AN 11-year-old girl defied the odds to hold world chess champion Keith Arkell to a draw at the weekend. Jennifer Openshaw, from Yarm Road, Eaglescliffe, was among 100 youngsters from the area who took on the grand master over two days at The Links Primary
The Darlington & Stockton Times is the region's leading weekly newspaper with editions serving North Yorkshire, County Durham and Cleveland. This website carries a sample of Features, News, Sport and more and is updated each Friday. View the Darlington
A LOCAL authority which came in for criticism following a Government inspection has announced its plans for improvement. Teesdale District Council was rated poor in a comprehensive performance assessment (CPA) published by the Audit Commission in May.
A STRIKE at a Teesside plastics factory will go ahead at the end of this week, despite a last-ditch intervention by management. Bosses at BPI's Stockton site, also known as Visqueen, requested a meeting with unions two weeks ago, leading to a postponement
FORMER Darlington Football Club owner George Reynolds left his hospital bed yesterday to keep a date in court. Less than 24 hours after an emergency operation to remove kidney stones, Mr Reynolds was facing Bishop Auckland magistrates in an attempt to
A SCHOOL choir is making final preparations for a series of Christmas concerts. More than 40 pupils and teachers from the North-East will be taking part in this year's Christmas concerts by Barnard Castle School's chapel choir. The choristers, aged eight
AN engineering company is nearly doubling its workforce thanks to a £600,000 investment. ALM Products, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, has used the money to buy three companies to secure its capacity and production facilities, with the help of a grant
THE Game Conservancy Trust has appointed a new northern fundraiser. The trust has decided to appoint Henrietta Appleton, pictured, left, as fundraiser for an area between the Scottish Border to North Wales because it is heavily involved in research in
A HOSPITAL official at the centre of an investigation into allegations about his CV started his career in the North-East, it has emerged. An NHS inquiry has been launched to determine whether Neil Taylor faked his qualifications to get a string of high-paying
RICHMOND Round Table members' faces were as red as Rudolph's nose when they discovered their Christmas tree lights were missing just hours before the big switch-on. The club took delivery of its biggest and best tree yet and installed it at the foot of
Back in time effortlessly to pick up his pension, law-unto-himself barrister Arthur Puckrin has returned from Hawaii as world Over 60s deca-triathlon champion - the toughest Over 60 club on earth. The 14 day event involved - embraced may hardly be the
A fire at a steel works has prompted a full investigation. Noone was hurt in the blaze at the Corus coke ovens at Redcar, but production was held up for four and a half hours. Cleveland Fire Brigade sent nine appliances to the scene. A spokeswoman for
TOPCLIFFE ended Unison's unbeaten record last Sunday and gained revenge for the 8-0 defeat they suffered the last time the teams met. The visitors got off to a flying start and went 2-0 up inside five minutes, Mike Hodgson evading the Unison keeper to
LOUISE HINDMARCH has returned to Darlington law firm Latimer Hinks to as a trainee solicitor. Ms Hindmarch spent 2002/03 gaining work experience at the Priestgate practice on placement from Nottingham Trent University. She applied to return to the region
PLANS for Darlington town centre's £6.5m pedestrianisation scheme are on temporary hold after a senior councillor called in the borough council Cabinet's original decision to approve the plan. A special meeting of the resources scrutiny committee will
WHEN Sir John Betjeman launched his famed aerial assault on middle Berkshire in 1937 - "Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough; it isn't fit for humans now" - he was fortunate for two reasons not to have been aiming at Billingham. One is that Billingham
Administrator, Northallerton. £5.50ph, 40hpw. Must have strong admin and communication skills. Ref: NAL 957. Dental nurse, Northallerton. Meets NMW, 21hpw. Some previous similar experience is required. Ref: NAL 958. Senior housekeeper, Northallerton.
A GEM of a jumps start came from Carte Diamond at Newcastle last Saturday when Brian Ellison's charge took the juvenile hurdle under Brian Harding. They were five lengths clear of joint favourite Iron Man, one of Graham and Andrea Wylie's strong string
GLOOM descended on the manufacturing sector after new figures showed UK factory output declining in October. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said output fell by 0.1 per cent between September and October, confounding economists who had predicted
A MINUTE'S silence was observed at the start of the new Bilsdale Farmers' Hunt meet at Cold Moor Cote on Sunday in memory of Dr Hugh Miles, who died in hospital earlier that morning. He was a stalwart of hunting and field sports in Bilsdale and will be
AN exhibition of digital artwork taking inspiration from the human body and the organisms that exist inside it will take place this month. The free exhibition, by Martin Brown, which will take place at Stockton's Green Dragon Museum from Saturday until
A MULTI-million pound scheme to develop a town centre in Catterick Garrison has been unveiled to mixed reactions. It would include new housing, sports grounds, swimming pools, a shopping area with larger retailers, and leisure facilities including a cinema
Dozens of business people were turned away yesterday as they tried to dump loads of trade rubbish at household waste depots without paying a fee. It was the first day of a permit system launched to prevent firms tipping refuse illegally at 17 civic amenity
ROYAL Mail staff discovered thousands of unopened letters when they searched a 24-year-old postwoman's home, a court heard yesterday. Some of the mail recovered from Rachel Stute's house in Lowson Street, Darlington, was sent four years ago, magistrates
A woman was left bruised and shaken after she was dragged along the floor by a bag thief. The victim, who has not been named, was returning home after a game of Bingo at Eston Club in Middlesbrough, when she was approached from behind. A man, wearing
THE entire road network of Darlington is to come under the spotlight in a bid to get the town moving more smoothly. Traffic congestion is a growing problem and is particularly bad in the run-up to Christmas A team of consultants is to review the situation
A DEVOTED dog is lapping up the attention after being credited with saving his teenage owner's life. The Alsatian, named Tyson, guarded his owner for five hours in the freezing cold after he was beaten unconscious by attackers. Doctors have hailed 16
FESTIVE spirit will be drummed into late-night shoppers in the form of Caribbean music. Visitors to Middlesbrough town centre will be serenaded by the Steelworks Caribbean Band as they pass the Christmas tree, outside Debenhams, on Thursday, from 5pm
A LANDOWNERS' lobby group has stepped in to try to resolve a long-running dispute over dangerous spikes on moorland at Carlton Bank. The Country Land and Business Association is mediating in the row between stud owner Ken Saddington and the North York
THE story of one of Teesside's most famous families will be told at a museum at Christmas. Sketches and recitations about the Ropner family will be performed at Preston Hall in Eaglescliffe, near Stockton, this month. Robert Ropner was Prussian and only
Acclaimed international singers Cantabile will perform in St Oswald's Church, Sowerby, on Saturday next week. The a cappella quartet will appear as part of a month-long tour that has taken them to Canada, Switzerland and Belgium. Their popularity has
NEWS that the Government is to replace the over 30-month rule with a BSE testing scheme was widely welcomed this week. It will not only allow beef from older cattle to enter the UK food chain but should also re-open export markets. The National Beef Association
A TRIO of special people have set the seal on a milestone for a Darlington doctors' practice. The unique threesome did the honours for the official opening of Blacketts Medical Practice - formerly Netherlaw Surgery - on Wednesday evening. Queenie Griffiths
AN £8.4m NHS project to build a mental health centre is expected to create about 100 jobs for the region's construction industry. The contract for the centre, in Hartlepool, has been awarded to the Darlington office of Taylor Woodrow. Tees and North-East
AMBULANCE Service chiefs yesterday launched a campaign to stop people making inappropriate 999 calls. Crews from the Tees, East and North Yorkshire service (Tenyas) have been called out for a variety of unjustifiable reasons recently. One call came from
THE North-East is facing a major threat from drugs, anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related crime, a conference in the region has heard. Experts estimate there are more than 8,000 heroin addicts in the region, who are causing a huge drain on the economy
THE agencies charged with rebuilding the economies of the North-East and North Yorkshire are being strangled by Government red tape, according to a report today. The report, by the Commons Public Accounts Committee, attacks the Government's refusal to
A DRIVER died yesterday after his car was involved in a collision with a lorry near the village of Langley Park in County Durham. The dead man, who has not been named but is known to come from Lanchester in County Durham, was driving a silver Vauxhall
PRIMARY school children are being given free fruit at school in a bid to promote healthy eating and tackle obesity. Children aged between four and six will receive a free piece of fruit each day under the National School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme. Statistics
IT was an unforgettable night for the North-East's many Blink 182 fans, with spectacular lighting effects, a great stage act and excellent music at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle. As the lights were lowered, the Arena became alive with the screams
Susannah Braybrook spent years undergoing painful reconstructive surgery after being struck by a rare, facially disfiguring disease. She tells Women's Editor Lindsay Jennings how she finally found happiness. THE blonde-haired toddler thrusts her hands
THE parents of a Northallerton red cap soldier killed in Iraq have come to the defence of the town's mayor after he was accused of disrespect. John and Sandra Hyde, whose son L Cpl Ben Hyde died last year, have praised Coun Tony Hall for his support for
DAVID HODGSON insists the experience of former Middlesbrough duo Craig Hignett and Curtis Fleming will prove invaluable to Darlington's League Two aspirations. With skipper Craig Liddle ruled out until the New Year, Hodgson is counting on the likes of
ROYAL Mail staff discovered thousands of unopened letters when they searched a 24-year-old postwoman's home, a court heard yesterday. Some of the mail recovered from Rachel Stute's house in Lowson Street, Darlington, was sent four years ago, magistrates
ONE of the largest private collections of Zulu war artifacts, books, postcards and other memorabilia ever assembled is to go under the hammer later this month. Dennis Slack spent 25 years building the amazing collection at his home in West Cornforth,
HOWARD JOHNSON should not leave Sedgefield empty-handed this afternoon with the likes of Julius Caesar (12.50), Supreme Leisure (1.20), and Blairgowrie (2.20), all holding major chances. Howard has an excellent record at the track and with his Crook-based
Respect for mayor: Sir, - I read with astonishment the attack by Mr Morris on our Mayor, Coun Tony Hall (D&S letters, Nov 19). My wife sat with the mayor and his wife in the church. They left the church on the instruction of the church warden and
Cleveland Hunt PC. - Dec 5: jnr and snr rally at Unicorn Centre, 10-1pm, tel Shirley Hockney 01642 723577. Dec 28: Christmas disco, Gt Broughton Village Hall, 7-10pm, names to Clare 01642 712948. Darlington & District RC. - Dec 8: Christmas meal for
THE sale of an office building by Richmondshire District Council threatens the future development of an award-winning museum. The authority was accused of asset stripping when it opted to dispose of 33 Frenchgate on the open market. The resources committee
A MAN-EATING plant is taking a starring role in a popular musical production. The exotic plant that takes over the Little Shop of Horrors is making an appearance at Prior Pursglove College, in Guisborough, this week in an eagerly anticipated show. The
A GREAT Ayton farmer is among the four top-performing candidates nationally in the highly respected Basis certificate in crop protection exams. Simon Graves, of Angrove North Farm, undertook the Basis qualification, which demands the equivalent of 16
THE agencies charged with rebuilding the economies of the North-East and North Yorkshire are being strangled by Government red tape, according to a report today. The report, by the Commons Public Accounts Committee, attacks the Government's refusal to
A STRIKE at a Teesside plastics factory will go ahead at the end of this week, despite a last-ditch intervention by management. Bosses at BPI's Stockton site, also known as Visqueen, requested a meeting with unions two weeks ago, leading to a postponement
EXPERIMENTAL parking restrictions in Osmotherley have been made permanent. A 12-month clearway order to stop visitors parking along the side of the road in the Sheepwash Area of the village was made permanent at a meeting of the county committee for Hambleton
BULLYING and abuse is continuing at Army training camps despite claims by senior officers to have stamped it out, bereaved families have told MPs. Mothers and fathers of young recruits who died at Deepcut and Catterick barracks joined forces to urge a
After a fortnight of controversy over his private life, David Blunkett remains defiantly in place. But with each new day bringing new revelations Nick Morrison asks if the drip-drip of pressure could still claim the Home Secretary's scalp. AS David Blunkett
ONE of the largest private collections of Zulu war artifacts, books, postcards and other memorabilia ever assembled is to go under the hammer later this month. Dennis Slack spent 25 years building the amazing collection at his home in West Cornforth,
STAIRS which have been hidden from public view for at least 120 years at a North Yorkshire stately home could be re-opened as the owners try to make visits easier. They lead off the main staircase on the first floor of Norton Conyers Hall, a grade II*
THE announcement by the Transport Secretary, Alistair Darling, this week, of a £700m boost for transport in the Yorkshire and Humber area is good news for some schemes but disappointing for others. The upgrade of the Al(M), comprising the sections from
Norton & Stockton Ancients2 Northallerton Town 2 NORTHALLERTON Town were denied three points by a last-gasp equaliser last Saturday despite having two men sent off for swearing. The SOS - Stamp out Swearing - message which the Albany Northern League
Thursday's prices - Grainfarmers, Thorp Arch. - Wheat: Dec £63; Jan £64; Feb £64.50. Barley: Dec £67; Jan £68; Feb £69; Oilseed rape: Dec £135; Jan £136; Feb £137. GrainCo, Tyne Dock. - Wheat: Dec £63; Jan £63.50; Feb £64. Barley: Dec £64; Jan £66; Feb
NEALE Cooper has provided himself with a problem ahead of tonight's game at Walsall. He takes his Hartlepool United side to the Bescot Stadium where they are desperate to halt a run of only one win in nine League One games away from Victoria Park. And
The glitz and glamour of Hollywood beckoned when Sue Heath was invited to attend the glamorous London Premiere of the film Beyond The Sea. But would she finally meet her hero, Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey? IT'S not every day a girl gets a party invitation
IN a nutshell and probably inadvertently, today's Public Accounts Committee report sets out the case for proper regional government - and why the public so overwhelmingly rejected the proposals for regional government that were put before them just a
FIREPLACE manufacturer Elgin and Hall has announced several appointments at its head office in Bedale, North Yorkshire. PHILIP MOSTON has taken over as managing director. TIM BROWN has been appointed brand manager. VIVIENNE STOCKS, who joined Elgin and
ONE of football's oldest adages suggests that, while form is temporary, class just never goes away. Going into last night's home game with Manchester City, both Mark Viduka and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink were suffering from a dip in form that was threatening
A NORTH Yorkshire estate agent thinks she has the ideal Christmas gifts for those fond of the great outdoors. For about £5,000, she is offering for sale just over an acre of land in splendid isolation on the North York Moors. And for anyone wanting to
A MAN who stabbed his wife repeatedly after she told him their near 40-year marriage was over has been jailed for three years. Bus driver Barry Moore, 60, was described by witnesses as ranting and raving, and like a man possessed, as he stabbed his estranged
TWO butchers' shops in Bedale and Northallerton are celebrating after winning a regional sausage competition. Family business JB Cockburn and Sons, in Bedale, won first and second prizes in the pork category of the Northallerton and District Sausage Competition
AN £8.4m NHS project to build a mental health centre is expected to create about 100 jobs for the region's construction industry. The contract for the centre, in Hartlepool, has been awarded to the Darlington office of Taylor Woodrow. Tees and North-East
ONE of the region's oldest residents yesterday boosted her collection of telegrams from the Queen when she celebrated her 105th birthday. Alice Wood enjoyed a party at Castle Bank Nursing Home, Tow Law, County Durham, to mark another landmark birthday
THE North-East is facing a major threat from drugs, anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related crime, a conference in the region has heard. Experts estimate there are more than 8,000 heroin addicts in the region, who are causing a huge drain on the economy
NORTH-EAST pupils are being invited to go on stage and show off as a way of steering them away from drugs. The music initiative, which has been touring schools in the region, was yesterday at Eastbourne Comprehensive, in Darlington, and Shotton Hall School
The Billingham Arms does little to improve the town's dire appearance, but the food isn't bad. WHEN Sir John Betjeman launched his famed aerial assault on middle Berkshire in 1937 - "Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough; it isn't fit for humans now"
THE commanding officer of the Green Howards last night made an 11th hour appeal to Army chiefs not to disband the region's famous regiment. Lieutenant General Sir Richard Dannatt, Commandant of the King's Division, addressed the executive committee of
The Darlington & Stockton Times is the region's leading weekly newspaper with editions serving North Yorkshire, County Durham and Cleveland. This website carries a sample of Features, News, Sport and more and is updated each Friday. For the latest
KAREN REDFEARN has been appointed marketing and investment administrator at Northern Enterprise Limited (NEL). Ms Redfearn, who works from the fund management firm's Tees Valley office, will handle NEL's marketing plans, event organisation and networking
A MAN-EATING plant is taking a starring role in a popular musical production. The exotic plant that takes over the Little Shop of Horrors is making an appearance at Prior Pursglove College, in Guisborough, this week in an eagerly anticipated show. The
AT eight years old and unable to hear, Winston is a little rough around the edges and often goes by unnoticed at a North-East rehoming centre. He has lived behind bars at the Dogs Trust since being picked up as a stray in the summer and staff are desperate
PEOPLE who want to make a child smile this Christmas can donate presents at Darlington Football Club. The club is supporting the TFM and Magic radio appeal - Make a Child Smile - which asks people to buy one extra present when they are doing their Christmas
A NEW traffic scheme in Stokesley has come under fire from the chairman of the parish council. The scheme, which was approved at the meeting of the County Committee for Hambleton on Monday, will see North Road reduced to a single lane for a distance of
Teenage footballers will entertain Darlington fans at tonight's match in the Williamson Motors Stadium. The Stingers - a team set up through the Wear Valley Youth Inclusion Programme - will play a game of five-a-side during half time as the Quakers take
Teenage footballers will entertain Darlington fans at tonight's match in the Williamson Motors Stadium. The Stingers - a team set up through the Wear Valley Youth Inclusion Programme - will play a game of five-a-side during half time as the Quakers take
DETECTIVES are looking for a man in connection with a store theft. A police spokesman said the man entered Alldays Store, Tyne Road, Stanley, at about 7.20pm on Sunday, Septem- ber 5. "The man produced a plastic bag and placed several items of food from
A TEENAGER who spent 12 days behind bars after he flouted the terms of an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) has been allowed to go free. Restrictions were placed on 16-year-old Michael Cuthbert and a friend in June for persistently trespassing and threatening
REGULAR travellers played a guessing game when a holiday company sent them on a mystery coach ride. Fifty people from Crook were given the free day out by Hays Travel, which has a branch in Hope Street. Billy Hodgson, 72, was one of the group taken to
A SCHOOL choir is making final preparations for a series of Christmas concerts. More than 40 pupils and teachers from the North-East will be taking part in this year's Christmas concerts by Barnard Castle School's chapel choir. The choristers, aged eight
ORGANISERS of a charity crusade want to thank supporters who helped raise more than £1,000. Willington Community Partnership ran this year's poppy appeal collection because the town's Royal British Legion branch has disbanded. Partnership members want
A STORM of protest has erupted over a company's plans to develop a new landfill site in east Durham. Durham company Premier Waste Management is to seek planning permission from Durham County Council to use a 188-acre site next to the A181, near Wingate
PUPILS missing school to get Christmas shopping done could be in for a shock. A truancy trawl in the east of Middlesbrough is homing in on well-known hot-spots such as the town centre and out-of-town shopping centres. Middlesbrough councillor Paul Thompson
BAE Systems has reached another landmark in the development of the Eurofighter Typhoon plane. The specialist defence company announced agreement in principle with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on the UK share of production on the second stage of 236 aircraft
A SURVEY published last month claimed that whomever you get to turn on your Christmas lights reflects the kind of neighbourhood you live in. If this is true then Middleton in Teesdale must surely be listed among the creme-de-la-creme, for it has attracted
THE keys to a famous theatre were handed over yesterday to mark the completion of a nine-month renovation project designed to make it a flagship arts venue for the region. Sunderland's Edwardian Empire Theatre was returned to its rightful owners after
HUNT masters and supporters are drawing up plans of how their animals can be exercised once the hunting with dogs ban becomes law in February. Although the Countryside Alliance is questioning the legality of the ban, any action to overturn it may not
A MAN who committed his 84th theft after drug dealers told him what to steal was jailed for four months yesterday. Miles Walton, 37, has spent a total of seven years in prison, and has been addicted to drugs for 20 years. He pleaded guilty to stealing
A LANDOWNERS' lobby group has stepped in to try to resolve a long-running dispute over dangerous spikes on moorland at Carlton Bank The Country Land and Business Association is mediating in the row between stud owner Ken Saddington and the North York
WAITING times for life-saving heart tests have been slashed by four-and-a-half months after a laboratory opened at Darlington Memorial Hospital. Before the £2.2m cardiac catheter unit opened, patients with suspected heart disease had to wait an average
WAITING times for life-saving heart tests have been slashed by four-and-a-half months after a laboratory opened at Darlington Memorial Hospital. Before the £2.2m cardiac catheter unit opened, patients with suspected heart disease had to wait an average
YOUNGSTERS at a Hartlepool school have helped create an unusual environmental feature in their school grounds. Pupils from Greatham Primary School worked with staff from Hartlepool Borough Council's Pride in Hartlepool scheme to create a living willow
THE Liberal Democrats say replacement of Council Tax with a local income tax (LIT) could save Teesside families hundreds of pounds a year. Councillor Tom Mawston, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Middlesbrough Council, said the average Middlesbrough
NEALE Cooper has provided himself with a problem ahead of tonight's game at Walsall. He takes his Hartlepool United side to the Bescot Stadium where they are desperate to halt a run of only one win in nine League One games away from Victoria Park. And
A DEBATE is under way about the potential growth of Ripon. The City Partnership's 2020 Vision scheme has suggested that the population should expand from 16,000 to 20,000 people. But there has been a mixed reaction amid fears that any growth would mean
KIERON Dyer has leapt to the defence of under-fire team-mate Patrick Kluivert, claiming the Dutch international is "so far advanced" of anyone else in the Newcastle team. Kluivert was roundly criticised for a perceived lack of effort on Saturday as United
VICKY McHUGH has been appointed office manager at recruitment agency Concept Personnel. Concept supplies staff for creative positions including designers, artworkers and new media specialists. Ms McHugh's role includes managing a client and candidate
TEESSIDE chemical plant DupontSA has donated £3,500 to 20 local charities, including Daisy Chain, which helps autistic children.
A WIDE range of courses will soon be available for people in County Durham due to the expansion of the University of Sunderland's Centre for Lifelong Learning. The university has teamed up with New College Durham to provide academic and leisure courses
BUSINESS is booming for a beautician who has brought her mother on board. Amy Vella, 21, has opened imago in Derby Drive, on the Moorside estate, near Consett. From her base above Hair Waves hairdressing salon, she offers beauty treatments while her mother
Commercial fishing should be stopped in 30 per cent of UK waters to save threatened species, an new report issued today says. The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution said the capacity of the UK fishing fleet should be cut "to an environmentally
KASSIM MAHDI: I WAS very upset to read that Kassim Mahdi has been suspended from Bishop Auckland Hospital (Echo, Dec 2). I am under Mr Mahdi and I have never met such a loyal consultant, who I find very dedicated to his work and patients. I find it an
A COLLEGE has been awarded excellence status for its work in training apprentices for the motor industry. New College Durham, which already holds Centre of Vocational Excellence for its travel and tourism course, has received a similar award for multi-skilled
An investigation has been launched after a man died whilst in custody at a North-East police station. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) will manage the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Darren Bennett, 25,
GLOOM descended on the manufacturing sector after new figures showed UK factory output declining in October. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said output fell by 0.1 per cent between September and October, confounding economists who had predicted
PANTOMIME stars have helped foster children who are wishing on a star. Members of the cast of Mother Goose helped to decorate a tree at Harrogate Theatre with stars containing foster children's wishes. The tree is to draw attention to the county's continuing
FORMER cottages converted into workshops are to be restored back into two homes. The scheme, which is next to a petrol station and shops at Foundry Lane, Summerbridge, near Pateley Bridge, was approved by members of an area planning committee of Harrogate
A BID to pull down a barn in Nidderdale and replace it with a four-bedroomed detached home has been rejected. The scheme at Stocks Green Barn, Green Lane, Darley, near Pateley Bridge, was refused permission by councillors at an area planning committee
A NEW face in charge of Army recruitment has been appointed. Warrant Officer Class 2 Garry Bennett, MBE, is the new manager at the Armed Forces Careers office in Claypath, Durham City. Originally from Newcastle, WO2 Bennett left school at 16 and joined
Touts On Tour (C4): PHIL "Slim" Cooper was pleased to find that the Sydney production of the stage musical, The Lion King, was sold out until December. "Shame, isn't it?" he said with a cheeky smile. For he'd come halfway round the world to do a bit of
OLYMPIC swimmer Joanne Jackson, from Richmond, has been given a £1,000 training grant. Richmondshire District Council made the award under its Talented Young Sportsperson programme towards travel and training costs. The Richmond School sixth former trains
BRITONS are looking forward to the New Year optimistically, with nearly two-thirds confident that next year will be a better year than last for their family, according to research released yesterday. The Nationwide Building Society's Consumer Confidence
ONE of football's oldest adages suggests that, while form is temporary, class just never goes away. Going into last night's home game with Manchester City, both Mark Viduka and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink were suffering from a dip in form that was threatening
DAVID HODGSON insists the experience of former Middlesbrough duo Craig Hignett and Curtis Fleming will prove invaluable to Darlington's League Two aspirations. With skipper Craig Liddle ruled out until the New Year, Hodgson is counting on the likes of
While Yeading versus Newcastle might have evoked the romance of the FA Cup, the immediate clamour to switch the game to a bigger venue was a salutary reminder that the competition is not averse to a quick fumble in the bushes instead. Devalued by Manchester
WEST Rounton rider Holly Stevenson is hoping to prove her abilities at national level after qualifying for a top show jumping championship. The 15-year-old Eaglescliffe School pupil is among the qualifiers for the Nutri Science national amateur show jumping
A BANNED driver who lost control of a car and crashed it into a wall, tried to persuade witnesses not to call the police, a court heard yesterday. Peter Scott, prosecuting, told Harrogate magistrates, in North Yorkshire, that Robert Foster had been drinking
AN upward trend in inflation is starting to affect pay deals, with average settlements edging up to 3.1 per cent, a report has showed. An analysis of 57 recent agreements affecting nearly a million workers showed an increase for the first time in a year
MEMORIES of the formative years of a one of British football's greatest managers are being sought in a former North-East mining community. Liverpool FC's official magazine is staging an open day in Hetton-le-Hole, a former pit town between Durham and
MOTOR retailer Reg Vardy has appointed two managers in the Tees Valley. NIGEL SIMPSON has been named as general manager at the group's recently-opened Citroen dealership in the Mandale Industrial Estate, Thornaby. The 47-year-old will also run Reg Vardy
SANTA has forsaken his usual red garb in favour of green robes in a bid to promote eco-friendly Christmas trees at one of the region's top beauty spots. Pines, firs and spruce go on sale at Hamsterley Forest tomorrow until December 22 from 10-4, and to
A FIVE-FIGURE reward is being offered for information leading to the conviction of a bank manager's killer. Crimestoppers has offered £10,000 to anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest, charge and conviction of the man who shot Alistair
A YOUNGSTER has demonstrated his artistic flair after winning an art competition. Niall Collins, ten, from Eldon Grove Primary School, Hartlepool, won Supply Desk's Christmas art and design competition for Key Stage Two students. Niall's depiction of
A COURSE has been arranged for artists or arts graduates wanting to set up businesses. The course will take place at Stockton Riverside College from Thursday, January 13, for 15 weeks. It is aimed at dancers, painters, sculptors, actors and film-makers
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to pedestrianise the heart of Darlington town centre has taken an important step forward after securing funding of £3.5m from the regional development agency. One North-East announced yesterday that it was making the cash available
HISTORICAL documents that lift the lid on Victorian life in the North-East go under the hammer later this week. Shropshire auctioneer Mullock Madeley is to hold a specialist auction on Thursday of historical papers from around the country. The star items
A PRIVATE girls' school has been ordered to pay £45,000 in compensation to a teacher who was dismissed over a relationship with a former pupil. Andrew Bolton, 36, met Shona Upton, now 19, when she was one of his pupils at Church High School, in Newcastle
RIVAL rail firms GNER and Virgin yesterday launched their bids to run East Coast Main Line train services. GNER and a joint venture between the Virgin Group and Stagecoach both submitted detailed bids for the franchise, which will run for up to ten years
A WOMAN urged her partner to stab her former lover to death after a chance meeting on a crowded commuter train, a court heard. Claire Park, 26, egged on Sean Clarke, 25, "like a banshee" until he plunged a kitchen knife she had given him into David Moorhouse's
A TOWN band is preparing for a premiere. Leyburn Band was reformed just over a year ago and has made regular public appearances ever since. To round off the year in style, the band will be playing a first anniversary Christmas concert later this month
TEA by Roy Moxham (Constable, £14.99): MOST of us love a cuppa. As told here by a former tea planter, its history is a shocking tale of exploitation, but the bitter taste is sweetened by a stirring-in of pleasantries such as the Lyons Tea Rooms, and a
POLICE are warning householders that dark nights are the thieves' best friend following a series of raids. They are urging people to take better security measures after a spate of shed burglaries in Sessay near Thirsk. The thefts, involving hundreds of
AS a music lover it is important for me to, literally, face the music as a member of the audience at any music venue. Being able to do this depends on the welcome the venue gives. This is only worth anything if everyone - regardless of ability - is actively
CHURCH leaders warned yesterday that a grisly festive attraction could expose children to "evil forces". Clergymen have written to bosses at York Dungeon asking them not to open Satan's Grotto. The attraction features elves impaled on spikes and robins
A young soldier was killed when the armoured vehicle he was commanding overturned during a military exercise. Lance Corporal Tony Carr, 21, died instantly when he was thrown from a Saxon armoured personnel carrier near Salisbury Plain. His devastated
BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed. Fwd: 2,353 sheep. Lambs lt to 129p av 98.8p; std to 118p av 103.6p; med to 117.2p av 109.5p; heavy to 112.3p av 105.5p. Cast sheep: Suff £47; Cont £45.50; Mule £44; Swale £24; Leics £40. DARLINGTON. - Thurs of last week. Fwd: 418
POLICE recovered 125 Ecstasy tablets after keeping watch on a bag left suspiciously beside a public footpath. Durham Crown Court heard that officers received a tip-off about the bag and its contents, which had been left in Moorside, near Consett, County
TRAINING and consultancy practice Synergy Interactive has become the first in the North-East to be accredited by the retail food industry's governing body. The accreditation could halve the cost of training for North-East companies which have previously
DRILLERS are close to finding hot water 1,000 metres below North-East hills, raising hopes that an energy centre could revive the economy of remote dales communities. After three months of drilling, an investigation team working near the former cement
A BLOCK of apartments in London that were built in York have won an industry award. Portakabin subsidiary Yorkon built the Raines Court apartments in its factory, before shipping each module to London and fitting them together to create the apartments
A YOUNG Olympic swimmer has received a welcome financial boost to help her quest for gold in 2008. Joanne Jackson, 18, of Richmond, has been awarded £1,000 to help pay for training and travelling to competition's from the district council's talented young
THE commanding officer of the Green Howards last night made an 11th hour appeal to Army chiefs not to disband the region's famous regiment. Lieutenant General Sir Richard Dannatt, Commandant of the King's Division, addressed the executive committee of
A DERELICT tennis court at Askrigg is to be transformed into the upper dales' first multi-use games area thanks to a National Lottery grant and years of lobbying by local people. Work on the site at Yorebridge starts in January and football, tennis, five-a-side
ORANGE has become the latest mobile phone operator to launch third generation services in the UK. The technology allows for video calls and faster access to a range of features, such as news footage, movie trailers, console-style games and downloadable
Dry Cleaning Assistant. Wage negotiable, 16-20hpw. Experience preferred but training available. Ref: DAE 41872. Laundry Assistant. Wage negotiable, 16-20hpw. Experience preferred but training available. Ref: DAE 41870. Factory Worker. £5.20ph, 40hpw.
A GROUP of the region's most talented glass artists are attempting to break into the national market at an exclusive exhibition in London's Mayfair. The exhibition -Blast! 2004 -will give 22 of the North-East's leading glassmakers an opportunity to break
AS a music lover it is important for me to, literally, face the music as a member of the audience at any music venue. Being able to do this depends on the welcome the venue gives. This is only worth anything if everyone - regardless of ability - is actively
EMERGENCY service staff are having to deal with an increasing number of time-wasting calls, including one from someone who wanted a cold drink. Ambulance service crews from the Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service (Tenyas) have also recently
TEN of the region's most successful visitor attractions have been named as finalists in national tourism awards. Raby Castle and Beamish Museum are among the popular destinations to have reached the national finals of the Enjoy England Excellence Awards
A MAN is facing jail after he admitted a charge of causing death by dangerous driving. Edward Wilson, 25, was the driver of a Ford Mondeo that was involved in a head-on crash with a Metro being driven by William Grainge. Mr Grainge, 54, from Great Ayton
BORDERWAY (Carlisle). - Wed of last week. Border & Lakeland Holstein Club show & sale. Total clearance for 60 females, av £1,000-plus. Judge: Stephen Morley, Petteril Holsteins. Champion: J&R Hunter, Lanarkshire, Letterkenny Jogger Kathy 2
A film vault that has received £850,000 in Government funding has been unveiled. The facility, at the University of Teesside, Middlesbrough, houses an archive of TV and film footage spanning more than 90 years. It was compiled with help from former BBC
The glitz and glamour of Hollywood beckoned when Sue Heath was invited to attend the glamorous London Premiere of the film Beyond The Sea. But would she finally meet her hero, Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey? IT'S not every day a girl gets a party invitation
OUTRAGE was expressed by North Yorkshire County Council executive on Wednesday at Government plans to take back money already given to the council - much of which has already been spent. The council is expected to be asked to repay £1m of grant money
PROPERTY company Rok has announced the appointment of DAVID PETTIGREW as group health, safety and environment director. The 48-year-old ran his own consultancy, having worked for various companies in the UK and overseas, in the defence, construction and
DOES anyone care whether Mr Blunkett stays or goes? It is alleged that he fast-tracked a visa application on behalf of his mistress and that he supplied her with travel passes which are intended for the wife or partner of the minister. In everything I
AN engineering company is nearly doubling its workforce thanks to a £600,000 investment. ALM Products, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, has used the money to buy three companies to secure its capacity and production facilities, with the help of a grant
Police on Teesside are asking people's help in tracking two men they wish to interview. Officers are keen to speak to Christopher William Graham about a "substantial'' sum of counterfeit currency recovered in Middlesbrough more than a year ago. Others
Dozens of business people were turned away yesterday as they tried to dump loads of trade rubbish at household waste depots without paying a fee. It was the first day of a permit system launched to prevent firms tipping refuse illegally at 17 civic amenity
CHURCH leaders warned yesterday that a grisly festive attraction could expose children to "evil forces". Clergymen have written to bosses at York Dungeon asking them not to open Satan's Grotto. The attraction features elves impaled on spikes and robins
REPORTS of youths causing annoyance on a Darlington estate have increased dramatically in recent weeks. Throughout November there were 31 incidents of anti-social behaviour reported in Firthmoor. The figure is almost double the number logged in October
POLICE are hunting for a man who smashed a town centre shop window and stole boxes of toffee. The man kicked the display window of Thorntons, in Northgate, Darlington, and scooped out three boxes of toffees and a children's lollipop pack from inside.
SALES of organic food have increased by more than 10pc in the last year, according to the Soil Association. Retail sales of organic food are now worth £1.12bn and growing by £2m a week, twice the rate of growth of the general grocery market. According
PEOPLE across Darlington are being invited to have their say on a new walk-in centre. The centre, Dr Piper House, is due to open in King Street next month and will alleviate pressure of the A&E department of the hospital and GPs surgeries. The Darlington
A fan's view of Sunderland Football Club's fortunes during last season has been published as a follow-up to Why Do I Do It?, a best-selling paperback on Wearside last Christmas. Cursed, by PD Han, is a semi-autobiographical account of following the Black
WORK has begun on a redevelopment project that will bring the Friarage Hospital at Northallerton into the twenty-first century. A turf cutting ceremony officially marked the start of building work on the £21m scheme undertaken by South Tees Hospitals
A WIDE range of courses will soon be available for people in County Durham due to the expansion of the University of Sunderland's popular Centre for Lifelong Learning. The university has teamed up with New College Durham to provide academic and leisure
A WIDE range of courses will soon be available for people in County Durham due to the expansion of the University of Sunderland's popular Centre for Lifelong Learning. The university has teamed up with New College Durham to provide academic and leisure
A COMMUNITY radio station has high hopes of obtaining a permanent licence after completing a successful trial broadcast. Radio Teesdale came off the air on Sunday after completing a four-week trial on a Restricted Service Licence. The Barnard Castle-based
STUDENTS at Bishop Auckland College were recognised for their achievements during a ceremony last week. About 140 people attended the annual event at the college on Thursday night where Tom Crompton, executive director of County Durham Learning and Skills
A SCHOOL choir is making final preparations for a series of Christmas concerts. More than 40 pupils and teachers from the North-East will be taking part in this year's Christmas concerts by Barnard Castle School's chapel choir. The choristers, aged eight
YOUNGSTERS can enjoy a host of activities at Sedgefield Borough Council's four leisure centres during the festive period. Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor pools will offer swims for less than half price, at £1, on selected dates throughout the holiday season
TWO off-road buggies and a quad bike worth a total of £9,000 have been stolen from Scout premises on the outskirts of Durham City. The vehicles, owned by the Durham Scout Association, went missing between Saturday, November 27 and Tuesday, November 30
A POLICE patrol boat is sailing into the sunset after decades of work on the River Tyne - and starring on the small screen. The police launch Aidan, which has featured in television programmes ranging from Heartbeat to Tiswas, has been sold by the force
MORE than 500 students will get early Christmas presents when they graduate from a North-East university. Students of the University of Sunderland will be awarded their degrees by the university's chancellor, Lord Puttnam, at four ceremonies at the Stadium
WORK costing more than £1m to return a landmark to its former glory will begin this month. The North Hartlepool Partnership has donated £500,000 towards restoring the Carnegie building, formerly a library, on Hartlepool's Headland area. Other money has
AN annual carol concert will take place tomorrow at a Teesside university. The Queen's Campus Endeavour Choir and Orchestra will join together for the annual Christmas carol service at 4pm in the Ebsworth Building, at the University of Durham's Queen's
FICTION: A WOMAN SCORNED by Wendy Robertson (Headline, £18.99) FOR many years, Mary Ann Cotton from West Auckland, in County Durham, held the record for mass murder - children, husbands, stepchildren... all mysteriously died under her care and she was
A PULSATING Darlington derby saw Mowden Park emerge as winners by 30-23 at Yiewsley Drive last Saturday, but the visitors had reason to be satisfied. They went into the match without six first-choice players and came out of it two places higher in National
A GREEN Santa and a little helper will be passing through north Durham asking residents to reduce, re-use and recycle any waste they may have at Christmas. The environmental message will be brought to Chester-le-Street when Santa does his rounds of the
A LONG-SERVING council employee has been honoured at a party to celebrate her retirement. Olga Lambert started work as a cleaner and sheltered housing relief warden for Richmondshire District Council in 1978. For the past 14 years, she has been a mobile
BIRMINGHAM City manager Steve Bruce has recalled midfielder Darren Carter from his Sunderland loan spell. The 20-year-old's three month deal was due to end after Sunderland's game at Cardiff this weekend, but the Blues' boss has taken the option to bring
STEVE McClaren expects to see two smiling faces at training this week, after Middlesbrough's surly strikeforce earned a 3-2 win over Manchester City. Mark Viduka's double ended a three-month goal drought, before fellow forward Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
SCHOOLchildren will soon be able to read a positive community safety message whenever they pick up a favourite book. Teenagers in the Scarborough and Ryedale areas were asked to design a bookmark with information useful to younger children. The winning
THE Bishop of Ripon and Leeds has issued his traditional Christmas message. The Right Reverend John Packer used the message to remind people they are welcome in church over the festive period. He said: "Christian churches express God's welcome to all
ABOUT 30 firefighters spent more than three hours tackling a blaze in a Victorian building. Fire crews from across Teesside were called to the unoccupied house in Bishopton Road, Stockton, at 1.27am yesterday after reports of a fire in the roof. The blaze
FORMER Darlington Football Club owner George Reynolds left his hospital bed yesterday to keep a date in court. Less than 24 hours after an emergency operation to remove kidney stones, Mr Reynolds was facing Bishop Auckland magistrates in an attempt to
A VICAR has appealed for help to find the vandals who attacked his church, and defaced the visitors' book. Diocese officials have warned that vandalism of this type could lead to churches being kept locked through the day, or having to install expensive
A GROUP of the region's most talented glass artists are attempting to break into the national market at an exclusive exhibition in London's Mayfair. The exhibition -Blast! 2004 -will give 22 of the North-East's leading glassmakers an opportunity to break
Financial advisors Jonathan Fry and Co, based in North Yorkshire, has appointed LUCY HALASZ as a technical manager. A graduate in law from the University of Northumbria, Ms Halasz will provide technical support; managing the administration team, report
REETH hit eight goals past Hawes United last Saturday with goalkeeper Terry Alderson saving and scoring penalties. Chris Hutchinson fired Reeth ahead in the second minute, but Stuart Sunter levelled moments later with a 30-yard strike. Steven Allinson
