HUMAN shield Antoinette McCormick was today leaving Baghdad for Syria after being told she could no longer stay on her tourist visa. But the 38-year-old told the Evening Press by phone from the Hotel Palestine she intended getting a shield visa when she
THE Union Flag is starting to fly in the York area in a show of support for British troops in the Gulf. One has been put up outside the Adams House Hotel, in Main Street, Fulford, by proprietors Bob and Claire Cook. Bob said they were flying the flag
A PROTESTER will stand for election on an anti-war mandate, only days after resigning as a Labour candidate. Gordon Campbell-Thomas has promised to stand in the seat that would damage his former party the most. Mr Campbell-Thomas burned his Labour Party
THE family of a York soldier serving in Iraq have spoken of their pride in his mission - after they saw him in action on camera. Signaller Dave Benson, of Haxby, who is in the 216 Air Assault Signals Squadron, was pictured in a national newspaper in a
TONY Blair today signalled the start of a bloody battle for Baghdad, as Allied aircraft pounded units of Saddam Hussein's elite Republican Guard. Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, the Prime Minister confirmed coalition troops were now just
A SECOND British soldier has died in action in the Gulf. The man, from the 1st Battalion of the Black Watch, was killed during an operation last night near Al Zubayr, south west of Basra. The news came as American air forces were today pounding Iraq's
British forces have blocked an attempted breakout by Iraqi armour at Basra, it was reported today. British armour backed up by helicopters was said to have destroyed between five and seven Iraqi tanks. Up to 50 Iraqi tanks were said to have taken part
YORKSHIRE suffered a major blow in their bid to save their game against Derbyshire on the final day of the Championship match at Headingley today. Michael Vaughan was bowled by Graeme Welch on a rain-hit morning lifting the visitors' hopes of victory.
Having read the feature by Stephen Lewis on tourism in York (Staying upbeat in tourist city, April 30), I was staggered to see a paragraph which claimed that "City tourism bosses are hoping to build on the success of Thursday late night shopping". I don't
YOUR leader described Steve Galloway's offer to the Labour leader Dave Merrett as a "canny move by Lib Dems" (May 6). I would think a better description would be "an insidious move by Lib Dems." I agree that to get Dave to join them would help them lots
I AM disappointed to read of the introduction of admission charges at York Minster. I often go into the Minster to light candles in memory of relatives and friends and believe I should be able to do this without payment. Payment is already required if
WE wish to thank the residents of the Wolds Weighton ward who voted for us in the local council elections. We are committed to continuing our work in supporting the delivery of first-class cost-effective services for the benefit of all our constituents
I FIND it deeply concerning that more than 20 teachers in York are facing redundancy (May 7). How can a Government whose campaign slogan was "Education, education, education" possibly justify this? The fact that more than £3 billion has been spent on
A GULF War veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome is urging people to rally behind our troops by sending them messages of support through the Evening Press. Marianna Finch, 32, of Cumbrian Avenue, Strensall, York, was a member of the
THE mother of a North Yorkshire soldier out in the Gulf told today of the "absolute hell" her family has been going through since the war started. Frances Ellerker, who pleaded last week for Britain to rally behind "our boys", says she cannot sleep or
HUMAN shield Antoinette McCormick told today of the daily terror of life in Baghdad. The 38-year-old York woman, speaking exclusively to the Evening Press, revealed she has now fulfilled her original aim of becoming a shield to avert Allied bombing of
TWO British soldiers are missing in southern Iraq, and several US marines have been killed in fighting around the city of Nasiriyah, in what has been described as the toughest day so far in the war in the Gulf. The Ministry of Defence would give no details
DOZENS of members of two different faiths came together to pray for peace at a North Yorkshire cathedral. Muslims and Christians joined together at Ripon Cathedral to take part in prayer and silent thought on the ongoing conflict in Iraq. About 50 Muslims
SALES of bottled water have rocketed in York, as people stockpile emergency supplies - and cope with the warm spring weather. Supermarkets across the city have reported increased sales of bottled water over the past few days, with some stores forced to
AN IRAQI living in North Yorkshire was desperately trying to contact his family in Baghdad after Friday night's intense bombardment of the capital. Hadi Chiad, who has three sisters living in Baghdad, said he watched the allied onslaught on TV with growing
TORY MP John Greenway has called for limits on how anti-war protesters are allowed to behave. The Ryedale MP spoke out after massive protests outside Westminster paralysed the capital's roads for more than 12 hours on Thursday. A police officer also suffered
BRITISH and American troops may enter Baghdad by Monday, a British military official revealed today. Group Captain Al Lockwood said he hoped Allied Forces would be in the Iraqi capital within the next three or four days. US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
The war in Iraq has triggered an unprecedented wave of protest in York. Political Reporter Richard Edwards observed local demonstrators as they said: "Not in our name" YORK is not known for being a left-wing city with a strong tradition of political protest
ABOUT 200 hundred pupils took part in a vigil at a York school following the start of the war. Teacher Ann Finch said the theme of the vigil in the main hall at Fulford School was solidarity and sorrow with the people of Iraq. But she said pupils, who
TRAFFIC was brought to a standstill in the centre of York last night as peace protesters occupied Ouse Bridge and Museum Street. About 300 people took to the streets following a rally at St Sampson's Square to express their outrage at the war with Iraq
YORK College students were thrown off campus as they tried to gather support for their anti-war protest, sparking a row between college management and staff. According to student Oli Wilson, 19, the 20-strong group was told to leave the Tadcaster Road
Student protesters today claimed police officers were heavy-handed with them as they were arrested during anti-war demonstrations in York city centre. Three University of York students were taken into custody for obstruction offences as they rallied with
PUPILS at a York private school were today holding a silent vigil against the war. The anti-war protest took place outside the Mount School, a girls' boarding school in Dalton Terrace, York. Deputy Head Sarah Hebron said that the vigil, which began at
CIVIC heads in Selby and Tadcaster today urged local people to get behind the British troops - even if they were against the war with Iraq. Selby District Council chairman John Bedworth said he was against military action without a second UN resolution
WOULD-BE human shield Antoinette McCormick has reached Baghdad - just hours before the conflict began. The 38-year-old arrived safe and well at the Palestine Hotel in the Iraqi capital after a long and difficult overland journey from Jordan, her York
MPs from across York and North Yorkshire today spoke of their regret as war started in the Gulf. And support for troops, many from North Yorkshire, was expressed across the party lines. York MP Hugh Bayley said: "Everyone wanted to avoid war and it would
A FIGHTING friend inspired Mark Williams to deliver a knockout punch to land the PowerHouse UK Snooker Championship in a toe-to-toe battle which went the full distance at York's Barbican Centre. After capturing his first title in Britain for 26 months
WATCH out on television next spring for a piece of snooker wizardry from the young pro' who has been running the show at the Barbican CueZone during the UK Championship. Del Smith will be appearing in the next series of BBC television drama Murphy's Law
THE 138 by Mark Davis in his first round match remains the highest break made in York since the PowerHouse UK Championship started at the Barbican on December 1. The highest break in the past week up to the start of yesterday's semi-final is 137 by Stephen
TIM HART gained revenge for York when he beat Harrogate's Brian Pritchard in the amateur challenge match at the Barbican CueZone. Harrogate won the inaugural inter-town match at last year's UK Championship, but this time the honours stayed on home territory
A YORKSHIREMAN will be centre stage in tomorrow's PowerHouse UK Snooker Championship final at York's Barbican Centre. Stuart Bennett, from Barnsley, is the referee for the climax of the second biggest tournament in world snooker. It is the biggest honour
YORK CITY midfielder Lee Bullock collected a snooker cue for winning the man of the match award in the FA Cup game against Brentford last Saturday. Bullock scored the City goal and gave a solid display as the Minstermen just failed to overcome the Second
RONNIE O'Sullivan is at a loss as he seeks to stay on track in the PowerHouse UK Snooker Championship in York tonight. Although the defending champion beat Hong Kong's Marco Fu 9-7 last night at the Barbican Centre to reach the last eight, 'The Rocket
Yorkshire hopes of a white rose triumph in this year's UK Snooker Championship vanished as Leeds star Paul Hunter's sudden loss of form continued yesterday and he went out 9-4 to former world champion Ken Doherty, last year's UK beaten finalist. Trailing
THE only female referee on snooker's world ranking tournament circuit has been busy at the Barbican Centre this week. Michaela Tabb was an official on snooker's Main Tour last season and, as well as refereeing at Harrogate's Manhattan Club, she was on
THERE have been 26 century breaks in the PowerHouse UK Championship this week up to end of play on Thursday night. The top break in York so far is 138 by Mark Davis, but the highest break in the whole championship is 141 by Matthew Crouch in a qualifying
STEPHEN Hendry, the seven times world champion, eased his way into the third round of the PowerHouse UK Snooker Championship, with a convincing 9-4 win over Welshman Dominic Dale last night. He came back from losing the first frame to lead 4-1 including
UNITY, family, courage and hope - the story of sisters Christine, Susan and Allyson epitomises the spirit of Race For Life. The day after they lost their mother, Sylvia Try, to cancer, the three women honoured a pledge to complete the charity run. It
LIKE the red ants Phil Tufnell was forced to eat in the latest Bush Tucker Challenge, I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! is an acquired taste. But millions of television viewers have discovered that once you sample this strange entertainment, it is
DEBUTANT Jeetan Patel produced several key moments to steer York to a narrow nine-points Oxbridge League triumph over hosts Sheffield United yesterday. Patel marked his first start with 20 valuable runs in York's modest total of 157. Then, as Sheffield
After just three fixtures, Pickering are the only side to record more than one outright victory - and their second win took them to the top of the premier division. On a day when batsmen flourished, Nick Hadfield hit 115 off 147 balls as he shared an
Rowntree's batsman Richard Tuite made a career-best 141 not out at Bridlington where both sides' batsmen prospered. Gerry Capelin supported with 32 in a 109 second-wicket stand as Tuite's tenth league hundred took the York based side to 245-3. Barry Rudd
Newcomers Hemingbrough lead by two points after trouncing Yapham by nine wickets. Dick Wright carried his bat in making 71no for Yapham who were able to reach 175-9 as Stuart Cox took 3-60. Maqsood Akbar's class then showed as he rattled up 104 before
VILLAGERS near York are looking forward to an arresting experience next weekend. St Helen's Church fete, at Wheldrake, on Saturday, will be opened by Sergeant David Williams, of North Yorkshire Police, at 2pm. The force's underwater search unit and a
PEDAL power ensured thousands of pounds were raised for good causes, as cyclists of all ages took part in the Great Selby Bike Ride. The annual charity ride, organised by Selby Lions, is now in its 17th year and is still as popular as ever. Organiser
A COMMUNITY-spirited York organisation has dug deep to help people with sight problems in the city. Members of the York Lions Club presented a £750 cheque to the York Blind And Partially Sighted Society. Lions' public relations officer Peter Jesse said
A DANCE group is coming to East Yorkshire to create a special piece of live art - the Bridlington Waltz. Vincent Dance Theatre will be in residence in the East Riding, working with a range of community groups to make the aforementioned work. Bridlington
YOUNG adults are being urged to get "switched on" and use their computers to learn about the dangers of alcohol misuse. A new interactive CD-ROM has been launched thanks to a partnership between drama students and York Alcohol Advice Service. The CD-ROM
A PIONEERING new service is set to bring the finest local food to a computer screen near you. The new venture will see gourmet handmade sausages sizzling their way through cyberspace, as Evening Press columnist and East Yorkshire farmer Grant Burton is
A FUND-RAISING bash is being organised to help York judo ace Rob Thomas compete at the World Masters Tournament in Japan. As reported by the Press, 37-year-old Thomas, who has recently lifted the European Masters open division crown, has been invited
THE first stage of a multi-billion pound high-speed rail network which will run close to York has been given the go-ahead, according to reports at the weekend. The Government's Strategic Rail Authority is said to have approved the first stage of line,
YORKSHIRE suffered a major blow in their bid to save their game against Derbyshire on the final day of the Championship match at Headingley today. Michael Vaughan was bowled by Graeme Welch on a rain-hit morning lifting the visitors' hopes of victory.
PEDAL power ensured thousands of pounds were raised for good causes, as cyclists of all ages took part in the Great Selby Bike Ride. The annual charity ride, organised by Selby Lions, is now in its 17th year and is still as popular as ever. Organiser
England selector and Academy coach Rodney Marsh was at Headingley on a tour of duty yesterday but the Australian saw nothing from Yorkshire that would fire his imagination as Derbyshire tightened their stranglehold on the Championship match. Derbyshire
COUNCIL chiefs are investigating claims that a new health club in York has breached rules for employing children. The move follows a complaint from a local woman that the Next Generation club has breached York by-laws, which state that children under
SELBY and York Primary Care Trust (PCT) has been recognised for improving the working lives of its staff. The PCT has been awarded Practice Status as part of the national NHS Improving Working Lives (IWL) initiative. Improving Working Lives is one of
THIS is the first glimpse of the £4 million building which could replace 30-year-old crumbling classrooms at Huntington School in York. This artist's impression shows what the building could look like when it is completed in just over two years' time.
AN ELECTRICAL fire at Monks Cross Shopping Park in York has led to the temporary closure of two stores. Two fire crews attended the blaze at shoe store Clarks and fashion retailer New Look at 8.57am on Friday, after a display stand of shoes in Clarks
YORK City Knights' squad has been decimated by the shock departure of three first-teamers. The Evening Press can reveal that Gareth Lloyd, Darren Robinson and Chris Beever all left the club last week in the run-up to yesterday's National League Two clash
A CONVICTED murderer who absconded from a prison near York is reportedly back behind bars after being tracked down in Ireland on her way to the continent. Convicted murderer Clare McDermott, 28, was believed to be back in police custody yesterday after
A JUDGE today ordered squatters occupying a dilapidated York hotel to leave the building immediately and pay £2,000 in legal costs. Judge Roger Ibbotson said a 50-strong group of activists who had made their home in the White Swan Hotel, Piccadilly, must
DEVOTED daughters celebrated the life of their mother at York's Race For Life - just one day after she died of cancer. Christine Bellerby, 46, Susan Fairley, 53, and Allyson Brett, 41, made the brave decision after their mother, Sylvia Try, died on Saturday
YORK City Knights player-coach Paul Broadbent has admitted his job could soon be on the line if results do not improve. His side have now gone four games without a win in National League Two following yesterday's 38-26 loss at unbeaten leaders Keighley
YORKSHIRE snooker hero Paul Hunter is brimming with confidence after a superb performance in his opening match in the PowerHouse UK Championship in York. He thrashed Surrey's David Gray 9-1 to power through to the last 16 and a crowd-pulling duel with
DREW Henry's golden chance of a 147 maximum break was floored by a knuckleduster as the second day's play in the PowerHouse UK Snooker Championship produced more upsets in last night's marathon session. The world No 22, from Rutherglen, Scotland, was
A PLAYER competing in the final stages of a world ranking event for the first time scored the biggest win of his career when the PowerHouse UK Snooker Championship began in York yesterday. The first round battle between two Thailanders saw world No 114
FEARLESS - that's how snooker maestro Ronnie 'The Rocket' O'Sullivan feels as he prepares to defend the coveted UK crown in York. And the World No 1, who was in the city yesterday to pave the way for the start of the big event on Sunday, fired a warning
Q My mother suffers from osteoporosis and my friend suggested more regular exercise may help reduce my risk of being affected by it later in life. Is this true? A The brittle bone disease osteoporosis affects one in three women and at least one in 12
When I spotted the headline I had to check it wasn't April Fools' Day. "Great sex life begins at 40 - survey." I gasped at the words, wondering exactly how much the researchers paid women (the object of the survey) to agree with that statement. To me,
A ROYAL Marine has returned safely from Iraq to his ecstatic York family - and told how he cheated death on the battlefield. Acting Corporal Robert Barnett, whose mother and sisters wept tears of joy as they were reunited with him at York Station, said
A GENEROUS gesture from a York music and video shop is helping entertain bored British soldiers on duty in the Gulf. Phil Clayton, customer focus manager at York's Virgin Megastore received an SOS call from Bombardier Graeme Clark, of the Catterick-based
THE Archbishop of York has urged the international community to work together to bring about a civil and democratic society in Iraq after the suffering of war. But he has warned that the precedent set by Afghanistan after its liberation from the Taliban
GUNFIRE was reported in Baghdad as dawn broke today, with US forces looking set to continue strengthening their grip on the Iraqi capital today. Although some reports said the night in Baghdad had been relatively quiet, it was also said that American
NOT even war could hold this couple back from marriage, as they proved at York register office. Elaine Reed, 32, of Stillingfleet, and Paul Watson, 29, from Harrogate, were devastated when their wedding plans faced ruin by the news that Paul, a senior
WHEN Jade Whitby and Laura Buckle took to the streets to demonstrate their support for British forces in the Gulf, they were marching for love. Jade's boyfriend of six months, Matt Goodman, has been with the Marines in the region since January, and Laura's
AMERICAN troops were said today to have seized Baghdad's airport after bitter overnight fighting. A US intelligence officer at the scene said that American ground forces had seized "probably 80 per cent" of the large airport site, but stressed that every
IRAQI elite forces have moved out of Baghdad to take on advancing US troops, as coalition commanders sought to put a stranglehold on Saddam Hussein's regime. Republican Guard troops have been moving out to combat the American spearheads and protect the
STUDENTS will take to the streets on Friday to show their support for British troops fighting in Iraq. A group from York St John College will march from the Students' Union, through the city centre to the Minster, waving "Back our Boys" banners and posters
YORK street entertainer Michael Mime was today trying to cross the Turkish border into Iraq after meeting and taking advice from Kurdish politicians. Michael, real name Michael Todd, has met leading members of the Kurdish Democratic Party who, he claims
We asked people all over the world to send us their messages of support for our troops. As DAVID LOWE reports, the response has been overwhelming. MESSAGES of support for British troops in the Gulf have been flooding in to the Evening Press internet site
SEVEN Iraqi women and children were killed when American forces opened fire on a van which allegedly failed to stop at a checkpoint. US sources said the vehicle, which was found to contain a total of 13 women and children, continued heading towards the
YORK MP Hugh Bayley says it is vital that relations between members of the UN are repaired, after a visit to America to discuss the human crisis in the Gulf. Mr Bayley has been in Washington during talks with diplomats over humanitarian aid for Iraq.
AN ARMOURED raid into the besieged city of Basra has been led by a North Yorkshire serviceman. Major Tim Brown, from Bedale, commanded a tank unit that stormed three miles into the heart of the city, Iraq's largest after Baghdad. His squadron of 11 Challenger
TWO York brothers and their families are proudly flying the flag to send a strong message of support to Allied soldiers serving in the Gulf. Andrew Gibson, of Tang Hall, and brother Martin, of Acomb, are to hold a weekly flag and banner demonstration
THE second Gulf War has ended early for an Army medic from York, after he was rushed out of Iraq suffering pneumonia. Sergeant Giles Farrington was taken to a Greek-based RAF hospital and is now back in England after coming down with the illness before
NORTH YORKSHIRE parents of soldiers out in Iraq have told how they feel isolated and lacking in support as they worry for the safety of their sons. They have said their plight would be eased if they could meet up with other soldiers' relatives, and share
CHEESEMAKERS in North Yorkshire are set to benefit after their French counterparts fell out of favour in America over France's opposition to the Iraq war. A team of buyers from the United States, including Robert Kaufelt, owner of the famous New York
GULF war veteran Terry Walker has criticised British and American top brass for adopting a "softly-softly" approach to the Iraq war. Terry, who lives at Wheldrake, claimed lives have been lost because Britain has only one Armoured Brigade out in the Gulf
A SMALL group of demonstrators took to the streets of York to call for support for the war and backing for British troops. About a dozen students from York St John College marched through the city centre yesterday afternoon holding the Union flag and
NORTH YORKSHIRE schoolchildren turned their thoughts to the war in Iraq when they took part in a poignant trip to some of Europe's battlefields. Upper school pupils from Ryedale School spent a week in Belgium, visiting battlefields as part of a tour organised
TONY Blair today said large numbers of Iraqis were waiting to revolt against Saddam Hussein, amid reports of an uprising in Basra. Speaking in the Commons, the Prime Minister said it was important for allied forces to give support to ordinary Iraqis desperate
IRAQ was today claiming it had suffered "many casualties" after two missiles allegedly hit a busy market place in Baghdad. Officials from the Iraqi information ministry were reporting that the market was hit during a Coalition air raid today in the north
A YORK-BORN servicewoman has been preparing troops for conflict in Iraq - by checking the health of their teeth. Jane Nottingham, 46, has just become the first female dentist in the RAF to be promoted to the rank of Group Captain and she is also the only
Gavin Hamilton's future will come under the microscope tomorrow when he plays for Yorkshire Seconds in their first four-day Championship match against Durham at Stamford Bridge. It will be a tough examination for the 28-year-old all-rounder, who bowled
England selector and Academy coach Rodney Marsh was at Headingley on a tour of duty yesterday but the Australian saw nothing from Yorkshire that would fire his imagination as Derbyshire tightened their stranglehold on the Championship match. Derbyshire
AT LEAST two people are believed to have died when a car and two heavy goods vehicles were caught up in an horrific crash in East Yorkshire this afternoon. Police said tragedy struck after a rigid Leyland lorry and a Skoda car slowed down at a set of
Mrs Clark's litany of what she considers is wrong with Tadcaster's revamped/improved bus station (Letters, May 7) made depressing reading for those of us who hopefully imagined that bus passengers would benefit from the much-publicised proposed bus station
Johnny Murtagh, who was in the hot-seat aboard the triumphant Alamshar in yesterday's Derby trial at the Curragh, has a date with a possible Oaks candidate tomorrow at York's opening meeting of the season. The crack Irish jockey teams-up with Mananiyya
HUMAN shield Antoinette McCormick, speaking from war-torn Baghdad today, said the message to her from ordinary Iraqis had been: "We hate Bush, but we love Americans." She believes they will resist when the Allies try to take Baghdad. "There is a strong
FIVE coachloads of York protesters against the war in Iraq joined a major peace march in London. More than 200 people from the city joined over 100,000 who gathered in the capital on Saturday to voice their dismay over the ongoing coalition attacks. Columns
THIRTEEN people were arrested during the biggest protest seen at a North Yorkshire "spy base" in 20 years. Police said "a tiny minority" got involved in trouble when more than 1,000 demonstrators converged on the Menwith Hill base, near Harrogate. Three
SEVEN British servicemen aboard two Royal Navy Sea King helicopters died in a mid-air collision during action in the war on Iraq. The collision was said to have happened accidentally above international Gulf waters as British and American forces took
ANTI-war protesters daubed red paint on York's Mansion House and other council buildings to symbolise the blood of those being bombed in Iraq. Members of the York Painters for Peace squirted the removable paint on the steps of the Lord Mayor's official
EX-SERVICEMEN and women are urging York residents not to forget troops fighting in the Gulf. They are inviting people to take part in a special church service aimed at honouring troops, and are asking that political arguments surrounding the war are not
YORK-BORN actress Dame Judi Dench is taking centre stage on Sunday night at a Concert For Peace. Dame Judi, who was made an Honorary Freeman of her home city last year, will join stars of opera, theatre, ballet, comedy, music and literature on stage at
MILLIONS of euros of European Union money have already been released to help provide humanitarian aid to refugees from the Iraqi war, York MP Hugh Bayley said today. Mr Bayley has recently returned from Brussels where he and fellow members of the International
THE war against Iraq claimed its first British casualties early today when a helicopter crashed in the Kuwaiti desert. The tragedy occurred as American and British forces drove into Iraq, attacking by "air, land and sea". British Royal Marines were said
Opinion on the outbreak of war were divided in York today. Debra Anderson, 22, of Strensall, York, said: "I'm disgusted, I don't want this war to go ahead. Over the past couple of days I think they have proven it is all just about oil, and is purely money-orientated
Two Iraqi missiles this morning hit northern Kuwait, according to the official Kuwaiti news agency. Experts in bio-chemical suits were said to be examining the blast sites. Updated: 09:13 Thursday, March 20, 2003
Ripon Cathedral is to hold a special service of prayers on Saturday. The Rev John Carter said a delegation of Muslims would be visiting the cathedral to take part in midday prayers for peace. Updated: 09:11 Thursday, March 20, 2003
Police were called to a York school after hundreds of students protesting against war with Iraq spilled out onto a city street. Four pupils aged between 14 and 16 have been excluded from Joseph Rowntree School for two days for "inappropriate behaviour
YORK residents were today urged to take part in non-violent civil disobedience in protest at war in Iraq. Chris Fuller, of York Against the War, said the direct action protests can be the only response to the Government's "immoral and ludicrous behaviour
SECURITY has been tightened at Westminster amid fears of a terrorist attack linked to the war in Iraq. MPs have been informed of "detailed plans for increased security measures" inside and outside the Houses of Parliament. Updated: 08:33 Thursday, March
THE Labour Party is today at least three members lighter after three York stalwarts burned their membership cards in response to war in Iraq. Gordon Campbell-Thomas and Mick and Sue Hoban said they could not support UK military action without UN backing
The Lord Mayor of York today offered his full support to the servicemen and women from the city who are out in the Gulf. Coun David Horton said "I and the whole of the Civic Party would offer our support to the men and women who are out there, particularly
YORKSHIRE'S top army officer spoke today of his confidence in soldiers from the region who have been deployed to the Gulf. Brigadier David Shaw is Commander of 15 (North East) Brigade and also of York Garrison, which encompasses Imphal and Strensall Barracks
THE Home Office has set out "simple preventative steps" - like stocking up on bottled water and tinned food - that people should take to guard themselves against possible terror attacks in this country. Though officials say there is currently "no information
SADDAM Hussein was defiant today after the war against Iraq was launched with a wave of air strikes targeting the country's top leadership. Air strikes by stealth bombers and long-range cruise missiles were said to have targeted five senior members of
THE future of the world's best woman snooker player could be in doubt, she admitted in York this week after playing through pain to retain her UK title. Kelly Fisher, the 24-year-old four-times world champion from Carlisle, was in so much pain on the
Ken Doherty bids to make it third time lucky tomorrow in the PowerHouse UK Snooker Championship final. He held off a spirited fightback by Drew Henry at York's Barbican Centre last night to win his semi-final 9-5 and earn a place in the final for the
PETER Ebdon is aiming to give himself a Christmas bonus by becoming only the sixth player to complete snooker's big double - world and UK champion in the same year. "It would be a fantastic Christmas if I can do it," he said after beating outsider Robert
DETHRONED champion Ronnie O'Sullivan is locking his cue away till next year after his shock exit from the PowerHouse UK Snooker Championship in York. Far from living up to his nickname of 'The Rocket' he played more like a damp squib as he tamely surrendered
DEFENDING champion Ronnie O'Sullivan is biting mad as he starts his second match in this year's PowerHouse UK Snooker Championship in York tonight. Despite beating rank outsider Adrian Gunnell 9-2 in his first match at the Barbican Centre, O'Sullivan
TWO York brothers will be appearing on television with their snooker hero during the BBC's coverage of the PowerHouse UK Championship. Steven and Lee Gregson, from Stockton on the Forest, spent two hours at the Cueball Club in James Street, getting coaching
THE best disabled snooker players in Britain duel for UK glory at the Barbican Centre on Wednesday morning. The four who featured in the finals of the Disability Sport England (DSE) Snooker Championship will give a repeat performance of those finals.
IF York City Knights had ended the first half as well as they had the second, then the first victory of a troublesome National League Two campaign would have been on the cards. Conversely, if they had ended the second as they had ended the first, they
SIXTY years ago this Friday, the dambusters set off on their historic mission. Nineteen Lancasters of 617 Squadron left RAF Scampton, near Lincoln, to carry out one of the most challenging and daring raids in the history of warfare. Their targets were
CHAMPIONS Harrogate only lost four times last summer but have already been beaten twice in the ECB Oxbridge Yorkshire Premier League this season. They were mesmerised by the spin of Andy Gray and John Hesp, who claimed five wickets each, as Sheffield
Sheriff Hutton Bridge made it three out of three after they emerged nine-wicket victors in the 'Battle of the Bridges' at Stamford. Aussie Stuart Boyle hit 91 to ensure a decent home total which was boosted to 190-8 by Andy Milner (37) and Graham Tipping
A first-ever league 50 by Geoff Schofield, who made 73, allied with 56 by skipper Dave Ellis enabled Sheriff Hutton Bridge to reach 237-6 against a ten-man Dunnington side who fell to 94 all out as Rich Carrick took 4-27. Neighbouring Sheriff Hutton also
A PIONEERING new service is set to bring the finest local food to a computer screen near you. The new venture will see gourmet handmade sausages sizzling their way through cyberspace, as Evening Press columnist and East Yorkshire farmer Grant Burton is
THE Anthony Nolan Trust is searching for brave souls with a heart of gold to tackle the Everest Base Camp trek. Participants must raise a minimum amount of sponsorship, then trek through stunning scenery to raise money for the trust, which runs the largest
A MOTORIST suffered a head injury as she swerved to avoid a bicycle which had been thrown into the road. The accident happened just after 9pm last night in Haxby Road, York, close to the Nestl factory. A York Police spokesman confirmed that two Rover
A SPECIAL conference is to be held next month on "Local solutions to local problems - communities working together in North Yorkshire". That is the theme of the annual conference of the North Yorkshire Community Development Partnership on Wednesday, June
HOUSEHOLDERS in North Yorkshire are being warned not to do business with doorstep callers, after a couple in their 90s were persuaded to pay more than £4,000 for a bed which they did not need and which was worth only a fraction of that amount. The elderly
GET to court on time or be locked up, a top prosecutor and the country's top lawyer have warned York and North Yorkshire criminals. The county's and York's criminal justice agencies are cracking down on defendants who fail to turn up to face the music
DEVELOPERS behind plans for a new Selby retail park say vital changes are needed in the site's planning consent if the project is to go ahead on time. Dransfield Properties have been forced to make urgent alterations to their plans for the 71,244 sq ft
SELBY War Memorial Hospital has received 12 new beds - with a little help from its friends. A donation of £10,000 from the Friends of Selby War Memorial Hospital was used to cover the cost of the beds, which will be used throughout the hospital in Doncaster
A SUBSTANTIAL improvement in exam results by a Selby school has led to special recognition by education ministers. Staff at Barlby High School, in York Road, Barlby, are to benefit from an extra £19,200 after GCSE results rose from 42 per cent of candidates
THE future of a top water-skiing club could be in jeopardy if plans for a new housing development are approved by Selby councillors. White Cross Ski Club, at Cawood, was set up almost 42 years ago and is one of the best facilities of its kind in the country
NORTH Yorkshire firemen are preparing to shed their uniforms in order to raise money for an injured colleague. Firefighters Tony Peel, Matt Clough, Phil Innis, Jim Winder and Simon Meynell, all based in Harrogate, will be taking part in the third fundraising
MIDWIVES from York Hospital are backing this year's National Breastfeeding Awareness Week by putting up colourful displays in the maternity unit. Health visitors from the hospital will also spread information on the importance of breastfeeding throughout
THE new leader of City of York Council has stressed that local roads will not see congestion charges during the next four years - as a national survey today reveals that residents are split down the middle on the issue. Liberal Democrat leader Coun Steve
York City skipper Chris Brass will be guest of honour at tonight's meeting of supporters' club branch, the Harrogate Minstermen. The meeting will be held in the Board Inn, Knaresborough, starting at 8pm. Brass will collect his trophy after being named
PUPILS enjoyed quad bikes, crafts and games in an attempt to raise money for new school books. Copmanthorpe Junior School held its spring craft fair on Saturday, incorporating a mix of outdoor activities, plus candle-making, salt dough and honey stalls
TIMES past were celebrated in York this weekend as the owner of one of the city's Gothic shops celebrated her marriage in characteristic style. Arriving in a black horse-drawn carriage decorated with flowers, Melanie Metcalfe and Matthew Thomson were
Gavin Hamilton's future will come under the microscope tomorrow when he plays for Yorkshire Seconds in their first four-day Championship match against Durham at Stamford Bridge. It will be a tough examination for the 28-year-old all-rounder, who bowled
LEEDS United's players began their summer break today - but it looks as though they won't get much rest. New manager Peter Reid has armed his squad with individual fitness programmes as he bids to get hard-up United moving back up the Premiership after
A YORK junior football club is facing misconduct charges following alleged disturbances involving supporters at an under-15s final at Bootham Crescent. League officials reported Acomb-based York Rovers after their match with Heworth in the intermediate
CONTROVERSIAL plans to introduce entrance charges at York Minster have been overwhelmingly opposed by the body which represents local church members. The Synod of the Diocese of York has passed an emergency motion calling for the reversal of the decision
YORK City Knights player-coach Paul Broadbent has admitted his job could soon be on the line if results do not improve. His side have now gone four games without a win in National League Two following yesterday's 38-26 loss at unbeaten leaders Keighley
A SINGLE investor is buying all 70 apartments at a York city centre development in a deal worth almost £12 million. And another investor is interested in buying more than 50 flats at a different development near York University. The extraordinary deals
A MAN was stabbed with a screwdriver in the face, neck and chest after opening his front door to an attacker. Ian Horner, 32, was attacked on his doorstep in Mowbray Drive, Acomb, York, yesterday morning as local children played nearby. A neighbour said
YORK City Knights' squad has been decimated by the shock departure of three first-teamers. The Evening Press can reveal that Gareth Lloyd, Darren Robinson and Chris Beever all left the club last week in the run-up to yesterday's National League Two clash
York City witnessed shots of a different kind yesterday as they went to the UK Snooker Championship at the Barbican. With their FA Cup second round tie against Brentford just days away, boss Terry Dolan has opted for the top snooker event to build team
SNOOKER star John Parrott was back home on Merseyside today still trying to come to terms with the 'frightening' way he was knocked out of the PowerHouse UK Championship in York. The 1991 World and UK champion was beaten 9-5 by world No 70 Adrian Gunnell
STEVE Davis, 9-2 victor yesterday against Paul Wykes at the PowerHouse UK Snooker Championship in York, will be playing for an unusual private stake against his former practice partner Mark King in their second round match on Thursday - a jacket. Davis
YORK is on the brink of completing a major sports treble as the world's top snooker stars head to the city for the start tomorrow of the PowerHouse UK Championship. When the deal to bring the second biggest tournament in world snooker to York's Barbican
YORK'S biggest single sports event will has been given a massive boost this year. The UK Snooker Championship, being staged at the Barbican Centre and starting on December 1, now has a sponsor. Electrical giants PowerHouse, the UK's largest independent
STEPHEN LEWIS visits a York dentist who is really giving his patients something to smile about... THERE'S nothing like a guided tour of your teeth to make you realise why that regular check-up by your dentist is so important. The gleaming smile you see
YORK-BASED soldiers have returned to the city after serving in Iraq. The party of 40 soldiers from 2 Signals Regiment arrived at Imphal Barracks at 1am yesterday for a joyful reunion with their families and loved ones. They were among the first wave of
THESE young people from York took to the hills to make their point about the Iraqi war. The students at Bootham School are training for an expedition to the Moroccan Atlas mountains later this year. One of their training expeditions took them over the
YORK author and street entertainer Michael Mime is today back in Turkey after being assaulted, abused and threatened with death as he tried to enter Iraq. Michael, whose real name is Michael Todd, is trying to get into the war-torn country to trace his
CALLS for soldiers serving in Iraq to be exempt from council tax have been made by a North Yorkshire mother. Frances Ellerker, from Shipton-by-Beningbrough, whose son, Daniel, is currently serving in the Gulf, said it was unfair that soldiers were expected
Emily Mackay finds out why peace protesters camping near a York landmark plan to carry on opposing the situation in Iraq In the wake of the toppling of the Saddam Hussein regime in Baghdad, the mood at the Millennium Bridge Rainbow Peace Camp, in York
A FIERCE battle was said to be raging today on the banks of the River Tigris, as US Marines battled with Saddam Hussein loyalists around a mosque where it was rumoured the dictator himself may be hiding. One Marine was reported killed in the fighting,
TWO York brothers demonstrating in support of British troops in the Gulf today told how an anti-war protester attacked their demo and smashed up their banners. Andrew and Martin Gibson are holding weekly demos behind York Crown Court, close to Fishergate
A DEVASTATED York mother told today how magistrates convicted her soldier son of speeding - even though he is out fighting for his country in Iraq. Sheila Uttley says court officials had previously promised her the case would be put on hold until after
THE Americans have admitted carrying out a massive strike against a building in a residential area of Baghdad - because they thought Saddam Hussein may have been there. Intelligence reports had apparently suggested that key figures from the Iraqi regime
ANTI-WAR protesters marched outside RAF Fylingdale in their latest demonstration for peace on Saturday. About 60 people marched through the bridleway towards the early warning station. Neil Bye, 43, said: "The turn-out wasn't as good as we'd expected,
A FIERCE battle was today raging in the heart of Baghdad after an American armoured column smashed its way into the Iraqi capital. US troops were said to have seized three presidential palaces and raised the American flag over one of them, and reporters
A MOTHER with two sons fighting in Iraq got the message she had been longing for - on national television. Marlene Jenkins, 57, broke down in tears when she saw her sons, Shaun and Nyall, being interviewed by TV war correspondents. The first clip showed
A YORK soldier's charity mission has been stalled - because the desert doesn't offer enough fund-raising opportunities! Staff Sergeant Dougie Icke is one of hundreds of servicemen from 2 Signal Regiment, based at Imphal Barracks in Fulford Road, who are
YORK Against the War is planning another convoy of coaches to the next national anti-war protest. The demonstration takes place in London next Saturday, with coaches departing from York's Memorial Gardens at 7.45 am. Spokesman Rory Palmer claimed tickets
A YORK Territorial Army soldier has been airlifted back to Britain from Iraq after being injured in action. An Army spokeswoman said the soldier had been treated briefly in hospital before being discharged. She declined to name the soldier, saying it
HUMAN shield Antoinette McCormick was safely back in York today - to the great relief of her worried parents. The 38-year-old, who spent several nights at a power plant in Baghdad last week in a bid to deter Allied bombing, flew back to Britain yesterday
THE mother of a soldier stationed in Iraq today sent a message to the forces fighting in the Gulf - finish the job and rid the world of Saddam. Ann Grundy, of Selby, has not heard from her son, Peter, a staff sergeant with the Royal Engineers, since the
YELLOW ribbons have begun appearing in North Yorkshire - and they will not be removed until our troops have returned from Iraq. But "blueys" - special air mail letters used by relatives to write to British servicemen in the Gulf - have run out at York's
AMERICAN ground forces have been taking on Iraq's Republican Guard in fierce battles south of Baghdad. The US troops became engaged with the Iraqi elite forces at Kerbala, 70 miles south-west of Baghdad, from about midnight British time. They were supported
YORK mother and daughter Nellie and Georgina Barber are flying the flag for "our boys" in Iraq - by wearing special badges wherever they go. Georgina, who lives in Hawthorn Avenue, New Earswick, said the white badges proclaim the message "I Support Our
BAGHDAD was rocked by overnight explosions, with two large blasts heard as daylight first broke over the Iraqi capital. Reports suggested that earlier during the latest bombardment of the city a presidential palace and the area around the Information
A SILENT column of peace protesters marched to a York market before holding a symbolic "die-in" in solidarity with civilians killed in the Iraqi war. More than 200 protesters marched from the Museum Gardens to Newgate Market, where scores threw themselves
AUTHOR and street entertainer Michael Mime is today trying to enter war-torn Iraq to try to trace his estranged daughter. When the Evening Press last heard from with Michael, of Bishophill, York, he was in the Turkish capital, Ankara. But when we contacted
IRAQI officials claim an Allied missile has struck a market in Baghdad, killing 58 people. As television pictures showing the aftermath of the alleged attack were flashed across Arab countries by satellite TV stations, American military sources said they
A NORTH Yorkshire schoolgirl is so worried about the war in Iraq that she has gone straight to the top with her concerns. Jenny Hyde, from West Heslerton, near Malton, penned letters to US President George W Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair after seeing
EUROPEAN visitors are making their anti-war feelings felt - by not coming to York. The tourism industry in York is suffering a double blow from the war in Iraq as, besides the fall in American visitors, the country is now suffering a backlash of anti-war
HUMAN shield Antoinette McCormick was today heading for Jordan after being turned back from Syria. The 38-year-old woman set off for the Syrian capital Damascus on Wednesday after being told she could no longer remain in Baghdad on her tourist visa. She
FULL support for our British troops - that was the message from shoppers in Parliament Street, York. Some told the Evening Press they felt it was time Saddam Hussein's regime was quashed and supported military action in Iraq, while others deplored the
MARGARET WELBURN knows only too well the anxiety of service families in wartime. The York mother has not one but two sons who are fighting in the Gulf. She is so concerned for Russell, 22, and Nicholas, 25, that she sometimes cannot bring herself to watch
