THE dispute over the future of two schools - one in Tony Blair's constituency and one in Alan Milburn's - has descended into such a mess that it is in danger of getting completely out of control. The bitterness over proposals for Hurworth and Eastbourne
A CHIMPANZEE was shot dead yesterday after making a King Kong-style bid for freedom. Witnesses said the adult female was killed at the top of a 60ft ride at the Flamingo Land zoo and entertainment park, near Malton, North Yorkshire. The animal escaped
COUNCILLORS at the north end of Darlington have issued a plea for a new housing estate to receive full services from the local authority. The Harrowgate Farm estate has been under construction for more than four years, with the last property built 18
WHEN Michael Owen made his headline-grabbing move from Madrid in the summer, Graeme Souness predicted he would quickly settle into the Newcastle way of doing things. Almost four months on, and Souness has been proved right. Owen has looked like the archetypal
It may have been long in coming, but like all the best weddings, the union of Crook's Methodist and United Reformed churches went without a hitch. AT the end of A Christmas Carol, it will be recalled, old Scrooge becomes quite excited by the fact that
A SIGN of how much a sportsman wants to achieve success in his specified field can be measured by what level they are prepared to drop to in a bid to reach the top. So when a professional golfer, having lost his place among European golf's elite, takes
AN astonishing row broke out last night after a fresh plan for the future of two North-East schools was revealed. A headteacher in Darlington hopes to expand an acclaimed school at the heart of a merger plan, freeing it from council control. The move
A SERVICE to help people in a rural area visit friends and family over the festive period will be launched this Christmas. Weardale Community Transport is piloting the service, enabling people in Weardale, with no access to transport, to travel within
CHRISTMAS revellers will be able to work off extra festive pounds at the leisure centres in Hambleton this year. For the first time, centres will not been subjected to annual maintenance shutdowns over the holidays - and will only be closed for the four
THE New Year is an opportunity for a new attitude as weight management courses begin in Chilton and Ferryhill next month. Designed for those wanting to get slim and change their lifestyle, the courses include weekly weigh-ins, while health professionals
NORTH Yorkshire residents have less than a week left to comment on proposals to restructure policing in the county. North Yorkshire Police Authority and North Yorkshire Police have been asked by Home Secretary Charles Clark to draw up detailed analysis
DELAYS which plagued the opening of a skateboard park are over, after after a gift of equipment which had been standing idle. Campaigners at Masham, near Ripon, had worked tirelessly to provide the base for the new venture, near the town centre. But they
A PUB landlord has launched his own taxi firm so customers can get home at night. Martin Coleman, owner of the Village Inn at Brompton, near Northallerton, drove taxis for seven years in the Richmond and Catterick area 20 years ago. His first licensed
A SURVEY has revealed that five out of 17 premises in Stockton licensed to sell alcohol, sold drink to under-age youngsters. Shops across Stockton were targeted by the council's trading standards officers to monitor the sale of age-restricted products
A TEENAGER who was under the influence of a Fagin-type character when he burgled a pensioner's home has been jailed. Anthony Brown, who had already been made subject to an anti-social behaviour order, broke into the 75-year-old man's house in an early-morning
HEALTH bosses are considering plans for a county-wide service to improve the care of people with breathing difficulties. Breathlessness is the single biggest cause of emergency admission to hospital. But many admissions could be avoided by more effective
Second Division Peterlee are looking for a new manager again after Phil Brown quit after just four days in the job. Brown was appointed after last Saturday's defeat by Consett following the departure of Trevor Jones, but chairman Trevor Davies received
A MEETING has been called to try to set up more youth facilities in a County Durham village. There are more than 100 teenagers in Heighington, near Newton Aycliffe, but little for them to do in the evenings. This means they often end up hanging around
A DEALER caught with cannabis when police raided his home was spared jail yesterday. Stephen Goodchild had 253g of resin in an outhouse and 227g in his kitchen. Goodchild, who served a prison sentence for dealing cannabis last year, also had pipes and
PEOPLE living near one of County Durham's busiest roads are to step up their campaign for a speed limit by launching a petition. Villagers in Witton-le-Wear have the A68 on their doorsteps and the road has been the scene of several accidents in recent
DIY company B&Q has threatened court action against a businessman who named his new hardware store B&Screw. Landlord and businessman John Finn recieved a letter from the hardware chain's lawyer saying the name for his latest business venture,
LACDOUDAL (2.40) rates a stunning value each-way bet at around 10-1 for the inaugural running of the Robin Cook Memorial Gold Cup. The £110,000 Cheltenham showpiece is a fitting tribute to a man who not only loved his horse racing, but also contributed
CHRISTMAS shoppers are to be given a larger than life lesson on recycling while out on their buying sprees. During the run-up to December 25, recycling messages are to be projected on to the walls of supermarkets and prominent buildings in centres across
A CAROL service to raise money for a charity working with Aids sufferers in Africa takes place later this month. The event, organised by the local branch of Soroptimist International, takes place in St Nicholas' Church in the Market Place, Durham City
A WOMAN who stabbed her flatmate twice in their home was jailed for two years yesterday. Roxanne McGee snapped during a drinking session with Marion Richardson, 43, and plunged a knife into her shoulder. Newcastle Crown Court heard that as Mrs Richardson
PROTESTORS on Teesside will next week call for the season of goodwill to be extended to all asylum seekers. People concerned with the treatment of refugees who have their applications for asylum refused and are forcibly removed from Britain are planning
A COUPLE who met as teenagers at a church youth club have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary. Tom Ayer and his wife, Gertrude, both 82, struck up an immediate friendship when they met at Annfield Plan Central Methodist Church, in Annfield Plain
A NEW at-a-glance guide to the region's hospitals suggests that there are wide variations in performance. The independent Dr Foster Hospital Guide, published today, includes a simple colour-coded scorecard to highlight the best performing hospitals. This
AN information technology company based in the region has won a contract with the North-East's premier rugby club. Avoco, in Consett, County Durham, will supply the Newcastle Falcons with a call routing service, which is expected to save the club up to
A CAMPAIGNER for disabled rights who played a key role in securing double the compensation payments for Thalidomide victims said last night: "Justice has been done." It is three years since North Yorkshire businessman Guy Tweedy started his campaign for
Afew weeks ago seven old friends were travelling together in a lift in a New York hotel. "We all looked at each other and said, 'we're bloody lucky'",recalls one of them, Nicholas Hammond. Individually, the seven names might not mean much to you. Collectively
WHEN Michael Owen made his headline-grabbing move from Madrid in the summer, Graeme Souness predicted he would quickly settle into the Newcastle way of doing things. Almost four months on, and Souness has been proved right. Owen has looked like the archetypal
A MOTHER who abandoned her 15-year-old daughter for a new life abroad has married her holiday romance lover. Elaine Walker, 46, exchanged vows with waiter Ali Murat, 26 -her fourth husband - in a ceremony on a beach in Turkey. She sparked national outrage
MICKY Barron has had enough of spending his Saturday's away from football. And, after almost 18 months of matchdays being spent at the MetroCentre instead of Victoria Park, the Hartlepool United skipper is back in the side. Tuesday's game with Colchester
AN employer in the region has been celebrating its centenary. PVC manufacturer Hydro Polymers, one of the biggest employers in County Durham, has held a series of events to commemorate its parent company's 100-year history. This month, it held a party
ANDREW Flintoff has spent most of the summer living up to the epithet of the 'new Ian Botham' and, tomorrow, the process will finally be complete. Twenty-four years after Botham became the one and only cricketer to be crowned BBC Sports Personality of
MORE than 50 victims of asbestos-related cancer may now get a new drug on the NHS after a U-turn by North-East health officials. In an unexpected development yesterday, North-East NHS chief executives issued a joint statement agreeing to pay for patients
Q Our joint State Pensions are £133.50 a week and we have £21.33 a week Pension Credit. Our savings are £19,801. Are we entitled to any rebate on our £1,121.97-a-year council tax? A Your Pension Credit includes the guarantee credit element, which means
Crook Town manager Alan Oliver is hoping for a big crowd at the Millfield this afternoon to help his side into the last-32 of the FA Vase. Crook are up against Daventry-based Ford Sports, who play in the United Counties League, and Oliver said: "The crowd
Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson made his first film of King Kong when he was nine, using his mother's fur coat for his jungle monster. Now, after several years, and two failed attempts, his tribute to beauty and the beast opens next week. Steve
IT was golfing great Gary Player who came up with the immortal phrase: "The more I practice, the luckier I get". And Mark Proctor believes Darlington should heed those words if they are to overcome their problems. Player's 24 PGA Tour wins may dwarf Darlington's
IN the end, it wasn't so much a draw as an early Christmas present. England will play Paraguay, Trinidad & Tobago and Sweden in the group stage of next summer's World Cup and, if they cannot qualify from that pool, they should not be in the tournament
A DRINKER who stabbed a man in a revenge attack has been jailed for three-and-a-half years. Lee Pennington armed himself with a hammer and kitchen knife after being told a friend of his partner had suffered a domestic attack. The distressed woman, suffering
MICK McCARTHY is in no mood to start worrying about the prospect of losing the manager's job and is doing his utmost to concentrate on Sunderland's survival bid. Speculation has been building this week that a tenth straight defeat at Charlton today could
VIETNAMESE gangsters bought up cheap properties in the North-East to turn them into massive cannabis farms, a court heard yesterday. 'Babysitters' or 'caretakers' were sent to mind operations at each property, often to repay debts to criminals. The operation
AN employer in the region has been celebrating its centenary. PVC manufacturer Hydro Polymers, one of the biggest employers in County Durham, has held a series of events to commemorate its parent company's 100-year history. This month, it held a party
A DESPERATE plea to save the life of a baby fighting for his life has been echoed by his grandparents. Lennox Nicholson, five months, is battling for life in St James' Hospital, Leeds, as his parents, Simon Nicholson, 21, and Amy Robinson, 20, of Oak
AWARDS celebrating the achievements of a college's students were held this week. Bishop Auckland College's Annual College Awards night was held to reward and recognise the skills and talents of some of its star students. Guest speaker at the event was
SMALL WONDER: WHILE statistics can be unreliable, it is interesting to note that, in the league tables for Darlington's junior schools, the first five ranked schools are, with one exception, the four smallest schools in the borough. Fortunately, the five
A SPOT of horseplay is generally not associated with the elderly residents of a care home. But curious pensioners braved the cold yesterday to welcome the latest addition to their stable - a four-year-old filly by the name of One and Only. The racehorse
AS dozens of rural bus routes across County Durham are axed or reduced, one community is fighting to keep its links with the outside world. TONY KEARNEY meets the villagers of Kelloe and their MP who is backing their campaign IT is about six miles from
A PENSIONER has raised £420 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance by swimming 64 lengths of her local pool. Margaret Race, 70, of Linden Road, Skeeby, near Richmond, swam non-stop at Richmond Swimming Pool. The achievement is all the more impressive as she
RESIDENTS from two east Cleveland towns have taken their concerns to their MP. Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, backed the causes yesterday by handing over two petitions on behalf of people from Brotton and Saltburn to Redcar
HEALTH bosses are considering plans to set up a county-wide respiratory management service to improve the care of people with breathing difficulties. Breathlessness is the highest single cause of emergency admission to hospital. But many of these could
A MAN barred from contact with his partner of 25 years by a court order threatened her best friend and smashed her garden fence, a court heard yesterday. Harrogate magistrates had imposed a one-year restraining order on removal man Roderick Loughray,
A COUPLE who met at a wartime dance have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Kenneth and Vera Mitchinson, of Escomb Road, Bishop Auckland, met in a dance hall in 1944. Nine months later, they were married - and still are after 60 years. "We met
A MARKET town school which performed well in its Ofsted inspection has been given a helping hand from the parish council. As a thank you to the school for its efforts, Masham Parish Council has agreed to spend £700 on computer equipment, with the hope
THE first item on the agenda of the meeting of Masham Parish Council was the surprise resignation of its clerk. Business could not proceed until a stand-in clerk had been appointed, a task which fell to vice-chairman Councillor Flo Grainger. The resigning
A PARISH council is renewing its plea for urgent safety measures to be taken on a road north of Masham, near Ripon. Despite requests to North Yorkshire County Council highway chiefs for double white lines to be renewed and extended on the Leyburn Road
THE winners of a charity raffle are to be drawn live on radio. The annual Christmas raffle to raise money for St Cuthbert's Hospice will be drawn on Monday on Durham FM, the city's new radio station. The first prize in the draw is £2,000, with other prizes
AN MP has welcomed a vote by residents in his constituency to transfer management of council homes to a social housing company. Earlier this week, council tenants in Derwentside voted in favour of transferring management of the authority's 7,600 homes
PRIMARY school children have been presented with certificates for their work to improve health. Six-year-old Kurt Robertson received the Healthy School Certificate on behalf of his schoolfriends in Year One and Two at Cassop Primary School. The children
SHOCK tactics were used to curb speeding drivers in a North Yorkshire market town yesterday. Operation Siren targeted motorists in Easingwold. Speeding drivers were stopped by police and given a choice - accept a £60 fixed penalty notice and three points
POLICE in east Durham are planning to put the brake on bicycle thieves in the run-up to Christmas. Bike owners are being urged to take steps to keep their machines secure following a recent rise in thefts. To help them safeguard their cycles, owners can
WHEN Michael Essien clattered into Dietmar Hamann's knee this week, Middlesbrough midfielder George Boateng could have been forgiven for recalling some bitter memories. Four years ago, Boateng was the recipient of a similarly shocking tackle that almost
TRANSPORT chiefs are to carry out a study of Darlington's road network in a bid to ease congestion. The key routes into the town have become increasingly busy in recent months. Motorists on West Auckland Road, Yarm Road, North Road and Haughton Road have
POLICE have appealed for witnesses after thieves sneaked into an elderly woman's home and stole money. The woman, who is in her 80s, had left her door unlocked because she was expecting a visit from her daughter. The two thieves, who have been described
EXCITED nursery school children met Santa Clause yesterday to tell him what they want for Christmas, and were told some festive stories themselves. Youngsters from York House Day Nursery, in Bishop Auckland, were invited to see Santa in his grotto at
A POLICE officer's career hangs in the balance after he was convicted and sentenced for kicking a drunk during an arrest. PC Andrew Davison, who was sentenced to do 200 hours unpaid community service by Judge Stephen Earl yesterday, is lodging an immediate
AWARDS celebrating the achievements of a college's students were held on this week. Bishop Auckland College's Annual College Awards night was held to reward and recognise the skills and talents of some of its star students. Guest speaker at the event
England captain David Beckham admitted he is relishing the chance to face his former Manchester United colleague Dwight Yorke after being drawn with Trinidad & Tobago at next summer's World Cup. At the draw in Leipzig, England were drawn with the
CHRISTMAS shoppers are to be given a larger than life lesson on recycling while out on their buying sprees. During the run-up to December 25, recycling messages are to be projected on to the walls of supermarkets and prominent buildings in centres across
YOUNGSTERS at a Sunday school are supporting underprivileged families in Africa - with the help of a goat. Children from All Saints' Church, Hartburn, took their goat Millie on a sponsored walk to raise money to buy a goat for charity Farm Africa's Get
MUSICAL storyteller Tony Wilson will be singing the praises of a reading initiative at Brotton library on Monday. The project will provide hundreds of families across Redcar and Cleveland with free packs of books for their young children. Mr Wilson is
AN east Cleveland photographer has announced a £10,000 expansion plan. The Keith Moss Gallery, in Brotton, opened its doors in June. Owner Keith Moss, who runs the gallery with his wife, Pat, will be extending his gallery space and investing in more modern
FUNDRAISERS in east Cleveland have gathered nearly £3,000 for two local lifeboat stations. Customers from The Annandale pub, Skelton, presented cheques worth £2,700 to Staithes and Redcar RNLI lifeboats. Money was raised, in a year, through quizzes, raffles
STUDENTS from Stockton Sixth Form College have performed modern magic, by creating a website for the Middlesbrough Circle of Magicians. Sophie Dunning, 17, and Steven Roberts, 18, took part in the Gold Crest awards for creativity in science and technology
A FORMER police superintendent has become an MBE in recognition of his services to Salvation Army emergency relief operations worldwide. Brian Oxley, who now lives in Bristol, grew up in Sherburn Hill, near Durham, where he attended the local Salvation
A NURSE who indecently exposed himself to a group of schoolgirls has been struck off to prevent him doing something similar at a hospital. George McClurkin, 40, stood at his window and exposed himself to five shocked youngsters outside his home in Ryhope
NORTH Yorkshire Timber has recruited its 100th worker and opened a sixth regional sales centre. The timber supplier, which started in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, in 1979, has acquired a site in Whessoe Road, Darlington, which will open in the New
STEVE Harper is ready to walk away from Newcastle if Shay Given's contract talks earn him a new long-term deal. Given, whose current contract expires at the end of next season, will open discussions with Magpies chairman Freddy Shepherd this morning.
THE troubled Biofuels Corporation had a turnaround in fortunes yesterday when it secured an order for 15,000 tonnes of biodiesel. Biofuels has built the world's largest biodiesel plant, on Teesside. The contract takes sales of biodiesel to more than 50
A DESPERATE plea to save the life of a baby fighting for his life has been echoed by his grandparents. Lennox Nicholson, five months, is battling for life in St James' Hospital, Leeds, as his parents, Simon Nicholson, 21, and Amy Robinson, 20, of Oak
PROTESTORS will next week call for better treatment for asylum seekers. A demonstration is being organised by people concerned with the treatment of refugees, who have their applications for asylum refused and have been removed from Britain. A vigil will
A CAR dealer who was a member of a gang supplying cocaine and ecstasy has been ordered to hand over more than £126,000 in proceeds of his crime. Anthony Ronald Hall was given six months by a court to pay the money or face an extra three years in jail.
DONCASTER is one of the fairest tracks in the country so why only five horses have been declared for the £20,000 Neville Crump Memorial Chase is a complete mystery, writes Colin Woods. Sponsors Intercasino have every right to be disappointed, however
COUNCIL PRAISE: MAY I commend Durham County Council for the revamped Durham bus station, which is a pleasure to visit, though long overdue? What surprises me is that the standards are being maintained, which was not so after the previous revamp in the
A POLICE officer's five-day campaign of intimidation against a woman and her family cost him his career, a court heard yesterday. Jeremy Ashcroft, who was based at Bishop Auckland, County Durham, and lives in Lanchester, had "serious domestic violence
A CHIMPANZEE was shot dead yesterday after making a King Kong-style bid for freedom. Witnesses said the adult female was killed at the top of a 60ft ride at the Flamingo Land zoo and entertainment park, near Malton, North Yorkshire. The animal escaped
DARLINGTON'S Alan Brown, National Three North's leading try scorer, has been voted the division's Player of the Month for November after coming third behind October's winner, Blaydon's Martin Shaw. The clubs clash at Crow Trees today (2.15) and, apart
DETECTIVES are hoping that BBC's Crimewatch will help them nail the killer of teenager Jenny Nicholl. And it is understood that the 19-year-old's mother, Ann Nicholl, will appear on the programme in the hope that someone, somewhere, will be able to solve
CHRISTIAN BASSILA is trying not to think too far ahead at Sunderland, in fear of making things worse on Wearside. The Black Cats have been cast adrift at the bottom of the Premiership table, eight points shy of safety, with hopes of survival fast disappearing
DETECTIVES are hoping that BBC's Crimewatch will help them nail the killer of teenager Jenny Nicholl. And it is understood that the 19-year-old's mother, Ann Nicholl, will appear on the programme in the hope that someone, somewhere, will be able to solve
IN the end, it wasn't so much a draw as an early Christmas present. England will play Paraguay, Trinidad & Tobago and Sweden in the group stage of next summer's World Cup and, if they cannot qualify from that pool, they should not be in the tournament
A MAN who abused three girls almost four decades ago has been jailed for nine years. Joseph Rush carried out the indecent assaults over a number of years, and raped and attempted to rape one of his victims. Teesside Crown Court heard the offences took
MICK McCARTHY is in no mood to start worrying about the prospect of losing the manager's job and is doing his utmost to concentrate on Sunderland's survival bid. Speculation has been building this week that a tenth straight defeat at Charlton today could
A POLICE officer's career hangs in the balance after he was convicted and sentenced for kicking a drunk during an arrest. PC Andrew Davison, who was sentenced to do 200 hours unpaid community service by Judge Stephen Earl yesterday, is lodging an immediate
IT'S hot and it's going to get hotter. I'm in only the first - and coolest - of the three chambers at Harrogate's Turkish Baths and I'm starting to feel just a little bit apprehensive about what lies ahead. I've never been really keen on saunas - all
MIDDLESBROUGH admit they were priced out of a move for Peter Crouch in the summer. Today they come face-to-face with the gangly England striker for the first time since then, but manager Steve McClaren is more than happy with his lot, having witnessed
ONE of the region's most senior police officers cycled off into retirement yesterday after 37 years. Durham Chief Constable Paul Garvin left constabulary headquarters, in Durham City, for the last time after running the force for the past three years.
DAVID Hodgson last night attempted to clarify the mystery surrounding Darlington striker Tresor Kandol's absence this week. On Wednesday, Hodgson spoke of his "anger and disappointment" following Kandol's failure to turn up for training on Sunday. Hodgson
