Archive
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Ex-policeman sues over blame for trial blunder
AN ex-policeman is to sue Cleveland Police after the finger was pointed at him over the collapse of a trial. Detective Constable Gary Knapper, of Hartlepool CID, hit the headlines last year after it emerged he went on holiday to Tenerife when he was supposed
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Stadium pledges progress after falling into red
ELECTRONICS and plastics group, Stadium, has fallen into the red in the first half of the year. The Hartlepool company, which employs more than 700 staff, recorded a pre-tax loss of £6.389m for the six months to June, 2001. Group turnover fell by £10.4m
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Award for a special athlete
A HOUSING group has recognised the sporting achievements of one of its residents by presenting him with a certificate. Martin Rowe, a tenant of Tees Valley Housing Group, in High Street, Loftus, was a member of the five-a-side football squad that won
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The North-East man accused of plane terror hoax
A HOLIDAYMAKER who is alleged to have told airport security staff that he had Semtex in his pocket appeared in court yesterday. Michael Brown, of Edgar Grove, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, appeared before Darlington Magistrates' Court charged with making
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Soldier knifed in road-rage attack, trial told
A passenger was left with a collapsed lung after he was stabbed in the chest during a road-rage incident. Neil Fitzpatrick, now a serving British soldier, was making his way to a city centre nightclub with Army friends when he was knifed by Alan Roberts
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Council houses are to make way for private development
NEARLY 40 houses on a troubled Chester-le-Street council estate are to be bulldozed to make way for a new private development. Residents on The Brooms estate, in Ouston, had feared that up to 122 homes could be demolished after plans for the development
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Parents in school transport protest
PARENTS and children from Darlington's four Catholic primary schools are to stage another protest walk in the town. They are concerned that Darlington Borough Council's proposed cuts in school transport will prevent some families from sending their children
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Youngsters rise to sporting challenge at mini-paralympics
YOUNGSTERS with special needs have been experiencing the thrill of sporting competition for the first time at a mini-paralympics. More than a hundred children of all ages from special and mainstream schools throughout County Durham descended on Spennymoor
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Still stranded in the US a week after atrocity
A NORTH-EAST woman stuck in New York because of the terrorist attacks is desperate to get home to end her personal nightmare. Lorraine Severn, 34, from Trimdon, County Durham, was due to fly back to the UK on Tuesday after a four-day break with friends
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Let's move on and really live
RIGHT - time to get on with life. Time to drag ourselves away from the television, those terrible pictures; time to stop tormenting ourselves with the haunting memory of those last messages; time to stop thinking of the "what ifs..." For that way madness
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The true cause of terrorism
AT the start of the last century, Britain was still the world's greatest power. No one at that time would imagine that the days of British supremacy were numbered. But even at mid century, the sun still never set on the British Empire. In the primary
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Devoted mother and son in death fall
A DEVOTED mother killed herself and her son by leaping 180 feet with him wrapped in her arms, only months after speaking to The Northern Echo about her struggle to cope with his disability. The bodies of 38-year-old Helen Rogan and autistic 11-year-old
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Plans to build 120-bedroom hotel likely to be cleared
PLANS for a 120-bedroom hotel and restaurant may be given clearance this week. The three-storey Sleep Inn hotel, single-storey restaurant and parking for 107 cars is proposed to be built at the southern end of the Newton Park Services site, Newton Aycliffe
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The true cause of terrorism
AT the start of the last century, Britain was still the world's greatest power. No one at that time would imagine that the days of British supremacy were numbered. But even at mid century, the sun still never set on the British Empire. In the primary
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Police condemn attack on bus
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a ball bearing was fired at a bus with such force that it smashed two windows. The ball bearing shattered the nearside window of Stagecoach's number 24 service as it travelled along Neasham Road, Darlington, at
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Crime-fighters top arrests league table
A CRIME-FIGHTING squad led by detectives from three North-East forces has the best arrest rate in Britain. The Tyne Tees Crimestoppers unit, based at Chester-le-Street police station, is staffed by plain clothes officers from the Northumbria, Durham and
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College tutors urged to cash in on computers
COLLEGE tutors in Tyne and Wear are being offered cash help to buy their own computers. Full and part-time staff at the area's six further education (FE) institutions can claim half the cost of a PC up to a maximum of £500. The total of £40,000 available
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Eighth win as Diamond proves a snip for Bradbury
WINTRY conditions at Sedgefield yesterday didn't spoil Darlington-based hairdresser Brian Bradbury's day when Diamond Crown won for the eighth time. Admittedly it was only a lowly Selling Hurdle, but Diamond Crown has been a great servant to Bradbury,
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Plea after witnesses tackled mugger
POLICE are urging good Samaritans who helped an elderly mugging victim to come forward. The 75-year-old woman was walking along Braidwood Road, in Normanby, Teesside, near the junction with Normanby Road, at about 4pm on Sunday when a green saloon car
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Benni blow forces Boro to join Dugarry chase
MIDDLESBROUGH are ready to join Sunderland in a four-club chase for flamboyant France forward Christophe Dugarry. Boro manager Steve McClaren is set to switch his sights to Bordeaux star Dugarry after being stung by his failure to secure South African
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Let's move on and really live
RIGHT - time to get on with life. Time to drag ourselves away from the television, those terrible pictures; time to stop tormenting ourselves with the haunting memory of those last messages; time to stop thinking of the "what ifs..." For that way madness
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Work starts to rebuild school hit by arsonists
WORK on an £832,000 scheme to rebuild a Sedgefield primary school destroyed in an arson attack will start next month. Education officials are to use the opportunity of construction work at Sedgefield Primary School to refurbish and enlarge the nursery
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Talks launched on new town shopping centre
TALKS are under way to determine whether a new shopping centre could be built in Darlington. The borough council is consulting with the St Martins Property Company, owner of the town's Queen Street Shopping Centre, to explore the possibility of creating
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Proud postman overcomes grief
POSTMAN Jim Pearson overcame his own grief to bring up his three daughters when his wife died of a brain tumour. Now, Mr Pearson, 47, of Blakelaw, Newcastle, has been chosen as the North-East regional winner in the Single Mum/Dad of the Year Awards for
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Tesco's reign continues
TESCO'S domination of the supermarket sector has continued. The grocery chain has reported a strong surge in half-year figures, with pre-tax profits rising 14 per cent to £481m in the 24 weeks to August 11, while overall sales were ahead 14.2 per cent
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Chip pan blaze
Firefighters were called to a chip pan fire at Charltons, near Guisborough, yesterday. One crew from Guisborough and one from Skelton attended the incident but by the time they arrived, the chip pan had been taken outside. Firefighters used breath- ing
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Fun day with serious drugs message
STREET theatre, steel bands and aspiring pop stars will be the order of the day this weekend when the sixth annual Drugs Awareness Day gets under way in Redcar. Events will take place along the High Street all day on Saturday with the emphasis on a fun-filled
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Cells shortage prompts fear that court may have to shut
A MAGISTRATES' court risks closure unless the Government agrees to pay for essential cells, according to a committee chairman. David Moreton, chairman of Cleveland Magistrates' Courts Committee (MCC), said the future of Guisborough Magistrates' Court
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Inquest opens on production line worker
AN inquest has been opened and adjourned into the death of a 38-year-old production line worker. Kevin Charles Stobbs, of Marwood Drive, Barnard Castle, died in Bishop Auckland Hospital on Sunday. His brother, David William Stobbs, an operations superintendent
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United face Lembi rivalry
MONACO have emerged as potential rivals to Newcastle United for Bruges midfielder Nzelo Lembi. The £4m-rated Congo international, who now holds a Belgian passport, is being closely monitored by United. Manager Bobby Robson and chief scout Charlie Woods
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HMS Trincomalee: A clarification
AN article in yesterday's edition of The Northern Echo described the trials faced by Andrea and Paul Swan, from Seaham, County Durham, during their recent wedding in Hartlepool. We have been asked by the HMS Trincomalee Trust to point out that its staff
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo WAR ON AMERICA DESPITE subsequent apologies, the BBC stands shamed as a propaganda organ exposed for all to see. Any claims to being public service and impartial disappeared on the Question Time programme to discuss the
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Vets may be asked to monitor farmers' stress
VETERINARY surgeons could be asked to identify stressed farmers as part of an initiative to avoid mental illness and suicides in rural areas. Health bosses in County Durham fear people in the farming community might be storing up mental health problems
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MPs on the front bench
North Yorkshire Tory MPs Anne McIntosh and John Greenway have been appointed to the Conservative front bench by the new party leader Iain Duncan Smith. Both will serve under Shadow Culture Secretary Tim Yeo as junior members of his team. Miss McIntosh
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Murder squad in plea to trace men
MURDER squad detectives investigating the murder of Sara Cameron have released more details about two men they need to trace to eliminate from their inquiries. The men were at Longbenton Metro Station just before midnight on Thursday, April 20, 2000 -
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Police puzzled by beach tragedy
DETECTIVES have admitted that they are still baffled by the discovery of a woman's body on a popular stretch of the North-East coast. A search for clues was continuing yesterday after the body was discovered on a beach at Redcar, in east Cleveland. A
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Former coal and steel region won over by the arts
THE former coal and steel area of Derwentside has been seduced by high art if the latest audience figures at Consett's Empire Theatre are anything to go by. The major coup of landing the world renowned Moscow Ballet, revealed in The Northern Echo, meant
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Artists set design challenge for community project
DESIGNERS are being asked to develop a logo for a community centre which is due to open in Bishop Auckland next year. The Four Clocks Project, costing £1.2m, is scheduled to be launched next April in the former Wesley Methodist Church, in Newgate Street
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Initiative to boost rural businesses
HUNDREDS of young people are to benefit from a £250,000 initiative to help them set up their own businesses. The project, funded by Yorkshire Forward, has already helped 20 young people establish businesses in the Yorkshire Dales. Now the project, run
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Quakers too hot for Orient
AN impressive performance which included a fantastic goal, gave Darlington their first win since the Bank Holiday victory over Bristol Rovers and ended Leyton Orient's four-game winning run. Quakers were never in trouble and thoroughly deserved a win
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All revealed in beach clean-up
A CAR bonnet and underwear were among items which volunteers found when they cleaned a Sunderland beach. Adults and children joined Sunderland City Council's sustainability team in removing rubbish from the sands at Hendon at the weekend. They collected
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Cash aid for kidney unit
TWO pub parties have raised money to help young kidney disease patients. John and Clare Bootland, of the Uplands Hotel, Crook, have set a £2,000 target to help buy dialysis machines for the children's kidney unit at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle
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Seduced by gin and tapas
TWO of us, old friends, met up in London last Friday. Little Steve had travelled first class two days earlier, making the 317-mile round trip on the Virgin-operated West Coast Main Line from Crewe. Booked three weeks in advance, his ticket included as
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Seeking festive jobs
JOBSEEKERS seeking Christmas employment may find what they want at a jobs fair in Stockton next week. More than 300 festive careers opportunities will be on offer at the fair, which is being held in the Swallow Hotel, Stockton between 10am and 4pm, next
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Comment from The Northern Echo - Cool heads and coalitions
THE revulsion against the terrorist atrocities in the United States has galvanised public opinion across the world like no other event since the Second World War. It has created a loose coalition of disparate powers, united in condemnation of the loss
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Railway line diversion plan is backed by council chiefs
proposals to divert a railway line in order to cut congestion in a town centre have been backed by council chiefs. Hambleton District Council has supported plans put forward by the Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) to divert the Northallerton
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Clubs on ball with society standards
THE role played by North-East football teams in the local community should serve as a blueprint for other teams and sports across the country. A new report from Northumbria University studied the influence of the region's three Premiership clubs - Middlesbrough
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Chemical plant axe costs 160 jobs
CHEMICAL group Basell is closing its Wilton polypropylene plant with the loss of 160 jobs. The German company plans to close the site, and two other plants in Spain, due to over-capacity in Europe. There is a possibility that some of the Teesside workers
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Focus on problems of asylum seekers
THE Bishop of Whitby, the Right Reverend Robert Ladds, will join Redcar MP Vera Baird to speak at a public meeting on asylum seekers. Trade unions, Labour Party members, and the North-East Council For Asylum Rights (Necfar), have organised the meeting
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Pulling out the stops
A CHURCH organist will pull out all the stops for charity as he attempts to play at every cathedral in England. Christopher Nixon, who plays the organ every Sunday at Christ Church, Coatham, Redcar, will cover 2,000 miles, stopping off at 50 cathedrals
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McCann 'not a dirty player' insists Reid
SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid last night spoke up for his England international midfielder Gavin McCann, who goes into tonight's game against Tottenham Hotspur on the brink of a ban after picking up four bookings in the opening six games of the season
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Chef finds roots to victory
GEORDIE chef Peter Jordan looked to his roots to take the title of GNER Chef of the Year 2001. Peter, from Winlaton, Tyneside, gave his dishes a distinctive North-East theme - serving up a starter of Stottie bruschetta, a main course of loin of pork Lindisfarne
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Curious fortunes of a favourite hunters' hall
THERE are some curious corners in Darlington, but very few have quite the curiosity value of Faverdale Hall. Drivers on the A68 sweep past the entrance to Faverdale Industrial Estate and assume that there is no more to it than a motley collection of unattractive
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Mayor praises residents for floral success
MAYOR Vilma Collins reckons some residents have done a blooming good job. The Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland is delivering a message to Saltburn and Margrove Park for their successes in the recent Northumbria in Bloom competition. Saltburn won the best
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Who's backing Uncle Sam?
NO nation has ever had the firepower that America now has at its disposal. If any country was ever equipped to wage a successful war on terrorism, assuming this could be achieved by military means alone, then it is the United States. But, once the initial
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Teenager ordered out of streets
A JUDGE has ordered a teenager to keep out of a neighbourhood following a reign of terror. After listening to two days of evidence, District Judge James Prowse not only agreed to an application by Cleveland Police and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
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Oman exercise places North-East troops in key position
NORTH-EAST squaddies are digging in ahead of any military assault on Osama bin Laden's stronghold in Afghanistan. Thousands of British troops are massing in Oman preparing for the biggest UK military exercise since the Gulf war, ten years ago. After America
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Seduced by gin and tapas
TWO of us, old friends, met up in London last Friday. Little Steve had travelled first class two days earlier, making the 317-mile round trip on the Virgin-operated West Coast Main Line from Crewe. Booked three weeks in advance, his ticket included as
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Axed staff backed in rights battle
WORKERS who were sacked in a bitter industrial dispute which started in 1996 have received a boost in their campaign for workers' rights. Former staff at Magnet, in Darlington, who took part in the dispute, will attend a fifth anniversary reunion on Saturday
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Team of soldiers available to work on community projects
IF you are in trouble, if no one else can help you and, if you can find them, there is a team of soldiers in North Yorkshire waiting to hear from you. At the moment, 8 Transport Regiment is in Oman on exercise but, when soldiers from the unit return to
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Leek grower digs in to win club double
A DEDICATED leek grower notched up a double success in a local gardening competition. Not only did Joe Keeler's two blanch leeks, measuring 258 cubic inches, break the Leadgate Workmen's Club record, in Leadgate, near Consett, by more than 20 cubic inches
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Greta has keys to unlock historical treasure
HERITAGE chiefs are throwing open the doors of one of the region's lesser-known historic gems with the appointment of a "key-keeper". Greta Wass, from West Tanfield, near Ripon, North Yorkshire, has taken on the role at the 15th Century Marmion Tower,
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Hundreds sign book of condolence
HUNDREDS of people have signed a town's book of condolence for victims of the American terrorist attacks. Since it was opened on Friday, more than 30 pages of the Middlesbrough Borough Council book have been filled. For those still wishing to sign it,
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Jamie's dream come true
SUNDERLAND fan Jamie Kitto's dream of meeting his Premiership heroes is about to come true. The ten-year-old, from Peterlee, has won the junior prize in the Wearside club's One of the Lads competition. The season ticket holder has won the chance to watch
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New sensory garden open to visitors
A SENSORY garden for people with special needs has opened in a Teesside park. The £23,000 garden, in Rossmere Park, Hartlepool, offers a range of touch, smell and sound experiences for wheelchair-bound people and those with sight difficulties. As well
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Neale inquiry to have independent chair
HEALTH bosses have offered important concessions to campaigners who are pressing for a public inquiry into the Richard Neale affair. The group, which represents victims of the former North Yorkshire surgeon, was dismayed when the Department of Health
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Art insight for pupils
HISTORY was brought to life by a local artists for youngsters at a Darlington primary school. Alex Grieve introduced year three pupils at St John's School to the art of brass rubbing on Monday. After starting off with the basic skills, the seven-year-olds
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Community stars search under way
THE search is on for unsung heroes and heroines who have helped their local communities in Weardale. People are being asked to cast votes for people or organisations who have made important voluntary contributions to communities. It will be the second
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Murder trial told of finds in loch
A FORMER North-East student has gone on trial charged with murdering a supermarket worker. A jury at the High Court in Edinburgh was told how 18-year-old Barry Wallace, of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, went missing shortly after leaving a party. Former Teesside
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Death crash driver over drink limit
A MOTORIST who died after a collision while heading the wrong way down a dual carriageway was over the drink drive limit at the time. Members of Kevin Wile's family told a Durham inquest it was "out of character" for him to drive after drinking. The hearing
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Firm has sights set on big tank contract
DEFENCE and transport electronics company Joyce-Loebl has landed a £500,000 deal with tank builder Vickers Defence Systems. The contract is for the design and development of a sophisticated engine and gearbox control computer to be known as VICS (Vickers
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Karting keeps up pace
A KARTING circuit and corporate business venue has seen business increase by 40 per cent after launching a website a year ago. Karting North-East, based at the Warden Law Motorsports Centre near Houghton-le-Spring, Wearside, launched its website www.kartingnortheast.co.uk
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Role of ethnic minorities is 'vital' to N-E
HOME Office minister Angela Eagle last night spoke of the vital role black and ethnic minority communities had to play in the regeneration of the North-East. The minister responsible for the Government's active community policy was add-ressing the Banks
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St Trinian's gang welcomes new intake
STUDENTS at Darlington's Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College held a St Trinian's Day to welcome new students to the college yesterday. More than 700 16-year-old students started their studies at the college. To help them settle into their new surroundings
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Bin Laden could be guilty - Taliban
A worldwide net was closing in on suicide hijacking prime suspect Osama bin Laden last night - as his Taliban protectors appeared to accept he could have been behind the attacks. The Afghan regime postponed a decision on whether to hand him over to the
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Spotlight turned on mutiny by French wartime soldiers
A MUTINY by more than half the French Army in 1917 is to be explored in a talk in the region. Tony Noyes, chairman of the Western Front Association, will look at the disastrous turn of events that lead to thousands of French soldiers refusing to take
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Lottery winner settles into life of luxury
ONE of the region's newest lottery jackpot winners is settling into her millionaire's lifestyle, two months after her dream came true. Anita Wynne was the first of Darlington's jackpot winners this summer, scooping £3.6m on June 30 after repeatedly dreaming
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Pool sink close to bottom
THE misery rumbles on for Hartlepool United. After the lavish charges into the play-offs in the last two seasons, Pool are at the wrong end of the table. Last night's home defeat to Cheltenham plunged Chris Turner's side to second bottom of Division Three
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Shipbuilders endeavour to recreate Captain Cook's legendary ship
A scheme to rebuild a replica of Captain James Cook's legendary ship Endeavour, is under way at a harbourside shipyard at Whitby - close to the spot where the original was built 250 years ago. The 40 per cent size of the original is being built for Scarborough
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How to measure up to a six sigma
The Northern Echo and BKR Haines Watts have teamed up to give world-class manufacturing advice to companies in the Tees Valley. This week Paul Bell, of BKR Haines Watts, looks at the concept of six sigma. Six sigma is a measure of how good a process is
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Grandmother's memoirs take on a special meaning
AN author has turned her childhood memories into a history book for her grandchildren. The book, called "The Street - Growing Up in a Northern Town", has just gone on sale, although author Allene Norris did not originally intend to share her life with
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Health boost with injection of funding
DOZENS of projects designed to improve the health and well-being of people in the region have got the go-ahead after a massive £5.6m injection of lottery cash. From teaching belly-dancing to tackling teenage pregnancy with robot babies the overall package
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Auf Wiederesehen Pet says guten tag
FIFTEEN years after saying Auf Wiedersehen Pet, the cast of the hit TV show are filming a new series in the North-East. Creator Franc Roddam tells STEVE PRATT why Dennis, Neville, Oz and the others are trying to sell the Transporter Bridge to America.
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Sound of Music brings generations together
THREE generations of one family are appearing in Northallerton Operatic Society's upcoming production of The Sound of Music. Sara Boomsma is playing Louisa, one of the Von Trapp children, while her mother Ruth is taking on the role of Sister Margaretta
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Follow Lady luck
THE less weight to carry the better when tackling Beverley's demanding uphill home straight, a factor crucially in favour of Lady de Bathe (1.55) in division one of the Westwood Maiden Stakes. The Ian Balding-trained filly is set to carry just 7st 12lb
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Hunt for knifeman after terror shop raid
A FEMALE shop assistant was left with cuts and bruises after a knifepoint robbery at a North-East newsagents. The incident happened at noon on Monday at Walmsley Newsagents, in Norton Road, Stockton, Teesside. A man entered the shop brandishing a knife
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Fears over 'kill' graffiti
AN MP has appealed for calm after graffiti was daubed on walls urging people to Avenge USA - Kill a Muslim Now. The slogan was daubed in red letters on a wall yards from a mosque in the heart of a Muslim community. It follows a spate of racist incidents
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Hot rocker Freddie back on home beat
IT was a nothing moment in a nowhere town when Freddie Lee strolled past a northern record shop in the 1950s. But it led to a life filled with music, drink and drugs, alongside the likes of The Beatles, Little Richard and Screaming Lord Sutch - a "fantastic
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Prison breaks UK, European rules
A NORTHALLERTON prison governor today labelled as unjust an official report that claimed cells in his jail were in breach of human rights. Chief Inspector of Prisons Sir David Ramsbotham said tiny cells holding two prisoners in C-wing of Northallerton
