THE Bishop of Durham, the Rt Rev Michael Turnbull, has officially opened a new computer centre at Durham School. The Bishop unveiled the ICT centre during the school's annual speech day and prize-giving last Saturday. The centre, housed in two classrooms
A FORMER special police constable who made sickening videos of himself raping and indecently assaulting young girls was jailed for ten years last week. Student teacher Dominic Patrick McCallan, 28, from Medomsley, gained the trust of parents by teaching
A NEW Durham hotel has opened early to cater for the influx of visitors for university graduation ceremonies. Workmen pulled out the stops to ensure that the Kingslodge, in the burnt out shell of the Rose Tree pub, opened this month. Kingslodge Developments
RAIL fans are being offered the chance to savour the scenery of the Settle and Carlisle line this weekend. Green Express and North-East Railtours are running a diesel-hauled special train on Saturday and Sunday. The Saturday train serves Morpeth, Cramlington
CHESTER-le-Street's Riverside Park will be transformed into a tented village this weekend as the curtain rises on one of County Durham's biggest festivals of the year. The theatrical extravaganza Playfest 2000 sees professional players from all over the
MORE than 900 villagers are being asked for their views about where they live. The questionnaires have been delivered to homes in Tantobie, near Stanley, and its surrounding area as part of a community appraisal funded by an £8,000 grant from the Northern
Brave Jessie Donovan told last week how she brought the evil stepfather who ruined her life to justice. Wilfred Smedley, 62, was jailed for life at Newcastle Crown Court on Friday for a string of appalling sex offences against children 20 years ago. The
PUPILS and teachers at a village school are celebrating after receiving a glowing report. Oftsed, the Office for Standards in Education, praised Sadberge Church of England School for 'creating a climate for learning which supports good progress in pupils
AFTER 70 years behind closed doors, Durham Freemasons made their first stylish public appearance at the weekend. Hundreds of masons dressed in their finest regalia gathered at Beamish Museum to take part in a special meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge
Worthington CIU Summer Snooker League OLD Shildon maintained their two points lead at the top of the table in a match where Michael Pratt lifted the highest break for the season to 87. Michael gave Old Shildon the best start against visiting Wheatley
A RESIDENTS' association has raised concerns that a £1m housing facelift in New Shildon may run into problems. The group believes the group repair housing scheme, run by Sedgefield Borough Council, is losing confidence among homeowners due to the length
RESTORATION work on Saltburn Pier is progressing well. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is delighted with the way the £1.8m project is going. Head of leisure services, Peter Lane, said: "We always knew there would be a degree of disruption, but from
HENRY the garden gnome is safe back home after being snatched by a gang of jet-setting gnomenappers. But there is still no clue as to who grabbed him from the doorstep of a the Farrers Arms pub at Crook. Since the gnomenap five months ago Henry has travelled
A MAN who has given decades of service running activities for young people in neighbouring Durham villages has received a right royal reward. Dennis Rowland, 56, was shocked to hear he had been nominated for an MBE in the New Year honours. His name was
RAIL fans are being offered the chance to savour the scenery of the Settle and Carlisle line this weekend. Green Express and North-East Railtours are running a diesel-hauled special train this Saturday and Sunday. The Saturday train serves Morpeth, Cramlington
BATTLING Sedgefield men's water polo team took on undefeated Carlisle in the North-umberland and Durham league at Newton Aycliffe leisure centre and scored a resouding 6-6 draw. Carlisle, unbeaten in the league for three years, found Sedgefield, who only
PUPILS at a Weardale school are pioneering a new disability awareness programme. The 23-strong group of 14-year-olds from Wolsingham Comprehensive undertook a study of disability issues as part of a GNVQ in health and social care. The study included a
CRIME-BUSTING neighbourhood wardens could be on patrol in Redcar and Cleveland next year. The local authority is bidding for £680,000 of Government cash to set up a scheme costing £1.36m over three years. It hopes to become one of a series of nationwide
COUNCIL bosses in Chester-le-Street are using architecture and design in the fight against crime. In the first phase of a seven-year blitz on crime, Chester-le-Street District Council has set up a £30,000 design scheme to use architecture to deter troublemakers
BISHOP Auckland police are holding open surgeries in the town centre for people to report crimes or get advice. Sgt Andrea Clayton said the station's nine town centre officers will attend the surgeries in rota. "For the majority of times people will gladly
JUST two weeks after huge crowds flocked to Croft Circuit, near Darlington, for the popular Auto Trader British touring car championship, the North Yorkshire venue plays hosts to the Premier Package this weekend. The event will be a fascinating mix of
THE Government has bowed to pressure, supported by The Northern Echo, and told councils it has to make key decisions in public. This is how the Echo's editorial greeted the U-turn on cabinet-style local government: The Government's intention when it first
BRITISH Transport Police are investigating the death of a 19-year-old man who was hit by a GNER Inter City train on the Newcastle to Kings Cross line. Neil Heaviside, who worked as a welder and engineer and lived with his parents Les and Lynne in Gordon
Students from Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College are arranging a movie theme night today (Thursday) at the Rolling Mills Social Club, Longfield Road, Darlington, from 7.30pm until 11.20pm with buffet, quiz and a prize for the best fancy dress. Tickets
IT TOOK just minutes to sweep through but it destroyed the homes and lives of residents in the East Cleveland village of Skinningrove. As devastated families were trying to come to terms with the chaos caused when floods wrecked their homes on Sunday
A Japanese firm announced the closure of a North-East electronics factory, with the loss of hundreds of jobs, last night, after the cut was leaked in a confidential memo to the Government. Officials of Sumitomo Electric Wiring Systems were said to be
TELEVISION actor Ricky Tomlinson hailed miners' champion Arthur Scargill as his hero last night when the pair shared a podium in the North-East. The two men were guest speakers at Crook Cricket Club for the annual Durham Miner's pre-gala event, where
Darlington midfielder Neil Heaney could be the next player to leave Feethams after Dundee United offered £200,000 for the former Arsenal player. Heaney, once transferred for £300,000, was a crowd favourite last season after his arrival during the summer
Prime Minister Tony Blair's son Euan was "reprimanded" by police yesterday for being drunk and incapable. The warning means he has escaped the more serious sanctions of a caution or prosecution. The reprimand followed the 16-year-old's arrest on Wednesday
THREE hired hands were caught red-handed unloading hundreds of boxes of smuggled cigarettes from a container lorry at a North-East industrial estate. Customs officers swooped on a business unit at Langley Moor, near Durham, in a "knock" which yielded
POLICE investigating the murder of a father shot dead at work have made a fresh appeal for information two years on. Businessman Stephen Sweeney's body was found by his partner and seven-year-old daughter at his Gateshead upholstery factory on the night
A DERWENTSIDE man experienced the high life recently when he took on the challenge of the Three Peaks to raise money for the Great North Millennium Transplant Games. Keith Harper, 54, of Burnopfield, a seasoned climber and walker, raised £1,000 for the
A PENSIONER pet has finally hung up her lead. Tippy, a terrier/poodle cross, has been working as a Pets As Therapy (PAT) dog in County Durham for most of her 14-year life. Now well into the autumn of her life, she has been retired from her duties helping
EMERGENCY Government aid will ease the financial burden on the small North-East local authority plunged into an expensive post-flood mopping-up operation. But, more importantly for Wear Valley District Council, is the sign from Westminster that they could
FAMILY and friends are concerned for the welfare of a man who has been missing from hospital since Monday. Martin Joseph Shaw, 30, a patient at North Tees General Hospital, Stockton, was last seen walking towards Savacentre on Durham Road, in the town
POLICE are expecting up to 50,000 people to converge on Durham today for the 116th Miners Gala. The city centre will be a sea of colour and filled with the stirring sound of brass bands as the traditional parade makes its way past the Royal County Hotel
FOUR finalists will battle it out for the title of The Northern Echo's Cook of the Year tomorrow. The quartet will be hoping to impress the judges at our homes and gardens event, which takes place at the Blackwell Grange Hotel, in Darlington, from 11am
SUPPORTERS of one of the region's heroes have failed to win him pride of place in London's Trafalgar Square. Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar led a campaign to get a statue of Captain James Cook set on a plinth in the square. The
HIGH-FLIERS are getting a grounding in a low-level sport with the opening of a kart club. The club has been established at RAF Leeming following a visit by station personnel to a civilian track last year. And now a newly-formed kart committee has created
YOUNG skating fans who complain teenagers are driving them off a new arena are aiming to get back on their boards through the power of the pen. Children from Crook Primary School used their English lessons to mount a postal protest to Wear Valley District
FAMILIES have been warned it could be weeks or even months before their homes are habitable again. Surveyors are expected to draw up 'dilapidation' schedules, itemised accounts of what is needed to be done in 38 council houses in Skinningrove. There were
GILES Bolitho of Redcar will be passed the office of president of Middlesbrough Teesside Lions Club by Bob Hewson on Monday, July 16. The evening at the Highfield Hotel, Marton Road, Middlesbrough, will be an open meeting. Anyone interested in spending
FLOOD defence chiefs have pledged to work with urgency to bring forward plans to protect two communities devastated by heavy rains last month. In the most severe case, about 200 properties in South Church, County Durham, were flooded when the River Gaunless
TWO budding young actors have been selected to spend a month working with a theatre company next summer. The chosen teenagers were shown the ropes by former soap actors taking part in this year's summer repertory season at Darlington Civic Theatre. Michael
AN evening of celebration with performances from an Asian youth dance group has been held in Darlington. The Navrangats dance group displayed their talents to more than 140 people in St Cuthbert's Church Hall. There was also a performance by youngsters
COUNTY Durham is leading the way in workforce development with a unique online toolkit, designed to help small and medium sized companies become more competitive. The Training Needs Analysis Toolkit, called Deva, uses a set of business analysis modules
THOUSANDS of pounds are expected to be raised by people with an outrageous taste in clothing, for the region's only children's hospice. Extrovert characters from companies in Cleveland and County Durham searched their wardrobes for garish and unsuitable
THE history, community spirit and religious life of a small County Durham community is being celebrated in flowers this weekend. As part of Lanchester's millennium celebrations, a flower display depicting the village's history from Roman times to the
A NORTH-EAST hospital aims to cut waiting times for its patients thanks to a new extended £460,000 endoscopy suite. The suite at Darlington Memorial Hospital was opened by former England rugby union star Rob Andrew. Health chiefs say the new unit, funded
AN OVERWHELMING community spirit has attracted people from all over the world to a village reunion. People are flocking to the small County Durham village of Witton Park from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, America, Holland, Belgium and Zambia
ALAN Shoulder resigned as Crook Town manager last week following the re-election of chairman Bill Penman at the club's annual meeting. Assistant David Torr has also resigned. Shoulder, who made his name as a player with Bishop Auckland and Blyth Spartans
WORKSHOPS to teach the people of Middlesbrough about home composting are being held over the next four months. The events, run by Middlesbrough Environment City's Home Composting Scheme, will offer people who attend a short workshop a free home-delivered
A PROGRAMME devised to open new doors for women in the Stockton area has been held up nationally as an example of how to succeed in women's education and training. The New Start for Women programme began eight years ago and is run jointly by Stockton
A STOCKTON firm has won a £2.5m contract to build six stove burners for a French company. VAI Industries (UK) announced yesterday that its blast furnace technology division in Stockton will build the stoves at Sollac, Fos sur Mer in Southern France. This
MEMBERS of Bishop Auckland rugby club have paid tribute to stalwart founder-member Ted Robinson who died last week at the age of 68 after a long illness. Former chairman Les Wood said: "Ted called the very first meeting to set up the club in 1976. He
A Japanese firm announced the closure of a North-East electronics factory, with the loss of hundreds of jobs, last night, after the cut was leaked in a confidential memo to the Government. Officials of Sumitomo Electric Wiring Systems were said to be
An American martial arts expert found guilty of strangling a renowned former North-East scientist will spend 15 years to life in prison for the 1995 murder, a court ruled yesterday. Paul Cain, 28, was sentenced in San Diego after being convicted in May
A BUNGLING burglar bit off more than he could chew when he broke into Gary Rowley's home. He sneaked into the house while Mr Rowley was out and prepared to help himself. But what he did not count on was the two Jack Russell terriers which were sleeping
AN Internet pioneer from the region has been rewarded with an MBE from the Queen for his sterling work providing websites for community groups. Bob Liddle, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, also met former James Bond, Sir Sean Connery, at an honours
ONE of two developers hoping to transform a derelict bus station into a leisure complex has submitted new plans. The application could herald an end to uncertainty over the future of the site, next to Darlington Town Hall. Terrance Hill, which is vying
REHEARSALS have started for a millennium show involving schools and churches in Darlington. More than 400 people are taking part in Hopes and Dreams, a musical taking the stage at Darlington's Civic Theatre later this month. Producer and director, the
BUILDING society staff are gearing up for a classical music event. Darlington Building Society has been a main sponsor of the Proms in the Park event, which will be held at Stewart Park, Middlesbrough, on August 26. This year's event will be staged in
A WOMAN who says her disabled grandson was left out in the cold by a reorganisation of special needs schools won a victory over the Department for Education yesterday. Education Secretary David Blunkett will now have to reconsider her complaints of a
PEOPLE with cataracts should get speedier treatment thanks to a £242,000 cash boost for hospitals in south Durham and North Yorkshire. The funding will streamline services at Darlington Memorial Hospital, Bishop Auckland General Hospital, the Friarage
TWO men who mugged a prostitute's customer minutes after she tricked him out of £120, were behind bars yesterday. Electrician Stephen Hanson, 34, paid for three-in-a-bed sex but the vice girl left him sitting in his car in Aire Street, South Bank, Middlesbrough
PROPOSALS aimed at improving rail links throughout the region are due to be unveiled on Tuesday. The plans include a number of new stations in Teesside and more frequent and faster services. Tees Valley Joint Strategy Unit will detail the plans, which
A LONG-RUNNING dispute about trouble spot bus shelters has split opinion among villagers. For about three years, residents of Hart Village, near Hartlepool, have been debating how to deter youngsters hanging around its two shelters. Among the options
WELL I'm blowed if I know what George Farquhar was getting at when he wrote The Beaux Stratagem. I guess this may be a simple case of critic losing the plot but I did wander in and out of understanding the Lord and his servant bent on finding a rich marriage
A NORTH-EAST Army officer is helping to ensure that troops serving in Kosovo are kept well clothed and fed. Major George Myers, of Consett, who serves with the 5th General Service Medical Regiment, The Royal Army Medical Corps, is part of the British
SPORTS-mad youngsters at a County Durham junior school have notched up their most successful season in a decade. Children at Ouston Junior School were crowned overall champions at a district athletics meeting, which attracted hundreds of youngsters from
HEALTH chiefs are optimistic that they can almost halve the number of people waiting more than 13 weeks for an out-patient appointment. At present, the North Durham Health Care Trust, which runs Durham's Dryburn Hospital and Shotley Bridge Hospital, near
TWO children helped to open a road that they hope will help to improve the future of their town. Joanne Carlyle and Andrew Cox, both 11, joined the Minister for Local Government, local MP Hilary Armstrong, and the leader of Durham County Council, Don
A CHARITY that provides a listening ear for desperate and suicidal people is working on a scheme to help youngsters. The Samaritans is concerned at the rising number of young people who ring its volunteers. Now the charity's Mid-Durham branch, based in
THE North-East brewery that serves much of clubland has given itself a new look. The Gateshead-based Federation Brewery has unveiled a new black and gold logo that will appear on its lorries, signs and stationery. The words Our Own Brewery are prominent
LIAM Armstrong was the only medal winner for Wear Valley ASC at the North-East Counties ASA Kelloggs Frosties age group championship gala at Sheffield, claiming two bronzes. Armstrong was third in the boys' 14 years 1500 metres freestyle behind John Bates
CHERIE Blair delighted teenagers from County Durham schools when, accompanied by baby Leo, she made an unheralded visit to the Durham Prince's Trust xl Network Clubs celebration day at Durham County Cricket Club. Mrs Blair, who was in the region during
SALTBURN Music Festival attracted entries from more than 400 musicians. Among the winners was Anna Huntley, who will represent the Saltburn Festival at the Millennium Festival in Leeds in November. Results were: Junior vocal classes - Girls 11 and under
Betty Middleton, founder of the Middleton Singers and the Middleton Festival Choir, has been awarded the MBE for services to music. The 84-year-old teacher and choir conductor is presently busy rehearsing with two of her pupils, who are entering the Saltburn
LIKE the crowd, the policeman was getting wet and bored. "Tom left an hour and a half ago," he told the people waiting in the rain outside the Empire cinema in London's Leicester Square. That's Tom as in Tom Cruise, Hollywood superstar and the reason
CRICKET-MAD Danny Thexton is the demon bowler of Esh Winning - even though he is only five years old. He was bowled over when he was asked to make up the numbers for his local village cricket club's under-15 team. Danny was even more thrilled when the
A WOMEN'S football team is looking for a sponsor to help players to kick off the new season in style. The Darlington Ladies team will this year be competing against the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle Ladies in the Northern Combination League
ON the surface, Dominic McCallan was man the community felt it could trust. Passing himself off as a teacher, judo instructor, first-aid inspector and outdoor specialist, he came across as a tireless worker for children. He also set up filming and photographic
A SCHOOL pool that was threatened with closure because it is under-used is to be opened to the public during the summer break. Shildon County Primary School was one of three earmarked by Durham County Council in a consultation process that stemmed from
THE funeral of a respected farmer killed in a holiday para-gliding accident took place earlier this week. Colin Mitchelson, 49, who farmed at Newstead, near Satley, died in the accident in Turkey on June 21, when he and his pilot crashed into a mountainside
ACTORS aged between 12 and 17 years are needed for a production of Summer Memories in Saltburn's Valley Gardens from Sunday, August 13, to Saturday, August 19. Auditions for the Saltburn 53 drama group production will be held on Sunday, at 5pm, at Saltburn
THE Government has bowed to pressure, supported by The Northern Echo, and told councils it has to make key decisions in public. This is how the Echo's editorial greeted the U-turn on cabinet-style local government: The Government's intention when it first
A DARLINGTON teenager is the envy of his school mates after he picked up a top science award. Adrian Robinson, 14, was entered by Hurworth Comprehensive School into the Spotlight Scientist of the Year Awards. The awards are run by school publisher Stanley
YOUNG footballers from Consett YMCA have arranged a practice match in preparation for a fixture with a team of youngsters from Glasgow. The youngsters are due to play a team from Glasgow's Bells Hill estate on August 5, so they've arranged a warm-up match
RAIL fans are being offered the chance to savour the scenery of the Settle and Carlisle line. Green Express and North-East Railtours are running a diesel-hauled special train this Saturday and Sunday. The Saturday train serves Morpeth, Cramlington, Newcastle
YOUNGSTERS will take part in a week-long exhibition on tackling bullying. Every school and pupil has been invited to the event, which will be held at County Hall, Durham, between Monday and Friday, July 10 to 14. It is designed to provide children, teachers
A CHARITY that provides financial and emotional support for former service men and women in Darlington has issued a desperate appeal for help. The Darlington branch of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association/Forces Help urgently needs volunteers
ANGIE Winstanley-Smith, of Sedgefield ASC, won one gold and three silver medals at the North-East Counties ASA Kell-oggs Frosties age group championship gala at Sheffield. Winstanley-Smith had more than six seconds to spare over runner-up Kim Orwin, of
LEEHOLME are the new leaders of the first division of the South West Durham Bowls League after the match between the former leaders, Spennymoor A and in-form Mainsforth, was postponed. Shildon sides continue to dominate division two. The Railway lead
PARENTS are being urged to teach their children the dangers of electricity after youngsters were seen fooling around at a substation. Police were called to the substation in the car park of MFI, in Russell Street, Darlington, on Sunday night, where the
YOUNGSTERS geared up for the Olympic Games by having their own festival of athletics this week. Around 3,500 budding athletes from 120 primary and special schools took part in the fifth Durham County Council primary schools' athletics festival at Chester-le-Street
A WOMAN has told how she spent her life savings to rescue a puppy facing almost certain death on a Greek island. Angie Walker faced a bill of £2,500 for vaccinations, quarantine and the transit of the puppy she found roaming a Corfu beach with a pack
A SCHOOL that became the first in the region to gain specialist arts college status has launched its new £1.2m offshoot. Greenfield School's new Community Arts Centre is expected to give Newton Aycliffe added importance as a leading venue for the visual
SOUTH Durham Health Care NHS Trust is stepping up the fight against cancer. The Trust is investing more than £300,000 on equipment used for the early detection of the killer disease. Three ultrasound machines will be installed at two of the Trust's sites
THE people of Crookhall, near Delves Lane, rolled up their sleeves and fixed the community hall themselves when it fell into disrepair. Members of the community hall committee secured donations of paint and other equipment then held a 'painting weekend
WELL, in my view, he's only got himself to blame. No excuses, please. No squealing about the horrible pressures of modern life on a young man. When you do what he did this week and end up flat on your face in a public place, you've got to take it on the
LET me apologise now to the couple I saw kissing so passionately at an open-air jazz picnic at the weekend. Because I am about to expose them - or at least their scandalous behaviour - to 200,000 readers of The Northern Echo. If either of them is reading
THE Forestry Commission is searching for a key player to shape its work in the North-East. The commission is reorganising the way it is structured and needs a chairman for its advisory committee, covering Northumberland, Durham, Tyne and Wear and Teeside
IT'S BEEN a busy period for the members of the Darlington-based Quakers Running Club with many taking part in several events far and wide. Steve Lumb recently took part in the Scottish Island Peaks Race, which involves sailing from Oban to Troon via Mull
AROUND 19 gardens, all within walking distance, will be open on Sunday in Tudhoe, near Spennymoor, from 11am until 4.30pm to raise money for coronary research. A gardens' admission guide map will be available from Tudhoe Community Centre from 10.45am
MORE than 1,000 heart patients a year will benefit from an extra £70,500 in funding to extend a cardiac rehabilitation scheme. The additional money will be used to open up the current service offered in Bishop Auckland and Darlington to include patients
FED-UP villagers are calling for measures to be taken to ensure their community is protected from further flooding. The village of Neasham, near Darlington, has been hit by two serious floods in the past five years. The first, in 1995, led to dozens of
YOUNG Durham first-aiders narrowly missed out on glory in the national finals of a quiz last weekend. The five girls from Belmont St John Ambulance division battled through to the final heat only to be beaten by Devon. The team, Sarah Shotten, 16, Samantha
AN 81-YEAR-OLD woman died in her warden-controlled bungalow only two weeks before her council landlords were due to install a smoke alarm. Firefighters found the body of Annie Bell in the bedroom of her house in Woodland Road, Esh Winning, on Sunday after
DISABLED people in Darlington have declared 'enough is enough' over access to the town's main library. Darlington Association on Disability has long been asking for action to be taken over the lack of access to the library on Crown Street for wheelchair
BURNMOOR strengthened their grip at the top of the Durham Senior League by defeating Durham City by 82 runs but there were less than two overs left when they claimed the last wicket. The match-winner was Ian Conn. He had 7-35 after earlier opening the
A SPORTS administrator who played a leading role in developing Wear Valley's recreation activities for 12 years has been given a top job with Sport England. Judith Rasmussen, who managed the Spectrum Leisure Complex at Willington before spending seven
LINTZ CELTIC have paid a heavy price for failing to make an appearance at the Com 200 UK Consett Sunday League's annual meeting. Last season's division one strugglers have been relegated to the third division as is stated in the league rules for non-attendance
TRADERS in Chester-le-Street have rallied to the cause as the town gears up to take the international sporting stage. With the international one-day cricket matches over the weekend of July 15-16, featuring England, West Indies and Zim-babwe at Durham's
TWO pupils from Sunnydale School, Shildon, have won prizes in an art competition. Year Nine pupils Clare Scott and Donna Caygill, designed a pair of sunglasses based on the word 'bright' in the contest for schools organised by Cleveland College of Art
ARCHAEOLOGISTS will have the final say on the siting of a gas reduction station at Brotton. Transco's preferred site for a station to meet demands from new housing and industry has proved controversial. Apart from being in the midst of an area of archaeological
A FORMER special police constable who made sickening videos of himself raping and indecently assaulting girls has been jailed for ten years. Student teacher Dominic Patrick McCallan, 28, gained the trust of parents by teaching their children judo, Newcastle
A new style support service which provides a single point of access to a pool of expertise covering vital European legislation is now available to small and medium-sized businesses in the North-East. CEMARK brings together five organisations with extensive
A £350,000 extension to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's depot at Thirsk Industrial Park has proven plain sailing for Thirsk-based Severfield-Reeve DesignBuild, the company that designed and built the existing depot in 1988. The project involved
A BLAZE at a Darlington salvage yard has caused damage running into tens of thousands of pounds. The fire at D&S Commercial Salvage on the Albert Hill Industrial Estate, which is being treated as suspicious, severely damaged a corrugated metal factory
ATTENDANCES plummeted as the heavens opened at the Lan-chester Show last weekend. The show was shaping up to be one of the best ever on the Saturday with entries up and the sun shining, but rain kept the crowds away on the Sunday. Despite the damp and
Accountants and business advisers Clive Owen & Co have promoted Nicola Bellerby and Peter Taylor as managers in their taxation and business development departments respectively. Nicola, who lives in Kirby Sigston, near Northallerton, joined the firm
Barclays' Tees Valley Small Business team has developed a range of seminars to help people in business. Many of the seminars are free and you don't need to bank with Barclays to be able to attend them. To find out more about the seminars or book a place
A new style support service which provides a single point of access to a pool of expertise covering vital European legislation is now available to small and medium-sized businesses in the North-East. CEMARK brings together five organisations with extensive
YOUNGSTERS from East Cleveland gathered at Bydales School, Marske, on Friday to learn that athletics could be fun for them. The event was set up by New Marske Harriers Athletic Club, which has received £5,000 from the National Lottery to help buy equipment
YOUNGSTERS are meeting this weekend to compete in the Teesside finals of the Millennium Youth Games. Finalists from Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool will compete in the day-long event tomorrow at the Eston Sports Academy. Basketball
COUNCILLORS in Cleveland have given the go ahead to a housing development that came under fire from nearby residents and a school. There had been fears that the 236-home scheme could pose dangers for pupils at Laurence Jackson School in Guisborough. People
LATE night revellers are being urged to come forward to help police find a mystery attacker who felled his victim with one punch. The unknown assailant, said to be aged between 25 and 30 and over 6ft tall, struck in a back lane in Crook at 1am on Saturday
DIY tools giant Black and Decker has added its weight to a campaign for a new children's nursery in Spennymoor. The company, which has a factory and service centre in Spennymoor, has written to the borough council to support a bid by local woman Susan
BATTLING Sedgefield men's water polo team took on undefeated Carlisle in the Northumberland and Durham league at Newton Aycliffe leisure centre and scored a resounding 6-6 draw. Carlisle, unbeaten in the league for three years, found Sedgefield, who only
LOCAL swimmers, brother and sister Chris and Emily Surtees, from Hunwick, near Bishop Auckland, have just finished competing in the North-Eastern Counties age group competitions held over two consecutive weekends at Sheffield and Leeds. Chris and Emily
BISHOP Auckland have been drawn away to Uni-Bond premier division rivals Gateshead in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup on September 20. Spennymoor United have home advantage and could play Bedlington Terriers if the ANL champions get through
A DURHAM parish is planning to celebrate the Millennium with a weekend of activities. People in Shincliffe Village and High Shincliffe will mark the Year 2000 with events including a fair and a party on Saturday and Sunday, July 15 and 16. The fair will
CONSETT and Crook Town have gained exemption to the second round proper of the FA Carlsberg Vase and come into the competition with Albany Northern League champions Bedlington Terriers on November 11. Tow Law Town and Dunston Fed-eration must start earlier
PLANS are being laid for a major reunion of former employees of Consett Steelwork's garage depot. Billy Robson, of Consett YMCA, is organising a reunion for ex-workers and their families to help to celebrate the site and the people who worked there before
A TOWN crier heralded the opening of Durham City's summer festival, which attracted hundreds of visitors from all over the region at the weekend. The packed programme of events fell victim to the vagaries of the British weather with one day of sunshine
A DARLINGTON diving group has been given a £5,000 cash boost in a Millennium awards scheme. The 3 Seas Diving Group has spent its grant on new kit for diver training, first aid training and information technology equipment. The club, a branch of the British
A TRUST fund is being set up to ensure the future of the Durham Miners' Gala. NUM officials are devising a way of raising money for the Big Meeting's non-political events. Following the withdrawal of main backer Michael Watt, a New Zealand millionaire
YOUNG footballers from Consett and Stanley just missed out on international football glory in a mini Euro 2000 - but still managed to outperform their professional counterparts. The 13 and 14-year-olds represented their country in Tubingen, Germany, as
SUPPORTERS of one of the region's heroes have failed to win him pride of place in London's Trafalgar Square. Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar led a campaign to get a statue of Captain James Cook set on a plinth in the square. The
A BUNGLING burglar bit off more than he could chew when he broke into Gary Rowley's home. He sneaked into the house while Mr Rowley was out and prepared to help himself. But what he did not count on was the two Jack Russell terriers which were sleeping
A drug addict who burgled his mother's home was told by a judge yesterday that if she never spoke to him again he deserved it. Jonathon Halpin, 26, had been banned from his mother Joyce's home in Thornaby, Teesside, for stealing from her, said Michael
ARTICULATE youngsters have been making themselves heard in Bishop Auckland Rotary Club's public speaking contest. Ann Donaghy, of Wolsingham Comprehensive School and Community College, won the junior prize. Claire Philipson, of St Annes High School, Wolsingham
A STRESSED father was found hanging from his loft, an inquest heard. John Sanderson, 45, of Westlands Road, Darlington, had complained of stress caused by his job as a contracts manager with York conservatory firm Oakleaf. The hearing, at Darlington Magistrates
A YOUNG cyclist has scooped three titles in the National Cycling Festival 2000. Richard Kipling, 14, from Auckland Park, Bishop Auckland, won the cross-cycling youth race, and, with his father, Barry, won the family relay at the event in York. Richard
EMERGENCY repair work is to be carried out on a busy Darlington road which has already seen months of disruption. A gas leak is forcing Transco to carry out work at the Haughton Road and McMullen Road junction. The leak is just yards from Haughton Bridge
Two hooded raiders armed with staves who held up a security guard were only 14 and 16, a court heard. Judge Peter Fox QC told them at Teesside Crown Court that major crime must attract "grown-up" penalties and he ruled that the juveniles could be identified
A WOMAN has told how she spent her life savings to rescue a puppy facing almost certain death on a Greek island. Angie Walker faced a bill of £2,500 for vaccinations, quarantine and the transit of the puppy she found roaming a Corfu beach with a pack
A RETIRING police officer has praised a pub and club watch scheme for transforming Spennymoor's image. PC Dave Mitchell, a police officer for 31 years, believes Spennymoor Pub and Club Watch Scheme has transformed the area's nightlife, making it a safer
DETAILS of strict new Government tests aimed at dramatically improving the quality of Darlington's taxis have been outlined for the first time. Representatives from Darlington Borough Council and the police were given a presentation on the twice-yearly
ABOUT 130 youngsters have been taking to the stage this week for a charity show. Members of the Tyzack Academy of Dance, Darlington, have performed their Showstoppers spectacular every night since Tuesday, at Darlington College of Technology. Money raised
A CARPET of flowers has been laid in a Teesside church to mark an annual festival. The South Bank Community Flower Festival started in 1992, and to celebrate the Millennium a series of special events are taking place in Middlesbrough this year. Adopting
STUDENTS across Teesside are being given a dramatic warning about teenage pregnancy. The CragRats Theatre Company is visiting schools to talk to 14 and 15-year-olds about the issues surrounding young pregnancy. The tour started yesterday, at Hallgarth
THE battle for water customers on Teesside has escalated after Northumbrian Water was awarded the contract to supply the Tofts Farm development near Samsung, replacing Hartlepool Water. The developer of the land, One NorthEast, was able to choose its
A TRUST fund is being set up to ensure the future of the Durham Miners' Gala. NUM officials are devising a way of raising money for the Big Meeting's non-political events. Following the withdrawal of main backer Michael Watt, a New Zealand millionaire
A BOWL of intestines, a man in women's clothes and a leather jacket covered in wire are all exhibits in a new art show. Students at Prior Pursglove College, in Teesside, have produced the thought-provoking art as part of their A-level exam. Vicki Holman
SUPERMARKET staff have scooped £1,000 for being the region's top North Eastern Co-op store. Manager Tony Robbins of Pelton, near Chester-le-Street, pictured right, picked up the Store of the Year 2000 Award at a conference for Co-op retail staff. Judges
A CHESTER-le-Street school's technology department has been given a £25,000 boost. Park View Community School's design and technology department won the grant from the BT Futuretalk Awards, enabling them to build a new computer suite. The new facility
A DURHAM woman fed up about the lack of holidays for older single people is on the look-out for fellow travellers. Divorcee Pamela Matthews, 61, wants to hear from other singles, aged 55 to 75, interested in going away together. She said: "I searched
A DARLINGTON church was the focus of much pride for members of the Durham and Yorkshire Scots Guards Association at the weekend. The association had its regimental star blessed and installed on a plinth at a ceremony at St Andrew's Church, Haughton-le-Skerne
TORRENTIAL rain caused mayhem and flooding at the weekend and lead to several major events being cancelled. Worst hit was Redcar and East Cleveland, and in particular the village of Skinningrove which saw the waters reach between waist and neck deep when
A BID to offer seven-day trading in Darlington has received a setback after one of the town's main shopping areas decided not to open on a Sunday. Business leaders have been pressing shopkeepers to open on Sundays to prevent shoppers going elsewhere.
A GRIEVING widow has raised £1,200 to thank the twin transplant teams who helped her husband cheat death not once but twice. Maureen Tiplady shrugged off the tears she shed after her beloved John's death last autumn to show her gratitude toNewcastle'sFreeman
JUST two weeks after huge crowds flocked to Croft Circuit, near Darlington, for the popular Auto Trader British touring car championship, the North Yorkshire venue plays hosts to the Premier Package at the weekend.. The event will be a fascinating mix
DURHAM Dynamos are preparing for the time when the nights begin to draw in and they stage what should be the biggest floodlit cricket event of their summer. On Tuesday, August 29, Dur-ham Dynamos play hosts at the Chester-le-Street Riverside gro-und to
STEVEN Gawman, of Chester-le-Street ASC, took two titles at the North-East Counties ASA Kelloggs Frosties age group championship gala at Sheffield, as well as picking up minor medals and other placings in a fine series of swims. Gawman was an outstanding
A primary care group has won £5,000 to help to pilot a national strategy aimed at tackling osteoporosis. The Sedgefield primary care group is one of eight pilot areas across the country that has won funding over three years from the National Osteoporosis
HARD-working volunteers in Saltburn enjoyed a proud moment when they received a Queen Mother's special mention birthday award. The only honour to bear the Queen Mother's name, it was awarded to the 500 Club, which masterminds most of Saltburn's floral
YOUNGSTERS geared up for the Olympic Games by having their own festival of athletics this week. Around 3,500 budding athletes from 120 primary and special schools took part in the fifth Durham County Council primary schools' athletics festival at Chester-le-Street
PROTESTORS have succeeded in scuppering plans for a huge farming building to be built in Fishburn. The building, measuring 78ft by 29ft and 19ft high, was to be built on land off Butterwick Road to store machinery, hay and straw. However residents, fearing
A TRUST fund is being set up to ensure the future of the Durham Miners' Gala. NUM officials are devising a way of raising money for the Big Meeting's non-political events. Following the withdrawal of main backer Michael Watt, a New Zealand millionaire
A BUDDING teenage actress has won the chance to learn her craft with the country's top talent. Rosalind Earl, 16, of Belmont, Durham, is one of 180 youngsters chosen to attend a three-week National Youth Theatre workshop in August. She will learn various
PLANS for the sale of the Rothmans cigarette factory in Spennymoor were unveiled this week which could lead to the creation of 400 new jobs. The site has been bought by redeveloper Industrial Estates Scotland, for an undisclosed fee, with the aim of turning
YOUNGSTERS geared up for the Olympic Games by having their own festival of athletics this week. Around 3,500 budding athletes from 120 primary and special schools took part in the fifth Durham County Council primary schools' athletics festival at Chester-le-Street
CUBS and scouts are preparing for a ducking in the river this weekend - but none of them will get wet. The youngsters will release hundreds of plastic ducks in the River Derwent at Allensford on Saturday for a sponsored race. The 1st Leadgate Scout Group
A TAXI driver who had his operator's licence revoked by district councillors following his conviction for assaulting a policeman has won his appeal against a licensing committee decision. Derwentside magistrates ruled Gary Maughan, 39, should have his
FED-UP villagers are calling for measures to be taken to ensure their community is protected from further flooding. The village of Neasham, near Darlington, has been hit by two serious floods in the past five years. The first, in 1995, led to dozens of
CHAMPIONSHIP contenders Keith Penman, of Darlington, and Martin Wood were both winners of the Formula Colway 'double header' race meeting at Snetterton. But, while Wood went all 12 laps, Penman's win was decided by just one circuit of the Norfolk track
A 14-year-old boy is set to become Britain's youngest ever racing driver. Andrew Gray's record-breaking drive in the British Racing and Sports Car Club's T-Cars event will see him compete at the ripe old age of 14 years and 11 days old. While most teenagers
TRUCKER Allan Leaver was crushed to death by his own lorry on the day before he was due to book his wedding. Allan, 52, died after he stepped from his cab to open the gates of a sewage works and his tanker rolled forward. He was trapped for more than
EMOTIONS flowed as three brothers were reunited for the first time in more than half a century in Durham at the weekend. They were fighting back the tears on Platform Two at Durham Railway Station once Mike Dowling cast eyes on long-lost brothers Ralph
A SCHOOL'S new extension received a VIP visit from Darlington's mayor last week before enjoying a sunny sports day. Coun Dot Long, herself a former teacher, and her husband Robert, were escorted around Polam Hall School, in Darlington, by girls from the
ROSIE Smith, of Durham City Harriers, added yet another title to her string of successes when she became 1500m champion in the Northern track and field championships at Wigan. Competing in the U17 age group, Rosie stormed to victory in an excellent time
NEWLY crowned Young Chef of the Year Hannah Fletcher has admitted that she would rather carve out a career in a courtroom than a kitchen. The 14-year-old, who scoo-ped The Northern Echo's Young Chef of the Year award at Darlington College of Technology
BOTH Darlington cricket sides lost on their travels at the weekend in the Darlington Building Society NY and SD premier division. Darlington batted first against leaders Saltburn and could only muster an all out total of 149 with opener Mark Stainsby
THE first Darlington Young Sportswinner of 2000, sponsored by Orange, was named at a recent ceremony that saw new awards added to the scheme. Paul Horsley, 15, a pupil at Eastbourne School, Darlington, won the award for Taekwondo, having been selected
police have confirmed they are treating as suspicious a fire in a flat in which an elderly woman was taken to hospital. The pensioner, who has not been named, was admitted to Bishop Auckland Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation following the fire
FOLLOWING their eight-wicket victory over Richmondshire on Saturday, Guisborough have moved up the table to join the championship contenders. With the toss going in their favour for only the second time this season they put the visitors into bat and were
THE Forestry Commission is looking for a key player to shape its work in the North-East. The commission is reorganising its structure and needs a chairman for its advisory committee for Northumberland, Durham, Tyne and Wear and Teesside. The committee
A YOUNG Academy side failed to make use of a good batting track in a friendly at Marske. With the first innings restricted to 50 overs the Academy declared their innings closed on 189 for seven with one ball remaining. Middlesbrough's James Lowe batted
A JUNIOR 'Ground Force' team has transformed a plain area of their schoolyard into a colourful play area. The four and five-year-olds at Browney Primary School, Browney, designed and created the haven on a shoestring. They painted a farmyard mural on
AN ex Liverpool docker who has made a fortune from reinventing himself as the nation's favourite TV slob shares the stage with miners' leader Arthur Scargill at Crook Cricket Club next week. Millions tune in to see actor Ricky Tomlinson as workshy Jim
MIDDLESBROUGH won the toss and asked the Seasiders to bat first. Marske openers Stewart Hutton and Adam Pattison survived a ferocious opening spell from Hendy Brya and Alex Roberts. The pressure was kept on the home batsmen by Martin Balls, James Beaumont
LEADGATE are still out in front at the top of the 3-D Cricket Durham County League following their big win over Kimblesworth. Although Faruqh Iqbal took four wickets and Nigel Darling six, Leadgate still posted 196 with most of the runs coming from David
A GROUP of budding football stars carried the good name of the North to the Millennium Dome and walked away with the top award. Eight young lads competed in the Dome's Football Festival in the 11 and Under boys' category last month. The youngsters, who
DETECTIVES are hunting three youths who indecently assaulted a 12-year-old girl in Darlington. The trio pounced as she was walking on Cobden Street, near its junction with Eastbourne Road, at 8.20pm on Monday, June 19. Two of the youths were sitting on
ST CUTHBERT'S Hospice in Durham has realised a long-held ambition by opening a shop in the city. The hospice, which needs to raise £300,000 a year to continue with its work, has found a shop in Claypath. It began trading last Thursday after it was officially
BRIAN Potts and Jim Allenby both hit top form in Durham City's 103-runs victory at home to Sunder-land in the U17 division of the Durham Senior League. Potts top-scored with 59 and Allenby added 52 to City's 168-6, and Sunderland were all out for 65 as
CROOK TOWN and Consett have gained exemption to the second round proper of the FA Carlsberg Vase and come into the competition with Albany Northern League champions Bedling-ton Terriers on November 11. Tow Law Town and Dunston Federation must start earlier
PEOPLE from all over the area flocked to a summer fte at Darlington Memorial Hospital. The fte, which took place on Saturday, was organised by the Friends of the hospital. Visitors were treated to a host of stalls, tea tent and a performance from Haughton
A miners' leader has accused New Labour of being out of touch and in danger of losing its grassroots support. NUM Durham area secretary David Hopper, writing in the brochure for this Saturday's Durham Miners' Gala, warns that the party is losing its socialist
These youngsters from Darlington Table Tennis Club were in for an exhausting time at the weekend as they continued fund-raising efforts for a trip to Hungary. The junior team, who are aged between ten and 13, are hoping to raise more than £5,000 to compete
St Mark's Church, in Eldon, near Bishop Auckland, is fundraising with a table top sale on Saturday, July 15, at 10am. Tables cost £5, contact Julia on (01388) 772693.
NEWTON Aycliffe Police are blaming drug addicts for a spate of petty crime. Police say the heroin-addicted youngsters, who are often in need of cash to buy drugs, are behind thefts from cars and clothes from washing lines. About half a dozen cars in the
A health manager has praised a small band of charity workers for raising more than £10,000 for a hospital. The Derwentside Hospital Group League of Friends raised the money to buy equipment for patients at Shotley Bridge Hospital. Their efforts earned
THE funeral of a respected farmer killed in a holiday para-gliding accident took place at Stanhope Methodist Chapel on Tuesday, followed by cremation at Mountsett crematorium. Colin Mitchelson, 49, died in the accident in Turkey on June 21, when he and
A 14-year-old boy is set to become Britain's youngest ever racing driver this weekend. Andrew Gray's record-breaking drive in the British Racing and Sports Car Club's T-Cars event will see him compete at the ripe old age of 14 years and 11 days old. While
A 14-year-old boy is set to become Britain's youngest ever racing driver this weekend. Andrew Gray's record-breaking drive in the British Racing and Sports Car Club's T-Cars event will see him compete at the ripe old age of 14 years and 11 days old. While
LANGLEY Park enjoyed an eight-wickets win at home to Mainsforth when they met in the 3-D Cricket Durham County League U15 division. Faced with a target of only 43, Langley Park won easily when Chris Blakey, 17no, and David Jones, 16no, formed a promising
NORTH-EAST firms are being warned to be on their guard against taking part in a telephone survey that leads to a £300 bill. The North-East Chamber of Commerce says that a number of companies have approached them to warn of the survey. Rachel Spence, head
OFFICES and schools in East Cleveland have been challenged to 'Have A Nice Day' by a skills centre. The Skelton Social Skills Centre PTA is aiming to raise £4,000 for a specialist piece of equipment that will help two of the centre's users. A hydraulic
These youngsters helped Gilesgate Toddler Group to celebrate its tenth birthday with a party for members old and new. Former members Andrew Neil, 11, (back left), and Martin Finn, 11, (back right), joined current members Matthew Gardiner (left) and Laura
RUNNERS of all ages and abilities are invited to take part in the Harrison's Sports Challenge at Croft Autodrome on Wednesday, July 12, at 7.30pm. The 10k Pit Stop race has been organised by Darlington Harr-iers and is being sponsored by Harrisons, one
AN elderly woman is fighting for her life after a crash that killed two of her friends. The 72-year-old woman, from Hartlepool, is in the town's general hospital in a critical condition after the accident on the A19 near Peterlee, County Durham, on Wednesday
PLANS for the world's most famous steam trains to run together for one last time in the North-East were dramatically scrapped last night. Tens of thousands of visitors were expected to descend on the home of the railways for a spectacular Millennium Cavalcade
PLANS for the world's most famous steam trains to run together for one last time in the North-East were dramatically scrapped last night. Tens of thousands of visitors were expected to descend on the home of the railways for a spectacular Millennium Cavalcade
A Miner's son is trying to piece together the story behind a picture of ex-colliers who played in a 1920s band. Geoff McManners said of the picture, of Leasingthorne Colliery Prize Band in the 1920s: "We are finding it difficult to get the names of the
IT was billed as the biggest - and last - major celebration of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, the world's first passenger line. An occasion to savour the sights and smells of a bygone age. On the 175th anniversary of its opening, the eight-mile
Prime Minister Tony Blair's son Euan was "reprimanded" by police yesterday for being drunk and incapable. The warning means he has escaped the more serious sanctions of a caution or prosecution. The reprimand followed the 16-year-old's arrest on Wednesday
CLEVELAND Police have one of the lowest clear-up rates for fraud and forgery offences in the country. Figures released by the Government in response to a parliamentary question have revealed the force solved only 41 per cent of forgery offences which
MASKED robbers escaped with only a handful of cash after raiding a village post office shortly after a money delivery had been made. The robbers, wearing masks and dark clothing, and wielding baseball bats, burst into the post office at Bearpark, near
A County Durham hospice is appealing for volunteers to help care for patients and visitors. Willow Burn Hospice, in Maiden Law, near Lanchester, takes patients from all over Durham and Derwentside. It is seeking volunteers to help at weekends, between
COUNCILLORS look likely to bow to objections from villagers and abandon plans to move a bus stop. Durham County Council has been considering plans to move the stop, on the eastern side of The Hayricks, Tanfield Village, near Stanley, because of a spate
PEOPLE with cataracts should get speedier treatment thanks to a £242,000 cash boost for hospitals in south Durham and North Yorkshire. The funding will streamline services at Darlington Memorial Hospital, Bishop Auckland General, the Friarage at Northallerton
A TRIO of Green Howards Victoria Cross holders are to be remembered in ceremonies on the Somme in France this weekend. Members of the regiment will be at Contalmaison to unveil a new memorial to Donald Bell, the only English professional footballer to
ORGANISATIONS across Hartlepool are being invited to comment on a five-year blueprint for the development of sporting facilities and opportunities. They are being consulted about Hartlepool Borough Council's Sport and Recreation Strategy, which has just
AN historic service to officially install the new Bishop of the diocese of Ripon and Leeds will have its emphasis on youth. The former Bishop of Warrington, the Right Reverend John Packer, will kneel to wash the feet of two young people in a dramatic
NORTHERN Echo photographer Mike Urwin has been named Photographer of the Year at the Regional Press Awards 2000 in London. Mike was the only photographer to be nominated in both the news and sports categories. His winning news portfolio featured a shot
A robber grabbed his victim by the throat and threatened: "I am a heroin addict and I'll kill you," a court heard yesterday. Jamie Lawton, 21, pleaded guilty at Teesside Crown Court to the mugging in Billingham. Prosecutor Ian West said that Lawton confronted
A DETERMINED crackdown on gangs of travelling thieves preying on remote areas of the Yorkshire Dales was announced yesterday. North Yorkshire Police and National Park officials have joined forces in a bid to target teams of criminals who travel huge distances
A BUS inspector has received national recognition for his work with children encouraging them to become good passengers. Stagecoach employee Trevor Best has been involved in teaching children from 30 primary schools in Hartlepool, Teesside, as part of
RESIDENTS in a former County Durham mining town have launched a petition to try to persuade the Government to intervene over a council bid for £4.5m National Lottery cash. Members of Stanley Action Group Enterprises (Sage) want Heritage Minister Chris
JOBLESS people from communities devastated in the recent flooding have been offered work clearing up their homes. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council believes it can create up to five jobs as its workforce tackles the clean-up in Skinningrove. The task
THE latest addition to a major crime-fighting partnership has been established - and Hambleton residents are being urged to throw their weight behind it. A new forum for coordinators of Neighbourhood Watch schemes is now up and running, giving communities
A GROUP of performing arts students is gearing up for a popular town festival. Students from Darlington College of Technology, will be performing at the first event of the Orange Darlington Festival, which starts today. They are staging a variety of street
BEST-SELLING children's author Terry Deary took centre stage at his home city theatre for the first time in almost 50 years as he received an accolade yesterday. The man behind the popular Horrible Histories books returned to Sunderland University to
STAFF at a leading department store came out from behind the counter to cement their place in history. More than 100 employees at Barkers, in Northallerton, were snapped on film in a photograph to celebrate the store's 125th anniversary. The picture will
HARD-up council tenants will be able to insure their property thanks to a scheme launched by their landlord. Labour-run Durham City Council has joined up with an insurance firm to offer contents cover for thousands of people. The scheme was launched after
A POLICE OFFICER has employed the help of Newcastle United to help to cultivate footballing talent in his district. With the long summer holidays stretching ahead, PC Calvin Skinner, beat officer for Coundon, and colleague Sgt Ivon Wood decided to keep
BISHOP Auckland 1st Xl kept up their unbeaten league record under new skipper Keith Stones with a battling draw at home to leaders Redcar in the Darlington Building Society North Yorks and South Durham premier division on Saturday. The match ended in
CHILDREN at a Teesside primary school found out about life in the mysterious East as they prepared for a multi-cultural celebration. Writer and poet Debjani Chattergee visited Caldicotes Primary School in Middlesbrough as part of a series of Indian workshops
A NORTH-EAST city hall may be forced to back down after trading standards officers seized three sets of weighing scales from a fruit and veg trader because he was selling in imperial measures, it emerged yesterday. Sunderland City Council says it is reviewing
SALTBURN'S popular miniature railway looks likely to be realigned following a number of concerns raised by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. A miniature railway has been operating on its existing route for more than 50 years. For the past ten years
YOUNG people in Hartlepool have been coming face to face with the grim realities of homelessness and inner city poverty. A group of youngsters from the Owton Manor and Rossmere areas of the town spent a weekend in London as part of a study programme to
FAMILIES of children born with a cleft lip or palate may have their travel to a new specialist treatment centre paid for. Following a three-month consultation process, the Tees Health Authority board will next week be asked to consider a series of recommendations
DURHAM singers will premiere a new work specially written for them when they perform their summer concert this weekend. The motet Christus est Stella (Christ is the Morning Star) is a setting of the words of the Venerable Bede by distinguished local composer
A ROBBERY victim who has been unable to leave his house since his ordeal has had his claim for compensation turned down. Colin Evans applied to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority after the raid left him a virtual prisoner in his own home, only
STEEL union representatives from Teesside and across the UK yesterday condemned the Government for not acting to ease the impact sterling is having on manufacturing. At the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation (ISTC) conference in Jersey, delegates unanimously
AT THE half way stage of the season Newton Aycliffe 1st Xl are clear leaders of the North-East Durham third division after a nervous two-wicket win at Belford House in a match sponsored by Great Lakes. The decision to bowl first was totally justified
JOHN Sullivan finds an old ham radio that belonged to his late father, Frank (Dennis Quaid) and discovers to his amazement that he can talk to his dare-devil fire-fighter father 30 years ago, only days before he died. Having re-established the father/
A TOTAL of 24 junior teams are required for a Chester-le-Street seven-a-side soccer league at the Chester-le-Street Pavilion Centre on Saturdays, 10am to noon. Players must be 12-14 and 14-16 years of age, and there will be prizes of £75 and £25 for the
