A CAMERA pest with a fetish for women's bottoms has admitted he needs psychiatric help. Andrew Mackie has been hauled before the courts on numerous occasions for looking up women's skirts and filming them without their knowledge. And yesterday a crown
TWENTY new train services could be added to the mainline between the North-East and London, it was announced yesterday. However the news will not change GNERs unprecedented legal challenge against rail bosses for allowing a rival operator onto the line
NORTH jockeys Fergal Lynch and Darren Williams, along with former champion rider Kieren Fallon, will not be allowed to continue riding in Britain after being charged as part of a police investigation into alleged race-fixing. Lynch, of Boroughbridge,
NEWCASTLE UNITED have refused to confirm or deny that they have held incredible transfer talks with David Beckham at a London hotel. Magpies chairman Freddy Shepherd was photographed leaving Claridges on Thursday and was followed out of the exit door
This journey is one of discovery. Discovery of the character of England, from gentle rural Devon, to a sink estate on the outskirts of Bristol, where most women appear to be single and where most single women appear to have children in prams. Discovery
THE little black pollen beetles have just begun their yearly onslaught. I first found them hiding in the flowers of my bolting turnip plants. Bolting is often caused after a cold snap, or following a drought, or by inconsistent watering. The plants
A real bargain this week from down-under' - a strong flavoured wine typical of Australia. It has a deep ruby-red colour and a bouquet of violets and blueberries. On the palate there's a sensation of up front fruit, which is ripe and imparts richness
NEWCASTLE UNITED have refused to confirm or deny that they have held incredible transfer talks with David Beckham at a London hotel. Magpies chairman Freddy Shepherd was photographed leaving Claridges on Thursday and was followed out of the exit door
Ex-EastEnders star Gillian Taylforth featured at number 49 in a C4 poll to find the 100 Greatest Sexy Moments, thanks to her snooker table sex session in Footballers' Wives. But she wasn't in a hurry to repeat the experience on camera and admits she was
The King family bring the house down when they unveil their latest building project in Emmerdale (ITV1). Marlon and Donna's dream home turns into a nightmare. As they enter the house, they're knocked off their feet by an explosion. This isn't the first
District 13 (15) HHH Cyril Raffaelli, David Belle, Bibi Naceri, Dany Verissimo 84 mins A futuristic action-thriller written and produced by Luc Besson that's notable for being economical with both words and running time. Perhaps that should be jumping
ORLANDO Bloom loved swashing his buckle as the dashing hero of the second Pirates Of The Caribbean movie, Dead Man's Chest, because he got to behave like a big kid. He returns - along with Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley - in the first of two sequels
KEIRA Knightley has found a way of dealing with Hollywood fame and celebrity status in the wake of hit movies Bend It Like Beckham, Pride And Prejudice and Pirates Of The Caribbean - she doesn't read anything that's written about her. So suggest that
Michel Camilo/Rhapsody in Blue (Telarc CD83611)I'm doubtful that Gershwin's composition counts as jazz but it certainly benefits from this bright and spirited performance by Camilo with the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, which also includes Gershwin's
The Readers Durham County League Under-18s - EVENWOOD enjoyed a six wickets victory at Brandon, who were 110 for nine from the 20 overs. Ian Musgrave had five boundaries in 34 while both Stephen Wallace and Jamie Robinson found the boundary line on four
Roseberry Group North-East Durham League - EAST Rainton maintained their position at the top of Division One with a big victory over Simonside. Neil Matthews was just seven runs short of a century, Gordon Steel added 49 and Jason Logan 30 to the East
If all that glisters is not Goldsborough, as the Merchant of Venice almost observed, the Bard may particularly have had in mind Goldsborough United. Precious little of value there. Goldsborough's a hamlet north of Whitby. There's a couple of farms, two
REDCAR speedway's junior team put up a gritty performance against Conference League leaders Scunthorpe Scorpions at Normanby Road on Monday evening before going down to a respectable 10point defeat. The Cleveland Bays were making their seven man seasonal
TWO local heroes are preparing to enhance their already considerable sporting reputations this weekend at the illustrious ESAA's 76th Track and Field National Championships. The English Schools' Athletic Association's meet at Gateshead International Stadium
BEDLINGTON might have to play their opening league games away from home - but that might be the least of their problems as the crisis at Welfare Park deepens. Landlords Wansbeck Council closed the Terriers' clubhouse last week on various issues, one of
Aykley Heads Tournament THERE was plenty of penalty anguish under hot sunshine in the 6th annual Durham Police Girls' Football Festival at the weekend. Hours before England's World Cup demise in a penalty shoot-out in Gelsenkirchen, against Portugal,
A TEENAGE boy sustained multiple fractures after being knocked off his bicycle by a car. The 15-year-old is being treated in hospital for a broken ankle, broken collar bone , a suspected knee fracture and lacerations to his head, following the accident
The Hotel Inspector (five) Tenants From Hell (ITV1) - First impressions weren't good. "Hideous," declared Ruth Watson, observing the "faded yellow, turgid brown monstrosity" that was the Saxonia guest house in Weston-super-Mare. She was standing outside
Grandmother Mary Hawgood was outraged at the length of time people had to wait to get pain relief so she decided to do something about it. Health Editor Barry Nelson meets the reluctant campaigner. DESPITE being in constant pain and relying on a wheelchair
ARRIVA SERVICES: I would like to support Arriva drivers in their quest for fair (£8 an hour) pay, although I would want a lot more for the stuff they have to put up with, but I digress. Wednesday saw me waiting for the 8.27am bus from Gainford to work
BUSINESS technology company Knowledge IT has seen turnover shoot up by 24 per cent in the past 12 months - and said it was eyeing a number of acquisitions. The Washington-based business is celebrating record sales revenues of £7.1m. The growth will lead
IT may look like a toy, but an artefact just bought for the nation could prove to be the missing link of the engineering world. Experts are agog with excitement about an object that some believe could help unlock the engineering secrets of the Industrial
THE death of a loved one can be shattering, but for your child to be murdered must be the most harrowing experience anyone can endure. It must be a pain you never get over and it's entirely understandable how some become consumed by grief or anger for
PLENTY of professional footballers dabble in racehorse ownership and to use a soccer analogy Garry Flitcroft and Dominic Matteo have hit the back of the net with Alfie Flits (3.50). Alfie Flits, named after Flitcroft's four-year-old son, heads to Sandown
PARISH councillors have demanded an increased police presence in their village to stop speeding drivers. Neasham Parish Council is worried that motorists driving over the village green are putting lives at risk. At a meeting this week, councillors expressed
A GROUP of students from Darlington got an insight into the world of journalism on this week. Three pupils from Hummersknott School and Language College joined Peter Barron, the Editor of The Northern Echo, for his daily news conference on Wednesday.
A NATIONAL boom in demand for insurance policies has prompted a North East broker and underwriter to expand its team - and offer jobs to staff made redundant by a company closure. BiB, based in Darlington, has recruited three underwriters following the
DINERS at Darlington College said goodbye to its restaurant before the move to its new site. The final guests to the college's Oak Room Restaurant enjoyed a Mexican evening as the last supper to be served before the move to a site off Haughton Road. Catering
WATERSTONE'S last night unveiled plans to drop the Ottakar's name - days after buying the rival bookchain. And the fate of two Ottakar's stores in the region, in Darlington and Harrogate, North Yorkshire, was unclear last night as Waterstone's owner HMV
ANGRY parents staged a demonstration outside a North-East college yesterday. The protestors say they are outraged that Hartlepool College of Further education has announced the closure of its First Steps children's nursery. They say the decision will
SOME of the region's first Veterans Medals were handed out yesterday to those who served their country during and after the Second World War. Darlington MP Alan Milburn presented the medals to about 20 people from south Durham and North Yorkshire in a
A WOMAN was kicked out of her home yesterday after police claimed it was being used as a heroin den. Although Edna Beadle is not suspected of being involved in the drugs trade, she was evicted from the house she owns in Stockton because it was being used
THE parents of a teenager who plunged 90ft to her death after falling from a tower block have spoken of their devastation. Malcolm and Debra Mather are still struggling to come to terms with the death of their "perfect daughter" Emily. The 17-year-old
WE know by now that John Prescott's judgement isn't what it should be. And the latest crisis surrounding him is another example. The ministerial code does more than state that ministers should avoid a conflict of interest. It also demands that they avoid
AGED 18 in 1939, Robert Bainbridge was told he was too young to fight abroad, so he was sent from Darlington to Harrogate. There, he met five mates and, aged 19, he got his wish. They were all sent abroad and ended up working on the notorious Burma railway
Is biological warfare the best tactic when it comes to removing stains from clothes, or will non-bio do just as well? SO WHAT are you washing your clothes in - biological or non-biological? And does it make any difference? Perceived wisdom says that non-biological
THE death of an elderly woman in a care home at the centre of a police investigation yesterday, was from natural causes. Police initially treated the death of Gladys Davison, 86, as suspicious. Mrs Davison was found dead in the Ashlea Court Residential
EVERY house in Derwentside is getting a copy of a newsletter created by young people to celebrate their achievements. Forty thousand copies of Spice News are being delivered in a bid to raise awareness of youth issues. The idea is to promote a more positive
PEOPLE who make do-it-yourself Internet holiday bookings could end up stranded abroad if something goes wrong, trading standards officers have warned. Durham County Council is urging sunseekers to watch out for online pitfalls as well as bargains. Thousands
ORGANISERS have praised 128 runners who braved sweltering conditions to take part in the Yarm Fun Run on Sunday. First through the finishing tape was 17-year-old Adam Mitchell, who looked remarkably fresh and cool at the end of the three-mile course
A VISION for North Yorkshire's future was revealed this week with the county council's plan until 2009. It sets out aims and objectives for the period and explains how priorities are decided, how work is paid for, and how the council performs against
PROPERTY developers have won a six-month battle to build 75 houses on a town centre site. Members of Hambleton District Council's planning committee have approved proposals by George Wimpey North Yorkshire for the development in Springwell Lane, Northallerton
THE Witham Hall in Barnard Castle has taken on two staff to oversee the £3m redevelopment works. Annalisa Ward and Anita Johnson have joined the team in control of the ambitious plans. The hall will be refurbished and a link will be built between the
A POPULAR golf course could be forced to close unless councillors agree to a new access road for players. Harpers Garden Centre, which owns the course in Junction Road, Norton, Stockton, is poised to be demolished, to make way for a housing development
AN annual show is looking to attract record crowds. The bank holiday weekend bash at Preston Park, Eaglescliffe, runs from Friday, August 25 to Monday, August 28. With many entertainers booked for repeat visits - including Murphy's Fun Fair and flying
A LANDMARK site which has been derelict for more than 15 years may be given a new lease of life. The Commercial Estate Group and Hallam Land Management have submitted plans to Durham City Council for outline planning permission for a multi-million pound
GREAT Aycliffe Town Council has appointed a new town clerk. Andrew Bailey had been the director of leisure and environment for the town council since 1989. The married, 50-year-old, father-of-one, took over as town clerk at the beginning of the month.
STAFF at a community centre were seeing double yesterday after the launch of a group for parents of twins. It is hoped to start up regular sessions at Willington Children's Centre, in Chapel Street. The centre is the headquarters of SureStart Wear Valley
THE fire and rescue service covering England's largest county has reported major successes in its community safety work. Fewer fires, fewer people dying in fires and a reduction in road accident injuries are among the highlights of the latest performance
THE mother of a boy who said he was raped broke down in tears in court yesterday as she told how her son had described his ordeal. She told Teesside Crown Court that the boy, who was eight at the time of the alleged offence last September, was distressed
Lancashire Lightning v Durham Dynamos (Twenty20) DURHAM fanned the flickering embers of their Twenty20 Cup campaign by completing a dramatic double over Lancashire with a five-wicket win at Old Trafford last night.If they win their remaining three games
QUORN owner Premier Foods said last night that strong sales would lead to a major investment and new jobs on Teesside. Premier, which bought Quorn makers Marlow Foods last year for £172m, is looking to increase capacity across its Quorn production sites
A NORTH-EAST company has won the contract to paint all the high-rise steelwork on the new Wembley Stadium. Abfad, which specialises in engineering services and maintaining inaccessible structures using abseiling techniques, will work on the highest steelwork
NEWCASTLE United have been rocked by news that Michael Owen could be out of action for longer than they previously feared. The Magpies striker met renowned surgeon Dr Richard Steadman at his Colorado clinic on Wednesday morning hoping a pre-op examination
FORMER chairman Bob Murray has backed his successor Niall Quinn to make Sunderland great again and asked fans to make a concerted effort to get behind the club. The 59-year-old made the heartfelt plea while addressing Black Cats' shareholders in what
SPECULATION was mounting last night over the future of a North-East construction company that employs hundreds of people in Prime Minister Tony Blair's North-East constituency. The MMP Group, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, is understood to be having
The father of a North-East soldier killed fighting Taliban forces in Afghanistan last night attacked the Government for putting British troops in "dreadful danger". Paratrooper Private Damien Jackson, 19, from South Shields, South Tyneside, died on Wednesday
A CIVIL servant was stabbed to death by her former husband after she had sent him a letter telling him to stay away from her, it emerged yesterday.An inquest heard that Linda Hewitt, 45, of Ryelands Way, Pity Me, near Durham City, was killed as she left
