too strong for Esh. Kirkup, in his 29th consecutive year of management, stormed: "Too many players
TONY Blair faced fresh calls for an Iraq exit strategy last night as a leaked Ministry of Defence poll showed widespread support for attacks on British troops. But the father of a military policeman killed in an ambush two years ago has warned of the
THE haunting tones of a huntsman's horn will bid farewell to a man who devoted his life to the countryside and had a passion for hunting with hounds. Huntsmen and women from all over the region are expected to converge on the parish church at Wolsingham
BEARING in mind the art of finding turf winners is doubly difficult at present due to vastly varying ground conditions, it makes sense to take a look at the all-weather fixtures. Wolverhampton's second race is an excellent example in view of the fact
A new generation of spy cameras will help the police fight yobs. The hi-tech spy cameras transmit live images direct to lap-tops and palm pilots giving beat officers up-to-the-minute views of their neighbourhood. They are the latest weapon in the fight
GIRLS in the North-East are continuing to lose interest in sport at an early age, according to a study. Research commissioned by Norwich Union found that the problem was as bad as ever, despite publicity surrounding obesity in youngsters. Key findings
A DARLINGTON performance is very much like a well-known savoury spread - you either love it or hate it. For 75 minutes on Saturday, few could stomach what had been served up at the Darlington Football Stadium. But, unlike former chairman George Reynolds
Contrary to popular belief, Woodhouse Close, in Bishop Auckland, has a lot to be proud of and this week residents will celebrate the estate's 50th anniversary with an arts festival looking at life in the close-knit streets where they live and how they
STAFF at a north Durham supermarket gritted their teeth and had their bodies waxed for charity. Five employees of Somerfield, in Hetton-le-Hole, on Saturday undertook the challenge to raise money for children's charity the Butterwick Hospice. Manager
AN amateur dramatics group is seeking new members to help with future productions. Centre Stage, in Shildon, has just started rehearsals for its annual pantomime Goldilocks and the Three Bears, which will be staged at the end of next month. It hopes to
GRAEME Souness last night urged Shola Ameobi to use his derby-day double as a springboard for the rest of the season, claiming that his languid exterior hid a striker of genuine class. Ameobi, whose reputation has always tended to exceed his ability,
THERE was pomp, circumstance, a lot of fun - and some confusion - to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar in the region. While the rest of the nation attributes the Royal Navy's victory over the combined French and Spanish fleets
OUR Lady of Compassion church lies directly outside Upton Park, but the officials offered none to Middlesbrough yesterday. A seething Steve McClaren rounded on referee's assistant Ralph Bone after he wrongly awarded West Ham what turned out to be a decisive
SOME services have been cancelled in a scattered North Yorkshire group of parishes through lack of people to back up clergy serving eight churches. In addition to services being cancelled in the Fountains group of parishes, near Ripon, some communion
STUDENTS have been given lessons in life in a series of workshops at their school. Hurworth School Maths and Computing College held a citizenship day for their 14 and 15-year-old pupils, entitled Preparing for Life. The day aimed to deal with numerous
DARLINGTON Borough Council has become one of the first in the region to offer high-visibility shopping bags to help keep pensioners safe on the roads. The authority has taken delivery of 500 lightweight See Me shopping bags. They have reflective strips
A TIMELY reminder of a bygone age has been restored to its place of honour. After lying silent and forgotten in a storeroom, gathering the dust of decades, a wall clock - a Victorian entrepreneur's gift to Middlesbrough Council is once again marking the
PEOPLE wishing to dispose of household waste while the Darlington tip is closed are being reminded that they can use two other sites. The tip, in Whessoe Road, has shut for a £750,000 upgrade, including extension work and security. It is hoped the work
A HOST of activities for youngsters will be staged at Darlington's libraries during the half-term holidays. The week starts with Family Learning Storysacks sessions today between 9.30am and 11.30am, at the Crown Street Library. The sessions, suitable
A FAMILY which has transformed a former social club in Beamish village into a pub is asking historians to solve a mystery connected with its name. John and Irene Gray, together with their son, John, have refurbished the former View Top Club to create
A SHOPPING centre was transformed into a colourful art workshop as residents gathered to create a giant mural. About 30 people took part in Bishop Auckland's contribution to The Big Draw, a national campaign aimed at encouraging people to explore and
CHILDREN have been given lessons in the world of work by a housing organisation. Some of the youngsters enjoyed their week-long work experience with Housing Hartlepool so much that they are considering applying for a job with the organisation when they
A NORTH Yorkshire dairy has helped hospital patients receive complementary therapy treatment. A celebration organised by Arla Foods, at Northallerton, to mark the centenary of the dairy at the Romanby Road site, provided £150 to the Alastair Bullen Aromatherapy
EXTRA security measures installed in homes across Stockton have helped save residents from becoming repeat victims of burglary. Eighty per cent of people questioned in a survey carried out by Durham University's Queen's Campus, in Stockton, told researchers
A HERITAGE advisor has called for action to stop arsonists wrecking part of an area's history. Arsons on Eston Moor, near Middlesbrough, are destroying heather and scrub that for centuries has provided protective cover for ancient burial mounds, field
PUPILS from All Saints' Secondary School, in Ingleby Barwick, near Middlesbrough, are being put through their paces with the help of a local health club. The group of 17 year ten students are receiving special fitness classes from Bannatyne's Health Club
A FORMER Hollyoaks actor is opening a Halloween party in Derwentside on Sunday. Martino Lazzeri, who played Alex Bell in the soap is judging the fancy dress competition at Blackhill and Consett Park during the event, which takes place from 4pm to 7pm.
THOUSANDS of young people in County Durham voted for their representatives in the UK Youth Parliament on Friday. Three winners from across the county will members of the Youth Parliament (MYP) and each will have a deputy. Ian Robinson, 17, who attends
Ferryhill Athletic have been unable to fulfil their fixtures in recent weeks. But, they returned to action on Saturday afternoon and were rewarded with a draw against Ryhope CW. The point was enough to see Ferryhill move off the bottom spot. Their first
SAD REFLECTIONHOW sad a reflection it is on modern society where we find it totally acceptable to imprison a pensioner for seven days for owing less than £100 council tax and yet, according to your report (Echo, Oct 11), we find it appropriate to fine
A weapon with a sting in its tail is being developed against terrorists - the sniffer wasp. Scientists in the US say trained wasps could one day take the place of dogs used to detect explosives. Studies show they also have the potential to uncover hidden
It has been said that the futures market in political careers has many similarities with the world of stocks and equities. Just as the market can have a dramatic impact on the price of a company, so the turbulent world of current affairs can have a catastrophic
A CHARITY is asking businesses to put forward football teams to take part in an all-star penalty shoot out competition. No Strings, which uses puppets to teach children lifesaving messages in developing countries, is looking for 50 firms in the North-East
Plans for a wind farm in County Durham will be welcomed tomorrow by a company set up to promote renewable energy sources. Renew Tees Valley, which aims to maximise renewable energy and recycling industries, described the approved development as "another
