THE Princess Royal is keeping her promise to the North-East Chamber of Commerce by returning to officially open its Tyneside headquarters. The princess was due to open the offices at the Stamp Exchange, in Newcastle, on April 24 last year, but her flight
RICHMOND Dales swimmer Calum Clark won all six events he entered with personal best times at the Northumberland and Durham County Championships event at the Dolphin centre in Darlington last weekend. His performance was the highlight of an excellent start
TWO young Cleveland riders are off to South Africa later this month to represent Great Britain in an international tournament for under 14s. David Harland from Newton Mulgrave, near Saltburn and James Reveley from Lingdale will join forces with Jodie
Terry Jenner, the world's leading wrist spin coach, visited the North-East this week in a widespread search for the most talented young leg spin bowlers in England and Wales. His visit formed part of the England and Wales Cricket Board's on going Wrist
THERE is an old saying: You can't please all of the people all of the time. That must be ringing especially true in the ears of people in Saltburn, where the issue of two sculptures appears to have split the community in half. Art never appeals to everyone
Four market traders who were told in the High Court last week that they could not sell their goods in pounds and ounces took their fight to the House of Lords today. Lawyers representing Stephen Thoburn, from Sunderland, who are also acting on behalf
IT MAY not be as famous as Gateshead's version, but Durham's very own Millennium Bridge is already turning heads. The 51-metre bridge, the first footbridge to be built in the historic city for decades, was lifted into place on Saturday and now proudly
CHILDREN have been wielding paint brushes to decorate their own caf in Ferryhill. The youth facility, to be called the e.caf, has come about as a direct result of a town appraisal by the Ferryhill Community Partnership. More than 200 children returned
Campaigners fighting for a better deal over noise from the North-East's leading motor-racing venue have won a small victory over the council they hold to blame. Richmondshire District Council has won few friends among residents who live around Croft after
Green-fingered housewife Marion Nolan hopes to grow a new business after bringing back a banana seed from her summer holidays in the Canary Islands. The seed grew into one of many tropical plants, which she plans to sell or hire out as she cultivates
MUCH justifiable gnashing of teeth at Yarm Town Council, after members heard about the state of play swings at The Meadowings. The swings were minus a piece of equipment. Stockton Council had said it could not locate the item required to restore the swings
OSCAR-WINNING actor Russell Crowe last night defended his tirade of abuse against a North-East television executive. The star of A Beautiful Mind saw red after a poem which he read out at Saturday night's Bafta awards in London was cut from the broadcast
IAN Barwick has been presented with the Hambleton Service to Sport Award in recognition of his dedicated work with the Thirsk Falcons junior soccer team. The presentation was made at a social evening held at Thirsk Sports and Athletic Club when Mark Jarvis
A NORTH Yorkshire farmer told others that, despite recent encouragement to diversify into alternative crops, they should stick with the major cereal crops. John Moor, of Great Eppleton Farm, near Scotch Corner, was speaking at a joint Home Grown Cereals
A unique piece of sporting memorabilia yesterday found a new home, in a museum normally devoted to matters military. The football used in the historic soccer match in Kabul a month ago between British troops and an Afghan side will now permanently reside
A NEW approach to cattle feed has gained a Stokesley company a DTI-sponsored Smart award. Ecosyl Products, of Ellerbeck Way, which invents treatments for cattle and sheep forage, has won the award to develop a process to create a hybrid of hay and silage
Shops and businesses across Teesside have been put on alert following the discovery of a telephone credit card scam. An assistant in a Middlesbrough shop inadvertently gave confidential card details over the telephone to a caller. In the half an hour
Title: Maximo. Publisher: Capcom. Format: PS2 DVD. Price: £39.99. IF you played games before the advent of PlayStation, then I'm sure you'll remember Ghosts and Goblins. In its day, this Capcom title, and its sequel Ghouls and Ghosts, were among the most
ROADS around Hutton Rudby village green might have to be widened for twenty-first century traffic, it has been suggested. Work is being considered because the green has become badly ploughed up by cars, vans and lorries. Deep trenches have been cut into
Bishop Auckland and District League Crook Olde Horse Shoe were taken to the decider before they managed to hold on to their unbeaten record when they visited league newcomers, Tow Law Station. The home side had one singles point each from David Craggs
A GOALLESS draw at Leyton Orient on Tuesday night did little to erase the memory of a truly awful Quakers display at home to Torquay United last Saturday. The fact that a point and a clean sheet against a team sitting second from bottom in the league
Bowman Anderson Accountants Spennymoor Sunday League SPENNYMOOR Thorns further increased their superior goal difference with another thumping win last week. The Division Two leaders boosted their difference to an impressive 97 after just 19 games with
EIGHT musicians from the same school have won places on children's orchestras. The youngsters, from Aysgarth School near Bedale, took part in auditions organised by the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS). Harry Forman Hardy and Edward
PUPILS at Aycliffe Village Primary School have been planting fruit trees in the school grounds. The children were supervised by Joanne Stukins, from the School Ground Projects. The school bought three trees with a grant of £105 from Durham County Council
AFTER an hour and a quarter of rallying, less than a minute separated three local crews as they put on a good show in the opening round of the Kumho National Rally Championship held in Bournemouth last Saturday. Leading the way on the 65-mile Rallye Sunseeker
TRADERS, councillors and residents are joining forces in a pioneering bid to give Yarm a boost. A whole raft of issues came under the spotlight on Monday as a ground-breaking meeting was held in the town. After hearing that Yarm was "at a crossroads",
A REPORT has found that not enough of Stockton's children are going on to sixth-form colleges. The report, from schools watchdog Ofsted, also criticises the low numbers of school leavers achieving at least five higher-grade passes at GCSE level in the
PEOPLE living in Saltburn are being asked for their opinions about a pair of sculptures which could soon take up residency in the town. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is asking members of the public for comments on the statues before its planning
A FOUR-YEAR-OLD girl who won hearts across the region with her brave battle against cancer has lost her fight for life. Emily Guiney seemed to be on the mend after her parents gambled on surgery. In a risky operation just before Christmas, doctors were
ON SUNDAY, the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle played host to two of the most exciting and uplifting performances in the fields of classical and choral music to be heard in Teesdale for a very long time. The programme was the first of new series of concerts
A WEEK in the lives of elderly people in Teesdale has been recorded for posterity with a series of photographs and items of memorabilia. The Going to the Centre project invited elderly people in the villages of Toft Hill, Etherley and Evenwood to compile
Durham City Ladies Football Club have linked up with Durham City AFC as part of its ambition to grow as a club and benefit from the new facilities in the pipeline at New Ferens Park. It is hoped that this partnership will open up new opportunities for
A CONSETT barman has won the trip of a lifetime to Cyprus - courtesy of the British Army. Andrew Gailes, of Consett, is among ten winners from the North-East and Yorkshire who took part in a competition during Operation Northern Spirit - the Army's recruiting
ROADS in the centre of Ripon will be closed overnight from Tuesday to next Saturday while they are resurfaced. Work will be carried out between 10pm and 6am each day and will affect Queen Street, one-way southbound, from its junction with the Old Market
HOUSEHOLDERS who were left devastated by flooding two years ago are on the verge of securing a protection scheme for their homes. A £50,000 project to offer some relief to people living in the Thirsk Road area of Northallerton is close to getting the
HAPPILY hirsute Martyn Renton is fervently hoping that this spring will be a warm one - after agreeing to have his head shaved completely. He will be swapping combing for polishing when he loses his locks for charity in Northallerton next month. And as
Caretaker Joyce Ryde, 67, has been a part of life in Kirkby Fleetham CE Primary School for 29 years. She was presented with a bunch of flowers by headteacher Vicki Farby, to go with a long service award from her employer, North Yorkshire County Council
PHOTOGRAPHERS are being challenged to make up for a shortfall in good-quality postcards of Teesdale. Middleton Plus is running a competition to produce six postcards for sale at the Middleton-in-Teesdale tourist information centre after Easter. The winners
THEY began to arrive just after dawn. A full three-and-a-half hours before the auction was to get underway, the first cattle were unloaded from their trailers. After a year and a week away, there were some farmers who were keen to get an early start.
WHEN William and Claire Lambert took a handful of bull calves to Hawes auction mart on Tuesday, it marked the end of the worst year the farming couple have known. Their farm, Raygill, midway between Bainbridge and Hawes in upper Wensleydale, was the first
Rohm and Haas JOC Hetton Youth League Herrington are now nine points adrift of leaders Jarrow St Bedes, but they are four games in hand. They staged one of only two games to be played at the weekend and hammered bottom of the table Springboard 10-0. There
AN investigation is under way into the death of a respected former agricultural show president, who was found crushed under a metal gate at his farm. Villagers are speculating that last week's high winds may have caused the death of 75-year-old Robert
A YEAR ago, a Land Rover and its trailer careered off a motorway, triggering a series of tragic events which led to the deaths of ten people. We were assured by the authorities that the Selby disaster was a million-to-one chance. Since that fateful day
ORGANISERS of a recycling competition were so impressed by a school's entry that they decided to award an extra prize. Pupils from 18 schools collected old Yellow Pages directories for a competition organised by Sedgefield Borough Council and environmental
WELCOME to a world of guaranteed action-packed fun and adventure. That's what being a Guide is all about these days. The times when youngsters only worked towards tidy room, cookery badges and how to be a good hostess are long gone. These days they are
Bad Girls (ITV) Diana And The Camera (C5) THINGS aren't going well for women's prison warder Jim Fenner (or, as the press blurb describes him, "corrupt, ambitious principal officer with a roving eye") as the sublimely ridiculous Bad Girls returned for
TWO Hartlepool Catholic Club boxers are aiming to become the first double act from the stable to claim National Schoolboys' titles since 1994. Steven Cosgrove and Glenn Watson, both 12, overcame handy opponents in their semi-final clashes at Liverpool's
Darlington 21st Allstars Despite the snow of the Saturday morning, virtually all Darlington 21st Allstars teams played. The Under-17s were in Jubilee Cup action at home to Hardwick Youth, a team from a higher division, and they recorded a brilliant 5-
THE fact that today is Whuppity Scoorie Day in Lanark will not be of great interest to most of us, but the celebration does have some relevance because it was designed to chase away the winter. The origins of this curious custom have been lost in the
OH WHAT a farcical web we weave. At least the sporting world can point to all the twaddle on the front pages about Byers and Sixsmith before wondering what on earth the universe is coming to when we get excited about curling. Then there's the Martin Johnson
ANALYSTS claim dinner parties are now becoming so popular that, by 2006, we will be throwing an average of one per household every three weeks. The reason is not just because cooking is so fashionable, but because people are spending more time and money
If the polliss had had walkie-talkies in 1963, Peter Willis might never have become a football referee. If Peter Willis hadn't become a referee then Kevin Moran might have stayed on the field in the 1985 FA Cup final, and if Kevin Moran had stayed on
ARCHAEOLOGISTS are battling against the force of the North Sea to excavate historically important ancient timbers. The waterlogged remains of a series of large timbers were uncovered at Staithes Beck, in North Yorkshire, following the flooding crisis
DAYBREAK is leading to the dawn of a new era for a Cleveland mother who has turned her hobby into a full-time job. Dawn Fearon, 35, from Marske, is at the helm of Daybreak Therapies and practices aromatherapy, reflexology and Indian head massage in a
VILLAGE hall management committees can find out how to make their buildings warmer for less money. The Durham Rural Community Council is holding a series of information days that will teach officials how to conduct their own energy audits. Field officer
AN acclaimed film director and writer will visit Darlington's Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College next week to talk to students. Murray Martin, best known for his 1993 film Eden Valley, which was set in the region, will talk to second year A-level media
PATIENTS at a North-East hospice enjoyed lunch with a difference yesterday. Day care patients at the Butterwick Hospice, in Stockton, were served lunch by Century FM radio presenter Paul "Goffy" Gough at the launch of the hospice's Precious Hours appeal
A RAILWAY station could be in line for a multi-million pound facelift. A £2m call is being made on Government funds to spruce up the station, in Middlesbrough, restore some of the Victorian features and improve pedestrian and disabled access. An upgrade
TEACHERS are learning fancy footwork in a bid to liven up lessons. As part of a project between Durham Local Education Authority (LEA) and the Easington and Seaham Education Action Zone, artists from the American Wolftrap Foundation are passing on their
RMD Agriculture GRAIN prices have fallen back again after a slight rally in the middle of last week. The problem with old crop wheat is that consumers are reluctant to buy as they have had to roll February purchases to March. But at least barley has now
AYSGARTH is in danger of losing a vital section of its tourist accommodation with the announcement that the Youth Hostels Association is considering the closure of its hostel there. "It's vital we keep this open because it gives us a wider range of accommodation
A CENTRE of excellence in the North-East is adding to its growing reputation by seeking an advance in the fight against a deadly cancer. Funding has been granted to Durham University's biological sciences department to develop a "DNA chip" to detect genetic
HE'D been knocking at the door in recent races and last Thursday saw Noshinannikin land a Huntingdon win for our Twelve to Follow. More importantly, it was a first winner at the course for trainer Mick Easterby. Richard McGrath had the ride and it looked
BLOT the adventurous Jack Russell celebrated his 17th birthday on Valentine's Day - and is lucky to have survived this long as he has been hit several times by cars. One of his claims to fame is that local poet Neville Fox featured him in the Thirsk Times
DARLINGTON Football Club was plunged into crisis last night after an extraordinary attack by the chairman's wife on players, fans and the media. Susan Reynolds prompted a mass walkout by the entire team when she even went so far as to suggest that they
Darlington boss Tommy Taylor last night promised fans that his players will be in action tomorrow at Exeter after the full squad walked out of last night's controversial Fans' Forum at Feethams. They stormed out just half-an-hour into the meeting after
THE legacy of foot-and-mouth is expected to bring more misery to the region's countryside this month. The Youth Hostel Association (YHA) says it will be forced to close and sell at least 20 hostels around the country in a bid to claw back some of the
BARNARD CASTLE. - Tues of last week. Fwd: 237 cattle. Breeding cattle: AA & Char cows & calves £740 E Smith & Son; Lim hfrs in calf £620 £615 CI&MP Burnett; Lim bulling hfrs £502, £470, £450 JS Foster & Son; Herefd bulling hfrs £340
STEVE McCLAREN insists that Paul Ince can still have a future at Middlesbrough. Many observers believe skipper Ince is destined to leave on a Bosman free when his contract runs out this summer. The fact that formal discussions over a new deal have yet
THE Government is to pump almost £120m into some of the North-East's poorest areas, it was announced yesterday. Ministers are determined to crack down on petty crime and tackle problems of health and poor housing. They have picked 14 agencies to take
RICHMOND'S historic obel-isk may have to wait a little longer for full restoration in the wake of a U-turn on funding. The district authority's resources committee seemed to surprise itself last week when it agreed spend £80,000 on vital repairs. But
INTRUDERS have ransacked a Colburn church hall for the second time in a year. St Cuthbert's Church was burgled twice last year and the church hall broken into once on a separate occasion. But the hall also became a target for a second time overnight on
ARRIVA Trains Northern faced renewed criticism last night ahead of a third 48-hour rail strike. RMT union regional organiser Stan Herschel said the company had behaved "disgracefully" in its dealings with members during the dispute. Conductors will again
Newly-formed guardians of a former leper chapel have dispelled fears that it could soon be converted into a home. Confusion arose over the old leper chapel and a nearby Victorian building. Both are called St Mary Magdalen and are just a short distance
A CARE home for the elderly is to be closed this month to allow the early construction of a replacement. The Moor Grange care home, in Spennymoor, is the third in the area to be closed earlier than planned as part of Durham County Council's programme
THE drivers of cars parked at the back of the Clarendon pub and the old Barclays Bank in Hartlepool are being asked to get in touch with police. It is believed that at about 11am on Monday several cars may have been the subject of attempted thefts. In
HIGH-PROFILE speakers from car companies Ford and Daimler Chrysler will arrive in the region this month for the fifth International Automotive Conference. Andy Yearsley, director of global sourcing development at Ford of Europe and Winfried Feldkamp,
WORK is under way to ease parking problems for residents in parts of Hartlepool. A number of grassed and tarmac verges are being converted into car parking spaces in Ednam Grove, Elvan Grove, Farnell Grove and Inverness Road, in a £115,000 scheme. Because
TONY Espinet looks as if he practises what he preaches. An incredibly youthful looking 44-year-old, Dr Espinet says he can help us live a healthier and longer life. "It is thought that 90 per cent of disease is related to our lifestyle. With a simple
EDUCATION IT is with some concern that I read of the proposals suggested by Estelle Morris. While accepting that the current system allows little freedom of choice, I am very concerned that the changes suggested will disadvantage many pupils. For the
Tow Law Bass Tow Law New Market A pulled out all the stops on their visit to Esh Football Club in a bid to close the gap on the leading Newhouse Club. The Market only dropped one point in the trebles and one in the doubles but this was enough for them
RECRUITS are being sought to keep an eye on County Durham councillors to ensure they conduct themselves properly. Durham County Council and the county's police and fire authorities are on the look-out for people to act as public watchdogs. They will be
MARSHALL House, the former Marshall and Snelgrove store in Scarborough's town centre, which has been derelict for 20 years, may be redeveloped into a theme pub. Thistlewood Estates want to convert the large building into The Litton Tree which will involve
A CARE home for the elderly is to be closed this month to allow the early construction of a replacement. The Moor Grange care home, in Spennymoor, is the third in the area to be closed earlier than planned as part of Durham County Council's programme
A WOMAN threatened to break the legs of her tobacco supplier after he groped her, a court heard. The 24-year-old, who cannot be identified, had called at Derrick Hubbard's home to pick up an order of tobacco when he lifted up her top, said David Bryson
AN exhibition will explore the history of one of the finest surviving examples of early Christian architecture in northern Europe. Escomb Saxon Church, near Bishop Auckland, which dates from the 7th Century, is built from stone which was recycled from
SUNDERLAND'S Niall Quinn has been told to shelve plans to hang up his boots by Peter Reid. The Republic of Ireland striker is to retire from international football after the World Cup to help ease the pressure on a long term back injury. It has sparked
RESIDENTS of 17th Century almshouses at Kirkleatham, Redcar, are learning the ancient techniques of yoga and tai chi. Weekly sessions have been funded by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and are proving to be a big hit among the pensioners at the
MORE rights of way in the North-East countryside are to be reopened as the region continues to recover from last year's foot-and-mouth crisis - although this picture could change as tests continued at the end of the week on two suspected sheep near Thirsk
MFI profits soar past £1bn FURNITURE group MFI saw sales soar past the £1bn mark last year, helped by expanding on the high street and refitting its larger stores. The group said it had undergone a transformation during the past three years, increasing
HARTLEPOOL United boss Chris Turner is standing by his decision to adapt an attacking policy in a bid for the play-offs. Pool's away form is in stark contrast to their Victoria Park fortunes - ten wins and 42 goals against four wins and just 11 strikes
THEY began to arrive just after dawn. A full three-and-a-half hours before the auction was to get underway, the first cattle were unloaded from their trailers. After a year and a week away, there were some farmers who were keen to get an early start.
A NEW disabled taxi service is waiting to pick up where Darlington Dial a Ride failed. Darlington Council has confirmed it is in the final stages of negotiations with a local charitable organisation to operate a full taxi service for disabled people.
A SERIES of workshops will be staged for young people in north Durham interested in becoming community leaders. Health, sex and drug issues will all form part of the Motivator course planned by Durham County Council's Education in the Community initiative
A VOLUNTARY registration scheme aimed at tackling bike thefts in Hartlepool is already proving a success just weeks after its launch. About 150 log books have already been issued in a drive to help youngsters protect their bikes. Details such as a bike's
Walk and talk with historian Hartlepool Borough Council historian Steve Robbins is inviting people to join him for a walk round the Stranton area on Sunday. Along the way he will talk about some of the characters associated with the village. The walk
AN award-winning musical is coming to a Wearside theatre. The West Yorkshire Playhouse's production of Singin' in the Rain will stop off at the Sunderland Empire Theatre as part of its first national tour. Directed by Jude Kelly and winner of the 2001
TWO Hartlepool Catholic Club boxers are aiming to become the first double act from the stable to claim National Schoolboys' titles since 1994. Steven Cosgrove and Glenn Watson, both 12, overcame handy opponents in their semi-final clashes at Liverpool's
IT is pay back time for amphibians who helped save an open space from housing development. When the great crested newts were discovered in the Rossett Acre area of Harrogate more than two decades ago the protected species played a key role in securing
DERELICT outbuildings are to be demolished in an east Cleveland village to make way for a house. The Wilton Village scheme follows last year's approval for a similar application in the conservation area, even though the application went against the Local
IT may just be the most expensive car parking space in Britain - and it's yours for £13,000. The location in question is Newcastle's swanky Citygate development in the heart of the city centre. Buyers have been snapping up apartments at the seven- floor
WHEN you read the newspaper do you ever stop to consider how much effort goes into producing each page? Would you survive if suddenly faced with working as a top reporter? No? Well, this was the task facing year nine students in Wolsingham School and
Fresh claims that the new owners of a Teesside ship repair yard are stripping it of assets have been denied by the company. In November Southampton firm A&P Holdings was accused of asset-stripping the former Cammell Laird yard in South Bank. But A
Quakers RC Seven Quakers competed in the Pocklington 10 road race held on 24 February near York. A total number of 654 runners participated and first home for the club was Ian Scott, who was 30th overall, 4th O-45 vet in a time of 58:06, next was Wayne
A NEW racing company has been launched to take on the big southern-based Flat owners at their own game. Northern Thoroughbreds is hoping to raise £1m to buy and race a small but select string of potential stars in a bid to wrest some of the bigger prizes
THE National Audit Office report on the winding up of the Teesside Development Corporation has highlighted issues relating to the way the body spent public money, particularly in the last period of its existence. These issues must be resolved to ensure
A LEAKING pipe has left a local council looking for a temporary home. Tuesday's meeting of Yarm Town Council has to be switched from the town hall to the youth and community centre because of the leak. The damage to the building is such that it may be
AN early Bronze Age dock may have been discovered at Staithes. A series of large waterlogged timbers in the side of Staithes Beck have been dated by archaeologists in an initial examination of the site. The team of experts from Sheffield University in
An investigation which concluded two nursery workers had abused children was open, detailed, thorough and fair, the head of an independent body which monitored the process said today. Giving evidence in the High Court, Moira Luccock said she worked for
THE parents of an autistic youngster say he is now classed as being free of the condition, thanks to a pioneering scheme in the US. Nearly two years ago, The Northern Echo - sister paper of The East Cleveland Advertiser - reported how Ben Collins, from
Sir, - Mr Lamont raises an interesting point (D&S letters, Feb 22) when he suggests that the "intellectual giants of the Richmondshire District Council" should consider relocating to the old railway station. Until recently this was the home of a thriving
North Yokshire and South Durham Harrier League The points totals going into the final fixture are - Senior Men: 1 Steven Hepples (Loftus) 60; 2 Shaun O'Grady (New Marske) 50; 3 R Cole (Mandale) 48; 4 Jonathan Bateman (Scarborough) 42; 5 Paul Welham (New
A 15-YEAR-OLD boy who has a record of being a persistent and violent offender has become the latest person to be given an anti-social behaviour order. Granting the order, South Tyneside magistrates yesterday granted permission for Daniel David, of Glen
BSPS Area 3a. - Mar 24: Winter show, Yafforth. Tel: 01642 452439. Cleveland Hunt PC. - Mar 3: Open novice show jumping at the Unicorn centre, classes for all from 1ft 3in to 2ft 9in. Schedules from Anne Jennison, 18 Runnymede, Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough
Sedgefield 75 men's team was confirmed as champions of the Northumberland and Durham Senior League 2001 for the first time at the recent league meeting. This was an excellent achievement as all the players are under 18 except Lee Cooke and veteran players
Fourteen-year-old Graham Johnson won the Huddersfield Junior Squash Open for Under-15s last month. The West Yorkshire event was keenly contested with entrants from many counties and in winning Johnson did extremely well to only drop one game throughout
RESIDENTS of rural communities will not now miss the bus because a £50,000 rescue package has halted plans to axe services. The money is being found from budget savings made by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. But it comes with a sting in the tail
NATIONAL HUNT trainers looking out for some fast ground might just as well pack up their kit bags and emigrate to drier climes. Yet more wet weather has blanked out today's meeting at Kelso and condemned the horses running at Doncaster and Newbury to
A COUNTY Durham livestock producer re-stocking after foot-and-mouth returned home with the champion Charolais from the Perth bull sales. Frank Johnson, of West Shipley, Hamsterley, paid 8,000gns for Lochend Royalflush, which will play a major role in
GOVERNMENT money remains the key to a £50,000 flood protection scheme which has been agreed for a vulnerable area of Northallerton. Insurance companies had to pay out thousands of pounds in claims after 21 houses in St John's Close, off Thirsk Road, were
George Reynolds, the controversial chairman of Darlington FC, said today that he wouldn't be walking away from the club. Despite an astonishing attack on players and fans by his wife Susan, Mr Reynolds said he: "Planned to see the job through." Mrs Reynolds
MORE than 100 youngsters have shown how they want their city to look by creating models of the future. The children made the models as part of an educational project at the Northern Gallery of Contemporary Art. Working with Tyneside artist Cath Campbell
A LEADING dyslexia campaigner has urged parents to "badger" their doctors for a promising new food supplement which is being tested by North-East children. A total of 120 County Durham children are taking part in the world's first major study of omega
From this newspaper 100 years ago. Ripon City Council: Councillor Hewson called attention to complaints as to the insanitary condition of the Post Office, and said that while the owners of licensed houses had been put to great trouble and expense in sanitary
YOUNGSTERS at some North Yorkshire schools are about to see their science lessons become more exciting. Thanks to York University, children will be able to experiment with DNA fingerprinting and the technique which clones DNA. The boost comes as the university
A GOVERNMENT minister has agreed to open the door for employment opportunities on a potential development site. Planning Minister Sally Keeble will reinstate 1,000 acres of land west and north-west of Nissan and bounded by the A1231 parkway, Leamside
TWO men are helping police with their inquiries after a police officer was injured and another had to run for his life during a high-speed pursuit. One Cleveland Police officer suffered whiplash injuries and bruising and a force car was damaged during
POLICE were alerted when forestry worker Ben Dickson was seen driving in the early hours without lights and with no tyre on one wheel, a court heard yesterday. Concerned witnesses saw Dickson's red Vauxhall Astra hit a kerb on the outskirts of Ripon and
DARLINGTON Football Club finds itself in an unprecedented position this morning. Bitterness, uncertainty and hostility hang over a club ironically nicknamed The Quakers - after "The Society of Friends". With a fantastic new stadium waiting to be completed
The region's rivers were once again carrying far too much water for good sport and subsequently attendances suffered, writes JEFF HERBERT. Idle & Thackley's Open due for Sunday on the Swale at Swainby was called off on Friday with the river 6 foot
RESIDENTS of a North-East village were stunned to learn of an inflation-busting increase in the parish council precept. And members of a residents' association, who heard of the rise when contacted by The Northern Echo, accused the council of drawing
MORE than 600 call centre vacancies were advertised at a jobs fair yesterday. East Durham and Houghall Community College, in Peterlee, County Durham, was the venue for the free event, organised by the Employment Service in partnership with Peterlee employers
PLANS to build a £139m road tunnel under the River Tyne took an important step forward yesterday when Tyne Wear Passenger Transport Authority (PTA) decided to press ahead with an application for the powers needed to proceed. Yesterday's meeting in Newcastle
A report outlining universities' contribution to the region will be launched on Monday. The Regional Mission report, covering Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland, Teesside and the Open Universities, will be distributed to employers, policy makers
A CONTROVERSIAL housing scheme on the site of Darlington's Mowden Park Rugby Football Club's ground has cleared a major hurdle. The Secretary of State for the Environment has told Darlington Borough Council it has no objections to the proposal by Yuill
DARLINGTON Mowden Park's Danny Brown is looking forward to locking horns tomorrow with former teammate Tasi Tuhana. After the New Zealander's move to Blaydon last month Brown switched from prop to hooker, the position Tuhana had held in the side for almost
STUDENTS and staff at a Teesside College are celebrating good Ofsted report results. Inspectors said all eight curriculum areas were good at Prior Pursglove College, Guisborough. They said: "The quality of teaching is mainly good or better in all subjects
POP Idol contestant Aaron Bayley, former Doctor Who Colin Baker, and a castle ghost will come together for a time travelling musical. Celebrate, a new musical commissioned by Chester-le-Street District Council, tells the story of the town's eventful history
Tow Law Area League Tow Law Rose and Crown moved Newhouse Club from the top of the table for the first time in weeks when they won by the odd point away from home and allowed Esh Stag's Head to go two points clear with just one match remaining. The singles
TWO men who were exposed to asbestos during their working lives died as a result, Teesside Coroner's Court heard yesterday. Inquests into the deaths of Norman Beddard, of Greens Lane, Stockton, and John Shanks, of Costwold Crescent, Billingham, resulted
A SICKNESS bug has been blamed for almost halving the number of students at the Wensleydale School in Leyburn. Out of the 498 who usually attend the school 220 were too ill to be there on Thursday of last week. And a further 40 became sick during the
STAFF at English Heritage sites across the country have voted for strike action in a dispute over pay. Almost 70 per cent of staff, members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), voted to strike after management imposed a pay offer of 3.5
THIRSK auction mart became a living market again on Thursday of last week after 12 months' closure almost to the day, because of the foot-and-mouth crisis. Business was brisk and it was obvious that local farmers were more than pleased to be at the auction
DARLINGTON'S Rise Carr Primary School has taken delivery of a £600 cooker provided by local kitchen manufacturer Magnet as part of work to refurbish the school. The firm also donated a halogen hob. School governor Angela Walls said the 200 children who
A NATIONAL park head wants some farming to continue as it is. Andy Wilson, chief executive of the North York Moors National Park, accepted that it would be an unpopular message for national government and policy makers. "But in some specific circumstances
EXCAVATOR manufacturer Komatsu UK is celebrating, after securing a deal right on its doorstep. The business, in Birtley, near Gateshead, has won an order to supply a PC 210-6 hydraulic excavator to MGL Demolition in Newburn, Newcastle, thanks to an ability
A YOUNG girl's plea for the life of a dog which attacked her fell on deaf ears at Teesside Magistrates Court, yesterday. Magistrates heard how nine-year-old Samantha Louise Floyd was savaged by the German Shepherd dog as she rode her scooter one evening
CHILDREN in Hartlepool have been drawing on their artistic talents to promote the importance of going to school. About 300 posters on the theme have been entered in a competition by pupils from six primary schools - Owton Manor, Brougham, Golden Flatts
A FOOT-and-mouth affected tourist attraction has been given two cash grants to help it draw visitors back. Beamish Open Air Museum will receive £30,000 in total to help it recover from last year's disaster. A £20,000 grant from regional development agency
READ THE SMALL PRINT! Just thought we'd get that message clear right at the start. Travel insurance is not compulsory, but you'd be daft to leave home without it - very daft. It can cover everything from a lost bag or broken camera to a long hospital
NORTON campaigners for a parish council are pleased to have cleared the first hurdle in establishing a new council. An average 15pc of electors have signed a petition asking Stockton Council and the Government to designate Norton as a parish. A minimum
A FREELANCE artist from Thornton Watlass has paintings and drawings hanging in homes in such far-flung places as America, New Zealand and the rest of Europe. The Rev Andrew Woodhouse has made such a mark over the past decade, however, that one of the
NORTH-EAST vets are offering free dental checks for cats and dogs. More than 1,000 surgeries across the country are taking part in Pet Smile Month, which runs throughout March. The Abbey Veterinary Practice, in Dunleigh House, Newcastle Road, Crossgate
Worthington CIU Winter League Old Shildon virtually sealed another Championship after they whitewashed the visiting Ferryhill with wins from Billy Goggins, Jossie Alworth, Steven Bennett, Charlie Blake and Michael Pratt, who finished in style with a 62
South West Durham League A representative team from the League entertained Stockton Blytholme Club and were immediately warned of the difference in class when Tony Mackinder made a 54 break on his first visit to the table in Tow Law Club. Heppell Hodgson
A STRETCH of one of the region's most popular coastal routes will be closed for two weeks to allow for the completion of vital roadworks. A 1,200-metre stretch of the A174, which connects East Cleveland with Whitby, between the junction for Cowbar and
STUDENT William Oliver is preparing to take his place beside the County Durham Lord Lieutenant to welcome the Queen to the North-East. The 17-year-old from South Stanley has been bestowed with the highest honour an army cadet can get - Lord Lieutenant's
Emergency Services League Derwentside managed to fit two matches in this week and benefited with two wins, which pushes them to within striking distance of the leading group, with games in hand still. On Monday a solitary goal by Mick Turner was enough
King Edward VI School, Morpeth are on all systems go for Sunday's semi-final of the Daily Mail Schools Under-18 Vase at Castlecroft, Wolverhampton, where a win would earn them an outing on the most famous piece of turf in world rugby - Twickenham. The
NOTORIOUS teenage criminal Shaun McKerry was behind bars again last night after admitting two new offences only three days after being given a "last chance" by magistrates. The 18-year-old, dubbed Homing Pigeon Boy because of his habit of returning home
A NIGHTLIFE expert has revealed plans to divide a city into Parisian-style quarters as part of a multi-million pound regeneration scheme. John Montgomery, managing director of Urban Cultures, and a former advisor to the Irish government, announced the
A GUISBOROUGH farming family threatened by developers has become the "star" of a new hi-tech training package. The Wilkinsons of Home Farm feature in software aimed at boosting health and safety. Dr Ashok Kumar MP said the family's involvement highlighted
HEALTHY food and plenty of it was on the menu at the launch of a new club in Middlesbrough. The North Ormesby Good Grub Club aims to encourage people to get involved in the community and learn all about nutritional eating. Project worker Amanda Dexter
READ THE SMALL PRINT! Just thought we'd get that message clear right at the start. Travel insurance is not compulsory, but you'd be daft to leave home without it - very daft. It can cover everything from a lost bag or broken camera to a long hospital
A DECISION to refuse permission for a six-pitch gipsy caravan site at a farm between Darlington and Hurworth could be overturned next week. Last July, the borough planning committee went against officers' recommendations and refused permission for six
RECRUITS are wanted to ensure County Durham councillors behave themselves. Durham County Council and the county's police and fire authorities are seeking people to act as public watchdogs. They will be independent members of the standards committees which
A YOUTH hostel which recently received a grant of £6,000 for improvements for the coming season is under threat of closure as a direct result of trade lost during the foot-and-mouth crisis. At the latest meeting of the Teesdale foot-and-mouth task group
POINT-TO-POINTING resumes in Yorkshire on Sunday with the West of Yore meeting at Hornby Castle, first race 12.30. The course is reported to be in excellent condition and the meeting has attracted a record 164 entries. The feature of a seven-race card
THE National Lottery could demand a share of the proceeds if the controversial sale of Richmond's old railway station building goes ahead. Richmondshire District Council heard that a sale could proceed only when the lottery was informed, as its heritage
A FLOURISHING company is investing £500,000 in a new grading and distribution centre which will handle 100,000lbs of mushrooms a week. Greyfriars is also looking for more growers to help meet increasing demand from its main buyers. Managing director John
AN AMBITIOUS plan to create a waterway for pleasure boats on the Tees at Barnard Castle is the latest suggestion for attracting tourists to Teesdale. The idea, which follows the recent suggestion of a 500ft suspension bridge across the river, involves
THE mother of a boy who was shot as he walked to school is calling for a ban on airguns. Eleven-year-old Arnold Robertson, from, Loftus, east Cleveland, was hit in the leg yesterday at about 8.20am, as he walked to Freebrough Community College. He managed
BUDDING musicians at St Edward's RC Primary School, in Middlesbrough, have been invited to make as much noise as possible. The year one pupils have been enjoying percussion lessons with Tees Valley Music Service and trying their hand at a variety of musical
A MOTORIST died and 12 people were injured last night when a van careered onto a railway line and hit a train - on the first anniversary of the Selby rail disaster. The awful coincidence immediately brought renewed demands for improvements to the safety
A TEENAGE drug addict was hunted down, stabbed through the heart and stamped on as he lay dying in the street, a court heard yesterday. Two men and a 17-year-old youth are standing trial at Teesside Crown Court, accused of the murder last June of Wayne
PLANS to build one of the world's biggest medicines plants has been given a multi-million pound boost by the Government. Biotechnology group Avecia, in Billingham, Teesside, plans to create 300 jobs over the next three years at a new £70m production plant
MPs and ministers are to receive an inflation-busting annual pay rise of 2.5 per cent next month. And on top of the rise, they will receive the second half of a £4,000 additional boost to their salary which they voted themselves last year, bringing the
NEWCASTLE United winger Laurent Robert reckons he has discovered the weakest link in Arsenal's defensive armoury. The £10m Frenchman lit the touch-paper for tomorrow's potentially explosive Premiership clash with the Gunners by insisting that they lack
A NATIONAL conference, aimed at bringing design and technology alive in the classroom, is taking place on Teesside today. BBC presenter, and king of the "swingometer" Peter Snow will be compering the Young Foresight conference at the Tall Trees Hotel,
A SECTION of a main road is to be closed from Monday to allow a £200,000 improvement scheme to be completed. A three-quarter mile stretch of the A174, between the junction for Cowbar and Staithes in Cleveland, will be shut for two weeks. Redcar and Cleveland
North-East commuters endured another miserable day as rail workers caused more chaos. Services across the North-East were crippled when conductors and other staff at Arriva Trains Northern began a 48-hour stoppage. Extra buses were laid on but fewer than
Sunderland Catholic Club Over-40s League Ofive games were played in the Over 40s League last weekend on account of the heavy snow. In the Premier Divisions Steels Social won 2-1 away to Penshaw Catholic and are now the new leaders on goal difference.
MOTORIST Joanne Berry is being driven to despair - because her car thinks it is an aeroplane. The 1998 Toyota Avensis was her pride and joy when she bought it in April last year. And any fears she might have had about the car's reliability were allayed
A LOCAL historian has put the finishing touches to a four-year labour of love. Former engineer Roger Kingdon, of Borrowby, near Thirsk, turned his hand to historical research along with a team of volunteers at Stonegrave Church, near Helmsley. The local
PUPILS have dug deep to help improve their local environment. Year six pupils Alex Kaisley, Jack Matthewman, Aimee Farndale and Siobhan Hollis-Miles, from the Applegarth School, Northallerton, and their headteacher, Al Procter, took part in a day of tree
SWIMMERS from a Darlington college made a big splash at the national schools finals at Crystal Palace, returning with a bronze medal. The Queen Elizabeth sixth form college team of Angie Winstanley-Smith, Jill Hunter, Ruth Fay and Stephanie Surtees finished
Darlington captain Craig Liddle has hit back at the wife of George Reynolds, saying her comments at last night's Fans Forum were "out of order". The players, who had been ordered to attend, stormed out just half-an-hour into the meeting after chairman
ORGANISERS of a recycling competition were so impressed by a school's entry that they decided to award an extra prize. Pupils from 18 schools collected old Yellow Pages directories for a competition organised by Sedgefield Borough Council and environmental
PROFESSIONAL dancers are to appear alongside students from Richmond School in a jazz show. The performance is the culmination of a week's residency by the RJC Dance Company, one of the country's most successful black dance companies. RJC, which stands
Cars targeted by thieves A digital compact disc player, worth £100, was stolen from a Toyota Camry in Ash Terrace, West Cornforth, between 9.45pm on Tuesday and 8.20am on Wednesday. A Seat Cordoba was broken into in the same street at the same time, but
A WOMAN threatened to break the legs of her tobacco supplier after he groped her, a court heard. The 24-year-old, who cannot be identified, had called at Derrick Hubbard's home to pick up an order of tobacco when he lifted up her top, said David Bryson
A GNER train flashes past, a dark blur with an orange streak speeding through it. The train shatters the silence, its wheels so big and powerful and unstoppable, its carriages so vast and metal and unbreakable. It clatters under the small road bridge
Pledge over HQ move plan OPEN debate has been promised on the proposed relocation of Richmondshire District Council's headquarters. The authority is considering a move from Richmond to the new business park in Colburn, prompting concern within the community
A LONG-held dream has taken a step closer to becoming reality for youngsters in the Northallerton area. Members of Hambleton District Council's cabinet have approved in principle the development of land by the Stone Cross leisure centre into a skateboard
Neither before, during or after was a reason for last night's Fans' Forum ever given, but it did serve to show that George Reynolds' tenure as chairman and owner of Darlington Football Club could be coming to and end. On several occasions during a passion-filled
Darlington Football Club chairman George Reynolds has said that comments made by his wife about players throwing games were not directed at his own team. Speaking at a fans' forum on Thursday night, Susan Reynolds said: "It isn't unknown for games to
THE reopening of the majority of public footpaths in the area is being celebrated with the launch of a programme of new walks. The Public Art in Teesdale walks leaflet has remained in sealed boxes for more than eight months, due to the effects of foot-and-mouth
DISGRUNTLED taxi drivers in Darlington say they will boycott liaison meetings with council officers unless they are opened to the Press and public. Members of the Darlington Independent Taxi Traders' Organisation say communications with the council have
The parents of an outstanding student whose killer could be released from prison after only two-and-a-half years have called on the Prime Minister to have sentencing guidelines explained to them. In a hard-hitting letter, David and Margaret Brown, call
Spennymoor United have been voted the UniBond League First Division Team of the Month for the second month in succession. Moors have yet to lose a game under new manager Tony Lee, and since he was appointed, they have moved from the fringe of the relegation
LONG-serving council clerk Margaret Turner has bowed out for a new life in the United States. Mrs Turner, who has been clerk of Loftus Town Council for 17 years, was presented with a gold watch after officiating at her last meeting before leaving for
A COUNCIL'S parks chief has tabled a planning application to "fly the flag" of success in Ripon's award-winning Spa Gardens. Harrogate Borough Council's director of leisure, Kevin Douglas, is hoping councillors will give the go ahead to the 5m flagpole
Sir, - I am delighted the National Park and National Trust are taking action over the death of frogs and toads on the Sheep Wash Road past Codbeck Reservoir above Osmotherley, and that Mr George McDonald has spurred some action. It is sad to see how the
A PLUMBING firm has pulled out the stops to donate £100 to charity. Newcastle plumbing merchant Plumb Center has given the sum to the Children's Cancer Ward appeal at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital. It will help pay for improvements and buy equipment for
Chester-le-Street take on Bedlington tonight in a Friday night experiment. Chester approached Bedlington a month ago about bringing the game forward, and they are hoping for a big crowd at Chester Moor against the league leaders. Chester manager Stuart
A NORTH-EAST MP is supporting a charity in its plea to the Government to increase overseas aid. Gerry Steinberg, MP for Durham City, wants the Government to bring its amount of aid up to the United Nations' target by 2012. This corresponds with Oxfam's
Sir, - Following articles and reports in your newspaper on the state of the River Leven in Stokesley, I should like to support the efforts and concerns of residents and voluntary groups who try to keep the river area tidy. The ageing voluntary groups
WOMEN are being invited to sample exercise sessions at a health club's opening event. To celebrate its launch on Sunday, the new Healthlands branch in Finchale Road, Framwellgate Moor, is offering free exercise taster sessions for all fitness levels.
COUNCILLORS are to monitor a newly installed slip road from a busy dual carriageway to a pub. Gateshead's Chowdene ward councillor Gordon Spring said: "We are very concerned about the installation of the slip road from Durham Road to the Jolly Miller.
SOME of Teesside's most talented young musicians will be taking part in a musical extravaganza. The 70 members of the Tees Valley Youth Orchestra, whose ages range from 13 to 20, will be playing at the Stockton Baptist Tabernacle. The orchestra hails
AN INCREASE in out-of-school childcare places has been secured in Redcar and Cleveland thanks to a Government cash boost of almost £52,000. The money has come from the New Opportunities Fund Out of School Hours Childcare grant, set up to establish new
ANIMAL-lovers have come out in force to volunteer to carry toads across a busy road at Cod Beck Reservoir, near Osmotherley. Hundreds of the migrating amphibians have been squashed by traffic in previous years, so volunteers were called for to carry them
