FIRE crews will remain at the scene of a large barn blaze in the Yorkshire Dales overnight. The fire at a farm just off the A684 at Melmerby, near Leyburn, is expected to continue to burn for several hours. At the height of the blaze, at about
A FAMILY-RUN service station has been sold to a major operator - which has promised to “significantly” increase the number of jobs at the site. Leeming Bar Services, near Bedale, North Yorkshire, has been sold to Moto Hospitality for an unspecified
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a vehicle carrying out a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre caused another car to crash, leaving a mother and daughter in hospital. The incident took place on the A66 on the outskirts of Darlington at 5.15pm
A COASTGUARD team and RNLI crew were sent out tonight to search for teenager threatening to jump from Saltburn Pier - and it later emerged he was involved in the NekNomination craze sweeping the internet. Humber Coastguard was called by Cleveland
THE heartbroken family of a young soldier who died in a car crash at the weekend paid tribute to her tonight (Wednesday, February 5), as hundreds of people came together to pay their respects. About 250 people gathered outside the family home of
AN evicted animal sanctuary owner has been arrested on suspicion of assault during an attempt to re-take her County Durham farm. Paula Campbell, her daughter Jayne and four other supporters returned to Milkup Bank in Willington, County Durham,
A WEALTHY couple who were jailed after being found guilty of defrauding an elderly relative, have been cleared by top judges. Richard John Pennock, 66, was locked up for three years and his 47-year-old wife Angela for 18 months at Teesside Crown
THE sacking of North Yorkshire MP Anne McIntosh by her local party lays bare the Conservatives’ “problem with women”, Ed Miliband alleged today. During a fiery Prime Minister’s questions, the Labour leader seized on the de-selection of the Thirsk
THE long-term future of hundreds of North-East train factory jobs could be secured on Thursday when the winner of a £1bn contract is announced. County Durham-based Hitachi is one of three bidders shortlisted to make engines and carriages for the
THE headmaster of one of the region’s leading independent schools is leaving to run a new school in Malaysia. Martin George will have served five-and-a-half years at the helm of the 600-year-old Durham School, where he studied as a boy in the late
ALLOTMENT holders are being urged to protect their tools and equipment, following a spate of thefts. Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator, John Rawe, will offer crime prevention advice to gardeners at the general meeting of Pollards Allotments in Bishop
A FREE baby massage course will run for three weeks at Trimdon Grange Community Centre, starting on Tuesday, February 25, from 1pm to 2pm. Massage is known to strengthen a baby’s immune system, provide colic relief and aid sleep. To book a place or
AN elderly householder was fleeced of several thousand pounds for very little work performed by a doorstep conman. But it was only a suspicious bank employee whose vigilance prevented the frail 85-year-old woman losing a further £3,500, paid for
LABOUR must stand up for “new capitalists” as well as traditional workers a North-East MP said today, as he introduced his own Bill. Phil Wilson, the Sedgefield MP, demanded action to ensure pension fund managers obey a “fiduciary duty” to properly
A RETIRED North-East journalist has died after falling overboard while on a cruise. Former Sunderland Echo reporter Bob Horn, 69, is thought to have fallen from the ship shortly after it called at Montevideo, Uruguay. Mr Horn, of Sunderland
A SUPPORT network that strives to get more female police officers into high ranking positions has been officially re-launched. Star aims to ensure all female officers and civilian staff at Durham Police reach their potential by identifying the
THE SECRET to a long life is never getting married and always having sherry when you want it, according to one of the region’s oldest women. Surrounded by friends, popular Rae Scott celebrated her 103rd birthday at the Gardens care home in Darlington
FIREFIGHTERS will demonstrate their lifesaving skills during a public consultation event this weekend. County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFS) will host the event at Spennymoor Community Fire Station, on Green Lane Industrial
TELEVISION favourite Michael Palin is turning heads in North Yorkshire as he films a new three-part drama. The former Python-turned-explorer is starring in Remember Me which is currently being filmed in Scarborough. It is the first time he
A TRAIN enthusiast has used his skill as an artist to create a special painting to mark the 75th anniversary of the Mallard becoming a record breaker. Artist Eric Thompson spent many hours as a youngster watching engines, including the A4 class
TWO of the region's police and crime commissioners (PCCs) have signed up to an initiative to tackle crime in the countryside. Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire PCC, and Ron Hogg, her counterpart in Durham, have agreed to join the National Rural Crime
THE James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough has become the first in the UK to implant a new miniature wireless heart monitor. Cardiologist Nick Linker was the first to insert the Medtronic Reveal LINQ™ device which will primarily be used
UK Independence Party councillors are calling for the abolition of eight local authorities to create the largest administrative area in England. North Yorkshire UKIP county councillors Sam Cross and David Simister said they would also accept two
A LUCKY woman has reason to be cheerful after winning the holiday of a lifetime. Claire Wilkinson, from Ferryhill, in County Durham, will celebrate two major milestones- her 40th birthday and her wedding- in the Balearic Islands this summer.
A NORTH-East law firm thought to date from the 18th Century has gone into administration. Around 50 people could lose their jobs with the collapse of Swinburne and Jackson, which has offices in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, and in Gateshead
ANOTHER North-East council will announce its council tax plans next week (Wednesday, February 12). Sunderland City Council’s cabinet will outline its proposals at a meeting on Wednesday, February 12. However, some details of the 2014-15 budget
NORTH-EAST poets encouraged would-be writers to put pen to paper when they visited a Darlington library. Acclaimed poet Anna Woodford hosted a workshop at Darlington’s Crown Street Library while Mark Robinson read from his latest collection 'How
PLANS for 34 homes, including 28 affordable homes, on land to the north of Dunelm Road and the A181 in Thornley, east Durham, will come under the spotlight at a Durham County Council planning committee meeting on Tuesday. Planning officers have recommended
A LEADING figure in grassroots sport visited the Dolphin Centre to see how National Lottery funding of more than £135,000 is being spent. Mike Diaper OBE, director of community sport at Sport England, heard more about the centre’s Active Darlington
THE entry ballot for this year’s Great North Run has closed today (Wednesday, February 5). The world’s biggest half-marathon, from Newcastle to South Shields, South Tyneside, will take place on Sunday, September 7. One runner will become the
ALINGTON House Women’s Group will have an introduction to papercraft on Thursday, February 13, from 11am to 1pm. Entry costs £2 including tea or coffee. Sessions are held at Alington House community centre, North Bailey, Durham. ORGAN RECITAL:
A RECORD breaking locomotive turned back the years to travel up the East Coast Mainline where it became the world’s fastest steam engine 75-years ago. Railway enthusiasts caught a glimpse of the famous blue engine as it travelled on the line from
A CLOSURE-THREATENED railway museum has received a £42,000 windfall for a project to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. The project, at the Head of Steam museum, in Darlington, will focus on the contribution to the war effort
THE four people arrested in connection with a violent assault that has left a man in a coma have been released on police bail. Gerard Williams suffered fractures to his skull, arms and legs as a result of the brutal attack, in what police described
WORK has begun on a railway station to serve James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough. Patients, staff and visitors to one of the region’s busiest hospitals will be able to catch up to 17 trains a day in each direction from this summer.
A HAPLESS crook was branded 'stupid' by a judge after a bungled bid to steal a digger. The wheels of the JCB were lifted off the ground by hydraulic legs to stop thieves taking it from a building site. It was also fitted with a tracking device
THE controversy over introducing on-street parking charges in the county town of North Yorkshire is expected to come to a head next week. The county council’s Hambleton area committee is meeting on Monday to discuss the issue – and has the authority
THE search for the remains of a suspected murder victim who went missing almost 15 years ago has been called off after "nothing of interest" was found. Detectives from Hampshire Police swooped on the garden of a disused pub in Fareham, near Portsmouth
LEGENDARY naturalist and broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough, is giving a talk in Middlesbrough about a historic artifact collected by local explorer Captain Cook. Sir David will recount the fascinating story of a wooden carving from Easter Island
STUART HALL is determined to hold on to his IBF World Bantamweight title when he makes North-East sporting history against Martin Ward at the end of next month. Having claimed the world title when he beat Vusi Malinga in Leeds in December, Darlington-based
AN engineer out celebrating his impending fatherhood assaulted and racially abused bouncers trying to throw him out of a pub, a court was told. David Jaeckel was with friends in the William Stead, in Crown Street, on November 9 last year. Darlington
POLICE have carried out a series of raids on addresses connected to a gang of suspected drugs dealers. Four homes in the Grove Hill area of Middlesbrough were targeted just after 10am this morning (Wednesday, February 5) officers searching for
AN injured swan stopped traffic during rush hour this morning (Wednesday) when it was escorted across the Surtees Bridge in Stockton by police officers. A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said drivers were forced to swerve to avoid the bird which
ALL boat owners are being urged to ensure they have a carbon monoxide alarm fitted in the wake of the tragic death of two fishermen in North Yorkshire. MPs made their call after initial investigations found that Mark Arries, 26, and Edward Ide,
A MAYOR is planning a romantic fundraiser and a civic dinner in aid of her charity campaign. The Mayor of Chilton, Coun Elizabeth Bruce, will host a Valentine’s charity night at Chilton Catholic Social Club on Friday, February 14, 7pm to 11pm.
STUDENTS are hoping they have found the right formula for national success - after winning a place in the UK final of a chemistry competition. The group from Ripon Grammar School secured the coveted spot after winning the Yorkshire regional heat
East Durham College’s Peterlee Campus is set to host a free football event aimed at 14 to 17 year olds during half term on Tuesday February 18. The FA’s Football Mash Up will take place between noon and 3.30pm and will feature things such as FA freestyle
A LONG-ESTABLISHED firm of North-East solicitors has entered administration, with the loss of up to 50 jobs. Gateshead-based Swinburne & Jackson LLP which has offices in Hexham, Chester-le-Street, Washington and Ryton had been trading for 150
The winning numbers for the Great North Air Ambulance weekly draw are: £200 N44260, Morpeth; £100 N12951, Richmond; £50 N22459, Ripon; £50 N21030, Alnwick; £25 N43541, Wigton; £25 N41875, Grange-Over-Sands; £25 N26472, Corbridge; £25 N17075, Morpeth
A RECRUITMENT campaign has been launched to find people interested in becoming lifeguards in North Yorkshire. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is working in partnership with Scarborough Borough Council to provide cover on beaches
A GROWING food-bank scheme to help those in urgent need has now appointed a part-time project co-ordinator. Alison Flint has started with the Hambleton Foodshare Scheme following a successful application to Hambleton’s community grants programme
A POPULAR leisure centre has been given a £250,000 new look. The wetside changing areas of the Thirsk and Sowerby facility have been fully refurbished. All old fixtures and fittings – originally installed when the centre was opened in 1992
The UK economy is continuing to recover, despite service sector growth slipping to a seven-month low, a report has said. A survey from the Markit/CIPS purchasing managers index (PMI) revealed a reading of 58.3 for the industry, which remains ahead
A SPECIAL train service is being run by Northern Rail to ensure that people can view the historic line-up of locomotives for Mallard’s anniversary. Northern Rail is operating an enhanced service between Darlington and Bishop Auckland during The
COMMUNITY leaders have spoken of their dismay after highways chiefs opted against making changes to a road layout to reduce the number of motorists using a village as a rat run. The Highways Agency and North Yorkshire County Council agreed to alter
A FORMER North East editor who worked at numerous national titles has died aged 71. Peter Chislett started his career in journalism in local newspapers and progressed to Fleet Street where he worked on a number of national titles and for Associated
ANNUAL profits at oil company BP dropped 21 per cent to £8.3bn last year. Earnings were hit by a fall in production after assets were sold off, as well as from weaker margins in its refining business. Fourth quarter underlying profits were
With Valentine’s Day approaching, romance is in the air, but figures indicate for many of us a break-up is on the cards – with our current account provider. Vicky Shaw reports AS spring moves closer, this is traditionally a time of year when love
YOU see them every week day. Mums and dads driving hulking 4x4s with a couple of small kids rattling around in the back. And, more and more, I’m starting to wonder, do harassed parents really need such a big car just to shuttle their offspring
IS the steelworks at Teesside about to have its third new owner in as many years? That was the question I put to SSI bosses when I caught up with them last week at Steel House, Redcar. As you drive through the security gates and up to the main
A WEDDING day hiccup did not spoil married life for a Sacriston couple who have celebrated their diamond anniversary. When Ronnie and Rosa Stewart tied the knot at Consett Parish Church in 1954 the photographer managed to chop off their heads on
THERE wasn’t a seat to spare in the Sage’s Hall One for Royal Northern Sinfonia’s latest concert in the Classic FM series – one of the key attractions being violinist Jennifer Pike, pictured right, playing the ever-popular Bruch Violin Concerto.
WHAT a treat. One of my favourite actors, Sara Crowe, in a Noel Coward play – a riotous evening in prospect, and as always Sara doesn’t disappoint. When Fallen Angels was first performed in 1925 it was considered by some to be “vile and obscene
The Dalesmen Singers Male Voice Choir will be holding an open social night at the Duke of Wellington pub in Danby, North Yorkshire on Tuesday, March 11, at 7.30pm. Anyone interested in joining is welcome to attend. All ages are welcome. For more information
NCIS (Channel 5, 9pm) Midsomer Murders (ITV1, 8pm) Extreme Beauty Queens: Secrets of South America (BBC3, 9pm) THEY may have a seemingly unhealthy obsession with killer sharks and botched surgical operations, but give Channel 5 their due, they
How much pocket money to give your children is a difficult question. Lisa Salmon offers guidance RECENT research by the Nationwide Building Society found that while children get an average of £31.64 pocket money per month (over £7 a week), some
A YOUTH theatre has received a grant of more than £4,000 towards an ambitious musical production. Stokesley’s Crash Bang Wallop Youth Theatre has received the funding from Hambleton District Council’s Community Grant programme, which will help
Dating has gone all high-tech, with a wave of new apps designed to find us love at the swipe of a smartphone. But do they really work? As Valentine’s Day approaches, Lucinda Borrell weighs up the pros and cons of online romance LOVE changes everything
YOUR front page, the articles inside and your comment all totally miss the point (Echo, Jan 31). Fracking and underground coal gasification (UGC) of the rich northern coastal coalfield will destroy traditional mining jobs, and will waste and rape
HOW I sympathise with Peter Barron (From the Editor’s Chair, Echo, Feb 3). I bought a pair of shoes from a well known manufacturer which I kept to wear on those rare occasions when I have to wear a suit. Carefully kept in their box, they looked
I WAS saddened to read that the Queen’s boiler at Buckingham Palace is 60 years old (Sharon Griffiths, Echo, Jan 31). Perhaps the firm that rings me up two or three times a week telling me I might qualify for a new boiler could help her. GO Wright
I, AND many others, are totally flabbergasted regarding the Durham policeman getting off with his 140mph blast on a public road. The force stated he has more or less served his time by being given a internal job and getting the same wages as the
I, LIKE Ken Tait (HAS, Feb 1), found myself on an agency website when I tried to renew my over 70s driving licence, as I have to do every three years. After I’d filled in all the boxes, it wanted about £29 to submit. I came out and tried again,
AT every Premiership match, as the players shake hands, a piece of music is played. Every match I have seen live and on TV uses the music at the same time. My question is: is it FIFA rules that it has to be played or do the clubs have a choice?
AT the risk of sounding hypercritical, I can have no sympathy for a man who has been found dead with a needle full of self-administered drugs stuck in his arm. Philip Seymour Hoffman, a man who supposedly had everything, died by his own stupidity and
WEDDING FAYRE A wedding fayre will be held at Bannatyne Hotel in Darlington on Sunday February 9. To reserve a goodie bag, pre-register by visiting darlingtonweddings.co.uk. The event runs from noon until 3pm. ROCK GIG The Voluntears, Kickshaws
I WOULD like to respond to Robert Richardson’s attack on food banks.( HAS, Jan 30) Food banks are indeed necessary and yes, regrettably so. However, let us get some things straight. The food bank at Willington is a Christian initiative of the Durham
THE tell-tale feathers were by my garden gate the other day. A sparrow hawk had swooped and seized a blackbird. Was I upset? Yes. And angry? No. In the great raptor debate – are they killing off our garden birds and should their protection be removed
IT was three months yesterday since three-year-old Danny Wake was hit by a vehicle and killed in a Darlington street. He had been into town to collect an Argos catalogue so he could choose his Christmas presents. The fact that the driver has not
MORE than 150 people have visited an exhibition about a proposed new supermarket for their town. Tesco is looking to submit a planning application for a 250-job store in Stanley and held a two-day exhibition in the town to outline the proposal.
CHILDREN were in fine voice when they sang for supermarket shoppers to raise money for youngsters affected by the conflict in Syria. Pupils from St Anne's Primary School and St John’s School and Sixth Form College, in Bishop Auckland, provided
A DRIVE to bring the Quakers back to Darlington is gathering pace with plans for a groundshare due to be submitted within weeks. A planning application is being finalised which if approved would allow changes to be made to the Blackwell Meadows
A CITY pub group has named its chosen charity for the year. The Durham-based Angel group will be raising money for Cardiac Risk in the Young (Cry). Andy Hughes, manager of the Angel group’s three pubs – the Angel, the John Duck and the Elm
A HOST of bands from across the region are set to entertain crowds at a music festival this summer. The Darlington Music Festival will feature a wide range of tribute acts including Bon Jovi Forever, Green Date and Ohasis. The best of North-East
TWO free courses will teach people with learning disabilities, dyslexia and dyspraxia how to make and maintain positive lifestyle changes. The courses will be held at the Pioneering Care Centre in Newton Aycliffe and will cover topics, such as
POLICE are appealing for information after a cyclist was knocked off his bike by quad bike and mini moto riders. The two quads and one mini moto were being ridden around Redhall this afternoon (Wednesday, February 5) and as well as causing the
FORMER Newcastle United defender Olivier Bernard is showing the red card to dog owners who let their pets foul on football pitches. The retired French full-back, who now owns Durham City FC, is backing a Durham County Football Association and Durham
THE PRIME Minister has today given his assurance that Durham Police will be given all the support they need as they deal with inquiries into allegations of sexual and physical abuse at a North-East detention centre. David Cameron was responding
HUNDREDS of new homes could be built in an east Durham town under plans to boost the its economy, attract investment and spark regeneration. Durham County Council is working with the Homes and Communities Agency to promote development opportunities
Some NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) customers have found themselves short-changed in their monthly interest payments in the latest blunder to hit the banks. Customers checking their E-Isa balances found they had been updated with just
KEVIN PIETERSEN’S international career is over after nine turbulent years, with England’s management deciding unanimously that their relationship with the 33-yearold had run its course. With squads to be named for the forthcoming tour of the West
A VILLAGE pub has been given an award for excellence - for the third year running. The George and Dragon in Heighington, near Darlington, recently received its third Cask Marque. The prestigious Cask Marque is awarded following unannounced
A SIXTH annual chamber music festival will have a First World War theme to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the conflict. The Northern Chords Festival, the North-East’s most prominent chamber music festival, will be held in Durham for the
LUKE WILLIAMS is out to prove himself. He doesn’t have to win over the manager he’s currently playing under, more so the one he has temporary left behind. The 20-year-old has moved from Middlesbrough to Hartlepool on loan. Pools boss Colin
A SPECIAL event is taking place at Crown Street Art Gallery on Monday (February 10) to celebrate two exhibitions focusing on women. It will include short talks from artists and teams behind the current exhibitions in the gallery - Inspirational
A COUNTY Durham woman has swapped bar work for charity work after landing a key regional job with the Alzheimer’s Society. Rebecca Scott, 24, from Murton, has been appointed as the dementia charity’s Newcastle-based community fundraising officer
PUPILS have broken a school’s fundraising record as they collected £600 to help a critically-ill toddler go on a dream holiday to Disneyland. Youngsters at the Timothy Hackworth Primary School, in Shildon, sent the money to help three-year-old
PARISH councillors are backing proposals to provide transport for young villagers to access sports facilities in a nearby town. Gainford and Langton Parish Council has agreed to fund a ten-week pilot scheme, costing £350, to transport 15 young
CHEMICALS businesses got a lesson in the processes they must follow to comply with employment law and get ready to create jobs. The free seminar run by Darlington-based company HR2day was aimed at the region's industrial and chemical sector, which
DARLINGTON left-back Paul Weldon has joined Durham City in the Ebac Northern League. The 22-year-old Middlesbrough academy product began Quakers' season in the team, but knee and ankle problems kept him on the sidelines for lengthy spells.
GORDON Brown Law Firm is the first in the region to sign up to a new legal apprenticeship programme to develop the next generation of young talent. Created by Damar Training, the programme offers a debt-free alternative to a career in law whilst
A BROADBAND satellite firm, which specialises in war zones and disaster stricken areas, has boosted its global presence following an acquisition arranged in the North-East. The company law team at regional firm BHP Law, led by David Wilson, helped
IN this country, it barely makes it on to the sporting radar. Mention the word “biathlon”, and most people will assume you’re talking about something involving swimming and running rather than the winter pursuit that twins skiing with rifle shooting
SO, farewell then Joe Kinnear, the football fantasist whose comments were every bit as vacuous as the list of permanent signings he oversaw during his farcical eight-month reign as director of football at Newcastle United. Joe Kinnear's five
NEWCASTLE UNITED have no plans for an immediate replacement of Joe Kinnear and will not be restoring Derek Llambias to his former role as managing director. Kinnear was removed from his position as director of football on Monday after a much-derided
SHAY GIVEN thinks it will feel like he has “unfinished business” when he leaves Middlesbrough later this month. The Aston Villa goalkeeper was left frustrated on deadline day when his parent club refused to sanction a window-to-window loan until
THE North-East boasts some of the UK’s best known private businesses, with a heritage dating back hundreds of years in some cases, writes Lee Stamp, head of PwC’s private client team in Newcastle. These businesses were founded by entrepreneurs,
THE Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) North East has presented a Teesside University student with a top student award for excellence in engineering. David Hamilton has been awarded the ICE Student Prize after excelling throughout his BEng (Hons
A LEADING chemical company has offered a sought after summer placement to a potential future engineer following a visit by students to its world leading Tees Valley plant. The first and second year A Level students visited petrochemical firm Sabic
THE region’s town halls will today (Wednesday, February 5) be cleared to push through council tax hikes of up to two per cent, after a fierce Cabinet clash. Eric Pickles, the Local Government Secretary, had pushed for any authority planning an
A TRAINING provider aims to double its apprenticeships after the Government snubbed the North-East's future workforce, The Northern Echo can reveal. South West Durham Training (SWDT), in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, says it wants to take on
A FAMILY-RUN glazing firm has created new jobs after moving into a new factory. North-East and Cumbria Windows and Doors designs and makes upvc and aluminium windows, doors and conservatories for the commercial and residential sectors. To meet
A PLASTICS company has reported increased sales helped by a strong January. Victrex, which has a plant at Seal Sands, near Billingham, says sales for the first quarter to December 31 were six per cent higher than the same period last year.
A SPECIALIST in industrial disease compensation claims has said that thousands coke oven workers in the North-East may be entitled to recompense for diseases caused by exposure to toxic airborne substances at work. Mark Ellis, partner with Tilly
A NORTH-EAST waste firm is the subject of a management buyout. Agilitas, a European private equity firm, has invested in a buyout of the waste management businesses of Impetus Waste Management Holdings Limited. Impetus, founded in 2003, handles
KI SUNG-YUENG has paid tribute to the Sunderland fans that have made his time at the Stadium of Light special, but he does not know if he will be still playing for them next season. The South Korean has been integral to the revival under Gus Poyet
A COMPANY behind a revolutionary science material is more than doubling its workforce as it aims to conquer an £800m global market. Applied Graphene Materials (AGM), near Redcar, makes graphene, which can conduct electricity a million times better
A FALKLANDS veteran has won substantial damages after a tribunal ruled he was sacked because of his disability. Tom McNally, who also served in Kosovo and Northern Ireland, was helped by Newcastle-based Muckle take action against his former employers
APPRENTICESHIP vacancies increased by a quarter last year, with a large rise in the number of applications from women, a report has revealed. The National Apprenticeship Service says more than 37,400 vacancies were advertised in the three months
NEW jobs will be created thanks to improved grant funding, local enterprise partnership (LEP) bosses have said. The York, North Yorkshire and East Riding LEP says the Business Grant Programme, backed by the Government's Regional Growth Fund, will
INDUSTRY bosses have called for better apprenticeships to take advantage of increased work generated by the growing economy. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) says more apprentices are needed to avert a skills crisis. Neil Carberry
DETECTIVES investigating the suspected murder of a man who disappeared almost 15 years ago have begun searching the garden of a disused pub. Kevin John Palmer, who has family in Darlington, has not been seen since March 1999. He went missing
FORMER England and Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer has signed a sports deal in Dubai. The football pundit acts as a brand ambassador for fitness business Speedflex Europe which will open its first centre in Dubai, in the Ocean View Hotel
HISTORIC locomotives are in motion today (Wednesday, February 5) ahead of their arrival in Shildon to mark the 75th anniversary of the Mallard setting the speed record for a steam engine. The Mallard and the Union of South Africa are travelling
A FATHER who refused to do a breath test when police found him trying to drive his stuck car in just his underwear has been spared jail. Officers found Michael Hall, who was wearing grey boxers, socks and a black jacket, revving the engine of his
NORTH-EAST business leaders have unanimously backed a hold in the interest rate as the economic recovery gathers pace in line with the recent GDP figures from the final quarter of 2013. The North-East Shadow Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted
Protecting power cables for global firms, Ellis has come a long way since it sparked into life as the venture of a RAF pilot. Deputy Business Editor Steven Hugill talks to managing director Richard Shaw about its success A HAIL of gunfire explodes
AN MP plans to raise the inquiry into allegations of sexual and physical abuse at North-East detention centre during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons today (Wednesday, February 5). North West Durham MP Pat Glass said she wished
A CONSTRUCTION firm employing about 600 North-East workers has secured a £75m rail deal. Balfour Beatty, which has offices in Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Newcastle, has been awarded a seven-year framework contract from Network Rail. The deal
THE time taken to diagnose some of the more common cancers fell by an average of five days in just under a decade, according to new research. Researchers based at the Universities of Durham, Bangor and Exeter found that the average time it took
AS UNIVERSITY staff across the North-East prepare to strike over pay tomorrow (Thursday) new figures show they are paid far less than in other English-speaking countries. The University and College Union (UCU) analysed international figures on
AN inspirational youngster has been nominated for an award for her work in raising awareness of epilepsy. Despite having the condition nine-year-old Alexandra Craggs, of Bishop Auckland, spends her time organising fundraisers. She also ensures
A TEENAGER has been ordered to pay £100 compensation after kicking a man in the head as he lay on the ground unconscious. The victim was left with a cut to the back of the head and minor facial injuries after being kicked by Jack Stansfield, magistrates
A DRUG dealer was photographed selling cannabis near a primary school by a concerned member of the public, a court has heard. Residents in Spennymoor also identified Kayne Steven Briggs as a dealer at the monthly Police and Community Together (
THREE fire crews were called to a blaze in a flat in Brotton on Tuesday night (February 4). A spokeswoman for Cleveland Fire Brigade said crews from Saltburn, Skelton and Loftus were sent to a ground floor flat in Linden House on Linden Road, Brotton
A MAN is in a critical condition in hospital after being found with serious head injuries in a North-East street. Police are now appealing for information about how the man came to be hurt. Ambulance staff called Northumbria Police at 10.45am
