Archive
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Coast is backdrop for new movie
FILM crews are to return to the Yorkshire coast to make another major movie. Making Waves will be based on the story of the pirate ship 270 which used to broadcast off Scarborough in the 1960s. Its stars include Richard E Grant, Michael Gambon, Angus
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Exhibition will honour pit disaster victims
AFTER a year of intense research an amateur historian is just one piece of information away from ending of his quest to honour the 168 victims of the region's worst pit disaster. Bob Drake has identified for the first time the 56 men and boys who were
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Grassroots: Chester-le-Street, Birtley and District
BELLY DANCING: Chester-le-Street Community Centre has three six-week courses on belly dancing and other Middle Eastern folk dances. A beginners' class will be held on Tuesday, from 5.45pm to 7pm, followed by an improvers' class between 7.15pm and 8.30pm
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News in brief: Sexual health clinic launched
A sexual health clinic for teenagers has been launched at Chester-le-Street. Teenage Confidential has been organised and designed in partnership with Chester-le-Street Youth Centre and the people who use it. It has been funded by the Durham and Chester-le-Street
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18/01/03
ASYLUM POLICY: BRITAIN has an enviable and tolerant reputation regarding immigration. As the fourth largest economy we also have a moral obligation to help those in grave danger. The vast majority who come to our shores contribute positively to Britain's
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Robber could be jailed for life
A ROBBER who stabbed a jewellery shop manager during a raid has been warned he could be facing a life sentence behind bars. David Parker, 46, was stabbed in the head and hand when he confronted masked raider Kevin Griggs, 38, on November 12, 2001. Griggs
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Raid driver loses nerve
A GETAWAY driver left two robbers in the lurch when he lost his nerve during a bungled raid. Two men with scarves over their faces, one wielding a baseball bat, burst into The Top Shop in Fines Road, Medomsley, near Consett, and demanded cash from the
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Class of '66 reunited at Fortress Feethams
WHILE most remember 1966 for England's only World Cup win, the party had begun a few months earlier in Darlington. Thirty-seven years ago in May, Darlington's adoring football public celebrated one of the most glorious seasons in the club's history. Managed
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Work on pool hits cash crisis
LEISURE managers are in crisis talks for extra Lottery cash after construction costs soared on a new swimming pool. The multi-million pound project to build a pool in Stanley is running over budget by what bosses admitted was a 'considerable amount.'
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Draw sequence will end, vows Tait
DRAW specialists Darlington are being backed by caretaker boss Mick Tait to return to winning ways. Since Tait took over the reins from Tommy Taylor in October, the Quakers have lost only twice in the Third Division. But despite that impressive run, Darlington's
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Babes on the move
BABY Boogie classes have been launched to help infants find their feet. The creative movement sessions are being held for babies and toddlers and their carers in Chester-le-Street. Run by the Bare Toed Dance Company of Whitley Bay, in conjunction with
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Alliance forms party
RESIDENTS fed-up at council tax hikes are set to become the country's newest political party. The Durham Taxpayers' Alliance has registered itself as a party with the Electoral Commission. The alliance, which was launched by a small group of people angry
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Closure of shops not a setback
THREE businesses in a town centre's high street have shut up shop. Dewhurst the butcher, the Bon Marche clothing store and Greenwood, the gentlemen's outfitters, all based in Middle Street, Consett, have closed. North-East bakery chain Gregg's is moving
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Sharon goes for the 1,000
ULTRA-DISTANCE star Sharon Gayter faces the biggest test of her career when she attempts to run 1,000 miles in 1,000 hours. The Flora 1000 Miles event starts on March 2 and the six participants, trying to emulate the feat achieved nearly 200 years ago
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New minibus widens horizons
SENIOR citizens are looking forward to more day trips and easier access to a day centre thanks to a new specially adapted mini bus. Every week over 100 elderly people visit Helen McArdle Care's Westerleigh Day Centre in Stanley. Due to increasing demand
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Talking Point: Card school is no big deal to Premiership high earners
SO Michael Owen lost £20,000 playing cards at the World Cup. Big deal many might say. For a player who earns in excess of £60,000 per week, £20K could hardly be considered big money. Admittedly for a manual worker on Merseyside it would probably be in
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Market buttie van stolen
A FAMILIAR feature of Stanley was missing this week after thieves made off with a burger van on Sunday night Bob's Butties van has been a popular fixture on the town's market for more than nine years. Crooks stole the brightly coloured catering trailer
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At Your Service: Furrowed lang syne
LAST weekend marked Plough Sunday, said by the Darlington and Stockton Times - infallible on such earthy matters - still to be celebrated in some country places by "much drinking of ale, morris dancing and mummers plays." It wasn't quite so boisterous
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News in brief: Actors prepare for celebration
ON Tuesday, actors in period costume will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the granting of a Charter of Incorporation to Middlesbrough by Queen Victoria. The charter paved the way for the town's first council elections and the installation of ironmaster
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Work starts on school block
PUPILS will benefit from new facilities thanks to a £2m development. Youngsters at Durham High School for Girls returned to school to the sounds and sights of builders as work began on a new science, computing and library block. Due to be completed by
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Expert sets out to win back her job
A FINGERPRINT expert is determined to win back her job after her second victory for unfair dismissal against a North-East police force. Gail Hunter, 33, revealed last night she still wanted her old post as team leader at the fingerprint bureau at Durham
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Police in purge on porn arrest 119
POLICE revealed last night that 119 arrests had been made to date across three forces in the region as part of a crackdown on child pornography. The arrests are part of Operation Ore, the biggest ever investigation into Internet paedophilia by British
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Clarendon can cash in despite classy rivals
CASH in on Clarendon (3.00), that's the word from the west country concerning the Philip Hobbs-trained seven-year-old, a leading contender for the £50,000 Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle at Kempton. "He picked up an injury after winning in July, but his absence
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Robert latest of French misfits
IT was Kevin Keegan, back on Tyneside this afternoon with his Manchester City side, who first established the French connection at Newcastle when he signed the flamboyant David Ginola from Paris St. Germain some seven-and-a-half years ago. While Ginola
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Redaelli back on big day for Darlington duo
THE Darlington clubs face matches today which could go a long way towards deciding whether they swap places next season. The smart money would still be on them both being in National Division Three North, but if they lose today's away games the prospect
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Inquiry held over quarry decision
A QUARRY company is trying to overturn a council's refusal to allow it to extend its workings. Durham County Council has twice rejected planning applications by the Sherburn Sand Company to work an extension to the Crime Rigg Quarry, near Shadforth. The
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Pollock's the man for Moors
Spennymoor last night appointed former Middlesbrough midfielder Jamie Pollock as their new manager. Pollock returned to the North-East in the autumn after he left Crystal Palace and takes over at the Brewery Field from Tony Lee, who quit last weekend.
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'Forgotten street' to get major facelift
NEW life is to be breathed into a busy city centre street in Durham, in a £350,000 enhancement scheme. Work begins on Monday on the first phase of the development, designed to re-invigorate North Road. The joint project, being carried out by both Durham
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Cannabis find shock
A WOMAN was shocked when police found a bag with 35 bars of cannabis resin in her bedroom, a court was told yesterday. William Wilson, 34, had not told his wife that he was hiding it there for a drug dealer in return for a promise of a nine ounce bar
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Street warden scheme to get extra member
A STREET warden scheme covering parts of the Wear Valley district has been so successful it is getting extra manpower. In the next few weeks, a sixth warden will join the five-member team, which is helping to improve conditions for residents. When they
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Man pays out £150 for attack on friend
A MAN who attacked his friend has been ordered to pay £150compensation. Colin Andrew Hall, 20, of Bedale Hunt, Newton Aycliffe, yesterday admitted assaulting Andrew Bielok, 16. Sedgefield magistrates heard that Hall became angry when he was asked to leave
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Playing for real
Byker Grove's troubled teenager Caspar Berry has gone straight - in a new career as a professional poker player in Las Vegas. Now he has made a documentary highlighting the gambling scene in the North-East. CASPAR Berry was the original bad boy of Byker
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Allotment growers fight homes threat
ALLOTMENT holders are digging in their heels to stop a council moving them off to make way for homes. The Brickyard Allotments are on land designated for 100 semi-detached and detached properties in New Shildon, where £2m has been spent on regein the
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Youngsters given a small taste of the East
INFANT school pupils in Darlington were given a taste of the Orient in a cookery class. The Polam Hall School youngsters were joined by 11-year-old Amy Yuen, a boarder from Hong Kong, to prepare Chinese spicy noodles with fresh ginger and garlic. The
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Metal trees sculpture unveiled as part of village improvements
THE latest phase of a scheme to transform a former mining village was unveiled this week. Durham county councillor Bill Firby, who represents Deerness Valley, performed a ceremony to launch the development, in Ushaw Moor, Durham. The idea came about after
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Action plan to solve very sticky problem
THOUSANDS of pounds are being spent in Darlington to rid the streets of a sticky problem. Darlington Borough Council is conducting trials to find the best way to remove chewing gum from the town's main shopping areas. Various contractors and systems are
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'Spayed' stray cat produces kittens
TWO fluffy bundles made a surprise arrival at a house in Weardale earlier this month. Sarah Bennett was shocked when her cat, Mollie gave birth to two kittens, because her pet had been spayed. Miss Bennett, 26, of Kirk Rise, Frosterley, said: "I couldn't
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News in brief: Rail service remembered
BISHOP Auckland Civic Society is marking the 50th anniversary of the last passenger train service through Weardale with a special open meeting. John Askwith, archivist of the Weardale Railway Trust, will speak on the The Heritage Line Railway at the event
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Youth court hearings
Cases heard yesterday at South Durham Youth Court in Darlington included: ABSOLUTE DISCHARGE: A 15-year-old girl who destroyed furniture, a staircase spindle and crockery in a Darlington residential care home was granted an absolute discharge. The teenager
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Teacher's party marks religious festival
A party was held at a North-East school yesterday to celebrate a Muslim tradition. Claire Cuthbert, religious education teacher at Grangefield School, Stockton, organised the party for all the Muslim pupils, from years seven to 11, and their parents.
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Youths' campaign of harassment was 'fun sport'
TWO teenage boys who persecuted a man each time he left his home, viewed it as a "fun sport", a court heard yesterday. The 13 and 14-year-old youths, who cannot be named for legal reasons, shouted at him in the street, pushed lit matches through his letterbox
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In memory of the lost children
THE impact of the Holocaust on children will be put under the spotlight later this month in the North-East. In the 1930s, a series of Nazi laws were aimed at removing the civil and economic rights of Jews and other groups, including political opponents
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Excavator rescue for trapped cormorant
A BIRD caused a flutter at a new sewage works yesterday when it chose the wrong spot to take a dip. The cormorant flew in on Thursday afternoon to North-umbrian Water's £2.3m development at Stanhope, County Durham, where workers found it swimming in shallow
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Cycling initiative takes to the road
A GROUP has been formed to help cyclists in Guisborough enjoy cycle routes and mountain biking. Laurence Jackson School, in Guisborough, has special sports college status and is looking at a number of similar initiatives. Youngsters and older cyclists
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Maths teacher from Oz sums up new job
A TEACHER has travelled half way around the world to take up a job at a school, near Darlington. Scott Walter, a mathematics teacher from Melbourne, Australia, wanted to broaden his horizons. The 26-year-old decided he would like to teach in England and
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Grab your chance, Saddam
Tony Blair last night urged Saddam Hussein to take the opportunity to give up his weapons of mass destruction as America described the discovery in Iraq of chemical warheads as "troubling and serious". The Prime Minister was briefed for an hour yesterday
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New-look theatre stages first play
THE first original stage play by York-born novelist Kate Atkinson is being given its English premiere at the city's Theatre Royal. Abandonment, first staged during the Edinburgh Festival several years ago, will be directed by artistic director Damian
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Theatre unveils spring draws
COMEDY, drama, music and children's entertainment are all part of the spring programme at Harrogate Theatre. The programme begins next month with Silence of a Dale - Alice Bartlett's bitter-sweet examination of the impact foot-and-mouth disease had on
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Community service for heroin addict
A RECOVERING heroin addict was yesterday sentenced to 150 hours community service for his part in a burglary. Paul Coates, 27, of Willow Close, Thornaby, had previously admitted his part in a burglary at Cobden Street, Stockton, in June last year. Judge
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Bumper year for recycling facility
A RECYCLING facility at Haverton Hill has celebrated a successful first year. The household waste recycling site, run by Sita on behalf of Stockton and Middlesbrough borough councils, has been visited by hundreds of people since it was opened late in
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Firm fined for dangerous hood
A SPORTSWEAR company was fined £1,500 for supplying an item of children's clothing with a potentially dangerous hood cord. Local Boy'z Group was also ordered to pay £500 costs after admitting supplying clothing in breach of safety regulations at a Sunderland
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Business leaders back opening hours
BUSINESS leaders are backing a pub chain's bid to extend its opening hours on Bank Holidays in a Dales market town. JD Wetherspoon's was not universally welcomed when the company arrived in Richmond. Landlords said that, in a town which could already
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Boro's defensive strengths mask forwards' limitations
Middlesbrough's recent slump from European contenders to Premiership also-rans has been caused, in no small part, by their inability to find the back of the proverbial 'onion bag' often enough. Sports Writer Paul Fraser takes a look at the players whose
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Childless couples warned of long wait for treatment
HEALTH bosses have warned childless couples they may have to wait until 2011 for fertility treatment. The number of couples from North Durham referred to the Newcastle Centre for Life for IVF (in vitro fertilisation) treatment has increased so rapidly
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Dark forces give heavenly tale an ironic ending
THE story of creation took an unexpected twist when God said "let there be light'' and there wasn't any. Pupils at Durham High School for Girls were performing a medieval mystery play for family and friends when the heavenly command for illumination was
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ABB wins £9m substation job
MULTI-national power firm ABB has won a £9m contract to build NEDL's new substation on Teesside. The distribution arm of Northern Electric's business has commissioned a replacement 132kV interconnector to replace an existing structure. The project will
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News in brief: Appeal over electrical items
POLICE are appealing for information about the theft of £30,000 worth of electrical equipment from an industrial estate. The goods had been loaded onto two wagons in a compound at Mastercare Ltd, Newton Aycliffe Industrial Park, County Durham. The theft
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Task force launches crime crackdown
A PARTNERSHIP aimed at tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in the neighbourhoods of South Gateshead has been launched. Blizzard, a task force working to crack down on criminal activity in seven wards of the borough opened for business at its new
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Full steam ahead for locomotive restoration
MEMBERS of the South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society have been awarded a £35,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help restore a locomotive. The German-built Henschel 0-4-0 steam locomotive No 6 Thomas Edmondson was one of a large number
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Talk to inquiry, patients urged
A FORMER mayor has urged victims of disgraced surgeon Richard Neale to take part in a controversial private inquiry. John Bacon, who was mayor of Northallerton, North Yorkshire, in 1983, made his appeal after a meeting with the senior barrister who chairs
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Memorial service for tragic babies
A SERVICE will be held this weekend to remember babies who have died in Derwentside. The church service will also include the dedication of a memorial book for all babies who died at, or around, the time of birth at Shotley Bridge General Hospital and
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High-pressure sales caller alert
POLICE are warning the elderly to be on their guard against a saleswoman who is using hard-line tactics to get business. Durham City police are concerned about the high pressure sales techniques adopted by the caller, after receiving two complaints from
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Cleaning to the highest standards
IF making your bed in the morning is a bit of a chore, save a thought for staff at one of the National Trust's grand houses. For when they have to clean the state beds at Beningbrough Hall, near York, they even have to use scaffolding. Staff and textile
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Thieves steal prize pigeons
A pigeon fancier of nearly 50 years standing said he was "totally devastated" when his pride and joy £6,000 birds were stolen. Mike Fitzhugh, 59, had travelled to Holland and Belgium to buy the prize-winning pedigree birds but 13 of them were stolen on
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Artists can win cash
ARTISTS from County Durham are being invited to submit their work for a regional display, with the bonus of prize money on offer for the pick of the entries. The People Show is a both a competition and exhibition, with £1,800 up for grabs for the best
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Football club finalises plan for indoor playing pitches
THE finishing touches have been made to plans for a footballing centre of excellence in Durham. Durham City Football Club yesterday finalised its scheme to develop eight indoor six-a-side pitches, with top-quality playing surfaces similar to those used
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Top score brings an extra £1.5m for council
EXTRA cash has been secured by a North-East council considered among the top 25 per cent of local transport authorities in the country. Durham County Council has been awarded more than £17m for its 2003/4 local transport settlement by the Government.
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Musical Youth
A Youth Musical Spectacular has been organised to raise money for the Butterwick Hospice. Almost 300 children will perform on stage at the Sunderland Empire on Saturday, from 7pm. Tickets are priced at £6, £8 and £10. For details, call 0191-5142517.
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Footballer is accused of pitch assault
A NON-LEAGUE footballer is to appear in crown court charged with assaulting an opponent during a match. Tony Healer was sent off while playing for Durham City in a game at Spennymoor United last October. The 27-year-old received his marching orders for
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Our crossword champion
ARTHUR Peacock is the man celebrating with the bubbly, having won The Northern Echo's Christmas Champagne Crossword. The crossword, with more than 800 clues, is believed to be the biggest published in a newspaper or magazine in the country, and Mr Peacock
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Young scientists win awards of distinction
A GROUP of young scientists from Stockton Sixth Form College has won an award for research into the habits of a spotted moth that seeks out clean environments and is sensitive to pollution. As part of the annual event, organised by the North-East Schools
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Hard-hitting education
YOUNGSTERS across the borough of Stockton are being warned about the dangers of drinking and driving through a hard-hitting play based on a true story. The Ape Theatre Company will be performing the play Too Much Punch for Judy, and there will be an interactive
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Forum will discuss housing plan
PEOPLE living in a part of Hartlepool are being urged to attend a residents' forum next week. The next meeting of the New Deal for Communities (NDC) Community Forum takes place on Monday, at Belle Vue Sports and Community Centre, in Kendal Road, at 6.30pm
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Pool resist temptation to rush Watson back against Oxford
GORDON Watson is itching to get back in action - but he won't be facing Oxford at Victoria Park today. The Hartlepool United talisman has recovered from a broken leg and after four months on the sidelines is edging ever closer to a first-team return.
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Carly hopes for second call-up
A TEENAGE girl is hoping to impress England football bosses next month and win her second cap for her country. Carly Telford, 15, of Newburn Road, Stanley, will join up with the England Under-17s girls squad for training in February. If she impresses,
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School wins a number one prize
Thrilled pupils at a North-East school have won a visit from chart-toppers Blazin Squad. The group will perform three songs - including their number one hit Crossroads - at Eastbourne Comprehensive, in Darlington, on Thursday. The venue was chosen after
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Surgery celebrates long service
A MOTHER-of-two, whose doctor persuaded her to work as his secretary at his new practice 25 years ago, is celebrating a milestone in her career. Margaret Robinson joined Great Lumley Surgery in 1977 when her GP, Dr Len Featherstone, told her he was starting
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New minibus widens horizons
SENIOR citizens are looking forward to more day trips and easier access to a day centre thanks to a new specially adapted minibus. Every week over 100 elderly people visit Helen McArdle Care's Westerleigh Day Centre in Stanley. Due to increasing demand
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Firm's huge fence angers residents
RESIDENTS are furious with a property development company which has built a fence around woodland near their homes and blocked off a well-used footpath. People in Blackfyne, Consett, woke up to find their views of trees obscured by an eight-foot-tall
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Half a measure
A MAN collected sponsorship money as well as stares after having half his beard and moustache shaved off for charity. Staff and regulars at The Brooms pub, in Urpeth Grange, near Chester-le-Street, watched as Joe Angus's son-in-law Jason Crawford stripped
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In The Picture: Playing for real
Byker Grove's troubled teenager Caspar Berry has gone straight - in a new career as a professional poker player in Las Vegas. Now he has made a documentary highlighting the gambling scene in the North-East. CASPAR Berry was the original bad boy of Byker
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School sees stars
PANTOMIME children Danny Prested and Holly Robinson saw some familiar faces in the audience recently - about 200 fellow school pupils. The ten-year-olds from Cheveley Park Primary School, in Belmont, Durham, are appearing in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
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It's snow time for theatre group
SALTBURN '53 Drama Group is staging Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen. Performances, which began yesterday at Saltburn Community Theatre, take place today and tomorrow, then again next Thursday, Friday and Saturday, January 23 to 25. Doors open
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Riddle of 'quiet lad's' stolen car death ride
POLICE admitted last night that they were baffled as to why a teenager described as a "quiet lad" with no history of getting into trouble came to die in a stolen car. They are trying to discover why Liam Richardson, a well thought of 13-year-old from
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For Your Benefit: Anguish over lost pension
Q I am a woman, shortly due to retire at the age of 65. I had not realised that I could have got my retirement pension from 60. Now I am told it can only be backdated three months, meaning I have lost four and a half years pension. This is not fair. Why
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Inspired by panto paradise at the Hip
A PANTOMIME at Darlington Civic Theatre nearly a century ago inspired a member of one of the North-East's most famous families to become a world-renowned film-maker. Sadly, the name of the pantomime is lost in the mists of time, but the name of Sir Anthony
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Supermarket supremacy bid in 'Last Chance Saloon'
THE Last Chance Saloon bidding war for supermarket chain Safeway was looking decidedly overcrowded last night as US buyout specialists Kohlberg Kravis Roberts weighed in. The arrival of the New York venture capitalists has spiced up the fight for the
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The Albany Northern League Today: Cruddas set for 'cracker'
Durham City manager Billy Cruddas expects a "cracking" game when his side take on Sudbury in the fourth round of the Vase today. The two sides lost in the semi-finals last season, City to eventual winners Whitley Bay, and Sudbury, who played Darlington
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Easterby is no stranger to success
THE Easterby family cannot be considered strangers to success in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Peter having captured the Blue Riband of the chasing world with Little Owl in 1981. Nowadays it is his son, Tim, in charge at Habton Grange Stables, home to another
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New scheme aims to make town greener
THOUSANDS of homes could help make Chester-le-Street a greener place through a new recycling scheme. The district council is launching a new fortnightly household waste collection service for paper and glass aimed at reducing the amount of material that
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In the building
The Mood bar, in the Gate, Newgate Street, Newcastle, is the venue for The Elvis Years, a tribute to the King of Rock 'n' Roll, on Thursday.
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Fitness club owner aids meningitis battle
THREE years after her sister's death from meningitis, a fitness club owner is helping to fight the disease. Since Sarah Yorke, from Bishop Auckland, lost her 22-year-old sister, Hannah, she has campaigned to save lives by stressing the need for early
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Tourism Without Traffic scheme supported
AN initiative to encourage tourists to leave their cars at home and use bikes or public transport to go sightseeing has been supported by councillors in Teesdale. The Tourism Without Traffic scheme was set up to reduce the number of visitors to tourist
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Students bound for Oxbridge
EIGHT students from Darlington's Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College have been offered places at Oxford and Cambridge universities. This year's successful Oxford candidates are: Emma Colthup, who will be studying history and politics; Gillian Gaskill,
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School has top teams
TWO football teams from the same school will represent Darlington in a national tournament. Eastbourne Comprehensive School's year seven five-a-side boys' and girls' teams both won their heats in the first round of the Wagon Wheels Tournament, held at
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Training rap for council members
DARLINGTON councillors are to be called to account after failing to keep their pledge to attend at least five training sessions a year. Every member of the unitary authority had to sign up to the minimum number at the start of 2002 - but six failed to
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Burglar faints after being captured by home owner
A BURGLAR who fainted when he was caught in a house by the owner was jailed for 40 months yesterday. Property developer Carl Howe trapped burglar Paul Ponsford behind a lobby door while Ponsford, 27, wailed: "Let me out of here mate, I'm getting seriously
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Father punched school head
A FATHER punched a headteacher in the face, a court heard yesterday. Peterlee magistrates, in County Durham, heard that John Wilkinson, 27, fractured a bone in the left side of Michael Carter's face with a single blow. He went to see Mr Carter, headteacher
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Anti-speeding campaign extended
A SUCCESSFUL anti-speeding campaign has been extended to new areas of Darlington. The flashing unit, called a Speedvisor, displays the speed of an approaching car to warn drivers if they are breaking the limit. While the units were in Fitzwilliam Drive
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News in brief: Rail service remembered
BISHOP Auckland Civic Society is marking the 50th anniversary of the last passenger train service through Weardale with a special open meeting. John Askwith, archivist of the Weardale Railway Trust, will speak on the The Heritage Line Railway at the event
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Workmen's memory lives on
MEMORIES of four Darlington workmen whose names were discovered inside a wartime desk will be included in a time capsule, thanks to readers of The Northern Echo. Earlier this month, joiner David McLean and his wife, Lynn, appealed for help in tracing
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Schoolboy goalkeeper mourned by friends
A 12-year-old goalkeeper died after collapsing during a training session with team-mates. Ben Scaife, the nephew of former Middlesbrough midfielder Bob Scaife, had a known heart condition, but did not let it spoil his love of football. He had been enjoying
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Open for weddings - in case of war
A REGISTER office is offering to open its doors for longer to allow servicemen and women to marry before a possible conflict in the Gulf. Staff at Darlington's Register Office have announced that they are willing to conduct wedding services out of hours
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Delivery driver hurt as van is stolen
A delivery van driver was slightly hurt when he tried to stop a robber escaping with his vehicle by hanging on to the windscreen wipers. The victim, who was pulled from his vehicle in Bathgate Close, Battle Hill, Wallsend, Tyneside, at 10.30am on Thursday
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Delivery driver hurt as van is stolen
A delivery van driver was slightly hurt when he tried to stop a robber escaping with his vehicle by hanging on to the windscreen wipers. The victim, who was pulled from his vehicle in Bathgate Close, Battle Hill, Wallsend, Tyneside, at 10.30am on Thursday
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Enrolling for college courses
People can enrol for courses run by Houghall College, at Chester-le-Street Community Centre, in Newcastle Bank, on Monday, January 27 between 11am and midday and 6pm and 7pm. Courses include digital photography, food hygiene, counselling, computing, Tai
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Big rush for designer's 'de-Wimpeyfied' homes
A DEVELOPMENT which began with a designer's scathing attack on "Wimpeyfication" is proving a huge hit with house buyers. Fashion guru Wayne Hemingway, founder of the Red or Dead label, first came to the attention of developer George Wimpey City when he
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Farewell to our little princess
THE distraught parents of hit and run victim Rebecca Sawyer said a heartbreaking farewell to their daughter yesterday. About 300 mourners packed into a tiny church to pay a last tribute to the six-year-old. The red-haired youngster died and her sister
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Students bound for Oxbridge
EIGHT students from Darlington's Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College have been offered places at Oxford and Cambridge universities. This year's successful Oxford candidates are: Emma Colthup, who will be studying history and politics; Gillian Gaskill,
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Mallon to do honours at athletics club
AN extension to an athletics club will be opened on Monday by the Mayor of Middlesbrough, Ray Mallon. The extension to the Dorman Long Athletics Club has cost £1m and will feature a new function, games and family room, plus an enlarged foyer. Club secretary
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Robbie man trial date
AN executive producer for a show concepts company, who failed to attend court for a trial over a dispute with a firm of solicitors representing singer Robbie Williams, now faces trial on February 18. Sean Stimson, 29, of Subversive Enterprise, who lives
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Gary plans to make a colourful living
RICHMOND'S Gary Cox is quick on the draw - and with a little help from his friends, the 35-year-old is hoping to make a killing. But the father of two is no gunslinger - it is his artistic talent which is in demand and with help from Bedale Business Solutions
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A kiss goodbye from the dozing lookout
A GIRL who fell asleep when she was supposed to be acting as lookout for her burglar boyfriend, kissed him goodbye yesterday when he went to jail. All was forgiven as Louise Baxter 19, and James Casey, 20, hugged in the dock at Teesside Crown Court. She
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Ingenious device will light way to safer streets
A DESIGN company may have solved a problem that costs local authorities and road maintenance firms tens of thousands of pounds every year. Dinsley Devices, of Barnard Castle, County Durham, created a hand-held device that can detect potentially dangerous
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Broadband explained at seminar
A SEMINAR is planned in Richmond next month to answer questions people may have on broadband Internet services in the district. The Richmond Partnership has arranged the briefing at Darlington College, Catterick, from 9.30am, on Monday, February 3. There
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School gallery hosts art exhibition
ART with a local theme will be on show during an exhibition running for the rest of the month. Work by Hartlepool artists Steve Crowther and Barbara Ellis and two original Andy Capp cartoons by Reg Smythe are among 30 paintings and drawings on display
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Firm fined for dangerous hood
A SPORTSWEAR company was fined £1,500 for supplying an item of children's clothing with a potentially dangerous hood cord. Local Boy'z Group was also ordered to pay £500 costs after admitting supplying clothing in breach of safety regulations at a Sunderland
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Burglar sentenced
A man who burgled £4,000-worth of property was sentenced to two years in a young offenders' institution by Teesside Crown Court yesterday. Shaun Walsh, 20, of Manor Street, Middlesbrough, who was charged with burglary, left his fingerprints at the house
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Residents' association folds after medical centre dispute
A RESIDENTS' pressure group is to disband following an acrimonious dispute over the planned location of a medical centre. Members of the Brentwood Residents Association opposed plans for a medical centre on the site of tennis courts on their estate. A
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Bad boy makes good in movies
It's a wrap for rapper Eminem as his screen acting debut impresses the critics. Film Writer Steve Pratt finds out why he's successful where other pop stars have failed. Eminem, the bad boy of rap, turned to director Curtis Hanson and said: "Never again
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Bypass to go ahead at last
FOLLOWING decades of slow progress, a completion date has been set for a bypass. Work began on what was then known as the Thornaby bypass 30 years ago. Now, a completion date has been announced for the renamed South Stockton link road. Government and
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News in brief: Driver fighting for his life
A 20-year-old man was fighting for his life last night after his car span out of control and struck a tree on the B1228 York road, near Elvington. The driver, thought to be from the York area, was trapped in his Nissan Primera for more than 30 minutes
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Distance - and age - no barrier
GRANDMOTHER Maureen Middleton didn't let a little thing like age stand in the way of her great ambition. She wanted to see something of the world, so she packed her van - nicknamed Womble - and set off on the trip of a lifetime. Now the 63-year-old has
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Woman, 59, sobs as she faces prison
A 59-YEAR-OLD woman sobbed in court as she was told she almost certainly faces jail for illegally supplying heroin. Edith Bradley, of Broughton Avenue, Easterside, Middlesbrough, was charged with supplying diamorphine - the clinical word for heroin -
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Worrying shortage in skilled trades
MORE than two-thirds of businesses in the North-East believe there is a shortage of skilled tradespeople, and many claim the situation hat got worse in the past two years. It has led to more delays experienced by businesses before trade work can start
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Woodgate is priced out of Newcastle's market
NEWCASTLE manager Sir Bobby Robson is resigned to failure in his attempt to prise Jonathan Woodgate away from Leeds - despite the shock collapse of Robbie Fowler's £7m Elland Road exit to Manchester City. Robson hinted yesterday that England centre-back
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Society helps keep charity on the road
THE Yorkshire Agricultural Society is helping a leading charity go that extra mile in its support for farming in the region. It has presented the keys for a new car to the regional officer of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (Rabi), Chris
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Green design for new school
THE first stage of plans to replace a dilapidated school building with a multi-million pound 'eco' primary will begin this autumn. Pelton Infant School and Pelton Junior School have been in need of repair for some time. The buildings date back to 1901
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News in brief: Actors prepare for celebration
ON Tuesday, actors in period costume will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the granting of a Charter of Incorporation to Middlesbrough by Queen Victoria. The charter paved the way for the town's first council elections and the installation of ironmaster
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Shortage of lollipop men and women addressed
A RECRUITMENT drive has been launched by a North-East council amid concerns about a shortage of lollipop men and women. Road safety officers at Hartlepool Borough Council are keen to employ up to five more lollipop men or women, mainly to act as cover
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Bungalow damaged
A NORTH Yorkshire family is counting the cost after a fire gutted their dormer bungalow. The blaze began at about 7.30pm, on Wednesday, in Scurragh Lane, Skeeby. Crews fought to stop the flames spreading to a neighbouring property and at the height of
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Ex-worker sentenced over damage rampage
A FORMER call centre worker escaped prison yesterday after causing more than £10,000 worth of damage to his ex-workplace during a drunken rampage. Christopher Conlon, 22, vented his fury at the Orange call centre, in Peterlee, County Durham, after a poor
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Spurs end McClaren's chase for Ferdinand
STEVE McCLAREN last night admitted he made a move for former Newcastle United striker Les Ferdinand but was rebuffed by Tottenham. Reports this week have suggested the out of favour Spurs star was in talks with Boro over a move to Teesside. However, McClaren
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Postmaster quits in fear for safety
A SUB-POSTMASTER has quit his job after an attempted break-in at his home was linked to a chainsaw robbery at a nearby post office. David Sell said he was too traumatised to continue at the post-office in Hovingham, near Malton, North Yorkshire, where
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Replica gun earns court date
ARMED police officers were called to a flat after a report that a man had been waving a gun in the street. But what Mark Millward, 33, was brandishing was a replica toy bought for his eight-year-old nephew. Newcastle Crown Court heard how Millward was
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Desperate businessmen lost millions in fraud, court told
A gang of fraudsters asked for collateral of almost half the value of the multi-million pound loans they were offering to desperate businessmen, a court heard yesterday. George Steen, 54 Dennis Alexander, 47, and David Andrews, 38, were said to have agreed
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Club buys caravan for the disabled
A CLUB has achieved a fundraising target that will allow it to provide affordable holidays for people with disabilities. The North-East Disabled Motorists' Club, which meets in Perkinsville, near Chester-le-Street, has raised enough money to buy a caravan
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School chalks up Oxbridge honours
FOR the second year running Durham High School for Girls has a record seven Oxbridge candidates. Five sixth-formers have received offers to study at Cambridge University and three could be off to Oxford - providing they get suitable A-Level grades. Jessica
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New sexual health clinic for teenagers
A NEW sexual health clinic for young people is to be launched at Chester-le-Street. Teenage Confidential is a sexual health clinic aimed specifically for young people, which has been organised in partnership with the youth centre and designed in consultation
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Comment: Degree of right or privilege?
THE abolition of up-front university fees, expected to be announced soon by the Government, is a welcome development. Labour came to power promising to extend the notion of equal opportunities in higher education. The introduction of tuition fees ran
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Teachers taste life in Russia
Teachers in County Durham are to get the chance to sample what life is like in a Russian classroom. Durham County Council's international office is organising a visit to twin city Kostroma, from April 12 to April 21, to help Russians teach English. Accommodation
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Thieves steal prize pigeons
A pigeon fancier of nearly 50 years standing said he was "totally devastated" when his pride and joy £6,000 birds were stolen. Mike Fitzhugh, 59, had travelled to Holland and Belgium to buy the prize-winning pedigree birds but 13 of them were stolen on
