#OnThisBoroDay 2002: Heartbreak for Boro as they suffer 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in FA Cup semi-final

Judging by the way the proud Boro fans applauded their heroes at the final whistle you’d have thought Boro had booked a spot in the FA Cup final.

Unfortunately that wasn’t the case.

But Boro’s shattered stars had left no stone unturned in their quest to stun the Gunners at Old Trafford on this day in 2002.

It looked to be the toughest of tasks for Steve McClaren’s injury ravaged side, made even more difficult when Ugo Ehiogu hobbled off injured just after the half an hour mark.

Just six minutes later the Italian defender suffered the misfortune of diverting a Thierry Henry corner past Mark Schwarzer and into his own net - a goal that would prove to be the decider.

“The own goal was a nightmare,” a choked Festa told the Gazette after the game.

“But in that situation you must forget about it straight away because you’ve got another 50 or 60 minutes to play.

“It was a shame we lost to an own goal because I think we played well, we kept a good shape and showed a great attitude.”

To say Boro played well was an understatement. They harried and harassed Arsenal’s superstars from the off, didn’t give them a second to breathe on the ball and carved out chances.

All that was missing was a finishing touch, the goal Boro so truly deserved.

Boro fans at the final whistle of the defeat to Arsenal in the 2002 FA Cup semi-final

Festa own-goal was the crucial moment in the tight tie but it was impossible to criticise the defender. Like every other player in red and white, he gave everything for the cause as Boro forced Arsenal into one almighty fight.

“Everybody is very, very disappointed for the manner in which we lost the game,” said Steve McClaren.

“But I could not have asked for anything more from each and every one of the players.

“I’ve told them to take pride from their performance and I want them to continue to walk around with their heads held high.”

The heartbreak of a defeat but the taste of a big occasion once more. A cup run, a day out, a brave performance.

Fans applauded the players and the players returned the gesture, the feeling of pride overpowering the disappointment.

North East Exporters' Awards 2015: Search is on for Teesside's best New Exporter

The search is on for the best new exporters on Teesside.

The New Exporters’ gong, presented at the North East Exporters’ Awards, celebrates businesses that started exporting within the last two years - and have already seen significant success in one or more markets.

It’s open to companies across the region - and with a deadline of Friday, May 1 there’s just a couple of weeks left for firms to get their entries in.

Last years’ winner is from Teesside; CorDEX Instruments Ltd, based in Middlesbrough, has grown more than seven-fold since it set up five years ago, and almost every penny has been put back into research and development.

The company, which employs about 18, has grown export sales particularly in North America and Asia. And bosses even picked up the coveted Queen’s Award for its achievements.

The business moved to Teesside three years ago to be more accessible for its mostly North-east based staff. It has now produced a fourth generation of its core product, an explosion proof digital camera, and has a “very strong development pipeline” of new products coming through.

Meanwhile, the company’s intrinsically safe thermal imaging camera is the first of its kind in the world.

In determining 2015’s winner, the judges will consider factors including the product range being exported, the complexity and number of markets served, company and team performance, any obstacles to success - and percentage of growth in export sales, among others.

Serving more “complex and lucrative high growth markets”, such as Brazil, China, Columbia, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, S.Africa, S.Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE and Vietnam, will also be taken into account.

The awards will be presented at the North East Exporters’ dinner on June 25. The event is a partnership between North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), UKTI, HSBC, PD Ports and ncjMedia.

To make a nomination, reserve a table, or for further information log on to http://bit.ly/1BT0qNK . Alternatively contact Andy Forster, events manager on 0191 201 6430 or email andrew.forster@trinitymirror.com

______________________________

UK Export Finance is proud to support this year’s North East Exporters Awards by sponsoring the New Exporter category. We know the potential financial risks involved in selling overseas can seem daunting to new exporters, and we want to help them export with confidence.

As the UK’s export credit agency and a government department, we help UK exporters by providing insurance to exporters and guarantees to banks to share the risks of providing export finance. We can also make direct loans to overseas buyers of goods and services from the UK.

We focus on bridging gaps in the market for export finance and insurance, complementing banks, brokers and insurers to provide companies better access to the support they need.

By doing so we help UK businesses realise their ambitions for international expansion and growth.

UK Export Finance is one of the world’s oldest and most respected export credit agencies, with industry-qualified advisers and specialists available to assist new exporters – and more experienced ones. We also know something about winning awards ourselves, being voted ‘Best Export Credit Agency’ last year by readers of Global Trade Review.

In the next three years we estimate that thousands of businesses of all sizes could require our support. To facilitate this, we have a regional network of 24 Export Finance Advisers providing specialist information about the financial help available to UK exporters. We work across a wide range of sectors and can consider support for exports to over 200 countries. For more information visit http://bit.ly/1FJ44LZ

Transflex staff's gift to boss to celebrate company's birthday - a squeegee, ladders and bucket!

A window cleaner’s bucket, step ladders and squeegee were the anniversary gifts for van hire boss Peter Abdale.

Three years after he established Transflex Vehicle Rental, his staff presented him with the off-beat presents - as a thank you for their jobs.

Peter, 66, retired as the managing director of Transmore Van Hire in 2010 and became a house-husband.

But two years of daily routine – including cleaning windows – drove him mad.

He put a business team and investors together and formed Transflex in Stockton.

Three years later, he employs 27 people including two apprentices in liaison with the North East Chamber of Commerce and has a turnover of £10m.

Today Peter took delivery of the company’s 2,000th vehicle. He started with one Ford Transit Van.

He said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the gifts, if I’d actually enjoyed housework we wouldn’t be in business today.”

Transflex, based at North Tees Industrial Park, Portrack, specialises in flexible fleet rental to businesses throughout the UK. Demand in the south of England was so good the company opened a depot in Buckingham in July last year adding 300 vehicles to the fleet and a brownfield site to the organisation.

Staff celebrated Peter Abdale's anniversary with a ladder, bucket and sponge!

They’re now looking to expand throughout the UK.

Managing Director Peter hasn’t undercut his rivals in the industry to win contracts, he just used his old network and years of business skills to grow.

“We quickly established a customer base and the business began to expand. I had terrific support from my old contacts,” he said.

“If cleaning windows and housework hadn’t driven me mad none of this would exist today. I’ve no intention of using the presents to clean van windows…although it’s always good to keep your hand in.”

Peter’s former business was part of the Northgate plc group. Several of his former team now work alongside him.

Patrick Bamford urges Boro boo-boys: Get behind us

Patrick Bamford is urging Boro’s boo-boys to channel their frustrations into backing the team against Wolves.

Boro were barracked by a section of the crowd as they trooped off at 0-0 at the break against Rotherham on Saturday before going on to win 2-0.

“The half-time booing was disappointing but I understand the frustrations,” he said.

And there was vocal dissent from the North Stand over a spot-kick stand-off between him the striker and Kike too.

“I think it is just the nerves getting to people as the season comes to a climax,” he said, brushing off the jeering.

But the 18 goal top scorer has appealed for everyone to hold their nerve, bite their tongues and rally round the team during the promotion run-in.

“As a player, as a team you just want everyone behind you, especially in the tight games when things aren’t going exactly to plan,” he explained.

“I’ve been a football fan all my life and I know what it is like, watching Forest all those years I’ve had my share of frustrations - but I cant remember ever booing my team. I’d always support even if we were losing.

“Given the position we are in I think we all just have to come together as a club- team and supporters - and be united as one really, even if the game is as frustrating as the first half was against Rotherham.

“Sometimes you do go off at half-time and its 0-0 and you need something special to make the breakthrough and it can be frustrating but that’s when you need the fans behind you, driving you on and putting pressure on opponents.”

And the on-loan Chelsea striker, who played through a similar situation at Derby last year, says he understand the tension in the terraces.

“I think fans have to accept that the position we are in every game is going to generate those nerves”, he said

“I understand supporters will be nervous. We don’t really get nervous on the pitch but you can sense the atmosphere around the stadium during the game if we are not winning.

“I know we are closer to the end of the season and the stakes are higher now and maybe there are more nerves than usual now and I understand that - but the booing really doesn’t help us at all.

VIEW GALLERY

“I can’t criticise the fans at all really because they have been fantastic all season.

“And I know that it is a lot of money to pay out to come and watch the team every week and people make sacrifices and take time off their work to come and watch us so I can’t complain.

“I’m certainly not going to tell people what they can or can’t do. They have paid and have every right to express themselves any way they choose.

“But all I will say is that the booing doesn’t help and it just applies more pressure.

“We just have to hope that against Wolves we do better and everyone is cheering.”

Bamford says fourth placed Boro are gunning for revenge for the 2-0 mauling away at Wolves in October as they look to claw back towards the automatic promotion spots.

“We’ve got a point to prove against Wolves because they beat us down there and we were very poor on the night,” he said. “We want to put that right.

“But we know it won’t be easy as they need a result because they are chasing a play-off place but I think we need it more.

“And they are difficult to play against, we know that. We will have to fight them if necessary and we have to press high and quickly to stop them playing the long balls, cut that out as an easy option for them and then try to impose ourselves.

“We think we may need to win all four games to get an automatic spot but let’s get this one won first before we start doing the calculations.”

Syrian regime warplanes target mosque in Idlib

Syrian regime army planes are reported to have targeted the Great Mosque of Bensh in Idlib province on Sunday, killing one person and causing major damages to the mosque.

A member of the city’s civil defence named only as “Hamdan” told Anadolu news agency that a number of people were injured as a result of the bombing, pointing out that if the regime’s warplanes missiles fell into the market adjacent to the mosque, they could have resulted in a huge massacre.

The governorate of Idlib has witnessed violent clashes and heavy bombardment by Syrian regime forces since opposition groups gained control of the area in March last year. The violence has led to the killing of at least 100 people and destroyed dozens of homes and properties.

Promotion pressure is not on Middlesbrough says Aitor Karanka

Aitor Karanka insists the pressure will be on Bournemouth, Watford and Norwich as the Championship promotion race comes to a climax.

Boro go into tonight’s game against Wolves sitting fourth in the table, two points adrift of the leaders and one point outside the top two with four fixtures remaining.

Karanka knows Boro can’t afford any more slip ups if they’re to achieve their ambition of winning automatic promotion, starting with play-off chasing Wolves at the Riverside.

“I think there is more pressure on the teams above,” he said.

“Now, we are fourth, so we are the team with less chance of going up than the teams above us.

“We have worked very well this season, and are enjoying the position we are in, and we know we can still get promotion at the end.

“But the pressure is on Bournemouth, Watford and Norwich because they are the teams at the top and they have better chances than us.

“Norwich play at home against us on Friday, so they will be favourites for that game. But, as I have said before, if we don’t win against Wolves, then there is no point speaking about the other game.”

Boro go into tonight’s game on the back of a solid 2-0 victory over Rotherham at the Riverside on Saturday.

The club’s home form has been outstanding so far this year with eight wins out of nine a statistic Karanka is rightly proud of.

“In the same way that I like to build a team from the defence, I also think that it is very important to be strong at home,” he said.

“I have always thought that right through my career. You are playing in front of your own crowd, and you have to thank them for coming every single day to support you.

“For that reason, I think it is very important to be strong at home, and the teams that are coming to the Riverside know that it is going to be very difficult. We are comfortable at home, but we have a very tough game coming up.”

Two of Boro’s three home defeats occurred back in August when Sheffield Wednesday and Reading won at the Riverside.

Karanka admits the club’s poor start to the current season - six points out of 13 - is a reason why Boro are not leading the division, but he also said several key signings didn’t arrive until the start of September.

“You do look back and wonder,” he pondered. “But when you look back at those days, you have to remember that I did not have a full squad. Patrick arrived a month or so after the first game, as did Jelle (Vossen), Ryan (Fredericks) and Yanic (Wildschut).

“That is something we have to learn from for the future because it is true that with three or four points more, we could be in a much better position than the one where we are.

“But the reality is that we are in this position and we have to keep going until the end with this squad.”

Aitor Karanka says the penalty wrangle is behind Boro

Aitor Karanka says there has been no long-term fallout following the incident that preceded Boro’s penalty miss against Rotherham.

The head coach admitted after Saturday’s game that he was angry that Kike Garcia and Patrick Bamford had tussled for the ball before the latter took a weak stoppage time spot kick that was easily saved.

It was later revealed that Bamford had been the designated penalty taker that day and Karanka told the Gazette in press conference for today’s game that he was annoyed because his instructions had been ignored.

He also said he felt the argument over who would be taking the set piece would have distracted Bamford.

However, the players concerned patched up their differences immediately after the game and Karanka has now put it behind him.

“We have to learn and for me, more than the goal (penalty) being missed, the problem was what happened,” he said.

“It didn’t help him (Bamford) concentrate, and it’s the kind of thing that I can’t understand.

“I didn’t like it at all. I said before the game who was responsible to take the penalties, and everything is clear.

“But although they had that problem to take the penalty, they are mature enough to fix things after the game.

“After the game the players were speaking and everything is finished. For me, that is the main thing. All of them are very good lads and they are mature.”

An issue that Karanka is determined not to forget about is his team’s habit of missing scoring chances, which, he believes, has proved costly in terms of goal difference.

“There was the penalty (on Saturday),” he added, “but there was also the chances that Emilio Nsue and Lee Tomlin had – they could be very important.

“We are six goals below one team, and 10 goals below another team.

“If we had taken all the chances we have had this season, we could be on the same number as them. We have to learn.”

Third attack in 3 days: Naxals kill BSF jawan in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: Naxals attacked a BSF team killing a jawan in Chhattisgarh’s insurgency-hit Kanker district, striking for the third time since Saturday.

Maoists fired indiscriminately on security personnel who were patrolling in the proximity of Chhote Baithiya BSF camp under Bande police station area late on Sunday night, Kanker Superintendent of Police Jitendra Singh Meena told PTI.

A gunbattle erupted between security forces and ultras and the rebels soon fled to the core forests, he added.

“A BSF head constable succumbed to bullet injuries, sustained during the gunfight, while being taken to a local hospital,” the SP said.

Soon after the incident, reinforcements were rushed to the spot, he said adding that a combing operation has been launched in the region to nab the assailants.

Seven STF personnel were killed and ten others injured on Saturday when Naxals ambushed them in the forests of restive Pidmel village under Polampalli, around 450 kms from state capital Raipur.

Naxals yesterday allegedly set ablaze at least 17 vehicles engaged in mining work in Kanker district, 140 km from here. However, no one was injured.

‘Ukrainian artillery shell strikes Donetsk hospital’

A Ukrainian artillery shell has reportedly struck a hospital in east Ukraine’s Donetsk region in violation of a recent truce, according to the defense authorities of the region.

“The Ukrainian shell hit directly the surgery department of Hospital No. 21 located in 12a Kremlyovskaya Avenue,” read a Sunday statement by the Defense Ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) as cited in a report by Russian Tass news agency.

The statement said the Ukrainian army forces were engaged in shelling the positions of pro-Russia forces in Donetsk and were attempting to breach the pro-Russians’ defenses.

It added that, overnight on Sunday, two infantry companies of the Ukrainian military also launched an attack on the settlement of Zhabunki on the outskirts of Donetsk.

The DPR defense ministry noted, however, that its forces thwarted the attack after they engaged the Ukrainian troops in direct combat action in the area.

It further expressed concerns that provocative measures by Ukrainian troops at the lines of engagement were escalating tensions between the two sides and may disrupt the peace process in the war-ravaged eastern Ukraine.

At 17, Indian-origin girl gets into all 8 Ivy League schools

At just 17, an Indian-origin girl has earned admission to 14 top US universities, including all eight Ivy League schools considered the most prestigious varsities worldwide.

Virginia-born Pooja Chandrashekar decided to apply to all eight ivies hoping to get into just one of them. But now she has the choice to get into Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Dartmouth, Columbia, Brown, and the University of Pennsylvania besides six other elite universities in the US, including Stanford and MIT.

Pooja, the only daughter of two engineers who emigrated to the US from Bangalore, got a SAT score of 2390 out of 2400, a 4.57 grade point average and aced all 13 of her Advanced Placement exams.

The teenager has more than her academic achievements to fall back on. Besides the high score, what also boosted her application is enterprise, initiative and creativity.

The brainy teenager, who graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, a top-ranked magnet school in Virginia, has developed a mobile app that analyses speech patterns and predicts with 96 per cent accuracy if a person has Parkinson’s disease.

She has also founded a organisation that encourages middle-school American girls to participate in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programmes.

Pooja said that she decided to apply to all eight ivies hoping to get into just one of them, “because college admissions is really unpredictable.”

“They are all fantastic schools, so I couldn’t discount any of them…I wanted to make sure I could get into a really good school and have more choices,” she told The Washington Post.

She has narrowed her list to Harvard, Stanford and Brown, where she got into a programme that guarantees her admission to the university’s medical school.

Pooja said that what sets her apart is her passion for promoting STEM among young girls. Her non-profit ProjectCSGirls, hosts nationwide computer science competitions, “dedicated to closing the tech gender gap”.

She wrote one of her college application essays about being a woman interested in a career in computer science, a field long dominated by men. She said she was often one of just a handful of girls in her high school technology classes.

“I want to encourage diversity in the field,” she told the daily.

Even with her lofty accomplishments, Pooja is like most other teenagers. She enjoys watching television shows like Shark Tank and listening to Bollywood music.

She is also a fan of the Food Network channel and she said she is amazed by the chefs who show off their skills in the kitchen. However, it’s one subject she admits she has not mastered.

“I can’t cook for my life,” she said.

–PTI

Turkey condemns Egypt’s death sentences

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has condemned what it said were “collective punishments” meted out in Egypt, a day after 14 people were sentenced to death and dozens to life imprisonment.

The criticism came on Sunday after an Egyptian court ordered Muslim Brotherhood Guide General Mohamed Badie and 13 other people to be put to death for violence-related charges and jailed for life 37 defendants including Egyptian-American activist Mohamed Soltan.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “As in previous examples, it is obvious that these decisions, which are far from meeting international standards, cannot contribute to the permanent peace and stability in Egypt.”

The court ordered the life sentences on charges of forming what came to be known as the “Rabaa Operations Room” during a sit-in in support of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi last year.

The defendants were accused of “masterminding a plot to sow chaos and storm and set fire to police stations, state institutions, public and private property and churches”.

Prosecutors also accused the defendants of “coordinating with e-committees to disseminate doctored images of people killed and wounded protesters.”

Hundreds of people were killed when security forces violently dispersed two pro-Morsi sit-ins in Cairo’s Rabaa al-Adawiya Square and Giza’s Nahda Square.

The dispersal came only a few weeks after Morsi, Egypt’s first freely elected leader, was forcibly removed from office by the army following massive opposition demonstrations against his one-year presidency.

The Egyptian government then launched a sweeping crackdown on Morsi’s supporters, in which the Rabaa dispersal is widely seen as having been a turning point

Five of the six Middlesbrough Mayor candidates go head-to-head

Five of the six candidates battling it out to become the next mayor of Middlesbrough went head-to-head during a debate tonight.

Conservative candidate Lloyd Cole-Nolan was absent from the question and answer session which was organised by Middlesbrough Senior Citizens’ Forum and held at Teesside University.

The other five candidates - Dave Budd (Labour) Andy Preston (Independent) Dave Roberts (Independent) Mike Carr (Independent) and Len Junier (Independent) took part.

About 50 people attended the debate.

Each candidate gave a three minute talk before the questions were opened up to the public.

The issue of the redevelopment of the Gresham estate was one of the first topics brought up.

In 2005 current mayor Ray Mallon announced that a major redevelopment of the estate was to take place however he admitted in 2013 he had made a “mistake” regarding Gresham and decided to halt the demolition programme.

A resident who lives in the estate described the area as a “ghetto”. He added: “Whoever is mayor will have to deal with Gresham.”

Mr Budd, the current deputy mayor said the problem has been “the Government going back on its word”.

However he said that housing in Middlesbrough is “better now than any other time in 35 years”.

Mr Roberts described it as a “disgrace”. “What Ray Mallon did with Gresham was foolish. You need to have plan A, B and C when doing business,” he added.

Mr Junier said: “We need to review the whole programme. If the wrong person gets this, North Ormesby will be next.”

Mr Preston said: “We need fine housing where we can bring young families in to make it a fantastic place to live and better our town.”

Mr Carr added: “I don’t think we should demolish until we know we can build better and I do think now we can build better.”

Middlesbrough Senior Citizen's Forum hosted a debate with all the Mayor candidates at Teesside University

The candidates were asked about how the Middlesbrough Council Cabinet would be drawn up.

Mr Roberts and Mr Junier said there would be no majority party in the cabinet.

Mr Carr said: “I want it to reflect the demographic profile of the electorate. I want to be accountable only to you.”

Mr Preston said: “If there is 30% Tory and 70% Labour this will show in the Cabinet.” Mr Budd said if he is mayor it will be a majority Labour Executive.

GB boxer Amanda Coulson meets student coaches at Middlesbrough College

Sports coaches from across Teesside benefited from a skills workshop delivered by a medal-winning former boxer.

Student sports leaders from Middlesbrough College, Trinity College, Prior Pursglove and Cleveland College enjoyed a visit from Amanda Coulson today.

The session, hosted by Middlesbrough College, included tips on how to plan and organise coaching sessions for people of all ages and abilities.

Students also benefited from Amanda’s experience of working alongside some of the world’s best boxing coaches.

Amanda, from Hartlepool, first represented England in 2004, winning silver medals in three European Union championships.

She has also been to two world championships and won four senior domestic titles.

After retiring from boxing in 2012, she became a coach and has decided to help support aspiring coaches and volunteers.

“I’m here to share my experiences and expertise as a coach and show the benefits of giving something back as a coach leader,” said Amanda, 32.

“We have been working on presentation skills and how to monitor the structure of lessons.

“It’s about inspiring them to become dedicated coaches whether that be at grassroot or athlete level or anything in between.”

Middlesbrough College hosted a special workshop delivered by former GB boxer Amanda Coulson

Abbie Lavander, a second year sports coaching student at Middlesbrough College said Amanda’s session had given her the confidence to plan coaching lessons despite having no interest in boxing.

“When I heard Amanda was a champion boxer I thought it was a good opportunity to learn about a sport in woman aren’t associated with as much,” she said.

“Amanda has taught me to always persevere in sport. She was someone who was turned down a lot before she got to where she is now.

“Volleyball is my sport and there has been times where my height has hindered me, but listening to Amanda has made me realise anything is possible.”

Graham Parker: Tributes former Yarm and Nunthorpe teacher who made learning fun

News of a popular teacher’s death has prompted poignant tributes from his former students and colleagues.

The Gazette told how dad-of-three Graham Parker, of Yarm, died from a suspected heart attack during a day out walking on Roseberry Topping.

Mr Parker, 50, was a well-known and popular teacher who taught at Conyers School, Yarm, and Nunthorpe School before his most recent post as head of Wensleydale School in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, from which he resigned six weeks ago to spend more time with his family and pursue business ideas.

Such was his popularity, a memorial service for people whose lives he touched is now being planned by his widow, Alison.

And a Gazette story paying tribute to Mr Parker, shared on social media site Breaking News Teesside, prompted many former pupils and colleagues to leave their own messages of condolence and tribute.

Hashim Mahmood called Mr Parker a “great teacher who had time for everyone” while Claire McDonald wrote: “Mr P Taught me from 1992-1996 best teacher ever. So sad x”

Ruth Fyfe posted: “Good night and God bless Mr Parker. An absolutely amazing English teacher - made learning fun. Hope u get ur coffee fix up there sir!”

Laura Smyrell said: “This is so very sad. Mr Parker was my favourite teacher - he was caring, enthusiastic and he inspired his students. I credit my love of reading and my slight obsession with grammar to Mr Parker’s teaching. RIP Sir.”

And Sally Large referred to the day Mr Parker collapsed on Roseberry Topping, posting: “My thoughts and prayers are with his family. I was there at the time and I also want to say the Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team and the air ambulance team were brilliant, as was the stoicism of the woman who performed CPR.”

Referring to tennis fan Mr Parker’s spell as manager of the Topspin Tennis Centre in the mid-1990s, James Barber, who worked with Mr Parker, called him a “genuine kind hearted person”, adding: “RIP Parker - master of the slice serve.”

But it was his educational exploits most people focused on, with former colleagues also paying tribute.

Tributes have been paid to former Conyers and Nunthorpe School teacher Graham Parker, who has died, aged 50, after suffering a heart attack while on a family walk on Roseberry Topping

They included Lisa Gosnay, who posted: “Head of English when I was at Conyers on teaching practice 10 years ago... Still remember him now, such an inspiration - there weren’t many quite like him then and have met very few since! So so sad that he’s been taken too soon.”

There were tributes from parents too, with Lisa Bennison praising Mr Parker’s support for her son, Matthew Brown, when he was “going through bad behaviour” in his last year at Nunthorpe School.

She posted: “Mr Parker saw something good in Matty and let Matty sit in his office with him the whole year when he needed time out. And thanks to him, my son is a successful 23-year-old and has a great job working offshore. Thank you Mr Parker RIP.”

A funeral service for family and close friends takes place on Friday at 1.30pm in St Martin and St Hilary Church, Kirklevington, with donations in lieu of flowers to the British Heart Foundation.

Details of any memorial service will be released later.

Stewart Park robbery: Police establish image of man they want to speak to

Police have established an image of a man they want to speak to after a teenager was threatened with a knife and robbed.

Alex Bowman, 14, was threatened in Stewart Park at around 6.30pm on Saturday, and fearing for his life he gave up his £600 Cube mountain bike.

Coulby Newham and South Middlesbrough Neighbourhood Police Team issued a statement on their Facebook page to say inquiries have lead to an image of a man being created.

However, the image will not be released until investigations are complete.

The statement read: “The police have conducted inquiries into the crime and have established an image of a male they would like to speak to about this offence.

“Clearly this is in the hands of CID to locate the male, interview and confirm any involvement in the incident.

“Once completed we will let the public know the conclusion.”

Speaking after the attack, Alex, a Nunthorpe Academy student, said: “I am still in shock. I was terrified. As soon as I saw the knife, I just left my bike and got away as fast as I could.”

He had been with a friend riding through the park when he heard a “popping sound”.

“The next thing I knew, someone skidded on a bike in front of us which forced us to stop and then he got off and told me to give him the bike,” he said.

“I tried to grab hold of the frame, but then he pulled the knife out so I just let him take it.”

Alex with the bike stolen at knifepoint on Saturday night in Stewart Park

Alex, who lives with dad Robert in Marton, said as he left another man appeared and the pair made off with his bike.

“He was wearing a blue Adidas jacket with a white chunk on the chest, and he had a grey scarf over his face. He was maybe 19 or 20, and he had a deep voice,” continued Alex.

“He had matching tracksuit bottoms and white trainers. I didn’t really see the second one, as it all happened so fast.

The bike - a lime green Cube mountain bike with black mud guards - had been a Christmas treat and allowed Alex to ride with friends to Great Ayton and Redcar.

Police are now appealing for witnesses to the incident, or anyone who may have seen the distinctive bike or been offered one for sale.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

To donate towards a replacement bike, visit http://bit.ly/1CyCafo

Pakistan forces kill 10 Taliban militants in NW

The Pakistani military says it has killed at least 10 Taliban militants that attempted to intrude into Pakistan’s troubled northwestern tribal region from neighboring Afghanistan.

A Sunday statement released by a military spokesman said Pakistani troops confronted the Taliban elements in the Shumkari area of the Mohmand tribal district near the Afghan border while the latter were attempting to “sneak into Pakistan territory.”

“At about 0130 hours (Saturday night) a group of about 10-15 terrorists tried to sneak into Pakistan territory. Pakistan troops observed and surrounded them. Intense exchange of fire took place for about an hour,” added the statement.

Confirming the operation, a local administration authority said the bodies of the armed militants were later transferred to a local hospital for autopsy.

Pakistani military forces have tightened their control on the border with Afghanistan and have launched a number of operations in the restive tribal areas since last year to root out the Taliban-linked militants.

Remorseless, devious sex offender given 14-year sentence after he tried to lure girl into his car

Mums of victims describe their horror in Victim Impact Statement

A devious sex offender branded “every parent’s worst nightmare” after he tried to lure a young girl into his car is starting an extended 14-year sentence today.

Paul Whitfield, 43, was told he took away two girls’ innocence and he showed remorse or concern for his perverted crimes.

Judge Michael Taylor told him: “I’m quite satisfied that you had a motive to find and to lure young children to come under your control because of your interest in sexual activity with young children.

“I’m quite satisfied that you are a devious, determined and manipulative individual who poses a grave danger to young children.

“As a result of that I intend to lock you up for as long as I think I can get away with.”

He passed an extended 14-year sentence - a nine-year jail term plus a five-year licence period.

Whitfield watched a 10-year-old girl as she played with her friends in Billingham for an hour, then told her the police were looking for her and suggested she hide in his car.

“He was persistent but he did not physically touch her,” said prosecutor Nick Adlington yesterday.

Three hours earlier on September 7 last year, he had approached a nine-year-old girl in Stockton for the same sexual motives.

He asked the scared girl whether she had been bullied and told her she was beautiful as he “looked at her funnily”, the court was told.

Both children ran away and told their respective grandmothers.

Whitfield, of Fordwell Road, Fairfield, Stockton, was arrested after the 10-year-old girl’s gran confronted him and noted his vehicle’s registration number.

It emerged he had groomed an underage girl, aged 12 to 14, with explicit online conversations and photographs over social media.

He offered her inducements like jewellery to meet him for sex, and they discussed moving abroad.

An examination of his phone also revealed he had 12 indecent images of young girls and used two aliases on social media websites.

He was already a registered sex offender banned from having unsupervised contact with under-16s, cameras or internet devices, and he was under a community order for 16 offences relating to indecent photographs of children in 2011.

In an “extremely disturbing” pre-sentence report, he said he had no intention of complying with the order and he deliberately obstructed inquiries, said the judge.

Judge Taylor added: “You made it plain that you had a continuing interest in young children.”

He said it was fortunate that both girls approached by Whitfield had the wit to get away from him, but they would be profoundly affected by their experience for a long time.

“Rot, Whitfield, rot,” shouted the 10-year-old girl’s grandmother as he was led away to the cells.

The girl’s mother said outside court: “It’s a decent sentence. The judge has done the best that he can do to keep him off the streets.

“He (Whitfield) doesn’t care. He showed no remorse. He knows what he wants to do and that’s it.

“It’s not something you ever think will happen to your child. It does and it’s just devastating.

“If my mam hadn’t got his registration number, potentially he could have got a child. I think he would have carried on until he did.

“In a way I’m grateful he’s gone for a child who’s got the savvy to run away.

“We’ve always drilled it into her - you don’t talk to strangers.

“We’re trying not to molly-coddle her and be too over-the-top with it because I wouldn’t want her to be completely petrified at everything.

“I want her to be able to have some sort of normal life playing with her friends and getting her confidence back.”

Whitfield admitted 10 offences - attempted child abduction, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, possessing indecent images of children, and charges of breaching a sexual offences prevention order and failing to comply with sex offender notification requirements.

Richard Bennett, defending, said Whitfield accepted he posed a risk of serious harm to children.

He said Whitfield confessed that the thought of having a child in his car gave him a “sexual thrill”.

But he said Whitfield’s frankness about his interest in children offered “a tiny glimmer of hope for the future”.

Seven STF jawans killed, 11 injured in Maoist attack in Bastar

RAIPUR: Seven personnel of Special Task Force (STF) were killed and eleven others injured in an encounter with outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) rebels at a village near ​Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region on Saturday.

Additonal director general of police (anti-Naxal operations) Rajinder Kuamr Vij said that the encounter took place at Pidmal village between Dornapal and Chintagufa when the rebels tried to attack the security personnel. The forces retaliated leading to a fierce encounter during which seven security personnel died and eleven others injured.

The gun-battle continued for more than an hour with the rebels who were believed to be in large numbers. STF’s commander Shankar Rao is among the dead.

The injured personnel have been shifted to nearby hospitals and the critically injured are expected to be airlifted to state capital for further treatment.

After lying low for sometime, there are indications that the Maoist rebels can step up violence in Bastar region during summer when they observe their tactical counter offensive campaign (TCOC).

Source: Times of India

The 'parent's worst nightmare' paedophile: Mums of victims describe their horror

Read the full story from the court hearing today here

Two brave mums stepped into the witness box to tell a court how devious paedophile Paul Whitfield’s offending affected their daughters.

Teesside Crown Court heard the mothers’ moving victim impact statements today.

It came as Paul Whitfield, 43, was jailed for 14 years after trying to lure a 10-year-old girl into his car.

The mum of the 10-year-old girl Whitfield tried to abduct in Billingham said: “I’m in constant fear and I do not let my children go out of my sight.

“She is frightened to go outside and play with her friends and has asked me many times ‘what if I got took’.

“She asks me constantly what might have happened to me if I got in the car.

“I’m stuck for words as to how to tell her and constantly have to praise her for walking away and telling her grandma.

“She now needs to be escorted everywhere. She won’t even walk to the corner shop anymore.

"She used to walk to school with friends. She now refuses to do this.

“I can’t even describe in words how this incident has affected me as a parent. It’s every parent’s worst nightmare.”

The mum said she hoped her daughter’s confidence would increase and the memories would fade.

“I can’t say the same for me,” she added.

“I will dread it when she gets older and wants to venture out. The fear and dread will always be with me.

“I used to think that incidents like this happened elsewhere, not with my own child.”

Teesside Crown Court

The mother of a nine-year-old girl approached by Whitfield in Stockton on the same day said her daughter no longer had the confidence to walk to her friend’s house.

“She insists that either me or my mother takes her,” said the mum in her statement.

“She tells me that she’s frightened of the nasty man. She is frightened that the nasty man will pinch her.

“As a mother I’m tortured by thoughts of what would have happened if she hadn’t run away from him.

“She is very tearful. This incident has also affected my family and friends.

“I’m finding it difficult to balance how to ensure she doesn’t become too paranoid but also to ensure that she doesn’t let her guard down.

“I no longer allow her to wear clothing with her name on, in case someone shouts her over.

“This has taken a large part of her confidence and totally destroyed my trust in people.

“I will never understand the pain and fear that he has caused. He is every parent’s worst nightmare.

“Months on I still remember her running off to play and being haunted by thoughts of that being the last time I might have seen her.

“She asks me ‘what if you couldn’t find me’. I try to reassure her that I’ll always find her.

“I want him to hear from me the pain he has caused.”

Teesside Manifesto: How the Prime Minister addressed the six key points YOU raised

Read more about The Gazette's Teesside Manifesto here

The Prime Minster today answers your Teesside Manifesto election demands in an exclusive interview with The Gazette.

David Cameron was on a whistle-stop tour of the region and visited Stockton’s award-winning Infinity Bridge before dropping into Eaglescliffe-based precision plastic injection moulding firm Icon Plastics to speak to apprentices.

But he took a few minutes out to address the six points raised by Gazette readers in our recent survey, which was completed by hundreds of readers.

In our Teesside Manifesto the priority issue was support to bring big businesses to Teesside. Has the coalition Government succeeded in this?

Yes, that’s why we’ve been cutting taxes, simplifying regulation, making Britain a great place to invest.

The Hitachi factory is a good example - this is like a whole new industry with a big supply chain coming and I think that’s very positive, so well keep on doing that.

And full credit to James Wharton (the Conservative candidate for Stockton South) for making sure that he speaks up all the time for Stockton and for Teesside.

Peter Reimann

David Cameron takes a look at our Teesside Manifesto, is welcomed by James Wharton and takes a look at Icon Plastics in Eaglescliffe

I’m also a big supporter of keeping the separate LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) - it’s doing well, let’s keep it.

You don’t need to have one for the whole of the North-east, it’s good to have a separate one for Teesside.

People want greater investment in major Teesside routes like the A19 and A66 - what is the Government doing to tackle this?

James (Wharton) is fighting very hard for improvements.

The good news is obviously the East Coast mainline - the improvements that’s coming on the railways with the new Virgin franchise.

But we have got capital money available for new routes.

The Teesside Manifesto election demands

Teesside wants fair treatment over council cuts, with the feeling that our area has suffered more than elsewhere.

Look, I would say it’s been difficult, we have had to ask councils to make savings, but I was just saying Stockton has got 17% more cash in cash-term spending this year than in 2010.

And we need councils to work together - cut out the back-office costs and concentrate on the front line.

Why do you think there is that perception in North-east Labour councils that they are getting hit harder than South-east councils?

I don’t think the figures back it up because there is still the grants that come.

For instance to say Newcastle or Middlesbrough, the grants that would be much higher per head than other parts of the country - that’s because there are special needs and that should continue to be the case.

Gazette readers want more empty homes brought back into use.

Absolutely - we will be saying something about that in our manifesto - helping to improve that situation.

And keeping the private sector out of the NHS?

Look, the NHS is a public service, it’s free at the point of use, it’s there for you and your children, me and my children.

I don’t think you should ban the private sector and the independent sector altogether from the NHS because there are organisations like Marie Curie or Macmillan nurses that provide a good service.

David Cameron and James Wharton

Our readers want the next Government to cut the benefits bill by helping people off welfare into work that pays.

Yes, we're doing that, we are raising the minimum wage, we’re cutting people’s taxes, we’ve capped welfare, we have gone through everyone on what was called incapacity benefit and offered training.

We have got 900,000 fewer people on out-of-work welfare.

The Gazette also asked the PM what he thought James Wharton’s chances were of retaining Stockton South after recent polls showed the Tory candidate lagging behind Labour.

There’s only one poll that counts - that’s the poll on polling day.

With James Wharton people know they have got a strong local MP.

He’s got a great track record.

Eston In Bloom organisers quit, blame endless vandalism, say council has let them down

A community group whose flower displays have gained national recognition despite numerous attacks from vandals say they are retiring from competition - and blame “apathy” from the local council.

Eston Residents Association have transformed the town with their Eston in Bloom displays since 2005 - and have managed to survive dozens of attempts by yobs to ruin their work by winning awards in the national Britain in Bloom event.

But chairperson Ann Higgins says that the group has informed the Northumbria in Bloom organisers they will not be entering in 2015.

“We have suffered horrendous vandalism year after year, even on the day judges arrived, but we coped and did not let the vandals win," she said.

“The decision we have taken has not been easy, but the reasoning is we have been constantly let down by the council.

“We are a small team - I am 65 and I think I’m the youngest in the group - we cannot keep doing the council’s job for them as well as our own.

Vandalism to flower tubs shortly before Britain in Bloom judges were due in 2013. Chair of the Residents Association Ann Higgins front with rear Dave Fisher & Ray Clements.

“We have continually asked for the streets to be kept clean, for dog muck to be cleaned up, for grass verges to be cut. But nothing seems to happen.

“Last year, the group lost the few precious points needed for the coveted Gold Award in Britain in Bloom, once again through the apathy of the council.”

But Ann said that the group would continue their displays and heritage work despite not entering them in competition - for the people of Eston.

“We have had a lot of support from local people, and we don’t want to stop what we are doing.

Ann Higgins examines the damage after vandals pulled flowers out of tubs in the centre of Eston in 2014

"But it is just getting too difficult to bring the judges here when everything else is neglected,” said Mrs Higgins.

“It is a shame that Eston can’t get that national recognition any more.

"I’ve spoken to people at competitions in the past who have told me 'I had never heard of Eston before, but I definitely have now'."

A spokesman for Redcar and Cleveland Council said the authority "continues to have a commitment to support community groups, and the excellent work they do across the borough with Northumbria in Bloom".

Eston in Bloom's preparations were hit by vandals for the fifth year in a row in 2014

“Recently the council has been proactively supporting Community Clear Up Days across the borough and is working closely with local communities to make the area cleaner and greener,” he added.

Despite the group’s success at the Northumbria and Britian in Bloom events - including the 2013 National Heritage Award - they have been plagued by vandals.

For the past five years, group members have battled against the clock to repair displays after they were destroyed in the weeks leading up to judging.

In the past two weeks a sign was kicked off and left on the floor, a large planter tub was broken almost beyond repair and stacking display tubs and Penny Farthing bikes at Church Lane were wrecked.

Five children dead, as Assad forces strike school in Syria’s Aleppo

BEIRUT (AFP) — A Syrian regime air strike hit a school in the main northern city of Aleppo on Sunday killing five children and four other civilians, a monitoring group said.

“Military aircraft struck a school in east Aleppo city and killed five children, three female teachers and one man,” said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

He said a number of people were seriously wounded and the death toll was likely to rise.

Another child was killed in an air strike on a rebel-held neighborhood of east Aleppo, the Britain-based Observatory reported.

The strikes come after a day after government forces and rebel fighters exchanged fire in the northern city, leaving at least 35 civilians dead.

Many schools in Aleppo city have been forced to close, while others hold classes in basements.

'Every parent's worst nightmare' locked up for attempted abduction of 10-year-old girl

A devious sex offender branded “every parent’s worst nightmare” is starting an extended 14-year sentence today.

Paul Whitfield, 43, tried to lure a 10-year-old girl into his car in Billingham, claiming the police were looking for her.

Hours earlier, he had approached a nine-year-old girl in Stockton for his perverted sexual motives, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Fortunately both children ran away and told their grandmothers on September 7 last year.

Whitfield was caught after the first girl’s gran took down his registration number.

The court was told how the attempted abduction affected the girl and her family, leaving her too scared to walk to school or go out alone.

An examination of his phone revealed he had indecent images of children and had groomed an underage girl with explicit online conversations and photographs over social media, offering her inducements to meet him for sex.

Sentencing this afternoon, Judge Michael Taylor said Whitfield took away the girls’ innocence.

He said: “I’m quite satisfied that you had a motive to find and to lure young children to come under your control because of your interest in sexual activity with young children.

“I’m quite satisfied that you are a devious, determined and manipulative individual who poses a grave danger to young children.

“As a result of that I intend to lock you up for as long as I think I can get away with.”

He said Whitfield, of Fordwell Road, Fairfield, showed no remorse or concern for his crimes.

He passed the extended 14-year sentence - a nine-year jail term plus an additional five-year licence period.

Whitfield admitted 10 offences - attempted child abduction, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, possessing indecent images of children, and charges of breaching a sexual offences prevention order and failing to comply with sex offender notification requirements.

At the time of his offending, he was under a community order for 16 offences relating to indecent photographs of children.

General Election 2015: Thornaby councillor Steve Walmsley bidding to be MP for the Party of Dissent

A leading Stockton Councillor has thrown his hat into the ring at the last minute to contest the Stockton South seat at the General Election.

Steve Walmsley, leader of the Thornaby Independent Association (TIA), is running as candidate for the Party of Dissent.

Cllr Walmsley describes the newly registered party as “a party of independents against social injustice and savage austerity cuts”.

The former Labour councillor split from the party back in 2003 “because of disillusion with politics without conscience and having to tow the party line no matter what”, and set up the TIA with friends.

He said he didn’t take the decision to stand in the May election “lightly”.

“What really swayed me was the fact that mainstream parties, Conservative, Labour and Liberal, say much and offer little apart from a continuation of austerity which has brought misery to so many of the most vulnerable,” he said.

“And so this election should be about people making a choice about what kind of society they want to live in.

“If they want an uncaring, dog eat dog society where the poor, helpless and outsiders are stigmatised and blamed for economic meltdown whilst the greedy culprits continue to live in the lap of luxury, then they should vote for more of the same with any of the aforementioned parties.”

Cllr Walmsley believes Parliament should be “nationalised in the sense that those the public elect should work exclusively for the general public”.

He also believes that councils should be “localised, released from the stranglehold of political parties and handed back to the people who pay the bills and who ultimately bear the brunt of political folly and indifference”.

Immigration should also be “seriously and sensibly” tackled, he said.

Cllr Walmsley and the TIA recently organised a postal referendum in Thornaby which saw more than 72% who responded agree “that Thornaby should be independent from Stockton”.

The postal referendum was organised and paid for by Thornaby Town Council following growing disillusionment in the town with Stockton Council.

Other candidates for Stockton South are: Louise Baldock (Labour), Drew Dunning (Lib Dem), Jacqui Lovell (Green Party), Edward Strike (Ukip) and James Wharton (Conservative).

Tomorrow's opponents last time out: Watch the highlights as Wolves suffer derby defeat at Birmingham

While Boro are in a four-way fight for the automatic promotion places, tomorrow's opponents Wolves are in a tight tussle for a play-off spot.

Just four goals separates Ipswich in sixth and Wolves in eighth, all on 71 points, while Derby in fifth position are just a point better off.

Kenny Jackett's side had been enjoying an excellent run of form but slipped up at the weekend, throwing away the lead to lose 2-1 at rivals Birmingham City.

Aitor Karanka has admitted his side can forget about automatic promotion should they slip-up at the Riverside tomorrow but Wolves are in a desperate need of points themselves to keep their play-off hopes alive.

Here's the highlights from their defeat at St Andrew's on Saturday.

Aitor Karanka: 'If we lose against Wolves we lose our chance of automatic promotion'

Boro can kiss goodbye to any hopes of winning automatic promotion if they lose to Wolves, warns Aitor Karanka.

With four fixtures remaining, the club currently sits fourth in the Championship table just two points adrift of leaders Bournemouth and one behind second-placed Norwich and Watford, in third.

Following Tuesday’s clash with Kenny Jackett’s side, Boro face back-to-back away trips to the Canaries and Fulham, so taking all three points will a minimum requirement at the Riverside.

And that’s why Karanka says he won’t be leaving out any of his key players to keep them fresh for Friday’s televised fixture at Carrow Road.

“I have to think about the game tomorrow and then after the game we can think about Norwich,” he said.

“If we start to think about the Norwich game now we are making a big mistake because if we lose tomorrow we are going to lose our chance to get promotion directly.

PA

Aitor Karanka at Watford

“So we have to think very well about the game tomorrow and then, after that we can think about Norwich.

“Tomorrow is a massive fixture, we are playing at home and it’s important to keep going and to keep fighting. To get that (automatic) position it is important to win at home.”

Despite the pressure of trying to win promotion, Karanka says he’s enjoying the season and insists it’s been a good one for the club.

“I have enjoyed the whole season because the team has done a really good job so this is the main thing,” he explained.

“It is tough, every single game is difficult, and at the end if we get promotion directly it will be an amazing season but at the end if we have to play in the play-offs I think it is going to be a very good season because Middlesbrough in the last six season in the Championship, the best season was seventh position with 70 points so I think this season has been the best.”

The Spaniard will have a virtually fully fit squad to choose from ahead of the Wolves game with only long-term absentees Damia Abella and Rhys Williams unavailable through injury.

Dani Ayala is being monitored but has a good chance of starting while Ryan Fredericks has recovered from a hamstring strain.

Grant Leadbitter, meanwhile, will serve the second match of his two game suspension.

Karanka said: “I will have to think about the make up of my team. I have a lot of players to choose from, and I will have to choose the right ones.

“It is difficult because all of them deserve to play. All of them have been working very well on the training ground.”