TRAINER Tom George has unearthed an excellent opportunity at Haydock for Royal Beluga (1.35) to make a winning reappearance after a long summer break. Seizing on the fact that Royal Beluga is favourably handicapped over the smaller obstacles compared
THE team of senior economists with the task of setting interest rates faced a familiar story yesterday - a booming housing market versus depressed manufacturing figures. The Monetary Policy Committee will today bring to an end feverish speculation about
THE salvage firm bringing toxic ships to the North-East last night snubbed growing calls for them to be turned around, insisting: "There's no going back." Dutch company International Transport Contractors (ITC) described demands for the four obsolete
NEW business ventures and increased confidence in the economy helped the service sector to expand last month at its fastest rate for four years. The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply's (CIPS) purchasing managers' index said activity among service
IN ancient times, remote villages would communicate with each other by lighting fires. Today, a company in North Yorkshire is hoping to duplicate those links using broadband technology. Phil Upton, Village Beacon sales and marketing director, said: "The
HELP. I'm turning into my dad. No, not just the greying hair - it's more to do with the things I say. Telling my daughter to turn her music down the other day, I found myself saying: "That's not music, it's a noise." It was scary because that's what my
The results of a £100,000 project to conserve Queen Victoria's favourite royal train carriage were due to be unveiled today by actress Prunella Scales. The carriage will go on display at the National Railway Museum in York 103 years to the day since it
Results of the first major trial into the medical benefits of cannabis for multiple sclerosis sufferers are soon to be published. Barry Nelson meets one North-East MS sufferer who's already made up her mind. PAULINE Taylor became something of a media
SOLICITORS are targeting female council workers in the North-East, asking them to take legal action against their employers over the pay packet gender gap. A law firm, working with former trade union officials, is said to be arranging public meetings
ROYAL FAMILY: PAUL Burrell has used his position as confidante of Diana to make money, but he obviously felt Diana was being unfairly treated. The Royals are not noted for paying high salaries and who could blame Mr Burrell for cashing in on his unique
PEOPLE in the North are better protected against gun crime by the police than residents of most other parts of Britain, a report by MPs has suggested. The study criticised a fall in the number of authorised fire-arms officers (AFOs) in many forces, while
SIR BOBBY ROBSON last night warned Newcastle United's goal-shy "warriors" to rediscover their shooting boots or risk a disastrous third cup exit in as many months. Robson knows defeat to Basel, the Swiss League's runaway leaders, here this evening would
THE sky above Darlington was lit up on Saturday evening as thousands of people enjoyed a spectacular fireworks display. Organisers said the annual event, at the town's South Park, was a huge success and attracted visitors from across the region. The fun
IF you want to make a fortune sell confetti in Walford. Hardly a month goes by without someone getting married in EastEnders (BBC1) - usually hastily followed by betrayal and divorce, but that's another matter. There's also a tendency in Soapland for
A LIT firework was pushed through the letterbox of a man's Darlington home and exploded inside on Tuesday night. Brian Green, of Wordsworth Road, Parkside, Darlington, was left shocked by the incident. He said the consequences could have been far more
FLOWER displays filled Darlington's Civic Theatre yesterday, marking another successful Christmas show for the town's flower club. Proceeds from the event, with funds raised throughout the year, were presented to the Darlington Flower Club's chosen charity
A GUIDE to local health services will be distributed across Sedgefield borough over the next week. The leaflet, called Your Guide to Local Health Services, has been produced by Sedgefield Primary Care Trust (PCT). People will also receive a copy of the
A NATIONAL pub chain is looking to move into a listed building in Bishop Auckland town centre within a year. JD Wetherspoon has applied for planning permission to convert offices in the Market Place into a bar and restaurant. The Watford-based company
A GIANT bonfire lit last night is expected to burn until Saturday. The bonfire has been built at Hardwick Country Park, near Sedgefield, out of the branches of hundreds of trees cleared in a refurbishment programme. The structure is 30ft high and 40ft
THE North-East boasts both one of the most polluted and cleanest areas in the country, according to a new study. The research, compiled by Country Life magazine, has revealed that 90 per cent of England is now affected by some form of pollution. One of
A FORMER mayor has paid tribute to the dedication of his deputy who has died, aged 80. Ernest Batty, who recently stepped down from his role as a Ripon city councillor, was described by Councillor Bernard Bateman as Mr Reliability during his recent term
A CHARITY worker has set up an award scheme to recognise the work and dedication of volunteers. Stella Kilvington, from Northallerton, wants to reward those who make a difference by giving their time and money to good causes. An annual presentation will
A TEAM at Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary has won the 2003 Bupa Foundation award for excellence in the development of care for older people. The Newcastle unit treats more than 2,500 patients each year and is the largest in Europe dedicated to helping
Two of the hottest female acts currently on tour, Christina Aguilera and Beyonce Knowles, arrive in the North-East next week. Viv Hardwick reports on the near sell-out nights. NORTH-EAST music fans are licking their lips over the prospect of two top international
PROTESTORS have won their campaign to stop a dominatrix opening a fantasy club in the region. Susanne Pitt, 49, outraged villagers in Swalwell, Gateshead, with her proposals to open the role-play studio in a former office building, in Front Street. Planners
AN MP is trying to solve a bizarre dispute which has seen a five-year-old boy miss almost three months of school because of his dislike of water. Steven Tindall's mother, Lisa, has kept him at home since early September because she insists that he should
SUPPORTERS' favourite David Hodgson returned as manager of Darlington Football Club with an assurance that he will be given full control of team affairs. Chairman George Reynolds promised to take a back seat role to lure Mr Hodgson for his third spell
THE sound of would-be town criers will boom across Durham Market Place on Saturday. Contestants will take part in Durham Marketing Initiative's town crier competition, each one giving a 200-word address on an aspect of the city from the balcony of the
AGE has proved no barrier to a group of glamorous grannies who have taken their inspiration from the Calendar Girls to raise money for charity. Eleven residents and the warden of the Windsor Court sheltered housing scheme, in Darlington, are the stars
RAIL chiefs were warned last night that "cutback after cutback" in services in the Tees Valley were seriously jeopardising the economic regeneration of the area. The Tees Valley Joint Strategy Committee gave the warning to the Strategic Rail Authority
CLEVELAND'S longest-serving school crossing patrol officer is hanging up her lollipop on Friday after more than 35 years service. Ann Birtwhistle reaches 75, which is the official retiring age for a lollipop person, on Saturday, after taking on the role
A PIECE of land given to the residents of a town on the understanding that no alcohol would be consumed on it is now home to a pub and a licensed restaurant, it was revealed last night. The Company Row, a JD Wetherspoon pub, and the Pavilion Cantonese
YOUNG musicians in the region were last night tuning up for a new opportunity. A youth orchestra for players under the age of 19 and of grade six or equivalent standard is being launched in Darlington, for musicians from North Yorkshire, South Durham
Staff at the Dalton Park shopping outlet on the outskirts of Murton are preparing a fun-packed Christmas programme for their customers. Among the attractions will be Santa Claus, who will be transported on a sleigh pulled by a team of reindeers, which
A 17th CENTURY bracket clock and a rare Georgian library chair will be up for sale alongside a host of Clarice Cliff ceramics and highly collectable Troika pottery at an antiques sale this weekend. Almost 2,000 items will be going under the auctioneer's
A LOCAL author is donating the proceeds of his book to help pay for the refurbishment of a town's cenotaph. Eric Howden, honorary secretary and parade organiser of the Redcar Branch of the Royal British Legion, is giving the £600 proceeds from the sale
A GRANT of £300,000 has been awarded to revitalise a coastal town. The money, for Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool, has come from the regional development agency One NorthEast. It will be spent by Hartlepool Borough Council to improve commercial prem-ises
Ian Huntley is unlikely to deny that Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman died while they were alone with him in his house, the first day of the Soham murder trial was told yesterday. Huntley is also expected to admit he took the ten-year-old girls' bodies
SHOPPERS are increasingly turning to organic and locally grown produce, according to a new report. Farmers' markets held in the North-East and North Yorkshire are being highlighted as one of the reasons for the increased popularity of the food. The Soil
DURHAM'S mayor will enjoy a rocking good night thanks to a civic-minded local band. Northern Haze play classic pop of the 1960s and also write their own material. They offered their services to Councillor Ray Gibbon, whose charity appeal is for the Durham
THE new £4m pedestrian and cycle bridge to span one of the region's great rivers has been chosen. However the bridge to cross the Tees at Stockton is not the design voted for by most Teessiders in a poll conducted by commissioners Tees Valley Regeneration
SIR BOBBY ROBSON has ruled out the possibility of Hugo Viana quitting Newcastle United in January's transfer window, writes Steven Baker. Robson claims Viana was "distraught" by weekend reports that he had decided to leave Newcastle after failing to earn
HELP. I'm turning into my dad. No, not just the greying hair - it's more to do with the things I say. Telling my daughter to turn her music down the other day, I found myself saying: "That's not music, it's a noise." It was scary because that's what my
WHATEVER happened to the great British public's ability to cope magnificently in a crisis? There weren't many stiff upper lips on the cruise ship Aurora this week after a third of passengers caught a two-day tummy bug in a drama that has all the makings
SOLDIERS from the Queen's Lancashire Regiment landed at Teesside Airport yesterday after a five-month spell helping to rebuild Iraq. The regiment, based at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, suffered the loss of officer David Jones in August after the
A FACTORY owner announced plans yesterday to expand his floor space, double his workforce and build a hangar for his helicopter. Ashley Renham, whose company makes plastic containers and components, aims to achieve all three targets within the next 12
Part of the region's railway heritage is under threat from a supermarket development. Campaigners hope to derail it. THOMAS Prosser - not to be confused with Oofy Prosser, who was one of Bertie Wooster's wasters - was principal architect of York's majestic
CONSUMERS have been urged not to fall into the Christmas debt trap. Debt accounted for almost 40 per cent of all inquiries dealt with last year by the Sedgefield and District Citizens' Advice Bureau. The service in the borough handled more than £6.3m
A MAN who posed as a policeman to get free sex from a prostitute was ordered to attend a sex offenders' programme yesterday. Michael Walton was told by a judge that it was intended to do something constructive about his trawling through a red light district
A YOUNG singer has found that talent may be linked to a name as she discovers that she too has the voice of an angel. Darlington schoolgirl Charlotte Churchman is following in the footsteps of teen opera singer Charlotte Church after winning a national
MORE than 100 workers in the region lost their jobs yesterday as administrators running the troubled Northern Electric store chain announced the first wave of redundancies. KPMG Corporate Recovery, which was appointed on Friday, has sacked 117 staff from
WORKERS at engines firm Rolls-Royce are to be balloted on a "vastly improved" offer aimed at ending a row over pensions. Rolls, which revealed a £1bn pension fund deficit earlier this year, has offered to increase its annual contributions by £35m. The
THE small North-East football team at the heart of FA Cup fairytale has been presented with a new strip. Shildon Football Club chairman Gordon Hampton wanted his Albany Northern League team to travel to Notts County for their first round clash with new
A NEW generation of supertrams could soon be appearing in a North-East town. An unnamed private company has expressed serious interest in developing a light-rail tramway system across Middlesbrough, the district council said yesterday. Mayor Ray Mallon
She may be down today, but actress Tanya Moodie is very up-beat about her future as she talks to Steve Pratt about roles in TV's Prime Suspect and theatre's tragic Medea, which has seen her too busy to take a honeymoon. TANYA Moodie apologises for being
TOUGH new legislation is being demanded to fight back against Britain's growing knife culture and prevent children getting their hands on potentially lethal weapons. A day after a teenager was killed in a school stabbing in Lincolnshire, officials revealed
The Ads They Tried To Ban (five): Extreme: Holiday Disasters (five): THERE was a time when society allowed people to be pressurised into undertaking the potentially lethal habits of smoking and drinking but refused to allow them to be made aware of health
STEWART DOWNING was last night tipped to flourish in an England shirt following his scintillating start to life at Sunderland. And new Black Cats teammate Marcus Stewart is convinced the tricky young winger could eventually be the solution to the national
CONSUMER watchdogs last night attacked a proposed rise in water bills for North-East customers. Northumbrian Water was yesterday provisionally given a 9.6 per cent increase in bills by the industry regulator Ofwat. Bills will rise by £19 to an average
RAIL chiefs were warned last night that "cutback after cutback" in services in the Tees Valley were seriously jeopardising the economic regeneration of the area. The Tees Valley Joint Strategy Committee gave the warning to the Strategic Rail Authority
Nestle Rowntree has announced that 150 workers are to be laid off at its York site, adding to 220 job losses announced in August. The jobs will be lost on the Kit Kat, Aero and assortment lines. But there was better news in Hartlepool as Garlands Call
ONE of County Durham's oldest bridges will reopen this week after a £100,000 overhaul. Local MP Derek Foster will cut the ribbon to open Whorlton Bridge, near Barnard Castle, on Friday. The ceremony will also provide a direct link with the bridge's original
The Northern Echo will be giving away full colour posters of the Shildon team with copies of the paper on Saturday. The free souvenir posters will be available from the following outlets in Shildon: Kirtons News, Cheapside; Waltons General Dealers, 22
A GUIDE to local health services will be distributed across Sedgefield borough over the next week. The leaflet, called Your Guide to Local Health Services, has been produced by Sedgefield Primary Care Trust (PCT). People will also receive a copy of the
GROUNDS MEETING: A second meeting to try to secure the future of the recreation ground at St John's Chapel has been arranged for Sunday, November 23, at 7pm in Barrington Hall. PANTOMIME TICKETS: Tickets are on sale for the pantomime Aladdin at Wolsingham
GOVERNMENT statisticians are examining how the national census miscalculated the population of Middlesbrough, possibly costing the town £2m in grants. The 2001 census put the town's population at 134,000 but figures collected for Middlesbrough Council
A STRATEGY advisor from the region has landed an important role advising the Government on unemployment and deprivation in hard-hit communities. Toby Lowe, senior strategy executive with regional development agency One NorthEast, secured a six-month secondment
MISCHIEF Night nuisance calls in the Richmondshire area were halved after a major policing operation. Dubbed Operation Imp, the crackdown, led by the local community safety team, saw extra patrols across the area. Backed by the fire service, Military
A £320,000 cash injection for one of Cleveland's most historic areas has been announced. But a community leader in Hartlepool's Headland area has urged councillors to pay close attention to the views of residents before spending the grant. The European
THE North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) is hoping to give a boost to the region's economy by teaming up with NHS Trusts to secure work for local businesses. NECC, in conjunction with the Federation of Small Businesses and Business Link, wants to get
A crackdown on crime has resulted in more than 1,500 people being arrested. Since Operation Delivery was launched on September 8, a total of 1,562 arrests have been made. North Yorkshire Chief Constable Della Cannings has pledged there will be no let-up
The legal battle over whether a former royal servant can be named by the media will continue today. Lawyers for the former servant, whose identity The Guardian newspaper wants to reveal, asked a High Court judge yesterday to hear the case behind closed
COUNCILLORS in York are introducing a tough policy to clamp down on graffiti and flyposting. The measures will be introduced before the Government's Antisocial Behaviour Bill comes into force. The Bill will propose new powers for local authorities to
A FLAG day on behalf of Britain's leading veterinary charity raised £200. The money, collected in Cleveland, will contribute towards the free veterinary treatment of pets at the Middlesbrough PDSA PetAid hospital, in Borough Road. Organiser Alison Coughlin
THE fiancee of a family man who died 20 months after he was beaten up in a pub have demanded his killers be brought to justice. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided not to bring a case against four men who attacked Kevin Pharoah. Now, a coroner
Billy Elliot The Musical, with music by Elton John, is destined for a Newcastle premiere: Northern actors are in demand for the Bridget Jones sequel and the Royal Shakespeare Company is launching a Tyneside season with a Geordie play. Viv Hardwick talks
BASEL coach Christian Gross revealed his huge relief that Kieron Dyer would not come back to haunt him at St Jakob Park. Gross was told by Charlie Woods, now Newcastle United's chief scout, to sign Dyer from Ipswich Town when the pair worked together
HEALTH and social care officials have joined forces to produce a winter plan, designed to protect elderly and vulnerable people in Darlington. The proposals have been put in place in a bid to prevent illness among the town's 101,000 population placing
STEVE McCLAREN looks set to give out-of-favour Juninho an SOS call following Middlesbrough's latest long-term injury set-back. Boro expect to hear today the extent of Malcolm Christie's leg break, and whether or not he requires surgery. But even if Christie
MOST of the region is officially in the grip of a GP recruitment crisis, the government has admitted. No fewer than 11 primary care trusts across the region are on a list of "under-doctored" areas drawn up for MPs by the department of health. Seven are
AFTER losing a close family member to breast cancer, a North-East MP has urged women in his constituency not to ignore screening opportunities. John Cummings, MP for Easington, has joined forces with the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer and an all party
Christ Church, Coatham, Redcar, will hold a winter fair on Saturday, November 15, from 10am to 2pm, in the United Reformed Church hall. Light lunches will be served from noon.
THE world of laser technology which is revolutionising life was explained to Teesside schoolchildren yesterday. Pupils heard one of the UK's leading younger scientists explain how all of the books in the world can be copied on a single postage stamp.
A CROSS commemorating those who gave their lives for their country is being cleaned in time for Remembrance Day. The Green Howards War Memorial, at the top of Frenchgate, in Richmond, will be in pristine condition for the ceremonies on Sunday thanks to
PARENTS are being urged to think twice before buying motorised scooters as presents for children who may not be legally qualified to ride them. The machines are propelled by a small petrol engine, generally 22cc, and can cost between £200 and £300. But
A TEENAGER, who won £500 for his charity work, has donated his prize to another good cause. Mat Brudenell of Brompton, near Northallerton, won the award when he was chosen by the Thirsk Lions to represent the North of England and Scotland in a competition
THE death of 14-year-old Luke Walmsley, who was stabbed at his school in Lincolnshire, will make every parent in the country shudder. What happened so quickly and tragically in North Somercotes could have happened to any child at any school in the country
ROYAL Mail has announced planned changes to deliveries in two Durham postcode areas later this month. A revised service comes into force in the DH4 and DH5 districts, which covers the Houghton-le-Spring, Hetton-le-Hole and West Rainton areas, on the Durham
AN amateur boxer has proved it is never too late to start in the sport, after winning his first bout aged 31. Carl Hart, of Stanley, recently started training at the Booker Amateur Boxing Club (ABC), in nearby Catchgate. He took part in his first amateur
A PROBATION officer has told a tribunal that mental torture and bullying by her bosses forced her to leave her job. Christine Davies, a former magistrate, yesterday alleged her managers had belittled her in front of offenders and colleagues and had undermined
Darlington skipper Craig Liddle has welcomed Mick Tait's decision to remain with the club despite the arrival of new manager David Hodgson. Tait stepped down as Quakers boss last Friday after Hodgson accepted chairman George Reynolds' approach to take
New mum Jade Pinkett Smith couldn't refuse the call to take part in the Matrix trilogy of films. Steve Pratt reports. JADE Pinkett Smith was disappointed when she lost out on the role of Trinity in the original Matrix movie. But clearly Pinkett Smith
The title gives a clue to the subject - a/s/l translates as age/sex/location, the question with which Internet chat room conversations most usually begin. Pilot Theatre Company's world premiere of Richard Hurford's play could hardly be more topical, considering
A BRAVE nine-year-old who found his mother collapsed on the kitchen floor, bleeding from a head wound, has been honoured by the Ambulance Service. Christopher Owen, who was eight at the time, kept his cool and dialled 999 giving full details of the injury
MORE than 8,000 children in Darlington will receive a Remembrance Day poppy from the mayor as he visits primary schools in the area this week. Mayor Ron Lewis is visiting the schools as part of a scheme that has run for three years to give every local
THE funeral of a former soldier and successful North-East businessman will take place tomorrow. Lieutenant Colonel Guy Thompson, 90, was the managing director of The Rapid Cleaners before he retired, but prior to that he saw service with the Indian Army
CARE home operator Helen McArdle has picked up an award for showing commitment to care standards and developing and training staff. Helen McArdle Care operates 21 purpose-built care homes from Cleveland to Northumberland. The company beat the challenge
