Archive
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Young alice is a dab hand at competition
YOUNG artist Alice Hogg has drawn on her talents to win a top prize in an east Durham painting competition. The talented youngster was declared the winner of a "design a logo'' competition for a newly-launched Easington District pilot scheme devised to
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Steel bosses warned over short-term cuts
STEEL bosses in the North-East have been warned to think strategically as more job losses are expected at Anglo-Dutch steel group Corus. Yesterday, The Northern Echo reported that two of the company's chief executives resigned earlier this week and the
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Residents 'want Forum replaced'
Plans to knock down one of the North-East's best known leisure centres and theatre, and replace it with a supermarket, are supported by the majority of residents. This is the claim made in a consultation document being put before Stockton Borough Council's
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Turbines power wind of change
THE biggest wind turbines in the world have been erected off the coast of Northumberland. The colossal structures, which have blades larger than the wingspan of a jumbo jet, are being tested before they go into production. They are rooted on the bed of
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Top detective says farewell to force after 33 years
A TOP detective who has helped crack hundreds of crimes in the region has said farewell to the force he has served for 33 years. Durham Constabulary's Detective Chief Inspector Paul Green, who as well as receiving more than a dozen commendations during
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Murder 'unlikely' in death riddle
POLICE have established that the mystery death of a North-East man was unlikely to have been murder. Investigating officers are still waiting for the results of tests on the body of Anthony Muirhead, to establish the exact cause of death. The body of
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Detectives piece together man's last few moments
NORTH-EAST detectives and British Transport Police are continuing to try to piece together the last movements of a man whose body was found on a railway line. Peter Evans, 47, was found on a stretch of track at the rear of The Royal Vaults pub, Church
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Celebrations in the air at brigade
A COUNTY Durham division of St John Ambulance has cause for a double celebration this weekend. The Chester-le-Street branch is holding a dedication service at St Mary and St Cuthbert's Parish Church, which will also see 20 new cadets officially enrolled
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Our children are losing their liberty
'WAS it school bullies who killed that boy on his way home from the library?'' asked my incredulous nine-year-old the other day. It's at times like this that the world can appear, both to children and parents, a grim and frightening place. The murder
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Blind woman is bag snatch victim
A BLIND woman was left shocked after being pounced on by handbag snatchers. Lilian McCarthy, 39, was making her way home from work along Union Street, Middlesbrough, at 5.15pm on Tuesday, when she was attacked. She was with her guide dog, Morag, when
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Seeking homes to make it a special christmas
HOMES are being sought for four dogs which are facing a miserable and lonely Christmas. The National Canine Defence League (NCDL) Darlington Rehoming Centre is appealing to the public to help them rehome the dogs before the post-festive flood of unwanted
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Fury over research unit cash
NORTH-EAST members of a support group for sufferers of a rare incurable condition are furious that they have had to provide the cash to save a threatened research unit. The only research unit in the country for Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is based in
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Shares
EUROPEANS Hoechst £21 Thyssen Krupp £10 NORTH AMERICAN Black & Decker £26 Du Pont £30 AEROSPACE Alvis 98 Chemring 308+1 Cobham 1202 -30 Meggitt 218-1 Rolls Royce 193 -3 Vosper 1212 -17 AUTOMOBILES Avon Rbbr 215 Britax Intl 107 G K N 798+8 BANKS Abbey
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Stick to new rules to beat conmen, residents urged
CRIME-busters in County Durham have produced two stickers to help residents deal with bogus callers. The Sedgefield Burglary Action Group, formed under the crime and disorder partnership, aims to raise public awareness of the problem. Stickers are being
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Orders flood in for Bowburn water treatment specialist
A NORTH-East firm that specialises in helping prevent damage to the environment has won a host of new contracts and is set to create 20 new jobs. Watershed Plastics, based at Bowburn, County Durham, has taken the market by storm with its BSI-approved
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Search is on for new faces of modelling
BEAUTIFUL people in the region are invited today to enter a competition to find the Face of the Millennium. The Northern Echo has joined forces with the Millennium Discotheque, at Stockton, to launch a contest to find the best looking man and woman in
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Jail warning to man who kept his pets in squalor
A man who kept a menagerie of animals in squalid conditions has been told he could be facing a jail term. When RSPCA inspectors raided Christopher Neill's filthy semi-detached house, in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, they found two border collies,
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Carol service to aid fight against cancer
A CHRISTMAS carol service taking place in the region will boost efforts to tackle childhood cancer. The Star of Hope carol service, being organised by the Cancer Research Campaign, is being held for the first time in Darlington, County Durham. The venue
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Dales businesses to discuss ways of beating recession
THE Dales' business community and tourism industry are facing an uphill battle as they struggle to recover from the rural recession. However, business leaders will be urged to look for new opportunities when they meet in Richmond next week. A meeting
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Tackling crime from the top
TONY Blair is right to make the fight against crime a high priority but he must support the front line officers who put his words into action. Because dedicated officers who do go the extra mile to make the streets safer can too often find themselves
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Landlady denies move from pub
A PUB landlady has assured her regulars and staff that she is not selling up, despite what she describes as "false rumours" among the local community. Barbara Boanson has run the Carlbury Arms, in Piercebridge, near Darlington, with her partner Richard
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Still a poplar entertainer
GETTING on three decades ago, Vin Garbutt wrote a song called John North, about this grand young lad who drank the best ale in the land. Chance would be a fine thing... Last Saturday - surviving, thriving - he sang beneath a tree in Darlington, one of
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Arrests follow brawl in precinct
A MAN was taken to hospital and a further three people arrested after a town centre brawl involving up to 40 men and women. Police were called to Wilson Street, in Middlesbrough, in the early hours of yesterday, following a report of a fracas, thought
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Small concerns in hand
CONCERNS that small businesses are receiving insufficient support are being addressed on Teesside, according to the chairman of a new group. Rob Shotton, chairman of the Tees Valley Small Business Services, gave the assurance last night in response to
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A cut above the rest
TWO bright sparks are standing out from the crowd as the only two girls on a training course for welders. Pamela Hempshall and Lisa Clement, both 16, from Barnard Castle, are taking a welding and fabrication course at Teesdale Training, in Barnard Castle
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Turkey on the cards
YOUNGSTERS are being given the bird after winning a competition organised by their local beat police officer. Five children at a Sedgefield school have won a prize turkey after entering a Christmas card contest, organised by PC Keith Todd. More than 80
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Families lose fight to stop warehouse
PART of the old grammar school in Scorton is to be used as a commercial warehouse, despite objections from people who live nearby. Houses have already been built on the former school grounds, and most are now occupied. The developer's sister firm, Randall
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Teacher 'trapped by fire-raiser'
A TEACHER was engulfed in thick black smoke after she was trapped in her office by a pupil. The 16-year-old, who cannot be named, was alleged to have set fire to a chair outside the year-head's office, trapping her inside. He was said to have bragged
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Survey shows people think town is a 'dump'
PEOPLE in Spennymoor think their town centre is a dump, according to a survey. More than 1,500 homes were visited by members of the local Conservative Party to gather residents' views on the state of the area. Among the concerns which were highlighted
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Panto spirit makes work a right performance
STAFF at the Great Daily of the North got into the panto spirit for a sales drive with a difference. Panto Mania resulted in The Northern Echo's advertising department pulling together in the Christmas spirit. There were prizes yesterday for the best-dressed
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Profits rise at Brewin Dolphin
BREWIN Dolphin, parent company of Tyneside and Teesside-based stockbroker Wise Speke, has reported a 43 per cent increase in pre-tax profits. The company saw a strong growth in the number of clients, and in the value of funds under management. Total income
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College scheme given backing
A multi-million pound redevelopment of New College Durham has won planning approval despite concern about its impact on residents. City councillors have given outline permission for the £18m scheme, which will concentrate all the college's facilities
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Police bid to find killer is hit by wall of silence
FEAR instilled by the brutal slaying of a prostitute could allow the killer to get away with murder. Detectives have complained that they are battling against a wall of silence in a bid to unmask the murderer of 21-year-old Vicky Glass. Her naked remains
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Children reap the reward of hard work
HARD work from staff, pupils and parents is the key to success at the most improved school in County Durham. St Francis CE (Aided) Primary School, in Newton Aycliffe, has been named one of the top 40 most improved in the country in the latest league tables
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Murderer awaits Appeal Court decision
A MAN who has spent ten years in jail protesting his innocence over the murder of a teenager clubber is facing an anxious wait to see if his name will be cleared. Steven Craven, now aged 31, was convicted in 1990 of stabbing 19-year-old shop assistant
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It may seem nutty, but scientists have cracked fuel crisis
Scientists have found a way to crack the petrol crisis - by running cars on hazelnuts, it was disclosed yesterday. The idea is to use the shells to generate hydrogen for fuel cells. British researchers came up with the solution after studying the problem
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Couple quizzed over drug haul
A COUPLE are being quizzed by police following the seizure of heroin with a street value of £25,000. The drug was found in a house in Marlborough Gardens, St Hilda's, Middlesbrough, which was raided by members of Middlesbrough police drugs unit and the
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Man gets five years for death of his wife
A HUSBAND who punched, kicked, and repeatedly beat his wife with a walking stick was sent to prison for five years yesterday. Thomas Dodds was found guilty of the manslaughter of Patricia Dodds, 42, who had suffered years of abuse at his hands. Newcastle
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Seeds are sown for realisation of green ambition
IN years to come, Councillor Mike Stephen will have been outgrown by his ambition. It has always been his wish to see a tree planted for every child living in Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's district. Yesterday, he helped youngsters to sow the
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Con alert as bogus officials target area
POLICE are warning people to be on the alert following a spate of crimes involving bogus officials in various parts of County Durham. People posing as water board officials have been targeting addresses in Aycliffe, Ferryhill and most recently, Chilton
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The IT guide to good citizenship
POLICE are offering youngsters the chance to use new educational computing facilities to help them become good citizens. Gateshead police are offering schools the chance to take advantage of a six-week educational programme based on citizenship, at their
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Funeral of elderly couple in car tragedy
THE funeral of an elderly couple who died in a car accident on the A19 last week, will be held tomorrow. Edmond Pinkney, 82, and his 87-year-old, wife, Kathleen, from Billingham, Teesside, died when their Seat Ibiza was in collision with a Saab on the
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Pointing you on right path
MORE than 100 directional signposts are being erected throughout Hartlepool and the surrounding countryside to help walkers access footpaths. There are more than 60 miles of public rights of way in Hartlepool, and Hartlepool Borough Council countryside
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Anne takes the cake at awards ceremony
COOK Anne Appleyard has been named employee of the year by Durham County Council's catering division. Service Direct held the first of what it is hoped will be an annual awards ceremony at County Hall. Anne, who is joint cook-in-charge at Newton Aycliffe
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Man in court on sex charges
A MAN appeared in court yesterday charged with a string of sex attacks on a 14-year-old girl. James Thompson, 38, is accused of assaulting the teenager for more than a year, until she eventually wrote a letter to her mother revealing her ordeal. The youngster
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Estate revamp to be discussed at open day
AN open day for residents of a North-East estate is being held next week to discuss improvements to the area. More than £500,000 has been earmarked, through the Single Regeneration Budget, for environmental improvements and a community building on Stockton's
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Principal of college quits
A college principal has quit her job following months of controversy and speculation. Lynne Howe, of Redcar and Cleveland College, was suspended from duty in July and has been on "garden leave" since, following an appeal against her suspension. An inquiry
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£70,000 centre opens at school
A £70,000 centre for children with medical, behavioural and personal problems will be opened today. The Laird Centre, named after Ben Laird, former chairman of governors at Hall Garth School, in Middlesbrough, Teesside, will be opened at the school by
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Holiday guide promotes county
THE varied attractions of County Durham are highlighted in a new holiday guide, designed to appeal to would-be visitors and the tourist trade. The 80-page full colour County Durham Holiday Guide 2001, produced by the county council, will be seen at 11
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Mo's intervention ends dispute
POPULAR MP Mo Mowlam has stepped in to end an industrial dispute. The MP for Redcar spent four-and-a-half hours on Sunday negotiating with Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, trade unions and refuse collectors caught in a deadlock in a row about changes
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Bowlers counting the cost after suspected arson attack
A THRIVING bowls club has been devastated by a suspected arson attack, which caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to its clubhouse. Officials of Fishburn Working Men's Bowls Club are sifting through the remains of the building after the blaze on
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Victim of work tragedy is named
A 49-year-old machine worker who was crushed to death when a two-tonne boiler fell on him, has been named. David Martin, of Lichfield Close, Kingston Park, Newcastle, suffered multiple injuries when part of an industrial boiler landed on him, at Service
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Good citizenship brings its rewards
THREE students are reaping a reward for being good citizens. Staff at Sunnydale School, Shildon, were asked to nominate pupils they thought would qualify for a new citizenship award launched by a partnership between Durham County Council and Sunderland
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Rules knock the stuffing out of turkey tradition
STIFF food health regulations have signalled the end of an era at a small general dealer's store this Christmas. Satisfied customers have bought their turkeys from Oliver's shop, in Hawthorn Terrace, Durham, every year. But with the surrounding streets
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Teenager's victory over Olympians for trophy
A 15-YEAR-OLD student has beaten two Olympians to win a swimming trophy. Angela Winstanley-Smith, a GCSE student from Woodham Community Technology College, at Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, picked up the title of Northumberland and Durham Amateur Swimming
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Flood fears swamp new Internet site
ENVIRONMENT Agency bosses were left red faced last night after their much vaunted flood information website crashed - because it was flooded with calls. Thousands of worried people wanting vital weather information ahead of predicted storms last night
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It's Street life as we want to know it
SOAP bad boy Terry Duckworth was sitting on a bench at the corner of the country's most famous cobbled street with a bottle of beer in one hand and a mobile phone clasped to his ear. Nigel Pivaro, the actor Coronation Street viewers know and hate as Terry
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Gifts tonic for children in hospital
HOTEL staff and customers have turned into secret Santas to collect gifts for hospital-bound children. More than 35 children, aged between three and six, in the disability unit of Cleveland Hospital will be given gifts supplied by the Talpore Beefeater
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Corus workers steel themselves for a winter of discontent
WITH the first compulsory redundancies expected to hit the doormats and desks of workers at the Lackenby plant in Redcar next week, the festive season has started badly at the former British Steel - and it is likely to get worse. Next week regional union
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Girls provide tonic for hospital
A GROUP of Brownies and Guides yesterday presented a hospital with a cheque for more than £600 after they raised the money taking part in fundraising activities. The 6th Fairfield Brownies and Guides, from Stockton, and their leader, Joanne Bolton, handed
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A Sherlock Holmes of the gene world
AT first sight it seemed an open and shut case. The patient standing before genetics expert Professor John Burt seemed to have all the trademark characteristics of Huntington's disease, a much-feared inherited brain disorder. Like all Huntington's cases
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Music makers take the stage
TALENTED disabled and able-bodied performers are preparing to stage a Christmas music and dance show. The Making Music Project has been running in the Gilesgate area of Durham for four years, bringing together young people aged 12 to 13, some of whom
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Tall tales and tree talk down by the Riverside
A DAY of tree-related fun activities takes place on Chester-le-Street's Riverside sports ground, on Sunday. Families are invited to take part in the event, organised by the Great North Forest as part of a national initiative, Trees of Time and Place.
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Dalmatian film sparks fears of abandoned pets
THE upcoming release of Disney's 102 Dalmatians has prompted a dog welfare charity to warn parents not to rush into buying one of the cute animals. The National Canine Defence League (NCDL) is concerned because after the first film, 101 Dalmatians, dozens
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Lottery cash gives young actors a voice
YOUNG actors will soon be able to make themselves heard, thanks to a National Lottery grant to pay for microphones. The Children's Amateur Theatre in Shildon, known as Cats, was set up earlier this year. Since then it has proved such a hit that 40 stage-struck
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Probe into cash handling at forum continues
AN INVESTIGATION into how Government regeneration money is managed is continuing after several problems were uncovered at an east Cleveland centre. As reported last week in The Northern Echo, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has stepped in to supervise
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Shoppers get tips on their legal protection
PEOPLE buying Christmas gifts via the Internet, telephone or mail order, are being advised about their legal rights in a Darlington council initiative. Laws have been introduced to protect people from being overcharged or sent the wrong goods, and Darlington
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Army kept waiting over bedsits plan
THE Army will have to wait a little longer before it knows if bedsits are to be built in Richmond for ex-servicemen and women who would otherwise be facing life on the streets. The Ministry of Defence has already forged a partnership with English Churches
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Youngsters say goodbye to their guardian angel
ONE of the region's longest serving lollipop ladies is leaving after 23 years. Mary Lally, who helps patrol the road outside Cockerton Primary School, Darlington, initially only took the job on for one term. She had intended to use the part-time post
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Keeping track of your e-mails
'Hi. how are you? Thought you might like the attached image. See you soon. Have you seen our latest offers? Your shopping order has been received and will be delivered on Thursday. Thank you for your order." Fascinating reading? I don't think so, but
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Teenagers prepare for parliament
A TOWN'S teenagers are about to nominate a representative for their own youth parliament. A day of fun, music and food is planned for 11 to 18-year-olds. The Middlesbrough Youth Parliament was set up as a joint initiative between Middlesbrough Borough
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Helping bring books to life
WORKSHOPS to bring books to life for children are being held next month. Wear Valley Arts is working with arts group Scrapbank to provide creative workshops on literature. The workshops take a theme from literature and young people and their families
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'Take care' festive plea to students
A UNIVERSITY has thrown a Christmas party, with a sober message, for students. The message for students from the University of Teesside yesterday was have a fun, but safe, festive season by looking after their health. Fiona Hyslop, of student services
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Police hunt for car thieves
POLICE are seeking information about thieves who stole a car and smashed up another. The crime spree started on Tuesday evening, when the thieves stole a black Ford Sierra from Oakenshaw, near Willington. Police believe they drove the car to Evenwood,
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'Jilted lover strangled fiancee'
A JILTED lover battered and strangled his fiancee in a park and then tried to blame her death on a mystery gang of attackers, the Old Bailey was told yesterday. The court heard how Christopher Levey and Carol Sanderson, originally from County Durham,
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Royal gift recalls ancient kingdom
A LITTLE piece of the ancient kingdom of Northumbria has provided the inspiration for a gift to be presented to the Queen on her visit to the region today. Silversmith Les Howe, 53, of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, recreated the design of a stone frieze
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Once-failing school turns the tables
STAFF and pupils at a former failing school on Teesside are celebrating after being named among the most improved in the country. Nunthorpe School, in Middlesbrough, was placed in "special measures" following a damning Ofsted report in 1996. By March
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Drugs find man jailed
A FATHER-OF-THREE was jailed yesterday after a drug sniffer dog caught him trying to smuggle cannabis into Durham jail. Gary Waggett, 38, from South Shields, was visiting his brother, Sean, on August 14 last year when the cannabis was found taped to his
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Cornish's pitmen in pastels fetches £6,500
A PICTURE by Spennymoor pitman artist Norman Cornish has reached one of the highest prices ever paid for a pastel at auction. The scene of two pitmen wending their way to a late shift at the colliery was bought by a Newcastle woman bidding on behalf of
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Breakfast bucks up appeal fund
AN appeal to raise £150,000 towards a custom built hospice has got off to a great start thanks to a special breakfast held yesterday. Hartlepool and District Hospice needs to move out of its converted Victorian family house, to build a new £2.5m centre
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£64,000 scheme to combat flooding
AN area of east Cleveland which has been plagued with flooding problems over the past few years is to be helped thanks to a £64,000 scheme. According to Ralph Ferguson, director of technical services for Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, a row of
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Lucky ticket has a touch of disney magic for couple
A COUPLE who saw their lives shattered in a natural disaster have won a dream trip back to their former home. A lucky 50p raffle ticket has seen Hilary and Stephen Gilmore win a holiday in Disney World, California. Hilary, who works for caterers Aramark
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U-turn drivers 'putting lives at risk' at lights junction
MOTORISTS are being warned they are putting lives at risk by carrying out illegal U-turns at a newly laid out road junction in Hartlepool. Hartlepool Borough Council officials are concerned that some drivers are trying to save time by switching from the
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Private cash can be used for lighting
STREET lighting in Sunderland is set for a major upgrade after the city council won permission to seek private money. The Government has given the council approval to set up a private finance initiative for a five-year programme to replace thousands of
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Rotary Club provides town with clock gift
REDCAR town centre is to get a millennium present, thanks to the town's Rotary Club. The club proposed that a new four-metre high clock feature should be installed at the eastern end of the High Street, opposite Bath Street as a momento of the new millennium
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Support from Blair as mast is refused
VILLAGERS have won their fight against plans for a mobile phone mast near their village green, after Prime Minister Tony Blair gave them his backing. The Sedgefield MP wrote to planners after worried residents in Thornley, East Durham, called for his
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Sad loss for bridegroom
A groom had a testicle bitten off by his wife's friend three weeks after his wedding when a night-out turned to violence. But Neil Hutchinson, 29, had drunk so much he did not realise how badly he had been hurt, Newcastle Crown Court heard yesterday.
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Tenants vote for company to take over homes
THOUSANDS of council tenants have voted for a non-profit making company to become their landlord. Sunderland City Council plans to transfer its stock of 38,000 homes to the venture next April, because its cannot afford the backlog of repairs. The council
