HAVING stepped into Bryan Robson's shoes as manager of Middlesbrough Football Club, former Manchester United coach Steve McClaren could be moving into Robson's old home. It is understood that McClaren's wife, Catherine, was house-hunting when estate agents
ONE of the country's longest-serving barmaids celebrated her 80th birthday last week, but she has no intention of calling time yet. Daisy Frost has worked at the Yorkshire Hussar Inn, at Markington, near Ripon, North Yorkshire, for 56 years. When she
THE Imperial Cancer Research Fund is asking the public to help its fight against the disease by having a smashing time at a Greek evening. The charity is holding an event at Simply Greek, in the Bigg Market, Newcastle, on July 25. The evening will include
PROGGIES, clippies and lambs' lugs are just some of the rag mat varieties which will be on display this summer. Beamish Museum, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, is holding an exhibition of the mats, which once covered the floor of almost every home
IT'S the sort of menu which suggests that the chef needs not so much a City and Guilds in kitchen craft as a BSc in geography, which could double as a doorstop or be serialised for A Book at Bedtime and probably last a fortnight. English, Chinese, Spanish
Proof that a little learning mightn't be so bad after all, a damning set of school reports has been marked down for our attention. "I stole them," says their subject, unapologetically. In 1946, when he was nine, he could read a few two and three letter
A NEW NHS hospital is so short of space that talks are being held with a private hospital group to find a way of increasing bed numbers. The University Hospital of North Durham opened only three months ago, replacing Dryburn Hospital, in Durham City.
TEENAGE voices joined in unison to sing for the survival of their flourishing choir yesterday. The public performance by members of Durham County Youth Choir was held in protest at the decision to cut two administrative posts. It follows recent news passed
FRENCH fever is hitting a dale's community this week as it prepares to set up twinning links with a town in Picardy. Wolsingham, in Weardale, is celebrating Bastille Day on Saturday, and shops, cafes and pubs are joining in the spirit of entente cordial
THE latest in a series of plaques honouring a town's citizens was unveiled yesterday. Councillor Hazel Pearson unveiled a plaque to commemorate the Reverend Isaac Benson on the facade of Acklam Hall School. Mr Benson was born in Windermere in 1795 and
Shoppers will be able to get away from the hustle and bustle of the malls to take part in a religious service on Sunday. It will take place at the MetroCentre, Gateshead, and will be recorded for TV. The service will be screened at a later date for the
A new fast-track compensation scheme for victims of botched NHS operations was launched today. The Government is planning legal changes so that patients injured in clinical blunders can gain compensation without going to court. At present, legal action
TWO special guests will be visiting a sporting event for youngsters today. Former Newcastle United and England striker Peter Beardsley will kick off the activities at the Durham Sport Youth Games. Newly-appointed Sports Minister Richard Caborn will attend
CONSUMER chiefs are warning people not to use a low grade Spanish olive oil. Durham County Council's Consumer Services department said it had been informed by the Food Standards Agency that olive-pomace oil from Spain could pose a health hazard. Acting
MEMBERS of Parliament have more cheek than the Knave of Hearts. They're not running off with the Queen's tarts, but with umpteen millions of our hard-earned money. And it's not only a further £4,000 a year on their wages, but up to £60,000 a year to pay
BRITISH Airways is backing North-East exporters through the region's Chamber of Commerce. The airline is the sponsor of this year's North-East Exporters dinner, on Friday at the Ramside Hotel, near Durham. The event is organised by the North-East Chamber
NONE of the Durham bowlers who missed Sunday's win against Glamorgan will be fit to return for tomorrow's C & G Trophy fourth round tie against holders Gloucestershire at Bristol. Neil Killeen had a bone scan on his ankle yesterday, while the results
Aston Villa star Gareth Southgate is today on the verge of joining Middlesbrough for £6 million. The 30-year-old England defender is set to quit Villa Park as he hammers out personal terms and prepares to sit a medical. Southgate demanded a transfer a
A SNARLING rapist who attacked a young mother while his grandmother slept in the next room has been jailed for five years. Robert McQuire, 22, attacked the woman at his home following a night out in July last year. Newcastle Crown Court heard how he snarled
STUDENTS have gained their first grading in what is reputed to be the most difficult style of karate in the world. Children and adults at the Durham Academy of Martial Arts, in Spennymoor, have received their orange belts in Kyokushin karate. Three students
FURIOUS residents are stepping up their protests over the loss of a "lifeline" bus service. Leven Valley Coaches announced last week that it could no longer afford to run its popular 32 and 33 Darlington service. The service, which takes in areas of the
A police officer who went on a drinking session while on paid sick leave allegedly tried to intimidate road crash victims, a court heard yesterday. Detective Constable Nigel Clarke had drunk four pints of lager when he accepted a lift from Lee Dixon,
SAFETY fears have led to the closure of an 88-year-old bridge. An anchor bolt stabilising the Transporter Bridge, on Teesside, has sheared off, it was confirmed last night. The bolt is one of four holding the bridge in place, at the end of four vertical
PARENTS of pupils at Darlington schools have been given an extra week to express their views on proposals to cut school transport. The consultation period has been extended by Darlington Borough Council after some of the 11,000 letters sent to parents
HEALTH bosses have drawn up new plans to improve access to dental care on the National Health Service. Latest figures released by North Yorkshire Health Authority show that only 55 per cent of dental practices in the county are accepting patients. Patients
LONG-SERVING skipper Michael Gray is backing ace marksman Kevin Phillips to shoot Sunderland into Europe next season. And the former England fullback, who is in his testimonial season after ten years at the club, believes that the little striker is set
PLANS are under way to establish an association to represent the interests of businesses, residents and other interested parties involved in Newcastle Quayside. Spearheading the plan is Silverlink Property Developments, which was recently named as developer
BRITISH Airways is backing North-East exporters through the region's Chamber of Commerce. The airline is the sponsor of this year's North-East Exporters dinner, on Friday at the Ramside Hotel, near Durham. The event is organised by the North-East Chamber
AN attacker kicked a man like a football as he lay defenceless on the ground outside a city pizza parlour. Christopher Travena had been punched to the floor by one man and kicked in the ribs by another when Daniel Edmonds arrived on the scene in Ripon's
AN event is being held to help the region's businesses find their feet after the foot-and-mouth crisis. Business Link County Durham, a division of A4E Consulting, is providing a lifeline for businesses affected by the outbreak at the event, called Come
It cannot be disputed. The North-East is a region on the edge. Geographically we are about as far away as we could be from the main UK and European business centres. That is why, if we are to put our business performance at the heart of the economy, we
THE sedate art of woodturning will change into high gear at weekend as it becomes a high octane sport in the first Bodging Olympics. To mark the tenth anniversary of the Friends of Chopwell Wood, near Rowlands Gill, in Tyne Valley, woodturners from across
THE family of a boy who was mown down as he waited to cross a dual carriageway spoke of their relief yesterday after a judge ruled he was not to blame for his death. Four years ago this week, Michael McAnaney, 13, was killed when Deborah Quinn, 26, crashed
A NEW initiative to help stamp out unruly behaviour on housing estates across Thornaby was launched yesterday. Local beat officers have secured eight radio sets, which will be given to people in the community who have a history of problems with youngsters
ONE of the country's longest-serving barmaids celebrated her 80th birthday last week, but she has no intention of calling time yet. Daisy Frost has worked at the Yorkshire Hussar Inn, at Markington, near Ripon, North Yorkshire, for 56 years. When she
STEERING jobs in top-class races do not come along too often, but that's the way it looks for Frankie Dettori aboard Silent Honor (3.05) in the £50,000 Group 2 Cherry Hinton Stakes at Newmarket today. Described recently by her trainer, David Loder, as
GREAT Britain international Sheila Allen, who decided not to defend her two World Veterans Championships titles in Australia because of a recurring knee injury, has continued her run of good form by winning a third consecutive race. Allen, just beaten
FOOT-AND-MOUTH I AM writing to readers regarding the tragic plight of the countryside which at present is being ravaged by foot-and-mouth. People in many areas have been led to believe that foot-and-mouth is at worst under control and at best over, all
A PROJECT to encourage people to safeguard local wildflowers was launched yesterday. The Wildlife Ark Tees Valley Education Project is the latest in a series of projects to promote the importance of wild flowers in the North-East. The year-long project
YOUNGSTERS on Tyneside are engineering a bright future for themselves, with support from local manufacturers and Training & Development Resource (TDR). More than 100 pupils from eight schools across Tyneside are taking part in the new TDR programme
THE man who commanded British forces during the Gulf War visited the North-East to present the prizes at a school speech day. Sir Peter de la Billiere attended Durham School for the ceremony on Saturday. Sir Peter, who was educated at Harrow, was commissioned
JOYCE Quin asked to leave the Government last autumn so she could resume her backbench career, but then the foot-and-mouth crisis blew up and, as Agriculture Minister, she couldn't be spared. After the General Election, she was allowed her wish, and one
DURING the week, Louisa Gidney pores over old animal bones, shedding light on what our ancestors ate and how they lived. At weekends she takes a more direct route to bringing history to life. Along with partner, Paul Stokes, the Durham University researcher
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Supply teachers, Peterlee, full time, temporary, two vacancies, one to teach year 5 and one year 6, proof of identity required on application to agency
TWO Hungarian youngsters, including a 12-year-old girl, have been attacked by a gang of 15 drunken yobs in a County Durham village. However, the school exchange pupils also experienced the best of North-East life thanks to local police officers who collected
NORTHERN Electric and Gas could be changing hands soon. The power firm has been put up for sale by its US parent company, Mid-American Energy Holdings. It is believed to be on the shopping list of Texas-based TXU, which already owns Eastern Energy and
A FAMILY is having to part with their dog because its boisterous antics scare other pets in the house. Janet Gowland and her husband, Robert, of Toronto, near Bishop Auckland, have made the heart-breaking decision to rehome Luka, a two-year-old German
COMPANIES in the borough of Sedgefield have been given a boost to their start-up and expansion plans. Eleven companies have shared more than £20,000 of grant aid from SBBS, a partnership between Sedgefield Borough Council and the development agency for
STAFF and students mourned the loss of one of their brightest pupils yesterday. Suzanne Preen died on Friday night when her car left the road as she approached the Pity Me roundabout on the A167, near Durham, and hit a steel fence and trees. The 18-year-old
Health Minister Hazel Blears visited the region yesterday. She attended a conference in Newcastle organised by the Tyne and Wear Health Action Zone (HAZ). She met health workers and heard about the achievements of the HAZ since it was set up two years
FIVE sick pilgrims will be visiting Lourdes this year, thanks to the efforts of parishioners. St Joseph's Parish Church in Ushaw Moor, near Durham City and our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Newhouse, raised £6,000 to fund the trip. Parish priest, Father Martin
A FARMER is stepping up his battle against a council. Len Webster is being threatened with prosecution by Hambleton District Council for allegedly being in breach of a planning condition allowing him to live in a house built in the countryside - only
BANNATYNE Fitness, the UK's largest independent health club operator, has welcomed a new management team at its Ingleby Barwick club. TOM CARTER, from Stockton, is the club's new general manager, while NICOLA BROMLEY becomes his assistant. Tom, 30, gained
COMPUTER lessons are on offer to North-East communities which might otherwise miss out. Community computer centres in east Cleveland and on Tyneside will today receive grants of more than £260,000 from the National Lottery's New Opportunities Fund, as
A MAN angry at missing his breakfast held a knife to the throat of a hostel kitchen worker, a court heard yesterday. Dennis Paisley had earlier rained punches on his victim, prosecutor Edward Legard told Teesside Crown Court. Mr Legard said that last
PEOPLE in Redcar are being invited to take part in a charity bike ride. The third Redcar Seaside Pedal Special takes place on Sunday, July 22, in aid of Leukaemia Research funds. Cyclists will ride along the coastline from the Majuba car park to Marske
PRIMARY school children have seen their first work in print, after designing personalised computer mouse mats and T-shirts. Youngsters at Willington CE Primary School, in Hall Terrace, were set the task of producing with their own animal design as part
RESTRICTIONS have been introduced to deter staff and visitors parking in the streets around Durham's new hospital. Building work at the University Hospital of North Durham has led to on-street parking in the Framwellgate Moor and Aykley Heads areas of
A SCHEME to help under-fives in east Cleveland celebrated its first birthday yesterday with a free day of fun. The Sure Start East Cleveland Partnership is part of the Government's national scheme to help youngsters under the age of five and their parents
THE owner of a town's major shopping centre has submitted a £5m bid to take over its car park and toilets. Legal and General, which owns the Cleveland Centre, in Middlesbrough, wants to take over the facilities from Middlesbrough Borough Council. The
BT'S mobile phone business BT Wireless has announced a fall in customer numbers after deciding to adopt a tighter definition of so-called "active users". The company has excluded from its figures pre-pay customers who have not used their phones for at
EFFORTS to attract former health professionals back to work with a local NHS trust are continuing later this month. An open evening is being held at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, on July 19, from 7pm to 9pm. Staff will be on
THE controversial Love Parade could cost nearly half a million pounds, it has emerged. With the event in Newcastle just 11 days away, Paul Rubinstein, the city council's head of arts and culture, has admitted the cost of the pop parade has spiralled.
THERE will be fun in the forest at Chopwell Forest Festival at the weekend. County Durham environmentalists charity the Acorn Trust has announced its own events at the festival. Visitors to the Acorn Trust marquee will have the chance to build a bird
REFUGEE families have been moved to a new 'safe house' after being shot at by racist thugs. The house at Middlesbrough, a temporary home to a number of Romanian gipsy asylum seekers, was targeted by youths firing air guns and throwing stones. A concrete
PICTURE the scene, it's an all too familiar one. There are 24 million cars on today's roads and they all appear to be in front of you. There are also 30 million drivers and they all appear to be trying to kill you, and if not that, at least conspiring
A VOYAGE in a traditional Hawaiian canoe has raised £11,000 for charity. After seven months of training, a team from Middlesbrough set sail in the Wa'alele last month. They completed a successful crossing of the channel and back in the vessel dubbed "
A YOUNG child is being treated in hospital for a dangerous form of meningitis. Tees Health Authority confirmed that the unnamed youngster, a pupil at Linthorpe Infant School, Middlesbrough, Teesside, has contracted strain B of the virus. Headteacher Ronnie
A 15-year-old has been charged with manslaughter after a man died in a city centre fracas at the weekend. Former miner John Jobson, 49, from Horden, near Peterlee, died in hospital after collapsing in a street in Salford, Greater Manchester, following
A HEALTH campaigner has made a formal complaint to police about the conduct of a suspended NHS surgeon. Graham Maloney visited Northallerton police station last Friday and asked detectives to investigate consultant gynaecologist Neil Hebblethwaite. The
A FARMER is stepping up his battle against a council. Len Webster is being threatened with prosecution by Hambleton District Council for allegedly being in breach of a planning condition allowing him to live in a house built in the countryside - only
POP stardom is beckoning for a talented North-East singer. Genius Management is searching for the final member of four-piece girl band Raw Silk. The new member will join Aimee, 16, from Sunderland, Foxy, 19, from Newcastle, and Eve, 17, from Billingham
CYCLISTS Alex Bussey and Martin Appleyard are tackling the ultimate challenge in aid of cancer charities. The ambitious pair, from Minskip, near Boroughbridge, are raising money for the Committee for Cancer Projects by cycling from Land's End to John
A NEWLY-elected Labour MP paid tribute to her famous predecessor yesterday during her maiden speech in the House of Commons. Redcar MP Vera Baird praised her former Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam during a debate on the Export Control Bill, which
A SECURITY camera is to be installed at a sports complex in Newton Aycliffe in an effort to deter vandals. Great Aycliffe Town Council is to fund the closed-circuit television camera at the Oak Leaf Sports Complex. The camera will cover to the centre,
THE future of Woodham Golf and Country Club has been thrown into doubt. Stan Roberts, managing director of the Newton Aycliffe business, says he does not know what the future holds for the club after an application for a public entertainment licence was
AS a child, the garden behind Margaret Carrigan's family home overlooked the river flowing towards Winston Bridge. She made dens and camp fires, and tucked into picnics on the pebbled banks beside the impatient-to-be-there River Tees. Ms Carrigan, of
A NETWORK of closed-circuit television cameras is recording ever higher success rates in helping North Yorkshire police achieve arrests. There are 97 cameras operating in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon, Boroughbridge and Skipton. When the system first
A SCHOOLGIRL is to help deliver a warning to other students over teenage pregnancies. The 14-year-old, from Middlesbrough - where the number of gymslip mothers is higher than the national average - is taking the lead role in a video being shot this week
THE funeral will take place tomorrow of an eight-year-old girl who died suddenly during a school games lesson. Charlotte Turnbull-Adams collapsed last Thursday while practising for sports day at St Margaret's Primary School at Neville's Cross, Durham
THE funeral will take place tomorrow of an eight-year-old girl who died suddenly during a school games lesson. Charlotte Turnbull-Adams collapsed last Thursday while practising for sports day at St Margaret's Primary School at Neville's Cross, Durham
A LEADING member of a North-East police authority quit last night in frustration at the "serious flaws" exposed by one of Britain's biggest anti-corruption inquiries. Barry Foxton stood down as a member of the Cleveland Police Authority only weeks after
BOSSES hope a management buy-out could save a threatened North-East microwave oven factory. The Sanyo plant in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, which employs 284 people, is due to close along with its sister plant in Thornaby, Teesside, subject to a consultation
AN astrologer has been called in to help Britain's least successful racehorse finally notch up a decent result. Sixteen-year-old gelding Quixall Crossett, which is trained by Ted Caine at Chop Gate, North Yorkshire, has notched up no less than 99 consecutive
FOOT-AND-MOUTH disease was last night creeping ever closer to Britain's prime pig farming area. As the number of cases in North Yorkshire reached 103, pig producers were put on red alert and told to take every precaution possible. The disease now appears
THE future of Woodham Golf and Country Club has been thrown into doubt. Stan Roberts, managing director of the Newton Aycliffe business, says he does not know what the future holds for the club after an application for a public entertainment licence was
THEY say lightning doesn't strike twice - but a North-East town has just become the luckiest place in Britain, after two people hit the National Lottery jackpot within days of each other. Digger driver Barry Moss, from Darlington, scooped £7.5m on Saturday
RESTRICTIONS have been introduced to stop staff and visitors parking in the streets around Durham's new hospital. Building work at the University Hospital of North Durham has led to on-street parking in the Framwellgate Moor and Aykley Heads areas of
DARLINGTON Borough Council has said it could close the town's art gallery. The gallery, which forms part of the central library in Crown Street, is under threat as part of a review of operations. Council officials say that Government legislation setting
ONE of the achievements for which Tony Blair's first Government, in which I was proud to serve, will rightly be long remembered is that of devolution. The creation of the Scottish Parliament along with the Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies represents
THREE deprived areas in the North-East have been chosen to pilot a Government initiative to improve poor neighbourhoods. Stockton's Parkfield and Mill Lane area, on Teesside, the Stanley green corridor in Derwentside, and Easington's coastal area, will
TWO special guests will be dropping into a sporting event for youngsters today. Former England and Newcastle United footballer Peter Beardsley will start activities at the Durham Sport Youth Games. Sports Minister Richard Caborn will visit the event this
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Counter assistant, Darlington, £4ph, 4.30-10.30pm Wed, Thur, Fri, required for fish shop, experience preferred. Ref: DAE 26803. Class II driver, Darlington
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Cleaner, Stockton, £3.70ph, 8.30-10am Mon-Sat, required for general office cleaning, experience preferred. Ref: STC 28553. Brasserie staff, Sedgefield
A TINY community has worked together to create a sensory garden. There are only 11 houses in Windmill, which lies between Hamsterley and Toft Hill. But lack of numbers did not stop villagers raising money to create the garden on a grass verge, so people
THE irony in Goran Ivanisevic's Wimbledon triumph is as devastating as one of his unreturnable serves. The All England Club granted a wild card to the man destined to knock out Britain's Tim Henman on the way to an historic victory in the final. Take
A NEW laboratory is taking a closer look at the natural world, using the latest technology. The Arthur Holmes Laboratory, at the University of Durham, is the first in the country to use new techniques to study natural processes on a minute scale. The
HIDDEN images of Durham Miners' Gala have been given their first public showing in the lead up to Saturday's event. An exhibition of paintings and artefacts in Bishop Auckland Town Hall, County Durham, includes works by North-East artists not previously
A BLAZE which caused thousands of pounds of damage to a hotel complex in mid-construction is believed to have been the result of an arson attack. The fire was reported in the early hours of yesterday, on the site of a Travelodge development, in Gilesgate
POLICE last night released details of a racially-motivated assault in which three Bangladeshi people were injured. A police spokesman said the four victims were on their way to the Chester Road mosque, in the Royalty area of Sunderland. They were approached
AN investigation is under way into the death of a North-East man in a caravan fire in South Africa. Graham Clode, 46, formerly of Hartlepool, died a week ago, in Durban. The exact circumstances of his death have yet to be revealed, but Mr Clode is known
