WORCESTER gave their chances of avoiding relegation a significant boost with a win over Newcastle at Sixways in a tense, but scrappy contest. Newcastle failed to take their chances in the first half and some very determined defending and a late try from
IF the Type-R was a man it would be Ray Winstone. Not only that, but it would be Ray Winstone wearing knuckle-dusters and brandishing a ruddy big stick. So hard is this car that a visit to the chiropractor should be part of the MOT for anyone who owns
A MAN whose body was found in a house in East Lea, Winlaton, Gateshead, has been named as Trevor William Gray. The 42-year-old's body was discovered by a friend on Thursday. Police were called and have since the described the death as "unexplained
A WOMAN who was rescued by lifeboat crews in Redcar, east Cleveland, has died, police reported last night. The 37-year-old woman, from the Middlesbrough area, was seen to walk towards the water near the cinema just before 4pm on Monday, before being
A SMUGGLER who was stopped at a ferry port with a people carrier crammed full of 28,000 cigarettes was given a suspended prison sentence today. According to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), Karl Hansen, 47, from Stockton-on-Tees, was found
A REVIEW will take place into Darlington Borough Council's completed road safety projects. Every new scheme implemented by the authority this year will be examined by the council's cabinet at a meeting on Tuesday. Among the completed projects beeing
A FLORIST has upgraded to new premises thanks to a shop front grant scheme. Francesca Waring opened the Star Flowers florists shop in the town centre at the end of January having relocated from a smaller unit on Star Yard, where she launched her business
MIDDLESBROUGH Coyne Naughton McManus Wheater Pogatetz Flood O'Neil Robson Franks Miller Aliadiere Simpson Vine Taarabt Buzsaky Leigertwood Faurlin Stewart Gorkss Borrowdale Ramage Ikeme QPR Middlesbrough subs
SUNDERLAND Gordon Hutton Turner Mensah McCartney Malbranque Cana Cattermole Richardson Bent Jones Okaka Gera Duff Etuhu Murphy Davies Shorey Baird Hangeland Hughes Schwarzer FULHAM Sunderland subs (from): Bardsley, Ferdinand
PROPOSED road improvements are expected to be given approval by councillors next week at the request of residents. A new crossroads junction and speed humps have been proposed on Fitzwilliam Drive, in the North Road area of Darlington. Members of Darlington
A MAJOR rift between two schools is proving to be a massive obstacle between a proposed merger. Eston Park School and Gilbrook Technology College are at loggerheads over Redcar and Cleveland Council's Building School for the Future plans. The neighbouring
SUNDERLAND boss Steve Bruce admits his side are locked in a fight for Premier League survival. However, the 49-year-old is convinced they have what it takes to drag themselves away from the foot of the table as they embark on a series of four successive
CHURCHES in Darlington are helping to provide lent lunches during the next five weeks. The lunches are held every Monday during the religious period in St Cuthbert's Church Hall, Darlington. The first was held last week. They start at
AS a man of near 40 years I should no longer like this monstrous cacophony. I should view their lyrics with disdain, I should mock the fist-clenching, tub-thumping of their heavily-tattooed frontman, I should close my ears to the industrial strength
A GROUP of children enjoyed an action-packed week-long football course with players from their local club during the half-term break. Darlington FC held a course during the February break at Eastbourne Sports Complex in the town. Players
THE hunt for missing chef Claudia Lawrence has moved up a gear as detectives revealed a possible breakthrough in the case. They are chasing a "significant lead" following another nationwide appeal - the third - on BBC’s Crimewatch show. The man leading
WATFORD Loach Doyley Taylor Demerit Mariappa Eustace Lansbury Cowie Harley Graham Helguson Carroll Best Gutierrez Nolan Smith Guthrie Van Aanholt Williamson Coloccini Simpson Harper NEWCASTLE Newcastle subs (from
MILLWALL Forde Robinson Craig D Ward Dunne Trotter Abdou Schofield Hackett Harris Morison Boyd O'Donovan Larkin Gamble Sweeney Monkhouse Hartley Collins Liddle Austin Flinders HARTLEPOOL Hartlepool subs (from
Saturday's race meeting at Newcastle has been abandoned, with the Gosforth Park track waterlogged. Officials held an early afternoon inspection and were left with little choice. "It's rained non-stop all morning and there's been almost half an inch
DARLINGTON Mayor's Ball made £1,662 for local charities, despite the event not attracting a sponsor. Increased ticket sales on the 2008 event saw 306 people turn out for the annual fundraiser, held on October 16 2009. Ticket sales totalled £15,300
A COUNCIL has pledged its support for the Fairtrade movement. Leaders of all Durham County Council’s six political groups signed a resolution backing the principles of the ethical shopping campaign, which aims to help food producers and farmers in developing
DEBT-ridden Portsmouth became the first Premier League club to go into administration today, effectively ensuring a drop from top-flight English football. Owner Balram Chainrai took the decision last night after talks with four interested groups failed
ONE of the region's most powerful business women has launched a rural fact-finding mission in a bid to boost the countryside economy. Kate McIntyre, the recently appointed operations director of Business Link Yorkshire recently visited outlying
THE sexy new HD-TV is on your wall, the picture’s great, but after a month... POP! The telly goes kaput. You take it back to the store, but it says “get lost, you need to send it to the manufacturer”. What do you do? Time for my Consumer
Hospices are among the most-loved charitable institutions in the region. Health Editor Barry Nelson visits a centre celebrating a significant annniversary. WHEN people in the North-East hear the word Butterwick, they probably think of the adult
Reader's question: Mrs Luckhurst, from Ingleton, has written me a lovely letter saying that last October at the Ingleton Chapel harvest thanksgiving service the preacher gave the congregation sunflower seeds from an enormous sunflower that she
THE mere mention of Stravinsky, let alone anything more contemporary, seems to ensure a small audience at The Sage Gateshead. Preferring the certitudes of the Romantics, most classical lovers seem to run a mile when faced with a challenge.
I WAS blind, but now I see. Like most people I speak to, I have been affected and overwhelmed by events beyond my control or comprehension, not knowing who or what to believe, at a loss what best to do, seeing what little assets we had worked all
RE the debate about climate change. Some people are apparently of the view that the planet is in reasonable health and that fears about climate change, etc, are groundless, if not actual scaremongering. The inevitable corollary of that view is
GOLDEN pop phenomenon Mika stormed onto the Academy stage, excited for attention. He played a set mixing albums The Boy Who Knew Too Much and Life In Cartoon Motion. Track Toy Boy is delirious and enchanting, it is definitely the creepiest
Chris Moyles’ Quiz Night (C4);The Other Michael Jackson (C4, 7.30pm);Mastercrafts (BBC2, 9pm);True Blood (FX, 10pm). HE might have a face for radio, but Chris Moyles proved he could shine on the small screen when the first series of his TV quiz
THERE is a record out at the moment in aid of Haiti. It is a copy of a song by REM called Everybody Hurts. If either the Conservative or Labour parties are elected in the coming General Election, could the same recording stars copy another record
THE films of Hollywood star Kathryn Grayson, who has died at the age of 88, are among those I remember as a boy. She appeared mainly in musicals such as The Toast of New Orleans, in which she starred with Mario Lanza, and The Kissing Bandit
I DIDN’T think David Lacey (HAS, Feb 16) would miss a chance to misinterpret my recent letter (HAS, Feb 12) headed “Broken Britain”. First of all, the Tories fully supported our cavalier interference into the affairs of Iraq and Afghanistan.
THE notion that Gordon Brown is a bully to some of his staff in Downing Street doesn’t surprise me. Not that I believe such a claim. It is not the first time the Prime Minister’s manner and personality have been called into question. “Stubborn
RE your story, “Call for rail stop on restored coastline” (Echo, Feb 15). Congratulations to Durham county councillor Alan Cox on highlighting the urgent need for a new rail station to serve the people of east Durham. Whether it should be located
Hats off to Johnny Depp – the latest version of Alice In Wonderland reunites him with director Tim Burton. Steve Pratt attends a Mad Hatter’s tea party and finds a world weirder than anything imagined by Lewis Carroll. SPIN through the revolving
A LEISURE centre has been praised for involving children and young people in decision making. Durham County Council’s Coxhoe Leisure Centre gained the Investing in Children (IiC) award. Centre manager Sean Readman said: "We showed that staff at the
IT is one thing to be controversial, but another to sink into the most extreme forms of blasphemy. Peter Barron, in his From the Editor’s Chair column (Echo, Feb 22), wrote “newspapers should be controversial. They should present contrasting
IN his poignant, if somewhat irate letter about care for the elderly, Chris Greenwell (HAS, Feb 23) makes a cogent case for injecting more Government resources in his first three paragraphs, only to fall into the usual xenophobic trap of laying
STRANGE isn’t it. These days you can’t apply for the simplest of jobs without hacking through a forest of forms. Yet, when it comes to the office of Prime Minister, there’s no job description or person specification, not even the need for three
AS Britain continues to tip-toe its way through its fragile economic recovery, the role being played by the banks continues to be a cause of national concern. The clear view of the North-East Property Forum, which met in Darlington this week,
CAPTAIN Steve Borthwick has blasted the negative reaction to England’s performance in their 17-12 RBS 6 Nations victory over Italy and stood by his immediate post-match comments that parts of England’s game in Rome had been ‘‘fantastic’’. Lawrence
JOHN Jackson admits he is still getting to grips with the demanding course at the Whistler Sliding Centre as he prepares for his second outing at the Winter Olympics. Bobsleigh pilot Jackson – from Barnard Castle – has spent the past three days
BRIAN Ellison goes to Cheltenham with a live outside chance in Bothy next month and with his team in good heart, after two winners at Southwell yesterday, the Malton, North Yorkshire, handler can enjoy another winner on the level with My Mate
LOCAL lad Andrew Archibald will have a big following when he turns out for England Students against Irish Colleges at Newcastle Falcons’ Kingston Park tonight (7.30). The 6ft 6in lock began his rugby in Blaydon’s Under 7s and has become a regular
NEWCASTLE lock Mark Sorenson feels dealing with Worcester’s direct game plan will be crucial if his side are to secure victory in tonight’s Guinness Premiership meeting at Sixways. The Falcons enter the game lying eighth in the Premiership
WEDNESDAY’S friendly with Egypt represents England boss Fabio Capello’s final opportunity to run the rule over his players before he selects his provisional squad for the World Cup finals. And with less than four months to go before the first
ANDY Flower has no intention of sending out an experimental England side in the forthcoming one-day series against Bangladesh. Flower has a number of international rookies in his ranks on this tour, including explosive wicketkeeper-batsman
DURHAM skipper Will Smith, a traditionalist by nature, is happy to give pink balls an airing in Abu Dhabi next month. It is felt they might provide a better option than white under floodlights, so pink balls are to be used in the MCC v Champions
SHANE REDMOND will remain with Darlington until the end of the season after Steve Staunton agreed a new loan deal with Nottingham Forest for the Republic of Ireland Under-21 goalkeeper. Following tomorrow’s encounter at Bradford City, Redmond
PORTSMOUTH will officially go into administration this morning with the automatic nine point penalty virtually ensuring relegation from the Premier League. Owner Balram Chainrai took the decision yesterday evening after talks with four interested
PLAYERS’ chief Gordon Taylor has expressed amazement at Wayne Bridge’s decision to quit the England team ahead of the World Cup. Taylor was ready to explain to Bridge that the best decision he could make would be to put his differences with
FABIO Capello is refusing to close the door on Wayne Bridge’s World Cup dream. Bridge confirmed yesterday that he would not be available for selection for this summer’s tournament, claiming his position in the England squad was now ‘‘untenable
CHRIS HUGHTON does not want to even consider what impact promotion will have on his own position as Newcastle United manager until he has ensured Premier League football is back on Tyneside. With Newcastle sitting five points clear at the top
AFTER demanding back-toback wins from his Sunderland squad, Steve Bruce was last night given the backing of the players inside the dressing room to lead Sunderland out of trouble. A failure to win any of their last 13 Premier League matches
GOAL-SHY Middlesbrough could be without £3.5m striker Scott McDonald for tomorrow’s visit of QPR after Gordon Strachan revealed the striker is struggling to recover from a hernia problem. Boro are awaiting test results to confirm the extent
NORTH-EAST football legend Bob Moncur returned to the hospital where he was treated for bowel cancer yesterday to urge over 60s to take a new test. Mr Moncur, who won the Fairs Cup with Newcastle United in 1969, officially opened the North-East
TWO of the most prominent members of the UK’s Asian community will help launch a North-East business forum. Businessman Syed Ahmed, who found fame by being one of The Apprentice’s most controversial stars, and Ash Mukherjee, an Indian classical
WOULD-BE North-East entrepreneurs could be given six months space in their local market rent-free through a new competition. Make Your Mark in the Markets offers a low-risk opportunity to start or grow a business, and to help fledgling entrepreneurs
NORTH-EAST estate agents have accused “unfair” banks of holding up the recovery of the property market. The latest meeting of the North-East Property Forum heard that while activity and listings were up, sales had “flatlined” due to problems
THE North-East’s expanding wind power sector has received its second major investment in a week, prompting hopes it could become home to a proposed £100m turbine factory. This week, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson announced £18.5m funding
A NORTH-EAST ethical retailer has teamed up with a leading UK wholefoods distributor to launch an online Fairtrade grocery store. Suma Co-operative has teamed up with Gatesheadbased Ethicalsuperstore.com to create a site stocking a full range
A DUNKIRK spirit saw snowed-in Britons ditch their cars and turn to buses to ensure they made it into work last month, transport group Go-Ahead said yesterday. The Newcastle-based firm, which carries about 1.6million bus passengers every day
THE last operational part of the historic Paton and Baldwins legacy will be lost from Darlington today, making more than 40 people redundant, The Northern Echo can reveal. Part of the company’s former offices in the town, now owned by Coats Crafts
A PLAY area at a popular beauty spot has undergone an £80,000 makeover. The play area, at Broken Scar, near Darlington, has been redeveloped by Darlington Borough Council in partnership with environmental charity Groundwork North-East. Plans
TWO burglars who snatched £7,000 worth of designer clothes from a store were caught before they could ride off on their bikes. Hostel residents Lee Geldard and Peter Ludgate, who both have previous burglary convictions, were caught red-handed
AN infamous entrepreneur who rebuilt his career after causing the downfall of his firm believes he is an example of how business people can get back on their feet after a setback. Gerald Ratner was the millionaire chief executive of Ratners
AN inquest into the deaths of three patients of GP Howard Martin has heard he was passionate about offering personal care to patients, whom he regarded as friends. Dr Martin was cleared in 2005 of murdering Frank Moss, Stanley Weldon and Harry
IT was once revered and loved as a classical image of the Father of the Gods, but for decades its whereabouts has been shrouded in mystery. But a treasured, metre-high bust of Jupiter has now been rediscovered – gathering dust in the depths
HORSE believed to be a descendent of one of Napoleon’s war horses has been practising an ancient custom to help preserve a woodland. The dappled grey gelding, reputedly of superior lineage, has been helping to remove dead and diseased trees from
ANGER greeted an announcement that victims of an asbestos-linked condition will be denied compensation – because the Government ruled they were not genuinely ill. A Law Lords ruling denying payouts to sufferers from “pleural plaques” – a scarring
A SENIOR politician has officially opened a hospital’s revamped accident and emergency department after redevelopment work. Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague opened the department at the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton, North Yorkshire
THE expected date to get a historic steam locomotive back on the rails has been delayed until next year, it was announced yesterday. Flying Scotsman was predicted to be back in use this year, but that has been rescheduled for summer next year
A PAIR of football-mad brothers will travel to London to see the World Cup – and play in an exclusive celebrity five-a-side match – after winning a competition. Tommy Lowther, from Staindrop, County Durham, said the Coca-Cola competition was
A CHARITY is looking for 2,010 women to take part in its annual sponsored Starlight Stroll. Teesside Hospice is expecting places to be quickly filled and are urging would-be fundraisers to get their place booked for the event. Last year, walkers
A TODDLER born with her bowels on the outside of her body has been offered a ray of hope by doctors. It had been feared that Sienna Smith, of Firthmoor, in Darlington, would need an urgent double transplant to save her life – the risks of such
STARTLING breakthroughs in forensics have proved that multi-cultural Britain is nothing new. A scientific study has shown that high-status Africans were living in York as far back as the fourth century. The new evidence contradicts the
GORDON BROWN yesterday dismissed claims that he accused Tony Blair of ruining his life as “completely wrong”. The claim is the latest story to emerge from a book by political commentator Andrew Rawnsley. According to the book, an article by
A CYCLE race around a North-East reservoir has been launched by one of the region’s top police officers. Durham’s police chief Jon Stoddart is backing the return of one of the top road races in the country on Sunday, March 28. In full racing
FAMILIES in Darlington will bear no increase in council charges this year after the Labour cabinet’s proposed tax freeze was approved last night. The budget for 2010-11 and a four-year financial plan were agreed at a full council meeting
THE jury in the trial of two teenagers accused of slashing a bare-knuckle fighter known as The King of the Gipsies with machetes have been discharged without reaching verdicts. Alex Varey, 19, and George Miller, 18, had been on trial for nine
A BUSINESSMAN maddened by jealousy tried to blast a suspected love rival with a sawnoff shotgun. Andrew Ardle twice fired a sawn-off shotgun at Justin Short, who he wrongly suspected of trying to “chat up” his wife. Durham Crown
A COUNCIL proposing to close seven care homes has denied trying to “gag” opposition to the scheme. Labour-run Durham County Council has written to all 126 county councillors saying if they want to be part of the decision-making process they
A DISPUTE over a multimillion pound medical bill has broken out between two NHS trusts. South Tees Hospital NHS Foundation Trust says it will be owed about £4m by primary care trust (PCT) NHS North Yorkshire and York by the end of next month
A FEMALE member of staff at a North-East bookmakers was threatened by a robber last night. A man in his early 20s carrying an implement walked into the Pagebet shop on Dean Road in South Shields at 6.20pm. He threatened the woman, and escaped with a
POLICE investigating the disappearance of Claudia Lawrence were contacted by potential witnesses tonight after an appeal on Crimewatch. Detectives used the programme to show new CCTV images of the chef leaving work on the day she vanished last
THE death of a man at an address in Gateshead is being treated as "unexplained", police said tonight. Paramedics were called to reports of concern for a man at East Lea in Blaydon, and alerted police at 1.54pm today. Officers attended
