Archive

  • Romance wins the day

    A TEACHER who introduced a romantic English custom to German youngsters is to be honoured. Joyce Shaw, 57, who teaches music at Greencroft School in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, was one of two teachers from the region to win a place on a pilot teacher

  • Driver arrested over road tragedy

    A MAN has reported to police after a grieving family appealed to a car driver involved in a hit-and-run to step forward. Wayne Walker, 33, of Springwell Village, near Washington, Wearside, was driving his horse and trap on Sunday, when it was involved

  • Budget airline decision may provide lift for whole region

    MILLIONS of pounds of investment and hundreds of jobs are about to come to the region thanks to one of the most crucial advances in Teesside International Airport's history. As revealed by The Northern Echo, budget airline bmibaby has chosen the airport

  • Rotary awards

    SIXTH formers who passed their exams with flying colours and found time to help in their community have received an award. Chester-le-Street Rotary Club presented Frank Baddiley Awards to pupils from the town's schools who had excelled at their GCSE exams

  • School celebrating £4.1m windfall

    A SECONDARY school will open its doors to the whole community after a multi-million pound revamp to bring it into the 21st century. St John's RC Comprehensive School in Bishop Auckland, is celebrating a windfall of £4.1m from the Department for Education

  • Uneasy Street

    Once upon a time Albert Square was the most dangerous place in Soapland as the Mitchell brothers carved out a Kray-like criminal kingdom. These days Walford seems like Disneyland compared to Weatherfield, where the cobbled streets are awash with blood

  • Slowly but surely - Blue Peter is on its way

    IT travelled at little more than a snail's pace, cumbersomely winding its way through the moors before tentatively venturing on to the Great North Road. Chances are that the odd motorist also took exception as the awe-inspiring mass lurched slowly towards

  • Soldiers appeal for aid

    BRITISH soldiers fighting in Iraq have issued a plea to their County Durham relatives to send them basic essentials such as toilet roll and painkillers. Corporal Andy Aitken, 36, who heads the uniformed services course at Derwentside College in Stanley

  • Awards for top students

    PUPILS at a Chester-le-Street school are being awarded prizes for their hard work. Roseberry Sports and Community College, formerly Roseberry Comprehensive School, is holding its annual awards evening this Thursday at 7pm. A-level and GCSE certificates

  • News in brief: Sporting date for youngsters

    ABOUT 70 North-East teenagers have flown to Hungary for a tri-nation challenge against their hosts and youngsters from France. Teams from the Hermitage School, Chester-le-Street, Greenfield School and Community Arts College, Newton Aycliffe, Durham Johnston

  • Ancient art has plenty of horse power

    A DEMONSTRATION of the ancient art of horse-logging was revived for aspiring forestry workers this week. Students studying for a National Certificate in Arboriculture at East Durham and Houghall College, on the outskirts of Durham, organised the display

  • McCarthy turns the spotlight on squad

    SUNDERLAND manager Mick McCarthy yesterday gathered his players around him to remind them that swingeing job cuts at the club are a direct result of their failings this season. The Black Cats, who will be relegated from the Premiership tomorrow if they

  • Army woos recruits

    A SERGEANT from Guisborough is leading a team of Army recruiters from the Green Howards. The team will be out and about in the North-East over the coming months with their new roadshow encouraging young people to consider a career in the modern, technologically-advanced

  • School team enjoys regional win

    A SCHOOL cricket team is celebrating its successful achievement at a regional tournament. The Stanley School of Technology's Under 16 team beat off tough competition from 31 other schools and scooped the winning trophy at the Yorkshire Indoor Cricket

  • All the world's a stage

    SURELY it must have been stage-managed. The Boat Race and a Grand Prix could not possibly have upstaged the Grand National without outside interference. Both were dead in the water, the subjects of ridicule rather than the extraordinary expectation which

  • £60m deal for new schools

    A MULTI-MILLION pound public private partnership is to build five new schools on Teesside. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has been given the all-clear from the Government to proceed with a £60m education improvement programme. A private contractor

  • When bald is a four-letter word

    Bald (C4) A busy night on the telly, Tuesday. The start of a new series with people agonising about being 40 (been there, done that), and another about discarding First Wives (still got the original, no interest there). All of which meant a programme

  • Future is on the line for historic rail site is on the line

    PLANS to build a new link road beside what is believed to be the world's oldest railway booking office have provoked anger. The road, which will link Ingleby Barwick to Stockton, will run past the original booking office of the Stockton and Darlington

  • Voters look out for special delivery

    VOTERS in Stockton are urged to watch out for a special delivery on Sunday. Stockton Borough Council is taking part in a pilot scheme in next month's local elections when every elector will be voting by post only. The ballot papers will be delivered by

  • Caring readers help child with leukaemia

    Offers of help are still coming through for a little girl with leukaemia, whose chance to go on a dream holiday were nearly dashed. Caring readers of The Northern Echo rushed to the rescue of five-year-old Vicki Jones, from Waldridge near Chester-le-Street

  • She's a celebrity - kick her out of here

    IT girl Tara Palmer-Tompkinson kicked up a fuss in a sports store yesterday - and ended up getting the boot. Accident-prone Tara, 31, a star of TV's I'm a Celebrity - Get Me Out of Here, had been asked to open the £50m Dalton Park shopping complex in

  • Durham rejig cup plan

    THE Durham Cup final will be put back 24 hours to Sunday, April 27 unless Blaydon win their National Three North match at Tynedale tomorrow. Blaydon need to win one of their two remaining games to be sure of avoiding relegation and as they recently lost

  • Dream trip for Vicki

    A LITTLE girl with leukaemia had hopes of a dream holiday nearly dashed when a holiday company that had pledged to raise money for her disappeared. Bryan and Carol Jones, parents of five-year-old Vicki, thought their dreams had come true when an organisation

  • No need to ask the audience for real winners

    THE Millionaire trial that has been taking centre stage at Southwark Crown Court has provided some light relief over recent weeks but I am at a loss as to why the public should be footing the bill. I have never been a fan of Big Brother but I seem to

  • War medal is finally awarded

    A SECOND World War Royal Air Force man has finally received a service medal for his exploits - 58 years after the end of the war. Great-grandfather Leslie Iceton, 88, who lives in east Redcar, said he, like many others, qualified for the medal because

  • Father has a day to remember

    A YOUNG man got a birthday present he will never forget - a baby daughter. Amanda Longford, 18, of Malvern, South Stanley, was staying with her mother in Standish Street, South Moor, last Friday night, preparing to celebrate the twenty-third birthday

  • Children join in music and learning research

    HUNDREDS of North-East children are to take part in a pioneering study into how music can improve learning. Researchers from Northumbria University are carrying out a £500,000 investigation into how dancing, playing and listening to music can help pre-school

  • Incinerator plan sparks health fears

    FURTHER investigation into a proposed North-East animal incinerator has been recommended following residents' safety concerns. The North York Moors National Park Authority gave planning permission for the incinerator, at Charltons, near Guisborough, east

  • Research project aims to get sick people back to work

    People on sick leave who are eager to get back to work are being urged to contact researchers. The Government is spending £3m on a Northumbria University research project which aims to find out what is the best way to help sick people get back to work

  • Boost for rented housing sector

    THOUSANDS of homes will be built in a £300m investment which could revolutionise the rented housing sector in the North-East. A range of five house types, from bungalow to four-bedroomed detached homes, will be developed initially on five sites across

  • Doubt over Zimbabwe's N-E Test match

    FRESH doubts emerged last night over Zimbabwe's participation in the first Test cricket match to be staged in the North-East. The Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) recently agreed to proceed with the summer tour to England, which includes Test matches played

  • Comment: By the people, for the people

    SADDAM Hussein's regime may have disintegrated, but the Coalition Forces still face serious military and political dangers. Even though most of Baghdad is under US control, it is clear there are pockets of resistance. The attack by the suicide bomber

  • Facilities for young debated at fun day

    THE public are to be consulted on how best to develop a strategy to address the needs of young people in Newton Aycliffe. Several organisations are operating in the town's West ward with the aim of working with people aged up to 25. Those involved include

  • Mansion prepares for new tenants

    EIGHT people are packing their bags ready to take up the housing offer of a lifetime. They were chosen from about 400 hopefuls who applied to live in Tunstall Court - a 30-room Georgian mansion in Hartlepool - for £25-a-week, with all bills and council

  • Boost for rented housing sector

    THOUSANDS of homes will be built in a £300m investment which could revolutionise the rented housing sector in the North-East. A range of five house types, from bungalow to four-bedroomed detached homes, will be developed initially on five sites across

  • Cannabis farmers spared prison

    SOPHISTICATED cannabis growing farms have been found in police raids on two homes. Officers found growing facilities in a bedroom in a house in Eastfields, South Stanley, County Durham, on March 30 last year. Durham Crown Court was told that 24 mature

  • Contest puts Ascot in the shade

    CHILDREN were brim-full of ideas during an Easter bonnet contest, creating everything from Ascot-style creations to top hats with rabbit ears. Pupils from St Joseph's RC Primary School, in Gilesgate, Durham, and Laurel Avenue Community Primary School,

  • Campbell keen to impress

    Darlington midfielder Paul Campbell has admitted his frustration at the lack of first-team opportunities this season - but insists he is happy to fight for his place. The 23-year-old has failed to hold down a regular place for Quakers in a disappointing

  • News in brief: Thieves steal family lurcher

    POLICE have been baffled by the theft of a family's pet lurcher from its kennel at a farm in Arkengarthdale. The dog went missing on Tuesday, when intruders also took a pressure washer from an outbuilding. A white Ford Escort was seen in the Arkengarthdale

  • Bumper pay rise mooted for cabinet

    LEADING members of Durham County Council could get inflation-busting pay rises of up to £6,000. An independent panel, which includes Durham University vice-chancellor Sir Kenneth Calman, has recommended the rises for the Labour council's ten-strong cabinet

  • Pupils take a lesson in democracy

    THE winner of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's first postal election is Ms Dynamite. The pop star finished top of a poll of favourite singers organised by the council at Overfields Primary School, in Ormesby, Middlesbrough. The children were able

  • Seaside theatre 'beyond repair'

    A ONCE-thriving theatre is now beyond repair, say engineers who have carried out a survey on what remains of the listed building. Much of the front of the 125-year-old Royal Opera House in Scarborough had to be taken down because of the risk of it falling

  • Under the hammer

    A NORTH-EAST whistle and trolley bus plaque have been sold at one of the region's auction houses. Thomas Watson's auctioneers in Darlington sold the Darlington Corporation Driver 54 plaque and Darlington crested whistle for £130 earlier this month. A

  • School's staff shortlisted for regional teaching awards

    A DARLINGTON headteacher is in the running for an award for his leadership skills. Eamonn Farrar, headteacher of Hurworth Comprehensive, has been shortlisted for a BT Teaching Award in the leadership category. Teaching experts were at the school this

  • TV monitors will spread partnership message

    A NETWORK of television monitors will keep the public informed about community safety and crime-fighting initiatives in their area. Easington Community Safety Partnership (CSP) is mounting screens at police stations, shopping and leisure centres and council

  • School sets record straight over fields

    LONGFIELD School has clarified its position over the sale of playing fields at the site. The school wanted to set the record straight following inaccurate reports over the sale of the land to housing developers. It said the fields are to be sold to support

  • Mad Hatter's tea party raises charity cash

    WOMEN who deliver meals to elderly people yesterday held a Mad Hatter's tea party so they could raise money for charity. The volunteers dressed up as Alice in Wonderland and were joined by the Mad Hatter, a white rabbit, and Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee

  • Julia takes success in stride

    A DARLINGTON schoolgirl has gained four regional titles in the recent cross-country season. Julia Orr, a 16-year-old pupil from Hummersknott School, has also had impressive placings in national athletic events. The season started with Julia's fifth consecutive

  • Funding given to improve borough

    ALMOST £7m will be given to communities across east Cleveland during the next three years, thanks to Government grants. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has been allocated £3,472,000 for 2004-2005, and the same amount for 2005-2006, as part of a regional

  • Chance to name nature reserve

    CHILDREN are being invited to think of a name and design a logo and badge for a nature reserve in Guisborough. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's countryside wardens will be organising a series of activity days, most of which will be in the town's

  • Incinerator plan sparks health fears

    FURTHER investigation into a proposed North-East animal incinerator has been recommended following residents' safety concerns. The North York Moors National Park Authority gave planning permission for the incinerator, at Charltons, near Guisborough, east

  • Karaoke helps Richard start new career

    FOLLOWING years of unemployment, a Hartlepool man has gone from being king of the karaoke to a professional singer. With the help of Inbiz, Richard Cockburn has launched a business singing in pubs and clubs, and at events in the town. He said: "I had

  • Bands lined up for great tribute show

    TRIBUTE bands from around the world will be descending on the North-East later this year for a music weekend. Tickets are on sale for the Great Tribute Weekend, in the main field at Holme House, Piercebridge, near Darlington, on June 21 and 22. The Saturday

  • Party in park

    A RECENTLY revamped Victorian park is hosting an Easter party. The event, which will include a nature walk, treasure trail and egg decorating, has been planned by the Friends of Ropner Park, a group set up last year to improve the park in Stockton. The

  • Village prepares for bloom judging

    AYCLIFFE Village residents are being urged to do their bit ahead of a visit by Northumbria in Bloom judges next week. The village is aiming to make it four wins in a row in the competition. Judges will be examining the village during a visit next Tuesday

  • 1,000-plus new jobs promised

    THE creation of at least 1,000 new jobs is being pledged in work hungry East Cleveland. The 1,000 new jobs, in addition to hopes for a further 1,000 over the next ten years, comes with an agreement in principle of a partnership deal between Redcar and

  • Join in the holiday sports fun

    CHILDREN can take part in a programme of activities at a Hartlepool sports centre over the Easter holidays. Basketball, trampolining, gymnastics and swimming courses are some of the activities on offer at Brierton Community Sports Centre at Brierton Community

  • Candidates line up

    THERE will be 151 candidates contesting 59 seats in 22 wards in Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's first postal ballot. The current state of the parties is: Labour 31, Conservative 14, Liberal Democrat 11, East Cleveland Independent 3. The Boundary

  • Brewer finds the right man at last

    BREWER Scottish and Newcastle has ended an 11-month search for a chief executive to take over from Sir Brian Stewart. Tony Froggatt, 54, will join the company next month from wine and spirits group Seagram, where he was executive president for Europe,

  • Housebuilders celebrate

    HOUSEBUILDER Bellway was yesterday preparing investors for another record year following the news that interim pre-tax profits had surged 46 per cent to £57.1m. The Newcastle firm said the performance so far indicated results for the year to July 31 were

  • News in brief: Man airlifted after car crash

    A MAN was airlifted to hospital with neck and back injuries when his car overturned near Sedgefield village. The accident happened on a stretch of dual carriageway on the A689 between Sedgefield and Wynyard at about 2pm yesterday. A Peugeot car being

  • Pool boss Newell wields the axe

    MIKE Newell yesterday released his first batch of players from Victoria Park. The Hartlepool United boss handed a free transfer to defender Gordon Simms, while four of Martin Scott's youth team won't be kept on. Simms, a regular in the Northern Ireland

  • Disgraced surgeon: NHS inquiry to get under way

    THE long-awaited inquiry into the Richard Neale scandal will get under way next month, it was revealed last night. While an exact date has not been given, officials say the inquiry into how the NHS handled complaints against the disgraced Northallerton

  • Running the show pays dividends for Metnor

    THE company behind the Newcastle Falcons stadium has fought through difficult trading conditions to win back lost trade. The Metnor Group, based in Newcastle, suffered during the downturn in the telecoms sector but rallied in the past year and is now

  • 'Little gem' museum open

    THE story of legendary smuggler John Andrew of Saltburn is being told once again in a well-loved museum. The Saltburn Smugglers museum opened its doors to customers for the season last week and has already been inundated with tourists fascinated by the

  • No need to ask the audience for real winners

    THE Millionaire trial that has been taking centre stage at Southwark Crown Court has provided some light relief over recent weeks but I am at a loss as to why the public should be footing the bill. I have never been a fan of Big Brother but I seem to

  • Nature in full digital colour

    ANIMALS and birds of the North-East will be in full focus at a nature exhibition on Teesside. Preston Park Museum, in Stockton, is staging an exhibition of high-quality, colourful digital images featuring animals photographed in their natural habitats

  • After Saddam: how to win the peace

    Scenes of liberation could soon give way to anger and distrust if the Iraqi people do not play a real role in rebuildng their country. Linday Jennings looks at wha's next for Iraq. THEY were meant to be liberators, not conquerors. But as the emotional

  • Bumper pay rise mooted for cabinet

    LEADING members of Durham County Council could get inflation-busting pay rises of up to £6,000. An independent panel, which includes Durham University vice-chancellor Sir Kenneth Calman, has recommended the rises for the Labour council's ten-strong cabinet

  • Shop Talk: 'A sweetie shop for book-a-holics'

    IT is, quite simply, a book lover's heaven. Barter Books is one of the country's biggest second hand bookshops - approximately 300,000 books, meticulously arranged, easy to find and not a sniff of mustiness. New Statseman magazine called it "The British

  • Michael Broad

    WE wish to correct any false impression given by a report we published on Wednesday, April 2, under the headline "Abattoir meat was falsely labelled". This reported a court case involving Stockton Butchers Slaughtering Company Limited. The article wrongly

  • 'Baby broker' was employed as social worker

    A WOMAN involved in a number of international adoption disputes once worked in the North-East as a council social worker - despite having no relevant qualifications. Jay Carter, 51, is due to find out in a few weeks time if she will face prosecution for

  • New high sheriff sworn in

    TRANSPORT company boss Peter Cook has taken up an historical ceremonial role to add to his busy workload in the coming year. The 49-year-old Durham businessman was last month selected to serve as the county's latest High Sheriff. In keeping with tradition

  • Man admits role in attack

    A MAN faces a substantial jail sentence after taking part in a street stabbing. Shaun Lewis, admitted being one of a gang of four who attacked Darren Armstrong in Jarrow, South Tyneside, in November. The 22-year-old pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding

  • Steelworkers protest

    A HUGE wave of protest is expected to take place later this month when steelworkers will demonstrate over the threat of redundancy which is hanging over them. Kevin Curran, regional secretary of the GMB Northern region, has warned the management of Corus

  • Murdered girl's family seeks fresh appeal

    Safety measures are to be taken on an accident blackspot, following yet another smash. A driver escaped with minor facial injuries after his articulated lorry crashed on a sharp bend on the slip road linking the southbound end of the A19 Teesside Viaduct

  • Funeral of Marine to be held today

    THE true cost of war will be brought home to a Dales market town today when it witnesses the funeral of a Royal Marine who was among the first casualties of the fighting in Iraq. Captain Philip Guy was sent to the Gulf in February and, once the battle

  • Just ask

    THE Northern Echo has re-launched its online health website, Health Spectrum. The site now includes a complementary health question and answer section, from Remedies Health Centre, Darlington, and Dear Debbie, where counsellor Debbie Hull will provide

  • Boro to stand firm over deal

    MIDDLESBROUGH have warned they won't be held to ransom by European champions Real Madrid in pursuit of a permanent deal for Geremi. Real's director of sport Jorge Valdano insisted this week that Boro had been quoted a fee of around £9.6m for the 24-year-old

  • Lay-by collision leaves one dead and driver badly hurt

    AN elderly woman died when the car she was travelling in collided with a articulated lorry parked in a lay-by on the A19 yesterday. Police said their blue Vauxhall Corsa bounced off the back of the wagon's 40-foot trailer and into the southbound carriageway

  • City to be campaign HQ

    THE campaign that will urge referendum backing for a North-East Assembly will be based in Durham City. The Campaign for North-East Regional Government hopes to open offices in the city centre soon. The city is regarded as being in the centre of the region

  • Pupils compete for school Popstars title

    A SCHOOL has staged its own Popstars competition to find a budding star among its ranks. For the last three month, Pelton Junior School has been staging Popstars - The Kids contest. About 45 of the school's 200 pupils entered the competition, singing

  • Cyclist's death investigated

    A PENSIONER who died after being found unconscious with his bicycle by the side of a road could have been the victim of a hit and run. The 72-year-old man was found in Kendal Road, Hartlepool, at 3.10pm on Wednesday. The man was taken to the University

  • Garden raid upsets nursery children

    A NURSERY school's pupils have been devastated by the vandalism of garden features they spent hours creating. Pearl Robinson, headteacher of Oxhill Nursery School, Stanley, County Durham, said vandals had destroyed one of three willow domes and had damaged

  • Free post decision welcomed by family of soldier

    THE father of a North soldier serving in Iraq welcomed yesterday's Government announcement that families will now be able to send packages free of charge to their loved ones. Syd Worgan heard from his son, Peter, for the first time since the conflict

  • Charities share out a funding windfall

    A GROUP of 50 North-East charities have received an Easter present - a share of £400,870 from a national foundation. The Lloyds TSB Foundation has £1.2m to give to the region this year and the first round of grants were announced yesterday in Durham City

  • Denise helps to raise £53,000

    BANK worker Denise Lee has been praised for her part in raising more than £50,000 for charity. Ms Lee of Stanley, was presented with a charity champions award from the Royal National Institute for the Deaf for her fundraising work through the Lloyds TSB

  • Strike call for BT telephone engineers

    MORE than 500 telephone engineers in the North-East are expected to take part in a 24-hour strike from midnight on Sunday over a controversial new performance bonus system. Members of the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) are taking part in national

  • Funding to be used to train builders

    THE North-East construction industry has been boosted by a grant of more than £900,000 from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The money, announced by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), will help the push to get more construction workers

  • 11/04/03

    CORUS DIRECTORS: DISGUSTING and inappropriate as they are, the huge bonuses Corus bosses intend awarding themselves are no big deal. Anyone who keeps an eye on the financial press knows such bonus payments are standard practice by senior management in

  • Praise for courage at scene of murder

    A MAN who was involved in the violent build-up to the murder of an asylum seeker was praised by a judge yesterday. Joseph Rutherford had shouted abuse during the incident between Iranian refugees and local people in Peel Street, Sunderland, last summer

  • When size really is everything

    Extraordinary People (five); The Biggest Women In Britain (ITV1); Servants (BBC1) Somewhere between advance publicity and screening, Sharon Parker changed from The Women With No Brain to The Women With An Extraordinary Brain. This was thanks to the makers

  • New high sheriff sworn in

    TRANSPORT company boss Peter Cook has taken up an historical ceremonial role to add to his busy workload in the coming year. The 49-year-old Durham businessman was last month selected to serve as the county's latest High Sheriff. In keeping with tradition

  • Region's scientists receive boost in cancer treatment cause

    The race by North-East scientists to develop a completely new type of cancer treatment has received an important boost. Scientists at the Northern Institute for Cancer Research are looking at ways to disable the defence mechanisms of tumour cells. If

  • Woman prisoner attacked guard

    A WOMAN inmate with a penchant for punching prison staff was yesterday sentenced to an extra six months behind bars for her latest attack. Hosana Obom lashed out at a female officer as she was being led back to her cell after causing a disturbance in

  • £7m community windfall welcomed

    ALMOST £7m will be injected into communities across east Cleveland over the next three years thanks to Government grants. The borough of Redcar and Cleveland has been allocated £3,472,138 for both 2004/05 and 2005/06 as part of a regional package of £106m

  • Mourners gather to remember Captain Philip Guy

    Many people paid their last respects today to Royal Marine Captain Philip Guy who died at the beginning of the Iraq war in a helicopter crash in Kuwait. The funeral took place with full military honours in Skipton. Mourners included Guy's 29-year-old

  • It Girl Tara opens £50m shopping experience

    THE region's newest shopping development opened yesterday, with the help of celebrities - both real and imitation. Socialite Tara Palmer-Tomkinson opened Dalton Park, a £50m shopping centre built on a former colliery spoil heap in Murton, east Durham.

  • Man dies in fire

    A 60-year-old man died in a fire which swept through his home in Lindale Road, Fenham, Newcastle, at 7pm on Thursday. Neighbours tried to rescue the man but were beaten back by the heat. Police, who have not named the man, said there were no suspicious

  • Fear factor not a problem for Magpies

    MAGPIES' midfielder Gary Speed believes Newcastle United have banished the fear factor ahead of their biggest Premiership game of the season at home to Manchester United tomorrow. Newcastle must win to retain any faint hopes of lifting the title, and

  • Battlefield guide aids historians and public

    THE sites of some of the region's fiercest battles are being highlighted for historians and visitors alike. A new leaflet describes three of the battlefields that lie in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire. The authority's conservation and design

  • No charge for siege councillor

    A FORMER town councillor at the centre of a 35-hour siege will not face charges. The incident happened at the home of Maurice Kellett, 60, in Colliery Lane, Hetton-le-Hole, near Sunderland, in early February, when bailiffs tried to repossess it. Police

  • Candidates standing for council

    THE nominations are now in for Chester-le-Street District Council's forthcoming elections. Eight of the council's 34 seats will not be contested in the elections on May 1, which means the council's existing Labour party candidates will continue to hold

  • Woman who killed father fails to overturn life term

    A woman who killed her father and torched his home in the deluded belief that he had caused her mother's death, has failed to have her life sentence overturned. Ann-Marie Pyle battered 77-year-old William Pyle with a poker and repeatedly stabbed him in

  • Derwentside District Council election candidates

    CANDIDATES are gearing up to fight for 51 places on Derwentside District Council, in the local elections on May 1. For the first time, all residents on the electoral roll will have the chance to vote by post in this election. Four of the seats will not

  • Geordie role for Kelly

    GLAMOUR girl Kelly Brook is bringing her talents to the North-East in the latest chapter of her blossoming acting career. The model-turned-TV star will play an Italian temptress in the Newcastle-based film School of Seduction. The 23-year-old's character

  • Stamp collector helps hospice

    HUNDREDS of thousands of used stamps will help a hospice to continue its vital work. Ron Trotter, president of Chester-le-Street Rotary Club, has collected 8kg of stamps to raise funds for St Cuthbert's Hospice in Durham. He took the 20 full carrier bags

  • Parents warned to be careful after attempted abduction

    Police are warning parents to be extra vigilant after a man attempted to abduct a young girl. The incident happened at around 8pm on Thursday in Warrior Drive, Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool. The 11-year-old girl was waiting to cross the road when a small

  • Burton's Bytes: Get extra enjoyment out of old favourites

    DEVIL MAY CRY 2, Format: PS2, Publisher: Capcom UNREAL II: THE AWAKENING, Format: PC, Publisher: Atari. DEVIL May Cry and Unreal were smash hits on the PS2 and PC. Gamers simply couldn't get enough of them. The danger in doing a sequel is the risk of

  • Get extra enjoyment out of old favourites

    DEVIL MAY CRY 2, Format: PS2, Publisher: Capcom UNREAL II: THE AWAKENING, Format: PC, Publisher: Atari. DEVIL May Cry and Unreal were smash hits on the PS2 and PC. Gamers simply couldn't get enough of them. The danger in doing a sequel is the risk of

  • Plum draw and fast going should suit Charlie Parkes

    Eric Alston has already been on the mark with Piccled and Johnston's Diamond in sprints in the first few weeks of the turf season. His Charlie Parkes can carry on the good work by taking the Hambleton Classified Stakes over his optimum trip of five furlongs

  • PPL severs cloning links

    THE company that created Dolly the cloned sheep has completed its withdrawal from the research for which it became famous to concentrate on more profitable markets. PPL Therapeutics, of Edinburgh, has agreed to sell its US-based regenerative medicine

  • City's music month acts are lined up

    A PROGRAMME of headline acts has been announced for a music festival in York. York Live Music Festival 2003, held during May, will incorporate a range of musical talents and sounds. International Septet, Joan Armatrading, Shed Seven, John Kirkpatrick

  • SOS crews plagued by fire-raisers

    FIRE services in Derwentside are being stretched to breaking point, with officers forced to deal with hundreds of arson attacks. The past few weeks of mild weather and sunshine have dried out the grasslands of North Durham, making them easy pickings for

  • Apprentice uses her love of art in business

    BETH Jeffrey had no idea that she would find the job of her dreams when she called in to ask art gallery owners if they would display some of her drawings. Maralyn and Ron O'Keefe of The Glass and Art Gallery in Medomsley Road, Consett, were so impressed

  • Body of Marine flown home

    THE body of Royal Marine Christopher Maddison, a former pupil of Laurence Jackson School in Guisborough, was flown back to Britain this week. Families of 11 men killed in action stood silently on the tarmac as the coffins were carried from the C17 transporter

  • Murdered girl's family seeks fresh appeal

    The family of murdered North-East student Sara Cameron say they cannot get on with their lives while her killer is still at large. Sara's body was found on Good Friday 2000, in a field in North Tyneside. Detectives launched a massive investigation, but

  • Fire stations planned

    RESIDENTS of Tyneside and Wearside are to get six new fire stations, a new brigade headquarters and new technical services centre. The development follows a deal between the Tyne and Wear and Civil Defence Authority and Jarvis Accommodation Services.

  • Community history is revealed in exhibition

    THE life of the generation of people born around 1900 - complete with two world wars, a great depression and huge advances in technology - has been depicted in a new exhibition. The latest history display at Kirkleatham Museum near Redcar is called Our

  • Man dies in fire

    A 60-year-old man died in a fire which swept through his home in Lindale Road, Fenham, Newcastle, at 7pm on Thursday. Neighbours tried to rescue the man but were beaten back by the heat. Police, who have not named the man, said there were no suspicious

  • News in brief: Protest over plans likely

    COUNCIL officials have said they are expecting protests against plans for 32 flats to be built in Darlington. Maro Developments has submitted proposals to Darlington Borough Council for the properties to be built at the Ruck Engineering site in Woodland

  • Fox tale shows vision

    TRIMDON schoolboy Timothy Jasper is celebrating after winning a national story writing competition. The nine-year-old from Sedgefield, a pupil at St William's RCVA Primary School, was successful in the David St John Thomas Charitable Trust Annual Writing

  • Dog owners asked to avoid playing fields

    DOG owners are being urged to stop using playing fields which are to be transformed into a town park. Residents in Newton Aycliffe have been walking dogs on football fields at the former Avenue school site for several years. But the area has been earmarked

  • Getting fit in body and mind

    A NEWTON Aycliffe care centre has started running classes on the ancient Chinese art of tai chi. Tai chi involves sequences of soft flowing movements, created to enhance the individual's overall physical and mental well-being, and is suitable for all

  • Government grant boosts plans for borough

    A GOVERNMENT grant of £89,000 is helping to boost the performance of Darlington Borough Council's planning team. The "planning delivery grant" is a three-year programme of financial support for local authorities across the country. Darlington received

  • Letter clears my name, says campaigner

    A VETERAN campaigner, who has consistently opposed Leyburn Town Council's acquisition of Thornborough Hall, says a letter from the District Auditor exonerates him from allegations that his crusade has cost taxpayers thousands of pounds. Bernard Borman

  • Police praise bus operators

    POLICE have praised school bus operators in the York area following spot checks carried out on their vehicles. None of the three buses at Fulford School nor the seven at Barlby had any defects. A faulty emergency door was found on one coach outside Sherburn

  • Designs for the future

    CHILDREN with an eye for modern car design will be given the recognition they deserve at a ceremony in Richmond this weekend. To coincide with the launch of the new Nissan Micra, dealers Richmond Motors challenged pupils from Richmond School to come up

  • Fell rescue team gets £1,000 thank-you

    THE family of a woman, whose body was found in January have expressed their thanks to the team who helped in the search. Members of Swaledale Fell Rescue Team were among those who searched for 73-year-old Evelyn Graham, of Manfield, near Darlington, when

  • Wrong rubbish sent for compost

    COUNCIL chiefs in Hambleton are getting tough on householders who send contaminated waste to compost sites. They have been conducting spot checks after several loads of green waste containing plastic sacks and other rubbish were almost dumped. The local

  • Security cameras to thwart vandals

    SECURITY cameras are going up in a £1.4m town park that is being targeted by vandals. Blackhill and Consett Park was re-opened last year after a restoration programme funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Derwentside District Council. But youths have

  • Teenagers' talent recognised

    THREE talented teenagers have received a cash boost from Richmondshire District Council to help further their careers in sport and the arts. England hockey player, Emma Pledge, 18, from Ravensworth, has been awarded £750 from the council's Talented Young

  • Children learn creative skills

    A WALL of decorative ceramic tiles has been unveiled at a Ferryhill school. The project involved schoolchildren from Ferryhill Comprehensive working with an artist as part of a bridging project. Judy Caplin, who is attached to Sedgefield Borough Council

  • Scoutmasters set up UK paedophile ring

    POLICE are investigating a nationwide paedophile ring of scoutmasters after a North-East man was jailed for 11 years for abusing youngsters in his care. Paul Woodruff, 43, made sex videos with Scouts at his Teesside home, where police seized his collection

  • Request for car parking spaces

    A GROUP of residents is asking Hartlepool Borough Council to consider providing parking spaces for them next to their houses. People living in the Fens ward have submitted a petition to the borough council, raising concerns about the problems of parking

  • Running the show pays dividends for Metnor

    THE company behind the Newcastle Falcons stadium has fought through difficult trading conditions to win back lost trade. The Metnor Group, based in Newcastle, suffered during the downturn in the telecoms sector but rallied in the past year and is now

  • Police hunt man who tried to lure pupil

    A DRIVER has tried to entice an eight-year-old boy into his car as he was leaving his village school at home time. The man was outside Burnopfield Primary School, near Stanley, as the pupils left for home at about 3.15pm on Thursday of last week. The

  • Rock band Wheatus join college festival

    STUDENTS at Durham and Houghall Community College, in Peterlee, were stunned when rock band Wheatus performed as part of the college's music festival. Frontman Brendan B Brown said: "We just wanted to try out our new album and get used to playing the

  • Villagers celebrate raising enough cash for play area

    VILLAGERS are celebrating after raising enough cash for a new community play area. It is the second piece of good news in under a month for the children of Croft, near Darlington. A few weeks ago, villagers found out that work has nearly been completed

  • Grassroots: Washington

    CLASS REUNION: The Class of 1973 at Washington School is holding a reunion on Saturday, April 20. Tickets cost £5 and are available from Carol Holbrow (nee Teasdale) on 0191-417 0182. EASTER DISCO: A fundraising family disco with prizes for decorated

  • Sheriff has busy year ahead

    TRANSPORT company boss Peter Cook has added an extra duty to his busy workload for the next year. Last month he was selected to serve as High Sheriff of the county, a now-ceremonial post which dates back more than 1,000 years In keeping with tradition

  • Filling a gap after a personal tragedy

    IT is bitterly ironic that Steve Dayman's first reaction was relief when doctors said his son had meningitis. "At the time we didn't know what was wrong with Spencer so it was a relief to know that they had made a diagnosis," says Steve, who knew next

  • Voters look out for special delivery

    VOTERS in Stockton are urged to watch out for a special delivery on Sunday. Stockton Borough Council is taking part in a pilot scheme in next month's local elections when every elector will be voting by post only. The ballot papers will be delivered by

  • Egg incentive in search for clues

    A RICHMOND museum is hoping to attract children through its doors during the Easter holiday by offering them free chocolate eggs if they can crack a puzzle that takes them into every corner of the building. The Green Howards' Regimental Museum tells the

  • Easter fair

    THE People's Centre, Hartlepool, is holding an Easter fair tomorrow. The event at the centre in Raby Road is from 10am to 4pm. Money raised will go towards the centre's running costs.

  • Walking group attacks plan to search for gas on moors

    PLANS for gas exploration under part of the North York Moors have been criticised by the Ramblers Association. It attacked the proposed scheme as a blot on the landscape for which there is no over-riding need. It also said that what would start as a small-scale

  • Facilities for young debated at fun day

    THE public are to be consulted on how best to develop a strategy to address the needs of young people in Newton Aycliffe. Several organisations are operating in the town's West ward with the aim of working with people aged up to 25. Those involved include

  • 'We're mums with MS, and we need help'

    Multiple sclerosis is not an elderly person's disease. It's just as likely to strike a young mum in the prime of life with children to look after, as Barry Nelson finds out. "YOU don't have clean carpets in MS homes. You can always blame the stains on

  • Teacher signs up to role

    A SIGN language teacher has taken up a study support residency at a Newton Aycliffe school. Margaret Bain, who leads the signing and singing group Flexible Fingers, is working with pupils at Greenfield School Community and Arts College each Thursday lunch

  • Mural is enterprise involving all ages

    VOLUNTEERS of all ages have painted a floral mural on a wall in Fishburn as part of their efforts to brighten up the village. Fishburn in Bloom is an inter-generational project funded by One NorthEast and Age Concern County Durham. The project involves

  • Removal of untaxed cars a great success

    AN operation to remove unlicensed vehicles from the streets of south Durham has been hailed a great success. Sedgefield police launched Operation Daggerboard in partnership with Sedgefield Borough Council and the DVLA at the start of the month. The operation

  • Appeal for air ambulance funding help

    businesses are being invited to join a partnership aimed at helping fund one of Yorkshire's air ambulances. Based at Leeds Bradford Airport, the aircraft can respond to incidents across the southern part of the region within minutes. Corporate backing

  • Health check for residents

    OLDER people are being invited to have a check-up at a health advice drop-in centre. Wheatley Hill Community Centre, near Peterlee, is holding the drop-in sessions every Friday from 11am to 1pm. Julie Englund, of Easington Primary Care Trust, said: "It

  • Shopping help earns store award

    A HIGH street store has won an award for the help it offers to blind and visually impaired shoppers. The Debenhams store in Stockton has received the Ann Kallagher Award for Excellent Service to Blind and Visually Impaired Shoppers. The award was presented

  • Equal pay campaign

    UNION chiefs are urging Middlesbrough Council employees to join a campaign for equal pay by attending a public meeting. The GMB says a number of claims are being pursued in the Teesside area and it wants to drum up support for measures to improve wages

  • News in brief: Man injured in morning crash

    A MAN had to be taken to hospital with minor injuries after he lost control of his car and crashed into a lamp-post on Port Clarence Road, High Clarence, at about 4am yesterday. He was taken to the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton. TOWN

  • News in brief: Man injured in morning crash

    A MAN had to be taken to hospital with minor injuries after he lost control of his car and crashed into a lamp-post on Port Clarence Road, High Clarence, at about 4am yesterday. He was taken to the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton. TOWN

  • Restructuring threat to 800 manufacturing jobs

    AS many as 800 workers could lose their jobs after furniture group Silentnight unveiled plans to close two factories and restructure another two. The company said plants at Andover, in Hampshire, and Bridgend, in South Wales, would close in July as part

  • New high sheriff sworn in

    TRANSPORT company boss Peter Cook has taken up an historical ceremonial role to add to his busy workload in the coming year. The 49-year-old Durham businessman was last month selected to serve as the county's latest High Sheriff. In keeping with tradition

  • Wellock's World: All the world's a stage

    SURELY it must have been stage-managed. The Boat Race and a Grand Prix could not possibly have upstaged the Grand National without outside interference. Both were dead in the water, the subjects of ridicule rather than the extraordinary expectation which