Gruelling bike ride to help
USA firecrews
March 14, 2002
A 69-year-old councillor from County Durham will embark on a gruelling bike ride across America next month to help the victims of the September 11 atrocities in the USA.
Len O'Donnell, pictured left, who is the former chairman of the Durham and Darlington Fire Authority, has devised the 3,640-mile solo charity trip himself.
The ride will raise as much cash as possible towards replacement New York fire equipment crushed when the towers fell.
He is aiming to be in the saddle for 50 miles a day during the ambitious bid to make the Los Angeles to Washington DC crossing.
Len, who is councillor for Wingate and Peterlee and a retired coal miner, said: ‘It's going to be hard, I know that, but I'm determined to do it.
‘I've been training hard and I feel confident.’
Len's adventure starts on April 4 and every 50 miles he will be given a bed, meal and shower at 'firehouses' along the way.
He has already completed Britain's own coast to coast route twice and made a trip from Lands End to John O Groats.
New homes from derelict hospital
March 14, 2002 A derelict hospital site could be transformed into a huge housing estate, if planners give the go-ahead.
Wearside-based Broseley Homes wants to build 254 houses on the site of the former Havelock Hospital on Hylton Road, near Ford Estate.
The news will be a big boost for council planners, who have struggled to generate interest among developers in spare housing land in the west of Sunderland.
The hospital was built in 1890 to cater for patients suffering from fevers. It closed 1994 and was demolished.
In its place Broseley Homes wants to build 254 detached and semi-detached houses aimed at starter buyers.
A spokesman for the company, which has a base at Sunderland Enterprise Park, said: ‘The price will be £45,000 and upwards.
It means a couple on a joint income of £15,000 will be able to afford one.
‘It's a bit of land that's allocated for housing and is very suitable for the market we're in, which is first-time buyers.
‘We regard it as being a decent area where people would like to live.’ The development would take about four years to complete.
March 14, 2002 The future of the country's biggest free music festival could be in doubt because of the costs involved.
The Window on the World Festival in North Shields cost council tax payers more than £300,000 last year. The festival regularly attracts thousands of people to the Fish Quay. North Tyneside Council is currently struggling to manage its budget but has set aside £250,000 for the event.
Representatives from the local Chamber of Commerce say the event is too costly and brings little benefit to local businesses.
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