SCHOOL children have given up some of their toys to help make Christmas better for other children in third world countries. Pupils at Eldon Lane Primary School, near Bishop Auckland, have filled 63 shoe boxes full of gifts. Their efforts started when
CYCLISTS in Darlington town centre are facing a police crackdown because bikes are being increasingly used in crime. Operation Harbour has been launched because cycles are being used to make a quick getaway after muggings, and thefts from shops and cars
A MAN who was stabbed nine times when he intervened in an argument outside a late night takeaway is lucky to be alive, police said. The victim, aged 34, who has not been named, was left bleeding in the street after a night out in Lanchester. Police said
PLANS were announced yesterday for a multi-million-pound investment at a business park which is expected to create up to 700 jobs and safeguard another 450. Developers and businesses will invest £35m in the Wynyard One park, on the site of the former
A FERRYHILL butcher's speciality sausages proved the perfect recipe for success when he landed three regional prizes. John Allison scooped three gold awards at the North-East product evaluation event - part of the British Pig Executive's regional road
POLICE and social service groups are joining forces to tackle drug-driven crime in Darlington. Criminals will be offered rehabilitation in a new approach, working on the basis that prevention is better than cure. Some of the town's most active criminals
Defiant peers last night voted to reject the ban on hunting with hounds, which was agreed by the Commons only 24 hours ago. By 188 to 79, a majority 109, the Lords backed a move by Baroness Mallalieu to put a licensed hunting scheme back in the Hunting
A PUBLIC exhibition sharing ideas for the future of Bishop Auckland town centre which was scheduled for this week has had to be postponed. The display was expected to open today in the town, with residents and traders invited to give their opinions on
England skipper Jason Robinson last night briefly lifted a self-imposed media boycott to comment on Saturday's clash against Tri-Nations champions South Africa. His remarks, though, were issued by the Rugby Football Union, as Robinson pulled out of the
LOOKING across the playground, there were no prizes for guessing whose mum had just come back from a trip to Barcelona. There was our seven-year-old, running around in a giant sombrero, while his musically-inclined brother, aged 11, was demonstrating
A 34-year-old soldier has been found dead at an Army barracks, police said today. The Lance Corporal in the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment was discovered hanging in a store room in the Somme Barracks, at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, yesterday.
An investigation by The Northern Echo has revealed that a much-heralded refuge for male victims of domestic violence does not exist. Reporter Neil Hunter posed as a victim to establish the truth. CHOKING back tears, I pleaded with the man on the other
A DRUNKEN student plunged 85ft to his death after a brawl on a river bridge, a court was told yesterday. John Chipp was running home after a night out on March 19, with colleagues from a McDonald's restaurant, when he became involved in a late-night brawl
Design students from Northumbria University are holding an auction of autographs and signed memorabilia to fund their final year fashion shows in Newcastle and London. The students need to raise £7,000 to fund the shows next June. The auction will be
THE Countess of Wessex yesterday gave her stamp of approval to a £1.6m education facility which uses football to engage and motivate young people. The Centre of Light, in Sunderland's Stadium of Light, has been developed by the club's charity, the Sunderland
AN initiative has been launched in Hartlepool to tackle problems with stray dogs. Hartlepool Borough Council's environmental action team has joined forces with the Dogs Trust and the RSPCA to offer a free pet neutering service to owners living on the
A FAMILY has won its 50-year fight for justice, after an inquest ruled the death of an airman during secret nerve gas experiments was unlawful. Leading Aircraftman Ronald Maddison, 20, of Consett, died in May 1953 after being exposed to the deadly nerve
FEMALE footballers will not be out of practice during the usual festive lay-off this year thanks to a new indoor soccer venue. The recently opened £2m Soccarena development, at Belmont, Durham, has answered the call from teams unable to play because of
THE advantage of introducing a 20mph speed limit near schools in Ripon would outweigh concerns raised by objectors to the plan, according to a highway chief. Councillors have been recommended to approve the low speed zones in the Church Lane-Trinity Lane
DOMESTIC violence is one of the main causes of homelessness in Scarborough, according to a new report. In the past year there were 761 reported incidents of violence resulting in 48 women and 59 children searching for emergency accommodation. Ray Williamson
RESIDENTS are being asked for their views on a city's new car parking charges. City of York Council wants people to tell them how parking can be improved in the future. This could include being able to pay via credit card or mobile phone and using electronic
BRITAIN'S unluckiest racing punter died yesterday - just as he was due to pick up a £15,000 windfall. Jack Lee, 75, had been on an emotional rollercoaster ride since scooping what he thought was a £1m win earlier this month at his local branch of Ladbrokes
FEARS over lack of secondary school places for children living in Ripon have been allayed by a North Yorkshire education chief. When secondary education places were allocated in September, a number of Ripon pupils were offered places outside the city.
A popular member of staff has been praised for helping justice to prevail. Proceedings at Durham Crown Court began on Tuesday with a presentation to usher Malcolm Magee, who has retired at the age of 65. Although the former police officer has only been
COUNCILLORS will visit a small village later this month to decide whether to allow a model aircraft club to use a nearby field as a base. Shildon Model Flying Club wants to use a seven-hectare stretch of farmland at Old Eldon, near Shildon, for its members
A group is being set up to look at the problems of potholes in Evenwood. Residents complained to Teesdale District Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee about the potholes in the roads around the centre at a recent public meeting. Durham County Council
PLASTERER Martin Horner has proved he has the right mix of ability and attitude after winning an award. The 18-year-old, from Shildon, has become Plasterer of the Year after being nominated by tutors at Darlington College of Technology. He was presented
COUNCILLORS in Darlington have pledged to step up efforts to stop children truant-ing from school. In January the borough council will introduce fixed penalty fines for parents of children who truant from school. The £50 fines will be issued to parents
THE sister of a former pub landlady has paid tribute to her. Lily Armitage died on Monday aged 95, following a stroke on Saturday. She was being cared for at Greenfields House Nursing Home, Newton Aycliffe. Mrs Armitage was suffering from Alzheimer's
THE sister of a former pub landlady has paid tribute to her. Lily Armitage died on Monday aged 95, following a stroke on Saturday. She was being cared for at Greenfields House Nursing Home, Newton Aycliffe. Mrs Armitage was suffering from Alzheimer's
Students who were injured when their coach was involved in a crash have been released from hospital. A party of theatre students from Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, in Darlington, were travelling to start a three-day residential course on Wednesday
THE poignant words of three students at Sedgefield Community College earned them prizes in a poetry competition. Pupils at the school were challenged to compose poems to coincide with Remembrance Day. Year ten student Victoria Murrell won the contest
DAVID HODGSON, the charismatic manager of Darlington Football Club, is to launch his biography in the town this weekend. The Quakers boss will be signing copies of Three Times a Quaker in the Ottakar's book store, in the Cornmill Centre, on Saturday,
GO North East's decision to cancel a 50-year-old bus service from an east Durham village has angered the community. Yesterday, Easington district councillor Robin Todd criticised the bus company for not consulting residents before cutting the service
PRE-SCHOOL youngsters have been invited to take part in a gymnastics class. Stockton Borough Council sports development team's aim is to improve children's flexibility, co-ordination, stamina and confidence with the help of the class. The classes, which
Mary Mountain has ascended to new heights with her latest show of flower power. The roof of the garden designer's home in Loftus, east Cleveland, is green - planted out with plants that withstand drought. It is an idea which took root with design award
A MAN who claimed that he had a £500 block of cannabis resin to calm his nerves was jailed for 12 months yesterday. A jury decided that Robert Merry, 34, intended to sell the drug despite his story that it helped him to combat panic attacks. Sam Andrews
A PLAN for three homes on the site of an empty chicken factory in Knaresborough's conservation area is being recommended for refusal. A planning application has been submitted for three storey terrace homes on the site of the former meat and processing
A TOWN'S annual fundraising efforts are helping to keep a life-saving service in the air. As one of her final official duties, the President of the Richmond Meet, Christine Hill, caught up with the Yorkshire Air Ambulance at Burn Hall, Easingwold, to
A NEWLY appointed police chief has called on motorists to keep death off the roads. Twenty-seven people have been killed on roads throughout Teesside so far this year, with many more seriously injured. Inspector Eric Robinson, the head of Cleveland's
The stars will be coming out this week as towns and cities throughout the region switch on Christmas lights. TV celebrities, football managers and legendary children's favourites are all joining in the fun. The Northern Echo presents a festive guide to
another nightmare start to the second half saw Darlington leave the Vetch Field pointless last night. Craig Liddle had given Quakers a half-time lead but the team went to sleep again after the interval and Lee Trundle's 55th-minute goal, followed by one
A HEARTBROKEN family talked last night of serving a "life sentence" following the death of their footballer son. Lee Hainsworth, 26, who played for Shildon Football Club, was killed while making a phone call to his girlfriend Leslie Howe from his car,
A DISGRUNTLED football spectator has been arrested and released on police bail after he allegedly tried to attack a referee with a pair of axes at an under-11s match. The man, who has not been named, is though to have taken issue with a match official
THERE is no doubt that Darlington's High Row requires some money spending on it. It needs to spruce up its image, to tidy up its features. It needs to be rid of the buses which drive around as if they own the place - a town centre should be designed around
A FATHERS' rights campaigner who threw purple flour over a by-election candidate has told a court he regrets his actions. Paul Watson, who contested the recent Hartlepool by-election for the Fathers 4 Justice group, threw the flour over Liberal Democrat
PROGRESS on a ground-breaking blueprint to bridge the North-South divide will be unveiled today. Officials working on the Northern Way Growth Strategy will discuss progress at two meetings - the first at Newcastle Racecourse, today, and then at Hardwick
Hopes were fading this afternoon after a massive sea and air search failed to find two County Durham brothers whose fishing boat went missing in heavy seas. Bobby Temple, 32 and his Brother Brian 26, both from Fencehouses set out in their 36ft trawler
LOOKING across the playground, there were no prizes for guessing whose mum had just come back from a trip to Barcelona. There was our seven-year-old, running around in a giant sombrero, while his musically-inclined brother, aged 11, was demonstrating
David Gray recorded the 50th competitive maximum 147 break in his second-round match against Mark Selby at the Travis Perkins UK Championship in York yesterday. The world number 14 accomplished the feat in frame five to take a 4-1 lead and will collect
Losing the role as James Bond didn't shake Pierce Brosnan, he tells Steve Pratt. And neither did getting into bed with his male co-star in his latest film, After Sunset. Pierce Brosnan is a man out of Bondage and looking for a new life outside the secret
A traffic cop fought back tears today as he told a court how he was blasted by a gunman who then calmly murdered his colleague. Pc Neil Roper, 45, and his two colleagues had arrested David Bieber after he was caught behind the wheel of a stolen BMW 316
Brad Bird made his first animated film when he was 11 - it was 15 minutes long and took three years. His latest, The Incredibles, lasts two hours and its production was like a car crash, he tells Steve Pratt. Making The Incredibles was "one big car crash
NINE students from a Darlington college were injured last night when their coach was in collision with a van. They were taken to two hospitals, but none was seriously hurt. The accident happened as the party of theatre students, from the Queen Elizabeth
CHILDREN'S television programme Blue Peter was broadcast live into millions of homes from a Newton Aycliffe charity shop last week. The popular BBC children's show took over the town's Red Cross shop for a special episode promoting its Welcome Home Appeal
PAUL Varley's passion for photography has led him to invent a camera component that could revolutionise the way we take pictures. His lens, which enlarges the images on the viewer of digital cameras, has already won him a gold merit at the British Innovation
THE spirit of Diwali, the Hindu festival of light, shone in Darlington last week. People who visited Crown Street Library got a colourful surprise as staff celebrated by wearing traditional Indian costume. Books on Diwali were on display and tea, coffee
FAMILIES of the Royal Military Policemen killed by an Iraqi mob have welcomed an "honest" report into their deaths - but called for those responsible to be made accountable. The six Red Caps, all from 156 Provost Company, were manning a small police station
CLIFF Richard may as well take a holiday. Kylie, the Abergavenny Male Voice Choir, Lord Brocket and anyone else planning a novelty festive single should wait until next year. Because we all know what the Christmas number one is going to be now. Twenty
WIND turbines could be wrongly identified as aircraft by North-East airports, experts fear. The Ministry of Defence has ordered a series of test flights to assess the extent to which the turbines' rotating blades can be wrongly identified by airport radar
TONIGHT'S the night for the stars of grassroots sport. The Local Heroes Awards 2004, organised by The Northern Echo, will be presented before an audience of 700 people at the Tall Trees Hotel, Yarm, near Stockton. Special guests include England's 1966
A SCHOOLGIRL has had plastic surgery on the NHS to save her from playground bullies said to have taunted her about her big ears. It is claimed her tormentors turned Brooke Wright, 13, from a happy child into a suicide risk. Her GP was so concerned he
A water cooler manufacturer has signed a multi-million-pound deal with one of the largest food and drink companies in the world. The deal, worth 50m euros, will see Ebac, of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, work with Nestl's water cooler division for six
David Essex - a star since Godspell in 1971 - is still in demand for touring shows. He talks to Viv Hardwick about his latest, Boogie Nights 2, and about living the quiet life in America. DAVID Essex claims to live quite quietly in New England with his
YOUNG people got inspiration from rowers, an international rugby player and the European dog-sled champion yesterday. Members of the armed forces showed off their skills at an Enterprise Insight day at the Army Foundation College, in Harrogate, North
SMALLER manufacturers have seen orders decline at the fastest rate for a year, with confidence falling for the first time a year. The Confederation of British Industry's (CBI) quarterly survey of small and medium-sized companies showed that recovery was
TWO fishermen are feared dead after a trawler disappeared in the North Sea yesterday. Rescuers feared the worst when one of 20 vessels searching for the trawler Jan Denise picked up a strong smell of diesel and an unregistered sonar reading on the sea
MANUFACTURING pay settlements have risen to their highest level since October 1998, a survey has found. The Engineering Employers Federation (EEF) said that in the three months to the end of last month, the average level of pay settlements reported by
THE owner of a number of landmark properties in the region, including The Bridges shopping centre in Sunderland and Newcastle leisure venue The Gate, reported an eight per cent rise in profits yesterday. Land Securities is the UK's largest property company
IN ACADEMIA, historians often discuss 'what if' or alternative historical scenarios with their students and peers. In essence, what would have been the consequences had Napoleon won the Battle of Waterloo; Britain not cracked the Enigma code in World
A water cooler manufacturer has signed a multi-million-pound deal with one of the largest food and drink companies in the world. The deal, worth 50m euros, will see Ebac, of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, work with Nestl's water cooler division for six
A MAN who claimed to have set up the country's first refuge for male victims of domestic violence in the North-East has been arrested following an investigation into possible fraud. Following an investigation by The Northern Echo, Mike Kenny was questioned
HUGH Robertson's haul back from injury has been a fraught one. The Hartlepool United left back has been out of action since August with a foot injury, but made his return for the club's reserve side yesterday. He played an hour of the 3-0 defeat to Hull
A Stan Laurel sculpture is planned to attract visitors to Bishop Auckland, but will it only make the town a laughing stock? A SCULPTURE to commemorate comedian Stan Laurel's Bishop Auckland connection is planned for the town centre - but critics insist
FIREFIGHTERS and supermarket staff towed an eight-ton vintage fire engine across a car park yesterday to raise money for charity. Members of Darlington Fire Station's Green Watch took on staff from Asda, in Whinbush Way, to raise funds for Children in
COUNCILLORS are wasting their time deciding whether to approve mobile phone masts, a meeting heard yesterday. Councillor Cyndi Hughes spoke out as Darlington Borough Council's planning committee considered whether to give prior approval for a 15 metre
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to turn a church hall into a hostel for homeless people was narrowly passed by councillors yesterday. Hundreds of people had signed petitions objecting to the proposals to convert St George's Hall, in Elmfield Street, into an 11-bedsit
Jurors believed a million-to-one -chance brought two stranglers together in the same house, 10 Rillinto Place. But there was only one murderer and an innocent man was hanged. Nigel Burton examines the case and The Northern Echo campaign that led to a
A YOUNG man had his jaw broken after being punched on his way home from a party. The victim and his girlfriend were in Hutton Lane, in Guisborough, East Cleveland, at about 3am on Sunday when three youths asked them for cigarettes. After saying he didn't
Professor Fridrun Podczeck, of Sunderland University, has been elected to one of the world's most prestigious science bodies. Her election to the Fellowship of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists is for her outstanding contribution to
DOZENS of youngsters saw their academic efforts recognised at a prize-giving ceremony last night. The event at Branksome School, in Darlington, saw accolades handed out for a range of subjects and achievements over the past year. The following pupils
POLICE on Teesside have issued an e-fit of a man believed to be responsible for a raid on a post office van. The smash and grab thief struck as a postman was making deliveries to John Batty School on Walnut Grove in Redcar, last Friday. Witnesses saw
POLICE were called to school playing fields after treasure hunters arrived armed with picks and shovels. The unwelcome pitch invasion was inspired by a competition run by radio station Galaxy 105-106, called The Game, in which listeners are given clues
POLICE are appealing to a man missing from home for five days to contact his family to let them know he is safe. Robert Potter, 24, of Tenth Avenue, Chester-le-Street, was last seen by his brother at their home on Saturday, but was not reported missing
A MAN stabbed nine times when he intervened in an argument outside a takeaway restaurant is lucky to be alive, police said last night. The 34-year-old, who has not been named, was left bleeding in the street in Lanchester, near Durham City. Police said
Two of the region's independent schools for boys have unveiled plans for a merger. Ascham House and Newlands preparatory schools, in Newcastle, yesterday announced proposals to form one body. Spread over three existing sites in the city's Gosforth area
A THOUSAND youngsters will be running for fun in a cross-country event tomorrow. Children aged six to 11, of all abilities, will take part in the race at St Bede's Catholic Comprehesive School, in Peterlee. Geoff Sheldon, from the partnership, said: "
DURHAM Labour MP Gerry Steinberg has been accused of making a U-turn over legislation on energy efficiency in homes. But Mr Steinberg, who will retire at the next election, said his Liberal Democrat opponents, who hope to win the seat, were trying to
A popular member of staff has been praised for helping justice to prevail. Proceedings at Durham Crown Court began on Tuesday with a presentation to usher Malcolm Magee, who has retired at the age of 65. Although the former police officer has only been
A TALENTED youngster is preparing for two shows this Christmas. Jordan Louise Roseberry, 12, is to sing at the switching on of the Christmas illuminations in Sunderland today. A pupil at Durham High School for Girls, she was invited to perform after winning
PUBS and clubs could be forced to close because bouncers have not applied for a new door staff licence, police warned yesterday. From December 13, it will be a criminal offence to work as a door supervisor in the area without a licence from the Security
THREE local authorities in the North-East have been awarded maximum ratings by the body set up to inspect social services care. Newcastle and Sunderland maintained their three-star "excellent" rating from last year, while Gateshead also improved to a
The man at the heart of the controversy surrounding Cleveland Police's financial fiasco has left the force in a shroud of secrecy nine months' after being suspended. Steve Preval, the former director of finance and commissioning, was relieved of his duties
A PUB landlord plans to ban smoking - before the Government makes him. Nigel Stevens, owner of The Wyvill Arms, in Constable Burton, near Leyburn, North Yorkshire, says the move will be good for the health of his staff - and for business. The publican
PLASTERER Martin Horner has proved he has the right mix of ability and attitude after winning an award. The 18-year-old, from Shildon, has become Plasterer of the Year after being nominated by tutors at Darlington College of Technology. He was presented
COUNCILLORS in Darlington have pledged to step up efforts to stop children truant-ing from school. In January the borough council will introduce fixed penalty fines for parents of children who truant from school. The £50 fines will be issued to parents
VILLAGERS' dreams of transforming land near their homes into a community garden have come true as work starts on an £80,000 project. The High Grange Village Association has been working since 1999 to turn open land opposite their houses into a social
A SURVEY of all the public toilets in Teesdale is to be carried out. The survey, by Teesdale District Council, will assess the condition of each toilet and also try to determine how often they are used. The district council attracted criticism for temporarily
VICTORIOUS No campaigners handed over their winnings to charity after staking a £2,000 bet on the outcome of this month's referendum on a directly-elected assembly for the North-East. North East No campaigners Neil Herron and Colin Moran yesterday visited
NEIGHBOURS were celebrating yesterday when councillors voted unanimously against their planning officers. The decision means that an art-deco house known as The Rookery, in Eaglescliffe, near Stockton, will be saved. Nearly 150 protestors against the
GO North East's decision to cancel a 50-year-old bus service from an east Durham village has angered the community. Yesterday, Easington district councillor Robin Todd criticised the bus company for not consulting residents before cutting the service
HISTORY enthusiasts have accused museum bosses of ruining the home of North-East rail pioneer Timothy Hackworth. Hackworth and his work on the railways has been the inspiration for the creation of Locomotion: National Railway Museum, in Shildon, County
ENGLAND Under-21 boss Peter Taylor is in no doubt the Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing will eventually make the step up to the senior side. The 20-year-old is seen by many as the answer to England's problematic left side but on Tuesday night he continued
ELECTORAL REFORM: IN 1997 Labour was elected having made a manifesto promise both to set up an independent review of the voting system and to hold a referendum to allow the British people to decide whether or not they wanted a change. The Jenkins Commission
Egypt Detectives (five): THE Egyptian pharaohs were a rum lot by all accounts, but Akhenaten was the most controversial of the lot. He declared all the other gods redundant and told his people they could only worship the sun god. Then he forcibly relocated
STAFF and students at a North-East university have paid tribute to a senior academic who has died. Dr Jane Keithley was vice-principal and senior tutor of Durham University's St Aidan's College. Dr Keithley joined the university in 1974 as a lecturer
ENGLAND Under-21 boss Peter Taylor is in no doubt the Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing will eventually make the step up to the senior side. The 20-year-old is seen by many as the answer to England's problematic left side but on Tuesday night he continued
Science and technology companies across the region were given a boost today when a £35m venture capital fund was launched. Nstar has launched its North-East Co-investment fund to work with trade investors and other venture capital funds to increase the
IT happens all the time: a father has a falling-out with his daughters and he's too stubborn and irascible to see sense, so the family falls apart. These days, though, you don't usually find favourite daughters banished to France, and if two of the daughters
DETECTIVES investigating the death of a former actor are awaiting the results of a second post-mortem examination being carried out this afternoon to give a clearer picture of how and when he died. The body of divorced father-of-two Stephen Milburn was
UK DVD/VIDEO RENTAL: 1 (-) Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban 2 (1) Elf 3 (4) Fahrenheit 9/11 4 (6) Dawn Of The Dead 5 (2) Troy 6 (3) Shrek 2 7 (-) Manson Family 8 (8) You Got Served 9 (9) Quicksand 10 (5) The Day After Tomorrow Published: 18/11
ALAN Milburn was accused last night of running Labour's election campaign at the taxpayer's expense. The Conservatives hit out at the arrangement that allows the Darlington MP's Cabinet salary of £72,862 to be paid from public - rather than party - funds
Another nightmare start to a second half saw Darlington leave the Vetch Field pointless last night. Craig Liddle had given Quakers a half-time lead but the team went to sleep again after the interval and Lee Trundle's 55th-minute goal, followed by one
TRIBUTES have been paid to a former German prisoner of war who died on Sunday after spending nearly 60 years living and working in the region. Franz Kamp, known as Frank, was captured in August 1944. He was imprisoned in Italy and the US before being
A TOWN'S efforts to brighten up Christmas in its shopping centre were celebrated with a ceremonial switch on this week. For years Bishop Auckland has been criticised for its dismal illuminations but last year traders and organisations clubbed together
The most dramatic revamp of Darlington's historic town centre in decades is edging closer. Stuart Mackintosh reports on an issue that has led to uproar in the Quaker town and gauges opinion among the interested parties. WHEN Darlington Borough Council
THE gap in wages between the North-East and London has widened more dramatically under Tony Blair, figures have revealed. Workers in the North-East are earning £48.30 more a week than in 1998, but this is dwarfed by the £95 rise in London over the same
DARLINGTON FC is urging young fans to get their war paint on for a vital game on Saturday. The Quakers are giving free entry to the league game against Lincoln City to any child under 16 - accompanied by a paying adult - who arrives with a painted face
DANCE instructor Karen Stewart is on top of the world after being voted the most outstanding teacher in the UK at the Oscars of the dance profession. Ms Stewart, 37, of Lanchester, was awarded the Carl Alan Award for achievement in teaching - the highest
TIMOTHY EVANS, wrongly hanged 54 years ago for one of the notorious Rillington Place murders, was finally declared innocent yesterday in an historic High Court judgement. In an extraordinary twist to one of the most famous of all miscarriage of justice
A HERITAGE railway has honoured a small band of volunteers whose determination and dedication has kept it alive. During a simple ceremony at the weekend, inside an old platform shelter at Stanhope station, two plaques were unveiled in memory of four men
Considering all the wooden acting, it's surprising there aren't more fires in Soapland. Next week the whole place threatens to go up in flames for another reason - Mad Maya's mayhem in Coronation Street (ITV1). This woman spurned has been plotting revenge
WOULD-BE astronomers are being offered the chance of a close-up glimpse of Saturday's full moon. York Observatory, in the city's Museum Gardens, is opening its doors between 6pm and 8pm. Under the direction of curator of astronomy Martin Lunn, visitors
WITH Martin Pipe's horses in such terrific form it is impossible to ignore the claims of Liberman (2.10) for the valuable Pertemps Handicap Hurdle at Market Rasen. The 14-times champion National Hunt trainer, who cleaned up at Cheltenham's weekend fixture
A SCULPTURE to commemorate comedian Stan Laurel's Bishop Auckland connection is planned for the town centre - but critics insist it's definitely no laughing matter. The copper sculpture, thought to be costing around £20,000, will consist of a large bowler
PLANS were announced yesterday for a multi-million-pound investment at a business park which is expected to create up to 700 jobs and safeguard another 450. Developers and businesses will invest £35m in the Wynyard One park, on the site of the former
AN exhibition chronicling the work of one of the most famous fashion photographers of the 20th Century is to go on show at a North-East museum. Norman Parkinson: Portraits in Fashion opens at the Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, County Durham, in the
SUPERMARKET chain Sainsbury's reported the first loss in its history yesterday and blamed the performance on the cost of the restructuring needed to revive its fortunes. The troubled group posted losses of £39m in the six months to September 30, down
A record-breaking bull with a penchant for Mozart lay behind a rush for shares in specialist breeder Genus yesterday. Semen produced by Picston Shottle, a five-year-old pure-bred Holstein, has sold out until April following unprecedented demand from farmers
BEAMISH Museum, near Stanley, has received a double boost from Barclays Bank. The bank has donated £16,000 to the museum, to help it launch an educational information pack. The pack will be sent out to schools that have booked a visit at the museum. And
HISTORY enthusiasts have accused museum bosses of ruining the home of North-East rail pioneer Timothy Hackworth. Hackworth and his work on the railways has been the inspiration for the creation of Locomotion: National Railway Museum, in Shildon. His home
