Archive

  • Lamb sales back on after FMD restrictions eased

    THE region's livestock marts have been busily re-arranging sales after the announcement they could operate again as from next Thursday, October 4. Hawes auction mart is to hold its two day sale of 33,000 gimmer lambs - Britain's biggest - on October

  • Samaritans in search of volunteers

    LOCAL Samaritans have launched a recruitment drive for volunteers willing to give up their own time to help people in despair. The Northallerton and the Dales branch in Crosby Road, Northallerton currently has 70 volunteers, but wants to recruit another

  • Neighbours worried and police uneasy over 3.30am pub bid

    A REQUEST by a town centre pub to stay open until 3.30am has been greeted with alarm by its neighbours. The owners of The Fleece, in Victoria Road, Richmond, have applied to extend the pub's opening hours on Friday and Saturday nights, plus Christmas

  • Sedgefield's Gareth to test himself at national event

    A YOUNG showjumper from Sedgefield will take his place among the best in the country when he competes in a prestigious competition. Gareth Watchman has been selected to take part in the Young Riders' Championship of Great Britain as part of the Horse

  • Ideas sought to boost firefighters' numbers

    NORTH Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service wants help from the public to boost its numbers of retained firefighters. Chief fire officer Nigel Hutchinson says the service is keen to hear any ideas from the community as to how they can encourage people to

  • Division by faith

    Sir , - I was both saddened and annoyed to hear that the Government is bent on working with religious groups to increase the number of faith schools in the country. Such a move is clearly retrogressive. The education department has claimed that

  • Council shambles

    Sir , - Following the local elections in May 2007, Yarm Town Council was made up of nine Conservative councillors and two independents. After serving less than four months on the council, James Earl resigned on August 24 but, unbelievably, despite

  • Lacking integrity

    Sir , - Your article about the cooption of Mike Richardson to Tanfield Parish Council may have given people the impression that he lived at one or other qualifying address for the relevant 12 months. In face he resided in Ripon for a considerable

  • Denied a voice

    Sir , - Redcar and Cleveland is an administrative name; it is not the name of a place. Nevertheless, the Labour group on the council proposed that it should replace Yorkshire as the place name for our borough. Because a sense of place is important

  • Thank you

    Sir , - True Yorkshire grit showed through at Nidderdale Show on Monday when people turned out in numbers to support us. Not even foot-and-mouth, blue tongue or heavy rain showers could dampen the spirits of thousands of people who turned up at

  • Castle clues

    Sir , - I have lived in Commondale House for a number of years now; many people will know the house as Yarm Castle. The castle was placed there, we understand, by Mr Doughty who built the house around 1896. The story we have is that Mr Doughty

  • 25 years of support

    Sir , - On behalf of The Stroke Association, I would like to congratulate Doreen Duguid and the Darlington Stroke Club on their 25-year anniversary in supporting stroke survivors and their families. The group provides an invaluable service in

  • Second time round

    Sir , - The question has been raised as to whether William Hague should return as the Conservative leader. I hope he does. But unlike last time when he was a young leader, he should get rid of the dead wood. If he comes back, I believe he will

  • Theatre enthusiast

    Sir , - One of the delights of long distance rail travel is in the people you meet. I was on my way back from London on September 20, when I was engaged in conversation by a very personable aspiring young actress. We talked of many things - including

  • Standing up

    Sir , - The letter from Dr Sheila Harrison, Mark Whyman and colleagues ( D&S Sept 14) shows that democracy in Richmondshire, outside the council chamber, is alive and well, and we should be thankful that people are prepared to stand up and be

  • The art of cooking for older people

    THE pictures of the QE2 making her final visit to the place of her birth, the Clyde, last week, on the 40th anniversary of her launch, reminded me why, unlike much of the rest of the nation, I wasn't glued to a TV set that afternoon in 1967. I was in

  • A singer's life: showbiz glitz and off-stage yearning

    ROCK chick Suzi Quatro has written an autobiography, Suzi Quatro Unzipped, published in hardback by Hodder Hardback priced at £18.99. The heights of her career had mostly passed me by. While I could probably hum a little of her 1974 hit Devil Gate Drive

  • St Cecilia Orchestra Concert, Ripon Cathedral

    IT WAS a privilege to have Peter Donohoe playing with the St Cecilia Orchestra and a treat for the full audience. It was also a treat to have a Steinway piano in the cathedral, and Donohoe did full justice to the Paganini Theme and Variations. This set

  • 25 years of ebb and flow, but wood's beauty is unchanging

    THE furniture is beautiful - stylishly simple, modern lines that show off the natural beauty of the wood - ripple ash that's almost like gingham, dark walnut, elm and oak. Surrounding the tables and chairs are shelves of clocks and barometers, and book

  • Coverdale Art Club, Carlton Village Hall

    COVERDALE Art club presented yet another enjoyable and fascinating exhibition at Carlton. The members meet regularly because they enjoy being creative together. The variety of exhibits well illustrated the interests they share, from photography and card

  • Sound success develops from small beginnings

    RICHMONDSHIRE Subscription Concerts series is celebrating its 60th anniversary year. The series was begun in 1947 by Tom Carr, who is still the society's life president. During the Second World War, his father-in-law, Dr Bull, the county music organiser

  • September 28, 2007

    From this newspaper 100 years ago. - Whilst a heavy mineral train was passing the West Cabin, near Redcar, on Wednesday night one of the couplings broke. The front portion had passed over Kirkleatham level crossing, and the gateman not being able to

  • A heavyweight task on the Wensleydale line

    AN occasional driver experience day for a visitor to the current Wensleydale Railway is one thing. Driving a heavily-loaded limestone train every day over the 22-mile line between Northallerton and Redmire is another, as Spectator discovered after watching

  • A bad decision

    THE bewilderment of David Dunn, the headteacher of Yarm School, over the rejection of the school's relocation plans is understandable. Mr Dunn had justifiable cause for optimism before this week's special meeting of the Stockton council planning committee

  • Ian's one-up at Bilsdale

    IAN Austermuhle put one over Northallerton when he cleaned the entire Sun Inn trials course overlooking scenic Bilsdale on Sunday's Northallerton DMC Autumn Championship Trial. The White Rose national winner left a string of zeros across Bill Pye's spreadsheet

  • 'Make Robert patron saint of Yorkshire'

    HE LIVED an austere life of secluded devotion, spurned the attention of kings and lived for decades in a spartan riverside cave. In his time he was renowned across Europe and his home became a place of pilgrimage for thousands - but over the centuries

  • No headpine

    HORSES Agricultural. - Brood mare: 1 B W Peirson. Colt or filly foal: 1 F Grieves; 2 B W Peirson. Yearling: 1 D and S Rutter; 2 H Emerson; 3 E S Cumbor. 2yo: 1 F Grieves; 2 R F Pearson. Colt and mare: 1 & 2 E S Cumbor; 3 R F Pearson. Pair: 1 E S Cumbor

  • North start season well with a 5-3 victory

    NORTHALLERTON Ladies began the season with a well deserved 5-3 win against visitors Dewsbury. From the whistle, it was Dewsbury who looked the more promising, as they went on the offensive. North had to be on their toes at the back to snuff out the early

  • Quakers show their way of life

    QUAKERS in the Tees Valley are joining others throughout Britain to advertise their values, traditions and ways of worship during the first National Quaker Week. As part of this event, there will be an open day tomorrow at the Friends' Meeting House,

  • Darlington rooted to foot of table after Boro defeat

    FOR the second successive week both Darlington clubs lost at the weekend, but Mowden Park had far more cause for optimism than their neighbours. While Darlington remain rooted at the foot of North One following a 60-12 home defeat by Middlesbrough, Mowden

  • Beleaguered farmers get free advice

    A FIRM of rural specialists is offering free advice to beleaguered farmers. Staff at George F White have received an increasing number of calls from farmers with severe cashflow problems owing to the foot-and-mouth restrictions on the all-important autumn

  • £4m showcase for Yorkshire fare wins planners' blessing

    A NEW outlet for Yorkshire food, where farmers will be paid a premium for their produce, has been given the go-ahead. The £4m scheme, for the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate, was overwhelmingly approved by Harrogate Borough Council planning

  • Bluetongue adds to 'summer from hell'

    ONE of the region's leading farmers hopes the bluetongue disease which has struck in southern England may not reach the North-East. David Maughan, member of the North-East livestock board of the National Farmers' Union, hopes the disease will be restricted

  • Suspension of compulsory set-aside welcomed

    A DECISION to suspend compulsory set-aside for 2008 has been welcomed. The European Parliament has agreed to scrap the requirement for this autumn and next spring - campaigners hope it may be the first step towards its total abolition. Set-aside, under

  • MP praises ABLE work at service's anniversary party

    A COMMUNITY service has hosted a day of celebration to mark its first anniversary of joining a housing association. The Activity Based Learning Environment (ABLE) service became part of Broadacres Housing Association last year. The anniversary day was

  • Temporary lights at junction are 'fudge'

    COUNCILLORS have been accused of "fudging" a controversial decision after they agreed to a compromise in trying to solve long-running traffic problems at a busy junction in Bedale. The move by the Hambleton area committee of North Yorkshire County Council

  • Farmers will miss him after 40 years of visits

    PETER King is a familiar face to many farmers in North Yorkshire and South Durham. He has worked in agriculture for 45 years - 41 of them for the same animal feed company - and, at 65, has put his salesman's shoes away, although he is continuing with

  • Council pledges to involve community in new building plans

    COMMUNITY groups have been promised a say in controversial plans to close a much-loved centre and town hall to make way for a new modern building. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has pledged to involve user-groups and residents in plans to draw up

  • Parishes in bullish mode to head off mart plan

    THE parish council of a hamlet outside Darlington is preparing to take on the developers of a new £14m auction mart - and is desperate to boost membership to make its voice more likely to be heard. Archdeacon Newton, along with a handful of nearby farms

  • September 28, 2007

    Thursday's prices: GrainCo, Tyne Dock. - Wheat: Oct £169; Nov £170; Dec £171. Barley: Oct £165; Nov £166; Dec £167. Oilseed rape: Oct £234; Nov £235; Dec £236.

  • September 28, 2007

    BARNARD CASTLE. - Tues, Sept 11. Annual show & sale of Mule & Cont ewes & shlgs, also Suff & Cont rams. Prizes. - Mule ewes: 1&3 R Bradley; 2 M Robson. Mule shlgs: 1&2 JP Coatsworth & Son; 3 JR Wall. Suff tup shlg: 1,2&3 S Poulter. Suff ram lamb: 1 Tarn

  • Big four plan to fight OFT allegations of milk price fixing

    MAJOR supermarkets and dairies have been accused of fixing the price of milk, butter and cheese at a cost of £270m to shoppers. The Office of Fair Trading has provisionally found the firms guilty of colluding to increase the price of dairy products.

  • Moss on top, and Botterill takes on mammoth task

    DARLINGTON'S Paul Moss finally clinched the overall championship title in the Darlington and District Motor Club's Northern Saloon and Sports Car Championship last weekend at Croft Circuit. Moss, 39, has campaigned his Citroen Saxo at every round of the

  • September 28, 2007

    BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed of last week. Fwd: 811 sheep. Med lambs to 95.2p av 82.3p; std lambs to 87p av 79.8p. Cast sheep: Cont £35; Mule £24. DARLINGTON. - Thurs of last week. Fwd: 457 cattle, 520 sheep. Young bulls heavy to 143.5p/£1012 av 118p. Steers

  • Guisborough's green Cocker to make history

    GUISBOROUGH'S Jonny Cocker could make motorsport history in the Avon Tyres British GT Championship on Sunday, as bio-ethanol power is set to beat petrol to a racing title for the first time anywhere in the world. The final round of the series will take

  • Quakers look for home comfort after first defeat of the season

    DARLINGTON will look to start a new unbeaten run with a home double header against Peterborough tomorrow, and Rochdale on Tuesday, after the previous run of seven games without defeat came to an end at Milton Keynes Dons last week. A defensively-minded

  • Money needed to keep the home fires burning

    THE future of Northallerton's popular community bonfire could be in jeopardy unless money can be found from local sponsors. The annual Bonfire Night extravaganza has been a firm favourite for decades. Every year thousands of people from the town and surrounding

  • Action is promised to close borough's health inequalities

    RESIDENTS in the poorest wards in Darlington can expect to live 13 years less than in the more affluent areas, an inquiry has revealed. Six months ago Darlington Partnership and MP Alan Milburn formed six task groups to examine every aspect of life in

  • County do well in Ayr with Advanced and Utmost Respect

    YORKSHIRE mined precious metal at Ayr, landing both the Gold and Silver Cups in good fashion. Gold went to Kevin Ryan, who sent up Advanced, third in the race last year, to win well at an amazing 20-1. Jamie Spencer, who is in battle with Seb Sanders

  • Skerne park residents find themselves in Hurworth

    BY OWEN AMOS RESIDENTS of a new housing estate in Darlington will, politically, live in Hurworth - causing a councillor to complain to the council's chief executive. More than 140 homes are being built at Snipe House Farm, next to the Skerne Park estate

  • Grange land lost to public use in compromise deal

    BY OWEN AMOS HURWORTH Parish Council has agreed to fence off an area of public woodland in an attempt to avoid being sued by an angry neighbour. But the decision, passed by five votes to four on Thursday of last week, has left some councillors "extremely

  • Bid to ditch mentor plan at troubled council fails

    PLANS to run training sessions to improve relationships between officers and councillors at a local authority have come under fire. The Improvement and Development Agency (IDA) proposes that Richmondshire District Council embarks on a programme of senior

  • Carers to lose headquarters as trusts sells its assets

    by will roberts THE chairman of a Teesdale carers group whose future has been thrown into doubt has criticised the hospital trust which wants to sell its headquarters. This week Teesdale District Council granted two applications for outline planning permission

  • Headteacher hits out after rejection of school plans

    THE headteacher of one of the country's top independent schools says he is "dismayed and bewildered" that £50m plans to relocate the school have been thrown out by councillors. David Dunn said the decision to stop Yarm School moving to a 120-acre site

  • Stockton blooms again in national awards

    A NORTH-EAST town has again come up smelling of roses in this year's Britain in Bloom contest. Stockton has been named the winner of the best city category, following its silver award in the same category last year. The latest silver gilt award from the

  • Surgery sold after move to new premises

    A SALTBURN surgery has been sold for residential development following its move to a new building. Huntcliff surgery has moved from Dundas Street West to new premises 100 yards away in Bath Street. Dr Michael Milner, head of the practice, confirmed the

  • Getting 'stoned' at the Blacksmith's

    Appropriately recommended by a farrier - and a successful trainer to boot, so his tip, we feel, must be rock solid - we are tempted to "get stoned" at the Blacksmith's at Swainby.I must admit that when I was told about this hot stone method of cooking

  • Northallerton into first round of FA Vase with RA win

    Northallerton Town 4 Darlington RA 0NORTHALLERTON Town progressed to the First Round proper of the Carlsberg FA Vase with this comprehensive 4-0 home victory over Northern League Second Division club Darlington Railway Athletic. Town made a promising

  • All change in town centre

    STALLHOLDERS under threat of eviction by developers may be given new units when an historic building is overhauled.The fresh produce stalls in Stockton's Castlegate Centre may be able to take advantage when the Grade II listed Shambles building across

  • The Bothams take to the air on RAF visit

    ALL-ROUND sportsman Liam Botham was flying high when he visited RAF Leeming with his father, Sir Ian.The pair, who both live in the Richmond area, spent the morning looking over Hawk aircraft of 100 Squadron before being treated to a flight in one of

  • Big names come to Aske for Trials

    ROYAL rider Zara Phillips attracted the crowds but could only clinch ninth place as she rode at the Aske Horse Trials.The BBC Sports Personality of the Year entered three horses in the annual event held near Richmond.The sprawling lands of Aske Hall,

  • Kind words and birthday balloons

    A FORMER teacher has returned to the classroom to help a school mark its golden anniversary.Stan Josephs went back to Thirsk School, where he taught history and French from 1958-63, to help it celebrate half a century of learning.His visit was part of

  • School selects heads by popular vote

    CHILDREN at a Darlington Primary School have elected their own head boy and head girl.For the first time, Corporation Road Primary School decided to have two children to represent the school.An election was held, with an official voting booth and ballot

  • Police force faces cuts for being successful

    NORTH Yorkshire Police could lose almost £10m in funding, which equates to 300 front line officers, because of its success in battling crime. Government plans to give poorer performing forces extra funding could lead to the force losing out because