Archive
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Dragons receive pupils' business plans
CELEBRITY business tycoon Duncan Bannatyne will save his famous grilling for enterprising pupils rather than would-be entrepreneurs. Students at Darlington's secondary schools are preparing to face Mr Bannatyne and a panel of judges for a Dragon's
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Missing Claudia's friend defends her honour
ONE of Claudia Lawrence's best friends spoke out tonight in support of the chef who went missing three months ago. Reports about her private life alleged the 35-year-old from York could have had affairs with up to 40 married men, some at the same time
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Probe after Peterlee pub fire
FIRECREWS were called to a pub fire in Peterlee tonight. The function room of the Argus Butterfly public house on York Road, Peterlee was well alight, according to a County Durham fire and rescue, when the call came in shortly after 7pm. Although the
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Carnival comes to town.
DARLINGTON’S Community Carnival is on Saturday, June 27th. It starts from Vane Terrace, at 12 noon and ends at 5pm in Stanhope Park. Artists Amy Johnson and Emma Shankland worked with ten community groups in the area. They made individual carnival
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Have we got booze for you!
With the score at 1-1, it's all to play for in the Headline Game on TFM radio... Tomorrow morning's story is about a new beer called North Pennines Beauty. It's brewed by the Allendale Brewery to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the North Pennines
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Scooters damaged in Consett garage blaze
SEVERAL scooters were damaged after a fire at the premises of KFM in Ashdale Road, Consett last night. The blaze was reported around 7pm and four fire appliances were sent to the scene. The fire was in an industrial garage and the property
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Skills for Life
Leap Skills for Life and Ferryhill Library are joining forces to offer free training in computing and the internet. The training is free to everyone and sessions take place in the library on North Road from 2pm – 4.30pm on the 6th, 7th, 9th and 10th
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Fagin’s Crooks Wanted
Ferryhill Stage Society is searching for young people to join in their production of Oliver. They are looking for young people to join Fagin’s gang. The producers of the show have found an Oliver and a perfect artful Dodger and now need a bunch of
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Cockfield Quoits Open Day…
Cockfield Quoits Club held their annual ‘open day’ on Sunday; people came from far and wide, including Whitby and Hexham. Former world champion Mike Mendelssohn came along and gave a demonstration of how quoits should be played. Trevor Cooper
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Freak accident killed father of three
A MAN was crushed to death in a freak accident as he worked on his beloved car after it broke down, an inquest heard. And his heartbroken family have spoken of the devastating affect the accident has had. Father-of-three John Cornforth, 66, pulled over
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Golden report for Team GL
A SCHOOL which was inspired by last years successful Great Britain Olympic team has picked up a gold medal in its latest Ofsted report. Green Lane CE School in Barnard Castle, received Outstanding ratings in every category of the report into an inspection
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Officer hit by car at fire roadblock
A POLICE support officer who was directing traffic away from a fire in a North-East town centre was hospitalised after she was hit by a car. Traffic heading into Darlington ground to a halt this afternoon after the road was closed following a blaze at
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Garden competition expands
A GARDEN competition will take on a new format for its tenth year. Barnard Castle Town Council will now hold their garden competition on Monday, July 13 and a new floral competition on Saturday, July 18. As well as the usual business and residential
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Vipers sign forward Kralj
ELITE League Newcastle Vipers have signed Slovenian forward Matic Kralj from Slovenian League Maribor.
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Nature sanctuary plan for North York Moors
PLANS for a wildlife sanctuary on the North York Moors may be refused by planners despite strong support for them. Jim Ward wants to create a wildlife rescue centre which includes portable aviaries on farming land at Springhill Farm, Fylingdales. North
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Baby "stable" in hospital with swine flu
A COUNTY DURHAM baby has been diagnosed as having swine flu. The child was admitted to North Tees Hospital in Stockton in a poorly condition, and later tested positive for swine flu. The baby has been given anti viral medication and
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Five to travel the world
FIVE young people have been selected to spend six weeks in either Brazil, China or India under an international exchange scheme. Mengya Du, Daniel Ross and Philip Naylor, from St Leonard’s RC Comprehensive, in Durham City; Luke Havers, from Durham Johnston
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Plight of NE unemployed worse than 1980s, MP
THE plight of the jobless in the region's former coalfield communities is even worse than 20 years ago, a Labour MP warned today. The government had barely scratched the surface of the appalling legacy of unemployment and lack of qualifications
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Fire causing major traffic disruption
A FIRE in a flat on a major road into Darlington is causing serious traffic disruption. The blaze broke out at the flat in North Road this afternoon. Police closed the busy road - one of the main links to the north of the town - to allow fire fighters
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RAF honour charity cyclists with flypast
A CYCLIST with Parkinson’s disease who is half way through completing a Lands End to John O’Groats journey to raise money to fund research into the illness has had his team’s efforts recognised by an RAF flypast at Ripon Cathedral. David Greaves, from
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Hospital gets new cardiac unit after ten year wait
A NEW cardiology unit has been officially opened at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton after ten years of work by staff and fundraisers to bring it up to standard. The cardiology service has been moved into a converted ward in the main
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Indiana Jones And The Staff Of Kings
Published by Activision Format: Nintendo Wii Price: £39.99 IF YOU thought Harrison Ford was a bit too long in the tooth for all that tomb raiding in the last Indiana Jones movie, take heart. Indy is back to his youthful
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Taking care of your teeth is the key to a healthy smile
Schoolchildren at Seascape Primary School who take care of their teeth are being rewarded with the Healthy Teeth Award as well as happy healthy smiles. Seascape Primary School in Peterlee will be presented with the award on Monday 29 June 2009 for
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Braun Series 7 Pulsonic 790
BRAUN has been at the cutting edge of men's shaving products for decades. The new Series 7 Pulsonic 790 takes all that is good about those shavers and adds new technology - more than 100,000 tiny vibrations per minute that help cut closer with
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Family fun at military museum
A MILITARY museum is celebrating Armed Forces Day with events for all ages. The family day will be held at the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) Museum, in Durham, on Sunday, June 28, beginning at 10.30am. At 11am a ceremony will be held during which North
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British arm of Setanta goes into administration
ADMINISTRATORS have been appointed for troubled TV broadcaster Setanta. More than 200 people will be made redundant and the station will soon go off air. In a statement the company said it had stopped taking subscription fees.
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Fuel
Formats: PS3, Xbox 360, PC Publisher: Codemasters Price: £49.99 BEYOND the artificial confines of a race track, the holy grail for racing games is the kind of open world free-roaming environment that makes the Grand Theft Auto series
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Rare monkeys stolen from animal farm
A PAIR of rare monkeys have been stolen from a farm where they had been taken to breed. Burglars took the Goeldi monkeys, worth around £2,000 each, from Tweddle Animal farm, in Blackhall Colliery, near Hartlepool. The pair, called George
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Brits struggle at Wimbledon - but Venus cruises through
BRITISH players continue to struggle on the second day of the Wimbledon Championships, with four more crashing out at the first-round stage this afternoon. British women's number one Anne Keothavong was the highest-profile casualty, losing 7-5, 6-2 to
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Max Mosley standing firm
MAX Mosley has sounded a defiant note on the eve of a World Motorsports Council meeting that could decide his future. The boss of world motorsport - who is at loggerheads with eight Formula One teams over his plans to make the sport cheaper - said he
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Fears for missing man
THE family of a man who has been missing since Friday is urging anyone with information to contact police. Terence Hough, known as Terry, was last seen at about 10.50pm on Oxford Road in Thornaby near Stockton. The 39-year-old is described as white,
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MP to hand £2,200 of expenses claim to charity
ONE of the region's MPs will hand £2,200 to a local charity - after admitting his constituents might regard his expenses claims as "extravagant". Iain Wright, the Hartlepool MP, said the donation would cover the cost of a sofa (£1,632) and a stereo system
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Memorial garden plans making progress
VILLAGERS helping to draw up plans for a new memorial garden have raised more funds for their appeal at a fair. Haughton Residents' Association boosted their funds by £50 at St Andrew's Church on Saturday. The group has raised £900 so far towards its
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Males invited to take part in sponsored walk
NHS County Durham and Durham Wildlife Trust are inviting men and boys of all ages to take part in a sponsored walk at Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve on Saturday 27 June 2009. The Reserve is situated just off the A690 near Houghton-le-Spring. The walk
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Changes to road race route
RUNNERS have helped organisers come up with a new course for a popular road race. Darlington 10k will have a new starting point when this year's event takes place on August 9. Jeff Dawson, from Darlington Borough Council, said the start line had been
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Centre to get royal seal of approval
PRINCEE ANNE will officially open a £1.1m entertainment and sports centre during a visit to the region next week. The princess will visit the Galtres Centre complex, in Easingwold, North Yorkshire, on July 2. Organisers hope hundreds of local people
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Rosko by Phil P Mitchell (Alberts Press, £7.99)
TYNESIDE private investigator Rosko started out as an honest cop who unfortunately fell foul of his corrupt boss, but now a case brings him up against his old nemesis who is stronger then ever. Never one to avoid going for broke, Rosko puts his
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Concern over departure of council officer
CONCERN has been raised about the circumstances surrounding the departure of a senior council officer who oversaw the introduction of controversial fortnightly waste collections. Sean Little left his post as head of waste and street scene at
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Sheep shearing competition at Great Yorkshire Show
YOUNG shearers are invited to test their skills in the Great Yorkshire Blade Shearing Competition in Harrogate. The competition is part of the Great Yorkshire Show, in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, which runs from July 14-16. The show has qualifying competitions
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Midnight Fugue by Reginald Hill (HarperCollins, £17.99)
MORE delight for Dalziel and Pascoe fans as the mid-Yorkshire detectives try to solve a murder case which embroils them in corruption in the Met, the murky goings-on in the world of “investigative journalism” and the even murkier world of national
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A Swim-On Part In A Goldfish Bowl: A Memoir by Carol Thatcher (HeadLine, £7.99)
CAROL Thatcher has always been a head-on, in-your-face type of person and her memoir of her life as the “Milk Snatcher’s daughter” is honest and forthright. Maggie naturally hogged the headlines, her father hogged the gin bottle and brother
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Boss of Bosses by Clare Longrigg (John Murray, £7.99)
AFTER the Sicilian Mafia took on the Italian state and lost, it was taken over by one Bernado Provenzana who abandoned the bombs and bullets tactics for the softly-softly approach. A shadowy figure for 43 years, often thought to be dead, he instilled
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Hidden Treasures of England: A Guide to the Country’s Best-kept Secrets by Michael McNay (Random House, £25)
ENGLAND has lots of well-known landmarks and attractions – and thousands of visitors flock to see them every year. But, if you’ve ever wondered what else is out there, what hidden gems are tucked away, here’s your chance to find out. McNay has
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County harmony praised in survey
THE vast majority of North Yorkshire residents believe the county is a harmonious place to live - and are happy with their local area and their home, according to a national survey published today. The 2009 Place survey - which is designed to capture
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Memoirs of a Moldywarp by Peter Ryder
Harry Mead admires the pluck of a burrowing band of brothers. THE unseen North Country here – caves – and a band of North-East explorers called the Moldywarps Speliological Group, perpetuating the Viking word for “mole”. A founder of the burrowing
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June 23rd, 2009
FOREST FAIR All dressed in green, quite pristine, The trees of England stand As gents and ladies, brightly robed, The finest in our land. But one young lady stands alone. She’s wearing last year’s clothes, A tawdry brown, her skirts
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It’s a wrap!
Just lie there in bandages and lose weight. It may not be pretty, but it is effective, says Lucy Richardson. WITH a wedding in two days time, the chance to lose at least six inches in two hours seemed too good to be true. After all, it’s even worth
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NORTH YORKSHIRE: News in brief
OPEN GARDENS: A total of 12 houses in Newton-le-Willows will take part in an open gardens event on Sunday, July 5, from 2pm to 5pm. Proceeds in aid of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and village hall funds. Home made teas will be served from 1.30pm. Admission
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Hilarity Bites New Act Competition Seen, Darlington
THE chuckle muscles were given an extended workout when some of the country’s brightest new comedians took to the stage in Darlington. The final of the Hilarity Bites competition saw the cream of the acts from a series of heats go head-to-head
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Cycle safety lessons
YOUNGSTERS have been given an important lesson on cycle safety from a trio of Police Community Support Officers. PCSOs Steve Larter, Claire Laidler and Stuart Howarth are running a cycle event at Chester-le-Street Church of England Junior School yesterday
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Not so ugly Not so ugly
FROM the moment Becki Newton read the script for the pilot of Ugly Betty, she knew she had to get the role of the sublimely conniving and bitchy receptionist, Amanda Tanen. ‘‘All I had ever done was TV commercials, but I read the script and I said
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Newcastle go Dutch
NEWCASTLE United will travel to Holland for a pre-season friendly against FC Utrecht on Sunday, July 26 (kick-off 2.30pm local time). Utrecht finished 9th in the Dutch top flight last term and play their home matches at the Stadion Galgenwaard
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Something to hide?
WE hear of the inquiry into the Iraq war being held in private. We see the newly-published MPs’ expenses which have lots of information blacked out. Are these the same MPs who used the argument “if you have nothing to hide you have nothing
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Economic crisis
CORRESPONDENT Des More wrote: “This Government has brought our country to the verge of bankruptcy...” (HAS, June 18). Should he not have added “by not reversing Mrs Thatcher’s doctrines of the free market, deregulating the City and allowing the
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Clucky dip
A little cafe in Houghall boasts such delicious baking that it’s frequented by hungry visitors of the feathered kind. NOT so much fallen on hard times as besieged on all sides by blood curdling, man-eating hordes of them, recent columns have represented
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Iran protests
RE Friday’s ITV local news regarding a demonstration in Newcastle by Iranians in favour of the election protests in Iran. The protestors were showing posters displaying words such as “Save our country”. If it is such a problem to them, why are
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Accuracy
I NEVER proclaim to be always right, but before criticism I always carefully check the facts and evidence. Had Chris White (HAS, June 18) done so, I would be happy. He – in what can only be described as pseudo-intellectual literary snobbery –
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Last survivor
I WAS interested to read about Millvina Dean, the last survivor of the Titanic, whose funeral took place last Tuesday (Echo, June 17). Though only nine weeks old at the time of the disaster, Miss Dean’s story is still a fascinating one. She died
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Insulin advice
AS the summer holidays approach, the Insulin Dependent Diabetes Trust (IDDT) knows that going away, especially abroad, is not straightforward for people with diabetes. The added security now present in airports and on flights means that carrying
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Foul players
I AM writing to applaud the actions of Spennymoor Town Council in banning Tudhoe United football club from using changing rooms at Tudhoe Community Centre (Echo, June 17) because it was claimed the facilities were regularly left dirty and untidy
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Parliament
THE recent scandal regarding MPs’ expenses has obscured something which is far more serious – the appointment of non-elected persons to government. In 1963, when Lord Home became Prime Minister he resigned his title and fought a by-election.
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Bus falls
WHEN I appeared as Olive in the TV sitcom, On the Buses, we tried to show the lighter side of bus travel, but for some older people getting on and off a bus is no laughing matter. New research from Age Concern and Help the Aged shows that nearly
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Park and ride
IF the decision that the cabinet of the new Durham County Council has made in awarding the next Durham park-and-ride contract to Arriva (Echo, June 18) is anything to measure performance by, it does not bode well for council tax payers in this
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MPs' expenses
IT is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonored by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government; ye are a pack
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Don’t bank on a new Speaker
I’M looking forward to spending some of the August holiday in Yorkshire and Durham and this year I will also make a trip west to Coniston to visit the grave of one of my great heroes – the philosopher and historian RG Collingwood. He wrote his most
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Rebuilding life after tragedy
When her husband died, Gaynor Williams felt she had no one to turn to. Today, on International Widows’ Day, she speaks to Jenny Laue about the importance of support and how she got involved in her local self-help group. BEING widowed when you’re a pensioner
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A u-turn will be a bonus
HERE’S the latest installment in that long-running story, don’t they ever learn? Last week, there was astonishment when Gordon Brown, who claimed to be committed to openness and transparency, announced a secret inquiry into the Iraq war. The resultant
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Fun day to improve village
OUTDOOR enthusiasts are being asked to share their views this weekend on ways to improve their local green areas. Free events will take place at St James Church and Community Hall, Burnopfield, near Stanley, on Saturday from 10am to 1pm, including
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Bank’s £9.6m pay package sparks anger
ROYAL Bank of Scotland (RBS) chief executive Stephen Hester is in line for a £9.6m pay package if he leads a turnaround of the ailing lender, it emerged yesterday. RBS won support from UK Financial Investments (UKFI), which controls the Government
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Some good news among the economic doom and gloom
IN times when all the financial and economic news seems to be bad, it makes a refreshing change to learn of a positive development that may be of practical benefit to large numbers of people. If you are divorced, aged between 50 and 60 and
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Tanfield Lea office development ready
WORK is now complete on Durham County Council’s most ambitious development project at Tanfield Lea, near Stanley, in County Durham. The £6.8m Tanfield Lea Business Centre has been made possible with funding from the council, One North East,
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Making profit from undervalued stock
MANY capital growth investors could be forgiven for beginning to lose faith in the premise of investing in the stock market. Despite an extremely strong bull-run between March 2003 and October 2007, over the past ten years, the UK’s FTSE 100
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UK first for Lufthansa as it takes a major share in struggling bmi
GERMANY’S flagship airline Lufthansa is to take control of a UK carrier for the first time, after agreeing to buy a majority stake in British Midland (bmi) in a deal costing £223m, it was revealed yesterday. Bmi – which in March cancelled its
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Green plan fuels air ambulance
GREAT North Air Ambulance Service has gone ‘green’, thanks to a pioneering and potentially lucrative recycling service. To keep the fleet of life-saving helicopters airborne, the organisation has set up a door-to-door service for businesses
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More pain before gain
DTZ’S Money into Property report predicts that further pain in commercial property prices is yet to come, as prices will continue to slide globally through this year and will only stabilise during 2010. According to the report, the prime London
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Woman trampled to death by cows is named
A VET trampled to death by a herd of cows in the Yorkshire Dales has been named. Liz Crowsley, 49, was walking with her two dogs along a bridleway near Gayle, in Wensleydale, on Sunday morning when the tragedy happened. Police said the
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Rise reported in demand for warehouses
DEMAND for warehouse space on Teesside is strong, despite the economic slowdown, according to property consultancy, Sanderson Weatherall, which has finalised two of the region’s largest warehousing deals this year. The firm’s Teesside office
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Colonies the way forward with eggs
POULTRY farmers took the opportunity to see the latest developments in egg production on a pioneering unit. Chris Kirkwood was one of the first producers in the country to install an “enriched colony” system for laying hens. He produces more
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Call for a rethink of crop research funding
UK plant breeders want the Government to reverse its chronic underfunding of crop research by at least £20m a year. Faced with major global challenges of food security, climate change and pressure on the world’s natural resources, the British
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Prime location offered to new businesses
NEW businesses can be up and running with a prestigious office address from the outset thanks to a new scheme being launched by The Wilton Centre. From July 1, the centre, located ten minutes from Middlesbrough, is offering a shared workspace
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News in Brief: Look out for payment packs
FARMERS have been advised to keep an eye out for the delivery of mapping packs concerning their Single Payment Scheme. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is updating the Rural Land Register (RLR) to include the 2008 Ordnance Survey mapping information
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‘Develop as many family lines as possible’
NORTH Yorkshire farmer John Dugdale urged sheep societies to develop as many family lines as possible within their breeds. Speaking at the recent North Sheep 2009 he told of his concern about dairy cattle breeding and the influence one bull can
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No time to waste with oilseed rape
THE region’s oilseed growers must do all they can to get rape crops in and out of the ground as quickly as possible this autumn. Many were forced into late drilling or abandoning crops last year following the wet summer and autumn, which led
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Region’s small businesses are bucking the trend
SMALL businesses in the North-East have been least affected by the recession according to new research. More than half of North-East small business have seen no drop in their turnover during the recession, a study by Mr Site and PayPal has claimed
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Former publican swaps pints for prints
A FORMER publican has swapped pulling pints for printing services after launching an online business venture across the UK. Steven Wright, who used to be landlord of The McOrville Inn, in Elwick, near Hartlepool, has turned his attentions to Anonprinting
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Students open ceremics workshop
TWO artistic students have used skills learnt during their studies to set up their own business. Stacey Clarkson and Rebecca Brown have opened their own ceramics workshop in Darlington, and will be designing and making bespoke items of earthenware
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Investing in the future of hospice
LAW firm Dickinson Dees is calling on North-East businesses to help raise thousands of pounds for a hospice by signing up to a challenge to convert £100 into as much money as possible. The challenge will start at the beginning of August, when
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Staff vote to raise cash for children
LAW firm Sintons has formed a partnership with a North- East charity that supports disabled and disadvantaged children. Soundbeam helps profoundly physically or learning- impaired people communicate using music and sound, which can stimulate learning
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Law firm sponsors cricket club
LAW firm TBI Solicitors has funded the new season’s kit for the cricket team it sponsors. TBI unveiled a sponsorship deal with Hartlepool Cricket Club a year ago, and is now extending that by providing additional kit. As well as recruiting new
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Technology firm secures its second Spanish contract
A TECHNOLOGY firm specialising in the energy and construction sectors has secured its second £750,000 contract with a Spanish oil firm. Cepsa is using software developed by Stockton-based Unasys to manage the construction of a major extension
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Vehicle tracking on the increase
THE number of companies signing up to vehicle tracking systems to cut costs is rising significantly. Nearly 5,000 light commercial vehicles on hire to fleet customers from Darlingtonbased Northgate Vehicle Hire are equipped with its vehicle monitoring
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Karl Pemberton : Don’t be fooled by offers to wipe your debt
COSTS are rising, times are tough and those pesky debts will just not come down. A situation experienced by many of us in this last year or two. Then one day, you hear an advertisement on the radio, see a poster on a mobile billboard, or speak to
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Fines warning for dog owners
DOG owners who fail to clear up their pets' mess will face a fine of £80 from the beginning of August. Durham County Council's cabinet has approved a Dog Control Order that will cover the entire county, replacing the patchwork of regulations and penalties
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Busy year ahead for property team
THE public sector property team at law firm Ward Hadaway has completed transactions with a development value of more than £800m over the past year. Over the past year, the ninestrong team from the Newcastlebased firm has worked on schemes ranging
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Matthew Rippon: ‘Never compromise on quality’
CHRIS COOK, a Northumbria University graduate and a member of the recordbreaking British swimming team at last year’s Olympics, recently spoke at the university’s sports dinner. The address was short. Chris wanted to share some of the key lessons
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MP praised for highlighting importance of apprentices
ONE of the region’s MPs has been praised for his efforts to highlight the importance of apprenticeships in the construction sector. Blaydon MP Dave Anderson, himself a former apprentice, has tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons
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Awards to recognise call centre workers
BUSINESSES and individuals in one of the region’s strongest sectors are preparing for the industry’s North- East awards. The contact centre industry employs more than 61,000 people in more than 145 centres in the region, and businesses and their
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Family affair for new venture
A BUSINESS coach with years of experience in guiding top entrepreneurs to build their businesses has set up on his own. Chris Baxter has set up his own business coaching company, Good Enough Never Is (Geni), after being the UK’s leading franchisee
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James Ramsbotham : Preparing for spending cuts
MINISTER for the North-East Nick Brown threw his political weight behind plans to improve the region’s infrastructure at last week’s North-East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) Tees Dinner. This obviously came as excellent news to NECC, which has long
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Store will create 59 jobs in town
THE first stage in the redevelopment of a divided town centre will create dozens of jobs. Budget retailer Wilkinson will open a store in Thames Shopping Centre, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, at the end of next month, creating 59 jobs. The
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£30m office development opened
A £30M commercial development has been opened in the North-East. Gateway West, which offers 230,000sq ft of office and industrial space, has been built beside one of the region’s most high-profile business parks, Newburn Riverside, near Newcastle
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Investment may create businesses
FORTY software businesses could be created on Wearside after £2.9m investment in the sector. The University of Sunderland has secured the funding from regional development agency One North East to finance its contribution to the Sunderland Software
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Partnership formed to support artistic talent
A PARTNERSHIP has been formed between two of the region’s most influential organisations to help develop the North-East’s emerging reputation as a hub for artistic talent. Business and Enterprise North- East, which runs the Business Link service
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Asimo brings engineering to life for youngsters
THE world’s most advanced humanoid robot has made its second visit to the region to inspire young engineers. Asimo, the robot made famous by Honda television adverts, visited the Youth Engineering Show on Wearside for the second consecutive year
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Swapping parcels for wildlife
POST Office worker Jonathan Barnett is swapping the sorting office for the Eston Moor every Monday morning to gain a honours degree. Mr Barnett, who works as a nightshift sorter for Royal Mail Parcelforce at Middlesbrough, is among the army of countryside
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Group gets funding for electric car fleet
A NORTH-EAST consortium, including Nissan, in Sunderland, and Smith Electric Vehicles, part of the North-East based Tanfield Group, will today receive Government funding to put a fleet of electric or low carbon vehicles on Britain’s roads in the
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Lender rejects proposal to restructure care group
A CARE home group will not automatically be sold after one of its backers rejected proposals to restructure its massive debts. The lender’s rejection of the proposals for Four Seasons Health Care’s £1.5bn debt was described as “manoeuvring” last
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Gale can’t prevent Tykes crashing to Twenty20 defeat
A SWASHBUCKLING 76 from Andrew Gale wasn’t enough for victory at Trent Bridge as Samit Patel and Ryan Sidebottom squeezed the life out of Yorkshire’s reply late on to throw the Twenty20 Cup North Division wide open. Gale showed his intent from
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Deadline extended for garden competition
GREEN-FINGERED people have been given more time to spruce up their gardens in an annual competition. Darlington in Bloom has extended the deadline until Friday, July 3, across its range of categories. Gardeners can put in entries for
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Selectors hand Durham a bowling headache
DURHAM will be without the country’s two leading wicket-takers, Graham Onions and Steve Harmison, for at least the next fortnight. Whether they are seen after that will depend on the Ashes selection. Even though, unlike Onions, Harmison
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Scott Wilson’s Wimbledon Diary
RIGHT, first things first, forget Federer, Murray and the Williams sisters. If it’s the first day of Wimbledon, only one question needs answering – how much are the strawberries and cream? The answer is a surprisingly reasonable £2.25 for a punnet
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Murray in the shape of his life
ANDY Murray feels he will start this year’s Wimbledon a much better player than when he exited at the quarter- final stage 12 months ago. Murray’s last-eight defeat to Rafael Nadal in the 2008 tournament represents his best performance at SW19
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Robson just fails first singles test
TWO weeks ago, Laura Robson was sitting GCSE exams in English language and literature. Yesterday, as she made her Grand Slam debut in front of 4,000 spectators on Wimbledon’s number two court, the British 15-year-old underwent a very different
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Step up will suit Queen
SECRET Queen looked in need of a step up in trip when third on her debut at Bath last month, and that is exactly what she gets at Newbury. Brian Meehan’s inmate was not unfancied for that racecourse introduction, but lacked the necessary pace
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Glover holds nerve to land unexpected win
PHIL MICKELSON came up short in a US Open for a record fifth time as Lucas Glover stayed calm to claim a twoshot victory on a dramatic final day. Glover had started the day with a five-shot lead over the field at seven under par alongside co-leader
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Sharapova in the groove
MARIA Sharapova wants to talk about forehands, not fashion, as she continued her injury comeback with a straight sets win at Wimbledon. After nine months of frustration on the sidelines, the former world number one arrived at the All England
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Headline Game update
Containment is sometimes the name of the the Headline Game on TFM radio. If you can't win a point yourself, do your best to minimise the damage. This morning's story was about an Austrian student who went out drinking with his mates and woke up in the
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Bates agrees new deal
GARETH SOUTHGATE had a triple reason to celebrate yesterday after versatile defender- cum-midfielder Matthew Bates agreed terms on a new three year deal. With Bates equally comfortable at right-back, centre half or defensive midfield, the manager
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Crouch on Bruce’s radar
STEVE BRUCE expects a couple of new faces to be part of the Sunderland squad that plays in the Amsterdam Tournament next month. Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch, England Uunder-21 star Frazier Campbell and former Newcastle frontman Lomana LuaLua
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‘Poor deal over public spending’
THE region’s poor deal on public spending has been highlighted by new research. Figures produced by the independent think-tank, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), show the North-East received £5,210 per person in 2008-9. Although
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Tributes after death of pathologist at 85
THE family of a leading North-East pathologist have described the time he spent in the jungle during one of Asia’s largely “forgotten wars”. Dr Hugh Williams found himself caught up in the infamous war between Commonwealth forces and Communist
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Artists inspired by throwaway items
USED items have inspired art for an exhibition. Old and obsolete objects will be used as the base for drawings, films and photographs for the Shock of the Used display. The exhibition brings together artists Steven Walker, Toby Lloyd and Iain
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Final farewell to young dad-of-two
THE funeral of a man who died hours after his first night out since being paralysed in a car accident took place in front of a packed congregation, yesterday. Michael Anthony Bellas, 26, died at his home in Kirkdale, Spennymoor, County Durham
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Council identifies potential locations for academy schools
POSSIBLE sites for three new academy schools have been revealed. Durham County Council has identified two options for a Durham City academy, two for a Consett academy and one for a Stanley academy. The £75m scheme would see six secondary schools
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Jailed for hell-hole cruelty
A COUPLE have been jailed after forcing their children to live in a “hell-hole” that left even hardened police officers feeling sick and horrified. The three children – two girls aged four and one, and a boy aged three – were forced to share
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Workers risk jobs in Total solidarity
ABOUT 1,000 people in the North-East risked their jobs yesterday by taking part in an unofficial walkout. The workers from the Ensus wheat refinery, at Wilton, Teesside, decided the strike was necessary to show solidarity with workers at the
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‘Clean-break’ candidate Bercow elected Speaker
A CONSERVATIVE MP disowned by his own side but backed enthusiastically by Labour MPs will lead the clean-up of the Commons after being elected Speaker last night. John Bercow triumphed after three rounds of voting stretching over six hours,
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Chlamydia Holiday
Young people aged 16-24 have the chance to win a holiday for themselves and three friends – if they pee in a pot and take a test for chlamydia. The primary care trusts in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Country Durham, Darlington and Teesside are campaigning
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Taylor ready to leave
ALAN Shearer is not the only person frustrated at the confusion surrounding Newcastle United – defender Steven Taylor is edging towards the St James’ Park exit door after growing increasingly disillusioned with the club’s current predicament.
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Owen keen to stay in Premier League
MICHAEL OWEN’S confirmation he will leave Newcastle next month ended any lingering doubts about his future on Tyneside. Owen has claimed the Premier League is “where I feel I belong” but whether many top flight clubs agree remains to be seen
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Federer opens the ‘new’ Centre Court in style
ROGER Federer reminded arch-rival Rafael Nadal what he is missing after starting his pursuit of a sixth Wimbledon title with an emphatic straight sets win over Yen- Hsun Lu of Chinese Taipei. With Nadal unable to defend his title because of a
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RSPCA search for owner of abandoned dog
THE RSPCA is looking for the owner of a greyhound abandoned in a stable block at one of its North-East centres. The dog, named Flax, was heard crying in the tack room as staff locked up at the Great Ayton Animal Centre, near Middlesbrough, at about
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Raising the flag to honour our Armed Forces
WAR veterans and serving troops were remembered at flag-raising ceremonies around the region as part of the nation’s first Armed Forces day yesterday. National Armed Forces day, which is on June 27, has been organised to show support for the
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Report shows the region’s heritage at risk
HUNDREDS of conservation areas and heritage sites in the North-East and North Yorkshire are at risk of neglect, decay or damaging change, the latest survey by English Heritage reveals today. In the North-East, one in five conservation sites, designated
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Students awestruck by royal visitor
STUDENTS at a special school were left awestruck when a royal visitor came to inspect their work. The Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward, spent an hour looking around Catcote School, in Hartlepool, talking to students and staff. He was there to see
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Fundraiser is really taking off
A DOZEN women have posed for a nude calendar to raise money for a cancer charity. Colin Glease, 45, of Dipton, near Stanley, County Durham, died of pancreatic cancer last year in the middle of a fundraising campaign to buy a drug that can treat
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No legal challenge over buses contract
A BUS company which missed out on a council parkand- ride contract has announced it will not challenge the decision. Go North East had been considering legal action after Durham County Council decided to hand a five-year deal to run the Durham
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Convicted drug dealer in quest to reclaim cash
A CONVICTED drug dealer is suing a one-time friend for thousands of pounds he is alleged to have given to him to stop investigators finding and confiscating it. Kevin Brown is said to have asked Nigel Reay to stash in his own bank accounts the
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Trampled to death by a herd of cattle
A VET on holiday in North Yorkshire was trampled to death by cows while walking with her dogs, police confirmed last night. The 49-year-old was killed by a herd of cattle on a bridleway on the Pennine Way in the Yorkshire Dales. Police said the
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Tornado is runner-up to Jaguar in TV race
A STEAM locomotive with TV show presenter Jeremy Clarkson at the footplate narrowly lost out on a unique race televised at the weekend. Tornado, the first steam engine to be built in England for 50 years, was pitted against a Jaguar XK120 and a
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Landmark giant art erected
A COLOSSAL piece of public art which developers hope will establish Darlington as a cultural centre will be erected this week. Work will start on the installation of Futurescope, at Darlington business park Lingfield Point, today. The art feature
