TAXI drivers have objected to suggestions they could face an extra driving test before being granted a licence. Darlington Borough Council is considering introducing a taxi driver test to ensure the town's drivers are competent before they can pick up
A former council leader picked up a four foot drain rod to fend off a masked robber wielding a machete, a court heard yesterday. Eric Turner arrived at his family-run sub-post office to find two masked men threatening his wife Enid, 56, and their daughter
Junior crimefighter Nikki Blenkinsopp won the praise of the Home Secretary yesterday after becoming Britain's youngest Neighbourhood Watch leader. Nikki, 12, has helped slash crime on the run-down estate. The youngster endures the taunts of classmates
THREE trophies have been presented in memory of a schoolboy who died last month after a short battle against cancer. The Master Skills Football Academy in Darlington celebrated its fifth birthday with a presentation evening for 320 children who take part
People are being asked to give up a couple of hours a week to help East Durham Play and Community Network Toy Libraries. The charity needs volunteers to work in libraries at Peterlee and Easington. Libraries are open from 3pm to 4pm on Thursdays and Fridays
NOMINATIONS are in for the Oscars of Yorkshire's tourism industry. The Yorkshire Tourist Board has confirmed the details of the locations and attractions in the running for awards which will be confirmed at a prestigious gala evening in October. Winners
GROWN-UPS who never lost the Meccano bug they caught as children held an exhibition in Beamish Museum at the weekend. Hundreds of visitors, ranging from pensioners to children, turned up to view the intricate models created by the North-East Meccano Society
RECORD-CHASING mountaineer Alan Hinkes told of his pride in his daughter last night, after she shone in the national heat of an international talent contest. Fiona Horgan, 18, just missed out on a place in the international final of the Rose of Tralee
A SCHOOL could soon be churning out future entrepreneurs as it prepares a bid for specialist business status. Deerness Valley School, in Ushaw Moor, Durham, is compiling an application to the Government to become a Business and Enterprise College. If
SHOPS, pubs and restaurants have brought sunshine to south Durham with sunflower displays promoting the Butterwick Hospice at Bishop Auckland for Hospice Awareness Week. Yellow themed windows, special offers and yellow events are running until Saturday
STRONG winds grounded one of the main attractions at the Great Aycliffe Show at the weekend, but failed to deter thousands of visitors. The Royal Artillery's team of professional soldiers kept its 80ft hot air balloon safely on the ground because the
POLICE are investigating a fire thought to have been started deliberately in the stairwell at a block of flats. Seven people had to be rescued by firefighters as thick black smoke prevented them reaching the front door after someone set alight carpet
WORK is continuing to increase the number of healthy trees in the Darlington area. Last July, Darlington Borough Council adopted a tree strategy, called The Enhancement of the Urban Forest. Since then, a variety of schemes has been undertaken, including
ALLEGATIONS have surfaced of a race row at a town hall. Sources claim a complaint has been lodged with the regional Labour Party about racist comments made during a meeting which tackled the issue of asylum seekers. It is alleged an unnamed member of
THE parents of a 19-year-old road accident victim have told of their relief that a court case against a driver involved in the accident is finally over. Mechanic Raymond Reed, 34, of Regent Green, Langley Moor, near Durham City, was found guilty of careless
Deighton Butler produced another outstanding performance to keep Evenwood in pole position. He was just a run short of a century when a four-wicket victory was achieved following a high-scoring game with Tudhoe. The visitors' professional Shahid Anwar
IT all started with Sven Koenig, continuing with Mohammad Ali and Neil Carter to reach a coruscating climax with Craig Spearman. These are the imports who have devastated Durham's home-grown policy this season. All are 27 or 28 and are never going to
Captain Adam Heather and Chris Hewison produced a marvellous second-wicket partnership on the splendid Bunker Hill wicket which propelled championship challengers South Northumberland past 300. The runs flowed all around the ground as the pair added 273
LOVE calls from one of nature's most elusive birds will lure nature enthusiasts to a North-East woodland on Friday. The Forestry Commission stages a guided trek on the trail of the nocturnal nightjar in Hamsterley Forest, the bird's major stronghold in
AN information day designed to help individuals and families with eating disorders will be held at the Community Centre, Bullion Hall, Bullion Lane, Chester-le-Street, on Friday, from 1pm to 3pm. The event has been organised by Durham and Chester-le-Street
CHILDREN'S RIGHTS: North Washington Sure Start is holding a conference on Friday, July 5, at the Washington Millennium Centre. The guest speaker will be Caroline Willow, of the Children's Rights Alliance. EXERCISE PLANS: Slim and fit, an exercise plan
A FOOD safety campaign has been launched to encourage people to take care while barbecuing. Environmental health officers from Darlington Borough Council are co-ordinating the campaign, which was launched at Morrisons Supermarket, Morton Park, Yarm Road
STORE INSIGHT: Margaret Middlebrook, representing Boyes Stores, gave a slide presentation detailing the history of the chain, to Cleveland Retired Men's Association. She took 60 members through the lifetime of her employers starting with William Boyes
SCHOOLBOYS have been awarded a trophy for raising the most money in a national challenge. About 140 boys, aged four to 13, from Bow School, Durham, raised £2,583 in Mencap's National Schools Spellathon 2002. They were each sponsored to learn a selection
A NEW cycling track has provided a boost to a popular countryside attraction in Hartlepool. The old BMX track at the 100-acre Summerhill site on the western edge of the town has been upgraded to the higher Bicycle Super-Cross (BSX) standard. The manager
ORGANISERS of a Teesside festival say it will be bigger and better than ever this year, thanks to an extra £30,000 of funding. The money means that some of the world's best street theatre acts will perform at the Stockton International Riverside Festival
FORMER West Hartlepool and Darlington Mowden Park scrum half Philip Harvey has been appointed Rugby Development Officer for Teesside, writes Tim Wellock. Harvey, 26, a Durham School product who was born in Bishop Auckland, starts next month in a post
A businessman has condemned police after they failed to turn up in time to arrest a thief who stole a laptop computer from his shop. Johnathan Belbin claims he chased the culprit through the streets until the man went to ground in a flat. Mr Belbin borrowed
A NORTH Yorkshire sailing club was celebrating yesterday after winning recognition of its training policies for young members. Ripon Sailing Club has been awarded Volvo Royal Yachting Association Champion Club status. "This is great news, particularly
Film-maker Marion Coutts will return to Newcastle's Hancock Museum for the first UK screening of her latest work, No Evil Star, next month. It was produced during a residency at the Hancock, making reference to the museum's displays of extinct or endangered
A TOUCH of the exotic side of India came to Durham City at the weekend. Visitors to the Oriental Museum, at Elvet Hill, witnessed an Indian state costumes parade, Indian art and enjoyed glimpses of Bollywood films as well as perusing Indian jewellery.
A SENIOR manager for a security company which installed systems at Hartlepool nuclear power station has been jailed for 18 months for corruption. John Thoroughgood, 38, funded a champagne lifestyle after accepting £400,000 in bribes from contractors employed
Visitors to Hartlepool's Summerhill centre travelled back in time at the weekend during an archaeology open day. The event included demonstrations of 5th Century costumes, crafts and combats by living history groups Axholmr and Rent-a-Peasant. There was
Visitors to Hartlepool's Summerhill centre travelled back in time at the weekend during an archaeology open day. The event included demonstrations of 5th Century costumes, crafts and combats by living history groups Axholmr and Rent-a-Peasant. There was
IN response to your comment (Echo, June 20), some things are always true. Most, if not all governments, congenitally hide the whole truth from the public by lying. The national media, in the absence of fact, congenitally distort, inflate and invent stories
A machete-welding robber was jailed for 13 years yesterday for holding up a post office. Armed robber Thomas Michael Reay, 21, of Joan Street, Newcastle, was jailed at Teesside Crown Court for holding up the store in Hamsterley Colliery, near Consett,
If you can't find a man, why not try lesbianism? Film writers Heather Juergenson and Jennifer Westfeldt discovered in their research that lots of women do. Steve Pratt reports. THEY'VE seen the rights to their off-off Broadway play fought over by movie
YORKSHIRE may not be in the best of health, but they were positively blooming yesterday as Darren Lehmann's brilliance comfortably atoned for his occasionally eccentric captaincy. Lehmann marked his return from one-day duty with Australia by thrashing
The fate of Harrogate's crumbling Royal Hall, one of North Yorkshire best-loved buildings, will be decided at a special meeting this week. The 1903 Frank Matcham-designed hall, listed Grade 2 for its architecture and history, become a victim of sulphate
The scene with the slowly deflating parrot on Peter Sellers' shoulder always sets me off. The sight of Clouseau with a floppy bird on his shoulder makes me laugh until I cry every time. Some people chuckle most when the sleuth says "burm" or "minkey",
THE parents of murdered pizza delivery girl Julie Hogg hope to join forces with the family of Damilola Taylor in their fight for a change in the law. Ann Ming and her husband, Charlie, have been campaigning for an end to the double jeopardy rule - which
A NORTH-EAST MP will today launch an inquiry into why women are being failed by the criminal justice system. Redcar MP Vera Baird wants to see changes to the law to prevent rape victims being questioned in court about their past sexual history. She is
Streets could soon have their own solar panels or village halls their own wind turbine when a green energy pilot scheme gets off the ground. The Renewable Energy at Local Level (Reall) project was launched today at Catchgate Primary School near Stanley
A SUMMER holiday playscheme for children and teenagers with learning disabilities could be cancelled because of a shortage of cash and volunteers. Organisers of the Playdays project, in Bishop Auckland, say they are facing the biggest crisis in its 28
CROWDS of people enjoyed the fun and the sunshine at a church fun day at the weekend. Hurworth Methodist Church, in the village of Hurworth, near Darlington, arranged the event at Hurworth Grange Community Centre. There were a variety of stalls and entertainments
A COUPLE who met outside a cinema during the Second World War have celebrated 60 years together. Tom and Ethel Bagguley, of Lazenby Crescent, Darlington, spent their diamond wedding anniversary in Bournmouth. Their daughter, Pat, could not help them celebrate
Q HOW did the Romans express fractions? A THE Romans didn't have a way of writing fractions in figures. Instead, they were spelled out as words. The Roman for "and a half" was semsique, abbreviated to S or SK. The symbol for a third was T or TK, for two
Greg Rusedski is through to the second round after beating Austria's Jurgen Melzer 6-1 6-4 7-5. Rusedski began strongly losing just one game in the first set. He then broke the young Austrian's serve once in the second to go two sets up (6-4). The third
A controversial speed camera scheme first piloted on Teesside is set to be installed nationwide. Richard Brunstrum, formerly an assistant chief constable of Cleveland Police, is spearheading the scheme and is now thought to be urging all police forces
AN ARMED response team was called out at the weekend after a family dispute prompted a large-scale manhunt. Some members of the family sought sanctuary at a police station while officers and the police spotter plane searched for a man in his 30s following
A tearful Miles Tunnicliff granted his late mother's dying wish yesterday when he lifted his first European Tour title at the Great North Open at Slaley Hall. Tunnicliff picked up a cheque for £100,000, his biggest payday by more than £83,000, after romping
GAYS and lesbians on Teesside are being urged to speak out about homophobic attacks because police fear most are not being reported. Only 19 homophobic incidents were reported to Cleveland Police last year, but it is believed the total is higher. Now,
COMEBACK man Stewy Bell made it three road race victories in the space of eight days as he broke the course record yesterday winning the North-East Ten Mile Championship at Croxdale. The 34-year-old former Great Britain international, now fully recovered
A Stockton park will be reverberating to the sound of more than 400 engines as the annual Vehicle Rally gears up this weekend. More than 400 exhibitors, 40 traders, a fun-fair and other attractions will be pulling in the crowds at Preston Park. A huge
A county council care assistant, who indulged in a benefits scam after her husband left her with thousands of pounds of debts, escaped a jail sentence today. Mother-of-two Rebecca Shepherd, who has looked after mentally handicapped people for North Yorkshire
WORK is continuing to increase the number of healthy trees in the Darlington area. Last July, Darlington Borough Council adopted a tree strategy, called The Enhancement of the Urban Forest. Since then, a variety of schemes has been undertaken, including
Police are appealing for witnesses to an accident involving an elderly woman and a bus, in Westmoreland Street, Darlington. The woman was injured in the accident, which occurred at 12.40pm on Thursday, but not critically. Anyone with information is asked
Firefighters were called to three blazes near Darlington Football Club's Feethams ground last night. First, a lavatory block in the town's South Park, near the Victoria Embankment, was set alight. Soon afterwards, a rubbish bin in the park was also set
SWIMMERS are being offered a chance to take to the water with an Olympic star. Swimmer Nick Gillingham, will be visiting Spennymoor Leisure Centre next month to meet fans and join in a fun session in the pool. The event, on Tuesday, July 16, has been
IT wasn't that the mannequins clad in the latest fashions appeared to be coming to life that caught the eyes of passers-by. It was more that at least one of them had a beard. And wasn't that other one serving pints down the pub last night? Shoppers passing
A QUARTET of short dramas by four of the region's top writers take the stage at Bishop Auckland Town Hall on Thursday. The Cloud Nine Theatre Company, which showcases the talents of Northern writers, will be performing the plays in the Eden Theatre, from
THE streaker who flashed his all during a visit by the Queen has been pardoned from on high. Brynn Reed, 27, lost his job as a civil servant after streaking past the Queen on her visit to Newcastle. Now the Geordie, who has Rude Britannia tattooed on
PRIMARY school youngsters dressed in style to enjoy their golden jubilee summer fair. Children from Eldon Lane Primary School put on their finery for a fancy dress parade on Friday. Kings, queens and celebrities from the past 50 years paraded in the school
DECONTAMINATION teams have spent the weekend at one of the region's most famous hotels for the second time in a month. The Grand, in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, has already been forced to close its doors this year after a number of guests were struck
CRIPPLED former soldier Peter McCabe has won £150,000 damages for a low blow suffered when he was forced to take part in a boxing bout with a fellow squaddie. The father-of-two suffered excruciating pain to his right testicle and a botched operation by
VILLAGERS are being invited to give their views on an improvement programme at a public meeting on Thursday. The Burnt House, Esperley and Cockfield Community Partnership wants to hear from as many people as possible living in the Cockfield and Evenwood
A PATRIOTIC house is to stay decorated with the cross of St George, despite England's exit from the World Cup. Andrew Kipling painted the flag on the outside of his house in Gouldsmith Gardens, in Darlington, to show his support for the nation's football
FOOTBALL fans around the region behaved themselves despite England's exit from the World Cup. Despite fears of drunken violence following the match against Brazil, police forces around the North-East and North Yorkshire reported few incidents on Friday
Police are appealing for witnesses to an accident involving an elderly woman and a bus, in Westmoreland Street, Darlington. The woman was injured in the accident, which occurred at 12.40pm on Thursday, but not critically. Anyone with information is asked
Bishop Auckland made light of their task against Middlesbrough at Kingsway and continue to lead the table. They sent their visitors back to the pavilion for only 62 runs in 28.1 overs as a three-man attack dominated. Chris Sawyer was in sparkling form
THE sun may not have shone but visitors to Saltburn still had a hot day out on Saturday - courtesy of the town's firefighters. Hundreds of people went along to the Leven Street fire station to watch firefighters, police, lifeboat and ambulance workers
THE family of a baby who was born without kidneys put their best feet forward yesterday to raise money for the hospital unit which cares for her. One-year-old Alice Skinner, from Hartlepool, has endured six life-saving operations and has to have ten hours
Burnmoor hurried to a ten-wicket victory at Durham City and, for the second consecutive week, it was Martin Thursfield and Ian Conn who bowled their side into a winning position. After taking five cheap wickets in the previous match, Thursfield returned
HELMSLEY Castle hosts a performance of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night next month. Chapterhouse Theatre Company performs the popular comedy from 7.30pm on Friday, July 5. The cast will be dressed in period costume. The play will include live music. The grounds
A CLOTHING store is to close to make way for a supermarket. Staff at Dunnes Stores, in Billingham, Teesside, had their worst fears confirmed on Friday with the news that the store will shut, possibly before the end of next month. Rumours have been circulating
Bottom of the table Houghton gave a battling performance in holding leaders Murton to a draw at the end of a high-scoring match. Murton were firm favourites to extend their winning sequence but when Ian Hauxwell opened the visitors' innings and scored
A man involved in an accident which led to the death of a 34-year-old woman has been questioned by police. Linda Robley died shortly after the accident at Ulgham, Northumberland, at about 8pm last Thursday. A spokesman for Northumbria Police said that
A reception for England's World Cup squad could be held at Downing Street "in the near future", officials said yesterday, as the Football Association defended its decision not to hold a formal welcome home for fans. Coach Sven Goran Eriksson and his players
Veterans of military campaigns in Malaya and Borneo gathered at Eden Camp Museum, near Malton, North Yorkshire, at the weekend to witness the unveiling of a plaque in their honour at the Chapel of Remembrance. A section of the museum has been set aside
THE rich history of North Yorkshire is to be brought to life at a series of events across the county staged by English Heritage. Richard III will be making a return to the ruins of Middleham Castle on Saturday and Sunday, July 6 and 7, on a mission to
Hartlepool United wing-back Paul Arnison is preparing for what he believes is the biggest season of his career. The 24-year-old, who signed a one-year extension to his contract in May, had a nightmare start to the last campaign. Arnison made one substitute
AN urgent need to find 600 new foster carers in the North-East is highlighted by a survey published today. The Fostering Network, a national charity, asked 25 local authorities in the region how many foster carers they would have to recruit in order to
A benefactor has provided a hospice charity with the chance to raise funds through tickets to one of Europe's biggest music festivals. Hospice Homecare, which supports terminally ill people and their carers from its base in Northallerton, North Yorkshire
Teachers from North Yorkshire were among those honoured with "Oscars" of the education world. The teachers and teaching assistants were presented with their awards at a ceremony at Cutlers Hall, Sheff-ield, South Yorkshire. Christopher Lewis, who has
The man who led a review of Church of England schools addresses clergymen and women in York tomorrow. Lord Dearing is a speaker at the Diocese of York's education conference at the city's racecourse, where he is expected to discuss the findings of the
COMPLETING the Coast-to-Coast Walk is enough of a challenge for most - but John Phillips was given a little more to do when he set off on his 180-mile charity trek. Friends promised to double whatever he raised to fund research into Parkinson's Disease
A REVELLER returning home from the pub discovered two kittens when he peered inside a taped-up cardboard box dumped in his front garden. The kittens' bodies were covered with fleas and they were too terrified to utter any sounds. Now recovering at Stockton
A primary school is celebrating its recent improvements. When Ofsted inspectors visited Oak Tree Primary School, Stockton, they found it provided a "high quality education for all its pupils". Inspectors also gave high praise to the teaching and education
SHOPPERS, office workers and visitors are being invited to bring their sandwiches and flasks to a series of free lunchtime concerts to be held throughout the summer. The New Orleans Wanderers launched the series of ten concerts to be staged in Victoria
SAVINGS of £250,000 have to be made in the Church of England Diocese of Ripon and Leeds if it is simply to break even, after it was revealed there are cash reserves for only six weeks. The stark financial crisis was spelt out by the Archdeacon of Richmond
ENGLAND'S World Cup dream may have ended in anti-climax, but the spirit of the English fans has been a bonus throughout the tournament. They have been well behaved, hugely supportive, and a credit to their country. And that is why they deserved better
THOUSANDS of people attended a cycle show in memory of Knaresborough man Ron Kitching at the weekend. The Knavesmire, in York, hosted a two-day Rally Cycle Show, which challenged 150 riders to take on either a 100km or a 150km route on the Saturday. Meanwhile
RESIDENTS of a troubled housing estate have received a boost with the announcement that a full-time community worker has been appointed for the area as part of a £108,000 scheme. Durham City's Sherburn Road Community Action Partnership (SRCAP) is one
THE life of the region's greatest saint and the story of one of Durham City's best known churches were both told with flowers at the weekend. A festival of flowers, titled St Cuthbert - Our Heritage, was held at St Cuthbert's RC Church to celebrate its
Two months after ditching the monkey suit, Hartlepool's directly-elected mayor, Stuart Drummond, is getting into the job. Adrian Worsley asks him how his life has changed. A GLANCE at the gallery of former mayor's portraits in the bowels of Hartlepool
A motorcyclist died at the weekend after crashing into a wall on a remote dales road. Police said Richard Stothard, 37, from South Hylton, Sunderland, failed to negotiate a bend on the winding C27 road between St John's Chapel, in Upper Weardale, and
Guisborough again have a clear lead at the top of the table following their victory at Marske and Saltburn's inability to bowl out Middlesbrough. Once Marske had been restricted to 160 all out, Guisborough's task was comparatively easy and they celebrated
Europe's biggest free airshow hopes to be flying high next month with another spectacular line-up. The 14th Sunderland International Airshow will be held on Saturday and Sunday 27 and 28 over the Seaburn and Roker areas of the city. Last year's event
PARISHIONERS are being urged to boycott church pews following the Church of England's decision to encourage the installation of mobile phone masts on its towers. The Archbishops' Council of the Church has struck a deal allowing Quintel S4 to install masts
A FATHER has been refused a British passport for his son - even though the child was born in this country and has a British birth certificate. Mike Davis, 32, said he was flabbergasted when the Passport Agency said his children did not qualify for a passport
Bringing up quadruplets was an enormous challenge for Eric and Clare Mitchell, but it had huge rewards. Womens' Editor Christen Pears reports. AFTER two years of fertility treatment, Clare Mitchell was absolutely delighted to discover she was expecting
A CREDIT union in Darlington has launched its own website. Firthmoor, Eastbourne and Lascelles Credit Union spokesman Gary Sayers hopes the website will encourage more people to take advantage of the scheme, which offers low rate loans. Mr Sayers said
PUPILS shunned their uniforms at the weekend to raise money for their school's bid to gain specialist status. Hurworth Comprehensive School, near Darlington, needs to raise £50,000 by September if its bid to become a specialist maths and computing college
AN event which fell victim to the foot-and-mouth crisis a year ago returned at the weekend, attracting crowds numbering in the thousands. There were still no sheep or cattle at the North Yorkshire County Show, near Northallerton, on Saturday - organisers
Q HOW did the Romans express fractions? A THE Romans didn't have a way of writing fractions in figures. Instead, they were spelled out as words. The Roman for "and a half" was semsique, abbreviated to S or SK. The symbol for a third was T or TK, for two
A PRIVATE meeting between councillors and officers at a district council under fire for spending at least £7,000 on a training course has been described as "positive" by the leader of the authority. Richmondshire District Council sent 11 top executives
