A CRIMINAL with, “an absolutely terrible record for dishonesty”, was jailed for 16 months after being found with electrical goods taken in a house burglary.The property was among a haul taken by intruders from an address in Wesley Terrace, Chester-le-Street
NO one seriously expected Sepp Blatter to be ousted as president of Fifa, and so it proved. But that is not an endorsement of the man who has led football's world governing body for the past 16 years. Instead, it is an indictment of Fifa's reputation
A WOMAN spoke of her relief after being cleared of attacking her terminally-ill father’s partner in a clash as his home was being cleared.Susan Roche denied inflicting grievous bodily harm on Angela Marcantonio, in the incident dating from June 1, 2013
PARENTS and carers are being urged to pop along to one of the Durham County Council car seat clinics to find out if their child’s car seat is fitted correctly.The clinics have been organised to support Child Safety Week, organised by the Child Accident
AN exhibition at the Captain Cook Memorial Museum in Whitby will give an insight into the lives of Polynesians.Fashion and Fibres: Island Dress in Polynesia, will be on show until November 1, and will detail how local materials such as bark, leaves and
CARVINGS from the wood of a rare apple tree have been made to commemorate the redevelopment of one of Barnard Castle's best-known buildings.Craftsmen Ross Elliot, from Barnard Castle, and Cliff Brown, from Bowes, were asked to create two pieces for The
I AM not surprised to read about the corruption charges brought against members of the Fifa executive when I look at those charged. Each one of them come from countries of the South American continent where bribery and corruption is a way of life
FOOTBALL legend Jackie Milburn and actress Jill Halfpenny will be added to Tyneside’s walk of fame this week (Monday, June 1).The pair were chosen by the public to be added to the “NewcastleGateshead” Local Heroes Walk of Fame, on the Newcastle Quayside.Jackie
POLICE are looking for a man who caused a toddler to fall after he spun a children’s roundabout ride too fast.A police spokesman said a two-year-old girl was on a roundabout ride at Mowbray Park, in Sunderland, when an unknown man approached the roundabout
I WRITE in connection with the County Council’s Durham Plan, the independent inspector’s interim report, and the council’s attempt to sidestep or justify its stance opposing the inspector’s comments and recommendations. We now can read the Inspector
FURIOUS residents have told a drugs charity to stay away from their community after coming face to face with its bosses for the first time.A meeting between Changing Lives – the York-based organisation proposing to convert The Melbourne pub into a dry
A TEAM of cyclists retraced St Cuthbert’s final journey to raise money for charity.A 12-strong group from Emmanuel Church Cycling Club in Durham City pedalled the 120 miles from Holy Island to Durham Cathedral, re-enacting the journey of monks carrying
A HAMMER-WIELDING hooded man robbed cigarettes and money from an ice van yesterday.THUR,MAY28The armed robbery happened at about 2.30pm on Kirkland Walk, Park End, Middlesbrough when a teenage man with a scarf wrapped around his face entered the van through
POLICE stopped a car containing two stolen vacuum cleaners near York on Thursday.North Yorkshire Police were on patrol at about 6pm when they were informed about thefts of Dyson equipment from Sainsbury's stores in Whitby and Scarborough that afternoon
A CHURCH will host four fun days around Durham next weekend (Saturday, June 6).King’s Church Durham will stage the events as part of its annual June Project outreach week.The church has sent out a team of volunteers to clear gardens, pick up litter, sing
ROWERS are to cycle the length of the country in memory of a popular coach who died tragically.Bill Grant was coaching Durham Amateur Rowing Club (DARC) members on the River Wear in Durham City from his bicycle on the riverbanks when he suffered a suspected
A MAN who drank 26 cans of cider and then battered a woman unconscious after she rejected his sexual advances has been jailed. Scott Weedall posted a message to Facebook in which he said he was going to end his own life, leading the victim – a
RETIRED and other former policemen and women are invited to join serving officers and their families for a force’s special anniversary celebration.Durham Police is holding the big mid-summer bash to commemorate it reaching 175 years since its formation.It
HUNDREDS of North-East steelworkers have voted to strike over pensions, sparking fears the industry will be hit by its largest national dispute in more than 30 years.Staff at Tata Steel are poised to walk-out over proposed changes to the British Steel
A MOTHER and daughter who took an overdose of dog steroids before starting a blaze in their own home were today (Friday, May 29) given lengthy jail sentences after being branded a significant risk to others. Margaret Carroll, 60, and Katrina Rosemary
POLICE are seeking “mindless vandals” who scrawled their names and drew a smiley face on a Georgian folly.Rangers at Hardwick Park in Sedgefield discovered the damage to the Temple of Minerva last Saturday morning (May 23).Police believe a group of youths
POLICE have issued a stark warning to holidaymakers not to 'advertise' online to burglars that their home is empty.Cleveland Police have launched the public awareness campaign after an online survey found that 58 per cent of people who were questioned
AN ALLEGED cashpoint scammer is set to face trial in August.Vasile Simion, of Ilford, Essex, required a translator when he appeared in the dock at Teesside Crown Court on charges of conspiracy to commit theft.Prosecutor David Crook said the 26-year-old
A TOWN council hopes to keep the lights switched on along a busy road after unitary authority counterparts decided to remove them.Durham County Council plans to remove street lights on stretches of the A167 from Newton Aycliffe to the Cock 'o' the North
THREE Darlington councillors are aiming to freshen up the tired ward surgery format by holding it in a music venue.Cyndi Hughes and Malcolm Wright, Labour councillors for Park East on Darlington Borough Council, will hold a surgery in the Forum Music
DUNCAN WATMORE will be pushing for a first-team role at Sunderland next season after he was crowned the Barclays Under-21 Player of the Season for the current campaign. Watmore claimed the award after scoring an impressive 11 goals in 18 games
A NORTH-EAST pub has turned the clock back on its prices to celebrate its second anniversary. The Half Moon, on Darlington’s Northgate, will be selling pints for £2.50 from 6pm today (Friday, May 29) until closing time on Sunday to reflect the
DURHAM’S unique 1216 edition of Magna Carta will go on extended public display for the first time in its 799-year history on Monday (June 1). The only surviving 1216 issue of the charter, which belongs to Durham Cathedral, will be the centrepiece
MORE screens could be built at a county’s main cinema and more movies shown at community venues, under a deal announced today (Friday, May 29).Durham County Council has appointed Picturehouse Cinemas to run the cinema at the Gala Theatre in Durham City
KAT COPELAND and Nathaniel Reilly-O’Donnell produced dominant displays as North-East rowers enjoyed a generally successful opening day at the European Championships in Poland. Copeland, who is the reigning Olympic champion in the lightweight double
TOMAS MEJIAS will not be leaving Middlesbrough this summer despite his lack of involvement in the final two months of the season. Mejias’ future had been in doubt after he did not even appear on the substitutes’ bench for the final 16 matches of
FOR the second day running a North-East mental health trust has admitted failings in the care of a patient who went on to kill.In the latest case an independent investigation into the care of Alan Cooper - who was jailed for life in September 2011 six
THE strong bond between a town and its closest army base was celebrated at an annual event.The Mayor of Spennymoor, Cllr Geoff O'Hehir, and representatives from Spennymoor Town Council visited D (Rifles) Coy Fifth Fusiliers at their barracks in Bishop
HUNDREDS of North-East steelworkers have voted to strike over pensions, sparking fears the industry will be hit by its largest national dispute in more than 30 years. Staff at Tata Steel are poised to walk-out over proposed changes to the British
DURHAM Cathedral is sending one of its issues of Magna Carta across the Atlantic to mark the treaty’s 800th anniversary.A 1300 issue and its accompanying Forest Charter will tour four Canadian cities between next week (June 4) and December, the centrepieces
A PENSIONER has warned dog lovers to be on their guard after her Jack Russell was savaged by a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.Agnes Manson, 78, has had seven-year-old Holly since she was a six-week old puppy and depends on her for companionship, as she struggles
A PROJECT to create a series of public artworks has taken a step forward following the first in a series of community workshops involving local people.A stone carving taster workshop was held as part of Sowerby Art, a public art programme planned for
EAST Durham College students have spent three days learning about behind the scenes of what goes into running a radio station.A team of staff members from Bauer Media spent two days at the College’s Peterlee campus and a third day showing the students
GREEN fingered children dug in to help brighten up their schoolyard.Year three pupils at North Park Primary School, in Spennymoor, wanted to inject a bit of colour and sunshine into the school grounds for pupils, staff and visitors.So they worked alongside
A NORTH-EAST airport boss has raised the threat of legal action if plans are approved for another runway at Heathrow.Stewart Wingate, Gatwick chief executive, said Heathrow will breach air quality limits if the Government-appointed Airports Commission
THE search has been launched for youngsters to take part in what is billed as a “celebration of all young musicians.”Ripon Young Musicians of the Year aims to encourage the musical talent of young people who live, are at school or have private music lessons
AIRBORNE life-savers are appealing for support of the public in their bid to turn England’s biggest county yellow.The Yorkshire Air Ambulance, a registered charity, has to raise at least £12,000 every day to keep its two helicopters in the air and in
YOUNGSTERS have been getting creative ahead of celebrations to mark the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta.Thirsk-based charity Rural Arts has held a week of workshops for families to design their own family crest or beast on flags to
THE UK’s services sector is desperate for more skilled workers, despite job creation rising to a seven-year high, a report has said.The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) says more businesses revealed increased staff numbers for the three months
A CHILDREN’S farm is preparing to transform into a music festival venue – and is making sure its animals play their part.Staff at Big Sheep Little Cow farm centre in Bedale are expecting hundreds of visitors to enjoy a weekend of music for BAMfest – Bedale
A GYM owner from Darlington has fought his way to victory in the British Open Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Champion.Martin Wilby, 37, of The Lab Mixed Martial Arts gym, won the brown belt, middleweight division at a competition in Coventry at the weekend.The Championship
COMPANY bosses have warned that plans for a major housing development on the edge of a market town threaten the viability of their business.Managers at Allerton Steel Ltd, which employs 135 people and is thought to be the largest private employer in Northallerton
A NEW centre for Army and RAF cadets has been unveiled in in Consett.The Joint Cadet Centre in Parliament Street is the first of its type in the region and will form a blueprint for the future provision of cadet facilities.The centre, which will be the
SOME of the region’s leading amateur boxers followed up their strong showing at the Senior Elite Championships with a series of impressive displays at the Tri Nations Championship, writes Peter Mann. Birtley’s talented stable of fighters once again
A PIONEERING GP-run mental health project which prevented 16 suicides in its first year is being extended to another 15,000 patients across County Durham.The scheme, which is delivered to patients from GP surgeries across the region, is to be extended
A North-East doctor’s personal connections to Nepal meant his mercy mission to help quake-hit victims was never in doubt. Stuart Arnold reports WITHIN days of arriving in Nepal following a major earthquake which killed thousands, Dr Mike Lavender
STEEL bosses have made a last-ditch attempt to stop strike action across North-East plants. Tata Steel has called on workers to reject unions’ calls for a walk-out over pensions. The company is looking to make changes to the British Steel Pension
FRIENDS of a champion Stockton fundraiser who died recently of cancer have raised money for the hospice that supported her.Residents of the Railway Housing Association-owned Hackworth Court sheltered housing scheme in Fairfield recently held a coffee
A CONTROVERSIAL mayor is leaving his role with a success after breaking a charity fundraising record.Outgoing mayor of Hartlepool, Stephen Akers-Belcher helped raise £118,000 for the town's charities, a record for any Hartlepool mayor.The money was brought
A DARLINGTON GP practice has been praised by inspectors.A quality report from the Care Quality Commission gave the Neasham Road Surgery an overall rating of good.An inspection in March found that the practice provided a good standard of care, had a good
DARLINGTON College has teamed up with a local radio station to give students the chance to experience a real life working environment, while gaining their qualifications.As part of the unique partnership with Star Radio, students enrolled at The Star
A BIRTHDAY trip ended in tragedy for a North-East family when a much-loved father died in the river at a popular beauty spot. The body of primary school teacher Wadud Abdul was recovered from the River Tees at Low Force, near Middleton-in-Teesdale
A MULTI-MILLION pound regeneration project in Darlington is gathering pace and the community is being invited to get involved.The £5.5m regeneration of the Red Hall estate began in January and now demolition work involving 56 homes in the Courts being
Chief Sports Writer Scott Wilson looks back on a season full of incident and picks out his North-East team of the season. GOALKEEPER Costel Pantilimon (Sunderland) Having started the season as Sunderland’s second-choice goalkeeper, Pantilimon
A WELL-KNOWN councillor has declared a "final victory" for Yorkshire in what he said has been a "half century identity crisis" for the people of east Cleveland. Cllr Steve Kay, Independent, who was the cabinet member for Highway until Redcar and
FOLLOWING the transfer of Adam Nowakowski to Darlington this week, the club have now announced the arrival of three new scouts to assist in their elevation to the Evo-Stik Premier League.Promotion means Quakers will come up against a number of clubs they
Have I Got News For You (BBC1, 9PM) SO OFTEN you find yourself saying "Did he (and it's usually he) really say that?" during this show. Last week was a typical example when the panel's chairman Robert Peston – the BBC Economics editor who needs
YORKSHIRE could have Aaron Finch at the top of their NatWest T20 Blast batting order to face Northamptonshire at Headingley on June 14. The Australian Twenty20 captain’s recovery from a torn left hamstring is approximately a month ahead of schedule
ACCOUNTANTS, lawyers and marketeers are at their busiest for almost a decade, the CBI reported. The employers' organisation's quarterly service sector survey published today (FRIDAY) shows strong growth in the three months to May, though concerns are
DICK ADVOCAAT’S exit has got Sunderland considering their options on the manager front again, only this time it they could have competition from Newcastle United for the man they want. Ellis Short, the Black Cats owner, and Lee Congerton, sporting
FEELING like a ‘failure’ at Wembley on Monday will drive Grant Leadbitter on to leading Middlesbrough to an automatic promotion spot next season – even though he is braced for a summer of change on Teesside. Despite being relatively satisfied with
In the second of a three-part series looking at how our biggest teams have fared this season, Chief Football Writer Paul Fraser assesses the 2014-15 campaign from a Newcastle United perspective ‘WE don’t demand a team that wins, we demand a club
DURHAM are hoping for a record crowd for a county match at Chester-le-Street when they christen their floodlights in tonight's NatWest T20 Blast tie against Yorkshire, which starts at 7pm. The record attendance of 8,514 witnessed the unveiling
SUPPORTERS of a £24m visitor attraction which will fight for planning permission at a council meeting next week have set up a Facebook page to back the scheme. The ‘We Support the Eleven Arches’ page was launched on Sunday (May 24) in support of
A BUSINESSMAN has defended selling laughing gas for door to door delivery, saying he is simply capitalising on a market opportunity.Flyers for ‘Just Say N2O’ have been posted through doors in Durham city centre, advertising nitrous oxide for delivery
A STUDENT social worker has been named a national ambassador for the industry – and is the only student to be selected for the prestigious role. Helene Brown, from Richmond, North Yorkshire, a third year social work student at New College Durham
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
