A ''REMARKABLE" plea today from the sister of a man who died in a car crash could not save the driver who killed him from a young offenders institution. Thomas Walsh, 20, admitted causing the death by dangerous driving of his best friend James Buckham
An Internationally renowned professor has received financial support from Redcar & Cleveland Enterprise team (LEGI) to help boost his profile. Following many years in the medical profession, Professor Steven Russell who has spent years of practice
POLICE officers with a nose for crime have uncovered a £30,000 cannabis farm while out dealing with a routine inquiry. PCs Neil Kinsey and Ian Beacon called at a house in West Cornforth, County Durham, yesterday to speak with one of the occupants
Following the success of previous years, Ferryhill Town Council is inviting green fingered residents of Ferryhill to enter the town’s Ferryhill in Bloom Competition 2009. The categories this year are; Front Garden, Back Garden, Back Yard and
Viv Hardwick talks to electronic pop pioneer Martyn Ware about his Future Of Sound tour. WHAT is the sound of the future? Martyn Ware, the Eighties hitmaker with Human League and Heaven 17, is aiming to introduce a North-East audience to the
Chris Barber’s Jazz & Blues Band/Barbican Blues (Lake LACD273) Chris Barber’s was the first jazz band to appear at London’s newly-opened Barbican Centre in 1982. The concert was recorded and issued on a long deleted double LP so this is a
NOW in its 19th year, the Great North Country and Western Festival at Barford Meadow Events Centre, Barnard Castle, on July 21-26, promises to present some of the best acts on the circuit. As usual this six-day event offers camping facilities and
ASTON VILLA Friedel Milner, Cuellar, Davies, Shorey Agbonlahor, Petrov, Barry, A Young Carew, Heskey Martins, Viduka Duff, Guthrie, Butt, Gutierrez Enrique, Coloccini, S Taylor, R Taylor Harper NEWCASTLE Newcastle subs (from): Krul,
Stars: Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson, Hank Azaria, Christopher Guest, Alain Chabat, Ricky Gervais, Steve Coogan, Bill Hader, Robin Williams Running time: 107 mins Rating: ★★★ NIGHT At The Museum was the box office hit in which museum exhibits
SIX hooligans have today received suspended jail sentences after an alcohol-fuelled fight in Darlington town centre in the wake of a 'friendly' football match. Onlookers, including a stag party, were caught up in the battle which involved upto
A SHOPPING centre became a scene of devastation following a major gas explosion in a mock disaster. Fire, police and paramedics turned out in force to Middleton Grange Shopping Centre, in Hartlepool, as students took part in the drama.
PLANS for six new community fire stations and a youth academy have been unveiled for Teesside. Cleveland Fire Brigade was successful in a £40m joint bid County Durham and Darlington and Northumberland Fire and Rescue Services in receiving government
A SCHEME to put a roof over a homeless person’s head in has been set-up in Hartlepool. Nightstop Teesside is a charity already providing emergency accommodation for homeless young people throughout Redcar, Middlesbrough and Stockton. The scheme, which
GATES are to be on installed on a Teesside high street in order to clampdown on anti-social behaviour. Stockton Borough Council’s community safety team will putting the security measures in place on Norton High Street after complaints from residents.
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to a road traffic collision on Middlesbroughs Borough Road. The collision happened when a 31-year-old woman driving a blue Renault Megane, collided with a Silver Ford Focus on at the West Terrace junction at 6.45pm
THE North Yorkshire Rotters, a volunteer group who work to reduce the amount of food waste we produce and teach composting skills, are to be celebrated as part of National Volunteers Week, June 1-7. There will be a social for all Rotters, and anyone
NORTH Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has won it’s third consecutive national occupational health and safety award. The service has been awarded a prestigious commendation for health and safety practice, by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
TWO men who lost sixteen stone between them are stepping out to raise money for the British Heart Foundation. Arthur Simpson from Bishop Auckland, and Graham Douthwaite, from West Auckland, are walking the Coast to Coast route in reverse - going from
PUPILS in St Helen’s Auckland celebrated friendship during an anti-bullying event at their school today. Youngsters at St Helen’s Auckland Community Primary School ditched their uniforms, swapped toys, and taught each other new games during Friendship
HEIRLOOMS worth some £40,000 have been stolen in a raid on Opposition leader David Cameron’s in-laws. Raiders targeted Sutton Park, at Sutton-on-the-Forest near Easingwold, the home of Sir Reginald Sheffield and his wife, Lady Sheffield, in the early
A NEW chaplain has been appointed by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society after the previous incumbent stepped down. The Revd Canon Leslie Morley has been involved with many aspects of rural life, including the Farm Crisis Network and the Yorkshire Rural
PLANS to build a new affordable housing estate in Ripon have been put on hold after the discovery of a rare historical artefact. Archaeologists came across the medieval lime kiln at Ripon House, on Residence Lane, while doing a survey to check for historical
A HOUSING body has introduced late-night appointments for tenants to arrange repairs. East Durham Homes is to offer residents the chance to book a repair until 8pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Jack James, Head of Neighbourhood Services (Repairs and Technical
CHILDREN will take to the streets of their village next week dressed as their favourite television character. Volunteers will be taking part in the fancy dress sponsored walk in Thornley, County Durham, on Tuesday to raise money for community projects
A POPULAR annual stables open day raised £16,500 for charities when it was held last month, organisers have revealed. This year’s Middleham Stables Open Day, in Middleham, North Yorkshire, attracted almost 7,000 visitors on Good Friday.
A SENIOR police officer hopes to raise more than £5,000 for the special Olympics by running rings around his force headquarters. Tim Madgwick, acting assistant chief constable of North Yorkshire Police, spent much of today runnin continuously around
POLICE are hunting a man who shouted sexually suggestive remarks to a woman as she walked through Hartlepool. The woman was in the Brenda Road area, near to the B & Q store, when the man stepped into some bushes and tried to get her to follow him. The
WILLIAM HAGUE has offered his support to a loyalty card scheme designed to encourage shoppers to support local businesses. The ShopLocal North Yorkshire project, launched in Bedale last month, now has more than 80 businesses on its books. Although originally
Darlington player of the year Rob Purdie today rejoined former boss Dave Penney at Oldham Athletic. He has signed a two-year contract at the League One outfit and in doing so becomes the third player to leave Darlington this week. Fellow
THE cinema will be coming to Northalletrton again early next month. Two films have been announced for the next in the series of "First Friday" movies showings at the Hambleton Forum. First up at 5.30pm on June 5 will be Igor, a PG-rated family film
A FOUR-year-old boy who was airlifted to hospital yesterday following a three car smash is recovering in hospital. After extensive tests, the child was found to have sustained nothing more serious than bruising to his pelvis and abdomen. His 11-year-old
AN appeal that could save one of Britain’s most popular heritage railways has passed its first critical milestone. The North York Moors Railway’s Bridge and Wheels appeal aims to raise £1m to restore an engine and, more crucially, to replace a vital
YOUNG students were inspired to raise funds for a Nepalese childrens home after hearing one of their classmates planned to visit the country with his family. Year 7 pupils at Teesdale School in Barnard Castle filled pencil cases with stationery
A LEADING contender for the post of House of Commons Speaker today defended his second home allowance claims, after it was disclosed that he and his wife were receiving expenses while staying at the same address. Senior Liberal Democrat Sir Alan Beith
SGT Schultz can exploit his lower turf rating with victory in the newmarketracecourses.co.uk Handicap at Newmarket. Stan Moore’s charge is rated 94 on the all-weather, but he races off a mark of just 76 as he tackles this mile-and-a-half event.
MUSIDORA Stakes winner Sariska features among 25 fillies remaining in the Investec Oaks following the latest entry stage. Michael Bell’s filly leap-frogged Rainbow View at the head of the Oaks betting following an impressive victory on
A SEX-STARVED musician kidnapped a prostitute after a gig and took her on a terrifying journey in his car until it careered off the road, a court heard yesterday. Thomas Jackson was jailed for more than three years for holding the 27-year-old
ITALIAN-BORN apprentice Andrea Atzeni wowed punters at Haydock with a 76-1 double on Clear Reef and Angel Rock. The 5lb claimer struck for his countryman Marco Botti on Angel Rock (6-1) in the feature Play Premier 10 At footballpools.com Stakes
A SPITFIRE pilot always believed two enemy airmen were killed when he helped to shoot down their aircraft during a dogfight over the North-East in 1940. Sergeant Frank Usmar’s wife, Joan, and their son even visited Barnard Castle, twice to look
By Issy Crocker MAKING mistakes privately is not too bad a thing. You may feel a bit embarrassed or disappointed, but can often rectify the error with no one else any the wiser. If you are one of those people with very high standards, you
A COMPANY behind the regeneration of a North-East wool factory into a business park has joined a campaign that aims to secure thousands of construction jobs by revitalising old buildings. Marchday plc, the owner of Lingfield Point, the former
A DEAL to resolve a row over contract labour, which led to a series of wildcat strikes across the country, was accepted yesterday by workers at the centre of the dispute. A mass meeting at the liquefied natural gas terminal in Milford Haven, west
BRITISH businesses have to start working closely with educational institutions if the country’s skill levels are not to plummet further behind other nations, a leading industrialist has warned. Miles Templeman, directorgeneral of the Institute
ABOUT 2,100 jobs are at risk – including scores in the North-East – after a greetings card business was placed in administration. Clinton Cards, which owns the 332-store Birthdays chain, said it had taken the “difficult decision” that it could
AN action group has been launched to support workers and their families in the continuing fight to save threatened steel jobs at Teesside Cast Products. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council decided to take steps following the announcement of
MARTIN from Middlesbrough has seen some blue poppies in a gardening catalogue and wants to know a bit more about them so that he can decide if he should try to grow some in his garden, which is south facing and consisting mainly of clay soil
Health Editor Barry Nelson talks to patients and stylists backing a pioneering new NHS service which is transforming the lives of cancer patients who need wigs after losing their hair. WHEN Agnes Hackett was diagnosed with breast cancer last summer
VANDALS have cost a social landlord £20,000 in damage and lost income by carrying out a spate of arson attacks on garages in north Durham Derwentside Homes tenants have had their vehicles and property destroyed in the fires in recent months.
IT was when I started talking to myself every time it came on the news that I knew I had to do something. Well, not so much talking, more shouting at the screen. Call it anger, a sense of injustice, the feeling that up and down the country people
CONGRATULATIONS to Joanna Lumley. She has battled on behalf of the Gurkhas with a dignity and good grace that professional politicians would do well to replicate. Rather than crowing in the face of the Government’s U-turn, Ms Lumley yesterday chose
Returning to the North-East from his work as travel photographer, Dan May started to grow his own chillies and discovered a niche in the market. YOU wouldn’t think that they could thrive as far as Northumberland, but chillies love our colder climate
EVERYONE I know is shocked and saddened to learn how many of our MPs took advantage of the system they had devised to claim expenses. Many have pointed out that whatever the system you need honest people to work it. Some MPs are not, we find,
AS the MPs’ expenses scandal rumbles on, we hear calls from the Conservatives for an immediate General Election. Much as I look forward to taking on Darlington Labour MP Alan Milburn at the ballot box, I think this misses the point. What we need
As the scandal about MPs’ expenses unfolds, Kate Whiting meets US journalist Heather Brooke, who has spent five years fighting to discover what extras the “old boys’ club” of Parliament claimed from taxpayers’ purses. WHEN the Speaker of the House
POLICE are appealing for information following an apparent unprovoked attack which left a man with a broken nose and black eyes. The 36-year-old victim was assaulted at 7.10pm on Wednesday (MAY 20) on Silverdale Place, Newton Aycliffe.
THERE was no doubt who England’s David Horsey thought of first after taking a share of the first-round lead in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. As Phil Mickelson began indefinite leave from golf because of his wife Amy’s breast cancer,
GRAHAM Onions should be fit for the start of Durham’s Twenty20 Cup campaign, but Liam Plunkett is likely to miss the first few games with a groin injury. Onions emerged from the second Test against the West Indies with a sore Achilles, but has
A TEENAGER has pleaded guilty to an attack on a Coronation Street star which left him with a broken jaw. Stuart Stocks, 19, of Elm Grove, Sherburn, North Yorkshire, was charged with grievous bodily harm after he punched Mikey North in the face, breaking
MEN and boys will be stepping out during a sponsored walk next month. The men’s health challenge sponsored walk takes place at Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve, just off the A690 between Durham City and Houghton-le-Spring, on Saturday, June 27. The event
CRISTIANO Ronaldo has dropped the clearest hint yet that he intends to reject a summer move to Real Madrid. Once again speculation has started to swirl around the Manchester United winger, with plenty of pundits claiming a deal has already been
DURHAM University says it is "entirely sympathetic" to residents’ concerns over city housing. University vice-chancellor Chris Higgins said he was as concerned as all other city residents at the imbalance in local communities he said had been caused
YORKSHIRE have launched a staunch defence of their new £600,000 drainage system after the opening match of the NatWest one-day international series ended in farcical scenes at Headingley. The match was officially called off at 3pm – three hours
LIVERPOOL goalkeeper Jose Reina is desperate for Barcelona to stop Manchester United from retaining the Champions League crown. Reina has spent the season trying, unsuccessfully, to stop United securing a third consecutive Premier League title
ALAN SHEARER’S assistant manager believes that even if Sunday’s game at Aston Villa turns out to be the pair’s last game in charge of the club they have “left Newcastle in good shape”. When Iain Dowie and Shearer were appointed at the beginning
RICKY SBRAGIA knew when Chelsea failed to reach the Champions League final that Sunderland’s task of staying in the Premier League would be made harder – and his fears were realised last night. Guus Hiddink, the Blues manager, has indicated that
STEWART DOWNING will have surgery today in the hope of finally learning the true extent of the foot problem that he sustained in last weekend’s draw with Aston Villa. As revealed in The Northern Echo on Tuesday, Downing has been lined up for
DINOSAURS ruled the world for 200 million years – and now they are back. Walking with Dinosaurs, based on the BBC TV series, is bringing the creatures back to life in a theatrical show that lets the audience get up close. More than 15 life-sized
A BOY who suffered lifethreatening injuries after a quarter-tonne gate fell on him is now back at home. Chris Jefferson, nine, suffered a fractured skull and needed 50 staples to hold his head wound together as he lay in intensive care at Newcastle
MORE students are to be attracted to a North-East town as a university pushes ahead with plans for a new campus. Teesside University is hoping to lease buildings in Darlington until a new complex can be built in the town. Last night, senior
THE quality of bathing water off the region’s coastline has dipped significantly in the past year, according to a survey released today. Heavy rain and overflowing sewers have been blamed for the drop in the number of beaches praised in the
MEMBERS of a community of nuns have begun the delicate process of moving their worldly possessions 250 miles to their eco-friendly new home in the region. The multi-million pound monastery at Crief Farm, Wass, near Helmsley, North Yorkshire
ONE jubilant Gurkha living in the region last night welcomed the Government’s decision to finally relent on settlement rights. Ajitkumar Limbu, who has settled with his wife and two children in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, also paid tribute
A BETTING shop worker has spoken of his lifesaving heroics after he resuscitated a dying man by the roadside. Martin Gill used first aid techniques he learnt as a trainee electrician to revive a man who had suffered a heart attack while driving
A MAN wounded during a terrifying ambush by two masked carjackers spoke of his relief last night as the pair were locked up indefinitely. The men, who were armed with kitchen knives and wearing balaclavas, leapt from bushes as Alec Bowman parked
THE niece of cancer victim who died trying to raise £20,000 to buy a new treatment drug is holding a charity night in his memory. Leanne Smith, 25, is co-ordinating an evening of entertainment to raise cash for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Great Aycliffe Residents Association has called a public meeting to discuss Newton Aycliffe’s "growing problem" of anti-social behaviour. The meeting, at 7.30pm on Thursday, June 25, takes place in St Mary’s Church and the association has invited a
POLICE were today investigating a burglary at the stately home of David Cameron's father-in-law in which antiques worth £40,000 were stolen. North Yorkshire Police said the thieves smashed a window at Sutton Park, near Easingwold, North Yorks, in the
ALAN Shearer admits Newcastle's crucial clash with Aston Villa is bigger than any cup final. The 38-year-old will send his side out at Villa Park on Sunday knowing even victory may not be enough to keep them in the Barclays Premier League on what could
SUNDERLAND midfielder Steed Malbranque is a doubt for the final day clash with Chelsea. The Frenchman suffered a hip injury during Monday night's 3-1 defeat at Portsmouth, and manager Ricky Sbragia will make a late decision on him. George McCartney
A CONVICTED paedophile is being investigated in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, it emerged tonight. Briton Raymond Hewlett was staying near Praia da Luz, in Portugal, when the three-year-old went missing in April 2007. Hewlett
