Archive
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Police appeal for witnesses
POLICE are appealing for witnesses following a fatal hit and run road traffic accident in the region. Cleveland Police are appealing for witnesses and information following the incident outside Hardwick Social Club, Stockton, at 10.10pm on Sunday night
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Bobby's mind games
NEWCASTLE United boss Bobby Robson yesterday marvelled at the mind game which is mystifying Premiership defences. United duo Kieron Dyer and Nolberto Solano have demonstrated that the power of thought is a dangerous weapon. Robson has labelled their uncanny
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Letters
ROBBIE WILLIAMS DOES the BBC really have to screen Robbie Williams pulling down his trousers and thrusting himself towards the camera (Echo, Aug 8)? Surely there is enough sex and demonstrations of low moral standards on our TVs already without deliberately
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The Echo says...
WE would like to bring you news this morning about whether Darlington council has decided to sell its five residential old people's homes. This news will directly affect the 140 people who live in those homes and the hundreds more who are members of their
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Way clear for bid to stop fair of erotica
A Christian charity was celebrating last night after winning the first round of its High Court battle to prevent a "fair of erotica" taking place in a North-East city. The Christian Institute was granted permission for a judicial review of a decision
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Sobering time for pub regulars
A LANDLADY anticipated punters wouldn't be bitter when they found their local was an alcohol-free zone over the weekend. Traffic jams and hangovers are the two things people try to avoid over the bank holiday. So Julia Welsh, landlady of the Dog and Gun
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Increase in new house prices helps Persimmon to bumper profits
THE price of new homes is set to continue to rise over the rest of the year, despite the slowdown in the housing market, a regionally-based housebuilder announced yesterday. Persimmon plc, parent company of Tyneside's Persimmon Homes (North East) Ltd,
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Doctor's intimate letters to robber
A PRISON doctor has walked out of her job after exchanging intimate letters with a Teesside armed raider. Richard Bains, 26, was sentenced to ten years for robbing a Teesside bookies in 1993. He was at Winchester Jail when he met married GP Sonia Dobbie
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No relief in search for new toilet site
A SEARCH for a site for new toilets which has lasted almost 30 years could still end in disappointment. Proposals to build new public toilets in Northallerton have been put forward ever since Hambleton District Council was created in 1974. The issue was
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Line-up for jazz festival announced
A SIZZLING hot jazz season is being forecast by leisure bosses in Darlington. The highlight of the season at Darlington Arts Centre is the appearance of the Dave Holland Octet on March 8 next year. This concert is part of an Arts Council of England contemporary
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Fair ride operator fined £12,000
A FAIRGROUND operator whose bungee rocket ride snapped injuring two people was fined £12,000 by magistrates yesterday. Matthew Taylor, 51, director of Glasgow-based Kifdo Ltd, who pleaded guilty before Newcastle magistrates to endangering the safety of
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Meeting targets A-level students
THE Historical Association's annual conference, Improving History Results at A-level, aimed mainly at sixth-formers, is staged in Durham next month. Experienced examiners will address teachers on the changes being implemented at A-level. Elvet Riverside
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Tributes to Boro idol
STALWART former Middlesbrough player and manager Willie Maddren has died following a long battle with motor neurone disease. Mr Maddren, who became a Boro idol during two spells with the club, passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday at Butterwick
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Autonomy can keep up bright Bell's hot streak
MICHAEL BELL'S powerful Newmarket stable is on fire at present pointing strongly to chances of Autonomy (2.40) in the Strensall Stakes at York this afternoon. Like so many of Bell's inmates Autonomy has been slow to come to hand this season. But as all
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Play focuses on closure of steelworks
A PLAY about the closure of Consett Steelworks, written by a former apprentice, will be shown in the town 20 years after the works' closure. The musical by Steve Thompson, from the Grove area of the town, and Tom Kelly, of Jarrow, will be shown at Consett
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Success by design
CHAMPAGNE flowed and a celebration cake was cut as bosses and staff at designer department store, The House, marked their triumph in the prestigious FHM Awards. The Yarm shop was chosen as joint winner of the Department Store of the Year award, along
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Life-saving tug returns to North-East after 40 years
A FAMOUS tug which has served royalty and saved hundreds of North-East lives is returning to the River Tees for the first time in 40 years. The Cunard Golden Cross, the only boat of its kind, was the escort for the Queen's first and final trips aboard
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it's a good day for ducks as country park's young visitors go quackers
YOUNGSTERS in Billingham went quackers yesterday with a celebration of everything to do with ducks. The day was the latest in a series of events at the Billingham Beck Valley Country Park throughout the summer. Parents joined in with the children in taking
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Pupils set record for GCSE results
PUPILS at Barnard Castle School produced the best GCSE results in the school's history. They set a new record in passing 89 per cent of all subjects at A to C* grade. Even more impressive was the fact that, of all the subjects taken, a new high of 40
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Wall hanging
A WALL hanging is on show in its permanent home in Reeth Memorial Hall. The hanging shows aspects of local life, portrayed on hills linked together by the Swale and Arkle beck, and was designed by Heather Ritchie. Visitors will see the hanging on Sunday
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Hartlepool v Cheltenham
Hartlepool 0 Cheltenham 0 - read Nick Loughlin's report in Tuesday's Northern Echo
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Ex-miner wins top gardening competition at the age of 86
PENSIONER Peter O'Shaughnessy could not bear to leave his garden when he moved into a Chester-le-Street residential home - so he took it with him. His blooms have earned the 86-year-old the Gardener of the Year award in a competition organised by Durham
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Passing up on the basics of education
THE latest A-level and GCSE results show yet another improvement on previous years, so it's nice to know youngsters are getting cleverer and cleverer. It's all thanks to 'education, education, education', I suppose. But the man who coined that slogan
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Syringes safety hotline
STATISTICS in Hartlepool have shown that a telephone hotline set up to tackle the potentially lethal problem of carelessly discarded syringes is a success. Since the hotline was set up in June last year, Hartlepool Borough Council's drug litter collection
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Centre staff step out for cancer charity
STAFF at Aycliffe Young People's Centre are staging a sponsored walk for cancer research. Because cancer affects families as well as individuals, they have declared it a friends and family event to involve as many people as possible. Centre staff will
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Quick-thinking uncles save tot
Two hero uncles saved their choking niece's life when they gave her mouth-to-mouth until she started breathing again. Panic broke out at a family birthday party when 18-month-old Elli Morris, who is still recovering from an operation on her throat, began
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Seagull causes four-hour delay
A stray seagull held up a flight for more than four hours leaving passengers furious. A flight engineer had to be flown in to Newcastle Airport from London to check the plane before it could be allowed to leave on Saturday morning. Even the captain of
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Investment gives trees park village a face-lift
MORE than £1m is being invested in the future of Trees Park Village, the residential care community based near Teesside Airport. The money is being spent on new equipment, furniture, carpets and decor. Bathrooms are being upgraded and better facilities
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UK_Land Estates provides NADA_with room to grow
UK Land Estates has let 12,000sq ft of factory and offices at Nest Road, Gateshead, to NADA Electronics. The move comes as part of a major expansion programme for the company. The new premises provide enhanced design, laboratory and production facilities
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casting an eye over world reproduced in miniature
AN exhibition of dolls houses proved a big success for a fledgling County Durham club. More than 200 people came to see the intricate work put on display by the Durham and District Dolls House Club on Saturday. The day also yielded up to a dozen potential
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Appeal for residents' feedback
A NORTH Durham council is appealing for residents to come forward to express exactly what they think of the authority. They need the residents to join an 850-strong Citizens' Panel to give their views on services provided by the council. The views will
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Plan to spend £270,000 on new vehicles
COUNCILLORS in Derwentside will discuss whether to spend £270,000 on new vehicles next week. Council officers recommend the district councillors buy the vehicles to be used for building work, rather than spend money every year in hire costs. At present
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Doctor hits back at Tory's -insults'
A RETIRED North-East doctor has condemned as "insulting" comments made about foreign doctors by Conservative shadow health secretary Liam Fox. Dr Fox caused controversy when he said some overseas-trained doctors working for the NHS could not speak English
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Jobs - Darlington
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Evening/weekend cashier, Haughton, £3.60 per hour, three evenings per week 6pm to 10pm, required for retail store, experience preferred, aged 25 plus
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Jobs - Durham
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Cleaner, £4ph, 9,30am to 4pm three days per week, required for nightclub, buffing experience preferred. Ref: DUR 23460. Cleaner, £4.10ph, 7.30am-9.30am
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Fresh fears for brewery amid takeover talk
FEARS were growing last night for the future of one of the North-East's oldest breweries. Cameron's Lion Brewery, based in Hartlepool, faces an anxious time while parent company Wolverhampton and Dudley conducts a review of operations. The 128-year-old
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Dome of delights
THE MOST generous gratuity our larger son earned whilst standing waiting at the Scotch Corner Hotel was £10 from an American to whom he had valiantly, if not wholly successfully, tried to explain the rules of cricket. There are tea towels which do it
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Increase in turnover at HMH Group provides jobs boost
AROUND 50 new jobs are set to be created at a metal fabrication company, after management revealed a boost in turnover. County Durham-based HMH Group has announced an increase in turnover of about £5m, which will see a further expansion at the already
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Taxi drivers win action over rank
A COUNCIL is to take action to prevent motorists from illegally parking at a taxi rank in the centre of Darlington. Darlington Borough Council wants to adopt an area around the town's covered market as a public highway in a bid to stop people parking
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Pub team minutes away from Wembley
A NORTH-EAST pub football team is minutes away from being one of the last teams in the country to play on the hallowed turf at Wembley. At the weekend, regulars at the Owington Farm, in Longfellow Road, Billingham, won through to the finals of a national
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No tears for -revolting' power line
A NORTH-EAST MP has welcomed a move to pull down a "revolting" power line that runs across the region. Dari Taylor, MP for Stockton South, said it was great to hear that work on the new overhead power line running from Lackenby, through Picton to Shipton
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Two friends killed in police chase crash
TWO women from the North-East were killed when a car ploughed into them as they walked home with friends after a night out. The victims were among a group of four women who were hit by a white BMW which mounted the pavement while being chased by police
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Determined Quakers dig in for home victory
Ten-man Darlington passed their latest test of character with a backs to the wall win over Plymouth at Feethams last night. Quakers had to play for all but a minute of the second period after midfielder Stuart Elliott was dismissed for two bookable offences
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Wear-Tees rivals in battle to sign Ehiogu
SUNDERLAND and Middlesbrough are set to go head-to-head in an £8m battle for Aston Villa defender Ugo Ehiogu. The one-cap England centre-back vowed to fight on at Villa Park following a summer of uncertainty over his future. But after being dumped on
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How's VAT! Club stumps taxman
CASTLE Eden Cricket Club has been saved after hitting the taxman for six. Members feared the club would close when it was landed with a shock VAT bill for £43,000 after the completion of work on its long-awaited pavilion. The bill threatened to spell
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Kvaerner to focus on oil and gas
KVAERNER, the Anglo-Norwegian engineering group, yesterday sold all of its building and civil engineering businesses for £4.7 bn Norwegian kroner (£356m). The decision is the latest in a cost-cutting programme which has seen the firm's announce closure
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Call-out times fall behind the best
THE huge gulf between England's best performing ambulance service and the trusts serving the North-East and North Yorkshire has been revealed. Only half of North-East Ambulance Service vehicles (50.1 per cent ) got to the scene of life-threatening 999
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Giving young lives sure start
A SCHEME to give youngsters in a North-East borough the best start in life has been approved by the Government. The Sure Start programme, in Stockton, aims to give hundreds of local children a healthy head start so that they are ready to succeed at school
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TV's Karen is star for more than a night
THOUSANDS of music fans flocked to the river bank at Allensford, County Durham, yesterday for six hours of live music. Organisers estimated that 9,000 fans turned out for an afternoon of live music and half as many were turned away as car parks were closed
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Children find that summer lessons add up to head start
IT'S probably the subject most schoolchildren hate most and are glad to forget during the summer holidays - but not one group of North-East youngsters. Children in Middlesbrough have been getting a daily dose of maths to get a head start on their classmates
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Castle jousting display entertains visitors
DAYS of old were relived when knights on horseback clashed in the historic setting of Tynemouth Castle. Members of Sir William Gascoigne's Fellowship recreated the colour and atmosphere of medieval jousting in the castle grounds over the bank holiday.
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Store staff enjoy charity fundraisers
ASDA stores on Teesside held fun activities throughout the Bank Holiday weekend. At Thornaby there was a disco and games, face painting and a barbecue. Staff paid to dress down in aid of the breast cancer awareness charity the Tickled Pink Campaign. At
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Funding puts more bobbies on beat
RESIDENTS in West Middlesbrough are to get more bobbies on the beat thanks to funding from the New Deal for Communities. A team of police officers are working additional hours, patrolling the streets in a bid to curb anti-social behaviour and crime. Inspector
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The missionary who saved Peking
NOT many people can claim to have an ancestor called 'Precious Self-Denial' but this was the name given to my great-great-uncle by the Chinese when he arrived in their country more than a century ago to work as a missionary. His real name was Frederick
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New legs will help Nicola to ride again
A NORTH-EAST teenager who lost both her legs after being struck down by meningitis has vowed to ride her horse again - with the help of shock absorbers. Nicola Drew, 17, from Sunderland, was a keen showjumper before she had to have her legs amputated,
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Witness appeal after hit and run
POLICE are appealing for witnesses following a fatal hit and run road traffic accident. The incident happened outside Hardwick Social Club, Stockton, on Teesside, at about 10.10pm on Sunday. A 49-year-old Hardwick man, who has not been identified, was
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Talks over soccer stadium plan
COUNCILLORS will meet today to discuss a proposed football stadium in a North-East town. Members of Darlington Borough Council's cabinet will talk about the latest developments in the ongoing stadium row. Protestors against the Neasham Road site in Darlington
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Church flower power
CHURCH-GOERS are hoping flower power will help restore their ancient church. St John's CE Church, Kirk Merrington, near Spennymoor, County Durham, is gearing up for its annual flower festival. This year, organisers want people to show their full support
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Summer serenade
AN orchestra of youngsters which brings chamber music to rural areas will play at a museum in the region on Sunday. The 15-strong North York Moors chamber orchestra is on a Summer Serenade tour, which includes 20 concerts over six days. There will be
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From Russia with style
A CELEBRATED Russian gipsy trio is getting a music society's autumn concert season off to a stylish start. The two violinists and a guitarist who make up Loyko have been playing to audiences across Europe since they came together nearly ten years ago.
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Business centre to boost training in Tees Valley
A STATE-of-the-art business centre in Hartlepool has helped hundreds of businesses reach their potential after being open for just a year. The Hartlepool Business Development Centre (BDC) was opened by MP Peter Mandelson in August 1999 at a cost of £1.2m
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Nissan ponders 24-hour assembly
WEARSIDE'S troubled Nissan car plant could switch to 24-hour production in a bid to safeguard its future. The Japanese manufacturer is believed to be considering the move as part of a major cost-cutting overhaul at its flagship North-East factory. The
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Heroism of wartime pilot attracting fresh tributes
THE actions of a heroic wartime pilot who crashed his plane to save lives in a North-East town have been recalled in his native Canada following the Concorde disaster. William McMullen, from Toronto, was the pilot of a Lancaster bomber which caught fire
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Getting help to kick the smoking habit
SMOKERS in Teesside who are hoping to kick the habit will be able to get help from the Ayresome Millennium Partnership. The community organisation, based at Whinney Banks Road, Middlesbrough, is staging a free six-week StartStopping Programme. It will
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Rebecca's woodland feats of natural engineering
VISITORS to a Weardale woodland who have stumbled across a cube of pine needles or an immaculate lawn in a dead forest may doubt their sanity, but this is the handiwork of a talented sculptor. These intriguing pieces of artwork have all been made from
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Business centre celebrates success
AN initiative to allow more new businesses to set up in East Durham is celebrating its first anniversary this month, having made room for eight new businesses, bringing more than 20 jobs to the area. The East Durham Development Agency's (EDDA) Business
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Putting on a blooming good show
A HORTICULTURAL society held a flower show to mark its 60th anniversary yesterday. The open flower show was staged by the Darlington Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society, in St Cuthbert's Hall, Market Place. The society is celebrating its 60th birthday this
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PO burglary suspect injured in roof drama
A suspected burglar is under police guard in hospital after jumping from a post office roof after a two-hour drama. Police were called to the building in Jarrow, South Tyneside, when the alarms at the property activated, When they arrived they found a
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MFI to offer new experience in furniture shopping
MFI Homeworks is investing £500,000 pounds to introduce a new experience in furniture shopping to Stockton. A new MFI Homeworks store will open on Parkfield Road Retail Park, Parkfield Road on Thursday 31st August, featuring a 20,000 sq. ft. showroom.
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A day/night to remember for the teams in black and red
FOR much the same reason that mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun, a day/night cricket match was staged on Friday on Thornton Watlass green. They've an annual Boxing Day fixture, too. The floodlights had hitherto done back shift on motorway
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City leads the way with recycling project
DURHAM City Council's successful doorstep recycling scheme is attracting attention from local authorities throughout England and Scotland. About 500 tonnes of glass and paper have been collected in less than four months since the scheme began - way ahead
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dogs lead the way on fundraising walk
THE shout of "walkies" could be heard loud and clear along a stretch of the North-East coast yesterday as dog lovers gathered for a fun day. The event, at Saltburn in east Cleveland, was organised by Sara (Saltburn Animal Rescue Association) and took
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Project begins the search for memories of historic Headland
PEOPLE in Hartlepool are being encouraged to help in a hunt for folklore and reminiscences about the town's historic Headland. A project has been set up to develop a public arts and environmental improvement strategy for the Headland which aims to capture
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Flats due to get the go-ahead despite objections from 200
A TEESSIDE council is expected to approve a decision to turn a shop and a house into flats despite 200 letters of objections from nearby residents. Next Monday, councillors from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's planning committee will take a site
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Calls for increase in heart implants
THE number of mini heart-start machines being implanted into patients at a North-East hospital needs to double to meet demand, according to experts. Only about 15 heart patients are fitted with the mini-difibrillators every year. But experts at South
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Jobs - North Yorkshire
MORE details about the jobs below are available from the Employment Service Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Electrician, Richmond. 8am to 5pm. Must be time-served but part qualified improver considered. Must have own transport and be flexible regarding hours
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Police meetings called
PEOPLE in East Gateshead will be asked their views on how homes and businesses are policed. "Say it now" is the message being sent out by Northumbria Police Authority as it launches a series of public meetings. The meetings will be held across the force
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Back-to-work scheme targets jobs blackspot
A SCHEME aimed at getting people off benefits and into work has been launched on a Sunderland estate. The In Work Benefits project is part of a four-year action plan to reduce unemployment in Pennywell, Ford, parts of South Hylton and Grindon. Funded
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Former soldier tells of ordeal in jail full of Irish terrorists
A FORMER soldier who claims terrorists forced him to take part in a £1m robbery has spoken about his prison ordeal in Northern Ireland. Keith Winward, from Middlesbrough, was jailed for 15 years in 1997 after being convicted of being the inside man in
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Poet draws the line after 1,000 rejections
A CULT North-East poet has given up after years of trying to get his work published. Andrew Tait, from Jesmond in Newcastle, reckons he has received nearly 1,000 rejection letters from publishers in the past 15 years. The music teacher did manage to get
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£3,100 fencing barrier will keep gangs in line
ACTION is being taken in Hartlepool to curb the anti social behaviour of youths and improve life for fed up residents in the town. Hartlepool Borough Council's North Neighbourhood Forum has agreed to part-fund the replacement of delapidated timber fencing
