Anger over Esh Winning school closure plans

PARENTS and governors of one of the region’s greenest schools have vowed to fight council closure plans.

Friends of Esh Winning Primary School reacted with fury today after Durham County Council voted to relocate the school to a new site on the village green, at a cost of £7.3m.

They say leaving the current site, among woodland and wildlife, would jeopardise the school’s hard-earned green credentials.

The school’s garden won a prize at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and its green-fingered approach has attracted praise from several Government ministers.

Theft of charity bags

Northern Echo – Darlington,England,UK

POLICE are looking for a van which is believed to have been used to steal bags packed with donations to help a life-saving service.

Police say the white Ford Transit – registration SB52 PFV – was used to pick up charity bags for the Great North Air Ambulance which had been left on the doorstep by well-wishers.

A number of bags went missing at around 9am yesterday after being left out in Hill Top, in the village of Bearpark, Durham City.

A witness said the bags had been collected by the van, which contained two men, both wearing high-visibility jackets.

The driver was aged 25 to 30, with short fair hair. The passenger was around 5ft 6 tall, of slim build, with short fair hair.

Genuine collectors for the Great North Air Ambulance were in the Durham area today picking up collections in the Ushaw Moor, New Brancepeth, Brandon and Langley Moor areas.

Anyone with any information about the incident or knows the whereabouts of the van is asked to ring police on 0345 6060365 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

We’re still in tune after 60 years

GazetteLive – Middlesbrough,UK The couple, both 81, of Severn Road, Redcar, were childhood sweethearts in County Durham and married in St Luke’s Church, Ushaw Moor, on March 12, 1949. …

Read MORE