Wilton Centre firm's products could save millions being wasted in biomedical research projects

A life sciences company that relocated its lab operations to Wilton as part of growth plans has been endorsed by a world-leading science journal.

Experts say products from Absolute Antibody could help save millions of dollars currently being wasted in research projects.

The company, which manufactures antibodies for biomedical research, relocated from Oxfordshire to the Wilton Centre late last year. Its production methods have since been endorsed by more than 100 specialists in its field.

Writing in one of the leading international science publications ‘Nature’, authors of the article state that adopting the manufacturing process used by Absolute Antibody would avoid the “vast” waste of materials, researcher time and money in the area of biomedical research.

They estimate around US$350m is wasted annually in the United States alone by using poorly characterised and ill-defined antibodies.

Nick Hutchings, Absolute Antibody CEO, said that the article is very significant.

He said: “It is signed by 110 leading scientists in the field so it really packs a punch.

“It essentially says that everyone working with antibodies should be using products manufactured in the way that we manufacture them, and not the way they have been manufactured traditionally, and even goes so far as to mention our company by name.”

Absolute Antibody's Wilton operations

Antibodies are important proteins in the immune system, which allow cells of the immune system to recognise foreign particles, such as bacteria or viruses.

In research and diagnostics, antibodies are very useful reagents for detecting proteins ie cancer markers, doping or pregnancy testing and can also be labelled with fluorescent probes to visualise localisation of proteins in a cell.

Nick Hutchings explained: “One thing, however, with antibodies is that they are really poorly defined.

“This means that errors occur because you have very few ways of saying that antibody X used in a clinical study in London is the same antibody X they are using to replicate this study in Newcastle. This does happen - and costs millions.”

Absolute Antibody addresses this problem in the methods it uses to create antibodies.

Using a process advocated by the authors of the ‘Nature’ article, the company creates absolutely defined antibodies of the highest purity.

Nick Hutchings added: “So when we talk about our antibody X, someone halfway round the globe will know exactly what we mean.”

Absolute Antibody relocated to expand its business, doubling the size of its lab space in the process.

Pictured: The Class 800 train that will be built at Hitachi's Newton Aycliffe factory

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Chris Styles

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Chris was appointed editor of the Gazette in January 2012. He is also a former Gazette news editor. Chris has more than 20 years experience as a journalist and has previously worked in senior positions in Newcastle, Exeter and Nottingham.

Teesside revealed to have highest level of knife crime in England and Wales

Teesside is the knife crime capital of England and Wales despite a drop in knife crime in the area.

Cleveland Police cautioned or sentenced 244 people for possessing a knife in 2014, according to new statistics released by the Ministry of Justice.

This works out as a knife crime rate of 50 for every 100,000 people living in the area and is the highest rate out of all 43 police forces in England and Wales, including the Metropolitan Police.

Despite Cleveland Police recording a relatively high rate of knife crime compared to other forces there has been a significant reduction in such offences over the past seven years.

Back in 2008 there were 433 cases of knife crime in the area at a rate of 89 crimes for every 100,000 residents.

The rate of 50 per 100,000 residents in 2014 represents a 43.8% drop since then.

Teesside knife crime campaigner Barbara Dunne, whose son Robert was stabbed to death in 2003, said: “I can believe that.

Barbara Dunne

“I went out on the streets as part of a project looking for kids who carried a knife and we were inundated. I think with kids a lot carry them because of peer pressure.

“There’s always a source. They’re taking drugs or drinking alcohol, that interferes with their perceptions and that leads to anti-social behaviour. There’s also a lot of bullying and violence in schools.

“I don’t think you can tackle knife crime with just awareness. There’s always a source.”

Compared to 2013 there has also been a large drop, with the knife crime rate down by 9% from 55 offences per 100,000.

Chief Superintendent Glenn Gudgeon of Cleveland Police said: “The majority of law-abiding people don’t carry knives or other weapons, but there is a minority of people who continue to flout the law that we are putting before the courts.

“These figures relate to those occasions where we have detained people in possession of knives as opposed to those occasions when a knife has been used to commit a crime.

“Whilst the number of times that a knife has been used to commit a crime in Cleveland is in line with other forces, our focus is on protecting our communities from harm and we will take a robust approach to the offence of possession of a knife in conjunction with our colleagues from the Crown Prosecution Service.

“We will also continue to work with our partners to prevent violent crime and keep Cleveland safe.”

Throughout England and Wales as a whole there has been no change in the knife crime rate in the past two years with the rate in 2014 remaining at 32 offences per 100,000 - 15,782 offences.

This is the same rate as in 2013.

Over the past seven years there has been a significant reduction in knife crime in England and Wales.

In 2008 police recorded 28,370 knife crime offences at a rate of 59 per 100,000 of the population.

Middlesbrough food supplier Trio goes for growth

A fast-growing food service company has reached the £1.5m turnover mark after trading less than a year.

Trio Foodservice supplies food products to businesses across Teesside and North Yorkshire from pubs, restaurants and coffee shops to schools and hospitals.

It was founded by friends Neil Short, Martin Wheatley and Richard Stainthorpe - who between them had clocked up a combined 60 years at a large food supply firm.

They decided to go it alone. Now their business on Middlesbrough’s Nelson Industrial Estate has 10 staff, three vans - and a 300-strong customer base, which is growing all the time.

Martin said: “We all worked for the same company, and it was becoming too corporate.

“I’d lost my passion with it, there was more pressure, more demands.

“We said ‘let’s do something for ourselves’ and it went from there.

“I’d just completed 20 years service, Richard had been in the industry for 28 years and Neil 14.

“There was a gap in the market, we didn’t just want to be a normal food wholesale company, we wanted to offer something different, local products.

“We have found a lot of independents don’t particularly want to deal with the big boys, they value the more personal touch that we can offer them.”

Martin’s wife Karen, who also works for the business, said: “We carry around 500 lines now, and try to keep our suppliers local as we want to have as much of an impact as possible on the local economy.

“Because we’re a family-run business, our customers matter to us.

“If someone forgets an order, we’re able to get to them at short notice.

“It was a big risk for the three of them to leave their jobs, as they were the main breadwinners for their families and had no financial backing.

“But things are going very well.”

Next year the company is targeting steady growth and a turnover of more than £2m - with plans to extend delivery to the rest of the North-east.

#OnThisBoroDay 2010: Boro put in an improved performance but have to settle for a 2-2 draw with Newcastle

As a disheartening season dwindled out without any real purpose the visit of Newcastle United at least offered Boro the slim pickings of a silver lining.

A home win against the neighbours, destined for the Premier League after enjoying the season Boro had hoped for themselves, would give the frustrated Riverside regulars something to cheer about.

Those opportunities had been few and far between in a season that new boss Gordon Strachan had chalked off less than half the way through the campaign.

He’d stamped his mark on the side with some January arrivals but despite the fact Boro were still within touching distance of the play-off places, the Scot spent more time picking fault with his squad than inspiring a late surge for the top six.

Had Boro held on for all the points against the table-toppers on this day in 2010 that gap to sixth place would have been just two points.

With more than 27,000 at the Riverside, the game had the feel of an occasion to it.

And although Boro fell a goal behind, they used the atmosphere to their advantage, dragging themselves back into the match before the break thanks to a thunderbolt from man of the match Barry Robson.

A Newcastle side that had lost only four all season were made to look average throughout. And Boro looked set to pick up the points they deserved when Scott McDonald reacted fastest to prod home with just over quarter-of-an-hour to play.

But Strachan would go on to bemoan the lack of depth in his squad after the game and it told in the final 15 minutes.

As the visitors pushed on Boro tired, Andy Carroll taking advantage by levelling late on.

“Are we anywhere near where we want to be? No,” Strachan told the Gazette after watching his side throw away the lead.

“I am happy with the players I have got here but I’m not happy with the squad.

“I have four midfield players, and that’s my lot. That’s a problem.”goo

Two points dropped but positives to take from the performance.

“Boro looked like a team again on Saturday,” wrote Eric Paylor in his match report.

“In that respect they’ve moved on to a new level - hopefully they will continue to climb.”

It was the start of an eight-match unbeaten run but a run that included far too many draws for Boro to make inroads on the top six.

Aitor Karanka: 'The loan market is open so we are always looking'

Aitor Karanka won’t rule out making a loan signing before the end of the window and admits Boro do have a goalscoring problem at the moment.

The Spaniard does insist, however, that he has the best squad in the Championship.

Boro are believed to have made a bid to sign Jordan Rhodes on loan from Blackburn Rovers with the deal becoming permanent in the summer.

Karanka wouldn’t be drawn on that link and instead made a point of praising his strikers.

He sad: “I said a week ago that I think all of my strikers are the best in the league. My squad is the best in the league because they are my players.

“We have a goalscoring problem because we have chances and are not scoring,” Karanka added. “But we are top of the table with three other teams who have players scoring 40 or 45 goals between them.

“If we had players who started to do that now then we will be in a much stronger position.

Kike, Jelle Vossen and Patrick Bamford

“I am sure that my players can score the goals. If I had not thought that they could score goals I would have looked for strikers one or two months ago.

“In January I was not looking for a another striker, I trust all of them in the same way I did when I first started the season with them.

“I am very confident in them. All of them have a part to play for me in the next 10 games. They are all very good players.”

Karanka declared himself satisfied with his first team squad when the January transfer window closed but is open to using the loan market either to move players out or bring someone in.

“The market is open so we are always looking,” he said. “No manager can say they are not open to new players or allowing players to leave. If the market is open then you have to be open.”

The loan window closes at 5pm on March 26.

Obama’s Treason Is the New Patriotism

When Republicans complained that Obama refused to talk about Islamic terrorism, he accused them of playing into the hands of ISIS by demanding that he identify the enemy we’re fighting.

When they spoke out against his Iranian nuclear sellout, he accused them of “wanting to make common cause with the hardliners in Iran”.

Those hardliners would presumably toe a harder line than Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who responded to Obama’s outreach in his first term by saying, “The Islamic peoples all over the world chant ‘Death to America!’” and who stated last year that “This battle will only end when the society can get rid of the oppressors’ front with America at the head of it.”

(The Supreme Leader of a country which stones teenage rape victims and rapes teenage girls so that they don’t die as virgins, also claimed that “The European races are barbaric.”)

If the moderate Supreme Leader that Obama is dealing with wants Death to America, what could the real hardliners want for America that’s even worse than death? A third term of Obama?

Meanwhile Joe Biden, Obama’s number two, accused Republicans of undermining Obama. This would be the same Biden who threatened to impeach President Bush if he bombed Iran’s nuclear program and who blasted Bush and the idea of an Axis of Evil at a fundraiser in the home of a pro-Iran figure.

Biden undermined President Bush’s efforts to rein in Iran’s terrorism by voting against listing the Revolutionary Guard, which was supplying weapons to help the Taliban kill American soldiers, as a terrorist group (a position he shared with Kerry, Hagel and Obama) and berating Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for not negotiating with Iran and Assad.

The toadying of “Tehran Joe” to Iran had already reached its absolute lowest point when Biden responded to the terrorist attacks of September 11 by suggesting, “Seems to me this would be a good time to send, no strings attached, a check for $200 million to Iran.”

The administration that Biden is part of has instead been releasing $490 million a month to Iran.

Biden, along with Kerry and Hagel, became notorious as the Tehran Trio during the Bush years for their advocacy for Iran and Assad, and their appearances at pro-Iranian lobbying groups and fundraisers despite criticism from Iranian democracy advocates. Biden, Kerry and Hagel, Obama’s VP, the Secretary of State and the former Secretary of Defense, all appeared at American-Iranian Council events, a group whose founder stated that he is “the Iranian lobby in the United States.”

Treason doesn’t get more treasonous than that.

Obama and Biden, along with their political allies, are trying to spin their shameless pandering to a terrorist state as patriotic and opposition to it as treasonous. The New York Daily News denounced senators opposed to an Obama deal giving Iran the ability to develop and deploy nuclear weapons as “Traitors”. The administration’s social media allies’ hashtag dubbed Republicans opposed to Iran’s nuclear weapons as #47Traitors.

Traitors oppose terrorists getting nuclear weapons. Patriots like Joe Biden not only support it, but they blast a president trying to stop it while collecting $30,000 at a pro-Iranian fundraiser.

“Treason doth never prosper: what’s the reason?” Sir John Harrington cynically observed. “Why, if it prosper, none dare call it treason.”

But the Elizabethan courtier left out that when traitors rule, patriotism becomes treason. Obama commits treason and taunts his critics as traitors.

Republicans who want to see American leadership rise to the challenge of ISIS and Iran are accused of collaborating with ISIS and Iran by an administration that willfully lied and misrepresented the growth of ISIS for as long as it could and that is now doing the same thing for Iran’s nuclear threat.

Obama lied and claimed that ISIS was no threat even when it was taking over entire cities. Only overt genocide by ISIS forced him into his current stumbling action against it. Now the same sports fan who dubbed ISIS a “Jayvee” team not worth bothering with accuses Republicans of playing into its hands.

Sensible people consider letting a terrorist group win to be “playing into its hands”. Left-wing apologists for terror however claim that fighting terrorists “plays into their hands”. In the same inverted worldview in which patriotism becomes treason and treason becomes patriotism, what terrorists want most is for you to bomb them to oblivion while what they fear most is that you’ll just stand there and let them kill you.

Now Obama suggests that critics of his Iran nuclear sellout are playing into the hands of some imaginary hardliners who want America to bomb its nuclear program. These imaginary hardliners, like the imaginary terrorists, want to sabotage their own efforts to achieve their goals. And only Obama stands between them and the failure of their terroristic and nuclear ambitions. That’s why he’s a patriot.

And if you can follow all that, you qualify for a gig as the State Department’s new spokesperson.

Ignoring terrorists is patriotic. Fighting them is unpatriotic. Dealing with their actual beliefs is unpatriotic. Pretending that they have no beliefs, no matter how impossible it makes it to predict their actions and fight them, is patriotic. Stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons is unpatriotic. The patriotic thing to do is to cut a deal that will let Iran go the way of North Korea.

Through the intercession of Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton struck a non-binding agreement with North Korea on its nuclear weapons program. Like Obama’s Iran deal, the Senate never got to ratify it. Secretary of State Madeline Albright stated that “the framework agreement is one of the best things that the administration has done because it stopped a nuclear weapons program in North Korea.” It didn’t.

During his original campaign, Obama said, “We cannot allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon.” That should sound familiar. Bill Clinton said during his first term in office, “North Korea cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear bomb.” North Korea could and did. Bill Clinton knew all along that it could and would.

The rhetoric from back then also sounds familiar. Congressman Obey warned that Republicans dropping millions in fuel oil for North Korea was “mindbogglingly reckless.” The Honolulu Star-Bulletin urged “Stop GOP Meddling in Foreign Affairs.” Gore ranted that Republicans were “determined to wreck a presidency in order to recapture it” and accused them of “isolationism and defeatism”.

The Republicans were right. North Korea got the bomb and a lot of freebies from American taxpayers. The men and women responsible for supporting that disastrously treasonous policy slimed them for it. Now we’re in a repeat with many of the same politicians and pundits arguing that the only way to stop Iran from getting the bomb is by not doing anything to stop it from getting the bomb.

The first rule of treason is to call the other guy a traitor. Having aligned with everyone from Castro to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Obama has to make it seem as if it’s the Republicans who are the traitors.

An administration of political hacks who spent the Bush years undermining the White House in every way possible short of officially defecting to the enemy now claim that dissent from their policy is treason. And they top that by reversing the motives of Iran and ISIS so that instead of wanting to destroy America, they really want to be criticized by Republicans and prevented from getting nuclear weapons.

This gibberish shouldn’t be able to fool any thinking person, but the idea that Kim Jong-Il wanted food, not nuclear weapons, when his entire policy had been the exact opposite, shouldn’t have gotten by anyone with an elementary knowledge of history and at least a single living brain cell.

But it did.

No one wants to be a member of a party of traitors or of a government of traitors. Clinton and Obama didn’t accidentally stumble into their policies. They were guided by a deep rotten belief that the United States was always wrong and that the enemy, no matter how evil, had a legitimate grievance.

They can’t admit to this treasonous idea, even though they repeat it constantly in various forms, so their only defense is to claim that their treason is patriotism and that anyone who disagrees is a traitor.

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Iran Deal Secrets Revealed – by Iran

Much is being made of the letter signed by 45 U.S. Senators, all of them Republican, aimed at schooling Iranian leaders in the requirements of the U.S. Constitution.

Secretary Kerry said his reaction was “utter disbelief” that the Senators would “go behind” the back of the administration during a delicate international negotiation. Some on the American Left called it “treason,” conveniently forgetting that some of their own (including Kerry, as a junior Senator) have met with enemy foreign leaders in defiance of a president of the other party on many occasions.

In an exchange with Sen. Marco Rubio at Wednesday’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Secretary Kerry said he had shared details of the negotiations with the Saudis and other Sunni allies, but that he wouldn’t do the same with Congress.

But Congress can just tune in the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s English language website to learn the secrets of the deal Secretary Kerry won’t reveal to them.

Addressing the Republican Senators who signed the letter, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif warned that a “change of administration does not in any way relieve the next administration from international obligations undertaken by its predecessor…

“I wish to enlighten the authors that if the next administration revokes any agreement with the stroke of a pen, as they boast, it will have simply committed a blatant violation of international law.”

Zarif went on to reveal details of the agreement that the Obama Administration has so far kept from Congress.

His statement emphasized “that if the current negotiation with P5+1 result[s] in a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, it will not be a bilateral agreement between Iran and the US, but rather one that will be concluded with the participation of five other countries, including all permanent members of the Security Council, and will also be endorsed by a Security Council resolution.”

Let me spell that out: The Obama administration has told Congress that it won’t submit the nuclear agreement with Iran for Congressional approval, but now Zarif is saying that it will be submitted to the United Nations, to form the basis of a United Nations Security Council resolution, presumably aimed at lifting UN sanctions on Iran.

That was too much even for Sen. Bob Corker (R, Tenn), the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who pointedly refused to join his colleagues in signing the Iran letter, even though the Senate Republican Leadership, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, had.

“There are now reports that your administration is contemplating taking an agreement, or aspects of it, to the United Nations Security Council for a vote,” Corker wrote on Thursday to Obama.

“Enabling the United Nations to consider an agreement or portions of it, while simultaneously threatening to veto legislation that would enable Congress to do the same, is a direct affront to the American people and seeks to undermine Congress’s appropriate role,” he added.

Can Obama legally circumvent Congress and go directly to the United Nations?

Undoubtedly, just as he could ignore multiple U.S. laws – and his own statements – that prevented him for granting amnesty to millions of illegal aliens by Executive Order.

But if the Iranians really believe they can find sanctuary from Congress in Turtle Bay, former White House speech writer Marc Thiessen suggests they should think again.

“The US constitution trumps international law. The US constitutional trumps the United Nations, ” he told FoxNews anchor Megyn Kelly on Thursday. “The Supreme Court has actually ruled on this.”

It should be crystal clear to anyone observing the U.S.-Iran charade what Tehran wants from these talks: absolute victory over the United States.

Iran’s “moderate” president Hassan Rouhani, a former nuclear negotiator himself, said it the day the November 2013 agreement was announced: “In #Geneva agreement world powers surrendered to Iran’s national will,” he tweeted victoriously.

Some have mistaken Iranian statements about “red lines” and rhetoric about safeguarding “scientific achievements” to mean that a sugar-coated agreement that would allow Iran to save face, all the while imposing meaningful limits of Iran’s nuclear program, is all that’s needed for peace in our time.

That simply misreads the tea leaves in Tehran.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ironically may not live to see an agreement signed, has been driving the negotiations from behind the scene.

On several occasions, he has publicly steered his negotiators away from certain concessions, and succeeded in getting the U.S. – not Iran – to give way.

When the negotiations began, the U.S. was insisting that Iran comply with five United Nations Security Council resolutions and suspend all uranium enrichment. Now the discussion is on how many centrifuge Iran can spin, and more importantly, how many new generation (and more efficient) centrifuges Iran can install.

On issue after issue, it’s the United States – not Iran – that has given way. When Iran got caught violating the terms of the November 2013 agreement within the first two months, by enriching fresh batches of uranium to 20%, the United States pretended not to notice.

When the International Atomic Energy Agency revealed that Iran had produced fresh batches of 20% uranium on Jan. 20, 2014, no one called it a violation, highlighting instead Iranian steps to convert a portion of the 20% uranium into fuel rods for a research reactor.

Anyone who was been observing Iran’s nuclear cheat and retreat over the past twenty years recognizes the pattern: Iran is constantly pushing the limits, and when they get called out, they take a step backwards until they think we are no longer watching, when they do it again.

And we never punish them. Not ever.

So what does “victory” look like from Tehran?

Two words: Sanctions relief.

This is the deal-maker for the Iranian regime, the one thing they want so bad they actually will make concessions to achieve it.

But wait: even though the Iranians claim the sanctions are unjust, and that all the sanctions imposed over the past two decades must be removed instantaneously for a deal to be signed, that does not mean they will walk away if some sanctions stay in place.

“What they really care about are the financial sanctions,” an Iranian businessman familiar with the way the Tehran regime moves money told me. “As long as they can use and move dollars, the rest they don’t care about.”

Iran has lived so long with sanctions on dual use technology and weapons procurement that they have learned how to get around them. “They can get anything they want,” the businessman told me. “It may cost them 5 percent or 10 percent more, but they consider that the cost of doing business.”

So be prepared for a last minute, Hail Mary deal that will lift financial sanctions on Iran in exchange for Iranian promises not to build the bomb.

If such a deal will prevent or even delay a nuclear holocaust in the Middle East is anyone’s guess.

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Jordan Rhodes could be vital to Middlesbrough's promotion mix

If Boro manage to land Jordan Rhodes on loan it would send out a massive signal of intent.

It would send out a huge message to the rest of the Championship promotion challengers that, hey, Boro mean business and that they are not leaving anything to chance.

It will be a massive boost inside the Boro changies room because adding a quality player always lifts a team and they will know that it is goals they are lacking.

It will be a massive boost for the fans too because a signing always perks people up and especially a proven striker.

And it will be a big blow to the opposition. Every player, every manager and every supporter knows how close it is, how tight it is at the top.

There’s nothing between the teams - and then Boro go out and add a potential matchwinner!

That has got to knock your confidence a bit if you are a Derby or Norwich fan, especially as those teams were apparently after him too.

Derby have Chris Martin injured and they brought in Darren Bent and he got crocked too. They would love Jordan Rhodes right now. If he goes to a direct opponent instead that’s got to hurt.

And you can’t argue that if he comes, Rhodes would be a great signing.

He is a proven pedigree Championship goalscorer and there are not many of those about.

He’s got 25 and 28 in his two seasons at Blackburn. That’s a great strike rate.

And he’s got 13 in the league this year when he’s hardly been playing - and that’s more than any of our guys up front!

Boro need goals. They need options up front. They need firepower. A blind man can see that.

I know it, the fans know it and Aitor Karanka knows it. He’s said a few times lately that the side have played well but haven’t been able to take their chances and that has cost them games.

He knows that unless he can make all the possession and chances count then Boro may fall short.

So for him it is a no-brainer to bring in a player with an excellent record of scoring in this league.

Of course, there’s never a guarantee but on paper you have to say he is great bloke to bring in.

He knows this division, he knows the physicality and the pace and the style. He’s done it.

You can’t say that about the rest of the strikers.

Yes, Patrick Bamford had played a few months at Derby and scored quite a few goals so you can say he had a taste of it and looked a good prospect.

But both Kike and Jelle Vossen were coming in as unknown quantities to a league they didn’t know and that was very different to what they were used to.

And you have to say, whatever, their other qualities, whatever else they bring to the team, they are not scoring enough goals.

Karanka has praised his strikers quite a few times and talked about their technical abilities and even said they are the best three in the league. Well, I don’t buy that.

For me the best striker is the one that scores the most goals.

It’s nice that your front men have a good touch, or good movement, that they are easy on the eye or that they work very hard to prise open the defence or drop deep to link up well.

That’s all great. But at the end of the day the striker earns his corn by sticking the ball in the net.

As a striker myself I would hate it if I came off the pitch and people or the press praised me for my hard work and contribution tracking back in midfield if we hadn’t won.

I would rather have a stinker so long as I scored and the team got the three points. That’s your job.

If he arrives it will ruffle a few feathers, of course it will. It says that he manager isn’t happy with what they are delivering.

But that’s good. They need that kick up the pants. They haven’t been scoring enough goals and that’s their job.

They can’t complain about the service because Boro have dominated games and created dozens of chances. It is down to them to stick some in.

And if they can’t why wouldn’t the club look to bring in someone who will? Especially with promotion up for grabs.

Sometimes, even if you are going well - and Boro are joint top remember - you need to do something to freshen it up and get that extra bit out of the squad at crucial times.

It is so tight at the top that getting just a little bit more now could swing it. Five or six goals could be what wins it for Boro.

And sometimes you just need something a bit different, whether it is a big man, a quick man, a niggly street-fighterwith a bit of a nasty edge. If he can add something extra that can swing games.

Sometimes I think our strikers are maybe just a little bit too ‘nice’, a bit too polite and well behaved in and around the box.

In a successful team you don’t want all angels. You need a few players with a bit of the devil in them.

Not dirty. But you need people to be selfish and spiteful and to terrorise and unsettle defenders.

If Rhodes can come in and add something to the mix that could be the key.

We all know what Uwe Fuchs and Marco Branca did at this stage of a promotion push.

A couple of early goals and BANG! Suddenly teams that had looked a bit flat and were wobbling were back on track.

Uwe wasn’t the greatest technical player but was different, he was strong and direct and had a bit of fire about him.

He changed the dynamic bit, gave Boro some extra punch and his goals - nine in 13 games - got Boro promoted.

Branca had the same kind of impact. He was a great player, had a great touch, was intelligent with the ball and knew exactly where the goal was.

Boro had Ricard, Beck and Merson but had hit a wall, stopped scoring and slipped off the top.

But Branca came in, scored against Liverpool four minutes into his debut to take Boro to Wembley and then scored against promotion ricvals Sunderland on his first league start and gave the season a kick-start.

If Rhodes can have that kind of impact it would be incredible. It could seal it for Boro. Let’s hope so.

**************************

IPSWICH on Saturday is the start of a make or break week for Boro.

With Ipswich at home then the top two Derby and Bournemouth away people are calling it the “Week of Destiny.”

That may not be the case - especially in a crazy division like this - but it will sure set the tone for the promotion run in.

They are tough fixtures and if Boro drop a lot of points then they will find it very difficult to claw them back. We’re running out of games fast.

But if they win a few of these then they can pick up momentum and seriously dent the opposition.

We’re at the business end now and if Boro are going to take control of their own promotion fate they have to do it now.

All the teams at the top are dropping points but we can’t rely on that.

Boro have to grab the league by the throat now and start winning games by hook or by crook.

And we have to start by winning at home. Draws at Derby and Bournemouth can be good points - but only if we are winning at the Riverside.

There are five games left at home and Boro really need to be looking to win all five. Away points, especially at rivals, are a bonus but if Boro want to get promoted then they need to do it on home turf.

And, for me, they have to start with Ipswich.

They kick off before everyone else so victory really piles the pressure on the three teams we are sharing top spot with.

If Boro win and win well - and if Jordan Rhodes scores on his debut - that really turns the heat up.

And for the sake of the fans nerves they need to do it comfortably. Let’s have an early goal and make it a routine win, no slips, no late wobble, no nervous last 10 minutes.

I couldn’t bear battling away again and being on top but still being goalless on 89 minutes. That would send me down to the Legends Loungue to hit the booze. And I’m tee-total!

I think the nerves are getting to everyone now: Just look at the results.

The table if tighter than I can ever remember and the pressure on teams and on players is incredible as they know one individual mistake now, one bad result could be crucial.

It will all come down to mental strength and a bit of luck now.

The teams and players who keep their nerves are the ones who will come through these tense last 10 games in the top two.

We are going to find in the next week or so if Boro have that inner steel.

Middlesbrough X Factor audition details revealed

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It’s time to face the music - again!

Like it or loathe it, the X Factor bandwagon will again make its traditional stop-off in Middlesbrough, it was announced today.

And little wonder, with Teesside having provided the likes of Journey South, Amelia Lily, Abi Alton and 2012 winner James Arthur over the years.

ITV iplayer

James Arthur

Last year, Teessider Kerrianne Covell was a hair’s breadth away from reaching the live shows, losing out at the judges’ houses stage when Cheryl Fernandez-Versini decided against making the Norton singer one of her final three.

Now the show’s producers are urging talented Teesside singers to try and make the cut for this year’s series.

On Saturday, April 4, from 9am-5.30pm, in the Hillstreet Shopping Centre, Teesside hopefuls for X Factor 2015 can show members of the production team what they can do when the programme’s mobile audition van trundles into town.

Using the same venue as last year, the Middlesbrough date is one of 41 across the country for the mobile audition van. There is no need to register but acts are advised to turn up early to the mobile auditions as they are on a first come, first served basis.

There will also be nine larger scale “open” auditions, including on April 11 and 12 at Newcastle United FC, where everyone who turns up will be guaranteed an audition.

Katie Lunn

Amelia Lily

An X Factor spokesperson said the mobile audition itinerary took various things into account, including an area’s record on the show and its proximity, or otherwise, to the larger open auditions.

“We definitely wanted to visit Middlesbrough on the van tour because we knew it would be a success,” she added.

If the sessions run over and not everyone can be seen, she said efforts will be made to fit people in at other auditions, although there are no guarantees.

Announcing the 2015 audition dates, X Factor creator Simon Cowell said: “If you think you have the potential to be a world-class star, this is your chance to prove it. You really could be the next pop superstar.”

Man admits stalking ex-girlfriend after admitting bombarding her with calls and texts

A man is waiting to learn his fate today after he admitted stalking his ex-girlfriend.

Gary Peacock, 53, bombarded his former partner with calls and texts, Teesside magistrates heard.

Prosecutor Robert Moore said the couple met on holiday in August 2012 and the woman tried to end the relationship last December due to him constantly calling her and her friends.

He became verbally abusive over the phone and in texts and made threats when she told him she was going to work abroad, the court was told.

When she went to work in Turkey with a travel company in April last year, he bombarded the firm’s customer service department with emails, added Mr Moore.

He was asked to leave her alone but the calls continued.

He asked her colleagues if he could speak to her and they refused to put him in contact.

She contacted the police as Peacock was making her job impossible with his constant calls, Mr Moore said.

He also went to her home in Sunderland and asked the tenant for her contact details.

After she came back to the UK in June he carried on “pestering” her with calls and texts.

She said his behaviour left her feeling scared, unsafe and unable to escape the constant contact.

She put her house up for sale so that he no longer knew where she lived. She and her friends changed their mobile phone numbers.

Peacock, of Leven Road, Norton, Stockton, admitted a charge of stalking between April 1 and September 9 last year, his first conviction.

He told police he was concerned about her whereabouts as she had not told him she had gone to Turkey.

He said he tried to contact her because he wanted an explanation why she no longer wanted to be with him.

He was not represented by a solicitor in court.

He said he accepted the Crown’s version of events, but later in the hearing said some aspects were “false, untrue”.

When asked again whether he accepted that he carried out the actions alleged, he said yes.

Chairing the magistrates’ bench, Sheila Morton adjourned the case for a Probation Service report to be prepared and bailed Peacock until sentencing on April 7.

Watch the persistent eight-year-old who persuaded headteacher to organise first aid course

Persistance paid off for young Aaron Onenc after he persuaded his headteacher to organise a first aid course for pupils.

Aaron, eight, has been fascinated by first aid for some time and felt he, and his classmates, should know more.

So he asked - and asked - and asked - if the school, St Augustine’s RC Primary in Coulby Newham, could run a course.

He even sent a letter to headteacher Martin Macaulay, outlining why such a course would be just what the doctor ordered.

He’s a polite young man too, ending his letter: “PLEASE READ: Sorry for pestering you about this but I am so keen to learn. If you don’t find a course, at least you tried.”

Aaron Onenc

But he needn’t have worried. Impressed by Aaron’s idea, Mr Macaulay was already doing his research, trying to find the perfect course for his Y3 and Y4 pupils.

And on March 31, a St John Ambulance instructor will come into school to deliver a one day session on a range of basic topics, with the possibility of a course for the older children if all goes well.

Aaron told The Gazette: “I just thought, well, it will never be a bad thing to make somebody better.

“I want to be a doctor and learn first aid so I can sometimes save people who are poorly.”

But Aaron’s determination won’t have come as a surprise to his brothers and sisters, Katie, Lewis, Poppi and Natahan, and his proud parents Dawn and Seref.

Dawn, 38, said: “He loves science and how things work but after I did a first aid course, he was really interested in what I learned there. He’s a very caring boy too - the teachers say he always wants to help people all the time.”

Dawn says her own sleep disorder, idiopathic hypersomnia, and other family medical conditions have further heightened Aaron’s interest. Dawn, of Willowbank, Coulby Newham, added: “He’s over the moon about the course.

“We’re so proud of him. It’s a big achievement for an eight-year-old and shows that if you are interested enough in something, and determined enough, you can get what you want to achieve.”

Aaron Onenc

Mr Macaulay says he was so impressed by Aaron’s approach, he has awarded him a certificate to recognise his persistence and perseverance.

“He has been interested in it for ages and kept coming back to me, asking about it, but I couldn’t find anything suitable.

“I eventually found exactly the sort of course which is appropriate for this age group of children.

“Our Y3 and Y4 pupils will be given the course but hopefully, this might be just be the start and we can run something a bit more advanced for Y5 and Y6 pupils.”

'This puts Middlesbrough back on the map for shipbuilding': Multi-million pound vessel is built on the Tees

The first vessel of its kind to be built on the Tees in decades will put Middlesbrough “back on the map for ship-building”, its owners have claimed.

The multi-million pound DSV Curtis Marshall has been launched by Teesside businessmen Tony Curtis and Barry Marshall.

It is the first industrial dive support vessel of its kind to be built entirely on Teesside for years, and will cater for the growing UK offshore wind market among others.

And the partnership says it won’t be the last.

Barry is founder of B Marshall Engineering Ltd, based at Dockside Road, in Middlesbrough, and Tony Curtis is founder of North Ormesby-based Sub Aqua Diving Services.

Paul Curtis, director at Sub Aqua Diving Systems and Tony’s son, said : “This project puts Middlesbrough back on the map for ship-building.

“It’s been four years’ hard work for everyone involved. Now we are looking forward to seeing where it can go.

“It’s not a finished project until it’s out working, and we are talking to people all the time.

“It’s purpose-built for working on offshore wind farms mainly offering diving support. Renewable energy is the main target market but it could also be used for many other inshore and offshore projects.

“It’s well-equipped and versatile because of its size, which means it’s also a more cost effective solution than that of a larger DSV.”

The 26-metre long dive support vessel (DSV) has been built at B Marshall Engineering’s Dockside Road yard in Middlesbrough, and has equipment including a decompression chamber on board and accommodation for 16.

The DSV Curtis Marshall

The vessel will be managed by B Marshall Marine, established in 2010 as part of the joint venture, with on-board dive systems managed and maintained by Sub Aqua Diving Services.

Barry has also built two steel hull pleasure cruisers for personal use. He formed B Marshall Marine with Tony after the pair spotted a gap in the market for a DSV on a small scale.

Both owners are preparing for the next generation to take the reins of their companies; Tony founded Sub Aqua Diving Services in 1975 and his two sons, Paul and Derek, run the business, while Barry’s son Benjamin is a B Marshall director.

Chris Jakeman, of B Marshall, said: “We want this to be the first of several vessels, to bring ship-building back to the Tees.

“From the first piece of steel to completion, it’s all been done here. It’s something that hasn’t been achieved for some time on the Tees.

“AVECO next-door was one of the biggest companies, but even then their ships’ hulls were sent away for fit out by other sites.

“There’s a shortage of this type of vessel. DSVs are usually huge, 80 metres or so.

The DSV Curtis Marshall

“The DSV Curtis Marshall can work anywhere; Dogger Bank, the West Coast. It’s Category 1, which means it can go 150 miles offshore.

“We’ve built this from the ground up. We have a permanent three-man crew lined up and there’ll be 16 people on board so we are generating jobs.”

The boat has undergone various checks with the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA).

In December, Tees-built 14-metre fishing vessel Gracie Ava was launched by Jalna Construction, marking the culmination of two years’ work at the fabrication firm’s Riverside Park base.

The vessel set out for the Isle of Skye, where it will be used for salmon net cleaning and fishing by its new owner Feorlig Marine. Jalna Construction is now considering making a second vessel on Teesside.

Shipbuilding and repair has been a feature of the Tees industrial scene since 1783 when there were three shipyards at Stockton.

A golden age of shipbuilding on the Tees was in the 1860s and 1870s when income from this sector soared from £2,491 to £32,387 a year.

Yards such as Raylton Dixon, Topners, Craig Taylors and Richardson Duck became household names as sons followed fathers into the industry.

In 1907 Smiths Dock and Co, the oldest firm of Tyneside shipbuilders, set up a Teesside operation at South Bank.

In 1912 the Furness Shipbuilding Co set up at Haverton Hill.

By 1930 recession had struck and these were the only two yards still going.

But orders petered out and in 1979 the last 900 workers at the Furness yard were axed.

The end of an era came on October 15, 1986 when the last ship was launched from Smith’s Dock.

Some traditions were revived when the former Smith’s Dock was reborn as Tees Offshore Base in 1988 and became home to a range of offshore service industry companies including Tees Dockyard, bought out by Cammell Laird in 1998.

Cosmopolitan food market part of vision to transform Middlesbrough town centre

A cosmopolitan food market is planned for a rundown street in Middlesbrough town centre.

A high quality food market is planned for Bedford Street - parallel to the “independent quarter” on Baker Street which has seen a surge in the number of businesses setting up shop.

Modelled on London’s busy Borough Market, Bedford Street will see a “21st century culinary bazaar” under new plans by Middlesbrough Council, which go before the executive on Tuesday.

Currently there are two businesses on Bedford Street with the remaining properties empty and/or derelict.

Jomast owns all of the empty properties on Bedford Street and has already secured planning permission to redevelop the properties to bring them back into use as ground floor retail units and first floor flats.

Work has started and is expected to be completed by the spring.

Chilli Cake in Baker Street

To complement the upgrade of the premises, the council has approved £250,000 capital funding to implement a programme of improvements similar to Baker Street.

Economic development officer Michelle McPhee said in her report to be presented to the council’s executive on Tuesday: “The long-term ambition is to establish a permanent indoor high quality food market, creating a town centre attraction for visitors to explore and discover and savour a unique atmosphere.”

The plans are part of a Baker and Bedford Street area action plan which includes four phases.

The first phase - £187,000 investment to enhance the area - has been started with new Victorian style lighting and signage to be installed.

The second phase is the council and Jomast’s redevelopment of Bedford Street.

The food market is phase three and Mrs McPhee said a business plan for the market will be presented to the executive in the summer.

Phase four is to “grow the momentum” from Baker and Bedford Street to Linthorpe Road, Albert Road and Grange Road.

Sherlock's in Baker Street, Middlesbrough.

She said the benefits will be that the plan will increase footfall and spend in the town centre, improve night time economy offer, change the image of the area and generate jobs.

The executive has three options: do nothing, leave redevelopment to the private sector or the preferred option of implementing the Baker and Bedford Street area vision.

The Baker Street project has seen 12 new independent businesses with a further 12 existing businesses supported.

It has brought 17 properties back into use or redeveloped resulting in the street becoming fully occupied.

It is home to niche businesses including two micro pubs, two eateries, two vintage clothing shops and three hair salons.

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Top Model Worldwide 2015: See models from across globe Teesside beauty is competing against

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How will our Helen fare against these global beauties?

Here you can take a look through who the 23-year-old mental health support worker is going up against in an international beauty pageant taking place on Saturday evening.

Helen, from Piper Knowle View, Stockton, has made it to the grand finals of Top Model Worldwide 2015, beating thousands of hopefuls to earn a place in the professional global model competition.

She has also won a place in the finals of Top Model UK within in the Natural Beauty category, taking place on Friday night.

Both events are at the Hilton London Metropole.

She said: “I’m really excited,

“I’m nervous as well, obviously - but the experience is going to be amazing.”

Helen is being supported by her family at the events including her grandparents, mum and brother.

“They’re all coming along to support me and watch me in the show,” she said.

“It’s the first huge modelling thing that I’ve done.

“But I have been on the stage in the past so I know what to expect.

“There’s some quite strong competition but then there are others where I think ‘I can probably beat them!’.

“It’s a real mix.”

The former Stockton Riverside College student was initially just involved in the UK competition, but found out soon after her initial success that she’s also been selected for the worldwide competition, run by the same organisers.

She added: “It’s a huge show and obviously I would love to win.

“There will be big designers there but what is also great is that all the money raised over the weekend is going towards supporting Children with Cancer UK.

“I have worked for charities before and if me doing something I enjoy can also help others then that’s even better.”

Stockton company cleared of health and safety breaches after handyman electrocuted in barn

A Teesside engineering and fabrications firm has been cleared of health and safety breaches after a handyman was electrocuted in a barn.

Stockton family firm Francis Brown Ltd was found not guilty of the charge it faced three days into a trial at Teesside Crown Court.

The judge, Recorder James Brown, found there was no case to answer.

He directed jurors to acquit the company of failing to discharge its duty under the Electricity at Work Regulations, contrary to the Health and Safety at Work Act.

The company had always denied the charge.

Its managing director today said it was a relief to have the company’s name cleared after an “unnecessarily protracted” court case.

The case concerned the tragic death of 59-year-old Leslie Buller in an open barn on March 15, 2012.

The court heard that the bricklayer and handyman was installing a socket outlet at Moor House Farm in Stillington, near Stockton, when he died from an electric shock.

The fatal accident happened when he came into contact with live circuits at the home of company director Simon Brown, a jury was told.

Managing director Jamie Brown said today: “It’s a relief to the good name of the company and a record untarnished.

“The circumstances of this tragic accident to our great friend had already created an enormous amount of pain and suffering for his loving family, and ours.

“It was unnecessarily protracted, awaiting the outcome of this trial.”

He said the company was cleared mainly on the grounds that Mr Buller was not under its control at the time of his death.

Mr Brown added: “We can now hopefully have some closure, although he’ll always be sadly missed by us all.”

Burlgars fail in break-in bid at Middlesbrough town centre sandwich shop

Burglars failed in a bid to break in to a Middlesbrough takeaway.

Police are appealing for information after the attempted burglary at Fatso's on Linthorpe Road in the early hours of Monday.

A member of the public who may have information regarding the incident is believed to have spoken with members of staff at the takeaway the same day.

Police would like to speak with this person and anyone else with information regarding the incident.

Anyone who can help is asked to call Cleveland Police on 101 and ask to speak with PC Kate Brodie at Integrated Neighbourhoods, Middlesbrough, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Status Quo bass player John 'Rhino' Edwards stomping to Stockton for tour date

Status Quo bass player John ‘Rhino’ Edwards is taking a break from his day job - and heading to Teesside on tour.

The rocker will head to Stockton’s Georgian Theatre with Rhino’s Revenge, a date that forms part of a UK and Europe wide spring tour.

Designed to support the second Rhino’s Revenge album, the band features John’s sons Max on drums and Freddie on guitar with a line up that also includes multi-instrumentalist Matthew Starritt.

It is 15 years since the band’s debut album was released by Eagle Records. “By any standards, that’s a long time between albums,” says Rhino, “but when you’re fortunate enough to be in a band like Quo, you’d don’t get too much spare time!”

Having previously been a member acts including The Climax Blues Band, Space and Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Rhino was invited to join Quo in 1987 and has been permanent in the line-up ever since.

Tickets for the gig at Stockton’s Georgian theatre on Thursday March 19 are £12.50 advance, £15 on the door. More information from teesmusicalliance.org.uk

Guisborough karate club receive generous donation in memory of grandad

Members of a Teesside karate club were left feeling overwhelmed when a kind-hearted donation meant they could afford new equipment.

Guisborough Sokudo Karate Club were recently given £600 by the family of Geoff Gawthorpe.

The granddad passed away suddenly in October last year aged 59, and at his funeral a collection for the club was generously received.

Enrico Capaldi, chief instructor at the club, said: “We are so thankful for the generous donation.

“£600 is a lot of money for a club like us.”

Two of Geoff’s grandchildren, Jake and Cameron, attend the club and so his family thought they would support the cause.

With the money, equipment such as body armour, weapons and punch bags was bought.

“Geoff followed the progress of his two grandsons who attend at the club with great interest,” said Enrico. “He loved them showing him what they had learnt each week - calling them the karate kids.

“We could not have afforded this type of equipment if it wasn’t for this money,” he added.

“It is already being put to great use - the members have been loving it.

“It was a wonderful and very kind thing the family has done for the club and all the children and adults will benefit from this donation.

“We cannot thank the family enough.”

Serial offender jailed after two-day crime spree including high-speed chase and attempt to steal chainsaw

A serial offender’s two-day crime spree, which saw him try to burgle two homes, lead police on a reckless high-speed chase and attempt to steal a chainsaw, has cost him four years in jail.

David Stuart Lawrence narrowly avoided hitting a pensioner while being pursued by traffic officers in the Marton Road area of Middlesbrough.

Then just two days later, the “professional burglar” was caught trying to steal a chainsaw from a hardware store before going on to target two homes in Marton.

Sue Jacobs, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court his offending started at about 11.40am on February 6 this year.

“The defendant had been seen driving a Renault Megane along Valley Road by traffic officers,” she said.

“The ANPR cameras indicated the Megane did not have insurance.”

A chase ensued which saw Lawrence driving 50mph in a 30mph zone - at times on the wrong side of the road - failing to stop for a red light and driving the wrong way down a one-way system.

He was finally apprehended by officers when his car became stuck in the mud as he tried to cross a grass verge.

He admitted driving without insurance, tax and driving while banned but told officers his driving was “not dangerous”.

It was while on bail for these offences that the 38-year-old then tried to steal a chainsaw from B&Q on Skippers Lane.

He fled empty-handed after being confronted by staff, before moving on to Sunstar Grove in Marton.

After failing to burgle his first target, he then went on to steal almost £3,000 worth of goods from another.

Ms Jacobs told the court a neighbour had spotted Lawrence “acting suspiciously” and called police.

But when officers tried to stop the motorcyclist by parking a car across the road, Lawrence managed to flee again.

His offending was finally brought to an abrupt halt when he crashed the bike Marton Road, outside James Cook University Hospital, and suffered a broken arm.

Lawrence, of Marton Road, Middlesbrough, admitted two counts of dangerous driving, driving without a licence and driving without insurance. He also pleaded guilty to the charges of theft, burglary and attempted burglary.

His record includes 22 previous convictions for driving while disqualified, two previous offences of dangerous driving and 15 previous burglary offences.

Ms Jacobs said “he appears to be a professional burglar of late.”

Graham Silvester, defending, said after his arrest on February 6, Lawrence “fell back into drug use, which explains his offending on February 8”.

“He had had dark moments while in care in his younger years. He now just wants to get his sentence over and done with,” he added.

The judge Recorder Jonathan Adkin sentenced Lawrence to four years in prison and banned him from driving for 18 months.

Andy Preston pledges to forego first year's salary if he is elected as Mayor of Middlesbrough

Andy Preston has pledged to give up his first year’s salary as the Mayor of Middlesbrough if he is elected in May to start a Dragons’ Den style scheme in schools.

The Middlesbrough-born businessman, who is standing as an independent candidate in the May 7 mayoral election, has said he is willing to forego his salary to help “light a spark” in the minds of young people in a range of innovative projects.

Mr Preston, who runs several businesses and two charities in Middlesbrough, said he is “not standing for mayor for the money or because I need a job”; he said he is standing “because I believe I can do some good for my hometown”.

“During my first year in office I’d aim to get several projects going, starting with an enterprise competition among schools,” he said.

“The scheme might cost £20,000 to launch. There’s no money spare within the council, so I’ll look for sponsorship from local businesses.

“If we win sponsorship then I’ll redirect that element of my salary into another project for the good of Middlesbrough.

“Otherwise, I’ll use part of my mayor’s salary to fund it in the first year.

“I’ve thought long and hard about donating my first year’s salary, as I don’t believe the mayor’s role should be solely for wealthy people. However, I’m absolutely committed to making this and other schemes work for Middlesbrough.”

It is not known yet how much the newly elected mayor’s salary will be, but the current mayor Ray Mallon is paid £67,000 a year.

He said he believes promoting entrepreneurial skills to create more new business start-ups is “critical” to kick-starting job creation.

If elected, he plans to create annual school competitions challenging pupils to come up with business ideas and operate them in the local community.

“We’ve got at least as much talent for great business ideas and making money here in Middlesbrough as anywhere else in the country,” he said.

“But we don’t have an entrepreneurial culture to anything like the necessary scale. In fact, Middlesbrough has half as many business start-ups as other areas in the country.

“It’s a problem that won’t be easy to solve but getting kids to think about enterprise and to have an entrepreneurial spirit is an important first step.

“It’s a way of helping to push ideas for creating money, jobs and self-reliance. It’s about lighting the spark in young people’s minds to go out there and do it themselves.

He said he’d create a primary and secondary schools competitions, with each school competing to win a prize by creating the best business idea.

Mr Preston, who founded Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation, plans to appoint a business mentor to each school.

He said: “We’ll get successful local business people to mentor the students and then help judge which schools came up with the best idea - whether that’s how much money they made, how creative it was or how much good it did in their community.

“They’ll need to put a business plan together and consider how they’ll promote their business but ultimately it’s about getting young people to think about what’s involved in starting and running a business.

“Naturally, we’d be looking for ideas with more innovation, energy and profit from the secondary school students, but we’d put some great prizes for the winning years in each school - maybe a trip to Flamingo Land or London.”

The Middlesbrough mayoral election takes place on May 7, the same day as the General Election.

Also standing for mayor in Middlesbrough are Cllr Dave Budd (Labour), Michael Carr (Independent), Lloyd Cole-Nolan (Conservative), Cllr Len Junier (Independent), David Masterman (Green) and Dave Roberts (Independent).

Eric Paylor: There won't be a magnificent seven this time around but Boro's Academy is still doing a great job

Times change both quickly and dramatically in football, and they certainly have at the Boro.

Five seasons ago Boro trounced Ipswich 3-1 at the Riverside with six players in their starting line-up who had come through the club’s famed Academy.

The sextet were Tony McMahon, Andrew Taylor, David Wheater, Seb Hines, Rhys Williams and Adam Johnson.

A seventh Academy lad, Jonathan Grounds, later came off the bench.

How this will compare to the Boro side which lines up against Ipswich Town in the massive six-pointer on Teesside this Saturday, we do not know.

But there was only one Boro Academy lad in the side which took Millwall apart in the team’s last home game, and that was Ben Gibson.

You would always want every Boro manager to select his best team. Whatever their background.

But it’s certainly an interesting situation, and one which is not typical throughout the club’s history.

Even the 2006 UEFA Cup final team contained three Boro Academy lads.

Boro U21s coach Paul Jenkins.

The legendary Middlesbrough heritage of producing home-grown stars – think of Wilf Mannion, George Hardwick, Brian Clough, Willie Maddren and Stewart Downing among many dozens of top players – is not in evidence at first team level at the moment.

Yet, I wouldn’t think of taking anything away from the current youth set-up at Rockliffe Park.

The category one Academy is run magnificently, while there are some great coaches involved.

If you were the father of an aspiring young footballer, you wouldn’t want your son to go anywhere but Rockliffe Park.

Boro’s Under-21s are enjoying a superb season, while the Under-18s have just won their league. The Academy is working at the same level of intensity as ever.

Maybe one obvious difference between the current situation and the one from five years ago is that Karanka is under no pressure to consider promoting young players ahead of their time.

Despite having just one Teessider in his regular line-up, Karanka’s team is faring better than any Boro team for several years.

In any case there are many differences in the demands of the modern game from times gone by.

In the days of Wilf and George, it was vital to produce your own players to support the outsiders who were brought in to bolster the team.

In Wilf’s time, every young lad played football on street corners and clubs were spoilt for choice.

Nowadays a much smaller percentage of youngsters dream of becoming professional footballers, which increases demands on scouting, selection and development.

Another point worth mentioning is that the surfeit of young players who have represented the Boro over the past ten years tended to come from the same crop.

Boro won the FA Youth Cup in 2004 with a quite remarkable squad, the likes of which we will probably never see again at the club.

Think of James Morrison and Matthew Bates in addition to the players mentioned earlier, while Lee Cattermole was one of the subs in the two-legged final against Aston Villa.

James Morrison

The Boro gained great service from many of the kids from that era.

In fact, the likes of McMahon, Wheater, Gary Liddle, Taylor, Bates, Morrison, Jason Kennedy, Tom Craddock, Adam Johnson, Cattermole and Hines are all still playing professional football.

With Downing only slighter older than those lads, it was a one-off dream scenario for any club.

And, maybe it’s a sign of the times that Williams and Hines are the only ones from this group still contracted to the Boro.

Rhys is fighting another long battle to regain fitness, while Seb is currently on loan at Orlando City.

And it’s not that Karanka hasn’t been afraid to promote the young lads when he feels the time is right.

Gibson’s dramatic improvement this season has been there for all to see.

The 22-year-old from Nunthorpe has worked his way through the different Academy levels and also benefitted greatly from several spells out on loan, before returning to Boro ready to hold down a regular place.

All being well, Gibson is going to be a rock solid member of the side for many years to come. You certainly wouldn’t harbour any doubts about his ability to adapt to life in the Premier League.

Two other home-grown lads were in the Boro squad which beat Millwall. Adam Reach has established himself as a regular under Karanka and is developing into a quality left-sided midfielder.

Goalkeeper Connor Ripley has not played for the first team for three seasons, having come in on two consecutive occasions as a teenager and performed with credit.

At the age of 22, Connor is probably closer to the first team than he has been for a long time and recently earned some special praise from Karanka.

Another who has featured this season is 19-year-old striker Bradley Fewster, who played in the opening two Capital One Cup ties at the start of the campaign.

Bryn Morris and Bradley Fewster

There’s also 18-year-old midfielder Bryn Morris, who has notched two league appearances for the Boro and recently enjoyed a successful loan spell at Burton Albion.

I suspect that none of the talented young lads will be held back and will get their chance if the opportunity comes along.

It’s worth pointing out that Millwall also had just one Academy player in their team which lined up against the Boro 11 days ago. He was Dublin-born skipper Alan Dunne.

In a perfect world I would love to see a successful Boro side containing more home-grown stars, but then I also want to see Boro back in the Premier League, winning the FA Cup, getting back into Europe and filling the Riverside every fortnight etc.

Five seasons ago, the Boro fans had high hopes that Gareth Southgate’s Academy-thronged Boro side would prove good enough to fire Boro back to the Premier League at the first attempt.

Boro had just been relegated from the top flight but won three of the opening four games and drew the other, without conceding a goal.

They lost for the first time in their fifth game, 2-1 at Bristol City, and so went into the game at home to Roy Keane’s Ipswich in September, 2009, needing to get back to winning ways.

Southgate’s side was: Coyne; McMahon, Wheater, Hines, Taylor; O’Neil, Williams, Arca, Johnson; Emnes, Lita. Subs: Jones, Hoyte, Grounds, Bennett, Franks, Yeates, Aliadiere.

Boro were handed a dream start when O’Neil headed in from an Emnes cross.

But afterwards they made hard work of things.

Adam Johnson and Jeremie Aliadiere celebrate against Ipswich

However Jeremie Aliadiere replaced Leroy Lita on the hour and scored twice in 20 minutes, first when heading in a cross from Johnson and then netting with a solo effort.

Jon Walters, who was sold on to Stoke City at the end of that season, scored a late consolation penalty for Ipswich.

The win took Boro into second place in the Championship, one point behind West Brom, but hopes of enjoying a successful season gradually dwindled.

Southgate was sacked the following month and Boro fell away badly under new boss Gordon Strachan.

While the vast majority of players from that Boro win against Ipswich have long since moved on, the onus rests with Karanka’s side to repeat the victory on Saturday, albeit in more testing circumstances.

Ipswich were second bottom following their Riverside defeat five seasons ago, but come here this weekend - like Boro – with winning promotion very much on their minds.

Boro didn’t cover themselves in glory when suffering defeat at Portman Road just before Christmas, so hopefully there’ll be no more presents handed out on this occasion.

A Boro win will send the fans home happy and hopefully give a clear indication to the current set of Academy players of the levels they must attain if they want to become regular first team squad members.

Eston Hills: No arrests yet as police continue to investigate recent fires

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No arrests have yet been made by police investigating the recent fires on Eston Hills.

Firefighters were called to Eston Hills at 3pm on Sunday following reports from “several members of the public” who had seen youngsters setting fires.

The firefighters came up against it while tackling the flames after more deliberate fires were set at the same time.

David Turton, head of community safety at Cleveland Fire Brigade said the incident was “very frustrating”.

He added that such fires can remain smoldering in the undergrowth for a number of days.

They were called back to the area on Tuesday after reports of a further blaze. The fires are the latest in a series to hit Eston Hills in recent weeks.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: “Inquiries are ongoing.”

North East energy firm Five-Quarter hits out at 'alarmist' petition against its activities

A sustainable energy firm has hit out the ‘alarmist’ and ‘misinformed’ claims against it as it pulls together the final strings of the financial package designed to create a major multi-billion pound new North East industry.

Five-Quarter Energy boss Harry Bradbury pulls no punches on describing a near-9,000 signature petition against the company’s proposals to harness the trillion tonnes of coal lying off the North-east coastline.

“The wording of this petition is misinformed and scientifically inaccurate. It is scientific nonsense, high on emotion and absent of facts,” he said.

“It is alarmist. The petition makes unsubstantiated claims which have no bearing on the objectives or programme for Five-Quarter.”

Five-Quarter is aiming to build a new North-east industry accessing the North Sea’s extensive underwater coal reserves – which have enough energy to power the world for 50 years.

Crucially, it could be a major user of a Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) network linked to Teesside.

With Government financial support, the company hopes to begin work this year on a £500m power plant with the eventual aim of building a new, sustainable industry creating hundreds of new North-east jobs.

Known as Deep Gas Winning, the process involves gasifying seams of coal, thousands of feet under the sea, by delivering steam and oxygen through a six-inch diameter borehole from a surface drilling platform.

The process leads to the release of a highly-calorific syngas, which can be brought to the surface and processed in a new £500m plant for power generation, or as a feedstock for energy-intensive industries such as those on Teesside.

The syngas also consists of carbon dioxide, one of the most potent greenhouse gases and the proposals include facilities to capture this and then pump it out for storage under the sea.

The petition against the proposals launched by a North East campaigner has garnered 8,823 signatures on the London-based 38 Degrees campaigning website.

Dubbed ‘Hands of Our Coastline’, it claims Five-Quarter want to use an ‘experimental’ process ‘to squeeze out the remaining drops of coal’.

It claims there has been ‘no local consultation’ that it ‘involves setting fire to underground coal’ and ‘fracking’.

It then makes claims about the track record of the process of Deep Gas Winning (a refinement on underground coal gasification) and questions the plausibility of the proposed carbon capture and storage facility.

It concludes: “Surely it would be better to use renewables and not produce the CO2 in the first place?”

Mr Bradbury said: “Frankly, had we seen this petition and knew nothing else, we might have been inclined to sign it ourselves. We entirely agree with the statement ‘we don’t want our coastlines to die’. We have no issue with emotion, except when it is presented as facts; in this case it is simply mischief.

“No one associated with this petition has ever contacted Five-Quarter. All MPs in our region are fully aware of our activities; none have expressed opposition.

“We have consulted widely with local councils, politicians and the general public for the past five years. Our public consultation is an ongoing process.”

About its technology Mr Bradbury was unequivocal.

“Five-Quarter is not running experiments – the initial technology roll out uses technology tested over 15 years with five years of Australian Government monitored trials using expert witnesses, the results of which have been that the follow-on commercial programme has full Government approval.

“We do not set fire to coal underground, which would only create waste gas and we do not do fracking.

“Our interests lie in sophisticated, subsea chemical engineering, using only steam and limited oxygen to achieve the right conditions to extract gas which is bound to coal particles on the one hand and the conversion of coal particles to gas on the other. Chemically, the process is known as controlled partial oxidation.”

He continued: “The petition sneers at the potential use of carbon capture and storage (CCS); regarding this as an untried activity and strongly implying that it too is a dangerous pursuit with negative environmental consequences.

“The reality is that our chemicals industry has undertaken carbon capture for 50 years. Our petroleum industry has successfully undertaken geological storage of carbon deep under the North Sea for the past 15 years. And the world community recognizes the importance of a future in which CCS is employed extensively.”

The UK currently has two CCS trials under way and full capture plants have been developed in Canada and USA.

Then moving on to the petition’s final point on renewables Mr Bradbury, who founded one of Britain’s largest and most successful renewable hydrogen fuel cell companies, Intelligent Energy PLC, again pulls no punches.

“The assertion made in the petition that we should use renewables instead is a complete fallacy. (See panel)

“When such assertions are made, the term renewables normally refers to the existing mainstream activities in solar and wind production.

“These activities are a tiny fraction of our existing energy mix. Moreover, the end point for their use is exclusively to produce electricity.

“Electricity - and the well-worn phrase of ‘the need to keep the lights on’ - is nowadays used by many as synonymous with energy. In fact, electricity is only around 18% of our total energy demand in UK today. Heating, transport fuels and industrial raw materials represent a far greater percentage.”

A spokesperson for 38 Degrees said the Hands of Our Coastline petition had been generated by one of its users, and that it has no control of the content. However it said it would look into Five-Quarter’s concerns and consult with the petition creator.

The UK Treasury has signalled out the Five-Quarter development for a £1bn debt guarantee in its infrastructure fund programme, alongside huge projects such as EDF Energy’s new £16bn nuclear plants at Hinkley Point Somerset.

Boro boss Aitor Karanka refuses to be drawn on Jordan Rhodes link

Aitor Karanka today refused to be drawn on whether Boro are trying to sign Jordan Rhodes.

The club are understood to be working on a loan deal for the 25-year-old Blackburn Rovers striker with a view to a long-term transfer in the summer.

But Karanka wasn’t prepared to drop any hints with regard to the proposed transfer at his pre-match press conference at Rockliffe Park.

Asked if he could confirm Boro’s approach, he said: “I don’t need to speak about speculation because we have a lot of games in front of us that are very important.

“Jordan Rhodes is not our player so I prefer to speak about our players.”

He was then asked if Rhodes was available, would he be interested.

“If, if, if ,” he responded, before adding: “I prefer to speak about the present and at the present I have an amazing squad and all of them are amazing players and all of them are amazing lads.

“We could bring in Ronaldo and Messi,” he joked, "(that) could be good for everybody.

Action Images / John Marsh

“But I have my squad, I am very happy with all of them and we are working to win the game on Saturday.”

This lunchtime, Rovers boss Gary Bowyer claimed the club's owners, Venky's, support his stance that Rhodes will not be leaving Ewood Park.

"They (Venky's) are of the same opinion as ourselves – why would we want to be doing that?", Bowyer said.

Meanwhile, Karanka has relished having a full week to prepare for the Ipswich game.

The defeat at Nottingham Forest last weekend was Boro’s ninth fixture in 29 days but the lack of a midweek match this week has given the head coach time to work with his players on the training ground ahead of crucial matches against Ipswich, Derby and Bournemouth.

“We needed to have a week like we have had this week because we have played nine games in a month and it is very difficult,” he said.

“I made a lot of changes (from match-to-match) but mentally it is very difficult for everybody and now we are much better.

“We have been able to train all week and the atmosphere is very good. Now we have three important games starting on Saturday.”

Karanka hopes to have Dani Ayala available for Saturday’s game but the club’s medical staff will make the final call on the defender’s readiness.

Ryan Fredericks (hamstring) won’t be involved but Mustapha Carayol could well be in the squad.