MORE drug addicts are being treated for their habit on Teesside, than in other parts of Britain. Research shows 82 per cent of users seeking help for their addiction in the area have been in treatment for six months or more - 22 per cent higher than
TWO men were taken to hospital tonight after a fire broke out in the kitchen of a house in Stanhope Road North, Darlington. Three fire crews responded at 8.26pm after initial reports suggested that people may be trapped. Both men were taken to Darlington
A first edition VIZ comic is to be sold at auction. For nearly three decades it has been the rudest and crudest comic on the news stand. Viz grew from a cartoon strip drawn in the bedrooms of two Newcastle brothers to a cult comic, whose characters
A MAN had to be cut free from a car which hit a tree near the Honest Lawyer pub on the A167 near Durham at 6.24pm tonight. Two fire crews arrived to find the man trapped and released him from the wreckage using hydraulic cutting equipment. He was taken
CHEF Sean Wilkinson doesn't just have a kitchen - he also has a laboratory. Now one of his lab experiments has paid off after his unique version of tea and toast - made with liquid nitrogen - was named Britain's top dessert. Sean, who describes his
ARCHAEOLOGISTS have uncovered a 1,400-year-old burial ground filled with gold jewellery and ancient artifacts at a secret location in the North-East, it was revealed last night. Experts hailed the find as one of the best examples of an Anglo-
Every time Alexisonfire announce a new tour, all the dates are nearly sold out within a few weeks. Whether you're a fan of their perfect combination of untamed screams and clean riffs you have to admire how far they've come. Support acts "The Ghost
TWO people were seriously injured this afternoon when a car and a van were involved in a head-on smash near Leyburn, North Yorkshire. The woman driver of a blue Renault Clio was taken to Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, whilst a male passenger in the
Norton U15 Girls went into this fixture with runaway league leaders Middlesbrough with some trepidation, but started the game admirably competing whole heartedly in every department, and nearly shocked their counterparts when Laura Brookes powered down
FLAGSHIP plans to rebuild every secondary school in the region would be ripped up by the Conservatives - in favour of new 'parent-run academies'. Tory leader David Cameron unveiled proposals to make it easier for groups of parents, as well as charities
THE NEW Darlington College has been short listed for a national architecture award. The college has been nominated for this year's Further Education Design Awards - an annual event organised by the Learning and Skills Council and the Institute of British
A man accused of throwing caustic soda at his wife's face told jurors yesterday she spilled the burning liquid on herself. Fazil Sorbat, 37, is accused of hurling the substance at Tanaiwe Mewonedzo's face after she refused to give their relationship
A man has admitted starting a fire under the stairs at his girlfriend's home. John Redpath, 39, sparked the blaze in a cupboard at Michelle O'Connor's home in Bamford Walk, South Shields, on May 28. The first floor flat, owned by Ms O'Connor
A TEENAGER will appear in court tomorrow morning charged with murdering his brother. Daniel West, 18, will appear in Hartlepool Magistrates Court accused of stabbing his elder brother, William, to death with a knife. Cleveland Police launched a murder
LOCALS were evacuated after a man handed what is thought to be hand grenades into a police station. The unknown man handed two explosives into Scarborough Police Station causing a panic. The explosives were handed into the coastal town's Northway
A FREELANCE archaeologist has unearthed one of the most dramatic finds of Anglo Saxon materials within an ancient burial ground in the North-East. The Royal Anglo-Saxon cemetery - with some of the finest gold jewellery to be found in Britain - has
Saturday, November 17, 2007 Elite League: Mobilx Newcastle Vipers 2-6 Coventry Blaze Sunday, November 18, 2007 Elite League: Mobilx Newcastle Vipers 3-6 Belfast Giants HAVING gone clear top of the Elite League for the first time in the club's history
POLICE were investigating the Government's £160m child benefit centre last night after computer discs containing the personal details of 25 million people disappeared somewhere between the North-East and London.Teams of police worked long into the night
A MAN died after his Jaguar was in collision with a van. The unnamed driver died when his the red car struck a white Transit van on the A61 in North Yorkshire. The crash was between Brearton and South Stainley at 11.50am today. The van driver was taken
HAVING one too many drinks could land both revellers and the landlords who serve them in court this Christmas. Police are urging bar staff on Teesside to refuse to sell alcohol to partygoers who they believe have had enough. Cleveland Police want to
Situated in the small Yorkshire village of Brompton-on-Swale, the Farmers Arms has recently undergone a revamp AS probably may be supposed, Punch Taverns are big hitters. The pub company announced this month that its turnover was up to £1.7bn, its profits
SOURCES claim teams of police have been using crowbars to open locked desks at the child benefit centre in Washington. A team from the Metropolitan Police raided the centre - which employs around 4,000 people - as part of an investigation into a major
HISTORY sadly fails to record how Spanking Roger came by his punitive nickname, but is more helpful as to how he came by his wife. She chose him after a nude male race across Kersal Moor. Such events were apparently common in 18th century Manchester
A TRIO of young rugby players are powering their way into some of the region's top sides inspired by their national teams. The three all play for Northallerton College, but have also set their sights on further success in the game. Scrum-half
TOWN councillors are to object to proposals to build houses on the site of a former residential home. Spennymoor Town Council considered plans to redevelop the site of the demolished Mount Pleasant Grange Residential Home, in Tudhoe Moor, at a
PRIMARY school pupils spread an anti-bullying message far and wide with a balloon launch yesterday. The nine classes at St John's Primary School, in Shildon, each released a balloon carrying a slogan to promote good relationships and beat bullying
A COUNCIL hopes to secure thousands of pounds to update a civic hall's archaic stage equipment. Shildon Town Council hopes to replace the stage sound and lighting system at Shildon Civic Hall, which is almost unusable because of its age. Councillors
HARD working and high achieving pupils have been rewarded at a school's annual awards night. Wolsingham School and Community College held its presentation evening on Thursday to celebrate the exceptional accomplishments of its young people.
THREE building sites have become the first in the country to use DNA-style technology to target scrap metal thieves. The housing estates in West Auckland and St Helen Auckland, which are under construction, are now protected with forensic coding
POLICE have raided the new child benefit centre in Washington as part of a probe into a major security breach. The raids are believed to be in connection with the disappearance of details relating to 25 million child benefit claimants. The chairman
THREE trainees at an accountancy and tax firm are celebrating successes in their chosen profession. The three staff from Darlingtons Vantis office have all passed a range of accountancy exams. They were Jemma Mansfield, who took an audit, assurance
A FINAL decision on a controversial traffic ban could be taken by the end of the year. North Yorkshire County Council's Richmondshire area planning committee is due to debate the issue of Quarry Road, Richmond, on November 28. Its recommendations
PILOT schemes, including a hotline telephone number, are being set up in an attempt to stop classroom bullying. Schools across North Yorkshire have brought in measures to combat the problem as part of National Anti-Bullying Week, which started
A RESTAURANT has won a regional award. Chapters restaurant, in Stokesley, won the best special occasion restaurant at the North Yorkshire Moors and Coast Tourism Partnership Awards. Sponsored by McCain Foods (GB) Ltd, judges awarded first prize
THE Metropolitan Police have carried out a raid on the child benefit offices in Tyneside. More soon.
THE owners of a caravan park are to appeal against the rejection of plans for an extension, which they say will mean more jobs and inject nearly half a million pounds a year into the local economy. Hambleton District Council's development control
A SLOVAKIAN teacher is giving schoolchildren an insight into Eastern Europe as part of a cultural exchange programme. Zuzanna Rozenbergova has joined the teaching staff at St Bede's Primary School, Darlington, for eight weeks. She is one of three teachers
RESIDENTS are facing a fight against a controversial housing development after the developer lodged a revised planning application. Persimmon Homes has increased the number of homes it wants to build on land behind Newfield Terrace, Newfield,
A DRUNKEN man who started a fire in a flat after forcing entry, in anger, to retrieve personal possessions has been jailed for two years. The occupant of a neighbouring flat heard smoke detectors going off 30 seconds after a figure was seen leaving
A CON woman falsely claimed a lost purse containing a large amount of cash after it was left on a Darlington bus. Police have released an image of the thief - who made off with the purse after posing as its rightful owner last month. A member of the
YOUNG entrepreneurs from across north Durham pitted their skills against each other in the first round of the Future Business Magnates Awards yesterday - with newcomers taking an early lead. A team from Park View Community School, in Chester-le
A VILLAGE is urging people to back its bid to win funding for a park. Langley Park is one of the communities that could win Lottery money to build the planned £500,000 Sir Bobby Robson Park. The cash is up for grabs in the National Lottery People's
DURHAM City Council is to scrap door-to-door rent collections, despite fears that the move could cause difficulties for elderly tenants. The Liberal Democratcontrolled authority is one of just one of two in the region that still sends people to
A TEESSIDE panel set up to tackle youth crime has been recognised in a series of local criminal justice awards. The Stockton Youth Offending Panel won the team award and the remaining original volunteers who established the panel were presented
PRISONERS are turning over new leaves by planting thousands of oak, ash and other native trees. A four-acre woodland is springing up around Kirklevington Grange open prison, on the edge of Yarm. Many of the jail's 224 prisoners are helping transform
A MINI Oscars ceremony has been held for pint-sized, budding film makers on Teesside. Aspiring young Hollywood actors and producers, aged ten to 13 years, worked with Tyneside - based short film specialist Sean McKenna, of Nineteen in Paris Independent
A WOMAN with a lengthy criminal record resorted to burglaries to help fund a chronic addiction to alcohol. Marissa Pitt was found hiding in a wardrobe of a landlady's flat and fled with jewellery and bottles of whisky. A month later, she was caught
THE iconic new Fiat 500 has taken the top spot in this year's Car of The Year competition, winning the approval of 58 jury members from 22 countries. Scoring 385 points, the Fiat beat the Mazda 2, which took second place with 325 votes, and the third-placed
A MOTHER who was forced into drug-dealing by her jailbird boyfriend was yesterday spared prison by a judge who told her: "I'm going to take an exceptional step." Joanne Mennell sobbed as she left the dock and after thanking Judge George Moorhouse
A PREMIER football club has won top praise from former Prime Minister Tony Blair. Despite being a dyed-in-the-wool Newcastle United supporter, Mr Blair considersMiddlesbrough a "market leader" at community work. Middlesbrough Football Club in the Community
A CIVIL servant who kicked and stamped a pal to death for flirting with his girlfriend has been jailed for life. Mark Lewin lashed out at Christopher Brown's head like he was "kicking a football" because he thought he had been too friendly with Heather
As a scout for modelling agency Storm, it's Tracie Bestford's constant task to seek out girls to grace the catwalk. She talks to Women's Editor Sarah Foster about the graft behind the glamour and how a model she discovered is now a swiftly rising
NEWCASTLE United footballer Joey Barton has appeared in court charged with assaulting a former team-mate. Barton appeared for a brief hearing at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester to set a trial date where he will face charges of assault occasioning
A ROYAL Anglo-Saxon burial ground and some of the finest gold jewellery ever unearthed in the country has been discovered by a freelance archaeologist in the North-East. The 109-grave cemetery is arranged in a rectangular pattern and dates from the middle
I FIND it hard to stomach that our justice system still allows innocent people to be convicted on the flimsiest and often circumstantial evidence. Ours is a system where somebody is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty, with the burden of
TO England's loyal and sometimes weary football supporters, qualifying for Euro 2008 is something to expect. Relying on other teams like Israel is quite pitiful, not because Israel are necessarily poor, but England should be able to set their own
A REPORT published last week stated that many of our schoolchildren are turning to alcohol abuse and drug use because of the pressures they face nowadays. These pressures are listed as exams, money and bullying. What drivel. The absence of family
MALCOLM C Bateson seems ill informed on the nature of the real relationship between the UK and Europe (HAS, Nov 13). Since 1973 the UK has accrued a trading deficit of some £359.5bn with the EU. Simply put, the EU sells to the UK much more than
AMONG the generally depressing news in the world, Autumnwatch on BBC2 has been a stunningly presented and enjoyable breath of fresh air. There are real human catastrophes occurring such as wars, poverty, abuse, nuclear proliferation and global
THE case of a Saudi woman gang rape victim sentenced to 200 lashes for violating sex-segregation laws graphically symbolises the role and treatment of women in much of the world. Can we do anything to make restitution? People from many of these
WE are led to believe that the influx of immigrants from every corner of the world is beneficial to the economy of the UK. How can this be possible when the majority of these people send most of their earnings back to their homeland? Companies
RE your article about the former Labour Party official being paid £750 a day by Durham County Council to improve its leadership's presentation skills (Echo, Nov 13). I think it is a disgrace and waste of council tax. It is also strange that our
AS a founder member of the SDP (now Liberal Democrats) I am disgusted by the behaviour of the present leadership contenders. They should both withdraw. Failing that, the local Lib Dem groups should consider UDI from the national party - they are
IN your Comment about Northern Rock (Echo, Nov 17) you fail to mention that the extensive social and cultural support it provided was at the expense of the shareholders, being five per cent of the company's annual profit before tax. JW Davison,
THE 60 years of our Queens marriage have seen such changes to life in this country as would have been unimaginable in 1947. I dont just mean the insane chattering habitat that surrounds us because of the infestation of mobile phones, iPods and MP3
THE ambition to turn Darlington into a university town is nothing new. The idea has been talked about for many years and has been a particular aspiration of the town's MP, Alan Milburn. It appears that the dream may finally be close to becoming
He is famously grumpy. She has been irritated by gossip over the years about his alleged affairs. And yet, 60 years on, their marriage has defied statistics to become a symbol of stability and an example to us all. As the Queen and Prince Philip
NEWCASTLE have sent £17m striker Michael Owen to Germany in a bid to speed up his recovery from a thigh injury. The 27-year-old, who damaged a thigh muscle during England's 1-0 friendly victory in Austria on Friday evening, has headed back to the Continent
BEER is on our minds, and it's not small beer either. If Carlsberg did corporate takeovers, they would "probably be the best takeovers in the world". This is not the view of Scottish & Newcastle, however, which reports on its third-quarter
HOUSEBUILDER Barratt Developments yesterday saw its share price rise despite reporting the "more challenging" UK house market had hit sales. The Newcastle group - the UK's second biggest housebuilder - said the impact of five interest rate inceases
WITH the average life of a mortgage now little more than three years, finding the right one will become a critical decision for many households if the economy hits tougher times next year and the year after. Of the 11.8 million mortgages already
SISTER companies Mere Mortals and SBsquared are planning to create a 24-hour global operation after opening offices on opposite sides of the world. Company director David Jeffries has moved to New Zealand to open the group's latest office, meaning
As part of an international plastics group, Palram DPL plays a central role in its parent company's success. Business correspondent Deborah Johnson looks at the company's expansion WALK along any high street and, more than likely, you will see
THE team behind the UK's first large-scale wood-burning power station has not ruled out constructing more stations. SembCorp officially opened the £60m Wilton 10 at the Wilton International site, on Teesside, a week ago. The biomass power station
LAW firm Dickinson Dees has completed five deals worth a combined £225m in eight weeks, and is also looking to expand its newest office after a thriving first year. The company is relocating its York office because staff levels increased from
WITH increased competition among developers trying to secure available land, increasingly they are having to consider problem sites. What are some of the pitfalls that developers need to look out for? Restrictive covenants: these are restrictions
Northern Rock's share price sunk to a new low yesterday valuing the bank at less that £440m. Business editor Kate Bowman considers the future for the troubled lender WHEN it comes to rescuing the UK's fifth largest mortgage lender, it seems the Government
Funding problems at Northern Rock, the country's fifth largest mortgage lender, triggered the first run on a British bank in more than a century. 25 JULY Northern Rock issues an upbeat set of trading results, saying the outlook for the business
JUMP jockey James Reveley has made an extremely lucrative French connection with top Gallic trainer Guillaume Macaire over the past few months. The son of Lingdale-based trainer, Keith, went over to France this summer to gain valuable experience
THE Northern Rock brand will survive if a deal with US giant J C Flowers goes ahead, sources have indicated. It is believed the private equity company has a £1 billion war chest to invest in the stricken bank. This will go some way towards re-financing
TRAFFIC chaos descended on a North-East town this morning after two trucks broke down on the same road. Middlesbrough and Stockton became snarled up with traffic between 8am and 9.30am, causing major tailbacks on the A19 and A66. The first van broke
PRIVATE equity firm JC Flowers has made an offer for crisis-hit mortgage lender Northern Rock, it emerged today. The New York firm, which submitted its bid to the Newcastle-based groups board this morning, plans to run the business as a going concern
A BUYER can still be found for stricken Northern Rock, Chancellor Alistair Darling insisted yesterday - as he shrugged off calls for it to be "nationalised". In a statement to MPs, the Chancellor said he believed proposed offers from potential
DANNY Wilson will be watching Hartlepool Uniteds second round FA Cup opponents tonight - but he doesnt mind who he comes up against. Leeds United and Hereford United replay at Elland Road with the winners meeting Wilson's Pools at home on the weekend
DETECTIVES are appealing for witnesses after a teenager told police he was assaulted by a motorist whilst out riding his bike. The incident happened at 7.30pm on Sunday as the 14-year-old was cycling from Shildon towards Bishop Auckland on the Shildon
MINDLESS yobs attacked police with glass bottles as they attempted to recover a crashed lorry on a busy dual carriageway. The officers came under fire as they tried to deal with the wagon, which jack-knifed on the A66 in Middlesbrough, causing
A CELEBRITY chef will be tried next April in connection with alleged hare-coursing. Clarissa Dickson Wright, 60, is accused of hunting hares with dogs and attending a hare-coursing event at Nunnington, Helmsley, on March 2, and two similar offences
A SLOVAKIAN nanny may have been looking the wrong way when she drove into the path of a lorry - killing herself and a three-year-old girl, an inquest heard. Coroner Michael Oakley has also called for safety improvements at the junction where
A BARMAID who first pulled a pint 54 years ago has celebrated her 85th birthday - and has no plans to retire. Olga Jacobs has been a familiar face behind the bar at the King's Head Hotel, Richmond, North Yorkshire, for almost 40 years. Yesterday
A TEENAGER was in custody last night suspected of murdering his brother. Detectives were interviewing the 18-year-old in connection with the fatal stabbing of his elder brother, William West, in the early hours of yesterday. Police were called
SLAVEN Bilic has promised a clean fight when his Croatia side meet England tomorrow. Bilic, who has experience of playing in England with West Ham and Everton, happily admits he would settle for a draw at Wembley, a result which would see Steve
GARETH SOUTHGATE has been given a boost on the injury front ahead of a run of games which should go a long way towards determining Middlesbrough's fate this season. After missing draws with Bolton and Tottenham, £7m defender Jonathan Woodgate
THE Football Association have confirmed that Newcastle United will receive compensation for Michael Owen's thigh injury - but the cash will not come out of FA coffers. Owen has been ruled out for around four weeks with a thigh strain picked up during
A SOLDIER has been awarded £25,000 from the Ministry of Defence after suffering an injury when he was told to act like a 'psycho' during a training exercise. Daniel Brosnan, 34, from Blyth, Northumberland, dislocated his right shoulder during the incident
A WOMAN who stopped to help an injured dog was hit and killed by a car. The 21-year-old woman, from Newcastle, was a passenger in a car driving south in the city on the B1318 Great North Road, when it hit the dog at about 9.38pm last night. She stepped
SHARES in Northern Rock took a fresh battering today as investors bailed out of the crisis-hit mortgage lender. The Newcastle-based group followed its 21 per cent fall on Monday by slumping 40 per cent to a low of just 60p at one point today - valuing
Joe Cole believes England midfielder Frank Lampard has taken his game ''on to another level'' and reaped the benefits of his enforced break from the game earlier this season. Cole urged the Wembley boo-boys who have targeted his team-mate to ''do their
ONLOOKERS compared it to a famous scene from Only Fools and Horses - but, thankfully, this chandelier was safely removed.The unique Chandos wooden chandelier, valued at £880,000 and thought to be the most expensive in Britain in private ownership, has
ROY Keane will spend the next month identifying the 'experienced Premier League striker' that could fire Sunderland to safety in the second half of the season. The Black Cats boss has been promised a significant injection of funds once the transfer window
CARLOS EDWARDS has encountered the wrath of manager Roy Keane only once inside the last 11 months and, after returning to full fitness, the winger has no intention of experiencing it a second time.Edwards has cut a frustrated figure around the Academy
DARLINGTON is to become a university town, forging a new partnership between Darlington College and the University of Teesside,The scheme could go ahead as soon as 2009, The Northern Echo can reveal.Senior staff at the two education establishments have
Steve McClaren looked ahead to the biggest week of his managerial career and insisted: ''I will survive.'' By this time next week, McClaren's England could be out of Euro 2008 and he might well be out of a job. Indeed, in the worst-case scenario, the
NEWCASTLE UNITED are demanding compensation from the Football Association to cover Michael Owen's huge wages after another appearance for his country has left the striker's club short of his services.If the Magpies' worst fears are realised, the £16m
MORE than 800 jobs could be created in the region over the next two years after PD Ports announced plans to build a new £50m imports depot at its flagship Teesport terminal. Hundreds more jobs could be created through construction of the 1.2m sq ft regional
SERVING officers deliberately suppressed vital evidence that could have prevented an Asian policeman being wrongly sent to jail, a judge ruled yesterday.Father-of-two Sultan Alam always insisted he had been framed by fellow officers in Cleveland Police
Gaining promotion from League Two may be of more significance than participation in the FA Cup, but Darlington have a winners' mentality which they want to transfer to cup football.Quakers are third in the division, having lost only two league games,
A YOUNG footballer was last night given the go-ahead to resume his career after being cleared of drug-dealing.Middlesbrough youth player Lewis Walker, 17, was acquitted by a jury after a four-day trial at Teesside Crown Court.However, the teenager's mother
EIGHT community projects in the North-East will vie to win up to £80,000 each from the Big Lottery Fund by winning the publics support in a television vote. The projects are all taking part in this years Peoples Millions contest which regionally will
ECONOMIC development agency Cumbria Vision is backing the case for expansion plans at a North airport which would see flights to the UK and Europe. The agency's chief executive Richard Greenwood is urging Carlisle City Council to pass Stobart Air's
TWELVE Vietnamese immigrants were today jailed for more than 27 years in total for their part in a £1.5m cannabis production plot. The gang of 11 men and one pregnant woman was captured in a major operation by Durham Police. At least six cannabis farms
