Archive
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Military show 'will be best'
ORGANISERS of a military event are staging their biggest show, on Saturday. Stockton Sports Centre, Tilery, will be the venue for Parade Ground 2001, organised by members of the Teesside branch of Mobility International. Having progressed from the first
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Minister launches new era of river sport
THE Minister for Sport launched a £1.5m watersports centre in the region yesterday. Richard Caborn MP visited the north bank of the Tees, at Stockton, to declare the multi-purpose facility open. The centre combines boat storage, training and space for
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Thieves make off with thousands of cigarettes
More than half a million cigarettes were stolen from the Rothmans factory in Darlington last night. A daring raid saw theives break into the factory and make off with the cigaretts in darkness. Check into the Northern Echo's website for an update soon
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Police commander retires after 30 years in the force
THE police commander of South West Northumberland is retiring after 30 years in the force. Superintendent Dennis Bolam joined the then Northumberland Constabulary at the age of 25. During his long career he has worked in both uniform and CID and came
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Massive push to cut heart surgery waiting times
A £300m programme designed to cut the maximum waiting time for heart surgery from 18 months to 12 months by next March has been launched. Announced today by Health Secretary Alan Milburn, the scheme aims to provide more NHS heart operations in both NHS
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New jobs blow as Blair hails euro 'destiny'
A WARNING by Tony Blair that exclusion from the euro would blight Britain's economic future was underlined last night by a new threat to scores of jobs in the region's fragile car parts industry. Speaking to German socialists in Nuremburg yesterday, the
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Suppliers facing battle to survive
JOB losses at NSK may be the beginning of an unprecedented period of bloodletting among the region's automotive component suppliers. Details setting out the full extent of the cuts are expected today at one of the Japanese firm's two steering column plants
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Love affair continues
QUEENSLAND batsman Martin Love has confirmed that he will return to play for Durham next season. Signed this year when Simon Katich became unavailable because of his inclusion in the Ashes tour party, Love scored 1,364 championship runs at an average
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Historian charts a backwater's industrial change in pictures
WITH subjects including pits, pigeons, football and floods, a new book uses 150 old pictures to chart a century of history along a tributary of the River Wear. Historian Tom Hutchinson has based his latest volume on a 14-mile stretch of the River Gaunless
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Woman left bed-bound
A YOUNG woman has been bed-bound after thieves took her special wheelchair. Lynne Nesbitt, 24, suffers from a rare brain infection that results in her being completely dependant on medical care at Sunderland Royal Hospital. Her large adapted wheelchair
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Watson lights up the Park
GORDON Watson is lighting up Victoria Park with his personal goal of the season competition. His strike in last night's 3-0 win over Halifax was his eighth of the season, his fifth in four games, and his third spectacular effort in as many home games.
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TV hotel's double booking ruins coach party trip
DOZENS of people from around the region have been left disappointed after their trip to a hotel was double-booked. Gardiners Coaches, of Spennymoor, County Durham, arranged the Adelphi Experience trip to Liverpool in April. Two coaches were booked to
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Squad scores new success in fight against crime
A CHAMPION crimefighting squad is reaching new heights of success, according to the latest statistics. During the summer, it was confirmed that the Tyne Tees Crimestoppers unit had the best arrest strike rate in the UK, with one resulting from every nine
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Historg on right course for Hexham success
TESTING ground at Hexham this afternoon should be right up Historg's street in the Mill Garages Novices' Chase. With all sorts of heady plans pencilled in for Historg, trainer Ferdy Murphy must have been fairly downcast after the six-year-olds' ignominious
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Crossed lines over rail scheme
THE National Railway Museum last night moved to clarify the level of support it is giving a £55m leisure scheme. The project, for the derelict former National Garden Festival Site, in Gateshead, is the brainchild of North-East businessman Crake Simpson
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Murderer's brief taste of freedom
CONVICTED killer Winston Silcott has briefly tasted freedom on at least one day out from prison preparing for his future release. Silcott was convicted in 1987 of murdering Sunderland-born police officer Keith Blakelock during the Broadwater Farm riots
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Football strike called in cash row
The footballers' union last night took the unprecedented step of issuing strike notices to all Premiership and Nationwide league clubs warning that industrial action will take place the weekend after next. Talks on the dispute with the Premier League
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Battle for a pound of bananas
DEMONSTRATORS waving placards and celebrity supporters packed one of the highest courts in the land yesterday, as leading lawyers and constitutional experts argued over a greengrocers' right to sell bananas by the pound. Sunderland trader Steven Thoburn
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Murder charge read in court
A woman accused of murdering her 77-year-old father made her first appearance before a judge yesterday. Ann-Marie Pyle, 41, was given permission to be represented by a Queen's Counsel and junior on charges of murdering Bill Pyle on November 4, at his
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New Look displays its recovery
HIGH street fashion chain New Look showed its recovery strategy was on track as it reported a 15 per cent increase in half-year profits. New Look launched the overhaul in June after being dogged by falling sales and profits and has already achieved savings
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Charity boosts divide research
FORMER Cabinet Minister Peter Mandelson's campaign to tackle the North-South divide has had a £35,000 boost from a charity. The Hartlepool MP has been given the money by the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust to fund a two-year research progamme into tackling
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Kingfisher thriving
B&Q-to-Comet retailer Kingfisher has shown how it has benefited from strong consumer confidence in the UK by posting an increase in third-quarter sales. Sales for the three months to November 3 increased by 4.8 per cent on a like-for-like basis, which
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Economic slowdown ahead
BRITAIN'S economy is expected to "slow noticeably", a think-tank has warned. The Paris Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said that following the September 11 attacks in the US, activity was expected to be hit in the near term by faltering
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Clinging to the Rock
'Si, si," said the taxi-driver, who spoke English as his native language but used Spanish to answer the question. "I am a Gibraltarian first and British second. But Spanish? No. No way." The taxi-driver would have been one of those outraged yesterday
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Comment from The Northern Echo - Where our future lies
NOTHING upsets business confidence like uncertainty. And there is no greater uncertainty than Britain's dithering over whether or not we should join the euro. We had ample evidence of this yesterday with warnings from both Nissan and Toyota that their
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Winner James has landed a magical prize
A NORTH-East youngster is to receive a double Harry Potter treat - a signed copy of a book and a trip to see the film. James Harris, seven, of Easterside, Middlesbrough, is among seven winners from throughout Britain. They entered a competition run by
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Hospice scheme for North-East babies
THE country's second hospice for babies could soon be opening in the North-East. The hospice - called Zoe's Place, because Zoe means life in Greek - will be modelled on a pioneering venture of the same name in Liverpool and is run by the charity Life.
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History that has an exotic flavour
AN international mystery from the days when Jack the Ripper struck terror in the heart and Queen Victoria ruled an empire has been unearthed by a group of local historians. And, as eminent national historians eagerly ready themselves for details of the
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'Falling wrong' with the tea man
WITHOUT great expectations, perhaps we should one day invite euphemisms for becoming pregnant. "Falling wrong" is much the Gadfly favourite - unique to the North-East perhaps? - though today's column begins with the pudding club. We'd reprised last week
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Company to challenge refusal of speedway track plan
DEVELOPERS have attacked a decision to block plans to build a speedway track in Barnard Castle. Bosses at Positive Promotions, in Northumberland, have criticised planning officers and councillors at Teesdale District Council over their decision to reject
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Jim picks up national engineering accolade
TEACHER Jim Smith put skills picked up during seven years at motor manufacturer Nissan to good effect in his new role in education. His efforts to give pupils a basic grounding in the world of engineering saw him collect a national accolade for good practice
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Business group pins hopes on guide
CASH from the regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward, is to be invested in a new directory which Richmond's business community hopes will help with recovery from the foot-and-mouth crisis. The £8,000 grant will cover the cost of the guide, to
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Baby left alone in bath nearly drowns
POLICE are advising parents to be on their guard after a nine-month-old baby almost drowned after being left unattended in a bath. The girl was sitting in the bath at her east Cleveland home in a "safety" bath ring which consisted of a plastic seat with
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Extra cash provided for youth facilities
MORE cash has been secured for the development of a youth facility in Ferryhill. The centre, in a former electrical store in the market place, has been awarded £5,000 from Sedgefield Borough Council's youth development fund. The award follows a recent
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Free park and ride in bid to avoid congestion
SHOP workers in Durham are being offered free park and ride travel in a bid to reduce city centre traffic congestion in the pre-Christmas rush. Durham County Council highways chiefs plan to run the Saturday bus service between County Hall and the heart
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Sprucing up capital for Christmas
A 50ft spruce tree growing in the North-East's remotest location is set for star billing at the Houses of Parliament. For the first time, the Forestry Commission has been asked to supply Christmas trees from Kielder Forest to Westminster, with a 35-year-old
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Two decades of advice
FINANCIAL advice firm BIB (Darlington) is celebrating 20 years in business this month. The company was formed in Bedale, North Yorkshire, in 1981 by its three shareholders Peter Atkinson, David Carter and Martin Littleton. Progress in the business saw
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Drivers' victory averts bus chaos
BUSES in the region will run as normal today after a proposed strike by drivers was called off. Stagecoach North East has agreed to meet the demands of drivers who have been fighting for a pay increase to £6 per hour. After a campaign of industrial action
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Quakers clip wings of high-flying Dale
It's been inevitable since signing for Darlington last Friday. Ian Clark was destined to score the winning goal on his debut and so he did as Darlington beat Rochdale at Feethams last night. He turned in a man of the match display during which he converted
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Russians share green information
A GROUP of Russian environmentalists were given a warm welcome in the North-East as they arrived on a fortnight fact-sharing expedition. The party, from Ekaterinburg, in the Urals, will swap notes with various experts in the region to promote environmental
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'Falling wrong' with the tea man
WITHOUT great expectations, perhaps we should one day invite euphemisms for becoming pregnant. "Falling wrong" is much the Gadfly favourite - unique to the North-East perhaps? - though today's column begins with the pudding club. We'd reprised last week
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Plea for remand foster carers
SOCIAL services chiefs in North Yorkshire have launch-ed an appeal for people to help look after troubled youngsters. Officials want to expand the remand fostering service by recruiting a set of carers in the west of the county, to join the existing two
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Disabilities aid event
POSITIVE Images of disability is the theme of an exhibition at Bishop Auckland College next week. The Wear Valley Disability Access Forum is joining with the college, Durham Society for the Blind, Age Concern, Scope and the Childcare and Education Service
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Community grant aid for school gym
A SEDGEFIELD school has extended the range of equipment in its gym, after being awarded a community grant. Sedgefield Community College is trying to encourage villagers to take up exercise. Thanks to a £600 community dividend from the North Eastern Co-op
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Digging in at Richmond
THE other day, William Hague made his first speech in the House of Commons since returning to the back benches. But foot-and-mouth, which brought him to his feet, is by no means the only matter which has occupied the MP for Richmond since he quit the
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Aids scare families threaten rent strike
COUNCIL tenants are threatening a rent strike on a drug-plagued North-East estate where two children are at the centre of an Aids scare. The anger of Woodhouse Close residents, in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, came to a head yesterday after they learned
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Why threatened grouse could be making a comeback
ONE of the region's most endangered birds may be on the brink of a startling recovery, following a successful rescue mission. Black grouse, famous for their spectacular early morning displays in the spring, were once commonplace throughout England, but
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Waiting lists still too long
PATIENTS in Durham and Darlington are still waiting too long for hospital treatment, according to new figures. County Durham and Darlington Health Authority is failing to meet the maximum 12-month waiting time target for all inpatient admissions, although
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Close shaves and lots of fun for charity
PARENTS kept their heads as they lost their locks and helped to raise nearly £1,000 for charity. A sponsored head shave was just one of many events that helped to raise £900 for Children-in-Need on Friday, at Auckland Youth and Community Centre, Bishop
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Nativity's cast of 3,000
ALMOST 3,000 schoolchildren across Teesside are coming together to perform a nativity play this Christmas. The primary schoolchildren, from 64 schools in Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Stockton, will perform Home for Christmas, a musical which
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Parents battle threat to future of primary school
PROTESTORS are stepping up their campaign against the possible closure of a primary school. Demonstrators, who have held a protest outside the school, are rallying local MPs and councillors to save Tedder Primary School, south Thornaby. Stockton Borough
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Football chat swells fund for children
AN EVENING of football chat helped to raise more than £900 for the Children in Need appeal. The Chester-le-Street and District branch of the Sunderland AFC Supporters' Association staged the talk-in, featuring former Black Cats' favourites Richie Pitt
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Demand for oil may stay subdued
THE deteriorating relationship between Opec and other oil producers came to a head last week, as Russia rejected a request to commit itself to significant reductions in oil exports. Opec, which has been trying to build bridges with other producers, is
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Men saved from icy death when boat sank
Four men were plucked from their sinking boat by fellow fisherman in a dramatic rescue off the North-East coast last night. Coastguards scrambled an air sea rescue helicopter from RAF Boulmer in Northumberland and launched the Whitby all-weather lifeboat
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Traffic calming to suit the majority
VILLAGE residents are set to get traffic calming measures even though a minority does not want them. Speed humps will be installed by Durham County Council in Coquet Drive and Wansbeck Close at Perkins-ville, near Chester-le-Street. The move follows a
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Referendum to be held over village youth shelter plan
A VILLAGE has decided to hold a referendum on a controversial youth shelter proposed as a solution to vandalism which has plagued the community during the past few years. A Neighbourhood Watch network and extra police patrols have had little effect as
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Sex attacks on students
POLICE are hunting a man who indecently assaulted two female students in daylight. Both attacks happened in Durham City on Monday afternoon within an hour of each other and left the victims shaken but unhurt. At 2.20pm, a 21-year-old university student
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Toddler struggles for life after car crash
A three-year-old boy is fighting for his life after being involved in a serious road accident last night. The boy suffered serious head injuries in the accident, which happened near the village of Great Stainton, County Durham, at about 7.45pm. This morning
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Actor who is aiming to have panto fans hooked
THE man with one of the most famous voices in showbusiness has vowed to hook audiences with a classic children's tale. Yorkshire-born Brian Blessed is to appear as Captain Hook at the Sunderland Empire next month, in Peter Pan. This will be the fifth
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105-year-old died after drug error
A 105-year-old woman died only hours after she saw in the new millennium, shortly after being given the wrong drug in hospital, an inquest heard yesterday. Former seamstress Minnie Whitfield was mistakenly given morphine meant for a patient on the same
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Hospital unveils herb garden tribute to best-selling novelist
A LASTING legacy to North-East novelist Catherine Cookson will provide light relief for patients and visitors at a hospital in the region. The Catherine Cookson Memorial Garden was opened within the grounds of South Tyneside District Hospital, in South
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Building site risks warning by police
POLICE are concerned that youths using a building site as a playground could be injured. Cleveland Police have received numerous reports about youngsters loitering at the site of the former South Park Sixth Form College, in Normanby, Teesside, which is
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Sex-attack pensioner 'lay in bed terrified'
A WIDOW who was sexually and physically assaulted in her bed by an intruder was so terrified she wrapped herself in her bedclothes and did not move until the next morning, police said yesterday. The alarm was only raised when the unnamed victim's home
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£36m complex is given a boost
AFTER a decade of crippling economic hardship, a former North-East mining community has finally secured a £36m lifeline. The go-ahead for work to start on the Dalton Flatts retail and leisure development in Murton, came yesterday at a meeting of Easington
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Concern sounded over shopping development
A riverside shopping development has come under fire from conservationists. In its annual report, York Georgian Society says it has worries over the design and impact of the proposed £60m Coppergate scheme. Spokeswoman Pat Brown said the society was pleased
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Parking will be free
A TEESSIDE MP has welcomed the announcement of free parking for shoppers in an east Cleveland town. Last week, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council said that its Christmas present to shoppers in Redcar was free car parking after 2pm, until Christmas.
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Grid remains on track
ELECTRICTY-to-telecoms group National Grid remains confident of meeting its targets despite falling into the red at the half-year stage. Turnover in the six months to September 30 rose from £1.79bn to £1.99bn but failed to prevent pre-tax losses of £102.9m
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Hear All Sides
Letters from The Northern Echo CHARITY TREK I'M going back to Darkest Peru! However, I'm not just going to see my Aunt Lucy in the Home for Retired Bears in Lima because I'm also going to support my favourite charity, Action Research, which is organising
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Boost that is worth a billion
A NORTH-EAST MP has welcomed evidence of £1bn's worth of regional aid for the region from the Government. Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, tabled a parliamentary question to deputy prime minister John Prescott on the subject
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Close shaves and lots of fun for charity
PARENTS kept their heads as they lost their locks and helped to raise nearly £1,000 for charity. A sponsored head shave was just one of many events that helped to raise £900 for Children-in-Need on Friday, at Auckland Youth and Community Centre, Bishop
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£10,000 target to aid blind people
A FUNDRAISING group is hoping to open a computer suite for blind and partially-sighted people in Darlington. Darlington Rotary Club aims to raise £10,000 to create the computer suite. President of the club, Lakhindar Singh, recently retired as an ophthalmic
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Families first in changing world
ARE working mothers really that special? Yes. But - and it's a big but - so are working fathers. And if they are granted equal rights too, then where are we going to find a policeman at four in the morning? A tribunal ruling means that working mothers
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Digging in at Richmond
THE other day, William Hague made his first speech in the House of Commons since returning to the back benches. But foot-and-mouth, which brought him to his feet, is by no means the only matter which has occupied the MP for Richmond since he quit the
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Support from the top for gift appeal
BRITAIN'S first lady has given her support to a North-East appeal which seeks to make Christmas special for needy families. Cherie Booth QC, wife of Prime Minister Tony Blair, has left a message of support for The Giving Tree Appeal, in Darlington, on
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Tree of memories
A HOSPICE will invite people to place messages on a Christmas tree from next week. From Monday, Teesside Hospice's annual Tree of Life will stand inside the Cleveland Centre, Middlesbrough. People will be invited to place a bauble on it along with a message
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Body in case 'dumped two weeks ago'
A WOMAN whose semi-naked body was found in a suitcase dumped in a hedge may have lain there for almost two weeks, detectives revealed yesterday. Police are urgently trying to establish the identity of the victim, whose wrists had been bound together and
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Butler still ready to play the waiting game
UP-AND-COMING winger Thomas Butler almost made a shock debut for Sunderland against Leeds United. The 20-year-old Irishman was put on red alert because of worries over the fitness of Republic of Ireland internationals Kevin Kilbane and Jason McAteer after
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Group laughed as gunman blinded girl
A GUNMAN who blinded a girl in one eye was heard to laugh running from the scene of the shooting. Nicola Diston, 15, of Gateshead, has made a tearful public appeal for her attacker, who was using an airgun, to come forward and for youngsters to stop using
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Arriva braces itself for more sanctions
THE Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) is to make a statement on Arriva shortly after receiving a "significant" response on plans to fine the troubled operator. More than 100 replies were gathered by the authority in response to an enforcement order imposed
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Crowned - deserving North-East winner of Prince's Trust awards
WEARSIDE firm i2B is this year's North-East winner of the Prince's Trust Business Awards. The Sunderland firm, which provides and delivers electronic management solutions, was one of nine in the region shortlisted for the award. The runner-up was Lisa
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Director spared jail for false accounting
A company director who turned to crime in a bid to save his failing business narrowly escaped jail yesterday. Ian Teeder, 33, director of the Brooklands 4x4 Garage in West Auckland, County Durham, set up a credit facility with Lombard Motor Fianance on
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Quakers' boss fights sacking case verdict
FOOTBALL chairman George Reynolds is to appeal against an industrial tribunal's verdict. Former bar supervisor at Darlington Football Club, Tracy Bailey, 28, won her case for unfair dismissal against Mr Reynolds, who was ordered to pay £8,500 compensation
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Tribute from the past to go on show
A CERTIFICATE recording a community's gratitude to a soldier returning from the First World War is to be included in a new wing at one of the region's leading museums. Eden Camp, near Malton, North Yorkshire, has earned a reputation for the quality of
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Families first in changing world
ARE working mothers really that special? Yes. But - and it's a big but - so are working fathers. And if they are granted equal rights too, then where are we going to find a policeman at four in the morning? A tribunal ruling means that working mothers
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Cash boost for skateboard park project
PLANS for a skateboard park for youngsters have received a boost of more than £6,000. The cash will be a major step towards the £48,000 needed to convert disused land in Norton, near Malton. The announcement was the second boost for the project in a week
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£40m boost for institution
THE region's only privately-run secure training centre, recently condemned by the Government for "disruption and turbulence", stands to benefit from a £40m scheme. The Youth Justice Board (YJB), which has ultimate responsibility for Hassockfield Secure
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Decision not to prosecute consultant sparks protest
CAMPAIGNERS have reacted furiously to news that a suspended consultant is unlikely to face prosecution. Earlier this year, consultant gynaecologist Neil Hebblethwaite was interviewed by North Yorkshire Police in connection with allegations made by one
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Skilful engraver who left a pictorial legacy
WHEN Edward Almond finished his engraving apprenticeship in 1910, he was presented with a problem. The rules of his apprenticeship said that he could not set up in business within 50 miles of his master. Because he had grown up in a railway family in
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Off to the seaside as a finale to the Lingford's story - or is it?
LINGFORD'S, as Echo Memories has observed over many a week, was very much a family company. It made baking powder in Bishop Auckland, and was started by Joseph Lingford in 1861 and closed by his great-grandson, Kenneth, in 1973. The company prided itself
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Man cleared of his friend's murder
A MAN who was put on trial for murder, even though it was a hospital blunder that killed his friend, has been cleared by a court. Andrew Ferguson, 29, stabbed 33-year-old Paul Cardella in the back with a 7in blade, in February. Mr Cardella survived the
