Archive

  • Education and training join forces

    FOUR North-East education and training establishments have teamed up to offer courses. Woodham Community Technology College, Greenfield School Community and Arts Centre, ITEC North-East and South-West Durham Training, all in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham

  • Referee Stacey proves big catch for ANL at 19

    After 115 years of being indisputably man in the middle, the Albany Northern League has its first female referee. Stacey Woodrow, still just 19, is a marine biology student at Newcastle University. Since there are some pretty queer fish in the ANL, she

  • 93-year-old survives gas explosion

    A 93-YEAR-OLD widow survived an explosion that ripped her terraced house apart, throwing debris more than 100 yards and smashing four cars. Dorothy Bland was found standing in her wrecked kitchen with flames around her. As rescuers carried her out, she

  • Bakery helps disadvantaged children across North-East

    A FAMILY bakery has given a children's charity a boost. Durham-based Peters Bakery has donated £20,000 towards the administration costs of Century FM's 21st Century Kids, which was formed in May to raise money to help the North-East's disadvantaged youngsters

  • University taking charge of 700 years of history

    SEVEN centuries of history are on the move as one of the most comprehensive archives in Britain is moved to a new home. A fleet of lorries is transporting more than 700 years of northern history to a multi-million pound base. The archives, ranging from

  • Small business of the year in liquidation

    A MANUFACTURER that only months ago was named Tees Valley Small Business of the Year has gone into liquidation with the loss of 12 jobs. Chemitrol Process Equipment, which also won Government accliam after fighting back from the brink of closure two years

  • Why childcare may no longer be a chore

    Parents are being wooed by the political parties with a raft of measures to help with childcare. Women's Editor Lindsay Jennings reports. LIKE thousands of parents, Pam Robertson has to pay for childcare for her daughter, Georgia. Although her husband

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    Administrative assistant, Leyburn. Exceeds NMW, 37hpw. Must have a good telephone manner and be computer literate. Ref: NAL 722. Production technician, Ripon. £7.15-£8.01ph, 42hpw. Must have an eye for detail. Full training will be given. Ref: NAL 233

  • 16/11/04

    ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: AS a person who is concerned about global warming, I was rather pleased to read news of a plant to produce Biodiesel fuel on Teesside. This is great news for the North-East, and a positive step towards cleaner burning motor fuels.

  • George Farnan

    Sunderland chartered accountancy TTR Barnes has expanded its financial services operation with the appointment of pension and mortgage specialist GEORGE FARNAN. The 54-year-old brings 21 years' experience from his previous business, based in Norfolk Street

  • Conservation moves hailed at ceremony

    TWO businesses have been rewarded for their commitment to conservation. Durham Wildlife Trust and energy supplier npower announced the winners of their Conservation Awards in a ceremony at Durham County Hall. Sponsored by npower, the awards invited entries

  • TV star's boost for good causes

    A TELEVISION star from the region will take part in a televised tribute to Abba at the weekend. Actor James Gaddas, who will contest the Stockton South seat for the Conservative Party at the next General Election, will perform Super Trouper with EastEnders

  • Williams announces £200,000 expansion

    MUSIC group Williams is opening three new stores across the UK as part of a £200,000 expansion of the Darlington-based company. The musical instrument retailer is opening outlets in Nottingham, Harrogate and London during November, bringing its total

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    First fix joiners, £9ph, 39hpw. Experience essential. Must have own transport. Ref: CON 18330. Cleaner. £4.85ph, 16-35hpw. Previous experience an advantage but not essential. Ref: DUR 40933. Care assistant. £4.85-£5ph, 16-40hpw. Previous experience preferred

  • From Tees Valley to Teesdale

    The organisation which has championed the cause of manufacturing in the Tees Valley for over a decade moved offices yesterday. Manufacturing Challenge moved to the Teesdale site in Thornaby from its previous offices in Aurora Court, Middlesbrough. Recently

  • Firm support could save the water vole from extinction

    A project backed by business is helping the endangered water vole make its last stand against extinction in the North-East. Companies across County Durham and Tyne and Wear are working with Durham Wildlife Trust on a project called Coals to Voles, which

  • Website gives schools a friendly rating

    Former pupils can check up on the friendliness rating of their school thanks to a new league table published by website Friends Reunited. The site, which was set up four years ago to help old school friends get back in touch, has come up with a list of

  • 'Fine firms who fail to train workers'

    Nearly three-quarters of people in the region believe that employers who fail to train their workforce should be fined by the Government, according to a survey by the Association of Colleges (AoC). Fifty-five per cent said that people could not depend

  • Funeral for Jordan bus crash couple

    The funeral of a couple who died in an horrific coach crash in Jordan will take place tomorrow. Churchgoing Methodists Richard and Angela Fothergill, from Gosforth, in Newcastle, were among nine British tourists and three Jordanians killed during a trip

  • Community art group could have the ideal gift this Christmas

    A COMMUNITY art group is staging a seasonal exhibition for anyone looking for Christmas presents. The Easels Art Group in Chester-le-Street has mounted a display at the town's civic centre. The exhibition runs into the New Year with prices ranging from

  • Art presents on show

    AN exhibition of local art is offering people the chance to buy unusual Christmas presents this year. Hartlepool Art Gallery is hosting two exhibitions, with more than 120 paintings by members of the local art club and a variety of gifts on offer. The

  • Tories name man to contest Blair seat

    THE Conservative Party has announced the name of the man who will fight Prime Minister Tony Blair for his Sedgefield seat at the next General Election. He is Danny Kruger, a 30-year-old party policy advisor who has worked in the fields of the NHS, schools

  • Children find body in house

    CHILDREN found the decomposing body of a middle-aged man as they played on a housing estate at the weekend, police said last night. The man, who is thought to have lain dead on his kitchen floor for several weeks, was discovered by children as they retrieved

  • 'Dentist made degrading comments about patient'

    A DENTIST made foul and degrading comments about a patient when she started legal action over botched treatment, a disciplinary hearing has been told. Leslie Rippon Smith allegedly insulted the married woman and her solicitor and refused to deal with

  • We can stay in top four, says Zenden

    BOLO ZENDEN has warned Premiership doom-mongers that Middlesbrough should be considered as genuine contenders for a Champions League place. Despite Boro's rise to fourth in the table following their fantastic start to the campaign, history suggests the

  • Company's flagship to set sail in North-East

    FINANCIAL advice firm Positive Solutions is opening its new flagship headquarters in Newcastle. The company, which is the second largest independent financial advisor in the UK, will open the offices at Newburn Riverside in the city. It is hoping to record

  • Memorial plaque stolen from park

    A Plaque in memory of a devoted couple who died a month apart has been stolen from a Darlington park. It marked a tree planted in North Lodge Park as a tribute to Trevor and Barbara Alderson, of Pendower Street, who died two years ago aged 79 and 74.

  • Success of club nights

    A CAMPAIGN to encourage youngsters to turn their back on drugs has been hailed a success. Darlington Boxing and Martial Arts Academy launched the initiative earlier this year, setting up clubbing nights for under-17s in the town. Events have been staged

  • Health boss steps out to raise £400

    HOSPITAL boss Kevin Oxley put his best foot forward to raise £400 for Darlington Association on Disability (Dad). The Memorial Hospital's director of facilities competed in the Great North Run half marathon to help boost the charity's coffers. Yesterday

  • Pupils present gifts to needy children

    PUPILS at a Darlington school have helped pack almost 250 shoeboxes with gifts for underprivileged children across Eastern and Central Europe. Hundreds of students at Hummersknott School and Language College clubbed together to buy toys, sweets and presents

  • Boom and gloom at Chrysalis

    FRESH signs of volatility in the radio advertising market took the gloss off a sharp improvement in annual results at media group Chrysalis yesterday. The company, which operates Galaxy-branded radio stations and Heart 106.2 in London, said it had adopted

  • Police to block thieves on bikes

    CYCLISTS are facing a police crackdown because bikes are being used in crime. Operation Harbour has been launched in Darlington after cycles were being used by criminals to make a quick getaway from muggings and thefts. Chief Inspector Graham Hall said

  • St John Ambulance sets new youth programme

    ST JOHN Ambulance Durham is launching its new Youth Programme this month. The programme of fun and challenging activities for its members aged from five to 25 years, is the result of three years work and the biggest consultation the organisation has ever

  • Workers to lobby MPs for shipyard deals

    UNION members from a North-East shipyard will today travel to Parliament to lobby their MPs about the lack of orders. The workers from Swan Hunter on Tyneside are calling on their MPs to ensure that they secure a fair share of the orders from the Ministry

  • Share views on village

    RESIDENTS will discuss the future of their village at a public meeting tonight. West Auckland Parish Council is urging people to attend the meeting at 7pm, in the Methodist Church Hall, in Millbank. Questionnaires that have already been completed by residents

  • Launch of caring partnership

    A PARTNERSHIP is being set up to provide carers with a help and support network. Believed to be the first of its kind in the country the pilot project, which will be launched later this month, will provide a voice for carers in the Easington District.

  • 93-year-old survives gas explosion

    A 93-YEAR-OLD widow survived an explosion that ripped her terraced house apart, throwing debris more than 100 yards and smashing four cars. Dorothy Bland was found standing in her wrecked kitchen with flames around her. As rescuers carried her out, she

  • Micro-brewery beer produced to celebrate the success of market

    A LOCAL market has become the toast of farmers thanks to a beer that has been brewed to celebrate its success. The Farmers' Tipple has been produced at the organic micro-brewery at Pinchin-thorpe Hall Hotel, Guisborough, which hosts the market. The brew

  • Pet seatbelts offered by firm

    AN insurance company last night announced plans to give away seatbelts for dogs to people who signed up with its car insurance policy before next month. Paul O'Gorman, group director at Quoteline Direct, who is launching the doggy direct scheme, said:

  • Staff in the pink after charity day

    COUNCIL staff raised more than £575 for breast cancer research - by simply thinking pink. They dressed in pink, ate pink cakes and let off hundreds of pink balloons across the Hambleton District Council area as part of Cancer Research UK's breast cancer

  • Witnesses could have vital clues to gang sex attack

    POLICE investigating a degrading gang sex attack last night issued descriptions of people who may hold vital information. The 17-year-old victim was set on by three men, in their late teens or early 20s, who first knocked her unconscious with a stick.

  • Man admits bottle attack on teenager

    A YOUNG man who struck a teenager over the head with a bottle still has little memory of the incident, a court heard. But Shaun Embleton, who admitted being drunk at the time, accepts he must have been responsible. Durham Crown Court was told the 18-year-old

  • Comic legend lights up a town where good times are ahead

    DIGNITARIES joined a lookalike of one of the nation's best-loved comedians as he switched on the Christmas lights in a town centre. Peter Jones dressed up as Stan Laurel to switch on Bishop Auckland's festive illuminations yesterday. Mr Jones is assistant

  • Police appeal for help after pensioner is robbed

    POLICE are appealing for information after a woman was robbed as she walked home from visiting her elderly mother in a nursing home on Sunday. The 64-year old was only 20ft from her home in Wordsworth Road, Easington Colliery, at about 7.15pm when she

  • Library open hours extend

    MORE public libraries are to extend weekend opening hours to meet demand. From this Saturday, libraries in Chester-le-Street, Stanley, Spennymoor and Crook will be open 9am to 4pm on Saturdays. Barnard Castle, Bishop Auckland, Consett, Peterlee and Clayport

  • Volunteers needed to restore woodland

    VOLUNTEERS are being encouraged to help restore native woodland in Upper Teesdale. English Nature's Natural Links Project is holding its third Tree Planting Day as part of National Tree Week on Saturday, November 27, in the juniper woods alongside High

  • Community redesign plans put on show for residents

    PLANNERS are to redesign a North-East community to give it a new start. A scheme to reshape rundown South Bank, near Middlesbrough, including the demolition of more than 1,000 terraced houses, will be put before residents to consider. Two options will

  • Winding road from Consett to concerts

    The company began selling musical instruments from a horse-drawn cart. Nearly a century later, it has grown into the North-East's biggest musical instrument retailer. Business Correspondent Paul Willis looks at the harmonious rise of Willimas Music Group

  • Alcohol ban to be introduced on Metro

    THE Tyne and Wear Metro is to become an alcohol-free zone by Christmas. Public transport operator Nexus is introducing alcohol exclusion zones on the system from December 6. This will make it a criminal offence to be in possession of an open container

  • Court is told of pervert's advances

    A PREDATORY paedophile who indecently assaulted a teenager at a pub where she worked was jailed yesterday. Dean Solomon, 48, was out on licence from a prison sentence for a previous sex attack when he targeted her at the bar near Darlington. Solomon,

  • Movie-goers celebrate ten years of cinema's success

    A CINEMA that has brought a little movie magic to the Yorkshire Dales celebrates its tenth anniversary this month. Leyburn in Wensleydale was without a cinema for 30 years until the Elite opened in November 1994. And while many small-town cinemas have

  • Our European competitors must start playing by the rules

    BUSINESS leaders in the region have backed efforts by Chancellor Gordon Brown to highlight two-tier inequality in Europe that leads to UK business missing out on millions of pounds in EU contracts. A report commissioned by the Treasury said EU countries

  • Noise is essential in these drum lessons

    THE beat of African drums has been echoing around North Yorkshire school corridors. More than 200 pupils in Richmondshire took part in percussion workshops led by Andy Spearpoint, one of the region's leading experts on African music. The sessions, at

  • Pensions plan faces scrutiny

    THE Government's scheme to scrap pension books for elderly people is to be investigated by officials in North Yorkshire. Shelagh Marshall, the county council's older people 's champion, claims too many problems have come to light as a result of the Government's

  • A sicknote isn't always as bad as it seems

    Earlier this year, a leading healthcare insurance provider carried out research and found that the nation's employees made no fewer than 22 million requests for doctors' sicknotes every year. While it was not clarified precisely what proportion of those

  • Murphy joy at partnering Best Mate

    Timmy Murphy yesterday spoke of his delight at the prospect of riding triple Gold Cup winner Best Mate in the William Hill Chase at Exeter on Friday. Henrietta Knight had ended speculation as to who would deputise for the injured Jim Culloty on the nine-year-old

  • Why life's no drag for a dame

    Former 'Silly Billy' Adam Stafford tells Steve Pratt why he's more than happy to have come of age as Mother Goose. ADAM Stafford knows only too well what getting older does to an actor in pantomime. "They stop seeing you as a young idiot and see you as

  • Boarding school appoints deputy

    ONE of the region's leading public schools has appointed a new deputy head. Oliver Marlow takes up his post at Barnard Castle School, County Durham, in January, replacing David Ewart, who became the school's headmaster earlier this year. He teaches English

  • Rise in turnover at PD Ports

    THE group controlling Tees and Hartlepool ports has announced a rise in turnover of 0.9 per cent in the first six months since it floated on London's junior stock market in July. PD Ports Group floated on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) after

  • Skate fans get park at last

    IT has happened at last. Northallerton now has its own skatepark. The Northallerton Wheelers - a group of keen boarders and bladers - were officially handed the keys of the new facility at the weekend. The fully-equipped park at Stone Cross has been created

  • N-E football legend makes lasting impression

    A FORMER Newcastle United manager and player yesterday became the latest Geordie football legend to be immortalised in concrete. Willie McFaul, the goalkeeper in the Magpies side that won the Fairs Cup in 1969, added his hand prints to the Newcastle United

  • 'Compensation culture is injuring firms'

    Each month, we hear of more ludicrous compensation claims, leading to the belief that Britian is in the grip of a damaging compensation culture. The president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers says there is no such thing - but small businesses

  • Tim Jones

    NEWCASTLE law firm Mincoffs has recruited another solicitor as part of an expansion programme. TIM JONES has been appointed to assist senior partner Howard Gold and the team in the commercial department. Twelve years ago, Mr Jones spent time with Mincoffs

  • Rachel McGhee

    * HARTLEPOOL accountants Howarth Clark Whitehill (HCW) has appointed RACHEL McGHEE as tax assistant. The 22-year-old, from Redcar, in east Cleveland, joins HCW from Vantis, in Middlesbrough, where she was part of the business services team. She will be

  • Airman's family wins fight for justice

    A FAMILY last night won its 50-year fight for justice after an inquest ruled the death of an airman during secret nerve gas experiments was unlawful. Leading Aircraftman Ronald Maddison, 20, from Consett, County Durham, died in May 1953 after being exposed

  • Challenge in store for shoppers

    ALL-COMERS failed to beat one of the region's leading scrabble players yesterday. Pete Finley, Cleveland Scrabble Club champion, took on shoppers and passers-by at Asda in Stockton, Teesside, in the name of charity yesterday. But no one could beat the

  • Rail company opens management centre

    A NEW £250,000 management centre, which links with train company GNER's control centre, will give passengers better information during disruptions. The facility, being opened today at King's Cross, in London, is part of a £10m package of station improvements

  • Good Samaritan's dismay over parking ticket

    A PLUMBER who left his van to help a woman who had been knocked off her bike was rewarded with a parking ticket. Danny Young and business partner Paul Middlemass had parked their van to unload tools when they saw the accident happen outside the Moat House

  • Driver had that sinking feeling

    A MAN nearly lost his car to the sea after an attempt to rescue his jet-ski. The water sports enthusiast had been jet-skiing off Tynemouth, North Tyneside, when the steering on the craft failed, leaving him unable to bring it to shore. In an attempt to

  • Wearside days over for Oster

    JOHN OSTER has accepted he has no future at Sunderland and he is desperate to make the most of a new lease of life at Leeds United. The 25-year-old is on a month's loan at Elland Road, having been allowed to leave the Stadium of Light by manager Mick

  • Education and training join forces

    FOUR North-East education and training establishments have teamed up to offer courses. Woodham Community Technology College, Greenfield School Community and Arts Centre, ITEC North-East and South-West Durham Training, all in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham

  • Arrests made in kidnapping case

    Five men have been arrested in connection with the kidnap of a Hartlepool businessman earlier this year. Tony Pattison, a building contractor, was snatched from his car at gun point as he ate sandwiches at the sea-front in Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool

  • Susan Hornby

    ESTATE agency Michael Poole has appointed SUSAN HORNBY as business development director. Ms Hornby, a member of the National Association of Estate Agents, joins the Tees Valley group to help develop opportunities and to oversee the establishment of an

  • Agonising death of a guinea pig

    For more than half a century, the final, agonising minutes of Ronald Maddison's life remined as secret as the nerve gas test that killed him. Dan Jenkins looks at an inquest that revealed the truth behind both his horrific death and the treatment his

  • Komatsu puts its faith in Graham

    Komatsu UK has appointed a manufacturing director at its North-East base. GRAHAM HENDERSON, 42, has joined the company, in Birtley, near Gateshead, to lead the manufacturing process, associated engineering functions and maintenance, and will manage the

  • Stallone can reward Niki's long trek

    LEADING Malton-based amateur rider Niki Wilson makes the long journey down to Lingfield today in the hope of booting Stallone (3.50) to victory in the closing mile-and-a-half race. Niki rides the gelding for her husband, Noel, who has trained Stallone

  • Airman's family wins fight for justice

    A FAMILY last night won its 50-year fight for justice after an inquest ruled the death of an airman during secret nerve gas experiments was unlawful. Leading Aircraftman Ronald Maddison, 20, from Consett, County Durham, died in May 1953 after being exposed

  • Sinking feeling at Mitsubishi as losses reach new depths

    The bad news just keeps on coming at Mitsubishi. Nigel Burton wonders how the group will dig itself out of trouble. HOPES that the worst was over at Mitsubishi appear to have been misplaced. The Japanese company was plunged into crisis after an expected

  • Comment from The Northern Echo: The shame of the MoD

    FIFTY-ONE years ago there was no justice for Ronald Maddison and his family. His young life was ended while he was serving his country as the result of a chemical warfare experiment. In return his family was offered a few pounds by the Ministry of Defence

  • Crimefighters bring car thieves to book at a canter

    IT could have been a scene from a Hollywood western - two lawmen on horseback pursuing outlaws. But the chase, which literally saw sparks flying from the horses' hooves, took place not on the American plains, but on the streets of Teesside. And the horsepower

  • Job Search: Vacancies

    Stylist. Wage negotiable, 45hpw. Minimum of three years' experience required. Ref: SPE 13645. Secretary. £6-£6.50ph, 37hpw. Experience of working within the NHS an advantage. Ref: SPE 13605. Vinyl floor layer/carpet fitter. Exceeds NMW, 43hpw. Clean driving

  • Truancy fight taken to streets

    HIGH-PROFILE sweeps are under way to ensure shopping centres in the North-East and North Yorkshire become truancy free zones. A three-week clampdown is taking place that will see both police and educational welfare officers trawling commercial centres

  • Film-maker hailed for TV documentary

    A TV documentary charting the final weeks in the life of a North-East man has won an award. Jonny Kennedy touched the hearts of millions in The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off, a Channel 4 programme which chronicled the weeks before his death from a rare degenerative

  • 'Train surfing' game ends in tragedy

    A teenage prankster has died in hospital after his game of 'train surfing' went tragically wrong. Sonny Rae, 19 and friends are believed to have been trying to surf on the coupler between the carriages of the train. Mr Rae fell from a moving metro train

  • Referee Stacey proves big catch for ANL at 19

    After 115 years of being indisputably man in the middle, the Albany Northern League has its first female referee. Stacey Woodrow, still just 19, is a marine biology student at Newcastle University. Since there are some pretty queer fish in the ANL, she

  • Ski club will use renewable energy supply

    Weardale Ski Club has installed a renewable energy supply. The club, which is at Swinhopeburn, two miles south of Westgate, County Durham, is remote, which creates problems connecting to an energy supply. Before the installation, its lighting and heating

  • Jacko: molester or merely odd?

    Michael Jackson's Mind (five); Lie With Me (ITV1): YOU can't blame people for being nosy about Michael Jackson's personal life. As one of the experts assembled to get inside his head noted: "His psyche is such a tangled web I don't even think Michael

  • Tiger economy burning bright as steel prices go on the rise

    Rises in the cost of steel have been a blessing and a curse for manufacturers in the region. Business correspondent Paul Willis reports. THE unstoppable rise of China as a major financial power is without doubt the global economic success story of the

  • Nowhere to hide for companies that illegally dump their waste

    as part of a crackdown on flytipping, businesses in County Durham have been warned not to let unlicensed operators dispose of their waste. The campaign is being led by the county's recently appointed fly-tipping officer Jim Crammon, who said warnings

  • Fox's death in snare investigated

    AN animal welfare charity is investigating after a fox was caught in a snare, condemning it to a slow and painful death. The animal, found by animal rights activist John Gill near Stanhope, County Durham, had been snared next to a wire fence. Mr Gill

  • On TV last night

    Michael Jackson's Mind (five) Lie With Me (ITV1) YOU can't blame people for being nosy about Michael Jackson's personal life. As one of the experts assembled to get inside his head noted: "His psyche is such a tangled web I don't even think Michael Jackson

  • Triple success for Polar Productions

    EVENTS management company Polar Productions has secured three contracts to provide outdoor ice rinks in the region. The company will provide ice rinks at Gateshead Quays, Baltic Square on the banks of the Tyne, at Mowbray Park, in Sunderland, and at Kielder

  • Quakers contest Close's dismissal

    BRIAN CLOSE will learn his fate today when Darlington appeal against the Irishman's controversial sending off. The Belfast-born defender was dismissed for a deliberate handball in Saturday's FA Cup first round draw with Yeovil Town. However, Quakers boss

  • Yuzu helps fliers find a head for heights

    A company in the region has completed a contract with airline Virgin Atlantic to help people overcome their fear of flying. Media company Yuzu, based in Middlesbrough, has designed and developed the airline's Flying without Fear website in line with the

  • Not just a pipe dream

    PLUMBING student Jonny Green's has battled his way to the finals of a national skills competition. The 18-year-old was runner up in the Skillbuild competition, a contest designed to recognise and attract promising youngsters to the industry. Jonny, of

  • Views exchanged in link-up to Germany

    SCHOOLCHILDREN had first-hand experience of other cultures in an event timed to coincide with Armistice Day. Hummersknott School and Language College, in Darlington, staged a video conference link-up with a school in Nuremburg, Germany. They also heard

  • Tributes paid to keen letter-writer

    A DARLINGTON man renowned for his many letters printed in The Northern Echo has died aged 83. Fred Wealands was known by friends and family for his strong views on everything from politics to football and over the years wrote scores of letters for the

  • Challenge in store for shoppers

    ALL-COMERS failed to beat one of the region's leading scrabble players yesterday. Pete Finley, Cleveland Scrabble Club champion, took on shoppers and passers-by at Asda in Stockton, Teesside, in the name of charity yesterday. But no one could beat the

  • Lead miners form the basis of county talk

    THE lives of the lead miners who shaped the history of County Durham will come under the spotlight next week. Bill Trenbirth, who works at Killhope Lead Mining Museum, will present a talk about the county's lead miners at Clayport library in Durham City

  • It's PlayStation frustration . . .

    PARENTS are facing a desperate dash to ensure one of this year's must-have Christmas presents makes it onto Santa's sleigh. Retailers across the region have been left without any PlayStation 2 games consoles after Sony hit production problems with its

  • Making a child smile is your gift

    AN appeal has been launched to help make Christmas special for deprived North-East youngsters. The Salvation Army's Light Up a Child's Life campaign encourages shoppers at the MetroCentre, in Gateshead, to buy an extra gift for a youngster in need. The

  • Surgeon's admission over death of patient

    A NORTH-EAST surgeon yesterday admitted he was partly responsible for the death of a patient after what should have been a routine operation at a private hospital. Barry Byers, 60, from Heighington, near Darlington, died after suffering internal bleeding

  • Farm stalls idea to be discussed

    PLANS to hold a farmers' market in Hartlepool will be discussed by councillors today. There are two markets in the town, on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Wednesday's market stalls sell antiques, bric-a-brac and second-hand items, while the Thursday market

  • Police patrols stepped up to deter burglars

    POLICE patrols are being stepped up in a Teesside town, following a spate of burglaries. Many residents are not taking the simple precaution of investing in a timer switch, leaving their homes in darkness, a common sign to burglars that there is no one

  • Charity funds

    A CHARITY golf day at Wynyard Golf Course, near Billingham, has raised money for Stockton mayor Jennie Beaumont's chosen charities. The event raised £3,500, which will go to the Great North Air Ambulance and Butterwick Hospice.

  • Concerns over plan for pub licence

    CONCERNS have been raised over plans to grant a public entertainment licence to a Stockton pub. An application for the licence has been submitted to Stockton Borough Council's licensing committee, which meets today, by Kay Donachie, from The Hop Merchant

  • Club donates from golf day

    A GOLF club has donated money to a hospital's children's ward and the air ambulance appeal. For the second year in succession, £2,000 has been donated to Ward 21 at the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, by Saltburn Golf Club from its August

  • Alcohol ban to be introduced on Metro

    THE Tyne and Wear Metro is to become an alcohol-free zone by Christmas. Public transport operator Nexus is introducing alcohol exclusion zones on the system from December 6. This will make it a criminal offence to be in possession of an open container

  • New move on open spaces

    THE safeguarding of a town's historic open spaces could take a step nearer next week. Richmondshire Landscape Trust wants to buy the sites in Westfield, South Bank, Sleegill, Reeth Road and Jack King's Wood in Richmond, from the district council to protect

  • Groundsman still going strong after 80th birthday

    A FOOTBALL club groundsman who has transformed a pitch from quagmire to quality has no plans to quit, despite celebrating his 80th birthday. Alf Dunnington has become an institution at Harrogate Town's Wetherby Road ground. Six days a week for more than

  • Chance to win a 'slave' for a day at auction

    TEACHER Adrian Bramley may not be sure what he has let himself in for - but at least he knows its all in a good cause. The head of music at Allertonshire School, Northallerton, is just one of the lots at a fundraising auction of prom-ises later this month

  • Graham Ridler

    * LAW firm Watson Burton has appointed insolvency lawyer GRAHAM RIDLER from Hong Kong to its Leeds office. Mr Ridler, who joins as a partner, will lead the corporate recovery team in the Leeds office. He has more than 15 years' experience helping Yorkshire

  • Inspector nominated for top achievement award

    A NORTH Durham community beat inspector has been nominated for lifetime achievement award. Inspector Dave Marshall of Chester-le-Street will travel to London tomorrow to find out whether he has won the title in the awards, organised by the Jane's Police

  • Anger as museum visitors prevent residents parking

    PEOPLE living near a recently-opened railway museum say their lives have been turned into a nightmare by visitors parking outside their homes. Residents of Victoria Street, Station Street and other areas surrounding Locomotion: National Railway Museum

  • Health workers win award for guidelines

    HEALTH workers in north Durham have won a national award for helping colleagues around the country. The team, from Derwentside Primary Care Trust, has received a Guidelines in Practice award - and £3,000 in prize money - for its work on hypertension.

  • Festive light competition launched

    VILLAGERS are being urged to enter the Christmas spirit by decorating their homes for the festive period. West Auckland Parish Council has launched a Christmas decoration competition to brighten up the village. Families and businesses are being asked

  • Police award cash to search and rescue team

    POLICE have rewarded the efforts of a team of volunteer lifesavers with a contribution to their fuel costs. The Teesdale and Weardale Search and Rescue Team has received £1,500 from Durham Police Authority to help to cover the organisation's running costs

  • Pub loses thousands after water main bursts again

    WATER bosses say a mains pipe that burst for the second time in 18 months should be replaced in the near future. Thousands of pounds of damage was caused when the 11in mains burst near the traffic lights in New Elvet near the junction with the Old Elvet

  • Extension to library hours meets demand

    MORE public libraries in County Durham are to extend weekend opening hours to meet demand. From this weekend, libraries in Chester-le-Street, Stanley, Spennymoor and Crook will be open from 9am until 4pm on Saturdays. They join Durham County Council's

  • Drive launched to secure funding

    CAMPAIGNERS have launched a drive to secure future funding for voluntary and community groups throughout the North-East, as a vital source of cash dries up. The Invest 2006 Campaign, unveiled yesterday, is in response to the withdrawal of key European

  • Why there's more to sin than sex

    I NEVER took Michael Howard for a sanctimonious prat. But what else would you call a leader who sacks a member of his team merely because of an adulterous affair? Mr Howard has made a fool of himself over the dismissal of the likeable but daft Boris Johnson

  • Residents given smoke alarms in safety scheme

    THOUSANDS of households across North Yorkshire are to be issued with free smoke alarms and advice on fire safety. Almost 5,000 households a year, mainly in deprived areas of the county, will be offered them over the next four years. The scheme is part

  • Aubrey takes horse on 200-mile trek for charity

    WHEN fundraiser Aubrey Hanley was planning a cross-country marathon for charity he decided to do it with style. Instead of walking or cycling the 200-mile journey he chose to travel in a carriage pulled by his cherished Connemara thoroughbred Mickey Flynn

  • 'Dentist made degrading comments about patient'

    A DENTIST made foul and degrading comments about a patient when she started legal action over botched treatment, a disciplinary hearing has been told. Leslie Rippon Smith allegedly insulted the married woman and her solicitor and refused to deal with

  • Eating Owt: Owt of Africa

    The column finds spice and all things nice at Darlington's first African restaurant. UNLESS Green Bus begins a twice-daily service to Marrakech, and goodness knows they run to places almost as improbable, it is now highly unlikely that we will ever be

  • MMP to bring flat-pack housing under one roof

    CONSTRUCTION company M&M Plasline (MMP) is a step closer to building flat-pack housing in factories following the acquisition of a steel frame manufacturer. Thirty-five jobs will be created in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, following the acquisition

  • We're in this together - Magpies

    NEWCASTLE manager Graeme Souness and defender Andy O'Brien have joined forces to present a united front as the Magpies look to turn around a dismal run of results. Sunday's defeat at home to Manchester United was the third home reverse in eight days and

  • Train company's new bid to operate route to London

    A TRAIN company which had its bid to run regional rail services rejected is hoping to make it second time lucky. Grand Central Railways' bid to run cut-price services on the TransPennine link between Newcastle and Manchester was rejected in June by Rail

  • Paul Hutton and Marc Turner

    LAW firm Blackett Hart and Pratt (BHP) has made two appointments in its commercial and agricultural property team. Solicitors PAUL HUTTON and MARC TURNER will be joining the firm's Newcastle and Durham offices. Mr Hutton's experience includes similar

  • Protests may not halt move by company

    PLANS by an engineering firm to move to an industrial estate have been recommended for approval, despite objections. RS Hall Engineering is hoping to move from Chapel Street in Thirsk to the site of a former print works in a corner of the town's industrial

  • Christmas will have its share of highs and lows

    Christmas shopping in New York? Sounds like a nice idea. It may not be as expensive as you think, given the current exchange rate. Despite the high oil price, flight bargains mean that the pound goes a long, long way in the Big Apple. The only downside

  • Hundreds of Co-op offices to close

    NEARLY 100 jobs are at risk across the region following the Co-operative Insurance Society (CIS) announcement that it plans to close hundreds of offices across the UK. Union leaders last night vowed to fight any compulsory job losses after the company

  • Cristian graduates to DFDS Seaways

    DFDS Seaways has appointed CRISTIAN FELICETTI as commercial analyst at its headquarters in North Shields, North Tyneside. Mr Felicetti, 34, of Low Fell, who is married with a four-month-old son, will monitor market and customer trends to address holidaymakers

  • Robertson back in Pool training

    HOT-SHOT Hugh Robertson yesterday returned to training - after fears over his future were allayed, writes Nick Loughlin. The Hartlepool left back has been out of action since August 28 after suffering a foot injury. Pool boss Neale Cooper admitted he

  • Stepping up fight to curb smoking

    SOME of the region's largest urban areas are ready to step up their fight against smoking, if Health Secretary John Reid gives them the go-ahead. The White Paper on public health, due to be published today, is expected to encourage local authorities to

  • Richard Boyd

    AN independent financial advisor has been appointed at Skipton Financial Services, in Northallerton, North Yorkshire. Richard Boyd, who has 13 years experience in the sector, previously worked for Barclays and the Co-operative banks.

  • Football fans' van unveiled

    NORTH football fans have the chance to win a van in their club's colours if they design their perfect team vehicle. As part of a national advertising campaign, Fiat Commercial Vehicles is offering a Dobl Cargo 1.3 SX MultiJet van to the supporter who

  • Life's no drag for a dame!

    ADAM Stafford knows only too well what getting older does to an actor in pantomime. "They stop seeing you as a young idiot and see you as a woman," he says. He's gone from lovable buffoon - the Silly Billy part as he calls it - to outrageous dame and

  • Parliament lobbied over pensions

    NORTH-EAST trade union representatives will lobby parliament today. Fifty Unison members are visiting London as part of a wider pensions campaign. The intention is to raise the concerns of workers from local authorities, the National Health Service, Police

  • Old school likely to be demolished

    A 167 year old school, described as a town's worst eyesore, is likely to be demolished - much to the delight of people living nearby. They gave a warm welcome yesterday to a plan to knock down the derelict building near the centre of Barnard Castle, Co

  • Concerns over plan for pub licence

    CONCERNS have been raised over plans to grant a public entertainment licence to a Stockton pub. An application for the licence has been submitted to Stockton Borough Council's licensing committee, which meets today, by Kay Donachie, from The Hop Merchant

  • Luminar profits hit by difficult markets

    Theme bar operator Luminar yesterday said sales and profits had fallen in a difficult and highly competitive market. The company, which owns the London Hippodrome and the Liquid, Chicago Rock Cafe and Jumpin' Jaks brands, announced that like-for-like

  • The world-beating skill of wor sculler

    JAMES RENFORTH of Gateshead: Champion Sculler of the World by Ian Whitehead, (City of Newcastle Libraries and Information Service, £7.99) BETWEEN 70,000 and 100,000 people lined the streets for his funeral. Canadians named a town after him. His fellow