Entrepreneurs in North Tyneside have been given a helping hand in the form of a £600,000 European grant.

The funding from the European Regional Development Fund will enable North Tyneside Council to offer more support to fledgling businesses by offering services such as website design, personal development and new product development. The Building up Business project has received a total of £1,220,000 with £600,000 coming from the Single Regeneration Budget and £20,000 from Small to Medium Enterprise.

INQUIRY ADJOURNED: A public inquiry into opencast mining at Wheatley Hill, near Leamside, County Durham, was opened and adjourned to September 10 yesterday. Members of the public are invited to attend the hearing, which is expected to last four days.

PUB'S SUCCESS: The Coach and Eight, in Durham, part of the Laurel Pub Company, is through to the final of the firm's awards programme, the Laurel League of Champions. It is one of six out of 606 to be shortlisted for the social responsibility champion of the year award. Managers John and Joy Miller could win a trip to Mauritius.

Donor sessions: Blood donor sessions will be held today in the White Swan Centre, Citadel East, Killingworth, between 2.30pm and 7pm, in the Community Hall, Derwent Street, Chopwell, from 3pm to 7pm and at the Community Centre, Tunstall Village Road, Silksworth, from 2.30pm to 7pm.

Book launch: The Bishop of Jarrow, the Right Reverend John Pritchard, will be launching his new book, How to Pray, at the SPCK Bookshop inside Durham cathedral today at 6.30pm. It is aimed at Christians who want to refresh their prayer life.

Quilt workshop: A quilt-making workshop will be held in the Shakespeare Hall, North Road, Durham, tomorrow, between 10am and noon. A patchwork quilting session will be held on Friday from 10am to noon. The events are being held to mark Adult Learners' Week and visitors are welcome.

COFFEE MORNING: Chester-le-Street Civic Choir are holding a coffee morning in the parish centre in Chester-le-Street on Saturday, from 10am. Light lunches are available.

Mast plan: Hutchison 3G UK has lodged a prior notification application with Durham City Council for a 15-metre-high mobile phone mast and equipment cabin within a fenced compound on land at the reservoir at Auton Stile, Bearpark.

Rock nights: Tubesnake will be playing in the Stables Bar at the Beamish Mary Inn, No Place, near Stanley, on Friday. The following night, TT Blue will play. Doors open at 8.30pm. There is a cover charge.

FURNITURE WANTED: The YMCA charity shop at 22, Silver Street, Durham, requires small items of furniture in good condition to sell. They can be collected by ringing Sylvia Milburn on 0191-384 6995.