Archive
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Budget poser may result in service cuts
CUTS in essential services could be made next year after council chiefs revealed that they are wrestling with a major budget dilemma. North Yorkshire County Council is warning that early predictions suggest residents could be faced with a council tax
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North Yorkshire - Brigade issues Christmas safety advice to householders
AS people decorate their homes for Christmas, firefighters have warned about the increased risks during the festive season. Every year around 700 people die in house fires and another 10,000 are injured, according to Government statistics. One out of
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Carol concert for community
GUISBOROUGH'S mayor, Coun Brian Whiteley, is inviting residents to a community carol concert to be held at the town's Methodist Church on Tuesday at 7.30pm. Carols will be accompanied by the Salvation Army band and lessons will be read by pupils from
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Pony dates
BSPS Area 3. - Jan 7: 9am Yafforth. Telephone 01642 452439/723542. Cleveland Hunt PC. - Tomorrow: Meet at Thorntree Farm, Stokesley by kind permission of Mr & Mrs Andrew Gloag. Dec 27: Junior Christmas rally at the Unicorn centre, contact Jane Chapman
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Marske still on march
MARSKE United are through to the fourth round of the FA Vase after a 2-1 victory at Barwell. Marske scorers, Kasonali and Markham. United are at Crook tomorrow in the Albany Northern League and away to Newcastle Blue Star on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Guisborough
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A question of honesty
QUESTIONS, questions, questions. They get harder to answer as they get older, and the question about Father Christmas was one of the toughest. "Dad will you tell me the truth?" our eldest asked with a sudden surge of seriousness as we drove home from
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Fun day to boost villages
A VILLAGE improvement organisation is holding a fundraising event to provide lights for next Christmas. Blooming Lights community group is holding a Christmas fun day tomorrow in Skelton Civic Hall, 10.30am-3pm, with proceeds going towards the cost of
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Safety alert over candle risk
CHRISTMAS shoppers are being warned about the dangers of a decorative candle. The alert has come from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and Cleveland Fire Brigade. They say that tests carried out on the gold-coated, Christ-mas tree-shaped candle show-ed
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Woman jumps from window to escape fire
A WOMAN jumped to safety out of a first floor window following a fire at her home in Marske. Firefighters were called to the fire at Dovecote Close, Marske, just after midnight on Tuesday. Two crews from Redcar and one from Saltburn used a hose reel,
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Horden Crow about coach
Horden Colliery Welfare have the only goalkeeping coach in Albany Northern League football - and he's certainly kept busy. But not only is Sunderland-based George Crow responsible for passing on his knowledge to the club's keepers, he is also assistant
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Rocket man escapes with court warning
A court case in which an explosives engineer was accused of putting people at serious risk in a failed attempt to blast a rocket into space was dropped yesterday. In an unusual prosecution, the Health and Safety executive decided after two hours of legal
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Racing Week, by Jo Scott: Bobby Grant takes the Tommy Whittle again
BOBBY GRANT landed the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock on Saturday, as we forecast, for the second year in a row. Russ Garritty had the ride on Peter Beaumont's charge and the pair gave a fine display of bold jumping to win by a good three lengths, despite
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Court settles neighbours' path feud
A STRIP of concrete between two luxury homes has become the unlikely subject of an epic legal battle between warring neighbours. The path leads between the homes of former friends Bill Welsh and Dr David Carr on a North-East housing estate. But a dispute
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Sprucing up on facts about the origins of your cut tree
CHANCES are the Christmas trees that customers buy from Forestry Commission sites in the North-East this year have travelled hundreds of miles before reaching their destination. And most of them will not even have been grown by the Forestry Commission
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Compassionate councillors grant approval
PLANS to extend an East Cleveland farm have been given the go-ahead by councillors for compassionate reasons. Polio victim John King applied to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council for permission to extend his home at Hobdale House, Skelton Green, so
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Gunshot mystery of skeleton in bushes
A man whose skeleton was found in undergrowth had died of gunshot wounds, police revealed last night. Detectives have opened a murder-style inquiry following the results of a detailed post mortem examination on the remains. The fully-clothed skeleton
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Home rule campaign to be told 'get real'
NORTH-EAST home rule campaigners will today be given a thinly-veiled "get real" message by Regions Minister Hilary Armstrong. The Durham North-West MP will warn that many people in the region still need to be convinced of the need for a directly-elected
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Meet your council member
THE following councillors are holding ward surgeries: Today: Anne Franklin, Bill Clarke, Guisborough, Stumps Cross Community Centre; Keith Pudney, Guisborough, Maltby Court Community Centre; Chris Abbott, Glynis Abbott, Newcomen, 9 o'clock Club, West
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Vandalism forces cathedral lock up
CONGREGATIONS at Ripon Cathedral are being locked in during evening services in a bid to curb young hooligans barging in and disrupting services. The decision to lock the main west doors at the cathedral has been taken after a series of incidents in which
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Search for runaway sees other
PARENTS of a teenage runaway, who disappeared six weeks ago after losing her job, have told of their relief at her discovery. In an ironic twist, as a result of the search for the County Durham couple's daughter, two other missing teenage girls were found
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Museum finally completes medal collection of war hero
AN EAGLE-eyed museum official has ensured that a set of medals on display in Richmond is now complete. The medals of Green Howard Tom Dresser, including a Victoria Cross, have been on show at the regimental museum for several years, on loan from the Dresser
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Housing scheme 'made town's flooding worse'
A NEW housing estate in Northallerton is at the centre of a planning row as residents have pleaded for building to stop. People living off Bankhead Road are still suffering from the effects of recent flooding, with many still unable to move back into
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Bus driver praised after knife drama
A BRAVE bus driver was praised by his bosses last night for continuing with his shift, minutes after being threatened by a knife-wielding thug. The driver, who has not been named, was picking up passengers in Bishop Auckland Bus Station, County Durham
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Objectors' jibe angers scouts' supporters
SCATHING remarks about potential trouble from a scout HQ at a Cleveland school have been criticised by councillors. Talk of vandalism and rowdyism was appalling, said Coun Garth Houchen. He told members of Redcar and Cleveland planning committee on Thursday
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Now it's time to don those pyjamas
A CHESTER-le-Street amateur dramatics group is starting work on their spring production. Following their pantomime Cinderella, Riverside Amateur Operatic Society has started rehearsals of The Pyjama Game. The musical, by Jerry Ross and Richard Adler,
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Policy makers to be told of problems
ISSUES affecting farmers, land-owners and gamekeepers in the Yorkshire dales come under the spotlight at an open day to be held in the new year. The dales advisory group, made up of farmers and land-owners, has not yet set a date for the meeting but invitations
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Youngsters brave elements during Teesdale field studies
LAST week, year six pupils started their journey to Middleton-in-Teesdale for a field studies course. Pupils from the school have been seven times before, and each year group has thoroughly enjoyed it. The week consists of many walks, and is a big test
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Chester le Street - A hint of summer in winter
WINTER'S icy tendrils may be encroaching all around us, but visitors to Chester-le-Street can enjoy a taste of summer with a new mosaic in the town's sun temple. The colourful design, based at the Riverside Park, is the work of local artists Jane Hufton
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Squash: Bailey does just enough to win battle of the sexes
A WOMAN came within a whisker of creating history by winning a men's squash championship. Teacher Nicola Pratt would have run up a bill for additional engraving for the trophy in the Harrogate and District Championships had she taken the title against
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Watch out for Hollywood-on-Tyne
On the day the Film Council announced its £6m strategy to boost the regional movie industry, the agencies shaping up to become the North-East's answer to Hollywood were busy moving into new offices. The Northern Screen Commission, Northern Production
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When home is cardboard . . .
A GROUP of students have been braving the elements to spend their breaks and lunch times living in cardboard boxes all this week. The year nine students, pupils at Teesside high school in Eaglescliffe, set up their own cardboard city at the front of the
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Fields plan 'a winner'
A DEVELOPMENT scheme in the pipeline for a disused school and its playing fields is set to be a winner. In 1998, Kemplah Primary School, in Guisborough's Aldenham Road, was closed when it merged with Newstead Primary School because of surplus places.
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Wear Valley - Home in time for Christmas
MORE than 40 pensioners who had to be evacuated after the devastating floods in the summer are looking forward to returning to their residential home in time for Christmas. The residents were moved to accommodation in Newcastle and Hexham when the River
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Decision deferred on plan for greenhouse
A DECISION on plans for a greenhouse beside the grade one-listed Mortham Tower, close to the 18th Century Rokeby Hall, near Greta Bridge, Teesdale, has been deferred. Teesdale District Council's development control committee voted to delay a decision
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Counselling charity fights back to offer support where it is most needed
A RESCUE package is under way to put the desperately under-funded North-East Relate agency back on a firm footing. Last month the relationship counselling organisation was forced to shut down its operation because of a cash crisis. The closure only lasted
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Durham - Police appeal for witnesses
POLICE said a man was 'lucky to be alive' following a street attack. The 27-year-old needed hospital treatment for serious head injuries following the attack in Front Street, Perkinsville, near Chester-le-Street. A 29-year-old local man was arrested and
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When the going gets wet, the dogs keep going
RAIN'S again stopped play. Football's waterlogged, horse racing squelching on its bets. When there's nothing else on, however, it's a sure thing that they'll be off at Brough Park. "We've never lost one in the three-and-a-half years I've been here," says
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Durham - County set to fight for cash
A COUNCIL that serves Prime Minister Tony Blair's 'backyard' faces the smallest funding rise in the country. Durham County Council, the region's largest council, has been given a standard spending assessment increase of just 2.8 per cent. This compares
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Motorsport: Year to remember for Constantine brothers
RICHMOND brothers Mark and Andrew Constantine have clinched one of the prestigious BTRDA rally championships in their 1400cc Vauxhall Nova at only their second attempt. The pair picked up their awards at a star-studded ball in Birmingham last week after
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Quota sales
PENRITH. - Tues. Sheep quota for both sale & lease. English LFA sheep quota to buy av £15; leased £4 to £4.20. GB Lowland sheep quota for sale & lease failed to reach reserves and is for sale by private treaty at £4; for lease at £1. No milk quota
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Cut costs in a ring
YOUNG farmers branching out on their own could cut costs by joining a machinery ring. Mr Tony Brown, chairman of the Northumberland and Durham machinery ring, said established farms tended to have a full range of machinery and equipment but most stood
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Old people are guests at hostel's party
ELDERLY residents from South Bank were special guests for Christmas dinner at a Teesside bail hostel yesterday. It is the first event to be held at Nelson House probation and bail hostel, also in South Bank, since it was opened in January as a replacement
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Letters: The real threat to public safety
Sir, - A few weeks ago the government announced that more firearms legislation was to be introduced. The announcement was made by Charles Clarke MP, a Home Office Minister. These recommendations were being adopted, he said, because of the government's
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Old girl enjoys role as star's new flame
A FORMER Darlington schoolgirl was the envy of millions of women last night who tuned in to watch the fourth episode of ITV drama series Close and True. Proud Polam Hall old girl Kerry Rolfe, who plays single mother Paula Farrent in the series, had her
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Fake or funky, the tree tells all
THIS weekend, many of us will be putting up our Christmas trees, but what will yours say about you? Fake fir: "Of course, you can hardly see the difference,'' you tell friends, but they're not convinced. You are sensible, prudent and practical. You don't
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Star Trek steams up a Scottie
PLAY It Again Sam is the last tune Joseph O'Shaughnessy wants to hear at the moment. Sam, his black Scottish terrier, is driving him mad with his non-stop howling to classical music, theme tunes, adverts and his favourite programme, Star Trek. His owner
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Urban quick to impress
Teesside League Norton, looking to bounce back against Thornaby, following their first league defeat of the season against Mavericks, found a saviour in the form of Glen Urban. Urban quickly stamped his authority on the game, hitting the opening eight
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Consett & Stanley - Graham plans daring stunt for charity
DAD-OF-THREE Graham Whalley has already broken two world records for charity in the name of his late wife - but his latest plan is so spectacular it could beat even that. This year, muscleman Graham Whalley completed 3,420 press-ups in one hour to claim
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Dementia treatment hope
RESEARCHERS from the North-East have shown there may be a better way of treating a common form of dementia. A study led by Professor Ian McKeith and colleagues, from Newcastle University, has shown that the drug rivastigmine may help to reduce significantly
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Policing precept of six per cent
POLICE bosses are to set a precept of six per cent - double the headline inflation figure of three per cent. Councillor Russell Hart, vice chairman of Cleveland Police Authority said: "We seek to ring-fence that increase for the provision of (more) police
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Stark message for livestock industry
A NUFFIELD scholar has returned from an international study tour with a stark picture for the UK livestock industry. According to Mr Sean Beer, UK farmers would today face market prices of 43p/kg liveweight for lamb and 70p/kg liveweight for beef if all
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Clubs double up in pursuit of glory
Ainitiative aimed at giving promising young swimmers the chance to fulfil their potential with more coaching time has begun with two of the region's clubs launching a partnership unique to the North-East. Wear Valley and Durham City swimming clubs signed
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Sorry, it was our JCB which caused costly power cut
A JCB working on the site of a multi-million pound health club cut through a main power cable and plunged Darlington town centre into darkness on Tuesday afternoon. Balfour Beatty, contractors for Bannatyne Fitness at the former Haughton Road bus depot
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The Albany Northern League
Durham City manager Brian Honour is delighted with new striker Michael Taylor. Honour signed Taylor from Chester-le-Street two months ago and has been rewarded with a strike rate of a goal per game from the 36-year-old. Taylor scored twice in Durham's
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William's ales in the dales
AS this is a sports column I apologise for straying from the beaten track on to the subject of a politician and his avowed love of walking in the Dales. William Hague, MP for Richmond, apparently thinks Wensleydale is the finest place in England. If he
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Christmas gift - now college hopes for January sale
A DARLINGTON college has been given a Christmas bonus with the first promise of cash towards a £2.6m extension. The Further Education Funding Council has agreed to give 35pc of the cost of a purpose-built extension to the west wing of Queen Elizabeth
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Mast complaints fall on deaf ears
A COMPLAINT about the way a mobile telephone mast was sited in a market town without residents' prior knowledge has been dismissed by the Ombudsman. Mr George Cartwright, whose home at North Field in Barnard Castle is only 60m from the mast, made the
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Chester le Street - We've got fund-raising licked
CARING youngsters have given their backing to one of the country's most popular charity appeals. Pupils at St Margaret's Church of England Primary School, Nevilles Cross, are sending hundreds of used stamps to the Blue Peter appeal, which this year is
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Cadets' diamond day
CHESTER-le-Street air cadet squadron is calling on past members to join in its birthday celebrations. The squadron will be 60 in March and plans to mark the occasion with a presentation at its HQ behind the Territorial Army drill hall. "It will be an
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Drug pests promised a 'trip' to the police cells
THE only "trip" clubbers planning to take drugs can expect this weekend is one straight to the cells. That is the promise of police in Middlesbrough, who are launching a blitz of pubs and clubs with the active support of licensees and door staff. During
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Grain prices
Thursday's Prices Kenneth Wilson, Thorpe Arch. - Wheat: Dec £64; Jan £64; Feb £65. Barley: Dec £67; Jan £68; Feb £69. Oilseed rape: Dec £133; Jan £134; Feb £135. GrainCo, Tyne Dock. - Wheat: Dec £62; Jan £63; Feb £64. Barley: Dec £67; Jan £68; Feb £69
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Cassie's walkies win pair a trophy
CASSIE the dog has already won a special place in the hearts of patients and staff at Darlington Memorial hospital, and now she has won a trophy as well. The three-year-old German shepherd and retriever cross is a regular visitor at the hospital with
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We put out the lights, says firm
ONE of the country's biggest construction firms has admitted responsibility for a power cut which caused havoc for Christmas shoppers in a North-East town. The centre of Darlington was plunged into darkness for more than three hours on Tuesday afternoon
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Slovakian au pair keeps sheet clean in winning debut
A GOALKEEPER from Slovakia who works as an au pair in Ripon has been given clearance by the Home Office to play for his new side in North Yorkshire - after being sidelined for five months. It was a frustrating delay for 22-year-old Rastislav Martos from
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Gale storms awards night
Talented youngster Steven Gale collected seven awards when Dawdon Cricket Club held their annual presentation night. The 13-year-old Steven helped the Under-18 side win both the Boddingtons Durham Coast League championship as well as the league cup. He
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Plan, and seek advice
DIVERSIFICATION is not the answer to every farmer's problems. "It is being promoted by all and sundry as the answer to farmers' ills, but it certainly is not that," said Mr Nick White of the North Yorkshire farm diversification initiative. "It can help
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Wear Valley - Christmas lights display wrecked by vandals
VANDALS have destroyed a Christmas light display. Martin Abbott, from Rush Park, Bishop Auckland, began preparing for Christmas lights at his home in January, when he started to buy fairy lights and decorations. He then spent three days creating the display
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Winners in the driving seat
WINNERS of a driving scheme in Redcar have been awarded prizes. More than 200 16-year-olds attended the Megadrive competition, in October, when they were given a taste of life on the road and the responsibilities of owning and driving a car. A competition
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Junior Football News
Hetton Youth League Two teams progressed in the Durham County Youth Cup - leaders Herrington and Springwell. Herrington, who have a 100 per cent league record, defeated Washington Dunlop 6-2 when Philip Makle and Stephen Copeland both scored hat-tricks
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Flood-hit bridge is about to reopen
A FLOOD-HIT bridge reopens to traffic next week. Richmond's Mercury Bridge in North Yorkshire was a victim of the racing waters of the River Swale in June. The central pier collapsed after a weekend of heavy rain and the risk of further damage was enough
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Emergency calls pledge by council
DURHAM County Council's social services department has pledged to deal quickly with emergencies during the Christmas period. The department says its action plan will ensure a prompt response. Emergencies include a patient's discharge from hospital to
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Play area revamp gets £1,900 backing
COUNCILLORS have given their backing to plans to refurbish a children's play area. The North Neighbourhood Forum of Hartlepool Borough Council has agreed to spend £1,900 from its minor works budget on repairing and replacing some of the play equipment
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Children's words and pictures go on show
ARTWORK and creative writing by children from across East Cleveland are to be featured as part of an exhibition in Loftus. More than 50 children worked with artists and writers at after-school clubs throughout the district as part of the East Cleveland
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Police chief pledges 'open talk' on Lancet inquiry
A POLICE chief has vowed to talk openly about a multi-million pound anti-corruption investigation. Barry Shaw, Chief Constable of Cleveland Police gave the pledge, to speak about the long-running Operation Lancet, yesterday. He gave his word after being
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Letters: The pensions timebomb
Sir, - One issue often overlooked in the debate about the euro is the threat posed by the looming pensions crisis in Euroland countries. An ageing population and a reliance on state funded pensions poses a major threat to the stability of the euro project
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Troubled force plunged into 'jobs for the boys' wrangle
under-fire Cleveland Police are now at the centre of a 'jobs for the boys' row - with their own staff. The Cleveland Police branch of public service union, Unison, is appealing to Cleveland Police Authority, concerned at the number of officers retiring
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Consett & Stanley - Sharp fall in crime rate
POLICE and community leaders in Derwentside have been celebrating a major drop in the crime rate. Crime in Derwentside fell by 15 per cent between April and October this year compared to the same period last year. That compares with a drop of 8.6 per
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Raby wins national prize for conservation work
A DECADE of dedication to conservation has reaped rich rewards for a County Durham estate. Lord Barnard and his Raby estate in Teesdale have been awarded a national Purdey award for game and conservation. The judges, who included Prof David Bellamy, praised
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Title holder to miss annual run
A SOLDIER will not be defending his title in the sixteenth annual Loftus Christmas Poultry Run. Craig McBurney suffered a stress fracture of the shin after he completed the London Marathon and is unable to take part in Sunday's event. Craig, a colour
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Welcome back to famous inn
ONE of Yorkshire's most famous inns is to re-open in time for Christmas, after a local family came to its rescue. Mr Michael Theakston had been one of the most regular customers at the White Bear in Masham, and was devastated, along with many others,
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Homes watchdog unit wins praise
A UNIT which ensures residential homes in parts of Teesside come up to standard has been praised. The registration and inspection unit has been praised for having a thorough and even- handed approach in its activities in Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland
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Workman crushed to death
THE Health and Safety Executive has been called in to establish how a 42-year-old workman was crushed to death between a lorry and a minibus. Firefighters called to the scene of the tragedy in Brotton High Street used hydraulic rams and airbags to prise
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Bingo hall theatre plan
A DERELICT bingo hall in Derwentside could soon be converted into a theatre, if town planners give permission. The former Roxy Bingo Hall, in Watling Street, Leadgate, near Consett, has been in a poor state of repair for years. Derwentside District Council's
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Boro Chat
TOMORROW sees Terry Venables' first home game in charge of Boro team selection, ironically against the team where he began his football career - Chelsea. There is certainly no love lost between the two sides, with the pain of the FA and League cup defeats
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Hotel wins top award
AN HOTEL near Guisborough has won a maximum five diamond guest accommodation award from the English Tourist Board. George Tinsley, owner of Pinchinthorpe Hall, said: "To achieve such an award demands years of hard work, but without our dedicated team,
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Double delight for Helen as Tassel Dah goes clear
HELEN Robshaw, riding Tassel Dah, completed a double at Guisborough Riding Club's show jumping competition at Tunstall Riding Centre, Nunthorpe on Sunday. The 17-year-old from Guisborough won the horse jumping with a super double clear round in 21.97.
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New Deal funds activities
YOUNGSTERS from schools in Middlesbrough have been taking part in fun activities. Their adventures have been funded through the New Deal for Communities scheme, in west Middlesbrough. Nearly 60 pupils from Whinney Banks Junior School spent a day as Vikings
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Domi declares his faith in Robson
NEWCASTLE have hit back angrily at claims that French defender Didier Domi is set to quit the club because manager Bobby Robson is behind the times. An Internet report on the website Football 365.com, which was picked up by news organisations, claimed
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Sunderland feed Butler to the Wolves for £1m
SUNDERLAND'S Paul Butler will complete a £1m move to Wolves today after spending the past month on loan at Molineux. Butler was due to return to the Stadium of Light this week, but Wolves manager Colin Lee set up a permanent deal yesterday after being
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Good game for charity
A VIP visit to the Stadium of Light is also a good result for charity. Sunderland fan Rachel Robbins, 28, of Washington, and 19 family and friends will watch the New Year's Day match with Ipswich from Metro Radio's private suite and enjoy a buffet and
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Raids as 'trade in suffering' targeted
HOMES in the North-East were raided yesterday by police hoping to smash an international ring to smuggle illegal immigrants into the UK. Three ringleaders were arrested during coordinated raids on Tyneside and in Germany, where 21 Indian immigrants were
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Man caught drink-driving twice in week
A MAN was caught drink-driving twice in the space of a week, a Teesside court heard. Kevin Bell, 57, admitted driving with excess alcohol in Thornaby on October 4 and October 11. Prosecutor Carol McMullen said that he was nearly twice the legal limit
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Annie's birthday joy in three centuries
ONE of a County Durham village's grand old ladies celebrated having had birthdays in three centuries yesterday. Bella Gauden, known in her home village Sacriston as Annie, was surrounded by family and friends on her 101st birthday at her new residence
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For village, it has been a 60-year wait
RESIDENTS have been waiting for more than 60 years for the Chilton bypass, in County Durham, to be built. The bypass was proposed for the first time in 1939 - when there were very few vehicles on the roads. Only now does it look like the bypass will become
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Convicted killer may have fled to Spain
A CONVICTED killer is believed to be on the run in Spain after absconding days before he was due to stand trial on a number of serious charges. Northumbria Police has launched a hunt for Neil Donnelly after he failed to appear at Newcastle Crown Court
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Hooligans now target Ripon congregation during service
CONGREGATIONS at Ripon cathedral are being locked in during evening services in a bid to curb young hooligans barging in and disrupting services. The decision to lock the main west doors at the minster has been taken after a series of anti-social vandals
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Busy hospital has a prickly problem
AS the debate about hospital overcrowding rages on, spare a thought for Pauline Hindmarch. Pauline, who runs a hedgehog casualty unit at her home, is having to deal with an unprecedented influx of the most prickly of patients. The animal hospital, at
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Darlington - Litter wardens take action
A COUNCIL crackdown on litter louts aimed at cleaning up Darlington's streets is celebrating its first successes. Twelve children dropping rubbish were caught red handed in the town centre by a new team of council wardens. Their parents have been issued
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Mother out of intensive care
A MOTHER left fighting for her life after seeing her young son die in a freak accident was moved out of intensive care yesterday. Christine Veitch, 28, was transferred to a ward at Sunderland Royal Hospital, where her condition was described as poorly
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Squash News
Harrogate and District Championships Nicola Pratt came within a whisker of creating history when she came close to winning a squash championship. For schoolteacher Nicola was competing in a traditionally all-men's competition and she would have run up
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Leading article: Planning loophole
IT seems utterly bizarre that with the heavily regulated planning regime we have in this country that a developer could start to erect a housing estate without first agreeing the drainage arrangements for the site. That appears to be the case in Northallerton's
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Centenary in millennium year led to book
A NORTH Yorkshire animal feeds company has commemorated its centenary with a specially commissioned book. Against the Grain traces the story of I'Anson Bros, which started in a corner shop in Masham and grew into an organisation employing 60 people with
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Young rider makes her bid for the top
DETERMINED teenager Gayle McDonnell has shrugged off a number of setbacks to make her mark in the equine world. The 19-year-old from Ingleby Barwick took a major step towards realising her ambition to become a fully qualified riding instructor when she
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Bands of hope, and glory
REDCAR musician Kate Chisholm is to fulfil one of her dreams by playing at the Royal Albert Hall on Tuesday. Kate, aged 21, is a music undergraduate at Huddersfield university and has recently joined the British Telecom brass band playing her flugel horn
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Weather Watch: Raining records in a a month of extremes
IT will come as no surprise that this November was the wettest month of any in my 18 years of records here at Carlton, near Stokesley. The accumulation represents getting on for three times the mean and marginally beats the 169mm (6.65in) measured in
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Spectator's Notes: A minor masterpiece
IT's amazing what a line in Spectator's Notes can do. Following my piece last week about Mr William Hague's Christmas card, the artist responsible, Mackenzie Thorpe of Richmond, was quick to respond. Readers may recall Spectator's passing reference to
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Travel raffle helps Toni's Arctic plans
TOP travel prizes are on offer as part of a charity raffle being drawn in Middlesbrough next week. Toni Inns, 19, who works at Wallace Arnold in Middlesbrough, had a tumour removed from her ear in the summer and has spent her time since then fundraising
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Family revives Christmas spirit
"THE Christmas House" has become a big attraction in the County Durham village of Coxhoe thanks to fanatical Mary Clark and family. Since they began collecting and displaying seasonal decorations four years ago, the Clarks have spent £2,000 on singing
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School backs scheme
SUPPORT for a programme of Durham County Cricket Club coaching clinics starting next month has come from Wolsingham Comprehensive School in Weardale. The school is aiming to build on the success it has already achieved with its Under-13s and Under-15s
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Looking Back: news from 100, 50 & 25 years ago
FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - The Bedale Railway Accident: The engine that plunged into the gap in the railway embankment at Bedale still lies on its side. It was intended to remove it last Sunday, and hundreds of people visited the spot, but no
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When the going gets wet, the dogs keep going
RAIN'S again stopped play. Football's waterlogged, horse racing squelching on its bets. When there's nothing else on, however, it's a sure thing that they'll be off at Brough Park. "We've never lost one in the three-and-a-half years I've been here," says
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Letters: This is about globalisation
Sir, - Anyone whose job is threatened by global decisions deserves sympathy. In this the Rothmans workers are no different from many thousands of others throughout the north east, most obviously in the steel and textile industries. So what makes the region's
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Staff pay tribute to customer and friend
A COMMEMORATIVE bench which now graces the entrance to Richmond swimming pool has been installed in tribute to a long-standing, dedicated swimmer who died recently. Mr Edwin Storey had travelled from his South Shields home to Richmond for a weekly swim
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Alcohol- free bar to close for good
A NON-ALCOHOLIC bar designed to get young people off the streets in Darlington has closed. The Bondgate Methodist Church council announced yesterday that it is closing Wesley's, a youth project based in the church hall, in Bondgate. Officials say the
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Darlington - Festive service gives children hope
A carol service is to 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. The venue will be the eleventh century St Cuthbert's Church
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Tiny beetle causes big problems among the moorland heather
UP TO 50,000 hectares of heather moorland in the Yorkshire dales are under threat from a tiny beetle. The 6mm-long heather beetle and its larvae are also threatening other large tracts of heather in the North Pennines. The infestation was first noticed
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Tennis: Yarm boys serve up a treat
YARM School's Under 13s boys team battled their way to third place in the national finals of the HSBC/British Schools Tennis Team Competitions at the Redbridge sports centre in Essex. The quartet of Matthew Jackman, Daniel Wise, Laurence Heads and Tim
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Kerb-crawl churchman is sacked
A CHURCH minister has been sacked after being convicted of kerb crawling. Disgraced Timothy London has been "deleted from the role of minister" in the United Reformed Church at Middlesbrough. The 46-year-old was fined £200 by Teesside magistrates earlier
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Football News
Hathaway Auckland and District League Once again waterlogged pitches reduced Saturday's programme to two matches. In the league, Brandon Station's good run continued with a 3-1 win over Coxhoe Athletic. They led 2-1 at half-time with goals from John Bell
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Thirty years on, town route can get under way
THE idea to build a cross-town route in Darlington was first mooted in the 1970s. Town planners realised that, as traffic increased, a scheme would have to be introduced to relieve congestion in the town. The plan was for a fast road, to cut through the
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Freemasons distribute aid
FREEMASONS have given several thousand pounds to charities aiding the old and young. Durham Freemasons donated £750 to St Helen's Church, at St Helen Auckland, for the installation of an induction loop system for the hard of hearing. They also gave £750
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Angling News
Rising rivers were once again a feature and all the Yorkshire venues proved unfishable. Conditions on the lower reaches of the Tees were far from perfect for the Yarm AA Fur & Feather. The venue was racing through three feet up and chocolate coloured
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Swimming News
Newcastle European and Commonwealth champion Sue Rolph, a double winner in the 100m and 200m individual medley and shared the women's top points trophy at the British Winter National short course championships in Sheffield last weekend, is included in
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Fancy a course in hey nonny-no?
QUALIFICATIONS for a new degree at Newcastle University might include growing a beard, buying a sensible woolly jumper and drinking real ale. The university has launched a new degree in folk and traditional music, the first of its kind to be offered by
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Past Lives: Presidents are nothing but trouble ...
A TROUBLESOME lot are the presidents of France. I generalise, of course, but it is no less than the duty of Past Lives to complain that they were making life difficult for D&S Times men as long ago as 1944 - and were still at it the other night. Well
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Prices at the markets
BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed. Fwd: 1,572 sheep. Bull calves to £62; hfrs to £62. Store lambs to £32.50. Lambs lt to 78.2p av 77.2p; std to 91.2p av 86.3p; med to 99.3p av 92.2p; heavy to 91.6p av 88.2p. Cast ewes: Mule to £27; Cont to £34; Swale to £20; Leics
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Scrap metal or art: town splits over sculptures
COUNCILLORS were almost lost for words over two unusual sculptures planned for the forecourt of Saltburn rail station. But when they did speak, it was to firmly slap down any notion that the figures - made from items such as scrap metal - would be right
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New man in charge
THE Tyne Tees Regiment - which includes Territorial Army soldiers from the Green Howards, Durham Light Infantry and the Northumberland Fusiliers - has a new commanding officer. Lt Col Duncan Hopkins was the commanding officer of the 4/5 Battalion the
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Pool News
Steve Wray of Ferryhill Club won the National CIU singles championship, defeating Kevin McIlroy of Didcot, Oxfordshire in the final at the Grassmoor Club in Chesterfield. There was a very good start for the Ferryhill player, pictured right, as he went
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Wardens are hitting the high roads
COMMUNITY wardens started patrolling the streets of an east Cleveland town yesterday. Geoff Parry and Lee Collins will be on patrol in Brotton, tackling problems which were highlighted at a packed public meeting organised by Brotton councillors Brian
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Prices from the Christmas fatstock sales
BARNARD CASTLE. - Wed of last week. Christmas show of prime sheep. Fwd: 1,180 prime lambs, 133 store lambs, 614 cast sheep, 5 calves. Champion: JR Tiplady, Texel X lambs, 45kg, £50 to Woodhead Bros. Prizes. -Cont lambs: 1 JR Tiplady; 2 F&JS Gargett
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Newsquest trainees buck national trend
NEWSQUEST Media Group, which publishes The Northern Echo and its sister paper The Darlington & Stockton Times, is celebrating editorial training successes. Trainee journalists sitting the National Certificate, the newspaper industry's qualification
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Extra £14m ensures road will be built
A GOVERNMENT cash windfall means £19.8m will be spent on transport improvements in Darlington over the next five years. The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions announced an extra £14m funding for the town yesterday. The money has
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Richmond's bridge to re-open for Christmas
MERCURY bridge, Richmond, fully reopens to traffic on Thursday after a six-month closure because of extensive flood damage in June. To allow the carriageway to be resurfaced first, however, the bridge will be closed to all traffic from 7am tomorrow until
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Football: Butler's return rocks Quakers
QUAKERS' manager Gary Bennett's plans for tomorrow's league encounter with Leyton Orient were thrown off course by the decision of star midfielder Thomas Butler to return to Sunderland after two months on loan. The little Irishman had become a fans' favourite
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No. 13 darlington market place, 1950
DARLINGTON'S Dolphin Centre was built in the early-1980s, and Jimmy Blumer's aerial photo from 1950 reminds us what was there before. The answer is simple: pubs. There was the Dolphin pub (No 1) which was known to locals as The Crooked Fish because its
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Ice Hockey News
Junior round-up SUNDERLAND'S Stuart Potts, Billingham's Richie Thornton and Newcastle Jesters' David Clarke are in the Great Britain Under-20 squad for Division Two of the world championships at Vilnius, Lithuania, between December 30 and January 5. Sunderland
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Athletics News
Durham City Harriers Rosie Smith led Durham City Harriers women's (Under-17) team to a well-deserved bronze medal position at the North-Eastern Counties Cross Country Championships at Hartlepool. Despite falling towards the finish while in second place
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North Yorkshire - Flood plan revamped
A NORTH YORKSHIRE authority sits down on Thursday to a frank report into its performance during November's floods. Hambleton District Council was swamped with appeals for help when ten inches of rain fell in a fortnight. Although the administration did
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Student's parents issue plea over killer
THE parents of murdered student Sara Cameron have made an emotional plea for help catching their daughter's killer as they prepare for Christmas without her. Finnish-born Sara's body was found in a field near her home in Earsdon, North Tyneside, on Good
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Society calls for help for all riding schools
THE British Horse Society is pressing for rate relief on all riding schools, not just those on farms. Earlier this year the Government put forward proposals as part of its Action Plan for Farming, that farms starting up equestrian businesses should benefit
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Countryman's Diary: Woken by Christmas wassailers
CHRISTMAS often generates a desire to romanticise about the past. We need only look at Christmas cards to be prompted by vivid images of former times such as street scenes with beautiful deep snow, horse-drawn stagecoaches and charming inns, pretty cottages
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Police hunt cheeky thief after raid in woodlands
A CHEEKY thief made out he was legitimately chopping down two 40ft trees from a woodland before hitching them to his tractor and driving off. The man was spotted with a chainsaw at Helme Park Wood, Thornley, near Crook, County Durham, and was confronted
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Anger all round as studio scheme is given permission
AN angry planning committee chairman threw out a protest petition over plans for artists' studios at Saltburn. Coun Helen McLuckie said the petition was disgraceful and misrepresented what the plans were about. Members went on to approve the scheme, which
