Archive
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Congregation moves closer to having a church
A VILLAGE'S dreams of building its own Methodist Church are a step closer to becoming a reality. Outline plans of what the new place of worship could look like when it is built in Witton Park, near Bishop Auckland, have been submitted to Wear Valley District
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Tycoon helps fire-hit castle to rise again
A US tycoon has unveiled plans for the multi-million pound restoration of a castle damaged by fire. Work is already under way to repair Allerton Castle, near Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, after part of the country house was badly damaged in a blaze,
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Good Samaritan's carjack horror
CARJACKERS are being hunted by police after knocking down a good Samaritan with his own car. The victim was tricked into stopping his Honda CR-V when the gang launched their attack. They acted out a scene of distress in the middle of the road, and when
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Moonlighting firemen sacked after taking partygoers to live blaze
Moonlighting firemen face the sack after driving a group of partygoers to the scene of a house blaze where an elderly man died. The old fire engine - converted into a mobile party wagon and carrying 10 female revelers - turned up during the aftermath
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Plan to move hospital unit faces protest
PLANS to move a hospital unit for leukaemia patients from Darlington to Bishop Auckland are being opposed by angry fundraisers. Volunteers raised nearly £300,000 during the late 1980s for the haematology unit at Darlington Memorial Hospital, so cancer
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Army medic takes racist claims case to Appeal Court
A SENIOR Army medic who claims he was subjected to race discrimination during a posting to Cyprus took his test case for compensation to London's Appeal Court yesterday. Top judges were told Lieutenant Colonel Surinder Saggar's case will have implications
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'Telephone hotline helping to quell unruly behaviour'
COUNCILS in the region are claiming success in a pioneering scheme to crack down on yobbish behaviour through a telephone hotline. The Home Office launched the scheme - called It's Your Call - last month in five areas across the North-East. The hotline
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Quakers give injured Keltie time to recover
DARLINGTON manager David Hodgson says Clark Keltie will be given "all the time he needs" to resume his career at the Williamson Motors Stadium when he recovers from a serious knee injury. The midfielder has been ruled out for six months after suffering
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Scheme launched to bridge skills gap
A programme to tackle a predicted skills shortage of 30,000 workers in the healthcare sector was launched yesterday. Pertemps Employment Alliance has joined forces with the Tees Valley Social Care and Health Alliance to provide jobs and fulfil a recruitment
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He came, he sawed, he conquered
DIY has never been my strong point. More like DIU - Dad Is Useless. I can't put shelves up, can't follow instructions, can't saw, and can't use a screwdriver. So when my 12-year-old daughter looked me in the eye on Sunday morning and said: "Dad, will
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Baby boomer
County Durham actress Gina McKee fights a baby war in her latest ITV1 drama and worked with animals in the latest version of Greyfriars Bobby, but her biggest problem has been getting rid of an Irish accent. Steve Pratt reports. OUR Friends In The North
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Forty love
It isn't just Doctor Who who can't give up time-travelling. Both The Magic Roundabout and Captain Scarlet are returning from the children's TV graveyard in new animated forms. Steve Pratt looks at our fascination with the heroes of old and why programme-makers
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Call for inquiry into A19 crossing
Councillors have called for a public inquiry if a controversial closure in the central reservation of the A19 is made permanent. A gap across the busy dual carriageway at the Black Swan Crossroads, near Hutton Rudby, North Yorkshire was shut in July last
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Charles and Camilla to marry
Prince Charles will marry his long-term partner Camilla Parker Bowles on 8 April, Clarence House says. A civil ceremony, followed by a service of dedication, will be held at Windsor Castle. Mrs Parker Bowles will take the title HRH the Duchess of Cornwall
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Comment from The Northern Echo: A case for concern
WHAT happened in a court in Rhodes yesterday was scandalous. The family of Christopher Rochester deserved better than the contempt with which they were treated by the appeal judges, who quashed the convictions of three Greek doctors who had been found
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Kiss and hell
AS February 14 approaches, you'd be wise to lock up your daughters, bolt the doors and hide in the cellar as Soapland prepares for a repeat performance of the Valentine Day's massacre. See true love shot down in a hail of bullets and home truths. First
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Pensioner dies in house blaze
A PENSIONER died in the second blaze at his bungalow in just over two months. Wheelchair-bound James Young, 87, died in what neighbours described as an 'inferno' that engulfed his home in Douai Drive, Delves Lane, Consett, early last Friday night. The
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Advice for workers
ADVICE workers are offering to help employees and bosses understand new rules on how workplace disputes are settled. Wear Valley Citizens Advice Bureau is urging both employers and employees to make efforts to understand the changes, which came into effect
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Boy recovering after cliff fall
A school boy was recovering this evening after he fell down a 100ft cliff. Callum Littlejohn was airlifted to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough after he slid and fell down Blackhall Rocks, east Durham onto the beach. He underwent surgery
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Power Elite set to avoid Hardy clash
Power Elite is set to contest Saturday's totesport Trophy Hurdle at Newbury rather than remaining in Ireland to take on Hardy Eustace in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle on the same day. ''He is 90 per cent certain to go to England and the only thing that would
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Election rivals both gunning for victory
BOTH of Durham City's main political parties claim they are on track to win the constituency at the forthcoming General Election following the result of a key by-election last week. The ruling Liberal Democrat group on the city council held onto the seat
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Reid's cash tonic for health services
SOME of the most deprived parts of the region are to receive the lion's share of a £7bn NHS cash injection. The biggest winner is Easington, in County Durham, which has some of the worst health statistics in England. Primary care trusts in County Durham
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10/02/05
DARLINGTON HIGH ROW: I THINK the pictures of the proposed High Row in Darlington are beautiful (Echo, Feb 3) and hope that it will be accepted and that I will be around to see it. When I was a schoolgirl during World War Two, High Row was a Saturday morning
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1,000 pay last tributes to war hero
He was honoured in a ceremony to befit the hero that he was. Church bells of Durham Cathedral could be heard throughout the city as about 1,000 people filed in to pay tribute to the courage of Captain Richard Annand, who died on Christmas Eve at the age
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Plea after car goes into shop window
A NEWSAGENT and paperboy narrowly escaped injury when a car crashed into a shop window. Barbara Hope, who owns the K and DB Hope newsagency in Louisa Street, Darlington, and the 16-year-old paperboy, who did not want to named, had to dive for safety.
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Axed Tait pays price for England's sluggish start
MATHEW Tait still has a role to play in England's Six Nations campaign despite being left out of the side to face France, according to coach Andy Robinson. The Newcastle centre, 19 last Sunday, made his debut in the 11-9 defeat against Wales. But head
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Union calls on PM to bring carrier work forward
A UNION leader has written to the Prime Minister urging him to bring forward work on two aircraft carriers to safeguard the future of shipbuilding in the region. Tom Brennan, regional secretary of the GMB, wrote to Tony Blair asking for the Ministry of
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'Corruption claim' chief in job battle
The former communications chief of a North-East council told a tribunal yesterday that she discovered "widespread corruption" within the authority. Jane Knox said Stockton Borough Council used false figures to win hundreds of thousands of pounds in Government
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Good behaviour pays off for boxers
A BOXING club which trains young people to become champions of good behaviour as well as winners in the ring has been given a £5,000 boost. Spennymoor Boxing Academy was awarded the cash by Durham Police Authority through its community safety grant scheme
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Powerful drama helps to teach road safety message to students
PUPILS at a Darlington school have learned about road safety by taking part in a drama workshop. The year seven students at Eastbourne Comprehensive School enjoyed the Why did the Chicken Cross the Road? play and took part in workshops based around staying
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Pub extension gains support
A PUB'S plans for an extension that would include 26 guest rooms have won the support of parish councillors - subject to conditions. The Tawny Owl, on the edge of Hurworth, near Darlington, has applied to the borough council for permission for the extension
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Police monitor martial arts shop after concerns aired
POLICE have revealed that they are closely monitoring a martial arts shop in Darlington after receiving calls from anxious residents. The borough council's licensing committee heard yesterday that worries had been raised about the weapons on sale at Open
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Top Ten To Rent
UK DVD/VIDEO RENTAL 1 (-) Dodgeball 2 (1) The Bourne Supremacy 3 (-) The Village 4 (3) Collateral 5 (-) Anchorman 6 (2) Punisher 7 (4) Little Britain - Series 1 8 (10) Farenheit 9/11 9 (12) The Chronicles of Riddick 10 (-) The Terminal Published: 10/02
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Nature inspires artists' display
AN exhibition of artwork is being held at Chester-le-Street Civic Centre. The paintings, by Friends Watercolour Group, draw inspiration from natural forms and landscapes. The group was formed in September 2002 from people who had been attending a watercolour
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Town moves closer to its sporting dream
A community's sporting ambition has moved closer to reality with the launch of a £100,000 fundraising campaign. The Boroughbridge Community Association (BCA) has been working on a sporting and recreation project for the Aldborough Gate playing fields,
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Mother-of-all battles to fight plan for landfill site
IN a quiet corner of rural County Durham a band of mothers are mobilising in an attempt to halt a plan to bring Europe's largest landfill site to their doorsteps. The 90-strong Wheatley Hill Mothers' Club pledged this week to fight the move they claim
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New chapter for Bell
CONVENIENCE store millionaire Stephen Bell is buying a hotel and restaurant in North Yorkshire. The Teesside businessman, who sold his Bells Stores empire to Sainsbury's a year ago, is about to complete the purchase of Chapters Hotel and restaurant, in
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Good behaviour pays off for boxers
A BOXING club which trains young people to become champions of good behaviour as well as winners in the ring has been given a £5,000 boost. Spennymoor Boxing Academy was awarded the cash by Durham Police Authority through its community safety grant scheme
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Appeal over attack
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after an unprovoked attack left a man with a broken neck. Scott Myers, 37, was beaten unconscious by thugs outside the Emporium pub, in Hartlepool. Mr Myers, who was drinking in the pub with friends, was waiting in the
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Teenager's stilt-ed way to raise funds
A TEENAGER has raised £300 for the Asian tsunami appeal by walking a mile on stilts. Matthew Kirk, 15, took up the unusual challenge after deciding he wanted to do something different to help the victims of the disaster. On Sunday the Bedale High School
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Appeal to find cat in need of attention
A FAMILY is appealing for the whereabouts of a missing cat which needs urgent medical attention. Ambrose, a short-haired silver tabby, escaped outside the vets' surgery in St Helen Auckland on Tuesday. The ten-month old male cat was about to be taken
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Half-term fun activities
A programme of activities will keep youngsters entertained during the spring half-term. The events, aimed at eight to 12-year-olds, start on Monday, in Albert Park, Middlesbrough, and run from 10.30am each day. A bird cake making session will be held
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Football trophy in region
A TROPHY held aloft by football stars such as Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira paid a visit to the region yesterday. The Premiership Trophy was at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate for the day as part of a tour around various military buildings. Football
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Town council votes not to support youth centre plans
A TEESDALE youth worker has said he is "gutted" at the decision of a town council not to support plans for a £500,000 youth centre. Barnard Castle Town Council has recommended that planning permission is refused for the youth facilities at Strathmore
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Rolls-Royce agrees engine deal with Virgin
Rolls-Royce has agreed an engine maintenance deal with Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic. The aerospace group, which employs 350 people at a factory in Sunderland, said it had signed a 12-year agreement with Virgin to service Rolls' Derby-made Trent
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Bomb plotter at meeting to rival Labour
A CONVICTED bomber jailed for attempting to assassinate the President of Spain is to visit the region during this weekend's Labour Party conference. Stuart Christie served three years in prison for his part in a failed bomb plot to assassinate General
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Rise and shine for charity
Fundraisers from Cancer Research UK donned pyjamas to get some shut-eye in a 17th Century bed in preparation for the charity's big day. They were at at Washington Old Hall, Washington, Wearside, home of the ancestors of the first USA president George
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Viduka suffers injury set-back
Middlesbrough striker Mark Viduka has suffered a setback in his battle against a hamstring injury. The 29-year-old Australian, who picked up the problem during the 2-0 defeat at Birmingham on Boxing Day, was recovering well but has had to put his comeback
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Greenfield site in planning wrangle
PROTESTORS have fought plans for a sixth large cold store to be built on a greenfield site near Boroughbridge. Members of a Harrogate Borough Council area planning committee refused the application. They backed a planning officer's recommendation that
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Park wins seal of approval
A PARK authority has won an award and been sent a letter of congratulations by Prime Minister Tony Blair. The North Yorskhire Moors National Park Authority has been awarded a third charter mark under a Government monitoring scheme. The authority's website
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Public meeting to debate future of council houses
A GROUP spearheading a campaign to keep 4,600 houses in the control of a district council have urged tenants to attend a public meeting at the weekend. The Save our Council Houses group, which wants Chester-le-Street District Council to retain ownership
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Action to reduce caravan fire risk
FIREfighters are seeking to reduce the threat of caravan blazes. Cleveland Fire Brigade has set up an initiative to improve safety on caravan sites with fire safety checks and the installation of smoke alarms in mobile and static homes. The initiative
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Youngsters rise to cross-country challenge
A CROSS-COUNTRY run which has been held at a North-East school for the past 120 years has raised nearly £2,000 for charity. Nearly 250 pupils at Barnard Castle School, in County Durham, took part in this year's run, which was established in 1885. The
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Merger results in quality and quantity for region
TWO Teesside companies have merged to create one of the region's largest quantity surveying practices. NAP Partnership, a Middlesbrough- surveyors and cost management company, has merged with Hyams and Brownlee, of Stockton. The merger, under the NAP
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On TV
Country Strife (BBC3) SOME documentaries uplift and inspire. Others offer so little hope that they plunge you into a spiral of despair. Country Strife, the latest addition to the "it's grim up North" catalogue, belonged firmly in the latter category.
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Boyd relishes Pool's big double chance
AWARD-winner Adam Boyd is in bullish mood ahead of a big double header for Hartlepool United. Pool meet Brentford in the FA Cup at Victoria Park on Saturday, then host League One leaders Luton next Tuesday. Saturday's winners will go to Southampton in
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Have a say on £55m development plans
A week-long exhibition on a planned £55m housing and leisure development in Redcar opens on Monday. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council will stage a display about the Coatham Enclosure, at the Coatham Bowl. The council's cabinet member for economic development
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City cathedral tour
AN evening tour of Durham Cathedral that will offer participants a look behind the scenes of one of the region's landmarks will take place next week. The event, next Wednesday, has been organised by staff at Cuthbert's Hospice to raise much-needed funds
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'Three strikes' burglar to be jailed
A burglar targeted homes where he had carried out casual gardening work. Durham Crown Court heard Terence Morrow was able to "size up" the homes of well-off professionals after offering to carry out gardening work. By working there, he was able to account
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'Bundle of fun' Amos seeks home
A TERRIER-cross puppy is desperately searching for a new family after he was abandoned by his owner. Amos is a lively fluffy bundle of fun, aged between nine months to a year, who would fit in well with a family with children who have a lot of time to
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Rotary club revives town guide
A FREE town guide has been brought back after a three-year absence. The Rotary Club of Guisborough and Great Ayton has revived the Guisborough Family Focus. The guide was first published 20 years ago by a group of young mothers who wanted to find information
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Man charged over office burglary
A MAN has been arrested in connection with a break-in at a councillor's office last month. A 30-year-old man was arrested yesterday by detectives investigating the break-in at premises used by independent councillor John Shuttleworth, at County Hall,
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Chinese club marks Year of the Rooster
MEMBERS of the North-East Chinese Elderly Club enjoyed a celebratory meal to see in the Year of the Rooster. While some Chinese New Year events are more vivid, up to 80 more senior members of the Chinese community from across the region preferred to concentrate
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Ex-Lindisfarne singer to star in N-E shows
FORMER Lindisfarne frontman Billy Mitchell will bring his new one-man show to two North-East venues. Mr Mitchell, a long-time associate of the Tyneside band, joined following the death in 1995 of acclaimed singer-songwriter Alan Hull and was a member
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Primary pupils pick up a tidy sum
A SCHOOL'S charity crusade in aid of the tsunami appeal brought joy to family homes in Sedgefield. All 220 children attending Sedgefield Hardwick Primary School contributed to the fundraising effort which is on target to raise £1,000. They collected sponsorship
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Who's sorry now?
Tony Blair yesterday aplogised to the 11 people wrongly jailed for IRA pub bombings in the 1970s. But what is the point of saying sorry? And is it ever enough? Nick Morrison reports. FOR this year's National Sorry Day, alongside the services, the lectures
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Inquest opens into missing girl's brother
THE mother of missing teenager Rachel Wilson yesterday attended the opening of an inquest into her son's death. Richard Anthony Hopkins, 29, was found dead on Friday, February 4, at sheltered accommodation in Middlesbrough. His mother, Tina Wilson, of
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Bid for farm home fails
A MOORLAND farming family have failed in a second bid to build a home on their land. J R Cussons and Son was refused permission to build a home at Woodside Farm, Wragby, in November, but renewed the application to this month's meeting of the North York
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Green Day, Metroradio Arena, Newcastle
MORE than ten years of touring has turned Green Day into the kings of pop punk. But the Californian threesome seem far from keen to brighten up their act, with most songs being a re-run of the 2002 visit to Newcastle, complete with a take-off of Lulu's
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Where is £111,000 ticket?
LOTTERY luck has landed on someone in the Durham and Chester-le-Street area - and they don't appear to know it. There is a £111,355 prize for matching five main numbers and the bonus ball in the Lotto game on Saturday, January 15, but the ticket-holder
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'Listen to over-55s or risk losing election'
POLITICAL parties are being warned that they have to listen to the over-55s - or risk losing the forthcoming General Election. Almost two-thirds in that age group across the North-East and North Yorkshire say they will cast their vote when the nation
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Fury at sentence for sex attacker
THE family of a young woman indecently assaulted by a chef have said his sentence was too lenient. Mark Johnson was given a three-year community rehabilitation order on Tuesday and placed on the sex offenders' register for five years. Johnson, 34, of
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Traders forced to make way for revamp
A COMPULSORY purchase order has been issued on six established businesses in Stanley town centre as part of a £16m regeneration scheme. Derwentside District Council is forcing the owners of three properties on Front Street to sell up to give the town
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Plans could lead to loss of 20,000 jobs
More than 20,000 jobs will be lost in the UK if companies carry out restructuring plans announced over the past few months, a report has warned. Announcements made in the last three months of 2004 would lead to thousands of job cuts in British industry
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Racecourse marks award with free cards
A COUNTY Durham racetrack is celebrating receiving a national award by giving free racecards to visitors at its meetings. Sedgefield Racecourse's groundstaff have been awarded runners-up in the Jumps category of the Tote-sponsored Neil Wyatt National
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Output data dispels talk of recession
The manufacturing sector has avoided slipping into recession after figures revealed a 0.6 per cent rise in output in December. Large increases in the production of food, drink and tobacco meant output in the final three months of last year was up by 0.2
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Scheme launched to bridge skills gap
A programme to tackle a predicted skills shortage of 30,000 workers in the healthcare sector was launched yesterday. Pertemps Employment Alliance has joined forces with the Tees Valley Social Care and Health Alliance to provide jobs and fulfil a recruitment
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Scheme launched to bridge skills gap
A programme to tackle a predicted skills shortage of 30,000 workers in the healthcare sector was launched yesterday. Pertemps Employment Alliance has joined forces with the Tees Valley Social Care and Health Alliance to provide jobs and fulfil a recruitment
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Porn links left on village website
A PARISH website set up to give residents a forum for debating village news has been targeted by pranksters who left links to pornography sites. Councillors in Copmanthorpe, near York, created the site a year ago to give information about the village,
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Cash boost for family project
CASH is rolling in to plug a funding deficit for a scheme that aims to improve services for young families in two towns. The estimated cost of creating new children's centres in Shildon and Newton Aycliffe has risen to about £1.5m since the Government
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The Gentle Hook, Darlington Civic Theatre
ALTHOUGH written more than 20 years ago, this thriller has stood the test of time. In typical Francis Durbridge style, it combines the familiar with the Machiavellian and murky to produce a play which is both witty and thrilling. In the circles of London's
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Estate has poor record on poverty
WEAR Valley has one of the highest levels of child poverty in the country, according to new figures. The claim comes after it was revealed that Britain has one of the worst rates of child poverty in the industrialised world. Around 3.6 million children
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Cash boost for family project
CASH is rolling in to plug a funding gap for a scheme that aims to improve services for young families in two towns. The estimated cost of creating new children's centres in Shildon and Newton Aycliffe has risen to about £1.5m since the Government pledged
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Election to replace sex case councillor
A BY-ELECTION is to take place to fill the seat of a councillor facing court proceedings over a child indecency allegation. Easington District Council, in east Durham, took the decision after Harry Devine failed to attend meetings for more than six months
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Dad At Large: He came, he sawed, he conquered
DIY has never been my strong point. More like DIU - Dad Is Useless. I can't put shelves up, can't follow instructions, can't saw, and can't use a screwdriver. So when my 12-year-old daughter looked me in the eye on Sunday morning and said: "Dad, will
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Family's appeal to find pets
A FAMILY is offering a reward for the recovery of dogs that have gone missing in the Chester-le-Street area. Family pets Scuppy, an Alsation, and smooth-haired border collie, Kathy, have been missing for three weeks, although in recent days there have
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Anger over college plans to cut jobs
A TEACHERS' union is mounting a campaign to prevent job losses at Derwentside College. The University and College Lecturers' Union - NATFHE - said that the college was looking for seven lecturers and two support workers to volunteer for redundancy. A
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Lock Stock star brings bizarre story from the Sixties
ACTOR Nick Moran, of Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels fame, returns to Darlington Civic Theatre next week, this time behind the scenes. His debut play Telstar, well-received when it opened in Cambridge last week, comes to town as the third venue in
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Nick sounds out the Sixties
Nick Moran has wowed UK audiences with Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels and the darkly comic play Four Nights iIn Knaresborough. Viv Hardwick talks to him about his debut script concerning the flawed world of genius Joe Meek. FAST-TALKING Nick Moran
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Solicitor tells of warning over tragic prisoner
A SOLICITOR wrote to the prison authorities expressing extreme concerns about the mental well being of her client weeks before he was found hanged in his cell, an inquest was told yesterday. Penny Muir said she urged the governor at Wandsworth Prison
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Hague warns of Euro fury
FORMER Tory leader William Hague warned of a looming "catastrophe" of public anger yesterday if the European Constitution becomes a reality. The Richmond MP intervened in a Commons debate on the Bill which paves the way for next year's referendum to argue
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No headpine
MUCH has been written about the passing of Capt Richard Annand VC, nothing about his nickname. To his men, and to many others, he was simply Jake. Jake was reputedly a comic cuts tramp of wartime years. Immaculate on parade, Dick Annand could be rather
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Echo launches e-mail interviews
The Northern Echo is launching a series of e-interviews, where readers ask the questions. The first interview is with Alan Hinkes, a mountaineer from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, who is aiming to be the first British man to climb the world's 14 highest
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Doubts over validity of town petition
A PETITION of 4,600 signatures objecting to the removal of historic features in a North-East town centre may not taken into consideration by council bosses, The Northern Echo can reveal today. Campaigners from Darlington Civic Trust have spent more than
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Downing debut too late to lift England
STEWART Downing enjoyed a night to remember as he made his England debut at Villa Park last night but there was plenty for everyone else to forget as Sven Goran Eriksson's side played out an uninspiring goalless draw with Holland. Downing became the first
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Children tuck into Oriental culture
Children at a primary school celebrated Chinese New Year early with a little help from the local takeaway. About 50 children in reception classes at Newton Hall Infants School, in Durham City, tried Chinese cuisine in a week of events to celebrate Oriental
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He came, he sawed, he conquered
DIY has never been my strong point. More like DIU - Dad Is Useless. I can't put shelves up, can't follow instructions, can't saw, and can't use a screwdriver. So when my 12-year-old daughter looked me in the eye on Sunday morning and said: "Dad, will
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Viewers prepare for big television switch-off
THE REGION'S television sets will be rendered useless - unless they are hooked up to a set-top box - from 2010, the industry regulator confirmed last night. The Government plans to turn off the country's analogue transmitters by 2012. Televisions that
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Man who tried to coerce witness
A man who tried to force witnesses in his son's murder trial to change their evidence was today jailed for ten years. Thomas Harrison, 62, was told by a judge that the sentence for his part in the conspiracy was designed to "loosen the grip" he held over
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Viewers prepare for big television switch-off
THE REGION'S television sets will be rendered useless - unless they are hooked up to a set-top box - from 2010, the industry regulator confirmed last night. The Government plans to turn off the country's analogue transmitters by 2012. Televisions that
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Market closure fears
A COUNCILLOR fears the possible arrival of Tesco in Darlington town centre could close the indoor market. Borough council officials are in talks with the supermarket about demolishing the town hall and re-developing the Feethams site, including the old
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Village mourns keen sportsman
A COMMUNITY is in mourning following the death of a keen sportsman who died while playing football. Kelvin McIntosh was playing for the village team he enthusiastically supported, when he collapsed and died at the weekend. The player, 24, who lived with
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Jobs axed as Whitehall silences the regional voice of rail users
THE death-knell for the so-called "voice of rail passengers" in the regions is expected to be sounded today. The Government's Railways Bill abolished the regional committees of the Rail Passengers Council, but it was hoped that some continued presence
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Sportsmen take top honours
TWO Wear Valley sportsmen took top honours at a ceremony celebrating achievement in the region during 2004. Teenage rugby star Mathew Tait, of Wolsingham, and basketball coach Ian Hirst were among the cream of North-East stars and unsung heroes honoured
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Ex-Lindisfarne singer to star in N-E shows
FORMER Lindisfarne frontman Billy Mitchell will bring his new one-man show to two North-East venues. Mr Mitchell, a long-time associate of the Tyneside band, joined following the death in 1995 of acclaimed singer-songwriter Alan Hull and was a member
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Where is £111,000 ticket?
LOTTERY luck has landed on someone in the Durham and Chester-le-Street area - and they don't appear to know it. There is a £111,355 prize for matching five main numbers and the bonus ball in the Lotto game on Saturday, January 15, but the ticket-holder
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Nature inspires artists' display
AN exhibition of artwork is being held at Chester-le-Street Civic Centre. The paintings, by Friends Watercolour Group, draw inspiration from natural forms and landscapes. The group was formed in September 2002 from people who had been attending a watercolour
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Actors swap television for theatre
FAMOUS faces from the world of television took to the stage at a North-East theatre last night for the start of a series of dramatic shows. Murder mystery The Gentle Hook is playing at Darlington Civic Theatre until Saturday. It features Chris Ellison
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Lee puts Macnance to the stamina test
HORSE RACING is a risky business and Richard Lee is certainly chancing his arm by running Macnance (2.40) over three miles at Huntingdon today. All of Macnance's previous best form has been achieved over a good half-mile less, so the thorny issue of lack
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Quakers takeover bid denial
BOSSES at Darlington Football Club last night dismissed as idle speculation suggestions that former Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale is being lined up as a potential new owner. Quakers chairman Stewart Davies had lunch with Mr Ridsdale at the Williamson
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Owner caused dog's suffering
A dog owner has been sentenced to a 12-month community rehabilitation order for causing unnecessary suffering to his doberman. Stephen Cooper's dog, Charlie, was discovered drastically underweight in his sister-in-law's rear yard, in Wimbledon Close,
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Acclaimed guitarist ready to perform
AN internationally-acclaimed composer and guitarist has been booked to play in the county later this month. Greek musician Pavlo will be appearing at Richmond Cricket Club on Friday, February 25. Playing music that combines flamenco, Latin, classical
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Plumbing the depths of doom
Country Strife (BBC3): SOME documentaries uplift and inspire. Others offer so little hope that they plunge you into a spiral of despair. Country Strife, the latest addition to the "it's grim up North" catalogue, belonged firmly in the latter category.
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Quakers takeover bid denial
BOSSES at Darlington Football Club last night dismissed as "idle speculation" suggestions that former Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale was being lined up as a potential owner. Quakers chairman Stewart Davies had lunch with Mr Ridsdale at the Williamson
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Swan strong
Entertainments Editor Viv Hardwick talks to the director of the Australian Dance Theatre, Garry Stewart, about his decison to bring a more aggressive version of Swan Lake to the North-East, and how the Art down Under has benefited. CLASSICAL ballet, contemporary
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Children learn of sexual health
Children in Darlington have been learning about the pitfalls of smoking, drinking alcohol and sexual health issues. Darlington Primary Care Trust's school nurses and its HIV prevention specialist spent the day with pupils at Hummersknott School and Language
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Pupils adopt war hero monument
CHILDREN from a Darlington school have adopted a monument to a heroic airman. Pupils at Red Hall Primary School have volunteered to help maintain the McMullen Memorial, in McMullen Road. Groups of year six students will regularly clear the monument of
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Fire brigade fears more tax increases are coming soon
SENIOR fire officers have warned that a small rise in this year's council tax precept could mean bigger increases in years to come. The North Yorkshire brigade has suggested a rise of 4.9 per cent for the next financial year - just within the Government
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Out-of-hours GP service is proving a hit with patients
AN out-of-hours GP service that was introduced three months ago is already proving a hit with patients. More than 2,000 patients have attended the Urgent Care Centre (UCC) at Peterlee's Community Hospital, since the service started at the end of October
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Where is £111,000 ticket?
LOTTERY luck has landed on someone in the Durham and Chester-le-Street area - and they don't appear to know it. There is a £111,355 prize for matching five main numbers and the bonus ball in the Lotto game on Saturday, January 15, but the ticket-holder
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Forty love
It isn't just Doctor Who who can't give up time-travelling. Both The Magic Roundabout and Captain Scarlet are returning from the children's TV graveyard in new animated forms. Steve Pratt looks at our fascination with the heroes of old and why programme-makers
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Youngsters rise to cross-country challenge
A CROSS-COUNTRY run which has been held at a North-East school for the past 120 years has raised nearly £2,000 for charity. Nearly 250 pupils at Barnard Castle School, in County Durham, took part in this year's run, which was established in 1885. The
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Exchange scheme to give children headstart in language and culture
SCHOOLCHILDREN are developing links with a Spanish school to encourage better understanding of different cultures. Kirkby and Great Broughton School, near Stokesley, has established a partnership with Dr Tolosa Latour School, in Madrid. Spanish teachers
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Wildlife haven
A NATURE reserve in Darlington has been given a facelift - thanks to the arrival of truckloads of reeds. Two-metre high reeds have been delivered to the Maidendale Fishing and Nature Reserve, at Firthmoor. They were taken from Billingham Beck Country
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Scheme to set standards for homes
A SCHEME designed to improve the quality of homes in deprived parts of Darlington is to be launched. The borough council's landlord accreditation initiative is aimed at setting minimum standards for conditions and housing management. There are about 3,600
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Charity marks a decade of reaching out to Romania
FUNDRAISERS supporting humanitarian efforts in Romania are continuing work which started ten years ago at a former girls' school. An afternoon tea raised £185 on Tuesday. The event was held in Wolsingham, where St Anne's Convent first ran events for the
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Ten miles for ten years
HOSPICE supporters are celebrating its first decade by walking a mile for each of the ten years. The Butterwick Hospice, at Bishop Auckland, is looking for volunteers to join in the Mile a Year sponsored trek in Teesdale on Saturday, February 19. Fundraiser
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New health director has benefits of experience
AN experienced operator has joined Hambleton and Richmondshire's healthcare team. Elizabeth Pollard, from Scorton, near Richmond, has become a non-executive director of the primary care trust (PCT). She has nearly 30 years' experience working as a human
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Tenants urged to attend meeting
A GROUP spearheading a campaign to keep 4,600 houses in the control of a district council has urged council tenants to attend a public meeting at the weekend. The Save our Council Houses group, which wants Chester-le-Street District Council to retain
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Widow mugged as she left husband's grave
A widow was left badly shaken after a graveyard mugger stole her handbag. Pensioner Jean Walters was visiting her husband's grave in Hartlepool, Teesside, when the attack happened at about 4.20pm on Tuesday. A man in his twenties started a conversation
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Residents defy bulldozers by staying in their homes
UP to 60 residents are planning to defy the bulldozers by refusing to move from their homes. Demolition work is expected to start at St Hilda's, in Middlesbrough, next week. Although many council house tenants are leaving, dozens of home-owners met this
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Burglar stabs man in his home
A HOUSEHOLDER was stabbed in the early hours of Thursday after disturbing a burglar in his home. The man, who lives alone, was sleeping in his house in Lenin Terrace, Chopwell, Gatehead, when he was disturbed by a noise downstairs at around 2.30am He
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Revenge over 'car theft'
A MAN was repeatedly beaten with a pickaxe handle and a bar in a revenge attack, a court heard yesterday. Neil Westerman suffered a suspected fractured nose, and bruising to his head, face, arm, back and leg in the assault outside his home on Teesside
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Spare us this form of torture
A HUGE backlog of asylum applications is costing the taxpayer £500m. This is because Home Office staff are taking two months to deal with paperwork that should only take nine hours to process. That does surprise me. Only two months? Are they on a special
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Icelandic group makes £1bn bid for supermarket chain
SUPERMARKET group Somerfield has received a £1bn approach from Baugur, the Icelandic group that has already pulled off a number of takeovers in the UK. The company, which owns the Kwik-Save chain and has more than 50 stores in the North-East and North
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Pub fire arsonists may be children
CHILDREN are suspected of starting a fire that gutted a derelict pub. Fire broke out at the empty Dog and Gun pub, in Front Street, Great Lumley, at around 9.30pm on Monday and quickly spread throughout the building. Only days earlier, fire crews asked
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Museum venue proves a hit
A CHARITY ball which was staged at a museum has paved the way for more events of its kind. Sedgefield Borough Council's annual Mayor's ball was such a success that bosses at Locomotion: National Railway Museum, in Shildon, are hoping to promote the facility
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Mother-of-all battles to fight plan for landfill site
IN a quiet corner of rural County Durham a band of mothers are mobilising in an attempt to halt a plan to bring Europe's largest landfill site to their doorsteps. The 90-strong Wheatley Hill Mothers' Club pledged this week to fight the move they claim
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Future of hospital is still uncertain
THE long-term future of a North-East hospital still remains unclear following a statement from a senior Government minister. Last summer, Health Secretary John Reid addressed growing concern over the future of the University Hospital in Hartlepool by
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Deadline looming for funding from newspapers foundation
COMMUNITY groups are being reminded that the deadline for cash grants from The Northern Echo's parent company is looming. Newsquest's Gannett Foundation has hundreds of thousands of pounds to donate to local projects. It will be distributed in the circulation
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Rise and shine for charity
Fundraisers from Cancer Research UK donned pyjamas to get some shut-eye in a 17th Century bed in preparation for the charity's big day. They were at at Washington Old Hall, Washington, Wearside, home of the ancestors of the first USA president George
