THE MP for Bishop Auckland, Helen Goodman, has welcomed the move by Durham County Council to hold a consultation on a speed restriction in a small Teesdale village. Residents of Evenwood Gate, near West Auckland have campaigned for a reduction in the
Darlington lost their unbeaten home record and fell to fourth in the table thanks to Jemal Johnson's late winner in Saturday's crunch clash at the Balfour Webnet Darlington Arena. Having been held at home by fellow promotion-chasers Rotherham on Boxing
VILLAGERS have raised £18,000 in under a year to fund the restoration of their village's Victorian reading rooms. The rooms were once a haven for the menfolk of the Swinton village, Ryedale, who sat around a fire reading newspapers or played snooker,
Salomon Kalou grabbed a controversial late winner as Avram Grant became the target for the Chelsea boo-boys for the first time since taking charge three months ago. The Israeli coach, who replaced Jose Mourinho in September and who collected a new
Portsmouth's amazing home drought continued as Turkish striker Tuncay Sanli pounced on a David James fumble to hand Middlesbrough three points at Fratton Park. It was Pompey's sixth consecutive scoreless home outing in the Barclays Premier League and
Sunderland gave their Barclays Premier League survival hopes a major boost with a precious victory over fellow strugglers Bolton. Goals from Kieran Richardson, on his return to the starting line-up, and striker Kenwyne Jones, saw the Black Cats race
A second half piledriver by Ian Moore rescued a point for Pools as they drew 1-1 with Orient at Victoria Park. Moore, who bagged two goals in the 4-2 win at the Matchroom Stadium in September, cracked in a low drive from 20 yards after Robbie Elliott's
A HORSE was winched from a ditch this morning - but several others remained on the loose after escaping from a field. A fire crew rescued one horse from its position upsidedown in a ditch on the Toronto bypass, near Bishop Auckland. The animal had been
HARTLEPOOL UNITED: Jan Budtz, Eddie Nolan, Michael Nelson, Godwin Antwi, Robbie Elliott, David Foley, Antony Sweeney, Gary Liddle, Ritchie Humphreys, Ian Moore, Richard Barker. Substitutes: Ben Clark, Ali Gibb, Arran Lee-Barrett, Michael Mackay, Lee Bullock
BUSINESS leaders and councillors believe a former supermarket which has stood vacant on a prime town centre site for more than two years is damaging trade. Safeway, on High Street, Northallerton, was one of almost 500 Safeway stores bought by Morrisons
A one-year-old boy has died after being attacked by a dog at a relative's home. The boy was attacked by the rottweiler at the home in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, yesterday afternoon. He was taken to Pinderfields General Hospital with serious injuries
MARKET traders in Darlington have been rewarded for adorning their stalls with festive decorations. Six traders from the town's indoor and outdoor markets received prizes for the best-dressed market stall. The competition was revived for the first
DESIGN students have risen to the challenge of coming up with the artwork for a Darlington coffee house. Students from Darlington College have produced a host of festive hangings for the walls of the recentlyopened Starbucks in the town centre
COUNCIL chiefs have defended the decision to award a multi-million pound school project to the company that ran over budget on two major contracts in Darlington in the past two years. Darlington Borough Council announced last week that Balfour
PICK'N'MIX, the entertainers from Winston featured here recently, have used money raised at this year's shows to help disabled children. The money has been given to a Riding for the Disabled group based at Miniature World, in East Layton, where
THE eco-friendly efforts of sixth form students at a school in Barnard Castle have been rewarded with a national prize. Teesdale Comprehensive School has been awarded an Eco-Schools bronze award, recognising the work of a group of eight students
PEOPLE living in a hilly rural area have protested that their television viewing has been seriously spoiled over the festive season by blurred reception. There have been complaints for many years about unclear pictures received in homes in and
HUNDREDS of runners have pounded the pavements to raise thousands of pounds for a North Yorkshire school. Harrogate Grammar School organised a short fun run to boost its fund for a climbing wall for pupils. Taking part were 365 runners, ranging
AN angry North Yorkshire resident is demanding a water company returns money he paid out for drainage services. Gerald Allen, of Saxty Way, Thirsk, said he paid Yorkshire Water £167 to use its sewers to remove surface water. The former North
the darker strip, against Redby Whites, in under- A FESTIVAL of football, which is expected to attract more than 250 teams over four days, is underway. The annual Soccarena Christmas six-a-side tournaments will run until tomorrow, with competitions
A SCHEME to make privatelyowned homes more energy efficient is to be launched next month. East Durham community interest company Domestic Energy Solutions will offer cavity wall and loft insulation to homeowners. The work will be free to people
A LEGACY of the region's industrial past is set to hit plans for the opening of the region's largest bird reserve. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and their appointed contractors were aware of some of the hidden secrets of the
TWINS Sarah and Rachel Patterson have drawn on their early passion for art to define their future. Their joint enthusiasm has paid off, as they graduated on the same day from the University of Teesside, Middlesbrough, each with a degree in
INVOLVING young people in planning policing has gained national recognition for the Cleveland Police Authority. A report produced by the Association of Police Authorities highlighted a series of initiatives aimed at consulting with young people
John Hobbs is invited for a preview of a major new tourist attraction and historic landmark which will be officially launched in Scotland next year THOUSANDS of visitors are expected to converge on a bleak Scottish moor next year folllowing the opening
Brownfield sites are increasingly popular with developers. John Dean charts a remarkable revolution THEY were the sites that drove the industrial North-East - the engineering plants, factories, shipyards and collieries were the heart of the region's
Tyneside-based Liv Lorent is giving seven dancers the ultimate test of their performing courage by asking them to take off all their clothes on stage SEVEN naked dancers, four female and three male, appearing on circular, rotating, black platforms
ANOTHER year, another adaptation of Oliver Twist as if to prove that things on TV change as often as Shadrack Dingle changes his underpants. We may have more channels but the same old programmes are repeated endlessly. I've lost count of how many
IT'S more than ten years since Princess Diana's death and still we are subject to media front page coverage of her intimate private life generated from her lengthy inquest. Can we not accept that she was killed in a car crash, chased by the
RE Peter Mullen's column about the Nativity story (Echo, Dec 18). In view of Mr Mullen's claim to be "of a forensic turn of mind", I would appreciate his empirical analysis of the evidence in support of his religious beliefs. Robert Hammal, Richmond
IN connection with your rail heritage article on the early engine shed in Darlington (Echo, Dec 20) please note the shed was built by the Great North of England Railway and not the Great North Eastern Railway, which was a latter-day train operating
IN Grass Root Memories (Local Heroes, Dec 21) mention was made of the former Norton, Durham, Warwickshire and England cricketer Dick Spooner. He was said to have made one appearance for England. However, a glance at the record books showed he
IF Cardinal Cormac Murphy- O'Connor, head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, intends by his Christmas message urging British people to be more welcoming to immigrants that we should treat them with civility and indeed friendliness
APPROPRIATELY, James Wharton congratulated Nick Clegg over his election as the new leader of the Liberal Democratic Party and suggested there were issues where the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives could work together (HAS, Dec 24). Then
MUSLIMS regard Western culture as decadent and ripe for Islamisation. Their imperative call to action is expressed by Karen Armstrong, a prolific writer on religious issues: "If Muslims lived according to the Shariah, they could create a counter-culture
SORRY. There hasn't been time to research a proper column this week. Tucking into my Christmas leftovers, I momentarily wondered about bubble and squeak, but I kept getting distracted by all the fascinating nonsense tucked away in the pages of
From playing Pinkie in Brighton Rock to directing Ghandi, Lord Attenborough talks to Steve Pratt about his latest film, how he prefers directing to acting and how he wants to make his final exit "I CAN tell you a story. How long have we got?," asks
THE New Year Honours List provides the usual fodder for debate about who deserves to be featured and who doesn't. There are those who clearly justify their gongs and those whose inclusion is, at best, questionable. That will always be the case
INDIA'S batsmen will need to pull out all the stops if they are to save the first Test in Melbourne with Australia, having been set a formidable victory target of 499. The tourists were just six for nought at stumps on day three after the Aussies
PAKISTAN legend Wasim Akram is offering his services to the man he believes has all of the attributes needed to be the best fast bowler on the planet - even if the player himself doesn't quite believe it. Steve Harmison is the man on Akram's
REGIONAL 10K champion Stephen Hepples has agreed to run for the North-East in the Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships in Nottingham on March 15. The 27-year-old Redcar-based Newham and Essex Beagle, who recently represented Great Britain
PROP Jon Golding believes Newcastle Falcons' forward-line is close to becoming a real force in the Guinness Premiership. Golding forms part of the Falcons pack which heads to Vicarage Road tomorrow for the televised clash against Saracens. The
BETTING in a beginners' chase is not for the faint-hearted, however there shouldn't be too many palpitations in the case of Bangor- bound Mughas (1.10). A quick trawl through past performance shows just what a good servant Mughas has been to
MUSSELBURGH has been a happy hunting ground for Howard Johnson over the past few years, a tradition to be maintained by Knight Valliant (2.20). Knight Valliant initially raised hopes of landing another major pot of gold in today's totesport.com
FULHAM owner Mohamed Al Fayed revealed his desire to see attacking football return to Craven Cottage inspired the appointment of new manager Roy Hodgson. Hodgson takes over for the New Year's Day derby against Chelsea after landing a longterm
PROMOTION-CHASING Darlington go into the biggest game of their season so far against leaders MK Dons with midfielder Micky Cummins in the best scoring form of his Quakers career. Cummins puts his upturn in fortunes down to Darlington's management
WHILE the debate over a midseason break rears its head year in, year out, Richard Barker is an example of the benefits a brief rest can bring. After playing in almost every minute of every Hartlepool United game this year, the 32-year-old was
KIERAN RICHARDSON was rushed back from injury because of Sunderlands Premier League plight, and now Nyron Nosworthy could be asked to complete his own premature return. Richardson made his first appearance C albeit as a substitute C for four months
ROY KEANE has insisted he has a group of players more than capable of overcoming Bolton in this afternoon's must-win' fixture and, more pertinently, ensuring Sunderland emerge victorious from their season-long relegation fight. In an attempt
SCOTLAND international Richard Hughes is ready to answer Harry Redknapp's midfield problems when Portsmouth take on Middlesbrough at Fratton Park in the Barclays Premier League today. Pompey are seeking their first home win since September,
HARRY Redknapp doesn't make too many mistakes in the transfer market, but Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate is hoping that Gary O'Neil will prove to be one that got away from the Pompey boss when he makes a return to Portsmouth this afternoon
AVRAM Grant is continuing his search for players to bolster his depleted squad and keep Chelsea in the Barclays Premier League title race. Grant lost Frank Lampard on Boxing Day for up to month with a thigh tear, joining senior players John
NEWCASTLE may have the daunting task of facing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this afternoon but winger James Milner is hoping the step up in class will ensure United raise their game. The Magpies have struggled in their last four Premier League
IT IS customary at Christmas for a rotund gentleman to come calling with the sack, so Sam Allardyce must be dreading his next meeting with Mike Ashley. When it comes to the Newcastle manager's ideal festive present, a P45 is unlikely to be at the
AFTER the pressure intensified following the soporific defeat at struggling Wigan this week, manager Sam Allardyce has once again come out fighting by insisting there is no crisis engulfing Newcastle United. The awful Boxing Day defeat at the
A LIFE-SAVING hospital department is able to recruit an extra member of staff, thanks to the efforts of a team of Cleveland Police officers. Members of the Organised Crime Unit pledged to raise funds to pay for a specialist nurse for the haematology
A HIT-AND-RUN victim who was thrown across the bonnet of a car and left for dead has spoken of her determination to be fit in time for her wedding. Claire Oliver, 23, who was walking home from a Christmas party when she was struck by a car, suffered
FAMILIES fighting the proposed closure of a North-East school have revived a historic tradition in a bid to highlight their campaign. Children and parents from Boldon, near South Shields, South Tyneside, gathered at the Sanctuary Knocker at Durham
A FISHERMAN had to be hauled to safety by a man on a walk with his sons, after he was swept away by rising flood waters. He had been fishing at Brompton- on-Swale, near Richmond, North Yorkshire, when he lost his footing and was carried away by
A NATIONAL bus pass, which could give thousands of people in the North East free local bus travel throughout England, starts next year. The bus pass, which comes into effect on April 1, allows for free off-peak travel on local buses anywhere in
MORE than 50 people in the region have been toasting accolades in the New Year Honours. Richard Griffiths, one of Britain's most celebrated character actors of stage and screen, was awarded an OBE for services to drama. His most famous film role
JOHN WILLIAMS, the leader of Darlington Borough Council for more than 16 years, has become an MBE. The Labour councillor was elected in 1991 after a career in education. He said: "I am absolutely delighted." Born in Halewood, Liverpool, he
ONE of the North-East's bestknown artists has become an MBE. Norman Cornish was given the honour for services to art after more than eight decades painting scenes from his County Durham home town. The 88-year-old former miner is best known for
OBE Paul Bleasdale - Head of the pensions and medical fitness unit, School Resources Group, Department for Children, Schools and Families. (Darlington) David Bowles - Chairman of Northern Defence Industries. For services to the defence industry
OLYMPIAN and founder of the Great North Run Brendan Foster has become a CBE. Mr Foster, who will celebrate his 60th birthday on January 12, said the honour should reflect the backing of everyone involved in the Great North Run, which he established
A FORMER Manchester United player has been recognised in the New Year Honours list for passing his passion for football on to thousands of children. Paul Anthony Bielby, 51, is founder and secretary of the Darlington Primary School Football Association
AN experienced North-East caver and his female companion drowned in a flooded cave system - often used by novices - during a potholing expedition that went tragically wrong. The bodies of the 33-year-old man, from Darlington, and his 28- year-old
A CHARITY is appealing for help to try and track down a North-East man on the fifteenth anniversary of his disappearance. Steven Clark was 23 years old when he went missing from Marske, east Cleveland, on December 28, 1992. Despite extensive enquiries
A PREGNANT woman who had been told that her baby would be taken from her when it is born has been told she can keep her child. Fran Lyon fled to Europe last month to escape the social services ruling - and now she has been told she is safe to be a parent
