Archive
-
Date
Newton Aycliffe trainbuilder Hitachi Rail Europe on right track during Royal trip
A NORTH-EAST trainbuilder played its own part in a Royal celebration yesterday. Rolling stock from Hitachi Rail Europe carried the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh on a reconstruction of the first train journey enjoyed by a monarch 175 years ago, from Slough
-
Date
Pictures: Hundreds of kids descend on County Durham park for athletics extravaganza
HUNDREDS of schoolchildren pulled on their sports gear to take part in the finals of an Olympic-inspired athletics tournament. The 400 youngsters who qualified for the final heat of the Sedgefield Dash! descended on Hardwick Park where they went
-
Date
The murder which shocked a nation: the night vulnerable, six-stone Angela Wrightson was brutally tortured and murdered by two schoolgirls.
BEATEN, kicked, attacked with a television, shovel and a kettle, stripped half naked and left for dead, Angela Wrightson's prolonged and agonising death shocked the nation, especially when it emerged that her killers were children.The frail alcoholic
-
Date
Family's campaign to stop vulnerable adults like Angie from having their homes "hijacked"
THE family of tragic Angela Wrightson are campaigning for a law to protect vulnerable people from being exploited in their own homes.Niece Rachel Tressider and her partner TJ McLean are lobbying for "Angie's Law" to give the authorities
-
Date
"Deeply troubled" girls who turned to murder
NEGLECTFUL parents, at risk of sexual exploitation, drug use and aggression. Angela Wrightson's two schoolgirl killers –who cannot be named for legal reasons but were given the pseudonyms of "Olivia" and "Yasmine" by authorities yesterday – both
-
Date
Who was Angela Wrightson, and why was she so vulnerable?
SHE lived on her own, her life ravaged by alcoholism. Angela Wrightson was 5ft 4ins and weighed just six-and-a-half stone when she met her death at the hands of two deeply troubled teen girls who took advantage of her vulnerability.But the report released
-
Date
Man pleads not guilty to sending poison pen letter
A MAN has denied sending a poison pen letter putting a price on the heads of Durham county councillors.David Lindsay, who stood unsuccessfully as an Independent candidate for the Lanchester ward in the recent council elections, appeared at Durham Crown
-
Date
Students stage independent school's first ever dressage display
STUDENTS recently took part in the first ever dressage demonstration at a leading independent school.Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire held its annual Exhibition Weekend recently, a celebration of pupil’s talents and an opportunity for them showcase
-
Date
Illegal air pollution problems to continue across the North East
AIR pollution is still causing hundreds of deaths in the region as illegal levels are set to affect people lives for a few more years yet.Analysis by Friends of the Earth of the government’s new air pollution modelling reveals that five local authorities
-
Date
Friends pass halfway point of tandem charity challenge inspired by son's cancer battle
TWO friends are more than halfway through a gruelling 874-mile cycle challenge aimed at raising funds for two causes close to their hearts.Suzy Cramb and Debbie Edge are cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats on a tandem and have already raised in excess
-
Date
Primary school cancels trip to 'high risk' central London and replaces it with visit to Birmingham
PARENTS have spoken of their concerns after a school cancelled a planned visit to central London following recent terror attacks and replaced it with a trip which includes a Birmingham. Chilton Primary School, in Chilton, was due to take pupils
-
Date
Football team will be honorary starters at 10k run
AFTER a stunning victory at Wembley last month South Shields FC will make a return to the sporting stage at the North-East’s biggest 10k running event.The Mariners will be honorary starters at the Simplyhealth Great North 10K, bringing with them the FA
-
Date
'A knife off the street is a potential life saved' - mother of stab death teenager praises blade amnesty campaign
A MOTHER whose son was killed in a knife attack has praised the police for encouraging people to hand in their weapons - saying “a knife off the street is a potential life saved”. Theresa Cave’s son, Chris, was stabbed to death in Redcar in 2003
-
Date
Donation secures replica of one of County Durham's oldest pit banners for future generations
A PROJECT to preserve the heritage of one of County Durham’s oldest pit banners will secure a treasured replica for future generations thanks to a hefty donation.Trimdon Colliery’s banner was recreated earlier this year using a remaining 125-year-old
-
Date
Health and wellbeing charity in County Durham handed Queen's Award for Voluntary Service
A HEALTH and wellbeing charity has been given the royal seal of approval for its work in a County Durham town.The Pioneering Care Partnership (PCP), based in Newton Aycliffe, has been handed The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the equivalent of an
-
Date
Beginners welcome at rowing regatta
ANYONE who was inspired by a weekend of racing at one of the oldest regattas in the country is invited to take part in a rowing competition for complete beginners.The Allcomers Regatta, which takes place on the same course as last weekend’s Durham Regatta
-
Date
Funeral for North-East victim of Manchester concert terror attack
THE funeral of a North-East man killed in the Manchester terror attack last month is being held on Friday. Family and friends of 32-year-old Philip Tron are meeting at St Mark’s Methodist Church on Shipcote Terrace in Gateshead at 11am. Mr Tron,
-
Date
Inadequate nursery was risking children's welfare, report says
A COUNCIL has been forced to pull funding from a nursery after inspectors declared it inadequate. Children’s welfare was compromised significantly by breaches in safeguarding requirements at Middlesbrough’s Top Corner Day Care, an Ofsted report
-
Date
Broken leg will not stop comedian Reginald D Hunter from performing in region
A BROKEN leg is not stopping a popular comedian from performing in the region this week.A spokeswoman for the Grand Opera House in York has confirmed that American funnyman Reginald D Hunter will go ahead with his planned show at the venue despite breaking
-
Date
School football team celebrates a successful season
A YOUTH football team is celebrating after a hat-trick of successes on the pitch.Tanfield Lea Community Primary School, near Stanley, won the Gordon Walton League against other schools in the area, The Jock Dodds Trophy in the champions’ league and the
-
Date
Fun day boosts school's climbing frame funds
FUNDRAISING was made to look like child’s play on Friday as a community came together in aid of a school’s new climbing frame.Staff, pupils and parents pulled out all the stops for the family fun day at Evenwood CofE Primary School, in Evenwood, Teesdale
-
Date
Man punched to the floor in market place attack
A MAN suffered a serious injury to his jaw after being punched to the ground in Thirsk. Police in the North Yorkshire town are appealing for witnesses and information after the attack in Thirsk Market Place in the early hours of Sunday. It
-
Date
Blundering council workers criticised over road sign gaffe
BLUNDERING council workers have erected new speed safety signs outside a school which obscure the very thing they are trying to promote. Earlier this month, two signs stating ‘Patrol 20 when lights show’ were put up in both directions on the approach
-
Date
Plans approved to turn former gentlemen's club into flats
A HISTORICAL building is set to be turned into luxury flats following its closure as a a gentlemen’s club.Permission has been granted to convert a Grade II listed building in Old Elvet, Durham, which was the home of the Durham County Club for 126 years.The
-
Date
Life-size willow vicar unveiled in honour of County Durham town's history
THE grounds of a former rectory is now home to a life-size willow structure honouring a County Durham town's history.A crowd of residents from Sedgefield gathered in the Stepping Through Time garden at Ceddesfeld Hall for the unveiling of the statue
-
Date
Shopping centre reveals plans for £2m summer makeover
WORK is to start next week on a £2m makeover of one of the region’s biggest shopping centres.The owners of Dalton Park outlet shopping centre, at Murton, in County Durham, have announced a major investment in the complex to create “a first class visitor
-
Date
New village could see road diverted
ONE of North Yorkshire’s main roads could be diverted to create a bypass for a proposed 2,700-home new settlement.Harrogate Borough Council officers are “minded to recommend” a site between Kirk Hammerton and Green Hammerton on the A59 York-Harrogate
-
Date
Youngsters challenged to do something positive in their communities
A COMPETITION to help kind-hearted youngsters give something back to their communities has launched for its fifth year.North Yorkshire Police’s Lifestyle Challenge runs over the summer holidays and aims to give youngsters aged ten to 17 a positive project
-
Date
Care home offers residents VIP treatment at glamorous new beauty salon
CARE home residents can enjoy pamper sessions in their very own beauty parlour.West Lodge Care Home near Crook, County Durham, has given its hairdressing salon a glamorous makeover to ensure residents feel extra special when they get their hair and nails
-
Date
Surgeon speaks of 'disgusting’ sex assault claims against him
A SURGEON accused of sexually assaulting a young patient has told a jury that he is "disgusted" by what he claims is an "insulting" false allegation. Magdy Eskander is said to have inappropriately touched the girl during two visits to Darlington
-
Date
Watch the effect 'Spice' has on users caught on CCTV
VIDEO footage showing the crippling effects of so-called ‘lethal highs’ on drug users in the North-East has been released. The footage, taken on a CCTV camera in Newcastle shows people taking a new blend of Spice, known as Powder. Northumbria
-
Date
Darlington firm uses sweet treats to raise money for charity
A DARLINGTON firm of accountants has raised hundreds of pounds for charity by appealing to the sweet tooth of their employees. Staff at Clive Owen LLP, who have offices in Darlington, Durham and York, have raised money for Zoe’s Place thanks to
-
Date
School splits top award three ways
A TRIO of talented students proved to be impossible to separate as they shared the limelight in a prestigious annual award.Northallerton School and Sixth Form College students Laura West, Dan Henry and Eleanor Reynolds each received the John Dennis Award
-
Date
New police cadet unit gives youngsters the chance to get involved
A NEW Volunteer Police Cadet unit is opening in Catterick to give youngsters the chance to get involved in the North Yorkshire force.The unit is only the third of its kind for North Yorkshire Police - and the first for the Richmondshire area - and follows
-
Date
Newcastle fan accused of leaving kids at home while he watched Magpies in classic 4-4 draw with Arsenal loses latest family court fight
A NEWCASTLE United fan whose ex-wife accused him of leaving their two sons home alone while he watched his side play Arsenal has lost the latest round of a long-running family court fight. She said she stopped letting him see the boys six years
-
Date
Major new water park to open on the coast this summer
PLANS for a major new outdoor water park have been unveiled – the latest in a string of major tourism investments announced on the North Yorkshire coast. The North Yorkshire Water Park is to open as soon as July at the existing Wykeham Lakes, on
-
Date
Sunderland closing in on Derek McInnes after making formal approach to Aberdeen
SUNDERLAND are hoping to be able to confirm Derek McInnes as their new manager within the next 48 hours after making a formal approach to the Scotsman’s current club, Aberdeen. The Black Cats’ managerial search has cranked back into action today
-
Date
Event on plans for health services in North Yorkshire
PEOPLE are invited to find out more about plans for health services in their area at an event later this month. Members of the public across the Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby areas are invited to the annual meeting of their Clinical Commissioning
-
Date
Auditions to be held for Wizard of Oz chorus
ASPIRING stars are being given the chance to take part in a popular panto at the oldest working theatre in Britain.The Georgian Theatre Royal at Richmond is holding auditions for girls and boys aged from eight to 18 who want to join the chorus of this
-
Date
Care service for elderly expands Darlington base
A SERVICE that supports older people to remain in their homes has nearly doubled the size of its Darlington headquarters due to increasing demand. Home Instead Senior Care has expanded into a larger office at its Lingfield Point base to accommodate
-
Date
Vulnerable woman's murder was "shock to everyone"
GIRLS aged just 13 and 14 who murdered a vulnerable alcoholic in her lounge were already known to social services for running away, drinking and being sexually active, a review of the case has found. The two girls battered Angela Wrightson to death
-
Date
Last chance to enter contest to find Chester-le-Street's best
RESIDENTS have only days left to enter a competition to find a town’s best gardeners. Entries for the Chester’s Best contest, which aims to celebrate floral displays and environmental improvements in Chester-le-Street, close on Friday. Categories
-
Date
Appeal lodged over refused housing and care home plan
AN appeal has been lodged six months after plans to build a care home, community hub, retail units and up to 81 new homes in Howden-le-Wear were unanimously rejected by councillors.Durham County Council’s county planning committee rejected Atelier 26
-
Date
Cycling: How to make riding a bike child's play
RIDING a bike is as easy, as, well, riding bike isn’t it? Well for some kids it is, but for others it is anything but. Take my five-year-old. For two years we have tried and failed to get him to ride. Bikes galore clutter up our garage
-
Date
The potential cost of buying an older home
RESEARCH carried out by the Home Builders Federation has revealed that the cost of upgrading an older property to the same standard as a new build home could be as much as £50,000. As well as saving hundreds of pounds on your utility bills each year
-
Date
Theatre: Opera North Children’s Chorus celebrate diversity as part of The Great Get Together
SPIDERS, ladybirds, snails and other creepy crawlies will be taking centre-stage at the Discovery Museum in Newcastle on Saturday, June 17, with a special performance of The Spiders’ Revenge by the Opera North Children’s Chorus. The event is being
-
Date
Visitors enjoy town twinning hospitality
FRENCH visitors to a North Yorkshire town were treated to a special reception with their hosts recently. Northallerton Town Twinning Association took part in an annual social event for residents from Ormesson-Sur-Marne, a Paris suburb which is
-
Date
Review: Elton John, Leeds Arena
SIR Elton John - now sufficiently recovered from the potentially deadly virus he contracted when on tour in South America to this week announce a 27 night Las Vegas residency - performed a memorable concert on his return to Leeds Arena this week.Flamboyantly
-
Date
Social evening for Swaledale sheep breeders
A TOTAL of 240 people attended the Swaledale Sheep Breeders’ social supper, auction and disco evening at Hawes Auction Mart on Friday, June 9. Thanks go to the event’s principal sponsor Carrs Billington and the numerous other businesses who donated
-
Date
June 2017 pictures from the Northern Echo Camera Club
EVERY day in The Northern Echo we publish our favourite photos taken by Northern Echo Camera Club members. This gallery is our picks for June 2017. See the best so far this year below. January | February | March | April | May If
-
Date
Eight-and-a-half years for retired Methodist minister who hypnotised and abused boys
A RETIRED Methodist minister who used hypnosis on four boys before abusing them is today starting an eight-and-a-half-year prison sentence. John Price, 82, was told by a judge that he had cynically targeted vulnerable youngsters to whom he should
-
Date
Greyhounds Walk Out in Hutton Magna
Eleven sighthounds plus a companion Jack Russell took part in Hutton Magna's contribution to the Great Global Greyhound Walk last Sunday (11 June). This annual dog-walking event aims to raise the profile of rescued and retired (ex-racing) greyhounds
-
Date
Everton agree £30m fee to sign Sunderland goalkeeper Pickford
EVERTON have agreed a fee with Sunderland for goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. The Black Cats have accepted an offer from the Merseyside club which could rise to £30m with various add-ons included in the package. Pickford was one of the few bright
-
Date
'Snapchat killers' - the schoolchildren who tortured a vulnerable alcoholic to death
IT was a case which shocked the nation. Two teenage girls – dubbed the "Snapchat killers" by the national press – murdered a vulnerable alcoholic in her own home, taking 'selfies' as they did so. JULIA BREEN reports on the night Angela Wrightson was tortured
-
Date
These men are suspected of deer hunting, police want to speak to them
PHOTOGRAPHS of two men suspected of poaching have been released by police. The two men were pictured on land at Murton in County Durham on May 17 and officers believe they were hunting deer. At the time, the pair had four lurcher dogs with them.
-
Date
Where's our apology Mrs May?
THERESA MAY has apologised to Tory ex-MPs and failed Tory candidates. She must have forgotten to apologise to the rest of us. In fairness, she’s got a lot on. Her top priority must be those urgent negotiations – not the ones with Europe, but
-
Date
Echo post-election headlines win star prize
I GET The Northern Echo each day plus the Guardian on a Saturday. The Echo wins this week’s star prize for the post-election headlines both on Friday with “Mayday, Mayday” and Saturday with “Bad Friday Agreement”, which compared with the Guardian headline
-
Date
Governed by 17th Century thinking
SHOULD we be pleased that a “stable government” is being guaranteed by Theresa May by an alliance with the Democratic Unionist Party? Many DUP members are apparently homophobic, anti-women’s rights, generally illiberal and anti-Catholic. I
-
Date
Man who downloaded indecent images of children 'would never get the help he needs behind bars'
A PERVERT caught for the second time with indecent images of children has avoided a jail sentence – for a second time. Darlington man Keith Tolsen was told by a judge that he would never get the help he needs behind bars and both he and the community
-
Date
Osborne must regret not standing for re-election
WELL done to Chris Lloyd for a succinct article in Saturday’s Echo on the general election, “A race which everyone lost”. Given the result, I wonder if George Osborne now regrets his decision not to stand. Had he done so, he would now surely have
-
Date
'Free' press dominated by extreme right-wing political views
I WOULD like to congratulate the Northern Echo on Friday’s comment “Overhaul a tired system” about reforms to our democratic system, with which I couldn’t agree more. I also heartily agree with Monday’s article by Peter Barron “Bin there, done that
-
Date
I voted for the party that would do me least harm
I AM an 82 year old ex-serviceman, and relatively recently became disabled. Being over pension age, I do not qualify for disability allowance. During my service career abroad, under a Labour government, we suffered extreme financial hardship due to
-
Date
Campaign leaflet drops were waste of money that could have gone to pensioners
NOW the election is over, perhaps the Prime Minister would publish how much the campaign cost regarding leaflets and letters from her office. This money could have gone to pensioners. We are both on the pension and just manage to make ends meet.
-
Date
No choice but to vote for Phil Wilson
IT IS no surprise Sedgefield’s Phil Wilson was elected as Labour voters, like myself, who wanted a Labour govenment had no choice but to vote for candidates who, in my opinion, did more to prevent a total victory for Labour than the Tories. Those
-
Date
Driver seriously injured after car hits telegraph pole and bridge
A DRIVER is seriously ill in hospital after his car left the road and hit a telegraph pole and bridge in the early hours of this morning. The 20-year-old driver lost control on a left hand bend and hit the bridge parapet at Hawthorn, near Seaham
-
Date
Newcastle United rocked by double transfer setback
NEWCASTLE UNITED have suffered a double transfer setback with Slavisa Jokanovic insisting Tom Cairney will not be leaving Fulham this summer and Tammy Abraham admitting he does not yet know if he will be leaving Chelsea on loan. Magpies manager
-
Date
Time for Nick Clegg to reflect on propping up the Tories
POOR Nick Clegg. Just eight weeks ago, there he was, with a job and probably not a care in the world. Despite being a Lib Dem MP, I have always thought he seems like a decent person. Eight weeks later, thanks to Theresa May, Mr Clegg finds himself
-
Date
You can't please a farmer, come rain or come shine
I HAVE a lot of friends in the farming community. For weeks they have been telling me rain is needed because the land was as hard as rocks. After this last week’s rain, I am being told sun is needed for the crops to flourish. The old saying about
-
Date
Mike Amos: When the train service ceased, the town that began reading between the lines
RICHMOND railway station opened in 1846, figuratively reached the end of the line in 1969 – physically it had never been anywhere else – might have hit the buffers sooner had not Catterick Camp served its national purpose. The Duke of Kent, it’
-
Date
Stay in a hive, stay in a hive...
Twenty thousand bees have taken over a woman's car in Hull. Experts are trying to lure the bees away from Shirley Taylor's car. The reason for the invasion is a mystery but Shirley's husband says it's because of all the Bee Gees CDs she has in
-
Date
Chris Moncrieff: PM - a dead duck waddling on wreckage
THERESA MAY achieved the seemingly impossible political feat on June 8: she both won and lost the general election in a single go. How on earth can she or the Tories survive with a minority Government (controversially including some Democratic
-
Date
Comment: 'Blitz spirit' in wake of terror attacks in words but not always in action
WHEN faced with a national crisis many Britons display Churchillian tendencies – at least in their words, if not their deeds. In the wake of the recent terror attacks, a lot of brave-sounding things were spoken about how we must ensure the scumbags
-
Date
Parents pull children out of London school trip in fear of terror attack as one brands decision to go ahead with visit an 'outrage'
CONCERNED parents have criticised a decision to go ahead with a school visit to London in the wake of the recent terror attack. Some parents have already pulled their children out of the three-day trip involving youngsters from primary schools
-
Date
Memorial bench provides place to remember river death teenager at his happiest
A MEMORIAL seat celebrating the life and loves of a teenager who died in the River Wear has been unveiled in his hometown. Cameron Gosling died of cold water shock in July 2015 after he jumped into the river near Bishop Auckland without acclimatising
-
Date
Pensioners in fear of being kicked out of homes as social landlord unveils plan to bulldoze street for private housing
PENSIONERS are living in fear of being turfed out of their cherished homes after a social landlord unveiled plans to bulldoze their street to make way for private housing. Elderly residents in Newton Aycliffe's Clarence Green have vowed to
-
Date
Tees Valley makes national scene after confirmation Venturefest is coming to region
THE Tees Valley will move onto the national innovation stage after securing a place at an event. The area is now part of the Venturefest calendar. Confirmation comes after the Innovate Tees Valley Festival trial event last year, which attracted
-
Date
North-East firms looking to expand but being held back by skills gap - report
COMPANIES across the North-East have vacancies to fill but are being hampered by a skills gap, according to a new report. Latest findings show businesses in Darlington are some of the most willing across the region to add to their workforce.
-
Date
Garry Monk swaps the chaos of life at Leeds for the stability of managing Middlesbrough
GARRY MONK was appointed as Middlesbrough manager a couple of weeks after walking out of his former position at Leeds. Chief Sports Writer Scott Wilson spoke to the new Boro boss at his first press conference, and discovered why he was so keen to swap
-
Date
Middlesbrough boss Garry Monk: 'We need to keep hold of Ben Gibson'
GARRY MONK claims making an immediate return to the Premier League is Middlesbrough’s only ambition next season, and is determined to do all he can to ensure Ben Gibson is part of the club’s squad despite mounting interest in the centre-half. Monk