The last Echo Memories of the year signs off with a heart-warming love story about a lowly Darlington lass who took up with the Prime Minister's son, and whose daughter married into the Royal family ONCE upon a time, in a small market town called Darlington
A LEADING expert in the region says more specialist nurses will soon be needed to cope with a massive increase in heart failure cases. Dr Jim Hall, head of cardiology at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, was commenting on a study which
PLANS for extensive refurbishment of Darlington's railway station have taken a step forward. Rail operator GNER has submitted detailed proposals to the borough council to revitalise the Bank Top station, with a host of improvements and safety measures
CHILDREN in Ferryhill Station have completed a project to raise their awareness of transport issues. The Sustainable Transport Education Programme (Step), which was delivered by Groundwork East Durham, was a six- week project for Year 5 and Year 6 pupils
SHOPS and families are being warned to check their shelves for soy sauce which is thought to be a cancer risk. Food safety watchdogs at Durham County Council's consumer services department say people should check for six types of the sauce. The products
Arts minister Baroness Blackstone has blocked the export of one of the most expensive paintings to be sold in the UK in a last effort to save it for the nation. British institutions now have to raise about £12.5m to keep the work, Portrait Of Omai. The
THE BBC has chosen the North-East as the base for a £1m staff training scheme. During the next three years, about 600 BBC journalists and production staff from all parts of the UK will be trained to report, shoot and edit their own news items at the BBC
British Airways last night said it was still firmly committed to the North-East despite cutting four routes. Flights from Newcastle Airport to Aberdeen, Birmingham, Dublin and Southampton will be transferred to other airlines by the end of March. The
NEWCASTLE University will be able to boost its full-time student numbers by 350, following a partnership designed to secure the future of lifelong learning. About 3,000 students of the University's Centre for Lifelong Learning have been told that its
The Government has announced proposals to reform the pension system but do they go far enough to tackle the deepening crisis? Christen Pears reports As many as three million people are not saving enough for their retirement and pensions experts believe
A TECHNOLOGY centre, providing free Internet access for the community, has been launched. Health Secretary and Darlington MP Alan Milburn officially opened the UK Online centre on the Red Hall estate. An array of learning packages are provided, helping
THE leather-bound book of remembrance may soon become a thing of the past. Harrogate Borough Council is hoping to make its books of remembrance accessible all the time via a computer screen. "Traditionally the vast majority of books of remembrance are
Mick Tait will resist the temptation of making another move into the transfer market, despite having no goalkeeper cover for the weekend. Darlington's caretaker boss had been expected to draft in another shot-stopper this week following Michael Ingham's
SCIENTISTS in the region have been given £100,000 to find better ways of treating children who fail to respond to treatment. The grant, from the Leuk-aemia Research Fund, will be used to help the minority of young leukaemia patients whose systems do not
HOUSEHOLDERS in Stockton are being asked to consider the environment this Christmas. Revellers are being urged to put their empty cans and bottles to one side and take them to one of the many recycling sites in the borough instead of throwing them in
PUPILS at a Guisborough school have been busy providing Christmas cheer during a packed programme of charity events. The children and their teachers began by filling 284 shoe boxes for charity Samaritan's Purse as part of their Operation Christmas Child
FOUR police officers have been honoured for trying to save an elderly man's life. Sergeant David Kirton and PCs Mark Jagodzinski, Stuart Dawson, and Kevin Wilson received formal letters of appreciation from St John Ambulance for their actions in June.
A TOUGH line on benefit fraud has been taken by councillors in Yorkshire. During the past few weeks, Scarborough Borough Council has successfully taken eight people to court for benefit fraud - three of whom were from the Whitby area. Magistrates have
POLICE are targeting thieves who are stealing radio and stereo systems from Ford cars. In less than a month, there have been 41 reported thefts from Fiesta, Focus, Escort and Mondeo models in the Stockton area. In each case the audio system has been taken
WORK is about to begin on the first of three recycling centres which are designed to dramatically increase recycling rates in the east Cleveland area. The public site, next to a cleansing depot in Tod Point Road, Warrenby, will provide about 30 skips
A NEW Government initiative which aims to improve mental health services for women will be debated in the region today. Almost 100 mental health professionals, carers, and service users are meeting in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, to discuss the Department
THOUSANDS of council tenants have voted in favour of their homes being sold to a housing association. The move should mean investment in housing worth £57m for the Yorkshire Coast, with all the houses being refitted with kitchens, double glazing and central
Celebrity Wheelchair Challenge (C4) - THIS may feature three minor celebrities undertaking a difficult physical and psychological challenge, but is very different to isolating them in the Brother House or inhospitable jungle for a week or so. Comedian
FILMMAKERS have secured funding to help develop a movie about the life of a disabled Darlington FC fan. Northern Film and Media (NFM) have agreed to provide cash for the screen adaptation of Paul Hodgson's autobiography, Flipper's Side. Now the people
A VETERAN North-East MP revealed last night that he had considered "throwing himself in the river" after a year of mounting personal and professional pressure. Stuart Bell, Labour MP for Middlesbrough, has endured a year he would rather forget. His son
EMPLOYEE and business confidence in Darlington plummeted last month, according to the latest business index. The figures for November show a disappointing month, with turnover falling and the decline in confidence being blamed on Chancellor Gordon Brown's
MUSICAL youngsters dressed as Elves were celebrating the festive season at the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum, in Middlesbrough. Twenty-five Captain Cook School pupils donned costumes and sang Christmas carols as they took part in a dress rehearsal for
A TOWN library housed in a former primary school building celebrated its 21st anniversary yesterday. It was a busy day for staff in Thirsk, marking the day the library in Finkle Street opened its doors, after moving from its site in Castlegate. Library
Paula Radcliffe received an unexpected, but apparently welcome, 29th birthday present yesterday when double Olympic 10,000 metres champion Derartu Tulu confirmed she will face her British rival in Newcastle next month. The addition of Tulu to the Great
TWO teenagers watched the premiere of their animated film when it was screened at the University of Teesside. Macmillan College student Terry Pickering, 16, and Matthew Holland, 15, of Acklam Grange School, saw their film Friends of Carter Park on Monday
BYPASS Shipton now. The message is loud and clear on placards in the A19 village in North Yorkshire. Feelings about the incessant traffic run just as high in Thormanby a few miles up the road, where villagers have paraded with a makeshift coffin. But
A North Yorkshire waste management company is playing a major part in ensuring the region's fridge mountain is reduced. Yorwaste Limited, of Northallerton, has signed an agreement with P&O Closed Loop Logistics to deal with its stockpile of obsolete
THE first nurse consultant to be employed by the Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) has taken up her post. Chris Ward has become nurse consultant in palliative care for adults. She was previously lead nurse for cancer care at the Friarage
A COMMUNITY transport scheme in County Durham is to benefit from a new minibus. The bus has been paid for by Blue Peter viewers, who have been raising money all year for Help the Aged. Angela Dinsdale, of Help the Aged, handed over the keys of the vehicle
CHILDREN are doing their bit for the environment by adding greenery to their village. Pupils from Albany Village, near Washington, have helped plant shrubs and a flowering cherry tree in the centre of their village as part of an environmental project
MOTORISTS could be hit with on-the-spot fines if they are caught leaving their engines running while their cars are stationary. Council chiefs in Darlington are considering introducing the controversial measure in an effort to crack down on drivers polluting
EMPLOYEES at a Newton Aycliffe factory have been rolling up their sleeves to help local charities and organisations. They are taking part in the 3M 4Good programme, being run to mark the company's centenary this year. The scheme offers employees the chance
CHRISTMAS revellers are being warned about bogus taxi drivers operating in Darlington over the festive season. Darlington Borough Council is encouraging people to take taxis if they are out drinking but has spoken out about the potential dangers of using
A BODYBUILDER businessman was jailed on Friday for his involvement in international drug-running. Martin Yates-Brown, 55, of Middleton St George, a former senior Mr Britain, received a three-year prison term for serving as a middle man involved in importing
STOCKBROKER Gerrard is to close its Teesside office, merging operations into a new Yorkshire office. The plans will see its offices in Stockton, York and Huddersfield merge into a single York office by the middle of next year. The move will affect more
Protestors are to besiege the Fylingdales missile early warning base in North Yorkshire on Saturday. Demonstrators will swell support for existing peace camps after the Government confirmed yesterday that the US has officially asked to use the base as
The last Echo Memories of the year signs off with a heart-warming love story about a lowly Darlington lass who took up with the Prime Minister's son, and whose daughter married into the Royal family ONCE upon a time, in a small market town called Darlington
The farmer blamed for starting the foot-and-mouth crisis could yet face court costs running into thousands of pounds after a ruling by magistrates was overturned. Bobby Waugh was left to pay just £520 after Sunderland magistrates agreed to virtually write
A PRIVATE hospital in Darlington has signed a deal to operate on Dutch patients - while thousands in the North-East remain on waiting lists. The private Woodlands Hospital, on Yarm Road, is treating the patients as part of a scheme to cut waiting lists
MARTIN SCOTT today resumes his youth team duties at Hartlepool United with a big thank-you from Mike Newell. Scott's stint as acting assistant manager - which started when Chris Turner left Victoria Park almost six weeks ago - ends today when Kevin Sheedy
A THIRD of five-year-old children in Darlington suffer from some form of dental decay, worrying new figures have revealed. And health managers also say that as many as 52 per cent of youngsters in the area are in need of treatment for the problem. The
Are you ready for Christmas then? Ha! As ready as I'm going to be but nowhere near ready enough by the standards of the glossy magazines. What world do these people live in? Not mine. And, I guess, not yours either. My hall isn't decked with home made
BISHOP Auckland College has played host to a delegation of headteachers from China,who stopped off during an education fact-finding mission. The group from Shezen are exploring further education across the UK and are spending 12 weeks studying the English
ARTISTS and musicians from the region's refugee communities have met for a series of workshops aimed at helping them showcase their talents. The event, which took place at the Civic Centre, in Newcastle, and the Newcastle Arts Centre, also involved performances
AN inquest opens today into the death of a child who should have celebrated her fifth birthday yesterday. Kaynat Akhter died after her clothes caught fire when she got too close to a gas fire at about 4pm on Saturday. The inquiry into the death of the
BLACK market alcohol smugglers whose operation cost the country more than £5m can keep their profits from the trade after a slip-up by prosecutors, it was revealed last night. Daljit Sekhon, Shangara Singh, Satnam Singh and Gurdav Dhnoay admitted conspiring
PEOPLE booking coach tickets from one of the region's travel centres know they are buying from the best in the North-East. Which should not prove to be too much of a surprise considering that the boss has been doing the job for more than four decades
A COMMUNITY leader has told of his fears that out-of-town shopping could lead to "ghost towns" in the region. David Walsh, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, welcomed a report highlighting the threat to Britain's small neighbourhood shops, pubs and
New Year's Eve procession Durham Churches Together is inviting people to take part in its candlelight procession on New Year's Eve, starting at 5.45pm in Durham Market Place, and followed at 6.15pm by a service in the cathedral. People should bring their
WORK is about to begin on the first of three recycling centres which are designed to dramatically increase recycling rates in the east Cleveland area. The public site, next to a cleansing depot in Tod Point Road, Warrenby, will provide about 30 skips
WHEN New Labour swept into power Frank Field was brought into the front bench team with the task of overhauling Britain's pensions system. It was a bold and imaginative appointment, reflecting both the scale of the problem and the Government's desire
PEOPLE are being urged to make donations to visiting seamen who will be in port in Seaham over Christmas. Seaham Seafarers' Centre has asked for donations to provide some seasonal cheer. The centre's lay chaplain, David Talbot, said it could be anything
PUPILS at a Darlington school were helping to pack up boxes yesterday in time for their New Year move to a new £1.2m school. Children at Firthmoor Primary School are preparing for their move on January 10, when they will be wearing new uniforms, partly
HUNDREDS of modern day pilgrims will follow in the footsteps of their ancestors by walking four miles. Exactly 870 years after a group of 12th Century monks walked from Ripon Cathedral to found Fountains Abbey, in North Yorkshire, record numbers of people
FOXHUNTING - AS the annual spectacle of Boxing Day hunt meets creeps up on us again, I would urge your readers to give some thought to this archaic and cruel tradition. I would reassure your readers that there is no cruelty in the high street or in the
THE slowdown in the engineering industry is leading to further job losses in County Durham. Sloman Engineering, in Newton Aycliffe, plans to cut 35 jobs from its 126-strong workforce by the beginning of next year. The company is blaming the rundown of
YOUNGSTERS have been rewarded for their creative contributions to a regeneration scheme. Four children from Easington Primary School took joint first and second places in a competition to design a logo for the district's Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder
YOUNG people have given their views on how life can be improved for their generation. Members of Durham County Children and Young People's Council (DCCYPC) have been told their pleas will be heard in the corridors of power. Young people's council members
THE latest addition to an east Durham family has been the cause of early Christmas celebrations by completing a fifth generation. At a fortnight old, Lennon Lee Yates completes an extended family headed by Vera Bartholomew, 79, and husband Arthur, 84.
SOARING house prices have pushed inflation through the Bank of England's 2.5 per cent target to its highest level since June 1998. Economists had expected the effect of higher property costs to feed through to underlying inflation, which rose 0.5 per
1 Children's entertainer Timmy Mallett was dropped from Debrett's People of Today despite saving a young lady from drowning in Hartlepool Marina. Anneka Rice and Anthea Turner suffered similarly. 2 The word "sackless" originally meant "without guile".
Are you ready for Christmas then? Ha! As ready as I'm going to be but nowhere near ready enough by the standards of the glossy magazines. What world do these people live in? Not mine. And, I guess, not yours either. My hall isn't decked with home made
FATHER Christmas has taken time out of his busy schedule to visit Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre. Despite his hectic programme, Santa still managed to dip his toes in the newly refurbished learner pool when he dropped into the centre to officially open
Strengthening work costing £135,000 on two Teesdale bridges are to begin in the New Year. Work on Langdon Beck Bridge and Headlam Bridge will begin in January, and officials from Durham County Council have warned motorists that there may be delays. Work
POLICE dog handlers were called in to break up a mass brawl in a city centre pub. The incident happened in part of Durham where local people have complained about drunken disturbances. Officers swooped on Yates's Wine Lodge, in North Road, at 6pm on Saturday
A DEDICATED family man and devout Christian has died at the age of 76. Spennymoor-born Gilbert Anderson was a well-known personality in his home town and managed to touch the hearts of people he met in all walks of life. Mr Anderson's wife, Joan, said
A TALENTED teenage actor has been given her first big lead role. Charlene Fairish has dreamt of treading the boards of theatres across the country since she was a toddler. So it was a wish come true when she won the role of Maria in Durham Gala Theatre's
WHEN steering clear of injury Richard Johnson is arguably second only to Tony McCoy in the National Hunt jockeyship stakes. A broken leg robbed Richard of countless winners during September and October, but he has now fully recovered and is again riding
THE mayor of Hartlepool can now be contacted with the touch of a button. Stuart Drummond has his own contact page on the Hartlepool Borough Council website, with an e-mail link so people can get in touch with him directly. He said: "I am committed to
WHEN newlyweds Joanne Stott and Stuart Hackett jet off on honeymoon next week, they will not just be gazing into one another's eyes. The North-East couple have invited 21 other people to join them for a romantic two-week break in Tenerife. The holiday
NEWCASTLE University will be able to boost its full-time student numbers by 350, following a partnership designed to secure the future of lifelong learning. About 3,000 students of the University's Centre for Lifelong Learning have been told that its
THE family of a North-East soldier who made the supreme sacrifice during the First World War, have spoken of their gratitude to a group of students whose work has ensured his name will finally appear on a memorial in France. Private Nicholas Robson was
STARS of film, television and a controversial comedy show are heading to the region. Actress Tracy Shaw (Coronation Street's hairdresser Maxine Peacock) will take the lead role in The Blue Room at Darlington's Civic Theatre in May. The play hit the headlines
THE Queen's Golden Jubilee has provided the inspiration for a Christmas card exhibition. Christmas 1953 is the title of the display at County Hall, Durham, which opened this week. It has been created by people from County Durham Care's residential, extra-care
A CHURCH is planning to turn a small corner of its burial ground over to a garden of remembrance, where ashes of loved ones can be buried. The church council at St James's Church, Grewelthorpe, near Ripon, has given unanimous backing to the scheme and
A company's "Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year" message to a job-starved dale has gone down like a bag of wet cement. The advertisement was placed by French conglomerate Lafarge in a community newspaper in Weardale, County Durham - where the firm
A 14-year-old youth suffered a fractured skull after he and his brother were attacked by other teenagers. The incident happened next to Cruddas Park Shopping Centre, in Newcastle, when the youth and his 17-year-old brother were approached by two other
TRAIN conductors plan to bring the North-East rail network to a standstill at one of the busiest periods of the year. Protracted industrial disputes between train bosses and 700 RMT Union conducting staff threaten to disrupt Christmas travel for thousands
HUNDREDS of schoolchildren took part in a spectacular festive show on Friday night as the annual lantern parade made its way through Darlington. The children were carrying lanterns which they created themselves with help from professional arts company
Three Celtic soccer stars have been quizzed by police today over claims they robbed a photographer. Bobby Petta, Johan Mjallby and Joos Valgaeren spent a night locked in cells after a fracas with a snapper during their Christmas bash. Northern Ireland
People living in many of the rural areas of the North-East are still missing out on the range of key services that their urban neighbours enjoy. Although some country areas actually fare better than the towns, the majority miss out on social and leisure
Huge university fees were blamed today for the small increase in the number of state sector pupils entering higher education. As the university performance indicators were released, teaching unions warned that people from poorer backgrounds were still
Health and welfare officials made shaping future services look like child's play yesterday after inviting hundreds of youngsters to a party - while they collared their parents for their views. As the children enjoyed a ride on Santa's special steam train
Shoppers are being urged to be extra vigilant as they seek Christmas bargains - or face the possibility of heartache on the big day. Fake and shoddy goods at what appear to be knock-down prices are being hawked by unscrupulous traders across the region
A GROUP of youngsters is helping to protect pensioners in a new approach to tackling the threat of bogus callers. Pupils from three east Durham schools have organised a series of theatrical productions on the theme of bogus officials and other conmen.
A total of 50 new jobs have been created in Darlington thanks to a series of grants from the borough council. The grants, worth a total of £18,000, have been awarded to seven Darlington businesses chosen by the council's Financial Incentives Panel. One
PRIMARY school pupils have been told they cannot go back to school until after the Christmas break following a fire. More than 250 children were sent home yesterday because of the damage caused by the blaze at Harrow Gate Lane Primary School, in Stockton
GOVERNMENT proposals to tackle the pensions funding crisis were attacked last night for not doing enough to rescue Britain's elderly from poverty. In its long-awaited Green Paper, the Government announced a raft of measures including scrapping compulsory
MIDDLESBROUGH could still make a move for Argentine superstar Gabriel Batistuta when the transfer window opens in January. The striker, once regarded by many as the finest in the world, has confirmed he is desperate to move to England when his contract
SNEAK-IN burglaries in Darlington have been dramatically reduced thanks to a police campaign launched last month. Darlington Police's Operation Velvet is aimed at reducing home and garage break-ins, especially during the long winter nights. Information
