NEWCASTLE boss Chris Hughton is the new League Manager's Association Coca-Cola Championship manager of the year for his efforts in taking the club back up at the first attempt, while Norwich's Paul Lambert and Rochdale's Keith Hill have been honoured
DAVID Miliband tonight emerged as early favourite to take over from Gordon Brown as the next Labour leader, according to bookmakers. The Foreign Secretary, and MP for South Shields, is the front-runner in the Labour leadership contest with the bookmakers
GORDON Brown blew the race for 10 Downing Street wide open tonight when he agreed to step down - paving the way for a potential alliance with the Liberal Democrats. After a day of fevered negotiations between the Lib Dems and the Tories, when
DAVID Cameron dramatically upped his offer to the Liberal Democrats to night in a bid to prevent a Lib-Lab pact. Casting aside all opposition to electoral reform the Tory leader said he was prepared to offer the Lib Dems a referendum on the issue in
GORDON Brown will be gone as Labour leader by Autumn - and the race has already begun to succeed him. Here are some of the leading runners: David Miliband. Age: 44. Job: Foreign Secretary. Formerly head of the Downing
THE MAIN parties may still be squabbling over the keys to Downing Street but the work of Government goes on. Chancellor Alistair Darling has been in Brussels over the weekend hammering out the details of the world's biggest bail out with other European
RESIDENTS of Spennymoor affected by anti social behaviour are invited to share their concerns at a drop in clinic. The session will be held at St David’s Close Community Centre on Wednesday May 19, from 4pm to 6pm. It has been organised and will be
THOUSANDS of pounds have been secured for further redevelopment work at a town park. The Friends of King George V Playing Fields landed a £5,000 grant from the County Durham Community Foundation’s grassroots fund. Coun Steven Avery, Ferryhill Town
A VILLAGE will this weekend host a traditional annual event that attracts hundreds of visitors from across the region. Sedgefield Community Association will hold the 40th Sedgefield Mediaeval Fair at Sedgefield, in County Durham, on Saturday. (may 15
A SUNDERLAND FC supporter who is cycling coast to coast will put aside his club loyalties for one day only, in aid of charity. Black Cats fan Wayne Stores, a former season ticket holder, will wear the black-and-white stripes of arch rivals
This is the text of Gordon Brown’s statement today: ‘‘We have a parliamentary system, not a presidential system, in this country. ‘‘As I said on Friday, with no party able to command a parliamentary majority arising from the General Election, my constitutional
Gordon Brown’s dramatic announcement came shortly after a two-and-a-half hour meeting of Liberal Democrat MPs demanded ‘‘clarification’’ from the Tories of the proposals being put forward for co-operation between the parties, including on the key issue
GORDON Brown announced tonight he was quitting as Labour leader as he revealed that Nick Clegg had requested formal talks with his party over a future government. Mr Brown said he was asking the Labour Party to call a leadership election in
The emotions of a dramatic 48 hours caught up with Hartlepool United boss Chris Turner on Saturday. After his side was deducted three points last Thursday, they had to go to Brentford and avoid defeat to avoid relegation. Following the
A NEW man has taken over one of the crucial roles at the North York Moors National Park Authority. Father-of-three Chris France is the new director of planning, replacing Val Dilcock who is retiring after 36 years with the authority’s planning team.
BRITISH Airways cabin crew are to stage a series of five-day strikes in their bitter row over jobs, pay and conditions, threatening travel chaos in the run-up to the summer holidays, it was announced today. Unite said its members at the airline will
A MEETING of Liberal Democrat MPs has requested clarification from the Tories on issues of education funding, fairer taxes and voting reform, senior MP David Laws said today. Mr Laws said the central priority must be to form a "strong and stable
THE DIABOLICALLY talented Bagdhaddies launched their latest album of berserk Balkan brass with another supreme live show. The much-loved Geordie quintet have earned a reputation as the region's best party band after 15 years of gigs at pubs
A GENTLEMEN’S dinner has raised £10,000 to support the work of a hospice. Around 180 guests attended the black-tie event at Ramside Hall Hotel, in Durham City, on May 7 to raise funds for St Cuthbert’s Hospice. The event, the first of its kind for the
THE artwork of a group of adults with learning difficulties has gone on display at County Hall in Durham. About 100 pieces, mostly paintings but including some claywork, is being exhibited in the Durham Room at the county council headquarters until
On the 7th March, Emilie Autumn and her backing members The Bloody Crumpets paid a visit to Newcastle and I was very lucky enough to see her. The day began when a friend and I travelled to Newcastle, by train and arrived in the afternoon. As we had
THE might of the Imperial Roman Army will be flexing its muscles in the depths of North Yorkshire next weekend. Dalby Forest, near Pickering, will be the spectacular backdrop for the return of the Comitatus period history and research group on May 15
A FIVE-year-old girl became the youngest winner ever at the Ripon Young Musician of the Year contest. Alexandra Romyn was declared the winner in her class after she sang the traditional Irish song Cockles and Mussels, accompanied by her mother Marika
A BURGLAR broke into an 85-year-old's home and murdered her before setting fire to her bungalow to destroy the evidence, a court heard today. Steven Hodgson, 33, fled the scene in a taxi he had called from victim Patricia Thompson's home in
IT was the setting for one of the most memorable moments in both the TV and film versions of Brideshead Revisited -and now it’s been saved for future generations to enjoy. The Atlas Fountain at Castle Howard, near Malton, is spouting forth again after
THE Bank of England held interest rates at record lows today as policymakers weighed up the impact of a eurozone bailout and a hung Parliament. The Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to hold rates at 0.5 per cent and left its £200bn programme
A CHURCH hall in a north Durham town has won a second lottery grant to complete a renovation programme. Plans to revamp St Patrick’s Church hall in Consett were under threat because of the recession. But now the plan is back on after St Patrick’s Hall
A VANDALISM spree has left motorists facing thousands of pounds worth of repair bills. Nearly 50 vehicles had their paintwork damaged by scratches on Bradhope Road, Ingram Road, Clapham Green and some of the surrounding roads in Berwick Hills, Middlesbrough
VOLCANO A volcanic eruption Causes massive disruption Planes at airports grounded Clear blue sky Yet only birds fly Angry passengers astounded. This volcanic ash Starves airlines of cash Stranded travellers curse Tiny particles of dust That
Joanne Banks tells Sharon Griffiths about her 20-year class act. BACK in May 1990, 19-year-old dancer Joanne Banks, having worked all over Europe and Japan, was home in between jobs. Unable to keep her feet still, she organised a few dance lessons
POLICE are trying to trace two girls who are believed to have been talking to man minutes before he was arrested on suspicion of trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence. It is believed that the girls were talking to a man near to West Lane/Aiden
THE title and subject may allude to one of the greatest football stories ever, but Alf Ramsey Knew My Grandfather is actually about great characters, friendship, community and solidarity, and is a fitting tribute to some hearty men and women from
THE many poll staff across Stockton borough and elsewhere deserve tremendous thanks for their sterling efforts both on the recent election day and the night which followed. In Stockton, some 270 staff ran 106 polling stations, with 200 or so more
Great British Menu (BBC2, 6.30pm, Monday to Friday); Junior MasterChef (BBC1, 4.35pm); FlashForward (Five, 9pm) MICHELIN-STARRED chef Kenny Atkinson made a great debut on BBC2’s Great British Menu last year, when his beef salad starter was
B PEACOCK suggested that there will be “no change in the amount of illegal immigrants who come to this country or in the amount of benefits paid out to them” (HAS, May 8). Not even legal immigrants are entitled to most benefits. Citizens of other
RE Dave Hodgson’s letter (HAS, May 7). I for one totally support, in theory, that many products could be produced in Britain. Unfortunately, and to the detriment of the country, most of the population want to buy products and services for the
FURTHER to my letter (HAS, May 7) concerning David Lacey’s accounts of the Israel/Palestine situation (HAS, April 28 and May 5), I think he is over-sympathetic to Israel. He says he shares outsiders’ concerns about the building of settlements
HOW about this for electoral reform? Retain party politics on first-past-the-post based on detailed electoral manifestos. Party with most seats forms government. Governing party allowed to use whip in support of detailed items in manifesto only
LABOUR’S Dari Taylor lost Stockton South by 332 votes at last week’s General Election. Her misguided support for rebuilding Egglescliffe School in Preston Park lost her support in Eaglescliffe and probably cost her the seat. In December, she clearly
Yorkshire-born script writer J Blakeson has realised his dream by directing his first film, a low-budget horror movie. He talks to Steve Pratt about his cinematic journey from an attic in Ripon to New York. WHEN he was 19, J Blakeson directed his
AS the world’s financial markets open today, Britain’s political direction remains rudderless. “Constructive” talks continue between the Tories and the Lib Dems, while the mortally-wounded Labour Party waits for scraps from the negotiating table
YOU may be interested to learn that Gordon Brown has secretly left No 10 and has decamped to a superior site next to Sam Turner’s cafe on the way into Northallerton along Darlington Road – above. On a more serious note, how is it that our travelling
FOR those of us lucky enough to work in the world of news, nothing beats General Election night for sheer seat-of-the pants excitement, as history is written to last-minute deadlines. As I look up from the editor’s chair, one of the framed front
SHILDON’S World Cross Country Championships junior international, Kate Avery got her track season off to a flying start with a runaway victory in the North- East Championships at Gateshead International Stadium yesterday. The 18-year-old Darlington
ENGLAND are determined to repay Kevin Pietersen today by making sure they reach the ICC World Twenty20 semi-finals in his absence. Paul Collingwood’s team will be in the last four as long as they can avoid a wide-margin defeat against New Zealand
CALDERCRUIX looked an animal of real potential when breezing home at Redcar and he can make a victorious return to Teesside in the Racing UK On Channel 432 Handicap. Tom Tate’s charge failed to strike in three starts as a juvenile but he made short
MARK Webber cruised to his first Formula One win this season, and the third of his career, to underline Red Bull Racing’s dominance at the Spanish Grand Prix. They could not follow up Saturday’s one-two in qualifying with a similar result in
Chelsea 8 Wigan Athletic 0CARLO Ancelotti is convinced that Chelsea’s first league title in four years is just the start of a new era in the club’s history. The Italian guided the Blues to their first Premier League crown since the days of Jose
GRAEME STORM is closing in on the top 60 in the Race to Dubai rankings after recording his highest finish in ten months at the Italian Open. Back-to-back 69s over the weekend propelled Storm back up the leaderboard at the Royal Park Golf Club
GERARD Brophy reminded the Yorkshire selectors of his capabilities, with a careerbest score in limited-over cricket to help the Tykes secure a third successive Clydesdale Bank 40 victory. Overlooked for the County Championship side in favour
PHIL Mustard’s attempts to spice up a bland batting display were in vain as Durham suffered their first defeat of the season at Edgbaston yesterday. They lost the Clydesdale Bank 40-over League match by seven wickets, surrendering top place
STRUGGLERS for a large part of the 2009 season, Stockton, gave themselves a wellearned boost when they climbed into the top four of the NEPL. Unbeaten after three matches, they enjoyed a three-wicket win over Durham Academy, with professional
A TREMENDOUS debut by Great Ayton’s South African professional Andrew Birch was the five-star highlight on a day of unexpected results. But Birch overshadowed everything, taking 5-19 in seven overs of breathtaking pace against Northallerton.
Burnley 4 Tottenham Hotspur 2 HARRY Redknapp slammed Tottenham’s defending as they ended a successful Premier League season by letting a twogoal lead turn into defeat at Burnley. Four days after securing their Champions League spot with victory
WOLVERHAMPTON Wanderers boss Mick McCarthy became embroiled in a war of words with the Sunderland bench towards the end of yesterday’s game. But the former Black Cats boss was quick to play down the incident. He said: ‘‘It was competitive
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Sunderland 1 JOHN Major was the guest of honour at Molineux yesterday, and just as the former Prime Minister’s beloved Conservative party failed to end the week in a position of power, so Sunderland also completed
Arsenal 4 Fulham 0 FULHAM manager Roy Hodgson has called on UEFA to postpone the Europa League final if the volcanic ash causes more travel chaos ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Atletico Madrid in Hamburg. The Cottagers, who fielded a much-changed
BRIGHTON boss Gus Poyet has launched a bizarre attack on the football authorities, repeating the claim that his side must be awarded the points from their defeat at Hartlepool United in April. Pools won 2-0, but defender Gary Liddle played in
IN recent days and weeks, Chris Turner, Hartlepool United’s director of sport, has played a number of roles at Victoria Park. Manager, coach, cheer leader, defence barrister, psychologist and counsellor have all been part of his remit as Pools
Hartlepool United will be playing in League One next season, surviving relegation on goal difference after a 0-0 draw at Brentford. The point earned and Gillingham's 3-0 loss at Wycombe means the Gills finished fourth bottom and drop into League
Whitley Bay 6 Wroxham 1 THE fastest ever goal at the new Wembley set up Whitley Bay for their second successive Vase win and their third inside eight years with a crushing 6-1 win over Wroxham yesterday. Whitley were briefly pegged back to 1-
THERE were no tears, just relief the season was finally over. Darlington bade farewell to the Football League but, unlike the farewell to Feethams, there was a sense they will return. After a season in which the Quakers have been rooted to
SECONDS before he departed The Northern Echo Arena for what could be the last time, Alan White paid the perfect compliment to manager Simon Davey by suggesting Darlington would have pulled off the Great Escape had he been in charge sooner. In
A COLLECTION of rare books which is among the largest of its kind in the country has been catalogued by a university student. The books, at St Cuthbert’s Church, in Darlington, include two rare Bibles dating back to the end of the reign of Queen
INSURANCE company Prudential is understood to have reached an agreement with the City regulator to enable its Asian takeover to go ahead, it was reported yesterday. The group is thought to have agreed to set up a £1bn backstop fund to meet the
AN estate agency which launched the career of one of the stars of TV show The Apprentice is taking on more young people to help them follow his lead. Philip Taylor trained with Robinsons Estate Agents before qualifying for the BBC show, in
A MANUFACTURING firm is creating a new arm to its operation, in a move that could increase turnover by ten per cent and help the business secure work in new markets. Cleveland Cascades is already one of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers
A NORTH-EAST engineering company has secured two five-year contracts with a global oil and gas corporation, together worth more than £5m. Glamal Engineering has been chosen by Exxon Mobil to supply custom-made pipes and fittings for three of
The perception of poachers being loveable rogues is being stretched to the limit in the North-East. Graeme Hetherington joined a team of officers as they try to track down the men leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. WITHIN
A FAMILY’S plans to emigrate will not go ahead after the parents were found guilty of drug dealing. Farm worker Ian Stabler had bought tickets for a new life in New Zealand when police raided his home in Darlington, in January, last year. He
A 20-YEAR-OLD psychology student wowed the judges at a beauty contest. Alexandra Devine, from Norton, near Stockton, won the title of Miss Durham at a ceremony at Sedgefield Racecourse, County Durham, on Saturday night. Seventeen hopefuls
A NORTH-EAST college is holding an event to mark the 70th anniversary of an act of bravery that earned one of its staff the Victoria Cross. Finchale Training College, near Durham City, is commemorating the heroism of Captain Richard Annand during
LONDON'S FTSE 100 Index surged higher today as a 750 billion euro (£650bn) bailout package to prop up the single currency soothed investor fears. The blue-chip index - which shed 2.6 per cent on Friday after its worst week for 18 months - bounced back
FOOTBALL fans turned out to support a charity match featuring stars from the football and showbusiness worlds. North-East footballers, including former Darlington players, lined up to raise money for the Help for Heroes charity. The match, between
DURHAM and Newcastle universities shared the honours in a thrilling afternoon of rowing on the River Tyne yesterday. The 14th annual event between the two North-East universities saw Newcastle claim victories in the first two races of the day
SUNBED victim Mandi Welsh – who was left with horrific facial scars after life-saving skin cancer surgery – has begun a tour of schools to warn young people of the perils of using tanning booths. Mrs Welsh, 41, from Kelloe, near Durham City, plans
NEGOTIATING teams for the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats met yesterday to discuss forming a coalition government amid growing concerns about the effect the lingering uncertainty could have on the stock market. Meanwhile, Labour, who have
AFTER a whirlwind first weekend as a newly-elected MP, Ian Swales was tending issues closer to home yesterday. He overturned a 12,000 Labour majority to take the Redcar seat from Vera Baird in one of the shock General Election results of Thursday
Thousands of people turned out to welcome 3 Rifles home from Afghanistan on Saturday. Rachel Wearmouth watched the parade, and spoke to some of the battle-weary soldiers. THE soldiers of 3 Rifles have paid a heavy price for their efforts
PROPOSALS backed by a toppled MP to build a secondary school in a historic park look likely to be scrapped. Preston Park was one of four possible sites Stockton Borough Council looked at to ease the pressure on school places in the area.
A NEWLY-ELECTED MP swapped weeks of campaigning for a day out with her family during the first weekend of her new job. Jenny Chapman, who was elected as Darlington’s first female MP last week, made arrangements for a new constituency office,
ONE of the region’s country parks will receive the royal stamp of approval tomorrow. His Royal Highness, the Duke of Gloucester, will officially open Hardwick Park, near Sedgefield, County Durham, which has undergone a multi-million pound refurbishment
GORDON BROWN will remain in No 10 for at least another day, after nearly seven hours of coalition talks between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats ended without a deal. The two parties will meet again today following negotiations described
MORE than 150 runners donned an extra pair of pants for an event to raise awareness of prostate cancer. The Pants 4k Run, between Staindrop and Barnard Castle, County Durham, yesterday, raised nearly £5,000 for Cancer Research. Fundraiser
Darlington 0 Dagenham & Redbridge 2 Goodbye Football League, hello Blue Square Premier, and now the clear-out begins. Darlington completed their season on Saturday and this morning manager Simon Davey will make a statement of intent
NEWCASTLE UNITED manager Chris Hughton has been told to scratch around in the bargain basement for new players ahead of a first season back in the Premier League. Hughton will have to concentrate on attempting to bring in loan deals and free transfers
DARREN Bent is expected to be named in England’s provisional 30-man World Cup squad when it is submitted to FIFA tomorrow. Sunderland officials are understood to have been officially notified that Bent is being considered for inclusion in the list
