Archive
-
Date
Grandfather who plotted to bomb Horden yobs walks free
A FORMER school caretaker who made a bomb to deal with young yobs who attacked his home walked free from court today after a judge heard of his tortured past. Grandfather Nicholas Smith, 53, declared war on those responsible for pelting his
-
Date
Taxman sends £60,000 bill to couple who owe just £225
An elderly couple were left in shock after receiving a letter demanding more than £60,000 following a blunder by the taxman. Ronnie Etheridge, 69, was stunned to be sent a bill ordering him and his wife to pay £61,462.80, despite the couple owing authorities
-
Date
Office evacuated as worker reports allergic reaction after opening letter
AN OFFICE building was evacuated today when a council worker reported an allergic reaction after opening an envelope. Police sealed off the premises near Stanley, in County Durham while the source of the possible reaction was traced.
-
Date
Flaming heck: more Transporter stuff
I'VE just spent 30 minutes flicking through copies of The Northern Echo from October 1930 for the BBC's Antiques Roadshow. Apparently someone turned up at one of their events clutching a photograph that appeared in the paper, and they are interested
-
Date
Action all the way as local talent takes on foreign raiders at Croft rallycross grand prix
THE best homegrown drivers will have to contend with a fierce challenge from overseas when the MSA British Rallycross Grand Prix takes place at Croft Circuit this weekend. More than 70 drivers will converge on the circuit, near Darlington,
-
Date
Prisoner dies after cell fire in Stockton
A 51-YEAR-old prisoner has died after a blaze in his cell, the Prison Service said today. John Cann, who was awaiting sentence for criminal damage, died in hospital yesterday after being pulled from his cell at the category B Holme House prison in Stockton-on-Tees
-
Date
Christmas cheer comes early to Northallerton
A HELPING hand with early Christmas preparations are on offer at a festive food and drink festival. The gourmet food store Lewis & Cooper, in Northallerton, will be staging cookery demonstrations, competitions and showcasing food produced from the surrounding
-
Date
Charity runner limbers up for moors marathon
A KEEN runner has organised his own four-day endurance race along the length of the Cleveland Way. Matt Wells, 42, from Bedale, North Yorkshire, is to run 109 miles across the North York Moors and along the coast to raise money for Cancer Research after
-
Date
Scouts and guides take to the stage
SCOUTS and guides are to take to the stage with their own variety show. Rehearsals are already underway for the forthcoming Northallerton Gang Show, which takes place later this month at Hambleton Forum in Northallerton. A 60-strong cast of young
-
Date
A joy named Sue
Susan Boyle: An Unlikely Superstar (ITV1, 9pm) Live at the Apollo (BBC1, 9.30pm) Tamara Ecclestone: Billion Dollar Girl (Five, 10.30pm) SHE toddled onto the Britain’s Got Talent stage looking every inch a slightly dotty aunt, and told an audience
-
Date
Children's author opens literary treasure trove
CHILDREN discovered some literary treasure as they celebrated the opening of a new library. Colburn Primary School pupils became pirates for the day at the official opening of their new school library. One of the guests at the Catterick Garrison school
-
Date
Police promise action after buzzard shot near Richmond
POLICE are appealing for information following the shooting of a buzzard. The bird was found at Kisdon Upper Force, near Keld, North Yorkshire, on October 26 by a national park ranger who was out on patrol. The bird landed near him, but was clearly
-
Date
Shamed, but brilliant
THE News of the World was rightly condemned for its use of phone-hacking, and we had no hesitation in joining the attack on scandalous practices which tainted the image of British journalism. But we also acknowledged the fact that the News of the
-
Date
Life is a box of chocolates
SCOTLAND the brave? Last week’s theme was how the odd, the unthinkable can become reality. Strange things do happen. But as we know, reality is boringly, even dismally, predictable. Life isn’t full of surprises. This week I’ve been reading about
-
Date
Not-so-secret service
The name’s Pratt. Steve Pratt. My mission... to infiltrate a building in Whitehall and steal the briefing for 007’s latest film. THE world of espionage is rife with rumours about James Bond’s next job for queen and country. Is he forsaking
-
Date
Durham free school could bring 'millions' in funding
COUNTY Durham’s first free school would bring in millions of pounds of funding and create new jobs, supporters have claimed. John Denning, lead proposer for the Durham Free School, was speaking after the campaign completed an intensive round of public
-
Date
Police charge man following series of indecent assaults
A MAN has been arrested and charged with offences of indecent assault following three incidents around a town centre in recent months. The 21-year-old man from the Hilda Park area of Chester-le-Street was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of committing
-
Date
Warriors’ chief Hill lays down gauntlet
WORCESTER boss Richard Hill has challenged his side to rise to the challenge against Newcastle this evening in a match already being seen as a potential Aviva Premiership relegation decider. Newly-promoted Worcester are 11th in the table, with
-
Date
Liddle turns down chance to be Darlington manager
Darlington caretaker manager Craig Liddle has revealed today that he does not want the job on a permanent basis. Liddle stepped into the breach after Mark Cooper was fired last week and chairman Raj Singh had offered him the opportunity to
-
Date
Children bid for running titles
FLEET-FOOTED pupils compete in an annual cross country event tomorrow. Darlington's Primary Schools Cross Country event takes place at the Darlington School of Mathematics and Science, formerly Branksome School, in Eggleston View, from 9.30am. Schools
-
Date
Stroke closure ignites fresh row
A ROW has broken out after the Labour leader of Darlington Borough Council was accused of encouraging people to desert their local hospital. On Thursday, The Northern Echo highlighted a warning by Councillor Bill Dixon, Labour leader of Darlington
-
Date
Afternoon events for arts centre
A CULTURE group set up last year to help save an arts centre has announced two events leading up to Christmas. Darlington for Culture has organised an afternoon dance and a film show at Darlington Arts Centre. The dance takes place on Tuesday,
-
Date
Falcons boosted by Hudson's return
THERE might be 15 games of the Aviva Premiership season still to play, but it is no exaggeration to claim that tonight's game between Newcastle Falcons and Worcester Warriors will go a long way towards determining who is still playing in the division
-
Date
Quakers players handed ultimatum by chairman
Darlington's under-performing players have been given an ultimatum: Take a pay cut or leave the club. Raj Singh, the club's chairman, does not believe some players have been value for money so wants to re-negotiate their salaries as Quakers
-
Date
Motorcyclist in rush-hour collision
A MOTORCYCLIST was taken to hospital after he collided with a car on Park Gate, at the bottom of Yarm Road, Darlington this morning. Emergency services were called out to the crash at about 9.05am. He suffered back injuries and was
-
Date
Sir Jim
I was interested to read the tributes to broadcaster and charity worker Sir Jimmy Saville, who has died aged 84 (Echo, October 31). As well as being a humorous characte, Sir Jimmy was equally well known for his words of wisdom. Of course, the most famous
-
Date
Price is right
I love my daily papers but the news lately is almost universally gloomy, The Euro zone in crisis, unemployment rates rocketing for the young, famine in Africa. One snippet in The Northern Echo did, however, provide some welcome relief with Katie Price
-
Date
Greed
Corporate greed is the issue the Government musts address if it is to avoid a resounding defeat come the election. Work-shy people on benefits getting more than some workers earn also needs sorting out, as does tax evasion, gang culture, the obscene
-
Date
Leisure Centres
Terry Collins, Durham County Council's director of neighbourhood services, says that it would cost too much to bring Glenholme back to a decent state (Echo, Nov 1). The building is structurally sound and, at most, needs a lick of paint. He then says
-
Date
Plans unveiled to replace Durham riverside eyesore
A LANDMARK office block, said to be a blot on a city’s landscape, could be replaced with another building more than 100ft high, under blueprints being considered. Sixties-built Milburngate House, home to the Passport Office and National Savings and
-
Date
Durham marks 25 years as World Heritage Site
DURHAM will host a major cultural celebration to mark 25 years as a World Heritage Site from today. The week of events will include music, theatre, exhibitions and tours, running until next Friday. Canon Rosalind Brown, chairwoman of the Durham World
-
Date
Crowds cheer HMS Bulwark sailors' freedom march through Durham
Almost 200 crew from Durham’s affiliated warship marched through its streets yesterday, to celebrate being awarded the freedom of the city. Mark Tallentire reports. YOU should have seen the horses – they were massive.” That was the verdict
-
Date
Muslim terrorist gives evidence in Frankland Prison stab trial
A MUSLIM terrorist, jailed for life over a plot to behead a British soldier, has defended a man accused of trying to kill prison officers with a broken pepper sauce bottle. Parviz Khan, who was part of a terrorist cell that planned to murder a serving
-
Date
Cleveland Police officers face investigation over Tony Pattison kidnap trial
A CORRUPTION investigation has been launched involving Cleveland Police after officers were accused of perverting the course of justice. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating after five people walked free from court this
-
Date
Coundon cable theft hits severely disabled woman
A FAMILY has hit out after thieves stole 60 metres of live power cable, leaving a severely disabled woman without the use of vital equipment. Nicola Bell lost the use of her stairlift when vandals struck in the early hours of yesterday, leaving Collingwood
-
Date
Ban on nurses leave on day of action 'draconian'
A HEALTH union has described the decision to ban nurses from taking a day’s leave to join national demonstrations against the Government’s pension proposals as draconian and provocative. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is not taking industrial
-
Date
250,000 public sector workers in region could join mass strike
UP to 250,000 public sector workers in the region are to join one of the biggest mass strikes ever faced by a British Government. Union officials estimate between two and three million public sector staff nationally could be involved – making
-
Date
First home league game since August for Hebburn
Hebburn play their first home league game since August because of their FA Cup exploits when they face Northallerton. Hebburn thumped West Allotment 6-0 in the league cup in midweek, and manager Paul Bennett will probably have an unchanged squad to choose
-
Date
West hope to maintain cup form
West Auckland are hoping to reproduce their midweek cup form when they go to Billingham Synthonia today. West were knocked off the top last weekend when they produced one of their worst performances of the season at home to Newton Aycliffe, but they
-
Date
Jailed cricketers might make others think twice
IN legal terms, it was just another case at Southwark Crown Court. But in a wider sporting sense, hopefully it will come to be regarded as a pivotal point in the fight against organised global corruption. When Mr Justice Cooke handed out prison sentences
-
Date
Solar firm moves to NETPark
A FIRM working to produce wafer thin technology that could turn normal household windows into solar panels has established a research base in the North-East. Polysolar has opened the research and development office at NETPark, near Sedgefield, to enable
-
Date
Darlington ship fuel tester expands
A North-East firm providing fuel testing for shipping operators is to expand its international operations to America and in the Far East. Lintec Testing Services Ltd based in Darlington, has previously carried out fuel testing for ships at its laboratories
-
Date
Pools double injury booster
ANTONY Sweeney and Nobby Solano are both back in contention for Hartlepool United's game at Leyton Orient tomorrow. But coach Mick Wadsworth was giving nothing away yesterday over their availability. The pair have been sidelined through October, Sweeney
-
Date
Pardew rules himself out of the England running
ALAN Pardew has categorically ruled himself out of the running to be the next England manager, but urged Fabio Capello to select the in-form Steven Taylor for this month's friendly double-header with Spain and Sweden. With Capello due to stand down after
-
Date
Abuse
TO the question "would the Echo print a letter substituting the words Asian, Muslim or Black for the word homosexual" (HAS, Nov 2)? The answer will surely be yes, if the same policy is applied as regarding Christianity and religion generally. All religion
-
Date
Campbell boost but Vaughan a doubt for Cats
DAVID VAUGHAN is the latest player to add to Sunderland's injury woes, with skipper Lee Cattermole on stand-by to return to captain the team at Manchester United tomorrow. But after a week in which Steve Bruce has also lost the services of defender John
-
Date
John Darwin apologises to victims of his crime
BACK-FROM-THE-DEAD canoeist John Darwin has apologised for the pain he caused to the victims of his crime, including the family of a dead child whose name he used for his fake identity. The fugitive applied for and obtained a passport using the name
