A NORTH-EAST MP has sounded a warning over new government figures which show that more students throughout the country are taking out student loans. Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, asked for an update on statistics relating
ANGRY villagers were dismayed to see a council "For Sale" sign go up on land where they wanted to garage their community bus. Members of a community transport project in the Dene Valley, near Bishop Auckland, say they had a verbal agreement with Durham
TINSEL halos and cardboard crowns will add to a town's festive celebrations at a Christmas procession. The Butterwick Hospice in Bishop Auckland is inviting members of the community to enter into the spirit of things by dressing up as kings and angels
COINCIDENCE has carried us four times in the past week to Durham, and there'll be a fifth on Friday when the Choral Society sings The Messiah in the Cathedral. There is no great hardship in any of that, of course. Even the Christmas lights are brighter
DETECTIVES in Darlington have warned criminals they are in their best burglary-beating form for five years, despite a 43 per cent rise in break-ins. Since April 1 there have been 509 burglaries, compared with 354 in the same period in 2000, said Detective
YOUNG people living in an isolated part of County Durham who cannot afford to take part in their chosen sport are being offered cash help from a new fund. Friends of Weardale farmer Mike Vickers, who died aged 53 in March from leukaemia and kidney failure
A ROADSHOW tomorrow aims to help arable farmers make more money from their land. The Home Grown Cereals Authority, in conjunction with the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, is touring the country advising on farm management policies.
FOOTBALLING friends are teaming up to remember a former star striker murdered in a pub attack last year. Pals of one-time Newcastle junior Gary Walton have already raised thousands of pounds for a trust fund securing the future of his daughters Kara,
MORE than 200 council homes are in line for a facelift funded by £1.4m of Government cash. The Low Mown Meadows Estate, in Crook, will be the first in Wear Valley to benefit from an initiative which is helping cash-strapped councils to bring their old
THE case of a North-East schoolgirl blinded in one eye during an airgun attack has been used to highlight a campaign for tighter gun controls. Nicola Distin, 15, lost the sight in her left eye after thugs shot her in the face with an airgun pellet. It
NEW facilities are on the cards for one of the region's racecourses. The Horserace Betting Levy Board has given approval for an interest-free loan of £120,000 towards a new Owners' and Trainers' Club, at Thirsk Racecourse, North Yorkshire. The existing
PSV Eindhoven's Dennis Morten-sen is due to arrive at Middlesbrough this weekend for a trial. The 20-year-old striker, who signed a four-year deal with the Dutch giants in the summer, is the latest talented youngster to spend time at the Riverside. Boro
Andrew Lane's graduation from the University of Teesside with a Master of Science degree in advanced manufacturing systems will be a truly special occasion, as he battled to overcome serious illness twice during his studies. Not only did he suffer a heart
A TELEVISION watchdog has promised to study an advertisement for WH Smith which has been criticised as "offensive" to Geordies. The Christmas commercial, starring Only Fools and Horses actor Nicholas Lyndhurst, features an overweight family from Newcastle
CONTROVERSIAL plans to open a nightclub in a residential area have created an outcry among householders. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's planning committee is being asked to consider a proposal to change the former Warrenby Hotel, in Tod Point
STUDENTS past and present are to clash on the sports field in an annual tournament. Students and graduates from Teesside University will take part in the event, on the university playing fields, in Saltersgill Avenue, Middlesbrough, and at Eston Sports
POLICE are hunting a hit-and-run rider who collided with a pedestrian. A 44-year-old man, from the Walker area of Newcastle, was involved in a collision with a Yamaha motorbike at the junction of Fossway and Rutland Avenue, in Byker, Newcastle, on Monday
THE economic impact of the terrorist attacks on the US has continued to hit British industry with almost 2,000 jobs being cut. Aerospace giant BAE Systems dealt a huge blow by unveiling plans to axe 1,700 jobs, while tour operator Airtours said it had
A PUB is staging the slowest event in the racing calendar. O'Neill's Irish pub, in Claypath, Durham, is holding the first Durham Snail Racing Championships tomorrow. The event is based on the racing snails Guinness TV advert, which ends with the winning
AT least one thousand people are expected at an air spectacular this weekend - which may be held indoors. All the aircraft on show at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, are scale models. However, with the advance of technology
THE mother of a teenager, stabbed and left for dead at a remote beauty spot, says hundreds of people have signed a petition launched to block the release of her son's attackers. Joanne Murray began distributing copies of the petition at the weekend, targeting
A MAN wielding what is thought to be a handgun is terrorising pupils at a North-East school. The man has sent pupils at Washington Comprehensive School scattering in terror on three separate occasions, including one where he produced the weapon from his
A VOLUNTEER police officer has won an award for his idea to boost the part-time thin blue line. Assistant Divisional Officer David Carr received Durham Constabulary's Jim Anderson Trophy for the force's outstanding Special Constable. Mr Carr, of the Chester-le-Street
A dales farming family's love of their Border Collie dogs has helped save their farm during the foot-and-mouth crisis. Marcus and Mandy Bainbridge, who run a small sheep farm at Egglestone, near Barnard Castle, have always enjoyed working their dogs with
MORE than 200 council homes are in line for a facelift funded by £1.4m of Government cash. The Low Mown Meadows Estate, in Crook, will be the first in Wear Valley to benefit from an initiative which is helping cash-strapped councils to bring their old
ONE of the North-East's biggest hotel and leisure projects was officially opened yesterday. The £70m scheme is being built next to Newcastle's International Centre for Life on the site of the city's former cattle market. It will include a 274-bed hotel
A NEW business to business website, enabling local companies to trade electronically over the Internet, is being piloted by regional development agency One NorthEast. N-e-commerce.com is a collaboration between 95 regional companies from the Northern
THE Government last night released figures for its coal health compensation scheme on a constituency basis. So far, nationally, about £223m has been paid to former miners and their relatives suffering because of lung disease. A total of £412m has been
A NORTH-East council is seeking more than £200,000 to help elevate a hated 1960s sculpture to the level of a national work of art. Artist Victor Pasmore designed the abstract concrete pavilion which stands in a pool of stagnant water in the middle of
Letters from The Northern Echo METRIC MARTYRS IF a picture is worth a thousand words, what story is that of the self-styled metric martyrs with pints in their hands telling? (Echo, Nov 21). There is, of course, no law to prevent beer being sold in pint
PEOPLE in east Cleveland can expect a magical start to the festive season thanks to a Christmas event taking place at Kirkleatham Hall Museum this weekend. Steven Ashcroft, a member of the Middlesbrough Circle of Magicians, will perform Walkabout Christmas
KAREN knows only too well what it is like to have your life torn apart by bullies. Two years ago, her then 15-year-old daughter was left with a fractured skull after being attacked by a gang of girls. But while her daughter's physical injuries, horrific
A LIGHT and sound room to help adults with learning disabilities is to open at the Allensway Centre, in Thornaby. The multi-sensory room uses light sources, coordinated with sounds, to help improve communication skills, aid relaxation and enhance all
THE gloves were off, but the only thing the police panel had to dodge was a tough question or two. Faced with 60 pupils eager to quiz North-East police chiefs at a youth forum yesterday, Northumbria Police's finest kept their cool and may have even made
A HARTLEPOOL United fan's loyalty to the club paid off as it won him a trip to see what life is like in the premiership. Educational consultant Peter Wilkinson's loyalty won him a competition organised by telephone and Internet betting company Bet365.
A NORTH-EAST schoolgirl hailed as a heroine for saving her sister four years ago died in hospital last night - a victim of school bullies. Fifteen-year-old Elaine Swift is believed to have swallowed more than 100 paracetamol tablets after years of cruel
Horrific injuries suffered by animals in air gun shootings have been revealed as part of a campaign to crack down on the use of the weapons. The RSPCA says the number of mindless attacks which have left family pets, birds and wildlife maimed for life
THE search is on for Darlington people to take part in the Queen's Jubilee Baton Relay to mark the run-up to the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. The town will be one of the many venues to host a leg of the relay, which starts at Buckingham Palace
YOUNG people living in an isolated part of County Durham who cannot afford to take part in their chosen sport are being offered cash help from a new fund. Friends of Weardale farmer Mike Vickers, who died aged 53 in March from leukaemia and kidney failure
SO WHAT'S wrong with shyness? Scientists have created a new pill to help beat shyness. Shrinking violets might blush prettily in joy and relief but the rest of us should be wary. Most of us are shy some of the time. And a jolly good thing too. A bit of
A BUSINESS club charity dinner has raised more than £4,000 for two charities. Cheques for cash raised at Darlington and District and Tees Valley Business Club's charity dinner, in September, was presented yesterday. The event at the Croft Spa Hotel, near
PLANS for a long-awaited bypass around a former pit village have received public support. The proposed bypass for Chilton, near Ferryhill, was first suggested in 1939, but now, 62 years later, it is beginning to look as if it might become a reality. Durham
A lurcher was brought back from the dead after being fished from freezing seas by lifeboat crew members. Stevie has been named after the crew member who saved her from a chilly fate in the North Sea earlier this week. The Hartlepool lifeboat was launched
A FERRYHILL woman celebrated her 100th birthday yesterday at a party with her family and friends. Elizabeth Ann Layfield, nee Turner, of Denehurst Nursing Home was born in the town and had five sisters and three brothers. Her 88-year-old sister, Margaret
CHILD killer Shaun Armstrong's High Court legal battle has been transferred to London - allaying fears that his case could be heard in the North-East. The Hartlepool community had been outraged that Armstrong could appear in court in the town where he
POLICE investigating a hit-and-run incident involving a blind man and a person with cerebral palsy have renewed their appeal for witnesses. Detectives have been disappointed by the public's response since the incident, in Darlington, on November 15. Gavin
THE Newton Aycliffe branch of the Sunderland Association Football Club's Supporters Association, held a charity evening at the Royal British Legion club in the town to raise money for the Breast Cancer Care charity. A cheque for a total of £1,150 was
A FIRE chief has suggested that lives could be put at risk because of a union dispute. Until recently, fire crews on Teesside have responded to ambulance service calls for help when they are closer to a heart attack victim than an ambulance. In common
A POLICE sergeant involved in the arrest of protestors at a foot-and-mouth burial site yesterday accepted part of his evidence to magistrates was not accurate - after being confronted with a video. Sergeant Peter Foster, who had pulled John Rowley from
MOTORISTS are guaranteed two rays of Christmas cheer as they pass through a North-East industrial estate. A piece of public art has been lit up on Houghton-le-Spring's Rainton Bridge Industrial Estate. Two obelisks, forming a work called Deep Time, by
A COUPLE have escaped with their lives thanks to the quick thinking actions of their next-door neighbour. The pair were engulfed in their first floor flat, in Redcar, east Cleveland, when materials were pushed through the cat flap of a downstairs kitchen
A high-flying primary school teacher who was ruled to have had her career cut short by a car crash was stripped of more than £20,000 of a compensation award by Court of Appeal judges yesterday. Deputy headteacher Helen Williams, 46, was driving between
RUMOURS that the company which took on one of the region's best-known ship repair yards has been asset stripping have been hotly denied by the company's chief executive. The Northern Echo has been told that in the past few days, the former Cammell Laird
youngsters Sammy-Joe Crabtree and Melissa Richardson have been rewarded for their jobs as school milk monitors. The pupils, of Coundon Primary School, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, have been presented with a certificate and badge by a company which
A YOUNG man is recovering in hospital after being hit by a stolen car. The J-registration Ford Escort was being driven across a former pit site in the Concord area of Washington, Tyne and Wear, when it knocked down a 23-year-old local man. He has not
A PENSIONER died of heart failure after he was drip-fed saline solution more than six times faster than prescribed, an inquest heard yesterday. Robert Leckenby, 79, was admitted to the University Hospital of North Tees in December 1998, after he vomited
ONE of Britain's leading pianists will perform at a 17th Century chapel in Redcar next week. Viv MacLean performed two recent sell-out concerts at the Sir William Turner's Hospital, at Kirkleatham, east Cleveland, and will be returning on Saturday, December
FEARS for the future of one of the region's major military bases have finally been quashed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). After a review lasting more than two years, the threat of the axe has been lifted from Dishforth Airfield near Thirsk, North Yorkshire
TIM EASTERBY'S Turgeonev (2.00) will take some beating in this afternoon's Showcase Handicap at Wetherby. Easterby has been looking after Turgeonev for about six months following the retirement of his former trainer, Micky Hammond. During that period
THE hotelier who successfully developed Slaley Hall in Northumberland into a luxury golfing location, is building the first of a nationwide chain of budget hotels in the North-East. Paresh Kotecha was on site yesterday at Junction 60 on the A1M at Newton
A hospital where sterilisation procedures were stepped up after a scare over dirty surgical instruments has been given £1.9m to modernise cleaning facilities. In May, bosses at Darlington Memorial Hospital ordered special measures to be taken after it
POLICE have appealed for information after a teenager was allegedly subjected to a serious sexual assault. The 17-year-old girl left Yates's Wine Bar, in North Road, at 11pm, on Friday, looking for toilets, and was attacked in an alley off North Road,
IT IS great news that the replica of Captain Cook's Endeavour is returning to Whitby next summer. But how sad that the vessel, making its second tour of Britain, will again not be putting into the Tees. It is possibly a myth about Capt Cook that he gained
A SENIOR children's home worker, who admitted carrying out sexual offences on boys over a ten-year period, has been told he faces a "substantial" period behind bars. John Duncan, 58, of Guernsey Road, Grindon, Sunderland, yesterday admitted indecently
IT IS great news that the replica of Captain Cook's Endeavour is returning to Whitby next summer. But how sad that the vessel, making its second tour of Britain, will again not be putting into the Tees. It is possibly a myth about Capt Cook that he gained
UNDER-FIRE manager Peter Reid insists that he has the backing of the majority of Sunderland supporters. The Wearside boss has been the target for mounting criticism following his side's failure to live up to pre-season predictions of being in the running
Darlington boss Tommy Taylor laid down the law yesterday when he sacked classy French defender Alex Jeannin for breaking the club's curfew rules. Having listened to speculation surrounding Jeannin's social habits, strict disciplinarian Taylor checked
A crucial deal that will secure the future of a North-East microchip factory is still on the cards despite the turmoil affecting the partner in the agreement, BAe Systems. The aerospace firm announced yesterday that it was cutting 1,700 jobs from its
A ROBBER made a quick change of clothing before holding up staff in a city centre charity shop. The raider was seen entering the Cancer Research shop, in Silver Street, Durham, wearing a light-coloured top. He left then made a swift return moments later
AT long last this Government has cast aside the timidity which stood in the way of raising the standards of our National Health Service. Over the past four years we have had fine words from Labour ministers pledging their allegiance to the principles
MERCHANT Retail, owners of the Perfume Shop and Joplings chains, has entered its busiest period of the year in high spirits after reporting a sharp rise in profits. Merchant Retail, which has 76 specialist perfume shops and a handful of department stores
Paul Batey left school at 15 ready to start work and forget about education. Now, more than 15 years later, he has graduated from the University of Teesside with a BSc (Hons) degree in Physiotherapy, and will receive the Beatrice Lamballe prize for best
A PAIR of elderly churchgoers went to attend afternoon mass - but were instead confronted by a sex scene. They first walked past a group of up to 30 young adults hanging around outside St Wilfrid's Roman Catholic Church, in York. Then they saw a couple
HEALTHCARE products manufacturer SSL International is counting the cost of an accounting scandal which has rocked the company. The company, which employs 240 staff at a factory in Peterlee, said its half-year results were affected as it sought to eliminate
ALAN SHEARER reached another milestone in his remarkable career when he scored his 100th goal for Newcastle as he led his side on a Worthington Cup romp against Premiership basement club Ipswich at St. James' Park last night. United booked their place
LOCALLY-grown Christmas trees from sustainable forests will be on sale at Guisborough Forest and Walkway every weekend between December 8 and 23, from 10am until 3pm. A variety of trees will be available, including the traditional spruce, two varieties
COMMUNITY leaders are hoping an attempt to pour oil on troubled waters at a cathedral. The Dean of Ripon in North Yorkshire has come under fire for his management style, amid allegations that some key members of staff have left as a result. Bursar Nigel
DETECTIVES in Darlington have warned criminals they are in their best burglary-beating form for five years, despite a 43 per cent rise in break-ins. Since April 1 there have been 509 burglaries, compared with 354 in the same period in 2000, said Detective
HARTLEPOOL United's Mark Robinson admitted last night that he is flattered by interest from Newcastle United. But the 20-year-old left-back, who signed an extension to his contract at Victoria Park yesterday, insisted he is happy exactly where he is.
PST, Europe's leading supplier of chrome and brass chairs to the casino and gaming industry, has been dealt a lucrative deal to supply one of France's top venues. Bosses at the company, based in River Drive, South Shields, sealed the deal after making
