Archive

  • Caught red-handed

    NOW that the brood have flown the nest (well, apart from the youngest one who’s winged his way back for the summer) the time has come to start sprucing up the house a bit. Four kids over 25 years have left the furniture broken, doors cracked, wall-paper

  • Jeff Stelling backing the MANarama League

    English football's fifth tier is being temporarily rebranded to help raise awareness about prostate cancer, changing from the Vanarama to the MANarama National League. The National League has chosen Prostate Cancer UK as its first official charity

  • Comment: Paying tribute to "Mr Durham"

    AS professionals, sportspeople don’t have the best reputations. They pick up obscenely large pay packets, manage to get themselves caught up in unseemly scrapes outside nightclubs, have little understanding of giving back to their local communities

  • Filthy conditions and vermin infestation in restaurant

    THE owners of a Middlesbrough restaurant have been fined over serious hygiene breaches which put public health at risk. Middlesbrough Council Environmental Health officers found widespread evidence of a serious mouse, rat and insect infestation

  • Pub severely damaged by fire

    A MAJOR blaze has severely damaged a pub in the North-East. Firefighters were called to The Mill House, near Springwell in Gateshead, earlier this afternoon. Clouds of smoke were seen billowing from the premises and the building sustained serious

  • Loss-making Durham Tees Valley hotel facing closure

    THE future of an airport hotel has been thrown into jeopardy as its owner looks at the likelihood of permanent closure. Peel is currently consulting with staff at the St George Hotel on Durham Tees Valley Airport (DTVA) before a final decision

  • School stands by changes to uniform

    A SCHOOL has defended its position after introducing new items of uniform which some parents say is too expensive and not of high quality. Richmond School and Sixth Form College, which has been criticised over its move to make it compulsory for

  • Folk duo sisters to perform at The Witham, Barnard Castle

    WINNERS of the 2016 BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Original Track, The Rheingans Sisters are bringing their music to the region. Anna and Rowan Rheingans will perform at The Witham arts centre, in Barnard Castle, at 8pm on Saturday, September 22

  • Attacker ‘too quick with fists’

    AN offshore worker has been left with a £4,510 bill for assaulting a man in a pub. Callum Swales knocked out the other drinker before kicking him on the floor, Teesside Crown Court was told. The victim suffered wounds to his nose and cheek,

  • Young artists get chance to enter stargazing competition

    YOUNG artists with an interest in astronomy and space are being invited to enter a unique competition as part of the North Pennines Stargazing Festival. Presenter of the BBC’s The Sky at Night, Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE is headlining the festival

  • News in Brief

    PLANS have been unveiled for a new children's play area in Chester-le-Street. Moobears has applied to Durham County Council seeking permission to change the use of a former car salesroom to a children's play centre at the former 20 20 Garage, Low Chare

  • Beating Retreat to be held in the shadow of Seaham's Tommy

    A BEATING Retreat will be held in the shadow of Seaham’s famous Tommy sculpture on Friday evening. The event will take place at The Terrace Green from 6.30pm. Beating Retreat has a long tradition dating back to the 1690s, when the beating of

  • Tonight's TV: The Mighty Redcar (BBC2, 9pm)

    OUR pick of tonight's TV The Mighty Redcar (BBC2, 9pm) THE documentary following the people of the North Yorkshire seaside town of Redcar catches up with 19-year-old James, whose hopes of starting a new life are jeopardised when he is arrested

  • Man's salmonella death inquiry ongoing

    INVESTIGATIONS into the death of a man who had eaten food from a butchers in County Durham continues. An inquest review into the death of retired football coach Stewart Graham, 66, was held at Crook Coroner’s Court. A previous hearing in May

  • Bright Teesdale sixth formers win university scholarships

    EXCEPTIONAL sixth form students have won prestigious scholarships. Teesdale School and Sixth Form students, Scarlett Ballantine, Sadie Askwith, Holly Palarm, Evie Ridgway and Jenny Teward were all awarded the school's Mewhort Scholarships. The

  • Body found in graveyard 'unexplained'

    POLICE are treating the discovery of a man's body in a graveyard as "unexplained". Officers from Cleveland Police were called to Eston Cemetery, on Normanby Road in Middlesbrough, at around 2.50pm on Wednesday, the force said. A spokeswoman

  • Man suffers fractured cheekbone in attack from behind

    A MAN suffered a fractured cheekbone when he was attacked from behind near a city centre park. The 53-year-old victim was assaulted as he walked from Leazes Park, Newcastle, between 6pm and 6.30pm on Sunday. A Northumbria Police spokesman said

  • Record visitor numbers at annual leek club show

    A RECORD number of visitors flocked to see the produce on display at the Cross Keys Leek Club Annual Show last Saturday. The Scout Hut at Gainford was packed as people came to witness the winners of this year's show. Secretary John Challen’s

  • Davies steps up his Hartlepool United comeback

    HARTLEPOOL UNITED captain Andrew Davies should be back in full training next week. The centre-half has been sidelines with an ankle ligament problem, suffered on August 11. Rest and treatment means he is on course for a return, after missing

  • Adventurer Sarah Hudson inspires schoolpupils

    A MOUNTAINEER inspired schoolchildren to reach new heights with a special visit. Pupils from primary schools in Ferryhill and Chilton listened in awe to Sarah Hudson as she talked about her adventures last week. Ms Hudson, who is originally from

  • Annual art show returns this weekend

    ARTISTS from across the region will exhibit work at the ninth annual Crook Open Art Show this weekend. The event will be held at St Cuthbert’s Centre, Church Hill, Crook on Saturday and Sunday, from 11am to 4pm both days. Organiser Vanessa Kelly

  • South Durham: A round-up of news and events

    Art talk AN internationally known art historian will be the speaker at the September meeting of Tudhoe and Spennymoor Local History Society. Christopher Wright, who was a schoolfriend of the society’s chairman Tony Smith, will fly in from his home

  • Pharmacist stole pills to relieve drug and gambling debts

    A PHARMACY manager plundered stocks of class C drugs from the premises to sell as he struggled to meet drug and gambling debts, a court heard. Inderjit Singh Klare ordered large quantities of temazepam and diazepam, greatly exceeding genuine customer

  • Compensation boost for Northern passengers

    COMPENSATION claims for Northern rail passengers, who have coped with delays, disruption and cancellations after a timetable overhaul earlier this year, are to be changed from December. Rail Minister Jo Johnson announced on Thursday that plans

  • Refurbished Aldi supermarket to reopen

    SHOPPERS will get the first glimpse of the supermarket's new look when it reopens today following a refurbishment. Aldi will reveal a fresh new look for its Greenwell Road store, in Newton Aycliffe, when it reopens to customers at 8am. The

  • Three-vehicle crash causes rush-hour problems on A1(M)

    A THREE-vehicle accident caused rush-hour problems on the A1(M) in County Durham on Thursday morning. Two cars and a van were caught up in the collision, just south of junction 63, the Picktree Lane interchange at Chester-le-Street. The crash

  • New members needed for town twinning

    NEW members are wanted for a group which aims to develop friendships and cultural Anglo-German relations between Middlesbrough and Oberhausen. The Middlesbrough-Oberhausen Town Twinning (MOTT) group’s most recent meet-up took place at Middlesbrough

  • Second new cheese to debut the Yorkshire Dales Cheese Festival

    A SECOND brand new cheese is set to make its making at this year’s Yorkshire Dales Cheese Festival which kicks off on Saturday. Festival-goers will be able to try Baa-Bon, a new hard cheese that has been produced by The Churchmouse at Barbon delicatessen

  • Influential historian remembered with plaque

    RIPON’S most influential 19th-century historian is being commemorated with a new plaque put up by Ripon Civic Society at his former home. John Walbran was born on 24 December 1817 and aged just 19 he published the first edition of his best-known

  • Drugs raids: Eight people arrested released by police

    DETECTIVES have hailed the success of a series of early-morning raids targeting suspected drug dealers which resulted in eight arrests across County Durham and Darlington. On Thursday, Durham Police confirmed suspects arrested in yesterday's raids

  • Two brothers missing from home found safe and well

    TWO brothers who were reported as missing from home have been located. Tyla Keenan, aged 12, and his brother, Ethan, 15, have been found safe and well, Cleveland Police said today. The force thanked everyone who helped with the appeal to find

  • Letters: How the 2018 Great North Run blew me away

    Open letter to the people of Newcastle, Gateshead and South Shields. Wow! I have just returned home to Elgin after taking part in the Great North Run for the first time. In Pictures: 570 photos from the 2018 Great North Run To say

  • The Boyz are back

    BOYZLIFE brings together members of two of the biggest boybands in history, Boyzone and Westlife, to perform a whole host of their biggest chart hits. Brian McFadden enjoyed 12 UK and Ireland number ones as a member of Westlife, including a record

  • Iceland to stop selling plastic-packaged bananas

    SUPERMARKET Iceland has started selling pre-packaged bananas in a recycled paper band in a move it says will soon be saving 10 million plastic bags a year. The new packaging has launched in three Iceland stores as an initial trial - and will extend

  • Review: Garbage, Northumbria Institute

    GARBAGE, the Wisconsin based alt-rockers made a rare appearance in the North this week. Appearing at Northumbria Institute, they brought their ’20 Years Paranoid’ tour, celebrating the 20th anniversary of their ‘Version 2.0’ album to town. Scottish

  • Yarm School celebrates 40 years

    AN INDEPENDENT school is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Yarm School opened on September 14, 1978, with 60 boys on the roll for its first academic year. There are now 1,100 boys and girls and about 250 staff. The school began when a group

  • Unmistakable Magic of Motown coming to Darlington

    THE unmistakable sound of motown promises to have music fans dancing in the aisles of a theatre hosting a concert dedicated to the much-loved genre. The Magic of Motown show will be staged in Darlington's Hippodrome Theatre tomorrow night, to present

  • Canadian police appeal to try and find sister of missing man

    POLICE in Canada are appealing for help in solving a cold case, as they try to find the sister of a man man who went missing nearly 30 years ago. Dennis Crook was reported missing to police in Canada by his friends on October 22 in 1985, after they

  • Record number of overseas tourists visit Yorkshire this year

    A RECORD number of overseas tourists visited Yorkshire in the first three months of this year. Visitors from as far afield as Australia, the UAE, Singapore, Nigeria, Qatar, Chile, Canada, Serbia and New Zealand visited the county between January

  • Cash needed for disabled access at station

    DISABLED access at the only station in the Tees Valley without any form of step-free access could go ahead as a funding bid is prepared. Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham is calling on Stockton Borough Council, Northern Rail and the Tees Valley

  • Town's talented residents and dedicated volunteers praised

    AN awards ceremony has recognised the efforts and talents of residents who help make their town a better place to live and work. The Ferryhill in Bloom, Art and Photography and Citizenship Awards night was held at the Free Mason’s Lodge on Tuesday

  • Fluoride in water study is supported

    A STUDY is set to be launched to examine the possibility of adding fluoride to the public water supply in a town with a high incidence of tooth decay in youngsters. Darlington Borough Council’s leading members voted to carry out a technical appraisal

  • Mob-handed attack on man in his own home

    TWO culprits involved in a mob-handed attack on a man in his own home were jailed for two years each. But a third intruder, who was masked during the beating, remains at large having not been identified. Durham Crown Court heard that Gavin

  • Veteran creates bicycle wheel of remembrance

    AN ARMY veteran has helped keep the memory of the 100 men from Richmond who were killed in the First World War alive by covering a bike wheel with named crosses and taking it on a charity bike ride. Mark Milton, from Richmond, took part in the Royal

  • Three free public information events on Brexit

    THREE free events have been organised to give up to date advice to residents about the potential impacts of Brexit. The first public session will be held at The Sage, Gateshead, on Thursday, September 20, 5.30pm to 7pm. It will focus on citizens

  • Battle of Britain parade in Middlesbrough on Sunday

    THE annual Battle of Britain Parade and Service is due to take place in Middlesbrough town centre on Sunday, September 16. This year marks the 78th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. In commemoration of this event, 1869 (Middlesbrough) Squadron

  • Training company recruits 24 to new academy

    A NATIONAL training and education provider– based in County Durham– has recruited 24 apprentices to its new academy. Learning Curve Group took the young people on through its Purple People Academy, using a contribution from the Government’s apprenticeship

  • Birthday girl Penny is going for gold

    A YOUNG cancer victim who is campaigning to raise awareness of the illness will today celebrate her ninth birthday by ‘tilting’ the Gateshead Millennium Bridge. The famous structure will be lit up gold tonight in honour of Penny Armstrong, who has

  • Irish dancer from Ushaw Moor wins British championships

    A YOUNG Irish dancer has become national champion in his first major competition. Kian Tallon, from Ushaw Moor, is the new British National Irish dance champion in the under eight category. The eight-year-old, who has been Irish dancing for about

  • Contract awarded to build 58 new affordable homes

    A HOUSING association has awarded a contract to build 58 new homes. County Durham Housing Group has appointed Mears New Homes to build 48 new properties in Seaham and ten Bowburn. Work on both sites is expected to begin imminently. County

  • New river channel will help tackle flooding

    A NEW river channel is being designed to help alleviate the risk of flooding in a market town. The section of water between Cone Terrace and the A167, in Chester-le-Street, is currently contained within a concrete channel. It is hidden from public

  • Win two tickets for Summer Holiday at Darlington Hippodrome

    THE hit iconic 1960s film starring Cliff Richard is now the feel-good musical of the year, bringing music, laughter and fun to the stage as it becomes the happiest hit musical around. Don – originally played by Cliff in the film – and his friends

  • News in Brief - North Yorkshire

    Health meeting THE next Governing Body meeting for NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group (the CCG) will take place on September 27 from 1.30pm at Seminar Room, Tennants Auctioneers in Leyburn. The meeting will open

  • Top rating for cancer services awarded by NHS England

    CANCER services across the area have been given a rating of ‘outstanding’ by NHS England after a recent assessment by an independent panel. The ratings provide a snapshot of how the local NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are performing

  • Caring schoolgirl raises money for Ugandan peers

    A HELMSLEY schoolgirl moved by an image of Ugandan schoolchildren playing football with a stone has raised money to buy sports equipment for them. Helmsley Community Primary School has developed a special link with the Gisoro Primary school in Kisoro

  • Birdwatch: Rare migrants make autumn appearance

    THE first little run of rare migrants which make autumn the most exciting period of the year has occurred over the past week although the return to westerly winds over the past three or four days seems to have temporarily prevent further arrivals.

  • Care home group praised for citizenship service award

    A GROUP of Teesside care homes has received a top award from the Middlesbrough FC Foundation. Hill Care Group homes in Stockton and Middlesbrough were recognised for their ongoing support with the club’s National Citizenship Service (NCS) programme

  • Thowback Thursday: Star vows to beat cancer

    GREASE actress Olivia Newton-John has said she will “win over” cancer following her third diagnosis. The Australian star first survived breast cancer after a diagnosis in 1992 but revealed it had returned in 2013. John said she will be using

  • Parents set up online petition in uniform row

    PARENTS refusing to back down over a row about uniform at Richmond School have launched an online petition against the stringent new clothing rules. The petition on Change.org had garnered 219 signatures at the time of going to press, and outlines

  • Turn up the treble as three hard rock bands unite

    MIDLANDS-based hard rock band The Bad Flowers and Stockport-based blues rockers Federal Charm will co-headline a Planet Rock Presents tour in the UK, stopping at the Newcastle Think Tank on Thursday 27th September. Special guests are Those Damn

  • Walks: Roseberry Topping

    THIS walk combines two of the most iconic land marks in the North York Moors; Captain Cook’s Monument and the instantly recognisable Roseberry Topping. Perched on the banks of the River Leven, Great Ayton lies o the edge of the North York Moors

  • Scarecrow trail and fun day are a hit for school fundraisers

    SCHOOL fundraisers collected an impressive £800 through a scarecrow trail and family fun day. The Friends of East Cowton School organised the events, with the fun day held at Whitehead Farm courtesy of the Reed family. Attractions included a

  • Reduction in the number of children being arrested

    POLICE have welcomed the news that child arrests have reduced in North Yorkshire by 77 per cent in seven years. The figures published by the Howard League for Penal Reform this week revealed that North Yorkshire Police arrested 1,034 children aged

  • Police to crack down on unpaid taxi fares

    TAXI drivers lose up to £55 per week through customers failing to pay fares, according to an initiative designed to combat the problem. More than 400 instances of non-payment have been reported to Cleveland Police over the last 12 months. On

  • Jail for man who cut hair of sleeping women

    A MAN who escaped an immediate prison sentence for cutting two women’s hair as they slept, is now behind bars, having breached the probation order he received in its place. Ryan Hallimond has finally been brought to justice after recently being

  • Comment: Government must intervene on children's services

    EARLIER this summer when Northamptonshire County Council revealed the scale of its financial woes, the story made national headlines. There was an angry backlash from protestors as its leader said the authority may no longer be able to protect some

  • Serial burglar jailed for 'one-man crimewave'

    A SERIAL burglar who brought misery to householders in neighbouring town streets, is back behind bars. Shane Cameron Mather, 38, was responsible for what a judge termed, “a one-man crime wave”, in July and August, on a housing estate in Spennymoor

  • Durham spa shortlisted for award

    A COUNTY Durham spa has reached the finals of an industry award scheme. The Spa at Ramside, at Ramside Hall Hotel, near Durham, has been named among the finalists in the Good Spa Guide Awards Best for Wellness category. The spa, which opened

  • More suitable groups needed to tackle social isolation

    THE scourge of social isolation is being aggravated by a lack of appropriate activities for elderly people, a meeting has heard. Darlington Borough Council members were told while concerted efforts were continuing to attract elderly residents to

  • Children's services in County Durham 'in crisis'

    THE politician responsible for children’s services in County Durham says there is not enough money in the system to look after young people in local authority care. Durham County Council’s cabinet heard it’s children’s services are still coming

  • Council has £187m backlog of maintenance of roads in Durham

    A NORTH-East authority has reduced the backlog of maintenance work on its road network in the last 12 months –but it still stands at more than £187m. Durham County Council says it would cost £187.6m to bring all of its 3,792 kilometres of carriageway

  • Upping the stakes with £5m relocation

    ONLINE meat supplier Farmison and Co is investing £5m to move into larger premises from its city centre location. The firm has been in the historic cathedral city of Ripon since 2011, but is about to move from its current 6,000sq ft headquarters

  • Beamish Museum hosting traditional country show

    A TRADITIONAL country show is being held at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North this week. The event, which runs from today until Sunday, will feature livestock including horses, ducks and geese, traditional crafts, baking and beekeeping.

  • Plea to protect communities like the 'Mighty Redcar'

    A NORTH east MP is calling for change to stop the decline of industry in the region as part of a new book published by the Labour Party. Anna Turley, who represents Redcar, has co-authored a chapter in new book 'Spirit of Britain, Purpose of Labour

  • Baby hospice calls on firms to pedal for pounds

    PEDAL power is set to boost a baby hospice in need of support from businesses getting on their bikes in the region. Firms across the North-East are being called on by Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice to encourage employees to dust the cobwebs off their

  • Speedy 17-year-old gets British Touring Cars call-up

    A 17-YEAR-OLD racing driver is set to make his debut as the youngest racer on the grid of an illustrious championship as he takes the wheel this weekend. Ethan Hammerton will pull on his racing boots and suit for the last two rounds of the British

  • Teenager in line for Diana Award boosts charity efforts

    A YOUNGSTER in line to receive a prestigious Diana Award boosted his fundraising efforts at the Great North Run. Jake Mendelsohn, 15, of Newton Aycliffe, completed the junior 5k in just over 20 minutes in Newcastle for the Brain Tumour Research