A WANDERING moorland sheep was partly to blame for a crash in which a motorcyclist was killed, an inquest was told.

A verdict of accidental death was recorded on steelworker Graham Brown, 46, of Ingleby Barwick, Teesside, who collided with the rear of a car that had stopped on a road across Danby Moor when a sheep walked out, North Yorkshire East Coroner Michael Oakley was told. Mr Brown and his machine were thrown into the path of a car travelling in the opposite direction.

LET'S REMEMBER: North-East firefighters will hold two ceremonies to remember US colleagues who died in the Twin Towers atrocity. Wreaths will be laid outside fire stations in Pilgrim Street, Newcastle, and Railway Row, Sunderland, on September 11, after a minute's silence at 3.30pm. Canon Chris Savage will conduct a commemorative service at Christ Church with St Ann's, Shieldfield, Newcastle, from 12.30pm.

RESEARCH AWARDS: The annual presentation day of the North of England faculty of the Royal College of General Practitioners and Northern Primary Care Research Network will be held at Collingwood College, Durham, on Thursday, November 14, from 9.30am to 4.30pm. There will be more than 40 primary care research presentations, including general practice and academic centres within Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Teesside and Northumbria universities.

DEVELOPER PLEA: South Tyneside Borough Council is looking for a developer to build a high quality housing estate on a ten-acre site in the centre of Jarrow. A comprehensive development brief requires any developer to achieve a 25 per cent proportion of affordable housing and a further 20 per cent for people with disabilities.

SCHOOL REUNION: Former pupils of the now closed Saltscar Secondary School, who left in 1988, are invited to a reunion at Station Hotel, Redcar, east Cleveland, on Saturday, September 28, at 7.30pm. Call Paula Osbourne on (01642) 474432 for details.

FAMILY SHOW: Watershed Productions is performing Winnie the Witch at Darlington's Civic Theatre, from September 25 to 28. Tickets cost £10 adults, £8 children, and can be booked on (01325) 486555.

ARTS CONTEST: Early Learning Centres in the North-East are running a competition to find the best toy in their new autumn and winter range by encouraging budding artists to draw or paint their choices. Winners in the prize draw at the Durham, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Newcastle and Sunderland stores will be presented with their favourite toy.

COUNTRY NIGHT: Double AA American Linedance is holding a country and western night to the sounds of Magill, on Saturday, September 14, in the Civil Service Club, Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, starting at 7.30pm. For ticket information, ring Alan or Angie on (01748) 833844.

FLATS ARSON: Firefighters gave oxygen to one of two men who escaped from flats on Teesside following an arson attack. The blaze was started in a settee placed outside the flats in Kelloe Close, Hardwick, Stockton, for collection. Smoke spread into the building through a window that may have shattered with the heat of the flames.