Planespotting (ITV1) Two And A Half Men (five) The Tournament (C4) THE makers of Planespotting had no problem turning the story of the arrest and trial of British planespotters in Greece four years ago into a watchable two-hour film. What they couldn't
IT was a typically English picture postcard scene. Forty riders in smart blazers, traditional pinks and polished brass buttons taking the lead of an excitable pack of hounds. But as South Durham Hunt galloped across Tony Blair's pretty Sedgefield constituency
Sebastian Coe yesterday insisted London's bid for the 2012 Olympics cannot rest on its laurels, despite a highly-successful visit from the IOC's evaluation commission. Coe, the bid chairman, said the task of persuading the IOC to vote for London was now
INTERNATIONAL Development Secretary Hilary Benn will visit the North-East today to discuss the impact of global issues on the region. Mr Benn will also give a speech at an international conference hosted by the Northern TUC at Newcastle's Centre for Life
Heavy snow covered the North-East of England leaving many roads in treacherous conditions with up to four inches of snow in some areas of Northumberland and County Durham. Motorists were warned to take care while driving as some roads are only passable
COUNTY Durham and Darlington is one of the top hospital trusts in the country when it comes to rapid appointments. That is the conclusion of hospital bosses after a survey found that 88 per cent of patients had been given an outpatient appointment inside
BLAYDON and Darlington Mowden Park are both now heavily involved in the National Three North relegation scrap following Saturday's defeats. Although four tries gave Blaydon a bonus point which kept them ahead of the pack in their 36-24 home defeat by
Roy Vigars was aged just 20 when the Lancaster bomber on which he was flight engineer was shot down over France. He escaped the blazing plane, unlike fellow crew member Andrew Mynarski, who died trying to save the life of another man. Roy's son, Jeff,
BY naming his third child Cruz yesterday, David Beckham proved he has not been immune to Spanish influences since moving to Madrid last summer. And, by settling on the Spanish word for 'cross', the world's most famous midfielder also gave more than a
ANYONE who knows the music of contemporary composer and pianist Ludovico Einaudi will almost certainly remember the moment they first heard it. Its enchanting beauty is immediately captivating and accessible, and his albums have attracted a lot of fans
AS the battle to avoid the third relegation place in National Three North hots up, Darlington will feel confident of winning their four remaining home games. With full back David Glendenning again providing the inspiration, they came back superbly from
A man has admitted killing a devoted mother who was found stabbed to death in a County Durham house earlier this year hours after celebrating her birthday. The blood-soaked body of Susan Carr, a 38-year-old mother of two teenagers, was found at a bungalow
THE family of the only Englishman in Second World War hero Andrew Mynarski's crew has given its support to The Northern Echo's Forgotten Hero appeal. Roy Vigars, from Guildford, Surrey, was only 20 when the Lancaster bomber on which he was flight engineer
SUNDERLAND'S first trip to the seaside this season saw the Seagulls make a big mess of their automatic promotion hopes. On their first half performance alone Sunderland fans could have been forgiven for thinking their side had packed their swimwear, buckets
TALKS are being held in an attempt to attract an £18m tourist venue to the North-East. York is one of four cities in the running to become home to the Spice project. Billed as the Eden project of the North, it will feature shops, caf bars, and restaurants
Jarrow Roofing keeper Andy Hoggarth was the hero with two penalty saves to put the Northern League side into the quarter finals of the FA Vase, writes Ray Simpson. Hoggarth was the hero in the penalty shoot-out after Roofing held on to a 1-1 scoreline
EIGHT years ago Steve Claridge broke the heart of 14-year-old Sam Russell, along with thousands of other Middlesbrough supporters when he scored an extra-time winner to clinch League Cup glory for Leicester City. And on Saturday he was at it again, scoring
An angler died after falling into the sea at the weekend. A second man, who jumped in to save him at Blyth, Northumberland, was treated in hospital after they both became trapped between a boat and the quayside wall on Saturday. Northumbria Police said
ENVIRONMENTAL chiefs are calling on the Government to provide increased protection for communities faced by the adverse effects of mineral extraction. Durham County Council, responding to consultation on new minerals planning guidance, is appealing to
TEENAGE sweethearts who rekindled their love after more than four decades apart have been named as a town's most romantic couple. Alan Bowes and Mary Riley, of Rushmoor, Spennymoor, met when they were teenagers in the 1960s, but after three years courting
A SERIES of social events are being planned for an agricultural support service and a young people's drop-in centre. The Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services (Utass) and the Kirk Caryn House Young People's Drop-in centre, in Middleton-in-Teesdale
ARMED police were involved in a siege lasting more than nine hours at a North-East hospital yesterday. Officers were called to the South Tyneside General Hospital at about 4.30am yesterday, when a man refused to come out of the building. A police spokesman
An angler died after falling into the sea at the weekend. A second man, who jumped in to save him at Blyth, Northumberland, was treated in hospital after they both became trapped between a boat and the quayside wall on Saturday. Northumbria Police said
PRIMARY schools are teaming up with the police to take part in a scheme to promote good behaviour and educational achievement. More than 12,500 pupils, aged from four to 11, will be invited to start collecting cards on a wallchart featuring their local
RESIDENTS who live near a run-down park have vowed to work together to help its regeneration. A meeting to discuss the future of Darlington's North Park resulted in a decision to form a Friends of North Park group, fighting the vandalism and anti-social
POLICE are appealing for the people who rescued a young man from a savage assault to come forward. The man sustained significant head injuries after the assault between 2.15am and 2.40am on Saturday. He was attacked in Gladstone Street, and again in Selbourne
A TOWN leisure centre is offering people the chance to surf the Internet. Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre has opened a cyber-caf that has four personal computers, a printer, and offers Internet access at 50p for a half-hour session.
CHILDREN danced the night away to raise money for their school holidays. More than 20 children aged between five and 14 took part in the two-hour performance yesterday. They hoped to raise about £250 to fund half-term activities on the Red Hall estate
A SEVERELY disabled boy has been given new hope after his plight appeared in The Northern Echo. Ashley Mawson, 14, will be given £5,000 from the Variety Club to help meet the £15,000 cost of converting his home - in Stockton Road, Darlington - to accommodate
NOT for the first time, a picture of West Auckland's 1911 "World Cup" winning team - 6-1 against Juventus - appeared in the column a couple of weeks back. "That's my Uncle Joe, " thought Marjorie Baxter and from that realization followed a wonderfully
A PROJECT geared at improving the lives of children in care homes is holding an activity weekend. St Mary's College Kids Camp will be held at Durham University on March 5 and 6. The children, accompanied by their carers, will be given a range of activities
Tony Blair has launched a personal crusade on behalf of a Territorial Army soldier forced to pay for his own medical treatment following injury in Iraq. Mr Blair, in his role as constituency MP, has taken the remarkable step of writing to his own defence
STRIKERS and goal droughts - it happens to the best of them. Thierry Henry, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Alan Shearer will all profess that when the goals dry up there's nothing worse. Only recently Henry fired blanks on seven successive occasions, while Shearer
STEVE CALDWELL believes Sunderland can't afford any more slips-ups if they are to gain automatic promotion to the Premiership this season. With Ipswich and Preston battling out a 1-1 draw on Friday night and Wigan comprehensively defeating Leeds, the
I can't quite believe it but I have had a postive experience with a workman. I have mentioned my runaway builders in past columns, as well as my kitchen botch-up when the fitter took the wrong measurements and ordered the wrong worktops. With a history
Planespotting (ITV1); Two And A Half Men (five); The Tournament (C4): THE makers of Planespotting had no problem turning the story of the arrest and trial of British planespotters in Greece four years ago into a watchable two-hour film. What they couldn't
A CAR boot sale boss has been fined £6,000 for allowing counterfeit goods to be sold at his event. George Banks, promoter of the car boot sale at Redcar Racecourse, was prosecuted following a council surveillance operation, launched after complaints of
A teenager died in a sledging accident as snowstorms swept parts of Britain. The 19-year-old man was sledging with a friend when he careered down a steep slope and hit trees in the Cramlington area of Northumberland, Northumbria Police said. His friend
PLANS to move a special school from a listed country mansion to a £6m development have been given the go-ahead by county planning chiefs. The proposals to relocate Windlestone Hall School, near Rushyford, County Durham, to a site on the outskirts of nearby
ALL-WOMEN SHORTLIST: WHATEVER is happening in the Labour Party? As a lifelong supporter, I believe that imposing a women-only shortlist of candidates to replace Derek Foster, none of whom have any genuine connections with Bishop Auckland, is nonsense
PRIMARY schools are teaming up with the police to take part in a scheme to promote good behaviour and educational achievement. More than 12,500 pupils, aged from four to 11, will be invited to start collecting cards on a wallchart featuring their local
SHILDON AC's Kate Avery proved the country's best under-13 girl cross-country runner when she completed a hat-trick of major titles in the English National Championships at Birmingham. The 13-year-old Woodham schoolgirl, winner of the North-East and North
A NORTH-EAST racecourse has improved its standing in a recently published league table of attendances at UK horse racing meetings throughout 2004. The daily average of people attending the 17 meetings at Redcar, east Cleveland, last year rose to 3,725
A VILLAGE housing development in a conversation area has been given the go-ahead, despite objections from a parish council and residents. Members of an area planning committee of Harrogate Borough Council approved the plan on land next to Lindley House
Singer Jeanette Wainwright is to use her talents at a concert to raise funds for victims of the tsunami in Asia. Ms Wainwright, who lives in Saltburn, sings all over the world and works with many English opera companies. As well as producing the concert
INTERNATIONAL Development Secretary Hilary Benn will visit the North-East today to discuss the impact of global issues on the region. Mr Benn will also give a speech at an international conference hosted by the Northern TUC at Newcastle's Centre for Life
GUIDES made contact with people across the world at the weekend with the help of amateur radio enthusiasts. Girls from Northallerton and Bedale chatted to members of packs in countries including Holland and Denmark by two-way radio. The equipment was
A £1.5M SCHEME to provide high-speed Internet access in rural communities has been unveiled. Fourteen exchanges, serving some of the most remote areas of North Yorkshire, could soon be connected to broadband under the broadband gap project. The scheme
PLANS to build homes on a greenfield site between a pub and superstore on a key road into Ripon should go ahead, councillors decided. But because they voted against officers' advice, they must re-run the application at the next meeting of a Harrogate
IN a mock rescue at the weekend, volunteer lifesavers were scrambled to a remote dale after two planes crashed mid-air. Search and rescue personnel scoured windswept Upper Teesdale, County Durham, to find the two pilots and a hiking party hit by debris
A FORMER railway works football club welcomed a special guest as it celebrated its golden anniversary with a commemorative match at the weekend. Shildon Railway FC, in County Durham, played the Rail Maritime and Transport union team, who included its
EMERGENCY services have issued a warning to arsonists about endangering lives of innocent victims following a mindless act at the weekend. A man's life was put at risk when vandals started a fire at a house in Bessemer Street, Ferryhill, at about midnight
YOUNG people in the North-East are to meet veterans from the Second World War today in an event aimed at bridging the gap between the generations. The group of veterans, which includes civilians as well as people who saw action during the war, has been
THE musical programme for two concerts in aid of The Northern Echo's Forgotten Hero appeal has been announced. The Normandy Band of the Queen's Division will play at the Sunday afternoon events at Darlington's Dolphin Centre on March 13 and April 10.
A COMPANY has created 120 jobs by relocating from India to the North-East. Thousands of British workers have been made redundant by companies choosing cheaper labour in Asia. But Nisai has turned its back on its offices in Hyderabad and brought the firm
THE car pulled up in a quiet side street with its two young occupants chatting animatedly about their night out. Harpinder Kaur smiled warmly at her new boyfriend and the pair kissed each other goodnight before arranging when they could go out again.
DAYS after becoming the latest Hartlepool United player to be given a rough ride by the Victoria Park crowd, Gavin Strachan delivered the perfect riposte. Plenty of players have been given a hard time by the moaners in the Mill House Stand over the years
Brandon manager Vince Kirkup believes his side can still beat the drop despite a 1-0 home defeat by Horden on Saturday. A second half goal from Kevin Devine means Brandon are now just three points above the relegation zone, and they have played at least
EXPERTS say that nine out of ten people are doodlers, so the chances are that you, too, make squiggly little drawings from time to time. Even if you simply underline or circle words, you are a doodler. In fact, those who merely outline or decorate their
THE region was warned last night to brace itself for a week of blizzards and freezing temperatures. Forecasters say heavy snowfalls and arctic winds will hit the North-East and North Yorkshire with its worst weather of the winter. But Newcastle United's
A STUDENT is preparing to walk the length and breadth of Britain after being inspired by the plight of a girl with a rare heart and lung disease. David Cuthbertson, from Billingham, plans to tab - a mixture of running and walking - the length of Hadrian's
A TEENAGER was impaled on a door handle at his home. Neil Hennessy, 15, of Cramlington, Northumberland, fell on to a brass door handle, which penetrated his right eye socket by several inches. He was rescued after 20 minutes by paramedics and firefighters
MARK Convery made the most of a rare chance on Saturday. With Ryan Valentine ruled out of the draw at Wycombe with a virus, Convery was given his first start since September. Valentine travelled with the rest of the Darlington squad on Friday, only to
A SERIES of social events are being planned for an agricultural support service and a young people's drop-in centre. The Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services (Utass) and the Kirk Caryn House Young People's Drop-in centre, in Middleton-in-Teesdale
VILLAGE and town halls across North Yorkshire will be hosting shows with an international flavour this spring. Acts ranging from country musician Hank Wangford to exmaples of choreography and classical cabaret will appear as part of the On Tour scheme
A PILOT scheme is to be introduced into four of a North-East city's schools to encourage young people to adopt a more active lifestyle. Students at West Denton, St John Vianney and Beech Hill primary schools and All Saints College, in Newcastle, will
ENVIRONMENTAL chiefs are calling on the Government to provide increased protection for communities faced by the adverse effects of mineral extraction. Durham County Council, responding to consultation on new minerals planning guidance, is appealing to
Bishop Auckland's revival continued with an excellent 4-0 home win over Radcliffe Borough at the Brewery Field. Bishops are still bottom of the table, but level on points with Bridlington. Manager Brian Honour said: "We're playing with a lot of confidence
THE prospect of a two per cent council tax rise in a North-East city is a step closer. Members of the executive at Newcastle City Council have approved the 2005-06 budget report following consultation. The recommendations will now go to a meeting of the
More than 20 rural payphones scheduled for the axe in a BT costcutting exercise could yet be saved. The telecommunications firm has delayed the removal of 22 phone boxes in Richmondshire after objections from residents and councillors. However, six payphones
BUILDING students have been casting an eye over an old mill at one of the country's most popular beauty spots. Twenty-five students on the HNC Building Studies course at Darlington College of Technology were asked to survey some old mill workers' tied
There's just no stopping Birtley Town at present and they made it nine wins on the bounce defeating Coxhoe Athletic in the quarter finals of the Sunderland Shipowners' Cup. It was a near thing though and Coxhoe were within a minute of reaching the last
AN advice service for people aged over 75 was launched in Darlington this week. Darlington Citizens Advice Bureau has secured funding for a two-year project, aimed at giving benefits support to hard to reach members of the community. The cash for the
Indian Harpinder Kaur chose to marry a cousin rather than be ostracised by her family, and when she divorced him and later found love with a Pakistani, she was viciously beaten. She tells Women's Editor Lindsay Jennings her story. THE car pulled up in
The Futurist Theatre, on Scarborough seafront, is to be sold by the borough council to Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency. It is identified for potential development, with proceeds from the sale reinvested in regeneration schemes. Consultants
THE family of a man murdered by a love rival in a knife attack 14 years ago has expressed fears over his forthcoming release from prison. Relatives of Andrew Stanyer believe his killer, Robert Bage, should never be released from prison. They have been
CHILDREN have become regulars at a village pub since its menu was extended beyond food and drink. The Dun Cow Inn, in Witton le Wear, near Bishop Auckland, has also become an online centre offering Internet facilities to the whole community. Through n-e-life.com
CHILDREN have become regulars at a village pub since its menu was extended beyond food and drink. The Dun Cow Inn, in Witton le Wear, near Bishop Auckland, has also become an online centre offering Internet facilities to the whole community. Through n-e-life.com
DARLINGTON is to host a pilot scheme to improve health in the workplace. Several businesses across the town are taking part in the project, set up by Darlington Primary Care Trust (PCT). The scheme will focus on encouraging healthier food to be served
HEAVEN help us when the date of the General Election is finally called. Even before we have an official date, the parties are falling over themselves to out-promise each other. It was Michael Howard's turn yesterday, revealing that he can perform miracles
AS the snowflakes fell on St James' Park, Newcastle United made the most of an under-strength Chelsea by booking a place in the quarter-finals and strengthening hopes of FA Cup glory for the first time in 50 years. It was little wonder the Newcastle worked
THOUSANDS of supporters turned out at hunt meets across the region on Saturday in a show of defiance against the new hunting ban. On the first weekend since the ban came into force on Friday, the hunting lobby gathered to demonstrate their continued battle
A FORMER railway works football club welcomed a special guest as it celebrated its golden anniversary with a commemorative match at the weekend. Shildon Railway FC, in County Durham, played the Rail Maritime and Transport union team, who included its
On a day when there is only Flat racing in this country, it is ironic that Paul Webber, much better known as a capable jumps trainer, saddles the best bet of the day. His Kew Green, a consistent sort who has been running well, looks set to give a good
IN a mock rescue at the weekend, volunteer lifesavers were scrambled to a remote dale after two planes crashed mid-air. Search and rescue personnel scoured windswept Upper Teesdale, County Durham, to find the two pilots and a hiking party hit by debris
MIDDLESBROUGH has the highest percentage of people claiming state benefits, a survey has revealed. The study by the GMB union, shows that the town is 12th in the list of benefit claimants in England and Wales, with 22 per cent of the population relying
On a day when there is only Flat racing in this country, it is ironic that Paul Webber, much better known as a capable jumps trainer, saddles the best bet of the day. His Kew Green, a consistent sort who has been running well, looks set to give a good
HUNDREDS of people braved the cold weather to welcome the crew of a Royal Navy ship to their town yesterday. The company of HMS Richmond visited Richmond, North Yorkshire, to exercise the freedom of the town granted to the ship in 1996. The crew marched
CELEBRITY chef Brian Turner will be among the highlights of the first-ever Ryedale Festival of Food and Drink. The initiative is to be held at Castle Howard, near Malton, on May 29 and 30, to showcase the best produce the region has to offer. During the
FREE rubbish bags are being offered to motorists to encourage people to keep the Wear Valley tidy. As part of the Pride Campaign project, Wear Valley District Council and Groundwork West Durham want to stop motorists throwing litter from car windows by
SCOUTS have taken part in a winter camping competition in the Durham Dales. A dozen Scouts from Teesdale and Bishop Auckland took part in Camp Frosty, at White Kirkley, near Frosterley, in Weardale. The camp involved an eight-mile hike, where scouts were
THE region was warned last night to brace itself for a week of blizzards and freezing temperatures. Forecasters say heavy snowfalls and arctic winds will hit the North-East and North Yorkshire with its worst weather of the winter. But Newcastle United's
A ROW has erupted over a collection for a North-East football legend. Nearly £5,000 was raised last month, after fans were asked to contribute to the collection for former manager Brian Clough at Middlesbrough's home game against Blackburn Rovers. However
BUILDING students have been casting an eye over an old mill at one of the country's most popular beauty spots. Twenty-five students on the HNC Building Studies course at Darlington College of Technology were asked to survey some old mill workers' tied
YOUNG gaming enthusiasts met this weekend to battle it out for the crown of The Lord of the Rings. Teams from Stockton, Middlesbrough and Grangefield Games Workshop Clubs met at Stockton Central Library on Saturday to compete in the tournament. Youngsters
FIRE crews have called for action to make a derelict pub secure after arsonists targeted it for the fourth time in a month. Three fire crews tackled the blaze at the Queen's Head, in Haverton Hill, Billingham, in the early hours of yesterday. Crews from
SWEDISH students have been busy preparing desserts in a college's catering department. Five 17-year-olds from Scandinavia are on a month-long tour of the North of England as part of their catering qualification. They spent a day at Darlington College
SCHOOLCHILDREN are leading the way in breaking a chain of ill health that has seen residents of a Teesside town die before their time. Hartlepool MP Iain Wright said improving diet among young people would help push life expectancy in the town up to national
Two Teesside youngsters have helped create a national drugs strategy for young people. Samantha Watson and James Hargreaves attended a residential event in London to contribute to the pack called Be Aware. They were chosen because of their work with the
AN ENTERPRISING student used his work experience placement to come up with a new product for a Teesside firm. Darren O'Rourke, who is studying for a degree in design marketing, took part in a placement at Creative Glass & Mirrors Ltd in Stockton.
THE first family have come forward to claim a free tree to mark the birth of their child. Newcastle City Council introduced the scheme earlier this month, offering families in the city a voucher when they register their child's birth. The voucher can
VOLUNTEERS are needed in County Durham to help deal with young people who commit crime. County Durham Youth Engagement Service is looking for volunteers to train as referral order panel members. Panel members listen to young people and challenge their
MAXINE CARR should be given the chance to tell her story in a book, a true-crime publisher said yesterday. Underworld expert Steve Richards has asked Carr to sign a deal to write about her life with child killer Ian Huntley. He said his publishing company
THE streets of a Teesside town are their cleanest yet. A survey of Middlesbrough's streets have shown them to be almost spotless. The council measures street cleanliness on a system devised by national environment watchdog, Encams. Originally, 43 per
A TEESSIDE student who was bullied so badly at school that she ended up in a mental health hospital has recorded her traumatic experiences on film. Amy Cherry, from Norton, tells her story on a DVD, produced by young people from Stockton Riverside College
A POLICE worker stole almost £15,000 from a police station to fund his lifestyle and pay off debts. Michael Curtin pocketed the money over five years while he worked as an administrative assistant at Farringdon Hall Police Station, in Primate Road, Sunderland
A CAR boot sale boss has been fined £6,000 for allowing counterfeit goods to be sold at his event. George Banks, promoter of the car boot sale at Redcar Racecourse, was prosecuted following a council surveillance operation, launched after complaints of
A BRIDE-to-be got an extra special gift on Valentine's Day when she won a free wedding. Yvonne Clarkson, of Shildon, won the package during a wedding fair at Redworth Hall Hotel, near Newton Aycliffe. Yvonne and her partner of more than three years, Christopher
DELIGHTED Graeme Souness last night urged his Newcastle players to take a leaf out of Chelsea's book, by making 1-0 their scoreline of choice between now and the end of the season. The Magpies booked their place in the last eight of the FA Cup at St James
Darlington have been playing the numbers game all season, switching formations and team selections on a regular basis, but manager David Hodgson reckons their effectiveness is entirely dependent on players' attitude. They've gone from 3-5-2 to 4-3-3 to
A PROJECT geared at improving the lives of children in care homes is holding an activity weekend. St Mary's College Kids Camp will be held at Durham University on March 5 and 6. The children, accompanied by their carers, will be given a range of activities
GAVIN Strachan and Tommy Widdrington might not have played together at Hartlepool United but, in two outings this season, the current Pool midfielder holds the upper hand. Widdrington is back at Vale Park, the club from where he moved to Pool in 2001,
A TEENAGER has been arrested in connection with the rape of a 14-year-old girl at a railway station. The girl was attacked in the waiting area of Stockton railway station last month. Police said a 17-year-old youth from the Stockton area was arrested
