In Saturday's paper I have an interesting little tale about the royal coat of arms in St Cuthbert's church in Darlington. It has been beautifully restored by the Friends of the church. "The coat-of-arms was so covered in old varnish and dust
A DRUNKEN man who tried to swim across the River Wear was saved from drowning this afternoon. A member of the public raised the alarm at 2.30pm after spotting the 26-year-old man in difficulties in the water near the Queen Alexandra Bridge,
A Wear Valley school is banging the drum about its latest Ofsted report. Our Lady and St Thomas RCVA Primary School, in Willington, has been graded overall as outstanding by the schools’ inspectorate in a report last month. Graeme Clarke
BACK from your holidays and feeling the pinch? Perhaps you should have cancelled that costly break abroad and stayed closer to home. With the cash you saved you’d be well on your way to buying a new car. Ridiculous? Not if you like your
WHERE’S your blue badge, a so-called friend of mine inquired when I pulled up outside my son’s school in the Kangoo. You could probably park a bit closer if you put it on the dashboard. Sarcasm, I informed her, is the lowest form of wit, but
A TEESDALE mechanic steered two classic Mercedes motors to success at a national car show. Car fanatic Neville Wright won five accolades at the Mercedes Benz Club’s National Concours event in Milton Keynes, and was the only competitor to enter
GLASS sculptures created by four Shildon students are on display at a leading London art gallery. The works of art, created by Sunnydale School Year Eleven pupils James Blades, Gary Heighington, Joe Robson, and Chris Dobson, are being exhibited at the
A SCHOOL has celebrated its 100th anniversary, with the official opening of a centenary garden. The garden at Bowburn Infants and Nursery School, in Bowburn, was unveiled following a £25,000 fundraising campaign, which has stretched over two years.
AN unbeaten half-century from captain Dale Benkenstein was the only bright spot for champions Durham in the first two sessions of their LV County Championship match against Yorkshire at Headingley. Benkenstein won the toss and opted to bat, and saw his
AUSTRALIA were today setting their sights on a major first-innings lead in the opening Ashes Test after overcoming the loss of three quick wickets to frustrate England's efforts. Resuming the third morning of the first npower Test trailing by 186 runs
ONLY acting captain Dale Benkenstein provided any resistance as Durham declined from 47 without loss at Headingley until he was joined by Mitch Claydon. The ex-Yorkshire player contributed 20 to an unbroken stand of 43 as Durham reached 171 for seven
AN outdoor music festival is to take place later this month to raise money for a cancer charity. The one-day festival, featuring local bands, will take place in the grounds of Harperley Hotel, Harperley Lane, near Stanley on Saturday, July 18. A number
I'm a bit worried about reader Laura Dixon, of Darlington, who wrote to me today. Don't get me wrong, it was a very nice letter. She was congratulating The Northern Echo for publishing photographs of Darlington Rotary Club members' nude calendar
THE company that manages council homes in the former Wear Valley district has a appointed a new director of property services. Jack Hurst, 56, has been assistant director at Dale & Valley Home since September 2007 and has been acting director since April
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after vandals caused several thousand pounds of damage at a primary school. Computers and the interior of a youth club were damaged at Richmond Middle School, in North Yorkshire, in the attack. The vandals got in via
SUNDERLAND manager Steve Bruce has had a written offer for former Middlesbrough midfielder Lee Cattermole rejected. Wigan's Cattermole has been on Bruce's radar ever since he decided to take over at the Stadium of Light last month. But with Cattermole
A MOTHER has urged parents to have their children vaccinated after she claims she nearly lost her teenage son and daughter to measles. Gary Bridges and Billy-Jean Nicholson developed serious complications after both contracted the highly contagious
Recent figures suggest that 30% of men and 10% of women are afflicted by snoring. Although snoring can be considered amusing it has serious implications. Snoring not only can affect marriages and sex lives, but can also affect your daytime
For whatever reason you are considering breast enlargement whether you feel you need to restore shape and volume following weight loss or pregnancy, or you feel your confidence would be enhanced by increasing your cup size as a result of
THREE people have appeared in court charged with the murder of a 35-year-old County Durham man. The trio appeared at Newton Aycliffe magistrates today charged with the murder of Andrew Gardner from Chilton, on March 13. They are Clare Louise Nicholls
RESIDENTS in remote areas are urged to comment on their Post Office Outreach services in a bid to improve the service. Locals in outlying areas like Borrowby, Carthorpe, and Terrington use the service that can be in the form of a mobile van. It also
THIS is the first picture of the married father of two who was killed in an horrific industrial accident on Wednesday. Paul Clark is thought to have been killed while trying to fix a press at ThyssenKrupp Tallent, on Aycliffe Business Park, County Durham
Shereen Low talks to the makers of Burma VJ about the bravery of the undercover reporters who paid a high price for their actions. IN A summer that’s filled with action-packed blockbusters and the biggest Hollywood stars, there’s one film that stands
Kate Whiting talks to Amanda Redman about the return of New Tricks, the cop show that the cops like to watch themselves. OVER the past six years New Tricks has become “the” crime show to watch. Viewing figures for repeats of the BBC1 show regularly
Stars: Robin Wright Penn, Alan Arkin, Keanue Reeves, Maria Bello, Blake Lively, Julianne Moore, Monica Belluci Running time: 98 mins Rating: ★★★ WRITER-director Rebecca Miller adapts her own novel with a roll-call of star names popping
Stars: Sacha Baron Cohen, Gustaf Hammarsten Running time: 81 mins Rating: ★★ ALI G, Borat and now gay Austrian fashionista Bruno. Why doesn’t Sacha Baron Cohen be himself for a change instead of hiding behind an outrageous character
Steve Pratt looks at the strange world created by Sacha Baron Cohen’s antics. WHEN your declared objective is to become the most famous Austrian since Adolf Hitler, you have to expect a spot of bother along the way. Not that Sacha Baron Cohen
A NORTH-East school has won a national debating contest. Durham Johnston School, from Durham City, triumphed in the final of the 2009 Institute of Ideas and Pfizer Debating Matters Competition. The team tasted success following a three-day national
Bringing the Horrid Henry books to the stage, complete with a John Godber script, has been bliss, director Hannah Chissick tells Viv Hardwick. THOSE who come from the “sit quietly and I’ll begin” generation may not quite be on the same wavelength
BUSINESSES based at Lingfield Point Business Park in Darlington were left without electricity today morning after a power cut caused by a faulty transformer. NEDL, the company which distributes electricity to the business park, received a call at 5.09am
YOUNGSTERS from across Richmondshire took part in a competition to raise awareness of the importance of road safety. Sponsored by the local community safety partnership, the contest is now in its fourth year, and every primary school in the
Police have said they are becoming increasingly concerned about the disappearance of Angela Laley, 52, who has been missing from her home in Pickering since the morning of Thursday, July 9. Ms Laley is white, five feet eight inches tall, with a slim
A BUSY junction leading to a large housing estate is to be closed for seven weeks. Work will start on Monday to install traffic lights at the junction of Bek Road and Finchale Road, the main route into Newton Hall estate, in Durham City. For the first
TEACHERS are turning detectives in a bid to track down young sporting stars of the 1960s. Northallerton College - formerly the town’s Grammar School - is about to celebrate its 100th birthday. And staff plan to mark the milestone by
YOUNGSTERS are moving into a new £400,000 Girlguiding headquarters built mainly due to the efforts of a dedicated fundraiser. Hazel Barker, 65, a former North Yorkshire West assistant county Girlguiding commissioner, has worked hard to create the new
THE first British mountaineer to climb all of the world’s 14 highest peaks has given his support to a charity’s North Yorkshire climbing challenge. Northallerton-born Alan Hinkes, who climbed Mount Everest in 1996, has called for volunteers to take on
Police have said they are becoming increasingly concerned about the disappearance of Angela Laley, 52, who has been missing from her home in Pickering since yesterday morning. Ms Laley is white, five feet eight inches tall, with a slim build
Reader's question Mrs Hennessy from Darlington has a climbing rose which she describes as very healthy but which has developed black spots on some of the leaves. She wants to know what she can do about it. YOUR plant has almost undoubtedly developed
You could be in line for a big payout if you were tricked by this huge mis-selling scandal, says Martin Lewis. IF you took out loan or credit card in the past six years, you could be in line for a huge payday. Anyone whose bank flogged them useless
GREAT Ayton-based youth theatre Crash Bang Wallop is staging its latest show, High Street Musical, and with 1,100 tickets for sale, it is set to be their largest audience and longestrunning show to date. The show is based on the well-used story
Celebrity Masterchef (BBC1, 8.30pm); T in the Park 2009 (BBC3, 8pm); Torchwood: Children Of Earth (BBC1, 9pm) LAY down your spatulas, come in from the kitchen and prepare to feast your eyes. We’re about to find out which of the nation’s celebs
Cycling is clever and keeps you fit, but it simply isn’t cool. Lauren Pyrah meets the husband and wife team who are trying to get North-East teenage girls on their bikes and change the image of cycling forever. IF cycling were a dog breed, it would
AN unnamed correspondent claims that Adam Walker “uses spurious and irrelevant arguments to present the BNP as an ‘ordinary’ political party” (HAS, July 4). Trouble is that this correspondent doesn’t tell us what these “spurious arguments”
WE kid ourselves we live in an egalitarian society, yet the gulf between rich and poor has never been wider. On one side, you’ve got people who, not content with salaries of £500,000 or more, pay themselves spectacular bonuses whenever they feel
DAVID Cameron has taken it upon himself to apologise on behalf of the Conservative Party for various Thatcher government policies since becoming leader (privatising the railways and joining the Common Market are, sadly, not among them). However
DESPITE everything, Britain remains at heart a law-abiding, peaceful nation. It is a country where queues are orderly and seats on buses are given up for elderly people. So, I find it ironic, incredible even, that this tolerant, unassuming society
WHAT a first-class article by Peter Mullen (Echo, July 7) regarding the hoo-ha caused by the passing of Michael Jackson. Personally, I always considered his performances as being grotesque, what with his white features and idiotic jerky movements
RE GN Bull’s letter (HAS, July 6) regarding inconsiderate drivers using headlights during daylight. I agree it is most annoying if headlights are on full beam during daylight hours and it can cause problems. On the other hand, many Swedish cars
A FLORIST went to a barber for a haircut. When he asks about his bill, the barber replies: “I cannot accept money from you. I’m doing community service this week.” When the barber goes to open his shop the next morning there is a thank-you card
DO we see the hand of Lord Mandelson behind Gordon Brown’s refusal to come clean on the true cost to us all after a General Election? Both are men whose personal ambition is paramount and who would sell us and their party to the highest bidder
AT the end of the Second World War, Berlin was ablaze with the Nazis burning their records and log books. As we end the term of this Government, rather than a burning frenzy we have a spending frenzy, leaving the incoming government (no doubt,
Guy Turnbull learnt to live with his disability by ignoring it. Now, he tells Steve Pratt, he wants to bring his people-before-profit ethos to helping solve the shortage of social workers. GUY TURNBULL didn’t receive a lot of sympathy for his disability
CONFUSION reigned last night over the new allegations of widespread phone tapping of ministers, MPs and celebrities by journalists working for the News of the World. First, we had the astonishing announcement that the police would not be mounting
ALAN Shearer is one of several high profile figures alleged to have been a victim of phone hacking, it has emerged. Crown prosecutors are today carrying out an urgent review today of evidence related to alleged phone hacking by the News of the World.
J J The Jet Plane can show his true worth in the Darley July Cup at Newmarket. A champion back home in his native South Africa, his reputation was tarnished somewhat when he could finish only fourth in the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot. However,
BRILLIANT Gateshead Harrier Niall Flannery, who set a new English Under-20 400m hurdles record winning selection for this month’s European Junior Championships, will lead the North-East medal challenge in the English Schools Championships which
GARY Smith will begin to put the past behind him when he makes his first appearance in a Darlington shirt during this evening’s opening pre-season friendly with Billingham Town. Former Middlesbrough trainee Smith achieved notoriety last year
NORWEGIAN Jon Andre Fredriksen will next week complete a move to Hartlepool United. The Sarpsborg midfielder could join up with his new teammates on next week’s trip to Holland after playing for his club for the final time this weekend against
LEEDS United have warned Newcastle they will miss out on Jermaine Beckford unless they are in a position to table a formal bid for the transferlisted striker by the start of next week. Leeds have turned down an offer for the 25-year-old from
GARETH Southgate has ordered Mido back into training, but told him he is free to leave provided another club meets Middlesbrough’s valuation of the unsettled Egyptian. Mido was absent from Boro’s Rockliffe Park training ground for the fourth day
BRITAIN’S David Millar came agonisingly close to claiming the third Tour de France stage victory of his career as Norway’s Thor Hushovd won a sprint finish to win Stage Six. Millar, who rides for Garmin-Slipstream, was part of an early three-man
GRAEME Storm has attributed his fine recent form to a fitness drive that has seen him lose more than a stone in the last month. Hartlepool-born Storm carded an impressive sixunder- par round of 65 on the opening day of the Scottish Open yesterday
DURHAM will be without skipper Will Smith because of family reasons when they attempt to secure a record fifth successive championship win at Headingley over the next four days. Dale Benkenstein resumes the captaincy of a squad which includes
MARTYN Moxon has revealed the last few weeks have been his most difficult as Yorkshire’s director of professional cricket. The White Rose county have slipped down the championship table, and are in a relegation battle, while they also failed
AUSTRALIA demonstrated their ruthless intent to learn from the mistakes of 2005 with two of the survivors of that Ashes defeat leading an impressive fightback to establish a strong position in the opening npower Test. Having surrendered the initiative
HEALTH bosses are raking in £4m a year from controversial hospital parking charges, it is claimed. NHS Trusts covering South Tees, Harrogate, York and Scarborough are said to have generated the sum from 2006-08, says Vale of York MP, Anne McIntosh
FRAIZER Campbell is poised to become Steve Bruce’s first signing as Sunderland manager at the start of next week. Manchester United have accepted a formal offer for the striker, which is believed to be in the region of £5.5m and involve payment
ANDREW Flintoff gave a dressing room rallying cry following Australian domination of the second day of the opening npower Test in Cardiff. After Australia captain Ricky Ponting and Simon Katich struck twin unbeaten hundreds to guide the tourists
A MUSEUM gallery has been given an extensive revamp, paid for by taking its treasures to the Far East. About 150 objects from the Ancient Egyptian collections at Durham University’s Oriental Museum were seen by almost 200,000 people during
As supporters march to highlight plight of refugees, a young mother learns she is to be deported. A MOTHER-OF-TWO who fears torture if she is returned to her war-torn homeland has lost her High Court battle for asylum. Elizabeth Kiwunga
A LANDMARK ruling has been made allowing a family to stay in their home after they faced losing it through a sale and rentback scheme. It gives hope to hundreds of people in the region in a similar position after North East Property Buyers and
AN event will examine how charities can continue to raise funds during the economic crisis. The Maintaining Income and Donations during the Recession seminar at Lingfield Point, Darlington, on Thursday, will feature high-profile panellists
THE FTSE 100 Index finished ahead for the first time this week by more upbeat corporate and economic news yesterday. A decision by the Bank of England not to expand its quantitative easing programme was taken as a sign that an ailing UK economy
A TRAINEE carpenter has been named the best in the North-East. Simon Watson, an apprentice with Frank Haslam Milan, won the carpentry gold medal in the regional heat of SkillBuild, the country’s biggest construction skills competition. The New
THE Institution of Civil Engineers (Ice) North-East has presented a student from the region with an award to recognise his efforts at Durham University. Malcolm Hudson, from Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, achieved the highest score for a civil engineering
A RURAL technology company has won a contract with the agency charged with protecting the public from the swine flu pandemic. The Honeyman Group is to deliver specialist training to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) which support its production
A KEY partnership which looks to close the North/South economic divide has called for the reinstatement of Empty Property Rate (EPR) relief as a means to narrow the gulf. The Northern Way – a partnership between the three Northern regional
NO jobs are expected to be affected if a care homes group is sold. Four Seasons Health Care, which employs 200 people at offices in Lingfield Point, Darlington, could be put on the market next week. It follows a deadline for its backers to accept
CITY firms such as Tesco and Virgin are spreading the stories that the Government wants to sell them Northern Rock, the Treasury has claimed. A source close to Chancellor Alistair Darling hit back at growing rumours that the nationalised lender
A GOVERNMENT minister has been asked to decide the fate of a controversial wind farm proposal as concerns are raised in Parliament over the number of schemes planned for the Tees Valley. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
TWO dogs are looking for a temporary summer foster home. Dash, a 13-year-old yellow Labrador cross, and Kane, a nine-yearold retriever cross, right, need a home for three months after a change in their owner’s circumstances means she cannot
A TRAINING charity for the oil, gas and process sectors has branched out to include the National Health Service. The Middlesbrough-based TTE Technical Training Group was asked by the Northern and Yorkshire NHS Assessment Centre, to train two
NOT enough children in the region are eating school meals, the Government said yesterday – despite its schools having among the highest take-up rates in England. Most education authorities in the North-East and North Yorkshire are falling short
THE streets of Durham City will be thronged tomorrow, as the region’s biggest trade union gathering reaches a historic milestone. Up to 50,000 people are expected to take part in the 125th Durham Miners’ Gala, as colourful banners and brass
UNION bosses will today attempt to come up with a “battle plan” to halt the haemorrhaging of chemical jobs on Teesside. A meeting called by the union Unite will primarily discuss the planned closures of the Dow and Croda plants at the Wilton
A PENSIONER who has supported his football team since childhood has criticised a club for looking after its younger fans first. Darlington Football Club has dropped prices for its four home pre-season friendlies to £10 for adults and £5 for children
A POLICE officer who is alleged to have brutally beaten a suspect with his baton during an arrest has told a jury that he used only necessary force to detain him. Simon Atkins said he never deliberately used the extendable metal stick on Lee Scott
THE matriarch of a wellknown fish and chip shop family yesterday celebrated her 103rd birthday. Mary Bimbi was joined at Belmont Grange Care Home, on the outskirts of Durham, by members of four generations of her family to celebrate.
THE parents of three-year-old Henry Valks have spoken of their heartbreak after a common cold robbed him of his only chance of survival. Henry caught the virus weeks before he was due to have a life-saving bone marrow transplant in March. Medics
ONE of the region’s most breathtaking buildings was at the centre of two anniversaries yesterday – one on the ground and one in the air. In the early hours of July 9, 1984, a blaze tore through York Minster’s South Transept. Despite the efforts
A VETERAN police officer was overwhelmed by emotion yesterday when he relived the final moments of a car chase that ended in the death of a father- of-two. Sergeant Trevor Kelly described how a Mitsubishi L200 being pursued by up to five patrol
A HORRIFIED factory worker last night told how a workmate was crushed to death at a car parts factory. Married father-of-two Paul Clark, of Alverton Drive, Newton Aycliffe, is thought to have been killed while trying to fix an industrial press
