A COUNCILLOR whose furious outburst brought a Stockton planning meeting to a dramatic end has apologised for his actions. Coun John Fletcher said he acted in the heat of the moment after a U-turn decision by the planning committee last Friday. "I apologise
British Eventing (former BHTA). - Mar 4: Cross country clinic, Helen Bell, Manor House, Newsham, Thirsk. Tel: 01845 587207. Cleveland Hunt. - Mar 18: Coaches to Countryside March in London, tel Susan Perkins 07904 232722 for seats, £20 each. Cleveland
A RESEARCHER is looking for photographs of old soldiers to complete a picture of his parish. Stuart McMillan, from Skelton, east Cleveland, is picking up where east Cleveland historian and old soldier, Tom Curnow, left off. Mr Curnow had collected the
A jury will decide today whether a man savaged by a police dog was lawfully arrested or the victim of a vicious assault. For a week, a civil case at Teesside County Court has heard evidence from bite victim Laurie Agar and his common-law-wife, Maxine
YOU'LL remember where we left the gallant Gen Sir John Moore, being ... buried in Spain at dead of night, with his soldiers the earth turning, by the moon's misty light ... and, to muck about no further with the famous poem, "the lantern dimly burning
SHOPPERS in Washington, Wearside, have been treated to a Stars in their Eyes style show at the Galleries Shopping Centre. The Star Maker contest attracted the best copycat singers from across the region to compete for a £500 cash prize. The winners of
Sir, - I was surprised and shocked to read your recent editorial comment "Support GM trials" (D&S, Feb 9). I live in Norfolk, where ten GM crop trials took place last year. Like North Yorkshire, agriculture is the lifeblood of our county and villagers
A FAMILY are anxious to trace the whereabouts of their pet cat after a delivery man accidently drove off with the animal inside his van. The Shepherd family were eagerly awaiting their groceries from Tesco and did not notice inquisitive cat Cheri creep
FARMERS have reacted furiously to European Commission moves to cut beef production. The Europe-wide proposals, which would take effect from next January, are seen as a panic response to the outbreaks of BSE on the continent. They include re-introducing
Sir, - Does the Yorkshire Co-operative Society really expect us to believe its feeble excuse that out of town shopping competition was responsible for the demise of its business in Guisborough (D&S, Jan 12)? Had it been said of a family-run company
PRINCE William made a secret visit to the Bedale Hunt for a day's fox hunting at the weekend. The 18-year-old was said to have enjoyed his day at Danby Wiske and Langton enormously and appreciated being away from the crowds and publicity. However the
A MUSEUM is preparing for its new season with help from a Lottery grant of more than £4,000. Guisborough Museum, which opens in April, has used the money to buy display cabinets and computer equipment in a bid to attract more visitors. The museum focuses
DRIVERS in Guisborough can expect disruption as work is carried out on a main road. Bow Street will be closed between Market Cross and Fountain Street for four weeks for Northumbrian Water work. Drivers will face a diversion via Westgate, New Road and
CHELTENHAM Town skipper Mark Freeman showed Quakers' shot-shy strikers how to find the net at Feethams on Tuesday night. His inch-perfect lob proved the only goal of the game - and, fortunately for Darlington, it was his own advancing keeper that Freeman
FARMERS, butchers and others interested are invited to a meeting to form a beef and lamb producers' group for the upper dales. The meeting to be held on Tuesday, at the market hall, in Hawes, has been called by Hawes farmers' auction mart and McIntyre
DARLINGTON football club hopes to open its new ground as a 25,000-seater stadium straight away. The original plan was to open with just 10,000 seats, with a provision to expand to 25,000 at a later date. But on Monday, Mr Frank Little, of contractors
TRADERS in Darlington are drawing up plans to bring shoppers back to the covered market. A band of traders have called for the re-introduction of car parking in the market place in a bid to boost trade. Mike Evers, who owns Cafe Caffae, and is at the
Durham League TEESSIDE Huskies became the first side to defeat East Durham and Houghall Basketball Academy. Northfield School, Billingham was the venue, Division One title holders against champions elect was the billing and 74-68 the result. Huskies are
HOT on the heels of a new sub-post office starting up in Butterknowle last week, an application has been submitted this week to open one in a neighbouring village. Design Architectural Services, which is based in Staindrop, has submitted an application
For the first time this year Durham County FC were able to complete their scheduled fixtures in the Russell Foster Youth League. The U10 Hays lost 3-0 at East Boldon Hornets with Marc Hollingsworth winning man of the match. The U10 Hays won 3-0 against
TWO Darlington women are in the running for a national award after helping to raise more than £10,000 for their children's primary school. Mrs Carolyn Goodfellow and Mrs Julie Walker, have been nominated for the Webb Ivory national fundraiser of the year
BOSSES and supporters at struggling football club Spennymoor United have come up with a survival strategy, backed by a mystery new owner. A rescue package put to members on Wednesday night would mean the 100-year-old club forming its own limited company
Two North-East boxers are through to the finals of the national schoolboy championships. Spennymoor Boxing Academy's Nathan Ballan and Brad Saunders both won last Saturday at the semi-final stage in Barnsley and now progress to the finals next month.
ONE of the delights of a fine, cool but dry winter weekend is to walk through a pine forest. In many of them there are wide tracks and fire paths which permit maintenance of the woodland but also offer public rights of way. These are bordered by the surrounding
A DARLINGTON woman has been targeted by an animal rights group intent on closing down a research laboratory. Leaflets were posted through the letter boxes of everyone living in Thornbury Rise, pinpointing her by name and address as someone who holds shares
A YOUNG businesswomen is all fingers and thumbs after launching a manicure shop. Ellen Marshall, 24, embarked on the enterprise after being inspired by a buoyant American industry. Certain that acrylic nail extensions, decorated manicures and embossed
REIGNING national rally champion Steve Petch made it two wins in three years when he drove his Ford Escort WRC to an easy victory on the Kall Kwik national rally based in Pickering last weekend. Petch, from Scorton, and his Northallerton co-driver John
NEW premises may have been found for Richmond's main post office - possibly clearing the way for the Queen's Road building to be turned into a pub. Wetherspoon's, the chain which hopes to carry out the conversion, told about 50 people who attended a site
DETAILED historic Ordnance Survey maps showing the Weardale and West Durham areas have been republished by a County Durham company. One inch to the mile maps dating from 1903 cover Alston Moor and Upper Weardale and Lower Weardale and West Durham. They
THE attitude of pub landlords in Richmond towards plans for a new public house in the town is disappointing if predictable. Under the guise of concern for public order, they have banded together to oppose plans by a national pub chain to convert the former
TWO east Durham bridges are to be replaced with pedestrian underpasses as part of a £500,000 highways programme. It is hoped the work will make it easier for 40-tonne lorries to travel through the region. Work will begin on Monday at Clara Street Bridge
The battle of the Baftas is shaping up into a David and Goliath fight as a low budget British film, Billy Elliot, takes on the might of Gladiator, one of those expensive blockbusters that only Hollywood money can buy. The arena will be the Odeon cinema
THE results of residents' working parties to decide traffic calming measures for Brotton are to be announced by councillors Brian Hogg and Richard Rudland at a public meeting at St Margaret's Church Centre, Saltburn Road, Brotton, on March 1 at 7pm. It
Junior round-up Billingham Wildcats head the Women's Division One North by seven points and now require four from their last four matches to take the title. Wildcats defeated nearest challengers Sheffield Shadows at the Forum Arena 3-1 at the weekend.
STATE that Amanda Berry is organising a prize-giving followed by a dinner party this weekend and it sounds like a fairly ordinary social occasion. It takes on a rather different complexion when you learn that we're talking about the Orange British Film
A COUNCIL leader reassured anti-bail hostel protestors in Chester-le-Street that the Probation Service does not have "a cat in hell's chance" of building it. Councillor Malcolm Pratt urged residents to work with the council to block the plans. Addressing
Wensleydale Creamery League HAWES United maintained their four-point lead at the top after completing a double with a 3-2 home victory over Reeth. Hawes took the lead after 20 minutes with a header from Stuart Dinsdale and ten minutes from the interval
REDCAR and Cleveland Borough Council is looking for people's memories of Locke Park to put together a £1.3m heritage Lottery bid for refurbishment. The council wants old photos which can help them to tell the story of the 70-year-old park. The bid includes
RESIDENTS are protesting against a proposal to build on a strip of land behind their homes in Brotton. Although they have tried to buy it to extend their gardens and preserve privacy, the residents were caught by surprise when a letter from Redcar and
THE hunt for 82-year-old George Winter (pictured left), who was last seen at his Redcar home on Monday, January 22, continued this week. In a bid to discover whether or not Mr Winter has left the area British Transport Police officers talked to early
SAFETY chiefs in County Durham have launched a campaign to reduce the high toll of youngsters injured in car crashes. Figures show that children in the county are more likely to be hurt as passengers than if they were riding bikes or crossing a road.
WORK has started on a project to improve road safety for pedestrians and drivers in North Hartlepool. The improvements are being carried out in King Oswy Drive, after consultation with residents. A toucan crossing will be built to replace a zebra crossing
BARNARD CASTLE. - Tues. Fwd: 432 store & breeding cattle. Lim breeding cattle: cow & calf £700 JR&L Harding; hfr & calf £960 GT Atkinson, £500 L. R Thompson; in calf cow £365 E F Atkinson; in calf hfr £250 F Cartwright. Feeding bulls.
A KEEN exponent of the Monty Roberts school of thought is offering help with problem horses in the County Durham area. Karen Cunningham is a BHSAI and an intermediate stable manager at Ford Close Riding Centre, Nunthorpe - and the county's registered
Crook and District League Crook Wanderers went a goal down at home to Howden Australian in the Norman Wright Trophy semi final. Lee Morton equalised direct from a second half corner then Wayne Lonsdale gave Wanderers the lead for the first time. Australian
CATTLE breeder Mr Douglas Forster liked the "get up and go" of a breed he had not seen before. And, this week, 20 of his bullocks have got up and gone to be the centre of a breed performance testing scheme. Mr Forster of Low Houselop Farm, Tow Law, read
FARMERS across North Yorkshire have been failing to keep proper records of the drugs they administered to their livestock, it has been revealed. The survey has given rise to concerns that farmers are failing to understand the record-keeping requirements
Following Redcar Town's last-ditch defeat of Wolviston at the week-end, North Shields now look the best bet to take Nissan's crown. The Seasiders' were involved in an epic clash with Wolviston and ended victors in a seven-goals thriller. And while they
A GROUP of award-winning Scouts were given a helping hand to put the finishing touches to their latest conservation project. Members of the 17th St Aidan's troop, in Hartlepool, who have adopted a stretch of Greatham Beck, recently made ten bat boxes
A TEENAGE student from Darlington has been chosen to play volleyball for the England under 19 junior team. Ross Enfield, aged 18, of Waltham Close, will travel with the England team to Barbados in April. The Queen Elizabeth sixth form student says he
Harrogate and District League Harrogate Squash have now beaten their main title challengers Moortown twice this season, but are still not certain of capturing the championship in Division One. Following their latest win over Moortown the Harrogate side
WALKERS are being urged to stay away from the countryside as farmers take steps to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease. Mr John Rider, pig producer and chairman of the North Riding and County Durham branch of the National Farmers' Union, told
Sarah Russell from Thirsk attended the BSJA Area 15 points presentation at the Crown Hotel, Harrogate and clinched three top awards, writes Malcolm Bewsher. She was first and second in the JC/JA with Mr Speck and Squire Fox and won the JC with Lady Millennium
A NORTHALLERTON man and his girlfriend will come face to face with sharks in a novel attempt to raise money for their local hospital. Mr Stuart Kite and Miss Elaine Strachan will have to learn to scuba dive, however, before they take the plunge at the
FARMERS throughout the UK have been warned to be on the alert for symptoms of foot and mouth disease in their animals, following the discovery of the disease in pigs at an Essex abattoir on Monday. MAFF put an immediate export ban on live animals and
Durham Johnston School are hoping to go one step further than last year when they compete in the national stages of a five-a-side championship. Last year's Under-12s girls team were runners-up in the English Schools' Football Association Wagon Wheels
Exciting plans are under way to develop the playground at Bournmoor Primary School. Julie Mountain, playground officer for Durham County Council, visited the school last term to give a presentation and slide show of some of the best playgrounds in the
YOUNGSTERS in Guisborough are to get a new play area thanks to the parish council. The play area at Butt Lane on the Whitby Avenue estate is the second to be funded by Guisborough Town Council. The new playground, in association with Guisborough Play
Arriving in the Tyne valley, the crisp winter sun gave a feeling of idyllic rural charm. But any expectation of a warm welcome was rudely dispelled when the first farmer we met returned a cordial greeting with a torrent of abuse. Feelings are running
MEMBERS of a County Durham choir will soon be jetting off to spend Easter in Durham, North Carolina, performing before some of the biggest audiences they have ever faced. Gainford choral society numbers has about 50 members, though not all are available
NORTH-EAST shareholders of a controversial animal testing company were placed on alert last night after its managing director was beaten up by baseball bat wielding thugs. Brian Cass, boss of Huntingdon Life Sciences, was left with a gash to his head
IT WAS on December 27, 1989, that Mark Tinkler headed the column's list of names for the Nineties. He was 15, Byers Green boy, the sort of lad who'd not even run an errand without a football at his feet. He'd first played for the school team when he was
FOOD and drink giant Nestle, maker of Nescafe coffee, said it had reaped the reward of its "relentless push for continuous improvement", reporting record full-year figures. The group, which has its UK operations based in York, saw its net profits surge
A BAKERY chain that began with one small corner shop and now employs more than 700 people has taken another step along the road to becoming the leading retail bakery in the North. Peters Cathedral Bakers, which produces enough bread, cakes, pies and sandwiches
TRADE Secretary Stephen Byers has referred Lloyds TSB's proposed takeover of Abbey National to the Competition Commission. Mr Byers said the proposed acquisition raised enough competition concerns to warrant a reference to the commission. "The proposed
WILDLIFE in the North-East has been given a £20,000 boost after an appeal reached its target in record time. Northumberland Wildlife Trust's 30th Birthday Appeal was launched last November with the aim of involving more people in wildlife conservation
GUISBOROUGH Round Table Stage Society is hoping to add to its fundraising efforts with its latest production. During the last 26 years the group has raised more than £40,000 for local charities. Its latest show, 2001: A Musical Odyssey, opened on Monday
Evenwood Road Runners The Durham Fell Challenge Doctor's Gate at Hamsterley Forest got the club's nerw season off to a flier with junior members Simon Alexander and Matthew Shaw making excellent starts in the two-mile event. Alexander, making his fell-running
FEARS that suburban chemists in Harrogate would be hit if a pharmacy was allowed to open in a superstore have been expressed by residents. An application has been tabled with North Yorkshire Health Authority by Oldham-based A Swift (Chemists) to set up
FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - At Thirsk on Thursday afternoon, a worthy Knight of the Thimble and a boon companion, in their cups, in spite of the north-east wind, determined to have a sail on the Mill dam. Having no boat, a happy thought struck
A question perhaps little asked or imagined: is Consett the most God-fearing place in the North-East? It is known for other reasons, of course, chiefly riding on the ferrous wheel of fortune but also as the home of Susan Maughan, who all those years ago
YOUNG Tom Reed has proved that he is a natural talent by landing a major role in a North-East musical. The seven-year-old, from Darlington, has been learning to dance and sing for only a few months, but has already impressed producers from the Redcar
COUNCIL tax payers will contribute an extra £843,000 to Cleveland Police after a six per cent precept hike was agreed. The rise, first proposed last December, was agreed yesterday by members of the Cleveland Police Authority. After the three per cent
A SUMMIT meeting has been held to try to help the Yorkshire dales economy by linking it by train with Manchester. Several rail users groups, including Help from Lancashire and the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle line, have formed an organisation to pool
CHURCHGOERS are in for some divine inspiration, thanks to the restoration of a religious work of art. This weekend, parishioners at St. James' Church, in Albert Hill, Darlington, County Durham, will see for the first time the completed restoration of
TREES planted alongside North Yorkshire's roads will eventually become a thing of the past because of heavy insurance claims being made against the county's highway authority. Mike Masterman, head of environmental management at County Hall, said trees
A SCHEME by the Caravan Club to upgrade its site at Rosedale Abbey has been approved by the North York Moors National Park authority. The plan, to provide a complex for a reception area, wardens bathroom, garage and store, together with a warden compound
A SHOPPING district in north Hartlepool is to be given a facelift. Work is due to begin later this month on a range of improvements to give shops in King Oswy Drive a fresh, new look. The area will be repaved, with ramps added to give better pedestrian
A Hoggarth and Sons Eskvale and Cleveland League Great Ayton began brightly in their league game against visitors Anchor with 16-year-old Steven Pennock firing over the bar in the opening minute. Andrew Fishburn then did well to hold an Ayton corner under
A NORTH-East man held hostage in Bangladesh could have been freed if a fellow hostage had not hesitated in reporting their plight, it has emerged. Minutes after Newcastle's Tim Selby and two Danes were taken hostage by Bangladeshi gunmen last Friday,
A road used to take pupils to school is being repaired after a landslip. Rosecroft Lane, in Loftus, east Cleveland, provides a link to the town's secondary school, Rosecroft School, and St Joseph's Primary School, but it has been closed since the landslip
YOUNG racing fan John Stewart is threatening to beat his father at his own sport. For nine-year-old John, of Dipton, near Stanley, has already won a major go-kart race in the sport he took up just one year ago. Meanwhile, his go-kart champion father,
THE North's countryside became a "no-go" area last night as the region acted to contain the spread of foot-and-mouth disease. The outbreak sparked the closure of all cattle markets and abattoirs across the North-East and North Yorkshire for at least a
It has been a pretty rough week again. We went to Belfast and lost our two matches there 4 - 1 and 6 -3. I think our confidence level is pretty low right now and we have to find a way to score more goals. When a team struggles like we are at the moment
Finally, some good news for our team! Last week, we defeated the Manchester Storm twice playing really well and showing what we are all about. I think it is great for the Jesters and with ten games left, we have to keep playing the same way for a spot
A LITTER problem attributed to McDonald's in and around Leeming Bar cannot be tackled by the company alone but involves the whole community, villagers have been told. Mr Jason Foster, a local McDonald's manager, on Wednesday outlined to Aiskew parish
A POTENTIAL lifeline is being offered to the beleaguered Northallerton charity carnival, threatened with the axe after 25 years. Two local councillors have decided to call a public meeting next month with the aim of ensuring that the popular event, which
BLANK Cheque's win in a high class men's open was the highlight of the Sinnington point to point at Duncombe Park last Saturday. Ridden by owner David Coates, Blank Cheque (Pendle Forest), who normally comes with a late run, was pushed into an early lead
Hathaway and Cope Stokesley League Ogoal difference stopped B and H King's Head going back to the top following their 3-1 win over Teesside Athletic. Paul Mitchell gave them the lead after 15 minutes and new boy Paul Round added a second when he headed
A Hoggarth and Sons Eskvale and Cleveland League Great Ayton began brightly in their league game against visitors Anchor with 16-year-old Steven Pennock firing over the bar in the opening minute. Andrew Fishburn then did well to hold an Ayton corner under
A MAJOR survey is being undertaken to find out what traders think could be done to make Durham city centre a better place to visit and shop in. Durham City Forum, which was set up to improve the city's quality of life and prosperity, is asking around
THOSE words "ask your father" have been a stock answer coming out of the mouths of mums for generations. So facing embarrassing questions from children is part of the job description for us poor, hard-done-by dads. You may, for example, recall how our
THE BATTLE to bring a multi-million pound leisure complex to the centre of Darlington was decided this week when councillors approved plans submitted by developer Terrace Hill. The decision sank the hopes of rival developer Simons Estates, whose bid was
A NEW club set itself an unusual challenge for its first fundraising event. Members of Darlington Interact Club, at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, held a sponsored three-legged-walk in the town's South Park. The club has chosen a local cancer charity
THE hotels Sidi Driss and Ksar Hedada may not look like much to the average passer-by, other than being interesting pieces of architecture native to their beautiful surroundings. But mention to any fan of George Lucas' Star Wars films that they are found
A 13-YEAR-OLD boy with cerebral palsy has become a national champion. Lee Maddison, of St Catherine Close, Fishburn, County Durham, has taken part in the Disability Sport England championships in Norwich. And Lee delighted his friends and family by claiming
A YORKSHIRE farm-based business with customers as far apart as Canada and New Zealand has opened a shop closer to home. The garments produced by Island Heritage are made from the wool of native rare breed sheep, including those bred on their own 25 acres
PROTESTORS have called on phone giants Orange to stop putting masts near schools. As part of a national campaign by protest group Mast Action UK, about 60 people converged on the firm's Darlington call centre on Monday. They spent an hour outside the
HUNDREDS of children across North Yorkshire will have access to out-of-school activities, thanks to the biggest allocation yet from the new opportunities fund. National Lottery good cause grants totalling nearly £2.4m were announced for Yorkshire and
THE foot-and-mouth epidemic brought Britain's livestock industry to a standstill last night as a week-long ban was slapped on moving animals vulnerable to the disease. The ban on transporting cattle, pigs, sheep and goats was announced as growing evidence
NEW moves to reverse a controversial road closure were being made yesterday. Conservative members of Redcar and Cleveland council were calling for an end to permanent closure of Gypsy Lane in Nunthorpe. At a meeting of the full council, Tory group leader
A BUTCHER from Kirkby Malzeard hopes to topple the big boys in a national competition, using an idea borrowed from Fiji. Mr Timothy Stothard, who runs the business started by his father 25 years ago in the village near Ripon, has come up with probably
CHICKS are being given a fighting chance to survive with a boost from high explosives. The Forestry Commission has been using explosives to create more than 100 artificial wading pools across the peaty expanse of Kielderhead, in Kielder Forest, Northumberland
Darlington Spraire Lads WITH the improving weather some sort of normality returned to the league programme. However, due to rearranged cup-ties and one postponed match for a waterlogged pitch it was far from a full programme. At U-13 level, the B team
AN MP is fighting to ensure beer drinkers don't get served short measures. Easington MP John Cummings has joined forces with House of Commons colleagues backing a motion to strengthen consumer protection for drinkers, by forcing pubs to serve full pints
PUPILS and staff at a Darlington independent girls' school have said their own farewell to a much-loved teacher and friend. Val Lawson, who died recently after a long battle against cancer, had taught at Polam Hall, in Grange Road, for 28 years. A memorial
AN MP is backing residents in their battle for a new bus service. People in New Skelton want a local stop for an express service, and have handed over a petition to Dr Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland. The New Skelton and Hollybush
A CAT that survived a seven-mile journey trapped under a car bonnet is recovering from its ordeal. The fortunate feline, appropriately nicknamed Olive Oil, was lucky to cheat death as it cowered under the bonnet of a car from South Shields to Jarrow,
A SMALLHOLDER has been banned from keeping agricultural animals for ten years after council officials found the foot of one of his sheep was infested with maggots. Michael Jewell, 56, of Marske admitted two offences under the Protection of Animals Act
THE second phase of a plan to protect the region's wildlife will be launched in Sunderland today. The next stage of the Durham Biodiversity Action Plan will look at 51 proposals to protect a whole range of species' from birds such as the bullfinch, golden
DON'T call Miss Sarah Kreutzer a horse whisperer, because her language is a silent one which anyone can learn. In fact it was only when she learned to listen to what horses were trying to tell her, that she experienced real communication. Miss Kreutzer
A BID for independence by two small villages has been backed by their neighbours. The twin communities of Eldon and Old Eldon, near Bishop Auckland, want to set up their own parish council to give residents a bigger say in local affairs. Now they have
QUEEN Elizabeth sixth form college, Darlington meet Hartlepool sixth form college in the semi-final of the County State Schools' Rugby Cup on Wednesday. The match kicks off at Abbey Road playing fields at 2.15pm and spectators are welcome. Queen Elizabeth
A 5,000-NAME petition for a new swimming pool at Guisborough was being handed over to Dr Ashok Kumar today. The MP is backing a campaign to refurbish or rebuild the town's ageing pool. The baths are used regularly by swimmers and swimming clubs and the
Measures have been agreed to try to ease resident parking problems in parts of Hartlepool. Hartlepool Borough Council's south neighbourhood forum plans to spend almost £30,000 on extra parking bays in Pickering Grove and Selby Grove, on the town's Rossmere
A MAN whose exploits have included walking unaided to the North Pole and rowing across the Atlantic, yesterday placed the spotlight on the importance of safety. Adventurer and sportsman Jock Wishart spoke out at the presentation of European health and
AIRMEN packed a church to say farewell to their old squadron standard. The old standard of Leeming-based 34 Sqn RAF Regiment has been replaced by a new one which will last for the next 25 years. The entire squadron attended a service at St Anne's Church
PUB-goers have been busy exercising their minds as well as their drinking arms during the past weeks. Regulars from 15 pubs had their knowledge tested over the airwaves when they took part in a team quiz organised jointly by Pubmaster and Harrogate-based
MAGISTRATES banned a woman from keeping animals for three years after her dog's eye had to be removed when an injury went untreated. Dog owner Sybil Smith, 46, from Adamson Street, Shildon, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to causing unnecessary suffering
SAFETY chiefs in County Durham have launched a campaign to reduce the high toll of youngsters injured in car crashes. Figures show that children in the county are more likely to be hurt as passengers than if they were riding bikes or crossing a road.
BEAT bobby Colin Dobson hopes to prove a tonic for villagers, fed-up with the late-night antics of unruly youngsters. He has set up a one-man police office above a doctor's surgery in Woodland Crescent, at Kelloe, and will be keeping a close watch on
The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League A full fixture list is something of a rarity these days, but this week only two games were postponed and neither of them due to the weather. However, a few teams looked to be a little ring-rusty from
A NORTH-East NHS trust has appointed a new non-executive director. Bud Craig, who has worked for social services for 25 years, takes up the post at County Durham and Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust. Mr Craig, who lives in Darlington, is retiring
POLICE have condemned a dog owner who left seven new-born puppies to die. The seven black pups were left in a cardboard box in Iveston lane, Delves Lane, near Consett, County Durham, on Wednesday night. Their umbilical cords were still wet and bleeding
A NEWLY-FORMED action group is waiting for the results of a traffic survey before it decides its next move. Residents living in Almond Court, Shildon, and Middridge village met earlier this week to decide on a plan of action to stop lorries from trundling
THE cost of dealing with catastrophic floods has brought the council tax increase in North Yorkshire to 7.9pc for the coming financial year. The full council agreed at its budget-fixing meeting on Wednesday to add 0.9pc to the original proposal for a
PENSIONERS in a Burnopfield residential home are being forced to move because the council property has been deemed unsafe. The 33 residents at Syke House are leaving because Durham County Council health and safety officers found that fire precautions
A POPULAR charity carnival has been forced to close after a plea for more volunteers to help run it proved unsuccessful. Organisers of Northallerton charity carnival confirmed yesterday that the annual event had folded after 25 years. The carnival committee
MORE police officers will be put on the beat in the Northumbria area - but at a cost to council tax payers. Northumbria Police Authority unveiled a £227m budget after what it described as another poor financial settlement, the worst of any of the Metropolitan
IT will never be known how an 87-year-old grandmother drowned in a stream less than a mile from her home. Alice Rudd's body was found by police in Crook Beck last April, an inquest at Bishop Auckland magistrates court was told last week. Earlier a dog
Magnet League The third round of the fives and threes individual KO competition will be played on Friday, March 2, deadline 8.30pm. Draw: S Tooth (Hole in the Wall) v A Churchman (Killinghall); A Moss (Navy) v P Pugh (Bank Top); D Royal (Central WMC)
JEFFREY Archer has gone too far. His loyal, long-suffering wife Mary may have stood by him through bankruptcy, betrayal and political scandals. But surely even she can't let him get away with it this time. Her husband is a national disgrace. He should
Andrew Barlow, a watercolour specialist who teaches evening classes at Guisborough's Prior Pursglove College, has been chosen as a finalist in a competition run by International Artist magazine. The Australian-based magazine selected three winners and
AN exhibition of kiln-formed glass works put together by Effie Burns, a 3D design graduate from Sunderland University, starts at the Saltburn Artists Studios on Marske Road, Saltburn this weekend. Talking about her art Effie said: "My current work explores
EUROPEANS Hoechst £24 Thyssen Krupp £12 - NORTH AMERICAN Black & Decker £29 Du Pont £29 AEROSPACE Alvis 116 Chemring 306 Cobham 1075 +6 Meggitt 210 - Rolls Royce 202 -4 Vosper 1077 AUTOMOBILES Avon Rbbr 191 -1 Britax Intl 136 G K N 824 -8 BANKS Abbey
THE decision by the FA to punish Third Division leaders Chesterfield may well have some clubs in the promotion chase popping champagne corks, but for Hartlepool boss Chris Turner the FA's actions are a harsh blow to Spireites' manager Nicky Law. The South
New County North Durham Youth League Chester-le-Street Waldridge Park progressed in the Edward Wanless Cup, defeating Stanley Sandhole 2-1 with goals by Mike Howey and Kenny Morrison. Lee Duffy replied for Sandhole. In the U-16 Division A, Hebburn Clegwell
A father-of-three last night won £16,500 compensation after he was attacked by a police dog. A jury upheld a claim for damages by Lawrence Agar, 35, who said he was set upon by Bosco, a German Shepherd, before being sprayed in the face with CS gas, punched
POLITICAL capital will inevitably be made out of the disaster facing the British livestock industry. As the implications of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak mounted by the hour, Agriculture Minister Nick Brown and his Tory shadow Tim Yeo wasted valuable
SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid, hit by four suspensions at Leicester this afternoon, calls up three youngsters into his squad - and stressed last night he would not be afraid to hand them their chances. Full-back George McCartney, who came on as a substitute
Paul Ince yesterday faced up to the fact that his England career may be over after he was omitted from Sven Goran Eriksson's first squad yesterday. The Middlesbrough skipper's name was not among the 31 for the friendly with Spain at Aston Villa next week
A PROPOSED merger in the steel industry has sparked renewed fears for threatened jobs at Corus on Teesside. Shares in the Anglo Dutch company rose four per cent following the announcement of a proposed merger of three European steel firms. Analysts said
BUS and rail operator Go-Ahead said the cost of fighting off last year's hostile takeover bid by French consortium C3D had dented profits. Go-Ahead, the operator of Thames Trains, said C3D's approach had been "wholly unwarranted" and had landed the Newcastle-based
Sir, - You recently covered a story in Catterick about Richmondshire District Council attempting to lay waste to an amenity site of some 18 acres at the behest of the Leeds Angling Club from whom it is leased. What a pity your reporter didn't go a further
Bishop Auckland were beaten 3-1 at home by Lancaster on Wednesday, despite another sparkling goal from Danny Mellanby. The youngster, who was watched by Conference club Scarborough, put Bishops into a 14th-minute lead when controlled a right cross and
SUNDERLAND bargain-buy Gavin McCann - notorious for his shyness - broke his silence last night after being named with club-mate Kevin Phillips in the England squad. The 23-year-old midfielder, who cost a mere £500,000 from Everton in November 1998, is
THE Tote Northern National at Newcastle on Saturday was an epic battle and the sight of three of our best horses all abreast as they beat off the rest of the field turning for home was a real thriller. Last year's winner Scotton Green, trained by Tim
THE financial dealings of a charity set up to aid injured former Durham miners are being investigated. The Charity Commission has placed Durham Mining Convalescent Homes Fund into the hands of a receiver until the inquiry is completed. Day-to-day running
LESS than a quarter of all GNER trains were running on time in the wake of the Hatfield rail disaster, new figures show. Quarterly performance figures released by the Strategic Rail Authority reveal that the East Coast Mainline operator was among the
THE Prime Minister's father-in-law is to be guest of honour at a pensioners' rally next week. Actor Tony Booth, father of Cherie Blair, will be speaking at the rally along with veteran presenter Alan Wright from BBC Radio Cleveland, national chairman
DARLINGTON manager Gary Bennett is demanding the same "battling qualities" that earned the Quakers their first win of the year on Tuesday night for today's home clash with Macclesfield. Quakers lifted some of the relegation gloom after their midweek success
TONY Skedd, the former Hartlepool United player, now with Bedlington Terriers, has been suspended by Durham FA for the rest of the season. The action follows an incident in a recent Sunday County Cup tie which led to the abandonment of the game. Easington
CHURCHGOERS are in for some divine inspiration, thanks to the restoration of a religious work of art. This weekend, parishioners at St. James' Church, in Albert Hill, Darlington, County Durham, will see for the first time the completed restoration of
A LONE beagle hunches in a narrow, metal cage, its brown eyes staring dolefully at the camera. This is animal experimentation as anti-vivisectionists would like you to see it, a canine death-row where the animals wait for a painful and pointless death
A POSTMAN has won damages after a judge ruled that the mail bag he carried on his round was too heavy. The case could have massive implications for postal workers after it was revealed that one in three accidents by Royal Mail staff was caused by lifting
Hetton Youth League The league fared badly in the Durham County Youth Cup, both Springwell and Herrington losing in the semi-finals. Springwell held Jarrow St Bedes to a 3-3 draw following extra time but Jarrow won 4-2 on penalties. Scott Robertson, Chris
A SHARP-eyed pensioner uncovered a badge from a bygone era with his metal detector. Sydney Cooper, 81, was taking part in a regular search with fellow members of the Cleveland Discoverers when his metal detector started bleeping. Uncovering the earth,
Thursday's prices Kenneth Wilson, Thorpe Arch. - Wheat: Feb £69; March £70; April £70.50; May £71; group 1 wheat Feb £84 plus £1 a month; group 2 wheat Feb £79 plus £1 a month. Barley Feb £70. Oilseed rape: Feb £124 plus £1 a month. GrainCo, Tyne Dock
A MAN has been sent for trial in front of a judge and jury accused of causing the deaths of a pensioner and his wife by the way he drove his van. Michael Thomas Foster appeared before magistrates in Harrogate yesterday following a road accident on the
KIRKBY STEPHEN. - Thurs of last week, Annual show & sale of feeding bulls, breeding cattle, bullocks & hfrs. Fwd: 172 feeding bulls for show, 58 breeding cattle, 161 bullocks & hfrs. Judge: Mr Bradley, Evenwood Gate. Prizes: 1 JH Pedley, Oak
Sir, - I recently obtained details of vacancies for information assistants at various Yorkshire Dales National Park centres. The brief job description states, "Ideally you will have a good knowledge of the YDNP, an interest in furthering its objectives
