IT is impossible to ignore the irony in the timing of last night's Local Heroes Awards 2001. While The Northern Echo was celebrating the stars of grass roots sport - those who compete for the sheer love of it - footballers earning fortunes are threatening
REVIEWS: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Format: PlayStation CD-ROM. Price: £29.99 IT WILL come as no surprise to any one that a video game starring boy wizard Harry Potter will be out in time for Christmas. The franchise was considered so good
Sir, - I refer to two recent reports about residential building in Great Ayton. The first (D&S, Nov 9) was about the council's "compromise" over planning permission on the Reed's garage site, for a two-storey rather than three-storey block of flats
THE Millennium Dome may be doomed, but a Thirsk business is doing very well with its own domes. Power Plastics, in Station Road, Thirsk, has teamed up with designer, Mr John Moon, to provide its own domes - the type of geometric structure most famously
Rhom Hass JOC Youth League - Herrington maintained their 100 per cent record but they were pressed all the way before seeing off the challenge of Lumley 2-1. Michael Fletcher game them an interval lead and in the second period Jamie Bennett also scored
A SENIOR police officer has issued a safety warning to parents who buy their youngsters motorbikes for Christmas. Chief Superintendent John Kelly, of Langbaurgh police, wants all bikes to carry permanent security markings and to be kept in secure places
PUPILS from Yarm preparatory school have returned in triumph from last Sunday's British Schools Orienteering Championships in Sherwood Forest, Nottingham. The school's year five boys' team stormed to the under-10 team title, while the girls' team finished
WE met at 3pm and set off to join the tribute act AbbaMania. Arriving at Sunderland's Empire Theatre, we met our tour manager, Claire, who showed us to our dressing room, which was really exciting. We sat down and relaxed before we were rounded up to
POLICE investigating the body-in-a-suitcase mystery yesterday released more information in the hope it may lead them closer to the killer. The remains of a diminutive woman, no more than 4ft 11ins tall, were found on Sunday, dumped in a hedge on a country
A POLICE officer from Bishop Auckland is one of three bobbies from the region nominated for the prestigious Community Police Officer of the Year Award. They have been chosen by their own forces and are going to be judged on personal skills, initiative
FRENCH raider Baracouda (2.40) is impossible to oppose in this afternoon's £26,000 PricewaterhouseCoopers Hurdle at Ascot. Francois Doumen's smart hurdler was unbeaten in three visits to this country last season, including a spectacular display at the
A GUISBOROUGH swimming group has defended the town's 40-year old pool, which was recently described as an embarrassment. More than 5,000 people have signed a petition calling for a new pool, but the aquafit group feels some comments made at last month's
AS I compile this weekly budget, snow is falling on the hills behind my home. This first taste of winter comprises a chilly blend of heavy rain, sleet, hailstones and very soggy snowflakes and its progress across the moors is aided by a powerful wind
IT is almost as if Sunters had never existed. As a chronicler of the company notes in a recently published book, the name of the famous heavy haulage specialists is not commemorated in any lane, drive or street on the housing estate now occupying the
A NEW deal for patients has been outlined by the president of the General Medical Council (GMC), speaking in the region. Sir Donald Irvine told an audience at Northumbria University that he was hopeful that reforms carried out under his presidency would
A GROUP of swimmers is encouraging people to join its class in a bid to keep a pool open. Guisborough Swimming Pool is at the centre of a campaign to have it replaced because many people believe the town needs more modern facilities. But the pool's Aqua
The question was not unreasonable in the circumstances. "What," I demanded of Matthew Cole, "is your number one film?" He is, after all, the producer and director of The 100 Greatest Films, which occupies six hours of primetime viewing at the weekend.
HAVING her work printed in The Northern Echo has inspired a healer and therapist to get her first book published. Allison Agius, from The Natural Healing Centre in Darlington, has just published her first book, called Hidden Secrets, Buried Treasure.
A HOUSEHOLDER was viciously stabbed after he answered an early-morning knock at his door, a court heard. Malcolm Proctor received six stab wounds during the attack at Longstaff Gardens, South Shields, on July 23. Newcastle Crown Court heard how 28-year-old
VILLAGERS are being given the chance to help draw up a blueprint for their community's regeneration. People in Thornley complained about the uncertain future facing the village after a lack of demand for council houses prompted Easington District Council
Buying charity cards is a great way to spread a little extra seasonal good will around at Christmas time. But how much do the charities make from your cards? It all depends on where you buy them... BEST BET... ...is to buy cards direct from the charity
ANGLO-Norwegian engineering firm Kvaerner, which employs about 1,500 staff on Teesside, needs to raise £20m in the next week. The group, which employs 7,000 UK workers, has asked its banks for the funds to tide it over the rest of the month. Kvaerner
The Northern Echo League Cup took priority and Coundon Forresters and East End WMC still remains to be played, as both sides were in action in the Heart Foundation Cup - thus postponing their preliminary round tie until next month. However, the two other
THE frail 87-year-old victim of a sex assault in her own home waived her right to anonymity yesterday , saying: "I want people to know who I am and what this man has done." Widow Frances Doran was attacked in her ground floor council flat as she lay in
TWO men were taken to hospital after a head-on collision between two vehicles in the early hours of yesterday. Police are investigating the accident, in County Durham, which involved a car and a Royal Mail delivery van. Officers closed the A691 for two
BRITAIN's economy grew by 0.5 per cent last quarter - less than previously thought. Figures from the Office for National Statistics showed gross domestic product in the third quarter of 2001 was revised down from last month's 0.6 per cent estimate. It
EMERGENCY talks are being held to try to avoid an orthopaedic crisis in Darlington and the dales. Health chiefs fear an outpatient bottleneck could arise after fast track GP cash for MRI scans ran out at the end of October. Demand for Magnetic Resonance
Spennymoor caretaker manager Jason Ainsley certainly tasted the bittersweet life of football management at Rossendale on Tuesday night. Ainsley, who was appointed caretaker when Peter Quigley was sacked after the 5-4 victory over Workington at the weekend
THE last local government shake-up - the one involving cabinets and elected mayors - was designed to make the work of councils easier for the public to follow and, as modern parlance would have it, "engage with". The logic was that unless the electorate
HOPES of making any immediate progress on plans for a permanent skateboard park at Northallerton receded yesterday. The Hambleton District Council cabinet rejected another request from the town council for a sub-lease to be granted on a site at Bullamoor
SUPERMARKET chain Safeway posted a nine per cent jump in first-half profits and said shoppers were continuing to respond to its new-look stores. It has refurbished dozens of its supermarkets as part of chief executive Carlos Criado-Perez's strategy to
SHOPPERS in Guisborough are in for a Christmas extravaganza when the town's annual late night opening event takes place on Tuesday, December 4. The event, organised by Guisborough Business Association and Guisborough Town Council, includes a parade with
A man has died after he was swept of a pier while out fishing with a friend. The 47-year-old man was in the sea for half-an-hour before he was rescued - but doctors were unable to save him. The man was fishing off the North pier at Tynemouth before he
RIVAL thespians will be joining forces for a pantomime with a difference at the National Railway Museum, in York, this weekend. The production will be part of a traditional Edwardian Christmas weekend at the attraction. Romeo and Cinderella tells the
A village is hoping a sizeable investment in road safety in the area could bring relative peace and quiet after decades of noise and disturbance caused by heavy traffic. Catterick has been plagued by lorries making their way to and from the A1 from quarry
TWENTY-four hour ambulance cover will be provided in Wensleydale by April 2003, an ambulance trust chief promised this week. Mr Tim Lynch, the new director of patient services for the Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance service NHS Trust (Tenyas)
Brown Shipley North-East Premier League - Invicta Sunderland defeated Durham University 3-1 to go to the top of the Northern division in the NEPL for the first time this season. They have two wins and 12 points from four fixtures and stand one point ahead
Work on a £1.6m scheme to create new industrial land in Northallerton begins next week. Contractors for Hambleton District Council are moving onto the Darlington Road site to turn 19 acres of farmland into prime business plots. And planning chiefs say
Sir, - We warmly welcome the reafforestation scheme at Preston Springs, described by Jill Neill (D&S Oct 19) and congratulate the Woodland Trust for attracting more funding for such schemes in Wensleydale. Even though there is much leeway to be made
HARTLEPOOL chairman Ken Hodcroft is ready to turn the tables on the PFA - by asking the footballers' union to pay his players if they strike. Pool's Division Three clash with Rochdale could be one of only two games in England to go ahead next weekend
THE amazing aspect of various statements made this week about this winter's road gritting and clearing operations in North Yorkshire is not the fact that the county council could be technically "bankrupt" soon. What is amazing is that the council budget
STRIKER Alen Boksic yesterday revealed he wants to stay with Middlesbrough for the rest of his career. The 31-year-old Croatia star, who was signed by former Boro manager Bryan Robson, insists he has never been happier since his £2.5m move from Lazio
Latest from the Vetch Field. Second Half - Swansea City 0 - 1 Hartlepool United Scorer(s) - Lee 21 Bookings - Smith (Swansea) - 35 mins, foul Teams - SWANSEA CITY - 1. Freestone, 5. Smith, 28. Evans, T, 6. Bound, 15. Lacey, 29. Evans, S, 11. Coates, 14
ONE of the biggest challenges facing farmers in Wensleydale is how to win better returns by marketing their own product. Most of the lamb from the dale goes to North Wales, where it is slaughtered, processed and marketed as Welsh lamb. The farmers pay
John Barnwell was 16 when he made his debut for Bishop Auckland, eight months older when he came within 45 bitter minutes of playing in the Amateur Cup final. Now he is chief executive of the League Managers Association, an employees' organisation that
THE advantages of buying local produce were highlighted at a meeting at Scaling Dam last week. The meeting, held at the Grapes, brought together a coalition of local groups which would like to see changes to the supply and marketing of food: East Cleveland
A NORTH YORKSHIRE organisation may demand a public inquiry into the foot-and-mouth outbreak. Devon has held an inquest of its own which criticised the Government's handling of the affair, and the European Parliament is considering more research. Now,
THE rotten state of children's dental health has been revealed in a study of 6,200 five-year-olds, in which 50 per cent had already experienced decay. The census of all state-run County Durham and Darlington schools disclosed figures among the country's
High-riding Darlington RA made it ten wins out of ten at the weekend leaving manager David Woodcock to exclaim: "I cannot believe just how well we have adapted to the Wearside League. It has been an incredible three months and we just seem as if we cannot
AN MP is to table questions in the House of Commons over what he described as the "scandalous" removal of a leading figure in the business world from the board of regional development agency One NorthEast. Kevan Jones, Labour MP for North Durham, will
A YOUTH project focusing on health issues has secured a £500 community grant from the North-Eastern and Cumbrian Co-op. The money will fund equipment for the scheme set up in the D J Evans Youth Centre, at Bowburn, Durham. The project encourages young
Vicious thug Mark Telford was condemned as "sick and twisted" yesterday as he was convicted of shooting two show ponies using his crossbow. He fired lethal 18-inch bolts at the ponies because he was angry after a drunken row with a friend. Prince and
IT may only be a set of knives, forks and spoons but they have just been sold for a cool £52,000. The Lingford Service, a cutlery set with 167 pieces, fetched a world record price at Tennants Auctioneers in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, yesterday. The pieces
CHLDREN at a Consett school have celebrated the official opening of a new field that will mean the end to them having to cross a busy road to enjoy sports. Pupils at St Patrick's RC Voluntary Assisted School have had for years, to trek to reach their
PEOPLE in the Claypath area of Durham City are hoping to halt plans for a new-style nightspot near their homes. Residents were dismayed when a planning inspector granted Luminar Leisure's appeal against Durham City Council's refusal to grant planning
SPECIAL police squads will be on the streets next month to ensure festive revellers stay within the law. The uniformed licensing patrols will be active on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights throughout December and into the New Year to clamp down on
Pupils became craftsmen to create a wooden workbench for a community workshop. The youngsters, from Langbaurgh and Keldholme schools, Middlesbrough, created the redwood bench with the help of tutor Ian Coning. The schools operate an alternative curriculum
Parents are to be canvassed on how they want to see £7m spent on nursery education and support. "We want to consult as many parents as possible," said Frances White, who, with fellow Redcar and Cleveland Council development manager Veronica Harnett will
THOUSANDS of telephone kiosks could be removed to save money. The announcement that government watchdog Oftel is to relax requirements for public phone boxes in urban areas is worrying the Women's Institute. Oftel claims the income from kiosks has fallen
A SCHOOL has been praised following a visit from Government inspectors. Officials from the Office for Standards in Education inspected Rift House primary school, in Hartlepool, in October, and the report said it is "effective and improving". "The headteacher
MRS VANESSA Roberts' trout farm went from receiving thousands of visitors in 2000 to just a trickle this year - all because of foot-and-mouth. Even though the disease did not strike in the area for several months, the public's fear of spreading the disease
STUDENTS at a Darlington college arrived yesterday to find a good news message flashing on television monitors. Interspersed with routine information, they saw: "Well done QE - top college in North-East again." The pat on the back came from Mr David Heaton
SOAP star Denise Welch lit up Newcastle last night as she switched on the city's Christmas illuminations. After a false start, the celebrity, who played barmaid Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street, flicked the switch and the city's streets came alive.
FLUORIDE-enriched milk could soon be available in Darlington schools to help stem an alarming rise in tooth decay. Yesterday Darlington primary care group heard that the borough was among the five worst areas in the country for dental decay in five-year-olds
IF you are brassed off with the TV, why not head for the Bowes Museum tomorrow night and enjoy the sounds of Durham Constabulary Band. The award-winning police band is doing its bit to help raise money for the Macmillan Cancer Relief County Durham Appeal
SHEEP bred in Swaledale were moved to Cumbria after it was discovered they were the only remaining direct bloodline of a flock culled during the foot-and-mouth crisis. The 29 pure-bred Herdwick ewes were granted special licences to allow them to travel
HOCKEY players from Richmond school scored an impressive hat-trick by winning two trophies and securing a place in the national finals of a third - all within a week. The sequence began at Thirsk school, where the boys' under-16 side won the Hambleton
A TALENTED young rock musician is celebrating after signing a recording deal with the world's second biggest record company. Pete Shoulder, who recently turned 18, travelled to London last week to put pen to paper on a six-album contract with the American
HEALTH chiefs are writing to more than 1,300 people who may have had contact with a hospital staff member who had TB. Sunderland Royal Hospital is asking about 100 patients thought to have had prolonged contact with the unidentified person to undergo
CUSTOMER contact centre, Spark Response, plans to create 70 jobs at a new site in Sunderland. The company, which already has operations in Gateshead, handles customer service for blue chip clients, including B&Q and Powergen. The new sales positions
A GUISBOROUGH building site manager has been voted top builder in the North. Eric Rowe, of McLean Homes North East Ltd, won the NHBC (National House Building Council) award for the large category in the regional round of the 2001 Pride In The Job Campaign
Worthington CIU Winter League - The Second Division was the place to find shock results, which left five teams within one point of each other. The leaders, Sherburn Village failed to score a point on their visit to Crowtrees. Peter McGowan was the unluckiest
THE most sophisticated lifeboat in the country has entered service. The new arrival took its place in Redcar, a stone's throw from the world's oldest lifeboat. The Zetland, which celebrates its 200th anniversary next year, sits proudly looking out to
Durham and District League - In the top of the table clash of the only two unbeaten teams, Durham Snooker Club entertained Bowburn Oak Tree B and edged through to an odd point victory. The home side went two up through Paul Brockway and an eight ball
A NORTH Yorkshire theatre where stars ranging from the Beatles and Cliff Richard to Sir Thomas Beecham and Sir Malcolm Sargent have performed has been given a boost towards securing its future. Harrogate's Royal Hall needs £11.2m spending on its crumbling
The Ure's terrific form around Ripon continues and the latest open delivered an outstanding 17 double figured returns, writes JEFF HERBERT. RSPS star Steve Hodson, one of the venue's best over the last decade, scooped another win taking a level 54.0.0
SHOPPERS in Redcar have been granted free car parking in the run up to Christmas. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has announced details of its annual pre-Christmas car parking concession for shoppers. Last year, parking was free after 3pm for four
RESIDENTS in Ferryhill Station are to be asked what they would like to happen to land after homes demolition. Vacant and vandalised properties in The Rows area of the village have been scheduled for demolition. Although the clearance programme may not
Tow Law have turned down a cheeky approach from Bromsgrove to switch their FA Vase tie next month. The former Conference club contacted Lawyers at the weekend and offered to switch the tie. But manager Graeme Forster said: "Bernard Fairbairn, our secretary
SANTA'S Christmas Eve tour of Newton Aycliffe needs a little help this year. Santa has visited every street in the town, handing out sweets to children, for more than 30 years, using seven vans lent by Noble Self Drive of Darlington. This year the company
PEUGEOT Super 106 Cup front-runner Ryan Champion saw his hopes of winning this year's championship dashed when he was beset by gearbox problems on the final round of the series on the recent Banbury Rally in Oxfordshire. The 26-year-old from Castleton
THE UNSUNG work of people who have given their time to help voluntary groups and good causes will be recognised at a one-off event in Durham next month. As the United Nations' International Year of Volunteers comes to a close, the efforts of many unheralded
NEWCASTLE Building Society has beaten strong competition to be named Innovator of the Year at a national awards ceremony. The Newcastle won the Mortgage Finance Gazette awards after being nominated by a reader of the magazine for its work in introducing
FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. The farmers of Teesdale have suffered great losses from the recent storms. Mr Collinson of Wemmergill found 45 sheep dead and 50 are still missing. Mr Peacock of Grainsbeck lost 28 and has a number missing. These are
WE'VE all seen men going through mid-life crises on the big screen - Kevin Spacey in American Beauty immediately springs to mind. But in real life, many men who have symptoms of depression, irritability and tiredness just put it all down to a mid-life
A PRIMARY school is to be the subject of a debate in the House of Commons after an MP fighting to save its reputation secured a half-hour slot. Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar will raise the case of Belmont Primary School, Guisborough
THE UNSUNG work of people who have given their time to help voluntary groups and good causes will be recognised at a one-off event in Durham next month. As the United Nations' International Year of Volunteers comes to a close, the efforts of many unheralded
KATE Winslet is at it again, gushing about her new man and the meaning of life and love. Doesn't she realise by now that all her ill thought-out words will come back to haunt her? She once told us it was sexy to be round and then lost loads of weight.
SPORTSMEN seem less and less inclined to retire gracefully. Gazza continues to make a fool of himself by saying he wants to play in the World Cup, Lennox Lewis is prepared to risk having his ears bitten off by Mike Tyson, and golfers go on forever. After
A COUPLE who hoped that a small housing development would raise money to allow them to restore a water mill have had their plans rejected. David Clark spoke of his frustration after the latest setback for him and his wife, Carol, in their attempt to get
THE freehold of one of Darlington's prime retail sites has been sold for £2.35m. Henderson Global Investors has sold the investment in Pearl Assurance House, in High Row, to private investors. In a strong position close to The Cornmill Shopping Centre
A SWEDISH massage and medical gymnastics practice at Beamish Museum was the unlikely venue for the launch of this year's Spirit of Innovation Awards. Chairman of the awards, Frank Nicholson, and David Howell, director of operations at the North East of
The country's biggest teaching union has backed the findings of a survey which found that attacks on staff by parents is on the rise in the region. The National Union of Teachers said it was "worried and alarmed" by an increasing number of assaults on
A DECADES-old cab stand that was written off has been restored to its rightful place in Ripon city centre. The wrought iron structure had stood in the market place since the days when taxis were pulled by horses. It was used as a shelter by generations
MY wife's eyes were red. She'd been watching the news - the unthinkably tragic news - with our two oldest children. "Can you pop up and say goodnight, they're a bit upset," she said as I arrived home late from work. They had sat in silence, listening
FIVE market traders, dubbed the Metric Martyrs, face an anxious wait for the outcome of their High Court battle which arose because they refuse to trade in kilogrammes, preferring pounds and ounces. Two judges, sitting at the High Court in London, yesterday
A PARTNERSHIP between Durham Constabulary and Darlington Borough Council has come in for praise from Government inspectors. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) described the recently formed Youth Offending and Community Safety Service (YOCCS
A WOMAN with a mental age of six who was sent to a mental hospital without limit of time after fatally stabbing a man, has failed in a test case challenge to her detention. Heather Grant, 39, was found unfit to stand trial on a charge of murdering her
MEMBERS of a watchdog have decided to forgo a pay rise - for the time being. Under current Home Office rules members of police authorities are allowed to claim £17 an hour in allowances - with the annual maximum set at £7,500 for members and £11,250 for
STOCKTON Borough Council yesterday announced which of its four remaining old peoples' homes face closure. Belasis, in Billingham, and Tithebarn, in Hardwick, Stockton, could close if the council's cabinet passes the proposals on December 6. Rosedale,
ARTIST and designer Ingrid Sylvestre is sticking her neck out with her latest drawings and paintings. Ingrid has adopted the giraffe as a feature of her work and is expanding the range of designs. She began using the giraffe symbol following a chance
MEET Digit, the new soap star tawny owl, who made a guest appearance on the TV series Emmerdale last week. The owl, reared at the falconry centre at Sion Hill Hall, near Thirsk, played a prominent part in one of the latest storylines of Yorkshire Television's
BRITAIN's fourth largest mobile phone operator, One2One, is axing more than 900 jobs. The cuts amount to about 13 per cent of its 7,000 strong UK workforce. Almost half will be spread across its five call centre operations, including one employing 1,000
YOUNGSTERS in east Cleveland have turned planning a school playground, into child's play. Pupils at Skelton Junior School submitted their own designs for the layout of their playground and are being fully consulted on the project, and involved in the
TV VET Steve Leonard had bad news for fans of his popular series Vets in Practice and Ultimate Killers when he joined North-East youngsters on a mini-beast safari yesterday. After five years of sharing a screen with every wild and tame creature imaginable
DRINKERS at a newly refurbished pub saw double when ten sets of identical twins turned up at the Gretna Green in Newton Aycliffe. Pictured with manager Ben Duley are, from left, (back row) Kelly and Claire Johnson, 16 from Bishop Auckland; Ashleigh and
Reviews: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Format: PlayStation CD-ROM. Price: £29.99 IT WILL come as no surprise to any one that a video game starring boy wizard Harry Potter will be out in time for Christmas. The franchise was considered so good
A man who was caught with 145 cannabis plants in his bedroom is facing a jail sentence. Kevin Roache, 54, of Middlesbrough, told a jury that he slept in another bedroom and he did not know the 3ft high plants were there. He said that he let two men he
COUNCILLORS hoping to welcome people to Bedale with an expensive new Christmas lighting setpiece at one entrance to the town have suffered a setback. The setpiece will not be ready in time for the official switch-on of lights in the town tomorrow afternoon
Letters from The Northern Echo REGIONAL GOVERNMENT IN reply to two of your correspondents on the proposals for regional government (HAS, Nov 10), perhaps it is time for a Royal Commission to frame a written constitution, but there is no need to wait for
UNDERCOVER police watched as dozens of people called at a house to buy heroin, a court heard. Officers saw up to 15 callers a day visiting the home of Wayne English, in Walker Drive, Bishop Auckland, during the surveillance operation in the last week
The club's mini-athletes had chance to shine at the Minor Athletes Indoor Meeting held at Monkton Stadium Jarrow on Sunday, November 11. Scott Thornton who is only eight years old competed for the first time for the club and had an excellent debut, Scott
THE worries expressed to an MP by more than 100 farmers at a crowded meeting in Thirsk have been taken up with Mrs Margaret Beckett, the Secretary of State for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs. Miss Anne McIntosh, MP for the Vale of York, slammed
SPORTSMEN seem less and less inclined to retire gracefully. Gazza continues to make a fool of himself by saying he wants to play in the World Cup, Lennox Lewis is prepared to risk having his ears bitten off by Mike Tyson, and golfers go on forever. After
KATE Winslet is at it again, gushing about her new man and the meaning of life and love. Doesn't she realise by now that all her ill thought-out words will come back to haunt her? She once told us it was sexy to be round and then lost loads of weight.
Buying charity cards is a great way to spread a little extra seasonal good will around at Christmas time. But how much do the charities make from your cards? It all depends on where you buy them... BEST BET... ...is to buy cards direct from the charity
John Barnwell was 16 when he made his debut for Bishop Auckland, eight months older when he came within 45 bitter minutes of playing in the Amateur Cup final. Now he is chief executive of the League Managers Association, an employees' organisation that
A POLICE investigation has been launched into allegations that Army top brass intimidated witnesses during the trial of a soldier accused of smuggling CS gas canisters into the UK. The trial of Sergeant Michael Grundy, based at Catterick, North Yorkshire
IN-FORM Hartlepool United wingers Darrell Clarke and Paul Smith joined forces last night to sing the praises of Gordon Watson. The former Premiership striker has netted eight goals since moving to Pool in September and is relishing the service from Smith
A very impressive Craig Shaw victory was the main attraction of a hugely successful evening for the Darlington Boxing and Martial Arts Academy last weekend. The club held their biggest ever Thai-boxing show at the town's Dolphin Centre on Sunday - hundreds
A TODDLER drowned in the two minutes his father's back was turned. In those tragic moments, 18- month-old Robbie Lambert dropped his favourite toy bucket in the garden pond and decided to recover it himself - with fatal results. At an inquest yesterday
A "GREEN" graveyard is to be created in a field north of Brown Hill House, Westerdale. The farmer, Mr Jonathan Murray, wants to create the graveyard as a diversification to farming to help with his economy. The field will still be grassed and harvested
THEY'VE all wet the bed from time to time when they were little. Our eldest even managed to wet the bathroom scales which he mistook for the toilet in the wee small hours when he was a toddler. Another time, one of my shoes got nicely soaked. But in Max
STAFF at a new hospital hope to spread festive cheer among poor children across the world this Christmas. Nurses and back-up staff at Durham's University Hospital of North Durham, which opened earlier this year after the closure of Dryburn Hospital, have
A GUISBOROUGH man who has made himself an expert on the law surrounding rights of way has been given a top award by the British Horse Society. Dr John Sugden has received the Bodynfoel Award for the person who has done most to promote the society. He
Tow Law Bass - In the top of the table clash Newhouse Club were able to strengthen their lead at the top after they beat the visiting second placed, Esh Stag's Head by three points. After the trebles were shared, the home side had singles wins from Dave
MOTORISTS are being warned not to dump credit card receipts in forecourt bins following a spate of fraud incidents. Detective Sergeant Paul Richardson from Redcar CID said that motorists paying for petrol by credit or debit card are throwing the slips
A TEENAGE burglar who targeted a bungalow partly renovated, garages and outbuildings in his home village was bailed to await sentence yesterday. Harrogate magistrates called for probation reports to be prepared on Simon Woodhouse, 18, of Springwell Farm
THE system for handling asylum seekers in the North-East is verging on collapse following a massive increase in the numbers arriving in the region, an investigation by The Northern Echo has revealed. Charity workers have told how they are desperately
FAMILY doctors' referrals to a body scanning service are being scrapped because of funding problems, despite a £318,000 boost which appears to have solved overspend difficulties. Darlington Primary Care Group (PCG) received a warning from financial advisor
PARENTS kept their heads as they lost their locks for charity last week. A sponsored head shave was just one of many events staged at Auckland Youth and Community Centre in Bishop Auckland to raise money for Children in Need. Sure Start Wear Valley, which
TWO young men and a teenage girl have appeared in court in connection with an attack on a Kosovan, which left the refugee fighting for his life with multiple fractures of the skull. Paul Lee Waugh, 20, Lee Warren Dawson, 18, and a 17-year-old Middlesbrough
In the battle of the two unbeaten teams, Deepdale found themselves on the wrong end of a 6-1 pasting by The Royal. This was a performance, described by Mike Swales, the secretary of The Royal, as the best from his side for a long, long time and one of
BCTG. - Dec 17: Dressage clinic with Patsy Bartram. Open to non-members. Dec 17: Christmas meal. For details phone Connie on 01325 332685. Bedale Hunt. - Dec 10: Inter-hunter trial at Richmond EC, 11am. Open to all. Jan 4: Fun day at Richmond EC, 11am
A VILLAGE will be lit up for the first time over the festive period. Carlin How has never before had Christmas lights and decorations, but local residents group Change (Carlin How Against Neglected General Environments) has raised enough cash to buy just
FARMERS may need to get much closer to their customers in the wake of the foot-and-mouth crisis. Mr Charlie Moir, divisional veterinary manager for the whole of the Highlands and the Western Isles, told the annual meeting of the North Riding and Durham
A CHARITY is asking people to open up their homes to provide accommodation. Redcar-based charity Nightstop, which covers the East Cleveland area as well as Middlesbrough, Stockton and Billingham, aims to help young people who are homeless by providing
A NEWTON Aycliffe school is to hold a Christmas family learning morning after the success of previous events. Woodham Community Technology College is hosting the morning on December 1, from 10.30am to 1pm. There will be a series of family workshops in
AT THE Rural Recovery seminar at county hall in Durham City yesterday, Teesdale District Council chief executive, Mr Charles Anderson, responded to comments by Dr John Bridge, chairman of One North-East, that tourism was the key to diversification for
Sir, - Messrs Nicholson and Pratt (D&S letters, Nov 16), while indulging in petty insults unworthy of serious debaters (my views do not "distort" the truth but simply express a different opinion and as a student of international politics for over
NEWCASTLE United manager Bobby Robson has added Colombian international Freddy Grisales to his list of midfield targets. Grisales, who is jointly owned by Atletico Nacional in his native country and Argentina's San Lorenzo, is said to be the subject of
INCREASED business has led a Darlington company to expand and buy more equipment. Spray Tech Paint Coatings has occupied premises on the Lingfield Estate since it was established in 1996 then, earlier this year, partners Mr John Tindall and his wife,
POLICE are warning parents to be on their guard after a nine-month-old baby almost drowned in the bath. The girl was sitting in a safety bath ring, consisting of a plastic seat with suction pads to secure it to the bath. The safety ring is sold in catalogue
GRAND National hero Red Marauder was back in the limelight this week as he paraded at trainer Norman Mason's stables at an event sponsored by Martell to launch the build-up to next year's Aintree spectacular. Mason, who also owns the 11-year-old gelding
THE equestrian world has lost two well-known characters - William Braithwaite, who was whipper-in to the Wensleydale, and Mervyn Ramage, the Clydesdale enthusiast. Mr Braithwaite, aged 64, became first whipper-in to Maurice Bell of the Wensleydale Foxhounds
A DOCTOR treating an unemployed telesales man for depression was unaware his patient was storing up anti-depressant tablets so he could kill himself. James Baker, 49, left a suicide note absolving Redcar GP James Bentley from blame. Police found the letter
TALENTED songwriter Dave Paterson has a contract with a Nashville recording company, but few outside his home town have heard of him. Self-employed Dave, of Dormanstown, said: "I've been writing and arranging songs for as long as I can remember. It's
SKATEBOARDING plans have been backed by town councillors at Pickering despite objections from some residents. The council agreed to look at providing a skateboard park, possibly near the town's swimming pool, and to welcome moves to improve conditions
GREAT AYTON could have a new multi-purpose community centre, if there is enough public support. Such a scheme could answer long-running calls for improved leisure provision in the village, where there has been a long-running debate about recreational
Big-hearted fund-raisers pulled an eight-ton single-decker bus at the weekend to help to pay for a two-and-a-half-year-old girl's medical treatment. Sophia Carter, who suffers continuous unexplained epileptic seizures, is flying to the United States next
FOOTBALL league pioneer The Reverend Kip Watson was last night crowned the outstanding Local Hero of 2001. Kip was presented with the prestigious award at The Northern Echo Local Heroes Awards 2001 at a packed Tall Trees Hotel, near Yarm. The event, co-sponsored
Women just can't resist firemen. Those lean, muscular bodies, grimy and sweaty after hosing down a burning building, are enough to bring every woman out in beads of perspiration. Cleveland fire brigade have raised thousands of pounds for charity recently
THE hunt is on to find former soldiers of the Green Howards 2nd Battalion for a 50th anniversary celebration. It is being held to mark the formation of the battalion at Streatlam Camp, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, on April 3, 1952. Organisers are
FRIENDS and colleagues have paid tribute to Councillor John Sedgwick, who died on Wednesday after a long battle against illness. Coun Sedgwick, 74, was elected to represent the Thickley ward on Sedgefield Borough Council in a 1998 by-election and re-elected
A CLEVELAND parish council has lost patience over the impact of an ancient fair on its community. Egglescliffe says it has had enough of problems linked to the annual Yarm fair in October. At a special meeting next month, representatives will for the
Redcar and Cleveland Council is to ask a firm to pay its cleaning bill after 150 gallons of cream poured on to a main road. The incident happened last Tuesday tea-time on the A171 Teesside to Whitby road. An Associated Co-operative Creameries lorry travelling
THE restoration of confidence and the promotion of assurance schemes are two of the keys to the future of the British pig industry. In a submission to Sir Donald Curry's Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food, the British Pig Executive also
TOMMY Taylor's quest to revive an ailing Quakers team really began to gather pace this week with two narrow victories. Darlington recorded their third 1-0 win in succession when a controversial penalty converted by new £10,000 signing Ian Clark was enough
THE blanket closure of footpaths in the Yorkshire Dales has been lifted, although land where cases of foot-and-mouth disease were confirmed will remain off-limits until further notice. Yesterday's announcement follows an earlier decision to lift blanket
THE most promising wordsmiths in Redcar and Cleveland are being sought for a competition, organised by Cleveland Arts. The City Learning Centre for Redcar and Cleveland is hosting a performance, poetry and spoken word competition for young poets, rappers
WEEKEND reports of a mother having two children within nine months sounded all too familiar for a Loftus woman. For Mrs Sylvia Swan had two boys within 266 days and she feels the births should have gone into the Guinness Book of Records at the time in
A man was treated for smoke inhalation after a fire at a house in Darlington in the early hours of this morning. Firefighters and an ambulance crew were called to the terraced house in Lewes Road at 12.44am. The back room of the ground floor was severely
A NEW exhibition on Chester-le-Street in the late nineteenth century is painting a picture of a cosmopolitan town bustling with life. Based on the 1891 census, the display reveals a town enjoying a boom time of clubs and societies, and an influx of visitors
Tommy Taylor yesterday began a mini clear-out as Darlington striker Adam Marsh joined UniBond League side Whitby Town on a month's loan, while three others have been told they can leave. Dutch goalkeeper Frank van der Geest, French centre-back Alex Jeannin
A NEW classroom is well on the way for a Darlington school. In September, Dorman Long Construction, a division of Cleveland Bridge in Darlington, gave a unique £15,000 steel framework classroom to Gurney Pease primary school in Dodsworth Street. In just
THE first permanent orienteering course in Richmondshire will be opened at Catterick Garrison next weekend. Cleveland Orienteering Klub has been talking to the district council for two years about expanding into the dales area. The only one of its kind
FARMERS in the North-East face a lean winter in the aftermath of the foot-and-mouth epidemic. Although many restrictions imposed in rural areas have been lifted, the knock-on effects of the outbreak are expected to linger for years in farming communities
Durham League - First division teams were scheduled to play the first round games of the Division One Cup this week, but for varying reasons two Teesside derbies were cancelled. This left only one game, a tie which saw East Durham and Houghall College
