PUBS and clubs across the region closed their doors early on the first night of new 24-hour drinking laws. Fears that extended hours would cause drink-fuelled violence to increase have so far proved unfounded, with some describing Thursday's law change
ARMED POLICE : Your editorial 'Arming police is a perilous path to tread,' (Echo, Nov 21) is a view that I share wholeheartedly. As a former police firearms officer, I am aware of the training required to achieve the level of expertise needed to qualify
THERE can be few more daunting prospects than making your international debut in front of your country's expectant fans. A lifetime's ambition hanging in the balance and a nation pinning its collective hopes on you. So imagine what it must have been like
AN EXPECTANT Graeme Souness has promised Albert Luque a free-roaming attacking role in the Newcastle line-up. And, with the Magpies' manager expected to name him on the bench for tomorrow's game at Everton, the Spaniard has promised to live up to his
A VILLAGE shattered by the recent Asian earthquake, is to be renamed in a tribute to the generosity of the people helping to rebuild it. Proceeds from Stockton's Asian earthquake appeal are helping to rebuild the village of Pinyata, in the mountainous
MICK McCarthy has revealed that the gloves came off in the aftermath of last weekend's defeat to Aston Villa and, with fellow strugglers Birmingham visiting the Stadium of Light today, the Sunderland boss has challenged his players to prove they are as
RELICS and photographs from the Second World War will be part of a touring exhibition of the Imperial War Museum. To add a strong local touch to the display, Hartlepool Art Gallery would like to hear from people who served for their country, any child
MICK McCarthy has revealed that the gloves came off in the aftermath of last weekend's defeat to Aston Villa and, with fellow strugglers Birmingham visiting the Stadium of Light today, the Sunderland boss has challenged his players to prove they are as
businesses in Bishop Auckland are being urged to bring Christmas cheer to the town. Bishop Auckland Town Centre Forum is inviting traders to join the festive celebrations by dressing their windows for a competition. The challenge to come up with the most
RESIDENTS are being urged to have their say on how a council plans to transform its open spaces over the next 13 years. Sedgefield Borough Council is launching a major consultation programme to find out what taxpayers want to see from open spaces in the
VOLUNTEERS have called time on a town's annual carnival 100 years after it started. Organisers of Shildon Carnival made the difficult decision following a public meeting when it was hoped that more volunteers would come forward after an appeal for help
TWO brothers signed up for a life in the Army at the same time, although they will be in different branches. Paul Bartlett, 20, and brother Sean, 23, from Ushaw Moor, County Durham, enlisted in the same week. Paul has just completed a National Vocational
YOUNG actors are to stage their version of one of the most successful musicals in theatre history next week. Tynedale Academy of Performing Arts (Tapa)is staging Oliver! at Consett Empire Theatre on Friday and Saturday. Half of the 50-strong cast, all
COUNCIL officers are asking for an extra £40,000 to pay for research and consultation into plans for controversial new headquarters. Richmondshire District Council has already set aside £100,000 to put together a business case for the move from Richmond
A MURDER hunt has been launched after two North-East men were stabbed in an early-morning fracas outside an Amsterdam bar. One man died and the other was seriously injured in the attack, which happened only hours after Middlesbrough FC played in a Uefa
A TEENAGER is to travel to Buckingham Palace after earning a top award. Seventeen-year-old Helen Farrar is the first student at Barnard Castle School to complete the gold Duke of Edinburgh Award while still studying at the school. She will be presented
DOG lovers are being asked to help find a new home for three unwanted strays being cared for at kennels. Harry, a rough-coated lurcher cross, Daisy, a saluki whippet cross bitch and Bedlington Terrier Alfie, are all looking for a new owner. The three
LAST Christmas was a time Howard Etherington was dreading. Howard, now 66, lost his beloved wife Grace in September 2004 - just two days before the couple's 38th wedding anniversary. The rest of the world was preparing to celebrate the festive season,
FAMILIES who have recently lost a loved one will pay a moving tribute at a memorial service next month. On December 4, dozens of lights - each representing the life of someone who has passed away - will be lit in a poignant ceremony at St Cuthbert's Hospice
STUDENTS and staff at a college for visually impaired people have praised the transformation of their common room. Local business KD Carpets donated and fitted the £400 carpet at Henshaws College, in Harrogate, with help from students. The company has
A MURDER charge doctor was described as wonderful and caring in a number of glowing tributes from former patients at his trial. Dr Howard Martin, 71, was the subject of several written and spoken testimonials from former patients on what was the last
A TEENAGER who was dragged into an alleyway and raped on her way home from a night out may have been followed by her attacker, detectives revealed yester- day. Police in Darlington are looking into whether the man who attacked the 19-year-old girl, off
MURDER detectives hunting the man who stabbed to death a North-East man have today arrested a Dutch national. Dutch officers are expected to be interviewing the suspect throughout the day. One man died and the other was seriously injured during the early
STEVE McCLAREN was in no mood to get carried away after watching his side book a place in the last 32 of the UEFA cup on Thursday, immediately turning his attention to domestic duties, writes PAUL FRASER. Boro, albeit by just one place, still occupy a
The reluctant bridegroom is advised by his sister to "lie back and think of England" when he's in bed with his shy, younger wife. Her advice takes on added meaning when you know that the sister is Princess Anne, the brother is Prince Charles and the bride
A CAMPAIGN to generate funds for charity has been given £25,000. County Durham Foundation, a charitable trust, has launched the Darlington Champions scheme to attract funds to the borough. Companies and individuals are being urged to become Darlington
A gorilla takes on a lion as two blockbuster movies premiere in London within days of each other next month. Steve Pratt weighs up who'll be the victor of this rumble in the jungle. Deep in the jungle something is stirring. Two awesome beasts are sizing
WORKERS were dealt a blow last night when a company that manufactures cardboard announced the loss of 175 jobs. SCA Packaging, which has two neighbouring factories on Darlington's Faverdale industrial estate, announced it is closing a plant that manufactures
A range of issues will be addressed next week, with results announcements expected to reflect the introduction of 24-hour drinking and the state of the retail sector. After only a week of opening under new licensing laws, attention will be on pub operator
Mr Ottakar saw the book and the book looked good. "Would you like to sign it in my neighbourhood?" "It's terribly kind of you, Mr Ottakar, "I'd love to - as long as it's not too far." "Oh no, it'll be at my shop in the Cornmill. "Saturday, at eleven thirty
A VILLAGE shattered by the recent Asian earthquake, is to be renamed in a tribute to the generosity of the people helping to rebuild it. Proceeds from Stockton's Asian earthquake appeal are helping to rebuild the village of Pinyata, in the mountainous
A JUDGE who jailed a 28-year-old man for 12 months for unlawful wounding and criminal damage said people were fed-up with alcohol fuelled violence. Appearing for sentence at Durham Crown Court was Robert David Hancock of Roselea, Witton Gilbert, near
SPENDING has risen at its fastest rate for nearly a year, giving rise to hopes that consumer confidence is improving. Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that household expenditure grew at 0.5 per cent between July and
DAVID HODGSON insists that all is far from lost this season and once Darlington click there will be few teams to stop them in League Two. Hodgson's under-performers meet Rushden & Diamonds at the 96.6 TFM Darlington Arena this afternoon, as pressure
PUPILS from around the region have been marking the end of national Anti-Bullying Week. Some schools formed a circle of unity to show how pupils are battling against classroom bullies following a week of lesson-based activities About 300 youngsters from
FLOOD-damaged bridges in a tiny village in the region will not be completely repaired until next summer - by which time £2m will have been spent. All three bridges in Hawnby, near Helmsley, North Yorkshire, were badly damaged when the area was ravaged
THE region largely escaped the first serious snowfall of the winter yesterday. Although some coastal resorts caught a few inches, the majority of the North-East and North Yorkshire missed the wintry weather that brought chaos to other parts of the country
RYEDALE Festival, one of the leading arts events in the country, will have a new chairman and director for next year. Peter O'Malley is stepping down as chairman and will be replaced by accountant Ken Overton, of Slingsby, a member of the festival trust
TEENAGE triathlete Doug Roberts has pledged to fight to be the best - despite a foot injury that forced him out of international trials. The 14-year-old Northallerton College student secured his place as British champion in his age group in the triathlon
Mr Ottakar saw the book and the book looked good. "Would you like to sign it in my neighbourhood?" "It's terribly kind of you, Mr Ottakar, "I'd love to - as long as it's not too far." "Oh no, it'll be at my shop in the Cornmill. "Saturday, at eleven thirty
GRAEME Souness has defended the form of the under-fire Jean-Alain Boumsong and revealed that the Frenchman is playing under the cloud of a "life-threatening" problem to his partner. Boumsong missed this month's 1-0 win over Birmingham with a thigh strain
A CONSTRUCTION company in the region is part of a consortium that has won a Government competition to build a house for £60,000. Metek Building Systems, part of the MMP Group, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, will supply the steel framing for a housing
TWO schoolboys who died in a tragic rail accident in March have been remembered at an awards ceremony at their school. Tributes were paid to Stuart Adams and Lee Mullis in the form of memorial awards given at Longfield School's presentation evening. The
A PROJECTOR stolen from a Darlington school has been recovered thanks to an innovative security system. Earlier this year, every school in the borough was issued with Smartwater, a clear, forensic solution that can be applied to valuable property. Each
POLICE are warning car owners not to leave vehicles unattended with the engine running as they attempt to defrost windows. The warning comes after the theft of a car which had been left with its engine running outside a house in Sedgefield, while the
FAMILIES are panic buying turkeys amid fears an outbreak of bird flu could wipe out Christmas stocks. A farming couple say their Christmas turkey trade has taken off early this year in an unlikely knock-on effect of the bird flu scare. Panic buying set
EMERGENCY services joined forces with taxi drivers, bus drivers, licensees and local authorities to show their commitment to a campaign to reduce binge-drinking. Nightsafe was launched at Redworth Hall Hotel, near Newton Aycliffe, yesterday, as a joint
THOSE fortunate to attend the Darlington Constituency Labour Party dinner on Thursday night had the pleasure of a listening to a most amusing speech by Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's former head of communications. As well as telling anecdotes, Mr Campbell
A TIPPLE with a canine theme will be featured at an annual beer festival staged at a greyhound stadium this weekend. The Westerhams British Bulldog and the Elgoods Greyhound Strong Bitter are just two ales available trackside at the Pelaw Grange Greyhound
FERRYHILL was illuminated with seasonal cheer yesterday when it hosted its annual Christmas fair and the switching on of the festive lights. Children twinkled as the paraded through the Market Place as part of a candle lit procession from St Luke's Church
OLDER people requiring long-term mental health care in a north Durham community have moved into improved accommodation. Patients from a small unit in Stanley, which provided long-term care and treatment for older people with mental health needs, have
A GREEN Santa will show young families on low incomes how they can keep warm without spending a fortune on energy bills and adding to greenhouse gases. The environmentally-friendly Father Christmas will be at Chester-le-Street Methodist Church, Market
WHEN striker Mark Viduka jets off with Australia to their first World Cup finals in 32 years next summer he is hoping to head there as a UEFA Cup winner. Viduka turned in a hard-working performance to help Boro secure the point against AZ Alkmaar that
NEWCASTLE Falcons are hoping the return of Jamie Noon will compensate for the loss of Jonny Wilkinson and help them end their depressing run of home defeats tomorrow. With Noon not required by England, only skipper Colin Charvis is absent on international
Stuart Boulton discovers how the jet set lives on an island hopping trip to St Vincent and the Grenadines. THE luscious green islands of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) are off the track usually beaten by mass tourism to Caribbean super-resorts. The
WORKERS were dealt a blow last night when a company that manufactures cardboard announced the loss of 175 jobs. SCA Packaging, which has two neighbouring factories on Darlington's Faverdale industrial estate, announced it is closing a plant that manufactures
WHEN striker Mark Viduka jets off with Australia to their first World Cup finals in 32 years next summer he is hoping to head there as a UEFA Cup winner. Viduka turned in a hard-working performance to help Boro secure the point against AZ Alkmaar that
A BUSINESSMAN who has terrorised his neighbours was back in court yesterday for breaching an interim Anti Social Behaviour Order (Asbo) by taking photographs in his street. Stephen Thoms' latest appearance arises from a dispute in which he is alleged
BRIDES from the last seven decades are dusting down their wedding dresses for a charity exhibition next month. At least a dozen women have agreed to display their treasured gowns at Tudhoe Community Centre, near Spennymoor, on Sunday, December 4. The
PUBS and clubs across the region closed their doors early on the first night of new 24-hour drinking laws. Fears that extended hours would cause drink-fuelled violence to increase have so far proved unfounded, with some describing Thursday's law change
THE late Ernest Armstrong, North-West Durham MP and Northern League president, used frequently to tell the joke - in truth he seemed to carry it round in his bait box - about the bare headed chap getting seriously soaked on the Roker End at Sunderland
A MURDER hunt has been launched after two North-East men were stabbed in an early-morning fracas outside an Amsterdam bar. One man died and the other was seriously injured in the attack, which happened only hours after Middlesbrough FC played in a Uefa
THE maker of hit TV show Footballers' Wives yesterday announced a £25m deal to buy the company behind the shows Supernanny and Risking It All. Shed Productions, which also makes ITV1's Bad Girls, said it was interested in Ricochet because of its links
Ruby Walsh doesn't get much wrong but he could have erred in preferring Cornish Rebel over stable companion Red Devil Robert in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup Handicap Chase over three-and-a-quarter miles at Newbury this afternoon. Much has been made of
A CONSTRUCTION company in the region is part of a consortium that has won a Government competition to build a house for £60,000. Metek Building Systems, part of the MMP Group, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, will supply the steel framing for a housing
Royal Shakespeare, third to Harchibald in last year's renewal, is fancied to go two places better in the Grade One Pertemps Fighting Fifth Hurdle over two miles at Newcastle this afternoon. Steve Gollings' six-year-old ran a blinder for one so inexperienced
FIREfighters tackling a supermarket blaze were hampered when sub-zero temperatures froze water from their hoses. More than 40 firefighters fought to control the blaze at the Co-op supermarket in Leyburn, North Yorkshire. A flat roof at the rear of the
SUNDERLAND skipper Gary Breen was in a straight-talking mood when he urged the majority of his team-mates to own up to their part in the club's Premiership shortcomings this season. The Black Cats' centre-back is more than willing to accept he has been
A FOOTBALL club has unveiled a strip with a difference - in the form of a nude calendar. Strategically placed footballs and other sporting equipment have saved the blushes of the first team at Darlington Football Club, who have posed for the glamour shots
AN EXPECTANT Graeme Souness has promised Albert Luque a free-roaming attacking role in the Newcastle line-up. And, with the Magpies' manager expected to name him on the bench for tomorrow's game at Everton, the Spaniard has promised to live up to his
UNSIGHTLY overhead power cables in several of the county's most scenic villages will be put underground. The scheme will benefit many of the 20 villages in the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Electricity price watchdog Ofgem
