Archive
-
Date
Jamie Cullum, Durham County Cricket Club
BELTING out his cover version of Singing in the Rain could not have been more apt for jazz musician Jamie Cullum. Performing under murky grey skies and in sleeting rain, the music star did not let the dour North-East weather dampen his enthusiasm. As
-
Date
Caroline Laffey, Michael Wilson
KPMG'S Newcastle office has appointed two people to its employment tax group. CAROLINE LAFFEY joins KPMG from Tait Walker and has 12 years' experience in the field of employment taxes and share schemes. After training with Ernst and Young, she spent eight
-
Date
Hague to speak
FORMER Conservative leader William Hague will be the guest speaker at this year's Northern Society of Chartered Accountants' annual dinner. The MP for Richmond, North Yorkshire, will be speaking at the event at Newcastle Civic Centre, on October 13, which
-
Date
£1,000 charge puts an end to village fair's parade tradition
A VILLAGE'S annual fancy dress procession and fell race have been cancelled because it would cost too much to close roads under new safety regulations. Officials were startled when they were told they would have to pay nearly £1,000 to have two roads
-
Date
Circus fun at art centre's summer activity programme
ALL the fun of the big top came to Darlington yesterday as youngsters got to grips with circus skills. A workshop at the Arts Centre, in Vane Terrace, gave children, pictured, the chance to learn an array of big top party pieces. Diabolo, stilt-walking
-
Date
History book photo inspired three years of model-making
A PENSIONER who was inspired by a black and white sketch in a history book has spent three years bringing the drawing to life. Danny Moralee was captivated by a picture of the ancient Parthenon in Greece when he saw it in a book. Although he was no expert
-
Date
Pub applies for change of hours
A PUB is seeking permission to change its opening hours. The Dalesman Hotel, in Victoria Road, Darlington, has applied to Darlington Borough Council to sell alcohol from 11am to midnight from Mondays to Thursdays, from 11am to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays
-
Date
Park work near to end
A MULTI-MILLION pound project to restore one of the area's most important parks is progressing. Durham County Council is restoring Hardwick Park, near Sedgefield, to its Georgian glory. Project manager Catherine Grezo talked about the project's progress
-
Date
Join centenary events
A CHURCH is celebrating its centenary year with a number of events. Corporation Road Baptist Church, in Darlington, will hear sermons from former pastors at Sunday services, and the Stockton Tabernacle Choir will perform. Everyone is welcome to attend
-
Date
Breath-testing extended in new crackdown by police
ANY motorist involved in an accident or road traffic offence will be breath-tested as part of a new campaign to crack down on drink drivers. Traffic police have set up regular checkpoints across County Durham and Darlington to catch those over the limit
-
Date
High street water leak hard to fix
WORKMEN were to work through the night yesterday in an effort to fix a water leak that brought flooding to a busy high street. Water has been leaking onto Yarm High Street since the weekend, adding to the traffic congestion that plagues the area during
-
Date
Advice on offer
AN ACCESSIBILITY roadshow is in Stanhope today offering information, resources and advice for the elderly, vulnerable and disabled. The roadshow will be at St Thomas' Hall, in Stanhope, between 11am and 3pm. Trading standards, Age Concern, and BT will
-
Date
Park work is close to finishing
A MULTI-MILLION pound project to restore one of the area's most important parks is progressing. Durham County Council is restoring Hardwick Park, near Sedgefield, to its Georgian glory. Project manager Catherine Grezo talked about the project's progress
-
Date
Public asked to help monitor butterflies
BUTTERFLIES and dragonflies will be on everyone's hunting list this weekend at the Lingfield Countryside Centre. All the family are invited to take part in a butterfly transect walk - a system of monitoring the activity of the creatures along a particular
-
Date
Police blitz on drink drivers
ANY motorist involved in an accident or road traffic offence will be breath-tested as part of a new campaign to crack down on drink drivers. Traffic police have set up regular checkpoints across County Durham and Darlington to catch those over the limit
-
Date
Pensions staff join hospice fundraiser
STAFF from a pensions company took part in an event to raise funds for St Teresa's Hospice, in Darlington. Eighteen staff members from Pensions Management joined Knockout 2005 at Blackwell's Meadows Rugby Club, at the weekend. It is the second time the
-
Date
Time to appraise key issues
SEDGEFIELD Borough Council is seeking the community's views on two reports. The council has produced a Key Issues Paper and a Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report, which are to form part of the council's new Local Development Framework. The council
-
Date
Proudly waving the Green Flags for the best in parks
OTHER towns may be green with envy over Middlesbrough's repeated recognition at having some of the best-run parks in Britain. The town's Stewart Park has won the coveted Green Flag award for the sixth successive year, the town's Pallister Park for the
-
Date
Wonderland in a park
ALICE in Wonderland will join the Mad Hatter's Tea Party at an outdoor theatre event. The Walled Garden at Preston Park, near Eagleschillfe, will be the setting for the performance, organised by Stockton Borough Council's arts team, on Saturday, August
-
Date
Residents praised for help in recycling
RESIDENTS have been praised for responding positively to a new recycling scheme. About 7,000 homes are taking part in a scheme to boost recycling levels in Hartlepool. The most recent figures show that, on average, residents are recycling 48 per cent
-
Date
Committee refuses bid to extend estate
The following planning applications were dealt with by Harrogate Borough Council recently: * A housing developer has been refused planning permission to extend a new estate in a Ripon village. Yorvik Homes Limited wanted outline permission to erect four
-
Date
Books and talk
THERE is a great opportunity to make friends and enjoy some lively conversation about books at a free monthly event. Called Tea and Talking, it is a reading and discussion group, which will meet on one afternoon a month at Seaton Carew Library in Station
-
Date
Blaze at Nissan plant will not disrupt car production
NISSAN bosses pledged there would be no disruption to car manufacturing after a fire at Europe's most productive car plant. Officials at the Sunderland factory last night dismissed the blaze as a small incident. More than 40 firefighters from across the
-
Date
Campaign launched to save church's famous pipe organ
A CAMPAIGN has been launched to save the church organ played at the wedding of world famous vet James Herriot. The pipe organ at St Mary's Church, in Thirsk, will become redundant unless it is given a £100,000 overhaul. The organ was installed in 1877
-
Date
Tall Ships Race crew missing off N-E coast
CONCERN was mounting last night for the safety of the crew of a vessel taking part in the Tall Ships Race from Newcastle. Organisers of the race said the Smialy, with three adults and five youngsters on board, has been out of radio contact for more than
-
Date
Workshop children on visit to France
A DOZEN children are heading off to France for an exchange visit after proving their commitment in a series of exercises. The children will visit St Nazaire, the historic port on the Bay of Biscay, which has been twinned with Sunderland since 1953. The
-
Date
£7m of deals in a month for construction firm
BUILDING firm Hall Construction has won more than £7m of work in just one month. Over the past month, the County Durham-based firm has won contracts for a football stadium, skatepark, airport and a new housing development. This week, the firm starts work
-
Date
Trust to recognise wildlife promotion
businesses are being urged to enter a competition that recognises their work to promote wildlife habitats. Durham Wildlife Trust's Conservation Awards, now in their second year, are sponsored by energy supplier npower. Among the categories are those open
-
Date
Drama stirs Great War memories
A POIGNANT drama about the First World War is being staged at the Georgian Theatre Royal, in Richmond, this week. Richmond Amateur Dramatic Society is performing Oh! What a Lovely War. The play combines popular songs of the time and horrifying battle
-
Date
Bob's pleased to see depot 'recycled'
Wagons rolled for the last time from a council depot on Friday. And no-one was feeling down in the dumps as 25 refuse wagons drove out of the Warrenby Depot, Redcar, which has been operational headquarters for 30 years. The crews will be based in a more
-
Date
Court told of cannabis farm
A DEPRESSED woman who allowed her boyfriend to set up a cannabis farm at her home sobbed after she walked free from court. Deborah North, 40, admitted she had let David Mole grow the drugs at her home in West View Road, Hartlepool, because she felt powerless
-
Date
Stephanie Barron
STEPHANIE BARRON, 23, has been appointed as administrator at Jesmond Dene House Hotel, in Newcastle, which is to open on September 1. Following drama studies at Newcastle College, Stephanie, from Jesmond, worked for a year at the Village Hotel, at the
-
Date
Tsunami victim's legacy to minster
THE memory of one of the victims of the Boxing Day tsunami tragedy is to live on amid the stonework of York Minster. The Stephen Magson Memorial Trust is presenting a £600 tool kit to Daniel Frost, the latest apprentice mason at the cathedral's stoneyard
-
Date
How the Beehive Ballroom turned into a hive of industry
TO work at Paton and Baldwins, Darlington's old wool mill, in the 1950s and 60s was to be part of a thriving social scene. The massive Beehive Ballroom held regular dances for workers, and generations of the same family all worked at the factory. Patons
-
Date
What happened to missing Jenny?
IT is now more than a month since 19-year-old Jenny Nicholl was last seen by her parents at her family home in Richmond, North Yorkshire. Despite hundreds of man hours of police work and an emotional appeal for information from her distraught parents,
-
Date
'North's hidden gem can become a national player'
TEESSIDE and Darlington are poised to become property hotspots for offices and retail space, a partner at a North-East law firm has predicted. Major regeneration schemes along the River Tees, including at Middlehaven, in Middlesbrough, and the North Shore
-
Date
Fiance of Turkish bombing victim learns of her death
THE badly-injured fiance of Turkish bomb victim Helyn Bennett has finally been told of her death. The news was broken to 23-year-old Stephen Stables, from Spennymoor, County Durham, two weeks after he, Helyn and other members of their extended family
-
Date
Bus strike averted in dispute over pay
A PAY dispute that could have led to hundreds of bus drivers going on strike has been settled, it was confirmed last night. The Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) said agreement had been reached with Stagecoach NorthEast on a new deal which its
-
Date
Suzie English-Stewart
Car dealer SG Petch has appointed Suzie English-Stewart as group sales and marketing manager. She has worked in radio, Press and as sales director of a local advertising agency, where she managed a number of motor dealer accounts. SG Petch worked with
-
Date
Old game proves popular
A GAME from the past is helping build for the future at The Travellers Rest at Skeeby, near Richmond. Michael and Joyce Robinson, who took over the pub last November, have reintroduced quoits. The game, which involves pitching steel rings towards a pin
-
Date
New faces hop on board at stations
Bus operator Go North-East has appointed two bus station co-ordinators in Derwentside, County Durham. JEFF HODGSON and TONY PASCOE have been appointed full-time Go North-East representatives at Consett and Stanley bus stations.
-
Date
Lifeblood Campaign
As part of The Northern Echo's Lifeblood campaign, which aims to encourage people to give blood, here are details of forthcoming donor sessions in the region: Monday, August 8 * The Red Lion, Front Street, Chester-le-Street, 2.30pm-7pm * Workingmen's
-
Date
Why the stage is set for Wyman
She may be making history but, as chief executive of Newcastle's new £8m theatre, Erica Wyman is more intersted in the future, she tells Viv Hardwick. UNTIL the question is asked, Erica Whyman hadn't even thought about making history as Tyneside's first
-
Date
Pool say farewell to Ross
HARTLEPOOL United last night ended the long-running Jack Ross saga when the Scot finally left the club. Ross returned to Pool last week after ending his spell on sick leave and both parties quickly came to an agreement to end his time at Victoria Park
-
Date
Tall Ships Race crew missing off N-E coast
CONCERN was mounting last night for the safety of the crew of a vessel taking part in the Tall Ships Race from Newcastle. Organisers of the race said the Smialy, with three adults and five youngsters on board, has been out of radio contact for more than
-
Date
Partying is serious business for Sandra
AT 67 years old, most would expect Sandra Scott to be retired, not hosting four parties a week at homes across the region. But the grandmother has no plans to give up working for PartyLite any time soon. Instead, she hopes to be selling candles and accessories
-
Date
Fifteen piglets - something to snout about
A LEISURE farm's prize sow has given birth to 15 squealing piglets. Grangefarm Royal Sapphire, one of the pedigree Berkshire pigs, at Newham Grange, in Coulby Newham, will have her work cut out feeding all the hungry mouths - which is double the normal
-
Date
Escape Plan keeps Fretwell ticking along
Escape Plan trotted up in the BBC Radio York EBF Novice Stakes at Ripon yesterday to continue the purple patch enjoyed by owner John Fretwell and trainer Eoghan O'Neill. The pair combined with Always Hopeful to win last Friday's Richmond Stakes at Glorious
-
Date
Eating Owt
ANOTHER summer Saturday walk, built up to 12 miles and more now, and near the end a country pub so dead that you wanted to ring the Co-op and weep buckets over it. At the very last, however, another place proved altogether livelier, positively reinvigorating
-
Date
Misleading sales practices hitting small businesses
MISLEADING or deceitful sales practices are hitting a growing number of smaller companies, a report has claimed. Telecoms operator BT said more than three out of four small or medium-sized companies had been on the receiving end of mis-selling of business
-
Date
Daytime crche to be launched for dogs
A DAYTIME crche with a difference is being opened in the region next month. The facility will cater exclusively for dogs and is the idea of retired doctor's surgery manager Carol Rutherford. The 58-year-old has spent about £10,000 converting four stables
-
Date
Hodgson is happy to offer Logan a contract
DARLINGTON were last night in talks with Carlos Logan's representatives after deciding to offer the winger a permanent deal. Logan impressed in yesterday's behind-closed-doors friendly at Bradford City, doing enough to convince manager David Hodgson that
-
Date
Confidence is high in future of businesses
OPTIMISM among entrepreneurs in their own businesses is soaring, according to figures released yesterday. A survey of small business economic confidence found that more than 80 per cent of entrepreneurs believe their business will be better off or remain
-
Date
Concern for tall ship missing off N-E coast
CONCERN was mounting last night for the safety of the crew of a Polish ship that has been out of radio contact for more than two days. Organisers of the Tall Ship Race said the Smialy, with three adults and five youngsters on board, had last made contact
-
Date
Furniture firm comes of age
A FAMILY-RUN furniture company is celebrating 18 years in business this summer. Westway Country Furniture, in Helmsley, North Yorkshire, was set up by husband and wife Jeremy and Jane Dzierek in 1987. The couple originally sold furniture from the front
-
Date
Business park may create 3,500 jobs
MORE than 3,500 jobs could be created at a Darlington business park and former cigarette factory, The Northern Echo can reveal. That number could eventually reach 5,000 workers at Darlington's Lingfield Point, and on the former British American Tobacco
-
Date
Visitors head for Yorkshire
RECORD numbers of people from overseas visited Yorkshire last year, according to the latest tourism figures for the region. To celebrate, and to tie in with Yorkshire Day yesterday, Yorkshire Tourist Board is holding a fair at the Britain and London Visitor
-
Date
Intertoto just the job for Parker
NEWCASTLE new-boy Scott Parker has insisted he is ready to do himself justice in tomorrow's Intertoto Cup showdown with Deportivo La Coruna, despite returning to full training only at the end of last week. Parker, who missed the second half of last season
-
Date
Jan Willoughby
JAN WILLOUGHBY has joined Crutes law firm as conveyancing manager. Ms Willoughby, who has more than 25 years' experience in conveyancing, will lead Crutes' conveyancing team as it expands its operations throughout the UK. She will develop relationships
-
Date
Bill Midgley
Event management and marketing company Polar Productions has announced the appointment of Bill Midgley, president of the British Chambers of Commerce, as a non-executive director. Polar Productions has been in operation since 2000, specialising in city
-
Date
Public shame for petty criminals
PETTY criminals in a North-East town are to be publicly shamed by being ordered to wear fluorescent waistcoats. Convicted offenders are to wear the jackets emblazoned with the words Community Pay Back for clean-up operations across Middlesbrough. But
-
Date
Police plea after five-year-old is shot woth BB gun
POLICE are appealing for information after a five-year-old girl was shot with a ball-bearing gun by another child. The girl suffered bruising to her face after the boy, believed to be aged between six and eight, shot her in a play park. She was playing
-
Date
Should we jail pregnant women?
Heavily pregnant Katrina Robinson lost her baby only hours after being jailed at Teesside Crown Court for affray, prompting many to ask if we should be jailing pregnant women. Women's Editor Lindsay Jennings speaks to two people with opposing views. YES
-
Date
Company blossoms from zero income to a turnover of £16m
PETER Barratt started his garden centre career learning about bedding plants for a year - for no pay. He had left his job in marketing in the textile industry after he saw the industry starting to slide, and he and wife Angela decided they would set up
-
Date
Speedway's comeback
THE roar of the speedway track could be making a long-awaited return to Teesside. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is in talks with promoters to bring the sport back to a new track on the South Tees Motorsports Park at South Bank. Officers and representatives
-
Date
Jockey, draw and ground look just Magic
HOPES that True Magic would progress this season have so far been dashed, but there's plenty of time to make up for lost ground starting at Catterick this afternoon. True Magic (5.00) possesses plenty of ability, but things haven't dropped right for her
-
Date
Council vows to act on graffiti
POLICE are investigating a graffiti campaign accusing certain councillors of corruption. The claims, naming names, have been daubed on road bridges across East Cleveland and repeated in leaflets plastered across road signs. Redcar and Cleveland Borough
-
Date
Middlesbrough fan given two-year football banning order
A Middlesbrough fan has been barred from attending matches after he was given a two-year football banning order for mixing with hardcore hooligans. Police video footage showed Stuart Allan Pinchbeck mixing with known football hooligans at games across
-
Date
Tall Ships Race crew safe and well
A CREW from the Tall Ships Race which had been missing at sea for three days has turned up safe and well. The crew of the 18-metre Polish ketch Smialy finally re-established radio contact with race organisers at 6am this morning. Concerns had grown for
-
Date
Nursery cash to bring new jobs
A NURSERY has been given a £65,000 boost that could see the number of its staff rise from four to 30. North-East fund management firm NEL has invested the money in Middlesbrough nursery and pre-school Great Expectations. The nursery already employs four
-
Date
Garden centre company to open new stores
FAMILY-owned garden centre business Peter Barratts is poised to open another two stores in North Yorkshire, The Northern Echo has learned. The Team-Valley based business, which has centres in Gosforth, Tyneside, and Stockton-on-Tees, is planning to expand
-
Date
There's gold in that there river
They may no longer kill for it, but gold fever is an infections today as it was hundreds of years ago. Lindsay Jennings meets a modern-day prospector, and discovers there's still a darn bit of cheating going on. THE first introduction Mick Gossage had
-
Date
Take a heritage tour
DARLINGTON'S town hall and county court are opening their doors to the public as part of next month's Heritage Open Days. A guided tour of the town hall, in Feethams, will include the council chamber and Mayor's parlour. The county court is in Coniscliffe
-
Date
Millions to be invested in electronic company plant
MOBILE phone equipment group Filtronic plans to make a multi-million pound investment in its County Durham plant, it was revealed last night. The Newton Aycliffe factory - which is employing record numbers of staff and producing record output - has recruited
-
Date
Brewing up to be a real event
A MUSIC and beer festival is being staged in Darlington next month. The Rhythm and Brews festival is a joint venture between Darlington Arts Centre's R 'n' B Club and Dar*ington Campaign for Real Ale (Camra). For 25 years, the event has drawn fans of
-
Date
Breath-testing extended in new crackdown by police
ANY motorist involved in an accident or road traffic offence will be breath-tested as part of a new campaign to crack down on drink drivers. Traffic police have set up regular checkpoints across County Durham and Darlington to catch those over the limit
-
Date
Youngsters sharpen their business skills
COLLEGE students posed as a catering company for a day to sharpened their business acumen. Youngsters from Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College were given financial advice and guidance from staff at NatWest as they prepared a catering contract. Year
-
Date
Royal recognition for work against bullying
SEVEN students at Bishop Auckland College have been given the royal seal of approval for their efforts in tackling bullying. The teenagers, aged between 16 and 18, were chosen to receive a Diana, Princess of Wales Anti-Bullying Award. The group was selected
-
Date
Dark Talkes of foes and fangs
TERSIAS by GP Taylor (Faber and Faber, £9.99. Out on Thursday.): FORMER North Yorkshire vicar Graham Taylor has enjoyed phenomenal success with his first two novels - Shadowmancer and Wormwood - and his latest offering, Tersias, is just as enthralling
-
Date
Rotary leaders make a vow to expand their charitable work
TWO County Durham Rotary Clubs have appointed their new presidents for the coming year. Maria Luisa Massagli is the president of the Rotary Club of Crook for 2005 to 2006, and is both the first lady member of Crook Rotary and also the first lady president
-
Date
Animal charity seeks home for pup
A GREYHOUND pup is in need of a new home. Benny, who is just a few months old, has been taken in by the National Animal Sanctuaries Support League and fostered by Christine Wilcockson, who lives in Shildon. Pauline Wilson, of the charity, said: "Benny
-
Date
Boro want £2.5m plus Butt in Viduka swap
MIDDLESBROUGH chairman Steve Gibson last night told Newcastle counterpart Freddy Shepherd he would have to dig deep to sign striker Mark Viduka. The pair spoke yesterday to discuss a potential swap deal that would see Viduka leaving the Riverside for
-
Date
News in brief
Change in ward surgeries: WARD surgeries for people in Acklam, Middlesbrough, are no longer being held in Acklam Library. Concerns can now be raised with Councillor Shamal Biswas at his home, in 11 Buttermere Avenue, each Monday between 5pm and 6pm. However
-
Date
The eye that may spot the bombers
A COMPUTER system that can spot unusual behaviour and suspect packages could help in the battle against global terrorism. North Shields-based ISEiT is a UK distributor for an "intelligent" surveillance product that can learn to look for suspicious behaviour
-
Date
£4,800 camera system fitted into police car
TRAFFIC police have been given a new weapon in their fight against rogue motorists and travelling criminals. A £4,800 camera system has been installed on a police traffic car that patrols the Hambleton district. The system has been paid for by the Hambleton
-
Date
Fire service's plan to save 125 lives
A FIRE service has pledged that over the next decade 125 more people will still be alive because of their efforts. North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority spells out its vision 125 Alive in its annual performance plan. The service says the 125 more
-
Date
Man attacked stranger twice
A man was beaten up twice by someone he had never met before, a court was told. The unprovoked attacks by Shaun Dunn brought him a second ban from a Ripon nightclub. Harrogate magistrates heard how 28-year-old Dunn had been banned from all the city's
-
Date
Crackdown on ID thieves in lineup for national award
AN initiative to beat identity thieves who rake through bin bags to gather personal details is in line for an award. Middlesbrough Council has distributed hundreds of low-cost document shredders to people living in areas of the town targeted by the bag
-
Date
Roman army seeks new recruits for festivities
THE past is being brought to life at one of the region's greatest stately homes - where the clock has been turned back by two millennia. Castle Howard is playing its part in the York Roman Festival with a series of fun activities for youngsters. The events
-
Date
Choir offers to sing for its supper
ONE of the country's leading cathedral choirs is ready to go on tour for free - as long as they receive a hearty supper. Many churches in the Ripon and Leeds Diocese are unaware that Ripon Cathedral Choir is available to sing throughout the diocese. A
-
Date
Brewer wins deal to supply N-E venues
THE brewer which produces Newcastle Brown Ale has secured a deal to supply a North-East leisure group's growing collection of clubs, bars, restaurants and hotels. The three-and-a-half-year contract will see Edinburgh-based Scottish & Newcastle (S&
-
Date
Motorist is cut free after crash
A MOTORIST was cut free from his car by firefighters after a crash on the A68 at Burtree, near Darlington, last night. The accident, involving three vehicles, happened just after 6pm, near Burtree Gate. The 25-year-old driver of a Seat Leon car was taken
-
Date
Going to wrack and ruin
IT is more than two years since Darlington Football Club's last game at Feethams. These pictures show how the ground - the proud home of Darlington for more than a century - has deteriorated at the hands of arsonists and vandals. Barely a window remains
-
Date
'Act now over difficulties'
THE number of companies experiencing critical financial problems is rising, according to corporate rescue and recovery business Begbies Traynor. More than 7,600 companies were on the verge of formal insolvency between April and June - an increase of 17
-
Date
Yorkshire Day brings in crowds
YORKSHIRE Day celebrations are now established as an annual event in Masham after 5,000 visitors flocked to the latest festivities at the weekend. The two-day event, which was first held last year, centred mainly on the Market Place. Cricketing icon Freddie
-
Date
Business park may create 3,500 jobs
MORE than 3,500 jobs could be created at a Darlington business park and former cigarette factory, The Northern Echo can reveal. That number could eventually reach 5,000 workers at Darlington's Lingfield Point, and on the former British American Tobacco
-
Date
Farmers urged to diversify into horses
FARMERS are being offered a leg up to boost their income. New Government planning guidelines aimed at supporting rural communities open the way for farmers to diversify into horse-related activities. Equine activities, such as livery stables, could offer
-
Date
Building site bosses stare into the abyss
Building contractors in the region are being warned they are facing heavy fines if they break new rules on the collection of income tax from workers. Chartered accountants are urging employers to prepare for a revised Construction Industry Scheme (CIS
-
Date
Record entries generated by letter
AN annual garden competition has seen a record number of entries. Barnard Castle Town Council's 2005 Garden competition has attracted 42 entries this year. There is also an increased number of entries from local businesses making it a record number for
-
Date
Last orders for licence
BAR bosses who have yet to put in their applications to convert to the new licensing scheme are being offered a last chance in the Scarborough area. Members of the borough council's licensing team have offered to go into work on Saturday to process any
-
Date
Germans enjoyed visit to North-East
A PARTY of German visitors has returned home after a successful exchange trip to the North-East. Twenty visitors from the town of Werdohl visited Derwentside - bringing to more than 1,500 the number of visitors since the two areas were twinned in 1976
-
Date
Bank reports healthy profits
SHARES in banking group HSBC nudged upwards yesterday after it posted a five per cent rise in half year pre-tax profits. The bank said that it had put more cash aside to cover problem debts as rising interest rates and the slower housing market took their
-
Date
Awards launched for healthcare staff
RESIDENTS in north Durham have been asked to help recognise exceptional contributions of healthcare staff. Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust (PCT) yesterday launched a new award scheme to recognise the achievements of primary care staff
-
Date
Hearing tests for newborn babies
Newborn babies in the region are being given hearing screenings in hospital. The service is being offered to babies born at maternity units on Teesside, County Durham, and in the Hambleton and Richmondshire areas. Co-ordinators Sarah Whitaker and Barbara
-
Date
Guided history at cemetery
AN unusual open day takes place this weekend at an historic cemetery. The Friends of Houghton Hillside Cemetery are to hold an open day on Saturday, from noon until 5pm. New information boards will be unveiled during the day with details of the First
-
Date
Support for N-E farm ventures
FARMERS are being given support to diversify, including advice on environmentally-friendly schemes. The Rural Development Service (RDS) in the North-East is taking to the road this summer for a tour of the region's agricultural shows to highlight its
-
Date
Blaze at Nissan plant will not disrupt car production
NISSAN bosses pledged there would be no disruption to car manufacturing after a fire at Europe's most productive car plant. Officials at the Sunderland factory last night dismissed the blaze as a small incident. More than 40 firefighters from across the
-
Date
Comment from The Northern Echo: A blot on our landscape
IN many ways, Darlington is a town which is looking to the future, with housing developments, a new shopping centre, an education village, a multi-million pound college relocation, and business parks among a number of exciting projects. But the town is
-
Date
Hunt goes on for hoaxer
POLICE were last night continuing the hunt for a hoax caller whose prank sparked the evacuation of the Williamson Motors football stadium. The pre-season friendly between Darlington and Middlesbrough, on July 23, was abandoned at half-time after police
-
Date
Herriot church organ appeal
A CAMPAIGN has been launched to save the church organ played at the wedding of James Herriot. The pipe organ at St Mary's Church, in Thirsk, will fall silent unless it is given an £100,000 overhaul. The organ was installed in 1877. In 1941, it was played
-
Date
It's not all miserable as young actors learn from the experts
YOUNG actors staging a West End blockbuster have been getting top tips from professionals who were in the production. Mark Goldthorpe and Jean McGlynn, who appeared in Les Miserables at the Palace Theatre, London, led a workshop for Durham's Gala Theatre
-
Date
Trial begins for fly-away mother
A MOTHER who allegedly went on a sunshine holiday leaving her three children behind appeared in court today to face three counts of child neglect. Kelly Ann Rogerson, 24, from Darlington, is alleged to have gone on a two-week holiday to Turkey on June
-
Date
On TV last night
Rich Boys Toys (five) Britain's Finest Natural Wonders (five) No-one could blame French motorists for looking surprised when Simon Blagden pulled up at a garage to fill up his vehicle - he was driving a Scorpion tank. It's a good job this ex-soldier is
-
Date
In the spirit of good race relations
Since three bombs exploded and murdered my neighbours, a big question has loomed in my mind. Can someone - perhaps an Islamic scholar - answer it please? How is it that terrorists who claim to be followers of a faith which prohibits images of the human
-
Date
02/08/05
ROAD SURFACES: RE: bad surfaces in Darlington, I was astounded to read the comments of Councillor Nick Wallis (Echo, July 23) that the road surfaces in the town had dramatically improved over the past five years.\par Can I ask which roads precisely Coun
-
Date
Letting nature take its course at factory site
IF ever evidence was needed that former industrial sites can be transformed into wildlife havens, a stroll round West Park should suffice. The site, in West Auckland Road, Darlington, was once home to the Darchem factory. When the plant closed, many people
-
Date
Northern Sinfonia, BBC Proms, Royal Albert Hall, London
NORTHERN Sinfonia, under the baton of musical director Thomas Zehetmair, won the hearts of a proms audience at London's Royal Albert Hall. In a first for the venue, Zehetmair began with two movements of a violin solo by Hartmann. The biting anger of the
-
Date
Police start clearing air raid shelter in search for miner
POLICE investigating the disappearance of a former miner three years ago will today continue excavations at a former aid raid shelter. Edward Donnelly was 53 when he vanished from his home in Fynway, Sacriston, County Durham, on March 25, 2002. Police
-
Date
Surgeon fights move to downgrade unit
A SENIOR surgeon has spoken out against proposals that would strip his hospital of a consultant-led maternity unit and special care baby unit. The comments by Stuart Walton, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the University of North Tees Hospital
-
Date
Perilous playthings of the rich
Rich Boys Toys (five); Britain's Finest Natural Wonders (five): No-one could blame French motorists for looking surprised when Simon Blagden pulled up at a garage to fill up his vehicle - he was driving a Scorpion tank. It's a good job this ex-soldier
-
Date
Inquiry opens into plans for windfarm
A PUBLIC inquiry opens today into controversial plans for a £6m windfarm. The application to build eight turbines by the side of the A59 Harrogate to Skipton road in North Yorkshire was refused by Harrogate Borough Council's planning committee. But applicant
-
Date
Outdoor ban on smoking may be unenforceable
A ban on smoking around football pitches and play areas will be nearly impossible to enforce, a councillor has admitted. Derwentside District Council's pipe-smoking portfolio holder for health, Councillor Walter Armstrong, said last night: "The police
-
Date
Teenager jailed for raping two boys
A TEENAGE sex attacker who targeted two six-year-old boys was jailed for two years yesterday. Paul McLean, 17, raped one of the youngsters and engaged in sexual activity with the other boy during two separate assaults. Newcastle Crown Court heard that
-
Date
The house that Jurgen built says farewell to its architect
JURGEN Schrempp enjoyed a meteoric rise. He went from being a trainee mechanic to become head of Europe's biggest industrial conglomerate, DaimlerChrysler. His fall from grace was just as spectacular. Even company employees were stunned last week when
-
Date
Crane driver leaps to safety with seconds to spare
A CRANE driver had a miraculous escape when he leapt from his 100-tonne machine seconds before it toppled over on the edge of a steep ravine yesterday. Environment Agency officials were called in after fears that diesel from the crane could leak into
-
Date
Sunderland offer trial to defender Stubbs
SUNDERLAND'S search for a new defender has led to Everton contract rebel Alan Stubbs arriving on Wearside for a trial. Stubbs refused to accept a year's extension to his deal at the end of last season and has been looking for a new club since becoming
-
Date
Martin Wakefield
MARTIN WAKEFIELD has been appointed to co-ordinate sales growth at the North-East's Bang and Olufsen stores. Sales at Bang and Olufsen showrooms in Newcastle, Durham City, and Yarm increased by 36 per cent in two years. After studying business management
-
Date
Rookie sailors help save sinking yacht
Rookie sailors helped save a sinking yacht lashed by gale force winds. Violent North Sea winds had started to tear the mast from the 17-man Excelsior sailing ship, causing water to gush in through the deck. The boat was one of 80 vessels which set out
-
Date
Missing girl linked with den discovery
THE discovery of a man hiding in a makeshift den after a huge search of the countryside is being linked to the disappearance of teenager Jenny Nicholl. Mountain rescue volunteers with tracker dogs were brought in to search countryside around Hudswell,
-
Date
Fears raised by A1 works
CONCERNS have been raised about features of a proposed A1 upgrade in the county. Council planners say the £320m scheme to make the dual carriageway between Dishforth and Barton into a three-lane motorway could increase traffic on minor roads and create
-
Date
Axe seized from teenagers
ACTION against children running riot on the Eston hills has resulted in a further two arrests and the confiscation of an air rifle, an axe and six-inch combat knife. The latest Cleveland Police operation, at the weekend, followed hot on the heels of the
-
Date
New turn as police hunt for teenager
THE hunt for missing teenager Jenny Nicholl took a new twist last night after witnesses said she was camping on the moors where a man in a makeshift den was found at the weekend. The Northern Echo understands the 19-year-old was seen on the North Yorkshire
-
Date
Teenager who punched drunk man is jailed
A TEENAGER who punched a drunken man in the face leaving him in a coma and requiring round-the-clock care has been jailed. Gary Wilson lost his temper when Steven Seal branded a member of his family a "dirty lesbian" during a confrontation in a pub. Teesside
-
Date
Job Search: Vacancies
Electrician, Northallerton, £12.50 ph, 39 hpw Mon-Fri 8am-4pm+ poss o/time. Must be qualified to 16th Edition and have PPE. Will be carrying out all aspects of commercial shutdown work on local site. Temp for six weeks. Ref: NAL 2843. Joiner, Northallerton
-
Date
Pupils' outside chance
A SCHOOL'S grounds in Guisborough have been transformed into an outdoor classroom. The £7,000 project, carried out at St Paulinus RC Primary School as part of a £3m Supergrounds programme funded by the NatWest bank, has been welcomed by teachers, parents
-
Date
Is the future of the workplace to be found in our living rooms?
Evidence suggests that working from home is becoming increasingly attractive to employees and employers alike, and a growing number of organisations are encouraging their staff to consider this option. The possibilities were recently brought home to me
-
Date
Making your TV thin as a sheet of paper
THE North-East could soon become the centre of the technology race to build paper-thin computer screens thanks to a new £2m facility. The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) at Wilton, Teesside, has signed a deal with chemical company DuPont Teijin Films
-
Date
Draft rules on age are published at last
The DTI finally published its draft regulations outlawing age discrimination this month. The regulations, due to come into force in October next year, are now subject to consultation and, no doubt, amendment - a process due to last until this October.
-
Date
Another hit for Harry
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE by JK Rowling (Bloomsbury £16.99): JK Rowling's latest instalment in the Harry Potter series brings the usual excitement to her fans. But is she losing her touch? There is no doubt that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood
-
Date
China has the rest of the world over a barrel
When investing in the UK market, it sometimes seems as if the most important factor to consider is the phenomenal economic growth currently being produced by China. This affects a number of sectors, but none more so than those relating to commodities.
-
Date
70-ft fall leaves man fighting for life
A man is fighting for his life after miraculously surviving a 70-ft plunge from a sixth-storey window. The 30-year-old was critically injured after he toppled from the window in the block of flats, bounced off a van parked beneath and landed in a car
-
Date
Who wants to own a radio station?
THE media company behind the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? quiz show hopes to clinch a new commercial radio licence for the North-East. Celador Radio Broadcasting - whose board of directors includes veteran broadcaster Chris Tarrant - said it was bidding
-
Date
Mary relishes national role
Breakfast yesterday with the Rev Mary Vickers - priest, all-round sportswoman and as good a testament to Christian humility as it may be possible to meet over a plate of toasted teacake. Asked her finest sporting moment, she guesses that it was in her
-
Date
Jason Greenwood, Paul Mackings
LEISURE management company Vimac Leisure has strengthened its management structure to help with future expansion. Commercial director JASON GREENWOOD is moving into the role of managing director, with PAUL MACKINGS taking up the position of chief executive
-
Date
Biker is 11th to die on county's roads this year
POLICE are trying to work out the circumstances behind a head-on smash that claimed the life of a motorcyclist. The biker, believed to be a local man in his 20s, became the 11th to die on North Yorkshire's roads this year. His blue and white 600cc Suzuki
-
Date
Blair to 'quit as MP at next General Election'
TONY BLAIR'S oldest political ally said last night that the Prime Minister is likely to stand down as MP for Sedgefield at the next General Election. Mr Blair has already said he plans to stand down as Premier at the end of his third term and will not
-
Date
Hero policeman saves drowning teenager
A HERO policeman dived into a fast moving river in the pitch black to save a drowning teenager. PC Martyn Butler, who is not a strong swimmer, and has only been an officer for three years, was today praised for the daring rescue. The 16-year-old boy jumped
-
Date
Kelly Nash
CARE service company the Phoenix Medical Group has made two appointments. The appointments of LYNNE JOSS as business development manager and KELLY NASH as sales supervisor bring the total number of staff at Phoenix's Middlesbrough head office to 28. Ms
