Archive

  • News in brief: Hospice puts on the style

    Teesside Hospice in Middlesbrough is marking its 21st anniversary with a fashion show luncheon at Marton Hotel and Country Club, Marton, Middlesbrough, tomorrow, and a charity ball in a month's time. There will be fashions on the catwalk, stalls selling

  • Students to display designs

    TALENTED students are putting the final touches to their creations for a display next month. Young people who attend Cleveland College of Art and Design, in Hartlepool, have created contemporary textile designs to be shown at a free exhibition. Items

  • Heart charity tonic for hospital

    A HOSPITAL is to receive a grant to help it tackle a national skills shortage. The British Heart Foundation is funding a number of two-year training posts in echocardiography aimed at addressing a national shortage and to meet Government targets for diagnosis

  • Garage owner seeking clarification over offer

    A MAN will this week ask his bosses whether they are going to accept his offer of £350,000 to prevent the garage he runs being sold. Andy Adamson, 44, made the offer to Save Retail to prevent Orchard Filling Station, at Eaglescliffe, falling into the

  • Sunday stroll - in cemetery

    A guided walk is to be held around York Cemetery, one of the city's biggest and most spectacular conservation areas. The two-hour event will start with a brief introduction to the cemetery and then take in several areas of interest, including a flowering

  • Moped lease scheme to be launched

    PEOPLE struggling to overcome the problem of getting to work or college will be given a helping hand in Ripon with the launch of the Wheels 2 Work scheme this summer. Residents living in rural isolation near the city who find it difficult to access public

  • Driver injured

    A woman was taken to hospital after her car skidded and overturned on Saturday. The accident happened at about 3am as she approached the Wolviston roundabout, in Seal Sands Road, Billingham. The car is thought to have skidded across the central reservation

  • Tributes paid to outgoing mayor

    THE outgoing Mayor of Great Aycliffe has raised more than £2,500 for charity during his year in office. Councillor Michael Dalton chose the Princess Royal Trust Sedgefield Locality Carers Centre as his cause for the year. And following a hectic round

  • Young performers offer music fans a treat with Promenade

    HUNDREDS of music fans enjoyed the best classical music in the region this weekend at the annual proms event. Young performers kicked off the musical extravaganza at A Promenade for Youth at the Dolphin Centre in Darlington on Friday night. More than

  • Decision deferred over housing plan

    PROPOSALS to build 47 homes on a former town centre industrial site have been deferred by Hambleton councillors pending further information. It was the second time that developers McCarthy and Stone had put forward plans to redevelop the land in Bedale

  • Triathlon event tests athletes

    TWENTY athletes from around Darlington took part in the annual mini-triathlon at Hummersknot school yesterday. Members of Darlington Rotary Club faced the Bondgate Round Table in the competition which combined a three-mile run, 14-mile cycle and 20 lengths

  • Choir members choose new outfit

    A COLLEGE choir has chosen a new, more up-to-date look, which will help make them stand out when they perform in Paris later this year. The chapel choir at Harrogate Ladies' College had their say on what they want to wear and chose a light-blue blouse

  • Fundraisers splash out

    FUNDRAISERS made a splash this weekend when they took part in a sponsored scuba dive. Supporters of the Darlington branch of the MS Society took to the water to raise money for the charity which offers support and advice to sufferers and their families

  • Pier group welcomed in town

    AN MP has welcomed a meeting of a national pier society after helping secure the future of a town's landmark. Saltburn, Teesside, was the venue for the National Pier Society's annual meeting on Saturday, and the guest of honour was Middlesbrough South

  • Bridge club seeks members

    A DARLINGTON bridge club is inviting new members to pitch their wits at the game - just weeks after it held an international bridge competition. Expert bridge players, or those who just want to learn about the game, can sample it at St George's Bridge

  • Bridge club seeks members

    A DARLINGTON bridge club is inviting new members to pitch their wits at the game - just weeks after it held an international bridge competition. Expert bridge players, or those who just want to learn about the game, can sample it at St George's Bridge

  • Elderly at risk, warns fire chief

    FIRE chiefs have issued a warning after an elderly man was rescued from his Middlesbrough home after a blaze broke out while he was cooking breakfast. George Wilkinson, 85, was overcome by smoke from hot oil in a pan when it burst into flames. He became

  • Bid to cut problem of false fire calls

    FIRE officials in North Yorkshire are planning to tackle the growing problem of false calls to automatic fire alarms. Instead of routinely attending every one they hope to introduce a call-screening pro-cess. They insist such a move would not compromise

  • Youths hunted after teenager hurt in attack

    POLICE are hunting a gang of youths who left a teenager with facial injuries following an unprovoked attack. The 16-year-old was walking near the cricket pavilion at Smiths Dock Park, Normanby, Teesside, at 9.45pm on Friday when he was beaten by three

  • North-East Round-up

    Four games in the Foster's ECB North East Regional Premier League failed to start, but the fixture between Newcastle and Chester-le-Street provided an exciting finale. When time was called the Cestrians required just 14 runs for victory with six wickets

  • Campaign under way to halt bus service cutback

    SO few passengers are using a village bus service that it is costing £21 to transport each traveller on a five-mile journey. But in a bid to keep its present services, a parish council has launched a campaign to halt plans to severely cut back the lifeline

  • Residents tackle ward problems

    RESIDENTS are hoping to make their streets cleaner and safer after buying poop scoop bins. The Consett North Ward Regeneration Partnership was set up in November last year to help improve the area. A committee asked all residents for their views on the

  • Tykes still on the slide

    Yorkshire's worrying slump in form continued at Grace Road yesterday when Leicestershire Foxes crushed them by 66 runs in the National League. The fact that Leicestershire had lost their first three matches only rubbed salt into White Rose wounds and

  • Public warned not to touch suspect objects after rocket find

    Bomb disposal experts have warned members of the public who find suspect objects not to touch them in case they explode. The warning comes after a man carried an 28lb two-foot aircraft rocket to Middlesbrough Police Station last week because he had seen

  • News in brief: Crash victims rescued

    Four people were taken to hospital after a Rover 414 and a Vauxhall Montery collided on the A167 junction to Aycliffe Industrial Estate, Newton Aycliffe, at about 4.30pm yesterday. Firefighters used cutting equipment to release two of the four passengers

  • Alternative ideas for farm land

    A WALK which will look at alternative ways of making use of farm land is to be held in Sedgefield. The event, sponsored by Sedgefield Borough Council, will take place at West Farm, Garmondsway, with the permission of farmer Guy Rutter, next Thursday,

  • Shank can oblige for golf star owners

    RYDER CUP golf stars Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke have recently joined forces and ventured into racehorse ownership with Shank On Fourteen, an excitingly fast juvenile in training with Karl Burke at Middleham's Spigot Lodge stables. And there's certainly

  • Exhibition of design work

    PROJECTS by North-East students including designs for a mobile oxygen supply and a spin drier for public places are to be put on display. Many other designs for projects will also be shown at the University of Teesside's annual Design Degree Show at Centre

  • Daughters salute their brave mum

    A NORTH-EAST mother has taken her first tentative steps to recovery in her battle to beat a crippling disease. Ann Teasdale is receiving treatment in the US after family and friends raised £30,000 to pay for her trip. Mrs Teasdale, from Newton Aycliffe

  • Mallon on hunt for 'inside job' thief

    FORMER top detective Ray Mallon claimed last night that the audacious theft of his £40,000 mayoral chain of office was an "inside job". The man who pioneered zero tolerance policing swiftly dusted down his detective's badge and has already come up with

  • O'Donnell returns to form

    FORMER North-East 5,000m track champion Simon O'Donnell bridged a four-year gap by winning yesterday's Pier to Pier race between South Shields and Sunderland. The 27-year-old Chester-le-Street runner waited until he was in sight of the finish at the end

  • Proms to end with Spitfire and fireworks

    A SECOND World War Spitfire and a fireworks show will provide the finale for a proms spectacular. The English National Orchestra, with conductor Jae Alexander, tenor Wynne Evans and soprano Sarah Ryan, will feature in the event at Castle Howard, North

  • Veteran newsmen are stars of region's press awards ceremony

    TWO North-East veterans of the world of news were the stars of the show at the 22nd North-East Press Awards. The region's "face of television", Mike Neville, was presented with a Lifetime of Achievement Award after clocking up 40 years as a news presenter

  • Campaign aims to boost region's basic skills

    A drive to rid the North-East of its record as the worst region in the UK for basic skills such as reading and counting was launched. The North-East has the poorest figures for illiteracy and innumeracy in Britain. Around 400,000 adults - more than a

  • The drink that saved us from hotel bomber

    FOUR North-East businessmen who escaped a suicide bomb attack by minutes were reunited with their families yesterday. Clothing company worker Tony Wilson, 51, of Peterlee, County Durham, was in the Moroccan city of Casablanca with three colleagues when

  • 'No talks' on soccer stadium land deal

    COUNCIL chiefs have moved to dismiss speculation linking them to a potential deal involving Darlington Football Club's Feethams ground. Quakers chairman George Reynolds wants to swap two stands at the 120-year-old ground for a plot of land next to the

  • Customs team seizes 157,000 cigarettes

    CUSTOMS officers have recovered more than 157,000 illegally imported cigarettes in two days at Teesside International Airport. Passengers arriving at the airport from Tenerife have been greeted by a public address announcement outlining the tobacco and

  • An abbey and a cradle of kings

    Q What is the origin of Selby Abbey and how did one of the Kings of England come to be born there? - C Chapman, Northallerton. A A French monk called Benedict of Auxerre founded the abbey at Selby in 1069. The story of how he came to establish the abbey

  • On the trail of the Romans

    Built by the Romans to keep back the Scots. Hadrian's Wall has become a mecca for walkers. From this week, as Owen Unsworth reports, they will be able to tread its full 84 miles. The Roman emperor Hadrian would probably be horrified by the number of invaders

  • Wheelchair wonder defends title

    THE first wheelchair world pool champion defends his title this week. Gary Nicholson, from Guisborough, east Cleveland, has had a highly successful year since he won the inaugural championships in Blackpool last year. The father-of-three went on to win

  • George's career change leads to award

    A FORMER blacksmith has won an award after forging a new career as an artist. George Westgarth, 78, has been named the North-East's Oldest Artist by national charity Counsel and Care for the Elderly. As a reward for setting an example to other older people

  • Pier group welcomed in town

    AN MP has welcomed a meeting of a national pier society after helping secure the future of a town's landmark. Saltburn, Teesside, was the venue for the National Pier Society's annual meeting on Saturday, and the guest of honour was Middlesbrough South

  • Woman's ordeal as husband dies in remote mountains

    AN ELDERLY North-East woman stayed by her husband's body through the night after he died on a remote Scottish footpath. Gladys Young spent nine hours with her husband, John, after he collapsed while walking in the Scottish Highlands on Friday night. The

  • Alarmed McGrath surprised by England call

    Yorkshire captain Anthony McGrath was still bleary eyed from a middle-of-the-night fire alarm scare in the team hotel in Northampton on Saturday when he received a dramatic call into the England squad for Thursday's first Test against Zimbabwe at Lord's

  • Body washed up

    POLICE are trying to identify the body of a man washed up on Scarborough's North Beach at the weekend. Because of the inaccessibility of the body, Scarborough's inshore lifeboat was launched to recover it from the sea.

  • Life on the front line

    WAR reporter Kate Adie will be in her native North-East tomorrow to talk about her experiences as a foreign correspondent. The Royal Geographic Society talk, at Darlington's Arts Centre, follows Ms Adie's resignation from the BBC earlier this year. The

  • Family's two-year hunt for pet over

    A COUPLE who never lost hope of recovering their stolen dog were reunited with their trusty companion at the weekend - two years after it went missing. Staffordshire bull terrier Jade, which was traced through a microchip, instantly recognised its owners

  • University boat race cancelled because of weather

    FREAK weather conditions on the River Tyne spelled the end for the Northumbrian Water University Boat Race yesterday. Thousands of people turned out to watch Durham University take on Newcastle University. But umpires called off the race at the last minute

  • Why construction's not just a job for the boys

    A former beauty therapist is one of the new generation of women in the construction industry. Women's Editor Christen Pears meets her. THE construction industry. The very phrase conjures up images of wolf-whistling builders, drinking numerous cups of

  • Healthier walks aid hospice's appeal for funding

    CHARITY health walks across south Durham are the latest in a series of events leading up to the Great North Walk this summer. The Wear Walking for Health programme, devised by Wear Valley District Council, aims to get people fit for the ten-mile trek

  • Burning Questions: An abbey and a cradle of kings

    Q What is the origin of Selby Abbey and how did one of the Kings of England come to be born there? - C Chapman, Northallerton. A A French monk called Benedict of Auxerre founded the abbey at Selby in 1069. The story of how he came to establish the abbey

  • Susan's helicopter dream is granted

    A BLIND woman is expecting the ride of her life when she takes the controls of a helicopter. Susan Gibson, 56, from Darlington, has always wanted to fly in a helicopter, so when she won a competition run by Darlington Lions to have a dream come true,

  • Bird-brain bluetit's smoky home

    ASH trees are a favourite nesting site for bluetits. But one mixed-up bird in Durham City has opted to rear its young amid a pile of stubbed-out cigarette ends - in an ash tray. Now smokers at St Aidan's College in Durham have been warned off using the

  • Below par Yorkshire escape with a draw

    Yorkshire hardly came out of their rain-hit Championship match with Northamptonshire smelling of roses but an improved bowling performance on the final day brought them a couple of bowling bonus points and in the end they were more than happy to leave

  • Rural life for schoolchildren

    THOUSANDS of schoolchildren will enjoy a taste of rural life next month at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society's annual Countryside Days. Held for the first time in 2001, the event has become so popular that two days have been set aside this year to allow

  • Porter 'shocked' to be shown door by Quakers

    Released Darlington keeper Chris Porter last night spoke of his disappointment after he was told he had no future at the club. Out of contract in the summer, the former Sunderland shot-stopper was informed by Quakers' boss Mick Tait that there would be

  • Commonwealth links celebrated

    THE glory days of the British Empire will be celebrated at a North-East visitor attraction at the weekend. Beamish Museum, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, is holding patriotic celebrations to mark Empire Day on Saturday and Sunday. Shops in the

  • Makeover for city centre loos

    PUBLIC lavatories have been given a £20,000 makeover in time for the tourist season. The toilets in York's Parliament Street have been reopened following a complete refurbishment and redecoration. The work was part of the council's £45,000 programme of

  • Masonry fall

    ENGINEERS last night declared a building safe after a 2ft square piece of masonry fell from it. A police spokesman said officers had been called to the SM pub, in Gray Street, Newcastle, at 1.15pm yesterday, when the masonry was seen to fall. No one was

  • Robots special for half term

    THE region's largest shopping centre will be declared a Robot zone as contraptions from a popular television programme descend on its malls. House Robots from BBC's Robot Wars will be at the Gateshead MetroCentre from Bank Holiday Monday next week to

  • Gormley's plaster castaways marooned outside arts centre

    AN army of artist Antony Gormley's plaster cast-offs has been consigned to the rubbish heap. Passers-by have stopped to stare at the eerie sight of dozens of ghostly human figures standing silently in a deserted yard. They are the unwanted remnants of

  • Rabbit Alfie's owners chase off thief

    A PET rabbit was quickly reunited with its owners after they disturbed a thief who tried to grab it from its hutch. Owner Keith Muggeridge woke to see a youth snatch Alfie from its home in Spindle Close, York, in the early hours. But the thief dropped

  • News in brief: Big weekend for Porsche owners

    Castle Howard, near Malton, will again host a Porsche in the Park event from Saturday to Monday. It is expected to be one of the greatest gatherings of Porsche cars and their owners in Britain. Also planned are fashion shows, displays and children's entertainment

  • Youngsters get to grips with wrestling competition

    CHILDREN from across the UK travelled to Stockton on Saturday to take part in the British Junior and Freestyle Wrestling Championships. The national competition was held at Stockton Sports Centre and youngsters were able to apply wrestling rules, as used

  • Dancers staging own show

    DANCERS who have lessons at Primrose Hill Community Centre in Stockton are staging a dance show which they have choreographed. The Talent Show will feature a number of dance routines by children aged between seven and 15 who live near the centre. Four

  • Top citizen's quest to help community

    BEING confined to a wheelchair does not prevent Middlesbrough's Citizen of the Year playing an active role in her community. Edna Donnelly chairs the St Hilda's Community Council, Newport Area Residents' Association and the People's Forum in West Middlesbrough

  • Talking in class is on the timetable

    A PUPIL in Hartlepool will today become the two-millionth child to learn that he or she can talk in class, as part of a travelling roadshow. A child attending Rossmere Primary School will take the honour when the BT Education Programme arrives in town

  • Litter louts warned: You could face jail or huge fine

    LITTER louts have been warned they face unprecedented scrutiny in Darlington after environment chiefs agreed to back a national campaign. Fly-tippers could be fined up to £25,000 or face six months in prison if they are caught by the town's community

  • Tributes paid to outgoing mayor

    THE outgoing Mayor of Great Aycliffe has raised more than £2,500 for charity during his year in office. Councillor Michael Dalton chose the Princess Royal Trust Sedgefield Locality Carers Centre as his cause for the year. And following a hectic round

  • £2.2bn water company sale welcomed by management

    NORTHUMBRIAN Water bosses last night welcomed the sale of the company to a consortium of institutional investors by French owners Suez as a boon for the North-East. The £2.2bn deal will see the firm, which has main offices in Durham and Chelmsford, return

  • Prank puts officer in good frame of mind. . .

    A YORKSHIRE regiment relived a little of its history to mark the retirement of the commanding officer. The stables at Aske Hall, on the outskirts of Richmond used to be where the Green Howards billeted recruits, but, 60 years on, the buildings are home

  • Blaze rips through house roof

    FIREFIGHTERS were called to a blaze in the loft of a town house in Bishop Auckland yesterday afternoon. The roof of the semi-detached property, in Durham Road, was destroyed in the fire. The alarm was raised shortly after 4pm, and two appliances from

  • Sandy seeks company

    A LURCHER crossbreed is in need of a new home. Six-year-old Sandy, which has started suffering anxiety attacks when left alone for too long, needs a home where it will have human company most of the day. Pauline Wilson, of the National Animal Sanctuaries

  • Sandy seeks company

    A LURCHER crossbreed is in need of a new home. Six-year-old Sandy, which has started suffering anxiety attacks when left alone for too long, needs a home where it will have human company most of the day. Pauline Wilson, of the National Animal Sanctuaries

  • Construction of £1.5m road begins

    WORK is to start on the construction of the Myton Way link road at Ingleby Barwick today. The work and associated landscaping will cost £1.5m and includes a network of footpaths, cycleways, bridleways and an underpass. It is the latest phase of the South

  • Changes to cabinet are announced

    CHANGES to the structure of Darlington Borough Council's cabinet have been announced. The powerful group of senior councillors makes many of the authority's key decisions. Council leader John Williams and Councillors Bill Dixon, Nick Wallis, Don Bristow

  • Sponsors plea from walkers

    A PAIR of energetic fundraisers are planning a long-distance walk to help the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Pam Baird and Brian Aspin are taking part in a 100-mile 48-hour walk organised by the Long Distance Walkers Association (LDWA), which starts from Ripon

  • Patient waiting time is cut

    PATIENTS in Derwentside have seen a 60 per cent cut in the time they have to wait for a routine GP appointment over the past three years, according to health officials. It means the average wait for an appointment across the Primary Care Trust (PCT) is

  • Sedgefield Report: Johnson signs off in style

    HEAVY rain did not deter a huge crowd from turning out at Sedgefield on Saturday night where local trainer Howard Johnson signed off for the season by saddling the easiest winner of the evening, San Peire in the closing Butterwick Hospice Handicap Hurdle

  • Deputy coroner earns promotion to top post

    A REPLACEMENT has finally been appointed to take over the duties of disgraced North Yorkshire coroner Jeremy Cave. Geoff Fell, who is based in Northallerton, has taken the reins as the coroner for the western district of the county. He had previously

  • Retiring Mayor switches allegiance

    The Mayor of Harrogate, whose year in office ended on Friday, has announced he has quit the Liberal Democrats and will sit on the borough council as an Independent. But Councillor Alan Skidmore, who represents Ripon Spa, has made it clear to Conservatives

  • Mum's musical tribute featured in concert

    A CONCERT featuring music written by a mother in memory of her nine-year-old daughter is to take place in Durham. The Gala Concert will be held at St Cuthbert's Church, North Road, Durham on Friday, from 7.30pm. The programme will feature past and present

  • Liberal Democrats reveal cabinet line-up

    DURHAM City Council's first Liberal Democrat administration has announced its cabinet. Sue Pitts, who led the party to a landslide election victory over Labour, will continue as leader and her deputy will be Durham University lecturer Grenville Holland

  • Magazine gives boost to cancer carers

    A NETWORK of hospice home carers in Northallerton has received a £2,000 helping hand from a monthly magazine. The group of volunteers, who provide a free homesitting and driver service for cancer patients across rural North Yorkshire, enlisted the support

  • Chairman's parting shot is boost for charity

    AN outgoing council chairman has made a parting presentation of more than £24,000 to charity. Councillor Jeff Gray, outgoing chairman of Easington District Council, began a fundraising campaign for Macmillan Cancer Relief when he took office, in May last

  • Youngsters get insight into work of NHS

    MORE than 100 teenagers gained an insight into the NHS at a careers event at County Hall, Durham. The event was organised by the University Hospital of North Durham with help from the Durham Business and Education Executive. It aimed to interest 14 to

  • Grassroots: Derwentside

    TREASURE HUNT: Michael Munro is organising a treasure hunt and barbecue from 2pm, on Saturday, from the Causey Arch picnic area. Prior booking on 0191-383 4144 is essential. ON THE RAILS: Tanfield Railway will be operating two passenger services between

  • Pedalling out foster care message

    CARERS and council staff have combined to embark on a promotional cycle ride. Nine riders set off from Peterlee on a three-day journey to all ten of Durham County Council's social services offices. Organised as part of national Foster Care Fortnight,

  • Club lays on flower power

    A MUSUEM was adorned with colourful blooms as part of a club competition. The Dunelm Flower Club, which celebrates its 21st birthday this year, held its bi-annual competition for members at the Durham Light Infantry Museum and Durham Art Gallery, for

  • Late-night bus service axed

    A BUS service designed to carry revellers home has been cancelled after six months. Councillors have decided not to continue funding the minibus service, which runs on Sundays. The service, intended to transport young people from Easingwold home after

  • Bands in the final for Main Stage festival

    SIX bands from the North-East are in the running to be the wild card act to open the Main Stage at the Middlesbrough Music Live festival on Bank Holiday Monday. The public will have the final say on who plays before a crowd of thousands on a stage that

  • Dance makes moves

    A THREE under par 69 from Durham county player Steven Dance ensured he qualified first for the Durham County Golf Championships at Bishop Auckland. The Ramside Hall golfer, who plays off a handicap of one, was in superb form in the qualifying round for

  • News in brief: Crash victims rescued

    Four people were taken to hospital after a Rover 414 and a Vauxhall Montery collided on the A167 junction to Aycliffe Industrial Estate, Newton Aycliffe, at about 4.30pm yesterday. Firefighters used cutting equipment to release two of the four passengers

  • Alternative ideas for farm land

    A WALK which will look at alternative ways of making use of farm land is to be held in Sedgefield. The event, sponsored by Sedgefield Borough Council, will take place at West Farm, Garmondsway, with the permission of farmer Guy Rutter, next Thursday,

  • Warnings after fire brigade's shock find

    FIREFIGHTERS have urged householders to ensure their smoke alarms are correctly fitted after being alerted to a fire and finding an activated alarm in a cupboard. Members of the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service who were called to the

  • Robots special for half term

    THE region's largest shopping centre will be declared a Robot zone as contraptions from a popular television programme descend on its malls. House Robots from BBC's Robot Wars will be at the Gateshead MetroCentre from Bank Holiday Monday next week to

  • Weekend TV: A police drama behaving badly

    Blue Murder (ITV1); State Of Play (BBC1); Ascent Of The Red Planet (C4) Clutching a bottle of champagne, Janine Lewis arrives home and rushes excitedly upstairs to tell her husband that she's been promoted, only to find her loved one in bed with another

  • Getting in the mood for prison camp's wartime ball

    A FORMER prisoner of war camp will recreate the 1940s with a military show and midsummer dance. The event, to be held at Harperley PoW Camp, in Weardale, County Durham, next month is thought to be the first of its kind in the region. Camp 93 was built

  • Hospital battles recruitment problems

    A hospital which is set to play a vital role in speeding up heart surgery in the region is battling to overcome recruitment problems. Filling specialist medical and nursing vacancies is proving a major headache for James Cook University Hospital. But

  • Rescue centre appeals for old cartridges

    A NORTH-EAST rescue centre that helps animals all across the country is asking people to donate their used computer printer cartridges. Farplace Animal Rescue, at Westgate, County Durham, recycles the cartridges to fund the care of animals and support

  • Poetic trip on Elvis bus tour

    IT has been more than 25 years since the King of Rock 'n' Roll died, but for many, Elvis Presley remains the greatest of them all. And his fans were out in force at the weekend for the latest tribute - the North Yorkshire Elvis Bus Tour. Lookalikes, complete

  • Rail chaos alert as services are cut

    PASSENGERS were warned last night to expect a "summer of discontent" on the railways, as the new spring timetable heralded fare rises and service reductions. The changes were making the railway less attractive and worse could follow, said environmental

  • Masonry fall

    ENGINEERS last night declared a building safe after a 2ft square piece of masonry fell from it. A police spokesman said officers had been called to the SM pub, in Gray Street, Newcastle, at 1.15pm yesterday, when the masonry was seen to fall. No one was

  • Counting on world sailing triumph

    ACCOUNTANT Ross Dixon is taking a break from the world of finance and preparing to embark on the trip of a lifetime. The 22-year-old, from Copmanthorpe, near York, is to become a crew member of one of the entries in the Around The World Yacht Race. He

  • Pub couple celebrate award

    DRINKERS at a pub in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales have every reason to be full of good cheer. For their favourite hostelry has been named as Pub of the Season by the Richmond and North West Yorkshire branch of Camra, the Campaign for Real Ale. The

  • Warning over move to curb fireworks sales

    A CRACKDOWN on the sale of fireworks could lead to a dangerous black market trade in illegal imports, it has been claimed. David Hodgson, a director of Celebration Fireworks in Middlesbrough, last night warned that the Government's proposed Fireworks

  • Homeopathy talk to group

    AN asthma support group is to hold meetings to help people understand the condition and the effect it has on sufferers. On Saturday, Teesside Asthma Group will meet at 10am in the conference room at Broadcasting House, Newport Road, Middlesbrough, near

  • Repairs delayed

    THE £180,000 restoration of the 300-year-old stone bridge across the River Derwent between East and West Ayton, near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, is several weeks behind schedule. The work, which started in January and was due to end in April, will continue

  • Comment: A rocky road to peace

    IT is clear that there is a campaign against the West being waged by international terrorists. The suicide bombings in Casablanca, in which 41 people lost their lives, do not constitute an isolated incident. They fall into a pattern of atrocities which

  • Lotto winners

    THE Great North Air Ambulance Lottery winners for May 7 are: £200, 10066; £100, 07777; £50, 10796; £50, 11159; £25, 07507; £25, 14567. The £10 winners are: 14067; 10032; 17791; 18153; 07245; 06496; 14723; 12334; 15247; 09624; 09453; 12094; 07874; 06120

  • Patients helping fellow sufferers

    PEOPLE with long-term medical conditions are getting advice and information about how to live with their illnesses - from fellow sufferers. People in part of County Durham are helping patients with the same chronic illnesses to cope with their complaints

  • College celebrates move to new site

    THE end of an era for a further education college is to be celebrated. New College Durham begins moving into its newly refurbished accommodation at Framwellgate Moor next month. The upgraded college will take in all the existing higher education and residential

  • Every golfer's dream fulfilled but no Old Course heroics

    THEY say that to make the most of your once-in-a-lifetime experience of playing the Old Course at St Andrews you need a caddy. Which is how I came to meet Jimmy Bowman, who had carried the bags of top pro's such as Jack Newton and Steve Elkington, not

  • Salmon fishermen buyout costs £3.4m

    A £3.4M buyout will cut the number of salmon caught off the North-East coast by drift nets. The Environment Agency, which licenses fishing, has confirmed that 52 out of the 68 remaining netsmen have accepted a voluntary compensation scheme to quit drift

  • Grandson joy for city's MP as Jacob born

    DURHAM City MP Gerry Steinberg has become a grandfather. The Labour MP, who is standing down at the next General Election, and his wife, Meg, are toasting the birth of their first grandson, Jacob. Daughter Lyanne gave birth to the 9lb 1.5oz boy at the

  • Yesteryear vehicles on show

    Classic cars, motorbikes, military vehicles, buses and tractors travelled to Witton Castle, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, for the annual Northern Vintage Transport Association Rally. Enthusiasts from across Great Britain attended the rally to show

  • Weather takes a heavy toll

    Darlington Building Society NYSD League The weather was the only winner on Saturday as rain swept through the region during late afternoon. Although every game started, not one went the full distance. Leaders Redcar made an early start but little play

  • Museum plans a party in park for families

    A MILITARY museum is offering a picnic in the park for parents wondering how to entertain their families over the next public holiday. The DLI Association has teamed up with Durham County Council to bring a carnival atmosphere to the grounds of the DLI

  • 19/05/03

    TONY MARTIN: JUDGING by recent comments regarding the Tony Martin case, it is a shame our out-of-touch judges do not have The Northern Echo delivered. Public opinion is not considered and, one could conclude, sometimes not even heard. The miscreants who

  • Taking steps to trace old pathway

    A GEOPHYSICAL investigation is under way to find a lost medieval pathway. Archaeologists are focusing on Middlesbrough's recently restored Albert Park for clues to the route of the ancient right of way, known as the Second Sailors' Trod. It ran from the

  • Focused Mr President closes in on filling gaps

    The Northern Echo's golf correspondent David Waterhouse catches up with Bill Murray, new president of the EGU. WHEN Bill Murray says he is going to do something, you can't help but believe him. Despite being a self-confessed "very mediocre golfer," he

  • Lee's skills help him to finals

    DOZENS of young tradesmen have been competing for the chance to represent their country in an international competition. A regional heat of Skillbuild was staged at Darlington College of Technology, which involved apprentices from across the North. About

  • Medieval fair catches the imagination of crowd

    HUNDREDS of spectators lined the streets and wrapped around the village green to travel back in time at Sedgefield's Medieval Fair at the weekend. Despite a few rain showers on Saturday, the village played host to a spectacular array of decorated floats

  • A police drama behaving badly

    Blue Murder (ITV1); State Of Play (BBC1); Ascent Of The Red Planet (C4) Clutching a bottle of champagne, Janine Lewis arrives home and rushes excitedly upstairs to tell her husband that she's been promoted, only to find her loved one in bed with another

  • Bands in the final for Main Stage festival

    SIX bands from the North-East are in the running to be the wild card act to open the Main Stage at the Middlesbrough Music Live festival on Bank Holiday Monday. The public will have the final say on who plays before a crowd of thousands on a stage that

  • Dog rescued after four hours trapped in rocks

    A JACK Russell terrier which became trapped beneath two finely balanced boulders was freed after a delicate rescue by firefighters. Unable to tell which way the rocks would move, it took up to four hours to rescue Bracken, which had chased a rabbit into

  • Vigilance called for to tackle vandals' churchyard attacks

    POLICE are urging villagers to step up vigilance and stop vandals who have destroyed floral tributes in a churchyard from striking again. Wreaths and vases of flowers were strewn across the country graveyard at St Andrew's Church, in Aycliffe Village,