VETERANS from across the North-East will converge in Newcastle to mark the 25th anniversary of the Falklands' conflict. They will join a parade - the largest of its kind outside of London - when more than 400 representatives from the Royal Navy, Army
JOHN Heslop (HAS, May 26) writes informatively about farming and the conflict between economic and amenity needs in the countryside. Actually, there should be no such conflict. It is to small traditional farms that we owe much of the quality of
IN Hear All Sides (May 26) you asked: Do we need a referendum on the rewritten EU Constitution? Call it what you will: constitution, treaty, tidying up exercise, after the past lies and deceit over the EU, the answer must be: Yes, yes, yes, yes,
FURTHER to Councillor Mrs Valerie Halton's letter, headed Labour's hitlist (HAS, May 28), what she fails to inform your readers of is that it was the coalition (Conservative, Liberal Democrat and East Cleveland) which closed down the Margrove Heritage
WHY did we attack Iraq when they were proving no threat to us? Did we remove the wrong man? It has become obvious to us all that Iraq needs a strong leader, and it looks more and more as if Saddam Hussein was the right man to keep these people
IT has become very apparent over the last few weeks that all the articles/editorials and letters in the local and national press express voters' dissatisfaction with politicians of all hues over their substandard performance and behaviour. As
DAVID Kelsey (HAS, May 28) is right about the evils of party politics and the benefits of STV (Single Transferable Vote). His method is fine for electing a mayor, but STV for MPs in single-member seats would negate most of the benefits he lists
AT last, I've finally read a report with which I can agree - Sharon Griffiths' article about an international conference which looked at the intensive parenting industry (Echo, May 23). For years, I have despaired of all these experts' views on
AS my book, A Passion For Home, the official history of Arngrove Northern League Division Two outfit Esh Winning Football Club, is nearing completion, could I make a final appeal to readers of The Northern Echo for information, statistics, photographs
I RECENTLY came across an article about sham marriages that some immigrants seem to be getting into for their own benefits. But it's nothing new. I used to work on the road gangs laying cables on building sites in Birmingham in the 1960s - one
STARRING in The Producers has turned Joe Pasquale's voice into something more like Barry White's than its normal squeaky self, the comic jokes as he prepares to bring the touring version to Sunderland's Empire Theatre for a month. Pasquale agreed to get
"After dark, anything goes" runs the slogan for Life FM's late-night radio show, where the womansing hero of ITV1's raunchy new drama, Talk To Me, works behind the microphone. As the series progresses, viewers will see that anything really does go. Cosy
Even though he is still a teenager, Matthew Todd has many hours of volunteering behind him. During National Volunteers Week, he told The Northern Echo how helping others has enriched his life. A RECENT survey by the Samaritans showed that young people
INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed musicians have been entertaining patients at a Durham hospital. The two violinists gave a one-hour recital for patients at the Bowes Lyon Day Hospital. Simon Hewitt Jones, from London, and David Worswick, from Liverpool, played
PLANS for a mobile phone mast near a primary school have been rejected by planners, after running into strong objections from parents and residents. More than 130 people wrote to Durham City Council and a 198-name petition was submitted after 02UK applied
A NEW organisation has been launched to help boost the voice of the voluntary sector in the region. Coast & Moors Voluntary Action has been created to cover the Scarborough and Whitby areas. The move sees Whitby & District Voluntary Action and Scarborough
YOUNG swimmers from Thirsk beat off stiff competition to take third place in a national competition. The White Horse Swim Team members took part in the Postal Swim - an annual event organised by the British Long Distance Swimming Association. Swimmers
A NORWEGIAN fantasy comes to life next week when students join a professional orchestra to perform at a festival. Six drama students from Richmond School have devised their own performance of Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt, which will be accompanied by music
CARE homes for older people are to receive a share of a £225,000 improvement grant in a bid to improve quality of life for residents. The 31 homes across Redcar and Cleveland submitted a wish list to the borough council, ranging from upgrading bedrooms
A TEENAGE mother who wounded her friend with a glass in a nightclub is to have her drinking controlled by a court order. Gemma Harrison,19, had also been drinking too much when she lost her driving licence previously, said prosecutor Richard Parsell.
INDUSTRY bosses have piped new life into a drought-hit nature reserve. Saudi chemical company Sabic is supplying water, via a 1,000- metre long pipeline, to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds' (RSPB) sanctuary in Saltholme, near Seal Sands.
DISCO fever will hit the grounds of a historic site. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's events team is launching plans for a Seventies-style boogie summer night in the grounds of Gisborough Priory. Tickets for Brutus Gold's cabaret-style show, supported
A BETTING shop turf war will step up a gear next week when one of the premises goes under the hammer. Bookmaker William Hill was granted permission to move into new premises in Bishop Auckland town centre last month - part of a block for on sale at auction
A PUB DJ who hid a dealer's drug stash at work walked free after a judge said there were exceptional circumstances to the case. Christopher Hughes' secret was discovered at The Old Dun Cow, in Darlington, when the licensee was checking the premises before
TWO men who defrauded a pensioner of more than £70,000 between them have been jailed. Bryan Allaker, 24, and John Munroe, 37, both of County Durham, admitted taking the money from the 81-year-old-man. Teesside Crown Court heard yesterday that Allaker
A HOUSING association will provide almost 60 affordable homes for sale in the next year. The scheme, developed by Broadacres, has seen eight homes built on Valley Road, in Northallerton. Six have already been sold. Work is due to be completed in August
PUB licensees will take to two wheels for the 21st annual charity bike ride in the Yorkshire Dales. The event, on June 13, is expected to attract about 240 cyclists, who will ride 17 miles from Hawes to Leyburn, calling at pubs on the way for soft drinks
A FORMER Darlington town mayor, who was burgled by a bogus caller, has repeated her warning for residents to remain vigilant. Councillor Eleanor Lister was burgled at home by a cold caller on Wednesday, and her handbag and mobile phone were taken. She
ANGRY residents have reported a council to the Local Government Ombudsman after members approved plans for an office building in a small village. West Park Estates Ltd was granted permission to change a swimming pool building in Thirkleby, near Thirsk
A MENTAL health charity has been awarded £94,839 to expand its work in Darlington. The money will allow Darlington Mind to help an extra 120 people with mental health problems in the town. The award was made through Northern Rock and will provide the
STREET entertainers will help to spread the message that self-employment is an option for everyone. Three Start-Up Saturday events, organised by Business Link, will give people the chance to have an informal chat to advisors about starting a business.
A BARCLAYS bank employee from Bishop Auckland raised £595 for the Hunwick Community Association, in Crook. Counter manager of Bishop Auckland's Barclays branch Jean Surtees raised the cash by serving refreshments and raffle tickets at a recent ceilidh
BARCLAYS has thrown green fuels firm Biofuels Corporation a financial lifeline as it battles to survive with debts of £100m. The Teesside biodiesel producer yesterday said the bank had made additional facilities available until the end of the year, including
YOUNG villagers have had their pleas for new sport and play equipment heard. Plans to create a £70,000 multi-games area (Muga) and youth shelter in Tudhoe, near Spennymoor, were given the go-ahead by council planners yesterday. The decision to create
HELME Park Hall Hotel, near Bishop Auckland, will celebrate its 20th anniversary next week. The English country house hotel is hosting an open day on Thursday and staff are appealing for old customers to come forward for the festivities. The event starts
ENERGY-efficient light maker Sola Skylights UK has helped in the creation of the country's first eco-friendly super- store. The County Durham company has supplied 28 of its sky tunnels, which channel natural light into buildings through an
A DARLINGTON church's charitable scheme has received help through a fundraising bag pack and an "act of God". Visitors to King's Church, in Whessoe Road, raised £360 for the church's Furniture Re-use Scheme. About 15 volunteers packed bags at Sainsbury's
WOMEN golfers have raised more than £1,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support from a charity tournament. About 150 women from across the region gathered at Mount Oswald Golf Club, Durham, for the Macmillan Ladies Open. The pairs tournament, which is in its
TWO school choirs who were bidding to perform on a live television final of a talent search competition will have to wait to see if they are successful. Cockerton Primary School and Alderman Leach Primary School entered their choirs into a competition
CHILD protection official Jim Gamble has stirred up predictable controversy by arguing that paedophiles who download child pornography should not necessarily go to prison. To some extent we welcome Mr Gamble's comments because there is an important debate
WE'VE learned a new word in our house. It's French, a word we'd never come across before, though we both know a fair bit of French. It turned up in a letter from our old friend Daniel. He came over to England as a young student to work as an assistant
FAMILY History Month is being marked with a roadshow helping people to learn the rudiments of tracing their roots. The Northumberland and Durham Family History Society presents its final roadshow during the month-long celebration, at Clayport Library,
A SERIES of open-air band concerts gets under way in Durham tomorow, at 2.30pm. The free events, which attract hundreds of spectators, are organised by Durham County Council and held in the grounds of the Durham Light Infantry Museum and Durham Art Gallery
A MAJOR public consultation exercise has been launched to try to ease congestion in a city centre. Residents and businesses in Ripon are to be asked to help identify areas where improvements can be made to transport and road safety. The North Yorkshire
A NORTH Yorkshire council is giving residents a better service than many authorities nationally. Harrogate Borough Council was highly praised by a Government survey into residents' satisfaction with services. The authority recorded a figure of 59 per
Many people will be delighted to hear that Stan Walinet's book about Mickleton has been reprinted. It is the fourth re-issue since it came out in 1994, a fact that is hardly surprising, as it must rank as one of the most interesting volumes produced
A seminar to help people understand inheritance tax will now be held on June 27 at 10.30am. The free event at the King's Head Hotel, Richmond, North Yorkshire, organised by the Yorkshire Building Society, was planned for June 22. Booking is necessary,
A FRESH call for "meaningful" price rises for dairy farmers has been made as the exodus from the industry continues. Martin Burtt, chairman of the National Farmers' Union (NFU) North-East dairy board, warned the financial situation for many milk producers
PUPILS formed a united front in the struggle against bullying. Youngsters from Bowburn Junior School, pictured, created a human sculpture spelling Bowburn United, to show they do not accept or tolerate bullying. The children also stood up at their desks
As events celebrating Volunteer Week take place across County Durham, The Northern Echo is featuring the peaople who give up their time frely to make a difference to other people's lives. Paula Bradley is leader of Dunelm Phab Club in Durham. FOR Paula
TEESPORT owner PD Ports is taking legal advice to ensure its application to expand the North-East facility and bring thousands of jobs to the region is given a fair hearing. PD yesterday told The Northern Echo it was concerned that its case to create
A SPECIALIST recruitment website which was set up by a North-East man while he was unemployed is now receiving more than 10,000 hits every month. Jobtimise.co.uk, the UK's only site dedicated exclusively to North-East jobs online, was created by Kristin
A DEANERY sung evensong, with music by the Royal School of Church Music and Choirs of East Cleveland, will be held in All Saints' Church, Skelton, on Sunday, June 17, at 6pm. All welcome.
BISHOP Auckland MP Helen Goodman has hit out at plans to deny sixth form students in the area free transport to schools and colleges. Mrs Goodman is unhappy that sixth form students are being charged more than £100 a term to take the bus. She said: "
CAMPAIGNERS wanting a directly-elected mayor in Darlington have cast doubt on the public consultation process. Residents in Darlington have been asked what type of mayor they want to be included in the referendum. There are two options on offer both for
A ROYAL coat of arms, hastily altered when the reigning monarch died, has been restored to its former glory. The painting dates back to 1830, when the new Ripon Liberty Courthouse, North Yorkshire, was nearing completion. It depicted the coat of arms
DARLINGTON company North View Engineering is increasing its workforce by a fifth after winning accreditation to expand its business into new sectors. The business is branching out to provide engineering services to the oil and gas and petrochemical sectors
MENTAL health workers in Darlington have gained national recognition following successful work with children in local authority care. The Children Looked After Systems Project (Clasp), which is provided by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust, was chosen
Kimblesworth could be termed champions-elect after a Bank Holiday double programme saw them extend their perfect start to the season and soar away at the top. The manner in which they dismissed the challenges of Shildon Railway and Langley Park last weekend
Very few teams in any league make it through April and May with a perfect record - but Northallerton enter June, the most intense month of the season, on the back of a club record eight consecutive wins. This is comfortably their best sequence of results
The Bank Holiday double programme may have raised more questions than answers but that all contributes to an intriguing second phase of the season as the clubs head into the hectic mid- summer schedule. A more accurate reflection of the true capabilities
Sunderland are staggering from one big game to another but loving every minute of it. The Bank Holiday weekend saw them shake off the mantle of title hopefuls and establish themselves as one of the favourites. The game that made everyone sit up and take
There is everything to play for so far, as eight clubs head into June with a realistic chance of being crowned champions come September. A combination of unhelpful weather and surprise results have ensured no team has managed to impose itself and establish
AIDAN O'BRIEN has long played the numbers game to get the desired result, but even by the Irish maestro's standards his eight-strong mob-handed Derby assault is verging on the bizarre. Figuring out the classy octet's pecking order is simple since Mick
The Foster's Northumberland and Tyneside Senior League table makes fascinating reading going into today's round of fixtures. Champions Tynedale head the competition just three points clear of Swalwell with Leadgate and Lintz ready to pounce on any slip-ups
PUNTERS hoping to get off to a flyer at Newcastle this evening should look no further than Mark Johnston's Abolition (6.30) in the opener. On the strength of some sparkling homework at Middleham, the cash came for Abolition on his track-and-trip debut
New Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington admits his long-term priority remains a return to club management - but he has vowed first to lead his home nation to their greatest achievement. Worthington believes holding onto first place in their Euro
England remain hopeful they will welcome back Andrew Flintoff to their ranks before the end of the summer following an exploratory operation on his troublesome left ankle yesterday. The 29-year-old all-rounder has been sidelined with ankle problems since
Favourite Retief Goosen and defending champion Robert Karlsson, the top two players in the Wales Open at Celtic Manor, both went crashing out at the halfway point last night. Two weeks before he tries for a third US Open victory in seven years Goosen,
STEVE McClaren last night claimed that David Beckham's second-half assist was a "fitting" end to a dramatic week that has seen the former England captain return from the international wilderness. Beckham marked his first international appearance for almost
SUNDERLAND midfielder Dwight Yorke has refused to act as a peacemaker in the escalating row that has seen fellow Black Cat Carlos Edwards refuse to play for trouble-torn Trinidad & Tobago this summer. Edwards, who had been expected to lead the Soca Warriors
Yorkshire Phoenix face a tricky problem in who to leave out against Durham Dynamos at Headingley Carnegie tomorrow to accommodate England captain Michael Vaughan. The comfortable victory over Derbyshire Phantoms on Thursday has renewed Yorkshire's hopes
England 1, Brazil 1. DAVID Beckham is hotly tipped to win a knighthood when Tony Blair announces his resignation honours later this year so, last night, it was fitting that the former England skipper displayed his chivalrous qualities by saving his master's
Chelsea look set to add to the signing of Oldham starlet Danny Philliskirk by landing Claudio Pizarro from Bayern Munich on a free transfer. The experienced Peruvian striker is out of contract at the Allianz Arena and is understood to have held talks
WITH his hopes of retaining Mark Viduka receding fast, Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate is ready to step up his interest in both Jeremie Aliadiere and Diomansy Kamara. Viduka's future is expected to be resolved at the start of next week and, while
Craig Bellamy takes over as Wales captain knowing he still has to live with a bad-boy reputation. Bellamy will become Wales' permanent skipper when Ryan Giggs retires from international football after today's Euro 2008 qualifier against the Czech Republic
Jonny Wilkinson will throw everything into England's South Africa tour finale today, claiming: "We plan to go out there and stand up to it." England suffered a physical battering against the Springboks in Bloemfontein last Saturday, finding themselves
Struggling West Indies saw Chris Gayle and Ravi Rampaul retire injured during an unconvincing warm-up display ahead of the third Test against England. The tourists failed to bowl out a weak MCC team, who put on a spirited performance at Durham's Racecourse
WEST HAM United will complete the £7m capture of Newcastle midfielder Scott Parker at the start of next week - and the Hammers are hoping to scupper the Magpies' midfield plans further by pairing the England international with United target Joey Barton
FABRIZIO Giovanardi does not mind if he fails to overhaul Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship leader Jason Plato at Croft this weekend. Giovanardi has won four of the last six races to turn Vauxhall's new Vectra into a contender but knows Plato's
Frankie Dettori is regarded as one of hje greatest jockeys of his generation but despite 14 attempts he is yet to win the Derby. Chief Sports Writer Scott Wilson reports on today's 15th attempt which surely presents Dettori's best chance yet. TO be described
Jelena Jankovic's credentials as a dark horse for the French Open title were further enhanced as she prevailed in a high-quality third-round clash with Venus Williams yesterday. The in-form Jankovic, seeded four, outlasted the American and claimed a 6
A FAMILY of redheads who say they have been hounded from three homes claim they were advised by a council to dye their children's hair to avoid further abuse.Redhead Kevin Chapman said that four of his ginger-haired children have been bullied and that
ALLEGATIONS of bullying made against the Prime Minister's agent, John Burton, have been referred to the Adjudication Panel for England.Councillor Burton is alleged to have threatened the former deputy leader of Sedgefield Borough Council, Kester Noble
EUROPE'S largest touring equestrian theatre show made its debut in County Durham yesterday.The Spirit of the Horse company presented its production Chimera for the first time at Dalton Park, Murton, east Durham, to be followed by further performances
A CHARITY which has helped hundreds of young homeless people in Darlington has been recognised with a regional award.Stop2Night has been running since 1992 and was last week awarded the Nationwide award for endeavour for outstanding work the charity has
STAFF from clothing store Mark One, in Bishop Auckland, took a stand against bullying for a national Beatbullying campaign.Beatbullying is the UK's leading anti-bullying charity and UK's charity of the year. It aims to make bullying unacceptable and the
CREW members from a Royal Navy landing assault vessel are on a busy round of shore "missions" in the North-East this weekend.Most of HMS Bulwark's 325-strong crew are going ashore attending functions around the region, as the amphibious support ship renews
CHILDREN'S TV favourites The Chuckle Brothers yesterday launched an initiative to recruit more special constables across Darlington and County Durham.Paul and Barry Chuckle posed for photographs with Special Constables Mark Burley and Len Johnson at Darlington
A JUNKIE armed with a 12-inch carving knife who robbed a priest was jailed indefinitely yesterday.Crack addict David Morgan, 28, had been given rent money three times before by Father Derek Turnham, when he went begging at the Sacred Heart Church in
Hundreds of years after it came to Wensleydale, Quakerism is alive and well in the tiny village of Countersett.IN the great compendious catacomb that is The Northern Echo's cuttings library, there is nothing between Coundon Grange and Cow Green reservoir
A TOWN boxing club is looking to secure its third national title of the season when one of its senior boxers competes tonight.Bob Ajisafe will fly the flag for Spennymoor Boxing Academy, in County Durham, in the national final for boxers with less than
Durham v Worcestershire (Friends Provident Trophy) DURHAM soared to the top of the Friends Provident Trophy's northern group yesterday after amassing their highest score in one-day cricket.They didn't need much help from new signing Scott Styris as they
FAMILIES turned their hands to sculpture yesterday - using recycled cans.The artistic opportunity came at the launch of Recycle Now Week, which was held in the Wheatley Hill Community Centre in the former mining village.It was organised to coincide with
PUPILS have been putting forensic crime investigation under the microscope.Youngsters have been treated to a behind-the-scenes experience in how crime scene evidence is gathered.Helen Kemp, area performance officer with the Cleveland Criminal Justice
A FOOTBALLER ordered to complete a refereeing course as punishment for a foul-mouthed tirade has become one of the top officials in the country.Ross Joyce saw the error of his ways after he was sent off in a youth match six years ago for swearing at the
CANCER patient Pamela Smith and her family are "devastated" after health bosses turned down their appeal for a potentially life-extending drug.Mrs Smith, 62, from Darlington, has advanced bowel cancer and her consultant is being prevented from prescribing
A WELL-KNOWN broadcaster and prominent Jewish leader, Rabbi Lionel Blue, has opened a university's art exhibition.He launched the display of North-East seascapes by Mick Oxley, at Durham University's Grey College last night.The rabbi, who is a visiting
A VILLAGE devastated by flash floods almost two years ago yesterday finally marked the completion of repairs.Hawnby, near Helmsley, was one of the hardest-hit communities after a month's rain fell on a wide area of the North York Moors in just a few hours.The
THE billionaire said to be launching a bid for Newcastle United has visited the club's controversial chairman in hospital.Current boss Freddy Shepherd is in Newcastle's Freeman Hospital, where he is recovering from pneumonia and a collapsed lung. Sporting
RESIDENTS who have dug in to protect trees on their doorstep are to have their day in court.The Trees and Wildlife Action Group's (Twag) bid to protect up to 12 acres of woodland in Newbottle, near Houghton-le-Spring, will be heard at the High Court in
LOSING weight has added pounds to a charity collection.Staff from Redcar's Marks & Spencer store helped raise more than £1,150 for the Great North Air Ambulance.And after years of fundraising, customer assistant Denise Whitehead, and store manager Donna
A HOST of high-profile names will be appearing at Darlington's Civic Theatre in the coming months.The theatre's Summer Repertory Season will see soap actors performing in a selection of plays, all directed by Ian Dickens Productions.Nicola Burgham, 25
THE movement of North Yorkshire's 1,600 police officers are to be tracked by computer technology to improve their efficiency.Police chiefs expect the Qlikview business intelligence software, which analyses beat officers' activity during their shifts,
A TEENAGER from the North-East has become one of the youngest contestants to audition successfully for one of television's biggest talent shows.And the youngster - who became old enough to audition only two days before the deadline - will not be alone
The Attorney General last night defended a child protection chief at the centre of a row about how paedophiles should be dealt with.Jim Gamble, of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, was criticised by a children's charity for arguing
A LADIES lunch club has helped fund equipment for a charity that provides news to blind and partially-sighted people.The North-East Ladies Luncheon Club presented the Darlington Talking Newspaper, based in The Northern Echo's offices, in Priestgate, with
JASON Plato believes the North-East crowd is in for "a cracker" when the Dunlop British Touring Championship visits the region on Sunday. The BTCC makes its annual appearance at the Croft circuit near Darlington and tens of thousands of fans will flock
'Iceland: Good weather and cheap beer. What more could you want?" The slogan was printed across the front of a T-shirt in the window of a Reykjavik store. As I huddled into my waterproof jacket, it became obvious that the souvenir offered more of an insight
THE body of a nine-year-old North-East boy, who suffered a fatal allergic reaction to a sweet, was being flown to Pakistan for burial last night.Mohsen Hussain died after putting a sweet in his mouth at the family-run grocery shop in Brotton, east Cleveland.Campaigners
As fans await the latest Harry Potter film which opens next month, Steve Pratt visits the Hogwarts set to talks to Daniel Radcliffe about working with JK Rowling and Harry's first screen kiss 'IT'S like a little city," says David Heyman, sitting in the
ANGRY cabbies across the region have taken part in protests demanding a cap on the amount of taxis on the roads.They held a series of slow drives around Darlington, Stockton, Middlesbrough and Gateshead at rush-hour yesterday morning to press their case.They
A CONVICTED North-East paedophile who fled to Canada was back in custody in Britain last night.George Galloway, 43, who skipped bail to flee to the United States then to Canada, flew into Heathrow Airport yesterday morning, escorted by Royal Canadian
