FARMERS fear that hundreds more could be hit by foot-and-mouth as the number of confirmed cases last night rose to 26. Eight new outbreaks were identified across Britain yesterday, with the first outbreak in Northern Ireland expected to add to the list
THE slaughter began in Weardale yesterday, as dozens of contaminated sheep from a haulier's yard were destroyed. The farming community of Wolsingham was still reeling from the shock of Tuesday's confirmation that stock belonging to haulier Peter Monkhouse
AS people endured treacherous road conditions and power cuts, thousands of children had a day off school as Arctic weather conditions gripped the region yesterday. More than 80 schools in North Yorkshire and County Durham were closed as blizzards caused
THE jobs of hundreds of cigarette workers in the North-East are in the balance after the European Union decided to introduce a ban on the export of high tar cigarettes outside Europe. Workers at Rothmans, Darlington, had been hoping that the EU would
A MAN has been locked up for three years for attacking a schoolgirl. Michael Dodd, 19, was found guilty at Teesside Crown Court yesterday of assault and kidnapping the 15-year-old girl. The court heard that he ran up behind the girl outside the health
CHEMICAL workers on Teesside, who switched employers just weeks ago, are to lose their jobs. Ineos, which took over ICI's Chlor chemicals business at Wilton in January, is to close the two plants with the loss of more than 100 jobs. Ineos director Russ
A FATHER and son looked on helplessly last night as the business they had fought to keep alive for almost 20 years started to resemble a graveyard. Ministry of Agriculture vets moved in on the abattoir run by John Thompson and his son Mark, to supervise
GUSTING winds in the North-East could hamper efforts to contain the outbreak, a farmers' union representative said yesterday. Gordon Meek, 44, who farms at Heddon-on-the-Wall in Northumberland, less than a mile from where Ministry of Agriculture workers
A SEAT-HOPPING clergyman managed to sit on more than 3,000 seats at St James' Park yesterday - without getting cramp or reaching for the magic sponge. The Reverend David Tully, honorary chaplain at Newcastle United, sat on 3,124 seats during 90 minutes
AMONG the questions not answered - or even asked as far as I can see - over the foot-and-mouth crisis, is: what takes place at the at the "fattening" unit in Northumberland which is a suspected source of the outbreak? Yes, of course, pigs are fattened
A SCHOOL caretaker is making a clean sweep after 12 years as a special constable. Colin Swalwell always wanted to be a policeman and realised his ambition at the age of 44. "I did go down once to the police station to join - but they were closed," said
A FAMILY of four were recovering yesterday after a raid on their home by a four-strong gang - one posing as a policemen. Last night, detectives were appealing for help from the public in tracking them down. The family had been relaxing at home, in Hackness
A CORONER has asked for permission to reopen the inquest of a North-East serviceman who died in secret military experiments, 47 years ago. The move comes after Wiltshire police prepared a file into the death of County Durham Airman Ronald Maddison, who
MYSTERY still surrounds the death of a family man who was killed when he was hit by an 80mph Inter-City train. Alan William Forster, 54, of Cotherstone Road, Newton Hall, Durham, died instantly when he was struck by an empty London to Newcastle train
RELIEF from the noise of high-speed traffic could be provided by a North-East sculptor. Fine art lecturer Colin Rose's innovative noise reduction barrier was chosen from a shortlist of five to win a £20,000 national design competition. The Sunderland
PHARMACISTS across the region are encouraging people to give their medicine cabinets a spring clean. An advertising campaign called Operation Spring Clean will run throughout March to ensure people do not hang on to medicines they no longer need. Pharmacist
PLANS to set the council tax rate for Derwentside were put on hold because of the wintry weather yesterday. Derwentside District councillors were due to meet in Consett to set the annual budget, but with several members snowbound, the meeting was cancelled
WARNINGS to keep doors closed in case of fire were renewed last night following a blaze. The fire started in the empty bedroom of a house in Blairgowrie, Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough, at about 3pm on Monday. Station officer Alan Bell, of Cleveland Fire
AN ANTI-FUR campaigner from the North-East could have a conviction of harassing a mink farmer overturned following a court ruling yesterday. The High Court granted second-year law student Diane Sanderson, 32, of Jesmond, Newcastle, the right to a judicial
ADULTS with learning disabilities made a splash in their annual gala yesterday. Beck House Day Centre, in Darlington, organised the event, held at the town's Dolphin Centre. The gala, which was aimed at non-swimmers, was hosted by County Durham Care Sports
A SECTION of a busy dual carriageway was closed for much of yesterday after 40 tonnes of machinery fell off a low-loader vehicle. The stone crusher was shed as the lorry emerged from the A1(M) interchange roundabout on to the A690, at Carrville, near
NORTH-EAST fundraising volunteers have been honoured for their efforts in the fight against cancer. The Cancer Research Campaign's Chester-le-Street, Teesdale, and Whitley Bay local committees have gained runner-up silver commendations in the charity's
CHILDREN and adults alike left their inhibitions behind yesterday to enjoy some Shrove Tuesday fun. The noble tradition of pancake racing was successfully revived in Ripon three years ago and is now firmly part of the local calendar. Several roads around
DID Shakespeare have a Musical Teddy Bear Play Mat? Did Einstein have a Playalong Interactive Barney? Did Jane Austen have a Princess Barbie Horse and Carriage? Probably not. If they had, it seems, we might not have heard of them. Too many toys stunt
MORE than anything in recent years, last week's column on the passing of Tony Hawkins was warmly acknowledged. Tony's family, unfortunately, were less enthusiastic. Any distress is much regretted. The shortest message - three words, ten letters - concerned
THE Bishop of Durham gave his blessing yesterday, to Fairtrade Fortnight - two weeks of activities designed to promote a better deal for growers and producers in the developing world. The Right Reverend Michael Turnbull enjoyed Fairtrade coffee and muesli
FAMILIES across the region were holding their breath last night as the full horror of the disaster on the East Coast Main Line continued to unfold. At least 13 people died when the early morning GNER commuter service derailed at 125mph and ploughed into
IT'S silent now, painfully silent. Looking south from a small road bridge outside the straggly village of Great Heck, the railway lines run straight and true until they converge to meet the steel grey sky on the horizon. A string of coal trucks, huge
Darlington manager Gary Bennett has made an enquiry for his old Sunderland teammate Don Goodman, writes RAY SIMPSON. Bennett and Goodman were colleagues at Roker Park for three years from December 1991, before the striker moved to Wolves for £1.1m in
A BUDDING actress has been invited to join the National Youth Music Theatre on its latest tour. The company is taking a version of Pendragon, a musical featuring the legend of King Arthur, on tour this year and Alicia McKenzie will be among the cast.
Sunderland are locked in a race with rivals Newcastle to host one of England's crucial World Cup qualifiers, writes JACK LESLIE. The crunch game against Albania in early September is still up for grabs and Sunderland vice-chairman John Fickling wants
FORMER building society Bradford and Bingley has announced plans to close 68 branches with the loss of 300 jobs, as it reported a 25 per cent increase in full-year profits. The group, which floated on the Stock Exchange in December, said the branch closures
YOUNGSTERS from the borough of Stockton are getting ready for the regional finals of the Sports Hall Athletics competition. Thornaby pavilion will host the event on Sunday, between 12.30pm and 5pm. The winning teams will go forward to the finals at the
THE new England boss, Sven-Goran Eriksson, might have struggled with the National Anthem as every lens at Villa Park last night captured his every facial expression. But it was the only thing to trouble him as England put on a fresh face for their first
Town councillors have decided not to oppose a telecommunications company proposal to hide a mobile phone mast inside a landmark church spire at Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. Vodafone wants to put the mast inside the spire of Holy Trinity Church, which
Middlesbrough have failed in a bid to land Barcelona's £7m Spanish star Dani before Saturday's crucial home game against Charlton. Boss Bryan Robson was abroad yesterday with a Boro delegation, having been given the green light to move for the 26-year-old
A DRAMATIC fall in the number of slaughterhouses has been held partly to blame for the rapid spread of the disease. The cost of new regulations has seen hundreds of abattoirs close over the past ten years, meaning animals now have to travel further to
AN INQUEST opened yesterday into the death of a man in bed and breakfast accommodation. The body of John Scott Wallace was found at the Country View Guest House, Durham City, after police were called to the Claypath premises on Saturday. Police said there
A RAFT of emergency measures has been announced by Durham County Council to cut any risk of a further spread of foot-and-mouth disease. Trading standards officers are working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture to monitor the situation. All schools
A GROUP of pupils have raised more than £200 to help less fortunate children. Pupils from Polam Hall School, Darlington, raised the money through the international Christian organisation World Vision's Orange-a-peel. The appeal aims to raise £1.2m for
A PUBGOER'S jaw was broken when a man attacked him, a court heard. Kevin Marlborough required surgery after he was attacked by Morris Crowe during a row at Finnigans bar, in Market Street, Hetton-le-Hole, Wearside, on August 27. Mr Crowe, 45, told Newcastle
A NIGHTCLUBBER was left with a fractured jaw when he defended his girlfriend against a verbal attack, a court heard. Darren Tummilty was left in agony after he was punched during a row at the Caf Rock nightclub, Durham City, last August. Newcastle Crown
A FATHER appeared in court yesterday charged with the murder of his three-month-old baby daughter. Tyler Alice Polley died after she was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital suffering from head injuries, following an incident at her home in Alnwick Road
BUTCHERS fear their businesses will grind to a halt by the weekend because of panic buying and the disruption to meat supplies. Traders searched desperately yesterday for alternative supplies, as abattoirs looked likely to run out of stock. Clive Bowman
A North-East drugs baron may be exchanging his millionaire lifestyle for a French prison cell. Former Teesside second-hand car dealer Brian Charrington, 44, has been ordered by a court in Spain to be extradited to France - and a possible two years behind
A BRANCH of the Samaritans raised almost £3,000 when it opened its own charity shop for four weeks. The charity's Darlington branch was offered the rent-free use of Dolland and Aitchison's unit in the town, meaning every penny taken went into the Samaritans
AN EXTRA £1m spending for schools in Middlesbrough was confirmed at a meeting of the Borough Council's cabinet yesterday. In addition to the extra money for education, a rise in council tax has been approved which will cost most households less than 50p
RICHARD Caborn, Minister of State for the Department of Trade and Industry, last night launched the North of England Inward Investment Agency. It aims to attract more US investment into an area that has a higher gross domestic product (GDP) than that
AMONG the funny things about Tuesday night was that at Scotch Corner a blizzard was raging - getting quite upset, anyway - whilst 15 miles to the south the sky was clear. Among other funny things, 15 miles to the south, was the appearance - direct from
COUNCIL tax rises of more than 12 per cent in Darlington are set to be rubber-stamped tomorrow night. The increase of 12.5 per cent for the year 2001 to 2002 was announced by Darlington Borough Council in January and a special meeting is expected to agree
A MAN released from prison less than six months ago was warned he was in danger of going back - after admitting taking a bike and crashing it through a shop window. Lionel Munt, 24, who finished a sentence in October, appeared before Harrogate magistrates
A LIVESTOCK market was at the centre of a foot-and-mouth crisis for the fourth time in its history last night. The sheep which sparked the region's latest outbreak, at Wolsingham, County Durham, was sold at auction at Darlington Farmers' Auction Mart,
A cat spent two days on the roof of a house before being rescued by firefighters. Potty, a five-year-old black and white cat, somehow scrambled up the side of a house in Front Street, Fishburn, Teesside, after being startled by another cat on Sunday.
PEOPLE in Chester-le-Street are expected to have the lowest council tax bills in County Durham, for the eleventh year in succession. Chester-le-Street District Council set its budget at a special meeting this week, and announced an increase of 4.49 per
A CHARITY is appealing for volunteers to help collect funds for cancer sufferers. Marie Curie Cancer Care has launched its annual appeal in Barnard Castle and is urging anyone willing to help with street collections in County Durham to contact them. Area
A PARK'S bream, roach, carp and tench were fish out of water when work on a major facelift of their home began yesterday. The residents of the Victorian lake, in Middlesbrough's Albert Park, are being removed from their unhealthy pool which is to be drained
THE crisis began to hit jobs yesterday as one of the biggest employers in North Yorkshire laid people off. More than 100 staff were sent home from the Malton Bacon Factory, where thousands of people work. A total of 110 workers from the factory's slaughter
DEFENCE GORDON Morrison (HAS, Feb 22) knows, of course, that not only the Russians but also the Americans, French, British and Chinese have hundreds of nuclear missiles pointing at each other, none having the slightest reason to launch an attack. The
IT May have been a freak accident, but, for GNER, the timing could hardly have been worse. Still suffering the after-effects of last year's Hatfield crash and the subsequent disruption, as well as the chaos caused by flooding, passenger confidence was
MAN invented the wheel because moving heavy loads by brute force became burdensome. It was simple, it was basic, it was effective. Similarly, man got fed up of getting wet every time he wanted to get across an expanse of water. The fact that there might
