NIALL Quinn will be the guest of honour at Sunderland's penultimate Premiership home game this afternoon but, despite takeover talks continuing at the Stadium of Light, the Irishman is unlikely to be the club's next manager. Quinn will be current chairman
FOUR companies have been shortlisted for a major development in the region. The companies bidding for the second phase of the Gateshead Quays (GQ2) project are St James Capital Group, St Modwen Properties, Kier Property and Land Regeneration UK. The companies
A FOOTBALL chief caught up in one of the most chaotic weeks in English football found no rest this weekend. After Luiz Felipe Scolari snubbed the England job -putting Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren in pole position - Football Association chairman Geoff
THE North-East is expected to host a cricket World Cup match when England stages its fifth competition in 2019. The International Cricket Council (ICC) last night confirmed England as the 2019 hosts, after a provisional agreement was reached last month
EIGHT architects have been shortlisted in an international competition to design a £6m visitor centre for a North-East museum. Beamish Museum, in County Durham, launched a worldwide search to find experts to come up with ideas for its new facility. Ninety-three
A FESTIVAL comprising music, art and flowers pulled in the visitors, and helped to raise thousands of pounds for Chernobyl on the 20th anniversary of the disaster. The event, held in Longnewton, featured attractions such as a photography exhibition, choir
ORGANISERS of exercise classes aimed at the over-60s are urging more people to join. Age Concern and Avon Court Sheltered Accommodation, in Newton Aycliffe, have held exercise to music sessions to reintroduce people to exercise for the past year. Mike
A BISHOP Auckland secondary school is using sport as an incentive for good conduct throughout the school in a bid to tackle boys' bad behaviour. Bishop Barrington School is running a pilot scheme to encourage year eight pupils, who have been causing problems
A CANCER charity has been bowled over by the support it has received from a group of young sports stars. Members of Ferryhill Indoor Bowling Club's youth section raised £1,003.87 for Macmillan Cancer Support through a series of events, including bowls
EXACTLY a year after suffering a heart attack, Kevin Bostock will set off on an epic bike ride. On Friday, the 44 year-old, from Trimdon Village, will start the 140-mile coast-to-coast bike ride from Whitehaven to Sunderland. The father-of-two said: "
CHILDREN have been lining up to help boost their school's coffers. Pupils from Montalbo Primary School, in Barnard Castle, raised £247.23 by collecting loose change. Each class was given a jar in which to collect the change. On the last day of the spring
THE first of a season of summer concerts at a museum has been announced. Close harmony group Pieces of Eight will be performing at the Bowes Museum, near Barnard Castle, County Durham. Based in Stockton, the group was formed in the 1970s by eight choir
A GROUP of young people will visit the Houses of Parliament to see democracy in action. The 15 teenagers, accompanied by staff from Horden Youth Centre, will be given a conducted tour of the Palace of Westminster by the MP for Easington, John Cummings
ELDERLY residents have helped to bring success to an east Durham anti-flu campaign. Seventy-seven per cent of people aged 65 and over turned out to receive flu jabs in the district, outstripping the national target. Easington Primary Care Trust (PCT)
TWO people will appear in court this morning charged with a man's murder. Mark Lang, 24, of Bramhope Green, Gateshead, and a 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are charged with the murder of Lee Jobling. The 20-year-old, from Leam Lane
A TEENAGER has followed in the family footsteps and passed out as an Army cadet. Fifteen-year-old Stephanie O'Connor, from Redcar, east Cleveland, was named top student on the senior cadet instructor course, which took place over eight days in the Easter
A SPORTING champion returned to his old school to present awards to young people. The 2005 World Disabled Water Ski champion, Sean Rose, made the presentations at Bydales Specialist Technology College, Marske, to Duke of Edinburgh Awards achievers. Redcar
WALKERS are being offered a series of events to step out. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's Every Step Counts campaign will e launching several rambles this month. The Lingfield Loop, a 14-and-a-half mile walk will be on Wednesday, from Guisborough
GREEDY touts are using an eBay loophole to sell Uefa Cup Final tickets to desperate Middlesbrough fans. Tickets are changing hands for as much as £308 as supporters try to get a seat for the game. The English operation of the Internet auction site has
A SHOPPING centre has helped a hospice to draw nearer to its target of raising enough money to open an extension. St Cuthbert's Hospice, in Durham City, is well on the way towards raising the £3.2m which is needed to open a ten-bed extension offering
A DURHAM shopping centre has been awarded a prize for its dedication to making itself a safer place to shop and work. The Prince Bishops Shopping Centre has won an Occupational Health and Safety Award from RoSPA (the Royal Society for the Prevention of
DRUG users have been given a new goal in life after taking part in a sports programme to help boost their self-esteem. Thirty-five members of the Durham Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) and Darlington DIP took part in a regional football coaching initiative
SUPER-VET Brian Rushworth ended a fortnight's break with a debut victory in yesterday's seven-mile Pier to Pier multi-terrain race between South Shields and Roker. The 43-year-old quadruple North-East veterans cross country champion, who lost his bid
PEOPLE living in the Yorkshire Dales have the chance to look around the national park authority's new eco-friendly headquarters, at Bainbridge, in Wensleydale. The building, called Yoredale, opened for business in February, but an open evening tomorrow
THREE Darlington charities have received an £8,000 boost thanks to the mayor's fund. Councillor Stella Robson has raised £24,000 for her three chosen charities - Darlington Association on Disability, Family Help and Darlington Festival of Performing Arts
ASTHMA sufferers are being given the support of four health authorities in the fight against the illness. The four North Yorkshire primary care trusts (PCTs) will support World Asthma Day tomorrow. Craven, Harrogate and Rural District PCT, Hambleton and
SINGER songwriter and political activist Billy Bragg took part in a demonstration in the North-East over the weekend. He spoke out against organisations like the British National Party and the National Front at the 2006 Tyne and Wear May Day March and
ANY hopes Graeme Storm had of winning the Andalucia Open de Espana disappeared yesterday when he had a nightmare final round. The Hartlepool golfer carded a 74, two over par, at the San Roque Club in what proved to be his only poor showing over the four
WASTE MANAGEMENT: I READ with interest your recent views on waste management (Comment, Apr 24). County Durham residents already have local authority-managed kerbside recycling schemes which collect, as a minimum, aluminium and steel cans, paper and glass
As a Barnardo's kid, Johnny Williams grew up in foster care. He tells Lindsay Jennings how being in care saw him achieve his dream, to play for the Newcastle Falcons. THERE are a few players dotted around the Newcastle Falcons' bar at Kingston Park. Johnny
TODAY is the ninth anniversary of Tony Blair's historic first landslide victory in 1997, but this week seems destined to bring consternation rather than cause for celebration. As scandals bite home, damaging defeat in Thursday's local elections looks
THE North-East is expected to host a cricket World Cup match when England stages its fifth competition in 2019. The International Cricket Council (ICC) last night confirmed England as the 2019 hosts, after a provisional agreement was reached last month
A TEENAGE busker sang his way to the top to win the final of a North-East Busk Idol competition. The youngest contestant in Teesside's first busker competition, 15-year-old Jake Holt won over a panel of look-alike celebrity judges in Stockton High Street
DURHAM coach Martyn Moxon will be emphasising that there can be no lapses in concentration following the 128-run defeat by Lancashire at Riverside. Skipper Dale Benkenstein led a determined rearguard with an innings of 88 on Saturday, but it came too
DEVIL'S RUN (3.50) deserves the utmost respect in Sedgefield's £20,000 Durham National this afternoon. The John Smith's sponsored event is the longest race of the year held at the course, but the three-and-a-half-mile slog will not worry Devil's Run,
WHEN Charles Clarke found himself in a spot of bother over his scandalous failure to deport dangerous foreign criminals at the end of their prison sentences, it reminded me of my one and only meeting with the Home Secretary. It was a few years ago, at
There is little change at the top of the table with only Windscale of the leading six sides failing to claim their maximum points. Leaders Birtley Town enjoyed a nine-goals romp at Ferryhill Athletic where they never looked back after Neil Blue opened
ON the wondrous night that Arsenal reached the Champions League final, Brandon United held a crisis meeting to determine if they could even start next season in the Arngrove Northern League second division. The league chairman, lifelong and blood red
TODAY is the ninth anniversary of Tony Blair's historic first landslide victory in 1997, but this week seems destined to bring consternation rather than cause for celebration. As scandals bite home, damaging defeat in Thursday's local elections looks
SAM Russell may have been back to his irrepressible best on Saturday, but the Darlington goalkeeper admits his heroics are likely to have been in vain. The normally dependable keeper has been criticised in recent weeks after some shaky displays. But,
WITH Newcastle's European hopes now hanging by a thread, stand-in skipper Shay Given has urged champions Chelsea to offer a helping hand by beating in-form Blackburn tomorrow night. With mid-table West Ham guaranteed a European spot because of their place
'HOW do we improve for next season?' That was the question posed by Steve McClaren in his programme notes for Saturday's final Premiership home game against Everton. But, in light of the likelihood the Middlesbrough manager will be confirmed as the next
LISTENING to a succession of leading football figures yesterday, you would have thought Wayne Rooney was Pele, Diego Maradona and Johann Cruyff rolled into one. Rarely can one broken bone have caused so much hysteria and distress. According to Sir Bobby
CROWDS turned out in their thousands at the weekend for a gastronomic feast that has now become a firm favourite in the region's calender. The Dales Festival of Food and Drink, in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, was launched in 2002 to boost the rural economy
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: Today St Nicholas Church Hall, Willow Avenue, Gateshead 10am-4pm St Mary's Centre, Church Chare
THE number of young people in the region classified as obese has doubled in the past decade, according to research. Dr Mohammed Shamssain, of Sunderland University, said action was needed to tackle the problem of obese children in the North-East, some
DURHAM will wait until this morning before solving their selection dilemma ahead of the C & G Trophy match against Northamptonshire at Riverside, but Paul Collingwood and Liam Plunkett will play. Australian seamer Mick Lewis is also in the squad after
BEN CLARK believes Hartlepool United showed on Saturday how much avoiding relegation means to the squad. Tranmere's win at MK Dons means Pool are fourth bottom in League One going into the last day, but can stay up with victory over Port Vale on Saturday
Gallant Yorkshire posted a record which they did not deserve in their Championship thriller with Warwickshire at Edgbaston on Saturday. It ended in defeat by 66 runs when they lost their last wicket with three balls remaining after the tenth wicket pair
Bishop Auckland said farewell to the UniBond League after 18 years with a 3-0 home defeat by Woodley Sports on Saturday. Manager Brian Healy is relieved that a miserable season is finally over with Bishops a mammoth 28 points adrift, with only three wins
WHEN the Middlesbrough squad embarked on their annual lap of honour around the Riverside Stadium on Saturday there was a notable absentee. Striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was back in his native Holland receiving treatment on the hamstring injury which
LISTENING to a succession of leading football figures yesterday, you would have thought Wayne Rooney was Pele, Diego Maradona and Johann Cruyff rolled into one. Rarely can one broken bone have caused so much hysteria and distress. According to Sir Bobby
Northern Echo Reporter Deborah Johnson is taking part in the Race for Life - and has found that getting involved has been a life-changing experience. FOUR months ago I could never have imagined running the Race for Life. Sitting at my desk stuffing my
NEIL Maddison resembled a wide-eyed youngster who had just been given his first break in the game at Wycombe on Saturday. The 36-year-old may be in the twilight of a long and distinguished career, with over 400 appearances to his name, but Maddison treated
AFTER crushing his Spanish pretender to the European crown in the North-East on Friday night, Michael Hunter could be ready to welcome another Iberian challenger into the ring this summer. Hunter left German Guartos' hopes of getting his hands on the
NOT one solicitor has appeared before a disciplinary tribunal for plundering miners' compensation cash, The Northern Echo has learned. The news has led to claims that the Law Society, the watchdog of the legal profession, has been too slow in dealing
ON the week Paul Stephenson took his players swimming, Hartlepool United managed to keep their heads above water. Just. When Kevin O'Connor curled a free-kick into the top corner with seven minutes remaining, Pool were heading for League Two. Twelve months
DO you remember what May 1, 1997, felt like? It was a joyous, optimistic day. The nation had completely fallen out with the Tories, and not only was Tony Blair going to scrub clean their sleazy ways but he was assuring us that things could only get better
VILLAGERS are being invited to show strength and determination during a tug-of-war competition at an annual fair later this month. Organisers of Sedgefield Mediaeval Fair, on Saturday, May 20, are looking for teams to come forward for the contest and
SUPER-VET Brian Rushworth ended a fortnight's break with a debut victory in yesterday's seven-mile Pier to Pier multi-terrain race between South Shields and Roker. The 43-year-old quadruple North-East veterans cross country champion, who lost his bid
YOUNGSTERS are to have a new nursery as work starts on an £800,000 project. The single-storey Jack and Jill's Nursery School will be built on the Thirsk Industrial Estate It is to be finished within months and plans to start taking children, aged up to
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to an altercation between two motorists near Newton Aycliffe on Monday. A silver BMW car was alleged to have travelled at excessive speed, overtaking other vehicles, along the A167 from Rushyford towards Newton Aycliffe
RAMBLERS who have covered thousands of miles on twice-weekly treks are planning two walks and a meal in one day to celebrate their 40th anniversary. The 100 members of the group based in Barnard Castle, County Durham, will be able to take part in a 12
A COUNCIL could charge residents for collecting green waste when it looks to extend a pilot recycling scheme to a borough-wide service. Sedgefield Borough Council has warned thousands of householders they may have to pay a regular fee to have their garden
PEOPLE living or working in Hartlepool will have a chance to see what is being done to make the town a better place. The Hartlepool Partnership is organising a series of coach tours around the town to showcase its work. Chaired by MP Iain Wright, the
TRADERS in a north Durham town centre have spoken of their anger at proposals to demolish half of a main shopping street. Derwentside District Council is in talks with a property developer regarding a £20m plan that would see the top half of Front Street
STAFF and children at two primary schools are celebrating a healthier future. The schools in Redcar and Cleveland have become the first in the borough to be awarded National Healthy Schools status. At Whale Hill Primary School, in Eston, pupils enjoy
A COUNCIL is being urged to make a compulsory purchase order for houses caught up in a multi-million pound transformation of a rundown Teesside estate. Middlesbrough councillors will be asked to approve the order when the council meets this week in a
A GROUP of quilters has made a donation to a local hospice which cares for babies and toddlers. The gift of 18 nursery cot quilts was received by Redcar and Cleveland Council's Mayor and Mayoress, Councillors Peter Spencer and Jean White, on behalf of
A TEESSIDE college will hold a workshop on Sikhism this week in a bid to raise awareness of the religion. Roop Singh will deliver his workshop at Stockton Riverside College tomorrow. Included in the session will be stories and descriptions of Sikh life
A BEREAVEMENT care organisation will hold a conference in Darlington later this month. Cruse Bereavement Care is holding the one-day event to develop insight and understanding of the needs of people in distress, and explain how trauma may lead to difficulties
A TEENAGER will perform at a Darlington concert after winning the town's Young Singer of the Year competition. Hayley McKay, 14, was one of six singers in the grand final of the Music for Darlington competition, at Elm Ridge Methodist Church, in Darlington
BEAUTY demonstrations, a theatre performance and an auction will be on offer as part of a charity fundraising night next month. In aid of Darlington Pain Clinic, it will see students from Darlington College give fashion, hair and beauty demonstrations
PERHAPS it will be remembered as the moment when the Football Association's fortunes began to change. Rocking from Luiz Felipe Scolari's rejection of the England job and reeling from Wayne Rooney's foot injury at Stamford Bridge, the sight of Michael
DRUG users in Darlington and Durham have been given a new goal in life after taking part in a sports programme to help boost their self-esteem. Thirty-five members of the Darlington Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) and Durham DIP took part in a regional
NOMINATIONS are now being taken for this year's annual celebration of the best food and drink providers in Hambleton. The third annual Flavours of Hambleton awards scheme is expanding from eight categories to ten, including one to recognise a venue that
A MAJOR effort has been launched to encourage employers to take on people with learning disabilities. A DVD highlighting the workplace skills and abilities of such adults has been produced by North Yorkshire County Council's supported employment service
AN Easter-themed fundraising event has raised almost £3,000 for a Darlington hospice. During the past two weeks, volunteers from St Teresa's Hospice have been giving away chocolate eggs in Darlington's Queen Street Shopping Centre, for an Easter egg tombola
FIRE chiefs are offering potentially life-saving equipment to people with hearing difficulties as part of Deaf Awareness Week. Working in partnership with local authorities, Cleveland Fire Brigade will fit smoke alarms adapted for deaf people. The alarms
THE Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art has appointed Jerome Sans as its new programme director. Currently living in Paris, Mr Sans, 45, will take up his new job in Gateshead later this summer. Until February, he was the founder and co-director of the
No other club in League Two has received more dismissals than Darlington this season but their record when losing a player is excellent, only two defeats in eight games, and David Hodgson believes that illustrates the squad's strength of character. Matt
Darlington RA manager David Woodcock declared that winning a second successive promotion on Saturday was his "proudest moment in football." The RA, playing their first Northern League season in 80 years, won 4-1 at Alnwick to clinch the last Second Division
They have been on the brink for a long time but Darlington's play-off hopes are finally over. A bit like Wayne Rooney's chances of playing for England in Germany this summer, in theory there's a chance but only the most optimistic hold any hope. Despite
On a day when four sides comfortably passed the 200 mark in the Darlington Building Society NYSD Premier League Premier Division, none did better than Great Ayton, who posted almost 300 in just 50 overs. Leading the way was new professional Riaz Afridi
Sven-Goran Eriksson and the Football Association spent yesterday consulting with their medical experts about England's injured strikers. Eriksson's World Cup plans were blown out of the water when Wayne Rooney broke a bone in his foot on Saturday and
BLAYDON have agreed to go along with the county's request to play the Durham Cup final on Wednesday, May 24 after beating Darlington 32-20 in Saturday's semi-final. Westoe have reached the final without playing a game after Horden cried off, citing a
'HOW do we improve for next season?' That was the question posed by Steve McClaren in his programme notes for Saturday's final Premiership home game against Everton. But, in light of the likelihood the Middlesbrough manager will be confirmed as the next
THE final journey of the Tyne Class boat Phil Mead was not a rescue mission - it was a one-way journey to join the reserve fleet at Amble, in Northumberland. Along with the station's 23 volunteers, a crowd of supporters gathered to watch at Redcar, east
PERHAPS it will be remembered as the moment when the Football Association's fortunes began to change. Rocking from Luiz Felipe Scolari's rejection of the England job and reeling from Wayne Rooney's foot injury at Stamford Bridge, the sight of Michael
NOT one solicitor has appeared before a disciplinary tribunal for plundering miners' compensation cash, The Northern Echo has learned. The news has led to claims that the Law Society, the watchdog of the legal profession, has been too slow in dealing
