TWO inmates have been found dead in their cells in separate incidents, it was revealed today. A Prison Service spokesman said convicted rapist Olebonkole Adetula was found hanging in his cell at Acklington prison, Northumberland, just before 6am yesterday
A TEENAGE boy escaped serious injury after being stabbed by a stranger. The 14-year-old was attacked at around 10.40pm on Saturday night as he was walking along Millbrook Avenue in Middlesbrough with a friend. He suffered a single puncture wound to
EIGHT men have been arrested after a fight broke out among passengers onboard a holiday flight returning to the North-East. Officers from Northumbria Police detained the men once the EasyJet flight from Alicante touched down at Newcastle Airport at 11.25pm
A TWO-YEAR-OLD boy has been banned from a shop because he was wearing a hoodie. Jay Cowper was muffled up against the cold but he and his granddad were told they had to leave their local store. The same shop in York recently banned a middle-aged nurse
RAFAEL Nadal has beaten British number one Andy Murray 6-7 6-4 4-6 6-3 6-1 in the fourth round of the Australian Open mens singles. Nadal will face Fernando Gonzalez of Chile in the quarter finals. * Full story and pictures in tomorrow's Northern Echo
MIDDLESBROUGH defender Ugo Ehiogu is set to sign for Scottish Premiership side Rangers. The 34-year-old, who has made almost 500 appearances for Boro, should complete a deal with Walter Smith's side later this afternoon. Boro are happy to let the former
THE Home Office's Respect campaign came to the region this morning as the government announced a £6m funding package to tackle anti-social disorder. This morning Home Secretary John Reid revealed that Middlesbrough had been chosen as a "Respect area"
A MINIATURE sausage dog is facing a possible death sentence after nipping a neighbour's ankle. At 8ins in height Lucy the Daschund doesn't look the most fearsome of creatures. But she faces being destroyed under the Dangerous Dogs Act if owner Melanie
CLAIMS that the Northern Rock has manipulated interest-rate rises over the past three years at the expense of savers and borrowers were last night dismissed. The Tyneside-based bank was accused of netting millions of pounds in excess profits while failing
A PROJECT developing a town's archive has won praise from Lottery fund organisers, who awarded it £16,000. The changing face of Chester-le-Street's main thoroughfare, Front Street, over the past 100-plus years, is being researched for posterity
A BUSINESSMAN has agreed to swap his pinstripe suit for a kilt on Burns Night - if his son can raise £2,000 for charity. Alasdair MacConachie, managing director of car dealership Sherwoods, in Darlington, will bare his knees in traditional Scottish
A NEW agency is opening to stop workers being prevented from finding work because of discrimination. Directors Brenda Fulton and Anne Bonner are opening New Beginnings - an ethical, not-for-profit recruitment agency, in Hope Street, Crook, on
A NEW agency is opening to stop workers being prevented from finding work because of discrimination. Directors Brenda Fulton and Anne Bonner are opening New Beginnings - an ethical, not-for-profit recruitment agency, in Hope Street, Crook, on
THE effects of a devastating moor fire are to be chronicled in an exhibition. Fire Over Fylingdales will chart 27 days fire crews spent tackling the blaze on the North York Moors, in September 2003. The £47,000 exhibition will also look at the
ENTRIES are flowing in for would-be dog stars in the North- East who want a lead role in a Shakespeare theatre production. Our "bone idol" search is to find a pooch who will appear in the only play in which the Bard ever named a canine in the cast
AN ENSEMBLE which brings together some of the leading musicians in the North-East has received a life-saving donation. But the Durham Sinfonia, which was in danger of folding until its Christmas present from regional bank Northern Rock, is
HEDGEHOGS: WE were delighted to see that the much loved hedgehog has also been voted No 1 Icon for the Environment in England and Wales (Echo, Jan 13). However, despite their obvious popularity, hedgehogs are still under threat from a cull carried out
Shipwrecked: Battle Of The Islands (C4): Consent (C4): LUCY is 18, has spent the past ten years at an all-girls boarding school in York where tolerance clearly wasn't on the curriculum. She was announced as a girl with old-fashioned values which, she
WE love our local heroes at The Northern Echo and Phill Nixon - The Ferryhill Flyer - certainly emerged as a local hero from the World Darts Championships. We had a feeling about The Flyer from early on in the championships and decided to get behind him
A FURNITURE recycling scheme has been extended after a move to larger premises. The Richmond Furniture Recycling Project is run by the YMCA in units 1 and 4 Jackson Court, on the town's Gallowfields Industrial Estate. Norma Yarker, of the YMCA, said:
CALLS to Crimestoppers from North Yorkshire residents led to more than 30 arrests last year. Figures issued by the charity reveal that as well as the arrests, drugs worth £13,000 and stolen property worth £12,500 was recovered. Detective Constable Kevin
PARISH councillors have rejected a £2,000 offer to settle a long-running mobile phone mast row. Villagers in Sheriff Hutton, near York, were offered the money by Ryedale District Council together with an apology for the way it handled the construction
PLANS for a masonry recycling unit in a town have been passed despite objections from local residents. The county council gave consent in 1982 for a site in East Ings Lane, off Haygate Lane, Pickering, to be used as a vehicle scrapyard. The owner then
A SHORTAGE of applicants has stopped North Yorkshire Police from recruiting its share of support officers. The Government allocated £91m nationally for the recruitment of 16,000 community support officers. The officers work alongside regular staff, with
VILLAGE halls and community associations could have their rate relief cut by ten per cent. The proposals by Hambleton District Council would have an impact on about 200 non-profit groups. The authority offers discretionary rate relief to rural businesses
THE most comprehensive record yet of an area's archaeological heritage has been published by volunteers. The four-year project in Ripon has resulted in more than 2,000 documents, including newspaper articles, aerial photographs and historic maps, being
VOLUNTEERS are being sought to help support people who are the victims of crime in the county. They will be trained to give emotional support, information and help to those who have suffered all kinds of crime. The eastern and northern areas
THE public is being asked their views on how a new reading group should be run. Two meetings will be held for potential members of the group at Knaresborough Library. County councillor Chris Metcalfe said: "Reading groups have become increasingly popular
AN antiquarian and second-hand book and postcard fair will be held at Bedale High School from 10am to 4pm on February 11. Admission is 70p for adults, and free for children, and proceeds will go to the Friends of Chernobyl's Children charity.
A COUNCIL information centre is preparing to open following a £1.1m investment. Hartlepool Council's contact centre is expected to be ready for the public early next month. It will operate under the brand of Hartlepool Connect, and provide a single point
A SCHEME that pairs university students with school pupils has won national recognition. One to One, a Durham University scheme run by Student Community Action (SCA), was shortlisted in the Higher Education Action Community Fund awards. SCA itself was
MIDDLESBROUGH shoppers are invited to learn more about the food they eat during an allergy awareness event today. Middlesbrough Council's community protection service is holding the event in the Life Store, The Mall, from 11am to 4pm. It is part of a
A COUNCIL has announced plans to invest £161,000 to create 13 jobs at its call centre. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council said the number of people using its contact centre had risen by almost a third, while visitors to its one-stop shops had also
A CHARITY is desperately seeking help to preserve funding given to buy a bus to provide a lifeline for elderly and disabled residents. Chester-le-Street and District Voluntary Welfare Committee received £20,000 from Durham County Council's Local Transport
PROJECT leaders will be available to discuss the work of Guisborough's Blue Lake restoration project on Thursday, February 8, at 7pm, at Highcliffe School, Guisborough.
A GOOD Samaritan chose the wrong person to defend when he saw two men scuffling on the ground. Martin Daniel had just caught Michael Miller trying to steal his valuable mountain bike and had him in a head-lock. But the unknown do-gooder wrongly thought
CONTRASTING artworks by a husband and wife have gone on show. Printmaker Richard Spare and his wife, Kay, who specialises in watercolours, work from the same creative centre, the Wellington Studio, in a converted Victorian coach house, in Charlton, south-west
RESILIENT Sunderland Harriers scored a superb winning men's double in yesterday's 24th Durham Cathedral Cross Country Relays. After retaining their veterans' title - and winning the North-East Championship - the Wearsiders beat off a challenge from last
COMMUNITY spaces in Darlington are to be transformed under plans to invest millions of pounds in parks and play areas. In total, £3m will be invested in a number of projects, ranging from replacing outdated children's play equipment to entire overhauls
YORKSHIRE have launched a passionate defence of fast bowler Tim Bresnan, after suggestions he missed out on an England World Cup place because he was overweight and not fit enough. such charges have been categorically denied by Yorkshire chief executive
THE future of a Darlington school is secure after a council agreed to push ahead with plans for renovation. Darlington Borough Council's cabinet has approved plans to find funding to refurbish Branksome School and two others. Branksome's long-term future
NEW LABOUR: THERE was a time when the Labour Party could be relied on to represent the poor and disadvantaged in society. After the latest council meeting at Darlington, it would seem those days are gone. I, a mere Conservative, spent 30 years working
ARRIVA SERVICES: RE recent letters about Arriva bus services. In the past couple of months, I have been working in Bishop Auckland. On a number of occasions, I was late for work. When I went to get the bus home, I often had to wait up to 90 minutes
A club for young people - launched after Darlington's council joined forces with a church - is branching out. The Friday Youth Club, set up by Darlington Borough Council's youth service and Northgate Baptist Church in December, has already attracted
WEAR Valley residents could be asked to play a part in improving the district's poor health record. A £100,000 Government grant will pay for initiatives to help close the health gap with other areas. It comes from funding allocated by the Department
A CAMPAIGN by residents to stop a power company chopping down trees in their leafy hamlet has forced bosses to reconsider. Villagers in North Close, near Spennymoor, are fighting proposals by electricity supplier Northern Electric Distribution (NEDL)
DENTAL nurses preparing for important exams have put their coursework on show for patients. Andrea Marram, Valerie Stainthorpe, Sarah Gill and Danielle Taylor are taking an oral health education course at the North East Chamber of Commerce, in Darlington
FOUR people needed hospital treatment following three road accidents in north-west Durham, on Saturday. An 11-month-old child and a man and a woman, were taken to hospital to receive treatment for chest injuries following a four-vehicle crash in East
A British soldier was killed when a roadside bomb struck his patrol vehicle in southern Iraq yesterday. Four soldiers were also injured, one seriously, in the incident which took place in the northern part of Basra, said the Ministry of Defence. The dead
SHILPA: You can't help but get the impression Shilpa's new-found friendship with Jade was forced upon her by the powers that be at Big Brother. She'll be happy in the knowledge that she's won the popularity contest, but there was only ever going to be
ONE pedestrian died and another was badly injured in two accidents on the same road at the weekend. A 40-year-old woman pedestrian died after she was in collision with a car on the A1231 Sunderland Highway, in Washington, Wearside, early yesterday. Police
A FATHER has said his son must have been "touched by the hand of God" as he fought back from injuries no one thought he could survive. Mark Upton, 27, suffered brain damage, paralysis and shattered his leg, hip, arm and pelvis in a million-to-one chance
Petrarca Padova 6, Newcastle Falcons 50 NEWCASTLE Falcons will face French side Clermont Auvergne in the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup after an eight-try rout in Italy saw them edge out Harlequins for the final qualification spot. Saturday's
RESIDENTS are invited to two events in Darlington celebrating World Wetlands Day next month. Volunteers can help manage one of the town's most important wetland habitat sites - Brankin Moor Local Nature Reserve, in Neasham Road - on Friday, February 2
REALITY TV hit a new low last week with a show so insulting and downright racist that it sparked demonstrations around the world. Yesterday, the obnoxious Jade Goody spent the day telling anyone who would listen that she wasn't a racist. As an act of
West Auckland angrily went out of the FA Carlsberg Vase to a disputed last minute penalty at VCD Athletic on Saturday. The match was poised for extra time at 1-1 when the Kent League side were awarded a penalty for a foul by goalscorer Brian Fairhurst
THE Sunderland squad have been convinced by perfectionist Roy Keane they are the best crop of players in the Championship - and they aim to prove it by delivering promotion. They are currently seven points behind second-placed Birmingham, who have two
Former teen heart-throb David Cassidy tells Steve Pratt about his life and career now - and his suprising friendship with Beatle John Lennon. IT'S hard to believe just how big David Cassidy was in the 1970s. By the age of 21, he was the highest paid solo
Teesside Athletic were involved in a six-goal thriller with Redcar Rugby Club in the quarter-final of the North Riding County Cup. During an eventful 90 minutes, fortunes fluctuated before Teesside emerged 4-2 winners after extra-time. James Kesterton
Horden manager Mark Fanning believes they still have a chance of avoiding the drop from the First Division after they drew 2-2 with Dunston on Saturday. Horden are second bottom, five points from safety, but they could have had all three points if they
AFTER a week in which a civil war at Chelsea has hogged the headlines, trust Newcastle United to take things one step further. Not content with watching a manager and an oligarch lock horns at Stamford Bridge, the Magpies have embarked on a path that
THE 18-YEAR-OLD from Chester-le-Street who signed for an Italian club has played his first match. Kris Thackray was signed by Reggina, who play in Serie A, Italy's top division, in August last year. He was spotted by scouts playing for England Colleges
After shipping out five players permanently and sending another five out on loan, Darlington manager Dave Penney is still keen to see further squad members leave - albeit on a temporary basis. Rather than being restricted to reserve action, Penney wants
ABEL Xavier wants his Middlesbrough future sorted out in the next ten days with the former Portugal international weighing up offers from other clubs. The 34-year-old was handed a route back into the game following his drugs ban by the Teessiders, signing
DANNY Wilson was content to take a point out of north Wales on Saturday, as Hartlepool United made it 12 games without defeat. A 1-1 draw against a Wrexham side who have not won since beating Darlington on December 23 came after an afternoon - the second
WALK into Hurworth, across the River Tees, and you pass from Yorkshire into Durham; from Richmondshire into the Borough of Darlington.You also pass from William Hague's constituency into Tony Blair's - a point not lost on the national media before the
A SCHEME to recycle unwanted bicycles has been extended following a good response from the public.Stockton Borough Council's neighbourhood environment action team (Neat) collected 35 unwanted bikes from recycling-conscious people in Billingham and at
A COASTGUARD has received national praise for helping to keep seaside visitors safe.Volunteer Paul Waugh was presented with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's National Coastguard of the Year award.The award recognises the 43-year-old's volunteering
A SPECIALIST scheme to tackle childhood obesity has been launched.The initiative aims to educate hundreds of youngsters in Stockton on how to lead a healthier lifestyle after concerns over what is shaping up as one of the biggest health issues of the
CALLS for a North-East Labour MP to resign in the wake of plans to close hospitals were last night shrugged off.Iain Wright told The Northern Echo he would continue to fight for residents to get the best deal after the Government's announcement to close
ARCHIVE material has gone on show charting the development of a North-East police force during its 140-year history.Back on the Borough Beat is a display of photographs and memorabilia relating to policing in the Sunderland area, taken from the collection
JUNIOR jazz fans in Darlington enjoyed a swinging time at their group's dress rehearsal.The Darlington Harlequins Juvenile Jazz Band met for a jam in full uniform in preparation for competition in Berwick, Northumberland, later this year.The group, which
STUDENTS led their peers down the right path as they journeyed into the wilds of North Yorkshire.BTEC National Certificate students at Darlington College have spent a term learning expedition skills as part of their outdoor education course.Under the
Wrexham 1, Hartlepool United 1.FOURTEEN years after they first met up as young professional and trainee, Richie Barker and Ritchie Humphreys are adding some lustre to Hartlepool's promotion push.Both were young hopefuls when Humphreys used to clean and
A HOSPICE charity has been presented with £500 from Thirsk Freemasons.Representatives of the Falcon Lodge of Freemasons handed the cheque to Herriot Hospice Homecare on Saturday morning.The presentation, at the Masonic Lodge in Picks Lane, Thirsk, was
FAMILIES in Newton Aycliffe were treated to an early celebration of the Year of the Pig yesterday.With the Chinese New Year due to start on February 18, arts workers Chun-Chao Chiu and Fen-Lan Lin were at the Neville Community Centre, in Neville Parade
METHODIST churches in the new West Durham circuit teamed up for an exhibition at the weekend.Nineteen chapels are included in the new circuit, which became one of the largest in England when it was set up last year to try to stem a trend of shrinking
Air ambulances have been credited with saving an increasing number of heart attack patients in the region, but they also play a vital role in increasing the survival chances of victims of serious accidents. Oliva Richwald reports.THERE are two rescue
VIEWERS have named Luke Casey's long-running series The Dales Diary as the region's favourite TV show.The poll to find the best programme was carried out by the Royal Television Society's North-East and Border Centre for its 20th anniversary celebrations.There
TWO young children were covered in glass after thugs dropped a brick 30ft onto the windscreen of the vehicle in which they were passengers.The shaken children's grandfather, Graham Smith, struggled to maintain control of his Renault van following the
THE ABC of art is outlined in an exhibition that opened at a gallery at the weekend.Forty artists and craftspeople were invited to create a interpretation of their favourite letter. The result features the 26 letters of the alphabet appearing in all shapes
BIG Brother came to Toon on Sunday, with hundreds of hopefuls undeterred by the Jade Goody race-row controversy.As public figures queued up to add their views on the storm over the bullying by Goody and fellow contestants in the Celebrity Big Brother
A GAS supplier has urged residents to check their appliances after families had to be evacuated from their homes because of a suspected leak.A number of homes were plunged into darkness in the Friday night incident.The authorities were alerted after reports
Grimsby Town 0, Darlington 1.Given Darlington's recent miserable run, few would begrudge them at least a sliver of fortune and, if there was ever a fixture most likely to provide it, it was always going to be Grimsby Town away.Forget the fact that, prior
THE region last night braced itself for this season's first bout of wintry weather as temperatures were set to plummet below freezing. Severe weather warnings of widespread icy roads across the North-East and North Yorkshire were issued by the Met Office
TONY BLAIR'S agent, John Burton, said last night that he was appalled at claims of bullying and intimidation made by a fellow councillor.Mr Burton, who has been the Prime Minister's agent since 1983, has been reported to the Standards Board for England
Middlesbrough 5, Bolton Wanderers 1. THE last time Middlesbrough put five past Premiership opposition Stewart Downing had just agreed to commit his long-term future to the Teessiders.On March 19, 2004 the then 19-year-old signed a four-year deal and
Sheffield Wednesday 2, Sunderland 4. WHEN a world record air guitar attempt went embarrassingly wrong at Hillsborough, 80s rock band Saxon had nowhere to hide from the humiliation as they strummed in the centre circle.It must have been a similar feeling
Newcastle United 2, West Ham United 2. YESTERDAY, Glenn Roeder went back to school as he travelled to Warwick University to complete a three-day residential course as part of his studies for his Pro Licence.The UEFA-endorsed study session is supposed
She's one of Britain's biggest designers with stars like Jamelia and Keira Knightly among her clients, so why on earth has Tracey Boyd teamed up with the washing powder Bold? Women's Editor Sarah Foster finds out. THE camisole and briefs, in finest cotton
She tipped Osama bin Laden as one to watch and, on a less serious note, has flagged up trends like 'metrosexuals' and fortyfication'. Now, in her latest book, Marian Salzman tells us what we can expect from the next three years. Women's Editor Sarah Foster
