Archive
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Compiling a picture of Village generations
Archaeology students from Darlington College of Technology have been compiling a permanent record of families in Weardale. Students been helping volunteers map plots in church graveyards before headstones fall into disrepair or are destroyed by the weather
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Think pink and donate to charity
CRAFTERS throughout the region are being urged to think pink and help raise money for Breast Cancer Research. People are being urged to help make all kinds of pink items to be auctioned for the charity at a series of events in High Etherley, near Bishop
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Get a feel for the car before a first lesson
STUDENTS are being offered the chance to get a feel for driving - without getting into a car. Driving school BSM has launched a £500,000 motoring simulator, which will be touring schools next week. Young drivers, many under 17, will be given the opportunity
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Staging a lesson in bus behaviour
CHILDREN were taught a lesson from the stage yesterday in how to behave on buses. Pupils aged nine to 11 from five different schools came together at St Godric's RC Primary School for a performance by CragRats ReAct, a theatre group which specialises
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Association tackles climate change
A HOUSING association has been praised for its efforts to curb climate change in the town. Work by Erimus Housing, which looks after council housing in Middlesbrough, aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 4,000 tonnes this year. Jim Gillon, the environmental
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Job cuts expected in civil service
THOUSANDS of jobs in the North-East may be lost as part of a Government review of the civil service. Benefits offices across the region will close and three super processing centres will be created in Newcastle, Sunderland and Stockton. A trade union
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Environmental prize for wind-power school
A SCHOOL that achieved fame when its wind turbine became the first in the UK to be connected to the National Grid has won an environmental award. Cassop Primary School, in Durham, has been awarded the National Grid Transco/TNEI Energy Efficiency Award
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Anti-waste campaign takes off
A GIANT paper aeroplane was launched yesterday to illustrate how much waste paper is costing offices. The 35ft plane, made by Government campaign group Envirowise, was made from 1584 sheets of A4 - the average amount of waste paper an office worker generates
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Compiling a picture of village generations
Archaeology students from Darlington College of Technology have been compiling a permanent record of families in Weardale. Students been helping volunteers map plots in church graveyards before headstones fall into disrepair or are destroyed by the weather
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Smashing tennis success by schoolchildren
BUDDING Henmans and Sharapovas from a primary school have proved a hit in tennis - despite having no proper court on which to play the sport. Although tennis practice at Framwellgate Moor Primary is confined to the school yard, it has not prevented the
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Final touches are put to summer event
FINAL preparations are underway for a summer celebration event in Bedale. On Saturday, June 25, there will be a carnival procession through the marketplace and a variety of stalls, fairground rides, bouncy castle, slides and refreshments at Bedale Hall
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Letters campaign to fight mine plan
PROTESTORS are urging people to join a letter-writing campaign to oppose plans to develop an opencast mine on the County Durham border. Derwentside Residents Against Mining Application (DRAMA) met last night in Burnopfield to discuss their strategy. Hall
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Bedding down for the summer
COUNCIL gardeners are forging ahead with their summer planting programme, despite the recent poor weather. Richmondshire District Council has taken delivery of more than 11,000 bedding plants and staff are busy preparing 15 sites across the district for
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Students dig for national glory
STUDENTS are celebrating a hat-trick of floral successes after winning through to the finals of a national landscaping competition. The horticulture department at Askham Bryan College, near York, took the honours in the regional round of the Landscape
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North's a winner in the fashion stakes
IT was the day the North had to prove it could match the South for fashion, as Ladies Day dawned at the Yorkshire version of Royal Ascot. And with the Knavesmire full to the brim with weird and wonderful hats of all shapes and sizes, York showed it knows
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Elderley woman hurt as car plunges 80ft down embankment
AN elderly woman suffered a neck injury yesterday when her car crashed 80ft down an embankment. Police said the incident involved three cars and resulted in a Ford Fiesta going backwards through the railings on the Esplanade, in Scarborough, North Yorkshire
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Have some fun
A fun day for disabled children under the age of 18 in County Durham takes place on Sunday, at County Hall, Durham, from noon. The day features a disco, entertainers, animals, adapted cycles and face painting.
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Farmer's son leads buyout of feed firm
EGGLESCLIFFE farmer's son, Edward Smith, has acquired Aberdeenshire animal feed company Norvite from Provimi for an undisclosed sum in a management buyout. Mr Smith, 35, grew up in Egglescliffe Village where his father, John, and younger brother, Simon
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Centre for child care on the cards
TEESDALE families are helping to plan a £385,000 children's centre. The Government-run SureStart centre, due to open in an extension of Middleton-in-Teesdale Primary School, next March, is one of 30 children's centres being built in deprived and remote
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Success for job search scheme
A SCHEME to revive the employment fortunes of those living on a Darlington estate is celebrating after helping 200 people find jobs - more than treble its original target. Firthmoor Into Work was established three years ago after community leaders identified
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Anti-arson initiative on award short list
WORK to install sprinkler systems in all new school buildings has led to a local authority being short-listed for an award. Darlington Borough Council is a finalist in the annual awards scheme run by Alarm, a national public sector risk management group
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Extension approved despite objections
A CONTROVERSIAL planning application to extend a bungalow has been approved. Teesdale District Council has approved plans to extend Cherry Trees, in Lartington, despite objections from neighbours that the extension would be too large. The applicant, Digby
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Chief retires, but not from football
THE boss of one of England's smallest district councils retired this week after nine years in charge. Charles Anderson, former chief executive of Teesdale Council, is now a man of leisure as he nears his 60th birthday. He left the authority on Monday,
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Doh! A deer on the run gets cornered
A SLIPPERY deer that evaded authorities for a fortnight has finally been caught - despite making a desperate jump for freedom into a river. The animal was spotted in and around Darlington town centre over the past two weeks. On one occasion, it was chased
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Conduct code launched to weed out conmen
A NORTH-EAST council plans to issue a code of conduct for its staff in an attempt to make life more difficult for bogus callers. The new guidelines will require that workers visiting Darlington Borough Council properties produce identification and call
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Tribute on stage to chief executive
A STAGE celebration of the life of Newcastle Theatre Royal's late chief executive Peter Sarah will feature stars representing the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre and Sir Cameron Mackintosh. Lesley Joseph, Matthew Bourne's New Adventures
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If you're not going far, forget the car - or, in other words, on yer bike
IT'S national Bike to Work Week - and they are getting in the spirit of things at Northallerton College. The green travel team at North Yorkshire County Council has presented the college with a bicycle and trailer. The idea is that assistant site manager
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Pupils turn Yellow Pages to green use
SCHOOLCHILDREN have helped recycle 1.7 tonnes of paper from old Yellow Pages. More than 4,500 pupils at 16 schools across Hartlepool collected the old directories as part of the environmental campaign. Two primary schools have won £300 each, thanks to
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On the road to successful design
TWO North-East projects have been shortlisted for a national accolade. The Sage Gateshead and the South Stockton Link have both been shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Better Public Building Award. Now in its fifth year, the architecture award recognises
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Support No Crime Day, urge police
THE public of the Hambleton area are being asked to play their part in a district-wide No Crime Day. Between 7am and midnight on Tuesday, police will be making a concentrated effort to reduce and deter as much crime as possible in the area. In order to
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Tribute on stage to chief executive
A STAGE celebration of the life of Newcastle Theatre Royal's late chief executive Peter Sarah will feature stars representing the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre and Sir Cameron Mackintosh. Lesley Joseph, Matthew Bourne's New Adventures
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Birthday is picture perfect
A NURSING home hosted a very special party last weekend in celebration of the 100th birthday of resident Edith Hunter. Mrs Hunter was the centre of attention for the day as about 50 visitors joined family, residents and staff for the festivities at St
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Spotlight on male victims of abuse
THE latest phase of a campaign highlighting domestic abuse is turning the spotlight on the men who suffer. Hambleton Community Safety Partnership launched its Don't Suffer in Silence campaign earlier this year. St Valentine's Day and Mother's Day have
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Doyenne of music teachers can still hit the high notes after 80-odd years
BETTY Middleton, doyenne of music teachers, is still in good voice though she'll be 90 on Thursday. To prove it, she sang a high note, suddenly, while we were chatting in the living room of her Saltburn home. "It's not as high as I used to reach, but
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Looking Back
FROM this newspaper 150 years ago. - The "Lively," belonging to Mr Hardcastle, of Stockton, taken by pirates on the Riff coast, was afterwards taken possession of by the "Conference's" crew, who had been obliged to abandon their ship by a piratical boat
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Grain report
by Robin Twizell RMD Agriculture OLD crop wheat has remained unchanged, with most compounders saying they are well covered for June and July. New crop markets have remained volatile, with underlying strength because of drought in Spain and Portugal. Oilseed
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The missing link
AT best it would be misguided, and at worst alarmist, to draw comparisons between the Wensleydale railway and its neighbour in Weardale, which went into administration earlier this year with cash flow problems despite having had large sums of public money
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A dangerous game
THE Times, now a tacky tabloid, has taken to emulating Antipodean journals by writing off the touring cricketers. It might be tongue-in-cheek, but winding up the Australians is a dangerous game. By asking "Is this the worst Australian touring side ever
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Now hang on, we're fed-up with our drab neighbourhood
WHEN Laura Gannon became fed-up at looking out on her drab street, she decided to mount a campaign to brighten it up. Mrs Gannon, of Fairburn Road, on Peterlee's Eden Hill Estate, County Durham, took matters into her own hands and knocked on the door
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Three forces unite to fight rural crime
THREE police forces have announced a link-up with a neighbourhood watch organisation to fight rural crime across their areas. Durham, Cleveland and North Yorkshire Police will work with Darlington-based Countryside Crime Watch (CCW) to curb the activities
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Cape pays £40m to offset future compensation claims
A COMPANY that operated an asbestos factory in the region may have to pay out up to £160m in compensation claims from former workers, it emerged yesterday. Engineering group Cape is putting £40m into a fund that will make payments to workers suffering
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Foot-and-mouth spelled disaster, grant eased diversification
A COMPANY on the brink of closure because of foot-and-mouth has come back through diversifying. HGM Services of Patrick Brompton, a grounds maintenance company, lost 70pc of its trade through the 2001 epidemic but, but thanks to a Business Link York and
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Barker jumps to Bramham hat-trick
NORTHALLERTON rider Paul Barker produced a hat-trick of victories in the show jumping at Bramham last weekend. He won the 25-starter Bramham Grand Prix in a four-horse jump-off on the ten-year-old Temple Croesus and earlier rode Temple Guess What to take
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Comment from The Northern Echo: Lessons in hopes and fears
AS we said yesterday, Darlington's education service is not without its problems. School governors in Hurworth will today contemplate the proposed relocation of the highly successful village secondary school amid huge controversy. But, while that particular
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The lowly wild flower which became a national emblem
ONE of the finest sights of summer is an English hedgerow dripping with the flowers of wild roses. In their pale pink shade, they are so delicate and delightful, and yet tough enough to fight for space in the wilds of the countryside, competing with dozens
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Closure threat as lack of licence bids causes alarm
PUBS, clubs, restaurants and take-aways could be closed down later this year unless they apply soon for new licenses. All premises that sell alcohol, put on entertainment or serve hot food after 11pm have to apply for a licence, even if it is just a renewal
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Turn out in force, car park rebels urged
PROTESTERS are urged to turn out in force once again to show opposition to plans to sell two Richmond car parks. Richmondshire resources committee is due to meet on Wednesday to discuss the proposed sale of Station Road and York Square car parks and the
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£33m education village is hailed as lesson to others
A MULTI-MILLION pound experiment to build the UK's first education village in a North-East town is being hailed a national example, before it has even opened. More than 30 local education authorities have contacted Darlington Borough Council to visit,
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Former rail boss takes over at SSL
FORMER Railtrack chief executive Gerald Corbett is to be the new chairman of SSL International. Mr Corbett, 53, chairman of high street chain Woolworths, will take up the non-executive role from August 1. Ian Martin, 70, has been chairman of SSL since
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Jewel in the crown tarnished by developers
A NEW action group, formed to stave off a continuing wave of planning applications for flats in Eaglescliffe, holds its first public meeting today. The Eaglescliffe Preservation Action Group wants to open up debate over growing worries that the character
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Air ambulance seeks funds from speed cameras
THE boss of the Great North Air Ambulance Service is calling for almost a third of revenue generated by speed cameras in the region to be donated to the charity. Chief executive Grahame Pickering says the greatest challenge is in raising sufficient funds
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'Only a bloody bus shelter' - but a tribute fit for a hero
A DERELICT French shed has been bought as a memorial to the only soldier to win the Victoria Cross on D-Day. The old tram-stop shelter, at La Riviere, in Normandy, has been purchased by the Green Howards Regiment, traditionally the regiment of Teesside
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New site or closure is stark choice at Sutton
GOVERNORS of Sutton under Whitestonecliffe CE School say it must move to a new site or face closure. It had been hoped that the tiny school might be able to expand when the site it occupies is redeveloped into a village hall, but governors say the only
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Environmental prize for wind-power school
A SCHOOL that achieved fame when its wind turbine became the first in the UK to be connected to the National Grid has won an environmental award. Cassop Primary School, in Durham, has been awarded the National Grid Transco/TNEI Energy Efficiency Award
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Guess who's coming to dinner?
As co-ordinator of the Darlington Charity Stop2Night, Bridget Chapman helps place young people in volunteers' homes - including her own. She tells Lindsay Jennings how her experiences of homelessnes and an abusive relationship help her identify with many
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Hospital-acquired infection blamed for years of agony
A PATIENT has lodged a formal complaint against the Friarage Hospital after surgeons repeatedly failed to diagnose an infection caught during an operation there four years ago. Bob Bell, 57, from Crakehall, near Bedale, has suffered severe recurring pain
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News from the WIs
Wentworth WI: THE June meeting, held in Ouston Community Centre, began with the singing of Jerusalem. Sympathies were sent to Olive Harwood, who has lost her husband. Norah Dixon, secretary, read the minutes of the last meeting. Elsie Haddock gave her
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Not a chance of York baht 'at then
IT was the day the North had to prove it could match the South for fashion, as Ladies Day dawned at the Yorkshire version of Royal Ascot. And with the Knavesmire full to the brim with weird and wonderful hats of all shapes and sizes, York showed it knows
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Plan ahead to fund flock replacement
SHEEP producers have been urged to plan ahead to avoid autumn cashflow problems. The English Beef and Lamb Executive has issued its advice now that ewe premiums will no longer be paid. These used to arrive in plenty of time to help fund ewe replacement
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Call centres fail to press right buttons
LET your fingers do the walking. Remember that? It was the slogan to encourage us to ring firms listed in Yellow Pages, rather than legging it to their doors with our inquiries. We obviously took the advice far too well. When firms found our fingers were
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Music, flowers and food will mark town twinning celebrations
PREPARATIONS for Yarm's twining event with towns from France and Germany are well under way. This year is the 20th anniversary of twinning with Vernouillet, near Paris, and the tenth with Schwalbach, in Germany. Dignitaries from both towns will visit
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Petition supports poverty fight
LABOUR MEP for the North-East Stephen Hughes has signed a petition which aims to "make poverty history". Mr Hughes, and his wife, Darlington councillor Cyndi Hughes, signed the petition at St Augustine's Church along with hundreds of worshippers. The
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Body of man is identified
THE body of a man found in a North Yorkshire river last weekend has been identified as that of missing man Tristan Long. Mr Long's body was recovered from the River Nidd at Cattall last Sunday. He had been missing from his home in York since April 16.
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17/06/05
WATER PRICES: EARLIER this year Northumbrian Water raised their prices by 15 per cent, well above the inflation rate. I complained to Ofwat and was told the rise was justified as: "Northumbrian Water needed to be able to maintain their considerable assets
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If it's good enough for Richard Whiteley ...
PERHAPS I should have had the ham and eggs at the Cover Bridge Inn. After all they are, according to an intriguing sign outside, "as seen on TV". It transpired that this slightly bewildering claim to fame referred to the pub's appearance on ITV's Really
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On TV last night
House (five) The Strangest Village In Britain (C4) DR Greg House's bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired. His rude, insensitive behaviour makes Dr Crippen look like Mother Theresa. He's even reluctant to see patients at the walk-in clinic, fearing
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Former robber killed himself in siege after asking for his father
A FORMER armed robber who shot himself had continually asked to speak to police and his father during an armed siege. The father of Jonathon Longstaff has questioned whether his son would still be alive today had he been able to speak to him. An inquest
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Anger at decision not to allow oak tree pruning
A PENSIONER is to appeal after losing a second attempt to have a neighbour's overhanging tree pruned. Despite Glenys Haire's fears that in high wind it may cause damage to her bungalow or herself, Darlington Borough Council planning committee rejected
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Potters may set sights on Russell
STOKE CITY could turn to Darlington goalkeeper Sam Russell if Ed de Goey chooses to quit the Britannia Stadium this summer, writes Lee Hall Veteran stopper de Goey, 38, is out of contract and considering a new one-year deal with Stoke. However, after
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Steelmaker shocks investors with surprise dividend
STEELMAKER Corus surprised investors yesterday by announcing plans to pay its first interim dividend for five years. Corus said a modest payment was likely when it reports its half-year results in August, as growing demand for steel fuelled confidence
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Just what the doctor ordered
House (five); The Strangest Village In Britain (C4): DR Greg House's bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired. His rude, insensitive behaviour makes Dr Crippen look like Mother Theresa. He's even reluctant to see patients at the walk-in clinic, fearing
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Manor's great hall transformed into library
THE great hall at a fortified North Yorkshire manor house has been transformed from a grain store into a magnificently-crafted library holding 5,000 books. Work on the hall, built in 1280 at Markenfield Hall, near Ripon, started three years ago - and
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Number of start-ups falls sharply
THE number of entrepreneurs starting new businesses in the region has dropped sharply, it was revealed yesterday. The North-East experienced an 11 per cent decrease in start-ups, with 3,800 in the first quarter of the year, compared to 4,300 in the same
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Shoptalk
SHEILA Beswick is mulling fruit - a good glug of port, lots of spices and some lazy golden twirls of honey. Her daughter Lorna is making pastry for the hot water crust pies. It takes a lot of kneading, energy and muscle power. She's putting her heart,
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Cash boost for group
A GROUP in Chester-le-Street that helps disabled children is celebrating a £68,993 grant from the Big Lottery Fund. Integrating Children is one of 15 projects in the region to receive grants totalling more than £1.4 million. The group helps disabled children
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Rare breed in Great Yorkshire spotlight
THOUSANDS of visitors to this year's Great Yorkshire Show will get the chance to see the rare Cleveland Bay horse in action, thanks to a change in the timing of their class. The decision by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society to return the Cleveland Bay
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Three are charged over death of cyclist
THREE men have appeared at Teesside Crown Court in connection with the death of a cyclist who was killed in front of his own son. Jan Torka, Martin Gordon Conroy and Thomas Mark Sells are each charged with causing the death by dangerous driving of 58-
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A proper respect for the past
The decision by the Green Howards to spend £3,000 buying a dilapidated French shelter raises the question of who should pay for preserving the past. It was June 6, 1944, when Middlesbrough-born Sgt Major Stan Hollis charged up the Normandy beach and,
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Burton's Bytes: Forza sends Sony back to the pits
FORZA MOTORSPORT, Formats: Xbox, Publisher: Microsoft. Price: £39.99. Family friendly? Yep: A WEEK is a very long time in the interactive entertainment business. In my last column I hailed Gran Turismo 4 as the new benchmark for racing games. Now we have
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Success for job search scheme
A SCHEME to revive the employment fortunes of those living on a Darlington estate is celebrating after helping 200 people find jobs - more than treble its original target. Firthmoor Into Work was established three years ago after community leaders identified
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Fleck of gold pans out into a win
CHAMPION panner Mick Gossage has again struck gold with three medals in a national competition. The estates and sites service manager at Darlington College of Technology took three top wins at the Scottish and British Gold Panning Championships, in Wanlockhead
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Young drinkers kept out of village
POLICE have been congratulated by parish councillors for preventing gangs of youths travelling from Darlington to a village to drink alcohol. Anti-social behaviour incidents have remained low in Middleton St George for the fourth consecutive month and
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Clarinet players raising money
A FUNDRAISING concert is being held next month at the Bowes Museum. The Darlington Clarinet Ensemble will perform at the museum, near Barnard Castle, on Saturday, July 2, at 7.30pm. The ensemble features players from throughout the North-East playing
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Care staff win top award
COUNCIL staff who care for elderly, disabled and vulnerable people across south Durham have received an award. Staff at Sedgefield Borough Council Carelink Service are among a handful of UK local authority teams to gain the top industry standard. They
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Session for cyclists
CYCLIST Bryan Attwell will be at Clayport Library in Durham tomorrow to talk about commuting by bike. The session, which is free, starts at 2pm and will cover bikes, clothing, accessories, safe riding techniques and a discussion.
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Six arrests as police swoop in crackdown on burglaries
SIX people were arrested yesterday in a crackdown on prolific burglars. Police carried out dawn swoops on addresses in Stockton, as part of a two-week-long operation aimed at finding the culprits behind a string of commercial burglaries in the Portrack
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Sign up and secure cash for charity
A MOBILE phone store is supporting two children's charities by offering to donate cash for every customer that signs up with them. Fonebox, in Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland, has pledged to give £50 to the Sick Children's Trust and the Tiny Lives Appeal
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Call for cells' regular use again
CALLS have been made to put Richmond police station's cells back into regular use. District councillors said they were concerned at the inefficiency of having to transport people arrested in Richmond to cells at Northallerton or Harrogate. Chairman Coun
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School Closure Debate: Letters
It must be equal: WHILE there will be nothing that can be done to prevent the closure of schools, we feel that the possible merger of Hurworth and Eastbourne should not be done at the cost of Eastbourne. We disagree that the new school should be called
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Do visit us at Town Fair
THE Northern Echo will be holding a reporter's surgery this weekend when our CommuniGate bus visits a fair. Anyone with a news story can come down to Guisborough Town Fair, east Cleveland, on Sunday, to speak to a journalist. Teesside reporter Karen Westcott
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Brass shines for pupils
YOUNG brass band members from the North-East will tonight share the stage with some of the best musicians in the world. Consett Junior School Brass Band and Consett Junior Brass are playing alongside White River Brass and the Black Dyke Band. Both have
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Emotionally drained after visit to tsunami region
TSUNAMI fundraisers have returned to the North-East from the Far East after an emotionally-draining trip. Husband and wife Gavin and Ann Nicholson and voluntary worker Peter Burns have been visiting survivors of the Boxing Day tidal wave tragedy on behalf
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Fighting-fit girls earn black belts
THREE members of a Newton Aycliffe martial arts club have mastered the ancient skills of ju jitsu to black-belt level. Avril Spence, 14, of Elm Tree, Amy Phillips, 13, of Roseworth, both in Stockton, and Tracy Gore, 32, of Billingham, were awarded the
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Hats the way to do it on Ladies Day
THEIR fine headwear could be seen first above the seats of crowded trains and shuttle buses heading for York's Knavesmire racecourse. Bright pink plumes and tiny, feathered headpieces nodded and bobbed in excitement as their owners prepared to show off
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Midsummer cycling event
RESIDENTS are invited to celebrate Midsummer's Eve next week with a guided cycle ride through a Teesside nature reserve. Stockton Borough Council's road safety team is offering a short, guided cycle ride on Monday, the day before the longest day of the
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Football links with business
A FOOTBALL club in north Durham has organised a corporate evening to exchange business ideas. Annfield Plain Association Football Club is inviting companies in the area to attend the evening to create new contacts. The club will welcome guests with corporate
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Governors meet on schools shake-up
GOVERNORS at one of the region's top schools could today make or break plans to relocate it in a £20m move. Council officials want to close Hurworth School, near Darlington, and amalgamate it with the town's struggling Eastbourne Comprehensive. A new
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Quizzene to pick up the tab
COUNT on Quizzene (5.30) to pick up the expenses tab on day four of Royal Ascot at York. Described by both Mark Johnston and Kevin Darley as their "banker" of the meeting, Quizzene clearly goes into the King George V Stakes with bags of confidence from
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Granting cash
Darlington Council for Voluntary Service has received European funding to deliver grants across the town. Grants of up to £5,000 are available, although the average grant awarded to individuals will be £1,000, for volunteer and employment training opportunities
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Village vandals hit neighbours' gardens
HUNDREDS of pounds worth of damage were caused when a garden was vandalised. Geoffrey Wilkinson, 55, of Daly Street, Ferryhill, woke yesterday morning to be greeted by a scene of devastation outside his back door. It is thought that the vandals struck
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Wellock's World: A dangerous game
THE Times, now a tacky tabloid, has taken to emulating Antipodean journals by writing off the touring cricketers. It might be tongue-in-cheek, but winding up the Australians is a dangerous game. By asking "Is this the worst Australian touring side ever
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Magpies bigger than Chelsea, Lee tells Parker
FORMER St James' Park favourite Rob Lee helped to persuade Scott Parker to make a £6.5m move by insisting Newcastle United are a bigger club than Chelsea. The two midfielders' playing styles are not too dissimilar and both manager Graeme Souness and chairman
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Carnival fun at school
CHILDREN from Chester-le-Street have staged a South American-style summer carnival. Pupils at Bullion Lane Primary School have been learning about Brazil as part of the school's Big Arts Week. They have been visited by musicians, salsa dancers and heard
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It's hat heaven as Royal Ascot day comes to Gisborough Hall
GISBOROUGH Hall was transformed into Royal Ascot for the day to raise funds for Teesside Hospice. At the ladies' day there was an official dress code to reflect Ascot-style outfits seen on one of the most glamorous days in the racing calendar. The ladies
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Banners celebrate big day for cricket
THE elevation of Chester-le-Street to the international sporting stage is being celebrated by local schoolchildren. Durham County Cricket Club's Riverside ground, in the town, is busy preparing for the most high profile game in its ten-year history. The
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Residents asked to comment on regeneration
RESIDENTS are being given a voice on the £500,000 regeneration of their neighbourhood. People living in the Parkfield and Mill Lane areas of Stockton are being invited to attend a series of workshops to decide how the area should be developed. About £500,000
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Will tenants vote yes?
HOUSING minister Yvette Cooper visited Ferryhill this week to see two of the region's housing and regeneration projects. Mrs Cooper learned about the proposed transfer of housing stock from Sedgefield Borough Council to a non-profit making company. As
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School seeks £50,000 to gain specialist enterprise status
A SCHOOL in Derwentside has started a campaign to raise £50,000 so it can achieve specialist status. Greencroft Comprehensive School, in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, is aiming to specialise in business and enterprise. If successful, it will concentrate
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Four year sentence for popstar's brother
Girl's aloud star Cheryl Tweedy's brother could miss her forthcoming wedding after being sentenced to four years behind bars for a vicious street robbery. Andrew Tweedy, 25, and his 18-year-old accomplice pushed their teenage victim to the ground and
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Michele sets her sights on Ethiopia
A NORTH Yorkshire optical assistant is preparing for a trip to a remote part of Africa to set up eye clinics. The trip to Ethiopia, next month, will be the fourth made by Michele de Vaal, of East Witton, near Leyburn, who will lead a team of six Vision
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Have your say on bus route proposals
A COUNCIL is keen to find out if plans to upgrade a bus route are just the ticket with commuters. New bus shelters, better lighting and improved public transport information are planned for the 44-stop route for the Numbers 48 and 49 route, which operates
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Teenager nets sports scholarship to States
A TEENAGER is kick-starting his business career on a sports scholarship overseas. The four-year scheme that Lewis Robinson joins this summer will see him play club football to pay for a university education in the US. The 18-year-old will split his time
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Public meeting as opposition grows to schools merger
A PUBLIC meeting has been called after parents condemned proposals to relocate top-performing Hurworth School Maths and Computing College to the outskirts of Darlington. Opposition has grown since the shock announcement last Friday and more than 100 people
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Get hands-on with history
THE traditional museum order of "Do Not Touch" is about to be abandoned at the National Railway Museum in York. On June 23, from 2pm to 8.30pm, they will be encouraging people to handle the artefacts at their annual Please Touch event. The programme of
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Children abandoned as mother flies to sun
A YOUNG mother has disappeared on a holiday abroad - leaving her three young children at home with a 15-year-old babysitter. Police and social services went into a house on an estate in Darlington on Tuesday after a neighbour reported the three children
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Wensleydale players hit the heights
STUDENTS from Wensleydale School in Leyburn made a clean sweep at the recent area badminton championships at Northallerton. John Sullivan was the boys singles champion in the under-12s tournament and also won the doubles partnered by Tom Hammond. Shona
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Home is where the heart is for Boro ace Downing
STEWART Downing last night played down recent transfer speculation linking him with a move away from his hometown club by declaring: "I'm going nowhere." The Middlesbrough starlet has been the subject of summer of interest from Tottenham and has been
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Shop Talk: It's the real thing!
Real Meals in Saltburn is a family affair... it's also a very passionate one. SHEILA Beswick is mulling fruit - a good glug of port, lots of spices and some lazy golden twirls of honey. Her daughter Lorna is making pastry for the hot water crust pies.
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Masta plan pays off royally for Johnson
ALTHOUGH it took a nail-biting 48 hours for the North to post a first Royal Ascot at York success, the wait was well worthwhile when Howard Johnson's Masta Plasta won yesterday's Norfolk Stakes in electrifying fashion. The Crook-based trainer, who until
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Drug warning after snow tragedy
A CORONER has warned young people who experiment with drugs and alcohol that they could pay the ultimate penalty. The warning followed the inquest into the death of 15-year-old John Winter, of Barnard Castle, County Durham, whose body was found in a snow-covered
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Warm sun and cold air create a stormy month
TORRENTIAL downpours were liberally scattered across the country throughout May. Not so far away, parts of Leeds were flooded after about 40mm (1.6ins) of rain fell within a couple of hours on the 3rd. The storms conjured up some large hail as well -
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Tinker takes centre stage in Stratford event
SHILDON rally driver Barry Johnson exerted his authority in the County Saab Scottish Rally Championship with his fourth straight victory following last Sunday's Scottish National Rally based in Dumfries. Driving the ex-Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza WRC
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Hunt for car driver after van overturns
POLICE are searching for a motorist who failed to stop after playing a part in an accident on a dual carriageway. A white Mercedes van, part of a fleet owned by the Securitas company, was travelling north on the A19 at about 60mph when the crash happened
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Hoping for a calmer shrew this time
WHEN the Castle Players last performed The Taming of the Shrew, the opening night in Barnard Castle drew placard-waving demonstrators convinced that Shakespeare's plot was an insult to modern women. That was 14 years ago, and though the cast of this Teesdale
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Wensleydale railway angels swoop to answer crisis funding appeal
RAIL campaigners who have launched an emergency appeal for £100,000 to help keep trains running in Wensleydale are a third of the way towards their target. The Wensleydale Railway Association asked "financial angels" among its members to raise the sum
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Top coach opens new school pitch
INTERNATIONAL hockey player and coach, Gavin Featherstone, helped open the new artificial turf pitch and community sports facility at Egglescliffe School last Friday. Mr Featherstone, who has captained England at all levels and is senior hockey coach
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German soldier revisits POW camp where he found freedom
A GERMAN soldier who forged lasting friendships on enemy soil has returned to a North-East prisoner of war camp after creating a permanent reminder of his stay. Visitors to Harperley PoW camp, near Crook, County Durham, can view a 20-minute award-winning
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Thickheads who tarnish a town's reputation
IT is Spectator's sad duty to report that the reputation of Bedale as a destination for visitors was done no favours in a strong but quite understandable letter to the D&S Times - printed on the opposite page - from a writer in Wakefield. The writer
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Colonel's stand just not long enough
THE Colonel's time in command didn't last quite long enough for Durham yesterday. Phil Mustard, the wicketkeeper nicknamed after the Cluedo character, kept the troops entertained in an effort to make up for lost time at Northampton and earned his third
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Betting shop wins fight to open in town centre
LADBROKES has won its fight to move a betting shop to a prime site in Saltburn town centre. The firm, which is owned by the Hilton Hotels chain, gained permission from Teesside licensing magistrates last week for a licence for premises in Station Street
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A proper respect for our past
The decision by the Green Howards to spend £3,000 buying a dilapidated French shelter raises the question of who should pay for preserving the past. It was June 6, 1944, when Middlesbrough-born Sgt Major Stan Hollis charged up the Normandy beach and,
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War mementoes for sale
A TREASURE trove of historic photographs has been uncovered at a Redcar social club. Cadets of the Air Training Corps 2394 East Cleveland Squadron were helping to clear out an old storage cupboard at the Royal Air Force Association Club when they discovered
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Black Cats only club for Miller
TOMMY MILLER would not have left Ipswich for any other Championship club, but the lure of Premiership football with Sunderland proved too good to turn down. As revealed in The Northern Echo yesterday, the free-scoring midfielder is due to pen a two-year
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Teenager nets sports scholarship to States
A TEENAGER is kick-starting his business career on a sports scholarship overseas. The four-year scheme that Lewis Robinson joins this summer will see him play club football to pay for a university education in the US. The 18-year-old will split his time
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New Catterick junction is still in A1 upgrade plans
ROAD engineers have scotched suggestions that a major new junction on the upgraded A1 could be in doubt. Catterick central, one of the key features retained from the previous motorway scheme shelved in 1996, is planned to be built midway between the present
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Family still hopes to find brother alive
THE sister of a man who has been missing from his Sacriston home for more than three years has not given up hope that he is still alive. As police officers renewed their search for former miner Edward Donnelly this week his sister, Kathleen Gault, said
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Job cuts expected in civil service
THOUSANDS of jobs in the North-East may be lost as part of a Government review of the civil service. Benefits offices across the region will close and three super processing centres will be created in Newcastle, Sunderland and Stockton. A trade union
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Police name prisoner who died after blaze in his cell
A REMAND prisoner who died in a fire in his cell has been named by police. Anthony Michael Mola died in hospital on Wednesday afternoon following a fire in his cell at Durham Prison earlier in the day. Mr Mola's death prompted campaigners to call for
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Children abandoned by holiday mother
A YOUNG mother has disappeared on a European holiday - leaving her three young children at home with a 15-year-old babysitter. Police and social services raided a house on an estate in Darlington on Tuesday after a neighbour reported the three children
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Public ban on alcohol in ex-pit village
A FORMER pit village will today becomes the first in County Durham to have an enforced alcohol-free zone. The zone - officially known as an "alcohol-restricted area" - has been imposed in the village of Dipton, which lies between Consett and Stanley.
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Siege after man made threat to kill PC
ARMED police surrounded a house after a man brandishing a knife threatened to kill an officer on Wednesday night. The siege of the house in James Street, Easington Colliery, County Durham, lasted almost four hours before riot police stormed the premises
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Masta plan pays off royally for Johnson
ALTHOUGH it took a nail-biting 48 hours for the North to post a first Royal Ascot at York success, the wait was well worthwhile when Howard Johnson's Masta Plasta won yesterday's Norfolk Stakes in electrifying fashion. The Crook-based trainer, who until
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Keeper explains moor management to walkers
THE chance to see what goes on in heather moorland recently attracted 60 members of the public. The invitation went out from the Moorland Association and centred on Snilesworth Moor, on the edge of the North York Moors National Park. Moorland gamekeeper
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GrainCo marks anniversary with new offices
AS THE UK cereal harvest approaches, grain traders are keeping a watchful eye on the rest of the world's crops - none more so than Gary Bright and Edward Rust of Newcastle-based GrainCo. Last Friday, the company celebrated its tenth year of trading by
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Trust revives branch in North Yorkshire
NEIL Kilgour has been appointed chairman of the North Yorkshire branch of the Game Conservancy Trust. His appointment marks the revival of the group in a county with a wide range of rare and important wildlife species and game. County groups support the
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Karen's Caper should crown it
CORONATION Cup hopeful Karen's Caper (3.45) should not disappoint in the £225,000 one-mile three-year-old fillies' championship standard contest, writes Colin Woods (Janus). John Gosden's star did exceptionally well in the English 1000 Guineas, finishing
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Forza sends Sony back to the pits
FORZA MOTORSPORT, Formats: Xbox, Publisher: Microsoft. Price: £39.99. Family friendly? Yep: A WEEK is a very long time in the interactive entertainment business. In my last column I hailed Gran Turismo 4 as the new benchmark for racing games. Now we have
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Special livestock sales
MASHAM. - Fri, June 3. Spring show & sale of prime cattle. Judge: Mick Etherington, Crossflatts. Champion: S Newcombe & Sons, Carthorpe, 555kg BB hfr, 169p to James Robertshaw, Keelham Farm Shop, Thornton, Bradford; res: S Newcombe & Sons,
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Delight as Tinseltown comes to Coxwold
A WORLD exclusive first screening of a film based on a classic book by an 18th century local author is to take place in the small North Yorkshire village of Coxwold. The star-studded move, A Cock and Bull Story, is Michael Winterbottom's screen adaptation
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New move in hunt for missing man
THE search for a man missing for more than three years took a new twist this week when police teams searched areas near his former home. Specialist teams, including dog units and experts from other force areas, scoured a number of sites surrounding the
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Anti-waste campaign takes off
A GIANT paper aeroplane was launched yesterday to illustrate how much waste paper is costing offices. The 35ft plane, made by Government campaign group Envirowise, was made from 1584 sheets of A4 - the average amount of waste paper an office worker generates
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Ramage missing as Saltburn take on champions
THE match of the day in the premier division tomorrow pitches leaders Saltburn against second-top Guisborough, who have won the championship in four consecutive seasons. Guisborough recently defeated their rivals in the Tall Trees Hotel MacMillan Cup,
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Women's Institutes back plea for better milk price
DAIRY farmers have won a powerful supporter for better milk prices in the form of the National Federation of Women's Institutes. The 215,000-member organisation threw its weight behind milk producers' demands at its annual meeting in London - and its
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Quizzene to pick up the tab
COUNT on Quizzene (5.30) to pick up the expenses tab on day four of Royal Ascot at York. Described by both Mark Johnston and Kevin Darley as their "banker" of the meeting, Quizzene clearly goes into the King George V Stakes with bags of confidence from
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Darlington teenager picked for British squad
DARLINGTON rider Georgie Morrison has been named as first reserve for the British team at the European pony three-day event championships with her pony Bletchendon Fanfare. The 16-year-old Barnard Castle School pupil was chosen after a good performance
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The science that saved our son
A father's quest to help prolong his son's life has led him to give up alcohol and encourage celebrities to do the same. Liz Lamb reports. SMILING Sam Smith will celebrate his sixth birthday today. As he opens his cards and blows out the candles on his
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More works bring gridlock to -town on the move'
DARLINGTON - "a town on the move" - was at a standstill again this week as more roadworks brought traffic to a halt. Questions are now being asked about the competence of the borough council's traffic management chiefs. The town is one of only three in
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Defence firm delivers jobs blow
A MAJOR private employer in one of the region's most rural locations has announced that it is to shed a fifth of its workforce. William Cook Defence, in Stanhope, in the County Durham dales, has issued 50 staff with notices warning them their jobs are
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Prices at the markets
BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed. Fwd: 705 sheep. Lt lambs to 127p av 120.3p; std to 129p av 118.8p; med to 133p av 121.3p; heavy to 117p av 113.3p. Cast sheep: Leics £38; Cheviot £30; Suff £40; Cont £34.50; Mule £33. DARLINGTON. - Thurs of last week. Fwd: 402 cattle
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Rain fails to spoil the fun as Royal Ascot graces York
YORK certainly showed the southerners how - how to be hospitable, how to wear pretty, impractical frocks in weather more suited to January than June, and how to enjoy racing more than frivolity. Royal Ascot at York is a big success, even if the A64 route
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Carnival is on way despite the setbacks
ORGANISERS of one of Darlington's most popular community events have declared their determination to put on a great show. The town's community carnival is being staged over the weekend of June 25 and 26. Organisers agreed to press ahead with their preparations
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Police name prisoner who died after blaze in his cell
A REMAND prisoner who died in a fire in his cell has been named by police. Anthony Michael Mola died in hospital on Wednesday afternoon following a fire in his cell at Durham Prison earlier in the day. Mr Mola's death prompted campaigners to call for
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Delight as BT scraps plan to axe 190 public phones
RURAL payphones across North Yorkshire are to become "cashless" in a compromise that will mean hundreds will no longer face being axed. British Telecom (BT) had planned to remove more than 200 payphones in North Yorkshire, but now it wants to get rid
