GRANT Leadbitter's first Sunderland goal ensured last week's defeat at Ipswich was merely a hiccup as the Roy Keane revolution got back on track at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. The midfielder's second half strike was just reward for the Wearsiders
Sheffield United 2 Middlesbrough 1 AIYEGBENI YAKUBU reminded Middlesbrough supporters of his potency in front of goal but that failed to prevent an alarming defeat at Premiership newcomers Sheffield United. The Nigerian, with his first since scoring
Hartlepool United 3 Wrexham 0 A hat-trick from in-form stirker Jon Daly secured a simple 3-0 home win for Hartlepool United over Wrexham. The big Irishman took his tally to seven in three games within seven days as Pools made it 12 goals and nine
A MAN has died following a road accident in the region. Kenneth Longhorne, 43, from Willington, County Durham, was freed from the cab of a lorry following a collision between two heavy goods vehicles on the A68 at Allensford Bank, Castleside in Consett
Darlington manager David Hodgson has been suspended by the club pending an internal inquiry. The club's board of directors held an emergency meeting today to discuss Hodgson's future. The meeting came just hours after his side drew 2-2 with Grimsby
THE future of Darlington manager David Hodgson is again up in the air - for the third time this season. Hodgson has been suspended for two weeks, while the club conducts an internal investigation into "a range of issues". Chairman George Haughton will
A Darlington church community has been saying a fond farewell to a much-loved - but controversial - pastor who is now 'moving on'. THERE was a scaffold down one side of Holy Trinity church in Darlington. That no one was hanging by the neck from it
Oliver Stone tells Steve Pratt how he drew on his military background in Vietnam to make controversial movie World Trade Center - and why he didn't just want to make a 'popcorn movie' out of 9/11. WILL Jimeno's initial reaction to his 9/11 experiences
WEDNESDAY was September 27. I coincidentally was in the Northgate area of Darlington, parked on double yellows, in a bit of a hurry... As I got into my car I glanced up, and realised I had never seen the building I was beside in such an appalling condition
TONY BLAIR: ACCORDING to your editorial (Echo, Sept 27) "Tony Blair made the Labour Party electable". In reality, the Conservative Party was so unpopular at the time of the 1997 General Election that a tramp from the street could have led Labour to
A STUDENT expelled from school as a teenager is heading back to the classroom as he sets his sights on a teaching career. By his own admission, Danny Largan was the kind of pupil who made teachers' hair turn white. He hated school, broke all the rules
LIBRARIES are inviting people to celebrate National Children's Book Week. Parents and carers are encouraged to take pre-school children to a series of book events at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's libraries. The events are: Tuesday - Under-five
RESIDENTS are being asked for their views on plans to make a suburban road safer. About 1,900 households in Nunthorpe are to receive a leaflet this weekend outlining Middlesbrough Council's proposals for action on Guisborough Road. Aimed at reducing the
POLICE who searched a family home discovered £12,500 worth of cocaine as well as a stun gun and a pistol, a court heard. Householder and father-of-three Andrew Usher was yesterday jailed for three-and-a-half years after a court heard he was forced into
51NISSAN is scaling down production of its convertible Micra model only a year after it was launched. The number of Micra C+C cars being manufactured at Nissan's factory in Washington, Wearside, has halved on average in recent months. Nissan said market
ELECTRONICS firm Filtronic last night dismissed reports it was planning to sell its North-East foundry. West Yorkshire-based Filtronic, which employs about 450 people at the plant in Newton Aycliffe, said it continued to invest in the factory and had
A SERIES of activities and displays feature at a school's open day today, from 10am to 1pm. Teesside Prep and High School, in Eaglescliffe, is inviting current and prospective parents, families and friends for a taste of a day in the life of a school.
SURVEYOR Michael Westgarth-Taylor has sold his business to go into semi-retirement. After 44 years in the property profession, he has sold Sanderson Taylor Partnership, his Stokesley, North Yorkshire-based chartered surveyor and estate agency business
FARMERS Ann and David Kiely have put the nightmare of foot-and-mouth disease behind them by generating fresh income through a creative £170,000 project. The couple, from Upper Wensleydale, have overhauled two turbines in the 250-year-old Yore Mill, near
TRIBUTES have been paid to a senior clergyman who has lost his battle with cancer. The Reverend Canon Nick Jones, vicar of St Michael's Church in Malton and former rural dean of southern Ryedale, died on Sunday aged 55. He was diagnosed with terminal
STAFF at a stately home hope that curiosity has not killed a cat who is a favourite with visitors. Charlie, a black-and-white moggy, has not been seen at Kiplin Hall, Scorton, near Richmond, for more than a week, and it is feared he could have sneaked
YOUNGSTERS have turned back time to learn about life during the Second World War. Malton School pupils, with help from Ryedale Folk Museum, made Ryedale - This Countryside At War. "The film is a fabulous glimpse into just what life was like for people
ON the back of two spectacular victories and amid a settled run in the side, Hartlepool United's John Brackstone is enjoying the time of his footballing life. The left-back gave the most composed performance of his fledging career at Grimsby on Tuesday
SCHOOL pupils immersed themselves in the arts for a day for their chosen charity, Water Aid. More than 250 children from Richmond Lower School took part in drama, dance, arts, technology and science workshops before presenting a one-hour spectacular,
A JOCKEY is braving ghouls to boost the coffers of a charity. The Thirsk and Sowerby Community Care Association is hosting a Halloween Ball next month. Flat jockey Dale Gibson is the guest speaker at the Thirsk Racecourse event. The black-tie event is
QUIZ buffs are putting their knowledge to the test as part of the Houghton Feast celebration. The popular quiz is being staged with a series of heats at venues around Houghton-le-Spring and surrounding villages. The next heats are at the Sun Inn, Newbottle
PUB customers were left diving for cover after a football supporter smashed a beer glass against the wall, a court heard. Mark Ward, 30, of St Mary's Court, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to damaging a picture at The Turf public house in Richmond, and
RUNNERS in tomorrow's race have been given medical advice by a group of doctors and race organisers. Those taking part tomorrow have been warned that anyone with a family history of heart disease or sudden death. or who has had symptoms of heart disease
BEDALE Brass Band has received a £2,370 boost in its drive to improve its public image and recruit members. The grant was made by the Hambleton area committee of North Yorkshire County Council, to help the band raise £9,490 to replace existing uniforms
UNUSUAL challenges were the lesson of the day for youngsters studying at a new school this week. Pupils from Handale Primary School, in Loftus, were challenged to learn something new to celebrate their surroundings. The east Cleveland primary school has
RECORD numbers of people applied to take part in this year's Great North Run. About 80,000 people applied for the 50,000 available places in the 26th annual race tomorrow. Organisers Nova said the latest race will be the safest and best-organised yet
PRISON inmates and supermarket staff have have been hailed as blooming marvellous after helping a primary school create a garden. Members of the HMP Kirklevington Grange task force spent a week in the summer working on clearing the garden area at Bader
A scout troop has been saved from closure, along with Cubs, Guides and Brownies, thanks to workmen who traced a leak. Scout leaders realised something was wrong when the quarterly water bill rose from £30 to £183 at their premises in Gainford, near
HOUSING SCHEME: AS a resident of Howden-le-Wear I have been to three public meetings concerning the proposed housing development in the village by builders George Wimpey (there have been people from the firm at two of these meetings). The overwhelming
YOUNGSTERS cooked up a feast on Thursday when they took part in a cookery competition. Pupils from Wolsingham School and Community College put their skills to the test in On Your Marks... Get Set, Cook. The event was organised by school catering company
TEACHERS were ordered to stand and deliver as masked highwaymen burst in on their lessons. Thankfully, the outlaws were pupils from St John's RC Comprehensive School, in Bishop Auckland, and were more used to libraries than highways, and staff were able
A JOKER who claimed he was "the funniest man in Crook" was attacked and suffered a broken nose following the remark. Ryan Davey made the comment to Mark Moore while both men were in Crook town centre on the evening of June 6, Bishop Auckland Magistrates
PEOPLE protesting against new homes are demanding council support for a David and Goliath battle with one of Britain's biggest house builders. Residents of Howden-le-Wear are fighting proposals by George Wimpey Homes for 56 houses on an allotment site
A COUNCIL leader has said that 75 per cent of people are still against Tesco's town centre plan. Last week - after it was revealed that the majority of residents were against the store - Councillor John Williams said: "Based on the responses we have
A BROTHER and sister will help a paralysed friend around the Great North Run course tomorrow. Nick and Serena Schellenberg, from Richmond, North Yorkshire, will join a team of six pushing Bill Shand Kydd along the 13-mile route. Mr Shand Kydd -whose
STRICTLY Dance Fever champion Darrien Wright is making it his mission to get the younger generation of his hometown of Darlington dancing. Darrien, 21, said he wants to give something back to the community he grew up in, after realising his lifelong dream
MOTHERS and babies are being invited to a group in Darlington that promotes the benefits of breastfeeding. The sessions take place every Friday, from 10am until noon, at Mount Pleasant Children's Centre, in the Branksome area of town. New and pregnant
POVERTY will be tackled at the launch of a coalition involving all areas of the community. Backed by a local MP, Thrive aims to eradicate problems leading to deprivation. Research has been carried out over the past 18 months by Church Action on Poverty
DARLINGTON Borough Council says a block of flats are "increasingly difficult to let" - even though they had stopped people moving in for more than a year. The council plans to demolish Linden Court, a sheltered accommodation scheme in Hurworth. In a letter
A ROUTINE visit to give blood turned into a lifesaver for runner Alan Oliver, who is raising money for research into leukaemia in the Great North Run. Alan, 53, who is a probate executive at Blackett Hart & Pratt Solicitors in Durham City, has donated
THE leader of Darlington's Conservatives has insisted the Labour cabinet should resign over the Pedestrian Heart project. At a dramatic council meeting on Thursday night, Tony Richmond said the resignation of the nine cabinet members - including leader
PREPARATIONS are under way for a poignant annual event to raise money for a hospice. The Light Up A Life service is to be held at Durham Cathedral on Sunday, November 12, when the lives of loved ones will be remembered at a simple ceremony. Organisers
IF Roy Keane thought losing was bad enough as a player, the former Republic of Ireland international has quickly found out that it is far harder to stomach as a manager. But while the Sunderland boss has admitted he has found it impossible to switch off
A YOUNG singing sensation has praised a school for its music facilities after using a grand piano to play a mini concert. Peter Grant has had a top ten album and is on tour, despite being only 18. The performer, from Yorkshire, who has been described
WHILE Roy Keane has revealed that a number of Sunderland players have already played themselves out of his plans, Jon Stead is desperately hoping for an opportunity to lay his first-team ambitions on the line. A substitute in last month's 2-0 win over
THE Government yesterday defended moves to stamp out age discrimination in the workplace after employers complained they were confusing - as the new laws come into force. Research among 150 organisations employing almost half a million workers revealed
A SCHOOL has entered a new era after receiving specialist sports status. Risedale Sports and Community College, in Hipswell, near Catterick Garrison, officially launched the designation yesterday. Headteacher Tadeusz Zaranko said: "It's a new era for
DISTRICT councillors have agreed that their local authority should improve its relationship with the county council. Members of Richmondshire District Council have endorsed plans for more co-operation with North Yorkshire County Council. The plans have
NIGEL Harman has his shirt off within ten minutes of his first TV drama since leaving EastEnders. To be strictly accurate, seven minutes - for which information I'm indebted to the Radio Times which, like the rest of us, knew that this is what people
TRANSPORT chiefs have revived a bus service that was axed by its commercial operator. The 141 service has been secured by Nexus on a short-term contract and will now operate on an hourly basis, Monday to Saturday, during the day, between Houghton-le-Spring
GLENN ROEDER last night admitted he turned to former Newcastle United hero Pavel Srnicek after top goalkeeper target Ronald Waterreus indicated he was not fit enough to move to St James' Park, writes Paul Fraser. Srnicek, who was allowed to leave the
NOT everyone raising funds as part of an annual event yesterday was raising a cup of coffee. For youngsters among the hundreds taking part in the Macmillan World's Biggest Coffee Morning across the region, juice and flapjack were on the menu instead.
A SECURE unit which has housed some of the country's most notorious young criminals has become the first to win an award for recognising children's human rights. The Aycliffe Secure Unit, in County Durham, won the Investing in Children award following
Department store staff entertained customers by modelling the season's latest looks in a fashion parade. Clothes from a variety of designers at Binns, in Darlington, were shown in morning and afternoon fashion shows, which attracted crowds of shoppers
A NEW chairman has been appointed to lead Darlington Primary Care Trust into a new era in healthcare. Ken Greenfield has replaced Sandra Pollard, who has stepped down as trust chairman after four-and-a-half years. Mr Greenfield takes over at a time of
SHE might be following in Paula Radcliffe's footsteps, but Jo Pavey has laughed off comparisons with one of Britain's greatest-ever distance runners as she prepares to make her half-marathon debut in tomorrow's Great North Run. After an outstanding track
CRAIG Mottram is targeting the 3km road-running world record as he prepares to take on former 5,000m world champion Eliud Kipchoge on Newcastle's Quayside this afternoon, writes Scott Wilson. Mottram, who was crowned World Cup 3,000m champion in Athens
DOUBLE North-East road race champion Stephen Hepples hopes to become the region's first finisher on his debut in tomorrow's Great North Run. But the 26-year-old Redcar-based Newham and Essex Beagle knows he will have to pull back the reins in the early
TO the outside world they looked like ordinary homes - but behind the closed doors of three County Durham properties sophisticated cannabis farms had been created to yield crops with a potential street value of £200,000 a year each. Targeted because
Darlington 2, Grimsby Town 2. RARELY does a month pass this season without David Hodgson's Darlington future coming under scrutiny. But, just hours after managerless Bournemouth were refused permission to speak to the Quakers' boss, last night's 2-2 draw
STEVE McCLAREN was last night told Scott Parker has all the necessary ingredients to become an important part of the England mix for the long-term by the man who handed the midfielder the captaincy at Newcastle United. Parker could end a two-and-a-half
THE story has gone down in Middlesbrough legend. When Stewart Downing was left out of the side by former Boro manager Steve McClaren, his father, Stewart senior, arrived at the club's Rockliffe Park training ground to have it out with the current England
HEALTH workers who go the extra mile for people in Sedgefield borough have been recognised with a series of awards. Patients and colleagues nominated outstanding staff from Sedgefield Primary Care Trust for Life Awards 2006, which were presented on Thursday
A MAN carried out a rape as police listened helplessly while the attack was relayed by the victim's mobile phone. The tape recording of the young mother's ordeal, which was played to a court, was described by a judge as the most harrowing he had ever
IT has become a great British success story. In recent years, caravanning has been transformed from a last resort cheap holiday to a first choice break. And a luxury caravan provides the ultimate freedom without sacrificing comfort. The Lake District
POLICE are trying to trace the final movements of a Redcar man who was found dead in a Saltburn flat. Jonathan Bruce Cruden, of Green Lane, is believed to have died from drug-related symptoms, but a post mortem examination was inconclusive and samples
THE first purpose-built safe haven for victims of sexual assault, due to open next year, has received a financial boost. The referral centre has been given £50,000 a year in additional funding from savings made by Cleveland Police Authority over the
Q - MY 83-year-old mother receives attendance allowance and has been having carers coming night and morning. Now she has dispensed with her evening carer, could she lose her attendance allowance? A - Not as long as she still needs frequent attention
A SPURNED lover who turned himself into a petrol bomb at a busy garage has been spared prison. Paul Wayman, 31, terrified filling station staff and passers-by when he emptied a fuel hose over himself and constantly flicked his lighter in a suicide threat
COLLIERY blacksmith George Westgarth forged a lasting relationship when he met his wife-to-be at a chapel social. Yesterday, he and his wife, Elizabeth, of Hetton-le-Hole, celebrated their diamond wedding. They met at the Union Street Methodist Chapel
NEGLECTED allotments have become a centre of activity after being transformed into a public green space. The site, close to the centre of Bowburn, near Durham, was an overgrown eyesore until it underwent an overhaul. It was revamped with a grant from
A DURHAM man has been fined for driving a taxi after his Hackney carriage licence had expired. The driver from Seaham admitted the offence when he appeared before magistrates in Durham and was fined £250 and ordered to pay £225 in costs. The 31-year-old
THE principle of guarding against age discrimination in the workplace is a good one. It is wrong to discriminate against employees on the grounds of age, just as it is wrong to treat someone differently because of their sex or race. Our view is that
A BID to develop a Necklace Park along a city's riverbanks has been boosted with a new recruit to the project team. Becky Dodds has been appointed project assistant to help to create a linked network of public open spaces along the River Wear, in Durham
LUCILLE NICHOLSON is to campaign once again for the Conservative Party in Durham County Council. Married to Frank Nicholson of the Vaux brewing family, Mrs Nicholson will run in the forthcoming by-election at Dawdon. Well beaten at the General Election
CHILDREN from a County Durham school are linking up with youngsters in the US to promote the benefits of walking to school. Pupils at Catchgate Primary, in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, shared their experiences of the school run with children at Citrus
COMMUNITIES around a Teesdale nature reserve will be given the opportunity to capture their impressions of the beauty spot thanks to a £28,000 grant. The communities surrounding the Moor House Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve, will be encouraged
A NUISANCE neighbour has been evicted by police because of her anti-social behaviour. Neighbours of Julie Gowling in Peabody Street, Darlington, have endured years of misery thanks to her late-night parties and loud music. But after a police raid last
DARLINGTON'S congestion problem will be discussed at a meeting next week. Roads into the town, particularly North Road and West Auckland Road, suffer from large volumes of traffic at peak times. Darlington Borough Council is inviting businesses to identify
POLICE officials say a training partnership with York St John University College has been an overwhelming success. Seventy North Yorkshire student police officers have completed their 17-week training period at the campus since the partnership began 12
GARETH Southgate last night admitted that he got it wrong against Blackburn last weekend - but the Middlesbrough manager has promised not to abandon his attacking instincts again. After replacing Steve McClaren in the summer, Southgate was quick to promise
ALMOST £1m is to be spent improving a town's busiest roundabout. Darlington Borough Council has committed £900,000 to a scheme designed to ease traffic problems near the Morton Palms business park. The park continues to expand, and hundreds of new jobs
EIGHT people who ran three North-East drugs factories believed to be linked to London-based triads were given jail sentences yesterday. The seven men and one woman, who are all of Vietnamese origin, had been involved in the large-scale cultivation of
OBAFEMI MARTINS finally made his mark at St James' Park on Thursday night and, provided his UEFA Cup brace is followed by a goal against Manchester United, he could somersault all the way out of Old Trafford this weekend. After celebrating his two goals
NEWMARKET'S Sun Chariot Stakes represents one of those rare occasions when nine top-class fillies gather to slug out the right to be crowned the champion of the fairer sex. It's a spine-tingling clash of the titans, which includes the pride of all Ireland
WITH both their highly-rated scrum halves injured, Darlington have been forced to call up David Andrew for today's National Three North derby at home to Mowden Park. The former skipper held the No 9 shirt for the second half of last season after Rob Stewart
A BULKY waste collection service is helping reduce a town's fly-tipping problem. Hartlepool Borough Council introduced the free service in April. The number of vehicles used in the service was increased from one to three, with one operating in the north
COUNCIL chiefs last night pledged to fight a "diabolical" planning blueprint which threatens the future of two flagship developments expected to create thousands of jobs. The report threatens to undermine economic regeneration in County Durham, suggesting
CAUTION URGED: WITH regard to your report about the proposed Elvet Waterside redevelopment in Durham City (Echo, Sept 23), I was interested in Dr Philip Tattersall's enthusiastic comments regarding the proposed style of the housing - "old Durham". I
SMALL businesses were given tips on how to make the most of the Olympic games at a major business conference this week. Malcolm Taylor, chief executive of Business Link Tees Valley, was giving advice along with Tanya Gray and Mike Hawkins of One NorthEast
MIDDLESBROUGH chairman Steve Gibson has questioned Colin Gordon's integrity after the under-fire agent was accused of touting the club's head coach, Steve Round, to West Brom. Gordon, who represents former Boro boss Steve McClaren, was banned from Middlesbrough
HE was certainly a model soldier during the Second World War. Douglas Kay, now 82, served his country in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany, and was only 19 when he took part in the D-Day landings. Now, more than 60 years on, Mr Kay - born and raised
A SEX attacker who targeted two young girls has been branded a danger to children and jailed indefinitely. Andrew Bell attacked the youngsters while he was living in County Durham. Newcastle Crown Court was told that the 43-year-old denied the offences
IT REQUIRED an extraordinary end to the season, which featured an unexpected helping hand from Nottinghamshire, to ensure that Durham didn't follow the euphoria of last season's double promotion by going straight back down in both events. To enormous
ALAN SWINBANK'S Stevie Gee (2.50) bids to keep the prize-money nice and close to home by bagging the cool £113,250 awarded to the winning owners of Redcar's Two-Year-Old Trophy. It'll take about a minute-and-a-quarter to scorch up the six-furlong straight
Yorkshire ended the season in sixth place, the highest they had been all summer, lending an air of respectability to the campaign, which was far from warranted. Much of the time was spent fighting a relegation battle in the Championship, while their performances
IT took one ill-advised joke by Cherie Blair to make wheelchair-using comic Laurence Clark a household name. Every tabloid commented on her gaffe last year in dubbing him a 'sit down' comic. The Liverpool-based father-of-one has spent three years on
THE parents of murdered shopworker Jenny Nicholl have spoken for the first time of their daughter's dreams for the future shortly before she disappeared.Ann and Brian Nicholl say it is a tragedy that Jenny will not be able to celebrate her 21st birthday
A FORMER soldier who broke a man's jaw with a single punch has been spared jail by a judge who told him: "Your victim will think I have been ridiculously over-lenient with you." Leon Homer, 20, was yesterday (FRI) given an 18-month community order with
DARLINGTON manager David Hodgson's future came under renewed scrutiny last night after the Quakers were held 2-2 at home by Grimsby Town. Hodgson was linked with the vacant post at Bournemouth and confirmed after the game that the Cherries had made an
