Man injured in brawl

A MAN will spend Christmas in hospital after suffering serious facial injuries in a weekend brawl. Surgeons at Middlesbrough General Hospital operated on the 20-year-old man, from Bishop Auckland, County Durham, who had his jaw, cheekbone and nose broken and lost several teeth in the incident, at 9.15pm on Friday in Bishop Auckland market place. A man in his late 20s has been arrested and released on bail while police make further inquiries.

Pedestrian critical: A 29-year-old pedestrian, hurt as he crossed the road in the early hours of Friday morning, was still fighting for his life in hospital last night. Graham Stainton, of Regent Avenue, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, suffered serious head injuries in the accident, on the town's Skipton Road, just after midnight. His condition was described as critical, in Leeds General Infirmary. The driver of a silver Rover involved in the collision was treated for shock. Police are hoping to trace the drivers of two other vehicles who stopped at the scene. Anyone with information should call PC Rob Roberts on (01423) 539396.

GET WALKING: People who pile on the pounds this Christmas will be able to burn off some calories with a Festival of Winter Walks organised by the Ramblers' Association. Among them is a ten-mile east circular walk around Barnard Castle, County Durham, on Boxing Day, from 8.30am. Walkers should meet at Barnard Castle post office and have dogs on leads. For information call (01388) 768404. On Sunday, there will be a nine-mile circular walk from Darlington health centre, Park Place at 8.45am. No dogs allowed.

TRAVEL PASSES: Since half-price concessionary fares scheme for pensioners and the disabled came into operation in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, in June, more than 13,000 passes have been issued by the borough council, figures reveal. The passes entitle people to travel anywhere in the county at half-fare.

STRESSED OUT: A third of staff on sick leave at Darlington Borough Council are suffering from stress or depression, according to a report into sickness levels. However, staff union Unison said that sickness levels in general are quite low.

Speaker offer: The North Eastern Prison After Care Society, the charity that helps offenders, ex-offenders and their families, can supply speakers to groups who want to know more about its work. For further information call 0191-384 3096.

PILGRIM PATH: Hundreds of modern-day pilgrims will be taking part in a Boxing Day hike from Ripon Cathedral to Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire. The walk will leave the cathedral at 10.40am, led by the Bishop of Ripon, the Right Reverend John Packer.

Museum music: Alison Strange will be performing music written by Franck and Beethoven for violin and piano at the dli - formerly the DLI Museum and Durham Art Gallery - at Aykley Heads, Durham, on Wednesday, January 16 at 1pm. Tickets cost £3.50.

Top monitors: Vicki Willis, Joe Beeby, Harry Wallace and Rebecca Bland, pupils at St Margaret's Church of England School in Durham, have won awards from school milk company Cook Milk at School for their role as milk monitors.

in colour: The first Yellow Pages directory to feature full colour advertisements has been launched in Middlesbrough, where it is being delivered to homes and businesses. There will be 78 editions printed to cover towns and cities the length and breadth of the UK. It is 35 years since the first edition was launched in Brighton.

Extra classes: Extra classrooms are to be provided at Scarborough St Augustine's RC secondary school, North Yorkshire, at a cost of £1.2m. The Department of Education and Skills has told headteacher Roger Cannon that six classrooms can be built, including a new science block. He said that numbers at the 410-pupil school are likely to grow by about 30 a year in the foreseeable future.

LAND GROUP: Two leading members of the North-East branch of the Country Land and Business Association are to sit on one of the organisation's top national committees. William Salvin, North-East branch chairman, of The Estate Office, Egglestone Abbey, Barnard Castle, and regional committee member Mark Nicholson, of Harbour House, Plawsworth, are to join the group's legal and parliamentary committee.