This week, Echo Memories follows the footsteps of the Grey Lady to the green grass of Polam, and tracks the changes that led to the creation of South Park THE river babbles by; a duck paddles past. On the green grass of Polam opposite, the Canada
A SHOPKEEPER who sells cocaine user kits shouted his innocence of any crime as he was taken for questioning by police last night. Nabeel Maqsood, 26, said he was being persecuted for selling the £13 kits, which were displayed in the front window of his
TRIBUTES have been paid to a devoted countryman and gamekeeper. John Emmerson, a former gamekeeper for Lord Barnard, in Upper Teesdale, County Durham, has died, aged 77, following a long illness. Mr Emmerson, of Middleton-in-Teesdale, was a gamekeeper
A motorcyclist whose friend died when he lost control during a high-speed race was spared jail today. Paul Bedding, 34, was racing Andrew Reed, 24, along the A19 when Mr Reed crashed his 750cc Suzuki into a lamppost. The Nissan worker from Mickle Hill
KEVIN KYLE admitted he is suffering the most frustrating time of his short footballing career. The 23-year-old striker was rocked three months ago when he broke down in training and had to undergo a hip operation. Kyle sustained the injury in July, but
A NORTH-EAST football club is playing Father Christmas to attract its biggest crowd of the season. Darlington FC will open free to children at the Boxing Day home match against Rochdale. Club officials are hoping the offer will help create a Christmas
DETECTIVES believe witnesses could help them hunt down two men involved in a knifepoint robbery. The attack happened shortly before 3pm on Monday in Peterlee, east Durham. The 23-year-old victim was approached by the men on a footpath behind North Blunts
POLICE and council officers have renewed appeals for information after three 30ft maple trees were hacked down. Two men were spotted sawing down the 35-year-old trees - a crime which is being classed as criminal damage - in Sparrow Hall Drive, Darlington
POP svengali Pete Waterman has returned to his North-East roots to film a festive show about his favourite Christmas carols. The man who unveiled the musical talents of Kylie Minogue visited Beamish Museum, near Stanley, County Durham, to record a Songs
MIDDLESBROUGH'S England prospect Stewart Downing has been described as "better than Marc Overmars" by the Dutchman's international colleague Michael Reiziger. Reiziger claims Boro's wing sensation's style of play bears more than a resemblance to another
STRIKERS at a Teesside plastics factory will take to the picket line for the second time in a week today. Protesting workers are staging the second in a series of one-day walkouts at BPI's Stockton site in a long-running dispute over pay. Union officials
OTHER than a journalist, what do you call someone who collects insults? There's a chap in Stanhope who does, and he's just called Jamie Tucknutt. Jamie got in touch after last week's column on classic put-downs. One of his favourites, he says, concerned
A pensioner and a youth today admitted a series of charges relating to the tragic shotgun death of a 13-year-old boy. Anthony Knowles and a 16-year-old youth both pleaded guilty to firearms charges when the appeared at York Crown Court. The 16-year-old
KEVIN KYLE admitted he is suffering the most frustrating time of his short footballing career. The 23-year-old striker was rocked three months ago when he broke down in training and had to undergo a hip operation. Kyle sustained the injury in July, but
FOR the past few weeks, artist Alex Clark has been designing a range of greetings cards for publication next year. Her cards sell in 500 outlets across the UK and in Europe and the trade side of her business keeps going from strength to strength. While
A WOMAN who urged her partner to murder her former lover after a chance meeting on a commuter train was jailed for life yesterday. Claire Park, 27, egged Sean Clarke, 26, on like a "banshee" until he plunged a kitchen knife she had given him into David
TWO ambulance workers have been questioned by police after uniforms and latex gloves were found on eBay. The pair are facing fraud charges after a member of the public spotted the items on the Internet auction site. The North-East Ambulance Service NHS
A NORTH-EAST dale could become Britain's first truly sustainable community following the discovery of "hot rocks" deep underground. Experts believe global attention will focus on Wear-dale, County Durham, where a redundant cement works site has been proved
INTERNET entrepreneur Gill Chapple, the brains behind an accommodation booking website, has scooped a coveted award. She won the Young Entrepreneur category at the NatWest Everywoman Awards. The 25-year-old, from Darlington, beat off competition from
A businessman from the North-East has been stabbed to death in Costa Rica in what police believe may have been a revenge killing. Thomas Purvis, 45, from County Durham, was discovered at his home in the central American country on Monday. He was in Costa
MUSEUMS in the region are giving a cautious welcome to a cash windfall from the Government. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport yesterday announced it had allocated additional funding for the Renaissance in the Regions Programme. The extra cash
THERE was a real touch of Christmas magic at a flower club's monthly meeting. Members and friends of Darlington Flower Club were entertained by the Masonaires with songs from the shows and seasonal carols. The competition, called Christmas Magic, was
Who Do You Think You Are? (BBC2): THE BBC's celebrity family history show has proved one of the year's biggest ratings winners. Perhaps it's no surprise, as it combines snooping on a famous face's personal life with a history lesson about the social order
NEWCASTLE UNITED have received some encouraging news in their search for a new defender after Jean-Alain Boumsong refused to a rule out a move to Tyneside. Magpies boss Graeme Souness has been desperate for the January transfer window to come round so
BERWICK Kaler's latest Christmas extravaganza isn't so much a pantomime as a magical mystery tour moving, via the Tardis, from Queen Victoria's court to swinging Sixties London and ending up on the Yorkshire Moors. You'll gather this is no ordinary show
CONSUMER watchdogs in Darlington have issued guidelines for shoppers to avoid Christmas heartache. The borough council's trading standards team is encouraging shoppers to avoid counterfeit goods and beware of doorstep sellers. Shoppers have also been
DARLINGTON footballers were treated to a massage when they visited Bishop Auckland for a training session. The team, which included Curtis Fleming and Craig Hignett, visited Bishop Auckland College's world travel fair, organised by travel and tourism,
RESIDENTS of Darlington's twin town in Germany are providing a gift to mark more than half a century of cultural links between the two. The people of Mulheim an der Ruhr are donating a bench for Darlington's North Lodge Park. The cast-iron bench was provided
A CHRISTMAS procession had a realistic touch when Mary rode in on a real donkey. Five-year old Courtney Cairns and six-year-old Christian Hearne, who played Joseph, took the lead roles in the procession at Sherburn Road, in Durham City. The two donkeys
SENIOR councillors last night approved proposals to allow school staff to physically intervene in situations involving disruptive pupils. Darlington Borough Council has approved a "restrictive physical intervention" policy, outlining to what extent teachers
DARLINGTON footballers were treated to a sports massage when they visited Bishop Auckland for a training session. The team, which included Curtis Fleming and Craig Hignett, visited Bishop Auckland College's world travel fair, organised by travel and tourism
A CARAVAN centre's sales manager has completed a bungie jump to help raise £3,000 for charity. Matthew Kinsell, of Ripon, who works for Catterick Caravan and Camping Centre, in Richmond, decided to take the plunge after a visit to Zambia. He was so shocked
A ROYAL Air Force officer has graduated from college. Flying Officer Liz Elleson, from Belmont, Durham, completed an officer training course at RAF Cranwell, in Lincolnshire. The graduates paraded outside the college hall and there were flypasts by a
THE director of a North-East Chinese restaurant that failed with debts of more than £357,000 will not run another business for four years. Kin Man Wong, of Linacre Way, Darlington, gave the undertaking to the Insolvency Service (IS). It follows his role
Children's party: The committee of Yarm Fellowship Hall is holding a party for children on Sunday, from 2pm to 4pm featuring Pat's Puppets and disco. Admission is free for children aged four to ten years. To book a place, call Peter Monck on (01642) 888786
THE lacklustre performance of Go-Ahead's aviation business is expected to improve this year, the Newcastle-based transport group said yesterday. Go-Ahead expects increased profits at the ground handling division in the six months to January 1. It said
A GERMAN Christmas market in the region has entered its final week of trading. The market in Sunderland will come to an end on Sunday and has been hailed a success by organisers. Hauke Bestman, 23, from Kiel, who is studying English and politics at Sunderland
A NEW police chief has taken up command in Chester-le-Street with the pledge to continue building on the force's close links with the community. Inspector Paul Anderson succeeds Inspector Dave Marshall, who retired as the town's community inspector last
YOUNGSTERS took to the stage at the region's biggest shopping centre as stars in a festive production. Pupils from Glynwood Primary School and Harlow Green Junior School, both in Gateshead, launched a week of Nativity plays at the town's MetroCentre.
UP to £200,000 is to be spent on tackling anti-social behaviour in a deprived former pit village. The William Street - A Place for Our People project aims to put an end to the yob culture that is blighting the lives of residents in South Moor, near Stanley
DOZENS of people helped bring an original touch to their Christmas decorations at a family fun day with an environmental flavour at the weekend. Durham County Council's countryside rangers held the event at the Broompark picnic area, near Durham City
KIRKLEATHAM CLASSICS: Sir William Turner's Almshouses plays host to a Christmas concert with the Rosedale Gilbert and Sullivan Society presenting a night of entertainment featuring well-known songs and anecdotes from its famous shows. The production takes
NEARLY 1.75 million investors in lender Abbey will this week receive a pre-Christmas bonus following the bank's £9bn takeover. Abbey said customers who received 100 or 200 shares at the time of its flotation in 1989 would get payouts of £31 or £62 respectively
A WEEK-long clean-up in two town centres has hit litterbugs with hundreds of pounds in fines. Enforcement officers at Wear Valley District Council say they have noticed a big improvement in Bishop Auckland and Crook since they targeted the main shopping
RESULTS of a survey show backing for building a play area in a Teesdale village. A special meeting of Cotherstone Parish Council heard that 193 completed questionnaires about the Play at Cotherstone scheme have been returned. Most respondents backed the
PRIMARY school youngsters celebrated a successful year with a blessing ceremony. Kevin Dunn, Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle Diocese, joined children at St Joseph's RC Primary School, Coundon, for the ceremony on Friday. The blessing coincided with the
YOUNGSTERS from Middlesbrough primary schools will be taking part in a swimming event at the Neptune Centre, in Ormesby Road today. Pallister Park, Park End, Pennyman, Caldicotes and Bramble primary schools are taking part in a We Are The Champions competition
A MAN has admitted knocking his grandfather unconscious after a drunken brawl. Craig Perry, 22, of Mansell Crescent, Peterlee, pleaded guilty at Durham Crown Court to causing grievous bodily harm to Clifford Perry. The court heard that the older man had
A ONE-STOP shop for social care services in County Durham has received a glowing health check in an independent review. The report, by the Improvement and Development Agency, says Durham County Council's Social Care Direct has made a significant impact
A PROMINENT protestor against a £55m seafront development has received an arson threat, warning him to drop his campaign. Comic Chris McGlade has rallied for support from Redcar residents opposed to the Coatham Enclosure, which will see 285 houses and
STRIKERS at a Teesside plastics factory will take to the picket line for the second time in a week today. Protesting workers are staging the second in a series of one-day walkouts at BPI's Stockton site in a long-running dispute over pay. Union officials
THREE teenagers who sparked a blaze at an abandoned house in a residential street were spared jail yesterday. Stephen Kerrs, then 17, and two youths, then aged 13 and 14, started the fire at Poplar Street in South Moor, near Stanley, County Durham, on
CRASH test dummy maker First Technology said yesterday the weaker US dollar had affected profits, but predicted a better second half to the year. First said operating profits, up by 15.5 per cent at £13.4m in the six months to October 31, would have been
MORE than 1,000 parents, college staff, governors and students gathered in Middlesbrough Town Hall last night for a prizegiving ceremony. The presentations for Middlesbrough's Macmillan College rewarded academic achievement and effort over the past year
WORK has started on a £3.5m business development at one of the regions largest industrial estates. The development, funded by regional development agency One NorthEast, will create office and business accommodation at Aycliffe Industrial Park, in Newton
A woman was pulled to safety from a car perched perilously above a 100ft drop. The injured woman was trapped in the upturned Toyota Corolla resting against a tree above the drop for almost half an hour before being rescued by firefighters. Crews had to
As part of The Northern Echo's Lifeblood campaign, which aims to encourage people to give blood, here are details of forthcoming donor sessions in the region: Tomorrow Layfield Primary School, Everingham Road, Yarm 2.30pm-7pm Friday Our Lady Queen of
THE Government has agreed to re-examine speeding up safety work at a notorious A66 junction. The news came hours before the latest accident at the Longnewton junction, near Stockton, in which two people were taken to hospital. David Jamieson, road safety
OTHER than a journalist, what do you call someone who collects insults? There's a chap in Stanhope who does, and he's just called Jamie Tucknutt. Jamie got in touch after last week's column on classic put-downs. One of his favourites, he says, concerned
SPORT is about a lot more than winning medals. Swifter, higher, stronger is all very well, but is only half the story. Being able to score goals, tries or runs is gratifying but pretty meaningless if it's all too easy. Which is why Kelly Holmes is a true
The North-East has the highest unemployment rate in the UK after jobless figures showed another 6,000 people were out of work in the last quarter. The region's jobless rate now stands at six per cent, while in other areas of the country it fell by up
POLICE are seeking witnesses after a knife-wielding robber threatened staff at a newsagents. Workers at GE and M Jones, in Scurfield Road, Hardwick, Stockton, handed over an undisclosed sum of money on Monday afternoon when the man, wearing a Balaclava
HARROGATE Theatre's spring season will feature more than 30 productions. Hansel and Gretel, from the Theatre Royal at Bury St Edmunds, takes centre stage on March 23 until March 26 with seven performances. On Wednesday, January 12, The Cavern Beatles
MIDDLESBROUGH'S England prospect Stewart Downing has been described as "better than Marc Overmars" by the Dutchman's international colleague Michael Reiziger. Reiziger claims Boro's wing sensation's style of play bears more than a resemblance to another
Alun Armstrong will be staying at Darlington until the end of the season after signing a new contract last night. He ignored the overtures of at least two other clubs to put pen to paper on a new deal, on the same financial terms as he's been on since
ELEVEN people were arrested yesterday in a series of dawn raids as part of a police operation to disrupt the supply of heroin across the North-East. A team of more than 80 officers raided houses and flats across East Durham and Wearside and arrested ten
A REGIMENTAL museum and art gallery is providing an extra Christmas present to visitors. The Durham Light Infantry Museum and Durham Art Gallery, Aykley Heads, in Durham City, is offering free admission for five days over Christmas and New Year. Free
DESPITE the odd crashing fall of the stunt skaters - and one of the Hip Hoppers exiting left clutching an arm - this exercise in putting one of the world's most technically challenging shows on tour is a qualified success. The qualification being that
HUGE investment over the past decade has transformed the region's historic environment into a powerful economic force, a report says today. But it identifies threats to prominent buildings, monuments and parks. The North-East has the country's highest
ROSE DAVISON, currently boasting a magnificent 43 per cent strike rate with six wins from only 14 rides, could improve that record if Harry Hooly (1.20) puts his best foot forward at Hexham today. Rose gets a great tune out of Harry Hooly, who romped
THOUSANDS of watersports fans could come to the North-East after the future of a watersports centre was secured. A partnership has been announced, securing the future development of the Castlegate Quay Watersports complex, in Stockton. The Castlegate
THE £20m West Park mental health hospital is the most advanced in the country, say health bosses. The Darlington hospital, which accepted its first patients this week, is certainly impressive. With en-suite bedrooms for every patient, access to gardens
A FATHER spoke yesterday of his pride in his son who died in a car crash days before his wedding. Kristoffer Tott, 22, an RAF technician, was due to marry American fiancee Blair Anderson, also 22, on Saturday. The Stockton man died after a car accident
THE North-East's answer to Olympic boxing sensation Amir Khan has punched his way to a Commonwealth Youth Games gold medal. In Australia earlier this month, Sedgefield's Bradley Saunders, 18, overcame Irishman Patrick Murphy to win the light-welterweight
OTHER than a journalist, what do you call someone who collects insults? There's a chap in Stanhope who does, and he's just called Jamie Tucknutt. Jamie got in touch after last week's column on classic put-downs. One of his favourites, he says, concerned
MILLIONAIRE businessman Duncan Bannatyne is to put aspiring entrepreneurs to the test in a new BBC show. Mr Bannatyne, who runs a string of health clubs across the North-East, will be among the judges on Dragons' Den, which starts on January 4 on BBC2
Council bosses have been accused of scuppering a mother's charity Christmas lights display by banning signs directing visitors to her door. Kim Henderson, 27, has so far raised £800 for her local hospice through donations from visitors to her home, which
PUPILS yesterday put the finishing touches to a drama club's first pantomime. The Performing Arts after-hours club at Cestria Primary School, in Church Chare, Chester-le-Street, is performing Cinders, a musical pantomime version of the classic Cinderella
HUGE investment over the past decade has transformed the region's historic environment into a powerful economic force, a report says today. But it identifies threats to prominent buildings, monuments and parks. The North-East has the country's highest
A CHRISTMAS procession had a realistic touch when Mary rode in on a real donkey. Five-year old Courtney Cairns and six-year-old Christian Hearne, who played Joseph, took the lead roles in the procession at Sherburn Road, in Durham City. The two donkeys
TONY BLAIR was last night accused of hypocrisy over a planning application for a windfarm a mile from his constituency home. The Prime Minister and Labour MP for Sedgefield, who has a house in Trimdon Colliery, County Durham, signalled support for campaigners
A COMMUNITY turned out in force to beat the winter blues by preparing their neighbourhood to bloom in spring. Residents of the Dean Bank area in Ferryhill, mounted a tidy up operation and planted spring bulbs along the roadside, focusing their efforts
THE closure of the cement works at Eastgate dealt a severe blow to the fortunes of Weardale. For almost four decades, the industry was a mainstay of the area. And its demise created an economic vacuum that was always going to be filled slowly and with
STAFF at Clive Owen and Co are celebrating the success of Jill Horton, who has recently qualified as a chartered accountant. Ms Horton joined the firm as a trainee three years ago, having already achieved her degree in accounting and finance, graduating
FOR the past few weeks, artist Alex Clark has been designing a range of greetings cards for publication next year. Her cards sell in 500 outlets across the UK and in Europe and the trade side of her business keeps going from strength to strength. While
REGIONAL GOVERNMENT: TURKEYS may not vote for Christmas, but apparently 'white elephants' do. After months of being told by the No campaigners that they were against devolution of powers from Westminster to our North-East region, the No campaign group
Darlington's youth team bowed out of the FA Youth Cup last night after losing only their second game of the season at Plymouth Argyle, writes Craig Stoddart. Martin Gray's Under-18 side lost 1-0 at Home Park in the third round, but twice came close to
A CAROL service with a difference will take place at the New Life Baptist Church, in Northallerton, on Sunday. In place of the traditional carol service, there will be a dance and music show called Hosanna Rock. It is based on the Christmas story and
A GOVERNMENT minister will be taking centre stage to look at ways of improving the criminal justice system during a conference in the region today. Home Office Minister Baroness Scotland will deliver a speech at Cleveland Criminal Justice Board's annual
TAXI drivers in Darlington vowed to continue their fight after a High Court judge ruled against them in a test case which could set a national precedent. Darlington Borough Council was told it was entitled to impose a controversial driving test on taxi
DURHAM County Council is tackling social exclusion and getting people into jobs by improving transport links. The council was named yesterday as one of ten local authorities nationally to be nominated as Transport Shared Priority Pathfinders. Durham is
A BUS route that serves some of the most deprived areas of Darlington has been cut by the council. The Green Bus services 10 and 11, which were launched a year ago and linked Firthmoor, Red Hall, Albert Hill, the Eastbourne Sports Complex, and Morrisons
It's easy to ridicule pop wanna-be Suzanne Shaw for allowing love-rat Darren Day to stay in her life after rumours circulated that he had played away from home. Day is renowned for not being able to keep his trousers done up. He has been engaged to a
A CAROL service with a difference will take place at the New Life Baptist Church, in Northallerton, on Sunday. In place of the traditional carol service, there will be a dance and music show called Hosanna Rock. It is based on the Christmas story and
MORE than £1m is to be invested in youth facilities in Darlington after council chiefs gave approval last night. Darlington Borough Council was awarded £1,027,000 earlier this year by the Big Lottery Fund and councillors have now approved its release.
THE other day I returned to my car, parked in a public car park, to find a slight problem. The car was wedged so tightly between two 4x4s that getting into it looked impossible. I had parked by a 4x4, on my offside. While I had been away another 4x4 had
THOUSANDS of Darlington's most vulnerable residents are putting themselves at serious risk by ignoring crucial medical advice, health chiefs said yesterday. Despite a three-month public health campaign, 5,200 people over the age of 65 have still not taken
A NATURE haven will have a special guest this weekend for a festive family event. Ferryhill Carrs, in Ferryhill, County Durham, will hold a winter walk on Sunday morning, which will lead children to Santa Claus. The walk, around part of the 22-hectare
AN extra £200,000 is to be ploughed into providing support for disabled people in Darlington, as council bosses try to avert a funding crisis. Darlington Borough Council is investing the additional money in the disabled facilities grants scheme, which
A COUNCIL leisure centre could be handed over to a basketball club who would run it as a community facility. Wear Valley Basketball Club is bidding to take over the 20-year-old Spectrum Leisure Complex, in Willington, where services have been cut over
A GROUP of girls have been elected to help run their school by fellow pupils. The 14, on the junior school council at Polam Hall School in Darlington, are able to make decisions on a variety of issues, including discipline and rewards for excellence.
A NORTH-EAST dale could become Britain's first truly sustainable community following the discovery of "hot rocks" deep underground. Experts believe global attention will focus on Wear-dale, County Durham, where a redundant cement works site has been proved
IT may be based on a US TV show, but this video game owes more to the mean streets of Middlesbrough than Miami. Miami Vice takes its name from the 1980s police drama, and is the latest release from award-winning Atomic Planet Entertainment, the video
TWO men have pleaded guilty over their part in an attack in which they punched and kicked a student. Paul Henderson and Stephen Dunn left 26-year-old John Hayles bleeding in the street following the attack in Broomside Lane, Carrville, near Durham, in
A COMPANY that turned to eastern Europe to find people to pick its mushrooms is helping to run English lessons for employees. Greyfriars UK, based at Wath, near Ripon, opened a recruitment office in Latvia earlier this year after struggling to find workers
A woman who may have information on a missing puppy is being urged to come forward by police. The woman, who said she was from Northallerton, was in Keelby, Lincolnshire, last Wednesday when the 17-week-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel went missing.
A HOMELESS teenager, who was allowed into a girlfriend's bedroom through the window in the early hours, returned to burgle the house later, a court was told yesterday. Harrogate magistrates heard that Myles Gotting tapped on the bedroom window of a teenage
A PLAN to create a meat cutting, processing and packing unit next to the A1 has been withdrawn ahead of a planning meeting. The project, by P Hutton Limited, drew 102 objections. Among those against the scheme at Rougham Farm, Marton-cum-Grafton, near
A budget flight aimed at winter sports fans was launched yesterday. Low-cost airline easyJet opens a route to Geneva, in Switzerland, from Newcastle International Airport. It will also link in with its easyJet4ski equipment hire service. Moira Findlay
A NORTH-EAST dale could become Britain's first truly sustainable community following the discovery of "hot rocks" deep underground. Experts believe global attention will focus on Wear-dale, County Durham, where a redundant cement works site has been proved
PROPOSALS to build a 60-bedroomed care home on the outskirts of a village would lead to the erosion of the rural landscape, according to planning officers. Tri-Care Limited has applied for permission to build the home on land next to the Leeming Garth
INFLATION last night stood at its highest level since June after figures for last month showed the annual rate rose by 0.3 per cent to 1.5 per cent. Faster growth in transport and energy costs fuelled the surprise increase, which brings the rate closer
WEIGHTWatchers in a north Durham town have shed about four tonnes in their bid to be slim. Anne Lawson and Janet Hughes, who have led four of the six meetings in Chester-le-Street, have been given outstanding excellence awards for helping members reach
A TEENAGE schoolgirl is fast becoming a local radio star. Laura Turner, a 13-year-old from Northallerton, recorded a community commercial for her Girl Guide pack at the start of trial broadcasts for Northallerton FM 107.5. Station bosses were so impressed
TWO veterans of the Russian space programme will be in the region today to talk to young people about the possibility of a manned trip to Mars. Former cosmonaut Colonel Alexander Volkov, and Dr Alexander Martynov, who was head of ballistics, at mission
FORMER Conservative party leader William Hague visited a library to talk about his latest book. The Richmondshire MP's biography of William Pitt the Younger gives an insight into the life and times of the British prime minister during the Industrial and
HEALTH bosses have produced a guide to help people in the Hambleton and Richmondshire area keep well this winter. Getting the Right Treatment is being distributed through free newspapers, GP surgeries, pharmacies, local hospitals, libraries and voluntary
NORTH-East business last night welcomed the Government's plans to end fixed retirement ages. But unions voiced fears that people would be forced to "work until they dropped" under the legislation. Ministers said they were not forcing people to work longer
PLANNING inspectors have overruled a council's decision to refuse plans for a housing development on 'green land'. Wear Valley District Council's development control committee threw out an application by Broseley Homes for 74 dwellings off Old Hall Farm
NORTH-East business last night welcomed the Government's plans to end fixed retirement ages. But unions voiced fears that people would be forced to "work until they dropped" under the legislation. Ministers said they were not forcing people to work longer
STEVE McCLAREN insists Middlesbrough's progress in the UEFA Cup may have shocked Europe but their achievements have come as no surprise to the club. Boro end their Group E fixtures against Partizan Belgrade tonight knowing three points will guarantee
THE first phase of a project to refurbish five children's play areas in Darlington has been completed. The three play areas in Heighington, Hurworth, and Sadberge, have been revamped at a cost of £15,000 each by Darlington Borough Council. New play equipment
STAFF at Clive Owen and Co are celebrating the success of Jill Horton, who has recently qualified as a chartered accountant. Ms Horton joined the firm as a trainee three years ago, having already achieved her degree in accounting and finance, graduating
A CHARITY carol concert held an extra surprise for the congregation. For in their midst was one worshipper whose face is familiar to millions - the Prince of Wales. Prince Charles is the patron of the charity Macmillan Cancer Relief, which was benefiting
FOR the past few weeks, artist Alex Clark has been designing a range of greetings cards for publication next year. Her cards sell in 500 outlets across the UK and in Europe and the trade side of her business keeps going from strength to strength. While
TWO former Sunderland footballers are taking an anti-racism message into schools tomorrow. Former Black Cats star Gary Bennett, along with ex-Sunderland player Kieron Brady, are visiting Easington Colliery Primary School to launch the Show Racism the
ELECTRICITY and water group United Utilities is to cut 200 jobs over three years as part of an efficiency drive. The moves announced last night follow industry-wide price and cost reviews by watchdogs Ofgem and Ofwat. United said it had decided to accept
The family of a 13-year-old boy who died from shotgun wounds to the head are still waiting to learn the truth about their what happened to their son. As two people appeared in court yesterday on charges relating to the death of William Buffey, detectives
Carmel RC Technology College, in Darlington, will be closed tomorrow for the second day running. Staff said problems with cracked water pipes were the cause of the closure. A prize-giving ceremony for students, planned for tonight, has also been cancelled
PARTIZAN BELGRADE boss Vladimir Vermezovic last night claimed "we don't know Stewart Downing never mind fear him". Downing may have lit up the Premiership and the UEFA Cup this season but Vermezovic insists no preparations have gone into trying to combat
HOUSE prices will fall by up to three per cent during the first few months of next year before stability returns to the property market, analysts have said. Property website Hometrack predicted that buyers would wait until summer before being tempted
A cultural triumph or a white elephant? As the Sage Gateshead, the culmination of a 40-year dream, prepares to open its doors on Friday, its director tells Nick Morrison why this is just the start of a musical journey. ANTHONY Sargent doesn't seem like
In battling back from injury and succeeding purely by her own efforts, Kelly Holmes has proved herself a real winner. SPORT is about a lot more than winning medals. Swifter, higher, stronger is all very well, but is only half the story. Being able to
STEVE McCLAREN insists Middlesbrough's progress in the UEFA Cup may have shocked Europe but their achievements have come as no surprise to the club. Boro end their Group E fixtures against Partizan Belgrade tonight knowing three points will guarantee
In battling back from injury and succeeding purely by her own efforts, Kelly Holmes has proved herself a real winner. SPORT is about a lot more than winning medals. Swifter, higher, stronger is all very well, but is only half the story. Being able to
MOURNERS were urged to remember the "purposeful lives" of a couple whose lives ended in tragedy. The Reverend Graham Morgan paid tribute to Derek and Margaret Wood, who were found dead in their Darlington home almost two weeks ago. He said that the devoted
