THE hit-and-run driver who left six-year-old Leonie Shaw to die in the road must have known his brakes were useless, police revealed last night. Colin Meek, 34, had only five per cent of one brake working on his powerful Rover when he ploughed into little
HARTLEPOOL United's pre-season programme winds down tonight - but Tommy Widdrington's comeback moves on another level. After brief outings against Barnsley and Scarborough in the last week, influential Widdrington is in line for a longer run out at Billingham
The family of the victim of a brutal assault released this harrowing picture of him lying in a hospital bed today - in the hope of bringing his attackers to justice. Ron Patterson remains in a serious condition in hospital after he was subjected to a
A COLOURFUL nod to Chester-le-Street's mining heritage has earned council gardeners a silver medal in a national contest Using a mining wheel and a coal tub, Chester-le-Street District Council's horticultural team created a vibrant flower display for
FORTRESSES and castle ramparts fired the imagination of children taking part in a medieval history lesson recently. Pupils at Witton Gilbert Primary School have been learning about castles and the people who lived in them. The highlight of the project
CALLS for a change in the law are being made after disgraced surgeon Richard Neale was appointed by a top NHS hospital only a year after he was struck off for the second time in his life. The former surgeon, who was removed from the medical register after
TWENTY five young high fliers brightened up the skies above Crook yesterday with a colourful airborne display. Clowns, animals and cartoon characters were all turned into kites at a summer holiday workshop led by Malcolm Goodman in Crook library. Mr Goodman
RESIDENTS breathed a sigh of relief yesterday after a bid to open a late-night bar near their homes was rejected. Pyramid Pub Management applied to Middlesbrough Borough Council's licensing committee for permission to re-open the Temple Bar, in Linthorpe
DIANE Eckerman and Daniel Crossman's shoes were definitely made for walking - so much so that they have worn them out. The pair have wrecked their shoes delivering leaflets to 20,000 homes across Teesside, advertising the Tees Barrage Grand Fireworks
THE fifth anniversary of the launch of an innovative project, which has since been copied around the Yorkshire Dales, was celebrated in style. Richmondshire District Council's Leyburn Community Office opened in 1997 and representatives from the authority
TEAMS of police were last night still searching the swollen waters of the river Ouse for missing sailor Nicholas Lightowler. Frogmen were scouring the water and uniformed officers with dogs patrolling the banks in an effort to find the missing 57-year-old
A FOOTBALL fan told a court that he only invaded a pitch at the end of a crucial match because he did not want to see a shirt ripped off a player's back. Taxi driver Darren Rowbotham had invested £100 to sponsor the shirt of a favourite Hartlepool United
CHIEFS at a North-East council have hit back at claims that a 3in deep paddling pool for toddlers is costing up to £8,000 a year to run. John Watson, councillor on Teesdale Borough Council, told The Northern Echo last week that the pool, which has to
VILLAGERS are vowing to clean up their community, which they say is being ruined by drug abuse and other anti-social behaviour. Homeowners in South Moor, near Stanley, County Durham, yesterday spoke out about the problems of drugs, arson, violence and
A 102-year-old man was threatened with a golf club as he sat in his wheelchair during a daylight raid on his house. The victim was forced to hand over his wallet after a young thug threatened to attack him with the club after breaking into his home. After
AN 11-year-old boy was threatened by a penknife-wielding youth who stole his bike. The boy was approached by a youth aged about 16 at 6.30pm on Friday, at the skate park near the Mill House Leisure Centre, Hartlepool. His assailant produced a penknife
AN exhibition of equipment designed to improve life and enhance the independence of visually impaired people is to be staged in Northallerton. The event, at the Golden Lion on September 10 from 10am to 4pm, is sponsored by the Northallerton and District
RURAL firms which were devastated by the indirect effects of the foot-and-mouth crisis are planning to sue the Government for allegedly neglecting their plight. Many traders in North Yorkshire are joining forces in a group legal action, which they believe
YOUNGSTERS enjoyed the limelight yesterday at a performing arts workshop in east Cleveland. About 20 children, aged ten to 15, are taking part in the workshop being staged at Skelton Youth Centre throughout the week. After receiving expert tuition in
EXTRA staff have arrived at North Yorkshire's most remote ambulance station to ensure 24-hour emergency cover across the northern dales. Until now, the Wensleydale crews locked up the base at Bainbridge at the end of the day shift, responding to out-of-hours
PLANS to build a waste transfer station and recycling site near Barnard Castle will be discussed by councillors tomorrow. Members of Teesdale District Council's development control committee will consider plans by Durham County Council to build the station
THE Four Tops - A History of the Motown Show will recreate the music of the 1960s and 70s' Motown era at Darlington Civic Theatre on Thursday, September 5, at 7.30pm. Tickets are £11 and £13. For more details, telephone (01325) 486555. TABLE-TOP SALE:
THE Newcastle office of licensed property agents Christie and Co has announced the sale of two public houses in County Durham to the Tadcaster Pub Company. They are the Quaker Coffee House and Bar, in Darlington, and The Plough Inn, in Haswell Plough,
CALL centre staff helped patients at a Durham hospital get closer to nature. Ten workers from the customer service centre of London Electricity (LE Group) in Doxford Park, Sunderland, volunteered to spend four days creating a nature trail at Earl's House
THE A1 was closed for more than two hours yesterday morning after horses escaped from a field between Londonderry and Sinderby in North Yorkshire. One was killed in a collision with a vehicle while another accident happened as drivers took evasive action
A CITY centre development of 93 flats is expected to be approved by councillors today. Housing group Cala Homes plans to build the apartments in three and four-storey blocks on the old Heppell and Smallpage site, at the corner of Foss Islands Road and
A DOG, which ran alongside its owner in charity fun runs, has gone missing. Jan Mazurk's dog Jazz bolted from its Darlington home during storms last Tuesday and has not returned. The black collie cross ran the Race For Life with Mrs Mazurk in July, helping
JIM Tague, Chairman of the Bishop Auckland Branch of the Conservative Party, is critical of Durham County Council's efforts to engage in direct dialogue with the people it serves by inviting members of the public to put questions directly to members of
Most children get a thrill out of finding a fossil, but some never lose that sense of excitement. Nick Morrison meets a childhood collector who has grown up into a dinosaur hunter. ABOUT five years ago, Will Watts was out for a walk on the North York
WITNESSES are being sought following an attack on a pedestrian. A man was walking behind the JobCentre, in Victoria Road, Hartlepool, at 8pm on Sunday, July 28, when he became involved in an argument with the male driver of a small red car. The driver
BRIDGE afternoons are being launched on Wednesdays at Durham Indoor Bowling Club, next to the Abbey Sports Centre, Pity Me. The sessions start at 1.30pm and everyone will get a game, even if they do not have a partner. The cost is £1.50. For more details
HEALTH teams are going out on the town this week to hand out advice on sexual health issues. At Bar Monaco, in Bishop Auckland Market Place on Thursday night, staff from GP surgeries and clinics will set up information stands and run games and a free
A GROUP has been formed to find out what people with multiple sclerosis (MS) feel about the services they receive. The Multiple Sclerosis Society, Newton Aycliffe-based Pioneering Care Partnership and health and social services officials are working together
A RESTORED windmill is hosting a local artists' exhibition. The exhibition at Fulwell Mill, in Sunderland, opened on Saturday and runs until Sunday. It is being held in a marquee in the mill's grounds and features works by members of Fulwell and Sunderland
A PUB has been given permission to stay open late at weekends - despite a 250-signature petition from residents against the idea. Middlesbrough Council's licensing committee gave the go ahead yesterday to The Rudds Arms, in Marton, to stay open until
WHEN Andrew Wyer walked into a village pub with his family, he was a typical long-haired teenager. But when the 16-year-old emerged, he was almost unrecognisable having had his flowing locks shorn to raise money for charity. His parents and grandparents
CAN there be any mitigation that will prevent Colin Meek from receiving a maximum sentence of ten years in prison? Yesterday he admitted causing the death of six-year-old Leonie Shaw by dangerous driving. The judge will pass sentence on him in three weeks
Britney and Hitler... going head to head. THE best moment in the new quiz show Swapheads came when one contestant, Debbie, was asked about Hitler's right hand man. He had, she suggested, a hamster-sounding name. Gerbils, Goebels, geddit. What do you expect
A ROW has broken out over plans to introduce residents-only parking in part of Hartlepool. Tankerville Street is the first unregulated street on the boundary of an existing residential parking restriction which ends at Tankerville Street and Milton Road
NORTHUMBRIA Police officers will today meet councillors and other agencies to tackle the problem of youth disorder in South Tyneside. The half-day workshop, at 1pm at South Shields Police Station, has been arranged to come up with creative and innovative
BRIDGE afternoons are being launched on Wednesdays at Durham Indoor Bowling Club, next to the Abbey Sports Centre, Pity Me. The sessions start at 1.30pm and everyone will get a game, even if they do not have a partner. The cost is £1.50. For more details
A recent article in The Cricketer claimed that Durham Cricket Club was presiding over 'giant strides... made' and 'first-rate facilities' for supporters with disabilities at the Riverside. With such an effort being made by a major north-eastern sporting
LOW drawn front-runners enjoy a huge advantage over seven furlongs at Catterick handing a significant advantage to Contact (3.15) in the Nags Head at Pickhill Handicap. While some of the market leaders have been drawn out in the double-digit cheap seats
A day at the races offers a fabulous opportujnity to dress up but how do you find the perfect outfit without breaking the bank? Women's Editor Christen Pears hunts for bargains at one of the regions' leading designer outlets. YOU'RE in the grandstand,
THE Four Tops - A History of the Motown Show will recreate the music of the 1960s and 70s' Motown era at Darlington Civic Theatre on Thursday, September 5, at 7.30pm. Tickets are £11 and £13. For more details, telephone (01325) 486555. TABLE-TOP SALE:
BISHOP Auckland College has welcomed home seven students after a two-week expedition to the Italian Dolomites and the French Pyrenees. The 14-day adventure was organised as part of the college's Network Challenge programme, a one-year course which allows
A SOLDIER has gained his Royal Marines green beret after 30 weeks of gruelling training. Stuart Lawley, 19, from Darlington, had to pass endurance courses, a Tarzan assault course, a nine-mile speed march and a 30-mile walk carrying 40lbs of weaponry
VILLAGERS turned out in force to celebrate a successful carnival. Middleton-in-Teesdale carnival started with several events last week, but the main ones took place at the weekend. Press officer June Kneller said organisers were worried at one point that
A contraversial plan to merge hospital services is due to be debated by health authority bosses tomorrow. If it goes through, bosses hope it will help County Durham hospitals to meet the challenges contained in the national NHS Plan. But it would mean
Police have renewed their appeal for help in tracing a man who has been missing since March. Edward Donnelly, 52, has not been since for 18 weeks when he left the home he shares with his sister in Fynway, Sacriston, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham
YORKSHIRE may have gone from champs to chumps in the four-day game, but they stepped up their pursuit of two one-day trophies with a floodlit demolition of Durham last night. Yorkshire are four points behind leaders Worcestershire in division one of the
THE region's premier organ transplant centre is facing a major crisis in the number of donors available to help perform life-saving operations on hundreds of North-East patients. For the first time, the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, has seen a dramatic
THE number of teachers in North schools is continuing to rise, new figures show. But problems remain in recruiting to key posts such as maths, science and English, a union leader said last night. The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) said that
DEATH-CRASH driver Colin Meek's callousness plumbed the deepest depths of evil - he left six-year-old Leonie Shaw to die in the road. Grief for Leonie has been compounded by the anger of two County Durham communities - Bishop Auckland, where Leonie lived
A YOUNG farmer, who was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour, fulfilled a heartfelt pledge to attend his brother's graduation before he died. Tim Maughan, of Piercebridge, County Durham was determined not to let his illness stop him from attending younger
PETER Reid, who is trying to sign a new striker before the new season starts in 11 days' time, has turned down the chance to sign Faustino Asprilla. The Sunderland manager rejected the opportunity to bring in Asprilla when he was approached by the forward's
NORTH-EAST exports have remained steady, despite fears of a downturn in export markets following last year's September 11 terrorist attacks on the US. Latest figures for the final quarter of the 2001-02 financial year, compiled by Trade Partners UK, reveal
MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Motor mechanic, Crook, £7ph, 12-16 hrs per week. To maintain and repair fleet of taxis and mini-buses. Ref: CRK 5893. Care assistant, Darlington. From £4.75 to £6.10ph
GREAT Lumley is poised to see extra nursery provision in new premises attached to an existing infant school. The proposed new nursery at Lumley Medway Infant School will cater for 52 three-to-four-year-olds each day. Governors at Medway have agreed to
MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Taxi driver, Stanley. £4.10ph, hours tba. Must be 18-plus and have held a full driving licence for 12 months. (up to 6 points considered). Ref: STG14958. Dental
NEWCASTLE United's Champions' League preparations have been thrown into disarray with Laurent Robert facing three months on the sidelines. United yesterday moved to allay fears that winger Robert had a broken back and could be out of football for a year
RURAL residents across Darlington borough and South Durham are being urged to help in the fight against poaching. Police believe people, particularly those living in quieter or more remote areas, need to be more vigilant, not only concerning the security
PAUL Gascoigne went live on radio yesterday to accuse Darlington Football Club chairman George Reynolds of using him in a publicity stunt. But Mr Reynolds insisted last night that he had done nothing wrong and had been misrepresented by national newspapers
A VETERAN councillor has died at his home, aged 73. Jimmy Whelan served Darlington at town and county council level during a 35-year political career. He was first elected to Darlington County Borough Council in 1956, as Labour's representative in the
THE chairwoman of the Department of Health's National Treatment Agency will be in the region today to see how a borough is tackling drug addiction. Baroness Massey will meet the leader of Stockton Borough Council, Councillor Bob Gibson, and the council's
GRIEVING parents have joined forces to stop thieves stealing soft toys, flowers and precious mementoes from their children's graves. Police have said the thieves, who sell the items door-to-door after stealing them from Eston Cemetery, near Middlesbrough
A NORTH-EAST Army officer has been getting a bird's-eye view of the Welsh mountains while competing in an inter-service paragliding championship. Captain David Wilson is one of more than 50 competitors from all three services taking part in a range of
TOUGHER jail sentences for drivers who kill have been welcomed by the families of two women mown down by a drink-driver. Ministers announced last week that the maximum jail term for death by dangerous driving, including causing death caused by joyriding
An exhibition looking at changing attitudes to youngsters in art opens this week. Children in Art runs at the Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle, until September 15. It shows youngsters at work, school, and play, and features work by Laura Knight, Paul Gauguin
A TOWN could soon have a new clock despite objections from its own parish council. Residents' group Guisborough Town Pride has applied to erect a new clock in Westgate Road and planning officers have recommended approval. Guisborough Town Council has
NURSES Lorraine Grainger-Powell and Sharon Fry took a break from caring yesterday to launch a tasty new fundraising campaign for Marie Curie Cancer Care. The pair, who care for cancer patients from all over Teesside, donned chefs' hats to promote Make
Fears were growing last night for the safety of two ten-year-old girls who vanished from a road near their homes. Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman have not been seen since they went missing from Soham, Cambridgeshire, on Sunday evening. The youngsters,
A SERIES of music workshops is being held across the county this week. The Live Music Now sessions have been organised by County Durham Care at locations including Durham, Newton Aycliffe, Seaham and Bishop Auckland. Live Music Now is a scheme which has
ONE of the country's leading manufacturers of plastic bottles and casings for the soft drinks and toiletry markets is to close, with the loss of 46 jobs. The chairman of Beaumont Industries of Scarborough, Richard Beaumont, said it had suffered losses
A man in his 20s was yesterday helping police with their inquiries into a robbery at a hardware store. The man was arrested following an attack on a member of staff at Rodbers in Richmond, North Yorkshire. The victim needed hospital treatment after he
SOME of the region's most spectacular woodlands are the setting for a travelling playscheme aimed at youngsters with a sense of adventure. A Ranger Roadshow run by the Forestry Commission starts its tour tomorrow at Wooler Common, in Northumberland, and
DISGRUNTLED motorist George Hudson is leading a crusade for unlucky drivers after he got two parking fines in the same day - for displaying his disabled badge upside down. The Scarborough pensioner was stunned to discover a £30 ticket placed on his car
A SENIOR councillor has defended a local authority's decision not to take another legal opinion on noise in the case of a motor-racing circuit which neighbours claim is damaging their health. Richmondshire District Council decided last week to stand by
BRITAIN'S economic recovery suffered a setback yesterday after the recession-hit manufacturing industry recorded its sharpest fall for more than 20 years. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that output slid 5.3 per cent in June
A CONSTRUCTION company is expected to show massive growth for a record year which should see its turnover rise to £5m, an increase of 25 per cent. Lloyds TSB Corporate customer Wyn Construction has also appointed Derek Ginsberg as commercial director.
A disabled man has completed a 3,200-mile circumnavigation of Britain - powered by hand. Paraplegic David Abrutat, from Scarborough, has powered his specially designed handcycle the length and breadth of the country in an Around Britain Challenge. The
A manufacturing company is to start work on an extension to its headquarters site as part of a restructuring of the business. Weatherald Wood Components, the specialist kitchen and bathroom furniture maker, of Askrigg, near Hawes, North Yorkshire, is
MILLS Group, one of the North's newsagent and convenience store operators, has announced its expansion plans for next year. The company, which operates 55 stores, is aiming to open between six and ten new shops. It will be expanding its local community-based
WITNESSES are being sought following an attack on a pedestrian. A man was walking behind the JobCentre, in Victoria Road, Hartlepool, at 8pm on Sunday, July 28, when he became involved in an argument with the male driver of a small red car. The driver
RESIDENTS will be given the chance to help shape the future of library services in their town later this week. Hartlepool Borough Council's award-winning library service will come under the spotlight at a meeting of the Culture and Learning Scrutiny Forum
CONTROVERSIAL moves to slash traffic in London are being closely monitored by council chiefs in one of the North's big cities. Congestion charges are to be introduced to reduce the amount of vehicles which use the capital's streets. York's traffic experts
A GARAGE at a Darlington house was broken into by thieves who stole more than £1,000 worth of sports equipment. The raiders got into the garage in Woodland Road between 1am and 10am on Sunday and took two green Raleigh mountain bikes. Three full sets
Twenty-one wildlife sites on Ministry of Defence land in the North-East and North Yorkshire will be guaranteed future protection by the military, following an accord signed yesterday. The Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are guaranteed protection
ROAD conditions did not contribute to the Selby rail disaster, which claimed ten lives, a report said last night. The accident was caused when a vehicle driven by Gary Hart drove off the M62, near Great Heck, in North Yorkshire, and crashed on to the
AN Army colonel could set a new record for climbing every mountain over 2,000ft in the Lake District later this month. Lieutenant Colonel Peter Jones, who commands the Bicester-based 23 Pioneer Regiment, was already planning the marathon during his summer
A CALL of nature from a cow could soon leave someone flushed -with cash. For when she makes a deposit in her favourite field, someone, somewhere, is in line for a cheque for £1,000. Anica, an 11-year-old Friesian from Melvyn Peacock's Grange Farm in Bedale
DARLINGTON firm Premier Decking Design has become the first business in the North-East to achieve accreditation under a nationwide quality assurance scheme called DeckMark. Timber decks have shot to popularity in recent years and DeckMark was introduced
A NEWLY-formed arts agency has been granted £18,000. Whitby Community Cultural Arts is organising arts activities which employ artists to work with local groups. Yorkshire Arts has given it money to provide dance workshops, lantern making classes, performances
GEORGE BOATENG last night completed his £5m move to Middlesbrough and immediately warned his new employers they face a battle to hold on to manager Steve McClaren. Boateng, relaunching his career after a controversial split with Aston Villa, believes
EVEN Peter Reid, a man who has defied the slings and arrows of footballing fortune to carve out a successful playing and management career, must be wondering why the fates are all suddenly conspiring against him. While the "Reid Out" campaign is not one
Greeted by the pipes and drums of Tulloch Transport and by the massed bands of the Regiment of Groundhoppers, Gretna FC hasted home on Saturday. Twice Northern League champions, they had played all but one of their 56 seasons south of the border - "mining
NORTHALLERTON people tired of seeing their properties flooded descended on local council offices last week. Angry residents in the Quaker Lane, Brompton Road and Stokesley Road areas of the town called a public meeting at the Standard Inn on Wednesday
Forget that image of bearded blokes with bulging bellies. The beer industry wants to give real ale a new look -s and this time the curves should be in all the right places. They want to encourage more of the fairer sex to raise a glass of traditional
AN insurance firm has teamed up with County Durham firefighters to make sure homes in the area are fitted with smoke alarms. Bib Insurance Brokers, which insures more than 2,000 homes in the Darlington area, is giving away a free smoke alarm with every
BISHOP Middleham is a village which is not used to the being in the limelight. But with thousands of visitors on their doorstep, residents are determined to make the most of their moment in the spotlight. The tourists have descended on land at a disused
Detectives investigating a violent robbery at a country mansion, which resulted in a wealthy businessman being shot in the head, have made further breakthroughs. Peter Stephenson, 52, was wounded as he struggled with one of three intruders in the grounds
YOU know what I really like about writing this column each week? Once it's written, it stays written. I mean, the editor doesn't change it or ask me to write it again. You might think that that goes for all articles in the newspapers. Well, not on the
A recent article in The Cricketer claimed that Durham Cricket Club was presiding over 'giant strides... made' and 'first-rate facilities' for supporters with disabilities at the Riverside. With such an effort being made by a major north-eastern sporting
POLICE are investigating two robberies in the Richmond area. In one a robber attacked a member of staff at Rodber's furniture warehouse on Queen's Road, Richmond, on Friday. The attacker clubbed the assistant over the head several times before snatching
ORIGINAL paintings by some of the twentieth century's most famous artists have gone on display in a new exhibition. Twelve of the Best is the first in a series of exhibitions at the dli - formerly Durham Light Infantry Museum and Durham Art Gallery -
THE Government is facing pressure to develop a roadside drug testing device after it was revealed that half the drivers who died in accidents in County Durham area had taken drugs. Figures released by Durham Constabulary show that of the 23 drivers who
MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. HGV fitter, Hartlepool. £7.75ph, 40hpw. To carry out the maintenance of HGVs. Ref: HAQ20449. Care assistant, Thornaby. NMW. 16hpw, shifts tba. NVQ level 2 preferred
This week's column discovers a hidden gem in an unexpected place. NEW towns are having a bad press. Report after report finds them crumbling, physically or metaphorically, about the unfortunate citizens' ears. A food critic would draw no more comfortable
Health Secretary Alan Milburn has refused to intervene to allow Lottery cash to be spent on much-needed childrens' beds in a North-East hospice. Newcastle-based St Oswalds adult hospice plans to open eight beds for children in a brand new unit already
FLOODS twice caused havoc to homes, businesses and transport across North Yorkshire last week, prompting protests from residents demanding action on inadequate drains. Emergency measures were put in place across the county on Friday for the second time
IN the wake of power firm Enron going into administration, a North-East arm of the company has been put up for sale. Enron Teesside Operations Limited (ETOL) has continued to operate as a stand-alone business and has the support of its stakeholders, following
DETECTIVES are hoping new forensic evidence will help to catch an armed gang who shot a wealthy businessman at point blank range. Peter Stephenson was blasted in the head with a shotgun during a struggle in the grounds of his Kepwick Hall country home
Two years ago Nicola Coates' life was saved by someone who she had never met and whose name she didn't even know. She was suffering from leukaemia and it was a bone marrow transplant from an unknown donor that put her back on the road to health and happiness
A GRANDFATHER who once had trouble climbing the stairs has become a record breaking runner in his twilight years. Barry Parnaby, 70, broke the 400m record for the 70-74 age group in the British Veterans' athletics championships in London last weekend.
This week's column discovers a hidden gem in an unexpected place. NEW towns are having a bad press. Report after report finds them crumbling, physically or metaphorically, about the unfortunate citizens' ears. A food critic would draw no more comfortable
