Archive

  • Is the Holy Grail in Yorkshire?

    Everyone loves a conspiracy theory, but according to author and former North Yorkshire vicar, Graham Taylor, The Da Vinci Code is pure fiction - although the Holy Grail could be in Yorkshire. IF YOU want to tell a lie then tell a big one. That's the

  • Did Charles keep the Grail's secret?

    Could a North-East aristocrat have been at the centre of the world's biggest mystery - the whereabouts of the Holy Grail? As the movie version of Dan Brown's best-selling book, The Da Vinci Code premieres, Tony Kearney goes on a quest to Northumberland

  • 'I really had a bad relationship with food'

    For 35 years, Rosemary Conley has reigned supreme as the queen of slimmers. She tells Women's Editor Sarah Foster the secrets of her success - and what she thinks of Victoria Beckham. MY first question sends Rosemary Conley into peals of laughter.

  • 'This clinic gave my son his childhood back'

    Hundreds of thousands of children are taking powerful drugs to control hyperactivity. Health Editor Barry Nelson talks to one family who weaned their son off drugs and sent him instead to a unique North-East clinic. PETER'S parents were at their wits

  • NHS cull sees four health trusts become one

    HEALTH service managers in North Yorkshire are putting a brave face on NHS mergers that have left the area with one "super-trust". As part of a nationwide cull that saw the number of primary care trusts (PCTs) fall from 303 to 152, North Yorkshire's

  • North Yorkshire left with one 'super trust' for health care

    HEALTH service managers in North Yorkshire are putting a brave face on NHS mergers that have left the area with one "super-trust". As part of a nationwide cull that saw the number of primary care trusts fall from 303 to 152, North Yorkshire's four

  • Trust suspends its drug action team co-ordinator

    THE NHS manager behind one of the region's most successful drug action teams has been suspended on full pay. Last night it emerged that David Cliff, County Durham's Drug and Alcohol Action Team (Dat) co-ordinator, was suspended from his position several

  • 'Safer NHS' review is ready - health chief

    A LONG-AWAITED review of medical regulation, which could pave the way for a safer NHS has been completed, The Northern Echo can reveal. It means that the onus is now on the Department of Health to come up with a response to a series of medical scandalsm

  • Parents' warning as baby dies from chickenpox

    A BABY has died in hospital after contracting what is usually a mild childhood disease. Eight-month-old Faye Grace died at Newcastle General Hospital within days of contracting chickenpox. Doctors told her parents that the odds of a child dying

  • Where are Julie's missing remains?

    CANNIBAL killer David Harker is to be visited by detectives for the first time since he was convicted of mutilating a mother-of-four, The Northern Echo can reveal. One of the detectives who led the investigation into the killing of Julie Paterson,

  • May 20, 2006

    PEDESTRIAN HEART : May I thank you for publishing my letters about the Pedestrian Heart changes to Darlington town centre. Out of frustration I have decided to stop writing to you and the council. Early on, I asked the Director of Development and

  • May 17, 2006

    REGIONAL QUANGOS : Congratulations to Ruth Kelly on her appointment as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. I have given written and oral evidence to the current inquiry into the future of regional government by the Office of the

  • May 18, 2006

    LAW AND ORDER : I was disgusted to read in yesterday's Northern Echo about a case at Darlington Magistrates' Court whereby a man was charged with drink-driving, driving without a licence and insurance and obstructing a police officer. The fact is that

  • May 19, 2006

    SEX SLAVES : Can we be assured that no social service or housing benefits are being used to support Darlington's Kaotian fantasists? - Name supplied, Heighington. I AM shocked to learn that there are female sex slaves in Darlington, and young women

  • May 22, 2006

    NUCLEAR POWER : David Miliband, the South Shields MP and the new pro-nuclear environment secretary, has as his constituency chairman Alan Donnelly, a chief lobbyist for US multinational Fluor. Fluor is expected to bid for contracts if Britain decides

  • May 23, 2006

    CHRISTOPHER WARDELL : I must protest at the letter from Hugh Pender regarding Christopher Wardell (HAS, May 19). I was an irregular reader of The Northern Echo for a number of years, but since reading Mr Wardell's letters in Hear All Sides I now buy

  • Worship in a very high frequency

    The pews are packed at a Darlington church for a May devotion which has clearly captured hearts and minds. BUILT for £5,800 in 1876, the Anglican church of St James the Great is on Albert Hill, a generally working class area of Darlington. For Albert

  • 400 years on - returning a favour

    Something of an evangelical role reversal has brought an American minister to a Baptist church little changed since the 18th century. GETTING on 400 years after the Pilgrim Fathers upped and offed on the Mayflower, American missionaries are heading

  • Bears face tough encounter

    The Premier Trophy North leaders Workington Comets are at the South Tees Motorsport Park, off South Bank Road, Middlesbrough this Thursday at 7.30pm and are guaranteed to give the Redcar Bears a stiff test. Spearheaded by wily veterans Paul Thorp and

  • Bears hold first home league match

    The Redcar Bears stage their first home Premier League match of the season when British Speedway's most southern club the Isle of Wight Islanders are at the South Tees Motorsport Park this Thursday from 7.30pm. A touch of speedway history in another

  • The lowdown on raising kids

    THE door that leads from our garage to the kitchen tells a tall story. It has little marks in different coloured ink recording the rapid growth of the children during the six years we've lived in the house.The oldest was nine when we moved in and the

  • TEN TO FOLLOW PERFORMANCE

    Below are the profit/loss figures for each horse in the Ten to Follow list at a stake of £1 per race. BORDERLESCOTT: +£20 1st York May 19th 2nd Royal Ascot June 24th 1st Goodwood August 5th 2nd Ayr September 16th HERNANDOS BOY: -£2

  • Dingaan the all-weather specialist

    ALL-WEATHER racing from Lingfield and Kempton seems the safest bet today with both Towcester and Leicester under threat from waterlogging and needing to pass early morning inspections. Lingfield stages the better quality action including their feature

  • Will there be a chain reaction?

    BECAUSE the football was so forgettable, the tinkling torrent of tintinnabulation lives longest in the memory. Last week, Middlesbrough's well-lubricated supporters headed on foot to the stadium in Eindhoven to watch their team's unsuccessful Uefa Cup

  • Soviet Song a danger to Stoute's star duo

    SIR MICHAEL STOUTE holds a strong hand in this afternoon's Group 1 Lockinge Stakes with both Peeress (2.40) and Rob Roy poised to take a leading role in the £200,000 showpiece. After yet another big winner at York this week, an arguably illprepared

  • Soggy Redcar should be right up Etoile's street

    REDCAR'S meeting is under threat from possible waterlogging, but if the fixture passes this morning's 8am inspection the soft ground shouldn't hinder Etoile Russe (2.40). Patrick Haslam's representative enjoyed a profitable winter and springtime jumps

  • Striking a blow for workers

    YOU are young, said the judge to the eight men in the dock. "When you have served your sentences you will have the world before you. I can only hope that afterwards you will be able to lead useful and happy lives."They had been found guilty of causing

  • Ridge to weigh in on luck

    Dedicated followers of form cannot fail to have noticed Ptarmigan Ridge (4.15) has slipped to a potentially winning mark for Thirsk's Polar Ford Handicap. Linda Perratt's one-time smart sprinter endured a lean campaign during 2005 when, for virtually

  • May 15, 2006

    UNLIKE his predecessor, Durham's new president will not be sidetracked by investigating the death of Princess Diana and Premier League bungs. After an association with the club dating back to 1948, Tom Moffat has taken over from Lord Stevens and plans

  • May 22, 2006

    MIKE Hussey always wanted to be Allan Border. So says his brother David, who would have relished coming up against his elder sibling at Trent Bridge last week had Mike been able to return to Durham. The hard-hitting Nottinghamshire batsman is just

  • Unlucky Thorp likely to be odd man out

    WHILE Durham will be up against two of this season's top wicket-takers over the next four days, the man currently topping their own bowling averages again looks likely to be 12th man. Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who has 24 wickets at 15.87, and Mushtaq Ahmed

  • Dragon Quest : The journey of the cursed king

    Publisher: Square-Enix Formats: PS2 Price: £39.99 Family friendly? 12+ In the court of the cursed king More than 40 million Dragon Quest games have been sold worldwide to date, but in Europe the franchise

  • KUON

    Publisher: Noblis Formats: PS2 Price: £29.99 Family friendly? 16+ A western yen for Japanese horror. After years on the mainstream margins it seems Hollywood has finally embraced the spooky goings-on in movies

  • Matches abandoned

    The weekend's Readers Durham County League matches were abandoned due to rain.

  • Matches Abandoned

    The weekend's Darlington Building Society NYSD League matches were abandoned due to rain.

  • Stockton can't climb Hill

    THERE was a delayed start in NNorthern Rock ECB North-East Regional Premier League game between Benwell Hill and Stockton, but they produced an exciting day's cricket. In a game reduced to 89 overs, runs were scarce and at close of play Stockton were

  • Seaham's reward

    SEAHAM Park were rewarded for being able to stage one of only two games played and victory over Peterlee propelled them to the top of the table. With rain always threatening it was a double bonus for them when Peterlee batted first and they wasted

  • Victorious visitors

    THE weather decimated the programme when only two games were able to make a start. The matches at Boldon and Whitburn began on time with visitors South Shields and Seaham Harbour both victorious. Seaham Harbour's win lifts them off the bottom and

  • Ponteland in a real run feast

    THREE games were cancelled and of the three which did commence, two were timed out when they were interrupted by the weather. There were no problems at Ponteland, where the full 100 overs were bowled and 513 runs recorded. Swalwell romped to 276

  • Chris Storey

    Watson Burton, which is based in Newcastle and Leeds, has appointed CHRIS STOREY as a property partner. Mr Storey joins from Eversheds' Newcastle office. He specialises in landlord and tenant work, freehold acquisition and sales. After graduating from

  • Stewart Irvine

    COMMERCIAL law firm Robert Muckle has appointed new partner STEWART IRVINE to lead its dispute resolution unit. The 33-year-old becomes the firm's youngest partner. He joined the Newcastle firm ten years ago as a trainee solicitor. He said: "I am delighted

  • Neil Clough

    LLOYDS TSB has appointed NEIL CLOUGH as agricultural business manager for the North-East. He will be based at the Lloyds TSB agricultural office in Newcastle, one of 37 offices in Britain. He has worked in business banking for Lloyds for the past four

  • Satisfaction guaranteed with Andie's new role

    ANDIE BALCOMBE has taken on a new role at EDF Energy in Sunderland keeping the workforce happy.The 31-year-old, from Roker, is the first staff satisfaction manager at EDF's Doxford Park contact centre.She will concentrate on training, development and

  • Jordan Hind

    JORDAN HIND, a keen dressage rider is saddling up for a new role in marketing. The 23-year-old, from Murton, near Sunderland, has been appointed as marketing co-ordinator at construction group Frank Haslam Milan.Ms Hind previously worked as an administrator

  • Paul Whitehead

    THE Tees Valley office of Tait Walker has appointed independent financial advisor PAUL WHITEHEAD.The 40-year-old is qualified in financial planning and mortgage advice. His responsibilities will involve looking after company pension schemes with up to

  • Ian Eldridge

    BUSINESS Link Tees Valley has appointed IAN ELDRIDGE to improve the way the organisation operates.He recently spent three years as training manager and business improvement co-ordinator at GE Plastics - a manufacturing site in Thornaby, Teesside.He said

  • Emma Hutton

    EMMA Hutton has been appointed as commercial manager at Talent Training.The 25-year-old, from Durham, joined parent company Talent Group more than a year ago as a finance assistant.She studied at Sunderland University Business School, graduating in 2002

  • The man who joins the dots in green energy

    A NORTH-EAST company is expanding into a new way of working which allows a building's energy systems to be linked into the same environmentally-friendly network.Parsec Green Energy, based in Darlington, was set up three years ago by consulting engineer

  • Company car not just a status symbol

    THE region's business owners and managers rank environmental impact, fuel efficiency and safety as key factors when buying a car, according to a study.The research by Bibby Financial Services shows only 21 per cent of business people rated image and status

  • Farmers urged to stick to new rules on waste

    THE region's farmers are being urged to abide by new agricultural waste laws which came into force earlier this month.Introduced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the regulations mean an end to the traditional farming

  • Awards to recognise best in recycling

    BUSINESSES in the region are being urged to enter this year's National Recycling Awards.Now in their eighth year, the awards, organised by Materials Recycling Week, are open to any organisation, community group or company that plays a part in the recycling

  • Barratt sees improvement in confidence

    HOUSEBUILDER Barratt Developments said there were signs buyer confidence had returned to the market following a lift in sales completions and profits.The Newcastle company said that despite "testing market conditions" during the six months to December

  • Industrial estate is already half full

    MORE than half the available space at a 700-acre industrial estate has been let to businesses, developers said yesterday.The site, at Wynyard, near Stockton, Teesside, was initially two rival business parks, but they merged after Gateshead MetroCentre

  • Signs are ominous for future of Vauxhall production in UK

    DESPITE the best efforts of the Government, and Chancellor Gordon Brown in particular, Vauxhall may still go ahead with closure plans for its last UK factory in Ellesmere Port.Announcing 900 job losses last week, officials warned that unless new economies

  • Are petrol prices to blame for putting brakes on car sales?

    SOARING petrol prices may be to blame for falling sales in the new car market after predictions of a slight recovery were dashed last month. The nine per cent sales drop was so sudden and spectacular that official forecasts for the full year have been

  • Why the Peugeot closure will have little impact on the UK

    AS the second shift clocked on for work at the Peugeot factory in Ryton, Coventry, last week, no one had any inkling that company managers were on their way to deliver bad news.Although none of the staff were in any doubt that the ageing plant was fighting

  • Russia's auto sales come out of the cold

    ALTHOUGH conquering the Chinese market is the achievement every car manufacturer secretly coverts, some would do well to keep their eye on another former Cold War enemy turned ally.Russia, the country dismissed as the hopeless home of Lada and Moskvich

  • Toyota technology could drive ordinary engines to extinction

    APART from one or two refinements, the engine that powers your car is not vastly different from the design patented by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach back in 1885.Perhaps that is because, until recently, there seemed little reason to change. Petrol

  • Even if Longbridge recovers, will anyone want the cars?

    MIKE Whitby, leader of Birmingham City Council, could not have put it better when he admitted: "This is a day many people thought would never come."When Nanjing Automobile clinched a deal for the remnants of MG Rover last year, the company pledged to

  • Chinese plan to make Rovers 'is on the brink of collapse'

    THE curse on the British motor industry goes on. After winning the bidding war for the remains of MG Rover, the company's new Chinese masters are finding it hard going.The Nanjing Automobile Group (NAG) stunned the business world when its bid for the

  • 'It takes nerve to keep spending when you are losing billions'

    TOYOTA is the most impatient of car manufacturers. It simply is not satisfied with second best. That's why it constantly redefines its targets and sets new standards by which it will measure success.The most recent target must have sent a chill down the

  • Rain halts Yorkshire yet again

    Yorkshire v Warwickshire (C & G Trophy) : Match Abandoned YORKSHIRE Phoenix's chances of finishing top of the North Conference in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy and qualifying for the Lord's final have again been hit by bad weather. Their game

  • Yorkshire secure draw in rain-hit Roses encounter

    Yorkshire v Lancashire (County Championship) : Day Four YORKSHIRE failed by only two runs to avoid the followon in the Roses match at Headingley yesterday but they still managed to hold out for a comfortable draw as Otleyborn Joe Sayers at last found

  • Gillespie edges towards safety

    Yorkshire v Lancashire (County Championship) : Day Three THE only roses to bloom at Headingley yesterday were red ones until the last wicket pair of Jason Gillespie and Deon Kruis gave Yorkshire an unexpected chance of avoiding the follow-on in their

  • Harmison's Riverside exile ends with Sussex visit

    Nottinghamshire v Durham (County Championship) : Day Four STEVE Harmison will make his first Riverside appearance for Durham since his hat-trick against Worcestershire 13 months ago in the championship match against leaders Sussex starting tomorrow.

  • Pratt's uneasy Trent return

    Nottinghamshire v Durham (County Championship) : Day Two IT WAS at Trent Bridge last year that, with one throw, Gary Pratt shot to stardom, resulting in an open-top bus ride with the Ashes winners in London and a visit to 10 Downing Street. On his

  • Stewart Irvine

    COMMERCIAL law firm Robert Muckle has appointed new partner STEWART IRVINE to lead its dispute resolution unit. The 33-year-old becomes the firm's youngest partner. He joined the Newcastle firm ten years ago as a trainee solicitor. He said: "I am delighted

  • Wilks robbed of Italian win

    DARLINGTON'S Guy Wilks was robbed of victory on the Rally of Italy on Sunday, when he was forced out just three stages from the end with a broken oil pipe. The Suzuki driver had led from the opening day in his Swift 1600 and started the final leg with

  • Scheme gets extra funding

    A SCHEME that supports the use of renewable energy in the region could have its future secured with local funding and a Big Lottery Grant. Renewable Energy at Local Level (Reall) was launched by the Countryside Agency in 2002 to promote the use of environmentally-friendly

  • Punch to invest £4m in region

    PUB operator Punch Taverns said last night it would invest up to £4m in improving its estate of inns across the North-East in 2007. The UK's largest pub company has invested £2.7m in the region's pubs in the first six months of this year, and will invest

  • Tribute to Lottery jackpot winner who died aged 46

    A FORMER policeman who shared the first National Lottery jackpot has died after a long illness at the age of 46. Ken Southwell scooped an £839,254 share of the inaugural lotto prize in 1994 - and was renowned for keeping his feet firmly on the ground

  • Turnover and staff doubled in incredible year

    LAND-RECLAMATION company Sirius has smashed through its target turnover for the second year running and doubled its workforce. The Durham firm last year achieved a turnover of £7m, more than double its target, and this year has beaten expectations to

  • Sandbags at ready as rain teems down

    HALF a month's worth of rain has fallen in the region in 48 hours, causing disruption to businesses and travellers. Redcar Racecourse, in east Cleveland, cancelled seven races yesterday because of the rain and a driver had to be cut from his car after

  • Man jailed for involvement in paedophile ring

    A MAN from the North-East was today jailed for life for his involvement in a paedophile ring which recruited young girls to provide sex for cash. The judge described the four men involved - who also used graffiti adverts on trains asking girls as young

  • Rooney will play his part in Germany

    Wayne Rooney has told Sven-Goran Eriksson he is confident of playing in the World Cup finals. Rooney's broken metatarsal bone is healing well, according to England doctor Leif Sward, raising hopes that the England star can play a major role in Germany

  • £400m schools revamp backed

    A RADICAL £400m blueprint, which supporters say will transform the face of secondary education in County Durham, has won Government approval. The 15-year plan will see money to rebuild or refurbish every one of the county's 36 secondary schools and major

  • Karate expert selected for European contest

    A KARATE expert has been selected as part of a team of ten elite fighters from across the country to compete in a European contest. Simon Cudworth, from Fishburn, will represent his country this month in the European Kyokushin Karate Championships, in

  • Store hands out free compost

    GARDEN waste was given away to shoppers as part of a bid to spread the word about home composting. A Big Heap Roadshow was held at the B&Q store at Durham Retail Park, Gilesgate Moor, Durham, at the weekend. Durham County Council organised the roadshow

  • Youngsters prepare for school fashion show

    STUDENTS will become catwalk models as they display latest clothing ranges in aid of their school next month. Youngsters from Bishop Barrington School, in Bishop Auckland, hold a fashion show on Wednesday, June 21, modelling items from the town's Pinc

  • Raiders sprayed man in face with unknown substance

    RAIDERS who sprayed a harmful liquid in a householder's face, before threatening and robbing him, may have targeted the wrong address, police believe. Two men burst in through the door of the house, in Seaham, and sprayed a noxious liquid in the face

  • Inflatables campaign in the running

    A SAFETY campaign has put a Teesside council in the running for a national award. Hartlepool Borough Council's trading standards team has been shortlisted for the Trading Standard Institute's Brindley Medal for Excellence and Innovation. Hartlepool was

  • Speech aid boost for school children

    FIVE pieces of communication aid equipment have been donated to students with speech difficulties by a Northallerton charity. Students at the Dales School, in Morton-on-Swale, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire, received five basic laptop computers,

  • Moors course to encourage explorers

    GROUPS from Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland are being invited on a course designed to help them explore North Yorkshire's moors. Walking in the Countryside: Part One will give participants vital skills, and has been organised by the North York

  • Vandals go on the rampage at rural vehicle compound

    POLICE are investigating after intruders entered a vehicle compound and went on a wrecking spree causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. The dozen vehicles, eight red and four silver Nissan Micras, were parked in the courtesy car parking area at

  • Ducks are stars of school fair

    FRIENDS of South Kilvington CE Primary School held their annual spring fair and duck race on Saturday The start - or "quack off" - was signalled opened by Sandie Dunleavy, of BBC Radio York. There was a falconry display by Sion Hall Birds of Prey Centre

  • Gift is sweet music to ears of residents

    A home for the elderly has come alive with the sound of music - thanks to the efforts of local people. With the help of generous shoppers, Stokesley Rotary Club has made life more melodic for residents of the town's newly-built Town Close extra-care home

  • Vow to keep fighting as port jobs go south

    THE Government last night dealt a devastating blow to plans for a £300m North-East container terminal - and 5,500 jobs - by insisting it was not needed. Whitehall's long-awaited national ports policy review concluded that plans to expand ports in the

  • Stables day spells £20,000 windfall

    A RACING stables open day has raised a record amount for local charities. More than £20,000 was collected during the event in Middleham, near Leyburn, on Good Friday. The attendance was also a record, with 6,000 people coming to take a look behind the

  • Pamper time for nurses

    NURSES in Darlington were pampered by beauty therapy students as the world celebrated their profession. As part of International Nurse Day, NVQ students from Darlington College staged a pamper session at the town's Memorial Hospital. International Nurse

  • Supermarket charity target

    A SUPERMARKET will be holding a week of fundraising events to collect money for a North-East charity. Morrisons, at Morton Park, Darlington, will be holding in-store collections from Monday, May 29 to Saturday, June 3, to achieve their target of raising

  • Sven bullish over 2006 ambitions

    Sven-Goran Eriksson has expressed sadness at England's failure to win a major honour for 40 years but is confident that miserable record will end at this summer's World Cup. Eriksson believes the England squad are better equipped than in Japan four years

  • Man jailed after violence

    AN attacker who tried to strangle his partner during a weekend of violence at the end of their relationship was jailed yesterday. John Strother kicked Jeanne Chapman, gave her two black eyes using his fists and knocked her to the floor causing a cut to

  • Service helps landlords to evict their nuisance tenants

    LANDLORDS are being urged to use a service which vets tenants in a bid to prevent them causing serious problems, after a nuisance tenant was evicted at the weekend. Middlesbrough Council's Shield project runs a screening service for landlords by checking

  • Friends pray for boy's speedy recovery

    FRIENDS of a ten-year-old boy left seriously ill after being knocked down by a van are praying for his speedy recovery. Schoolboy Andrew Parker remains stable in the paediatric intensive care unit of James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough after

  • 23/05/06

    CHRISTOPHER WARDELL: I MUST protest at the letter from Hugh Pender regarding Christopher Wardell (HAS, May 19). I was an irregular reader of The Northern Echo for a number of years, but since reading Mr Wardell's letters in Hear All Sides I now buy the

  • Parents' warning as baby dies from chickenpox

    A BABY has died in hospital after contracting what is usually a mild childhood disease. Eight-month-old Faye Grace died at Newcastle General Hospital within days of contracting chickenpox. Doctors told her parents that the odds of a child dying from chickenpox

  • Emma Hutton

    EMMA Hutton has been appointed as commercial manager at Talent Training. The 25-year-old, from Durham, joined parent company Talent Group more than a year ago as a finance assistant. She studied at Sunderland University Business School, graduating in

  • Lincoln tracking Clarke

    HARTLEPOOL United midfielder Darrell Clarke is wanted by Lincoln City. Boss Keith Alexander has confirmed his interest, but it is likely to be rebuffed by the player, who has suffered injury troubles throughout the past two seasons. Clarke is out of contract

  • Drug supplier admits rape and blackmail

    A DRUG supplier is facing a lengthy prison sentence for a terrifying campaign of violence and intimidation which followed a bust-up with one of his street dealers. Christian Collyn Foster held his former friend's sister and mother against their will for

  • Company car not just a status symbol

    THE region's business owners and managers rank environmental impact, fuel efficiency and safety as key factors when buying a car, according to a study. The research by Bibby Financial Services shows only 21 per cent of business people rated image and

  • Jordan Hind

    JORDAN HIND, a keen dressage rider is saddling up for a new role in marketing. The 23-year-old, from Murton, near Sunderland, has been appointed as marketing co-ordinator at construction group Frank Haslam Milan. Ms Hind previously worked as an administrator

  • The man who joins the dots in green energy

    A NORTH-EAST company is expanding into a new way of working which allows a building's energy systems to be linked into the same environmentally-friendly network. Parsec Green Energy, based in Darlington, was set up three years ago by consulting engineer

  • University lifts threat to dock wages

    A NORTH-EAST university has stepped back from its decision to withhold the wages of its lecturers. Northumbria University had threatened to hold back 100 per cent of pay from lecturers who refused to mark exam papers. The lecturers, members of the Natfhe

  • 'We could not save doomed climber'

    AMPUTEE climber Mark Inglis has told how there was nothing he or anyone could have done to save a North-East mountaineer from his death on Everest. New Zealander Mr Inglis, who last week became the first double amputee to reach the peak, revealed how

  • Chris Storey

    Watson Burton, which is based in Newcastle and Leeds, has appointed CHRIS STOREY as a property partner. Mr Storey joins from Eversheds' Newcastle office. He specialises in landlord and tenant work, freehold acquisition and sales. After graduating from

  • The richer we get, the unhappier we become

    The recent lifestyles report by the consumer spending analyst Mintel highlighted that we are becoming a nation of big spenders, with consumer spending last year at a record level of £1trillion. The figures are really quite astonishing. Apparently, the

  • Bringing a taste of Europe

    THE former boss of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has brought the best of British and Italian food to the heart of the city of York. Kirk and Ali Vincent have taken over Henshelwood's Deli, overlooking Newgate Market, and are determined to put their mark

  • Obedience without the sex slave

    WELL, well, what's going on in Darlington then? It's only eight years since the Bishop of London asked me to become Rector of St Michael's in the City of London. I was a country parson in Yorkshire at the time and I remember the half-jokey warnings dished

  • Neil Clough

    LLOYDS TSB has appointed NEIL CLOUGH as agricultural business manager for the North-East. He will be based at the Lloyds TSB agricultural office in Newcastle, one of 37 offices in Britain. He has worked in business banking for Lloyds for the past four

  • Group aims to cultivate future leaders

    THE launch of an organisation that boasts the likes of Kofi Annan and Bill Clinton as former members brought young professionals out in force. A total of 170 people in their 20s and 30s attended the launch event for Junior Chamber International (JCI)

  • Fears for mart as firm stops trading

    A MEAT marketing company set up by farmers to secure a brighter future in the wake of the 2001 foot-and-mouth crisis has ceased trading. News that the Dales Quality Meat Company, based in Hawes, North Yorkshire, has crashed is a blow that could have serious

  • Fraudsters will catch you out if they can

    THE other day I received an e-mail claiming to be from one of the high street banks asking me to verify my account details as an extra security measure to help combat Internet fraud. Very praise-worthy, you might think, but I do not have an account with

  • £60,000 grant to help IT firm bloom

    AN IT company is poised to revolutionise how computer games are created after securing £60,000 in funding. Chattering Pixels, in Middlesbrough, specialises in equipment used by other companies to create computer and video games. The firm has received

  • Grainger team breaks away from trust

    A PROPERTY management and development company has been set up after breaking away from North-East residential property investor Grainger Trust plc. Property Logic Group (PLG) has been established by the former management team at Grainger Homes, a subsidiary

  • The benefits and dangers of limiting your liabilities

    One of the main reasons that an individual may have for creating a limited company is to trade with the benefit of limited liability. Should it become insolvent, then only the assets of the limited company will be used to liquidate the liabilities. This

  • A little older but still so wicked

    SHE complains that her memory is fading, she can't work a computer and the Internet is a complete mystery to her - yet best-selling novelist Jilly Cooper is still as sharp as a knife when it comes to her powers of observation. The author, who made her

  • The £1m bet that's paying off for the North-East

    When £1m was spent on a television advert to lure visitor s to the region, it was a bold move. John Dean looks at whether the campaign was a hit. IT was the boldest initiative ever to promote the North-East as somewhere for tourists to visit. The decision

  • Owen has never been better, claims Eriksson

    Sven-Goran Eriksson insists he has never seen Michael Owen in such red-hot form. Eriksson has been impressed by the sharpness of the Newcastle striker since the World Cup squad met last week. Owen will captain England's B team against a Belarus side on

  • Eating Owt: Time to potter to The Otter

    THOUGH perhaps not as famous as the Two Ronnies, West Auckland used to have two Berts, both wonderful characters who could be every bit as funny. Bert Mangles had the Queens Head in the 1970s, was headmaster of its three card brag school and used to cut

  • Biofuels company aims to build £80m ethanol plant

    A BIOFUELS company has confirmed it is poised to build an £80m plant on Teesside, creating 70 jobs. North Yorkshire-based Vireol hopes to raise funds by floating on London's junior stock market, the AIM, in the autumn, and plans to start building the

  • Comment from The Northern Echo: Unequal opportunities

    INEQUALITY in Britain was highlighted by a Church of England report yesterday as the Government was urged to cut the gap between rich and poor. The contrast between a porter taking home £131 for a 36-and-a-half-hour week, and a man paying £103,000 for

  • Kuyt seeking a summer move to Newcastle

    HIGHLY-RATED Feyenoord striker Dirk Kuyt last night issued a 'Come and Get Me' plea to Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder and claimed a summer move to the Magpies would be the fulfillment of a "dream". Kuyt, who is a member of the Holland squad for this summer's

  • Satisfaction guaranteed with Andie's new role

    ANDIE BALCOMBE has taken on a new role at EDF Energy in Sunderland keeping the workforce happy. The 31-year-old, from Roker, is the first staff satisfaction manager at EDF's Doxford Park contact centre. She will concentrate on training, development and

  • Baby Camilla inspires mum's business dream

    WHEN working mother Claire Royle started her own business, it was her newborn daughter who provided the inspiration. Camilla, now 18 months old, still plays a valuable role in her mother's business, modelling some of the personalised clothing and gifts

  • Sandbags at ready as rain teems down

    HALF a month's worth of rain has fallen in the region in 48 hours, causing disruption to businesses and travellers. Redcar Racecourse, in east Cleveland, cancelled seven races yesterday because of the rain and a driver had to be cut from his car after

  • Brulines hopes for £15m in AIM move

    A COMPANY that makes technology which can ensure pub landlords are not creaming off beer profits is to float on London's junior stock market. Brulines, based in Stockton, is hoping to raise £15m through a flotation on the Alternative Investment Market

  • £250,000 creates jobs at Eutechnyx

    SOFTWARE company Eutechnyx is creating 15 jobs after a £250,000 investment loan from fund manager NEL. The Gateshead studio employs more than 100 staff and is looking for 15 graduates and experienced game developers to work on new titles. The specialist

  • Ian Eldridge

    BUSINESS Link Tees Valley has appointed IAN ELDRIDGE to improve the way the organisation operates. He recently spent three years as training manager and business improvement co-ordinator at GE Plastics - a manufacturing site in Thornaby, Teesside. He

  • Foot-and-mouth burial site to become nature reserve

    VILLAGERS who lived in the shadow of a foot-and-mouth dump at the height of the 2001 crisis have welcomed a move to turn the site into a nature reserve. Durham Wildlife Trust has signed an agreement with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural

  • Mailbox sealed after fire attacks

    A POST box in a town's main shopping street has been taken out of use following nuisance arson attacks. Although none of the incidents caused much damage, other than to some of the mail, it has led to the box being sealed off at the post office in Newbottle

  • Sports sites criticised by panel

    A COUNCIL is being urged to improve the state of the changing rooms at some of the sports pitches it runs. Durham City Council's community services scrutiny panel visited several sites as part of its review of the council's playing pitch strategy and

  • Waste not, want not

    PILES of garden waste were given away to shoppers as part of a bid to spread the word about home composting. A Big Heap Roadshow was held at B & Q in Durham Retail Park, at Gilesgate Moor, Durham, on Saturday. Durham County Council organised the event

  • Summer unveiling for bronze tribute to football legend

    A BRONZE image of former Sunderland manager Bob Stokoe rushing on to the Wembley pitch at the end of the 1973 FA Cup final is expected be unveiled this summer. Final planning permission for the location, expected to be in the shadows of the Stadium of

  • Appeal for old mobile phones

    VOLUNTEERS from a charity shop are urging residents to spring clean their homes and help them raise funds. Scope, which runs a charity shop in Front Street, Chester-le-Street, hopes to raise money through its mobile phone and printer cartridge recycling

  • Trees group funding boost

    A COMMUNITY group that plants trees in a Teesdale village has been given a £1,500 grant. Trees for Cotherstone was awarded the money by the Local Heritage Initiative to continue planting trees around the village. In addition to its usual work, the funds

  • Cups joy for college rugby team

    A COLLEGE rugby team, from Darlington, has capped its season by winning two county cups in three days. Carmel College under-14s beat Barnard Castle School 20-19 in the County Durham Cup, at Darlington Rugby Club. Two days later, they beat Egglescliffe

  • Man cleared of attacking former friend

    A MAN has walked free from court after being cleared of twice attacking a former friend. Steven Brown, 30, faced charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. But a jury at Teesside Crown Court

  • Town gets new mayor

    THE new mayor of Great Aycliffe has been elected during the annual meeting of the Town Council. The chain of office was handed to Councillor Mary Dalton by the previous mayor, Councillor Val Raw. Coun Dalton was born in Holland and moved to England in

  • Unlucky Thorp likely to be odd man out

    WHILE Durham will be up against two of this season's top wicket-takers over the next four days, the man currently topping their own bowling averages again looks likely to be 12th man. Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who has 24 wickets at 15.87, and Mushtaq Ahmed

  • Community praised for fundraising

    A RECORD sum of £7,000 was raised during the Mayor of Sedgefield's year of office. At the beginning of her term, Councillor Maxine Robinson appealed to all organisations in Sedgefield to take part in the fundraising effort. She said: "The aim was to bring

  • Village post office is moving

    A VILLAGE post office is going on the move later this summer - but not very far. Following the resignation of the sub-postmaster of the Post Office in Front Street, Sacriston, the branch is to be relocated just under 200 yards down the same street. The

  • Paws crossed for agility show

    A FAMILY is hoping its five border collies will bring back gold from the world's biggest dog agility show this week. Doris and Norman Stokoe, and their daughter Sarah, all from Thornley, east Durham, will be making a 600-mile round trip to Kent to enter

  • Youngsters take the walking bus, whatever the weather

    CHILDREN are stepping out on the walk to school in a drive to improve young people's health this week. New walking buses, giant storybooks and village trails have all been devised as part of a national Walk to School Week drive, in County Durham. The

  • Crime patrols take effect

    CRIME levels dropped to zero when police officers took to the streets as part of a blitz on purse crime in a seaside town. Around a dozen officers patrolled Redcar, east Cleveland, to launch Operation Purge, after a spate of purse thefts from elderly

  • Action team wins praise for job help

    A TEESSIDE jobs team has been awarded for helping people back to work. Hartlepool Action Team for Jobs has won the national Public Servants of the Year Awards 2006. The team, which is part of Jobcentre Plus, was recognised for its approach in helping

  • School award for action on bullying

    PUPILS at a North-East school have won national praise for their efforts in clamping down on bullying. Children from Sacred Heart Primary School, in Middlesbrough, won the Blue Friday photograph competition, run by the Anti-Bullying Alliance. As part

  • The animals are coming

    EXOTIC animals will crawl into Teesside over half-term. Places are still available for two events at Summerhill, in Hartlepool, next month. On Thursday, June 1, the Zoolab team and their collection of animals will attend the visitors centre from 10am.

  • Apathy rules over policing

    CIVIC leaders and police in North Yorkshire are trying to whip up interest in a group designed to forge stronger links with the public. Despite advance publicity, attendance at the last meeting in April of the Bedale community and police (CAP) group was

  • Women urged to join fire service

    WOMEN across North Yorkshire are being encouraged to start a new career as fire-fighters. North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service are holding the recruitment events to attract a wide range of applicants from all sections of the community, but with a particular

  • In the court of the cursed king

    DRAGON QUEST: THE JOURNEY OF THE CURSED KING, Publisher: Square-Enix, Format: PS2. Price: £39.99. Family friendly? 12+: More than 40 million Dragon Quest games have been sold worldwide to date, but in Europe the franchise remains something of a mystery

  • 'Traffic problems in town's west side need addressing'

    MORE work needs to be done in Darlington to prevent congestion on the western side of the town, Conservative councillors have said. Darlington Borough Council's Conservative group has welcomed plans for work to start on the long-awaited Eastern Transport

  • Mother's gratitude to hospital staff for saving baby Jacob

    THE mother of a baby, who almost died of pneumonia on Christmas Eve, has helped raise hundreds of pounds for the hospital unit that helped save his life. Five-week-old Jacob MacFarlane was taken to Newcastle General Hospital's children's intensive care

  • Focus on health and social care

    CHILDREN have learned more about a career in health and social care. Year ten pupils from Branksome and Haughton schools who attend Darlington College to take vocational GCSEs took part in a workshop organised by the health authority. The youngsters were

  • School to reflect on 20-year landmark

    PUPILS at a Darlington school will be joined by their former school friends for a trip down memory lane. St Augustine's Primary School will celebrate the 20th anniversary since it moved to its site in Beechwood Avenue on Friday. Former pupils or anyone

  • Laws to tackle ageism at work

    BUSINESSES in the region need to ensure they call time on ageism in the workplace, in the wake of new laws coming into effect later this year. Law firm Dickinson Dees is warning that businesses continuing to allow outdated - and potentially unlawful -

  • Residents to have say on £5m town upgrade scheme

    A TOWN is urging its residents to have their say on how millions of pounds could be spent on future regeneration. The scheme, called Shildon Voices, Shildon Choices is aimed at gathering views from the town's residents on how its share of £5m, set aside

  • Blind tasting event at cafe

    A CAFE is hosting a tasting event to raise money for charity. BB's Coffee and Muffins cafe will host the fundraising event to collect money for Stockton Blind People's Voice. There will be a blindfold tasting session, where people will pay 50p and guess

  • World Cup could be injury time as companies run short of staff

    Wayne Rooney may not agree, but the World Cup is proving a lucky break for the country at a time when the economy and consumer spending are recovering from last year's lows. But, like the tournament itself, there are winners and losers. Business Editor

  • HSE joins inquiry into death of worker

    THE HEALTH and Safety Executive (HSE) is to investigate the death of mental health worker Ashleigh Ewing, it was revealed last night. Detective Supertintendent Steve Wade, who is heading the investigation into the stabbing of the 22-year-old support assistant

  • GNER to fight rival in the courts

    TRAIN company GNER has started court proceedings against rail bosses after they gave the go-ahead for a rival operator to run trains on its route. The company, which is based in York, is seeking a judicial review against the Office of Rail Regulation

  • School meeting

    A CAMPAIGN for an additional secondary school to be built in a Teesside community will move forward this week. Councillors Alex Cunningham and Ann Baxter, cabinet member and corporate director for young people at Stockton Borough Council, will be attending

  • Dingaan the all-weather specialist

    ALL-WEATHER racing from Lingfield and Kempton seems the safest bet today with both Towcester and Leicester under threat from waterlogging and needing to pass early morning inspections. Lingfield stages the better quality action including their feature

  • Paul Whitehead

    THE Tees Valley office of Tait Walker has appointed independent financial advisor PAUL WHITEHEAD. The 40-year-old is qualified in financial planning and mortgage advice. His responsibilities will involve looking after company pension schemes with up to

  • Welcome to Horsleywood

    His life had all the twists and turns of a cinema blockbuster, yet he is all but forgotten in his native North-East. Tony Kearney looks back at the life of movie pioneer David Horsley - who left Stanley peniless and became the man who founded Hollywood

  • Awards to recognise best in recycling

    BUSINESSES in the region are being urged to enter this year's National Recycling Awards. Now in their eighth year, the awards, organised by Materials Recycling Week, are open to any organisation, community group or company that plays a part in the recycling

  • Train sex offender could be facing deportation

    A SEX offender could learn that he is to be deported when he returns to court to be sentenced for his crimes. Officials are checking on Zimbabwean criminal Trevor Tarirah's immigration status ahead of his next appearance. Tarirah was due to be sentenced

  • Farmers urged to stick to new rules on waste

    THE region's farmers are being urged to abide by new agricultural waste laws which came into force earlier this month. Introduced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the regulations mean an end to the traditional farming

  • Drug supplier admits rape and blackmail

    A DRUG supplier is facing a lengthy prison sentence for a terrifying campaign of violence and intimidation which followed a bust-up with one of his street dealers. Christian Collyn Foster held his former friend's sister and mother against their will for

  • Vow to keep fighting as port jobs go south

    THE Government last night dealt a devastating blow to plans for a £300m North-East container terminal - and 5,500 jobs - by insisting it was not needed. Whitehall's long-awaited national ports policy review concluded that plans to expand ports in the

  • 'Flurry of takeovers will not lead to meltdown'

    Already this year the North-East has lost two of its major plcs and a third in North Yorkshire recently agreed to a multi-million pound US takeover bid. Deputy Editor Kate Bowman reports on the recent activity and looks at what effect it is having. ICE

  • Brothers reunited 64 years after wartime separation

    A PENSIONER is to be reunited with the long-lost brother he believed was dead - 64 years after they last met. War veteran Len Strand, 79, from Stockton, has not seen his younger brother, Tony, since they were separated during the Second World War as teenagers

  • Kuyt seeking a summer move to Newcastle

    HIGHLY-RATED Feyenoord striker Dirk Kuyt last night issued a 'Come and Get Me' plea to Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder and claimed a summer move to the Magpies would be the fulfillment of a "dream". Kuyt, who is a member of the Holland squad for this summer's

  • Steve Tonks

    STEVE TONKS, managing director of Hertel UK, in Middlesbrough, has joined the board of directors of the Aspire campaign. Aspire is a culture change programme aiming to build links between companies and education in the region, led by the Confederation

  • News in brief

    MAN ATTACKED: UP to four people took part in an unprovoked attack inside a pizza shop over the weekend. Two local men, aged 36 and 17, suffered injuries including cuts, black eyes and bruising to the head and body during the assault in Cleopatra's Pizza

  • Hodgson turns to Hope

    DAVID Hodgson is expected to turn to released Gillingham defender Chris Hope if contract talks with skipper Matt Clarke fail to reach a successful conclusion. Clarke's current deal is up for renewal and Hodgson has identified Hope as a replacement. Ideally

  • Teacher denies sex attacks on young girls

    A teacher today denied a string of sex attacks against young girls allegedly carried out three decades ago. Joseph Kinnear pleaded not guilty at Newcastle Crown Court to a total of 10 charges of molesting girls as young as nine. He is accused of one count

  • Councillor ordered to apologise for behaviour

    A NORTH-EAST councillor has been given 14 days to apologise for abusive behaviour. Independent councillor Joan McTigue appeared before Middlesbrough Council's standards committee accused of acting aggressively during a heated argument with youth service

  • Boo Signings

    JOURNALIST and former BBC chief news correspondent Kate Adie will be signing copies of her book, Nobody's Child, at Ottakar's in Darlington from 10.30am on Friday. And former walks correspondent of the Northern echo Charlie Emett will be at Ottakar's

  • Fears for mart as firm stops trading

    A MEAT marketing company set up by farmers to secure a brighter future in the wake of the 2001 foot-and-mouth crisis has ceased trading. News that the Dales Quality Meat Company, based in Hawes, North Yorkshire, has crashed is a blow that could have serious

  • Sales boom thanks to aquatic centre

    A GARDEN centre has reported a significant increase in sales thanks to its aquatics centre. Cherry Hill Garden Centre, near Middlesbrough, is taking on three full-time members of staff and a number of seasonal workers. The aquatics centre, which stocks

  • Cleveland Bridge waits on verdict

    THE North-East engineering firm involved in a multi-million court battle over the Wembley Stadium project faces an anxious wait after finishing its submissions. Cleveland Bridge UK, which is based in Darlington, yesterday gave its closing statement to

  • The first Jackie Milburn - Crook's wartime Magpie

    Newcastle United's other Jackie Milburn - "NOT the famous one", it says with necessary curtness on his paper-thin packet in the Northern Echo library - has died, aged 85. Not as famous, anyway, but loving and much loved, a very good footballer and foot

  • NHS contract for firm

    NORTH-East law firm Ward Hadaway has won a three-year contract with a consortium of health trusts to provide legal services. The Newcastle-based firm was appointed as sole legal provider for the consortium, of six Cumbrian NHS Trusts, after a competitive

  • Employers not keeping up

    MORE than three-quarters of employers in the North-East are struggling to keep up with changes in employment law, a survey showed. According to research from HR firm Consult GEE, 78 per cent of employers cannot keep up with the raft of legislation. Stuart

  • Signs are ominous for future of Vauxhall production in UK

    DESPITE the best efforts of the Government, and Chancellor Gordon Brown in particular, Vauxhall may still go ahead with closure plans for its last UK factory in Ellesmere Port. Announcing 900 job losses last week, officials warned that unless new economies

  • Why we should heed the advice of Corporal Jones

    "Don't panic, don't panic", cried Jonesy, in Dad's Army, as he ran around like a headless chicken. That is the general message going around in financial circles. City professionals are renowned for their uncontrollable use of jargon, but even worse is

  • Top groups exhibit at IT works

    LEADING names in IT will be exhibiting at the region's biggest business technology show next month. Companies and organisations including Business Link, The North-East Business and Innovation Centre, Codeworks Connect and UK Trade and Investment will

  • Knowledge takes centre a long way

    A NEW IT system is helping to keep one of the region's largest business centres connected. The North-East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC), which provides office space and support to small and medium-sized businesses, has invested in an integrated

  • Sir Alan's approach would lead to a tribunal

    We have all enjoyed The Apprentice over the past few months - particularly the weekly dispatching by the formidable Sir Alan Sugar of another hapless wannabe tycoon with the now immortal phrase "You're fired". But what would the consequences of Sir Alan's

  • Dowie opens door for Boro move

    IAIN Dowie has emerged as a strong contender for the vacant Middlesbrough job after leaving Championship side Crystal Palace by mutual consent yesterday. Dowie, who was former Boro boss Steve McClaren's recommendation when chairman Steve Gibson asked

  • Landowners braced for taxing developments

    Changes to the tax system for land development which are likely to have a major financial impact on landowners and developers are expected any day now.They relate to the increase in value that land gains when permission is granted for new development,

  • The benefits and dangers of limiting your liabilities

    One of the main reasons that an individual may have for creating a limited company is to trade with the benefit of limited liability. Should it become insolvent, then only the assets of the limited company will be used to liquidate the liabilities. This

  • Confidentiality needs to be ensured in any takeover talks

    IN the current climate of increased corporate activity, many more businesses are finding that buyers are making offers for their companies. Upon receiving an indication of interest from a potential buyer, one of the first things that a company should

  • Put sites forward before the report or miss the boat

    Changes to planning rules that will shape the development of our region in years to come have moved closer following a public inquiry earlier this month.A panel of four inspectors invited interested parties who had made submissions to last year's public

  • Landlords face stiffer regulations on properties

    Fresh rules to raise standards in private rented houses in multiple occupation have come into force in the past week. Landlords who run their properties well have nothing to fear - but those who do not may find their local authority exercising its new

  • Think you can just evict a problem tenant?

    WHEN leasing commercial premises from a landlord, tenants have rights under Part 2 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. They are protected in three ways: * They are allowed to remain in the premises even after expiry of the original term until they wish

  • Seven are shown the door in Pool reshuffle

    SEVEN players were released by Hartlepool United yesterday as planning for League Two football next season started. While the club has yet to appoint a permanent manager, fresh professional deals have also been offered to seven. A further eight have

  • Don't let IHT catch you

    Earlier this year, we looked at Inheritance Tax (IHT) and the possible application of Business Property relief to cover business assets. But while a person's business affairs may be in order, they must not forget they also have personal assets liable

  • The death of a salesman could be more costly than you think

    FEW businesses would run the risk of failing to insure their premises, machinery or vehicles. Yet many never consider protecting their most important asset - their people.The consequences to a business of its top salesperson falling seriously ill, for

  • Why we should heed the advice of Corporal Jones

    "Don't panic, don't panic", cried Jonesy, in Dad's Army, as he ran around like a headless chicken. That is the general message going around in financial circles.City professionals are renowned for their uncontrollable use of jargon, but even worse is

  • Now is the time

    The main driver of global markets is the US. As the largest economy by some way, what happens in the US and the global reach of its companies, affects the rest of the world. That does not mean, however, that the US market is an area where UK investors

  • Commodities may be gold mines for some time yet

    I last wrote about the increase in commodity prices nearly nine months ago. That related to China's massive appetite for base metals and raw materials, which showed no signs of letting up. Since then, the four main UK-listed mining companies have continued

  • Experience can prove key to Pool's survival hopes

    WHEN it comes to taking their season to the very end, Hartlepool United have been there before. Those four occasions may have been in different circumstances - Pool were chasing the play-offs instead of survival - but the pressure is all the same.

  • Learn the lessons

    New Year is celebrated in many forms around the world. The Chinese New Year, or Yuan Tan, began on January 29, as the Year of the Dog. Each year, when visiting my local takeaway, I try to impress the proprietor with my Cantonese New Year greeting, only

  • Pool start search for boss

    HARTLEPOOL United's hunt for a new manager has begun. After relegation to League One was confirmed at the weekend, Pool have indicated that a new appointment will be made, after Paul Stephenson took temporary command in February. He was unable to

  • Speedy decision on Pool manager

    HARTLEPOOL United will step up the search for their new manager over the weekend. Applications for the position had to be at Victoria Park by yesterday and Pool chairman Ken Hodfcroft will sift through them today and tomorrow. As ever, Pool will

  • All that many of us will inherit is a headache

    At this time of year, tax planning often takes precedence over outright investment ideas. With the April 5 deadline approaching rapidly, scope for manoeuvre around the existing tax allowances is running out. These matters are increasingly important after

  • When the market falls, where does all the money go?

    The seemingly relentless progress of the UK stock market came to a brief halt at the beginning of last week. Just as the FTSE 100 pushed through 5900, galloping towards 6000, it was stopped in its tracks. A fall of 84.9 points in 48 hours wiped over £21bn

  • Guylain joins Gillingham

    ANY hopes Darlington manager David Hodgson had of re-signing Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu ended yesterday when the striker joined Gillingham in a two-year deal. The 23-year-old was released by Cardiff City earlier this week and Hodgson had expressed an interest

  • Hodgson starts rebuilding

    DARLINGTON'S summer squad rebuilding began in earnest yesterday when manager David Hodgson pointed several of his players towards the exit door while he offered several others new contracts. With the majority of the squad out of contract Hodgson has

  • Banks' soaring profits are to everyone's benefit

    They may be pennies, but dividends per share equate to rather a lot if a shareholding contains a large number of shares. Dividends are an important part of investment at this time of year, as many companies announce their full year results. Oil firms

  • Hodgson denies Clarke is no longer required by Darlington

    DAVID Hodgson yesterday released five players - but the Darlington manager has rubbished claims that Matt Clarke has also been shown the door. Joe Kendrick, Matty Appleby, Jonjo Dickman, Guy Bates and Adrian Webster have been told they are surplus

  • The bubble burst, but we've never had it so good

    Surely that can't be right - the FTSE 100 was at its highest at the peak of the technology bubble? Well, yes, but that doesn't paint the full picture.The FTSE 100 reached 6,930 on December 30, 1999. The index breached 5,800 last week - the first time

  • Awakening a giant

    After several turbulent years in the recent history of Darlington Football Club, new chairman George Houghton has vowed to bring stability and success. Deborah Johnson met him yesterday as he detailed his vision for the future. IN the first eight weeks

  • Port Vale move pays off for Sodje

    STRIKER Akpo Sodje became the sixth player to leave Darlington this week when he agreed to join League One side Port Vale. The 25-year-old was out of contract and had been offered a new deal but the Valiants doubled Quakers' offer so Sodje opted for

  • 'Flurry of takeovers will not lead to meltdown'

    Already this year the North-East has lost two of its major plcs and a third in North Yorkshire recently agreed to a multi-million pound US takeover bid. Deputy Editor Kate Bowman reports on the recent activity and looks at what effect it is having.ICE

  • The £1m bet that's paying off for the North-East

    When £1m was spent on a television advert to lure visitor s to the region, it was a bold move. John Dean looks at whether the campaign was a hit.IT was the boldest initiative ever to promote the North-East as somewhere for tourists to visit. The decision

  • Caldwell's international aims

    SUNDERLAND'S Steve Caldwell is desperate to play in Japan's Kirin Cup which starts today, as he bids to stake his claim for a permanent place in the Scotland side. The centre-back was given the all-clear to travel to the Far East for the competition

  • Emotions running high for Arca

    AN EMOTIONAL Julio Arca last night admitted his future on Wearside is 'out of his hands'. Only last week the Argentinian hinted he may leave the Stadium of Light after a six-year love affair with the club. And after the Black Cats secured their first

  • World Cup could be injury time as companies run short of staff

    Wayne Rooney may not agree, but the World Cup is proving a lucky break for the country at a time when the economy and consumer spending are recovering from last year's lows. But, like the tournament itself, there are winners and losers. Business Editor

  • Miller calls for axe to be sparing

    WITH Sunderland due to announce their retained list for next season today, midfielder Tommy Miller hopes there will not be wholesale changes to the squad. Work on reconstructing the relegated Black Cats' pool of players will carry on over the next

  • The richer we get, the unhappier we become

    The recent lifestyles report by the consumer spending analyst Mintel highlighted that we are becoming a nation of big spenders, with consumer spending last year at a record level of £1trillion. The figures are really quite astonishing. Apparently, the

  • Will foreign competition kill off our call centres?

    Mobile phone group Orange, which employs more than 5,000 people in call centres in the North-East, announced on Thursday it was cutting between 1,800 and 2,000 jobs across the UK. Business Editor Julia Breen looks a the future of the sector in the region

  • Breen deemed surplus to Cats' requirements

    THE future of Republic of Ireland international Gary Breen will be decided this week when Sunderland release their retained list. With preparations for the forthcoming Championship campaign continuing despite ongoing takeover talks with a consortium

  • 'Patterson Ford will never float on the stock market'

    The motor retail sector has been consolidating, with market leader Pendragon buying Reg Vardy for £450m. But small North-East retailers, such as Patterson Ford, are looking at ways of competing with the big players. Business Editor Julia Breen reports.BOTH

  • Self-sufficiency - the only way to tackle prices

    Soaring energy costs are taking their toll on businesses across the North-East. Deputy Business Editor Kate Bowman looks at the impacts of the volatile market and explores what is being done to address the problem.FOR many companies in the region, energy

  • Technology creates new dawn for coal

    The past 50 years have seen the decline of coal as a fuel source in the UK. But, as Business Editor Julia Breen reports, thanks to developments in clean coal technology, the Government is viewing coal as part of the UK's energy needs.IT is 21 years since

  • Black Cats planning ahead despite delay

    NIALL Quinn's proposed takeover of Sunderland is unlikely to be completed by the time the club's players return to preseason training on June 26, but the current board are putting plans in place to ensure the squad is not under-prepared for their first

  • Stead is staying put, for now

    SUNDERLAND are unwilling to listen to any offers for Jon Stead while question marks remain over who will be running the club next season. Sheffield United, who will swap places with the Black Cats in the Premiership, are preparing a cheeky £600,000

  • Cleveland Bridge waits on verdict

    THE North-East engineering firm involved in a multi-million court battle over the Wembley Stadium project faces an anxious wait after finishing its submissions.Cleveland Bridge UK, which is based in Darlington, yesterday gave its closing statement to

  • Blues steal march on Sunderland

    BIRMINGHAM CITY hope to set an early benchmark for the rest of the Championship this week by completing a £3m move for long term Sunderland target Cameron Jerome. It is a move that will frustrate Black Cats supporters who are becoming restless while

  • Punch to invest £4m in region

    PUB operator Punch Taverns said last night it would invest up to £4m in improving its estate of inns across the North-East in 2007.The UK's largest pub company has invested £2.7m in the region's pubs in the first six months of this year, and will invest

  • Given is Roeder's best signing, Shearer

    GLENN Roeder is expected to outline his summer spending plans when he is officially installed as Newcastle boss later today, but departing skipper Alan Shearer has claimed the former caretaker has already made his biggest summer signing when Shay Given

  • Biofuels company aims to build £80m ethanol plant

    A BIOFUELS company has confirmed it is poised to build an £80m plant on Teesside, creating 70 jobs.North Yorkshire-based Vireol hopes to raise funds by floating on London's junior stock market, the AIM, in the autumn, and plans to start building the plant

  • Roeder named Magpies' boss

    GLENN ROEDER was yesterday confirmed as the new manager of Newcastle United. The club had been widely expected to appoint Roeder after he lifted them to seventh in the Premiership and a place in the Intertoto Cup since taking over as caretaker manager

  • £250,000 creates jobs at Eutechnyx

    SOFTWARE company Eutechnyx is creating 15 jobs after a £250,000 investment loan from fund manager NEL.The Gateshead studio employs more than 100 staff and is looking for 15 graduates and experienced game developers to work on new titles.The specialist

  • Full recovery for Roeder is top six spot

    Bill Shankly once claimed that football was more important than a matter of life and death. As Chief Sports Writer Scott Wilson learnt yesterday, Glenn Roeder begs to differ. THREE years ago this week, Glenn Roeder was lying in a hospital bed fighting

  • Bringing a taste of Europe

    THE former boss of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has brought the best of British and Italian food to the heart of the city of York.Kirk and Ali Vincent have taken over Henshelwood's Deli, overlooking Newgate Market, and are determined to put their mark

  • Shepherd lays into LMA

    A FURIOUS Freddy Shepherd last night branded John Barnwell a "disgrace" because of the League Managers' Association's refusal to back Glenn Roeder's candidature for the Newcastle job. Roeder was officially unveiled at St James' Park yesterday to end

  • Laws to tackle ageism at work

    BUSINESSES in the region need to ensure they call time on ageism in the workplace, in the wake of new laws coming into effect later this year.Law firm Dickinson Dees is warning that businesses continuing to allow outdated - and potentially unlawful -

  • Magpies want Defoe to fill Shearer 's boots

    GLENN Roeder has identified unsettled Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe as the perfect man to replace the recently-retired Alan Shearer. Roeder, who was officially installed as Newcastle's 23rd permanent manager yesterday, will spend most of the next

  • Milner saga could be resolved

    THE confusing saga surrounding James Milner's future at Newcastle United could be finally resolved today. Manager Glenn Roeder is meeting with chairman Freddy Shepherd this afternoon to discuss plans for next season. The future of several United

  • Grainger team breaks away from trust

    A PROPERTY management and development company has been set up after breaking away from North-East residential property investor Grainger Trust plc.Property Logic Group (PLG) has been established by the former management team at Grainger Homes, a subsidiary

  • £60,000 grant to help IT firm bloom

    AN IT company is poised to revolutionise how computer games are created after securing £60,000 in funding.Chattering Pixels, in Middlesbrough, specialises in equipment used by other companies to create computer and video games.The firm has received £60,000