Troy Race is not to be confused with Roy Race. Not even the Tiger's script writers could have come up with a fund raising wheeze like last Friday's, the night they had him by the short and curlies. Troy is Evenwood Town's goalkeeper, due to be married
The Gala Theatre in Durham presents Diablo 66. Crowbar Smile, Fude, Neo Vega, and Disgorged, all for £2. Sponsored by Concepts of Durham, the event incorporates five hours of live rock music by five bands. Diablo 66, formed in 1999, are a demanding, angry
A MAN who threatened two witnesses in a court case against him was jailed for two years yesterday. Carlton Delph, 24, from Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty at Teesside Crown Court to two charges of intimidation in April and May. The witnesses appeared against
RICHARD JOHNSON, who hit the 50 winner mark for the season at Southwell yesterday, is taking full advantage of injury-stricken Tony McCoy's absence in order to try and wrestle the jump jockey's championship from his long-standing arch rival. Johnson heads
STEPHEN Thomas, store director at Specsavers Opticians in Northallerton, moved mountains last weekend to save the sight of people in developing countries. Mr Thomas, along with five friends, made up one of 30 teams who completed the Sight Savers Mountain
Plans to breathe life into one of Britain's best loved rural railways and put power in the hands of local people is gathering pace. A ten-year project to revitalise the Whitby to Middlesbrough Esk Valley railway is being put together by a local partnership
CHILDREN are learning to produce their own documentaries as part of a Government scheme aimed at developing creativity. The youngsters, aged nine to 15, from Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Stockton and Redcar, are working on the project at Darlington
A FARMER told yesterday how he and his eight-year-old son had a remarkable escape when a storm sent a tree crashing down onto his combine harvester. Ironically, the tree was the only one in that part of the North Yorkshire farm. The combine came to a
RAIL staff on the East Coast Main Line could be given extra powers to deal with vandals and trespassers. British Transport Police are to be given permission to "deputise" civilian staff giving them limited powers to tackle anti-social behaviour. The moves
A UNIVERSITY'S bid to boost standards in the public relations industry has won official approval. The University of Sunderland's new BA (Hons) public relations course has been accredited by the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) and is the only approved
After days of anticipation, temperatures finally broke the 100 degree barrier on Sunday - just as freak storms hit the North-East. But with global warming now an accepted fact, is this simply a taste of things to come? Nick Morrison reports. JUST 12 months
THE guns will be out in force today - with the launch of the traditional shooting season in the uplands of northern England. This year, the Glorious 12th is marked by the launch of a new code of good shooting practice, drawn up by various countryside
ONE of the most famous vintage cars in the world motored through a storm torn North-East town yesterday. The 1923 US-made Hupmobile stopped at Hartlepool Coastwatch Station as part of a fundraising ride for the Coastguard. Members of the coastwatch team
A DIVERSE small business with a difference, situated in a convent, has found the winning habit. York's Bar Convent Trust offers a conference centre, caf, shop, gallery and museum, and bed-and-breakfast accommodation in a Grade I-listed building on the
PAVING PRICES: I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with Ray Mallon that the disposal of chewing gum on the pavement is abhorrent (Echo, Aug 8). I do wonder, though, which world he is living in! "Paving slabs that cost £95." he says. Yes, ninety-five pounds each. He
MUCH-TRAVELLED Rotherham United goalkeeper Mike Pollitt is the man Middlesbrough have lined up as a replacement for Fulham-bound Mark Crossley. Crossley is on the verge of completing a move to the Londoners in a £500,000 deal after holding talks with
WHEN teacher Gary Anderson, alias Simeon Hope, was first charged with dealing in child pornography, he pompously complained to The Northern Echo about his identity being revealed. The publicity, he said, had led to him having to move house in Durham and
Patients in the North-East are being invited to take part in a free guidance programme aimed at helping them to cope with long-term health problems. Middlesbrough Primary Care Trust's Expert Patients Programme, is part of a national scheme developed by
A NORTH Yorkshire man was one of the winners at a popular show. Thousands of people flocked to the 150th Sedgefield Show despite foot-and-mouth regulations ruling out the showing of cattle and sheep at its Robert Brown Showfield. Organisers had to cancel
Property developers Akenside, responsible for a multi-million pound riverside transformation in Sunderland, has appointed NATALIE JARVIS, 21, as sales consultant. She will be on the front line of Akenside's £55m scheme to convert the Barbican building
BRADFORD CITY'S Paul Heckingbottom will lock horns with a few of his old Darlington teammates tonight - and is sure he will have to cope with his share of full-blooded challenges in the process. Quakers travel to Bradford in the first round of the Carling
A UNIVERSITY has won national recognition for the quality of its work. The careers service at the University of Teesside, Middlesbrough, has met the assessment criteria of the Government-backed new Matrix national quality standard for information, advice
Darren Gough will not now take part in Yorkshire's crucial Championship clash with Second Division leaders Worcestershire which starts at the Scarborough Cricket Festival tomorrow. Yorkshire had confidently expected Gough to be with them for the remainder
Young artists are getting the call of the wild at a summer holiday workshop. About 60 youngsters are learning about the area's creatures at sessions organised by the Durham Wildlife Trust and the Bearpark Artists Co-operative. They will use the inspiration
A TEENAGER at the centre of a sex probe involving a former mayor has told police she will not go to court. The schoolgirl, who was 15 at the time the alleged indecency was said to have happened, has issued a statement insisting she will not testify in
Housebuilder Bellway plc has made a key appointment at its Newcastle headquarters, with the promotion of DOREEN PATE to group sales director. Mrs Pate will be responsible for sales throughout the Bellway Group.
TESTING is well under way to turn the world's first purpose-built, amphibious bus into a job-making machine. Covelink Marine Limited has invested £5m in developing the skills needed to build the craft which is bound for a tourist attraction in Scotland
A NORTH-East radio station is promising an anything-goes late-night phone-in, chat show. Tom Davies is returning to 96.6tfm, based in Stockton, to host Tom's Talk In. The presenter is returning to Teesside after working in London with former Radio One
A BRA-FITTING specialist and a flag manufacturer are among the top ten businesses owned by women. Sadie Ayton, who set up Sadie the Bra Lady 13 years ago, and Amanda Scott, who established AA Flags 11 years ago, both in Consett, County Durham, are one
A NEW holiday airline has confirmed it is to base an aircraft in the North-East to give the region its first direct flights to South Africa - and boosting the number of lowcost services offered to Spain. AV8air - set up by independent holiday firm CT2
NORTH-EAST football hero and former Irish international Niall Quinn is to receive an honorary MBE. The award is being made by the Queen in recognition of Quinn's ''outstanding services to international football and his contributions to UK charities''.
A NORTH-EAST father is preparing to ski to the North Pole in aid of charity. Marketing consultant Jeremy Middleton, 42, of Gosforth, Newcastle, aims to cover 100 miles in freezing temperatures to raise funds for St Oswald's Hospice. Mr Middleton said:
The Gala Theatre in Durham presents Diablo 66. Crowbar Smile, Fude, Neo Vega, and Disgorged, all for £2. Sponsored by Concepts of Durham, the event incorporates five hours of live rock music by five bands. Diablo 66, formed in 1999, are a demanding, angry
A THIEF is being urged to give himself up - after he was spotted breaking into a house, fled into the path of two cars, which narrowly avoided him, and then shed his clothes in a field to throw off his pursuers. The man, thought to be in his late teens
Bannatyne Fitness, the UK's largest independent health club operator, has announced the appointment of PAUL EDWARDS as its new finance director. The 36-year-old joins from the Newcastle office of Deloitte & Touche, where he was senior manager responsible
THE first tenants have been signed up for a business centre created to boost the flagging fortunes of a County Durham industrial estate. Hydram Engineering, based on the Chilton Industrial Estate, has set up the Eden Business Centre, offering serviced
A FOOTPATHS officer is to embark on a 250-mile cycle tour of Norway, in honour of a promise made to a friend before he died. Victoria Lloyd, 29, a rights-of-way officer with Durham County Council, will be one of ten people following a North Sea cycle
Corporate lawyer DAVID WILSON has joined the Watson Burton law firm from Eversheds, where he was a corporate partner for 20 years. Mr Wilson has extensive experience of corporate finance, including mergers and acquisitions, company and business sales
RESIDENTS face loosing their carnival as organisers struggle to find volunteers. The future of Northallerton Carnival has been put under threat and many fear that if things do not change then this year's event will be the last. Leading organiser Coun
A SURVEY has highlighted significant weaknesses in the way the region's smaller business care for the environment. The research was carried out on behalf of the Environment Agency, for the NetRegs website, which was developed by British environmental
A MOTHER is calling for speed restrictions on a Darlington estate's roads after her three-year-old son was nearly hit by a car. Leanne McLaughlin, 27, says White Hart Crescent, on the Red Hall estate, has become a hotspot for speeding motorists and joy
EXCITED youngsters from a Darlington estate have returned home from a trip to Disneyland Paris. Play workers and 16 children from the Red Hall estate were able to go on the holiday thanks to a grant from the Children's Fund and their own fundraising efforts
Q I have discovered that two of my staff in a department of my business are having an "office romance". I am not totally against it, but I have heard that one of them is quite volatile in their relationships and I don't want any extra curricular problems
A PACKED programme of summer activities at a Newton Aycliffe school finishes this week. More than 150 young people have taken part in a series of summer schools at Greenfield Community and Arts College. The activities, for youngsters aged from eight to
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after four people were injured in a two-vehicle collision. The accident happened in Roundhill Road, Hurworth, near Darlington, at 2.45pm on Sunday. A black Peugeot 206 travelling north crossed on to the opposite side
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after four people were injured in a two-vehicle collision. The accident happened in Roundhill Road, Hurworth, near Darlington, at 2.45pm on Sunday. A black Peugeot 206 travelling north crossed on to the opposite side
AN annual exhibition celebrating the area's railway heritage opens this week and will run to the end of the month. The Discovery Centre, in Bishop Auckland's Market Place, is hosting The Railways from Thursday until Saturday, August 30. The free exhibition
THE Mayor and Mayoress of Great Aycliffe will be running a market stall today to help raise money for charity. The stall will be set up in Newton Aycliffe town centre and be raising money all day to help children with diabetes. Mayor Malcolm Iveson decided
THE Mayor and Mayoress of Great Aycliffe will be running a market stall today to help raise money for charity. The stall will be set up in Newton Aycliffe town centre and be raising money all day to help children with diabetes. Mayor Malcolm Iveson decided
A UNIVERSITY'S bid to boost standards in the public relations industry has won official approval. The University of Sunderland's new BA (Hons) public relations course has been accredited by the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) and is the only approved
PEOPLE living near Darlington Football Club's new football stadium are being consulted about plans to create a residents' parking scheme on match days. Darlington Borough Council has sent out leaflets seeking residents' views on the best way to impose
Police have found a stolen car, burnt out, after it was involved in a hit-and-run accident outside a hospital yesterday. The victim, a man thought to be in his 60s, is reported to be in a serious condition in Middlesbrough General Hospital. He was knocked
In the sitting room of his tidy Marske home Matty Lodge wrestles with the problems confronting him. Working at Corus he has plenty of them. He only needs another four years to qualify for an early pension, but the state of the company doesn't offer much
The law has dealt a savage blow to those men whose fear of sleepless nights and smelly nappies has in the past sent them scurrying back to the office the day after the birth of their child. The excuses "my boss doesn't allow us to take paternity leave
THE Duchess of Northumberland has applied for a £16m grant to help fund the next stage of Alnwick Garden. Although the garden is only one third complete, it has been dubbed the Versailles of the North and is already Britain's third most visited horticultural
POLICEMEN from Teesside have broken six swimming records in Spain. Six officers from Cleveland Police have returned from the World Police and Fire Games, in Barcelona, with 28 medals. "All our hard work and preparations for the event paid off on the day
A DECISION on plans to build five houses in Eaglescliffe looks likely to be deferred following concerns the site may be home to a population of bats. Members of Stockton Borough Council's planning committee are to meet on Friday to discuss plans to demolish
VOLUNTEERS are needed to clean up a coastline and help collect vital data. The annual Beachwatch clean-up will take place on the weekend of September 20 and 21 and officials in the east Cleveland area said that only one event has been organised in the
A NORTH-EAST father is preparing to ski to the North Pole in aid of charity. Marketing consultant Jeremy Middleton, 42, of Gosforth, Newcastle, aims to cover 100 miles in freezing temperatures to raise funds for St Oswald's Hospice. Mr Middleton said:
For the saddest industrial sight you'll possibly ever see - as well as a symbol for the state of the company in question - take a trip to Billingham, on Teesside. There you can find the former headquarters of ICI's agricultural division. You'll know it
Police have found a stolen car, burnt out, after it was involved in a hit-and-run accident outside a hospital yesterday. The victim, a man thought to be in his 60s, is reported to be in a serious condition in Middlesbrough General Hospital. He was knocked
A TEESSIDE cook is fighting for the title of best pub chef in Britain. Nigel Murray, of the Cross Keys pub, Middlesbrough Road, Guisborough, is battling against 130 other hopefuls to reach the final of the Chef and Brewer Chef of the Year competition.
A TEESSIDE cook is fighting for the title of best pub chef in Britain. Nigel Murray, of the Cross Keys pub, Middlesbrough Road, Guisborough, is battling against 130 other hopefuls to reach the final of the Chef and Brewer Chef of the Year competition.
THOUSANDS of older men are missing out on cut-price travel in Tyne and Wear. Government rule changes, introduced in April, mean men aged 60 to 64 can now get the same concessionary fares as their female counterparts. They are eligible for off-peak public
POLICE have renewed an appeal for witnesses to an incident in a town at the weekend in which a man was seriously injured. A 42-year-old man is in a coma and on a life support machine after a disturbance outside a hotel in the centre of Bishop Auckland
VOLUNTEERS are needed to help repair footpaths which criss-cross the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Rangers have identified a number of areas where erosion has taken its toll, including around Dent and Grassington. However, there is also a section of
WHITBY has been selected as one of only nine towns in Britain to gain beacon status. The Government's Countryside Agency says the town will become a centre for housing, employment and services for the rural area which covers a vast part of the North York
A RICHMOND travel agents is hoping people who holiday abroad will return with some exotic recipes to go in a book they hope to sell for charity. Travelcare staff want to hear what we enjoy eating overseas before Saturday, August 30. Children have been
Have I slipped through a hole in the space-time continuum, or are the arguments being played out at Nissan the same ones that were rehearsed two years ago? Then, the company boss - Carlos Ghosn (rhyme it with bone) - threatened to take production of the
ON June 11 the Information Commissioner published the third part of the Employment Practices Data Protection Code: Monitoring at Work. The code covers the monitoring of electronic communications, video and audio monitoring, covert monitoring, in-vehicle
A stately home has put every effort into keeping youngsters entertained while their parents enjoy the building and its vast grounds. A young and lively team has been set a challenge at Castle Howard, near Malton, to change the traditional presentation
A motorcyclist killed after he was thrown from his bike through a carpet shop window was named by police last night. Andrew Kevin Nicholson, 28, died from a result of his injuries following the accident on the B1278 Scarborough Road, in Norton, near Malton
HAVING been in a real Capital of Culture - Rome - for the past two weeks I missed the news that seems to have been received on a level with a royal death: Newcastle and Gateshead losing to Liverpool in the race to become European Capital of Culture in
THE Government has just published a consultation document on its proposals for outlawing age discrimination. These proposals make it clear that employers will be banned from discriminating on the basis of age in both employment and training. Employers
Q One of my employees has recently handed in a sick-note stating they are suffering from work-related stress, and will be off for an undetermined amount of time. Their job is fairly stressful, unfortunately unavoidably so, and I am concerned about their
A GROUP of young Spanish dancers had to undergo an initiation ceremony before performing in front of crowds at a North-East folklore festival. The four, who are new members of Renacer, are appeearing at Billingham Folklore Festival, on Teesside, which
COUNCILLORS have launched a bid to secure more money to safeguard the future of an award-winning street warden scheme. Funding for the project, which covers Woodhouse Close, Bishop Auckland, St Helen Auckland, Coundon and Leeholme, runs out next March
A UNIVERSITY has won national recognition for the quality of its work. The careers service at the University of Teesside, Middlesbrough, has met the assessment criteria of the Government-backed new Matrix national quality standard for information, advice
Holidays! School's Out For Summer, said Alice Cooper, the ageing rocker, who has never previously been known for his astute observations on the Stock Market. For many people, summer starts now, and holidays take priority over savings decisions. There
EMPLOYERS are accustomed to consulting employees in certain circumstances - for example where redundancies or changes to terms and conditions of employment are contemplated. Most, however, will not generally consult with employees on matters of business
Q The position of my business premises makes the building very hot in the summer and with the temperature rising quite high this year, my employees are beginning to complain about the heat and also that our smart suit-style dress code is uncomfortable
POLICE have arrested four people following a firearms incident at the weekend. A police spokesman said officers were called to the Henley Gardens area of Wallsend, North Tyneside, at 6pm on Sunday. Residents had reported the sound of gunshots and that
WALKERS are being encouraged to raise money to help eradicate polio. Redcar Rotary Club's 15th annual sponsored walk will set off on Sunday, August 31, and participants are being encouraged to donate at least half the money they raise to the Rotary Club's
HARRY Blackwood, until recently the Hartlepool Mail's outspoken editor, has e-mailed about 'some of the finest pub food we've ever eaten'. The pub in question, adds Harry, is owned by former Sunderland and Ireland footballer Niall Quinn. The 18-year-old
A SUPPORT scheme for elderly people who need help in Middlesbrough and Stockton living at home is giving recipients a new lease of life. Previously housebound men and women are now enjoying days out and have resumed hobbies they had given up. The scheme
DURHAM City Council has officially opened its first one-stop shop in the village of Coxhoe. The service, called DurhamCityInfo, is based in the new Linden Centre premises, in the grounds of Coxhoe Leisure Centre, Linden Grove. People can pay bills, get
SEVERAL shopkeepers may be prosecuted for selling alcohol to children. Teenage volunteers sent by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council officials into 27 stores were sold alcohol at 15 of the premises. Now the council is warning court action will follow
OF the 58,789,194 individuals in the UK today, it is reputed that more than 30 per cent describe themselves as "do-it-yourself" enthusiasts. DIY for gardens, homes, and car maintenance are some of the activities that over the years have been successfully
RICHARD JOHNSON, who hit the 50 winner mark for the season at Southwell yesterday, is taking full advantage of injury-stricken Tony McCoy's absence in order to try and wrestle the jump jockey's championship from his long-standing arch rival. Johnson heads
Darren Gough will not now take part in Yorkshire's crucial Championship clash with Second Division leaders Worcestershire which starts at the Scarborough Cricket Festival tomorrow. Yorkshire had confidently expected Gough to be with them for the remainder
A TEENAGER at the centre of a sex probe involving a former mayor has told police she will not go to court. The schoolgirl, who was 15 at the time the alleged indecency was said to have happened, has issued a statement insisting she will not testify in
MEMBERS of a Teesside community can now benefit from a broadband connection to their homes. Aboput 200 residents in Guisborough have already signed up to the scheme and can get Internet access up to ten times faster than by standard mode. Broadband can
MEMBERS of a Teesside community can now benefit from a broadband connection to their homes. Aboput 200 residents in Guisborough have already signed up to the scheme and can get Internet access up to ten times faster than by standard mode. Broadband can
YOUNGSTERS are getting into the spirit of the Billingham Folklore Festival by taking part in a special children's club. The club is running daily until Friday at the town's St Michael's School, giving youngsters the chance to meet dancers from around
SEVERAL shopkeepers may be prosecuted for selling alcohol to children. Teenage volunteers sent by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council officials into 27 stores were sold alcohol at 15 of the premises. Now the council is warning court action will follow
THE sudden unofficial strike action by British Airways staff at Heathrow Airport disrupted the travel plans of 100,000 people and has plunged BA into financial insecurity. The cause? The proposed introduction of innocent little swipe cards, which staff
Management and marketing expert IAIN FORREST will head up the recently launched Billingham company Netspace Tees Valley in his role as managing director. Mr Forrest, from Wynyard, Stockton, will manage the new regional office of the US public company
Rrail travellers waiting for a train to London found themselves on a steam train to the seaside instead. The Scarborough Spa Express steam service between Scarborough and York, which runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays until the end of August,
The Gala Theatre in Durham presents Diablo 66. Crowbar Smile, Fude, Neo Vega, and Disgorged, all for £2. Sponsored by Concepts of Durham, the event incorporates five hours of live rock music by five bands. Diablo 66, formed in 1999, are a demanding, angry
A CONSTRUCTION and management consultancy which began life in Darlington more than 50 years ago now has 36 offices and more than 1,000 staff in 24 countries around the globe. Business Correspondent Jonathan Jones spoke to Tom Harrison, managing director
Darren Gough will not now take part in Yorkshire's crucial Championship clash with Second Division leaders Worcestershire which starts at the Scarborough Cricket Festival tomorrow. Yorkshire had confidently expected Gough to be with them for the remainder
KELLY Osbourne, the pop star daughter of legendary rocker Ozzy Ozbourne, has pulled out of a North-East concert. Kelly was due to play at Middlesbrough Town Hall next Tuesday, but has cancelled her entire European tour due to sickness. The pop star, who
RENOWNED parachute team the Red Devils will be dropping in on the largest military graduation parade in the country on Friday. More than 700 junior soldiers will march on the parade ground at Uniacke Barracks, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, in front of thousands
THE region's teachers last night called for Standard Assessments Tests (SATs) to be scrapped before any death knell is sounded for GCSEs exams. The call came after the Government's exam watchdog said students should be allowed to skip GCSEs and go straight
CRUNCHY crickets with tea or toasted silkworms for supper may not suit tastebuds in the North-East but elsewhere in the world it is as regular as eating a bag of crisps. Yesterday, the culinary delights were on offer at the Life Science Centre, in Newcastle
A FORMER North-East teacher was back in jail last night for possessing indecent images of children - only two years after being released from prison for distributing child pornography. Gary Anderson, 37, who changed his name from Simeon Hope following
Bakers Oven North has appointed ANDREW BELL, 35, as sales manager. He joins from sister company Greggs of the Midlands, where he spent five years as regional sales manager. He began his career with Bass as a graduate trainee, following completion of a
WATER has been released from Kielder reservoir into the River Tyne for the second time this summer to help salmon move out of the estuary and further into the freshwater section of the river. During the past fortnight, Environment Agency officers collected
A SUCCESSFUL project that saved an endangered flower has sparked a wider programme to protect the environment. Staff from GlaxoSmithKline, the global pharmaceuticals company with a manufacturing site at Harmire Road, in Barnard Castle, County Durham,
THE North-East must rally behind steel maker Corus as it prepares to go it alone, according to Dr John Bridge. The head of the Steel Task Force, set up in the wake of huge job losses two years ago, said the company's Teesside operations had every chance
A NEW man is to take the reins of the Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service (Tenyas) NHS Trust. Dr Nicolas Varey, a retired pharmaceutical physician, has been appointed as the new chairman. The appointment starts on November 1, and is for four
SMALL manufacturers in the UK continue to struggle, despite the recent surge in consumer spending, research has shown. Firms saw orders fall for the tenth quarter in a row in the past three months, according to the quarterly poll of 877 small and medium-sized
PEOPLE fighting plans to build an auction mart near to their homes have collected hundreds of letters of objection. With just hours to go before the deadline for comments, protestors handed in at least 600 individually signed letters objecting to the
THE Black Sheep brewery in North Yorkshire has been praised in a new book for disabled tourists. The Smooth Ride Guide for the UK is a travel-planning handbook for disabled people, which includes activities, attractions, hotels, leisure and sporting facilities
PEOPLE with disabilities are being invited to take part in a bike ride in aid of the Butterwick Children's Hospice. Special bikes and trikes will be provided by Gateway Wheelers but anyone with their own wheelchair or standard bike can take part. The
A DECISION on plans to build five houses in Eaglescliffe looks likely to be deferred following concerns the site may be home to a population of bats. Members of Stockton Borough Council's planning committee are to meet on Friday to discuss plans to demolish
The case against a man charged with cruelty to animals has been adjourned for the second time. David Lorraines, 19, from St Cuthbert's Walk, Liverton Mines, near Saltburn, east Cleveland, is charged with four counts of causing suffering to animals in
The first of two drop-in clinics to find a match for leukaemia sufferer Lindsey Wood takes places Thursday evening. Lindsey, 19, from Ingleby Barwick, needs as many people as possible to turn up and register as a potential bone marrow donor. Without a
If Britain was once the workshop of the world, then the North-East was its powerhouse. The 20th Century saw the region at its height, with more people than ever before working in what were often regarded as "proper jobs" - making things in manufacturing
MAKING bombproof steel for a government building and furnishing a millionaire's penthouse with a £100,000 staircase are only two of the lucrative contracts won by a small North-East firm. Fab-tech, a steel fabrication company, has landed a £100,000 deal
When Gordon Brown announced in the April Budget an increase in the inheritance tax nil rate band, in line with the statutory rate of inflation, to £255,000, he made reference to the fact that about 95 per cent of estates do not have to pay inheritance
KEEPING it in the family is the way forward for construction and plastering company M and M Plasline. The business, in Bishop Auckland, employs more than 100 people from across the North-East and more than half its employees are related to someone else
THE outbreak of ludicrous excitement about the temperature rising above 100 is a good opportunity to rubbish the myth of global warming. Let's be clear: yes, it has got warmer in recent years; but a couple of decades ago it was getting cooler. In fact
CHARTERED accountants in the North-East are less confident about business prospects than the rest of the UK. A survey by the Institute of Chartered Accountants and Alliance and Leicester shows only 35 per cent of Northern businesses are confident about
Chef and lager lover Peter Goodson has changed his name - to Carl Sberg. The 25-year-old volunteered to change his name for a special Carlsberg promotion party at the pub where he works, the Pitcher and Piano, in York. "My girlfriend said 'Don't do it
Travelling has become a way of life for Blair Davidson, international sales manager for PWS Distributors. While the company, a large distributor of furniture components, is based in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, Mr Davidson's family home is in Scotland
VOLUNTEERS are needed to clean up a coastline and help collect vital data. The annual Beachwatch clean-up will take place on the weekend of September 20 and 21 and officials in the east Cleveland area said that only one event has been organised in the
Darren Gough will not now take part in Yorkshire's crucial Championship clash with Second Division leaders Worcestershire which starts at the Scarborough Cricket Festival tomorrow. Yorkshire had confidently expected Gough to be with them for the remainder
Ruby Wax with ... John McEnroe and wife (BBC1): IF you wanted to find out what makes McEnroe tick then you would have been sorely disappointed by Ruby Wax's erratic interview. Like a red-headed whirlwind, Ruby ran around Wimbledon and then New York in
Detectives today launched a murder investigation after a teenager was found dead, police said. The girl, who was in her late teens, was discovered at an address in Montrose Street, Middlesbrough. A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said: ''Police are investigating
AS Britain continues to swelter in near-record temperatures, businesses were rubbing their hands in anticipation of a further warm weather boost to sales. Supermarket groups have reported shoppers pouring into stores to stock up on barbecue gear, salads
A FARMER and his eight-year-old son had a lucky escape after freak weather storms sent a tree crashing down on to their combine harvester on Sunday. Barry Walker, of Thorpe Farm, Great Smeaton, said the whole experience had been terrifying for both him
A SOPRANO who has been trained by Pavarotti's singing teacher is to give a concert in the North-East. Middlesbrough-born Suzannah Clarke, who has sung with the English National Opera, the Welsh National Opera and the Scottish Opera, will be performing
Trouble-shooter Gerry Robinson is looking for family firms in trouble for a BBC2 series. In I'll Show Them Who's Boss, the chairman of Allied Domecq and the Arts Council will help family businesses dig themselves out of trouble. To take part, call (0208
AIRPORTS operator BAA had its second busiest month ever in July despite the impact of strike action by British Airways staff. BAA's seven airports, which include Heathrow and Gatwick, carried 13.2m passengers, an increase of 2.2 per cent on the same month
THE sudden unofficial strike action by British Airways staff at Heathrow Airport disrupted the travel plans of 100,000 people and has plunged BA into financial insecurity. The cause? The proposed introduction of innocent little swipe cards, which staff
POLICE have arrested four people following a firearms incident at the weekend. A police spokesman said officers were called to the Henley Gardens area of Wallsend, North Tyneside, at 6pm on Sunday. Residents had reported the sound of gunshots and that
CONSTRUCTION and development company Esh Group has won a £12m share of work on a housing, leisure and retail development in Northumberland. The deal draws on the skills of five of the ten companies in the Esh Group, which employs more than 550 staff and
BUILDING and infrastructure services firm Morgan Sindall posted a 50 per cent rise in first half profits as its new-look construction division returned to the black. The group, which last year merged its six regional construction operations into a single
Ground staff at Newcastle Airport have voted for strike action after rejecting a three per cent pay offer. Check-in workers employed by ground handling agent Groundstar, at Newcastle Airport, have voted for a two day stoppage from midday August 21 if
VA TECH Reyrolle plans to move its operations into purpose-built offices to maintain its global competitveness. The business, which is based in Hebburn, South Tyneside, and employs about 800 staff, will move its offices within the borough, while its manufacturing
Recent research released by the House of Commons highlights that a man of 65 will need to keep working to 71 in order to recoup the fall in the value of his pension fund. The global stockmarket slump, which has knocked billions of pounds off the value
FROM shopping centres to hospitals, it seems nothing was spared when the heavens opened on Sunday, depositing more than a month's rain in a little over half an hour. This morning, some 48 hours after freak storms lashed the region, people are still coming
A CALL has gone out to residents on an estate in Hartlepool to band together to help crack crime and anti-social behaviour. Residents living on the Fens Estate have been invited to a public meeting on Friday, which could result in a residents group being
POLICE have called off their hunt for a man who was believed to have tried to entice twin girls into his van - after the man came forward. A police spokesman said: "We are not treating it as a crime any more and are satisfied the incident was a genuine
A cash and carry has claimed it was hounded by health inspectors after four sacks of unlabelled, frozen meat were seized from its premises. Food safety officers seized a "considerable'' amount of unlabelled cuts of frozen beef topside, rump tail, pork
TWO entrepreneurs are using their heads after successfully completing a hat-making course. Catherine Hart and Kate Chaytor-Norris took a City and Guilds millinery course at Darlington College of Technology and have now launched their own businesses. "
Guisborough road racer Dennis Hobbs added another pair of trophies to his collection at the weekend but it wasn't the silverware that was most important to the 20-year-old rider, it was the fact that he added more valuable points to his cause of becoming
VICKY LAVERICK has been appointed PR and marketing executive of lifestyle group Steel River. Based in Yarm, the business owns a number of lifestyle companies across the North-East. Miss Laverick will be responsible for handling public relations for each
DAREDEVILS will be swinging from the top of trees like Tarzan and Jane today as they are the first to experience the region's newest adventure park. Thrill-seekers will scale new heights as they take to the skies above North Yorkshire for the launch of
ACCIDENT and emergency services will be switched from Middlesbrough General to the single-site James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, from 7am tomorrow. A spokeswoman said: "We are urging as many people as possible to the use the services at James
GOALKEEPER Thomas Sorensen yesterday fired a parting shot at sorry Sunderland. The Danish international, who completed a £2.25m move to Aston V week, made his debut for David O'Leary's men as they swept aside Irish side St. Patrick's 6-0 on Sunday to
A NEW Director for Europe has taken up his post at the Government Office North-East (Gone). John Rundle will lead Gone's European workload, including the delivery of European funding programmes and the negotiation and development of future European involvement
With many equity investors becoming disillusioned with stock market performances in recent times and probably sitting on losses due to the severe downturn in global markets during the past three years, is it time to be considering re-entering these markets
A MAN with a clear vision of the future of the Tees Valley as a centre for renewable energy and recycling industries, has been appointed as chief executive of Renew Tees Valley. The company has been established with the backing of regional development
THE world of movie soundtracks and audio effects will be explored in a four-day course later this month. Held at Teesside University's medialab, in Southfield Road, Middlesbrough, the course will explore different forms of music, and show how they are
POLICE have renewed an appeal for witnesses to an incident in a town at the weekend in which a man was seriously injured. A 42-year-old man is in a coma and on a life support machine after a disturbance outside a hotel in the centre of Bishop Auckland
Darlington manager Mick Tait takes his side to Bradford in the first round of the Carling Cup tonight with defender Joey Hutchinson doubtful to face the club he almost joined during the summer. The 21-year-old is still struggling with a hamstring injury
AS work starts on a £10m railway village, its new boss is looking forward to the challenge ahead. George Muirhead, the new manager of Shildon Railway Village, in County Durham, said that it would mean exciting times for the town. Mr Muirhead, who is from
A new survey shows 1950s housewives were fitter than their modern counterparts because they did more housework. Women's Editor Christen Pears talks to women from two different generations. WITH gym membership, exercise videos and countless diets to choose
A TRIO of bingo club workers from Spennymoor have completed their first year of customer service training. Maxine Burnett, 24, and Wayne Sheasby, 19, have gained NVQ level two certificates. Stephen Hope, 18, has completed the first part of a modern apprenticeship
As someone who works for the BBC, and isn't Political Editor Andrew Marr, I'm not allowed to express an opinion. In fact all my opinions are buried in a lead-lined box somewhere on Teesside only to be dug up in the event of dismissal or a move into the
A PACKED programme of summer activities at a Newton Aycliffe school finishes this week. More than 150 young people have taken part in a series of summer schools at Greenfield Community and Arts College. The activities, for youngsters aged from eight to
A COUNCIL has been criticised for leaving recycling bins outside people's homes while they are on holiday. Darlington Borough Council has been leaving the green boxes outside homes in the borough as it launches its kerbside recycling scheme. But a resident
CHILDREN enjoyed themselves at Bishop Auckland's annual teddy bear's picnic despite yesterday's downpour. Wear Valley District Council tried to defy the elements and keep the event in the grounds of Auckland Castle. But as the rain came down they had
A COUNCIL worker fears his dreams of becoming a pilot could be in ruins after a Darlington college told him his course had been cancelled. Andrew Dunn was due to start a level three Access course at Darlington College of Technology in four weeks' time
CHILDREN'S book illustrator Liz Million shared some of the secrets of her craft with youngsters in Darlington yesterday. The artist, who lives locally, was at the town's central library for a morning workshop. She read stories, gave a demonstration of
CRUNCHY crickets with tea or toasted silkworms for supper may not suit tastebuds in the North-East but elsewhere in the world it is as regular as eating a bag of crisps. Yesterday, the culinary delights were on offer at the Life Science Centre, in Newcastle
THE opening of a new £1.7m bridge will finally go ahead today - more than a month after its inaugural ceremony. The full opening of the Green Lane Bridge, in South Shields, had to be delayed to allow completion of safety barriers, fencing and landscaping
Q I have always rented my office space, but an opportunity has come up to buy a building to base my business in. Do you think this is a wise move or would I be better to remain a tenant? A I have always been of the opinion that owning the freehold of
A FORMER world light-heavyweight boxing champion will be the guest speaker at a sporting night in Darlington's Dolphin Centre next month. John Conteh, a renowned after-dinner speaker, fought his way from humble beginnings in Liverpool to be a top sportsman
A FORMER world light-heavyweight boxing champion will be the guest speaker at a sporting night in Darlington's Dolphin Centre next month. John Conteh, a renowned after-dinner speaker, fought his way from humble beginnings in Liverpool to be a top sportsman
MINING MEMORIES: Free courses to help people record an preserve memories of mining life commence in Crook library on Thursday, September 4, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm. For details contact Jeanette Newell on 0191-383 4478 or write to: Durham Miner Project Team
RESIDENTS living on some of Hartlepool's estates are being urged to tap into cash to help crack crime. Grants of up to £500 are available to community or voluntary groups in the King Oswy, West View and Central Estate areas to help support small crime
THE media has recently been full of reports of extortionate payments made by large corporations in return for the departure of senior executives. The case of Jean-Pierre Garnier - denied a pay-off deal worth £22m by the shareholders of GlaxoSmithKline
Q I have reached the stage where I have maximised the space at my current premises and if business increases further I will have to consider moving. My problem is location. My business is based in quite a prominent town centre position where I pick up
The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has welcomed a green fuels initiative which offers North-East farmers a ready market for biomass crops. A boiler and steam turbine being installed by Sembcorp Utilities at the Wilton International Site,
LEISURE chiefs have unveiled a package of activities for residents who were disappointed at the cancellation of a popular family festival. The Allensford Festival, which attracts thousands of visitors, was due to take place this August Bank Holiday after
A PLAN has been drawn up to end bed-blocking in County Durham hospitals. Under new legislation, councils will be fined £100 a day if social service clients cannot leave hospital because care at home is not available. Durham County Council and local health
THE organisers of the Northern Proms have released 100 premium seats giving the best view in the house. Ticket-holders for the event at Chester-le-Street's Riverside can buy these premium seats for an upgrade fee of £5 per seat. The event, which starts
A CHEF has helped develop a mouthwatering sausage for a national supermarket chain. Martin Heap, a consultant for Lazenby's in Stockton, who make sausages and burgers, has helped the Co-op to create a selection of own-label products called Truly Irresistible
Q One of my employees, a young man in his twenties who has worked for me for three years, has asked me if he can take lengthy leave from work as he has decided to apply to appear in the next series of Big Brother on Channel 4. I am happy to let him have
A HORSE drowned after it was left tethered in a swollen river for more than four hours. Horrified youngsters tried to drag the horse from the rising water but failed after one of the ropes used to tether it worked lose, tangling around its legs. One eyewitness
Sales cashier/assistant, Darlington, £4.20ph, 16 to 22 hours between 7am and 10pm over seven days. Must be 18-plus with some cash-handling experience. Ref: DAE 35446. Pre-press operator/designer, Newton Aycliffe, exceeding National Minimum Wage, Monday
IN THE film Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland - playing the whirlwind-hit but still winsome Dorothy - says to her dog: "Somehow Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas any more". Dorothy's remark is meant to suggest that things aren't normal and the world is out
A HORSE drowned after it was left tethered in a swollen river for more than four hours. Horrified youngsters tried to drag the horse from the rising water but failed after one of the ropes used to tether it worked lose, tangling around its legs. One eyewitness
WALKERS are being encouraged to raise money to help eradicate polio. Redcar Rotary Club's 15th annual sponsored walk will set off on Sunday, August 31, and participants are being encouraged to donate at least half the money they raise to the Rotary Club's
The case against a man charged with cruelty to animals has been adjourned for the second time. David Lorraines, 19, from St Cuthbert's Walk, Liverton Mines, near Saltburn, east Cleveland, is charged with four counts of causing suffering to animals in
Delivery agent, Northallerton. NMW, 16hpw, 7am-6pm, Mon-Fri. Previous experience preferred. Must have own vehicle and mobile phone. Duties involve delivering small parcels throughout local area. Temporary contract for one month. 16hpw minimum. Ref: NOE19699
A SCHOOL on the verge of becoming a specialist science college has received a cash boost towards its goal. Framwellgate School, bas-ed in Durham, will officially become a science college next month, after being granted specialist status by the Government
A public consultation programme is about to start to help find the way forward for traffic management in North-allerton. Questionnaires are about to be sent to every property in the town and surrounding villages to get people's views. The responses could
POLICE are hunting a teenage thief who barged a woman to the ground and fled with her money yesterday morning. The 50-year-old was walking behind York Road shops, in Peterlee, when a teenager broke away from four youths. The teenager knocked the woman
A NEW holiday airline has confirmed it is to base an aircraft in the North-East to give the region its first direct flights to South Africa - and boosting the number of lowcost services offered to Spain. AV8air - set up by independent holiday firm CT2
A PAIR of amorous black swans are proving a major attraction to visitors at England's oldest continuously inhabited medieval manor. But, despite passionate exchanges, Stella and Swift have failed to produce any offspring. Black swans traditionally patrol
HERBERT Kim strikes me as a fascinating person. The new chief executive of one of the much-feted centres of excellence would appear to have enjoyed a diverse and challenging life in business. However, it was the means by which he was attracted to the
A MERCY dash which saved a blood clot victim's life landed a man in court yesterday. Harrogate Magistrates' Court heard how Paul Turner, 29, defied a driving ban to rush Christopher Jones to hospital after finding him slumped over the steering wheel of
Cleaner, Chester-le-Street. £4.30ph, 10hpw, 4.30-6.30pm, Mon-Fri. Must be 18-plus. Duties include dusting, vacuuming, emptying bins, cleaning toilets and other general cleaning. No experience required. Ref: CHM16022. Driver, Chester-le-Street. £175-£260pw
HARRY Blackwood, until recently the Hartlepool Mail's outspoken editor, has e-mailed about 'some of the finest pub food we've ever eaten'. The pub in question, adds Harry, is owned by former Sunderland and Ireland footballer Niall Quinn. The 18-year-old
Last week the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted to leave UK interest rates at 3.5 per cent. One of the problems that the UK economy faces is that of debt. When it comes to borrowing money the UK is in a league of its own. The latest consumer
Q I am expanding my small business and need to take on more staff, but the people I have interviewed are completely unsuitable. Some of them have the skills and experience, but in other ways they are terrible. For example, poor attitude or bad dress code
NORTH-EAST football hero and former Irish international Niall Quinn is to receive an honorary MBE. The award is being made by the Queen in recognition of Quinn's "outstanding services to international football and his contributions to UK charities". The
STOCKTON Borough Council's youth bus will drop in on the Billingham International Folklore Festival this week. It will visit St Michael's School, in Billingham, to help promote international understanding between young people. Many of the participants
CONCERNS over the prison overcrowding crisis intensified last night when it emerged that inmates as young as 18 in a North prison have been housed with sex offenders who may have "groomed" them for abuse. The chief inspector of prisons, Anne Owers, condemned
POLICE are trying to contact relatives of a man who died at the end of last week. Members of 68-year-old Gordon Barnes' family are asked to contact the coroner's office. Mr Barnes died in his Yarm Road, Stockton, flat last Friday.
For some reason, bonds have not been as popular with investors as equities. Some find them complicated - others think they are boring. As this article will explain, they are neither. In the simplest terms, bonds are a loan, made by you, to a government
WRITE off Hartlepool United as much as you want - that's the message from Neale Cooper. Because the Victoria Park boss admits the negative outlook portrayed by many, has been utitilsed quite nicely and turned to positive effect. Pool enjoyed a memorable
THE opening of a new £1.7m bridge will finally go ahead today - more than a month after its inaugural ceremony. The full opening of the Green Lane Bridge, in South Shields, had to be delayed to allow completion of safety barriers, fencing and landscaping
Ruby Wax with ... John McEnroe and wife (BBC1): IF you wanted to find out what makes McEnroe tick then you would have been sorely disappointed by Ruby Wax's erratic interview. Like a red-headed whirlwind, Ruby ran around Wimbledon and then New York in
A chance conversation with friends resulted in American Herbert Kim giving up the opportunity of working for mobile phone giant Orange in London, packing his bags, and moving North. Now, 36-year-old Brooklyn, New York-born, Mr Kim, is leading the new
NOT content with offering passengers the fastest trains, North-East rail company GNER is to introduce the fastest Internet connection for travellers. The company, which operates services on the East Coast Main Line, is to become Britain's first train
A FORMER Territorial Army colonel and his wife will celebrate 50 years of marriage today. Lieutenant Colonel Fred Phillips met June Blyth at a dance in Spennymoor, County Durham, in 1949. The pair were married four years later at St Andrew's Church, in
A MAN appeared in court yesterday charged with raping a Wearside youngster almost ten years ago. Peter Crann, 24, spoke only to confirm his name at Newcastle Crown Court as three charges of rape and one of indecent assault were put to him. The court heard
HERBERT Kim strikes me as a fascinating person. The new chief executive of one of the much-feted centres of excellence would appear to have enjoyed a diverse and challenging life in business. However, it was the means by which he was attracted to the
PAVING PRICES I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with Ray Mallon that the disposal of chewing gum on the pavement is abhorrent (Echo, Aug 8). I do wonder, though, which world he is living in! "Paving slabs that cost £95." he says. Yes, ninety-five pounds each. He
HARRY Blackwood, until recently the Hartlepool Mail's outspoken editor, has e-mailed about 'some of the finest pub food we've ever eaten'. The pub in question, adds Harry, is owned by former Sunderland and Ireland footballer Niall Quinn. The 18-year-old
The fisherman who died in freak storms off the coast of Hartlepool last Sunday has been named. Keith Evans, who was 58, from Greatham near Hartlepool, was named by coroner Malcolm Donnelly as the inquest was opened today. Mr Donnelly told the inquest
THE Duchess of Northumberland has applied for a £16m grant to help fund the next stage of Alnwick Garden. Although the garden is only one third complete, it has been dubbed the Versailles of the North and is already Britain's third most visited horticultural
