Archive

HOTEL guests were evacuated amid fears of an explosion after a car crash ruptured a gas main. The accident happened on Dishforth Road, Asenby, near Thirsk, causing a serious gas leak on Tuesday afternoon. The collision led to 22 guests from the nearby

A CATASTROPHIC blaze this lunchtime threatened the future of one of the region's historic buildings - comic Stan Laurel's old school in Bishop Auckland, County Durham. Young arsonists could have started the fire which destroyed the Laurel Building at

This week is a wine from a renowned winery containing one of my favourite blends. It has a bright ruby-red colour with good intensity and very clean aromas of red fruits - mostly blackberries. On the palate it's rich and smooth with lots of blackberry

COULD IT BE FOREVER? My Story, by David Cassidy (Headline, £18.99) At his peak, David Cassidy was the world's highest paid live entertainer, and his official fan club was the largest in pop history - exceeding Elvis Presley and The Beatles. In his new

A North-East First World War historical saga that is steeped in feeling for the period, rich in Geordie toughness and humour and packed with incident. Young Joshua is the backstreet kid who has lost his mother. Dolly Weston, his saviour, whose

LIVERPOOL sisters Hilary and Isobel Wilcox can hardly be called devoted, especially as the beautiful Isobel can't forgive the plainer Hilary for stealing her boyfriend. But sistership is still there and the sisterly ties are very much needed as

A grand family home in Cornwall, a father who vanishes mysteriousl. Add to the mix a beautiful rich heroine, a robber baron grandfather, a vulnerable priest and a beautiful, intriguing house in Italy, all set in the 1950s. Romantic tosh, but well

THE character of John Ashe - sinister, charming, his face horribly disfigured - has featured in two recent novels by Sarah Harrison. Now she's taken us back to the beginning, explaining his disfigured face and damaged character, and shows us the

WHEN she's not telling us how to use apostrophes, Lynn Truss is a talented writer for radio. This book is a collection of radio monologues - like Alan Bennett's Talking Heads - from the viewpoint of six men and six women, including the pedant who

A HUGE mansion on the South Wales coast has been divided into flats. The residents include Red Dora, a Scottish Communist in her 80s; Eirlys, middle-aged and wanting to mother everyone; and Hannah, younger and escaping from a boring marriage. For

Publisher: Disney Interactive Formats: Nintendo DS Price: £29.99 Family friendly? Yep NINTENDO'S DS has forced games designers at look at different ways of playing games. Spectrobes, on the

QUESTION I have a greyhound bitch. She has trouble using her hind legs. She falls down. She has lost a lot of weight in the last month or so. She has fever and trouble using her hind legs. Can this be degenerative myleopath? Vishrut

More stations, better sound, recording and pause facilities. What's not to like about digital radios? The column looks at what's on offer D IGITAL radio is fantastic. Provided, that is, your signal is good enough. The good news is that, after a

QUESTION My Yorkie has a tear in her anterior cruciate ligament. What should I do? And are there any options for this other than surgery? He is five years old. Mary Menard ANSWER Dear Mary, Many small dogs will cope well

QUESTION Our dog started limping one day on her right left hind leg, like she could not put weight on it. Then the next minute she is running circles around us like nothing is wrong. A few days later she may limp up the steps and not run from limping

QUESTION Our female dog has been limping for a while on walks, although she appears fine in the house. We have been to the vet who has checked her out thoroughly and prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs which haven't made any difference. We notice during

MICHAEL Vaughan suffered an injury scare in practice ahead of Saturday's group game against Kenya. The England skipper tripped in a pot-hole at the Gros Islet ground in St Lucia during fielding practice and spent the rest of the session having ice treatment

QUESTION My dog has a partial ruptured cruciate ligament, my local vet says it can often improve by itself is this true? The vet at the hospital said that would mean complete rest and my dog is a pup and it's impossible to rest her. She is a small/

QUESTION Since about age one she has struggled with her back legs. after many tests they have ruled out dysplasia, arthritis and believe it was a deep puncture wound. She never to my knowledge had such an accident, breathes heavily, sometimes urinates

QUESTION My dog has trouble getting up and walking up the stairs. It is on the rear left leg. However, she runs and walks about like there is nothing wrong. She's not limping either, nor pulls back when I touch her leg. Any ideas what this could be

QUESTION My Jack Russell has been limping on his back right leg for the past 2 weeks but hasn't been in pain. However this morning he had difficulty standing so we took him to the vets who said she thought he had damaged his crutiate ligament possibly

QUESTION Our boxer has recently diagnosed severe spondylosis of the spine, cruciate damage and is now unable to use the stairs without his back end collapsing. We went to the vet who advised us that it seems like both stifles are now damaged and that

QUESTION Three years ago our Westie had surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament and it was very successful. Two days ago, he woke up and would not put his rear left leg down and started walking three legged. As you can imagine, this is quite

QUESTION I rescued Beauty a few days ago and was told before hand she had a problem with her back legs her left leg seems to be the problem she slides her foot sometimes and especially when turning. She limps slightly when on walks but sometimes just

QUESTION I have a Greyhound on holiday with me for 2 weeks. He has significant pain from corns in his pads. Is there anything I can do to make him more comfortable? Jenny ANSWER Dear Jenny, Corns are best treated surgically

QUESTION My young German Shepard has recently been diagnosed as having "Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy" he has now started to rapidly show signs of limb weakness in his rear legs. He is taken the above drugs, but they do not seem

QUESTION I have 2 young Labs, one has a broken leg.I am worried about how I am going to cope when he comes home from the vets. The other dog is besotted by his injured brother and I am concerned that he will make the injury worse with his excitement

QUESTION Our lab has just been diagnosed with hip and elbow dysplasia. His x-rays have been forwarded to a specialist to confirm the next stage. However, the vet has said that it is likely that a triple pelvic osteotomy will be performed. We have reduced

QUESTION My puppy is usually very lively but has now been ill for the third time with the same condition, for which our vet cannot find the problem. He appears so lethargic, unable to get out of bed or indeed barely walk at all. He cannot sit or lie

QUESTION My Toy poodle has been limping for a while. We took her to the vets pointing out hat her toe nail was stuck up and wondered if she's hurt her paw. The vet said it was arthritis in her leg and prescribed Metacam. Since then her right toe has

QUESTION I emailed you previously about our Toy Poodle, who has a sceptic toe. We have been back to our vet tonight and she has said, as the toe is still very inflamed, they need to look at it under anaesthetic. There is also a strong possibility that

THE British Limousin breed has taken first place in the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) figures for the 11th year running. It is not only the leading breed sire, but also the largest numerically, with 687,382 Limousin sired cattle issued

A SHEEP shearing crisis has been averted after the Home Office backed down on more stringent paperwork for visiting workers. Millions of sheep faced health problems if shearers from Australia and New Zealand were unable to work in Britain. The

THE North-East National Farmers' Union (NFU) has organised a meeting to discuss Bovine TB at The Millstones Restaurant, Harrogate, today, at 7.30pm. NFU officials and the State Veterinary Service will discuss a range of topics, including present

THE beef from Simon and Rachel Loadmans Bazadaise cattle is going down a treat. It has quickly gained a reputation for being tender, succulent and full of flavour because of its natural marbling. The beef is proving popular with customers who

THE predicted demand from the biofuel market for oil and starch crops from 2010 was likened to "a steamroller about to hit us", a farmers' meeting was told. Speaking in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, James Woolway, managing director of Opico, said that

QUESTION Our collie cross dog has a fit about once every 8 months. Since having a fit over a year ago he was completely off his legs and has never completely recovered. Since having another fit about a month ago, his legs are worse and he drags them

QUESTION When taking our 5 month old Cavaleir out for walks, she sometimes completely cramps up and is unable to walk for a few seconds. She is just prone on the floor, however, she does not yelp in pain. Before this happens her tail tucks right

QUESTION After a normal day playing being mischievious and licking me to death Boo my pup woke from a nap with a limp. There was no sign of it before, as the evening wore on she developed a temp and her left paw was slightly swollen. she is unable

QUESTION We rescued Rosie three months ago from a puppy farm. She was in quite a bad way when we got her, crawling with lice, patches of fur missing, frightened of everything and didn't know how to play. She's doing really well now but seems to have

QUESTION We have a 17 year old Yorkie who has a Grade 3 heart murmur. We would like to know how bad that is. He has been coughing and is taking Frusemide two times daily and has just begun taking half a tablet of fortekor five one times daily. He

QUESTION My male puppy, D.J, was diagnosed with a level one heart murmur. I was recently told that dogs with heart murmurs couldn't withstand being anesthetized for surgery. Is this true? What are the risks when neutering a dog with a heart murmur

QUESTION The love of my life has an enlarged heart and she was quite ill for a few days. I thought I might lose her, but she has got some of her energy back and is eating again but she is breathing with great difficulty. It breakes my heart to

QUESTION Our dog has been diagnosed with an enlarged heart, which is making her very lethargic and it takes her about 30 mins to get her breath back when she has been active. Will the tablets assist and providing we limit her excitement will she

QUESTION My rescued Collie Cross developed bad arthritis in his back and was 'off legs' totally, knuckling his left back paw and incontinent. He initially improved after several courses of steroids and Rimadyl and the dietary supplements I've listed

QUESTION We live in Bangkok and have a wonderful Pomeranian. Recently, she began coughing deeply and we took her into see our local vet. After running X-rays and EKG, we found that she had a "D" shaped enlarged heart and had some fluid in the lungs

QUESTION My dog had a stroke 3 days ago and started taking Vivitonin almost straight away. The difference in her is very noticable and she is just wobbly on her feet now. She also has a grade 4 murmer and the vet suggests possibly lowering her

QUESTION My dog has anal gland problems in that we were having to see a vet every couple of weeks and have them emptied. The vet put him (long term) on Prednicare 5mg once every day. I have now been told by someone else that this is harmful to

QUESTION I have sent a detailed question a few hours ago concerning the hair loss of my Jack Russel however I forgot to mention one other symptom. This has been happening for a few months - when he is lying down his teeth will suddenly start chattering

QUESTION I have an eleven year old Yorkie who until recently weighed around 13 pounds. He now weighs 10 pounds and seems to be unbalanced, or stumbles or acts like he's drunk. But it only happens for seconds but seems to becoming more often. His

QUESTION My German Shephard is alergic to wheat and gets a small bald patch around his eye and always rubs himself against anything apart from changing his food what else should we do? And also he is a very vocal dog, he likes to bark even if there

QUESTION My male Boerboel had a hip operation (his pelvis was broken in three places and rotated) because he had very bad hip dysplasia. Since the operation he has lost a lot of weight even though he is eating, he also groans when he has to get

QUESTION Please help. A week ago, we got a German Shepherd puppy who's absolutely delightful. The trouble is, he appears to be drinking excessively. By evening, a large bowl which holds 2 pints, has been emptied. We have had the heating on alot

QUESTION My poor Boxer has been throwing up everytime she eats. She also throws up a green slimmy bile. I've taken her to the Dr. for blood work and other test, Upper GI series and now I am taking her to get scopped to see what is really going

QUESTION I suppose I am in the enviable position of having to worry about putting weight on or I think I do. I have a 12 month old Retriever-type dog who is being fed around 12oz of food at each of three meals. The food is split equally three ways

QUESTION My dog is about 15 kilos overweight. He eats about half the recommended amount stated on the packaging. He is on complete meal and if he was given the amount for a dog of the size he should be I should be giving him about 360grams per day

QUESTION Our dog, Jack, had an operation to remove benign cysts in his rectal/prostate area. He recovered within a few weeks. He ate quite a bit afterwards (his appetite increased quite a bit). Then, suddenly, he began vomiting and his appetite dwindled

QUESTION Thirsk vet Julian Norton, of Skeldale Veterinary practice, looks at tape worms in dogs. John Body ANSWER Dear John, When I was chatting to a farmer while examining his stock for foot-and-mouth disease, he

QUESTION We have just got a Pekinese puppy it is about 9 weeks old and has fleas. We have been told we can't use sprays or powder we tried a treatment which came in a tube but it doesn't seem to work. Do you have any suggestions? John

QUESTION I have a dog that has worms. They are short round worms with one end flat. We also have goats and small children. We worm the dog regularly and the goats as well. But I found on the rear of my dog another worm today. What else can I give

QUESTION My dog is 13 years old and had worm larvae in her lungs two years ago. She only has two-thirds of her lungs left and is coughing a lot when over exerting. Is this because of her condition? She is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

QUESTION My veterinarian's wife and receptionist told me that my dog has tape worms. I looked up tape worms and she seems to have round worms to me! Also, after reading about worms, I think that my little 9 month Yorkshire Terrier is anaemic...

QUESTION We took our 9lbs dog to the vet because she kept coughing and hacking. The vet said she had allergies and gave her meds for it. I didn't feel the meds were working and stopped them. The next day a segment of a tape worm came out of her

QUESTION I have a two-year-old Japanese Akita bitch. Recently, she developed bad skin, it was flaky and seemed to have lumpy spots. She then overnight pulled all of the hair off that she could reach. I treated my home and all of my pets for fleas

QUESTION Lately my dog has had loose stools and the other day I was giving her a bath and I noticed four little quarter of an inch whitish colour worms on her rear end. We've never had any problems with worms before. Could you help me figure out

FIREFIGHTERS are tackling a blaze at one of the region's historic buildings. Crews in Bishop Auckland were called to a boarded up block at King James I School, in South Church Road, at lunchtime. Flames were seen in the upstairs windows of the two-storey

A WOMAN GP is recovering after being beaten up in her surgery. The doctor, who is in her 20s, was subjected to a sustained attack in West Wylam Health Centre, Prudhoe, Northumberland at around 5.30pm on Monday night. She was taken to hospital

QUESTION I adopted a mixed breed dog two months ago from the kennel. I have since had him neutered and had all his shots. However, I discovered worms in his stool and immediately got medication from the vet. But he was wormed about a month ago.

QUESTION I live in a tropical country, Sri Lanka. I have 2 white long haired dogs, Spitz mix and despite weekly washing with tick shampoo and monthly tick treatment they are still full of them. The vet here has told me to stop feeding them meat

QUESTION Why does my yellow Lab drag her behind on the floor? Theresa ANSWER Dear Theresa, Usually this will be either tape worm infestation or an anal gland problem either impaction or infection. It can also be due to

QUESTION What can I do to stop my dog getting ear problems? Reader ANSWER Dear Reader, This is a serious problem that should be looked at as a matter of urgency. Many things can be done at home to reduce the chance of problems

QUESTION Our vet has told us that our eight-week-old puppy has cataracts. Could you tell me more about the treatments? Also, on two occasions while eating his dinner (he is not a greedy pup he, doesn't gulp his food) he appeared to be choking and

QUESTION Two weeks ago my Yorkie started walking around like he couldn't see. He has cataracts in both eyes. Only one is severe. It looks like he was getting startled as he was walking. I took him to my vet; however he referred me to some specialist

QUESTION My 13 year old cross-breed has cataracts, and is almost completely blind. Can surgery correct his sight? Mike ANSWER Dear Mike, Surgery is very commonly done now to remove cataracts in dogs and when effective gives

QUESTION I wrote earlier about an 11 year old Golden Lab who went blind. Took her to vet who said she had blood in both eye chambers. Ran lab tests and coagulation study. All results normal, except for white count of 20,000. Vet unsure what is wrong

QUESTION I have a medium-sized mixed breed seven-year-old dog who has had ear problems lately. The vet said it was a yeast infection. We get some drops to put in her ear and they work for about a week. She'll be alright for about three weeks and then

QUESTION I have a 14-year-old dog who has started to age to the extent that she has cataracts. Is there a treatment for this before her eye sight deteriorates further? Mark Cox ANSWER Dear Mark Cox, It is possible to have

QUESTION My 6 year old min. Schnauzer has red eyes; have for several weeks. Took him to vet who said probably just allergy. Dog also was sensitive to touch on his back. Was given antib. to take. This has helped his sensitivity, but the red eyes are

QUESTION My ten months old Golden Retriever has a red and watering left eye with some green colour discharge. Has she an eye infection or something? She seems to be fine with the other eye, I happened to notice this on Friday night, before that there

A LARGE group of Harriers braved gale-force winds to tackle the Tees Valley Half Marathon last weekend where projected race times were literally blown out of the equation. So fierce were the winds coming off the sea at Redcar that most runners were

QUESTION Our 8 month Golden Retriever dog has lovely clear brown eyes but there seems to be a film of skin at the bottom of each eye which comes up frequently and covers the eyes. He doesn't seem to be in pain but is only able to half open them and

QUESTION We have a 12-year-old Doberman Pincher who has fatty tumours all over his body. Within the past year he has had excessive diarrhoea and vomiting. A few days ago I was sitting petting him for a long time when all of the sudden he got up and

QUESTION My German Shepherd has had chronic ear infections since he was about five years old. We have taken him to a few vets and they all said it was allergies. We give him allergy shots but the infection won't go away. About a year ago he developed

SEPTEMBER 28, 2002 is a day that Juste Djossou will never forget. It was the day he last saw his wife. Juste had defied his government's ban to attend a political meeting highlighting the unjust treatment of those living in the southern part of his

RE Gardening (Echo, Mar 16) I would like to point out that the bird which is identified as a white breasted nuthatch is probably a spotted flycatcher. I enclose a photograph taken by myself in the Rectory garden here at Byers Green of a nuthatch which

I AGREE wholeheartedly with David Lacey (HAS, Mar 17). If it is any consolation, I find many others with the same frustrations. What gives the Government the right to raid the People's Lottery whenever it likes, and for whatever major amount, and

COULD one of our many local Westminster MPs possibly make the time and effort to give a rational explanation to the following question? Why do they feel it to be so unacceptable to have an unelected House of Lords while considering it totally

WHEN will people learn to be clean in their habits and stop dropping litter and spitting out chewing gum on the pavements? The problem, highlighted in Darlington (Echo, Mar 12), is mirrored throughout the region and the country. Dropping litter

STEVE Colborn (HAS, Mar 17) gives only a blinkered view of monopoly capitalism by trying to portray it as the opposite of state-controlled socialism. Doesn't he realise that capitalism and communism have the same twisted underpinnings? After all

Comic Relief was neither to the youngest on Friday. The images, shown at least an hour before the watershed, of a little African girl dying from Malaria left him too frightened to got to bed for fear of getting bitten by a mosquito and not waking up.

RE your story about Stockton South MP Dari Taylor refusing to apologise over an email which referred to a constituent's motherin- law as "snotty" (Echo, Mar 15). My husband and I have had to ask Dari, and her staff at the Thornaby office, for help

I WOULD like to thank The Northern Echo for the excellent coverage of the opening of our exhibition called Reform, Reform, Reform, which is being staged throughout March in Grey College, Durham University. The exhibition is being held to commemorate

I NEVER thought I would see a future Tory leader become infected with the political correctness bug that seems to be endemic in British society today. But when Tory frontbencher Patrick Mercer said of his 25 years' experience as an Army officer

Executing an acquisition or merger ranks among the most fraught, stressful and yet potentially most lucrative and satisfying of all commercial ventures However, for most business people, the acquisition or merger is likely to be a one-off. So, if this

The North-East has seen tremendous regeneration over the past few years. The region has actively sought to reinvent itself - growing and adapting to change - making it one of the most desirable places to live and work in the UK. Possibly the greatest

A PROJECT aims to restore important peatlands in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Moorland drainage ditches - grips - on the Blanchland Estate, in Northumberland, will be blocked by hand-built peat dams. The dams will "re-wet

THE predicted demand from the biofuel market for oil and starch crops from 2010 was likened to "a steamroller about to hit us", a farmers' meeting was told. Speaking in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, James Woolway, managing director of Opico, said that 17 million

A SHEEP shearing crisis has been averted after the Home Office backed down on more stringent paperwork for visiting workers. Millions of sheep faced health problems if shearers from Australia and New Zealand were unable to work in Britain. The British

THE beef from Simon and Rachel Loadman's Bazadaise cattle is going down a treat. It has quickly gained a reputation for being tender, succulent and full of flavour because of its natural marbling. The beef is proving popular with customers who shop

A DENTAL business is going from strength to strength buoyed by a worldwide boom in cosmetic dentistry. Dentists at The Smile Spa have reported a huge uptake of cosmetic and private dental care since June, when they opened a clinic in Stockton. The business

A SOLICITOR has gained recognition for her expertise in clinical negligence by earning a place on the Law Society's accreditation panel. Alison Ainsley, of Newcastle-based Mincoffs Solicitors, is one of only a handful of solicitors to be approved on the

NORTH-EAST solicitor Irwin Mitchell is to merge with Scottish legal practice Golds to create the UK's fourth largest law firm. The merger, between Newcastle-based Irwin Mitchell and Golds, from Glasgow, takes effect on April 1, and will create an organisation

THE North-East National Farmers' Union (NFU) has organised a meeting to discuss Bovine TB at The Millstones Restaurant, Harrogate, today, at 7.30pm. NFU officials and the State Veterinary Service will discuss a range of topics, including present restrictions

THE British Limousin breed has taken first place in the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) figures for the 11th year running. It is not only the leading breed sire, but also the largest numerically, with 687,382 Limousin sired cattle issued with passports

A MOTHER-OF-TWO is re-launching the training and development business she gave up ten years ago to start a family. Gillian Dodd left her London-based business, Gillian Dodd Training and Development, in 1997, and moved to Low Fell, near Gateshead, to

LAW firm Dickinson Dees has helped oversee the £4m acquisition of Abstract Games, in Sunderland, by interactive gaming company NetPlay TV. The television company has bought the share capital of Abstract Games, which specialises in the production of

Q - I have built up so much debt that I cannot afford to pay it all back. Shall I go bankrupt or shall I enter into a voluntary arrangement? A - There are many people who face this question every day. Credit cards build up, interest rates and costs

Neil Robson, head of property and planning at Newcastle law firm Ward Hadaway, has been elected president of the Newcastle Law Society. He takes over from Guy Goodings, partner at Northumberland firm Wholley Goodings. Mr Robson is the first lawyer from

The impending smoking ban is the most important piece of public health legislation for 50 years. With just over 100 days to go before its intriduction, Business Correspondent Deborah Johnson looks at its impact on business. At 6am on July 1, office smoking

A SPECIALIST golfing firm based in the North-East is planning global expansion after winning the rights to organise several major European tourn- aments. Long Drivers of Europe Limited, from Stockton, began as Long Drivers of Great Britain in 2002, but

A LANDSCAPING company in the region has created 25 jobs after winning a £1.75m maintenance contract with a local authority. Sones Landscaping, part of the Esh Group, which employs more than 1,200 people in the region, has won a three-year contract with

A store in the region has been given a £500,000 makeover as part of a £1m region-wide refurbishment programme by its parent company. Impressions Retail Outlets has invested in its Redcar, east Cleveland, store to bring it in line with its other shops

Tomorrow, Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown stands up at 12.30pm for what is expected to be his eleventh and last Budget. In days gone by, the stock market would fluctuate with each and every tax change announced, depending on where those changes

VEHICLE rental company Academy Hire is moving to larger headquarters. The business is moving from its home of six years in Redcar, East Cleveland, to Blue House Road Point, in Stockton, to provide more space for a fleet of 350 cars and vans. Two of the

ELECTRONICS and security company Laird yesterday announced the sale of its North Yorkshire home security division for £242.5m. The Harrogate business, which makes locks and security handles, has been bought by investment company Lupus Capital, which

THE Co-operative Group yesterday revealed it was in negotiations over the sale of a Northern food store. A spokeswoman said the group was in talks with an unnamed buyer about the sale of its store in Hexham, Northumberland. The future of five Co-op stores

SHARES in Biofuels Corporation slipped to a record low of 9½p yesterday - valuing the company at less than £5m for the first time. Concerns are growing for the future of the Teesside company, which last week warned it would need up to £25m additional

A "Let's give disease the boot" roadshow will visit auction marts to deliver a biosecurity message to farmers. The Livestock Markets Roadshow, by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), will visit 80 marts and market towns during

SPECIALIST glass manufacturer Romag yesterday gave details of a supply contract worth nearly £60m over five years. The County Durham company has signed an agreement with one of its Spanish customers for the long-term sale of its Powerglaz modules, which

SPECIALIST cheese maker Shepherds Purse is re-launching its best-selling Yorkshire Feta under another name after losing its battle to overturn a European ruling. After a ten-year legal fight to keep the name of its cheese - the second-best selling product

THREE new outlets are to open at a County Durham retail park, bringing 18 jobs to the region. Chocolate-maker Cadbury, women's retailer Alexara and The Professional Cookware Company are opening shops in Dalton Park in the coming weeks. Cadbury's store

A LEADING ice cream maker has signed a deal with supermarket chain Waitrose. Doddington Dairy Ice Cream, of Wooler, Northumberland, will supply 500ml tubs of its award-winning products direct to Waitrose stores in Durham and Hexham. Doddington has made

A remarkable business success story is taking shape in the Yorkshire Dales. John Dean reports.In the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, a business centre has become home to a dozen enterprises specialising in a variety of crafts ranging from metalwork to cabinet

A MAN has handed in property belonging to an elderly woman who said her life had been"stolen" after thieves raided her home. The unknown man walked into Thornaby police station on Thursday and handed over two carrier bags containing bank books, personal

FASHION Tuck it in wear it out throw it in the bin small and skinny tall and fat or just wear it to make you look flat trousers or jeans dresses or skirts you know what your clothes mean trainers or boots flats or heels but don't buy them if they're

SCIENTISTS studying some of the most violent phenomena in the universe have been awarded an international prize. Durham University physicists are part of an international team of 100 that won the £225,000 Descartes Prize for Basic Research for their

A BORO fan ended up with multiple fractures of his face after watching his side's televised Uefa Cup Final tussle with Seville last May, in a club. Vincent Fairbridge, 42, suffered three fractures of his left cheek after he was punched several times,

Half Ton Hospital (ITV1 9pm); Marbella Belles (ITV1 10pm). WHEN I saw a programme called Half Ton Hospital, I thought, that's not a very heavy hospital. It soon became painfully clear that half ton referred to the patients, not the building. Brookhaven

MY mother had a saying: "I didn't know whether I was on this Earth or Fuller's" - and I confess I don't really understand what she meant. Perhaps a reader can enlighten me? But the gist of it was clear enough. She meant she was flabbergasted. So have

THE Kern Morris dance team is looking to recruit men and women interested in performing traditional Morris dancing. The group meets from 8pm to 10pm, every Wednesday at Old Elvet Methodist Church Hall, in Durham City. Any interested dancers or musicians

BAR staff at three County Durham pubs received on-the-spot fines for serving under-age drinkers as part of a police clampdown. As part of the first Durham Police project of its kind, a test purchase operation saw two 16-year-old girls walk into licensed

THE head chef at a Yorkshire dales study centre has won a community award which will help to fund a summer festival. As well as running the kitchen at Malham Tarn field centre, Mark Dale, 38, is events director of Settle Festival. He collected a Fraser

DALESPEOPLE'S role in the First World War will be highlighted at a free exhibition day. The Craven community projects group has organised the event, at Grassington Town Hall, in Wharfedale, on March 31. It follows the launch of a website which commemorates

HAIR extensions may have saved a teenage girl from an attacker. The 16-year-old was grabbed from behind by the hair as she walked in an alleyway off Lawrence Street, York, at 1.45am last Wednesday. Her hair extensions came away in the assailant's hands

A NORTH Yorkshire pilot has been selected to demonstrate one of the RAF's most agile planes at air shows this summer. Flight Lieutenant Bobby Moore, 31, will represent RAF Linton-on-Ouse by flying a Tucano aircraft at more than 40 events, including the

A MARATHON-running charity worker is appealing for sponsorship. Jacqueline Keavney, from Melsonby, near Richmond, will take part in the London Marathon next month. Ms Keavney, who works part-time at her local Oxfam shop, previously completed the race

A THREE-YEAR project to provide green energy in a national park has been so successful it looks likely to be extended. The North York Moors National Park Authority has been running a community renewable energy scheme since June 2004. The project aims

A RACE night at the Comrades' Club, Newbiggin, Richmond, on Saturda at 8pm, is followed by Sixties and Seventies music from singer Peter Stewart. Admission is free.

A police force has hit back at its critics with a blitz on anti-social behaviour in Thirsk. Residents say the town is besieged by gangs of anti-social youths who cause havoc on a regular basis. They criticised the North Yorkshire Police force, claiming

A THREE-YEAR project to provide green energy in a national park has been so successful it is expected to be extended. The North York Moors National Park Authority has been running a community renewable energy scheme since June 2004. The project aims to

A STOCKTON student is branching out into modern, abstract art in her latest college project. To draw people's attention to the environment at Stockton Sixth Form College, 18-year-old Sam Linton decided to wrap trees and features around the campus Inspired

THE fact that Tosca, the famous opera by Puccini, ticks all the boxes for great drama makes it a long-enduring favourite, and in this latest incarnation, it certainly doesn't disappoint. The show was brought once more to Sunderland by Ellen Kent's accomplished

He played cricket against men like Wes Hall and Gary Sobers, became general manager of The Oval, was a familiar figure at Lord's. Now Mickey Croker is eagerly anticipating a new season - in the North East Durham League third division. "I can't wait,"

CHARITY shops did a roaring trade and another good cause enjoyed a cash windfall, thanks to a fashion show with a difference. Eighteen teams of three sifted through charity shops throughout the area to find three outfits to model for the show, at Hambleton

A HUMAN rights activist from the region who was arrested by Angolan authorities on suspicion of spying was due to arrive back in the UK last night after authorities allowed her to leave. Sarah Wykes, from York, who was arrested last month and freed on

NEWCASTLE Falcons have shown great faith in No.8 Phil Dowson by awarding him a new two-year contract, despite missing most of the last two seasons through two bad injuries. The 25-year-old England Saxons player is close to making his comeback after resuming

POLICE in Teesdale are encouraging parents to make sure they know where there children are going on evenings after a large group of young people were found under-age drinking in Barnard Castle. Police discovered a group of up to 15 children aged between

COUNCILLORS have backed plans to revamp one of Wear Valley's most deprived housing estates. Regeneration plans for Woodhouse Close estate, including a new bus shelter, more trees and improved roads, have been approved by Wear Valley District Council.

THE debt collectors for North-East law courts narrowly avoided being raided by bailiffs from a rival firm after it refused to pay a compensation order. Philips Debt Recovery is licensed to use force to collect unpaid penalties on behalf of the region's

THIS is the time of year which seems to bring out the best in Emmasflora, a leading contender for Warwick's Mares Only Handicap Hurdle. Eleven months ago Emmasflora romped to victory at Sedgefield on the sort of quick ground she'll encounter today as

A FATHER and son who took the law into their own hands to settle a business dispute have been jailed for what a judge described as "gangster thuggery". James Fisher, 38, was accused of leading his teenage son, Ashley, into the "wholly outrageous and terrifying

A 15-YEAR-OLD burglar was locked up for breaching a court order yesterday after he turned up for a supervision session under the influence of drugs Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court heard how the Spennymoor boy was ordered to undertake a two-year supervision

A 19-YEAR-OLD who attacked a one-armed man and his girlfriend in Darlington town centre has been spared jail. A judge told Phillip Smith he was taking an "exceptional" course of action because he had behaved since the incident. But Recorder Martin Bethel

ARTWORKS by members of the Deerness Art Group are to go on display at the Botanic Gardens, in Durham City, from Monday. The exhibition, which will be on show in the coffee shop, includes a number of flower studies and landscapes, many of which will be

CHILDREN, parents and staff are celebrating after their junior school received top marks from Government inspectors. Brandon Junior School, in Brandon, near Durham, was classed as outstanding in the six areas inspected by Ofsted. Inspectors found that

A SCHEME to create a sporting and community facility has been helped by a donation from an anonymous resident. The donor has given enough money to the Hillside Rural Activities Park in Knayton, near Thirsk, for the project to buy a second-hand John Deere

MAJOR stores such as Boots and Tesco were urged yesterday to end the GP crisis in parts of the region by opening up surgeries within their shops. Retailers in two towns - Easington and Hartlepool - will be invited to open their doors to family doctors

MORE than 40 dealers in coins, medals and collectable paper money gather this weekend for a coin fair. The event, at the Old Swan Hotel, Swan Road, Harrogate, is expected to attract enthusiasts from across the North. It is open on Friday, 11am to 6pm

A PART-TIME accounts manager who stole almost £50,000 from her employer was jailed for 15 months yesterday. Grandmother Julia Walton tampered with her wages and forged company cheques. Newcastle Crown Court heard how over only 18 months, the 54-year-old

IT is a far cry from what Tony Blair must have hoped for when he agreed to support George Bush and invade Iraq four years ago. His aim was to oust Saddam Hussein's wicked regime and replace it with a democracy capable of building an enlightened and stable

AN acclaimed young rock singer-songwriter will take to the stage later this month for an acoustic session. Pete Shoulder, from Chester-le-Street, will support Cream'd - a tribute band to 1960s supergroup Cream - at Darlington Arts Centre on Friday, March

A DIVORCE recovery workshop course to help people deal with grief, loss and anger, begins on Monday. The six weekly sessions are run by hypnotherapist Susan Dunlop at her A Luminous Life studio in Fulford, York, where she moved from Florida, US, at the

A WILDLIFE sanctuary to be created on the edge of an industrial estate is expected to clear the way for further development. The nature scheme, on the outskirts of Aycliffe Industrial Estate, in Newton Aycliffe, is intended to offer a safe haven to vulnerable

THE US Government may end the saga of the "Ghost Ships" by recalling them. Reclamation company Able UK has been battling for more than three years to carry out an £11m deal to scrap 13 former US Navy ships at its Teesside site. The US Maritime Administration

BABY Asha Louise Whitfield made history when she was the first newborn to be registered online in Teesside. She was only three weeks old when her parents, Michael and Joanna Whitfield, took her along to Stockton Register Office last week, after it volunteered

REVELLERS at a charity night are being asked to take Easter eggs instead of buying a ticket. A monthly Northern Soul event at Rolling Mills Working Men's Club, Longfield Road, Darlington, on Saturday, will be collecting the eggs for under-privileged children

A little over two years since he was helping Bury drag themselves into mid-table in League Two, David Nugent will complete an astonishing rise to senior England squad man today. Depending on your viewpoint, it is either a damning indictment of England's

POLICE in Redcar and Cleveland are concerned about the growing increase in burglaries at unoccupied premises under renovation. Commercial premises and houses have recently been targeted, with thieves stealing heavy-duty building equipment, such as generators

Newcastle midfielder Emre last night expressed his pleasure after allegations of racial abuse against him were found not proven. The 26-year-old Turkey international appeared before an independent disciplinary commission yesterday after denying a Football

LUCKY charm Andy Monkhouse confessed there is no secret helping preserve his astonishing run of games without losing this season. The Hartlepool midfielder extended his unbeaten run to 29 Football League matches following the 3-3 draw at Stockport County

DARLINGTON defender Tim Ryan is hoping to scupper Evan Horwood's hopes of facing hometown club Hartlepool United this weekend. Horwood is champing at the bit at the prospect of playing against the club he supported as a boy. But following Ryan's return

Shamed England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff yesterday denied having a drink problem, then admitted he feels ''ashamed, foolish and embarrassed'' by his antics in the Caribbean. The hero of England's 2005 Ashes triumph stressed he was not promising to have

PAUL Collingwood's captaincy credentials have long been recognised at Durham, but his England duties have restricted his opportunities to take the reins. He was officially made vice-captain four years ago, but missed most of the 2003 season through injury

A FEMALE driver was taken to hospital after her car overturned in a rush-hour accident yesterday. The two-vehicle accident happened at the junction of Milbank Road and Elton Road, in Darlington. A VW Polo overturned after an accident involving a Toyota

A FRUIT shop worker has roped in her colleagues and friends to take part in a midnight walk for charity - among many to sign up for an event in which hundreds of woman and children are expected to take part. Louise Mann, 30, of TE Liddell Greengrocers

CHILDREN from Redcar and Cleveland are deciding how their schools could be more environmentally friendly.Twenty-four schools have been taking part in a new project, aimed at teaching youngsters about the environment.They all agreed to join the Eco Schools

RUGBY player Ian Hodgson gave his side a leg-up after overcoming a knee injury that threatened to end his career in the sport.The Barnard Castle School pupil hobbled around for six weeks before realising he had snapped his cruciate knee ligament in a

RUGBY player Ian Hodgson gave his side a leg-up after overcoming a knee injury that threatened to end his career in the sport.The 17-year-old from Darlington hobbled around for six weeks before realising he had snapped his cruciate knee ligament.Following

FAMILY and friends joined Mary Stansfield in celebrating her 100th birthday yesterday.The event was marked at Stoneleigh Care Centre, in Annfield Plain. Mrs Stansfield was born in Tanfield, one of 12 children, and worked in service before marrying miner

FOOTBALL fans have spoken of their unease at being made to walk through the centre of a rival town on derby day.In one of the biggest police operations in County Durham in recent years, thousands of Hartlepool United fans are expected to visit Darlington

MORE than 700 Durham area youngsters took part in the Prince Bishops Shopping Centre's annual Put Mum in the Picture competition.Emily Hampshire, ten, a pupil at St Godric's RC School, in Newton Hall, was judged the winner by city Mayor Jeff Lodge and

HUNDREDS of friends and family have gathered to say a tearful farewell to the tragic family of four that was killed in a road crash. Mourners packed into South Tyneside Crematorium, in South Shields, South Tyneside, for the emotional funeral service of

A FAVOURITE children's character will visit a theatre next month.Yesterday, Noddy visited the Kids and Co Nursery, in Darlington town hall, ahead of his performance at Darlington Civic Theatre.He will appear from Tuesday, to Thursday, April 3 to 5, along

A COMMUNITY nursery has celebrated its first anniversary.The Neighbourhood Nursery, based at the Coleridge Centre, in Darlington's Skerne Park, looks after children aged up to five, and also offers childcare for five to 14-year-olds.Ward councillors and

A WOMAN with a rare medical condition has lost 16 stone thanks to life-saving surgery. Victoria Marlow's weight ballooned to 26 stone as a result of a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome.Doctors told her to lose weight or she would be dead within

DOUBTS have been cast over completion of the country's longest national trail, six months after a new organisation took on the project.Natural England said the northern section of the Pennine Bridleway, from Kirkby Stephen, in Cumbria, to Byrness, in

DOZENS of children helped in a clean-up of their environment yesterday.Children from Moorside Primary, St Pius and The Grove primary schools helped clear up both Moorside and The Grove, in Consett South.The event was organised by Groundwork West Durham

ENTERPRISING students faced a team challenge in a contest to develop their business skills.Year ten pupils at Bishop Barrington School with Mathematics College, in Bishop Auckland, presented their ideas for companies and products to a panel of judges

A DRUG addict clinically died for two minutes and woke up a reformed man.After he was brought back to life, Paul Ellis, 33, vowed to stay clean and never return to prison.He has now been clean for six months.Mr Ellis, from York, said: "I will not touch

A TALENTED teenager will fine-tune his musical skills in the US this summer.Bass clarinetist Chris Ward, a pupil at Spennymoor School, is among 100 successful applicants from thousands who applied for a music scholarship to join the Apple Hill Centre

A TALENTED teenager will fine-tune his musical skills in the US this summer.Bass clarinetist Chris Ward, who is a member of the South Regional Wind Band, based in Darlington, is among 100 successful applicants from thousands who applied for a music scholarship

CAR parking fees from hospitals raised almost £100m last year, despite calls from MPs and campaigners for charges to be cut.The figures, revealed under the Freedom of Information Act, show hospital trusts in England made at least £95m in parking fees

BORO fans can finally get their hands on a song dedicated to Australian striker Mark Viduka.BBC Fame Academy runner-up Alistair Griffin wrote the lyrics for the song, which is based on the music of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah.After he heard the song at

A COMMUNITY association that was rocked by financial scandal is working hard to get back on its feet, auditors say.Henknowle Community Association has been praised for its stringent financial systems, adopted after more than £1,000 was stolen from its

STRICTLY Dance Fever star Darrien Wright visited pupils at a school near Darlington yesterday.Darrien - who was named Darlington's Citizen of the Year last month - gave a dance class to year eight pupils at Hurworth School.The pupils were taking

CAMPAIGNERS fighting the closure of in-patient facilities at a leukaemia unit have collected more than 1,300 signatures in an effort to stop the plans.The protestors are due to hand the petition to Darlington MP Alan Milburn, who this week has broken

GOURMET convenience food producer Tanfield Food hopes to break into lucrative new markets after winning a supply deal with Virgin. The Consett company has signed a contract for an undisclosed sum to supply its restaurant-quality ready meals to Virgin

PORT operator PD Ports has predicted its future growth could lie predominantly in the region after seeing a surge in group profits underpinned by activity at Teesport. PD said its 13 per cent increase in operating profits to £13.4m was principally

AN 86-year-old man charged with abducting a young girl will not face a trial because he cannot hear the evidence. Benjamin Fisher is profoundly deaf in one ear and has limited hearing in the other. He is also partially sighted. Following an assault in

MIDDLESBROUGH'S FA Cup exit was overshadowed last night by controversy surrounding the match-winning Cristiano Ronaldo penalty.Tempers flared after Jonathan Woodgate was booked for an apparent foul on Ronaldo inside the Boro area as extra-time loomed,

Manchester United 1, Middlesbrough 0. MIDDLESBROUGH'S Wembley dream finally ended at Old Trafford last night when, not for the first time this season, Cristiano Ronaldo emerged as their worst nightmare.After an inspired defensive display by Gareth Southgate's

TWO courageous teenagers and a man who helped them to corner a rapist were publicly rewarded for their efforts yesterday.Johnathan Stoker and Adam Barker, then both 16, and Malcolm Bott, 58, all from Stanley, County Durham, each earned praise for helping

She's been a teacher and a healer, now as she nears her 80th birthday, Dorothy Lewis is writing books. She talks to Women's Editor Sarah Foster about her interest in the spiritual and how she's trying to pave the way to greater happiness in old age.

More stations, better sound, recording and pause facilities. What's not to like about digital radios? The column looks at what's on offer. DIGITAL radio is fantastic. Provided, that is, your signal is good enough. The good news is that, after a shaky

The column sings the praises of a recently rebranded cafe in Teesdale, which the owners hope is merely a prelude to similar places, traditionally cooking locally sourced food, in market towns all over the North. I STILL remember discovering Cornforth

THREE people riding an off-road motorcycle were injured after they collided with a car. The rider of the bike and one of the pillion passengers suffered fractured limbs, while the other passenger sustained minor injuries after the rider failed to give

A DOCTOR sustained severe facial injuries after being attacked by a man in her own surgery. Detectives say the unnamed GP was the victim of a "sustained attack" during the incident which happened around 5.30pm yesterday. Police were called to West Wylam