AN ENGINEERING boss is threatening to pull out of Shildon, with the loss of 50 jobs, because he is fed up with young vandals targeting his factory. Brian Burn, managing director at Blue Diamond Machine Tools, on the Dabble Duck Estate, Shildon, came back
AN ENGINEERING boss is threatening to pull out of Shildon, with the loss of 50 jobs, because he is fed up with young vandals targeting his factory. Brian Burn, managing director at Blue Diamond Machine Tools, on the Dabble Duck Estate, Shildon, came back
A SHOP owner has been left counting the cost of an unwelcome visit by a gang of football supporters, stole hundreds of pounds worth of clothing from his store. And he is warning traders in Hartlepool to be on their guard when the same set of supporters
A SHOP owner has been left counting the cost of an unwelcome visit by a gang of football supporters, stole hundreds of pounds worth of clothing from his store. And he is warning traders in Hartlepool to be on their guard when the same set of supporters
A TEENAGER who was left fighting for his life after an incident outside a football clubhouse has regained consciousness. Alex Harker has been taken off a hospital ventilator, which has been keeping him alive since he was rushed to hospital a week ago
POLICE ended weeks of speculation last night by confirming that the Land Rover driver who triggered the Selby rail disaster would face criminal charges. Gary Hart, whose vehicle careered down an embankment off the M62 and was struck by a GNER train on
The bedding plant season is just around the corner. If you are new to gardening, then it is essential to know what to look for, as quality is very variable. Rarely are there any bargains amongst bedding plants. In three or four weeks' time you may see
THE first local Crimestoppers initiative in North Yorkshire was officially launched yesterday in Ripon. The Rotary Club of Ripon Rowels is to finance a six-month campaign to launch Ripon Crimestoppers in a bid to encourage residents to report crime in
A GROUP of students have been given the chance to work on a project for a manufacturing company after making it through to the final of a region-wide competition. A team of six pupils from years nine and ten of Stanley School of Technology is working
AMBITIOUS development plans for a countryside attraction have been unveiled by council officials in Hartlepool. Two play areas, one based on a distinctive fort design, and a one-and-a-half mile cross-country Trim Trail combining fitness and fun are the
A LORRY driver was forced into the boot of a car at gunpoint as his vehicle, which was carrying 2,000 bottles of Smirnoff vodka was stolen. The 35-year-old man pulled over into a lay-by on the A66, west of Scotch Corner, North Yorkshire, after being overtaken
Their season has not even started, yet one local cricket club's hopes of defending their title successfully have already been hit for six. Leadgate, winners of the Readers Durham County League last season, have been docked 100 points, fined £50 and kicked
SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid expects to break the club's transfer record to bring in a top-notch striker this summer. Brazilian central defender Emerson Thome, who cost £4.5m when he moved from Chelsea this season, is currently the highest-priced acquisition
A REVOLUTIONARY new office block, which brings the latest energy-saving techniques to North Yorkshire, will be officially opened later this month. Developers, architects and business leaders are already being urged to book visits to the Hambleton District
FOR reasons that few understand, but which are thought to involve Admiral Lord Nelson and to be rude, superstitious cricketers regard the figure 111 as unlucky. Mr David Shepherd, the celebrated and somewhat portly test match umpire, is even in the habit
HUNDREDS of people have thrown their weight behind The Northern Echo's campaign to improve safety on bridges crossing the East Coast Main Line. More than 500 people signed our petition at Newcastle, Darlington and York stations. The action came after
PUPILS will be offering guidance and support to fellow students as part of an anti-bullying initiative. The Happier in School week, which will run from July 11 to 18, is being organised by the County Durham Anti-Bullying Service, in the council's education
Q I am a widow with a Retirement Pension of £93.96 a week and a monthly works pension of £21.45 a month. My bank account and ISA add up to £11,000. Can I get help with my Council Tax of £552 a year and my rent of £53.34 a week? AEven with quite significant
A THIEF who attempted to claim a reward by handing in a stolen credit card was jailed yesterday. Prolific offender Carl Finn appeared at Teesside Crown Court for sentence on a total of 32 offences. The 21-year-old, who has already carried out more than
A BIKER has been cleared of causing the death of a pensioner whom he hit as she crossed a busy street, due to a flaw in prosecution evidence. Aaron Holland, 19, was found not guilty of causing death by dangerous driving after prosecutor Paul Sloan, QC
A BIKER has been cleared of causing the death of a pensioner whom he hit as she crossed a busy street, due to a flaw in prosecution evidence. Aaron Holland, 19, was found not guilty of causing death by dangerous driving after prosecutor Paul Sloan, QC
JUDGING in this year's Northumbria in Bloom contest will be able to go ahead after all. There were fears that the popular annual competition might have to be scrapped because of the foot-and-mouth outbreak. The first round of judging was abandoned because
DARLINGTON Mowden Park and Blaydon will go into their showdown at Yiewsley Drive today not knowing whether the North Division One title is at stake. The RFU are due to decide on Wednesday how to resolve issues confused by foot-and-mouth, but the suspicion
IT is a fear every parent shares - that their children may become involved in drugs. The picture which has emerged of 15-year-old Catherine Longstaff, whose death is thought to be linked to drugs, is one of an extremely popular, lovable girl. Tributes
A YOUNG musician who travels 280 miles for music lessons has won an award. Anne Armstrong, a 16-year-old percussionist with the acclaimed Ever Ready Brass Band, won a £250 first prize, which will help her pay for the six-hour round trip she makes to a
A DARLINGTON company has stepped in to sponsor an up-and-coming roller skater. Jo Lightburn, 23, works for Amdega, which manufactures timber conservatories and summerhouses. After hearing of her success in the sport of artistic roller skating, the company
AN employee travel plan to persuade workers to leave their cars at home is being launched by Darlington Borough Council. The plan, which will come into effect shortly, looks to encourage employees to change their form of transport to and from work. The
SUNDAY will be a special day for former soldier Colin "Charlie" Helmn. He will be among dozens of former Green Howards gathering at the regimental museum in Richmond, North Yorkshire, for a reunion they know as Richmond Sunday. He will also be singled
ADVENTUROUS fundraisers are being sought to take part in the Big Dangle Challenge - by hurling themselves off a bridge. The Imperial Cancer Research Fund is hoping to raise thousands of pounds to fight Britain's biggest killer, with a mass abseiling stunt
CHRISTMAS shows in Newcastle from Northern Stage's Neil Murray have become an eagerly-awaited festive tradition over the past decade. So seeing the designer and director's name attached to a new version of Beauty And The Beast, you could be excused for
THE contrast was clear immediately. Back then, I was surrounded by excited teenagers shaking free (so they thought) of parents and parental boundaries. But now here I was back in Glasgow with a child of my own, eager to shake free of my determined grip
A TEENAGER has joined the ranks of the world's best swimmers. Caroline Saxby, 18, from Stockton, recently took part in swimming trials which catapulted her to the ranking of the fifth fastest short-course swimmer in the world, and second in the Commonwealth
YOUNG entrepreneurs went head-to-head in a battle to find the best student business brains. Young Enterprise (YE) is a national non-profit making organisation, which offers students an opportunity to gain experience of business and the world of work,
LABOUR vowed yesterday it would not take its North-East heartlands for granted and outlined how people in the region face a real choice on June 7. In an attempt to galvanise activists and prevent apathy being the only winner at the election, Minister
INVESTORS will be able to feed off another bundle of corporate figures next week, and most eyes are likely to be fixed on Marconi and Cable & Wireless plans' to revive their fortunes. Telecoms group Energis is expected to reveal strong growth when
FURNITURE group MFI showed its recovery remained on track as it reported a good start to the year. Chief executive officer John Hancock told a meeting of analysts and investors in Speke, Liverpool, that orders had continued to be "strong and in line with
INSURANCE giant Prudential's planned £18.1bn bid for American General has collapsed. The company, which launched the takeover in March, said it had agreed to terminate the deal. The move follows a counter offer for the Houston-based financial services
AN ARMY of volunteers has sprung into action to help people in the Wear Valley and Teesdale. Wear Valley Volunteer Bureau has been revamped, and under the new name 2D will also cover Teesdale. The new agency and its website was launched at Auckland Castle
POLICE are investigating a spate of killings of pet rabbits and guinea pigs. The pets have been poisoned and throttled before being left in their owner's garden. The six attacks in Sunderland during the past two weeks are thought to be the work of one
A COMPANY boss and his employees have admitted a home improvement rip-off, which preyed on the elderly. Director Steven Rudd, 28, and three of his salesmen from Gateshead's Global Seal Home Improvements were involved in a string of deception charges.
A DURHAM City artist has been commissioned to produce a trophy for one of the North-East's most prestigious journalism awards. Polish-born Goshka Bialek was chosen from a shortlist to create the artwork which will be presented to the British Gas Business
A CLASSIC car club will be open to the public this weekend. The North-East Vehicle Restoration Club was founded in 1971 by a group of local enthusiasts. Members are able to work on their cars at the club's own workshops in Washington where they can benefit
Letters from The Northern Echo SPACE TOURIST THE report of the space flight of Dennis Tito should be headlined "The Height of Greed and Selfishness." £14m would go a long way towards research into all manner of projects which would benefit mankind. Instead
SHIPBUILDER Swan Hunter is buying Kvaerner's Port Clarence offshore yard. Swans will use the yard, which closed 18 months ago with the loss of 3,000 jobs, for offshore fabrication and will initially create about 200 jobs for skilled engineers and welders
POLICE were called to move on pupils yesterday, after reports of a disturbance near a Darlington school. Officers were called to Hillcrest Avenue, near Carmel RC Technology College, after a number of pupils who had broken up for their examinations returned
Portable MP3 players are still in their infancy. The world may have gone MP3 mad - the hard disks of millions of PCs are filled with them - but only a small percentage of users actually download their software collection for music on the move. To refresh
SPECIALIST rescue equipment, which was bought as a result of lessons learned in last November's flooding, will go on display today. Firefighters in York were at the forefront of the efforts to hold back the water's that engulfed the city, even though
WARRING fans had to be kept apart after making threats to kill each other as they travelled back from London, a court heard. Three Darlington and six Hartlepool United fans are standing trial for violent disorder and affray at Teesside Crown Court. Yesterday
KEVIN Henderson is hoping his play-off jinx hasn't struck again. Twelve months after agonisingly missing out as Hartlepool United faced Darlington in the race to get out of the Third Division, Henderson is desperate to be involved as Pool face Blackpool
A PROJECT celebrating an important part of Hartlepool's heritage has taken a step forward. Artist Ashley McCormick, from Muf, a London-based group of architects and artists, has been appointed to work with local people on the Back To Our Roots scheme
BACK in the summer of 1997 Stockton Borough Council approved plans for a development which was to generate more than 6,000 jobs. Immediately it ran into trouble, with villagers in Middleton-St-George, near Darlington, forming an action group to fight
ANIMAL-lovers in North Yorkshire are helping to improve the lives of donkeys and horses in Third World countries. A branch of the Brooke Hospital for Animals has been set up in Rillington, near Malton, by Denise Arksey, who devotes much of her time to
The hills are alive when The Sound Of Music comes to York Theatre Royal. The revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical by York Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society features Jessa Marshall as troublesome novice nun Maria. She has played several principal
WORKS by the National Glass Centre's resident engraver are up for sale. Pieces by Anne Roxborough, a member of the Guild of Engravers, are on show at the DLI Museum and Durham Art Gallery, at Aykley Heads. Many of the items are also on sale, giving gallery
YOUNG entrepreneurs went head-to-head in a battle to find the best student business brains. Young Enterprise (YE) is a national non-profit making organisation which offers students an opportunity to gain experience of business and work by running their
Michael Owen fired Liverpool to a dramatic late 2-1 FA Cup Final win against Arsenal. The England hitman, 21, struck two goals within six minutes to blast the Kop side to the historic Cup victory at the Millennium Stadium at Cardiff. Owen told Sky Sports
AN art gallery will be hosting a variety of activities as part of Adult Learners Week, next week. Newcastle's Laing Art Gallery is running a series of workshops, talks and demonstrations all week from Monday. They will include guided tours of the museum
AN HGV driver yesterday admitted being involved in a burglary in which £1,500 of tools were stolen from a garage. He also admitted stealing £409 worth of food and alcohol from Asda in Boldon Colliery, South Tyneside, in January. David John Recker, 29,
Preparations are under way for the Cleveland College of Art and Design annual fashion show. The event in June will take place at Hartlepool Art Gallery and will showcase the work of more than 40 third year degree students from the college. The work, includes
MORE than a thousand extra travel permits have been issued to pensioners and people with disabilities in the Chester-le-Street district since the permits became free. Concessionary fares are now free to women over 60 and men over 65, as well as adults
STUDENTS from a County Durham school have been given the opportunity to work on a project for a local manufacturing company, after reaching the final of a regional competition. A team of six pupils from years nine and ten at Stanley School of Technology
AN adaptation of Mary Shelley's horror classic Frankenstein will be performed at Bishop Auckland Town Hall, next Thursday, by the Hull Truck Theatre Company. It has been adapted by Nick Lane, star of previous Hull Truck hits including Teechers, Weekend
THE whale was a beauty, a shiny grey leviathan basking in the Arctic seas. The seven Whitby whalers had been stalking it for hours, protected from the bitter cold by grotesque uniforms of sealskin and cow-hair wigs. When the harpoon went in, the gentle
PERFECT SUNDAY can round off a fabulous few days for Barry Hills by taking this afternoon's Group 3 £60,000 Arena Derby Trial at Lingfield. The Lambourn handler is on the crest of wave at present having earlier on this week snapped up both the Chester
A YOUNG hoax caller who fire chiefs say is putting lives at risk could face prosecution through the courts. The 11-year-old boy, who is believed to live in the Cockerton area of Darlington, has plagued the fire service with several bogus 999 calls. Yesterday
CHRIS TURNER last night flashed a hand-offs warning to clubs interested in hot-shot midfielder Tommy Miller - and insisted Hartlepool United is no longer a selling club. As his side head for Blackpool for tomorrow's play-off showdown, Turner vowed his
BIRTHS have a habit of inspiring new fathers to great deeds, but the imminent arrival of James Brinkley's first child did absolutely nothing for his Durham teammates yesterday. With Brinkley absent, Durham were reduced to ten men and squandered all the
BUS and train passengers have to negotiate an "obstacle course" to travel around the Stockton, it has been claimed. Councillor Suzanne Fletcher, of Elm Tree ward, has complained about the facilities in bus and train stations around the Stockton borough
YOU'LL suddenly notice the scenery change as you drive away from the concrete and crowds of Newcastle to sheep and hills country. Beyond the shadow of Alnwick Castle and up past Bamburgh, the land will open out to huge rolling hills and sable-coloured
FOR reasons that few understand, but which are thought to involve Admiral Lord Nelson and to be rude, superstitious cricketers regard the figure 111 as unlucky. Mr David Shepherd, the celebrated and somewhat portly test match umpire, is even in the habit
DARLINGTON Borough Council has become the first authority in the region to allow people to pay bills via the Internet. Those who do not have access to a computer can take advantage of new automated telephone payment facilities. People can pay council
