LOCAL NEWS
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News from Peterlee, Seaham, Hordon, Easington, Hartlepool, Blackhall, Wingate and the wider East Durham area
Easington MP Grahame Morris has added his support to a cross party group of MP’s who have written to Home Secretary Sajid Javid calling for the abolition of visa fees for Commonwealth servicemen and women in the British armed forces. Currently Commonwealth citizens...
Work to improve more than 50 affordable homes in Horden is nearing completion as part of a major investment in the area. Homes on the Ponyfields Estate are receiving new roofs and upgrades to walls as part of an extensive improvements to affordable homes in east...
Celebrations have been held to mark the Apollo Pavilion's 50th birthday. A free-of-charge musical extravaganza took place yesterday at the structure, on the town’s Sunny Blunts estate, featuring performances from Mr Wilson’s Second Liners and Oompah Brass, as part of...
Primary school pupils are helping their peers stay road savvy by becoming Junior Road Safety Officers (JRSO). The Junior Road Safety Officer (JRSO) scheme is a national road safety education project aimed at primary schools which encourages peer to peer education. The...
Story Contracting has been awarded a Network Rail contract to design and build a new railway station in County Durham. Following a bumper start to 2019 for the civil engineering company’s expanding rail division, Story has secured further contract success, being...
A new project designed to support families in three east Durham villages has received £15,000 of funding from a leading housing association. Families in Shotton Colliery, Wingate and Wheatley Hill are set to benefit from a host of free activities and food as part of a...
It’s a day that marks half a century of one of the most celebrated moments in history – and one that is commemorated in County Durham in truly unique style. July 20, 1969 was the day man first landed on the moon at the culmination of the Apollo mission, an event which...
Easington MP Grahame Morris has called on Defence Ministers’ to lift the pay cap and deliver a fair pay settlement for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is a civilian crewed fleet, which carried out 64 per cent of the Royal Navy’s tasks. The...
A new group looking to improve health in Murton has been boosted by funding from a leading housing association. The Murton Wellbeing Group has been able to turn a successful trial into regular weekly sessions to help improve health in the community after securing...
Work is underway on an £8 million housing project that will provide much needed affordable housing in County Durham. The development, in Peterlee, involves Galliford Try Partnerships North and believe housing (formerly County Durham Housing Group) and will include...
Businesses are being urged to give their support to a local foodbank as the six weeks holidays approach. The East Durham FEED project has previously reported a sharp rise in demand for its services and is urging businesses to give their support over the summer...
A store owner has been jailed after he was caught selling counterfeit cigarettes from his store in Seaham. Ismail Maulud, of Meadow Avenue, Blackhall Colliery, was jailed for a total of 30 months at Durham Crown Court, 12 months for the sale of counterfeit tobacco...
Construction of more than 40 affordable homes on a brownfield site in Peterlee has been officially started. A mix of family houses and bungalows are being developed at Tamar Close and Teign Close, near the heart of Peterlee by believe housing. The County Durham-based...
The outcomes of a project that has dramatically reduced energy use by almost 70 per cent and which will, in time, save over £24 million will be heard by councillors next week. In six years, Durham County Council’s Street Light Energy Reduction Project has retrofitted...
A County Durham road which had to be closed following the discovery of a sinkhole has reopened after less than two weeks. The B1404 Seaton Lane, at Seaton near Seaham, was closed by Durham County Council on Friday 21 June in the interests of public safety, after a...
An open day to showcase believe housing's affordable homes programme comes to Horden today (Wednesday). A property in Davies Walk will be available for viewing between 11am and 5pm. One-bedroom flats to three-bedroom family houses are available, with rents starting...
Emma Hume, Deputy Manager at HC-One’s Grampian Court care home in Peterlee, is being celebrated for her caring and thoughtful concern for her colleague’s health. While demonstrating to the team at Grampian Court how to perform blood pressure and heart rate checks on...
A major new housing and development scheme in East Durham has been given garden village status by the Government. One of 19 new garden village schemes announced across the UK, South Seaham Garden Village, is a partnership between Durham County Council, Tolent and Home...
Leading social landlord believe housing has completed the in-sourcing of repairs to its 18,000 affordable homes. From today (1 July), repairs and maintenance work to 8,000 affordable homes in east Durham will be carried out directly by staff from believe housing. The...
Durham County Council is supporting a national campaign to target scams and offer advice to help people avoid being duped. Throughout June, Durham County Council’s trading standards team has been supporting the National Scams Awareness Campaign to make people more...
The North East’s largest council is trialling new electric cleaning equipment as part of its fight against climate change. Members of Durham County Council’s Clean and Green Team have been using a new electric bin lift and road sweeper to empty the county’s wheelie...
A local charity is hoping that a new function room can help provide much-needed funds for the future. Haswell & District Mencap enlisted the help of the Mayor of Peterlee, Cllr. Terry Duffy, to open up ‘The Hive @ Haswell’, a stand-alone building located next to...
A County Durham road has been closed in the interests of public safety following the discovery of a sinkhole. The B1404 Seaton Lane, at Seaton near Seaham, was closed earlier today by Durham County Council after excavation work revealed a void underneath the road...
A woman who has repeatedly blighted her neighbours’ lives by leaving rubbish outside of her home has been ordered to pay out almost £1,300. Sharon Boardman, of Fourth Street, Blackhall Colliery, was also made subject to a two-year criminal behaviour order (CBO)...
By 2035, County Durham will have more and better jobs, people will live long and independent lives and communities will be well connected and supportive. That’s the vision being proposed for the area by the County Durham Partnership – but do you agree with this...
A pair of talented barbers from East Durham College have proven they’ve been sharpening their skills to precision. That's after winning prestigious awards at 2019’s BBA (British Barbers Association) National Student Barber of the Year 2019 competition. Jess Filby, 30...
A county councillor and committed cyclist is gearing up for his hardest challenge yet. Councillor for Trimdon and Thornley, Cllr Peter Brookes, will cover 500 miles over four days, all on two wheels, to raise money for Age UK. The charity was chosen by newly appointed...
Patients in Peterlee and Seaham will still be able to access services during the evening and weekends in a GP ‘hub’ near to where they live, following a 12 week public consultation. Changes to the service which provides additional appointments during evening and...
Budding displays at Durham City’s Train Station will help people discover mental health support. Floral displays throughout the station will draw attention to the work of mental health charity, Samaritans. Samaritans is dedicated to reducing feelings of isolation and...
Schoolchildren in County Durham are learning the dangers of jumping into rivers this summer, through the return of a water safety campaign. Assemblies are being delivered on cold water shock for a fourth year, as part of the Safe Durham Partnership’s Dying to be Cool...
A County Durham born television presenter with a passion for the countryside has become the latest to sign a pledge promising to try and eradicate single use plastics. Matt Baker, from BBC’s The One Show, has signed the County Durham Single Use Plastic Pledge, and now...
Two open days for low-cost homes are set to hit the villages of Wheatley Hill and Coundon during June. believe housing is opening the doors to properties in both villages to highlight the variety of affordable homes available immediately in both areas. In Wheatley...
A tired and underused sports hall has been transformed into a high-class community events venue, thanks to funding from one of Durham’s 14 area action partnerships (AAP). East Durham Rural Corridor AAP and county councillors in Trimdon and Thornley were keen to help...
The final stage of a plan that sets out how much development and where it is needed in County Durham will go before councillors next week. Durham County Council’s Cabinet will be asked to recommend that full council approve the submission of the County Durham Plan...
Businesses are being urged to give their support to a local foodbank which has seen a sharp rise in the number of people requiring support. The East Durham FEED project is now regularly distributing over 100 food parcels every week to local residents in financial...
Easington MP Grahame Morris will call on the Government to review the Mineworkers Pension Scheme and give ex-miners a fair share of their pension profits. Grahame Morris MP will lead a Backbench Business Debate following more than 100,000 people signing a petition...
East Durham College is thrilled to announce an exciting partnership with Lee Stafford Education, bringing new opportunities for hairdressing students in the North East. Launching in September 2019, the Lee Stafford Academy will be open to both learners age 16-18, and...
People looking to change or kickstart their career have less than a week left to apply for a range of exciting apprenticeships with Durham County Council. The council is currently recruiting to a wide range of vacancies, due to start in September, and is welcoming...
Businesses in Seaham are backing a new food festival which is set to attract thousands of people to the seaside town this weekend. Seaham Food Festival will serve up more than 100 food and drink stalls, cookery demonstrations by celebrity chefs and a tempting mixture...
Horden residents will have the chance to shape the future of their community at a series of events starting next week. Durham County Council is hosting the sessions as part of a consultation on its masterplan for the area in and around the village’s ‘numbered...
A county councillor and committed cyclist is once again getting on his bike to raise money for charity, with his hardest challenge yet. Councillor for Trimdon and Thornley, Cllr Peter Brookes, will cover 500 miles over four days, all on two wheels, to raise money for...
County Durham is the second least frustrating place to drive in the UK, according to a recent survey. Vehicle finance provider Moneybarn has standardised the latest data available across 47 regions* for key driver annoyances including the number of speed cameras,...
A 27-year-old who was born and raised in County Durham has become the youngest person to be elected as Chairman of the area’s local authority. Cllr Katie Corrigan was officially installed as Chairman at Durham County Council’s Annual Meeting and is the youngest...
Work is now underway on a new £10.55 million railway station which is expected to bring an economic boost to east Durham. The scheme, at Horden, near Peterlee, will link the area into the local, regional and national rail network and support wider regeneration in the...
A rapidly expanding hospitality business has purchased the site on which it will create its sixth hotel. High Street Hospitality is investing £4.5 million in the 1.5 acre plot, which is part of the Durham Gate retail project at Thinford in County Durham. It will...
Durham County Council libraries in Easington, Seaham and Peterlee will be hosting craft sessions to round off the half term holidays. Finding something fun to do in the last days of the school break is now a little easier thanks to a series of craft sessions. A free...
East Durham College joined forces with other colleges from across the UK, calling for the government to increase investment in further education. The Love Our Colleges campaign, which has ran from May 13th to May 17th, was created by the Association of Colleges (AoC)....
A food festival with a truly international flavour will showcase some of East Durham’s finest traders and producers next month. The very first Seaham Food Festival will take place on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 June and will feature more than 100 stalls selling delicious...
The final decision about proposed changes to GP ‘hubs’ which provide additional appointments during weekdays, evening and weekends across Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield will be made next Tuesday. The decision will be made from 9.30am – 12.30pm at a Governing...
A woman with aspirations to work in the catering industry is a step closer to achieving her goal after completing employability courses. Donna Wilkinson, from Peterlee, had been unemployed since 2016 and suffers from epilepsy and depression. She hoped to find a...
More than 80 new low-cost homes will be coming to sites in Newton Hall and Peterlee. Planning applications for the developments by believe housing on sites near St Godrics Close in Newton Hall and on Robson Avenue in Peterlee have been approved. A total of 84 new,...
Vehicles being used to transport controlled waste have been inspected at the roadside during an operation to clamp down on rubbish being disposed of illegally. As part of Operation Stop It, Durham County Council’s award-winning campaign to eliminate flytipping, the...
Food and drink producers in County Durham are being urged to tap into the increasingly lucrative vegan market. The market is growing rapidly and making a greater contribution to the region’s economy than it ever has before. The North East’s offering within the vegan...
Centenarian Louise Perry celebrated her 102nd birthday with a surprise party attended by friends and family. The Bannatyne Lodge Care Home resident did not know she was getting a party until her relatives showed up with cards, cake and balloons. She was presented with...
Up to 50 children in the Trimdon Grange area are set to take part in the new activities aimed at learning through play thanks to funding from believe housing. Aimed mainly at youngsters aged under seven, the sessions have been organised by Trimdon Grange Community...
Over 3,500 volunteers across Durham and Darlington rallied to take part in this year’s Big Spring Clean. The campaign, run by LitterFree Durham and Darlington in partnership with Durham County Council and Darlington Borough Council, encourages individuals, community...
It’s time for another fun-filled family day out as East Durham College’s Houghall campus, situated in the heart of Durham, once again opens its doors for its highly-popular annual Spring Show. The annual event regularly attracts thousands of people from around the...
Peterlee Leisure Centre will reopen to the public next week following a major improvement programme that has included the relocation of the town’s library. The £2 million scheme has seen the refurbishment of the pool changing rooms, a new-look reception space and the...
A devoted athlete whose regular runs have raised thousands of pounds for charity has been awarded County Durham’s highest honour. Durham County Council Chairman, Cllr John Lethbridge, presented a Chairman’s Medal to Easington Village born and bred Paul Smith, for his...
A successful scheme to improve road safety by introducing part-time 20mph speed limits around schools looks set to be rolled out to a further six sites. Durham County Council’s Cabinet is next week being recommended to agree to use underspend of more than £100,000 in...
The hard work of a long serving community champion has been recognised with a prestigious county award. Valerie Watson received the Chairman’s Medal, the highest civic honour which the council can bestow on individuals and organisations, from Durham County Council’s...
ZF in Peterlee has agreed a partnership with Cancer Research UK to promote the charity’s Race for Life events. ZF employs around 1,000 people at its North West Industrial Estate location, a global leader in the production of specialist safety camera equipment. The...
Durham is a great place to live, work and invest – that’s the message the county’s leaders took right to the heart of government this week. Influential figures from the county’s business, culture and education sectors demonstrated their passion for the area during a...
A man living in Spain has been left £2,000 worse off and with a criminal conviction after renting out his County Durham property without the appropriate licence. Anthony Bellingham was prosecuted by Durham County Council for breaching the requirements of a licensing...
A recently relaunched housing association has launched a new app designed to make life simpler for tenants. believe housing has unveiled a free new app that will make requesting repairs, paying rent and getting in touch much easier for residents. The app, which is...
A cupcake sale at University Hospital of North Tees has generated £120 to support those with cancer. Staff at Bannatyne Lodge Care Home, in Peterlee, organised the sale to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. Alongside selling the homemade cupcakes, they also...
Driving a taxi without a licence has cost a County Durham man more than £700. Colin Eltringham, of Front Street, Fishburn, was charged with driving a taxi without a hackney carriage licence following an investigation by Durham County Council’s licensing team. The...
Hundreds of people turned out to see a dragon on the loose at a Peterlee shopping centre. The giant dragon was on the prowl at Castle Dene Shopping Centre as part of the town’s Easter celebrations and the mythical creature attracted quite the crowd. Visitors to Castle...
Unlicensed scrap metal dealers operating in County Durham have been left more than £700 worse off and with criminal records. Brian Bennett, 56, from Wingate, and Adrian Oliver, 35, from Durham, were each ordered to pay £734 having been successfully prosecuted by...
Station Town is the destination for believe housing’s first open day for affordable housing, which could see attendees pick up the keys to their new home in one day. believe housing, formerly County Durham Housing Group, is opening the doors to a property in Newholme...
More than 95 per cent of children in County Durham will go to their first choice of primary school this September. Out of the 5,165 applications received, 4,924 have been offered a place at their first choice school, 181 their second preference and 26 their third....
A major programme of affordable home building by one of the region’s largest housing associations has been expanded to 700 homes across the north east. New low-cost housing is set to be built across County Durham after a multi-million-pound announcement by the newly...
Residents in County Durham are reminded that there will be no change to bin collections over the Easter bank holiday. Bins should be placed at the kerbside by 7am as normal on your usual collection day during the weeks starting Monday, 15 and Monday, 22 April. To...
A cracking number of Easter eggs have been collected for County Durham families in need thanks to generous donations. In the lead up to Easter, Durham County Council sought to make sure that all families can join in the festive fun by calling for sweet treats. More...
Further changes to town centre parking are on the horizon for Peterlee as shopping centre owners reveal plans to free up more car parking spaces for their customers. Castle Dene Shopping Centre will now only offer free all-day parking in its upper Wilko Car Park,...
The sky’s the limit for the Chairman of Durham County Council as he gets set to take on a charity skydive challenge. Cllr John Lethbridge is to complete a tandem skydive to raise money for his chosen charity The Royal British Legion on Saturday, 4 May. The grandfather...
A man from Haswell has been caught on camera flytipping in a County Durham village. Thirty-year-old John Hall of Windsor Terrace, was caught on CCTV dumping waste from a vehicle on privately owned land off Black Lane, Wheatley Hill, and as a result has been ordered to...
A quartet of racoons, and a pair of raccoon dogs in dire need of a new place to stay have been gifted fantastic new enclosures at East Durham College’s Houghall Campus in Durham. Dere Street Homes & Deerness Fencing & Landscaping Ltd (part of Esh Group)...
A North East development site with the potential to create more than 3,000 jobs is being promoted as an investment opportunity by the Government on an international level. Forrest Park in Newton Aycliffe is one of 11 projects to feature in a property portfolio,...
One of the north east’s largest providers of affordable homes today revealed its new identity and vision for the future of social housing in the region. County Durham Housing Group, which provides low-cost homes for more than 18,000 families in the region, becomes...
Foster carers who have together devoted hundreds of years of service to some of County Durham’s most vulnerable children have been celebrated. Durham County Council has held its annual foster carers award ceremony to recognise the dedication and commitment of those...
Litter pickers at the ready - there is still time to be part of the annual Big Spring Clean. Durham County Council has teamed up with LitterFree Durham and Darlington and Darlington Borough Council and calling on local residents, community groups, schools and...
With pupil numbers expected to significantly fall and budgets reducing, plans to amalgamate two schools in County Durham will be discussed by councillors next week. Durham County Council is proposing to amalgamate Cotsford Junior School and Cotsford Infant School in...
More than 24,000 illegal cigarettes, 129kg of rolling tobacco and £50,000 in cash has been seized in the past 12 months as part of efforts to crack down on the illegal tobacco trade in County Durham. The figures are revealed in a report to Durham County Council’s...
Ensuring allotments are the thriving horticultural centres they should be is at the heart of a review on how key green spaces are maintained in County Durham. Allotment tenants, waiting list applicants and residents are all urged to get involved in the Durham County...
East Durham College’s Sixth Form centre, ED6, is celebrating after being named as the top performing college in England for value-added scores, proving that ED6 is truly helping students to reach their full potential. Value-added scores showcase how much progress...
Independent research has found that one of the region’s largest housing associations is among the top performing providers of affordable homes in the country. A survey of tenants has found County Durham Housing Group to be one of the best performing social landlords...
Two kids club founders have received a high honour for their work with young people in their community. Tracey Slater and Julie Griffiths from Murton accepted a Chairman’s Medal for their dedication to their youth group, Junior Club, founded and run by the two ladies....
The region’s largest council and a number of its partners have signed a collective new pledge as part of an ongoing campaign to eradicate single use plastics. Representatives from Durham County Council were joined at its County Hall headquarters by a number of...
College construction students who are to be given real work experience on a County Durham building site got a glimpse of what their contribution will create. The youngsters from East Durham College in Peterlee were invited to the Durham Villages Regeneration Company...
Proposed changes to a County Durham town’s conservation area are coming to consultation. Durham County Council is working towards the second stage of its grant application to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the delivery of a townscape heritage scheme in Seaham,...
Over 5,000 children in County Durham will go to their first choice of secondary school this September. A total of 5,485 applications were made this year, up from 5,162 in 2018, and every single child has been offered a place at a school in the county. Out of these...
A community interest company which supports and empowers the women of County Durham has secured £11,000 of funding to transform the lives of many women in the region. Aspire Learning, Support and Wellbeing, based in Chester-le-Street, has announced the boost from...
Childhood wasn’t easy for Alison Brightwell. Diagnosed at a very young age with a rare form of eye cancer known as retinoblastoma, Alison, and her family lived through a very scary time, full of treatment and hospitals. It all ended with Alison having to have her eye...
Easington MP Grahame Morris has backed World Book Day as new figures reveal the number of books issued from public libraries in the North East has fallen by 49 per cent since 2011. The number of books borrowed in the North East has decreased from 13. The research,...
A Peterlee care home has celebrated its second birthday in style with a Las Vegas-themed party. To mark the anniversary, staff at HC One's Grampian Court organized some special entertainment for Residents and their families, which included an Elvis impersonator and a...
It’s all about constructing an exciting new career for Collette Lau, who has launched her own joinery business whilst studying on a carpentry and joinery course at East Durham College. Collette, 39, from Coxhoe, had previously worked for most of her working life in...
The director of a renovation company has been ordered to pay out more than £13,000 after his sub-contractors “destroyed” a disabled woman’s home. Magistrates in Newton Aycliffe heard the woman was left distraught after Paul Gibson’s company Caritas Homes Limited...
A funding programme for community groups is looking to help more projects in east Durham after a host of successes in the area. County Durham Housing Group’s ‘group grant’ scheme is looking for more applications after helping dozens of projects in east Durham. The...
Easington MP Grahame Morris has pledged to support a campaign that could help thousands of people with asthma in the North East. The campaign is to help those people who are struggling to pay their asthma prescription charges and could be at an increased risk of...
A theatre group in east Durham is making a song and dance thanks to funding from a major housing association. Seaham Youth Theatre Group is staging a full costume performance of Oklahoma, complete with a live orchestra, thanks to funding from County Durham Housing...
Actress Jennie McAlpine and BBC MasterChef Champion 2018 Kenny Tutt will demonstrate their favourite recipes at one of the region’s most popular food festivals. Best known for playing the much-loved character Fiz in Coronation Street, Jennie will swap the cobbled...