WITH seven games remaining it appears Sunderland's end of season will be remembered for events off the pitch rather than on it. Not a bad thing some may say, but coin-throwing thugs are not the indelible memory that Black Cats' fans want to leave the
WHILE most players dream of scoring against their former club, it is safe to assume that Lee Bowyer will derive little satisfaction from yesterday's decisive strike at the Valley. The former Charlton midfielder knew little about the 36th-minute deflection
LEAGUE matches are something Middlesbrough have struggled with at a time when progress has been made to cup quarter-finals. Yesterday Steve McClaren's men proved they still have the desire to turn on the style in the Premiership. There have been many
There looked some doubt as to whether racing on the new track at Kempton would go ahead on Saturday as, just before racing was due to take place, several stones were found lying on the new Polytrack surface, writes Richard Young. However the problem was
BLAYDON and Darlington tuned up for this week's meeting at Blackwell Meadows by comfortably picking up four-try bonus points on Saturday. Blaydon's was in the bag after 30 minutes at home to Hull Ionians, but at 30-0 they relaxed and settled for a 37-
Only three things are in life can be described as certainties: death, taxes and players getting one over on their former clubs. It is an unwritten law in football that ex-players should come out on top, and quite often score, when facing an old team.
IN A week where Liverpool are playing two games in three days and Alan Pardew has slammed the fixture congestion caused by West Ham's FA Cup run, most players in The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League are just hoping for a match. In total
VOLUNTEERS are needed in County Durham to help deal with young people who commit crime. The County Durham Youth Engagement Service is looking for volunteers who get on with young people to train as Referral Order Panel members. The panel listens to young
NURSERY youngsters have been given a treat with a visit from their MP. Bishop Auckland MP Helen Goodman was given a guided tour of Byerley Road Pre-School Nursery, in Shildon, where she shared tea with the children. She then offered help and advice to
CONSTRUCTION of ten affordable homes for locals has begun in a Dales town. Richmondshire District Council is building the houses in Hawes in partnership with Broadacres Housing Association. Four three-bedroomed and four two-bedroomed houses are being
A DRAMA group has become the latest recipient of a digital camera from The Northern Echo's CommuniGate team. The Allerton Players' website has been selected as the pick of the month for February. Deborah Hugill, of the Northallerton-based group, started
For more than 100 years, the Little Sisters of the Poor have cared for the elderly at Sunderland's Holy Cross Home. Women's Editor Sarah Foster meets Sister Kathleen, Mother Superior of the community led by nuns. THE vast building of the Holy Cross Home
THE vast building of the Holy Cross Home seems imposing, almost ominous, as it looms on the horizon. I reach its wide iron gates and pull my car onto the ample drive. To my left, a pure white statue gazes down, his robe falling from his outstretched arms
After falling to a fifth defeat in six games, David Hodgson admitted his Darlington side was not good enough. Following the 5-0 thumping at home to Carlisle United last week, Hodgson was hoping to see a positive reaction from his players, but the defeat
A BRANCH of a North-East bank has been sold - but the bank will continue to operate. Barclays Bank has sold 17 banks nationwide to raise money, but are leasing back the properties to continue to use the premises. The branch, in Front Street, Chester-le-Street
WITH seven games remaining it appears Sunderland's end of season will be remembered for events off the pitch rather than on it. Not a bad thing some may say, but coin-throwing thugs are not the indelible memory that Black Cats' fans want to leave the
NORTHALLERTON manager Paul Burton says that the Second Division promotion race hasn't been decided yet even though his side won 2-0 at Whickham on Saturday to move into second place. Northallerton are looking good to be promoted with runaway leaders Consett
A CASUALTY of war - the Wars of the Roses - was causing problems but actor-manager Barrie Rutter, the moving force behind Northern Broadsides, wasn't about to admit defeat. Far from it. The temporary absence of one of his three leading men wasn't about
Education Secretary Lord Andrew Adonis was a guest of Hilary Armstrong MP in her North-Durham consituency at the weekend for a private meeting on education reforms with Labour Party members and headteachers, The Northern Echo's deputy editor, Chris Lloyd
Birtley Town reached the final of the Wearside League Cup for a fifth consecutive season, but they needed penalties at Windscale. The top three battle was always likely to be a close-run affair and fortunes fluctuated throughout the game. Tony Thirkell
Pinochet In Suburbia (BBC2) TV Heaven, Telly Hell (C4) THE officer on duty at the front office desk must have thought a madman had walked into the police station when he said he'd come to report an international torturer and mass murderer, adding: "He's
A FORMER British Airline captain who saved the lives of 213 passengers and restored some of the region's most important buildings has died at the age of 68. Robin Alfred Rackham, who was born in South Shields and lived in Teesdale for more than 30 years
ALAN Kernaghan, a Yorkshireman who gave stalwart service to Middlesbrough and won 26 caps for the Republic of Ireland, is these days manager of Dundee. Gretna, Northern League members until 1992 and now financed and inspired by Sunderland-born former
ALAN Kernaghan, a Yorkshireman who gave stalwart service to Middlesbrough and won 26 caps for the Republic of Ireland, is these days manager of Dundee. Gretna, Northern League members until 1992 and now financed and inspired by Sunderland-born former
THE MINISTRY of Defence is once more bracing itself for a barrage of bad publicity when a report into the deaths of four recruits at the notorious Deepcut barracks is published on Wednesday. The inquiry, by leading human rights barrister Nicholas Blake
A POLICE officer who faced losing his job after being found guilty of assaulting a reveller while he arrested him has had his conviction quashed. PC Andrew Davison, who has been suspended since the shortly after the incident, could now return to the beat
DAVID HODGSON will not need to think twice when, at the end of the season, he reflects on where it all went wrong for Darlington. While Hodgson put last season's failure to secure a play-off place down to inconsistency, come May this term, the Quakers
A SPENNYMOOR publican has won a holiday for the second successive year after impressive trading. John Park, landlord of The Victoria, in Villiers Street, won the competition run by the pub's operator, the Tadcaster Pub Company. It follows another impressive
DOCTORS in County Durham are to offer their patients a novel prescription. Self-help library books will be prescribed as part of a scheme running at libraries in the Chester-le-Street area. Called Books on Prescription (Bop), it is being run by the libraries
A COUPLE who met on the dance floor and weathered the separation of war before tying the knot have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Frank and Nell Marriott, 83, of Croxdale, near Durham, fell in love when they first saw each other at a village
NORTHALLERTON manager Paul Burton says that the Second Division promotion race hasn't been decided yet even though his side won 2-0 at Whickham on Saturday to move into second place. Northallerton are looking good to be promoted with runaway leaders Consett
TEENAGERS have battled it out in a golf championship to raise money for charity. The winner of the contest, at Stressholme Golf Club, was Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College. The runner-up was Richmond Golf Club. Hurworth School, near Darlington, came
A YOUNG motorist who ignored police warnings for him to stop after colliding with a taxi has been sentenced to a 200-hour community order and banned from driving for 18 months. John Blythyn, who admitted dangerous driving and being over the drink-drive
A SHOP boss has appealed to Darlington Borough Council to do more to help traders while the town centre is being dug up for the controversial Pedestrian Heart project. Brian McPherson said traders' profits had suffered because of disruption from the building
Teenager Beci Armstrong will hold a ceilidh as part of her Duke of Edinburgh silver award. The event will be held on Friday, April 7, from 7.30pm to 11pm, at Guisborough Football Club, and will feature the Jumping Jack Ceilidh Band. Tickets, priced £5
YOUNG scientists from Barnard Castle School have been experimenting with their futures after they visited one of the world's great centres of learning. Eight of the school's most gifted students were invited to visit Cambridge University to mark the end
EURO MP Fiona Hall has been helping to bring classroom politics to life during a school visit. The MEP arrived at Egglescliffe School to talk about her job, and visited a fairtrade stall run by 14 and 15-year-old students. A-Level politics students, who
NEARLY three attacks a day are being carried out on the region's police officers, figures reveal. New findings show that 992 incidents were recorded last year, a 30 per cent rise on the previous 12 months. The figures, compiled by the Police Review magazine
POLICE in Stanley will make personal visits to all off-licences in the area as part of a clampdown on the antics of drunken teenagers. Officers say a recent increase in reports of youth disorder in the town and the surrounding areas is directly linked
KICKBOXERS from across the region have been warming up for a night of fighting in Middlesbrough. Fighters from Stockton, South Shields, Blackburn and Gateshead will to battle it out at Marton Hotel and Country Club, Stokesley Road, over 12 rounds of on
STEVE McCLAREN last night defended his raging Austrian Emanuel Pogatetz after the hot-tempered defender went ballistic following an elbow in the face by Kevin Davies. Pogatetz, nicknamed Mad Dog by his team-mates, was furious after being left requiring
LEAGUE matches are something Middlesbrough have struggled with at a time when progress has been made to cup quarter-finals. Yesterday Steve McClaren's men proved they still have the desire to turn on the style in the Premiership. There have been many
THE head of a North-East search-and-rescue charity has quit after it emerged he turned up wearing a paramedic-style uniform at a London bomb blast. The charity, which is sponsored by several councils and businesses, told chairman Chris Readings to resign
North-East singing duo Journey South have topped the charts with their debut album. Andy and Carl Pemberton have already been given a platinum disc after sales of more than 300,000 in the first week. Now the brothers from Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough,
WITH the threat of relegation from National Three North being removed, Mowden Park began as though a huge burden had been lifted. They stormed into a 14-0 lead after two minutes, although both tries owed much to some surprisingly woeful tackling by the
"SOMETIMES I dive, sometimes I stand," admitted Chelsea striker Didier Drogba after his side's 2-0 home victory over Manchester City. Talk about opening a can of worms. What Fifa, UEFA and the FA will make of Drogba's admission is open to debate but it
THE Environment Agency is still waiting for more information on controversial plans to scrap a fleet of toxic "Ghost Ships". Able UK hopes to revamp its dockyard so that it can scrap the rusting, obsolete ships. It wants to build new quays, a coffer dam
A POLICE authority chairman has fired a warning shot over the bows of Home Secretary Charles Clarke - urging the Government minister to withdraw his proposal to merge the Cleveland, Durham and Northumberland Police forces. Mr Clarke is told in a 'Letter
A CAR park that has been free from crime for three years has been hailed as an example to others. Tanner Row car park, in York, owned by property development company Oakgate, has been awarded the Safer Parking Award for the second successive year. PC
VILLAGERS have somewhere new to sit and relax after having to put up with months of inconvenience. Yorkshire Water has thanked residents of Hutton Sessay, near Thirsk, for their patience during a £400,000 sewer revamp by donating two park benches. Last
JAMIE OLIVER would be delighted at how well healthy meals are going down at one primary school. The number of pupils opting for healthy school meals at Sutton-on-the-Forest has risen by 82 per cent. As a result, the pupils have been presented with an
CANDIDATES hoping to become the chief executive for the North East Chamber of Commerce have until Friday to put themselves forward. A shortlist of candidates is expected to be finalised a week later and interviews are likely to be held during the week
GNER could get its way when it comes to the charges firms pay to the Government to run trains on the network. The York-based firm was angered this week when new "open access operator" Grand Central (GCR) was cleared by the rail regulator to run three
WHILE most players dream of scoring against their former club, it is safe to assume that Lee Bowyer will derive little satisfaction from yesterday's decisive strike at the Valley. The former Charlton midfielder knew little about the 36th-minute deflection
GLENN Roeder last night admitted Newcastle's next manager will face a "huge job" as he attempts to eradicate the defensive howlers that continue to hamper the club's development. Roeder was still seething as he reflected on yet another defensive horror-show
A REPORT into the deaths of four Army recruits will contain new allegations of bullying and abuse at the base, it was claimed yesterday. An independent report by Nicholas Blake QC into the circumstances surrounding the deaths at Deepcut barracks, in Surrey
A BUMPER crowd filled Redcar Racecourse for the traditional curtainraiser to the Flat season. The £100,000 William Hill Lincoln was the feature race on the card - attracting thousands for an event relcated from Doncaster during work at the South Yorkshire
THE Ministry of Defence yesterday rubbished claims that US interceptor missiles could be based in the region. The Green Party has alleged that North Yorkshire is a strong candidate to house the "Son of Star Wars" missile defence system. Leslie Rowe, who
RESIDENTS of a community are celebrating the success of a campaign to restore the title of village to their settlement. Sherburn, near Durham, will be known as Sherburn Village from Saturday. Parish council chairman Stuart Walton said: "It was known as
PROPOSALS to cut back lifeboat cover for a busy shipping area have been described as a travesty. The future of the Teesmouth all-weather station is expected to be decided by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) operations committee at the start
A DECADE after reaching the play-off final with Darlington, Matty Appleby has all but conceded history will not be repeating itself this year. Appleby was part of the first ever Quakers side to appear at Wembley in 1996 when they were pipped to promotion
FRUSTRATED Paul Stephenson admits his side were made to pay the price for slackness at both ends of the pitch on Saturday. His Hartlepool side fell behind to a first-minute goal at leaders Southend, but then missed some decent openings to pull one back
BUDGET BLUES: I WAS disappointed to see the Chancellor did hardly anything for the low paid in the Budget. The personal allowance for income tax should be £10,000 not just over £5,000. The Chancellor just raised it a few hundred pounds. His whole working
DURHAM have been dealt a devastating blow with the news that skipper Mike Hussey will not be available for the coming season. Following his elevation to established member of both the Test and one-day team, the Australian Board have declined to make him
In part one of a new column, Durham's Jon Lewis, nicknamed The Judge, reports from sunny Dubai. After a long and cold winter running around athletics tracks, up the hills of Lumley and seeing more dumbells, treadmills and indoor cricket centres than can
Work has started on North Yorkshire's answer to the London Eye. The National Railway Museum (NRM) said sections of the 200ft high observation wheel were arriving at the site near to the York-based museum and the citys railway station and construction
GNER could get its way when it comes to the charges firms pay to the Government to run trains on the network. The York-based firm was angered this week when new "open access operator" Grand Central (GCR) was cleared by the rail regulator to run three
ONE Sunderland fan who's backing Kevin Ball to turn things around at the Stadium of Light is Blackburn Rovers' Michael Gray. Gray spent more than 12 years with the Black Cats before falling victim to the purge following their last relegation from the
Bishop Auckland turned in a good performance in the Unibond League at promotion chasing Fleetwood on Saturday - but with the same inevitable result, writes Ray Simpson. Bishops lost 3-2 in Lancashire, their 22nd defeat in 30 league games, to leave them
KIMBERLEY Dixon looked every inch the glamorous young woman as she attended her first Prom. Only days away from her 17th birthday, she danced the night away in her favourite ball dress. Her proud family looked on, taking photographs of the event from
A TEENAGER who was not expected to survive after falling more than 30ft from an attic window has made an astonishing recovery. Now, Kimberley Dixon is preparing to celebrate the 17th birthday her family thought she might never see. The teenager has defied
CITY of Durham Conservatives have launched their campaign for the Sherburn and Shadforth by-election, after the resignation of Durham councillor and Liberal Democrat Fionna Davison. The Tories are fielding Durham resident and music tutor, Carolyn Smith
A FIVE-TIME world champion swimmer passed on tips to youngsters at a leisure centre yesterday. James Hickman was at Woodhouse Close Leisure Centre, in Bishop Auckland, to coach children in the pool. Mr Hickman is a former Commonwealth Games record holder
DURHAM'S conservation areas will be under the spotlight in a review carried out by heritage chiefs. The City of Durham Council's heritage and design section has begun a process to appraise the 14 conservation areas in the district. The areas vary in size
VOLUNTEERS are needed to help deal with young people who commit crime. The County Durham Youth Engagement Service (Yes) is looking for volunteers who get on with young people to train as Referral Order Panel members. The panel listens to young people
WITH seven games remaining it appears Sunderland's end of season will be remembered for events off the pitch rather than on it. Not a bad thing some may say, but coin-throwing thugs are not the indelible memory that Black Cats' fans want to leave the
A WOMAN was indecently assaulted after getting off a bus in Middlesbrough town centre on Sunday morning. The victim was walking towards the Princess Alice pub on Newport Road when she was attacked at about 6.30am. The attacker is described as white, 6ft
EDUCATION standards on Teesside have been given a boost with two positive Ofsted inspection reports. Stockton Sixth Form College has exceeded the national average with 20 subjects achieving 100 per cent pass rates. And Red House School, in Norton, has
HOSPITAL bosses want their neighbours to rent out parking spaces to nurses, doctors and other healthcare staff. The call has come from Newcastle's Freeman Hospital, which has leafleted hundreds of homes in the surrounding area to ask residents who do
PLANS for improvements to Darlington borough's transport network will come under the spotlight next month. The second local transport plan will be considered next month. It outlines developments for the coming year designed to tackle congestion, encourage
DRIVERS in Crook town centre are being warned of new traffic rules next week. As part of a £480,000 scheme carried out by Durham County Council, a new access road and one-way system in Hope Street and North Terrace will operate from Sunday. Access to
REPAIRS for Housing Hartlepool's tenants are set to be revolutionised through new technology. A specialist repairs contact team has been set up, with staff using the latest computer software to determine what work is required at a particular property.
A POETRY book written by members of a Darlington community to celebrate the regeneration of a park has been launched. Our North Lodge Park, which features more than 100 poems, has been a joint project between aspiring local writers and writer-in- residence
A TOWN'S high street will be lined with blossoming baskets and a floral sculpture to try to clinch another award. After winning five awards in Northumbria In Bloom last year, Stockton Borough Council's bid to win a place in this year's Britain in Bloom
HUNDREDS of young people walked away with a Smart Awards certificate last year after touching the hearts of friends and family. This year, Stockton Borough Council's youth service is looking for yet more special young people, aged up to 19, whose hard
MILLIONAIRE lotto rapist Iorworth Hoare is said to be on the verge of quitting Britain. The sex offender, who won £7m on the National Lottery, has angered residents since he bought a six-bed house in the Northumberland community of Darras Hall, close
IT is the little things which make a big difference to someone with a debilitating disease. In the day-to-day reality of coping with cancer or respiratory failure, it is not the fear of death which causes patients most anguish, but the daily pain and
A FORMER chef who admitted kidnapping and robbing a terrified nurse has been jailed for five years. Sentencing Paul Beniston, Judge John Walford told him he had subjected the 59-year-old nurse to a "horrifying ordeal". Durham Crown Court was told the
A SURVEY will be undertaken to examine the flood risks of rebuilding a weir on the River Swale. The reconstruction of the weir at medieval Easby, near Richmond, is part of a £2.5m plan to create a hydroelectric power station. A feasibility study found
Education Secretary Lord Andrew Adonis was a guest of Hilary Armstrong MP in her North-Durham consituency at the weekend for a private meeting on education reforms with Labour Party members and headteachers, The Northern Echo's deputy editor, Chris Lloyd
A PLANNING application has been submitted to extend a quarry. Lafarge Aggregates has applied to Durham County Council to extend Thrislington Quarry, near Ferryhill. The lodging of the application follows a public exhibition in November and consultations
THE finest examples of determination, dedication and sheer hard work among learners in the Tees Valley will be honoured (March 30) in this year's prestigious FE+ Awards. Debilitating health difficulties, enormous personal challenges talent and unbridled
HARTLEPOOL United have made a habit of testing the nerves in the closing stages of the season. In recent years, it's been all about promotion, play-offs and a title tilt. This season, with eight games to go, their aim isn't to get out of a division, it's
A TEENAGER who was not expected to survive after falling more than 30ft from an attic window has made an astonishing recovery. Now, Kimberley Dixon is preparing to celebrate the 17th birthday her family thought she might never see. The teenager has defied
A TEENAGER who was not expected to survive after falling more than 30ft from an attic window has made an astonishing recovery. Now, Kimberley Dixon is preparing to celebrate the 17th birthday her family thought she might never see. The teenager
