Stories for 11 January 2007

The Northern Echo News

Owners of dangerous dogs offered amnesty

A NORTH-East council is believed to be the first authority in the country to call an amnesty on dangerous dogs.The move, by Easington District Council, follows a fatal pit bull terrier attack on five-year-old Ellie Lawrenson from Merseyside, on New Year's Day and came on the day 29 suspected pit bull-type dogs were seized and seven people arrested in an operation in the Liverpool area.Less than a week after Merseyside Chief Constable Bernard Hogan-Howe said his force and five neighbouring councils were planning an amnesty, Easington already has its measures in place.The east Durham authority has called on all owners of any pet banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to hand the animal over to the authority. In return, no penalty will be imposed.It is understood that no other authority in the country has introduced such a measure, which applies to any fighting breeds or dangerous dogs which owners are unable to properly control.The council said its four dog wardens had not come across any pit bull terrier-type dogs during their patrols in the district or during the council's neutering or micro-chipping campaigns. But it did confirm it had dealt with more than 1,000 complaints about dogs during the past 12 months.A council spokeswoman said: "When it was first introduced, the Act required anyone who owned a pitbull-type terrier to have it neutered and kept muzzled when in public."These dogs should now have reached the end of their natural lives and any further breeding or sale of pit bull terriers is prohibited."After the amnesty, anyone owning a pit bull-type dog could face prosecution, she warned. Where there is confusion over crosses and similar breeds, the council's dog wardens will be available to visit homes and give advice.l To report the presence of a fighting dog in the district of Easington call 0191-527-5040. Dogs seized - Page 2  more...

Drugs baron freed

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£575,000 payout went to one inmate

A HUGE compensation payout was made to a prisoner - even though officers saved his life, The Northern Echo can reveal.The unknown prisoner was given an out-of-court settlement of £575,000 by the Prison Service after a suicide attempt at Northallerton Young Offenders' Institution, in NorthYorkshire.According to jail sources, the inmate had attempted to take his life and was saved by prison officers, but he was later given the payout as compensation.Full details of the incident have not been disclosed and the Home Office was yesterday insisting it could not comment on individual cases.But last night, calls were being made for an immediate high-level inquiry into the payout of taxpayers' money, which could have been used to employ another 21 prison officers."At a time when rural post offices are closing and the new primary care trust has a huge deficit, it is disgraceful that public money is being squandered in this way," said local MP William Hague."I will be asking why it has been spent and why so much has been spent."Steve Cox, national vice-chairman of the Prison Officers' Association, said: "This is absolutely disgusting, there is no other word for it. "Here we have a convicted criminal who, during his sentence, attempts to take his own life. His life is saved - and then he walks out later with more money than many people will ever be able to earn in their entire life."It is obviously easier and more palatable for them to take this path instead of holding an investigation, but this is taxpayers' money and they have a right to know how and why their money is spent. "In any other organisation there would be a proper inquiry."He compared the level of the payout with the money received by victims of crime and terrorism. "Those victims are offered just £20 to £30,000. Clearly something is very wrong."He added: "I presume he was claiming his human rights had been breached, but this shows that the management of the Prison Service is not fit for purpose."The only defence could be that he deserved this money because something wrong was done to him. "But if something happened, it should be made known."His call was echoed by leading Liberal-Democrat MP Phil Willis who has long campaigned about the waste of public money."When you have a settlement of this size the normal rules of probity demand there is an inquiry as to whether it is the best use of public money," he said."If there has been a level of such gross negligence that it demands this sort of payment, then we have to find out what has been happening so lessons can be learned."  more...

North-East school -worst in country'

A NORTH-EAST school hit rock bottom today when it was named as the worst in the country in national league tables.Eastbourne School, in Darlington, was the least effective school in England in the GCSE league tables and the eighth worst in the national truancy league.Last summer, fewer than one in five pupils left the school with the benchmark of five A* to C grades at GCSE and there was a truancy rate of 7.6 per cent.Yesterday, Margaret Asquith, director of children's services at Darlington Borough Council, said: "We are not surprised to see these tables, it looks awful and we do not make any excuses."Children have done really badly. They only get one chance at this and that is why something drastic needs to be done to turn this school around."Eastbourne has been in and out of special measures and had six headteachers since 2002.Last year, it became embroiled in a row over a planned merger with Hurworth School, near Darlington. Governors, teachers and parents at Hurworth fought the plans, which were later dropped. The council now wants to transform Eastbourne into an academy.Headteacher Elaine Richardson, who took up her post in September, has already put a plan in place to turn the school around.Yesterday, she said: "The staff accept that last year's results must be improved on and are working hard to ensure that this happens. The school is very much concentrating on working with the children currently at the school with a view to maximising their success. This would be our main objective, with or without league tables."The least effective list measures the improvement of pupils at the school from the age of 11 to 16.Other North-East schools on the list are: Freebrough Specialist Engineering College, Saltburn, east Cleveland; Brierton Community School, Hartlepool; Thornaby Community School, near Stockton; Risedale Sports and Community College, Catterick, North Yorkshire; Branksome School, Darlington; St Peter's Catholic College of Maths and Computing, and The Newlands Catholic School, both Middlesbrough.Schools in England where pupils are not entered for GCSEs do not feature in the list. Comment - Page 12  more...

Firefighter dies after setting himself alight

AN off-duty firefighter has died after dousing himself in petrol and setting his clothes alight in front of horrified colleagues.An investigation has been launched into the tragedy, which happened at North-allerton fire station, North Yorkshire.The man, who has yet to be named, went to the fire station in Crosby Road shortly before midnight on Tuesday.It is believed he entered the station yard, where he was seen on CCTV by control room staff.He then poured petrol from a can over himself and set himself on fire.His colleagues raced to the station yard with fire extinguishers. They managed to put out the flames, but not before he had suffered serious burns.The man, who is in his 40s and believed to be local, was taken to the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton by ambulance.He was later transferred to the burns unit at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle, where he died yesterday morning.North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue are investigating his death, but police have said there are no suspicious circumstances.It is believed the man had recently split from his wife.A North Yorkshire firefighter, who asked not to be named, said last night: "Apparently, he went to the fire station with a can of petrol and set fire to himself outside."The control room operators saw it on the CCTV screen and rushed down to put him out."It must have been a terrible thing for them to see."Nigel Hutchinson, Chief Fire Officer for North Yorkshire, said his thoughts were with the man's family and promised a thorough investigation."I am deeply saddened by the loss of one of our colleagues," he said."I would like to express our deepest sympathies to the family and our thoughts are with them at this extremely difficult time. Every effort will be made to ascertain the exact circumstances surrounding this tragic event."A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said: "There is an investigation ongoing at the moment and it will be up to the coroner to decide what the cause of death was."A spokeswoman for Newcastle Coroner's Office said an inquest was likely to be opened and adjourned today.A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "An incident occurred shortly before midnight on Tuesday at Northallerton fire station, in which a man received serious burn injuries."He was taken to the Friarage Hospital and subsequently taken to the burns unit at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, where he later died."Police were requested to attend and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this matter has commenced. No suspicious circumstances are apparent and we are now investigating for the coroner."Ian Watkins, divisional secretary for the Fire Brigades Union, said he did not wish to comment.  more...

Firefighter who set himself alight is named

A LONG-SERVING fireman who died after setting himself alight at a fire station was today named as Tim Tasane.   more...

Man's death still a mystery

THE death of a man found in a North-East hotel remains a mystery after a post-mortem examination proved inconclusive.   more...

Two hurt in latest crash at blackspot

A SPORTS car flipped onto its roof and hit another vehicle on one of the North-East's most dangerous roads.Two drivers had to be cut free after the smash on the A68 outside Darlington.The road, one of the town's main links to the A1, was closed for more than three hours after a Toyota MR2 slid across lanes in heavy rain and turned onto its roof before hitting a Vauxhall Astra.The 25-year-old driver of the Toyota was taken by ambulance to Middlesbrough's James Cook Hospital with suspected brain injuries. The Astra driver, also 25, was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital with a back injury, but released yesterday afternoon.The A68 at Burtree Lane has seen six fatalities in the past ten years."We've had an accident today, but tomorrow it could be another death," said Darlington Borough councillor Gerald Lee. "It's sad to hear that this has happened again."Two fire engines, two ambulances and several police cars were called to the scene at 7.45am yesterday. "It must be the worst road in Darlington for accidents, and its been like that for a while," said Coun Lee. "I have been chasing the council about this for a long time. It's a cause of great concern for people who live here."One or two modifications have been done to the road, but we haven't found the answer."There are often accidents when people try to cross lanes to turn into Burtree Lane. We need to stop that from happening, or the road needs some major surgery."Last month, developers behind plans to move Darlington Cattle Mart to a farm off the A68 pledged to improve the junction if the £14m project is approved.Construction firm Linlathen promises to build a roundabout if the switch from the site at Clifton Road gets the go-ahead.A police spokesman said last night that the MR2 driver's condition had improved.  more...

Students in deprived areas help beat league table rivals

TEENAGERS from one of the most deprived parts of the country have helped their council top the exam league tables in this region.Students in Sunderland achieved the seventh best results in England at A-level, beating nearest North-East rival Darlington, which came 11th, and also, more impressively, top-performing North Yorkshire, which was ranked ninth.Pupils at five schools in Sunderland achieved an average points score per pupil of 793.4, compared to an England average of 721.5.Last night, Councillor Pat Smith, Sunderland Borough Council's member for children's services, said: "Our young people deserve our congratulations - it is their hard work that has contributed to this outstanding achievement."Coun Smith said strong partnerships in the city had contributed to the excellent results.Dr Bill King, deputy principal of the City of Sunderland College, said: "These results are a credit to the work of all involved in schools, colleges and learning organisations. "They are the product of a broad and varied diet of curriculum choice for students, offered in settings from classrooms to the workplace. "This is the fifth consecutive year of improvement. Well done to all."One of the quirks of A-level and GCSE league tables is that local authorities can be ranked near the bottom of the tables for GCSEs, but almost hit the top in A-levels.While Sunderland was the seventh best for A-levels, it was in the bottom 20 out of 150 for GCSE results.Darlington usually achieves excellent A-level results, but the GCSE results have meant the town is at about the national average.Margaret Asquith, director of children's services at Darlington Borough Council, said: "The staying-on rate in further education is very poor across the North-East."You have a situation here where only the most motivated children from the most motivated families stay on in further education - compared to a place like North Yorkshire where it is more expected. This affects the results."Cleveland College of Art and Design, on Teesside, is listed as one of the best-performing colleges for student achievement and attainment.Yesterday, principal David Willshaw said: "We are absolutely delighted with such fantastic results."This reflects what a superbly professional teaching force we have at the college, and also the tremendous effort put in by students. "We have exceeded national and Tees Valley benchmarks by a very large margin."  more...

Darlington pipped to top spot for best GCSEs in North-East

FIVE County Durham schools have been praised in a list of the country's most improved schools at GCSE.In Bishop Auckland, Bishop Barrington School and King James I made the list, and St Bede's Catholic School, in Lanchester, and Durham Johnston Comprehensive School and Durham Gilesgate Sports College, both Durham City, were also named by the Government as some of the most improved schools in England.This year, the list recognises schools that have improved consistently each year from 2003 to 2006, especially in maths and English.Bruce Guthrie, headteacher at Bishop Barrington, said: "We have always had a big focus on maths and English because those are the subjects children need when they leave to have real life chances."We are really pleased to be in this list and it is down to a lot of hard work by the kids and staff."Mr Guthrie said that over the past four years the number of children leaving with at least five A* to C grades had doubled. This year, 55 per cent achieved this benchmark.In the league table of local authorities' GCSE performance, Darlington achieved the second- best performance in the North-East, ranking 64th out of 150, just beaten by Gateshead, which ranked 63rd.This list ranks authorities on the proportion of pupils achieving at least five A* to C grades including maths and English.Darlington's place in the list was a considerable achievement, as the borough achieved good results despite Eastbourne School's dire performance.Yesterday, Margaret Asquith, the head of children's services at Darlington Borough Council, said: "We are the best performing authority in the Tees Valley. "We are very pleased, but we are not complacent. This borough could do a lot better and this is what all the headteachers want."In the GCSE league table, out of the 150 local authorities, County Durham came 96th, North Yorkshire 16th, Stockton 88th, Redcar and Cleveland 99th, Hartlepool 114th, and Middlesbrough 143rd.Dyke House Comprehensive School, in Hartlepool, was named as one of the top 20 most effective schools in England.Also making the longer list of "most effective" schools, in descending order from best, were: Bishopsgarth School, Stockton; Kenton School, Newcastle; Macmillan Academy, Middlesbrough; Edmund Campion RC School and Emmanuel College, both Gateshead.  more...

Town facing new fight over underground dump project

A LAND development company is considering using the huge anhydrite mine under Billingham as a deposit for low-level hazardous and inert waste.But residents have already started a campaign to block the move by NPL Estates Limited to reopen the disused mine, which is owned by ICI.Councillors have thrown the project into doubt before any formal application has been lodged.Councillor Alex Cunningham, who represents Billingham, said: "I am vehemently opposed to the reopening."This mine is under much of the town. We are talking about a massive area."Simon Towers, managing director of NPL Estates, attempted to reassure residents.He said: "We are undertaking a technical review of the mine with a view to determining whether it would be suitable for long-term storage of materials."This process is expected to take a number of months following which we would present findings and initial proposals to the council and local residents in Billingham via a series of public exhibitions."It is considered at this stage that the mine could be suitable for the storage of a variety of materials including inert wastes such as building rubble and certain categories of low-level hazardous waste such as ash from local industrial facilities. Liquid or reactive wastes would not be allowed."We would like to take this opportunity to reassure all interested parties that there are no definitive plans in place to reopen the mine at this point."However, Billingham's Labour Party has been collecting signatures in an attempt to drum up support to prevent the mine reopening.A spokesman for the group said: "We have not yet seen any details of this proposal, and it may well be that the waste they have in mind would not be any kind of threat, but we are opposed to the simple principle of reopening that mine."The anhydrite mine caverns are immense and once they are reopened, who knows what other proposals could be forthcoming for dumping all manner of things down there."We are also very worried about the knock-on effect on our local roads and communities if waste was transported to the site for dumping down the mine."One campaigner who protested against the plans first time round in the 1980s, Pauline Walker, of Lincoln Crescent, said: "Nobody wants it under their home and I will campaign against it."A ICI spokesman confirmed that the company was in consultation with NPL about the future of the mine.He said: "These discussions are subject to commercial confidentiality. "However, ICI's position remains unchanged and it will not sell the mine to any party intending to use it for the storage of nuclear waste.  more...

Phantastic Phill on target with tournament triumph

PHILL Nixon plays most of his darts on the pimpled and pockmarked board in the corner of Ferryhill and District Working Men's Club.Last night, he played five yards to the left. On the big screen. On national television. Phill - or The Ferryhill Flyer, as he has become known - was in the second round of the BDO World Championship at Lakeside, Essex, against Martin Atkins, live on the BBC. The winner went through to the quarter-finals. The match was supposed to start at 6.05pm but, as one regular said: "The bloody BBC have put it back to nine o'clock." The Flyer had to win an area qualifier, a regional qualifier in Stoke, and an international qualifier in Bridlington - of all places - to make it on to the big stage. He was 150/1 at the start of the tournament.By 9pm, there was still no sign of the match starting. Paul Hanvidge, of Scotland, played Albertino Essers, of Holland, but no one cared much. A few watched, out of courtesy, but most played dominoes or pool.The main event was still to come.In the corner, Gary Taylor and Tony Nixon did a passable impression of Hanvidge and Essers. Gary is Phill's best man and best mate; Tony is no relation."He's the best player in the area - so consistent," said Gary. "He is buzzing, and we are buzzing for him."He is an inspiration for all of us. We're like a family in the Durham County league.""If he's not playing darts here, or at The Eldon Arms, he's playing at home," said Tony. "When he comes back, he's definitely getting the drinks in."By 9.45pm, the dominoes and pool cues were down. Every man - women aren't allowed in the big-screen bar - turned to the television."It's Atkins versus Nixon," the Lakeside compere bellowed. "England versus England." But it wasn't. It was Ferryhill versus the World.The hometown hero strode on to screen, and the 28-year-olds roared with the 88-year-olds. The pints and fags were put down. Phill was on the telly.A sign on the wall declared that swearing was not allowed. The rule was only broken when Atkins hit the first 180.But, willed on from home, The Ferryhill Flyer soon took control. When he won the first set, the ashtrays rattled and the chalkboards shook.Atkins pulled it back to 1-1, but it was soon 2-1, 3-1, then 4-1. The Flyer had done it. Ferryhill were in the quarter-finals of the world championships.His supporters were ecstatic, though not surprised. They had seen him do it countless times, five yards to the right  more...

Tragic teenager helps save lives with kidneys donation

A TEENAGE father-to-be who died four days after he was airlifted from a road crash has saved the lives of two people in desperate need of kidney transplants.The mother of 18-year-old Simon Walker last night told how her son's death had given others a better life after his kidneys were used in two operations in the region.Dorothy Vickers, of Ingleby Barwick, near Middlesbrough, said: "Simon's death has come as a dreadful shock to all who knew him, but at least we know that his passing has allowed two people to be given life-saving operations."Our family is in mourning, but it helps to know that something good has come out of this and others have a better life to look forward to."Mr Walker was thrown from his car as it careered out of control at a bend on a country road on Teesside, last Thursday.Cleveland Police said Mr Walker's Citroen AX was travelling in a north-easterly direction along Darlington Back Lane, heading towards Stockton from Sadberge, when the incident happened. The teenager lived with his girlfriend, Beth Fowler, 18, in Fairfield, Stockton.Miss Fowler is due to give birth to their child in April.Mrs Vickers and Miss Fowler visited the crash site yesterday to lay flowers in memory of Mr Walker."We will have more than memories to remember Simon when the baby arrives," said Mrs Vickers. "He was looking forward to becoming a dad. His child will always remind us of him. "It's a living and lasting memory of Simon."The accident happened in the early hours between the junctions of Back Lane and Sandy Leas Lane when the Citroen he was driving left the road. He was flung from the vehicle and suffered serious head injuries.Mr Walker was found by a passing motorist and air lifted to The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, where he died on Monday without regaining consciousness.Police are still anxious to trace Mr Walker's movements from 8.30pm onwards on January 3. Anyone who can help is asked to call PC Alistair Lancaster on 01642-301558.  more...

The fight for Get Carter house

A HOUSE that made an appearance in the cult gangster movie Get Carter should be saved from demolition because it has become a tourist attraction, it was claimed last night.Developers want to demolish Beechcroft, in Broomside Lane, Belmont, on the edge of Durham City. The 1950s detached property was used as gangster Cliff Brumby's house in the 1971 film set in the North-East and starring Michael Caine.But it could soon be replaced by a dozen new homes if planning permission is granted.Durham county councillor Ken Holroyd, who represents the Belmont ward, is among those who would like to see Beechcroft remain.He said: "It is one of the sites visited on a Get Carter bus tour of the region so we will, in effect, be losing a visitor attraction in the city."Coun Holroyd has written to Michael Caine asking for his views, but so far has received no response."It is a pity if it goes, but at least there is a preservation order on the beech trees in the garden, so something will remain," he said.The location for the house in the film is given as the fictional Durham Road, in Pentiles.In real life, the two-storey detached house, complete with an indoor swimming pool, was the luxurious home of the late Durham businessman, Charlie Newton, and his family.The planning application, submitted to Durham City Council and due to go out to public consultation this week, includes the demolition of Beechcroft and the construction of 12 homes, parking provision and associated access.A Durham City Council spokesman said the plan would be advertised in a statutory notice in the press this week and neighbouring residents would also receive written notification of the proposals.If planning consent is given and Beechcroft is demolished, it will mark the end of the line for yet another Get Carter location in the region. In one of the most famous scenes in the film Brumby, who was played by actor Bryan Mosley - better known as Alf Roberts in Coronation Street - was thrown to his death from a Gateshead multi-storey car park. Fans of the thriller were up in arms when outline planning permission was granted for the demolition of the car park in Gateshead town centre and argued that, although ugly and outdated, it should become the basis of a "cultural" trail around the town.Even though the structure has its own appreciation society and supporters include film directors Quentin Tarantino and South Shields-born Ridley Scott, it remains scheduled to be demolished.Already lost to the film's location history is the aerial flight system which carried coal waste from Murton Colliery to the coast and featured dramatically in the film.  more...

Youngster takes her first steps

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Newcastle star's sister to hear fate next month

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Prison Service accused of cover up over compensation pay-out

THE Prison Service was today accused of a cover-up as it maintains a veil of silence over a massive compensation payout to a suicidal inmate.   more...