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Peter Barron

What we have written about Peter Barron

Downing Street crosses 'common sense' boundary

A world scoop by a local school led to a whirlwind of events and a plea for privacy from Downing Street after a photo of baby Leo Blair made it into the Northern Echo. But now the dust has settled

Animal tales rewarded

Pioneering work to highlight animal cruelty has brought the Northern Echo a national award. The paper was singled out among the regional press by the RSPCA for animal welfare campaigning. And it has been presented with the RSPCA’s Regional Media

Book that Blair reads is set to aid charity

The fatherly exploits of editor Peter Barron are set to aid charity through a new book based on his weekly column in the Northern Echo. Volume 1 of Dad at Large – a compilation of articles from the column of

Newsquest award entries to go before judges

Entries in this year’s Newsquest editorial awards will be judged tomorrow. The awards are in 10 categories – for daily newspaper of the year, weekly newspaper, free newspaper, reporter, feature writer, sports writer, photographer, newcomer, graphic artist and website. Judges

Honour at last, thanks to Northern Echo

A three-year campaign for justice by the Northern Echo ended at a national remembrance service attended by the Queen and Prime Minister. Millions of Home Front heroes, who worked day and night to help the war effort 50 year ago,

Trainee overturns naming ban on first court visit

A trainee reporter covering court for the first time successfully challenged a court order to overturn an identification ban on a teenager. The Northern Echo’s Deborah Johnson put her law training to good use in her first week at the

Trainee argues her case to persuade the bench

Magistrates agreed to lift reporting restrictions on naming a persistent young offender after a challenge from Northern Echo trainee reporter Julia Breen. The 17-year-old defendant appeared in court in South Durham after breaching an anti-social behaviour order just five days

"Impossible" tribunal restrictions overturned

A bid to impose a series of reporting restrictions at an industrial tribunal has been successfully blocked by The Northern Echo. Editor Peter Barron said they would have been “draconian restrictions” which would have made the reporting of the case

Christmas came early for Hannah

A little girl with a severe facial disfigurement is facing a brighter future thanks to an incredible response to an appeal by The Northern Echo. Hannah Maxwell-Jones, from Middlesbrough, suffers from a rare compound haemangioma – or tumour of the

Help for dying miners thanks to the Echo

Industry Minister Helen Liddell announced a fast-track system for paying compensation to dying miners on the day The Northern Echo handed her a 12,000-signature petition calling for action. The move came a month after the newspaper organised a public meeting

Secrecy victory for Echo

A council is to announce a U-turn over secrecy following a campaign by The Northern Echo for more open local government. Darlington Borough Council was accused of diluting democracy last May when it launched an experimental cabinet-style system, with members

Preserving railway heritage

A centenary newspaper supplement from 75 years ago is being recreated for a 175th anniversary of railway heritage. The facsimile edition of The Northern Echo’s Railway Centenary Supplement, which originally sold for one shilling, is now on sale at £6.99.

Echo campaign paved the way for change

Far-reaching changes to the National Health Service – announced by Health Secretary Alan Milburn – have been hailed by the Northern Echo as the biggest revolution in health care since the NHS was founded in 1948. It was just over

New law forces media move

A talking newspaper for the blind has been given a new home – thanks to The Northern Echo. The charity, which serves Darlington and surrounding villages, records its news at a council-run arts centre in Darlington but will have to