THREE men were today charged in connection with an incident in which a teenager was badly beaten - even after he handed over his mobile phone. Sixteen-year-old Robert Chapman was walking home along the Trunk Road, near the Skippers Lane industrial estate
THERE was more evidence of a slowing housing market after a major survey revealed prices fell for the second month in a row. Building society Nationwide said UK house prices this month dropped 0.5 per cent compared to November. The three-month on three-month
A FAMILY-from-hell who kidnapped and held a man hostage are today behind bars. The brutal Callisons brought fear to the streets peddling heroin and terrorising neighbours with their anti-social behaviour. But now the grandmother, her daughter and two
AT 84, Richard Attenborough is still directing. Eight years after Grey Owl failed to find an audience, he tries again with a defiantly old-fashioned love story that jumps back and forth between time and place. But despite a stellar cast and having
MONSTER'S Ball and Finding Neverland director Marc Forster - the surprise choice to direct the next James Bond movie - tackles different themes and issues in the film of Khaled Hosseini's bestselling book. It's not an easy watch with childhood
THE third screen version of Richard Matheson's novella has an unusually-serious Will Smith as the last man on earth. Vincent Price and Charlton Heston took the role in previous films, and at one point Arnold Schwarzenegger was pencilled in to star
So did anyone have a more eventful pop year than Amy Winehouse? 7DAYS looks back at a few of the contenders THIS year has seen the domination of the charts by record companies well and truly challenged by stars created on the internet and music
This is the fifth album from the girls and, unfortunately, they do seem to have lost their way a little. Even the most cynical of music fans can find themselves tapping their feet to Girls Aloud tunes, but, with this release, their normally upbeat
For those who aren't fans of reality television, Lee Mead was the winner of the BBC's Any Dream Will Do series and went on to play the lead role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. It gets off to a bad start when Lee butchers the
This is described as something that every 70s teenage girl should have. The Jackie phenomenon was something I was not aware of - I was more of an Eagle magazine man myself. Nevertheless this does contain several classics, a number of which could
THAT strong link between the modern day festive celebrations and our more murky pagan past is plainly apparent in some of the popular folk songs being sung around the region this week. Songs like The Holly and The Ivy, Here We Come a-Wassailing
REVIEWS Alan Barnes-John Hallam/Sideways (Woodville WVCD119) A first recording for the two players who have often performed together on the festival circuit. Playing various saxophones and clarinet you get a varied mix of tunes like Topsy, Who and
REVIEWS Maria: Cecilia Bartoli (Decca 475 9077) In Cecilia Bartoli's latest project, she revisits the early Romantic era of Rossini, Bellini and their contemporaries, viewing the Bel canto glory days through the eyes of Maria Malibran; the first
AS we reflect on the year, I've come across a set of DVDs which allow you to reflect on country music from 50 years ago. Available on Bear Family Records, through mail order, they have surpassed themselves with songs from the late 50s and early
A MAN who plunged 120ft to his death in a stolen taxi was released from hospital after a suicide attempt only days earlier, it has been revealed. Stephen Heslop smashed through safety barriers at the top of cliffs in a Nissan Primera he had hijacked
Newcastle United star Joey Barton will spend New Year in jail after being refused bail on charges of common assault and affray, a court ruled today. The 25-year-old midfielder was arrested in Liverpool early yesterday following an incident in the city
The game bewteen F.C Evans Halshaw was postponed after The Local Heroes were unable to field a team. F.C Evans Halshaw were awarded the pionts and a 5-0 win.
The match between Firthmoor and DuPont was a pleasure to watch. It had passion, skill, drama, driving rain, every ingredient needed to create a fine footballing spectacle. If we lived in a fair world this game should have ended in a draw, but alas we
Eastbourne remain in the title race after a 10-5 win over a tenacious Red Hall in last night meeting. The Eastenders looked to be fielding a team of reserves after their star man Jonathan (Eddy) Edwards preferred a trip to the theatre to watch a panto
Wednesday, December 26, 2007 Elite League: Manchester Phoenix 3-2 Mobilx Newcastle Vipers VIPERS' poor festive streak continued with a Boxing Day defeat in Manchester, despite a brace from Shaun Johnson. The hard-working centreman's fourth and fifth
As Good As It Gets nearly pulled off the result of season last night after taking a shock 3-0 lead against league leaders Mortgage Sheilds Ltd. Mattey (The Enforcer Sewell) exposed Shields defensive vulnerabilities when he was allowed to hit a sizzling
A DARLINGTON man and a female companion drowned in a flooded underground cave system when an expedition went tragically wrong. The alarm was raised when the 33-year-old man's wife raised the alarm because he did not return. His body and that of his
Two bodies have been recovered from a North Yorkshire cave after a search for missing potholers. The bodies were recovered at 3.20am today from Yordas Cave near Ingleton. Emergency services searched the cave after a report from a woman whose husband
A SEARCH for students with the X Factor saw singers, dancers and musicians take to the stage at a performing arts festival. Sixteen acts took part in the annual house competition at The King's Academy, in Coulby Newham, with students from year
A FUNDRAISING concert is to be held in memory of a much-loved performer who sang as part of a church choir for 78 years. The event will be staged at St Peter's Church, in Stockton, on New Year's Day, as a tribute to long-serving member George
A PART-TIME health worker and university student has achieved a unique double at a British industry award ceremony. Lisa Kennedy was named student of the year, and won an award for outstanding practical performance, at the British Academy of
TWO brothers have proved it is never too late to further your education. As teenagers, Mike and David French could not have imagined studying together, but 20 years later, they have both graduated from the University of Teesside, Middlesbrough
A SPECIALIST police team has been ensuring that victims of domestic violence receive immediate help and advice throughout the festive season. Officers are regularly called to incidents where excess alcohol has turned a party atmosphere into one
FORMER airmen have bid a fond farewell to their veterans' club, as they closed its doors for the last time. Durham City's RAF Association (Rafa) club, a landmark of Crossgate since 1964, hosted its last function on Saturday night, and will be officially
A NATURE reserve has been opened after a landowner left the land to a wildlife trust in his will. The Ragpath Heath nature reserve has been created on a site left to Durham Wildlife Trust by the late John Gibson, of Cornsay. The reserve is
NEW Year revellers are being urged to stay safe when travelling home from a night on the town. Durham City Council's licensing team and Pubwatch are urging people not to take a risk on a lift home in an unlicensed taxi. They have produced a
A COUPLE who between them have helped generations of schoolchildren cross the road have retired. Ronnie and Joan Howard and their lollipop sticks have been a familiar site outside Copeland Road Primary School, in West Auckland, for many years
A LONG-AWAITED shopping centre redevelopment has moved a significant step closer, after a council agreed to open talks with the site's owners over buying extra land. Wear Valley District Council officers will meet representatives from Ravenhill
A SCHOOL celebrated a recordbreaking year when pupils, governors and staff attended its presentation evening. Spennymoor School hosted the event to acknowledge the academic and extra curricular achievements of pupils. Chairman of governors Fred
A COMMUNITY is being invited to join a year of celebrations to mark the centenary of its last remaining church. Ferryhill Baptist Church, in the town's Dean Bank area, will hold events next year commemorating its 100th anniversary. In the early
HARD-WORKING youngsters were rewarded at a ceremony designed to recognise their dedication to both their college and the community. Hundreds packed into Hambleton Forum, in Northallerton, as staff and students from Northallerton College joined
A SPECIALIST college is seeking help to make a final push in its fundraising bid to collect £1m for new accommodation. Henshaws College, Harrogate, is looking for help with its Buy a Brick campaign, which it launched in October. The college
REHEARSALS are well under way for a town's annual pantomime. Northallerton Amateur Variety Company is staging Cinderella at Hambleton Forum, Northallerton, from Sunday to Saturday, January 20 to 26. All proceeds from the show will go to local charities
A COUNCIL has defended its appointment of a shared chief executive amid claims that the chosen candidate does not represent value for money. Opposition leaders in Richmondshire District Council will report the authority's decision to share a
DESIGN students have produced festive designs with a modern twist in a project to test their new-found skills. First year National Diploma art and design students at Darlington College were asked to conjure up images that took a contemporary slant
THE councillor for the area surrounding Darlington Football Club's former Feethams stadium has warned that the site's redevelopment needs to be handled carefully to avoid creating traffic chaos. Last week, developers began public consultation
COLLEGE students raised funds for a children's charity by putting their new-found skills to use. Pathways and sign language students at Darlington College had been practising for weeks for their performance in Central Point reception. The festive
A FASHION event has been staged to help vulnerable children improve their fortunes. The evening, held at The Forum in Darlington, saw models strut their stuff in front of a packed audience of VIPs and was the culmination of months of hard work
TRAFFIC OFFENDERS HOW much longer do law-abiding motorists and pedestrians of Darlington have to put up with the illegal parking, obstructions and simple disrespect by that minority of motorists who don't give a damn? Disabled people can't park
Dance Britannia (BBC4, 9pm) THE popularity of TV's Strictly Come Dancing, so we keep being told, has sparked a nationwide revival in ballroom dancing. Everyone wants a bit of slow, slow, quick, quick, slow. Dance Britannia isn't a how to' series
Despite first putting pen to paper at the age of 52, Mary Larkin is frequently outselling her contemporaries, as she tells Marjorie McIntyre SITTING in her immaculately neat suburban home in Darlington, Mary Larkin is the personification of a genial
North-Easteners have a reputation for being some of the most helpful people around, as our Bouquets of the Week summary shows FORGET the cynics. There are still lots of kind and decent people out there and every week in Bouquet of the Week, you write
2007 has been a funny old year, with lots of excitement and success, but also failures AS I look back on the year, I wonder where it has gone, and how I managed to pack so much into it. It wasn't a year that I was particularly looking forward
There's no need to panic in the face of the food fascists. Just adopt a measured approach to diet and fitness and all will be well, says Peter Mullen WHEN governments are faced with difficult problems they don't want to tackle - education, the
Emily Shelley asks food guru Judith Wills all the questions you always wanted to know about dieting IF YOU'RE one of those people who starts a diet every January, you'll be alarmed to learn you could spend more than £150,000 in your lifetime trying
YOU can tell that Christmas is over when the television advertisements for bit-part model magazines start. There is one on at the moment for a build-it-yourself Flying Scotsman. Has anyone worked out how much this will cost to build? It comprises
IN my opinion the appointment of Fabio Capello as England manager by the FA was a wrong one. I just cannot see an Italian manager bringing the best out of our team, which to me were not good enough to qualify for Euro 2008, never mind winning the
I FIND it extraordinary that the Government is proposing to criminalise paying for sex. All the evidence we have from The Netherlands, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Nevada points to the fact that the decriminalisation of prostitution is for
THE letter from John Severs (HAS, Dec 19) applauding the decision of some schools not to put on a Nativity play condones the wish of some people, usually white, "politically correct" trendies, to obliterate all traces of Christianity from our country
SO, Tony Blair joined the Roman Catholic Church just before Christmas. Why did he not have the strength of his convictions to convert while Prime Minister? No, his faith was not strong enough to put his political position at risk. So he continued
PLEASE Lord, make me holy. But not just yet." St Augustine said that the best part of 2,000 years ago. I think he was talking about New Year resolutions. You'll be reading this column on the most dismal day of the year, smack in between the compulsory
Female, glamorous, liberal, and secular - many wanted Benazir Bhutto to be the leader of a new, democratic, Pakistan. Owen Amos asks why she was killed, who killed her - and what her death means for the future of Pakistan Who was Benazir Bhutto
THE very last thing the world needs right now is for Pakistan - a nuclear state with an itchy army and lawless lands occupied by al Qaida and the Taliban - to descend into civil war. The very last thing British soldiers in neighbouring Afghanistan
AN IT specialist has issued advice to people who have received wi-fi computer equipment at Christmas. Jonathan Wheatley is managing director of Stokesley-based MC Ware, which provides IT support to North-East businesses. He is also a forensic
THE number of jobs being created next year is forecast to be the lowest in a decade. The prediction comes because of public sector cuts, and amid speculation that private firms are to recruit fewer staff. The Chartered Institute of Personnel
AFTER seeing his Newcastle Falcons side slip to tenth place in the Guinness Premiership, Director of Rugby John Fletcher is expecting things to get harder before they become any easier. The Falcons visit third-placed Saracens on Sunday, and Fletcher
Calatagan ended a losing run stretching back exactly 12 months as he claimed Wetherby's £30,000 skybet.com Castleford Handicap Chase for a second successive year. Malcolm Jefferson's charge had not troubled the judge since his victory in the twomile
SOUND OF CHEERS (2.55) represents a topical tip at Catterick in view of the fast-approaching New Year's Eve celebrations. Fred Kirby's locally-trained gelding signalled his turn was near when nabbing third-place money on a recent visit to Sedgefield
Two bodies have been found in caves by rescuers combing the Yorkshire Dales. Police said the alarm was raised when a woman called to say her husband had not returned from a caving expedition. More later.
GOOD MEMORIES 1 JOE CALZAGHE The Welshman was crowned undisputed world supermiddleweight champion in Cardiff after a victory over Mikkel Kessler, who was previously unbeaten. 2 PREMIER LEAGUE FINALE Manchester United snatched the title from
EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD Rory McIlroy appears destined to be a Ryder Cup star. And even if he does not make it in 2008 it will be no great surprise if he goes close. Not since Justin Rose finished fourth in 1998 has an amateur made such an impact
ANYONE looking for a golf trip which has something of the magical mystery tour about it should head for magnificent Machrihanish, taking in the splendours of Shiskine on the way. It initially involves a three to four-hour hour drive from the
BEING full of the festive spirit, we always yearn to write headlines like "Feast of Steven" or "Plum Duff" on Boxing night. But Damien Duff's comeback merely inspired a headline about the Magpies plumbing new depths and Steven Taylor was reported
AS a Newcastle United supporter, it has always been a memorable experience to play at the Stadium of Light. But Michael Carrick has finally been able to reflect on the win he has been craving for. Since arriving on the scene as a teenager at
PORTSMOUTH goalkeeper David James is hoping his cleansheet defiance of Arsenal will catch the attention of new England manager Fabio Capello. At 37, the former Liverpool shot-stopper is the most elderly option available to Steve Mc- Claren's
JAMES Milner was at a loss to explain Newcastle's pitiful display at Wigan but at least he had the dignity not to offer any excuses for the Boxing Day shambles. United's abject performance at the JJB Stadium ranks alongside any of their most
DAVE Penney has defended Richie Foran after the combative Darlington forward was cautioned for a strong challenge in the Boxing Day draw with Rotherham United. The visitors felt the tackle was worthy of a more severe punishment and referee Jonathan
A RETIRED Darlington council director has launched a charity appeal to help rebuild communities devastated by the Tsunami in 2004. John Buxton, who stepped down as Darlington Borough Council's director of development and environment last month
TEENAGE moviemakers are bringing the sparkle of Hollywood to the region after their work attracted the interest of director Ken Russell. The renowned movie maker was so impressed after being told of the work of Timothy Reynard and Ben Derrick,
A FATHER-OF-THREE chased and captured a suspected burglar in his dressing gown and wife's shoes - only for the man to telephone the police and say he was being held against his will. Shaun Beaumont disturbed the man outside his house and immediately
A FAMOUS regiment is to take part in a spectacular parade through the streets of a North- East city early next year. About 400 soldiers from The Rifles are to take part in a Freedom Parade through the historic heart of Durham on Sunday, February
STORES across the region have reported record takings as shoppers turned out in droves for the post-Christmas sales. Susan Young, manager of the Cornmill Centre, in Darlington, said the mall had seen a 12.5 per cent increase in the number of
ONE of Britain's strongest women is to marry one of the world's strongest men in a clash of the titans. Gemma Taylor, 24, of Bagby, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, has scooped many weightlifting titles during her short career. Among her honours
A CHURCH that can trace its origins back to the 13th Century has been given a new lease of life.It had been feared that St Mary's Church, at Rievaulx, near Helmsley, North Yorkshire, would have to be abandoned after sandstone slabs began to slide off
A VISION to see every home in the North-East properly insulated by 2013 has been revealed.Experts say poor or non-existent roof and wall insulation in thousands of homes across the region is adding to the problem of global warming.The Energy Saving Trust
A FOOTBALL fan from the region who was jailed for fighting with rival supporters in Rome will spend at least three months in an Italian prison.Manchester United fan Richard Wimmer, 39, of North Yorkshire, was jailed for fighting with AS Roma supporters.The
A YOUNG man has died after hijacking a taxi at knifepoint, then driving the vehicle over a 120ft cliff.Taxi driver Brian Tate had a knife held to his throat and was forced from his cab by the man - who minutes later crashed the black Nissan Primera through
PAKISTAN was on a knife-edge last night after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.The country's former prime minister was shot by a suicide bomber who then blew himself up moments after she addressed thousands of supporters in the city of Rawalpindi.The
A MAN whose body was found on a North-East industrial estate on Christmas Day was last night named by police.The body of Kevin Oswald Smith was found on the Salters Lane Industrial Estate, Sedgefield, County Durham, on Tuesday afternoon.The 54-year-old
DANNY Wilson's decision to give Richard Barker his own mid-season break proved a useful one for Hartlepool United.After starting this season's first 24 games, Pools' top scorer was left out for the home win over Tranmere on December 4.He was on the bench
A SUPPORTERS' group hopes its efforts to boost a football club's attendances will continue throughout the season.Darlington FC attracted 6,965 for its Boxing Day game - nearly double its average attendance - on the same day the club's chief executive
A NEWLY-qualified RAF pilot suffered serious burns when a party prank went horrifically wrong, it emerged last night.He was left in pain after a fellow reveller set light to his outfit at the fancy dress party at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, in North Yorkshire.The
SHEFFIELD United striker Rob Hulse has emerged as Middlesbrough's number one target ahead of the opening of the transfer window on Tuesday.Boro boss Gareth Southgate is desperate to address a shortage of attacking options that has resulted in a tally
DESPITE knowing certain decisions from officials have hardly helped Sunderland in recent weeks, striker Kenwyne Jones is in no mood to make excuses for the club's Premier League plight.With Bolton due to arrive at the Stadium of Light tomorrow, the Black
FIVE years ago, a shocking discovery fuelled one woman's desire to tackle drugs and prostitution head-on.At the age of 23 and volunteering at a local church, Jessie Jacobs was struck by the realisation that dozens of young girls - so close to home - were
PLANS to create a £300 million film studio have been submitted to a North-East council. A consortium led by Seaham Hall Hotel owner Tom Maxfield wants to build a film village, which could create up to 2,400 jobs, at Dawdon, in east Durham. A planning
