Archive

  • BREAKING NEWS: Boris Johnson elected Mayor

    BORIS Johnson was elected Mayor of London tonight, capping a catastrophic day for Labour in the local elections. The Conservative candidate seized City Hall from Labour's two-term incumbent Ken Livingstone with Liberal Democrat Brian Paddick in third

  • Husband rescues wife after she collapses in house fire

    A WOMAN was found collapsed at the top of stairs after she was overcome by smoke from a bedroom fire. A candle had fallen onto the floor after being left unattended and set light to clothing and the carpet around 5.10pm last night. The 42-year-old occupant

  • Victim's plea fails to stop burglar going to jail

    A BURGLAR has been jailed for two years despite a courtroom plea for mercy from his victim. Lee Richardson, 25, broke into his aunt Diane Robinson's home in Striding Edge, Washington, and took property including a ring belonging to her late mother.

  • Plato out to show who's the daddy

    JASON Plato will be the 'daddy' in more ways than one when the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship rolls into Donington Park this weekend. Having won two out of three races there last year, North-East raised Plato is keen to repeat that success

  • Fire damages house

    FIRE badly damaged the first floor of a house in Lonsdale Avenue, Trimdon Grange today. The emergency services were called to the property around 4pm after reports that the bathroom was ablaze. Fire crews found the room well alight and by the time the

  • Man dies after viaduct plunge

    A MAN has died after apparently plunging from the top of a well-known landmark. The name of the victim, who The Northern Echo understands to be a popular local amateur footballer, has not yet been officially released by the police. His body was discovered

  • Wardens count Breeding Puffins

    A THREE month Puffin count on the Farne Islands is under way in an effort to find how many breeding pairs live there. Records for the number of breeding pairs of Puffins on the windswept Islands in the North Sea date back to the 1930s, when there were

  • New surge in thefts of lead

    YOUNGSTERS on bicycles are believed to be behind a fresh surge in the number of lead thefts. Police believe a recent rise in the price of metal has been the catalyst for the number of thefts in Darlington, which was a common problem six months ago.

  • Play area could be built on school site

    PROPOSALS to reinstate a school play area will be put before a key council meeting next month. North Road Primary School is set to undergo a £6.5m redevelopment project on its current site in Pendleton Road South, Darlington. Darlington Borough Council's

  • A&E doctors asked to work extra to cope with demand

    ONE of the region's largest hospitals is having to ask consultants to work later because of an unprecedented surge in out-of-hours admissions. Bosses at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough have noticed a significant increase in the

  • Bus route saved at 11th hour

    A RURAL bus service under threat due to finance cutbacks is to keep running thanks to North Yorkshire County Council. After a review of its timetable Arriva North East planned to cut its Service 34 which runs between Darlington and Richmond. The service

  • Three schools to promote cycling

    THREE schools have been given permission to erect cycling shelters on their grounds. Longfield School, Branksome School and Corporation Road Primary School will each add a number of shelters. The three Darlington schools received permission for the

  • Songs of forgiveness

    A MAN who lost his father in the September 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre will sing songs of forgiveness next week. Much of singer/songwriter Rob Halligan's music has been influenced by the events of 2001 and he performs at West Auckland

  • Town reconnected

    A WEBSITE which has helped promote a town for the past four years is back online with a new address. The Bishop Auckland Town website is no longer accessible at www.bishopaucklandtown.org, its old domain. But it is now visible at www.bishopauckland.org

  • Recalled Riggott's Riverside return

    CHRIS RIGGOTT is back on duty at Middlesbrough after manager Gareth Southgate made the most of a clause in the terms of his loan arrangement. The centre-back was due to figure for Stoke in tomorrow's crucial game with Leicester, which could claim a Premier

  • Diesels take to heritage railway line

    STEAM will be making way for diesel this month on a heritage railway devoted to the locomotives of the past. The North York Moors Railway is holding a diesel gala from May 9 to 11 on the line between Pickering and Grosmont, with some services running

  • Swimmers take plunge for charity

    MORE than 40 people took the plunge for charity in Richmond pool. They dived in to complete a range of different challenges suitable to their ability and helped raise thousands of pounds for charity in the annual Swimathon event. Participants set their

  • Everest challenge for students

    STUDENTS are being offered the chance to join a life-changing expedition to the highest mountain on earth. The attempt to reach the base camp of Mount Everest late next year is the most ambitious project ever developed by Northallerton College. Those

  • Success for crime reduction initiative

    CRIMEFIGHTERS are claiming success for their three-year scheme to reduce offences and disorder across the sprawling Richmondshire area. Since 2005 the Richmondshire Community Safety Partnership has worked on a number of different projects to cut crime

  • Last chance for Darlington tickets

    Darlington supporters wishing to attend the match at Peterborough United tomorrow have until 5pm today to purchase their ticket. No tickets will be available at London Road for a match that is expected to be a sell-out. Quakers today released a statement

  • 'Respectable' meat cleaver teen escapes jail

    A TEENAGER who brandished a meat cleaver at take-away staff because he feared his food had been spat on has been spared jail. Brett Ingram hurled a boulder through the window at the premises in Roker, Sunderland, before warning "I'll cut you all up"

  • Entrant: Inspired during quest for the perfect present

    Matt Scott, from Washington, has big ambitions for his trainer design company Mes Footwork THE inspiration for student Matt Scott's unusual business lies in the quest for a unique gift for his girlfriend. I wanted to do something different and

  • Why North is the right place to do business

    Ahead of Monday's closing date for the If We Can, You Can challenge, Deborah Johnson looks at how statistics show the region is an ideal place to start a business, and meets two entrepreneurs who have done just that THE North of England has fewer entrepreneurs

  • 800 jobs to be created by new import centre

    MORE than 800 jobs will be created after an agreement was signed to bring a major new import centre to Teesside. PD Ports (PDP) today announced it has reached an agreement with Tesco to create the centre at Teesport. The 1.2 million square foot centre

  • A big occasion to mark school’s Big Weekend

    AMONG the highlights of Durham Business School's recent Big Weekend alumni reunion and business conference was a gala black tie dinner dance. Held in the Great Hall of Durham Castle, guests at the event included business and professional representatives

  • Viduka available for Magpies

    NEWCASTLE striker Mark Viduka will be available for Monday's clash with title-chasing Chelsea despite battling an Achilles injury. The Australia international is due to have an injection to address the problem, but will play against the Blues before

  • The end of the universe?

    CARLOS Frenk and Nigel Glover know more about how the universe began than almost anyone living today. And they can make a pretty good guess about how it will end. They spend their time mapping the universe using the world's biggest digital camera

  • Evans back for Black Cats

    JONNY Evans returns to the Sunderland squad for tomorrow's penultimate game of the season at Bolton. Evans, who is on loan from Manchester United, has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury but, having returned to training this week, the centre-half

  • Durham rowers issued challenge to defend title

    STUDENT rowers have taken up the traditional challenge to compete against each other in an annual university boat race. Dave Clasper, great-greatnephew of North-East rowing legend Harry Clasper, presided as Dan Cupit, president of Newcastle

  • Premier Waste ‘hopeful’ problems solved

    A WASTE management company says it is very hopeful problems with its recycling facility are over, following an upgrade costing tens of thousands of pounds. Last month, Premier Waste Management was hit with a £240,000 tax bill, after a Government

  • Schwarzer ready to make Middlesbrough return

    MARK Schwarzer could return to Middlesbrough's starting line-up for tomorrows vital relegation clash with Portsmouth. The shot-stopper missed last weekend's 3-2 defeat at Sunderland with a back injury, but both he and Ross Turnbull, who was on the bench

  • Diplomat appeals over extradition

    A FORMER diplomat accused of trying to smuggle military equipment to Iran is to take his fight against extradition to the US to the House of Lords. Nosratollah Tajik, who served as Iran's ambassador to Jordan from 1999 to 2003, is said to have

  • Thieves cause thousands of pounds of damage during church raid

    THOUSANDS of pounds of damage was caused to one of the region's oldest churches by thieves who attempted to make off with lead from the roof. Thieves who targeted the historic St Mary's Church, in Staindrop, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, ripped

  • Planning chief calls for Elvet scheme rethink

    A COUNCIL planning chief has called on a developer to withdraw controversial plans for houses and offices on the banks of the River Wear. David Thornborrow, head of planning services at Durham City Council, has written to Banks Developments

  • Case hinged on crucial medical evidence

    THE entire case against Suzanne Holdsworth hinged on the medical evidence given by experts during the trial. Doctors who examined two-yearold Kyle Fisher said the extent of his head injuries were such that he would not have been able to walk,

  • ‘A normal little boy who had everything to live for’

    Karen Westcott looks at the life of a bright and well-loved toddler whose life was tragically cut short LITTLE Kyle Fisher was a bright and loving child when his life was cruelly cut short before he reached the age of three. The toddler was able

  • Parents’ £50,000 bid to improve play area

    PARENTS are to launch a £50,000 campaign aimed at breathing new life into a rundown playground. Concerned that facilities on their Durham City estate are falling into disrepair, the parents have formed Newton Hall Playground Action Group. They

  • Young people introduced to the culture club

    CHILDREN at a north Durham school were given a taste of Far Eastern culture during a visit from a Chinese musician. About 100 pupils of Bournmoor Primary School, near Chesterle- Street, enjoyed four workshops with composer Jiang Li. Mr Li,

  • Deaf dalmation needs a home

    A DEAF Dalmatian would dearly desire a dedicated dog-lover to adopt him. The two-year-old, pictured, is totally deaf, and staff at Deerness Kennels, in Durham City, have to communicate with him entirely by hand signals. Domino, who is being cared

  • Children Of The Dust by Louise Lawrence

    If there's one book that's moved me, it has to be this one. It's not perhaps the first book you'd pick off the shelf, despite the interesting cover. I picked this book up for £2 in Publishers book clearance, expecting it to be a perhaps vaguely interesting

  • Bat Cave to be demolished

    LANDMARK pub, The Bat Cave, is to be razed to the ground. The pub, which has stood derelict for 15 years, has become an increasing eyesore blighting Easington Lane's main street. But now not even the legendary fictional hero can come to its rescue

  • Biddy goes west in bid for stardom

    A TEENAGE performing arts student is preparing for an audition that could make her dreams come true. Biddy Atkinson, from Ingleby Cross, near Northallerton has got down to the casting stages of Spring Awakening, a new production to be staged

  • Councillor calls for truth over town’s swimming pool plans

    A COUNCILLOR has accused his authority of deliberately running a swimming pool into the ground to justify selling it off for housing. Councillor John Harris, who sits on Richmondshire District Council, said certain members were obstructing progress

  • The secrets to 60 happy years

    A COUPLE who met at a secret RAF radar station have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary. Stan and Lynn Schofield met in Northumberland during the Second World War and kept in touch after Mr Schofield was posted abroad. They married

  • Fears that beck may flood due to debris

    CONCERNS have been raised over the risk of flooding in a village, with residents worried that thousands of pounds of damage could be done to homes in the area. Brompton Beck, which runs through Brompton, near Northallerton, has been blocked

  • Fortunate (coffee) break for local charities

    GIRLS at Teesside High School raised their coffee cups in a bid to raise funds for two charities. The students from Eaglescliffe school held the event for the Josie Grove Leukaemia Fund and Stop the Traffik, a campaign to combat people trafficking

  • Project will create new route to nature

    A £100,000 urban green space project to improve facilities for local people and wildlife, has been unveiled on Teesside. North Billingham Residents' Association has secured the money from the Impetus Environmental Trust to create nearly 2km

  • Anger at proposal to move traders

    OUTRAGED traders walked out of a council meeting after plans to move their stalls to make way for a £550,000 Christmas market were announced. Proposals have been revealed for a four-day event in Stockton, from November 27 to 30, featuring continental

  • Last ride for that ‘crazy vicar’

    A VICAR who once rode a horse up Roseberry Topping is retiring from the ministry after 40 years. Phillip Bishop, rector of St Nicholas Church, in Guisborough, is hanging up his dog collar after a career that has taken him from factory floors

  • Durham Sinfonia, Durham Cathedral

    DURHAM Sinfonia's Spring Concert in the glorious setting of Durham Cathedral on Saturday was an affair to remember. With this professionalstandard orchestra on top form under the baton of guest conductor Timothy Reynish, the concert began with

  • Billy Bragg, The Sage, Gateshead

    THE 50-year-old folk rock singer-songwriter is under no illusions about how he is perceived for his forthright political views. While discussing the corporate sponsorship of musicians, he announces: "I should be backed by Marmite, because you

  • How to read your mind

    Derren Brown: Trick Or Treat (C4, 10pm); Sexcetera (Virgin 1, 11pm) WHAT exactly is Derren Brown? Is he a magician, a psychological trickster or just someone who meddles with your mind? A bit of all three judging by the first in his new Trick Or

  • Customise your cooking

    Herbs for flavouring food are making a comeback and were more adventurous with them than ever before EIGHTY varieties of mint, 40 thymes, 26 rosemaries and more than 600 other herbs. If you want to add more interest to your cooking, Chris and Paul

  • It's showtime!

    A trip to Harrogate in the spring can give you lots of ideas for the growing season C before our counterparts down South get a look in ITS official then spring has arrived. The swallows and house martins have made the long and dangerous journey

  • 'There are times when I find it difficult to cope'

    Following the recent deaths of Heather Wardle and her disabled son James Hughes, reporter Lucy Richardson meets single mother Liz Knight, from Redcar, to see how she copes with the day to day care of her severely physically and mentally disabled son

  • Tesco prices

    I ASSUME correspondent N Tate - who suggested the Government contract Tesco to run our economy (HAS, Apr 23) - doesn't go to Tesco much. There has been a massive price rise across their supermarkets, some not justified at all. They have just made

  • Elizabeth Fritzl

    WE are reminded almost daily that life is a precious experience, something that we cannot equate to price in the economic sense. It doesn't mean that money can't help at times, when we look at certain medical treatments and their availability

  • 10p tax rate

    SINCE the departure of Tony Blair, the Labour Party has lost its way. Prime Minister Gordon Brown lacks Tony's sparkle and charm. Labour today resembles the Conservative Party during John Major's premiership. Out of touch with the people, muddled

  • County elections

    ALTHOUGH my letter (HAS, Apr 24) may have appeared to be somewhat naive, I was, in fact, hoping to elicit official public confirmation that the people of County Durham were to have the benefit (and costs) of an additional 63 county councillors for

  • Help at hand

    THIS year marks the centenary of the Territorial Army, whose soldiers are the hidden heroes in our community. They balance their civilian lives with a regular commitment to training and, when called upon, serve alongside the regular Army. During

  • Pressure mounts on Brown as Labour slumps in the polls

    LABOUR last night slumped to its worst election results in years, heaping pressure on Gordon Brown from his own MPs for a radical change in direction. A BBC projection based on the votes in councils in England and Wales put Labour's national vote share

  • Eco housing

    I WAS pleased to see that Yuill Homes is planning to build 400 "ecodesign houses" at the Eldon Whins site in Newton Aycliffe (Echo, Apr 23). However, I am concerned that the chosen site has at least two Cdesignated roads which will be used by the

  • Voting

    I CONCUR with A Cunningham's criticism of the present voting system (HAS, Apr 16) and the considerable and undesirable voter apathy it gives rise to. It has to be a democraticallysuspect voting system that results in minority (of the overall popular

  • Bus battles

    I HAVE written many times to The Northern Echo about the state of our bus services, or rather the utter lack of them. It even led to my writing to all and sundry who have influence to change things, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown and ex-PM

  • Never be afraid of the truth

    WHEN a politician puts their foot in it, they always plead that their remarks have been taken out of context. What they mean is, my minders left me unattended for a few moments, I fluffed my lines and now the whole world knows I'm a fool. But

  • Never be afraid of the truth

    WHEN a politician puts their foot in it, they always plead that their remarks have been taken out of context. What they mean is, my minders left me unattended for a few moments, I fluffed my lines and now the whole world knows I'm a fool. But

  • Jack's the lad

    Spring is here and the bowls season has started. But is it just a pensioners' sport? Owen Amos visits Darlington Woodland Bowling Club and learns it is most definitely not BOWLS - a bit pedestrian, isn't it? Played by pensioners. And Scotsmen. Occasionally

  • Clear case for transparency

    TEN years ago this newspaper campaigned successfully to bring treatment for patients with heart disease into line with the rest of Europe. A decade later, it seems the way our new drugs are licensed is once more lagging behind other countries.

  • Stivvie was a stumper to rank with best

    HAROLD Stephenson, a Co Durham lad who became a cricket legend in Somerset, has died, aged 87. Down there they knew him as Steve; in the North-East he remained simply Stivvie. Harold's wife Connie died ten years ago. "I don't think he ever

  • Danzatrice set to succeed on another border raid

    MIDDLEHAM might well be home to Danzatrice (4.20) , but it's only when she travels to Scotland that the mare comes to life. All four of her victories have been north of the border, three at today's Musselburgh venue where she lines up in the

  • Rudolph’s hard graft is rewarded with ton

    A SUPERB century on a difficult pitch from Jacques Rudolph helped Yorkshire to a competitive total in their first innings against Nottinghamshire at Headingley yesterday. Michael Vaughan's resurgence was finally ended by England team-mate Stuart

  • Collingwood to cushion Plunkett blow

    HOLDERS Durham today head into the first of three Friends Provident Trophy matches in four days knowing they could be without Liam Plunkett for a further five weeks. The all-rounder aggravated a side injury during the opening FPT win against

  • Howells walks away in Mowden overhaul

    DARLINGTON Mowden Park have parted company with their Director of Rugby for the last two years, Andy Howells. After spending the previous two years as coaching co-ordinator, Howells says he decided after Saturdayfs 15-14 promotion playoff defeat

  • O’Sullivan battles back after shaky start

    RONNIE O'Sullivan put an uncertain start behind him to share the opening eight frames of his 888.com World Championship semi-final with Stephen Hendry at the Crucible Theatre. O'Sullivan won the final three frames of the initial session to level

  • Hatton puts his fans first

    RICKY Hatton yesterday revealed he has sacrificed a fair few extra quid'' to make sure his homecoming fight against Juan Lazcano is staged at a time to suit his phenomenal'' supporters. Light-welterweight champion Hatton will fight in England

  • Viduka faces surgery, claims Aussie boss

    AUSTRALIA boss Pim Verbeek insists that Newcastle United are considering summer surgery for Mark Viduka as the striker continues to be plagued by a niggling Achilles problem. The 32-year-old will be available for United's remaining Premier League

  • Police search for missing father

    CONCERN was growing today over the whereabouts and safety of a 47-year-old man who has failed to return home after going for a walk. Police were resuming the search for Anthony Simpson in woodland and walkways near his home in Langley Park, west of Durham

  • Lack of respect for Grant baffles Chelsea skipper

    CAPTAIN John Terry insists Avram Grant has done enough to hold on to his job after guiding Chelsea to the first Champions League final in their history. Terry admits he finds it eeunbelievableh that Grantfs position as manager is still being

  • Quakers record could go

    DARLINGTON'S Pawel Abbott is unlikely to play again until next season, and his absence could pave the way for a record-breaking debut for schoolboy striker Curtis Main. Quakers have not quite given up on Abbott, who aggravated a hamstring strain

  • Pools line up free-scoring Ayr midfielder

    ATTACKING midfielder Ryan Stevenson of Ayr United could be set to become a Hartlepool United player. Stevenson, who started out his career at Chelsea but left for St Johnstone without making an appearance at Stamford Bridge, has 16 goals to

  • Gordon hails success of Keane’s signings

    DURING the last ten months there have been 16 new arrivals at Sunderland. Craig Gordon, the most expensive and one of the first, highlights Premier League survival as proof that Roy Keane's transfer dealings have been a success. The Black Cats

  • Middlesbrough boss faces fight to hang on to O’Neil

    STAVING off an immediate threat of relegation occupies Gareth Southgate's mind this morning but, provided Premier League status is preserved, he could soon have to deal with a midfield merry-go-round. Reading, West Ham and Aston Villa are weighing

  • More paying penalty for phone-and-drive offences

    POLICE forces in the region are cracking down hard on motorists who risk lives by talking on mobile phones at the wheel, new figures reveal. A total of 8,929 drivers were handed £30 on-the-spot fines for the offence in 2006, a 35 per cent rise

  • Final results for County Durham

    THE final results for the new County Durham unitary authority have been declared, with Labour securing a majority of eight seats. Labour candidates won 67 seats, Liberal Democrat councillors 27 and the Conservatives ten. Independent councillors won 22

  • Inspired during quest for the perfect present

    Matt Scott, from Washington, has big ambitions for his trainer design company Mes Footwork THE inspiration for student Matt Scott's unusual business lies in the quest for a unique gift for his girlfriend. I wanted to do something different and

  • Entrant: ‘I love the fact this is my baby’

    Lori Del Genis, 40, set up eco-friendly bridal company Conscious Elegance just over a year ago and already has plans to expand AFTER working as a specialist in hospitals in the US for 12 years, Lori Del Genis realised she wanted to indulge her first

  • Prices rise

    THE chances of a back-to-back cut in interest rates receded yesterday after data revealed factory prices rose at their fastest rate for at least nine years. The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply said rising costs pushed its reading

  • Court told of director’s ‘tirade’ at meeting

    A SENIOR figure at Tees Valley Regeneration (TVR) launched a "very, very rude" and unprofessional tirade during a key meeting concerning the Middlehaven redevelopment in Middlesbrough, it was claimed at London's High Court yesterday. Chilli

  • Why North is the right place to do business

    Ahead of Monday's closing date for the If We Can, You Can challenge, Deborah Johnson looks at how statistics show the region is an ideal place to start a business, and meets two entrepreneurs who have done just that THE North of England has fewer entrepreneurs

  • Corgi joins Hornby’s collection

    MODEL train firm Hornby has struck a £7.5m deal to buy Corgi, one of the world's oldest makers of model trains, cars and buses. The Corgi brand dates back to 1956 and its toys, including the Aston Martin model cars pictured above, sold millions at

  • Redundancies at music instrument shop

    TWO people have lost their jobs at the Stockton branch of a national musical instrument chain that has gone into administration. Sound Control Holdings Limited operates from 26 stores across the UK, under the brand names Sound Control, Media

  • Unions in talks over Rock jobs

    UNIONS yesterday urged Northern Rock not to make compulsary redundancies as they began talks with the troubled bank. Talks began on the day Northern Rock confirmed plans to make 2,000 employees - one third of its workforce - redundant, most

  • Coup for region with Lech visit

    ONE of the most influential figures of the 20th Century is to visit the region next week. Lech Walesa, the Gdansk shipyard electrician who stood up against Communist rule and went on to become President of Poland, has accepted an invitation

  • Objector challenged over demolition protest delay

    A LONE objector to a council's £56.5m housing regeneration master plan has been asked why she did not raise her concerns earlier. Helene Labarre is at the centre of a public inquiry into compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) issued by Sedgefield

  • Balls on the offensive after ‘failing’ schools outcry

    This week, The Northern Echo revealed that a Government summit will examine poor GCSE results at 22 of the region's secondary schools. The article triggered a furious response from headteachers, and a letter from the Children's Secretary, Ed Balls. Political

  • £150m plans for golf course to be redrawn

    A DEVELOPER is to redraw controversial plans for a £150m homes and office development on a golf course in the hope councillors will approve it. Banks Developments has withdrawn its appeal against Durham City Council's decision to reject its

  • Pupils’ thumbs-up for school’s quiet area

    PRIMARY school pupils have given a thumbs-up to their new play area, courtesy of The Northern Echo's Rok Community Challenge Competition. Youngsters at Skerne Park Primary School, in Darlington, were able to try out their "quiet zone" when

  • Bus driver given back his licence

    A BUS driver with a previously exemplary record has won back his licence following an accident involving an elderly passenger who later died in hospital. Raymond Peacock's "momentary lapse" as he pulled away from a stop was blamed for the accident

  • New deputy moved up through the ranks

    A POLICEMAN who began his career on the beat on the seafront at Blackpool is the new Assistant Chief Constable of Durham Police. Chief Superintendant Michael Barton, who has spent his career with the Lancashire force, is to become the fourth

  • Ruling triggers review of drug availability on NHS

    RESTRICTIONS on the availability of anti-dementia drugs on the NHS are to be reviewed after a landmark court ruling. It means the English drugs watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) will be forced to reveal

  • Missing witness key to child sex arrest

    A FORMER soldier was jailed for seven-and-a-half years yesterday for child sex offences he committed 45 years ago after a detective tracked down a missing witness. The judge commended Detective Constable Fran Donovan, of Cleveland Police's child

  • Brown braces himself for battering in polls

    GORDON BROWN was braced last night for a pummelling from voters as the local elections campaign reached its climax. Amid anger over the 10p tax rate abolition and sniping at Mr Brown's leadership, many Labour insiders fear the party could shed

  • Club nears backing for its first concert

    LEGAL documents relating to the staging of an Elton John concert could move a step closer to being signed if councillors back plans from football club bosses. Darlington Football Club applied to Darlington Borough Council to amend some restrictions on

  • HARTLEPOOL: Third of voters get chance to have a say

    MORE than 65,000 people in Hartlepool were given the chance to go to the polls and help shape the town's future. Fifteen council seats were up for grabs yesterday. Eight were held by Labour, three by the Lib Dems, one by the Tories and three

  • Sedgfield: No predictions despite 11th-hour campaigning

    EVEN after a busy day at the polling stations and 11th-hour campaigning by candidates across Sedgefield, no one could predict the outcome. Even Labour insiders were admitting they faced their strongest fight for seats in a local election for

  • DERWENTSIDE: Opposition hoping for gains

    UNTIL recently, Derwentside was considered rock solid Labour country, but opposition candidates went into yesterday's election believing they had a realistic hope of significant gains. In the 2005 county election, Labour won nine of the seats

  • Call to help save closure-threatened payphones

    RESIDENTS are being urged to provide information that could help save 28 "lifeline" public telephones in rural areas. BT has written to Richmondshire District Council, announcing plans to remove phone boxes it says are "little used" by consumers. It

  • Too close to call as district goes to the ballot box

    AS voting drew to a close last night, it was too close to call across Wear Valley. One of the youngest candidates in the county, 19-year-old Becky Brunskill, a Tory from Willington, predicted a strong protest vote. She said: "People are looking

  • I’ll wed my hero

    SUZANNE HOLDSWORTH, the babysitter whose conviction for murdering a North-East toddler was quashed in the High Court, last night agreed to marry the man who campaigned for her freedom. The 37-year-old accepted the proposal from long-time partner

  • County Durham: Labour scrapes through

    LABOUR has scraped through to take control of the new County Durham unitary authority, but it has gone backwards in both Sunderland and Hartlepool. With just two more seats to declare, Labour has crept over the finishing line and, with 67 councillors

  • National poll gloom for Labour

    LABOUR was today heading for an electoral bloodbath, as early analysis of local council polls put Conservatives as many as 20 points ahead nationally. After around 50 results, David Cameron's party had a 44 per cent projected national share of the vote

  • Tories sweep the board in Teesdale

    CONSERVTIVES in Teesdale claimed a victory after winning five of the six seats up for grabs on the new unitary council. Current county councillors Jo Fergus and Richard Bell will return in the Barnard Castle East and West wards respectively. In the

  • Labour wins new unitary authority

    Labour has taken control of the new County Durham unitary authority, but it has gone backwards in both Sunderland and Hartlepool. With four of the 63 divisions in Durham yet to declare, Labour has an overall majority of one on the new authority. The

  • Labour hail loss of overall control as "great night"

    LABOUR have lost overall control of Hartlepool after dropping a seat. They now have a total of 23 seats - with the other parties making up the other 25. But, despite this Labour leader Jonathan Brash said it had been a "great night" for Labour. All

  • Labour on course to control new authority

    LABOUR is on course to take control of the new County Durham unitary authority, with the Liberal Democrats and Independents making a reasonable showing. The British National Party has in a couple of divisions - notably Tudhoe and Chilton - polled heavily

  • Easington: Long-serving Labour man ousted

    WHILE the Labour Party was clearly relieved at securing 19 of the 24 seats in the Easington constituency there were some notable casualties. In the Peterlee West Ward David Taylor-Gooby, on the eve of being awarded a 20-year-long milestone award for

  • Tories take three seats in Chester-le-Street

    IT was a good night for the Conservatives as they won three of the 14 seats up for grabs in Chester-le-Street. Beaty Bainbridge won a seat in Chester-le-Street North East Division, and her husband Alan, a retired policeman, secured one of the two seats