Archive
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Thinking british pays off
CREATIVE thinkers at one of the region's radio stations have won international recognition for a series of advertisements urging people to buy British. The team, from Metro Radio, produced three 50-second commercials for Land-Rover dealership Dutton Forshaw
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Second shop arson attack
POLICE are investigating an arson attack on a shop and flat less than 48 hours after an identical incident. Fire officers were alerted to a blaze in Parliament Road, Middlesbrough, at 1am yesterday. Someone had broken in through a securely-padlocked door
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Honours for students who overcame the odds
A PAIR of dedicated students have overcome serious health problems to win top academic honours. Midway through his four year degree course at Teesside University, Craig Cutts' wife was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer, and he wanted to give up his studies
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Artistic talent on show
Undiscovered talent has been tapped by a local art group to create a challenging exhibition. The Discovery Centre Art Group in the Wear Valley meets once a month. Its members, including two professional artists and a retired electrician, meet at the Bishop
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Racing at lunchtime
THE fourth race in the winter series of the Dixon Sports Lunchtime Road Race league will take place at Gateshead International Stadium next week. The latest instalment in the races, which give serious athletes and joggers the chance to compete equally
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Sounds like a good idea . . .
THE next record hitmaker could cut his or her teeth on a new community music project aimed at producing the stars of tomorrow. Sound Room provides rehearsal space, mixing equipment and training to budding musicians and to local people who want to pursue
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Inquiry into rollerblade accident
A 12-YEAR-OLD boy was recovering in hospital at the weekend following a roller-blade accident. A Durham Police spokesman said it appeared that the boy was crossing Passfield Way, Peterlee, when he was hit by a Vauxhall Cavalier, at 5.30pm, on Friday.
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Trainee tech is the tops
TRAINEE maintenance technician Frank Malia has motored ahead of the competition at Nissan Sunderland's annual trainee of the year awards ceremony. The 22-year-old was voted outstanding maintenance trainee of the year and received the company's prestigious
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Whelan allowance may do the trick
RICHARD FAHEY has reaped a rich harvest from his talented chestnut gelding The Butterwick Kid over recent seasons. Named after the village on the outskirts of Malton where he's trained, Fahey has campaigned the ultra-consistent eight-year-old to win over
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Fury at jail for woman who bit man
A JUDGE sparked outrage last night after he jailed a woman who bit off a man's testicle as she tried to defend her friend. Denise Carr, 29, sank her teeth into the groin of self-confessed wife-beater Neil Hutchinson. There were gasps from the public gallery
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Heron murder house to be animal centre
A HOUSE at the centre of one of Britain's most baffling unsolved murders is likely to become an animal training centre and crematorium. Darlington council has received an application to build the centre on land at Aeolian House, which lies on the outskirts
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Corrs pay tribute to mother's carers
IRISH supergroup The Corrs burst on to stage last night and urged fans to help mark the memory of their mother. Despite the sad circumstances behind their North-East concert, the band wanted the night to be a "celebration". The concert was held at Newcastle
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East End scheme to create 60 new jobs
DEVELOPMENTS at Hoult Estates in Newcastle are continuing at a pace with the completion of the first two phases of a massive new programme which has helped create 60 extra jobs. The re-development at the Newcastle site has seen the first phase, Maling
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My time in the company of angels
AS The Corrs prepare to sing their praises at Newcastle Arena, I can confirm - in the words of another superband, Abba - that thanks to the Freeman Hospital "I believe in angels.'' Through the dedication, skill and tireless efforts of a team of nurses
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Ricard wonder goal sends Boro through
HITMAN Hamilton Ricard last night delivered an FA Cup sucker punch to Bradford to stretch Middlesbrough's unbeaten run under Terry Venables to six matches. Boro lined up a fourth-round tie at home to Wimbledon or Notts County after withstanding an early
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Boy, three, hurt
Adam Hussain, three, of Hartburn Lane, in Stockton, suffered a broken leg after he was in collision with a Vauxhall Astra in Hartburn Lane at its junction with Austin Avenue, at 12.20pm on Saturday. He was detained in North Tees Hospital
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Will our trains ever get out of the sidings?
JUMP on a train in the Far East and you will be transported in air-conditioned comfort at speeds close to 200mph. Do the same in France and the TGV flies along at 160mph, while Germans are aiming to hit 175mph by 2005. Eurostar hurtles through France
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24-hour opening at garage refused
A GARAGE has been refused permission to open 24 hours a day for the fourth time. The owners of the Beck Valley Service Station, in Wolviston Road, Billingham, had applied for the opening hours after similar applications in 1997 and 1998. The owners commissioned
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No protection for victims' grief
IT'S a claim to fame June Richardson wishes she never had and one she is never allowed to forget. Every time a child kills a child, she has the world knocking on her door. This time it's the Jamie Bulger case that has brought back her tragic past. The
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Partnership to be explored
WAYS in which the NHS and higher education can work in partnership are to come under the spotlight. A conference will be held at Newcastle's University of Northumbria next Wednesday, which will look at ways of improving co-operation. The aim is to ensure
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Church to broaden its use after rising from the ashes
A CONSULTANT has been employed to explore extended uses for a Durham church which is under restoration after being ravaged by fire. St Brandon's Church, at Brancepeth, near Durham City, is being rebuilt after it was reduced to an empty shell by the blaze
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Seaside community comes clean with beach litter pick
A COMMUNITY united to make a clean sweep of its latest beach care project. Members of the Saltburn 500 Club were joined by the Guisborough Sea Cadets and local volunteers for their litter survey and clean up of Saltburn beach - popular with wetsuit-clad
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Mobile phone gangs bringing terror to street
RESIDENTS of a Darlington street say they are being terrorised by gangs of youths. People in Brompton Walk, in the Mowden area, say they are subject to regular threats and intimidation from groups of more than 20 teenagers who congregate on the street
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For plant lovers
THE sixth in the winter series of horticultural talks features hardy plants and will be held in Gateshead Civic Centre, on Wednesday, January 24, at 7pm. The free talk is supported by Gateshead and District Allotment Association. More details on 0191-
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Internet success help cricket team
A VILLAGE cricket team plucked from obscurity thanks to its eye-catching website is set for an action replay at an international tournament. Kirkby Malzeard Cricket Club, near Ripon, were catapulted to fame by organisers of the Chiang Mai International
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Fresh bid made for cement company
WORKERS at a Weardale cement factory are waiting to see what the latest twist of an on-off takeover battle will mean to them. Yesterday, it emerged that cement group Blue Circle, which has a factory in Eastgate, near Stanhope, County Durham, is back in
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Stand up and be counted
A TEESSIDE radio station is urging local people to sign up for a data-gathering exercise. The Office for National Statistics is recruiting 63,000 enumerators in the lead up to Census Day on April 29. The census, carried out every ten years, is a count
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Takeover boosts cement workers
NORTH-East workers at Blue Circle are hoping a £3.1bn takeover will provide them with a boost after enduring a year of uncertainty in the industry. French building materials giant Lafarge confirmed it had agreed the takeover of the UK-based cement group
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Hunt for yob after bus is hit by stone
PASSENGERS on a bus escaped serious injury when a vandal threw a stone at the moving vehicle, shattering a window. The Arriva bus had been travelling along Perm Terrace, in Bishop Middleham, County Durham, when the youth struck before running off. Police
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Tribunal resumes into job dismissal
A TRIBUNAL will resume today into claims that a firefighter was dismissed for standing up for colleagues as a union representative. Michael Coakley, 50, says he was punished by being transferred from Sunderland Central fire station, where he worked for
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Pioneering loans service launched
A savings and loans facility is to open in a town centre. Middlesbrough has nine credit unions, providing financial services as part of cooperatives, but their limited opening hours prevent many from accessing them. In response to the problem, the Credit
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Child placement team hosts meetings
PROSPECTIVE carers are invited to two events to find out more about adoption and fostering. Next Monday, Stockton Borough Council's child placement team is holding an information evening for anyone who has thought about adopting a child. The meeting will
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Recruitment drive launched to ease foster carers shortage
AN appeal has gone out to recruit people wishing to become foster carers in the Stockton area. The number of carers has fallen, but the number of children needing temporary or long-term care has risen. Children who are victims of family break-ups prefer
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University lays down law on course
ASPIRING legal eagles are being invited to an open night providing information on starting in the profession. The University of Teesside, Middlesbrough, is hosting the free event for anyone thinking of full or part-time law degrees. Helen Howard, admissions
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Call to take down mobile phone masts
A LEADING councillor is calling for the removal of all mobile phone masts near public buildings. Stephen Smailes, leader of the Conservative group on Stockton Borough Council, plans to make the demand in a letter to George Garlick, the council's chief
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Motorcycle pair hurt in crash
A TEENAGE motorcyclist and his passenger suffered broken bones when their off-road bike, being ridden without lights, collided with a car. The accident happened at 9.55pm, on Friday, when the unregistered Suzuki 125cc hit the Suzuki Baleno in North Road
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Thieves raid bakery and snatch charity box
THIEVES who smashed through a ceiling to break into a bakery, escaped with cakes, crisps and a charity collection box. When staff at Peter's Cathedral Bakery, in Willington High Street arrived at work they were met with a devastating sight. Overnight
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Mollie launched into deep space with metrocentre fireworks
FIREWORKS lit up the sky above Tyneside on Saturday to mark the end of a children's show at the MetroCentre. Hundreds of children and parents attended the party for Millie, an alien whose spaceship landed at the mall in 1999. Since then, the MetroCentre's
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Greggs butters up the City with a boost in sales
BAKERY group Greggs has toasted strong takeaway sales over the Christmas period for puffing up its performance during the last six months. The Newcastle-based company, which has 1,100 outlets around the country, said like-for-like sales for the second
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Animal ban for DIY vet couple
A JOBLESS couple "patched up" their kitten's badly injured jaw with freezer ties to save on vets' bills after it fell out of a window. Bishop Auckland magistrates heard today how 12-week-old Tammy went through "a great deal of suffering" as the wire cut
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Holocaust memories to be kept alive
THE horrors of Hitler's persecution of the Jews will be remembered in Durham City to mark the UK's first Holocaust Memorial Day later this month. Tomorrow, county councillors are expected to agree proposals for a programme of events to take place on Saturday
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Angry, scared - and running out of time
A CANCER patient who is fighting for her life says she has been denied access to a promising new drug because the NHS will not pay for her treatment. Eileen Quigley, 68, from Thirsk, North Yorkshire, claims that she was told that the recently-licensed
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Given hands Robson shock transfer request
Shay Given has rocked Bobby Robson by slapping in a written transfer request at Newcastle. The Republic of Ireland keeper reacted impulsively after losing his place to Steve Harper, who made one of the saves of the FA Cup third round to deny Aston Villa's
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Raiders target post offices across region
A POST office in West Auckland has been raided in the latest in a string of robberies on branches across the region. West Auckland post office was targeted by three men, who threatened employees and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash at about 5.15pm
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Durham put South African on stand-by
DURHAM have put a South African Test batsman on stand-by to be their overseas player next season if Simon Katich is required for the Ashes tour. They were believed to have a shortlist of five candidates, but chairman Bill Midgley confirmed that it is
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Crisis forces Quakers to rely on youth
Darlington manager Gary Bennett will rely on the youngsters tonight in their LDV Vans Trophy tie at York. The injury crisis worsened yesterday, which means Bennett could be without seven recognised first teamers at Bootham Crescent. That will open the
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Blue lights mystery as biker dies in crash
POLICE are appealing for witnesses following an accident in which a motorcyclist was killed. John Peter Haley, 44, died from multiple injuries after his Suzuki 1200c motorbike collided with a Hyundai Pony car on the A688 road at Spennymoor, County Durham
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Football club in row over new kit
NEWCASTLE United Football Club has denied exploiting fans with the release of its new kit due out this spring. A weekend report said supporters were furious that the Premiership club were changing the style of the famous black and white shirt, even though
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I was victim of police vendetta - George Reynolds
SAFEBREAKER turned business tycoon George Reynolds was back in court yesterday - to accuse police of waging a vendetta against him. The flamboyant owner of Darlington Football Club is suing Cleveland Police over an incident in 1992 in which he was arrested
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Strong man Strodder sidelined for six weeks
COMMANDING Hartlepool United defender Gary Strodder has been ruled out of action for six weeks. The former West Ham stopper is to undergo surgery to remove scar tissue from his troublesome Achilles after a scan last week. Strodder, out for three months
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Cash find bus driver praised for honesty
A BUS driver has been praised for his honesty after he found £5,000 cash in the street and took it to the police. Phil Rayner a £170-a-week bus driver from Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, was taking a lunch break when he saw what he thought were raffle tickets
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An ungentle man
I've just been reading the recent report about battered clergymen. It's on the increase, apparently. Petty thieves and delinquents, forever in search of ready cash to fund their druggy "lifestyle", are finding vicarages, presbyteries and church vestries
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Teenagers escape from lake ordeal
FOUR teenage boys had a lucky escape after falling through ice while playing on a frozen lake. A 14-year-old and three 13-year-olds plunged into the icy water of Leazes Park boating lake, Newcastle. The boys, all from Newcastle's West End, had been cycling
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Engineering firms set to forge ahead in 2001
THE UK's engineering sector will outpace the rest of manufacturing and the UK economy as a whole this year, according to the latest survey by the Engineering Employers' Federation (EEF). But the stronger growth masks significant regional and sector variations
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Woman 'suicidal' over the attentions of ex-colleague
FINANCE officer Helena Hinde said she came close to suicide in the face of the unwanted attentions of a male colleague. Now her former council employers are suing the man blamed for her ordeal, to try and recover some of the cash they were forced to pay
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Rescue alert after woman injures knee
A MOUNTAIN rescue team was called out for the first time this year on Saturday. The Cleveland Search and Rescue Team was asked to help bring an injured woman out of a wood at Marske. The incident began at about 2.30pm when the woman, from Skelton, slipped
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Letters
LIGHT FANTASTIC WE decorate the outside of our house each Christmas and this year we decided to ask for donations for the Butterwick Hospice. Visqueen (where my husband works) donated the first sum of £100, followed by Bodycote with £25. It was followed
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Pupils learn safety tips
WHILE bar staff, nurses and schoolchildren may not appear to have much in common, they can all face the same threat of being attacked. It was with this possibility in mind that Martial Arts Trained (Mat) was established by three judo experts as a company
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Lights raise cash for needy
A DAZZLING Christmas garden display has raised £340 for Children in Need, despite being damaged by vandals on Christmas Eve. Ray Lauder, who lives on the Hall Lane Estate, Willington, began putting up 2,000 Christmas lights around his garden in November
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Clearing way for pool plans
A HEALTH and swimming complex could be built on the site of Durham Baths, if plans are approved. The multi-million pound scheme would create up to 100 jobs and replace the current baths, which have stood on the city centre site for 70 years, with two
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Traders fear for future of market hall
MARKET traders facing the threat of redundancy say their future remains unclear on the day new bosses take over. Since Middlesbrough Borough Council began negotiations to sell the lease for the town's Hill Street Centre back to owners Royal Sun Alliance
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Old church Sunday school makes debut as village hall
A LONG-neglected Victorian building has been transformed to become the hub of village life in a remote Dales community. The Church of England has been putting Government policy into practice in Fremington, Swaledale, where the old Sunday School has been
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Ambulance aid for Cuba sets sail from region
A CONVOY of 50 ambulances bound for Havana has set sail from the region. In a goodwill gesture, British trade unionists donated the vehicles to help to rebuild the Cuban ambulance service, following the US blockade and the collapse of the Soviet bloc.
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Thieves make off with £1,000 falcon
A BIRD lover is appealing for thieves to return a rare falcon stolen from the garden of his Chester-le-Street home. Kane, a hybrid cross between a peregrine and gyr falcon, is valued at £1,000. The seven-month-old bird was being trained as a hunter by
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Good Samaritan tells of shock at police CS gas spray ordeal
A GOOD Samaritan has spoken of his shock at being sprayed with CS gas and falsely imprisoned. Cleveland Police must compensate Craig Vincent, 23, to the tune of £15,000, after a jury at Teesside Crown Court found in his favour. The judge in the case,
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Free masters' course on offer
WOMEN can study for free on a postgraduate course at Sunderland University. The university has obtained funding from the European Social Fund to waive course fees for 20 female students on the full-time Master of Arts course in gender, culture and development
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Internet site will boost training
A NEW Internet service, designed to help companies in the UK and overseas find tailor made solutions to training needs, has been launched by TTE. The initial phase of www.tte.co.uk gives visitors to the site access to information about the history of
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Gospels draw 200,000
THOUSANDS of people queued at the weekend for the last chance to see the Lindisfarne Gospels on their brief return home to the North-East. The treasured manuscript, penned by monks 1,300 years ago, was on loan to Newcastle's Laing Art Gallery from the
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Crufts dream hangs on funding appeal
A DOG agility team has launched a fundraising drive to allow it to realise its dream of appearing at Crufts. The Barney Bullets team, which is part of Barnard Castle Dog Club, desperately needs up to £1,000 so they can compete in the prestigious dog show
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Ex-boxer who killed is released
A FORMER boxer convicted of killing a man outside a Wearside pub has been released from prison. Ernie Bewick was jailed for six years, for manslaughter, after admitting killing Tony Waters. Mr Waters, 44, was stamped and kicked to death outside the Eastender
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Father tells of tragic son's bravery
THE father of an eight-year-old boy who lost his battle against leukaemia at Christmas has spoken of his son’s bravery. Daniel Turner, of Ridgeway, Darlington, died on the day after Boxing Day after a four year battle against the disease. But
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Ice stops skating spectacle
A SKATING spectacular planned to mark an outdoor ice rink's last weekend was cancelled due to frost. While freezing temperatures may seem ideal conditions for skating, they caused havoc for the rink at Middlesbrough's Victoria Gardens when they caused
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A ruling waiting to be challenged
IF the murderers of James Bulger are to be released, it is right that their anonymity is protected. The main - probably only - purpose of their release is so that they can be re-integrated into society. What Jon Venables and Robert Thompson did cannot
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Youths set fire to gas main
FIRE officers who tackled a blaze involving a gas main say it was started deliberately by youths. Cleveland Fire Brigade was called to the main at the junction of Amberwood Walk and Easington Road, in Hartlepool, at 6pm on Friday, after flames were spotted
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Burning questions
WHAT is the origin of the American Stars and Stripes flag? Is it true that it originated in the North-East? I would also like to know if it once featured a rattlesnake? - David Wilson, Norton. IF THE American flag is derived from George Washington's coat
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Parliament to listen to families on low income
LOW income families in County Durham will have their views heard in Parliament and influence policies affecting their daily lives. Independent education charity The Hansard Society, has been asked to produce evidence on issues surrounding low income for
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Reynolds to launch into police battle
MULTI-millionaire George Reynolds will personally launch a legal battle this morning to try to prove he was wrongfully arrested eight years ago by Cleveland Police. In a High Court civil action at Teesside Crown Court, the owner of Darlington Football
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Stranded sailors leave at last
THE saga of the stranded ship, whose Russian crew was left high and dry after it was impounded, has been resolved. Following its journey from the Black Sea, carrying ammonium nitrate, the Vismark Gloria was detained on the River Tees, at Stockton. The
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Snake makes an entrance
THE New Year celebrations may be over for most - but not for the staff at the library in Thirsk. They are gearing up for some Oriental fun - to mark the beginning of the Chinese Year of the Snake. The library is holding a family drop-in morning on Saturday
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Drop-in disabled centre set up
A drop-in disabled centre is to open at a sports club. The centre has been established by disabled man John Theaker, of Marske, because he felt that the present disabled centre, which has about 40 members, was too small for Marske and New Marske. His
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Work begins at last on town's new police station
WORK starts today on a long-awaited £2m police station near the centre of Spennymoor. The two-storey, slate-fronted building next door to Spennymoor Leisure Centre will replace a red-brick Edwardian police station in Dundas Street. It will more than double
