Archive
-
Date
Accident verdict on bike rider
A MOTORBIKE rider was killed in a collision with a car emerging from an industrial estate entrance in darkness, an inquest heard. Thomas Johnson, 67, was riding his Yamaha 125cc machine northbound on the A688 from Metal Bridge to Bowburn when the accident
-
Date
Culture and creativity to receive £8.5m investment
THE cultural landscape of the region's business community is to be put through an £8.5m overhaul that is expected to create jobs and prosperity. Up to 650 small and medium-sized firms will benefit from a range of projects due to be carried out during
-
Date
Stewart returns to Town with a warning
MARCUS STEWART will make an emotional return to Huddersfield Town tonight warning Sunderland not to get carried away by their encouraging pre-season form. Since Stewart was sold by Huddersfield to Ipswich Town in 2000, the Terriers have slumped from the
-
Date
Free computer training to help groups onto web
VILLAGE halls, community centres and libraries will soon be able to offer free computer training, thanks to a scheme run by The Northern Echo's CommuniGate programme. CommuniGate can hold sessions at community venues, including UK Online facilities, with
-
Date
Mayor keeps up century-old gift tradition
A 100-YEAR-OLD tradition was upheld in Darlington yesterday when a former mayor gave a civic gift to her successor. Councillor Doris Jones, the Mayor of Darlington last year, made the presentation to the present mayor, Councillor Ron Lewis, in the Mayor's
-
Date
Islamic culture awareness day
AN afternoon of seminars and exhibitions is planned on Sunday for Darlington's second Islamic Cultural Awareness Day. The event, organised by Darlington's Youth Offending and Community Safety Service and the Islamic Society of Darlington, is to promote
-
Date
Bombers strike at Costa hotels
THIRTEEN people were hurt yesterday as Basque terror group Eta launched its summer offensive by bombing two hotels along Spain's Mediterranean coast. The blasts happened within minutes of each other in the Costa Blanca resorts of Benidorm and Alicante
-
Date
Have-a-go chief lays down the law
A Chief Constable led from the front when he witnessed a road rage punch-up only minutes after pledging a clamp down on crime. Sean Price, head of Cleveland Police, had been at a meeting with community leaders in Loftus and assured them he was serious
-
Date
Councillors support fight to save post office
COUNCILLORS say they will back the fight to save a community's post office which has been scheduled for closure under a reorganisation of the national branch network. Post Office Limited has identified Spennymoor's Mount Peasant post office for closure
-
Date
Bus firm's reward to help stamp out crime
A MAYORESS who helped to convict a bus driver's attacker has helped launch a reward scheme for public spirited passengers. Susan Lynn, wife of the Mayor of Gateshead, Councillor David Lynn, was on board a Go North East bus in August when a man carried
-
Date
Pupils learn lifesaving skills
YOUNGSTERS from Hartlepool and Stockton have taken part in a first aid competition. The event was organised by the Department of Health and Care at Hartlepool College of Further Education. Those taking part learn ed how to help in emergency situations
-
Date
Scientists gather at N-E chemistry conference
RESEARCHERS and chemists from around the globe are mixing in the North-East at an important event on the science calendar. The University of Sunderland is hosting the Analytical Research Forum, attracting more than 180 chemists from countries such as
-
Date
Work starts to create skate park
A SIX-year dream of creating a skateboarding park for youngsters in the heart of Richmond is finally becoming a reality. After a long campaign and months of fundraising, the first turf for the new facility was cut yesterday in the town's Ronaldshay Park
-
Date
Laptop computers boost celebrated by rural arts group
ART is entering the age of high technology in some of the more remote parts of North Yorkshire. With the help of a £28,000 grant from the Arts Council, Rural Arts North Yorkshire, which is based at Thirsk, has recently taken delivery of nine new laptop
-
Date
Objections to fishing lake plan
STRONG objections from the Ministry of Defence could sink plans to create four fishing lakes near two North Yorkshire air bases. The Government's Defence Estates has protested about a planning application to create a countryside site next to the A168
-
Date
Most residents want shelter removed not replaced
THE future of a fire-damaged shelter in Hartlepool is to be discussed by councillors next week. The Redheugh Gardens Shelter was built last year following consultation with people living in the area. It was part of an improvement scheme for the Headland
-
Date
Football team net award in tournament
A PRIMARY school football team from Norton has won a sports trophy. Crooksbarn Primary School won the Wilf Mannion seven-a-side tournament, which is run by Middlesbrough Football Club in the Community. The winning team were - Ben Twidle, Warren Pearson
-
Date
Public invited to help dig up the past
PEOPLE can delve into the past at an archaeological dig in Hartlepool at the weekend. They are invited to attend a dig at the Headland area of the town on Sunday, between 10am and 4pm. Archaeologists have spent the past fortnight digging a trench on the
-
Date
Double turnover target for manufacturing firm
A NEWTON Aycliffe manufacturing company is aiming to double its turnover in the next two years. ALM Products plans to expand its factory on the Heighington Lane Business Park by 80 per cent to manage the increased demand that the company expects to generate
-
Date
Children's science knowledge revealed
YOUNG scientists proved their capabilities when they took part in a national project. Children from Newker Primary School, in Chester-le-Street, took the Science Challenge 2003 in Manchester, organised by the Association for Science Education. The nine
-
Date
Listed hotel put on the market
A GRADE II-listed hotel and antiques business is for sale for almost £500,000. The Castle Hotel and antiques centre in Middleham, part of which is believed to be the 15th Century barbican of Middleham Castle, has been owned and operated for five years
-
Date
Crash injury victim kills herself
A MOTHER of three killed herself 19 years after receiving head and face injuries in a car crash. Teaching assistant Lynne Williams of Lindrick Road, New Marske, had been left extremely anxious and suffering a loss of confidence after the crash in October
-
Date
Lane closure
The northbound lane of Osborne Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle, will be shut between 9.30am to 3.30pm from today until Friday while bridge-widening work continues.
-
Date
News in brief: Conservation training offer
Youngsters can gain first-hand knowledge on conservation at Guisborough Forest and Walkway, and help with the countryside site's management on Tuesdays between 10am and 3pm during the school holidays. Work involves cutting down invasive species growing
-
Date
Chernobyl youngsters offered pond dipping chance on respite visit
A GROUP of youngsters from Chernobyl have been given the chance to have a go at pond dipping and building a shelter. The Chernoby nuclear plant exploded in 1986. It was the world's worst nuclear disaster. The group, who are aged between eight and 12,
-
Date
Mail box theft
DETECTIVES are trying to find out if there was any mail in an old-fashioned pillar box stolen from a wall. Thieves chipped away part of the stonework before using a jemmy to prise the box out of the wall in Hury, near Cotherstone, Teesdale, at the weekend
-
Date
History brought to life for school's 125th anniversary
ONE of the region's oldest state schools is gearing up to celebrate a landmark anniversary this year. Collierley Primary School in Dipton, near Stanley, will be 125 years old in September. Pupils and staff have already started making plans for a big birthday
-
Date
'Restorative justice' schemes slash youth crime
CRIMINALS could avoid being taken to court if they agree to meet victims face-to-face and witness the misery they have caused. Under plans unveiled yesterday by Home Secretary David Blunkett, so-called "restorative justice" schemes could become the norm
-
Date
GP's backing for health walks
A DOCTOR put his best foot forward to help launch the latest series of health walks with the Hambleton Strollers. Dr Mike Potrykus took time away from his practice in Tollerton to support the strollers, who set out for their first walk in Easingwold this
-
Date
Video aid to help hearing impaired
VIDEOPHONES which connect deaf people to sign language interpreters have been installed for people wanting to use council services in County Durham. Until recently, deaf and hearing impaired people wanting to speak to someone at an organisation such as
-
Date
Last Night's TV: When the shouting has to stop
Cutting Edge: Bad Behaviour (Channel 4); Don't Drop The Coffin (ITV1) COMMUNICATION between parents Fred and Diane and their seven-year-old daughter Georgina followed these lines: they'd tell her to do something, she'd shout "I don't want to," and then
-
Date
News in brief: Fun lined up for summer
LEISURE bosses in Derwentside are hoping to attract more young people to summer activities, with the launch of a leaflet. Stay in Touch This Summer features timetables on activities at leisure centres, plus details on coaching programmes for tennis, cricket
-
Date
Making it work . . .
TWO teenagers are settling in to work after securing positions through the Modern Apprenticeship programme. Anthony Navi and Terry Ward have joined Canford Audio in Washington. The firm supplies professional audio, video and broadcast products to the
-
Date
Tait gets Collett booster
Darlington's hopes for the new season were given a massive boost last night with the news that goalkeeper Andy Collett has declared himself fit. The No 1 has admitted there's a "fair chance" he'll be fit in time to face Hull City on the opening day of
-
Date
Advice for tenants and their landlords
ADVICE sessions are being held for landlords, tenants and other residents to discuss concerns over privately rented accommodation. Surgeries will take place in the east Durham villages of Horden and Easington Colliery to give people a chance to raise
-
Date
How diet fads are making us fat
OF course we all believe in magic. Why else would the Atkins diet be only just behind Harry Potter in the best-sellers list? Every month there's another best-selling diet book. Every month there's another celebrity-endorsed video telling us how to exercise
-
Date
Bowyer deal is a steal for Sir Bobby
SIR BOBBY ROBSON has labelled Newcastle's capture of Lee Bowyer "a steal''. Robson, speaking in Malaysia ahead of his side's Asia Cup clash with Birmingham in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow, landed Bowyer on a free transfer at the end of his short-term deal with
-
Date
Killer in town
Coronation Street's murderous villain Richard Hillman, actor Brian Capron, will be in the region on Saturday. He is opening Office World's new superstore at Teesside Retail Park from 10am, when he will meet shoppers and join DJ Dizzy Feet, a circus clown
-
Date
Pupil will leave mark on school
A CREATIVE youngster is to make a lasting impression on her school after winning a design competition. Katherine Ashton, 11, won a competition to design a panel which will form part of new gates at Sedgefield Primary School, in Rectory Row. The competition
-
Date
Former workers move north to start business
FORMER employees of a Tyneside microchip plant have started their own business in Scotland's Silicon Glen. Garrie Vickers and Dr Mark Dellow, who were previously senior engineers at the Siemens plant on North Tyneside, have created Integration Experience
-
Date
Comment: The beginning of the end?
THE £10m price tags placed on the heads of Uday and Qusay Hussein reflect the pivotal role they played in their father's reign of terror in Iraq. They were evil men, guilty of heinous crimes, who posed a grave danger as long as they remained at large.
-
Date
Hall and Partners
ALBERT STELLING has joined the Newcastle office of UK Construction Consultant, Hall and Partners, as a senior surveyor. The 56-year-old quantity surveyor, from Pittington, has worked in both the public and private sectors and in recent years has specialised
-
Date
Police seek help in identifying body
Police who recovered the body of an elderly man from the River Tees estuary, believe the pensioner went in the water further upstream. The corpse, spotted near a jetty at Seal Sands, near Billingham, on Monday night, is having to be identified from finger
-
Date
How fads are making us fat
OF course we all believe in magic. Why else would the Atkins diet be only just behind Harry Potter in the best-sellers list? Every month there's another best-selling diet book. Every month there's another celebrity-endorsed video telling us how to exercise
-
Date
TV review
Cutting Edge: Bad Behaviour (Channel 4) Don't Drop The Coffin (ITV1) COMMUNICATION between parents Fred and Diane and their seven-year-old daughter Georgina followed these lines: they'd tell her to do something, she'd shout "I don't want to," and then
-
Date
Vicar conjures up a £300,000 book deal
A VICAR'S spine-chilling tale of witchcraft and Christianity is about to cast a spell on American readers thanks to a six-figure publishing deal. The Reverend Graham Taylor, vicar of Cloughton, near Scarborough, has received a $500,000 (£314,000) advance
-
Date
Helpline for prison families
A TELEPHONE helpline for prisoners' families is to be launched in the North-East. The helpline, which is free and the first of its kind, aims to provide support and advice for relatives of prisoners in the region's jails. Supporters say families are often
-
Date
Decision to share ship deal backed
THE surprise decision to force BAE Systems to share the lucrative £2.9bn contract to build two giant aircraft carriers has been backed by MPs. The powerful Commons defence committee said splitting the work - much of which will be carried out at Swan Hunter's
-
Date
£2m purchase signals end of demerger
BOWEY Construction, one of the region's biggest building contractors, has paid almost £2m to purchase Bowey House, at the Newcastle Business Park, the building from which it operates, from the Bowey Group. The transaction, which transferred ownership
-
Date
Charity tea time invitation to village
A SEDGEFIELD councillor is preparing to hold an annual event which has become a popular fixture in the village calendar. Councillor Sue Hannan will be hosting one of her cream tea events on Saturday, August 2, between 2pm and 5pm, in the garden of her
-
Date
Free computer training to help groups onto web
VILLAGE halls, community centres and libraries will soon be able to offer free computer training, thanks to a scheme run by The Northern Echo's CommuniGate programme. CommuniGate can hold sessions at community venues, including UK Online facilities, with
-
Date
How diet fads are making us fat
OF course we all believe in magic. Why else would the Atkins diet be only just behind Harry Potter in the best-sellers list? Every month there's another best-selling diet book. Every month there's another celebrity-endorsed video telling us how to exercise
-
Date
St James Security
St James Security has appointed Steve Fenney as regional contracts manager to oversee its recently won Kwik Save business. He will have responsibility for about 30 stores, including the appointment and training of security officers.
-
Date
'Hidden' miners' memorial on move
A MEMORIAL commemorating men who died in a town's worst colliery disaster is being moved to safeguard its future. Willington Community Partnership became concerned about the condition of a plaque left to deteriorate in a boarded up leisure centre. Marking
-
Date
Drivers raise cash at tribute race meet
Race promoter Cyril Whitfield hopes to have raised more than £1,500 at a stock car meeting in memory of one of his employees who died at a young age. Several drivers gave back their winnings at the Barford Raceway near Barnard Castle, County Durham, to
-
Date
Laing and Cruickshank
GRAEME TWADDLE has joined the investment team at Laing and Cruickshank in Newcastle. He was previously a divisional director at Gerrards.
-
Date
Road changes in bid to cut bike accidents
A scheme costing £25,000 may help to reduce accidents involving child cyclists. Between 2000 and 2002 there have been three accidents involving youngsters on bikes in Birchington Avenue, Grangetown. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is planning to
-
Date
Project to cut home fuel costs for free
PEOPLE living in Yarm could benefit from warmer homes as part of a free scheme. Assessors from the Transco-sponsored Stockton Warm Zone project will move into the town from August 1 in the latest stage of their attempt to lift 13,000 homes out of fuel
-
Date
Museum boost
An exhibition of paintings loaned by Sir Tim Rice is attracting visitors to the Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, County Durham. The music maestro's collection, including works by Picasso, Degas, Cezanne, Hockney and Warhol, has been on display for three
-
Date
Work begins on largest city piazza for a century
CONSTRUCTION is under way to create the biggest piazza that has been built on Tyneside for more than a century. The open space, in East Blenheim Street, Newcastle, features an open air amphitheatre and will create a new way of living and working in the
-
Date
Bad news continues at Reuters
NEWS and information group Reuters has repeated its warning that recurring revenues would be about 11 per cent lower this year than last as gloomy conditions continue to take their toll in the first half. The company has been hit by the global economic
-
Date
Soldiers in court over alleged fracas
SIX Fijian soldiers based at Catterick Garrison appeared before South Durham Magistrates yesterday accused of violent disorder. Muly Faianta Narova, 18, Radubentovomo Tokai, 20, Paul Bukavesi, 21, Kiniconi Rairaikula, 22, Samisoni Tikoinasau Tabua, 23
-
Date
Investigation underway as pilot ejects from jet
A major investigation was launched today after a pilot narrowly escaped death when he ejected from his military jet. The RAF officer baled out of his stricken aircraft just seconds before it plunged into the ground and exploded in a disused railway cutting
-
Date
Inquiry's first phase completed
THE first phase of the Richard Neale inquiry ended yesterday after sitting in York for nearly three months. Now the inquiry team, headed by deputy high court judge Suzan Matthews QC, will move to London to begin the second phase of the process. This involves
-
Date
Tributes to accident victim as road safety fears echoed
Friends last night paid tribute to the driver who died in an accident on a notorious stretch of country road. Thirty-five-year-old Michael Hopper was trapped in his vehicle after the crash, on the road between Eggleston and Barnard Castle, County Durham
-
Date
Leisure boss retires after 30 years
THE man who steered Europe's largest man-made lake to commercial success is stepping down. John Lackenby is retiring from Northumbrian Water after 30 years. He hands over management of the leisure business to Sunderland University graduate David Hall.
-
Date
Two accused of man's murder
TWO men accused of murder appeared in court yesterday. Andrew Evans, 40, and Ronald Stocks, 37, appeared at Teesside Crown Court charged with killing IT consultant Mark Connorton, 37, last month, by attacking him in Redcar, east Cleveland. Mr Evans, of
-
Date
PLS Wealth Management
PLS Wealth Management has appointed David Walters as an associate director to focus on corporate planning, pensions and insurance. Prior to joining PLS, Mr Walters was with Taylor Patterson Associates in the North-East and previously with Three Counties
-
Date
Executel is continuing its expansion
Telecommunications firm Executel is continuing its expansion with the appointment of Marcis Ayres, 31, as account manager at its Team Valley, Gateshead office. He is one of three new appointments made to manage the company's new Telecommunications Facilities
-
Date
Air instruments specialist is making the skies a safer place
AS you might expect, ensuring aircraft can navigate and land safely in all weathers is an exact science. Checking the ground systems that allow pilots to land their aircraft in poor visibility and adverse weather conditions is the job of an operation
-
Date
An American dream
American Cousin, who is in his element over five furlongs on fast ground, has conditions to suit in the Leyburn Claiming Stakes at Catterick this afternoon. Although David Nicholls' sprinter isn't the most reliable, he's a fair tool in this grade, as
-
Date
Why should the tax man benefit from your estate?
When Gordon Brown announced in the April Budget an increase in the inheritance tax nil rate band, in line with the statutory rate of inflation, to £255,000, he made reference to the fact that about 95 per cent of estates do not have to pay inheritance
-
Date
Armstrong Watson
DAVID AUSTIN is the first non-accountant to be made partner at leading firm Armstrong Watson. Mr Austin, who has been with Armstrong Watson for 28 years, will be bringing his IT expertise to the senior management echelons as the company's first ever IT
-
Date
Police seek clues after bag snatch
DETECTIVES have issued a photofit image of a mugger who snatched a handbag from a pensioner. The 73-year-old woman had been walking to a friend's house with her daughter in Peterlee, County Durham, at 7pm on Sunday when the attack occurred. The women
-
Date
THE Consumer Credit Association
THE Consumer Credit Association, which represents about 500 home credit businesses in the UK and Ireland, has appointed Patti Atkinson as chairman of its North-East branch. The 48-year-old managing director of Sunniside Clothing and Supplies Ltd, has
-
Date
Incentives pay off for easyJet
PRICE initiatives including tax-free flights appear to have paid off for no-frills airline easyJet as figures show the number of empty seats falling. In a summer trading update the carrier, which operates flights from Newcastle, said that while average
-
Date
Echo memories - Roving eye that caught a vanishing landscape
Jimmy Blumer went high-flying over Darlington in the old days, and his archives never fail to fascinate. Echo Memories raids them once again You may buy copies of any of the photographs on this page. A seven inch by five inch print costs £7.50; a ten
-
Date
Jet skier saved man who plunged into Tyne
A jet skier has saved the life of a man who plunged from the Tyne Bridge. The man amazingly survived the 85-foot fall but was being swept downstream when he was spotted by Peter Armstrong and Stephen Dent. Mr Armstrong, 49, of Lanchester, near Consett
-
Date
Opportunities abound even in struggling economies
With many equity investors becoming disillusioned with stock market performances in recent times and probably sitting on losses due to the severe downturn in global markets during the past three years, is it time to be considering re-entering these markets
-
Date
Roving eye that caught a vanishing landscape
Jimmy Blumer went high-flying over Darlington in the old days, and his archives never fail to fascinate. Echo Memories raids them once again You may buy copies of any of the photographs on this page. A seven inch by five inch print costs £7.50; a ten
-
Date
Turner and Townsend sets its sights on global expansion
THE presentation of the Queen's Award for Enterprise recognised just how far Turner and Townsend International has come. The construction and management consultancy began in the Tees Valley in 1946, opening its head office in Darlington in 1948. That
-
Date
Magistrates' court hearings
THE following cases were heard at South Durham Magistrates' Court in Darlington yesterday: ASSAULT CHARGE: Hashice Eagle, 24, of the Pierremont Unit at Darlington Memorial Hospital, appeared accused of assault causing actual bodily harm. He will appear
-
Date
New approach needed to stop town falling further behind
A VISIONARY approach is needed to prevent shopping facilities in Stockton from falling even further behind Middlesbrough and Darlington, according to a report. The study, commissioned by Stockton Borough Council, also describes Thornaby town centre as
-
Date
Big changes made to plans for park
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to redevelop a Darlington park has been substantially changed after a storm of protest from residents. The proposals, for a pavilion, sports pitches and a car park in South Park caused a public outcry earlier this month, with residents
-
Date
Allotment holders build dream garden
ALLOTMENT holders have transformed a derelict plot of land into a community garden. The dream to make South Church Lane Allotments more accessible to the public has been nurtured by its members, who have worked hard to secure grants to pay for the community
-
Date
Festival will serve up a feast of cookery ideas
FOOD and drink from around the North-East will come under the spotlight at a culinary festival this weekend. The second Northumbria Food Festival will be held at the Gateshead Millennium Bridge on Saturday and Sunday. Leading chef Terry Laybourne and
-
Date
Buy-out saves vent factory
A management buy-out deal has saved 160 jobs at the UK's largest vent and flue manufacturer. Rite-Vent, based in Washington, Tyne and Wear, was on the verge of being sold to a competitor who wanted to take production south until a deal was struck to keep
-
Date
News in brief: Castle museum lands award
MUSEUM staff are celebrating having been presented with an award assuring visitors of a first-rate visit to the attraction Following a series of mystery shopper visits from the British Tourism Council, Knaresborough Castle and Museum, near Harrogate,
-
Date
News in brief: Fun lined up for summer
LEISURE bosses in Derwentside are hoping to attract more young people to summer activities, with the launch of a leaflet. Stay in Touch This Summer features timetables on activities at leisure centres, plus details on coaching programmes for tennis, cricket
-
Date
Counselling project to aid the young
A PROJECT has begun to help children whose mothers are fleeing domestic violence. Derwentside Young Carers, in Stanley, is to train volunteers in listening skills and counselling on separation, loss and bereavement. The Scarman Trust has donated £1,500
-
Date
News in brief: Conservation training offer
Youngsters can gain first-hand knowledge on conservation at Guisborough Forest and Walkway, and help with the countryside site's management on Tuesdays between 10am and 3pm during the school holidays. Work involves cutting down invasive species growing
-
Date
Architects building on recent investment
AN architectural firm is poised for further expansion. Niven and Niven, in Darlington, has made significant investment in new staff, technology and equipment, which in turn has led to it having record order books. New directors Simon Crowe and Ian Scott
-
Date
Teenage soccer player set to tackle old rivals
A teenager with one eye on the World Cup finals is gearing up for the biggest football tournament of her life - an England clash against old rivals, Germany. Carly Telford, 16, of Newburn Road, Stanley, has jetted out to Leipzig as part of the England
-
Date
In fine voice for festival
Knaresborough's Festival of Entertainment and Visual Arts will be opened by towncrier Nancy Buckle on Friday, August 8. The festival, which runs until August 17, will include a towncrier contest on Sunday, August 10, from 2pm to 3pm. Other events include
-
Date
Double turnover target for manufacturing firm
A NEWTON Aycliffe manufacturing company is aiming to double its turnover in the next two years. ALM Products plans to expand its factory on the Heighington Lane Business Park by 80 per cent to manage the increased demand that the company expects to generate
-
Date
Course offers tips on living with illness
PEOPLE with long-term health problems are being invited to take part in a course designed to improve their quality of life. Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust is holding its first Living Well course, aimed at helping people take control of
-
Date
Grants offered to tidy up town
A GRANT of £80,000 has been made available to shops and businesses in Redcar High Street to regenerate their premises. They can apply until March for the money, which is to be used for door and window replacement and roof and structural repairs. Successful
-
Date
Asian soccer fans wonder who to support in tournament
A team of soccer-loving students from Malaysia are in a quandary as to who they will support when Newcastle Utd takes part in the FA Premier League Asia Cup, which kicks off tomorrow. The young Malaysians, who are studying at Newcastle University, regularly
-
Date
Vicar conjures up a £300,000 book deal
A VICAR'S spine-chilling tale of witchcraft and Christianity is about to cast a spell on American readers thanks to a six-figure publishing deal. The Reverend Graham Taylor, vicar of Cloughton, near Scarborough, has received a $500,000 (£314,000) advance
-
Date
Bus trip to seaside
The Community Association in Delves Lane, near Consett, is running a bus trip to Scarborough on Wednesday, August 20. For more details, contact organiser Jimmy Cool on (01207) 504204
-
Date
System helps the deaf use council services
VIDEOPHONES which connect deaf people to sign language interpreters, have been installed to help people use council services in County Durham. Until recently, deaf people who wanted to speak to someone at an organisation such as Durham County Council
-
Date
Creative Youngsters work together on colourful mural for playgroup
YOUNG people are helping to put something back into their community by brightening up surroundings for playgroup children. They unveiled a mural, created over several months, at Cooper Hall, a community centre in Witton Gilbert, near Durham. It was launched
-
Date
Success in quest to trace war dead
Amateur historian John Pringle has just returned from the continent after finding the graves of 33 men from his home town who were killed during the First World War. This brings the total to 95 resting places he has traced out of the 125 men named on
-
Date
Service helps carers of drug-users
A SERVICE to help people who live with someone who has a drug or alcohol problem has been launched. County Durham Drug Action Team set up the Parent and Carer Support Service (Pacs), offering drop-in sessions, advice and information. It holds monthly
-
Date
News in brief: Drink-driver killed best pal
A drink-driver has admitted killing his best friend in a road crash. Daniel Reay, 24, pleaded guilty yesterday to causing the death of Keith Wealands, 22, by careless driving on March 1. He admitted being over the drink-drive limit when his Vauxhall Cavalier
-
Date
Cooper set to strengthen Pool squad
NEALE Cooper is ready to bolster his Hartlepool United squad this week. Pool spent last week in Holland, where Cooper led his new team for the first time. And now, after seeing his squad in action, the boss has a better idea of what he needs to improve
-
Date
An American dream
American Cousin, who is in his element over five furlongs on fast ground, has conditions to suit in the Leyburn Claiming Stakes at Catterick this afternoon. Although David Nicholls' sprinter isn't the most reliable, he's a fair tool in this grade, as
-
Date
Police radio health concerns
POLICE in County Durham will soon be using a digital radio system at the centre of health fears. The force says the £3.26m Airwave network will give clearer communications that cannot be intercepted by criminals. But there is concern among some officers
-
Date
Phosyn buys out retiring founder
CROP nutrition specialist Phosyn has bought out one of its founding members in a £5m deal, enabling the company to restructure its business. With the support of bankers HSBC, and law firm Eversheds, Phosyn, of York, has purchased the 48 per cent shareholding
-
Date
Thompson is a real all-rounder
Imagine David Beckham scoring a century against the Aussies in the Lord's Test or Tiger Woods winning the men's singles at Wimbledon. True, all involve balls - and to some extent golden ones - yet the above scenario is highly unlikely, nay impossible.
-
Date
Charges denied
A DRIVER accused of being in a car crash in which two women died, denied driving without due care and aggravated vehicle-taking when he appeared in court yesterday. Stephen Dack, of Exeter Street, Walker, Newcastle, appeared before South Durham Magistrates
-
Date
23/07/03
POSTAL SERVICES: THE Royal Mail's claim that 'only' 280,000 letters are lost every week (Echo, Jul 17) is an absolute disgrace. The Royal Mail quotes the figure as a sign of improving services. To everyone else those lost letters are the failure to hear
-
Date
Greening sets his targets
MIDDLESBROUGH midfielder Jonathan Greening has admitted he must improve his goalscoring record to break into the England team. Greening was called up to an England training camp last November but is still waiting to make the step up from Under-21 level
-
Date
Family fulfil vow to find hero's grave
THE brother of a soldier killed in the Second World War has fulfilled a promise he made to their father - to find the squaddie's burial place. Private Tom Rodgers is one of six "unknowns" buried in a cemetery in St Venant, in northern France, where the
-
Date
Bowyer deal is a steal for Sir Bobby
SIR BOBBY ROBSON has labelled Newcastle's capture of Lee Bowyer "a steal''. Robson, speaking in Malaysia ahead of his side's Asia Cup clash with Birmingham in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow, landed Bowyer on a free transfer at the end of his short-term deal with
-
Date
When the shouting has to stop
Cutting Edge: Bad Behaviour (Channel 4); Don't Drop The Coffin (ITV1) COMMUNICATION between parents Fred and Diane and their seven-year-old daughter Georgina followed these lines: they'd tell her to do something, she'd shout "I don't want to," and then
-
Date
Young bookworms praised
YOUNG bookworms were rewarded for their reading efforts by the Mayor of Darlington. Councillor Ron Lewis invited youngsters from Firthmoor and Skerne Park primary schools, who have been attending reading sessions during school lunch hours, to the town
-
Date
Refuse centre protestors suffer bat expert setback
Protestors trying to stop a refuse station being built near their homes suffered a setback yesterday when a bat expert ruled against them. Noel Jackson, a member of the Durham Bat Group, inspected a wood at Stainton Grove, near Barnard Castle, County
-
Date
Saddam's sons killed in mansion gunfight
Saddam Hussein's two sons were killed by US forces during a fierce gun battle in northern Iraq, it was confirmed last night. Uday and Qusay Hussein were among four victims of a six-hour shoot-out after the American 101st Airborne Division raided a home
-
Date
Forsyth Business Centres
DAVID HALL, 33, has been appointed North of England Regional Manager for Forsyth Business Centres. At Forsyth, David will be responsible for the management of more than 130,000sq ft of serviced office space in the North of England. He joins the company
-
Date
Bonds prove a safe haven in times of turbulence
For some reason, bonds have not been as popular with investors as equities. Some find them complicated - others think they are boring. As this article will explain, they are neither. In the simplest terms, bonds are a loan, made by you, to a government
-
Date
Family gets help with grants to diversify
A FARMING family at Coniston Cold has taken a new direction thanks to help and advice from Business Link York and North Yorkshire. The help has enabled David and Jackie Coates, who lost their 160-strong dairy herd to foot-and-mouth disease, to diversify
-
Date
N-E fields being turned into sports facilities
LATEST figures destroy the myth that playing fields in the North-East are being concreted over for housing estates, the Government has claimed. A survey found 83 examples of playing fields, described as "lost" to development were in fact under planning
-
Date
How David took on his Goliath
As this year's batch of graduates bask in the glory of their success Ian Lamming talks to an extraordinary student who has overcome extreme difficulties to achieve his goal. EXAMS over, results in the bag, David lies in bed. It's 11am. The television
-
Date
Why you could be working at 71
Recent research released by the House of Commons highlights that a man of 65 will need to keep working to 71 in order to recoup the fall in the value of his pension fund. The global stockmarket slump, which has knocked billions of pounds off the value
-
Date
Woman is mugged for shop takings
A SHOP worker was left with a perforated ear drum after she was attacked by a mugger. The woman, in her early 20s, was hit over the back of the head as she walked in Orchard Road, Darlington, near its junction with Hollyhurst Road, on Monday morning.
-
Date
Man searching for Iraqi daughter to be freed soon
A British man arrested by US troops in Iraq while searching for his young daughter was expected to be released soon, American officials said today. Street performer Michael Todd, 33, from York, had said he was determined to travel to Baghdad shortly before
-
Date
'It is time for Corus to take workers into its confidence'
Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, tells the Parliamentary investigation into Corus' future on Teesdie and of the vital conclusions that is committee has reached. "THE future of steel-making has been troubling all Teesside - indeed
-
Date
Singh desperate for runs
Craig White and Yuvraj Singh go into Yorkshire's Championship match against Hampshire at Scarborough today with sharply contrasting batting fortunes. White, on his home ground, is looking to continue the phenomenal form which has brought him 338 runs
-
Date
DFDS Seaways
DFDS Seaways has expanded its North-East operation with the development of a new groups department. The North Shields team will work with the company's growing client-base in the coach and tour operator market, helping them find the best fares and packages
-
Date
Power wrangle firm left in dark
A BUSINESSMAN says he has been left in the dark for two months after moving to new premises. Despite making several attempts to get connected, Brian Hutchinson says he is still without electricity at his new site - a former council lighting depot. High
-
Date
Protech Resourcing
Recruitment agency Protech Resourcing has appointed Chris Jude, 28, as a senior recruitment consultant, specialising in technical and professional surveying disciplines. After qualifying as a chartered building surveyor, Mr Jude spent time in Leeds gaining
-
Date
Manufacturers look to the US for hope
MANUFACTURERS are still locked in a downturn, according to the latest quarterly survey from the CBI. The organisations industrial trends survey paints a picture of a sector struggling for momentum, with falls in orders, output and employment all recorded
-
Date
Listed hotel put on the market
A GRADE II-listed hotel and antiques business is for sale for almost £500,000. The Castle Hotel and antiques centre in Middleham, part of which is believed to be the 15th Century barbican of Middleham Castle, has been owned and operated for five years
-
Date
Area manager for Close Invoice Finance
TONY HALL has been appointed area manger for Close Invoice Finance, the factoring and invoice discounting arm of Close Brothers merchant banking group, in Yorkshire and the North-East. Mr Hall was with the Yorkshire Bank for 29 years before taking a business
-
Date
Floored by a mangled molar
FOR reasons chiefly though not entirely associated with cowardice, it was 38 years before last Friday since we'd darkened the door of the dentist. The last time was the school clinic in Bishop on what used to be called gas morning, a bitter-sweet legacy
-
Date
Taking tea with the Bowes . . .
VISITORS can step back in time to take tea with a museum's founders tomorrow. Actors will play John and Josephine Bowes at the Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham, where there will be tours at 1pm and 3pm. The event, Tea with Mr and Mrs Bowes,
-
Date
Battered and broken by African nightmare
A NORTH-EAST businessman has been forced to abandon a charity drive across Africa after a catalogue of disasters. John Lawler had hoped to raise money for a Tyneside-based charity to help people in the village of Shia, Ghana. He has already become such
-
Date
Gadfly: Floored by a mangled molar
FOR reasons chiefly though not entirely associated with cowardice, it was 38 years before last Friday since we'd darkened the door of the dentist. The last time was the school clinic in Bishop on what used to be called gas morning, a bitter-sweet legacy
-
Date
Falconers swoop into role of foster parents for tiny orphans
FOUR rare red squirrels are the latest surprise additions at a North-East falconry centre. The 32-day-old litter are being hand-reared by staff of Falconry UK, at Sion Hill Hall, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, and will soon be tame enough to be handled
-
Date
Farmers tap in to spring water
SPRING water drawn from deep beneath the County Durham countryside is helping three brothers move away from arable farming. Gordon, 61, and his brothers Colin, 58, and Martin Bulmer, 56, set up Seaton Spring Water in 1999 as a sideline, but such has been
-
Date
Street festival set to begin
One of Europe's largest street festivals is to take place this week with performers from all over the world ready to converge on the region. The 16th Stockton International Riverside Festival begins tomorrow (Fri) and will this year be split into two
-
Date
Battered and broken by African nightmare
A NORTH-EAST businessman has been forced to abandon a charity drive across Africa after a catalogue of disasters. John Lawler had hoped to raise money for a Tyneside-based charity to help people in the village of Shia, Ghana. He has already become such
-
Date
Flying in the face of our democracy
SUCKED ever-deeper into the torrid "weapons-of-mass-destruction" whirlpool of its own creation, the Government nevertheless still has other urgent fish to fry. And no, I'm not talking about foxhunting, which is invariably, but in my view wrongly, put
-
Date
Teacher steps down after 38 years
A FORMER Mayor of Sedgefield village and long-serving member of the town council has retired after 38 years in teaching. A farewell party for Councillor Dudley Waters held in Sedgefield's Ceddesfeld Hall was attended by many teaching colleagues. Coun
-
Date
CreateCity lands stadium contract
ONE of the region's leading retail floor specialists has scored a contract with Darlington Football Club to carpet one of the stands. CreateCity, of Darlington, through its Frank's Contract Flooring business, has struck a deal with the Third Division
-
Date
Make use of UK Defence
SMALL and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) across the region are being encouraged to use technology developed for the defence sector. The Defence Diversification Agency (DDA) is looking for 80 SMEs which could benefit from cutting edge technology developed
-
Date
Armstrong Watson
Staff at the MetroCentre Management offices at the Gateshead centre, have welcomed Claire Armstrong to the team as marketing co-ordinator. The 25-year-old, from Northumberland, has joined the team with a background in the advertising industry. After gaining
-
Date
Richard takes the plunge at water group
YORKSHIRE Water has appointed its youngest ever director. Richard Flint, 35, will take over the reigns of the company's Water Business Unit on August 1, from Charles Firlotte, who has been appointed president and chief executive officer of Aquarion -
