When selecting a GP practice, the quality of care is crucial. Thankfully, Darlington is home to several well-rated surgeries offering top-notch services to its residents. Using information provided by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), here are the compiled list of the top 10 GP surgeries in the area. While mostContinue Reading

Police have received several reports in the last week of a man indecently exposing himself on Derwent Walk between Ebchester and Rowlands Gill. A man, in his 60s, has been arrested in connection with the incident and has since been released on bail with conditions while enquiries continue. Officers areContinue Reading

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for the public’s help in tracing Matthew Segger, a 35-year-old man from Darlington, who is wanted in connection with a burglary that took place in Ripon in August 2023. Despite extensive enquiries, officers have so far been unable to locate him. Authorities believe Segger mayContinue Reading

Tees Valley residents are set to benefit from energy efficiency upgrades after nearly £14 million was awarded to a consortium involving Darlington, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton councils. The funding – totalling £13,953,865 – comes from the government’s new Warm Homes: Local Grant scheme, which could help up toContinue Reading

The North East Chamber of Commerce will host its Partner and Corporate Business Dinner on Wednesday, 23 April, bringing together senior leaders from across the region for an evening of cross-party, cross-regional dialogue. Taking place at the Radisson Blu, Durham, the event will feature a fireside chat chaired by ShevaunContinue Reading

The spring sunshine added the perfect seasoning to a weekend full of food and family fun at this year’s Bishop Auckland Food Festival. Thousands of people flocked to Bishop Auckland town centre for the return of one of the region’s biggest food festivals, for two days of entertainment, cookery demonstrations,Continue Reading

The region’s popular Kids Go Free promotion on public transport is back this easter break – so ‘hop’ onboard between 12 and 27 April 2025. The offer makes public transport in the North East (Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and County Durham areas) more affordable throughout the school holidays since itsContinue Reading

PCC welcomes Victims’ Commissioner Baroness Newlove and other criminal justice experts at second Victims’ Conference Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen hosted a high-profile conference drawing together leading UK justice experts including Victims’ Commissioner Baroness Newlove to help improve outcomes for victims of crime.  The County Durham and Darlington PCCContinue Reading

Heading to Bishop Auckland Food Festival this weekend? Organisers have announced travel arrangements for getting to the event. Bishop Auckland Food Festival returns to the town centre on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 April, for two days of fun, food and family entertainment. With over 150 stalls, festivalgoers will beContinue Reading

A brand-new launch pad membership designed to support early-stage businesses has been created by the North East Chamber of Commerce. Start Up and Grow is the latest addition to the Chamber’s enhanced membership offer, providing the tools, support and connections for incorporated start-ups in their first two years of business.Continue Reading

Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen’s new Police, Crime and Justice Plan, setting out ambitious action to make County Durham and Darlington safer, stronger and more resilient to drug and alcohol related crime and anti-social behaviour will be implemented from 1 April.  The County Durham and Darlington PCC has consideredContinue Reading

Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen has praised officers for their relentless commitment to making the county safer as new figures revealed significant reductions in neighbourhood crime and serious violence. In a snapshot performance update covering October to December 2024, the County Durham and Darlington PCC reported sweeping improvements againstContinue Reading

Officers are urging the public to remain vigilant after three suspected parcel fraudsters have been arrested across the region after victims lose almost £20k. On Friday (March 28), officers from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) arrested a 23-year-old man in Newcastle believed to be linked to postalContinue Reading

The medals awarded to the eldest of four North East brothers who all fought with valour in the First World War are now back in his home county. The Trustees of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) bought Colonel Sir Thomas Bradford’s medals at auction, including a Distinguished Service Order. Today,Continue Reading

Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen has welcomed the launch of a national pilot placing domestic abuse specialists in the 999 control rooms of five police forces. ‘Raneem’s Law’ follows the murders of Raneem Oudeh, 22, and her mother Khaola Saleem, and sees specialists joining the control rooms of theContinue Reading

Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen today reiterated her calls for urgent national intervention to tackle a broken justice system that is causing serious and profound additional trauma to victims of crime.   The County Durham and Darlington PCC has responded to a new report from Baroness Newlove, Victims’ Commissioner forContinue Reading

A North East council has selected nationwide placemaker, Muse, as its joint venture partner to deliver the first phase of a new innovation district. The first phase comprises the Durham County Council-owned Aykley Heads site, which is currently home to the authority’s County Hall headquarters. The 15-hectare site already hasContinue Reading

Increasing access to free school meals, providing warm and welcoming spaces, supporting rural communities and helping businesses to thrive are just some examples of partnership work in action in County Durham. Next week, Durham County Council’s Cabinet will receive an update on the issues being addressed by the County DurhamContinue Reading

A key milestone has been reached in one of the UK’s first large-scale mine water heat projects, with work now underway. Durham County Council is working with a number of organisations to deliver the project, which will ultimately see mine water used to heat homes on a new sustainable community,Continue Reading

The scale of change taking place at Durham Light Infantry (DLI) Museum and Art Gallery is now clearly visible, following the construction of a large steel frame on the site. The new structure will form an extension to the Durham city venue, almost doubling its original size. Work to redevelopContinue Reading

A large-scale clean-up operation has been launched to enhance County Durham’s communities. Durham County Council has allocated an additional £150,000 to its Clean and Green team to carry out a clean-up operation across the county. The team used the money to take on eight additional staff as well as purchaseContinue Reading

The owner of a Chinese takeaway has been ordered to pay out more than £4,000 following the discovery of a fly-infestation and unhygienic conditions on the business premises. Environmental health officers from Durham County Council carried out an unannounced inspection at Hello 7 in Framwellgate Moor, near Durham City, afterContinue Reading

A man has credited a County Durham homelessness service with transforming his life after his mental health issues escalated. Michael Dunn had reached crisis point when he was introduced to the team at the Safe Night Hub, a new countywide service providing food, warmth and support to rough sleepers everyContinue Reading

A County Durham man has been left more than £1,500 worse off and with a criminal conviction after failing to assist a flytipping investigation. Byron Cant-Raine was successfully prosecuted by Durham County Council after failing to attend an interview in relation to a flytip at Brancepeth. Ian Hoult, the council’sContinue Reading

Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen is inviting residents to get involved in her scrutiny meeting focused on trust and confidence in policing. Trust and confidence in policing has declined over recent years, with a recent survey showing that nationally, over half of the adult population has little confidence inContinue Reading

Volunteers who help to keep County Durham’s coastline clean will continue to be supported thanks to council funding. Durham County Council works alongside other local authorities, and organisations such as The National Trust, Durham Wildlife Trust, Groundwork and Northumbrian Water, as part of the Heritage Coast Partnership. The partnership aimsContinue Reading

The potential for thousands of new jobs in County Durham has moved a step closer, after senior councillors agreed to progress to the next stage in a development plan. Durham County Council’s Cabinet has agreed to take the next step in its procurement process, in its plans to develop landContinue Reading

Drivers passing through Durham are being warned of enforcement coming into place at a key junction. From Monday 17 February, Durham County Council will be introducing an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera at the yellow box junction at Neville’s Cross. The Highway Code states that drivers must not enterContinue Reading

A County Durham primary school has been recognised for its work to bring the world into the classroom. Wingate Primary School has been awarded the prestigious International School Award by the British Council. The award celebrates the achievements of schools that bring an international dimension into their curriculum, enabling youngContinue Reading

Nine arrested and five charged as part of partnership strikes across the country concerning organised drug supply. Under Operation Sentinel, yesterday (Wednesday), officers from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU), National Crime Agency (NCA) and Durham Constabulary, with the support of Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime UnitContinue Reading

A Sunday Brunch host, social media baker, and a MasterChef champion are among the celebrity chefs who will appear at this year’s Bishop Auckland Food Festival. The popular Durham County Council-run festival will return to Bishop Auckland on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 April, for a weekend of sizzling streetContinue Reading

A warrant has been executed at a pub in Darlington to disrupt suspected drug supply and disorder. Under Operation Arizona, Darlington neighbourhood team and licensing officers along with support from the dog unit and colleagues from County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service swooped in on The Old DunContinue Reading

Schoolchildren in County Durham have shown off their new £40m state-of-the-art learning environment to council leaders. Children at Belmont Community School and Belmont Church of England Primary School welcomed Cabinet members from Durham County Council for the official opening of their modern new shared campus – which has been funded byContinue Reading

A Durham City shop that sold vapes to children on multiple occasions, including a 15-year-old, has been ordered to close for three months. Phone Gadget, on Silver Street, has been told by a court to close its doors following a successful application by Durham County Council, which was acting inContinue Reading

Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen’s plans to boost policing and deliver the improvements local people have asked for have been fully approved. The County Durham and Darlington PCC, who has promised to keep residents and businesses at the heart of her safety plans, presented her budget for policing inContinue Reading

Courts across the region have sentenced individuals for heinous crimes, ranging from murder and sexual assault to burglary and domestic violence. Here is a summary of the cases that saw justice served this month: Army Veteran’s Jealous Rage Leads to Prison Army veteran Steven Files, 36, has been sentenced toContinue Reading

The met office have issued a yellow warning for strong winds from 07:00 until 23:00 Tuesday (New Year’s Eve) for the following areas: Strong westerly winds may lead to some travel disruption on New Year’s Eve. Strong and gusty southwesterly winds will develop across southern Scotland and northeast England onContinue Reading

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has published its latest quarterly list of individuals and businesses penalized for failing to comply with tax obligations or for deliberately filing inaccurate tax returns. The details are made public when a person or business has deliberately defaulted on more than £25,000 in taxes. TheContinue Reading

Tributes have been paid to a cyclist who died in a crash two days before Christmas. Anthony Brian Milburn died in the collision with a BMW on the A688 close to Binchester Services, near Bishop Auckland in County Durham. The 34-year-old dad was airlifted to James Cook University Hospital inContinue Reading

Alasdair MacConachie OBE, a revered philanthropist, business leader, and dedicated community campaigner, passed away on Christmas Day at Darlington Memorial Hospital following a brief illness. He was 78. Mr. MacConachie’s impact on Darlington and beyond is immeasurable. As the driving force behind Sherwoods Motor Group, he built a thriving businessContinue Reading

Three taxi marshals have been removed from duty after a passenger was reportedly pressured into giving them a tip. Darlington Borough Council was told a person was not allowed to get into a taxi without tipping a marshal over the weekend. It said the marshals had been pulled from dutyContinue Reading

The cost of in-home care has become a contentious issue in the North East, with residents in Middlesbrough and Darlington facing vastly different financial demands for similar services. The disparity has raised questions about fairness and the financial pressures placed on vulnerable individuals. In Middlesbrough, a 23-year-old receiving essential in-homeContinue Reading

An eight-year-old boy who lives with a disability has been praised for saving the life of his dad who had slipped into a diabetic coma. Durham Police said Tyler gave the 999 call handler “vital information”, while also keeping his four-year-old sister calm, after dad Jamie Miller became seriously illContinue Reading

The A1M in North Yorkshire/County Durham is closed in both directions between J57 (Stapleton) and J58 (Darlington) due to a collision involving two vehicles. Emergency services are on scene. National Highways Traffic Officers are also in attendance assisting with traffic management.  Collision investigation will be taking place so the roadContinue Reading

A landlord has been forced to pay more than £25,000 for failing to get licences for six of his homes. Kamran Adil’s properties in Blackhall Colliery, near Peterlee in County Durham, had problems including electrical hazards and structural concerns. Durham County Council uses selective licences to regulate landlords and ensureContinue Reading

A three-year-old girl who had a life-saving organ transplant will appear on the Christmas special of Casualty to highlight the importance of donation. Beatrix, from Burnopfield in County Durham, spent more than a year in the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle waiting for a new heart. She had her transplant inContinue Reading

Kearney FM’s Managing Director, Aaron Kearney, is set to launch his brand-new podcast, The Daily Dose of Aaron, on 31st December 2024. The podcast promises to cover “everything and anything,” offering listeners engaging conversations, insightful stories, and plenty of surprises. New episodes will be released every Wednesday and Sunday atContinue Reading

Holidaymakers who decide to drive under the influence once they touch down at the airport are being targeted as part of a new police operation. The first of its kind in the North East, Operation Take Off sees Durham officers team up with Northumbria Police to take dangerous drivers offContinue Reading

Mason Longstaff from the Newton Aycliffe and Bishop Auckland area who was a volunteer with local charity Angel Trust has been convicted. He has been convicted with 18 months suspended sentence and had to sign a SHPO for 10 years. Angel Trust in a statement has said: Recently, social mediaContinue Reading

Arriva North East will implement fare changes starting January 1, 2025. In response to customer and stakeholder feedback regarding the complexity of the single fare structure, most single fares in the region will now be set at £1.60 or £1.70 for short trips, £2.30 for slightly longer journeys, and cappedContinue Reading