Archive
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Murder suspect quizzed
AN Iraqi man was still being questioned by police last night about the death in a Middlesbrough shopping mall of a Kurdish refugee. Mohammed Ali, 22, was repeatedly stabbed in the neck in the Cleveland Shopping Centre, busy with sales shoppers, last Friday
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Drive to keep roads clear as winter continues to bite
WINTER maintenance crews in east Cleveland went into action this week to keep the district moving during the heavy snowfalls. Staff from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's technical services department have been on stand-by for action since October
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DIY store raided by armed men
TERRIFIED customers were ordered to lie on the floor by two armed robbers who held up a DIY store. Two men, one carrying a gun and the other a large spanner, burst into B&Q, at Swalwell, Gateshead. Staff were forced to open a till and the crooks escaped
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Tackling bullies and truants with £12m grant
SCHOOLS in the North-East are to receive £12m to tackle the problem of unruly pupils who play truant and bully other children. The cash is part of a £174m grant announced by Schools Minister Jacqui Smith aimed at cracking down on bad behaviour. The money
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On The Ice
WE did a good job last week, when we beat Belfast and should have won in Cardiff, too. I'm really happy about the guys and I had a pretty good scrap on Saturday night with Paul Ferone, of the Belfast Giants. Tonight's a crucial match for us against Fife
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On the Ice
IT was a pretty good weekend on the road. We dominated Bracknell on Saturday and beat them 5-3 despite questionable calls from the referee and we showed a lot of character. It was my birthday on that day and it was nice to score. I also fought their tough
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What everyone wants and most won't get
ELECTRONICS giant Sony kicks off a massive advertising campaign for the PlayStation 2 tomorrow. The message: if you haven't bought one already, you're probably too late. A worldwide shortage of machines has seen the European allocation of PS2 machines
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Playing yesterday's games
HAVE you just bought a bang up-to-date computer? Does it sport the very latest Intel pentium III processor? Then I've got some bad news. It's already yesterday's technology. Stung by criticism that it held back new models until after Christmas, CPU giant
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It's lean, mean and sexy. It's a new PC
A PERSONAL computer may be just the job for spreadsheets, community letters and games, but it could hardly be called an attractive piece of furniture. A boring collection of grey or biege boxes, the PC was something to be hidden away, not shown off to
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Gadgetman goes Windows shopping
CHRISTMAS is a great time of the year. But how do you avoid yet another round of socks and hankie sets? Or even worse, a novelty tie that plays Jingle Bells. Why not settle back for a moment and have a look at some of Gadgetman's Christmas 2000 recommendations
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Double agony for Jesters
Newcastle Jesters lost their second match in 24 hours, going down 3-0 in a bad tempered encounter with the London Knights at the Telewest Arena last night. Jesters had earlier been beaten in Scotland against the Ayr Scottish Eagles when three goals in
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Moxon makes coach move from Yorkshire to Durham
Martyn Moxon has shocked Yorkshire by resigning as director of coaching to become first team coach with Durham. The former Yorkshire and England batsman, who became head of the county's coaching staff when he retired as a player three years' ago, is also
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Dyer consequences of Kieron's red-card shame
Kieron Dyer will pay a high price for his dismissal during Newcastle United's 4-2 defeat at Spurs. Manager Bobby Robson is certain to fine the England international, who was shown the red card for swearing at a referee's assistant. Dyer will learn today
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Ricard has to prove himself again
Hamilton Ricard was warned yesterday he must prove that his new strike partnership with Alen Boksic is the answer to Middlesbrough's goalscoring problems. The Colombian wants a new contract at Boro but is now under pressure to produce the form that made
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Website will promote region across the globe
REGIONAL development agency One NorthEast has launched a new website designed to attract software and electronic businesses to the region from all over the world. The site will promote the region as an ideal location for inward investment to high tech
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Boro take care to get O'Neill back
MIDDLESBROUGH wing-back Keith O'Neill is being wrapped in cotton wool amid fears of a recurrence of the back trouble which forced him to miss the final three months of last season. The Republic of Ireland international was a late withdrawal from the New
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Shop manager covered up losses
A SHOP manager covered up losses of up to £20,000 by falsifying return sheets, a court was told. Susan Marie Carter, 30, admitted submitting false accounts to bosses in order to cover up the unexplained deficiencies as she feared losing her job. But Durham
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MP and ex-wife settle job row out of court
AN employment dispute between a North-East Labour MP and his ex-wife was settled out of court yesterday. John McWilliam, the 58-year-old MP for Blaydon, was taken to an employment tribunal for wrongful dismissal by former wife Lesley McWilliam. Mrs McWilliam
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Heavy rain brings fresh flooding fear
THE weather continued to bring misery to many people across the region as melting snow and heavy rain brought flooding to some parts. Following the freezing temperatures and blizzards between Christmas and New Year, the region yesterday faced torrential
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Compensation battle far from over, warns solicitor
FORMER miners whose lungs were ruined by coal dust were warned last night that their battle for compensation is far from over. Leading North-East solicitor Roger Maddocks said that the rate of payments for hundreds of pitmen is still "unacceptably low
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Famous Lawyer back on the case
They haven't seen a day like it in Tow Law since Queen Victoria opened the Ironworks Association tennis courts more than 120 years ago. Shuffling, shambling on to the Ironworks Road pitch with his hands pulled up his sleeves like a reluctant schoolboy
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Band may fold due to falling membership
A TEESDALE band may have to disband in its tenth anniversary year because of a lack of members. Teesdale Pipes and Drums is down to its last ten members, and is struggling to meet its commitments for the coming year. The band, which was formed in 1991
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Rolls-Royce in £74m sale of its turbine business
AERO-engines group Rolls-Royce has sold the bulk of its Vickers Turbine Components business to the private equity arm of the Royal Bank of Scotland in a deal worth an estimated £74m. But Rolls revealed it is keeping hold of its Vickers Pressing business
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Addiction 'no excuse' for raids on pensioners
A DRUG addict who raided the homes of four elderly people has been jailed for five years. The pensioners, three women aged 92, 85 and 65, and a man aged 67, all lived alone and were vulnerable targets, Teesside Crown Court heard. Lee Jones, 22, pleaded
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Echo praised for reuniting two friends
A FORMER Darlington woman has thanked The Northern Echo for helping to trace a friend. Anne Breese lost contact with Linda Crowther, nee Simpson, six years ago. But Mrs Breese, who now lives in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, knew Mrs Crowther had two
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Homes plan expected to win approval
PLANS for a terrace of 13 houses to be built as part of an ongoing development in Darlington are expected to be given the go-ahead today. This latest set of 13 two-storey homes will add to the Bourne Avenue development, on land off Hundens Lane, near
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Rooting out christmas trees for recycling
CHIRISTMAS trees are heading back to their roots as part of a forest recycling scheme. With every Christmas tree sold at Guisborough Forest and Walkway, in Pinchinthorpe, staff issued an invitation to the customer to return it after the festive period
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University honour for student
AN Italian-born student has been recognised for her international skills by one of the region's universities. Mara Pollock, of Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, has just graduated from Teesside University's BA International Business Studies course. To round off
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The drunken cart driver who should have been on the wagon
"A PROOF that Mr Summers' picture is not over-drawn came before Darlington magistrates the other day," reported a local newspaper - possibly the Darlington and Stockton Times - in 1894. "A young man was charged with having been drunk while in charge of
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Families urged to recycle trees
FAMILIES are being urged to think green when it comes to getting rid of their Christmas trees. For the first time, collection points have been set up in villages across the Hambleton district. More than 30 will be in place until January 14, offering people
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Railwaymen's church appeal steams to success
THE generosity of local people has resulted in a landmark Darlington church being able to repay a loan of £15,000. St John's Church, in Neasham Road, was forced to apply for a loan after structural problems were discovered in the tower. Repair work was
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Boatmen hit out at bridge timetable
BOATMEN at Whitby are calling for changes to the opening times of the swing bridge across the harbour, because they claim the present system is a "nightmare". Whitby Boating Association is appealing to Scarborough Borough Council over the issue. The 85
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A quiet birthday this year
THE Plews family enjoyed a quieter New Year than last, when their daughter was the first millennium baby to be born at Bishop Auckland Hospital. Grace Mary, who was born two weeks ahead of her expected birth date, weighing 7lb 4oz, celebrated her first
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My brush with the fear of crime
WHEN I was a policeman in Middlesbrough, we tried to do something about the problems caused by prostitution. Innocent women were complaining to us that they felt embarrassed, angered and defiled when walking through the red light zone and being approached
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Too much Chris Tarrant may harm your health
CHRIS Tarrant has taken over our house. He is, as you might guess, very difficult to live with. It's all Smaller Son's fault of course. On the first day of half term he went into town and bought himself some new shoes, jeans, jumper and a computer game
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Punishment becoming vengeance
IN MIDDLESBROUGH in the late 1970s, there was a youngster who was such a prolific offender that today he would be given one of those silly "Boy" tags and have his nickname all over the papers. He was eight when he became a one boy crimewave. He was on
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Bus users may get extra shelters
COMMUTERS in Chester-le-Street may soon have another eight bus stops to choose from, if town planners grant planning permission. Chester-le-Street District Council has received applications to build five bus shelters in Newcastle Road and three in Park
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Nigel, oh Nigel, what a name...
LIKE Wally or Herbert, for example, the name Nigel now has undertones, slightly giggly and wholly inexplicable. At least two Nigels work in this office, both perfectly good eggs. One of the Arsenal's legendary back four was a Nigel, Nigella Lawson's old
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Veritable world class bun fight
A HUNDRED years to the day since its first services, Normanby Methodist Church on Teesside celebrated its centenary on Tuesday. On both occasions, as on many others in Christianity's long history, a great public tea ensued. The church prospers still -
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Tragic death or a case of propaganda?
ONE image to have come out of the Middle East has changed the West's view of the current crisis more than any other. It is the one that shows a 12-year-old Palestinian boy, Rami Aldur, huddling with his father Jamal for safety behind a large tin drum
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So long-winded, logistically speaking
WHITE van man has been driven off the road; logistics man leads the convoy now. Have you noticed? Where once a van might do deliveries and maybe even express deliveries, now the side of every other HGV offers "logistics", global logistics, integrated
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Sous on the warpath?
The Game Tavern isn't the place for those who like Sunday lunch to offer change and a doggy bag from a fifty shilling note, nor indeed - as shortly we shall explain - for diners who prefer to be home for the World at One. With one or two slings in the
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Centre to bring cats in from cold
AN ANIMAL rescue centre is expanding its service to help find homes for stray and abandoned cats, after being inundated with calls about them over the festive period. Ramshaw Rescue Centre, near West Auckland, has always offered accommodation for horses
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Forget Tyson
ONLY subscribers to Sky Digital could watch the Lennox Lewis v David Tua fight live and they had to fork out an extra £11.95 for the privilege. As I refuse to have something resembling a wok on my house, deplore the idea of pay-per-view, and have long
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You forget but do you forgive?
Well, it's only taken twelve years, but Smaller Son has finally made up for losing his pants down the changing room drain. You forget, don't you, what small children can be like? Our friend Steve forgot. He and his children were staying with us. They
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A blessing on this new house
THOUGH there are many Methodists who these days enjoy an occasional tipple, and one or two for whom not everything is in moderation, the last time we were at Cockerton Methodist church in Darlington, they'd all just signed the pledge. It was Easter 1998
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A roofless performance by Boks, or is it Becks?
DID you know that Becks has now been with Posh for free and a half years? Perhaps when he's finished being the master of right-footed crosses and free kicks he can become a cricket commentator. I'd love to hear him give the score as free hundred and firty
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By George, what a pirate
THOUGH his team struggles of late, there is better news for Darlington FC chairman George Reynolds: he is directly descended from Barnacle Bill the Pirate. "He was my great, great uncle. I've joked about it for years and now I've got the proof," says
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Kind hearts and coronets
WHATEVER theatricals say about not working with children and animals, has never really applied to the church. Suffer them, the good book says - the bairns, if not the beasties. So Jemima Ridgeway became queen for the day, and queened it magnificently.
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Where have all the singers gone?
HAVE you got something to sing about? Probably not. We don't sing any more. At the Choir of the Year final, composer John Rutter complained that we are no longer a singing nation. Except at football matches, of course. I bet the only songs my sons know
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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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Let there be lights... eventually
THOUGH it may prove akin to the youthful realisation that Santa has several billion little helpers, needs must that we recount another salutary story for Christmas. Every year, a youngster is invited officially to switch on the lights - of which the column
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new year prospects look bright at swan hunter
BORN-again shipbuilder Swan Hunter could start 2001 as it ended last year, with a number of potential new contracts in the pipeline. The company is expected to begin talks in the next few months with at least three overseas governments, impressed with
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Art that put the evils of alcohol right in the frame
THREE days into the New Year and there is still time to dwell on how one can mend the errors of one's ways. One look at this picture should do the trick. It is entitled The Doings of Drink, or The Publican Versus The People and was drawn in 1894 by a
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Go on, send that card...
IT'S THAT time of year when your whole life passes in front of your eyes. Yes, it's Christmas card list time, that annual lurch down Memory Lane. It starts with people you went to school with, through college, first job, to that nice couple you met on
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All I want for Christmas is more time
IT is many years since I was outside a nightclub at two o'clock in the morning. But there I was the other night, waiting to collect my daughter from a Christmas party. And, perhaps it is because I am growing into an old fuddy-duddy, but I have to admit
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Bulk Hogans
BRITAIN'S most bibulous Over 60s club held its Christmas party on Tuesday: free lunch, free beer and a bottle opener from Santa. "Some people like eating, these lads like drinking," said Dave McGee, founder of the feast. Eight years ago Mr McGee opened
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Punishment more fitting to the crime
'TOUGH on crime, tough on the causes of crime." We all remember that. And our hollow laughter rings out. The Tories are right to highlight the decline in police manpower, now down by about 3,000 since the General Election, against that "tough on crime
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Bellissimo, truly bellissimo
POCO is Italian for tiny, Caf Poco abundant proof of what they say about good stuff and little bundles. It's in Wolsingham, one of those eating places - there are too few - which doesn't just help put in the day but positively enhances it. Though the
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Christmas, warts and all
WELL, that's the first festive row over... now I know it must be Christmas. It was a rare sunny, frosty morning, crisp and fresh, and we went out to get a Christmas tree. He wanted something the size of the tree the Norwegians put in Trafalgar Square
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Mr Hague misses his opportunity
WILLIAM Hague has every right to attack the Labour Government over its record on crime. Indeed, as leader of the Opposition, he would be failing in his duty if he didn't. However, in London there is still a very sensitive murder investigation going on
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Wrestling with peace and good will
Senior Son came home for the holidays. He brought four big bags of dirty washing. And a goldfish. Don't ask me. It's called Timo, I think. After a DJ in a Manchester club. Of course. Timo looked terrified. As would you if you'd spent the afternoon slopping
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A victory for the common sense lobby
SUCCESS at last? It would be satisfying to think that some of the concerns of this column are picked up and acted upon in places of power. So, vanity being what it is, the temptation exists to present the Government's newly-announced plans for harsher
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Nice cafe, shame about the trains
THE period of breast beating and atonement upon which the railway companies must surely soon embark appears to have begun rather early. A red carpet had abased itself almost exactly where we stopped from the train at Newcastle Central station; a flower
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Parade of angelic hosts
IN A pleasant North Yorkshire village on Sunday afternoon we celebrated the great miracle of the age, that is to say the correct use of the subjunctive. The open air tableau was called If Christ were born in Cowton. There are three Cowtons at least -
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The year "real" people took over TV
IT WAS the year celebrities were done out of a job by the man and woman in the street. Quite why the actors' union Equity hasn't launched a campaign to protect members is unclear but they should have been worried, very worried, as the public took over
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Bass acquisition is blocked by Competition Commission
THE UK Government has blocked Belgian group Interbrew's acquisition of Bass Brewers, saying the merger would operate against the public interest. Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers said he had accepted the conclusion of the Competition Commission
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Pressed into action by trousers crisis
AS the bearded members of 1980s rock band ZZ Top once sang: "She's got legs - she knows how to use them!" Entrepreneurs Jill Gibson and Lavinia Nicholson, both of whom are a striking 6ft tall, have certainly used their traffic-stopping pins to good financial
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Hoteliers check in at Bureau
THE region's top hoteliers have literally jumped into bed together - putting their considerable weight behind the Newcastle Gateshead Initiative's Convention Bureau. Due to open for business this month, the fully serviced commercially operated Convention
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'Drivers risking lives with selfish parking'
SELFISH drivers are putting the lives of neighbours at risk, fire chiefs have warned. Cleveland Fire Brigade is appealing to residents to make a New Year resolution to park on their drives, not on the street, to help to save lives. The brigade has revealed
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Fitness club tonic for children
A CHRISTMAS giving scheme will have long-term benefits for children admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead. Staff at Gateshead's Marriott Hotel leisure club introduced a fitness drive over two months to encourage non-members to get fit -
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Splashing out to help mothers and their babies
A MIDWIFE is helping mums and pregnant women take the plunge as part of a community scheme. Sheryl O'Lone and her colleague Margaret Hayton, both members of the Priory midwife team, based at Guisborough Hospital's maternity unit, are setting up eight
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Restored park to get security team
SECURITY staff are to be appointed as part of a park's £3.4m restoration project to encourage families to use it. Responsibility for keeping Albert Park, Middlesbrough, crime free will be divided among a park manager, a community ranger and a community
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Asda set to create 5,000 new jobs
A MASSIVE £450m investment programme by Asda, will see 5,000 jobs created in the UK over the next 12 months. The group, bought by US giant Wal-Mart in August 1999, said it would be building 13 stores over the year, including resiting its Peterlee branch
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Road to close during work on Market Place
WORK will start next week on the second phase of a project to enhance the Market Place in the centre of Knaresborough. Local contractor Houseman and Falshaw and Copgrove has been awarded the contract, and the project is due to be completed by mid-April
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Deaths on county's roads at record low
ROAD deaths across the Durham Constabulary area reached a record low last year, according to figures revealed by the force last night. Accident investigators said people's willingness to heed road safety measures, and a year-round crackdown on speeding
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On the ice
IT has been a rather quiet week for the Jesters. We played only one game, against the Fife Flyers from the BNL and we beat them 8-1. I was surprised by the difference in the level between the two leagues. I thought they would prove better opposition.
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On the ice
LOOKING back at last weekend, I'm very disappointed that we didn't come away with a result or two. The team played very well in Sheffield on Saturday night and we were unlucky not to win the game in the third period. We dominated the Panthers on Sunday
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On The Ice
We were extremely disappointed with the result on Sunday against Sheffield. We played very well as a team for 56 minutes but the last four minutes let us down. We made mental mistakes and Sheffield punished us. Our luck in overtime hasn't been great this
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Keeping up with the march of time
TIME is a wonderful thing but we never seem to have enough of it. A new family of watches from Casio Electronics should help make better use of those precious moments. First up is the new Wrist Audio MP3 Player, already being touted by Casio as "quite
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The dog you can give for Christmas
DO YOU remember Doctor Who's annoying pet dog K-9? Back in the 1970s, the concept of a robotic dog was the stuff of science fiction. Today it's science fact. Earlier this year Sony decided to flex its corporate muscle to produce the world's first fully
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On the Ice
This week I won't talk about ice hockey. Instead, I want to talk about courage and the courage my father is showing right now. Like you must know, I had to go back to Canada for a while because my father suffered a stroke about a month ago. It is the
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Double agony for Jesters
IT has been a week with ups and downs for the Jesters. Last Saturday, we faced Sheffield and got beaten 4-1. We can't afford to have any letdowns against a team like the Steelers and it is what happened. In that match, I had my first encounter with Dennis
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Margaret concern
Princess Margaret may have suffered a second stroke, Buckingham Palace said last night. After carrying out medical tests, doctors believe the Queen's sister may have had a further minor stroke, or is still suffering the follow-on effects of her mild stroke
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Reynolds sues police
MULTI-millionaire football club chairman George Rey-nolds will launch an extraordinary legal battle against Cleveland Police next week. The former safe-cracker will assume the role of barrister in the High Court in Middlesbrough to claim that he was wrongfully
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Shopping centre tells scooters to scoot
A SHOPPING centre has become one of the first in the country to ban youngsters from riding micro-scooters in its malls. Bosses at the Cornmill Centre, in Darlington, have slapped warning posters on its entrances. Thousands of the lightweight aluminum
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Turner believes Tinkler can scale heights with Pool
HARTLEPOOL United boss Chris Turner believes Mark Tinkler can cut it at a higher level - and is confident he can do it at Victoria Park. Former Leeds midfielder Tinkler moved to Pool on a free transfer from Southend in November and has played a big role
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Letters
WILLIAM HAGUE IF William Hague's political stature was as big as his mouth he might be taken more seriously. Fearing another debacle at the General Election, he staggers from one issue to another, hoping to pick up some votes from the eternal malcontents
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Houllier happy to stay at Anfield for ten years
Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier has insisted that he wants to remain in charge at Anfield for ten years. Houllier was reacting to suggestions that he was looking to return to his native France when his current five-year contract runs out to team back up
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Rock Scene set to roll over Sedgefield rivals
IF Sedgefield passes a 7.30am inspection this morning, Rock Scene rates a solid bet in the opening Selling Handicap Hurdle. Although trained at Basford in Staffordshire, Andy Streeter's nine-year-old is no stranger to success in the North-East having
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Cowboy traders caught by 'House of Horrors' camera
COWBOY traders and salesmen could be in for a shock after their unscrupulous practices were captured on camera in the region's very own House of Horrors. In a similar operation to the popular TV show, trading standards chiefs uncovered a string of dishonest
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Grieving husband will carry on fundraising
A GRIEVING family has vowed to continue the work of young mum and charity worker Jane Storey, who died after major surgery. Mrs Storey, 33, of Castleside, near Consett, died after suffering from liver problems and a rare form of leukaemia just two days
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Restored park to get security team
SECURITY staff are to be appointed as part of a park's £3.4m restoration project to encourage families to use it. Responsibility for keeping Albert Park, Middlesbrough, crime free will be divided among a park manager, a community ranger and a community
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£600,000 is put into Co-op improvements
THE North-Eastern Co-op has invested almost £600,000 in upgrades for three of its village stores in County Durham. The shops at Coxhoe, Cockfield and Sacriston have all undergone modernisation. The sales area of the Coxhoe store has been increased by
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Man guilty of rape
A MAN was jailed yesterday for ten years for raping an eight-year-old girl. Derek Smith, 32, of Gray Road, Hendon in Sunderland, was convicted at Teesside Crown Court of three charges of raping the girl at three addresses in Hartlepool when she was aged
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Waugh set for century
Steve Waugh's unbeaten 82 and 96 from Michael Slater put Australia in charge of the fifth Test in Sydney as they looked to complete a 5-0 series whitewash over West Indies. The Australians, pursuing a record 15th successive Test victory, had the tourists
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New jobs in store with Co-op shops expansion
THE North-Eastern Co-op has invested almost £600,000 in upgrades for three of its village stores in County Durham. The shops at Coxhoe, Cockfield and Sacriston have undergone major modernisation. The sales area of the Coxhoe store has been increased by
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Book recalls mine history
MEMORIES of a former north Durham mining community have been recalled in a new photo book. Members of Leadgate Historical Association have released 40 photographs of the former mining community, near Consett, dating from the 1890s to the 1970s. The photographs
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No European fears for confident Hutchison
Don Hutchison yesterday put Sunderland on Euro red alert and urged manager Peter Reid not to worry about the possibility of a blow-up. Reid is wary of discussing the prospect of playing European football next season after watching his side self-destruct
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Youths 'make life hell' for elderly
GANGS of youths are making life a misery for residents of a nursing home near Darlington. The youths congregate at a bus stop opposite the Dinsdale Court home in Middleton St George. Although almost all of them are under the legal drinking age, most of
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A real cause for celebration
TODAY, for a change, it is time for some good news. The Northern Echo has spent the last couple of years explaining how our National Health Service lags behind the rest of the world in its treatment of cardiac and cancer patients. The paper has been pleased
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Roller hockey kids' challenge
A NORTH-EAST roller hockey club is to host a children's tournament with teams competing from an area between Yorkshire and Greater Manchester. The Spectrum Spartans, based at the Spectrum Leisure Complex in Willington, near Crook, will host the Northern
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What a very small world
I THOUGHT it was a wind up. Well, for a start, she sounded like Dame Edna Everage after 15 pints of Fosters. A few months ago I picked up the phone in the middle of the day to hear a broad Australian accent telling me they didn't have my Roos shirt. To
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Police unveil mobile station in fight against rural crime
A MOBILE police station was unveiled yesterday as the latest measure to combat crime in rural areas. The North Yorkshire Police scheme aims to bring greater protection to isolated communities after receiving £186,000 of Home Office funding. The station
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Dirty washing and an empty cupboard... the lad's home
Senior Son's been home for the week. Well, I think he's been home..... Certainly I picked him up last Thursday. It took me an hour and a half to do the 20 minute journey to Northallerton, which is where - six hours after leaving Manchester - he'd managed
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Marking Labour day
BISHOP Auckland Constituency Labour Party holds its centenary dinner in Auckland Castle tomorrow night. Since there are those who have long regarded these columns as a thorn in the red rose side, it is a particular pleasure - if something of a surprise
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Keeping our head above water (just)
READERS gasping for the promised column on cigarette cards must again get their pipe; as the waters deepen, it's time once more to call out Reeth Fire Brigade. These columns over the years have had abundant mileage out of Reeth's single fire engine: there
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Deadpan Dulcie, the privy counsellor
AMONG the many things for which the column has asked this Christmas - the Oor Wullie annual, a fire engine, Garsdale railway station - is the Bloomsbury Dictionary of Euphemisms. You know, putting it nicely. Since that happy day is still several weeks
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A case of Sunniside up
AT one end of the bitter-cold front street, squalls lashing the windows and wind of the route one variety, stood a pub called the Comedian, re-branded by a former landlord who was also a popular workmen's club entertainer. A visitor might be forgiven,
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Damn lucky to be alive
Fifty years ago today, the floods as fulminating as in more recent memory, George Robert Glasgow, pit deputy, won the BEM for his extraordinary heroism in saving colleagues trapped below ground in the torrent. All 36 survived, only a pony dramatically
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Enraged by captive cruelty
We don't have dancing bears now, do we? Of course not. If we did, the public would, rightly, feel nothing but disgust. But hold on a minute. We still do have dancing bears. They're called dolphins these days, and people love to see them perform. And the
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A few teensy mistakes in US election
AS America holds its breathlessness, news via Ike Dawson - former director of Teesside International Airport - of other curious election practices in Florida. Ike, now in Gainford - Gainford-in-Teesdale, he likes to call it - sends an account e-mailed
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Firm assures residents that waste dump proposal is safe
A COMPANY wanting to dump up to 200,000 tonnes of special waste near Durham is demanding an urgent decision from councillors on the plans. Biffa Waste Service's application to deposit waste at Houghton Quarry, in Houghton-le-Spring, is to be discussed
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The trouble with working from home
MORE men than women want to work from home. I blame it on the wallpaper. The best thing about working from home - which I've done for nearly 20 years - is that you don't have to get dressed properly, you can take a break whenever you like AND you get
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A street by any other name
BRITAIN'S most famous street could have been known by a completely different name had it not been for the intervention of a Granada Television tea lady. For the past 40 years millions of viewers have tuned in each week to catch up with the goings on in
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Carbon commerce in the temple
THE breakdown of the talks to control greenhouse gases, arguably the biggest threat to our planet, might have a bright side. It could undermine the on-line trading in emissions, which began last week even as the frantic efforts to save the planet began
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Going to work on an egg
IT WAS Lilliput, memory suggests, where the nation was divided into Bigenders and Littlenders, depending on the direction from which they assaulted their eggs. It was in the cheek-by-jowl lay-by caf on the north-bound carriageway at Scotch Corner that
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A short-term fix for Boro's long-term problems
CAN you Adam and Eve it? A famous East Ender coming to coach the Boro. Tel Boy won't find an Albert Square in Middlesbrough, but he will find an Albert Road if he has time to explore beyond the confines of the Riverside and the training ground. There's
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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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The mysterious case of the frozen hostages
THE message from Senior Son was brief but urgent. "We've got some frozen hostages. What should we do with them?" I played it again and panicked. Hostages? Frozen? Was he involved in a shoot-out? Gang warfare? Had he strayed from the safe world of Manchester
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Rushing out for Oscar
THE spate of high profile, star-studded movies appearing on US cinema screens at the moment is not just a happy accident. Former Academy Award winners such as Kevin Spacey, Geoffrey Rush and Tom Hanks all have new movies out. So do award-friendly directors
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Elevated debate of no consequence
IN A debate in the House of Lords on leylandii hedges, a source of great distress to many, Earl Ferrers, a former Tory minister, said: "At the moment you have got hedgerow officers who tell you what hedges you may and may not remove. You have got tree
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Looking to regain old glories
THREE course Sunday lunch at the George in Piercebridge is £13.95, which may explain why a couple inquired, conferred and ordered two packets of plain crisps instead. It's a bit steep for a north countryman is that, worse still for a Yorkshireman - within
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Where is that frosty wind?
IN the town where I was born - somewhere, shall we say, on the Darlington to Bishop Auckland railway line - Christmas wasn't so much traditional as cast in Elgin marble. Carols were forbidden in St John's church until late on Christmas Eve, transgressors
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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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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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Where there's a way, there was Will
GREAT compliments of our time: "You are The Northern Echo," said a charming old lady at Ferryhill Wheelers cycling club's annual dinner on Friday night - "you, Sharon and the death notices." It gets no better than that. WILL Hay's death notice appeared
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Move to give building plans better publicity
PEOPLE in Darlington are likely to be given further help if they want to examine planning applications. At present, it is compulsory for all planning applications received by Darlington Borough Council to be publicised. This allows neighbours and other
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Rolls-Royce wins £600m deal
AERO-engines group Rolls-Royce has announced its second deal of the New Year, securing a £600m contract to repair and overhaul the engines powering British Airways' Airbus Industrie A320 fleet. On Tuesday, the group said it had sold the bulk of its Vickers
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Our basic instinct is to fight
A NICE festive theme this week: violence. Some, like stricken boxer Paul Ingle, fight to make a living the best way they can; others, like the rival football fans at the Sheffield and Lancashire derbies, do it out of sheer animal hatred of the opposition
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Rising from the ashes
One moment Liz Crowther was starring in Channel 5's Family Affairs, the next her TV soap career exploded, literally, as the entire Hart family were blown up in a tragic boat accident on screen. The name of the person responsible for perhaps soapland's
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Beating the drum for some respect
OVER the New Year, I found myself on a local radio phone-in show discussing law and order with a GP in his mid-forties and a 17-year-old A- level student. One of the callers set us off talking about corporal punishment. Being a policeman, the birch immediately
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Plans afoot for gala weekend
PLANS for a Ferryhill gala to take place in the town this summer will be discussed at a meeting this evening. The Ferryhill 2000 committee, chaired by the Reverend Keith Lumsdon, of St Luke's Parish Church, is looking for ideas or offers of help for the
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Don't forget to say thank you
SO there you are, you've eaten the chocolates, watched the video, played the game. You might even be wearing the new jumper or jewellery and have already hit the High Street to spend the voucher. But have you said thank you for them? An amazing number
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Council criticised over land buy-out
A COUNCIL has been criticised over its handling of a controversial land deal that sparked a fraud squad inquiry. The investigation last year led to the arrest of Durham City Council's chief executive, Colin Shearsmith, and local businessman Robert Fulton
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Artists piece together centre activities to make colourful display
ARTISTS are bringing a touch of colour to a community centre with a new mosaic. The Tree of Life creation from the Rural Arts North Yorkshire group, in Thirsk, will soon be the centrepiece of the entrance hall, at Foxwood community centre, near York.
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A speck of dirt really is good for you
MODERN man owes it all to his ancestors. As he sniffs and sneezes, sweats and coughs through his latest bout of winter sickness, the fact he is still in this world at all is down to his relatives from the caveman days. Every member of the family tree
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Nightclub pair sponsor police rugby team
TWO Durham City businessmen have pitched in to buy strips for Durham Constabulary's rugby team. Steve Anderson and partner Jeff Metcalf, who own the Caf Rock nightclub, in North Road, have teamed up with Scottish and Newcastle Brewery to sponsor the first
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Pupils scoop road safety awards
SAFETY conscious children were rewarded for their knowledge after beating off stiff competition in a road safety quiz. Three schools made it to the finals of Stockton Borough Council's road safety competition final after winning heats involving about
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Families fight to stop homes
AN old people's home, which was closed controversially more than a year ago, looks likely to be replaced by houses and flats. Pannal Grange, in Harrogate, was one of four homes closed in a cost-cutting exercise by North Yorkshire County Council in 1999
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-Lock out those sneak thieves'
FAMILIES are being warned to keep their doors locked, even when they are in the house, following a spate of "sneak-in" thefts. The warning came as police revealed that of the seven or eight burglaries that take place nightly on Teesside, at least two
