After last weeks win at rivals Spraire lads the RA juniors faced the same opposition at Brinkburn road. Conditions were much better than last week which allowed both teams to play some good football. RA's first real chance of the match came after 8 minutes
SOAPLAND'S pubs are, as we all know by now, licensed not only to sell alcohol and pork scratchings but to stage big fights. Hardly a week goes by without a punch-up in the public bar, followed by a rumpus in the private area. For fighting goes hand-in-hand
Big is beautiful, according to the cast and organisers of The Big Ballet from Russia which reaches Scarborough this weekend. Viv Hardwick looks at the reasons why 15st women decided to take on the ultra-thin image of dance LET'S face it, if you were told
Viv Hardwick talks to Liz McClarnon about entering a song for Eurovision. DESPITE having sold 8m records with Atomic Kitten, original member Liz McClarnon admits she fears BBC1's Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up phone vote on Saturday. "I hate that bit
WHAT'S ON: Tonight the Graham Fitkin-Tim Garland Ensemble is at the Gala, Durham 0191-332-4041, and the 3rd Gateshead Jazz Festival takes place at the Sage from Friday through Sunday featuring Phil Woods, EST, Branford Marsalis, an Ian Carr tribute, Jack
REVIEWS: Haydn Piano Sonatas Marc-Andre Hamelin (Hyperion CDA67554) - This sterling recording sees the enthusiastic composer and master pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin taking on the work of enthusiastic pianist and master composer Haydn. The recordings take
I was in Scotland last week, a country which has always treated its folk music with a healthy mixture of respect and whisky-flavoured bonhomie. Sure enough, last weekend's Sunday Herald colour supplement had a six-page cover feature on the current bunch
Viv Hardwick talks to playwright/director Conor McPherson about The Seafarer, which is playing Newcastle's Theatre Royal and to actor Bob Kingdom, who is touring the region with tributes to Dylan Thomas and Truman Capote. AWARD-winning playwright and
Filmed entirely in North Yorkshire, Manfield Park arrives on ITV1 screens with a well-known cast led by Doctor Who favourite Billie Piper. She reveals to Steve Pratt that corsets aren't all they're cracked up to be. FORMER Doctor Who assistant Billie
SPOOKS star Rupert Penry-Jones was reminded how exciting filming can be while on location for Persuasion for ITV's Jane Austen season. He was shooting scenes as romantic Captain Frederick Wentworth on The Cobb at Lyme Regis, a harbour seen in films like
Eloise Parker chats to Sienna Miller about playing Edie Sedgwick, and those big knickers which caused a stir. YOU'D be forgiven for recognising Sienna Miller more for her red carpet appearances and much-publicised dalliance with one Jude Law than for
WHAT'S in a name? Slim Whitman was originally Otis Dewey Whitman Jnr, Conway Twitty was Harold Jenkins and Baldemar Huerta became Freddy Fender. Sisters Loretta and Brenda Gail Webb became Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gale, the Crystal part of the name change
Solutions ACROSS 8 Polo. (two meanings) 9 Exact. (two meanings) 10 Stay. (two meanings) 11 Settee. SET+TEE 12 Traverse. TRAVERS+E 13 Commence. CO+M+MEN+CE 15 Gander. (anag.) 17 Gentile. GENT+ILE (lie anag.) 19 Prophet. PROP
Cryptic Clues ACROSS 8 Game explorer (4) 9 Absolutely correct to demand and enforce payment (5) 10 Wait for support (4) 11 Assign supporter a seat (6) 12 Playwright on Ecstacy gets cross (8) 13 Start company with many workers on the outskirts
A pinot noir this week, which is not really typical, certainly you wouldn't mistake it for Burgundy. It has a dark red plum colour with a bouquet, although not very pronounced, of squashed raspberries with a whiff of violets. The taste is cherries and
YOUNG North-East film makers beat an international field to take the top prize in a festival held in Finland. The eleven children who made the winning film were all under seven and one of the youngest groups in the competition at the Videotivoli Festival
A FATHER collapsed and died after working out at a North-East gym. Paramedics tried in vain to revive the 48-year-old at Bannatyne's Health and Squash Club, in Durham. It is believed his six-year-old daughter was at a children's play area at the gym
A GIANT of a man who stabbed to death and then tried to burn the body of his best friend's mother is to be sentenced this afternoon. Towering Lee Christopher Robson, 20, who is 6ft 5ins tall and weighs over 20 stones, pleaded guilty at Newcastle Crown
NORTH-EAST horse Inglis Drever, trained by Howard Johnson and ridden by Paddy Brennan, won the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, the feature race on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival. Full story in tomorrow's Northern Echo.
THE prestigious pomp of the Proms in the Park is coming to the North-East later this year. Middlesbrough's newly revamped Centre Square will host 7,000 music lovers - and a television audience running into millions - in September. The event, with the
WITH the news of Bob Paisley being properly recognised, I would like to interest people in where he is buried. He is in St Peter's Churchyard in Woolton, Liverpool 25, not far from Eleanor Rigby, made famous by the Beatles. It is a few hundred yards
AFTER reading the letters in Hear All Sides about the Bevin Boys getting a medal from the Government for Wartime Service after years of waiting for recognition, I have just received my Bevin Boys Newsletter. It tells me we are not getting a medal
I WAS very interested to read the obituary of Professor Robert Milburn of Weardale (Echo, Mar 3), a really remarkable, uplifting story. My husband, Thomas William Clarkson, has a similar tale. He was born in Auckland Park in 1916, into a poor mining
PETE Winstanley (HAS, Mar 10) calls BNP members "riff-raff". Why is this when they only want a country their children can call their own? Mr Winstanley's version of a country divided by religion, race and culture, with English people browbeaten
AFTER a detailed review of British History, including everything from the Romans to Mrs Thatcher, CT Riley (HAS, Mar 10) asserts the Christian Church is unable "to defend itself against history, science and mythology". Come again? Have I missed
OIL is finite and within one or two generations will be exhausted. This could be disastrous for us in the West as we have allowed ourselves to be completely dependent upon it. From the work we do to the food we eat, even in our leisure time, we
AS a gas consumer resident in Crook, I feel that the gas company is trying to shortchange the people affected by the recent gas supply interruption (Echo, Mar 14). I was offered compensation for three days loss of supply when in fact it was off
PETER Mullen (Echo, Mar 14) outlines some of the reasons why he feels it so necessary to renew Trident. He misses out, though, the most important reason not to renew Trident: the probable effect this decision will have on the future proliferation
LOTTERY funding may be sought to help pay for the redevelopment of a public library. A feasibility report for North Yorkshire County Council has identified the costs involved in two options for revamping Harrogate library, which operates from a grade
A MUSICAL event with a country and western theme is coming to Northallerton. The town's silver band is presenting Paul Wheater in concert, at Hambleton Forum on Friday, March 23, and is hoping audience members wear fancy dress. Band chairman David Prest
TAXI drivers dropping off passengers at a hotel will receive as warm a welcome as the guests. Each will be offered a free breakfast and a numbered toothbrush that will be entered into a draw for a break at the hotel. To qualify, they will have to agree
A STUDENT from North Yorkshire is the first to be selected to be part of an international team playing a sport invented in the county. Easingwold School pupil Tom Hildreth, 16, is the first person chosen to be an international Rock-It-Ball player. Following
A MEETING is being organised to discuss village issues. The redevelopment of the Shotley Bridge Hospital site is on the agenda of the Shotley Bridge Village Trust. Last month, consultants working for Derwentside District Council and English Partnerships
DEFENCE Minister Des Browne met peace campaigners and debated the issue of replacing the Trident nuclear weapons system during a visit to the North-East. The Secretary of State for Defence met members of Peace Action Durham, during a visit to the city
A PROPOSED complex to replace a split-site primary school and remove surplus places is expected to be approved next week. The plan includes primary, nursery and Sure Start provision to serve the north-east area of Peterlee. A five-and-a-half acre site
A NEW school has been given a clean bill of health. Less than a year after it opened, The Oaks School, in Spennymoor, has been awarded National Healthy Schools Status. It is the first special school in County Durham to achieve the status. To gain the
A SCOUT group from Teesdale enjoyed a weekend event in Northumberland. Barnard Castle Scouts visited Powburn activities centre, near Alnwick, with the 25 Scouts and six leaders taking part in activities including hiking, cooking and campfire building.
PLANS to transform one of the gateways to Bedale town centre will be unveiled this month. The scheme proposes that one of the main routes through the market town, in the rundown area of Bridge Street, will be redeveloped with new homes, shops and businesses
PLANS for a refuge to help schoolchildren cross a busy road have won approval, despite a councillor's warning that it could be dangerous. Durham County Council will build the island in the middle of the A177 Durham to Bowburn road, outside the Seven Stars
A PENSIONER who picks up rubbish every day in a popular park was among a host of community stalwarts praised for their efforts last night. The unsung volunteers across Redcar and Cleveland were honoured at the annual Mayor's Community Achievement Awards
RESIDENTS of a Teesdale village who want a speed limit on the road that runs past their homes are celebrating after 20 years of campaigning. A 30mph limit will be imposed in Lartington, near Barnard Castle, after Durham County Council approved the move
THE man behind plans to build a training centre for disengaged youths has defended the scheme following a barrage of critisism from residents. John Littlefair's plan to build an educational farm on green belt land near Sadberge has been met with angry
COUNCILLORS have agreed to grant a licence to a Darlington taxi driver - even though his cab technically violates operating rules. John Stoddart thought he was in line for a £20,000 headache when he discovered his brand new Ford Galaxy was ineligible
A COUNTRY park is offering people a chance to learn the basics of map reading. Summerhill Country Park, in Hartlepool, is staging two training sessions for adults over the next fortnight. The first will take place on Sunday, from 10.30am to 12.30pm, with
DALES residents were given a chance to shape the future of a town yesterday. An exhibition in Stanhope town hall outlined proposals for boosting business in the town centre by improving shops and services to attract visitors and give residents more choice
A COUPLE are to face trial for alleged cruelty to seven dogs in their possession. Gavin Edward Armstrong and Joanne Crane are facing a single count of causing unnecessary suffering to the dogs by failing to provide them with an adequate, nutritious and
DARLINGTON Borough Council has spent at least £18,500 on 30 signs welcoming drivers to the borough -but the signs do not mention County Durham. The signs - costing £617 each - read "Welcome to the Borough of Darlington - the gateway to the Tees Valley
RESIDENTS were shocked when ten mature trees were chopped down and shredded on a building site. The trees were chopped down to make way for the new Cockerton Primary School building, next to the existing building. But one resident of nearby Eggleston
THERE are a lot of bald men in a Darlington supermarket this week. Managers at Sainsbury's, in Victoria Road, joined in a sponsored head shave and leg wax on Saturday, in aid of Comic Relief. Duty manager Harry Brown had his locks removed by checkout
A SCHOOL in Darlington has been rated as good after its first Ofsted inspection in its new building - with some features hailed as outstanding. Beaumont Hill Technology College - one of three schools in Darlington's £37m Education Village - was described
REPLACING stolen ornamental gates from a Middlesbrough cemetery proved to be a waste of time when they were found a couple of hours later. The original gates that the ornamental ones replaced were put back in place at Linthorpe Cemetery after thieves
ONE hundred residents have objected to plans for a block of four apartments on open land outside their homes. People living in the Lennox Crescent area of Billingham claimed they would lose privacy and light if the proposals for the two-storey building
IT is hoped a £750,000 footbridge will further boost a 90 per cent increase in rail passengers at a refurbished station. The structure will complete Thornaby's redevelopment by replacing the existing 125-year-old footbridge, which is in poor condition
SEVEN sailors had to be airlifted to hospital after a chemical alert caused by a toilet cleaner. The Royal Navy crew were left with eye and throat irritation after a gas was released when two cleaning agents were mixed together. The crew were on the
BEING the mother of teenage boys isn't easy. At my lowest points I have to remind myself there would be something drastically wrong with my parenting skills if they viewed me as a best mate. But there are times when it would be nice just to be treated
THE British sporting public loves an underdog, but as Kauto Star will prove if he wins tomorrow's Cheltenham Gold Cup, the nation's horse-racing fans also love a hero. So while the Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old will not make too many punters rich
HE won't admit it, but Glenn Roeder wasn't particularly happy when Louis van Gaal claimed Newcastle were serial under-achievers ahead of last week's first leg at St James' Park. Still, while van Gaal is widely revered for his European successes while
Anthony McGrath was yesterday appointed Yorkshire's vice-captain after being asked to take on the job by skipper Darren Gough and director of professional cricket Martyn Moxon. The Bradford-born batsman was captain in 2003 and his acceptance of the new
KING REVO (2.00) has been targeted at the Cheltenham Festival for the entire season and fingers crossed it's a master plan made in heaven. There are few finer trainers than Patrick Haslam when it comes to laying a horse out for a specific race, therefore
SMOKERS who visited their usual cafe for a coffee and a cigarette were disappointed yesterday. Alex Blackham, the owner of the Diner cafe in Darlington's indoor market, made his premises smoke-free for one day yesterday to coincide with No Smoking Day
POLICE are keeping an open mind after the death of a teenager who was found injured in a street. Wayne Mark Wright suffered a head injury during an incident on Saturday, in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. The 19-year-old, from the Stockwell Estate, in
MPs were transported back to March 18, 2003 last night when they voted - after a major Labour revolt - to spend £20bn on renewing our Trident nuclear weapons. On that dramatic night, Tony Blair only won approval to join the Iraq invasion with the help
Next time you're draining pasta, don't pick up the bits that fall in the sink and put them on your plate. As 50 Shocking Facts About Your Food reminds us - there are more bacteria in your sink that your toilet. Cue a shot of a toilet bowl garnished with
MORE than 100 businesses in Darlington have been awarded either a Silver or Gold National Clean Air award. One of them is the Odeon cinema in North Road. Its classic art deco silhouette has been a familiar feature of the town's landscape for many decades
WHEN the Fighting Cocks pub was refurbished last July, the licensees, Ian and Susan Kemble, thought it was time for change. "We had already stopped smoking at the bar but, when we finished the refurbishment in July, we decided to make the whole restaurant
A HEART patient has urged smokers to take a leaf out of his book and kick the habit. Jim Maclean, 54, delivered the anti-smoking message to staff, patients and the public during a drop-in session at Northallerton's Friarage Hospital yesterday to mark
WE do not pretend that we find it easy to wrestle with the momentous dilemma over Britain's future as a nuclear power. It is a huge issue, with impassioned views on both sides, and it is far from being black and white. It is an uncertain world and that
A TEENAGER reacted angrily to what he believed was mockery after his girlfriend collapsed outside a pub early on New Year's Day. Christopher Mark Peacock struggled to pick her up, dropping her several times on the pavement, to the amusement of some onlookers
DEFENCE Secretary Des Browne has pledged to resolve the fate of a former Navy minesweeper at the centre of a long-running environmental row. Frank Cook, MP for Stockton North, has been campaigning to have the TS Kellington, safely disposed of. The vessel
A MAN who carried out a terrifying campaign of harassment against his estranged wife has been jailed for two years. Teesside Crown Court heard that Peter Varey l Made threatening and abusive phone calls; l Told his wife she would be shot and that a relative
THE ballooning cost of five North-East road schemes was blamed yesterday on a lack of skilled managers at the Highways Agency. A report by the Government's spending watchdog condemned the agency's failure to get a grip on soaring bills - up 57 per cent
THE city centre location has been unveiled for a multi-million-pound International Marine Design Centre (MDC). The £2.3m project will be at Central Square South, overlooking the River Tyne and close to Newcastle railway station. Northern Defence Industries
OLYMPIC rower James Cracknell OBE was in the region yesterday to inspire business leaders. More than 300 delegates attended the Going for Gold event, where the Olympic gold medalist highlighted the comparisons between sport and business. "Teamwork, motivation
EMPLOYMENT levels in the region have soared to record highs, with the number of people in work at 1,180,000, according to the latest figures. A total of 72.1 per cent of people of working age are in employment, representing a rise of 2.3 per cent - or
GRAND Central Railway (GCR) was last night acquired by a private investment firm. The York company, which plans to operate three daily services between Sunderland and London King's Cross from May, said the move had secured its future and independence.
TWO retired doctors have failed to overturn a decision to pursue disciplinary action over their handling of an investigation into disgraced surgeon Richard Neale. Professor Robert Haward and Dr William Green will now have to face a Fitness to Practise
A young boy died after colliding with a car while racing his friend on his bike, an inquest heard yesterday. Jack Clare came off his bike as he played near his home in Acklam, Middlesbrough, last August. The eight-year-old, of Hatfield Avenue, died the
A POLISH man will be reunited with his family for the first time in 64 years. The last time Aleks Szustakiewicz saw his relatives, it was his 15th birthday and he was being dragged away by the Nazis and transported to Germany to work as a slave labourer
WILDLIFE native to the region is being driven out by unwanted pet fish dumped in the region's ponds and waterways. To tackle the problem, environment and conservation experts have, quite literally, adopted shock tactics. Using a method of capture known
A FEMALE firefighter described an attack by a drunken yob as one of the most disturbing incidents of her career. A court heard yesterday that Samantha Rye narrowly escaped injury when a thug hurled a block of charred wood within inches of her head as
Nearly £40bn was wiped off the value of the UK's blue-chip companies yesterday as fears about the US economy sparked a sell-off in world markets. The turmoil was triggered by concerns about the level of defaults faced by US sub-prime lenders, who provide
Kenya cruised to a comfortable seven-wicket win in their clash with fellow minnows Canada in St Lucia, sending a clear message to Group C rivals England and New Zealand that they will once again be no pushovers. Set a victory target of 200 after electing
Scotland captain Craig Wright reflected on a poor batting display after his team's thumping World Cup defeat by Australia yesterday. Ricky Ponting and Glenn McGrath shone as Australia won by 203 runs, the second-highest margin in finals history, in the
THOUSANDS of children buried in unmarked graves are to be finally remembered - many up to 100 years after being unceremoniously dumped in mass graves. Some would have been paupers from the old workhouse, others children whose parents could not afford
WHEN Alkmaar boss Louis van Gaal reeled off a list of Newcastle's principal attacking threats ahead of last week's UEFA Cup last-16 clash on Tyneside, it was telling that Damien Duff's name did not figure prominently among his thoughts.Feted as one of
COMMUNITY leaders in one North-East town publicly pledged to wage war on smoking yesterday.In a move timed to coincide with No Smoking Day, Darlington Borough Council leader John Williams, Darlington Partnership chairman Alasdair MacConachie and Darlington
A NORTH-EAST MP is refusing to apologise for an email sent by her staff which said there was "no rush" to respond to a "snotty" constituent who "hates the government". The email came to light when Matthew Storey, who is an assistant to Stockton MP Dari
BRITAIN'S biggest bioethanol plant has been given the go-ahead as part of a £250m plan to make the North-East the future fuels capital of the UK. The plant - which will create hundreds of jobs - will be the first of its kind in Britain and represents
POLICE investigating a crash in which four members of the same family died have used new technology to trace witnesses. North Yorkshire Police used Automatic Number Plate Reading (ANPR) equipment to identify 70 drivers on the A1 at the time of the accident
A BULLISH Glenn Roeder has ordered "more of the same" from his Newcastle players ahead of this evening's crucial UEFA Cup clash in Holland. And he has laughed off suggestions that his opposite number, Louis van Gaal, is winning a mental battle between
INDUSTRIAL services group Chieftain yesterday announced growth had exceeded its most optimistic expectations as it unveiled a strong set of full-year results. The Newcastle-based company, with operations in Teesside and Tyneside, posted a 120 per cent
GEORGE Boateng has issued a 'write us off at your peril' warning to anyone who believes Middlesbrough's FA Cup run will come to an end at Manchester United next week. Boro were denied a place in the semi-finals when Cristiano Ronaldo levelled the sixth-round
TOBIAS HYSEN was not willing to reveal the exact details of why he was late for Sunderland's team coach last Friday but admits lessons have been learnt. Hysen was recalled to the starting line-up against Stoke City on Tuesday night after being left out
THE plaque was solid bronze, but long abandoned and filthy - hacky black, as they say in Shildon, where it was discovered amid a pile of rubbish in an abandoned tea hut at the railway sports ground. We mentioned as much two weeks ago, restoration by
AWAY from home for a wildlife shoot, under the relentless glare of the Namibian sun, Benedetta Pinelli's patience was running out. Pinelli, editor of Lorraine Kelly's GMTV show, LK Today, was becoming increasingly angry at Ms Kelly's views over the camera
