Archive
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Green campaigners waiting for verdict on quarry plans
PLANS for an extension to a sand and gravel quarry are likely to be approved, despite concerns from conservationists. North Yorkshire County Council is due to consider an application from Hanson Aggregates to double the size of Ripon quarry next week.
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Putting Harrogate on the gamers' map
A North Yorkshire spa town seems an unlikely place for one of the UK's best known video game companies to establish a satellite outpost but that's exactly what the Bitmap Brothers did two years ago IT'S rather easy to miss the Northernmost outpost of
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Teaching an important lesson in survival
THE plight of the red squirrel has been brought to the fore in the classroom with the launch of an education pack. The Red Alert North-East pack, which was unveiled by television personality and environmentalist Bill Oddie, introduces a range of national
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Residents in appeal to rid village of hooligans
VILLAGERS have spoken out against a gang of teenage hooligans who they say are making their lives a misery. The villagers from one street in Pelton Lane Ends, near Chester-le-Street, say the gang have: smashed house windows while people were still inside
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Pupils' green investigations bring rewards
STAFF at the Asda supermarket in Spennymoor were so impressed by the environmental work by school pupils they gave them prizes for their efforts. Children from King Street Primary School, Spennymoor, visited Asda to investigate the supermarket's approach
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Women fly the flag for foundation course
MATURE students from Durham University's Stockton campus who cope with the demands of juggling finances and family commitments with their studies have been celebrating their achievements. Local students attending a one day a week foundation programme
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Sponsored bike ride aids charity
A 28-MILE sponsored bike ride raised more than £900 for charity. A group of six people from Hurworth and Middleton-St-George, near Darlington, County Durham, undertook the ride around Harrogate to raise cash for the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust. They
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Disabled bus service boost
AN innovative transport scheme designed to help the elderly and disabled become more mobile has been extended to cover Weardale. The Access Bus scheme, run by Durham County Council and the British Red Cross, picks up passengers who have difficulty using
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Yachting with a difference
THE freezing salty spray mixed with fine sand blasted into my face as I thundered along the beach. Suddenly my speeding world tilted alarmingly and the sand and water loomed up towards me. I teetered briefly on the edge of disaster with a strong force
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Maths week adds up to fun at school
SCHOOLCHILDREN will go mad for maths as part of a scheme to promote the attractions of arithmetic. "Add Ings Up" at Ings Farm Primary School, in Redcar, will involve each of its 400 pupils in a series of imaginative activities taking place throughout
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VAT nightmare for dotcoms
BUSINESS advisers Ernst & Young are warning dotcom companies that they could be facing a large online VAT liability. The firm's new guide "The VATman cometh for dotcoms" highlights the key pitfalls of the indirect tax system, including some of the
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Jack russell Molly beats the odds with open heart op
A POORLY pet whose life was saved by a £1,000 operation has been reunited with her devoted owners. Despite knowing that she had a hole in her heart, David and Marie Hunter could not help falling for Molly the Jack Russell when she fixed them with her
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Boxing champion to defend title
TONIGHT'S the night the North-East's very own boxing world champion defends his title. Craig Richardson, 16, of Lanchester, County Durham, will top the bill in a showpiece event devoted to kick-boxing at the Belle View Leisure Centre, in Consett. But
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Farmer's caravan site bid rejected
A FARMER has lost a long-running battle to open a caravan site on his land after a public inquiry. Entertainer and farmer Paul Stephenson had been pressing to open a site on his land at Coal Road, Marwood, near Barnard Castle, for several years but had
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Seven years for death threat claim drug runner
A NORTH-EAST man who claimed he was forced to go on a drugs run by gangsters, has been jailed for seven years after he was caught with almost £250,000 worth of Ecstasy tablets. Raymond Griffiths, 43, was adamant that he was ordered to deliver the pills
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All aboard for school celebration
DELIGHTED staff and pupils celebrated their success in raising money for a minibus this week. It has taken De Brus School, in Skelton, east Cleveland, just over a year to secure the £22,000 needed for the new vehicle. Yesterday, the staff and pupils who
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Wenger threatens FA with legal action
Arsene Wenger is ready to take legal action against the Football Association over a 12-match touchline ban - after telling them he will consider becoming England manager if the job is available again in two years. The Arsenal boss was hit by the FA's
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Tornado's near-miss 1hr before jet crash
AN RAF Tornado was involved in an "air miss" with a Boeing 737 passenger jet an hour before a military aircraft crashed nearby, The incident, which is still under investigation by military and civil authorities, was one of three safety alerts in the space
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Teachers' action fear over closures
PROTESTS over the closure of three schools could result in industrial action by teachers. A pioneering city academy will replace the east Middlesbrough comprehensives of Keldholme and Langbaurgh. While the employment rights and conditions of service of
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Coach must be English, but not me, insists Reid
SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid last night again ruled himself out of the England job, then slammed suggestions that Kevin Keegan's successor should be a foreigner. In a hard-hitting assessment of the situation Reid, who feels that Terry Venables is the
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Coach must be English, but not me, insists Reid
SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid last night again ruled himself out of the England job, then slammed suggestions that Kevin Keegan's successor should be a foreigner. In a hard-hitting assessment of the situation Reid, who feels that Terry Venables is the
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Teachers' action fear over closures
PROTESTS over the closure of three schools could result in industrial action by teachers. A pioneering city academy will replace the east Middlesbrough comprehensives of Keldholme and Langbaurgh. While the employment rights and conditions of service of
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Woosie's Welsh dragons set sights on semi-final
Wales, not rated as good enough to play in the £1m Alfred Dunhill Cup for the past three years, moved within touching distance of the semi-finals with a 2-1 victory over Germany at St Andrews yesterday. Having already beaten England 3-0, the Welsh trio
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Villagers step up campaign for bypass
A NORTH Yorkshire village has stepped up its campaign for a bypass after waiting more than 20 years for a new road. Residents in Killinghall have been told that it could be at least 2006 before they are considered for a new road to end thousands of vehicles
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Kingfisher targets central Europe
WOOLWORTHS-to-B&Q owner Kingfisher is expanding into central Europe, snapping up a majority stake in electrical retailer Datart for £780,000. Datart is a market leader in the Czech Republic and Slovakia with a total of 15 stores spread between the
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Driver peter back on the road for new mission of mercy
A REFUSE collector turned international helper when he headed off on a mercy mission to war torn Kosova yesterday. Peter Rutherford, who drives a refuse collection lorry, was given two weeks leave from Easington District Council to take part in the overseas
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Newcastle join the hunt for £3m-rated 'Honey Monster'
NEWCASTLE United are eyeing a 'Monster' deal for Everton misfit Richard Dunne. Magpies No 2 Mick Wadsworth checked on Dunne - nicknamed 'The Honey Monster' because of his bulky frame - in the Republic of Ireland's 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Estonia
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Owen vows to make Derby pay after England axing
Michael Owen is hell-bent on providing an emphatic answer to his England axing. The Liverpool striker, the Premiership's top scorer this season, was omitted by caretaker England boss Howard Wilkinson for the midweek international in Finland. Owen did
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Frustrated Phillips to let his goals do the talking
FRUSTRATED England striker Kevin Phillips - not even on the substitutes bench in Finland in midweek - has pledged to shoot his way back into the international reckoning. Last season's Premiership top gun with 30 goals, Phillips knows that the only way
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Boksic ready to get his teeth into derby rivals
ALEN BOKSIC last night flashed a "count me in'' message to Middlesbrough manager Bryan Robson ahead of Monday's derby clash with Newcastle. Boksic took a battering in Croatia's World Cup qualifier against Scotland in Zagreb on Wednesday night. The £2.5m
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Bennett tells strikers to be greedy for goal glory
DARLINGTON's strikers are being urged to be greedy to help end their barren spell. Manager Gary Bennett is desperate to improve his side's goal tally with just ten goals so far this season in the league. Only York, Carlisle and Lincoln have a worse and
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Building plan 'threat to heritage'
DARLINGTON'S heritage will suffer a further blow if a proposal to demolish a Victorian house is approved, say objectors. Developers are planning to replace the former Grantley nursing home in Carmel Road North with four detached houses. The news comes
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Posh and Becks - the next instalment
They are Britain's most written-about couple, so it is understandable that they should want to chip in a few words of their own. GEORGINA PATTINSON looks at our fascination with the glamorous pair THEY'VE already had his 'n' hers outfits and his 'n' hers
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Region's service sector is stronger
THE North-East economy is again showing a marked difference in performance between manufacturing and service companies. Business Survey North-East, a quarterly review of companies in the region, has produced its report for the third quarter of 2000. The
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Can I claim expenses for my treatment?
Q I am on Income Support (IS) and have to visit the hospital for regular treatment. My daughter always drives me there, so I never claim a travelling allowance because I have no tickets to show. Is this right? A Being on IS means you can get your travel
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Sunderland 1 Chelsea 0 from The Stadium of Light
A 62nd minute penalty by England striker Kevin Phillips - his fifth goal of the season - gave Sunderland a hard-fought victory in a game which started 45 minutes late through a power failure. Stockton referee Jeff Winter awarded the spot kick for a blatant
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All aboard for school celebration
DELIGHTED staff and pupils celebrated their success in raising money for a minibus this week. It has taken De Brus School, in Skelton, east Cleveland, just over a year to secure the £22,000 needed for the new vehicle. Yesterday, the staff and pupils who
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Investigation under way after death of patient
AN investigation is under way into the sudden death of a patient at a Sunderland mental hospital. Keven George Knowles, 29, of Sunderland, was found dead in his bedroom at Cherry Knowle Hospital, Ryhope, at 5.30am, on October 8. A post-mortem examination
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School focuses on honing language skills
THERE are almost as many foreign voices as English ones to be heard in the corridors of a Darlington school. Hummersknott Comprehensive School has been designated a language college by the Government. It has received over £150,000 to spend on extra staff
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Young playwrights bid for glory
SEVEN youngsters at a school near Darlington are on their way to London for the national finals of a play writing contest. The Write Here, Write Now contest attracted more than 33,500 entries and the nine-year-olds from Croft School, near Darlington,
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Town parking issues debated
COUNCILLORS are to tackle parking issues in a seaside town, after public consultations. Scarborough Borough Council says a review of parking problems, to be discussed by councillors next week, has highlighted residents' and traders' concerns. Several
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Ringing a haunting bell
AMONGST especially faithful At Your Service readers the church of St John the Evangelist, Lynesack, may ring a distant bell. We'd visited in 1997 on the occasion of its 150th anniversary, observed that The Northern Echo's almost omniscient library was
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Saturday's results for North-East football
Here are the results of matches this weekend. Click on the club names for more news and information. Sunderland 1 Chelsea 0 Rochdale 2 Hartlepool 1 Darlington 2 Torquay United 0 Find the full match reports and pictures from the games at this site on Sunday
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Scheme promises Tasty treat to encourage children into healthy eating
A GOVERNMENT official visiting the region on a fact-finding mission has revealed plans to get the nation's children eating more healthily, including giving youngsters free fruit. Kerry Price, a Department of Health project officer, was in Darlington to
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Wedding saved by radio show joke
A COUPLE forced to scrap their wedding day because of a cash shortage are planning a lavish ceremony after winning £10,000 in a local radio station competition. Louis Bell and Tracy Evans, both 27, were due to marry today, but money problems meant they
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'Lives ruined' claim in child abuse probe
CAMPAIGNERS last night demanded a public inquiry into a multi-million pound child abuse investigation run by Northumbria Police. The organisation, Falsely Accused Carers and Teachers (FACT), has raised serious doubts over the merit of the investigation
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'Lives ruined' claim in child abuse probe
CAMPAIGNERS last night demanded a public inquiry into a multi-million pound child abuse investigation run by Northumbria Police. The organisation, Falsely Accused Carers and Teachers (FACT), has raised serious doubts over the merit of the investigation
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Appeal for reading scheme volunteers
AN appeal has gone out for volunteers to help improve the reading skills of a town's youngsters. Shildon Sunnydale School is looking for adults prepared to become involved in its paired reading scheme. Volunteers would go into schools about three times
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Services for children among the best in country
SERVICES for North-East children in care have been praised by Government inspectors. Figures released yesterday by the Social Services Inspectorate recognise Hartlepool's social services as being among the best in the country. Its report covers 37 areas
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US vets on Herriot centre visit
A PARTY of American vets got a taste of 1950s Herriot country when they paid a recent visit to Thirsk. The 18-strong group, from the Kansas Veterinary Association, broke off from a training course in Leicestershire to spend three days in North Yorkshire
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Clothing clues as hunt for rape suspect steps up
DETECTIVES investigating the rape of a clubber last weekend have released details of clothing they believe her attacker was wearing. The man met his victim outside the Plastered Parrot nightclub, in Darlington, on Friday night and went on to the Mardi
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Villagers' asbestos fears are allayed
VILLAGERS worried about the health risks of asbestos at a building site have been told they have nothing to fear. Residents of Middleton St George, near Darlington, are concerned about the effects of asbestos at the former Arctic Milburn site, at the
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Bouncing babies go through hoops for fun
TINY tots are stretching their legs in new gymnastics classes for babies. The sessions, being run at Middlesbrough's Southlands Leisure Centre, are the latest in the region to be started by gym coach Joanne Dicken. She began them after the British Gymnastics
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Residents in appeal to rid village of hooligans
VILLAGERS have spoken out against a gang of teenage hooligans who they say are making their lives a misery. The villagers from one street in Pelton Lane Ends, near Chester-le-Street, say the gang have: smashed house windows while people were still inside
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Police attempt to unravel dead woman's final hours
POLICE are trying to piece together the last movements of a woman whose body was found on waste ground. The middle-aged woman was found with superficial abrasions to her face which could be consistent with a fall. A post-mortem examination proved inconclusive
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Police attempt to unravel dead woman's final hours
POLICE are trying to piece together the last movements of a woman whose body was found on waste ground. The middle-aged woman was found with superficial abrasions to her face which could be consistent with a fall. A post-mortem examination proved inconclusive
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Homes an 'Aladdin's cave'
A POLICE raid on two houses uncovered part of the contents of a pub and thousands of pounds worth of gardening equipment. Detectives swooped on two homes in Popular Terrace, West Cornforth, County Durham, this week, and found a treasure trove of allegedly
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Disabled bus service boost
AN innovative transport scheme designed to help the elderly and disabled become more mobile has been extended to cover Weardale. The Access Bus scheme, run by Durham County Council and the British Red Cross, picks up passengers who have difficulty using
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Cathedral concert aids hospices
MASSED voices come together to celebrate the hospice movement at Durham Cathedral tonight. Five North-East hospices will be represented at the concert, which will feature 600 singers from choirs across the region, culminating in a stirring rendition of
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Branson forced to tone down his act on record store front
A STORE representing the bright new world of futuristic shopping has been forced to tone down to fit in with Durham's Medieval Market Place. The recently refurbished Virgin V shop, the latest money-spinning venture of tycoon Sir Richard Branson, attracted
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Children are key to crackdown
CHILDREN will be used to catch shopkeepers selling fireworks to under-18s in the run up to Bonfire Night. Trading Standards officers on Wearside will send teenagers into shops to buy fireworks, to ensure retailers stick to laws regarding their sale. Officials
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Supervisor's work on side cost his job
A BUILDING supervisor lost his job of 25 years with a North-East council after being caught overseeing work "on the side". Robert Russell Tippins, 53, arranged for three Chester-le-Street District Council bricklayers to build a conservatory extension
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Buy-out market smashes through £17bn barrier
THE total value of the UK buy-out market in 2000, has already eclipsed last year's figure of £16.9bn. The £17.4bn for the year so far represents a three per cent rise, and includes more than £100m worth of deals taking place in the North-East. The average
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'I am a marked man for life'
OUTSIDE the unreal worlds of science fiction, horror films or fantasy role play, there are not many ways in which you can become transformed into your worst possible nightmare - changed into the very being which you most actively detest and despise. It
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Bird man to fight for return of rare parrots
AN exotic bird expert jailed for smuggling parrots is to fight for the return of his birds. Harry Sissen is to oppose attempts by Customs officers to confiscate the 139 birds seized in a raid on his North Yorkshire home in April 1998. But the 61-year-old
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Farmer's caravan site bid rejected
A FARMER has lost a long-running battle to open a caravan site on his land after a public inquiry. Entertainer and farmer Paul Stephenson had been pressing to open a site on his land at Coal Road, Marwood, near Barnard Castle, for several years but had
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Pool boss happy to put faith in striker Sperrevik
HARTLEPOOL United boss Chris Turner insists he has no worries about throwing Norwegian striker Tim Sperrevik in for his League debut this afternoon. Pool go to Rochdale with Sperrevik replacing leading scorer Kevin Henderson, who was forced out of last
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Newcastle United gets a result
CITY watchers are hoping the resurrection of Newcastle United under manager Bobby Robson will pay dividends on the balance sheet as well as on the pitch, when the company reports full-year results on Monday. Last time round the club's poor performance
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Newcastle United gets a result
CITY watchers are hoping the resurrection of Newcastle United under manager Bobby Robson will pay dividends on the balance sheet as well as on the pitch, when the company reports full-year results on Monday. Last time round the club's poor performance
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Controversy as Bedlington pay the minimum penalty
The Northern League management committee have decided not to kick Bedlington out of the League Cup. Bedlington were due to play Dunston in a second-round tie on September 12 but informed the league that they would be unable to raise a team because of
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Pet rabbit for dinner 'just fantasy'
A stepmother accused of cruelty by forcing her adopted son to eat a pet rabbit said in court yesterday that it was pure fantasy. It was claimed she made rabbit pie after the family pet was savaged by their Alsatian dog and that she served it to the eight-year-old
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Frustrated Phillips to let his goals do the talking
FRUSTRATED England striker Kevin Phillips - not even on the substitutes bench in Finland in midweek - has pledged to shoot his way back into the international reckoning. Last season's Premiership top gun with 30 goals, Phillips knows that the only way
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Kelly in favour of cautious approach
Graham Kelly has warned the seven-man panel who will choose the new England coach not to make their choice without consulting leading figures within the game. As the former chief executive of the Football Association, Kelly was involved in the decision-making
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Embassy bombed as 'war' spreads to West
A suspected bomb blast rocked the British embassy in Yemen yesterday, igniting fears that Westerners were being drawn into the Middle East conflict as it threatened to spiral into all-out war. As intense diplomatic efforts to end violence between Israel
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Jarrow to march on
Despite defeating Albany Northern League side Eppleton CW 9-0 last week in the Durham Challenge Cup, Jarrow still face a daunting task today when they visit leaders Nissan for a Sunderland Shipowners' Cup-tie. Jarrow have taken just two points out of
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Tape threats 'not blackmail' claim
A WOMAN denied blackmailing a retired international footballer, saying she used threats to make him to apologise for ignoring her, a court heard. Carolyn Pick, 36, told detectives the ex-footballer had telephone sex with her twice, but then refused to
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Dangers of the culture clash
NATALIE Knighting's six-month prison sentence following a false rape claim has highlighted a growing problem facing police and those accused of abuse. Knighting, 20, conned authorities out of £7,500 after telling police she was raped by a tramp on her
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Business Centre rises from the ashes of rothmans
THE last man on site at a former tobacco factory has already told his new bosses they'll have a hard act to follow. Security chief Jim Mole switched jobs at exactly noon yesterday, starting a new chapter in his life along with the immaculately-kept Rothmans
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Youngsters carry transport case
CLUED-up youngsters have convinced councillors to look at providing them with winter transport. The group of 11 to 16 year-olds, from several of Stockton's youth forums, visited the council chambers on Thursday night to take part in a discussion with
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Meeting too late for horror crash boy
A teenager almost died on a notorious road - just days ahead of a meeting between safety campaigners, police and council highways chiefs to discuss the route. The 17-year-old, from the Coundon area of County Durham, was catapulted 70ft after smashing
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Meeting too late for horror crash boy
A teenager almost died on a notorious road - just days ahead of a meeting between safety campaigners, police and council highways chiefs to discuss the route. The 17-year-old, from the Coundon area of County Durham, was catapulted 70ft after smashing
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Sporting honours await nominees
PEOPLE with sporty friends, families, or students, are being urged to nominate them for annual awards. Middlesbrough Borough Council is searching for the town's best young sports personality, best coach and best team, for its Sports Personality of the
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Ringing a haunting bell
AMONGST especially faithful At Your Service readers the church of St John the Evangelist, Lynesack, may ring a distant bell. We'd visited in 1997 on the occasion of its 150th anniversary, observed that The Northern Echo's almost omniscient library was
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Putting Harrogate on the gamers' map
A North Yorkshire spa town seems an unlikely place for one of the UK's best known video game companies to establish a satellite outpost but that's exactly what the Bitmap Brothers did two years ago IT'S rather easy to miss the Northernmost outpost of
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Coastguard visitor centre about to open
A PROJECT to transform a former marine laboratory into a coastguard station visitor centre reached its conclusion with an opening ceremony yesterday. Television celebrity and birdwatcher Bill Oddie opened the Old Coastguard Station at Robin Hood's Bay
