The older I get the more annoyed I get about litter. When I was younger, I didn't care about litter at all. In fact, I once dropped a Twix wrapper on the village green. I felt a bit guilty and would have picked it up later if my playmates, the terrible
ANOTHER movie about growing up in Queens, New York, in the 1980s is hardly necessary even if, like this, the story is based on someone's real life experiences. Dito Montiel writes and directs a film based on his own memoir about growing up on the
LIKE buses, you wait ages for a film about turn-of-the-century stage magicians to come along and then two arrive together. So how does The Illusionist rate against The Prestige?. They both have their good points with The Illusionist being slightly
SOME comic book transfers to the big screen work, others are best left on the page. Director Mark Steven Johnson had a miss with Daredevil starring Ben Affleck and now tries again with Ghost Rider from the Marvel Comics stable. While this movie
A PROLIFIC offender dubbed Spiderboy has been jailed for at least five years after failing to go straight. Thomas Laws, now 26, won his notoriety in 2001 for escaping from a secure dock in a magistrates court by clambering up an 8ft glass wall, then
A LORRY overturned on the busy A66 slip road onto the A19 Tees Flyover in Middlesbrough shortly after lunchtime today. Traffic was disrupted while a crane recovered the wagon. The driver of the heavy goods vehicle was taken to hospital with minor injuries
JONNY Wilkinson will play for Newcastle Falcons in their Guinness Premiership game against London Irish on Saturday. Wilkinson will be joined by Test colleagues Mathew Tait and Toby Flood at the Madejski Stadium - just eight days before England's crunch
POLICE on Teesside have seized four pit bull-type dogs and arrested five people after a series of morning raids to target an alleged dog fighting ring. More than 50 officers swooped on five houses in a series of co-ordinated raids in east Cleveland after
THERE has been a lot of correspondence and reports in the media recently regarding the behaviour of children and parents letting them down. What is happening to parenthood these days? Mothers always stayed at home and became home-makers, looking
THE governor of a North-East prison insisted that the situation was under control yesterday despite a vote of no confidence, a £1m riots repair bill and more trouble last night. Debra Baldwin, the governor of Deerbolt Young Offenders Institution, in
I WAS shocked and disappointed to read recently that ambulance crews have turned down a more-thangenerous offer of £35 for having a meal break interrupted. Quite frankly, if the people involved were "worth their salt" they should be prepared to
I WAS sorry to hear of the fatal accident involving a cyclist who fell from his bicycle on the A684 between Leeming Bar and Bedale, North Yorkshire (Echo, Feb 22), but not surprised as I personally nearly came to grief on the same stretch of road
COLUMNIST Peter Mullen (Echo, Feb 20) and correspondent Eric Gendle (HAS, Feb 22) both make a number of interesting points, but the reality is that nuclear power only produces two things - electricity and waste. While its construction, running
SURELY Kev McStravick (HAS, Feb 20) doesn't really believe that anyone seriously suggested that short people should be referred to as "vertically challenged"? That was a joke, like calling bald people "follically challenged". Birmingham City Council
LEE Morris makes some good points about Tony Blair's legacy in government (HAS, Feb 24), but isn't it sad that free bus passes and TV licences for the elderly are the pinnacle of New Labour's achievements? These are no more than scraps of consolation
THE European Union's Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 have made it illegal for Commonwealth doctors to complete their post-graduate training in British hospitals, without a work permit, before returning to their own countries
NEVER was being handbagged a more enjoyable experience. The Iron Lady arrived, inside a giant handbag, of course, and proceeded to sing and prance her way through the incredible life story of Margaret Hilda Thatcher. Sarah Thom is a constant as an all
REBEL Labour MPs were powerless to stop Tony Blair handing over schools and parts of the NHS to private firms - and they failed again yesterday over the probation service. Proposals to allow private companies to take over the supervision of dangerous
WHETHER or not Alan Milburn has an ulterior motive for launching his 2020 Vision website, we don't know. The Darlington MP may be mischievously stirring up Gordon Brown; he may be seriously attempting to find an alternative candidate to stop the Chancellor
Ian Dickens Productions have an excellent reputation with Civic audiences, and this version of Daphne du Maurier's play is well up to their usual standard. Set in du Maurier's beloved Cornwall, the plot revolves around glamorous Stella Martyn, her daughter
He's already tried out the TV throne as King Danny in How To Start Your Own Country but now Danny Wallace attempts to bring BBC's Castaway back to our screens. Steve Pratt reports on yet another outing for reality TV hopefuls. SEVEN years ago writer
Steve Pratt talks to TV's Monarch Of The Glen star Martin Compston about taking his chance to star in a New York-set movie, which needed the help of Sting and wife Trudie Styler when the project ran out of cash. MARTIN Compston grew up going to see Celtic
UP to 4,000 young people are being invited to North Yorkshire's premier youth festival. Last year, 2,500 people joined the town centre parade and day of music and drama on Stone Cross Fields, Northallerton. This year's festival will take place at the
A WOMAN who played the organ in a village church for 50 years has died aged 96. Margaret Ellen Fowler, known to everyone as Nellie, played regularly at church services and funerals at St John's, in Leeming, near Northallerton, where her funeral will take
AN evening of English-themed entertainment is being held in Ripon to mark St George's Day. The evening is being hosted by the Ripon and District branch of the Royal Engineers Association. People must wear clothing with a St George's Day theme, with a
CAMP Sean Tully spends his working days with his hands in women's knickers as one of Underworld's hardest workers in Coronation Street (ITV1). Away from the underwear factory, he likes nothing better than rummaging about in a pair of boxers (and it doesn't
I VERY rarely swear. I detest it. When I hear people like Jade Goody and her Celebrity Big Brother friends f-ing and blinding their way through every sentence, it sets me on edge, like the sound of chalk scraping on a blackboard. But even the most well-intentioned
A REWARD for residents who recycle is being offered by a council and a supermarket chain. Harrogate residents who put their recycling boxes out for kerbside collections between March 5 to 16 will have them returned with a voucher for four free energy-saving
A POLICE authority says it has received a dozen applications of interest from officers keen to replace its controversial outgoing chief constable. Della Cannings, the North Yorkshire Police chief, revealed her intention to take early retirement and step
EVANGELICAL clown priest Roly Bain took his ministry of fun to school pupils during a rare visit to Yorkshire. Mr Bain, who was a priest before he became a clown, performed for students at Ashville College, in Harrogate. He has clowned all over the UK
A KALEIDOSCOPE of colour was created at a community art day in Middlesbrough yesterday. Families joined children at Bankfields Primary School, Eston, to pool their artistic talents for an exhibition. The community day aimed to create more than 50 canvases
HOUSING BALLOT CHESTER-LE-STREET District Council is obviously becoming more desperate in its attempts to persuade tenants to vote for privatisation of their homes. About 4,300 tenants have been bombarded with glossy brochures, telephone calls and home
STUDENTS from Hambleton spent part of their school holiday shooting hoops on a basketball coaching day. Ryan McQueen coached 16 youngsters aged eight to 16 at Hambleton Leisure Centre, with drills and practice techniques aimed at improving existing skills
A UNIVERSITY lost a substance which is more than one million times more radioactive than uranium for five days, it was revealed yesterday. The radium 226 went missing from York University after it was meant to have been transported to be disposed of.
CALLS have been made to make plans to lower the risk of further flooding in North Yorkshire a priority. The Environment Agency recently put a study into the flood defences around Thirsk on hold. The Government group blamed a lack of funding and increased
FEUDING families went to war over a £250 second-hand lap-top computer, a court heard yesterday. The bitter dispute came to a head when Paulene Walker confronted Lisa Morgan at her home at 3am. Walker, 49, armed herself with a kitchen knife and went with
AS if watching English fans being attacked by foreign police officers was not depressing enough, the disturbances that blighted Manchester United's recent Champions League match with Lille could also have negative consequences for the future of the game
A ROOKIE runner tackled a 13-mile run in memory of her godson's brave fight with cancer. Durham City Council worker Tanya Baillie ran the Cardiff half-marathon to raise money for the CLIC Sargent team who helped care for Tim Jones at Newcastle's Royal
BARRATT Developments yesterday said it was well positioned for future growth as it benefited from a strong landbank and record forward sales. The North-East housebuilder said forward sales had risen by 47 per cent, to £1.03bn, as demand continued to
DISCOUNT car retailer CarShock has gone into administration with the loss of about 70 jobs, The Northern Echo understands. The Gateshead-based business, which has six supermarkets in the North-East, is believed to have collapsed on Tuesday afternoon after
A RARE painting of Captain Cook's Second Voyage will go on show in the region today, with the backing of naturalist Sir David Attenborough. William Hodges' watercolour of the Resolution in a stream of pack-ice (1772-73) was bought at auction by the Captain
TIME is running out for people to have their say on a multi-million-pound investment in schools programme. The closing date for comments in Hartlepool is tomorrow, as part of the second stage of consultations with the public. Hartlepool Borough Council
HEALTH service bosses have come under fire over fears a £35m debt could lead to cutbacks in patient care. North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust (PCT) is expected to end this financial year £35m in the red. Although the figure is £5m better than
A DOMESTIC worker spent almost £10,000 using an elderly client's cheques, a court heard. Amanda Pallister, 37, was employed by an agency as a cleaner and to perform domestic duties. Among the premises where she worked was the home of an 87-year-old woman
AN independent bakery on Tyneside has seen sales increase by 20 per cent at some of its outlets, following its move to a new production facility. North East Bakery relocated to a multi-million pound factory in Newcastle, after purchasing part of high-street
A COUNCIL has thrown its weight behind a campaign aimed at promoting fair trading with farmers and workers in developing countries. Chester-le-Street District Council's Fairtrade steering group is backing the national campaign Change Today - Choose Fairtrade
TONY MCCOY'S presence aboard Parkinson (3.40) should ensure connections get a great run for their money in the race for Ludlow's Fobra Gold Challenge Cup. Parkinson got rid of his jockey, Dominic Elsworth, as early as the second fence on a wasted visit
YOUNG artists could make it a Mothering Sunday to remember for one lucky mother. Durham's Prince Bishops Shopping Centre is holding its annual Putting Mum in the Picture competition on Sunday, March 18 - Mother's Day. Children at 17 schools have been
A ROAD safety campaign that has helped reduce deaths on the county's roads has been held up as a beacon for other local authorities. The Audit Commission said the 95 Alive initiative was an example of effective road safety partnership united by a vision
ABOUT 100 workers at a garage door manufacturer are to hold a series of one-day strikes over pay. Members of the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU) at PC Henderson, in County Durham, are due to stage the first of four walk-outs, spread over four
A PAINTING competition for primary school children has been launched in Darlington. Sainsbury's, in Victoria Road, Darlington, has set up the competition as part of its Red Nose Day fundraising. Primary school pupils in Darlington and the surrounding
A HANDFUL of North-East schools have been hailed as the most improved in England. Greencroft School, in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, County Durham, is the second most improved school in the country in the Government's table. The school earned the plaudit
WARD closures, deficits, delayed operations and NHS job losses in the region are part of a national pattern, according to a survey of health chiefs. More than seven in ten (73 per cent) primary care trusts (PCTs) across England are restricting access
FORMER Sunderland footballer John Oster has reached a settlement with a team-mate whose career he ruined when he shot him in the eye in a freak accident. Black Cats reserve defender Mark Maley needed emergency treatment after being struck in the eye by
A WOMAN suffered minor injuries after a van driver hit her on a pedestrian crossing. The 21-year old was hit by a white transit-style van outside the Civic Theatre, in Parkgate, Darlington. Police have launched a witness appeal in an attempt to track
RESIDENTS have three weeks to object to Hurworth Parish Council's plan to lease public land to a resident. The parish council, as required by law, published its intention to lease the land to Gary Orpen on February 23. The notice, which will also be published
PRIMARY school pupils from Darlington helped bury a time capsule under the Pedestrian Heart works yesterday. The capsule will not be opened for at least 100 years. Letters and pictures will show the children of the 22nd Century what life was like in 2007
A ROYAL Navy officer proudly sailed into his home port last week aboard the frigate HMS Northumberland. Weapons Engineering Artificer Anthony Taylor sailed up the River Tyne on the 4,000-tonne ship, which docked at Spiller's Wharf, where it remained for
PUPILS in Darlington have gone a long way for help with their maths homework - Eastern Europe. A group of year nine students at Eastbourne School - known as the Eastbourne Eight - have been sharing maths problems with their peers in Poland and the Czech
COUNCILLORS have applauded the decision to install CCTV cameras in an area of Darlington plagued by anti-social behaviour. The move comes after a three-year struggle against anti-social behaviour and criminal damage to cars and property in the area. Darlington
RESIDENTS fighting against plans for a Tesco supermarket in their neighbourhood are taking advice from a national pressure group. The Tescopoly alliance advises communities across the country on how to stop the company's expansion, and now people living
The WRVS in Darlington is looking for volunteers for its Good Neighbour project to provide practical support such as shopping, lifts to doctors, and walking the dog for older and housebound people. Training and travel expenses are provided. For more information
A youth club was launched in Darlington yesterday. The club, at Northlands Methodist Church, in the town's North Road area, opens on Monday and will run every Monday evening from 6.30pm. Yesterday, members of the council's youth service handed out leaflets
A CAR salesman was lured to his death during a bogus meeting at a popular beauty spot. David Rice, known as Noddy, was waiting for associate Steven Bevens when a gunman shot him up to nine times with a semi-automatic handgun. Newcastle Crown Court was
HARTLEPOOL United's Gary Liddle has called upon Premier League fringe players to join him in the English football league's basement division. The 20-year-old has relished life in League Two since he made the switch from Middlesbrough last August. He
PRISONERS helping improve a town Scout hut were forced to abandon their work early by local yobs hurling abuse and throwing missiles. Young offenders from Kirklevington Grange Young Offenders' Institution, Yarm, near Stockton, were trying to lay a path
POLICE in Darlington are trying to identify a youth who stole beer from an off-licence. The man, believed to be about 19, entered Bells Stores in White Hart Lane, Darlington, with another man, at 3.10pm, on Sunday, January 14. They removed a number of
COMMUNITY groups have added their artistic touch to a new health village in the heart of North Ormesby. Middlesbrough Primary Care Trust (PCT) has been working with local people to ensure their health complex retains its strong links with the area. The
ELECTED MAYOR I DELIVERED 722 petition sheets in favour of an elected mayor to Darlington Town Hall on Monday as many people already know. Gathering signatures has been a hard slog by a small band of ordinary townspeople, never numbering any more than
A MAN with a history of domestic abuse found himself in court after damaging the family home. Alexander Burton Bolton, 23, appeared before Hartlepool Magistrates' Court yesterday, charged with two counts of criminal damage. The court heard that on Saturday
FASHION retailer New Look is the latest big name to sign up to Thornaby town centre as it undergoes a multi-million pound redevelopment. It joins Peacocks, Lidl, Wilkinsons, Home Bargains and Barclays that have committed to opening premises in the town
A ROCKET that turns garden waste and food scraps into compost in 14 days has been launched. The machine belongs to Just The Job, a social enterprise company that employs people with special needs in the Richmond area, and will recycle grass clippings,
STEVE Harmison will join Durham on a pre-season trip to South Africa as he prepares to prove he remains worthy of an England Test place. After the disappointment of the Ashes series, Harmison ruled himself out of the World Cup by retiring from one-day
TRIBUTES have been paid to a long-serving Darlington policeman who died. Stuart Oakley served with Durham Constabulary for nearly 25 years and spent much of that time as a sergeant in Darlington. Mr Oakley died, aged 63, of a brain haemorrhage last Friday
A LENT lunch will be held at the home of Jane Thornhill -St Giles Farm, Brough, near Richmond, on Wednesday. Soup is available from noon to 2pm, and there will be a raffle and home-made cakes for sale. The event has been organised by the Parish of Easby
NYRON Nosworthy last night revealed that Arsenal defender Kolo Toure had been the inspiration behind his seamless switch to centre-half. Brixton-born Nosworthy was a childhood fan of the Gunners and despite spending the last two seasons in the North-East
A MAJOR employer in a North-East town is creating 50 jobs after a record year of production. Cummins Engines factory, in Darlington, yesterday said it was boosting its workforce to 930 on the back of a 50 per cent increase in production in the past year
PLANS for new homes and a business centre in an environmentally-friendly setting form the heart of a proposed key development in Middlesbrough. The initial plan for the 46-hectare Hemlington Grange site will now be developed in more detail, including
SHOPPERS and traders are being offered a say in shaping the development of a small dales town later. A seven-hour event in Stanhope Town Hall on Wednesday, March 14, will offer ideas on how shops and services can be improved. County Durham Economic Partnership
A MEETING to talk about anti-social behaviour in Tow Law will take place tomorrow. North-West Durham MP Hilary Armstrong, the Government's Social Exclusion Minister, and Inspector George Ledger, of Crook police, will be at the Tow Law Town Council meeting
LEISURE centre bosses hope to turn a popular half-term activity into a regular event. Ferryhill Leisure Centre hosted "urban mish mash" sessions combining the use of an indoor skate park with hip-hop dance workshops. The sessions were well attended by
A WOMAN tackled a 13-mile run in memory of her godson's fight with cancer. Durham City Council worker Tanya Baillie ran the Cardiff half marathon to raise money for the CLIC Sargent team, which helped care for her godson, Tim Jones, at Newcastle's Royal
A £6.3m school will be officially opened tomorrow to complete the final phase of special school re-organisation in the county. Councillor Ernie Foster, chairman of Durham County Council, will open The Oaks School, in Rock Road, Spennymoor, at 1.45pm
A GROUP of hoteliers turned tourists as they were shown a dale's best attractions. Thirty hotel managers and bed and breakfast owners from Wear Valley were guided round eight of the rural district's leading destinations. Wear Valley District Council
A QUESTIONNAIRE has found that four out of five young people are dissatisfied with the activities and facilities in their town. The Shildon Children and Young Peoples' Action Network (SCYPAN) questionnaire was distributed to the town's primary and secondary
THE site of a proposed football pitch has become a haunt for youths on motorbikes as the saga over its future drags on. The land at Tindale Crescent, near Bishop Auckland, had been earmarked as the new home of Bishop Auckland FC, until the purchase fell
THOUSANDS of pupils across the North-East and North Yorkshire are crossing county boundaries for their schooling, figures reveal. The most popular local authority in the region is North Yorkshire, where almost 5,000 pupils from neighbouring local authorities
A SENIOR representative from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) visited a York chemicals company yesterday. Richard Carter, the head of the DTI Chemical Unit, toured the laboratories of Bioniqs - a university offshoot based at York Science Park
SHAREHOLDERS yesterday gave their backing to Ultimate Leisure's plans to raise £25m in a share issue to fund expansion. The bar and club operator called a meeting in the morning, during which an application for 14,792,900 new shares to be admitted to
Robbie Fowler's agent has dismissed suggestions the Liverpool striker could be moving to the USA at the end of the season. New England Revolution coach Steve Nicol claimed he had held talks with his former Liverpool team-mate about a move to Major League
POLICE are concerned for the safety of a man who went missing from a hospital yesterday morning. Tony William Hendley, 42, is a patient in secure accommodation, but had been taken to York District Hospital for treatment. He ran away at about 3am and police
A YEAR after winning promotion from League Two with Northampton, Martin Smith is aiming to repeat that success with Darlington. The 32-year-old turned down the chance of League One football when he returned to the North-East during the summer. And,
THE Labour party has lifted the five-month suspension of an entire team of councillors accused of breaching party rules. The National Executive Committee has allowed the 16-strong opposition group on the Liberal Democrat-controlled Durham City Council
MARTYN Moxon has resigned after six years as Durham coach. He was unable to comment last night, but his reasons are expected to become clear when the club release a statement this afternoon. Like his latest successor as Yorkshire captain, Darren Gough
Darren Gough was officially unveiled as Yorkshire's new captain at Headingley Carnegie yesterday - and it appears certain that he will be joined by Martyn Moxon as the club's high-profile director of professional cricket. The Barnsley-born pair will be
A SCHEME to ensure that people with disabilities are not discriminated against has been launched by Hartlepool Borough Council. A council statement says: "The council aims to tackle disability discrimination in a practical way. It is committed to developing
A 21-year-old Rifleman who died after being injured in a patrol in Iraq was protecting fellow soldiers from an ambush when he was killed, the Ministry of Defence said last night Daniel Lee Coffey, of 10 Platoon, C Company, Second Battalion The Rifles,
VANDALS have again attacked a primary school, smashing 21 windows. It is the fourth time in three months that yobs have targeted Burnopfield Primary School, near Stanley. Children and teachers arrived to find glass all over the playground and in classrooms
Three more Barclays Premiership clubs yesterday announced they would be reducing or freezing ticket prices next season. Everton, Blackburn and Sheffield United joined Chelsea and Bolton in making such a move amid fans' concerns over the current cost of
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has warned that England face serious competition to host the 2018 World Cup. Blatter met Chancellor Gordon Brown, sports minister Richard Caborn and Football Association chairman Geoff Thompson yesterday for talks on a World
DURHAM Citizens Advice Bureau will hold an outreach session in the New Brancepeth Village Hall, from 10am to 11am, on Wednesday. A further session will be held at the Brandon Community Hall from 11am to noon next Thursday.
HOPES of achieving justice for the region's only victim of the killing fields of Cambodia appeared to be fading last night after the investigating judge admitted his inquiry was on the verge of collapse. The family of 26-year-old John Dewhirst had hoped
AN 11-mile walk is taking place around Causey Arch and Beamish, near Stanley, on Saturday, March 17, at 10am. It is expected to take six-and-a-half hours, and starts at Causey Arch picnic area on the west side of the A6076. MUSIC NIGHT: Vocalist Dave-Lee
Blackburn Rovers 1, Arsenal 0. Blackburn hero Benni McCarthy claimed Rovers had knocked out arguably the best side in England after beating Arsenal 1-0 in their FA Cup fifth round replay. McCarthy clambered off the substitutes' bench to fire an 87th minute
THE governor of a North-East prison insisted that the situation was under control yesterday despite a vote of no confidence, a £1m riots repair bill and more trouble last night. Debra Baldwin, the governor of Deerbolt Young Offenders Institution, in
Lenny Henry owns up to loving every minute of being on tour as he returns to Newcastle. Viv Hardwick reports. "NOTHING beats the buzz of live comedy. It gives you the instant feedback of approval. Comedians crave that - it's the 'mummy, look at me' syndrome
NORTH-EAST householders can expect average rises of three to 3.8 per cent in their Council Tax bills. In a survey, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) said taxpayers would face a 3.8 per cent rise, based on a 61 per cent
David Essex talks to Viv Hardwick about playing a starring role in the summer tour of Aspects Of Love to Newcastle's Theatre Royal and why he doesn't want to headline the next tour of Once In A Lifetime to Newcastle's MetroRadio Arena in April. SO if
He's glad that the comic book character he's ended up playing in a movie is a favourite from childhood, Nicolas Cage tells Steve Pratt. But the actor reveals he wouldn't consider doing another superhero... unless Ghost Rider rides again in a sequel. NICOLAS
Solving the mystery that is Reichenbach Falls might take all the ingenuity of Sherlock Holmes - which is just as well as his creator features in the story.Everything about Reichenbach Falls, including the title, is part of a game where nothing is quite
The Queens's Royal Lancers are halfway through a six-month tour of Iraq. Reporter Joe Willis finds out how the Catterick Garrison-based regiment is coping with life in the desert.IT is three months since The Queen's Royal Lancers swapped their base on
THE parents of a girl who died after a freak reaction to drugs used during a routine operation have paid tribute to their "lovely, lively little girl".Sarah Peacock died hours after a routine endoscopy at Bishop Auckland General Hospital on September
A drug addict was jailed yesterday after he spent his £170 dole money on heroin and crack cocaine.Neil John Pallister, 37, who has been an addict for 20 years, was arrested in a police swoop on a probation hostel in South Bank, Middlesbrough. He emptied
YOUNG swimmers went to great lengths to raise money for a hospital ward by taking part in a sponsored swimming gala yesterday.Wear Valley Amateur Swimming Club, which has members ranging from seven to 16, arranged the event to raise money for Bishop Auckland
YOUNG singers and musicians hope to hit the high note when they perform in front of a sell-out audience.Students from each of Durham School's five houses warmed up for their annual musical showdown with a dress rehearsal in front of an invited panel of
Conditions ar Deerbolt were tough for the first inmates, who had to build their own accommodation. Nigel Burton reports.DEERBOLT borstal opened on a sunny day in July 1973, with the official ceremony performed by Home Office minister Lord Colville.The
CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a multi-million pound superstore in a town have been withdrawn.Campaigners battling the proposals were celebrating as Tesco announced it had withdrawn a scheme to build a retail store at Spring Wood Road, in Guisborough, east
A COUNCIL has decided to tread a more cautious path in a row over the upgrading of a muddy track.Seaham Town Council had applied for planning approval to tidy up derelict allotments, and for the installation of a surfaced walkway in the Dalton Grange
"EXAMS aren't what they were in my day" is an old adage rolled out once or twice a year by grouches trying to deflate the annual announcements of record exam results.Well now, thanks to a pair of sixth-form pupils in the North-East, these grumpy types
ALAN MILBURN was urged to "put up or shut up" last night after launching what was immediately dubbed a Stop Gordon Brown campaign at Westminster.A senior Labour backbencher urged the Darlington MP to "put his hat in the ring" if he believed there should
FIFA last night confirmed they had made Newcastle a "final offer" of £1m in compensation for Michael Owen's knee injury at the World Cup - six times less than the club have demanded from the game's world governing body. And, in a further blow to the
HAVING scored the decisive penalty at The Hawthorns on Tuesday night, George Boateng has predicted the winner of Middlesbrough's quarter-final tie with Manchester United will go all the way to the FA Cup final. Such is the confidence inside the Boro dressing
MENTION league tables to teachers and you won't see them jumping up and down with enthusiasm. The most you can hope for is a qualified agreement that we need some way of measuring a school's success. Many teachers complain bitterly that their performance
A REPORT that found councillors guilty of bullying one of their own officers has been declared null and void despite warnings that the move leaves the authority open to legal action.The Penn Report, commissioned by Richmondshire District Council, ruled
TRIBUTES poured in last night for Paralympian Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson after she announced her retirement from athletics.Sportsmen and women across the country described the North-East 37-year-old as irreplaceable and an inspiration to all after years
The Labour Party may have changed, but outspoken former branch secretary Walter Nunn certainly hasn't. And the 87-year-old has a few choice words to say about Tony Blair. AS improbable as it was welcome, the column found itself invited last Friday night
