CAMPAIGNERS battling against a multi-million pound seafront development have been blamed for costing council taxpayers around a quarter-of-a-million pounds in legal fees. But protestors fighting the £88m Coatham Links development in Redcar, east Cleveland
A DISABLED man was tortured by a teenage neighbour and a gang of his friends who broke into his home through a boarded-up window. The friends - branded "appalling" by a judge at Teesside Crown Court today - beat the wheelchair-bound cerebral palsy sufferer
I'm Rob Coles; I front a North East band called Freerunner - check us out at www.myspace.com/freerunnerband - with my brother Michael and Mark Harle on the Drums. We've just signed a worldwide publishing deal and we're going to keep a blog on this site
In a scrappy game, Norton Ladies deservedly took the lead in the first half after they were awarded a penalty for blatant hand ball, which Rachel Horsley converted. The second half saw Norton spurn several chances to increase their lead. Stockton did
David Duke today left Darlington by mutual consent, the seventh player to leave Quakers since David Penney became manager. The out-of-favour defender, who David Hodgson brought to the club in the summer of 2005, has been a peripheral figure since Penney
ONE country sport that doesn't enrage animal lovers is clay shooting for trap or skeet - it requires a keen, technical skill and patience but no kill. Rick Sapp is bang on target with this guide, which is ideal for both the beginner and the more
AND she certainly has been on a solo motorbike journey from the northernmost tips of Alaska to the very southern border of South America, taking in on the way an army of bears, serial bribery, a night in a Mexican brothel and a crash in Patagonia
LESLEY Bayley's guide to developing a deeper bond with your horse outlines a range of exercises and games, easy to follow and carry out, and designed to get horse and rider on the right wavelength and operating as a successful and happy unit. Beginning
Publisher: Microsoft Formats: XBox 360 Price: £45 Family friendly? 16+ IF you're a 14-year-old, you will love this game. What a shame then, that it happens to be for adults only because, by
Publisher: Nintendo Formats: Wii Price: £40 Family friendly? 3+ THE Excite games can trace their heritage right back to the very first Nintendo games console, the NES, but they all offer the
A YOUNG student has been plunged into an international spy scandal - after being told to take tests for Polonium 210 poisoning. During a trip to London to see a show, Dani Fallon, 20, stayed in a hotel room used by suspects in the bizarre murder of former
NINTENDO'S Wii has put one over on the Sony PS3 - again. The motion sensing games console has been voted Gadget of the Year in an on-line poll conducted across Europe. And while the PS3 is mired in yet another PR disaster, this time over Sony's
NY student of movies about troubled teenagers in high school will be ticking off the boxes as cliché after cliché is offered up by Stomp The Yard. The formula is simple: angry youth from the wrong side of the tracks moves to a more affluent area
My mum doesn't like pastels. Nor do I. In fact, I hate pastels. Wishy-washy. What a waste of time. So why, why, why are all the Mother's Day cards in the shops baby pink, pale blue, Easter chick yellow, sicky green and purple. I hate purple. So does Mum
Liz McClarnon, the original Atomic Kitten and budding solo singer, appears to have made a grave mistake in putting herself and a song forward as the UK's Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up entry on Saturday. Whatever can she be thinking? Anyone who watches
THE cheapest street in England and Wales has been identified as Tower Green in Middlesbrough, where houses sell for an average of just £21,290. Despite booming prices around the country, the cheapest properties, all in the North of England, have still
MASSIVE traffic tailbacks were caused today when an overhead sign on the A19 was dislodged and fell onto the roadway. Two vehicles were damaged by the falling debris near the A1027 Norton and Billingham turnoff on the northbound carriageway at about
DETECTIVES are hunting two men who brutally raped a gay man in Middlesbrough town centre. The attack took place in the early hours of Saturday, March 10, after the 24-year-old had been for a night out. The victim was dragged into a secluded area near
A RETIRED builders' merchant has been fined £2,000 for burying hundreds of greyhounds behind his home. David Smith appeared at Durham Crown Court today after pleading guilty last month to a single charge of disposing of dead dogs without a permit on
MORE than 4,000 council houses look set to be transferred to a housing association following a ballot of tenants, it was announced this morning. Just over 60 per cent of council tenants in Chester-le-Street voted for in favour of the transfer on a 75
INSTEAD of Cleveland Police continually targeting speeding motorists on Hartlepool's Easington Road (all for the sake of generating extra revenue and not for any true accident prevention), it would be nice to see them pay as much attention to enforcing
I HAVE recently paid my gas bill for the quarter ending February 8. It worked out at exactly £4 a day. For that I heated a three bedroom bungalow and a 20ftx9ft orchid house 24/7 and had hot water. I would welcome the gas board shutting off my
JIM Tague should know (HAS, Mar 13) that Weardale and the Wear Valley will never be included in the Tees Valley, as those boroughs lie on the banks of the River Wear in County Durham. We could argue and protest over the new English boroughs forever
THE case of Joy Bowman, who was to be deported to Jamaica (Echo, mar 13 and 14) is shocking, but unfortunately far from exceptional. What is exceptional about Joy is that, like many others on Tyneside, she is taking collective action. Joy is not
DO you really have to keep airing Peter Mullen's outrageous views (Echo, Mar 14) just for the sake of balance? Somebody might start believing him! Rose Reeve, Durham City. I WOULD like to register the strongest possible objection to Peter Mullen's
The most popular gift to give on Mother's Day, of course, is flowers. Bouquets of cut flowers are the number one present, but living ones are gaining popularity. The beauty of these is that you are giving a lasting legacy of your affection towards
TOP ranked players from far and wide in Britain, internationals from around the world, past and present football stars and Olympians, and music from four decades, all add up to an exciting extravaganza of on-court and off-court entertainment as the National
Darlington Spraire Lads: SPRAIRE Lads Under-6s were under pressure from the start against an older Falcons opposition and Spraire goalkeeper Will kept the team in the fight with some fantastic saves in goal. Spraire lads went in to the break one down
TSC Under-9s played host to Darlington All Stars in this weekend's derby league fixture. The visitors kept TSC at bay and took the lead when a well-placed cross was finished off well by the All Stars forward, leaving no chance for Sam Williams in the
Darlington Harriers: A DOZEN athletes took part in the biggest event of the winter calendar last weekend when the English National Cross-Country Championships was held at Herrington Country Park, Sunderland. Although many of the country's leading internationals
The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League, Division One Cup semi-final. SMITH and Allan will be the opponents for DSRM All Stars in the 2007 First Division Cup final as they edged a tight match at the RA ground against an in-form Spraire.
JESSICA Dickons has already realised one of her greatest sporting ambitions by winning a place in this month's World Championships in Melbourne - now the Stockton swimmer wants to fulfil another by establishing herself among the top 16 women in the
It was the last time we sent a united football team to the Olympics. Rome 1960. We mayn't have been great Britain any longer, but we were still pretty canny, for all that. Though it was long supposed that the only way for a North-East-based player to
SHILDON Fox and Hounds booked a crunch J&A Trophy semi-final clash with league leaders Masons Arms after they beat their Division Three rivals Aycliffe Village in this close quarter-final. Goals by Stephen Hall on either side of half-time made sure of
Hanuman Thai Boxing Club: STUDENTS at Hanuman Thai Boxing Club in Darlington were treated to an extra-ordinary Thai Boxing seminar by legendery boxer Rajasak Sor Vorapin at the weekend. Rajasak is as famous in kickboxing circles as Pele is to football
Guisborough Choral Society is inviting people to help celebrate it's 40th anniversary. A concert, called 40 Years On, will take place in the Methodist Church, Westgate, Guisborough, on Saturday, March 24, at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from Greensleaves
GLENN Roeder last night angrily denied Newcastle's season had amounted to yet another failure, despite his side crashing out of the UEFA Cup at the last-16 stage. A 2-0 defeat to Dutch side AZ Alkmaar saw the Magpies exit Europe on the away-goals rule
AZ Alkmar 2, Newcastle United 0. 4 - 4 on aggregate, Alkmaar win on away goals rule).ALKMAAR was the birthplace of Cornelius Drebbel, the inventor of the world's first navigable submarine, but after losing in the Dutch town last night, Newcastle's UEFA
Lauren Pyrah started smoling when she was just 14. Ten yeras on, she's kicked the habit. Here, she explains how she got throught the cravings and emerged smoke-free the othe side. FOR a smoker, stubbing out for the final time is daunting prospect. When
Q My husband is in his early fifties and just recently has been waking through the night to use the lavatory. He says he finds it hard to urinate and feels as though he's not emptying his bladder properly. Could he have a prostate disorder? A YES,
Eee! Worra laff me an' my mate Dave had th' utha day. Ah woz sirrin in me aamchair lukkin' doon th' path when ah seed 'im comin' in me gate. By th' time 'e got ti me door, ah was deein' worrad been deein' forra cuppla days. Scratchin' like a ba, ah mean
DARLINGTON Civic Theatre celebrates 100 years in showbusiness this year. The theatre opened on Monday, September 2, 1907, as the New Hippodrome and Palace of Varieties under the leadership of managing director Signor Rino Pepi. Among the first acts to
A LEGAL battle involving two key players behind a regeneration scheme has taken a fresh twist, The Northern Echo can reveal. English Partnerships (EP) and Tees Valley Regeneration (TVR) have filed court papers against Middlesbrough firm Chilli Developments
A FORMER North-East broadcasting landmark has been given a new lease of life as offices for start-up and growing businesses. Near the River Derwent, in Gateshead, the former home of Metro Radio, has been transformed into an area where businesses can
WITH weeks of programming devoted to marking the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the trans Atlantic slave trade, it was inevitable that somone would get around to questioning just how big a role William Wilberforce played in the campaign. Five
POLITICS is still a passionate business where principles count for something. Anyone who thinks otherwise clearly missed the debate inside and outside Parliament on the decision to renew Trident. I respect greatly the people who have argued this case
A DRAG comedian will help a rugby club raise money for Comic Relief this weekend. Ruby Diamond will provide the evening entertainment at Wensleydale RUFC's Big Red Nose Day, tomorrow. Family activities will take place throughout the day at the club's
THE rebirth of a troubled housing estate is becoming a reality after plans for its redevelopment were approved. The rundown Hardwick estate, in Stockton, is to be demolished and replaced with more than 600 private and housing association properties. On
REPAIRS are forcing the closure of a library in Billingham. Roseberry Library, in The Causeway, will be closed for two days. Repairs are being carried out to the main counter area of the building and lights are being replaced. The library will be closed
A CRIME-FIGHTING system of hand-held computers and satellite positioning technology has won a national award. Stockton Borough Council started using the devices last spring to help deal with incidents of anti-social behaviour and disorder. The team developing
DEVELOPERS have vowed to appeal after their controversial plans for a nursery and old people's care home were rejected. It is now more than three years since Ian Howlett and Paul Nelson began their quest to build on land in Ingleby Barwick, near Stockton
SHAREHOLDERS of a North Yorkshire auction mart have agreed measures to pay off debts of more than £300,000, which could help secure the long-term future of the business. A rights issue of shares scheme was overwhelmingly supported at the annual meeting
A NUMBER of roads have been resurfaced after demands by residents. Work has been carried out in the Owton Manor area of Hartlepool after residents expressed concerns about the roads at Hartlepool Borough Council's South Neighbourhood Forum. Kirremuir
AN angry resident has hit back at claims by police that speeding drivers are not putting lives at risk. Barry Ogleby, of Thirsk, has long called for police action to curb speeders in the town, especially in St James Green. Thirsk police has responded
A YOUNG music student entertained the audience at a recent concert in Stockton Parish Church. Sarah Gardner, 11, performed works by Bach, Chopin and Mozart after receiving an invitation from the church to perform a piano recital as part of its regular
SHOP theft in Hartlepool has fallen to an all-time low. Statistics show there were 52 recorded incidents of theft in January, the lowest since records began five years ago. The figure for January last year was 110. The drop in cases of theft is being
AN Olympic swimmer has taken time out from training to visit a local primary school. Joanne Jackson, from Richmond, visited Le Cateau Primary School, Catterick Garrison, to present a healthy school award. The school was awarded health school status
PUPILS got the chance to quiz police, prison and council officials about anti-social behaviour yesterday. Year eight students at St Francis Xavier School, in Richmond, invited guest speakers along for a question and answer session. The guests included
AN international car-theft ring that specialised in luxury vehicles has been smashed by police in the region. At least £400,000-worth of cars were taken in an operation that covered the length of England and stretched as far as the Baltic. Yesterday,
OVER-50s who want to do what they can for others in the same age group are being sought in North Yorkshire. The Hambleton Over-Fifties Forum and Richmondshire Senior Forum are looking for members who are interested in services provided for older people
A GARDEN bench custom-made for a large country house more than 80 years ago has been smashed by vandals. The wooden seat has been a feature of the main floral avenue at St Nicholas, on the outskirts of Richmond, since the early 1920s, when the then owner
GUIDANCE has been given to Hambleton's parish councils to help stop them falling foul of the law. Councillors have to follow a code of conduct created by the standards committee. Under the code, they have to declare any personal or prejudicial interests
AN award-winning fiddler and accordion player will perform in North Yorkshire tonight. Jenna Reid has played to audiences across Europe and the US and will be joined by her sister, Bethany, on keyboards for a concert at Reeth Memorial Hall. The pair
Conductor Daniel Gatti laid bare the essence of Mahler's music in an inspiring display with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Sage Gateshead. The programme opened with settings of the folk songs and poems Des Knaben Wunderhorn. Guest soloist Detlef
A REMEMBRANCE get together will be held on Mother's Day. The Family Support Team at Butterwick Hospice, in Stockton, is inviting people who have been supported by the hospice after losing their mother to come back on Sunday. Family members can take along
CARERS were honoured at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's tenth annual Adults' and Children's Social Care awards this week. The ceremony took place at Gisborough Hall, where 172 people received recognition for their achievements in the past year,
POLICE are appealing for a woman driver who complained about another motorist earlier this week to come forward. The incident happened shortly after 10.30am on Wednesday, outside the driving test centre in Hallgarth Street, Durham City. A police dog handler
YOUNGSTERS branched out yesterday to help transform their school. The pupils at Bankfields Primary School, in Eston, near Middlesbrough, took part in a tree-planting exercise as part of a Green Streets project. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is
STANLEY COUNCIL THE long-term impact that soon-to-be-created Stanley Town Council will have will be tremendous. You only have to look at the impact town and parish councils have had on places such as Seaham and Shildon. It will take time to get it established
MIDDLESBROUGH'S Roman Catholic community is being asked for its views on changes to secondary education. As part of the town's Building Schools for the Future programme, a leaflet detailing the options for Roman Catholic secondary school provision is
DESPITE a recent drop in credit and debit card fraud, an MP has told his constituents to be wary about giving out personal details. John Cummings, who represents the Easington constituency, said that in line with the rest of the UK, card fraud had dropped
WEIGHING almost 16 stone and suffering from arthritis, Jane Clayton feared she would never be able to hold her baby granddaughter. In 2004, her weight - 15st 8lbs - meant she could not have the hip operation she needed. She was also about to become a
A SCHEME that has steered hundreds of young people away from crime and into sport in Wear Valley and Teesdale is to be extended for another year. Positive Futures, a national programme, is aimed at youngsters aged between ten and 19 who have offended
A CHARGE of £5 for bulk waste collection from homes is to remain in place. Wear Valley District Council introduced the service last May, and items accepted for collection include furniture, carpets, broken toys and bicycles. On Wednesday, councillors
AN afternoon of tree-planting was helped along with donations from a superstore, a vicar and two parents. Hunwick Primary School is part of the Eco-Schools scheme, which encourages youngsters to become aware of environmental issues. Eco-Schools co-ordinator
A MAN accused of burglary was yesterday cleared of the charge. Darren Hogwood denied burglary of the detached property in Dalton Heights, Seaham, last August, despite being picked out at a video identity parade by the householder. Durham Crown Court heard
A PUBLIC meeting is to be held to discuss anti-social behaviour on the Woodhouse Close estate. People living on the Bishop Auckland estate are invited to attend the meeting, and help come up with solutions to the problem. Councillors, police officers
BOOKMAKERS up and down the land will be counting the cost of some colossal losses if, as expected, Kauto Star (3.15) clinically cuts his rivals down to size in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. All forms of sport rely to some extent on the giants of the game,
COUNCILLORS have given their approval for money to be spent on improving two areas of Wear Valley. Members of Wear Valley District Council's community services committee rubber-stamped £362,295 for Crook and £84,136 for Hunwick, on Wednesday. The money
A children's centre will be officially opened tomorrow. The Shildon Sure Start Children's Centre, in Byerley Road, will provide early years' education, childcare and support for parents. Parents and carers have helped design the services at the centre
A SPRING fair is to be held in the Lamplight Arts Centre, Stanley, on Saturday. Stalls will feature plants, jewellery, art, photography, homeware, textiles and handbags. The event will also include a free draw to win theatre vouchers for Aladdin, this
BUSINESS solutions specialist Vanguard remains on course to double its turnover by 2011 after winning a contract with a North-East workwear supplier. The Gateshead company has secured a deal - thought to be worth about £20,000 - with retailer and wholesaler
HEALTH Secretary Patricia Hewitt could be called in to secure the future of two maternity units in the region. Talks are being held over the possible closure of units at Malton and Whitby community hospitals. Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare
Pupils from seven Teesdale primary schools used odds and ends to create model farm scenes, including dry stone walls, in less than an hour. The youngsters took part in the Green Explorers challenge as part of National Science Week, at Barnard Castle.
GROUPS and individuals from across south Durham will today be raising cash for Comic Relief. Statues at The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, will wear Comic Relief red noses, Wear Valley District Council's Paul Woods will have his head and beard shaved
SOFTWARE and computer services group Access Intelligence yesterday posted a surge in profits and said it was optimistic about the year ahead. The York company revealed that pre-tax profit for the year to November 30 came in at £246,000, compared with
A SCHOOL has been working on a curriculum development project with education staff from across Europe. Wolsingham School and Community College welcomed visitors from Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, France, Lithuania and Poland, when it hosted the second meeting
A SCHOOL has introduced a computer system that it is hoped will revolutionise the way pupils learn. Students at Staindrop Comprehensive School are revising for their exams using iPods and can send in homework from home. Since September, the school has
The following applications have been submitted to Teesdale District Council: BIGGER HOMES: Approval is being sought for four house extensions at Mount Pleasant, in Cockfield; The Annums, Bowes; Balder Cottage, in Cotherstone, and The Oval, in Stainton
SUPERMARKET chain Morrisons dropped its advertising slogan of more than 30 years yesterday as it unveiled plans for a radical £450m makeover. As well as replacing the slogan "more reasons to shop at Morrisons...," the company, which employs about 12,000
A SCHOOLGIRL was delighted when her dog was chosen as one of the best in its breed at Crufts. Paige Harker's Staffordshire bull terrier, Tyler, was awarded fourth place in its class at the show. The 12-year-old pupil at Darlington's Longfield School and
A 20-STONE man who killed his best friend's mother by slitting her throat and trying to burn her body was sentenced to life last night. Lee Robson, 20, told police he had no idea why he had murdered mother-of-three Pamela Cole after a night out last year
A GROUP of youngsters who are planning to travel to southern Africa this summer have hit a milestone in their fundraising. The ten teenagers need to raise about £18,000 to fund the trip, where they will work with young people in Lesotho on an Aids project
NORTH Durham MP Kevan Jones has called a public meeting following an outcry from residents who say they are frustrated by poor rail services. Mr Jones said commuters had complained that services stopping at Chester-le-Street - the last service on the
A YOUNG soldier from Darlington is about to join his unit in Iraq after completing his military training. Rifleman John Robinson, 19, from Firth Moor, completed the combat infantryman's course at Catterick last week. After a short period of leave, and
POLICE, ambulances and fire crews were called to an emergency alert at Durham Tees Valley Airport yesterday. The call was sent out after an RAF Tornado was reported to be in trouble in midair at about noon. The RAF Leeming jet was caught in high winds
HURWORTH Community Association is almost certain to secure a longer lease on the Hurworth Grange Community Centre. The association has a one-year rolling lease from Hurworth Parish Council. But at a meeting earlier this week, councillors agreed to its
THREE schools and a sixth-form college have been awarded grants worth nearly £2,500 by a charity. Darlington Educational Charities is funded with bequests from town residents with the aim of helping students at secondary schools and colleges. The grants
A DISABLED woman haunted by memories of two children who died in a house fire 25 years ago has raised fears for her own safety. Eunice Pavey, from the Red Hall estate, in Darlington, says she would almost certainly die if a fire were to break out on the
A LANDLORD who rescued his daughter and grandchildren from a pub fire says it will reopen soon. Terry Budd, who owns the Red Lion, in Coxhoe, breathed a sigh of relief when his insurance company confirmed he was covered after his bar was destroyed by
A TEACHER died after being hit by a train on the Coast Line between Tyneside and Teesside in November, an inquest heard. Maria Johnson, 27, of Fifth Street, Horden, was hit by the Northern Rail service travelling from Newcastle to Nunthorpe, near the
FIVE chemical companies based on Teesside have formed an alliance with a training provider to tackle a growing skills shortage in the sector. The companies are supporting the region's first batch chemicals programme offered by the TTE Technical Training
A council worker who stole nearly £80,000 to fund her gambling addiction walked free from court. Judith Hawkins fiddled the books of Middlesbrough Council to hide her thieving and pay for her gaming machine obsession. Her dishonesty was discovered when
NEWCASTLE Falcons captain Matt Burke returns for tonight's Guinness Premiership trip to bottom club Worcester after turning down a chance to resume his international career. The full back has ended speculation about a possible return to Australia to be
A post-mortem examination following a fatal accident found a van driver involved had died from natural causes. Anthony Fower, 43, of Edmondsley, near Chester-le-Street, was driving a Mercedes Sprinter van which collided with a Mitsubishi Shogun at the
Andrew Flintoff is aiming to finally make his mark on World Cup history after admitting he is better equipped than ever before to become one of the stars of the tournament. The Lancashire all-rounder is the most experienced member of England's squad with
New Zealand will field at least one player with a broken finger as their World Cup campaign begins against England today at Beausejour. All-rounder Jacob Oram will take part with a micro-light splint on his hand, while Peter Fulton is also in the selection
RUGBY referee Chris White did England no favours when he made a pig's ear of the last few seconds of the Italy v Wales match. The Welsh were quite rightly incensed after he told them they had time for a line-out, then changed his mind after they kicked
BUDGET cuts by Durham County Council will see cleansing services go down the drain, a fellow authority warned yesterday. Responding to the county's decision to reduce the level of gully maintenance across the area, Easington District Council has cancelled
PLANS for traffic calming measures on a road in Seaham have been welcomed. Durham County Council's highways committee agreed to rip out two chicanes that failed to deal with the problems in Princess Road and five triple-speed cushions will be installed
MARK SCHWARZER has been a long-term friend of Gareth Southgate, and insists the Middlesbrough manager's work this season will not be measured over the next four days. After Manchester City visit the Riverside Stadium tomorrow for a match Boro need to
Bishop Auckland Football Club and the Durham Amateur Football Trust are holding a social and fundraising evening at Bishop Auckland Cricket Club tonight. There will be a quiz and an exhibition of Bishops items, plus footage of the club in FA Amateur
THERE are a number of things that you don't expect to see in a sleepy Dutch town, but a museum of Beatles memorabilia must be pretty high on the list. There are four officially recognised Beatles museums in the world and, as well as the ones in Liverpool
WE take a positive view of the influx into the North-East of workers from other European countries, including the estimated 50,000 people from Poland who have come to our region. They are doing useful jobs, filling gaps in the market, enriching the culture
A TEENAGER has gained a 100 per cent score in her GNVQ business studies exam. Fifteen-year-old Ashley Wood, a year 11 pupil at Staindrop Comprehensive School, also achieved 98 per cent in her finance exam last year, putting her in the top ten per cent
Staff from a Newton Aycliffe health centre have received an NHS award. Workers from the Pioneering Care Centre have earned the Bronze Working for Health award, from the County Durham Primary Care Trust. The centre offers services aimed at improving
Parents and pupils from Frosterley Community Primary School are to wash cars to raise money for an educational exchange. Drivers can have their cars washed in Stanhope Fire Station yard on Saturday, April 7, between 10am and 3pm. Proceeds will help
Maurice Bates, of Durham Wildlife Trust, will help people to make bird boxes and study local birds, in the grounds of Hylton Castle, Sunderland, on Sunday, from 11am. There will be a £2 charge per box. Call 0191-548-0152.
DAVE Penney is refusing to be downhearted by the loss of Micky Cummins with the Darlington manager insisting his squad have the strength in depth to cover for the injured midfielder. Cummins has played more games for the club than anyone else this season
TWO men who led five police cars and a helicopter on 13-mile low-speed chase in a stolen digger have admitted their parts in the incident. Steven William Fluen, 22, of Middleton Street, Darlington. appeared at Northallerton Magistrates' Court yesterday
AN artist who draws inspiration from the world around him is launching an exhibition of his work. John May's Dreams - An Exhibition of Energy is on show at The Art Shop, in Darlington, at the end of the month. The 67-year-old from Skelton, east Cleveland
FORMER Conservative leader William Hague admitted yesterday that there was no "magic bullet" to revive his party's fortunes in the North.The MP for Richmond has been appointed the first chairman of the party's Northern Board, which holds its inaugural
AN organic produce shop has had a stay of execution after customers at the neighbouring tattoo parlour raised a petition.Now the grocery business says people must vote with their wallets and save the store by shopping there.The Farmaround shop in Newbiggin
A SYSTEM of having only one police officer for all the villages surrounding Darlington is not working, residents and councillors claim.The villages in Darlington borough used to have two beat officers between them. But since last month, there has been
A TAXI driver left disfigured for life when a teenage thug launched a knife attack in his cab has hit out at his attacker's jail term.Elroy McArthur fled from the scene of the attack -driving with one hand and holding a huge flap of blood-soaked skin
SCHOOLS that squirrel away hundreds of thousands of pounds should have the cash confiscated and handed to other headteachers, the Government said yesterday.Local authorities were urged to get tough on schools which are hoarding money in bank accounts
YOUTHS armed with air rifles are being hunted after a swan was found shot dead at a remote nature reserve.The body of the male bird was discovered by a walker with gunshot wounds to the head.RSPCA officials and Cleveland Police officers have been left
Football League clubs have agreed to consider a revolutionary proposal for penalty shoot-outs to decide all drawn matches as part of a wider review aimed at making the game more entertaining. A meeting of the 72 league chairmen agreed to a working party
ONLY one clean sheet in five Championship matches has not dented Sunderland's promotion chances, but Carlos Edwards wants a return to miserly ways to ensure promotion is achieved during his absence. Edwards has been ruled out for at least six weeks with
A CABBIE was conned by a passenger who paid him with a £20 note from the "Bank of Doctor Who". The taxi driver, who does not want to be named, fell victim to the scam when he picked up a fare from Darlington Market Place to Newton Aycliffe, via Shildon
PLANS to build the UK's biggest bioethanol plant in the North-East were yesterday welcomed by the region's business and farming leaders. The £250m plant at Teesside's Wilton site, to be built by Ensus, which is based in Yarm, near Stockton, will mark
STRIKE action at a North-East rig-building plant was averted last night after settlement was reached between managers and unions over pay. About 130 workers at the Hereema site, in Hartlepool, were due to take part in the industrial action today after
GRASSROOTS sport in the North-East could lose up to £6m in National Lottery funding because of the soaring costs of the 2012 Olympics.The Government has been accused of raiding the lottery to pay for the Olympics after it announced the cost for the games
A traditional butcher's in a former pit village has just proved it's a cut above the rest. IT IS splendidly unexpected. In the Rural Retailer awards, organised by the Countryside Alliance, the regional winner of the Daily Telegraph Traditional Business
A COUNCIL has told cabbies to remove stickers from their vehicles which state they are being driven by "British drivers".The stickers have been displayed by some taxi drivers in Bishop Auckland, concerned about competition from foreign drivers.But they
Gary Bainbridge was consumed with boredom attending a day centre for people with learning difficulties - until he got a job with Durham County Council. He tells Lindsay Jennings how it has given him valuable independence. IN a side room at the drop-in
