SENIOR North Yorkshire councillors have pledged to investigate health and aafety problems alleged to surround a primary school. The Yorkshire Coast and Moors area committee of the authority was alerted by local member Pat Marsburg to conditions at
The band "The Ghost Of A Thousand" are touring the UK along with "Saosin" and headliners "Alexisonfire". I caught up with vocalist Tom Lacey and guitarist Andy Blyth before their Middlesbrough gig. Sophie: Firstly, what are "The Ghost Of A Thousand
A YOUNG footballer was today given the go-ahead to resume his career after being cleared of drug-dealing. Middlesbrough youth player Lewis Walker, 17, was acquitted by a jury after a four-day trial at Teesside Crown Court. The teenager's mother is facing
Aycliffe squash club had a great start to the new squash season with 10 juniors representing Durham and Cleveland at County level in a variety of events, throughout the Country. The club also had a strong showing at the recent Durham and Cleveland
Under 18's 7 - 2 Trimdon Goalscorers;Farlow 3 , Murphy 2, Hastie, Donald. M.o.m Ben Claxton. Report Scott Hastie chipped the keeper from 20 yards to open the scoring after six minutes , Roy Donald doubled the lead when he lobbed the keeper
Chancellor Alistair Darling defended the handling of the Northern Rock crisis today as he pledged to give the beleaguered bank breathing space to resolve its future. The lender has borrowed an estimated £24 billion in emergency funding from the Bank
TWO men involved in a plot to flood the North-East with £11m worth of cocaine have been jailed for a total of 28 years. Police found the stash in specially adapted electronic concealment devices hidden in the door frames of a car which was stopped in
POLICE are appealing for information after a burglar stole £600 from a pensioner. The 77-year-old victim was at her home in Raby Gardens, Shildon, County Durham, when a man entered the property between 7am and 7.30am on Saturday (Nov 17). The disabled
An Asian police officer who claimed he was set up for a crime he did not commit after launching a racial discrimination case against his force today had his criminal conviction quashed by the Court of Appeal. Father-of-two Sultan Alam, who was sentenced
RESIDENTS in Darlington have been warned about con men using a fake Spanish lottery to target people in the UK. Trading Standards Officers have received a number of complaints about letters and emails being sent to residents from the Madrid-based Euromilliones
STEVE Harmison will join up with the England team in Sri Lanka - but the Durham fast bowler will have to prove himself before being picked for the first Test. Harmison will arrive in Colombo tomorrow, and is expected to feature in a warm-up match against
POLICE are warning shoppers to be extra vigilant during the Christmas season after two pensioners were targeted by a thief in a busy shopping centre. On the afternoon of Monday last week, November 12, an opportunist thief snatched an 84-year-old woman's
CHANCELLOR Alistair Darling is due to make a statement on the Government's principles for the sale of Northern Rock this afternoon. The beleaguered lender, which has borrowed an estimated £25 billion from the Bank of England so far, has received cut-price
BLUE Square Premier club York City have sacked manager Billy McEwan. The 56-year-old's three-year reign at KitKat Crescent has been brought to an end with the Minstermen in 19th place following Saturday's 3-1 home defeat by Salisbury. ** READ MORE
A FAMILY'S tragic loss has inspired a campaign to buy lifesaving equipment for babies. Chris and Sarah Lakey, of School Aycliffe, have turned the toughest time of their lives into a positive a campaign to help other families. The couple's first
A CHURCH has installed a stained glass window as the finishing touch to its golden anniversary celebrations. The east stained glass window above the altar at St Paul's Church, in Spennymoor, was unveiled to the congregation at the weekend. The
PUPILS from a village comprehensive school may get a chance to make the most exciting journeys of their lives - visiting their counterparts in Zambia. Round trips of more than 10,000 miles each could be possible for a number of teenagers if funding
A LITTLE boy crippled by a debilitating illness can walk again - thanks to Botox. The toxin, usually only used for cosmetic purposes, has transformed nine-year-old William Scott's life. He was diagnosed with Perthes disease in his left hip two years
A NEW hotel under construction may have to be partly demolished following a fire today. Ten fire crews responded to the call to the five-storey Hotel Divan in City Road, Newcastle, at 6.40am. The hotel, part re-build of an existing building and part
PRIMARY school pupils explored the Dales during a week at outdoor education centre. The pupils, from Middleton Tyas School and Hunton and Arrathorne Primary School, stayed at Marrick Priory, in Swaledale. Thirty-three pupils enjoyed rock climbing
YOUNGSTERS who swapped football boots for hiking boots have presented more than £1,200 to Cancer Research UK. Players from the under-14s squad at Northallerton Town Football Club walked up to 26 miles to raise the money. A cheque was handed
A CHURCH which was set up in the living room of two worshippers will mark its tenth anniversary at the weekend. The independent King's Church, in Richmond, was launched by Keith and Christine Hall at their home in the town's Ronaldshay Drive
VOLUNTEERS who helped to welcome 125,000 visitors to tourist information centres have been rewarded for their work. Richmondshire District Council treated the unpaid tourism workers to a buffet and a tour of The Station, in Richmond. The volunteers
AN appeal has been launched to find volunteers for a scheme that provides emergency accommodation for vulnerable young people. York Nightstop, which is one of 60 Nightstop branches in the UK, runs projects in Hambleton and Richmondshire. The
A DESIGN guide to protect a town centre could be approved by councillors next week. The document was drawn up by the Richmond Heritage Partnership Scheme to provide advice to owners, developers and builders wanting to repair, alter or construct
A HAMLET where almost every building is listed will be protected from development if a management plan is approved, say council officers. The document for Easby, near Richmond, would be referred to when planning applications are considered. It
AN education authority needs to do more homework before introducing controversial academies, an MP has warned. Durham County Council is carrying out a consultation over a proposed shake-up of the school system in Consett, Durham and Stanley.
A CAMPAIGN is under way to resurrect a community centre that has fallen into disrepair. The former Miners' Hall, in Percy Terrace in Delves Lanes, is disused and has become a magnet for vandals. Residents would like to see it revamped, so it can
A MEMBER of Durham Freemasons has presented a cheque for £750 to Teesdale and Weardale Mountain Rescue Team. The Provincial Grand Lodge of the Durham Benevolent Fund give about £30,000 a year to non-masonic charities and has chosen to give
A PROJECT to help young people live independent lives in east Durham has been launched. The idea is to help people aged between 16 and 25 to stand on their own feet and not drain their parents' resources or end up on the streets. East Durham
FUNDRAISING for one group of enthusiasts turned into a nice frothy earner. The Light Ale Walkers tackled all of Yarm's pubs on Saturday to collect for the Great North Air Ambulance. The nine willing volunteers were supported by the pubs and clubs
PUB bosses have failed in their attempt to reopen a crime-ridden establishment in Middlesbrough as a family restaurant. Residents claimed living near the Grove, in Easterside, was a nightmare. Its licence was revoked in April last year, after
THE company tasked with improving local services in Middlesbrough is spreading its wings following its success in the town. Mouchel Business Services Ltd (formerly HBS) is Middlesbrough Council's private sector partner in the "Service Middlesbrough
STOCKTON MP Dari Taylor has joined the battle to save the driving test centre in Thornaby. She met the chief executive of the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) to press her claim for keeping the centre open. Representatives from the Stockton and
A TEENAGER who cheated death has lived her dream of swimming with dolphins, after astounding medical staff with her recovery. Jessica Watson, 15, of Coulby Newham, Middlesborough, flew to Disneyland, in Florida, for the holiday of a lifetime
MIDDLEBROUGH'S oldest youth club is getting a new set of wheels today. Joe Walton's Youth and Community Centre, based at the Neptune Centre, in Berwick Hills, will take delivery of a 17-seater mini-bus, after a successful application to the
PUB landlords may be forced to remove a noisy extractor fan which pumps fumes into their neighbour's bedroom window. The kit was built without planning permission on the roof of the Otter and Fish pub in Hurworth - only three metres away from
PRIMARY school children have been packing Christmas presents for their counterparts in Chernobyl. Pupils at Heathfield Primary School, in Darlington, have packed 37 individual presents and four larger boxes with a variety of gifts, including
CHILDREN at a Darlington school are being encouraged to read more by being given a free book. Every year seven pupil at Hurworth School Maths and Computing College has chosen a free copy of one of 15 books to mark Book Week. The students were
A LEADING soldier has called for a shake-up of schools' work experience arrangements to help minimise anti-social behaviour in Darlington. Catterick Garrison commander Lieutenant Colonel Nick Millen said the work experience system is of "little
BRYAN Smart enjoyed his most successful season on the level this summer and his Aegean Dancer looks to hold solid claims in the Pontins.com Handicap at Wolverhampton. Smart's forte seems to be training sprinters and winners at the last two Royal
WORLD No 1 Roger Federer hailed 2007 as a breakthrough year'' after defending his Tennis Masters Cup title. The Swiss star brushed aside Spain's David Ferrer 6-2 6-3 6-2 in the Shanghai final yesterday for his fourth win at the seasonending
MIGUEL Angel Jimenez graciously accepted his second Hong Kong Open title in three years after claiming a thrilling finalhole victory over Robert Karlsson as a European Tour event produced a dramatic climax for the second successive week. Following
DEFENDING champions Sunderland got off to a disastrous start as they finished seventh in the opening fixture of the Start Fitness North-East Harrier League at Blaydon. The Wearsiders, going for their tenth successive title, only managed to field
DALE Steyn ripped through the New Zealand batting line-up to help South Africa win the second Test by an innings and 59 runs at Centurion Park within three days. The Proteas established a 195- run first-innings advantage then skittled out the
MATTHEW Hoggard is hoping to relaunch his international career on the island where it received its heaviest jolt four years ago. Yorkshire seamer Hoggard, 30, was dropped the last time England toured Sri Lanka and was made to ponder his future
In the EDF Intermediate Cup are the only North-East survivors as they won 25-3 at Darlington, while Durham City lost 10-9 at Aspatria. In an even first half at Darlington there was no score for 34 minutes then full backs Simon Moore and Evan
Westoe reached the third round with a 22-10 home win against Fylde, and with the National Two clubs entering this week's draw Blaydon would prefer to face one of their North-East neighbours rather than a trek to Cornwall.
DARLINGTON Mowden Park will be looking for a new hooker this week after the influential Shaun Buckley ruptured his Achilles tendon in Saturday's 17- 11 defeat in the EDF Energy National Trophy tie at Tynedale. Mystery continues to surround the
Mattie Moffat brushed Durham aside in the clash of the Northern League's top two in the second round of the FA Vase at the Archibalds Stadium on Saturday. Consett head the ANL's hopes in today's third round draw, and manager Kenny Lindoe said after
Hartlepool United 1, Bournemouth 1. DANNY Wilson has called on his players to rediscover their ruthless streak if they are to make an impression in League One this season. Yesterday's disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Bournemouth at Victoria Park
Brentford 0, Darlington 2. AT 2-0 up away from home and faced with a late onslaught, a determined Darlington showed the kind of resolve only sides with a winning mentality can muster. Some good football had already displayed another strength to
FRANK Lampard believes England's ability to perform at their best when the stakes are highest will stand them in good stead for Wednesday's clash with Croatia at Wembley. The Chelsea midfielder insists England should approach next summer's finals
Israel 2, Russia 1 RUSSIA boss Guus Hiddink does not expect England to blow the golden opportunity to qualify for Euro 2008 his side gifted them on Saturday night. Hiddink's men suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat in Israel, when victory would have
Northern Ireland 2, Denmark 1 DAVID Healy looked embarrassed at having to explain how it felt to be the record scorer in a European Championship qualifying campaign. Northern Ireland's predatory striker set a new best of 13 goals with a glorious
Scotland 1, Italy 2. SCOTLAND striker James Mc- Fadden is determined to put his country's Euro 2008 heartache behind him and help his country qualify for the 2010 World Cup. The Tartan Army are licking their wounds following Italy's last-gasp
AN ACCOUNTANCY firm has increased its workforce by more than ten per cent. RMT Accounts and Business Advisors, in Gosforth, Newcastle, has taken on 13 extra staff as demand for its services grows. Managing partner John Richards said: "We need
A PROMINENT businessman in the region has been chosen to lead the Northern Business Forum (NBF). John Cuthbert, managing director of Northumbrian Water, has been appointed as chairman of the NBF and will take over from Alistair Arkley, who has
A FLYING academy in the region is to undergo a £3.2m expansion. Newcastle Aviation Academy has secured £1.69m worth of investment from regional development agency One North- East via the TyneWear Partnership. The Learning and Skills Council North
STEELMAKER Corus has played its part in the construction of the world's largest cargo ships. The Odense Steel shipyard, in Denmark, is building eight record-breaking container ships, each of which will be 397 metres long - the length of four football
THE group behind the North- East's biggest radio station, Century FM, is to launch a station targeted at the 40+ listeners. Guardian Media Group (GMG) Radio, which also operates Rock Radio and Real Radio, will launch Smooth Radio in the region
Cannibal Killer (five, 10pm); Nigella Express (BBC2, 8.30pm) DESPITE a thorough job in detailing the horrific crime of Darlington's Cannibal Killer, this documentary remains unable to answer vital questions. What did David Harker, a man who boasted
Maggie Fox, one half of comedy duo Lip Service, talks to Steve Pratt about their latest production, a James Bond spoof which is coming to the Theatre Royal in her home city of York THE first time Maggie Fox went to the theatre in York, it was to see
Anorexia and depression once had control of Jane Park's life, then through a course she did at work she learned techniques to overcome them. Now a qualified life coach, she talks to Women's Editor Sarah FosterTO come across Jane Park today, you'd never
THE Northern Rock shambles occurred because we tried to make two irreconcilables co-exist: first, allowing banks to take risks, and second, the illusion that all banks are 100 per cent safe. They aren't: Barings collapsed (1995) as did BCCI (1991
I HOPE that Kev McStravick is not attempting to excuse or justify Islamophobia on the grounds that "nine out of ten terrorists worldwide are Muslim" (HAS, Nov 14). In the 1970s, almost all acts of terrorism in Britain were perpetrated by Irish
COULD I remind Hugh Pender (HAS, Nov 9) that the Japanese inflicted an unprovoked attack on a neutral country which brought America into the war, but without a carrier force? The Royal Navy supplied the aircraft carriers Victorious, Implacable
FOR as long as I can remember, sport has been part of my life. As a boy growing up in Middlesbrough, I organised my own Olympic Games in our street, using buttons from my mum's sewing box to make gold, silver and bronze medals. We used to stage
Could a humble North-East musician have been Shakespeare's right hand man? Ruth Campbell reports on a remarkable discovery that a virtually unknown entertainer from Darlington could have changed the course of English literature SHAKESPEAREAN scholar
SO England have a lifeline. And so does Steve McClaren. Israel have done us an enormous favour in beating Russia and now we just have to draw with Croatia on Wednesday night and we will qualify for Euro 2008. If we win on Wednesday, McClaren will
THE Mayor of Durham got an annual charity event under way by tipping 20,000 plastic ducks into the River Wear. Councillor Bob Wynn pulled the lever on the JCB to start Grand Durham Duck Race. It was organised by Durham University Charities
A DOG that went blind in one eye when he was dumped on the streets as a puppy has been named Dog of the Year. Bullmastiff Oliver, from Houghtonle- Spring, fought off stiff competition from five other rescue dogs in the RSPCA contest with 23 per
THE Mayor of Durham got an annual charity event under way by tipping 20,000 plastic ducks into the River Wear. Councillor Bob Wynn pulled the lever on the JCB to start Grand Durham Duck Race. It was organised by Durham University Charities
LIBERAL Democrats last night called for Northern Rock to be nationalised as the Government continued to explore ways to extend its £25bn loan to any potential buyer. The Lib Dems have also demanded that Chancellor Alistair Darling addresses
OUTSTANDING staff and students have been honoured at a North-East college's annual awards ceremony. Darlington College's awards' night celebrated exceptional contributions to education and study and highlighted the success and obstacles overcome
A tiny primary school in County Durham has won national recognition for excellence. Gavin Engelbrecht has been finding out about the secret of its success Personalised tuition a key to school's national success TUCKED away in a small, isolated
HEALTH chiefs have rejected claims that patients calling doctors' surgeries are victims of a "money-making racket". Concerns have been expressed that callers to some GP practices are inadvertently running up bills, despite failing to get through
A SENIOR manager with one of the region's police forces has been convicted of drink-driving. Civilian Maurice Reese, 53, a human resources manager at North Yorkshire Police, is still at work, despite being caught driving while over the limit.
A DOCUMENTARY about North- East cannibal killer David Harker will be screened on TV tonight. Cannibal Killer will be shown on Channel Five at 10pm, telling the story behind one of Darlington's most notorious killers and the trail of devastation
THE countdown to Christmas began yesterday with Christmas lights switch-ons in towns and cities across the region. Soap stars from Coronation Street flicked the switch in Durham City in front of an estimated 4,000 crowd. Actors Tina O'Brien and
A FORMER Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate who has defected to the Conservatives has been branded a "dabbler" by his former colleagues. Nigel Boddy, 48, said his decision to switch his allegiance to the Conservatives was fuelled by the
THREE generations of the same family keep in shape by attending the same ballet school. Grandmother Pam Johnson has been dancing since she was a child and passed on her love of ballet to her daughter, Nikki. In turn, her children Lauren, seven
FLOWER enthusiasts from around the North-East have exhibited at one of the region's biggest chrysanthemum shows. Darlington Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society's annual late flowering chrysanthemum show, which took place in Bondgate Methodist Church
A TOWN known as the cradle of the railways has turned back time to produce its first locomotive in more than 25 years. The first restored engine to come out of the conservation workshops at Locomotion: the National Railway Museum at Shildon, in
As part of The Northern Echo lifeblood campaign, which aims to encourage people to give blood, here are details of forthcoming donor sessions in the region: TODAY Rowlands Gill Methodist Church Hall, Strathmore Road, Rowlands Gill, 2.30pm-7.15pm
MARK SCHWARZER has issued his own personal message of support to manager Gareth Southgate after a week in which the Middlesbrough boss was told his job was safe. Outside the corridors of the Riverside Stadium, there has been speculation surrounding Southgate's
FAR East crime gangs are to blame for an epidemic of cannabis production in the region, The Northern Echo can reveal today.More than 100 cannabis factories have been discovered in the North-East and North Yorkshire in the past year.Many of the farms were
ROY KEANE wants Andrew Cole to add the Premier League mentality to Sunderland that has been lacking from much of their play this season. After emerging from 70 minutes of last week's fixture with Falkirk unscathed, Cole is likely to be handed another
ROY Keane will spend the next month identifying the 'experienced Premier League striker' that could fire Sunderland to safety in the second half of the season. The Black Cats boss has been promised a significant injection of funds once the transfer window
MICHAEL OWEN has described how the pain of missing Wednesday's European Championship decider against Croatia was surpassed by the joy of other results on Saturday night. The Newcastle United striker has left club manager Sam Allardyce fuming again after
A HEROIC pilot who survived scores of dangerous flying missions during the Second World War has died in a road accident.Flying ace Colin Perkins was crushed against his own vehicle when a Land-Rover collided with him as he was unloading gardening equipment
Steve McClaren looked ahead to the biggest week of his managerial career and insisted: ''I will survive.'' By this time next week, McClaren's England could be out of Euro 2008 and he might well be out of a job. Indeed, in the worst-case scenario, the
WHEN the Queen and Prince Philip celebrate 60 years of marriage tomorrow, another couple will raise glasses of champagne to mark their own diamond wedding anniversary.Thomas and Joyce Robinson were married on the same day as the Queen and the Duke of
Steve McClaren has warned England they must not fail to grasp their Euro 2008 lifeline. Israel's shock win over Russia, plus Macedonia's equally unexpected triumph over Croatia means England could top Group E when they conclude their qualification campaign
Scotland striker James McFadden is determined to put his country's Euro 2008 heartache behind him and help his country qualify for the 2010 World Cup. The Tartan Army are licking their wounds following Italy's last-gasp 2-1 win at Hampden Park on Saturday
TWO North soldiers serving in southern Afghanistan have foiled a suicide car bomber who attempted to attack their patrol.The incident, announced last week, lasted a matter of seconds. It happened on October 22, as the soldiers, from 473 Special Observation
A NORTH-EAST university is bidding to become the first in the country to sponsor an academy school.Durham University has confirmed to The Northern Echo that it has expressed an interest in sponsoring the first academy schools to be opened in County Durham.Durham
A MAN has been arrested after a 17-year-old woman was killed in a car crash. The dead female was a passenger in a red Renault Clio which crashed through a fence into a field on the B1249 Driffield to Scarborough road, near Scarborough, North Yorkshire
