DID you learn to drive in a Ford Fiesta? Apparently more than five million people have. The Fiesta has been the first car of choice for generations. It's easy to see why. Every Fiesta is ridiculously easy to drive, cheap to run and plenty big enough
Dame fortune delivered an Edinburgh Festival hit for Tim Healy, who is actually seeking comedy heroes. WHEN Tim Healy set out in pursuit of the North-East's comedy legends he never expected a gay pantomime dame to get in the way. Having decided to make
A FORMER beauty queen with terminal cancer was joined by a string of volunteers when she embarked on a charity walk. Judie Williams, a former Miss Hartlepool, was hailed as an inspiration to others after arranging the event in the town. The 18 walkers
A NEW company has been launched with a roar. Talib Kadhim and Sarah Tyson have created an interactive lion for a website for national charity Talking Hands, which helps deaf children. The duo set up the business Back2Front Animation, in Stockton, combining
MYSTERY surrounds the death of an 84-year-old man who had gambling debts, an inquest heard. Police discovered pensioner Ted Loom's trusty walking stick on a grass verge close to where he was struck by a car and died from multiple injuries. Moments before
A decandent clash of East and West where visitors can enjoy the trappings and comfort of wealth in an exotic Arab land, Dubai is also one of the world's fastest growing tourist destinations, as Olivia Richwald discovers. LOOKING skyward open-mouthed at
THIS month, with the school holidays in full swing and the sun shining, why not take the family out for a day in our beautiful region? This week, we've got some great suggestions for Weardale at the heart of North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural
Yorkshire v Lancashire (County Championship) : Day Four Yorkshire needed to win the Roses match to ease their relegation fears but at least their pride was restored with the draw they managed to achieve at Old Trafford yesterday.Defeat looked on the
SCHOOLS in Hartlepool could receive a £100m boost in a bid for Government funding. Councillors will be asked next week to approve an approach to the Government that could result in the funding. A report from Adrienne Simcock, Hartlepool Borough Council's
A CONCERT in memory of a young man has raised £1,000 for a day centre he used to visit. Greg Thompson was a regular visitor to the Havelock Day Centre, in Hartlepool, until he died earlier this year at the age of 22. Despite suffering from a long illness
CALL centre staff have come to the aid of a cash-strapped baby hospice. The £4,000 raised by OC5 employees, on the Wilton International site, near Redcar, has led to a specialised cot being bought for the babies' hospice, Zoe's Place, at Normanby, near
SCHOOLCHILDREN have been praised for the quality of their handwriting after winning a national competition. Girls and boys aged between four and 11 from Yarm Preparatory School have been named winners of the National Schools Handwriting Competition. Sponsored
A WINDFALL of £2.7m is to be spent on making a town safer and more attractive. The money comes from town hall savings and backdated Government money after Whitehall miscalculated how much funding Middlesbrough was due, because of flawed population figures
GOLFERS and boxers clubbed together yesterday in aid of young sportsmen planning a trip to Australia next month. The sponsored golf tournament, at Mount Oswald Golf Club, in Durham, raised more than £1,000 towards new kit for members of Spennymoor Boxing
SWEEPING changes are being made to the Methodist church in County Durham this month in a bid to stem shrinking congregations and chapel closures. The creation of the West Durham Circuit, with 19 chapels, will stretch from Ferryhill to Ireshopeburn, making
PRODUCTION is back up and running at a firm less than two weeks after fire gutted the premises. Yesterday workers sent out the first delivery since the blaze at Katell, in Millennium Way, Newton Aycliffe Industrial Estate. The fire, in the early hours
A CARE home which will create about 30 jobs in a former County Durham mining village opened yesterday. Guardian Care Homes UK Ltd opened the 40-bed Chilton Care Centre, in Durham Road, after investing £1.8m. Guardian's managing director Gary Hartland
A MOTORING menace who led police on a 100mph chase has been jailed for nine months. Graham Lawton - who has eight previous convictions for driving while disqualified - was also banned from the roads for three years and ordered to take an extended driving
A TEAM of guardian angels who offer round-the-clock support to vulnerable people has landed an industry award for the service. Staff at Sedgefield Carelink have met the standards set out by the Telecare Services Association (TSA) code of practice for
TWO proud great grandparents celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary, yesterday. Percy and Amy Viggers, from St Aidan's Walk, Newton Aycliffe, spent the day reading the many cards they received from friends and family. The couple, who have five
WITH the Premiership almost certain to be another procession for Chelsea and the final stages of the Champions League likely to be contested by the same set of European super-powers, football fans currently find themselves starved of excitement and intrigue
SUNDERLAND manager Niall Quinn may not have brought in the kind of players to excite the club's long-suffering supporters prior to their Championship kick-off but he hopes to do so before next weekend's trip to Southend. The Black Cats boss last week
WHO can remember dancing or singing along to any Teesdale skiffle band a few decades ago? I've been asked to provide the names of any of the local line-ups which became popular around the time Lonnie Donegan was hitting the charts with this brand of
Teesside Athletic miss eight players when they line up against Wolviston at Green Lane, Redcar, in the Wearside League this afternoon hoping to put behind them the disappointment of losing the first game of the season on Wednesday, writes Malcolm Pratt
Spennymoor assistant manager Jason Ainsley believes promotion from the Second Division won't be easy. After another summer of upheaval, Moors take on Washington at the Brewery Field, and Ainsley, second in command to Jamie Pollock, said: "We've got a
BARCELONA may be widely acknowledged as one of the biggest clubs in world football but Sunderland new boy Arnau Riera believes the Black Cats compare favourably with the Spanish giants. Riera spent five seasons on the fringes of the Catalan club's first-team
A CHARITY providing work opportunities for people with learning disabilities is one step closer to moving to new premises after receiving a £150,000 grant. The money from Yorkshire Forward means Northallerton-based charity Chopsticks can now invite tenders
A BROMPTON councillor is trying to track down old school friends to help her commemorate her class's 40-year reunion next year. Barbara Slater, nee Rogan, and her friend, Janet Burton, formerly Robinson, decided that because next
EIGHT volunteers have been trained to provide lifesaving medical cover to rural communities in the Yorkshire Dales. A First Responders scheme was introduced in Reeth, Swaledale, on Thursday night. The volunteers will provide emergency first-aid before
A YOUNG musician who has played for royalty will play at a gala concert at Ripon Cathedral. Violinist Chloe Hanslip has played twice for the Duke of Edinburgh and is a regular performer at the Royal Albert Hall. The 18-year-old has recorded an album with
CALLS for a busy road to remain closed to heavy traffic have been criticised by a county councillor. Gareth Dadd said that any suggestions of a permanent closure of Blakey Lane, in Sowerby, near Thirsk, was "reckless thinking". He said: "The
A FUNDRAISING bingo session is being held at a North Yorkshire residential home. Sowerby House residential home, Sowerby, hosts the event next Saturday, from 2pm to 4pm. It is also open to non-residents, with a 50p entry. Funds raised go towards activities
WHILE Hartlepool United are prevented from making new signings, one of the players who wants out of Victoria Park is making a big impression on his new manager. Darren Williams submitted a transfer request at the end of last season after Pools were relegated
SCOTT Parker has pledged to do everything in his power to win back his England place after his dreams of ending his international exile were dashed by Steve McClaren. Despite predictions to the contrary, Parker was unexpectedly excluded from McClaren's
LONG-RUNNING plans for three fishing lakes have been rejected by national park planners. Mike Cowling, of Mickbelong Farm, Urra, near Chop Gate wanted to build the lakes. He sought to build the ponds and a parking area off the B1257 and the plans were
GLENN Roeder will complete the capture of Real Madrid midfielder Thomas Gravesen at the start of next week, and the Newcastle manager is hoping to persuade Inter Milan striker Obafemi Martins to join the Denmark international at St James' Park. Martins
YOUNGSTERS in East Durham can get professional rugby coaching at sessions being held throughout the district. The two-day workshops, for girls and boys aged eight to 13, will be led by coaches from the Gateshead Thunder and Peterlee Puma clubs. The
RESIDENTS fighting to reduce the speed limit on a busy dual carriageway through their village could learn next month whether they have persuaded councillors to change their minds. Durham County Council's highways committee is to consider a report on a
A DRIVER is celebrating after becoming the first person to claim a blue chip prize given by a multi-storey car park. Claire Rudd, 27, a marketing firm studio manager from Gateshead, regularly uses the Prince Bishops Centre car park, in Durham, when visiting
A CRAFT sale aims to raise money and awareness about the lives of women in the developing world. St Patrick's RC Church, in Consett, is to hold a Sharing Fair in the church hall on Wednesday, September 13, at 7.30pm. Sharing Fair is a project set up by
SMOKERS in east Durham are quitting in droves, thanks to the efforts of local specialists. The Easington Primary Care Trust's (PCT) Stop Smoking Service helped 1,808 people stub out the habit last year. The service is the second-top performer in the region
POLICE are appealing for help in tracing a man they want to question in connection with a late-night burglary at a charity shop. On Sunday, April 9, someone broke into the Alzheimer's Society charity shop, in Consett, at about 11.40pm. The burglar entered
A CONSETT nursery's hoping to buy an industrial washing machine has been boosted by the Co-op's "divi fund". The fund, which receives donations of dividends from shoppers at the North-Eastern and Cumbrian Co-op stores, gave £500 to the Stepping Stones
POLICE have issued a fresh appeal for help in catching burglars who sprayed liquid in a householder's face when they broke into his home. The 53-year-old man and his wife were confronted by two men who burst through the door of their home in Frank Avenue
A GROUP set up to provide equipment and support to enable people with disabilities enjoy the benefits of cycling and the outdoors has been given a royal award. Gateway Wheelers, based in Bullion Hall, Chester-le-Street, received the Queen's Award for
The Northern Echo is promoting positive activities for children and teenagers throughout the summer holidays as part of the No Messin' campaign. The Campaign aims to highlight the dangers of messing about on railways, while promoting altenative activities
TWO drunken friends who put manhole covers on a railway line narrowly avoided prison as a judge gave a stark warning about the dangers of dicing with death on the tracks. Lee Costello, 19, and Terry Kelly, 26, were given suspended jail sentences yesterday
A FAMILY has reacted with fury after a grandmother was spared jail for urinating on the grave of a cancer victim. Annette Slight, 54, of Well Street, Pallion, Sunderland, was given a two-year community punishment order and will be electronically tagged
DURHAM Police are to bill the Home Office for more than £350,000 compensation for ten months of wasted work leading up to the failed police merger plans. The cash-strapped force has become the second in the region to reveal its costs following the Government's
A SIKH taxi driver has condemned racists who have used this week's terror alerts to taunt him and his son. Balbir Singh,45, from Darlington, said since Thursday morning he and his family had been subjected to abuse from youths in the town. Mr Singh said
A YOUNGSTER left fighting for her life when she suffered horrific injuries in last month's Dreamspace tragedy has been moved to a hospital nearer her home. Almost three weeks after the disaster, Rosie Wright is slowly but surely making progress. And her
MYSTERY surrounds the last moments of a grandfather whose body was recovered from the River Tees. Police have mounted a high-profile investigation into the death of the dementia sufferer who had been reported missing. Officers are treating the incident
A TWELVE-MILE long "necklace park" snaking its way around the banks of a river is likely to be the first result of plans to improve a city's image. Tourism expert Claire Lancaster has been appointed to develop a park in Durham made up of pockets of land
NOT many people turn up at a police station begging to be locked up for the night. But for Jean Beliveau, halfway through a 12-year, 50,000-mile walk round the world, anywhere with four walls and a roof is luxury. Unfortunately for Mr Beliveau, the cells
A SAILOR raised thousands of pounds for a hospital after he broke the Guinness world record for the longest continual row yesterday. Master at Arms Dave Harris has entered the record books for the third time after he completed 73 hours on a rowing machine
A NORTH Yorkshire moorland estate has bucked the trend with a surplus of grouse for today's Glorious Twelfth. Des Coates, head gamekeeper on Lord Peel's Grinton Estate, in Swaledale, says they have a near- record number this year. He said: "We could be
A couple with a sense of community spirit have been nominated for this year's Neighbours From Heaven award. Charlie and Pat Sargesson, from Cassop, in County Durham, are always happy to help their neighbour, Pauline Saiger, out - despite Mr Sargesson
THOUSANDS of biking enthusiats will visit the region this weekend for a top race meeting. The British Superbike Championship arrives at Croft Circuit, near Darlington. And with four races to go and three riders with a chance of championship glory, the
A DIAMOND thief has been jailed for seven years after a judge said that he played for high stakes and lost. Richard Calvert, 31, targeted the best diamond rings owned by jewellers across the North of England by posing as a wealthy customer. Teesside Crown
TWO thugs who carried out an orgy of violence and murdered a man in an "underworld feud" must spend a combined total of at least 34 years behind bars. In March 2002, George Coleman, 46, and Thomas Petch, 27, were both jailed for life at Teesside Crown
A TEENAGER being hunted for clubbing a police officer with a pair of bolt-cutters was found days later hiding in a shed with a newspaper cutting about the attack. Ambrose Richmond had kept a story from The Northern Echo about his attack on PC James Rouse
POLICE are hunting thugs who shot a rottweiler with a crossbow as it slept in its kennel. The animal had to be put down after it was shot three times in the head and abdomen as it slept in the kennel outside its County Durham home. It was left to suffer
Norton will erase any lingering relegation worries if they stave off defeat in today's bottom-of-the-table clash at Hetton Lyons. The Teessiders are 65 points ahead of their rivals who have yet to win, and look destined for an immediate return to the
The filming of one of next year's blockbusters in Redcar could put the seaside town on the map. Steve Pratt talks to the man who's putting the region on the screen. he framed posters on the wall reflect that Northern Film & Media is moving on, fittingly
IS IT ME confirmed his position as one of the season's leading juvenile hurdlers when completing a hat-trick in the hands of Mark Bradburne at Sedgefield yesterday. "Mark said that was his best performance to date and we'll aim him at Cheltenham's October
Actress Anne Reid is very cagey about her role in the next Doctor Who series - and the woman who bedded the latest James Bond knows a thing to two about keeping secrets. ANNE Reid had a secret she wasn't going to give away no matter how hard she was pressed
BAAN (3.20) should give each-way backers a great run for their money in today's richest race, the £80,000 totesport.com Stakes at Haydock. Bound to go off at double-digit odds in the 17-runner cash bonanza, Baan, a flashy chestnut with plenty of white
CARNIVORE (2.50) bids for a quick-fire double at Redcar having already notched one victory so far this week on a successful raid to Newcastle. David Barron's four-year-old hardly broke sweat when cruising to an effortless victory at the Tyneside venue
THERE are some sounds that take you right back to your childhood. My husband had one of those moments the other day, and was swept back 50-odd years to his grandfather's stonemason's yard. It was the sound of hammering that did it, the clink of a chisel
UNION officials fear that privatisation plans are being drawn up which could wipe out 700 NHS jobs in the region. The health union Unison issued a warning of potential mass job losses after it was confirmed that the Government is considering privatising
Castle Eden and Murton are now the leading sides in the title race. Castle Eden, who won the title last year for the first time since 1951, are only five points ahead of their rivals before today's visit from bottom-of-the-table Houghton. It will
Darlington RA can at last see light at the end of the tunnel after securing their first success last Saturday. They are now 17 points behind Normanby Hall as the pair battle to avoid the drop. Fixture secretary Mark Eyles is confident the return of Ashar
With 22 points now the difference between the top two, Burnmoor will be looking for leaders South Shields to have an off day. Shields entertain a Horden side who have struggled to find a winning formula. However, Boldon, who beat the Moors last week,
Evenwood secretary Alf Teesdale believes his side can still wrestle the leadership from Kimblesworth if they defeat Esh Winning in today's crucial game. "Kimblesworth are in the driving seat, 36 points ahead of ourselves with only 100 to play for,'' he
IMPROVEMENTS to a village's sports field are nearing completion, but its pitches may not be ready until October. The community in Heighington has been working hard to improve its field over the 18 months. However, because of the weather, the newly-laid
PRODUCTION is back up and running at a firm less than two weeks after a fire gutted the premises. Yesterday, workers sent out the first delivery since the blaze at Katell, in Millennium Way, Newton Aycliffe Industrial Estate. The fire, in the early hours
HIGH street favourite Marks and Spencer has reopened with new look. A jazz band and champagne reception greeted the first customers as they walked into the Darlington store on Thursday. The store remained open while work was carried out over the past
DARLINGTON Borough Council has admitted that a letter informing residents of a controversial planning application was too vague. The letter said that Sainsbury's supermarket, in Victoria Road, Darlington, wanted to change its delivery times - but it did
A TEAM of guardian angels who offer round-the-clock support to vulnerable people has landed an industry award for the service. Staff at Sedgefield Carelink have met the standards set out by the Telecare Services Association code of practice for social
PLANS to scrap inpatient services at a hospital leukaemia unit will come under the spotlight next week. An independent review into the future of haematology and chemotherapy services in County Durham recommended closing the inpatient unit at Darlington
A DARLINGTON supermarket is planning to be the first in the town to open 24 hours a day. The Asda store, in Whinbush Way, is also hoping to be allowed to serve alcohol round the clock. However, the manager of the supermarket has said she is keen to meet
A MAN who attacked his friend and then raided his house as he recovered in the street has been jailed for a year. Matthew Hamilton, 20, was jailed by Judge George Moorhouse for nine months for burglary and three months for assault occasioning actual bodily
THE biggest producer of tablemats in the world has gone into administration with the loss of 69 jobs. Pimpernel International, in Consett, County Durham, recently moved production from its UK site to China and cashflow problems as a result of the move
A FACTORY worker managed to raise almost £200 by taking part in a singing marathon. Ian Rutland, who has worked at Cummins Engines in Darlington for 41 years, sang 56 different songs - although the total number sung was higher as some were requested
STEVE McClaren's appointment as England manager was not met with general enthusiasm. Did he have enough experience after his time at Middlesbrough? Was he blessed with enough flair? Would he be bold enough to break free from his long association with
A BUILDING services company in the south of the region has expanded into the North-West after acquiring a plumbing firm for more than £1m. Shouksmiths, in York, has completed its acquisition of Keda Plumbing, in Bolton, and retained all 20 staff. Keda
NORTH-East software company 4Projects is planning to create jobs and increase its £4m-a-year turnover by up to 20 per cent a year following the early completion of Arsenal's £390m stadium on-budget. The Sunderland firm, which provides computer software
ENGINEERING company Day and Zimmerman has won a contract to provide efficiency improvements that will create ten jobs at its Teesside base. The contract will see the company offering engineering design work on a plant improvement project for polyester
UP to 60 full and part-time jobs are under threat after a newspaper announced plans to close its print room. Workers at the Hartlepool Mail were told yesterday of plans to move printing to its sister paper, the Sunderland Echo. About 25 full-time jobs
Middlesbrough's friendly with Chievo this afternoon is also a benefit match for long-serving Colin Cooper. Scott Wilson caught up with the defender, ahead of of the launch of the Finlay Cooper Fund. JANUARY 2002, and Colin Cooper's world is about to fall
GARETH Southgate believes Stewart Downing's World Cup experience can help secure a regular place in the England starting XI. The Middlesbrough manager revealed he has been greatly impressed with the attitude and maturity of his young charge - selected
A MUCH-AWAITED solo exhibition comes to the region today. Paintings About York comprises new mixed-media city-scape paintings by Tim Morrison and will be on show at the Minster Fine Art Gallery, in York, until September 10. Mr Morrison, 54, graduated
A particularly friendly welcome was waiting at St Mary Magdalene's in Yarm - on the site where a church has stood since Saxon times. YARM sits on the south bank of the Tees, sometimes a bit too close to it for comfort, in what was once the North Riding
AL QAIDA terrorists based in Afghanistan may have been behind an alleged plot to bring down airliners over US cities, it was claimed last night.Meanwhile, detectives investigating the alleged plot were granted warrants for the further detention of 22
Q - When my husband and I were each awarded Attendance Allowance, we were sent details of how to claim Pension Credit. However, we claimed this last year and were told that we did not qualify. Is it worth going to the trouble of claiming again?A
TERRORISM: IT looks as if in the light of Thursday's airport security events, my letter about the Middle East (HAS, Aug 1) was timely.It can be no coincidence that this plot has been uncovered in this country involving UK nationals targeting aircraft
JANUARY 2002, and Colin Cooper's world is about to fall apart. Just hours after helping his side beat Manchester United in the fourth round of the FA Cup, the Middlesbrough defender will lose his two-year-old son, Finlay, after he swallows a screw that
