Archive

  • TESTED: Suzuki Swift Sport (Price, as tested £14,499)

    On the road: IF you want a hot hatch that fulfils all of the requirements demanded from the breed then you need look no further than the Swift Sport. It’s design might not be outlandish enough for some, bearing just a few modifications from its

  • Thrills and spills as elite cycling returns to Durham

    THOUSANDS of people lined the streets of Durham as elite cycle racing returned to the North-East.Cycling fans rubbed shoulders with amateur photographers and families enjoying the half-term holiday as the Pearl Izumi Tour Series visited the region for

  • Head-on collision in Hurworth

    A TWO-VEHICLE accident caused some traffic disruption in Hurworth this evening. The head-on collision happened on Roundhill Road in the village, near Darlington, at about 7pm. A spokesman for Darlington Police said both drivers were taken to

  • Durham suffer heavy defeat

    DURHAM'S bubble was burst when they suffered their first defeat in three NatWest T20 Blast games last night, when their batsmen were stymied by a sluggish pitch at Leicester.Their hectic schedule and the need to give Chris Rushworth a rest also caught

  • First birthday joy for baby Noah

    A PREMATURE baby whose heart was the size of a thumbnail when he underwent cardiac surgery has celebrated his first birthday.Noah Clarey needed a complex operation to save his life and was put in a sandwich bag to keep his tiny body warm after his mum

  • Learning from failings in care

    WE do not underestimate the challenges facing those involved in the care of mentally ill patients. As with all aspects of health care, successful treatments in mental health go largely unseen while failings are placed in the spotlight. Nevertheless

  • Firefighters extinguish scrap fire in Craghead, near Stanley

    FIREFIGHTERS have extinguished a large scrap fire in Craghead, near Stanley, this afternoon (Thursday, May 28).The County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service was alerted to the blaze at about 4pm.The service’s group manager Steve Wharton said

  • Thieves spill man's ashes in his mother's home

    HEARTLESS raiders stole charity cash raised in memory of a man who died four years ago – and spilled his ashes on his mother’s floor.John Causer was a supporter of the Prince's Trust and died in 2011 at the age of 22. His family set up the John Causer

  • Fun dog show

    CANNY canines and pampered pooches will be strutting their stuff at a fun dog show in a Darlington village on Sunday (May 31).The event kicks off at noon in the grounds of Sadberge village hall, off the A66 on the outskirts of Darlington, and features

  • RAF flies children into the world of imagination

    YOUNGSTERS are being taken on a magical trip into their imagination – courtesy of the Royal Air Force.Interactive stories, a hut that goes on for infinity and screens, themes and lighting that can meet everything a youngster’s heart desires are behind

  • East Durham College student is best beautician

    AN East Durham College student has been crowned as the best beautician in the region at a recent inter-college competition.Laura Dovaston, 20, of Hartlepool, who is studying fashion, theatre, media hair and make-up studies course at East Durham College

  • Teenagers educated in work-life lessons in Middlesbrough

    VOLUNTEERS are needed to share the insights and experiences which have shaped their careers to help secondary school pupils to prepare for work. The National Literacy Trust is launching its communication and employability project Words for Work as part

  • Drug dealer's money taken by the authorities

    A 27-YEAR-OLD drug dealer's seized money was officially handed over to the authorities at court today (Thursday, May 28).Steven McGladdery, of Moorbeck Way, Ormesby, Middlesbrough, was jailed for three years at Teesside Crown Court in January on four

  • Public's views wanted on car park plan for Bishop Auckland

    A CAR park could see a change in management and be extended to accommodate thousands of extra visitors expected to flock to Bishop Auckland in coming years.Durham County Council has started consultation on a proposal to expand the town’s North Bondgate

  • Masked burglars steal safe from Sedgefield country park cafe

    FOUR masked burglars forced their way into a cafe in a country park in the middle of the night and made off with a safe full of cash.The thieves caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage when they broke into the visitor centre cafe at Hardwick Park, near

  • Lee Rigby's family visit Stockton fundraiser held in his memory

    LEE Rigby’s family visited the region last week for an emotional fundraiser held in his memory.Several members of the late soldier’s family travelled to The Don Bar in Stockton for a tribute evening arranged by landlady Julie Cooper.Fusilier Rigby’s wife

  • Charity concert

    A TEN-YEAR-OLD cello player entertained crowds at a charity event recently.Joshua Connor played three pieces at Darlington Lions Club annual concert and warmed crowds up for French singer Flossie Malavialle.Young Joshua - who was accompanied by his father

  • New masters course in genetic medicine

    THE North-East is one of only nine centres in England selected to run a new masters degree in the futuristic discipline of genomic medicine.Newcastle University will run the new MSc genomics medicine programme with Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

  • Midwife-run unit at Friarage Hospital holds open day

    MIDWIVES and staff at a North Yorkshire maternity ward have opened their doors to the general public for the first time to showcase the services that are still available for women and babies.The Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, opened its doors today

  • Talented teens create striking wall art in Trimdon Grange

    A COMMUNITY centre now boasts an eye-catching mural thanks to a group of talented teenagers.Members of Trimdon Toppers youth club worked alongside graffiti artist Mark Shields to create the artwork on an outside wall of Trimdon Grange Community Centre.It

  • Care home staff to zip across the Tyne

    STAFF from a Darlington care home are taking on a zip wire charity challenge to raise funds for a cause close to their hearts.Four staff members from the Willow Green Care Home in Darlington will travel to Newcastle, where they'll zip across the River

  • Former Sunderland man Dean Whitehead told he is leaving Boro

    DEAN WHITEHEAD has been told he can find a new club after Aitor Karanka could not promise him first team football at Middlesbrough next season. Karanka, who has delayed making a decision on whether to turn Jelle Vossen’s loan move in to a permanent

  • Coup acts for Sedgefield music festival

    AN annual festival which has grown into one of the most popular folk music events in the region has announced a stella line-up for its tenth year. Organisers of the Sedgefield Folk Festival managed to pull off a coup by securing two of the hottest acts

  • Retired vicar jailed for assaulting young girl

    A RETIRED vicar is behind bars after being found guilty of indecently assaulting a young girl more than 40 years ago.Graham Gregory, a 79-year-old from Huntington, York, was jailed for three years on two counts of indecent assault on a girl under 13 years.However

  • Hartlepool mum backs GBS screening campaign

    A MOTHER whose baby son died when he was three days old has backed a campaign for routine screening of the infection which caused his death.Hayley Keane contracted Group B Streptococcus while pregnant and passed the infection on to her third child, Simon

  • Teen karate queen is Benidorm-bound

    A TEENAGE karate queen is to represent her country at a world championship.Abigail Coates, 14, clinched a place at the global Unified World Championships event, to be held in Benidorm in November, after winning a bronze at a qualifying event in South

  • Northern Chords Festival, Chapter House, Durham Cathedral

    THE NORTHERN Chords Festival has established itself as a firm fixture on the region’s musical calendar, with Whickham-born founder Jonathan Bloxham introducing audiences to performers from all over the world. Now in its seventh year, the festival

  • Rise in family incomes lags behind most of UK

    FAMILY incomes are on the rise in most of the region, official figures show - but at a slower pace than in most of the country.Household disposable income per head crept up by just 0.8 per cent in the North-East between 2012 and 2013, below the one per

  • Police speak to travellers after Barnard Castle incident

    POLICE have spoken to travellers in Barnard Castle after an incident at a youth and community venue on Tuesday (May 26). Sergeant Simon Rogers, of Barnard Castle Police, said: “A number of youths entered the Hub and caused some anti-social behaviour

  • Charity runners gather to launch Great North 10k

    RUNNERS and charity fundraisers gathered in Gateshead International Stadium today (Thursday, May 28) to launch the Morrisons Great North 10k. The North-East’s biggest 10k running event will take place on Sunday, July 5, with up to 5,000 runners crossing

  • Pop up shop to help Darlington businesses promote themselves

    TOWN centre businesses are being given the chance to showcase their wares in Darlington Town Hall with the launch of a weekly ‘pop up’ shop.Every Thursday businesses will be offered the opportunity to hold a pop up shop for free in the building’s reception

  • Three day DresserFest celebrating designer's work

    A PREVIOUSLY unseen book of ceramic designs will be revealed during a three day festival in Middlesbrough this summer, celebrating the life and work of Victorian designer Christopher Dresser.The revelation follows the Dorman Museum’s acquisition of a

  • My big day out at the palace

    I FAILED to fill this space last week because I was detained at Her Majesty’s Pleasure. Well, from the brief glimpse I got of the top of her blue hat as she nibbled on a cucumber and fresh mint sandwich in the Royal Tea Tent, I presume she was enjoying

  • Meet Zulu the zorse

    EUROPE’S only zorse, a cross between a stallion and a horse mare, is one of the star attractions at a Georgian fair.Beamish Museum, in County Durham is hosting the fair from today (Thursday, May 28) until Sunday (May 31).Miss Rebecca’s Extraordinary Educated

  • Applauding help from Echo reporter

    I WOULD like to applaud The Northern Echo and reporter Katie Richardson for help in my recent problems trying to get a home visit from the Citizens Advice Bureau due to my serious disabilities (Echo, May 25). At first, they flatly refused, suggesting

  • Up the Boro

    REFLECTING on Boro's season (Echo, May 26) while we are all disappointed that it is the Canaries singing all the way back to the Premiership, Boro met my expectations by reaching the play-offs. Wembley was a play-off bonus despite the defeat. However

  • Demolish Festival Walk

    I MADE a submission to the Durham County Council Ten Year Plan about Festival Walk shopping mall, in the centre of the main Spennymoor shopping area, and I was pleased to note that the re-generation of these flat roofed, outdated shops would be given

  • Merrybent speed limit

    MY congratulations to Darlington Borough Council for eventually granting the residential street of Merrybent, on the A67 to the west of Darlington, a 40mph speed limit in accordance with long-established Government guidelines rather than the 50mph

  • How can the council refuse Eleven Arches?

    I AM amazed at Durham County Council's proposal not to support Jonathan Ruffer's ambitious proposal to breathe new life into Bishop Auckland's dying town centre and to bring some culture to local inhabitants (Echo, May 23). It can only be because

  • You're simply the nest!

    The world's worst scarecrow has been identified in North America after it became home to a family of birds. The scarecrow has five thrushes nesting in his jacket. Owner Renee Delfs says she made the mistake of leaving the scarecrow out during the

  • Northern Powerhouse minister visits growing firm

    LOCAL Growth and Northern Powerhouse Minister James Wharton has visited an expanding Tees Valley IT company, to hear how the firm is providing an economic boost to the area.Visualsoft is set to move into a 30,000 sq ft building on Teesdale Business Park

  • What has happened to Darlington market?

    I NOTE again that on Bank Holiday Monday the Darlington Market Square was deserted. There were just a small number of pathetic stalls in Northgate selling trash. In my letter (HAS, Apr 5), I questioned whatever happened to Darlington’s prestigious

  • Cycle challenge to fight Parkinson's

    CYCLISTS are being invited to get on their bikes to help people suffering from Parkinson’s disease.A one-day event, Pedal for Parkinson’s, is to be staged at Ripley Castle, near Harrogate, on July 5 from 9am.Cyclists can choose from 20, 42 or 60-mile

  • Thousands of pounds up for grabs for community groups

    VOLUNTARY and community organisations in Hartlepool are being invited to apply for grants to help improve people’s information technology (IT) and computer skills within the local community.The Northgate Public Services Community Fund is providing £30,000

  • Warning over stolen drugs

    A WARNING has been issued after prescription drugs were stolen from a home in Middlesbrough.The drugs were taken on Wednesday, May 27 between 5.55pm and 6.10pm when someone entered an address on Rochdale Close.Cleveland Police are concerned that the medication

  • One of the finest cricket matches I've ever seen

    THE recent cricket Test match played at Lord's was, in my seven decades of loving and watching cricket, one of the finest matches I’ve ever seen. It demonstrated what a glorious sport cricket is, especially when the contest between bat and ball is

  • Man cleans up own drunken graffiti spree

    A MAN who plastered a village with graffiti while drunk handed himself in to police when he sobered up and realised what he had done.The graffiti appeared on buildings, bus stops, telephone boxes and road signs in Sacriston, near Chester-le-Street overnight

  • An evening of adventure at Darlington Civic Theatre

    MOUNTAINEER Simon Yates brings his extraordinary stories to a North-East theatre on Wednesday (June 3). Darlington Civic Theatre will play host to the explorer who will regale the audience with some incredible tales of adventure – including one particular

  • Woman taken to hospital after A1 crash

    FIRECREWS were called to rescue a woman trapped in a vehicle following a collision on the A1 near Darlington.A car and a lorry were involved in the crash at about 12.30pm today (Thursday, May 28) northbound between junction 58 at Burtree and junction

  • Councillor makes local history

    A TOWN councillor has made a little bit of local history – after being elected as mayor for the third time.John Forrest, 70, has been chosen as the mayor of Northallerton for the third consecutive time with Ken Archer as his deputy – also for the third

  • Search launched for young film-makers

    WOULD-BE Steven Spielbergs are to get the chance to take their first steps towards a Hollywood career.Youngsters from across Hambleton and Richmondshire are being invited to try their hand at film making this summer.Filmstars 2015 is a competition for

  • Swap shop

    SWAP Shop style events at which people can trade in unwanted items and pick up something new without spending a penny will be held at two schools.The New to You project was launched by housing provider livin and Success (North East) in Spennymoor last

  • 10k run raises four-figure sum

    WORKMATES have raised more than £1,000 for charity by completing a 10km run.Eleven staff from the Durham-based property and energy firm the Banks Group tackled the Druridge Bay 10k race in aid of Integrating Children, which aims to involve children and

  • Grass is Green-er at new estate

    A MUCH-needed £3.3m development of affordable housing has been unveiled in a small village.The Green, in Nettlesworth, near Chester-le-Street comprises eight two-bedroom bungalows and 16 two-bedroom homes.It is owned and managed by Cestria Community Housing

  • Heroes and fairytale characters visit a Darlington park

    FAMILIES in Darlington enjoyed a day out in the park with a difference as they mingled with superheroes and fairytale characters.The Mascot Adventure Trail, in South Park, was just one event in a wider scheme to encourage more people to make the most

  • School celebrates as Carmel football team lift town cup

    PUPILS at at Darlington school are celebrating sporting success after winning a major competition.Carmel College's Year Ten football team lifted the Darlington Schools' U15s Town Cup following a series of unfortunate events.The team took home the trophy

  • Hope for steel jobs under new Tata business plans

    A STEEL firm has unveiled plans to create a new business, raising hopes for the futures of hundreds of North-East workers. Tata Steel says it will make its Long Products (LP) division a standalone subsidiary in its European operations. The

  • Innocent but in the dog-house

    THE previous Dad At Large column, about how panic in the face of my wife’s questioning led to a lie, clearly struck a chord. A number of dads got in touch to sympathise after I confessed that I’d failed to tell the truth when I was asked by my

  • Christmas starts in June for expanding craft company

    CHRISTMAS begins next month for a North-East craft company that is creating new jobs to meet the festive rush. Lasercutouts designs and makes a wide range of precision shapes for crafters while its business to business work in areas like display and

  • No wonder Caspar's bursting with pride

    BAD news is never far away but one of the joys of this job is meeting inspiring people who are quietly doing great things for others. Caspar Clyde is a 10-year-old member of the 12th Darlington Scout Group and I first read about him in The Northern

  • Mike Ashley cheers shareholders

    MIKE Ashley's Sports Direct this morning cheered shareholders when it revealed profit before tax and earnings per share are both expected to come in above forecasts of roughly £290m and 36.7p per share. The firm's share price leapt around 5 per

  • Thursday's a good night for folk

    THURSDAY nights are rapidly becoming the highpoint of the week for local folk fans. Just look at the choice of live events we have across the region tonight. At Blaydon’s Tynefolk at The Black Bull, Benny Graham and Ed Pickford come together in an

  • Restaurant Review: Number Four Tea Shop, Sedgefield

    Peter Barron checks out the hype surrounding a teashop overlooking the village green at Sedgefield EVERY now and again, a name keeps cropping up in conversation and "Number Four Teashop" is a case in point. We'd heard good things about the

  • The Young one hits his stride

    Four years since his last album, Will Young tells Andy Welch why, at 36, he finally feels accepted himself WILL Young is late. Very late. As you might expect from the well-spoken singer, whose charm helped win over millions of TV viewers who voted

  • Magna Carta through Opera

    YOUNG people from across County Durham will join with local singers and professional musicians next month to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta with a new community opera, which will be performed in both Durham and Middlesbrough cathedrals

  • Cruise that's good for the soul

    Northern soul is ready for a two-night trip to Amsterdam AWARD-WINNING ferry operator, DFDS Seaways, together with UK music promoter Jumpin’ Hot Club has announced the launch of its second North Sea Sounds mini-cruise series on the popular Newcastle

  • History in the making

    Steve Pratt chats to Richard Hope, Kedar Williams-Sterling and Melody Brown about bringing back Alan Bennett's award-winning play LET’S face it, without Richard Hope – or rather, the character he plays – there wouldn’t be another chance for BBC

  • Tyne for Kloot

    I AM Kloot feel they will need to put in some rehearsal time for their forthcoming visit to the Mouth Of the Tyne Festival in July. The trio – Johnny Bramwell, bassist Pete Jobson and drummer Andy Hargreaves – have been accepting requests from fans

  • Film review: Danny Collins

    Certificate: 15 Running time: 106 mins Star rating: 3/5 A CAPTION at the beginning of writer-director Dan Fogelman's cliche-riddled yet uproarious comedy reveals there is a germ of fact buried beneath the tears and cloying sentiment.

  • Cindy adopts a change of heart

    IT'S a week of revelations for Sharon in EastEnders (BBC1) as she discovers that not only has Phil forged her signature on a contract handing the Albert over to Vincent, he's also tracked down her biological father. She's understandably nervous

  • Magna Carta Countdown: Days left until 800th anniversary show

    THERE are just days to go until Durham’s Magna Carta goes on public display for the first time in its 799-year history. Mark Tallentire meets the academic curator, Dr Christian Liddy “WE all have it within us to become rebels. The line between

  • Key man Rashid hailed for his role in Yorkshire draw

    JASON GILLESPIE hailed Adil Rashid for helping to get Yorkshire out of trouble with the bat against Somerset as they secured an LV= County Championship draw at Taunton yesterday. Rashid enhanced an excellent personal record in this particular fixture

  • Top-of-the-table Durham turn to T20

    AFTER moving to the top of the LV County Championship yesterday, Durham now turn their attentions to consolidating top spot in the northern group of the NatWest T20 Blast.It is rare for any county to do well in both, as tonight's hosts, Leicestershire

  • Football saved my life, says Second World War naval veteran

    A NAVAL veteran whose football skills saved his life during the Second World War has celebrated his 98th birthday. Henry Cockerill of Peterlee, County Durham, was taken off his ship to play in a football match and was so good that an officer insisted

  • Good Game for Tom Hughes

    The Game (BBC2, 9pm)WHEN this series aired in the US on BBC America in the winter, actor Tom Hughes was dubbed "the next Benedict Cumberbatch".After four episodes of this 1970s-set spy thriller, it is safe to say that the Rada-trained actor

  • Equestrian teenager rides for the gift of life

    A TEENAGER whose face was shattered in a car accident as a child has bounced back - and will be competing in one of the country’s biggest equestrian events next month. And she has extra reason to celebrate riding at the Equi-Trek Bramham International

  • UPDATED: Police talked man down from bridge in Gateshead

    POLICE successfully negotiated with a man on the edge of a bridge in the early hours of this morning (Thursday). Motorists were asked to avoid an area of Gateshead while police dealt with the incident. "At just after 11.35pm, on Wednesday,