Cheltenham, Wednesday, 1.30pm ALLEE GARDE (pictured), 6/1 fav at LADBROKES An indifferent day for the bookies on Tuesday with Hurricane Fly’s failure a notable plus point. Three favourites still romped home and that’s where we’re sticking in the opener on day two, as seven-year-old Allee Garde goes for Willie Mullins, under the...

A bionic ear, free hearing tests and interactive displays will be among the attractions at an event in Durham this month. The Sensory Support Awareness Day, at County Hall on Wednesday March 28 (between 9am and 4pm) will showcase the help available to people who have sight or hearing impairment or who are deaf and blind. Activities will...

By Martin Walker Darlington were denied a precious win after a dramatic end to this game at the Northern Echo Arena. Ryan Bowman scored an 86th-minute penalty to give Craig Liddle's side the lead. But after Luton equalised in the 90th minute, with a Stuart Fleetwood goal, Bowman missed another spot-kick in the dying moments to gift...

By Martin Walker Hundreds of Aycliffe schoolchildren are getting a special insight into personal safety during a popular event on the town’s Industrial Park. The Safety Carousels is a multi-agency event delivering a series of safety workshops to 8,000 year 6 students in the County Durham and Darlington area. Held at The Workplace,...

By Martin Walker Craig Liddle’s Darlington face promotion-chasing Luton Town at the Northern Echo Arena tonight. The Hatters are currently third in the Blue Square Bet Premier League and in the semi-finals of the FA Trophy. They lost their first leg 1-0 at York at the weekend and play the return tie at Kenilworth Road this...

Stan James Champion Hurdle, Tuesday, 3.15pm Zarkander (pictured), each way, 6/1 at Ladbrokes All of the attention on the opening day will be on Willie Mullins' Hurricane Fly as the Champion returns looking to regain his crown under the guide of Ruby Walsh. Race fans will be putting all of their eggs in this basket in the hope of winning...

Darlington Building Society is helping a special school’s drive to raise funds for much needed school buses. Oaks Secondary School in Spennymoor made an appeal to local businesses for assistance in raising finance to replace its inherited, old, dilapidated school bus with two new vehicles. Having access to its own transport is...

The country’s newest professional basketball team are helping smokers kick the habit. The Durham Wildcats are joining the County Durham Tobacco Control Alliance in supporting national No Smoking Day on Wednesday (March 14), the theme of which is ‘take the leap’. Dave Elderkin, Wildcats head coach, said: “Every time the Wildcats...

By Martin Walker An Amy Winehouse tribute act rocked Newton Aycliffe Sports Club on Saturday night. Paula Delaney, from Southport, performed a brilliant string of well-known Winehouse numbers to a packed club. “It was a fantastic night!” said organiser Shaun Saunders. “Paula went down a storm, she played all the popular Amy...

Brodie Millichap picks out this week’s TV highlights… Five Picks of the Week Scott and Bailey: Monday ITV1, 9pm. Lesley Sharpe and Suranne Jones return for a new series as police detectives in the popular crime drama. In the first of a two-part story, the duo discover a badly burned body of a disabled man in a remote part of...