Archive

  • Dog kept on lead.

    Dog Control Orders are now in place in Darlington. They have been in place since April 2010. The council has allocated 54 specified places where people can be fined for littering the grass and pavement with dog fouling. This means that

  • Bishop Auckland man hospitalised after Newcastle incident

    A MAN from the Bishop Auckland area is in hospital after a serious incident in Newcastle on Friday afternoon. Police are not revealing much information about the circumstances surrounding the incident, other than to say it happened around 3pm in the

  • In memory of the world's worst golfer

    The end of the first week of my summer 'Staycation' and I've just enjoyed a round of golf with two of my sons at Hallgarth Hotel, near Darlington. I was delighted to see that the bench, bought in memory of Ian Weir 11 years ago, is still in

  • Council Supports Northern Echo Campaign

    Ferryhill Town Council supports the Northern Echo’s ‘Back on Track’ campaign. The paper along with the constituency MP, Phil Wilson, is backing a campaign to bring £7.5bn of investment to the region. Japanese company Hitachi is planning on creating

  • Petition available to sign

    A COPY of the petition launched by people living near an accident blackspot is available to sign at The Northern Echo's office, in Bishop Auckland. It was organised by Julie Sisson and her neighbours in Front Row, Eldon, after a two car collision

  • Church launches Holidays at Home

    SHILDON Methodist Church is inviting families to join its Holidays at Home initiative this month. The scheme starts on Thursday, August 12, with a session called A Century of Play, which runs in partnership with Age Concern. The event features toys

  • Tykes trail by 42 runs

    Play is about to re-start for the afternoon session of day four as Yorkshire continue to battle hard in a bid to save their LV= County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Headingley. The White Rose county trail by 42 runs with six second innings

  • Arrests made after Darlington house raid

    FOUR people have been arrested on suspicion of drug dealing following a raid on a Darlington house this morning. A quantity of a class A substance was also discovered at the address in Throstlenest Avenue, off Haughton Road. Police officers carried

  • Smooth operator

    Jessica Sherriff has become known for her contemporary acrylic jewellery, based on scenes from the North-East and Yorkshire. Ruth Addicott caught up with her to find out more. BEING a jewellery designer might sound like a glamorous job, surrounded

  • Home comforts

    HOW ironic that Dawn French’s new TV series is about a middle-aged married couple sharing the trials and tribulations of their day. Roger And Val Have Just Got In arrives on screen only weeks after she and husband Lenny Henry announced their marriage

  • Retirement age

    NOW you cannot get rid of workers over 65. We are told whom to employ, how to employ, what leave to give them, etc. All by politicians who have never done a real job in their lives. When will bureaucrats stop telling businessmen how to run their

  • Bridge parts

    WHAT a shame that the new steel gear mechanism for Whitby’s swing bridge had to be imported from Italy when, once upon a time, British steel parts were readily available from towns such as Sheffield. Never mind, Scarborough Borough Council got

  • Berlin Marathon

    THIS is a call to anyone from North Yorkshire and the North-East who might be interested in running the Berlin Marathon on September 26. Healthcare charity Sue Ryder Care has eight places available, which will be subject to a £25 registration fee

  • Energy sources

    THE “smell” from the Ensus biorefinery at Wilton, Teesside, has featured in local press reports, but I wonder how many people noticed an article in both local and national media which will have a much more telling impact on all. According to The

  • Remember Bhopal

    IN order to shatter President Barack Obama’s howls of derision while wrapping himself in the Stars and Stripes and trampling on the Union Jack over BP and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, let us turn the calendar back to the Bhopal disaster in India

  • Policing reforms

    THE Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition has outlined plans to impose elected police commissioners in every police force outside London in May 2012. So what powers will these commissioners have? The right to hire and fire chief constables,

  • Missing cats

    RE Lynne Adams’ letter about having four cats go missing in two years at Brompton-on-Swale, near Richmond (HAS, July 23). Our cat, which did not stray and only visited our neighbours’ gardens on both sides, was stolen. She was in a welcome garden

  • Key helpers

    I WOULD like to thank the maintenance men in the town centre of Peterlee, County Durham. On Monday, I parked in the Broadclose car park, but on getting out of my car I accidentally dropped the car keys down a grate. I approached a security man

  • Concern over youth shelter plans

    HOMEOWNERS living near the proposed site for a skate park and youth shelter say they are concerned it could increase anti-social behaviour. Groundwork North-East is looking into developing the community space at the Town Recreation Ground, in Bishop

  • Pub talk

    CHRISTOPHER Wardell’s letter about the high price of beer in some pubs and the need to have Shirley Bassey classics available on their jukeboxes (HAS, July 31) had the ring of truth to it. Dame Shirley is a fine singer. I have, however, a liking

  • Housing

    RE your story, “Council tenancies warning to Tories” (Echo, Aug 5). Fortunately, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes fired a warning shot that David Cameron’s suggestion of imposing fixed-term contracts on social housing tenants – so

  • MEP's office costs

    IT seems unbelievable that Darlington Labour borough councillor Cyndi Hughes should complain about present government funding for schools (HAS, July 13) when she is the wife of and also head of staff for North-East Labour MEP Stephen Hughes –

  • Pakistan flooding tragedy

    THE gentle reprimand to the visiting President of Pakistan in your Comment column (Echo, Aug 4) symbolises the tolerance of the intolerable which is embedded in the British psyche. Napoleon remarked that a leader is a dealer in hope. In abandoning

  • Tees Valley unite!

    Ray Mallon, the directly elected Mayor of Middlesbrough, expands his weekly column to issue a vital and heartfelt rallying cry. I AM a Teessider. Okay, it may not have quite the significance of JFK’s “Ich bin ein Berliner” declaration, but hopefully

  • A divisive argument

    TEN days ago, we were pleased to announce that five councils in our region were ahead of the game. They’d got their heads together, spoken to private businesses and agreed to become a Local Economic Partnership. They had to chose a name and settled

  • Chabal to shine at Newmarket

    CHABAL may have fallen short of the mark as a Derby contender, but he can begin to salvage his season as he takes a dip in class at Newmarket. After winning on his juvenile bow, Chabal finished second in the National Stakes prompting Godolphin

  • Ennis ends her season

    JESSICA Ennis will not compete any more in 2010 after winning the European heptathlon title in Barcelona last week. The 24-year-old from Sheffield made the decision with coach Toni Minichiello to ensure she is in top shape for the defence of

  • Courting support for new £30m venue

    THE North-East’s showcase new basketball venue has been handed a glowing endorsement by the man charged with delivering London 2012 glory. Team GB coach Chris Finch is already at home inside Northumbria University’s Sport Central after back-toback

  • Rudolph leads the way as Yorkshire dig in

    CENTURION Jacques Rudolph flayed Nottinghamshire all around Headingley yesterday to give Yorkshire a fantastic chance of saving their LV County Championship match against their title rivals. But then the South African flat-batted questions about

  • Stokes and Muchall rescue bold Durham

    IF Ben Stokes was the Basingstoke basher yesterday Gordon Muchall was the maestro who saved Durham from further embarrassment. Stokes scored 99 in a stand of 176 after going in with his side rocking on 40 for four and Muchall was unbeaten on

  • World Cup not be-all and end-all

    THE World Cup season may be on the horizon again but South Africa coach Corrie van Zyl insists no extra emphasis will be placed on the tournament. The Proteas began their presummer training this week ahead of a packed calendar that includes

  • Strauss shrugs off Yousuf drama

    ENGLAND were yesterday doing their best to ignore the guessing game over Mohammad Yousuf’s late arrival for the second npower Test. But neither Andrew Strauss, nor his opposite number, Salman Butt, could rise above the uncertainty which hung

  • More than the normal anticipatory excitement

    THERE’S nothing new about a group of football fans starting the season with a spring in their step. Optimism is pretty much a prerequisite if you’re going to spend the next nine months slogging around the country in support of your team, but

  • Liverpool 2 Rabotnicki 0 (Liverpool win 4-0 on aggregate)

    Liverpool 2 Rabotnicki 0 (Liverpool win 4-0 on aggregate) LIVERPOOL manager Roy Hodgson insists speculation over the club’s future ownership will not affect his focus on football but admits the longer it takes the more difficult it makes his transfer

  • Ibrox match will be home from home

    PETER LOVENKRANDS will head from one home to another in the next 24 hours, leaving behind St James’ Park on the Newcastle United team coach to head for Ibrox. It is not that the Danish striker has decided to uproot and move back to Scotland

  • North-East teen feared missing after ferry collision

    A TEENAGER from the North-East is believed to be missing at sea after a fishing boat collided with a ferry. A huge search was ongoing after the North Shields-based trawler, called Homeland, hit the Scottish Viking off the coast of St Abbs in Eyemouth

  • Hartlepool make Murray their third summer signing

    PAUL MURRAY became Hartlepool United’s third signing of the summer last night, with Chris Turner admitting he could still do with a few more. After a successful trial, Murray has followed former Carlisle United team-mate Evan Horwood to Victoria

  • Quakers coaching on offer

    DARLINGTON are inviting young supporters to take part in a coaching day tomorrow, which includes a tour of The Northern Echo Arena. Former Darlington player Neil Maddsison, now the club’s centre of excellence manager, has teamed up with Hummersknott

  • Black Cats complete Mensah return deal

    JOHN MENSAH hopes to land a work permit quickly after learning his “dream” of making a return to the Premier League with Sunderland has been secured ahead of the visit by Birmingham City. Mensah has been on Wearside this week to finalise the

  • Pompey win court battle

    PORTSMOUTH were last night celebrating a significant court victory over the taxman that should see the club back in the hands of Hong Kong businessman Balram Chainrai by the end of this month. A High Court judge dismissed a claim by HM Revenue

  • Boro line up Speroni as Reds chase Jones

    MIDDLESBROUGH are lining up Crystal Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni as their preferred replacement for Brad Jones despite having turned down Liverpool’s opening offer for the Australia international. Liverpool lodged a formal offer of around

  • £1,200 bike stolen from car

    A MOUNTAIN bike enthusiast has been left devastated after thieves stole his £1,200 machine from the rear of his car. He had just picked up the Specialized mountain bike, after having modified wheels and tyres fitted, when he parked his car

  • 30% funding cuts put bus routes at risk

    RURAL communities could lose vital bus services from next year as a 30 per cent cut in Government funding looms. Durham County Council is asking people which services they can live without after revealing that £1.3m will be slashed from the

  • Housing market appears to be getting back to ‘normal’

    ONE of the best-performing housebuilding firms during the recession has signalled a return to more normal property market conditions. Newcastle-based Bellway, the only major housebuilder paying a dividend to shareholders, said more outlets and

  • Corus – negotiations are ‘going very well’

    BUSINESS Secretary Vince Cable said the future was looking better for the mothballed Teesside Cast Products (TCP) plant after meeting Corus bosses yesterday. Speculation had been rife on Teesside that Mr Cable’s visit was related to an imminent

  • Latest funding to create jobs

    JOBS are expected to be created across the Tees Valley through the latest funding released by the £60m Tees Valley Industrial Programme (TVIP) yesterday. Business Secretary Vince Cable announced the funding of £4.6m during his visit to the region

  • Troubled food company goes into administration

    A FOOD company which recently saw employees take legal action to try to recover unpaid wages has gone into administration, with the loss of scores of jobs, The Northern Echo has learnt. The Baked Snack Company, which was accused of not paying

  • Dragon-backed firm wins Bupa job

    A NORTH-EAST industrial cleaning business, which secured the backing of TV Dragon Duncan Bannatyne, has won a major contract with private healthcare firm Bupa. UK Commercial Cleaning Services (UKCC) has been awarded the three-year contract to

  • Youth target for bowls club

    A BOWLS club wants to give the sport a cricket-style makeover to attract younger players. Barnard Castle Bowling Club, based in the grounds of Bowes Museum, wants to banish the image of the sport being associated with older people. Secretary

  • Mounting criticism over multi-billion pound plans

    MULTI-BILLION pound plans to transform part of the region into an economic powerhouse are facing mounting public criticism. Durham County Council chiefs are defending their County Durham Plan against claims it will destroy Durham City, tear

  • Singer calls for screening changes

    A SINGER who overcame cancer has launched a campaign to lower the age of eligibility for regular breast screening from 50 to 30. In 2007, Trish Greensmith detected a lump on her left breast that turned out to be an aggressive form of cancer.

  • Denise is ‘blown away’ by teenage cancer unit

    ACTRESS and television presenter Denise Welsh has visited children undergoing treatment for cancer. The 52-year-old, from Ebchester, near Consett, County Durham, chatted to staff and young people at the teenage cancer unit, at the RVI, in Newcastle

  • Murder bid charge pair in court

    TWO men accused of attempted murder appeared in the dock together for the first time yesterday for a brief crown court appearance. Angus Fitzgerald, 46, and his 26-year-old son, Carl Fitzgerald, are alleged to have tried to kill Ronald Thexton

  • Jack honoured for coming to rescue of frail pensioner

    A QUICK-THINKING teenager who helped save the life of an elderly man is to be honoured. Jack Phillips, 14, came to the rescue after a 96-year-old man collapsed at Consett bus station, County Durham, at about noon on Wednesday, July 28. The

  • Stabber struck hours after leaving prison

    A “MANIAC” who stabbed his former probation officer’s son only hours after being freed from jail was last night back behind bars – starting a five-and-a-half-year sentence. James Garbutt spent his prison release grant on drink and drugs before

  • £70-a-week heroin addict complains about police raid

    A SELF-CONFESSED heroin addict evicted from her last home under “crack house” legislation says she is being unfairly targeted by police. The 24-year-old, who has asked not to be identified, was forced out of her house in Darlington after residents

  • Fears over the impact of A&E closure ‘ill-founded’

    FEARS that the closure of an accident and emergency unit would put pressure on neighbouring hospitals appear to be ill-founded, according to figures. In October last year, NHS officials controversially downgraded the A&E unit at Bishop Auckland

  • ‘Pakistan leader wrong over war’

    As a row between Britain and Pakistan threatens to erupt over the war in Afghanistan, Joe Willis talks to the Armed Forces Minister about the spat and the progress of troops from the region fighting the Taliban. IT’S no surprise Nick Harvey fails

  • Police hunt gang after burnt-out Jaguar found

    POLICE are hunting a gang of thieves after a Jaguar sports car was found abandoned and burnt out. The wrecked luxury vehicle was found in Hallgarth, near Pittington, County Durham. An operation involving six police forces and led by Northumbria

  • Early ships put the wind in party’s sails

    After years of planning, Hartlepool welcomes the Tall Ships back to the North-East this weekend. Dani Webb watches the first ships arrive – and learns all about the history of the event. UP to a million people are expected to visit Hartlepool

  • Vicar in court to deny sex charges

    A VICAR who is suspended while child abuse allegations are investigated appeared in court yesterday to deny the claims against him. The Reverend Malcolm Jackson, 52, will stand trial on four sex charges at Teesside Crown Court next month. Mr

  • Pub set alight to claim insurance

    A MAN who feared losing thousands of pounds he had ploughed into a pub hired a gang to torch the premises in the hope of benefiting from an insurance claim. John Bew, of Thorntree Gardens, Middleton St George, near Darlington, had invested £4,000