Archive

  • Thirsk swimmers learn from the best

    WORLD champion swimmer James Hickman paid a visit to Thirsk pool on Tuesday to offer coaching tips and advice to members of the town's White Horse Swim Team. The 29-year-old, who was the World 200m butterfly champion five times, retired from the swimming

  • 'We will be staying in the region'

    ONE of the companies named by the Amicus union in an attack on manufacturing job losses in the region has reaffirmed its commitment to the North-East. Microswitch maker Saia-Burgess, in Gateshead, was among the companies listed by union Amicus on Wednesday

  • Soap stars take aim at helping campaign

    IT'S a long way from The Rovers Return, but yesterday two Coronation Street stars were in a North-East pub to back a new literacy and numeracy campaign. Keith Duffy and Steven Arnold, who play Ciaran McCarthy and Ashley Peacock in the soap, visited the

  • Welcome to the month of many weathers and lengthening days

    MARCH was once the first month of the year, moving to third place when January and February were added about 700 BC. It is named after Mars, the god of war, and in Anglo-Saxon times in this country was known as Hreth-Monath or Hyldmonath, the stormy or

  • Quakers slip back again in play-offs race

    DARLINGTON must try to inject some momentum into their stuttering promotion challenge tomorrow without experienced strikers Clyde Wijnhard and Alun Armstrong. The pair are both suspended for the visit of League Two play-off rivals Boston United, while

  • Inquest's open verdict on youth who ran into traffic

    AN inquest yesterday recorded an open verdict on a teenager who ran in front of a bus. Andrew Ransom was still grieving the death of his cousin, Ashleigh Reed, in a motorcycle accident the year before when he ran into Yarm Lane, Stockton, and under the

  • I did not kill Kyle, says babysitter

    A BABYSITTER accused of killing a friend's two-year-old son has told a jury: "If I had done it, I would have admitted it." Suzanne Holdsworth appeared in the witness box for the first time yesterday and spent three hours answering barristers' questions

  • PD Ports depot to create 450 jobs

    A DOCKSIDE warehouse development costing about £30m will create 450 jobs on Teesside. Teesport owners PD Ports announced a joint venture to develop an import and distribution centre at the mouth of the River Tees. It was originally thought it would be

  • Lord Brockett leads way in Blue Chip qualifiers

    NORTHALLERTON-BASED show jumper Jessica Russell continued the good form she has been enjoying this winter at a competition staged at the Osbaldeston arena over the Lancashire border. The 24-year-old was among the contenders in a Blue Chip Performance

  • School assault case 'not necessary'

    A COUNCILLOR has called for a more common sense approach from the police and prosecution service after a dinner lady was cleared of assaulting two pupils. The 56-year-old woman, from Hartlepool, was found not guilty earlier this week of pulling an 11-

  • Mum smuggled cigarettes to help killer son

    A MOTHER smuggled 30,000 cigarettes into the country because she needed money to move house after her son was charged with murder, a court heard. Darlington magistrates heard that Helen Wilson, 37, of Cresswell Drive, Newcastle, and her son, Kristopher

  • £3m leisure plans outlined

    FURTHER plans for the £3m refurbishment of a North-East leisure centre were revealed by officials yesterday. During the scheme, at Darlington's Dolphin Centre, the changing rooms and fitness studios will be altered, meeting and conference facilities will

  • Durham police battle to keep bobbies on the beat

    POLICE chiefs in County Durham are fighting to avoid making cuts in the record number of front-line officers in the force. Chief constable Paul Garvin saID the force has been "short-changed" by the Home Office's grant settlement. And he has ordered major

  • £6m scheme to improve bathing water

    A MULTI-MILLION pound plan to improve bathing waters off the Teesside coast has been given the go-ahead. Two underground storage tanks, which will hold excess storm water, are to be installed by Northumbrian Water costing more than £6m. During periods

  • With SFP this is watershed in way England is farmed, says Defra

    DEFRA launched its new environmental stewardship scheme yesterday. The three-part scheme is designed to allow all farmers to earn money for looking after, and enhancing, features on their land. They will be able to receive payment for looking after hedgerows

  • Legend signs into town

    HUNDREDS of people lined Stokesley High Street last Friday to catch a glimpse of Britain's most successful Olympian. Rowing legend Sir Steve Redgrave was guest of honour at the official opening of the newly-formed Roseberry Group's offices in North Road

  • Bike win for logo designer

    PUPILS are celebrating the success of a classmate who won a competition for a logo to be used at the property health desk in Durham County Hall. The competition, in which all primary schools in the county were invited to take part in, involved the children

  • Shakespeare meets Hollywood in school play

    A SHAKESPEARE classic is touched by movie magic at a school production which opened on Thursday. Pupils from Harrogate Ladies' College are performing A Midsummer Night's Dream until Saturday. And audiences are promised a visual treat, as the play's real

  • Collier Hill's long journey pays off with Dubai victory

    FROM winning lowly bumpers to landing a big international race at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai, Collier Hill has become a Yorkshire fairytale horse. Alan Swinbank's seven-year-old Dr Devious gelding landed Friday's Elnadim Sponsored By Derrinstown Stud, a 12

  • Screening for breast cancer is lifesaver

    MANY lives have been saved because almost 300 tiny breast cancers were detected in women in the North-East and North Yorkshire in a year, according to the Health Secretary. John Reid hailed major improvements to the screening programme that allowed tumours

  • Sceptical buyers snub dirt cheap eBay sale

    BAGS of soil apparently from Richmond Castle were offered on internet auction site eBay this week. But online shoppers failed to take up the chance to own a "small bag of the land of kings" - by the time bidding ended on Wednesday, not a single bid was

  • Teenagers thrive in Hungarian cup contests

    TEENAGERS Charlotte Hanson and Anna Richardson, both from the North-East, were among the top goalscorers in the Hungarian water polo cup competition last month. They scored a total of 14 goals between them during the six cup matches, which was a third

  • First things first

    ALL credit to the Department of Transport for looking ahead at the prospects for rail travel. The idea of super-fast and smooth trains travelling at 300mph, cutting an hour off the journey time from the North-East to London sounds great. We trust those

  • County bands triumph

    DURHAM County Cricket Club's very own brass band has qualified for the national brass band championships alongside The Reg Vardy Ever Ready Band. The Chester-le-Street Riverside Band secured their spot at London's Royal Albert Hall later this year after

  • Another black day for UK Coal

    THE UK's biggest coal producer reported losses after industrial action and equipment failures left it £51.6m in the red. UK Coal, which only weeks ago closed the North-East's last remaining deep mine at Ellington, in Northumberland, also blamed geological

  • New food festival backed by star chef

    YORKSHIRE-born celebrity chef Brian Turner has been booked to star in the first ever Ryedale Festival of Food and Drink to be held at Castle Howard on May 29 and 30. The festival, a joint initiative by Ryedale District Council, North Yorkshire County

  • Helicopter clanger mars period TV drama

    TELEVISION producers beware. There will always be someone ready to pounce on dodgy technical detail in such period pieces as Heartbeat and its companion series The Royal. One of Spectator's colleagues, who claims to be reasonably well versed in aviation

  • Town tries to move forward from Gateway battle

    A LEADING Stockton borough councillor has blasted members of a group that opposed the Gateway project in Billingham The Billingham Action Team held protest marches and the Save Our Theatre group collected a 10,000-name petition after Stockton Borough

  • Clock ticking on Guisborough's top flight future

    Durham City 3 Guisborough Town 1 TIME has almost run out for Guisborough in their battle to beat the drop into the second division. Last Saturday's defeat at Durham City all but sealed their fate as it left them seven points adrift at the bottom of division

  • ShopTalk: There's no business like shoe business

    YEARS ago, Paul Wilson used to make moccasins and sell them on one of the ramshackle stalls on the Armstrong Bridge in Newcastle's Jesmond Dene. "Part of the hippy generation," he says cheerfully. In those days he was studying fine art and photography

  • Pony dates

    Bedale & West of Yore PC. - Mar 5: pony club games practice, 3-6pm, at Catterick. Tel Rowan on 01748 832829. Mar 27: team SJ competition at Northallerton EC. Details 01845 526185. British Eventing. - Mar 20 & 30: cross-country training clinics

  • Work under way for new homes

    THE first bricks have been laid marking the start of a major redevelopment of Redcar's Lakes estate. Tees Valley Housing Group has started work on its section of the Courts site. The group will develop 100 of 370 homes being built on the site as part

  • Reception to celebrate partners in art

    A MUSEUM has celebrated its links with two national institutions. The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, held a reception yesterday to mark its partnership with the National Portrait Gallery and the Wallace Collection. Two of the museum's current exhibitions

  • Busy auction mart may get a holding brief for housing

    FARMERS have been assured that it is business as usual at Masham auction mart even though it has been suggested that the site could be used for housing. The suggestion has been made by consultants working on a planning blueprint for the future of Masham

  • He's seen TFA through BSE, FMD, TB and more

    THE Tenant Farmers' Association celebrated Reg Haydon's tenth anniversary as national chairman at its annual meeting in London. He took up the post in the spring of 1995 just as the Conservative Government was completing the legislation which introduced

  • Council tax up by 4.9 per cent

    A LACK of Government funding is being blamed for pushing up council tax in Redcar and Cleveland by 4.9 per cent. During a meeting yesterday to agree the next year's financial budget, councillors also agreed £10.4m in extra spending. The £177m budget will

  • Concert to aid station revamp

    RAILWAY enthusiasts are raising money to help pay for work to revamp a disused station. The parish council and villagers in Scruton, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire, have already cleared away much of the vegetation from the station buildings, but

  • Even if it's healthy, it can still taste good

    MOTHERING Sunday has sneaked up on us this year, with Easter falling at the end of the month. About the only thing to be said for keeping Easter as a movable feast is that the occasional early festival spreads out the wodge of spring bank holidays a little

  • VE day treasures unearthed

    ORIGINAL 1945 VE Day bunting was among the treasures found in the attic of Darlington's longest established shop last week after they had been forgotten for almost 60 years. Starling and Godfrey owner Philip Tarry came across the bunting while he was

  • Arriva on track for further expansion

    SUNDERLAND transport group Arriva is poised for further European expansion this year. Yesterday, Arriva became the latest transport group to report rising profits from its rail operations, and chief executive Bob Davies said shareholders could expect

  • Bishop leads new bid to make Whitby a world heritage site

    A BID to have Whitby designated a world heritage site is being made to Unesco. The move, headed by the Bishop of Whitby, the Rt Rev Robert Ladds, the town's MP, Lawrie Quinn, and local historian Ros Barker, will give the historic port - made famous as

  • Service sector growth slows

    The UK service sector recorded its 23rd successive month of growth in February, although the rate of expansion slowed. Just under a quarter of companies reported a rise in output due to increased business, more inquiries and marketing, the Chartered Institute

  • Pair lose husband murder appeal

    A woman and her nephew jailed for the brutal murder of her husband who was beaten to death while out walking his dog have failed in their Appeal Court bid to clear their names. Christina Button, 33, and Simon Tannahill, then 21, were each jailed for life

  • Special livestock sales

    BORDERWAY (Carlisle). - Mon. Fwd: 252 cattle, 3,462 sheep. Spring primestock show & sale. Judge: Jim Mullholland. Champion: Dickinson, High Knipe, Lim X hfr 595kg 210p/£1,249.50 to Pioneer Foods for Caspian Flame Grill, Workington; res: James Crichton

  • 'Best employer in North East'

    SOCIAL enterprise company Eaga has been named as one of the best companies to work for in the UK. The Newcastle group was listed at number 38 in the Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For index. It is the second year in succession that Eaga has been

  • Villagers dismiss claims of anti-social behaviour problem

    BROMPTON residents have denied claims of anti-social behaviour problems in the village, saying they are a welcoming and supportive community. They have also leapt to the defence of the police, saying officers are helpful and quick to respond to any incidents

  • Wellock's World: House arrest

    WE columnists have to tread a fine line between the topical and the over-done, so I might touch on house arrest and the Oscars, while neatly side-stepping Charles, Camilla, the Pope, Michael Jackson and Jose Mourinho. With the golf course under snow and

  • Hodgson happy with Wijnhard

    DAVID Hodgson last night insisted his relationship with Clyde Wijnhard is stronger than ever and has backed the Dutch striker to return to his best in Darlington's play-off pursuit, writes LEE HALL. Hodgson was unhappy with Wijnhard's attitude in Saturday's

  • Police fear last-minute rush for late licences

    POLICE and councillors are bracing themselves for a spate of late licence applications in Guisborough. Under new laws, pubs and other licensed premises can apply to open at different times of the day, and those in Guisborough, particularly in the Westgate

  • Farmers facing third revolution

    FARMERS are now two months into the 96 months during which they will receive no subsidies to support production. Over that time, they will receive a Single Farm Payment to compensate on the one hand, and to acknowledge their maintenance of the environment

  • Burton's Bytes: Boobs and bums... but little else

    RUMBLE ROSES: Publisher: Konami. Platform: PS2. price: £39.99. Family friendly? Too much naked flesh for the little ones. I'VE always had my suspicions about American wrestling. Of course, I knew all the bouts were scripted and that as a "sport", it was

  • Figures reveal true cost of assembly vote

    GROUPS campaigning for a directly-elected assembly for the North-East spent more than twice as much their opponents in the run-up to November's historic referendum. Figures released by the Electoral Commission yesterday showed that groups supporting a

  • Jobs hope for TV plant workers

    WORKERS at a doomed TV components plant were yesterday promised they will have new jobs within seven months. LG Philips Displays, which makes cathode ray tubes for televisions, announced it was closing its Durham factory on Wednesday, with the loss of

  • Egglescliffe boys take North-East by storm

    EGGLESCLIFFE School's under-16 boys' hockey team have qualified for the latter stages of the national schools competition after being crowned North-East champions last Sunday. After negotiating some tough opposition in the local rounds, including Richmond

  • Girls ready for contest kick-off

    HUNDREDS of girls will compete in an annual football tournament later this month. Players will take part in seven-a-side matches on half-size pitches at Durham University's Graham Sports Centre, at Maiden Castle, Durham, on Tuesday, March 15. Durham County

  • Why is scanner left idle? MP seeks answers

    MP KEVAN JONES is demanding answers from Health Secretary John Reid as to why patients travelled 20 miles for private scans while an NHS machine stood idle. In his letter to the Health Secretary, the North Durham MP says it is "totally unacceptable" that

  • Town gets carnival spirit

    PREPARATIONS are under way for Shildon's annual carnival. This year's event will be on Saturday, June 11, from 11am to 4pm. A street parade featuring schools and community groups will set off at 11am from Sunnydale Leisure Centre and finish at Hackworth

  • Second worst for alcohol deaths

    THE North-East has the second highest rate of alcohol- related deaths in the country, new statistics have shown. Findings from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that in 2003 13.1 deaths per 100,000 people were due to alcohol. Alcohol-induced

  • Triple alliance sees caterer leave kitchen table

    A RURAL catering company is enjoying the sweet taste of success after three organisations combined to help it grow. Haregill Lodge Catering of Ellingstring near Masham, started life on the farm kitchen table of Rachel and Robert Greensit. It has now expanded

  • PC tells court of high-speed car chase

    A POLICE officer told a court how he chased a car he believed armed raiders were using to get away in after a post office raid. Prosecutors said a blue BMW was used by three men to flee the scene of an attempted robbery at Shotton Colliery Post Office

  • Teenage terror given three-year Asbo

    A TEENAGER who has terrorised a community has been made the subject of an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo). Kieron Thomas Young, of Hope Street, Crook, plagued residents in the town with his bad behaviour over the past 18 months, Bishop Auckland Magistrates

  • Hospital ready to meet public

    PUBLIC meetings are being held later this month for doctors and hospital managers to explain a review of the Friarage Hospital. Local people are worried that the Northallerton hospital could be about to suffer a cut in services, despite a £21m re-development

  • Ex-footballer to tackle biggest test

    FORMER Hartlepool United player David Piggott, is hoping to tackle the challenge of a lifetime in the Borneo rainforest in June. He has the opportunity to join a team run by one of five ex-professionals taking part in the Professional Football Association's

  • Sports pavilion plan looks set for approval

    A SPORTING development is being recommended for planning approval when councillors meet next week. An outline application to erect a sports pavilion with car parking in a field at Aldborough, north of Chapel Hill playing fields, has been tabled by Boroughbridge

  • Shopping centre unveils ITS life-saving equipment

    LIFE-saving equipment has been installed in a Teesside shopping centre. Managers at the Castlegate Centre in Stockton said the new defibrillator would cut response time for heart attack victims by a potentially vital three minutes. The installation of

  • Macbeth, York Theatre Royal

    ANY production that provokes debate must be a good thing, and Damian Cruden's bold, imaginative staging of Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth has many talking points. The Scottish play has been given an Oriental slant with samurai swords, Eastern-style costumes

  • Burglar has his sentence cut by year

    A MAN who burgled a house after breaking out of an open prison had his sentence cut by judges yesterday. John Moore, of Tennyson Avenue, Grangetown, Midddlesbrough, was in jail for a previous attempted burglary when he absconded from the open jail in

  • School bullies used mobile phones to film boy's ordeal

    SCHOOL bullies kept a "trophy" of a sickening attack on a younger pupil by using a video phone to record his ordeal. Dean Murray, 11, was set upon by a gang of 15 and 16-year-olds who encircled him, held his arms and legs then punched him and twisted

  • Door to door for sagety message

    FIREFIGHTERS are set to go door-to-door to help push the fire prevention message. As part of their new risk management strategy, the North Yorkshire Fire Service is attempting to stop blazes before they start. After two house fires in January this year

  • Court told builder bared his bottom to 'free trapped wasp'

    A BUILDER who bared his backside at a neighbour "to free a trapped wasp" has avoided jail. Andrew Ramage, 38, said the pest had flown up his T-shirt and that the only way to release it was to drop his pants. But it meant he flashed at his neighbours,

  • School hosts careers day

    STUDENTS took part in a careers event yesterday. Brierton School, in Hartlepool, hosted the day-long event, which invited year 9 pupils and their parents along to explore the education and career choices available. The careers day was the first of its

  • Guild and WI news

    Chester-le-St TG: At the February meeting Doreen Yeates welcomed members, including new members, Eileen and Marjorie. Sick members were wished well. After the fire drill there was a talk given by two members of staff from Finchale Training College. Carl

  • Health check roadshow for elderly

    A HEALTH roadshow will tour Sedgefield borough to check the health of its older residents. The 50 Plus Your Health roadshow will offer visitors a chance to check their own health and find ways of improving it. Events will be held at Newton Aycliffe Youth

  • 'Mast is too close to school'

    PLANS to site a mobile phone mast close to a Darlington school are facing opposition. Telecommunications firm Orange is seeking approval from the borough council to erect the 15m mast in Staindrop Road - not far from Cockerton Primary School. The school's

  • Trainee Rachel up for award

    TRAINEE hairdresser Rachel Butterworth is hoping to cut it with the best. The 17-year-old has been nominated by her tutor at Darlington College of Technology for the apprentice of the year award, run by the Learning and Skills Council. Rachel, of Thornton

  • Boobs and bums... but little else

    RUMBLE ROSES: Publisher: Konami. Platform: PS2. price: £39.99. Family friendly? Too much naked flesh for the little ones. I'VE always had my suspicions about American wrestling. Of course, I knew all the bouts were scripted and that as a "sport", it was

  • Time running out for farmers wanting to make the smart move

    FARMERS in the Darlington area are being urged to sign up to a cut-price crime prevention scheme before it's too late. Rural watch group Countryside Alert is backing the SmartWater project, which is being supported by Darlington Police and Neighbourhood

  • Crash caused by snowballs

    Two cars collided on Hundens Lane, Darlington, at about 3.30pm yesterday as a result of youngsters throwing snowballs, prompting police to warn youths of the danger. Drivers also struggled yesterday on icy roads in the town. A green Mini and a Citroen

  • Dabus to cash in on form

    MICHAEL CHAPMAN'S horses have been in good enough form to suggest Dabus (3.20) has a first rate chance in the Novices Handicap Chase at Doncaster. Although the ten-year-old has yet to win a chase, he's already won three over hurdles this term, proving

  • Tories to challenge tax

    DARLINGTON Borough Council is preparing to set its budget for the coming year, with residents facing a 4.8 per cent council tax rise. A meeting of the council to discuss the planwill take place on Wednesday. Council tax is set to rise by 4.8 per cent

  • Myth of Peer Gynt to tour region

    A NEW stage version of Peer Gynt - the Scandinavian fantasy originally drawn by Ibsen from folklore and myth - is to tour the region. The play has been devised by threeovereden, a small-scale acting company formed in 1999 to provide original theatre for

  • Tragic night the Intruders belatedly left mark on war

    There was no room for complacency for Allied aircrew as the war approached its end. Sixty years ago today, the Luftwaffe cooked up an upleasant surprise and hit them at their most vulnerable point - their home bases. Mark Foster reports. THE crews of

  • Details emerge of £3m plan to refurbish leisure centre

    LEISURE bosses yesterday revealed further plans for the £3m refurbishment of Darlington's Dolphin Centre. The project will see alterations to the changing rooms and fitness studios, enhanced meeting and conference facilities, and see the town's registry

  • Green scheme aims at farms

    A SCHEME was launched this week to protect some of the region's most characteristic landscape, wildlife and historic features. The Environmental Stewardship scheme is available to all farmers and land managers. Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett has

  • Rape inquiry

    POLICE are trying to trace witnesses after a rape at the rear of Brogans pub, in West Street, Sunderland, at about midnight on Friday, February 25. A 16-year-old girl was raped and a man arrested and bailed pending inquiries. Anyone with information is

  • Multi-talented rock band

    A ROCK band is preparing to take the music business by storm after cracking the world of business. Five months ago, seven students from St Leonard's School in Durham City formed their own band, called Small Print, and set about promoting the band at a

  • Schools celebrate World Book Day

    SCHOOLS across north Durham brought their favourite novels to life yesterday to celebrate World Book Day. Children at St Hild's College Church of England Primary School in Gilesgate, Durham, dressed as characters from their favourite books, help raise

  • North-East author corners American market

    AN author is on the verge of transatlantic success after her first novel was picked up by an American publisher. Anne Kelly's book Nobody's Child - a tale of 19th Century Irish emigrants and their struggles to build a new life in the US - has been released

  • MP's backing for healthcare investigation

    EASINGTON'S MP John Cummings is backing an investigation into healthcare for people with learning disabilities and mental health problems. The Disability Rights Commission's (DCR) 18-month Formal Investigation in England and Wales is gathering evidence

  • £50,000 repairs for sports hall

    A FLOOD damaged leisure centre is to undergo a £50,000 refit. The sports hall at Hambleton Leisure Centre, in Northallerton, was under water for several days when parts of the town flooded in 2000. The floor dried out, but it has now started to disintegrate

  • Club to celebrate 70 years

    MEMBERS of a Rotary Club are preparing to celebrate their group's 70th anniversary. The Thirsk club has put together a display charting its achievements and activities since it received its Rotary Charter on March 15, 1935. The display is currently on

  • Student singer set for stardom

    TEENAGE singing sensation Faye Nesbitt is on her way to student stardom after being shortlisted in a national competition. After her talent was spotted by a singing teacher when she was in the school choir, the 17-year-old is one of the youngest finalists

  • Bus mystery of dead nurse

    A nurse found dead lying face-down dead on a snow-covered field may have missed her bus stop and tried to walk home in freezing weather, according to police. The body of Shelley Whitfield, 21, was found behind Meadowfield sports centre in Brandon, near

  • PD Ports depot to create 450 jobs

    A DOCKSIDE warehouse development costing about £30m will create 450 jobs on Teesside. Teesport owners PD Ports announced a joint venture to develop an import and distribution centre at the mouth of the River Tees. It was originally thought it would be

  • More for education as Redcar pushes up the council tax

    REDCAR and Cleveland Council was set to approve a 4.9pc increase in council tax at a meeting yesterday. The increase will allow for £10.4m in extra spending. The overall £177m budget will see the council increase its education budget by £4.3m, and includes

  • Hodgson happy with Wijnhard

    DAVID Hodgson last night insisted his relationship with Clyde Wijnhard is stronger than ever and has backed the Dutch striker to return to his best in Darlington's play-off pursuit, writes Lee Hall. Hodgson was unhappy with Wijnhard's attitude in Saturday's

  • Election tie prompts confusion over new mayor

    THE election of a mayor to serve Richmond in the coming year has been thrown into confusion following a tied vote. Coun Linda Curran eventually accepted the office after town councillors pledged their support, but relinquished the role the next morning

  • Publican turns hand to brewing Teesdale ales

    A PUBLICAN whose first night takings amounted to just £1.95 when he took over a Barnard Castle hostelry three years ago has plans to brew up to 20,000 pints of his own beer a week for the worldwide market. The Castle Wall Wine Bar soon became one of the

  • House arrest

    WE columnists have to tread a fine line between the topical and the over-done, so I might touch on house arrest and the Oscars, while neatly side-stepping Charles, Camilla, the Pope, Michael Jackson and Jose Mourinho. With the golf course under snow and

  • Pupils give song their 100 Per Cent

    PUPILS from four primary schools will heading into a recording studio this week to cut their first disc. The children have teamed up with local band, The Happy Cats, to record the track at The Studio, in Hartlepool. The pupils, from primary schools in

  • Hopes high as Tweddle gears up for new season

    International event rider Nicola Tweddle, who has competed at the highest four star level, gets her 2005 season under way this weekend. The 27-year-old from Morton on Swale takes a quartet of horses to the Isleham one-day event in Cambridgeshire, the

  • Johnson drops back after mechanical problems

    THERE was success and disappointment in equal measure for local competitors who made the long trip south to Bournemouth for the opening round of the MSA National Gravel Rally Championship last weekend. The South Coast's premier motor sport event, the

  • Darlington clubs slip back after postponements

    THE only matches postponed in National Three North last weekend were the ones involving the two Darlington clubs and the result was that they slipped to third and fourth from the bottom. Mowden Park are two points ahead of their neighbours, who have a

  • Boro must tighten up at back, admits Riggott

    CHRIS Riggott has slammed suggestions that Middlesbrough's defenders need to push the panic button, but the centre-half has admitted that a top-six place could be jeopardised by their slackness at the back. After being showered with praise because of

  • The humble wood pigeon impresses by sheer weight of numbers

    FEBRUARY proved to be a distinctly quiet month for local birdwatchers despite the north-easterly airflow and periods of snow. Nonetheless there were some sightings of interest, the long-staying Pale-bellied Brent Goose at Bolton-on-Swale was still present

  • Comment from The Northern Echo: A healthier situation

    THE case of Margaret Dixon - the pensioner at the centre of party political point-scoring after her operation was cancelled seven times - shows that the National Health Service is far from perfect. It is clearly an unacceptable situation and the Tories

  • Mystery of nurse who 'froze to death'

    A NURSE found lying face down in on a snow-covered playing field may have frozen to death, police believe. Shelley Whitfield, 21, was found fully clothed and lying in the snow 500 yards from her flat in Brandon, County Durham, at 6.50am on Wednesday.

  • Shooting woodpigeons is now last resort

    THE Government has been condemned for its "arrogant and off-hand" action in changing the rules on bird pest controls without any consultation. The new laws, affecting far-mers, landowners and gamekeepers, took effect on Tuesday, without any announcement

  • Getting to the roots of bigotry

    PERHAPS the best indication that times are changing in Northern Ireland is the fact that Belfast has become a tourist destination. Many regional airports now operate flights there and the city centre has apparently developed a night-time party atmosphere

  • We're almost there

    THE maximum wait for heart surgery in England will be three months by the end of March, it will be announced today. The announcement by the country's heart tsar, Dr Roger Boyle, will mean that the target set by The Northern Echo's Chance To Live campaign

  • New match dates fixed

    LUMLEY Ladies' senior side's three recent postponed football matches - all cancelled at least twice due to weather problems - have been rearranged. Lumley are fighting for a top seven finish in division one of the Women's Northern League to ensure a place

  • 04/03/05

    IMMIGRATION: I SUPPORT Pete Winstanley and Helen Smith (HAS, Feb 22). It is such a pity that fears over asylum are being stoked up so shamelessly by sections of the media and the political classes. No mention is given of the tax money which successful

  • Middleham farrier wins trip to US

    STEVE Hewitt, farrier to Middleham trainer Mark Johnston, has won a magnum of champagne and a trip to the United States as the joint winner of the Victory Magnum 2004. The Victory Magnum is awarded by Atlantic Equine Ltd, UK distributors for the Victory

  • Looking Back

    FROM this newspaper 150 years ago. - Mr Thomas Hikley of the Lobster Inn, Coatham, near Redcar, a few days ago, at one shot, killed 78 larks, bullfinches and other small birds with a common shoulder gun. From this newspaper 100 years ago. - On Monday

  • Posh and Pam's silicone secrets

    Celebrity Surgery: Who's Had What Done? (ITV1): Horizon: The Lost Civilisation of Peru (BBC2): MANY years ago - and the more mature among you will surely remember - people used to wonder which twin had the Toni. Nowadays the speculation is not about permanent

  • A new post-war baby boom

    A REGIMENT at Catterick Garrison has reported a baby boom after its men returned from serving in Iraq. Following their homecoming from Operation Telic 4, the men of armoured cavalry regiment the Queen's Royal Lancers may have thought they left sleepless

  • We're almost there

    THE maximum wait for heart surgery in England will be three months by the end of March, it will be announced today. The announcement by the country's Heart Tsar, Dr Roger Boyle, will mean that the target set by The Northern Echo's Chance To Live campaign

  • McCarthy thirsting for Cats' promotion

    MICK McCARTHY is preparing for the final turbulent leg of Sunderland's promotion journey by getting back on the wagon. With less than a quarter of the season left, the Black Cats face a couple of potential derailments at Burnley and Crewe Alexandra before

  • Rare artefacts back in N-E home

    A COLLECTION of more than a dozen rare Chinese burial jades - some dating back more than 2,000 years - has returned to the North-East. For the last eight months, the artefacts have been among the star attractions at a blockbuster exhibition in Scotland

  • Showground with £10m plans appoints key team

    FOUR key appointments have been made following the recent announcement of a £10m development plan for the 250-acre Great Yorkshire showground site on the edge of Harrogate. The Yorkshire Agricultural Society has recruited Nigel Morgan, a retired police

  • Better rail links would create jobs and ease jams

    A CLEVELAND MP has called for Government funding to improve rail links with Teesport and Hartlepool to ease road congestion and help create thousands of jobs. Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, used a special House of Commons

  • Food labels deceptive, tenants' agm told

    UK CONSUMERS are being deceived by the rules on country of origin labelling of food, the Tenant Farmers' Association's annual meeting was told. Jim Paice, shadow Agriculture Minister, was responding to the Farming Industry Marketing Strategy report, commissioned

  • More arrests in raids

    THE Cleveland Police force has carried out another sting targeting drug dealers and fine dodgers. Officers from the four districts of the force raided addresses in Redcar on Monday morning. At the same time, community support wardens were involved in

  • 'How fish oil has helped our sons'

    Trevor and Maxine Bellwood panicked when they were told their little boy was autistic. Health correspondent Barry Nelson met the family and found out how a food supplement has made all the difference. LIKE most three-year-olds, Christopher Bellwood loves

  • Sex abuse priest 'lived with guilt for 30 years'

    A ROMAN Catholic priest was jailed for 18 months yesterday after admitting sexually abusing a teenage boy 30 years ago. Teesside Crown Court was told that Father Michael Dunn was a "young, trendy priest" when he went to his first parish in 1975, the Church

  • Four-day week considered for rubbish collectors

    THE introduction of a four-day week for council refuse collection teams could be on the cards. The idea is one of a number of measures being studied by officers in Darlington. Talks with workers and unions are ongoing in an effort to bring about various

  • Tomlinson plots a two-jump route to gold

    CHRIS Tomlinson is hoping that two leaps will be enough to earn a European Indoor Athletics Championship gold this weekend, because the Middlesbrough-born long jumper is not certain his groin will hold up to anything more than that. Tomlinson has spent

  • Getting to the roots of bigotry

    PERHAPS the best indication that times are changing in Northern Ireland is the fact that Belfast has become a tourist destination. Many regional airports now operate flights there and the city centre has apparently developed a night-time party atmosphere

  • LibDems win back 'Caribbean' seat

    THE seat vacated by 'Caribbean councillor' Stephen Gregory was last night re-claimed by the Liberal Democrats. Local caf owner Sam Zair won the Bishop Auckland Town ward on Wear Valley District Council by 20 votes. Mr Gregory provoked a national outcry

  • Hospital job cuts not ruled out by cash-strapped trust

    HOSPITAL staff in Northallerton, Guisborough and Middlesbrough could face redundancies because of a cash crisis at South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust. The trust runs Northallerton's Friarage Hospital, the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough and

  • On TV

    Celebrity Surgery: Who's Had What Done? (ITV1) Horizon: The Lost Civilisation of Peru (BBC2) MANY years ago - and the more mature among you will surely remember - people used to wonder which twin had the Toni. Nowadays the speculation is not about permanent

  • Wellock's World

    WE columnists have to tread a fine line between the topical and the over-done, so I might touch on house arrest and the Oscars, while neatly side-stepping Charles, Camilla, the Pope, Michael Jackson and Jose Mourinho. With the golf course under snow and

  • North-East author corners American market

    AN author is on the verge of transatlantic success after her first novel was picked up by an American publisher. Anne Kelly's book Nobody's Child - a tale of 19th Century Irish emigrants and their struggles to build a new life in the US - has been released

  • 'We will be staying in the region'

    ONE of the companies named by the Amicus union in an attack on manufacturing job losses in the region has reaffirmed its commitment to the North-East. Microswitch maker Saia-Burgess, in Gateshead, was among the companies listed by union Amicus on Wednesday

  • Precision via technology is way ahead

    A NUFFIELD scholar from York believes there is a big future for precision farming. Clive Blacker, who has a 2,000-acre arable farm near the city, will present his findings on the use of satellite-based technologies in the USA and Australia to Precision

  • Mowden hit trouble

    DARLINGTON Mowden Park face front row problems for tomorrow's visit to National Three North's bottom club, Bedford Athletic. They were not given the go-ahead by Newcastle Falcons to re-register tight head Ed Kalman following his week's loan to Leeds Tykes

  • Bishop looks forward to night of music

    internationally renowned opera stars will take to the stage in the magnificent setting of Auckland Castle next month. Alison Hudson, David Stephenson and David Smith will entertain audiences with songs from much-loved musicals and operas at the castle

  • Bede plc bosses win award

    THE men behind a scientific instruments company have become the first Britons to win an international award in their specialist area. Dr Keith Bowen and Professor Brian Tanner, of Durham-based Bede plc, have won the Charles S Barrett Award for exceptional

  • Fishing boat fire

    A SMALL fishing boat sank after a fire early yesterday. The boat was moored on the Wear near Ropery Road, Deptford, Sunderland. Firefighters extinguished the blaze, but the vessel sank

  • Taste of Italy in Dales tea room

    A YORKSHIRE Dales tea room is now offering a taste of Italy. Lanie's Corner House, in Leyburn, Wensleydale, has begun making its own Italian style ice cream. Owner Elaine Tomlinson said: "We consulted many people in the industry and sought advice and

  • Street patrols take on the truants

    PATROLS swept the streets of Bishop Auckland yesterday in a search for truants. One grandmother was stopped and questioned in a high-street amusement arcade as her 13-year-old grandson stood waiting outside during yesterday's crackdown on truancy. The

  • Concern at school status decision

    AN education authority is to challenge an adjudicator's decision after it lost control of a top-performing primary school. St Oswald's CE Infant and Nursery School in Durham - once considered for closure by Durham County Council because of its falling

  • £150,000 church plan for centre

    A RUN-down community centre is to be given a new lease of life by a church group. After more than a decade of renting school halls and community centre rooms, Aycliffe Evangelical Church has bought a permanent base in Newton Aycliffe. The church will

  • Victoria draws on her skills

    PUPILS are celebrating the success of a classmate who won a competition to design a logo to be used at the property health desk, in Durham County Hall. The competition, which all primary schools in the county were invited to take part in, involved the

  • Future of site still uncertain

    TALKS on the future of a former engineering factory are still ongoing - a year after plans for a multi-million pound development on the site were scrapped. Proposals to create a £6m JJB Soccerdome complex at the former Cummins Engines factory in Yarm

  • Lives put at risk by thieves

    HIGHWAY chiefs have hit out at thieves risking lives by stealing drain covers and road signs. North Yorkshire County Council says that the theft of metal street furniture, which is sold for scrap, is costing taxpayers thousands every year. In the latest

  • Website helps to uncover Durham's roots

    A FORMER teacher's ten-year labour of love in researching his native County Durham has turned into what is thought to be the most comprehensive guide to family history in Britain. Author and historian Tony Whitehead has compiled a website which, he says

  • Website helps to uncover Durham's roots

    A FORMER teacher's ten-year labour of love in researching his native County Durham has turned into what is thought to be the most comprehensive guide to family history in Britain. Author and historian Tony Whitehead has compiled a website which, he says

  • Invasion of monster crabs

    ALIEN-LOOKING monster crabs with a metre long claw-span arrived in the county yesterday. Nine Japanese spider crabs found a home at the Scarborough Sea Life Centre. "Even though they can spread their claws as wide as I can stretch my arms, they're actually

  • Ceremony to license parish's new vicar

    PARISHIONERS in Teesdale are being invited to attend the licensing of their new vicar. The Reverend Amanda Pike is to be licensed by the Bishop of Durham on April 6, at 7pm, in St Mary's Church, Middleton-in-Teesdale. Mrs Pike is to be the new priest-in-charge

  • Cups the spur, says Andy

    ANDY O'BRIEN believes cup fever has installed some much-needed confidence in the Newcastle United squad and hopes the club's Premiership fortunes will continue to benefit. The Magpies are aiming to take another step in the right direction tomorrow when

  • Grants help veterans honour fallen comrades

    THOUSANDS more Second World War veterans are preparing to make emotional returns to the battlegrounds where so many of their comrades died. As the 60th anniversaries of Victory in Europe (VE) Day and Victory in Japan (VJ) Day draw nearer, the Big Lottery

  • Home fire safety checks extended

    FIRE chiefs are teaming up with young children and their parents to extend a smoke alarm initiative. Cleveland Fire Brigade is aiming to carry out 20,000 home fire safety checks each year and increase the number of alarms in homes to at least 80 per cent

  • Nursing home gets 1950s-style kitchen

    A NURSING home has installed a 1950s-style room to help residents there evoke their past. The Bupa-run St Mark's Nursing Home, in Hartburn Lane, Stockton, will open a themed kitchen next week. The 1950s-style room includes a washing machine with wringer

  • Lack of Government money blamed for council tax rise

    A LACK of Government funding to local authorities has been blamed for rises of 4.9 per cent in council tax in Redcar and Cleveland. During a meeting yesterday to agree the next year's financial budget, councillors also agreed £10.4m in extra spending.

  • Wow factor in class with white-boards

    INTERACTIVE white-boards costing £1m are being installed in schools across North Yorkshire. The new technology allows teachers to electronically write or draw on the large screen as if it were a touch screen computer. The boards have the potential to

  • Chance to quiz the tax man

    BUSINESSES in the Tees Valley have the chance to quiz the tax man during a series of seminars this month. Free advice and help will be on offer to firms during advice mornings held by Business Link. Ian Wade, customs and excise business manager, said:

  • Disabled charity handed £6,500

    CHARITY bosses were yesterday celebrating a £6,500 donation to a playscheme for disabled children. Cummins Engines presented the cash to the Darlington After School and Holidays (Dash) project after completing a fundraising drive. Staff at the Yarm Road

  • PC in court to face child porn charges

    A POLICE officer has appeared in court to face child pornography offences. PC David Bright, 41, has been charged with 17 counts of making indecent images of children and 26 specimen charges of possessing indecent material. The address of the Northumbria

  • Bingo players call for

    HUNDREDS of bingo customers in Stockton have signed a petition opposing changes to the gambling laws. Bingo companies and their customers say the Government's proposed Gambling Bill will create virtual monopolies for the so-called super casinos, pushing

  • Alex inspires stimulating idea for Down's syndrome youngsters

    A DARLINGTON mother aims to set up the first pre-school support service for children with Down's syndrome in the North-East. Maggie Hart was inspired to help give pre-school children with the condition the best possible start in life after the birth in

  • On the ball for tsunami appeal

    POLICE officers will take on university students in a fund-raising football match. A team from Durham University Students' Union will play Durham Police at the Racecourse Sports Ground in Durham City, at 2pm, today. Admission for spectators is £1.50 and

  • Nine more 'ghost ships' get all-clear to leave US for N-E

    ABLE UK last night took a giant step forward in its controversial bid to scrap a fleet of former US Navy "ghost ships". An American judge ruled that nine more ships, forming part of a 13-fleet £11m deal with the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) were

  • Gem of a day for diamond couple

    DIAMOND couple Ted and Vera Sidders were working on a farm when love grew. The couple, from Annfield Plain, met during the Second World War when Mrs Sidders was in the Women's Land Army. They married 60 years ago yesterday at St Aidan's Church in New

  • Doorstep crime fighter to share his expertise

    A NATIONAL expert on tackling doorstep crime is to pass on advice to a town's residents. Former Chief Superintendent Brian Steele, from Leeds, has been brought in by Cleveland Police and will give two talks in Middlesbrough today. The visit has been arranged

  • Big grants boost for new pitches

    TWO new synthetic turf pitches - at Roseberry Sports and Community College at Pelton, near Chester-le-Street and Deerness Valley Comprehensive School, Ushaw Moor - have been given a cash boost. The schools teamed up with Durham County Council to make

  • Spooky encounter for charity

    FUNERAL service staff are set for a spooky encounter in their efforts to raise money for charity. Staff from Hartlepool's Strathmore House Co-operative Funeral Service will take part in a sponsored ghost watch, from 11pm to 7am, in the town's most haunted

  • Prices at the marts

    BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed of last week. Fwd: 808 sheep. Lt hoggs to 111p av 107.8p; std to 121p av 116.6p; med to 117p av 110.6p; heavy to 113p av 107.8p. Cast sheep: Cont to £37.50; Mule to £36.50; Leics to £33; Cheviot to £31; Swale to £24. BORDERWAY (Carlisle

  • Duke tours development site on stream train

    THE Duke of York was in the region yesterday to tour a site set aside for 3,000 homes and a business development. Prince Andrew met civic leaders at the National Railway Museum, in York, and was shown the 35-hectare development site, which is directly