RAFA BENITEZ insists there has never been an issue between him and Aleksandar Mitrovic at Newcastle United, and explained how the Serbian left because he didn’t suit the way he wanted to set the team up. Mitrovic will return to St James’ Park for
A FORMER civil servant who hails from an ex mining community in Wales will be the new Bishop of Jarrow. An announcement made by Downing Street this morning confirmed that the next Bishop of Jarrow Designate is The Venerable Canon Sarah Clark.
THE daughter of a man killed 25 years ago has spoken of her heartache at spending another Christmas without knowing who is responsible for killing her father. Natalie Logan, 25, was just a baby when her dad, Paul Logan, was found dead on farmland
AS the build up to Christmas reaches its climax with last minute shopping on the agenda for many this weekend, Ifty Rafiq is prepared for the inevitable question. “Growing up as a Muslim in Britain I often get asked, frequently with a note of either
AN army of volunteers worked tirelessly to ensure hundreds of children wake up to a present on Christmas morning. The Salvation Army's annual Darlington toy appeal saw the community pull together once again in a bid to help families and youngsters
THE organisers of a festive artisan market in Middlesbrough are hopeful the weather doesn't wipe it out for a third year running. The Orange Pip market will move from its regular outdoors venue for a Christmas Special in Middlesbrough Town Hall
AN INTERNATIONAL fraudster who was wanted for failed construction projects in France has been tracked down and caught by North Yorkshire Police. Holiday park owner Joseph Burnside, from Hurworth Moor near Darlington, was the subject of a European
A HUGE haul of illegal tobacco products was seized following targeted raids. Newcastle City Council Trading Standards team seized more than 4,200 cigarettes and 2.6kg of hand rolling tobacco (HRT) after swoops on two Newcastle pubs. Acting upon
A DRUNKEN man who called Cleveland Police to say that his friend was too drunk to walk is among a number of inappropriate calls made this year. Traditionally the lead up to Christmas is a busy period for all of the emergency services, and officers
A MOTORIST has been fined more than £1,000 and banned from the roads after she was arrested during North Yorkshire’s Christmas drink and drug driving campaign. Camila Ruddy, 31, from Pannal near Harrogate, pleaded guilty to drink driving at Harrogate
A BITTER battle over plans to launch a centre for children’s activity holidays at a former police headquarters which has already seen a High Court ruling is set to resume as further legal action looms. Solicitors representing residents of Maunby
POLICE have arrested a man suspected of driving under the influence of drink or drugs after his car crashed into lamppost before flipping onto its roof. A Durham Police spokesman said: “We were called shortly before 11am today to a single-vehicle
SICK youngsters had some very special visitors to their hospital ward when the cast of Aladdin called in to bring some festive cheer. Zoe Birkett, who plays Princess Jasmine, headed the cast members who enjoyed a tour of the Darlington Memorial
THE death this week of ice hockey legend Paul Smith has brought back many happy memories of the heyday of one of the region's most successful sporting clubs of recent years. Durham Wasps legend Paul Smith dies at home near the city
CHARLES DICKENS is often said to have “invented the modern Christmas”. He would not be happy about it. I don’t believe he would have regarded his reformed miser Scrooge’s gift of a turkey to the struggling Cratchits – “the prize turkey… not the little
IN the year that marks the centenary of women being given the vote, I am sure your readers will find it appalling that the Leader of the Opposition should make such dreadful remarks – allegedly calling her a "stupid woman" – about our Prime Minister
THERESA MAY’S latest crisis has shown us the real reason behind Brexit, why all this chaos and confusion was launched onto the British public. It has little to with sovereignty or “the People’s Vote”. It is more about the struggle for power within
THERE was no peace and goodwill, and very few tidings of comfort and joy, as Westminster wound up for the Christmas holiday. Indeed, it was more like a bear-pit, with MPs snarling at each other like wild animals. "Christmas spirit?" said one MP
Spennymoor manager Jason Ainsley wants more fans to come to the Brewery Field – not just to watch his team, but also to support chairman Brad Groves. Moors, who are fifth in the Vanarama National League North table, have played some excellent football
Bishop Auckland manager Ian Chandler says that three points are a must when they go to Whickham in the EBAC Northern League today. Bishops, who haven’t lost in eight league games, go to Tyneside in third place in the table, seven points behind
IT IS reported that the construction of the new EastEnders set is to cost £27m more than was planned (Echo, Dec 13). Is this why there is now a threat to remove free licence fees for the over 75s? In answer to the BBC's invitation, I have contacted
WHEN I first saw a photo of former Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith posing at his local food bank, I couldn't believe my eyes. I also could not contain my temper. This was the guy who created the destructive Universal Credit. He butchered
A FEATURE on the Tyne Tees evening news last Friday mentioned that some Christmas wrapping paper contains plastic. All wrapping paper should be recyclable. If manufacturers won’t do it voluntarily, then the Government must pass a law requiring them
WELL done to Ben Houchen, the Tees Valley mayor, for organising a poll which shows 93 per cent of people want to revert to Teesside International Airport after 15 years of Durham Tees Valley Airport (Echo, Dec 20). I was one who voted Teesside.
STAFF at a Richmond inn are celebrating after it has picked up an industry award for its training initiatives. The Coaching Inn Group, which operates the popular Kings Head in Richmond, gives employees access to a number of inspirational training
THERE is nothing inevitable about homelessness or about the tragic deaths which are all too often a consequence of a housing system which fails too many people. It is unacceptable to see lives cut short this way and in one of the world’s wealthiest
TONY PULIS has urged Middlesbrough’s players to stay confident in the battle to stay in the promotion pack after a slump that has put them on the verge of falling out of the Championship’s play-off places. Frustrations have grown around the Riverside
TRIPLETS born prematurely have finally arrived at home shortly before turning ten weeks old. Gordon and Laura Wade, from Richmond, already parents to toddler Georgia, have finally welcomed home all three of their babies, after their baby girls Emilia
AN ONLINE consultation service is changing the way patients across Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby areas receive medical advice from their GP. NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is using digital technology
CHILDREN in care have been treated to a visit to the panto after talking about their future goals and aspirations. The group of young people, including care leavers, looked after by North Yorkshire County Council and their carers went to see Cinderella
A HOUSING association has been upgraded by its national regulator following a recent review of the way the organisation is managed and run. In a report issued by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) this week, Broadacres was deemed to be compliant
A YOUNG woman was rescued from a house in Darlington earlier this week after a fire broke out in the kitchen. The fire quickly spread through the house on Willow Road on the evening of Tuesday, December 18 and the woman became trapped in a loft
THE mother of a missing man has issued a further appeal for information as she faces another Christmas without her son. Scott Fletcher, a father of one, who was aged 27 when he went missing, was reportedly last seen on May 11, 2011 at around 8:
A TEENAGER who wanted to do something for others this Christmas has found herself overwhelmed with the kind donations she has received. Nieve Rusby, from Stockton, was inspired by a number of Christmas gift appeals and decided to organise her own
BUS drivers are set to strike in January after union members voted to reject their latest pay offer. The strike has been set for the week starting January 6, when about 650 Arriva bus drivers in County Durham, Darlington, Redcar, Stockton and Whitby
THE bomb squad was called out to a suspicious package near Darlington town centre, with residents evacuated and several roads sealed off. The package was discovered at a property in Kendrew Street on Thursday afternoon and a 100-metre exclusion
A wonderful card at Ascot this afternoon begins with a 2m 5f Maiden Hurdle on ground officially described as soft, with no further significant rain forecast. Nicky Henderson saddles a couple, with Igor looking to go one better than when runner up
A KEY figure from one of the North-East’s most successful sports teams of recent years has died. Paul Smith captained Durham Wasps ice hockey team during its heyday and gifted fans some of their greatest memories. The Wasps began their life
BACKERS of the region's newest community-owned pub has launched a massive push to get the doors open for Christmas and reward the residents who have rallied round to save it. A new landlord and landlady have also been appointed to spearhead the
TICKETS for a concert by pop superstar Jess Glynne at Darlington’s Northern Echo Arena go on sale on Friday – and thanks to Darlington Mowden Park, we have two pairs of golden circle tickets to give away. The gig, on Friday, August 2, was announced
A BUILDING society has been praised for its services to its customers at a recent industry awards ceremony. Darlington Building Society, which has ten branches across Teesside, County Durham and North Yorkshire, won the Customer Services Award and
A SATISFIED Jack Ross admits there is an “outside chance” of Sunderland being busier than he is expecting to be next month if players he would rather keep end up being sold on for suitable offers. The Black Cats manager is hoping to keep hold of
RAFA BENITEZ has always sought fresh ideas and ways to improve both on and off the pitch. Having enrolled as a student and achieved a degree in physical education when his playing career was cut short through injury, he has never been happy to settle
A HOSPITAL unit which deals with heart attacks and abnormalities has been recognised for its team work by an industry-leading group. The Cardiology unit at Northallerton’s Friarage Hospital stripped London’s St Bartholomew’s hospital of an award
TABLES were groaning under the selection of delicious goodies presented to lucky guests at a Darlington school Christmas party. Hummersknott Academy invited the grandparents of students to join them for an afternoon of music, entertainment and a
A RUNNER is attempting to clock up the miles to raise money for a boy who is in desperate need of funds to continue his fight against cancer. Marc Ellis will be running around The Northern Echo Arena for 24 hours from 6pm on Friday, December 28
A CROOK from Bishop Auckland slashed a man with a blade, burgled two homes and took part in a bungled ATM ram-raid bid. A judge who jailed 42-year-old Dean George Neasham for nine years heard how he embarked on a crime spree in late 2017, some
CONFIDENCE in business from the region has dropped according to latest figures from Lloyds Banking Group. Confidence halved as plans to recruit workers remained consistent with figures from last year. The Lloyds Bank Business Barometer, which
GPs in Darlington are thwarting a drive to use digital technology to enable long distance patient-clinician contact and care, a meeting has heard. Darlington Borough Council’s health and partnerships scrutiny committee heard NHS bosses had been
RESIDENTS facing financial crisis have been alerted to a council’s scheme to help alleviate the pressure. Anthony Sandys, Darlington Borough Council’s head of housing and revenues services, said while the authority issued about 8,500 summons for
A TEAM of hospice staff are training hard ahead of taking on a coast to coast cycle ride to raise money for the charity. Thirteen members of staff from St Cuthbert’s Hospice, in Durham, are taking on the 140 mile challenge next May. They will
MISSING 17-year-old Chinese student Mei Chen, who went missing from Scarborough on Monday, has been found safe and well. Mei has been studying at the International School on the town’s Stepney Road since she arrived in the UK on October 21, 2018
POLICE officers have helped to spread some Christmas cheer to children spending the lead-up to Christmas in hospital. Father Christmas joined officers and staff from Durham Constabulary to hand out presents to youngsters on the children’s ward at
A FAMILY business which is working on a high profile sports development has been praised for its proactive approach to the £31m project. Newton Aycliffe steel firm Finley Structures was awarded the contract to fabricate and erect 640 tonnes of steel
SHOCKING new figures show that there has been a 71 per cent increase in the number of homeless people dying in the North-East in recent years. Heroin laced with fentanyl, austerity measures and mental health issues have contributed to a stark rise
PARAMEDICS will be spending Friday night shifts with their police colleagues in a bid to provide immediate care to victims of assaults or road accidents. The pilot scheme in the Cleveland force area will see a paramedic working alongside two special
A NORTH-EAST teenager has been named the overall winner in the prestigious RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2018. Lucy Hutton from Hexham, Northumberland, triumphed with her winning image of the preserved body of Pinta Island Galapagos tortoise
VOLUNTEERS with first-hand experience accessing food banks are calling for people who are alone or facing financial hardship to join them for Christmas dinner. The team behind Junction 7, in Newton Aycliffe, are organising a free traditional lunch
APRIL began with a dramatic fire that destroyed vehicles and caused damage at a North-East haulage yard. Three heavy goods vehicles and three trailers were completely burnt out, while two lorries and one trailer melted in the blaze at the John Dickinson
FOR RICHARD Money, it’s the small things that matter. The Hartlepool United boss has only been in the job a little over a week, but is starting to install his methods and manners on those at the Super 6 Stadium. He takes charge of his first National
IT would not be Christmas in Sedgefield without the town’s annual panto. This year Sedgefield Players are gearing up to showcase an original pantomime spin on Cinderella at Sedgefield Parish Hall at 7pm on December 27, 28, 29 and 30. Written
