A GROUP of cancer sufferers and their families have released their own hard-hitting film calling on the Government to amend the law on asbestos compensation. The North-East Mesothelioma Self Help Group is seeking bereavement compensation to be increased
A BRAVE coastguard who hit the headlines last week after he was criticised following a daring cliff rescue has scooped another award. Heroic coastguard Paul Waugh became one of the first recipients of the Community Heroes awards, launched at Redcar Community
This week's wine comes from Spain's most prestigious red wine area - Rioja, by the river Oja. It's made from Spain's premier grape variety, tempranillo. The colour is garnet red, the bouquet is appealing and slightly scented. The taste is rich in fruit
The Teesside Basketball League resumed normal service this week after the TBL Tournament, providing a big scare for Division 2 Tournament champions Norton Bulls as they visited TU Lions B. It was a busy week for the Lions outfit as they played three games
CAR adverts are often a far-fetched interpretation of the capabilities of the real thing - but when Nissan portrayed the Navara as the diabolical steed of a Western gunslinger, there was more than an element of truth to their comparison. It
FOUR horses had to be rescued by firefighters today after the horse transporters they were being carried careered into a ditch. The incident happened shortly before 3.30pm on Burnt House Bank outside The Mill Youth Hostel in Osmotherley, near Northallerton
THERE'S no denying that 4x4s have gone a bit soft. Because so many of them never actually go off the road, buyers demand SUVs that are nicer and easier to drive - and the result has been a general decline in overall off-road ability. But what
OCCUPANTS of a passing car may be able to assist police accident inquiries into the death of a teenage girl crossing a road. The car, of unknown make, is said to have driven along The Graham Way, in Seaham, County Durham, just before the collision involving
AFTER weeks of searching, Vipers coach Rob Wilson has finally managed to sign a replacement for Petr Kratky. Canadian Burt Henderson spent the 2006-07 season with Japanese side OJI Ice Hockey of the Asian Ice Hockey League, where he scored 20 points
Saturday, January 12, 2008 Elite League: Mobilx Newcastle Vipers 4-3 Manchester Phoenix Sunday, January 13, 2008 Elite League: Mobilx Newcastle Vipers 7-3 Basingstoke Bison VIPERS moved themselves up to fifth in the Elite League with two home wins
THE board of crisis-hit Northern Rock has headed off a bid by rebel shareholders to wrest control over a number of key decisions from its directors. Hedge funds SRM Global and RAB Capital were attempting to place the board "on a shorter leash" and give
Darlington's match at Morecambe last night may have passed an afternoon pitch inspection but Quakers' fixture pile-up shows no sign of alleviating as next week's rearranged game at Barnet has been postponed. The Bees' FA Cup match with Swindon Town on
Norton U11A's travelled across to Ferryhill to play Town in TJFA League Division 2. The pitch had only just passed a morning inspection and conditions were far from ideal as the pitch was already like a gluepot before kick off. Norton made two changes
A MAN accused of burgling a house he entered by posing as a Customs officer failed to appear for his scheduled trial today. Recorder Andrew Kershaw issued a warrant for the arrest of Lawrence William Crossling who was to have faced a trial for two counts
A MARRIED father-of-two's intense jealousy of his teenage lover's blossoming relationship with his elder brother led to murder, a court heard today. Unemployed David Hodgson, 47, had been seeing shop worker Jenny Nicholl, 19, since she was young schoolgirl
SUNDERLAND have completed the signing of centre-back Jean-Yves Mvoto from Paris St-Germain. The 19-year-old defender has signed a three-and-a-half year contract at the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats have agreed an undisclosed compensation package
DURHAM have announced a notable double deal for the 2008 season with the re-signing of West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Australian veteran Michael di Venuto. Both players will return to the county after successful stints in 2007, Chanderpaul
SHARES in beleaguered North-East bank Northern Rock plunged as much as 20 per cent today amid growing speculation the Government may step in to nationalise the bank. The crisis-hit Newcastle-based mortgage lenders stock fell as low as 65.75p - valuing
THE trial of the man accused of murdering missing teenage shop-worker Jenny Nicholl started this morning. A jury at Teesside Crown Court was told that David Hodgson, 47, killed the 19-year-old on the night she disappeared. James Goss, QC, prosecuting
City of Vice (C4, 9pm) The Palace (ITV1, 9pm) ADD another pair of detectives to the long list of TV sleuths - Henry Fielding and his blind brother, John. The former is best known as the writer of that bawdy novel Tom Jones but also - and who says TV
Actress and writer Gaynor Faye tells Steve Pratt why she's put her name behind a free skating for the public tour WHEN she first put her ice skates on, actress Gaynor Faye's objective was "to keep standing up and not break anything". While Olympic
DARLINGTON Arts Centre is striving to become a flagship facility for children and youngsters across the Tees Valley. To raise its profile, services have been relaunched under the brand name ArtsSpark and include youth theatre and dance classes
SOME 20,000 pensioners will die because of cold weather in Britain this winter. Shockingly, this statistic is one of the worst in Europe - even including colder countries such as Norway and Sweden. Why does this concern every decent-thinking person
THE use of nuclear fusion in electricity generation in power stations is proven technology which works and delivers. Many of the statements made by environmental campaigners are without real substance. For instance, Liz Haley, of Friends of the
LIKE most people I reacted with horror at the report of the tragic death of a young baby in Taunton, Somerset, who was covered in scalding water due to a faulty immersion heater. Even more so after then reading how an official Government report
Parish councillors in Darlington's rural wards are furious at plans to withdraw funding. Owen Amos reports ANGRY parish councillors have strongly criticised Darlington Borough Council proposals to withdraw £34,000 of grants. Parish councillors
THE countries of Europe were once composed of tribes, clans and septs. Within these countries peace was often short lived as each would be involved in never-ending conflicts with rival tribes and clans. Ending the power or need for tribes, clans
THE proposal to withdraw free bus travel to the over-60s in Darlington before 9.30am (Echo, Jan 14) will hit hardest on elderly people who have to travel to Darlington Memorial or Bishop Auckland General hospitals for early morning appointments
VIEWED objectively, the human race is more bother than it's worth. It's a liability to the planet. Were it to vanish tomorrow, Mother Nature would doubtless say "good riddance" and get on with the job of repairing its depredations against other
A TEENAGE web developer has become the first student on his college course to land a job. Martin Bean, 18, has secured a position as a web designer with North-East based international firm Fuseboxdesign. Martin, from Darlington, is a student
PARKING charges are "indirect taxation" according to an angry councillor, who was fined £60 for leaving his car eight inches outside a parking space. Councillor Peter Freitag, who has a disabled badge, parked in a disabled space at Park Lane
YOUNG actors from a southwest Durham youth club are putting the finishing touches to their annual pantomime. Fishburn Youth and Community Centre's production of Aladdin marks the group's 25th annual performance. The cast received the scripts
OFFICIALS at a famous amateur football club fear vandals could force them out of their historic ground. The board of Crook Town AFC is looking forward to celebrating the club's 120th anniversary next year. But chairman Steve Buddle said a series
I WAS delighted to read of North Yorkshire County Council's proposed moves to expand the use of Fairtrade goods at its Northallerton headquarters (Echo, Jan 1). At various churches throughout our area we are selling these goods. We are not making
A TOWN mayor's civic dinner raised almost £2,000 for a charity appeal. Councillor Ken Campbell, mayor of Ferryhill, hosted the event at the town's masonic hall on Friday. The evening was supported by civic guests from around the region, local
A COMMUNITY centre with more than £40,000 in the kitty is seeking a chairman to help drive its ongoing refurbishment forward. Neville Community Centre, in Neville Parade, Newton Aycliffe, was awarded the grant from Sedgefield Borough Council's
A SMALL bird caused a big problem for a village church, which feared it would go bankrupt trying to sort it out. Eloy the cockerel, a metal weathervane on the tower at St Eloy's Church, in Great Smeaton, near Northallerton, had become old and
COUNCILLORS have refused planning permission for a scheme to raise community funds by converting a disused hall into a private house. The Mission Room, in Sutton Howgrave, between Bedale and Ripon, was built by the Bendelow Trust in the mid-
RICHMONDSHIRE District Council has united in opposition to potential cutbacks to gritting services in its rural areas. The authority passed a motion stating that it believes the current level of service to be the "very minimum" and that an ongoing
PUPILS held a charity fair during their lunch break to raise money for a hospice charity. Year seven pupils from Thirsk School organised competitions and a tombola. The event raised £60 for Herriot Hospice Homecare, which looks after terminally
A TIME capsule has been locked away for future generations at The Station, in Richmond. Children from nearby primary schools chose mementos including toy cars, make-up and diary extracts to include in the container, which will be locked away
WORK will start next week on a £75,000 project to improve facilities at a community's hospital's minor injuries unit. The funding will be used to redesign patient areas at Ripon Community Hospital to make it easier for staff to look after people
A ROWER who has represented England has won a sporting bursary. Daniel Harris, 18, won the Maes Glas Bursary, which will allow him free use of the Maes Glas Sports Centre, at his university, Bangor. Daniel, who is originally from Durham and
A HAULAGE company's campaign to raise money for a charity has reached the £10,000 mark. Staff from Consett-based Elddis Transport handed over more than £3,000 to Willow Burn Hospice yesterday. Of that total, more than £2,000 was raised because
A THREE-STRIKES burglar who broke into homes of elderly women on successive nights is beginning a three-year jail sentence. Long-term drug addict Kevin Willis was arrested shortly after the second break-in was reported, at 6.15am last August
A MAN forced into early retirement six years ago after suffering a serious stroke has found voluntary work an ideal aid to recovery. And in recognition of all he has done - and all that he continues to do - for his community, 65-year-old Billy
DURHAM City Council is to declare more than eight hectares of land it owns at Flass Vale a Local Nature Reserve. The land, between Neville's Cross and Sniperley, has been a County Wildlife Site since 1982 and is considered important because
FOUR college students have done their teachers proud after being accepted into one of the country's best universities. Ben Laing, Jenny Phillips, Sarah Neil, all 18, and Calum Bambro, 17, will take up their places at Cambridge University, in
A VICTIM of domestic violence helped save her former partner from prison after telling a judge: "He deserves to be punished, but not jailed." Claire McGee's letter to Judge Les Spittle said she and their daughter would suffer if ex-lover Christopher
VOLUNTEERS are being encouraged to take part in a project to unearth the secrets of an old gardeners' world. The 18th Century gardens, discovered in the grounds of 12th Century Gisborough Priory, in Guisborough, are being restored. The goal
AN MP is challenging a Government Minister to produce evidence to justify "minimal increases" in funding for a fire service which protects some of the country's most high-risk sites. Following the news that Cleveland Fire Brigade will receive
"THE cheque's in the post !" This phrase is up there with all the other great fibs in life. Shareholders in ICI will be watching their letter boxes with the anticipation of large value cheques being posted via the Dutch company Akzo Nobel, with
FURNITURE chain ScS said last night it was scrapping expansion plans and there would be no dividend payment for shareholders after a slump in Christmas trading. The North-East-based group had planned to open five new stores before July, but after
HOW often are the weathermen right with their forecasts? In fairness, they probably get it right more often than those who observe red skies or hang up seaweed, but sometimes their interpretation is off the mark. Thats the problem with forecasting
THE region's businesses could be facing a "time bomb" if they fail to ensure their IT systems are safe, reliable and secure. According to IT specialist MC Ware too few firms properly protect their computer systems, leaving themselves open to potentially
A TECHNOLOGY company with a factory in County Durham has achieved national recognition for achievements in energy efficiency. 3M has gained accreditation under the Energy Efficiency Accreditation Scheme, the UK's independent benchmark for energy
THE chief operating officer of North-East technology firm Onyx has backed calls for tougher laws to cover reckless or repeated breaches of data security. Maitland Hyslop welcomed the decision of the Parliamentary Justice Committee to call for legislation
A SOFTWARE company is pioneering a virtual reality exercise programme that could help reduce death from heart disease in the UK. Sunderland-based AIDEPT is developing prescriptionbased exercise software that combines virtual reality video game
I AGREE wholeheartedly with your Comment column (Echo, Jan 7) calling on MPs to lead by example when they vote for their own salary increases and generous expenses - to be paid by the taxpayers. Labour MPs need to treat the issue as a test of their
AS Newcastle United are so unmanageable, why don't they sack the players? And as the board and the fans obviously want instant miracles only divine intervention will do the trick, so they should try visiting church before matches as nothing else
COUNCILLOR Mark Wilkes' letter regarding rising energy costs (HAS, Jan 9) kindly mentioned EBICo Ltd, referring to our prices for prepayment meter customers. Unfortunately, the telephone number that was given is incorrect. The correct number for
AS my mother always says, a cup of tea can work wonders. Just before Christmas, I drove to Newcastle to have a cuppa with Brendan Foster and hear about his ambitious plans to get Britain active. Brendan knows all about getting people active, of course
A MULTI-VEHICLE shunt caused major rush-hour disruption on the A1(M) in County Durham today. But, despite the long delays to commuters, there were no major casualties caused as a result of two accidents on the stretch of the motorway between Carrville
David Slane, Barclays Local Business regional director asks local businesses - is it time for a New Year revolution? YOUR business will probably have faced many challenges last year C increased legislation and rising energy costs are a few that
COOPER'S Coffee Shop in Darlington town centre has been sold for an undisclosed figure after agents Christie + Co sought £75,000 for the leasehold interest. The business occupies a three-storey character property in Post House Wynd, just off the
QUORUM Development Partners LLP, advised by DTZ and Knight Frank, has agreed a ten-year lease with MWB Business Exchange, who will provide new serviced office accommodation at Quorum Business Park, North Tyneside. The business centre comprises 30,000
Businesses looking to invest in new premises in 2008 are encouraged to contact Tyne and Wear Development Company for support. With its experienced team of advisors and extensive contacts, the business development agency specialises in helping
THERE is much to be said in favour of the "presumed consent" idea for organ donation, but before Britain goes that far, has all possible been done to improve the existing system? It is, after all, a failing system. If 90 per cent of people agree with
As George Bush makes his first visit of his presidency to the Middle East, pledging to broker a peace deal, Adam Pletts visits a Palestinian refugee camp to explore the region's religious and cultural diversity THE one thing about Lebanon that is most
The construction of a £10m centre is central to the North-East's bid to get creative. The Northern Echo's John Dean investigates IT is one of the challenges that has faced businesses for generations: how do you take bright ideas and turn them
NORTHERN Gas Networks is backing work to create and protect wildlife habitats in the region. The company has donated £1,000 a year to become a corporate member of Durham Wildlife Trust. Money donated helps pay for the trust's work in nature reserves
A COMPETITION to find the best designed buildings and developments has been launched. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's fourth Design Award Scheme is looking for for examples high quality architecture. In previous years, the scheme has given
AN organisation has been set up to help divert North- East waste bound for landfill to businesses and community groups that can re-use it. Resource Network North East Limited (Resnet) has set up a regional website for the waste sector at www.resnetnortheast.org
A WATER company has pledged £3m to reduce the risk of flooding in a market town. Northumbrian Water is to invest the money to upgrade the sewage network in Guisborough. The 12-month scheme will begin on Monday, February 4, to reduce the risk of
SMALL builders across the North-East diverted almost 5,000 tonnes of construction waste from landfill last year. The achievement came thanks to a training programme run by Government-backed sustainability experts Envirowise. Twenty-four companies
A GUIDE has been produced that will help businesses source environmentally-friendly paper. Produced by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the guide, which is available on the internet, includes a scorecard that enables buyers to evaluate the eco-performance
RESEARCH has suggested that a high number of the country's large companies are still ignoring the need to reduce their carbon footprint. Only 28 out of 557 companies in the FTSE all-share index demonstrated that they had become carbon neutral,
THIS year, rather than concentrating on slimming on waist, although heaven knows I need to do that as well, I am making some resolutions to slim my waste. The average person in the UK throws away their body weight in rubbish every three months,
ADVISING software group Sage on a £20m acquisition has helped law firm Ward Hadaway's plc team clock up almost £250m worth of transactions over the past year. The North-East firm provided legal advice to Sage (UK) Ltd on its recent £20m acquisition
LAW firm Dickinson Dees is advising on the sale of a new generation of "flat-pack" homes. Swedish furniture chain Ikea is constructing the affordable homes in Gateshead, and the first occupants are due to move in soon. The houses - known as BoKloks
BUSINESSES are being warned to watch what they say about competitors in their advertising, following a reshaping of European law. A new EC directive has come into force, which aims to protect traders against the consequences of misleading advertising
LAW firms in the North-East and North Yorkshire have performed ahead of the average for top London firms this year, figures showed. The Annual Law Firm Survey, which is produced by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) reported a "fantastic year" for leading
AT present, there is a great deal of emphasis on climate change and how we can all do our bit to reduce our carbon emissions. One of the ways in which the Government and the EU are looking to deal with climate change is by reducing emissions through
THE Government was last night urged to do more to protect British manufacturing and help secure a brighter future for firms, especially those in the motor industry. Unite published a document, Ripping The Heart Out of the Motor Industry, detailing
ELECTRIC vehicle manufacturer Tanfield Group moved to reassure investors yesterday after a 17 per cent drop in its share price last week. The group said it knew of "no reason" for the volatile price and said it had seen record orders last month
A YOUNG entrepreneur has received help and funding to successfully launch her own business - providing chocolate fountains for hire. Kellyann Phillips, 22, from Hartlepool, was assisted by InBiz, an organisation which promotes and develops selfemployment
DURHAM Business School is to host a seminar which focuses on how effective communication can lead to improved leadership. The seminar, at 6pm on Thursday, January 24 at the business school in Mill Hill Lane, Durham, will be delivered by Mark
THE owners of Teesport were yesterday believed to be mounting a takeover bid for Forth Ports, which operates seven commercial ports in the UK. Australian infrastructure company Babcock and Brown, which owns Teesport operator PD Ports, now holds
A RESIDENTIAL course designed to tackle the engineering skills shortage has attracted more than 150 young people. Sixth-formers and employers took part in a three-day residential programme in Newcastle designed to encourage youngsters into the
A MULTI-MILLION pound buyout will see a North-East window and conservatory company expand this year. Paramount Windows and Conservatories, of Team Valley, Gateshead, hopes to create about 30 jobs along with work for North-East contractors and
A NORTH-East engineering company could grow by up to 40 per cent if it was not facing recruitment problems, it has said. Darlington-based Amp Consultants, which has won a contract on an £80m biofuel facility, is finding recruiting skilled engineers
AS we enter another year, now is the ideal time for businesses to take stock of their positions and look ahead to how they can build for the future. With national and international markets becoming increasingly competitive, one of the best ways
A GROUP of children have been enjoying time travelling. Forty pupils from The King's Academy, in Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough, were selected for the trip a trip to London after excelling in history. They visited the Holocaust exhibition at the
A MAYOR is getting to the heart of the community by showing her support for a charity campaign. For Valentine's Day, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) is encouraging people to join the mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, Councillor Wendy Wall, in writing
A COMMUNITY centre has been forced to close after blaze ripped through the building. An electrical fault in the ceiling is thought to be the cause of the fire at Skelton Civic Centre, in Skelton, in the early house of Friday. The main hall was destroyed
WILLIAM Hill yesterday became the latest bookmaker to show the breakaway racing channel Turf TV. The high street and internet betting group is now broadcasting the channel, which carries exclusive footage from 31 racecourses including Aintree
THE Government was last night urged to tap into millions of pounds-worth of European Union funding to help retrain Electrolux workers. Liberal Democrat MEP Fiona Hall said she had written to the Government Office of the North- East asking it to
A NEW BEGINNING I was the sunrise one early morning Looking east across the sea of mystery White fluffy clouds with gold and silver linings Against a beautiful blue and turquoise canopy. I close my eyes and hear the ocean Crashing waves on sand
The head of England's newest university is a breath of fresh air in the academic world. Ruth Campbell meets the expert on old age who fizzes with ideas, enthusiasm and energy I CONFESS to doing a double take as I am introduced to Professor
So You Think You Can Be A Single Parent (Five Life, 9pm); A Million Pound Place In The Sun (More 4, 9pm) THE trailer for the next episode of So You Think You Can Be A Single Parent has a tearful Jayne Middlemiss telling the camera: "I've had enough
Saucy starters and passionate puddings? The Tavistock aims to introduce some Latin love (for food) to Hartlepool A PHOTOGRAPH of the American actress Jean Harlow, said to have been the original blonde bombshell - and to have had the morals of a
ARCHAEOLOGISTS always want to know the provenance of any discovery - where it was found, its relation to other objects found on the site and so on. That is why they decry mere treasure seekers, knowing that an article loses half its significance
THOSE wishing to see the back of "tired, sleazy Labour" - as Alex Mortimer (HAS, Jan 2) puts it - must have very short memories of life in the North under 18 years of Tory rule, mainly under the Thatcher administration. Communities were left devastated
I AM pleased that Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg raised the question of the huge energy costs for the poor and elderly at Prime Minister's Questions (Echo, Jan 10). I do think that we should expand the energy grants to every family, perhaps
A DRIVER whose car overturned after he sneezed was saved from the wreckage of his flaming vehicle. Paul Harrison, 30, was unscathed after he survived the horror crash thanks to brave 19-year-old Matthew Norris. Matthew dragged Mr Harrison from his burning
I REFER to Peter Hill's letter on global warming or, more particularly, the EU's half-baked, dangerous and badly thought out directive on low-energy (mercury filled) light bulbs (HAS, Jan 9). He finishes with the sad comment: "The tragedy is there
TORY leader David Cameron believes the Government is not robust enough in challenging those who claim Incapacity Benefit when they are capable of work. There has long been a debate about benefits and, of course, there are examples of individuals
ON behalf of The Prince's Trust in the North-East, I would like to thank all volunteers, staff, supporters, charities and ambassadors who have worked locally for the charity and have helped nearly 4,000 of the region's disadvantaged young people
I HAVE been a huge fan of Laurel and Hardy since 1979 when, as a child, I saw for the first time one of their films on BBC2. What really endeared me was the realisation soon after that one of them had spent part of his childhood in the North-East
I DO not think we should abolish the blasphemy law. People usually talk as if nations have a law against blasphemy to protect the feelings of religious believers, but this is not the case. The blasphemy law was originally simply the enshrining
Mention the nickname Goodybags and you instantly think of BBC Radio 1's Sunday chart show. DJ Mark Goodier talks to Viv Hardwick about moving on to Smooth Radio, which broadcasts in the North-East, and why he never minded the sweetshop-style
IT would be great to argue simply about whether Peter Hain's misjudgement in not disclosing the source of his donations was a sackable offence. On the one hand, it could be argued that to err is human. This line of thought would say that as Mr
PETER HAIN was under growing political pressure last night after an official Parliamentary "sleaze" inquiry was launched into his donations blunders. Westminster's Commissioner for Standards, John Lyon, ruled that the Work and Pensions Secretary
INJURY-HIT Tony McCoy is set to miss a stack of winners over the next few weeks given he can't partner the likes of Golden Oak (3.20) at Folkestone this afternoon. While McCoy is sidelined with a broken vertebra new jockeys must be found for
FORMER England batsman Mark Ramprakash has admitted one of the few times he encountered racism on the cricket field was when he played against Australia. Ramprakash also confirmed he believed former Surrey teammate Harbhajan Singh to be innocent
INDIA team manager Chetan Chauhan is confident the remainder of his team's tour of Australia will be played in the right spirit after withdrawing an allegation of offensive behaviour against Brad Hogg. The Australia spinner had been cited for
BOBBY HULL breezes in, bearing scrapbooks. He's a good lad, Bob - ex-polliss, familiar former Northern League footballer and manager, long-time Esh Winning cricketer. Hereabouts, however, he is chiefly remembered from Esh Winning's annual presentation
DARLINGTON tonight travel to Morecambe for the second consecutive month but the new signing Dave Penney hoped to include will not be in the squad. Penney had been in negotiations with the player last week and a move to Quakers was agreed late
ANDY Murray was puzzled by the thigh complaint Jo-Wilfried Tsonga suffered in their Australian Open first-round clash in Melbourne but insists he only has himself to blame for his opening-day exit. Despite being tipped as a potential winner of
WORLD number three Jelena Jankovic had to overcome injury, a dogged opponent and even an errant driver to reach the second round of the Australian Open after a first-round escape at Melbourne Park. The 22-year-old, who came into the tournament
FABIO Capello will not allow sentiment to get in the way of deciding whether David Beckham wins his 100th England cap against Switzerland next month. Capello is due to announce his squad in just over a fortnight for his first match in charge,
LIVERPOOL co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett insist that Rafael Benitez has their full support, after the startling admission they held talks with Jurgen Klinsmann. Benitez will surely be alarmed about the revelation that the former Germany
TROUBLED Luton manager Kevin Blackwell has admitted that some of his players could refuse to face Liverpool in tonight's FA Cup third-round replay at Anfield for fear of scuppering moves away from the financially- stricken club. Blackwell handed
AFTER being labelled the Premier League's best striker by Roy Keane, Kenwyne Jones was more concerned with the club's fortunes last night when he insisted the real Sunderland have finally stood up'. The Trinidad & Tobago international was superb
WATFORD midfielder Al Bangura, who was threatened with deportation back to Sierra Leone, will be allowed to remain in the UK, the Home Office said yesterday. The 19-year-old faced having to return to his African homeland after he was refused
MIKE ASHLEY will be back in Britain this morning and plans to hold detailed negotiations with chairman Chris Mort in an attempt to come up with a plan to find the new manager of Newcastle United. After returning from a business trip to Hong
READING manager Steve Coppell has revealed he has received not a single enquiry for wantaway striker Leroy Lita. The England Under-21 international, believed to interest Sunderland manager Roy Keane, has had enough of being left on the bench
AFONSO ALVES has been shown around the Riverside Stadium with a view to a multi-million pound move that would smash Middlesbrough's record fee. Boro will be forced to wait before finalising any deal for the Brazilian, and last night it emerged
After eight series and with a ninth just around the corner, you would think that reality TV show Big Brother could go on forever. But, with noticeably dwindling numbers at the North-East auditions, Dani Webb wonders if the bubble is about to burst
A WATERCOLOUR linking one of Britain's favourite artists with one its most popular writers has been bought by a North-East museum. The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, paid £30,500 at an auction for JMW Turner's painting of Bowes Tower, Yorkshire
A LONG-RUNNING equal pay dispute involving 800 North-East women could take a major step forward today. The Equality and Human Rights Commission is expected to make a statement which will set a "legal precedent" and help to settle the women's four-yearold
A WOMAN whose son was stillborn has set up a support group for people in the North-East. Elaine Bradbury, a 36-year-old classroom assistant from Templetown, Consett, County Durham, hopes other women who suffered as she did will be able to benefit
A POPULAR group of singers will make their debut in part of the region this spring. The Singing Farmers have strong links to agriculture and have proved hugely successful in their native Yorkshire. They have raised more than £70,000 in four years
A PSYCHIATRIC patient who told a doctor he would hang himself if forced to take his medication carried out his threat in hospital, an inquest heard. Paranoid schizophrenic Jonathan Ferguson, who was supposed to be under close supervision, hanged
PREPARATIONS are well in hand for one of the big events in the region's racing calendar. The Middleham Stables open day offers the public a chance to see what goes on behind the scenes at some of the country's leading racing stables. Last year
A WOMAN who has survived breast cancer twice is calling on other survivors to join her to help set a new record. Sharyn Clarkson, 54, from Redcar, east Cleveland, is again organising Cancer Research UK's 24-hour Relay for Life at Redcar Rugby Club
PRIME Minister Gordon Brown has held a Downing Street reception to honour a man and his 21 team-mates who took part in an international competition. Landscape gardener Keith Chapman, 21, from Hackforth, North Yorkshire, and fellow team members flew
One of the region's schools is forging links with Russia in the hope it will benefit the wider community. David Roberts reports FOR most people, a school exchange may have simply been a few days' break visiting French or German penpals. However
FIRMS who bought shares in Northern Rock after their price had crashed and who will try to prevent a cut-price sale of the stricken lender at a meeting today have been condemned as "vultures". The Liberal Democrats launched a fierce attack on
A RESCUE operation was due to take place last night to refloat a ship that carries cars for Nissan. The City of Sunderland ran aground on a sandbar eight miles off the coast of Norfolk early yesterday morning. The vessel, which has a crew of
THE trial of a man accused of killing teenager Jenny Nicholl is due to begin today. David Hodgson, 47, of Olav Road, Richmond, denies murdering the 19-year-old in June 2005. A preliminary hearing took place at Teesside Crown Court yesterday, when
BRITAIN could be in for a bumper year at the Oscars if the Golden Globe awards prove, as they have in the past, a sign of things to come. The thinking is - win a Golden Globe and the odds are you will take home an Academy Award too. So, it would
THE HOLLYWOOD blockbuster which rocketed the North-East into the movie spotlight for its dramatic scenes of war-torn Dunkirk has won two Golden Globe awards. British film Atonement, which features the transformation of Redcar beach, in east Cleveland
MORE than 60 children from seven schools have taken part in a production of the musical Joseph, at Durham's Gala Theatre. Sixty-seven youngsters from Durham High School for Girls, Shincliffe CE Primary School, East Herrington Primary School
A CANCER patient who spent months fighting to get a new wonder drug on the NHS has been told it has dramatically reduced her tumours. News that County Durham patient Kathleen Devonport has seen her tumours shrink by nearly a third after being
THE former head of a police driving school was last night condemned as "grossly irresponsible, highly dangerous, and utterly hypocritical" after admitting driving at 118mph. Paul Gee, who has since retired and receives a police pension of £1,800
With a testing schedule to come, and having picked up just one point from nine before Saturday, Darlington needed a win but they couldn't have expected to stroll to victory quite so easily. Quakers missed countless chances but still picked up three points
GARETH SOUTHGATE labelled Saturday's game against Liverpool as a test of resolve. After Emanuel Pogatetz was declared unfit on Friday and almost losing Mark Schwarzer and Gary O'Neil on Saturday before the game it was more of a test of Resolve - or how
TWO people were seriously injured after an accident involving a tanker carrying fertiliser and two cars occurred on the A19. The collision happened around 4.05pm last night adjacent to the New Parks layby south of the Tollerton and Huby crossroads.
