Archive

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    Workshop vehicle technician, Northallerton. £7ph plus bonus, 39hrs pw, 8.30am to 5pm, Mon-Fri. Must be skilled, preferably with Toyota experience and be able to carry out MOT testing. Ref: NOE 20115. Office person, Leeming Bar. £5 to £5.50ph, 37.5hrs

  • Can we have too much sex education?

    YOU might like to be reminded that your taxes pay for the work of the Family Planning Association which has just produced a sex education booklet for children from the age of nine. Part of the "education" in this sixteen page booklet is advice on techniques

  • Queudrue could face trial by video

    MIDDLESBROUGH are waiting to hear whether defender Franck Queudrue will face a trial by video for his part in Southampton striker Kevin Phillips' sending off. Former Sunderland man Phillips, a Boro target in the summer, was shown the red card by referee

  • Beware of the bully boys

    MARCUS STEWART last night warned Sunderland to stand up to the First Division bullies or risk missing out on promotion. The experienced Black Cats striker will lead the line against his former club Ipswich Town tonight before making the trip to Sheffield

  • Team in the spotlight

    WENSLEYDALE Rugby Union Football Club juniors of Leyburn, were invited to put up a team of eight and nine-year-olds for an exhibition match at Headingley. Along with three other teams from Yorkshire junior clubs Leyburn provided the half-time entertainment

  • Concern as police chief announces 'cash-for-guns' inquiry

    CLEVELAND Police were under pressure last night to bring in an outside force to investigate an alleged cash-for-guns scandal. The force's credibility was being questioned after chief constable Sean Price announced yesterday that there would be an internal

  • Improvement in the market boosts confidence at Bede

    X-RAY specialists Bede plc has expressed a "cautious optimism" to the City after seeing the beginnings of an improvement in its order books. The company has been hoping for a resurgence in the semiconductors industry, believing it is well placed to take

  • Knife victim tells of terror

    THE victim of a knife attack has spoken of her fear of stepping outside her home - even though her attacker is behind bars. Julie Cummins was slashed down the side of her face with a Stanley knife, leaving her needing more than 50 stitches. She said the

  • Good response to traffic survey

    HUNDREDS of people have indicated their support for planned changes to the way traffic is managed in the market town of Northallerton. Residential and business addresses within a five mile radius of Northallerton - a total of 9,000 properties - were sent

  • Pest charges to stay

    FEES charged for rodent control in Richmondshire are to remain, despite the decision by a neighbouring authority to scrap them. Hambleton District Council introduced charges for its rat-catching service on April 1 this year - but has already agreed to

  • 30/09/03

    PENSIONS: SINCE I retired in 1994 my council tax has risen by over 105 per cent. During that time the joint income of my wife and myself has risen by less than 65 per cent, and that includes the £200 winter fuel allowance. It is time we pensioners stood

  • Award talk just a distraction - Tait

    Whether or not September's Manager of the Month award will be winging it's way to the Reynolds Arena, Darlington boss Mick Tait last night admitted he couldn't care less as long as his side is winning. The Quakers boss is one of the leading contenders

  • Time running out for fire attack girl

    A CHARITY worker says he has just five days to save the life of a seven-year-old child torched by the Russian mafia. Mariana, who lives in Romania, suffered 85 per cent burns after a gallon drum of petrol was poured over her and set alight. Teesside plastic

  • Service cuts spark criticism for rail chiefs

    RAIL chiefs came under fire last night for cutting two important services in the North-East. Andy Hyams, director of transportation for the Tees Valley Partnership, said the cutbacks in services between Teesside and Tyneside were a backward step for the

  • Family's anger as doctors stage strike

    Colleagues of three Greek doctors convicted over the death of a British holidaymaker were staging a 24-hour strike today in support of the medics. The walkout by doctors happened at the Rhodes hospital where Christopher Rochester, 24, from Chester-le-Street

  • Michael makes brave recovery

    TEN-year-old leukaemia sufferer Michael Fogarty has continued to make an outstanding recovery from the disease. He has just started at Hurworth House School and is getting back into the sports he has always loved, which include rugby and football. The

  • Sarah's search

    SARA Maitland's first novel was commissioned before she'd written a word. Such a thing happening these days is unimaginable, she says. The Weardale-based writer was fortunate because, in the mid-1970s, there was a determination by publishers to produce

  • Advisors praised for grants success

    CHARTERED accountants and business advisors UNW has won praise for helping to secure £6m in Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) grants for 12 North-East companies. The Newcastle firm says it has helped local businesses create and safeguard more than 1,200

  • In memory of war victim

    ARMY medics proved they don't take their charity role lying down - when they took to the streets to raise funds in memory of a soldier killed in Iraq. They put their backs into their work when they pushed a bed between two hospitals 25km apart. Medical

  • Tenth anniversary of life-saving bubble appeal

    SICK children have a far greater chance of surviving a rare condition, thanks to pioneering work by a specialist medical team in the North-East. Youngsters whose immune system did not work properly used to need a bone marrow transplant, then had to spend

  • Brown's star in the ascendancy

    TONY Blair makes the most important conference speech of his ten-year leadership this afternoon with yesterday's rousing words from Chancellor Gordon Brown still hanging in the air. The Chancellor wowed Labour's annual conference in Bournemouth with a

  • Teacher sacked after affair with student

    A maths teacher at a leading independent girls school was sacked for having an affair with one of his teenage pupils. At 34, Andrew Bolton was nearly twice the age of the sixth former. But he insisted at an employment tribunal that he only began seeing

  • Soft contest will get Zibeline off to a winning start

    ZIBELINE (2.20) is fully expected to make a winning debut over the sticks at Sedgefield this afternoon. Although the six-year-old gelding enters the jumping arena at a relatively late stage in his career, he's had a wealth of experience on the flat, where

  • Grassroots: Crook

    LEEK RESULTS: Results from the RAFA Leek Club show in Crook were: Leeks - 1 John Suffield 155 cubic inches, 2 Eric Johnson, 3 Derek Storey. Best leek in show: Eric Johnson. Intermediate leek: Malcolm Heslop. Blanched leek: Malcolm Heslop. Tray of vegetables

  • War veteran loses battle for pension

    A WAR veteran who says he injured his back loading a tank for the D-Day landings has lost his fight to get a disability pension. Charles Carter, 79, from Darlington, fell and hurt his back while taking a brake drum off a tank bound for France in 1943.

  • Dancers put through their paces for panto

    YOUNG dancers from Darlington have been auditioning for the chance to appear in a professional pantomime. Pupils from the Rachel Tiffany, Joanne Banks and Rachel Harrison schools of dance and the Born to Dance school took part in the audition for Goldilocks

  • New support group launch

    A SUPPORT group for carers of people with mental illnesses or addiction is being launched in Newton Aycliffe. The group, run by the Sedgefield Locality Carers Centre, will commenced on Wednesday, October 29, at the Coffee Bean cafe, in Newton Aycliffe

  • Roll on the next carnival . . .

    ONLY weeks after holding one of its most successful carnivals ever Seaham Town Council is already planning next year's event. The 2003 annual event, held at the end of July, attracted more than 15,000 people. Following a review of the carnival, the council

  • Priest, 75, is charged with sex attacks

    A 75-YEAR-OLD priest appeared in court yesterday charged with indecent assault on boys. Patrick Fitzpatrick, of Holy Cross Home, Ettrick Grove, Sunderland, dressed in a blue jacket and walking with the aid of a stick, spoke only to confirm his name at

  • Fresh plea after fatal accident

    POLICE accident investigators are hoping to trace a motorcyclist who may have been with another biker just minutes before he was involved in a fatal accident. A Suzuki 750cc bike failed to negotiate a lefthand bend as it headed along the A19 northbound

  • Radio outfit pleased by response to trial broadcast

    THE team behind Durham's trial radio station say their month-long broadcast was well received. Durham Local Radio (DLR), backed by a consortium of local businesses, including The Northern Echo, completed its second spell on air on Sunday. Like Durham

  • HMV still on track

    MUSIC and books group HMV said business since late April had been satisfactory, but said like-for-like sales were flat during the summer. The company, which floated on the stock market last year, said the record summer temperatures had an "inevitable

  • SABMiller sees growth

    BREWER SABMiller saw lager volumes rise eight per cent in Europe during the past five months, driven by a strong performance in Russia and the successful integration of Italian brewer Peroni. The world's second largest brewer, which bought Peroni in June

  • Dibble's return

    ANDY Dibble makes a return to Victoria Park tonight, almost a year after his last visit led to Football Association charges, writes Nick Loughlin. The well-travelled former Hartlepool United goalkeeper was fined in February after abusing Pool supporters

  • Sean prepares for dream holiday to Florida

    A TEENAGER is counting down the hours until he sets off on a trip of a lifetime. Sean Traynor, 14, who suffers from spina bifida, has been given the chance to spend ten days in Florida thanks to the Dreamflight charity. He will begin his trip on Saturday

  • News in brief: Utopia? It's all in the air

    UNIVERSITY students in Sunderland have taken to the airwaves with their own radio station. Utopia FM is broadcasting on 102.4 MHz until Friday, featuring music, chat and competitions, student-produced documentaries, dramas and comedy shows. It has also

  • Hunt for teenage runaways

    A NATIONWIDE hunt began last night after two teenage sweethearts went on the run together. Paul Baxter, 16, and Christine Rylance, 14, pictured, were last seen together outside the gates of her school, Harton Comprehensive, in South Shields, at about

  • Chemical complex checks by residents

    RESIDENTS are to carry out pollution checks around the boundary fence of a chemical complex. Volunteer samplers are to be trained to carry out tests around the edge of the Wilton International cluster of chemical firms, near Grangetown. Giving volunteer

  • News in brief: Utopia? It's all in the air

    UNIVERSITY students in Sunderland have taken to the airwaves with their own radio station. Utopia FM is broadcasting on 102.4 MHz until Friday, featuring music, chat and competitions, student-produced documentaries, dramas and comedy shows. It has also

  • News in brief: Utopia? It's all in the air

    UNIVERSITY students in Sunderland have taken to the airwaves with their own radio station. Utopia FM is broadcasting on 102.4 MHz until Friday, featuring music, chat and competitions, student-produced documentaries, dramas and comedy shows. It has also

  • Magpies on trail of Kluivert

    NEWCASTLE UNITED are preparing a Christmas raid for world-class Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert. Classy Kluivert's future at Barcelona is in considerable doubt after the breakdown several times of contract negotiations. The 27-year-old has signalled his

  • Focus turned on security

    TWO events promoting home security will be held in Hartlepool to coincide with the darker nights. The Lights Against Crime sessions will be held at the premises of Storm Electrical, in Whitby Street, on Saturday, and again on Saturday, October 25, from

  • Engineers win accreditation

    A TEAM of inspectors has given Stockton fabrication firm AK Engineering Services important accreditation. The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) gave its approval to the company's in-service inspection of pressure systems. David Boxall, inspections

  • Young victims of fatal crash remembered

    FAMILIES of three Scarborough 17-year-olds killed in a road crash two years ago returned to the scene to erect plaques in their memories. Gary Westwood, of Kingfisher Close, Crossgates, Edward Nicholson, of Abbots Garth, Seamer, and Chris Jones, of Harford

  • Crack addicts jailed for shop raids

    TWO crack addicts who carried out a spate of armed robberies to fund their habit were jailed by a judge yesterday. Geoffrey Baker and Keith Lupton, both 25, admitted carrying out four robberies in five days in Darlington and Stockton last month. Teesside

  • Well above par

    There's a Tiger at Roseberry Grange Golf Club, but he spends most of his time in the kitchen, not on the course. WHAT for 16 years has been the municipally owned Roseberry Grange Golf Club was until 1968 West Pelton colliery, known to its hoary handed

  • Comment from The Northern Echo: United in a common cause

    FOR the first time Tony Blair's leadership of the Labour Party is under serious scrutiny. Against this background, there was more interest than usual in the traditional Monday conference address by the Chancellor, the only potential pretender to the party

  • Operatics cast is looking swell

    WEST END hit musical Hello Dolly will be brought to life by the Northallerton Operatic Society. The production of Hello Dolly will be staged at the Hambleton Forum, Northallerton, from Monday, October 27, until Saturday, November 1, each evening at 7.30pm

  • Soft contest will get Zibeline off

    ZIBELINE (2.20) is fully expected to make a winning debut over the sticks at Sedgefield this afternoon. Although the six-year-old gelding enters the jumping arena at a relatively late stage in his career, he's had a wealth of experience on the flat, where

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    Drivers LGV Class 1 and 2, Darlington, £16,044 to £17,087pa, 55hrs pw, must hold LGV Class C+E licence and be customer focused. Ref: DAE 36474. Stall members, Darlington, 40hrs pw full and part-time, required to serve customers and cooking, must have

  • TV review

    The family that slays together Family (ITV1) PERHAPS ITV schedulers thought they were being clever screening the opening episode of their new London gangster drama on the same night that the godfather of Walford, Dirty Den, returned to EastEnders. All

  • Learning aid pills for older children?

    SECONDARY school pupils in the region could be the next to benefit from brain-boosting pills. As exclusively revealed by The Northern Echo on Saturday the pills have already helped under-achieving junior school children in County Durham to improve learning

  • Millions see Den's comeback

    MILLIONS tuned in last night to watch soap legend Dirty Den make his EastEnders comeback after a break of 14 years. Viewers had to wait until the closing moments of the hit BBC1 soap before the original East End bad boy stepped out of the shadows and

  • Worker sought in cash probe

    POLICE are appealing for help to trace a North-East shop worker after thousands of pounds went missing from a town centre store. Management at the Argos branch in the Newgate Centre, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, alerted police on Saturday after discovering

  • Inquest adjourned

    An inquest into the death of a pensioner, who was dragged half a mile through a city centre under the wheels of a bus, was today unexpectedly adjourned after a coroner invoked legislation allowing representations to be made to the Director of Public Prosecutions

  • Pair flee from crashed car

    A man and women ran off yesterday after crashing a car, which is thought to have been stolen. They drove away after colliding with a wall in Staindrop, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, and then abandoned the vehicle two miles away on the outskirts

  • Graeme, 15, selected to play roller hockey for England

    A TEENAGE sports star has battled against the odds to be picked to play for his country. Graeme Henderson is only 15 but he has been chosen for the England Under-17 roller hockey side for the European Championships being held in Switzerland in November

  • Tour is Johnson's honeymoon

    Richard Johnson's determination to establish himself at Test level has prompted him to cancel his honeymoon and fly out instead for England's tour to Bangladesh in just over a week's time. The Somerset pace bowler is due to marry this weekend, after which

  • Firmly in the Doghouse

    Though the column's bark is invariably worse than its bite, last Tuesday's piece about Doghouse Cricket Club has had one or two straining at the leash. Chiefly, if unexpectedly, anxious to have their day are the peripatetic cricketers of Tooting Bec,

  • Will last five of 13 be lucky in home-search?

    FIVE puppies from a litter of 13 are looking for new homes. They are being rehomed by the National Animal Sanctuary Support League (NASSL), in Darlington. While eight have already found homes, NASSL is looking for suitable homes for the remaining four

  • Dale ambassadors hope to attract tourists with musical tour

    A SILVER band is hoping to hit a chord with German tourists and help revive a dale's ailing economy. Members of Stanhope Silver Band are travelling to Germany today. The 56 musicians and their supporters will be acting as unofficial ambassadors for Weardale

  • Yes minister, but were you the weakest link?

    METHODIST minister Les Hann has revealed he will not be watching himself when he appears on national TV quiz The Weakest Link today. But his wife, Jill, and daughter, Charlotte, will be tuning in to see how he fares under a tough grilling from "Queen

  • Football stars accused of sex assault

    Detectives were last night investigating an allegation that a group of Premiership footballers sexually assaulted a teenager at a London hotel. A 17-year-old girl reported the alleged attack to police in central London at the weekend, Scotland Yard said

  • Plan to scrap warships delayed by licence snag

    A BID to scrap a toxic fleet of former US warships in the North-East faced fresh delay last night. The Environment Agency confirmed it was asking for more time to consider a waste licence application from Able UK in Hartlepool . Able wants to increase

  • Judge found guilty after drunken fracas

    A COUNTY Court judge remained defiant last night after being found guilty of causing a drunken fracas in a kebab shop. David Messenger, said he planned to appeal against his conviction for being drunk and disorderly. He was also convicted of obstructing

  • Charity trekkers spell out mission

    TWO walkers trekked through the region yesterday on a 470-mile meningitis-awareness hike that began in Morpeth and finishes in Bournemouth, Dorset. Steve Dayman and Steve Fear set off from Northumberland on Saturday on a 23-day walk that will see them

  • 'Reviews threaten to stifle ideas'

    THE Government was last night accused of failing to understand the important research bond between business and universities. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said product development would be seriously undermined by proposed changes to collaboration

  • Carrying the can for the drug gangs

    Earlier this month, an inquest heard how Beverley Fowler took her own life in Durham Prison after she was used to smuggle drugs into Britain. Emily Flanagan looks at the tragic chain which has led dozens of women from the Caribbean to the North-East.

  • The family that slays together

    Family (ITV1): PERHAPS ITV schedulers thought they were being clever screening the opening episode of their new London gangster drama on the same night that the godfather of Walford, Dirty Den, returned to EastEnders. All it proved was that it will take

  • Bidding for best

    LAW firm Watson Burton, which is based in Newcastle, has been shortlisted for Best Managed Firm in the MPF European Practice Management Awards. MPF is the Managing Partners Forum, a body made up of senior professionals from legal and accountancy practices

  • Scent of a woman

    With more than 2,000 bottles in her collection, Irene MacGregor is passionate about perfume. Christen Pears meets her. WE rarely give the bottles of perfume on our dressing tables a second thought - a quick spray before work or going out - and when they're

  • High hopes for thriving future of breed showcase

    THE organisers of one of the North-East's last surviving sheep shows have declared: "We are here to stay." They have also predicted that the show held at Langdon Beck, Forest-in-Teesdale, County Durham, will become one of the great showcases for the Swaledale

  • News in brief: Utopia? It's all in the air

    UNIVERSITY students in Sunderland have taken to the airwaves with their own radio station. Utopia FM is broadcasting on 102.4 MHz until Friday, featuring music, chat and competitions, student-produced documentaries, dramas and comedy shows. It has also

  • Judge found guilty after drunken fracas

    A COUNTY Court judge remained defiant last night after being found guilty of causing a drunken fracas in a kebab shop. David Messenger, said he planned to appeal against his conviction for being drunk and disorderly. He was also convicted of obstructing

  • We'll spend, spend, spend promises upbeat Brown

    A DEFIANT Gordon Brown came out fighting yesterday - shrugging off forecasts of economic doom with a passionate promise of five more years massive public spending. The promise went beyond the Government's three-year spending round to set out plans for

  • Firms to source parts from Poland

    A JOINT venture is helping the North-East aerospace sector to take off. Aerospace Systems and Technologies 2000 Ltd (AS&T), of Consett, and Royston Components Ltd, part of the Royston Engineering Group, in Newcastle, have joined forces to source components

  • Family dominates show

    RETIRED cement worker Billy Wilthew and his son, Robert, made it a family affair when they took the first two places at their village leek show. Although Billy Wilthew showed the biggest leeks, measuring 185.4 cubic inches, at the Frosterley show, in

  • Addict admits thefts

    A HEROIN addict was offered a chance to get off drugs by a judge yesterday, after he admitting burglary and theft offences to feed his habit. David Williamson, 21, pleaded guilty at Teesside Crown Court to burgling a house in Jenkins Drive, Bishop Auckland

  • Team look smart for new season

    A SCHOOL football team is hoping for more success this season now that the players have a new strip. The year seven football team at Ferryhill Enterprise and Business College won the Bishop Auckland Schools District League last year. As a result the team

  • Witnesses appeal after shopkeeper foils raid

    A SHARP-EYED shopkeeper may have thwarted a raid on a business in the centre of Bishop Auckland at the weekend. Three men wearing balaclava helmets were seen in Westgate Road, behind Newgate Street, on Saturday night. Police believe they were planning

  • News in brief: Extra help for people in debt

    People suffering from debt problems in the Cockerton and Branksome areas of Darlington can get help from a local service. Members of the Citizens Advice Bureau visits the Cable offices in Whitby Way and offers debt counselling before encouraging clients

  • Meetings focus on start-up record

    A series of meetings is planned to focus on the region's continuing poor record in small business start-ups. Chartered accountants will hold talks next month with representatives of regional development agency One NorthEast, Business Link and the Small

  • Charity mission to aid blind school

    A FORMER police inspector set off last night on a charity mission to help people at a school for the blind in Burma. Fred Farley, formerly with Darlington police, has spent months gathering supplies for the ten children who will be the school's first

  • Work of art that spans the globe

    DUTCH artist Maaike Draper-Albers has brought some famous landmarks together in one painting. She was commissioned to produce a work of art for Hummersknott School and Language College, in Darlington, on the theme of travel. Her montage features the Eiffel

  • Fundraising effort saves town's oldest church

    THE oldest church in Darlington has been saved after almost reaching its fundraising target of £95,000. A year after revealing that it faced a huge bill to replace dangerous wiring, St Andrew's Church, in Haughton, is to undergo extensive repair work.

  • £10,000 windfall for poetry group

    A DARLINGTON poetry group has been awarded almost £10,000 by the Arts Council England. Hydrogen Jukebox, Darlington's monthly cabaret-style poetry celebration, will use the £9,570 grant to bring Finnish and Dutch poets to the event. It will also be used

  • Learning awards scheme extended

    The Learning and Skills Council Tees Valley and Connexions Tees Valley have extended the Celebration of Learning Awards 2003. Previously, the awards were only open to people aged between 13 and 19. But the Young Adult Achiever Award welcomes nomination

  • Buzzard helps inspire young

    YOUNGSTERS are being encouraged to become wildlife-friendly during a series of school visits. Durham Police wildlife officer Sergeant Eddie Bell is helping to put the message across with the help of a feathered friend. He took a common buzzard, from his

  • Beware of the bully boys, warns Marcus

    MARCUS STEWART last night warned Sunderland to stand up to the First Division bullies or risk missing out on promotion. The experienced Black Cats striker will lead the line against his former club Ipswich Town tonight before making the trip to Sheffield

  • Criticism after rail timetable cutbacks revealed

    RAIL chiefs came under fire last night for cutting two important services in the North-East. Andy Hyams, director of transportation for the Tees Valley Partnership, said the cutbacks in services between Teesside and Tyneside were a backward step for the

  • Pupils put spotlight on Shakespeare

    DOZENS of children will be bringing Shakespeare's work to life by performing in front of audiences in Richmond over the next two nights. The town's recently-restored Georgian Theatre Royal is one of a number of venues around the country hosting the Shakespeare

  • Confirmation of closure for register office condemned

    The closure of a register office service has been described as a bitter blow for residents. Seaham Town Council opposed Durham County Council's decision to transfer its local office for the registration of births, deaths and marriages to neighbouring

  • Baltic bosses take time over replacement

    TRUSTEES at the Baltic have given themselves more time to find a replacement for outgoing director Sune Nordgren. The deadline for applications, originally September 19, was extended until tomorrow. Mr Nordgren, who has been at the Baltic for six years

  • Security cameras switch will bring 24-hour coverage

    A crime-combating initiative is to be set up on the Yorkshire Coast next month with the start of a 24-hour security camera monitoring system. Scarborough Borough Council is taking over the closed-circuit television system (CCTV) from the police, running

  • Last Night's TV: The family that slays together

    Family (ITV1): PERHAPS ITV schedulers thought they were being clever screening the opening episode of their new London gangster drama on the same night that the godfather of Walford, Dirty Den, returned to EastEnders. All it proved was that it will take

  • Carcass shame of once top-rated farmer

    AN award-winning farmer left the carcasses of more than half his flock of sheep to rot in his fields, a court heard yesterday. Derek Wearmouth had already failed to heed advice given over the disposal of dead livestock following an earlier inspection,

  • Arts extravaganza looms as town's festival snowballs

    WHAT began as a modest attempt to celebrate a Dales market town's artistic versatility has snowballed to become a ten-day festival which organisers admit has taken them by surprise. Masham has never held a programme of its own before, but next month it

  • Ex-judo coach admits sex abuse

    A FORMER judo coach faces a possible prison sentence after admitting indecently assaulting two boys. Wayne Burnham is accused of carrying out the acts on the boys, aged under 16, between January and October last year. He was arrested in October at his

  • Beer festival

    CONNOISSEURS will be raising a glass to a North Yorkshire town next month when it holds its second beer festival. Richmond's Market Hall celebrates the art of brewing from Friday, October 17, when 25 real ales will be available. The Mayor of Richmond,

  • Computer boost for learning at school

    FOUR interactive whiteboards have been installed in classrooms in Blessed John Duckett RC Primary School, Tow Law, thanks to a fund-raising campaign. Parents collected £2,000 by holding fairs and coffee mornings. Further donations to pay for the boards

  • Community centre takes step forward

    A RESIDENTS' focal point has undergone a transformation. Ayresome Community Centre, in Middlesbrough, started life in an old disused mobile classroom in a school yard. At a cost of £200,000 - much of it European and National Lottery money - the centre

  • Big send-off for new rail service

    TRAVELLERS were treated to a spectacular send-off at the launch of a new train service yesterday. A jazz band, guests from the local community and rail enthusiasts gathered at Harrogate station to see the new service begin. Local Liberal-Democrat MP Phil

  • Survey reveals support for traffic changes

    HUNDREDS of people have indicated their support for planned changes to the way traffic is managed in Northallerton. Residential and business addresses within a five-mile radius of the town - a total of 9,000 - were sent leaflets and questionnaires during

  • Watchdog takes a bite out of mm02

    THE telecoms watchdog's intervention on mobile phone charges may slow mmO2's revenue growth. The firm, formerly known as BT Cellnet, said growth would slow significantly in the next six months as a cut in termination rates - the price mobile firms charge

  • Opportunity to have a say on authority

    MEETINGS will be held across Hartlepool this week to give residents and businesses a chance to say how well the local authority is performing. It is part of an initiative by Hartlepool Borough Council to improve its consultation with people. Councillor

  • Meetings focus on start-up record

    A series of meetings is planned to focus on the region's continuing poor record in small business start-ups. Chartered accountants will hold talks next month with representatives of regional development agency One NorthEast, Business Link and the Small

  • Eating Owt: Well above par

    There's a Tiger at Roseberry Grange Golf Club, but he spends most of his time in the kitchen, not on the course. WHAT for 16 years has been the municipally owned Roseberry Grange Golf Club was until 1968 West Pelton colliery, known to its hoary handed

  • A peep into the future of town

    MORE details of a £45m development which is set to transform a North-East town centre have emerged. The layouts and artist's impressions are included in outline plans for a major redevelopment in Darlington, which includes a shopping centre, an 85,000

  • News in brief: Warning to hooligans

    A WARNING was given yesterday that a village's Bonfire Night event will be scrapped if there is any repeat of last year's trouble. The event at Gainford, near Darlington, was wrecked last year by hooligans. There was a suggestion that this year's display

  • Accident trio improve

    THREE people hurt in accidents on the region's roads over the weekend were described yesterday as comfortable in hospital. Steven Pettit, 37, of Scarborough Road, Norton, North Yorkshire, was hurt crossing the road shortly after midnight on Saturday.

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    Repair hand, Consett. 10hrs pw, between 8.30am and 5.30pm, over 7 days. Sewing machine and overlocker experience an advantage. Ref: CON 16542. UPVC window/conservatory fitter, Consett., 38hrs pw, 9am to 5pm, Mon-Fri. Must be age 21-plus with full driving

  • Free milk for children

    HUNDREDS of pupils in the region are receiving free school milk this week as part of a campaign to improve primary children's health. The campaign to put milk back on the menu in schools is part of School Milk Week, which runs until Friday. Only 25 per

  • Hunt for girl's attacker

    A 14-YEAR-OLD girl is recovering after being indecent assaulted near her home. Police are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the man around the Pears Terrace area of Shildon, County Durham, on Sunday night. The girl was walking home at about 9pm