Cost-cutting plans to out-source taxpayer-owned theatres, museums, libraries and leisure centres in County Durham have been put on hold, amid doubts over the hoped-for savings, it has been claimed in today’s Northern Echo. Facing cuts of nearly £190m by 2017, in January Labour-led Durham County Council announced it was considering...

By Martin Walker Town MP Phil Wilson has sent his condolences to the family of Ann Bradshaw, after the 65-year-old died following a house fire in Newton Aycliffe last week. And the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield is urging people to make sure they have a working fire alarm in their houses. Mrs Bradshaw passed away at Darlington...

Everyone can join in the fun at Hardwick Park, Sedgefield, on Sunday 27th May – even the dog! Two events are taking place which will tempt your countryside conservation skills and show off your favourite pooch’s talents. Between 10am and 12 noon join Durham County Council’s Countryside Service and help pull up ragwort. The unwanted...

With just weeks to go until the start of the London 2012 Olympics, Durham Constabulary has been working with national colleagues to help resource the largest ever pre-planned policing operation in the UK. At the same time, the force has been putting in place arrangements to ensure core policing across County Durham and Darlington will...

Durham County Council’s housing arm, Durham City Homes, is one of seven similar organisations working with the Northern Housing Consortium and Sheffield Hallam University on a study into the economic impact they have on the northern economy. The study will consider the impact the sector has financially as well as looking at its effect on...

By Martin Walker The Aycliffe Sub Aqua Club have scooped a national award for the second successive year. The 30-year-old group was again selected by a panel of Sub Aqua Association judges as the country’s stand-out organisation, awarding Aycliffe the Golden Club for Outstanding Achievement. It comes after another year of hard work...

By Martin Walker Newton Aycliffe captain Sean Tarling was close to tears as his close friend Ross Turnbull got his hands on the European Cup on Saturday. Tarling was among the crowd at the stunning 70,000-capacity Allianz Arena in Munich, along with two of Turnbull’s other pals Lewis Toole and Anthony Moors, as Chelsea recorded a...

By Martin Walker Ross Turnbull became the first-ever Newtonian to pick up a European Cup medal on Saturday night as Chelsea won the Champions League in a dramatic final. The Londoners clinched a nail-biting penalty shoot-out victory over Bayern Munich in Germany to claim their first Champions League title. Aycliffe watched on as...

By Martin Walker MP Phil Wilson admits Newton Aycliffe has been “punching below its weight” for some time, but is looking forward to seeing that change over the next few years. The Member of Parliament for Sedgefield, whose constituency office is based in Aycliffe town centre, played a major role in bringing Hitachi to the town and...

By Martin Walker Newton Aycliffe FC have confirmed a huge pre-season friendly with North-East Premier League giants Sunderland! Aycliffe will welcome a Black Cats XI to Moore Lane Park on Friday 20th July – kick-off 7.30pm. The Newtonians, who finished ninth in their first Northern League top-flight campaign last season after...