The Northern Echo back issues from July 2009:
Shortage of doctors closes baby unit
Jul 01, 2009; ... A CRUCIAL children's unit is to be temporarily closed because of"staffing pressures" at a hospital in the region, health bossesconfirmed last night. The special care baby unit at the Friarage Hospital, inNorthallerton, North Yorkshire, which treats seriously ill orpremature ...
Hail, Sportacus!
Jul 01, 2009 ... PUPILS were visited by a colourful TV superhero who features in asummer holiday production for youngsters. Eighty children at Pelton Community Primary School, near Chester-le-Street, yesterday met Sportacus, an acrobatic performer from thecast of LazyTown Live! The show, Lazy ...
Instructor attacked recruit, court told
Jul 01, 2009; ... AN Army recruit was punched "everywhere but the face" aftertapping an instructor on the shoulder, a court martial heard. Training instructors are appearing at a court martial accused ofbullying and ill-treating young trainees at the Infantry TrainingCentre, Catterick Garrison, ...
Mother's anger at murder trial delay
Jul 01, 2009; ... THE mother of a North-East woman killed by a terrorist blast inTurkey came face-to-face with the suspected bomber yesterday. Sharon Holden returned to the country for the first time sinceher 21-year-old daughter, Helyn Bennett, died during a familyholiday four years ...
'At least I've seen monster accused of killing Helyn'
Jul 01, 2009; ... THE mother of a North-East woman killed by a terrorist blast inTurkey came face-toface with the suspected bomber yesterday. Sharon Holden returned to the country for the first time sinceher 21-year-old daughter, Helyn Bennett, died during a familyholiday four years ago. After ...
Ready, steady blow
Jul 01, 2009 ... A BRASS bus rolled into town yesterday just days before Europe'sfastest growing brass festival gets under way. The double-decker bus, which will help bring the Brass: DurhamInternational Festival to hard-to-reach rural communities across thecounty, was unveiled yesterday during a ...
Nude kids on the block
Jul 01, 2009; ... A GROUP of respected businessmen have revealed new sides ofthemselves after posing nude for a charity calendar. A retired GP, a university chairman and a magistrate are amongthe members of Darlington Rotary Club who have become unlikely pin-ups in the calendar in aid of local good ...
Inquest into mother-of-two fatally stabbed by ex-partner
Jul 01, 2009; ... A MOTHER-OF-TWO stabbed seven times by her former partner diedfrom internal injuries, an inquest heard. Julie Anne Mordue, 38, was attacked in her kitchen after shereturned home from work by former boyfriend Nigel John McLean, 40,on April 21. Neighbours told the inquest that ...
Phew! What a swizzler
Jul 01, 2009; ... WHILE the rest of the country basks in temperatures of up to 30C,the North-East has been blighted by cloud, fog and rain - and it'sall down to the North Sea. Thousands of sun-seekers have been flocking to beaches across thecountry to enjoy the glorious summer ...
DARLINGTON NEWS ROUND-UP IN BRIEF
Jul 01, 2009 ... The art of winning gold DARLINGTON Education Village is celebrating after all three ofits schools received a national arts award. Beaumont Hill,Springfield Primary and Haughton Community now hold the ArtsMarkGold award. To get an Arts Mark, a school must spend at least 15 percent ...
Bright sparks get off to flying start
Jul 01, 2009; ... A BUSINESS idea with a social conscience has been named winner ofthe second Bannatyne's Bright Sparks contest. Judges, who included multi-millionaire entrepreneur DuncanBannatyne, awarded pupils from Darlington Education Village andtheir idea to create tailormade wildlife gardens ...
Meet the contestants
Jul 01, 2009 ... Hurworth House School, supported by HSBC, in Darlington: WilsonKneeshaw, Oliver Whitchurch, Jack Wright, Jacob Hesmondhalgh,Lawrence Walker, Sam Thoma, Robert Ellwood and Alex Pickersgill. Darlington Education Village, supported by Sherwoods, inDarlington: Ben Braithwaite, Angus ...
Joining forces to tackle an eyesore
Jul 01, 2009 ... GARAGES that were daubed with graffiti have been cleaned upthanks to a neighbourhood warden, councillors and church volunteers. Durham County Council warden Natalie Davies has been working for18months to make 14 garages in Chillingham Road, Newton Hall,Durham, more ...
Events mark library's anniversary
Jul 01, 2009 ... A WEEK of events next month will mark a library's 50thanniversary. Consett library has lined up a number of talks and exhibitions tomark the milestone. Paintings of the Four Seasons In Consett, by Mary Kipling, whichwere created for the junior library in 1959, have been ...
Growing following
Jul 01, 2009 ... CHILDREN are being taken on guided tours of award-winningallotments at Belmont, on the outskirts of Durham City. The plots have been developed on land next to the Soccarenaindoor football complex, after Belmont Allotment Club's originalsite was partly swallowed up by the nearby ...
Doing the descent thing
Jul 01, 2009 ... TWO vets have taken part in a zip-wire challenge from the TyneBridge in aid of a school for children with cerebral palsy. Emanuel Ionutescu, 33, and Viorel Doran, 32, of the Consett Veterinary Centre, in Consett, raised [pounds]288 each for the PercyHedley Foundation, in ...
Grant helps to protect heritage
Jul 01, 2009; ... PLANS to revamp a former pit village's war memorial andsurrounding area have won funding. The Coxhoe Community Partnership, in Durham, is getting[pounds]48,000 from the Lottery-funded Community Spaces programme totransform Coxhoe village's dilapidated memorial garden. The ...
NORTH DURHAM NEWS ROUND-UP IN BRIEF
Jul 01, 2009 ... Invitation to former pupils A PRIMARY school is inviting former pupils to return for its 40thanniversary. Shincliffe CE Primary School, in Shincliffe, nearDurham, opened its doors for the first time on July 3, 1969, withIan Ramsey, then Bishop of Durham, doing the honours. To ...
Five-year plan will protect landscape
Jul 01, 2009; ... A FIVE-YEAR action plan is being created to protect and promotethe countryside across Redcar and Cleveland. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is expected to welcome amajor piece of work, detailing what will be done to sustain andenhance the area, when the cabinet meets on July ...
Students give cow to Romanian orphanage
Jul 01, 2009 ... STUDENTS were so moved during a trip to a Romanian orphanage theydecided to present the youngsters there with a gift. The 15 teenagers from Redcar and Cleveland College, who werevisiting as part of their children's care, learning and developmentprogramme, donated a cow called Racco ...
A growing rivalry
Jul 01, 2009 ... A HORTICULTURAL competition with a difference is starting to bearfruit - and vegetables. Middlesbrough councillors are vying with a team of officers tosee who can produce the best selection of vegetables for theMiddlesbrough Town Meal, on September 26. And after five weeks of ...
Presentation about saving coastline
Jul 01, 2009 ... PEOPLE will be given the opportunity to find out how a project toprotect Hartelpool's Headland coastline against rising sea levelsand erosion is progressing. Hartlepool Borough Council, with the help of expert firm ScottWilson, are looking at ways of improving how the Town Wall and ...
Film-makers'workshop
Jul 01, 2009 ... WOULD-BE film-makers and scriptwriters can get their camerasrolling with a series of workshops. Spark Arts Centre and ARC are launching a monthly film club foranyone aged between eight and 18 with a passion for film. Youngsters who sign up will get to work with professionals, ...
Children's University partners council
Jul 01, 2009 ... A TEESSIDE council is leading the way when it comes to gettingstudents to learn outside school hours. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is the first council in theTees Valley and only the second in the North to successfully bid tobecome a partner with the national Children's ...
TEES VALLEY NEWS ROUND-UP IN BRIEF
Jul 01, 2009 ... Create you own carnival outfit COSTUME-MAKING workshops are being staged for Stockton'scommunity carnival. The theme of the August 1 event is SmallWonders, Big World. The free workshops, run by the borough council'sarts development team, offer the chance to create a ...
Comedy show
Jul 01, 2009 ... THE Funnybones Comedy club is held at The Forum music centre,Borough Road, on August 1, at 7.45pm. Tickets cost ...
Tackling tack attack to stay on track
Jul 01, 2009 ... A HEALTH boss survived a tack attack to complete a gruelling bikeride for charity. NHS Darlington chief executive Colin Morris was delayed for morethan 90 minutes as stewards swept the course after a protestorcovered it in tacks causing 500 punctures. The 52-year-old was ...
Pupils cycle full length of mainland for charity
Jul 01, 2009; ... MORE than two weeks after embarking on a gruelling cycle journeytaking in the length of mainland Britain, a group of Darlingtonpupils have returned home. The group, from Hummersknott School, cycled the 1,000 milesbetween Land's End and John O'Groats in 15 days. Through ...
Tributes to tireless community worker
Jul 01, 2009; ... TRIBUTES were paid last night to former police officer, councilleader and tireless community worker Ken Saxby, who has died aged80. After a 30-year career as a police officer, initially in his homecity of Sheffield and later in Teesdale, most people would haveenjoyed a wellearned ...
SOUTH DURHAM NEWS ROUND-UP IN BRIEF
Jul 01, 2009 ... Summerfair's Hawaiian theme ROSE Lodge Care Home, Carers Way, Newton Aycliffe, is holding asummer fair on Saturday, July 11, from 2pm. As well as stalls, refreshments, raffle, tombola, bouncy castleand entertainment, there will be a Hawaiian theme fancy dresscompetition. All ...
NORTH YORKSHIRE NEWS ROUND-UP IN BRIEF
Jul 01, 2009 ... Charity golf competition GOLFERS are needed to help raise funds for the Hambleton andRichmondshire Multiple Sclerosis branch. Romanby Golf Club, nearNorthallerton, is holding the charity stableford contest on Monday,July 20, with an entry fee of [pounds]180 per team of four. The ...
Rotary raises cash for Polio Plus
Jul 01, 2009 ... RAFFLE winners have taken up their prize of a meal and a tour ofan auction house. The event, at Tennants Auction Rooms, in Leyburn was theculmination of a successful fundraising effort by the Rotary Club ofWensleydale. The campaign raised money to help eradicate polio, with ...
Plant nursery is awarded more gold
Jul 01, 2009 ... STAFF at a plant nursery are celebrating after winning their 65thgold medal in 15 years from the Royal Horticultural Society fortheir displays at a number of major garden shows. Firtrees Pelargoniums Nursery, in Stokesley, specialises invarieties of pelargoniums, better known as ...
Postmaster 'insulted' over BBC's ad request
Jul 01, 2009; ... A POSTMASTER is angry the BBC has asked him to advertise itsprogrammes shortly after stopping him from issuing TV licences. Peter Stockdale, who runs Hunton post office, near Leyburn, hasbeen asked to advertise the Antiques Roadshow. He was sent a poster by the TV broadcaster ...
Correction
Jul 01, 2009 ... A 38-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested on suspicion of causing thedeath by dangerous driving of Denise Emers, 37, of Norton, nearStockton. She was a passenger in a car which left the A689 ...
'Greatest day'for cancer research
Jul 01, 2009; ... A GROUNDBREAKING research centre which will put the North-East atthe forefront of cancer research is launched by a range of charitiestoday. The Newcastle Centre for Cancer Research, based at NewcastleUniversity, will be jointly funded by Cancer Research UK, LeukaemiaResearch and ...
Supporter may have seat on new Quakers'board
Jul 01, 2009; ... RAJ SINGH, Darlington Football Club's chairman-elect, has madethe first two senior backroom appointments of his tenure and hasoutlined his vision for the Quakers. Among his most innovative ideas is to have a supporterdirector inthe boardroom. Mr Singh, who describes himself ...
Claudia's 'multiple partners' dismissed
Jul 01, 2009; ... DETECTIVES searching for missing chef Claudia Lawrence do notbelieve rumours that she was involved with multiple partners. Miss Lawrence, 35, was last seen near her home in Heworth, York,on March 18. She failed to arrive for a 6am shift at work at York University'sGoodricke ...
Doctor praised for painkilling 'wheel'
Jul 01, 2009; ... A SENIOR doctor has receivedministerial praise after inventing adevice to help give children painkilling drugs. Dr Richard Hixson, a consultant anaesthetist at DarlingtonMemorial Hospital, designed the pocket-sized calculating wheel tomake sure children get safe and effective pain ...
Wimbledon coverage hampers crime plea
Jul 01, 2009; ... THE TV reconstruction of burglars attacking an elderly former GPfell victim to Wimbeldon tennis coverage. BBC 1 show Crimewatch on Monday night featured the raid on thehome of 92-year-old William Benson in Stanley, County Durham,shortly after midnight on October 17, last ...
Tomorrow's World presenter honoured
Jul 01, 2009 ... A FORMER Tomorrow's World presenter has been given an honorarydegree by a North-East university. Judith Hann, who presented the BBC science programme for 20years, received the honour from Durham University in a ceremony atDurham Cathedral yesterday. She said: "Not only do I ...
It's hard to keep it fresh
Jul 01, 2009 ... IN his interview with The Northern Echo following theannouncement that he is to stand down as Darlington MP, Alan Milburnhad a word of advice for Gordon Brown. The Blairite former Health Secretary said Labour's chances ofwinning a fourth term depended on the Brown Government ...
Hear all sides
Jul 01, 2009 ... NORTHERN IRELAND IT has been officially announced that the Loyalist paramilitarygroups the Ulster Volunteer Force and Red Hand Commandos have madetheir weapons and explosives "totally and irreversibly beyond use"while another Loyalist group, the Ulster Defence Association, ...
Gadfly - Nothing to get steamed up about?
Jul 01, 2009; ... On holiday in the Hebrides, the column mulls over the record-breaking achievement of the steam engine Mallard MEMORABLY, we have spent a week on the wondrous Hebridean islandof Mull, and with a further trip across the water to Iona - thelatter given to the nation by the Fraser who ...
Gadfly
Jul 01, 2009; ... . . . and finally back to Mull where a bottle of the local ale -Terror of Tobermory - costs [pounds]3.90 but has a tale to tell,nonetheless. Tobermory's the island capital, model for the children'stelevision series Balamory and cleaned up, long ago, by one of theWombles. Its ...
Simple solution to a complex world problem
Jul 01, 2009; ... SIMPLE algae could be a solution to the world's carbon dioxideproblems, a NorthEast delegation will tell The Prince of Walestoday. The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) at Wilton, Teesside, andengineering firm Arup will unveil a system of using algae to"absorb" carbon dioxide ...
MPs appeal for state to advance steel buying
Jul 01, 2009; ... THREE North-East MPs have appealed to the Government to involveTeesside's threatened Corus plant in state and Olympic buildingprojects as ameans to ensure the site's future, and that of its3,000 workers. Vera Baird, Ashok Kumar and Dari Taylor - whose Teessideconstituencies stand ...
Minister praises region's green campaigners
Jul 01, 2009 ... CLIMATE Change Minister Ed Miliband praised NorthEast environmentcampaigners during a visit to the region. Mr Miliband said he was very impressed by Climate Durham, a greencoalition of residents, business and other groups, describing it asan "excellent organisation". The ...
Two years on, smoking ban hugely popular
Jul 01, 2009; ... THE ban on smoking in enclosed public places still hasoverwhelming support in the region, research to mark the secondanniversary of the law change has found. Eighty per cent of people questioned in the North-East backed theban. Researchers found that 90 per cent of people ...
Tuncay keen to head home
Jul 01, 2009; ... TUNCAY Sanli is set to snub the offer of an extended stay in thePremier League in order to return to his native Turkey. Tuncay has been told he can leave the Riverside followingMiddlesbrough's relegation to the Championship, with Boro bossGareth Southgate grudgingly accepting he ...
All change as Todd unveils new Quakers
Jul 01, 2009; ... DARLINGTON will include formerMiddlesbrough Academy graduate GarySmith among a list of up to 12 new recruits that will be revealedtomorrow. Colin Todd, the Quakers manager, will parade all of the playershe has already verbally agreed terms with at The Northern EchoDarlington ...
Storm's game plan boosted by change
Jul 01, 2009; ... GRAEME STORM returns to the scene of his finest hour tomorrowaccepting that his second European Tour triumph has been harder todeliver than the first. But Storm's admission should not be perceived as a lack ofconfidence as he heads for Le Golf National looking to win the Opende ...
Cats still chasing Cats
Jul 01, 2009; ... SUNDERLAND are ready to step up their pursuit of Lee Cattermolefollowing the end of the European Under-21s Championship, but theywill find Wigan reluctant to do business. Stockton-born Cattermole is under contract at the DW Stadiumuntil the summer of 2011 and the Black Cats had ...
Punkett records a career best
Jul 01, 2009; ... THE joy of Liam Plunkett's career-best bowling was swiftly sweptaway yesterday as Durham slumped to one for three at Riversideagainst division one's bottom club, Worcestershire. The visitors were dismissed for 193 with Plunkett taking six for63 then, with 14 overs to face, Durham ...
Shepherd Tyneside mystery
Jul 01, 2009; ... THE uncertainty surrounding Newcastle United took another twistyesterday amid claims that former chairman Freddy Shepherd willlaunch a [pounds]60m takeover. Despite suggestions Shepherd is hopeful that a cutprice offer -[pounds]40m below the asking price - will be enough to ...
Inquiry called for over second failed franchise in two years
Jul 02, 2009; ... THE East Coast Main Line is to be run by the Government afterNational Express refused to fund the loss-making rail franchisebeyond the next few months. With National Express stating funding for East Coast would runout later this year, a public organisation has been set up - ...
Teenager beaten by gang of up to ten men
Jul 02, 2009; ... A TEENAGER was dragged from his car and beaten unconscious by agang of up to ten men as he went to meet his girlfriend after herschool prom. Sean Hodgson was so badly beaten in the unprovoked attack thathis parents did not initially recognise him. The 19-year-old was placed ...
Family shocked as ferrets stolen
Jul 02, 2009; ... A FAMILY is in shock after their pet ferrets were snatched fromtheir hutch in the middle of the night. The furry pair, named Starsky and Hutch, were taken from a backgarden in Brankin Drive, Darlington, as their owners slept on Sundaynight. Yesterday the Davies family who ...
Escape drama as floods hit house
Jul 02, 2009; ... THUNDERSTORMS and flash floods wreaked havoc across the North-East last night. Homes throughout Teesdale were left without power after hundredsof lightning strikes disrupted electricity supplies. In Consett, County Durham, a builder had a lucky escape when a10ft stone wall ...
Shoplifter was caught by store security
Jul 02, 2009 ... A SHOPLIFTER with eight previous convictions for theft wasarrested after security staffat a clothes store caught her with abag of stolen goods worth nearly [pounds]200. Barbera Michiala Duncan was stopped by security guards in NewLook in Darlington's Cornmill Centre, on a Saturday ...
Man denies counterfeit item charges
Jul 02, 2009 ... AMAN accused of possession of counterfeit goods worth more than[pounds]70,000 has denied all charges. Mark Errington Simmons, 37, was arrested in July last year.Police said he had hundreds of fake designer products, includingsunglasses, handbags and trainers. Mr Simmons, of ...
Pupils rewarded by stunt-riders
Jul 02, 2009 ... CHAMPION stunt-riders performed for North-East pupils to rewardthem for taking their bikes to school. Mountain bike trial champions Ben Slinger and Danny Butlervisited Darlington to show offtheir stunts. The pair performed a set of jumps and tricks to reward pupils atHaughton ...
DARLINGTON NEWS ROUND-UP IN BRIEF
Jul 02, 2009 ... Tea party in aid of Marie Curie DARLINGTON Marie Curie Support Group is holding a tea party atGrange Road Baptist Church, in the conservatory, on Saturday, July11, from 2pm to 4pm. Admission is [pounds]2.50 including tea, scone, cake andbiscuits. There will also be ...
Majority vote against academy locations
Jul 02, 2009; ... RESIDENTS have delivered an overwhelming thumbs down to thesuggestion an academy could be built on play and sports areas. More than 200 people attended an urgently arranged public meetingat Belmont School, in Durham, on Tuesday night, to have their say onpossible locations for the ...
Retired race dog best on day
Jul 02, 2009 ... A RETIRED race greyhound returned to the scene of some of histriumphs to scoop a different kind of prize. Boldon Fencer stole the show at Pelaw Grange Greyhound Stadium'sthird annual fun dog show on Sunday. Bolden Fencer, aged six-and-a-half, won best in show for hisproud ...