World Cup winner Christian Karembeu threw Boro a Premiership lifeline just when it looked like they were sinking deeper into the relegation mire. Karembeu cracked home a magnificent angled drive ten minutes from time at Valley Parade to counter Wayne
A NORTH-East defence manufacturer has won a national award for its innovative business methods. Newcastle-based Vickers Defence Systems (VDS) was one of six projects to win one of the MoD's new Smart Acquisition Awards. The awards, which were set up this
Darlington football director Luke Raine has insisted that Gary Bennett will remain as manager of the club. Bennett came under fire from the fans as Quakers slipped to their sixth successive defeat - their worst sequence this season - and there were calls
A WOMAN who turned a blind eye to a family friend supplying drugs at her home was yesterday jailed for a year. Mother-of-three Doreen Jane Setchall was "unhappy" about the man selling heroin to callers, but did nothing to stop him, Durham Crown Court
MANAGERS at the North-East's largest airport were yesterday celebrating what they described as the beginning of a new era with the announcement of a £200m partnership deal with their counterparts in Copenhagen. The seven local authorities with shares
A MAN has been charged with assault following a street fight in which a Kurdish refugee had his face slashed. The attack happened at around 2.30am on Friday, when witnesses report having seen two Iraqis fighting with two white men at Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough
A NEWLY re-opened pier was at the centre of a drama when an elderly sailor collapsed at the helm. The 66-year-old man had set off from Bridlington bound for Scotland and the Isle of Aran when he collapsed with fatigue off the coast of Redcar. Stunned
A Michael Owen hat-trick proved too much for Newcastle this afternoon as the Magpies fell to another away day defeat. Owen gave early warning of his danger after just two minutes, racing on to an Emile Heskey through ball only for Shay Given to save well
BUILDING work began yesterday on the North-East's new multi-million pound concert centre. The Music Centre in Gateshead is being built on a site overlooking the River Tyne, between the Tyne Bridge and the new Gateshead Millennium Bridge. It will contain
PAUL Collingwood's outstanding form helped Durham defy the first signs of an injury crisis on Saturday. But they could be seriously weakened for today's clash with Yorkshire. Coach Martyn Moxon, desperate for a victory on his old stamping ground at Headingley
Tony Blair was in Downing Street last night, preparing to brief his ministers before he calls a General Election. The Prime Minister, who turned 48 yesterday, is expected to name the date later this week. He had spent the weekend at Chequers, fine-tuning
A RARE bird of prey has been found dead after swallowing a fatal dose of poison, the fourth of its kind to suffer from the same fate in Yorkshire in the past 12 months. The red kite was one of 19 reintroduced to the wild as part of the Yorkshire Red Kite
IT was meant to be his last adventure as pensioner Harold Bradbury set sail around the coast of Britain to visit his daughter. Undaunted by the fact that he had no sailing experience and was facing a week-long journey to the Isle of Arran, the would-be
NEWLY-knighted rowing hero Sir Steve Redgrave made a splash in the North-East yesterday. Backed by one of his Olympic coxless four crewmates, Tim Foster, the five-times gold medallist launched a prestigious new event, The Supersprints Rowing Challenge
A CAMPAIGN to preserve a theatre was launched at the weekend, with the backing of The Northern Echo. The drive to raise £1m to carry out extensive restoration work on the Georgian Theatre, in Richmond, North Yorkshire, was put into gear with the help
SUN-seekers making the most of the weekend weather came under fire last night, because of the crisis. Youth leader Billy Hunt drove across Bollihope Common in County Durham, between Teesdale and Weardale, and could not believe the number of people who
A TEENAGER was fighting for his life last night after being injured in a brawl outside a football clubhouse. Fighting broke out near Crook Town FC's ground on Saturday night as families enjoyed an 18th birthday celebration inside. Police were called to
MINERS' leader Arthur Scargill was the guest speaker at a trade union rally on Saturday. Members of several Teesside unions, including those representing newly-redundant steel and shipyard workers, gathered at the Cleveland Trade Union and Unemployed
Former Football Association chief executive Graham Kelly has advised Adam Crozier to ''tough it out'' in the wake of a double wave of controversy to surround his successor. Kelly believes Crozier is in ''a bit of hot water'' amid allegations that he urged
TERRY VENABLES admitted on Saturday night that two days would seem like two weeks as Middlesbrough wait to learn their Premiership fate. Only an improbable victory by relegation rivals Manchester City at fifth-placed Ipswich tonight can prolong Boro's
A public transport network, giving people access to some of the region's most scenic countryside, has been reopened. The Moorsbus service has returned to the North York Moors National Park, after services were cancelled last month, because of the foot-and-mouth
HOSPITALS in the region will claim their share of a major cash injection to buy new equipment. Health Secretary Alan Milburn will announce today an allocation of £105m nationally for hospitals offering emergency treatment. The North's share of the extra
BRIDE Alix Crowson could not believe her eyes when she saw the surprise her husband arranged for their wedding day. After getting married at Northallerton register office, in North Yorkshire, on Saturday, she and husband Martin in o headed off for an
SUNDERLAND brought down the curtain at the Stadium of Light with a rousing last home game of the season - a thrilling game of attacking football which hung in the balance until the final whistle. It might not have been a game for the purists - especially
DAVID O'Leary has admitted that Leeds' only realistic chance of qualifying for next season's Champions League is winning the competition this time around. O'Leary has faith in the character, desire and ability of his players to gear themselves up again
A DEPUTATION is to meet Trade and Industry Minister Alan Johnson in Westminster tomorrow over the loss of 700 jobs at a North coach builders. Plaxtons, the Scarborough luxury coach builders, announced its closure last week. The meeting has been arranged
CONNOR Carr saved his mother's life twice in less than a year - and he is only three years old. The youngster, from Highfield, Rowlands Gill, near Gateshead, won a Daily Mirror Pride of Britain award earlier this year after he dialled 999 when his mother
WHEN Newcastle boss Bobby Robson and his backroom staff begin the task this summer of attempting to turn their squad into one that can challenge in the higher reaches of the Premiership, their priorities may not lie solely in the transfer market. A creative
BANK Holiday chaos descended on a stretch of coastline at the weekend, resulting in 14 calls to the Coastguard in one day. Saturday's work began at 7am for the Humber Coastguard, with a call from a yacht which had run aground. Reports of incidents continued
Investors coming back from their Bank Holiday breaks will be able to feast on another week full of corporate results, including updates from BP Amoco, Matalan and Royal & Sun Alliance. BP Amoco will be the second major oil company in a fortnight to
THERE is little they can do to stop trucks which roll in and out of the site - but every day Jean White and husband Ronnie are there. The carcasses keep coming and the mass grave keeps filling, but the couple continue with their vigil - determined to
FUCHSIAS are amongst the most popular summer pot plants for the home. Visit any good garden centre or florist now and you will see plenty of healthy young plants for sale. Fuchsias grow well in the home when given cool humid conditions with plenty of
THE regeneration of a Darlington housing estate has received a further boost with the opening of a £40,000 play area. The Firthmoor estate has been given a complete facelift in the past 18 months, paid for with more than £3m from the Government's Single
THOSE who erroneously believe that these little essays are prone to a certain verbosity, should read the account of the opening on Friday, May 19, 1876, of Christ Church, Great Ayton. The Northern Echo had just four pages in those days, and most of that
Letters from The Northern Echo FOOT-AND-MOUTH I AGREE completely with the views of Sir Anthony Milbank and CIWF Director Joyce de Silva (Echo, Apr 17) on vaccination as opposed to the cruel mass slaughter of healthy as well as infected animals. Time is
THOUSANDS of pounds owed to a charity by a shamed vicar may have to be written off after he was declared bankrupt. Christ's Hospital, in Sherburn, Durham City, is owed almost £75,000 following legal action against former master, the Reverend Graham Pattison
IF anyone was thinking Chris Turner's achievement of taking Hartlepool United to the play-offs was a straight-forward affair, think again. Getting there once is an achievement, making it twice in a row is worthy of an award - the proof is how the other
ROOKIE trainer Alan Swinbank missed the biggest win of his short career when Court Express lifted Saturday's Thirsk Hunt Cup under a terrific ride from Jason Weaver. Alan, based at Melsonby near Richmond, took over the reins from Bill Haigh last February
A N expectant hush descended on the hotel foyer as the precious items were carefully unloaded in time for the auction. With only a matter of hours to go before the big event, staff at Harrogate's Majestic Hotel joined organisers to frantically fumble
LAWYERS will be instructed tomorrow on behalf of 20 ice hockey players who are waiting for three months' wages from the region's top club. The Ice Hockey Players' Association (IHPA), which is acting on behalf of the Newcastle Jesters stars, said it had
IN-FORM Republic of Ireland winger Kevin Kilbane admitted on Saturday night that his Sunderland teammates will be kicking themselves if they fail at the last hurdle to fulfil their dream of playing in Europe next season. Kilbane put the Wearsiders on
UNCERTAINTY surrounds the future of more than 2,700 elderly care home residents caught up in a funding row. Private home owners are in dispute with Durham County Council over the fees they are paid to look after elderly people. They have rejected the
THERE'S more than a ring of truth in the words of the 1964 Beatles' chart topper, "Money can't buy me love", but it sure is handy to have a boatload of cash when it comes to acquiring the best racehorses in the world. Neither leading millionaire owners
THE Northern Echo is supporting the Georgian Theatre Appeal in Richmond for a variety of reasons. The theatre offers a unique night out that is well worth preserving. It is also a unique piece of Britain's history - once there were 350 similar auditoriums
A hunt is under way for a man who raped a woman in the toilets at a roadside cafe. The 25-year-old businesswoman has been left traumatised by the attack at the Little Chef restaurant, beside the A1. She was on her way to work, from her County Durham home
TV presenter Jill Dando was murdered by a military-obsessed gunman with a grudge against the BBC and a fascination for celebrities, the Old Bailey heard yesterday. Barry George disliked the BBC because he believed that the corporation had mistreated his
BUMPER crowds over the Bank Holiday weekend are helping the tourism industry to slowly recover in the wake of the foot-and-mouth crisis. Attractions all over the North-East have reported large numbers of visitors, tempted out by a combination of sunshine
Go Racing, the consortium set up by Channel 4, Sky and Arena Leisure, said last night it was close to acquiring all media and related rights for British horse racing. The consortium has received acceptances from some high-profile and profitable racecourses
The torture lasted right up to the final whistle for Darlington. Promotion favourites back in August, this was their sixth successive defeat as they finished a non-achieving season five places off the bottom of the table. There has been hardly anything
THE bowlers were found wanting on a run-laden Riverside pitch yesterday as Durham's bid for a third successive Benson & Hedges Cup win hit the buffers. After making 252 for three in their 50 overs, they lost by five wickets to unbeaten Nottinghamshire
A NORTH Yorkshire tourist attraction, famed for its natural beauty and home cooking, has been put up for sale. How Stean Gorge, seven miles from Pateley Bridge, in Nidderdale, has gone on the market because Howard Stevenson and his wife, Pamela, who have
A nurse who claimed stress at work led him to carry a pillowcase around as a security blanket has lost his claim for compensation. Peter Cusworth was suing the NHS for £130,000, claiming he was left a nervous wreck by the strain of trying to run two hospital
REPUBLIC of Ireland international Niall Quinn last night issued a heartfelt plea to manager Peter Reid on the eve of Sunderland's last home game on the season against Charlton this afternoon: "Good luck in the transfer market - but don't cast me aside
AN ANGRY protest is being lodged after a charity was fined by border police for missing a road toll in Austria. Rod Jones, founder of Teesside charity Convoy Aid, had his passport and travel documents seized by a policeman after refusing to pay a fine
SITTING in the tiny auditorium for the first time, looking across the even smaller stage, Sylvia Crathorne was confronted with a theatrical giant. And the experience was the start of a life-long love affair with one of Britain's most historic and important
HEALTH Secretary Alan Milburn has moved swiftly to restore public confidence in his local hospital after operations were cancelled because of dirty surgical instruments. Yesterday, The Northern Echo revealed exclusively that a surgeon refused to carry
COUNCILS could end up paying for safety measures at rail bridges across the region. The Northern Echo reported earlier this week how villagers are demanding that crash barriers be provided at Dalton Bridge, near Darlington. Their concerns arose after
Darlington badly need a win to lift the end-of-season gloom at home to play-off-chasing Blackpool today. After virtually clinching safety with the win over Cardiff on Easter Saturday, Quakers have lost five in a row - two of them against sides in the
A £5M BOOST has been announced for the UK's only potash mine. The money has been invested in a new compaction plant at Cleveland Potash, Boulby, east Cleveland. This will result in an increase by more than 50 percent in the annual production of high grade
EMERGENCY measures to offset the disastrous economic impact of 700 job losses in a coastal town were drawn up last night. Trade Secretary Stephen Byers pledged that the Government would work with local authorities to soften the blow of TransBus International's
AS the first warm winds of spring waft in, thoughts begin to turn to summer sun and where to spend the holidays. And for a single dad pondering what to do with the precious time he has with his children, a EuroSite holiday may provide the answer. Camping
TOM Cruise's character in Top Gun has become something of a movie icon. Striding across the burning asphalt of Andrews Air Force base, his aviator shades shielding those blue eyes from the sunlight, his helmet held casually in one hand, his puny physique
HARTLEPOOL United will face Blackpool in the Third Division play-offs next week. Pool beat already promoted Cardiff 3-1 at Victoria Park and Steve McMahon's side secured a top-seven finish with a 3-1 win at Darlington. Pool fell one behind to Rob Earnshaw's
SUNDERLAND won their first Premiership game at the Stadium of Light since New Year's Day by completing a thrilling double over Charlton. Peter Reid's men, still battling for a place in Europe,got off to a great start when Republic of Ireland winger Kevin
SATISFIED Hartlepool United boss Chris Turner last night reflected on another year of improvement at Victoria Park - and paid tribute to his players. Pool go into their final League game of the season against Cardiff this afternoon with a place in the
YORKSHIRE'S five-wicket Roses triumph at Liverpool yesterday revived their flagging hopes of making it through to the quarter-finals and at the same time ended Lancashire's involvement in the competition. Now Yorkshire must win their last group match
HARTLEPOOL United will decide tomorrow whether to beam back Sunday's play-off clash at Blackpool to Victoria Park, writes NICK LOUGHLIN. Pool have yet to finalise ticketing arrangements for the Bloomfield Road first-leg clash, but with two sides of the
FREED hostage Tim Selby fulfilled a pledge yesterday to "our man in Bangladesh" back on home soil in the North-East. The civil engineer paid his debt of honour and bought a pint for diplomatic service official Jon Geddes - the man who worked tirelessly
The gelding operation may sound a painful process but it really does help to concentrate the mind of some thoroughbreds. Paul Cole's Nimello is an excellent example and the five-year-old has looked a different animal since having his delicate parts removed
Great Train robber Ronnie Biggs was heading back to Britain last night on a plane from Rio de Janeiro. Biggs, who has been on the run for 35 years, started the 6,000-mile journey home to face the music for his crime, at about 10pm British time. The ailing
ALUN ARMSTRONG can do his former Middlesbrough teammates a big favour tonight by condemning Manchester City to an immediate return to the First Division. If Ipswich striker Armstrong applies the decisive finishing touch which destroyed Boro at the Riverside
THE catalogue of incompetence surrounding the question of a new national stadium to replace Wembley's twin towers has already damaged the reputation of a country with ambitions to stage the World Cup and the Olympic Games. The wrangling over who should
A BITTER rival of MP Peter Mandelson is to use the settlement from a libel case to fight his seat at the General Election. In yet another twist to the hotly-contested race for the Hartlepool seat, freelance journalist John Booth, 54, is the latest to
Darlington Director of Football Luke Raine last night insisted that Gary Bennett will remain as manager of the club. Bennett came under fire from the fans as Quakers slipped to their sixth successive defeat - their worst sequence this season - and during
