NOVEMBER 21 marks a new beginning for music in the North-East and North Yorkshire and its many talented artists and bands. The Northern Echo's music website, Revolution, has teamed up with streetwear store Fourth Chamber and local musician Dan McKewan
WANNABE pop stars from the North-East are one step closer to fame after reaching the second round of a national singing competition. Jammie Dodgers launched the search for a pint-size pop star in association with Fox Kids TV back in July. Kelly McWaters
TWO friends who have worked with horses all their lives have joined forces to open new livery stables. Victoria Goodall, 22, and Rhona Smith, 23, have received a grant from the Prince's Trust to help them set up their business at Romaldkirk, near Barnard
SOLDIERS returned to the scene of one of their regiment's most famous engagements - and almost ended up fighting it again. Members of the Green Howards had travelled to the Ukraine to visit the nineteenth century battlefields of the Crimean War. But they
England's preparations for their make-or-break Euro 2004 qualifier in Turkey were surrounded in uncertainty last night as Sven-Goran Eriksson delayed publicly naming his squad for a further 24 hours. Eriksson did not issue any detailed explanation for
A GERMAN millionaire accused of kidnapping and blackmailing two North-East businessmen yesterday denied any involvement. Volker Kappler detailed what he did the day the pair were said to have been subjected to their "horrendous ordeal" - telling a jury
What is hydrogen? It is a flammable, colourless gas which is the most abundant element, making up 75 per cent of the universe. It occurs in water and in most organic compounds. How do you extract the energy and what are the advantages? For the cheapest
A piece of stained glass window featuring a distinctive red cockerel that survived Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries and lay discarded but unbroken in rubble for centuries was today being unveiled. English Heritage has returned the unique piece
THE BBC has recently presented two interesting documentary series. One was called Black History, which told the story of the good that black people have done for our country; the other was Black Flash, programmes about black footballers playing in English
MARCUS STEWART has revealed he is revelling in his supporting role at Sunderland. The 30-year-old striker has not scored in his last six outings and has recently turned provider for giant partner Kevin Kyle. Kyle grabbed his seventh of the campaign in
HYDROGEN technology is already promising to revolutionise the world of driving and, in August, BOC unveiled its pioneering new car. The vehicle, which BOC said could hasten the end of conventional cars, is fuelled by hydrogen and its only waste product
NORTH Yorkshire's chief constable has claimed a police operation has got the county's criminal fraternity running scared, with 800 arrests being made within a month. Della Cannings warned persistent offenders that they would be targeted when the county's
IN July this year, the Government announced plans for a massive expansion in the amount of power generated by offshore wind turbines. Thousands of turbines will be built around the coast of Britain, helping to reach the UK's targets for renewable energy
AN environmental improvement scheme to benefit hundreds of North-East firms has got the go-ahead. Regional development agency One NorthEast introduced the North-East Environmental Business Support programme (NEEBS) to encourage smaller companies to make
NEWCASTLE United star Craig Bellamy has pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour during an altercation in a nightclub. He has been fined £750. The striker pleaded guilty to threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour when he appeared in before magistrates
The funeral of a North-East teenager who died in a holiday cliff fall takes place on Thursday. Terri Ellwood, 16, from Peterlee, County Durham, died after walking along the cliff-tops near Filey, North Yorkshire, with her boyfriend and another couple
HIT Entertainment, the company behind children's TV favourite Bob the Builder, has unveiled a relaunch designed to revive the character's popularity. After a period of sustained growth which has seen Bob become a mainstay of pre-school television and
ASYLUM SEEKERS: F WEALANDS continues to blame this Government for allowing illegal immigrants into this country (HAS, Sept 26 and Oct 4). In fact, the Government has responded to public alarm by introducing robust measures to curb the influx. It has closed
TWO countryside images showing green fields and rolling hills have captured the eyes of judges in the Great North Photography Competition. The adult winner was Above West Burton, by John Walton, and the under-18s category was won by Ami Walker, with Roseberry
In her new film Down With Love, Renee Zellweger plays an 1960s feminist author, but is feminism still relevant today? Women's Editor Christen Pears reports. IT may come as a surprise to the Bridget Joneses among us but research has shown that the happiest
STUDENTS at Newcastle Airport are preparing for two gruelling years of training. Twenty eight trainees will be put through their paces on a Boeing 737 jet, practice rigs and computer simulation to become licensed engineers. Many of the students have come
A printing business established in a garden shed more than 20 years ago, has completed a £2m investment project with a move to new premises. Jonathan Jones met its owner Paul Coulson. A BUSINESS that started in a North Yorkshire shed, has just completed
Darlington were last night dealt a major blow after it was discovered Andy Collett faces two months on the sidelines. The Quakers No 1 is recuperating in hospital after it was discovered last week that he'd sustained a punctured lung. Collett has not
A FITNESS instructor has overcome a series of personal traumas to establish a successful slimming business. Loraine Pickering gave up her steady, well-paid job to buy a Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Club franchise. The 35-year-old believes the turning
AN Iraqi asylum seeker stabbed a fellow countryman 16 times after being threatened with blackmail for turning down his sexual advances. Hemen Feteh repeatedly plunged the five-inch pocket knife into refugee Shakawan Ali Muhammed in Middlesbrough town
WARD Hadaway is offering free guidance at a seminar being held at the Newcastle law firm this month on how businesses can avoid costly legal disputes . Disputes - what your business needs to know, is a free seminar taking place at Ward Hadaway's Sandgate
IT is only a matter of time before an employer in the region is sued over passive smoking at work. That is the warning employers will receive at a conference later this month. The Newcastle event, organised by the Department of Health, will focus on the
POLICE have released an e-fit picture of an attacker who struck a man over the back of the head on wasteland in Darlington. The 24-year-old victim needed stitches after he was attacked by two men between Hundens Lane and the railway line on September
THREE Darlington borough councillors have held an innovative surgery to encourage parents and carers to take an active part in local politics. Councillors Cyndi Hughes, Joe Lyonette and Glen Reynolds, from the Park East ward, held a Politics and Play
A SCHOOL where a pupil was stabbed to death has been given a dedicated police guard nearly ten years after a killing that shocked the country. Peter Conroy, father of 12-year-old victim Nikki, last night gave his approval for the move, which is part of
A CAMPAIGN has been launched to reduce the amount of junk mail delivered to homes in County Durham. Durham County Council is backing a national campaign to raise awareness of the Mailing Preference Service (MPS), a free service that allows householders
BURGLARS stole a car from a driveway after breaking into the owner's home and taking the keys. The break-in and theft of an X-registered Rover occurred in Staindrop Crescent, Darlington, at the weekend. A house in Leafield Road was also broken into. The
COMMUNITY road workers are taking to the streets to smarten up County Durham's towns and villages. It is a move that will see the return of the post of lengthsmen - council workers who have responsibility for general maintenance of specific lengths of
RESIDENTS have lost their seven-year fight to keep a green space behind their homes. Developer Vestbrown has been given planning permission for a scheme to build 169 houses on greenfield land between the Coast-to-Coast cycle route and Tanfield Lea South
CONTROVERSIAL plans to enlarge the weekly market held in Stanhope will be discussed by councillors tomorrow night. The proposals by Wear Valley District Council have angered some local traders, who fear it would ruin their businesses. But the council
A COMMUNITY fundraiser has won a luxury mini-cruise to Amsterdam. Iris Ryder won the tickets from community association Hartlepool Partnership for her work at a recent information and fundraising event. Mrs Ryder, who is resident representative of Seaton
Police were celebrating success today in their latest co-ordinated effort to combat drug dealers and travelling criminals. A major operation, co-ordinated by the North Yorkshire force and stretching from the Scottish borders down to the Humber, resulted
FORCED to take early retirement because of ill health Tom Valks decided to turn his hand to creative pursuits. This week his work has gone on display in the Long Gallery at Seaton Holme, in Easington Village. Born in Easington Colliery and now living
THE boss of a kitchen manufacturers has guaranteed Saltburn Youth Club will reopen with a recipe for success. Paul Welham replied to a plea for help from youth worker Toni Pendry, whose father, Trevor, is a designer with his company in Marske. Now the
PANTO favourites were reunited yesterday for the launch of Aladdin at the Newcastle Opera House this winter. The cast gathered in Stowell Street in Newcastle's China Town, for what will be the first pantomime to hit the theatres in Tyneside in early December
A GUIDE to community services aimed primarily at parents, will be launched in Chester-le-Street next week. The Parentaid Directory will be available in schools, community centres, doctors' surgeries and libraries. The directory has been compiled by Durham
A new series starting tonight explores some of the great inventions of the Industrial Revolution and discovers the people behind them. Presenter Dan Cruickshank talks to Viv Hardwick. HEROES of the Industrial Revolution, including Captain Cook's botanist
Guitarist Giulio Tampalini will perform at the Sir William Turner's Almshouses at Kirkleatham, near Redcar, on October 31. For tickets write to 1 Sir William Turner's Court, Kirkleatham, Redcar, or, for credit card bookings, call (01642) 490401.
Fitness advisors Mick Fawcett, from Billingham Forum, and Rachel Paylor, from Splash, Stockton, finished eighth in the National Powerade Fitness Masters Championships, in Birmingham, earlier this month. They are now challenging other fitness organisations
A COMMUNITY centre is looking forward to a rosy future as a new manager takes charge. Ephraim Bunting is the new manager of the Jubilee Fields Centre, in Shildon. The 48-year-old has taken on the post after being made redundant from his job as a health
DETAILS of a plan to revamp a village park have been unveiled. Community leaders in Egglescliffe and neighbouring Eaglescliffe, near Yarm, have joined forces to renovate the War Memorial Park. Egglescliffe and Tees parish councils and the Friends of Victorian
RESIDENTS and community groups from former mining villages are being urged to take advantage of extra money available to improve access to transport. Dene Valley Parish Council still has a substantial amount of money left from a £10,000 grant given by
THE region's rich multi-racial background is being celebrated with a series of events during National Black History month. For the first time, the region is joining the rest of the UK by paying tribute to its black history throughout this month. Schools
People who live in a rural area are being given a chance of cut-price tickets to theatres and subsidised travel on coaches if they join a club run by the local council. Bargains are on offer to everyone joining the free Theatre and Gallery Club, organised
SHOP owners who have voluntarily agreed not to sell fireworks until three weeks before Bonfire Night are to have their names put on a roll of honour. Middlesbrough Council said drawing up the roll, which will be displayed, is their way of saying thank
PEOPLE in Derwentside can get to grips with the world of computers on courses at Consett Library. The library is running the sessions with Derwentside College to help people get the most out of computers and the Internet . People can book sessions on
A CARE home for elderly people in a Harrogate suburb, which closed two years ago, is now expected to help another section of the community. The home, in High Street, Starbeck, was run for many years by a trust set up by the congregation of nearby St Andrew's
RESIDENTS have set up the first neighbourhood watch scheme in sheltered accommodation in the Hambleton District. Northallerton mayor Tony Hall, was on hand last week to launch the new scheme. Residents of the Broadacres Housing Association Complex in
A FORMER Royal Navy pilot was lucky to be alive yesterday after a light aircraft he was travelling in with friends was forced to ditch in the Atlantic. Arthur Record, 82, of Clementhorpe, York, said he was alive "by the grace of God" after he and two
MIDDLESBROUGH defender Franck Queudrue - facing another FA rap - has cheekily demanded the repayment of club fines after helping to spark a Riverside revival. Queudrue, the only Premiership player sent off three times last season, was banned for the first
THE husband of a senior nurse who lectures prisoners about the dangers of drugs has escaped jail after being caught with a cocaine stash. Brian Magnus, 54, admitted he and three friends chipped in £200 each to get a better deal buying more than 38g of
THE latest technology has helped a plastics firm achieve record growth for the past five years. Power Plastics, of Thirsk, North Yorkshire, was founded in 1973 and has doubled its turnover since 1998 and has seen a ten per cent rise year on year in the
WORKERS at a North-East cigarette maker have only a remote chance of finding similar jobs in the area when the factory closes next year, their union has warned. Despite British American Tobacco (BAT) doing "everything possible" to help its 490 employees
THE man who has helped steer Britain's agricultural industry through some of its most troubled times has decided to step down. Sir Ben Gill, who farms at Hawkhills, near Easingwold, in North Yorkshire, became president of the National Farmers' Union in
IT is only a matter of time before an employer in the region is sued over passive smoking at work. That is the warning employers will receive at a conference later this month. The Newcastle event, organised by the Department of Health, will focus on the
THE brother of a Leeds United fan stabbed to death in Istanbul has admitted "lashing out" at a cameraman ahead of a match between England and Turkey earlier this year. Yesterday's case, before Sunderland Magistrates, started days before another tense
JOHN PINKNEY, who became a legend among the region's farmers after organising more livestock sales than anyone else in Britain, has died at the age of 89, only four months after he retired. He started arranging sheep and cattle sales at Middleton-in-Teesdale
Police child protection officers have been called in after an eight-year-old boy was left in his headmaster's office with his fingers jammed in wooden blocks. The "wooden finger stool" was on loan to the school from the education authority's historical
COUNTY Durham will welcome some of the world's most talented companies next week. Intertech 2003 will showcase innovation and is expected to act as a catalyst for growth. It is another opportunity for the North-East to prove there is more to the region
CONFECTIONERY group Glisten has acquired chocolate football manufacturer Sunya in a £750,000 deal. Production from the Sherburn, North Yorkshire, site is expected to be transferred to Glisten's headquarters in Blackburn, Lancashire, in December following
THE region's first flying doctor took to the skies yesterday. Dr Scott McGregor was the first accident and emergency doctor to be sent out on a job in the region's air ambulance helicopter. The service by the Great North Air Ambulance is the only doctor
DISGRUNTLED workers at a Ford plant in Belgium have launched a 24-hour strike to protest against proposed job cuts. The US car firm last week announced plans to axe 12,000 jobs worldwide, with about 3,000 at its plant in Genk, Belgium. The company has
Will the recovery continue? UK investors may wish to circle the date of March 12, 2003, in their diaries because it may well herald the end of the severe bear market that began in January 2000. Since that date, the FTSE 100 Index has soared by over 23
A GERMAN millionaire accused of kidnapping and blackmailing two North-East businessmen yesterday denied any involvement. Volker Kappler detailed what he did the day the pair were said to have been subjected to their "horrendous ordeal" - telling a jury
BRITISH energy group BP intends to invest almost £5bn in Angola's oil sector over the next six years. BP chief executive Lord John Browne has held talks in the capital Luanda with President Jose Eduardo dos Santos to discuss BP's plans in Angola where
The Tees Valley has a new champion modern apprentice to encourage youngsters to stick to their trades. Christen Pears finds out why she has abandoned the catwalk for men and machines. A FLICK of the hair transforms more than the spiky styling, it switches
ANDY O'BRIEN has spoken of the "huge relief'' at St. James' Park after Newcastle United claimed their first League win of the season. The tension was palpable on Tyneside ahead of Southampton's visit after the Magpies had collected only three points from
Animal Mummies (five): Coronation Street (ITV1): TAKE one dead cat. Gut it, wash it, wring it, tumble and blow dry it, stuff it and then mount it. Your moggy is preserved for life, although not quite as active as when alive, but the good news is you save
MARCUS STEWART has revealed he is revelling in his supporting role at Sunderland. The 30-year-old striker has not scored in his last six outings and has recently turned provider for giant partner Kevin Kyle. Kyle grabbed his seventh of the campaign in
CITY watchdog the Financial Services Authority (FSA) last night denied it was investigating roller-coaster trading in Newcastle United shares. Shares in Newcastle United fell by as much as 6p to 27p last Tuesday, wiping more than £8.5m off the value of
Ice rink manager, Darlington, £8ph, 42hrs pw, must have management experience, be IT literate and have experience with health and safety issues. Ref: DAE 36495. Skate hire assistant, Darlington, £7ph, 28hrs pw, must have relevant experience, be 101 registered
Projects being developed include: * An illuminated sign which is operating on the approach to the Transporter Bridge, in Middlesbrough. Informing drivers about the status of the bridge, it is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. Middlesbrough company Varitext
CATTERICK Beagle pack opened its hunting season at the weekend as members await a decision by the House of Lords on whether the sport will be banned. Joint master Major Blair Radford said that if hunting was banned, the 26 hounds in the pack may have
A ROYAL Navy aircraft engineer has died from his injuries after a shore leave incident on the island of Tenerife. John Hutchinson's grieving parents last night paid tribute to him as an adventure-loving lad who cherished his family and friends. It is
SOME academics are already convinced that hydrogen is the future - but only if the Government encourages more investment in research. Julie Foley, a research fellow with think-tank the Institute for Public Policy Research, said that although the UK has
Number Four, in Sedgefield, lives up to its reputation for making the best steak pies - and excels in a lot more besides. ERIC Henderson, a football man who therefore knows his pies and queues, has been on about the best steak pie - not steak and kidney
BREWER Scottish & Newcastle has sold more than 1,400 pubs, restaurants and lodges for £2.51bn. Pubs group Spirit, based in Staffordshire, formerly known as Punch Retail, has become the UK's largest managed estate operator, with more than 2,500 pubs
Gilou's victory at Hexham last month may have raised few eyebrows but it was certainly a welcome winner for Chris Fairhurst, for whom it was the first success of the year. And the Middleham trainer can be on the mark again with Ringside Jack, who looks
A JOB-STARVED area of west Durham has received a boost with the announcement that a manufacturing plant is being built that will create 37 jobs. Trinity Cables Ltd is investing more than £1.5m in the 35,000 sq ft manufacturing operation at Aptec Enterprise
JOHN Prescott is the Napoleon of British politics, creating armies of bureaucrats to run expensive and pointless regional assemblies, the Tories will claim today. The Conservatives are to launch their fiercest attack yet on Labour's plans for elected
IAIN Duncan Smith promised that this week would see his party established as a genuine alternative to the Labour Government. We were told that wave after wave of policies would be rolled out to mount a serious challenge to Tony Blair. He began that process
Fearful portent of swiftly passing time, Jimmy Montgomery is 60 on Thursday. "I'm as fit as a fiddle," the great goalkeeper tells Backtrack. Alas, we shall be hearing little more from him. Though universally remembered for his double save in the 1973
Animal Mummies (five): Coronation Street (ITV1): TAKE one dead cat. Gut it, wash it, wring it, tumble and blow dry it, stuff it and then mount it. Your moggy is preserved for life, although not quite as active as when alive, but the good news is you save
Seemingly inexhaustible energy from the sea and storms is seen as a possible solution to power shortages. Harnessing that energy is one of the tasks of the New and Renewable Energy Centre. In the latest in a series of interviews with the chief executives
WORK is due to start on a China Town development in Middlesbrough. International project managers and construction consultants, Faithful and Gould, will start the three-phase scheme for Tees Valley Housing Group. The firm has been appointed as client
A COUNTY Durham furnace has helped improve passenger safety in aeroplane cabins. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) facility in Darlington was used to develop a new set of regulations for aircraft insulation. The research, jointly supported by the US
ERIC Henderson, a football man who therefore knows his pies and queues, has been on about the best steak pie - not steak and kidney, he can't be chewed with kidney - in all his 81 years. "No gristle, no fat, just lots of good meat and excellent home made
SUNDERLAND footballer and Scottish International Kevin Kyle may face court proceedings after being arrested in a late-night incident in his home town. Saturday's goal-scoring hero in Sunderland's 1-0 win at Sheffield United was one of two people arrested
Darlington were last night dealt a major blow after it was discovered Andy Collett faces two months on the sidelines. The Quakers No 1 is recuperating in hospital after it was discovered last week that he'd sustained a punctured lung. Collett has not
AN off-duty police officer and her mother who rescued a drowning woman are among those who will be honoured at an awards ceremony tomorrow. PC Rachael Brennan and her mother, Anne Brennan, saved a woman from drowning in March. The pair were walking a
SUNDERLAND boss Mick McCarthy last night urged England stars to show no fear when they make the daunting trip to Turkey. Sven-Goran Eriksson's men are guaranteed a hostile reception when they travel to Istanbul on Saturday knowing a point will secure
A FATHER and son were among six football fans who appeared in court today charged with racial chanting at a match. Stanley Watson, 46, and Jonathan Watson, 19, both from Callander Road, Hartlepool were among those who appeared at Hartlepool Magistrates
Will the recovery continue? UK investors may wish to circle the date of March 12, 2003, in their diaries because it may well herald the end of the severe bear market that began in January 2000. Since that date, the FTSE 100 Index has soared by over 23
THOUSANDS of workers on one of Europe's largest business parks are to get an easier route to work. Cobalt Park, in North Tyneside, will have a bus service and could also get a train service if public transport to the site proves popular. An estimated
A TEACHER who spent her summer holiday in the company of an African tribal queen is sharing her experiences with pupils. Shelagh McFarlane, a teacher at The Meadows, in Spennymoor, travelled to South Africa for five weeks, to act as an education advisor
CONTROVERSIAL plans to enlarge the weekly market held in Stanhope will be discussed by councillors tomorrow night. The proposals by Wear Valley District Council have angered some local traders, who fear it would ruin their businesses. But the council
A SALES negotiator whose mother has twice been diagnosed with breast cancer is going for gold. Trudy Graham has decided to take up a challenge, set by Breast Cancer Care, to raise enough money to qualify for a bronze, silver or gold award. Her mother
TOTS at a Darlington nursery dressed as rock'n'roll stars yesterday for a day of musical fun. The children, aged two to four, from St Mark's Pre-School Playgroup, in North Road, will be wearing their costumes all week as part of a study project on music
COMMUNITY road workers are taking to the streets to smarten up County Durham's towns and villages. It is a move that will see the return of the post of lengthsmen - council workers who have responsibility for general maintenance of specific lengths of
FORMER Darlington Civic Theatre publicity officer Steve Luck returned to the town yesterday to launch this year's pantomime, Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Mr Luck worked at the theatre in the 1980s and 1990s, but swapped his public relations job for
DRIVERS are urged to be patient today at the start of a traffic census aimed at helping to shape the future of a city's road network. Motorists travelling in the Wearside area have been told they may be asked to help the survey. However, no information
PUPILS from Hurworth House School, near Darlington, enjoyed a trip on a canal boat as part of their annual school trip. Thirty one boys, aged eight to 12, visited Moira Furnace in Leicestershire, where they travelled on a renovated canal boat, visited
DOCTORS will no longer be responsible for emergency visits under a scheme being piloted in Darlington. From April, a team of emergency care practitioners (ECPs) will take over all out-of-hours cover from local genneral practitioners. The project, one
A FIVE-YEAR plan to breathe life into a coastal town has been approved. The blueprint to regenerate Seaton Carew won the support of Hartlepool Borough Council's Cabinet yesterday. The public have been consulted about the Seaton Carew Tourism Strategy
A WATER company that only weeks ago issued an official apology to residents for digging up their roads and verges, is returning to carry out further work. In its written warning of maintenance work in villages near Ripon, Yorkshire Water said it would
A council last night introduced measures in response to a critical report of its environmental services. People living in east Cleveland are very dissatisfied with the overall cleanliness of the borough and the condition of some roads and footpaths, according
A MADAGASCAN hissing cockroach and a Chilean rose tarantula were among the stars of a creepy-crawly show staged at a North-East school yesterday. The Big Bugs Show held at Sunderland High School not only held the pupils spellbound but proved a very educational
A password scheme to help protect vulnerable tenants in Stockton borough against bogus callers has been launched. The scheme, introduced by the repairs service of Tristar Homes, means people on their Vulnerable Tenants' Register, who are offered a special
FORMER Sunderland striker Joe Baker has died at 63, writes Clive Hetherington. Baker, who played at Roker Park for two years from 1969, suffered a suspected heart attack during a celebrity golf tournament at Lanark Golf Club. He was rushed to hospital
TRANSPORT links across the Dales look set to be improved with a £1m scheme that will boost tourism and deliver huge economic benefits. The recently opened Wensleydale Railway could see its trains stopping at Bedale Station early next year if the proposed
THE first two vessels in a toxic "ghost fleet" of former US Navy ships set sail for the North-East last night after weeks of protests by environmentalists. An 11th hour court bid to prevent the obsolete ships leaving the James River in Virginia failed
VILLAGERS are likely to win their fight for a planned landfill electricity generating compound to be re-sited. Yorwaste Limited wants to carry out the development at the Cauklands landfill site, on the edge of Thornton-le-Dale. However, the original application
FAMILIES in Newton Aycliffe will be putting on their thinking caps on Saturday as part of a national learning scheme. Children and parents are invited to attend a Family Learning Taster Day, with workshops on healthy eating, Spanish for beginners and
A CENTURIES-old village pub in North Yorkshire has taken on a new role - as the local shop. Michael Ibbotson, enterprising landlord and owner of The Durham Ox, in the beauty spot village of Crayke, near Easingwold, has created the shop in what was an
Dance development company Tin Productions, which is setting up youth dance groups in County Durham, has established itself in Newton Aycliffe. Sessions, for 11 to 25-year-olds will be held at Woodham Community Technology College every Wednesday, from
A NURSERY owner has expressed her disappointment for parents after expansion plans were blocked. Christine Kellett says she will take her time before deciding whether to appeal against the decision to refuse permission for an extension to the Bright Buttons
AT only 11 years old, karate kid Rachel Harrison is already celebrating national success. Rachel, of Catchgate, near Stanley, won her age group individual kumite for competitors weighing 40kgs and over in the National Children's Championships, in Sheffield
Pele - the world's greatest footballer - spoke today of his sadness at the scandals which have rocked English soccer. The Brazilian legend was at Newcastle United's St James' Park for the launch of a new art exhibition in his honour. But he gave his verdict
A TOWN is putting the flags out to welcome home a replica of its most famous son's ship. Forty-one banners will be raised in Middlesbrough town centre and along the approaches to where the replica of Captain James Cook's ship, HM bark Endeavour, will
SIX men have been arrested in dawn raids at their homes over allegations of racist chanting at a football match, police said yesterday. A father and son were among those held in the early morning operation in Hartlepool on Saturday. The pair, aged 46
POLICE have released security camera footage of a knife attack on a teenager who nearly died. Paul Buckle had been walking home when he was set upon by a gang of thugs who kicked and punched him to the ground. As he lay defenceless, James Palmer, 17,
NORTH Yorkshire's chief constable has said a police operation has got the county's criminal fraternity "running scared", with 800 arrests made within a month. Della Cannings said persistent offenders would be targeted when Operation Delivery began last
IAIN Duncan Smith promised that this week would see his party established as a genuine alternative to the Labour Government. We were told that wave after wave of policies would be rolled out to mount a serious challenge to Tony Blair. He began that process
SUNDERLAND footballer and Scottish International Kevin Kyle may face court proceedings after being arrested in a late-night incident in his home town. Saturday's goal-scoring hero in Sunderland's 1-0 win at Sheffield United was one of two people arrested
PANTO favourites were reunited yesterday for the launch of Aladdin at the Newcastle Opera House this winter. The cast gathered in Stowell Street in Newcastle's China Town, for what will be the first pantomime to hit the theatres in Tyneside in early December
SCORES of pensioners held demonstrations across the region yesterday calling for a boost to the state pension. The show of so-called "grey power" came on the day that the Government's means-tested Pension Credit came into effect. Works and Pensions Minister
A ROYAL Navy aircraft engineer has died from his injuries after a shore leave incident on the island of Tenerife. John Hutchinson's grieving parents last night paid tribute to him as an adventure-loving lad who cherished his family and friends. It is
As always, the Stock Market never provides a relentless upwards increase. Since March of this year, however, cynical observers of share price movements have turned financial warnings around, by saying that shares can go up instead of down, but the last
IT hardly need be said that the mobile phone is an essential business tool in practically every organisation. There are many employers who expect their staff to regard their company cars as extensions of the office and to make best use of time spent driving
For many children of a famous parent, it can be hard coming out from under their shadow. But when your dad is a comic legend, maybe it's best not to even try. Nick Morrison talks to the son of one half of Britain's favourite double act. GARY Morecambe
Number Four, in Sedgefield, lives up to its reputation for making the best steak pies - and excels in a lot more besides. ERIC Henderson, a football man who therefore knows his pies and queues, has been on about the best steak pie - not steak and kidney
COUNTY Durham will welcome some of the world's most talented companies next week. Intertech 2003 will showcase innovation and is expected to act as a catalyst for growth. It is another opportunity for the North-East to prove there is more to the region
As always, the Stock Market never provides a relentless upwards increase. Since March of this year, however, cynical observers of share price movements have turned financial warnings around, by saying that shares can go up instead of down, but the last
IT hardly need be said that the mobile phone is an essential business tool in practically every organisation. There are many employers who expect their staff to regard their company cars as extensions of the office and to make best use of time spent driving
It is one of the most hotly debated questions among environmentalists - is hydrogen the answer to the planet's problems and what is its commercial potential for business? In this special report John Dean examines the Tees Valley initiatives to harness
A FRESH row over jobs being outsourced to India has developed after unions discovered plans by the Abbey bank to launch a pilot programme in Bangalore. Amicus said office jobs such as transaction-processing, accounting and payroll services were involved
A SENIOR carer has been formally cleared of allegations of cruelty against children at a residential unit for youngsters with autism. Laurence Donkin was charged with seven counts of ill-treating children in his care at the Carley Hill unit of Thornhill
WORKERS at a North-East cigarette maker have only a remote chance of finding similar jobs in the area when the factory closes next year, their union has warned. Despite British American Tobacco (BAT) doing "everything possible" to help its 490 employees
THE first two vessels in a toxic "ghost fleet" of former US Navy ships set sail for the North-East last night after weeks of protests by environmentalists. An 11th hour court bid to prevent the obsolete ships leaving the James River in Virginia failed
A man accused of kidnapping and blackmailing two North-East businessmen has denied masterminding the plan because his own company was facing financial ruin. German-born millionaire Volker Kappler, 37, was owed more than £500,000 by a Bishop Auckland firm
