A NORTH-EAST animal-lover has told how she spent her life savings to rescue a puppy facing almost certain death on a Greek island. Angie Walker has paid £2,500 for vaccinations, quarantine and transit for the puppy she found roaming a Corfu beach with
A WOMAN doctor has been hailed a heroine for her care and compassion at the scene of a road crash. Middlesbrough-based Dr Helen Burke stopped her car to help the victims of a head-on crash. An 11-year-old boy travelling as a front-seat passenger was badly
DURHAM more than doubled their tally of batting bonus points for the season in glorious style yesterday when they amassed 479 for nine against Derbyshire at Darlington. Granted a Feethams featherbed as opposed to the sub-standard surfaces at Tunbridge
FEW people can deny feeling at least some trepidation at the prospect of flying. No matter how many times we're told that, statistically, it is the safest form of transport, it still manages to spark emotions ranging from slight nervousness to out-and-out
THE Government's intention when it first looked at local government reform was noble. It wanted to stop decisions being taken in secret. Old-fashioned Labour authorities, especially several in the North-East, were the worst offenders. Before meetings,
SUPPORTERS of Storyteller (7.30) will be hoping for a fairytale ending to this evening's £25,000 Northern Rock Gosforth Park Cup at Newcastle. The omens certainly appear to be set fair for the Michael Dods' trained six-year-old, who is close to concert
YOU could say that Elspeth Biltoft is jammy, and even she admits to a bit of luck. But the maker of preserves says the secret of success is following tried and true recipes for jam making. From a converted barn near Masham, North Yorkshire, she produces
Frank Rijkaard quit after his Holland team crashed out of Euro 2000 on penalties to Italy. The coach said he took full responsibility for his country's failure to reach the final of the competition when expectations across the nation were sky-high. But
It wasn't quite as carefree as an afternoon stroll down the Champs Elysees. But Tim Henman's 6-4 6-4 6-4 demolition of Frenchman Arnaud Clement in Wimbledon's second round yesterday suggested there is reason to believe he is striding down the road to
ONLY weeks after it was officially unveiled a unique four-faced clock has been vandalised in an East Durham seaside town. The ornamental clock, topped with crab-shaped weather vane was seen as the crowning touch in a £1.2m revamp of Seaham's spruced-up
COMEDY actress Vicki Michelle said 'Allo 'Allo to Darlington as she arrived to perform at the town's Civic Theatre. The star, who played saucy waitress Yvette in the BBC TV series set in Second World War France, is playing alongside Brookside duo Amanda
NEWCASTLE United want to buy Jackie Milburn's medals and make them a centrepiece of their new museum. And the footballing legend's family say they would be delighted to see them go to St James's Park - for the sake of the fans. But they are also considering
AN ex Liverpool docker who has made a fortune from reinventing himself as the nation's favourite TV slob shares the stage with miners' leader Arthur Scargill in a tiny County Durham hall next week. Millions tune in to see actor Ricky Tomlinson as workshy
Nicholas Walker, aged four, has decided to put his newly acquired knowledge of recycling to the test to help a summer fete. The youngster, who attends Darlington's Corporation Road Nursery, decided to adapt what he learned at the group and donated his
IT was a family affair when a celebration of railway pioneer Timothy Hackworth took place in his home town. It is 150 years since the death of Shildon's most celebrated resident, and his descendants have marked the milestone. Hackworth's grandson, Robert
Delighted staff at Guisborough Branch Walkway have declared the first Redcar and Cleveland Festival of Walking to be such a success that they intend to repeat the festival next week. The festival featured a series of graded walks, and dates have already
HILDA Tinsley was inundated with gifts and flowers yesterday on her 104th birthday. A party was held to mark the occasion at Rockcliffe Court, Hurworth, near Darlington, a sheltered housing complex where she has lived for the last 12 years. The celebration
CABINET Office Minister Mo Mowlam apologised yesterday for the "hurt" caused by her remarks calling for the Queen to move out of Buckingham Palace. A contrite Dr Mowlam, MP for Redcar, backed down after the Palace took the rare step of intervening in
TWO teenagers who tried to drown a puppy before burying it alive were yesterday described as misguided, not savage. The youngsters confessed to plunging four-month-old Jack Russell cross-bred Pip in a bath of water last December, but denied killing the
THIEVES stole 160 trays of Carling Black Label lager from an unlocked Vauxhall Monavo van, in Main Road, Trimdon Village, between 8.30pm on Tuesday and 6am yesterday. Anyone with information about the theft should contact police on (01325) 314401.
ABOUT a hundred villagers packed a public meeting to protest about plans to build homes on a quiet residential estate. Families from the new Castlehills Estate, at Castleside, near Consett, claim they were misled by developers who built 60 houses last
"SCHOOLS from across the North East will be facing a tough military assignment tomorrow as they take part in an adventure challenge. Teams from thirteen schools are meeting at Richmond Castle for the Green Howards Museum's Inter-schools Adventurous Sports
A BOSS is appealing for patience as work goes ahead on a problem-dogged Olympic standard water centre. Alan Laverick, general manager of the Castlegate Quay Trust, responsible for the multi-million pound Stockton project, said: "I would ask people to
IT may be summer, but the thoughts of one group of Teessiders are turning to Christmas. Despite the genial weather, genies in lamps are on the minds of Middlesbrough Theatre which yesterday announced it is staging the pantomime Aladdin this Christmas.
A FORMER vet is among nine people who will be ordained into the Church of England's newest diocese at services this weekend. Two men and two women will become deacons in the diocese of Ripon and Leeds in a service at Ripon Cathedral, led by Bishop of
LOFTUS Bank will be closed to traffic for nine weeks as the final stage of work gets under way to stabilise the road link for another 120 years. Repair work is due to start at the end of next month, presenting a massive engineering challenge as a retaining
A homeless drug addict who was desperate to quit heroin solved all his problems by breaking a window, a court was told yesterday. Karl Doyle, 30, faced a seven- month wait to be vetted for a Methadone withdrawal programme. But after he broke the window
POLICE are appealing for people with information about a disturbance in Middlesbrough the night before an Asian man was found murdered in his home in Teak Street. The man has been identified by police as 39-year-old Abdul Ghaffor, a father of four. He
A double murder suspect poured out his heart in a suicide note before he ended his own life. John Thompson, 27, is prime suspect in the murders of Rachel Tough and Julie Smailes, both of County Durham. Two years after his death, his widow Michelle Thompson
THE mystery of a "hummingbird" sighting in the North-East has been solved. Police officer Jonathan Stoker, from Darlington, believed he had seen the first recorded sighting of a hummingbird on the British mainland. However, wildlife experts believe the
VIEWS of the region seeing in the year 2000 have won pride of place in a worldwide collection of millennium photographs. Three scenes captured through the lens of photographer Lynne Otter were selected in an international project documenting the dawn
THE Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and BT will invest more than £2m in a communications network for the Tees coastline. The new communications structure will link the MCA station in Stockton with offices across the country though a permanent connection
LIFE-SAVING demonstrations and valuable information will be on offer at an exhibition next week. The Directions Information Service, which is used by thousands of people in County Durham each year, is putting on a display at County Hall, Durham City,
A NORTH-EAST man was left to die in agony in a Greek hospital after falling from a balcony, his family claimed last night. Chris Rochester, 24, of Chester-le-Street, County Durham, flew out to Rhodes three weeks ago to join his older brother who worked
AN innovative new Teesside company has grand designs for other companies and organisations in the Tees Valley. Stockton-based Natural Artlines has launched a picture loans and purchasing service so that businesses can use art in a flexible and affordable
DUNKIRK heroes gathered for a final tribute yesterday before disbanding. Bishop Auckland Dunkirk Veterans' Association packed into the St Anne's Church, in the town, to see their standard dedicated to the church. They were there to remember the evacuation
A FORMER long-term prisoner is back behind bars after a shoplifting spree following his release from jail. Darren Watts, 32, was yesterday jailed for a year after admitting stealing bottles of drink from stores and supermarkets in Durham and Sunderland
WORK has started on new facilities to help parents with young families in Middlesbrough. As part of the Sure Start project, Middlesbrough Borough Council is working with residents, playgroups and childminders to provide tailor-made child care for families
AN appeal has been made for Middlesbrough residents to decide the future of an historic bell. The South Bank Community Forum is asking the people of Middlesbrough for their views on the Bell Valve, in a secluded part of the South Bank Shopping Centre.
A COUNCIL'S donation of old computers is helping sick children learn and reducing waste disposal. Durham County Council, which has twice picked up The Green Apple Award for its green policies, is giving 500 redundant PCs to a charity that provides education
BRITAIN'S top high-altitude mountaineer Alan Hinkes has described his narrow escape from a lonely death after he plunged into a crevasse close to the summit of the world's third highest peak. And, although he still finds the experience traumatic to talk
A FORMER long-term prisoner is back behind bars after a shoplifting spree following his release from jail. Darren Watts, 32, was yesterday jailed for a year after admitting stealing bottles of drink from stores and supermarkets in Durham and Sunderland
A PETERLEE school is celebrating huge improvements in its examination results. Shotton Hall Comprehensive has also greatly extended its learning opportunities for pupils, who can study subjects as diverse as media, dance, health and social care, drama
POLICE are offering a helping hand to victims of car crime. Northumbria Police's Tynemouth area command has set up a scheme for repeat victims of theft. A security firm, Simon Robinson of Newcastle, will offer the victim an immobiliser free of charge,
THE heat was on in the kitchen as the cream of school cooks battled for honours. Long gone are the days of the stodgy pudding and soggy vegetables, as cooks from Stockton schools proved in the school cook of the year contest. Barbara Keen, from Durham
TRAIN operator GNER has joined forces with the National Trust in a £40,000 sponsorship programme. The money will fund five National Trust events set to take place across the country - including a concert by tribute band, Bjorn Again, at Ormesby Hall,
POLICE have spoken out against motorists who are ignoring a new safety zone brought in to improve the accident record along a notorious stretch of the A1. A 50mph speed limit was imposed by the Highways Agency on a five-mile stretch of the road, near
A COUNTY Durham health trust is stepping up the fight against cancer. More than £300,000 is being invested by South Durham Health Care NHS Trust on equipment for the early detection of the disease. Three ultrasound machines will be installed at two of
SOAP star Craig Fairbrass took to the airwaves with one of the region's most popular presenters yesterday. Craig, who plays "Dirty'' Dan Sullivan in EastEnders, co-hosted the Goffy in the Morning breakfast show on Century Radio with Hartlepool-born Paul
THE North-East is a region of noisy neighbours according to a national survey revealing the number of complaints made about disturbance. The National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection says that noise complaints throughout the country
DARLINGTON past and present is set to be recreated by the town's flower club. The South Durham and North Yorkshire Flower Arrangement Club, which is the largest of its kind in the area, is holding the event at St.Cuthbert's Church Centre, on Wednesday
A GROUP of disabled and able-bodied singers and dancers is winning praise for its entertaining performances. The Making Music Project was launched in the Gilesgate area of Durham two years ago. It brings together young people, aged 11 to 25, some of whom
A PARISH council has been accused of trying to keep an election secret by not issuing polling cards to villagers. People at Thornley go to the polls today, at the village junior school, to vote for councillors competing for three vacancies. Brian Wilson
HENRY the garden gnome is safely back home after being snatched by a gang of jet-setting gnomenappers. But there is still no clue as to who grabbed him from the doorstep of a County Durham pub. Since the gnomenap five months ago, Henry has travelled far
IT has all backfired. Zero Tolerance is now top of the agenda. It is the talk of police and public alike. In the two-and-a-half years that I have been suspended from Cleveland Police, I have avoided using this column to discuss my own situation. But following
WITH just weeks to go before the birth of their first child and two months before their wedding, Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas are rowing over their prenuptial agreement. She wants £3m-a-year and a house if they split. He is offering £1m and
WORK has begun on a new £32m pharmaceutical development which is set to give a boost to industry on Teesside. Lundbeck Pharmaceuticals Ltd, the UK subsidiary of the Danish firm, will build a new bulk production facility at its Seal Sands site. The project
THE North-East must adopt French employment values if it is to create a prosperous economy, says the TUC. A new report issued by the union condemns US-style wild-west capitalism and says that the North-East and UK must work towards partnership and co-operation
AS thousands of excited Elton John fans get set for crocodile rock at Raby Castle next month, one important member of the audience has some catching up to do as regards the music of the rock legend. The owner of the County Durham medieval fortress, Lord
YOU'LL have to excuse me if I smell a bit strange. Blame it on the boys. Being the mother of sons, I thought there'd be things I'd never experience - borrowing of clothes, sharing of shampoos, oils, conditioners. Fat chance. Years ago, when they were
A GROUP of football fans were last night facing bankruptcy after losing a long-running court battle to stop their club throwing them out of their seats to make way for corporate entertainment. Six supporters, who formed the Save Our Seats campaign, now
A man who sneezed continually for 35 years has finally been cured - after discovering he was allergic to his breakfast. Patrick Webster saw more than 60 doctors and went to three hospitals, but was told he had no allergies and they had no idea what was
A PUBLICAN has been granted an entertainment licence, despite protests from neighbours about alleged noise disturbance. Colin Simpson, landlord of the Oasis, on Talbot Street, Tilery, Stockton, was allowed the licence for weddings and other family celebrations
POWER LINES BEFORE your readers get too fired up over alleged new evidence linking overhead power lines with cancer (Echo, June 24), would they please spare a thought for the residents of Eaglescliffe and nearby? When the controversial new power line
NEWCASTLE United have made a £1.5m swoop for Bradford City's highly-rated goalkeeper Matt Clarke. The former Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham keeper has been pulled out of the Bradford party for this weekend's Intertoto Cup trip to Lithuania. Clarke
A MAN in a car with false registration plates drove away from three filling stations without paying for petrol, a court was told. Gareth Craig, 20, claimed that he was provided with the car by two men he would not name, said defence solicitor James Watson
THE Government yesterday gave in to massive public pressure and scrapped plans to let local councillors make vital decisions entirely behind closed doors. In a shock U-turn, ministers are now insisting that new-style council cabinets must meet in public
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Bryan Robson is ready to launch a search for a new goalkeeper following Ben Roberts' decision to quit the Riverside Stadium. Bishop Auckland-born Roberts has turned down a new three-year contract and is now available on a free transfer
PASSPORT officials said yesterday that their new North-East office will help avoid a repeat of last summer's crisis in which hundreds of people lost their holidays. The Passport Agency has been severely criticised by MPs for the huge backlog of passport
FIREFIGHTERS spent almost seven hours tackling a blaze which destroyed the home of a 99-year-old hoarder yesterday. The blaze broke out at the house in Hawthorn Terrace, South Bank, near Middlesbrough, just before 7am. Five fire appliances attended the
A VICAR asked to repair his village church after repeated vandal attacks says the coffers are empty Vandalism has turned St Paul's Church at Evenwood, Bishop Auckland, into a money pit. According to the Reverend George Liddle, windows were smashed every
PLANS to expand a Newton Aycliffe pub could be scrapped because of a buy-out of the Swallow Inns and Restaurant group. The group had submitted an application to Sedgefield Borough Council for a single-storey extension to the Iron Horse pub in Emerson
A SCOUT and Guide project to expand a school in a Zimbabwean community has been postponed because of political tension in the country. Young people from Cleveland Scouts and Guides have spent years raising money for the Zimbabwe 2000 project to help a
VILLAGERS have called on Prime Minister Tony Blair's agent to help their drive to resurrect their former mining community. Ferryhill Station has been in decline since the 1960s, when the neighbouring collieries of Deaf Hill and Mainsforth were closed.
WORKERS at a Darlington supermarket are launching a charity campaign. The Asda store in Whinfield, has launched a Get Involved Campaign to aid the community through people giving time and money to local good causes. Staff at the store will join with Asda
They have the distinction of surviving one of the bloodiest conflicts in modern history. And nearly 200 years after the British Army captured them from Napoleon's troops, they are still the cause of international friction. The military drum and mace,
A School powered by a wind turbine received an environmental award at a ceremony yesterday. Cassop Primary School, County Durham, which won the World Wide Fund for Nature and Junior Education Challenge 2000 Gold Award, gets its electricity from a 50kw
A CATERER is promising big improvements after winning the £30m contract to feed County Durham pupils for the next five years. Durham County Council has re-hired Newton Aycliffe-based Chartwells to serve the county's 279 primary and secondary schools.
STUDENTS at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, Darlington, are arranging a film theme night as part of their GNVQ advanced leisure and tourism course. They come up with the idea after being asked to produce feasibility studies for different events they
TWO councillors face being banned from council life after a bitter row over the cost of spending on plates to celebrate the millennium. Yarm town councillors Eric Turton and Bob Stephenson have made repeated scathing criticisms of the way the council
A MAGICIAN who is allergic to rabbits has been reduced to tears again - after his fluffy pet went to the great warren in the sky. Ian Wragg usually only cries when he picks up rabbits while performing his magic show. But his eyes are watering again after
NEWCASTLE International Airport marked another milestone in its 65-year history when the three millionth passenger checked in. And film buffs would have been forgiven for thinking the passenger was a major Hollywood film star, because he shared the same
VOLUNTEERS are being sought to help members of their community return to learning. Community Champions will talk and work with people across the borough, encouraging them to improve their basic skills and gain confidence, in reading, writing, spelling
ORGANISERS at Ormesby Hall preparing for Saturday's concert featuring Abba tribute band Bjorn Again have warned fans they will not get in without a ticket. The 7,000-ticket outdoor concert has sold out and Ian Brockbank, events manager, said: "We are
A LANDLORD has called time after 30 years of working in the same pub. Keith Archer pulled his last pint and washed his last glass in the Station Pub, Hurworth Place, near Darlington, on Tuesday night. Regulars marked the occasion by throwing a big party
THE hunt is on for folklore and reminiscences about the Headland area of Hartlepool. Several public meetings are being lined up next month to help develop a public arts and environmental improvement strategy for the Headland area. To come up with a strategy
FIREFIGHTERS who saved a sheep from drowning after a river burst its banks are to be honoured by the RSPCA. A certificate of commendation will be awarded to John Hunter, Darren Henderson, Richard Walker, Mark Simpson and Gary Beswick after they risked
A LEADING North-East computer network specialist has relocated and is expanding due to the rise in e-business across the region. Knowledge IT has just moved from premises in Chester-le-Street and relocated to a purpose-built facility at Crowther Industrial
Five Newcastle United fans who face losing their seats at St James' Park to make way for corporate clients will hear the result of their Court of Appeal case today. The five fans have challenged a judge's ruling that the club made no clear commitment
A SEX attacker pushed his victim to the point of suicide when she tried to bury the horrors of abuse she suffered at his hands. Arthur Thompson, 47, of Dene Terrace, Chilton, County Durham, subjected his young victim, from the age of six, to ten years
Householder Susan Marshall, of Old Quarrington, County Durham, won £5,000 of design work by TV's Anna Ryder Richardson in a Halifax Property Services competition for buyers and sellers.
A DRUNKEN man was caught red-handed at the scene of a break-in at the home of an 85-year-old woman. Laurie Corbett, 33, was seen sitting in the garden alongside the bungalow, in Park Road South, Chester-le-Street, last month, by a milk delivery man. Ornaments
MARKET towns are being targeted in an initiative aimed at helping them overcome the effects of economic change. Investment of more than £1m is expected to be injected into towns chosen for the scheme, which could become a model for nationwide efforts
Gynaecologist Richard Neale grossly exaggerated the amount of time a desperate patient would have to wait for a hysterectomy on the NHS to trick her into paying for private treatment, the General Medical Council heard yesterday Even when Mr Neale, 52,
A SCHOOL'S top students will be receiving their awards from a soap star. Lewis Emerick, who plays Mick Johnson in Brookside, will make the presentation to Nunthorpe School pupils, at a Celebration of Achievement evening, at Middlesbrough Town Hall tonight
PUPILS from small rural schools in Weardale have been involved in a project that should help children across County Durham. For many youngsters, leaving behind the safety of a primary school for the unknown of a new comprehensive school is a huge upheaval
THE North-East police force at the centre of a long-running inquiry faced further misery last night when it was confirmed that high-ranking officers are to be interviewed about the jailing of an Asian constable. PC Sultan Alam, 37, was the only ethnic
HILDA Land has boundless energy which would put people half her age to shame. Having taken her first aircraft flight at the age of 97, when she was holidaying in Benidorm, and a helicopter flight to mark her 100th birthday, she took her 104th birthday
A MAN whose daughter provided the inspiration for a facility for adults with learning disabilities has been given an exclusive preview of a new school. Former Sunderland councillor Phillip Soldinger was shown around the soon-to-open Grindon Hall, which
DURHAM County Council has introduced a new telephone number, which is easier to remember. Officials at County Hall, in Durham City, can now be reached on 0191-383 3000. The old number, 0191-386 4411, is still working but will eventually be phased out.
A NEW treatment to help people who give up smoking has been welcomed in the region. Zyban acts directly to target the area of the brain which controls addiction and is claimed to be twice as effective as established nicotine replacement therapies already
TELEVISION personality and Animal Hospital star Rolf Harris has been given the credit for the scores of new recruits seeking a place at a North East agricultural college. Responding to the huge number of applications for its small animal care course,
CINEMA fans can see the latest film releases for £2 at the Empire Theatre, Consett, and the Civic Hall, Stanley, from tomorrow until Thursday, July 20. The cut-price policy has been adopted to attract students who may be at a loose end after exams. An
DURHAM drama students have been given the chance to stamp their mark on a specially commissioned work. Youngsters on the performing arts national diploma course at New College Durham are not just learning the lines of Peter Straughan's Dysmorphia. They
A NEW day centre is helping older people take up activities and interests, while keeping their independence in the community. Durham County Council has joined forces with Newcastle charity, St Cuthbert's Care, to establish the Blackhill Day Centre, in
CAMPAIGNERS will hit the streets of Middlesbrough tomorrow to highlight their call for legislation to stop international gun sales. Teesside Oxfam and Amnesty International supporters will stand in fancy dress on Davison Street from noon. They want to
