A DARLINGTON betting shop has been raising funds to give money back to the community. Ladbrokes, in Neasham Road, held a raffle to boost a growing pot of money from which community groups or charities can apply for grants. Groups that have already reaped
DETECTIVES are continuing to hunt for a youth who attacked a ten-month-old girl in her pushchair. Sarah Ali was left battered and bruised by a teenager who tried to take her from her pushchair in Borough Road, Middlesbrough, a week ago. Yasmin Ali was
POLICE discovered a 2ft sword, kitchen knife and hammer in the car of a teenager who had led them on a high-speed chase, a court heard. Paul Jones, 18, failed to stop when Teesside officers saw him speeding in a Mazda car without lights in the early hours
THE cause of a house fire in which a drug addict and her young grandson died remains a mystery, an inquest was told. A fierce fire broke out in the rented terrace house after Susan Baillie, 40, her boy-friend, Paul Thompson, and her daughter, Joanne,
A CAMPAIGN to promote the North-East as a destination has achieved global recognition by being nominated for a World Travel Award. The "Passionate People, Passionate Places" campaign, which features the Durham women's rowing team and Chris Davy, owner
NEWCASTLE last night completed a whirlwind week of transfer activity with the £1.5m capture of Aston Villa midfielder Nolberto Solano. The Peruvian, who made 233 appearances for the Magpies before being controversially sold by Sir Bobby Robson last January
WELCOME, Ken Clarke, to the Tory leadership race. And if the Conservatives were selecting a leader to take them into an imminent General Election, he would undoubtedly be their man. His image of a being genuine down-to-earth beer-drinking bloke in comfy
A FIRM of project managers and cost consultants provided expertise on a social housing scheme for the North-East Chinese community. Faithful and Gould worked with Tees Valley Housing Group to create a housing development in Middlesbrough. The company,
AT this time of year, three little words are guaranteed to strike terror into the hearts of schoolchildren everywhere: Back To School. And you see them everywhere, in shoe shop windows, in clothes shops, stationers' and high street chain stores. In fact
SUNDERLAND have completed the signing of Arsenal's versatile young defender Justin Hoyte and manager Mick McCarthy believes he has captured a gem. The Black Cats are short of defensive options with Stephen Wright ruled out for up to two months with a
A COURT battle between engineering company Cleveland Bridge and its former employer on the new Wembley Stadium project will not begin until early next year, it has emerged. The Darlington company has been locked in a dispute with Australian company Multiplex
COUNCILLORS in the late Mo Mowlam's constituency have not ruled out a statue in her memory, even though the former Redcar MP might have baulked at the prospect. A group is being set up by Redcar and Cleveland Mayor Peter Spencer to see how the borough
A TOBACCO trader has had his illegal business halted after his home was raided. He was selling cigarettes and tobacco from his central Middlesbrough home. Undercover surveillance officers caught him making 23 sales in two hours, including some to underage
THE police force that investigated the deaths of four recruits at an Army barracks has been asked to examine a report on its activities. Surrey Police yesterday received the results of a review of its 15-month inquiry into the deaths. However, relatives
TAXPAYERS are facing a legal bill of about £20,000 after a court rejected an attempt to force every taxi on the streets of a North-East city to be white. Durham Crown Court yesterday dismissed an appeal by Durham City Council against an earlier magistrates
THOUSANDS of locals and visitors turned out for a traditional agricultural show yesterday. Awards were handed out for the best livestock and produce at Reeth Show. Other attractions included the annual fell race along Fremington Edge, plus stalls, games
THE mother of a baby killed in an arson attack on their home has been arrested in connection with the boy's murder. Single mum Danielle Wails, 21, was taken into custody yesterday (WED) by detectives probing the blaze at the weekend. News of the arrest
DURHAM need either more rain or a renaissance today to prevent their promotion stroll turning into a scramble. They were backed into a tight corner yesterday by some stubborn batting from Derbyshire, who recovered from 64 for four to reach 288 for seven
MORE than a hundred young people enjoyed the first day of a youth festival in Newton Aycliffe yesterday. The Momentum Festival, at the town's Christian Life Centre, attracted around 70 11 to 18-year-olds for daytime activities including a water slide,
A nursery has added a soft play area to its facilities after receiving a cash boost from Business Link. Kiddies Corner, based in Cleveland Avenue, Darlington, has built the area for babies and toddlers in an unused room on the first floor. Playtime in
A public meeting to debate the future of a village school will be held next week. Darlington Borough Council has sparked an uproar in Hurworth, where the community's secondary school has been earmarked for relocation. The authority wants Hurworth to take
MUSIC lovers had the chance to take part in a series of workshops at a community music event yesterday. Scores of people young and old took part in the nine-hour music festival, held at The Forum in Darlington, and learned to play a host of instruments
GEORDIES have always been acclaimed for their hospitality but, even by their own sociable standards, the welcome afforded to Michael Owen yesterday was something rather special. He didn't show off his searing pace or pinpoint finishing. There were no
A second independent government inspector has ruled that a large garden should not be developed in a leafy suburb. Earlier, an inspector refused to overturn the refusal of planning permission for a house in Leeds Road and Beech Road, in Oatlands, Harrogate
MORE than £750,000 is to be spent on creating a second household waste and recycling centre in the Harrogate area. Funding has been approved for the development and the search is now on for a site - but officers are confident it will be in use by spring
A VILLAGE that lost its shop and post office is to get a new one thanks to the initiative of its residents. A group of the 400 residents of Leavening, near Malton, carried out a survey among villagers and people living in nearby communities to find the
A MOTHER-OF-TWO who used her handbag to attack a police officer during a boozy night out was spared jail yesterday. Toni Robson, 23, caused a laceration to the back of PC Darrin Taylor's head which needed hospital treatment and staples. Newcastle Crown
A BREAKDANCER has won the chance to dance on stage with a leading breakdancing crew. Joe Cooper, 23, from Barnard Castle, County Durham, also won a Walkman phone when he won the Sony Ericsson North-East Breakdance final. Watched by hundreds of people
PEOPLE in Wear Valley will be encouraged to clean up their act by setting up their own litter-picks. Wear Valley District Council's Pride Campaign and Billy Row Action Team will host an open day at Stanley Way Community Centre today. The event will provide
A PORTUGUESE immigrant who allowed a fellow countryman to share his flat attacked him when he learned he had been "bad-mouthing him" to a Spanish neighbour, a court heard. Peter Scott, prosecuting, told Harrogate magistrates how Jose Da Silva, 23, punched
LEADING supermarket chain Tesco yesterday announced that it is buying 30 former Safeway stores on BP forecourts from rival Morrisons. The group, which last week faced a call from Asda owner Wal-Mart for an inquiry into its 30.5 per cent share of the overall
SCOUT leaders hope to find adult volunteers after a shopping complex gave them money for computer equipment. The Bishop Auckland Scout District received £100 from the Prince Bishops Shopping Centre Community Fund. The cash will allow the group to produce
A MEETING to discuss controversial changes to the ambulance service in rural areas of Wear Valley and Teesdale takes place tonight. The Wear Valley and Teesdale Community Networks have organised the meeting between residents and Mark Cotton, head of communications
MONEY raised at a black tie dinner to mark the second anniversary of the death of a military police officer was presented to a hospital ward yesterday. Lance Corporal Ben Hyde, 23, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, was one of six Red Caps who died
NEW Geordie hero Michael Owen has revealed a passion for the Premiership convinced him to turn his back on Real Madrid and make the £16m club record move to Newcastle United. Around 15,000 fanatical fans crammed into St James' Park yesterday afternoon
THE mother of a baby killed in an arson attack on their home has been arrested in connection with the boy's murder. Danielle Wails, 21, was taken into custody yesterday by detectives investigating the blaze at the weekend. News of the arrest came as police
LONG-SERVING health workers will be rewarded tomorrow for their loyal efforts by the trust which employs them. Members of trust staff and local GP surgeries with between 25 and 40 years' service will be recognised at the annual meeting of Durham and Chester-le-Street
Drivers warned of road works: REDCAR and Cleveland Borough Council will carry out the following road works: Windsor Road, Saltburn will have two-way temporary traffic signals for a week, from August 31, to allow resurfacing work to be carried out. Ormesby
Autumn events at a newly-refurbished village hall will get under way on Saturday. Members of Northern Opera will perform songs from 1950s and 1960s musical shows at Hutton Rudby Village Hall, near Stokesley, from 7.30pm. Tickets cost £6 from (01642) 701586
A MOBILE gym to help people in rural areas get fit was launched yesterday. The first mobile fitness centre of its kind in the world, the Wellness On Wheels trailer aims to change the lifestyle of North-Easterners by bringing top-class exercise facilities
NEW Geordie hero Michael Owen has revealed a passion for the Premiership convinced him to turn his back on Real Madrid and make the £16m club record move to Newcastle United. Around 15,000 fanatical fans crammed into St James' Park yesterday afternoon
A CAMPAIGNER has condemned the continued holding of female prisoners at a jail more than a year after officials said it should stop. Pauline Campbell, of Malpas, Cheshire, protested outside the pre-Victorian Dur-ham Jail in the wake of the death of prisoner
MIDDLESBROUGH last night rushed through a deal for Fabio Rochemback to seal the South American's complicated transfer from Barcelona. After initial fears that the Brazilian had decided against a move to the Riverside Stadium, Rochemback arrived on Teesside
POLICE have seized cannabis plants and hydroponic growing equipment worth several thousands of pounds in raids on homes in the Stanley area of County Durham. On Wednesday last week, officers found a cannabis farm containing plants worth up to £40,000
A SCHEME that helps young children in villages around Durham has moved into newly-built premises. Brandon and Deerness Valley SureStart is now based in Durham Road, Ushaw Moor, and its new home has been opened by Lady Ann Calman, chairwoman of the Durham
ATTEMPTS are to be made to calm a teenage nuisance by helping him to take part in his favourite pastime - fishing. Restrictions were yesterday agreed to curb the activities of 16-year-old Derek Williams, who has plagued the people of Burnhope, near Stanley
A HOSPITAL team has been awarded Investors in People status. The Integrated Mental Health Services team, based at the University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton, has won the award, which this year was revised to emphasise employee motivation, involvement
LOCAL residents battling to secure the future of a landmark pub last night pledged to contribute their own cash to ensure their campaign receives professional planning and legal advice. A crowded meeting of the Save The White Horse group agreed it was
A DESPERATE appeal has been launched to help get emergency supplies to flood-hit villages in Romania. North Yorkshire-based charity Convoy Aid has had a direct plea from the mayor and priest in the village of Bivolari following devastating floods in Europe
BUILDER Martin Stalley yesterday gave evidence of formal identification at the opening of an inquest into the death of 76-year-old John Christopher Gillespie, of Juniper Grove, Marton, Middlesbrough. The pensioner was admitted to the town's James Cook
SENIOR councillors have given the go-ahead for a £3.2m investment in care for elderly people in Darlington. Members of the borough council's cabinet this week approved the redevelopment of Rosemary Court, in the Lascelles Park area. The authority had
COUNCIL chiefs are calling on Shildon residents to share their views about how the town's leisure centre should look in five years time. Sedgefield Borough Council is considering the future of Sunnydale Leisure Centre as part of a review of the leisure
HOUSING chiefs are getting more innovative in their quest to provide affordable homes for local people. Planning policy in the Harrogate district already requires that all developments have a percentage of affordable homes. But rather than insist they
DOZENS of people donned their walking shoes to take part in a Million Mile Challenge towards fitness. About 100 people took part in the Stockton stage of the national event yesterday, which aims to put people on the road to good health. The walkers strode
TWO brothers are paying tribute to their mining grandfathers in an exhibition of art and poetry. Neil and Ian Hardy, of Spennymoor, joined forces to celebrate and justify their grandfathers' tough life working in North-East pits. Neil, a student at Leeds
MOBILE advice clinics will be on hand at two of the region's agricultural shows next month for anyone thinking of setting up a new business in a rural area. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has teamed up with Business
A CAR made at Nissan's Sunderland plant has become its 10 millionth vehicle to be sold in Europe. Nissan sold the vehicle in Portugal, where the company recently established a national sales company. The milestone Wearside-built Nissan Micra was donated
A PROLIFIC thief who targeted elderly and vulnerable people has been found guilty of stealing a pensioner's purse. Michaela Pease, the subject of an interim criminal antisocial behaviour order (Crasbo) for similar offences, failed to appear at Teesside
A WOMAN accused of attempting to snatch purses from elderly people was granted bail yesterday. Kinga Klaudia Pawlowska, 21, was remanded in custody over the bank holiday accused of conspiring with another to steal purses in Marks and Spencer's, Harrogate
POLICE and consumer groups are warning North Yorkshire businesses to beware of a rise in bogus callers selling advertising. Firms have received calls from salesmen claiming to be working on behalf of the police, fire service and local council. Despite
AN insurance company has joined forces with a fire brigade in a programme to reduce house blazes on Teesside. The scheme, run by Swinton Insurance, in Middlesbrough, in conjunction with Cleveland Fire Brigade, means fitting smoke alarms could save customers
VILLAGERS are invited to join in the fun to mark the completion of a "doorstep green" at the weekend. Disused former allotments have been converted into informal recreation space for people in Bowburn, near Durham. The Groundwork Trust's East Durham team
THE finishing touches are being added to the first purpose-built skateboard park to be built in Darlington. The £70,000 facility will open at the start of October, as part of the £3.9m Lottery-funded restoration of South Park. Local teenagers helped design
APPLICATIONS are invited from people wanting to join the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. A vacancy has arisen after members Nicky Grace announced she would not be standing for re-election as a Secretary of State appointee when her three-year
RACCOON (3.10) could be the one to help pay the afternoon's expenses on a competitive seven-race card at Redcar. It seems like the cloud which has hung like a sickening pall over David Barron's stable for much of the summer has finally lifted, enabling
TRIBUTES have been paid to a man who died in an international sailing event at the weekend. Andrew Cokayne was judging the Laser qualifiers off the Hartlepool coast on Sunday when high winds wreaked havoc and led to a major air and sea rescue by police
PAINTINGS by a renowned animal artist are on display at Kirkleatham Museum, in Redcar, until October 9. The work by Louis Wain depicts cats with human expressions, taking part in activities such as playing cricket. Mr Wain was certified insane before
MANY friends and relatives smiled rather than frowned yesterday as they remembered Marjorie Bell who has died at the age of 79. For her lively sense of humour and broad smile had been cheering them up every day for years in the village of Winston near
A TOWN hall department's workload is on the increase - as is the praise for what it does. Over the past year, Middlesbrough Council's welfare rights unit has helped more than 1,600 people - a 65 per cent rise on the previous 12 months - to claim more
CHINA TRADE: A COMMENTATOR attacked the European Union for having concern over the cheap imports of clothing from China. He said that it was wrong to deny poor British families cheap clothing. This is another example of a one-sided argument that ignores
DARLINGTON will be without skipper Matt Clarke for tomorrow night's top-of-the-table clash with Notts County after a "technical error" held up their appeal against the defender's red card. Manager David Hodgson had originally planned to appeal against
THE family of a woman killed in her home paid tribute to the devoted mother last night. Susan Ashton and Colin Barker spoke as the first pictures of their sister, Joanna Luke, 37, who died on Sunday night, were released yesterday. In a statement, Mrs
CONSUMER confidence plunged during August as people become more pessimistic about the economy, a survey showed. Research group GfK Martin Hamblin said consumer confidence had fallen to its lowest since October last year.
DISCOUNT clothing chain Matalan has continued to suffer tough trading conditions on the high street as it reported a 6.4 per cent fall in its first-half sales yesterday. The group said it was, nevertheless, in good shape, offsetting the decline with better
RACCOON (3.10) could be the one to help pay the afternoon's expenses on a competitive seven-race card at Redcar. It seems like the cloud which has hung like a sickening pall over David Barron's stable for much of the summer has finally lifted, enabling
MORE than 15,000 Newcastle fans flocked to St James' Park yesterday to provide a rousing reception for record signing Michael Owen. The England international was given a hero's welcome after signing a four-year deal to complete his £16m move from Real
In a thought provoking book, Susan Phoenix describes how she overcame grief through the power of the universe including angels. She talks to Sarah Foster. SUSAN Phoenix, a trained nurse and psychologist for the deaf, had found herself in an odd situation
A GRANDMOTHER is flying out to Florida to fence for Britain this weekend. Sedgefield psychologist Carole Seheult, who works for County Durham's Priority Services mental health trust, is a member of the Great Britain veteran fencing team. The current over
IT was a rootin' tootin' meeting of minds when two famous lawmen met to discuss their unique crime-busting tactics. The showdown between "Robocop" Ray Mallon and controversial US sheriff Joe Arpaio was not at the OK Corral, but in the more genteel surroundings
The Truth About Female Desire (C4) The World's Most Photographed (BBC2) RESEARCH scientist Erick Janssen, from the Kinsey Institute, declared himself "very excited" by the study. That wasn't the point really as the experiment aimed to discover how a social
THE mother of a baby killed in an arson attack on their home has been arrested in connection with the boy's murder. Single mum Danielle Wails, 21, was taken into custody yesterday (WED) by detectives probing the blaze at the weekend. News of the arrest
The other night I found myself watching one of those makeover progammes. This one wasn't about a room being made over, or a house, but a person - a gentle young woman who was said to look ten years older than her actual 30 years. The person in charge
After months of speculation, Kenneth Clarke yesterday threw his fedora into the ring to become the next Tory leader. Nick Morrison looks at whether one of the few Conservative big beasts really has a chance of winning the prize. BIG beast. Political heavyweight
AT this time of year, three little words are guaranteed to strike terror into the hearts of schoolchildren everywhere: Back To School. And you see them everywhere, in shoe shop windows, in clothes shops, stationers' and high street chain stores. In fact
A MOTHER who left her three children with a schoolgirl babysitter while she jetted off on holiday has been spared prison to spare them further suffering. Kelly Ann Rogerson, 24, from Darlington, was told the only reason she wasn't being sent to jail immediately
POLICE have urged parents not to let their children play with replica guns after armed officers swooped on four youths. The teenagers sparked a major operation after a member of the public became concerned after seeing the youths in Middlesbrough brandishing
A JUBILANT Freddy Shepherd last night hailed the arrival of his "Geordio Galactico" and insisted Newcastle were the only club brave enough to take on Premiership champions Chelsea. The Magpies' chairman always claimed he would do everything possible to
DARLINGTON Football Club is making Friday night "party night" at a match rescheduled to suit fans. The Quakers were scheduled to play at home against Notts County on Saturday -the same time as England's World Cup qualifier against Wales. However, a text
