A CITY centre street will remain closed for the foreseeable future after a Georgian building's partial collapse. Building engineers are investigating whether the facade of the three-storey former Trustee Savings Bank, in Grainger Street, Newcastle, can
HISTORIANS from across the world are to attend a North-East conference about the life of Captain Cook. Among them will be Professor Andrew Lambert who is involved in the BBC2 programme The Ship, which recreates the explorer's journey to Australia. The
THE backstage workings of a historic theatre were revealed to the public over the weekend, before a major new production. Harrogate Theatre opened its doors to provide a series of backstage tours, as well as face-painting and dressing-up activities for
HAMBLETON District Council is changing the way it keeps information recorded in the electoral register. The register, which is compiled by the authority, lists the names and addresses of everyone registered to vote. Until now, the council had to make
YOUNGSTERS came face to face with an array of creepy crawlies during a special nursery session. Zoological expert Gary Spires visited Bedale Day Nursery, together with an amazing variety of animals. A 2ft long North American milk snake, an emperor scorpion
THE hit television programme It's A Knockout made a brief return as part of a North Yorkshire carnival. Members of Northallerton- charity Chopsticks fielded a team for the contest and raised £240 towards a new building. The team won fourth prize and the
IT was potato paradise for visitors to one of the region's top botanical attractions at the weekend, as the British dinner table's favourite vegetable was celebrated. The Royal Horticultural Society's Harlow Carr Gardens, in Harrogate, staged a display
COUNCILLORS will today see for themselves where a controversial proposal to erect a six-metre high metal sculpture depicting seven fish may be erected. Some have described the work of art designed for Redcar High Street as part of a £26m shopping development
EMERGENCY measures have been taken by a council to maintain a bus route to a hospital after a bus company pulled out. Abbey Coaches has announced it is to stop running the 751 or 151 route between Easington, Loftus, Skinningrove and East Cleveland Hospital
A 36-YEAR-old bachelor jumped to his death at a North-East beauty spot after his boss caught him stealing money to pay prostitutes, it has been claimed. The body of Roland Bellwood was found under Levens Viaduct, south of Yarm, on the A19 yesterday morning
OLDER people on South Tyneside are being offered free safety checks on their electric blankets. South Tyneside Council's trading standards department and Age Concern is offering the service to people aged over 50. Last year, 232 blankets were tested and
AN advice centre has been saved from closure by its management committee and staff. The Neighbourhood Advice Centre, Victoria Road West, Hebburn, seemed likely to shut down because it was owned by Cammell Laird, which went into receivership. But employees
A NURSERY facing closure has been given an extra two years to find a new home. The future of the Stepping Stones Co-operative Nursery, based at Shotley Bridge Hospital, near Consett, was thrown into doubt because of redevelopment at the hospital. But
A COUNCIL has denied it is holding up plans by Teesside Airport to join forces with a private partner. The airport revealed in June that it was aiming to branch out into the private sector in a bid to encourage investment and help its long-term development
AFTER all the recent sunshine and warm balmy evenings, we've been thrown right into the deepest troughs of depressive weather conditions. Cold winds, lashing rain, mean and moody clouds, thunderstorms and even hail. Add to this the first tinges of yellow
AN aspiring Army officer is facing prison after a brutal attack on a fellow pupil in the dormitory of a top public school. James Slade admitted an attack on Lloyd Pickering in a dormitory of Durham School, before Chester-le-Street magistrates. He pleaded
A TWELFTH heart-start machine has been installed at Newcastle Airport, as part of a Government-backed initiative which has already saved lives. Newcastle was one of the first UK airports to have automated external defibrillators (AEDs) installed last
OFFICIALS will look again at controversial plans to build a road on an embankment past an estate. People living on the St Aidan's Estate, in Grangetown, Sunderland, have objected to the elevated section of the southern radial route planned by Sunderland
UP to 20,000 people came to see some of the country's most impressive custom and classic cars in the region yesterday. More than 140 classic and custom cars and bikes were paraded on Saltburn seafront during the sixth and biggest American Classic Car
THE Teesdale village of Cotherstone enjoyed one of its biggest-ever annual horticultural shows at the weekend. About 500 exhibits were entered into the show held in the village hall on Saturday - that is more than two per household. The event's assistant
CHRISTOPHER Stapleton is the youngest winner of a prestigious regional horticultural award. The Spennymoor teenager followed in the footsteps of his father, Colin, and grandfather, Harold, to be named North-East Champion at Durham and Northumberland Fuchsia
A DISPLAY of crystals went on show at the weekend. Killhope North of England Lead Mining Museum, in Upper Weardale, hosted the 11th annual Friends of Killhope grand mineralogical exhibition. The display attracted mineral collectors from all over Britain
IT sounds like a tale that only Hollywood could dream up - but a family insist they are being plagued by a frisky Roman ghost. Now, Linda and Darren Morris are on the verge of calling in ghostbusters to rid their home of the saucy spectre. The couple,
A COUPLE wed in the glamour of a 1950s rock 'n' roll ceremony on Saturday. Slipping on his blue suede shoes and a Teddy Boy outfit, 37 year-old Michael Green was the image of his hero, Elvis Presley, as he exchanged vows with Wendy Love, 35. Mother-of-five
A FORMER old people's home could be demolished to make way for housing. Lancing Homes is seeking planning permission to build 23 houses on the site of Syke House, Priestfield Gardens, Burnopfield. Syke House, which was home to 33 residents, was run by
FILMING is due to end this week on the story of 11 Women's Institute members who captured a nation's imagination when they posed naked for a charity calendar. The members of Rylstone and District WI, in North Yorkshire, have become famous for raising
AIR Force veterans gathered yesterday for an emotional Battle of Britain commemoration. The annual event at the Yorkshire Air Museum, at Elvington, near York, was staged in partnership with the Royal Air Force Association. Highlights included a service
A MEETING to inform organisations about grant aid to support community-based projects will be held in Heighington Village Hall tomorrow, at 7pm. TOURING SHOW: The Kepow Theatre Company will stage The Game of Love, at Cotherstone Village Hall, on Saturday
FIREFIGHTERS were called to three house fires across Cleveland at the weekend. The worst blaze was at Mayfair Street, Hartlepool, in which there was 80 per cent fire and smoke damage. The fire was reported to the brigade at about 2.20pm on Saturday. There
Q COULD you explain why when a person has no personal interest in a matter, they are said to have no axe to grind? - Tony Bills, Wharfedale Avenue, Harrogate. A THE phrase is of American origin and is often attributed to a story told by Benjamin Franklin
A FAMILY vowed last night to take legal action after a mental patient absconded from a North-East care home and attacked a toddler. The man, who has not been named, is believed to have left the privately-owned Hollyhurst nursing home - a semi-secure unit
A MEETING to inform organisations about grant aid to support community-based projects will be held in Heighington Village Hall tomorrow, at 7pm. TOURING SHOW: The Kepow Theatre Company will stage The Game of Love, at Cotherstone Village Hall, on Saturday
A NURSERY facing closure has been given an extra two years to find a new home. The future of the Stepping Stones Co-operative Nursery, based at Shotley Bridge Hospital, near Consett, was thrown into doubt because of redevelopment at the hospital. But
Victorious captain Richard Blakey was unstinting in his praise of Matthew Elliott after Yorkshire's emphatic C&G Trophy triumph. "Darren Lehmann would love to have been here today but this bloke is a more than adequate replacement and he played out
They are the stuff of nightmares, lurking in the deepest, darkest recesses of our fears, but a growing body of opinion wants them to return to their long-ago haunts. John Dean looks at why wolves could be making a comeback. IT is an evocative sound which
THE horses lining up for the 2.15 race at Ripon were, with respect, a pretty ordinary bunch: selling-platers competing at the lowest level of the sport of kings with barely a win between them. But they were running in the name of a man of the highest
AN 18-year-old man is due in court today accused of murdering an Iranian asylum-seeker last week. The man, from Scotland, who was arrested in Edinburgh on Friday, has also been charged with racially aggravated assault and violent disorder. Two Sunderland
RESIDENTS and traders in a market town fear there could be an increase in weekend violence if plans for a new takeaway restaurant are approved. Many people living in Pickering are up in arms over proposals for a new food outlet planned for Eastgate. A
Matthew Elliott became a conquering hero at Lord's on Saturday with a stunning unbeaten century. The Australian's 128 not out guided Yorkshire to the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy after beating Somerset by six wickets. But he was not the only star
DARLINGTON Mowden Park's Tongan twosome proved an instant hit as they inspired a 31-18 win at home to Tynedale in National Three North. No 8 Paino Kelekolio scored two tries in the first 25 minutes, and with skipper Mark Bedworth contributing 16 points
QUARRY bosses have diverted investment out of a depressed dale, putting jobs at risk, over a planning dispute. Sherburn Stone Company director Paul Allison is threatening to cut overtime at Broadwood Quarry, in Frosterley, and blames County Durham's "
DEBUT goals are child's play to family man Tore Andre Flo. Sunderland's record signing rescued a point for his new side with a 70th-minute equaliser in the 1-1 draw against Manchester United. And, in so doing, the Norwegian striker registered a hat-trick
Two men and a youth were appearing in court today charged with the murder of a Manchester United fan who died as he made his way home from a match. Glynn Ellis, from Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, died after becoming trapped beneath his own car following
POLICE are hunting vandals who killed nine racing pigeons in a former mining village at the weekend. Three crees were broken into at Paradise Allotments, near the Welfare Hall and Park in Easington Colliery, near Peterlee, County Durham. between Friday
Darlington deserter Faustino Asprilla has declared he would still like to play for the club - but not at the moment, and not on the terms offered to him. The Columbian was quoted over the weekend saying he would play for Darlington in the future and cited
A SUPPORT scheme for young carers desperately needs volunteers to continue its work. The charity Barnardo's runs the Stanley-based Derwentside Young Carers Project which supports youngsters looking after sick or disabled relatives. But it fears its work
AS Tore Andre Flo turned away in triumph, his joy unconfined at marking another debut with yet another goal, only one person appeared more delighted at a packed Stadium of Light. It wasn't Peter Reid, who shook off his usual pragmatic cloak as he leapt
KNOWING the nature of Niall Quinn, the handshake he proferred Roy Keane was well-intentioned. Whether Keane saw it that way is a different matter. Sir Alex Ferguson certainly didn't. As his bellicose skipper made another shameful red-card exit from a
Ottakars bookshop in Darlington has been renovated to incorporate a Costa coffee shop, which has created five jobs. Costa now has 21 shops within Ottakars stores, seven in branches of Waterstones and two in WH Smith stores nationally. The four recruits
TWO brothers have helped revive hopes of putting a 133-year-old North Pennines agricultural show back on the athletics map. Jalal Thompson, 14, and his brother, Khalil, 12, picked up the first two places in the first cross-country race to be held at the
A PROJECT encouraging young children to explore music has been launched by council officials. City of York Council is unveiling its latest youth initiative at the Early Music Centre on Saturday, when a dozen music boxes will be distributed across the
A COUNCIL which has angered elderly people's families by proposing to close a residential home is making a formal application for the building to be demolished. The announcement by Durham County Council came on the day that relatives of elderly people
AN elderly woman is recovering in hospital after two teenage girls attempted to snatch her handbag in Darlington. The girls, believed to be in their mid-teens, tried to grab the pensioner's handbag as she walked along Woodland Road, near Squires Court
CONGESTION caused by flooding on a vital road link in Ryedale has led to a £250,000 scheme. Thousands of motorists faced delays during the flooding November 2000, when the A169 Malton to Pickering road, at Howe Bridge, became impassable. The alleviation
Horticulture - Percy Johnson Trophy for floral art, Miss A Sweeney, Lanehead; B. and W. Peart Blue Bell Trophy for best vegetables, Keith Heppell, Stanhope; J.P. and M. Makepeace Trophy for best flowers, Frank Walton, Westgate. Produce - Best Baker Cup
TWO brothers have helped revive hopes of putting a 133-year-old North Pennines agricultural show back on the athletics map. Jalal Thompson, 14, and his brother, Khalil, 12, picked up the first two places in the first cross-country race to be held at the
A TREE house built by a father for his two daughters looks likely to be torn down by town hall planners. The lavish tree house was built by surgeon Dr Nick Strong in a beech tree at the bottom of his garden in Hexham, Northumberland, for daughters Katie
SOCCER superstar David Beckham was positively beaming yesterday as he emerged from a London hospital and delivered his verdict on the birth of his second son, Romeo. "He's gorgeous," he told the clamouring media. "It's always nervous having children -
A FORMER garage could be turned into shops, offices, a takeaway and a doctor's or dentist's surgery. Developers Evans has submitted proposals to City of York Council to convert the former Henley's garage site, off Stonebow. The conversion would include
A North-East MP has called on the Government to make free heroin available on NHS prescription to drug addicts. Dari Taylor MP is calling for a change in the law to cut the amount of drug-related crime. The MP for Stockton South described Teesside, which
Horticulture - Percy Johnson Trophy for floral art, Miss A Sweeney, Lanehead; B. and W. Peart Blue Bell Trophy for best vegetables, Keith Heppell, Stanhope; J.P. and M. Makepeace Trophy for best flowers, Frank Walton, Westgate. Produce - Best Baker Cup
A COUNCIL which has angered elderly people's families by proposing to close a residential home is making a formal application for the building to be demolished. The announcement by Durham County Council came on the day that relatives of elderly people
GRADUATE Jennie Roberts has landed a dream job in the music business. Jennie, 21, left Sunderland University with a 2:1 honours degree in journalism studies and joined Quite Great Publicity, which specialises in promotion and events co-ordination. The
AN MP has criticised the inquest service on Teesside, claiming families have suffered "appalling delays". Vera Baird, MP for Redcar, has called on her constituents to respond to a Government consultation paper on the future of the coroner service. The
THE Stadium of Light on Saturday played host to two unsavoury incidents which heap further shame on professional football in this country. The first was Roy Keane's tenth sending off in a Manchester United shirt. The second was Sir Alex Ferguson's post-match
TODDLERS' GROUP: The Toddlers' Group at Glenhome Youth and Community Centre starts next Monday, from 9.30am to 11.30am, with a further session every Wednesday. Unclaimed prizes from the group's fun day on August 23 were ticket numbers 73, 111 and 116.
THE number of parents appealing against the secondary school placement of their child has doubled in an area of Cleveland. The Redcar and Cleveland School Admissions Authority dealt with 65 independent appeals this year, compared to 32 last summer. However
EMERGENCY measures have been taken by a council to maintain a bus route to a hospital after a bus company pulled out. Abbey Coaches has announced it is to stop running the 751 or 151 route between Easington, Loftus, Skinningrove and East Cleveland Hospital
YOUNG readers had the chance to meet their favourite authors at a popular show farm. Durham County Council held a children's book day at Hall Hill Farm, Lanchester, to encourage reading and promote tourism, in the wake of the foot-and-mouth crisis. The
SUMMER flowers and suntans have barely faded, but it seems some people are already Christmas shopping. While many gardeners are still enjoying the last of their summer flowers or turning their thoughts to spring bulbs, others are visiting their garden
RESIDENTS of a picturesque village have always known what a treasure their community is. But now thousands of people have discovered that tucked between Ferryhill and Sedgefield, in County Durham, is the neighbourhood of Bishop Middleham. In just five
A North-East man is lucky to be alive - after being hit by a speeding express train and living to tell the tale. John Scouler was out walking his dog when he was hit by a loco on the East Coast Main Line - the fastest rail route in Britain. Amazingly,
THREE men will appear in court this morning charged with the murder of an avid football fan who died less than an hour after watching his favourite team in action. Glynn Ellis, of Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, was found dead in the affluent Salford
ASPIRING stand-up comedians from the North-East are competing against contenders from around the country in a new ITV talent show. Viewers will vote for their favourite acts from regional heats to compete in a live national final. This is the first time
A TEENAGER is on the fast track to success in the skiing world, after emerging triumphant in an unseasonal event staged minus the snow. Craig Ruddick outpaced the opposition on the country's biggest dry ski slope to win his first major title, over the
FIREFIGHTERS were called to three house fires across Cleveland at the weekend. The worst blaze was at Mayfair Street, Hartlepool, in which there was 80 per cent fire and smoke damage. The fire was reported to the brigade at about 2.20pm on Saturday. There
The Kidderminster Harriers matchday programme editor was clearly expecting at least one change to Darlington's line-up as a certain Columbian forward was named amongst the team line-ups in Saturday's edition for the game at Aggborough. Because of that
HISTORIANS from across the world are to attend a North-East conference about the life of Captain Cook. Among them will be Professor Andrew Lambert who is involved in the BBC2 programme The Ship, which recreates the explorer's journey to Australia. The
A 49-year-old motorcyclist underwent surgery at Gateshead's Queen Elizabeth Hospital for serious leg, hip and arm injuries after his machine hit a car on the A1 Western Bypass at Whickham on Saturday. A second biker suffered heavy bruising. House fire
RESIDENTS of Ripon are being asked for their views on a proposed traffic-calming scheme for Clotherholme Road, between Filey Avenue and Aislabie Close. North Yorkshire County Council is proposing the scheme, which includes a pedestrian crossing, flat-top
PLANS for a cycle path to be built across York's new tennis centre site in Hull Road have been turned down by city councillors. The application was submitted by Next Generation Clubs and York St John College because a cycle route at the site was part
A RARE lesser-spotted woodpecker has knocked out birdwatchers across Cleveland. The bird flew into the grounds of the Pinchinthorpe Hall Hotel, near Guisborough and is only the second to be tagged in the county in the past 85 years. The species is less
THERE is a passage in Roy Keane's book that seems particularly apposite this morning. Almost exactly a year ago, Keane was sent off after a contretemps with Alan Shearer at the fag-end of a thrilling encounter that went Newcastle United's way by the odd
LATE-NIGHT businesses considering opening in a North-East town face a discouraging "tax". Depending on the size of their operation, anyone opening a nightclub, pub or food take-away in Middlesbrough may have to pay as much as £8,500 under new planning
THE circus art of juggling is a serious business for a hotel executive about to put her skills on show for young clients. Claire Molloy, 26, is swapping her business suit for a circus outfit this week when she entertains children at Shafto's Inn and Restaurant
COUNCILLORS have called for action to curb accidents involving runaway lorries on one of the region's steepest roads. The calls over Blue Bank, in Sleights, near Whitby, North Yorkshire, follow a crash in which a lorry overturned at the bottom of the
EDUCATION inspectors have given North Tyneside College, Wallsend, a good report and praised it for its provision for disabled students. Ofsted inspectors said the college had outstanding provision for students with learning difficulties or disabilities
ROCK music, harmony singers and Brazilian drums were on the bill when Spennymoor town centre hosted a music festival at the weekend. Sweet Magenta, a harmony girl band, started the show followed by soft rock act Retaxus, girl band Elite and rock guitarists
A TOWN travelled back in time to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee year at the weekend. A Queen and Country event, organised by English Heritage, was held in the grounds of Barnard Castle, in Teesdale, County Durham. Royals, courtiers, soldiers and
Q COULD you explain why when a person has no personal interest in a matter, they are said to have no axe to grind? - Tony Bills, Wharfedale Avenue, Harrogate. A THE phrase is of American origin and is often attributed to a story told by Benjamin Franklin
BROCCOLI and Sprout's Environmental Clown Show came to town for fun and to spread the word about green issues at the weekend. The clowns, who feature characters Hugh the Human Being and Mother Nature, were just one highlight of the Green Roadshow at Hartlepool
A ROW has broken out over who gets the credit for building a much-needed £500,000 bridge for schoolchildren. The New Blacks Footbridge, at Marske, for cyclists, pedestrians and schoolchildren will be opened tomorrow after years of complaints that an existing
PEOPLE turned out in force to watch the carnival parade that kicked off Peterlee's 30th annual show. The event, sponsored by mobile phone firm Orange, was hailed as the biggest and best yet and was extended to include music on Saturday and Sunday evenings
A CIGARETTE casually discarded is thought to have caused a major fire at the weekend. Firefighters spent more than an hour tackling the flames and smoke at Morrisons store, in Ormesby Road, Middlesbrough, from about 1.40am on Saturday. Up to 20 firefighters
A £22,000 skate park will officially open in Chester-le-Street today. The park was a joint venture between Chester-le-Street District Council and a group of young people. Space for the site was found by realigning tennis courts at the Riverside Sports
THE Wild West was recreated on Teesside at the weekend. This year's South Bank Carnival at Harcourt Playing Fields on Saturday featured lassooing, line-dancing, rope-spinning and a horseshoe corral. There was also the knife-throwing exploits of Todd Coady
WHY does the Government continually change the way our children are taught? To improve standards, but for who - the children or the universities? Over the last ten years I have watched my daughter be used as a guinea pig for each new idea: SATs for seven-year-olds
THREE teenagers narrowly escaped death when the car they were in crashed into a tree and burst into flames. The 17-year-old driver spent most of yesterday undergoing skin graft surgery at the University Hospital of North Durham. Stuart Welch, of Masefield
IT may sound like bravado, but Newcastle United centre-back Nikos Dabizas has a blunt message for Liverpool's Michael Owen: "We don't fear you.'' The statistics suggest the Magpies should - Owen has scored 12 goals in his eight appearances against them
PAUL Collingwood will not play for Durham again this season and is unlikely to be fit to join the England squad at the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka, starting on September 12. England are monitoring his neck problem and seem likely to decide he should
DARLINGTON failed to reproduce the form which won the Durham Cup and earned another crack at the national event, but at least they scrambled over the first hurdle this time. They now hope to go one step further in the Powergen Cup in a home match against
The spectacular transformation of a 250-year-old walled garden into one of the North's biggest tourist attractions received the Royal seal of approval yesterday. Nigel Burton reports. Walking around the grounds of Alnwick Castle in 1996, Lady Jane Percy
One man was killed and another seriously injured in a hit-and-run incident today. It happened as the pair were travelling east from Chester Street to Chester Street East, Sunderland, in a light Vauxhall Cavalier, at around 2.20am. When they reached the
FOR Gordon Watson, Saturday was a day to remember in the company of his families. First up, there was three-year-old Callum Watson leading out Hartlepool United as mascot. And he proved a lucky mascot as dad Gordon - in front of the watching Watson clan
AFTER an evening in which Newcastle United were outfought and outthought, the most dramatic and unlikely of fightbacks salvaged a point from Anfield. Trailing 2-0 with ten minutes remaining, Newcastle's players were a bedraggled bunch and appeared resigned
A letter written by Northern explorer Captain Cook informing the Admiralty of his safe return from his first epic voyage has come to light after more than 200 years. The missive, written after his mammoth sail to Australia on the Endeavour, was found
POLICE hunting a North-East rapist who attacked two women in London, are looking at more than 3,000 rape cases to see if he has struck before. The Metropolitan Police's Serious Crime Group is liaising with other forces, including in the North-East, to
England and Newcastle United star Kieron Dyer ducked out of a court appearance yesterday - so he could play against Liverpool. The 23-year-old midfielder was expected to appear before magistrates in Grantham, Lincs, to face trial on a speeding charge.
An investigation was last night being launched after a mental patient absconded from a North-East care home and attacked a toddler. Bosses at Castlebeck Care Ltd, who run the Hollyhurst nursing home, in Darlington, vowed to carry out a full internal investigation
MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren believes loan-ranger Geremi was the major reason his side claimed all three points against Blackburn. Geremi, who will be at Boro until the end of the season from Spanish giants Real Madrid, delivered a perfect injury
FOLLOWING four relatively disappointing efforts Beamish Prince (3.50) looks ready to bounce back to something like his best for the Intellibet Scottish Trophy at Hamilton. Researching pedigree is all part of a trainer's job these days, not that Mark Johnston
Three men were today appearing before magistrates charged in connection with the murder of an Iranian asylum seeker. Peyman Bahmani, 30, died of a single stab wound after an incident in the Hendon area of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear last Wednesday afternoon
AN ambitious football club has applied for permission to build a new stand and floodlights as part of its campaign to join the elite of the region's amateur sides. Darlington Railway Athletic Club is hoping to carry out the improvements at its Brinkburn
Sparkhouse (BBC1): Monarch Of The Glen (BBC1); The Chair (BBC1); Cavegirl (CBBC) CAROL, the wild girl heroine of Sparkhouse, tells true love Andrew that "moderation is the secret of successful pilfering". At Home With The Braithwaites writer Sally Wainwright
JOSEPH Job thought his career at Middlesbrough was all over earlier this year and he would never kick a ball for them again. The tricky striker was farmed out on loan to French side Metz by manager Steve McClaren, who was hoping to rid the club of the
