Picket lines greeted patients and visitors at a North-East hospital trust this morning. Hundreds of porters, cleaners, caterers and other ancillary workers went on strike today to show their anger at the breakdown of pay talks. Health service union Unison
GUISBOROUGH Town Pride is inviting everyone to mark the 400th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot, at 7pm on Friday, with a talk on the subject from Shirley Hamilton, at the Parish Hall. There will be a children's Guy Fawkes competition, followed by a supper
FINAL preparations are in hand for one of the region's biggest bonfire events. The 30th annual bonfire and fireworks display at Aykley Heads, Durham City, is expected to attract several thousand spectators. The event, jointly organised by Durham Police
A dad cheated death after contracting a flesh-eating bug in his hotel swimming pool. Glenn Milner, 40, is suing a travel company over claims that the pool caused the infection which almost killed him in Majorca. The sales manager needed emergency surgery
FIVE years ago, former Middlesbrough coach Gordon McQueen found himself at something of a loose end while on holiday in Spain. Choosing to take in a home game at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium, the one-time Manchester United defender found himself sitting
Police have ordered the evacuation of a North-East town centre following a fire in an indoor market. Fire crews were called to The Clifford Centre, also known as Stanley Indoor Market, at around 10am this morning after fire broke out in one of the units
MICHAEL Hunter is fixing his sights on the world stage after Friday's triple title victory. The Hartlepool warrior took the British, European and Commonwealth super-bantamweight belts home after a points victory over Esham Pickering. The 12-round battle
A doomed helicopter gave off a "strange loud noise" as it took off for its final flight, a witness told an inquest today. Ten men - including two from the North-East - died when the Sikorsky S76A crashed into the North Sea three years ago. The tragic
THE region's only children's burns specialist has warned that he will be forced to leave the North-East if controversial proposals go through unchanged. Under draft proposals, children with life-threatening burns who need specialist treatment would no
Darlington RA manager David Woodcock says that his team still has plenty to play for after holding league champions Dunston 2-2 in the first round of the FA Vase on Saturday. The RA face a daunting replay tomorrow night, but Woodcock isn't too worried
SCORES of wildfowl were rescued from the River Tees by RSPCA inspectors and animal collection officers after an oil spill threatened the birds' lives. The officers have been working near the Tees Barrage, in Thornaby, recovering oiled swans for the past
A 46-year-old man has appeared in court charged with sending ''indecent or obscene'' material through the post, including to people connected with animal testing for medical research. Andrew Patrick Kirk, from Swanage Close, Middlesbrough, pleaded not
A ROW has broken out between two police forces at the centre of a proposed merger, with one accusing the other of wasting taxpayers' money. The accusation came after it was revealed that Northumbria Police had built up a £70m reserve, which is about seven
GRAND NATIONAL winning jockey Graham Lee has been entrusted with the ride on Haditovski (2.20), potentially the best bet of the day at Warwick in the Burgis & Bullock Handicap Hurdle. The Ingleby Barwick-based jockey has been booting in winners all
MORE than 50 youngsters performed in a showcase concert in Bishop Auckland yesterday as a culmination of a youth music project. Musicians from across the area played in front of family, friends and carers at Bishop Auckland Town Hall as part of the Resounding
The Sutcliffe Gallery in Whitby is always surrounded by a throng of admiring visitors, wanting to snap up some of the master photographer's magic. But it wasn't always so, as a new study of Frank Meadow Sutcliffe spells out. Harry Mead reports. FRANK
PENSIONERS in a North-East town have been given some warming news as the region prepares for its coldest winter in decades. Elderly residents of Shildon, County Durham, will receive more money from the Cold Weather Payments scheme following a decision
RESIDENTS from Wear Valley are being urged to have their say about how £8m is to be spent in the area. The hopes and aspirations for the future of Wear Valley will be revealed for the first time at a community conference at Bishop Auckland College next
PEOPLE in Coundon can go on the buses tomorrow when the CommuniGate bus comes to town. The bus, which is part of an initiative run by Newsquest (North East) - publisher of The Northern Echo - will be at Teeswalk Community Centre between 9.30am and 4pm
AN all-woman canoe team has set its sights on landing a second young people's award. The quartet from Newton Aycliffe Youth Centre - Sara Robinson, Helen Johnson and Sue Nicholson, all 24, and Ali Turner, 23 - have already completed their Duke of Edinburgh
THE memory of a brave grandmother who lost her battle with cancer earlier this year is now helping other people face terminal illness. Hartlepool woman Sandy Richardson, 53, died in June after a four-year struggle with cancer. Her husband, Colin, 57,
AN all-woman canoe team has set its sights on landing a second young people's award. The quartet from Newton Aycliffe youth centre - Sara Robinson, Helen Johnson and Sue Nicholson, all 24, and Ali Turner, 23 - have already completed their Durham Duke
A DECADE of dedicated fundraising has paid off for a small village which celebrated the opening of a new hall this weekend. The £200,000 Manfield Village Hall will play host to schoolchildren, a badminton club, dances and other community events as it
A FORMER mayor and his wife have celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. Keith Mennell has been in public life in Norton for 36 years and has held the chains of office seven times. He met his wife, Cynthia, on a blind date at a Red Cross Society
NEARLY 30 voluntary organisations will attend an event to publicise their work in Ripon Cathedral. The seminar will run from 10am to 3pm on Saturday. The groups all provide services to communities in Ripon and the surrounding area. Visitors will get the
A HISTORIC beauty spot in Middlesbrough is counting on the public's support to secure a £50,000 grant to return it to its former glory. Fairy Dell, in Coulby Newham, has been short-listed for the opportunity to win the funding through a 50-50 television
A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD girl's hobby has won her national acclaim for calf-handling. With a string of successes at local shows already to her credit, Diane Watson, of West Lodge, Leppington, near Malton, has been praised by judges after being placed seventh
A MUSEUM is appealing for donations of First World War memorabilia that can be lent to local schools. The Green Howards Museum, in Richmond, plans to send out items along with an information CD. Museum assistant Paul Cooper already visits schools dressed
The winner of a competition run by Darlington Building Society has been named. Mark Caton, of Darlington, won a digital video camera worth £1,000 in the competition after being entered into a prize draw when he discussed a mortgage with the building society
FORMER Darlington FC captain Craig Liddle will hold a question and answer session in Barnard Castle next month. The legendary defender, who played more than 300 games for the Quakers, will be at the Beaconsfield Hotel in Galgate on Wednesday, November
A YOUNG male, with boundless energy, a big bouncing personality but lots of spots, is seeking a new family to love him. Buster, a three-year-old dalmatian, needs a new home because his owner, who lives in Leadgate, Consett, works very long hours and cannot
A DECADE of dedicated fundraising has paid off for a small village - which celebrated the opening of a hall this weekend. The £200,000 Manfield Village Hall will play host to schoolchildren, a badminton club, dances and other community events as it becomes
A PUBLIC meeting will be held in Durham tomorrow on plans to create a urology service for County Durham. It will be in the lecture theatre of the education centre at the University Hospital of North Durham, at 7pm. The meeting will outline plans for a
WE have no argument with the Government making the fight against anti-social behaviour one of its top priorities. But the proposal to ban passengers from drinking alcohol on all public transport is not only a case of taking the principle too far, but
STEVE McClaren has refuted suggestions that Saturday's 4-1 defeat provides irrefutable proof of Manchester United's decline, claiming Sir Alex Ferguson's side will bounce back from the humiliation when they entertain runaway league leaders Chelsea this
CONSERVATIONISTS rolled up their sleeves on Saturday to give the site of a historic lead mine a major clear-up. The volunteers spent the day at Keld Heads lead mine at Preston-under-Scar, near Leyburn. They cleared roots, branches and saplings from the
A LOCAL man who was forced to rethink his career following a back injury is now working for the very charity that helped him. Six years after Shaw Trust helped Graham Barker into a new line of work, he is helping other people to change their lives at
BIRD-FRIENDLY households are to be given tips to help keep flying visitors warm during the winter. Park ranger Ian Graham will show visitors to the Durham County Show site, at Herrington Country Park, how to make winter bird feeders for their gardens.
DARLINGTON Mowden Park may have found the fly half they have been seeking for the last few years in South African Johann Booysen. He was outstanding in Saturday's 36-10 win at home to Leicester Lions, which lifted Mowden away from the danger area in National
GURKHA soldiers who have just completed their training are heading back home to Nepal armed for the first time with UK qualifications. The 230 trainee riflemen have become the first Gurkhas based at Helles Barracks, Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire
NEWCASTLE is the second luckiest place in the country when it comes to National Lottery winnings. Since the launch of the Lottery 11 years ago, only Birmingham has won more prizes over £50,000 than Newcastle. In total, players from the Newcastle area
AN allotment shed was used as the "shop front" to supply cocaine and cannabis, a court heard. Ross Taylor, 27, and accomplice Mathew George Arthurs, 24, sold the drugs at a family allotment and shed at Baxter Wood, off Toll House Road, near Durham. Durham
Teesside Athletic ended Birtley Town's unbeaten record in no uncertain style when they romped to a 4-1 victory on Saturday. The home side went into the game with ten wins and three draws out of 13 but more than met their match in the league newcomers.
Joey Hutchinson may have been on the wrong end of a bizarre penalty decision at the weekend, but the Darlington defender could not help but feel responsible for his side's controversial late defeat at Wrexham. Referee Gary Sutton awarded Wrexham an 89th
The vast experience of Ryder Cup heroes Colin Montgomerie and Paul McGinley brought them both the victories they desired so much at Valderrama yesterday - Montgomerie a staggering eighth Order of Merit title, McGinley the biggest win of his career. Montgomerie
GOLDFISH BOWL: TO have any views on the controversy surrounding David Cameron one has to understand the changing state of the United Kingdom, how it has evolved over the past 50 years and the rise to political power of Tony Blair and David Cameron. They
A WOMAN who has survived breast cancer twice led 50 fundraisers wearing pink fancy dress into the sea at Redcar to raise money for charity. Sharyn Clarkson, a married mother-of-two, organised the sponsored Pink Dip to support Cancer Research UK's All
Stephen Thomas is determined to prove his doubters wrong and be a success at Darlington. The Hartlepool-born midfielder has struggled to make an impact back in the North-East, 15 months after joining Darlington on a free transfer from Wrexham. In that
In the months after the murder of Letitia Shakespeare and Charlene Ellis on New Year's Day in 2003, I spent a number of weeks walking around the streets of Lozells in Birmingham, working with friends of Charlene and Letitia planning a fitting tribute
A woman who terrorised a neighbourhood was told to stop depending on her family by a judge today. Stacy Ord, 20, of The Village Farm, West Cornforth, County Durham, was already the subject of an anti-social behaviour order for drunken and abusive behaviour
A DEVELOPER is offering schoolchildren the chance to build a career in construction. Doncaster-based Keepmoat, which is involved in regeneration schemes with councils such as Durham City, hopes to offer jobs to a dozen youngsters through an outward-bound
A BURGLAR has died after falling 60ft from the four-storey building he is believed to have been raiding. The 35-year-old lost his fight for life at 10.30am yesterday after suffering severe head injuries when he fell from the top-floor window of a designer
PRISONERS in the North-East are being kept in unsuitable temporary cells which are difficult to secure, a watchdog has revealed. The National Audit Office published its findings on accommodation for the soaring prison population. The report revealed that
ROAD safety bosses have rubbished a report labelling a county's roads as the second most dangerous in the country. Figures released by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) show only Westminster has a higher rate of people killed or injured in
TRADING standards officials have issued a safety warning over wrongly labelled fireworks. Men Shun Fireworks Co Limited, of Thorp Arch Estate, Wetherby, North Yorkshire, is recalling a range of selection boxes sold between October 17 and 21. The selection
PENSIONERS have enjoyed Sunday lunch with a view - in a box at Darlington Football Club. The group, who live in sheltered accommodation in Firthmoor, were part of a Sunday luncheon club at Roxby Court. But they were upset when new management took over
Rocket Man (BBC1) Egypt (BBC1) Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1) HAVEN'T you just looked up into the sky and wished you could go there?" asked amateur rocket builder George Stevenson. I felt like shouting at the screen "Yes" because I'd rather be anywhere
TWO goals in his first three games, but Thomas Butler has had to wait a long time for his next strike. After netting on his debut against Swindon last April, then again two weeks later at Colchester, it was only on Saturday that Butler bagged his next
A CAMPAIGN by residents to extend traffic safety measures in their town looks likely to be a success. North Yorkshire County Council announced plans earlier this year to create a 20mph zone with a mixture of speed tables and cushions in the centre of
HOPES are high for the future of the Yorkshire Coast fishing industry - providing the growing seal population can be kept at bay. Arnold Locker, a leading Whitby skipper and head of a trawler company, and chairman of the National Federation of Fishermen's
CHILDREN who suffer burns around Bonfire Night may feature in a North-East "video nasty" designed to shock other youngsters into avoiding danger. Doctors who work at Royal Victoria Infirmary's (RVI) children's burns unit are looking to recruit injured
COUNCILLORS have voted to oppose any merger of ambulance trusts. Community leaders fear the establishment of a Yorkshire and Humberside regional ambulance trust would draw resources away from rural areas of North Yorkshire to urban centres. North Yorkshire
NORWEGIAN Rallycross star, Harald Sachweh, is the latest European Rallycross driver to confirm that he will race in the 2005 Rallycross Superprix, which will take place at Croft Circuit on Sunday, November 6. "I am looking forward to the last race of
THE man behind an internationally-acclaimed off-licence retires today. John Taylor has spent 17 years building up the range and reputation of the off- licence in the basement of Binns, in Darlington. As well as specialising in real ale, the shop sells
"I HATE Hartlepool, I really do," rang the lone cry from the Vale Park stand as the minutes ebbed by. The voice, which bore an uncanny resemblance to the man who discovers his sandwich hasn't been decorated by a well-known mayonnaise, probably had about
Dedicated football fans are hoping their new CD will be a top ten hit. Hartlepool United may be a little off the League 1 pace at the moment, but the club's supporters are aiming to lift the players' spirits with their new record, Poolie Pride. The Poolie
A WHEELIE bin cleaner says an arson attack on his van could have put his job and his family at risk. Arsonists smashed a window of Dennis Atkinson's Ford Transit, which was parked at his home in St Bede's Close, Thornley, County Durham, and threw in two
A man dressed as Dracula threatened to throw himself off a viaduct. Police were alerted after a man dressed as a vampire climbed the Horden Viaduct, Sunderland, and threatened to throw himself 100ft to the ground. It took officers three hours to talk
A COUPLE whose wedding plans were blown away by Hurricane Wilma have finally tied the knot. Lynn Bratt and Gordon Steels had spent 18 months preparing their dream nuptials in the Mexican holiday resort of Cancun until the force three storm devastated
A ROW has broken out between two police forces at the centre of a proposed merger, with one accusing the other of wasting taxpayers' money. The accusation came after it was revealed that Northumbria Police had built up a £70m reserve, which is about seven
ALAN STUBBS cut a dejected figure after Sunderland's calamitous collapse against fellow strugglers Portsmouth, but the honest talking defender insists supporters were wrong to single out under-fire goalkeeper Kelvin Davis, writes Paul Fraser. Stubbs was
If the astonishing penalty decision that went against Darlington on Saturday had been made in similar circumstances against Chelsea, Jose Mourinho would have no doubt told the world his team had actually drawn the game 0-0. The Portuguese manager adopted
Durham City produced their best performance under new manager Andy Gowens when they won 4-1 at Shildon's Dean Street on Saturday. The victory comes at just the right time, as City last week indicated that they will seek promotion at the end of the season
JUST days after Sunderland attempted to win over the hearts and minds of a new generation of supporters, a few of the originals could easily have turned their backs on the club after a defeat of catastrophic proportions. While the cheap seats at the Stadium
ALAN Brown became the second Darlington forward this season to score a hat-trick and as the tries again all came from mauls it summed up how their game has changed since arriving in National Three North. Twenty of the 28 tries they have scored this season
A COUPLE who are raising money in memory of their son who died from an asthma attack have been given an extra donation. Ruth Fleming and partner Nick Martin have raised £5,000 for Midlands Asthma and Allergy Research Association (Maara) after nine-year-old
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. Monday Civil Hall, Medomsley Road, Consett, 2pm-7pm United Reformed Church, Alma Street, Stockton
Tonight is Hallowe'en, when sprites and goblins roam the land, a festival with roots going back hundreds of years. As a new book looks at England's legendary heritage, Nick Morrison examines our fascination with folklore. GOBLINS and hobgoblins, witches
HUNDREDS of staff in Darlington are to take part in a pilot project to improve the levels of health and fitness at work. The town has been selected as one of nine in England in a drive to boost the health of the nation. Up to 450 staff will be asked to
The winner of a competition run by Darlington Building Society has been named. Mark Caton, of Darlington, won a digital video camera worth £1,000 in the competition after being entered into a prize draw when he discussed a mortgage with the building society
A FARMERS' market will be held in Ferryhill shortly as part of the town's Christmas fair. The market will give the public the chance to buy produce grown or made locally, and will be held on Friday, November 25. Along with the market there will be a craft
The Sutcliffe Gallery in Whitby is always surrounded by a throng of admiring visitors, wanting to snap up some of the master photographer's magic. But it wasn't always so, as a new study of Frank Meadow Sutcliffe spells out. Harry Mead reports. FRANK
Customer service teams have been appointed at three community learning centres operated by the Sedgefield Learning Borough project. The centres, which provide information on adult and community learning across the area, have put in place new teams at
HAIRDRESSERS in a Bishop Auckland salon became scare-dressers for the day as they dressed up in spooky costumes to raise money for charity. Staff at Hair Haus on Newgate Street donned an array of frightening outfits in aid of the Royal National Institute
VOLUNTEERS who helped revitalise two run-down areas of Bishop Auckland have been rewarded at a reception. The five members of the Bishop Auckland Prince's Trust Team 11 were given certificates to mark their hard work in cleaning up the town over the past
A NORTH-East university has opened what it claims is one of the country's most pioneering sports science centres. Sunderland University says facilities in its Darwin Building are the best in the region and will allow North-East athletes to stay here for
FORMER Darlington FC captain Craig Liddle will hold a question and answer session in Barnard Castle next month. The legendary defender, who played more than 300 games for the Quakers, will be at the Beaconsfield Hotel in Galgate on Wednesday, November
VILLAGERS who have to cross a busy road to reach their local primary school are calling on highway chiefs to lower the speed limit. But so far, the demand for the 60mph limit to be reduced to 40mph on the A177 through Shincliffe Village, on the outskirts
SHOCKING research has prompted a Teesside housing association to pioneer a fire safety scheme for its tenants in partnership with Cleveland Fire Brigade. Research revealed that, on average, eight per cent of homes in Redcar and Cleveland are hit by fires
A TOWN'S mayor spent Saturday morning helping out in a charity shop as part of a national campaign to encourage volunteering. Councillor Stuart Parsons, Mayor of Richmond, was at the Sue Ryder Care shop, in Finkle Street, Richmond, to serve customers
CHILDREN who suffer burns around Bonfire Night may feature in a North-East "video nasty" designed to shock other youngsters into avoiding danger. Doctors who work at Royal Victoria Infirmary's (RVI) children's burns unit are looking to recruit injured
A FARMERS' market will be held in Ferryhill as part of the town's Christmas fair. The market will give the public the chance to buy produce grown or made locally, and will be held on Friday, November 25. Along with the market there will be a craft fair
A DVD is being sent to every primary school in Darlington to encourage children to visit the newly renovated South Park. The DVD, called South Park for Schools, aims to get more youngsters to visit the park as well as asking what facilities and attractions
A 16-YEAR-OLD boy has been attacked by a gang in Darlington's Stanhope Park. The teenager suffered a broken wrist and a gash to his head during the unprovoked assault which happened at about 9.30pm to 10pm on Friday. The boy, who is from the Mowden area
AN action group fighting to save a village school has written to Prime Minister Tony Blair following a landmark speech he made on education. Share (Save Hurworth and Rural Education) has used Mr Blair's speech to put its views across in the four-page
NEWCASTLE is the second luckiest place in the country when it comes to National Lottery winnings. Since the launch of the Lottery 11 years ago, only Birmingham has won more prizes over £50,000 than Newcastle. In total, players from the Newcastle area
HORSE riders have objected to plans to close a 900m stretch of road to the public. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has asked North Yorkshire County Council to apply for an order to close Waithwith Road, Catterick Garrison. If the order is granted by magistrates
PRISONERS in the North-East are being kept in unsuitable temporary cells which are difficult to secure, a watchdog has revealed. The National Audit Office published its findings on accommodation for the soaring prison population. The report revealed that
YOUNG footballers and pensioners in Consett are among the groups to benefit from a company's donation of a nine-seater minibus. The vehicle has been given by the Esh Winning transport and industrial services company Hargreaves and will be used by community
A dental surgery will be offering more NHS treatment after recruiting the area's only female dentist. The arrival of Nina Wilson, 33, at the Castledene Dental Surgery, in Peterlee, means an extra 1,500 patients will be able to get NHS treatment. Ms Wilson
VILLAGERS will this week pay their last respects to a woman who lived independently to the age of 101. Olive Oxley, of Sherburn Village, died last week, seven months after celebrating her birthday. Mrs Oxley, who was born in Langley Moor, worked as a
A YOUNG male, with boundless energy, a big, bouncing personality but lots of spots, is seeking a new family to love him. Buster, a three-year-old dalmatian, needs another home because his owner, Paul Fletcher, from Leadgate, Consett, works long hours
A dental surgery will be offering more NHS treatment after recruiting the area's only female dentist. The arrival of Nina Wilson, 33, at the Castledene Dental Surgery, in Peterlee, means an extra 1,500 patients will be able to get NHS treatment. Ms Wilson
A FOUR-YEAR-OLD girl is recovering after she took an accidental overdose of anti-depressants she had found in a sweet tin. The girl and her 18-month-old brother had been playing in the living room of their home, in the Firthmoor area of Darlington, when
Champions Sunderland got off to a flying start with a comfortable victory in the opening Start Fitness North-East Harrier League fixture at Chester-le-Street yesterday. And the Wearsiders' cause was boosted when a disqualification relegated arch-rivals
GRAND NATIONAL winning jockey Graham Lee has been entrusted with the ride on Haditovski (2.20), potentially the best bet of the day at Warwick in the Burgis & Bullock Handicap Hurdle. The Ingleby Barwick-based jockey has been booting in winners all
A HOSPITAL doctor who took up running to raise money for vital medical equipment has passed a major milestone. Dr Bill Lamb's campaign to buy insulin pumps for children with diabetes has raised £103,000 in only two-and-a-half years. He has run 3,793 miles
COLD callers will be barred from knocking on people's doors under a scheme being developed in the North-East. Durham County Council's trading standards service is working with the police and Neighbourhood Watch schemes to set up the county's first pilot
FROM the smallest of acorns, the tallest of oaks do grow and, in a footballing sense at least, acorns don't come much smaller than Kettering Town. But, by choosing to start his managerial career at the lowest rung on the ladder, Paul Gascoigne has given
WITH Graeme Souness opting for a strikeforce of Michael Owen and Shola Ameobi at the Hawthorns yesterday, the Newcastle United fans were given an insight into the shape of things to come for the Magpies. The countdown to Alan Shearer's retirement has
The highly-contentious penalty incident in Darlington's defeat on Saturday amazed players, fans and officials of both clubs with even Wrexham's manager and captain both admitting they should not have been awarded the late spot-kick. Seemingly everybody
