Archive

  • Flat on his knees - Stan the £1m man

    Once tipped to be Britain's first £1m footballer, Stan Cummins turned out on Saturday for Ferryhill Greyhound in the Over 40s League. They lost 7-2. Back home in Ferryhill after 17 years in America, Stan - who also scored goals for Boro and Crystal Palace

  • Turner won't rush Smith back

    PAUL Smith will be kept under wraps by Hartlepool United boss Chris Turner in the coming weeks. Left-winger Smith made a brief return to action on Saturday, coming on as a substitute during the 2-1 home defeat to Rushden and Diamonds. And even though

  • Man, 33, is charged with street murder

    A MAN will appear in court today charged with the murder of a father who died just yards from a police station. John Barry Durham, of Major Street, Darlington, was charged last night following two days of questioning by police. The 33-year-old, a store

  • Age before beauty, every single time

    When Age Concern starts writing personal letters, you know that time's marching on. Another birthday next week and barely a fortnight (or so it seems) since the last annual reminder. The missive was from John Lowes, the Age Concern notepaper sub-titled

  • Key moments in history

    DAVID BECKHAM, the Queen and pop idol Will Young have all been chosen as icons of 2002 and will now take their place in an English Heritage 'history drawer' at Richmond Castle. A World Cup sticker of David Beckham, a coin produced to mark the Queen's

  • Race circuit told it could face noise level law suit

    A FIRM of solicitors has confirmed that a letter has been sent to management of a North-East motor racing circuit, warning them they could face a private law suit if they breach statutory noise limits. People with homes in the area have long insisted

  • Eating Owt: Age before beauty, every single time

    When Age Concern starts writing personal letters, you know that time's marching on. Another birthday next week and barely a fortnight (or so it seems) since the last annual reminder. The missive was from John Lowes, the Age Concern notepaper sub-titled

  • Cambridge Utd 0 - 7 Sunderland - Seven-up Black Cats

    AFTER scoring just three goals in eight Premiership games this season, Sunderland cut loose in the Worthington Cup to buy Peter Reid extra breathing space. Gavin McCann's first strike in more than 18 months, after Claudio Reyna had doused Cambridge United's

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Sewing machinist, Darlington, £4.20ph, 40hrs pw, for small, busy line finishing off sportswear. Ref: DAE 31525. Bar/carvery chef, Darlington, £4.40ph, 40hrs pw split

  • Brentford 1 - 4 Middlesbrough - Boro ease past Bees

    MIDDLESBROUGH boss Steve McClaren signalled exactly what he thought of the Worthington Cup by sending out an entire match-day squad of reserve team players for the second round clash with unfancied Brentford. But McClaren, who has worked wonders at the

  • Airport seeks high-flying private sector partner

    SHAREHOLDERS at a North-East airport are on track to appoint a private partner by early next year. A committee at Teesside International Airport is overseeing the appointment of a private sector "strategic partner" to encourage investment and help its

  • Traffic toll scheme set to roll

    Officials in the cathedral city of Durham were this morning putting the final touches to the first congestion charging traffic scheme to come into effect in Britain. Under the scheme, which was coming into effect at 10am, motorists pay £2 for using a

  • Schooboy may face prison sentence

    A public schoolboy is still awaiting a possible prison sentence following an attack on a fellow student. James Slade, 18, admitted causing grievous bodily harm to Lloyd Pickering, also 18, on their final night at Durham School. The pair, who had just

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Felt roofer: Thornaby, £300pw approx, 8.30am to 5pm Mon-Fri, must be over 21, experienced with a full driving licence. Ref: THN 7028. Accounts assistant: Thornaby

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Tele marketing staff, Chester-le-Street, £6ph, 4.25-8.25pm Mon-Thurs, 8pm finish Fri, experience not essential as training available, must have mature attitude.

  • Last Night's TV: Rose And Maloney (ITV); The Office (BBC2)

    Did you have a nice day at the office, dear? There are several ways of answering the age-old inquiry of "how was your day at the office, dear?" on your return home at the end of a day's work. Maloney would say that someone had attempted to kill him by

  • Vandalised bowling green is saved by £5,000 grant

    THE future of a 60-year-old bowls club has been secured by a £5,000 grant. Members of the Brandon Bowls Club feared it would have to close because of constant damage to its green. The green was damaged by people playing football and golf. Motorcycles

  • Plans for station nightclub derailed

    A controversial bid to convert Richmond's old railway station into a music venue appears to have been dropped. Neighbours were worried plans submitted by a local business consortium would prove to be a thinly-veiled attempt to open a nightclub on the

  • Drugs company staff run up £10,000 boost

    ENERGETIC staff from a Teesdale drug company swapped their laboratory coats for jogging suits to raise cash for local charities. Workers at GlaxoSmith-Kline (GSK) took part in two-mile and four-mile runs and raised £10,000 for six charities in the region

  • Support for pain sufferers

    A SUPPORT group for chronic pain sufferers starts in Bishop Auckland this week. Campain, formerly known as Action on Pain, will launch its third branch in the town on Thursday. The charity was formed in April last year to promote self help for all pain

  • People get say in community hospital future

    PEOPLE living in Teesdale and Weardale are being urged to take a vital role in the redevelopment of a community hospital. The Durham Dales Primary Care Trust is to consult with people in the dale on the future of the Richardson Hospital, in Barnard Castle

  • Boost for cancer charity

    Staff at BiB Insurance Brokers in Darlington raised £219 at a coffee morning which was held as part of Macmillan Cancer Relief's World's Biggest Coffee Morning. More than 75 people attended the event.

  • Sad loss of leading nature expert

    ONE of the country's foremost experts on nature conservation has died. David Arnold-Forster, chief executive of English Nature, died yesterday as he looked forward to returning to work following treatment for cancer. A native of Skipton, North Yorkshire

  • Warm welcome for exchange students

    GERMAN students were given a civic welcome in Darlington yesterday when they arrived to sample what life is like in the North-East. The youngsters from the Darlington's twin town of Mulheim, who are on an exchange visit with Longfield Comprehensive School

  • Mathematics tutor calls it a day

    A MATHS tutor who opened a study centre in Darlington is retiring. Brian Fiske started the Darlington Kumon Study Centre in April 1992 with four students. Now there are 80 on the books. During the past ten years, Mr Fiske has helped nearly 600 students

  • Fundraising appeal

    DETERMINED fundraiser Eileen Leonard is calling on her loyal group of supporters to dig deep into their pockets for charity. She will be running in the Great North Run on Sunday to raise money for St Teresa's Hospice, in Darlington. In recent years, Ms

  • Church raid

    THIEVES stole cash from Wycliffe Church, in Ovington, between noon on Saturday and 9.15am on Sunday. Anyone with information is urged to contact police on (01833) 637328.

  • University defends saving places for local learners

    THE region's oldest university yesterday defended its policy of rejecting applicants from private schools in favour of North-East state school pupils with poorer A Level grades. Edward Gould, headteacher of Marlborough College and chairman of the Headmasters

  • IT's not too late

    PARENTS and grandparents are being urged to get webwise at a series of courses. Stockton Borough Council's library staff will be running BBC Webwise courses twice a day for the next two weeks at 10.15am and 2.15pm each weekday. Anyone who does not know

  • Hospital death doctors defend

    DOCTORS who carried out high-risk heart surgery on a pensioner who died days later said yesterday they were right to do so. An inquest into the death of Alexander Robertson heard how the 80-year-old was operated on at the James Cook University Hospital

  • Comment: Giving in to old prejudices

    THERE are some legitimate concerns about the Private Finance Initiative. Sadly, yesterday's debate at the Labour Party Conference failed to make sufficient reference to these concerns. The debate offered delegates the opportunity to question the level

  • Defeated - but Blair vows to defy unions

    TONY Blair will today brush aside last night's humiliating conference defeat at the hands of the trade unions by reaffirming his determination to use private money to pay for vital improvements in public services. In what is becoming his most important

  • Youngsters do their bit for the environment

    A GROUP of children from Middlesbrough are hoping to attract scores of butterflies after planting wildflowers. Youngsters from Acklam Grange Comprehensive School joined Tees Valley Wildlife Trust to plant the flowers at Whinney Banks Greenspace. Liz Arnold

  • African children get strip sponsor

    CHILDREN in one of the most poverty-stricken parts of the world will be sporting Newcastle, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Darlington football shirts from next week. Carol Charlton, from Darlington, sponsors two children in Dakar, the capital of Senegal

  • Oh what an audition

    TWO talented dancers beat more than 100 hopefuls to land roles in a musical yesterday. Mhairi McLean, 21, from Sunderland, and Lyndsay Marsden, 18, from Whitburn, South Tyneside, will make their debut in Thursday night's performance of Oh What a Night

  • Students warned over carbon monoxide

    NORTH-EAST students moving into their rented homes for the new term are being warned against the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning. The invisible gas, which kills more than 30 people a year, could be stopped from seeping into homes if fires and flues

  • Head hunt to trace skull buyer

    HAPLESS museum worker Natalie Edwards thought her head would roll after selling a visitor a real human skull. Natalie, a worker at York Dungeon, thought the grisly exhibit was a fake and agreed to sell it for £30. She was horrified when her blunder was

  • Mallon debut speech at conference

    RAY Mallon made his debut at the Labour Party conference last night speaking at a fringe meeting about how politics could be made more attractive to young people. Mr Mallon, who was elected as the independent mayor of Middlesbrough in May by defeating

  • Youngsters step out to aid work of trust

    CHILDREN from a pre-school group put their best feet forward to raise awareness of a dangerous disease. About 200 children, parents and staff from Sure Start Wear Valley took part in a sponsored "toddle-waddle" to raise funds for the Meningitis Trust.

  • Extra support for chronic pain sufferers

    A SUPPORT group for chronic pain sufferers starts in Bishop Auckland this week. Campain, formerly known as Action on Pain, will launch its third branch in the town on Thursday. The charity was formed in April last year to promote self help for all pain

  • In tune with the belles of St Mary's

    As St Mary's College celebrates its gold jubilee on its current site, Women's Editor Christen Pears visits Durham University's only women's college. THE idea of an all women's college conjures up images of spinster dons, riding bicycles and wearing sensible

  • Warmer seas are hitting fish landings

    FISH landings on the Yorkshire and North-East coast are being hit by an increase in the sea temperature caused by global warming, the industry has been told. David McCandless, chief fishery officer for the North East Sea Fisheries Committee told Scarborough

  • Readers learn about plotting

    READERS had the chance to find out how authors plan their plots at the weekend. County Hall in Durham City hosted the first readers' day in the region run by newBOOKS.mag, which is for readers, reading groups, and local libraries. The authors were Sara

  • News in brief: Bootleggers targeted

    CUSTOMS officers recovered bootleg alcohol and tobacco at 13 premises after a sweep of corner shops in east Newcastle and North and South Tyneside. Seven teams of officers from HM Customs and Excise visited 83 shops during two days, seizing goods with

  • Attack victim still in critical condition

    A MAN who was seriously injured in an unprovoked attack after a night out with friends is in a critical condition in hospital. The 24-year-old, of Darlington, who is not being named, has not regained consciousness since the assault at the weekend. The

  • Pupils bid to harness the wind

    ASPIRING engineers will be challenged to design a way of generating electricity from wind power. The Derwentside Engineering Forum is asking 96 pupils from the district's six secondary schools to devise a turbine in a session at Derwentside College, Consett

  • News in brief: Man injured in collision

    A MAN is in hospital after he was in collision with a car in Stockton. The 33-year-old was crossing Yarm Road, near Hartington Road, at about 7.15pm on Saturday, when he collided with a red Nissan Primera.The driver of the car returned to the scene. The

  • News in brief: Warning of night flying

    ESSENTIAL night flying for student pilots will take place at RAF Linton-on-Ouse and RAF Church Fenton from next Monday to Thursday, October 10 and Monday and Tuesday, October 14 and 15. Night flying starts at about6.30pm and finishes by midnight. Every

  • News in brief: Man injured in collision

    A MAN is in hospital after he was in collision with a car in Stockton. The 33-year-old was crossing Yarm Road, near Hartington Road, at about 7.15pm on Saturday, when he collided with a red Nissan Primera.The driver of the car returned to the scene. The

  • News in brief: Bootleggers targeted

    CUSTOMS officers recovered bootleg alcohol and tobacco at 13 premises after a sweep of corner shops in east Newcastle and North and South Tyneside. Seven teams of officers from HM Customs and Excise visited 83 shops during two days, seizing goods with

  • Friarage pay-off to be scrutinised

    CAMPAIGNERS have won their fight to have the inquiry into the scandal surrounding disgraced surgeon Richard Neale focus on his wider NHS career. The change of heart by the Department of Health will allow the inquiry team to consider what happened between

  • Alexander's great role

    A LEYBURN youngster has joined the cast of the Royal Shakespeare Company to perform one of the Bard's best comedies. Alexander Hennessey, from Leyburn, joins Stanley Hodgson, from Darlington and Newcastle youngsters David McNally and Thomas Berry as part

  • News in brief: Bootleggers targeted

    CUSTOMS officers recovered bootleg alcohol and tobacco at 13 premises after a sweep of corner shops in east Newcastle and North and South Tyneside. Seven teams of officers from HM Customs and Excise visited 83 shops during two days, seizing goods with

  • Debate over future of station

    A DATE has been set for a public meeting to debate rival projects which could breath new life into Richmond's former railway station. The building has been empty since the controversial demise of the Richmond Garden and Farm Supply Centre. Neighbours

  • Support in farming crisis

    CAMPAIGNERS continue to fight to prevent North Yorkshire farmers being milked dry. The battle to increase the farmer's share of milk prices will be taken to Harrogate Borough Council tomorrow. Dairy farming businesses are in crisis across the region because

  • Grassroots: Crook

    CHORAL DISPLAY: The Crook and Weardale Choral Singers have an exhibition in Crook Library which gives details of their autumn and spring 2003 programme and features photographs from performances over the past year. Further details about the choir are

  • It pays to talk rubbish

    THE job to trim the bins in North Yorkshire will mean talking rubbish every working day. A new campaigns officer has been appointed to help reduce the 400,000 tonnes of waste that is produced in the county each year. Julia Robertson will work with nine

  • Hear All Sides: Prince Charles

    I DON'T see why Prince Charles should not speak his mind. He is Prince of Wales, but still a citizen of our country. He cares for the countryside and country life. The Government is bestriding beautiful Yorkshire with great ugly pylons. What do our MPs

  • Say cheese to support charity

    THERE were cheesy grins at supermarkets across the region yesterday as shoppers did their bit for charity. Morrisons has nominated Marie Curie Cancer Care as its charity of the year - and staff will spend the next 12 months raising cash for nurses and

  • Police offer alternatives to motorists in safety drive

    DRIVERS speeding through Ryedale, who have found themselves at the wrong end of the law, have been given a choice over the past few days. Police have been issuing fixed penalty tickets to the worst offenders, but those closer to the legal limit have been

  • Man helped gunman

    A man has admitted helping a gunman who went on the run to India after a street shooting. Michael Vassallo, 23, supplied Britton Corner, 40, with a passport to flee the country while he was wanted in connection with the shooting of Graham Ebanks, 38.

  • Tragic city rave teenager is named

    THE teenager who died at a North-East rave at the weekend was named yesterday as Russell Kirby. An inquest into the death of the 18-year-old was opened and adjourned yesterday in Newcastle, as police continued to wait for blood test results they hope

  • Cocaine shame of nightclub tycoon

    A WEALTHY nightclub tycoon appeared in court yesterday in connection with possession of class A drugs. Keith Gibbon is a partner in Lazi Leisure, which owns a string of other North-East nightspots. The 58-year-old was said to be "ashamed an humiliated

  • 'No easy answer' to solving rat run along narrow road

    A MEETING tonight will consider if there is more which could be done to stop drivers using a narrow residential road in Richmond as a rat run. Residents of Quarry Lane claim they have been let down by the local authorities since signs were put up restricting

  • Still going swimmingly after 70 years

    A CIVIC amenity which opened in the austere 1930s is still going strong after seven decades of public service. Durham City Swimming Baths has reached its landmark 70th birthday and despite several major overhauls remains largely as it would have appeared

  • 94-year-old's court threat over unpaid bill for £12 tax

    A 94-year-old woman has been threatened with court action after she forgot to pay a £12 Council Tax bill. Stockton Borough Council threatened Lily Gubbins with immediate legal action if she didn't pay up September's instalment. Mrs Gubbins, who prides

  • Tidiness survey reveals region's grimy record

    SMELLY public loos, gum and grease stained pavements and elastic bands dumped by postmen and women are the some of the biggest problems found on the country's streets, parks, roads and open spaces, according to a survey published today. The study, conducted

  • Aspell to shoulder burden

    RISING star-of-the-saddle Patrick Aspell has the opportunity to further advertise his burgeoning reputation aboard Westernmost (4.20) at Sedgefield today. Westernmost must shoulder top-weight if he is to win the Cameron's Brewery Handicap Hurdle, although

  • Men's deaths cost traffic firm £18,000

    THE firm that employed the two men who were killed on the A1 has been fined a total of £18,000 for breaching health and safety rules. Traffic Management North East was prosecuted on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive at Richmond Magistrates Court

  • 'We can prove doubters wrong again' - Solano

    NOLBERTO SOLANO has urged his Newcastle United teammates to draw on the inspiration of last season's stunning Premiership win at Arsenal as they bid to pull off the greatest victory in their history against Juventus at the Stadio delle Alpi. The odds

  • Order for jets raises hopes for ship jobs

    NORTH-EAST industrial captains were last night mobilising their efforts to ensure thousands of shipbuilding jobs come to the region. They were reacting to a Government announcement that the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy are to get a force of the world's

  • Shame as North pensioners face winter hardship

    CAMPAIGNERS against pensioner poverty called on the Government yesterday to "stop ignoring older people" as a survey revealed new depths of pensioner hardship. As the Labour Party conference got under way in Blackpool, charity workers said older people

  • Severfield-Reeve moves into residential side

    NORTH Yorkshire design-build company Severfield-Reeve Projects has diversified into the housing market. The company, a subsidiary of Severfield-Rowen, has been responsible for designing and building scores of commercial and industrial properties throughout

  • Woman sees husband killed as A1 horror repeats itself

    A WOMAN was being treated in hospital for severe shock last night after watching helplessly as her husband was killed by a lorry The middle-aged couple, from Scotland, had stopped on the hard shoulder of the northbound carriageway near Boroughbridge,

  • Town report launched

    A NEW report looking at what Richmond needs to do to revitalise its flagging economy was launched last week. On Wednesday, Darlington-based England and Lyle led a presentation that recommended the town tries to attract new and more diverse retailers to

  • Initiative to bring domestic violence issues into classes

    A CHARITY helping the victims of domestic violence is calling on schools to bring the topic into the classroom. Darlington Domestic Violence Forum has started an initiative to reach young people affected by violence at home. A booklet for children and

  • Action plan could breathe life into struggling resort

    A REPORT into the decline of tourism in an east Cleveland seaside town has suggested an action plan to restore its fortunes. The experts said that once-booming Redcar, in the top third of the most deprived areas in Britain, has a poor image, lacks self-esteem

  • Given desperate to pass Turin test in style

    NEWCASTLE'S Shay Given is tonight aiming to enhance his credentials as one of the world's best goalkeepers when he faces a strike duo he rates among the top six in the game. Italian superstar Alessandro Del Piero and France frontman David Trezeguet threaten

  • Home of heroes

    You know that tag about the Home of Champions? Who'd ever have thought that it would be Middridge? It's a dot of a place between Shildon and Newton Aycliffe, with a pub, a phone box and a legend about fairies. A good cyclist could clear the village in

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Cook, A1, Bedale, 2-9om Mon-Thurs, required for service station cafe, must be experience in working kitchen and have own transport, basic food hygiene certificate

  • Juventus 2 - 0 Newcastle - Del Piero sinks Magpies

    JUVENTUS' talismanic skipper Alessandro Del Piero ensured it was another cruel night at the Stadio Delle Alpi for Sir Bobby Robson. The Newcastle manager, who as England boss suffered his "worst moment in football'' when West Germany won the 1990 World

  • Students forced to wait for regrading decision

    THOUSANDS of students will have to wait before learning whether their A-level papers will be regraded as a result of the exams fiasco. Publication of the list was expected today, but it has been put back to enable the examination boards to "double check

  • Chairman George calls on Taylor to steady Darlington ship

    GEORGE Reynolds cranked up the pressure on Tommy Taylor last night when Darlington's official website published a statement warning the manager: "Results must improve - and quickly." After Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Leyton Orient left Darlington fifth from

  • Boro give youth its chance

    STEVE McCLAREN last night revealed he is ready to mix youth with experience in a bid to lift Middlesbrough's first major trophy. Boro head for Second Division Brentford this evening determined to make progress into the third round of the Worthington Cup

  • Those lucky, sweet lasses of Richmond hill

    IT is the news that could turn a sleepy corner of North Yorkshire into a magnet for thousands of love-starved single women. According to the newly released Census 2001 survey, Richmondshire is the place to be if you want to grab a man. The district bucked

  • Chance to pick up some good vibrations on offer

    A WOMAN who helps people free up their voices through energy releasing exercises is holding chanting and toning evenings at Darlington Arts Centre. Susan Lever is a sound therapist, who also uses creative visualisation to help people stay balanced and

  • School celebrates a year of successes

    A SCHOOL celebrated the most successful year in its recent history at an event to rewarded pupils for their efforts and excellence. Wolsingham School and Community College has collected Sportsmark and Artsmark Awards, been recognised as a centre for excellence

  • Damning verdict on handling of farm disease

    The Government's handling of the foot-and-mouth crisis traumatised farmers and broke animal welfare laws, a new report into the outbreak said last night. A draft document drawn up by a special European Parliament committee of inquiry blames officialdom

  • Women get in the pink with serious health message

    A TEAM of women dressed head to toe in pink yesterday for a fun day with a serious message. The women, including genetic nurses, cancer specialists and support staff, launched the start of Get In The Pink as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Led

  • Camp may be reduced in size

    A RESCUE plan to save a troubled £945,000 gipsy site in eastCleveland has been unveiled. The site in Old Station Road, South Bank, has been beset with violence, alleged intimidation and vandalism since it opened in 1996. One of the problems has been factional

  • Royals ridiculed

    Satirical work by 18th Century artist James Gillray goes on show at York's Fairfax House this weekend. King George III and politicians of the era are pilloried in ink by a ruthless caricaturist who enjoyed a massive following at the time. The exhibition

  • Stores in line for award

    STORES in Crook and Stanhope have been named as regional finalists in a Neighbourhood Shop of the Year competition. The successful Alldays branches were nominated by customers for the award, which is run by Robert Wiseman Dairies. The contest is open

  • Row over scooter led to attack by brothers

    THREE brothers launched an attack on a man in his home after an argument about a scooter erupted into violence. David Powney, 35, Joseph Powney, 34, and Reginald Powney, 38, blamed Philip McCabe for stealing the scooter which belonged to a family member

  • Upgrade of road to be discussed

    RESIDENTS living close to the A66 will be given their chance to discuss proposals to upgrade the road. Two exhibitions have been arranged to update people on plans to make the road into dual carriageway between Scotch Corner and Penrith. The two schemes

  • Fundraising appeal

    DETERMINED fundraiser Eileen Leonard is calling on her loyal group of supporters to dig deep into their pockets for charity. She will be running in the Great North Run on Sunday to raise money for St Teresa's Hospice, in Darlington. In recent years, Ms

  • Drugs company staff run up £10,000 boost

    ENERGETIC staff from a Teesdale drug company swapped their laboratory coats for jogging suits to raise cash for local charities. Workers at GlaxoSmith-Kline (GSK) took part in two-mile and four-mile runs and raised £10,000 for six charities in the region

  • Voyage of adventure for teenagers

    TEENAGERS Amy Armstrong-Coates and Kimberley Workman, from Sedgefield Community College, are back home after spending nine days with 46 other students from all parts of the UK aboard one of the country's finest tall ships. The ship sailed from Cardiff

  • Charity proves life begins at 60

    WORKSHOPS are proving that there is life after the bus pass. The Active Age in Derwentside project is launched in the Democratic Club, Middle Lane, Consett, at 10am today. A series of taster sessions will be on offer and organisers Age Concern hope it

  • Robson's return to the scene of tears

    NEWCASTLE United manager Sir Bobby Robson tonight makes an emotional return to the scene of his "worst moment in football'', demanding that his side salvage their reputation against the might of Juventus. Robson admits that the Champions' League occasion

  • Headteacher to run for Emma

    A HEADTEACHER is to take part in the Great North Run as part of his retirement year. Peter Smith, headteacher of Whinstone Primary School, Ingleby Barwick, is retiring after 37 years of teaching, 25 years of which were spent as a headteacher. He decided

  • Fears over hospitals' star ratings

    THE first signs of a two-tier hospital service in the region has been widely criticised. Union officials, consultants and MPs have condemned a scheme which divides NHS hospitals into financial winners and losers, according to how they perform. At stake

  • Arson-target houses to be demolished

    DERELICT properties on Scarborough Council's Edgehill estate are to be pulled down as a priority after constantly being targeted by arsonists. The 20 houses are to be demolished in the next two weeks, said Councillor Bill Chatt the council's cabinet member

  • News in brief: Bootleggers targeted

    CUSTOMS officers recovered bootleg alcohol and tobacco at 13 premises after a sweep of corner shops in east Newcastle and North and South Tyneside. Seven teams of officers from HM Customs and Excise visited 83 shops during two days, seizing goods with

  • Law firm settles into new headquarters

    A NORTH-EAST solicitors has this week relocated its main Darlington office to new premises in Faverdale. Westgate House, formally the office of Darchem, has been rebuilt and refurbished to provide 8,500sq ft of office space with ample free parking for

  • Firm heats up hospice fund

    HEATING firm Myson Radiators has given £2,000 to an appeal for a children's hospice. The eight-bed unit at St Oswald's Hospice, in Gosforth, near Newcastle, will care for the North-East's 1,200 youngsters with life-limiting conditions such as muscular

  • News in brief: Sneak thief on crutches

    A THIEF on crutches and with his left ankle in a plaster cast, hobbled off with a 77-year-old woman's purse after sneaking into her home in Churchill Avenue, Whitley Bay. The incident took place on Thursday, September 19, but has only just been made public

  • Duo skydive for baby unit

    TWO men took to the skies to raise money for a special care baby unit. Jamie Edgar and Kevin Heath, who work for Cooper Office, in Thornaby, jumped 3,000ft from an aeroplane above Peterlee to raise money for the babycare unit at the University Hospital

  • Hope for back pain sufferers

    A LEADING North-East specialist is offering hope to sufferers of back pain. Speaking on the eve of national Back Care Week, which gets under way today, Consultant orthopaedic and spinal surgeon Manoj Krishna, of the Woodlands Hospital, Darlington, said

  • Firework incident sparks warning

    CONCERN is growing in the lead up to bonfire night after a large rocket was fired across a street by children as young as 12. The incident happened in a quiet residential area in the Hetton Downs area of Wearside last week. Although no one was hurt, Sunderland's

  • Mascot lends a paw in store

    BILLINGHAM Ice Arena's mascot, IC Bear, was lurking in the frozen food section when he helped open the town's revamped Asda store yesterday. The cuddly character was helped along by two of the staff's children, Ellis Hooker, eight, who suffers from cystic

  • N-E cash bid for slice of movie action

    A £1.5m bid to make the North-East a British movie-making mecca will be launched on Thursday. Northern Film and Media (NFM) believes the Government cash will help make the region a vibrant new location for film and TV makers. The organisation is supported

  • Lodger knocked landlady unconscious, court told

    A LODGER accused his landlady of prostitution before knocking her unconscious in a row about a £6,000 debt, a court heard yesterday. Harrogate magistrates heard how police found a broken iron at the scene of John Goodrick's attack on Ann Cunningham at

  • Mother's fears over gang threat

    A GANG of youths demanded cash from others straying on their "territory", a mother claimed yesterday. The woman, from York, who asked to remain anonymous, said her 14-year-old son has been subject to a number of incidents with thugs who asked him for

  • Unprovoked attack on man

    Police are searching for three men after they carried out an unprovoked attack on a 24-year-old man. The assault took place at about 1.30am on Saturday in St Mark's Road, Sunderland. An old-style Vauxhall Cavalier car pulled up and the three men got out

  • Toddler recovering after savage attack by family pet

    A TWO-YEAR-OLD girl suffered horrific facial injuries when she was attacked by the family's new dog, her mother said yesterday. Jade Wardle was in the kitchen and had put her arm around the labrador-cross called Hooch, when it suddenly lunged at her face

  • School passes exam

    A PRIMARY school in Hartlepool has been described as "very effective" after a visit by Government inspectors. Lynnfield Primary School was inspected by Ofsted in June as part of a national programme of school inspection. The report said: "This is a very

  • Bowman Anderson Accountants Spennymoor Sunday League

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    A HEFTY defeat was inflicted on the Government last night as its funding of the public services turned ugly at the Labour Party conference. Delegates in Blackpool voted by 67 per cent to 33 per cent in favour of an independent review of the Government's

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    David and Mandy Reed fell into their new way of life when David was made redundant. Now they're big cheeses in the world of traditional food. Sharon Griffiths reports. FROM near-extinction to a major prize winner - Swaledale cheese is a modern success

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    A WORRYING picture of people leaving the region in droves emerged yesterday with the publication of new census population figures. While the number of people in the South-East has shot up by more than ten per cent, figures for North-East people aged over

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    JODY Craddock will captain Sunderland at his old club Cambridge United tonight after Peter Reid bowed to sentiment and honoured the defender for showing tremendous character through personal tragedy. Six weeks after his baby son Jake was a victim of cot

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    PEOPLE living in Teesdale and Weardale are being urged to take a vital role in the redevelopment of a community hospital. The Durham Dales Primary Care Trust is to consult with people in the dale on the future of the Richardson Hospital, in Barnard Castle

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    IT'S time we scrapped the United Nations. It's a useless talking shop which costs millions that would be better spent on - well, anything really from bananas to beer. The UN was set up after the end of the Second World War because the earlier organisation