A MOTORCYCLIST died after an accident involving a horse at the weekend.

Police have still not yet named the biker, who lost control of a blue Yamaha machine south of the Aldborough crossroads on the B6265 road, from Boroughbridge to Green Hammerton, North Yorkshire, before sliding into the horse and its rider on Friday night. Both the biker and the horse died from their injuries. The horse rider was taken to Harrogate District Hospital for treatment and was subsequently released. The accident takes the total number of motorcyclists killed in North Yorkshire police's Eastern Division to 12 since the beginning of the year, nine of them over the past two months.

FOCUS ON EPILEPSY: Developments in diagnosis and treatment will be discussed at a Durham conference organised by Epilepsy Action - the former British Epilepsy Association - on Saturday, June 22. The speakers will cover neuro-surgery and managing epilepsy in children and young adults. The morning session starts at 10am and will focus on medical issues. The afternoon will take the form of workshops, exploring social issues such as employment, special educational needs and welfare benefits. There will also be a chance for people to have a personal consultation with a specialist nurse. The event, at County Hall, costs £10, or £5 for the unwaged, including lunch.

TRUST ISSUE: A free public lecture on who we trust and why will be held at Teesside University this week. Professor Alan Lawton, of the university's business school, will present a lecture entitled Trusting the Public Services and Trust in the Public Services. The event starts at 6.30pm, on Wednesday, in the Europa Building, Woodlands Road, Middlesbrough.

ROYAL ALBUM: A virtual photograph album containing pictures taken during the Queen's Golden Jubilee visit to County Durham has gone online. The pictures have been added to Durham County Council's Internet website - www.durham.gov.uk - where people can also sign the council's jubilee book of congratulations.

CASH BOOST: A group which provides residential and day services for people with mental health problems has received £34,000 in Government cash. As part of the £1.7m Community Fund awards, Darlington Mind will receive the money over three years to pay for a full-time tutor to run its information technology project.

WINNING WAYS: Pupils at English Martyrs School, Hartlepool, are celebrating after winning the town's Secondary Schools Annual Maths Challenge. The competition, organised by Hartlepool College of Further Education Sixth Form Centre, saw entrants from seven schools participate in a two-hour competition requiring pupils to solve a variety of maths questions.

RECRUITS SOUGHT: Darlington Scrabble Club is seeking new members, aged over 15, for games on Tuesday evenings at the Town Hall. Starting at 6.30pm, two games are played per night for a £1.50 fee, but the first night is free. During its eight years in existence the club has raised more than £3,000 for local charities and this year it is helping Darlington Memorial Hospital's SOS appeal. Anyone interested can contact secretary Geoff Howe on (01325) 261894, or turn up on the evening