Archive

  • Spennymoor sign Blyth striker

    Spennymoor have signed striker John Alexander from Blyth Spartans. 25 year old Alexander started his career as a YTS at Darlington, and after he was released by Quakers, played for Marske United and Billingham Town, before ex Darlington boss Mick Tait

  • O'Shea deal sealed

    SUNDERLAND have confirmed the signing of defender John O'Shea from Manchester United for an undisclosed fee on a four-year contract. O'Shea said: "Once I'd heard reports about the club and the people here, the ambitions and what the manager was all

  • Sad end for great newspaper brand

    Earlier this week, I called on people to demonstrate their outrage at the News of the World phone hacking scandal by boycotting the paper. It was not a call I made lightly but these were unprecedented circumstances which tainted not just the

  • Restoration of Flying Scotsman hits the buffers

    PLANS to get one of the world's most famous locomotives back on the tracks have hit the buffers - temporarily at least. After a painstaking restoration programme the legendary Flying Scotsman had been due to go through steam tests and commissioning runs

  • Women attacked with hammer outside primary school

    A WOMAN has been left with serious head injuries this afternoon after she was attacked with a hammer outside the primary school where she worked. Police raced to Burradon Primary School in North Tyneside at 12.07pm. They found a 21-year-old

  • Animals a highlight of carnival fun

    BERNARD GORRINGE has sent in these pictures from a Darlington Railwaymen’s Carnival in the Thirties, probably from between 1932 to 1935. “I can remember the event since my father, Fred Gorringe, was in the carnival – he’s the one in the centre

  • Cult-ure club

    Nestled in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales is a holiday centre with a Christian ethos. Despite not having a church background, Gavin Havery took his family. HOLIDAYING with a baby can be a bit tricky, when you think of all the clobber you need to

  • Watchdog statement on hacking

    Just received the following statement from the Press Complaints Commission - the industry watchdog - on the phone hacking saga... At its regular meeting today, the Press Complaints Commission discussed the admissions of the News of the World of its

  • A date with density

    A weathered stone and an enthusiastic mason all at sixes and nines - both the ingredients needed for a blunder that has survived more than a century. A literal is a common mistake in something as common as a newspaper: a slip of the fingres and

  • Another Sunday for Sammy

    Tim Healy and Ray Laidlaw are ready to raise funds again for budding North-East performers. THE next Newcastle City Hall entertainment extravaganza, to raise money for the Sunday for Sammy Trust in memory of the late actor Sammy Johnson, will take

  • Film’s soul survivor

    Ken McCluskey talks to Viv Hardwick about his lucky break in the Alan Parker film, The Commitments, which led to 20 years on stage. TWENTY years ago, Dubliner Ken Mc- Cluskey had one youth unemployment acting class on his CV when he turned up with

  • Ben thinks Huge

    Comedy double act star Ben Miller is stepping behind the camera to make his directing debut on a subject close to his heart... a comedy double act. Steve Pratt reports. Ben Miller is well-qualified to make his feature film directorial debut

  • Waiting all my life for Pitmen Painters

    Geordie actor Trevor Fox talks to Viv Hardwick about his lead role in The Pitmen Painters which brought him back to his acting roots and rekindled his school friendship with playwright Lee Hall. EVERYONE thought that Geordie actor Trevor Fox was

  • Foreign flavour

    NEW Bedford Folk Festival, which was my port of call last weekend, is set in a former whaling town in southern Massacheussetts, which is still very much a working fishing port. Now in its 17th year, where this festival scores big, like most

  • Gregory Porter/Water (Motema 233170)

    This is the first album by a young singer highly praised by Wynton Marsalis among others. Although he cites Nat King Cole as an influence, I hear more of a contemporary sound like Kurt Elling in his rich baritone voice. There are outstanding

  • Connie Smith: Long Line Of Heartaches (Sugar Hill Records)

    IN his autobiography George Jones cited Connie Smith as his favourite female singer. Elvis had a whole collection of her albums at his Graceland home. Such was the popularity of the lady with one of the cleanest, purest voices to come out of

  • JS Bach: Heinz Holliger (ECM New Series 4764368)

    Holliger presents compelling accounts of Bach’s music for oboe. Ich hatte viel Bekummernis draws upon Holliger’s long musical relationship with Camerata Bern and its leader Eric Hobarth. The tactile sound of the baroque bows on gut string are crystal

  • Wow weekend

    Stockton’s Weekender in August shows plenty of promise, while the MetroRadio Arena at Newcastle is becoming a world name. SEASICK Steve, Maximo Park, Newton Faulkner, Cast, Kitty Daisy and Lewis, The Chapman Family, Young Rebel Set, Cattle

  • Oh no, it's Lola

    THERE’S a song lyric that goes something like “Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets...” – and what newcomer Lola wants in EastEnders (BBC1) is trouble. But she’s a Mitchell, so what can you expect? Billy and Julie search for their longlost son Dan,

  • Dark and Danish

    The Killing (C4, 9pm) WHEN slow-burning Danish police thriller The Killing hit our screens, it became an unexpected, word-of-mouth hit. Although it had subtitles and was broadcast late at night on BBC4, by the end of the series it had amassed

  • The perils that await in Spain

    THE 17-year-old had just finished his A-levels and wanted to celebrate. He and his friend got a cheap hotel and even cheaper flights for a short break in Barcelona. I never had the chance to jet off like this at Charlie’s age. “What a fantastic

  • New sixth form for east Durham

    A NEW sixth form is being set up to serve young people of east Durham, it has been revealed. East Durham Sixth Form, which will be primarily based at East Durham College’s Peterlee Campus, will open its doors to talented students who would like to

  • Man suffers broken jaw

    DETECTIVES are appealing for witnesses to an unprovoked attack which left a man with a broken jaw. The 28-year-old victim was attacked in the early hours of Sunday, July 3 as he made his way home after a night out with friends in Durham City

  • Five arrests in drug raids

    FIVE people have been arrested in a series of co-ordinated drugs raids in the same street. Officers raided three houses in the village of Catchgate, near Stanley, this morning. Warrants were executed at three privately-rented semi-detached houses in

  • Brown completes Sunderland move

    Manchester United defender Wes Brown has completed his move to Sunderland - signing a four-year deal.The England international, 31, has joined for an undisclosed fee, understood to be in the region of £1million.Sunderland had a joint bid of more

  • Phone hacking

    WE often see examples of intrusion from certain sections of the media, who create a story out of very little substance. Sometimes someone’s tragedy is exposed and the question is: whom does it serve to help? Victims’ stories come in different

  • Praise for Sir Stuart Bell

    IN reply to Stephen Dixon’s letter (HAS, July 2), I can say yes I have seen Sir Stuart Bell several times over the past ten years. As a Middlesbrough resident, while glad of Mr Dixon’s comments, many thousands of us not only voted for Sir Stuart

  • Richmond Live

    RICHMOND Live was one of the best music festivals in the North- East. There was a great family atmosphere with picnics and groups of people of all ages mixing and enjoying the music. And it was free. Then, suddenly the organisers thought it was

  • A takeover too far

    THE public revulsion over the phone hacking scandal at the News of the World is growing and David Cameron, under pressure from Ed Miliband, is correct to agree to a public inquiry. In fact, there are so many strands in all this – not least, the

  • Dolly girl

    SHE was the little girl with the big smile and the winning wave, and two-yearold Eileen Bennett captured the heart of the workers. Each morning at 7.50, every evening at ten past five, she’d stand on her front doorstep eagerly to greet their

  • No such thing as a free school

    IT is exactly one year since the roof fell in on hopes that scores of ageing North-East secondary schools would finally be rebuilt for the 21st Century. Anger and disbelief greeted the announcement that the Building Schools for the Future (

  • Flight of fancy

    CHRISTOPHER WARDELL writes about Erich von Daniken (HAS, July 5). Were Christopher some years older he would have known that von Daniken has been exposed as a charlatan and fabricator. Historians who have studied the carvings, and many more than

  • Pensioned off

    PETER JEFFERIES asks why raise the pension age when younger people are dying earlier than they should (HAS, July 06). Young people who die at an earlier age are a relatively smaller number than the older persons who continue to live longer. Projections

  • Pottering on

    As the stars walk the red carpet at the world premiere of the final Harry Potter movie, Steve Pratt reflects on a decade of wizardy and what the future holds for its stars. THE message on the poster is stark. IT ALL ENDS 7.15. The clue to the meaning

  • Behind the scenes tour to celebrate radio station anniversary

    A PRESENTER from an Army radio station is going “on tour” to meet the people behind its broadcasts up and down the country. Liz Mullen, from Garrison Radio, will visit all ten bases the station broadcasts from, including Catterick Garrison, as part

  • Angels go ape for their men

    TWENTY-TWO wives and girlfriends of soldiers from 3 Rifles will tackle an assault course to raise money for injured troops. Members of the Rifles Angels - partners of soldiers in the 3 Rifles - will brave an aerial assault course on July 23

  • Lowe tipped for the top

    JEMMA LOWE can climb the podium at the World Championships this month according to the swimmer she beat to one of the individual Team GB berths in Shanghai – fivetime European and Commonwealth medalist Fran Halsall. Butterfly specialist Lowe,

  • Green belt proposals are 'not a done deal'

    CAMPAIGNERS fighting against plans to build an executive housing estate on green belt land have been assured that it is not a done deal. Residents from Nunthorpe handed over a 3,000-name petition to Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon, who assured them

  • Drivers' ideas put forward

    TAXI drivers have had their say on multi-million pound plans to regenerate Stockton town centre. Earlier this year, Stockton Borough Council unveiled a £20m, five-year plan to transform the High Street. The idea is to create open space and improve

  • Calls to back regiment march

    PEOPLE are being urged to turn out in their droves to bid a fond farewell to forces' heroes preparing for life overseas. Troops from the 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) will be staging a freedommarch through Guisborough, east

  • Duo have designs on own business

    A TALENTED young designer is to craft her creative concepts in the North-East after landing a prestigious internship in the region. Cleveland College of Art and Design (CCAD) student Emma Tweddle, 21, is to start a one-year placement with Tw ist Design

  • Praise for education support service

    A SERVICE to support students who struggle in mainstream schools has won praise from education watchdogs. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's Education Other Than at School (EOTAS) provision has been lauded in a report from Ofsted - only a matter

  • Demba Ba keen to show injury problems are in the past

    DEMBA BA is determined to get his Newcastle United career off to a flier in order to prove critics wrong about his troublesome knee. Ba signed for the Magpies from West Ham United last month after the Hammers were relegated from the Premier

  • Middlesbrough misfit on his way to Turkey

    KRIS BOYD will end a nightmare spell on Teesside if he signs for Turkish side Eskisehirspor this week. KRIS BOYD will end a nightmare spell on Teesside if he signs for Turkish side Eskisehirspor this week. The former Rangers striker

  • Man jailed for role in locomotive parts theft

    AN unlicensed scrap dealer caught twice within a fortnight with locomotive parts stolen in raids which cost a rail firm £1.5m has been jailed for a year. Brian Brady carried on with his illegal trade despite a police search of his Stockton home

  • Man to appear in court over bomb hoax

    A MAN will appear in court today charged in connection with an alleged bomb hoax after a suspicious package was found in a bookmakers' shop. The 20-year-old local man was arrested after the alert was raised by a customer at Coral Racing in Annfield Plain

  • Teenager tells of his lucky escape after fall

    A TEENAGE boy who fractured his arm and dislocated his elbow after falling from a first-floor window said last night he feels “very lucky”. Dean Smith, 14, fell from the bathroom window on Saturday after becoming locked out of his Darlington home

  • Leicestershire inflict another t20 blow to Yorkshire

    Yorkshire's hopes of qualifying for the Friends Life t20 quarter-finals suffered another blow with an 18-run Duckworth Lewis defeat against Leicestershire at Headingley last night. The White Rose county's seventh North Division defeat, and

  • Hacking revelations are ‘the tip of the iceberg’

    AN expert claimed last night that the latest phone hacking revelations at the News of the World (NoW) are just the “tip of the iceberg”. Digital evidence expert Angus Marshall said it was important for every mobile phone and landline user to

  • Cook proves his point

    Alastair Cook proved nothing new to himself but much, he hopes, to plenty of others as he led England to a ten-wicket series-levelling victory yesterday. England's new 50-over captain has come in for much flak over his perceived inability to up his tempo

  • Rudolph returns to Yorkshire

    Yorkshire have pulled off a major coup by re-signing Jacques Rudolph in a bid to save their season. The 30-year-old South African returns to the club as an overseas player for the last six LV County Championship matches, starting with the Roses

  • Pools are off to Holland

    MICK Wadsworth leads his Hartlepool United squad off on their annual pre-season pilgrimage to Holland today Pools head for the Netherlands with their first friendly to come on Saturday, followed by a second on Monday evening. Twelve

  • Still scope for additions in Cooper’s squad

    Darlington return for pre-season training today with four new faces in the squad, but manager Mark Cooper says there is plenty of time yet for more additions. The manager is not on the lookout for many more players as he is pleased with

  • Memorial unveiled for dead miners

    HUNDREDS of people gathered for a service yesterday to remember the men who died in a mining disaster 60 years ago. Descendants of two of the victims unveiled a plaque at the pit wheel that carried men down Eppleton Colliery on the former Durham

  • Wealth fears over town hall finances shake-up

    A LOOMING shake-up of town hall finances will be a devastating transfer of economic power from the North- East to the “wealthy South”, MPs were warned yesterday. Council leaders raised the alarm over plans to end the 21- year system of the Treasury

  • Thief keeps silent over scarecrow's fate

    CONCERN was mounting last night following the disappearance of a man who has been described as about 5ft tall, slim to medium build and made of straw. Villagers have designated part of Bishop Middleham, in County Durham, a crime scene after

  • Lyndon's sorrow at leisure centre axe

    PARALYMPIC hopeful Lyndon Longhorne yesterday spoke of his disappointment that his home town leisure centre is one of three County Durham facilities recommended for closure by council officers. Centres in Ferryhill, Crook and Sherburn are facing

  • Crisis at Murdoch empire deepens

    MEDIA tycoon Rupert Murdoch last night threw his support behind embattled News of the World chief Rebekah Brooks as the clamour grew for her to resign over the phone hacking scandal. While describing the allegations against the newspaper as

  • Lowe tipped for the top

    JEMMA Lowe can climb the podium at the World Championships this month according to the swimmer she beat to one of the individual Team GB berths in Shanghai - five-time European and Commonwealth medalist Fran Halsall. Butterfly specialist Lowe, who finished

  • Wildcats start with a derby

    DURHAM Wildcats start their first season in the British Basketball League with a double header against local rivals Newcastle Eagles. It is a dream start for the Wildcats, who have spent the last six years playing amateur basketball before taking up

  • Former Magpies target poised to seal Gunners move

    Arsenal are closing in on the £11m signing of Ivory Coast forward Gervinho from Lille - but continue to take a tough stance over the futures of contract rebel Samir Nasri and wantaway captain Cesc Fabregas. Newcastle United manager Alan

  • Kenny finally lands Adam

    Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish's dogged pursuit of midfielder Charlie Adam finally paid off after a new bid was accepted by Blackpool. The Reds boss twice tried to sign the Scotland international in January only to have an offer of £6.5m

  • Job losses as Whelan Construction enters administration

    A NORTH-EAST building contractor has gone into administration after almost 40 years of trading, with the loss of 49 jobs. A buyer is being sought for P Whelan Ltd of Gosforth, Newcastle that was established in 1972 and traded under the name Whelan Construction

  • Future of Hambleton Forum up for discussion

    THE future of a popular community centre could be altered forever as a cash-strapped authority attempts to make savings in its budget. The Hambleton Forum, in Northallerton, has been a success for more than 30 years, and has been in regular use by local

  • Joan stars in charity's TV advert

    A SEPTUGENARIAN is enjoying the national limelight after winning the chance to star in a television advert. Joan Jerram, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, impressed bosses at Age UK and appears in the charity’s new advert, which first aired on Monday

  • U-turn is 'too little too late' for North-East

    A U-turn that will prevent the fire sale of some key sites for investment and jobs in the region was last night condemned as too little, too late. The remaining assets of the doomed One North-East and Yorkshire Forward development agencies will

  • Cavendish enjoys 16th stage win

    Mark Cavendish scorched to the 16th Tour de France stage win of his career before hinting at the demons which lie beneath his combustible personality. The 26-year-old from the Isle of Man came from behind to belatedly open his 2011 Tour account on the

  • Sports Direct enters luxury market

    MIKE Ashley's Sports Direct group, traditionally known for its pile it high and sell it cheap approach, has taken a majority share in two of the UK's most prominent high-end fashion chains. The Newcastle United owner's firm has paid £7m for its 80 per

  • Builder relives terror of hand grenade discovery

    A BUILDER last night re-lived the terrifying moment he found himself holding a First World War hand grenade in the palm of his hand. Neville Boyes was renovating an empty house in Heighington Street, Aycliffe Village, County Durham, yesterday

  • New lease of life for former quarry

    A DISUSED quarry is to be given a new use - as an outdoors activities area for youngsters. Planning permission has been granted for the quarry near Pickering to be transformed, five years after the idea was first mooted. And supporters of the Newbridge

  • "The best fruit a tree can bear is a dead traitor"

    SORRY for the lack of posts on the Memories blog: it is due to a lack of time, rather than no inclination. This week's Memories is about the County Bridge at Barnard Castle, and it touches upon the 1569 Rising of the North. When Queen Elizabeth I proclaimed

  • Coxhoe W.M.C. to host Thai charity event.

    When Paskorn Dadsipai (better known to his friends as Dam) was a child growing up in Sakon Nakhon Province in one of the poorest parts of Thailand, he witnessed loved ones being cremated on funeral pyres. He wondered why they could not have a crematorium

  • Charity receives funds

    A LOCAL charity has benefited from a private donation in appreciation for the care given to a much loved belated husband. Maxine Nichol handed over a cheque in excess of £300 to John Paul Stabler, the marketing manager at St Teresa’s, a hospice in Darlington