FLAGS at police stations across County Durham were at half-mast yesterday to mourn the tragic death of a popular police officer. PC Jonathan Green, 23, died in a car accident on Thursday night as he was returning home from work at Barnard Castle police
FEARS that expectant mothers would boycott an under-fire maternity unit have proved to be ill-founded. Six months after it was revealed that an unborn baby died during a 12-mile car dash between two hospitals, a new unit run by midwives is proving popular
DARLINGTON Football Club manager David Hodgson called in police to search his home over fears that it may have been bugged, it is revealed today. In his newly-launched autbiography, Mr Hodgson tells how police combed his property for listening devices
RITCHIE Humphreys today goes back to where it all began, knowing he returns to Sheffield Wednesday a more complete footballer. Humphreys is part of the Hartlepool United side desperately seeking an end to their pitiful run of away results. Bringing an
Ken Houlahan yesterday resigned as Evenwood's director of football because he is "unhappy" at recent events. Houlahan, who has been one of the driving forces behind the club in recent years, says: "It's in the best interests of the club that I resign.
'YOU'LL find us behind The Australian pub," said the directions for my talk on Tuesday night to the Howden-le-Wear History Society. Quite why there should be a hotel called The Australian in Howden-le-Wear in deepest Durham is one of life's many intriguing
WHAT could sound to some as a version of the Bash Street Kids set to music is being staged in Germany by two professional dancers based in the region. Tees Valley Dance's piece, called Space Invaders, concentrates on children's relationship to the classroom
NEWCASTLE United have been hit by an injury crisis ahead of today's Barclays Premiership clash against Crystal Palace - with skipper Alan Shearer the biggest casualty. The 34-year-old is out of this afternoon's fixture after suffering a thigh strain in
STRESS is the biggest cause of sick leave at a North-East council, according to a report. A study into staff absences by Derwentside District Council, in County Durham, has revealed that the number of sick days taken this year has fallen sharply. But
HENRY DALY'S master plan to prepare Hand Inn Hand (3.00) specifically for the prestigious Peterborough Chase looks all set to come to fruition in the £80,000 feature event at Huntingdon, writes Colin Woods. There's nothing like a racecourse gallop to
STEVE McCLAREN has hinted he wants to keep Bolo Zenden at Middlesbrough beyond this season with the Dutchman only tied to the club until June. After months of contract wrangling, Boro finally landed their man in the summer when Zenden agreed to sign a
DARLINGTON TOWN CENTRE: SO Darlington Council seems determined to desecrate High Row. The money could be well spent on building a new bus station where all town and long distance buses can move from, also getting business into the empty shops. Councillors
A KEY player in Tyneside's failed Capital of Culture bid is leaving the region. Paul Collard is stepping down from his post with the Newcastle Gateshead Initiative (NGI) to become national director for Creative Partnerships, run by the Arts Council. He
EMI signalled that it was winning the war against piracy after sales of downloaded music surged six-fold over the summer. The group reported explosive growth in sales of digital music and growing confidence that the industry was starting to recover after
MORE jobs are expected to be lost at struggling manufacturer Mono Containers next week - but unions say the factory will survive. Workers are being consulted about a possible fourth round of job losses at the Durham factory this year. Mono has blamed
Rumours that Kevin Spacey is quitting the movies are greatly exaggerated, but following the launch of his latest film about Bobby Darin, he will be concentrating on running the Old Vic, he tells Steve Pratt. Kevin Spacey was on a tight schedule. He had
A MASSIVE North-South divide exists in the quality of secondary schools in England, according to a set of rankings released tomorrow. All but a handful of schools rated by The Sunday Times are in the South. But parents can take solace in the fact that
DARLINGTON Mowden Park's backs coach Kevan Oliphant is on stand-by to make a shock return at Blaydon today two years after a knee injury forced him to quit. Mark Bedworth, who took over at fly half before switching to inside centre this season, failed
FORENSIC experts were yesterday continuing to search the home of an out-of-work actor found stabbed to death. Police said the detailed search iof the two-bedroomed council house at The Grove, Coxhoe, near Durham City, will continue over the weekend. The
TAXI drivers are celebrating after winning their appeal against the introduction of a controversial colour policy. Earlier this year, Durham City Council decided that the city's fleet of hackney carriages should eventually all be white. Drivers and operators
As Sunderland's Marcus Stewart prepares to face his old employers at the Stadium of Light tomorrow afternoon, Sports Writer Paul Fraser caught up with the former Tractor Boy to discover what long-lasting memories he has from a special two seasons in his
THE sights and songs of a Hollywood science-fiction B-movie are coming to a County Durham school. Teesdale Comprehensive School, in Barnard Castle, is staging Return to the Forbidden Planet, a musical based on the Shakespeare play, The Tempest. The musical
DETECTIVES have arrested 16 men suspected of being involved in the trafficking of heroin across the region. The intelligence-led operation, codenamed Jericho, involved more than 80 officers from the Northumbria, Durham and Cleveland forces. Officers shared
A TEENAGER is to live out the fantasy of thousands of schoolboys - when he gets to help manage a professional football team for the day. David Bogg impressed Darlington FC manager David Hodgson so much when he was named The Northern Echo's Local Hero
AFTER being "appalled and disgusted" by the despicable taunts aimed at many of England's players in midweek, Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren last night urged football to unite against racism. McClaren, Sven Goran Eriksson's assistant, was in the
Rumours that Kevin Spacey is quitting the movies are greatly exaggerated, but following the launch of his latest film about Bobby Darin, he will be concentrating on running the Old Vic, he tells Steve Pratt. Kevin Spacey was on a tight schedule. He had
HUNDREDS are expected to gather for a town's annual Christmas lights ceremony. The theme of this year's Shildon Christmas procession is Kings and Angels and many youngsters are expected to turn up in fancy dress. Those taking part need to meet in the
A DOG which was abandoned by his owners in south-west Durham is looking for a new home. Archie, a lurcher cross, was taken in by Angela Taylor several weeks ago and has been undergoing treatment for sores acquired after he was left to sleep in his own
PUPILS at a Darlington school have been honoured for their hard work at an awards evening. Final-year students at Eastbourne Comprehensive School were presented with their GSCE and GNVQ certificates at the event, with some picking up special awards. The
SURE Start County Durham is hoping that the Purple Monster Theatre Company will help it to fill 200 vacancies by March 2006. As part of the recruitment drive, the theatre group has condensed a 12-hour course called Making Choices into a 40 minute performance
A TEAM which has only lost one competitive match in three years rewarded their secretary by clubbing together to buy him a very special present. At Thursday night's Local Heroes evening, 14 boys who play for the Bishop Auckland Schools under-16 team bid
A NORTH-EAST police authority is looking at getting more officers on the beat in a shake-up of the force. Slowing recruitment and the sale of its headquarters and some stations will also be considered during the review by Cleveland Police Authority. Police
The future of children's services at Harrogate Hospital will be discussed at a meeting on Monday. North Yorkshire County Council's scrutiny of health committee will hold the meeting in the boardroom of the Strayside Wing, Lancaster Park Road Hospital,
HUNDREDS of volunteers and environmental task force members have worked more than 7,000 hours in the North York Moors National Park in the past year helping to carry out environmental improvement schemes. Included in the work done by about 700 volunteers
A 29-YEAR-OLD man has died after the van he was driving was in collision with a JCB. Cleveland Police are appealing for witnesses to the accident on the northbound carriageway of the A19, near to Teesside Park, at about 7.55pm on Thursday. The 29-year-old's
Why would ten sort-of-famous people want to spend time together in the Australian rainforest and be made to perform disgusting tasks? Could it be the prospect of lucrative job offers when they Get Out Of There? When former E17 frontman Brian Harvey appeared
JOY GOSLING is almost half the woman she used to be after she shed 7st 2lb to prevent a family tragedy repeating. Mrs Gosling who suffered from high blood pressure, realised it was time to take action when she reached the same age as her father when he
A TRAINING base at the centre of a Middlesbrough community has reopened nearly two years after it closed. Residents were shocked and angered two years ago when council chiefs enjoyed a Christmas dinner at the TAD Centre before telling managers they were
YOUNG volunteers are needed to take part in Stockton Disabilities Youth Forum. Stockton Borough Council is working with the Stockton Parent Support group to reach people aged 11 to 19 who have a disability or an interest in disability. It is hoped the
A North-east squaddie who drunkenly shot and killed a fellow soldier walked free from court yesterday - without spending a single night behind bars. Crown Court judge Mr Justice McLaughlin, sitting in Belfast, had jailed Lance Corporal John Michael Smith
A TEENAGER punched a man outside shops in Darlington with a gang of youths, a court heard yesterday. The 16-year-old had been with his girlfriend selling music tapes to a group of teenagers in Burnside Road when an altercation took place with a man, Darlington
A DARLINGTON girl has designed a Christmas card which will soon be winging its way across the globe to the homes of world leaders. Bethan Bowles, ten, a pupil at Harrowgate Hill Junior School, designed the winning Christmas card for Darlington MP Alan
CRIME in a small village north of Darlington has increased by more than 30 per cent this year. In the first ten months of this year, there have been 38 crimes in Heighington, near Newton Aycliffe, compared to 29 in the same period last year. The increase
ONE of the region's radio stations has returned with honours from an awards ceremony. Metro Radio and Magic 1152 won the best station-produced radio commercial at the London International Advertising Awards ceremony. Writer Chris Allott and sound designer
A HISTORY group is ending a decade-long policy of free entry to meetings to counter growing financial pressure. South Moor Local History Society, in South Moor, near Stanley, is introducing a £2 annual membership fee and a £1 entry charge for its monthly
VIRGINIA Ramsey, a cheery, morning-all sort of a Methodist minister, has in front of her a row of seven or eight bright burnished bairns. It is 10.25am on Remembrance Sunday. "Usually I'm very happy to play around with you but for 20 minutes today I want
A YOUTH club is expanding after volunteers revamped a storeroom. Seven young people gave a much-needed makeover to a room in the YMCA building in Parliament Street, Consett. The group, whose average age was 16, refurbished the storeroom as part of the
Bishop Auckland manager Brian Honour will field almost a brand new team when they take on Witton Albion at the Brewery Field this afternoon. Honour will include three new signings, with the possibility of another new face before the game. Goalkeeper Dale
As lowly Darlington lurched from one crisis to the next last season, David Hodgson stunned football by answering Goerge Reynolds' SOS to take the hot-seat for a third time. Reporter Stuart Mackintosh looks at the story behind that extraordinary decision
A FORMER 1950s dance hall was reopened yesterday as one of the region's most unusual business addresses. The Beehive Ballroom, at Lingfield Point, Darlington, has been transformed into office accommodation in a £1.4m redevelopment. The premises were converted
In Darlington: TOTS at a Darlington nursery did not have to bother getting dressed yesterday morning - because they all turned up to school wearing their pyjamas and carrying their teddy bears. The youngsters were not the only ones - all the staff at
FIRST love for the older generation tends to come in the shape of a 1960s or 1970s singer, so we can tell most of them apart. Well, all of us apart from Paul O'Grady it appears. Only he could chose his new primetime Paul O'Grady Show (ITV1, Tuesday) to
A FORMER girlfriend of a domestic violence campaigner is threatening legal action over allegations that she has been jailed for repeatedly stabbing him. Lyndsey McAdam broke her silence last night to insist that claims by support group founder Mike Kenny
When former E17 frontman Brian Harvey appeared on GMTV the other morning, presenter Eamonn Holmes asked the obvious question: "Why?" It's what we all want to know. What makes someone want to subject themselves to two weeks living with a group of strangers
MORE jobs are expected to be lost at struggling manufacturer Mono Containers next week - but unions say the factory will survive. Workers are being consulted about a possible fourth round of job losses at the Durham factory this year. Mono has blamed
LEADING North-East junior international Ryan McLeod aims to secure automatic selection for next month's European Cross Country Championships by finishing in the top three in today's trial in the Reebok Cross Challenge at London's Parliament Hill. McLeod
AFTER being "appalled and disgusted" by the despicable taunts aimed at many of England's players in midweek, Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren last night urged football to unite against racism. McClaren, Sven Goran Eriksson's assistant, was in the
A SHOPPING centre has been turned into an art gallery to bring the work of local artists to shoppers. Visitors to Durham's Milburngate Centre can view paintings and work in other media by members of Durham Visual Arts Forum, which went on display yesterday
IT was with disappointment that we reported in yesterday's paper the departure of the director of finance at Cleveland Police. Steve Preval left "amicably" having been suspended for nine months following the discovery of a £7.3m shortfall in the force's
Q Has the savings limit for the over-65s gone up from £16,000 since Pension Credit was introduced? I am 95 with only a State Pension of £82.16 a week and have savings of more than £16,000. A There is no upper savings limit for Pension Credit - the benefit
A BUSINESS student from the region has received an award for academic excellence from his university. David Warnock-Smith, 22, from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, received congratulations from Dr David Grant, the vice-chancellor of Cardiff University, for
BILLIONS were wiped off the shares in two pharmaceutical companies yesterday after a US safety official voiced concerns about two best-selling drugs. David Graham, of the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) told the Senate Finance Committee that a
LINGERING hopes for the safety of two North-East trawlermen lost in the North Sea appeared to be at an end last night as search teams confirmed they had located a wreck on the seabed. Search teams using specialist sonar equipment last night said they
IMPORTANT new features in a park's restoration were installed yesterday. The two main gates at the Parkside entrance to South Park, in Darlington, with designs based on the Victorian originals, were put in place. Their arrival was marked by Victorian-themed
BRITAIN'S economic stability is threatened by a number of international factors, the Liberal Democrat economic spokesman warned North-East business leaders. Dr Vincent Cable expressed concerns about the impact of rising oil prices, the plummeting dollar
JOBS will be lost at anti-forgery specialist Applied Optical Technologies (AOT) after the company confirmed part of the operation at its North-East headquarters will close. The company, based in Washington, Wearside, said increased losses of £1.7m meant
A MAN who stabbed his fiance, while out on parole from his sentence for murdering his wife, has been jailed for life a second time. Kenneth Milroy, 52, received a life sentence in February 1995 for strangling Kathleen Milroy, who he had married after
A 29-YEAR-OLD man has died after the van he was driving was in collision with a JCB. Cleveland Police are appealing for witnesses to the accident on the northbound carriageway of the A19, near to Teesside Park, at about 7.55pm on Thursday. The 29-year-old's
NEWCASTLE'S Tom May and London Irish's Mike Catt will be making their 100th Premiership appearances when the teams meet at the Madejski Stadium tomorrow. But there is likely to be a greater focus on 18-year-old Mathew Tait, making his fifth Premiership
NEWCASTLE United have been hit by an injury crisis ahead of today's Barclays Premiership clash against Crystal Palace - with skipper Alan Shearer the biggest casualty. The 34-year-old is out of this afternoon's fixture after suffering a thigh strain in
POLICE who spent six months undercover yesterday saw the criminals they befriended sent to prison. Two detectives, who posed as husband and wife Gary and Tina, set up home in a village overrun with drug dealers and users. Later, the pair introduced a
SUNDERLAND manager Mick McCarthy believes Championship rivals Ipswich will provide his side with its toughest test of the season so far. The Black Cats face the Tractor Boys at the Stadium of Light tomorrow in a rich vein of form at the moment having
THE man in charge of drawing up a plan to close the £29bn productivity gap between the North and South said yesterday: "We must avoid the hand of parochialism." Business leaders, academics, voluntary workers and delegates from environmental groups met
A paedophile who harboured sick fantasies of killing a child was jailed for six years yesterday after assaulting youngsters at a special needs school where he worked. Loner Roy Dungay, 56, fantasised for 30 years about having sex with children before
CRIME in a small village north of Darlington has increased by more than 30 per cent this year. In the first ten months of this year, there have been 38 crimes in Heighington, near Newton Aycliffe, compared to 29 in the same period last year. The increase
POP superstar Sting was back in the classroom when he returned to his North-East roots yesterday. The former teacher, whose real name is Gordon Sumner, was on Tyneside to officially open the new performing arts centre at Newcastle College. The 53-year-old
AN RAF base said goodbye to its commanding officer yesterday with a formation flypast. Group Captain Dave Harrison, Station Commander at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, near York, leaves after two-and-a-half years in charge. He has been posted to Qatar, where he
A TEENAGER is to live out the fantasy of thousands of schoolboys - when he gets to help manage a professional football team for the day. David Bogg impressed Darlington FC manager David Hodgson so much when he was named The Northern Echo's Local Hero
A TEENAGE mother was almost double the drink-drive limit when she crashed her boyfriend's car, Darlington Youth Court heard yesterday. Police breath-tested the 17-year-old at the scene of the accident and she produced a reading of 63 microgrammes of alcohol
TRADING standards bosses are praising some food manufacturers for reducing salt levels in foods that are specifically aimed at young children. Cartoon characters, such as Spiderman, Teletubbies, Scooby Doo and the Mr Men, have all been used to advertise
COUNCIL staff are hoping to provide some Christmas cheer to disadvantaged children. Staff at Richmondshire District Council are taking part in Operation Christmas Child, a scheme run by Christian organisation Samaritan's Purse. Council worker Margaret
LINGERING hopes for the safety of two North-East trawlermen lost in the North Sea appeared to be at an end last night as search teams confirmed they had located a wreck on the seabed. Search teams using specialist sonar equipment last night said they
HUNDREDS are expected to gather for a town's annual Christmas lights ceremony. The theme of this year's Shildon Christmas procession is Kings and Angels and many youngsters are expected to turn up in fancy dress. Those taking part need to meet in the
A NEW rural bus service is to begin in the region. The Hawes area village bus will provide a Monday-to-Saturday service connecting the town to trains at Garsdale station. At other times, the bus will make journeys between Hawes and surrounding villages
RESIDENTS are being asked to help conserve the habitats, plants and animals in their area. Scarborough Borough Council has published a draft Biodiversity Action Plan. It contains a list of actions needed to help species and habitats specific to Scarborough
OUT-OF-HOURS services provided when GP surgeries are closed in the Durham Dales and Sedgefield area are to change. From December 1, the Durham dales and Sedgefield Primary Care Trusts will take over responsibility of providing out-of-hours GP services
A DOG which was abandoned by his owners in south-west Durham is looking for a new home. Archie, a lurcher cross, was taken in by Angela Taylor several weeks ago and has been undergoing treatment for sores acquired after he was left to sleep in his own
TELEVISION crews transformed a primary school to make its young pupils stars for the day. Children from King Street Primary School, in Spennymoor, melted the hearts of music store bosses when they were asked to re-design a CD or DVD cover from some of
PLANS to sell a town's open spaces to a community group for safekeeping have been approved. Richmondshire District Council has agreed to sell 88 acres of land around Richmond to a group of volunteers. Richmond Landscape Trust will pay a reduced price
A LIBRARY has reopened following a major revamp. Easingwold Library has a computer suite, children's area and a registration service room that allows people to register births and deaths. There is also new shelving, counters and furniture, books and audio-visual
LIVERPOOL'S daunting fences hold no fears for Forest Gunner (2.20), fancied to pocket the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase run over the Grand National obstacles this afternoon. Red Rum proved unequivocally that handling the unique Aintree challenge is a specialist
On a cold November morning, the faithful of Cockfield gathered to remember fallen heroes. VIRGINIA Ramsey, a cheery, morning-all sort of a Methodist minister, has in front of her a row of seven or eight bright burnished bairns. It is 10.25am on Remembrance
NORTH-EAST anti-war campaigners will meet next week to highlight the cost of the Iraq conflict. Tyneside Stop the War Coalition will hold a meeting in the Royal Station Hotel, Newcastle, at 7pm on Monday. Rose and Maxine Gentle, the mother and sister
TWO charity mascots met yesterday to decorate a house to raise funds for their causes. Daisy Bear, from the Daisy Chain charity, and hedgehog Spike, from Butterwick Children's Hospice, helped Elizabeth Frost decorate her home in Egton Avenue, Nunthorpe
YOBS have been condemned by police after they slaughtered livestock on a Teesside allotment. They beat six chickens and a rabbit to death with a stick after they broke into 52-year-old John Power's plot at Eston. The bodies were strewn across his allotment
RESIDENTS are being invited to take advantage of a scheme offering them the chance to receive free draught-excluder kits. Stockton Borough Council is giving away the kits to the first 50 visitors to the Environment Centre, in Stockton, from Monday. The
A THREE-DAY blitz on drug dealers in Stockton has resulted in the arrest of 15 people and the recovery of Class A drugs and £11,000. Police targeted low-level street dealers, which resulted in the arrest of three women and 12 men. Four people remained
Seaham Red Star are wondering which Durham City team will turn up and play them this afternoon in their local derby in the FA Vase second round. Peter Mulcaster, manager of the last ANL Second Division team in the competition, said: "I saw them lose at
THE father of a teenage tearaway pleaded with magistrates not to give him a parenting order claiming he already does all he can to support his daughter. The man appeared with his 15-year-old daughter at Darlington Youth Court where she admitted breaching
SECONDARY school pupils took to work in a virtual factory to teach them how businesses operate. The students from Norton School, Stockton, were given the opportunity to improve their leadership, interpersonal skills, decision-making and business management
YOUNGSTERS in Hartlepool have been given the chance to learn about energy and power. The pupils at Barnard Grove Primary School were visited by staff from npower as part of the school's Education Action Zone (EAZ) activities. Pupils at the school took
A VISITOR centre will get in the Christmas spirit tomorrow with a seasonal sale of hand-made crafts. Former manor house Seaton Holme, at Hall Walks, Easington Village, which is now a gallery and base to Groundwork East Durham, is holding its third craft
A STREET appeal for information about a sex attack on a student has proved useful, detectives say. Plain-clothed and uniformed officers went out in and around New Elvet, Durham City, on Thursday night, a week after the 17-year-old was attacked by three
THE drive to stub out smoking is gathering pace in some of the most tobacco-addicted areas of the North-East. However, Health Secretary John Reid's proposals to ban smoking in all licensed premises serving food is believed to carry more weight in the
MARK PROCTOR may have just started his League Two education, but the Darlington assistant manager insists he is not alone. Despite guiding Middlesbrough's youth-team to glory in last season's FA Youth Cup, the 43-year-old admits he still has a lot to
THE restoration of a bridge has won a leading industry award. The Institution of Civil Engineers has awarded the £100,000 restoration of 172-year-old Whorlton Bridge, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, a Historic Bridge and Infrastructure Award. The
DURHAM County Council social services has again been given two out of three stars by inspectors. The Labour authority said the assessors have recognised in their comments that the service was improving. The Social Care and Health Service - formerly social
