Archive
-
Date
Pub paradise is a labour of love
THE Queen's Head, on the corner of Sherburn Road and Gilesgate in Durham, looks unassuming enough from the front. But hidden away at the back is a gem of a garden, which has just earned the drinking hole the title of best kept pub grounds, in the Beautiful
-
Date
Quinn Hammers out a deal
NEWCASTLE UNITED defender Wayne Quinn last night joined West Ham United on loan for a month. Quinn, put on the transfer list by Sir Bobby Robson at the end of last season, has not played for the Newcastle first team since August 2002. The left-back, who
-
Date
Funds raised in pupil's memory
STUDENTS at Durham's Sixth Form Centre are determined to turn tragedy into triumph by raising funds in memory of a former pupil who died of a rare heart condition. The 70-strong team is hoping to raise thousands of pounds for the charity CRY (Cardiac
-
Date
£5,000 reward offered over bank robbery
A SECURITY company has put up a reward to help catch masked raiders who took more than £70,000 in a bank robbery. Securicor has offered £5,000 for the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the raid at Barclays Bank, Barnard Castle, last week
-
Date
News in brief: Charity waits for race cash
A CHARITY race held in Darlington's South Park in July raised more then £40,000 for Cancer Research UK. But organisers of the Race for Life event say almost 70 per cent of participants have not sent in sponsorship money. Organiser Janet Cooper said: "
-
Date
Wake-up call for couch potato
EVERYWHERE you look there are warnings about the "couch potato" generation. Youngsters are risking their health by spending too much time sitting in front of computer games and not getting enough exercise, it said in the paper. And, apparently, it's up
-
Date
Government blocks £60m city centre development
A controversial sch-eme to create a £60m shopping development in the heart of York has been thrown out by the Government. After months of legal wrangling and a costly nine-week public inquiry, the proposed Coppergate Riverside scheme in York has been
-
Date
Henderson heads out
KEVIN Henderson yesterday dropped a division in the search for regular first-team football. The Hartlepool United front-man, a fringe figure at Victoria Park of late, moved to Carlisle on loan for a month. The Cumbrians are in desperate need of new faces
-
Date
The fruits of gardener's labour
A HOT summer has helped a North-East gardener grow an exotic fruit. Deolinda Ashmore planted a pineapple-top two years ago but didn't hold out much hope of it growing in the chilly North-East. But to her surprise, the fruit has now reached impressive
-
Date
Police pay tribute to 9/11 victims
Police officers from the North East have travelled to New York to mark the second anniversary of the World Trade Centre terrorist attacks. Northumbria Police said constables Roy Davies from Washington, Karen Turnbull from Newcastle and Don McLean from
-
Date
Trio of knights take the stage
THREE Knights of the Realm brought a standing ovation from 260 guests celebrating the 40th anniversary of one of the region's family-owned hotel chains. Star of a birthday cabaret, Sir Norman Wisdom, had already brought the house down at Ramside Hall
-
Date
Punch has power to grab Cup glory
REAMS and reams have been written about the gallant ten-year-old Persian Punch. David Elsworth's veteran stayer is a standing dish when competing in the likes of the Doncaster Cup, a two-mile-two-furlong war of attrition admirably suited to his style
-
Date
Parents vow to continue campaign
PARENTS last night vowed to continue their fight to save a school after councillors agreed to its closure. The parents were reacting to Sunderland City Council's ruling Labour cabinet decision to agree to plans to close the 600-pupil Usworth School in
-
Date
Inquiry ordered into Sands plan
A PUBLIC inquiry will be held into controversial plans to use recreation land in Durham as a temporary car park. The Sands, next to the River Wear, may have to serve as a replacement for spaces lost while the nearby Walkergate site is redeveloped. The
-
Date
Lifeboat answers Oz SOS
A NORTH-EAST lifeboat station was called to give assistance - in Australia. The station received a distress call on its website from a funeral director in Queensland trying to find the words to the Seaman's Prayer for the funeral of a British ex-seaman
-
Date
Police chief is spared prison
A POLICE chief who turned to alcohol after crumbling under the pressure of her job was spared a prison sentence yesterday for driving while nearly four times the legal limit. Inspector Elizabeth Byron, who headed Hertfordshire's road policing unit until
-
Date
New bishop sets out on seven-day walk
THE Bishop of Durham is making a seven-day pilgrimage around some of the major historic and tourism sites in his new diocese next month. The Right Reverend Tom Wright sets out on his long walk on Sunday, October 5, in Jarrow, at St Paul's Church. He will
-
Date
Hoggard and McGrath celebrate call-ups
Yorkshire strike bowler Matthew Hoggard is all set to resume his international career after being chosen in both England's Test squad and their one-day party for the forthcoming tours of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Yorkshire captain Anthony McGrath is also
-
Date
Government blocks £60m city centre development
A controversial sch-eme to create a £60m shopping development in the heart of York has been thrown out by the Government. After months of legal wrangling and a costly nine-week public inquiry, the proposed Coppergate Riverside scheme in York has been
-
Date
He's my hero! Fiancee dives to save woman
HERO Carl Kennedy abandoned his engagement celebrations to rescue a drowning woman. He and fiance Abi Barker had just broken the news of their wedding plans to Carl's parents, Mick and Kim. But as they walked along the River Wear in Durham, towards a
-
Date
Beamish strikes it rich
BEAMISH Museum is celebrating a near £1m windfall from the tax man. The museum, near Stanley, has received a £961,181 payment for overpaid VAT dating back as far as 1990. Museum treasurers are now trying to recover interest on the sum, but are awaiting
-
Date
'Ghost fleet' prepares to sail in days
PART of America's condemned "ghost fleet" could set sail for the North-East as early as this weekend, The Northern Echo can reveal. Two ships in the obsolete fleet - branded an environmental disaster waiting to happen - have been cleared for the 4,000
-
Date
Fund to combat attacks has £180,000 shortfall - report
A FUNDING gap of £180,000 must be plugged if a North-East county is to be protected against the threat of disaster or terrorist attack, MPs have been warned. Patrick Cunningham, the County Durham's chief emergency planning officer, has said £635,000 was
-
Date
Henderson heads out
KEVIN Henderson yesterday dropped a division in the search for regular first-team football. The Hartlepool United front-man, a fringe figure at Victoria Park of late, moved to Carlisle on loan for a month. The Cumbrians are in desperate need of new faces
-
Date
You saying I'm not a pedigree, chum?
PEDIGREE dogs of every breed will be showcased in the North-East this weekend. Darlington Dog Show attracts competitors from all over the world and 8,401 dogs will compete for the coveted Best in Show award at this year's event. The winners of each class
-
Date
Meg joins Ian in preparation for half-marathon
A FAMILY dog has been leading the way for her master around their home town in preparation for the Great North Run. Border collie Meg has joined her owner, Ian Middleton, along the roads and streets of Northallerton, North Yorkshire, for months while
-
Date
Brave Helen gets helping to live life to the full
Continuing our series celebratring the fifth anniversary of the Butterwick Children's Hospice, Katie Barlow meets a brave young lady. WITH a twinkle in her eye and a mischievous grin, it is hard to imagine Helen Carter could be different from any other
-
Date
Poll leads to calls for vote on Europe
A POLL in Tony Blair's constituency has led to renewed calls for a referendum on Europe. Vote 2004, which campaigns for a referendum on the European Constitution, last night released an ICM poll of the Prime Minister's constituents in Sedgefield, County
-
Date
NE experts link breast cancer to fatty diet
WESTERN diets could increase the risk of breast cancer, according to new research from Durham University. Experts believe that diets rich in fatty food boost levels of the female hormone oestrogen, thought to be a major cause of the disease. Although
-
Date
Fund to combat attacks has £180,000 shortfall - report
A FUNDING gap of £180,000 must be plugged if a North-East county is to be protected against the threat of disaster or terrorist attack, MPs have been warned. Patrick Cunningham, the County Durham's chief emergency planning officer, has said £635,000 was
-
Date
Directorship for Lord Robertson
OUTGOING Nato secretary general Lord Robertson has been appointed as a director of engineering group Smiths. Lord Robertson, who steps down from his post at Nato at the end of this year, will become a non-executive director of the London group on February
-
Date
Lifeboats record busiest year ever
A LIFEBOAT station has had its busiest summer since it was formed more than 200 years ago. In June, July and August, Redcar's two lifeboats were called out on 34 occasions, a 40 per cent rise on the same period last year. On one day in July, the lifeboats
-
Date
Bridge helps revive promotion hopes
THE Oval Test proved that cricket matches are not decided on the first day, and four wickets for Graeme Bridge revived Durham when they looked set for a Bristol bombing. They will need to bat well today if they are to maintain their promotion hopes, but
-
Date
News in brief: Charity waits for race cash
A CHARITY race held in Darlington's South Park in July raised more then £40,000 for Cancer Research UK. But organisers of the Race for Life event said almost 70 per cent of participants had not sent in sponsorship money. Organiser Janet Cooper said: "
-
Date
Estate residents urged to join the fight against crime
RESIDENTS on a Darlington estate are being urged to join the fight against anti-social behaviour after a dramatic increase in crime rates. Beat officer for the Branksome area, PC Amanda Stevens, is asking parents to make sure they know where their children
-
Date
Free checks for pets offer
PET owners are running out of time to secure free health checks for their animals. Few appointments during the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals' (PDSA) national pet check week are left because they are in demand. Veterinary staff at practices in County
-
Date
Free checks for pets offer
PET owners are running out of time to secure free health checks for their animals. Few appointments during the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals' (PDSA) national pet check week are left because they are in demand. Veterinary staff at practices in County
-
Date
Home needed for abused cat
A YOUNG cat, which has recovered from horrific injuries, is in need of a loving home. Rumble was found in Willington, near Bishop Auckland, by RSPCA inspectors. He had suffering appalling injuries as a result of being kicked. The black and white cat was
-
Date
Protest launched against post office closure proposal
COUNCILLORS are protesting against a proposal to close a Spennymoor post office next month. Mount Pleasant post office, in Weardale Street, faces closure in October as part of a national restructuring scheme. But Spennymoor Town Council is calling on
-
Date
Pub in court on health charges
A CLEANING company's cancelled visit proved costly for a publican, a court heard yesterday. On the day a contract cleaning company was scheduled to visit the Castleside Inn, at Moorside, near Consett, County Durham, the environmental health department
-
Date
Star items at auction
MEMORABILIA from television soap operas will be put up for auction as a pub continues its quest to raise money for charity. The Brown Trout pub, in Sunnybrow, is holding the charity auction tonight, at 9pm, to raise money for the village chapel and Willington
-
Date
Meeting to start the festive spirit
AN open meeting has been called by Thirsk Chamber of Trade and Thirsk Regeneration Initiative to discuss an ambitious Christmas fair for next year. Anyone interested in becoming involved in the three-day event which would bring winter wonderland snow
-
Date
Lifeboats record busiest year ever
A LIFEBOAT station has had its busiest summer since it was formed more than 200 years ago. In June, July and August, Redcar's two lifeboats were called out on 34 occasions, a 40 per cent rise on the same period last year. On one day in July, the lifeboats
-
Date
Job shop for the NHS
AN initiative allowing people to find out more about a range of careers and vacancies in the NHS is launched this month. NHS Job Shops are being set up throughout the Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale region by the local primary care trust in partnership
-
Date
Garden competition helps to improve town's look
SALTBURN's Town Garden Competition 2003 had more than 60 entries. The competition is linked to Saltburn in Bloom and encourages people to improve their gardens in order to make the town look better. Saltburn in Bloom and Town Garden Competition co-ordinator
-
Date
Low risk maternity unit opened
ROYAL College of Midwives general secretary Dame Karlene Davis was on Teesside this week to open the low dependency midwifery unit in Middlesbrough. The unit at The James Cook University Hospital, which has six delivery rooms with en-suite bathrooms,
-
Date
Garden gang
VOLUNTEERS are wanted to help create a garden at a Newton Aycliffe care centre. The Options Disability Initiative is launching the project with a gardening day tomorrow, at the Pioneering Care Centre, Cobblers Hall, starting at 10am. For details call
-
Date
Tenants voted on to board
TENANTS from an east Cleveland housing association have been elected on to the management board of the borough's largest landlord. Norman Davies, 64, Joan Tait, 61, who will represent the Redcar area and Vinnie Thomas, 74, who will represent the South
-
Date
News in brief: Language taster sessions
Northumbria University, in Newcastle, is encouraging people to learn a language on this year's European Languages day. Staff from the School of Modern Languages are inviting people in for a free half-day taster session in languages. Sessions will take
-
Date
Arson probe after fire at building site
POLICE have appealed for information following a blaze which badly damaged a partially built retirement home complex. The fire, which broke out on the second floor of the building in Gloucester Road, Delves Lane, Consett, County Durham, is believed to
-
Date
How to survive university
You leave your family and friends and live in a cramped room in a strange city. It's no wonder so many teenagers dread the first week of university. Owen Amos looks back on his time as a fresher. Teenagers are a tough bunch. We survive school, exams,
-
Date
Owners warned after pets killed in savage dog attacks
PET owners are warned to keep their animals safe after a family lost two guinea pigs and a rabbit in a dog attack. A tearful woman, from Northallerton, told The Northern Echo that two dogs had killed her pets after gnawing their way into the cages on
-
Date
Language lessons for tourist trade
BUSINESSES working in the tourism industry are encouraged to take advantage of free language training classes. The workshops in French, German, Italian and Spanish are being provided by the Regional Language Network (RLN) on Friday, September 26, in celebration
-
Date
£87,000 appeal to raise church roof
CENTURIES of gales and storms have taken their toll on one of the most remote churches in North Yorkshire. Now the congregation of St Andrew's Church, at Weaverthorpe, near Scarborough, hope to raise £87,000 to repair the roof. Churchwarden Mary d'Arne
-
Date
Family go the Whole Nine Yards
A TYNESIDE family has become the envy of their neighbours, after television experts gave their backyard a makeover. Garden designer Simon Cross, presenter on ITV show, The Whole Nine Yards, has brought a taste of the jungle to the home of Sharon and John
-
Date
Motorists offered chance to improve
MOTORISTS are invited to take part in an observed drive under the watchful gaze of experts. The North Durham Car Group of the Institute of Advanced Motorists is staging the event outside the Halfords' store in the car park at the Arnison Centre, on the
-
Date
News in brief: Student shows design promise
A TEESSIDE student is in the running to win the National Young Designer of the Year award. David Lister, 17, from Stockton, qualified for the final by winning a local heat in Sunderland. He won with his design of two harness units which would make carrying
-
Date
Best-selling author starts lecture series
A SERIES of free lectures by playwrights, politicians and professors will be held at York University this term. The autumn programme starts on Monday, October 6, with a public lecture by Professor Richard Dawkins, author of the best-selling book on evolution
-
Date
Free security etching for car windscreens
DRIVERS are invited to take advantage of a free crime prevention initiative this weekend. As part of a joint initiative with Richmondshire Community Safety Partnership, the RAC will be etching registration numbers into vehicle windscreens and glass free
-
Date
Why is being happy so difficult?
POLICE in America were baffled by the death of a mild mannered 46-year-old pizza delivery man forced to rob a bank last week with a bomb, which later exploded, strapped to his body. But what Brian Wells's neighbours in Pennsylvania found more puzzling
-
Date
Woman lands leek club trophy
DOREEN Cummings has become the first woman to win Trimdon Labour Club Leek Show with an exhibit measuring just over 203 cubic inches. Her husband, Jack, was third, behind Barry Anderson Junior. Mrs Cummings also became the first winner of the Derek Butler
-
Date
Waiting lists
HOSPITALS are hoping to reduce waiting times for orthopaedic surgery. The Government target is 12 months but County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals Trust hopes to reduce the in-patient waiting times to between six and nine months by March. At present
-
Date
Waiting lists
HOSPITALS are hoping to reduce waiting times for orthopaedic surgery. The Government target is 12 months but County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals Trust hopes to reduce the in-patient waiting times to between six and nine months by March. At present
-
Date
Teletubby jibe led to assault, court told
A NIGHTCLUB reveller was left brain-damaged from a single punch after he branded a passing girl a "teletubby", a court heard. Michael Barthram, the girl's boyfriend, took offence when he heard stranger John Woods make the comment during a night out, Newcastle
-
Date
Families of Selby victims pay tribute to their loved ones
FAMILIES of the victims sat quietly yesterday as the inquest into the Selby rail disaster heard harrowing details of how each of them died. Ten men were killed on February 28, 2001, when the early morning GNER express from Newcastle to London hit a Land
-
Date
County proud to display recycling progress
THE man from the ministry saw at first hand the drive to recycle during visits to two waste plants in the North-East this week. Senior Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) official Tim Judson visited two facilities which are helping
-
Date
News in brief: Language taster sessions
Northumbria University, in Newcastle, is encouraging people to learn a language on this year's European Languages day. Staff from the School of Modern Languages are inviting people in for a free half-day taster session in languages. Sessions will take
-
Date
Bloom win
Durham City has won the Best Large Town category in this year's Northumbria in Bloom awards. The mayor, Councillor Ray Gibbon, paid tribute to the efforts of the city's parks and gardens department on Monday when he collected the Scottish and Newcastle
-
Date
Chapel that was founded on inspiration from a preacher
Hundreds of people are expected to visit some of the region's best-loved and best preserved historic buildings this weekend. As part of the Heritage Open Days, many of them will be opening for free. Gavid Havery reports INSPIRED by the marketplace preaching
-
Date
Charity to close famous hospital
A CARE facility which looks after elderly and mentally ill residents is to close, it was confirmed last night. Places for 59 permanent residents and up to 30 day care users will have to be found when the facility run by the ancient charitable Hospitaller
-
Date
Watchdog calls for tough rail standards
PASSENGER groups have set out the tough standards they will expect from a new railway franchise serving much of the North-East. The Northern rail franchise takes in remaining Arriva Trains Northern services which were left behind by the creation of a
-
Date
Thieves steal family's civil war costumes
A FAMILY'S Cavalier lifestyle is under threat after the theft of battle re-enactment costumes that took 20 years to collect. The Ward family are members of the English Civil War Society and travel all over the country re-enacting clashes between the Roundheads
-
Date
Wake-up call for a couch potato
EVERYWHERE you look there are warnings about the "couch potato" generation. Youngsters are risking their health by spending too much time sitting in front of computer games and not getting enough exercise, it said in the paper. And, apparently, it's up
-
Date
11.09.03
EUROPE: THIS week Michael Ancram, Shadow Foreign Secretary, was giving reasons for opposition to the European Constitution. Quite rightly, he spelt out the dangers to our status as a sovereign nation if this pernicious document is inflicted upon us. This
-
Date
Father and daughters to race for air appeal
A FATHER and two of his daughters are to race in aid of a cash-strapped air ambulance because of its benefits to remote areas. Malcolm Richardson, of Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, and his daughters, Gemma, 11, and Nicola, 14, are spending all their
-
Date
Pointless lives of the posh
Chelsea Tales (BBC2): AFTER the deluge of reality shows, this well-crafted but ultimately empty fly-on-the-wall series left me with the feeling I'd seen it all before. This isn't so much Young, Rich And Loaded as Older, Rich And Equally Loaded - with
-
Date
Players can't wait for Rovers
Doncaster Rovers' first visit to the Reynolds Arena on Saturday "can't come soon enough" for Darlington's players, according to manager Mick Tait. Quakers, fresh from their weekend win over Carlisle, host the Division Three newcomers with renewed optimism
-
Date
Storm rages over Iraq report leak
Tony Blair last night denied accusations that he tried to spin the findings of a highly sensitive parliamentary inquiry into the use of intelligence in the run-up to the war with Iraq. The Tories said Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon had been left "twisting
-
Date
Soap Watch: It's bigamy
IF there was a prize for consistently failing to tell the truth in Soapland the runaway winner would be Peter Barlow in Coronation Street (ITV1). Look where this lying has got him - two wives, Shelley the barmaid and Lucy the florist. For months his favourite
-
Date
Car chaos as A19 is closed following accidents
A BUSY dual carriageway was closed for more than 90 minutes after a series of rush-hour crashes caused chaos. A car transporter and three vehicles were involved in the first accident on the northbound section of the A19 on Teesside yesterday. Traffic
-
Date
Funeral for military policeman
The funeral of a military policeman from Darlington killed with two comrades in an ambush in Iraq is set to take place. Warrant Officer Colin Wall, 34, from Middleton One Row, was serving in Basra with 19 Mechanised Brigade when he was killed. He was
-
Date
Reprieve for coble-launch tractors
NEW rules that would have had a "devastating" impact on traditional North-East fishing have been shelved. Small tractors, which are used to pull beach-launched boats such as cobles, were to be banned under European emissions legislation. But they were
-
Date
Durham's dilemma
DURHAM will have to plan for another season with few sightings of Paul Collingwood after he was awarded a 12-month England contract yesterday. Whether or not he gets into the Test team this winter, there are so many one-day internationals next summer
-
Date
Outrage at sick Twin Towers computer game
A COMPUTER game based on the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre prompted an outcry last night. The official website of 9/11 Survivor tells players they can recreate the horrific events at the Twin Towers by downloading the game onto their computers
-
Date
Police team's fresh search for missing man
A POLICE team is to make a fresh search for a 55-year-old man exactly a month since he went missing. Ian Richardson has not been seen since leaving his house in Bertha Street, Ferryhill, County Durham, on Monday, August 11. He wished his daughter Gillian
-
Date
Brave sisters inspire run
A schoolgirl who receives a bone marrow transplant from her big sister tomorrow is inspiring classmates to rise to the region's biggest sporting challenge. Ten-year-old Catherine Readshaw's fight against leukaemia has encouraged youngsters at her primary
-
Date
Lizzy to compete in run in memory of her mother
A NURSE plans to rise to one of England's largest sporting challenges in memory of her mother. Lizzy Simpson, of Milburn Street, Crook, County Durham, will take part in the Bupa Great North Run, the world's biggest half marathon, on Tyneside on Sunday
-
Date
Treasured islands
IT'S a mellow Monday evening on Orkney, a day and a half to deadline and the Orcadian's front page still held hopefully. Stuart Laundy essays an impression of a journalistic Micawber, confident that something will turn up. Prince Edward's visit the following
-
Date
Thousands expected at anniversary celebration
THOUSANDS of people are expected to visit a replica of Captain Cook's ship as part of celebrations to commemorate the 275th anniversary of his birth. HMS Bark Endeavour will be sailing under the Middlebrough Teesside Transporter Bridge on October 17 -
-
Date
News in brief: Bomb threats: boy charged
A 15-YEAR-OLD boy has been charged following three hoax bomb calls on Tuesday night. A police spokesman said a call was made to police at 7pm saying there was a bomb on the platform at the Meadow Well Metro station, in North Shields, North Tyneside. Two
-
Date
Dad At Large: Wake-up call for a couch potato
EVERYWHERE you look there are warnings about the "couch potato" generation. Youngsters are risking their health by spending too much time sitting in front of computer games and not getting enough exercise, it said in the paper. And, apparently, it's up
-
Date
GSK facing generic threat
THE UK's biggest pharmaceuticals firm, GlaxoSmithKline, faces a cut-price assault on its second biggest selling drug. For the first time Paxil, until this year GSK's top seller, faces the threat of a generic copy. The onslaught was expected, but the launch
-
Date
Comment from The Northern Echo: Keep vigilance in our sites
THE Internet is a wondrous creation. It has been to this generation what the invention of the car was to our grandfathers and what the invention of the steam engine was to our great-great-grandfathers. It has revolutionised our lives to such an extent
-
Date
Black Sheep Brewery to roll out twice as many barrels
THE Black Sheep Brewery is to double its beer brewing capacity, creating the potential to produce 26 million pints a year. The Masham, North Yorkshire, brewer revealed it is to embark on the £3m project in a fortnight's time. The news comes 24 hours after
-
Date
Corus to play a key role in one of UK's biggest construction projects
TEESSIDE steel is about to be used in one of Britain's biggest construction projects. Corus has been appointed metals solutions partner by BAA, owner of Heathrow Airport, for work on Terminal 5 at the world's busiest airport. The company has already advised
-
Date
Players can't wait for Rovers
Doncaster Rovers' first visit to the Reynolds Arena on Saturday "can't come soon enough" for Darlington's players, according to manager Mick Tait. Quakers, fresh from their weekend win over Carlisle, host the Division Three newcomers with renewed optimism
-
Date
SSL stock plunges as talks collapse
SHARES in SSL International tumbled yesterday after the company revealed takeover talks had collapsed. The group, whose brands include Scholl footcare products - produced in Peterlee, County Durham - and Durex condoms, has had a turbulent time since its
-
Date
Appeal for theft clues
POLICE are appealing for public help after a spate of thefts across Darlington. Thieves stole a 4X4 Vauxhall Frontera from outside a house in Cleveland Avenue between 6pm and 8.30pm on Tuesday. A JVC camcorder was taken from a car that had been parked
-
Date
Pensioners show skills in story sacks challenge
OLDER people in Darlington have been using their creative skills to make reading fun for children. Ten of the town's sheltered housing schemes took part in a Summer Storysack Challenge, producing bags packed with toys and props based on a chosen book.
-
Date
Mere Mortals called in to update Byker Grove
POPULAR children's TV drama series, Byker Grove, has been given a makeover by animation, graphics and special effects company Mere Mortals. The Newcastle firm was commissioned by the show's producers, Zenith North, to create a new title sequence for the
-
Date
Taxi company introduces wheelchair-friendly cab
DISABLED people in Darlington can travel in style in the town's first wheelchair-accessible taxi. Station Taxis has bought a £20,000 Peugeot E7 to carry wheelchair-users. The vehicle is accessible for all types of wheelchairs and is a big improvement
-
Date
Dancers head for the West End stage
A DANCE school has been invited to perform at a London theatre. Pupils aged six to 19 from the Born to Dance studio will take part in the Children's Variety Show at Her Majesty's Theatre, in Haymarket, on Sunday. They come from Wear Valley, Sedgefield
-
Date
Teenage girls carry out frenzied attack
A TEENAGER could need plastic surgery to rebuild her face after she was viciously assaulted by three other girls. The 14-year-old was playing with two friends in a park behind the Co-op store in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, County Durham, when the girls
-
Date
Tributes to council workers
TRIBUTES have been paid by councillors to two council workers who died recently. The Darlington Borough Council employees, care home worker Irene Williamson, 58, and Lynne McKie, social worker in childcare, died in June and August, respectively. Councillor
-
Date
Two's company, eight's a crowd
WHEN teacher Liz Robertson looks around her new reception class, she could be forgiven for thinking she is seeing double. With four sets of twins among this year's intake at St Godric's, near Durham, there are bound to be cases of mistaken identity. Headteacher
-
Date
News in brief: Language taster sessions
Northumbria University, in Newcastle, is encouraging people to learn a language on this year's European Languages day. Staff from the School of Modern Languages are inviting people in for a free half-day taster session in languages. Sessions will take
-
Date
Group runs five-star operation
A GAS pipeline company is being praised by a safety watchdog as an example to others. BP Exploration in Middlesbrough, has been given a top, safety award. Firms are awarded star ratings by the British Safety Council - from one to five - to indicate the
-
Date
Trust saves on dressings
THOUSANDS of pounds are being saved after a review of wound treatments. Darlington Primary Care Trust spent £12,200 in a month on dressings for ailments including pressure sores and skin ulcers. But an overhaul of the system resulted in a fall to £7,000
-
Date
Hospital safe for immediate future
NHS managers have assured campaigners that a hospital considered for closure in a review will remain open for at least seven years. About 10,000 people have signed a petition against closure of the University Hospital of Hartlepool. The campaign was launched
-
Date
Firms to vie for awards
FOUR North-East innovators in online business are to compete for a national award and a £30,000 prize. The four were named as regional finalists in the UK online for business and InterForum E-Commerce Awards. The four category winners were selected from
-
Date
Firefighters put prevention methods first in shopping mall
SHOPPERS came away from the stores with a little extra in their trolleys and baskets yesterday - tips on how to save their lives. Firefighters from Cleveland Fire Brigade gave visitors to the Cleveland Centre, in Middlesbrough, advice and leaflets on
-
Date
Outrage at sick Twin Towers computer game
A COMPUTER game based on the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre prompted an outcry last night. The official website of 9/11 Survivor tells players they can recreate the horrific events at the Twin Towers by downloading the game onto their computers
-
Date
Children master crafts
THE talents of North Yorkshire youngsters were on display in Northallerton during a summer of artistic activity. More than 100 children took part in a series of arts workshops in eleven museums across Hambleton and Richmondshire during the summer holidays
-
Date
John North: Treasured Islands
The Orkney Islands may be remote but they are beloved of their inhabitants, including those originally form the North-East. IT'S a mellow Monday evening on Orkney, a day and a half to deadline and the Orcadian's front page still held hopefully. Stuart
-
Date
Recycling family pick up a fine
A MOTHER who has been fined for putting a bag of waste for recycling outside her home is appealing against the council penalty. Alexandra Wilkinson, put garden waste outside her home in Windsor Road in Saltburn for collection early on Friday in recycling
-
Date
Last Night's TV: Pointless lives of the posh
Chelsea Tales (BBC2): AFTER the deluge of reality shows, this well-crafted but ultimately empty fly-on-the-wall series left me with the feeling I'd seen it all before. This isn't so much Young, Rich And Loaded as Older, Rich And Equally Loaded - with
-
Date
Proposal to close payphone kiosks angers residents
RESIDENTS in east Cleveland are fighting against the closure of payphone kiosks in the area. BT is proposing the closure of 12 phone boxes in the Redcar and Cleveland area and dozens more across Teesside as part of a nationwide programme. The company
-
Date
Homes sell-off
COUNCILLORS have voted to sell-off excess council homes in Darlington. Six of Darlington Borough Council's properties are surplus to requirements. The houses, in North Road, Peabody Street, Ruby Street, Penbury Street, Eastmount Road and one at Manor
-
Date
Crew's birds-eye view of ruin
FILM crews and archaeology-buffs took to the skies over one of the county's ancient ruins yesterday in the hope of discovering evidence of the past. The presenters and producers of BBC Scotland's TimeFlyers programme boarded the helicopter at Rievaulx
-
Date
Champion flower growers at show
Harrogate's Autumn Flower Show opens its three-day spectacular tomorrow as one of the highlights in the show season. On its 22-acre site at the Great Yorkshire Showground will be 14 national societies staging their autumn championships. The show, first
-
Date
Vulnerable targeted in burglaries
SNEAK thieves are targeting vulnerable residents in the Consett area. In the past two weeks, there have been two sneak-in burglaries in Broadway Drive, Delves Lane, both in bungalows that house elderly people. The burglaries were during the day and in
-
Date
Horticultural show lined up at theatre
THE annual Horticultural and Craft Show takes place at Durham's Gala Theatre at the weekend. Hundreds of entries have been lodged in 98 classes covering a wide range of garden produce and craft categories, including the traditional showpiece leek section
-
Date
News in brief: Student shows design promise
A TEESSIDE student is in the running to win the National Young Designer of the Year award. David Lister, 17, from Stockton, qualified for the final by winning a local heat in Sunderland. He won with his design of two harness units which would make carrying
-
Date
GCSE Results
Conyers School, Yarm: Raisaf Ahmed 10; Laura Allen 10; Katie Allenden 10; Michael Alton 10; Louisa Amos 10; Sarah Anderson 10; Jennifer Argile 10; Emel Bagdatlioglu 10; Charles Bainbridge 10; Lee Barlow 9; Jared Beaumont 10; Benjamin Bedford 10; Vicky
-
Date
News in brief: Abbey to be pretty in pink
Fountains Abbey, near Ripon, is to be lit up in pink and amber every Friday and Saturday, from dusk until 10pm. From Friday, September 26, the abbey will take on a more wintry feel as the lights change to blues and browns. The floodlighting of the abbey
-
Date
Town centre pedestrian plan debated
PLANS for a pedestrian haven in Darlington will come under scrutiny next week. Darlington Borough Council has revealed radical proposals to ban traffic from the main shopping area. But the scheme hit an obstacle in July when the authority reported difficulty
-
Date
School farewell to long-serving secretary
PUPILS, staff and governors at a primary school have said farewell to their secretary. Jean Gardner, who is 65 today, has retired from Willington Primary School after 33 years' service. When she started the job she juggled work at four schools, Willington
-
Date
Charity to close famous hospital
A CARE facility which looks after elderly and mentally ill residents is to close, it was confirmed last night. Places for 59 permanent residents and up to 30 day care users will have to be found when the facility run by the ancient charitable Hospitaller
-
Date
Artist re-works show to spare diners' blushes
ARTIST Wendy Tate has no qualms about painting herself nude - but not everybody is so laid back about her work. Her latest exhibition, Poetic Evocations, has opened at Scarborough Art Gallery, in the coffee lounge area. But the paintings on show weren't
-
Date
World champ to open sports facility for arson-hit school
OLYMPIC champion Jonathan Edwards is to help a school celebrate the start of a new era in sports. The Hermitage School in Chester-le-Street has been left without a sports hall since November 2001, when the hall was razed to the ground in an arson attack
-
Date
Author packs his nag to aid museum
An author best known as the creator of Horrible Histories helped launch a museum guide yesterday. Terry Deary took delivery of the full-colour Beamish Guide Book at the museum's 1825 railway. Copies of the book arrived by Georgian steam train, where it
-
Date
'Ghost fleet' on its way
PART of America's condemned "ghost fleet" could set sail for the North-East as early as this weekend, The Northern Echo can reveal. Two ships in the obsolete fleet - branded an environmental disaster waiting to happen - have been cleared for the 4,000
-
Date
Police chief is spared prison
A POLICE chief who turned to alcohol after crumbling under the pressure of her job was spared a prison sentence yesterday for driving while nearly four times the legal limit. Inspector Elizabeth Byron, who headed Hertfordshire's road policing unit until
-
Date
It's bigamy
IF there was a prize for consistently failing to tell the truth in Soapland the runaway winner would be Peter Barlow in Coronation Street (ITV1). Look where this lying has got him - two wives, Shelley the barmaid and Lucy the florist. For months his favourite
-
Date
Black Sheep Brewery to roll out twice as many barrels
THE Black Sheep Brewery is to double its beer brewing capacity, creating the potential to produce 26 million pints a year. The Masham, North Yorkshire, brewer revealed it is to embark on the £3m project in a fortnight's time. The news comes 24 hours after
