Archive
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Robbery bids thwarted as victims fight back
TWO attempted robberies were thwarted when a shop assistant and a man who was attacked in the street fought back. The shop assistant stood up to a knife-wielding thug who burst into the general store in David Terrace, near Eldon, Bishop Auckland, with
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Last supper for weights row trader
A LAST supper will take place next month to raise funds for a North-East market trader facing prosecution for refusing to convert to Euro-approved metric measurements. Steven Thoburn, 36, goes before Sunderland Magistrates' Court on January 15, for continuing
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Falcons rely on hot air to beat freeze
WHILE all other rugby in the region falls victim to the weather, Newcastle Falcons are hopeful that tomorrow's match against Harlequins will go ahead at Kingston Park. A Northampton company employed by English First Division Rugby to make pitches playable
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Family attack A66 proposals
A FAMILY who were injured in an accident on the A66 have condemned a report which rules out a new dual carriageway across the Pennines. Rod Hall, his wife, Lorraine, and their four children are convinced that the fact they were travelling in a Land Rover
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Stotty filled with eastern promise
THE Japanese could find themselves with a yen for the stotty after one of the region's most famous baking names welcomed visitors from the Far East. The representatives from a Tokyo bakery spent a week at Greggs base in Gosforth, Newcastle, studying the
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CHURCH CELEBRATES THE NATIVITY WITH EXHIBITION OF CRIBS
WORSHIPPERS will celebrate a festival of Christmas cribs tomorrow during parish communion. A collection of 20 cribs telling the story of the nativity - from pre-war Italian cribs to a recently made gingerbread version - will be displayed at St Mary's
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Campaigners call for mayor vote
CAMPAIGNERS wanting an elected mayor are handing out petition forms. People in the Gateshead area are being asked to support a referendum on the issue of a directly-elected mayor. Five per cent of the electorate need to sign up to force a referendum.
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Honour for town's fairy godmother
A WOMAN whose home was flooded twice has ended a miserable year in the perfect way after being recognised with an MBE. Nellie Bowser, known as West Auckland's fairy godmother, will help just about anyone, whether they are hospital patients, theatre amateurs
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Worker's reward
THE founding member of a residents' association is today awarded the MBE for her community work. Ena Savage started the Central Estate residents' association, at Hartlepool, ten years ago and, since then, has worked to improve the local environment. The
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Boxer trains children in home town
A CHAMPION boxer went back to his roots to pass on tips to youngsters. Lance Corporal Lee Rookes, of Pallister Park, Middlesbrough, returned from Wiltshire, home of the Army's Green Howards, during a trip by the battalion's boxing team. The squad, which
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The year the weather beat the boffins
The end of the last millennium or the beginning of the next, the debate raged all year. But as mankind entered Y2K worrying about how modern technology would cope when the calendar clicked over, the expected calamity came from the weather. Freak temperatures
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Spotlight on musicians
THREE of the North's most talented young musicians play in North Yorkshire next month. The King Trio is to perform at St Oswald's Church, in Sowerby, near Thirsk, as part of the community's music festival on Saturday, January 13. All three graduated from
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Shoppers' horror at street murder
A MURDER hunt was launched last night after crowds of horrified shoppers saw a stabbing victim collapse in the street bleeding from a fatal wound. The victim, who has not been identified, died in Middlesbrough General Hospital last night after being attacked
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Walking in a winter wonderland
FREEZING temperatures and heavy snow transformed the region into an Arctic landscape yesterday. Only a few parts of the region escaped a covering of snow, with many parts getting up to four inches between Thursday night and yesterday morning. County Durham
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Bev's party piece is magic
A CRIME detection course proved to be a truly magic experience for a North-East police inspector. Inspector Brian "Bev" Hills of Darlington police attended the course in Preston more than a decade ago, got a taste of magic and was hooked. Since then Insp
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Theatre of dreams beckons
A NORTH Yorkshire woman has had her first break in the world of theatre after the county's Training and Enterprise Council (TEC) helped her target her dream job. Judith Kirk, from Northallerton, won a four-week placement with the Paines Plough Theatre
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Police plan to question tests veteran
POLICE investigating experiments on servicemen at Porton Down chemical warfare base are to interview a North-East man. John Armstrong, of Farringdon, in Sunderland, is an alleged victim of the human guinea pig tests at the Ministry of Defence base, in
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Pub lines up 100 beers from all over UK
LANDLORD Mark Edwards hopes his pub will be the toast of Cleveland's east coast this New Year. Mr Edwards always has six to seven guest ales on tap in his cellars below The Plimsoll Line pub, in Redcar High Street. But he will be serving up to 100 different
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Store celebrates 140-year anniversary with prize draw
TWO people from east Cleveland got an unexpected Christmas present as part of a clothing store's birthday celebrations. Customers at Greenwood's in High Street, Redcar, were asked to put their names into a hat for a prize draws to help the chain of men's
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Joe's parking lot is an MBE from the Queen
JOE Byrne may not have a university education, but can hold his own when dealing with judges, doctors, teachers and ordinary Joes. The car park attendant has become a familiar sight to people entering the government buildings at Elvet House, in Durham
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When honours appear uneven
AS usual, the New Year Honours list has produced plenty of material for lively debate. It is easy to understand to the point of predictability why someone like Steve Redgrave - one of the century's greatest Olympians - should receive a knighthood. Sir
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Meningitis warning after death of boy, 16
A teenager has been killed by meningitis less than 24 hours after the disease struck. David Lewis, 16, a keen rugby player, fell ill on Christmas Day but died on Boxing Day, leaving his family devastated. He had been innoculated against the common C strain
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Olympians lead the way in New Year's Honours parade
Steven Redgrave's knighthood caps the mountainous success enjoyed by Great Britain's Olympic team in this year's New Year's Honours List. The five-times Olympic gold medallist becomes Sir Steven in a list in which all 21 of his fellow winners in Sydney
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Pensioner thief fined
A pensioner gave in to temptation and stole from a Teesside shop just before Christmas, a court was told yesterday. Thomas Cox, 75, was tempted by a bottle of aftershave. But he was spotted hiding it in a bag and was stopped on leaving the store, said
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Housing market set to end the year on high note
HOUSE prices rose by 1.2 per cent this month and 9.3 per cent over the year as the property market ended 2000 on a high note, the Nationwide said. While next year would not see growth of the same levels - with the annual rate expected to be around seven
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Bank of England Governor puts a damper on New Year hopes
PEOPLE should enjoy the economic good times while they can because they may not last, Bank of England Governor Sir Eddie George warned yesterday. Although he said the picture was still quite promising for the UK economy, a worse than expected downturn
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Hear All Sides
HANNAH APPEAL WITH Christmas in danger of being totally commercialised, it was heart-warming to see the Hannah Appeal fund being oversubscribed in record time (Echo, Dec 22). But I find it difficult to fathom how a perfectly healthy person eager to enter
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Town signs herald new strategy for tourism
A WARM welcome is guaranteed for the increasing number of visitors travelling to Hartlepool by road. New signs marking the borough's boundaries are going up, and a number of others directing people to the town's major attractions are planned. The signs
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Saturday Sermon
I love making New Year resolutions - for other people, of course. I could run a good consultancy in it. It continues to amaze me that I can see faults in you that you are blind to. Denial is rampant all around me - except, naturally, in myself. Tomorrow
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Drink-drive accountant caught in midnight check
AN accountant, with a conviction for drink-driving, was caught almost twice over the legal alcohol limit a minute after midnight on Christmas morning, a court heard. Hartlepool Magistrates' Court was told yesterday how Stuart Temple, 28, was stopped by
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Baroness to carry on police crusade
THE chairman of the North Yorkshire Police Authority has vowed to continue a crusade for a better deal for the county, despite standing down from the post next year. Baroness Harris of Richmond has confirmed her retirement from the position in May - more
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College coach in US soccer role
Alan Fowler, sports therapy leader at Redcar and Cleveland College, recently returned from America, where he coached the Dallas Burn professional football team. His job was to go into the community and coach young girls and boys the finer points of the
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Speed limit cut
THE speed limit is to be cut from 30mph to 20mph in Sunderland city centre. In the past three years there have been 70 injury accidents in the city centre. The new limit, to be introduced in April, will affect the ring-road system of St Mary's and St
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Brave Nathan, 13, loses his fight for life
A FAMILY are mourning the death of a 13-year-old boy who was born with a weak heart muscle. Nathan Painter, of Fernwood Avenue, Hartlepool, died on Boxing Day after being released from hospital to enjoy Christmas at home. Nathan was born with a weak heart
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Award for work to heal mining scars
A MAN whose spent the past ten years cleaning up blackened beaches said he was speechless when he discovered he was to be awarded the MBE today. Denis Rooney, from Seaham, County Durham, has been helping to remove the legacy of mining from the area's
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Companies' arrival to create -serious number' of jobs
TWO companies are heading to County Durham, creating jobs in an unemployment blackspot, The Northern Echo can reveal. Sources at Derwentside District Council were reluctant to give details, but confirmed that "dozens of new jobs at the very least" would
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Wrappers
BIG-hearted shop workers hope they have got the New Year wrapped up for charity. A record number of customers in the Cleveland Centre, Middlesbrough, over the festive period kept a gift-wrapping service working flat out and donations, asked for in return
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High-flying Solano aims to put Beckham in the shade
NOLBERTO SOLANO today bids to upstage David Beckham in a battle of the wing wonders at St. James' Park. Peruvian Solano has been compared to England star Beckham and gets the chance to show why when Newcastle take on Manchester United. The stunning 30
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-Victims of floods still need your help'
THE organiser of an appeal to help flood victims is urging people not to forget about their plight because the rain has eased off. Businessman Stephen Longhorn, of Willington, near Crook, has already helped dozens of flood refugees through his UK NorthEast
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Year 2000 failed to impress
HAVING looked forward to the year 2000 for so long it was perhaps inevitable that it would disappoint. The word Millennium will for a long time be associated with a certain four letter word, i.e., dome, but for a while it was pushed off the front page
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Test honour for Palmer
STANLEY bowler Chris Palmer has been chosen to play for England in a prestigious three-match Test Series in Australia in February. The 37-year-old White-le-Head player will travel with Mervyn King, of Norfolk's Hunstanton club and Chris Young (Cheam Fields
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Council proposes panel to oversee regeneration
A SPECIAL panel is to be set up to oversee the regeneration of four County Durham towns. Sedgefield Borough Council says that the panel will be responsible for considering new sections of the authority's Local Plan. The plan focuses development on four
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Magistrate ends family tradition
A MAGISTRATE who made understanding youth crime his mission has retired. Former physiotherapist Bob Trotter, from Startforth, near Barnard Castle, brought to a close a family tradition when he retired as chairman of the bench at Teesdale and Wear Valley
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Gnomes bid farewell to Millie
SHOPPERS hitting the New Year sales at a North-East shopping centre can leave their children to enjoy a pantomime. The MetroGnomes will be entertaining youngsters with the seasonal show, at Gateshead's MetroCentre. The panto centres on a farewell party
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Voice of sport misses big race amid rumours of BBC bust-up
VETERAN commentator David Coleman will not make his last BBC broadcast at an athletics event in County Durham after an alleged bust-up with corporation bosses. Coleman - famous for his unintentional on-air gaffes - is to leave the BBC when his contract
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pups left to die at christmas reunited with mother
A PAIR of puppies have been reunited with their mother after they were left out in the cold to die on Christmas Day. The pups were bottle-fed by RSPCA officers, but it was touch-and-go as to whether they would survive without their mother's milk. However
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Supporters cry foul over call to axe club
FOOTBALL fans in the region are demanding fair representation after a Home Office report suggested tackling hooliganism by breaking-up the England football supporters' club. The Home Office report claims some people in the England Members' Club are "determined
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Singing for research cash
TICKETS are still available to see Irish stars The Corrs in a fundraising concert at Newcastle's Telewest Arena. The band added an extra date, January 8, to their current tour in support of the British Lung Foundation. The Corrs' mother, Jean, died last
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Staff welcome Ofsted report
STAFF at Seaham Comprehensive School are celebrating after a good report from Ofsted inspectors. Their report said: "The best features in teaching are good relationships, management of behaviour, and clear expectations based on good subject knowledge.
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Job needs head for figures
AN army of people prepared to engage in form-filling is being recruited to help count every man, woman and child. In April, a census will be carried out across Britain and every family must fill in a form with their details. The survey will create a picture
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Cameron's happy Christmas driving his new snowmobile
WHILE most drivers struggled to get to work in the snow yesterday, it did not deter one brave youngster from trying out his new electric car. Cameron Murray was revelling in his new Christmas present from his family with a little help from his five-year-old
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Gallery announces new year shows
AN east Durham venue has announced two exhibitions for the new year. The New Year Long Gallery Exhibition at Seaton Holme, Hall Walks, Easington Village, runs from January 8 to February 2, with artist Gina Morton holding her second display at the venue
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artists' creations to brighten new hospital
COLD, grey clinical corridors will have no place at the new Bishop Auckland General Hospital when building work is finished in early 2002. A £70,000 programme will see a range of contemporary artists' work brightening up the building. The project, which
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SUNDERLAND BATTLE FOR POINT
ARSENAL 2, SUNDERLAND 2 GRITTY Sunderland staged an astonishing second half fight-back to win a point against all the odds at Highbury. The Wearsiders were trailing 2-0 at the break through goals from Patrick Viera (5 mins) and Lee Dixon (40 mins) and
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Forecaster's cold comfort
AT least Yorkshire's famous weather guru had something to celebrate yesterday. Amateur forecaster Bill Foggitt, has been predicting the weather for decades, using past records and the behaviour of the flora and fauna near to his his Thirsk home as benchmarks
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Horsebox drama closes busy road
POLICE were forced to close a busy road after three horses became entangled in a horsebox yesterday. The incident, which happened on the A66 Darlington bypass at about 3pm, led to a woman being taken to hospital with minor injuries. It occurred when a
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Ton-up Roly celebrates with cider
ROLY Colledge toasted his 100th birthday, not with champagne, but with a few glasses of his favourite tipple - cider. Mr Colledge, from Durham City, reckons the apple brew is the much sought after secret to a long life. "I've been lucky enough to enjoy
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Approval likely for town facelift
PROPOSALS to redevelop the heart of Chester-le-Street are expected to go ahead after two years of delays. Council chiefs expect to see work on a £12m facelift, which will include a Tesco store under the town centre's railway viaduct, begin in the summer
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Top of the class
A LONG-SERVING teacher celebrates today being awarded an MBE. Judith Kent, 61, who works at Abbey Junior School, Darlington, has been teaching for 41 years. She has been worked in the profession for so long that she was recently introduced to new colleague
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Prison officer quits over -liaison'
A FEMALE prison officer has quit her job amid claims that she had a relationship with a jailed sex offender. Bosses at Durham's top-security Frankland Prison suspended the officer, who has not been named, last month and launched an internal inquiry into
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Play tells of quest for gold
A tale of mystery among the Northumbrian hills is to be performed at a Wear Valley theatre. With the Christmas season spirit still lingering, Dawn of the Firefawn is a must for adults and children. The play tells the story of a quest among the hills of
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Couple send container-load of gifts to Kenyan needy
A CONTAINER-load of presents is on the way to needy families in Kenya, thanks to the efforts of a Washington couple. Retired social workers Allan Richardson, 59, and his wife Avril, 57, want to thank everyone who helped them fill the 40ft container that
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Group creates drop-in centre
THE North Hartlepool Youth Action Group has turned two spare rooms at the King George V playing fields changing rooms into a drop-in meeting place. The centre is open for young people to meet, and a coffee bar is open at weekends, serving hot drinks and
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Parents welcome Church aid plan for -run-down' school
PARENTS have backed a plan to turn a "dull, run-down and uninviting" school into a voluntary-aided church school. Hartlepool Borough Council's proposals to change the status of the town's Henry Smith School have been welcomed by parents after extensive
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Stone crows, say golfers
A PAIR of pesky crows are harassing golfers by swooping down on the course and stealing their golf balls. The mischievous pair have turned the 12th and 17th fairways at Blyth Golf Club, Northumberland, into bogey holes for early-morning players who, for
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Sir Spike and Sir Steve take a bow
Madcap comic Spike Milligan and five-times Olympic gold-medallist Steve Redgrave are the heroes of the New Year Honours list published today, with both men becoming knights. The 82-year-old genius, who once publicly called his close friend the Prince
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200 youngsters enjoy panto fun
MORE than 200 young children packed into Ennis Square Social Club, Dormanstown, to enjoy a pantomime. The production, There Was An Old Woman, was supported by BP at Wilton. Santa Claus made an unexpected appearance and gave each child a present. Characters
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Donation aids church in war on vandals
A CHURCH hopes to keep vandals at bay thanks to the generosity of shoppers. St Edmunds, Bearpark, has had half of its windows, some of them stained glass, broken in two attacks. Now a special coating is to be applied to the glass to protect it from further
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Fire perils warning to smokers
FIRE chiefs have issued a warning to smokers about the dangers of not fitting smoke alarms to their homes following the death of a Tyneside man. Firefighters were called to a flat in King Street, North Shields, early yesterday morning after smoke was
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Towns link pioneer mourned
THE architect of twinning between a County Durham village and a German town has died. Herr Heinrich Myers suffered a heart attack on Christmas morning. The mayor and chief executive of Hamminkeln, Herr Myers had just returned from church and was clearing
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Arts group celebrates
AN arts group is celebrating the start of its 15th year by continuing a tour of its version of Cinderella and the Dance to the End of Time. Jack Drum Arts, of Sunniside, near Bishop Auckland, toured the country this month and has shows in the North-East
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Kicking drug habit secures freedom
A thief escaped jail yesterday because he had beaten his heroin addiction. Shoplifter John Thompson, 21, was arrested again just seven days after leaving prison, said prosecutor Sally Ann Knowles. But his solicitor Peter Wishlade convinced Teesside magistrates
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Glass Magpies' saviour
Newcastle United 1 Manchester United 1 Substitute Stephen Glass rescued a point for Newcastle after they had fallen behind to a controversial penalty at St. James' Park. Glass swept the ball home in the 82nd minute on the end of a move which also featured
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SUPER EFFORT AS SUPERSTORE WORKERS PROVIDE CHEQUE TONIC FOR hospice
STAFF at a north Durham Co-op store have reason to feel good about themselves this Christmas. For the Annfield Plain superstore workers have raised £2,000 for nearby Willow Burn Hospice. Activities included a number of raffles and a bike ride from Annfield
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Quakers boss demands all-round improvement
Darlington are hoping to put their Christmas problems behind them when they take on Exeter at St James' Park today. Quakers couldn't have produced two more contrasting performances in their last two games. They played some of their best football of the
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50 years of dedication to college is recognised
IN 50 years of dedication to a North-East college, Ken Handley has never missed one meeting. His devotion to duty has led to Mr Handley, vice-chairman of Bishop Auckland College, County Durham, being awarded an MBE in today's honours list. Mr Handley's
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Football results for Saturday 30 December 2000
Sunderland, Newcastle, and Middlesbrough draw; Hartlepool and Darlington postponed. Arsenal 2 Sunderland 2 Newcastle 1 Manchester United 1 Middlesbrough 1 Coventry 1
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Take your partners for rhythm'n'blues classic
THEY have been through it all, from Beatlemania to boy bands, and they are still going. Probably the North-East's oldest established rock band is still exciting audiences with its own brand of rhythm and blues. Junco Partners formed in 1964 and took over
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Efficient housing service praised
COUNCIL bosses are hailing a government report on housing services in South Tyneside. The regional office of the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions has praised the borough council's housing department over how it delivers its services
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Lee is hoping to make it a happy New Year for Hartlepool
CLASSY defender Graeme Lee is ready to hand Hartlepool United a New Year boost. Boss Chris Turner had written the 22-year-old out of his plans this season after he underwent cruciate knee ligament surgery in early October. Lee made only a brief appearance
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Riding centre's plea to vandals
AN appeal is being made to vandals to leave alone a horse riding centre for the disabled. Persistent damage to £2,000- worth of fencing has meant that the Unicorn Centre, on Teesside, has not been able to use a field, first leased in the spring, until
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Restaurant serves up eye-catching murals
EVERY picture tells a story - and the murals at a Leeming Bar restaurant reflect the life of the family which founded the village's motel. The walls of The Lodge now boast the work of Leyburn's Lynn Ward, who has been working hard to create an indoor
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Tough guy Tel makes us toe the line, says Fleming
MIDDLESBROUGH full-back Curtis Fleming has revealed how the mean streak behind the beguiling smile of Terry Venables has helped launch a Riverside revival. Boro have picked up seven points from three games - and kept clean sheets - since Venables took
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Police act on missiles threat to drivers
POLICE in Darlington are vowing to clamp down on youths who are putting people's lives at risk by throwing stones at cars. Officers are concerned that someone could be killed, or injured, if the youths are not stopped. In the space of a week, there have
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Sunderland facing a massive Highbury test
BUOYANT Sunderland boss Peter Reid believes that this afternoon's demanding test against championship contenders Arsenal at Highbury will give his players the chance to prove they are worthy of their third-top Premiership standing. "It will tell us a
