The activities of Prince William have been well documented in the media over the past few days and nowhere more so than the Internet. But his high-profile appearances as a volunteer worker in Chile are not reflected in the official online coverage of
GEORGE REYNOLDS I READ with interest the claim from George Reynolds about his houses not being insured "because an insurer would shout arson" (Echo, Jan 10). Despite many people's opinions, insurance companies' primary obligations are to pay claims. If
SUPERMARKET chain Sainsbury's had a record Christmas despite showing only a modest pick-up in sales in the past three months. The group said like-for-like sales, excluding income from new stores, had risen by 0.7 per cent in the 12 weeks to January 6.
A DAZZLING garden which attracted visitors from all over County Durham has raised £340 for Children in Need. Ray Lauder, from the Hall Lane Estate, Willington began putting up 2,000 Christmas lights around his garden in November. He also converted his
A WRITTEN apology has been formally called for from a Richmondshire councillor accused of sexism. The district council standards committee found Coun Tony Pelton had brought discredit on the authority by publishing an "inappropriate" article in his community
Matthew Bowden, one of the Sedgefield club's two dual swimming and waterpolo junior internationals, returned from Belgium last weekend after a week's training with the British boys U-18 waterpolo team, writes ERIC WILKINSON. It mainly consisted of friendly
THEY call it a church plant, but really it's a transplant. Melsonby Methodist chapel had only four or five members, its condition critical, when the graft was carried out. Inarguably it's taken; now the little community may be in for another shot in the
A McDONALD'S restaurant which opened at Leeming Bar five weeks ago has already turned parts of the area into a litter-strewn eyesore, according to local people. The potential for litter was highlighted as one area of concern when plans for the £1m development
FARMERS had the chance to discuss fears and hopes for the future of their industry with one of England's most senior clergymen when the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds visited Swaledale. The Rt Rev John Packer, who was in the Reeth area on Wednesday, spent
NOSTALGIA ain't what it used to be, of course, but I went to Kingston Park for Newcastle's Tetley's Bitter Cup semi-final against Sale thinking what a pleasant change it was to revert to covering a top-level match on a Saturday. Despite the Sky coverage
A PROBATION Service decision to appeal against blocked plans for a town bail hostel have dismayed protestors who have already seen off the proposals. People power last year blocked plans for a 25-bed bail hostel in the centre of Chester-le-Street, County
A High Court judge will today consider the case of blind murderer, Yvonne Sleightholme, who has served almost a decade in prison for a crime she insists she did not commit Sleightholme, said by the Crown to be a jilted bride-to-be, was convicted in May
A GYNAECOLOGIST yesterday denied slapping two of his patients on the thigh during examinations. Dr Janusz Wszeborowski, 67, said he had no recollection of slapping Mrs Nicola Cummins and telling her to stop tensing up, the General Medical Council heard
THE funeral takes place today of a man stabbed to death in a brawl near his home in the early hours of Boxing Day. Kevin Mawhinney, 33, was found by a friend collapsed outside his terraced house in James Street, Easington Colliery, County Durham, on December
HOME Secretary Jack Straw has been urged to order an immediate review of security in Britain's courts. MP Phil Willis, who represents Harrogate and Knaresborough, in North Yorkshire, said judges and magistrates were given no protection from possible attacks
IT was not quite a case of 'once more unto the breach, my friends' when retired headmaster Ray Shaw was asked, at an hour's notice, to address nearly 500 people in Darlington this week. For such an emergency has not arisen for the town's venerable lecture
STEFAN Schwarz believes Kevin Phillips has got what it takes to make Sven Goran Eriksson sit up and take notice at West Ham tomorrow. Eriksson's decision to pick the match at Upton Park for his first taste of domestic football gives goal ace Phillips
A VETERINARY hospital is searching for a new home for two cats which were abandoned on its doorstep overnight. The cats, believed to be aged four or five years, were dumped outside the Grange Veterinary Hospital, in Victoria Road, Darlington, overnight
Sir, - For the past 15 years, my wife and self have lived to the south of Bedale. This has entailed both of us travelling into Bedale and back an average of 15-16 times per week through the area known as South End. At no time during this period have we
A new medical research centre should be set up in the North-East to combat high cancer rates in part of the region, a Labour MP claimed yesterday. Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, told the Commons how Teesside had a high incidence
THIS week's announcement of the development plans for land including the site of the former Darchem chemical works on the north-west fringe of Darlington was long-awaited. The site, on a key approach to the town, has lain in various states of dereliction
Teesside Mohawks became the first team to achieve a hat-trick of wins in the National Trophy - and they did it in style, defeating new boys Inter-Basket London 96-58. Now Mohawks, coach Tony Hanson must bring his high-flying squad back down to earth in
THE owners of two reprieved rottweilers wept in court yesterday as magistrates spared the lives of the dogs after they were accused of savaging a postman. Magistrates found that rottweilers, Shadow and Storm, had not attacked Ivan Pye after owner Dawn
THOUSANDS of sub-post offices across the country kick off the new year with a lifeline for the future. Last week, high street banks agreed with the government's proposals for a Universal Bank account to be held at the Post Office allowing customers to
A COUPLE who narrowly escaped serious injury when their ceiling caved in as they slept are considering legal action against their landlords. Andrew and Lisa Johnson claim part of the ceiling of their cottage collapsed after years of neglect from their
Crook League Crook Olde Horse Shoe A suffered their fourth defeat of the season when they lost by the odd point at Crook Royal Sun. This leaves the Shoe two points behind the league leaders, Crook Travellers Rest B by two points. The Royal Sun are eight
A crackdown on crime across County Durham in the run-up to Christmas has been hailed as successful by police. Durham Constabulary's head of CID, Det Supt Ian Scott, revealed 271 men and women had been arrested under the high-profile Operation Bull's-eye
Sir, - This branch supports Mr C D Kirk's letter in last week's issue (D&S Jan 5) completely, having campaigned at length about the low standard of buildings and services in the main line station of our county town. These were in very sharp contrast
REDCAR Coastwatch officer and local weatherman Peter Jackson has died in hospital, aged 71, following a long illness. From 1946 he kept a daily record of the weather and also recorded the daily sea temperature at Redcar for the Ministry of Agriculture
Durham City Harriers Veteran Steve Marshall (V40) was the first club counter at the annual Saltwell Harriers road race. He had a fine run to finish 23rd in 32.12. Other City athletes to finish were Steve Nesbitt 32nd, 34.40; Malcolm Heslop (V50) 60th,
POSSIBLE speed restrictions in an east Cleveland village are to be discussed at a public meeting next week. Councillor Christine Swales, who represents Liverton and Liverton Mines on Loftus Town Council, is worried about motorists speeding through the
BILLY Elliot, the film starring young North-East actor Jamie Bell, is set to gain another international accolade. The film, which is tipped for Oscar success, has been announced as a contender for the film of the year award presented by the Producers'
A County Durham town is set to fall under the sporting spotlight when it hosts the All England Whippet Derby over the Easter weekend. The whippet equivalent of horse racing's Grand National will be held at the Oak Leaf Sports Complex in Newton Aycliffe
Willington Ladies League All players were shocked by the sudden death of their chairman, Connie Close and the week's fixtures were postponed as a mark of respect. League secretary, Margaret Todd said: "Connie was a very popular person, who loved her darts
Quakers gave their confidence a boost on Tuesday night when they beat York City 4-0 at Bootham Crescent in the first round of the LDV Vans Trophy. Young striker David McMahon was the star, scoring one goal and being tripped for the penalty which opened
AN employment scheme for jobless people on some of Chester-le-Street's most deprived estates has had a number of successes. Chester-le-Street Action Team for Jobs is a one-year project which aims to get 300 people from Chester West, Sacriston and Pelton
A NORTH-EAST MP is campaigning to get more protection for young people who own mobile phones. MP for Stockton South Dari Taylor launched her campaign as Home Secretary Jack Straw confirmed that theft of mobile phones was a crimewave. Ms Taylor wants to
FUEL protestors are planning a series of lightning strikes against refineries in an escalation of their war against high tax levels. Campaigners say they will blockade fuel depots at short notice in the months between now and a general election to try
NEW Year's resolutions come and go. In 1993 I resolved not to have any more kids after number three was born. I held out until 1997 before number four came along as a surprise package. This year I've considered my vows very carefully indeed: 1. To try
WATER contractors caused a major gas leak when they severed a gas main by mistake this week. A major road was blocked, a petrol station was closed for safety and residents were told to keep their windows shut following the incident on the A690 between
YESTERDAY'S announcement that Dressers was to close its long-established shops in Darlington and Northallerton will be a shock not just to staff and customers but also to every other family-run retail business in the area. If Dressers can't make a go
THE agricultural recession shows no sign of abating. A random survey of 236 farms in Yorkshire and Cleveland has shown that each made a major loss for the second year running. The survey by Askham Bryan college reveals that each recorded a negative management
From this newspaper 100 years ago. - About 2am on Friday, PC Bateson, of Bishop Middleham, while on his rounds, slipped while going down a bank near to Cornforth, and falling heavily, broke two bones in his left leg below the knee. Having a knowledge
Camerons Teesside League BEADS, who when they last played were thumped 10-1 by Hollybush United, bounced back in the best possible way and pulled off the surprise result with a 2-1 home win over Bedale Athletic had gone six matches without defeat. In
BCTG. - Jan 15: Flatwork with Corinne. Tel 01325 332685 (open to any riding club members). British Eventing (former BHTA). - Jan 27/28, Feb 17/18 and Mar 4: Safe cross country courses, Helen Bell, Manor House, Newsham, Thirsk. Tel: 01845 587207. Charity
THE first car ever built on the production line at Nissan Sunderland was a white Bluebird saloon. Nissan was taking no chances. Quality control - the bugbear of the British motor industry for decades - had to be paramount. That's why the car was more
AN ADVENTURE loving Teesside man is rediscovering his favourite hobbies after a freak accident left him paralysed from the chest down. Sean Rose, 29, of Redcar, was working as a ski instructor at the RAF's winter survival school in Bavaria, Germany, in
THERE are fears that another housing estate in Middleton St George will aggravate flooding problems in nearby Neasham. C M Yuill wants to build 80 homes on the site of the former Brookside works of Durham Tube, which closed 11 months ago. The Darlington
A TOWN'S mayor is hoping to unravel the mystery of a war memorial's whereabouts. Until around 1949, a wooden plaque bearing the names of those who perished in the First World War adorned Loftus Town Hall. But the onset of rot prompted local officials
Chester-le-Street are counting the cost of success having won through to the fifth round of the FA Women's Cup in a dramatic penalty shoot-out at Newport County on Sunday. The team won 4-2, finishing 3-3 after extra time but the 620-mile round trip has
A POLICE force has collared a prize guaranteed to arrest football fans in their tracks. Cleveland Police has been presented with a Middlesbrough Football Club away shirt, signed by all the players, which it plans to auction for charity. Assistant Chief
THE classic children's toy Meccano is the main attraction at one of the most spectacular exhibitions ever held at a Teesside museum. The exhibition at Kirkleatham Hall Museum, Redcar, celebrates the 100th anniversary of the popular toy, which on Tuesday
THE Bishop of Ripon and Leeds was in Swaledale to officially open a former Victorian Sunday school which has been redeveloped into a community centre. The Rt Rev John Packer, who has spoken in favour of developing rural church buildings for community
Durham League The top of the Women's Division has a familiar look. Tyneside lead the way, just as they have done for much of the last decade. And, as so often in the past, they are currently unbeaten. Local league success is founded on the effort which
A TOTAL of 237 kilometres of dry stone walls - equal to twice the length of Hadrian's Wall - have been restored in the Yorkshire dales since 1992 with help from the Ministry of Agriculture's environmentally sensitive area scheme. Regarded by many as the
Wensleydale Creamery League THE start of the second half of the season was marred when theleague's leading marksman John Pickard of Carperby broke his right leg in his team's 6-2 victory at Middleham Town last Saturday. The 18-year-old sustained the injury
FRESH from winning the Barclays award for best children's show in 2000, Cleveland theatre company is touring one of its most adventurous and charming productions to date. The Lost Child can be seen tomorrow at Wearhead school in Weardale and at Bowes
THE Venables influence is holding out, with the real hope that 2001 can see Boro reaching safety in the Premiership and possibly enjoying a cup run. Survival is the priority of course, but the manner of Boro's determined, if not spectacular, FA Cup success
THE millennium year had a sting in its tail, with a bitter, cold snap that began on Christmas Day. This hit the headlines, but it wasn't particularly icy and we experienced a similar spell before Christmas last year. The mildness during the first twelve
A NORTH-EAST organic graffiti cleaner is proving so popular with local authorities in the UK that its fame has spread across the North Sea. Interest in the environmentally-friendly cleaner, whose main ingredients are milk and oranges, has resulted in
TOP brass band conductor Nicholas Childs helped 50 young people at a music workshop in Bishop Auckland. The musicians, aged between 11 and 25, from across County Durham, spent a day picking up tips from the conductor of the Black Dyke Mills Band. Three
COMPREHENSIVE school pupils swapped pens and pencils for spades, saws and hammers to construct a tree nursery in their school grounds. Year 10 and 11 students at Bishop Barrington School, in Bishop Auckland, were helped in their two-day project by science
A DECISION to increase spending in order to beat future flooding like the devastating deluge of last year was deferred for two weeks yesterday. Local authorities in Yorkshire - the worst-hit area - will use the time to press the Government for central
A CONSULTANT has been employed to look into extra uses for a Durham church currently under restoration after being ravaged by fire. St Brandon's Church, at Brancepeth, near Durham City, is being rebuilt after it was reduced to an empty shell by the blaze
IMAGINE a man with a history of violent behaviour pinning you to the floor and punching you in the face. What would you do? Ask him nicely to stop... please? Mother-of-two Denise Carr bit her attacker. But unfortunately the spot she sank her teeth into
A COMMUNITY united to make a clean sweep of its latest beach care project. Members of the Saltburn 500 Club were joined by the Guisborough Sea Cadets and local volunteers for their litter survey and clean-up of Saltburn beach earlier this month. The project
BARNARD CASTLE. - Tues. Fwd: 262 store & breeding cattle. Bulling hfrs. - BA: £350 SM&F Donald Lim: £315 G Eastwood; £285, £260 S Teasdale & Son. Feeding bulls. - Char: £495, £488 B&S Teasdale & Son; £452 F Johnson. Lim: £495, £480
Ashley Air Products Over-40s Premier League Keith Aldridge was a key figure in Billingham Wanderers 2-1 home win over Penshaw Catholic Club. He scored both the goals and was so close to a hat-trick. The victory enabled Billingham to take over at the top
A £43m shopping centre in Stockton is expected to be trading by the end of April. Work on the main area, from Dovecot Street to Wellington Street, is under way and the old Co-op building has been cleared, so the last phase can go ahead. A Lidl supermarket
A VILLAGE cricket team is in line for a repeat performance in an international tournament thanks to its eye-catching website. Kirkby Malzeard Cricket Club, near Ripon, was catapulted to fame by organisers of the Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes,
THE colour-coordinated racks of fruit and vegetables in greengrocer Steve Thoburn's market stall present an unlikely frontline for a legal battle of constitutional importance. But defiantly displayed signs advertising the wares in imperial pounds and
A MILLENNIUM sculpture by one of Britain's favourite artists has been scrapped after a spectacular falling-out among local councillors. Mackenzie Thorpe, who is renowned internationally for his colourful work, had offered to create a bronze of his famous
UNION leaders in Britain have welcomed claims that French workers do not want the new Micra contract. The claims by union officials at the Renault factory at Flins, near Paris, is that staff are already working flat out, and do not need the extra burden
HURWORTH village hall is well on the way to being restored to its former glory, thanks to a lottery grant and various local donations. Plans to restore the fascia of the former 1800s' temperance hall to its original splendour were agreed by the village
THE festive season may be over and the decorations are coming down - but the panto fun is still going strong. And for dentist Richard Emms that means putting away the white coat in favour of the colourful costume of a clown as Joey Whizzbang, one of the
THE murder of pizza delivery girl Julie Hogg is being examined by law experts considering a controversial change in the law. The Law Commission has started its investigation into the future of the double jeopardy law, which means people cannot be tried
WHILE County Durham's divorce rate is among the worst in the country, some couples buck the trend and go from strength to strength. Percy and Emma Readshaw celebrated 60 years of marriage last November and reckon the key to their success is exactly the
Crowds flock to Yorkshire tracks RACING in Yorkshire is as popular as ever, with a total attendance of 841,081 recorded for the nine racecourses in the county during last year. The figure is only 3,781 down on 1999, despite the fact that an unprecedented
ONE of the area's oldest and best known book and stationery retailers has announced it is closing its two stores in Northallerton and Darlington. Dressers, the 154-year-old family-owned business which has shops at High Street, Northallerton, and High
Darlington manager Gary Bennett is hoping that Quakers will turn the Division Three corner at Plymouth today. Quakers, who are 17th in the table, go into this afternoon's game against their 1996 play-off conquerors with increased confidence after their
THREE women needed hospital treatment following a suspected baseball bat attack at their home. The women - a mother in her forties, her daughter in her twenties, and a woman in her thirties - were taken to Hartlepool General Hospital following the attack
HEALTH bosses in the region have hailed a major new report which backs the controversial MMR vaccine as a vital breakthrough in the battle against disease. The study of nearly three million children in Finland is said to demolish the idea of a link between
'Hi. how are you? Thought you might like the attached image. See you soon. Have you seen our latest offers? Your shopping order has been received and will be delivered on Thursday. Thank you for your order." Fascinating reading? I don't think so, but
A FORMER Darlington schoolboy who went on to do award-winning work for the Nasa space agency was yesterday back at his old school laboratories where his glittering career was nurtured. Prof Geoff Blewitt returned to Longfield school for the first time
Crook League Crook Travellers Rest A jumped from third place in the First Division to the top after they only dropped one point on their visit to Crook Spitfire Club. The former leaders, Crook Olde Horse Shoe A only collected two points from their trip
THE deputy headteacher of a school which was burnt to the ground three years ago was honoured with a national technology award yesterday. Murphy Crescent School, in Bishop Auckland, for children with learning difficulties, was completely destroyed in
TWO Government initiatives aimed at helping unemployed people to find work have been launched by a Teesside employment service. Working Links is run jointly by the employment service, Manpower and Ernst and Young. It aims to get people into jobs by breaking
The New Year match calendar traditionally opens with the big River Swale Preservation Society Mike Winney Memorial, now in its 12th year, writes JEFF HERBERT. The Swale between Morton Bridge and Asenby was still carrying 2 feet of extra level due to the
A FIREFIGHTER underwent emergency plastic surgery yesterday after part of his ear was bitten off when he answered a 999 call. Chris Williams, 27, had a lump of flesh about an inch in size torn from his right ear. The piece was not found. Chris was a member
THE hills are alive with the sound of music and one-time opera singer Ann Hendriks could not be happier. The 32-year-old is giving singing lessons at Guisborough where she has bought a house with her Dutch husband, Thorsten, whom she met on the internet
AN out-of-hours doctor service has launched a full investigation into how a pensioner was left waiting nearly three hours for an ambulance. A locum doctor was called to see 83-year-old Gwendoline Stevenson, who was suffering from pneumonia, but a misunderstanding
A YOUNG time team made history when it buried evidence of 21st Century life under the floor of their school. Youngsters from Houghton Kepier School, in Houghton-le-Spring, Wearside, spent months recording everyday life in and around their town, through
Thursday's prices Kenneth Wilson, Thorpe Arch. - Wheat: Jan £67; Feb £68; Mar £69. Barley: Jan £70; Feb £70; Mar £71. Oilseed rape: Jan £130; Feb £131; Mar £132. GrainCo, Tyne Dock. - Wheat: Jan £68; Feb £69; Mar £70. Barley: Jan £70; Feb £71; Mar £72
Newton Aycliffe Youth Centre The Under-10 A team played First Division side Fishburn Boys in the Teesside Junior Alliance Alternative Cup going down 3-2. Aycliffe's scorers were Matthew Florey and Sean Lowe with Matthew Flory gaining the man of the match
A TOY store is celebrating reaching the finals of a national competition at its first attempt. Lamb's Stores, in Darlington, is the only toy shop in the North of England to be short-listed in the annual awards run by the British Association of Toy Retailers
ABSTEMIOUSLY awaiting his flat racing debut at the age of 48, pub landlord and amateur rider Edward Boynton has enjoyed his first flat success as an owner. He bought Massey at 11.30pm. Next afternoon it won the 3.30 on the Wolverhampton all-weather -
ABSTEMIOUSLY awaiting his flat racing debut at the age of 48, pub landlord and amateur rider Edward Boynton has enjoyed his first flat success as an owner. He bought Massey at 11.30pm. Next afternoon it won the 3.30 on the Wolverhampton all-weather -
THE threat of two Teesside clubs going down from North One is unlikely to ease tomorrow as Stockton visit leaders Blaydon and Middlesbrough entertain Darlington Mowden Park. Stockton have drafted John Moore into their coaching team in the hope that he
TEESSIDE has been voted one of the safest places in Britain - according to the latest police results from the Audit Commission. Performance indicators published by the Audit Commission comparing police forces in England and Wales, show traffic accidents
Alain Goma yesterday hit back at slurs questioning his commitment to Newcastle. Goma was upset when chairman Freddy Shepherd disclosed in November that the French defender wanted to quit the club. "We cannot tolerate any players who don't want to play
Five people were last night charged with conspiracy to supply heroin following a police operation in the Washington area. The three men and two women, who are all from Washington, will appear before Houghton-le-Spring magistrates this morning.
Hamilton Ricard yesterday paid tribute to the work Terry Venables has done to keep Middlesbrough undefeated for six games since he took charge of coaching and team selection. The Colombian has been one of the principal beneficiaries under the new regime
Bishop Auckland midfielder David Bayles believes that Bishops will give Burton Albion a tough game in the third round of the FA Umbro Trophy tomorrow. Nigel Clough's side strengthened their position at the top of the Doc Martens League by winning 4-0
COUNCILLORS are calling for a leisure attraction, including a swimming pool, to be built on the site of a seaside funfair earmarked for closure. Seaburn's funfair, in Sunderland, is to close by the end of March, opening up the possibility of a major redevelopment
ONLINE business-to-business site, Just2Clicks.com has revealed it is on an even-keel after embarking on a major cost-cutting exercise. The Newcastle-based company has adopted a prudent approach after recognising in the summer that the dot.com bubble was
A FORCE-WIDE crackdown on crime launched across County Durham and Darlington in the run-up to Christmas has been hailed as successful by police. Durham Constabulary's head of CID, Det Supt Ian Scott, revealed that 271 men and women had been arrested under
UNABLE to find the right suckler herd replacements at the right price, Mr Carl Stephenson turned to breeding his own. Now two-thirds of his 60 cow suckler herd at Pikestone, Woodland, near Bishop Auckland, are pure Limousins, run commercially. The 174
DETECTIVES investigating the murder of a man whose body was found in a North-East field are urging walkers to help find his killer. The body of Mark Corley, 22, was found with a gunshot wound near the village of Bolam, near Darlington, last month. A well-known
VEHICLE rental business Northgate plc, is going from strength-to-strength, recording a 13 per cent rise in pre-tax profits. The Darlington-based commercial vehicle hire business saw its pre-tax figures rise to £13.9m in the six months to October 31, compared
CELEBRATIONS always bring out the worst in soaps. I don't mean the traditional Queen Vic Christmas dinner in which the turkey isn't the only bird that gets carved up or the wedding reception that ends with the bride walking out on the man she's just married
PIGEON fanciers in Yarm are causing a flutter among councillors who might have to consider paying out money. Members of the town pigeon club want to create storage space on council-owned allotment land. Opinion is divided and a meeting is being called
North Yorkshire's world class squash player 18-year-old Jenny Duncalf is turning professional next year. The starlet made her announcement after reaching the final of the British Under-19 Open Championship at Sheffield - widely regarded as the Wimbledon
A MAN has spoken of his distress after six of his horses disappeared from a field in Bishop Auckland. John Wilson, 22, has spent the past fortnight driving around the area looking for his five Shetland ponies and black and white (piebald) cob-type horse
FROM diaries about their lives to online performances, celebrities are embracing the Internet like never before. It is now possible to read how Hollywood actress Melanie Griffith tackled her addiction to pain killers in a sugary online journal at www.melanieonline.com
A CHARITY that helps vulnerable youngsters is seeking volunteers to help to run its shop in Consett. The Children's Society is on the look-out for helpers to work at the store in Middle Street. Area retail manager Sarah Sharpe said: "This year is the
DRASTIC cuts at a council's flagship leisure centre will be put to trustees this morning The Northern Echo has discovered. A leaked report to managing trustees at the Spectrum Leisure Complex, in Willington, County Durham, outlines money-saving proposals
ANDY Toman the much-travelled midfielder wants to try his hand at management. Toman, who played for several Northern league clubs in his career and won an FA Vase winners medal with Whitby three years ago, hasn't been involved with a club since leaving
ANGRY residents say a wall built around a fire station should be knocked down because it is an eyesore. The wall was built at the front of High Handenhold fire station without planning permission four years ago, but residents say it is unsightly, too
TRANSPORT group Go-Ahead has expanded its interest in the aviation market with a deal that will see it take control of ground handling at 14 airports throughout the UK and Ireland. The Newcastle-based company has agreed terms for the acquisition of Midland
TWO Cleveland sisters competed against each other for the supreme championship at the North Eastern Counties Welsh Pony and Cob Association winter show at Seagold Centurion Equestrian Centre, Hunwick, on Sunday. Rose Frank, of Ingleby Barwick, who celebrated
Darlington and District League DSRM switched their game against Old Boys to Abbey Road and a poor surface did little to enhance good football. The sides were level at half-time, courtesy of goals from Andrew Root for the home side and Stuart Alderson
A LUCKY couple have enjoyed a week's diving holiday in the Red Sea after winning £2,000. Norman and Sandra Stuart from Ouston, near Chester-le-Street, were selected from thousands of entries in a national free prize draw organised by travel agents Travelcare
A CHARITY is calling on the Government to mount a major campaign to promote grants for heating and insulation after figures revealed a low take-up. About 280,000 pensioners are expected to register with the scheme, which offers grants of up to £2,000
As the year 2000 draws to a close it is time to look at what lies in store for the World Wide Web in the year 2001. The past 12 months have prompted some pessimistic responses to the Internet - not least from the mighty stock markets. High-profile names
SOME years ago, a friend bought his infant son a toy tractor but was somewhat dismayed when the youngster preferred to construct things from bits of metal and wood from his dad's workshed. This matches another tale where a grandmother always kept a huge
THREE police forces are now investigating potentially lethal letter bombs sent to four addresses in the North of England, all of which are connected with agriculture. Two bombs have been sent to addresses in North Yorkshire, with the most recent victim
A VILLAGE carnival is under threat if new volunteers cannot be found to help stage it. The annual event at Middleton in Teesdale is usually held in the first weekend in August, but planning and preparations begin long before then. The carnival committee
COWBOY traders and salesmen could be in for a shock after their unscrupulous practices were captured on camera in the region's very own House of Horrors. In a similar operation to the popular TV show, trading standards chiefs uncovered a string of dishonest
DARLINGTON'S play parks will be as good as those on the Continent once an eight-year renovation programme is completed. A summer survey revealed that only four areas - Springfield, Minors Crescent, Hummersknott and Albert Hill - matched European standards
Spennymoor League The league has been revived and will operate for the new season with 18 teams under secretary, Steve Roy of the Half Moon, Low Spennymoor. Matches will be played on Thursday evenings, using the old rules. Fixtures: Ash Tree v Black Horse
A POLITICAL row broke out as Guisborough was left reeling from the shock closure of its only department store. Sunwin House is to close next month with the loss of 23 jobs. The company blames out-of-town shopping centres for the move. But there is a glimmer
AN ambitious scheme to improve access to work for young people in remote areas by providing them with mopeds or scooters is about to move a step closer. Councillors are being urged to give their backing to the ground-breaking Wheels 2 Work initiative,
TRADING standards officers in Hartlepool have issued a warning to businesses about a money-laundering scam from Nigeria. The confidence trick, which first appeared a number of years ago, involves a letter from a doctor saying that millions of dollars
Darlington manager Gary Bennett will have to wait until next week before he can sign defender Dean Walling. The 31-year-old centre half played for Quakers in their 2-1 defeat at Lincoln City on Wednesday, and he did enough to persuade Bennett to push
OUT in India, memories of Rievaulx and Arden tugged. "How I shall think of you all and Rievaulx and the beautiful Arden woods of last year," wrote Thirsk exile Elizabeth Smith. She went on: "What a perfect day that was, and you will get dinner on the
UTTOXETER racecourse had to be evacuated after a bomb scare last Saturday after four races had been run and the fifth was underway. Some 5,000 racegoers had to leave the course and the final race was abandoned after a hoax caller telephoned to say a bomb
Sir, - In the light of the Conservative statements in Westminster on tax may I, with Fay Tinnion, the Richmond spokeswoman for Labour, take this opportunity to offer a Labour perspective from William Hague's constituency. The people who doubled the national
The Thirsk White Horse swim team finished their second year since being formed in 1999 with some great results. They won a gold medal in the National Masters Championships and achieved gold, four finalists and reserve finalists in the prestigious City
THE building blocks of the region's past are being commemorated in a tram shelter built with bricks from 500 North-East brick works. A wall of Beamish Open Air Museum's new tram stop will be made with bricks bearing the names of nearly every brick works
A DARLINGTON building firm has announced an ambitious £75m plan to transform a derelict industrial area into the town's largest single development. Bussey and Armstrong Projects is due to submit an outline planning application to Darlington Borough Council
Junior round-up BILLINGHAM Coyotes are still without a point in the English Under-10 North League after they were beaten 9-1 at Blackburn Merlins, a game between the two bottom teams and both had yet to register a point. Merlins took the lead in 18 seconds
GUISBOROUGH'S largest shop is to close with all the staff being made redundant. Twenty three members of staff at Sunwin House have been told of the store's impending closure, and the loss of their jobs. Peter Marks, chief executive officer for Sunwin
A PROBATION Service decision to appeal against blocked plans for a town bail hostel have dismayed protestors who have already seen off the proposals. People power last year blocked controversial plans for a 25-bed bail hostel in the centre of Chester-le-Street
VILLAGERS snubbed by a tourist guide have been given cash to promote their own place in history. West Auckland is not only the last home of infamous poisoner Mary Ann Cotton, it also boasts a place in the nation's sporting and railway history. Its footballers
THE future of an organisation set up to boost Saltburn hung in the balance this week. A war of words broke out as Saltburn improvement company chairman, Mr Jack Chester, resigned amid claims of secrecy and poor communication. "They want a puppet, not
A MULTI-MILLION pound investment to revive the economic fortunes of Ripon was confirmed yesterday. Community leaders in the city were given the go-ahead to begin a series of projects designed to counter the loss of its university campus. The regeneration
MEASURES to slow down traffic travelling through an East Cleveland village are to be discussed at a public meeting next week. Coun Christine Swales, who represents the villages of Liverton and Liverton Mines on Loftus Town Council, is concerned about
A YARM scientist is conquering his suspicion of computers - at the age of 76. After working on an energy efficiency scheme in Northern Siberia, Mr Ron Sarkar decided learning how to use a computer would help him with future projects. Since retiring from
A Hoggarth and Sons Eskvale and Cleveland League Huntsman got off to an ideal start when they scored within 20 seconds off Brotton's kick-off as John Kirkwood latched onto a misplaced pass and scored from the edge of the penalty area. And Huntsman never
Coxhoe Boys got their first taste of what manager Bobby Orton called "the little big-time" when they played under the floodlights at UniBond club Spennymoor United. Orton switched the Under-12s team fixture against Peterlee Town to the Brewery Field on
LACK of sales and increasing competition in the marquee trade have been blamed for the collapse of a company which took over the business of a 140-year-old Bedale family firm. Directors of Bedale Canvas Hire, who said the failure was also partly attributable
Quakers Running Club Members of the club's Under-11 age group competed in the first meeting of the Winter Indoor Grand Prix Series for Minor Athletes at Monkton Stadium in Jarrow. The meetings feature a series of races with distances varying from 60m
SOME of Britain's best jewellers have been busy putting the last touches to an exhibition at a North-East museum. The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, County Durham, will display award-winning work by ten of the country's top jewellers, between January
A QUESTION marks hangs over the future regeneration of an unemployment-hit town after the organisation coordinating the project went bust. South Bank Community Forum has gone into liquidation, with the loss of 21 jobs, while owing Redcar and Cleveland
A RATHER silly debate is due to dominate the headlines next week. Should a Sunderland grocer be fined thousands of pounds and imprisoned for months for selling a pound of bananas? Of course he shouldn't. This is metric madness. As William Hague says,
DARLINGTON Football Club chairman George Reynolds has failed to produce a shred of evidence in his action against Cleveland Police, a court was told yesterday. At the end of a week-long hearing at Middlesbrough County Court, Aidan Marron QC, for the police
MIDDLESBROUGH have failed in a £1m bid to land Bradford City's Dean Windass. The attacking midfielder's marauding performance in Monday's FA Cup third-round tie persuaded Boro to make an offer for the Bantams' crowd favourite. Windass, 31, yesterday insisted
THE Queen's Counsel wore black, with white tassels at his neck. He had a nicotine-coloured wig on his head. The judge had mauve and pink on his formal gown, and a wig so white and curly that it looked as if it had been shaved off a sheep's back that morning
AN ANTI-RACISM group has backed Sunderland Football Club following claims that one player was not being picked for action because he was black. In an interview given in his homeland, Honduran striker Milton Nunez seemed to suggest his lack of first-team
Darlington's Claire Wilson provided the major shock result at last weekend's English National Junior Table Tennis trials in Southampton. The 14-year-old Carmel schoolgirl gained six impressive victories, but by far the best was that over No 2 seed Lucy
PREMIERSHIP Manager of the Month Peter Reid last night promised Sven-Goran Eriksson "every co-operation" at today's key game at West Ham - but he will not allow the presence of the new England coach to distract his team from the main objective of winning
A COUNTY Durham dairy farm is celebrating after being ranked top in the county by National Milk records. S Moor & Son of Little Coop House Farm, Haw-thorn, near Murton, has been close to the top on several occasions. "But we have finally done it,"
THE region's economic plight is behind figures showing the North-East has some of the worst divorce rates in the country, according to experts. County Durham is the seventh worst county in the country for break-ups, with 36 out of every 10,000 people
A NEW group has been formed to encourage local people to live healthier lives. The Walkie Talkie Group is a new development within the Lifestyle Health Link project at Loftus. Aimed at providing informal, community-based health information and opportunities
A PLANNED watersports centre in Saltburn could be completed by September. The centre has been hit by problems, but is now finally getting off the ground. The building will incorporate a caf, two retail units, changing facilities and toilets, plus viewing
A SCHOOLGIRL from Thornton Watlass this week spent a day as a reporter at the D&S Times. Vicky Garlick, aged 13, spent Tuesday in the newspaper's Darlington head office. Her mother, Mrs Lorraine Garlick, bid for the day at the Allertonshire school
AN exhibition urging people never to forget the atrocities of the Holocaust has opened in Darlington Town Hall. The borough council's display has been arranged in conjunction with various groups around the town to mark the first ever national Holocaust
NOSTALGIA ain't what it used to be, of course, but I went to Kingston Park for Newcastle's Tetley's Bitter Cup semi-final against Sale thinking what a pleasant change it was to revert to covering a top-level match on a Saturday. Despite the Sky coverage
A CLEVELAND museum is being transformed into an Aladdin's cave for toy fans. A display charting a century of self-build toys promises to be one of the most spectacular exhibitions ever staged at Kirthleatham Hall where Mechanics Made Easy: 100 Years of
Cleveland Ladies Super League The rearranged match between the top two teams, Wings from Stockton and Hartlepool Royal was a thriller with the latter gaining a 4-3 victory to take the leadership. The two captains were on first, Jean Atkinson (15.69) defeating
FOR most people, a year out of further education prior to university means a trip around the world and some exotic experiences of other cultures. But for one teenager from Heighington, near Darlington, it has become his chance to be a world-famous rally
POLICE hunting quad bikes thieves who targeted two dales farms found an injured man hiding in gorse bushes. The 27-year-old suspect was arrested near Stanhope in the early hours of Sunday. He was bailed straight afterwards so that he could be taken to
