A COMMEMORATIVE plate made in tribute to the men and boys who died in the region's worst peace time disaster will be given away by The Northern Echo. The plate is one of 100 commissioned by former miner Billy Johnstone, of Murton, County Durham, to commemorate
A THRIVING church hall is to get a £45,000 make-over this summer. St Barnabas church hall, in Bournmoor, near Chester-le-Street, is used by people of all ages, who take part in karate clubs, exercise classes, flower festivals, exhibitions and concerts
Metro Church Sunderland against Heworth Christian Fellowship was lost to the weather which enabled Consett St Patrick's to claim the spot if they beat Ryton Churches at Belle Vue. Andrew Murray put Saints 1-0 ahead before David Rowe stretched the lead
A CHARITY may have to dramatically cut its services to disabled people as it faces a cash crisis. Funding for the Wear Valley Disability Access Forum, which is based in Crook, runs out in March and so far the charity has only managed to get a grant to
ANCESTORS of the owners of Markenfield Hall, near Ripon, were either exiled or executed for their Catholic beliefs. But the present owner, Lady Deirdre Curteis, has re-opened the tiny chapel at the manor house for services alternatively for Catholics
IN an episode of the TV show Porridge, the old lag Fletcher is discussing life with his arch rival, prison officer McKay. Fletch reveals how his relatives always thought they were working class - until they visited McKay's home town of Glasgow, when they
Four teenagers were hurt - one of them badly - when the car they were travelling in spun out of control and crashed as it was followed by a police car. Two of the youngsters were catapulted out of the back seat of the car - a gold coloured Ford Escort
The County final of the national mixed four competition was held at Thornaby IBC on Saturday, January 24 between a rink from Ferryhill and a rink from Darlington. The Darlington rink was led by Ann Anderson with Tracy Fairless second, Mark Jones third
PETER DUFFIELD last night expressed his fears that a return to Darlington could fall through. The much-travelled striker, is out of favour at Third Division rivals Boston, despite scoring five goals in 12 appearances. Duffield has been told he can leave
Sir, - Arrogant, offensive! To which politician did the letter (D&S, Jan 23) refer? I resurrected the previous edition to see what had upset the writer. Like Mr Nicholson, the butt of the comment, I have held many identity cards and licenses, some
THE HOBBIT. Publisher: Vivendi Universal. Format: PS2, Xbox, PC, GameCube, GBA. Price: £39.99 (PS2 version). NOW The Return of the King has finally opened in cinemas, fans of Tolkien's epic fantasy have nothing much to look forward to apart from the inevitable
A 17-STONE police body-building champ has been suspended after allegedly assaulting two men in a midnight brawl while dressed as Superman. Darlington traffic officer Neil Bell is away from work while an investigation is carried out. Mr Bell was arrested
HAWES. - Sat. Annual show & sale of individual Blue-faced Leics females for Blue-faced Leicester Sheep Breeders' Assn. Fwd 43 sheep. Overall av £480.06; gimmer hoggs to £2,000 av £452.26 (down £85.74 on 2003); gimmer shlgs to £600 av £550 (up £43)
MP Alan Milburn boarded a replica locomotive built by volunteers. The former Cabinet minister paid his first visit to The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust in Hopetown Lane, Darlington, to learn about the creation of the first main line steam locomotive. Since
BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed of last week. Fwd: 1,786 sheep. Lt hoggs to 129.4p av 117.8p; std to 129.3p av 119.1p; med to 130.8p av 119p; heavy to 117.8p av 110.6p. Cast sheep: Cont to £71 W Peat; Mule to £59.50 Hutton Hall Farms; Leics to £60.50 WF&JC
A WEEKLY village surgery held in the former changing room of a community hall, is to close within weeks. Despite opposition from residents in Quarrington Hill, near Durham, their Monday surgeries are to be disbanded following a decision by Durham and
A CORONER returned a verdict of unlawful killing yesterday on a man who was found beaten to death. Stephen Hunter, 33, was found dead in his flat in Edenhill Road, Peterlee, County Durham, in the early hours of June 1, 2002, after being attacked. A post-mortem
THE oldest family firm in Middlesbrough celebrated another milestone this week when it acknowledged the loyalty of the staff. Henry Newbould, based at Riverside Park, now has 23 staff with at least 25 years' service and about half the 249-strong team
A GOLFER from Catterick rounded off a busy year by winning the French mid amateur title for the second time. Roger Roper travelled to the Club du Lys, in Paris, to take part in the 54-hole over-35s tournament. After two rounds of 69 for a two under par
HOORAY for the microwave and the non-stick pan. How else would we cook porridge? Anyone who remembers the old days and who has ever had to wash a porridge pot that has sat on the side of the Aga, congealing sullenly, for an hour or two would immediately
HUNDREDS of low paid workers will enjoy a bumper pay rise after a North-East council reached a deal with unions. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has become the first local authority in the region to sign a deal for single status for all staff. The
THE motorist blamed for the Selby rail crash in which ten people died has applied for early release from prison, it has been reported. Gary Hart was jailed for five years in December 2001 after he was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving
Britain's pluckiest football team is refusing to hang up its boots despite losing every game they have ever played. Castletown Rangers Girls must have the worst record in Britain after playing 24 matches. They've won none, drawn none, lost the lot, haven't
The meeting was preceded by a two club and putter competition played over nine holes, after which the meeting in the clubhouse chaired by the Rabbits captain Kevin Clinton took place. He commenced by announcing the winners of the afternoon golf who were
A PROSPECTIVE parliamentary candidate in the North-East is considering changing her name to avoid confusion at the next General Election. Roberta Woods was selected last weekend by Labour's 700 constituency members in Durham to succeed the city's MP,
FOOTBALL legend Paul Gascoigne narrowly escaped serious injury when he swerved to avoid a head-on collision in his native North-East. The former Newcastle and England star smashed his BMW X5 into a parked delivery truck after swerving to avoid an oncoming
EVERY community in the North-East will be hooked up to broadband by spring next year in a pioneering £10m scheme. A total of 87 regional telephone exchanges will be upgraded with new technology, making the North-East the only region outside London where
ONE of County Durham's oldest residents is still enjoying a daily feast of her favourite chocolates at the age of 102. Sweet-toothed Mary Wilkes celebrated her birthday on Wednesday with a party at West Lodge Nursing Home, Billy Row, near Crook, where
COLLEGE principal Sarah Farley has raised more than £1,000 for charity after swapping the comfort of the classroom for the chilly wilds of the Himalayas. Ms Farley, chief executive of Darlington College of Technology, completed a sponsored Christmas trek
CHILDREN in Wear Valley are being treated to stories from distant lands told at libraries around the district over the next few weeks. Some of Britain's leading storytellers are taking part in a Faraway Fables season in libraries in the Bishop Auckland
A PROJECT aiming to steer youngsters away from petty crime and disorder is proving a success. Since April last year, Consett Churches Detached Youth Project has funded a worker in the village of Dipton, near Stanley. Matty Christer has spent two nights
SPONSORS are sought for events aimed to bolster a successful girls' football club. Lumley Ladies, formed with less than 20 members in May 2002, now attracts more than 100 female footballers to weekly training sessions at Chester-le-Street Riverside. The
A NORTH-EAST holidaymaker is to launch a fresh legal challenge to a Customs and Excise decision to seize and destroy nearly 20,000 cigarettes he bought while abroad. Customs officials stopped Kenneth Boxall and his friend David Ward at Portsmouth as they
COUNCIL bosses are standing by their decision to close a popular sports centre, despite an alternative venue claiming it cannot cope with an influx of extra people. Richmondshire District Council voted to close the Richmond Sports Centre to save money
POLICE investigating the murder of a woman who lay dead in her house for three weeks before being found, have had a poor response to their appeals for help. Officers spoke out as the probe continued into the death of mother-of-five Christine Longworth
ITV groups Granada and Carlton Communications received the final stamp of approval today for their proposed £4.5 billion merger. The two groups said the High Court had sanctioned the shareholder schemes of arrangement that will allow the creation of a
AFTER a notable absence last year when insufficient forestry roads of enough quality could be found, the annual Ripon Land Rover-sponsored Riponian Rally is again scheduled to take place on Sunday. With more than 60 entries received for the opening round
LEISURE staff are preparing for a busy half-term week at sports facilities in a market town. A series of events have been lined up at Thirsk Swimming Pool, including crash courses in swimming, which will run from Monday, February 16, to the following
PROSECUTORS confirmed last night that they are unlikely to reopen a case over a man's death. Kevin Pharoah, 49, died 20 months after being attacked during a bar-room brawl. The attack left him with epilepsy and he was found dead in bed at his home in
HUNDREDS of people yesterday attended a jobs fair where about 600 posts in the contact centre industry were up for grabs. The event included representatives from Barclays, T Mobile, EDF Energy, Junction, Northern Rock and Citifinancial. Sunderland call
SUNDERLAND'S hopes of securing the services of Huddersfield Town hot-shot Jon Stead were fading last night. Despite an £850,000 bid from the Black Cats still lying on the table at the McAlpine Stadium, the Terriers have been holding out for a bid in excess
The pace and the chase for indoor bowls championships is hotting up at club, area, county, regional and national levels in a host of events involving singles, pairs, triples, fours, double fours and team play. A good number of North of England-based clubs
PROUD students have unveiled their own website, which is set to help them and their peers with revision. Pupils in year ten and 11 at Spennymoor Comprehensive created www.wickedlearning.co.uk because they were unimpressed with other websites designed
THOUSANDS of schoolchildren in the North-East had a second day off school yesterday as schools remained closed due to weather. Across the country, flights and train journeys cotninued to be affected by the weather and motorists struggled with treacherous
Porridge has long been recognised as a nutritious winter warmer but some makes aren't as healthy as you might think. Shoptalk investigates HOORAY for the microwave and the non-stick pan. How else would we cook porridge? Anyone who remembers the old days
Charles Stead of Northumberland Fell Runners won the Eston Nab Nee Nocker fell race of six miles setting a new record time. Paul Lowe of Middlesbrough AC was runner-up with Rob Pollard returning to his best form to finish third and also claim the O40s
MEMBERS of a Women's Institute have been awarded £3,515 to attend a course called Ageless Beauty. Thornaby and Ingleby Barwick Women's Institute has received the money from the National Lottery's Awards for All. Ten of the members will attend the residential
Modern drugs can produce dramatic improvements in our health but there can be a downside if they are not used properly. Heal;th Correspondent Barry Nelson talks to a patient whose life was made unbearable because she was left on the same medication for
WHAT'S a Spanish tapas restaurant doing in a small North Yorkshire village? Rather well, it seems. January is traditionally the restaurateur's most dreaded month. With everyone spent up after the Christmas and New Year excesses, many establishments can
RABBIT breeder Alan Belgian has been showing off his prize asset. Eight-month-old Silver rabbit, Findon Donny Boy, won Best in Show at the Bradford Championship Show, the UK's leading rabbit show. Mr Belgian, of Witton Gilbert, near Durham City, said:
Durham Under-15 travelled to Wigton on Sunday for the first match of their season and beat Cumbria 43-5. A strong set of mobile forwards, a clever and an astute pair of half backs and a fast and hard running set of three-quarters proved too much for a
FIVE years ago, farmer John Seymour was forced to face the reality of modern farming. Global competition was driving down prices and with it, any chance of making a decent profit. The owner of 900 acres of farmland, Mr Seymour had a good spread of interest
MIDDLESBROUGH'S rising stars have been warned to 'listen to the club' rather than their advisors - or risk falling onto the football scrapheap. Boro chairman Steve Gibson has not enjoyed the best of relationships with a number of agents in recent times
A woman who allegedly told airport security staff she had a bomb in her luggage appeared in court today. Lesley Brennan, 48, of Wheatley Gardens, West Boldon, Tyneside, made a five-minute appearance before magistrates in Newcastle after she was charged
A council could find its council tax capped by the Government after announcing a likely increase of 8.4 per cent. Local authorities have been warned by Nick Raynsford, the Local Government Minister, that they face spending caps if council tax is increased
by Robin Twizell RMD Agriculture WHEAT prices have had a slow drift down over the last few days as world supply seems adequate, with Egypt buying Australian wheat as against EU or American. Avian flu is also having an affect as it could significantly
FLAGS were flown at half-mast at factories around the world yesterday after the boss of an engineering company was killed in a road accident. David Brown, 78, was killed on Wednesday afternoon when the Range Rover he was driving skidded off a snow- covered
COUNTY Durham's oldest theatre is enjoying a renaissance after a major restructuring project. The Empire Theatre in Consett reopened in March last year, after a troubled, nine-month refurbishment programme. Since the overhaul, audience figures have soared
The mother of a British man who spent nearly a decade in an Indian prison on illegal arms charges was thrilled today to hear her son was being released. During a visit by Home Secretary David Blunkett, Indian deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani said
BUSINESS is wunderbar for a celebrated Tyneside company that makes replica football strips from yesteryear for nostalgic fans. A blockbusting German film celebrating the country's World Cup win nearly half a century ago means big business for Toffs -
Darlington Albion: The Under-14s were away against Whitby, and put in a excellent performance, controlling the majority of the first half, only allowing Whitby to score from the penalty spot. Just before half time Chris Binks levelled the score going
THE HOBBIT. Publisher: Vivendi Universal. Format: PS2, Xbox, PC, GameCube, GBA. Price: £39.99 (PS2 version). NOW The Return of the King has finally opened in cinemas, fans of Tolkien's epic fantasy have nothing much to look forward to apart from the inevitable
AN enterprising businesswoman is bucking a national trend by setting up a call centre creating up to 65 jobs for Weardale workers. Even more surprising, with major companies like Lloyds TSB opting for cheaper labour markets in India, Maureen Stanton is
A VILLAGE operatic society is preparing for a blockbusting production - complete with a legion of winged angels. Lanchester and District Choral and Amateur Operatic Society will stage Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe at St Bede's Comprehensive School at
DEPUTY Prime Minister John Prescott has admitted that he has no idea of the ultimate cost of creating new Northern regional assemblies, nor of the precise powers that will be invested in such bodies. Mr Prescott was speaking exclusively to the D&S
PETER DUFFIELD last night expressed his fears that a return to Darlington could fall through. The much-travelled striker, now with Third Division rivals Boston, is out of favour at York Street, despite scoring five goals in 12 appearances for the Pilgrims
A word of thanks does not go far enough for everybody who made Sunday's charity match such a huge success. We didn't just get fans from Darlington, they were there from Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Newcastle and Hartlepool, which is marvellous to see. The
THE Government ended its war with the BBC over the David Kelly affair last night after director general Greg Dyke resigned - sparking walkouts throughout the country from angry corporation staff. Lord Richard Ryder, the BBC's acting chairman apologised
Auckland Area CIU League: West Auckland went down to their first darts defeat of the season when they lost the team game against their hosts at Cockton Hill. Norman Watson and Tommy Ward took singles for the Hill with West's singles points coming from
COUNCILLORS have admitted their authority had illegally appointed a key officer. Bernadette Marjoram joined Chester-le-Street District Council last year, briefed to turn around its much-criticised housing department. But local government watchdogs told
Darlington RA enjoyed a double celebration at the weekend. Not only did they defeat Whitehaven but they avenged a recent reverse at the hands of the Cumbrians. "It was nice to win and win well. I thought we played some good football and in recent weeks
RAILWAY locomotives have carried names for as long as there have been trains. Spectator generally welcomes them for, as well as bestowing an element of individuality, they are generally intended to honour or celebrate notable people, places or events
Sunderland Tomahawks picked up their first points of the season in the English U19 North A League with a 3-3 draw against Blackburn Thunderhawks at Newcastle Arena. Tomahawks after five defeats met the team immediately above them and two points more,
SAVILE'S DELIGHT (1.20) should not be overlooked, despite the burden of shouldering top-weight in division one of the Bet Direct Handicap at Wolverhampton. The five-furlong Class F contest is by its own definition not a strong race. Indeed many of the
THE only sure things in life are death and taxes, and the former is graphically featured in a new exhibition - After Life - at the Bowes Museum. Put together by the first Bowes Fellowship recipient, Simon Morrissey, it has many thought-provoking items
A PILOT scheme will help schools meet the costs of travelling to two of the region's museums. Killhope, the North of England Lead Mining Museum, in Upper Weardale, and The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, both County Durham, have joined forces with the
Bishop Auckland have told the UniBond League that they intend to have most of their ground improvements completed by the April 1 deadline. League inspectors told Bishops two months ago that they would need to increase the capacity of their covered stand
NEALE Cooper yesterday returned to his former club to secure his second signing in as many weeks. Hugh Robertson has followed the path taken by Cooper last summer after swopping Ross County for Hartlepool United. Robertson is Pool's second capture from
A FIRE engine taking crew members to talk to nursery children was left stuck at the roadside yesterday due to the icy conditions. The vehicle became trapped in a side street in Darlington and was only dislodged when crew members used grit to prevent the
Jarrow Roofing are ploughing ahead with ground improvements should they be in a position to move into the UniBond League next season. UniBond League inspectors visited the three Northern League clubs who have expressed an interest in moving upwards, with
PLANS to refurbish a community hall have received a boost. Mainsforth and District Community Association has received £3,900 from the National Lottery. The cash boost will enable the association to start its refurbishment programme and fit new carpets
AN IRONING enthusiast has pledged to take on the unpopular chore for other people to raise money for charity. Gillian Page, of Gort Place, Gilesgate, in Durham, has been so impressed with the support that Durham Area Disability gives her autistic son,
A BID by a pub to extend its opening hours has come up against objections from an unlikely quarter - students. In a turn-around of the usual state of affairs, students were the main objectors to a bid by the Hog's Head pub in Durham to remain open until
DURHAM is likely to have its first woman MP after the next General Election, and the successful candidate will probably be called Woods. Barring a shock swing to the Conservatives, who came a distant third in the 2001 election, the city's Westminster
POLICE now believe that an incident in which a boy was temporarily blinded may be the result of an accident. Police thought Adam Watson, 15, lost the sight in his right eye after he was struck by a sharp object in an apparently motiveless attack as he
HUTTON REPORT: THE Government sought to convince us of the case for war on the basis of intelligence provided by civil servants, who are expected to be politically impartial. An honest man would present all the evidence and argue his case from there,
MESSAGES of support have come in after it emerged that one of the legends of North-East football has been rushed into hospital. Bob Stokoe, the manager of Sunderland AFC's famous 1973 FA Cup winning team, was said to be in a "poorly" condition last night
Kingfisher Finance Trophy first round Grey Horse 3 East End WMC 3 (aet): East End led after 20 minutes in this pulsating tie only for Scott Raper to level 5 minutes later. Andy Wetherell then put Horse ahead with a 20-yarder and they were unfortunate
ABI Curry, a product of Tennis World's renowned junior programme, has won the Ariel 12 and under winter national grand prix. The event, held in Nottingham last weekend, showcased the best of her age group. It was the 11-year-old's first victory in the
INSPECTORS could be sent to a North-East local authority because of unacceptable delays in delivering benefits. The Government announc-ed yesterday that snap inspections of councils that take 80 days or more to process new claims for housing benefit would
HIGH STREET retailer Boots is to create 300 jobs and is transferring 600 workers to another company. The chemist, which cut 900 jobs at its head office in Nottingham earlier this month, said the posts would be a mixture of full and part-time roles in
A ROW that threatened to destabilise the region's tourism industry has been resolved. Bosses at regional development agency One NorthEast and Northumbria Tourist Board (NTB) have agreed to settle their differences after a long-running battle over who
DISGRUNTLED shareholders of retailer WH Smith failed to block a £2.6m "golden hello" package for incoming chief executive Kate Swann. Voting at the group's annual meeting in London revealed nearly 34 million shareholders opposed a pay and bonus deal,
Notorious (BBC2): A Place In France: An Indian Summer (C4); SOMEWHERE along the line, the sub-title of Notorious changed from The Sex Line King to The Guilty Pornographer. The line in question would be premium rate. Nick Cracknell has made a fortune giving
Spennymoor A edged one point clear at the top of the First Division after they only dropped one point to foot of the table, Old Shildon. Peter Coates took the lone point for Shildon, whilst the Moors had wins from Paul Biddle, Karl Welsh, Michael Pratt
Last weekend two Billingham swimmers competed at the Gateshead and Whickham Open Gala held at Ponds Forge, Sheffield. The swimming was of a very high quality with competitors from all over the country in which our two members swam superbly. Twelve-year-old
CHAIRMEN and corruption seem to be prominent in the sporting world at the moment. Not that I'm suggesting the two go together in any way, you understand, but power can corrupt in any walk of life and football is a minefield. So is racing, and it has always
THE Northern Echo's Sponsor-a-Minute appeal for troubled Darlington Football Club smashed through the £20,000 barrier last night. Our initiative, which involves companies and individuals sponsoring minutes of the Quakers' league match against Rochdale
A COUPLE, whose son was killed in a bizarre accident in Kenya in 2000, are stepping up their fight to find out exactly what happened. Nick Robinson, 33, died when he was electrocuted as he tried to fix a water pump in a well at a luxury block of apartments
IN an episode of the TV show Porridge, the old lag Fletcher is discussing life with his arch rival, prison officer McKay. Fletch reveals how his relatives always thought they were working class - until they visited McKay's home town of Glasgow, when they
Richmond Town: After a very long and very filling Christmas break it was time to settle down and concentrate on football. After only two training sessions it was back to competitive matches and this week Richmond welcomed Catterick Village for the first
POLICE have hailed the success of an initiative aimed at keeping troublemakers out of a district's public houses. Since it was launched about six months ago, up to 50 pubs have signed up to the Stanley Pubwatch Scheme - and about 33 troublemakers have
With Greg Dyke following Gavyn Davies out the door, the BBC has lost its two most senior executives in the wake of the Hutton Report. Nick Morriosn looks at what this means for the future of the world's most respected boradcasting organisation. ON November
Kings Head 7 South Park Rangers 1: King's Head warmed up for their crunch encounter with Middlesbrough Post Office by easily beating South Park Rangers despite going behind on ten minutes when Peter Truscott put the visitors ahead. Five minutes later
The fixtures have been sporadically played since the Christmas break with all fixtures wiped out on January 8. The following week, all matches bar the Derwentside v Sedgefield clash were played. That match was postponed due to lack of a referee, which
A tobacco warehouse owner spoke today of the moment he awaited an executioner's bullet - only to hear the click of the gun as it jammed. Francis Lemal had already been shot three times during a raid at his warehouse, La Tabatheque, in Esch, Luxembourg
Marat Safin hailed the arrival of tennis's new generation after snapping Andre Agassi's sensational 26-match unbeaten run at the Australian Open with an epic five-set semi-final victory. The 24-year-old Russian will face either Wimbledon champion Roger
TWO burgeoning sports stars have been flying the flag for their country. Hannah Baker and Mathew Tait, pupils at Barnard Castle School, have both been selected for England in their respective sports of hockey and rugby. Hannah, 15, of Crook, has been
Newfit Services Willington: Willington Burn made a good away win when they visited Willington Brewer's Droop and came away with a three points success. The Brewer's had singles wins from John McCann, Billy Wragg and John Moore with Stephen Smith and John
A WOMAN has thanked her mother's workmates for giving her the chance to have revolutionary treatment in South America. Debi Cuthbert, 36, yesterday met Stockton Borough Council workers who helped raise £2,064 to send her to Mexico for the treatment. Ms
PLANS to build a landscaped link from a residential street to a park are in jeopardy, after residents objected to the scheme. Developer Strathmore Homes plans to build what it called a heritage footpath across woodland known as the Top of the Park in
Wilton 1st continued their march in division one with their seventh consecutive win, visiting fourth place Tynemouth at Royal Quays, the game however was brought down to an almost farcical level by amateur officiating, both inexperienced umpires provided
THE HOBBIT. Publisher: Vivendi Universal. Format: PS2, Xbox, PC, GameCube, GBA. Price: £39.99 (PS2 version). NOW The Return of the King has finally opened in cinemas, fans of Tolkien's epic fantasy have nothing much to look forward to apart from the inevitable
A FAMILY whose son died because of the neglect of Greek doctors say they cannot find a solicitor on the holiday island of Rhodes to represent them. Christopher Rochester, 24, of Chester-le-Street, died when he fell 40 feet from a hotel balcony in Rhodes
Pop star John Miles says he has felt the benefits of collagen pills supplied by a North-East business. Health correspondent Barry Nelson reports. IF you mention collagen most people probably think of actress Leslie Ash's infamous "trout pout" after she
SAVILE'S DELIGHT (1.20) should not be overlooked, despite the burden of shouldering top-weight in division one of the Bet Direct Handicap at Wolverhampton. The five-furlong Class F contest is by its own definition not a strong race. Indeed many of the
FANS are being encouraged to turn out in force at the Reynolds Arena again this weekend to keep up the incredible support for cash-strapped Darlington Football Club. A record crowd of 14,200 packed into the stadium on Sunday for two celebrity fundraising
DISGRUNTLED shareholders of retailer WH Smith failed to block a £2.6m "golden hello" package for incoming chief executive Kate Swann. Voting at the group's annual meeting in London revealed nearly 34 million shareholders opposed a pay and bonus deal,
Chester-le-Street Town Juniors finally bowed out of the FA Youth Cup when they narrowly lost at West Ham United earlier this week, but the Cestrians' manager was full of pride and heaped praise on his team after giving the Hammers a tough game. Having
DIVISION Two outfit Burton House pulled off a major shock when they sent the much-fancied Blackhill Comrades crashing out of the competition. It was a seven-goal thriller that was eventually settled in extra-time. Ian Maguire was the all-important match
Kall Kwik Harrogate Cup: A husband and wife team served up a double victory to steer their Ripon side past the opening round. John Bailey led the way at first string with a 9-5 10-8 9-2 win over James Gaston as Ripon defeated Pateley Bridge 3-2 in the
Darlington 2 Rochdale 0 May 11, 1991 Division Four. ON a tense last day of the season, Darlington were crowned champions of the Fourth Division. It was a year after they had won the Vauxhall Conference and just two since they had slid out of the Football
A party of holidaymakers were criticised by a coroner today for their ''foolhardy'' midnight walk along a clifftop path which resulted in the death of a 16-year-old girl. Student Terri Ann Ellwood plunged nearly 200ft to her death after she lost her footing
Top three team in division two, Middleton St. George played hosts to The Northern Echo. It was the home side who started stronger and could have taken an early lead if their chances had been converted, they eventually they got the breakthrough when Dan
DIVISION Two side Boot & Shoe claimed their first point of the season when they held Masons United to a draw last week. Masons were leading 2-0 at half-time thanks to goals by George Richardson and Steven Alderson. But a spirited fightback saw the
Darlington RA: The RA went goal crazy away to Redcar in the league where they found the net 13 times with Redcar replying just once. The RA passed the ball well and moved around the pitch from the first whistle, with the ball switching from back to front
Notorious (BBC2) A Place In France: An Indian Summer (C4) SOMEWHERE along the line, the sub-title of Notorious changed from The Sex Line King to The Guilty Pornographer. The line in question would be premium rate. Nick Cracknell has made a fortune giving
SHOPPERS are urging a council to think again about proposals for car parking charges in a south west Durham market town. More than 1,000 people have signed a petition to ask Wear Valley District Council not to implement parking charges in Bishop Auckland
SHOPPERS are urging a council to think again about proposals for car parking charges in a south west Durham market town. More than 1,000 people have signed a petition to ask Wear Valley District Council not to implement parking charges in Bishop Auckland
A DARLINGTON couple yesterday became the first in the town to renew their wedding vows in a special ceremony. Ken Sunley, 49, and his wife Joanne, 35, took part in the Renewal of Vows ceremony, in the town's Central House, Gladstone Street. The couple
AN angry mother claims a £250,000 plan to revamp a Darlington park is long overdue. Claire Easby, who has an eight-year-old daughter, Nadine, said North Lodge Park is littered with broken bottles, forcing parents to take their children elsewhere. She
DARLINGTON MP Alan Milburn called on town leaders yesterday to form a partnership to tackle anti-social behaviour. He told delegates at the Darlington Assembly, in the town's Dolphin Centre, that the problem was a huge issue of public concern in the town
POLICE in Darlington are warning rowdy youths to "expect arrests" this weekend as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour. Officers will be scouring known hotspots across the town this evening and tomorrow night and warning gangs of youths causing
MANAGERS from one of the region's newest hospices faced a careful journey back to base yesterday after collecting a generous donation from well-wishers at a Little Chef. The branch of the national restaurant chain at Skeeby, North Yorkshire, has ordered
PLANS to protect wildlife in Chester-le-Street will be unveiled today. The project, called From Parks to Larks, aims to change the way grounds workers maintain council-owned open spaces, to try to conserve dwindling animal and plant habitats. Council
A group of teenage friends have established a website on Shakespeare. The Stockton youths, who previously formed a theatre group called the Arden Theatre Company, now have their own website. The mostly 16 and 17-year-olds, who met at Ian Ramsey School
A NEW project is encouraging villages in County Durham to keep their heritage alive. The Community Heritage Project aims to build and develop links between Durham County Council and local people and groups interested in the region's past by working with
GUISBOROUGH residents are angry over plans to introduce parking charges on the town's cobbled high street. Motorists can park free for two hours on the cobbles in Westgate, which is a disc parking zone. But that could change if proposals by Redcar and
FAMILIES on a rundown estate scheduled for demolition have still not received a final offer for their homes, it emerged yesterday. Developer Bellway Homes is due to flatten the Whitehill council estate in Pelton Fell, near Chester-le-Street, in a bid
A FORMER mayor is on the verge of quitting the Labour Party after a row over election selection procedures. Ron Watts has resigned from his post as secretary of the Hartlepool Labour Party amid claims executive members ignored guidelines when choosing
A RETIRED hospital porter is celebrating a National Lottery win. William Iveson, 72, from New Brancepeth, near Durham, could not believe his eyes when he checked his lottery numbers and found that he had scooped £74,800 in last week's Wednesday Lotto
DETAILS of how villages and tourist attractions in the Ripon area will be boosted by a new bus services have been revealed. As part of a £450,000 funding package by North Yorkshire County Council, two mini buses will provide links between villages and
AN online archive charting the rich history of music in the North-East has gone live. The Folk Archive Resource North East (Farne), the country's first project of its kind, has been launched in Gateshead. The project has been headed by Gateshead Borough
Division One featured an excellent 2-2 draw between Spraire RA and the Shuttle and Loom - a game which saw Spraire fight back from two goals down to a deserved point against their visitors. After a goalless first half Shuttle scored with goals from Mark
SOME of the best young musicians in the UK are to play a concert in a village church, as a favour to their school nurse. Students from one of the world-renowned Yehudi Menuhin International Music Schools are to perform at the church of St Cuthbert in
STUDENTS are setting off for Paris today to take part in a debate on Europe. The nine students, from Prior Pursglove College, Guisborough, east Cleveland, will take part in a conference, called Your Future in Europe, which is designed to inspire young
IT is telling that the principal proponent of regional assemblies in the North has absolutely no idea of what they might cost. Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, on a whistle-stop tour through Yorkshire and the North-East last Friday, was surprisingly
A FAMILY doctor has been cleared of serious professional misconduct. Dr Nabil Naroz, of Hett Hill, near Chester-le-Street, appeared before the General Medical Council's professional conduct committee in Manchester, in connection with the treatment of
AN award-winning brass band has secured a new sponsorship deal after more than a century of support from a company. York's Rowntrees Brass Band will be known as the Shepherd Building Group Brass Band from April. The band have been sponsored by York sweet
Jane Smailes has been appointed as officer to the hospitals Patient Advice and Liaison Service (Pals). The service was launched by Middlesbrough Primary Care Trust to provide a phone advice line for people experiencing difficulties with local health services
ARTS Council officials have appealed for funding to save an international festival. Organisers of Harrogate International Festival have been warned that they could lose a £24,000 grant from the borough council. The council is making cutbacks to balance
A DRUG addict burgled the home of a retired couple, a court heard. Darren Newton took £300 in cash, plus other property from the bungalow, in Villa Real Road, Consett, County Durham, last August 4. Newton, 26, admitted a charge of burglary when he came
A COUNTY Durham parish hall is planning to change its management in order to access funding for much-needed repairs. St Mary's Church Hall, in Newgate, Barnard Castle, needs to upgrade its heating system, create disabled access and improve the kitchen
A ROW has erupted over a difference in rules between regular stallholders and the monthly farmers' market in Northallerton. The latter should have been held on Wednesday, but was cancelled on Tuesday afternoon ahead of forecasts of snow. Regular traders
THE Government ended its war with the BBC over the David Kelly affair last night after director general Greg Dyke resigned - sparking walkouts throughout the country from angry corporation staff. Lord Richard Ryder, the BBC's acting chairman apologised
MORE than 2,500 calls were made to Crimestoppers in the North-East last year. People in Cleveland made 1,145 calls, in Northumbria 988 and 491 in Durham. The calls led to 201 people being arrested and charged in Cleveland, 156 in Northumbria and 122 in
A SWALEDALE village shop is bucking the trend by submitting an application for expansion to the national park's planning department. A growing number of countryside communities across the region have had to cope without their convenience stores and post
Sir, - I refer to your report "Right to roam amid lethal racehorses" (D&S, Jan 16). I was born in Middleham in 1931 and left during the Second World War, and have returned to stay with relatives, hotels and B&Bs ever since. The number of horses
ROCK bottom of the Football League, eight points from safety and staring relegation in the face - to the neutral observer things could not be much worse for Carlisle United. In fact, they could have been far worse. The Cumbrians may occupy 92nd spot on
AN initiative to make streets cleaner, greener and safer will begin in April. Area committees will be set up in the Redcar and Cleveland borough, and will consult people about the cleanliness of their streets, and the attractiveness and safety of their
AN initiative encouraging people to cycle to work has been set up. The scheme, a partnership between The Five Lamps Organisation, in Thornaby, and Broker North-East, provides free bikes for unemployed residents who want to get back to work. It will provide
ARMY recruits have left their mark on a school after helping with an early spring clean. Young soldiers from the Prince of Wales Company, at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick Garrison, carried out pond-clearing and cleaning at Le Cateau School.
Almost 40 of the County's top senior squash players took part in the Durham and Cleveland County Closed squash tournament held at Nunthorpe squash club over the three-day weekend. Shock of the first round was a 3/1 win for Aycliffe teenager Lee Skinner
AN animal rescue organisation is inviting individuals and companies to sponsor stray and unwanted pets through its website. Saltburn Animal Rescue Association (Sara) has set up the sponsor scheme to help look after animals which cannot be rehomed and
YOUNGSTERS celebrated the arrival of 700 new books at their school yesterday thanks to a £4,000 grant. Children from the playgroup, nursery and foundation stage class at Cromwell Road Primary School, in South Bank, will benefit from the investment from
A MAN under the influence of drink and drugs launched a savage knife attack on a friend who had invited him back to his Consett flat. Michael Watson was jailed for four years, after Durham Crown Court was told that the injuries inflicted could have proved
THOUSANDS of schoolchildren in the North-East had a second day off school yesterday as schools remained closed due to weather. Across the country, flights and train journeys cotninued to be affected by the weather and motorists struggled with treacherous
A MASSIVE revamp of Northallerton's Friarage Hospital is not a bid "to recreate James Cook University Hospital in the county town." This was the view of a North Yorkshire health care professional as progress on the £18m project came up for discussion.
Sir, - I read with interest the letter from Archie Gall, director of the Boundary Committee (D&S, Jan 23). The Conservative county council is running a vigorous campaign trying to convince the public that big is beautiful and that it is the only council
THE Federation of Small Businesses in the North-East is warning that Gordon Brown is likely to change the way he taxes small companies. The changes could come into effect by April. The FSB, which has 3,000 members in the region, is demanding that the
THE search is on to find the North-East king of rock 'n' roll. The contest aims to find the region's best Elvis impersonator, with a trip to Graceland on offer as first prize. It has been organised by the Bear Factory store, in Gateshead's MetroCentre
Crook Jelly's Bar B enjoyed the thrill of recording their first victory of the season after 11 consecutive defeats when they won the deciding doubles on their visit to Willington Brewer's Droop. The singles were shared with Bob Sanders, Stephen Britton
THE aftermath of Lord Hutton's report is not unlike listening to football managers arguing over the performance of a referee. As far as the Government is concerned of course, Lord Hutton did a splendidly thorough job. But for opponents of the Government
MORE than 14,000 people turned out on Sunday to support Darlington Football Club in its hour of need. The record crowd at the Reynolds Arena will help to keep the crisis-hit Quakers afloat. The two fundraising games - which starred legends Kenny Dalglish
County Super League: Shildon A made a spectacular start to the new season when they only dropped one point to the visiting Newton Aycliffe. The visitors' lone score came from Carl Little, whilst the Railwaymen had two points from Steve Phillips, Andrew
TANK maker Alvis Vickers is recruiting 90 staff for its North-East plant as it prepares to begin full production of the Trojan and Titan projects. The vehicles will replace two of the British Army's Chieftain Armoured vehicles. Alvis Vickers was awarded
Durham League: Consett's first home game of the New Year against Belmont was always going to be tough considering the distance between the two team's league positions. Despite this, the home side started brightly with a 9-0 run. However Consett's main
A CINEMA, auditorium, exhibition space, meeting rooms, micro-brewery, restaurant and caf are all included in the funding bid for Richmond's old station building. Companies and individuals interested in taking space in the building had to register by October
COUNCIL contractors have been accused of butchering trees on one of the most attractive approaches to Richmond. Town council members were appalled to see smashed branches and half-loosened limbs following work by North Yorkshire County Council on hedgerows
AFTER 85 years, soldiers from a North regiment are to return to Afghanistan. Officers from the 1st Battalion of the Green Howards have just returned from a reconnaissance trip, paving the way for a six-month deployment later this year. It will be the
CHAIRMEN and corruption seem to be prominent in the sporting world at the moment. Not that I'm suggesting the two go together in any way, you understand, but power can corrupt in any walk of life and football is a minefield. So is racing, and it has always
A PILOT project in the North-East has cut the number of falls suffered by pensioners by almost a third. Action taken in Gateshead ranges from improving lighting and footpaths and arranging eye tests, to providing elderly people with torches and checking
The James Cook University Hospital is hosting its first alternative health fair this month. Christen Pears reports. WE have never been more aware of the importance of healthy living. Our diets are under constant scrutiny, complementary medicine is becoming
FARMERS are increasingly using their land for horse riding, farm shops and golf courses in an effort to stave off the harsh economic climate affecting the industry, a report has said. Competition from traders producing foodstuffs more cheaply abroad has
DARLINGTON manager David Hodgson will be hoping the feelgood factor generated by last Sunday's highly successful fundraising games at the Reynolds Arena will rub off on his players when they tackle Rochdale tomorrow. The crowd of more than 14,000, which
IT'S 1861. Victoria is on the throne, and will be widowed when Albert dies from typhoid fever in December. Across the Atlantic, the Americans are fighting each other and Lincoln will become 16th president. Here at home, Palmerston is Prime Minister with
Sir, - I refer to your report on the application to Hambleton District Council for outline planning permission to re-site Borrowby Village Hall (D&S, Jan 16). In 2001, Borrowby Parish Council took advantage of the Countryside Agency's Vital Villages
I WAS intrigued to learn, earlier this month, of the discovery of a witch bottle beneath the garden of a cottage near Lincoln. This kind of relic of the period when we believed in witchcraft is something of a rarity, but the Lincoln specimen has provided
Division One, New Marske SC 3, Nunthorpe Ath 6: The only first division game to take place after the re-arrangement of matches resulted in New Marske being paired up with Nunthorpe Athletic. The game was switched to Nunthorpe, although the away match
Seven of Darlington Mowden Park's players have won places in the North-East of England Under-16 Regional Girls' squad. All have played for Durham County and, as a result, were invited to regional trials at Bullocksteads, Newcastle. The trials were gruelling
The improving Newton Cap got of to a great start when the visited AFC Aruba with Matthew Gowland scoring early in the first half. Latchman then increased the lead following a corner for the visitors, Hurst then made it three when the finished after a
As unlikely as an EastEnders unravelling, Chester-le-Street played at West Ham United on Monday evening in the last 32 of the FA Youth Cup. Chester's parent club are near the bottom of the Albany Northern league first division, play at the end of a dirt
TALENTED young rugby player Patrick Crewe, a year eight student at Red House School in Norton, is one of only four boys selected to join the Newcastle Falcons RUFC development squad. The scrum half, who lives at Hurworth, has been training with the Falcons
In the premier league Norton-Stockton, despite an amazing comeback, lost 3-2 at home to Ferryhill who led 1-0 at the break courtesy of a Kevin Simpson goal and after the restart went 2-0 up through McQuade. Norton rallied and came back strongly scoring
THE Scott Trial, organised by Richmond Motor Club, has raised more than £12,000 for local charities and organisations. The event, held annually in October, takes place in Arkengarthdale and Swaledale where 200 motorcycle trial riders compete on a tough
SOME of the region's strongest men are lining up to compete for one of their sport's most sought-after titles. Spennymoor Leisure Centre is hosting the North East Qualifier for Britain's Strongest Man in March. The competition is being organised by former
TANK maker Alvis Vickers is recruiting 90 staff for its North-East plant as it prepares to begin full production of the Trojan and Titan projects. The vehicles will replace two of the British Army's Chieftain Armoured vehicles. Alvis Vickers was awarded
Annandale Hotel v Lingdale Utd: A crashed to a home defeat despite dominating for long periods. Both sides attempted to play good football on a very heavy pitch. Dewing struck the bar after just two minutes and as Annandale continued to dominate a goalmouth
There was a major shock in the Third Division when Horse & Groom not only stunned Ball Alley, but they also hit them for six. The defeat has severely dented the promotion hopes of Ball Alley who were rocked by a couple of Mickey Elder goals and others
VISITORS to a North-East gallery this weekend will have the chance to have their photograph shown next to some of the country's most famous faces. Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens is running a competition alongside its exhibition of prints from the
South Moor Sports had to work hard for their win over Pelton Crown Inn with a Rhys Tomlinson goal all that eventually separated the sides and keeps the Sports on top of the table. Stanley RAFA moved off the foot of the table following a 5-2 win over the
THE two surviving Consett Sunday League sides have been handed home draws in the semi-final of the competition. Stateside came out of the hat first against Durham & District League outfit Witton Gilbert whose league counterparts Sherburn Lambton Arms
LUMLEY Ladies took the honours in the Development Derby against local rivals Chester-le-Street, at the Riverside. The Cestrians' development side had won both previous meetings in the Northern Region Intermediate League and cup this season. But a strong
RICHMOND Motor Club had a fantastic entry of 208 competitors for their club trial at Helwith, near Richmond, last Sunday. The course was three laps of 12 sections and two riders, Dan Thorpe (Gas Gas) and Ian Austermuhle (Beta), could not be separated
COUNCIL managers in Darlington are proposing an 8.4 per cent increase in council tax this year. The proposed rise comes despite the borough council benefiting from a £7.7m cash windfall following a legal wrangle with Durham County Council and a £900,000
The Middlesbrough Zetland Trophy produced six double figured weights even though the Swale was carrying a foot above normal and had started to rise again later in the match. Top North-East rod RSPS Tek Neek Trabucco's Ken Close left the rest well and
