RACEGOERS passed on their appreciation to the North-East's newest sporting hero last night. Red Marauder became the four-legged friend of many local punters when it stormed to victory in the Grand National at 33-1 last month. The horse was rested on its
SUNDERLAND 3, CHARLTON ATHLETIC 2 SUNDERLAND won their first Premiership game at the Stadium of Light since New Year's Day by completing a thrilling double over Charlton. Peter Reid's men, still battling for a place in Europe,got off to a great start
TOM Cruise's character in Top Gun has become something of a movie icon. Striding across the burning asphalt of Andrews Air Force base, his aviator shades shielding those blue eyes from the sunlight, his helmet held casually in one hand, his puny physique
A NORTH-East defence manufacturer has won a national award for its innovative business methods. Newcastle-based Vickers Defence Systems (VDS) was one of six projects to win one of the MoD's new Smart Acquisition Awards. The awards, which were set up this
TWO brothers who subjected their victim to "unprovoked gratuitous violence" walked free from court yesterday. Ian Barratt, 19, of Napier Street, Darlington and Reginald Barratt, 21, of West Chilton Terrace, Chilton, both County Durham, admitted causing
A TEENAGER yesterday admitted the manslaughter of a father-of-one who died after an incident outside a Middlesbrough nightclub. Christopher Howard, 18, admitted the unlawful killing of Anthony Walker, outside Toxin's on February 9. Howard, of Evesham
AN event will be held next month to encourage people to take an interest in fostering. The free information evening will be held at Gateshead Civic Centre on Monday, June 4, from 7pm. It will be the last in a series of events held by Gateshead Borough
At 67, Annfield Plain secretary Marshall Lawson thought he had seen everything in local football but even he witnessed something new in Monday night's game with Nissan. One of the Nissan players was injured and went to the touchline for treatment at which
MAJOR improvements are on the way for bus services in North Yorkshire following a £500,000 investment from the county council. A new high quality service linking Northallerton with Stokesley will be launched next week. As part of the five-year contract
Tomorrow sees the start of the Sunday racing season, delight for the public but dismay for many trainers and staff who will be working without much time off for many months. Tomorrow sees Hamilton, Salisbury and Newmarket racing. Then there is a break
A WOMAN who turned a blind eye to a family friend supplying drugs at her home was yesterday jailed for a year. Mother-of-three Doreen Jane Setchall was "unhappy" about the man selling heroin to callers, but did nothing to stop him, Durham Crown Court
MANAGERS at the North-East's largest airport were yesterday celebrating what they described as the beginning of a new era with the announcement of a £200m partnership deal with their counterparts in Copenhagen. The seven local authorities with shares
TOM Cruise's character in Top Gun has become something of a movie icon. Striding across the burning asphalt of Andrews Air Force base, his aviator shades shielding those blue eyes from the sunlight, his helmet held casually in one hand, his puny physique
A UNIVERSITY is planning a range of activities to coincide with Adult Learners' Week. The promotion, from next Saturday to Friday, May 18, is aimed at widening access to learning and encouraging adults to return to study. At Teesside University, the emphasis
A BIKE-RIDING thief rode off empty-handed after his victim refused to let go of her handbag. The woman was walking along Hollyhurst Road, in Darlington, with a friend when her attacker came up behind her on a BMX bike. The cyclist, aged about 12 or 13
A Michael Owen hat-trick proved too much for Newcastle this afternoon as the Magpies fell to another away day defeat. Owen gave early warning of his danger after just two minutes, racing on to an Emile Heskey through ball only for Shay Given to save well
FIRSTLY today, let us clear up a common North-East misconception: Willington Quay and Bill Quay are not related, unless distantly by morganatic marriage, nor is Willington Quay simply Bill to its friends. Bill Quay is on the south Bank of the Tyne, nudging
HARTLEPOOL United will face Blackpool in the Third Division play-offs next week. Pool beat already promoted Cardiff 3-1 at Victoria Park and Steve McMahon's side secured a top-seven finish with a 3-1 win at Darlington. Pool fell one behind to Rob Earnshaw's
A LOTTERY has handed a cash boost of more than £75,000 to Darlington's St Teresa's Hospice. The One Wish lottery has been running for almost three years, with people buying £1 tickets for a chance to win up to £2,000 in weekly draws. Membership of the
A HOME support service will take to the road next week in an attempt to fill vacancies. Five roadshows will be set up around Sunderland to offer information about the service and advice on completing application forms. Home Support helps elderly or disabled
SATISFIED Hartlepool United boss Chris Turner last night reflected on another year of improvement at Victoria Park - and paid tribute to his players. Pool go into their final League game of the season against Cardiff this afternoon with a place in the
WORKERS at a vintage motor car restorers faced a real challenge in the shape of a rusty old horsedrawn carriage. The team at David Royle and Co Ltd, in Staindrop, County Durham, are more used to sprucing up classic sports cars than rotting Victorian carriages
POLICE are appealing for help to trace a 15-year-old girl who went missing on Wednesday morning. Gail Pooley, also known as Abigail, was last seen at about 10.30pm outside Gateshead College where she was a pupil. She has gone missing in the past and may
COMMUNITY rooms in a rural village are to be made more accessible to the public thanks to a grant which will fund a refurbishment project. West Tanfield Chapel Rooms, which are used by an after-school club and the local cricket club, has been awarded
THERE'S more than a ring of truth in the words of the 1964 Beatles' chart topper, "Money can't buy me love", but it sure is handy to have a boatload of cash when it comes to acquiring the best racehorses in the world. Neither leading millionaire owners
PENSIONER Muriel Howe has become the first resident to benefit from a security scheme aimed at helping vulnerable people feel safer in their homes. Security equipment, including lights and locks, are being provided in a joint initiative between Whinfield
THE Northern Echo is supporting the Georgian Theatre Appeal in Richmond for a variety of reasons. The theatre offers a unique night out that is well worth preserving. It is also a unique piece of Britain's history - once there were 350 similar auditoriums
A hunt is under way for a man who raped a woman in the toilets at a roadside cafe. The 25-year-old businesswoman has been left traumatised by the attack at the Little Chef restaurant, beside the A1. She was on her way to work, from her County Durham home
Go Racing, the consortium set up by Channel 4, Sky and Arena Leisure, said last night it was close to acquiring all media and related rights for British horse racing. The consortium has received acceptances from some high-profile and profitable racecourses
PASSENGERS on a North-East bus narrowly escaped injury when a model plane with a 6ft wing span crashed through its windscreen. People on the double-decker dived for cover when the model aircraft swooped towards the bus. As the bus reached 50mph, the plane
THE bowlers were found wanting on a run-laden Riverside pitch yesterday as Durham's bid for a third successive Benson & Hedges Cup win hit the buffers. After making 252 for three in their 50 overs, they lost by five wickets to unbeaten Nottinghamshire
A burglar who preyed on the elderly and vulnerable has been jailed for six years. David Kelly, 20, embarked on a one-man crime wave to support his life on the streets, after he lost his job last summer. The former factory worker admitted carrying out
A BUTCHER has finally been given permission to sell vegetables and other fresh produce from his premises. George Bolam was told to stop selling fish, dairy products and vegetables from his unit at the Salters Lane Industrial Estate, Sedgefield, more than
THOSE who erroneously believe that these little essays are prone to a certain verbosity, should read the account of the opening on Friday, May 19, 1876, of Christ Church, Great Ayton. The Northern Echo had just four pages in those days, and most of that
REPUBLIC of Ireland international Niall Quinn last night issued a heartfelt plea to manager Peter Reid on the eve of Sunderland's last home game on the season against Charlton this afternoon: "Good luck in the transfer market - but don't cast me aside
AN ANGRY protest is being lodged after a charity was fined by border police for missing a road toll in Austria. Rod Jones, founder of Teesside charity Convoy Aid, had his passport and travel documents seized by a policeman after refusing to pay a fine
THE Royal lost their unbeaten record against Deepdale who are now the only side not to suffer defeat. With a number of key players missing, including their keeper, Royal went down 3-1. Deepdale led at the break through Trenton Hewitt who latched onto
ABOUT 100 delegates attended a conference on Teesside, held in the wake of the report into the death of murdered black youth Stephen Lawrence. Councillor Ken Walker, chairman of the Cleveland Police Authority, which organised yesterday's forum, said:
SITTING in the tiny auditorium for the first time, looking across the even smaller stage, Sylvia Crathorne was confronted with a theatrical giant. And the experience was the start of a life-long love affair with one of Britain's most historic and important
IT'S a long-standing Bank Holiday tradition that, should the weather be up for it, the family should enjoy a day out. There's the countryside to enjoy, despite foot-and-mouth, and the coast always beckons with its bracing air and amusement arcades. But
A YOUTH on a mountain bike made off with a paperboy's CD mini-disc walkman, worth £250. The incident happened at 5.15pm on Wednesday, when the 14-year-old boy was making his way along Orchard Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough. A gaunt-looking youth, aged
World Cup winner Christian Karembeu threw Boro a Premiership lifeline just when it looked like they were sinking deeper into the relegation mire. Karembeu cracked home a magnificent angled drive ten minutes from time at Valley Parade to counter Wayne
HEALTH Secretary Alan Milburn has moved swiftly to restore public confidence in his local hospital after operations were cancelled because of dirty surgical instruments. Yesterday, The Northern Echo revealed exclusively that a surgeon refused to carry
A FAMILY escaped uninjured from a house fire, thanks to their smoke alarm Firefighters were called to the semi-detached house in Penshaw Gardens, East Stanley, at 1.30am, on Thursday The fire started in the kitchen when a chip pan was left unattended.
COUNCILS could end up paying for safety measures at rail bridges across the region. The Northern Echo reported earlier this week how villagers are demanding that crash barriers be provided at Dalton Bridge, near Darlington. Their concerns arose after
Darlington badly need a win to lift the end-of-season gloom at home to play-off-chasing Blackpool today. After virtually clinching safety with the win over Cardiff on Easter Saturday, Quakers have lost five in a row - two of them against sides in the
A £5M BOOST has been announced for the UK's only potash mine. The money has been invested in a new compaction plant at Cleveland Potash, Boulby, east Cleveland. This will result in an increase by more than 50 percent in the annual production of high grade
A GIANT Scalextric circuit is to be erected in Darlington town centre as part of a summer entertainment programme. The event, on the May 28 Bank Holiday, will involve a mini replica of a Grand Prix circuit being installed in High Row. Measuring 19ft by
Darlington suffered their sixth straight defeat and sealed Blackpool's place in the play-offs at Feethams this afternoon. Steve McMahon's side will now play Hartlepool over two legs after a comfortable 3-1 win over Gary Bennett's beleagured Quakers. Prolific
FUEL campaigners are planning a series of protests across the country's roads in the run up to the General Election. Protestors, angry at the Government's "crippling" high taxes on fuel, are staging a series of go-slow convoys every day from Monday until
EMERGENCY measures to offset the disastrous economic impact of 700 job losses in a coastal town were drawn up last night. Trade Secretary Stephen Byers pledged that the Government would work with local authorities to soften the blow of TransBus International's
AS the first warm winds of spring waft in, thoughts begin to turn to summer sun and where to spend the holidays. And for a single dad pondering what to do with the precious time he has with his children, a EuroSite holiday may provide the answer. Camping
A NEW phase of development at a Teesside nature reserve was unveiled yesterday by primary school youngsters. The pupils from Tilery School, Stockton, were at Portrack Marsh to unveil two interpretation boards. The school has been involved from the start
THE name of David Wood, who performed his one-man magic and music show at York Theatre Royal in February, is also associated with the next production at the venue. He has adapted Philippa Pearce's novel Tom's Midnight Garden for Unicorn Children's Theatre
PROPOSALS for a wind sculpture to celebrate the Millennium are on show in Stockton as part of an environmental improvement scheme in the town. The new feature would be sited on Stockton Riverside, near to Thistle Green and Silver Street. Councillor Bob
BUILDING work began yesterday on the North-East's new multi-million pound concert centre. The Music Centre in Gateshead is being built on a site overlooking the River Tyne, between the Tyne Bridge and the new Gateshead Millennium Bridge. It will contain
SUNDERLAND won their first Premiership game at the Stadium of Light since New Year's Day by completing a thrilling double over Charlton. Peter Reid's men, still battling for a place in Europe,got off to a great start when Republic of Ireland winger Kevin
A STORE owner has won back his drinks licence after satisfying police that alcohol will not be sold to under-age customers. Mark Stephen Jamieson lost the licence for Londis General Dealer, in Tow Law, after failing a police supervised "test purchase"
OVER two decades in the art world, renowned painter Eric Thompson has exhibited his work across the country and gained a reputation as an outstanding talent. But to celebrate his 21st anniversary of professional success, Eric has returned home to stage
PLANS to turn offices into a restaurant near Durham's Millennium City development have been welcomed by planning officials. And as part of the plans, Durham City councillors will be recommended on Wednesday to give planning permission for the conversion
POLICE have launched an appeal for witnesses following the death of a mother-of-three. Jacqueline Heaton, 32, was found dead at her home in South Shields, Tyneside, on Wednesday evening. Police were alerted by a phone call from a distressed man. A man
THE North-East's only Victorian pleasure pier was re-opened yesterday, following extensive renovations. Work began on Saltburn Pier a year ago. The £1.3m project, backed by the Heritage Lottery Fund, European Regional Development Fund, the Friends of
TV presenter Jill Dando was murdered by a military-obsessed gunman with a grudge against the BBC and a fascination for celebrities, the Old Bailey heard yesterday. Barry George disliked the BBC because he believed that the corporation had mistreated his
A WATER firm last night dismissed a clean beaches guide, which named ten in the region as below standard. The Marine Conservation Society guide lists beaches in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, Marske, east Cleveland, Seaham, County Durham, and East Ryhope
PEOPLE are being urged to install smoke detectors in their homes by fire chiefs in County Durham after two deaths in one month. The two fatalities in April, just one month into the financial year, is the same as the total of deaths in the whole of last
Investors coming back from their Bank Holiday breaks will be able to feast on another week full of corporate results, including updates from BP Amoco, Matalan and Royal & Sun Alliance. BP Amoco will be the second major oil company in a fortnight to
A PRIMARY school has been described as "really special" in a glowing report by Ofstead inspectors. St Agnes RC Primary School in Crawcrook, near Gateshead, underwent a two-day Ofsted inspection in February. Inspectors described the school as "successful
NEW knight Steven Redgrave will be guest of honour when a rowing event is launched in the North-East tomorrow. The Supersprints Rowing Challenge involves a series of races and rowing demonstrations on the River Wear, in Durham city, from 10.30am. It features
COMMUNITY centres across Teesside are being asked to help a support group. Take Heart Support groups help people who suffer with heart disease. They aim to help sufferers develop self-confidence by making positive changes to their lifestyles, take part
A telephone helpline will be set up this summer for County Durham schoolchildren who are being bullied. The line will be manned by older pupils, who have been given training to offer guidance, support and information to callers. The line will be open
A NORTH Yorkshire tourist attraction, famed for its natural beauty and home cooking, has been put up for sale. How Stean Gorge, seven miles from Pateley Bridge, in Nidderdale, has gone on the market because Howard Stevenson and his wife, Pamela, who have
FUCHSIAS are amongst the most popular summer pot plants for the home. Visit any good garden centre or florist now and you will see plenty of healthy young plants for sale. Fuchsias grow well in the home when given cool humid conditions with plenty of
A nurse who claimed stress at work led him to carry a pillowcase around as a security blanket has lost his claim for compensation. Peter Cusworth was suing the NHS for £130,000, claiming he was left a nervous wreck by the strain of trying to run two hospital
THE regeneration of a Darlington housing estate has received a further boost with the opening of a £40,000 play area. The Firthmoor estate has been given a complete facelift in the past 18 months, paid for with more than £3m from the Government's Single
THOSE who erroneously believe that these little essays are prone to a certain verbosity, should read the account of the opening on Friday, May 19, 1876, of Christ Church, Great Ayton. The Northern Echo had just four pages in those days, and most of that
Letters from The Northern Echo FOOT-AND-MOUTH I AGREE completely with the views of Sir Anthony Milbank and CIWF Director Joyce de Silva (Echo, Apr 17) on vaccination as opposed to the cruel mass slaughter of healthy as well as infected animals. Time is
SPORTS groups are celebrating after a package of grants totalling nearly £130,000 was handed out by council chiefs. The money from Scarborough Borough Council will be used to develop community and sporting facilities along the North Yorkshire coast. The
THOUSANDS of pounds owed to a charity by a shamed vicar may have to be written off after he was declared bankrupt. Christ's Hospital, in Sherburn, Durham City, is owed almost £75,000 following legal action against former master, the Reverend Graham Pattison
Sunday morning's bad weather placed on hold Nestfield Club's chances of completing a Second Division league and cup double this week, their game against Hoppers Transport in the Darlington Motor Factors Second Division Cup final was called off due to
HARTLEPOOL United will face Blackpool in the Third Division play-offs next week. Pool beat already promoted Cardiff 3-1 at Victoria Park and Steve McMahon's side secured a top-seven finish with a 3-1 win at Darlington. Pool fell one behind to Rob Earnshaw's
