The Northern Sinfonia, which is midway through a survey of the Romantic symphonies of Brahms and Schumann, took time to reflect on the music of three 18th century composers who laid the foundations for the symphonic form. Conducted by Nicholas
Last time I attended a Darlington Orchestra concert, they were performing for the last time in the Darlington Arts Centre, and without a concert venue, their future was in doubt. Happily the orchestra have now found a new home under the chandeliers
NORTH Yorkshire, best known for its spectacular scenery, has today been named as one of Britain’s best culinary destinations. The county features in a list of the top 50 gastropubs in Britain with the highest number of entries - four - for a county
A MOTHER-OF-TWO is fighting for her life after being knocked down and left for dead by a hit-and-run driver on a residential road. A car was seen speeding along Forest Drive, in Colburn, near Catterick Garrison, moments before Rosina Seabright
A NORTH-EAST housing association is seeking people in the region who are interested in helping to lead the organisation as it approaches its 95th year. Railway Housing Association, which has the majority of its 1,400 homes in areas such as Darlington
ALLEGATIONS that football stewards were too heavy handed during an FA Cup match at the weekend have been made on the internet. The trouble involved a fan being ejected during Middlesbrough FC’s victory of Aldershot on Saturday. According to
A WORKMAN has spoken of his shock after finding a man’s body wrapped up in a roll of carpet at a derelict property. Christopher Metcalfe said he discovered the almost completely decomposed body while cleaning out a burned out building in Broomfield
A COUPLE who were unable to renew their wedding vows due to last month’s flooding were able to do so yesterday, (Saturday, January 27) despite the snow. Bad weather in December meant Kris and Sharon Evans were unable to have their service when
MIDDLESBROUGH will entertain either Chelsea or Brentford in the fifth round of the FA Cup. Boro were drawn at home for the third round in succession in this afternoon's draw, but after matches against Hastings and Aldershot, things are set to become
A MAN arrested in connection with a crash that killed a 27-year-old in North Yorkshire has appeared in court. Douglas Robertson died on Saturday, January 19, after he was struck by a silver Range Rover in North Road, Stokesley. The 23-year-old
A SUPERMARKET worker is following the Yellow Brick Road to fundraising success after having a tattoo of his favourite musical characters emblazoned across his chest. Martin Chalmers, from Darlington, hopes to raise £500 for the Great North Air
A FAREWELL service will be held for the future Archbishop of Canterbury at Durham Cathedral tomorrow evening. (Monday, January 28) The celebration is to be staged in honour of The Right Reverend Justin Welby, Bishop of Durham, and will be his last
At the end of a week featuring a day dubbed 'Black Monday', there's a good chance that you're now much more aware of the effect that shorter days and darker nights are having upon your energy and motivational levels. It's the time of year when three
REHEARSALS for an amateur production of Peter Pan in north Durham are underway. Starset Theatre is planning to stage the show at the Assembly Rooms in Durham City in May. The group has been running performing arts classes for children and young
MOUNTAIN bikers have shown their gratitude to mountain rescuers by raising cash for the cause. Members of Guisborough MTB,a mountain biking club, presented a cheque for £1,100 to Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team today (Sunday, January 27. The
THREE people were arrested after two men were taken to hospital with facial injuries. Cleveland Police has appealed for information into the attack after the men, all in their 20s, were held on suspicion of assault. Detectives were called to
A MAN could not be sentenced by a court because he failed to make contact with the probation service so they could prepare a report on him. Daniel Meredith, who admits a charge of perverting the course of justice, claimed he hadn't responded to
A MAN died yesterday after becoming trapped in fastflowing, freezing water while canoeing, sparking a largescale rescue effort. Emergency services – including police, firefighters, ambulance crews, mountain rescue volunteers and paramedics from
THE third largest ice cream manufacturer in Europe is considering buy-out proposals from private equity firms in a deal expected to be worth more than £750m. R&R Ice Cream, which employs about 450 staff at its headquarters in Leeming Bar, near
A TEESSIDE man is about to embark upon an epic journey around Britain. Craig Adams, from Norton near Stockton, will walk approximately 7,000 miles along the coastline of mainland Britain to raise money for a cancer charity. The 48-year-old, who
A PUBLIC meeting for people in the Cornsay area to discuss concerns about crime with police officers is being held at Hamsteels Community Centre, Western Avenue, Esh Winning, on Wednesday, January 30 from 6pm-7pm. It will be attended by a representative
A 78-YEAR-OLD woman was robbed in her own home in the middle of the day. Police have arrested a 43-year-old man on suspicion of the robbery at Lister Street in Hartlepool, but are appealing for information. A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said
A TEENAGER who lost her baby son to meningitis is urging the Government to make a new vaccine available to all children. The drug, Bexsero, is the first Meningitis B vaccine licensed for use in the country and could save thousands of lives, especially
A WEIGHT-LIFTING competition has raised £150 for charity. The event, on Saturday (January 26), took place at Muscle City, a new gym due to open fully in Darlington next month. About 25 people took part in the competition, with gym owner Kieran
A PENSIONER has died after being assaulted at his house last weekend. Police were called to 74-year-old John Farrow's home in Burns Avenue South, Houghton-Le-Spring, just after 2.30am on Sunday, January 20. Officers were called following reports
A FULL meeting of Darlington Borough Council will be held on Thursday (January 31), at 6pm, at the town hall. Members will discuss the authorities council tax base for 2013/14, with the level of council tax to be finalised in March. DANCE NIGHT
PEOPLE with an interest in arts and crafts got a chance to try out a range of creative activities at the weekend. An arts café was held at The Bridge Centre for Visual Arts, in Yarm Road, Darlington, on Saturday (January 26). Among the attractions
WELLIES, essential attire for young bird watchers everywhere, were celebrated at the region’s premier bird-watching centre at the weekend. Youngsters made ‘welly-feeders’ out of worn out wellington boots at Saltholme RSPB centre, near Billingham
COMMUNITY groups have been working together to improve life for villagers in north Durham. They have been working with residents and landlords in a Community Action Team (CAT) pilot scheme, which was carried out in No Place, near Stanley, over
VOCALISTS inspired by TV singing shows are being encouraged to sign up for a new group in Darlington. The BBC series The Choir showed how ordinary people became transformed by the experience of singing together. Vocal Soul Community Choir has
LOVEBIRDS in Darlington are being offered the chance to win a free Valentine’s Day meal at a pub in the town. Bosses at The Brinkburn, in Lady Kathryn Grove, are hoping to fan the flames of romance by offering a novel way for guests to ask out
ROCK band Your Army will play at a live music night for teenagers in Darlington next month. The female-fronted riff-based outfit will headline the New Blood night, at The Forum Music Centre, in Borough Road, on Thursday, February 14. Support
A DARLINGTON woman has spoken out about living in fear of crime and vandalism from youths she says are “running riot” on her estate. The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, has lived in St Paul’s Place, off North Road, for many years. She
A MAN has been taken to hospital with face, neck and back injuries after an accident on Teesside earlier today. The motorist, believed to be in his 60s, was cut out of the Renault Clio he was driving by firefighters following the accident at the
RETIREMENT home bosses hit on a novel way to keep bricklayers working on a £9m development when snow threatened to disrupt progress. Middleton Hall Retirement Village, in Middleton St George, near Darlington, hired a vast marquee so that builders
A PLANNING application to replace the demolished shops on Durham Lane, Eaglescliffe, is expected to be submitted by the end of February. The move follows discussions between owners Mowden Park Estates and planners at Stockton Borough Council.
A RAILWAY line linking Harrogate to Northallerton, which has been closed for half a century, could be reinstated. North Yorkshire County Council is carrying out a feasibility study into the possibility of reopening the line which would also connect
A SCHOOL in north Durham has been awarded £150,000 to create a new synthetic pitch suitable for a range of outdoor sports. The Hermitage Academy at Chester-le-Street secured Olympic legacy funding from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities fund through
MORE plans to create opencast coalmines in the former north Durham coalfield have been revealed. UK Coal has applied for permission to excavate a site between the former mining town of Stanley and Marley Hill, over the county boundary in Gateshead
A VOLUNTEER rescue team was scrambled after a kite skier was reported missing in upper Teesdale. The missing man was part of a five-strong group from Wylam, Gateshead, who had set off to ski some of the fells on Saturday. The Teesdale and Weardale
WORKERS carrying out a £3m scheme of renovations and improvements to a landmark building in Barnard Castle are hoping to get cracking again now a thaw has set in after the recent cold snap. Arts facilities, a stage and cinema screen, refurbished
IMPROVEMENTS are being proposed at a Camping and Caravanning Club site in Teesdale. Plans for a new children's play park, caravan storage area, extension to the internal road and landscaping work have been submitted to Durham County Council for
NEW mothers and mums-to-be are being invited to celebrate the launch of a Baby Café in Teesdale. It will be part of a national network of breastfeeding drop-ins, combining breastfeeding information with a relaxed, informal environment where mothers
A STRICKEN trucker was finally able to hit the road again after being stranded on the A66 in County Durham for five days. Michael Chalubiec was stuck in a layby at Stainmore after a broken axle forced him to pull over on Saturday, January 19.
SPECIAL DELIVERY: Staff at the Royal Mail office on Harmire Industrial Estate, Barnard Castle, have taken delivery of an unusual item – a lost rabbit. The bunny was caught on January 10 and is currently being looked after by the office manager. Anyone
TO motorists stranded in last week's snow, farmer Jim Smith has been a knight in shining armour. Jim and his Zetor tractor came to the rescue of drivers who were caught out by conditions on a country road in a remote corner of County Durham throughout
