I WONDER what the weather was like on January 23, 1861, when Henry Pease and co stood on the clifftop at Saltburn and performed their rather underwhelming ceremony with the first stone (see previous post). I don't think it was one of those
The Dales PACT meeting was held on Wednesday 12th January 2011 at 7pm in Romaldkirk Village Hall. Last month’s priority:- * To target anti social behaviour surrounding Middleton in Teesdale WMC and the Forrester’s Arms Middleton in Teesdale
In 1990 Lexus made its debut in the UK, a new luxury brand from Toyota represented by a single model: the LS 400 saloon, powered by a distinctively smooth, refined and whisper-quiet 4.0-litre V8 engine. Could it cut the mustard against the
THE Picanto was where it all began for Kia. Until then, Kia cars were just curiosities. They were big on value but chronically low on driver appeal. The Picanto wasn't a market leader, the Ford KA had it beaten for driving enjoyment and the Fiat 500
RUMOURS that a recently opened supermarket is closing down are completely untrue a store spokesman has said. In recent days speculation has been rife that the Tesco Extra store in St Helen Auckland could be closed, possibly being turned into a distribution
THREE new trains have arrived on time at a North East rail museum including a star of the stage. Engines from Turkey and Waterloo have arrived at Locomotion: The National Railway Museum in Shildon alongside a train that has been restored at the museum
A POET who writes about his own experiences of a brain haemorrhage and mental health issues will perform in a south Durham town on Monday, January 31. Jules Clare suffered the potentially fatal haemorrhage in 1995 and a year later was diagnosed with
A TOWN’S first ever film festival will showcase work by local filmmakers alongside Hollywood blockbusters. It is hoped the festival in Barnard Castle will pull in tourists from across the area. The event has been organised by the Witham Cinema, which
PLANS have been unveiled to invest £2.4m in localised flood defence schemes. The Environment Agency plans to use some of the money to prevent flooding at a beck in Stockton and the expansion of the Living Waterways project into Teesside. The funding
A DONATION has helped members of a popular bowls club help themselves. The Co-operative Funeralcare in Shildon, sponsors of The Shildon Indoor Bowls Club, visited the club to present a cheque for £200 towards creating their new tea and coffee bar. The
THE latest drugs raid across the Stockton police force area has resulted in £40,000 worth of crack cocaine being taken off the streets. A kilo of the drug was discovered at an address in East Billingham after a routine stop check on a car connected to
A TALENTED young drummer has proved he can hit the right notes after a winning performance in a school contest. Students at The King's Academy, Middlesbrough, voted for their favourite act with drum soloist Jack Sutton taking the honours beating
VISITORS to a market town will soon be able to put their navigational skills to the test as they tour the sights. The Tourist Information Centre in Richmond has joined forces with the Swaledale Outdoor Club and Cleveland Orienteering Klub to encourage
DANCE CLASSES: A dance class for absolute beginners will be held at Bedale Hall, starting on Wednesday, February 9, from 7.30pm to 8.30pm. An advanced class will be held from 8.30pm to 9.30pm. The classes are progressive and in four-week periods. Styles
COUNCILLORS have pledged to work with their communities in an effort to save as many local libraries from closure as possible in the face of severe funding cuts. A number of libraries across North Yorkshire are at risk of closure after the county council
CONTROVERSIAL plans to close two schools and create a new academy are being reinvestigated by the public. Redcar and Cleveland Council has launched a consultation to outline its plans for Eston Park School and Gillbrook College. The original scheme
AN innovative community celebration is set to light up Redcar a year after the Corus Blast Furnace was mothballed. The idea was the brainchild of Secret Millionaire David Jamilly, who fell in love with the town when he took part in the Channel 4 series
A NORTH-EAST city will be one of the cities to be hardest hit by public sector cuts, according to a leading think tank. Centre for Cities has named Sunderland as of five cities it claims are particularly vulnerable, alongside Liverpool, Birkenhead
BOOKINGS to join Seaham Town Council’s trip to its German twin town, Gerlingen, can be made by first-time visitors from 10am on Wednesday. The visit to Gerlingen is timed to coincide with its Strassenfest civic celebration from September 7 - 14. There
A SILENT film screening, with melodramatic background music, will be staged at the United Reformed Church in Durham, next month. The main event is Harold Lloyd’s The Freshman, presented by Durham film archivist David Williams, with well-known local musician
FATHERS are invited to take their sons and daughters to an activity day, at the DLI Museum and Durham Art Gallery, in Durham, on Saturday February 19, from 10am - 3pm. The DLI Dads event offers children a chance to dress as a soldier, view
UNION leaders will be meeting managers at East Durham College this week following the announcement of up to 10 compulsory redundancies. The college confirmed last night it was consulting with a number of members of staff who may be at risk of redundancy
I had a constructive meeting this morning with Crown Prosecution Service officials on Teesside to discuss my concerns about the mounting confusion over contempt of court. I wrote a blog recently about my perception that local newspapers
JESSIE J is a name to watch out for in 2011. She has flyed to the top of the singles chart and entering the number 5 spot within just weeks with her smash hit song “do it like a dude” , and has already won the brit critics choice award The 22 year old
Some people were worried about mcr’s new album danger days when they said they were ‘stripping down’. For a band with such a high reputation for expressing real feeling and passion within their music this could mean losing many valuable supporters.
One of the hottest new artists for 2011 Jessie J has already come number 1 on the BBC sound of 2011 poll and won the 2011 BRIT critic choice award to name but a few. Her debut single released on the 18th November 2010 ‘Do it Like a Dude’ reached
Only one of the STL Northern League clubs has been drawn at home in the fifth round of the FA Carlsberg Vase. Holders Whitley Bay are the only team at home, against Dunstable, midtable in the South Midlands League. Manager Ian Chandler said: “After
National League Basketbal in association with TADEA; Sustainable Energy Solutions & Heaven Scent; Yankee Candles Middlesbrough TADEA Middlesbrough Lions 78-85 Hull Wasps TADEA Lions suffered their second consecutive defeat when they fell just short
IRENE ATKINSON nee PARKIN is researching her family tree and unable to find details about her great grandmother on her fathers side. She was born Margaret Renwick in 1853 in Ingleton, County Durham, to Robert and Mary Renwick. They moved to
POLICE are appealing for two vital witnesses to come forward after a 12-year-old boy was killed in a road accident. It happened just after 7.40am today, just past the Stones Garage, between two bus stops on the A64 at West Heslerton, North Yorkshire.
A NORTH-EAST singer who made it through to boot camp on the X-Factor has been found dead in woodland. The body of James Smith, who performed on the hit TV show last year as part of a four-piece group called North Life, was discovered by a dog
Only one of the STL Northern League clubs has been drawn at home in the fifth round of the FA Carlsberg Vase, which was drawn on Monday afternoon. Holders Whitley Bay are the only team at home, against Dunstable, midtable in the South Midlands League
Silent Witness (BBC1, 9pm); Baking Made Easy (BBC2, 8.30pm); Laura Hall: My Battle with Booze (BBC3, 9pm). HARRY’S fling with Hungarian human rights lawyer Anna Sandor takes a dramatic and tragic twist in Silent Witness after she asks him to fly
WIND CAPERS The wild wind was frantic and blew everywhere. It ranted and raved and blew up the stair. It clattered the rain against window and door, Then forced itself under and soaked the floor. It raced up the fields and ran all around. The
THE latest findings by Family Action, which reveal that more babies will be born into poverty as a result of tax and benefit changes, cannot be dismissed lightly. This research challenges the Government’s promise that deficit reduction would not
ISN’T it time to reintroduce the dog licence and make it compulsory to have all dogs chipped? Jobs could be created on the back of this to check that all dogs and their owners comply and to issue fixed penalties for those who don’t. This process
IN reply to the letter by Dave Brothers (HAS, Jan 20), who wears his political allegiance on his sleeve, I would emphasise that my contributions to HAS are always those of a disinterested observer. In the case of the National Bullying Helpline
I FIND it hard to believe that the Government could cut back on swine flu vaccinations this year for children and young people. As a result, people have died. On the other hand, the Government allowed MPs who fiddled their expenses to claim
Sharon Griffiths visits one school where Latin lessons are back on the curriculum. Latin is a language As dead as dead can be. It killed the Ancient Romans And now it’s killing me. NOT in Hackforth and Hornby village school it’s not. Here Latin
WHEN Eric Gendle asks why would scientists lie about global warming (HAS, Jan 18), I think he misses the point. The argument a lot of people are making is that the earth cools and warms naturally and this has little to do with human activity.
TWO items of news caught my eye recently which should be of great interest to the public. WikiLeaks has acquired the names of people and companies guilty of tax evasion via banks in Switzerland. We wait with bated breath to hear the outcome.
DAVID MILIBAND is the elected Labour MP for South Shields. I hope, therefore, that the £1,000 per week he is to receive from Sunderland Football Club will be donated to help the unemployed. He also has another job “mentoring” political students
HAVING read various articles and letters in HAS about the introduction of all-electric cars I wonder what happens if one is unable to find a charging point before the vehicle comes to a halt? What surprises me is why the manufacturers have not
The Northern Sinfonia’s latest collaboration with Classic FM at The Sage Gateshead featured several hits from the radio station’s Hall of Fame. A popular and lighter pick of music it may have been, but the performances were underpinned by the heavyweight
AFTER all that snow, we have suffered a lot of ice and frost. The gritter goes down our street, we hear it very early in the morning and in the evening, but in the morning we don’t see evidence of any grit. Talk about economies and cutting down
REGARDING the subject of the present Police Authority system, and the proposal to replace it with an elected Police Commissioner, can I share with your readers the following? I had until recently, never met the chairman of the Durham Police Authority
I REFER to your editorial and the article by Chris Lloyd (Echo, Jan 6) concerning the Church Commissioners’ decision to sell the Zurbaran paintings from Auckland Castle. Having seen these wonderful paintings in situ a few years ago, it is very
AS a father-of-four, I’m well aware that being a parent isn’t easy. In fact, it’s the most challenging job there is. So I want to say well done to Gary Miller, who made national headlines last week for driving his teenage son to Newcastle’s training
As Holocaust Memorial Day approaches, Ruth Campbell discovers how one survivor, imprisoned in Auschwitz as a child, affected hundreds of pupils with his moving story. THE 300 teenagers in the school hall are sitting quietly, faces full of concentration
PLENTY of people, including the Prime Minister, must have been hoping Andy Coulson’s departure would be the end of the phone hacking saga. Unfortunately for them, the matter would seem to be far from over. There are too many unanswered questions
ALFIE SHERRIN was a big-money recruit for Jonjo O’Neill and can pay off a modicum of his £110,000 price tag at Wetherby today. The eight-year-old flopped as favourite in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham last season and could have been counted as
NEWCASTLE Falcons were left angry and frustrated after their round six Amlin Challenge Cup match at Bourgoin was postponed. The tie was initially called off on Saturday after referee Neil Patterson deemed the pitch unplayable after a strong
FRANCESCA Schiavone last night claimed she ‘‘can do anything’’ after beating Svetlana Kuznetsova at the Australian Open in the longest women’s singles match in grand slam history. In an absorbing contest reminiscent of last summer’s Wimbledon
HAZEL Robson refused to be downbeat after her first shot at a medal at the IPC World Championships in New Zealand came to a disappointing close. The 31-year-old had to contend with running a heat in the T36 200m for the first time ever on Saturday
BILLINGHAM are setting their sights on survival after significantly boosting their chances of staying in National League Three North with a 20-3 Teesside derby victory over Middlesbrough. There are now just six points separating Billingham from
GUY Wilks secured a hardearned podium spot on his debut Intercontinental Rally Challenge event for Peugeot UK. The Darlington rally driver crossed the line after the last of 13 stages in Monte Carlo on Saturday morning thinking he had finished
MARTIN Kaymer yesterday displaced Tiger Woods as the world number two after winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship for the third time in four years by a thumping eight-shot margin over Rory McIlroy. With Woods overhauled, top man Lee Westwood
ANDY Murray is wary of the new, more mature Jurgen Melzer as he plots a route past the Austrian and into the quarter-finals of the Australian Open. While Melzer remains one of the most attacking players on tour, he has added an element of consistency
I WOULD like to go on record as thanking The Northern Echo for their continued excellent coverage of the Quakers, especially on Saturdays and Mondays. This is in stark contrast to two other sources of information that have now relegated Darlington
CIRCUS performers and stage magicians practise their skills repeatedly until they are perfected, yet none are paid the tens of thousands every week that Premier League players receive. Apart from the external motivation of money or pleasing
ENGLAND skipper Andrew Strauss will not to be drawn into a sense of panic despite his side’s World Cup preparations threatening to unravel after a third consecutive defeat to Australia in Sydney. England were beaten by four wickets at the Sydney
CAN you imagine the furore from Sunderland fans had Kevin Phillips left Sunderland in a similar fashion ten years ago? Yes, he left under something of a cloud, but the cloud was not of his making. It was laid at the feet of Peter Reid’s mishandling
SPENNYMOOR TOWN manager Jason Ainsley admitted that his side will have to play better to progress further, even though a rampant second- half performance gave them a 5-1 win at Cadbury Heath. “The players were flat at the start, maybe it was
MATTHEW BATES compared Middlesbrough’s second-half performance to Real Madrid – but admitted that the end result was nothing more than real frustration. Skipper Bates scored a spectacular individual goal which deserved to win any game, but Billy
A MAN has been arrested after a woman was bludgeoned with a hammer and stabbed to death this morning. The woman, named as Gillian Raine, 53, was attacked as she made her way to work from her home in Coleridge Gardens, Dipton, County Durham,
KIRKBYMOORSIDE upset the form book to reach the final of the Monkwearmouth Charity Cup. Leaders New Marske, with only two defeats all season, had home advantage but were rocked when the visitors scored twice in five minutes just before the interval
PERSONAL joy at being back in the Hartlepool United side for Sam Collins was tempered by the outcome of his return. Pools’ skipper, who had missed the previous four games with medial knee ligament trouble, returned to the fold at the weekend.
DAMANT Steve Bruce last night warned that he will not be bullied in to paying over the odds to find Darren Bent’s replacement. The Black Cats boss insisted he would prefer to go into the final months of the season with the players that he has already
CONCEDING a goal in injury time meant Darlington left Tamworth feeling as though they had lost, though Aaron Brown was keen to emphasise the positives. Quakers are now unbeaten in five and have a chance to move up the table this week with two
A COMPANY has raised £500,000 to pay for more than 300 volunteer counsellors. Staff and customers at Towergate Insurance, in Thornaby, near Stockton, have been fundraising, with marathons, dress-down days, auctions and charity walks. The money
A RADICAL shake-up of community nursing in the North- East could save the taxpayer £1m, it is claimed. In one of the biggest transformations of district nursing services in the country, County Durham and Darlington Community Health Services
NEW rules over waiting times in town centre loading bays have been relaxed after a trader dubbed the changes bonkers and draconian. Town centre businesses complained after Darlington Borough Council reduced restrictions over waiting times in
A DISABLED pensioner says she has been left isolated and depressed after a transport link was cut because of financial constraints. Judith Reed left her home for the first time this week since Christmas Eve, the day the Ring a Ride service had to
STUDENTS have shown their strength, skill and endurance by winning the chance to go to a regional rowing competition. Darlington College hosted the indoor rowing event. Organised by Darlington School Sports Partnership and supported by Darlington
A GRANDMOTHER who falsely claimed more than £45,000 in benefits over five years has been given a suspended jail sentence. Sheila Tranter, from Bishop Auckland, admitted failing to notify Durham County Council and the Department of Work and Pensions
AREAS of a popular museum and park are to reopen next month after refurbishment. Preston Hall Museum and Park, in Eaglescliffe, near Stockton, is undergoing a £7m regeneration thanks to Stockton Borough Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
CHINESE new year in Darlington will be marked by an Eastern-inspired dance double bill. Regional company Appetite Dance, led by Chinese-born choreographer Apple Yang, will perform a contemporary double bill, Life after Life and The Heart of Him, next
A MUSIC venue which was threatened with closure only months ago reopened after a revamp with record ticket sales on its first two nights. Darlington’s Forum music centre relaunched triumphantly with its most commercially successful weekend
YOUNGSTERS from a Darlington school have signed up to help a charity break a world record. Pupils at Heathfield Primary School, in The Broadway, Darlington, will be taking part in charity SignHealth's world record attempt to get the most people signing
A TALKING shop for cyclists has been axed after only three members of the public turned up at its last meeting. Darlington Borough Council has stopped the Cycle Forum, saying it is not a cost effective way of communicating with cyclists. The final
A PLAN to build what could be the world’s longest rope bridge may be resurrected after groups behind the scheme started discussions about a scaled-down project. The idea to build a £4.5m, 550ft-long suspended rope bridge over the River Tees,
Blackpool 1 Sunderland 2 WHETHER it was the derogatory chants being belted out by the away fans or the more diplomatic way Asamoah Gyan reflected on the situation, the message was clear at Bloomfield Road: Sunderland are keen to prove there
Peterborough 4 Hartlepool 0 MICK Wadsworth is hoping to add a new striker to his squad ahead of tomorrow’s game with Notts County at Victoria Park – and how they need one. Pools have gone 381 minutes since a goal in League One, Ritchie Humphreys
Tamworth 1 Darlington 1 IF Darlington fall short in the season’s final reckoning, the points thrown away in the closing stages of games will have proved crucial in their downfall. It has become a recurring theme this season and it cost
NEWCASTLE are hoping they can strike a deal with Aston Villa and Stephen Ireland to bring the midfielder to St James’ Park during the January transfer window. Alan Pardew is keen to strengthen his squad for the second half of the season but has
Newcastle United 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1 FOR the second time in a week, Newcastle were taught the tough lesson that a game of football is not just 90 minutes. Less than seven days after they conceded an injury-time equaliser to arch-rivals
Middlesbrough 1 Preston 1 MIDDLESBROUGH succeeded in silencing Preston manager Phil Brown, but – as is becoming a painful norm – were unable to send their supporters home with a smile on their faces as another late goal robbed them of a
A WOMAN has turned serious illness into a positive experience after she started a healing business. Sheila Barnes, from Peterlee, east Durham, has launched Eternal Circle Healing after she became qualified in reiki and quantum touch, a technique
THE region’s businesses continue to struggle ahead of the full impact of public sector cuts and tax rises. The North-East remains one of the most challenging areas of the UK, with 4,155 companies in the region facing significant or critical
TWO leading business lights have mapped out their vision for the North-East economy. Douglas McWilliams, a former chief economic advisor to the Confederation of British Industry, said the region had to break out of a culture previously reliant
AN England star has told how he is struggling to come to terms with the death of the talented young goalkeeper who had been his friend since schooldays. County Durham-born Dale Roberts, who was 24, was found dead at his home in Northamptonshire
BUSINESS leaders have urged the Prime Minister to take action to back his claims of helping North-East trade. The call comes after David Cameron spoke to North-East Conservatives during a recent visit to the region. Meeting the Darlington Conservative
SOLDIERS had an emotional homecoming from Afghanistan at the weekend after five months on the front line. The soldiers of 2 Signals Regiment returned to Imphal Barracks, York, after days of delay. Many were immediately draped with the traditional
FAMILIES got together and had fun at a disabled cycling session organised by a charity at a new venue. The Gateway Wheelers, run by Mencap, held their first session at Darlington’s Eastbourne Sports Complex, the new base for their Teesside
A CORONATION Street actor took a break from filming to visit a North-East care home at the weekend. Alan Halsall, who plays mechanic Tyrone Dobbs in the soap, visited Wynyard Woods, near Billingham, Stockton, on Saturday to meet the residents
A JUDGE jailed a child rapist for four years, but told him the sentence would have been much higher had he been able to cope with prison. Mark Glen’s abuse of the child over two years came to light when the victim confided in a family member
CHURCH officials say scrap metal thieves are continually targeting their buildings – costing the church ten times what the metal is sold for. Representatives from the Diocese of York, covering North Yorkshire and Middlesbrough, say many expensive
TWO men and a dog were moments away from death after a blaze broke out in their flat. The fire gutted the firstfloor flat above Best Foodstore and Off Licence, in Old Hall Road, Delves Lane, Consett, County Durham, on Friday evening. Neighbours
A REPORT published today which claims steel production increased by almost a quarter in the UK last year was last night welcomed by a North- East council leader. George Dunning, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said the news
THERE was a surprise in store when the family of meningitis victim Robbie Jones went out for lunch. Durham City Lions Club members were waiting to hand over £300 for the appeal to buy the youngster prosthetic limbs. Robbie, now four, of Bowburn
AN amateur goalkeeper was airlifted to hospital after breaking his neck in a freak accident during a Sunday League match. Colin Walker was last night being treated at The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, after suffering a double
