One of County Durham’s oldest established heating and plumbing companies, D and J Franks Renewables, has expanded into the Biomass heating sector, which will see the company grow the business and create new jobs. The family-owned business, which has an office on Aycliffe Business Park, was established over 30 years ago and currently...

An ambitious financial services and technology business, which reached its £150,000 crowdfunding target in just 10 minutes, has gone on to raise an additional £85,000, which it will put towards accelerating its growth plan. Growth Capital Ventures, a FinTech firm which develops and operates online funding and investment marketplaces,...

PD Portcentric Logistics, part of the PD Ports Group which has a base on Aycliffe Business Park, has secured a three-year contract with freight forwarding company, Allport Cargo Service, to undertake their LCL deconsolidation service. Allport will move their growing LCL offering from Tilbury to PD Portcentric Logistics’ 500,000 sq. ft....

The chairman of Tesco is to stand down after Britain's biggest retailer reported a 92% fall in pre-tax profits and revealed that the accounting black hole in its profits is larger than expected. Britain's biggest retailer said in its half-year results that the black hole in its profits was £263m, larger than the £250m initially...

Record breaker Warren Byrne tonight joined hometown club Newton Aycliffe for a third time, with the club’s all-time goalscoring record firmly in his sights. The 32-year-old sniffer scored 51 goals in two spells for the club – one behind Elliot Gardner’s record boast of 52 – including a record 44-goal haul during the club’s...

By Martin Walker A target to raise £1,500 in memory of Darren Ablewhite is almost complete thanks to the generosity of his family and friends. Able's girlfriend, Julie Houhgton, launched a campaign to raise the cash for a community defibrillator to be installed in Liverpool’s Princes Park. Able tragically died after suffering a...

By Martin Walker The Oak Tree pub will be demolished if plans for new apartments are given the nod. Social housing provider, livin, has applied to Durham County Council to replace the once popular public house with two sets of two-storey apartment blocks for people aged over 55. The proposed development will consist of eight...

Newton Aycliffe Juniors are on the lookout for new players to join their club. Newton Aycliffe Juniors is a well-established junior football club playing in local junior leagues. The club is looking to expand, and need 11-year-old boys and girls (just started at comprehensive school) who are interested in joining. "We have an...

By Martin Walker Newton Aycliffe car parts maker Gestamp Tallent has been handed a Government cash boost to address skills shortages. Six companies nationwide have been shortlisted to share a £5.4m cash pot to strengthen the automotive industry. Business Secretary Vince Cable revealed Gestamp Tallent was included in the list of firms...

Police are appealing for witnesses to a collision in Newton Aycliffe on Sunday morning. It happened around 9.50am on Sunday (19th October) on Ricknall Lane as the road goes over the A1(M) and involved a pedal cycle and a black Vauxhall Insignia car. The pedal cyclist, a 33-year-old man from the Spennymoor area, suffered serious injuries...