FIRE-FIGHTERS spent more than three hours fighting the "substantial" blaze at York racecourse tonight. The fire was believed to have started in a conference facility on the fifth floor of the main Ebor grandstand just after 7pm. After the fire spread
FIRE-fighters were tonight fighting a blaze in the main grandstand at York Racecourse. The Ebor stand, where a function was taking place, was evacuated at about 7pm. The fire was believed to have started on the fifth floor and to have spread through
Fire-fighters were tonight attending a reported fire in the Ebor Stand at York racecourse. Crews were called to the course on the outskirts of the city just after 7pm.
I WONDER if the vociferous and self-appointed apologists of Islam are content with the events of last weekend. We must wake up in this country to acknowledge that Islam is waging a holy war against the West, and the US and UK in particular. I
AFTER hearing of, and seeing, the terrible recent flooding, is the Government setting up a disaster fund to help the unfortunate people affected? It's about time we looked after our own. If it happened overseas Britain would be the first to contribute
HEAR! Hear! To Roland Bramham who complained about the £4.50 penalty BT was about to impose because he chooses to pay his telephone bill by cash or cheque instead of by Direct Debit (HAS, June 23). I have complained about the same imposition by
HOW can anyone say we live in a democratic and free country after the recent persecution of teacher Mark Walker (Echo, June 18 and 25)? He was suspended for accessing the British National Party's website at Sunnydale Comprehensive School, Shildon
I WAS surprised that a correspondent wrote saying that no party was campaigning for the Barnett Formula to be updated (HAS, June 25). I and many others have asked all our North-East MPs to campaign to have the formula changed to reflect the areas
WE are frequently told by one of your contributors how ignorant of European affairs some of us are. I have been expecting some insight into the pros and cons of the recent EU summit, but only minimal space has been given to this crucial matter.
TONY Kelly (HAS, June 29), in support of medieval music, says that anyone in search of a new musical experience cannot do better than listen to it on Radio 3. Indeed they can. The annual York Early Music Festival (with which I have no connection
Publisher: Midway Formats: Nintendo DS Price: £19.99 IT'S a little known fact that as well as turning out scores of popular console games, Midway is also a major manufacturer of tabletop pub games
Despite the torrential downpours that have dampened our enthusiasm for outdoor living of late, summer simply has to start at some point. Armed with hopeless optimism and the best camping gizmos around, NIGEL BURTON braves the great outdoors. CAMPING
A RARE first edition of a classic horror story which sparked countless films and built a legend around a seaside town has been unearthed. The 1897 copy of Bram Stoker's Dracula was found during a house clearance in Great Smeaton, near Northallerton
Lancashire v Yorkshire (Twenty20 Cup) A BATTING shambles by Yorkshire Phoenix resulted in them going down by 30 runs in their Twenty20 Cup match against Lancashire Lightning in front of a 15,215 crowd at Old Trafford yesterday. Defeat was a bitter
PUB regulars and staff got on their bikes at the weekend to raise funds for Children with Leukaemia charity. Members of the football team at the Black Horse pub, in Chester-le-Street, were also among the 16 who completed the Coast-to-Coast cycle. Following
A CHURCH which is raising money for repairs to its tower has received £72,000. In recent months, the congregation of St Andrew's, Church Bank, Stanley, have been holding a number of fundraising events, such as concerts, to pay for the work. Now, the
THE race to uncover the business brains of tomorrow looks likely to go down to the wire. After ten months of competition between the eight schools vying for the Future Business Magnates title - and with just a week to go before the presentation night
A partnership between Cleveland Fire Brigade and Housing Hartlepool is expected to make 7,000 households safer. The brigade has teamed up with the housing group to carry out home fire safety checks to reduce death and injury caused by fire. Residents
POLICE found heroin hidden in a man's underwear, Durham Crown Court heard yesterday. The court was told that the drug could raise between £900 and £5,000 if sold on the street. Kevin Hopton was stopped by police as he drove towards Consett, on October
AN art group has donated storage boxes to a museum. Liz Evans, chairman of North Yorkshire and South Durham Decorative and Fine Arts Society, presented the archive-quality storage boxes to Richmondshire Museum last week. The boxes were bought by the society
THREE church bells will be rung by hand for the last time next weekend before being replaced by eight bells from a disused chapel. After their installation, at St Thomas' Church, Brompton, near Northallerton, the bells will be operated by villagers. The
THE second part of a cultural exchange will bring young Russian musicians to the region. Pupils from Music School No 9, in St Petersburg, will be performing at St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Lanchester, on Monday. The Russian students
A SCHOOL is about to receive thousands of pounds in funding after succeeding at the second attempt in a bid for specialist status. Bedale High School, which is to specialise in humanities, worked for two years to raise £50,000 to support its bid, one
THREE puppies need a foster mother to look after them. The two-day-old cross breed puppies are being looked after by staff at Paul J Wilson veterinary group, in Bishop Auckland. "We are looking for a bitch with a good nature who weighs at least 25 kilos
A TEENAGER who headbutted a friend for kissing his pregnant girlfriend has been jailed for eight months. Robert Jenney was told by a judge that he could not be spared custody even though he had never been in trouble before. Judge Peter Armstrong told
A MOTORIST who took a complaint about a parking ticket to the top has been told the fine will be refunded. Mac Bryant is one of several shoppers who have criticised new parking restrictions at the Co-op supermarket in Richmond. Mr Bryant appealed to Civil
A COLLEGE has been recognised for its commitment to the health and wellbeing of its students. The North Yorkshire Healthy Schools Status award was presented to Northallerton College for encouraging community involvement, emotional development, good eating
ARTISTIC youngsters are taking inspiration from a jewel in the region's cultural crown for a school project. GCSE art students from Spennymoor School visited The Oriental Museum, in Durham, to study sculptures and paintings of mythical creatures. Using
A river crossing marked a double centenary celebration in Middlesbrough. A 1907 Ringtons Tea horse-drawn carriage crossed the Transporter Bridge to mark the 100th anniversary of the Corporation (Transporter Bridge) Act. It was Simon Smith, the great grandson
BISHOP Auckland will be in the national spotlight this week when judges looking for Britain's most enterprising town make their inspection. The Town Centre Forum's marketing group has already been crowned North-East winners of the 2007 Enterprising Britain
VILLAGERS have voiced their disgust after boards over windows in a derelict building were painted. Teesdale District Council instructed the owners of the former St Peter's School in Gainford, near Barnard Castle, to tidy up the site to prevent crime and
A CONTROVERSIAL planning application could be coming to a satisfactory conclusion for campaigners this week. Plans to demolish the Edwardian Red Cottage, in Nunthorpe, and replace it with 33 apartments have faced fierce opposition from residents. A petition
PARKING on the main road through a village could cause a serious accident, councillors have warned. Neasham Parish Council has called for borough council highways officials to carry out an urgent review into road safety in Teesway. Councillors have said
PUPILS at a Darlington school have been using the latest technology to produce a video news bulletin. As part of Longfield School's Enrichment Week, 28 year seven pupils worked together to put together the broadcast. The pupils used the internet and interviewed
ADVENTUROUS youngsters have shown they can meet any challenge head on by achieving the Duke of Edinburgh's gold award. Charlene Cheung, one of the six youngsters in the Redcar and Cleveland area to achieve the top standard, chose to make her debut in
AN alcoholic stole £30 from a pensioner he had previously cared for to buy more drinks, a court was told yesterday. Darren Lee Foster admitted theft when he appeared at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday. David Maddison, prosecuting, told the court
A TEACHER is retiring to the coast after 20 years teaching at a Darlington college. Sue Wilkinson, who has taught at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College (QE), in Darlington, since 1987, will take early retirement on Friday. Since she and her husband moved
A DRINK-DRIVER has been warned he could be jailed after reversing a car into a parked vehicle. Jon Michael Moylan, 29, pleaded guilty to four driving offences from June 11 when he appeared at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday. They included aggravated
OUTLINE plans for 149 homes and an industrial park in a dales village were passed by councillors last night. Banks Developments, from Tow Law, were given planning permission to transform the Weardale Castings and Engineering site, in Wolsingham, after
As the growth of city living continues unabated, country folk are becoming an endangered species, something which could have serious implications for the future of the planet.WELL that's it, the balance has tipped. And, in case you don't recognise it,
BREWER Scottish & Newcastle (S&N) yesterday announced that its Newcastle Brown Ale brand is still growing in the US, but reported a weaker performance in the UK as it issued a profits warning for the first half of the year. The group said the wet weather
VAN hire group Northgate yesterday revealed it is planning to move into a new European market within the next 12 months after seeing growth in every area of the business during the past year. The Darlington company saw a 34 per cent rise in pre-tax profits
THE owner of Europe's deepest mine has announced plans to invest more than £20m in the site, securing its future for at least another 20 years. The investment by Cleveland Potash - east Cleveland's largest employer - will extend mining operations in
THE North-East Regional Portal has strengthened its project management team with the appointment of Sidsel McKeith. Ms McKeith has joined the Gateshead Regional Portal as project manager for iStop, an initiative that uses touch screen kiosks to connect
PROPERTY investment and development company The Hanro Group has made two appointments. Adam Serfontein has been named managing director of the Newcastle group, after eight years with the company, five as a director. He has worked in Newcastle, London
THE North-East has contributed to a record year for UK investment successes, winning contracts to work on 64 projects that are expected to create nearly 2,000 jobs, according to figures released yesterday. Statistics published by UK Trade and Investment
NOW call me cynical, but I've got a sneaking suspicion that there's a factory somewhere in Hollywood which churns out archetypical American drama shows. On the other hand, it could be just an amazing coincidence that the same ubiquitous character-types
IT must have been one of the few school sports days that wasn't rained off last week. Just as well, or I'd have missed a treat. What am I saying? A treat? School sports day? How things have changed. As a child I was the one nobody ever picked for their
THE National Audit Office is the official auditor of the Government's spending. The work it does saves taxpayers millions of pounds every year. So when the NAO accuses the Department of Health of not doing enough to help dementia sufferers we should sit
A former Fleet Street crime reporter, Peter Kinsley has used his knowledge to write a novel about a paedophile. He talks to Women's Editor Sarah Foster about the controversial subject and why he feels that harsher penalties would reduce attacks on children.THEY
A COUNCIL says it has received a complaint about "noisy" cigarette smokers following the national ban on smoking in enclosed public places. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council said the complaint was one of the more bizarre since the new law came into
A WOMEN'S group says it will still give out information cards on stroke symptoms despite opposition from a national charity. Darlington Soroptimists had been warned against distributing the wallet-size cards containing an acronym to help people recognise
THE Department of Health stands condemned today for failing thousands of dementia patients in desperate need of help. A report published today says there is a national crisis in dementia care - and not enough is being done. The comments, by the National
THE coroner investigating the deaths of 22 patients of Dr Howard Martin has closed the book on all but one case. Coroner Andrew Tweddle yesterday announced that he will hold a full inquest into the death of 84-year-old William Kerr. Mr Kerr's body was
UP-AND-COMING apprentice jockey Jamie Moriarty is once again poised to shine at Catterick today where he's picked up a good ride aboard Press Express (5.05) for his boss, Richard Fahey. Press Express was originally based at Newmarket with Michael Bell
GRAEME STORM'S reward for a maiden European Tour triumph was to receive confirmation of an invite to play in the World Golf Championship early next month. The 29-year-old - who flew out to Ireland yesterday - will put off a holiday to Las Vegas to turn
TWO long-serving Hartlepool United midfielders yesterday found new clubs. Mark Tinkler, who signed for Pools in 2000, went to Scottish First Division side Livingstone, who are now managed by Mark Proctor, the former Middlesbrough Academy and Darlington
MICHAEL Owen travelled to Austria to kickstart his pre-season preparations yesterday, with Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce claiming that the striker's "life-changing" injury would make him even more determined to succeed this season. Owen flew out of Newcastle
AMELIE Mauresmo admitted she was sick of the sight of Czech teenager Nicole Vaidisova as her Wimbledon title defence stuttered and spluttered to a premature conclusion. Vaidisova has now won three in a row against Mauresmo and she booked her quarter-final
ROGER FEDERER didn't really need divine intervention to help him to his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title - but he's getting it. The world number one is already safely in the quarter-finals, after he dodged the showers and was aided by the withdrawal
Fast bowling consultant Allan Donald aims to keep cricket fun for England's stars after having his contract extended until September. The former South Africa paceman was initially appointed on a short-term basis by Peter Moores to work with bowling coach
ON a gloomy day in SW19 you can be assured Sir Cliff will bring some colour to proceedings. The uber-crooner was holding court in the Royal Box yesterday dressed in a vivid jacket - which one fashionista described as being cyan-chequered - that he paired
ROY KEANE has revealed that working his way through the first stages of his coaching badges helped to persuade him to take his first step into management at Sunderland last summer. While the likes his predecessor at the Stadium of Light, Mick McCarthy
A MAN has appeared in court accused of murdering a North-East teenager.Police yesterday released the first picture of 18-year-old murder victim Rebecca Hood, who was strangled to death in Sunderland at the weekend.The teenager's body was discovered after
THE jury in a trial of two brothers accused of murdering a former boxer has been shown CCTV pictures of them near the scene shortly before the killing.David and Terence Reed were captured on cameras in the town centre and at a pub in the hours before
PHIL Wilson was last night elected as the Labour candidate who bids to retain Tony Blair's Sedgefield seat at the forthcoming by-election.Among his opponents will be the Liberal Democrats' Greg Stone, who was selected by his party late last night.Mr Wilson
JEREMIE Aliadiere last night promised to prove Arsene Wenger wrong after the Arsenal boss allowed him to make a £2m move to Middlesbrough.The French striker, who took part in his second day of pre-season training at Boro's Rockliffe Park training ground
A DRAMA group have been putting the finishing touches to their sellout performance of Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona.The Castle Players, in Barnard Castle, will perform the play in the grounds of Bowes Museum this week. All of the 2,500 seats
A CHIEF constable has undergone drug and alcohol testing as a show of support for new substance misuse regulations.Grahame Maxwell was the first officer from North Yorkshire Police to volunteer for the tests.He provided breath and urine samples, followed
A TEENAGER from the North-East has become one of the country's youngest publicans.Not only that, but Kimberley Parnham also transformed a derelict pub into a thriving business - at the grand old age of 18.Kimberley, now 19, left New College Durham with
A FORMER councillor jailed for indecently touching an 11-year-old girl failed yesterday in a bid to overturn his conviction.Fifty-six-year-old Harry Devine was branded a danger to young girls following his trial, at Durham Crown Court, in March 2005.The
A RENOWNED twitcher has helped to start work on a multi-million pound nature reserve. Kate Humble, pictured, of BBC's Springwatch, cut the first sod of earth at the site of the Wild Bird Discovery Centre, at the Saltholme International Nature Reserve,
A BRIDE and groom whose wedding was almost washed out by floods have thanked firefighters who turned up to save their big day.When they were told the field they were due to get married in was under several inches of water after torrential rain caused
A FUND has been launched to create a permanent memorial for one of the region's most popular politicians.Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council yesterday launched The Mo Mowlam Memorial Fund to raise £12,000 for a mosaic to celebrate her life and preserve
FORGET Sri Lanka, India and Kenya, the tempting cuppa known as Yorkshire tea could soon be just what it says - from Yorkshire.Experts may soon be sourcing tea leaves for the nine million cups enjoyed each day from much closer to home.The blenders of the
IT is estimated that pensioner Edna Foulds has borrowed an amazing 20,800 books over the past 40 years from her local library.However, an even more staggering fact is that the 85-year-old great-grandmother has only ever had to pay one fine.But with an
LARGE areas of a town were sealed off by police roadblocks last night after reports of an explosion at a chemical plant.Police sealed off roads around the Hydro Polymers factory, on the Aycliffe Industrial Estate, in Newton Aycliffe, after reports of
Durham v Yorkshire (Twenty20 Cup) YORKSHIRE last night exploited Durham's frailties against spin as two players who rarely get a bowl in four-day cricket throttled what little life was left in their hosts' Twenty20 campaign.By completing the double in
P Chapman continued his good form with three 4-0 wins on monday night his three wins were against B Dickinson, S Lee, O Mcffaden. Other results where. R Turnbull 1-3. D Robinson 1-3 G Lawson. G Hodgson 3-1 I Brown. I Harper 2-2 D Heron. D Robinso
SOUTH Tees Hospitals NHS Trust is planning to become a Foundation Trust. The trust, which runs the 1,000-bed James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, and the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, has been invited to become a Foundation
RESIDENTS of a nursing home were evacuated after fire broke out in a first-floor bedroom. Fire crews from Peterlee and Sedgefield went to the Beeches Nursing Home, Kelloe, County Durham, at 8.20am yesterday. Staff evacuated residents to a safe area of
