DEAN GORDON last night warned Middlesbrough of a mass exodus if they fail to make Premiership survival a formality. Left-back Gordon admitted that managerial uncertainty on Teesside is preying on the minds of players who don't know for sure where their
FEARS that humans had caught foot-and-mouth diminished last night after a farm worker feared to have fallen victim to the virus appeared to have been given the all-clear. Paul Stamper, 33, was splashed with fluid from a slaughtered cow as he helped move
TWO poetry students have been chosen to appear in print in a new anthology. Jeanette Walker and Barbara Stannard, from the Creative Writing Course at the Hemlington Initiative Centre, have been picked from thousands of entries nationwide to appear in
SOUTHAMPTON 0, SUNDERLAND 1 A BRILLIANT goal from Republic of ireland international Kevin Kilbane revived Sunderland's hopes of qualifying for Europe on their last visit to The Dell before Southamtpon move to a new ground. The Wearsiders, who had only
THE man who inspired Ripon's first parish poll says he will not be giving up on his battle for a new system of selection to the city's grammar school, despite massive apathy towards a ballot held this week. Only a fraction of the city's population of
A COMPANY was fined £3,500 after a worker was speared through his body with a six-foot wooden spike. James Odgers, 35, had to undergo emergency surgery and was given a transfusion of ten pints of blood after the freak accident. The father-of-two was feeding
CHILDREN got a taste of the world of work this week when they helped out their parents at a Darlington store. The Asda supermarket in Whinbush Way invited children of staff to spend a day in the shop . The youngsters, aged 11 to 16, tried out various
FOUR women "took over" a fast-food restaurant in a late-night drunken orgy of violence, a court heard. Without warning, the group, who had been on a night out, began damaging property in a McDonald's restaurant, while a customer was struck with his own
DOCTORS are warning Health Secretary Alan Milburn that his crusade against heart disease is doomed unless there is a massive injection of resources into surgeries. North-East GP Dr George Rae, who sits on the national council of the British Medical Association
CLIMBING plants are a wonderful addition to any garden, for even if you have very limited space there is room to grow upwards. Walls, fences and various other structures like garden sheds can all be improved greatly by the addition of a climbing plant
THERE is a lot of mucking about on Teesside - and more of it is promised in the future. Hundreds of homes across Middlesbrough are composting waste. More than 750 compost bins were distributed free of charge to homes in the past 18 months, and demand
A HOUSING estate has been given its own security force. Three neighbourhood wardens have been appointed to keep an eye on the 516 homes on Middlesbrough's Saltersgill estate. The two men and one woman, who will work shifts covering the area until 10pm
A TEACHER who was cleared of indecently assaulting three girl pupils could have to wait weeks before learning if he can go back to work. Peter Hewson, of Church Close, Thirsk, in North Yorkshire, has been suspended from his post as a design technology
A project has been launched on Teesside to help youngsters in care get the best out of education. A learning mentor will be employed to work with young people in Years 10 and 11 who are about to sit exams or choose exam options. The aim of the project
RESIDENTS are being asked for their views on how Gateshead Borough Council has performed during the past year. More than 100,000 houses and businesses have received a copy of the council's Best Value Local Performance Plan for 2001/2002. It covers the
A BRILLIANT goal from Republic of ireland international Kevin Kilbane revived Sunderland's hopes of qualifying for Europe on their last visit to The Dell before Southamtpon move to a new ground. The Wearsiders, who had only won one of their previous 12
CORUS shareholders have applauded a union leader who told executives at the company's annual meeting that its workers deserved better treatment than being sacked. Eddie Lynch, deputy general secretary of the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation, told shareholders
A NEW customer care initiative will see conductors added to evening trains on Tyneside's Metro system. Bosses at operator, Nexus, believe the move will increase public confidence on evening trains, following requests for increased staff presence at key
THE first carcasses are expected to arrive on Monday at a burial site half-a-mile from Tow Law, County Durham. Pits on a 200-acre site at Inkerman have the capacity to take 160,000 sheep and cattle. Gases given off by the carcasses will go through a system
OLD acquaintances were renewed at the 50th anniversary celebrations of a Parent Teacher Association (PTA). Ferryhill Station Primary School PTA was formed in 1951 and is still thriving 50 years on. To commemorate the occasion, past and present members
PLANS for a cemetery providing "green" burials under trees instead of headstones are a step closer to fruition. Seaham town councillors have agreed to hire a consortium of consultants to design a new graveyard for the east Durham community. Parks manager
A GROUP of nursery children have taken part in a community project to send aid to families in Romania. The youngsters and their families from Just Learning in Ingleby Barwick have collected towels, tinned food and toys for a charity supported by various
BISHOP Auckland's health service took another step forward when a three-storey medical centre opened yesterday. The Braeside Medical Centre has moved into new premises in Escomb Road, where Bishop Auckland's £67m hospital will open next spring. The centre
A WANNABE model may be given her big break by a travel firm considering using her in their brochure. Stacey Harding, 21, of Stockton, has made it through to the finals of a Club 18-30 competition to find ten beach babes to star in a brochure. Stacey,
AN exhibition by a North-East artist is about to begin a national tour. Durham City painter Bob Barron spent a year collecting handprints from people born in each year of the last century for his work, Witnesses. Everyone who gave their handprint took
RELATIVES of young soldiers who lost their lives in a wartime tragedy are being hunted to take part in a rededication ceremony. On January 17, 1945, ten soldiers drowned while taking part in a military exercise at Guyzance, on the River Coquet, in Northumberland
FURIOUS parents say Durham County Council is refusing to meet them to discuss free school transport arrangements for their children. Catholic children from the Sedgefield, Bishop Middleham and Fishburn area used to attend Carmel Comprehensive School,
POLICE are celebrating a string of successes brought about by the extensive uses of closed-circuit television cameras in towns and villages in the Northumbria force area. Substantial reductions in crime and disorder are being reported from those areas
PLANS to close three special residential schools have been rejected by a watchdog - although the authorities still plan to press ahead with the closure programme. Education officials in Stockton want to close Westlands, Bishopsmill and Saltergill schools
ALL Durham City residents over the age of 60 could receive a free concessionary bus pass. The current national scheme only provides for those of pensionable age and therefore excludes men between 60 and 65. Durham City Council is looking into the possibility
ANOTHER agricultural show has been cancelled. Durham County Show was to have taken place over the weekend of July 14 and 15, at the Northern Area Playing Fields, Washington, Wearside. Durham County Agricultural Society had been hoping to go ahead with
THE BBC's Last Night of the Proms will this year feature orchestras from Gateshead's new Baltic Square as well as the Royal Albert Hall. On Saturday, September 15, the musical extravaganza, which attracts more than 100m television viewers worldwide, is
The Magpies' extended wait for a clean sheet ended this afternoon when they took all three points against a Leicester side clearly low on confidence. Manager Bobby Robson was absent on club business but he would have been delighted to see the unwanted
A DEPRESSED pensioner took her own life by pouring kerosene over herself and igniting it with a cigarette lighter, an inquest heard yesterday. Sylvia Gladys Sanderson's charred body was found by her brother, Brian, on the patio at her home in Middleton-in-Teesdale
A THIRSK woman has been enjoying her own Teddy bear's picnic, walking away with two awards from the industry "Oscars" this year. Angela Ellis took the titles at the British Bear Artists' Awards, prompting an entry into international competition. Mrs Ellis
FORMER Darlington Football Club chairman and cinema manager Archie Heaton has died, aged 81. Mr Heaton, who was a popular Darlington personality, died on Wednesday at Middlesbrough General Hospital. He was born in Haworth, West Yorkshire, in 1920, and
COMPETITORS from all over the country will descend on the region next month for the British Sports Acrobatics Championships. The two-day event will take place over the weekend of May 26 and 27 at Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre. Britain is a major force
A £10,000 appeal has been launched by one of the region's top museums to return a unique piece of furniture to its natural home. Officials at the Bowes Museum, at Barnard Castle, County Durham, believe the miniature botanical cabinet belonged to Mary
TOURISM bosses are targeting pathways at key visitor attractions in a campaign to reopen the countryside. The drive aims to throw a lifeline to struggling tourism businesses, many of which have had no money coming in since the start of the crisis, in
Tory leader William Hague was last night under renewed pressure to expel MP John Townend over his outspoken remarks on race after one of the party's most respected black figures weighed into the controversy. Lord Taylor of Warwick - a former Home Office
A BUS driver caught transporting special needs children while almost twice over the drink-drive limit has been banned for life from holding a public service vehicle (psv) licence. The disqualification was imposed on Kevin Elliot, 35, of South Pelaw, Chester-le-Street
DURHAM County start the new outdoor season with the defence of the All England Inter County Middleton Cup today. The Palatinate won the prestigious competition, which started in 1911, for the first time last year and will be doing their utmost to retain
THE mother of a baby whose shoulders were too big to be born has lost her battle for compensation. Nicola Lobb, 31, claimed she received a poor standard of medical care when her daughter, Holly, started delivery with the umbilical cord wrapped around
Darlington assistant manager Mick Tait yesterday told his players: "Don't waste all your hard work." Quakers go to bottom club Halifax today after a deflating spell of three successive defeats which follows a run of just one defeat in the previous 12.
SUNDERLAND supporters' Player of the Year, Don Hutchison, believes that the club can still qualify for Europe. Starting this afternoon at Southampton Peter Reid's men have three games to make a last ditch bid for glory - and Hutchison maintained: "There's
BOBBY Robson will attempt to secure Kieron Dyer's future with Newcastle United in a desperate bid to head-off a repeat of the battle he lost to keep Ronaldo at Barcelona. Magpies' boss Robson is ready to press for contract talks with Dyer following Manchester
THE future of a show farm is uncertain after it fell victim to the epidemic. More than 1,400 sheep were slaughtered at Hall Hill Farm, near Lanchester, County Durham, last month, along with three llamas and three deer, after foot-and-mouth was confirmed
THE General Medical Council has made an interim order against a North-East doctor. Conditions were imposed on GP Martin Terry Cope, registered at 12 Ravenscourt Place, Gateshead, for a period of 18 months. The conditions are that he shall cooperate with
A PLAY-OFF place is in Hartlepool United's grasp at Kidderminster this afternoon. Pool make their first trip to the Aggborough Stadium knowing a point is enough to secure a top-seven place for the second season in a row. And despite the uncertainty surrounding
BUS and rail group Arriva has predicted a firmer focus on its passenger transport business would lead to an improved performance this year. Speaking at the group's AGM, chairman Gareth Cooper said the Sunderland group had a "clear and focused strategy
A FOOTBALL fan exposed himself to a female police officer as she filmed football crowds during a pitch invasion, a court heard. The incident occurred during Bishop Auckland's FA Trophy clash with Burton Albion on Saturday January 13, when fans left a
YOUNGSTERS at a Darlington school have found a smart way to raise cash. Pupils at Mowden Junior School collected more than £3,000 towards a new play area with the help of chocolate Smarties. About 260 children each took home a tube of the sweets before
A TOWN'S classroom initiatives have won top marks from an education minister. Middlesbrough only joined the Government's flagship education programme, Excellence in Cities which is ploughing an extra £200m into the nation's schools this year to help boost
THIS week we have yet again witnessed how absolutely incompetent the Government officials are at dealing with the foot-and-mouth crisis - now in its ninth week. The Government has instructed the British Horseracing Board to ban any trainers from racing
PLANS to erect a temporary gateway welcoming visitors to Hartlepool's historic Headland have been delayed following a public consultation. The Gateway Scheme for the junction of Thorpe Street and Northgate was set to up to provide an elaborate entrance
SOCCER ace Kieron Dyer has had another brush with traffic police after he crashed his Mercedes into the back of a car, leaving its driver injured. The prang came only two weeks after the £20m-rated star was stopped by police for allegedly doing more than
A DOCTOR at a high-profile medical centre is at the centre of allegations of drug misuse. Dr Will Richardson was suspended after the claims on Monday. Alan Hall, chief executive of Priority Health Care, Wearside, released an official statement yesterday
NORTH-EAST MPs are to press the Government for financial help for stricken shipyard workers after it was revealed some staff have been left penniless. The discovery came at a meeting yesterday at Redcar and Cleveland Town Hall on Teesside, to launch the
A BENTLEY-DRIVING confidence trickster who fleeced small businesses out of £5m is too broke to pay any of it back, a court was told yesterday. Stephen Seddon, 34, lived a champagne life with cruises on the QEII, stayed at New York's Waldorf Astoria hotel
ENGLAND international Kevin Phillips and Sunderland manager Peter Reid angrily refuted reports yesterday that the 15-goal striker wants to leave the Wearsiders and return south. Phillips, who last season signed a new, long term contract, immediately sought
THIEVES have wrecked a school's tranquil green haven, only days before a visit from competition judges. Pupils from Parkside Comprehensive School, Willington, were shocked and upset yesterday after an overnight raid on their quiet garden. Many of the
ON any argument, it was flying a kite at the Stadium of Light - "outrageously audacious" admitted the letter that landed on Sunderland chairman Bob Murray's desk. Now, however, the Premiership giants have agreed to roll out the red and white carpet for
A POOL of "super" supply teachers is to be created in a bid to address the lack of stand-in staff for schools. Durham County Council is hoping to woo more people back into teaching with courses to bring their skills up to date and promising more of a
THE General Medical Council (GMC) is considering legal changes which would allow it to automatically strike off doctors who are put on the sex offenders' register. Senior officials are holding talks with lawyers about the proposed changes, which were
A BUSINESSMAN lost about £25,000 worth of stock when a fire swept through his business compound. Barry Emery, who runs a van hire and haulage firm, lost about two tonnes of goods when a blaze ripped through his workplace on a Crook industrial estate on
A SCHEME to involve members of the public in the regeneration of Wearside will be launched this summer. Community forums will give people living in Pennywell the opportunity to find out more about the regeneration of the area, suggest new projects and
CONCORDE may well have been the fastest way to cross the Atlantic for the last 30 years but the supersonic jet could soon find its crown stolen by an American upstart. Nasa's new baby - which goes by the rather unglamorous name of the X-43A - can fly
Darlington suffered their fourth straight defeat at the hands of struggling Halifax at the Shay today. Craig Middleton's second half strike was enough to give the Shaymen all three points and lift them off the bottom of Division Three. The home side dominated
THE first British trader to be prosecuted for selling solely in pounds and ounces announced plans to appeal against his conviction last night, claiming overwhelming public support for his cause. Father-of-two Stephen Thoburn, from Sunderland, announced
THE district of Easington is selling 13 pairs of bungalows. The one-bedroom Penzance bungalows, in Murton, are surplus to council requirements. Councillor Alan Napier, district council leader, said: "We are a very progressive council and are always looking
A NERVOUS young woman, on her first shift in the hot seat plotting the progress of German aircraft over the North-East, pinpointed the lone raider closing in on the coast. "Gotcha" she whispered under her breath - as she pinpointed the Nazi plane and
THE inside of the ship was lined with a thin sprinkling of white powder most days, as if it was Christmas all year round. Robert Brown was an 18-year-old apprentice welder on Redheads, the North Shields shipyard, and to him, it was like working in some
ROYAL Marine Dominic Lavery has become the second pupil in a year from St Leonards RC school, in Durham, to be awarded the Green Beret, the hallmark of Commando troops. Mr Lavery, 19, from Meadow-field, in Durham, passed out from the Commando Training
SIX cars were raided in less than four hours in Darlington, when motorists left handbags and wallets in clear view for thieves, say police. Detective Sergeant Alec Francis, of Darlington police, said people need to be more careful when leaving their vehicles
SUNDERLAND could lose its rail link with the North-West when the Metro system is extended to Wearside. Bosses at the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) have written to Sunderland City Council to say the extension may not be compatible with the Trans-Pennine
A LAST-GASP James Sharp header clinched a play-off spot for Hartlepool United at Kidderminster. Sharp's 87th minute flicked header from Paul Stephenson's curling free kick beat home keeper Tim Clarke and as it rolled into the net with it arrived a place
An 84th minute strike from David Beckham sealed all three points for Manchester United at the Riverside Stadium. United went ahead after just four minutes thanks to an unstoppable drive from England defender Phil Neville. The United full-back ventured
A COMMUNITY is calling on police and magistrates to take a tough line against vandals and crooks. Residents are demanding more police officers on the beat at Coulby Newham, near Middlesbrough, and realistic penalties handed down from the courts. "We want
A NORTH YORKSHIRE man has realised a dream, winning his licence to fill stomachs at his own restaurant in his home town of Richmond. Raffles, in Rosemary Lane, is open for business thanks to a loan from The Prince's Trust, and business has been booming
ALMOST every day someone in the North dies as a result of working with asbestos, according to a report. The region's industrial heritage has saddled it with the highest death rate from asbestos-related diseases in the country, through the widespread use
A CAMPAIGN to build a play area for youngsters in a former pit village is just about complete. A see-saw is the last piece of equipment to be installed by the Coxhoe Community Partnership, next to Coxhoe Leisure Centre. The project, Coxhoe Kids Zone,
THE pace of economic growth slowed during the first three months of the year as high-tech industries were hit by the slowing global economy, official data has revealed. Provisional figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that gross
A SMARTLY dressed thief tricked his way into a Hartlepool house and stole a purse. The man entered a house in Clarkson Court, minutes after being chased away from another property in the street. Just after 3pm, on Thursday, the man walked into a house
PROBATION service chiefs say they are using a bail hostel public inquiry as a test case. They want to win this summer's inquiry to establish a principle that the public fear of crime cannot be brought into a planning issue. Chester-le-Street District
A PAEDOPHILE attempted to befriend children on a North-East estate by buying them sweets and drinks, police revealed last night. The Northern Echo reported yesterday how Graeme McLeod, 48, from Guisborough, east Cleveland, walked free from the Old Bailey
THE foot-and-mouth outbreak caused delays for electricity engineers trying to restore supplies to the Heighington and Redworth areas last night. Northern Electric said 250 premises were affected, including a hotel and a pub, at 4.32pm. Engineers trying
SITTING by the sea one dreary afternoon in Jersey, self-confessed beach-bum Duncan swore he'd turn his life around. "I'd just turned 30 and I'd been happy doing nothing much. Money had never interested me too much but I suddenly decided two things - that
TOURISM bosses are targeting pathways at key visitor attractions in a campaign to reopen the countryside. The drive aims to throw a lifeline to struggling tourism businesses, many of which have had no money coming in since the start of the crisis, in
HEALTH Secretary Alan Milburn visited Durham's new hospital yesterday to unveil a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. The University Hospital of North Durham, which replaces Dryburn Hospital, opened to patients earlier this month. Mr Milburn said
A MARRIED restaurateur accused of raping a woman as his wife slept in the next bedroom has been cleared of the charge. After two hours of deliberation, a jury of eight women and four men at Newcastle Crown Court cleared Mark Hird, 28, of attacking the
A DEATH-CRASH driver yesterday won a legal battle to get back on the road. Stephen Dolan, from Middlesbrough, was only 16 when he was convicted with another driver of causing a teenager's death by dangerous driving. Neither Dolan, nor the other driver
It was not too difficult for police to track down burglar Andrew Woodward one winter night, a court heard yesterday. Police followed his footprints in the snow from his home to the raided house and back, said David Scott, prosecuting, at Teesside Crown
Former MI5 agent David Shayler, from Middlesbrough, will be robbed of his right to a fair trial on secrets charges if he is barred from arguing that what he did was in the public interest, his defence QC said yesterday. At a pre-trial hearing held at
GREG Blewett yesterday found an unwelcome way to reward Durham's new coach Martyn Moxon as he scored 133 on his Nottinghamshire debut. Moxon spent hours trying to coax runs out of Blewett for Yorkshire two years ago but had to wait until yesterday to
A FOREIGN LAND? HAVING fully read William Hague's grossly misinterpreted 'Foreign land' speech, I wish to tell readers he does not make any reference to ethnic people, but merely states a few of the downsides of joining the euro currency. I quote one
A POOL of "super" supply teachers is to be created in a bid to address the lack of stand-in staff for schools. Durham County Council is hoping to woo more people back into teaching with courses to bring their skills up to date and promising more of a
IT will be busy in the City next week, as market watchers dodge the May Day riots to study figures from a host of blue-chip companies including Whitbread, Shell, Bank of Scotland and Powergen. The City will be interested to hear drinks-to-burgers group
ERIC Davey has retired as chairman of the Newcastle Building Society. He stepped down at the society's annual general meeting held at the Copthorne Hotel in Newcastle on Thursday. His position will be taken by Chris Hilton, with James Heppell becoming
PLANS to convert a former hostel for the homeless into a church centre have been welcomed by residents. Horndale House, in Burnhope, Newton Aycliffe, became a hostel in September 1999, despite fierce opposition from local people. They feared the building
MARKS & Spencer's chairman and chief executive Luc Vandevelde has waived his £816,000 bonus entitlement this year. A meeting of M&S' remuneration committee accepted the decision and said the move was a "very significant gesture". Mr Vandevelde
Shildon have appointed Steve Pyle as their team manager as new chairman Gordon Hampton builds for the future. Hampton, a local businessman, recently took over the second division club,and wants promotion next season as part of his plans. Ray Gowan, who
RICHMOND residents have raised £11,000 for a Darlington cancer hospice over the past 12 months. A cheque for £3,000 was handed over at the annual meeting of the town's St Teresa's Support Group - taking the annual total higher than before. Local WIs,
A LAST-GASP James Sharp header clinched a play-off spot for Hartlepool United at Kidderminster. Sharp's 87th minute flicked header from Paul Stephenson's curling free kick beat home keeper Tim Clarke and as it rolled into the net with it arrived a place
GETTING too fired up about major chase handicaps like the Whitbread Gold Cup often ends in tears. But on this occasion it could be the bookmakers who are left sobbing in their satchels if Kingsmark (3.30) justifies massive ante-post support for this afternoon's
THERE are striking similarities in the battle to speed up compensation payments to victims of asbestos-related diseases and those miners struck down by chronic respiratory problems. Both groups were working in conditions which were thought to be acceptable
