By Martin Walker A fairly brief question on our Facebook page was enough to provoke a mini outpouring of opinions recently, which suggest the general public is indeed disillusioned or disconnected with local politics. Less than one in four of us turned out for the Durham County Council elections, while the turn-out for the Aycliffe...

By Martin Walker Newtonian Jason Steele has been named in Stuart Pearce's final 23-man squad for this summer's European Under-21 Championships. The Aycliffe-born goalkeeper, recently voted Middlesbrough's Player and Young Player of the Year by Boro fans, joins Stoke's Jack Butland and Norwich's Declan Rudd as Pearce's three goalkeepers...

Police are investigating after a Mercedes van had a window smashed in the town. The incident happened between 4pm on Friday 10th May and 7.40pm on Sunday 12th May. The white Mercedes Sprinter van that was parked in the car park in front of Bewick Crescent Surgery and had its nearside window smashed after a rock was thrown. Anyone with...

Car parts manufacturer Gestamp Tallent has installed a new £15m assembly line as it continues to make significant in-roads in the global automotive market. The Newton Aycliffe-based company designs and makes chassis and structural products for motor giants including Nissan, Volvo, Ford, Jaguar, Honda and VW. The firm, which is...

By Martin Walker Aycliffe police officers are implementing some preventative measures in the town thanks to council cash. With ever-increasing cutbacks to public spending, our Neighbourhood Police Team are constantly looking for innovative ways to make the best use of their resources. So they applied to Great Aycliffe and Middridge...

By Martin Walker The construction deal to build Hitachi’s new train-building facility in Newton Aycliffe has finally been signed after months of delays. Hitachi Rail Europe has announced that it has signed the deal with Merchant Place Developments for the construction and fit-out of a rolling stock manufacturing plant on Aycliffe...

By Martin Walker Middlesbrough goalkeeper Jason Steele is hoping Woodham Academy will continue to "unearth little gems" after producing a number of footballers over the years. The ex-Woodham pupil, Boro's number one 'keeper and an England Under-21 international, has been impressed by the work of former Darlington players Neil Maddison...

Newton Aycliffe's cricket team lost their second game of the new season at the weekend. Aycliffe's first XI had won two, drawn one and lost one after a promising start to life in the NYSD League. But they lost at Norton on Saturday, leaving them mid-table in the third division. Aycliffe batted first and were all out for 167 after 35.2...

By Glen Robertson Stuart Owen was named player of the year at Newton Aycliffe’s annual presentation evening. The Newtonian made 48 appearances during the campaign, scoring five goals along the way. Owen, a midfielder by trade, spent the majority of the season filling in at left-back and put in a number of sterling displays along the...

More than 700 speeding motorists face police action after a week-long operation across the roads of Cleveland and County Durham. Results have just been collated for the crackdown, which started on 15 April and was conducted in support of the European Traffic Police Network (TISPOL). Road policing crews targeted a number of locations...