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The North East | Archive | 2007 | June

Stories for 14 June 2007

The Northern Echo News

Uncovered: sleeping giants of first railway

TANTALISING reminders more...

Joseph finalist begins the search for his next dream

WEST End hopeful Lewis Bradley has been inundated with offers after making it into the final of BBC's Any Dream Will Do.The North-East teenager, who came third in Andrew Lloyd Webber's search for a new star in his hit musical Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat, has been the centre of attention since the big finale last weekend.His mother, Aranka (OK) Bradley, from Nunthorpe in Middlesbrough, said Lewis, 18, had been invited to a variety of parties this week, and had been asked to officially open a number of shops and businesses.However, she said her son was trying to keep his feet on the ground and was talking to lawyers and advisers about what route to take.The 43-year-old mother-of-three said: "Lewis has got a big list of people that are wanting him - particularly different agents - so it's just getting the right advice and making the right choices."I'm quite sure Lewis will get no end of offers because he has a lot to offer."His phone hasn't stopped ringing all week, and he has been busy at various functions, but once it all settles down, I know he will get somewhere."This week, Lewis has been moving out of the joint house he shared with other contestants on the show, and back into his own flat in London. And he is preparing to go back to Italia Conti stage school.However, his mother is hoping he will return home to Middlesbrough in the next week few weeks for a well-deserved break.She said when he does arrive back, there will be a big family party to celebrate his success, along with his 18th birthday last week.And when he comes, he is likely to bring with him a Tiffany silver necklace, given to him by the show's presenter Graham Norton, along with a number of the designer outfits he wore on the show, which he has been able to keep, along with his famous blue coat.Mrs Bradley said she was disappointed Lewis had not been one of the last two finalists, along with winner Lee Mead, but said her son was not disappointed at all.However, she said now all the excitement was over, she was feeling low and was wondering what to do with herself."The whole experience was fantastic for us all, but the experience was priceless for Lewis," she added."He enjoyed every minute. He was mature before he went on the show, but he has definitely come out of it a man. I have watched him grow up over the past eight weeks." more...

Developer reveals revised plans for auction mart site

DEVELOPERS have revealed revised plans of a proposed housing scheme on the site of a town centre auction mart.Linlathen Developments hopes to put the amended plans for a proposed housing development on the site of Darlington Farmers' Auction Mart before Darlington Borough Council in August.The proposals are part of plans to build a £14m agricultural and equine centre at Humbleton Farm, on the A68 near the A1, which, if approved, will replace the 125-year-old town centre mart in Clifton Road.The plans for both developments will be submitted to the council, along with proposals for another housing development in Neasham Road, opposite the football stadium.The new plans, which have been revised after consultation with residents, show there would be no road access to the development from Waverley Terrace.The new housing on that street would be a maximum of two-and-a-half storeys high.There would also be three-storey housing behind a landscaped public car park about 100 yards away from Waverley Terrace.Some public parking would be available in this car park, which is close to the station. Private residents' parking within the development would be protected by a security entry system.The proposed development is a mixture of town houses and flats.Donny Coutts, of Linlathen Developments, which is working on behalf of Darlington Farmers' Auction Mart Company, said the development had been designed to help residents' security.He said: "The layout of the housing has been designed with safety in mind under the police- approved Secure by Design scheme."This means safe pedestrian and road access, good lighting and no dark corners."Bob Hyslop, managing director of Linlathen, said: "While the final housebuilder for the site has yet to be identified, these are the indicative plans which will be lodged with our application for outline consent."The layout is as a result of public consultation and detailed discussions with planning officials from the council. Existing mature trees will all be retained and more trees will be planted. more...

Fire 'could have been avoided if safety report had been heeded'

A NURSING home blaze that killed an 89-year-woman could have been avoided if the findings of a report published only six months earlier had been heeded.Teesside coroners court heard yesterday that a fire risk assessment report published in February 2004 identified unsatisfactory areas of the BUPA-run St David's nursing home, in Redcar, that needed improvement. Fire barriers in the roof space, where the fire originally took hold, were identified as damaged and in need of repair. The emergency lighting and the ceilings were also deemed unsatisfactory as were aspects of the fire alarm system.Six months after the report was published, on August 20, 2004, fire ripped through the upper floor of the nursing home, where Dorothy Robinson, who had suffered multiple strokes and was unable to get herself out of bed. She died the next day as a result of the burns she had sustained.Speaking at the inquest, Jacqueline Elliott, who managed the home when the fire happened, said although she was not in charge when the report was published, she was surprised that she had not been made aware of its findings when she took over in April 2004.And when asked by James Kemp, representing the family of Mrs Robinson, "Did any remedial work take place?"Mrs Elliott replied: "I wasn't aware that it was."The court also heard that a report into the fire by the Health and Safety Executive, which critisised the fire safety preparation of the nursing home. Amongst the findings were:*Little of the training provided was specific to St David's*Staff had little experience of mock drills*The need to conduct a roll-call was forgotten*There was no sensible estimation of the evacuation time*Some staff had not been properly trained which prevented them from discharging their responsibilities fully* Staff were confused in the early stages of the fire because they were unaware of fire detectors in the roof.When questioned by Mr Kemp, Mrs Elliot conceded that a string of systematic blunders had taken place, but said that nursing home staff had responded well and that the fire brigade were in charge of the situation once they arrived at the scene.The inquest continues today when members of the fire brigade will appear before the court. more...

MP takes strategy issues to Commons

A NORTH-EAST MP brought the shortcomings of a planning blueprint, which threatens thousands of jobs, to the attention of Tony Blair yesterday.Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods used Prime Minister's Questions to highlight the flaws with the revised Regional Spatial Strategy, which she said were "potentially very damaging" to the North-East's economic development.The Prime Minister in turn promised to "look very carefully" at the issues raised by the MP for Durham City.The intervention came on the day The Northern Echo joined forces with the North-East Chamber of Commerce to launch the Shaping the Future campaign, calling on the Government to reinstate a number of flagship proposals to the document, which will determine development in the region for the next 15 years.The strategy was drawn up by the North East Assembly, but has been revised by inspectors and the Government, to water down the region's ambitious job creation proposals and threaten to halt in their tracks key projects such as the NetPark development at Sedgefield and plans for a deep sea vessel facilities at Teesport.The Prime Minister was asked if he shared Dr Blackman-Woods' concerns, and those of other County Durham MPs: "that the current Regional Spatial Strategy for the North East is potentially very damaging indeed to economic development in County Durham" and asked Mr Blair if he would: "join with us in trying to rectify the current shortcomings in the document".Dr Blackman-Woods has previously criticised the strategy, in particular over the plans to limit NetPark to just 13 hectares rather than the 49 hectares originally envisaged. The revised strategy also rules out plans backed by Durham County Council for a 460-acre freight terminal at Tursdale, near Bowburn, acting as an interchange between the East Coast Mainline and A1(M).Crucially, the revised strategy would also place a straitjacket on house-building in County Durham, restricting development to an average just 1,120 homes a year until 2021 across the county and just 190 a year in Durham City, a restriction which Dr Blackman-Woods says would hit affordable homes in particular.Bishop Auckland MP Helen Goodman has secured an adjournment debate on the Regional Spatial Strategy in the House of Commons this evening.Government consultation on the revised Regional Spatial Strategy ends on August 6.* To register your support for The Northern Echo's campaign to persuade the Government not to stifle the region's ambitions, visit the campaign website at www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/campaigns/shapingthefuture/ more...

Seeing angels? That's just the ale

A VICAR has pulled the first pint of an ale created to raise money to save a stained glass window.Christopher Wray, rector of All Saint's Church, in Knaresborough, near Harrogate, wants to get the church's east window repaired.His plight was overheard by Steve Wharton, landlord of the Royal Oak pub, in Staveley, near Knaresborough, who contacted Rudgate Brewery.The brewery created Angel Ale and will donate 25p from the sale of every pint to the appeal.Artist Celia Kilner is lending the fundraisers 59 life-size painted angels to be exhibited at the church until August 1. Companies, organisations and individuals are being asked to sponsor them for £100.The angels will be blessed by the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, on Thursday, at 7.30pm.Church spokesman David Wharton said: "The launch went well. Reverend Wray pulled the first pint, consumed it and toasted the angels for their help."The east window was created in 1874 by Jeane-Baptist Capronnier, the famous Belgian stained glass painter, ten years after the church was built. It cost £1,650 19s 2d. In the past two years, £22,000 has been spent on repairs. more...

Tributes to polar explorer Sir Wally Herbert

TRIBUTES were paid yesterday to the Yorkshireman regarded as one of Britain's greatest Polar explorers.Sir Wally Herbert, who was born in York, died in hospital near his home in the Scottish Highlands at the age of 72. He had been suffering from diabetes and heart trouble.In 1969, he became the first person to reach the North Pole on foot without motorised transport, during a 16-month trek across the frozen Arctic Ocean.In a career spanning almost 50 years he travelled across more than 23,000 miles of the polar world - more than half of which had never been set foot on before.Through his explorations, Sir Wally contributed heavily to the mapping of Antarctica and to people's knowledge of the native Inuit of north-west Greenland.They led to him having a mountain range and plateau named after him in the Antarctic, and the most northerly mountain in Svalbard named after him in the high Arctic.Yesterday, Britain's best-known living explorer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, said: "Wally was my valued friend and advisor for over 40 years. He was the greatest of all Polar travellers since Captain Scott and kept the UK pre-eminent in pioneering journeys north and south in the Fifties and Sixties."The director of the Royal Geographical Society, Dr Rita Gardner, said his legacy would not be forgotten."As well as his superhuman physical achievements, his expeditions laid the foundations for modern polar science and our understanding of the thinning Arctic ice from climate change," she said."Sir Wally is quite simply one of the greatest polar explorers."He leaves a wife, Marie, who lives at their home in Laggan near Aviemore, and a daughter, Kari. more...

Cheers to a chocolate stout

A CHOCOLATE Stout from a North Yorkshire Brewery will make its UK debut this weekend.Daleside Brewery introduced its unusual ale after a buyer in Finland approached them last year. It was delivered in October for the Christmas trade but all 10,000 bottles flew off the shelves in just five weeks.The dark stout, which includes Belgian Chocolate, has since also proved a hit in Denmark.A shipment is currently on its way to New Zealand and another order has been received from Italy.Now the Harrogate-based brewery will test the UK trade reaction at the Harrogate Speciality and Fine Food Fair.The stout is described as having a distinct smell of hot chocolate, offering sweet and bitter tastes on the palate.Eric Lucas, managing director, said: "It is a niche flavour and therefore we think the product here will appeal to the speciality market, the smaller specialist delis and retailers."The brewery will also feature some of its other ales which include Daleside Bitter, Daleside Blonde, Monkey Wrench, Old Legover and Ripon Jewel.Other local businesses attending the fair include It's Nuts Free which was founded by Angela Russell, from Harrogate, when she discovered her 18 month-old daughter was allergic to nuts.She began making 10-20 nut free cakes a week but today employs nine, selling 10 to 20 pallets a week.Her products are sold in local cafes, delis and restaurants as well as Asda, Morrison's, Sainsbury's and even the NHS.Robert and Lea Darling of Burtree House Farm, Darlington, will showcase their award winning range of hand-made luxury puddings which have been praised by celebrity chefs Jean Christopher Novelli and Rick Stein. more...

Opposition to unitary council gains strength

A GROUNDSWELL of opposition is mounting against plans to create a unitary authority in North Yorkshire.Harrogate Borough Council will today apply to the High Court for permission to begin legal action against the Government over its unitary proposals for North Yorkshire.The move comes after Richmondshire - the only district council that had failed to take a position on the plans - declared that it also favoured the existing two-tier system.Richmondshire's leader, Councillor Melva Steckles, said: "Whether or not unitary happens in North Yorkshire is not our decision to make, but we have made our stance clear. We believe we should raise our game, working together with the other district councils and the county council to deliver improving and efficient services to our customers."Despite their opposition, councillors say they would cooperate and work for the best outcome for residents and council staff whatever the Government's decision.North Yorkshire County Council is asking the Government to allow the authority to join with the seven district councils to create one large authority.The Government consultation on the proposals closes next Friday.Harrogate Borough Council is seeking a judicial review into the actions of Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Local Government and the Communities, who it believes does not have the legal power to invite councils to bid to restructure.Initial results of a survey of North Yorkshire's parish councils also emerged this week.The study found that 66 per cent of parish councils disagreed with the need for a change to a unitary council.Meanwhile, business leaders fear a unitary authority would mean steep tax rises.Thirsk and District Business Association chairman Don Moore said: "More current district council jobs will be given to parish councils and there will be an increase in council tax to fund it. But will it mean better services?"In response, Richard Flinton, county council assistant chief executive, said: "Taking on additional functions will be at the discretion of the parish councils and it is recognised that many will not want more responsibilities."We believe parish councils have a part to play in shaping local communities, but this will not be at the expense of the council tax payer." more...

Museum gets ready to line up new attractions

RAILWAY museum bosses are pressing ahead with plans to make it one of the best visitor attractions in the country.Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon, County Durham, opened in September 2004 and in its first year of operation attracted 240,000 visitors.Since then, tourists and local people have continued to flock to the venue, with visitor numbers settling at about 140,000 a year - 115 per cent above the original estimate of 65,000.It has pumped an estimated £4m into the local economy and created at least 45 jobs.Sedgefield Borough Council and the National Railway Museum at York, which jointly operate the attraction, are determined to keep the momentum going.The council has commissioned a team of consultants, for £19,000, to create a plan for the next stage of development at the venue.It has again called on the expertise of Liverpool consultants LNP, which it worked with in 2000 to devise the original museum plans.The company's suggestions will be used by museum chiefs to create an investment plan to apply for grants towards development over the next five years.Phil Ball, the council's director of leisure services, said: "We want to see how we can further develop the visitor offer and make it even more exciting."Locomotion has been incredibly successful since it opened, but there is so much more potential."We have to think about all the exciting opportunities there are to improve the museum itself, the rest of the site and we must make more connections with the town."Shildon is already benefiting, with private investment particularly housing, and a feelgood factor, but local people and entrepreneurs need to feel it more."So many museums enjoy a good first year, then wait for visitor numbers to drop before thinking about the next phase, we want to build on it while things are good."Mr Ball said the consultants would consider the potential of developing the entire museum site, which includes coal drops and railway cottages.They will also look towards linking up with other projects such as town rail trails, vintage transport organisations and Durham Amateur Football Trust. more...

Factories damaged in separate fires

TWO factories on the outskirts of Durham have been damaged by fire.The factory units, in Langley Moor, were damaged by separate blazes only hours apart.A small factory on the Towngate Business Centre was the first to be damaged. Fire crews were called to the unit at 7.20pm, on Monday. The building, which contained an articulated lorry, suffered an estimated £200,000-worth of damage.The lorry and ten per cent of the roof were destroyed and the rest of the unit was damaged by heat and smoke.Only hours later, a second fire started at the Interfloor factory, on the nearby Littleburn Industrial Estate.Firefighters were called at about 1.40pm, on Tuesday. The fire was contained to a silo.A spokesman for Durham Fire and Rescue Service said the first fire could have been caused by an electrical fault or a fuel leak and the second was being treated as an accident. more...

Lib Dems force meeting over police appointment

LIBERAL Democrats have forced a meeting of Durham County Council in a row over an appointment to the county's police authority.In what has been described as a "procedural impasse", the joint committee, the body which makes appointments to Durham Police Authority, failed to rubber stamp the appointment of Liberal Democrat Councillor Dennis Southwell.Instead, the committee referred the appointment to the county council for its endorsement. Councillor Nigel Martin, the leader of the county council's Liberal Democrat group, said the move was wholly unconstitutional and said the joint committee went against legal advice, which stated that the county council had no jurisdiction in the matter.Coun Martin recently resigned from the police authority because of work pressure and had nominated Councillor Southwell as his replacement.Coun Martin, along with other Lib Dem representatives on the county council, has demanded a meeting of the county council on Tuesday, to discuss the matter.A motion has also been put forward urging the council to resolve that the decision of the joint committee was inappropriate and that the committee should be reconvened at the earliest opportunity to deal with Coun Southwell's appointment.Coun Martin said "petty party politics" was behind the committee's decision and he pointed the finger at the county council's Labour group.Last month, Labour nominations for the chairman and deputy chairman of the police authority were defeated at the annual meeting of the authority.Councillor Anne Wright and her deputy, Joe Knox, were replaced by magistrate Peter Thompson and independent member Elsie Davies, respectively. Coun Martin said: "The refusal of the joint committee to do its job was outrageous. I'm not prepared to let the rights of the Lib Dem group be ridden roughshod over in this way." more...

Are you holding ticket to £8m pot?

SOMEONE, somewhere is about to become a member of a very exclusive club - and has absolutely no idea of their good fortune.His or her life is about to be utterly transformed - but only if they still have a National Lottery ticket, which was bought less than a month ago.One of the biggest jackpots ever to go unclaimed - almost £8m - is waiting to be collected by someone who bought their ticket in North Yorkshire.The winning ticket was for the May 19 draw and matched all six numbers - 17, 19, 20, 32, 36 and 48.Lottery-players across the county are being urged to dig out their old tickets to check and double-check to see if their dreams have come true.A total of £7,923,399 is waiting for the winner in Camelot's coffers - and if it is not claimed by 5.30pm, on November 15, his or her hopes of a life of luxury will be dashed."We're desperate to find this mystery ticket-holder and make them a multi-millionaire - this truly amazing prize could literally change lives overnight," said a lottery spokesman yesterday."We're urging everyone to check their old tickets again or look anywhere a missing ticket could be hiding."Try checking in the pockets of clothing, in wallets, bags and down the back of the sofa - someone out there could literally be sitting on a fortune. We have the champagne on ice and our fingers crossed that the lucky winner comes forward to claim their win."The winner could be a North Yorkshire resident, who simply forgot to check their ticket - or someone who was in the county at the time visiting friends or one of the tourist attractions.On the day of the draw, the FA Cup final took place at the new Wembley Stadium between Manchester United and Chelsea.McFly were topping the charts and audiences at the Georgian Theatre Royal, in Richmond, North Yorkshire, were enjoying a performance of The Truman Capote Talk Show.Last summer, a lottery-player in Newcastle almost missed out on a £5.5m jackpot after getting all six numbers in the June 17 draw - but claimed the cash after a newspaper appeal.In April, a South Tyneside winner collected £92,000 for choosing five numbers and the bonus ball in a March draw and not initially checking the ticket. If no-one comes forward by the deadline, the cash - and the interest - will go to the Lottery's good causes. more...

No looking back for DJ

ONE of the founder members of Oasis will appear at a North-East nightclub tomorrow.Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs played guitar in the band for eight years, experiencing their rise to become the biggest band in the UK in the mid-Nineties.He performed on hit songs such as Wonderwall, Don't Look Back in Anger and Live Forever.He also performed to hundreds of thousands of people at the festivals of Knebworth and Glastonbury before leaving the band in 1999. Tomorrow, he will be at Inside-Out, in Darlington, performing a DJ set for more than two hours.Club promoter Chris Johnson said: "Bonehead is yet another big name to visit Inside-Out and we have many more to follow."If indie music is your thing, then Friday night should be a must-visit, because it isn't often you get a member of Oasis in a Darlington nightclub."Doors open at 10.30pm, and admission is £5. more...

'Choice is down to address'

BEING offered a choice of NHS hospital depends on where you live in the region, according to a new survey.The Department of Health is keen to see more patients being given the choice of where they want to go when they are referred by their GP for their first hospital outpatient appointment.But new figures show there are considerable variations around the region.Patients in Middlesbrough are the most likely to be offered a choice of hospitals (68 per cent) along with those in County Durham (59 per cent).The area where patients were the least likely to be offered a choice of hospitals was in Newcastle, where only 16 per cent were asked by their GPs, and North Tyneside where only 26 per cent of patients were asked.In the area covered by North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust, 44 per cent of patients were offered a choice of hospital.The main finding of the national survey is that an average of 45 per cent of patients were offered a choice, up from 41 per cent in the last survey in November. more...

Miners' union will give back sickness fight fee

A MINERS' union accused of plundering compensation paid to sick ex-pitmen performed a humiliating climbdown yesterday and offered to pay all the money back.The Durham branch of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is writing to 10,000 members from whom it deducted a "membership" fee of 7.5 per cent.The union had been fiercely criticised for taking a slice from payouts for compensation claims it passed on to solicitors for its "legal fighting fund".Some ex-miners had up to £1,000 deducted by the union - even though all legal costs associated with their claims were being met by the Government.The Action Group for Miners (AGM) campaign group was launched last year to fight for the return of the "missing millions" it said had been wrongly taken by NUM and solicitors. And, last month, Durham North MP Kevan Jones widened his attack to condemn the £5.56m Durham NUM boasts in assets, including £687,628 in an offshore bank account.Now the union - which has recently waived the membership fee for anyone who complained - has backed down and offered to repay all the money.Mr Jones said: "I think it is the right decision. The money should never have been taken in the first place."I would urge as many people as possible, who have had anything deducted from their compensation, to come forward and ask for their money back."However, last night Durham NUM continued to insist it was wrong to compare the union's practices with the deductions made by solicitors and claims' farmers.David Hopper, NUM general secretary, said: "The union relies on the voluntary contributions from its members to defend miners and their communities."In the past, we funded and fought the test cases, which led to these schemes. Now, we are backing claims for miners with knee injuries."Government statistics show our solicitors have recovered average damages that are substantially higher than those of other solicitors - so our members are better off in the first place."In a Commons debate last month, Mr Jones revealed that Durham NUM spent only £1,280 in 12 months on welfare activities and has only 30 full members.His campaign has made him unpopular in certain circles - he was once condemned from the podium at the Durham Miners' Gala for "selling out the trade union movement". Mr Hopper has accused Mr Jones of a "vendetta" and challenged him to a public debate. more...

Life-saving donor is found for little Riley

A BONE-MARROW match has been found for a seriously ill boy who inspired hundreds of people to register as donors. Only three months after he was diagnosed with a genetic condition that requires a bone marrow transplant, a donor has been found for four-year-old Riley Mulvany.Some patients wait years for a match, but the news that a donor has been found for Riley came only a week after 218 people signed up as potential donors in his home town of Darlington.A transplant is Riley's only hope of being cured of chronic granulomatous disorder, a condition that affects the body's ability to fight disease. Without the treatment, the youngster faces a life in and out of hospital.The transplant will involve a gruelling treatment for Riley, who will have to undergo a ten-day course of chemotherapy that will leave him with no immune system.He will then be isolated in hospital until the transplant, before spending a further two months in hospital recovering. He will have to avoid crowds for six months after his treatment.Riley has been waiting for a matching donor since he was diagnosed with the condition in March.As none of his relatives were a match, he had to rely on the Anthony Nolan Trust's bone marrow register for a donor.The family approached The Northern Echo in the hope a donor could be found and, after we highlighted Riley's plight, hundreds of people stepped forward to help. Last night, Riley's mother, Aimee Watson, 23, told The Northern Echo that she was absolutely ecstatic a donor had been found.She said: "They just phoned and said, 'we've got a match for Riley'."It was unbelievable. I was absolutely ecstatic. It is the best news I've ever had."The treatment is not going to be nice but, at the end of it, he'll be fine."I am looking forward to it, but at the same time, I am not."The family will probably never know the identity of the donor, but plan to write to him or her through the Anthony Nolan Trust to give their thanks. The youngster was diagnosed after his mother and father, Paul Mulvany, 25, found three lumps on his neck.He had to endure three operations at Newcastle General Hospital and was in hospital for 12 weeks after his diagnosis, where his weight plummeted to two stone.His mother said the family was amazed by how quickly a match had been found.She said: "There was a little girl who waited five years before she got hers, so he has been really lucky."When we were at the hospital, we used to walk past the transplant ward and Riley used to say, 'This is where I'm going for my new blood'."She said Riley, who was allowed home last month and had put on weight, but was still receiving treatment to keep him free of infections.She said: "He's really well now. He has medicine five times a day and injections three times a week. This is the healthiest he has ever looked since he was born."Miss Watson thanked the people who joined the register and the Anthony Nolan Trust.Nigel Gorvett, of the Anthony Nolan Trust, said: "It is fantastic a match has been found for Riley. "That is the whole purpose of getting people to join the bone marrow register - so we can find potentially life-changing donor matches for people who desperately need them."To find out about registering as a bone marrow donor, call the Anthony Nolan Trust on 0207-284-1234 or visit www.anthony nolan.org.uk more...

Date set for work on £75m hospital

BUILDING work is expected to begin later this year on a £75m mental hospital in the North-East.The 312-bed centre is to be built on Teesside and will eventually replace the former Victorian-built mental asylum of St Luke's, at Middlesbrough.The new light and airy buildings will be arranged around courtyards and gardens will be built on a "domestic scale", deliberately designed not to look like a hospital.A spokesman for the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust told The Northern Echo: "The design is not to look like a hospital, but more like home and quite therapeutic. It has more of a community kind of feel than a hospital."John Laing was chosen this week to design, build and operate the development off Middlesbrough's Marton Road.The trust spokesman said St Luke's was outdated, outmoded and no longer appropriate."It's a Victorian building, inappropriate and very expensive to maintain," he said.The development is the cornerstone of the trust's Ad>ance PFI (private finance initiative) modernisation programme of service improvements.Part of the cleared site will be landscaped and designated a country park, still leaving plenty of space for the 26,700sq metre hospital, much of which is to be assembled in modules away from the site and brought in by road.John Laing was appointed earlier this week to design and build the development, and the first phase of building work is expected to begin on site in December.Con Egan, chief executive for the trust, said: "This is great news for the health trust and the people of Teesside. We are delighted to achieve this significant milestone in the development of modern mental health and learning disability services on the St Luke's site."Peter Ward, director of hospital projects at John Laing, said: "We are delighted to have been chosen to work with the trust in delivering this part of the Ad>ance modernisation programme. "The design will offer patients a welcoming, non-institutional environment and help the trust set a new standard for modern mental healthcare services." more...

A hero's journey to roof of game shop

SUPERHERO Spiderman is walking tall in the region.Only eight life-sized models of the red and blue costumed superhero have been made, to coincide with the launch of the film Spider-Man 3 and associated merchandise.And the only one shipped to the UK, has been erected on the roof of video games shop Chips, in Borough Road, Middlesbrough.Nik Agar, the firm's joint managing director, said: "Obviously, this has taken quite a lot of planning to get him up there safely and we couldn't have managed without the help of Tiger Scaffolding - a member of the British Safety Council. "The firm has made sure he got onto the roof in one piece and, very importantly, stays there securely."It is a life-sized model and incredibly realistic - you expect him to jump up at any moment."We thought it wise to inform Middlesbrough police because it is so life-like and we don't want worried by-passers to contact the police unnecessarily."The models were designed by Studio Onyx, in Australia, and made in Germany. more...

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