A SCHOOL has transformed its eating habits in a bid to improve pupil and staff diets. Woodham Community Technology College, in Newton Aycliffe, has refurbished one of its dining halls to look like a modern restaurant. Headteacher Steven Harness and college
MICHAEL Owen last night threw his weight behind under-fire England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson and insisted his shell-shocked team-mates must shoulder the blame for Wednesday's nightmare in Northern Ireland. Eriksson refused to resign in the immediate aftermath
A PARTY of students have returned from the trip of a lifetime to China and Inner Mongolia. The group, from Teesside High School, in Eaglescliffe, spent 19 days in the Far East sightseeing and gaining an insight into life in isolated villages. The trip
MICK McCarthy has urged his Sunderland players to draw inspiration from Northern Ireland's World Cup wonders as they look to cause a similarly unbelievable upset at Chelsea. The Black Cats, who have yet to pick up a point this season, are 20-1 outsiders
THE INCREDIBLE HULK: ULTIMATE DESTRUCTION Publisher: Vivendi Universal; Formats: PS2, XBox ; Price: £39.99; Family friendly? 12+ LONG before Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno made him a TV star, a creative genius called Stan Lee created The Incredible Hulk
THERE is plenty of evidence that airguns can be lethal weapons - so much evidence that it is hard to understand why it has taken so long for the Government to act on their availability. Teenager Matthew Sheffield, from Eaglescliffe on Teesside, was killed
A WINDOW cleaner died of toxic shock syndrome within days of catching an infection caused by an innocuous lump on his hand. Doctors described the rapid deterioration of James Murray's health as the worst case of toxic shock they had ever seen. Self-employed
THE Liberal Democrats secured a surprise by-election victory last night - and immediately pledged to battle to keep Hurworth school where it is. Martin Swainston will represent Hurworth on Darlington Borough Council after a closely-fought contest. The
Bryan Smart has a useful crop of juveniles based at his Hambleton House stables, including Doncaster St Leger Sales Stakes entry, Niobe (2.10). Smart has a reputation for not being hard on his youngsters at home, so the fact that the daughter of top-class
THE parents of a boy killed by an airgun have welcomed moves to introduce tough laws on the sale of the weapons. Teenager Matthew Sheffield, from Eaglescliffe, Teesside, was shot in the head in April 2001with an air rifle belonging to his friend's father
FORMER Gunner Ray Parlour is hoping he won't be the odd man out against his former employers as Middlesbrough's new Brazilian star Fabio Rochemback gets ready to make his bow against Arsene Wenger's side tomorrow. The former Barcelona man will slot into
FURNITURE retailer MFI forecast further gloom yesterday as it said orders at its core chain had slumped by 15 per cent over the past three months. MFI, which employs about 700 people at a factory in Stockton, confirmed last week it was making 80 workers
YOUNG people are more concerned about job satisfaction than earning huge amounts of money, according to a new survey. A poll of 500 teenagers by awards organisation City & Guilds showed most believed they were ambitious and would work long hours to
MORE than 93 per cent of workers made redundant from a cigarette factory have been resettled, it was revealed yesterday. British American Tobacco (BAT), one of the largest private employers in Darlington, closed its factory more than a year ago with the
The families of 44 people lost at sea when their ship sank will mark the 25th anniversary of the tragedy today. Bulk carrier MV Derbyshire, built on Teesside, sank in the South China Sea on 9 September 1980, caught up in a severe tropical storm. Those
SUPPORTERS of an asylum seeker who is expected to be deported next week have vowed to continue campaigning, despite their last-ditch appeal being rejected. Kissi Kilondo, who has lived in the North-East for four years, faces being sent back to his war-torn
SO WHERE did you stand in the great football v cricket debate this week? Were you more gripped by Northern Ireland v Beckham's Braves or the efforts of Vaughan's Victors to secure the Ashes? Surely after the epic 1-0 win against Wales you couldn't wait
A DRUNKEN man became violent on a busy roadside when police tried to help him get home after a day at the races, a court heard yesterday. Officers had to use CS gas to subdue Philip Jones after he missed a coach taking a party of family and friends back
A BAKERY is set to rise from the ashes of a major unsolved fire which destroyed its production base. Peters Cathedral Bakers was forced to transfer production to a disused food factory in Peterlee, east Durham, following the blaze which destroyed its
THE parents of a boy killed by an airgun have welcomed moves to introduce tough laws on the sale of the weapons. Teenager Matthew Sheffield, from Eaglescliffe, Teesside, was shot in the head in April 2001with an air rifle belonging to his friend's father
An RAF winchman has been honoured for his attempts to save a family swept into the North Sea by freak waves. Nick Petch was on a Sea King helicopter called to Scarborough, North Yorkshire, amid atrocious conditions on 13 March. He has been awarded the
A MAN who falsely claimed more than £5,000 in benefits was caught when investigators gained access to his bank account, a court heard. Magistrates in Gateshead heard that 46-year-old Tony Brittain, of Hill Crest, Felling, claimed income support from February
NORTH-EAST researchers are pioneering technology that they say could lead to smaller, cheaper and disposable computers. A team from Durham University, working with colleagues at Imperial College London and the University of Sheffield, has created a basic
SO WHERE did you stand in the great football v cricket debate this week? Were you more gripped by Northern Ireland v Beckham's Braves or the efforts of Vaughan's Victors to secure the Ashes? Surely after the epic 1-0 win against Wales you couldn't wait
A COUNTRY vicar will ride like the devil tomorrow - to get to the church on time. The Reverend David Wilbourne, vicar of Helmsley, North Yorkshire, is taking part in a 30-mile charity bike ride. After the trek - with only minutes to spare - he is hoping
Darlington boss David Hodgson is not convinced goalkeeper Sam Russell will be fit in time to earn his long-awaited recall at Mansfield Town tomorrow. Russell has trained all week, but is not yet 100 per cent. Hodgson will make a further assessment today
A GRIEVING husband told an inquest hearing yesterday how "horseplay and daftness" by his teenage wife led to tragedy when she lost her life. Derek Jobes, 57, was driving home with his wife Cassandra when he pulled over into a layby. Cassandra, 19, who
SIX talented pupils have made history after they were each given a scholarship. For the first time since the Arkwright Scholarships for engineering were introduced, Yarm School is celebrating after six were handed to their students. Not only is it the
A MEADOW is being restored to its former glory through the tax on landfill. The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is working at the nature reserve at Upper Dunsforth Carrs, near Boroughbridge. The project is funded through the landfill tax credit scheme, administered
NINETY people who were expecting to lose their jobs as part of a Government shake-up of the civil service were told last night their futures were safe. Staff at JobCentre Plus at Vinovium House, Bishop Auckland, were expecting to lose their jobs under
A CYCLE map has been produced to encourage more people to get into the saddle in Darlington. The map includes details of off-road cycle paths, lanes and quieter roads in the borough, which are suitable for cyclists. It also shows cycle parking, toucan
STOCKTON Borough Council's former head of communications has been ordered to pay the whole of its £70,000 legal costs after she failed in her claim for unfair dismissal. Issuing the order, the employment tribunal said it was satisfied the claimant acted
KELLOE Community Association is launching courses in card-making, yoga and proggy and hooky mat making. The sessions all last for ten weeks and will be in Kelloe Primary School. The free card-making course will be on Mondays, from 6pm to 8.30pm, starting
FIREFIGHTERS are urging people in County Durham to get vital advice that could save their lives. The County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service is backing a national advertising campaign that aims to reduce the national toll of 350 people killed
BUDDING artists and photographers will have their work hanging in one of the town's most historic buildings. Design students from Darlington College of Technology will soon see their creations displayed in the art deco Lingfield House, after entering
A COLLEGE that had its annual budget reduced by more than £600,000 yesterday has revealed the extent of the cutbacks it has been forced to make. Darlington College of Technology will axe 41 jobs and a range of courses from its prospectus, including modern
LIBRARY bosses have employed a basketball coach to encourage children to get to grips with some tall tales. James Hedge was previously community coach for the Teesside Mohawks team, working with sporty youngsters to increase their fitness levels and self-confidence
TEENAGE criminals are the hot topic at a major conference to investigate ways to tackle the issue. Experts will look at ways of combating the escalating criminal behaviour of youths and how the justice system can help steer them from crime. The Tees Valley
FIREFIGHTERS are urging people to get vital advice that could save their lives. County Durham and Darlington Fire Brigade is backing a national campaign that aims to reduce the toll of 350 people who die in house fires nationally a year. The service wants
VOLUNTEERS are needed to help prevent young offenders making crime their life. The aim is to recruit and train people who will help stop young people offending and behaving anti-socially. The County Durham Youth Engagement Service, made up of Durham County
WRONG REASONS: Once again Darlington Borough Council is in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons: Hurworth Comp, The White Horse and High Row, and many other fund-raising acts of lunacy. How long can it be allowed to railroad through its proposals and
AN appeal for lovers of brass band music to support a Third World charity is being made at an agricultural show this weekend. The organisers of a Brass Band Aid CD, which was recorded earlier this year, are hoping to sell copies for the charity World
PEOPLE are being given a chance to become volunteer tutors at a Skills for Life centre. Once qualified, they will play an important role at the centre in Barnard Castle, where adults can catch up on basic education they missed out on in earlier years.
PLANS to build a fence around a school's playing field have led to almost 150 objections from residents. Harrogate Grammar School's proposals for a boundary fence between nearby homes and the expansive playing fields brought an angry response from residents
A Swedish sculptor is meeting with officials in today Durham to duscss the proposed giant bowl-shaped sculpture. Durham County Council says the sky bowl would attract thousands of visitors when erected to overlook Durham City. It is proposed that the
AN artist who grew up in Malaysia and settled in the North-East is exhibiting his work in the gallery at a local wildlife haven. The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in Washington is hosting a display of pictures - many of them devoted to landscapes - by Victor
RESIDENTS in a hamlet have celebrated the £20,000 refurbishment of their community hall. Ryedale District Council leader Robert Wainwright, who opened the hall in Salton, near Malton, said: "It is vital that our villages retain a hub - somewhere they
A man serving life for the "ferocious" knife murder of a 12-year-old girl in her bedroom must serve at least 13 years before being considered for parole, a judge has ruled. Ronald Pattinson was only 18 when he was convicted of Natalie Ruddick's murder
TRANSPORT group Arriva yesterday announced a two per cent fall in first-half earnings, after strong growth in Europe was offset by the end of a UK train operating franchise. The group did unveil improved profits from its UK bus operation, despite rising
WHILE Nero famously fiddled as Rome burned, Sven Goran Eriksson will be remembered for shuffling as England collapsed. With Northern Ireland edging towards one of the most incredible upsets in footballing history and England's players desperately looking
A column in the New York Times outlined the enormous impact a category four hurricane smashing into New Orleans would wreak in terms of lives lost, property destroyed and clean-up costs. However, this was not a retrospective piece, but an article written
A MAN has been arrested after a frail pensioner was swindled out of almost £18,000 by bogus builders. Detectives said they had questioned a man who has since been released on police bail. And they repeated their calls for help in tracking down the conmen
IN a groundbreaking move, North-East scientists will be allowed to create a human embryo that will have genetic material from two mothers. The work aims to prevent mothers from passing on certain genetic diseases, such as muscular dystrophy. An egg produced
In a frank and insightful book, Charles Yeats recounts his time as a prisoner of conscience in apartheid South Africa and relates this to the modern world - including the threatened split within the church and the war on terror. Sarah Foster hears his
MIDDLESBROUGH will have new signing Richie Barker, from Redcar, at No 8 for their North One opener at home to Morley tomorrow. It's a step up of one level for the highly-rated back row man, but he would have had to go down a division had he stayed with
INTEREST rates were yesterday pegged at 4.5 per cent as the Bank of England waited to see whether the economy has responded to last month's lower borrowing costs. The decision was widely expected in the City, despite evidence that the confidence of the
MICK McCarthy has urged his Sunderland players to draw inspiration from Northern Ireland's World Cup wonders as they look to cause a similarly unbelievable upset at Chelsea. The Black Cats, who have yet to pick up a point this season, are 20-1 outsiders
CHILDREN in the region who suffer severe scalds could be helped by a pioneering new way of healing burns. Teams of doctors at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary and East Grinstead's Queen Victoria Hospital conducting a scientific trial have begun treating
A column in the New York Times outlined the enormous impact a category four hurricane smashing into New Orleans would wreak in terms of lives lost, property destroyed and clean-up costs. However, this was not a retrospective piece, but an article written
A FATAL small aircraft crash could have been caused by a broken seat bracket, accident investigators have concluded. Dave Chaplin, 61, died when his gyroplane crashed in woods near the White Horse monument, at Kilburn, North Yorkshire, last December.
The RAF has been called to help rescue two people trapped on an island in the centre of the River Swale near Richmond. Fire crews were sent to the river near Marske, near Richmond, after reports that a man and woman were stranded following flash flooding
Drug addicts who desperately want to kick their habit have been given new hope. Health Editor Barry Nelson met a former user whose life has been turned around. THINGS couldn't get much worse for Keith Barnes. After drifting into hard drugs at university
THE Tooth Fairy has joined forces with North-East scientists to find out if children are being exposed to harmful pollution. Children in Newcastle are being asked to donate milk teeth for scientific analysis as part of a study into lead levels. Lead is
EDUCATION chiefs in the region believe the best is yet to come after a promising set of school test results was published yesterday. Across the North-East and North Yorkshire, 14-year-olds have improved in core subjects of English, maths and science at
A new service is up and running for those who need advice on consumer issues - as long as you live in the right place DO you want the good news or the bad news? The good news is that there is now a national consumer advice service, Consumer Direct, a
THE INCREDIBLE HULK: ULTIMATE DESTRUCTION Publisher: Vivendi Universal; Formats: PS2, XBox ; Price: £39.99; Family friendly? 12+ LONG before Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno made him a TV star, a creative genius called Stan Lee created The Incredible Hulk
TOURISM workers in rural County Durham have won awards for customer service. At the Tees Valley Smile Awards yesterday, Catherine Turnbull, the marketing supervisor at Raby Castle, near Staindrop, won the Leisure Employee of the Year Award. The awards
COUNCIL and health chiefs say a total smoking ban in pubs is needed to reduce County Durham's health problems. The Government wants to ban smoking in all public areas and workplaces, but pubs and clubs that do not serve food will be exempt. Durham County
A COURSE on farming and the countryside is being run by a college for people who leave the city behind for a rural idyll. Houghall College, on the outskirts of Durham, has designed the Larn Yerself Farming course for the growing number of people who take
A FAMILY has paid tribute to a teacher who died after living her life to the full. Pat Moss, who taught at High Tunstall School of Science, in Hartlepool, for 16 years, died aged 51. The former head of year collapsed last Friday and was taken to hospital
IN a groundbreaking move, North-East scientists will be allowed to create a human embryo that will have genetic material from two mothers. The work aims to prevent mothers from passing on certain genetic diseases, such as muscular dystrophy. An egg produced
CAMPAIGNERS fighting proposals for mining on farmland near their homes have welcomed a delay in a decision on the plans as a chance to mobilise more support. Gateshead Council was expected to have discussed plans for an 111-acre opencast site across the
ENVIRONMENTALLY aware students have been hard at work transforming a wildlife habitat. Members of Northallerton College's Environmental Action Group Agenda 21 team have been working flat-out at Bank Top Farm, Crosby, near Northallerton, where farmland
A FOUNTAIN built as part of a millennium project has been damaged four days after it was opened. Two underwater lights on the fountain, in the Applegarth, Northallerton, were vandalised on Tuesday night. The electricity has been switched off while the
