A YOUTH drop-in facility that has been praised by police and community leaders could be expanded to cater for more young people. Ferryhill Town Council hopes to develop the E Cafe in the market place, with around £100,000 of building work and extra opening
SIXTH-FORM students out enjoying the New Year are being warned of the dangers of leaving their drinks unattended. Officers from the Hambleton Community Safety Partnership have distributed hundreds of "spikeys" to the students in an effort to protect them
A SERIES of weight management courses will be launched in the New Year. The Pioneering Care Partnership will run the free 12-week courses from Friday, January 13. Sessions will be held at Henderson House, Chilton, from 10am to noon and at Dean Bank Literary
THE City watchdog has levied fewer fines on companies and individuals this year - but the average size of the penalty has been higher. The Financial Services Authority issued a total of 19 fines in 2005, compared with 32 the previous year. The collective
A FORMER North-East doctor cleared of murdering three of his patients has pledged to return to work. Dr Howard Martin said he felt shackled and wanted nothing more than to start again as a GP. Last night, Sedgefield Primary Care Trust said it would take
The Enterprise Group has helped create more than 250 jobs in the region since it was launched earlier this year. The group has supported the start-up of more than 125 companies across County Durham, boosting the county's economy by nearly £20m a year.
NEILL Collins will make his final Hartlepool appearance at Oldham this afternoon and, while the environs of Boundary Park might not be the most glamorous, the accomplished defender is already setting his sights on the Premiership. Collins has made 24
A STRATEGY has been devised to give the call centre industry a boost. Regional development agency One NorthEast, working with other organisations, has drafted the framework of a strategy to address key issues, including recruitment and retention and reversing
Mountaineer Alan Hinkes was on top of the world last night after being awarded an OBE. Mr Hinkes, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, receives the award for services to sport. Last spring, he became the first Briton, and only the 13th person ever, to
AS if the weather outside was not cold enough, Danny Collins has revealed that Sunderland's players have turned to ice baths in an attempt to beat his boyhood heroes Everton. David Moyes' side are the visitors for this afternoon's relegation six-pointer
SANDWICH chain Benjys yesterday announced plans to open 50 stores and have another 90 vans on the road in the next year. The £6m expansion will take it into locations including Newcastle, Leeds and Sheffield, bringing its total number of outlets to 330
ROYAL Mail yesterday vowed to "fight for every letter" when it loses its 350-year monopoly on deliveries on New Year's day. The postal service market will be opened up on Jan- uary 1, allowing rival companies to collect, sort and deliver mail for the
A BREEDER of rare poultry, a museum boss, and a police chief have all been included in the honours. William Burdett, 81, from Hutton Sessay, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, was given an MBE for services to the poultry industry. Mr Burdett was keeper of
DURHAM: CBE - Alistair Grant Arkley. Former chairman, Tees Valley Partnership. For services to regeneration in the North-East. (Darlington) Professor William James Stirling. Pro-Vice-Chancellor, University of Durham. For services to science. (Durham)
ENGLAND'S dramatic victory in the Ashes series against Australia in the summer was recognised in the New Year Honours. The entire team, including Durham pair Steve Harmison and Paul Collingwood, were named in the list. Captain Michael Vaughan, of Yorkshire
MICK McCarthy has highlighted Everton's dramatic decline as evidence of the way in which Premiership fortunes can be turned upside down. At the start of the season, Everton were a disallowed goal away from the group stage of the Champions League following
MIDDLESBROUGH chief executive Keith Lamb has warned Steve McClaren to forget about the January sales until measures have been taken to reduce the size of his squad. At a time when influential midfielder George Boateng has moved closer to signing a new
A FORMER North-East doctor cleared of murdering three of his patients has pledged to return to work. Dr Howard Martin said he felt shackled and wanted nothing more than to start again as a GP. Last night, Sedgefield Primary Care Trust said it would take
A COMPANY in the region produced the audio content for two games released with this year's "must-have" Christmas present - the Xbox 360. Outsource Media, in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, supplies voice production services for computer games companies. It
A LEADING public servant has been made a CBE. Michael Lauerman, 63, who works as a regional change advisor for the Department of Education and Skills, began his career in 1972 - changing paths from an engineer to work in the social services department
THE detective leading the hunt for a paedophile who grabbed a six-year-old girl from her bath appealed to her abductor last night. Detective Chief Inspector Jim Napier told the man to give himself up. Police believe the child was taken from her home by
They believe the British are the direct descendants of the lost tribes of Israel and that Queen Elizabeth II can trace her ancestors back to King David. And they have made their home in a corner of Weardale. Nick Morrison meets the British-Israeli World
A MOTHER and her son were taken to hospital when their car careered off a snow- covered North-East road yesterday. The woman had been driving along the A66 when her Vauxhall Vectra left the road and smashed into the wall of a stone bridge, near Newsham
HEALTH officials in Darlington have reported record numbers of people turning up for their flu jabs this year. With December figures still to come in, Darlington Primary Trust (PCT) has said that 74 per cent of the over-65 population have been vaccinated
WHEN the civic leaders of Derwentside first forged links with their counterparts in the German town of Werdohl three decades ago, the steel industry ran at the heart of their relationship. Consett had a thriving steelworks and 17th century German settlers
A WIDE range of activities has been arranged for visitors to the Yorkshire Dales next year. Walks, exhibitions, courses and demonstrations are being planned by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. Cathy Bennett, the authority's outreach project
BUS services in North Yorkshire are to be reviewed by the county council. The authority is looking at where problems may occur in bus services due to increasing costs and is exploring different options. North Yorkshire County Council spends more than
Q My wife and I are both 80 and cannot get Pension Credit as I receive Attendance Allowance and 100 per cent Industrial Injuries Disablement Pension. Can we claim anything to reduce our council tax of £129 a month? A As Council Tax Benefit is means-tested
A CHESTER-le-Street nightspot is expecting revellers to continue their New Year celebrations at its annual charity fund-raiser on Sunday. Gravity, formerly Crocs, in Front Street, is holding its annual New Year's Day "panto'' in which a group of friends
BOWLERS from as far afield as Nottingham and Blackpool joined teams from the region in an annual festive competition. Sixteen teams competed for the cash prizes in the High Fives Competition at Darlington and District Indoor Bowls Club. The teams of five
TEES Valley builder Rok has expanded its social housing team with two appointments. Tony Seymour and Dave Hodgson have been drafted in to help deliver an improved social vision for the property developers. Mr Seymour, 30, said: "Joining the company was
BOSSES at Yorkshire Water have promised that 2006 will be another vintage year for the company. This year the company picked up several awards and plaudits but managers have said there is still a lot of work to be done and intend to carry on in the same
FORMER steel worker Phil Robinson is glad to be a shadow of his former self. After enrolling in an NHS weight management programme, he has managed to shed six stone, and 14 inches from his waist size. Mr Robinson, who lives in Coronation Road, Loftus,
A CHIEF Constable behind a drive to curb drunkenness urged revellers to enjoy New Year celebrations tonight, but in a safe manner. Northumbria force chief Mike Craik said his officers will be out in numbers trying to quell disorder on the streets of town
A chilly dip for fundraisers: UP to 40 people are expected to brave the chilly North Sea to raise money for charity on New Year's Day. The hardy souls will plunge into the water at Redcar to raise funds for the haematology department at the James Cook
A YOUTH drop-in facility that has been praised by police and community leaders could be expanded to cater for more young people. Ferryhill Town Council hopes to develop the E Cafe in the market place, with around £100,000 of building work and extra opening
DARLINGTON Partnership has come out in support of controversial proposals to merge two secondary schools in a £25m academy. The partnership, which is made up of representatives from the public, private, voluntary and community sector, has given its backing
FUNDING aimed at reducing the escalating number of teenage pregnancies in Darlington could be at risk. Members of Darlington Borough Council's social affairs and health scrutiny committee want a campaign to hammer home the message about teenage parenthood
THEATRE chiefs have pledged to work with key funders in an attempt to beat a financial crisis. Harrogate Theatre receives £400,000 a year from the Arts Council, £120,000 from Harrogate Borough Council and £62,000 from North Yorkshire County Council. The
HUNDREDS of people across North Yorkshire will benefit from a further education initiative. Partners from across the public, voluntary and further and higher education sectors in the county have launched the Higher Learning for Communities Project. The
THE Christmas holiday could not come soon enough for a military policewoman from Crook, who is based in Northern Ireland. Lance Corporal Clare Mizen enjoyed the chance to spend some time with her parents and friends when she was back home on leave from
DARLINGTON has been named the sixth most improved education authority nationally at GCSE level. The town's 15 and 16-year-olds achieved record breaking results this summer - following disappointing scores in 2004. The results mean Darlington was the sixth
A TEESSIDE couple have been left devastated by vandals who wrecked their Christmas display. Geoff and Tina Patchett had an inflatable Santa stolen from the garden of their home in Wincanton Road, near Redcar Racecourse. The lights which complete the festive
HURWORTH SCHOOL: JOHN Williams, the Labour leader of Darlington Council, accused the plans of Darlington's former "education tsar" Eamonn Farrar as being "educational cleansing by social class" (Echo, Dec 10). This was an offensive remark, and the residents
JERMAINE JENAS compared life at Newcastle United to living inside a goldfish bowl and has now explained how his summer move to Tottenham was an escape for fresh air. The England midfielder takes on his former employers for the first time since his wish
COMPANIES are entering 2006 in a state of unease as major decisions loom on the economy, pensions and energy, business lobby group the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) warned yesterday. The CBI said British jobs and competitiveness were at stake
NEWCASTLE Falcons are determined to take good care of Jonny Wilkinson following his recovery from his latest injury. With outdoor training impossible because of snow yesterday, a decision on whether he plays any part in tomorrow's home Guinness Premiership
A TEENAGE girl who went missing from home after chatting with a man on the Internet has been found safe and well in the South of England. Francesca Sumner, 16, from Whitby, North Yorkshire, has been reunited with her family after she was found on Thursday
GRAHAM LEE could do those punters prepared to back a big outsider a seriously good turn by booting home Faraway Echo (1.00) at Warwick. The Grand National-winning jockey, arguably Ingleby Barwick's most famous resident, is riding as well as ever this
SOMEWHAT surprisingly, as it's the heart of the National Hunt season, the second most valuable race of the day takes place on the Flat at Wolverhampton. Eight runners line up for the extended nine-furlong £18,000 Betdirect Freephone Handicap, a contest
TYNESIDER Nick McCormick lines up against some of Europe and Africa's top road runners in tonight's showpiece Madrid 10K. The prestigious race, which is floodlit through the central streets of the Spanish capital, offers a top prize of 5,000 euros and
THE rescue efforts carried out in the midst of London's July 7 suicide bombings have been recognised in the Queen's New Year honours list, published today. Medics, members of the emergency services, London transport staff and care workers dominate the
MYSTERY still surrounds the identity of a man who died in a train accident nine days ago. Police are now hoping two women from Darlington, who were seen with the man shortly before he died, may be able to help them with inquiries. The young man, who was
PERHAPS it says something about our education system, but many of the books in the shops - and under my Christmas tree - are trivia based. No longer big, long reads in which you can immerse yourself for a whole holiday, but little dibbly-dabbly books
NICOTINE patches and gum will be offered to smokers as young as 12, following a project which started in the North-East. The Department of Health has given approval for the treatment to be offered to child tobacco addicts across England and Wales without
A park-and-ride scheme is being temporarily shelved over the New Year holiday. Durham's fledgling £10m network, designed to encourage commuters to park at one of three edge-of-city sites, has proven popular since its inception earlier in the month. It
A TEENAGE sex pest exposed himself to a female pedestrian after claiming to be carrying out a questionnaire. The youth, who was walking a dog, approached the 43-year-old woman late on Thursday. She had been making her way to a nursing home in Blackhall
TWO men who have given service to the region have been recognised in the honours list. Alistair Arkley received a CBE for his services to regeneration in the North-East and Alan Charlton was awarded an MBE for services to the community in Darlington.
DESPITE the recent freeze, Darlington have warmed to the much-maligned festive programme more than most in League Two, but Neil Wainwright has warned the job is still far from done. Quakers play their third game in six days, and their last of 2005, at
NEILL Collins will make his final Hartlepool appearance at Oldham this afternoon and, while the environs of Boundary Park might not be the most glamorous, the accomplished defender is already setting his sights on the Premiership. Collins has made 24
AN investigation has been launched after an under-fire care home was reported to national inspectors. The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) has confirmed that it has received an unspecified complaint about North Park Care Centre in Darlington
POLICE are hoping to bring some belated Christmas cheer to a little boy by returning his lost present. A 2ft-long truck and trailer, a present from his grandparents, was found in Bluebell Close, Gateshead, at 10.30pm on Christmas Eve. Gateshead Police's
MEMBERS of a family who have been regularly tormented by young thugs had their Christmas Day ruined when they were threatened with a nail-studded wooden club. Ron Carter-Bonsteel, 47, from Thorntree, Middlesbrough, said the intimidating incident left
THE World Famous - one of the UK's top fireworks companies - will bring NewcastleGateshead's month-long Winter Festival celebrations to a climax tonight. The free, early evening show will be held at the Newcastle Civic Centre from 6pm. There will also
HOMES next to a proposed caravan site would have their amenity improved by the development, says a firm of property consultants. Kate Broadbank, a planner for Carter Jonas, says residents would not be harmed by the scheme to allow agricultural and industrial
POLICE have appealed for witnesses to an arson attack at a block of flats. A police spokesman said the blaze at Hexham House, Walker, Newcastle, between 8pm and 8.30pm on Wednesday, originated at two points in the building. The first was in a rubbish
YOUNGSTERS on Teesside are taking part in a scheme to help steer them away from trouble. Pupils from Fairfield Primary School, Stockton, are sowing the seeds of a successful future with the help of the Tree initiative. Towards Responsibility for Education
A TEENAGER was sexually assaulted as he waited for a taxi home after a night out. The 17-year-old was attacked early yesterday morning by a man behind the Debenhams store in the centre of Sunderland. He had been going home after a night out with friends
A SCHOOL has been recognised for a scheme that helps pupils into work with a local employer. Durham Community Business College - formerly Deerness Valley Comprehensive School - has been featured in School in Focus, on the TeacherNet website, for its Fit4Employment
A SEXUAL health event, encouraging young people in the Sedgefield area to stay safe over Christmas, took place in Spennymoor. The event, which was co-ordinated by the Public Health Improvement Team (Phit) at Sedgefield Primary Care Trust (PCT), was held
A SERIES of weight management courses will be launched in the New Year for people looking to get slim and improve their health and lifestyle. The Pioneering Care Partnership will run the free 12-week courses at venues in Chilton and Ferryhill from Friday
BOWLERS from as far afield as Nottingham and Blackpool joined teams from the region in an annual festive competition. Sixteen teams competed for the cash prizes in the High Fives Competition at Darlington and District Indoor Bowls Club. The teams of five
A COUNCIL forecasting a tax rise of 4.5 per cent has revealed that a detailed survey of taxpayers did not favour lowering council tax by cutting services. Others told Harrogate Borough Council they were prepared to pay an inflation-linked tax rise plus
AN active member of a village community has been named citizen of the year for 2005 by the Rotary Club of Newton Aycliffe. Alan Oates, of Durham Road, Aycliffe Village, was commended by the group for services to the community and local environment. The
MIDDLESBROUGH must press ahead with major changes to housing if the town is to continue to progress, according to the town's mayor. In a New Year message to residents living in the older housing area, Ray Mallon says that this year saw much progress in
A COUNCIL chief has entered the row about the late postponement of Newcastle's Premiership home game against Charlton because of snow and ice on the city's roads. Newcastle City Council chief executive Ian Stratford spoke out after the council was blamed
MIDDLESBROUGH Council is encouraging people to make 2006 a bad year for identity thieves. The council, in a town-wide crackdown on ID theft, has sold 1,000 cut-price shredders to people. It has also been providing information to local businesses about
A LOCAL historian has brought to life nostalgic memoirs of an east Cleveland town in a book. Sheila Barker, who has also created a website, at www. communigate.co.uk/ne/ themarsh, dedicated to the history of Coatham and Warrenby, is celebrating the launch
HEALTH workers in Sedgefield extended festive cheer to their counterparts in needy communities by supporting an international aid charity. Instead of sending Christmas cards to each other, colleagues from Sedgefield Primary Care Trust's Public Health
A CONTROVERSIAL decision to award "wholly inappropriate" pay rises to highly paid top officers at Middlesbrough Council is to be investigated in the new year. Former council leader Ken Walker instigated a review of the resolution which would have seen
HIT band The Levellers are the latest act lined up to play a North-East venue. The band, who have had 14 top 40 hits, including Beautiful Day, will be at the Manor Quay, in Sunderland, on Saturday, April 1. The gig is the latest organised at the venue
GRAHAM LEE could do those punters prepared to back a big outsider a seriously good turn by booting home Faraway Echo (1.00) at Warwick. The Grand National-winning jockey, arguably Ingleby Barwick's most famous resident, is riding as well as ever this
Tony Blair today takes his place in the top ten long-serving British prime ministers of all time. The MP for Sedgefield, County Durham, will start the New Year in tenth spot by knocking Herbert Asquith from the list. By passing Asquith's eight years and
THE Christmas holiday could not come soon enough for a military policewoman from Crook, who is based in Northern Ireland. Lance Corporal Clare Mizen enjoyed the chance to spend some time with her parents and friends when she was back home on leave from
MARY and David Wigham's green habits brought them an extra present at Christmas. The couple, who live on the Ashbrooke Estate, Shotton Colliery, scooped a luxury hamper in an environmental draw, organised by Easington District Council. The authority staged
A MEMBER of a North-East helicopter rescue crew has been honoured for his 25 years service helping others in distress and saving countless lives. Master Aircrew Ronald Webb, from RAF Boulmer in Northumberland, has been made an MBE. He is a Royal Air Force
It isn't difficult to see why so many tour operators, large and small, are tipping Morocco to be the hottest travel destination of 2006. Stretching from the Straits of Gibraltar in the north to the Sahara and the Atlantic coast in the south, it offers
AN active member of a village community has been named citizen of the year for 2005 by the Rotary Club of Newton Aycliffe. Alan Oates, of Durham Road, Aycliffe Village, was commended by the group for services to the community and local environment. The
