PEOPLE travelled from across the region on Thursday night as the BBC's Question Time made its way to Bishop Auckland. Dozens of people selected to be audience members queued outside Bishop Auckland Town Hall at about 6pm, eager to take their seats
THE Government has long abandoned its Northern Powerhouse project, rebranding the department as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, so perhaps it should be no surprise that there has been an expensive attempt to deflect attention
LOCAL authorities in the North-East have been shortlisted to bid for a share of an £840million fund to upgrade public transport links, the Prime Minister has announced today. The full shortlist of ten city regions from across England marks the
MANOR Farm House is a substantial, detached, period family home occupying a large, south-facing plot with open views over the adjoining countryside. There is an impressive reception hall with a lovely return staircase. The kitchen/breakfast room
LOCAL housebuilder David Wilson Homes Yorkshire East, is honouring volunteers at local charity, Sporting Memories Network, by unveiling a special engraved plaque at its Castlegate development. In celebration of its five-star rating in the HBF (Home
BARRATT Homes North East is inviting potential homebuyers to visit Jubilee Gardens in Stockton where they can not only view the new show homes but snap up incentives including free flooring and £1,000 towards moving costs which will be are available
A COUPLE were subjected to a brutal racial assault by a group of seven people who also threatened to set two large dogs on them. The incident happened at around 9pm on Saturday, September 15, in Gateshead town centre. The couple had just left
BUSINESS confidence in the North-East edged higher by one point during September to 21 per cent, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking. Companies in the North-East also report higher confidence in their business
JEREMY CORBYN is a deeply traditional radical revolutionary. With the patched elbows on his jackets, he is often rudely alikened to a geography teacher, but in his speech on Wednesday, he exhibited his knowledge of a broad range of subjects, including
“AMAZING, but very expensive,” is the comment I have heard most regularly from people who have been to House of Tides, Newcastle’s only Michelin-starred restaurant. The 16th Century former merchant’s town house on the Quayside sits beneath the
TOM Robinson Band’s debut album Power In The Darkness was first performed 40 years ago in Victoria Park, London in front of 80,000 people at Rock Against Racism’s Carnival Against The Nazis alongside Steel Pulse, The Clash and X-Ray Spex. The album
DAVID enjoys having Bethany at his beck and call over the Josh/Billy deceit, and Shona is pleased to see him back to his old self in Coronation Street (ITV). Meanwhile, Ryan asks Sophie to back up his version of events regarding Cormac's death.
A PLAQUE first revealed by royalty but which was feared lost to metal thieves was yesterday unveiled back on its historic railway building. The brass plaque was initially unveiled on July 2, 1925, by the Duke and Duchess of York to commemorate
PLANS to limit the number of hours people can park in a market town have been implemented following pressure from businesses. A new maximum stay of three hours, with no return within three hours, will come into force on Yarm High Street, with the
A MAN who hoped to make money by selling counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco has ended up more than £500 out of pocket. William Pritchard, of Poplar Street, South Moor, near Stanley, County Durham, was found in possession of 2,580 illegal cigarettes
THE Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government paid a visit to Darlington’s high street to speak to independent traders about the future of the town and its economy. As the last stop on a tour of the North-East, James Brokenshire
TEN members of staff, including fundraisers, have been made redundant from a charity for people with life-limiting illnesses. Bosses at Willow Burn Hospice have said there is still a long way to go before it is in a sustainable financial position
RAIL lines between Durham and Newcastle have been reopened after reports of a person being hit by a train. However, ail services through these stations are subject to disruption and delays following the incident at around 11.30am on Thursday.
A REPEAT burglary victim whose entire downstairs is boarded up is on the verge of selling her home to escape the nightmare. The householder told of her torment as the latest raider to try to break in was locked up at Teesside Crown Court. John
EXCHANGE and Mart, one of the oldest classified advertising businesses in the UK, is returning to print for a one-off edition. The business has existed since 1868 and stopped printing a magazine in 2009, becoming a fully online classified cars business
A MAN who was wanted by police in connection with a large scale conspiracy to supply Class A drugs has been arrested. Paul Baveridge, from the Newton Aycliffe area, was detained by officers getting off a ferry at the Port of Tyne at around 9.30am
STANLEY, in north-west Durham, once had its own zoo. It was established in the grounds of Harperley Hall, midway between Stanley and Annfield Plain, in 1966. It is believed to have been one of the first enterprises of animal trainer Martin Lacey, who
THE iconic London, red, double-decker bus has arrived in Darlington, and along with it a youthful cast of eighteen led by X-Factor star Ray Quinn. Summer Holiday is a brand new stage production based on the 1960s film of the same name, originally
DUNCAN WATMORE has returned to full training with Sunderland this week, and while Jack Ross remains reluctant to put a time frame on a possible return to competitive action, the winger could be featuring for the first team after the next international
NEWCASTLE UNITED have suffered a significant injury blow, with striker Salomon Rondon having been ruled out of Saturday’s home game with Leicester City. Rondon is struggling with a thigh injury, meaning Joselu is set to return to the starting line-up
A MAN in his 20s has been charged after allegedly chasing a plane along an airport loading area at Dublin Airport after he missed his flight. An airport spokesman said the man and a woman were late for a Ryanair flight to Amsterdam on Thursday morning
IN recent weeks, we’ve been looking at black leaded ranges which have on them the names of the local ironmonger who sold them. Now Emma Crawley takes off in a new direction by sending these splendid pictures of two Bamfords Patent Perfect Root Cutters
THE gospel choir who performed at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's wedding have announced a tour of the UK. The Kingdom Choir, who gave a stunning rendition of Stand By Me at the Royal Wedding, will hit the road in April. The gospel singers will
BOB Mortimer, the Teesside TV star and comedian, is among 16 people who have received undisclosed damages and an apology from News Group Newspapers (NGN) over phone hacking. None of the celebrities were at London's High Court on Thursday for the
HUMAN remains found at a house was the body of an adult, police have confirmed. Latest: Police reveal identify of body The discovery was made on Tuesday evening at 6pm following a report by a member of the public. Three people -
A BEER festival offering drinkers 17 real ales is set to kick off in Sedgefield. Sedgefield Cricket Club is holding its fourth Beer Festival from 6pm tomorrow (Friday) until Sunday evening. Following on from last year’s successful event, there
HOW To Train Your Dragon author Cressida Cowell knows things are going well when she's sobbing in her writing shed, tucked away in her back garden. "I deliberately set out to make myself cry," says the bestselling writer and illustrator. "I'm always
FOLLOWING the success of The Great Joe Wilson I’d like to thank everyone who came to see the show about the “Bard of Tyneside” at Darlington Hippodrome and other venues on the tour. The response was magnificent. Joe Wilson’s 360 songs and poems
IN Monday’s Hear All Sides (Sept 24), Amanda Anderson, director of the Moorland Association, tells us of the wonderful things that grouse shooting brings. Her last sentence includes the claim that 60 per cent of hen harrier chicks fledged this year
TWO Bishop Auckland charities have been given a boost thanks to a charity's annual fundraiser. Bishop Auckland Rotary Club were delighted to donate cheques for £4,200 to David Pattinson from Riding for the Disabled and £1,500 to David Nicholson
I AM very sorry to learn of the death of Robert Adamson the former Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate here in Darlington and lately in Doncaster. Robert played a significant part in disability campaigning and in Lib Dem politics both here and in his
I REMEMBER as a child some fifty odd years ago, when my dad was left in charge of my younger brother and I. When it came to tea time he would always make us beans on toast which we always scoffed down. Now I’m a lot lot older I think he must of
A COMMUNITY film project will be premiered tonight. Volunteers behind the In the Pink community project have been working hard on their film - World War One Stories from the Gaunless Valley, which documents the lives of just some of the 244
A RECENT front page headline (Echo, Aug 16) highlighted the danger of stray horses in Durham and particularly in Bishop Auckland. Hundreds of police man hours are wasted in dealing with incidents averaging two per day and the public are placed in
THE tough assignments keep on coming, but Newcastle Falcons back row Gary Graham insists there is no sense of panic ahead of tomorrow’s Gallagher Premiership home game with Wasps. Worcester’s surprise win at Leicester last weekend shook things
A POWER cut was affecting around 20 properties in County Durham on Thursday. Northern Powergrid said the problem with the electricity supply to properties in the Metal Bridge and Tursdale area, near West Cornforth, was reported at 9.46am but one
A SHOP owner has been ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work after hundreds of packets of illicit cigarettes and tobacco were seized. Alan Qader Ahmad gave up the ownership of SV Market in Gladstone Street after two separate visits resulted
BIKES and bands will feature in a music event this weekend which aims to raise money and awareness for three charities. Three pubs in Spennymoor town centre, in County Durham, will host SpennyFest on Saturday, from 1pm. Organisers promise an
RACIALLY aggravated threats made to a taxi driver are being investigated by police who are now appealing to trace a man to assist with enquiries. A man was dropped off after he became aggressive towards a taxi driver and began threatening him, before
In 2018, it’s time to get comfortably numb as the greatest Pink Floyd tribute takes the UK by storm with their “Dark Side and Animals” Tour. This highly authentic show features the iconic Pink Floyd albums “Dark Side of The Moon” and “Animals” played
Today's TV offerings Gareth Malone's All Star Music Quiz (BBC2, regions vary) FRIDAY is the BBC's annual Music Day, but getting in early on the act - or to get viewers in the mood for it - is this one-off quiz hosted by the choirmaster.
ALL Ryder Cups are exciting, but some are more exciting than others. The latest instalment of golf’s greatest rivalry, which begins at Le Golf National on the outskirts of Paris tomorrow morning, looks set to be a classic. Rarely, if ever, have
A DARLINGTON school has been recognised as being an exceptional centre for helping children with special education needs. Hurworth School has been awarded the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Inclusion Award (SENDIA) after 18 months of
THIS is the moment a teenager was seen attacking people on the street with nunchucks on a night out. Kyle Morrow, 19, has been jailed for two years after he admitted attacking a man with the martial arts weapon near to the Bigg Market, in Newcastle
MOTORISTS told a court a topless man hit their cars with rocks and a metal pipe as they travelled at speed along a road. Passenger Simon Harris said he was texting his wife in the front seat of a Jaguar doing 70 mph in the westbound carriageway
CHRIS Lloyd watches a composed Jeremy Corbyn impose his ideas on his party – but can he do enough to appeal to remainers and grassroots leavers at the same time. JEREMY CORBYN looked more relaxed, self-confident and composed as he addressed his
THE owners of the South Causey Inn near Beamish, County Durham, have invested £450,000 in the luxury hotel. The independent hotel has created two hot tub houses and an onsite antique and vintage store, which opened last weekend. It has also recruited
MEMORIES 382 back in July told of the 30th anniversary of the day a Second World War Spitfire was flown beneath Winston bridge over the River Tees. It was a stunt filmed for a TV drama, A Piece of Cake. A Spitfire with pointed tip wings was 40ft
A CHILD was rescued after falling from rocks on Wednesday night. Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team was called out to the Eston Hills, near Middlesbrough, close to the England flag on the Nab, to respond to reports of an injured 12-year-old child.
A MAN carried out a burglary spree in a market town before making almost immediate use of a stolen bank card. Raymond Bragg denied being responsible for breaking into a house and three garden sheds, plus a failed attempt to get into a further shed
FAMILY snapshots can capture moments of fun, love and togetherness which last a lifetime. From chasing the dog around the garden to playing games with grandad, from family Sunday roasts around the table to relaxing with a takeaway in front of the television
THE Conservatives were "catastrophically wrong" in predicting how many North-East seats would turn blue in last year’s General Election, data revealed in a new book shows. The confidential information, prepared the week before the June 2017 election
THE son of a County Durham man who narrowly escaped death on a special operations mission during the Second World War will retrace his father's footsteps after a lifetime of research. Harry Blackett, of Bishop Auckland, survived a "harrowing" ordeal
A SINGER whose confidence had been knocked at previous auditions has wowed X Factor judges and won a place in the dramatic Six Chair Challenge. Anthony Monarch, 34, from Richmond, has already filmed the notoriously brutal Six Chair Challenge on
THREE people have been arrested following the discovery of human remains in Helmsley. Latest: Police release identify of body A police spokesperson said that the "remains of a person" were found at a property in Bondgate in Helmsley
TELEVISION personality Scarlett Moffatt is hosting a Halloween pop-up shop raising money for the community. The Gogglebox star and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here winner, hopes the event in Bishop Auckland, will boost trade in the town and
APPLE pressing, Morris dancing and biscuit decorating will all be on the menu on October 13 when Ripon Community Link hosts its annual Apple Day. The event, at Ripon Walled Garden, is one of the charity’s main fundraisers and will include stalls
THE Black Sheep Brewery has moved back into the black after reporting a significant increase in operating profit. The company has also announced that its founder, Paul Theakston, is retiring from the board this week. In its annual results for
Court case A DARLINGTON man denied driving with no insurance and driving while disqualified when he appeared before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe. Stuart Wright, 34, of Melsonby Crescent, Darlington, will stand trial at Peterlee Magistrates Court
AN engineering student is on the crest of a wave after securing a subsea sector apprenticeship. Darlington College student Rosalyn Mitchell has been taken on by subsea specialists Supergrip, whose headquarters are in Coniscliffe Road, working four
A SMALL distillery has received a grant to enable a young employee to qualify in digital marketing and expand its social media presence. The Yorkshire Dales Distillery in Colburn has received £1,880 grant from the authority’s apprentice scheme to
ARTISTS in North Yorkshire are being invited to secure a share of a £2,000 prize pot in a new annual award. Boroughbridge-based The Scott Creative Arts Foundation (SCAF) has launched the award as is looking for the latest talent to emerge on the
A RARE red panda cub is now starting to emerge from its nest box at the Flamingo Land zoo. The male cub, who will be named soon, was born in June but is just now starting to spend more time out of his nest box as he grows in size and confidence
A North-East exhibition will celebrate the career of a cartoonist who chronicled one of the most tumultuous periods in the history of the Catholic Church…and created a treasured children’s character. PETER BARRON reports BLISTERING Barnacles! Scuttling
VISITORS to Bishop Auckland are being invited to enjoy the sights and sounds of Victorian England as part of a flower show and town-wide celebration. Taking Root, A Day of Floral Art and Music, will take place between 10am to 3pm at Auckland Tower
HE might only be 22 years of age, with the majority of his career still ahead of him, but Jerome Sinclair is eager to make up for last time and hopes Sunderland is the best place to do it. Sinclair is a product of the Liverpool academy and a £4m
AS reggae stars Toots & The Maytals hit the road for a 13-date tour, Peter Mann catches up with frontman Frederick 'Toots' Hibbert FRONTED by Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert, the Maytals were formed in Jamaica in the early 1960s and, for the past
A BRAND new theatre show is set to take the UK by storm this autumn. Emerald Storm presents an exciting fusion of heritage and innovation, showcasing the glory of Irish Culture in a truly unique way. From the producers of the West End hit shows
A NORTH brand of edible seaweed has found success overseas due to global demand for its products. Founded by marine biologist and wild-seaweed harvester Dr Craig Rose in 2014, Seaweed & Co harvests and mills Hebridean seaweed for the industrial
DEDICATED foster parents from across North Yorkshire gathered to celebrate a positive year of looking after more than 300 children and young people. The annual Fostering North Yorkshire (FNY) conference brought together foster carers, children,
A POST Office has been given a new home allowing it to almost double its former opening hours. The modernised "main" Post Office at Gray’s Premier Store, off Elm Street, in the South Bank area of Middlesbrough, will formally open to customers at
THE mystery of who tampered with gas pipes, causing a massive explosion which blasted a man out of an upstairs window, leaving him ‘horrendously’ injured, remains unsolved. Massive gas blast leaves man fighting for life Police
FOSTER carers accused of allegations will continue to receive pay until investigations conclude even if their wards are moved away, councillors have agreed. North Yorkshire County Council’s executive heard while the number of allegations made against
A CHARITY brass band concert is being held at the Parish Church of St. Hilda, Abbess of Hartlepool on Saturday, October 13 to raise money for an initiative that helps people who are struggling to make ends meet in East Durham. Starting at 2pm, the
THE custodians of a national park have defended their work to maintain and improve rights of way after revealing they had achieved only 25 per cent of their targets. A full meeting of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority heard numerous factors
OLYMPIC swimmer Aimee Willmott has joined forces with the NSPCC to help youngsters to Speak Out and Stay Safe. The 25-year-old, from Middlesbrough, attended Newton Primary School in Dunblane and helped volunteers deliver the service. She also answered
POLICE have attended freshers’ fayres urging youngsters to stay safe on nights out. Officers from Northumbria Police met with first-year students at Newcastle and Sunderland Universities to educate the teenagers on responsible drinking. Students
A NATIONAL park body has launched an investigation into how it can help alleviate the misery felt by people living near one of the country’s most popular walks. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority heard the 60,000 charity walkers descending
SEPTEMBER 27 1825: The Stockton and Darlington Railway, the world's first public passenger service - built by George Stephenson - was inaugurated. 1888: The Central News Agency in London received a letter which began "Dear Boss, I keep on hearing
LATEST from the Folk scene, with Jez Lowe GREETINGS from Ontario, Canada, where I'm about to start a month-long tour of folk venues across the country, as well as down in the United States, with my long-time pal, songwriter James Keelaghan.
AN exhibition, opening today, celebrates the career of a cartoonist who chronicled one of the most tumultuous periods in the history of the Catholic Church...and created a treasured children's character. Peter Barron reports BLISTERING Barnacles
MIDDLESBROUGH’S squad depth might be affecting his own first-team chances, but Grant Leadbitter claims the number of options available to Tony Pulis will help ensure the Teessiders remain in the hunt for automatic promotion. Despite his role as
MISS SAIGON is one of the largest productions on tour with a cast of 38, orchestra of 15 and a technical team of 32 who bring the show to life 8 times a week. It will take 16 x 45-foot trailers to move the production to Sunderland Empire! 100 production
OUR look at the latest music releases Christine And The Queens Chris ***** WHEN Heloise Letissier delivered Chris to her record label, she produced not only a collection of vividly imagined and brilliantly captured songs of self-discovery
Your weekly delve into the Jazz scene, with Russell Corbett What’s on Thursday, Sep 27: Tees Valley Jazzmen, No.1 Market Place, Bishop Auckland (12.30pm) Friday, Sep 28: Zoë Gilby Quartet, St Cuthbert’s Centre, Crook (7.30pm) Saturday
TICKETS are still on sale for a play embracing the charms of typical Northern pub. Jim Cartwright’s critically acclaimed play TWO opens at the Gala Theatre in Durham next Tuesday (2 October) and is on until Saturday, October 6. Talented cast
Sport stars BISHOP Auckland Sport’s Bar will host a night with former footballers Peter Beardsley and Eric Gates tomorrow at 7pm. Tickets are £20 and include supper. For more information and tickets call Nathan Peart on 07880696213. Police drop-in
STAFF from a manufacturing firm in Newton Aycliffe have been lending a helping hand to a North-East health and wellbeing charity. Sixteen workers from 3M got stuck into gardening at the Pioneering Care Partnership as part of Global Volunteer Day
A TEENAGER and professional racing driver from County Durham earned a spot on the podium at a national championship final. Charlie Fagg, 19, finished third in the British GT Championship at Donnington Park, in Derby, with his McLaren teammate Michael
A YOUNG boy has raised more than £2,000 for the special school he attends by completing a sponsored run. Nine-year-old Harry Mortemore, who is autistic and a pupil at Durham Trinity School, took part in the 5km challenge in Scotland. His father
I HAVE always been inspired by the wild moors of the Pennines and can fullyunderstand how the three Bronte sisters were inspired to write their often gloomy but world famous novels. They lived in Haworth and this offers a base for this walk, full of
THE Six Twenty return this autumn with their acclaimed gig theatre show Fans. What's On catches up with them LOUD, live, gig theatre, Fans is a powerful mix of new writing and raucous live music. Full of emotion, humour and musical pulse, it
NEW to download and or buy on DVD, including The Captain The Captain **** (Cert 15, 118 mins) IN the final weeks of the Second World War before the collapse of Hitler's troops, army deserter Willi Herold (Max Hubacher) goes on the run for
YOUR weekly delve into the Country music scene, with Brian Clough I’VE always maintained that country music crosses the boundaries of many genres and if a band were ever to personify that, then it would have to be The Kentucky Headhunters.
A BUZZ is building around a new course starting next week. Darlington Beekeepers’ Association will host a five-week long course for beginners starting on Monday, October 1. The course aims to give participants an introduction to beekeeping
Postcard fair AN ANTIQUARIAN and secondhand book and postcard fair will be taking place in Bedale Hall on Sunday, October 7, between 10am and 4pm. There will be 32 stalls with book and postcard dealers from all over the north of England. There will
HAMBLETON District Council’s four leisure centres are holding their annual ‘Big Weekend’ next month with special offers and events. The weekend of October 7 will include pirate themed-fun sessions in the pools, free gym trials and exercises classes
THE death of Paul Gascoigne’s nephew from a drugs overdose was an accident, a coroner ruled. Jay Lennon Gascoigne, previously known as Kerrigan, was found dead in his girlfriend’s Gateshead flat in April 2016, having suffered mental health issues
A CASTLE is opening its doors for a huge art exhibition featuring work from across the North-East. The North East Art Exhibition is taking place at Brancepeth Castle, which is opening parts of the building to the public for the first time, this
A NORTH-EAST based battery manufacturer is spearheading major growth plans with a year-on-year multi-million pound investment programme. Rayovac, on Stephenson Industrial Estate, Washington, has invested in its people, products and plant to meet
THE number of swallows is now dwindling by the day as lower temperatures reduce their insect food and prompt them to move off in the first stages of migration to wintering areas in South Africa. During a couple of outings on the coast this movement
THE magic of Harry Potter is being depicted in a new set of stamps to celebrate the popular films. The 15 stamps feature characters including Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom. Modes of transport
A FAMILY passionate about stock car racing is hoping to reignite the region's love of the sport. Graeme Robson grew up with the adrenaline-fuelled sport in the 1980s and has passed his passion for it onto his children, Molly, 16 and Henry 12.
