Archive
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The Echo says...
THERE are numerous reasons why yesterday's weather caused so much havoc across the country. It was, after all, a very severe storm - perhaps the worst in living memory in parts of the south. So many homes were flooded because, in our overcrowded island
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ICI group in talks over £300m sell-off
CHEMICALS group ICI has confirmed it is in talks about selling off parts of its business. The deal looks set to see one of the last remaining pieces of ICI's massive Teesside plant sold later this week. The businesses in the spotlight are believed to
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You write...
PROSTITUTION IT IS doubtful if even Gilbert and Sullivan would have considered a bizarre unbelievable opera regaling the laws of prostitution. Any prostitute can be arrested and taken to the law courts and fined. But, as her main source of income is earned
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'Toddle league' title hope
A FOOTBALL club is hoping to top the fundraising league through a sponsored walk involving schools from across Teesside. The Great Boro Toddle has been organised by Middlesbrough Football Club to launch its efforts in aid of the NSPCC's Full Stop Campaign
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Completely dominated
IT'S been a busy week for the Jesters. We started off by playing a great game in Ayr last Wednesday. By tying them in that match we qualify for the semi-finals of the Benson and Hedges cup. I think it showed everybody in the league how much we've improved
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We've all got to get used to this
BRITAIN was this morning counting the cost of the worst storms in a decade - and experts warned this was just the start of things to come. At least three people died and insurers estimated the cost of the damage would run into hundreds of millions of
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In tune to help sick children
NEARLY 90 schools from across the North-East are busy rehearsing for the forthcoming Young World Concert. The event will take place in Newcastle on Tuesday, November 14. Pupils from 86 schools across the region will be part of a 5,000-strong choir performing
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Small problem of dresses
THERE will not be a size 16 in sight when dresses fit for a queen take to the catwalk next week. Organisers of a show celebrating One Hundred Years of Fashion had to rule out larger models because their special garments were so tiny. West Auckland Memorial
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Police hunt for teenage robber
Police are appealing for witnesses after a teenager robbed an elderly woman. The incident happened at about 7pm on Saturday when the teenager forced the door open of the woman's home in Grassington Road, Middlesbrough. He pushed past the woman and stole
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Julie's mum moves out
THE grieving mother of murder victim Julie Smailes is leaving the North-East town where she has lived all her life after being hit by more tragedy. Joy Gilmour said she could no longer stay at her home in Consett, County Durham, because there were too
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Top examples in the classroom
GOOD teachers make a lasting difference to young lives. They inspire and they are remembered for years to come. Unfortunately, bad teachers make headlines more often than good ones. That is partly the fault of newspapers which do not look hard enough
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Back row trio excel as Mowden brush off Boro
DARLINGTON Mowden Park will have to wait until next season to confirm that they are now the second best team in the North-East. Saturday's results again suggested they will be competing with West Hartlepool and Tynedale in National Three North next season
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Lee wants to create 'fortress' Kingsway
Bishop Auckland manager Tony Lee wants to turn Kingsway into a fortress again after his side beat Leek Town 3-1 on Saturday. "I want to make it a difficult place for visiting teams again, by playing the way we did on Saturday. Apart from our defeat by
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Bennett to make a move
Darlington manager Gary Bennett is about to raid his old club Sunderland in an attempt to solve Quakers' scoring problems. Quakers have scored just 15 league goals this season, a failing which has seen them drop into the bottom half of table and missed
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Lace-making teacher decides to retire at 90
A LONG-serving teacher, who did not join the profession until middle age, has decided to retire at the age of 90. Harriet Scott, of Chester-le-Street, brings to a close half century teaching the art of lace-making. Harriett began teaching in 1950 and
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ICI 'on brink of chemical sell-off'
HUNDREDS more North-East chemical workers are facing an uncertain future amid speculation that ICI is to sell the remainder of its UK industrial chemical operations . The Dulux Paint-to-chemicals group, has been undergoing a massive restructuring operation
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Health club faces parking plea rejection
COUNCILLORS are being urged to refuse permission for a health club company to almost double the car parking spaces at a new fitness club. The Bannatyne Fitness health club, on the site of the former bus depot in Haughton Road, Darlington, was given permission
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Air ambulance rescue for injured player
A footballer had to be flown to hospital by air ambulance after an accident in a North-East village. Shaun Robinson, 21, was flown to Dryburn hospital, in Durham City from isolated St John's Chapel, in Upper Weardale. Other players feared the right midfield
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Working with militia group
A NORTH-EAST aid worker has told of his efforts trying to rehabilitate members of one of the most violent militia groups in Africa. Ged Naughton, 33, of Consett, County Durham, worked with the rebel West Side Boys in Sierra Leone. As well as causing mayhem
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Revamp plans unveiled
PEOPLE will be given a preview of how their troubled area is to be transformed at a public meeting tonight. Housing and planning officials at Wear Valley District Council will unveil their vision for St Helen Auckland, where people have been demanding
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The Model mayor
THOUSANDS of pounds were raised for charity at the Mayor of Darlington's ball, held at the Dolphin Centre. All proceeds from Friday night's ball will go to charities chosen by the mayor, Councillor Dorothy Long. Coun Long wore a dress designed for the
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Top pizza chef
CHEF Robert Page has won a top award. Robert, head chef at London Electricity, in Sunderland, was part of the team which won the Pizza Caterer of the Year title. The winning effort was a Cucina pizza and the award was presented at the annual Pizza and
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Police oppose pub's bid for an extra hour
POLICE in Darlington fear plans by one of the town's most popular pubs to extend its opening times could result in dozens of other nightspots trying to follow. Yates' Wine Lodge, in Skinnergate, has applied to Darlington Borough Council for permission
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Licensing extensions criticised by police
POLICE are objecting to plans to extend the opening hours for two pubs over fears of increased disturbances. The Stoney Oak pub, in Billingham, Teesside, and Yates's Wine Lodge, in Stockton High Street, have applied to Stockton Borough Council to extend
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Future of hall plan in balance
THE destiny of a bid to rejuvenate a Dales village hall could hinge on the outcome of a meeting in Richmond this afternoon. The parish of Bolton cum Redmire, in Wensleydale, seemed to have overcome most of the obstacles in March, raising £6,000 towards
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Cyclists given lights warning
POLICE in the Richmond area are to clamp down on cyclists riding without lights. With the clocks having gone back at the weekend, police are concerned the potential for accidents has increased. Officers say that they will be on the lookout for cyclists
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Success on a plate for ex-council employee
A LOCAL government officer had an appetite for change when she opted for voluntary redundancy, and now she is cooking up a treat for a town centre's cafe society. Karen Clarke, is at the helm of the recently opened Cafe Papillon, close to the Post Office
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The youngest of bookworms
AT just a few weeks old, two of a library's youngest borrowers are already enjoying a good book with the rest of their families. Research has shown that children who are introduced to books at an early age do better in English and mathematics at school
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Pizza delivery driver robbed
A PIZZA delivery driver may have been lured to a back street by robbers to steal his takings, police said last night. The 29-year-old man was attacked and robbed early yesterday in Garden House Lane, Cockfield, five miles from his base in Bishop Auckland
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Star man full of praise for Craddock
RECORD Sunderland signing Emerson Thome, who scored the goal and carried off the Man of the Match award in the dour 1-0 home win over Coventry City, believes his fellow defenders are in the mood to extend a four-match run of Premiership clean sheets.
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Canoe club started
A canoe Marathon Racing Club has been started in Stockton. In partnership with the British Canoe Union, Stockton Borough Council has established the club, at the Castlegate Quay Water Sports Centre, on the Riverside. The club is starting up as Stockton
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Foster places sought for rescue animals
ANIMAL lovers in Saltburn and east Cleveland are being urged to consider becoming foster carers to dogs and cats. Sara, Saltburn Animal Rescue Association, is desperate for volunteers to help look after animals. The charity is trying to raise funds to
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Pupils mark their place in history
YOUNG artists have been capturing their history and hopes for the future in a giant mural in Hartlepool. Children from the Owton and Rossmere areas of the town spent a week creating a mural which will hang on the wall of the resource centre in Wynyard
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Stephenson's rocket is enough for points
SKIPPER Paul Stephenson enjoys coming up against his old teammate Ashley Bayes - because it normally means a goal, writes NICK LOUGHLIN. Stephenson, at Brentford alongside Bayes, scored against him at the start of last season against Leyton Orient. And
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Birtley's Bone breaks leg
The match at Birtley Town against Thornaby-on-Tees was abandoned seven minutes from time remaining when Guy Bone was taken to hospital with a broken leg. He was detained overnight in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead. Birtley led 5-2 at the time
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Bus shelter to go after protest
A BUS shelter is to be pulled down just days after being put up, following complaints. The shelter in Newport Road, Middlesbrough, was erected for the six-month experiment to pedestrianise parts of central Middlesbrough. Although there had been a bus
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'Jail guards beat me with clubs over three days'
A NORTH-EAST pro-democracy campaigner has spoken of his brutal treatment in a Burmese prison. James Mawdsley, 27, returned to the home of his mother, Diana, at Brancepeth, near Durham City, on Monday. He was released after serving 14 months of a 17-year
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Flower loss is one of highest in the country
ONE plant species disappears from the County Durham countryside every 15 months - one of the highest rates in the country - a survey has revealed. Plantlife's review of the county-by-county decline and loss of Britain's wild flowers revealed the statistic
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'Oscars' for two North teachers
Two women from the North were honoured last night at a glittering teaching "Oscars" ceremony. Denise Murray, from Beaumont Hill School, Darlington, and Cathy Roberts, from St Aiden's C of E school in Harrogate, both received awards known as Platos at
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Believing in a mission possible
ANTARCTICA, a vast wilderness, the last wilderness, unchanged for centuries. Sub-zero temperatures, howling winds, yet, strangely, as a dry as a desert where moisture freezes instantly. Nature at its rawest, sculpted by natural elements, but bathed in
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Bobby turns hot on Acuna
NEWCASTLE United boss Bobby Robson has admitted he initially didn't want to sign red-hot Chile star Clarence Acuna. The Magpies captured the 55-cap midfielder this month in a £1.2m deal with Universidad de Chile after a protracted chase. Acuna was impressive
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Dichio scotches rumours of feud with Quinn
GIANT Sunderland striker Danny Dichio last night fired down suggestions that there is any bad feeling between him and the man who is keeping him out of the first team, Republic of Ireland international Niall Quinn. The 26-year-old Londoner gets a rare
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Thieves tunnel in
THIEVES tunnelled through the bedroom wall of a house in Kirk Merrington, near Bishop Auckland, and made off with property worth £4,500 from next door. The raiders, who had made a hole in an upstairs wall of the house in Rockcliffe Terrace, stole a white
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£44m drive to bring golfing glory to N-E
A MULTI-MILLION pound bid to bring golf's most prestigious competition to the North-East was launched yesterday. The £44m attempt to bring the 2009 Ryder Cup to Slaley Hall, in Northumberland, is being backed by the Prime Minister Tony Blair. Regional
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Police close in on Julie's killers
DETECTIVES are convinced they are "closer than ever" to catching the murderers of Julie Smailes. On the fourth anniversary of Julie's death, police revealed yesterday that forensic scientists, who have spent six months on the case using the latest DNA
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Accident disrupts 'Billy Elliot' school
ONE of the region's schools has been hit by a second blow in two months. Northfield School, in Billingham, has been disrupted by an accidental fire which has caused £50,000 worth of damage. The blaze, which swept through the dining hall and damaged several
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Bikes worth £10,000 are recovered
THREE men abandoned £10,000 worth of stolen bikes after a chance encounter with two detectives. Detective Constable Neil Jones and a colleague from Bishop Auckland police station surprised the men behind the Manor Hotel sports club in West Auckland, at
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Computer users at risk of DVT
A NORTH-EAST expert who has studied so-called "economy class syndrome" - where long-distance aircraft passengers develop potentially fatal blood clots - says the problem also affects computer users. Dr Patrick Kesteven, a consultant haematologist at the
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Pictures chart pit communities
A photographic display documenting lives and landscapes in the Durham coalfield has gone on display at Peterlee Library. The project is the work of five photographers and looks at the lives of ex-miners, community events, men who look after children and
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Sven for England job?
SWEDISH soccer coach Sven Goran Eriksson last night accepted the England manager's job. The coach of Rome side Lazio had been one of the favourites to become Kevin Keegan's successor as England coach. But last night the decision to make him the first
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Cartoon fun in store
YOUNGSTERS were given the chance to come face to face with their favourite TV characters at the weekend. Rugrat stars, Angelica Pickles and her younger cousin, Chuckie, above, entertained children at the Big W store, in Portrack Lane, Stockton, on Saturday
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West recover to deny Crook
Crook Town were within sight of their first league win of the season on Saturday - but West Auckland battled back to force a 3-3 draw. However, Crook manager Dennis Pinkney wasn't too downhearted. "It was a shame we couldn't hold on, but it was a much
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Friends launch net counselling
TWO men trying to overcome personal tragedy, including the death of a 14-year-old daughter in a traffic accident, have come up with a unique way to help others. Steve Vasey, whose daughter Cheryl died in a road traffic accident three years ago, and Matthew
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Troubled hospital calls for help
A HOSPITAL has called in expert help in an attempt to restore its battered public image. Northallerton's Friarage Hospital, in North Yorkshire, has asked a national support team to work with the trust in ensuring it offers a high standard of health care
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Centre for youngsters gets facelift
A COUNTY Durham youth centre has been given a facelift to take it into the 21st Century. Stanley Youth Centre, at Tyne Road, was built in the 1960s and has been at the heart of youth life in the town for decades. But with age taking its toll, action was
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Comic duo keep interest rate high on opening day
TWO bowler-hatted funnymen, who are keeping the Laurel and Hardy legend alive, added a comic touch to a building society's expansion programme. Legendary comedian Stan Laurel's years in Bishop Auckland were centred on the Eden Theatre, which his father
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2,000 years of history in garden
GLOBETROTTING conservationist Dr David Bellamy has championed major environmental causes in all corners of the globe. But few will be as dear to him as the small community project he endorsed on his own doorstep yesterday. Dr Bellamy, who is president
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Girl 'left stranded' after socks wrangle
PARENTS have told of their fury after their young daughters were turned away from a north Durham leisure centre to wander the streets alone at night. One of the two ten-year-old friends, Georgia Batty, of Shield Row, Stanley, was ordered out of a trampoline
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Funeral announced for popular school teacher
A DATE has been confirmed for the funeral of popular North Yorkshire teacher, Elizabeth World, who died suddenly last week, aged 51. The service will be held at Gilling West Church, at 1.30pm, on Thursday. Friends and colleagues who knew her are welcome
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Easington look at realistic targets
The FA Cup run, taking Easington Colliery to within clear sight of the first round for only the second time in their history, was a memorable jaunt for a side struggling in the top flight of the Albany Northern League. Easington failed to clear the toughest
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Parents' fury over telephone mast plan
PARENTS have vented their anger at a mobile telephone company which plans to erect a communications mast near a north Durham village school. Now Derwentside District Council is preparing to intervene in the dispute even though the company does not need
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New fingerprint matching system boosts detection rate
A COMPUTERISED fingerprint matching system is helping police catch an increasing number of crooks just months after being introduced. The Nafis - National Automatic Fingerprint Identification System - allows County Durham and Cleveland Police to identify
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Bellator top of mudlarks
WITH so much wet weather around the spotlight switches to the soft-ground specialists and there's no greater mudlark than Bellator (2.40), heading for today's prestigious Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter. Course officials are optimistic the meeting will pass
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Day school looks at rise of fascism in North-East
THE rise of fascism and anti-fascism in the North-East is the subject of a day school in Durham. The event, held at County Hall, on Saturday, November 11, Armistice Day, will support the forthcoming Anne Frank exhibition at Durham Cathedral. It has been
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Learning about Aboriginal way of life
YOUNGSTERS sampled a slice of Aboriginal life at a workshop aimed at bringing the land of Neighbours to Teesside. The internationally acclaimed artist and storyteller Francis Firebrand arrived at the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum, at Stewart Park, Middlesbrough
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On course with TV project for students
STUDENTS will be able to access a college course without leaving home as part of a new television project. Teesside Tertiary College has teamed up with four of Middlesbrough's Community Economic Development areas, with support from the European Social
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Church hall plan for young people
A CHURCH is hoping to get the go-ahead to build a community hall for youngsters who often find themselves with nothing to do during the evenings. Owton Manor Baptist Church, Hartlepool, has lodged a planning application with Hartlepool Borough Council
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Lots of memorabilia
AN auction company visited Redcar to carry out free valuations of a variety of memorabilia. Warwick-based auctioneers Warwick and Warwick descended on the Regency Hotel, Coatham Road, to give free valuations of stamps, envelopes, postcards, coins and
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Artists weave some visual magic
A DISPLAY of ten tapestries made by artists from County Durham went on display at the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) gallery in Durham City, at the weekend. Other pieces of work by artists from the Association of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers are also being
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Quakers in 'double-your-money offer' to fans
HUNDREDS of Darlington football fans are in for a cash windfall thanks to millionaire chairman George Reynolds. The Quakers supremo is offering to buy back shares from people who have a stake in the club. The shares are worth 25p each but Mr Reynolds,
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In tune to help sick children
NEARLY 90 schools from across the North-East are busy rehearsing for the forthcoming Young World Concert. The event will take place in Newcastle on Tuesday, November 14. Pupils from 86 schools across the region will be part of a 5,000-strong choir performing
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Pupils mark their place in history
YOUNG artists have been capturing their history and hopes for the future in a giant mural in Hartlepool. Children from the Owton and Rossmere areas of the town spent a week creating a mural which will hang on the wall of the resource centre in Wynyard
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Businesses shortlisted for honours
SOME of the brightest new businesses in Hartlepool will be celebrated with the creation of a new accolade this week. The award for the Best New Business in the Owton Rossmere area of the town, will be announced on Friday at the Hartlepool Business Awards
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Pass to health on offer
LESIURE chiefs are encouraging people to stay trim with a new health pass. From Wednesday, people in Hartlepool will have a choice of three passes enabling them to use facilities at the Mill House Leisure Centre and Eldon Grove Community Sports Centre
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Veteran Pearce in a vintage show
HE frightens Bobby Robson, Harry Redknapp thinks he's the most "incredible competitor" he has ever seen and Andy Griffin wouldn't mind having him back at Newcastle. Who are they talking about? Well, Stuart Pearce is his name and on Saturday he took the
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Bonfires ban on land owned by council
A COUNCIL is promising to make Guy Fawkes Night a damp squib for people who start bonfires on its land. Sunderland City Council has outlawed unofficial fires on open spaces and council house gardens. Officers who see bonfires being built will order that
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£13.2m housing estate gets a new chairman
THE multi-million pound project which is breathing life into a Durham estate has a new chairman. Tony Armstrong has taken over as head of the Sherburn Road Regeneration Initiative from Linda Hall, who took early retirement from Durham City Council in
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Kaak goes home after ten games
Darlington striker Ton Kaak has returned to Holland, writes RAY SIMPSON. The 22-year-old joined Quakers during the summer from Dutch club Heracles on a one-year contract, but has failed to make an impact in the Third Division. He figured in ten games
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Nursery school places to be cut due to falling demand
THE number of nursery school places in Stockton is to be reduced by more than 70, after a fall in demand. Headteachers at 11 nursery schools have been consulted about the changes to be brought in by Stockton Borough Council, following a review of the
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Firm's will to aid poor
A FIRM of solicitors is urging people to plan ahead in aid of charity. Tilly, Bailey and Irvine, in Stockton, is taking part in this year's Will Aid, a charity fundraising initiative, that takes place every two years. It offers everyone the chance to
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Council plan prompts fears of job losses
A COUNCIL has defended its decision to appoint a private company to help run its essential services. Middlesbrough Borough Council officials insist they will retain overall control. The strategic partnership has been criticised by some people, who believe
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Burning Questions
Q: COULD you tell me the origin of the phrase Sent to Coventry. - DE Hudson, Spennymoor. A: THERE are two main theories, one which connects the phrase with the time of the Civil War when Coventry was a Puritan stronghold and another which claims that
