Archive
-
Date
Police act to reduce number of motorcycle road deaths
SPECIALIST teams of police officers will be patrolling North Yorkshire's roads over the Bank Holiday weekend in a bid to save lives. Operation Victory is aimed at reducing the toll of motorcycle road deaths in the county. So far this year, 20 riders have
-
Date
Four-hour armed 'siege' - but house was empty
DOZENS of armed police swooped on an address in Darlington last night and mounted a four-hour stand-off - only to discover the house was empty. The alarm was raised after several calls from concerned neighbours who heard gunshots and reported seeing a
-
Date
Reserves defeat leaves Taylor flat
Darlington's reserves got their season off to a poor start yesterday afternoon when they lost 2-0 at York City. Fielding several players with first-team experience, Quakers slumped to defeat in disappointing fashion with both goals coming in the first
-
Date
Skate park gets set to open
WORK has started on a £22,000 skateboard and BMX park for youngsters in Chester-le-Street. Enthusiasts worked with Chester-le-Street District Council on the plans for the facility, at the town's Riverside Sports Complex, which is due to open on Saturday
-
Date
Club celebrates centenary
STAR-in-the-making Pete Shoulder may have an album deal and a gig at Durham City's Gala Theatre, but he's still happy to help out his local social club. The Waldridge Fell Club, near Chester-le-Street, celebrates its centenary with a big party on Saturday
-
Date
Mother found dead by her two children
POLICE were this week hunting the killer of a former pupil of Durham High School for Girls. Lorraine Turner, 37, was found dead with head injuries by her son Jordan, ten, and daughter, Jasmine, eight. The children discovered their mother lying in a pool
-
Date
Taking a break from life's rich clutter
FOR the past few weeks, there has been a line at the bottom of this column stating: "Ruth Campbell is on holiday." That, I have to confess, was a lie. Not that I was deliberately deceiving you. I was all packed and ready to go when, days before our ferry
-
Date
Nerves on the front line
HERE'S something they didn't tell you about at ante-natal classes - that 18 years down the line you'd have to collect their A-level results. Normally I'm sitting in the car outside, waiting for news. But as Smaller Son is still on his travels, I've been
-
Date
Father and son robbed old man
A FATHER and son were locked up for a total of 15 years after a court heard how they robbed an old soldier in his isolated home. The 81-year-old widower, was considered an easy target by Robert and son Darren Emery, who were looking for money for heroin
-
Date
Bid to halt decline in villages
RESIDENTS of former mining villages have welcomed a housing study that will pinpoint how to regenerate their communities. Kevan Jones, MP for North Durham, commissioned the survey in a bid to arrest the decline in North-East pit villages. The study, by
-
Date
Savaged boy tells of his horror
A 12-YEAR-OLD boy has relived the moment when he thought he was going to die after being savaged by a dog. Sean Young was speaking from his hospital bed as he recovered from an operation to repair his shattered wrist. The youngster was playing football
-
Date
Fishmonger passes on tasty tips
A DURHAM fishmonger has compiled his own recipe book after years of fielding queries from shoppers on how to cook seafood. Ian Kennedy has put down all the advice he has been offering customers at his stall in Durham's indoor market. The book was devised
-
Date
Savaged boy tells of his horror
A 12-YEAR-OLD boy has relived the moment when he thought he was going to die after being savaged by a dog. Sean Young was speaking from his hospital bed as he recovered from an operation to repair his shattered wrist. The youngster was playing football
-
Date
Life of waste tip used during epidemic is to be extended
PLANNERS have agreed to extend the life of a waste tip that was briefly used for burying foot-and-mouth carcasses. Dumping at the former Chapman's Well opencast site, near Annfield Plain, should have finished in June. But the operation was interrupted
-
Date
Hotel dinner for cabinet criticised
DURHAM County Council is under fire after details emerged of a dinner for cabinet members at a four-star hotel. Ten councillors from the authority, including leader Ken Manton, are attending The Marriott Royal County Hotel this Thursday to 'discuss priorities
-
Date
North expert pioneers railway safety
A TECHNIQUE pioneered by a North-East university to strengthen crumbling railway bridges could eventually be adopted by countries around the world. Research at Teesside University has resulted in a new method of reinforcing masonry and brick parapets
-
Date
Help for parents of drug users
PARENTS whose children turn to drugs are being urged to turn to a support group for help and advice. Liberty from Addiction has been set up to help families in the Durham and Chester-le-Street areas who are blighted by the problem. The group, whose volunteers
-
Date
Hospital takes on four new specialists
A SOUTH African consultant who is re-locating because of the political climate back home is one of four new specialists joining the University Hospital of North Durham. Professor Peter Gray, who currently heads the department of chemical pathology at
-
Date
Autoweld builds on success in China
PIPELINE welding equipment company Autoweld Systems has made a major breakthrough in China. The Trimdon, County Durham, company was the first to supply this type of equipment to China. The company established a marketing strategy in 1995 and its first
-
Date
Festival set to brighten weekend
A weekend of entertainment and fun kicks off Saturday when the Orange Darlington Festival 2002 is officially opened. The three day event starts at 7pm when Paul 'Goffy' Gough from Century FM will take to the specially created stage in the market square
-
Date
New student block completed early
A NEW student accommodation block has been handed over to Durham University well in advance of the forthcoming academic year. The team behind the new 96-room development at Van Mildert College completed the construction programme five weeks ahead of schedule
-
Date
Castle prepares for an invasion of top-class athletes
THREE major athletics events are being held in Bishop Auckland this weekend. The New Balance Running Fitness road race will take place on Sunday morning, starting in the grounds of Auckland Castle. A record number of more than 800 runners will take part
-
Date
Family tell of shooting tragedy
A soldier from the region shot dead his sergeant and then turned the gun on himself and took his own life following an argument at a barbecue, it emerged last night. Corporal John Gregory, 30, of North Yorkshire, who died in what officials described as
-
Date
Plea for school reunion
OLD friends are asked to get in touch in the hope of setting up a school reunion. Elizabeth Jackson is appealing for former colleagues who attended Close House County Girls' School, near Bishop Auckland, from 1949 to 1959, to get in touch with her by
-
Date
Castle prepares for invasion of top athletes
THREE major athletics events are being held in Bishop Auckland this weekend. The New Balance Running Fitness road race will take place on Sunday morning, starting in the grounds of Auckland Castle. A record number of more than 800 runners will take part
-
Date
Academy awards for young actors
MEMBERS of the Sedgefield Players Youth Section have been presented with certificates by the London Acad-emy of Music and Dramatic Art. Before receiving their awards, the 17 performers, aged seven to 17, delighted the audience at Sedgefield Parish Hall
-
Date
News in brief: Course to aid new business
CHESTER-LE-STREET Community Association is launching a ten-week course on setting up a small business. It will be held at the association's centre on Newcastle Bank on Mondays between 10am and noon starting on September 16, and on Fridays between 5pm
-
Date
Family's beach drama
A LIFEBOAT was called out yesterday afternoon when the rising tide threatened to trap a mother and her son at the foot of a cliff. The inshore lifeboat from Sunderland arrived within minutes to see Alison and Matthew McAlpine, who were on holiday from
-
Date
News in brief: Cash boost for credit unions
Four Darlington credit unions have been awarded a total of £800 to help with their administration costs. The unions offer members loans from a pool of savings at discounted rates of interest. The Cockerton Churches Credit Union, the Firthmoor, Eastbourne
-
Date
Castle welcomes famous queens
A North-East castle is staging an historical pageant next week. Part of English Heritage's jubilee touring festival, it takes place at Barnard castle on August 31 and September 1. Visitors can meet some of history's most celebrated queens, such as Victoria
-
Date
Hen harrier's fortunes rise
THE fortunes of a threatened bird of prey have improved this season, a nature conservation body has reported. Hen harriers made 11 nesting attempts in England this season, and seven of them proved successful, said English Nature. It means the birds' chances
-
Date
Camp open day
The Ministry of Defence is holding an open day at its training centre in Otterburn, Northumberland, on September 15. Admission is free
-
Date
Approval to install drainage system
A HOUSING developer is to provide a new drainage system in a Darlington street. Persimmon Homes has asked Darlington Borough Council for permission to install a sewer on land at Bellburn Lane, where it is building homes. There are 30 houses already on
-
Date
Learn about farming the natural way
FARMERS are being urged to find out how letting nature take its course can be good for the bank balance. Experts from the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) will lead a coastal farm walk at White Lea Farm, Easington Colliery, tonight at 6pm. The
-
Date
Young actors in the spotlight
MEMBERS of the Sedgefield Players Youth Section (SPYS) have been presented with certificates and medals by the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Before receiving their awards, the 17 performers, aged seven to 17 years, delighted the audience at
-
Date
Jazz in need of a home
DOGS Jazz and Lucky are in need of a new home. Six-year-old Jazz is a German shepherd collie cross and Lucky is a labrador collie cross. The dogs have been living together for a while and Lucky looks up to Jazz as her mother. The National Animal Sanctuary
-
Date
Annual art exhibition will draw the crowds
ARTISTS will be transforming their local community hall into a riot of colour this weekend. The Vale of Pickering Art Club are holding their annual exhibition in the town's Memorial Hall from Saturday to September 1. More than 70 of the club's members
-
Date
Complex to host fun day
A VILLAGE fair has been resurrected following a year off because of the foot-and-mouth crisis. The summer fun day at Mainsforth Sports Complex, Ferryhill, was established in 2000 and proved such a success that organisers hoped to make it an annual event
-
Date
Joining the college team
A COLLEGE has strengthened its team with the appointment of an assistant principal. Alan Kersh is joining Bishop Auckland College as assistant principal and director of corporate development and partnerships. He transfers to the area from North Lindsey
-
Date
Sense of pride as garden is unveiled
RESIDENTS of a Middlesbrough care home are celebrating the completion of a sensory garden. Captain Simon Hill from 104 Pioneer Squadron, Coulby Newham, will open the garden at Bupa's Elmridge Nursing Home, in Coulby Newham, on Saturday at 2pm. Earlier
-
Date
Economic review in demand
More than 1,500 copies of the regional economic strategy review have been sent out on request by One NorthEast. Meanwhile, a website set up to publicise the review has registered nearly 4,000 hits, with more than 1,000 documents downloaded from it. Six
-
Date
Protest over plans for 12,000 hens
A TOWN council is protesting over plans to erect a free range poultry unit for 12,000 hens in the North Yorkshire countryside. Boroughbridge Town Council is also opposing a tandem planning application for a mobile home to serve the egg farm. In its protest
-
Date
Soldier shot at car after row with girl
A SOLDIER who blasted his own car with a shotgun after a row with his ex-girlfriend, was given a chance to start a new life yesterday. But Keiron Moss was drummed out of the Army on medical grounds and will be leaving Marne Barracks at Catterick to return
-
Date
People warned of disruption to road
DRIVERS could face disruption during improvements to a busy road. The £350,000-plus scheme on the A691, east of Lanchester to Durham, is due to start early next month. The main part, expected to take ten weeks, will begin on Monday, September 2, and will
-
Date
Grassroots: Hawes and High Abbotside Parish Council
PHONE MASTS: A letter sent by the Park's Officers to members of the National Park Authority's planning committee about the mobile phone masts in Hawes was deplored by the Parish Council as blatant and outright lobbying pressure to secure planning approvals
-
Date
Protests lead to college revision
PLANS for a £25m national police training college in Harrogate have been revised following protests. The Home Office scheme to replace an existing centre at Pannal Ash even drew criticism from the government's planning watchdog - the Commision for Architecture
-
Date
Praise from civic society
A LEADING conservationist has praised developers of an industrial estate for helping to make the area look attractive. The society regularly comments on planning applications and has often been critical about development proposals in the town. But chairman
-
Date
GCSE celebrations at the school that was failing
A COMPRHENSIVE school once classed as almost failing by Ofsted inspectors is celebrating today after doubling its GCSE pass rate. As thousands of students collect their GCSE results, staff at Bishop Barrington School in Bishop Auckland, County Durham,
-
Date
Park shows promise
THE new home for a traditional country show has passed its first test with flying colours. Herrington Country Park, in the shadow of Penshaw Monument, just off the A183 Chester-le-Street to Sunderland road, opened for the weekend of this year's Durham
-
Date
Free access to North heritage
ENGLISH Heritage is throwing the spotlight on its free properties this bank holiday, encouraging visitors to discover the delights of some of the region's lesser known historic gems. They include the remote Roman road at Wheeldale, in the North York Moors
-
Date
Three million and counting at Nissan plant
Europe's most productive car plant has reached another manufacturing milestone. Staff at Nissan, in Sunderland, have just completed their three millionth car since production began in 1986. So many cars have been built since production began that, if
-
Date
Deaf athletes show region at its best for European title bid
DEAF athletes hit the ground running to support for Tyneside's bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2008. Becoming Visible, the community group for deaf people, held a sports day at Gateshead International Stadium. The event aimed to illustrate
-
Date
News in brief: Carers with a taste to learn
All registered carers with a taste for learning are invited to a lunch on Wednesday, September 4, at 1.15pm at the Carers' Resource Centre, Bishopton Lane, Stockton. Susan Dobbing, the new link worker for courses for carers run by the Carers' Resource
-
Date
Garden body murder inquiry
POLICE yesterday launched a murder hunt after a man from the North-East was discovered beaten to death in the Irish Republic. Kevin French, who police said was originally from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, was found in the back garden of his new home in the Dublin
-
Date
Extra money for mowing
UNUSUAL weather patterns in the Dales this year have led to an unexpected expense for one council. Leyburn council usually pays a contractor to cut the grass in the town's cemetery 12 times a year. However, the mild spring and wet summer have meant the
-
Date
Cash bonus for groups
COMMUNITY groups have shared in a cash windfall of more than £3,000. Harrogate Borough Council has awarded £450 to the angling section of the youth club in Starbeck to pay for four sets of equipment. Other grants have been made to voluntary groups from
-
Date
Pilot scheme to recycle green waste
A PILOT scheme has been launched by Redcar and Cleveland Council to encourage residents to recycle their garden and green waste. The public are being encouraged to take the waste to a skip at the council's civic amenity site at Wilton Lane, Dunsdale,
-
Date
Metro shutdown called off after last-gasp deal
A SIX-DAY shutdown of the Tyne and Wear Metro, due to start today, was called off last night. Union leaders struck an 11th-hour deal with the network operator, Nexus, averting a proposed six-day strike. It ends a long-running dispute over pay and conditions
-
Date
Hear All Sides: PUBLIC SPENDING
WOULD I be correct in saying that on Teesside we have a Labour MP trying to find the possible whereabouts of missing public finance created by a Conservative quango? While on Tyneside we have a Conservative mayor trying to clean up millions of overspend
-
Date
Gavin, 12, impresses contest judges
A YOUNGSTER from the region made a lasting impression with judges when he finished as a runner-up in a national competition. Gavin Cochrane, 12, of Hartlepool, wowed judges in Haribo's search for the UK's Best Young Impressionists, in London, with his
-
Date
Coroner's speed warning after death in 80mph crash
RECKLESS driving at high speed killed a motorist whose car hit another vehicle head-on after crossing double white lines on a twisting country road, an inquest heard yesterday. Craig Pittaway, 29, died from multiple injuries when his Nissan Micra reached
-
Date
News in brief: Course to aid new business
CHESTER-LE-STREET Community Association is launching a ten-week course on setting up a small business. It will be held at the association's centre on Newcastle Bank on Mondays between 10am and noon starting on September 16, and on Fridays between 5pm
-
Date
Dominica can fill sprint void
VACUUM'S are there to be filled and if Dominica (3.50) wins this afternoon's five furlong Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes it may well mark the emergence of a truly top-class sprinter. With the possible exception of Kyllachy, the speed ranks have been sadly devoid
-
Date
A woman of some importance
After a turbulent two years with Cleveland Police, Della Cannings has become the region's first female chief constable. Stuart Mackintosh speaks to a policewoman who is no stranger to the spotlight. TO the assembled pack of newshounds waiting, pens and
-
Date
Social trends reflected in property sales
GROWING numbers of single people are buying their own homes, according to research by the Halifax. The survey says there has been a substantial rise in the proportion of single homebuyers over the past two decades. Last year, they accounted for more than
-
Date
Elderly woman attacked
AN elderly woman has been left shocked and feeling vulnerable after her handbag was stolen. At 3.40pm on Tuesday, the 71-year-old pensioner was walking along Neasham Avenue, in Billingham, towards Low Grange Avenue, when a man on a bike approached her
-
Date
Domnick Hunter confident of successful year
AIR filtration group Domnick Hunter's focus on the "recession resistant" sectors of food and pharmaceuticals reaped its reward in results yesterday. The group, based in Birtley, near Gateshead, overcame the global economic slowdown to post a 14 per cent
-
Date
Savaged boy tells of his horror
A 12-YEAR-OLD boy has relived the moment when he thought he was going to die after being savaged by a dog. Sean Young was speaking from his hospital bed as he recovered from an operation to repair his shattered wrist. The youngster was playing football
-
Date
John North: One man and his jugs
KNOCKING on 90, 89 next, Basil Noble still reads the Echo assiduously from cover to cover. Among Monday's small ads he came across the following: WANTED MARTEL water jug, year 1989 featuring little polvier. Cash paid. - Tel 07817 166439. Basil, retired
-
Date
Centurion Gough secures Durham future
MICHAEL Gough spared Durham from further embarrassment and secured his future with his maiden championship century at Colchester yesterday. Four years after beginning his first-class career, aged 18, with 62 against Essex at the Riverside and a century
-
Date
Regent Inns gets ready for centre move
CENTRE North-East, the tallest building in Middlesbrough, has secured a new tenant for its ground floor. Regent Inns has taken a 20-year lease on 1,100sq metres of space on the ground floor of the 18-storey tower block. The building, on the corner of
-
Date
Nurse admits Internet
A NURSE has been suspended from his duties after he downloaded thousands of indecent pictures of children from the Internet. North Durham Health Care NHS Trust is now waiting the outcome of court proceedings where Lee Wright faces 12 charges of making
-
Date
Mum wins coveted monkey job
A young mum yesterday pulled on the famous monkey suit which catapulted an unknown soccer fan into the political spotlight. Student Ceri Anderson, 26, stepped into the furry shoes of Stuart Drummond, the mayor of Hartlepool who started out as soccer mascot
-
Date
Nurse suspended over downloading child porn
A NURSE has been suspended from his duties after he downloaded thousands of indecent pictures of children from the Internet. North Durham Health Care NHS Trust is now waiting the outcome of court proceedings where Lee Wright faces 12 charges of making
-
Date
Last Night's TV: The Stretford Wives (BBC1): The Way We Cooked (BBC2)
It's so grim up North, it's funny. THERE was a point near the end of The Stretford Wives when I couldn't resist chuckling. This was very rude of me, considering the scene I was witnessing on screen - a man lay dying on the floor, a large kitchen knife
-
Date
Fire station opens doors
DURHAM City's fire station became a hive of activity at the weekend as it admitted thousands of people for an open day. One of the hits at the event staged at Durham Fire Station was firefighter and former Big Brother favourite Jonny Regan, who had his
-
Date
Feethams history book on sale
A book commemorating the history of football at Feethams goes on sale tomorrow. 'Farewell to Feethams - a collection of Darlington FC memories' charts some of the defining moments in the history of the club as recalled by fans and former players. Over
-
Date
Clarke just wants to play a part
DARRELL Clarke is ready to play in any position just to help Hartlepool United's promotion bid. The 24-year-old prefers a central midfield role but manager Chris Turner has also played him on the right. Clarke, though, is willing to play his part in goal
-
Date
Minister poised to reveal A66 upgrade
THE Government is today expected to make a major announcement on the future of the road dubbed the most dangerous in Britain. Transport Minister John Spellar is believed to be ready to signal a significant upgrade of the A66 along the notorious stretch
-
Date
North-East man dies in fall
A cyclist died when he fell off his machine as his wife and nephew looked on, police said today. The 39-year-old man, from the North-East of England, who was on holiday, was pronounced dead by a doctor at the scene of the accident, in Lundavra Road, Fort
-
Date
Oliver plays to packed house
ASPIRING performers are in the midst of a sell-out four-night run of the musical Oliver! in Durham, following 12-days of rigorous rehearsals. A chorus and cast of around 100 eight to 24-year-olds, from throughout the North-East, worked round the clock
-
Date
Search for a striker considers Albanian
ALBANIA international Igli Tare emerged last night as the latest subject of Peter Reid's Search for a Striker. As Sunderland's move for Tore Andre Flo hit an impasse, Reid switched his attentions to Tare, who plays for Italian club Brescia. The Sunderland
-
Date
Club celebrates centenary
STAR-in-the-making Pete Shoulder may have an album deal and a gig at Durham City's Gala Theatre, but he's still happy to help out his local social club. The Waldridge Fell Club, near Chester-le-Street, celebrates its centenary with a big party on Saturday
-
Date
News in brief: Carers with a taste to learn
All registered carers with a taste for learning are invited to a lunch on Wednesday, September 4, at 1.15pm at the Carers' Resource Centre, Bishopton Lane, Stockton. Susan Dobbing, the new link worker for courses for carers run by the Carers' Resource
-
Date
Name change for arts venue
ARTS chiefs are hoping that a new name for a town hall will herald a bright future for the venue. The civic hall in Stanley will be re-named the Lamplight Arts Centre when it re-opens next month. The rebranding will follow an overhaul of the centre. The
-
Date
Fans' sympathy as star mourns cot death baby
THE North-East football world joined ranks last night in grief at the tragic cot death of the son of Sunderland AFC player Jody Craddock. Messages of sympathy were sent by fans and rival clubs alike after the news was announced by the Wearside club. A
-
Date
Bid to halt decline in villages
RESIDENTS of former mining villages have welcomed a housing study that will pinpoint how to regenerate their communities. Kevan Jones, MP for North Durham, commissioned the survey in a bid to arrest the decline in North-East pit villages. The study, by
-
Date
Council expected to make decision on future of Gala Theatre
THE future of a £14m theatre beset by financial problems could be decided at a crunch council meeting next week. Durham's Gala Theatre was placed into the hands of the city council when its management company crashed in May, with debts of £700,000. A
-
Date
Mum At Large: Nerves on the front line
HERE'S something they didn't tell you about at ante-natal classes - that 18 years down the line you'd have to collect their A-level results. Normally I'm sitting in the car outside, waiting for news. But as Smaller Son is still on his travels, I've been
-
Date
No Boro future for Windass
MIDDLESBROUGH have told out-of-favour midfielder Dean Windass he has no future on Teesside. The 33-year-old is now looking for a new club after failing to force his way into manager Steve McClaren's plans. Windass, who signed from Bradford City in March
-
Date
Paedophile moved by neighbours' protests
A CONVICTED paedophile is to be moved after nearly 1,000 people signed a petition demanding he leave their community. The man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, is living with a relative in Ripon, North Yorkshire. Although he has completed a
-
Date
Attack dog on the loose
Police are hunting for the owners of a dog which ripped apart a girl's face, leaving her scarred for life. Nichola Jackson had to have about 60 stitches to her bottom lip, chin and mouth following the attack in Consett, County Durham. The youngster, from
-
Date
Help for parents of drug users
PARENTS whose children turn to drugs are being urged to turn to a support group for help and advice. Liberty from Addiction has been set up to help families in the Durham and Chester-le-Street areas who are blighted by the problem. The group, whose volunteers
-
Date
Club celebrates centenary
STAR-in-the-making Pete Shoulder may have an album deal and a gig at Durham City's Gala Theatre, but he's still happy to help out his local social club. The Waldridge Fell Club, near Chester-le-Street, celebrates its centenary with a big party on Saturday
-
Date
Tykes come out to defend home
YORKSHIRE came out fighting last night as they battled to stop Durham replacing them on the Test roster. With English cricket chiefs angered by low crowds and fan trouble at high-profile Headingley matches in recent years, Yorkshire chief executive Chris
-
Date
Viana left buzzing after bow
HUGO Viana has admitted he is still feeling the buzz from making his Premiership debut for Newcastle United. And the Portuguese wonder-kid has paid a glowing tribute to manager Bobby Robson and the club's supporters. Viana - an £8.5m buy from Sporting
-
Date
Kvaerner fortunes continue to improve
INTERNATIONAL engineering and construction company Kvaerner has seen fortunes continue to improve in the first half of the year. The Anglo-Norwegian business, which employs about 1,500 staff across the Tees Valley, reported pre-tax profits of £44.8m in
-
Date
Couple dig up air raid shelter
A COUPLE could be forced to shell out thousands of pounds in repairs after discovering an air raid shelter buried in their back garden. Bryan and Pauline Middleton moved into their new home in Brankin Drive, Darlington, three months ago. The homeowners
-
Date
A66 to be widened
The Government today announced that it is to push ahead with work to create a full dual carriageway along the length of the A66 road. The news comes after years of pressure from campaigners to improve the safety record of the cross-Pennine link between
-
Date
Jazz and his friend need homes
DOGS Jazz and Lucky are in need of a new home. Six-year-old Jazz is a German shepherd collie cross and Lucky is a labrador collie cross. The dogs have been living together for a while and Lucky looks up to Jazz as her mother. The National Animal Sanctuary
-
Date
Children get chance to catch tadpoles
YOUNGSTERS can get a close-up view of pondlife in Weardale this weekend. Tadpoles and other creatures will feature in pond ecology workshops at Killhope Lead Mining Museum. Dr Alan Donaldson, an ecologist and explorer from Allenheads, will host the workshops
-
Date
Doctor says sister died to get time off work
A lazy doctor told hospital bosses his sister had been killed in the World Trade Centre terrorist attacks so he could get time off work, a medical tribunal heard yesterday. Dr Sidharth Sahni, a senior house officer in plastic surgery, was granted compassionate
-
Date
Northern lights fail to impress the BBC
THE BBC has never been afraid of creating a bit of controversy - and their latest bid for ratings success is bound to get tempers flaring. The TV bosses are launching a search for the greatest Briton who ever lived, a subject which sounds innocuous enough
-
Date
Chance to enjoy tai chi day and night
THE popularity of a tai chi class has persuaded a Newton Aycliffe care centre to add a second weekly session. Anyone interested in pursuing a healthier lifestyle can choose from one of two classes at the Pioneering Care Centre at Cobblers Hall, off Burn
-
Date
Chance to enjoy tai chi day and night
THE popularity of a tai chi class has persuaded a Newton Aycliffe care centre to add a second weekly session. Anyone interested in pursuing a healthier lifestyle can choose from one of two classes at the Pioneering Care Centre at Cobblers Hall, off Burn
-
Date
Dreaming of a bright Christmas
RESIDENTS have raised almost £4,000 to brighten up their village this Christmas. The fundraising committee launched to provide festive lights and decorations in Cockfield has already raised £3,700 through raffles, National Lottery bonus ball draws in
-
Date
Sore workers' boost for charity
STAFF at two Darlington supermarkets have helped raise a record amount of cash for their chosen charity. Employees of Morrisons in North Road and Morton Park have raised almost £9,000 for Save the Children. Nationally, the store has raised £467,297 for
-
Date
Girl, five, hurt
A five-year-old girl was left with severe foot injuries after she was knocked down by a car yesterday. The accident happened in Byker, Newcastle, at around 1.50pm. The youngster was treated at Newcastle General Hospital.
-
Date
News in brief: Course to aid new business
CHESTER-LE-STREET Community Association is launching a ten-week course on setting up a small business. It will be held at the association's centre on Newcastle Bank on Mondays between 10am and noon starting on September 16, and on Fridays between 5pm
-
Date
Comment: Justice must now prevail
IT is entirely understandable that emotions are running high over the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. Even now it is hard to believe that anyone could kill two beautiful little girls, and the question on all our lips can be summed up by one
-
Date
Dreaming of a bright Christmas
RESIDENTS have raised almost £4,000 to brighten up their village this Christmas. The fundraising committee launched to provide festive lights and decorations in Cockfield has already raised £3,700 through raffles, National Lottery bonus ball draws in
-
Date
Concert kicks off hospice fundraiser
A WEEKEND of fun packed activities are planned to raise money for a North-East hospice. Only a few tickets are remaining to see showband, The Piggies, who will start the family fun in aid of the Butterwick Hospice, at Bishop Auckland, County Durham, this
-
Date
N-E entrants sought for enterprise awards
TOP performing companies in the North-East are in danger of missing out on the Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2003 - unless they send in their applications soon. Companies have until October 31 to return their applications but, as yet, none of the region's
-
Date
Getting into work
JEAN Carlton is a woman who really gets into her work. Petite Mrs Carlton, 56, of East Stanley, County Durham, is offering a wheelie bin cleaning service. For £2-a-time, householders can have their bins cleaned inside and out. But 5ft 1in Mrs Carlton
-
Date
Disgruntled taxpayers call for chief's head over spending row
A NEW political group, set up by disgruntled residents, has voted to demand the head of the chief executive of a North Yorkshire district council. About 40 people turned up at a public meeting arranged by the Richmondshire Association of Council Tax Payers
-
Date
Children get chance to net tadpoles at workshop
YOUNGSTERS can get a close-up view of pondlife in Weardale this weekend. Tadpoles and other creatures will feature in pond ecology workshops at Killhope Lead Mining Museum. Dr Alan Donaldson, an ecologist and explorer from Allenheads, will host the workshops
-
Date
Conductors' strike fails to stop trains
TRAIN operator Arriva Trains Northern last night said it had maintained a "robust level" of services during the latest one-day strike by conductors. The company said it had been able to run more than three quarters of services despite the action. More
-
Date
Play auditions
AUDITIONS are being held for Steel Magnolias - being staged by the Richmond Amateur Dramatic Society in its clubrooms on Castle Hill, from 7.30pm on Tuesday. For details call(01748) 818514.
-
Date
News in brief: Ear bitten in attack
A 23-year-old man had to undergo surgery after a chunk of his ear was bitten off in an unprovoked attack. The assault happened at 11pm on Sunday, outside Sammy Jacks pub, in Front Street, Tynemouth. The victim was treated at North Tyneside Hospital, where
-
Date
That's the way to carry on doing it, Punch
A COUNCIL worker was wrong to stop a Punch and Judy show from performing at a sponsored arts event for children, her employers have admitted. Bo the Clown was due to perform in front of hundreds of youngsters at Newcastle Civic Centre, when an unnamed
-
Date
Woman hid drugs in underwear, court told
A woman who had drugs hidden in her underwear when she was searched at a police station was facing a jail sentence last night. Maxine Blackwood, 36, had £200 worth of amphetamine and Methyl amphetamine. Half an Ecstasy tablet was also found on her bedside
-
Date
'Teacher ignored girl's claims over groping'
A SCHOOLGIRL told a court yesterday how teachers ignored her pleas for help while a classmate groped her during lessons. The 16-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, told a special youth court hearing at Teesside Crown Court that the boy
-
Date
News in brief: Girls' school reunion plea
OLD friends are asked to get in touch in the hope of setting up a reunion for former pupils of a girls' school. Elizabeth Jackson, formerly of Vyner Street, Close House, near Bishop Auckland, is appealing for old colleagues who attended Close House County
-
Date
Burlison's women no longer lost
PREVIOUSLY "lost" works of art by one of the region's most celebrated and respected 19th Century portrait painters have been uncovered more than a century after his death. Three paintings by Clement Burlison, who was born in Middleton-in-Teesdale, County
-
Date
£20,000 drugs and cash haul in police raids
ABOUT £20,000 in drugs and cash has been seized by police in a continuing crackdown targeting dealers. Heroin and cannabis with a combined street value of almost £10,000, and cash and property to the same value, were recovered during raids on eight addresses
-
Date
Soap stars will bowl them over
STARS from the soap opera Emmerdale will be taking part in a celebrity cricket match at Darlington Cricket Club. Lining up against a team from BBC Radio Cleveland are Eric Pollard (Chris Chittell), Rodney Blackstock (Patrick Mower) and new heart-throb
-
Date
Housing chiefs take the bus
A TEAM of local authority housing chiefs took to the road this week in a bid to persuade tenants to have their say on how services are run. Both councillors and members of Richmondshire District Council's tenants' panel boarded a bus to tour the area
-
Date
Fewer houses on the market
THE number of houses for sale across the Yorkshire region is expected to fall during the next three months. The prediction follows the latest housing market survey by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Although the number of homes for sale across
-
Date
Ross steps out on the fame trail
A STAGE-STRUCK teenager's dream of stardom has come a step closer after he landed a coveted place at a renowned performing arts school. Ross Proctor received three A-level passes when results were announced at Framwellgate School, Durham, last week. It
-
Date
Region's £230,000 for children's charity
MORE than £230,000 was raised in the region last year for children's charity NCH. Figures released last night show the region at the forefront of fundraising efforts for the charity. York was one of the top fundraisers, with £30,000 collected; £26,500
-
Date
Markets fair to see traders in fancy dress
THE annual markets fair is taking place in Stockton High Street on Saturday. Market traders will be getting into the spirit of things by wearing fancy dress. Officers from Stockton Borough Council will be dressed as children's characters such as Noddy
-
Date
Council eyes resort
SCARBOROUGH Building Society's headquarters on the outskirts of the resort could become a new headquarters on the coast for North Yorkshire County Council. County Hall said it had 15 different offices and buildings in the Scarborough area and wanted to
-
Date
Gentle giants put to the plough as museum competition recreates a bygone age
THE gentle giants of the horse world will be in action this weekend when they take part in a traditional agricultural contest. The annual Ploughing Match takes place at Pockerley Manor, Beamish Museum, County Durham, on Saturday. Teams of heavy horses
-
Date
When east meets west
THE MULTI-cultural North-East comes under the spotlight at a Hartlepool exhibition for children this week. Youngsters have been getting hands-on experience of the Muslim faith at Hartlepool Art Gallery where Islamic clothes, rituals and decorations have
-
Date
Home insulation grants could keep everyone warm this winter
A NEW scheme is offering Durham area homeowners discount cavity wall and loft insulation. Unusually, the grants, which will cover part of the installation costs, are available for people who do not claim benefit. Schemes are usually targeted at benefit
-
Date
Picture of unhappiness as 'wrong' horse wins
THE North's biggest race meeting of the year was plunged into controversy yesterday when the "wrong" horse was named as a winner. Out-of-pocket punters besieged the weighing room at York after the judge apparently got muddled up over a photo-finish. The
-
Date
People's bank opens its vaults
RESIDENTS who find themselves short of cash are being invited to join a new community bank in Hartlepool. Moneywise Community Bank opened in the town centre yesterday, offering savings and loans regardless of income or circumstances. Moneywise is a co-operative
-
Date
Garden memorial to 'quiet commander'
A MEMORIAL garden to a highly-decorated firefighter was opened in a North-East station yesterday. Assistant Divisional Officer Iain Davison died of a heart attack last November while helping a colleague put up a fence. Fire service colleagues of the County
-
Date
Metro shutdown called off after last-gasp deal
A SIX-DAY shutdown of the Tyne and Wear Metro, due to start today, was called off last night. Union leaders struck an 11th-hour deal with the network operator, Nexus, averting a proposed six-day strike. It ends a long-running dispute over pay and conditions
-
Date
News in brief: £30,000 for needy groups
COMMUNITY groups in North Yorkshire are to benefit from more than £30,000 of funding. The cash is being provided by North Yorkshire County Council's Ryedale Area Committee. Administrator Stephen Hague said the authority was inviting applications from
-
Date
Metal poplars to ring green
TREES sculpted from metal are to ring the village green of a former pit village as the first step in its revitalisation. The Normandy poplars, by blacksmith and artist Graham Hopper, of Hunwick, will be installed at Ushaw Moor. The 20ft sculptures, commissioned
-
Date
Clampdown on car crime
A HOLIDAY resort is hoping to put the brakes on car thieves. Car theft and stealing from cars outside sea front arcades at Redcar and the town's leisure centre is above the national average - and the highest in east Cleveland. The police, local council
-
Date
Teenagers are top class
TWO East Cleveland teenagers are celebrating top A-level successes - as is the college they attended. Emma Wilson, 18, from Redcar, a student at Redcar and Cleveland College, has gained two A grades in chemistry and maths and a B grade in biology, along
-
Date
Grantchester off the market
RETAIL property group Grantchester Holdings is being taken off the London market in a £167.6m management buy-out. A privately-owned company backed by investment house West Coast Capital and HBOS will run the firm, which owns 18 retail parks in the UK,
-
Date
Support with misgivings over 999 volunteers scheme
VOLUNTEER members of the public are to go behind the wheels of new ambulances and respond to 999 emergency calls in a scheme launched in the region yesterday. The revolutionary Yorlife Community Response Scheme being pioneered in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire
-
Date
Former mayor in cemetery scuffle
A POLICE investigation has been launched into allegations that a former mayor and her staunchest critic were involved in a confrontation among the gravestones of a town's cemetery. Councillor Pat Walker, former mayor of Middlesbrough, and self-appointed
-
Date
Surgery to get funding for improvements
THOUSANDS of pounds are to be spent to improve a town centre doctor's surgery. The money from the Primary Care Trust (PCT) will improve the premises at the Park Place health centre, in Darlington. Last year, Dr John Hopkins and Dr Elaine Moore said they
-
Date
Rebel councillors branded 'cheap politicians' by leader
REBEL councillors who launched a bitter attack on Stockton Council's Labour group have been branded "cheap politicians" by its leader. The authority's Labour leader Bob Gibson came out fighting after receiving a letter from 11 councillors in neighbouring
