REVIEWS Simpsons Wrestling. Publisher: Electronic Arts. Format: PS1. (£29.99) HOMER Simpson was recently voted the greatest TV personality of all time. The guys at Electronic Arts must have been whooping with joy. The world's biggest software publisher
POLICE have seized and destroyed 2,000 guns in the North-East during the past year. The weapons were handed in by members of the public or taken by police officers during operations. Between April last year and March this year, the number of guns seized
A HOLIDAY flight that was forced to abort three attempted landings to the terror of its passengers had suffered instrument failure, The Northern Echo can reveal. Axon Airlines, based in Athens, said the flight from Heraklion, in Crete, to Newcastle failed
DURHAM wriggled out of a self-induced mess yesterday and for the fifth time in seven matches are likely to be set a victory target in excess of 300 today. It would have been six had not the final day at Gloucester been ruined by rain, with the one variation
A HOSPICE has paid tribute to a breakfast TV show and a B&Q store for the work they have done on the hospice garden. As part of GMTV's Get up and Give appeal, the barren garden at the Butterwick Children's Hospice, in Stockton, was transformed and
CLEVELAND Police's longest-serving female police officer has retired after 34-and-a-half years. Detective Inspector Marie Norminton, who became the first woman detective constable in Stockton, finished her career yesterday. Her final days were marked
A NORTH-East firm is building strong foundations in Ireland after being awarded the contract for a new library extension at a Dublin college. Baydale Architectural Systems, of Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, has received the £200,000 contract for Trinity
BRITAIN'S worst racehorse is heading for another milestone in its career this weekend - 100 races without a win. Quixall Crossett will be racing at Southwell, near Nottingham, tomorrow and trainer Ted Caine is hoping it will break its duck and be first
A FORMER PE teacher has launched a business passing on her love of mountain biking to young people. Liz Copsey, of Catterick Village, had to postpone the Easter start for her Ride with a Guide sessions, which encourage youngsters to learn safe off-road
AN animal feed company is venturing into new pastures after receiving help from Business Link North Yorkshire. Norfeed UK, which supplies animal feed ingredients to agricultural companies in this country and overseas, is planning to adapt one of its production
A FAMILY has been forced to cut its losses and close its sawmill after setting up business in the region 35 years ago. R Forster and Sons, at Cocklebury Sawmills, in Dalton-on-Tees, near Darlington, will cease trading at the end of the month. The three-acre
NORTH-EAST pubs group Pubmaster has suffered another rebuff in its £450m battle for Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries. The Hartlepool-based group announced that it was extending the deadline on its offer last night because fewer than one in ten shareholders
A PARTY of 30 chemical industry trainees from the African state of Nigeria have arrived in the North-East for a ten-month management training programme. The trainees have been brought to Teesside's Wilton International site by representatives of the Nigeria
THE prospect of huge legal costs has forced a councillor to withdraw objections to proposals for a Safeway mini-mart and off-licence. The case has prompted Middlesbrough MP Ashok Kumar to demand a change in the law, to give those opposing plans by corporations
NEWCASTLE boss Bobby Robson was yesterday seeking clear-the-air talks with West Ham counterpart Glenn Roeder after admitting he was "hurt and distressed'' by claims that he tried to unsettle winger Trevor Sinclair. Former Newcastle skipper Roeder rounded
RAIL watchdogs painted a grim picture of the future for Britain's flagship rail route last night after passengers endured two nightmare journeys in as many days. They fear overcrowded trains and delays could become a regular feature of travelling as the
BRYAN ROBSON last night told Steve McClaren he has the platform for success at Middlesbrough. Robson, who this summer made way for new manager McClaren after seven years as Boro boss, believes the foundations and infrastructure are in place for future
ENGLAND striker Kevin Phillips is gearing himself up for the job of blasting Sunderland into Europe next season. The 27-year-old goal ace, whose 30 Premiership strikes won him the European Golden Slipper award two seasons ago, blames missing his club's
Hundreds of celebrities who love the North-East could be suffering home sick blues over the next few weeks, thanks to another campaign to keep Newcastle and Gateshead buzzin. Postcards from Home - a set of ten images of north and south of the Tyne will
BIG crowds are expected for a North Yorkshire town's Seafest festival this weekend. Attractions lined up at Scarborough harbour for today include seafood cookery demonstrations, music, sports, sand sculpting and a fireworks display. The harbour will also
NORTH Yorkshire Police and Sergeant Nicola Lamb did a very brave thing yesterday. The force announced publicly that it had assisted one of its officers to have a sex change, and that Sgt Lamb was that officer. Both North Yorkshire Police and Sgt Lamb
Simpsons Wrestling. Publisher: Electronic Arts. Format: PS1. (£29.99) HOMER Simpson was recently voted the greatest TV personality of all time. The guys at Electronic Arts must have been whooping with joy. The world's biggest software publisher recently
BUILDING work will finally get under way on Sunderland AFC's long-awaited football academy in coming weeks. The controversial scheme for the proposed £10m Academy of Light won outline planning approval early last year, following a public inquiry. But
Schools across an area of Teesside are in line for a facelift during the next few months. More than £4.6m has been earmarked to pay for improvements to primary and secondary school buildings across the borough of Stockton, this year. The money will fund
A warrant was issued for the arrest of a child welfare campaigner last night after he failed to appear in court to be sentenced for his part in a conspiracy to abduct a child. Stuart Carnie, 37, was due to appear before Newcastle Crown Court along with
A GREIVING mother fighting to prove her soldier son killed himself because of his fear of military police after going AWOL, claims a court martial has proved her right. After 23-year-old Christopher Young stepped into the path of a train, Army officials
A SENIOR magistrate is stepping down from his work with young offenders in protest at Government plans to decrease magistrates' power. David Irwin, chairman of Darlington magistrates bench, has decided not to stand for re-election as deputy chairman of
POLICE are still preparing for a mass invasion of partygoers today despite the cancellation of the Love Parade. More than 250,000 revellers were expected to attend the Radio 1 parade in Newcastle before it was cancelled last weekend because of parking
A POLICE force which was once embroiled in a sexist initiation scandal has announced it has employed two transsexual officers. Sergeant Nicola Lamb - who was previously known as Chris - faced the media at a news conference only days after officers were
FAMILIES keen to get out and about during the summer holidays will be able to take advantage of a bus service from next week. The 402 Badger Bus, operated by Stagecoach Hartlepool, in partnership with Hartlepool Borough Council, will link various parts
FOOTWEAR spanning four centuries will go on show at a North-East museum later this month. The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, County Durham, opens its Fancy Footwear exhibition to the public next Saturday. More than 200 pairs of shoes from the 17th Century
A SERIES of urban walks is being planned in Gateshead to help people stay fit and healthy. And volunteer leaders are being sought to help run the scheme. Health Walks Gateshead is being organised by Gateshead Borough Council, South Tyneside Health Promotion
YOUNGSTERS in County Durham are being offered a free night out to learn about safer sex. A nightclub is opening its doors to teenagers in the Durham and Chester-le-Street areas so they can enjoy themselves and find out about health issues such as avoiding
A RICHMOND youngster, who suffered a stroke when she was two, has thanked the hospital which helped save her life by raising more than £500 for the children's unit. Emma Brown, from the town's Conan Gardens, survived her ordeal thanks to treatment at
THE driver of a car which collided with a bus in Darlington town centre was taken to hospital with head injuries yesterday. The accident happened on Yarm Road at the junction with Hundens Lane at about 12.30pm. The road was blocked for an hour after a
PREPARATIONS are under way to mark Yorkshire Day across the old Cleveland area. Cleveland was set up following a local government reorganisation in the mid-1970s, and was abolished more than five years ago when Redcar and Cleveland, Middlesbrough, Stockton
THE region's top ice hockey club has been handed a £10,000 fine for not paying its players and coach from the end of last season. The Newcastle Jesters and their owners have been ordered to make arrangements to pay the outstanding wages immediately. The
ONLY eight shopping centres in the region are facing prosperous futures, according to research. Economic analysts have ranked 650 UK shopping centres in the UK on the prospects for the year ahead. The centres were ranked on various factors including rental
PROPOSALS for a controversial opencast site have been rejected. Durham County Council received more than 80 objections to plans to extract brickshale and coal from a site at Wheatley Hill, West Rainton. After a site visit yesterday, members of the planning
THE boss of the North-East's newest NHS hospital has called for an end to damaging rumours about the £96m project. Since it opened in April, the privately-financed University Hospital of North Durham has come under attack from trade unions, local MP Gerry
It is high time there was a review of the safety policy in amateur and apprentice races. In the last couple of weeks, both Chester and Pontefract have seen nasty falls in these type of races. These races are important to teach our young jockeys their
VETERAN swimmer Don Bland who was thwarted in his bid for European medal glory more than 50 years ago has finally fulfilled his dream, winning three in one championship - and all gold. The 70-year-old beat off stiff competition at the European Masters
A RAILWAY museum is celebrating the restoration of one of its finest engines. The three-year restoration of the Harton Coal Company's Electric Locomotive E4 has cost £117,000 and been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Resource/Science Museum Prism
HOUSE prices in two neighbouring towns are being driven up because of the impact of last year's devastating floods - and first-time buyers are being hit hard it has been claimed. Experts say that, because of difficulties encountered trying to sell flood-hit
SAINT Swithun would probably not have lasted very long at the Meteorological Office - about as trustworthy as a piece of second-hand seaweed. He was a ninth Century Bishop of Winchester, renowned in death not only for his association with miraculous cures
SAINT Swithun would probably not have lasted very long at the Meteorological Office - about as trustworthy as a piece of second-hand seaweed. He was a ninth Century Bishop of Winchester, renowned in death not only for his association with miraculous cures
TOMMY Widdrington had no qualms about dropping down the divisions to move to Hartlepool from Port Vale - because he is confident he'll soon be back there. Newcastle-born Widdrington was freed by the Potteries club after two years at Vale Park and despite
LITTERBUGS would face harsh punishments if members of the public got their way. A new survey on roadside litter has revealed that 75 per cent of those questioned believe fines are not enough of a deterrent to motorists who throw litter out of their cars
ANTI-nuclear protestors will arrive in Durham City later this month on a 300-mile fundraising walk. The walk is being led by CND president Bruce Kent and chairman Dave Knight, and aims to raise awareness about nuclear weapons and nuclear war. It started
A SENIOR council officer at the centre of a probe into alleged professional misconduct has taken early retirement as part of an internal shake-up in his department. Ron Thompson, operations manager for transport and buildings at Durham County Council's
THE traditional image of a library as a dusty and silent institution is about to be swept away. Durham City's new library, known as the Centre for Lifelong Learning, is due to open in the spring in the Millennium City complex. With three storeys and more
A DENTIST'S plans for customer care have gained her prize-winning recognition within her profession. Emma Cropp, who has worked at the Shildon dental practice, Ashby and Atkinson, for the past year, presented her research to a conference of more than
THOUSANDS of fans have returned their verdict on Middlesbrough Football Club's new away strip. Their choice, a black and blue striped kit, is expected to be a runaway success, its colours evoking memories of the Boro's 1974 championship run. Supermodel
THE jury in the case of a man accused of the killing of a Teesside prostitute has been sent home for the weekend and will resume its deliberations on Monday. Shaun Tuley, 30, of Mannion Court, South Bank, denies murdering Kellie Mallinson, whose asphyxiated
A PAIR of poorly-disguised robbers fled empty-handed after a teenage shop assistant and her grandmother stopped them grabbing the till. Wayne Green and Steven Weldon were yesterday sentenced to five years each in a young offenders' institution after Durham
YOUNG people are facing the prospect of losing a vital support service because funding will soon run out. The Ryedale Detached Youth Project was set up with the aid of Lottery cash three years ago to keep teenagers off the streets. The work, which includes
FARMERS were handed a lifeline last night when officials lifted foot-and-mouth restrictions in County Durham. Middleton-in-Teesdale became the seventh protection zone in the North-East to be lifted, after the area remained disease-free for more than a
BROADCASTER and novelist Melvyn Bragg was in the region yesterday to receive an honorary degree. Lord Bragg, best known as editor and presenter of The South Bank Show, was awarded an honorary doctorate of arts from Sunderland University. The degree was
A PHOTOGRAPHIC exhibition has been mounted charting a ten-month arts project with a group of older people. The project was a partnership between County Durham's Create service, which supports and provides creative activities in residential and day care
We have just got rid of the old daffodil foliage and it's time to think about planting bulbs. Not the colourful harbingers of spring-like tulips and hyacinths, but some of the interesting and less known bulbs of autumn. Colchicums are one of the most
Lucy Sage wrote the biggest cheque of her life the other day. The number of noughts in the sum involved made her so nervous that she admits: "My hand was shaking when I handed it over." That was only the beginning of the 25-year-old actress from Morpeth's
ASYLUM seekers and ethnic communities are being reassured by a police force that a difference in language should not prove a problem. Cleveland Police are promising to have an interpreter on line to help within half a minute of an immigrant or non-English
THE father of murder victim Sara Cameron yesterday made an emotional trip back to the North-East, where she had been studying, to collect her degree. Roy Cameron also awarded the new Sara Cameron Memorial Prize to student Neil McCallum, in memory of Sara's
IT is high time there was a review of the safety policy in amateur and apprentice races. In the last couple of weeks, both Chester and Pontefract have seen nasty falls in these type of races. These races are important to teach our young jockeys their
AS every girl knows, there is no such thing as travelling light. And, as the bellhop struggled manfully with my short-break case, and I witnessed the sheer opulence of the hotel lobby, I breathed a sigh of relief that I had packed so much. The Four Seasons
An incident room has been set up at Sunderland police headquarters, in Gill Bridge Avenue, and detectives want to speak to witnesses to two early-morning incidents in the city. Officers say there was a disturbance in Enid Street, Fulwell, between 1.30am
A warrant was issued for the arrest of a child welfare campaigner last night after he failed to appear in court to be sentenced for his part in a conspiracy to abduct a child. Stuart Carnie, 37, was due to appear before Newcastle Crown Court along with
MEMBERS of the Darlington branch of the Parachute Regimental Association will be renewing their marriage vows at a ceremony today. Among the forces' veterans taking part will be branch president, retired Lieutenant Colonel Leonard Fitzroy-Smith, who has
A NEW out-of-school club for Darlington youngsters has cleared the final hurdle and can open on Monday. Chris and Elaine Humble had to wait until about 5pm yesterday to find out if their adventure, Kids Club 2k, could open as scheduled. They were finally
POLICE have renewed their appeal for information about a man who disappeared while extremely distressed. David Lee Mellor was last seen leaving his Middlesbrough home on July 11. He was wearing a three-quarter length tan leather jacket, a light blue,
A YOUNGSTER is celebrating after winning a competition to design a logo for a Teesside park. Tristan Burdon, nine, was among 300 entrants for the competition, from three schools bordering Stockton's Great North Park. His design will be adopted as the
Q I am unemployed without benefit and we manage on my partner's earnings of £560 a month. Are we entitled to any rebate on our rent of £200 a month and council tax of £733 a year? If so can I have it backdated for the three years I have been out of work
A SENIOR council officer at the centre of a probe into alleged professional misconduct has taken early retirement as part of an internal shake-up in his department. Ron Thompson, operations manager for transport and buildings at Durham County Council's
The City can expect a rollercoaster few days next week as some of the biggest names on the FTSE-100 Index report results. Banks, pharmaceutical and media companies dominate the week, and there should also be crucial updates on the state of the beleaguered
A PASSENGER plane was forced to change course when it came within 600ft of a military jet, it was revealed yesterday. Aviation authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, which happened at 27,000ft, some 60 miles from Newcastle. The
A Darlington side featuring a mix of trialists, youth team players and a smattering of the first team lost 4-1 at Blyth Spartans last night. An entertaining match, the last of the Absolut Print and Design Trophy featuring Ayr United, saw Blyth create
A BUNGALOW specially built for children with learning disabilities has been opened. The Mayor of Sunderland, Councillor Ken Murray, accompanied by the Mayoress, Pat Hunter, opened Meadow Rise and presented the facility with a limited edition painting
A COUPLE who netted more than £5,000 in a betting scam at a small bookmaker's office were both jailed yesterday. Once greyhound and horse races were well under way, punter Paul Milburn wrote out bets which partner Sheila Davison, a part-time cashier,
Letters from The Northern Echo ACADEMY OF LIGHT IN recent times, Sunderland AFC have brought an unprecedented level of positive publicity to the City of Sunderland and the greater North-East via their vast improvement in standards on and off the football
A COMPROMISE has been reached after an 11th hour cancellation of plans to reopen a paths network. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) last week called on Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council to freeze plans to reopen footpaths
COMEDIAN and director Mel Smith says he'd love to return to his North-East roots and make a movie in the region. "I would rather work in Newcastle than Hollywood," admits the chubby funny man whose father's family lived in Tow Law. Smith received many
