Archive
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Letters: Working together for the Dales
Sir, - Having read the letter from the chairman of the New Forest Commoners Defence Association (D&S, Oct 27) I will be writing to Mr Manley with the offer of showing him first hand the work of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. Yet for
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Romance of Orient Express
SOLICTORS Kelsey and Mark Clayton are heading north of the border after winning a trip on the Orient Express. The couple, from Darlington, have scooped the top prize in a competition to mark the 175th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway
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Pupils make the grade with top marks
ONCE again the school is celebrating our record GCSE/GNVQ results. Of the 204 pupils in the year group, 129, 63.2 per cent were awarded five or more A* to C grade GCSEs, surpassing last years record by 1.4 per cent. The majority of these pupils have moved
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Past Lives: A tide in the affairs of men
FLOODS are the very stuff of legend, from the actual scale of Noah's spot of dampness in what we used to call the Near East having grown in the telling over the millennia to enlivening moments in the second-most boring conversation at suburban dinner
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New blow to Tesco plan
PLANS to build a new supermarket in Northallerton could be delayed amid fears it will have a seriously adverse effect on a conservation area. Members of Hambleton District Council planning committee have already agreed outline permission for Tesco to
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Almshouses host evening of music
ONE of the region's leading harpsichord players is performing at the 17th-Century chapel at Redcar's Sir William Turner's Almshouses on Thursday. David Bolton will perform with the Cleveland Chamber Ensemble and, as an added bonus, will be available to
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Police in drive to check on worn tyres
MOTORISTS driving on defective tyres are to be targeted in a major crackdown by police in North Yorkshire. A series of surprise tyre checks are to be held at various sites all over the county over the next week. Police are promising to take firm action
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Take-over ends years
BUMPER demand for Wensleydale cheese has led to the Hawes creamery taking over its closest rival. Creamery directors announced on Monday that the company had bought the Fountains Dairy at Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon. The take-over means production can
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ICI workers still waiting for news on plans for chemical sell-off
HUNDREDS of Teesside chemical workers have been left in limbo after ICI failed to announce the sale of its industrial chemicals businesses yesterday. There was speculation earlier this week that the chemicals giant would announce the sell-off to Ineos
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Chester le Street - Moves to make domestic scene permanent
A piece of art that highlights the plight of victims of domestic violence has proved so impressive that it might end up on permanent display. Members of the Derwentside Domestic Violence Forum teamed up with youngsters from theatre group Theatre Cap a
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Pudsey's coming to town
PUDSEY Bear visited Richmond Castle this week to see the venue for the BBC's regional Children in Need celebrations. Live broadcasts will go out from the castle for about ten minutes in each hour right through the evening of the national charity appeal
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Police crack down on Christmas crime
MISERLY thieves in Redcar are promised a cheerless Christmas. Operation Scrooge, a joint effort by the police, Redcar Town Centre Management and Redcar Business Association, aims to prevent shoplifting and purse snatches in the town centre, to clamp down
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Hall trustees invest in village future
ON TUESDAY, Scorton villagers have the chance to see a model of the ambitious plans for an extension to the war memorial institute. Months of discussion, planning and feasibility studies, led by the institute trustees, have resulted in a proposal for
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Great North Meet: Win hearts to weather crisis
FARMERS must win the battle for the hearts and minds of consumers in order to weather the crisis in agriculture, the director of a university farm advised the conference. Prof Gareth Edwards-Jones, of the university of Wales, said social factors were
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Housing board involves tenants
A GROUP of residents is among those chosen to play a key role in the future of an area's council housing. Five Redcar and Cleveland Borough tenants have been appointed to sit on the shadow board of a new independent housing organisation. The board was
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Local councillors meet the public
THE following Redcar and Cleveland councillors are holding surgeries this week: Today: Thelma Bennett, Coatham, 156 High Street West, Redcar, 6-7pm; Vilma Collins, Cliff Houlding, Peter Todd, Dormanstown, Park Court Community Centre, 6-7pm; Keith Pudney
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£1m almshouses project under national scrutiny
AN ambitious project to refurbish one of the region's 'hidden gems' is to be used as a national demonstration project. The 17th-Century Sir William Turner's Hospital at Kirkleatham, near Redcar, is having a complete makeover costing more than £1m. The
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£22,000 for village hall roof fund
TWO dales organisations are celebrating this week after receiving substantial sums of lottery cash. Cotherstone village hall and Wear Valley disability access forum are among 24 groups across the North-East to receive a share of just over £3m awarded
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Winter water for waders
A HUGE variety of birds will soon be flocking to the North-East with the annual flooding of a marshland creates a haven for waterfowl and wading birds. South Tyneside Council has flooded Boldon Flats each winter since 1986 to produce feeding and roosting
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'Mad' Frankie comes to town
Spennymoor Boxing Academy play host to an infamous special guest at their annual dinner next week when they welcome 'Mad' Frankie Fraser. The East End hard man is a patron of Bethnal Green's Repton Boxing Club in London who are supplying some of the boxers
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Golf: Great year for James
TALENTED young golfer James Ebbage completed a magnificent season by receiving Ripon City Golf Club's player of the year award at the club's annual dinner recently. The 15-year-old reduced his handicap from 22 to ten as his sparkling play brought him
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Mum hails son -little hero' for helping blast victims
A YOUNG boy has been hailed a hero after he came to the aid of his brother and a friend after an explosion. Details of the incident still remain sketchy, but it is thought fumes from a tin of cellulose thinner ignited in a shed. David Corley, 12, was
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Heart tragedy spurs parents' campaign to save youngsters
GRIEVING parents are campaigning to raise the awareness of potential heart problems in fit and healthy young people after tragedy struck their family. Ian Bowen was a fit and healthy teenager until a few months before his death, when it was discovered
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verse recalls sights and sounds of steelworks
A POEM detailing life at Consett steelworks has been given pride of place in a town centre club. Consett Steel Club, in Trafalgar Street, is the new home to a 1,000-word poem recalling day-to-day life at the town's steelworks. Compiled by Bill Johnson
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Letters: Heritage is too important to rush
Sir, - Mr Tate's vituperative attack on Hambleton District Council (D&S, Oct 27) needs an answer. Mr Tate has been seeking planning permission for work on 33 Market Place, Thirsk for several months and has submitted various different planning applications
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Basketball
Teesside League Yarm Conyers, struggling to get valuable training time on their home court due to necessary floor repairs resulting in closure, went down 60-42 in their opening league fixture against Norton 1. The first quarter was an even period with
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Looking Back: news from 100, 50 & 25 years ago
FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - The heavy rainfall of Friday and Saturday morning caused what proved to be the most disastrous flood which has been experienced in Darlington since 1875. At about ten o'clock the river had swollen to such an extent
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Ladies fly flag for North
TWO prominent lady members of Barnard Castle Golf Club flew the flag for the North at the finals of Daily Mail Foursomes at St Pierre, Chepstow. Last year's lady captain Sue Blaeford and Sheila Kilgarriff, wife of the club's competition secretary, were
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It's murder being in a soap
Playing a regular character in a TV soap can be murder. Just ask Karen Drury who leaves Brookside this week - in a coffin. Not for her a departure by taxi (a favourite way for EastEnders to go) or death by fatal soap illness or Blackpool tram. The actress
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Arts News: Soprano to sing for parents' church appeal
TWO accomplished musicans get together to raise the roof with songs in St Oswald's church, Askrigg, next weekend to raise money for the sister church St Matthew's, at Stalling Busk, near Semerwater. Soprano, Anna Belward, who spent eight years of her
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Mayor sparks cash appeal for park
VISITORS to one of the region's biggest fireworks displays are being urged to contribute to a multi-million pound refurbishment of Darlington's Victorian South Park. The scheme to restore the park was unveiled last year, and part of the plan to raise
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Rugby: Thirsk star set to make dream debut for Scotland
A YOUNG rugby union star from Thirsk is all set to make his full international debut for Scotland in the first of a series of three tests which starts tomorrow. Jonathon Steel, aged 20, plays on the right wing for Glasgow Caledonian and the Scottish Under
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Vandals target church in 'hurtful' attack
SERVICES at St Gregory's church, Bedale, will be disrupted for the second successive Sunday after vandals let off two fire extinguishers in the building. The church, where thousands of pounds have been spent on a facelift for the millennium, has been
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Racing Week, with Jo Scott: Darley is pride of the North
KEVIN Darley has been acclaimed the champion jockey after taking his 150th win of the season at Musselburgh on Wednesday. Although there are still a couple of days of the season left, no-one can catch the northern jockey now and he is the first to bring
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Potato prices
Yorkshire and North East. - Ex farm in growers' bags, Cara and similar £70-£90 a tonne. Estima, Nadine, Marfona and other whites, main range £70-£80. Best quality £90-£100. Maris Piper mostly £80 with up to £110 in south of region. Bulk: Cara and similar
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Mission visit to founder church
A RELIGION that started in Middlesbrough more than 150 years ago is being revived with the help of a distinguished visitor. John Hendley, a minister from the International Bible College of Florence, in Alabama, arrived on Teesside to help re-start the
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No end to misery as flood crisis spreads
POLICE were last night evacuating scores of homes in east Cleveland as the floods crisis worsened. Villagers in Skinningrove were being moved to a school in neighbouring Loftus as emergency services mounted a full-scale rescue operation. Earlier, off-duty
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Lamb ban fear on hill farms
A BAN on selling British lamb would put an end to hill farming in Northern England. Earlier this week, MAFF said a total ban was one possibility being considered if BSE was confirmed in the national flock. Mr Richard Betton, who farms at Waters Meeting
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Chester le Street - Trick-or-treat fun ends in tragedy
A FATHER has told how a Halloween game of trick-or-treat ended in tragedy when his four-year-old son was killed in a road accident. Luke Donaldson, of The Crescent, Chester-le-Street, was killed while enjoying Halloween with his dad, Thomas, two older
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Junior Football
Auckland And District Ebac Youth League DARREN Deuchars netted four goals for Willington in a 8-2 victory at home to Newton Aycliffe, their first league win - and Aycliffe's first defeat. The game also featured goals from both goalkeepers, Willington
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Hambleton Ales North Yorkshire Cup
Hambleton Ales North Yorkshire Cup HOLDERS Harrogate Squash got off to a flying start in defence of the Hambleton Ales North Yorkshire Cup, beating Ripon 5-0 in the opening round. Squash, who are also league champions, remain favourites to pull off the
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Durham victory over Guisborough
Guisborough Town 0 Durham City 3 ONE of Guisborough's heaviest defeats of the season puts Durham City level on points with Albany Northern League leaders Bedlington. With eight unbeaten matches behind them, Guisborough started brightly but the second
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The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League
Three teams joined Jack Horners in the semi-finals of the First Division Cup. Newton Aycliffe held off East End's challenge with goals from Chris Postle and Geoff Peadon giving them the edge in 2-1 victory, Gavin Bell replying for East End. Coundon Miners
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The Albany Northern League
Wilf Constantine was overwhelmed by the goodwill messages from players and managers before Easington Colliery's FA Cup final qualifying round tie against Chester City. Constantine, who lives in Hartlepool, said: "I had so many good luck calls - and I
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Club presents cricket awards
THE following awards were presented at Marske Cricket Club's presentation evening. The John Coulthard Shield for most consistent under 15, Lee Heslop; The Norman Goddard Cup for most promising under 15, Lee Hodgson; Romney & Jean White Cup for most
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Adults encouraged to carry on learning
FOR the past three years, adults have been returning to school to learn new skills. Through a collaboration with New College, Durham, an increasing range of courses has been offered. The over-50s have enjoyed swimming, healthy living and computing courses
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I'm just a jealous guy...
IT is a fact of life that most dads have small wardrobes compared to mums. My wife has six wardrobes full of clothes while I have one small wardrobe half full of clothes, most of which have not been replaced for years. This is because, like most dads,
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Soccer girls seek sponsor
A LADIES football team is seeking financial support from local businesses. Darlington Ladies' Football Club play in the Northern Combination League, taking on the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle. But the fact they have no sponsors means they
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Getting teeth into charity funding
THE children of the pre-prep department at one North Yorkshire independent school have designed their own Christmas cards this year. Each child in the department at St Martin's School at Nawton, near Helmsley, has contributed a drawing for the colourful
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Rare breeds butcher is first to obtain new licence
THE High Dales Meat Co, whose meat comes mainly from traditional rare breeds, has become the first butcher in Barnard Castle to be granted the new butcher's shop safety licence. Butchers countrywide now have to reach a required standard of inspection
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Illness didn't stop Phillip
FIFTEEN-year-old Phillip Keene was elated when he completed the Coast To Coast cycle marathon for charity. But he also felt absolutely shattered after cycling a bone-shaking 135 miles. Phillip had been tired before but, like any other teenager with bags
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Friends' bid for car park at burial ground rejected
THE Society of Friends in Darlington has been refused permission to transform part of a burial ground into a car park. The Quaker burial ground, which lies at the rear of the Friends' meeting house in Skinnergate, is the final resting place of many of
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Boro move back on the trail of Delap
Injury-hit Middlesbrough have made another inquiry for Derby County's £3m-rated wing-back Roy Delap. The former Carlisle midfielder could be available as Derby boss Jim Smith attempts to ease the club's relegation fears by making major changes. Smith
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Eriksson aims to win over the doubters
Sven-Goran Eriksson has declared his determination to win over the critics opposed to the appointment of an overseas England coach. The Swede gave an accomplished, if characteristically unspectacular, performance in his first public appearance since agreeing
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We won't target refineries, pledge protestors
FUEL protestors promised last night there would be no repeat of the fuel refinery blockades which crippled Britain in September. The pledge came as Home Secretary Jack Straw outlined plans to MPs for protecting petrol and food supplies and safeguarding
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Woman savaged by pack of dogs
PARENTS were urged to keep their children indoors last night after an horrific attack on a woman by a pack of savage dogs. Mother-of-three Narinder Kaur was rescued by workers who fought the pack with scaffolding pole. She was left covered in blood from
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Raging prisoner blamed for car crash
TWO police officers were injured when a teenage prisoner flew into a rage in the back of a police car, causing the driver to veer off the road and smash into a lamppost, a court heard yesterday. PC Richard Elliot lost control of the wheel of the panda
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Region's students shun Oxford
THE Oxford college which rejected North-East schoolgirl Laura Spence has suffered a 50 per cent drop in applications from the region. It follows the political storm after the college rejected the Tyneside student's application. Laura, who was a pupil
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The golden girl of Redcar
BEWILDERED, Tanni Grey-Thompson sits on the floor of her Redcar bungalow. On Monday she was basking in the Sydney sunshine. Now she's back home in the chilly North-East, facing a gruelling schedule travelling up and down the country. Everyone wants to
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School wildlife award
A NORTH-EAST school has been named runner-up in the Animal Ark RSPCA animal-friendly school of the year. Valley View Nursery School, Newcastle upon Tyne, received £500 in Hodders book vouchers as runners-up. Two years ago it turned a field into a wildlife
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Stewart shows strain
Alec Stewart showed the strain of becoming an accused man as he issued a passionate denial of allegations that he took money from a bookmaker in return for information on England's tour to the sub-continent seven years ago. Looking drained and tired at
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Accidents prompt lane closure plea
A PLEA has been made for urgent action to prevent further accidents at a North Yorkshire road blackspot. The county's chief constable, David Kenworthy, has been asked to have the overtaking lane at Golden Hill, on the A64 near Malton, closed off. The
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Accidents prompt lane closure plea
A PLEA has been made for urgent action to prevent further accidents at a North Yorkshire road blackspot. The county's chief constable, David Kenworthy, has been asked to have the overtaking lane at Golden Hill, on the A64 near Malton, closed off. The
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Decision on Transpennine rail franchise draws closer
A DECISION on who will run the new Transpennine Express rail franchise moved a step closer yesterday as a shortlist of four firms, two from the region, was drawn up by the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority. The franchise will run services linking the North-East
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Telewest tunes in to Eurobell
CABLE TV and telecoms company Telewest Communications is to buy rival firm Eurobell from Deutsche Telekom for £250m. Telewest, based at the Team Valley in Gateshead, currently supplies 1.6 million UK households, but it will extend its reach across southern
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Dealing with too many old trees
DARLINGTON is set to introduce a tree strategy to ensure the safety of more than 24,000 trees on council-owned land. Yesterday members of the environment scrutiny committee were shown a report outlining a tree strategy to deal with the next ten to 20
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Athletics
New Marske Harriers The first cross country match in the North Yorkshire League and South Durham League took place on a very muddy and tough course at Barnard Castle with pouting rain and gale force winds. New Marske Harriers were soon cheering when their
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Pony dates
BCTG. - Nov 13: Annual meeting at Middleton EC, 8pm, old and new members welcome. 01325 332685. Braes of Derwent South PC. - Nov 4: Dressage to music demonstration with Hilary Hindmarsh, 4.30-6.30, Seagold Centurion EC. Tickets at £5 from Mrs J Little
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Carsten happy with loan
Sunderland misfit Carsten Fredgaard yesterday jumped at the chance to rebuild his career at First Division Bolton Wanderers. The 24-year-old winger will train with Bolton for the next fortnight in an attempt to impress manager Sam Allardyce. Fredgaard
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Village revives remembrance
AN east Durham village will once again go on parade to mark Remembrance Day. Following the closure of Blackhall's branch of the Royal British Legion two years ago, the annual march past came to a halt. However, after a public meeting, it has been decided
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Police hunt conman rapist
An intruder raped a woman after getting into her home by claiming to be a workman. The attacker pretended to be a central heating engineer. The man, who was wearing blue overalls and work boots, called at the house in Hartlepool on Wednesday afternoon
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Paying the price of democracy
WE are paying too much for petrol. The Treasury is raking in more than its fair share in fuel taxes. And, as Shell's bumper earnings showed yesterday, the oil companies are making too much profit at our expense. The oil companies have ample scope to reduce
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Snooker
Willington League Willington Brewer's Droop made a very good two point home win over Willington Lion and Unicorn which was clinched when Brett Fleming beat Steve Barker in the final captains game. The Droop had singles wins from Jimmy Fleming, Jeff Wilson
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Holders need extra time to go through
Wensleydale Creamery League THE championship battle was put on hold last weekend when teams turned their attention to the first round of the Medals Shield. Holders Richmond Mavericks made a good start to the defence of the trophy when they knocked out
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Thief escaped with £55 and sore fingers
AN opportunist thief fled with a handful of notes - and sore fingers - after snatching takings from a till drawer. An assistant at Iceland's Market Place branch in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, closed the till on Clifford Martin Atkinson when he made
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Boy hurt in blast
A YOUNG boy was in intensive care with horrific burns yesterday after he and two friends were caught up in an explosion in Dormanstown. The boys - thought to be two brothers and a friend - were playing in a shed at a house in Stockdale Avenue on Wednesday
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Sports stars boost Romania appeal
DONATIONS from football and cricket clubs in the North-East have boosted the prize list for a draw staged to help relieve hardship in Romania. County Durham haulier Bill Troup, who sends aid supplies for various charities on regular lorry runs with farm
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Animal foster carers needed
ANIMAL lovers in East Cleveland are urged to foster dogs and cats. Saltburn Animal Rescue Association is desperate for volunteers to help look after animals. The charity is raising funds to build its own sanctuary. It now has a total of £22,000 including
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Sports hero back home
ONE of the brightest stars of the British paralympics team was enjoying home comforts this week following her return to Teesside. Tanni Grey-Thompson lived up to her reputation as the world's premier wheelchair racer to win four gold medals in the 100
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Fundraising groundwork to aid disabled
TRADERS and business organisations have raised hundreds of pounds to provide dropped kerbs to aid disabled and wheelchair visitors to their market town. The money has been topped up by a substantial donation from the Motorcycle Action Group, bringing
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Museum flies the flag to celebrate
A REDCAR museum is asking for help to celebrate its birthday. Kirkleatham Old Hall Museum at Redcar is 20-years-old next year and as part of the celebrations five banners will be displayed in the entrance hall. The banners will show Redcar and Cleveland
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Number one for witnesses
MAGISTRATES courts in County Durham have been ranked quickest in the country when it comes to witness waiting times. Latest figures released by the Lord Chancellor's department show that 71 per cent of witnesses faced a wait of one hour or less before
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Christmas target for Golden Boy centre
BUILDING work to convert an old football ground into a recreational haven for the whole community is progressing ahead of schedule. Staff from the South Bank Community Forum, say the Golden Boy Green development, in South Bank, near Middlesbrough, dedicated
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boys blow whistle for soccer success
TWO Year 11 pupils at Bedale High School are on the road to sporting success - as football referees. The 16-year-olds have passed the FA Class 3 referees exam and are now officiating at school matches. Head of PE Martyn Coombs - himself a Class 1 referee
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Oil terminal staff help hard-pressed farm
STAFF at a BP terminal helped a community farm by responding to the call of nature. Workers at the Seal Sands site carried out badly-needed renovations at the High Clarence farm. Founded in 1991, the community farm has welcomed about 250,000 visitors
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Prices at the markets
BARNARD CASTLE. - Tues. Fwd: 293 cattle. Lim cows & calves: £605, £570 F&P Stephenson. BB cows & calves: £590, £530 L F Harrison. BB hfrs & calves: £900, £650 J&J&D Buck. Simm hfr & calf: £460 WL Robinson & Ptnrs. AA bulling
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I'm just a jealous guy...
IT is a fact of life that most dads have small wardrobes compared to mums. My wife has six wardrobes full of clothes while I have one small wardrobe half full of clothes, most of which have not been replaced for years. This is because, like most dads,
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Toward leads the way
NORTHUMBERLAND schoolboy Andrew Toward showed his senior rivals the way home when he won by one of the biggest margins in the history of the North-East Harrier League at the opening meeting at Wallsend. The 16-year-old Morpeth Harrier defied treacherous
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Shipyard workers get hope for future
THEY used to come in their thousands to watch royalty smash a bottle of champagne, sending the huge metal structure gliding down the runway to send gallons of water crashing towards the opposite shore. But that was the industrial past the North-East was
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Durham Alliance League
Seaham Duke lost their first match, beaten 4-3 by local rivals Seaham Mallard who are in a rich vein of form and were good value for the victory. Mallard took an early lead through James Taylor only for Steven Frater to equalise shortly afterwards. Darren
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A breakfast bar to be avoided
BREAKFAST, they tell us, is the most important meal of the day. Which is probably why most of us skip it... Porridge, bacon and eggs have long been supplanted in most homes by toast and cereal. Many of us don't even have time to do that. Or to make sure
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Youngsters in call for help to realise their holiday dream
Agroup of children need help in raising funds for an activity holiday in the Lake District. The youngsters are part of a unit at Bishopsgarth School, Stockton, which looks after 55 pupils with a range of special educational needs. Some have physical disabilities
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Bricks & Wheels Appeal: The name of the game is public safety
THIRTY-FIVE thousand football fans packed into the Riverside stadium in Middlesbrough to watch the home side get beaten by Newcastle United, 3-1. Not the result they wanted at all. But the fact that they were able to sit and watch the game in safety was
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Millennium shows prove hit for town
TWO festivals in Stockton have been voted a success by organisers. The Riverside International Festival and Circus 2000, which were held in the town in the summer, attracted visitors and acts from around the country. It was the 13th time the Riverside
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Fight goes on to save green site
MORE than 250 residents packed a public meeting to hear council representatives defend plans to bulldoze a town's last greenfield site. Monday night's meeting in Guisborough's Sunnyfield House was called after residents formed a protest group to save
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Half a century ago in the not-so-wild west End
THIS is Darlington's West End taken in 1951 by Jimmy Blumer, the latest in The Northern Echo's series of Jimmy's extraordinary aerial views. The West End is Darlington's educational epicentre. Standing in the middle of the picture is The Free Grammar
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More rural courts may have to close
QUESTION marks have been raised over the future of some of the nine remaining courthouses in North Yorkshire. Over the past six years a number of local courts, including those at Stokesley, Easingwold and Thirsk, have been closed in an attempt by the
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Donna takes double win at Holmside Park
DONNA Mewse was the star as Holmside Park hosted its first affiliated show for 18 months. She scored a double win, filling the first two places in the Foxhunter /Hadrian Equine Intermediate Championship with Bold Reality and DJA's Soft Touch and also
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Boro Chat
BORO'S cup exit at Wimbledon merely underlined the early season difficulties facing the team as they struggle to find their way out of a poor run of form. Manager Bryan Robson is determined to get it right but has faced a huge injury list. "It seems that
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Elderly day clubs scheme secured by £7,500 lifeline
LONELY and elderly residents in Teesdale have been thrown a lifeline in their bid to keep rural day clubs running. A donation of £7,500 by the Lloyds TSB Foundation will enable all seven of the day clubs in Teesdale to continue to offer support to frail
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Parades will remember lost lives
PARADES and services for this year's Remembrance Day will be taking place throughout Redcar. On Saturday, November 11, a parade will form at the Lifeboat Station at 10.45am and march along the High Street to the junction of Dundas Street for the service
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Consett & Stanley - Store staff are in the pink
WORKERS at a Stanley supermarket struggled through the snow, wind and rain to get to work on Monday - just so they could sit in a bath of blancmange. The five women from the ASDA store were raising money for the 'Tickled Pink Fund for Breast Cancer' appeal
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Centre is key to world of music
Musical opportunities are being opened up to more youngsters from disadvantaged areas, through a new centre. Work has begun on converting part of Our Lady and St Bedes School, in Stockton, into a new centre for the Tees Valley Music Service (TVMS), where
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Income slashed as farming crisis deepens
UPPER Wensleydale's economy fell by an estimated 20pc in the last five years, according to a report on sales incomes in the area. The report, by Hawes resident Dr Peter Annison, says the upper dale had experienced a drop in total income of between £3m
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Government urged to make cancer top priority
A CLEVELAND MP this week launched a national campaign to put cancer on the national political agenda. Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, posed outside his constituency office in Guisborough on Monday with giant pledgecards to
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Spectator's Notes: Save us from the radio roadshow
SPECTATOR salutes Yarm Town Council in its possibly Canute-like attempt to turn back the tide of the dreaded local radio roadshow. Councillors this week shocked their chairman by rejecting the offer from TFM for a roadshow when the town's Christmas lights
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Angling
It was history in the making when Durham's Gerry Bowes became the first angler to lift all three RSPS titles adding the latest the Les Winder Memorial Middle Swale Championships to his record breaking Lower and two Upper successes.The river rose two foot
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Seminar hopes to bring in new businesses
A MAJOR event is to be staged at a new centre on Teesside to encourage the development of hi-tech companies in the area. The seminar, which takes place on Wednesday at the new Innovation Centre at Kirkleatham, has been organised by the British Urban Regeneration
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Native plants at threat from changes in soil
THE nation's champion of wild plants says County Durham is killing off its native species at the rate of one every 15 months. The alarming figures put the county in fifth place in the league of worst offenders. It has lost 68 different species since records
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Charity champs catch eye of the Prime Minister
FERRYHILL School's commitment to the community is well illustrated by its Interact Club. The club, for 14 to 18-year-olds, is sponsored by Spennymoor Rotary Club, and is dedicated to charity projects. It is only one of three such clubs in the North-East
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Floods hit - again
RESIDENTS in East Cleveland are counting the cost of flooding for the second time in three months. Skinningrove, which is still recovering from floods that devastated the village in July, was hit again on Monday after the beck swelled by a foot in just
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Traders warned over under-age selling of fireworks
TRADERS in Redcar and Cleveland have been issued with a stern warning by the borough council after an undercover survey found shops willing to sell fireworks to under-age children. The authority has also alerted the public to the potential dangers of
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Little parcels of love
THE little boxes of crayons, toys and paper may not seem much to children in County Durham, but they will be sure to light up the Christmas of youngsters in Romania and Croatia. Pupils at Tudhoe Moor Nursery School, near Bishop Auckland, have been busy
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Roadside 'shrine' to dead son ripped up
A GRIEVING mother has vowed to defy a county council ban which led to contractors ripping up a floral tribute to her son. Former North-East woman Kathleen Lawson had carefully tended the memorial to Robert, 24, since he died in a motorbike accident on
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High five for fruitful forest colours
AUTUMN - season of mists and mellow fruitfulness (to quote John Keats) - has arrived at Guisborough Forest. In fact, the changing colours of the leaves have given the 1,000-acre beauty spot top ratings in a national beauty chart. The Forestry Commission
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The ideal home for a model house-hunter
WONDERBRA model Adriana Sklenarikova and her footballer husband, Christian Karembeu, will certainly get a warm welcome from neighbours of one Darlington house they have viewed. The 28-year-old Slovakian beauty was thought to be unhappy with their move
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Union calls for pupil exclusion option
A TEACHING union is calling on headteachers to permanently exclude pupils whose behaviour is so bad they need restraining. In the North-East, the National Union of Teachers (NUT) receives two or three calls every week from teachers who are dealing with
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Plea to binmen as ballot opens on strike action
TALKS aimed at resolving a row with binmen in Cleveland broke down this week and workers are being balloted over industrial action. The outcome of the vote is likely to be made known early next week, but Redcar and Cleveland council is already looking
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Grain prices
Thursday's prices Kenneth Wilson, Thorp Arch. - Wheat: Nov £58; Dec £59; Jan £60. Barley: Nov £64; Dec £65; Jan £65. Oilseed rape: Nov £122; Dec £123; Jan £124. GrainCo, Tyne Dock. - Wheat: Nov £58; Dec £59. Barley: Nov £63; Dec £63.50. Oilseed rape:
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Great North Meet: French surprise at public's attitude
THE English public should value the contribution the farming industry made to its stunning countryside, said a French farmer who addressed the meet. M Pierre Fabregue, general manager of the Haute-Vienne agricultural chamber, said the British landscape
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Passengers left in cold as rail station closes doors early
THE railway station serving the county town of North Yorkshire has been found by passengers to be locked up and deserted at 4.30 on a cold autumn afternoon. It has been reported that a handwritten notice was posted on the booking office of Northallerton
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Blackpool-style Wurlitzer treat
A musician is performing two concerts in County Durham. Robert Wolfe, resident theatre organist at the Thursford Collection in Norfolk, will be playing the Wurlitzer at the New Victoria Centre in Howden-le-Wear, near Crook, on November 11 and 12. Mr Wolfe
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Great North Meet: Minister's promise of more cash
A DOUBLING of the cash set aside for agri-environmental schemes was a key feature of the government's Rural White Paper, due to be published in the next few weeks. Mr Michael Meacher, the Environment Secretary, gave the news to delegates at the Great
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It's murder being in a soap
Playing a regular character in a TV soap can be murder. Just ask Karen Drury who leaves Brookside this week - in a coffin. Not for her a departure by taxi (a favourite way for EastEnders to go) or death by fatal soap illness or Blackpool tram. The actress
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Tailor-made for the part
ONE man in his life plays many parts - but is less often cast in the same sort of role on stage as off. Mr David Tait, a hotel manager, brings real-life experience to his latest amateur role in Night Must Fall and has even been able to help Guisborough
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Canadian police look into 62 Neale cases
POLICE in Canada are planning to set up a special team of detectives and medical experts to investigate allegations against disgraced North Yorkshire surgeon Richard Neale. The cases of up to 62 women are due to be examined by detectives in Ontario. The
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Swaledale farm ties for top wool award
A NORTH Yorkshire hill farming family has shared a top wool award for its consistently high standards of production over the last ten years. Mr Brian Thornborrow, right, and his wife, Dot, who run 800 Swaledales and 20 suckler cows on some of the bleakest
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Radio roadshow ditched in favour of tradition
COUNCILLORS in Yarm have sprung a seasonal surprise on their own chairman. Members of the town council stunned Coun Gwen Porter when they snubbed a plan for a fun radio roadshow at a ceremony to switch on the Christmas tree lights. Coun Porter says the
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Swimming
Chris Surtees, from Hunwick, broke the English schools record for the intermediate (14/15) boys 100m butterfly of 58.08 secs, set in 1985, when winning the national schools title in Douglas, Isle of Man, in 57.98 secs, writes ERIC WILKINSON. He is a former
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Mayor sparks cash appeal for park
VISITORS to one of the region's biggest fireworks displays are being urged to contribute to a multi-million pound refurbishment of Darlington's Victorian South Park. The scheme to restore the park was unveiled last year, and part of the plan to raise
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Football: Bedale boys pass their whistle test
DANIEL Carrick and Robert Farquhar have passed the Football Association class 3 referees' examination and are officiating in Bedale high school football matches. Mr Martyn Coombs, head of PE and a class 1 referee still active in the Northern League, said
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Athletics: Brown gets season off to flying start
DARLINGTON Harrier Ruth Brown won the senior women's race in the opening North Yorkshire and South Durham Harrier League meeting at Barnard Castle last Sunday. The 20-year-old university undergraduate, who is a Great Britain junior international, beat
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Children need more than a quick fix
FOUL-MOUTHED, undisciplined and badly behaved. Too loud, too aggressive, too much. We're constantly being told children today are worse behaved than previous generations. And most of us have days when we're tempted to agree. But the chilling Government
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Consett & Stanley - Racist letter is 'silly prank'
A BOGUS council letter telling residents they must take in a family of Asian lodgers has provoked ridicule among ethnic minority leaders. An official-looking letter with the Derwentside District Council letter-head informs the resident that they have
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Sponsorship boosts new dressage competitions
CUMBRIAN-BASED WCF Country Centres has committed itself to supporting two major new affiliated dressage championships at novice and elementary levels. The Northern winter novice championship and the Northern winter elementary championship qualifiers were
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Youths smash bus window with brick
POLICE have condemned the actions of youths who threw a brick at the rear window of a moving bus. The window of the single decker was smashed while the bus was travelling along Cambridge Street, in Spennymoor, on Wednesday. There were a handful of passengers
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Ice Hockey
Junior Round-up Billingham Wolves and Sunderland Tomahawks both won their English Under-19 North A League weekend matches. Wolves returned to winning ways on home ice, defeating Blackburn Thunderhawks 3-1 on Sunday. It was far from their best performance
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Billy's bubble bursts north of the border
THANKS to our man at Herriot-Watt University, a cutting from The Scotsman arrives concerning an unscheduled post-match press conference at Cappielow Park, Greenock. Morton had lost 4-0 to Falkirk and had two players sent off. It wasn't to separate referee
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Letters: Doctor did not deserve the sack
Sir, - I was appalled and saddened to see that Mr Bruce and the Northallerton NHS Trust had found that their only course of action was to sack Mr Hebblethwaite. I feel that he has been made the scapegoat in the aftermath of the Mr Neale affair in an attempt
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Safe homes needed for the young homeless
A SCHEME which aims to provide safe accommodation for homeless young people is to be launched in the New Year. The Nightstop Supported Lodgings Scheme is looking for people in the Redcar and East Cleveland area who can offer a home to young people aged
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Badminton: Hurst goes so close at Wimbledon
MATTHEW Hurst from Thorpe Larches, near Sedgefield, was runner-up in the Wimbledon U19 tournament last weekend. On his way to the final, the 17-year-old Durham County number one singles player disposed of the top seed, Yorkshire's Steven Day, 11-15 15
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Profits rise at the Yorkshire
YORKSHIRE Bank has unveiled an increase in pre-tax profits to £217.6m, a rise of 31.7 per cent. Total lending was up 20.4 per cent to £5,991.7m, with the strong growth in both personal and business loans. Stuart Grimshaw, chief executive of the Yorkshire
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Independence at last for Angie
A YOUNG brittle bone sufferer from Aiskew has finally got her own permanent transport after being on a waiting list for five years. Miss Angie Stewart's father, Bob, has previously driven her around in vehicles leased from Motability, the registered charity
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Camerons Teesside League
Camerons Teesside League After their disappointing performance last week in the County Cup, BEADS thrashed visitors Richmond Town 7-1. They took the lead through Chris Norris in the eighth minute and six minutes later Michael Walker added a second. In
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Wearside League
Annfield Plain manager Kevin Drinkeld was far from despondent although his side lost in the Albany Durham Challenge Cup at the weekend. Albany Northern League outfit Tow Law finished 3-1 winners but Drinkeld was proud of his team's performance. "The game
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Countryman's Diary: Ruthless predator set to stalk the glens
IMAGINE rambling in the North Pennines, Yorkshire Dales or North York Moors and being confronted by a pack of wolves or even a lone wolf. It would not be quite the same as spotting a fox, deer or other wild animal and, I think, most of us would experience
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Shearer backs new boss
Alan Shearer yesterday urged English fans to back Sven Goran Eriksson, even though he admitted: "It's a shame the job has not gone to an Englishman." Former England skipper Shearer echoed the views of his Newcastle boss Bobby Robson following the FA's
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Scrooge to safeguard festive spirit
SHOPPERS in Redcar can hunt for Christmas presents this year knowing that thieves will not spoil the festive season - thanks to a scheme by Cleveland Police. Operation Scrooge is a joint effort by Redcar police, Redcar Town Centre Management and Redcar
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Blair unveils 100 North jobs in health watchdog
Tony Blair's Government will bid today to prove its commitment to the North-East by creating 100 jobs and siting a new health watchdog in the region. The Prime Minister is in Newcastle to deliver an electioneering speech outlining the "big choices" ahead
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Great delivery - Well done
LITTLE Abby Mills has become the first baby to be delivered at one of Europe's leading transplant hospitals - by a junior urologist. Her parents, Lindsey Mills and David Padgett, were on their way to their local hospital's maternity unit when they got
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Smith in no mood to help
Former Darlington heroes Brian Little and Kevan Smith won't be handing out any favours to their old club when Quakers go to Boothferry Park tomorrow. Little was the manager and Smith the captain as Quakers won the Conference and Fourth Division titles
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Planners reject proposals for major expansion to superstore
A SUPERMARKET giant's plans for a major expansion of its Northallerton superstore are on the verge of being shelved. Councillors are expected to throw out retail giant Tesco's bid to create a 44,000 sq ft supermarket on East Road when they meet next week
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Pool on the Mark for Tinks
HARTLEPOOL United boss Chris Turner last night completed the signing of Mark Tinkler and said: "Now watch us go." The 26-year-old midfielder signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Pool after Southend decided to let him go to cut back on their wage bill
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Appeal court cuts robbers' sentences
THREE teenagers, who subjected another to a vicious attack in order to steal his £200 neck chain, yesterday had their sentences reduced at London's Criminal Appeal Court. Thomas Anderson, 19, of Houghton-le-Spring, was convicted of robbery at Durham Youth
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Thorpe takes charge with 88 to lift England
Graham Thorpe provided England with a welcome tonic from two days of suspicion and allegations with a superb demonstration of how to succeed in Pakistan conditions. Leading the side in the absence of resting captain Nasser Hussain, left-hander Thorpe
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Let's keep bureaucrats and legal boffins out of sport
IN this increasingly litigious age there is a strong case for sport being left to police itself. The most outrageous recent example of legal boffins undermining a sporting governing body came with Hansie Cronje's challenge to his life ban from cricket
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Final call for a village 'stitch up'
A FINAL call is going out to householders who want their properties featured on a village millennium banner which will become a piece of history. Dozens of homes in Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon, have already been sponsored to be "stitched up" and featured
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Security chief stole £15,000 from shops
A SECURITY chief stole £15,000 from shops he was paid to protect, and tried to blame other staff members. Simon Round, 31, carried out the theft spree at branches of Boots, in the North-East. One woman's marriage broke down after Round told management
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Children need more than a quick fix
FOUL-MOUTHED, undisciplined and badly behaved. Too loud, too aggressive, too much. We're constantly being told children today are worse behaved than previous generations. And most of us have days when we're tempted to agree. But the chilling Government
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Store plan to revive square
PLANS have been announced to bring a £1.4m development project to Eston. Supermarket group Aldi plans to build a 12,000 sq ft store, which will revitalise the Eston Square area, as part of a major improvement programme. The supermarket will be built on
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Cleveland celebrate year of achievement
CLEVELAND Hunt Pony Club held a very successful area presentations evening during the half term holiday. Members aged from seven to 20 were there to receive rosettes and awards to commemorate their success at area and championship level. The club has
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Heroes step into limelight
IT'S going to be a night fit for heroes! Nominations for the Local Heroes Awards 2000 have been flooding in and a cracking night is in store at Darlington Football Club on Friday November 24. Forget the £30,000-a-week superstars of professional sport,
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Catching some holiday dreams
CHILDREN from Hartlepool have been enjoying a wide range of activities during their half-term school holidays. Pursuits as diverse as making bird boxes, rock climbing and producing collages have been on offer at the Summerhill Country Park during the
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How a clued-up pensioner spotted a costly blunder
A PUBLIC-spirited pensioner is vowing to continue a fight over Stockton council work to repair pavements. Mr Johnny Johnson this week blasted a District Audit report as "feeble." He said he would go on fighting over his claims that the authority spent
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It's all stop on the York to Newcastle line
Beleaguered rail passengers were last night promised another "huge weekend" of track checking work and a re-railing programme likely to take more than six months. Checks made since the Hatfield crash have shown that 170 miles of track need to be re-railed
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Town aims for better show in competition
FERRYHILL Town Council is seeking to improve its chances of success in next year's Northumbria in Bloom competition. The council has had feedback from the judges about what they are looking for. Executive officer Jamie Corrigan said: "Generally speaking
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Cassidy signs up for Mowden
DARLINGTON Mowden Park have strengthened their already powerful back row department by signing Shaun Cassidy. The Teessider began his career with Middlesbrough, had two spells at West Hartlepool and played at Newcastle and Northern. Cassidy, an open side
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No place for Leeds pair in Taylor squad
Peter Taylor intends to pick an England squad of 25 players next Thursday for the friendly against Italy. But the caretaker coach and Leicester manager insisted he will not be selecting Leeds pair Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer. The players are not
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Archer strikes gold with sporting award
A JUNIOR archer has been named this month's Darlington Young Sportswinner. Christopher White, from Darlington is a member of the Archers of the Tees club. He attends Longfield School. The 12-year-old holds national records for the under-12 Bristol 4 and
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Lifeline to boost farmers' incomes
STRUGGLING upland farmers on the North York Moors have been given a lifeline by being paid to carry out age-old skills in the countryside. The North York Moors National Park Authority and National Trust have joined forces to set up the Bransdale Conservation
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Special livestock sales
HAWES. - Two-day show & sale of registered Swaledale shearling rams for Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association (B district). Overall av £887.49 (down £92.57 on year). Wed. - Fwd: 305 rams to £24,000 av £906.48 (down £189.34 on year) Prizes. - Large
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Ladies Hockey
Roseberry Sunday Invitation League Thirsk were fortunate to catch a break in the atrocious weekend weather to complete a rearranged fixture with Northallerton which they won 1-0. A young Northallerton team began quite brightly but their enthusiasm was
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Police 'failure' claims rejected
RESIDENTS under siege from tearaway teenagers say they want to take County Durham Police's chief constable to task for failing to stop the problem. After years of putting up with petty vandalism, abuse and harassment from local youngsters, fed-up residents
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Police 'failure' claims rejected
RESIDENTS under siege from tearaway teenagers say they want to take County Durham Police's chief constable to task for failing to stop the problem. After years of putting up with petty vandalism, abuse and harassment from local youngsters, fed-up residents
