The region’s largest council is stepping up the fight against littering and dog fouling. Durham County Council has increased the number of staff members who are able to hand out fines for environmental crimes. An extra 14 council workers, including head of Direct Services Oliver Sherratt and the authority’s clean and green team leaders,...

A panel of judges have had the unenviable task of picking out 11 winners from 52 nominations in Aycliffe Business Park’s fourth annual Make Your Mark awards competition. The 52 submissions involve 32 separate companies all vying for 11 different awards which will be dished out during the grand final at the Xcel Centre on Thursday May...

Staff at one of the county’s largest employers are being given the opportunity to join a savings scheme which can help them take control of their finances. Hitachi, based in Newton Aycliffe, has signed up to the Durham Savers scheme, part of an initiative by Durham County Council to tackle poverty and change debt culture into a culture of...

A County Durham manufacturer is now producing plastic parts for the automotive, pharmaceutical and aerospace sectors much quicker after investing in a state-of-the-art CNC machine. Plastic Mouldings Northern (PMN) invested £300,000 in the MAKA 5-axis tool which enables the company to trim parts more efficiently after moulding them. Using...

A pensioner has hailed the return of her stolen purse “a miracle”. Audrey Chapman’s purse contained precious photographs of her late husband and daughter when it was taken from her handbag while she was shopping in Newton Aycliffe’s Aldi store in October last year. The 84-year-old’s late husband Siril, whom she was married to for...

Community groups and voluntary organisations across County Durham have benefitted from almost £40m in grants during the past nine years. The cash has been handed out through Durham County Council’s Area Action Partnerships, which have just awarded their 5,000th grant to King’s Church Durham – Achor Community. The group, which aims to...

A round-up of the weekend’s cricket action… Saturday 12th May – NYSD Division 2 Newton Aycliffe 1st XI v Bedale 1st XI – weather was warm and sunny. Bedale won the toss and chose to bowl first. Newton Aycliffe 1st XI 199 for 9 after 50 overs Adam Gittins 58 not out, Luke Telford 40 and Jack Slatcher 36 Bedale 1st XI 146 all...

Engineering and manufacturing expo EMCON has secured one of Europe’s biggest rail manufacturers as its first ever headline sponsor. Stadler Rail, which last year was a gold sponsor alongside long term supporter Business Durham, was so impressed with the event that it has agreed to take on the headline sponsor role. It enables the Swiss...

By Donna Campbell This race report covers two weekends due to holidays. Firstly in the weekend commencing 28th April 2018 Julie Nisbet travelled to Scotland for the stirling Marathon. She completed this in 4.16.36 which was a massive personal best for Julie. Also on April 29th Paul Dalton (although competing under his first club name)...

Businesses in County Durham have been urged to take advantage of a Teesside University-led project which helps them to innovate and grow. Craig Anderson, the managing director of manufacturing firm Nymas, has said the Innovate Durham project will help SMEs improve their business, making them efficient and competitive. Billingham-based Nymas,...