A FORUM has been set up to encourage people to use buses in the North-East. The North-East Regional Bus Forum will meet to discuss ways of improving services and increasing bus use. It has been launched by the Government Office for the North-East (Gone
THERE'S a bath behind our front door. It's been there about six weeks now and shows no signs of shifting. In fact, it is very useful. Nothing gets lost anymore. Where's my schoolbag? Where's my coat? Where's that letter? Where're my boots...? They're
THE FIFTH of six retirement home schemes will open to its first resident on Tuesday. The Extra Care scheme, at Maple Court, Gloucester Road, Consett, is the result of an agreement between Durham County Council, Hanover Housing Association and builder
A STUDENT has been offered his own radio show while still studying. Chris Hakin, 17, has been taken on by Sunderland's Sun FM as a programme assistant, with his own late-night Saturday show. Chris, who has been studying for a National Diploma in Media
HEALTH officials in Darlington have revealed how they intend to include the public in shaping future services. Darlington Primary Care Trust has produced a draft strategy for improving patient and carer involvement, and is looking for feedback on it.
A SERIES of summer walks have been organised to help people lose weight and feel good while exploring villages in Derwentside. Derwentside Doorsteps, now in its final year, aims to encourage individuals and groups to take up walking as a way to become
A QUEST to find the nation's tastiest roast beef dish brought television chef Brian Turner to the region on Thursday. Mr Turner was at Melton's Too restaurant in Walmgate, York, for the Yorkshire cook-off event of his nationwide tour. He sampled three
FEARS have been realised over a skills shortage in the Richmondshire district. Richmondshire District Council set up a panel last summer to examine if there is any truth behind the perception that skilled tradesmen are becoming harder to find across the
A COUPLE'S dream to create a therapy room for their daughter has come true. After two years of fundraising by local people, Shelley Dodds' parents have built a specialist play room at their home in Ferryhill, County Durham. The six-year-old, who has a
THE £4.4m makeover of a Middlesbrough park continued yesterday with the unveiling of a replica bandstand. The bandstand is near the fountain at the centre of Albert Park and was opened by the chairman of Middlesbrough Council, Councillor Peter Porley.
WORK is expected to start on a country park which will provide council-run sports facilities for two North Yorkshire villages. Harrogate Borough Council has appointed a contractor to lay a new football pitch for Lingerfield and Scotton, on the edge of
VILLAGERS have told a parish council it does not have a mandate to continue with what they call over-ambitious plans to build a sports pavilion. A heated meeting at Heighington Village Hall, near Darlington, was attended by scores of people opposed to
STEVE PARSLEY follows the drama surrounding the riddle of the stolen vintage motorbike that is used in TV's Heartbeat show. IT could have been a scene straight out of Heartbeat involving the television show's loveable rogue Claude Greengrass. The drama
A WRITER has created a television drama based on his experiences as a social worker. Tiger Aspect, which produced The Vicar of Dibley, Teachers and Mr Bean is developing Turning Point, an eight-episode series written by Paul Arrowsmith. The 43-year-old
FREE coaching is being offered to encourage people to play golf. The English Golf Union and English Ladies' Golf Association have developed initiatives to encourage people to play the sport, including free coaching for beginners. The course is open to
A DRIVE is under way to improve the health of people in Hartlepool by transforming their eating habits. Healthy food co-operatives have been created across the town to try to increase consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables. The initiative is being
WINNERS have been confirmed after an evening of high-calibre music that decided the destiny of the top prizes in this year's Young Musician of Richmondshire competition. The overall champion is 16-year-old Rebecca Humphreys, from Richmond, a pupil at
The Queen of Glamour, and still notorious for playing super-bitch Alexis in Dynasty, Joan Collins tells Steve Pratt about make-up, husbands, and blending in with the crowd. IT seems entirely appropriate that the one of the last questions to Joan Collins
A CATERING supervisor has received first prize in a chefs' contest. Barbara Keen, catering supervisor for Service Stockton at the borough council, won the award at the Association of Civic Hosts, Chef of the Year 2004. It was fourth time lucky for Ms
RECORD-BREAKING Morpeth Harriers continued their domination of the Good Friday Elswick Relays when they finished first and second senior men's teams for the third year in succession. Morpeth's four-man A team clipped 1 min 6 secs off the course record
ALMOST a decade after British soap's first lesbian kiss in Brookside, same sex snogging still has the ability to shock. On Monday, Todd Grimshaw and Karl Foster make Coronation Street history by locking lips in Manchester's gay district, Canal Street,
TWO talented youngsters beat more than 50 hopefuls to land roles in a stage production coming to the region later this year. Nicholas Richardson, 13, from Darlington, and Jessica Louise Inglis, 13, from Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, were chosen
Having been charged by the Jockey Club on Tuesday of this week for acting in a manner prejudicial to the sport's "integrity and good reputation", Kieren Fallon's woes are regrettably far from over. Dogged by controversy throughout his career, such setbacks
THE racing world shrugged off recent controversies yesterday as record-equalling crowds enjoyed a glimpse behind the scenes at some of the region's leading stables. Middleham Open Event boasted one of its best crowds when sunny weather attracted thousands
SOLDIERS, hawks, and digeridoos are helping a town celebrate the Easter holidays. Hartlepool Historic Quay and Museum, in the town's marina, and Hartlepool Art Gallery, in Church Square, are staging activities over the next fortnight. The action began
The column that gives leading figures in the region the opportunity to speak frankly on the issue of self government in the North-East. Councillor Tony Flynn is Leader Newcastle City Council and, until last summer when his term of office ran out, chairman
IT might have taken a couple of years, but Tony Sweeney is now showing he is capable of living up to his tag. Back in January 2002, Sweeney signed his first professional contract at Victoria Park. Then-boss Chris Turner said the Stockton-born midfielder
STAFF at npower's North-East customer contact centres in Peterlee, east Durham, are being quite eggs-travagant with their generosity this Easter. A mountain of Easter eggs was donated by npower staff, which are being distributed to hospital wards, foster
THE race for top spot enters its critical phase this weekend, with Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren tipping Chelsea's current winning run to take them all the way to the Premiership title. McClaren takes his injury-ravaged Boro squad to Stamford Bridge
The column that gives leading figures in the region the opportunity to speak frankly on the issue of self government in the North-East. Councillor Tony Flynn is Leader Newcastle City Council and, until last summer when his term of office ran out, chairman
TERRY BUTCHER is backing Sir Bobby Robson to lead Newcastle United to UEFA Cup glory and repeat the feat he achieved with Ipswich Town 23 years ago. Former Sunderland boss Butcher was the cornerstone of the Ipswich defence when they beat Dutch side AZ
Bishop Auckland manager Brian Honour has hinted he may quit at the end of the season. Honour, who has been manager since early last season, has spoken of his frustration and lack of enjoyment in recent weeks, as Bishops battle to get into the top 13 automatic
The Queen of Glamour, and still notorious for playing super-bitch Alexis in Dynasty, Joan Collins tells Steve Pratt about make-up, husbands, and blending in with the crowd. IT seems entirely appropriate that the one of the last questions to Joan Collins
ALMOST a decade after British soap's first lesbian kiss in Brookside, same sex snogging still has the ability to shock. On Monday, Todd Grimshaw and Karl Foster make Coronation Street history by locking lips in Manchester's gay district, Canal Street,
IT is visiting time at the Dogs Trust Re-homing Centre and the sound of 120 different barks echo through the kennels. As visitors wander around searching for a potential pet, a team of 25 staff and scores of volunteers work round the clock to ensure the
TRADERS who are facing changes to their businesses when the Disability Discrimination Act becomes law are invited to an exhibition. The Wear Valley Disability Access Forum, based in Crook, County Durham, is holding the event at Bishop Auckland College
THE county cup chaos which seems to provide an annual headache for the Durham committee has forced them to bar holders Darlington Mowden Park from defending the trophy. They have also had to insist that the Stockton v Darlington semi-final is played on
A CAT lover has spoken of her anguish after one of her pets was shot with an air rifle. Sherry Armstrong-Wilkinson, 46, and her husband, John, 37, were horrified when Norwegian forest cat Zawadi returned to their County Durham home covered in blood. Mrs
AN international housing and development company is regenerating one of the last pockets of vacant land in a North-East city centre. The development, by Taylor Woodrow, is adding to the renaissance of Newcastle's Quayside area. Working for Silverlink
A FLOCK of Chilean flamingos at a North-East visitor attraction have been so successful over the past five years that some of the birds have had to be moved to another location. After a slow start, the flamingos, from South America, have settled in at
SKYLARK numbers are soaring in the region thanks to sensitive land management by a county council. Although the popular farmland bird is known to be declining nationally, hundreds of skylarks are thriving on flower-rich grassland along the east Durham
ENVIRONMENTAL health experts have been signed up by a national company to advise them on health and safety issues. National sofa retailer ScS Upholstery plc, which has its head office in Sunderland and has 60 branches throughout the UK, has chosen environmental
A VISITOR attraction is offering all the ingredients for an Easter day out - with lambs galore and fluffy chicks. Hall Hill Farm, near Lanchester, County Durham, will also be giving hundreds of Easter eggs away on Easter Sunday and Monday. Easter is lambing
AN award-winning country pub that was forced to close after the foot-and-mouth crisis, re-opened its doors last night. The Countryman, at Bolam, near Darlington, saw takings drop by two-thirds when the outbreak started in 2001. It closed the following
A TEENAGE drummer entertained a packed audience in Newcastle when she was invited to play with professional musicians. Sinead Wisker, 13, from Darlington, was asked to go on stage at the Newcastle Drum Centre as part of a drum clinic event. The Carmel
SELDOM, in recent years at least, has there been such a scenario at this stage of the season where the threat of relegation still looms so large for so many clubs. With six games to go, almost half of the Third Division are fighting between themselves
EDUCATION: THANKS to your report (Echo, Apr 7) the true situation concerning the future of secondary schools in Darlington can now be debated. Mr Pennington states that the LEA is only in a very early stage of trying to put together a coherent plan for
A JOKE doing the rounds this week suggested that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was set to leave the Highbury hotseat to host a popular gameshow of yesteryear. 3-2-1 might not be Wenger's favoured choice of viewing after his treble dreams exploded over
DARLINGTON'S Third Division future could all hinge on the next three days, according to boss David Hodgson. The massive Easter weekend begins with today's visit of fifth-placed Mansfield, before Hodgson takes his relegation-threatened side to Southend
TOMMY SMITH, so often the FA Cup hero for Sunderland this season, turned his magic touch towards helping the Black Cats keep their promotion push on track. The talented striker, whose four goals pushed Mick McCarthy's men to the semi-finals of the oldest
Children at two hospitals have been given an Easter treat thanks to the generosity of car dealership customers. Peugeot dealership Simon Bailes was giving away Easter eggs to customers using its parts department, but many people told staff to keep the
VILLAGERS have told a parish council it does not have a mandate to continue with what they call over-ambitious plans to build a sports pavilion. A heated meeting at Heighington Village Hall, near Darlington, was attended by scores of people opposed to
PATIENTS with long-term illnesses are being encouraged to sign up for a new course which could help to improve their quality of life. Living Well schemes are planned for the Richmondshire district, starting at the Colburn Health and Recreation Centre
CHILDREN enjoyed an afternoon hunting for Easter eggs in a fun day organised by health staff. Darlington Primary Care Trust health visitor Sue Godfrey and Sandra Bentley, an early years practitioner, staged the event for about 25 youngsters at the Red
MEMBERS of a Teesdale branch of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (RAOB) have presented a cheque to the Great North Air Ambulance. The King Edward VIII lodge of the RAOB, in Barnard Castle, donated £500 raised through extra gifts from lodge members
COURSE DATES: The following courses are being held at Stanhope Community Centre: Thursday, 6.30pm to 8.30pm, basic web page design; Monday, April 19, 11am to 1pm, mixed crafts; Tuesday, April 20, 1pm to 3pm, drawing and painting; Tuesday, May 4, 6.30pm
A YOUNG performer won two first prizes in a festival for performing arts. Amy Parkin, 18, from Darlington, won the poetry section and the open championship in the town's Performing Arts Festival last month. The Polam Hall pupil also came third in acting
SCHOOL pupils have been learning there is more to Easter than chocolate eggs. Youngsters at Abbey Infant and Junior Schools in Darlington took part in art, drama and music sessions with the Reverend John Dobson, from All Saints and Salutation Church,
FUNDING has been confirmed for a flagship extra care housing scheme for elderly people in Wensleydale. North Yorkshire County Council, Richmondshire District Council, the Housing Corporation and the Department of Health are jointly funding a £5m development
BADMINTON players from all over Europe will descend on the North-East next week to compete in the Great North International Student Badminton Tournament. About 170 players will take part in the event - one of a number of competitions staged annually in
A YOUNG entrepreneur who launched a business from his bedroom to raise some extra pocket money is hoping to turn the venture into a real money-spinner. Teenager Chris Naylor was looking for a way to earn some money to buy compact discs when he started
A door-to-door access bus to take people to their local GP is to be launched in north Durham on Tuesday. The dial-a-ride service, provided by Durham County Council, will link 16 villages around Lanchester to local surgeries. The low floor, wheelchair
A NEW door-to-door bus service to take people to their local doctor's surgery is to be launched in north Durham. The dial-a-ride service, provided by Durham County Council, will link 16 villages around Lanchester to local doctor surgeries. The low-floor
A VILLAGE bowling green that was threatened with closure after vandal attacks has been restored. The Kelloe Bowling Club, residents of Kelloe and neighbouring villages yesterday celebrated at the reopening ceremony conducted by Durham MP Gerry Steinberg
A GRANT scheme of £200,000 will improve community life for residents living on the North-East's largest urban development. Newcastle Great Park has launched a community fund and wants to hear from deserving groups, projects or schemes and facilities that
A DRAFT action plan has been drawn up to tackle residents' concerns about unemployment, crime and drug-use in their neighbourhood. The Burbank area, to the south-east of Hartlepool town centre, is a small community surrounded by industrial and commercial
DIY expert Handy Andy Kane demonstrated his skills when he opened a home improvement centre. The Changing Rooms star opened the Wickes store in South Shields yesterday and gave a DIY demonstration.
A CARE centre for children with learning disabilities which divided a rural community has opened. The Lilacs, in Castleside, near Consett, has been transformed into the £500,000 Interact Care home. The residential unit will house up to four youngsters
ORGANISERS are hoping more than 1,000 people will help celebrate the heritage of a North-East town next weekend. Last year, a record number of people attended the Guisborough Heritage Day, in east Cleveland, and it is hoped that success can be emulated
SPEEDING drivers will be shamed into slowing down at problem sites with more electronic signs. Durham County Council plans to introduce more Active Speed Signs, which show drivers their speed. The signs, which will be used for two weeks at a time as a
The Government last night fired a broadside at teachers opposed to national English, maths and science tests. Unions were warned they were "living in cloud cuckoo land" if they thought ministers would give in to demands for their abolition. The National
YOUNGSTERS have been learning there is more to getting about than being chauffered by their parents. Children at St Mary Magdalen School, in Seaham, were told about the alternatives to using the car when they took part in a project on sustainable transport
HUNDREDS of teenagers are giving up their Easter holiday to stay at school. About 250 16-year-olds have volunteered for a free High 5s Challenge to boost their chances of GCSE exam success and get a taste of university life. The teenagers will spend three
A teenager has been chosen to perform in the National Youth Choir. Matthew Robinson, 18, of Thornaby, Teesside, has also been given a place at the Birmingham Conservatoire to study classical guitar. Matthew has made the progression from the training choir
NURSE Sara Milburn finished a busy shift before she went to casualty with stomach cramps -then gave birth in front of her colleagues. Miss Milburn, 27, had no idea she was pregnant and carried on with her work as usual every day. Now she and her partner
The woman who claims to have had an affair with David Beckham promised last night to tell her full story tomorrow. Rebecca Loos, Beckham's former personal assistant, said: "Since the News of the World broke its story, I've read an awful lot about myself
A TINY pill no bigger than a jelly bean is to be used in a North-East hospital to take colour images inside the body. The pill, which contains a miniature camera, instantly transmits images on to a computer screen. Patients are wired up via electrodes
Trading standards officers in Middlesbrough have been trying to curb the illegal sale of spray paint to under-16s in an effort to stop graffiti in the town. Retailers are being targeted by officers who will warn them that they risk prosecution if they
THOUSANDS of people will gather for one of the biggest flower shows in the North-East this weekend. Gateshead Spring Flower Show, now in its 14th year, opens at 10am today for three days and Gateshead Council is hoping for another record number of visitors
A SQUAD of soldiers is spending Easter in the Lake District, and on the Dales and North York Moors, but it's unlikely they'll have much time for fun. The 24 members of 10 Signal Regiment volunteered to complete the coast-to-coast walk in aid of the NSPCC
STEVE PARSLEY follows the drama surrounding the riddle of the stolen vintage motorbike that is used in TV's Heartbeat show. IT could have been a scene straight out of Heartbeat involving the television show's loveable rogue Claude Greengrass. The drama
CHILD psychologists who supported the Dunblane community after the school killings in 1996 are to speak at a North-East conference on dealing with youngsters' grief. Dr Mike O'Connor and Dr Alison Russell will lead a workshop at the event in Darlington
COUNTDOWN host Richard Whiteley and the famous Rylstone and District Calendar Girls will be two of the star guests at a popular Dales festival over the May Bank Holiday weekend. The Dales Festival of Food and Drink in Leyburn, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire
FRUSTRATED Durham coach Martyn Moxon has been refused permission by the England and Wales Cricket Board to play 12-a-side in the three-day match against Durham University starting at Riverside today. After seeing three days of friendly matches wiped out
TOMMY SMITH, so often the FA Cup hero for Sunderland this season, turned his magic touch towards helping the Black Cats keep their promotion push on track. The talented striker, whose four goals pushed Mick McCarthy's men to the semi-finals of the oldest
FIRE officers have teamed up with police and air ambulance crews to stage a two-day road safety awareness campaign. The event will be held in the Cleveland Centre, Middlesbrough, from 10am to 4pm on Tuesday and Wednesday. The campaign is aimed at alerting
TERRY BUTCHER is backing Sir Bobby Robson to lead Newcastle United to UEFA Cup glory and repeat the feat he achieved with Ipswich Town 23 years ago. Former Sunderland boss Butcher was the cornerstone of the Ipswich defence when they beat Dutch side AZ
A PILOT project run by a youth offending service has proved a success, with 11 young people achieving NVQ qualifications. The youngsters, all aged between 16 and 18 and on the project run by Stockton Borough Council's youth offending service, have achieved
MICK McCARTHY last night warned Division One's top two that Sunderland will not let up in their quest for an automatic promotion spot. A 3-0 victory over Sheffield United at the Stadium of Light yesterday has kept hopes alive that the Black Cats can go
ONE of the region's theatres is celebrating attracting younger audiences and presenting new writing to the stage. Audiences in the 16 to 25 age bracket have increased 26 per cent at York Theatre Royal over the past three years. Youngsters will dominate
Ferryhill Athletic manager Mark Fanning is convinced his side will avoid the Wearside League wooden spoon even though they are equal on points at the bottom of the table with Washington Nissan UK. "I thought we played well and were unlucky to lose to
BUSINESSES are being given the chance to showcase what they can offer, from circus training skills to cost accounting. The Redcar and Cleveland Skills Village event, to be held at Redcar Bowl and Leisure Centre on September 24 and 25, is providing free
THE Toon Army is facing a grudge match - with the Salvation Army. The Government is locked in talks about changing the gambling laws that would allow the creation of Las Vegas-style casinos in the UK. Newcastle United are already working closely with
A hat-trick from Shildon's Gary Barnes virtually ended Durham City's hopes of lifting the Albany Northern League title in a 3-1 win at the Archibald Stadium yesterday. Barnes took his personal tally for the season to 53 and virtually handed the title
WHAT a strange world we live in. As the death toll rises in Iraq, with the country hurtling towards civil war, the tabloid front pages have been dominated by the really big question: Has David Beckham cheated on his wife Victoria? Sales of the News of
Nero's Return (3.10) is fully primed to come back with a bang in the £30,000 Listed Easter Stakes at Kempton, writes Colin Woods. Mark Johnston's unbeaten colt made an immediate impact on the two-year-old stage when winning by ten lengths on his debut
TRADING standards officers are warning people planning to visit car boot sales over the Easter weekend to be on their guard. They are concerned some items may not seem to be quite the bargain they appear to be, and could in fact prove to be dangerous.
NOW winter is drawing to a close and walkers are beginning to take to the hills, an appeal has been issued encouraging them to be wary of the threat of fire. Firefighters from Grangetown Fire Station, near Middlesbrough, were called out to deal with 44
TWO lionesses appear from the inky darkness and pad slowly along the red dust track. Caught in the Land Rover's headlights, they glance in our direction without breaking their sauntering stride. They are trailed by two hungry males, who must wait for
