MURDER squad detectives are examining a letter which may offer clues to the shooting of former drugs baron Peter Beaumont-Gowling. Inquiries are continuing to trace the killer of the 52-year-old former restaurateur, originally from Trimdon, County Durham
FOOTBALLERS from Darlington FC are to open a fundraising Red Nose Day charity event at the Lothian Nursing Home, in Spennymoor. Staff at the home had invited chairman George Reynolds to do the honours on Friday, March 16, but he is unable to. The club
THERE'S something very homely about Sunday services in the North Pennines village of Rookhope. Because, ever since Christmas Eve, residents have been unable to worship in the village church, either because of bad weather or the cost of turning on an expensive
THE PROSPECT of a busy thoroughfare on Durham's city centre peninsula becoming one of the country's first toll roads is looming closer. Following a lengthy public consultation exercise, the county highways authority is putting forward proposals for a
ANTI-speed campaigners are hoping to put the brake on drivers - with an emotional appeal. Signs designed by children are to be put up across a Teesside borough. Road safety experts are hoping the childish appeals to motorists to slow down will reinforce
A LONG-RUNNING saga over where to site a town's toilets has finally ended after plans were unveiled to build a "superloo." The 22-year battle to agree on a new place to spend a penny in Northallerton has seen a series of proposals rejected by planners
A FIRM from the North-East has been accused of leaving a children's charity in the lurch by pulling out of a fashion show. Organisers claim they were told by Mannequins, of Newcastle, that it could not afford the 800-mile round trip. The firm was booked
PARENTS of three friends killed by a drunken motorist hope to make a personal plea to Home Secretary Jack Straw to stiffen sentences for such offences. Allan Jackson, 39, was jailed for eight years last December for causing the deaths of three women,
YOUNGSTERS from Hurworth's All Saints Church have been working to help victims of the Indian earthquake. They held a coffee morning and bring-and-buy sale to raise cash for an appeal set up in the wake of the disaster. They raised more than £600, helped
MORE young people are learning that it pays to stay on at school. Under a Government pilot scheme pioneered in Gateshead and Middlesbrough, some 16 and 17-year-olds are being paid up to £40 a week to go on to college. A study shows that five per cent
THE first leek show of this year's Darlington gardening calendar brought growers out from their winter hibernation yesterday. The show, held at the Busters pub, in Yarm Road, attracted ,entries from all over the county with potted leeks the focus of attention
A MAN is to appear in court this morning, in connection with an alleged stabbing. The 24-year-old, from the Willington area of County Durham, is expected before Sedgefield magistrates, in Newton Aycliffe. The alleged incident took place in the Mill Street
PARENTS have promised to continue a campaign to seek a long-term solution to growing demand for places at a village primary school. Durham County Council has agreed to sanction £110,000 for adaptations to allow Coxhoe Primary School to accommodate five
THREE North-East schools have been voted top of the form by a Government minister, for tackling truancy. Harrowgate Primary School, Stockton, Eden Hall Infants, Durham, and Southlands School, North Tyneside, are among 50 schools across the nation to win
TOLERATION seems to be very much a one way street at the moment. Suppose for a minute that I was discourteous and sacrilegious enough to take a copy of the Muslim scriptures out into the street and ceremoniously set fire to them. I might end up with a
NOVICE businessman Neville Corr hopes to live up to his company title, Good as New, after retraining for work at a college for people with disabilities. Separate muscle and tissue injuries to both hands forced the former HGV driver to give up his job
A NORTH-East training company has literally taken to the road in an initiative to develop the skills of the region's smaller firms. The Automotive Sector Strategic Alliance (Assa) has put itself behind the wheel of a car equipped with laptop computers
THE foot-and-mouth epidemic continued to spread last night as five new cases - including one in the North-East - were confirmed. The discoveries by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods (Maff) took the total number of affected farms across
DIGITAL broadcaster Ondigital has been criticised for its decision to charge customers for a weekly television guide. The company has ceased production of its free monthly guide and replaced it with "ON7" television guide. Customers have until March 28
Alan Shearer faces the shock prospect of playing in pain for the rest of the season, despite an operation on his problem knee. Newcastle fans assumed Shearer would be restored to full fitness following surgery and a nine-week layoff. But the 30-year-old
FARMING THE disaster now taking place in agriculture was predictable at least 30 years ago. Then, when we protested about what MAFF was pressuring farmers into doing (some of them very willingly) - the wholesale destruction of wildlife, industrial treatment
BEAMISH Museum bosses have agreed a settlement of £6,000 with a former member of its catering department, who was made redundant in April last year. Andrew North, secretary to Beamish's joint governing committee, believed the museum could not be successful
A CLAY pigeon shooting enthusiast has lost an appeal to be allowed to keep his shotgun licence. Glen Wardle's appeal against the revocation of his shotgun licence was dismissed by a judge sitting with two magistrates at Durham Crown Court, on Friday.
Northern Sinfonia is coming to the North-East this month, as part of National Orchestra Week. Next Friday, at Stockton Parish Church, the orchestra will be performing Haydn's Horn Concerto, Shostakovich's Chamber Symphony and Mozart's Symphony 29. The
Darlington assistant manager Mick Tait last night warned his players: "We're not safe yet." Quakers take on Torquay at Plainmoor tonight buoyed by the victory at Carlisle on Saturday, which put them in 18th place, eight points clear of the League's bottom
Woodhouse Close pool, Bishop Auckland, is one of more than 500 venues in the UK joining a BT Swimathon to raise £2m for Macmillan Cancer Relief, Breakthrough Breast Cancer and the Prostate Cancer Charity between March 22 and 25. Contact Damien Pearson
A COMPLAINT against the barrister who represented disgraced surgeon Richard Neale has been referred to the Professional Conduct and Complaints Committee of the Bar Council. The complaint alleges that the mode of cross-examination used by leading barrister
AN exhibition about life in a County Durham village opens today at Bishop Auckland Town Hall. Lionel Playford's The Factory, the Village and the Artist - A Year in Trimdon Grange, will be on show in the Hutchinson Gallery until Saturday, March 31. Mr
A MARTIAL arts expert has become a British champion for the third time. Thai boxer Craig Shaw, 19, of Darlington, lifted the World Muay Thai Council's British title in the 63.5kg category last weekend. Mr Shaw is a member of the Darlington Boxing and
NEARLY 240 long-term unemployed people on Teesside have been found work through the Government's Working Links private and public sector partnership, it is claimed. Working Links runs nine employment zones across the country. It is about to reinvest £1m
SIR Rex Hunt, Governor of the Falkland Islands at the time of the Argentinian invasion, returns to his North-East roots on March 30, in support of a £1.5m renovation of the 325-year-old Sir William Turner Almshouses, at Kirkleatham. He will visit the
Conservationist David Bellamy spoke last night of his fears over the smoke from animal pyres. Mr Bellamy - who lives in Bedburn, County Durham, only a few miles from Hamsterley, where an outbreak was confirmed on Saturday - said: "The one thing that does
CAN you tell me the words to the poem which begins Youth's for an hour, beauty's a flower, I don't know who it is by? - C Parker, Peterlee. The poem is by Moira O'Neill and is as follows: Youth's for an hour, Beauty's a flower, But love is the jewel that
A GROUP of football fans is to boost an appeal fund by almost £4,000 for a goalkeeper left paralysed in a road accident. The 15 Hartlepool United fans reached York City's Bootham Crescent at 1pm on Saturday in time for their team's match, after leaving
STAFF at a supermarket have thanked everyone who helped raise hundreds of pounds for an autistic youngster. Workers at Asda, in Bishop Auckland, are hoping to send two-year-old Ryan Baker to America for treatment. Ryan's mother, Sandra, and her husband
BUS drivers and garage staff at a North-East depot have voted to start a series of strikes in a protest over pay. The move, which involves 80 staff at the Bishop Auckland depot of Go-Northern, in County Durham, is likely to cause major problems for passengers
HUNDREDS of swimmers converged on the region at the weekend to take part in the Disability Sport England National Junior Championships. The championships, at Darlington Dolphin Centre, are the only event in Europe for junior swimmers with a disability
LIBERAL Democrat deputy leader Alan Beith set out his party's stall for the General Election, at the weekend. The Berwick MP spoke to the Northern Region Liberal Democrat Conference in Gateshead. He said Labour had abandoned its ideology and the Tories
WHEN intruder sirens sound, alarm bells start ringing for over-worked police officers. When it comes to investigating burglaries Cleveland Police officers often find themselves left out in the cold. Repeatedly, police respond to a break-in at a shop or
A MAN found guilty of murdering North-East backpacker Caroline Clarke was yesterday on hunger strike, eating only razors and staples. Ivan Milat was jailed for life in Australia, in July 1996, for what was described as one of the most grisly episodes
SCHOOLCHILDREN will enjoy free trips to the cinema as part of the March Into Movies series organised by Film Education. The films have been chosen to support the increasing use of film within the National Curriculum. Three Newcastle cinemas - the Odeon
A MAN had to leap for his life as flames engulfed his home. Neil Ferguson jumped ten feet to the ground from the top of his porch after smashing his way through a first-floor side window. The 26-year-old was treated for smoke inhalation and cuts by paramedics
THE Duke of Gloucester is in for a busy time when he makes an official visit to North Yorkshire later this month. The Duke's duties, on March 20, will include the official opening of a first aid training centre for the St John Ambulance, in Thirsk. The
WIDOW Mavis Elliott is ensuring that a cause close to her husband's heart is not forgotten. John Elliott developed a passion for Vulcan bombers during his time in the RAF. His home in Borrowby, near Thirsk, was full of Vulcan memorabilia and his widow
COUPLES are being warned that the flames of passion can kill. Firefighters are becoming increasingly concerned at a growing number of house fires started by candles - lit by romantics to create a mood for love. A couple had to flee a blaze at the weekend
AN initiative to find and nurture potential entrepreneurs is aiming to reverse the North-East's dismal track record on new businesses. The region has the worst reputation for business start-ups in the country, with four of the five areas least likely
THE owner of a North Yorkshire smallholding is urging the Government to rethink its foot-and-mouth policy. Susan Robson, who owns a handful of sheep on land off Richmond's Quaker Lane, said farmers should be allowed to use a vaccine to combat the disease
SHEPHERD Construction has begun work on a £10m design and build project to relocate the Seaham Harbour Dock Company. The project will provide 25,000m of new storage and distribution capability. The company, an integral part of the Seaham Regeneration
FUNDRAISERS for a County Durham hospice are organising events on St Patrick's Day and Mothering Sunday. Both fundraising efforts will be held in aid of the work of the Butterwick Hospice at Bishop Auckland. A St Patrick's Day supper dance will take place
More cash for town's over 50s A FORUM promoting better conditions for Northallerton's over 50s is to receive a cash boost from Hambleton district council. Hambleton's Over 50s Forum will receive £3,500 subject to underspends in the current budget as a
A DARLINGTON Internet consortium has clinched a deal to represent the German lottery NKL in cyberspace. Ezysite.com, Internetresort.co.uk and net-lifestyles.co.uk have joined forces for the successful tender. Andrew Hutton, of ezysite.com is delighted
NEW ENGLAND cap Gavin McCann spared Sunderland's blushes at the Stadium of Light last night when he salvaged an equaliser six minutes from time. McCann, who was a second half substitute in England's friendly victory over Spain, tapped the ball home after
SELF-CONFESSED killer Billy Dunlop could be finally brought to justice after a Law Commission report calling for the double jeopardy rule to be scrapped. The report, published today, will back The Northern Echo's Criminal Injustice campaign to scrap the
THE outraged families of two road accident victims have hit out after a lorry driver who caused their deaths left court with a £450 fine. Paul Simpson, 30, was convicted of careless driving yesterday after admitting responsibility for the crash on the
A scheme to reduce arson attacks is being launched on Teesside. The aim is to cut the number of car fires by taking abandoned vehicles off the street before arsonists can strike. Middlesbrough Borough Council will check reports of dumped vehicles against
A REAL Yorkshire welcome was on hand for Frenchman FRANCK DEVIENNE when he visited his new local in the village of Staveley. Mr Devienne has been appointed as customer services director at the automotive interiors manufacturer Treves UK, joining from
Redcar and Eston District Scout Group is appealing for help to turn an abandoned activities centre at Ingleby Greenhow into a campsite. The site, taken over by the Forestry Commission, used to belong to ICI. Since they acquired the use of the site last
Scores of gardeners have been banned from moving farmyard manure between allotments run by Stockton Borough Council, until further notice, for fear of spreading foot- and-mouth contamination
LEADING teenage pole-vaulter Mark Christie, whose blossoming athletics career was featured last year in a television documentary, has broken his ankle. Now the 16-year-old Gateshead Harrier faces a race against the clock to regain his fitness to win selection
The man to succeed John Harris as Mayor of Richmond has been confirmed. Current deputy Tom Burrows, will don the chains of office in May. Councillor Burrows represents the east ward on the council, which he joined two years ago
SCHOOLBOY Jamie Bourton may need plastic surgery after he was savaged by a rottweiler just yards from his home. Jamie - who is afraid of dogs after being bitten previously - ran when he saw the dog as he played in the street, near his house, in Middlesbrough
RAPID access chest pain clinics are to be opened in south Durham as part of an ambitious plans to reduce premature heart disease. Speeding up the process will ensure that patients receive timely diagnosis and treatment. The aim of the service at Darlington
A VICTORIAN bell tower which once graced the roof of an east Durham school will soon become a landmark in its own right. A £15,000 project, at the former Dawdon School site, in Seaham, will help a number of unemployed young people gain valuable new skills
All Saints Church, in Skelton, east Cleveland, has opened the town's first charity shop, to raise money to keep the church running, and provide a much-needed service to the community. Audrey Kirby, from the church, said: "We have had a steady flow of
YOUNGSTERS cleaned the beach at Saltburn yesterday, as part of a scheme to encourage volunteering. They were working for the Middlesbrough Millennium Volunteers Project, created for the Millennium Volunteers Award of Excellence scheme. As part of the
COUNCIL workers in Sunderland are getting in the groove for Comic Relief's Red Nose Day. Fourteen staff in the council's personnel department have recorded a CD, Put 'em On, to raise money for the charity appeal. The track was recorded at the Rooftop
CHANGES are being made to Darlington's car parks to attract more shoppers into the town centre. Darlington Borough Council wants to turn three long-stay car parks into short-stay ones, because it believes it will generate more business for local stores
VOLUNTEERS are being given a number of opportunities to give blood in the Darlington and South West Durham area this month. Sessions are being held at Bishop Auckland, Crook, Darlington, Ferryhill, Newton Aycliffe, Sedgefield and Shildon. Donors wishing
POLICE have urged pensioners to be on their guard following reports of bogus water company workers preying on the elderly. A pensioner living at The Cotswolds, Chilton, had £200 cash stolen from a bedroom on Saturday afternoon when a man called, claiming
Experts who help people give up smoking, known as smoking cessation advisors, will be teaming up with health promotion specialists to tour the Sedgefield area in the week beginning March 12, which includes No Smoking Day, on March 14. The Health Express
FLOODS led to a store being evacuated and closed at the weekend. A faulty connection led to a water tank overflowing at Littlewoods, in the Cleveland Centre, Middlesbrough. Upstairs stock rooms were flooded, and water in first-floor staff corridors was
PROTESTORS have called for an immediate halt to an electricity pylon project in North Yorkshire, after revelations about a link to childhood cancers. The Government Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation is expected to admit for the first time this
A creamery at Richmond, North Yorkshire, will be unveiling a new hand-made cheese at the International Food Exhibition later this month. The Swaledale Cheese Company, which produces traditional hand-crafted cheeses, wil present Swaledale ltaliana, made
HUNDREDS of drugs addicts are expected to take advantage of fast-track treatment centres being launched on Teesside next month. It has emerged that the service - the first of its kind in the UK - will provide a service for about 500 patients with drug
PRACTITIONERS claim that a centre being opened at a North-East hospital today will improve child care. A £120,000 paediatric assessment unit, which includes six beds and a treatment room at Hartlepool General Hospital, is expected to deal with up to 50
