TONY PULIS has hailed Mo Besic as “one of the best players in the Championship” after the Bosnian returned from international duty with a bang for Middlesbrough. Just days after playing almost all of Bosnia’s Nations League game with Northern Ireland
RAFAEL BENITEZ insists he “does not fear the sack” at Newcastle United, and claims Mike Ashley and Lee Charnley both appreciate the extent of the constraints he is having to work under as he looks to guide the Magpies up the Premier League table.
HOW did Middlesbrough's players perform against Sheffield Wednesday? Goals: 0-1: Besic (49, first touch got him away from his marker before applying finish after neat work involving Downing and Howson) 0-2: Assombalonga (55, rewarded for
FOR 45 minutes it looked as if Tony Pulis’ fears about Middlesbrough’s reduced recovery time after an international break would be realised. Within six minutes of the restart, however, his team had come up with the goods to secure the three points
WINNING last weekend eased the pressure at Darlington, though there needs to be a similarly positive result at home today after what has been a poor first quarter of the season. Fortunes have ebbed and flowed, though the campaign has not been without
POSTMAN’S son Jason Watson delivered in style at Redcar today as he notched up a magnificent century of winners for the season. The champion apprentice, who lost his 5lbs claim when winning the Steward’s Cup on Hugo Palmer’s Gifted Master at Glorious
Chief Football Writer Paul Fraser reports live from Hillsborough as Middlesbrough take on Sheffield Wednesday. Kick-off: 7.45pm Tweets by paulfraserecho
A TEAM of volunteers have been awarded a cash grant to boost tourism in a town and shine a light on local businesses. The Town Ambassadors of Bishop Auckland are hoping to put together a website and digital map showing the hotspots in the area.
MARCUS NORTH admits he has big shoes to fill replacing Geoff Cook as Durham’s director of cricket as the county prepares to embrace at new era at Emirates Riverside. Cook stepped down from his role at the end of the 2018 season, ending a 27-year
A FORMER boxer has told a jury that he wishes he had never left the house on the night a man died and his father and brother suffered knife wounds. Jamahl Weaver admitted throwing a punch when fighting started outside the family home of John Pickering
CHRIS HUNTER has become the latest former Darlington player to join West Auckland Town. The defender was one of four former Quakers to join South Shields in the summer, Gary Brown, Phil Turnbull and Josh Gillies also moving to Mariners Park.
WHAT a pity the Bishop Auckland replica siege tower isn’t more authentic (Echo, Oct 17). Chris Lloyd gets a first look at new Tower If it had been mounted on wheels, the people of Bishop could have re-enacted a version of the 1925 Miners
IN the past four decades, the number of working mothers has risen from half of all mothers to nearly three-quarters (72%), according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. And yet Health and Safety Executive data shows the most stressed group at work
MICHAEL Jackson fans are set to be wowed when a lively tribute to the King of Pop comes to four venues in the region. 2019 marks ten years since the death of the superstar and Ben Bowman is embarking on a UK tour with more than 40 dates celebrating
ALEXANDRA BURKE is set to make a triumphant return to Newcastle Theatre Royal as ‘Rachel Marron’ in the award-winning blockbuster musical The Bodyguard playing Tue 23 Jul – Sat 3 Aug 2019. The X Factor winner Alexandra previously wowed Theatre Royal
NEWSQUEST (Yorkshire and North East), publisher of The Northern Echo, is looking for passionate, energetic people to join our multi-media telesales team. A recruitment open day will take place on Thursday at our office on Priestgate Darlington.
A SUSPECTED fuel thief is wanted by police as part of an investigation. It is believed the man pulled onto the forecourt at Park Road Garage, Chester-Le-Street on October 6 at around 3.45pm. He was driving a silver Ford Transit and filled his
A MOVING funeral service has been held for a veteran North-East sports reporter. Tributes to Northern Echo sports reporter Frank Johnson Family, friends and former colleagues of Frank Johnson said a final farewell on Friday as they
A TAKEOVER of the UK's largest shopping and leisure centre could be on the cards after a billionaire upped his offer. Share prices in intu Properties, which owns the Metrocentre, in Gateshead, and Eldon Square, in Newcastle, jumped up by 14 per
A SUSPECTED drug dealer has been arrested by police after calls from residents helped uncover a large cannabis farm Neighbourhood officers swooped after getting received calls from residents about anti-social behaviour and drug dealing. The
IT is sad that in 2018, a group of mums and their supporters end up having to protest outside a restaurant where a young mother was asked to breastfeed her baby daughter in the toilet – reportedly because of concerns other customers would be upset.
MUSICIANS of all ages and abilities performed for The Earl of Wessex when he visited Sage Gateshead. Prince Edward was in the region as part of his work with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and to highlight partnership working with local schools
GLOUCESTER number eight Ben Morgan is the man to answer England boss Eddie Jones’ back-row crisis in the Autumn internationals; that’s according to fiery Red Rose full-back Mike Brown. Morgan has been brought in from the international wilderness
CAMPAIGNERS fighting for the future of a hospital ward will take to the streets for a protest march on Saturday. More than 2,000 people have signed a petition to save Ward 6 at Bishop Auckland Hospital. Angry residents and staff grilled County
RAFAEL BENITEZ has hit back at fellow Spaniard Bruno ahead of Newcastle United’s crucial weekend game with Brighton. The Brighton captain attempted to ratchet up the pressure ahead of his side’s trip to St James’ Park tomorrow by claiming that
THOUSANDS of pounds worth of fireworks have been stolen following a burglary at a cricket club. The incident happened at Saltburn Cricket, Bowls and Tennis Club on Marske Mill Lane in Saltburn overnight from Tuesday into Wednesday this week.
THE leader of a drugs gang which ramraided homes to intimidate those who crossed him has been jailed for 12 years. Joshua Conroy ran a drugs operation from a yard in Trimdon, County Durham, under the guise of a legitimate dog breeding business.
Spennymoor manager Jason Ainsley says that their game at Brackley on Saturday will be a yardstick of their progress. Moors headed to Warwickshire sat in third place in the Vanarama National League North, with six wins and a draw out of their last
Shildon will give new striker Nathan Steel his debut in their local derby against Bishop Auckland today. Steel has signed from the Railwaymen from Guisborough, for whom he has scored twelve times this season, as they try to climb into the top three
AN educational centre in the heart of a Chester-le-Street estate has been given a new look before re-opening its doors. The Foundation of Light – the charitable arm of Sunderland AFC – runs educational programmes from the Centre of Light unit, based
JACK ROSS was happy to welcome the international break for his Sunderland squad, but now he knows his team are having to play catch-up after falling further behind the in the Championship’s promotion race. In having more than three of his players
PART of Firthmoor died this week, according to those who knew and loved a street artist who has lost his battle with cancer. More of the best local news here There has been an outpouring of grief for Jason ‘Mozer’ Morrison who died
COACH-loads of people who want the public to have a say on the final Brexit deal are heading from the region to Westminster this weekend. Thousands of people are expected to march on Westminster today as part of action organised by the People’s
A MOTORCYCLIST was hurt after a crash on the A688 on Friday morning. Police were called to the A688 at Thinford Lane, at 7.30am following the crash between a Yamaha motorbike and a Vauxhall Astra. A police spokeswoman confirmed the motorcyclist
A LANDLORD has been left counting the cost of breaching the terms of his licence– issued through a scheme that aims to improve the standard of rental properties. Durham County Council brought the case against Matthew Snowdon, of Cows Hill Road,
WELLBEING charity the Pioneering Care Partnership has made a formal pledge to end the stigma around mental health problems. Last Wednesday, which was World Mental Health Day, the PCP joined the Time to Change campaign and signed the Employer Pledge
THREE vehicles were involved in a crash at Sedgefield Racecourse roundabout this morning. The police were called at 7.30am to the collision on the A689 at Sedgefield Racecourse roundabout. No one was injured in the accident, which involved a
A GIRL was left with a broken leg after being hit by a small off-road motorcycle in Scarborough. The seven-year-old was struck on Colescliffe Road at around 7.50pm on Thursday, October 18 and was taken to Scarborough District Hospital for treatment
IT was pleasing to read of Darlington Round Table’s donation to the Kings Church food bank (Echo, Oct 10). Most people contribute willingly to charity but are dismayed when occasionally an official holding office in a charity uses the money for
I FULLY agree with Lotte Shankland (HAS, Oct 16) regarding student/landlord exemptions from council tax in the city of Durham. The subsidy from central government has been reduced over the last few years and will shortly cease altogether. Consequently
KEN Houlahan writes that “the only way to save Bishop Auckland hospital is to vote Labour” (HAS, Oct 17). We’ve heard this rhetoric before. Tensions run high at public meeting over Bishop Auckland Hospital In 1997, according to
IN reply to Ken Houlahan who claims great success for Labour’s local campaign against the proposed closure of ward six at Bishop Auckland General Hospital (HAS, Oct 17), let’s be absolutely clear that privatisation of the NHS commenced under the last
THE former boss of iconic tearoom Bettys has written a children's book based in the wilds of Africa – which will support conservation work across the continent. The Mud Monster by Jonnie Wild, illustrated by Brita Granstrom, is the second in the
NEWCASTLE FALCONS’ first home European Champions Cup game for more than 13 years was always going to be quite an occasion. After last weekend, however, the anticipation levels ahead of Sunday’s Kingston Park clash with Montpellier have ratcheted up
A MURDER investigation has been launched after a man found with serious injuries died. Police were called to an address in Jasmine Terrace, Birtley, near Chester-le-Street, at about 11pm on Thursday night. Emergency services attended the scene
A NATIONAL park will be united with a historic city in a drive to boost visitor numbers, despite concerns that some areas of park have hit “saturation point”. Members of the North York Moors National Park Authority have approved a £75,000 scheme
Spooky event A SPOOKY Halloween rock hunt will take place from the Pavilion Cafe in Eastbourne Park on Wednesday, October 31 from 9.30am until noon. Participants are invited to decorate rocks and hide them around the park before hunting for others
A PROJECT to improve cycling has received a significant financial boost. A total of £217,665 has been approved for Darlington’s Rotary Way Cycle Route project. This will see 1.2km of new shared use cycleway constructed from the Rotary Way/Centurian
TENSIONS ran high during a packed public meeting as people demanded answers about the future of an under-threat hospital ward. Bishop Auckland Methodist Church was full for the meeting, which was organised by MP Helen Goodman to discuss concerns
YOUNG reporters, who sold advertising space in their school newspaper, were able to help disadvantaged young people in Darlington. Pupils at Longfield Academy produced the first issue of The Longfield Lion earlier this year. They raised £155
COUNCIL leaders across the region have asked the Government to work with them to deliver a One Yorkshire devolution deal. They said the deal could deliver a £30bn-a-year boost to the county and the UK. The findings of a new independent study
NORTH Yorkshire has been ranked highest in Yorkshire and the Humber for student progress in GCSEs. The county also remains well above both Yorkshire and the Humber and the national average for GCSE results. Provisional figures published this
A TOP ceramic artist shared her expertise with pupils at Cundall Manor School. Jill Ford held a a uniquely rural masterclass in ceramic art at the school near Ripon and helped students create models of iconic Highland cattle. Head of art at the
A RAIL museum has welcomed a new arrival which helps tell the story of electric trains and community transport. Locomotion at Shildon, County Durham, has taken delivery of the last three surviving Class 306 electric vehicles. Electric Multiple
ALMOST 200 victims of modern slavery in the North-East were supported by a charity service in the last year– the second highest rate in the country after London. A report released this week revealed that 193 people in the region have been identified
EXTRA funding has been allocated to North Yorkshire to ease the pressure on adult social care during the winter. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock MP, has announced that the county is to receive nearly £2.5 million
A TEAM of recycling volunteers have been praised for their contribution to waste prevention. North Yorkshire County Council’s waste and countryside team hosted a celebration at Ripon Walled Garden to thank volunteer Rotters for their work. Rotters
A HALLOWEEN attraction has been named as one of the scariest seasonal events out of hundreds of UK attractions. The Scream Factory at Kirkleatham Museum, Redcar, has been added to the list of the top ten scariest Halloween activities by the blog
A FAMILY-RUN flooring retailer has opened its latest store in the North-East, bringing its total to 28. Franks the Flooring Store has chosen the Team Valley Retail Park in Gateshead as the venue for its latest store, which is now open to the public
A PROGRAMME of spooky Halloween tricks and treats is taking place at a County Durham park. Let’s Circus are performing a Fright Night show at Wharton Park, in Durham, on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 October. The spook-tacular performance will take
A CHARITY established to support patients using their local hospital is celebrating its 70th anniversary. The Friends of Darlington Memorial Hospital was established in 1948, the same year as the National Health Service. Chairman Alan Charlton
A MAN smashed a candle over a pub goer’s head during a Christmas Eve altercation. Young man fined after 'moment of madness' Gary James Colin Willis, from Great Lumley, near Chester-le-Street, is behind bars after admitting to the attack
THE family of a Second World War Victoria Cross hero made a special pilgrimage to his memorial statue. Relatives from as far as Canada and Cyprus came together for the first time to see the memorial to their ancestor, Captain Richard Wallace Annand
A YOUNG man had a "moment of madness" after smashing the windows of a car parked outside the house where his ex girlfriend was. Man smashed candles over pub-goer's head Jason Lee Ashton, of Cambridge Court, Tindale Crescent, Bishop
As a survey by Saga concludes that parents’ desire to help offspring financially can hinder their retirement dreams, financial planner Warren Shute has some practical advice. PARENTS helping out their children (and grandchildren) financially is
TWO council workers have been working closely with a campaigner to investigate the issues affecting people with disabilities. As part of Hate Crime Awareness Week the staff from Darlington Borough Council decided to look into issues affecting people
A TEENAGER who was found to have 20 bags of drugs under his bed, has been fined. Luke Pearson, of Beaumont Place, Peterlee, admitted one charge of possession Class B drugs when he appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court yesterday. The
STUDENTS who are paying about £10,000 a year to living in “luxury” accommodation have spoken out about living in the building site. About 250 Durham University students moved into the new accommodation at the Riverwalk, formerly The Gates shopping
THE first vessel to come out of a boat-builder’s new Middlesbrough yard has officially been launched. The Atlantic Dawn scalloper, owned by James Monaghan of Islay Crab Exports based on the Scottish Isle of Islay, enjoyed a traditional maritime
TWO officers who went the extra mile to help an adult with learning difficulties have been honoured for their work. PC Darren Rogers and PCSO Alex Cave, both based at Consett Police Station, helped a 57-year-old man from the town who had recently
TONY PULIS has rejected suggestions that his Middlesbrough side lacks creativity, but urged his forwards to start showing a ruthless streak as he looks to engineer a return to the Championship’s top two. Boro travel to Sheffield Wednesday tonight
Voice choir NORTHALLERTON Male Voice Choir will be performing at All Saints Church, Great Thirkleby, on Saturday. They will present a diverse programme to suit a variety of tastes including Gershwin, the Beach Boys and Leonard Cohen. The event is
SOLDIERS are standing to attention around Hambleton as part of events to commemorate the centenary of the end of World War 1. The 100 decorated cardboard cut-outs are creating a ‘trail’ across the district after being despatched in groups of 20
A COUNTY councillor who was “disrespectful” to planning officers and failed to declare a pecuniary interest during a long-running planning dispute has been censured. Durham County Councillor for Evenwood, Stephen Hugill, was found to have breached
RENOLIT Cramlington Limited has celebrated reducing its waste to landfill by 1,200 tonnes annually with the help of Total Recycling Services. Renolit is part of a German-based international plastics manufacturer with sites across Europe, Asia and
A BALANCE has to be struck between conserving unique heritage features and the public’s ability to appreciate them, the custodians of a national park have concluded. Visitors to a “remarkably dangerous” ironstone mine in the North York Moors must
SPECULATION that a major retail project was set to be abandoned has been rejected by the developers – and said the scheme is on course for opening in 2020. Background: Opinion divided on £50m Scotch Corner designer retail outlet The
PREVENTABLE deaths could occur due to a lack of support for non-English speakers at GP surgeries around Darlington, a report has warned. A number of surgeries are making improvements following the publication of research that highlighted problems
A PROJECT to restore a historic building and open it to future generations is being officially launched on the 150th anniversary of a mining trade union. The Durham Miners’ Association (DMA) marks the milestone on November 20, 150 years since a
AN UNEMPLOYED plasterer who performed a sex act on a busy shopping street on a Friday afternoon "put a slur on the town of Darlington", magistrates said. Have you visited our Darlington news page? Michael Gallagher brought shame on
TRIBUTES have been paid to a once familiar face around Darlington. For around a hundred years, Fred Moore’s family ran a stall on the town’s outdoor market selling fresh fish to crowds of shoppers. Mr Moore took over the business from his father
YESTERDAY, just before 4pm, I thought I was dead. I clasped my hands around the tallest of the five poles which make up Darlington’s Life Pulse and looked up into the beautiful blue sky. 'Ridiculous' Darlington artwork creates pavement cafe
