A SENSATIONAL closing four holes helped Graeme Storm make a strong start to the Saab Wales Open at Celtic Manor yesterday. Storm carded a three-under-par 68 to lie just four shots off the early lead set by first-round pace setter Keith Horne. The Hartlepool
World Twenty20 winner Ryan Sidebottom has compared the build up to England's successful campaign in the Caribbean just over 12 months to that of the current Yorkshire side ahead of this summer's T20 competition. "If you look at England, we were written
THE sun shone, the lager flowed and the bouncy castle heaved. But Durham again showed last night that they have yet to master the dubious arts of Twenty20 cricket. This is a game which projects little-known trundlers like Steffan Piolet into star performers
BAH! How do I get a column out of this? I'd hoped for exploding whales, of torrid smells, of beaches littered with blubber, of handbags made out of the skin, but all I got was these four measly lines from the Darlington and Stockton Times of September
It started when the wife was shopping and I was aimlessly wandering around the mall. I then spotted a stall promoting water and energy conservation. It was the W.W.F. (WORLD WILDLIFE FUND) after a bit of craic it transpires that the UAE where I
A VETERAN magician has warned "flirty tweeters... forget it" after he exchanged messages on the website with a 28-year-old ‘lesbian nude model’. Paul Daniels, the 73-year-old Middlesbrough-born conjurer, who married Debbie McGee in 1988, asked his Twitter
A REFEREE who presided over a match which saw a junior team break a goalscoring record is being investigated by football authorities. Durham Football Association (FA) launched the investigation following a Teesside Junior Football Alliance
Mi-Fi Mobile internet hotspot WOULDN'T it be great if you could hook up to a wi-fi hotspot in the middle of nowhere? Although there are plenty of hotspots in towns and cities, once you go beyond the urban sprawl coverage in the North-East varies
VOLUNTEERS will be pounding Darlington town centre's streets to encourage people to give their time to a range of North-East charities. evolution, an organisation promoting communities and the voluntary sector, is hosting the Meet The Volunteers day
KIND-HEARTED pupils have held their first community event to help raise awareness of the plight of the poor in developing countries. Year seven students at Darlington Education Village organised a Fair Trade Event to raise awareness about an issue
TWO apparently contradictory parking signs at the same spot have baffled drivers. Motorists were left scratching their heads and calling for Darlington Borough Council to make parking restrictions fully clear after images emerged of the two contradictory
Village nursery holding open day A VILLAGE nursery on a working farm is holding an open day tomorrow. High Bank Day Nursery, in Stapleton, near Darlington, opens to prospective parents from 10am to 7pm. The event will give people the chance to look
A MAN put the safety of his fiancee at risk when he grabbed the wheel of her car, forcing it off the road during an argument. Timothy Moss, 31, told his partner that he was "going to do something stupid" before causing the car to veer off St Cuthbert's
HOUSEHOLDERS are being urged to recycle paper and old clothes to raise money for a hospice. The Butterwick Hospice, in Bishop Auckland, has a recycling container and two clothing banks based in the car park at Tesco, in St Helen Auckland. The recycling
A FLAG is being raised in Ferryhill to mark Armed Forces Day this month. The special flag will be raised on the pole at Ferryhill Town Council’s offices on Friday, June 24 and will remain there until Monday, June 27. The event starts at 9.50am with
DARLINGTON'S Guy Wilks has won the second stage of the Prime Yalta Rally in his Peugeot UK 207 Super 2000. The Briton edged Thierry Neuville, his Kronos Racing team-mate, by 1.4s to close to within 0.1s of the overall lead in the International
DARLINGTON'S Stuart Hall is edging closer to a Commonwealth and European title fight, but will almost certainly have to sacrifice home advantage in the North-East to make it happen. Hall, the reigning British champion, is eyeing a triple bantamweight
Tyneside’s Comedy Festival is back under new management. Viv Hardwick reports. TEN nights of laughter are on offer for audience in Newcastle and Gateshead after the annual Comedy Festival announced it will be back on Friday, July 22, with a
Matt Westcott talks to Ranking Roger of The Beat, who believes his band’s songs are just as relevant today as they were three decades ago. THIRTY years ago, unemployment was on the increase and there was turmoil on the streets. In the charts and
Vincent Simone talks to Viv Hardwick about Strictly and his new show, Midnight Tango, and offers some surprising advice to his son. LIKE any red-bloodied male, when offered the chance to talk to the stars of new touring show Midnight Tango, I
Stars: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne, January Jones, Oliver Platt, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Zoe Kravitz, Jason Flemying, Lucas Till Caleb Landry Jones, Alex Gonzalez Running time: 132 mins Rating: **** THESE
Stars: Kim Rossi Stuart, Valeria Solarino, Filippo Timi, Paz Vega, Moritz Bleibtreu Running time: 125 mins Rating: *** THE short synopsis in the production note sums up this real life Italian crime drama in the following terms: “Biography of
Running time: 105 mins Rating: ***** THE story of Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna is told like a drama, but using documentary footage. It’s an amazing piece of construction that plays like a reallife drama as Senna’s oftencontroversial
Claire Sweeney talks to Viv Hardwick about her delight in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black re-writing Tell Me On A Sunday especially for her. AS a woman portrayed in the media as unlucky in love, Claire Sweeney must have felt the starring
LEADERS of a parish church are appealing for help after thieves stole lead from its roof, leaving them with a repair bill of up to £8,000. Crooks struck at St Mary’s Church, on South Street, in West Rainton, near Durham, two weeks ago, tearing
A SUPERMARKET worker has had his legs, back and chest waxed for charity. Grocery team leader Phil Blake put on a brave face while stock control assistant Ashley Watson tore strips off him. Collecting buckets were put out to gather donations from customers
NORTH TEES and Hartlepool hospital trust is holding an event for members and people who are interested in becoming a member. For those who want to know how the NHS Foundation Trust is helping patients with Parkinson's disease, or more about services
Viv Hardwick talks to Adrian McNally of The Unthanks about the band’s next amazing series of challenges. THE award-winning North-East folk band, The Unthanks, are working on not one, but two, important pieces of human creation at the moment.
A VENGEFUL burglar who broke into his father's home and stole his treasured guitar "to get back at him" was allowed to walk free from court yesterday. Mark Chapman was told by a judge that he needs expert help to tackle the problems he has with his family
CREAT IVE youngsters will have a brush with the law when they decorate a wall with the help of a professional graffiti artist. The project, led by Cleveland Police, involves a group of 12 young people who are transforming a large wall at Norton Community
FOLK festival time has taken its seasonal grip on the scene. Judging by the great time I had at Doncaster Festival and Chester Festival in the past couple of weeks, it looks like it’s going to be another enjoyable summer, despite the spectres of
This curiously titled group combines the superlative American rhythm team of Steve Swallow on bass and Adam Nussbaum on drums, with Brits Mike Walker on guitar and Gwilym Simcock on piano. A short tour last year inspired the group to meet again
IF you saw the film Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? you may not have realised that apart from the brilliance of the story, you were listening to some great country music. Vocalist Dan Tyminski and Alison Krauss contributed multiple tracks to the soundtrack
This recording features Jorg Widmann’s work as a composer and solo artist, with Heinz Holliger making a debut appearance as pianist. The album includes Messe for a large orchestra and Funf Bruchstucke for clarinet and piano, with a dazzling
THE owner of a cafe called Fresh has been fined more than £1,000 after a mouse infestation was discovered. Nazim Shabir pleaded guilty to failing to keep his premises and food equipment clean, in Victoria Road, Middlesbrough. He also pleaded guilty
A BUTTERFLY-THEMED event for children was held at Stewart Park, in Middlesbrough, from 1pm to 3pm today. Members of the park ranger team will be on the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum's lawn to host a range of butterfly crafts. Youngsters can pick up
Up-and-coming singer Alice Gold chats to Andy Welch about her debut album, live tour dates like Middlesbrough’s Intro Festival. When did you start playing the guitar? WHEN I was about 13, but I started singing and writing songs way before
AHANDFUL of lively Elizabethan musicians create the atmosphere with a fabulous percussive pace for Globe Theatre’s engrossing production of Hamlet. Lasting two-and-a-half hours and using all available versions, director Dominic Dromgoole must
BEING married to a killer is no fun. Ask Fiz Stape, who’s marched away in handcuffs in Coronation Street (ITV1). The fallout from husband John’s murderous activities and identity fraud is landing on Fiz. Just as she’s adjusting to life as a single
Andrew Marr’s Megacities (BBC1, 8pm) Meet the Elephant Man (C4, 9pm) Extreme Fishing with Robson Green – At the Ends of the Earth (Five, 9pm) Bums, Boobs and Botox (C4, 10pm) FOR the first time in history, more people live in cities than the countryside
OLYMPIAN Steve Cram and Paralympian Stephen Miller yesterday helped more than 50 firms celebrate winning deals for next year’s London games. The North-East firms attending an event in County Durham yesterday won more than £70m of Olympics contracts
A FIRM has won a contract to build the biggest machine of its kind in the world for a company set to start producing wire ropes on Tyneside next year. Pipe Coil Technology (PCT), based in Newcastle, has won the contract to manufacture the world
A FLORIST who trained under one of the primary suppliers of blooms to the Queen has opened a store in the region. Stephanie Smith, who trained in London under Judith Blacklock, one of the main suppliers of flowers to the royal households, has
THE London market closed in the red yesterday after disappointing jobs data in the US reignited fears over the strength of the global economic recovery. The FTSE 100 index, already weighed down by disappointing manufacturing figures in the UK
NORTHUMBRIAN Water has announced plans to create about 80 jobs in the region, but it is getting tougher with payment dodgers and warned customers to brace themselves for more price rises. The group, which employs 1,648 people in the North-East
A WIND turbine foundation plant, expected to create 400 jobs, will start production this month. TAG Energy Solutions announced last year that it was to build the facility manufacturing foundations for offshore wind turbines at Haverton Hill,
THE late Harry Hardy was our Trimdons correspondent, penny a line. It’s he who is credited with the story of Unicorn, the oneeared rabbit, perhaps otherwise known as Lug’s Bunny. Unicorn was bred in the Eighties by James Lister, of Trimdon Grange
IT is good news that the LEP is not going easy on the EZs, and is applying for a scattering of them across the TV rather than only one. Please forgive the acronyms, but Enterprise Zones (EZs) and the RGF (sorry – that’s Regional Growth Fund) are
AFTER the unwarranted diatribe against the Beatles and their music (HAS, June 1), I can only assume VJ Connor has a lot of spare time on his hands. The Beatles’ back catalogue of more than 200 songs, in an almost eight-year career, includes nearly
I THINK many people will share Councillor Carol Woods’ recent comment that Durham County Council (DCC) “needs to look at how it consults with people” (Echo, May 30). It is not surprising that only 37 people responded to a questionnaire on the
I AM writing on behalf of the Meningitis Trust in response to the news that Christopher McKee a student from Sunderland University died of meningitis (Echo, April 7). Our thoughts are with his family and friends. Meningitis continues to affect
GOVERNMENT ministers have accepted the theory that catastrophic climate change will be unavoidable unless there is a switch to renewable energy systems rather than burning coal, oil and gas, all of which produce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
THE death of Tony Burns (Echo, June 24) has deprived the region of a widely respected and talented architect who produced a substantial body of quality work over half a century. Much was done under his own practice name for which he received due
IN response to Malcolm Rolling’s letter “Where are Hardwick’s ducks?” (HAS, May 31), I am pleased to be able to report that Hardwick has seen a greater number of ducklings this year than ever before. Our new dogs-on-lead policy has reduced disturbance
IN these days of mediocre cuisine and greasy bland food, one is so often faced with the embarrassment of “good nosh spoilt”. I find eating in cafeterias absolutely terrifying. There’s only one word to describe cafeteria food and it’s a rude one
THIS week is National Volunteers Week and, as we celebrate our 25th year of providing care for North-East children, young people and adults with life-limiting conditions, I would like to say a big thank-you to all of our volunteers for their dedication
FURTHER to The Northern Echo article “We must look to the future” (Echo, June 1). It is worth clarifying for Echo readers that the Hartlepool pipe mill has orders, it is the large pipe division at Hartlepool pipe mills which has contract orders
Whitby's famous swing bridge has re-opened to pedestrians after it broke down this morning - although vehicles are still being diverted. After the eastern and western halves of the bridge jammed in the open position at about 6.30am this morning
SUNDERLAND will complete their pre-season preparations with a trip to Scottish Premier League side Hibernian.Steve Bruce's side will travel to Easter Road on Saturday, August 6 (ko 3pm), a week before the opening weekend of the Premier League season.
A year after being shot by gunman Derrick Bird, Harry Berger’s life has undergone a dramatic change. But Alex Mace finds that, despite the trauma, the incident has left the pub landlord with a positive outlook and a desire to repay those who were
In early June YMCA charity shops across the UK held their National Volunteering Week to raise awareness of the good work they do and to encourage newcomers. Volunteers work offering tea and coffee to get people to understand what its all about and
POLICE are appealing for help to locate a woman who has breached her bail conditions. Kayleigh Jane Johnson, 20, of Cold Bath Place, in Harrogate, has breached a curfew order and failed to attend Harrogate Police Station as required by the conditions
SADDLERS BEND comes out of retirement tomorrow for one last hurrah at Epsom. George Baker’s fiveyear- old runs in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes, 11 days after time was called on her career. The daughter of Refuse To Bend is in foal to Sakhee
GREAT ACCLAIM can make a dream start in handicap company as he lines up in the Kathe Kaye Memorial Handicap at Sandown today. James Fanshawe’s charge lost his maiden tag when making a triumphant seasonal bow at Leicester in April, notching a two-length
ANDY Murray scrapped his way through to the French Open semi-finals for the first time yesterday and then declared: "I can beat Rafael Nadal." The world number four will take on the five-time Roland Garros champion tomorrow after coming through
SAM ALLARDYCE has vowed to win over West Ham fans unhappy with his appointment as the club’s new manager. The former Newcastle and Blackburn boss yesterday agreed a two-year contract to attempt to guide the relegated Hammers back to the Premier
DARREN BENT has pleaded with his England and Aston Villa team-mates Ashley Young and Stewart Downing to remain at their club – and continue to help him deliver goals. Bent has benefited from the service provided by Manchester United target Young
ENGLAND LIONS batting coach Graham Thorpe has stressed the importance of Adam Lyth staying true to his natural game as he looks to arrest a dip in form for Yorkshire. Opening batsman Lyth, 23, was the county’s leading runscorer last season with
DURHAM’S surge into a 17- point lead at the top of the County Championship was tarnished yesterday by the news that Ben Stokes will be out for six to eight weeks. The blow will be cushioned by the return of Paul Collingwood, who has overcome
A PARISH council is to hold a public meeting in the hope of finding a solution to problems caused by bikers in a rural town. Residents and business owners in Hawes, in Wensleydale, claim the town’s Market Place is overrun with bikers and their machines
TWO councillors have hit out at the county council after it was revealed that Richmondshire has missed out on a share of a multi-million pound Government grant for winter road repairs. County councillors Stuart Parsons and John Blackie, who both represent
AN NHS mental health and learning disability trust has taken over responsibility for services in Harrogate, Hambleton and Richmondshire. More than 500 nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists and other support staff transferred to Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys
THE man earmarked to take over as the new Bishop of Durham was today named as The Very Reverend Justin Portal Welby. Now serving as the Dean of Liverpool, where he was appointed in December 2007, he will succeed Dr Tom Wright, who left Durham after seven
CONCERNS over a scheme that could see England’s biggest wind farm built in the region were voiced during a public meeting last night. E.ON is carrying out tests to determine if farmland east of Newton Aycliffe, in County Durham, is suitable for
A TEENAGER used a stolen bank card to go on a spending spree, including buying pants to make him look like MC Hammer. Rhys Johnson used a debit card belonging to his mother’s partner to spend nearly £8,000, Teesside Crown Court heard.
A PERVERT was jailed for three years for posing as a woman on the internet to trick teenage boys into putting on vulgar webcam shows. Liam French groomed his victims and bribed them into carrying out his wishes by sending them photographs of
DURHAM County Cricket Club is asking councillors to lift a potentially costly condition on its stadium expansion plans. The club won permission in 2009 for a £45m redevelopment of the Riverside Ground at Chester-le-Street to boost its chances
TONY Mowbray has held talks with Dutchman Anouar Hadouir, but the Middlesbrough manager will not be in a position to sign the attacking midfielder until someone leaves to create a gap in the current squad at the Riverside. Hadouir is set
SUNDERLAND boss Steve Bruce has categorically ruled out the option of selling record signing Asamoah Gyan this summer. Bruce is looking to complete a major overhaul of his Black Cats squad, having lost Darren Bent, Bolo Zenden and four loan
LEADING target Kevin Gameiro has told Newcastle United he will respond to their transfer offer in the "next one or two weeks". However, in a potential blow to Alan Pardew's hopes of landing the £10m-rated striker, Gameiro has also reiterated
YORKSHIRE captain Andrew Gale believes his side’s battling draw against Sussex in the LV=County Championship could be the result to turn the Tykes’ season around. A mature innings of 73 notout from 21-year-old Gary Ballance helped the county
A THRIVING attraction in the Yorkshire Dales has succeeded in turning the outside into the inside. The Wensleydale Creamery has given its busy visitor centre a new look - and has used an innovative grass effect. And now visitors will
TWO weeks ago Durham faced the challenge of taking on the other two sides in the top three. Now they have beaten both by an innings, restricting Warwickshire to one point and Lancashire to four while picking up the maximum of 24 themselves in
I was recently a judge for the VONNE Voluntary Sector Awards, which took place last week at the Radisson in Durham. It was a very inspiring process and event, with so many stories of people working so hard in our sector despite difficult personal circumstances
A YOB who almost killed another teenager when he rammed a broken bottle into his neck and cheek was yesterday locked up for three years. Daryll Stevens, 17, was told by surgeons that he was lucky to be alive following the brutal attack by Cameron
A JUDGE who was prosecuted after her pet dog bit a neighbour is now in dispute with the same family over a fence she erected without planning permission. Judge Beatrice Bolton was fined £2,500 in December after being found guilty of failing to
A PERVERT was jailed for three years for posing as a woman on the internet to trick teenage boys into putting on vulgar webcam shows. Liam French groomed his victims and bribed them into carrying out his wishes by sending them photographs of
A FLASHER targeted lone female joggers and cyclists on a country walkway, a court heard. Thomas John Brandling exposed himself to at least four women on the former Bishop Auckland to Brandon railway line, in County Durham, over a fortnight.
A WOMAN has told how she rushed to the aid of a group of bellringers after they were locked in a churchtower by an irate pensioner. Sandra Price released the six-strong group, aged between 45 and 65, after they were imprisoned in the belfry
BOLD plans to create about 30,000 jobs in an enterprise zone have been drawn up. The Northern Echo has been given exclusive details of the eight Tees Valley locations that will be submitted at the end of the month for Government approval
TOURISM is finally being recognised as a growth industry with the potential to create thousands of North-East jobs, a County Durham industry leader said. Representatives from around 100 tourism businesses, ranging from major attractions to bed and breakfast
A NORTH-EAST care provider promised new safeguards last night to ensure appalling scenes of abuse filmed at one of its nursing homes are never repeated. Darlington-based Castlebeck faced public outrage yesterday after hidden cameras at a taxpayer-funded
ONE of Southern Cross Healthcare’s major landlords wants to take back control of its homes. Bondcare has also suggested the same solution to other landlords of the Darlington-based firm’s 750 predominantly leased homes, in order to preserve
THE prosecution of a lorry driver accused of killing a pedestrian in a rush-hour accident was abandoned yesterday after evidence cleared him of criminal responsibility. Brian Lawton walked free from Teesside Crown Court when a formal not guilty
A CAR driver is being sued for £300,000 by a motorcyclist he allegedly ran into while pulling out of a junction. Court papers state that Moto Guzzi rider Robert McPherson suffered multiple injuries after being hit by a Toyota Corolla driven by
A COUNCIL chief at the centre of a pay rise row has announced his retirement. Paul Walker, chief executive of Hartlepool Borough Council, became embroiled in controversy when it emerged he was to receive a £10,000 pay rise, taking his salary to
A MOTHBALLED regional fire control centre could eventually cost the taxpayer £36m, it has been claimed. The North-East Fire Control Centre, in Belmont, near Durham City, was designed to bring together the fire services of County Durham, Teesside
STAFF at a 600-year-old tourist attraction have been adding the finishing touches to a much anticipated makeover. English Heritage decided to recreate two arts and crafts rooms at Mount Grace Priory, near Osmotherley, North Yorkshire, following
