Archive
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Games hailed as a Millennium masterpiece
MORE than 130 North-East youngsters are looking forward to competing against the cream of Britain's young athletes, following the biggest youth sport event the region has seen. The last of the finalists, who are bound for the BAA Millennium Youth Games
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Youth plan to ease burden
YOUNG people with emotional problems could soon be given help thanks to a new support scheme. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is involved in a Government plan to set up a service to allow all youngsters, whatever their problems, to carry on in education
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Pull-out threat to
THE developer behind the transformation of one of the region's unemployment black-spots has quit the town - casting doubt over a long-awaited tall ships centre. Mandale Properties has invested substantially in Hartlepool's old dock area. But it has now
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two mann-y chefs in the kitchen don't spoil guide launch
BUDDING North-East chefs donned their aprons and hats for the launch of a pocket guide to the best restaurants and cafes in the region. The Tees Valley Eating Out Guide was unveiled at Sardis restaurant, in Darlington, in the presence of junior chefs
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Sunday shopping
Widespread Sunday trading is planned in the centre of Sunderland from September, when the city's enlarged Bridges shopping centre, including a Debenhams department store, opens to the public. Retailers agreed to the move at a recent City Centre Traders
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In the running
A 10km road race and fun run through Hamsterley Forest on Bank Holiday Sunday, August 27, will raise funds for the Butterwick Hospice at Bishop Auckland. For information, contact Simon Blenkinsop on (01388) 488312, or Keith Shevels on (01325) 258156.
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Youths hurl petrol bombs at packed bus
POLICE are trying to trace teenage yobs who hurled petrol bombs at a city centre bus full of passengers. The teenagers threw Molotov cocktails at the single-decker bus as it stopped in Southwick, Sunderland, to let off rush-hour passengers on Wednesday
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Thieves steal car CD players
TWO cars were broken into and compact disc players stolen in attacks in Darlington. The first theft took place in Graham Court, between 5pm on Tuesday and 9.40am on Wednesday. Ten compact discs valued at £100 were also taken. The second was in Southend
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More drivers ignoring speed traps
THE number of drivers caught ignoring a crackdown on speeding has more than tripled in two months. An initiative, launched at the start of April, to cut road casualties in Teesside by getting drivers to slow down, has resulted in 8,689 fixed penalty tickets
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£92,650 boost for pit village playground
A FORMER pit village's new playground has been given a £92,650 boost by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust Partnership. The money will be ploughed into Kids Zone at Coxhoe, near Durham City. It will pay for a CCTV system linked to the nearby Coxhoe Leisure
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US players jump at invitation
A TEESSIDE mayor, who has made friends with a group of American teenagers, has invited them to a civic reception tonight. Coun Arthur Dobson, mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, was guest of honour at Eston Sports Academy on Saturday, where he watched an international
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Divers come up with a £5,000 grant
A DARLINGTON diving group has been given a £5,000 cash grant from a millennium awards scheme. The 3 Seas Diving Group has spent its grant on new kit for training, including air regulators, buoyancy jackets, compasses, navigational aids, first aid training
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Bathtime at last - after five months of waiting
A DISABLED man is looking forward to his first bath for more than five months after council officials finally promised to carry out improvements to his home. Barry Joyce had not been able to have a bath or shower at his Spennymoor home since January,
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Students earn honours
A DEPARTMENT at Darlington College has presented certificates to students for their positive attitude to their course. The awards were made last night, to students from the health and social care department. Certificates were given for achievements such
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One England team that made the final
YOUNG footballers narrowly missed out on international football glory in a mini Euro 2000 - but they still managed to massively outperform their professional counterparts. The 13 and 14-year-olds, from Consett and Stanley, represented their country in
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Police 200 yards away fail to help attacked woman
A POLICE investigation is under way into claims a young woman fought to stop a crazed man breaking into her flat - while officers in a station 200 yards away failed to answer her 999 call. Christine Burke, 27, had arrived home by taxi after a night out
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Appeal for bereaved parents' garden
MIDWIFE Marie Richards, from Sedgefield, is appealing for donations to help her provide a seat and a small garden in the town's cemetery, especially for those parents who have lost children before and after birth. She believes that parents would benefit
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Sporting chance for youngsters
A TEAM of sixth formers organised a sports day this week for youngsters from five primary schools. About 150 year five pupils spent the day at Sedgefield Community College as part of Ecclesiastical Insurance's Top Links Festival of Sport. Headteacher
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Painful trip down memory channel
MEMORIES of the Second World War are as clear as the vivid scar and pain from Richard Hall's legs. He has just returned from his last trip to the beaches of Northern France where he and thousands of the British Expeditionary Force were snatched with their
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Cabbies hark back to days of horse and carriage
HORSE-DRAWN carriages could be set to return to the streets of a North-East town for the first time in nearly 100 years. Darlington's Independent Taxi Traders Organisation is backing a bid to grant the horse-drawn cab a Hackney carriage licence. But Darlington
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A winning chance is brewing
A brewer and landlord reckons he has blended the finest ingredients in just the right way for just the right length of time to make the perfect pint - but he has just one problem. Paul Conroy, of The Grey Horse, in Consett, can't think what to call the
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Consultant apologised for mistake
GYNAECOLOGIST Richard Neale made a written apology to a colleague for botching an operation on an incontinent woman, the General Medical Council (GMC) heard yesterday. Mr Neale, 52, asked consultant urologist Mr Ian Eardlay, at St James' Hospital, Leeds
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Medal marks top student's work
A PART-time student at Middlesbrough College is to receive an excellence award which recognises her outstanding achievements on her course. Judith Smith, of Adcott Road, Acklam, Middlesbrough, has been working towards a City and Guilds Certificate in
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Visits on offer to schools
A YOUNG couple are to visit the schools of Richmond to promote religious education. Gale Brazier and her fiance, Ben Dowding, both 19, are members of Pais, a Christian organisation, which works in schools. Ben, originally from Richmond, and Gale, are
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Priest
ONE of the country's first woman priests is swapping her rural parish post in County Durham for one in Gateshead. The Reverend Valerie Shedden will take her last service at St Michael's Church, Bishop Middleham, on Sunday, before she takes up another
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Teams call-up for charity challenge
ADVENTUROUS teams are needed to help a good cause. The Croft Charity Challenge, is in aid of the Butterwick Children's Hospice in Stockton, and Fairbridge, in Teesside, which offers support and training to marginalised young people. It will be held at
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Children help spend club's lottery cash
LOFTUS children have the chance to vote on how to spend a £10,000 Lottery win on a new after school club. The 170 youngsters at St Joseph's RC Primary gave club leaders Debbie Tose and Kaye Brown a list of priorities following a successful bid to the
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Funds to explore and celebrate the past
HERITAGE groups in the North-East are being encouraged to develop a future based on the past of their local communities. Three community organisations became the first in the region to receive funding under the Local Heritage Initiative (LHI) this week
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One score Boro fans will be hearing a lot of next season
THE sound of music will ring out at the Riverside stadium next season when a lifelong Boro supporter unveils a symphony written in honour of his team. Composer David Golightly has captured the last five years of events for Middlesbrough Football Club
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Allotments judged
MEMBERS of Saltburn, Marske and New Marske parish council will judge the annual Joe Abraham Memorial Allotments Competition on Tuesday. Saltburn and New Marske allotments will be judged on the morning and Marske in the afternoon. All the council's allotments
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I'm looking forward to your songs Elton - Lord Barnard
AS thousands of excited Elton John fans get set for crocodile rock at Raby Castle next month, one important member of the audience has some catching up to do as regards the music of the rock legend. The owner of the County Durham medieval fortress, Lord
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Snapshots of history
SOME of the best entries in a television station's photography project are to go on show in the North-East. The top submissions for the History Channel's Photos for the Future 2 project will tour English Heritage properties, including Belsay Hall, near
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-Dirty Dan' quits Albert Square to be panto duke
SOAP star Craig Fairbrass said yesterday that it was his controversial decision to quit BBC1's EastEnders that tempted him to make his pantomime debut at Sunderland's Empire Theatre. Fairbrass, 35, bows out of Albert Square on July 10 having decided that
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Priest on the move into town
ONE of the country's first woman priests is swapping her rural parish post in County Durham for one in Gateshead. The Reverend Valerie Shedden will take her last service at St Michael's Church, Bishop Middleham, on Sunday, before she takes up another
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Curbing speed freaks
EMERGENCY services are today joining forces to launch a speed check campaign to try to cut the road accident rate. The Three Nines campaign will see speeding motorists spoken to by police, ambulance crews and fire fighters to hammer home the message that
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Environment experts to meet flood victims
ENVIRONMENTAL experts are hoping to shed some light on the floods that hit the region. Officers from the Environment Agency are to visit South Church and West Auckland, in County Durham, to explain how the damage occurred and talk about plans for flood
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Crashes cause chaos for drivers on the A1
MOTORISTS faced severe delays after a series of accidents on the A1 yesterday caused long tailbacks. Problems started when a lorry had a tyre blow-out on the southbound carriageway near Londonderry, in North Yorkshire, careering into the central reservation
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Brake put on car advertisements
A COURT has put the brake on a car dealer's illegal roadside advertising. Judge John Bailey was told Darren Metcalfe's unauthorised signs were literally verging on the dangerous. Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council yesterday successfully applied to Middlesbrough
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£1.5m facilities opened
IMPRESSIVE £1.5m facilities will be officially opened at a north County Durham school next week. Greencroft Comprehensive School in Annfield Plain has undergone a transformation in the past 18 months, with six new classrooms and a sports centre. On Tuesday
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Headteacher is overcome by praise
THE modest headteacher of one of Derwentside's biggest schools said he was "slightly embarrassed" at being given one of his profession's top awards. But staff and pupils at Stanley School of Technology were in no doubt their headteacher David Grigg thoroughly
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Better meals deal is promised for schools
A CATERER is promising major improvements after winning a £30m contract to feed County Durham school pupils for the next five years. Durham County Council has rehired Chartwells, of Newton Aycliffe, to serve its 279 primary and secondary schools. Improvements
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Robbers who got cold feet are jailed
WOULD-BE robbers got cold feet when they failed in their bid to snatch cash from a post office. Kenneth Richardson and Michael Gibson burst into the post office in Barnard Castle, County Durham, carrying baseball bats and demanding money from the till
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Fourteen-year-old to taste life in racing's fast lane
A 14-year-old boy will become Britain's youngest ever racing driver this weekend. Andrew Gray's record-breaking drive in the British Racing and Sports Car Club's T-Cars event will see him compete at the ripe old age of 14 years and 11 days old. While
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Mayor views school's new extension
A SCHOOL'S new extension received a VIP visit from Darlington's Mayor before enjoying a sunny sports day. Councillor Dot Long, a former teacher, and her husband and escort Robert, were guided around Polam Hall School, in Darlington, by girls from the
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MILLENNIUM MEMENTOS FOR ONE AND ALL
YOUNGSTERS have been given a millennium memento to mark their time at a primary school. All 280 pupils at Applegarth Primary, Northallerton, have been given a millennium medallion, complete with an inscribed presentation box. The presentation came at
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Budding architects get to test building skills
MORE than 100 children became builders for the day to get their school ready for the new term. Branksome Comprehensive School, in Darlington, is undergoing refurbishment. As part of the school's induction programme for pupils starting at the school in
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Teenagers who buried puppy alive -misguided'
TWO teenagers who tried to drown a puppy before burying it alive were yesterday described as misguided, not savage. The youngsters confessed to plunging four-month-old Jack Russell cross-bred Pip in a bath of water last December, but denied killing the
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New era for part-time work
SECRETARY of State for Trade and Industry, Stephen Byers, has announced that new rights for part-time workers will come into operation tomorrow. The move is aimed at stamping out discrimination for more than 400,000 mainly women workers on pay, pensions
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Youth project honoured
A YOUTH project on a rundown estate undergoing a revamp has won a top honour. Pennywell Youth Project, at Sunderland, was highly commended in the Whitbread Volunteer Action Awards 2000. The project won the award for its programme to get young people doing
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-Friendly' bus stops a success
USER-FRIENDLY bus stops are proving to be just the ticket in County Durham. A £140,000 package of improvements by Durham County Council is under way, with the second phase now completed in Newton Aycliffe. A total of 120 stops in the town have been improved
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Pair take Christian message into class
A YOUNG couple are about to hit the schools of Darlington, Newton Aycliffe and Barnard Castle in an attempt to make religious education accessible. Gale Brazier and her fiance Ben Dowding, both aged 19, are members of Pais, a Christian organisation, which
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Adrian's talent shines through
A HURWORTH teenager is the envy of his school friends after he picked up a top award for young scientists. Adrian Robinson, 14, of Hurworth Comprehensive School, entered the Spotlight Scientist of the Year Awards, run by school publisher Stanley Thornes
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Sex attacker gets five years
A MAN was jailed for five years yesterday for sexually abusing a woman and a girl. During his four-day trial at Teesside Crown Court, 42-year-old Andrew Rycroft, of Tweed Road in Spennymoor, claimed the two victims were lying. The court heard that the
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Meet your councillors
REDCAR and Cleveland councillors will be holding ward surgeries throughout the borough tomorrow. Richard Rudland will be at Brotton Library from 10.30am until 11.30am while St Germains councillor Madge Moses will be at Marske Library from 11am until noon
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Students set up sports festival
AN afternoon of sporting fun for primary school children is being held on Monday afternoon. The festival of sport, at Kings Manor School, Middlesbrough, is being organised by pupils, with support from Youth Sport Trust, a charity set up to boost sporting
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Investigation launched after railway death
BRITISH Transport Police are investigating the death of a 19-year-old man who was hit by a GNER InterCity train travelling on the main Newcastle to King's Cross line. Neil Heaviside, who worked as a welder and engineer and lived with his parents Les and
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High praise from Ofsted inspectors
PUPILS at a Teesside Infant school have been praised for their standards of achievement. A recent Office for Standards in Education inspection at Roseberry Infant School, Billingham, revealed that the school is doing extremely well and provides pupils
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Preparing to fly the
COLBURN Primary School, near Catterick Garrison, is the first in North Yorkshire to receive the green flag of the eco-schools award. Pupils and staff were assessed as deserving the accolade because of a host of ecologically-sound ideas they had put into
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Trip has star guest
CHERIE Blair, wife of Prime Minister Tony Blair, made it a special day for youngsters on a school trip to Durham County's cricket ground. Year ten youngsters from Greenfield School, in Newton Aycliffe, who are part of the Action 2001/x1 Network Club,
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Scientific discovery
THIRTY pupils from Ox Close Primary School, in Spennymoor, will be experimenting in science at Spennymoor Comprehensive School on Monday. The year five group will also visit the art department, where they will try their hands at printing and pottery.
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Leadership of school praised by inspectors
THE head of a once struggling school has thanked his staff for their help in achieving a turn around. Several years ago Ofsted inspectors found that 405-pupil Pallister Park Primary School, in Middlesbrough, had experienced problems caused by weaknesses
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Pioneering college opens £1.2m centre
A SCHOOL which became the first in the region to gain specialist arts college status has launched its £1.2m offshoot. Greenfield School's Community Arts Centre is expected to give Newton Aycliffe added importance as a leading venue for the visual and
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Partnership relives historic moments
A partnership between two schools in the region has resulted in a novel drama production. Yarm Preparatory School and Osmotherley County Primary School, have been involved in an independent school/state school partnership for the past two years, and the
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Youngsters on their marks for games
youngsters from three Stockton primary schools joined in sports hall athletics training as part of the Millennium Youth Games. The ten and 11 year-olds from Tilery, Bowesfield and St Cuthbert's primary schools are joining in this year's games as part
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£2,5000 grant to get Enviromob under way
YOUNGSTERS in Stockton are to become eco-warriors after winning money to set up their own "green team". Pupils at Blakeston Community School, have been awarded £2,500 to launch Enviromob, a hands-on campaigning group dedicated to saving the planet while
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Bedale High School
Bedale High School had five competitors in the Hambleton and Richmond area team at the North Yorkshire County Athletics Championships at Ryedale Stadium, York. And all established personal bests - Victoria Bainbridge, long jump, 4.13m; Johnnie Mitchell
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Cricket
Gavin Pattison Cup: Murton 103-4 (D Scorer 38 not out, M Mawhinney 29); Seaham Park 107-5 (A Docherty 46 not out, A Akhtar 27) George Peacock Memorial Trophy Semi-Final: Hetton Lyons 96-5 (S Walker 38); Boldon 97-2 (P Bell 44 not out) Hetton Lyons Sunday
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Rugby Union
Durham City The club's new Youth Development Officer, Andy Dixon, is to run a Summer School for boys and girls aged nine to 15. It will run on week days from July 24 to August 18 (10am-3pm). Enrolment forms are available from Durham City Rugby Club, Hollow
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Training success for Steven
FORMER Saltburn student Steven Ridley has successfully completed an initial phase of officer training at Britannia Royal Naval College to become an engineering (training management) officer in the Royal Navy. Steven, 23, a former pupil of Huntcliffe Secondary
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Weekend blaze hits industrial estate
INVESTIGATIONS are continuing into the cause of a fire that ripped through a plastics factory and caused thousands of pounds of damage. The blaze, which started at 6.30pm on Saturday, devastated the Roto Plastics factory in Ryans Row, on the Longbeck
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Tennis
Ripon Junior Open Ripon Tennis Centre successfully hosted the LTA Ripon Junior Open which attracted 144 entries and produced 162 matches over two weekends. It was the first time the event had been completed without a rain interruption. The strong national
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Bank work nears end
LOFTUS bank - the site of major engineering works since a landslip more than a year ago - is to close for nine weeks. The final stage of work is due to start next month and will involve the building of a retaining wall at the top of the bank. Redcar and
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Cricket
Roseberry Group Cup, second round: Hospitals 69-6 (D Adamson 4-34), Belford House 71-3 (K Youldon 25no, G Pickering 22no) Robinson Cup: Darlington 131-5 (D Whitewood 48, D Morgan 31no), Guisborough 114 (D Coates 3-17, D Whitewood 3-25) Marske 176-7, Great
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Rowntee Cup star
Brunton Cup Seaton Carew had 3.3 overs and six wickets to spare when they defeated Great Ayton in the quarter finals. Kevin Rowntree was their match winner with 45 while Simon Pennock scored 43 of Great Ayton's 111 for eight. Rowntree, John Tully and
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Hunting the secret of success
IT should come as no surprise that Sharon Stone has signed to star in the sequel to Basic Instinct, reprising the leg-crossing role that made her famous a decade ago. Nor should we be shocked that Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose draw at the box office used
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First win for Durham
County Super League Durham secured their first win of the season when they entertained Ferryhill A and dropped just two points when Alan Ankers and Frank Greenwood won for the visitors. The home points came from Dave Hodgson, Paul Shutt, Dave Neill, Andrew
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Close half century
Darlington Building Society NYSD League MERVYN Close with 51 and Andrew Toulson (41) led Barnard Castle to an impressive 187 for eight when they visited Redcar in Division Three. Ian Patchett bowled 13 overs for Redcar and claimed three for 47 before
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New businesses prefer the South
NEW figures have revealed new businesses still prefer to set up in the South. A league table of enterprise - business start-ups per head of population - showed the seven top areas were all in the capital while the bottom five, which included Redcar and
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Minibeasts on display
LIVE sea creatures will be displayed at the Margrove Centre near Guisborough. As part of a Minibeasts exhibition, divers will collect some of the animals and plants that live in local rock pools to show to visitors. Visitors will have the chance to look
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Tale comes to life
A CHILLING tale of hidden treasure, stored deep underground and guarded by a huge raven has been unearthed at the Guisborough Branch walkway. A chest, laden with gold, is said to have been stored in a tunnel that ran from Guisborough Priory to the foot
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Teachers raise cash for charity
TWO members of staff from Laurence Jackson School, Guisborough, have raised more than £400 for charity. Senior teacher Belinda Wheatman made a parachute jump at Peterlee parachute centre in aid of the MS Society and a bicycle ride by geography teacher
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Bowls / Dominoes / Quoits
East Durham Welfare Veterans League E Peterlee Veterans, Blackhall Veterans lost by 78 shots to 63. Peterlee won three of the four rinks and so collected four points to Blackhall's one. Scores: (Blackhall skips first) R Tomkins 12, E Beadle 27; Roland
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Soldiers go on parade
NAPOLEONIC soldiers took over the grounds of Kirkleatham Hall Museum in Redcar at the weekend as they searched for new recruits. An historic scene was re-enacted at the museum by the 68th Display Team who regularly meet to act out military history. The
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Cycling
Richard King of Ferryhill Wheelers recorded a personal best to win the VC 167 Cycling Club Open 10 Mile Time Trial. The event, sponsored by MTS Cycles of Durham, was held on a testing course at Bishopton which included three short climbs. A wet day gave
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Tasty festival
THE Saltburn Food and Drink Festival takes place from July 21 to 23, and will include an Elizabethan banquet with hog roast, a treasure hunt and sports day. Cooks will compete in a food-tasting contest and the Oddsocks production company will provide
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£20m plan boosts steel industry
A £20m spending plan has given Teesside's steel industry a much-needed shot in the arm. The announcement this week by Corus, formerly British Steel, came just a day after the company announced losses of £113m over the last six months. News of the £20m
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Football
Middleton St. George are to have their own youth team for the first time in a number of years It is the idea of Darlington businessman, Graham Clark who has enlisted the help of MSG Cricket Club for the use of their facilities. Mr Clark lives in the village
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Cricket
Roseberry Group North East Durham League, Division One: Sunderland Hospitals 199-5 (F Sheriff 77no); Coxhoe 133-9 Washington 94 (Roberts 5-48); East Rainton 95-1 Plawsworth 170; Belford House 69 North Bitchburn 146-6; Littletown 149-0 (C Vallance 101no
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New law needed in bid for M&S cash
AN ailing clothing company will have to persuade a court to make a new law if it is to win a partial victory in its legal battle with former customer Marks and Spencer. M&S and William Baird, which has a warehousing operation in Hartlepool and a corporate
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Animal lover
A NORTH-EAST animal-lover has told how she spent her life savings to rescue a puppy facing almost certain death on a Greek island. Angie Walker has paid £2,500 for vaccinations, quarantine and transit for the puppy she found roaming a Corfu beach with
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Anger as council boss digs up green
RESIDENTS in a Domesday Book village are devastated by one man's decision to drive a road through their communal green. The green, in Low Worsall, near Yarm, is owned by parish council chairman Leslie Bainbridge, who has decided to build a road across
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Doctor hailed as accident heroine
A WOMAN doctor has been hailed a heroine for her care and compassion at the scene of a road crash. Middlesbrough-based Dr Helen Burke stopped her car to help the victims of a head-on crash. An 11-year-old boy travelling as a front-seat passenger was badly
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Festival of railway heritage -on track'
THE biggest celebration of the region's rail heritage for 25 years is back on track after talks to find a new train operator paid off. Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to arrive in the region for Rail 2000's Millennium Cavalcade of Steam
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Reading boost
Arts Minister Alan Howarth yesterday said library projects in the Yorkshire area would be among 33 to share in £2m to promote reading. Schemes at East Riding, Kirklees and Leeds were awarded £180,000, while projects in Northumberland were allocated just
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Thug attacked police officer
A thug with a 15-year history of assaulting police was jailed again yesterday for attacking a detective. David Peacock, 42, was a passerby when he punched and kicked Detective Constable John Foreman, who was checking the occupants of a car in Peterlee
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Bias-case ex-PC fights ban from police stations
A former policeman, who was dismissed after being accused of sexual discrimination, is facing an anxious wait for the outcome of a High Court bid to overturn a ban which prevents him working as a legal advisor in any Northumbrian police station. Alan
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Pensioner jailed over £50,000 duty fraud
A pensioner was jailed yesterday for setting up a black market operation with his National Lottery winnings. John Atkinson, 65, used the £2,000 windfall to start selling cigarettes illegally, and ended up owing almost £50,000 in duty. He said that he
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Stories of army life - Roman style
Soldiers with a legion of tales on army life will entertain visitors to Binchester Roman Fort, near Bishop Auckland, on Sunday. The North Guard, the fort's own unit of auxiliary and legionary soldiers, will give audiences a glimpse of military life in
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International kite festival promises spectacular fun
THE skies will be filled with all creatures great and small this weekend when kite enthusiasts celebrate the Chinese Year of the Dragon. Tens of thousands of people will descend on the Northern Area Playing Fields, Washington, Wearside, to see a multitude
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Pioneering ban on kerb-crawler is changed
THE first man in Britain to be banned from the town where he was caught kerb-crawling has had the restrictions relaxed. Magistrates imposed a pioneering Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) on Mark Alderson, 33, of Cameron Street, Thornaby, Tees-side, last
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All aboard dales bus
A NEW bus service opening the Yorkshire Dales up to thousands more potential visitors is launched on Sunday. Direct buses to the dales will operate for the first time from Middlesbrough, calling at Stockton, Darlington and Richmond. The new service will
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Bosses to address skills shortages
THE chairmen of the region's new learning and skills councils have been appointed by Education and Employment Secretary David Blunkett. Barry Morgan, recently retired MD of Rolls Royce Material Handling Ltd, has taken the position of chairman of the Northumberland
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Airmen and women are remembered
A YOUNG offenders' institute is teaming up with the Royal Air Force Association for a special celebration. HMYOI Deerbolt, near Barnard Castle, holds its annual aviation day on the first Wednesday of July each year, with the association's Durham branch
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Barbecue season food poisoning warning
HUNDREDS of cases of food poisoning are being reported in the North-East as picnics and barbecues increase during the summer months. Tees Health Authority is encouraging people on Teesside to be finicky over their food because eating outdoors can be hazardous
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Union leader urges teachers to join protest
TEACHERS' union leader Martin Johnson is in the North-East, rallying members of the NAS/UWT on the eve of the start of industrial action today. The two largest teaching unions last week called on members to limit the amount of paperwork and non-classroom
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Teenagers sentenced for petrol bomb attack
Two teenage boys were behind bars yesterday for their part in a petrol bomb attack on a man's home. The pair, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were only 14 years old when they committed the offence. The boys, now 15, appeared in court yesterday
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Court security reviewed after -Spider' escape
THE security of a courthouse was being reviewed last night following the escape of a young tearaway nicknamed Spiderboy - through a six-inch gap. Thomas Laws, 20, fled North Tyneside Magistrates' Court on Wednesday after he scaled an 8ft glass wall and
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Memorial service for former Echo art critic
A MEMORIAL service is to be held for one of the region's best-known art critics, who died last month. Bill Johnson, a well-known figure in the North-East arts world for 50 years, died in May aged 75, at Teesdale Lodge Nursing Home, Stockton. He left four
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Residents get into gear for carnival wonderland
FUN-loving people in South Bank are gearing up for the neighbourhood's Multicultural Carnival to be held on August 19. They are being encouraged to make the millennium carnival, with a theme of Alice in Wonderland, the best ever. Charities, voluntary
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Award for Taekwondo star Paul
THE first Darlington Young Sportswinner of 2000 has been named at a ceremony which saw new awards added to the scheme. Paul Horsley, 15, a pupil at Eastbourne School in the town, won the award for Taekwondo, having been selected to represent Great Britain
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Once upon an Eastern time
PUPILS from primary schools in Middlesbrough are using story-telling to get in the mood for the town's multi-cultural festival next month. As part of this year's Mela event, the children from eight schools will be transported to the East in a series of
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Toddle in the park raises £600
TINY tots took part in a sponsored toddle around Stewart Park, in Middlesbrough, yesterday. Toddles are taking place all over the country this month in an effort to raise money for the children's charity, Barnardo's. Nearly 50 youngsters came from Middlesbrough
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Darlington swimmers make a splash
Darlington SC Darlington achieved outstanding success in the first division of the Durham and District Diddy Swimming League by finishing as runners-up. In only their second season in Division One following promotion in 1998, the club have performed remarkably
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Cash row could hit £1m sports project
A COMMUNITY'S plans for a modern sports complex could be threatened if councillors refuse to release cash for the scheme. Civic leaders at Colburn hope Richmondshire District Council will allow £17,500 of the town council's money to be spent on mproving
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School's bonus
A SCHOOL'S technology department has had a £25,000 boost. Park View Community School's design and technology department won the grant from the BT Futuretalk Awards, enabling them to build a new computer suite. The new facility will allow the Chester-le-Street
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Road opening ceremony
A long-awaited bypass gets a ceremonial opening today by Transport Minister Lord MacDonald of Tradeston. Work on the final stage of the Stockton South Link Road begins in October. Preparatory work has been continuing for several months. The road will
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Brian guides Boro into semi-finals
CRICKET: A magnificent innings by Henderson Brian earned Middlesbrough a place in the Kerridge Cup semi-finals with a 43 runs victory against Hartlepool at Acklam Park. Middlesbrough lost their first two wickets with just nine runs on the board after
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Deal is just the right medicine for jobs
WORK has begun on a new £32m pharmaceutical development which is set to give a boost to industry on Teesside. Lundbeck Pharmaceuticals Ltd, the UK subsidiary of the Danish firm, will build a new bulk production facility at its Seal Sands site. The project
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Dog catchers' lifeline to save strays
DOG catchers in north Durham have launched measures to reduce the numbers of dogs destroyed each year. The move comes after 564 stray dogs were caught in one area of North-West Durham in one year. Of those, 430 were destroyed. Now dog control officers
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Axed radio phone-in host gets his job back
A CONTROVERSIAL late-night radio phone-in host who offended listeners with a foul-mouthed rant on air has been reinstated by his station. Mike "The Mouth" Elliott was taken off the air in the middle of his Century Radio show earlier this year after an
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Shipyards join forces for military contract
SHIPBUILDING yards across the country are planning a joint contract to fight competition from European and Far East rivals. Talks between officials from Cammell Laird, which operates a yard in South Tyneside, and Harland and Wolff, are aimed at producing
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Appeal for aid in homeless crisis
A VOLUNTEER group is making an urgent appeal after revealing the worrying extent of homelessness. Corner House Youth Project staff are asking people for help in feeding and clothing homeless people after funding dried up. Volunteers at the Stockton organisation
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Computer tribute to campaigner for blind
TRIBUTES have been paid to a campaigner for blind people, as a suite of computer equipment in her name was handed over. Ann Kallagher, 59, died earlier this year after a heart attack, having lobbied and campaigned for years to improve the quality of life
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Art among the coals
A TRIBUTE to pit culture is to take place in an arts event. How Are You For Coals? is a mixture of folk music, drama and photography reflecting the tragedies, struggles and humour of life in a mining community. Musicians Bob Fox and Benny Graham will
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Taking gander at proggie mats
WHETHER you call them proddies, proggies, hookies or lambs' lugs, there's no doubt that rag mats had a special place on the floor of many a home in the North-East. Now a new exhibition at Beamish Open Air Museum hopes to take you back to a time when they
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Road completion a boost to job hopes
A £780,000 road, which it is hoped will help create hundreds of jobs, will be officially opened in a former steelworks town this week. The 650m road crosses the former steelworks site at Consett and completes the southern bypass of the town. The project
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Rosebud set to blossom
YOU could say that Elspeth Biltoft is jammy, and even she admits to a bit of luck. But the maker of preserves says the secret of success is following tried and true recipes for jam making. From a converted barn near Masham, North Yorkshire, she produces
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Visitors' choice gets a museum airing
A TYNESIDE museum is hosting an exhibition with a difference - featuring items chosen by its visitors. Objects of Desire, which has opened at Newcastle's Hancock Museum, is a touring exhibition chosen by more than 1,000 people who visited museums and
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Fans face bankruptcy
A GROUP of football fans were last night facing bankruptcy after losing a long-running court battle to stop their club throwing them out of their seats to make way for corporate entertainment. Six supporters, who formed the Save Our Seats campaign, now
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Players set sights on Australian honours
SPORTS-MAD pupils from Durham School fly out today for a three-and-a-half-week rugby tour of Australia. During the visit, the 45 youngsters will play first and second XV matches against schools in Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane and Cairns. But the highlight
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Collector found with illegal gun
A firearms enthusiast has escaped jail after police found a collection of guns and ammunition at his home. Officers were called to Colin Shone's house by his former partner and after a series of searches found an illegally held gun and ammunition which
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Warship cancels airshow visit
A CALL to active duty has forced the cancellation of a Royal Navy warship's visit to its adopted North-East city. HMS Ocean has just returned from playing a role in the UK mission to help safeguard United Nations' personnel in the civil war-torn west
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Show highlights moves to halt bullying misery
THE steps being taken to stop bullies making other youngsters' lives a misery will be highlighted at an exhibition in Durham next month. Schools throughout the county will visit Happier in School, which is being held at County Hall from Monday to Friday
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Pushing out the boat to pull in future scientists
YOUNGSTERS from Dormanstown Primary School could see themselves as the engineers of the future after a science event at Nature's World in Middlesbrough. The 45 children took part in a variety of activities at the Science is Great event, which is aimed
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Sleepers carved for railway town
A WOODCARVER used the ideal medium when she created a sculpture for the former railway town of Saltburn. Vivien Moudell was helped by Saltburn Primary School children when she completed her sculpture of Victorian Saltburn, carved into railway sleepers
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Shelley goes the extra mile
A FORMER patient called on 40 friends to help her present a £1,405 "thank you" to a hospital chemotherapy unit. Shelley Hewitt, from Staindrop, arranged an eight-mile sponsored walk around the village to raise cash for the Mara Unit at Tindale Crescent
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Boy racers and drugs -make our lives a misery'
SPEEDING motorists and drug users are making life a misery for residents in the centre of Darlington. People living in the Albert Hill area of town say they have been forced to endure the problems for months. They are calling on the borough council and
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Honour
A PLAN to finally honour a soldier shot for deserting the trenches has been welcomed by campaigners. South Tyneside Borough Council has agreed to include Wilfred Clarke's name on the war memorial to First World War dead at Tyne Dock, South Shields. Mr
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Fashion is in the spotlight at college
AN art exhibition depicting women's fashion through the ages is taking place at a Teesside college today. A giant female form suspended from the ceiling is one of the more unusual exhibits in a display of work by students at Stockton sixth form college
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Sorry if I smell a bit...
YOU'LL have to excuse me if I smell a bit strange. Blame it on the boys. Being the mother of sons, I thought there'd be things I'd never experience - borrowing of clothes, sharing of shampoos, oils, conditioners. Fat chance. Years ago, when they were
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Cricket
Roseberry Group NE Durham League East Rainton consolidated their strong position at the top of Division One with a nine wickets victory at Washington who were all out for 94 including 47 by Thompson. Roberts with five for 48 and Ian Kitching three for
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Survey to look at shop needs on Headland
A DETAILED survey of shopping facilities is about to get under way in Hartlepool's Headland area. It will help identify whether there will be enough shops to meet future demand as that part of town develops and its population grows. A key part of the
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Free concert to celebrate park's revamp
A SPARKLING summer afternoon of music is to take place in Hartlepool this weekend. A wide variety of bands will be hitting the high notes in Ward Jackson Park, on Sunday, to celebrate the restoration of the bandstand and the latest stage of the park's
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Bath dips into the
YOUNG ACTORS are to take the stage in a hard-hitting drama that deals with domestic violence and teenage pregnancy. Youth drama group Bishop Auckland Theatre Hooligans, known as Bath, are fast gaining a reputation for turning out talented performers.
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Football
Eleven local candidates successfully completed a referees course held recently in the Northallerton area. Ian Austick, Mark Bell, Daniel Carrick, Alan Childs, Simon Cole, Martin Colley, Rober Farquhar, Andy Foster, Graham Hunt, Fiona Kinloch and Michael
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Students offered close up view of college life
MORE than 1,000 prospective Prior Pursglove College students are due to visit the college's Guisborough campus today for a preview day. They will be treated to a close up view of college life from the point of present students, Warren Miller and Dan Friedrickson
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Children learn safety lesson
LESSONS in life-saving started on Monday for thousands of Teesside children. Over two weeks more than 2,000 ten and 11-year-olds are to attend the Crucial Crew scheme. A number of agencies have teamed up to show children how to avoid dangerous situations
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School marks sporting first
GUISBOROUGH'S Laurence Jackson School is celebrating a special achievement - four county championships from one year group. Deputy head John Downs said the school had had this number of county champions previously from across the school but never from
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Team to take away town hall stress
A STRESS busters team is being formed to reduce town hall sickness levels. Trained trauma counsellor Peter Levine has been given the job of recruiting a ten-member squad to talk through personal problems with staff at Redcar and Cleveland Council. Teachers
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Marske under pressure
ON A green pitch Blackhall had few options but to put Marske into bat. Ben Usher and Mark Newlove bowled exceptionally well and were backed up by some excellent fielding. At 12 for four wickets Marske faced an uphill struggle. Tim Hood scored a valuable
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Cricket
Bass North Cleveland League Normanby Parklands maintained pole position with a big win on their visit to Moorsholm. Batting first, the leaders posted 185 for the loss of one wickets as McNulty made 66 and Ramzan 101 not out. Moorsholm were all out for
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Cricket
Boddington's Durham Coast League U-18 Runs flowed when South Hetton met Hylton and no-one performed better than Ben Clark - but finished on the losing side. He hit two sixes, one five and seven boundaries in a top-scoring 75 when Hylton replied with 108
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Angling
The Tees proved a popular choice on the match calendar last weekend as 88 anglers lined the banks between Croft to Hurworth during the Thornaby AA charity open, writes JEFF HERBERT. Cold water kept the dace at bay and chub were the mainstay from a venue
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Miserly Morton
Boddingtons Durham Coast League U-15 Seaham Park had the better of Murton, winning by seven wickets as David Morton took four wickets for four runs in four overs. Akhtar, McGinn and Singh all took two wickets as Murton were bowled out for 54 and although
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Down at the Regent
WHEN Grace Trevathan's husband throws himself off of a Cornish cliff, she realises that all he's left her is a mountain of debts. But when all seems lost, her under-employed groundsman reveals that ounce for ounce weed is worth more than gold. So out
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Dieters' healthy search
SLIMMERS in East Cleveland are on a mission to find local restaurants where they can eat healthy but tasty food. The New Marske Slimming World Group believes slimmers are discriminated against because of a lack of healthy options available, lack of information
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Unbeaten Shield fires Aldbrough
NatWest Darlington and District League ALDBROUGH ST. JOHN lost only one wicket in defeating Colburn who made129 for six in 40 overs. Home side Aldbrough St John reached their target in 16 overs. Nigel Gamblin hit three sixes and eight boundaries in an
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Swimming
Next week in Helsinki, Sue Rolph (Newcastle) defends the European 100m freestyle title she won in Istanbul last year when becoming the first British woman to win a European gold medal since Anita Lonsborough in the 200m breaststroke at Leipzig in 1962
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Shildon's top four
Shildon R & AC At the schools Inter-County Championships held at Clairville Stadium, Middlesbrough, four Shildon Junior athletes gained selection for the English Schools championships held at Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield next month. There were excellent
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Walker and Riley inspire Marske
Darlington Building Society NYSD Juniors Marske won without losing a wicket when they hosted Guisborough who managed 62 for nine with more than half the runs coming from Normanton, whose 33 included no fewer than six boundaries. Phil Walker bowled a good
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Cowell in command
Yorkshire Senior Inter-League KO competition A unbeaten 75 from Scarborough's Mark Cowell enabled the Oxbridge Yorkshire County Premier League to gain a comfortable eight-wicket win over the Costcutter York and District League in the Yorkshire Senior
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Mini driver takes autograss by storm
Daniel Grufferty is certainly making his mark on the British autograss scene having recently won two more competitons to add to the titles he's already won, writes Craig Stoddart. At, round two of the British Autograss Series, which took place at the
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Opener Forrest leads the way
Wilkinson Cup A stylish 83 by opener Duncan Forrest enabled the North East Durham Coast League snatch a dramatic victory, with only one ball to spare, in their 40-overs match at Wearmouth against the Cleveland League. Cleveland's Jon Leadbitter (36 off
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-I do', but only for more than £1m
WITH just weeks to go before the birth of their first child and two months before their wedding, Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas are rowing over their prenuptial agreement. She wants £3m-a-year and a house if they split. He is offering £1m and
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MP calls
CABINET Office Minister Mo Mowlam has called for the Royal Family to be moved out of Buckingham Palace and rehoused in a modern building, it was reported this week. The Redcar MP has suggested that old palaces could be used as public museums and galleries
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Crook boss quits
Crook Town are looking for a new manager following the sudden resignation of Alan Shoulder. The former Newcastle player decided to quit the Albany Northern League club earlier this week after describing his position as "untenable". Shoulder said: "I cannot
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Jobless benefit
THE number of young people who have been unemployed for six months or more in East Cleveland has fallen by almost a third since last year. Government figures show young peo-ple and the long-term unemployed have benefited from the New Deal scheme. Nationally
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Lee's strokes of pure genius
JOhn Lee recorded his highest score so far when he hammered 156 in less than 19 overs in the 3-D Cricket Durham County League Under 15 Division against Crook Town, writes MALCOLM PRATT. "I've never seen anything like it at this level," said manager and
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Park hit by vandalism
A PARK without flowers is the bleak prospect for a town after a devastating plague of vandalism. Flowerbeds at Redcar's showpiece Zetland Park were stripped of hundreds of plants, just a week after they were planted. Flowers from five beds were uprooted
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Bishop win at Oswald
Bishop Auckland Club Ithe Clark Cup second round away to Mount Oswald, Durham, Bishop Auckland won 4-1. Results: Jamie Birkbeck lost to J Robinson; David Wheales beat Bill Symonds; Nigel Dodd bt Mathew Stancliffe one hole extra; Nick Wardle bt John Hann
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Steel gala makes waves with live broadcasts
PREPARATIONS are under way for a live radio broadcast from the Teesside Steel Gala on Sunday. Throughout the day, BBC Radio Cleveland will be presenting its shows from the gala at the Kirkleatham showground in Redcar. As well as regular presenters Stewart
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Snooker
Worthington CIU Team Knock Out Third Division Tow Law lived up to their giant killer tag as they beat the visiting Shotton Palms who are third in the First Division. The Lawyers had 100 start with Malcolm Umpelby doing well in the first frame to keep
