THE season for winter flowering heathers has just begun. Technically heaths rather than true heathers, the Ericas, as they are more correctly called, are available in varieties which flower between now and the end of March or early April. Unlike the true
Hartlepool United are out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle after going down 3-1 at Swindon on Saturday. Pool could count themselves unlucky and the score line in no way reflected on Pools' performance. The home side went 2-0 up with a brace of goals
WINDOWS rattled, slates cracked and morning cups of tea were spilt as North-East families feared they had been hit by an earthquake yesterday. But it was not seismic friction deep under the ground but a sonic boom in the skies that caused the tremors.
HARROGATE Rugby Union Club will decide within a fortnight how to progress its fight to move to a new home after councillors scuppered its plans for a farmland site. Club officials, buoyed by unanimous support from an open meeting of members - and from
Aston Villa missed the chance to go top of the Premiership as Middlesbrough held them to a 0-0 draw at Villa Park. Steve McClaren's Boro side battled until the final whistle, and could have snatched it had a Carlos Marinelli strike found the net during
THE discovery of more than 70 medieval tombstones in the region has shed some light on the history of a small village. The find, made earlier this month by archaeologists at St Brandon's Church, in Brancepeth, near Durham City, is one of the largest and
WHEN they opened All Saints church at Lanchester in 1926, the Bishop was seated in a Rolls-Royce and hauled through the village by a team of muscular miners. Whether this was because the car had conked out, or because petrol was rationed, or simply the
FOR her political courage in Northern Ireland and her personal courage in battling serious illness, Mo Mowlam will always command respect. She is, however, off beam in her attack on Tony Blair's style of government. Her affection for Cabinet government
THE chairman of a major hospital trust has broken ranks to warn that a proposed funding cutback would have a "catastrophic" effect on the already serious problem of bed-blocking. Bryan Hanson, chairman of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust, contacted
A second half Paul Campbell strike was enough to put Darlington into the second round of the FA Cup when they beat Kidderminster on Saturday. The game wasn't pretty to watch in a game Harriers did most of the attacking in. However, the visitors held firm
A lasting tribute to a well-loved teacher is to be unveiled at a Gateshead School next week. The tribute, a multi-coloured 6ft stained glass window, has been created to remember John Graham, who worked at Kells Lane Primary School, in Low Fell, until
A HIT-and-run driver ploughed into a blind man and a cerebral palsy sufferer as they returned home from a night out. Gavin Atkins and his friend, Philip Stokes, had been to Darlington Arts Centre before walking home to nearby Orchard Road on Wednesday
A DRUG addict who defied court orders to continue terrorising his mother and stepfather was jailed yesterday. Rory Cochrane, 21, broke restriction orders banning him from going near his family's farm or attempting to contact his mother, Andrea Thornton
Another bumper week for blue-chip results should provide the City with a chance to gauge the health of the retail sector as Kingfisher, Sainsburys and Safeway are all scheduled to report figures. Retailer Kingfisher will report its first update following
A COUNTY Durham sustainability partnership is to be showcased at an international climate change conference. The Local Agenda 21 Partnership is one of the largest in Europe, with 1,600 organisations and individuals as members. It will be held up as a
SPECIAL police squads will be on the streets of east Cleveland next month to ensure that festive revellers at pubs and clubs stay within the law. The uniformed licensing patrols will be active on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights throughout December
Letters from The Northern Echo FIREWORKS THE campaign by shopkeepers to ban the sale of fireworks to the general public (Echo, Nov 5) is an excellent one. No one wants to be branded a killjoy, but surely it is safer for everyone, especially young children
HARTLEPOOL United boss Chris Turner believes supporters are starting to see the best of Darrell Clarke. Turner splashed out £80,000 for the Mansfield midfielder during the close season, only to see his new recruit suffer an injury-plagued start to his
Councillors have called for a big shake-up in the running of seaside entertainment on the Yorkshire Coast. Following a detailed probe into Scarborough Borough Council's theatres and night spots under the Audit Commission's best value regime, major changes
A new upmarket lap dancing club in Harrogate has imported staff from all round the country to beat an advertising ban imposed by its local JobCentre. The move ensured the new club kept its pledge to open its doors on Thursday night. Bosses at the town
Model railway maker Hornby outshone troubled real-life operator Railtrack yesterday as it signalled a 52 per cent jump in first half profits. The toy firm toasted a ''renaissance'' in the popularity of model railways and its Scalextric slot-car racing
A SCHOOL has been praised by inspectors after staff and parents helped turn it around. The last time inspectors from the Government's Office for Standards in Education visited St Helen Auckland Community Primary School, near Bishop Auckland, they reported
WHEN they opened All Saints church at Lanchester in 1926, the Bishop was seated in a Rolls-Royce and hauled through the village by a team of muscular miners. Whether this was because the car had conked out, or because petrol was rationed, or simply the
MORE than 3,000 underprivileged children around the region are to benefit from a radio station's annual Christmas appeal. For a fifth year, 96.6 TFM and Magic 1170 will launch its Give a Child a Christmas appeal Teesside, County Durham and North Yorkshire
A NEW website for unsigned musicians is being developed by a North-East company. TalentStar (www.talentstar.co.uk), produced by Durham-based Genius Corporation, will provide wannabe stars with music industry contacts, advice and tips. TalentStar creator
AN MP is to take up the case of a man who hanged himself after allegedly being "hounded'' by the Government's Child Support Agency. Stockton South MP Dari Taylor said last night her heart went out to the family of 33-year-old Barry Kenyon, who took his
A drugs chief has backed the findings of a new survey which suggests the cheapest place in the country to buy drugs is the North-East. The survey for men's magazine FHM bionic found that more than half of those questioned in the region said drugs were
CRIME and disorder have fallen by 12 per cent in the western area of Gateshead in the past seven months. Since April, overall crime has fallen by 12 per cent and violent crime is down by 14 per cent. The latest results follow the successful introduction
IT'S reunion time in the Premiership this weekend and there will be some more pleasant than others. From the ten top-flight fixtures over the next few days only two fail to see a link with a former player - Ipswich against Bolton and Chelsea at Everton
TWO history students took part in a visit to Auschwitz to witness the horrors of the Holocaust. Anna Bradley and Philip Kreczak, both 18, from Stockton Sixth Form, said experiencing the site of the concentration and extermination camps was extremely moving
A TOWN councillor has gone up in the world to mark the official start of Christmas festivities in Richmond. Coun Linda Curran nervously stepped onto a hydraulic platform to help decorate the roof of the market hall with Christmas lights. "I kept trying
ALMOST the entire male population of two neighbouring villages is to be asked to undergo DNA testing as police step up their hunt for a killer. Detectives investigating the murder of bachelor David Williamson are widening their search, almost eight months
RESIDENTS of Herriot Country are being offered free entry to the area's leading tourist attraction over the next two weekends. The offer for the World of James Herriot Centre, Thirsk, is only valid on production of a council tax bill and the coupon printed
ELECTRONICS firm Filtronic has sought to allay fears over the signing of two crucial agreements which will secure hundreds of jobs. The company announced in the summer initial heads of agreement with American based M/A-Com and BAe Systems Avionics aimed
SEDGEFIELD Borough Council is to stop maintaining and repairing cookers and refrigerators it has provided to some of its tenants. Historically, the council has provided appliances in some houses. Of 3,600 homes, 1,722 have a cooker fitted by the council
A FUNERAL directors hopes to lift the shroud of mystery which surrounds the profession at an open day planned this weekend. Blenkirons has been established in Richmond, North Yorkshire, for almost 40 years, moving to premises on the town's Victoria Road
ROSS McManus never does what he is told, according to his mother. But his independent streak paid off when the 11-year-old ignored her reassurances about a headache and rang for an ambulance. The decision saved Karen McManus' life. Unbeknown to either
SHE insists she has always lived a quiet life and did not want any fuss over reaching her 100th birthday. But family and friends of Grace Naylor were not about to let the occasion go unnoticed - and threw a huge party in her honour at the DalesCare centre
A battling display by Whitby Town earned the club a deserved replay at Home Park - and delighted the 2,000 plus spectators who crammed into The Turnbull Ground on Saturday. A nervous opening from the home side almost saw the Third Division side take the
A LEADING advertising company in the North-East will soon be running campaigns for UK market leaders Myson Radiators. RDW Advertising, based in Yarm, near Stockton, won the contract, which has a marketing budget in excess of half a million pounds, in
TOMMY Taylor loves the FA Cup and ahead of Darlington's first round clash at Kidderminster there is only one thought crossing the manager's mind - progression. The Quakers boss, who signed a new two-year contract at Feethams yesterday, is hoping they
TROUBLED aircraft engine maker Rolls Royce is to close its Newcastle plant next year with the loss of 55 jobs. The Fan Systems factory in the city's Heaton area is among the victims of the company's plans to scale down production following a slump in
PUPILS are providing some festive charity with their own Christmas compact disc The recording produced by young people from Tudhoe Grange School, near Spennymoor, with the help of nearby primary schools, was made to raise money for this year's BBC Children
THE unsung heroes of Hartlepool were the toast of the town at a special awards ceremony. The Town Hall Theatre was the venue on Wednesday night for the annual Community Awards, organised by Hartlepool Borough Council. Launched in 1998, they reward local
NEWCASTLE Falcons are hoping the success which has taken them to second place in the Premiership will attract another big crowd for tomorrow's match at home to Gloucester. With an average attendance of 5,391, crowds at Kingston Park are up 41.7 per cent
CHILDREN, students and businesses across Darlington and Sedgefield have been pitching in to raise money for the BBC Children In Need appeal. Students at the Darlington College of Technology put on a number of events, including students in fancy dress
CHARITY champion Brian Hunter has received a personal message of congratulation from Tony Blair after scooping a prestigious award. Mr Hunter, from the Prime Minister's home constituency of Sedgefield, County Durham, was the North-East regional winner
STICK with Stan's Your Man (2.50) for big-race glory in the Thomas Pink Gold Cup at Cheltenham this afternoon. Stan's Your Man landed Wednesday's winning nap selection at Kelso with embarrassing ease and successful trainer Ferdy Murphy is confident of
A COUPLE at the centre of a £50,000 credit card fraud have been jailed. Anthony Uche, 30, and Heidi Flannigan, 30, admitted their parts in a scam which involved using credit card numbers taken from a stolen till roll to purchase goods from mail order
A SCHOOL has been praised by inspectors after staff and parents helped turn it around. The last time inspectors from the Government's Office for Standards in Education visited St Helen Auckland Community Primary School, near Bishop Auckland, they reported
THE secretary of a riding club is retiring after almost 20 years. Hilary Clare became involved with Guisborough Riding Club when her daughter, Vicki, was riding and competing successfully. When Vicki gave up riding and moved to Scotland, Mrs Clare stayed
A JUDGE has asked for more information about a teenager who claims he has had a drink problem since he was ten. Judge Tony Briggs told Teesside Crown Court yesterday that a drink problem at that age did not happen often. He had heard how Ian Colquhoun
A GUISBOROUGH building site manager has won a regional award. Eric Rowe, of McLean Homes North East Ltd, won the NHBC (National House Building Council) award for the large category in the regional round of the 2001 Pride In The Job Campaign. The award
A POORLY North-East toddler has been given a date to fly to the United States for vital tests. Two-year-old Sophia Carter, from New Marske, East Cleveland, and her parents, Alison and Jon, fly to Michigan on December 5 for tests with doctor Harry Chugani
JOBSEEKERS wishing to work in the hospitality industry are being invited to a jobs fair prompted by the redevelopment of a hotel. Gisborough Hall, on the outskirts of Guisborough, east Cleveland, has been undergoing a multi-million refurbishment which
A CREAM firm is to be asked to pay a council's cleaning bill after 150 gallons of cream spilled on to a main road. The incident happened on Tuesday evening on the A171 Teesside to Whitby road. An Associated Co-operative Creameries lorry travelling from
QI have too much capital to get a Council Tax Rebate, but will I get any reduction when my son leaves home? A If that means you will be the only person living in the house, yes. You will get the single person's discount of 25 per cent. Q I am 52 and intend
THE future of a museum bequeathed to the people of a seaside town is to be discussed at a public meeting next week. The Grade II listed Winkies Castle, on the High Street in Marske, east Cleveland, dates back to the 17th Century and was bequeathed by
AN osteopath accused of indecently assaulting eight female patients was yesterday cleared by a jury. On the 13th day of his trial at Newcastle Crown Court, Terence McBrien, of Alnwick, Northumberland, was acquitted of all 13 counts of molesting women
A woman threw her baby from a window to her death in a fit of jealousy when her lover said he was leaving, a court heard yesterday. Helen Patterson, 21, from Newcastle, was consumed by envy because she thought Oswraine Bramble was seeing other women.
The threat of industrial action by nuclear power workers on Teesside has been averted after union leaders agreed a new pay deal. Officials from five unions, representing workers throughout the country, including staff at Hartlepool Power Station, reached
A SPECIAL needs school in Darlington has good reason to celebrate after a hat-trick of positive news. Staff and pupils at Beaumont Hill Special School were all smiles after it was announced recently that headteacher Della Smith was to be made a Dame of
CHLDREN at a North Durham school yesterday celebrated the official opening of a new field which will mean an end to them having to cross over a busy road to enjoy sports. For years pupils at St Patrick's RC Voluntary Assisted School, in Consett, have
A FIRE which badly damaged a terraced house yesterday is believed to have been started by a discarded cigarette. Fire crews were called to Ashlands Road, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, at 8.45am, by neighbours. They discovered a fire in a first floor
THE Prince of Wales has announced a major design initiative for the NHS, which includes the planned replacement of a North-East hospital. The replacement for Cherry Knowle Hospital, in Sunderland, is one of five new-build hospital projects selected for
Reviews: Title: World War III - Black Gold. Format: PC CD-ROM. Publisher: JoWood Productions. Price: £29.99. PUBLISHERS of video games have been forced to re-assess their schedules in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on America. So far the
A planning application to extend Newton Aycliffe town centre could be heard next month. Councillor Terry Hogan, chairman of the Aycliffe Town Centre Forum, said developers of the former Avenue School site, next to the heart of the town, have told him
ENGLAND striker Kevin Phillips blasted out a warning last night that Sunderland could find themselves bottom of the Premiership unless they snap out of the current decline. Phillips goes into tomorrow's game against table-topping Leeds United anxious
THE most sophisticated life-boat in the country entered service in the region yesterday. The new arrival took its place in Redcar, east Cleveland, a stone's throw from the world's oldest lifeboat. The Sir James Knott celebrates its 200th anniversary next
CUSTOMS officials plan to keep up the pressure on smugglers of bootleg cigarettes and alcohol following their latest operation in the region yesterday. Hundreds of lorries and vans were stopped by officers from Customs and Excise to search for illegal
A SCULPTURE dedicated to County Durham's coalfield has taken pride of place in the centre of a former pit village. The six-ton "roundy'' - the miners' term for a large lump of coal - was sculpted out of concrete by Colin Rose, who teaches at Sunderland
A HEALTH trust, which won a case against a former nurse who claimed she was bullied to the point of suicide by a ward sister, has said it does not tolerate bullying of any kind. Mary Lanigan, 51, claimed she was "constantly humiliated" in a 12-month bullying
FORMER football star Emlyn Hughes has delivered an anti-drugs message to pupils at a North-East school. The ex-Liverpool and England captain was guest of honour at the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of Achievement Evening at St Peter's Comprehensive School
REVIEWS: Title: World War III - Black Gold. Format: PC CD-ROM. Publisher: JoWood Productions. Price: £29.99. PUBLISHERS of video games have been forced to re-assess their schedules in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on America. So far the
WHEN John Wall was just two years old, his life changed forever. His parents moved to within yards of a railway line and, ever since, he has been fascinated by trains. As a schoolboy, he would scramble down to the side of the track and spend hours watching
PEOPLE in Sunderland could enjoy a warmer winter thanks to energy saving grants. Sunderland City Council is promoting the grants as part of Warm Homes Week, which starts next Friday. Warm Front grants of up to £1,000, to pay for things such as improved
NEWCASTLE United manager Bobby Robson yesterday insisted that Fulham hardened his resolve to become one of football's finest coaches when they sacked him 33 years ago this month. Robson returns to Craven Cottage today for the first time in a professional
A TOWN is to receive £1m from the Government to fight crime and put more police patrols on its streets. The cash, to be spread over three years, is to be spent on cleaning up Middlesbrough and will be targeted on 14 neighbourhoods across the borough.
A LOTTERY grant means there will be more to do at a special school's out-of-hours club. Springwell Dene School, at Plains Farm, Sunderland, teaches pupils with emotional, behavioural and social problems. The school has been given £4,850 from the Lottery
SEDGEFIELD Borough Council is to stop maintaining and repairing cookers and refrigerators it has provided to some of its tenants. Historically, the council has provided appliances in some houses. Of 3,600 homes, 1,722 have a cooker fitted by the council
ROLL on 2006. When I'll gather friends and anyone else I can around a TV set to watch the Giant Slalom in the Winter Olympics. And as the Alpine skiing stars risk life and limb hurtling down the immaculately groomed piste, I'll tell the assembled throng
A POPULAR exhibition offering contemporary crafts as Christmas gifts opens its doors today. Christmas Present, at the Shipley Art Gallery, in Gateshead, is in its 11th year and this year features ceramics and jewellery by both highly-acclaimed national
SOME of the pop world's best known figures made an appearance at a primary school yesterday as children dressed as their favourite stars for Children in Need. Madonna, Elvis and Slim Shady were all represented at St John's Primary School, Shildon, County
