THE temperature was plummeting at Doncaster's Keepmoat Stadium, but Middlesbrough will have left South Yorkshire fearing it is not the only thing falling this weekend. With a full round of Championship fixtures planned for today, last night's
TWO of the highlights of the winter for motorsport fans take place at Croft Circuit near Darlington over the next month but, unless they are well supported by the paying public, it could well be that both the Specsavers Christmas Stages Rally and
DAVID Wheater and Leroy Lita return to Middlesbrough's starting line-up for this evening's Championship fixture at Doncaster.With referee Carl Boyeson having examined the pitch prior to kick off, the game goes ahead despite the freezing temperatures in
POLICE are investigating the death of an 18-year-old man from Lingdale, East Cleveland. The man was admitted to James Cook University Hospital on Wednesday, December 15, but died in the early hours of this morning. A spokesman for Cleveland Police said
TRIBUTES have been paid to a County Durham-born former international footballer who has died at the age of 64. Former Spurs and Burnley midfielder Ralph Coates passed away in his sleep in a Bedfordshire hospital today following a stroke. Born in Hetton-le-Hole
A MAN whose body was found near a railway line died of hypothermia, police said today. Michael Swift, 36, was discovered at around 12.20pm on Tuesday, close to Seaton Carew train station, in Hartlepool. Officers are now investigating the circumstances
A PROLIFIC thief who was banned from every shop in County Durham has struck again, a court heard today. Gareth Lee Palfrey has been convicted of 58 thefts or similar offences since 2000 and was given a criminal anti-social behaviour order (Crasbo) to
STL Northern League clubs won't be forced into switching venues for FA Vase ties, according to an FA spokesman. With another freeze taking a grip on the north east, the home Vase ties involving Shildon and Dunston have been postponed for the
Hartlepool United's home game with Charlton Athletic has been postponed. A 1pm pitch inspection put paid to any hopes of the game going ahead. Despite the Victoria Park pitch being covered from the heavy overnight frosts, parts of the pitch have froze
It looks like another blank weekend in the STL Northern League and FA Carlsberg Vase. By Friday lunchtime, the Vase games involving Dunston (v Heather St Johns), Shildon (v Coalville) and Billingham Synthonia (at Westfields), plus the STL Northern League
HAVE you bought a set of winter tyres yet? In countries where severe winter weather is expected, most drivers switch to a set of special tyres during the cold season. Normal tyres start to lose grip at temperatures below minus seven
Darlington's match at Cambridge United tomorrow has been postponed due to a frozen pitch. A Cambridge spokesman said today: "Referee Kevin Wright arrived at the ground this morning and in consultation with the match referee Chris Knowles deemed
Maybe that wretched meerkat has a point after all: why can’t everything be simples? LIFE has somehow got out of control, lost in the admin, rules and regs. Just this week there were two startling examples. First – troops were called in to clear
A Night of Heroes: The Military Awards 2010 (ITV1, 9pm); Come Dine With Me (C4, 5pm); Festivals Britannia (BBC4, 9pm) BRITAIN’S celebrities may be all glammed up and out in force on the red carpet at the Imperial War Museum, but for once they
SPENDING reductions in the bloated public sector could be achieved by cutting out all equality and diversity jobs. I suggest they be replaced with a memo stating that, in future, common sense will apply to all situations. Other non-jobs such as
FURTHER to recent correspondence about the weather and forecasting, I remember what my geography teacher used to say. Having explained the difference between climates and the variability of weather, he concluded that if we assumed the opposite
MORE snow is on the way. I wonder how many companies with vehicles on the road have taken steps to meet this challenge? Taxis operate all year round and they use the same tyres. They should be forced to fit snow tyres in winter. The same should
THE Labour Party appear to be promoting the idea of a graduate tax for English students instead of university tuition fees. They call it a graduate tax, but is that actually what Ed Miliband is proposing? The Milibands do not intend to pay for
THERESA MAY was said to be shocked by recent events in central London. Why? Those responsible for the violence in the capital haven’t appeared overnight. On the contrary, they are a known quantity, clearly enjoy causing mayhem and have thrown
I heard Katherine Jenkins singing on TV recently. Though she has a nice voice, she is now just another pop singer. When she shot to fame she said she would turn to opera when she reached 30. But opera requires not only a good voice but long hours
I was appalled to read Peter Mullen’s regrettable tirade, “Education – a privilege not a right” (Echo, Dec 14). I am an MA student studying politics, and I attended two peaceful protests in Durham against the rise in tuition fees. I will not have
TOO many young people are still feeling the effects of the worst recession in recent history. Those with fewest qualifications are being pushed further back in the queue for work, leaving thousands stranded in the dole queue. A report
IN 1997 Italy gave up entering the Eurovision Song Contest due to a lack of public interest. Please can we start showing the same total lack of interest. That way we can save ourselves the humiliation of coming last again. J Owens, Sedgefield
I am over 90 years old, live alone and am somewhat disabled. I cannot carry sacks of rubbish or green bins. I contacted Darlington Council’s street scene service and agreed to have someone leave my rubbish outside a garden gate near the front
WHILE walking, slipping and sliding my way into town along High Northgate and Northgate, in Darlington, I was amazed to witness community payback workers clearing the snow and ice. Alas, it was not from the pavements. They were clearing the car
THE bad weather reminded us all of one of life’s eternal truths. When things seem to go wrong, the council gets the blame. Not the police or fire service, not the government, the water company or the Environment Agency. It’s the ever-present,
FLASH City can take Southwell by storm in the Archer Electrical Nursery. A solid five-runner ensemble has been lured to Nottinghamshire to contest this prize, but Bryan Smart’s young buck arguably boasts the nicest profile. Although the five-furlong
BLAYDON have told Tynedale they are prepared to wait until lunchtime tomorrow for a verdict on whether their National One match at Corbridge can go ahead. After being forced to postpone last week’s home game against Redruth at 11am on Friday
Persistent rain forced organisers to abandon the first day of the South African Open in Durban. Only half the field teed off at the 100th edition of the competition, with just six players completing nine holes. Retief Goosen led a five-way tie
PAUL Collingwood took a stunning catch to dismiss Ricky Ponting on the opening day of the third Ashes Test in Perth. Here, Northern Echo Sport takes a look back at some of the outstanding catches to have highlighted recent battles between England
CHRIS Tremlett trod a tortuous path back into Test cricket, but he took his chance yesterday as England took another giant stride towards retaining the Ashes. The 6ft 8in seamer bagged recalled Australia opener Phil Hughes in his first over
RICKY Ponting is hearing it from all angles in Perth. Speculation has become rife that should Australia lose the third Test, and therefore their shot at regaining the Ashes, Ponting would be replaced as captain. His predecessor, Steve Waugh, is
The BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards take place on Sunday, with the British public set to choose their favourite sporting star from the last 12 months. So who are the ten contenders nominated on the shortlist, and more importantly, who should
FULHAM striker Bobby Zamora yesterday took another step on his long road to recovery by running for the first time since breaking his leg. Zamora has been out for more than three months and remains on target for a February return, according
CARLO Ancelotti yesterday insisted he had no intention of quitting Chelsea at the end of the season. The future of under-pressure Blues boss Ancelotti has been the subject of fevered speculation, with reports linking him with a return to Italy
STEVE Bruce believes his squad has the makings of the best in Sunderland’s history and warns his side will continue to improve on their great start to the season. The Black Cats sit in seventh place in the Premier League, having lost just three
Juventus 1 Manchester City 1| FORMER Middlesbrough player Adam Johnson helped Manchester City to finish top of Group A in the Europa League last night, then admitted he almost didn’t play. It was an emotional night for Johnson, who admitted he
DARLINGTON are facing the daunting task of having to play an average of a game every three days during the weeks following Christmas after new dates for three matches were revealed. Dates have now been confirmed for the club’s recent postponed
HIS predecessor might have ruled out any arrivals during the January, but Newcastle boss Alan Pardew last night revealed he intends to “tinker” with his squad next month, writes SCOTT WILSON. Pardew has assessed the strengths and weaknesses of
A NORTH-EAST football club is joining forces with the British Red Cross to host a sports first aid session for young people. The youngsters, all aged between 11 and 16, won the chance to train with Newcastle United players next Tuesday. The
WITH the January transfer window just a couple of weeks away, Tony Mowbray admits he is looking for an attacking spark to help boost his side’s climb up the table. Scoring goals has been a big problem for Boro since the season began with the
A NORTH-EAST schoolboy’s artwork has been chosen to feature in a firework safety campaign message next year. The winning artwork and slogan – Go to an Organised Display and Have a Safer Day – was created by Daniel Bard, 11, of St Paul’s Church
MUSIC group Chrysalis yesterday said albums from rapper Kanye West and British singer Adele should boost business in the current financial year. The company, whose back catalogue includes tracks by David Bowie and Michael Jackson, said its
THREE artists are working with a leading North-East ethical business to have their designs produced by potteries in South America. Megan Randall, 23, Jennifer Allinson, 30, and Kathryn Wightman, 27, are visiting potteries in Peru in April,
A TEESSIDE training company has celebrated the opening of its purpose-built £2.1m training centre. CableCom has grown from a small private training company to one of the largest private training providers in the North-East, servicing a wide
THE North-East produced among the lowest amount of commercial waste in the country last year, while Yorkshire was among the highest, according to figures. The country’s industrial sector also recycled more than half of its waste, according to
CONCERNS have been raised in Parliament about the proposed closure of a Roman Catholic college in the North-East. Pat Glass, MP for northwest Durham, has tabled an early day motion in the House of Commons, expressing fears about the uncertain
A SCHEME is aiming to encourage more private businesses to install electric vehicle charging posts by providing the power needed for free. A drawback for firms installing the posts under the Plugged-in Places initiative is that they cannot
A NEW survey of business owners has revealed a higher percentage than expected believed their banks have been supportive over recent months. The research, carried out by insolvency trade body R3, found that 44 per cent of those polled thought
STAFF are set for an average bonus payment of £20,000 in April at Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct. Britain’s biggest sports goods retailer has said that it was confident of hitting its earnings target of £205m in April, triggering
CHILDREN stuck in hospital over the Christmas period have been visited by Santa and soldiers bearing presents. Members of the 4th Regiment Royal Artillery (The North-East Gunners), based at Topcliffe, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, went along
THE Government is putting a part of the region at risk of a major fire threat by refusing to halt fire service budget cuts, according to two MPs. Alex Cunningham, MP for Stockton North, and Tom Blenkinsop, MP for Middlesbrough South and East
THE chairman of a group opposed to plans for a controversial £1.4bn waste disposal plant has vowed its campaign will continue, despite the plans winning approval from councillors. The Northern Echo reported yesterday how North Yorkshire County
Dame Dela Smith, the widely-respected principal of Darlington Education Village, retires today after 35 years in teaching. She talks to David Roberts about her career and how she helped set up the unique education complex. THE sculpture outside Darlington
AS we saw with the debacle over MPs’ expenses, public confidence in our public servants can be swiftly eroded once there is a whiff of wrong-doing in the air. And the ongoing inquiry into the conduct of senior officers at North Yorkshire Police
A PAEDOPHILE was yesterday jailed for 15 years for what a judge described as the “systematic and persistent” abuse of a schoolgirl. Mark Goring still disputes the findings of a jury and plans to appeal against his convictions, which followed a crown
THE spirit of one of Britain’s comedy legends will live on among the cast of a North-East pantomime this Christmas. For a striking costume worn by the late Les Dawson is featuring in Aladdin at The Empire Theatre, in Consett, County Durham. And
THOUSANDS of pounds have been awarded from a new charity fund to groups that help the elderly and vulnerable. However, the Winter Relief Appeal is still a long way short of its £250,000 target. The appeal was launched by The Northern Echo and
A MARKET town has celebrated its status as a great place to shop with its first retail awards. The inaugural Darlington Retail Awards were presented at a glittering ceremony in front of a 300-strong audience at the town’s Dolphin Centre.
FRESH snowfalls could bring Christmas misery to the North-East as it is feared gifts bought online may not reach their destinations. Nationwide, a backlog of about four million parcels has developed as private carriers struggle to overcome
MANCHESTER City winger Adam Johnson has described the death of his friend Dale Roberts as “the worst day of my life”. The England ace, from Easington, east Durham, spoke after hearing how his goalkeeper friend Mr Roberts, 24, had died.
A UNION fighting job losses at the region’s biggest council may consider striking if redundancies are compulsory. Labour-run Durham County Council is having to axe 1,600 posts and cut services to save £100m over four years. The council has always
DOZENS of leading figures from the worlds of art and entertainment have joined the growing campaign to stop the sale of the Zurbaran paintings. The protestors – including TV presenters Loyd Grossman and Jools Holland – condemned the Church
MILITARY students have achieved the best set of marks ever recorded by the Army Foundation College since it moved. The latest intake of soldiers at Harrogate, North Yorkshire, gained a 100 per cent pass rate in the level two diploma for IT
THE deputy chief constable of one of the region’s forces clashed with the national police watchdog last night after being found guilty of discreditable conduct. Adam Briggs, of North Yorkshire Police, said he was considering an appeal after
Guisborough are severely weakened for their home game against Hebburn on Saturday. Suspensions have caught up with the Priorymen, and they are missing four players -- Chris I’Anson, Luke Bythway, David Onions and Gary Wood. They are currently
Shildon manager Gary Forrest is looking for a repeat performance in their third round FA Vase tie at home to Coalville on Saturday -- providing it can escape the weather.. Shildon bounced back from their enforced break with a 7-1 trouncing of neighbours
SCOUTING was very popular when I was a lad. In fact, I too wore my woggle with pride, until, that is, I got bored of a couple of the older lads locking me in a cupboard under the sink. I still bear the emotional scars to this day, but
BY now you're probably heartily sick of the snow. There seems to be no end of the white stuff falling from the skies at the moment and, more likely than not, your car has spent more time on your driveway than on the road. Me? I'm loving
TWO people had to be cut out of their sports car after it was involved in an accident today. North Yorkshire fire and rescue were called to the A170 near Helmsley around 3.30pm where they found an MG convertible. Fire crews removed the roof from the
