AS president of the Wear Valley Amateur Swimming Club, and a member for over 20 years, I was horrified to read (Echo, Feb 18) about Wear Valley District Council's plans for budget cuts for sport and the arts. The swimming club has had a partnership with
Bedlington Terriers are back in control of the league after their nearest rivals slipped up in a day of shocks. The five times champions haven't had the best of seasons by their standards, but they are top of the table again this morning following their
It is extremely tight at the top and two of the title aspirants, Darlington RA and Birtley Town drew when victory for either would have propelled them to the leadership. RA, who had won their ten previous games, went ahead through Steven Johnson after
Bishop Auckland edged further away from relegation thanks to a battling goalless draw against league leaders Alfreton on Saturday. And manager Brian Honour was delighted with the performance of his team in keeping only their third clean sheet of the season
NEW moves to pay special constables for the first time do not add to the job satisfaction for one of them - a mother-of three who patrols one of the most isolated beats in the country. Michelle Robson volunteered five years ago to spend a few hours a
DARLINGTON began the countdown to a promotion play-off by coasting to the first of the eight wins they are likely to need. In two games against West Hartlepool in North Division One they have scored 90 points without reply, helping them to build what
IF there were any doubts about chairman George Reynolds' commitment to Darlington Football Club then a tour around the club's new stadium should set the record straight. While results on the pitch may not have gone as all the fans would have hoped, the
IT didn't take long to get round the village. I knew when I was doing it that tongues would soon be wagging. It wasn't as though I could hide it, though. The noise was the giveaway, I suppose. The sound of a lawn mower engine in February does seem out
Demonstrators opposing an attack on Iraq have staged a "die-in" protest outside the Vickers tank factory in Newcastle today. No arrests were made, but across the country opposition protests to a possible war in Iraq sparked arrests after further demonstrations
"FOR anyone expecting the same result this time I can reassure them that it won't be the case. This is a different Swansea City,'' Brian Flynn, Friday. A different Swansea City it was. And one worse than the side trounced 7-1 by Hartlepool United last
An elderly woman died after being dragged under the wheels of a bus in Durham centre today. The 86-year-old shopper was carried for more than half-a-mile along the A690 in Durham before her body was thrown clear as the bus turned right at traffic lights
VIKING warriors battled it out at the weekend as part of an annual celebration of the Scandinavian invaders' influence on the region. Dozens of people dressed as Viking warriors and raced to win the Longships River challenge, which is held every year
NEWLY-appointed tourism boss Jeremy Reed has been handed the daunting task of taking charge of more than 2,000 years of the region's heritage. Mr Reed has been appointed as the assistant director of visitor operations for English Heritage in Yorkshire
THE North-East should be very proud of talented young people like Caroline Saxby. It should be investing in their talent and recognising their ambassadorial value. Caroline, one of the region's sports stars put on a pedestal at The Northern Echo's Local
A GROUP of purring misfits are being passed over as new owners search for the perfect moggie. Claude, a Persian-cross chinchilla, who is deaf, and an overweight cat called Tammy are two of the residents at the Blue Cross Centre, Thirsk, who are in desperate
TELEVISION comedian and keen ornithologist Bill Oddie will visit Bishop Auckland next week to support a milk production scheme which benefits wildlife. Under the White and Wild Milk project, developed by WildCare Dairy Products, in High Etherley, milk
A PRIVATE hospital is being planned for the region at a cost of £6m. Due to be built in Lady Edith's Drive, on the outskirts of Scarborough, the 26-bed hospital is to be built by Independent Care to replace the Bupa Belvedere Hospital, which closed last
Scarborough Borough Council has turned down an offer to take over the St Hilda's Business Centre at Whitby. North Yorkshire County Council which owns the centre at The Ropery had asked the authority to consider the idea but it has been rejected after
A couple had to be rescued from a fire in York at the weekend. A man and a woman were rescued by firefighters after their home in Huntington Road became engulfed in flames. The couple were taken to York District Hospital where they were treated for smoke
Caretaker boss Mick Tait could do little but offer a few words of sympathy for Gary Pearson after his sending off in the closing stages of yesterday's goalless draw at Wrexham. The versatile player received his marching orders for a second bookable offence
A PILOT scheme that brings youngsters from deprived areas to meet their North-East sporting heroes is to expand. The project, organised through the Prince's Trust and rugby sponsors Zurich insurance company, sees Newcastle Falcons Rugby Union Football
PANCAKES Russian-style will be on the menu in the name of international friendship next month. The Friends of Kostroma - County Durham's partner Russian city - will celebrate Russia's pancake week when they meet on Wednesday, March 5. "Maslenista, or
A NORTH-EAST MP was arrested on Saturday by special police officers - but all to promote the work of the special constabulary. Frank Cook, MP for Stockton North, took part in the event, which was part of a weekend of activities throughout the Cleveland
FOURTEEN youngsters have formed a council at their school in Northallerton. Two pupils from each year group at Applegarth School have been elected as members of the school council. They will meet every couple of weeks with a teacher in attendance and
A host of stars turned out last night for the British film industry's highlight of the year, the Baftas. Arriving to deafening screams in Leicester Square, in London's West End, celebrities from both sides of the Atlantic graced the red carpet. Among
OPPOSITION politicians have spoken out against Deputy Prime Minster John Prescott's visit to the region today, when he will speak to people about the election of a regional assembly. Mr Prescott could face some tough questions after his speech at the
PATIENCE is wearing thin with vandals and litter louts who could be damaging a North Yorkshire market town's reputation as a tourist destination. The Mayor of Richmond, Councillor Stuart Parsons, has made a campaign to inspire pride in the town one of
ONE of the region's last famous independent record shops closed at the weekend. Playback, in Middlesbrough, a haven for classical, folk and country and western music lovers, ceased trading after 16 years. Owners, Tony Hodgson and Jeff Lillie were inundated
A TEAM offering support for people with housing problems is moving offices. The Derwentside Tenant Support Service is moving from The Bye, in the Grove Estate, Consett, to town centre premises in Medomsley Road. The scheme, run by Derwentside District
A DRAMA group is appealing for sponsors to help it celebrate its 75th anniversary. Durham Dramatic Society is planning a bumper season of productions and events in 2004 to mark the milestone, including a flower and costume festival in June at the City
A NORTH-East MP has given his backing to a new campaign urging passengers to belt up in the back. Fraser Kemp, MP for Houghton and Washington East, joined with Transport Minister Alistair Darling to urge back-seat passengers to stay safe. It follows a
WORK has started on a £260,000 scheme to improve a village's appearance. But councillors look likely to reject a housing developer's plans to further enhance the area. A programme to improve the eastern entrance of Thornley village, County Durham, was
YOUNGSTERS got to grips with some early instruments at an Elizabethan music workshop this weekend. North-East group The Palatine Waits invited young players to join in songs and dances from the Tudor period. They showed off some of the forerunners to
A NORTH-EAST council now has greater powers to remove abandoned and untaxed cars from streets. The DVLA is to give some of its powers to local authorities, and Middlesbrough is the first council north of London to sign up to an agreement which allows
THE father of a North-East soldier who died at Deepcut barracks has launched a fresh attack on the Army, claiming it withheld his son's love letters for more than 17 months. Geoff Gray said he only knew is the letters existence when Surrey Police, who
A PROJECT to cut offending in a crime-hit community is paying dividends, say police. Officers from Gateshead Police have stepped up foot patrols in the Bensham and Saltwell areas of the town, in a bid to cut crime and disorder. They created the Bensham
A RECYCLING scheme in the borough of Stockton got off to a successful start with more than 95 per cent of residents taking advantage of it. Stockton Borough Council launched the Blue Box Scheme last week with the help of Middlesbrough Football Club manager
DISGRACED coroner Jeremy Cave is to appeal against his sentence. The solicitor was jailed for three-and-a-half years earlier this month after a jury convicted him of stealing £155,000 from dead clients' estates over a period of ten years. The 53-year-old
Just eat your heart out, Mr Holmes. WITH crime-scene investigator Horatio Caine around, it's a mystery why anyone attempts to get away with murder. The guilty party in this week's story, Just One Kiss, thought he'd destroyed the evidence by burning his
A POSTER campaign to promote a North-East dance show has become a victim of its own success. The eye-catching posters, for a show at Durham's Gala Theatre, have proved a hit with fans, who have repeatedly stolen them from sites around the city. The poster
RESIDENTS took part in a clean-up of their local beck yesterday. People living near Cowbridge Beck, in Billingham, were invited to take part in the event, which was part of an improvement scheme in the area. As well as helping to plant more than 200 trees
HUNDREDS of parents across the North-East are missing out on a "baby bonus" tax break worth hundreds of pounds - and time is running out to claim it. Working parents of babies born since April 6 last year are entitled to a £520 tax credit. This is on
DARLINGTON Salvation Army has raised a quarter of the £75,000 needed to rebuild its centre. Members have raise the money in a year through concerts, bric-a-brac sales and donations. The cash target is £1m, but the Army's senior staff agreed that if members
COUNCILLORS are being asked to stump up thousands of pounds more for a Dales pool so local people do not have to travel to swim. Harrogate Borough Council has been working with Nidderdale residents and Sport England to build a pool on the Nidderdale High
HEALTH bosses in Darlington are expressing concern that an explosion in cases of diabetes among the young in the area will put a strain on services. Officials at Darlington Primary Care Trust said they have witnessed an "alarming" increase in the number
A MOTHER who was knocked down by a bus was recovering in hospital yesterday. The 32-year-old woman and her two children were involved in an accident with a single-decker bus in Sunderland city centre on Friday, at 2pm. A police spokesman said last night
A SCHEME to produce quality beef in a heritage area is proving a success. The Hadrian's Wall Beef project, run by the National Trust and the Northern Rock Foundation, helps farmers rear animals in a way that is sensitive to the environment and to market
GOSFORTH East Middle School, formerly Gosforth East Secondary School, in Newcastle, will hold a reunion for former pupils and staff in the school hall on April 1, from 7pm to 9.30pm. Tickets for the event, including a buffet, are available from the school
HARRY Potter author JK Rowling has joined a campaign to crack down on the irresponsible ownership of owls, which is being unwittingly encouraged by the hit films based on her books. The campaign is run by Neil and Juliana Fowler, who run the Scotton Owl
THE price of home care and support services for the elderly and vulnerable is to rise. Gateshead Council is bringing in new prices for home and day-care. It means higher costs on face value - but officials say it will be based on an individual's ability
A COUPLE were so keen to land their dream home on a new estate that they queued all night to be first in line on the opening day. Deborah and Peter Ringer, of Consett, camped out in their car overnight in order to make sure they secured a four-bedroom
THE first collections of a kerbside recycling scheme involving 65,000 homes gets under way next month. South Tyneside Borough Council will be collecting newspapers, magazines, cans and bottles from residents in Whitburn, Cleadon and Boldon, from next
AS Howard Wilkinson hobbled away from the Stadium of Light, one weary Wearside wag suggested he had the look of a lame duck. A torn calf muscle was the cause of the Sunderland manager's discomfort; a case of adding injury to insult perhaps. The Sunderland
KEVIN KILBANE admitted his "embarrassment'' after being at the centre of another shameful episode. The Sunderland midfielder's under-hit backpass handed Middlesbrough striker Malcolm Christie the chance to seal only his side's second Premiership away
STOCKTON Borough Council has secured more than £420,000 from the Government's disabled facilities grant budget. The council has also allocated almost £300,000 from its budget to help fund works such as installing stairlifts, showers, ramps and handrails
FORGET Will Young and Pop Idol - the latest hunk making the ladies swoon is the North-East's own Pie Idol, Will Gordon. In Desperate Dan fashion, the project engineer for Rolls Royce was crowned king of the region's pie-eaters when he won the Fray Bentos
CONSIDERING Sunderland's plight, a good old-fashioned derby should have been just what they needed to spur them on. But after another poor performance, all Saturday's defeat to Middlesbrough has done is further highlight the dire situation unfolding on
A STREET poet in Ferryhill is publishing an anthology of his work. Anthony Fletcher, from Darlington, says he is an urban poet. He is putting the book together himself and said he will promote it in London before selling it in the North-East. He said:
A STREET poet in Ferryhill is publishing an anthology of his work. Anthony Fletcher, from Darlington, says he is an urban poet. He is putting the book together himself and said he will promote it in London before selling it in the North-East. He said:
I AM horrified by the possibility of demolishing the College of Technology in Cleveland Avenue, Darlington. The present buildings were built with two major aspirations in mind: to educate and train craftspeople to all levels of expertise and to teach
CHEEKY Chairs are the latest objects to be exhibited in a weird and wonderful array of designs produced by students with deaf or visual disabilities. The exhibition, at Henshaws Arts and Crafts Centre, in Bond End, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, presents
An expectant mother and her devoted husband, described by friends as a perfect couple, have been killed in a horrific weekend road crash only weeks before the birth of their first child. Six-months pregnant Suzie Baldwin and her husband Adrian died instantly
A PROSPECTIVE Olympic champion could see her chances of glory dealt a massive blow this morning when she loses her coach to council budget cuts. Gary Hollywood's £19,000-a-year post as swimming development officer in Wear Valley, County Durham, is one
Most women fall into prostitution because of childhood abuse or becasue they've run away. Kelly is an exception. Nick Morrison talks to her on what she claims is her last night on the job. KELLY wasn't abused as a child. She never ran away from home,
Q I AM trying to discover the history of my birthplace, Whitwell, near Sherburn, in Co Durham. My family moved from the village in the 1930s. - Miss M Simpson, Garforth, Leeds. AWhitwell village was historically located in an extra-parochial parish called
Police will take no further action against television presenter Matthew Kelly over allegations of sex abuse against young boys. However, the presenter was cautioned after a small quantity of Class A drugs was found during a search of his home. But Mr
Richard Guest, who saddled his first winner from his third runner as a trainer at Kempton on Saturday, can be on the mark with Red Minister in the Saltwell Signs Handicap Chase over two and a half miles at Newcastle today. Guest's six-year-old, who is
THE momentum picked up in recent weeks by Darlington Mowden Park gathered force with a 60-0 win at Scunthorpe. Mowden's biggest victory in National Three North leaves them only one point behind fifth-placed Tynedale, and with a home match against Broadstreet
WHEN Kieron Dyer was at Ipswich Town it was Sunderland, and since he has been at Newcastle United that team has been Leeds United. The 24-year-old doesn't have his favourite sides, but what he does remember are the clubs that he always plays well against
Thousands of North-East anti-war supporters helped to make British history on Saturday. Liz Lamb reports UNITED in their stance, supporters from every corner of the North joined together at the weekend to demonstrate one vision. The collective knew no
IT didn't take long to get round the village. I knew when I was doing it that tongues would soon be wagging. It wasn't as though I could hide it, though. The noise was the giveaway, I suppose. The sound of a lawn mower engine in February does seem out
Demonstrators opposing an attack on Iraq have staged a "die-in" protest outside the Vickers tank factory in Newcastle today. No arrests were made, but across the country opposition protests to a possible war in Iraq sparked arrests after further demonstrations
Drugs squad officers are celebrating a £100,000 haul of narcotics from a house on Teesside. Police in Stockton are hailing the recovery of ecstasy tablets, cocaine, amphetamines, cannabis and steroids from a house in Norton as a major victory against
Q I AM trying to discover the history of my birthplace, Whitwell, near Sherburn, in Co Durham. My family moved from the village in the 1930s. - Miss M Simpson, Garforth, Leeds. AWhitwell village was historically located in an extra-parochial parish called
RITCHIE Humphreys left Victoria Park on Saturday with a couple of momentos to make his first Hartlepool United hat-trick. As well as the club's man of the match award, he was keeping a firm grip on the match ball, signed by his teammates after he netted
Tony Blair has gambled his unprecedented popularity on a battlefield where he has failed to seize the moral high ground. Political Editor Chris Lloyd assesses his chances of survival. THERE is no moral high ground in this fight towards war. The doves
A CANOEIST who travelled hundreds of miles to tackle a North-East river landed himself in trouble before he left dry land. Wesley Stephens and a group of enthusiasts from Croydon, Surrey, were hoping to enjoy a Sunday afternoon's sport on the fast-flowing
A WEEKEND packed with entertainment and spectacular displays awaits visitors to this year's Wykeham Country Fair, near Scarborough. Celebrity angler Gary Coxen is among some of the people expected at the annual event in July. The Land of Prince Bishop's
FORMER hostage Terry Waite will be the guest in the first of a series of Celebrity Concerts held this summer. Mr Waite, who hit the headlines after being held captive for several years in the Middle East will appear at the Spa Grand Hall, Scarborough
FRAUD will be the focus of a joint initiative involving forces from Cleveland, Northumbria and Durham at a conference being held in Newcastle next month. The event, at St James' Park on March 18, will cover all aspects of retail fraud, fraud prevention
FAMILIES of murder victims remembered their loved ones at a memorial service this weekend. The ceremony - the first of its kind on Tyneside - took place in St Mary's RC Cathedral, Clayton Street, Newcastle. In a poignant silent tribute, relatives release
YOUNGSTERS are to line up against a team of police officers in a football match aimed at improving relationships between youths and the law. The footballers, aged 13 to 21, will play against the officers on Wednesday. The teams will spend the morning
A NORTHERN Echo newspaper delivery boy was hailed a hero yesterday after he saved an elderly woman in distress. Michael Owens, 14, was on his round in Linden Grove, a sheltered accommodation unit in Coxhoe, near Durham, when he found the pensioner in
A GRIEVING family has raised thousands of pounds in memory of a relative lost to cancer, after leading a 200-strong sponsored walk. Mother-of-three Estelle Jelley died of breast cancer on Saturday, March 2, last year - only three days before her 46th
FORMER actress and drama teacher Eliner Rutherford is to be honoured at the arts showcase she holds dear. Mrs Rutherford, president of the Harrogate Competitive Festival for Music, Speech and Drama will be made a Fellow of the Society of Teachers of Speech
FIREFIGHTERS faced a tense wait yesterday as flames threatened to tear through a North-East factory. Three crews responded to an emergency call to the Walkers Smiths Snack Foods crisp plant in Stephenson Road, Peterlee, County Durham, at 3.10pm, after
FANS of the hit BBC TV series, The Life of Mammals, can relive their favourite moments when an exhibition from the show visits the region this week. The touring exhibition will be at the Life Science Centre, in Times Square, Newcastle, from Thursday to
AN event was held in Hartlepool yesterday to let motorists find out what they can do to help protect the environment. A dual-fuelled car, which can be powered by either liquid petroleum or petrol, was on display outside the council offices. Organised
RESIDENTS who feel their town is being ignored are closer to forming their own tier of government. Plans to create a town council in Billingham look likely to succeed in the summer. Last year, residents Colin Pollard and Frank Crosby launched a pressure
A SCHOOL dinner lady has retired after 25 years of serving youngsters. Val Burlison has been a dinner lady at Preston Primary School, Stockton, since 1978. But she served her final meal last week and is now enjoying a well-earned retirement. Headteacher
A RECORD number of passengers are travelling by ferry from a North-East port, figures have shown. World events and nervousness about air travel have helped DFDS Seaways achieve record growth on its services from the Tyne to Amsterdam and Scandinavia.
WORK has started on a project to ease parking problems and improve areas of green space in parts of north Hartlepool. The work is being carried out in Miller Crescent, Fulthorp Avenue, Riddlington Way and Goldsmith Avenue. It involves improving access
STOCKTON Borough Council has secured more than £420,000 from the Government's disabled facilities grant budget. The council has also allocated almost £300,000 from its budget to help fund works such as installing stairlifts, showers, ramps and handrails
A HOLIDAY activity programme is being launched to let youngsters try something different. Stockton Borough Council has developed the programme, called Xplore, for people aged from three to 16. It will run every school holiday with the exception of the
EXACTLY 1,500 people have found a job since an employment project began in South Bank and Grangetown. The milestone has been reached by staff at Job Connect, which was set up in the two Middlesbrough communities eight years ago. The 1,500th worker is
A TOWN hall is to be without its 200-year-old clock for a few weeks while it is taken away to be repaired. For the past couple of weeks, the hands of Stockton Town Hall clock have been stuck in the 12 o'clock position. Stockton Borough Council has investigated
A CYCLIST has been badly injured after colliding with a van. The accident happened at about 8.45am on Saturday, near the Halfway House pub, in Southwick Road, Sunderland. A 67-year-old man cycled off the pavement on to the road and was struck by a Mercedes
A CYCLIST has been badly injured after colliding with a van. The accident happened at about 8.45am on Saturday, near the Halfway House pub, in Southwick Road, Sunderland. A 67-year-old man cycled off the pavement on to the road and was struck by a Mercedes
Darlington yesterday showed the kind of resilience which will surely eliminate them from any possible relegation fight this season. And while the battling goalless draw at play-off chasing Wrexham extended Quakers' winless run to six games, caretaker
More than 200 musicians from Darlington and south Durham are to perform Verdi's Requiem at the town's Dolphin Centre on Saturday, April 12. Darlington Choral Society is joining with singers from Richmond, Crook, Weardale, Bishop Auckland and Stanhope
A MAN who was suffering from kidney pains had to be evacuated from a ship in the North Sea yesterday. At 2pm, the Teesmouth All Weather Lifeboat received a call from the Humber Coastguard to assist a crewman from the vessel, Sea Magic, which was about
RIVAL football supporters caused chaos in a city centre when they began throwing missiles and fighting following a match at the weekend. Police were forced to call in the dog section to contain the violence, which happened after the Third Division York
STUDENTS at universities in the region are being given the chance to find a job by using a telephone service. Thanks to Jobcentre Plus, it will be easier for students at Northumbria and Teesside Universities to find a job at the end of a newly-installed
THE first collections of a kerbside recycling scheme involving 65,000 homes gets under way next month. South Tyneside Borough Council will be collecting newspapers, magazines, cans and bottles from residents in Whitburn, Cleadon and Boldon, from next
EARLY learners are in for a treat today when a musical juggernaut rolls into town. The Musical Maze - a giant, mass of pipes, chimes, drums and percussion pieces - will pay its first visit to a Washington School in Spout Lane, Washington, this morning
Wear Valley district councillor Derek Jago has put back tonight's Escomb ward surgery, in the Rose and Crown pub, Witton Park, by an hour, to 8pm.
PENSIONERS in Darlington could see their bus pass charges rise by £3 a year from April. Darlington Borough Council subsidises the concessionary bus fares scheme, which allows eligible groups of residents to take advantage of half-fare passes. But the
A LOW-cost handyman service is being offered to people in an area of Darlington. The service, run by a community group, is being set up to give residents in Cockerton and Branksome access to a low-cost maintenance and repair service. Repairs on offer
WELL known broadcaster and preacher Reverend Dr Leslie Griffiths comes to the region next month give a talk on the pioneer of the Methodist movement. Dr Griffiths will give a lecture on John Wesley as part of celebrations to mark the 300th anniversary
A GUIDE to building a greener future for the North-East has won a hat-trick of awards. The Building-in Sustainability booklet won a Green Apple National Gold award, an industrial services award for sustainability from the Leeds and Yorkshire Times and
A £1m gas pipeline will run under the River Skerne to meet the increasing demand from Darlington homes. Transco has been awarded the contract to build the 4km pipe. Work will start in May and is scheduled to finish in October. The line will run under
A driver was recovering in hospital yesterday after her car collided into a footbridge on the A19 northbound carriageway, near Peterlee, County Durham, at 1.15am on Saturday. Firefighters spent more than 30 minutes cutting her free from the vehicle. She
A MOTHER who was knocked down by a bus was recovering in hospital yesterday. The 32-year-old woman and her two children were involved in an accident with a single-decker bus in Sunderland city centre on Friday, at 2pm. A police spokesman said last night
THE region's first extra-care development for elderly people is in the running for a national design award. The Priory Court complex in Wardley, Gateshead, has been shortlisted for the Pinders Healthcare Design Awards. The national contest rewards excellence
CALL centre staff transformed themselves into celebrities to raise funds for one of their colleagues. Staff from the LE Group, in Sunderland, took to the stage as their favourite pop acts to raise £6,000 to buy a prosthetic limb for colleague Carl Morgan
ALLEGATIONS that Tony Blair intervened to oust the editor of a North-East newspaper were described as nonsense yesterday. The Mail on Sunday published an article yesterday in which it was alleged that the Prime Minister had made a telephone call to Johnston
NEWCASTLE have been rocked by the news that midfielder Jermaine Jenas faces up to a month on the sidelines. A scan today is expected to reveal the former Nottingham Forest man, who turned 20 last Tuesday on the day his manager became a septuagenarian,
EUROPE: THE majority of people in this country are well fed, housed, clothed and enjoy many things in life. This is due in no small part to the far-sightedness of the post-Second World War politicians who founded the Coal and Steel Community. Its success
THE feeling that a friend in need is a pest was difficult to shrug off while watching The Conman, His Lover and the Prime Minister's Wife (BBC1, Thursday). A BBC producer with the unfortunate name of Lynne Alleway - a surname one letter away from the
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott signalled his determination to press ahead with his vision for regional assemblies in England. He confirmed at a national conference organised by the pro-devolution Campaign for the English Regions in York that referendums
THE first collections of a kerbside recycling scheme involving 65,000 homes gets under way next month. South Tyneside Borough Council will be collecting newspapers, magazines, cans and bottles from residents in Whitburn, Cleadon and Boldon, from next
OFFICIALS at Sunderland Football Club are to meet police to discuss tightening security following fighting between rival fans at the weekend's match with Middlesbrough. The club is anxious to avoid any repetition of the violence that marred Saturday's
BUILDING company executives say they will appeal against a council's rejection of plans for more than 50 homes in Barnard Castle. Wimpey construction company managers say they have "bent over backwards" to meet recommendations set down by Teesdale District
With a run of hits including The Graduate, Rain Man and Tootsie, Dustin Hoffman became one of the most successful film stars of the 70s and 80s. Now back in the limelight, he tells Streve Pratt about falling out of love with the movie industry - and the
