Boiling eggs spark blaze

FIREFIGHTERS were called out after a student put a pan of eggs on to boil - and then wandered off. Two fire engines attended the University of Durham halls of residence, in East Drive, Teesdale, Thornaby, on Saturday after smoke alarms went off just after 4pm.

Stockton fire station sub-officer Colin Robinson said: "The eggs were left cooking away merrily and then burst into flames as they do if the water boils dry. There was too much smoke in the kitchen for the students to go into so we removed the pan and ventilated the place. They were allowed back in straight away. No one owned up to it."

CLAY PIGEON CLUB: Hartlepool Borough Council has received a planning application from Oak Lodge, Four Acre Farm, Brierton Lane, Hartlepool, to use the land as a clay pigeon shooting club. The club would operate between 11.30am to 2pm at weekends and from 6.30pm to 8.30pm on Wednesdays. In addition, the club would also be open from 10am to 4pm on two days during the week.

CABARET DATE: Students and staff at St Mary's College, Middlesbrough, will take to the stage for a cabaret night in the college library on Thursday, March 14, at 7.30pm. Tickets, priced at £3, are available from the college reception in Saltersgill Avenue or by calling (01642) 814680.

CHEF APPOINTED: Gisborough Hall, Guisborough, has appointed Sean Ballington as its head chef ready for its reopening later this month. Mr Ballington, 34, will be part of the senior management team, in charge of nine other chefs.

EDITOR NAMED: A Middlesbrough man has been chosen to edit The Bulletin - the in-house magazine of the Western Front Association. Stan Grosvenor, 63, of Egton Avenue, Nunthorpe, is already editor of the Cleveland Western Front Association's journal.

CHARITY GIG: The Mosaic Singers will perform at the Ann Charlton Lodge, in Redcar, tomorrow to raise funds for the local branch of the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Tickets for the concert, which starts at 7.30pm, are £2 and can be bought at the door.

NEW ASSESSOR: Julie Muir, from Norton, has joined the Stockton Warm Zone team as an assessor. She will be responsible for visiting homes in the borough of Stockton to see if they qualify for help