Archive
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Time short to get licensed for festivities
A NORTH-EAST council is urging pubs and clubs to apply for licences for the festive period before it is too late. Darlington Borough Council has received few applications for public entertainment licences on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve, which both
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Record bid takes root
A GROUP of youngsters in the North-East is hoping to get into the record books. Children from primary schools in east Middlesbrough are making an attempt on the world tree planting record - by planting 100 metres of hedgerow and 900 trees - over three
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Lisa's example lives on in library gift
PARENTS who recently lost their daughter to breast cancer have made possible a new lending library on the subject in a north Durham town. Bill and Eileen Ferguson of Stanley, whose 25-year-old daughter Lisa, died from the disease, donated an undisclosed
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Police seek increased powers to tackle town's vice problem
KERB crawlers would have their cars confiscated under new legislation being advocated by a North-East police chief. Middlesbrough Superintendent Graham Strange is calling for the police to be given powers to arrest kerb crawlers, endorse their licences
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N-E school features in table of top 50
A NORTH-EAST school has been named in the top 50 independent schools in the country. Teesside High School, Eaglescliffe, is the only school in the region to make it into the league table of independent schools, produced by the Independent newspaper. The
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N-E executive to take up national health role
THE chief executive of a North-East health trust will be helping to shape the future of the National Health Service. The Gateshead Health NHS Trust has agreed to a request by the Department of Health to release Chris Reed on secondment. As part of the
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Wolfhounds wanted for lead publicity role
A THEATRE company is still looking for two Irish wolfhounds to promote its latest production. Boss, the residential company at Stockton's Arc, is planning to present The Tain early next year. The play is the re-telling of an ancient Irish legend, based
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Band rivals in harmony
A PAIR of musical stalwarts will share the limelight as they entertain the King and Queen of Sweden on Saturday. Normally used to competing against one another in local contests, James Chisholm and Stuart Shields will call a truce to join the Swedish
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Mystery surrounds woman's death
THE exact cause of death of a woman who died on New Year's Eve 1999 will never be certain, an inquest heard yesterday. Judith Gallagher, 46, from York Square, Shildon, died on December 31 after four months in a coma. The inquest into the death of the
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A tale of success from the riverbank
A SEARCH has been launched to find Ratty - in the middle of a northern town. The furry favourite who, in Wind in the Willows, believed there was nothing like messing about on the river, could be bucking the national trend in Middlesbrough. An endangered
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£20m per year for new stores
MOTHERCARE is to spend £20m a year on expanding its large-scale Mothercare World store format. The retailer was posting its first set of results since changing its name from Storehouse in July, a move that followed the sale of its Bhs chain for £200m
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Clothing gloom
MORE than 350 jobs are likely to go after the troubled textile industry was hit by yet another body blow. Management at Courtaulds Ladieswear yesterday began consultations with employees and unions on whether it had any "realistic alternatives" to the
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Young 'millionnaires' in the making
YOUNG brainboxes are hoping to equal the success of Judith Keppel in their own version of Who Wants to Be A Millionaire? Dominic Dunn, a teaching assistant at Middlesbrough's Abingdon Primary School, came up with the idea of staging the replica contest
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Bungling burglars thwarted by alarm
BUNGLING burglars were spotted with their 20ft ladder propped up against the front of a post office in the early hours of yesterday. They fled empty-handed after setting off an alarm at the shop in Tindale Crescent, Bishop Auckland. From the ladder they
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Woodward axes Perry to give Balshaw his chance
IAIN Balshaw yesterday reaped the reward for his heroics against Australia last week when he was handed his first start in an England rugby shirt. Balshaw came off the bench to set up England's last-ditch winner in a stirring and inventive cameo performance
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Passengers mutiny
A NATIONAL Express driver has been suspended following allegations that he began to doze off while driving a coach full of passengers on the A1. The driver is said to have struggled to control the vehicle which was travelling between London and Edinburgh
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Are you my mum?
NEARLY 50 years ago, a new-born baby girl was found abandoned in a North-East phone box. She was adopted by a loving couple, and is now a happily-married 49-year-old grandmother. But there is an enormous gap in her life - and today she is appealing through
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Injury time goal robs Liverpool of famous victory
LIVERPOOL were just seconds from a famous European victory against Olympiakos in the cauldron of passion that is the Olympic Stadium. After producing defending in domestic matches that has seen them held up to ridicule, the Merseysiders performed magnificently
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Greek bid for Boksic?
CHAMPIONS League contenders Panathinaikos were yesterday being linked with a surprise move for Middlesbrough's Alen Boksic. Reports in Athens claimed a meeting had taken place between the Greek club's officials and the Croatian before their Champions
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Fish allergy may have killed student
THE MYSTERIOUS death of a Russian student, who collapsed while celebrating his birthday at a North-East nightspot, was probably caused by a rare allergy to fish. An inquest was told that Timur Goulinski may have inadvertently eaten only the slightest
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Vital witnesses may help put murder hunt team in picture
PEOPLE caught on CCTV cameras could hold vital information on the murder of a prostitute. Images were yesterday released by detectives investigating the death of Vicky Glass, and a couple on them were last night urged to come forward in the latest appeal
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Under starters orders for new net names
DOMAIN names can help people find your website and memorable ones can be worth a fortune. So last week's announcement that more domain names are to become available has sent ripples of excitement through the cyber world. There had been fears from that
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A wonder with the will to live
WHEN Spencer Gaffney-Williams was born four months premature, his parents feared the worst. Weighing only 1lb 11oz, he was given a 15 per cent chance of survival - and even if he managed to overcome these odds, there was an 80 per cent possibility of
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New appeal over Kellie
DETECTIVES searching for missing North-East prostitute Kellie Pratt have renewed an appeal for information. Kellie, 28, disappeared from the red light district of Norwich, Norfolk, in June. There has been no trace of the mother-of-two, originally from
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Missing girl may be in London
THE family of a teenage girl who fled her home after living a secret life believe she may now be in London. Lisa-Marie Perry, 17, went missing from her home in Lanchester, County Durham, in October, after pretending to go to work every day despite having
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Inquiries into arson attacks
POLICE are looking for witnesses to two arson attacks on a property in Costa Street, South Bank, near Middlesbrough. The first blaze happened at 1.30am on Tuesday, causing slight damage, but the second fire, at 6.30 the same morning, destroyed the terrace
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Fact-finding pensioner visits native Americans
A PENSIONER has become the first English person to visit a remote native American community in the US, as part of a fact-finding mission about pensioners around the world. Shirley Ellis, of Hartlepool, helped to form the campaigning Retired Resource Network
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84-year-old woman mugged
A THIEF snatched the handbag from an 84-year-old woman, yesterday. The pensioner, who was badly shaken, was walking under the A693 underpass, near her home at Arundel Walk, in Chester-le-Street. "This was a despicable, cowardly attack on a frail old lady
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Marathon rower is on course for success
A POLICE inspector has completed more than a quarter of the distance of a marathon row without getting his feet wet. Harry Simpson, 47, of Cleveland Police, set out to complete a million metres on a rowing machine in the police headquarters gym - the
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Cyclist blames traffic-calming for accident
A CYCLIST is preparing to take legal action against a local authority after he injured his shoulder while negotiating a new traffic-calming scheme. Wilfred Hutchinson, 50, from Darlington, claims he has suffered months of pain after falling off his bike
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Fairytale story with safety message
LITTLE Red Riding Hood will be making an appearance for youngsters in Teesdale and Weardale this Christmas. The fairytale character will be starring in a pantomime at venues across Teesdale and Weardale during the festive season. Milky Way Magic Stars
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Traders stump up cash to ensure bright Christmas
A COUNTY Durham town is to have Christmas lights for the first time in four years, after a council survey showed it to be a hot issue for residents. Derwentside District Council decided to scrap the Christmas decorations four years ago, after arguments
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Youngsters on course to rehearse and stage play in a week
YOUNGSTERS charged with writing, rehearsing and staging a play in one week were on course for success, yesterday. Pupils from seven comprehensive schools in Durham and Chester-le-Street are working together to produce the play about domestic violence
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Footbridge's final step towards completion
THE finishing touches are being put to the £1.3m Millennium footbridge over the River Tees. Work began on the bridge, in Stockton, in March and is due to be finished at Christmas. The Tees Quay will link the thriving Teesdale development, on the south
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Soldier sent to hot spot
A TRIP to Cyprus was no beach holiday for a Bishop Auckland soldier. Lance Corporal Yvonne Walker, whose parents, Paul and Joan, live in South Church, is always in the heat of the action, repairing everything from Army motorbikes to heavy trucks. Normally
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Primary school pupils rewarded for 100 per cent attendance
A GROUP of youngsters at a Hartlepool primary school have been rewarded after chalking up unblemished attendance records. Greatham Church of England Primary School pupils, Abby Westmoreland, nine, Lisa Stonehouse, ten, David Murdoch, ten, and Kathryn
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Police launch crackdown on young vandals
HOOLIGANS who make Richmond residents' lives a misery are to be targeted by police. Regular officers and special constables will be seeking out troublemakers in areas around the town where young people are known to gather. Within the past two weeks, the
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Morris men say farewell to founder member
A NORTH Yorkshire group of Morris men have said farewell to one of their founder members. Keith Giddens is moving away from the area, and his swan- song for the Richmond-on-Swale Morris Men was at the Children in Need extravaganza, at Richmond Castle,
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Walking in a winter web land.
WITH just 38 days to go until Christmas Day, I can no longer pretend it isn't happening. Even the worldwide web has its fair share of tinsel as online shoppers go into purchasing frenzy. So, to get in the festive mood, have a quick look at these seasonal
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Hayley splashes out to help children in need
A TEENAGER put in a marathon effort in a bid to raise money for Children in Need yesterday. Hayley Turner, from Darlington, was aiming to raise hundreds of pounds by swimming ten miles at the town's Dolphin Centre. The marathon swim was due to take place
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Petrol station staff scared by 'robber'
POLICE are hunting a man who left petrol station staff fearing they were going to be robbed. The man entered the Shell Parkgate station in Yarm Road, Darlington, wearing a balaclava or ski mask and carrying what was believed to be a weapon. A female cashier
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MP urges upgrade for swimming pool
MIDDLESBROUGH South and East Cleveland MP Dr Ashok Kumar is pressing for a radical upgrade or a new swimming pool for Guisborough. The move follows a visit by the MP to Guisborough Amateur Swimming Club annual championships, at the existing baths on Guisborough's
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Free check-up aims to stop back problems
PEOPLE living in Redcar and Cleveland are being offered a check-up to help prevent them developing back pain problems. The test is being carried out by staff from South Cleveland Hospital, who will be visiting a working men's club, in a project funded
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Stab victim in 'stable' condition
A TOWN centre police station was closed yesterday after specialist cleaners were called in to clear away blood following a stabbing. Police were called to Church Street, Hartlepool, on Tuesday afternoon, where a 23-year-old man had been knifed in the
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Taxis link revealed
POLICE have launched an inquiry into the death of a Sardinian man after test results proved suspicious. The body of Stefano Pischedda, 26, was found at his home at Barker Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, on October 30. While police did not initially get
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10-hour play coming to North-East
AN $8m, ten-hour, US theatre production, which lays claim to being the longest in history, is to be staged in the North-East. Bookings are already at 65 per cent for a marathon performance of Tantalus, the 3,000-year-old tale of the Trojan War, which
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Teenager accused of indecent assaults
A TEENAGER sexually assaulted a young girl in his bedroom, a court heard. Michael Wressell, 18, is also alleged to have indecently assaulted another girl on a separate occasion. Mr Wressell, who was then 14, denies two charges of indecent assault against
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'Scrooge' traders shun lights
SHOPKEEPERS in Bishop Auckland have been branded as Scrooges by their traders' organisation after turning down an offer of cut-price Christmas lights. After bearing the brunt of shoppers' anger when last year's dismal festive display in Bishop Auckland
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School trains for toddlers
A SCHOOL is working with a childcare organisation to offer new opportunities for toddlers. Pre-school staff are training and planning with staff from Bishopton and Redmarshall CE Primary School, in Stockton, to help them to deliver the national foundation
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Bullying issue in the spotlight
TWO NORTH-East teachers will be taking part in a major conference to tackle the issue of bullying in schools next week. The conference, called The School's Response to Bullying, has been organised by children's charity the NSPCC to devise strategies to
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Boy held in rape case
A TEENAGER has been arrested in connection with the rape of a 16-year-old girl. The 14-year-old boy was being questioned by detectives in South Shields after being picked up yesterday morning. The 16-year-old girl was waiting on a Metro platform at Jarrow
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Hospice scheme helps helpers
A NORTH-EAST hospice has set up a scheme to thank the businesses which support its work with terminally ill people. Teesside Hospice, in Northgate Road, Middlesbrough, relies on financial contributions from companies to provide its specialist care. Contributors
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Club kicks off appeal for children
ONE of the region's football clubs is gearing up for its annual Christmas appeal to help sick children. Middlesbrough Football Club is launching its annual appeal for gifts to go to children who spend the festive season in hospital. Boro stars and club
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£1.6m upgrade for grand old building
DERELICT land at one of the North-East's special buildings is to be landscaped as part of a major restoration project. The 300-year-old Grade I-listed Sir William Turner's Hospital at Kirkleatham, Redcar, is at the centre of a £1.6m restoration scheme
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Club offers parents help with childcare
A NEW out-of-school club has been set up in east Cleveland to help young parents. Based at Skelton Junior School, the Happy Hut offers free childcare places to parents of school age children, in a scheme funded by Skelton Regeneration Budget's (SRB) youth
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Regeneration boosted by unemployment drop
UNEMPLOYMENT has fallen in Hartlepool for the ninth successive month. It has been revealed that in October 2,979 people were out of work in the town, compared to 3,766 a year ago. The falling job figures, published by the Tees Valley Joint Strategy Unit
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Maybe it's time to go, Bryan
AS A Boro lad through and through, I have long admired Bryan Robson because of what he has done for my hometown club. When he arrived in May 1994, Boro were not even established as a yo-yo club - one of those clubs that cannot make up its mind if it is
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Walled garden opened at crematorium
FAMILIES can pay their respects to deceased relatives in a tranquil haven created at Durham Crematorium. As part of a long-term improvement plan for the South Road crematorium, a £140,000 memorial walled garden was opened, yesterday, by Durham Mayor,
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Chicken Run exhibition goes on tour
FANS of the animated film Chicken Run can find out exactly how the idea for the box office hit was hatched at a series of exhibitions in the region. The highlight of the exhibition is an authentic set from the movie, complete with the Plasticine stars
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Drugs message charity in outdoor centre row
A CHARITY is trying to allay villagers' fears that it is planning to send young offenders to an outdoor education centre. People living in Allendale, Northumberland, are concerned that the Deneholme centre will be used as a place for the rehabilitation
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Letters
FARMING PRACTICE THE Phillips report on BSE/vCJD has profound implications for everyone in Britain. Because of the timescale involved in many dietary diseases, it's vital we learn the lessons from this catastrophe, if only for the sake of our children
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Development at Filtronic site remains 'on schedule'
MANAGEMENT at a semi-conductor plant described by PM Tony Blair as "rising like a phoenix from the ashes of Fujitsu", say it is still on course for its planned development, despite being no closer to making a profit. Filtronic moved into the former Fujitsu
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Damn lucky to be alive
Fifty years ago today, the floods as fulminating as in more recent memory, George Robert Glasgow, pit deputy, won the BEM for his extraordinary heroism in saving colleagues trapped below ground in the torrent. All 36 survived, only a pony dramatically
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Conversion contract berths at Tyneside shipyard
AROUND 200 new jobs are set to be created after a North-East shipyard landed a £15m conversion contract. Cammell Laird in South Tyneside revealed it had clinched yet another major conversion contract, winning an order to convert the diving support craft
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The force is strong in Bowburn
HIGH FORCE Research is doubling capacity at its County Durham base, creating ten new jobs. Working closely with Keith Robinson & Co, the firm based at Bowburn, has secured a substantial financial package made up of own resources and commercial loans
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Firm support over violence in the home
A SNACK food manufacturer has launched a scheme to support workers who fall victim to domestic violence at home. East Durham Domestic Violence Forum and Durham Agency Against Crime (Daac) have developed the initiative introduced yesterday by Walkers,
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Drivers warned of road closures
ROAD closures will be in force in Durham City centre this weekend, while derelict buildings are demolished. Extra parking spaces will be freed up for the pre-Christmas period by the demolition of buildings in Freeman's Place. To ensure the work proceeds
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What everyone wants and most won't get
ELECTRONICS giant Sony kicks off a massive advertising campaign for the PlayStation 2 tomorrow. The message: if you haven't bought one already, you're probably too late. A worldwide shortage of machines has seen the European allocation of PS2 machines
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Police inspector accused
UNDER-FIRE Cleveland Police has suffered a further blow with the news that a senior officer has been charged with a string of criminal offences. Inspector Neil O'Byrne will appear before Teesside Magistrates on Monday charged with two offences of theft
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A mother's brave decision
IT IS an amazing story that we tell on our front page today. A two-day-old baby was abandoned nearly 50 years ago in a telephone box in Darlington; now, after a brush with mortality, she is seeking to discover who she really is, who her natural mother
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Reid blasts Leeds chief
PETER Reid launched a scathing attack on Peter Ridsdale yesterday and accused the Leeds chairman of attempting to unsettle his ace striker Kevin Phillips. The patience of Sunderland boss Reid snapped when he was asked to comment on yet more speculation
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Blair guard is fighting to get her job back
A POLICE officer who served as an armed guard to Tony Blair is fighting to win her job back after being told to resign following a conviction for drink-driving. Kay Nolan, 32, the first woman to be appointed to the Prime Minister's elite protection team
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McCoy ready to Take Control
TONY McCOY predicted earlier this year that Newbury-bound Take Control (2.00) would be one of the season's top novice chasers and so far his judgement has been totally vindicated. To date the classy six-year-old has not put a foot wrong, winning both
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Quiz king hits show jackpot
A NORTH-EAST man braved the acid tongue of quizmaster Anne Robinson to win television's The Weakest Link game show. Father-of-two George Mills, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, picked up £2,040 after winning the final of the hit BBC programme. Mr
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Disgraced surgeon takes case to appeal
A SURGEON sacked after an affair with a patient has been referred to the General Medical Council's (GMC) professional conduct committee, it was confirmed last night. Consultant gynaecologist Neil Hebblethwaite, who is trying to win back his old job at
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Man jailed for attack in front of children
A MAN has been jailed after attacking his ex-girlfriend and trying to smash her door in front of their two children. Leslie Cowe, 28, who is already serving an 18-months sentence for car crime, was jailed for six months yesterday. He had earlier been
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Holiday jet 'give us a snog' demand
DRUNKEN Charlene Bell rampaged around a holiday jet before cornering a male member of the crew and demanding: "give us a snog". The jobless 20-year-old downed drink after drink to calm her nerves as she waited to board the flight to Cyprus, a court heard
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Circus animals face ban
CIRCUS animals could be banned from performing in a district of north Durham after protests from animal rights campaigners. Officers at Chester-le-Street District Council have recommended councillors ban exotic creatures from performing, after protests
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£100,000 spend to create jobs
AN extra £100,000 is to be spent on job creation in Darlington. The money, which is being made available through the Citizens' Fund, will be used to enhance projects and initiatives provided by the Darlington Borough Council's economic regeneration team
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Parish pays for parties
BRANDON and Byshottles Parish Council has donated thousands of pounds so people can enjoy a merry Christmas. The parish, on the outskirts of Durham City, makes donations every year. Among those to benefit are Meadowfield and District Social Club, £100
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Community carnival cash call
ORGANISATIONS in Darlington are being invited to contribute to the town's community carnival. Next year will be the 19th Darlington Community Carnival. The theme will be exploration and discovery. It will be followed by an afternoon of entertainment,
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House burglary warning
DETECTIVES are warning people in Darlington to be vigilant after a spate of sneak-in thefts. Police are trying to keep down the number of house burglaries in the town, but say they need the help of the public. They are concerned after a number of burglaries
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Widow to sue over diagnosis 'blunders'
A GRIEVING widow plans to take action against a hospital which she accuses of twice misdiagnosing her husband as having terminal cancer. An inquest into the death of Ray Scanlan, 74, heard yesterday the County Durham pensioner had suffered a fracture
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Police chief is looking forward to challenge
IAN Macdonald is settling in to his new role as head of Darlington CID. The 40-year-old policeman has taken over from Detective Chief Inspector Dave Jones as crime manager of the Darlington force. Detective Chief Inspector Macdonald, who is married with
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Victor's fans say it with flowers
Bereaved fans of the nation's favourite Mr Grumpy Victor Meldrew have been laying flowers at the spot where his death was filmed in a Hampshire village. The flowers with joke messages started arriving at the railway station of Shawford, near Winchester
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Working up a sweat for charity
More than 140 pupils from Staindrop Comprehensive School swapped their school uniforms for PE kit for an hour-long aerobics session to raise funds for Help the Aged. School staff, including headteacher Brian Kinnair, donned their tracksuits to support
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Report on tourism dismissed as 'insult'
A WARTS-AND-ALL appraisal of Richmondshire's tourism strategy has been dismissed as "an insult" by the local authority. A team of inspectors from the Audit Commission's Best Value service visited the district this summer to scrutinise what is on offer
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Insurance warning for pensioners
PENSIONER campaigners are warning elderly people to be wary of cheap car insurance deals. Age Concern Teesside is urging pensioners to ensure they are getting everything they need from their motor insurance. The calls come as insurers try to offset higher
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Pavement cafe rejected over fears of causing obstruction
PLANS for the first of a series of pavement cafes, which it is hoped will revitalise the economy of a town centre, have been rejected. Bojangles, in Church Road, Stockton, had applied for permission to open a 12-table pavement caf, and was expected to
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Witnesses appeal after hit-and-run
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a hit-and-run accident left a woman in hospital. The woman was in a Rover 213 which was in collision with a black-coloured car at the Yarm Road roundabout, in Darlington, at about 9.15am yesterday. She suffered
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£52,000 revamp for sports centre
A £52,000 facelift is to start at Mill House Leisure Centre, in Raby Road, Hartlepool, which means parts of the building will be closed at different times next month. The swimming pool will be out of action from December 2 to 15, re-opening to the public
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Inquiries into arson attacks
POLICE are looking for witnesses to two arson attacks on a property in Costa Street, South Bank, near Middlesbrough. The first blaze happened at 1.30am on Tuesday, causing slight damage, but the second fire, at 6.30 the same morning, destroyed the terrace
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Action team to bring jobs hope
BEAUTY treatments, free football tickets and mince pies will be on offer to unemployed people looking for a job in the Hartlepool area. The town's Action Team for Jobs will be at the Belle Vue Sports Centre next Thursday, to raise awareness of opportunities
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Youth club formed in flood-hit village
A YOUTH organisation has been formed in east Cleveland by a man at the centre of a row with a charity. Russ Watson resigned from St John Ambulance after he was reprimanded by senior officers for carrying sandbags during the July floods in Skinningrove
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Explorer's act of real courage
I LISTENED with interest to Polar explorer Robert Swan talk movingly on radio last week about his battle with alcoholism. The Boys' Own-style adventurer from County Durham, who now makes his living giving inspirational talks to business people about leadership
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Bridge could be key to cultural capital crown
CAMPAIGNERS backing Gateshead and Newcastle's bid to win the title of European Capital of Culture in 2008 believe the millennium bridge could be the key to success. The arrival of the bridge made national and international headlines and was seen by million
