DETECTIVES in the North-East have turned to the Internet to try to find people they want to interview in connection with a range of crimes. Pictures of nine men and one woman who police believe can help them with inquiries can now be seen worldwide on
MART POOM is poised to seize his chance at Sunderland as Arsenal and Manchester United prepare to go head-to-head for goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen. Estonia's Poom, signed from Derby County by former Black Cats boss Howard Wilkinson for £2.5m during January's
FEWER than 20 students and school pupils kept up an anti-war protest in one city yesterday. Similar demonstrations on the day hostilities broke out attracted several hundred teenage protestors in Durham. But less than a week into the conflict, a rally
A WOMAN told last night how her father forced her to have sex with him after taking her on a birthday shopping trip. Lynn Henry waived her right to anonymity to tell The Northern Echo about her ordeal, saying: "I want people to know what he is really
ANOTHER generous mystery donor has come forward to support The Northern Echo's Stanley Burns Pit Disaster Memorial Appeal. This time, a well-known man, who wished to remain anonymous, has given £500 to the appeal which follows other major but anonymous
A PERFORMING arts and music theatre student from the North-East has beaten off national competition to clinch a part in a commissioned National Youth Music Theatre production. Amy Colclough will perform in Such Sweet Thunder, a mixture of Shakespeare
A NEW children's nursery is to open in Fishburn after a lengthy planning wrangle. The Bright Buttons Nursery, which will open for business on April 7, has 37 places available and will employ four members of staff from the village and nearby communities
A LEADING County Durham manufacturing company has landed a deal to provide education establishments nationwide with a healthier environment. West Auckland-based Ebac, which manufactures water coolers and dehumidifiers for homes and businesses, has designed
Traders and disabled motorists want a review of Bishop Auckland's disabled parking policy. As part of The Northern Echo and Advertiser Series' Shopping for a Future campaign, Catherine Jewitt joined a disabled teenager and her mother to learn about the
Instruments, songs and tales of English life from the Battle of Hastings to Tudor times took centre stage at Sunnydale School, in Shildon. Rick and Helen Heavisides, who make up the Hautbois Musicians, played modern reproductions of old musical instruments
DIVERSIFICATION is proving to be the way forward for an agricultural company in Weardale. A subcontract selling and servicing tractors has given a lifeline to Gardiners Agricultural Engineering, in Frosterley. The small business has been able to employ
A TECHNOLOGY suite in Darlington's main Crown Street library has been opened by Darlington Borough Council leader Councillor John Williams. The facility provides library users with access to 24 new computers, which were funded by the New Opportunities
A body found in a ditch is that of a missing County Durham man, it was revealed yesterday. Craig Foreman disappeared from his home in Denecrest, Medomsley, near Consett, on in the early hours of Saturday, October 26. A walker stumbled across the body
AN epileptic dog stolen from a backyard has been reunited with its owners in time to save its life. Gary and Sharon Kirkbride, and their three-year-old son Aiden, were devastated when they discovered nine-year-old terrier cross Buster missing from their
THE Clock Cafe in Thirsk is to be the subject of a television makeover. After meeting youngsters last week, BBC North Yorkshire announced it would be making the programme in May. Over 60 people attended a public meeting in the town hall and open day at
A MULE will help recreate the country life of yesteryear at County Durham's biggest local history fair. Frances, who is more than 20 years old, will make her debut with Rent a Peasant, a re-enactment group, at Durham County Council's Yesterday Belongs
ALMOST 200 students from throughout Britain and beyond aired their views in a debating contest. The competition, at Durham University, invited students from 42 schools to debate the motion - "This house would eat genetically modified foods". It was sponsored
TENANTS in Hartlepool affected by the Government's decision to seek the winding-up of three property management companies operating in the town have been given advice by council officials. They have moved to ease the anxiety of householders following
THE plight of the million or so men, women and children of Basra is one of unimaginable terror. Since the outbreak of hostilities in Iraq they have effectively been held hostage by Saddam Hussein's loyalist thugs. Camped outside for five days now have
A YOUNGSTER impressed judges with his acting talent when he competed against teenagers four years older. Carmel College pupil Michael Daynes, from Darlington, was runner-up in the junior championship at the 2003 Darlington Festival of Performing Arts.
A DARLINGTON Guide celebrated her 90th birthday this week - but she has no intention of slowing down or taking it easy. Elsie Bainbridge, who has lived in the Eastbourne area of Darlington all her life, is still an active member of the Darlington District
A PEDESTRIAN injured by a suspected stolen car is still critical in hospital nearly three weeks after he was knocked down. The 37-year-old suffered extensive head and leg injuries when he was in collision with a Ford Focus car as he crossed Haughton Road
MEASURES are to be taken to cut truancy at Darlington schools after it was revealed many parents are allowing their children to skip lessons. A Review Group was set up by Darlington Borough Council to investigate ways to improve attendance in the borough's
A MAN has been fined after he was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a rottweiler dog. Ian Hodgson, of Shaw Street, Bishop Auckland, pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared before Bishop Auckland magistrates yesterday. The court
A MAN has been fined after he was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a rottweiler dog. Ian Hodgson, of Shaw Street, Bishop Auckland, pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared before Bishop Auckland magistrates yesterday. The court
STUDENTS have been exploring methods of catching criminals in the University of Teesside's £40,000 Crime House. Ten year ten pupils from Sacred Heart RC School, Redcar, searched for clues to staged crimes and collected fingerprints, footprints and other
A TREE planting scheme is to be carried out in Long Street, Thirsk, by Hambleton District Council. A second scheme to improve the street has failed to get grant aid from Yorkshire Forward and the Thirsk Regeneration Initiative. County Councillor Jan Marshall
POLICE are warning rowdy youths congregating at Howlbeck shops, in Guisborough, that they are being watched. The move has come after police, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and other members of the area's Community Safety Partnership teamed up with
AN application to open a betting shop in a market town high street has sparked objections from local traders and residents. James Darroch, of bookmakers Coral Northern Limited, submitted the application for a betting licence on March 4. If successful,
A NEWLY installed ramp will provide easier access for Richmond's disabled cricket fans. Work on the ramp, funded by a £4,300 Yorventure grant, goes ahead next month as the Richmondshire club's three adult and five junior teams limber up for the beginning
The beer festival, part of Darlington's Spring Thing folk music event will run from tomorrow, until Saturday at the Arts Centre, Vane Terrace, Darlington. Beer, supplied by the Campaign for Real Ales, will be available from 7pm to 11pm on Thursday, noon
Tidy town: Colburn Town Council is to look at ways of persuading the public to keep the area tidier by not dropping litter. Richmondshire District Council environment unit is to be approached for advice on the best methods of education in litter awareness
A BUS operator is revising several of its services in an attempt to improve overall quality and reliability. Changes to Go North East services in Sunderland and east Durham will take effect from Saturday. Some journeys will be slightly re-routed or re-timed
Music festival: Egglescliffe School will host the Regional Festival of Music for Youth on Saturday and Sunday. Entry to the all-day event is free. Red Noses: Pupils at Yarm School raised £1,200 for the Red Nose fund as part of their non-uniform day. Aidan
TO celebrate the centenary of All Saints' Church, Eaglescliffe, a thanksgiving service is being held by the Bishop of Jarrow, the Right Reverend John Pritchard, on Sunday, at 10am. Centenary banners will be presented and the service will be followed by
A BRIDE hates her wedding photographs so much she is having them digitally altered on a television show. Joanne Hackett, 33, will have the pictures airbrushed by computer experts on the Richard and Judy show on Channel 4 tonight. She married Stuart wearing
FIVE people appeared in court again yesterday accused of money laundering. Darlington businesswoman Mary Elizabeth Blair, 53, of Summerhouse Grove, is accused of stealing more than £200,000 from PMB motors and South Cleveland Garages. Beverley and Edward
Bring on Bury! That was the call from caretaker boss Mick Tait last night ahead of Saturday's clash at Feethams. A win for Tait's Darlington side will almost certainly guarantee Third Division football next season. Saturday's narrow victory at Scunthorpe
A NEW children's nursery is to open in Fishburn after a lengthy planning wrangle. The Bright Buttons Nursery, which will open for business on April 7, has 37 places available and will employ four members of staff from the village and nearby communities
SO now war is a spectator sport. And all it does is make me feel guilty. Wall to wall coverage of the war in Iraq makes it a real live 24 Hours. Any time of day or night you can switch on and see Our Boys getting ready, a ghostly green John Simpson or
David Barker, who trains just a stone's throw from Catterick racecourse, should keep his local fans happy by taking the opener at the track this afternoon with Whinhill House (2.20). Barker isn't letting the grass grow under Whinhill House's feet since
LIKE West Cornforth, forever Doggy, the Isle of Dogs is a bit of a mystery. Some say that it's the area of east London where Henry VIII kept his hunting hounds, others - as one website discreetly puts it - suggest that the origins are "more dismissive
ARTS groups in the region are to share a multi-million pound cash pot. Arts Council England, North East, has announced a boost for the region's arts, in a three-year spending plan. The Creative Partnerships pilot scheme in County Durham and Wearside will
ALL eyes are on the forthcoming Budget as employment levels in Darlington continue to rise, despite the situation in Iraq. Businesses in the town continued to recruit staff last month, according to the Darlington Business Index, which is compiled by Clive
CINDERELLA tried on her new rags yesterday - nearly nine months before her grand entrance at the Gala Theatre's Christmas pantomime. Kirsti McDonagh, 16, and Luck Gasper, cast in the leading roles of Cinderella and Prince Charming, were yesterday transformed
A LEADING County Durham manufacturing company has landed a deal to provide education establishments nationwide with a healthier environment. West Auckland-based Ebac, which manufactures water coolers and dehumidifiers for homes and businesses, has designed
SO now war is a spectator sport. And all it does is make me feel guilty. Wall to wall coverage of the war in Iraq makes it a real live 24 Hours. Any time of day or night you can switch on and see Our Boys getting ready, a ghostly green John Simpson or
A HIGH street store bowed to public pressure from parents and children's charities yesterday and withdrew "Little Miss Naughty" knickers aimed at seven to eight-year-old girls. But Bhs declined to withdraw padded bras from the same range - based on the
THE spear which may have killed legendary explorer Captain Cook raised £135,000 at auction today despite original estimates that it would raise just £2,000. Edinburgh auctioneers Lyon and Turnbull sold the weapon, which has been fashioned into a walking
HARTLEPOOL UNITED'S Paul Stephenson last night revealed he is hanging up his boots at the end of the current campaign, writes Paul Fraser. The 35-year-old has not kicked a ball in the Third Division this season and he will take up a new role as assistant
YOUNG Army cadets from all over the region were visited by a member of the top brass during a training exercise in County Durham. More than 140 cadets from Coxhoe, Durham, Horden, Houghton le Spring, Seaham, Shiney Row, and Ushaw Moor Light Infantry detachments
Back in the 1920s motorcycle racing was a man's sport. Eva Askquith, a tough Yorkshire lass with nerves of steel, changed all that. Now an exhibition will celebrate her life. Kate Bowman reports. EVA Askquith was not like other young ladies of her age
ACTORS have had a sneak preview of the scenery for their £75,000 production of a hit Broadway musical. Staff at Scene Setters, in Tanfield Lea industrial estate, near Stanley, were commissioned to produce the backdrops for the West End Operatic Society's
OPERA NIGHTS: A show is being staged by the Cestrian Operatic Society, between Wednesday and Saturday, April 9 to 12, at 7.15pm in the Park View Community Centre. SURRENDER: R Mumby will talk about the 1942 surrender of Singapore on Tuesday, April 18,
ONE hundred jobs will be created with the opening of a high-tech call centre in South Tyneside. Amicus Outsourcing has invested more than £1m in the venture, based in the former Co-op office in St Bede's Chamber, Jarrow. Company bosses hope to increase
Expectations of a swift conclusion to the war on Iraq have foundered as Saddam's troops show they are not going to give up without a fight. Nick Morrison looks at why a hated dictator still commands support. AS American troops advanced towards Baghdad
THE ICI chemical group last night assured Teesside workers that their jobs were safe despite the threat of staff cuts in other areas. The company warned the City of sharply lower first quarter profits after problems emerged at its Quest food flavouring
The region is to get millions of pounds to set up designated children's centres. The North-East and North Yorkshire will get £35.7m over the next three years to develop the centres, it was announced yesterday. They will provide childcare and early education
MOST support for the war on Iraq was, and perhaps is, founded on loathing of Saddam Hussein's vicious regime. To the war's promoters, President George Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair, Saddam's inhumanity has proved to be something of a Holy Grail.
A MAN accused of running a brothel in Darlington appeared before South Durham magistrates in Darlington yesterday. John Middleton, 59, of North Stainmore, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, is charged with living off immoral earnings. Catherine May MacLeod, 62,
A HYPNOTIST succeeded in setting a world record during a fundraising event for the Ann Teasdale Appeal. David Knight broke the world record for speed hypnotism at the third attempt during the event at Redworth Hall Hotel, between Darlington and Bishop
THE world's largest package delivery firm has completed the biggest corporate rebrand in history. UPS, instantly recognisable through its traditional brown livery, has redesigned the shield logo which stood as a defining image of the company for 40 years
TO celebrate the centenary of All Saints' Church, Eaglescliffe, a thanksgiving service is being held by the Bishop of Jarrow, the Right Reverend John Pritchard, on Sunday, at 10am. Centenary banners will be presented and the service will be followed by
OVERWEIGHT Wear Valley residents could be recruited for a groundbreaking study which is helping to cut the heart disease death rate. Professor Massimo Massarini is proposing research in the district on the links between exercise and obesity, which is
YOUNGSTER Emma Welbury is off to a flying start in further education, after winning a scooter. Lucky Emma, from Benton, Newcastle, won the Vespa scooter in a prize draw organised by the Learning and Skills Council Tyne and Wear. The youngster, a pupil
A SEASIDE town's oldest family business and shop is to change hands. AA Sotheran's printers, stationers and book shop has been known to generations of shoppers in Redcar, east Cleveland, going back to 1890. But, after 43 years as a printer and third generation
COUNCIL officials have reported success for a controversial recycling scheme. Darlington Borough Council has introduced a system of kerbside recycling, which has been criticised by residents. The council is now planning to purchase four specialised vehicles
TELECOMS operator BT has confirmed that high-speed broadband communication will be available in Thirsk from May 14. More than 350 people have said they would use the service. Broadband will be available to more than 4,600 customers once BT Wholesale has
A BOGUS caller posing as a water company official stole £100 from an elderly woman. Last night police repeated a warning to people to be cautious about callers and always ask for identification. The 84-year-old woman invited the man into her home in West
A BOGUS caller posing as a water company official stole £100 from an elderly woman. Last night police repeated a warning to people to be cautious about callers and always ask for identification. The 84-year-old woman invited the man into her home in West
AN epileptic dog stolen from a backyard has been reunited with its owners in time to save its life. Gary and Sharon Kirkbride, and their three-year-old son Aiden, were devastated when they discovered nine-year-old terrier cross Buster missing from their
The mystery over Newcastle United football star Craig Bellamy deepened last night when his solicitor insisted he not been charged with any offence following an incident in Cardiff. Graham Shear, of London firm Teacher Stern Selby, also said that the 23
FUNDRAISERS have succeeded in buying a text phone for a Northallerton mother with speech difficulties. Their campaign, supported by hundreds of computer learners, was to help mother-of-three Shelley Knights, who has no speech but carries a device which
AN accident investigator has told an inquest that a collision in which a student walking home from a party died was caused by pedestrian error. Richard Maloney had been at fellow student Victoria Simpson's birthday party at Norton, near Stockton. Ms Simpson
A FORMER employee of Bhs in Darlington admitted stealing from the store when he appeared before South Durham Magistrates yesterday. Ian Sandiford, of Stockton Road, Darlington, admitted stealing £140 and faking refund receipts. He was caught after managers
THREE women are preparing to cycle 400km following the Nile later this year. Elizabeth Briggs, Pam Fenna and Lyn Jameson, all from Teesside, are in training for the event, in aid of Age Concern, and are looking for sponsors to help them raise £7,500.
ANYONE tuning into Alpha Radio in Darlington over the past few weeks might have heard some disturbing advertisement about domestic violence. The 50-second segments feature a man shouting, clearly about to lash out, and the frightened voice of a child.
AN appeal has been launched to make Easter extra special for people in the Darlington borough. The Eggstravaganza Appeal, now in its third year, asks local people to buy an extra Easter egg when shopping for gifts for family and friends, and donate it
WINNERS of the awards presented to mark the achievement of young people in the borough of Stockton have been announced. The Stockton Mayor's Achievement Recognition Trophy Awards (Smart) were set up last year to recognise the efforts and achievements
A PROMINENT Russian artist will be producing work at a North-East gallery. Alexander Terenin, from Moscow, will demonstrate and showcase his work at Colliers, in Dean Street, Newcastle, on Saturday. Visitors will be able to watch him painting in oils
The beer festival, part of Darlington's Spring Thing folk music event will run from tomorrow, until Saturday at the Arts Centre, Vane Terrace, Darlington. Beer, supplied by the Campaign for Real Ales, will be available from 7pm to 11pm on Thursday, noon
The following cases were heard by South Durham magistrates sitting in Darlington yesterday: INDECENCY CHARGE: Steven James Beck, 43, of Belvedere Road, Darlington, appeared before magistrates on a charge of indecent assault on a girl under 14. He was
MOTORBIKE enthusiasts have been urged by police to join a group where they can learn advanced skills before the riding season gets under way. Many keen bikers who are now getting back into the saddle following the winter lay-off are being encouraged to
A BARTER scheme which now has more than 200 members shares home produce at a social and trading event at Catterick Garrison on Friday. The event is being held at the St John's Centre, Shute Road, from 7pm, to trade and share wine and home produce. Organiser
THE nation's growing affection for one of America's favourite snack foods could lead to a bumper jobs boom at a County Durham plant. Union Snack, the UK's only pretzel manufacturer, saw turnover jump 30 per cent to £5.4m - amounting to an extra 2.5m bags
FRUSTRATED Shola Ameobi last night asked for more first team duty at Newcastle United after learning Sven-Goran Eriksson is one of his biggest fans. The Magpies striker has struggled to claim a regular place in Sir Bobby Robson's side, with Craig Bellamy
Iraq's second city of Basra last night turned into a bloodbath as civilians mounted the first rebellion against Saddam Hussein's regime. Saddam loyalists turned their artillery on a crowd which had taken to the streets, with "horrific" horizontal fire
THE Gulf War Veterans Association is being flooded with calls from former combatants reliving their nightmares of conflict. For many, post traumatic stress has been triggered by news coverage of the war. The Newcastle association's chairman, Larry Cammock
TEN entrepreneurial people have been handpicked to take part in a scheme designed to fast-track their business aspirations. Enterprise Island offers a three-month development programme designed to help each individual develop the skills needed to build
TWO North-East business representatives have led a national call for proposed tax increases to be axed, saying it could cripple small businesses. Chris Williamson, secretary of the Federation of Small Businesses' (FSB) Darlington branch, called on Gordon
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye... How do you say it's over, that it's the end of the affair? Perhaps in a letter, or a telephone call. Or have a good row and storm out never to return. This quintet of short films offered various solutions
AN organic dairy near Darlington is hoping to expand its business by pasteurising its own milk. Acorn Dairy, based at Garthorne Farm, Archdeacon Newton, is putting the finishing touches to its new processing plant, which will bring about a substantial
SOAP star Leslie Grantham took to the stage in the region last night for the opening night of Donald Churchill's play, Love and Marriage. He is starring alongside Stephen Boxer and Liz Izen at The Civic Theatre, in Darlington, until Saturday. The former
NO SMOKING DAY: ON March 12 over a million UK smokers tried to stop smoking. I would like to say a big thank you and well done to all of them and to the thousands of experts who are helping them through the first tricky weeks. Most of all I would like
A MAN who mugged a great-grandmother for her £2 fish supper was yesterday jailed for a total of 12 years after he admitted killing the pensioner. Partially-sighted Marie Watson, 77, died nine days after she was robbed in the street a few yards from her
ANIMAL rights campaigners have held a protest at a County Durham racecourse ahead of next weekend's Grand National. "You bet...they die" was the message to punters visiting Sedgefield Racecourse yesterday. Members of the North-East Animal Rights Coalition
POLICE are warning the equestrian community to remain on the alert after a spate of thefts from stables. Tack worth more than a thousand pounds was stolen from a property near Melsonby, in Richmondshire, North Yorkshire, earlier this month, as well as
A theatre will soon be showing films following the demise of a city's only cinema. The £14m Gala Theatre, at Durham, which is run by Durham City Council after the collapse of the management firm it hired, is planning a week of classic movies next month
A RECLUSE died after he used petrol to light a fire in his living room - the walls of which were already doused in engine oil to combat dampness. Frank Smith, 64, was overcome by smoke as he tried to escape from the house in Great Stainton, near Newton
A THEATRE'S former catering manager has strenuously denied that he left the post by mutual agreement. Last week, a spokesman for Durham's Gala Theatre said that Peter Bradley had left less than a month after the relaunch of its restaurant. The spokesman
CONTROVERSY over England's withdrawal from a World Cup cricket tie in Zimbabwe has helped to increase interest in the North-East's first test match. Durham's Riverside Ground, at Chester-le-Street, becomes the country's first new test venue for a century
Lindsay Jennings returns to students at Sedgefield Community College in Tony Blair's constituency for the third time to find that some opinions have changed now the war had begun. HAS your stance on war with Iraq changed since the bombing began? Anthony
A SADISTIC landlord who suffocated and tortured two women - hiding one in a suitcase and the other in a cupboard - has been jailed for life. And, as Kim Kyu Soo was led to the cells at the Old Bailey, detectives said he would almost certainly have struck
A SCHOOL is offering parents the chance to learn alongside their children, as part of plans to keep people learning throughout their lives. Harlow Green Community Infant School, in Low Fell, Gateshead, has been running a variety of courses to help parents
FOUR people suspended from a North-East kitchen manufacturers in January remain off work, the company said yesterday. The workers were suspended following an internal investigation into stock discrepancies at Magnet's Allington Way site in Darlington.
TROUBLED Newcastle United striker Craig Bellamy, facing a police probe into allegations that he racially abused a nightclub bouncer, has yet to respond to an FA charge over a foul-mouthed attack on referee Andy D'Urso. The FA yesterday confirmed that
LIKE West Cornforth, forever Doggy, the Isle of Dogs is a bit of a mystery. Some say that it's the area of east London where Henry VIII kept his hunting hounds, others - as one website discreetly puts it - suggest that the origins are "more dismissive
THE fight of aerial supremacy by brave, young pilots above the Somme battlefields is to be told in Durham next week. Peter Hart, a historian for the sound archive at the Imperial War Museum in London will appear at Durham Light Infantry Museum and Durham
THE future of phone firm Orange appears more secure after its parent company was given a healthy financial prop by the French government. France Telecom's debt mountain was partially alleviated by a record 15bn euros (£10.1bn) rights issue, 9bn euros
MIDDLESBROUGH midfielder George Boateng is a major doubt ahead of the West Bromwich Albion clash a week on Saturday. The Dutch international suffered ankle ligament damage during the weekend draw at home to Charlton Athletic. Boateng has been having treatment
GNER's new on-train catering service Go Eat has won the company a top award. Judges at the sixth annual Railway Forum/Modern Railways Innovation Awards, in London, picked the new service as the top marketing innovation seen on Britain's railways last
A THIEF has stolen a severely disabled woman's lifeline to the world. Jacqui Peacock, 32, has a severe form of cerebral palsy and cannot speak, relying for communication on a talking computer, similar to the one used by physicist Professor Stephen Hawking
THREE generations of a North-East family, including a grandmother, have been arrested on suspicion of dealing in £50,000 worth of amphetamines. Cleveland Police raided two houses in Middlesbrough on Monday and arrested seven people, aged between 17 and
A MAN who raped a sleeping woman was jailed for three years yesterday. Mathew Kerr's first baby was just a day-old when he crept into the 21-year-old woman's bed after a party. Teesside Crown Court heard that the girl could not remember being raped but
