A DOG that became stuck on a seawall ledge had to be rescued by coastguard crews. Shortly after 10.45am today (Thursday) the Blyth Coastguard Rescue Team was told that a 3ft Alaskan Malamute, called 'Kia', had become stuck on the ledge at Collywell
MUSICIANS from across the country are descending on a North-East town for its third annual jazz festival. Headline acts Mark Nightingale and The Al Wood Nine are joining some of the region’s most talented artists for the annual Darlington Jazz
TWO people were reported trapped after a car left the road and collided with trees on Hesleden Road, Hesleden, near Peterlee. The accident happened around 5.30pm this evening (Thursday). Three fire engines were sent to the scene.
IN the year that marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, it is fitting that the Government should make a commitment to restore the gravestones of heroic soldiers awarded the Victoria Cross - the highest military award for bravery
NOMINATIONS closed tonight (Thursday) for the European Parliament elections which will be held on May 22. The North-East region elects three MEPs, currently one Labour, one Conservative and one Lib Dem. Eight parties have each put forward three
THE man who could be in charge of the nation’s money should the Labour Party come to power visited the region today (Thursday 24th April) . Reporter Chris Webber met shadow chancellor Ed Balls at a Redcar supermarket. ED BALLS has been joking,
THE crumbling graves of First World War Victoria Cross heroes will be restored a century after their sacrifice, the Government pledged today (Thursday, April 24). Ministers unveiled a £100,000 fund to help ensure the resting places are a “truly
THE family of an eight-year-old girl who underwent a lifesaving liver transplant as a baby are planning a charity fun day. Eight-year-old Tegan Ross, of Darlington, was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a condition involving a build-up of bile which
THE North-East has some of the country's highest hospital admission rates for dog bites, according to a survey. Figures released by healthcare data source the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) showed dog bites were more of a problem
DOG owners are being urged to step out to help a charity for retired racing greyhounds. Beamish Hall Hotel, near Stanley, will be the venue for a dog walk in aid of Pelaw Grange Retired Greyhounds Trust on Sunday May 4. The trust, set up by
TWO men involved in the supply of a large amount of cocaine were warned to face substantial prison sentences. It follows the recovery of a haul of the class A drug, found on the back seat of a car stopped by police at the Red Lion pub, at Plawsworth
ARMY reservists will be marching through the streets of Darlington this weekend to exercise their freedom of the borough. The reservists, who can trace the history of their unit back to the First World War, will be celebrating the 37th anniversary
TWO former social workers who subjected vulnerable young boys to a campaign of sexual abuse were today (Thursday, April 24) given lengthy jail sentences. John Leslie Duncan and Kevin Brown were entrusted with the care of children with learning
A TEENAGER has raised more than £2,000 by staging a concert and other events to fund life-saving treatment for a friend battling a rare cancer. Chelsea Williams, a student at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, in Darlington, attracted young performers
ONE of the region’s busiest roads is to be widened to three lanes to ease congestion. Just under four miles of the A1 Western Bypass in Gateshead, a busy commuter route into Tyneside, will be widened, the Government announced today. As well
BUDDING young actors had the chance to win a role in a leading musical. The youngsters auditioned at Sunderland Empire Theatre today (Thursday, April 24) for the role of Little Jack in the Irving Berlin classic Annie Get Your Gun. The show
BUDDING archaeologists will get a taste for the work that goes into dig in the Yorkshire Dales. Children from Swaledale and Arkengarthdale will attend two events to give them an introduction to archaeology in the first field event of the lottery-backed
SEDGEFIELD Village Veterans are hosting a concert by Darlington Community Wind Band as part of a series of events to mark the centenary of the First World War. The concert takes place at Sedgefield Parish Hall in Sedgefield, County Durham, from 7pm
COFFEE MASTERCLASS: A workshop on how to make the perfect cup of coffee will take place in Easingwold on Thursday, May 1. The event will be hosted by a team of baristas from Coopers Coffee who will show people who to make the perfect cup of coffee
A COMMUNITY arts centre has received a £4,500 donation towards its summer carnival. Social housing provider Livin has donated the cash to Greenfield Arts in Newton Aycliffe, for the Cutting Loose Carnival, a celebration of live music, dance and
CHILDREN are risking death dodging motorists who ignore parking restrictions to drop youngsters off as close as possible to school. Drivers clog the narrow streets surrounding the Timothy Hackworth Primary School, Shildon, daily so that pupils
A MENTAL health coalition has claimed charities will almost inevitably have to fold following the demise of the Northern Rock Foundation. The Newcastle-based Foundation, the North-East’s biggest charity, is facing closure after talks with its sole
A HUNT has been launched for a convicted arsonist and vehicle thief who crashed a car into a city centre pedestrian crossing while trying to escape police. Daniel Pullman, 23, is wanted for recall to prison for failing to comply with the terms
SOME of the greats of Newcastle United converged on St James Park today to unveil a permanent memorial to the man who led the club to FA Cup and Fairs Cub - legendary Magpies captain and manager Joe Harvey. Harvey’s son, Ken, Fairs Cup winning
POLICE are appealing for the public’s help in searching for a dog believed to be stolen from outside her owner’s house. Officers believe the little Jack Russell, named Patch, may have been stolen from Great Busby, near Stokesley. They say a
FILTERS used to cast metal in the steel industry have been turned into a sculpture. Teesside’s industrial heritage is now a work of art after the new work by Elpida Hadzi-Vasileva was unveiled at Mima’s garden in Middlesbrough. The sculpture
THREE cyclists have pedalled between the football grounds of Aberdeen and Sunderland in memory of a cancer victim. Keith Purser, Steve Reynolds and Jim Duncan covered the 364 miles between Pittodrie and the Stadium of Light in four days, reaching
A 19-YEAR-OLD woman and a 26-year-old man have been arrested over an attack at a railway station which left two men with serious facial injuries. British Transport Police said the men, aged 23 and 32, had been outside the Duke of York pub at York
A church service is held on Friday mornings at the Brockwell Centre, Pelton Fell, near Chester-le-Street, between 10 and 11.30am. For details call 0191-389 3399. Fellowship gathers: Ouston Christian Fellowship meets at the village’s community centre
RECORD numbers turned out for an annual relay race at a North-East country park last night (Wednesday, April 23). Hundreds of runners from across the region took part in the Neptune Relays at Hardwick Park near Sedgefield, County Durham, with 120
FIREFIGHTERS will stage a series of fresh strikes over the May Bank Holiday weekend in their long-running dispute with the Government over pensions amid claims that the coalition is burying its head in the sand. Members of the Fire Brigades Union
A DALES restaurant has donated £1,000 to the Injured Jockey Fund after a special lunch. The Wensleydale Heifer, an AA five star restaurant with rooms in West Witton, hosted the charity lunch for local people from the racing world on Cheltenham
YOUNGSTERS inspired to make a film tracking the Tour de France Grand Depart through Yorkshire have won a competition which could see their film shown on big screens following the race this summer. Pupils at Ainderby Steeple Primary School, near
STAFF at the Yorkshire Building Society branch in Ripon have marked its first anniversary with an Alice in Wonderland themed party, dressing as characters from Lewis Carroll’s most famous work in honour of the time the author spent in the city. It
FORMER athlete Steve Cram met North-East college students today (Thursday, April 24). The Jarrow Arrow, who won silver in the 1,500m at the 1984 Olympics and gold in the world and European championships and Commonwealth Games, visited East Durham
CROOKS have stolen thousands of pounds by tricking bank customers into revealing their PIN. The thieves steal their victims’ purses, often from workplaces, then call them, claiming to represent their bank and telling them they have been a victim
TWO long-serving volunteers who have helped dozens of people improve their fitness have been rewarded for their efforts. John Lindley and Molly Faux have led weekly health walks from the Pioneering Care Centre in Newton Aycliffe for a decade.
STUDENTS paid homage to one of the world’s greatest writers by raising the curtain to a classic comedy to mark the 450th birthday of William Shakespeare. Northallerton College students took to the stage last night (April 23) to perform A Midsummer
RESIDENTS in Chester-le-Street will be able to find out about emergencies such as flooding at a special event. The town centre and outlying areas including Waldridge have a history of flooding and some villages on higher ground can endure heavy
A COUNTRY-living dog lover could provide the ideal home for a German Shepherd who is now eager to catch balls instead of criminals after retiring from Cleveland Police. The force is striving to find a new owner for eight-year-old Jet who has a
DRINKERS are invited to join a zombie pub crawl for charity this weekend (Sunday, April 27). The Half a’ween Zombie Crawl, so called because it is being held half a year away from Halloween, will begin at The Angel, on Crossgate, Durham City, at
ONE of the region's most senior plastic surgeons has warned of the dangers of animal bite injuries, describing a case he worked on in which a rat bit off part of a baby's eyelid. Richard Milner is a consultant plastic surgeon at the Royal Victoria
A PLEA to support the arts in Darlington has been issued as another creative hub gets set to close its doors for good. The owner of the town’s Cafe Create today begged Darlington residents not to give up supporting the arts as she prepared for
A CATHEDRAL steward has created a set of glass bowls to support its £10m fundraising campaign. David Mekins made the bowls by hand using Float glass in the garage of his Sedgefield home and they will be sold in aid of Durham Cathedral's Open Treasure
COUNCILLORS were given an update on a multi-million pound revamp of Newton Aycliffe town centre this week. Over the last five years, Freshwater, the company that owns the town centre, has transformed the tired shopping area into a modern and open
A MAN has appeared in court charged with robbery following a raid on a bank earlier this week. Jordan Daniel Heslin appeared before Consett Magistrates’ Court this morning, charged with the robbery at the branch of Lloyds in Stanley, County Durham
SIX new faces have joined North-East accountancy firm Tait Walker. The new recruits will work across a number of different divisions of the business, which now employs 143 staff across its offices in Newcastle, Northumberland and Tees Valley.
A UNIVERSITY adventurer who managed to send a camera to the edge of space is helping amateur explorers follow in his footsteps. Alex Baker, 29, of Teesdale, joined with fellow University of Sheffield student Chris Rose, 28, three years ago to launch
YORKSHIRE'S roads could be "dangerous" for Tour de France riders, one of the world's best sprinters has warned. German rider Marcel Kittel gave his verdict on the route following a four-day reconnaissance of the Grand Depart route with five of
A WARTIME aircraft is to be towed into the centre of York to mark the devastating bombing of the city - and the lone French pilot who averted an even bigger disaster. On Monday, April 28, a Hawker Hurricane aircraft will be transported to St Sampson
A STRIKING new portrait of the Archbishop of Canterbury has taken pride of place alongside his illustrious predecessors at a North-East castle. Justin Welby lived close to Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland while he was Bishop of Durham - he was
A BHANGRA star and an Asian R’n’B singer-songwriter have been signed up to perform at an annual multi-cultural festival. One of the largest events of its kind in the North-East, the Middlesbrough Mela on June 7 and 8 attracts thousands of visitors
THERE has been a huge increase in the number of people seeking help for debt problems, new statistics show. A total of 763 people went to Stockton District Advice and Information service (SDAIS) seeking help with new debts in the last quarter of
A POTHOLER has told of the terrifying moment he stuck in one of the UK’s most treacherous caves as water flooded in. Video footage of Saltburn man, Bob Johnson’s ordeal has become a YouTube hit with more than 200,000 hits. WARNING: This video
STAFF and residents at a care home have taken tea for charity. Hallgarth care home, on Hallgarth Street, Durham City, held a coffee morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. The effort contributed to £728.40 raised across all Four Seasons
Adult acting classes for people with some stage experience are being held every Monday during term time from 7pm to 9pm at Middlesbrough Town Hall costing £3 per session. Subjects covered will include physicality, vocalisation and visualisation when
On Friday 16th May, friends in the North East will be swapping a night out on the town for a Night In with their favourite people – all in the name of Macmillan Cancer Support. Night In is great fun and so simple. Whether it’s a girly night
RESIDENTS are being urged to ensure that they use the right recycling bin when they place items out for collection. Durham County Council’s six-month Bin it Right campaign aims to stop recyclable items from being made useless by contamination.
TO many it may seem that this is Jennifer Nettles’ first solo recording. However, it is only another chapter in her recording career. Apart from the award-winning Sugarland due with Kristian Bush, she also fronted her own Jennifer Nettles Band
A CASH-STRAPPED council has dug deep to support its local credit union with a £50,000 grant. Darlington Borough Council’s leader Bill Dixon announced the grant yesterday, saying it would play a part in steering the town’s residents away from payday
TEACHING assistants are being offered the best start to their careers with a new course that gives them a taste of life in the classroom. Carmel College Teaching School, in Darlington, has become an accredited trainer and is now offering the level
FATHER and son George Costigan and Niall Costigan are recalling the first time they worked together. That was in the British film Bob, Sue And Rita Too, getting on for 30 years ago. Niall wouldn’t actually call it work as he was six or seven
With Brazil preparing for the World Cup, Viktoria Mullova turns her talents to the music and spirit of Rio. Working with musicians from Rio and London, she has selected 13 evocative songs from some of the Brazil’s greatest composers. A timely album
This is a unique programme of works by father and daughter, featuring Polish composer Sir Andrzej Panufnik and Roxanna. Mezzosoprano Heather Shipp and the Subito Piano Trio explored the parellels between their two musical languages. Programmed by Roxanna
Violinist James Ehnes with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra gives a dazzling performance of Kachutaurian’s 1940 Violin Concerto – composed for and dedicated to David Oistrakh. The album is rounded off with Ehnes’ eponymous quartet performing Shostakovich
PLAYING the Songman in the National Theatre’s award-winning production of War Horse is a very different beast for Durham folk singer Bob Fox. Or as he puts it, “I have to do the same thing every night. When I do solo things, I do what I choose, so
This is my favourite album of the week with stunning performances from young musicians Billy Buss on trumpet, Godwin Louis alto and pianist Julian Shore. They’re driven and directed by leader, composer and bass player Feinberg and drummer Terreon Gulley
A very impressive US debut here for the Russian tenor saxophonist, now resident in Brooklyn, New York. Clearly influenced by Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh in sound and style, Lena adds a modern resonance. Another closely attentive support group comprises
It’s always good to hear a vibraphone swinging hard and that’s what you get from Tyler Blanton’s newest CD (as well as the electronic Malletkat). Great support too from Donny McCaslin on tenor, Matt Clohesy bass and Nate Wood drums on an edgy and more
THIS third and final audience with a distinguished actor, in aid of the theatre’s triple anniversary fund-raising appeal, followed Geraldine McEwan and Edward Fox sharing their experiences and anecdotes with Richard Digby Day, the world-renowned stage
STUDENTS used a musical presentation to brief an MEP on their research into homelessness, which they have just shared with young people from six nations. Four students from Carmel College, Darlington, have returned from Germany as part of the Comenius
NORTH-East police are seeking to stop young Muslims going to fight in Syria. Durham Police is supporting a national effort which is targeting women who may have loved ones considering joining the civil war. Deputy Chief Constable Michael Banks
On a birthday break in Wensleydale, Peter Barron comes across a gem of a place that’s a little bit different WHEN it comes to eating out in Wensleydale, it’s a case of being spoilt for choice. There are almost as many restaurants as there are racehorses
BADAPPLE Theatre’s brand new production The Thankful Village shows clearly what this Yorkshire-based company has learned, after spending a fruitful decade honing their skills in presenting original and inspirational theatre in a small-scale. The
TV funnyman Patrick Monahan is looking forward to coming home to Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt, on Saturday, May 17, as part of a 43-date national tour. The live-wire Teessider was the TV studio warm-up man of choice for show hosts such as Jonathan
Northallerton’s annual May Fair will run in the town from May 1 until May 5. The High Street will be filled with rides and entertainment. Parking, together with bus and taxi collection points will change from Wednesday, April 30 at 6pm until Tuesday
A NORTH-East aviation firm has provided a key ingredient to a new Channel 4 show in the hope of raising thousands for charity. Sycamore Aviation, based at Durham Tees Valley Airport, supplied an A320 aeroplane for use in Kevin McCloud’s Supersize
LED ZEPPELIN: Black Dog will pay tribute to classic rock band Led Zeppelin when they play at The Forum in Darlington on Friday May 2. Tickets are £7 in advance or £8 at the door. Doors open at 7.30pm. FILM CLUB: Darlington Film Club will show The
HOLLYWOOD might be a dazzling destination, but for rising star Mia Wasikowska, there’s only one place that she can truly call home – Australia. The 24-yearold, who’s known for her roles in Alice In Wonderland, Jane Eyre and more recently The Double
REVENGE is a dish best served ice-cold and in generous portions in Nick Cassavetes’s romantic comedy of spiteful sisterly solidarity. For the first hour, it’s a tasty dish laced with tart oneliners by screenwriter Melissa Stack, who deftly sketches
MAN’S unhealthy relationship with technology takes a sinister turn in Wally Pfister’s ham-fisted sci-fi thriller, which imagines the consequences of an artificial intelligence running amok in the digital realm. The high-brow concept of Jack Paglen
IN 1977, Robyn Davidson (Mia Wasikowska) abandons the security of city life and heads to Alice Springs, her intended starting point for an epic solo trek across 1,700 miles of treacherous and unforgiving Australian outback. The route will take
ON July 13, approximately 1,700 nautical miles from the Sumatra Straits, an unnamed sailor (Robert Redford) prepares to surrender his soul to the sea. We glide back eight days to find the same sailor midway through a voyage across the Indian Ocean
RVING Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) is a brilliant con man, trapped in a loveless marriage to a harridan wife, Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence). So the hustler throws himself into his work, recruiting an inexperienced sidekick Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams
CHAUVINISTIC television newsman Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) falls on hard times until producer Freddy Schap (Dylan Baker) invites him to join the ranks of New York City’s first 24-hour station, Global News Network (GNN). The rejuvenated big man
IN 1942 Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela (Idris Elba) is an idealistic lawyer, whose eyes are gradually opening to the harsh reality of his country’s unfair justice system. In 1958, as Mandela and his ANC brothers stand trial for treason – he meets, courts
FOLLOWING the release of her critically- acclaimed chart-topping sophomore album and sell-out appearances in March, Katy B is now preparing for a UK tour in October, which finishes at Newcastle’s O2 Academy. This year, Katy B has released the singles
A FAR cry from the more abrasive sounds of their earlier singles, this first full-length effort from New York-based duo, Ben Pollock and Leyla ‘Lo’ Safai, sees them flit from electro-pop to dance-punk with just a touch of hardcore menace thrown in
WELSH singer-songwriter Sion Russell Jones has already received airplay on BBC Radio 1 and 2 and is being hailed in many quarters as the next big thing, even by Ed Sheeran if you believe the hype. Lost No More, Jones’ second album, is certainly
IT is 20 years since Britpop and the release of Blur’s seminal album Parklife, and only now, after so many releases by a myriad of side projects, has Blur frontman Damon Albarn released his debut solo album. Despite his knowledge of so many musical
TECHNICAL proficiency is always a guarantee from Rodrigo y Gabriela, as the Mexican Latin music twosome – Gabriela Quintero and Rodrigo Sanchez – have built a solid following through their impossibly fast, melodic and precise acoustic guitar playing
Viv Hardwick discovers why Paul Chowdhry thinks it’s a PC World after all IF ANYONE can live in a PC world, then it’s award-winning stand-up Paul Chowdhry. His initials, and love of controversy, have combined to bring about his latest PC World
WITH her debut album, Australian rapper Iggy Azalea proves she’s able to hold her own alongside male counterparts. The 23-year-old, known for not mincing her words, already has the backing of US hip-hop star TI and her ex, A AP Rocky. Following
ONCE upon a time, there’d be scores of adverts for band members in newspapers, magazines, newsagents’ windows or music weeklies. Now, it’s more likely a website like Gumtree will find the Lennon seeking McCartney. For Neil Finn, finding a band to play
MONSTER trucks, motorcycles and general mayhem is heading to the Darlington Arena next month. The Extreme Stunt Show Live Arena tour will stop off in the town on May 21, bringing with it a host of stunt motorcyclists and BMX riders, plus two car-crushing
A FORMER Darlington resident has had her work in the oil industry recognised by having a ship named after her. The oil tanker, Silver Ginny, which can carry up to 50,000 tonnes, has been named after former Darlington resident, Ginny McCloy.
FIRE safety is just one of the topics to be covered at a cancer support group meeting in Newton Aycliffe next week. Great Aycliffe Cancer Support Group will hold its next meeting at Neville Parade Methodist Church from 6pm to 7.30pm on Thursday
STAB wounds were suffered by two men in a late night attack in the Grangetown area of Middlesbrough. Cleveland Police officers were called to a disturbance in Eglington Road at 11.50pm last night (Wednesday) following reports that a 19-year-old
VISITORS to a railway museum will be able to see a 3D scan of a new model engine which is to go on sale in a Shildon museum. Rapido is teaming up with Locomotionmodels.com to create the model which is to be based on an as yet unknown engine in
IT’S another tough week for the Beales in EastEnders (BBC1), as the police inform Ian that Lucy’s mugging was staged and his daughter was most probably murdered by someone she knew. The cops also reveal that Lucy was having an affair with a mystery
DEVELOPING shale gas in the UK could draw in £33bn of investment and create tens of thousands of jobs, a report for the industry has claimed. The study estimates that drilling up to 4,000 wells for shale gas, which is exploited by controversial
Lau-Land’s musical world will showcase their own music as well as The Unthanks with Martin Hays and Dennis Cahill and The Voice Squad, the Sonic Thinking Seminar with Fred Frith and Adrian Utley. Workshops, concerts and a Concourse installation
CAR production is accelerating ahead, driven by demand from Europe, according to the latest figures. A total of 142,158 cars were manufactured in the UK in March - a 12 per cent rise on the March 2013 figure, the Society of Motor Manufacturers
LIFELINE COMMUNITY Action, a charity that provides everyday essentials to families and individuals in crisis in Newton Aycliffe, is asking for donations of DVDs, CDs and Blu-Rays to sell. For every £1 raised, the charity will be able to claim £10-worth
WHY do some professional footballers try to get their opponents sent off? I know it’s to their advantage, but it’s not good sportsmanship. For instance, last weekend Chelsea player John Terry ran 50 yards to tell referee Phil Dowd to brandish a
I HAVE spoken to many people about the Channel Five show Gypsies on Benefits and Proud. Most of them said they were so angry they turned it off. However, the only good thing to come out of this programme was it could mean many more votes from
IT is perfectly true what Bill Craggs (HAS Apr 14) says: “If you have hurt someone, including if you have done so unintentionally, you need to apologise as a matter of urgency – both to God and to the one you have hurt.” You also need to do your
SHOULD everyone pay the same council tax no matter where they live? After all, we all get the same services. Maybe a system based on the number of adults in dwellings would be fairer? N Tate, Harrowgate Village, near Darlington
A MOST unfair situation exists for those Scottish people who are domiciled in England. Should they wish to attend university here, they will be obliged to pay £9,000 a year in tuition fees which, alarmingly, stand a sad prospect of rising higher
ATTACK against defence: it’s going to be one of the most ferocious battles in years and it all kicks off this summer. No, it’s not the Three Lions competing in the World Cup, it’s the Three Stooges David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg preparing
SOMETIMES, I feel like screaming at the media headlines when I see what is considered important and what isn’t. No election is simply about tactless jokes by party members nor malicious gossip. Having a good leader does matter but an election
I FIND David Cameron’s attempt to claim religious credibility for his neo-liberal agenda distasteful. Clergy of all faiths have denounced the deliberate destitution of the poor by arbitrary withdrawal of benefits at the whim of harassed Department
WHEN the 2015 General Election results came in, Ed Miliband hugged his wife Justine with a grin. He was heading to Downing Street – or so he thought. Okay, the voters’ verdict was not the one the Labour leader really wanted – a Commons majority
THE UK’s trade with the rest of the world is significantly out of balance, and a big part of the reason for this is that we have simply stopped manufacturing the goods that British consumers want to buy. In February, the deficit of trade in goods
A CRIME novelist will be delivering masterclasses as part of a major arts festival. Writer John Dean will present two workshops during the upcoming Darlington Arts Festival. The creator of the John Blizzard and Jack Harris crime novels will
THE biggest talking point of the week in the pubs and offices of Britain has been the dismissal of David Moyes as the manager of Premier League champions Manchester United. One of the world’s biggest sporting brands made a mistake which has cost
CAFE Create is celebrating the 100th anniversary of a seminal socialist text and hosting an exhibition on political satire. The café, on Parkgate, will host The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists: 100 Years On, on May 1 to examine what message the
AFTER being obliged to bat at No 8 following a neck spasm in the first innings, Nick Compton again proved a pain in the neck for Durham yesterday. After failing to take the final wicket at Northampton last week, the champions again had to settle
YORKSHIRE captain Andrew Gale is considering leaving himself out of Sunday’s LV County Championship match against Middlesex at Lord’s with England batsman Joe Root set to return to the side. Gale revealed the news after yesterday’s innings and
ROSS DONEGHAN is urging his Darlington Mowden Park team-mates to write their names in the history books in their title-deciding clash with Macclesfield on Saturday. Mowden host Macclesfield in their final SSE National League Two North clash of
NEW England coach Peter Moores signed off his final game in charge of Lancashire with a draw in contentious circumstances at home to Warwickshire in the LV County Championship. Moores, who in five years at Old Trafford guided the club to their
DESPITE his side having to settle for draws in the opening two matches of their defence of the LV County Championship title, Durham skipper Paul Collingwood revealed yesterday that he might not retire this season after all. He will be 38 next month
Final score: Real Madrid 1 Bayern Munich 0 BAYERN MUNICH coach Pep Guardiola insisted he was proud of his team even though they lost the first leg of their Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid. The European champions had 72 percent
MANCHESTER UNITED winger Adnan Januzaj has chosen to play international football for Belgium, according to coach Marc Wilmots. The 19-year-old, born in Brussels, is also able to play for Albania, Kosovo, Serbia and Turkey, while he was strongly
A COLLEGE is celebrating after being named the second best in England. New College Durham finished second, and top for the North-East, in the National Success Rate Tables, released last week by the Skills Funding Agency. Principal and chief
LIVERPOOL have unveiled their plans for the redevelopment of Anfield which would take capacity close to 60,000 in the next few years. Managing director Ian Ayre described the proposals to add 8,500 to a revamped Main Stand and about 4,800 to the
MY wife is a straight-talking kind of woman. She calls a spade a spade. But sometimes, she’s a bit too cutting... I’ve spent the weekend cutting down a tree which had half blown over in last month’s gales. I started on Saturday afternoon, full
FROM several parts of Europe, and from every corner of this Catherine wheel kingdom, members of the traduced tribe of Ground Hoppers (monopod vulgaris) descended upon the North-East over Easter for the Ebac Northern League’s 125th anniversary reunion
PRESENTER Nicky Campbell is the perfect choice for this new four-part series about the life-changing process of adoption – because he was adopted himself as a baby. For the purpose of this, at times, emotional programme, cameras have followed parents
DIGBY JONES is worth his weight in gold – at least he is to the owners of the struggling firms featured so far in this series. However, all miracle-workers need their rest, and tonight, Digby approaches his final task, which brings him north to
ONE hundred years, almost to the day after Shaw’s fascinating piece sashayed onto the stage it still has the power to intrigue, to amuse and to shock. It isn’t the love story we might want it to be, unless you count the gooeyiness over Phonetics
MANY of us have a lot of time for Kevin McCloud, not least because while he may be an ubersuccessful TV presenter and designer, he’s also an eco warrior who quite rightly squirms at the thought of all the valuable waste that is thrown away every day
THE Reduced Height Theatre Company is the fulfilment of Warwick Davis’ dream; talented actors of reduced height, featuring in mainstream thrillers and comedies. He jokes that, by forming his own theatre company, he could cast himself in whatever production
I HAD a conversation with a friend the other day which summed up the challenge facing town centres. She happily told me how she'd gone into a bathroom shop in Darlington and had some computerised designs produced for a new shower room. She'd then
After a highly impressive first season with Darlington, Chris Hunter has displayed the potential to play higher up the football ladder. That's the verdict of manager Martin Gray, who brought Hunter to the club from Shildon a year ago since when
WEST HAM and Aston Villa are monitoring Phil Bardsley’s situation at Sunderland after head coach Gus Poyet admitted the defender would be leaving the Stadium of Light at the end of the season. Poyet revealed talks over extending Bardsley’s stay
THIRTY-SIX students battled through atrocious golfing conditions to contest the 43rd Durham County Schools’ Championships this week – with a number of promising talents sealing a place in national competitions. Former English Schools’ Under-18
FLOOD defences at Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station have been improved to protect the site from extreme weather. EDF said the improvements to a flood barrier at the plant were “arguably unnecessary”, although it said the scheme would increase resilience
UGLY tarmac making an ‘abomination’ of a £5.5m market place is purely a temporary measure aimed at avoiding disruption to city centre trade, project bosses have insisted. A two-foot wide trail of black and red tarmac currently leads from outside
MANUFACTURERS are at their most optimistic for more than 40 years, a study has said. The CBI quarterly industrial trends survey says firms have been buoyed by strong orders. It said growth in total order books and domestic orders was at a 19
WORKERS at a petrochemicals plant could strike over pension changes. Staff at Sabic UK, which employs about 600 people on Teesside, will today (Thursday, April 24) start balloting over industrial action. Workers say they are unhappy at proposed
NEWCASTLE UNITED are focusing attentions on Portugal this summer after a run of form which has exposed a lack of depth in the squad many feared would prove costly at the start of the season. While the pressure on manager Alan Pardew’s shoulders
A £600M energy project creating hundreds of North-East jobs has secured crucial Government support. The Tees Renewable Energy Plant, capable of providing electricity for 600,000 homes, has been backed by a flagship Government energy reform programme
AITOR KARANKA has been told not to blame himself for Middlesbrough's inability to rise to the occasion this week, with Dimi Konstantopoulos claiming the Spanish boss is ideal to lead the club to more exciting times next season. Karanka was quick
DARLINGTON'S one-armed golfing sensation Darren Grey is heading on safari next month after landing an England call-up. Grey has been selected as part of a three-man team alongside captain Andy Gardiner and Paul Tookey which will be competing in
A FOOD company is creating more than 300 jobs in a £30m expansion. Quorn Foods is extending its factory in Billingham, near Stockton, to increase production by 50 per cent. The firm is building a third fermenter at the plant, which employs
Common bacteria found in soil and water ''talk'' to each other using a language in some ways as sophisticated as our own, say North-East scientists. The bugs display a level of ''combinatorial'' communication previously thought to be unique to
Families' spending power is growing almost twice as fast in the North-East as in London as the economy recovers, a report has found. Across the UK, households had around £7 a week more in discretionary income in March than they did a year ago to
MORE than 30,000 people are expected to visit the Bishop Auckland Food Festival this weekend. Organisers are busy putting the finishing touches to the annual event, which will take place on Saturday (April26) and Sunday (April 27). Live cookery
KEEN gardeners will have the chance to see fabulous flowers and a mature orchard this weekend. David and Julia Raw will welcome visitors to The Old Vicarage, at Hutton Magna, near Barnard Castle, on Sunday afternoon (April 27) as part of the National
A TEENAGER rang police and threatened to destroy a public phone while drunk days after being given a court order to tackle his alcohol problems. Jonathon Stanley Armstrong was given a community order with supervision and an alcohol treatment requirement
A NORTH East prison recorded its highest ever number of inmate deaths last year according to the Government. Nine prisoners died at Holme House Prison in Stockton last year compared to four in 2012, according to figures released by the Ministry
A 200-metre cordon was put in place to keep people away from a garage which caught fire in a County Durham village. The blaze, in the Green Acres area of Middleton-in-Teesdale, was reported at 12.23pm today (Thursday). When officers from the
A TRIO of events has been organised to help outdoor enthusiasts get up close and personal with the Moor House Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve. On Monday, May 12, guide Peter Lowes will lead a three-mile bird walk around Widdybank pastures
TEA DANCE: An afternoon tea dance will be held at Cowshill Village Hall on Saturday, April 26, from 2.15pm to 4.15pm. Entry will cost £2, all are welcome.
A SUMMER of walks will launch this weekend with a ramble around one of County Durham’s hidden gems. The North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Partnership has planned a programme of outdoor activities starting with volunteer Iain
ON STAGE: An open mic night is taking place at Butterknowle Village Hall on Sunday, April 27. Admission is free and a bar and refreshments are available. Cal 01388-710855 for further details. MAY FESTIVAL: The Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham
CREDITS SESSION: Families with children under five are invited to the Willington One Point Children’s Centre on Chapel Street tomorrow(April 25) to find out how the changes to universal credits could affect them. The session will be held between 9.30am
