The opening of East Road Wesleyan church in Darlington - and another at Boosbeck, east Cleveland, by the Lord Bishop of Hull - seemed just about the only good news to be had on Tuesday, October 29, 1901. Elsewhere, the Echo reported, President McKinley's
WITNESSES have started to come forward as detectives try to piece together the final moments of a pensioner murdered in his County Durham home. More than 200 leaflets carrying a photograph of 77-year-old Bill Pyle, from Stanley Street, Close House, Eldon
FOUR people appeared in court yesterday in connection with the alleged murder of father-of-four Michael Brolly in York's city centre. Carl Wesley Mason, 21, of Plumer Avenue, York; Leanne Beard, 18, of Bull Lane, York; Matthew John Carney, 29, of Avenue
Autumn is the best time to select and plant soft fruits. These are the fruits which are produced on canes, plants and bushes. Those like apples, pears and plums, which are harvested from trees, are referred to as top fruits. Soft fruits include black
A GROUP of fundraisers collected more than £700 during a few hours spent packing groceries at the weekend. Fourteen people took part in the drive at Asda, Stanley, in aid of the Sunderland Kidney Patients Group. The event was organised by Doreen Telford
GOLDEN WELLS, equipped with a pair of blinkers for the first time in his life, is strongly fancied to bring the curtain down on another glittering turf campaign for Mark Johnston by picking up Doncaster's November Handicap. Johnson's mighty Middleham
AN Army captain who claims her career was ended after her commanding officer called her a "bimbo" will have to wait until at least the new year to see if her tribunal case has been successful. Janet Kelly has accused the Ministry of Defence of sexual
YOUNG people and adults in east Cleveland who are considering the next step in education are being invited to an open night at Redcar and Cleveland College. The college will be open from 3.30pm until 8pm, on Thursday, November 22, and is open to people
A BOARD game has been launched to help raise teenagers' awareness of contraception and safe sex. This week, pupils at Sunnydale Comprehensive School, Shildon, were introduced to Contraception: The Board Game, which was launched on October 26. It aims
A COMMUNITY bus has been so successful that a second one is to be launched next month. The Blitz Bus, which arrived on the streets of Darlington in 1999, has worked so well that another vehicle will be launched on December 7. The new bus, which will be
A TRUCKER'S actions led to the illegal dumping of tonnes of waste from a North Yorkshire spy base - and landed his employer in court yesterday. Rubbish from the American listening station at Menwith Hill, near Harrogate, should have gone to a Dales quarry
A DERELICT nightclub, which sparked a dispute between Darlington Football Club chairman George Reynolds and a local businessman, is to be transformed. Residents have long complained about the state of the former Talk of The Town club in Darlington, which
CROWN Prosecution lawyers are expected to make a decision soon on whether police witnesses perjured themselves over the jailing of a fellow officer. Ex-Cleveland Police traffic officer Sultam Alam, 39, has steadfastly maintained he was wrongly jailed
THREE pictures found in a secret hiding place during the restoration of a North-East castle are to be returned to their home. In the summer, workers converting Wilton Castle, ICI's former social club at Redcar, Teesside, came across the pictures in a
DARLINGTON grounded out their first victory under new boss Tommy Taylor with a 1-0 win over Oxford United at Feethams on Saturday. Brian Healy, making his debut after joining on a short-term deal on Friday, stooped to head home the decisive goal midway
A NEW message in the battle against car crime is being issued to people living in Redcar and Cleveland who need to renew their parking permits. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has placed the permits in a free holder bearing the security message:
FORMER Tory leader William Hague took a break from helping to plot the Government's next battering to present a fish and chip shop with an award yesterday. Steven and Jenny Barker, of Richmond, North Yorkshire, can boast that they are among the best in
FORMER Sunderland assistant manager Paul Bracewell could be set to return to the club as a coach. The 39-year-old former England international, who parted company with Third Division outfit Halifax Town earlier this season, has been linked with a job
The West must accept its share of the blame for Afghanistan's problems, and must not be found wanting again, argues Dari Taylor, MP for Stockton South. FOR many of us, Afghanistan is a little known country. At school we may remember history lessons of
A FERRY operator is on its last warning for bringing refugees into the North-East after a spate of arrivals in recent weeks. During October, a total of 63 illegal immigrants sneaked into Teesport, Teesside, on P&O North Sea Freight ferries. The refugees
AN annual service to remember those from a Redcar college who died fighting in the two World Wars took place yesterday next to a memorial set up to honour them. The Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, Councillor Vilma Collins, the British Legion and staff
TWO talented all-round sportsmen hope to make their mark on the rugby fields of Darlington today. Former professional cricketer Ben Usher makes his Darlington debut in the North Division One match at home to Bradford and Bingley, while Jonny Wilkinson's
The opening of East Road Wesleyan church in Darlington - and another at Boosbeck, east Cleveland, by the Lord Bishop of Hull - seemed just about the only good news to be had on Tuesday, October 29, 1901. Elsewhere, the Echo reported, President McKinley's
A TEENAGER was jailed yesterday for a stabbing which left his victim with life-threatening injuries. Anthony Harker, 19, admitted wounding Daniel Black, now 20, with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm, on January 7, when he appeared at Teesside
MIDFIELDER Brian Healy yesterday became Tommy Taylor's first signing as Darlington manager. And within hours of the former Torquay United man putting pen to paper on a one-month contract, he set his sights on earning a longer deal. Healy, a Glaswegian
A DARLINGTON seamstress was picked to begin demolition work on a former office block and start the latest stage of redevelopment work at Lingfield Point, in the town. Rose Austin started the demolition work on the building, a former laboratory for the
A MAN was jailed for five years yesterday after admitting killing a teenager by punching him once while high on a cocktail of drink and drugs. Teesside Crown Court heard that Paul Smith, 18, of Thornley, near Peterlee, County Durham, died after being
THE first tickets went on sale yesterday for shows at Durham City's new Gala theatre. EastEnders bad boy Nick Cotton - actor John Altman - joined Mayor Councillor George Cowper to open a temporary box office in Durham Town Hall. The theatre, which will
A MAN who fell in love with a woman he had never met killed himself when she ended the relationship. An inquest heard that 45-year-old Gordon Cleghorn, from Wareham in Dorset, became besotted with Joan Connor, from Sunderland, after she sent him a text
A HOSPITAL radio station is appealing to businesses to help it raise funds to refurbish its studio and provide patients with bedside headsets. Radio Skerne, Darlington's hospital radio station, aims to raise thousands of pounds through a raffle, and is
Doncaster today brings the curtain down on another turf flat season - and what a season it has been for the top jockeys! Kieron Fallon is seven ahead of Kevin Darley in the Jockey's Championship which assures him of a fourth championship in five years
OUT-of-favour Middlesbrough defender Steve Vickers is being tracked by Bradford City. The 34-year-old centre-back is seen by Bantams chief Jim Jeffries as a short-term replacement for David Wetherall, who is expected to move on from Valley Parade. Manchester
A Hakan Mild goal just before half-time denied Sven Goran Eriksson an emotional victory over his native Sweden as England were held to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Saturday. Eriksson, fielding an experimental line-up, started with Middlesbrough defender
TRAVEL agency staff in Chester-le-Street have launched an appeal for Christmas gifts to fill Santa's Suitcase. The Front Street branch of Travelcare is hoping to distribute toys or gifts donated to Children North-East in time for Christmas. Kay Wilson
CARING pupils are hoping to bring festive cheer to poor youngsters across the world this Christmas. Children at Bowburn Junior School filled 65 shoe boxes with goodies for the Operation Christmas Child charities. The school has supported the charity for
HEART patients are to benefit from plans to build diagnostic units at smaller hospitals. The move should speed up tests and allow patients to be seen closer to their homes. At the moment, patients with suspected coronary heart disease in South Durham,
IT'S enough to have horror legend Boris Karloff spinning in his grave - a 4ft tall Frankenstein who can't even frighten a bunch of schoolchildren. That's the premise of a distinctly un-scary version of the classic horror story being staged at a County
EDWARD Blaney's life was turned upside down when he suffered a stroke seven years ago. The 65-year-old, from Upper Church Street, Spennymoor, County Durham, was paralysed down his left side and virtually house-bound. Now he has found a new lease of life
AN exhibition about life in Tibet has opened at Durham City's Oriental Museum. The museum has invited painter Ang Tsherin Sherpa and photographer Mike Trickett to exhibit and talk about their works as part of the Tibet Season. Ang Tsherin Sherpa is a
A ROWING star, who was a semi-finalist in the women's single sculls at the Sydney Olympics, was on hand to open a building named in her honour yesterday. Jackson Court next door commemorates the achievements of teenage swimming star Nicola Jackson, who
AS the Royal British Legion marks its 80th anniversary, the misconception that the charity's sole aim is to help the veterans of the two world wars continues to be laid to rest. Roger Braybrook, Commanding Field Officer for the legion in the Durham area
A MUSEUM in the region is to create a children's attraction as part a multi-million pound refurbishment scheme. The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, County Durham, is launching a massive drive to attract more youngsters through its doors, and staff are
FARMERS have welcomed the easing of foot-and-mouth restrictions in some of the areas that were among the hardest-hit by the disease earlier this year. Almost 8,500 landowners in North Yorkshire, Northumberland, Lancashire and Cumbria have been told they
NEW arrangements have been announced for worship in a Roman Catholic parish following the recent death of the priest. Father Des White, priest for the past five years at St Patrick's RC Church, in Dipton, near Stanley, County Durham, died in August at
DWINDLING church numbers and priests' vacancies were among issues raised with the Bishop of Whitby at an open meeting in east Cleveland earlier this week. On Monday night, the Bishop of Whitby, the Right Reverend Robert Ladds, and the new Archdeacon of
A UNIVERSITY has become an unlikely paradise for computer games addicts. Teesside University has established the National Centre for Computer Games to support the UK games industry and carry out pioneering research into the popular entertainment field
HEALTH professionals, support and voluntary workers have picked up awards for their work to improve patient care. The second Northern and Yorkshire NHS annual good practice awards took place at Harrogate International Conference Centre yesterday. NHS
IN A busy week for corporate results, the telecoms sector will hog the limelight. Figures from Vodafone, Cable and Wireless and Marconi are due - giving investors more clues about how the industry will cope with a global slowdown. Troubled telecoms group
MORE than 100 people fighting to save council care for the elderly in their rural community have packed a public meeting. Director of Durham County Council social services Peter Kemp attended the meeting in Brandon, near Durham City. Village campaigners
FORMER pupils of a Darlington primary school, which closed in the 1970s, are trying to trace their old classmates to organise a reunion. Elsie Murray, who attended St Andrew's CE School, in Haughton, thought up the idea after contacting former classmate
LIBRARY staff are being terrorised by vandals who have waged a relentless campaign against the branch in Willington. Police are urging the public to help them catch the trouble-makers who have broken every window at the library in the past few weeks,
A NORTH-EAST man has made it through to the finals of a competition to find Britain's hunkiest husbands. Tony Balmer, 40, a bus driver from Darlington, was nominated for inclusion in the competition by his wife, Julie. The father-of-one is among 24 finalists
PEOPLE willing to testify against criminals, but who are afraid to do so for fear of retribution have been offered help by police. Northumbria Police Authority members have agreed a grant of £11,970 to pay for special alarms that will be given to people
TRADING standards officers are warning consumers not to commit themselves to credit agreements they cannot afford. Next week is National Consumer Week and City of Sunderland trading standards is highlighting the problems faced by hundreds of people in
TWO plots of land formerly used as play areas are to be given to Darlington residents as extensions to their land. Applications were made earlier this year by residents in Milbank Court to have the land incorporated into their properties. Darlington Borough
A HUGE party is being held next week to celebrate the achievements of young people in care. Durham County Council's Social Services department will present about 60 awards to youngsters aged between eight and 18, in recognition of their efforts across
MANDARIN Chinese is to be put on the curriculum at Hummersknott Community School and Language College, in Darlington. The school, which has specialist language college status, will launch the £150,000 five-year pilot programme on November 23. It is hoped
Letters from The Northern Echo DARLINGTON FC HERE we are in November and all the promise of promotion has now gone for Darlington FC. All we hear is: "We play well but can't score." Well isn't that the point in football, to score goals? The fans can see
Q My mother is 63 and has not paid enough National Insurance to qualify for a state pension. Now my dad has died, what happens? A She can claim a retirement pension based upon your father's National Insurance, regardless of what she has paid herself.
Sadists who crucified, beheaded and hung a rare swan on a tree are thought to have been carrying out a sick pagan ritual. Horrified staff at a Durham Wildlife Trust nature reserve discovered the gory remains of the mute swan at their special site of scientific
TWO visitor attractions in the region will reopen today following the lifting of blue box foot-and-mouth restrictions. Staff at Allen Banks, at Haydon Bridge, and the historic Houseteads Roman Fort, on Hadrian's Wall, have been busy preparing the attractions
WAR veterans in Ripon, North Yorkshire, were adamant they have the right to honour their comrades where they wish yesterday, despite a second controversy over the city's Remembrance Sunday. A parade leaves the city hall for the cathedral at 10.45am tomorrow
A CANTANKEROUS pensioner who waged a 40-year vendetta on neighbours whose homes did not match his idea of house-proud perfection was jailed for three months yesterday. Retired bookmaker John Bushell, 75, was locked up after a court heard how he plagued
THIRTY-TWO schools in the North-East have won awards for their commitment to the arts. The first regional Artsmark presentation took place at the Live Theatre, in Newcastle, yesterday, where the winning schools received their awards from BBC Look North
INMATES at a Teesside prison have scooped 13 arts awards for painting and creative writing. Following a record number of entries, six inmates in Holme House prison, in Stockton, won awards for their artwork and seven for their plays, poetry and prose.
HARTLEPOOL United made it two wins out of two for the first time this season as they beat Exeter 2-0 at Victoria Park. An exquisiste finish from Gordon Watson - his seventh of the season and his fourth of the week - put Pool in front. Watson deftly lifted
IN a dispute over money it is difficult for the public to stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes of David Beckham, Roy Keane and Alan Shearer, who earn tens of thousands of pounds every week. But it is important that the dispute between the Professional
A NORTH-EAST assembly will be a sham and a failure if it does not have real power to make a difference to the lives of people in the region, the minister responsible for devolution warned yesterday. Stephen Byers, the transport and regions secretary and
Doncaster today brings the curtain down on another turf flat season - and what a season it has been for the top jockeys! Kieron Fallon is seven ahead of Kevin Darley in the Jockey's Championship which assures him of a fourth championship in five years
REVIEWS: Title: 90 Minutes. Format: Dreamcast GD-ROM. Publisher: Sega. Price: £29.99 DREAMCAST owners have waited in vain for their own version of the ever-popular FIFA football sim. Sadly, Electronic Arts decided early on not to publish for Sega's last
A MAN who was carrying so much cannabis it would last for 18 months and make 5,000 joints, claimed he had the drug for personal use, a court heard yesterday. Andrew Wilson, 29, of Venables Road, Guisborough, admitted possession of a class B drug with
MICKY Barron is still trying to come to terms with the shock of Tuesday. Hartlepool United beat Hull 4-0 at Victoria Park, but it wasn't the result that left the Pool skipper reeling - it was his goal in the closing stages of the win that caused all the
PLANS to transform the north bank of the River Tees into offices and research facilities, with the potential to create 2,000 jobs, have moved a step closer. Regeneration agency English Partnerships has drawn up a £20m masterplan to transform the area
A £25,000 grant is helping a Darlington motorcycle business to target the French market. Adrenalin-Moto, in Whessoe Road, has been awarded the grant by The North-East Investment Fund (Neif) to develop its already growing list of European suppliers. The
CROWDS packed into Darlington town centre last night for the launch of the festive celebrations. Pop Idols hopeful Zoe Birkett got to throw the switch to light up her home town for Christmas. The 16-year-old was chosen to perform the ceremony after becoming
POLICE are hunting thugs who launched an "unprovoked and cowardly" attack on a woman as she walked home. The 38-year-old woman was pushed to the ground and kicked several times as she walked to her home on the Low Mown Meadows Estate, in Crook, after
BUS drivers involved in strike action against Stagecoach North-East have criticised the firm for placing advertisements in newspapers which they say are "misleading". Full-page adverts appeared across the region yesterday outlining the proposed pay packages
A blaze which ripped through a North-East waste recycling plant on Thursday night is still being probed by police arson investigators. More than 60 firefighters were involved in tackling the fire at the SWS waste management plant, in Belle Vue, Hartlepool
Reviews: Title: 90 Minutes. Format: Dreamcast GD-ROM. Publisher: Sega. Price: £29.99 DREAMCAST owners have waited in vain for their own version of the ever-popular FIFA football sim. Sadly, Electronic Arts decided early on not to publish for Sega's last
FAIRLESS Engineering has experienced the best six months of business in its 82-year history. The company has seen output rise by 30 per cent on last year, and has an order book of £100,000, with more to come. Fairless specialises in manufacturing cable
ARTIST Wendy Thompson has won an important commission from Darlington Building Society. She received her commission, to paint the society in its local environment in a contemporary style, following an exhibition of her work at the "Art for Business" Sponsors
PEOPLE willing to testify against criminals, but who are afraid to do so for fear of retribution have been offered help by police. Northumbria Police Authority members have agreed a grant of £11,970 to pay for special alarms that will be given to people
