Archive
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The pizza and pork pie man
PANETTI'S is so English that there's a picture of W G Grace on the wall, so Italian that you want to throttle the one-tone tenor on the tape machine. For all anyone knows, or cares, he is singing Benito Mussolini knew my father, Father knew Benito Mussolini
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Juninho left hoping for a happy new year
JUNINHO will not kick another ball in anger for Middlesbrough until the new year. Boro are this morning facing up to the prospect of being without the fans' favourite for six months while his cruciate knee ligament injury heals. The £3.8m capture from
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Study highlights walking hazards
A NEW survey by the Countryside Agency has revealed the poor state of footpaths in North Yorkshire. It shows that almost 3,300 stiles are in need of attention and a further 921 are virtually unusable. In addition almost 3,000 footpath gates are classified
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999 cover improved
EXTRA staff have arrived at North Yorkshire's most remote ambulance station, with 24-hour cover now assured across the Northern Dales. Until now the Wensleydale crews locked up and left the base at Bainbridge at the end of the day shift, responding to
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Cope in as cash-strapped Tykes ring changes
Keith Moss yesterday stood down as chairman of Yorkshire County Cricket Club after a meeting convened to discuss the club's financial predicament. Chief executive Chris Hassell revealed the club have been given approval in principle for an overdraft extension
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I've got nothing to prove, claims Babb
SUNDERLAND'S Phil Babb insists he has nothing to prove to the Premiership this season after making a return to the League he escaped from two years ago. After a nightmare 1998-99 season at Liverpool, Babb never kicked a ball again for the Reds competitively
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Political feud rekindled by news of workshop closure
THE proposed loss of jobs among maintenance workers in North Yorkshire rekindled a bitter political feud last night. Labour councillors reacted angrily to the news that seven jobs are likely to be cut at a workshop run by Balfour Beatty Fleet Services
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Last Night's TV: A Life Of Grime (BBC1)
Retirement, after 24 years in sewage. It's a dirty job but someone has to do it. Council drain surgeon Roy Chadwick has been 24 years in sewage, quite literally at times. Now he's retiring after sorting out the un-des res that boasts a manhole full of
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Home Office to pay costs for more town security cameras
THE successful closed-circuit television (CCTV) system in Darlington is set to be extended to other areas of the town, thanks to a Home Office grant. From next month, 12 new screens will be operational in the CCTV control room in Darlington Town Hall.
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Eaglescliffe residents appeal to council
TERRIFIED residents at the mercy of foul-mouthed vandals have been left too scared to venture out. Residents in Marion Avenue, Eaglescliffe, say that for two years they have put up with youngsters damaging bushes, firing ball bearings at their properties
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Missing girls: Big clue delay
The man who saw a driver apparently struggling with two children in a car near the spot where Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman disappeared first contacted police six days ago, it emerged last night. The man, a taxi driver, told police he had seen a man
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Grant may fund asylum worker
ASYLUM rights campaigners said yesterday they hoped a National Lottery grant would be used to pay for an anti-deportation worker on Teesside. The £336,261 grant was awarded to the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns (NCADC) last week, but
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Sun comes out for day of teddy bear fun
CHILDREN and their teddy bears enjoyed a day in the sun yesterday in the Bishop of Durham's front garden. Auckland Castle, in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, welcomed hundreds of young visitors to a teddy bears' picnic on its front lawns. Some curled
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Cancer wonder drug victory
A CANCER patient who had to fight for the right to be treated with a new wonder drug is celebrating after a ruling that it should be made available throughout the NHS. Ann Tittley, 55, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, went public earlier this year
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MetroCentre bus service withdrawn
BUS services from Darlington to two North-East cities are to be withdrawn. Stagecoach North-East has been forced to cancel its daily x90 service from Darlington to Newcastle and the MetroCentre. The bus has service stops at Harrowgate Hill, Newton Aycliffe
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News in brief: Kit boost for young players
YOUNG footballers are benefiting from a £300 boost for kit and playing equipment. Consett Junior Football Club is the first team in Derwentside to win a kit bag under the Barclaycard Free Kicks scheme. Club bosses were helped in their bid by the sports
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Animals were left without food or water
A WOMAN was banned from keeping animals for five years after leaving two dogs without food and water. A Doberman taken from the garden of Alison Louise Kirby was so emaciated it could barely stand and was half its natural body weight. A husky-type dog
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Man who neglected dogs was depressed
THE owner of two dogs which were virtually starved told a court he had neglected the animals after becoming depressed. Jess, a Great Dane cross and Bruno, a boxer cross dog were taken from Steven Thompson's home in Kirby House, Darlington, after becoming
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Pub's crowning glory
A PUB owner has struck lucky and collected three awards for his real-ale premises. Two pubs owned by Ralph Wilkinson have been given awards by the Darlington branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra). The Crown Inn, at Manfield, near Darlington, has
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Waste not a danger, residents assured
RADIOACTIVE waste which has been buried for more than three decades beneath what is now a busy industrial estate is not dangerous, council chiefs have assured residents. Occupants of industrial units at Hendon, Sunderland, were shocked by a report on
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Trip leads to £200,000 contract
A TEESSIDE firm is about to secure trade worth £200,000 in South Korea, within weeks of travelling there on a trade mission. Energy Solutions International, of Stockton, joined a trade mission organised by Trade Partners UK, a Goverment organisation which
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Dream role for Thomas - who could want more?
A BUDDING actor could be following in the footsteps of a famous old boy at his school. Thomas Wells was selected from hundreds of hopefuls to play the lead role in Oliver! for a summer holiday youth drama production. The stage-struck 12-year-old began
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Pub's crowning glory
A PUB owner has struck lucky and collected three awards for his real-ale premises. Two pubs owned by Ralph Wilkinson have been given awards by the Darlington branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra). The Crown Inn, at Manfield, near Darlington, has
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Loveable Meg back in the spotlight
LOVEABLE little mongrel Meg has turned out to be a real star. A few months ago the four-year-old blind whippet-cross touched the hearts of readers of The Northern Echo who gave an animal charity £800 so that Meg could see again. Thanks to the skills of
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Cricketing youngsters learn from the experts at three-day school
BUDDING cricketers were put through their paces by the experts yesterday as part of a leisure centre's summer of fun. Fifty children from across the region are being given top tips by Yorkshire Cricket Club coach Phil Staves, as well as senior coach Keith
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For the sportsman who has it all, a grouse moor at a mere £6m
ONE of the world's most prized grouse moors was put up for sale yesterday - the Glorious Twelfth - with a multi-million price tag. The moor, which is at present leased by one of the country's richest businessmen, has been put on the market by agents acting
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Blaze hero Ashley wins judge's praise
A QUICK-WITTED youngster, who helped to save a woman from a burning flat, has been praised for his bravery by a senior judge. Ashley Horsewood kicked in the front door of the blazing building before helping Tracey Morton, who was inside, to safety. Despite
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Late equaliser denies Quakers
Darlington were denied getting their home campaign off to a winning start when Swansea City grabbed a late leveller to steal a point at Feethams on Tuesday night. Quakers had come from behind to take the lead, but Steve Watkin's 89th minute goal as a
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Riders pedal up funds
CANCER survivors and sufferers got on their bikes to help raise funds for research. The 300-strong field in the Durham Cycle for Life event included many entrants who have overcome cancer or are fighting the disease. Everyone who set off from Meadowfield
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Warden scheme to be extended
COMMUNITY warden schemes in Stockton and Thornaby have been extended for a further year. Stockton Borough Council has secured a further year of Government funding, which will cover half the costs, for the schemes in Hardwick and the Victoria and Mandale
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Puttnam speaks out on technology
Film-maker Lord Puttnam will highlight the importance of learning technology for the future of education, at a conference next month. Lord Puttnam, Chancellor of Sunderland University, will address delegates at the end of the Association of Learning Technology
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News in brief: Girl, 16, found by roadside
A TEENAGER was taken to hospital after being ound lying unconscious by a busy road. The 16-year-old girl, who has not been named, was spotted by motorists lying by the Wilton roundabout, near Middlesbrough, on Friday. At first police feared she may have
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News in brief: Partnership saves charity
CASH-STRAPPED York charity St William's Foundation, which has the Duke of York as its patron, has gone into partnership with the British Urban Regeneration Association. The deal secures the foundation's financial future and provides a platform from which
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On course to build driving range for golf enthusiasts
A GOLF driving range will open in Bishop Auckland by the end of the year after councillors agreed plans for the site. Proposals for the 14-bay range at Flatts Farm were approved by Wear Valley District Council's development control committee on Thursday
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Appeal for females to join football team
STADIUM 2000 in Shildon has become the new home of the South Durham Royals women's football club. The team, who play in the Northern Women's League, have already arranged pre-season friendlies at the stadium and will play all their home matches at the
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Loveable Meg back in the spotlight
LOVEABLE little mongrel Meg has turned out to be a real star. A few months ago the four-year-old blind whippet-cross touched the hearts of readers of The Northern Echo who gave an animal charity £800 so that Meg could see again. Thanks to the skills of
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School reunion call goes out
A CALL has been made to trace the class of '55 from the former Durham Girls' Grammar School. Several old girls who began at the Sands site, now known as Durham Sixth Form Centre, in September 1955, have arranged a get-together. One of the organisers,
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'My torment will never end'
Mandy Holstein thought she was free from fear when the man who abused her as a child was jailed. But now he has been released. Liz Lamb tells her story. CLUTCHING her duvet close to her chest, the seven-year-old girl cowered in her bedroom, scared of
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Priory has that Riviera touch...
IT'S a long way from the sun-kissed beaches of the South of France to the North York Moors - but Anna Laplace Toulouse is glad she made the journey. She's swapped her home-town of St Tropez for the delights of Mount Grace Priory near Northallerton and
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Crackdown on illegal dumping
COMPANIES who dump trade waste illegally at household waste recycling centres are being warned that their activities are being monitored and investigated. North Yorkshire waste management company Yorwaste is working in partnership with North Yorkshire
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Courage of policewoman in gun drama
A POLICEWOMAN who tackled a gunman in a busy hospital has been praised for her courage. PC Karen Winter, 37, was officially commended by George Hedges, the Durham Chief Constable. The PC, who is based at South Moor, in Stanley, County Durham, had attended
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Job Search: Vacancies
MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Hair stylist: Crook, national minimum wage plus commission, 16 to 39 hours per week. Three years' experience required. Women's and men's hairstyles. CRK5894 Powder
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Your guide to the spirit world
John Bland has been aware of his psychic abilities since he was a child, but now he is using his powers over the Internet. Peter Tennick reports. FROM an early age John Bland realised that he had an ability that most people would probably fear - he could
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Sorry to MP over lonely hearts ad
AN Internet company has apologised to Health Secretary Alan Milburn after posting his personal details on a dating website. It is believed details about the Darlington MP were put on the DatingDirect.com website by a practical joker and it was three days
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Cash opens gate to wildlife
THOUSANDS of pounds have been awarded to the region to make wildlife more accessible to people living in the North-East. Five local authorities have been awarded a total of £310,000 from English Nature's Wildspace project. The money will be used to increase
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Help to set bike study on right road
A MOTORBIKE enthusiast is appealing to the older generation in the hopes of writing a history of his favourite mode of transport. Chris Potter, 42, is taking a Phd at Northumbria University and is looking for help to complete his paper on the "Social
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Recycling efforts that made things happen
AN aluminium recycling scheme has helped fundraisers to make £500 towards the refurbishment of a hospice dining room. Charity workers at the Butterwick Hospice, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, have thanked readers of The Northern Echo for their support
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Sir Bobby is leaving a legacy which will last for years
SIR BOBBY ROBSON may be the Methuselah of British football, but he will always be young at heart. Proof of that has been provided by the Newcastle manager's imaginative summer transfer dealings. Robson has set out to fashion a side for the future, one
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I won't resign, vows contraband case mayor
A DEFIANT mayor, who was convicted for his part in selling contraband cigarettes, last night insisted he would remain in his post. Councillor Ray Calvert, who became the civic leader of Bedale, North Yorkshire, only three months ago, insisted that he
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Man bragged of being first Millennium Bridge suicide victim
A MAN told a friend he intended becoming the first suicide victim from the Gateshead Millennium bridge hours before he jumped off the landmark and drowned. A Newcastle coroner was told yesterday how Kevin Dormand, 43, who had alcohol problems and had
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Watson brace sinks league new boys
CHRIS Turner called for a reality-check and fans to keep up the good work ahead of Tuesday night's clash with Boston United. But if he wants the former he is going to have to stop his players from playing like they did in the second half against the Third
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Sky still switched on after ITV row
AT A time when the Nationwide League has been left reeling following the collapse of ITV Digital, thank goodness for Sky. While many may believe otherwise, Sky's involvement in football has turned the game into a massive business and is one of the major
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Job Search: Vacancies
MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Best value officer, Northallerton. £25,473pa, Full-time, hours tba. Must have clear understanding of role of Best Value in service improvement. Closing date: Aug
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Neale should be allowed to work, says Medical Protection Society
BRITAIN'S biggest medical defence organisation has backed the rights of struck-off doctors to work in the Health Service - as long as they do not actually practice medicine. The Medical Protection Society's defence of the status quo came after calls to
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Reid set for triple swoop
SUNDERLAND boss Peter Reid looks set to grant restless supporters' wishes by launching an ambitious triple swoop in the transfer market. Under-fire Reid has approached Scottish giants Rangers over out-of-favour forward Michael Mols and Leicester's young
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Turner's plea to Pool faithful
CHRIS TURNER last night urged Hartlepool United fans to continue the good work for tonight's home bow in the Third Division. The Pool boss takes his side into the clash with League newcomers Boston United at Victoria Park, fresh from a comfortable 3-1
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New look for Dale villages
SMALL villages across the Yorkshire Dales are set to benefit from a major injection of European cash. A £60,000 grant will pay for the creation of a new post for a community architect over the next three years. The new member of staff, employed by the
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Low-cost flood plan put forward
A CIVIL engineer has come up with an action pack aimed at solving some of Northallerton's severe flooding problems. Robert Thorniley-Walker says the problem is now urgent and he says his ideas could cost as little as £100,000 to implement. Mr Thorniley-Walker
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Thank you for bringing home Hope - mother
TWO teenage Good Samaritans came to the aid of a little girl seen wandering outside a busy pub in the early hours of the morning. Now Hope Mourne's mother, Joanne, wants to find the mystery girls who brought the four-year-old home safely. Hope's adventure
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The seven-year itch is an irritating one for under-fire Reid
PETER Reid could not have expected his seven-year itch would be so difficult to scratch. At a time when clubs are falling over themselves to sell their players, Reid's millions have been neither use nor ornament. It means the first seven games of the
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Taylor's fab four light up Feethams
Darlington have four of the Third Division's best players. That's according to Tommy Taylor and if his opinion is anything to go by Quakers stand a great chance of winning promotion this season. That's because last season Plymouth Argyle and Luton Town
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Airport boost as travellers return
BUSINESS has been boosted at Newcastle Airport after the confidence of air passengers returned slowly following the September 11 atrocities. The airport handled a total of 394,134 passengers last month, which represents just a one per cent decrease on
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Top that! New toy craze has shop in a spin
THE website of a North-East toy shop is receiving almost two million hits a month from all over the world after it cashed in on a massive craze. Children in Europe, Japan and America have been bombarding Lamb's Toy Shop, in Darlington, with requests for
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The legacy of love that inspired brave daughters
THE children of a man who died as a result of a violent "game" have been praised for their courage during the year since his death. Mature student Paul Simpson was killed in March last year by Alfred Welch, of Darlington, who had been playing a game in
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Internet paedophile raids
POLICE across the country have been involved in raids on an alleged Internet paedophile ring, including at a residence in North Yorkshire. Eight police forces have raided homes in the UK and Northern Ireland as part of an operation to stop child pornography
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Boateng's road to Teesside
IT has been a long, hard road from Ghana to Middlesbrough, but George Boateng has reached his journey's end smiling. Boro's new signing knows how fortunate he is to have been blessed with a natural footballing talent. For Boateng has only to look back
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Collett to miss Swansea
Darlington keeper Andy Collett is almost certainly out of tonight's game with Swansea City - after playing just 45 minutes of his comeback match. Broken ribs and a collapsed lung sidelined Collett for the closing months of last season with the League
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Phillips vows to hit back
LIKE so many Sunderland players, Kevin Phillips is hoping to put last season's failures firmly to the back of his mind over the next nine months. The Black Cats' striker is worshipped at the Stadium of Light and was never blamed for the club's struggle
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I'll do it Myhre way!
HIGHLY-RATED Thomas Sorensen is going to take some shifting from his Sunderland place - but the club's latest goalkeeper is determined to oust him as soon as possible. Great Dane Sorensen's fellow Scandinavian Thomas Myhre has not made a save in the Premiership
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Job Search: Vacancies
MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Driver HGV Class 1, Hartlepool. 40-50hpw, £5ph. Must be aged 25-plus and have HGV Class 1 licence. Will be driving locally and nationally. Ref: HHQ19647. Activities
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Support grows for town council
PLANS to create a town council for Billingham are beginning to take shape. Earlier this year, resident Colin Pollard started to look into forming a pressure group to help people living in Billingham regain pride in their town and make them feel their
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BBC director defends film of Middlesbrough drug addict
The director of a controversial film featuring a Middlesbrough drug addict has defended his work. Paul McGuigan has insisted that scenes in his new BBC film showing Middlesbrough girl Michelle Pickthall injecting heroin into her neck had to be included
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Charity concert
A concert in aid of the Butterwick Hospice at Bishop Auckland is being staged by Consett Cizitens' Choir in Stanhope church hall, tomorrow at 8pm. Admission is £2.50.
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Workshop tips for would-be DJs
FUTURE Fatboy Slims got behind the decks at a DJ workshop yesterday. Six teenagers are picking up tips on all aspects of DJ-ing from local club jockey Jamie Wisdom throughout the free week-long event, which is being held at Studio 64, in Corporation Road
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Businessman speeds to racing title
A businessman has clinched a motor racing title with two meetings of the season still left to run. John Hutchinson, 39, was crowned the North West Formula Ford champion in Anglesey, on Saturday. But it was not all plain sailing on the day. His Medina
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Soft drink cans help to catch burglar
A BURGLAR left a calling card at the scene of two shop break-ins which helped police to trace him, a court heard. Opened cans of soft drinks were recovered by police following burglaries at a butcher's shop and a branch of Woolworth. Durham Crown Court
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Joan's following Jim on the wing
PENSIONER Joan Lintern normally keeps her feet firmly on the ground. But the 74-year-old widow has shocked her family, friends and neighbours by announcing she is taking to the skies - wing-walking on a plane thousands of feet in the air. Joan was challenged
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Flower judges in town
JUDGES from Britain in Bloom will arrive in Saltburn today to assess the town in the coastal resort category for populations of 20,000 and under. Saltburn made it into the national finals for the fourth year in a row after winning the regional Northumbria
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Corporation report to be revealed
A LONG-AWAITED House of Commons scrutiny report into the Teesside Development Corporation (TDC) will be published tomorrow. The Public Accounts Committee is likely to highlight several hard-hitting recommendations in the light of the National Audit Office
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Fear drives vice girls near homes
PROSTITUTES in Middlesbrough are increasingly plying their trade on residential streets because they are afraid of being attacked in remote areas, police said yesterday. The town's vice girls traditionally touted for business in the industrial area of
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Tribute paid to those who gave their lives for Britain
EX-SERVICEMEN and women gathered yesterday to pay tribute to colleagues who lost their lives while serving their country during the Second World War. The Landing Ship Tanks and Landing Craft Association met in the memorial garden at Albert Park, Middlesbrough
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Chance for youngsters to net coaching skills at sports centre
A NETBALL camp is being run this week to encourage more youngsters to take up the sport. Although there is a strong primary school netball league in Darlington and a league for older secondary school pupils, there is nothing for those in their early teens
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Hear All Sides:WEARDALE ECONOMY
I AM surprised by the harsh criticism from local councillors and correspondents to the document "A Rural Renaissance in the Dales". Your report (Echo, Jul 27) quoted a suggestion by the author, Dr Miles Nichols, which implied that the dale's three agricultural
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Vicar accused of indecency over boy of 10
A trusted vicar deliberately broke church rules to grope a ten-year-old boy, a court heard yesterday. The Reverend George Glover, known as Father Eddie, broke strict guidelines of the church by inviting the youngster into his home while he was alone.
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New addition for family bakery
A NEW shop has been opened on Tyneside by one of the region's family-run bakeries offering customers a full range of products, including a bargain bakery section. Milligans Bakery, which has been in business on Tyneside for 56 years, has been looking
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Woman in sex attack scare
A WOMAN escaped from a potential sex attacker after a passer-by intervened. The 26-year-old victim was grabbed from behind as she walked along Otley Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, on Saturday night. A man dragged her a short distance on to The Stray
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MetroCentre bus service withdrawn
BUS services from Darlington to two North-East cities are to be withdrawn. Stagecoach North-East has been forced to cancel its daily x90 service from Darlington to Newcastle and the MetroCentre. The bus has service stops at Harrowgate Hill, Newton Aycliffe
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Poisonous fish stings boy, 12
A young boy was taken to hospital in Whitby on Sunday night after he was stung by a poisonous fish. The 12-year-old, from Chester, was playing in the sea near the west pier when he was stung by a weaver fish. Whitby coastguard and paramedics were called
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Police appeal for witness to come forward
Police in Hartlepool are making a fresh appeal for information after money was snatched from a bus driver in June. The incident took place at 8.10pm on Thursday, June 13, when the driver of a Leven Valley bus was parked at a bus stop in Raby Road, Hartlepool
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On target in darts fundraiser
The Angel Inn Ladies darts team at Gilling West, near Richmond, held a 12-hour darts session and raised £674 for local charity Holistic Cancer Care project. The Holistic Care Project serves Teesside, North Yorkshire and South-West Durham, will opens a
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Helpers wanted for banner's final sewing session
ARTISTIC volunteers are being encouraged to help brighten up a community hall. Rural Arts North Yorkshire has almost completed a project to bring a new banner to East Thirsk Community Hall, depicting the wildlife to be found on the town's millennium green
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A lot more demand for text service
NORTH-EAST young entrepreneur Chris Imrie is expanding his business to keep pace with interest in his web-based wireless application service. Textalot.com uses the latest e-mail and SMS technology to deliver an information channel that allows the user
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Website could be vital link for small concerns
A NEW website designed to help small companies and those looking to start up in business, is to be launched today. Business Link County Durham (BLCD) will launch its first interactive website, allowing its customers to access information quickly, cheaply
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Shooting goes ahead as area escapes bug
WHILE recent poor weather and the emergence of a deadly parasite among grouse were expected to affect North-East shoots on the Glorious Twelfth, the sport is expected to thrive on the North York Moors, where several shoots were out in force yesterday.
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Margins still under pressure
THE prices of goods leaving Britain's factory gates were unchanged last month, showing manufacturers' margins remain under pressure, figures showed yesterday. Data from the Office for National Statistics showed falls in the price of petrol and clothing
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Stepping out on the path to fitness
WALKERS stepped out in style yesterday for the launch of an initiative to help people in Middlesbrough get fit. Tees and North-East Yorkshire NHS Trust is planning to hold guided strolls every fortnight at different locations throughout the town. They
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Kwik-Fit sold by Ford in cut-price deal
FORD is to sell car repair chain Kwik-Fit for a third of the price the motor company paid for the operation three years ago. The Edinburgh-based business is going to private equity group CVC Capital Partners for £330m. CVC said yesterday that it was too
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Landmark for health scheme as people dig in to new courses
A SCHEME to encourage people in Sedgefield to live healthier lives is celebrating six months of success. The Passport to Health Project was set up following a successful bid to the National Lottery Healthy Living Centre funding programme. Various schemes
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Art gallery hosts new exhibition
A RETIRED headteacher who has devoted his new-found spare time to painting watercolours has unveiled his latest works. Ken Charlton, from Billingham, is exhibiting his work at the Discovery Centre at Seaton Holme, in Easington Village. Mr Charlton, a
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Mortgages study
People taking out mortgages should be able to get "clear comparable information" if proposals put forward by the City's watchdog go ahead, it was announced yesterday. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) said that following the Treasury's decision in
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It's all plane sailing for Dave the ref and friends
Referee Dave Roberts plans to get the football season off to a flier on Saturday - he and his two assistants are arriving at their Albany Northern League match by plane. Dave - appropriately Sky Sports' man in the North-East - will pilot his own four
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Grant funds community architect
Villages across the Yorkshire Dales are to benefit from a £60,000 European grant. The money will pay for a community architect, employed by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, who will work with 20 communities and help prepare plans to be put
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Top-flight big guns armed for battle
A ball has not been kicked in anger and the verbal jousting has already begun. Arsene Wenger boasts of a seismic shift in English football's balance of power. Sir Alex Ferguson duly rises to the bait, treating the comment with the contempt one would expect
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News in brief: Kit boost for young players
YOUNG footballers are benefiting from a £300 boost for kit and playing equipment. Consett Junior Football Club is the first team in Derwentside to win a kit bag under the Barclaycard Free Kicks scheme. Club bosses were helped in their bid by the sports
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Coffee shop wins window competition - and wows head office
STAFF at a speciality coffee shop celebrated after scooping a civic award. The Durham branch of Whittard of Chelsea was judged to have the best shop window by the city's Mayor, Councillor Eileen Rochford. She went on a window shopping tour of the city
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Double boost for training outfit
TWO appointments at South West Durham Training, in Newton Aycliffe, are to drive forward the company's development as a training provider in advanced engineering in the North-East. Glenn Young and Wendy Chippendale have joined the company as development
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Carnival atmosphere at town gala
A GALA which started as a Millennium project is proving popular with residents. The people of Ferryhill flocked to the market square at the weekend where music, fairground rides and a wide range of attractions kept them entertained. Community groups put
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Haircut helps furry friends
Teenager Andrew Wyer volunteered to lose his flowing locks to raise cash for the Blue Cross animal sanctuary in Thirsk. The deed was done at the Bay Horse pub in Great Smeaton with family friend Sandra Carlton and landlady Barbara Walker carrying out
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News in brief: Kit boost for young players
YOUNG footballers are benefiting from a £300 boost for kit and playing equipment. Consett Junior Football Club is the first team in Derwentside to win a kit bag under the Barclaycard Free Kicks scheme. Club bosses were helped in their bid by the sports
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Council summer break delays nursery decision
THE owner of a children's nursery in Northallerton believes she may have lost the opportunity to argue her case for bigger premises to the town council. Anne-Marie Cooper wanted councillors to visit the industrial estate she hopes will be the new home
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Pub conversion plan rejected
A SECOND attempt to persuade planners to sanction the conversion of a pub into housing has failed. The Bay Horse Inn, at Burnt Yates, used to attract local gastronomes, with meals prepared in the restaurant using products from local farms. But the owners
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Opportunity to train as football ref
PEOPLE interested in becoming football referees in Darlington are being encouraged to take part in a series of training courses. The Darlington Referees' Society regularly runs referee training schemes. Refereeing is becoming more popular and the society
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Night work bid to avoid A1 delays
HIGHWAYS chiefs are hoping to keep delays on a stretch of the region's busiest road to a minimum by limiting repair work to night-time. A £195,000 scheme to give a new lease of life to a 1km stretch of the A1 south of Catterick, in North Yorkshire, starts
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Bus links laid on for Stadium of Light games
SUNDERLAND football fans in several County Durham villages will continue to be served by special bus links to the Stadium of Light on match days. The Langley Park branch of the Sunderland AFC Supporters' Association is providing transport to fans on three
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Solution to strengthen crumbling railway bridges
PIONEERING research by a North-East university into ways to make Britain's crumbling road bridges safer is to be presented to an international conference next week. After eight years of painstaking work, experts at the University of Teesside have completed
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News in brief: Flat deaths men named
TWO men who were found dead at a bedsit in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, at the weekend have been named by police. Julian Snell, 30, of Franklin Road, and Keith Bracher, 28, who was staying at the same address, were discovered on Saturday afternoon. Police
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Comment: Failing in its expectations
THE National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) is, in general, a good idea. It was formed by the Government to prevent the postcode lottery of treatment that was making the National Health Service anything but national. However, as the Glivec case
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Fun-packed day for children
A CHILDREN's fun day is being held in Redcar High Street tomorrow. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's town centre management team has organised the activities in association with Redcar Business Association and the town's McDonalds restaurant. Bankfields
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All the fun of the fair
YOUNGSTERS can experience all the fun of the fair in a series of events held across the region this month. The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain is holding traditional fairs to mark National Funfair Week. Travelling fairs visit Barnard Castle truck show
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A blast of the pure stuff
The latest facials use oxygen to help cosmetic creams penetrate the deepest layers of the skin. Facial phobic Amanda Brown is won over. I'D NEVER had a facial and was beginning to think I'd never be tempted, especially with the growing trends for paralysing
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£4.6m takeover deal secures future of club
COMMERCIAL law firm Denison Till is celebrating a major role in reviving the fortunes of troubled Bradford City Football Club. The York company's legal team represented new chairman Gordon Gibb in tense negotiations at the weekend, as a £4.6m takeover
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Homes idea out of favour
HOUSE building boss Sir Laurie Barratt has been told that he must rethink his plan to convert a row of centuries-old listed buildings into homes. Instead, the North York Moors National Park's planning committee says it wants to see the buildings, in the
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Who says British women are ugly?
According to a new global survey, British women are among the ugliest in the world. Women's Editor Christen Pears asks people what they think. LIZ Hurley and Catherine Zeta Jones grace the covers of magazines around the world. Their faces and figures
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Experience is key to success
The last few months have seen one of most turbulent pre-seasons in history with hundreds of players cast on the scrapheap. The collapse of the ITV Digital deal was the catalyst which signalled the end of Football League clubs spending big money on a whim
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A Riversider with a glowing reputation
STEVE McCLAREN'S close-season link with the then-vacant post at Leeds United, was evidence of his fast-growing reputation in the management stakes. The kudos of coaching England under Sven-Goran Eriksson and playing a pivotal role in the national side
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Community bobbies nominated for top awards
A POLICEMAN from Bedale and a colleague from Leyburn are local community officers of the year. Bedale beat patrol officer PC Julian Sutcliffe, 36, returned from holiday last week to find he had been named the Hambleton district winner in an awards scheme
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Thome's timely reminder to angry Sunderland fans
EMERSON Thome has moved swiftly to allay Sunderland fans' fears of relegation this season by insisting: "It's just got to be better than last year." The towering Brazilian centre-back, who had to suffer the torture of watching from the sidelines as his
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NHS knew my past, says shamed doctor
THE hospital that appointed Richard Neale a year after he was struck off knew all about his appalling record, the disgraced surgeon has claimed. Victims of the North Yorkshire surgeon called for changes in the law last week when it emerged that Mr Neale
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Hughes holding aces on Brighton card
AFTER a fabulously successful weekend Richard Hughes looks certain to be in the money once again this afternoon partnering a stack of fancied rides at Brighton. The tall Irishman, who won yet more admirers with a sparkling treble in the Shergar Cup at
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Hospital puts forward £34m revamp plans
PLANS have been revealed for the redevelopment of Northallerton's Friarage Hospital. It is hoped work on the £34m project could start in six months with one of the first tasks being the removal of the temporary huts that house several departments. Details
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New drug hope for asbestos victims
A BREAKTHROUGH drug cocktail which can double the life expectancy of people suffering from a form of lung cancer could be rolled out in the North-East later this year. The combination drug, trialled by researchers at Newcastle University, treats the symptoms
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How dare they free my rapist step-dad
A WOMAN who was repeatedly raped as a child by her step-father gave up her right to anonymity last night to speak of her outrage at his early release from prison. Mandy Holstein took the rare step of going public in response to a parole board's decision
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New boys aim for the Hall of Fame
NEWCASTLE United new boys Hugo Viana and Titus Bramble will be inducted into the Magpies' Hall of Fame over the next decade if Sir Bobby Robson's hunch is right. After more than 30 years in the management game, the United boss knows a good player when
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Homeowners hit out over aftermath of flash floods
HOMEOWNERS say they have been abandoned in an uninhabitable mess after being caught in flash floods. Carrville, near Durham, was one of areas worst affected by the flash floods which hit the region on Wednesday. People had to be evacuated as rainwater
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Turner key in bid for promotion
So how long can Hartlepool United hold onto Chris Turner? While all the talk - and expectations - around Victoria Park is of promotion, it should be remembered that success for Pool more often than not leads to departures. Successful players move on;
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Job Search: Vacancies
MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Cleaner, Seaham. £3.51 up to 18; £4.39 at 18-plus. 6 hpw, Mon, Wed, Fri 8.30am-10.30am. Required for general cleaning duties of shop. Duties include use of buffing
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McClaren is taking Boro to a new, improved level
FREED from the financial strait-jacket that so constricted his transfer movements last season, Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren is now ready to strike out in a determined bid for honours. Last term, McClaren's first as a manager, was initially all
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Early starters Pool aim to hit the ground running
CHRIS Turner's preparations for the new season started at 10.40pm on Tuesday, April 30. As soon as Ritchie Humphreys' penalty agonisingly rattled off the frame of the Cheltenham goal, consigning Hartlepool to another season in Division Three, Turner's
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Shedding light on a new obsession
WE'VE had the lighting renewed at our church. You should see it: better chandeliers than Caesar's Palace. And we can vary it, with spotlights on the altar. It was all done by the agreeable Cockney Albert, a traditional tradesman of profound expertise.
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Eating Owt: The Pizza and pork pie man
PANETTI'S is so English that there's a picture of W G Grace on the wall, so Italian that you want to throttle the one-tone tenor on the tape machine. For all anyone knows, or cares, he is singing Benito Mussolini knew my father, Father knew Benito Mussolini
