Archive

The rider of a motorbike has been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries following a crash which closed the southbound carriageway of the A19 in Sunderland. Police were called to reports of a collision involving a motorbike and a car at the

With the Northern League title secure following Saturday's victory over Team Northumbria, Darlington FC's final game of the season was all about honouring the players who have deservedly lifted the champion's trophy. Reporter Alexa Copeland was there

A BUS firm accused of discriminating against disabled people has won a landmark court case. Arriva North East has been told to make "adjustments" so wheelchair users are not unduly disadvantaged. However, Judge Peter Bowers at Teesside County

In their last game before Wembley, Spennymoor Town manager Jason Ainsley left out most of his key players as they beat Hebburn 3-0 to give them 100 points for the season. Recent signing Thomas Bott put them in front after 15 minutes, with Chris

A POLICEMAN killed in a road crash while answering a 999 call was driving too fast for his ability, an inquest heard. The Harrogate hearing was told how PC Andrew Bramma drove from Ripon at speeds of upto 70mph in a police van in an attempt to

A RAILWAY station serving one of the region’s airports has been named the least-visited in Britain after passenger numbers fell to just 14 for an entire year. Teesside Airport station, which stops at Durham Tees Valley Airport, has three services

AS the inquest to PC Bramma came to an end tributes were paid by his family and police force. His parents, Brian and Angie, joined his widow Kathryn, to make a joint statement. “Andrew has always been a source of pride to the family, a loving

Martin Gray makes five changes as Darlington celebrate winning the Northern League title tonight. They play Guisborough Town at Heritage Park in their final game of the season, after which they will receive the title trophy following a highly successful

The bodies of a married couple were found in the bedroom of their Sunderland home this afternoon. Police called at their home on Hylton Castle Road at 4.20pm after they were contacted by a relative concerned for their welfare. Officers and

A HARDENED burglar who has turned his life around after meeting two of his traumatised victims is backing a new ‘restorative justice’ scheme. To Peter Woolf, stealing a laptop to pay for his heroin habit could be justified - the owner was rich

THE search is on for descendants of the “founding fathers of football”, including a North-East born Army officer. As part of the Football Association’s 150th anniversary it hopes to trace living relatives of the eight men who established the sport

THE RMT rail union is to ballot its members working for Northern Rail for strike action. The RMT says that the rail company is continuing to use agency staff for what it calls “core” railway work when that work should be carried out by permanent

MOORS fans are stocking up on club merchandise to ensure they create a sea of black and white when they descend on Wembley for the FA Carlsberg Vase final on Saturday. More than £10,000-worth of gear including jester hats and scarves have flown

SUNDERLAND will be without Stephane Sessegnon for the final three games of the season after the club's appeal against his red card against Aston Villa was rejected. Sessegnon was given a straight red card for a challenge on Yacouba Sylla during Monday

A LONG-distance love for his home football club will see one fan and his son travel thousands of miles to share in the biggest game of its history. Michael Davies lived in Spennymoor, County Durham, and regularly watched the town football team

FAMILIES are being invited to make the most of the spring weather with a teddy bear’s picnic in the Denes on May 18. It will take place in the Play Dene park at the end of Greenbank Road between 11am to 2pm and is being promoted by Darlington Council

A NORTH-EAST academy has received its best Ofsted report to date. Following the visit in March, inspectors rated Unity City Academy, in East Middlesbrough as 'good' saying that it had 'improved significantly'. Summer 2012 saw students at UCA

PARTS of the region are leading the way in Government attempts to turn benefit claimants into entrepreneurs – who set up their own businesses. Around 1,230 people in the North-East and North Yorkshire have taken out ‘Dragon’s Den-style’ loans to

THE OLDEST working theatre in the UK has on May 1 launched a fundraising appeal to secure its future as it marks its triple anniversary, and is being supported by its local newspaper. The Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond, is desperately seeking

THE Local Government Ombudsman has appointed an investigator to look into a complaint regarding the payment of a so-called “clothing allowance” to Durham county councillors, The Northern Echo understands. The allowance, which the authority says

A FREE dawn chorus walk is taking place at the Tees Heritage Park off Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough this Sunday, May 5. The walk meets at the Preston Hall main entrance at 5am and has been organised to celebrate International Dawn Chorus Day. Booking

A LONG service award has been presented to loyal club treasurer Alan ‘Higgy’ Ward. He received the accolade from Durham CIU National Executive member Colin Armstrong for 25 years service to Tanfield Lea Workingmen’s Club, near Stanley.

A FIRE at a garage has been blamed on an electrical fault. Firefighters rushed to the Fast Fit Autocentre in Croxdale, near Durham City, at about 8pm on Wednesday night. There were volatile acetylene gas cylinders inside and initially people

A BURGLAR was jailed today (May 1) for ransacking a woman's home - because he was jealous of her friendship with his partner. Phillip Moore had threatened to break into the terraced property in Darlington unless his girlfriend stopped seeing her

THE world’s first and only mayor elected as a monkey will chair his last council meeting tomorrow, Thursday, May 2. Stuart Drummond was famously elected mayor of Hartlepool 11 years ago standing as H’Angus the Monkey, Hartlepool United’s club mascot

Police have arrested two men after a street robbery in Sunderland. A 21-year-old man was approached by two strangers who engaged him in conversation, in Maritime Terrace, at 1.10am on Tuesday (April 30). One of the pair then punched him and

FUNDRAISERS for Darlington 1883 Football Club have presented the team with more than £1,000 raised through music events. The Darlington Football Club Fundraising Group organised an acoustic night at the Cleveland Bridge Club and a rock ‘n’ blues

MORE than 20 headstones were damaged by vandals in a single night causing £9,000-worth of damage. The gravestones in Linthorpe Cemetery, Middlesbrough were pushed over or cracked between Thursday 25 and Friday, April 25 and 26. Some of the

MORE details have been released about the arrest of a man who climbed on to a rooftop causing an area of town to come to a standstill yesterday (Tuesday, April 21). Cleveland Police said they received information the man was walking on a rooftop

SALES INCREASE: High street chain Argos has seen underlying sales rise for the first time in five years. Bosses have revealed like-for-like sales increased by 2.1 per cent for the year to March 2, with total sales up to £3.93bn. Owner Home

STANDING DOWN: The Bishop of Selby, the Right Reverend Martin Wallace, is to retire on November 30 after ten years in the role. A farewell service will be held in York Minster on October 27 at 6pm.

A COLLISION involving three cars caused traffic problems on a busy Darlington road this afternoon (Wednesday, March 1). Police were called to an incident on McMullen Road, close to Lingfield Point, at about 3.20pm after a Skoda Octavia, a Vauxhall

AN event has been held at the House of Commons to showcase the North East's impressive offshore renewables capabilities  Sponsored by Redcar MP, Ian Swales, the event was attended by renewables group Energi Coast, in conjunction with NOF Energy

DURHAM can only hope their own tactics in grinding down Nottinghamshire, rather than the flatness of the pitch, enabled Mark Wood and Graham Onions to share a last-wicket stand of 70 in 12 overs. It took the final total to 471, a lead of 151, and

The Rover P6 Club will mark the 50th anniversary of its P6 Rover Rally with an event at Beamish Museum, near Stanley, County Durham, from 11am to 4pm on Sunday May 19. For further information contact Janet Thompson on 0191-388-6872 or 07746-223530.

A FLOWER club’s annual charity fundraiser has made a donation to help support people with central vision loss. The Darlington Flower Club presented a cheque for £1,354 to Ronald Hay, leader of the Macular Society, at St Cuthbert’s Church, Darlington

A £164,000 programme to improve the road structure on two of Hambleton’s business parks will get underway next week. The schemes will see replacement work on areas of kerbing, channels and edging as well as resurfacing of parts of the road, footway

A BLAZE under investigation by police and fire experts has destroyed a north Durham factory. The unit, on Harelaw Industrial Estate, near Stanley, is now considered structurally unsound and is expected to be knocked down. Firefighters from

POLICE are appealing for help tracing a man after becoming concerned about his welfare. Robert Joseph Smyth (CORR) was last seen at 12.50pm on Sunday, April 28, in the Wrensfield Road/Dunmail Road area of Stockton. The 33-year-old is described

A PIECE of architectural history is to go under the hammer later this month. The Grade-II listed dovecote, which stands on farmland in Low Middleton, near Middleton St George, has full planning permission for a conversion into a one bedroomed property

DANCERS as young as three-years-old are gearing up for an extravaganza featuring almost 200 performers at Darlington Civic Theatre. The Tiffany School of Dance, based on Branksome Terrace, will stage its high-octane show ‘Just Dance’ on May 11.

COUNCILLORS will be asked to write-off an £18,000 loan that helped to save a popular music venue, after the community company that runs the venue argued it was not responsible for the amount. The Forum, in Borough Road, Darlington, was saved from

A SLICE of the USA comes to the North-East when the region’s newest American Football club kicks-off the new season. The DC Presidents, formed two years ago, start their second season in the British League’s Second Division North on Sunday, May

SPORTS SESSIONS: Pay and play badminton sessions in Hartlepool are offering workers the chance to get fit during their lunch breaks. Organised by the Borough Council’s Sport and Physical Activity Team, they are being held on Mondays from 12-2pm at

MEN suspected of using dogs to hunt and kill domestic and wild animals received an early wake-up call when police and RSPCA officers swooped on their homes in a series of dawn raids. Hannah Bryan joined the operation. THE stench is horrendous and

PUPILS at High Coniscliffe Primary School were all ears when an innovative Deafness Research show rolled into class. The Bionic Ear Show, run by national charity Deafness Research UK, features the ‘World’s Largest Ear’- a huge model showing how

SOUL star Dani Wilde will top the bill at Sedgefield Rock and Blues Club in Sedgefield Parish Hall, County Durham on Saturday, June 22. Doors open at 7pm. Tickets cost £12 and are available at Sedgefield Post Office or from Garry on 07931448469.

LANDSCAPE paintings by a geography teacher are to go on display yards from Durham Cathedral. John Renshaw, a teacher at Durham School, took up painting as a hobby and is now part of a class in Framwellgate Moor. Today (Wednesday, May 1), he

A SOCIAL group which meets every week in Bishop Auckland is inviting new members to join them for a cuppa and a chat. The Friendship Coffee Club meets in the conservatory of Kelly Ann's cafe, in Newgate Street, every Thursday from 10.30am.

VOTERS heading to the polls in the county council elections in North Yorkshire will be faced with something new. The Hambleton area is piloting an innovative new polling booth and for the first time in North Yorkshire voters will be screened by

Young star: James Chen, the nine-year-old pianist who is the current Darlington and Northallerton Rotary Club Young Musician of the Year, will feature in a gala concert at All Saints Church, Northallerton, on Saturday May 11. The event starts at 7pm

SOME main line train stations are operating with fewer than 30 passengers - not just in an hour or a day but in a whole year. Teesside Airport station in Darlington had just 14 passengers in the 12 months ending March 2012 and only 18 in the year

FAMILY APPEAL: The Teesside Coroner is appealing for family members to come forward after the death of 41-year-old Lee Loughran of Albert Terrace, Middlesbrough. Mr Loughran passed away on Tuesday (April 30). There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding

TOP ACADEMIC: Tributes have been paid to Professor Barrie Dobson, a respected historian, scholar and former deputy vice-chancellor of the University of York, who has died at the age of 81. His commitment to preserving the city’s past led to him being

FIVE North-East artists have been commissioned to produce new works for this autumn’s Lumiere light festival. Artichoke, producers of the festival which returns to Durham from November 14 to 17, chose four projects from around 80 proposals submitted

New light has been shed on a mystery bunker which had baffled a local historian, thanks to readers of the Darlington and Stockton Times. It’s been revealed the underground bunker in Aiskew, near Bedale which is overgrown by trees and shrubs was

THE leader of a gang which savagely beat a boy in the street dodged prison  because his younger friends were dealt with leniently. Daniel Hunter's victim was left unconscious in the road with blood pouring from an ear and doctors feared he had

A UNIVERSITY college will host a series of public talks starting later this month (Sunday, May 12). Grey College, part of Durham University, will host three sessions, focusing on Mozart, science and Irving Berlin. The first speaker, on Sunday

A PRIMARY school where pupils are encouraged to make decisions and shape policy has received a special award. From consulting with kitchen staff about school dinners; to brainstorming ideas on how to reduce its carbon footprint – youngsters play

A NEW man is at the controls of a North Yorkshire based jet squadron. After two years in the job Wing Commander Christian Gleave has handed over the role of officer commanding 100 Squadron to Wing Commander Tony Cann. The squadron operates

A VOLUNTEER is in with a chance of working with an artist in residence at a National Trust home in Middlesbrough. Rachel Powell is searching for a protégé to join her at Ormesby Hall to help oversee her second installation, which will be officially

LOVERS of real ale are being called to the bar to judge a new beer inspired by an ancient ecclesiastical court. Masham-based Theakstons have created the brew in honour of 24 local men who, since the 12th-century, have sat in judgment in the town

COFFEE MORNING: A charity coffee morning will be held in the Harroway Room, at Elm Ridge Methodist Church, in Carmel Road South, Darlington, on Saturday, May 4. The event is open between 10am and noon and will include a white elephant stall, with all

THE Sage Gateshead, has appointed a conference and events sales manager in a bid to increase its commercial revenue.  Experienced event sales manager Amy Smith has been recruited to the position and while The Sage Gateshead already receives a high

ON an almost cloudless morning Durham continued to grind it out. But soon after accepting that they had better press on Will Smith drove Samit Patel to mid-on to depart for 153 with 20 minutes to go to lunch. That brought in Mark Wood, who has

A TEENAGE girl had to be rescued by firemen – after getting herself stuck in a child’s wing. The 16-year-old was out with friends in Catterick Garrison when she climbed into the swing on a play area just off Menin Road. However, the swing was

VOLUNTEERISM was the key theme of a service of thanksgiving for the 175th anniversary of Darlington's oldest charity. Hundreds of people attended the service to mark the milestone reached by Darlington Town Mission, at St Cuthbert's Church, on

THE story of Florence Nightingale will be told at Middlesbrough Central Library this month. As wealthy and privileged as she may have been, Florence Nightingale still had many challenges to overcome in defying the conventional role of a Victorian

TOO many North-East stroke survivors and their families say they feel abandoned when they leave hospital and are left to cope with the emotional impact of stroke. A new report published today (Wednesday) by the Stroke Association reveals that the

TWO students from east Durham have secured a place in the British Barbering Association’s National Student Barber 2013 final. Ben Anderson, 24, from Peterlee, and Beth Rose, 19, from Shotton, who attend East Durham College, have both made it into

A RESURFACING operation will force the closure of the A66 between Morton Palm and Little Burdon roundabouts for two weekends from May 10. The Highways Agency repair work will take place from May 10 to 24 and will see a special membrane installed

VICTIMS of rape and other sex attacks are being offered more help with the opening of a new service in North Yorkshire. Police in the county have opened a sexual assault referral centre – known as Sarc – designed to significantly improve services

A NORTH-EAST company has been awarded a contract to supply on board communications technology for new trains due to be built in the region.  Hitachi Rail Europe has selected Newcastle company Nomad Digital to fit on board server (OBS) systems for

COUNTY Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) has taken delivery of a Nissan Leaf electric car in a bid to meet the highest levels of environmental responsibility across all areas of its operations. The Leaf is being used to transport

VOTERS will go to the polls to fill a vacant seat in a council’s only election tomorrow (Thursday May 2). The election takes place for one of the three Houghton ward seats, in Houghton-le-Spring, on Sunderland City Council. It follows the death

A VINTAGE tractor road run is to take place throughout the Yorkshire Dales. It is expected about 40 tractors will taken part in the rally on June 2, which will run through Wensleydale and Swaledale. There will be historical tractors and other

Stokesley School Parent Teacher Association is holding a quiz night on Friday, May 17 from 7.30pm until late at Stokesley School. Tickets are £5 per person and include nibbles. There will also be a bar. For more details contact 01642-710943 OPENING

THE UK's manufacturing industry has stabilised after experiencing increased levels of production and new orders. Figures show the Markit/CIPS purchasing managers' index last month rose to 49.8, from 48.6 in March, which was another increase on

A DELIVERY firm has created 40 North-East jobs after opening a distribution centre. Panther Warehousing, which recently secured contracts worth more than £20m, has set up a 15,000sq ft warehouse and 15-strong vehicle fleet in Peterlee, east Durham

PEOPLE over 50 years-old can try a host of exercises classes and activities at a free event designed to help them stay active. Durham County Council’s leisure team are hosting a physical activity taster day at Chilton Community College, Chilton

A BOY who has cerebral palsy is seeing life from a new perspective after receiving a charity grant for a tandem wheelchair bike. Following a £1,180 fundraising drive by his family, eight-year-old Doroteo Ronda Perez, of Aismunderby Road, Ripon,

AN INVESTIGATION has been ordered into why Durham is suffering repeated landslips along the banks of the River Wear. Access to a riverside pathway through picturesque Pelaw Woods has been restricted over recent months, following a series of landslips

ETHERLEY Methodist Church Cinema club will be screening Les Miserables (12A) on Wednesday, May 22, at 8pm. This film of the award winning stage show is based on the novel by Victor Hugo. All are welcome. The club costs £2 to join, plus £2 for every

AN independent entertainments firm is set to open a cinema in a city 31 years after its last picturehouse closed. Curzon Cinemas has signed a lease to operate the North Square Cinebar, which will feature two 60-seat theatres and a restaurant and

DARLINGTON Council’s chief executive Ada Burns presented a "forthright" picture of the authority’s finances when she addressed the town’s Rotary Club. Ms Burns gave a presentation to the club in which she outlined in quiz format the challenges

POLICE in North Yorkshire have opened their first sexual assault referral centre, designed to significantly improve services for victims of rape and sex attacks. Bridge House is situated in York but is designed to cover the entire county and provides

A DAY of training for Christian teachers will be held at the Appleby Rooms, Church Street, Durham, on Saturday, May 11, from 10am to 4pm. It is being organised by HighLight, a team of experienced Christian teachers. The event is free. There is a suggested

EMERGENCY funds are being offered to managers of a Grade 1 listed hall after asbestos was discovering during work on the building. Bedale Hall, which dates back to the 15th century but was largely built in the 1730s, is run as a charitable trust

A MOTHER-of-two is planning a dramatic new look in aid of charity. Dannielle Clough (Correct), 23, of Coundon, near Bishop Auckland, will have her long dark hair- which includes a pink fringe- shaved off in aid of Cancer Research UK. The fundraiser

OH, we do like to be beside the seaside... Quintessentially British, beach huts are never out of vogue and this decorative cushion captures their charm. Vintage Beach Huts Cushion, costs £25, from Debenhams. For stockists, visit debenhams.com Stripping

THE Queen of Hearts will be joined by the Mad Hatter and white rabbit to serve free cups of tea in Darlington this Friday. The trio will be at the Pease monument between 10.30am and 3.30pm as part of the WRVS’ Big Brew Break charity campaign.

THE owner of a missing dog has appealed for people to look out for her pet after several sightings around the town. Molly, a chocolate brown Bedlington terrier-collie cross, went missing from her home in the Red Hall area of Darlington on Saturday

Garden Farm and West Lane Community Association’s annual meeting takes place at the Garden Farm Hotel, in Carlingford Road, Chester-le-Street, on Wednesday May 15, at 7pm. It will be followed by a meeting of the association, at 7.30pm, incorporating

POLICE are hunting vandals who damaged a community centre. The rear of Hamsteels Community Centre, on Western Avenue, in Esh Winning, was damaged between April 23 and 25. Police are appealing for help in catching those responsible and asking

A GIANT lung has been helping to demonstrate the help on hand to North-East asthma sufferers amid fears people may be struggling with symptoms needlessly. Bowburn Pharmacy, in Ash Terrace, Bowburn, is aiming to reach those not fully in control

Spring provides the perfect time for a handbag detox; out with the blacks, browns and greys of winter, and in with stripes, creams and florals for spring summer. To help shoppers find their new must-have bag for the season, McArthurGlen at York

IT’S refreshing to see that, stripped of all the fame, money and tabloid gossip, celebrity couples are just like other people – you only have to look towards All Star Mr & Mrs to see that much is true. They bicker about leaving cups around

THE NCIS team investigate the murder of a petty officer who may have been selling secrets to a foreign power. But it’s what happens to Jethro that proves to be the most intriguing development. He visits his favourite diner, takes a stool at the

DARA O’BRIAIN returns with a second series of the mathematically- challenging strand School Of Hard Sums. Once more the Mock the Week veteran attempts to solve some of the world’s biggest conundrums by using maths, physics, chemistry and logic against

RESURGENT first-quarter results from blue-chip firms BP and Lloyds Banking Group were not enough to lift a downbeat FTSE 100, dragged lower by more eurozone economic gloom. The London market closed down 27.9 points at 6430.1, a 0.4 per cent fall

TAXPAYER-backed Lloyds Banking Group has reported a big rise in profits for the first three months of the year. The bank, which is 39 per cent taxpayer-owned, reported a pre-tax profit of £2.04bn in the first quarter, up from £280m for the same

APPLICATIONS are coming in from all over the world to take part in a business accelerator programme based at Teesside University. Organisers of Searchcamp are reminding businesses that they have only four days to submit their applications for the

IT’S official – we have avoided a triple-dip recession. Despite unseasonably bad weather, a widening trade deficit and a new raft of austerity measures, Britain’s economy actually grew by 0.3 per cent in the first three months of the year, much

AN expanding North - East company – set up with the aid of a Teesside University fellowship – is helping to save the lives of hospital patients on the other side of the Atlantic. Gospelware has grown rapidly since being founded in 2010 after receiving

THE recent GDP expansion failed to resolve the are we/aren’t heading for triple-dip recession argument. Perhaps the answer lies in pies. In these turbulent times, Greggs the bakers has been an exemplar of stability and growth. So, it came as

I DIDN’T recognise Rob Merrick’s superficial portrait of Nigel Farage in his column (Echo, Apr 25). Nigel may like the odd pint, he may not bother to hide his dislike of many in the House of Commons, but to present him as someone who isn’t capable

I READ with interest the letter from Mike Padgham on the subject of care homes and the fact that successive governments and local authorities have failed to properly fund social care (HAS, Apr 29). I found his comments particularly poignant in

MY fixed tariff for gas and electricity with British Gas was due to end so the company emailed me with another fixed tariff until 2015. I accepted this thinking it would be in my best interest. Then, about a month later, I received an email

I AM sick of hearing Sunderland supporters moaning about the heavy defeat Aston Villa inflicted on the Black Cats this week (Sport, Apr 30). I have been a Sunderland supporter for more than 60 years and have many happy memories of visiting Roker

IN reply to Nigel Boddy’s letter (HAS, Apr 30) regarding the landslip on the A67 between Darlington and Piercebridge. Durham County Council is not the highways authority for this stretch of the road. This part of the A67 falls within Darlington

THE Northern Echo reported that rare video tapes are starting to bring good prices (Echo, Apr 27) as, apparently, people are finding that the longevity of DVDs is not as good as previously thought. There has been an increase in sales of video players

I WAS appalled by the latest offhand swipe at the state education system made by Sharon Griffiths in her column (Echo, Apr 26). Not for the first time I feel moved to register my disbelief that the work done by so many dedicated teachers could

FORGET Magna Carta. Though its habeas corpus provision – a safeguard against imprisonment without an openly stated reason – has proved of community value down the centuries, the famous charter chiefly benefited the barons who drew it up. Forget

A LEADING academic has said the region must set aside internal squabbles if it hopes to become a hotspot for industrial innovation. At the launch of revolutionary new lighting system Professor Geoff Williams of Thorn Lighting in Spennymoor, County

Internet campaigners opposed to the privatisation of the NHS have had a frank exchange of views with North-East health bosses. Health and Education Editor Barry Nelson, who had a ringside seat, reports ALTHOUGH it wasn’t strictly speaking a “flashmob

THE Government will not find many people who disagree with yesterday’s populist declaration that prisoners are to be made to work harder for privileges such as televisions in their cells. Indeed, many will find it surprising that prisoners get

CORONATION Street actor Bill Roache has been arrested on an allegation of rape. The actor, who has played Ken Barlow in the TV soap for decades, was held at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, this morning. Roache, 81, faces an allegation of raping

An equal gender split at university for studies in architecture and construction drops dramatically for women in the workplace, but as Sarah French discovers, there are signs that it’s changing IDENTIFYING the architect behind a building is not

AN appeal has been launched to find volunteers to help to run the RNLI shop in Redcar. To keep the shop at Redcar Lifeboat Station open, the lifesaving charity is looking for people who may want to gain retail experience in areas such as customer

THERE were signs of optimism in the regional economic outlook after new research found substantial year-on-year falls in signs of distress amongst firms across the north. Insolvency trade body R3's latest Business Distress Index shows that more regional

BRITISH and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland has revealed that Jonny Wilkinson declined his invitation to tour Hong Kong and Australia, but refused to rule out his participation at a later date in the event of injury. Impressed by Wilkinson

POLICE are warning dog owners to be vigilant after sausages laced with steel nails were found in South Park. A dog walker found the six sausages on Saturday and disposed of them safely before reporting the incident to a PCSO. Police contacted

CHARITY fundraising pupils have collected £1,872 in just two weeks to help fight disease amongst the world’s poor. Youngsters from St John’s School, Bishop Auckland, raised the money for the Lepra – Health in Action charity. The pupils aged

A MILLION-pound project to create more student accommodation in Durham city centre has begun. Developer Angel Homes is converting the space above Yates Wine Bar and the British Heart Foundation charity shop, at 80-83 North Road, into four six-bedroom

A NORTH-East grandmother facing the death penalty in Bali after being convicted of drug smuggling said she feels let down by the British government. Lindsay Sandiford, from originally from Redcar, but lately living in Cheltenham, was sentenced

THE ROCKET Ronnie O’Sullivan is back – and he’s firing on all cylinders after the defending champion produced a sublime session of snooker to take a 7-1 lead over Stuart Bingham in their quarter final. The four-time world champion has been out

RUSSELL TOVEY, has never come across a pen-pushing pedant in the workplace, so he had to dig deep to find an example for his new ITV1 comedy series The Job Lot. His co-stars in BBC3’s hit series Him & Her, for instance, were wonderful, as were

Darlington captain Gary Brown has promised there will be letting up this evening when Quakers complete a terrific season. Brown will lift the Northern League trophy after the game with Guisborough Town at Heritage Park, the team’s 46th and final

Darlington’s promotion party continues this evening when they receive the Northern League trophy at the final match of their title-winning season. The celebrations began on Saturday after defeating Team Northumbria, and following tonight’s all-ticket

Day Two Nottinghamshire v Durham LV County Championship DURHAM gave Nottinghamshire a lesson in attritional cricket yesterday as Will Smith and Paul Collingwood proved as difficult to remove as Abu Qatada. Coming together shortly after

Day Two Yorkshire v Derbyshire LV County Championship   Yorkshire have still got an outside chance of winning their County Championship match after a strong response to Derbyshire's first-innings 475 and Chesney Hughes's maiden double century

18 WIGAN (Played 34, 32pts, Goal Difference -23) Saturday West Brom (a) May 7 Swansea (h) May 14 Arsenal (a) May 19 Aston Villa (h) Kings of the 'Great Escape', is this to be the season when Wigan's luck finally runs out? After

TONY Mowbray has blamed Marvin Emnes' below-par campaign on personal problems that have been afflicting the Middlesbrough striker, but expressed confidence he will be able to put the issues behind him and move on next season. Emnes has appeared a shadow

SUNDERLAND'S players got their first glimpse of Paolo Di Canio's angry side on Monday evening, with Alfred N'Diaye revealing the Black Cats boss was quick to spell out his fury in the wake of his side's inept display at Aston Villa. Sunderland

NEWCASTLE United boss Alan Pardew has held a series of clear-the-air meetings with his under-performing squad in an attempt to regroup ahead of the final three games of the season. And while there is an acceptance that a wide-ranging review of this season's

BLAYDON will not be entering next season's Durham Senior Cup, which might not take place at all after the final was scrapped yet again. The Crow Trees club were fuming when Darlington Mowden Park were unable to fulfil last night's fixture because they

JOHN Hughes wants to get to work on reshaping his Hartlepool United squad - and he can't wait to get stuck into the task. While players and managers head off on their end of season holidays, and clubs announce their retained lists this week, there's

A NORTH-EAST marine firm's plans for a UK energy park, that could create about 4,000 jobs, has received extra support. Able UK, near Hartlepool, wants to create a site on the banks of the River Humber, to build, assemble and install offshore wind

A LEADING marine engineering firm, responsible for the safe running of major wind farms across Europe, will create more than 30 North-East jobs in a £1m expansion. Tekmar, a specialist in subsea protective cabling for the renewable energy industry

AN insurance firm is backing a North-East football team to Wembley glory. Romero Insurance Brokers, who will open new offices in Thornaby, near Stockton, next month, have thrown their support behind Spennymoor Town ahead of their FA Vase clash

A WARTIME nickname given to a former North-East student's grandmother has provided the inspiration for a new business. Ellie Fox has launched clothing boutique Ticky Turner, in Middlesbrough. Ms Fox, a Teesside University television and film

A LAW firm has urged people who are making their will to be more clearer about their intentions. Latimer Hinks, based in Darlington, says a recent case highlights the confusion which can arise when lifetime gifts are given to the same people who

From a modest beginning less than 20 years ago stairlift maker Meditek now sells its products all over the UK, the US and Australia. Deputy Business Editor Steven Hugill reports IT was incessant. Starting slowly, it had built into a crescendo

NORTH-EAST companies are being urged to apply for funding to help their businesses flourish. The Investment for Growth scheme offers grants to firms, which can be used to fund long-term projects, as well as create and safeguard jobs. The programme

A SOLICITORS firm has helped give an historic pub a new lease of life. Archers Law, based in Stockton, handled the sale of The Haynes Arms, at Kirkby Sigston, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire, for new owner Peter McCoy. Mr McCoy previously

NORTH-EAST entrepreneurs have been urged to think big as part of a search to find the region's next successful business owners. The If We Can You Can Challenge (IWCYC), run by The Northern Echo alongside the Entrepreneurs' Forum, aims to help get

JOBSEEKERS across the North-East are set to gain new skills to get them into employment. Training provider Amacus will deliver essential enterprise and employability training to about 25 people every week, providing businesses with access to a

YOUNG people are to be given a hands-on introduction to numerous careers at a special event. The Foundation for Jobs interactive Careers and Opportunities Event, at Darlington’s Dolphin Centre, will enable both school pupils and unemployed people

THE North-East has again missed out on the latest wave of a superfast broadband services. Everything Everywhere (EE), the company which owns T-Mobile and Orange, said its 4G coverage will be available in towns including Huddersfield, Blackpool,

A SOLICITORS firm, which has offices across the North-East, has secured a national award. Macks Solicitors, based in Middlesbrough, Redcar and Darlington, has been awarded the Lexcel title, the Law Society's law management quality mark. Founded

A NORTH-EAST commercial law firm brought together business leaders and former England rugby union stars for a motivating talk on achieving and maintaining success. Muckle LLP, in Newcastle, welcomed British and Irish Lions Dean Richards and Peter

A NORTH-EAST employment law firm has launched a new training division. Collingwood Legal has set up its new arm after increasing client demand, and will offer specialist training to human resources and management staff on subjects including equality

A LIFELONG Spennymoor Town fan is travelling from Russia with love to see his team play at Wembley in the FA Carlsberg Vase. John Oxenham is to fly 1,800 miles from Moscow, Russia, to cheer on his beloved club at Wembley in the cup final this weekend

BLUE Peter's Helen Skelton cooked up a surprise for a County Durham pupil when she turned up at his school. Gareth Metcalf, a year nine pupil at Teesdale School, Barnard Castle, was in history class when the popular presenter poked her head round

THE Voice judge, Jessie J, will headline a star-studded weekend of pop in the North-East this summer. Durham County Cricket Club has announced the superstar will appear at its Summer Nights Live programme at the Emirates Durham International Cricket

SWEARING in the street after a drunken argument with his girlfriend has cost a man £135. Michael Parker, from Bishop Auckland, admitted being drunk and disorderly when he appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court. The 29-year-old, of Beaumont

A MAN assaulted a tattoo parlour manager because he  did not want his girlfriend to get a tattoo, a court heard. Gareth John Green pushed the manager as he tried to get into a back room to stop his 18-year-old girlfriend from going through with

A MAN has been given a six-week curfew after admitting handling a stolen saw. Shane Edward Telford, 33, of Coronation Avenue in Tow Law had allowed a friend to carry the Stihl saw in his car, Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court was told. Prosecutor

A FISH and chip shop owner has landed a £700 bill after admitting breaching five environmental regulations. Stephanie Glancey (CORR), who owns Nightingale Fisheries on Nightingale Avenue, Darlington, initially denied four of the offences but changed

PLANS to turn a historic town centre shop into a fast food takeaway and flats have been approved despite more than a dozen objections. Durham County Council has given the go ahead to the conversion of Watson’s Shop in Wolsingham marketplace.