THIS weekend, newspapers and television will be full of discussions about whether a politician should keep his job. The politician in question will be Charles Kennedy. It is difficult to see how he can. But the politician really in the spotlight should
WHEN it comes to delivering a reminder, Gavin Strachan has it off to a tee. The Hartlepool United midfielder made a return to action in the last week after four months out of the first-team picture. First he appeared as a second-half substitute in the
GRAEME Souness will make signing a centre-half his number one priority this month but, despite a lack of funds, the Newcastle boss will not be looking to pick up a cut-price bargain from abroad. With Steven Taylor unlikely to play again this season, the
A MAN has been banned by a court from seeing his elderly mother after he beat her up because he believed she was poisoning him. Mark Stephenson attacked his 83-year-old mother, Mary, putting his arms around her neck and throwing her to the floor, after
The new time-tripping cop show, Life On Mars, will set viewers' minds flashing back to the Seventies - and 1973, the year in which its hero, 21st century detective Sam Taylor wakes up, dazed and confused. As he struggles to find out if he's travelled
VICARS DESTINY (1.45) has finally dropped far enough down the ratings to get back on the winning trail in Haydock's feature race, the £12,000 32Redpoker.com Handicap Chase. Sue Lamyman's representative was unmercifully hammered by the handicapper when
A RED-FACED nightclub boss has admitted he got it wrong when he announced that Gangsta Rap superstar 50 Cent was going to play at his venue. Anthony Griffiths was inundated with calls from fans desperate for tickets after he told newspapers, including
HOUSEBUILDER George Wimpey said annual profits were likely to be towards the lower end of expectations after a difficult year for the sector. The group, which also operates under the Laing Homes brand, completed 12,100 properties in the UK last year,
A FARMER has told of his devastation after 26,000 day-old chicks were killed in a shed blaze. The poultry died from inhaling smoke just hours after being delivered to Crakehill Farm, in Crakehill, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire. Firefighters battled to
MARK SCHWARZER has demanded a move from Middlesbrough after hearing unofficial word that he was going to be dropped for a recent slump in personal form. Now the Australian, whose decision has not been coloured by any hint of interest from leading European
OLD ICE RINK: JUST before Christmas, a meeting of Durham City Council development control committee approved a planning application for 99 apartments, a visitor building and 150 parking spaces on the old ice rink site. Some months ago the original proposals
NORTH-EAST businesses are being urged to get behind a scientific breakthrough that could save thousands of lives. A team of scientists from Durham University yesterday unveiled a way of harnessing light to speed up the diagnosis of diseases such as cancer
THE tragic life of a young mother whose body was found in her bedroom emerged last night. One woman and two men have been arrested and released on police bail in connection with the death of Katrina Armstrong, at her home in West Dyke Road, Redcar, east
AN independent investigator labelled Scarborough's sea defences saga a "sorry tale of errors and complacency" in a report published yesterday. Richard Penn said senior officers at Scarborough Borough Council had made mistakes and some failed to heed warnings
NURSERY business Great Expectations has announced plans to open on Saturdays. The nursery, which is Middlesbrough's first in the town centre, provides full-day care for children between six weeks and five years. Following the success of weekdays, Great
HAVING scored in every round to date for Northwich Victoria, Tyneside-born Paul Brayson would love nothing more than for his run to continue at Sunderland tomorrow. Brayson, who lives in Walker, was brought up in the city and was hailed as one of the
WHEN someone has amassed nearly as many clubs as his years on the planet, there is a strong chance he will have experienced a cup tie when he has been on the side of the underdog. Aged 28, Stuart Elliott has been at 21 different clubs, a record that has
CAR sales in the UK fell by five per cent last year to fewer than 2.5 million, industry figures showed. The figures, compiled by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), suggest the total number of cars sold last year was the lowest since
A THREATENED strike at a car components factory could hit production at Nissan, unions have warned. Workers at Unipres, which employs 770 people in Washington, Wearside, are being balloted for industrial action over Saturday working. Trade union Amicus
A THREATENED strike at a car components factory could hit production at Nissan, unions have warned. Workers at Unipres, which employs 770 people in Washington, Wearside, are being balloted for industrial action over Saturday working. Trade union Amicus
THE threat of flooding is still being ignored by hundreds of thousands of home and business owners across the region. The warning came from the Environment Agency, which said that about 262,000 properties in the North-East were at risk from potential
TIM EASTERBY travels to Sandown with live prospects of landing a double via Pay Attention (1.35) and Tribal Dispute (3.45). The North Yorkshire-based handler isn't one to send his horses on unnecessarily long journeys if they haven't got a prayer, but
Bishop Auckland are on their travels again today when they go to Chorley for a UniBond League First Division, writes Ray Simpson. Bishops desperately need the points to launch a revival in order to close the 13-point gap between them and safety, and manager
A MAN who scarred his victim when he thrust a blade into his face was jailed indefinitely for the protection of the public yesterday. Alan Wood, 20, struck Lee Costella with a Stanley knife during a premeditated attack so hard he fractured his cheekbone
AN advice scheme for people facing the possibility of eviction or losing their home has been set up in Darlington. Free legal advice is now available at Darlington's County Court, which is based in Coniscliffe Road, for anyone attending a possession hearing
PEOPLE who are keen to trace their ancestors will be given a helping hand by a family history expert. Advice on how to start drawing up a family tree will be available at Durham County Council's Clayport Library, in Durham, this afternoon. The taster
A Huge wildlife mural is to cover the walls of a new education centre. The work is being created by artists Liz Million and Adam Baldwin at the Outside In centre, in South Park, Darlington, over the next seven weeks. This month, schoolchildren are adding
A TEENAGE boy repeatedly hit a friend over the head with a toy rifle and threw boiling coffee over a woman, a court heard yesterday. The boy, 15, carried out the attacks in October and November last year at his address in Darlington, and was described
SUNDERLAND City Council holds its Pier to Pier New Year ramble, an eight-mile walk from Roker to South Shields, with a free return bus, tomorrow, starting at 10am at the car park at the mouth of Roker Harbour. Call 0191-553 1555 for more information and
SUNDERLAND are planning an ambitious swoop for Cardiff City striker Cameron Jerome this weekend. The 19-year-old striker, a former Middlesbrough trainee, has been attracting attention from both Premier League and Championship clubs and Sheffield United
Spennymoor manager Ken Houlahan will give former Durham and West Auckland midfielder Dion Raitt his debut at bottom-club Guisborough as he tries to give his promotion chasers a boost. A 2-0 home defeat by Northallerton in midweek saw them drop out of
RESIDENTS in Hartlepool are being offered a chance to visit the town's top tourist attractions at discounted prices. The council has decided to reduce admission charges at the Hartlepool Maritime Experience in the town's marina until March 31 as a way
A SNEAK thief at a cinema who became an unwitting film star when he stole staff's property was jailed for 23 weeks yesterday. Drug addict John Blogg was spotted reaching inside the staff room at the UGC Cinema in Middlesbrough and he was identified from
A Teesside school has welcomed a new headteacher. Thomas Packer has taken over as headmaster at Teesside Prep & High School in Eaglescliffe, Stockton, following the departure of Hilary French, who has moved to a school in Newcastle. Mr Packer, a former
A BUSY mother is successfully juggling the demands of a family, career and education. Vicki McMahon manages to look after two teenage sons and a greengrocer husband who works all hours, while she runs three sandwich bars. But that has not stopped her
POLICE are hunting two men who went into a Durham supermarket and stole a bottle of wine. It happened at about 8.30pm on Saturday, September 24, in the Co-op in Gilesgate. They went to the wine display and one was seen removing wine and hiding it in his
A MAN who turned his home into a cannabis farm to feed his drug habit was spared jail yesterday. Derek Anderson, 30, had farms in two bedrooms as well as in the cupboard under the stairs at his house in Parliament Street, Hebburn, South Tyneside. Newcastle
TWO County Durham artists have joined forces to show off their work to the public in a three-week exhibition. Kim Graham, from Spennymoor, and Tom Rowan, from Esh Winning, will officially open the event, called Within and Without, on Monday. Mr Rowan's
AFTER completing a 25,500-mile journey halfway around the world and back without a hitch, the short journey from London to the North-East should have been no problem. But Joanne Bowlt and Tim Nicholson's 50-year-old Morris Oxford broke down in South Yorkshire
SCHOOLCHILDREN who helped to raise money for people with Motor Neurone Disease this week met a man who suffers from the condition. Haughton Community School, in Darlington, held activities including a non-uniform day and staff contributed money instead
CRIME bosses have warned people to keep details of their mobile phones handy. Darlington Neighbourhood Watch bosses are offering cards that people can store in their wallets or purses, with their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number on
MEMBERS of Bishop Auckland Golf Club have raised £3,032 for a hospital unit treating cancer victims. The money was collected for the Mara Unit, at Bishop Auckland General Hospital, during Ian Graham's year as captain. Mr Graham visited the unit to present
DETECTIVES last night confirmed that a man found dead close to where a six-year-old girl was abducted from her bath had died as a result of hanging. The body of Lee Bayley was found in a flat in the vicinity of the girl's home in North Tyneside. Police
THE fate of a car park earmarked for development will be decided at a meeting next month. Councillors have agreed that a planning application for 14 flats on Yorke Square car park, in Richmond, should be discussed at a venue large enough to hold the crowds
COUNCILLORS have approved plans to convert a former GP's surgery into houses after being told that rejecting the application could cost thousands. Members of Richmondshire District Council's environment and planning committee did consider throwing out
MARKET traders fearing for their jobs amid regeneration plans have been offered a new location. A number of stall holders have said they could lose their business if plans for the Castlegate Centre, Stockton, are approved. Owners Redleaf VI Fund wants
GIVEN that Middlesbrough have been asked to travel to non-league Nuneaton Borough for an interesting third-round tie and that their Conference North rivals Northwich Victoria have been pitted against Sunderland, the FA Cup continues to lead a revitalised
MEMBERS of Bishop Auckland Golf Club have raised £3,032 for a hospital unit treating cancer victims. The money was collected for the Mara Unit, at Bishop Auckland General Hospital, during Ian Graham's year as captain. He presided over a range of events
DETECTIVES last night confirmed that a man found dead close to where a six-year-old girl was abducted from her bath had died as a result of hanging. The body of Lee Bayley was found in a flat in the vicinity of the girl's home in North Tyneside. Police
NEWCASTLE Falcons scrum-half James Grindal has claimed his side's much-improved pack are ready to claim their biggest scalp of the season tomorrow afternoon. Grindal will make his tenth start of the campaign as Newcastle look to upset three-time Premiership
A hat-trick of movies in the first months of 2006 have elevated young actor Jake Gyllenhaal into leading man status. But his choice of career was never in doubt. He talks to Steve Pratt about his film industry family and how Paul Newman gave him driving
CHARLES KENNEDY was on the verge of quitting as Liberal Democrat leader last night after his senior colleagues delivered a dramatic "you go or we go" ultimatum. The embattled leader - who confessed this week to being treated for alcoholism - suffered
A teenager started small fires at a care home where she was living, a court heard. The 13-year-old girl, who had a history of behavioural problems, also spread food and washing-up liquid round rooms at the home, in a separate incident. Durham Crown Court
A PENSIONER is recovering after a violent robbery. The 87-year-old woman suffered a dislocated shoulder and head injuries in the incident in Kent Road North, Harrogate, North Yorkshire. The robbery took place at about 3.50pm on Thursday. The woman got
Q We are in our seventies with weekly State Pensions of £132 and £58. We have £8,000 in savings. Should we be paying council tax of £106 a month? A No. You appear to be entitled to Pension Credit of about £10.73 a week and Council Tax Benefit that would
Spennymoor manager Ken Houlahan will give former Durham and West Auckland midfielder Dion Raitt his debut at bottom-club Guisborough as he tries to give his promotion chasers a boost. A 2-0 home defeat by Northallerton in midweek saw them drop out of
DURHAM is on sale; most of it, anyway. There are not just reductions but further reductions, not just clearances but massive clearances. Even the Thai restaurant has 20 per cent off. There's 50 per cent off "slimming packages", half price at Vision Express
A WELL-RESPECTED young man downloaded child pornography from the Internet "out of curiosity, and as a risk", a court heard yesterday. Ross Laidler, 26, who works in computer graphics, yesterday narrowly avoided an immediate prison sentence after a judge
DETECTIVES last night confirmed that a man found dead close to where a six-year-old girl was abducted from her bath had died as a result of hanging. The body of Lee Bayley was found in a flat in the vicinity of the girl's home in North Tyneside. Police
AFTER completing a 25,500-mile journey halfway around the world and back without a hitch, the short journey from London to the North-East should have been no problem. But Joanne Bowlt and Tim Nicholson's 50-year-old Morris Oxford broke down in South Yorkshire
Match of the day in the Wearside League is between third-top Teesside Athletic and leaders Cleadon SC, writes Malcolm Pratt. Four points separate the sides who have scored the same number of goals but Teesside have conceded one less. "It's a huge game
CHARLES KENNEDY was on the verge of quitting as Liberal Democrat leader last night after his senior colleagues delivered a dramatic "you go or we go" ultimatum. The embattled leader - who confessed this week to being treated for alcoholism - suffered
Patterson Motor Group has bucked the trend of a slump in car sales by achieving record sales last year. The Newcastle company sold 15,850 new and used cars and vans last year - a 16 per cent rise on 2004. Sales of new fleet and business cars increased
TAXI-DRIVERS have called for further consultation with council chiefs over a proposed shake-up of taxi rank locations in Darlington town centre. The borough council's cabinet meets on Tuesday to discuss an overhaul of the Hackney carriage stands, as part
PLANS for a £3m school and community centre project in Darlington have been revealed. Cockerton CE Primary School would be demolished and a new building put in its place, under proposals submitted to the borough council by church leaders this week. Funding
A MECHANIC last night described the moment he was dragged along a road after giving chase to carjackers in a North-East village. Father-of-two David Campbell, 35, said he acted on impulse when a man jumped into his parents' Mercedes car, which was being
A Girl Guides group threatened with the axe has been handed a last-minute reprieve. The doors were due to close on the 1st Egglescliffe Guides if they failed to find a new leader. But a plea from division commissioner Christine Brooks has helped to rescue
SUNDERLAND University says day surgery waiting times at South Tyneside District Hospital, South Shields, have been cut from nine months to three weeks, after officials used a business improvement technique. The Process Improvement for Strategic Objectives
THE family of a mother-of-five who died in her smoke- filled bungalow have paid tribute to a loving woman with a huge sense of humour. Carol Churchill, a widow, died from suspected smoke inhalation on Tuesday after a Christmas tree fire at her warden-controlled
A RED-FACED nightclub boss has admitted he got it wrong when he announced that Gangsta Rap superstar 50 Cent was going to play at his venue. Anthony Griffiths was inundated with calls from fans desperate for tickets after he told newspapers, including
TEENAGERS who want to hang out with friends and play sports can join a new youth night. Stockton Youth Service, together with the Billingham Extended Schools scheme, is running sessions from 6pm to 7pm on a Wednesday evening for young people who want
A DEVELOPER yesterday gained planning permission to build homes on the site of a former garage in Spennymoor. Hall Construction Services plans to build ten houses and two apartments on the corner of Low Grange Road and Hartley Terrace. A group of run-down
CINEMA fans in Durham have the chance to see classic Hollywood films from the heyday of the silent era. Clayport Library is hosting a free ten-week course of feature films and extracts that explore the talent and range of Lon Chaney Senior, who became
YOUNG people in former pit villages near Durham can now get advice on sexual diseases at a clinic. It is held every Friday, between 2pm and 3pm, at the Sure Start Centre, in Durham Road, Ushaw Moor, and is aimed at men and women under 25 in the Brandon
"YOU'RE the guy who works with all those scumbags in Derwentside, aren't you." Billy Robson stiffens as he recalls the encounter in a pub one night and, sadly, this is an attitude he has become used to while working for the Consett and District YMCA.
IT is safe to assume that for most of Middlesbrough's multi-millionaires, this afternoon's FA Cup third-round tie at Nuneaton Borough will come as something of a culture shock. Away from the inviting environs of the Riverside, the likes of Aiyegbeni Yakubu
TWO in, one out and Darlington's striker merry-go-round could take another twist this weekend with the future of Tresor Kandol next on David Hodgson's agenda. Quakers completed the double signing of Burnley's Kyle Lafferty and Everton's Paul Hopkins on
A MECHANIC last night described the moment he was dragged along a road after giving chase to carjackers in a North-East village. Father-of-two David Campbell, 35, said he acted on impulse when a man jumped into his parents' Mercedes car, which was being
SCOUTS POST: Guisborough's Scout group has raised more than £850 in its Christmas post initiative. Each year, Scouts place post boxes throughout the town, asking for a 10p donation in exchange for delivering Christmas cards locally. More than 8,500 cards
FOR the vast majority of Newcastle supporters, any hope of a Happy New Year disappeared with Michael Owen as he hobbled into the White Hart Lane dressing room nursing a broken metatarsal. With their £16m striker ruled out for the best part of three months
Now, since the wicked fiend's at large, Skippers, and housekeepers, I charge You all to heed my warning. Over your threshold, on your mast, Be sure the horse-shoe's well nailed fast, Protecting and adorning. THE snow was melting rapidly and Five Hills
A book celebrating the history of a County Durham market town has been published. Memories of Wolsingham, published by County Durham Books, the publishing arm of Durham County Council, charts the town's heritage in more than 50 photographs. Pictures from
MARGARET Thatcher's former press secretary is to give a talk on castles. Sir Bernard Ingham will talk to the Richmond Civic Society, at the Zetland Christian Community Centre, in Richmond, on Friday, at 7.30pm. Sir Bernard will give a lecture about the
A VILLAGE action group and parish council has helped block plans for a 40-bedroomed nursing home. Four Seasons Health Care wanted to build a two-storey nursing home and convert an existing home into "close care" apartments, at Westfield Nursing Home,
ONE of Yorkshire's finest examples of a 16th Century cruck-framed cottage is being re-thatched. The Spout House, at Bilsdale, in the North York Moors National Park, was last thatched in 1992, and it is hoped that the new roof will help keep the building
TRIBUTES to a woman who served as mayoress of Ripon three times have been led by the city's present mayor, Councillor Stuart Martin. A funeral service was held at Ripon Cathedral yesterday for Sheila Medley, who was 68, and died in hospital after being
A BUSY mother is successfully juggling the demands of a family, career and education. Vicki McMahon looks after two teenage sons and a greengrocer husband who works all hours, while she runs three sandwich bars. But that has not stopped her getting half-way
