THREE brothers hit by the decline in farming are hoping that a 100-year-old well at the bottom of their garden will provide an upturn in fortunes. Martin Bulmer stumbled across the idea to bottle the spring water as he ploughed his fields - and now the
As one woman reveals her plight at the hands of a stalker, Liz Lamb looks at the motives behind one of Britain's fastest growing crimes - and the effects on its victims. IMAGINE waking up each morning and knowing that someone is watching your every move
THE Government was facing major embarrassment last night over its handling of the foot-and-mouth crisis, after the European Parliament voted in favour of holding its own inquiry. The Prime Minister has steadfastly refused to order a public inquiry into
THE trustees of Scarborough's St Catherine's Hospice are launching a £2m appeal towards the planned new hospice. It is due to be built at a cost of £5.5m, on the site of a 19th Century former farm, High Mill, at Throxenby, and will replace the existing
A FIREfighter had to be taken to hospital after he was bitten by a dog while trying to rescue it. The springer spaniel was walking with its owner at Castle Eden Dene, Castle Eden, near Peterlee, when it slipped over the edge of a cliff and landed on a
THEY have enthralled millions worldwide, brought Oscar glory to their British creator and done more for Wensleydale cheese than a thousand adverts. But the next instalment of the extraordinary animated success story of Wallace and Gromit lies far away
A MAJOR conference will this week focus on the changing face of local government. The conference, which is being held in Gateshead Civic Centre today, will address the continuing reform agenda for local authorities, outlined in the Local Government White
A FIREfighter had to be taken to hospital after he was bitten by a dog while trying to rescue it. The Springer spaniel was walking with its owner at Castle Eden Dene, Castle Eden, near Peterlee, when it slipped over the edge of a cliff and landed on a
IT was roll up, roll up time at Middlesbrough Town Hall when 140 people lined up for tours around the Victorian Grade II listed building. The open days which began last year are set to continue into the future, a spokesman for Middlesbrough Council revealed
SURVEYING the calm landscape around the tiny village of Loddington, it is difficult to believe that a revolution is taking place. But closer inspection of the fields reveals a vibrant world where songbirds trill in the hedgerows, brown hares scamper across
A cowardly conman posed as a priest to rob a 94-year-old woman of £30, a court heard. Great-grandmother Isabella Brown was pushed to the ground by the intruder during the daylight attack on July 9 last year. Newcastle Crown Court heard Steven Gray, 29
NOW that Britain has hopefully seen off foot-and-mouth, it is vital that lessons are learned from the epidemic. Lessons which may not eliminate the possibility of outbreaks in the future, but which may reduce the risk of them happening. And lessons which
DIVERSIFICATION will be the key to a planned jobs increase at electronics firm Filtronic. That was the message from the business, at Newton Aycliffe, near Darlington, as it announced that the downturn in demand for mobile phones was not affecting its
The son of a top North-East Labour MP has been warned he could face jail after he admitted stealing cash from a prominent backbench politician. Malcolm Bell, 19, son of Middlesbrough MP Stuart Bell, fell into a spiral of crime to 'escape a life that wasn't
A FORMER medical director who gave Richard Neale a reference, which enabled him to land another job despite a string of botched operations, has escaped censure. In a move which has angered victims of Neale, a North Yorkshire gynaecologist, the General
GEORGE McDonald is helping a back-to-work project celebrate a milestone. Job Connect, set up with Single Regeneration Budget funding has got 1,250 Grangetown and South Bank unemployed residents back in a job. Mr McDonald from Grangetown is their latest
HISTORIC towns and cities have too often been damaged by modern buildings which are poorly designed and insensitive to their surroundings, says a new report. But the report, by English Heritage and the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
A DRUGS project in Darlington has received a cash boost to help addicts. The Grange Project, which is based at Grange Road Baptist Church, was awarded £6,000 by the Darlington Primary Care Group. The community scheme offers a wide range of services for
MARIE Riddell has launched herself on a beautiful career. Marie, from Sunderland, has been chosen by the North Eastern and Cumbrian Co-op to run its new wedding car hire business, called Beautiful Day. The 41-year-old, who will be based at the Co-op's
A NEW report has confirmed the presence of the elusive pine marten in the region. Some naturalists have contended that the animals are extinct south of the Scottish Border but this has been disputed by the independent Vincent Wildlife Trust. Now the organisation
Shotguns have been stolen from a house in a burglary on Teesside. Two unloaded double barrelled guns, one a 12 bore Westley Richards, the other, a 12 gauge Smallwood, were stolen together with a de-activated Smith and Weston revolver. Cleveland Police
Frail pensioners were given just 48 hours to find alternative accommodation after hearing of a nursing home's closure. Despite a written requirement that four weeks' notice be given, The Old Vicarage Nursing Home, in West Rainton in Durham, has allowed
The mysterious world of fish comes under the spotlight in a new course. The nine-week course, to be held at Chester-le-Street Community Association, starts next Wednesday and aims to help beginners and experts alike avoid the usual pitfalls of fishkeeping
OF course Prince Harry won't be prosecuted for his dalliances with cannabis. Some newspapers have been floating the idea, on their front pages, that he "faces police probe shock". But this is patent nonsense. It is nonsense because, to be frank, our drugs
OF course Prince Harry won't be prosecuted for his dalliances with cannabis. Some newspapers have been floating the idea, on their front pages, that he "faces police probe shock". But this is patent nonsense. It is nonsense because, to be frank, our drugs
A LONG-AWAITED report on a lengthy inquiry into alleged abuse at a North-East school is about to be published. Durham social services director Peter Kemp said the independent report into circumstances surrounding a major child protection investigation
SCIENTISTS in the region are celebrating after it was announced that one of five new "knowledge parks" are to be established in the region. The Northern Genetics Knowledge Park, in Newcastle, will create a world-class research centre to help provide a
INVESTIGATIONS are being carried out after a youngster had to undergo hospital treatment following an attack by a pupil with a stun gun. A 15-year-old boy has been suspended from his school, in Hartlepool, and police are investigating the incident. Stun
PEOPLE in east Cleveland are being asked to speak out about a new code of conduct for councillors at a debate later this month. The new protocol for elected members has been created by Redcar and Cleveland Council in line with Government guidelines. The
A date has been set for an appeal hearing a dead man's family hope will lead to a longer prison term for his killer. Alfred Welch was jailed for three years by Teesside Crown Court in July last year, after admitting manslaughter. His victim, father-of-two
STUDENTS and staff at a Teesside college are celebrating after receiving a good inspection report. The report on Stockton and Billingham College, gives some of the highest grades seen for a general further education college under the new inspection regime
RAF servicemen spent time during a posting in the Middle East raising money to help a North-East toddler, after reading of her plight in The Northern Echo. Flight Sergeant Rick Simpson, who is based at RAF Leeming, in North Yorkshire, read about Hannah
PAUL Stephenson came through his first full 90 minutes for Hartlepool United reserves yesterday - but it was not a happy return.The creative midfielder, who came on as a second-half substitute in the Third Division draw with Shrewsbury on Saturday, has
A STREET on a Darlington council estate is to be transformed into a tree-lined avenue, thanks to Government funding. People living in Pateley Moor Crescent, on the Firthmoor estate, will have their street designated as a Home Zone thanks to a successful
MORE than 40 children escaped serious injury when their school bus was involved in a collision with a car yesterday morning. The John Smith's coach and a red Nissan Primera collided on the flyover across the A1 at Baldersby, on the A61 north of Ripon,
ITALIAN defender Gianluca Festa has warned Middlesbrough he is willing to quit the club if he does not command a first-team place. Festa has played in each of Boro's last four games in the absence of £8m centre-back Ugo Ehiogu, who has been sidelined
SIXTH-formers from a Middlesbrough college are flying out to Honduras this summer to help rebuild the shattered community. The 13 students, all aged 17-18 and pupils at St Mary's RC Sixth Form College, will be helping to rebuild homes, churches, and build
A NEW system of delivering financial services, giving people greater control over their cash, is being piloted in Newcastle. The provisionally titled West Gate Financial Services will initially be run in the West End of Newcastle and will be the first
GNER has reaffirmed its commitment to upgrading the East Coast Mainline, despite winning only a two-year extension to its franchise. The company confirmed details of a £100m package of improvements after agreeing a new deal with the Strategic Rail Authority
GIANT cast iron gates from one of the country's most famous stations have been given an imposing new setting in a North-East railway town. As Shildon, in County Durham, prepares to open a £7m branch of the National Railway Museum (NRM) in two years, relics
WHEN Bishop Auckland gets its £15m superstore it will lose a building scarring its main shopping street. Retailer Asda, which is waiting for final planning permission for the store development at Wilson's Forge, wants to demolish the derelict Wear Valley
STREET cleaners have admitted there is a problem with large amounts of litter on a Darlington council estate. Residents in Skerne Park have complained about the amount of litter on the streets, dog excrement and leaves left from autumn. They say it is
A STRUGGLING charity which operates a taxi service for elderly and disabled people is waiting to hear if Darlington Borough Council can help to keep it running. Dial-a-Ride has been in financial trouble because of spiralling petrol and insurance costs
POLICE have released more details in a bid to catch a gang who raided a North-East factory and stole £140,000 worth of cigarettes. The team took less than ten minutes to get into and out of the British American Tobacco (BAT) factory in Darlington with
HEADTEACHERS in the Darlington area are being urged to nominate pupils from their schools for an award to mark their efforts. Organisers of the Positive Young People Awards 2002 believe recognition for youngsters' efforts, however small, could do wonders
WHEN Bishop Auckland gets its £15m superstore it will lose a building scarring its main shopping street. Retailer Asda, which is waiting for final planning permission for the store development at Wilson's Forge, wants to demolish the derelict Wear Valley
INVESTIGATIONS are being carried out after a youngster had to undergo hospital treatment following an attack by a pupil with a stun gun. A 15-year-old boy has been suspended from his school, in Hartlepool, and police are investigating the incident. Stun
Builders equipment was stolen hours after being delivered to a housing estate. The £5,000 haul from the Betts site at West Lea, Crook, included a Stihl saw, yellow plate vibrator, a Sokkia level and tripod and a spinning laser and tripod. They were delivered
ELECTRICAL retailer Comet is to create 3,000 jobs in an expansion programme during the next five years. Seventy 25,000sq ft outlets are scheduled by 2007, starting with a new store in Swansea, in March. A total of 600 jobs should be created at the 14
THE North-East is proving it has what it takes to stitch up the US in a transatlantic challenge to find the fastest knitter. The Northern Echo told this week how mother-of-six Anne Wallace, from Bishop Auckland, County Durham, had been pipped at the post
INVESTIGATIONS were continuing last night into the suspected suicide of a policewoman. Katrina Wallace, 38, was found dead at her home on Pembroke Drive, Ingleby Barwick, Teesside, on Sunday. Ms Wallace, a Cleveland Police officer based in Stockton, had
FOOTBALLING friends turned out to help the family of a former star striker murdered in a pub attack 18 months ago. One-time Newcastle United junior Gary Walton left two daughters when he died in his home village of Coundon, in July 2000. Ninety players
THE first 100 staff have started work at customer services operator nvisage. In November, the call centre operator for npower announced plans to create 500 jobs at the centre on the Bracken Hill Business Park, in Peterlee, County Durham. Following a recruitment
FORMER Olympic athlete and North-East sporting hero Steve Cram spoke last night of his anguish that he would never know how his younger brother died. Kevin Cram, 39, died after being found lying in a gutter in Sandringham Road, Cardiff, by a motorist,
Letters from The Northern Echo MMR JAB THE Government is yet again failing to tell people the truth, this time about the triple MMR vaccine. The truth is that each of the individual components are, when administered separately, to all intents and purposes
MARKS and Spencer enjoyed strong sales in the crucial run-up to Christmas and believes its recovery is on track. The group said in the seven weeks to January 12, like-for-like sales, which strip out the effect of store openings and closures, rose 8.3
AN inquiry was launched last night into the deaths of two men who were electrocuted at roadworks. The men, one in his 20s and the other in his 40s, were working for sub-contractors involved in resurfacing the A66 half a mile east of Bowes, County Durham
POLICE could be soon pounding the beat in the North-East with advertising logos on their uniforms. A £6m deficit facing beleaguered Cleveland Police could mean problems for the force when it comes to footing a £300,000 bill for the issue of a new national
A TEENAGER has appeared in court accused of the murder of a man found in a country lane. Ten months after bachelor David Williamson died in hospital from head injuries, 18-year-old James William Payling was charged with the killing. Mr Williamson, 58,
AN appeal was made yesterday to trace relatives of a man found dead at his home earlier this week. Concerned neighbours of Michael Gormley contacted police on Monday as they had not seen him for a fortnight in or around his home, in Thornley, east Durham
A refuge for rabbits, which has saved hundreds of animals from an early demise, has at last been awarded charity status after a two-year wait. Gwen Butler's devotion to the cause of rescuing small, furry animals has put Bunny Burrows in Richmond, North
PATIENTS waiting to see a hospital consultant may be referred back to their own GP, as part of moves to cut long waiting lists. Bosses at the University Hospital of North Durham have asked local GPs to review referrals as part of a programme to cut waiting
THE mother of singing sensation Zoe Birkett has urged her fans to judge her on her voice and nothing else. The plea followed a national newspaper report which said the 16-year-old from Darlington was told after an operation she would never dance again
TEES Valley Partnership has appointed two joint chief executives to help deliver its vision for the future of the area. Neil Etherington, chief executive of the Tees Valley Development Company, and John Lowther, a director of the Tees Valley Joint Strategy
DARLINGTON skipper Craig Liddle successfully came through 90 minutes of reserve team football yesterday and put himself in line for a squad place in next week's FA Cup replay at Peterborough. The centre-half starred in the second string's 1-0 win at Blackpool
POLICE are promising extra patrols to stamp out vandalism and anti-social behaviour after dark in a popular Richmond park. Christmas illuminations in Friary Gardens have been damaged and residents wrote to the town council demanding action. However, officers
ONE of the world's leading opera singers is to headline an open-air music concert in a coup for community leaders in a North-East village. Tenor Ian Storey, who hails from Chilton in County Durham and has earned rave reviews all over the world, will star
A KOREAN woman whose semi-naked body was found dumped in a suitcase had been suffocated, police confirmed yesterday. The remains of Hyo Jung Jin, 21, who was a student of French at the University of Lyon, were found in the case in a hedgerow just outside
POLICE and BT investigators arrested four people suspected of internet fraud during raids across the North-East today. Officers carrying search warrants swooped on five homes in Washington and Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne and Wear, at breakfast time. Four
A MAJOR campaign urging people to have their say on the future of a danger road got under way yesterday as leaflets were delivered to homes across North Yorkshire. They explain the route management strategy for the A64 and give details of public exhibitions
MEMBERS of a Middlesbrough sports club have been told to pack up their gear and leave - to make way for a controversial housing development. The Co-op club, on Acklam Road, Middlesbrough, was set up in 1925 and is home to a thriving bowling club, cricket
A FALCONER with 30 years' experience was yesterday fined £800 and banned from keeping rare birds of prey for five years after a protected breed of hawk was found at his house. James Green, 51, had pleaded guilty before Sunderland magistrates to keeping
WITH heavy rain forecast in the Ludlow area it may pay to stick with mud-loving Andy's Lad (2.40). Ferdy Murphy's cast-off is now with Welsh trainer Dai Burchell and by all accounts he's taking his time to recapture the sort of sparkle which brought a
JOHN Briggs married Lynn de Prator at Darlington register office last Friday: if ever a wedding picture demanded the headline "Glad All Over", it's this one. John is worldwide organiser of the International Friends of the Dave Clark Five, Lynn was the
JOHN Briggs married Lynn de Prator at Darlington register office last Friday: if ever a wedding picture demanded the headline "Glad All Over", it's this one. John is worldwide organiser of the International Friends of the Dave Clark Five, Lynn was the
THE Government tonight announced a £16m boost to miners' pension schemes. About 12,000 former North-East pitmen will receive one-off special payments aimed at boosting their income. The payments will range between £200 and £2,000 each. The cash injection
BUSINESSES in Bishop Auckland's historic heart are being offered grants of £15,000 to give their premises a facelift. More than £500,000 is available from the Single Regeneration Budget, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Durham County and Wear Valley District
A RESIDENT living on a troubled estate has criticised plans to attract new people to the area. Josie Collins, from Redhall, Darlington, says the estate is overrun by vandals and hooligans. She says she was astonished to receive a letter from Darlington
COMMUNITY groups across North Yorkshire were celebrating yesterday after scooping hundreds of thousands of pounds in Lottery cash. Campaigners battling for better services for elderly people were among the main beneficiaries of the hand-outs from the
A DEVOUT churchgoer spoke for the first time last night about her ordeal at the hands of a stalker who has tormented her with obscene mail. The middle-aged woman, who lives near Durham City, has been targeted for four years by the pervert whose identity
A PROPOSED eating, drinking and dancing venue aims to be a "good neighbour" to nearby residents and businesses. The pledge was made by Steve Dennis, a director of Luminar Leisure, which wants to convert the disused former Palladium cinema and bingo hall
IT is a worry for every parent - entrusting the safety of a small child to the teenage babysitter from down the street. What is supposed to be a relaxing night out is spoiled by images of a gang of adolescents partying the night away while the baby wails
A farm worker who suffered life threatening injuries after falling through an unsafe roof has been awarded £3m compensation. John Cook, 35, was repairing the roof at a farm in Heddon-On-The-Wall, Northumberland, when the roof collapsed and he crashed
Details for a powerful regional assembly are on target to be published by the end of March, a Government minister said last night. In an interview with The Northern Echo, Regions Minister Nick Raynsford said an elected North-East assembly would not be
TWO teenagers were locked up for three years yesterday after a judge called them a danger to the public. The 15-year-olds, from Darlington, admitted burgling a woman's house as she lay asleep in bed, at Teesside Crown Court. One of them also admitted
A PASSENGER who claimed to have been sexually assaulted by a taxi driver in the back of his cab told a court she feared she would be raped. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the jury hearing the case of Denis Failes at Teesside Crown
ONE of the region's biggest distributors of heavy goods vehicles is expanding, with an extension to its depot in North Yorkshire. Union Trucks, a leading distributor for Scania, will have more working space and technical equipment at the larger depot,
As Europe gets to grips with its new currency, historians have discovered the euro's design has been around for more than 2000 years. Experts have discovered ancient Roman denarii bear a remarkable resemblance to the new coins. The Romans gave us the
THE official launch of a walking scheme in the Sedgefield borough will take place at a Newton Aycliffe care centre next week. The Pioneering Care Partnership has developed the scheme, with the Princess Royal Trust Carers Centre and other agencies. The
DETECTIVES have released an e-fit of a man who robbed a hospital worker at knifepoint and left him tied to a chair. The robber tricked his victim into leaving his reception post at Darlington Memorial Hospital's Pierremont psychiatric unit, then pulling
BUSINESSES in Bishop Auckland's historic heart are being offered grants of £15,000 to give their premises a facelift. More than £500,000 is available from the Single Regeneration Budget, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Durham County and Wear Valley District
A pensioner is using a memento of her schooldays to raise money for charity work. In 1926 during her last year at what was Durham Girls' County School, Lilian Scott, nee Grimshaw, collected signatures, poems and drawings by her schoolmates in an autograph
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after two fatal accidents in North Yorkshire. The first crash was on the A59 Harrogate to York road, near the Goldsborough roundabout, at 11.35pm on Tuesday. A blue VW Passat left the road and ended up in a field. The
A VILLAGE project to encourage people to use information technology and help school pupils with homework has received a £10,000 grant from one of the country's longest established trusts. Tow Law Community Association is trying to raise £400,000 to extend
A newspaper had been perfectly entitled to tell its readers about a report which came to the "most devastating and sickening" conclusions about two nursery workers, a High Court judge heard yesterday. Victoria Sharp QC, for the Newcastle Journal and Chronicle
POLICE said yesterday that the body of a man found near woodland in County Durham could be that of missing pensioner Robert English. The 77-year-old war veteran disappeared on November 26, after buying a newspaper from his local newsagents in Mickleton
A FORMER Newcastle United star appeared in court yesterday facing drugs charges. David Roche, who played in midfield for the Tyneside club, was arrested as part of a £500,000 swoop after a series of dawn raids. The 31-year-old appeared before the city's
A NORTH-EAST MP was accused of "classic double speak" last night after it emerged his 40,000 political leaflets bearing the slogan Working For You were printed more than 200 miles away. The Labour Party paid £2,100 for the leaflets on behalf of North
