Archive

  • Quakers clash gets green light

    DARLINGTON'S League Two clash with Swansea City tonight will go ahead after a pitch inspection this morning. The club is appealing for helpers to assist with the clearing of snow from the Williamson Motors Stadium pitch. After heavy snow, covers were

  • Church packed for farewell to soldier killed in car crash

    PEOPLE turned out in force to pay tribute to a soldier who died in a car crash while on leave from Iraq. Some mourners had to stand outside St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church at Langley Moor, near Durham City, to hear the requiem mass for Lance Corporal

  • Comment from The Northern Echo: Questions over cash

    POLITICS, as today's list of MPs' interests shows all too clearly, can be a highly lucrative business. There is an awful lot of money to be made by politicians who fancy turning their hand to writing, public speaking, consultancy, or television presenting

  • More than 400 products now in food dye alert

    The number of products caught up in Britain's biggest food recall alert soared to more than 400 last night. A further 60 products contaminated with the potentially cancer-causing dye Sudan 1 were announced during the day by the Food Standards Agency.

  • Myhre calls on Cats to show their pride

    AN HONEST Thomas Myhre wants the Championship clash with Rotherham to survive the big freeze tonight, so Sunderland can prove to their fans they are as proud as ever to pull on the red and white shirt. Myhre was in goal at Brighton on Saturday as the

  • A better class of breakfast

    The column basks in luxury breakfasting at London's Fortnum and Mason and Yarm's Strickland and Holt. FORTNUM and Mason has been in Piccadilly since 1707 when, then as now, you could build a hotel for £500 and risk landing in jail soon afterwards. William

  • Hodgson lines up Appleby

    DAVID Hodgson believes experience is paramount to Darlington's promotion aspirations - and former Feethams favourite Matty Appleby is the man to provide it. Hodgson yesterday opened discussions with the Teessider, who is ready to quit Oldham and return

  • Remembering women's vital work

    Hydro Polymers has planned five activities to mark the Aycliffe Angels' contribution to the war effort. They are: Mobile Exhibition Unit: This will feature information and illustrations of the work carried out by the Aycliffe Angels. It is intended for

  • Man, 20, killed sledging

    A MAN died in a sledging accident as the region was hit by heavy snowfalls. Mark Young, 20, from Ashington, Northumberland, died following the accident. Police said he ran out of control and collided with trees. His 19-year-old friend was injured. The

  • Man admits killing mother who was marking birthday

    A MAN has admitted killing a devoted mother who was found stabbed to death in a North-East house shortly after celebrating her birth-day. The blood-soaked body of Susan Carr, a 38-year-old mother of two teenagers, was discovered at a bungalow in Palm

  • Schools in chaos as teachers stay home

    THE first major snowfall of the winter led to dozens of school closures yesterday and chaos on roads across the region. Schools in County Durham were worst hit. A total of 69 were forced to close as a result of heavy snow and ice. Many shut because of

  • Dickie knows his onions

    Harry Mead finds himself unexpecteldy bowed over on a tour round Britain with a cricketing legend. DICKIE BIRD'S BRITAIN (Hodder & Stoughton, £14.99): DICKIE Bird's Britain? Surely one 22-yard strip of heavy-rollered turf after another? No. Here's

  • The cash your MPs pocketed

    WILLIAM HAGUE scooped up to £800,000 last year through directorships, speeches and newspaper columns - six times his income if he had made it to Downing Street. The annual register of MPs' interests reveals the full extra-curricular earnings of the former

  • Quakers may be sold

    DARLINGTON Football Club chairman Stewart Davies has set a timescale of two to three weeks for prospective buyers to come forward. Former Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale was linked with a possible role at the club last week after discussions with

  • Pledge to test law on hunting

    HUNDREDS of hunt supporters vowed to test the law on hunting - the day after a ban comes into force. Packs and foxhounds and beagles will meet on Saturday, only 24 hours after the ban becomes law. The pro-hunting group Countryside Alliance pledged hunts

  • Pyeroy reports record turnover

    THE company responsible for the toughest paint job in the world has announced a record turnover. Pyeroy, of Gateshead, made £43m last year, a 12 per cent increase on the previous year. In January last year, the group, which has previously specialised

  • Chantaco has pace to defy absence

    SPEEDY Chantaco (3.10) might easily have the class to defy a 171-day absence in the Bet Direct Interactive Stakes at Lingfield. Trainer Andrew Balding gave his gelding just three outings as a two-year-old, culminating in a runaway success at Thirsk in

  • Investment helps smartcard maker to a successful year

    A COMPANY that manufactures smartcards has created nearly 50 jobs and is forecasting increased sales following a year of investment and expansion. G2 Integrated Solutions, part of the Moneybox Group, develops cards that are used for cashless payment,

  • Brentford will see the real Pool this time, pledges Strachan

    GAVIN Strachan is confident the real Hartlepool United will stand up tonight. Pool face Brentford at Victoria Park for the second time in ten days. After missing out on an FA Cup trip to Southampton after losing 1-0 in the fourth round replay, Pool have

  • Trial of ex-football club chairman could last months

    THE high-profile trial of former Darlington Football Club chairman George Reynolds, charged with money-laundering offences, could last months and call upon 20 to 30 witnesses, according to his legal team. His solicitors also look set to appeal for the

  • 'Kwik-Fit auction could be for £1bn'

    CAR parts and repair specialist Kwik-Fit could be valued at up to £1bn if auctioned in the coming months, a report said. CVC Capital, which acquired the business from US car maker Ford in 2002, is thought to be ready to appoint financial advisors after

  • Asphalt unsafe claim denied

    NORTH-East authorities have defended their use of a road surfacing material which is claimed to be unsafe. Several roads across the region, including stretches of the A66 which has been dubbed Britain's most dangerous road, use Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA

  • No appeal for man who stabbed lover

    A JILTED lover who stabbed his ex in front of their two terrified daughters will not be allowed to challenge his sentence, Appeal Court judges ruled yesterday. Richard Neil Stephenson's 12-year-old and eight-year-old girls by his relationship with the

  • Bogus charity runner jailed

    A MAN who told people he was going on long-distance runs for Children In Need spent his sponsorship money on drugs, a court heard yesterday. Colin James Chapman knocked on doors in his home town of Stockton, Teesside, last September, telling people he

  • Car sharing club takes to the road

    A RURAL car club bringing cheap and convenient transport to households without cars has been declared open for business. Four cars will be managed by Richmondshire Council for Voluntary Services (RCVS) for discounted hire to local residents. A Citroen

  • Louise Doran, Evie Levin. Alistair Tulloch

    Newcastle recruitment consultancy Beresford Blake Thomas (BBT) is marking its third birthday this month. BBT's Newcastle operation recruits people to work in health and social care and in construction and engineering. LOUISE DORAN has joined the health

  • N-E pioneering cancer drug

    CANCER patients in the region are the first in the world to benefit from a revolutionary cancer drug, it has been revealed. The drug, which works in a different way to anything else available, is the first product of the Northern Institute for Cancer

  • Masterclass on sugar art

    A TOP patisserie chef is to demonstrate the sweet art of sugar craft. A master class will be held at Darlington College of Technology next month, by chef Ildo Nicolello. The two-day class - on March 21 and 22 - is aimed at training providers. For more

  • Vandals damage memorial to steel industry workers

    A WORK of art that was a tribute to the men who died making steel on Teesside has been vandalised. Artist and former steelman Tony Charles said it had taken a year to create the exhibition, which was a memorial to steelworkers. Vandals caused £2,000 worth

  • Walk-in health centre treats 1,500 patients in first month

    A PIONEERING walk-in medical centre has been hailed a success after thousands of people used its services during its first month. Darlington MP Alan Milburn opened Dr Piper House, the new walk-in health centre and headquarters of Darlington Primary Care

  • Parishes look at alternatives after council waste tip closes

    A MEETING will be held next week over the closure of a council tip. The Browns Houses civic amenity site, in Frosterley, was closed by Durham County Council yesterday leaving residents facing an eight mile trip to the nearest tip at Willington. Stanhope

  • Choir kicks off concerts

    A MUSEUM is to welcome a choir as the first performer in its season of concerts. The Crook and Weardale Choir will perform at the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle, on March 12. The concert will be the first of the Music at the Bowes 2005 programme. The

  • Conwoman alert

    ELDERLY residents have been warned to watch out for a woman who has conned her way into homes and stolen cash. Detectives say a woman in her 30s has struck four times in the past week at a homes in the North Ormesby area of Middlesbrough. She claimed

  • Burglar jailed after admitting theft from family home

    A SCHOOLGIRL returned home to discover a burglar rifling through her mother's handbag, a court heard yesterday. On seeing the 15-year-old girl, Adam Lowe, 26, of Glebe Terrace, Cockfield, said to her: "Michael let me in." Then he ran passed her and out

  • Minister's packed visit to region

    A GOVERNMENT minister will be in east Durham today to look at projects aimed at encouraging lifelong learning. Ivan Lews, parliamentary under secretary of state for skills and vocational education, will begin his tour at the Walkers Crisps factory, in

  • Shop owner's charity spirit

    A HARTLEPOOL store owner who won a bottle of House of Commons Whisky in a radio auction was presented with his prize by the town's MP. Billy Reid, who owns First Class, a shoe repair and key cutting shop in Middleton Grange Shopping Centre, bid £110 in

  • Keeping fit and healthy for free

    RESIDENTS of Sedgefield borough are being offered a chance to keep fit for free. Sedgefield Borough Council's leisure services department is offering free exercise sessions at Ferryhill and Shildon leisure centres. From Monday to Friday, March 4, a range

  • The cash your MPs pocketed

    WILLIAM HAGUE scooped up to £800,000 last year through directorships, speeches and newspaper columns - six times his income if he had made it to Downing Street. The annual register of MPs' interests reveals the full extra-curricular earnings of the former

  • Residents urged to back plan to refurbish theatre

    ACTIVISTS who campaigned against the destruction of their town theatre have welcomed a £24m plan to refurbish it. Members of the Billingham Action Team at Billingham, near Stockton, are delighted about outline plans to refurbish The Forum complex in the

  • Children reflect quietly on tsunami disaster

    PUPILS at a village junior school have raised more than £1,600 for victims of the Asian tsunami disaster. The children at Tanfield Lea Junior School, near Stanley, raised the cash during a sponsored silence. Headteacher Kay Hemmings said: "Considering

  • Youngsters win Cool Fuel prize

    YOUNGSTERS who won a competition designed to encourage them to drink water instead of fizzy drinks have been presented with their prizes. Yorkshire Water ran the competition on its Cool Fuel website. The six children with the highest scores for successfully

  • Police awards honour courage in battle for safer communities

    POLICE officers and members of the public have been honoured for their courage, bravery and work to improve their communities. North Yorkshire Police recognised the efforts of 26 men and women at an awards ceremony at Swinton Park Hotel, near Masham,

  • Bamboo maze is latest attraction

    AN attraction which already features one of the largest treehouses in the world will today add to its interest with the opening of a bamboo maze. Last month, the Duchess of Northumberland opened a £3.3m treehouse, which is turreted and stands up to 60ft

  • Warning after bogus callers steal cash from pensioners

    POLICE are calling on relatives and neighbours of elderly people to help them combat bogus officials. The appeal comes after conmen claiming to be from the water board struck three times last week. Last Monday, a man knocked on the door of a bungalow

  • Pretzel maker will create 50 jobs with £3m expansion

    BRITAIN'S only pretzel manufacturer is to create 50 jobs after investing £3m in the region. Union Snack, at the Tanfield Lea Industrial Estate, near Stanley, County Durham, has expanded its factory by 1,600sq metres to introduce a new production line.

  • 'My mother saved ny life'

    How far would you go to save your child's life? In the second in a series of features on motherhood, Women's Editor Lindsay Jennings speaks to a mum who gave her kidney to her son. KEVIN Birkbeck appears the kind of man who is not lost for words very

  • Man's river swim after drugs and alcohol ends in tragedy

    A MAN died after diving into a North-East river for a swim while drunk, despite the efforts of his friend and a bystander to save him, an inquest heard. Gary Simpson, 26, of Danby Road, Stockton, was pulled from the river by police divers nearly fours

  • Residents warned to clean up their act

    A TOTAL of 23 fixed penalty notices at £50 each have been issued to residents in Hartlepool. And residents in an area of the town have been warned by council enforcement officers to clean up their act. Wardens say there would be no need for them to remain

  • Service launched to assist blind children

    A SERVICE for visually impaired children has been launched in North Yorkshire by the charity Henshaws Society for Blind People. Its Children and Family Service will be based in Knaresborough, but eventually will be rolled out to other locations across

  • Action man Peter wins £100 prize

    A SUPER-FIT 63-year-old from Middlesbrough has been recognised in a national award scheme to find the most active over-60s. Peter Howe, from Normanby, scooped a Stay Active Award of £100 towards keeping up his active lifestyle and providing inspiration

  • Future growth of city under debate

    A DEBATE is under way about the potential expansion of Ripon. The city's population is 15,922, but responses to the new Local Development Framework shows there is already some support for an expansion to 20,000. The framework has been published by Harrogate

  • Roofing survive a torrid time at Tipton

    As if the name of Tipton weren't unpromising enough, the town is located in the heart of the Black Country, which leaves even less to the imagination. Though the sign at the railway station proclaims a £144m regeneration package, the sign has seen better

  • Windfall for Tesco workers

    Thousands of workers at supermarket chain Tesco are to share £106m in payouts from share schemes. Delivery drivers, stock controllers, general assistants and managers will receive up to £7,000 each. Tesco said staff who invested in the five-year scheme

  • Gail Affleck Ward

    CRUTES law firm has appointed GAIL AFFLECK WARD as client services director. She is one of three recent recruits to join Crutes from Dickinson Dees, in Newcastle, where she was marketing manager for ten years. She said: "I am looking forward to working

  • Guides take to airwaves

    GUIDES made new friends in countries all over the world at the weekend with the help of amateur radio enthusiasts. Guides from Northallerton and Bedale chatted to members of packs in countries including Holland and Denmark by two-way radio. The equipment

  • Employees should weather the storm

    AS blizzards caused travel delays yesterday, a survey showed that more than half of UK employers do not pay their workers when bad weather prevents them getting to work. Employment advice company Croner said that when severe weather hits, employers can

  • Eating Owt: A better class of breakfast

    The column basks in luxury breakfasting at London's Fortnum and Mason and Yarm's Strickland and Holt. FORTNUM and Mason has been in Piccadilly since 1707 when, then as now, you could build a hotel for £500 and risk landing in jail soon afterwards. William

  • Tedious travels with a smug psychologist

    Around The World In 80 Treasures (BBC2); Wire In The Blood (ITV1): DAN Cruickshank has the sort of assignment of which many people dream. He's travelling the world selecting treasures, both well-known and not so well-known, for our appreciation. He'll

  • Police station sale may fund new HQ

    POLICE are hoping to cash in on an urban revival in Newton Aycliffe by putting the town centre station up for sale. Durham Constabulary is testing the property market by offering the station for sale - a move which could be the catalyst for an overhaul

  • Appleby ready to rejoin Quakers - and vows to play for free

    DAVID Hodgson believes experience is paramount to Darlington's promotion aspirations - and former Feethams favourite Matty Appleby is the man to add even more. Hodgson yesterday opened discussions with the Teessider, who is ready to quit Oldham and return

  • Widow's call for care probe

    A DISTRAUGHT widow is demanding an inquiry into her husband's medical care prior to his death. Carol Adey, from Blackhall, County Durham has complained to the General Medical Council about the way her husband, Ken, was treated during a long illness. The

  • North braced for more blizzards

    GRITTING teams and snow ploughs were last night on standby across the region in a bid to keep the roads clear. Councils said winter maintenance teams were working flat out to cope with the snowy weather. Durham County Council said its entire fleet of

  • The man who holds the purse strings

    As the new chief executive of York Theatre Royal, Dan Bates faces several challenges, but he's ready to tackle them head-on, he tells Steve Pratt. FOUR days into his new job and Dan Bates has already had three "good meetings" with the council. This is

  • Lisa hopes to ring some changes

    A BRIDE-TO-BE is having to do without the peal of bells at her wedding because the church where she is tying the knot cannot find anyone to ring them. Lisa Pattison, 23, is getting married to fianc Andrew Stoker, 30, at St John the Evangelist Church in

  • Bogus charity runner jailed

    A MAN who told people he was going on long-distance runs for Children In Need spent his sponsorship money on drugs, a court heard yesterday. Colin James Chapman knocked on doors in his home town of Stockton, Teesside, last September, telling people he

  • Community petition to reunite postman and his dog

    A POSTIE dubbed the real life Postman Pat is at the centre of a row after the Royal Mail banned him from taking his faithful dog with him on his round. Andrew Jamieson, 28, has taken two-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier Oscar with him on his daily

  • Clare Moore, Jen Armstrong

    CLARE MOORE has been appointed marketing data team leader at Northumbrian Water. The appointment follows a restructuring of the company's corporate affairs management team. Ms Moore, from Spennymoor, County Durham, will be managing, analysing and monitoring

  • Jewellery recovered in shed raids probe

    A STASH of stolen antique jewellery has been recovered following a police probe into a spate of shed burglaries. Police are now trying to trace the original owners of the jewellery. The jewellery was recovered following a investigation into several shed

  • Running for the hospices

    A BUILDING society boss is running the London Marathon to support local hospices. Peter Rowley, director and chief executive of Darlington Building Society, is to run this year's marathon, which will be held on Sunday, April 17, for the Help the Hospices

  • Music night in aid of charity

    A MUSIC night will be held next week in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. The event at the Journal Tyne Theatre, in Newcastle on Friday, March 4, will raise funds to help sufferers of cystic fibrosis, the UK's most common life-threatening inherited disease

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Catering assistant. £4.85 to £5.20ph, 16hrs pw. Required to assist cook preparing meals. Experience preferred. Ref: DAE 43112. Counter assistant. £4.85ph, 32.5hrs

  • Mayor wakes lucky lions

    a company due to open its first casino in Newcastle later this year has donated two 6ft stone lions to stand guard outside the city's Chinatown. Aspinall's will open its first Aspers Casino at The Gate, in Newcastle. The eyes of the lions, at the foot

  • Durham "short-changed" says Chief Constable

    AGGRIEVED police chiefs have outlined ways of meeting a force's budget shortfalls without reducing front-line cover. Durham's Chief Constable, Paul Garvin, has ordered a pruning operation after the Home Office's annual grant settlement left the force

  • Bouncers, Harrogate Theatre

    TWO years ago director Hannah Chissick went to the top of the class with a reworking of John Godber's Teechers. Now she gives much the same breath of life to his earlier award-winning comedy, Bouncers. It's Friday night and everyone is out on the town

  • Sharon Griffthis Meets... the women of search and rescue

    It's often when weather conditions are at their most dangerous that our search and rescue teams have to kit up and head off into the hills to save lives. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it, and nowadays women, as well as men, are happy to volunteer

  • Searching for star to appear in town's Last Night of the Proms

    THE search is on to find young singers from across the region to perform during the highlight of a North-East town's musical calendar. The Young Singer Competition 2005, run by Music for Darlington and supported by The Northern Echo, is launched today

  • Cash for you, elderly told

    A NEW 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 helping vulnerable members of the community with benefits. The cash for the scheme

  • Pretzel maker will create 50 jobs with £3m expansion

    BRITAIN'S only pretzel manufacturer is to create 50 jobs after investing £3m in the region. Union Snack, at the Tanfield Lea Industrial Estate, near Stanley, County Durham, has expanded its factory by 1,600sq metres to introduce a new production line.

  • Sir Bobby linked to sports legends company

    SACKED Newcastle manager Sir Bobby Robson has teamed up with investors to launch a sports legends company, reports claimed yesterday. Sir Bobby is the first of several sports celebrities to be signed up by Nobok, a sports media business to launch in the

  • Drug maker's climb to the top boosts pharmaceutical sector

    SHARES in GlaxoSmithKline climbed yesterday as investors warmed to news of consolidation in the European pharmaceuticals industry. All UK drugmakers' shares received a shot in the arm from the news that Novartis was about to become the world's largest

  • Northern Sinfonia/Howard Shelley, The Sage, Gateshead

    AS a first-time visitor to this relatively new venue, I couldn't help but be impressed by its sheer majesty. In a prime position overlooking the Tyne, it's as spectacular inside as out, with breathtaking views. Apart from its growing reputation as a world-class

  • Magic club conjures up support

    A MAGIC group is hoping to conjure up some support. The Darlington Magic Circle was formed in September last year, after existing unofficially since 1989. It now has 16 full-time members. The circle has four professional magicians, but also has two beginners

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    Data entry clerk. £5.30ph, 27hpw. Must be over 18 for insurance purposes. Six months customer service and keyboard experience essential. For two months initially, contract may be extended on month to month basis. Ref: DUR 43066. Trainee team leader. £5ph

  • A1 remedy works set to begin

    WORK to reduce congestion at a busy junction on the A1(M) is scheduled to begin today, weather permitting. The Highways Agency is introducing traffic lights to operate at peak times at the Bowburn interchange, junction 61, just south of Durham City. Andrew

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    Electrician, Ripon. £8.50-£10ph, 40hpw, temporary. Must be a qualified 16th edition electrician. Ref: NAL 1534. Landscape and horticultural nursery worker, Masham. £6ph. 24-32pw. Full driving licence essential. Training can be given. Ref: NAL 1533. Security

  • Searching for star to appear in town's Last Night of the Proms

    THE search is on to find young singers from across the region to perform during the highlight of a North-East town's musical calendar. The Young Singer Competition 2005, run by Music for Darlington and supported by The Northern Echo, is launched today

  • Quarry extension row

    quarry chiefs responded after being barred from a residents' meeting to discuss plans for a quarry extension. Bosses at Tarmac Northern's Nosterfield Quarry, near Bedale, said they wrote to organisers asking to attend the meeting last Tuesday, but were

  • PM calls for review of injured soldier

    THE Prime Minister has launched a personal crusade on behalf of a volunteer soldier forced to pay for his own medical treatment following injury in Iraq. Tony Blair has written to his Defence Secretary to ask him to examine the case of Territorial Army

  • Schools in chaos as teachers stay home

    THE first major snowfall of the winter led to dozens of school closures yesterday and chaos on roads across the region. Schools in County Durham were worst hit. A total of 69 were forced to close as a result of heavy snow and ice. Many shut because of

  • We never wanted this obscenity

    THE personal columns of The Times used to be given over to the likes of "Brigadier and Mrs Cumblebum-Righto are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter Hermione Bethesda to the Hon Martindale Hesketh-Collywobble". Last week The Times printed

  • Shearer satisfied with cup draw

    ALAN SHEARER insists Newcastle United could not have wished for a better draw after avoiding Arsenal and Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-finals, writes Paul Fraser. The Magpies have been paired with either Tottenham or Nottingham Forest in the

  • Young soccer stars sign up for coaching

    BUDDING soccer stars are being given the chance of success through a football coaching course. Darlington Football Club's Football in the Community scheme will take place every Saturday between 10am and 11am. The sessions are open to boys and girls aged

  • Getting to the meat of child health

    As a new study claims that parents who feed their children vegan diets could be harming their health, Lindsay Jennings looks at what we should be feeding our kids. LIKE many children, Jackie Craft's son played out with his friends in the snow yesterday

  • Club visits town mayor

    DARLINGTON Rotary Club is marking Rotary's centennial year with a visit to the town's mayor. Club members will visit the town hall tomorrow to meet Councillor Roderick Francis. The organisation is also celebrating the success of a training centre for

  • Pupils provide farming aid for African families in need

    SIXTY three piggies went to market on behalf of an impoverished African farming community last week. The piggies - youngsters at Fishburn Primary School's early years unit with painted faces and wearing homemade pig masks - were on a cash crusade. Youngsters

  • Bright sparks' club

    A GROUP of schoolchildren will be among the first to take part in a science venture. A science club has been jointly launched by Sunderland University, science staff from Easington Community School, teachers from five primary schools and members of the

  • Drug maker's climb to the top boosts pharmaceutical sector

    SHARES in GlaxoSmithKline climbed yesterday as investors warmed to news of consolidation in the European pharmaceuticals industry. All UK drugmakers' shares received a shot in the arm from the news that Novartis was about to become the world's largest

  • Man injured in attack

    A MAN was being treated in hospital yesterday after he was attacked by a woman and two men as he walked home. The 20-year-old victim was with a friend, also 20, when they were attacked in the forecourt of a garage in Oxbridge Lane, Stockton, at 2am on

  • Advice bureau gives out warming tips

    ADVICE workers are urging pensioners to sign up to a scheme that will keep them safer and warmer. Wear Valley Citizens Advice Bureau is backing a campaign by independent gas and electricity group Energywatch to make sure more people know about the services

  • Therapy day sets its sights on Gold

    AN event aimed at promoting good health among Darlington's population of over-50s was staged yesterday. The Positive Health day, at the Blackwell Grange Hotel, was held to mark the third anniversary of the Growing Older Living in Darlington - Gold - organisation

  • Natural help for mothers

    HEALTH visitors are launching a free advice programme to encourage mothers to breast feed their babies. New sessions start in the Taylor Road Community Centre, off St Andrew's Road, Bishop Auckland, on March 3 and continue on alternate Thursdays from

  • School will build on its success

    A NEW Middlesbrough school has been praised by Her Majesty's Inspectors for its strong start. The King's Academy, in south Middlesbrough, was congratulated following a HMI interim visit before its full inspection in the next academic year. Nigel McQuoid

  • Technology tops the bill

    A TEAM of ten students has won a top technology award. The girls, in year six at Polam Hall School, Darlington, won the interactive story section in the annual Netshow ICT awards, at Newcastle Racecourse. Their winning entry, The Adventures of Benjie

  • Workers help 600 smokers to quit the habit

    HEALTH workers have helped almost 600 people to quit smoking in the past year. Specialist stop smoking services provided by Derwentside Primary Care Trust and GP practices helped people to stop within four weeks. This shows a 300 per cent increase in

  • High suicide rate found in rural areas

    A NEW report on rural life in North Yorkshire has revealed a high suicide rate in some remote areas, and major changes in the landscape. The report, published by the Government Office for Yorkshire, aims to modernise delivery of rural services in the

  • Police release efit of indecent act suspect

    POLICE hunting a man who performed an act of gross indecency in front of a Middlesbrough woman have issued an efit. The woman, in her 30s, was making her way home along Queens Road, Linthorpe, at about 2.30am on Sunday, December 19, last year when she

  • Dales patients encouraged to join forum

    RESIDENTS of the Durham dales are being encouraged to join a forum which makes decisions on how their local health services are run. The Patient and Public Involvement forum for the Durham Dales wants new members to help to deliver existing work programmes

  • Campaigners win chance

    CAMPAIGNERS battling to save a town's swimming pool have been given a lifeline after a council reviewed a decision to close it. Sedgefield Borough Council has agreed to meet part of the running costs of Shildon's swimming pool. Although the pool leaked

  • Car collides with train

    A driver escaped yesterday after his car collided with a Metro train on a level crossing. The car became sandwiched between the train and a metal barrier at Callerton Parkway, a short distance from Newcastle airport. The driver, a 44-year-old man, managed

  • Housing scheme

    MORE than 100 flats and town houses could be built on a former university site if planners give the go-ahead. Bellway Homes has put forward a scheme to redevelop the York St John College Croft Campus. The college's all-weather sports pitch and the York

  • Project keeps elderly independent

    AN initiative to help elderly and vulnerable people in County Durham retain their independence is expected to go countywide. A pilot scheme launched in the Easington district is estimated to have saved 1,783 residential care bed days over the past year

  • Rent to go up

    COUNCIL house tenants in Easington are likely to face a weekly rent rise of £1.55. The district council is recommending an increase of an average of 3.5 per cent, which is below the Government guideline of 4.1 per cent. The increase will take effect from

  • Library guests

    WORLD Book Day will be celebrated by professional aboriginal storyteller Francis Firebrace and didgeridoo player Philip Jackson this week. They will be at the Sandhill Centre Library, in Sunderland, at 1pm on Thursday. World Book Day, which will be held

  • Simon Collins, Richard Pilkington

    Simpsongroup has increased the size of its studio team with the addition of two members of staff, each bringing with them 20 years' experience in the print industry. SIMON COLLINS and RICHARD PILKINGTON join the company in Washington, Wearside, as pre-press

  • Police honour brave officers

    POLICE officers and members of the public have been honoured for their courage and work to improve their communities. North Yorkshire Police recognised the efforts of 26 men and women at an awards ceremony at Swinton Park Hotel, near Masham, on Sunday

  • Lecturers vote for strike

    LECTURERS and managers who have voted to take strike action are to walk out of a North-East college next week. NATFHE, the union that represents lecturers and managers at Newcastle College, got their ballot result last week - and 78 per cent voted for

  • Council wins four awards

    DARLINGTON Borough Council has picked up four prizes this week. The council scooped the honours at the PRide ceremony, which is organised by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR). The council won awards for best newsletter, best in-house

  • Darts players hit bullseye for charity

    A DARTS team raised £1,056 for charity during a 12-hour marathon on the oche. The South Moor Excelsior Workingmen's Club players took part in the fundraising event from 11am to 11pm at the club in South Moor Stanley. It was in aid of Macmillan Nurses

  • Man grabbed woman by the throat

    A MAN who grabbed his sister-in-law's friend by the throat was fined by magistrates yesterday after admitting common assault. Northallerton Magistrates Court heard that Timothy Pattison, 34, of Forest Drive, Colburn, had gone to his sister-in-law's house

  • And this, boys, is how you kill a cow

    SCOUTING FOR BOYS by Robert Baden-Powell - the original 1908 handbook in facsimile (Oxford, £12.99). HOW TO MAKE BRIDGES "There are many ways of making bridges... The simplest way for bridging a narrow, deep stream is to fell a tree, or two trees side

  • Tree surgeons will preseve birds' nests

    TREE surgeons have moved to put bird watchers' minds at rest as preservation work in a popular woodland is due to start. Harrogate Borough Council's arboricultural team say work to thin out Allen Wood, in Pannal, near Harrogate, will not affect nesting

  • Prizes for best mum portrait

    Young artists are putting their mothers in the picture. Durham's Prince Bishops Shopping Centre has launched a competition for primary school pupils to draw portraits to mark Mother's Day on March 6. Entries will go on display in the windows of Bhs and

  • Fortunate escape for boy, 10, in cliff fall

    A 10-YEAR-OLD boy was last night recovering in hospital after suffering serious head injuries in a fall from a cliff. The boy was on a coach trip visiting Tynemouth Priory, and was climbing on the walls of the monument when he lost his grip. He slid about

  • Woman's terrifying journey in brand new car

    A terrified mum's brand new car veered out of control after a garage forgot to remove protective packing when it left the showroom. Just days after buying the Ford Focus, Sharon Seymour said her car "simply took on a life of its own", as she struggled

  • Brokers join forces in capital tie-up

    AN asset management company in York has been taken over by a London stockbroker. The London York Group has conditionally agreed to merge with publicly-quoted London stockbroker and fund manager Walker, Crips, Weddle, Beck plc (WCWB). The York organisation

  • Former transport boss gives flying school a lift

    A flying school that went into administration last year with debts of about £200,000 has been rescued by a leading businessman. Samson Aviation, owned by Morpeth millionaire Martin Ballinger, has bought the assets of Newcastle Aero Club. The company has

  • Registering the extent of MPs' extra earning power

    For some MPs, Parliament is a lucrative business. For others, there are no perks at all. How did your MP boost his or her salary? RICHMOND MP William Hague showed how to make Parliament work by earning up to £820,000 on top of his £57,485 Parliamentary

  • Skills council welcomes new members aboard

    The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Tees Valley has made two appointments. JOE KEITH and JOHN HOGG bring a wealth of experience from local business and education sectors. Mr Keith is senior regional industrial organiser with the Transport and General

  • Trust's cash support

    A GROUP which helps establish out-of-school clubs is celebrating after receiving a substantial grant. Tarka, an umbrella organisation which represents clubs across County Durham, has been awarded almost £24,000 by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust. The

  • 22/02/05

    HUNTING: I COMPLETED my first legal day's hunting on Sunday and what a sad day it was. I am a 26-year-old committed member of the South Durham Hunt in Tony Blair's constituency. If I could hunt down Tony Blair I would with great pleasure. The new law

  • Ralph Wrighton

    Law firm Ward Hadaway has appointed one of the region's senior legal professionals to its team. RALPH WRIGHTON, formerly head of construction and engineering at Eversheds, in Newcastle, has joined as partner in the construction and projects team. He has

  • Delays for air travellers - but better on the trains

    THE cold snap meant problems for travellers returning to the North-East via the region's biggest airport. After sporadic problems throughout Sunday night, Newcastle Airport was closed for about an hour in the early hours of Monday, from about midnight

  • Hunt supporters show their defiance

    Thousands of hunt supporters gathered at eight meets across North Yorkshire on Saturday in a show of defiance against the new hunting ban. Supporters vowed to back a Countryside Alliance-led campaign to take the case for removal of the ban, which came

  • Employees should weather the storm

    AS blizzards caused travel delays yesterday, a survey showed that more than half of UK employers do not pay their workers when bad weather prevents them getting to work. Employment advice company Croner said that when severe weather hits, employers can

  • Kerstin Heckelsmueller

    North-East chartered surveyors RNJ Partnership has appointed a senior surveyor. KERSTIN HECKELSMUELLER has worked in Germany and the UK. Before joining RNJ, she was a project manager for a German developer, where she was responsible for the planning and

  • Let's get tough, Parlour

    RAY PARLOUR has called for Middlesbrough to find their ruthless streak as they attempt the double - progress in the UEFA Cup and a place in the Premiership's top six. Austrian champions Grazer AK arrive at the Riverside Stadium on Thursday night looking

  • Chantaco has pace to defy absence

    SPEEDY Chantaco (3.10) might easily have the class to defy a 171-day absence in the Bet Direct Interactive Stakes at Lingfield. Trainer Andrew Balding gave his gelding just three outings as a two-year-old, culminating in a runaway success at Thirsk in

  • Man's river swim after drugs and alcohol ends in tragedy

    A MAN died after diving into a North-East river for a swim while drunk, despite the efforts of his friend and a bystander to save him, an inquest heard. Gary Simpson, 26, of Danby Road, Stockton, was pulled from the river by police divers nearly fours

  • Tenth candidate seeks selection

    TEN women are now understood to have expressed an interest in replacing Derek Foster as the MP for Bishop Auckland. The latest to throw her hat into the ring is Gateshead councillor Denise Robson, who stood against Theresa May in Maidenhead in the 1997

  • Laura Lowrey

    LAURA LOWREY has been appointed sales executive for Matfen Hall Hotel, near Newcastle. She will be responsible for regional and national corporate sales. Ms Lowrey, 24, joined Matfen Hall from Proctor and Gamble. She has a degree in tourism management

  • On TV

    Around The World In 80 Treasures (BBC2); Wire In The Blood (ITV1) DAN Cruickshank has the sort of assignment of which many people dream. He's travelling the world selecting treasures, both well-known and not so well-known, for our appreciation. He'll

  • Brilliant Bramble key to success, says Shearer

    ALAN SHEARER has paid inconsistent team-mate Titus Bramble the ultimate tribute by claiming the uncompromising defender could be the key to making Newcastle United successful again. Bramble was outstanding at the heart of the defence as the Magpies booked

  • Rebecca Phelps

    THE Tees Valley office of property solutions company Rok has created a new position as part of expansion plans in the area. REBECCA PHELPS has been appointed customer care and business development manager. She joins from Loughborough University, where