Arson probe after barn fire

CHILDREN are believed to be responsible for a blaze which destroyed a farmer's store of hay. About 75 bales of hay and 40 bales of straw were destroyed and the barn they were stored in was gutted. Police are now investigating the fire, which broke out at Meryl Gardens, in Hartlepool, on Wednesday night. Children had earlier been chased away from the area by police, who are investigating the blaze.

DOG CALLS: Middlesbrough Council is becoming increasingly concerned about the growing number of dog owners moving house without either notifying the council or the Kennel Club, which operates a national registration scheme of their new address. This means the council is unable to return microchipped strays or lost dogs to their owners. Earlier this year, the council was presented with an award for the numbers of dogs it had saved from being destroyed through microchipping.

JAYNE TOP: Jayne Dale is the queen of karaoke after beating 13 contestants to be crowned Pubmaster Pub Idol 2003. She entered the competition through The George pub, in Eston, where the final was held. She won £300 for her versions of I Will Always Love You and River Deep, Mountain High. Craig Smith, from the Lord Nelson, Stockton, was second. Jenny Keane, representing Stockton's Oxbridge Hotel, and Angela Robinson, from the Halfpenny, Middlesbrough, shared third place.

IRISH CONFERENCE: Terry and Gill Owens, the husband and wife team behind the InBiz business support group, in Stockton, are attending an international small business conference in Belfast this week. Mr Owens is delivering a paper on getting unemployed people into self employment, while his wife will join a working group looking at entrepreneurship, education and culture.

Healthy dinners: Cooks at Thornaby Community School have become the first in Stockton borough to be given a Gold Level award, meeting national healthy school standards which have been laid down by the Government.