A couple who were sued after they failed to tell a house-buyer of their noisy neighbour said tonight that they never intended to mislead the new owner. Colin and Gladys King had to pay compensation to Tony Pemberton following a hearing at York County
THE exploits of an east Durham war hero are featured in a new book about his home village. Memories of Murton recalls the heroism of Green Howard Sergeant William McNally, who received the Military Medal in 1916 for bravery at the Battle of the Somme.
EFFORTS to broker a rescue package for a doomed cement plant were stepped up yesterday in the hope of saving 150 jobs. Durham County Council's chief executive, Kingsley Smith, revealed he was personally behind moves, on behalf of the authority, to open
A BLACKMAILER who hatched a bizarre plot involving stolen Nazi silver and a boxer dog named Benji is to take legal action to recover the priceless artefact. The silver chalice, thought to have belonged to Hitler's evil henchman Hermann Goering but kept
YOUNG brass band players of the future are to receive a masterclass from one of the country's top conductors About 70 musicians, aged from 11 to 25 and ranging from championship level to beginners, will attend a workshop led by Black Dyke band conductor
THE one hope against hope concerning Operation Lancet was that, for all its bitter recriminations, excessive cost and attendant embarrassments, it would one day tell us indisputably the rights and wrongs of a case that has blighted an entire police force
Geordie rocker Sting has been named among the UK's top 10 earning popstars. The survey, by Heat magazine, found the former Wallsend teacher to have earned a staggering £4.7m during 2001, enough for a place in the list. The former singer with The Police
RESIDENTS of Bishop Middleham have teamed up with their parish council and Sedgefield Borough Council to stamp out the problem of dog fouling in the village. Every resident will receive a leaflet making them aware of the law. It will explain about the
TEENAGERS from Russia, Slovakia, Hungary, France and Germany showed off their culinary skills when they visited Bishop Auckland College. The 36 students are visiting County Durham on an educational trip with Durham County Council. As part of their visit
YOUNG brass band players are to be given a masterclass by one of the country's top conductors About 70 musicians aged between 11 and 25, from about 30 band, in the area, will attend a workshop led by Nicholas Childs, at County Hall, in Durham City, on
A SERVICE written by Romanian church women will be held to mark the Women's World Day of Prayer, in Barnard Castle. Romania is struggling with the aftermath of tyranny and revolution, and with poverty, say the organisers of the service, which will be
Bag snatch man sought POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a teenage girl had her handbag snatched while waiting for a bus. The girl was at Bishop Auckland Bus Station at about 11pm on Friday, when a man snatched her bag and ran off towards Aldi's
A SHOPPING centre is running a range of events to spice up youngsters' half-term holidays. Throughout the week, the MetroGnomes will be in the town square at the MetroCentre, Gateshead, hosting an interactive workshop and competitions. They will also
A WORKER at the Asda supermarket in Thornaby is to be one of 5,000 people to run for the UK in the Queen's jubilee baton relay, which starts the XVII Manchester Commonwealth Games. Olga Hodgman, 50, was unanimously nominated by her colleagues to carry
TWO good Samaritans are being urged to come forward after they helped in the arrest of a man. The incident happened at about 4.30pm on Friday, in the car park of the Morrisons supermarket, in Ormesby Road, Berwick Hills, Middlesbrough. a man riding a
ZERO Tolerance detective Ray Mallon was finally "free" of Cleveland Police last night but the bitterness and recriminations are far from over. A Press conference staged by Mr Mallon today will ensure that the wrangle which has blighted Cleveland Police
COUNCIL tax payers in Redcar and Cleveland are paying a subsidy to keep a town hall canteen open, says a councillor. Councillor Valerie Halton, the Conservative member for Belmont ward, said the borough council's catering service, which comes under the
WORK is under way to reopen more rights of way. Durham County Council is hoping to reopen the paths following the lifting of foot-and-mouth restrictions. Less than eight per cent of a network of more than 4,300 paths remains closed. "Any closures are
A MAN had been celebrating his wedding anniversary when he stabbed a neighbour to death, a court was told yesterday. Simon Jenney, 27, and his wife spent the afternoon at a barbecue at his mother's home, but there were altercations with other guests,
A man accused of butchering a woman and hiding her dismembered body in a coal house formally denied the charge yesterday. William Johnstone, 27, entered a not guilty plea to murder during a short hearing at Newcastle Crown Court. Mr Johnstone is accused
THE restoration of a crumbling Harrogate theatre will be complex, intricate and take two years to complete, its operators have warned. The 100-year-old Royal Hall, a Grade II listed building, needs more than £11m to restore its structure. But Harrogate
CONCERN is growing for the welfare of a 16-year-old boy who has been missing from home for four days. Gary Peter Kennedy was last seen in Middlesbrough town centre at 3pm on Friday. Gary, who has a mental age of five, is said to be in need of medication
Chart star Dido has rocketed into pop's rich list just over a year after finding fame. In only 12 months, the singer raked in about £12m to make her Britain's highest earning female singer, an analysis by Heat magazine shows. She is now earning more than
Motorcyclists are bypassing metal barriers to ruin a £70,000 community park. After consulting with local residents on the future of Victoria Show Ground, in the centre of Shotton, Groundwork East Durham embarked on a scheme to transform it into a facility
Peter Reid will try this week to sign 31-year-old Cameroon striker Patrick Mboma on loan until the end of the season with a view to a three-year deal. The Sunderland boss has been tracking the £4m-rated Parma player for weeks and contact was made during
A CALL is being made to show visiting football fans the red card for offending a town. The demand comes after supporters of Leeds United, held to a 2-2 draw by Middlesbrough at the weekend, taunted Teessiders about the Cleveland Child Abuse inquiry, 15
A KNIFE-WIELDING teenager threatened to kill a security man checking on his tagging device, a court heard. The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted charges of threatening violence and making threats to kill, at Sedgefield Magistrates
TUCKED up in bed, with no school to worry about, Crispin Terry was expecting a little peace and quiet - especially at 6am. But the silence of his school holiday slumber was shattered by the clattering of bins and the roar of a wagon's engine. Annoyed
Unions and politicians were divided yesterday over why Prime Mnister Tony Blair did not do more to save thousands of steel jobs last year, yet intervened on behalf of a Labour party donor's bid to buy a Romanian state firm. A row grew over Mr Blair's
A FORMER snooker hall has opened as a pub following a £1m development project. Pub operator JD Wetherspoon has spent five months rebuilding The William de Wessygnton, in Victoria Road, Concord, Washington. Thirty jobs will be created at the pub, which
WITNESSES are being sought to an accident on a busy North-East coast road. The accident happened at about 5.45pm on Friday, on the A174 at Boulby, on the east Cleveland border with North Yorkshire. A silver Volvo and a silver Vauxhall Corsa were involved
TWO escaped prisoners were back behind bars tonight after being dramatically recaptured by police. A police helicopter was used to track down the fugitives who had been on the run for four hours after escaping from a working party. The pair, exhausted
POLICE are hunting a teenager who attacked a train conductor with a machete. The Arriva employee was left badly shocked and unable to complete his shift following the attack at a station in Redcar, east Cleveland, on Sunday evening. He was attacked by
Final stage of water project A £500,000 scheme to improve the waste water treatment plant at Goathland, on the North York Moors, is in its final stage. The Yorkshire Water project, which is expected to take six weeks to complete, involves demolishing
RESIDENTS of Bishop Middleham have teamed up with their parish council and Sedgefield Borough Council to eradicate the problem of dog fouling in the village. Every resident will receive a leaflet making them aware of the law. It will explain about the
Organisers plan a full show CLEVELAND Show will go ahead as planned this year, on July 27, in Stewart Park, Middlesbrough. The committee intends to hold a full show, but classes for sheep, cattle and goats will depend on Department of Environment, Food
THE fate of hundreds of North-East asbestos claim-ants remains in the balance despite progress to unlock millions of pounds of frozen compensation. Talks took place yesterday between claimants' solicitors and the administrators of the UK's largest asbestos
A DOZEN elderly people had to be rescued from their homes yesterday after floods struck once again. The Environment Agency placed a number of flood warnings on rivers throughout the North-East and North Yorkshire, as waters continued to rise. Firefighters
GROUPS are celebrating after winning grants totalling £165,999 from the National Lottery Awards for All fund. Forty-three organisations in County Durham have received awards of between £600 and £5,000. Pat Lowes, senior awards officer for Awards for All
IN December Hartlepool United travelled to Bristol Rovers for just 12 minutes of frozen action; on Tuesday night they made the most of their second chance as they earned their fourth away win of the season. Adam Boyd's first-half volley - his fourth goal
A FIREFIGHTER who saved a three-year-old child's life has been rewarded for his long service. Assistant Divisional Officer Walter Moore received the fire brigade long service and good conduct medal at Teesside International Airport yesterday. ADO Moore
Today, the Government unveils proposals to reform exams for children aged between 14-19. Education Correspondent Lindsey Jennings looks at what this means for the pupils. WHEN the first youngsters sat their AS-Level papers last summer, the Government
A NORTH-EAST MEP is backing plans to give weary lorry drivers more rest periods. Labour MEP Stephen Hughes, socialist group coordinator on employment and social affairs, steered a report on the issue through the European Parliament. MEPs have now approved
COMPARE and contrast.When Princess Diana died, all normal radio and television programmes ceased for the whole day. Hysterical sentimentality took over the airwaves and all four main BBC radio stations broadcast the same thing. It was a Sunday, and I
Remember Tow Law Town's road to Wembley just four years ago? Remember that semi-final victory over Taunton, the ecstatic Lawyers' lawyer, the black and white bunting dancing down the hillside High Street? Remember Sam Gordon? Sam was the club mascot,
The former police officer who pioneered zero tolerance policing today demanded that his former boss resign. Ray Mallon, who was yesterday required to step down from his Detective Chief Superintendent's post after admitting 14 disciplinary charges, said
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Support worker, Northallerton. £5.39phw, 30hrs pw. Must have initiative and ability to work as part of a team. Experience desirable but not essential
Ray Mallon has made a mockery of justice. For four years, he vigorously protested his innocence. He said last August: "It is vitally important that the public learns the truth about Lancet, so that those responsible are held accountable for their actions
A DAY of music, dance and workshops is being held in Darlington town centre. Durham County Racial Equality Council will hold its third Diversity Day in the Dolphin Centre, on Saturday March 9, from noon to 5pm. Costumes, rituals and delicacies from cultures
A SEARCH for a car repair manual uncovered a poignant reminder of the lives lost in the First World War. Amber Bryan-Smith, six, went to look for the book for her parents in the bureau at her home in Carrville, near Durham City. But the drawers would
AN urgent search has been launched for a team of lollipop ladies and men prepared to spend a few evenings on some life-saving work. But far from standing outside schools, they are needed deep in the countryside - saving amorous toads from being crushed
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Marketing telephone operator, Stockton. £3.70, 18-21 years; £4.25, 22-plus. Two full and two part-time. Required for kitchen company. No experience
A BUDDING professional cricketer was bowled over after his bosses agreed to a seven-month career break to pursue his dream. Ashley Thorpe, 26, who works at London Electricity in Sunderland, was asked by Durham County Cricket Club to join a pre-season
DARLINGTON Building Society managed to put in a strong performance last year, despite the volatility of stock markets following the terrorist attacks on the US. Investors' decision to steer clear of the stock markets following September 11 paid off for
THE future of a long-established playgroup is still hanging in the balance after church leaders announced plans to sell off a community hall. Restoration of the 120-year-old Church of St James, in Romanby, near Northallerton, is expected to go ahead soon
Residents in York were today fighting to keep out flood water after the River Ouse burst its banks. The Environment Agency said the river was expected to rise 4.6 metres (15ft) above normal levels and warned businesses and homes could be severely affected
RESIDENTS trying desperately to carry out much needed repairs to their village hall say they are being held up by builders failing to give quotes. Middridge Village Hall, near Newton Aycliffe, is falling into disrepair. A fund set up to raise money for
A FORUM for older people has been dissolved because of dwindling membership and attendance. Plans had been mooted to rejuvenate Darlington Older Persons' Forum, which was formed in 1999. A new-look and renamed group would have continued to campaign for
A SEX attacker who subjected an 87-year-old great-grandmother to a terrifying ordeal in her home is today facing the prospect of a lengthy jail term. Frances Doran waived her right to anonymity in the hope it would lead to Michael Rochester's arrest.
ISN'T she lovely! Proud new mother Tanni Grey-Thompson shows off her first child for the world's cameras. Carys Olivia was born by a planned Caesarean last Monday morning, at the University Hospital of Wales, in Cardiff, weighing seven pounds and 12 ounces
TWO men, one brandishing what was believed to be a silver handgun, held up a North-East delicatessen. When staff at Vera's, in Atkinson Road, Sunderland, refused to open the till, the pair fled empty handed. The incident happened at 7.50pm on Sunday.
A FIREFIGHTER who saved a three-year-old child's life has been rewarded for his long service. Assistant Divisional Officer Walter Moore received the fire brigade long service and good conduct medal at Teesside International Airport yesterday. ADO Moore
THE Chinese New Year came in like a lion on Teesside. University students - members of the Chinese Society - staged a traditional lion dance outside the Students' Union building, in central Middlesbrough, on Friday night. Members of the tae kwon do club
A FORMER fitness boss and champion bodybuilder told a court yesterday of his horror at discovering that a trailer he had driven across country was packed with illegally-imported drugs. Martin Yates-Brown, who owned Classic World of Fitness gyms in Darlington
THE cast of a play based on life in the North-East shipyards is preparing for its launch. Live Wires, Newcastle's Live Theatre's over-50s performance group, will stage Geraniums in the Shipyard on Thursday night. Written by former shipbuilder Leonard
CASH from building 24 homes to replace part of Harrogate's spa heritage could help find new uses for the major part of the complex, where commercial interest has been slow. The Scottish Life Company is revamping the Royal Baths complex, once the hub of
A POLICE station was among hundreds of sites which fell foul of planning rules last year. Ripon police station, in North Street, had to remove an unauthorised telecommunications mast and replace it with one of approved design. It was one of almost 500
A DISPUTE over proposals to close public toilets in remote moorland villages looks likely to be settled. Scarborough Borough Council wants to close lavatories in Aislaby, Commondale, Egton, Fylingthorpe, Robin Hood's Bay, Runswick Bay, and Westerdale
RAY MALLON I HAVE been on Ray Mallon's side for a long time now, believing him to be innocent of the charges brought against him, and trusting that the British justice system will do its job and clear his name. The investigation has cost millions, resulting
RESIDENTS trying desperately to carry out much needed repairs to their village hall say they are being held up by builders failing to give quotes. Middridge Village Hall, near Newton Aycliffe, is falling into disrepair. A fund set up to raise money for
CONSTRUCTION projects from across the region will find out if they are among the winners in the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) awards, when the international "Oscars" for the built and natural environments are announced tonight. Newcastle
WORKERS at beleaguered steel company Corus will not get a pay rise because the company needs to save cash. Last February, the Anglo-Dutch company shed 6,000 jobs across the country including 1,100 on Teesside blaming over-capacity in the market and the
POLICE are appealing for the owners of a haul of crockery to reclaim their belongings. Since last August, Peterlee police office has stored several batches of cups, saucers figurines and other crockery recovered from burglaries. Now officers are anxious
MIDDLESBROUGH were remaining tight-lipped last night over reports that they have had a £6m bid for Leicester City midfielder Muzzy Izzet accepted. According to Izzet's agent, Jonathan Barnett, the player is expected to fly in for talks with Boro after
HARTLEPOOL United's Third Division clash with Bristol Rovers tonight has been given the go-ahead after a pitch inspection this morning. The Memorial Stadium pitch, where Pool's match was abandoned after 12 minutes in December, underwent an inspection
DARLINGTON boss Tommy Taylor is weighing up a bid for Leyton Orient striker Iyseden Christie. Taylor has launched a bid to bring the 25-year-old in on loan from the club he left in October. Darlington, who have lost just once in seven Third Division matches
The fact large sections of the Feethams crowd left early said a lot about Darlington's defeat to Cheltenham as the Quakers' faint play-off hopes all but disappeared. Darlington couldn't argue with the result: their third home League defeat of the season
Film to tackle youth issues A YOUTH group is hoping to influence council officials by making a film about young people's issues. With the help of Sunderland film director Andy Ross and funding from Sunderland City Council's youth and community service
HOLDING your tongue could do wonders for a North-East campaign to improve cancer care. Inspired by the efforts of just one infant school last year the County Durham Macmillan Appeal fundraising committee is appealing to all local schools to follow suit
AN arts society is stepping up its campaign to save Darlington's art gallery. The Darlington Society of Arts is concerned that the gallery, in Crown Street, next to the library, will be converted into a computer classroom. Darlington Borough Council is
DRUGS officers carried out a major raid today as part of a crackdown on dealers. Officers in Middlesbrough carried out the raid as part of the "Dealer A Day" campaign launched two months ago. Today, a major raid took place on two houses in Deepdale Avenue
A DOZEN elderly people had to be rescued from their homes yesterday after floods struck once again. The Environment Agency placed a number of flood warnings on rivers throughout the North-East and North Yorkshire, as waters continued to rise. Firefighters
A POSTMAN who admitted stealing more than 100 packages and cards from his Bishop Auckland round was jailed for three months, yesterday. In just over three months, 26-year-old Paul Lax stole money from 133 postal packages, Bishop Auckland magistrates heard
AS the presenter of a daily live show, Angellica Bell is one of the faces of the BBC's new children's digital channels. She's addicted to the thrill of "going live" these days but recalls that her first brush with live TV wasn't as glamorous as she'd
AN EAST Durham pensioner's decision to give up smoking has helped breathe fresh air into her hidden talent. Following her retirement, Thomason Young Taylor decided she could no longer afford to smoke. Her family bought her a set of oil paints and brushes
A MILITARY blunder has heightened fears that the North York Moors is being lined up to play a crucial role in the controversial so-called Son of Star Wars programme. An access road and higher perimeter fence has been built at the missile early warning
THE fate of an £11m scheme to save a theatre from demolition is to go to a referendum, it was announced yesterday. Civic leaders have been forced into an urgent rethink about plans to rescue the 100-year-old Royal Hall, in Harrogate, North Yorkshire,
THE Year of the Horse starts today: there'll be dragon dancing on the streets, though the North-East's Chinese community may be hoping for a change of fortune cookie. Injudicious ministerial comments about foot-and-mouth disease were said seriously to
MAJOR production improvements are under way at an automotive parts supplier thanks to help from an industry body. Experts from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) Industry Forum, in Birmingham, have visited steering systems company NSK
SPORTS and arts groups across Darlington have been rewarded in the latest round of National Lottery grants. Darlington Mowden Park Rugby Club has been awarded £4,449 to bridge the gap between mixed "mini" rugby and women's rugby, targeting 12 to 16-year-olds
LOCAL groups in County Durham are being urged to apply for grants up to £1,500. Durham County Council's Small Projects Fund was set up in 1990 to help local regeneration schemes in the county's east and west rural priority areas, helping more than 400
A SHOP owner has appealed against Darlington Borough Council's refusal of planning permission to convert his house in Allan Street into a shop. Rana Singh, who has a shop in neighbouring Killinghall Street, has appealed to the Secretary of State for the
A CHARITY for physically disabled people has come back from the brink of closure. Open Doors, which is run by Bridget Clelland from her home in Barton, near Darlington, faced closure in December, when it was struggling to make payments on a minibus it
STUDENTS threw dignity to the wind when they took to the streets in a variety of guises to raise cash for charity. York University students donned film-themed outfits for the annual procession which brought an end to their fundraising rag week. They became
AN urgent search has been launched for a team of lollipop ladies and men prepared to spend a few evenings on some life-saving work. But far from standing outside schools, they are needed deep in the countryside - saving amorous toads from being crushed
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Technician environmental services, Seaham/North-East. Full-time, some weekend overtime. Required for water hygiene/treatment industry. Must have 16th
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Classroom assistant, Darlington, pay £12 to £18, 40 minutes per week (CRCT). Must have previous experience of working with children and be able to speak
AN initiative to help small businesses get off the ground in east Durham has been launched. The Northern Echo has teamed up with Business Link County Durham and radio station Century FM to launch 30 businesses in the district of Easington before the end
