The Northern Echo : News, Sport, Business, Leisure from the North East and North Yorkshire

The North East | Archive | 2005 | March

Stories for 5 March 2005

Consett,Stanley,Chester Le Street News

Event to provide range of help on health issues

FEMALE residents of a north Durham community have been invited to celebrate International Women's Day with four hours of activities. more...

Blood Service honours top N-E donors

LIFESAVING blood donors have been honoured. more...

Club on wheels for young people takes to the road

A MOBILE youth club packed with new technology is being launched to give teenagers in Derwentside something to do. more...

Forum to work with public over shortage of dentists

A PUBLIC meeting is to be held about the shortage of NHS dentists in north Durham. more...

Darlington,Newton Aycliffe,Sedgefield News

MP makes his mark on tribute to airman who saved the town

A MURAL which celebrates Darlington's history has been unveiled at a school. more...

Don't jail my boyfriend, woman pleads with court

A MAN who admitted attacking his girlfriend is likely to escape a prison sentence after she pleaded for him not to go to jail. more...

Music talent comes under the spotlight

THE Northern Echo's music website, Revolution, will showcase three of the region's best up-and-coming bands in Darlington on Thursday. more...

Pharmacist sets up specialist clinics

CLINICS will be set up in Darlington to monitor patients' blood pressure, and help to prevent heart attacks and strokes. more...

Work starts on road scheme

WORK on a £60,000 scheme to improve a Darlington road will be carried out this weekend. more...

Jewel recognises chaplain's role for Darlington mayor

THE role of the Mayor's chaplain in Darlington is to be honoured, thanks to a special gift from a former civic leader. more...

Cameras cut crime in town car parks

CRIME in Darlington town centre car parks has hit an all-time low, according to figures. more...

Street clean-up

CAR owners in Darlington will be asked to move their vehicles to allow street-cleaning to go ahead. more...

Exchange link is under threat after German students attacked

THREE German teenagers have been assaulted in a park during an exchange visit to Darlington. more...

Durham,East Durham News

Medal for service in Iraq War

A ROYAL Marine has been awarded a campaign medal for the part he played in the Iraq War. more...

Blood Service honours top N-E donors

LIFESAVING blood donors have been honoured. more...

An explosive introduction to science

SPARKS were flying as a group of school pupils became among the first to take part in an inspirational science club. more...

City's history in slide show

A PHOTOGRAPHIC history of the past 50 years of life in Durham City will be exposed to library-goers next weekend. more...

Staff promotions at Millburngate

THREE workers at a shopping centre are celebrating after winning promotion on the same day as part of an overhaul of staffing. more...

Don't duck the deadline for grants

A STUDENTS' charity is warning that the deadline is approaching for applications for grants this year. more...

East Cleveland News

Chance to quiz tax man

BUSINESSES in the Tees Valley will have the chance to quiz the tax man during a series of seminars being organised this month. more...

73-year-old woman held by raiders

A PENSIONER held captive as two men raided her home managed to escape into the street to scream for help. more...

Club presented with two athletics awards

TEESSIDE Athletics Club picked up two awards at the UK Regional Awards in Gateshead this week. more...

Pair face jail over death of Demi, two

TWO men face lengthy jail sentences after admitting causing the death of a child by their dangerous driving. more...

Northallerton,Richmond,Hawes News

Hotel staff celebrate two awards

A HOTEL has brought back two awards from the Meetings and Incentive Travel awards in London. more...

Exhibit seeking wartime memories

A TOURING exhibition of wartime memorabilia is being put together by the North Yorkshire Records Office. more...

Bylaw to ban golf in parks is under study

GOLFERS putting the public at risk with flying golf balls in parks and recreation grounds will soon be banned from their training sessions by a new bylaw. more...

Rachel thrilled to be in national hairdressing challenge

TRAINEE hairdresser Rachel Butterworth is hoping to cut it with the best in the country. more...

Funding secured for £5.6m sheltered housing project

FUNDING has been secured for a £5.6m scheme to build sheltered housing for elderly people. more...

Anger at rejection of funds for bypass

HOPES for a village bypass have been dealt a severe blow after 40 years of campaigning. more...

Sports area transforms boggy field

A ONCE-boggy playing field has been transformed into a dry, safe and clean sports area, boosting PE facilities for local children. more...

Charity cash blossoms at centres

GARDEN centre staff dug deep to raise £10,000 for Yorkshire Air Ambulance. more...

Square closed

Commercial Square, in Leyburn, will be closed from Monday for five days for a water main to be renewed. more...

Invitation to try library's new services

THE public is being urged to inspect the new services at a refurbished library. more...

Teesside News

Pensioners in line for windfall

PENSIONERS are in line for a cash windfall after it was discovered that benefits they were entitled to were going unclaimed. more...

A new lease of life for cardiac patients

A SERVICE that has helped hundreds of cardiac patients to overcome their fear of heart problems and has given them back a quality of life is celebrating its tenth anniversary. more...

Bootlegger who sold DVDs at car boot sales escapes jail

A ROGUE trader who made thousands of pounds by selling pirated versions of blockbuster films at car boot sales has escaped a jail sentence. more...

Youngsters given a new lease of life

YOUNG victims of the fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear accident are visiting the region as part of an exchange visit. more...

Saying thanks to volunteers

VOLUNTEERS from ethnic minorities received recognition for their contribution to community development at an event last night. more...

Goodbye mall, I'm going racing

SHOPPING centre manager David Ward has vowed not to slow down, despite taking early retirement. more...

Redesign by parents

PARENTS have been kept busy working on a project that celebrates life in their community. more...

The North East Business

North has lowest paid workers

PRIME Minister Tony Blair's Sedgefield constituency includes some of the lowest-paid workers in the UK, a survey published today shows. more...

'Nissan production cuts will not mean job losses'

INTENSE competition may force Nissan to cut production of the Micra at its Sunderland plant. more...

Is lender paying price for sackings?

A BANK that sacked nearly 1,000 North-East call centre workers last year has seen a dramatic fall in profits. more...

The North East Entertainment

Joker in the pack

After three decades spent reporting on war and politics and as the face of serious news, John Sergeant is letting his lighter side shine through by returning to his first love - showbiz. more...

Andrew's first film promotes service

AN aspiring film-maker has become the star of a new video aimed at encouraging more people to become volunteers. more...

Celebration of cinema's anniversary

VOLUNTEERS are celebrating the tenth birthday of the cinema they rescued from closure. more...

Play puts focus on violence against women

STUDENTS are staging their own version of the play The Vagina Monologues as part of a campaign to raise awareness of violence against women. more...

Young dancers head for West End

TALENTED youngsters will fulfil their dancing dreams when they perform in the West End. more...

School band records another success

A SCHOOL band recorded another success in a top music festival. more...

Music talent comes under the spotlight

THE Northern Echo's music website, Revolution, will showcase three of the region's best up-and-coming bands in Darlington on Thursday. more...

Robson Green shoots harrowing domestic abuse drama for BBC

ROBSON GREEN'S TV production company, Coastal Productions, is to screen its first BBC commission -a harrowing one-off drama dealing with domestic abuse. more...

The wench with the wrench whose dad made her mad

What Katy did next was hit her father with a wrench in the garage. more...

Getting animated

WHY do you watch things like this? You only let them upset you," said my animated other half at the weekend. more...

British actor Simon Shepherd tells Viv Hardwick about the thrill of pacing the red carpet at the Oscars. Sadly, it wasn't him who'd been nominated, though he's a talent on stage and behind the scenes. more...

Rail treasures inspire floral designs

SOME of the nation's greatest rail treasures are providing the theme for a floral display at a North-East museum. more...

The North East Features

If you go into the woods today...

Robin Hood has been a favourite in our house ever since Buzz Lightyear fell, admittedly with style, from grace. The man in green, who robbed from the rich to give to the poor, has inspired all sorts of shenanigans from our four-year-old son Jack. more...

05/03/05

TONY BLAIR: TONY Blair will go down in history as one of our greater prime ministers. more...

The gentle touch

As Bishop Auckland Labour Party meets to choose a successor to Derek Foster MP from an all-woman shortlist, Chris Lloyd looks at the history of women MPs in the North-East. more...

For Your Benefit: Do we qualify for any help?

Q I am 62, with fortnightly Incapacity Benefit of £148.30 and Disability Living Allowance for mobility. My wife, 61, has a State Pension of £71.16 a week and a four-weekly works pension of £137.94. We have £16,000 savings. Can we get help with our rent of £58.97 and council tax of £22.31 a week? more...

Joker in the pack

'MY goodness," says John Sergeant in a voice familiar from three decades reporting the news on the BBC and ITN, "who could have believed the Queen would refuse to go to the wedding of her son?" more...

Comment fromn The Northern Echo: Good health starts at school

AS the political in-fighting continues in the Battle of Margaret's Shoulder, the future of the National Health Service has been thrust to the top of the election agenda. more...

At Your Service: There's no time to spit after the Polish

A bit late in the day to be egalitarian, the column finds itself a token male at the Women's World Day of Prayer. more...

The North East News

Cannabis gran Patricia to stand for Parliament

A CANNABIS-COOKING grandmother is hoping to become an MP for a party campaigning to legalise the drug. more...

Small firm rocked by theft of crane

POLICE are looking for thieves who stole a three-tonne crane from a haulage depot. more...

Gulf in spending on pupils' dinners

NORTH education bosses are spending vastly different amounts on ingredients for primary school dinners, it has emerged. more...

Road to recovery from the legacy of sickness

THE number of job seekers in east Durham is down to 2.2 per cent - a far cry from the time in 1986 when unemployment peaked at over 18 per cent. more...

Parrot breeder's five-year legal fight continues

A PARROT breeder's five-year legal battle with Customs and Excise continued in court yesterday. more...

Psychiatric unit to be closed at end of month

PATIENTS will cease to be admitted to a North-East psychiatric ward after controversial plans were given the go-ahead. more...

Drugs dealer caught in act by undercover officers

A DRUGS dealer was arrested by undercover police who saw a cocaine deal taking place on a garage forecourt. more...

Man spared jail for attacking his wheelchair-bound fiancee

A MAN who assaulted his wheelchair-bound fiancee was spared jail yesterday because they are now married. more...

Chase death inquest opens

THE inquest into the death of a teenager following a high-speed police chase has been opened. more...

Firework blaze boy is facing custody

A 16-YEAR-OLD boy who pushed a firework through a letterbox was yesterday warned that he should expect a custodial sentence. more...

Missing handbag 'vital clue to death'

A MISSING bag could hold the vital clue to explaining the death of an auxiliary nurse whose body was found on frozen playing fields only yards from her home. more...

The freedom of the city

A PRO-DEMOCRACY activist who spent more than a year in a Burmese prison returned to the North-East yesterday to help his friend's campaign to stand for Parliament. more...

Jailed wife fails in appeal over murder of husband

A WOMAN jailed along with her nephew for the murder of her husband, who was beaten to death while walking his dog, have failed to clear their names. more...

Detectives build picture of Shelley's final movements

THREE days after her body was found face-down on snow-covered playing fields, the last hours in the life of Shelley Whitfield remain shrouded in mystery. more...

20 years on, the road to recovery

After the miners' strike 20 years ago, the death of the mining industry left thousands out of work in east Durham. While many organisations have fought hard to attract new jobs, the industries that have sprung up bring their own problems. Deputy Dusiness Editor Dan Jenkins reports. more...

Quakers' old owners wound up

THE company that owned Darlington Football Club before it was taken over by the Sterling Consortium is being wound up. more...

Genetic testing offered to heart risk families

FAMILIES at risk from a rare form of heart failure will be offered free genetic tests to pinpoint the threat, the Government announced yesterday. more...

Comment fromn The Northern Echo: Good health starts at school

AS the political in-fighting continues in the Battle of Margaret's Shoulder, the future of the National Health Service has been thrust to the top of the election agenda. more...

US report will condemn 'ghost ship' agreement

A ROW over sending obsolete US navy support ships to be broken up in Britain, has taken a new twist. more...

Bitterness lives on for battling colliery wives

A LITTLE over two decades ago, Easington Colliery was a thriving coastal mining community. more...

Schoolboy dies of meningitis

HEALTH bosses have moved to allay fears after a ten-year-old boy died suddenly from a rare form of meningitis. more...

Grandad jailed for child porn collection

A MAN jailed yesterday for downloading child pornography from the Internet told the court he had been sexually abused as a child. more...

Newest residents give marine centre staff claws for thought

A GROUP of giant crabs were putting their claws up yesterday after a long journey from Japan to their new home in a sea life centre. more...

The North East Sport

Faye is relishing the fight for first team places

AMDY FAYE is relishing the prospect of competing with six times Premiership winner Nicky Butt for the right to act as the anchor man at Newcastle United. more...

Magpies are warned to expect Reds backlash

NEWCASTLE UNITED have been warned about the prospect of a Liverpool backlash this afternoon as the Reds, inspired by a wounded Steven Gerrard, try to forget about their Carling Cup misery at St James' Park. more...

Mac's in hunt for trophies

DURING Terry McDermott's days at Liverpool he knew exactly what it was like to win silverware. more...

Wade expects Devil of a run

SCOTTISH Borders National candidate, Devil's Run, is anything but a stalking horse in the four-mile Kelso marathon. more...

Headache for Hodgson as Liddle joins hit-list

DARLINGTON manager David Hodgson has spent the week scouring the transfer market in a bid to strengthen a forward-line ravaged by suspension and injury. more...

Fans preparing to party as Black Cats go top

POP star Prince famously urged music fans to "party like it's 1999" during his heyday and, last night, Sunderland's supporters followed his every word. more...

Hand Inn Hand to leave it late

WITH a plethora of front-runners engaged in Newbury's £100,000 Vodafone Gold Cup, the logical betting ploy is to stick with a hold-up horse, such as Hand Inn Hand (3.15). more...

Hopes are high for Richmond

HOPES are high that tomorrow's re-scheduled final North Yorkshire and South Durham Harrier League fixture at Richmond will receive the all-clear, enabling various team and individual championships to be decided. more...

Snowball gathering pace in bid to lead Darlington's youthful revolution

RICHARD Snowball will lead out Darlington at home to Dudley Kingswinford today determined that the club he has grown up with will go on to prosper in national league rugby. more...

McClaren unhappy with 'unfair' FA Cup changes

STEVE McCLAREN believes the Football Association's decision to scrap FA Cup fifth and sixth-round replays is "unfair". more...

Sunday is not best for Moors

Spennymoor have lodged a complaint to the UniBond League about having to play at Witton Albion tomorrow - and one of their players is refusing to turn out. more...

Fans prepare to party as Sunderland go top

POP star Prince famously urged music fans to "party like it's 1999" during his heyday and, last night, Sunderland's supporters followed his every word. more...

Riggott keen to have influence at both ends

CHRIS Riggott might think John Terry is the best defender in the Premiership, but the Middlesbrough centre-half is desperate to emulate the Chelsea's captain's attacking play. more...

Time to press the Button

JENSON Button says he intends to look down on seven-time world champi on Michael Schumacher from the top of the podium this season. more...

Magpies are warned to expect Reds backlash

McClaren unhappy with 'unfair' FA Cup changes

STEVE McCLAREN believes the Football Association's decision to scrap FA Cup fifth and sixth-round replays is "unfair". more...

McCarthy turns up the heat on promotion rivals

A BULLISH Mick McCarthy last night told Sunderland's promotion rivals: "Let's see how you like handling the heat". more...

Allon happy that Boyd is threat to his record

AFTER joining an exclusive club by bagging 20 goals this season, Adam Boyd still has some way to go to make the record books. more...

Hunter edges ever closer to European fight

HARTLEPOOL'S British champion Michael Hunter last night moved a step closer to his dream European title fight after a clinical defence of his belt last night. more...

Tyneside News

Police appeal to trace missing man

POLICE are becoming concerned for the welfare of a man missing from Forest Hall, North Tyneside, since February 26. more...

Five arrested

Five people were arrested following raids in the Old Fold area of Gateshead yesterday afternoon. more...

Pubs caught out in drink operation

UNDERCOVER checks will be carried out on the region's pubs and clubs to ensure they do not flout laws on underage drinking. more...

Forty off school for snowball fight

FORTY children have been suspended from school for two days after a snowball fight. more...

Wearside News

Girls carried out attack on stranger

TWO teenage girls who attacked a stranger in a street with a knife and a broken bottle were jailed yesterday. more...

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