Stories for 28 August 2006

The Northern Echo News

Feeling flush? It's cash in the pan

A NORTH-EAST college is feeling flush after selling its old toilets and a stainless steel urinal.Darlington College has sold everything from tables and radiators to door hinges - and even the kitchen sink - as part of its move to a new £35m building on the other side of town.Businesses, salvage companies and homeowners have descended on the college's old Cleveland Avenue site, before it is demolished to make way for homes.One of its customers was Alison Hird, who suggested that her parents, who run the Foresters Arms in nearby Coatham Mundeville, go for a browse.They ended up buying a lot more than they bargained for, including a stainless steel urinal, three toilet cubicles and a kitchen sink.Ms Hird said: "We bought tables, chairs, kitchen items and a fridge freezer."We didn't go intending to buy the toilets, but they had only been put in three or four months ago and were virtually brand new."We are only a small business and a kitchen sink for a pub can cost £1,000 - we got ours for £15."One of the biggest hits was oak panelling. Memorabilia, including brass plaques and glass trophies, was also popular.Learning advisor Lorraine Shirley, who has worked at the college for 30 years, and is rapidly becoming its number-one saleswoman, said: "It is amazing to hear that there is a market for some of the stuff."Apparently, the old metal filing cabinets are a big hit in eastern Europe and the wooden drawers on wheels we could have sold a hundred times over."Maintenance shift leader Tom Blackburn said he had been surprised by the response as the word had spread about the site.He said: "To us, a lot of the stuff is just general rubbish. But one man's rubbish is another man's gold."Some of the equipment will have to be bought from the new owner of the site - house builder Charles Church - because it is too large to fit through the door.Mrs Shirley said: "We have met some lovely people and it's been really enjoyable watching them ferret around."In some ways, it has been quite sad to see the old place go - but the new college is fantastic."  more...

Paramedics in fight to save man after roller-coaster ride

DOZENS of holidaymakers watched in horror as paramedics fought to save a man who collapsed near a theme park white-knuckle ride.The 42-year-old is believed to have ridden on the Velocity roller-coaster, at Flamingo Land, near Malton, North Yorkshire, minutes before he collapsed in front of dozens of families enjoying a bank holiday break on Saturday.He was flown by air ambulance to Scarborough Hospital for treatment.The ride was closed following the incident, but no one from Flamingo Land was last night available to say whether it had since reopened or to give details of the emergency.A spokesman for Yorkshire Ambulance Service said a 999 call was received at 5.15pm and the air ambulance was summoned.The man, who has not been named, was said to be "rallying" on arrival at hospital but his condition was unknown last night.A female visitor to the theme park, who did not want to be named, saw paramedics pumping the chest of the man, who was lying on the ground near the ride."I saw lots of people gathering round looking towards the platform where people queue for the ride, and a woman was totally distraught," she said."Two men were leading her away, and at first I thought she was in trouble. Then I saw a man lying on the ground and I could see the paramedics giving him CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and pumping his chest."Someone brought some water for the man and the ride was closed. He seemed to have collapsed while he was on the ride or as he got off."The ride was still closed when we left about half an hour later."Velocity, the UK's only motorbike-style roller-coaster, was opened in July last year and features pairs of motorcycles, to which passengers are strapped by the legs and back.They are launched at high speed along a straight track and then through twists and turns - at one point looping upside down.White-knuckle rides were the subject of a study published by the American Heart Association last November.Experts advised people with weak hearts to avoid roller-coasters because the thrill could spark irregular beats and put them at risk of a heart attack.Visitors to theme parks are warned of the dangers, and anyone with a diagnosed heart problem is not allowed to ride on roller-coasters.Flamingo Land, which attracts 1.4 million visitors a year, was last week named the country's fourth most popular visitor attraction.  more...

Welcome for new killer bug injection

CHARITY campaigners last night welcomed news that babies are to be routinely vaccinated against the killer bug meningitis from next month.North-East families whose loved ones have fought the illness also welcomed the move - which has been delayed six years because it is so expensive.But campaigners against the controversial combined MMR vaccine have said they are worried about potential adverse side effects of the new jab.The new pneumococcal jab aims to prevent illnesses such as meningitis, septicaemia, pneumonia and blood poisoning, and will be given to children when they are two months, four months and 13 months old.The vaccine was introduced in the US six years ago, but delayed in the UK because - at £34.50 a jab - it costs more than all the other childhood vaccines put together.There are fears that the jab could cause adverse side effects, but the Meningitis Research Foundation has said that, in America, cases of severe pneumococcal disease caused by the seven strains targeted by the jab had dropped by 94 per cent in children under five.Last night, Tammy Wheeldon from Crook, County Durham, whose son Lyndon Longhorne lost both his legs and an arm to meningitis as a baby, said: "It is ten years since Lyndon became ill, and this is about time the vaccination was introduced because it will save lives."It will help to put parents' minds at rest, because this illness is still out there."It doesn't matter how much it costs if it is going to save lives and stop the kind of distress that we have been through - it is worth every penny."Her views were echoed by Jayne Pickard, from Thornaby, Teesside, who lost her five-year-old daughter, Laura, to meningitis five years ago.Mrs Pickard and her husband, Neil, have raised thousands of pounds for Meningitis UK since Laura's death, and earlier this year backed a campaign to raise awareness.She said: "I think this is absolutely brilliant. It will never take that worry away from you, but if it helps to prevent meningitis then it is a good thing."Pneumococcal meningitis is the most life-threatening form of meningitis and septicaemia, with the highest death rate.However, Jackie Fletcher, founder of charity Jabs, said she had forwarded questions about the new jab to the chief medical officer four months ago, but had not had a reply.She said: "We want to know what trials have been conducted. It is the combination of vaccinations that will be given together that worries us."In America, there have been thousands of reports of an adverse reaction. Children have suffered seizures and neurological problems."Those who survive meningitis can be left with permanent disabilities such as brain damage, deafness, and cerebral palsy.Charities said the jab would save lives and spare at least 100 children from the devastating after-effects of the disease.Philip Kirby, chief executive of the Meningitis Trust, said: "Vaccination is the only way to prevent meningitis and we welcome these changes as it will help save lives."This vaccine will help save lives and will significantly reduce the burden of the disease."Children under two, who have already started their vaccinations will also be eligible for the jab.Parents will be contacted by their local GP to make an appointment for the jabs. Further information is available online at www.immunisation.nhs.uk  more...

Shows prove big attraction over bank holiday weekend

CROWDS took advantage of the good bank holiday weather to visit agricultural shows throughout the region.Jousting knights entertained visitors at the 92nd Wensleydale Show, in North Yorkshire.Organisers estimated more than 8,000 people attended the event, at Leyburn, on Saturday.The Knights of Middle England jousting team was the big attraction in the main ring.Firefighters from Leyburn demonstrated how they rescued trapped motorists from a crashed car.Music was provided by Richmond Pipes and Drums and Leyburn Band.Other attractions included classic cars, a display by Bedale Hunt and more than 100 trade stands and stalls.Gerald Hodgson, show committee spokesman, said: "We are thrilled that we had 181 cattle entries, which is phenomenal for a small show, and 530 sheep entries."The day finished with the traditional terrier racing and in the evening, hundreds attended a dance in the main marquee, with music provided by Redmire-based Stone Deaf.Meanwhile, all the fun of the fair came to the Great Aycliffe Show, in County Durham, on Saturday and yesterday.The event, organised by Great Aycliffe Town Council, attracted hundreds of people to the showfield at Oakleaf Golf Complex, in Newton Aycliffe. Marquees hosted handicrafts and horticulture exhibitions and competitions. Other highlights included car and motocross stunt displays, and a Punch and Judy show.There were also golf and football competitions, go-kart rides for youngsters and a display of sports cars.As well as fun, there was a serious message as crews from Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service showed spectators how they deal with road accidents.They used specialist equipment to release a casualty from a staged accident, while eight teams from the stations across the county competed during the two days in an inter-service competition to see who could do so in the fastest time.Farming neighbours Mick and Barbara Coulthard and Bill Wearmouth swept the board in the beef cattle and sheep classes at the Weardale Agriculutural Society show at St John's Chapel at the weekend.The Coulthards, who farm at Bridge End, Westgate, County Durham, won both beef calves classes and the King's Arms Perpetual Trophy for the best calf in show.Mr Wearmouth, of Rosehill, Eastgate, won four classes with his Blue-faced Leicesters and the L Coulthard Memorial Trophy.Although livestock entries were down on previous year, show chairman Ian Scholes said he was delighted at the turn-out at what was essentially a traditional show.A major success at the show was the photography section, where entries were up to 416 - an increase of nearly 50 on last year.Children's classes proved particularly popular with new trophies up for grabs  more...

Brave Rosie returns home

A YOUNGSTER left fighting for her life when she suffered horrific injuries in the Dreamspace accident has finally returned home - to the delight of her parents.Three-year-old Rosie Wright was back at her home in Langley Park, County Durham, four weeks after the accident at Riverside Park, Chester-le-Street. Her mother's house was yesterday festooned with cards from well-wishers, teddies and large welcome home banners to herald her first day back. Rosie had been transferred from Newcastle General Hospital to the children's ward at the University of North Durham in Durham City, three weeks after the tragedy. Her parents, Lee and Penny, had been making a daily 40-mile round trip to be at their daughter's side. She returned home to her mother and brother Jack, five, on Friday night. Rosie suffered horrendous injuries in the accident on July 23, when the inflatable sculpture slipped its moorings and took to the air with about 30 people inside.She was thrown from the artwork then crushed by a falling metal fan, which left her with injuries that included a punctured lung, internal bleeding, a lacerated liver and a forehead wound, as well as a broken back, legs, ankle, collarbone and ribs.Anaesthetist Dr Peter Evans has been credited with saving her life by stabilising her condition before she was flown to Newcastle General Hospital. Rosie's older brother escaped without injury after a stranger pulled him clear of the artwork as it began to lift. Mrs Wright, 38, who was also badly injured, had been told by doctors to expect the worse as Rosie was initially kept in an induced coma. Rosie regained consciousness after four days.Grandmother Anne Collings, 69, of Seaham, east Durham, and Claire Furmedge, a 38-year-old radiographer and mother-of-two, from Chester-le-Street, both died in the accident. The artwork had been created by Maurice Agis - the fifth inflatable sculpture he had created in the past ten years.A police and Health and Safety Executive inquiry into the tragedy is ongoing.  more...

'Children safe' after mother taken ill

FOUR children were left in a tent more than 90 miles from home when their mother was taken seriously ill, an uncle has claimed.Steve Drury, from Wallsend, North Tyneside, said his nephews and nieces, aged three to 14, were left with a stranger at a campsite near Scarborough.But the site manager said last night the youngsters were cared for by a camper, whose own children had played with them earlier in the day.Jannine McCloude had just arrived at the Crow's Nest site, at Gristhorpe, on Friday when she fell ill and was taken to Scarborough Hospital for emergency surgery on a perforated ulcer.Her children, aged three and five, and her sister's children, aged 11 and 14, were distressed. Mr Drury said the police or social services should have been called."The children were left on the campsite with a member of the public, who they did not know," he said.They had no money and no mobile phone credit and were able to return home to Tyneside only when the mother of the two older children rang to see how the holiday was going. By the time she drove to Scarborough and found the campsite, it was dark.The campsite manager, who did not want to give his name, denied the children had not been cared for. "The neighbours in the next tent volunteered to look after the children," he said. "Their children were actually playing with the four children and it was a very neighbourly act."There was never a moment when the youngsters were unattended. "The neighbours fed and watered them and ensured they were okay."However, Mr Drury said: "In this day and age, when you read in the newspapers and see on TV the badness towards young children, how could the manager and the ambulance service not call the police?"Mrs McCloude is still seriously ill but likely to be transferred to hospital in Newcastle later this week, he added  more...

Mum's safety message after boy hurt while riding bike

A MOTHER last night described her horror at discovering her four-year-old son had been knocked over by a car.And she spoke of the importance of wearing a helmet after the boy suffered a fractured skull in the collision. Cameron Garbutt, who also suffered a broken leg in the accident, was injured when he rode off the pavement into the path of a Honda car in The Oval, West Cornforth, County Durham, at noon on Friday. He was last night recovering in the University Hospital of North Durham, in Durham City.His mother, Catherine Reid, 23, who has spent the weekend at his bedside, said: "Cameron and his twin brother, Lennon-Christopher, both have motorcycle helmets, which I insist they wear at all times when they are on their bicycles. This time, Cameron had not put his helmet on. "It is a lesson for them to make sure they always have them on - and it is a hard lesson I have had."Ms Reid said: "I always watch them when they are outside, but their little sister clambered up the stairs and I went in to get her. "The next thing one of my neighbours, Davey Fairless, came and said he (Cameron) had been knocked over. "He had Cameron in his arms and took him into the passageway. I was in such a state of shock. "Another neighbour I only know as Sabrina helped me phone the ambulance and they managed to revive Cameron." Ms Reid added: "My ex-partner and Cameron's father, Christopher, want to say a big thank you to Davey and Sabrina for all their help." Ms Reid said Cameron had an operation on his leg on Friday and would have to have a skin graft tomorrow.The driver of the car, a local man, was said to be shocked, but unhurt. Inspector John Snowball, of Durham police, said the car driver was not to blame and had been unable to take any action to avoid Cameron.He said: "Had the boy been wearing a helmet, his injuries might not have been so serious. "This is the third serious accident we have dealt with this year involving a youngster on a bike who was not wearing a protective helmet. "We want parents to be fully aware that wearing a helmet can minimise injury and perhaps even save a child's life.  more...

Society appeals to horse owners

THE RSPCA were last night looking for to the owner of a foal found dead in a lay- by.The carcass was discovered under leaves just off the A617, near Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, yesterday morning.The shocking discovery of the male pony, which was brown with a white blaze on its chest and white areas on its right hind leg and left foreleg, was reported by a passer-by.RSPCA inspector Mark Gent, who was investigating yesterday, described the sight and smell as "horrible" and said he wanted to find out who was responsible.He said: "I believe it has been taken there by someone, who has covered it up with makeshift leaves and things. We think it's not been there very long."It is an offence to dump an animal like that, and it is also a health and safety issue."There are knackermen out there who can dispose of them properly, but I am assuming someone couldn't be bothered and thought they would just drag it with some garden rubbish and save some money."We are appealing for any information regarding the horse. We would like to speak to the owner to find out what the situation is."Mr Gent hopes to establish how the horse died, as well as what led to it being left to rot on the road. The discovery came only days after a dead foal was dumped on a farmer's land in nearby Tudhoe Village.The hours-old foal was left in one of Mark Anderson's fields and was seen by several visitors.He had to pay for a licensed slaughterman to collect the animal. Mr Gent said that it was important that people realised that dumping dead horses and other animals was illegal."I would not say it is really common, but I just think it is horrible. "You should not have to do it and it is an offence which people can be prosecuted for."Anybody with information on the dead horse is asked to contact the RSPCA on 08705 555999.  more...

County Durham woman tells of holiday resort explosions

TEN Britons were injured last night in three explosions at the holiday resort of Marmaris in Turkey, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said.A fourth blast was reported to have gone off in Istanbul.Among the witnesses to the Marmaris blasts was a holidaymaker from County Durham.The Foreign Office spokeswoman said she did not know how many people had been injured in total.She said: "There have been three explosions in the resort of Marmaris, Turkey, and ten British nationals have been injured and are in hospital."We have consular staff on the ground."We have no further details in terms of the cause of the explosions or the location."Asked if the ten injured Britons were holidaymakers, she added: "I think that would be the assumption because it is a holiday resort but I would imagine there would be British nationals living in the area as well."Jill Thornton, of Consett, County Durham, said her son, Daniel, 19, had witnessed the aftermath of one of the explosions.She said Daniel told her that at least one explosion took place on a bus in a busy area in the centre of Marmaris.Daniel, who was walking with his girlfriend, Laura Stalker, 17, said he saw a shocking scene earlier in the evening.She said that he told her of reports that a second explosion had taken place on a bus travelling to the nearby fishing village of Icmeler.Mrs Thornton said: "He has seen one of the buses which has blown up, but he had heard that there were three altogether."He is only 19 and his girlfriend is only 17. I am panicking. His girlfriend was very upset. Her parents are out there too."Witnesses in Marmaris said that at least one of the explosions appeared to be on dolmuses - small vans that act as short-range buses in Turkey.One of the explosions was described as being near a fast-food restaurant and another near an airline office.One caller from Marmaris, Danielle Pearson, told Sky News she believed at least one of the explosions happened on a bus.She said: "We've seen the remains of what was left. There were ambulances and police cars going everywhere."The area had been busy, she said  more...

Fight to save man in park drama

DOZENS of holidaymakers watched in horror as paramedics fought to save a man who collapsed near a theme park white-knuckle ride.The 42-year-old is believed to have ridden on the Velocity roller-coaster, at Flamingo Land, near Malton, North Yorkshire, minutes before he collapsed in front of dozens of families enjoying a bank holiday break on Saturday.He was flown by air ambulance to Scarborough Hospital for treatment.The ride was closed following the incident, but no one from Flamingo Land was last night available to say whether it had since reopened or to give details of the emergency.A spokesman for Yorkshire Ambulance Service said a 999 call was received at 5.15pm and the air ambulance was summoned.The man, who has not been named, was said to be "rallying" on arrival at hospital but his condition was unknown last night.A female visitor to the theme park, who did not want to be named, saw paramedics pumping the chest of the man, who was lying on the ground near the ride."I saw lots of people gathering round, looking towards the platform where people queue for the ride, and a woman was totally distraught," she said."Two men were leading her away, and at first I thought she was in trouble. "Then I saw a man lying on the ground and I could see the paramedics giving him CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and pumping his chest."Someone brought some water for the man and the ride was closed. "He seemed to have collapsed while he was on the ride or as he got off."The ride was still closed when we left about half an hour later."Velocity, the UK's only motorbike-style roller-coaster, was opened in July last year and features pairs of motorcycles, to which passengers are strapped by the legs and back.They are launched at high speed along a straight track and then through twists and turns - at one point looping upside down.White-knuckle rides were the subject of a study published by the American Heart Association last November.Experts advised people with weak hearts to avoid roller-coasters because the thrill could spark irregular beats and put them at risk of a heart attack.Visitors to theme parks are warned of the dangers, and anyone with a diagnosed heart problem is not allowed to ride on roller-coasters.Flamingo Land, which attracts 1.4 million visitors a year, was last week named the country's fourth most popular visitor attraction  more...

Teen murder suspect appears in court

A man appeared in court today charged with the murder of a 16-year-old.   more...

Murder investigation launched after woman's body discovered in house

A MURDER investigation has been launched after a woman was found dead in a house early today.   more...

Guns stolen from police vehicle

POLICE have launched a major investigation after a drink-driving suspect managed to steal two guns which had been left on display in the footwell of an armed response vehicle.   more...

Keane becomes Sunderland manager

AFTER days of speculation Roy Keane has officially become Sunderland's new manager.   more...

Hundreds in power station protest

HUNDREDS of climate campaigners have descended on a field by one of Britain's biggest power stations to demonstrates against the emissions they claim cause global warming.   more...