The Journal

Heartbreak House Hunt

Estate agents are set to cash in on a surge of broken marriages this Christmas. Property firms ( and marriage guidance experts ( are expecting a New Year surge in the North-East housing market because of relationships wrecked by Christmas.

Crisis in Country

New calls were made for the Government to tackle the rural housing crisis last night after prices in Alnwick more than doubled over three years. Named "the best place to live in Britain" last year, Alnwick's property prices are out of reach for younger townspeople and the council house waiting list has doubled.

Drama at Airport

A man who sparked a terror alert at a North-East airport was released without charge last night. The 35-year-old Libyan engineer tried to board a plane from Durham-Tees Valley Airport on Saturday.

Blow for Blunkett

Former Home Secretary David Blunkett faces a critical 48 hours which will determine his political future. Sir Alan Budd is expected to deliver his final verdict on the "nannygate" affair tomorrow.

Lib Dems Target Key North Seats

Liberal Democrat president Simon Hughes yesterday set his party's sights on Labour's North-East backyard in the run-up to the General Election. The seats of Durham City, Newcastle Central and Hartlepool have been earmarked as top Lib Dem targets as they seek to establish themselves as a genuine opposition in the region.

Mandelson Prepares to Cut the Final Ties

Former MP Peter Mandelson is set to scoop more than pounds 200,000 by selling his constituency home. Mr Mandelson, Britain's new European Commissioner, bought the large semi-detached house, in Hutton Avenue, Hartlepool, for pounds 69,000 in 1990 before becoming an MP.

Ritz Complaint About Four Players Lands On Souness's Desk

Newcastle United boss Graeme Souness last night confirmed that a top London hotel had complained to him about the behaviour of four star players. Reports over the weekend said that the management at the Ritz Hotel had been so angry at the behaviour of the players ( believed to include strikers Craig Bellamy and Patrick Kluivert ( that they wrote a letter of complaint to the club.

Jack's Legacy of Luck

He was known as the country's unluckiest punter when he missed out on a pounds 960,000 pay-out because of a controversial stewards' inquiry ( and then died the day before he was due to get a pounds 15,000 consolation. But this weekend, Jack Lee at least brought good luck to friends and family after they backed the winner of a race named in his honour.

Staking All On the Cards

Last-minute Christmas spending is set to top pounds 7.6bn as millions of Britons make a final dash to the shops before Saturday, according to research out today. Around pounds 1.65bn of this will be spent on credit cards, Sainsbury's Bank said.

'We Enjoyed Our Last Christmas Together'

Having split up with her husband of 28 years after Christmas last year, Kim Addavide knows just how bad the feeling can be. The 47-year-old, who met her husband aged 15 and married him when she was 18, told how the couple were determined to stay together for the sake of their two daughters, Katie, 20, and Suzanne, 18. But in the new year, the couple accepted that they could not live together any longer and went their separate ways.

Children Feel the Strain If Festivities Become Fraught

Children of divorced parents find Christmas a stressful time as they are forced to try to spend equal time with both parents, research has revealed. Young people often find themselves becoming pawns in their parents' rows or suffocated by overbearing mothers and fathers. And the pressure to split time equally between divorced parents still remains years after leaving home.

Army of Shoppers Goes Out in Force

Christmas shoppers hunting for a last-minute bargain sent tills throughout the North East ringing, store owners said yesterday. Shopping centres throughout the region said trade was at least equal to the festive season last year, with some reporting a 5pc increase, despite reports of a slump in pre-Christmas sales.

Driver Hurt in Accident

A wagon driver was taken to hospital yesterday after a head-on crash in Washington. He was given first aid by fire crews after a crash with a Ford Focus on Blue House Lane in Concord at lunchtime.

Drivers Pay for Crime

North drivers are paying 13pc more for insurance than the typical car owner in the UK, a new report has shown. Research from Confused.com has discovered that Newcastle is the sixth most expensive city for car insurance in Britain. Accidents, theft and damage to cars have made premiums in the city pounds 72.70 higher than the national average of pounds 581.90.

Delia Hangs Up Apron

Cookery queen Delia Smith has confessed she doesn't like the mince pies she whips up in her kitchen each Christmas and is hanging up her apron on television cooking. Delia, who began her TV career in 1973, tells Jonathan Ross during an interview that she can "easily resist a mince pie" and her favourite meal is Sunday lunch.

Blunkett's Future at the Crossroads

David Blunkett, the former Home Secretary, faces a critical 48 hours which will determine his political future. Sir Alan Budd is expected to deliver his final verdict on the "nannygate" affair tomorrow.

Election Campaign Role for Campbell

Alastair Campbell is being drafted in to bolster Labour's General Election campaign, the party confirmed yesterday. The ex-Downing Street communications director has repeatedly said he wanted to play a role at the poll, expected in May.

Sikh Anger Over Play Turns to Violence in Mini-Riot

A theatre was last night urged not to abandon a controversial play despite a mini-riot which saw hundreds of Sikhs storm the building and prompted criticism of the production by a senior church leader. Liberal Democrat MP Dr Evan Harris claimed the protests against Behzti ( a black comedy depicting murder and sexual abuse inside a Sikh temple ( had been exacerbated by proposals for laws to ban incitement to religious hatred.

Vincent Given Gift of Life by Brother

Vincent Carrick is looking forward to Christmas with his family following a successful kidney transplant after his brother gave him the gift of life. It was John who stepped in to help when Vincent was told his only chance of surviving his deteriorating kidney disease was to find a suitable donor.

Troublemakers Face Lifetime Ban From Town's Pubs

Drinkers in a Northumberland town have been warned they face a lifetime ban from their favourite pubs and clubs if they cause trouble or get involved in alcohol-fuelled violence. Eighteen licensed premises have signed up to a Pubwatch scheme in Bedlington which has been re-launched following discussions between police and local licensees in recent months.