NEWCASTLE UNITED captain Jamaal Lascelles thinks that “perfectionist” Rafa Benitez has proven just how hard it will be to replace him after three strong years on Tyneside. It is well documented that Benitez’s contract runs out next month and this
HARTLEPOOL UNITED’S season ticket prices will remain the same for next season. The club has announced a price freeze for the 2019/20 National League campaign. The early bird offer until July 5 means adults pay £250 (£10.87 per game), while seniors
A FIRE that blazed for four hours and filled the sky with plumes of black smoke has prompted local residents to speak out about an issue they say is ongoing. Calls were made to County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service at around 6pm
Jack Burnham made his first significant contribution with the bat for Durham since returning from a 12-month drugs ban on a see-saw opening day at New Road. Worcestershire’s Charlie Morris followed up his career best 7-45 against Leicestershire
The first day of York’s three-day May meeting begins this afternoon with the feature event the Group 2 Duke Of York Stakes over six furlongs. Four-year-olds have won the last three renewals of this valuable sprint and Invincible Army is BetVictor’s
TWO men from Middlesbrough have been arrested as police in North Yorkshire continue to target potential “county lines” drug dealing. At around 10.15pm on May 13, officers on patrol became suspicious due to the manner of driving of a vehicle on the
WOMEN inmates have been taking part in what is thought to be the first science programme to run in an English prison. Climate change, the solar system, plate tectonics and the science of sleep have all been tackled by inmates at Low Newton women's
A MEDIA personality and activist will be holding a guest talk at Teesside University. Businesswoman Heather Mills will be at the University on July 4 from 12pm to 1pm to talk about her plant-based diet and the effects it has on health and agriculture
A 21-YEAR-OLD singer with the weight of the UK’s Eurovision Song Contest hopes on his shoulders has already made an impression on delegates 3,000 miles away from home. Hartlepool performer Michael Rice is warming up for the 64th annual competition
CHILDREN and young adults with special educational needs and disability (SEND) requirements are being failed by a council with a duty of care to families in need of support. Ofsted inspectors have revealed “significant concerns” following a review
CONSERVATIVE councillors who are preparing to take control of a local authority for the first time in 40 years have pledged to hit the ground running. The Tory group on Darlington Borough Council said talks about the workings of the administration
UNION officials are urging the Government to guarantee the future of British Steel and safeguard thousands of jobs amid suggestions that the company is seeking a multimillion-pound loan to secure its future. It is understood that meetings were held
RESIDENTS have vowed to battle to the bitter end to stop a proposal to transform a historic mansion in a quiet village into a 550-bed children’s holiday centre, despite being promised noise levels will be minimised. Campaigners said while residents
A SCHOOL equestrian team is celebrating after competing at the highest level. Barnard Castle School took part in the National Schools Equestrian Association County Championships securing their places among the top competitors in the country.
A BATCH of Cow & Gate baby food has been recalled from supermarkets because jars have been found to contain pieces of a rubber glove. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said the jars of Cheesy Broccoli Bake (10+ months) may contain small pieces of
IN the name of common sense, UEFA should be able to switch the Europa League Cup Final from Baku in Azerbaijan to Wembley in London. Why have thousands of people travelling halfway around the world when the two teams are from the same country?
TWO men have appeared in court after being arrested during a huge police raid in County Durham. Andrew Maddox, 39, and Connor Palmer, 22, both of Willington, were arrested last Wednesday during a police operation, which involved about 150 officers
NORTH Yorkshire Police bosses are set to hit a long-held target of 1,400 frontline officers - numbers not seen since 2010. When Lisa Winward stepped into the chief constable role last year she said that the force “should have 1,400 officers” but
THE success of English teams – Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea – reaching the Champions League and Europa League finals is being well covered. These may be English clubs but they are certainly not English teams as they consist predominately
JACK ROSS thinks “common sense” has prevailed after Alim Ozturk’s red card was overturned so he can now face Portsmouth in the play-off semi-final second leg on Thursday. Ozturk was sent off for being the last man in Saturday’s first leg victory
A TOWN cricket club’s ongoing recovering from an arson attack has won the support of the sport’s national governing body. MP Helen Goodman facilitated a meeting between officials from Spennymoor Cricket Club and the England and Wales Cricket Board
AN appeal for mobile phone footage taken on the night of a 15-year-old girl's death has been launched by police. Police said they were now appealing for witnesses who could have mobile phone footage from the Applegarth car park. near Northallerton
THE flagship store of a city centre shopping centre has ceased trading as it seeks new premises. Clothes and home retailer M&Co has closed at the Prince Bishops Shopping Centre in Durham. Read more Durham news from the Northern Echo
A CASH windfall has helped a charity to boost its fundraising efforts. The Butterwick Hospice received £250 from Durham County Council's small grants fund. Councillor Sam Zair, who represents Bishop Auckland, helped the hospice secure the funding
A MAN has suffered a broken arm after being involved in a hit and run incident. The 26-year-old pedestrian was struck on Woodlands Road, Middlesbrough, at around 2.15pm on Sunday afternoon. A black BMW vehicle collided with a pedestrian and
SUNDERLAND could soon have the man responsible for bringing Virgil van Dijk to Britain as the club's new director of football. Reports north of the border claim the Black Cats are close to sealing a deal that sees John Park move to Wearside.
AN ASPIRING author is in the good books with her schoolmates after winning a story-writing competition. Morgan Murphy, 10, won £500 worth of books for Skerne Park Academy, in Darlington, after winning the primary schools’ section of the “Little
A SECOND person has been arrested relating to the death of a 15-year-old girl on Saturday, May 11. Leah Heyes from Applegarth, Northallerton died in hospital after collapsing in a car park on Saturday evening. Tributes pour in after death
Head coach James Franklin has called on his Durham side to display greater resilience when they return to Specsavers County Championship action in their Division Two at Worcestershire today. Durham suffered a cruel blow in their Royal London One-Day
JUST a year after its launch, a charity has secured the use of a disused social club to turn into its headquarters. The Angel Trust in Bishop Auckland has moved into the former Belvedere Social Club and hopes to complete its refurbishment next
A DAD and daughter duo are pulling on their walking boots as they prepare to take on the gruelling Three Peaks Challenge in support of a Darlington church. Fifteen-year-old Kaci McVay will be joining her father, Garry Miller, as they attempt to
CHRIS MAGUIRE believes he has shown he deserves to start in Thursday’s play-off semi-final at Portsmouth, exactly the sort of occasion he feels he can flourish in. Maguire emerged from the bench to turn match-winner at the Stadium of Light in the
AN outdoor enthusiast is preparing for his second challenge in less than 12-months to raise funds in memory of his mum. Dave Herron from Thirsk and fellow fundraiser, Jason Oglesby, will tackle the National Three Peaks Challenge in 24-hours on May
A TOWN football club is set to future proof its stadium if planning permission for an improvement scheme is successful. Founded in 1895, Northallerton Town Football Club is due to submit a planning application for improvements to be made to its
CHARITY shop staff and volunteers are brushing up on their restoration skills with a seasonal spruce of their stock and premises. St T’s Superstore is to undergo a mini-makeover at its site on McMullen Road, Darlington. Other news: Parish objects
ORGANISERS of the first major agricultural show in the county are gearing up for the event, which they say will be more entertaining than ever. North Yorkshire County Show secretary Alan Andrew is also set to visit Buckingham Palace last this month
A POP-UP cafe designed to encourage people to talk about death and bereavement is coming to Bedale this week. Dying Matters is a coalition of individual and organisational members across England and Wales, which aims to help people talk more openly
SWIM star Evie Dilley is celebrating after taking two golds and a bronze medal at the English School Swimming Association Championships recently. Evie, a student at Stokesley School, received her medals in the 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle events
AN ARTIST is set to turn her home into a pop-up gallery in time for Radio 1 Big Weekend. Rosie Morris, 29, will be transforming her studio to celebrate all things Middlesbrough and is inviting the public to come along or submit their own work.
A SPECIAL event aiming to empower people to talk openly and honestly about death, dying and bereavement will mark the start of Dying Matters Awareness Week 2019. A family-owned firm of undertakers are opening the doors of a nearby church to help
A GREAT-GRANDMOTHER is preparing to celebrate her 87th birthday with a fundraising challenge that is not for the faint hearted. Kitty Grove-Stephensen, from Middlesbrough, will be taking part in a sponsored flight in a microlight aircraft with East
ONE of the North-East’s biggest music festivals is giving two charities its support this summer. Hardwick Live Festival will return to Hardwick Hall Hotel, County Durham, from August 17 to August 18, with a line-up of acts including Manic Street
POLICE have arrested a teenager on suspicion of supplying drugs in connection with the death of a 15 year old girl who they believe had been taking a form of ecstasy. North Yorkshire police have named the dead youngster as Leah Heyes from Northallerton
A CHURCH is giving photography enthusiasts the chance to win a coveted place in their 2020 calendar. The calendar will be produced by the Friends of St Edmund's Church, in Sedgefield, who are looking for copyright-free contributions to illustrate
A HOME could be turned into student accommodation despite a disagreement over how many similar properties there are in the area. An application has been made to turn Corner House, in Potters Bank, Durham, into a house of multiple occupation (HMO
A TOWN Mayor's first official duty was to present awards to secondary school pupils. The Mayor of Bishop Auckland Councillor Joy Allen visited King James I Academy on Wednesday, a day after receiving the chains of office. Sixth Former Abbi Stephenson
A BODY has been found in the search for a missing man. Adam Brocklehurst, 54, had not been seen since Saturday, April 13. Cleveland Police have now confirmed a body, which was found by a member of the public in the water near Smiths Dock Road
THOUSANDS of pounds is up for grabs by community groups in the Bishop Auckland area. Grants of between £300 and £3,000 are offered by The Gaunless Gateway Partnership, to support groups with initiatives that will have a positive impact on their
A RESTORATION firm has seen the busiest start to the year since it was established two decades ago. STS Restoration, part of the Stone Technical Services group, has secured around two million pounds worth of work around the country. The company
THE LARGEST law firm in the Tees Valley has launched of a new strategy which includes investment in expansion and training. Tilly Bailey and Irvine law firm, which has offices in Hartlepool, Wynyard, Stockton and Barnard Castle, presented the plans
A TINY Dales school that looks set to close will celebrate its rich history of more than three centuries in education. Arkengarthdale Church Of England School will hold an open event on July 6 to celebrate 360-years of learning and its long-standing
DETECTIVES investigating the tragic death of 15 year old Leah Heyes have arrested one 17 year old boy in connection with supplying drugs and say other youngsters need to come forward who know what happened to ensure no one else dies or ends up in hospital
A MAN has described the dramatic moment he spotted a timber fire that went on to engulfed a factory warehouse at the weekend. Jason Taylor was told his prompt response have given firefighters vital minutes that helped them save machinery from the
A JUDGE has given a reforming drug user a chance to prove he is continuing to engage with support agencies. Judge Jonathan Carroll adjourned sentencing Dean Kenyon, over a drug-fuelled attack on a police officer, for six-months to see if he maintains
A 79-YEAR-OLD woman was left with a fractured eye socket after being grabbed from behind and robbed. The Gateshead pensioner was pulled to the ground by someone, who stole her bag before making off. It happened in the Claremont North Avenue
AN appeal has been made to townsfolk to help support the continued upkeep of their parish church, which dates from medieval times. To mark the silver jubilee of the foundation of The Friends of Houghton Parish Church Trust, trustees are seeking
ONE lucky bartender is being offered the dream summer job, serving pints at a bar in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. The successful applicant will run Floyd's Pelican Bar, a floating haven only accessible by boat, one mile off the coast of Jamaica
